《The Overnight Chosen Wife: Darling, Kiss Me Deeper》


 Chapter 1 - An Unfamiliar World(1)

    [In this world, nothing is absolute.


    The truth can have a tiny percentage of lies, lies can hold some truth, a joke can be serious, and even reality can be an illusion. When you thought you have been living your dream all your life, and then that life suddenly turns into a near-death experience and just when you think you are going to die, the scene suddenly fades into light and you realize it was all just a dream. And you do not even know where you are.]


    __


    Hillside Hospital.


    Li Lanni stared blankly as two nurses busied themselves around her, drawing her blood, taking her pulse and measuring her temperature.


    A girl in a red dress stood nervously at the side, letting them do their work. A doctor shone his bright flashlight into her eyes, making her squint them closed from the sudden glaring light. Was he trying to make her blind?


    Words tumbled out of their mouths, none of which she understood and they could be speaking Greek for all she cared. A nurse brought a glass of water to her. She let the nurse place the glass on her dry lips and only took two sips to soothe her parched throat. She tried to move. Her whole body ached so she slumped back.


    "Are they coming back?" She asked no one in particular when the doctor and nurses made their way out. She didn''t want them to come back. She was scared.


    "They don''t have to if you do not want them. Lanni, are you feeling okay?" The girl in red asked.


    "Who are you?" Li Lanni recoiled with an alarmed expression on her face.


    "I''m your  best friend." The girl explained. "My name is Ji Feifei. Tell me, does it hurt anywhere?"


    Li Lanni was still taking in her words. Best friend? Those two words sounded so unfamiliar and she didn''t even want to think about it.


    "Where am I? What happened to me? How come I do not know you?" She finally asked a cluster of questions.


    The girl called Ji Feifei let out a sigh before starting to answer. "You have been in a coma for six months. It is understandable that you are still confused. The doctors also said you might have temporary amnesia. That explains why you don''t remember me."


    Li Lanni stared dazedly as realisation downed on her already confused brain.She had been in a coma for so long? Now it made sense.


    No wonder what she had thought was her life didn''t truly feel real. It had all revolved around two scenes that seemed to be on loop. She couldn''t even remember anything about them except that they were happy scenes. The last time, a different scene appeared. She couldn''t recall it either. All she remembered was a loud scream, earth-shattering screeches and a crash.


    She had woken up right after the crash. So it was all a dream. Two dreams and a nightmare. To be exact, she had been in coma. All that she had thought was happening was only an illusion and now she was awake.


    But she didn''t like it here. It was so white and so unfamiliar. She didn''t know anything. It felt like she had been shoved into a different dimension and forced to believe that it was real.


    Only, she knew that it was real. At least more real than the dream she had forgotten.


    "Can I leave this place?"


    The girl called Ji Feifei looked troubled. "I don''t know... I don''t think you can leave so soon. I''ll ask the doctor when you will be discharged."


    _____________


    NOTE: I thought I should add this note. It''s important.


    1] I am editing the book. I might change some parts to make it better and more sensible. I just started, so if you come across tiny differences in the plot, please understand that it''s because I''m editing. I will remove this part once editing is complete.


    2]Beware: There are plot twists. Not too many of them though.


    3] This story has two parts:


    >Before the female lead regains her memory.


    >After she regains her memory.


    You will notice a difference in the second part. Don''t worry, it''s not a huge difference and the plot will not stray.


    I thought I should add these points to prepare you for some of the things you will come across.


    Happy reading! ?

 Chapter 2 - An Unfamiliar World(2)

    Ji Feifei returned a few minutes later.


    "Sorry, you cannot leave the hospital yet. The doctor said you need to stay a few days for observation."


    "Okay. You may leave." Li Lanni dismissed. She didn''t intentionally want to sound rude.


    It was just that she felt confused and didn''t know what to do in this unfamiliar world. Moreover, the vibe that this Ji Feifei girl emitted made her inexplicably feel the need to protect herself. How could she trust anyone when she didn''t even know who she was? She was only relying on what she had been told, and she didn''t like it.


    Ji Feifei felt humiliated that she had been sent away but she left nonetheless. Lanni was still getting used to things.


    ¡­


    Li Lanni closed her eyes, trying to get used to everything. Her mind was so blank that she didn''t know what to do.


    The door banged open a short while later and a middle aged woman rushed right at her, emotionally hugging her out of nowhere.


    "Who are you?" Li Lanni pushed her away out of reflex.


    The woman was stunned and saddened for a second before she recollected herself. "I''m your mother. Li Yuming." She wiped away tears that Li Lanni assumed were of joy. "Feifei told me you woke up so I came back. I almost thought she was pranking me! Lanni, I''m so happy."


    Cautiously as though afraid of something, Li Lanni studied the woman as she spoke. She only reacted when her instinct convinced her that the woman was being sincere. She returned the hug and patted her back.


    Li Yuming was overjoyed. She hugged her daughter a little longer before reluctantly pulling away. "Have you eaten anything yet? If not, I will get you something to eat."


    ''Growl¡­'' her stomach rumbled as though to answer her mother.


    She scratched her head in embarrassment. "I guess I could do with some food."


    Li Yuming smiled and hurriedly left the ward. She quickly bought food in the hospital cafeteria and rushed back as though she was afraid of something. Even though she wanted to go to a high-end restaurant instead, she didn''t want to leave Li Lanni alone for too long.


    It turned out, Li Lanni was not the only one who had been traumatised by the accident. In fact, Li Yuming was even more traumatised.


    She had almost lost her daughter, her only family. She couldn''t let it happen again.


    That was why for the last few weeks, she had stuck by Li Lanni''s side and would only leave when it was absolutely necessary and even then, she would let Ji Feifei stay by her side.


    The same trend went on for the next few days that Li Lanni had to stay in hospital for observation.


    ...


    Li Lanni was finally discharged. Li Yuming brought her to Pearl Villa, their home. For the first time in many days, Li Lanni had a change in emotions. She was happy. The hospital was so cold and white and she didn''t like it there a single bit. Their home, on the other hand, was warm and more welcoming.


    Her mother showed her to her room and helped her settle down.


    When she was finally alone, Li Lanni went over to the full length mirror and stared at it. A beautiful young woman stared back at her. It felt so unfamiliar¡­


    Looking at yourself in the mirror and not being able to recognize the person on the other side must be the most frustrating feeling on earth.


    She pulled back a strand of hair from her face, the woman in the mirror did the same.  She wondered how old she was. Twenty? Thirty perhaps? Her mother had not talked about her age yet. Perhaps she assumed that Li Lanni remembered it.


    Which made Li Lanni wonder, since the doctor claimed that she was only suffering from selective amnesia which was supposed to be temporary, how come she couldn''t remember anything?


    She let out a sigh and moved away from the mirror, sitting on the bed instead. Surely she couldn''t keep bugging her mother every time she thought she needed to know something.


    She needed to find some clues that could help her remember something and staring at the mirror would definitely not do much to let that happen.

 Chapter 3 - An Unfamiliar World (3)

    She got tired just looking at them so she shrugged and gave up. She lay on her bed with a sigh. Without knowing it, she fell asleep.


    ...


    The next day.


    Li Lanni went for a stroll around the backyard with her mother.


    With the calm and warmth livening up the atmosphere, she finally curiously asked, "Don''t I go to school or work?"


    Her mother replied, "You go to school. You are currently in the same University as Feifei."


    "Mmh." So she was a student. She shouldn''t be that old.


    Li Lanni scolded herself at that thought. Her mother was right here. She could just simply ask, couldn''t she? She was about to ask more details like her age, what she was studying and which year she was in when a soft voice resounded from behind them.  "Lanni, Aunty!"


    It was Ji Feifei. She strutted over to them and waved a plastic bag slightly. "Lanni, I came to see you. Look, I bought you some of the cookies from Royaume, it''s a fairly new pastry shop. You will love them!"


    "Oh." Li Lanni said but did not reach for the cookies. Even then, she smiled a little to acknowledge her presence.


    Ji Feifei did not notice Li Lanni''s coldness and smiled at Li Yuming radiantly. "Aunty, didn''t you have to meet someone today? You don''t have to worry too much about Lanni. I will take care of her."


    Li Yuming liked this young woman very much. She and Li Lanni had known each other for many years and had grown even closer in recent years. Being with a close friend of the same age might be just what Li Lanni needed to lighten up her dull mood.


    She smiled back at the girl. "I''ll go tomorrow. You girls must have a lot to catch up on. Don''t let Lanni walk too much." she urged and went back to the house.


    The two girls did not talk much, majorly because Li Lanni just didn''t feel like talking. They went back to the house after a short stroll. Li Lanni noticed what looked like a note on her pillow when they entered her room.


    Ji Feifei teased her immediately. "Someone has an admirer, eh?"


    "Don''t tease me. It''s just a piece of paper. It can be anything."


    But when she opened it, the content was surprising.


    [Lanni, if you are reading this, you must be back home.


    I just wanted to warn you. Vile creatures disguise themselves as good people and cling onto you. I''m sorry that I cannot reveal my identity for now but I hope you trust me. Since you lost your memory, I''m indebted to tell you this.. The person you think is your friend, is a backstabber.]

 Chapter 4 - An Unfamiliar World (4)

    The person close to her? That had to be Ji Feifei, right? After all, the first person she saw after waking up was Ji Feifei. They must be close.


    However, putting the warning aside, there was something about Ji Feifei that made Li Lanni instinctively want to hide away and protect herself. Was she being paranoid?


    If she looked at Ji Feifei right now, she would realize that the latter''s face had paled with fright... and a pinch of regret.


    "Lanni..." she laughed. "When we were younger, you would receive similar notes. They are all pranks."


    "Really?" Li Lanni laughed too. Was Ji Feifei that bad at making excuses or did she take her for a fool? Li Lanni made a mental note to keep some distance from her.


    Ji Feifei continued chattering on. "Yes. Everyone is so jealous of you. You are beautiful, have excellent grades and are basically everything any young woman would ever wish to be. It would be surprising if those jealous b*tches didn''t come up with ways to make you misunderstand everything. You know, many people know about..."


    Li Lanni was no longer listening. She studied the girl before her inch by inch. There was definitely more to this girl than meets the eye.


    "I want to be alone." She dismissed.


    Ji Feifei scrunched her eyebrows into a frown while her lips curled into a sneer. It was just for a brief second, but it did not escape Li Lanni''s sharp scrutiny.


    What left her mouth was anything but. "Then I will see you later. I will also bring your favorite chocolate when I visit you again."


    Li Lanni almost rolled her eyes.


    Although they had not interacted very much, one thing was apparent. Ji Feifei did not like her.


    Which made her wonder... why, then, was she pretending to be her friend? The thought of it made Li Lanni shiver.


    Just a few hours later, Li Lanni noticed something that was a strange coincidence. While she was looking through her books, she noticed that her handwriting and that on the note....were at least 80% similar!


    She definitely did not write it. How strange...was there someone from her class with a similar handwriting?


    Apparently, that was the same thing Ji Feifei was thinking. She wanted to know if it was written by someone from their class. The person cleverly did not use text or email because that could be tracked.


    For a reason she did not understand, Li Lanni kept the note safely and looked through her books hoping to find a diary. Most girls kept some, right? It would be great if she kept one too. Maybe it would help her remember something as well as answer some questions.


    ___


    For the following few weeks, Li Yuming spent most of her time taking care of her daughter.


    Li Lanni''s health improved a great deal.


    Ji Feifei would drop by a few times too. However, Li Lanni was already uneasy about her presence so she would find all sorts of excuses to send her off.


    But in this period, she had realized that Ji Feifei seemed to be very close to her mother. And according to the latter, she and Ji Feifei had been friends for many years.


    How was that even possible?


    Thus Li Lanni believed that there had to be a reason why she was Ji Feifei''s friend. It must be the same reason why Li Yuming trusted her. She even had a weird instinctive feeling that she needed to know as much about Ji Feifei as possible.


    For that to happen, she could not show her claws yet. The best way was to pretend to not suspect a thing. She should act as clueless as possible.


    That was why when Ji Feifei told her about a welcome party that had supposedly been organized by their classmates, she agreed to to.


    That was right. They were in the same University.


    Because she had been missing for six months, Li Lanni had yet to decide whether she should go back to school. However, this was just a welcome party. It shouldn''t matter much.


    That Saturday evening, Li Lanni took a bath and changed into a simple black dress and a matching pair of high heels.. Then she let Ji Feifei pick her up.

 Chapter 5 - An Unfamiliar World (5)

    When Ji Feifei arrived, she gulped when she took a look at Li Lanni. The girl was incredibly beautiful. Even though she was only wearing a simple black dress, it accentuated her skin tone perfectly and brought out her beauty in ways Ji Feifei had never imagined possible.  She would obviously captivate everyone who saw her tonight. Somewhere deep in Ji Feifei''s eyes, there was an immense amount of jealousy.


    Li Lanni did not miss that either. However, she didn''t make a huge deal out of it. She already knew that Ji Feifei was fake anyway.


    ...


    Not long after, the two girls arrived at The Emerald Grand Hotel.


    They both had sweet smiles on their faces, only that one of them came right from the heart while the other was forced.


    "Is that Lanni?" someone saw the two girls and exclaimed.


    "It''s really her! Is it just me or has she gotten prettier?" Another classmate said with awe written all over her face.


    "She is really pretty. That black dress suits her perfectly." A young man said.


    A very handsome young man with brown hair walked towards the two girls with drinks in each hand. "Lanni, Long time no see. I''m Yu Guang. Do you remember me?"


    Another young man pushed him aside. "Scram to the side. Don''t insult my goddess'' ears. Why would Lanni remember a jerk like you? If she had to remember anyone, it would have to be innocent angels like me- I''m totally her type." The man had a proud expression on his handsome face.


    "Get lost! Don''t tarnish my reputation in front of my queen. Lanni, don''t listen to him. He just wants to shove me aside so he can get close to you."


    Li Lanni cowered a little, only curtly replying to their chatter with a modest "hello."


    Eer... was this a crazies'' party? It was not every day that unfamiliar people started arguing before her -- and over her -- and she didn''t know what to do.


    Ji Feifei on the hand was burning in anger. Couldn''t anyone see her? Why was it that everyone, including the most handsome guys in the school, was fawning over this useless girl?


    Neither of them had even spared her a greeting. What was worse, the two of them were not even from their class. They were seniors. Yet because of Li Lanni, they had crashed the party...


    Ji Feifei became even more venomous when she looked around and saw tha everyone else wanted to strike a conversation with Li Lanni too. They were just scared of Yu Guang.


    She pulled Li Lanni''s hand away from Yu Guang who was about to drag her away. "I still have something to say to Lanni." She gave a fake smile.


    Yu Guang was unwilling to let go. "I have something to say to her too. Lanni, I''m sorry for what happened to¡­"


    "Please excuse us." Ji Feifei forcefully dragged her into the women''s restroom.


    "What happened?" Li Lanni asked as soon as they were alone. Why would she pull her in such a sense of alarm?


    Ji Feifei was about to blurt something out but she held herself back. Never mind. So she smiled sweetly as though she was at a loss. "I''m going to meet someone but I don''t know how long it will take. Wait for me so we can go back home together, okay?"


    Li Lanni had a feeling there was something that was being left unsaid.. However, she nodded.

 Chapter 6 - An Unfamiliar World (6)

    Meanwhile, on the thirtieth floor.


    "Boss, the meeting is about to start." The assistant reported.


    Ji Xiehan tore his gaze away from the window he had been staring at for the past few minutes.


    "Okay." He grabbed his briefcase and headed out of the door, briefly turning to face his assistant. "You can go home. I''m staying here tonight."


    "Understood, boss." The assistant waited for him to leave the room before closing it.


    That was Ji Xiehan. He was well known as every man''s nightmare and every young woman''s dream come true. He was very handsome and, unless he was busy or in a bad mood, always had on his lips a charming smile that sent the hearts of women racing.


    Putting aside his looks and the number of hearts he had unintentionally harvested, that was the young master of the Ji family. The only son of his parents. However, despite that, he had not taken over his family business, Feng Ji International. Instead, he chose to be the company''s negotiation expert.


    Well, one had to admit that it suited him. He was so good with his words that he never failed to get what he wanted. Truly, being the CEO was not the only way to elevate Feng Ji International. Thanks to the collaborations he had successfully won, the company''s income had improved by leaps and bounds.


    Presently he was going to negotiate a very important collaboration for Feng Ji International.


    "Director Ji." The two men at the table frowned slightly when they saw him enter. They had come earlier than the agreed time because they wanted to find excuses to reject the collaboration. However, that was now impossible. Ji Xiehan would convince them with just a few words.


    ¡­


    Within just a few minutes, the men had changed their minds and agreed to collaborate with Feng Ji International.


    Ji Xiehan was tired because before coming to this meeting, he had just landed from a long flight. He was so tired that he did not want to go to his house today. He liked this hotel and he had booked a room to rest earlier so he might as well just spend the night here.


    ¡­


    On the nineteenth floor.


    "Mr. Ji is staying here tonight. His room is 3001."


    "Are you sure? If anything goes wrong, you will not be able to handle the consequences." Ji Feifei said in a threatening voice.


    "Miss, you can be rest assured. I booked the room myself. He also said to me that he would not go home tonight."


    "Okay." She smiled, the kind of smile that would lure people into her charm but once they took a good look at the intent behind her eyes, they would freak out.


    Ji Xiehan''s assistant was quite reliable. He had even secretly made a copy of the key earlier. She would surely tip him later.


    But for now, she had better things to do.


    After taking care of Li Lanni, that useless girl, she would go and have a good word with her brother and who knows? Maybe keep him company.


    That was right. Ji Xiehan was her brother. He had just returned to B City after being away for quite a long time. Of cause she was going to say hi.


    But before then, she took her phone and made a call to Li Lanni.

 Chapter 7 - Call The Police

    Li Lanni chatted with a few of her classmates. While most of them were friendly to her, some of them seemed distant. She didn''t mind. It was expected.


    By the time she realized that it was getting late, she had drunk quite a bit. Not wanting to get too drunk, she went out for a breather.


    Ji Feifei was yet to return. Where the hell did she go? She wondered whether she could get a cab if she looked for one. She was definitely not intending to wait for too long. If anything, Ji Feifei might take advantage of her slight drunkenness. Who knew what that pretender could do when given such a golden chance?


    Now she regretted agreeing to come in Ji Feifei''s car. She should have just asked for the venue and let a chauffeur drive her here. But then again, that would make it obvious that she did not want to be close to Ji Feifei and that would definitely not help her find any of the answers she was seeking.


    She was still wondering whether to wait a little more or just hail a cab on her own when her phone lit up. The caller was Ji Feifei. She had insistently saved her own phone number on Li Lanni''s new phone.


    Li Lanni received it with a sigh.


    "Lanni, help!"


    Li Lanni held her phone away from her ear with a cringe. She only brought it back when the scream stopped. "What happened?"


    "I... I''ve been robbed and... and..." she sobbed. Her voice was pitiful and hoarse, one could guess that she must have been tortured.


    "What happened?" Li Lanni asked again, although her voice did not contain any hint of worry about her "friend" being in trouble. Instead, she was calm and even slightly irritated.


    "The person I went to meet... he..." Ji Feifei sniffled through the phone. "He found... people to beat me up and..."


    "Why don''t you call the police? Where are you? I''ll help you call them." Li Lanni cut her off.


    "No no no! Please don''t!" Ji Feifei snapped.


    On the other side, Ji Feifei abruptly sat up.


    Even she was puzzled by her own reaction.


    But how could Li Lanni even think of the police? Shouldn''t her first reaction be to ask where she was and run over?


    She took a deep breath and faked another sob. "Lanni, that person did this to me because I owe him in a gambling debt. If you call the police, I might go to jail." This should suffice, right?


    As expected, the dumb girl was shocked about her gambling but even then, she gave up the idea about the police and asked for her location.


    "Behind the hotel, there''s a dark alley. Cross the alley into a park. I''m sitting on a bench." She hung up right after saying this and stretched her lithe body on the bed.


    "Li Lanni, I have a present for you. I hope you enjoy it."


    With a snicker, she made another phone call. "The b?tch is on her way. I don''t care how badly you beat her. Just make sure she doesn''t die."


    She hung up and laughed wickedly.


    Of course she would get an ''extra special gift'' for that b*tch.. Since that had been dealt with, now it was time to make herself happy.

 Chapter 8 - I Do Not Know You

    Once the call was hung up, Li Lanni chuckled.


    Did Ji Feifei think she was born last night? She had been beaten up because of a gambling debt and couldn''t call the police, so she could only call her friend?


    She didn''t even bother to come up with a better excuse!


    Was it because Ji Feifei was bad at acting, or could it be that she had so stupid in the past?


    She rolled her eyes and called Ji Feifei again, sounding troubled. "Feifei, where did you say you were? I lost signal earlier."


    Ji Feifei was irritated. She was not there yet? Even then, she gave the instructions anew.


    "I see. Are your wounds very bad? If they are, I will call an ambulance while at it."


    "No. Just come and help me." She almost shouted, then furiously hung up. Clumsy girl, hurry up already!


    Li Lanni looked at her phone and stopped the voice call recording with a smile. Great.


    When she was done, she saw a taxi and flagged it down. She would be an utter idiot if she went to such a location! Even though alcohol was getting the better of her, there was no way she was going to do such a stupid thing.


    Just when she was about to enter the car, a hand suddenly grabbed hers and yanked her back.


    Li Lanni yelped in surprise. She looked up at the stranger who had just appeared. He was looking down at her, so the first thing she saw was his blue eyes. She briefly scanned his face, his nose, mouth jawline then his tall and built frame. What a handsome man! Did they usually pop out of nowhere and grab people nowadays?


    Seeing that he had captured her attention, the man let go of her hand. "I''m sorry for presumptuously stopping you."


    Even his deep voice made her speechless. What was that? Did her heart just race?


    Li Lanni took a deep breath to calm down. "Do I know you?"


    "No, but I think I know you." Ji Xiehan responded.


    Li Lanni looked disappointed. "That is an extremely worn out pick-up line. Can''t you find a better one?"


    Ji Xiehan chuckled. Indeed, that was the most worn out pickup line anyone could ever hear. However, he was not just trying to hit on her.


    Although she was very beautiful and definitely the type of girl any man would want to hit on, he meant it when he said that she looked familiar.


    Earlier, he was eating supper in the restaurant on the third floor of this hotel. Just as he looked out through the window, his gaze landed on a little beauty speaking on phone.


    When he took a better look at her face, he was shocked!


    Why did she look so much like someone he knew?


    Without thinking, he rushed out and stopped her before she could enter the taxi she had flagged down.


    And now he was being accused of hitting on her...


    "Forgive me for asking, what''s your name?"


    "Lanni." She unconsciously said before her brain could stop her mouth. It must be because she was drunk and she almost slapped herself for it.  "Look, Mister whatever your surname is, I do not know you."


    Ji Xiehan frowned. Lanni? He didn''t know that name. In that case, he had got the wrong person. But even then, he glanced at her briefly. What a gorgeous beauty!


    Seeing that she was guarded against him, he shrugged with a smile. "Then I''m sorry for taking up your time. I''ll be on my way then."


    Li Lanni returned the smile. A handsome man with a nice temperament and he was a gentlemen too. What a perfect combination. Wait, perhaps he really found her familiar?


    Li Lanni scolded herself for thinking that and entered the taxi. The driver was already irritated from waiting.


    Ji Xiehan turned after a few steps and watched her leave. He couldn''t help but notice the birthmark on her back when the wind fluttered her hair away from her back.


    He wiggled his eyebrows in thought. He only snapped back when he saw the car drive off.


    Shouldn''t he have asked for her contact number?

 Chapter 9 - Idiot

    "Idiot! Such an idiot!" Ji Xiehan punched the air and scolded himself. How could he be so stupid? He should have asked for her contact number!


    A beauty appeared before him and she left before he even struck a proper conversation, and he actually let that happen?


    Actually, Ji Xiehan was nothing like the rumors said. People insinuated that he was single because he hated women and found them troublesome.


    However, that was far from the truth. It was only because he did not think he was ready to entangle himself in a relationship he was not ready to keep to the end. That was why whenever any girl confessed her feelimgs to him, he would reject her without batting an eyelid.


    But the girl just now, she had made his heart race. He was definitely going to find her again.


    ___


    The next morning, Li Lanni woke up slightly late after drinking the previous night.


    Now that she was sober, she wondered just why Ji Feifei was trying to make her go to a dark alley. That girl was definitely crazy.


    While she was still thinking about it, she heard her mother say something about Ji Feifei arriving.


    she humphed and went downstairs. She really wanted to meet this fake friend.


    She was yet to arrive when she heard Ji Feifei sob. "Aunty, I''m sorry I didn''t take good care of Lanni. Is she alright?"


    Li Yuming was confused. "She was alright when she came home. Is there something wrong?"


    "She was alright?" Ji Feifei''s fake tears stopped flowing.


    "What? Were you hoping that something happened to me?" Li Lanni asked with a stern face.


    "Ah, Lanni! There you are!"


    Ji Feifei was shocked. She was really alright?! How? Didn''t she get beaten up last night?


    Li Lanni walked over and sat next to her mother. "I don''t know why you would think I''m not alright ... but I should ask you. How are you? Sorry I couldn''t make it to you before I became sleepy and decided to come back home."


    She said that she was sorry, but her tone and the words that followed were far from it.


    Li Yuming was no longer paying attention to the young ones'' chatter, while Ji Feifei gritted her teeth. "I''m fine actually. Someone else helped me."


    Li Yuming snapped at the words. "Huh, Feifei, something happened to you?"


    Ji Feifei put on a sweet expression. "It was nothing. Lanni is too worried for nothing. I dealt with it just fine."


    "I see. I will let you girls catch up then." Li Yuming left the living room.


    Li Lanni crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Do you think I''m so naive that you could come up with such a half-baked scheme and expect to me to fall for it?"

 Chapter 10 - A Playful Prank

    Ji Feifei was shocked yet again. Since when did Li Lanni start questioning her? Hadn''t she always been a little fool?


    She maintained her smile and laughed. "Haha... actually, we were all planning to surprise you. It was just a playful prank but when you didn''t appear, I thought someting happened to you.


    "Oh. I see." Li Lanni said, with a hidden hint of mockery in her voice.


    ___


    Several days later.


    The atmosphere was tense and gloomy.


    It was all because the only son of the Ji family, Ji Xiehan, was helpless.


    "How can a girl disappear into thin air? Why can''t you find her?" His assistant had to shoulder it all as Ji Xiehan vented his frustration on him.


    For a friendly man like Ji Xiehan to lose his temper and vent his frustration on other people, it had to be something of extreme importance.


    Madam Ji rushed into Ji Xiehan''s room.


    "Xiehan, what''s going on? You are acting so strange." She patted her chest in horror. Her son had never been like this. He had always been a nice man with elegant upbringing. Even when he was a child, he had never thrown a tantrum like other kids did when things didn''t go their way.


    Just what had offended this honorable god?


    Ji Xiehan was looking outside as though he would see his little beauty passing by.


    He turned sharply and looked at his mother, not caring about his image at all. "Mother, she''s gone. My little beauty is gone."


    Madam Ji understood what her son was saying in an instant. Last night, Ji Xiehan had mentioned that he had met a beauty.


    She felt sad too. Just when she was finally happy that her son was going to get himself a girl and marry, the girl disapeared? "You don''t know how to find her? You don''t even know her name?"


    Ji Xiehan looked helpless. "I only know her first name. Aside from that, I know nothing else. I wasn''t able to find her with that alone."


    "Xiehan, don''t worry. If she is meant to be with you, you will meet her again very soon."


    Hearing this, the anxious Ji Xiehan finally calmed down. That was right. It didn''t matter how far they were from each other. As long as they were meant to be, fate would give them a reason to meet again.


    Also, why was he being restless because of a girl he had just met? He wasn''t actually falling in love with her, right? Wasn''t it too early? He decided to go and have a walk to calm himself down.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know that the day fate would find him a reason to meet his little beauty would be too soon. It was in fact on the same day.


    ...


    In the Li mansion, Li Lanni rushed to her mother''s side soon after making Ji Feifei leave. "Mom, I want to take a walk. I''ll go to the theme park and look around."


    Li Yuming had been scared by Li Lanni''s near-death accident, so she couldn''t possibly be at ease letting her go anywhere on her own. "Can you wait for me for a few minutes? I will finish up my work and accompany you for your walk."


    Li Lanni kissed her cheek. "Mom, you don''t have to. I will take good care of myself and not let anything happen. You should go ahead with your work."


    Li Yuming was still uneasy about it, but she also knew that she shouldn''t restrict her daughter simply because she was insecure. She should be thankful that her daughter was still obedient enough to let her know when she wanted to go out."Alright honey. Take care, and if anything happens, please alert me."


    "I know mom.." she kissed her mother''s cheek again and literally ran out.

 Chapter 11 - Decision

    Li Lanni changed into a more comfortable attire and shoes. Since leaving the hospital, she found that she liked places brimming with happiness and activity like the theme park. They made her happier.


    As soon as she arrived at the theme park, she brightened up. There were many kids here in the company of their parents. Some of them anticipated going on the scary rides while others cowered behind their parents.


    In the stalls, many colorful snacks were being sold. Li Lanni wanted to try out some of them.


    She skipped over to the cotton candy stall and bought a huge rainbow-colored one. It was so big that she could properly hide her face behind it.


    She sat down on a bench, pinched a little of it and put it in her mouth. How sweet. Although she was all on her own, her face was filled with happiness. Once the cotton candy was finished, she stood to leave.


    "Lanni?" A male voice called out her name.


    Li Lanni turned. However, she didn''t see anyone she knew in the vicinity.


    ...


    Ji Xiehan had only casually wanted to go to the theme park.


    Never would he have expected that as soon as he entered the theme park, the first person he would see would be his little beauty, her small happy face burried behind a huge rainbow-colored cotton candy.


    "Fate has made us meet again." he mumbled, not daring to call out her name. He was scared that once he did, she would vanish. What if it was just an illusion?


    When he saw that she was starting to leave, he was desperate to stop her. "Lanni!"


    The girl turned and looked around. As though she was thinking of something, she quickly left, disappearing into the crowd in just a few steps.


    He didn''t even have the time to stop her. He could only frown with surprise. "What''s wrong with her? Did I get the wrong person?"


    His assistant had ran his lungs out to catch up with his love-striken boss. "She really is Miss Lanni. She just doesn''t want to speak to you. After all, she is such an arrogant and proud girl."


    Xiehan turned to glance at his assistant with a raised eyebrow. "And how exactly did you know that she is arrogant? Besides, were you even close enough to see her?"


    "S-sir..." the assistant trembled. He was


    He was so eager to do what Ji Feifei had asked him to do that he forgot that he shouldn''t logically know who Lanni is.


    "You do know her." Ji Xiehan narrowed his eyes. "Tell me her whereabouts. I''m giving you three hours."


    "Y-yes boss."


    ___


    After getting such a scare, Lanni was no longer willing to stay in the theme park. She didn''t know how to explain it but that voice sounded eerie in her ears. It was as though she had heard it before but she couldn''t remember who it belonged to.


    Hence when she ran away, she intended to run all the way home. Yet she would never have expected that she would only be home a few hours later, and so angry that she wanted to kill someone.


    Pushing what had just happened at the back of her brain, she hurried into the house in fright.


    Li Yuming was startled when she saw her run back. "Did something happen?"


    Lanni sat on the couch, trying not to look scared. "Nothing that should be a source of worry."


    Li Yuming brought her some fruits from the kitchen then sat across the coffee table. "Lanni, we need to talk."


    "Talk about what?" Lanni put a piece of mango into her mouth.


    "I''m no longer secure about you being in this city and in this country. I''m worried..." Li Yuming squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, as though she had taken up all her courage to come to this decision. "I''m worried that you might get hurt again."


    "Mom, what are you driving at?" Lanni had a bad feeling about this.


    "I want to send you overseas.. I will go with you so you don''t feel lonely."

 Chapter 12 - Pervert After Pervert

    Li Lanni felt her back go tense as though she had just been shocked by an electric current. Where did this topic suddenly emanate from? She was not ready for this. How could her mother not warn her before bringing up such a serious matter?


    "Lanni, is something the matter?" Li Yuming had originally expected that her daughter wouldn''t be too welcoming of the idea of emigrating. She had grown up in this country and in this very house. Even for someone with temporary amnesia, there had to be some sort of attachment with the place one had spent all their life. It would not be easy to leave out of the blue.


    "Mom, can we not go? I feel like I have a lot to do in this country. Also, didn''t the doctor already say it? Being in the places I have frequented before will help me recover my memory. Mom, I do not want to be in the dark forever." She wanted to know her past. Not from stories or tiny fragments that she didn''t understand. She wanted to know all of it.


    Li Yuming felt her heart ache when she spoke of it this way. Someone who had not experienced it would never understand.


    It hurt to be unable to remember one''s friends, hobbies and past, unable to go to school and even worse, Li Lanni didn''t even know what kind of person she was. She only had to rely on hers and Ji Feifei''s words to know her own personality.


    She knew how important this place was to Lanni. However, she would never feel calm as long as she didn''t know what exactly happened seven months ago. Her instinct was strongly against the hypothesis that Li Lanni had rammed her car against a tree, causing it to roll down the cliff. It seemed too far-fetched. Her heart strongly believed that someone had tried to murder her daughter and Lanni might still be in danger.


    However, she couldn''t possibly pull her by the hair and shove her into a plane. "Lanni, mother understands. I will let you think about it."


    Li Lanni nodded. There were things she didn''t know how to tell her mother.


    How could she tell her that she had strong suspicions against her so called childhood friend Ji Feifei? How could she bring up that mysterious person who had been the one to warn her about Ji Feifei? It was too hard to talk about these two things without proper investigation. She needed more time¡­


    ___


    Speaking of the mysterious person who had sent her a note to warn her about Ji Feifei, they sent another one late that night.


    Li Lanni found it just as she flopped herself onto her bed to sleep.


    "What have we here?" She sighed and opened the note carefully.


    [Dear Lanni, I hope you started keeping your guard up against that childhood friend.


    That''s just a side note; don''t sweat it too much.


    The main point is Lanni, can you not leave the country? I will miss you too much!]


    Below the last sentence, the sender had drawn a broken heart with a huge pair of eyes, bawling out infinite tears.


    Li Lanni slowly let go of the note, her eyes growing wider than the ones on the note.


    "Stalker." She cursed.


    The sender of this was definitely a stalker. How else did they know that she was leaving the country?


    She went through the note again, then rummaged through her books and retrieved the previous one.


    This handwriting was rather girlish¡­ but the content looked mushy. It looked like what she thought boys would write to the girl they like.


    "This is no stalker. This is a pervert!" She declared.


    Pervert!


    How did he get into her room?


    On a whim, she checked all the walls of her room. Perhaps there was a secret passage or a fake wall like those in movies and novels?


    But no, there was none. She didn''t know whether she was relieved or disappointed.


    "How unlucky am I, to encounter pervert after pervert today?" She put a hand on her forehead helplessly.


    Earlier before she came back home, she was so angry that she could kill someone. It was all because someone had dared to drag her into a car against her own will and take her to a mansion.


    Only after arriving at the mansion did she find that the mastermind behind it was actually Ji Xiehan. How dare he? Was he a pervert?

 Chapter 13 - Forgetful

    She went into bed, covered her body with a comforter and curled into a ball. It was so cold tonight... or maybe it was her heart which was cold out of fear.


    Why was everyone around her acting strange?


    Why would Master Ji claim that they had met before? Although his presence felt familiar, she had obviously only seen him on the business magazines she had taken a liking to reading lately. Even if they had actually met before, she didn''t remember.


    The most important point was, so he was the person who she had heard call her name at the theme park today...


    ...


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t sleep no matter how long he lay on his bed.


    He had met his little beauty today. However, he wasn''t as happy as he should be.


    That terrible unreliable assistant... wait it was former assistant because he had fired him today.


    He had simply told that guy to bring Lanni to him. He could have politely explained the situation and brought her to him peacefully. Why the hell did he kidnap her?


    What was he doing, destroying his image in Lanni''s mind? She would think he was an arrogant man who did everything to get their way even if it means hurting people in the process.


    The girl''s words were still fresh in his mind. "Ji Xiehan? We have nothing in common. Why would you kidnap me?"


    He tried to make her feel more relaxed by coaxing her. "Lanni, I''m sorry for how rude my assistant was in his way of bringing you here, but I don''t mean any harm. I didn''t think we would ever meet again." He was so happy that his words almost made no sense.


    However, the girl''s next question threw him off his senses. "Again? Have we met before? Do you have a misunderstanding about something?"


    Ji Xiehan wished he could ram a brick against his head. Perhaps his brain wasn''t working properly. "What are you saying? You don''t think we have met before? Then how do you know my name?"


    "You are Ji Xiehan. Of course I would know you." she answered matter-of-factly, as though he had asked an elementary level question.


    Ji Xiehan thought that perhaps their meeting wasn''t as significant to her as it was to him. She was after all such a beautiful girl. It would not be surprising if many men fawned over her every other day.


    He could only explain. "We met outside the Emerald Grand Hotel; just when you were about to leave. I have been looking for you for all this while and only saw you again today."


    Even he himself was amazed at how long ago he made it sound. But to his heart, it did feel like ages ago.


    Perhaps it was long enough for a girl to forget. "I have never met you before. I have seen men use this trick to hit in girls before and I have to say it''s too worn out. Can you at least try to be a little creative?" She sneered.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t conceal his shock. "You''re kidding, right?"


    "Do I look like I''m in the mood to joke around?"


    "..."


    Fine. You look like you are in the mood to fight.


    He took a step closer and observed her keenly, as though she was part of an experiment. "Are you Lanni?"


    The girl rolled her eyes. "You stalked and kidnapped me, yet you don''t know my name?"


    Ji Xiehan sighed. He was sure she was really Lanni. Why had she forgotten all about him? Was she so drunk that night that she couldn''t remember a thing? She did look a little drunk...


    While scrutinizing her, he didn''t know just how scared the girl before him was. She only kept a fearless act up so he wouldn''t know that she was frightened.


    ...


    Ji Xiehan tossed.


    He needed to investigate this Lanni girl. He was getting more interested in her by the minute.


    ...


    The next day, someone reported what had happened.


    "Miss Ji, yesterday master Ji met that girl."


    Ji Feifei dropped the phone she was playing with to the floor. "What did you say?"


    "He saw her at the amusement park earlier yesterday. Although I tried to distract him, he saw through me and ordered me to find miss Li Lanni and bring her to him."


    Ji Feifei''s expression couldn''t get any darker. "What did they talk about?"


    The assitant trembled. "How... how would I know? I wouldn''t listen in on Master Ji''s conversations. However, Master Ji left her on her own to handle company matters and when he returned, Miss Li Lanni kicked up a fuss about wanting to hurry back home, or her mother would be worried. They didn''t talk much and Miss Li Lanni seemed to have forgotten about their first meeting.."


    Ji Feifei didn''t care about this. "Keep an eye on my brother."


    "Miss Ji... I''ve been fired." the assistant said nervously. In the end, he couldn''t keep his job because he had hidden such important information from his boss.


    Although Ji Xiehan was a friendly man, no one could tolerate being decieved like that.


    Even worse, he had not politely approached Li Lanni and explained to her that Ji Xiehan wanted to have a word with her. He had simply kidnapped the girl.


    Of course, this was deliberate from the beginning. He was on Ji Feifei''s side. How could he let Li Lanni have a good impression of Master Ji?


    He narrated everything to Ji Feifei like a news reporter.


    "Forget about him. From this moment, you are my bodyguard.." Ji Feifei declared between her red lips.

 Chapter 14 - Not On My Watch

    The new bodyguard, Fang Xu, was overjoyed. Last night when Ji Xiehan fired him, he had felt as though his world had come to an end. How in the world was he supposed to take care of his ailing mother if he had no source of income?


    Ji Xiehan surely looked friendly on the outside, but his heart was nothing but a mass of coal. So dark he might as well become a serial killer.


    Luckily, all his loyalty towards Ji Feifei paid off. He had secretly run many errands for her in the past. Out of her kindness, she didn''t trample on him while he was at his lowest. "Second miss, thank you!" he bowed to thank her.


    Ji Feifei revealed a faint smile between her bewitching lips Only Fan Xu ever treated her with such respect. No one else respected her. She was clearly the second miss of the Ji family. Why did they all look down on her? Why?


    She clenched her fists. Compared to that dumb girl, Li Lanni, she was much better off.


    Of course, she only called Li Lanni dumb so she would feel better about herself. She was so jealous of Li Lanni that she asked around about her past, to know just what kind of dumpsite she originated from.


    It was said that Li Lanni''s parents had got separated when she was just a little baby. However, not only did her father make sure that her mother had a stable job, he also ensured that no matter how luxurious she lived, Li Lanni would never lack anything.


    Of course not every man would do that when divorcing his wife. According to what she had heard from Li Yuming''s friends, Li Lanni''s father loved both his wife and daughter, but they only had to divorce because his parents kept bullying Li Yuming. It got even worse because she had a daughter when they were impatiently anticipating a son who would take over their family one day.


    Because he knew that his little daughter would only suffer in that family for being a girl, he had not fought with Li Yuming over Li Lanni''s custody, and instead worked his tail off to leave her tons of wealth. He had promised to go back and visit Lanni once in a while. However, as soon as he set off, he was never heard of again. Some of those old folk said he had been forced to marry another woman and forget about his ex wife and daughter.


    Ji Feifei chuckled bitterly, jealousy engulfing her heart so much that she almost couldn''t breath. How amazing! Even she found Li Lanni''s back story something to be jealous of.


    Although she only had a mother by her side, Li Yuming loved her so much that she never felt her father''s absence. Besides, she had everything a young woman would want; top brand clothes and jewelry, luxurious cars dropped her off to school every day, any random piece of clothing in her closet could cost at least five figures. She had many servants looking out for her, went to the best schools in the capital and was exactly what anyone would call a girl from a rich family. Why else would anyone need a father? She had everything a father should provide.


    While her... hehe.


    One had to note that the Ji family was obviously better than the Li family in terms of wealth and status. Why was it that Li Lanni was still better than her? She had a father and mother together. She even had a brother. Why did she still feel unloved?


    In school, the prettiest and most fashionable girl had always been Li Lanni. That in itself was hard for her to accept. Adding that to the fact that she was also the student teachers liked the most, and her frighteningly good grades, Ji Feifei would always seethe in jealousy.


    This was especially since her father had long refused to buy her those pretty dresses and shoes. She had to be the best in her class to obtain those but could she really? That title had belonged to Li Lanni for years as though she was born with it.


    It was such bad luck that the accident seven months ago didn''t kill her.


    But thinking about it, this was an even better ending.


    What use was life when one couldn''t remember anything? She was obviously currently the dumbest student in her class. Not only that, she was so vulnerable that she could be played like a fiddle. She was no different from a puppet.


    "I will play with this puppet to the end of its life." Ji Feifei cracked into a round of villainous laughter that would make hearts tremble.


    ___


    At the same time, a pair of eyes glared at a computer screen.


    "I will play with this puppet to the end of its life." The woman on the screen said and burst into evil laughter.


    A pair of hands tapped the keyboard rapidly. Their owner cursed. "Not on my watch. Quit dreaming Ji Feifei.. I will not let you hurt Lanni again."

 Chapter 15 - Qiao Luna

    The next morning, Ji Xiehan woke up feeling grumpy from his lack of sleep and had a pair of glaring dark circles under his charming eyes.


    He took a cup of coffee and went to his office. He had made an announcement that he was looking for a new assistant. Applications had been sent and he needed to check them out.


    The interviews would be done by him.


    ...


    Feng Ji International.


    Like any other day, the female employees had infatuated expressions as soon as he set foot out of the elevator. Some of them even blushed and broke into screeches like crazed fangirls.


    Although they couldn''t get near him, their admiration for him had never died down.


    He was so handsome that even if they could not speak to him, it was worth waiting all day to catch a quick glimpse.


    "Oh my god! It''s Ji Xiehan!"


    "He surely is so tall and handsome!"


    "How can such a man be single? Xiehan, I''m single and untouched. Marry me please!"


    "I don''t care about marriage. Just sleep with me!"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t care about those filthy-minded female employees. Couldn''t they see how tired he was? He hadn''t slept a wink.


    He took long strides to his office.


    Although the position of Ji Xiehan''s assistant wasn''t all that huge, there were many people who wanted to get it.


    The infatuated females in the company just couldn''t get their eyes off him. If they became his assistant, they would be closer to him.


    It would be worth it even if he didn''t glance at them once.


    For some other people who aimed for greatness, it was just being prepared for any change of circumstance.


    Who was to say that Ji Xiehan would work as Feng Ji International''s negotiation expert forever? Things might change along the way. He might even decide to take over the company and become its CEO one day. After all he was the Ji family''s only son, and the current CEO could retire any day. For this group of people, being the CEO''s assistant was what they wanted.


    Only a few of them were seriously here to be his assistant and would work hard if they got this position.


    Ji Xiehan strided past them and saw a common look in the women''s eyes - infatuation.


    One had to note that majority of the applicants were women. It was as though they had been told that one of the major requirements was to be a woman.


    For a second, it felt unbearable and he made a mental note to employ a man. If not, his little beauty might misunderstand him in future.


    Speaking of his little beauty, he would find an opportunity to speak to her right after finding a suitable assistant.


    Just as Ji Xiehan was starting to wonder why his father had accepted the applications of so many women, a woman came in.


    Although she looked very young, she was dressed officially and looked poised like a professional. Her long black hair was in a neat high ponytail. According to everyone else, she was very beautiful.


    But at this moment, she was not here for people to fawn over her beauty. She was here to use her excellent school grades to become an intern and Ji Xiehan was indeed stunned. He forgot all about the mental note he had made a few seconds ago.


    "Qiao Luna, is it? You have been hired. Your work starts right away."


    "Understood. Thank you Master Ji."


    "On your way out, tell the others that the interview is over."


    When the people waiting outside were informed of this, their disappointment couldn''t be described in words.


    "What? But we have not interviewed yet. How can it be over?"


    "Only one person has been interviewed. Was this a random choice? Could I have made it if I was the first?"


    "You''re kidding. The girl who went in just now is nothing impressive. She''s only a little good looking."


    "Then why is the interview over?"


    Qiao Luna didn''t mind their nasty words. She was here to be an intern assistant, not a beauty queen. "That''s because I have been hired as Master Ji''s assistant. I''m sorry for the huge disappointed. You can try out other positions." She said. She had done enough homework about Feng Ji International and knew that the company was currently hiring for other positions too.


    This was one of the main reasons why Ji Xiehan had hired her in the end. She understood Feng Ji International like it was her home. In fact, she could explain this company''s previous business deals in detail.


    It was not that she particularly found information about Feng Ji International, she was well informed about many companies. Feng Ji International just happened to be one of them.


    That was right, Ji Xiehan had hired her. Who would reject someone with such excellent qualifications simply because she was a woman? He wouldn''t, especially since she looked nothing like those flirtatious women with nothing in their brains except weird fantasies about having sexual relationships with their bosses.


    Qiao Luna followed his instructions and went to the HR departement to sign the employment contract and get her employee card printed.


    When she was done, she went back to Ji Xiehan''s office. "Master Ji, I''m ready to work."


    Ji Xiehan gave her a huge book. "Everything you need to know is here, including what is considered urgent and what is trivial.


    I''m going out.. If there is anything urgent, give me a call.

 Chapter 16 - White Haired Pervert

    As soon as he left his office, Ji Xiehan drove off to the Li residence.


    He had already done his background check on Li Lanni the previous night. It was actually a shocking coincidence that Li Lanni''s mother was someone he was familiar with.


    By familiar, it of course didn''t mean they had a close friendship. They had only met a few times many years ago. Although he was only a little boy back then, he just couldn''t ever forget about her.


    Ji Xiehan parked his car some distance away and walked up to the Li residence.


    He was about to ring the bell but his hand stopped mid-air. What was he going to say to Li Yuming? That he was here to see Lanni?


    Li Yuming might not remember him. It might be troublesome and last night, Lanni had been offended by him. It was going to be harder than expected.


    "Forget it. I will find a more suitable time to speak to her. She''s probably still angry." He turned to leave.


    However, he didn''t expect to hear an angry voice exclaiming. "Eh, you white haired pervert, what are you doing here?"


    Ji Xiehan felt his back go cold. What did Li Lanni just call him? He turned sharply. "You¡­"


    He stopped in the next moment. Li Yuming¡­


    "Lanni, do you know him?" Li Yuming asked, surprised by how frightened her daughter looked.


    "Hello auntie..."


    Before Ji Xiehan could introduce himself, Li Lanni thoughtlessly blurted. "Mom, why are you listening to him? He''s a pervert! He kidnapped me yesterday."


    Li Yuming glared at the young man. But the main point was, "Lanni, you were kidnapped? Why didn''t you tell me about it?"


    "I was scared I didn''t have any evidence. But here he is, sneaking around our house. Mom, we should call the police."


    "Wait, you have misunderstood."


    Li Yuming was even angrier. "You have the guts to speak? Leave right now or I will really call the police. Don''t even dare to get near my daughter again."


    Ji Xiehan was defeated. Well, it might take some time.


    Li Yuming was taking her daughter to hospital for a routine check. Because Li Lanni insisted on walking, they were not driving.


    "Lanni, don''t leave the house on your own again. Have I not told you to always take your bodyguard with you? You still don''t remember many things and might run into people with evil intentions."


    Li Lanni pouted. "But I don''t like being followed around by bodyguards."


    "It''s for your own safety, okay? Be good."


    Though unwilling, she nodded. Her mother was right.


    Li Yuming thought of a possibility and laughed. "Lanni, are you sure the man just now was a pervert as you put it? He is so handsome¡­ he looks more like an admirer."


    Li Lanni was annoyed. "Mom, are you simply going to be swayed by looks? He really is a huge pervert! I don''t even know him on personal terms."


    "Really? I think he looks familiar."


    Li Lanni had her arm hooked with her mother''s. "He is Ji Xiehan. Of course he''s familiar."


    "Ji Xiehan?"


    "Shocking, right? I didn''t expect the well-known Master Ji to be so unreserved. I don''t even understand why he''s picking on me either."


    Li Yuming wasn''t thinking of that. Her mind was filled with the image of a cute little boy sitting at the roadside. He had silver-white hair and a pair of eyes that could charm anyone to hug him. However when they first met, the little boy was injured. No one cared to help him despite his pitiful state and only minded their business.


    She couldn''t bear to see anyone so helpless, much less such a young child. "Little boy, what''s your name? Where are your parents?"


    The boy was so scared that he didn''t say anything and only kept crying. Li Yuming couldn''t bear to leave him on his own. He was just too pitiful.


    Decisively, she brought him to hospital and paid the bill. His injury was unfortunately so deep that he had to stay in hospital for further observation.


    But, she had to take care of other matters so she could only leave after giving the little boy a card. "Little boy, I have to leave. If they can''t contact your parents, you can contact me."


    "Ji Xiehan." the boy spoke to her for the first time.


    "What?"


    "My name is Ji Xiehan. I''m scared my mother will scold me if I call her. Could you contact them for me?" He fished out of his pocket a card with his mother''s name and contact number.


    As for what happened afterwards, it was a roller coaster.


    "That scaredy little boy has grown into a man. He might even like my Lanni."


    "Mom, what are you mumbling about?" Li Lanni had been rattling her mouth off for such a long time but her mother hadn''t spoken a word in response. What was she thinking about?


    Li Yuming jolted. "Nothing. You were saying?"


    Li Lanni sighed. "I was thinking, I could take a school test and see if I can go back to school. You know, it''s so boring to just sit in my room all day doing nothing but growing mould on my backside. Who knows? Perhaps I might just¡­"


    As Li Lanni chatted on and on with her arm snuggled around her mother''s closely, she failed to notice the eyes blazing with hatred and jealousy a meter or two away.

 Chapter 17 - Try Hypnosis

    Li Lanni felt chills suddenly creep up her back and turned sharply. Why did it feel strange? She looked in a certain direction for a long while, trying to check for something or someone.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Li Lanni averted her gaze. "It''s nothing mom. I think I have been to this place before."


    Li Yuming felt glad. So it was something good.


    After walking on for a few meters, Li Lanni suddenly hugged her mother. "Mom, I love you very much."


    Li Yuming was pleasantly stunned by the sudden shower of affection. "I love you too honey."


    Li Lanni opened her eyes and scanned the area behind Li Yuming while still hugging her. Then she saw him. her reason for hugging her mother like that was to check out the stalker.


    She racked her brains. If she was not wrong, she had seen this man before. He was speaking to Ji Feifei although she could not remember where and when she saw them.


    It would be normal if they just met coincidentally today, but she was sure that he was stalking them. He must be harboring ill intentions. She was also sure that the first time she felt someone following them and turned, she vaguely saw a white scarf flash before her eyes before its owner completely disappeared behind a wall. If she was right, that could only be Ji Feifei. Why in the world would she be stalking her?


    Her question was answered a few meters later. They were using a path with less people and the nearer they were to the hospital, the more deserted the streets became.


    Perhaps Ji Feifei¡­ wanted to hurt them.


    "Mom, I''m getting tired. I have been taking walks frequently lately. Can we hail a cab?"


    "Pfft. Now the sudden affection makes sense. My dear Lanni is still just like a child."


    Because her daughter wanted to, Li Yuming happily hailed a cab. "Honey, about your school, can you do home schooling instead? No matter how you look at it, it''s more convenient to have your own tutors at home. It will be easier to catch up and when you do, you can go back to school."


    Li Lanni was still thinking about Ji Feifei and only heard part of what her mother was saying. "I don''t think so."


    "Why not? I''m afraid that in school, you might find it too hard." Actually, what she was scared about the most was that her daughter would be bullied. One had to know that many students had been jealous of Lanni before. So jealous that she had no friends. If they took advantage of her condition to bully her¡­ her heart would break.


    To prevent that, it wouldn''t matter even if it cost much more to hire home-schooling tutors. As long as Lanni was safe.


    The girl had thought about emigrating and in the end, she chose to stay in the country. Her reason was that if she went to an unfamiliar place before recovering her memory, she might feel scared.


    For this matter, Li Lanni prefered to think when her mind was clear. There as too much going on at the moment.


    __


    In the hospital.


    "Miss Li, is it? Before we start, I want to tell you a number. You should remember it by the end of the session."


    "Okay. What''s the number?"


    "11."


    "11?" Li Lanni was stunned. And here she thought it was going to be a huge number with countless digits. What did this doctor think she was, a two year old baby?


    "I will ask you a few questions." The doctor ignored her shock.


    "When did you wake up from coma?"


    "Six weeks ago." She had been taking so many bitter pills that she couldn''t forget even in her dreams.


    "What''s your name?"


    Li Lanni couldn''t understand. Was this a hospital or an elementary school? Nonetheless, she answered. She was the patient. "Li Lanni."


    "Do you remember it that way, or did someone tell you?"


    Li Lanni racked her brain. "It did feel like my name when I first heard it."


    The doctor asked a few more questions that she found laughable before he asked, "I asked you to remember a number. What number was it?"


    "Eer..."


    ...


    "Doctor, how is she this time?" Li Yuming asked when the doctor was done running tests on Li Lanni.


    The elderly doctor looked like he was encountering something novel. His expression screamed, ''this is quite weird.''


    Li Yuming got nervous. "Doctor, what happened?"


    The elderly doctor adjusted his glasses with an awkward smile. "Don''t worry. Miss Li is fine. However, her memory loss seems to have worsened."


    He had told that girl to remember such a simple number as 11 but when he asked her, forget about recalling it incorrectly. She blinked innocently and asked him, "You asked me to recall a number? When was that?"


    When he asked what they had talked about just now, she didn''t seem to remember it either. Telling her something was like pouring water to the ground. It would disappear after just a few breaths.


    "Ma''am, she seems to only be able to remember things that she finds significant. She will forget everything else. In this case, we will have to try hypnosis."


    "Are there any risks?" This was the main point. If it would hurt her Lanni, then she would rather let her regain her memory on her own no matter how slow.


    "I have never heard of hypnosis hurting anyone, at least not the patients I have treated. If it is not that bad, she should be able to remember most of her past after a few sessions.. If you are ready, the first session can be now while she''s still willing."

 Chapter 18 - Hypnosis

    When she was sure that there would be no negative effects, Li Yuming let her daughter be hypnotized.


    The doctor went back in and looked at the girl. He asked her to sit on the couch and be comfortable.


    She didn''t understand what the doctor was doing. All she saw was that he was holding a thin string with a big pearl attached at its end. He asked her to focus on it.


    "Lanni, the pearl grew bigger. Did you see that?"


    "Yes." Not only was it big, it was also getting closer to her. It was very beautiful¡­..


    ---


    A little girl sat on the bench outside her school, looking sad. "Why is mommy not here yet? The other kids are all in class."


    She hugged her bag tightly. Just as she was about to leave, a man approached her. "Hello little girl, are you on your own?"


    She cowered. "Mommy said to not speak to strangers."


    The man laughed and took a candy from his pocket. "I''m not a stranger. Your mommy is a good friend of mine. Your mommy''s surname is Li, right?"


    Since he got it right, she was pleasantly stunned but she only lowered her guard a little. To make her believe him, the man showed her a photo of Li Yuming. To be exact, both of them were in the photo.


    "Little girl, why are you on your own?" He finally asked.


    "Mommy went to look for money to pay my school fees. She has not returned yet so the teacher said I cannot go to school."


    The man rubbed her hair. "Don''t worry. Since mommy is not here and she is my friend, I will pay your school fees for you, okay?"


    Although she was only eight, she didn''t think it was alright. "But that would bother uncle too much."


    The man shook his head. "Not at all. Actually, my job is to make sure kids are not sent away from school for lack of school fees. Your mommy must have encountered some difficulties on her way here. In actual fact, she will owe me."


    Since it was like that and she didn''t want to miss classes either, she agreed. She was just a little girl and this uncle truly didn''t look harmful. He looked friendly and even loving.


    However, before he left, the man looked at her carefully. "Little princess, can I hug you?"


    At the time, she didn''t understand. She only knew that people will want to hug you if they liked you. She was such a cute child that everyone would want to rub her hair, pinch her cheeks, kiss her face and hold her. She didn''t find it strange at all.


    ¡­


    The scene in her mind changed. She was playing in the theme park with her mother when she saw that uncle again. The last time, she had forgotten to ask for his name.


    As soon as she saw him, she happily blinked her eyes. "Un¡­"


    However, the man signaled with a finger over his mouth for her to remain quiet. Not only that, he also hid away as soon as he saw Li Yuming following her line of site.


    ¡­


    The scene quickly shifted to another.


    This time, she was a grown up girl. A man was on her side. They were walking back home together. When they arrived at the familiar Li mansion, he kissed her cheek. "See you in school tomorrow."


    She hugged him and went in. Just a minute later, she realized that she was still holding his phone. She rushed back out to give it to him¡­. Only to see a woman give him what looked like a stack of bank notes.


    Her mind was in a swirl.


    "It hurts¡­" she groaned. Her head felt like it had been run over by a truck.


    "It''s so painful.."


    "Go to sleep." The doctor said.


    __


    Outside, Li Yuming was anxiously waiting. As soon as the doctor came out, she rushed up to him. "How is she, did she recover her memory?"


    "You have nothing to worry about. Because she wants to remember it, it''s easier to make her recover all of her memory."


    "That''s great news. So¡­ she did remember something?"


    "From my observation, she has remembered two fragments. It all depends on what she wants to know the most."


    "Only two?" Li Yuming, who was waiting to hear that her Lanni was fully recovered, sounded disappointed.


    "Don''t be impatient. This is in fact better than expected. Most of people in this case wouldn''t make sense of anything in the first hypnosis."


    "I see."


    ___


    When Li Lanni finally woke up, she was dizzy. "Where am I?"


    Li Yuming was overjoyed. "You finally woke up. We are in hospital. The doctor said we could go home when you wake up."


    "Mom, I''m hungry."


    She had slept for a long time. Of course she would be hungry. Li Yuming had brought over a bowl of soup. "When we get out of here, I will cook you more delicious dishes."


    Li Lanni drank it obediently.


    Although she still had amnesia, some mysteries could now be solved.


    She had been wondering whether her father ever cared about her and her mother.


    From what she remembered now, that man she met when she was a kid must be her father, right?


    If not, how could a random man care about her so much? And why would he follow her and her mother? She might not have known it as a child but when this picture flashed in her memory, she thought she could see paternal love in his eyes.


    Luckily, she could still remember this event after waking up. It was good progress.


    Her heart swelled with happiness.. Her desire to find him became even wilder.

 Chapter 19 - Our Xiehan Is Getting Laid

    "Did you remember anything useful from your hypnosis?"


    Li Lanni was about to blurt out what she remembered but held it in. If she remembered correctly, her mother had only given her vague information when she asked about her father. Perhaps she may not want to hear about him.


    "It''s nothing significant. Just some little snippets of my childhood."


    "I see." It was better than nothing.


    __


    In the West golf course owned by the Ji family.


    "You look like your entire life has been sucked out." Lin Jian mocked.


    Ji Xiehan glared daggers at him. "Mind your own business."


    Lin Jian clutched his chest like he had suffered a huge heartbreak. "How can you do this to me? Ji Xiehan, am I not your adorable little friend anymore?"


    Ji Xiehan gave him a side glance before ignoring him to continue playing golf.


    Lin Jian was his best friend.


    He was the eldest son of the Lin family, one of the most prestigious families in the capital. When he was still very young, he took over the family business. However, putting his titles and achievements aside, he was the world''s infamous playboy.


    Rumor had it that he changed girlfriends more frequently than he changed his underwear.


    Despite that, countless ladies still clung to him and tried to please him. You could as well say that all the beautiful women in the capital had his private contact number.


    What a waste of his looks...


    "Eh, Xiehan. Are you in love?"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t intend to speak to him. Why had this guy come to bother him at such a time?


    "You''re not in love? Then are you lovelorn? You look more moody than a woman on her period!"


    The lovelorn Ji Xiehan was speechless. Was it that obvious?


    Lin Jian skipped over to his best friend like he had won the jackpot. "You are really in love. Hahaha this is breaking news." He slung an arm around his shoulder. "Is it... is it a man or a woman?"


    "You!" Ji Xiehan kicked him away. "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you have too little work to do?"


    Lin Jian wasn''t put off by his weird temperament today. "I''m only trying to help a heartbroken bro. Whatever. I''ll let you be. Let me stay here silently. When you need my help, I''ll be right here."


    One second...


    Two seconds...


    "Xiehan, have you heard?"


    Ji Xiehan: "..."


    Was this guy a hornbill? He couldn''t keep his mouth shut for three seconds.


    "The nation''s most beautiful woman is coming back from overseas tomorrow. The Fu family are throwing a banquet to welcome her. I want to see how beautiful she looks now he he he."


    Of course the main point was that he wanted to hit on that ''nation''s beauty''.


    But Ji Xiehan''s mind was filled with another woman.


    He clutched his chest to soothe his broken heart. "She called me a pervert...


    Jian, from what angle do I look like a pervert?"


    Lin Jian took a few seconds to process what he had just heard.


    Pervert?


    Someone called Ji Xiehan a pervert?


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"


    Ji Xiehan glared at his friend, who was holding onto his ribs and laughing his lungs out.


    "This is hilarious. Someone called Ji Xiehan a pervert?! Hahaha. The main point is, Ji Xiehan went after a woman? Wait, don''t you hate women and avoid them like plagues? Why would you go after one?"


    Ji Xiehan felt even worse. Is this how to console a heartbroken friend who has been called a pervert?


    "Seriously, Jiang must know this. Wait, you are serious?"


    Ji Xiehan''s eyes reddened in anger. "Scram!"


    Lin Jian knew that he had poked a beehive and scurried away.


    Before Ji Xiehan sighed in relief, that idiot''s voice was heard again. "Eh, Jiang, you are here. I was just talking about you."


    The newcomer was Jiang Xingyu. He was also Ji Xiehan''s childhood friend.


    Ji Xiehan''s head hurt intensely. Could this day get any worse?


    Jiang Xingyu walked towards Lin Jian and slung his arm against the latter''s shoulder naturally. "Miss me already?"


    Lin Jian pushed him away disdainfully. "You are despicable! How can a grown man miss a fellow man? F*ck!"


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t look fazed. "You think it''s disgusting now, huh? Who was it that wouldn''t go to the bathroom unless I held his hand and accompanied him because he was afraid of being bullied?"


    "You!" Lin Jian couldn''t be any more embarrassed. "So what? I was just an elementary school kid. Can you stop using those incidents from elementary school to shame me?"


    Ji Xiehan sighed. These two had started with their banter. It was wise to leave them alone. "Tell me when you are done with your couples spat."


    "Eh? Who is having a couples spat with this guy? You are freaking having a couples spat."


    "Even if I liked men and wanted to be a couple with one, it wouldn''t be this blabbermouth. Jeez! Just how many screws in your mouth are loose?" Jiang Xingyu shoved the blabbermouth aside and went to Ji Xiehan.


    "How''s the going? I heard you are looking for a new assistant. You fired Fang Xu?"


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan wasn''t in the best mood after witnessing this crazy duo''s ''lovers'' spat''.


    Luckily, Jiang Xingyu wasn''t as loose mouthed as Lin Jian. "If you have not found one yet, I can recommend a few good ones that I know."


    "I already found one."


    Lin Jian who was eavesdropping, looked like he had just swallowed a 1000 watt light bulb. "Aah!"


    Jiang Xingyu was annoyed. "Are you trying to swallow the sky?"


    "No. It''s even better. The day our dear Xiehan finds an assistant, he comes back looking like a woman having emotional instability from her period pains. If my guess is right, his assistant is a woman. A very beautiful one at that."


    Jiang Xingyu looked at Ji Xiehan then his eyes bulged and shone brighter than the light bulb Lin Jian must have swallowed. "How can you not tell me such an important matter? Our Xiehan is finally going to get laid!"


    Ji Xiehan: "¡­" Get laid your a**

 Chapter 20 - Sly Businessman

    Lin Jian looked mournful. "As soon as you got here, you started scolding and fighting me. I didn''t have time to tell you."


    Jiang Xingyu held his chin between his thumb and index finger. "But since it''s good news, why does Xiehan look like he swallowed a hundred carrats of angry explosives?"


    Lin Jian looked deep in thought too. "I don''t understand this either. Perhaps this beautiful assistant rejected him? I heard he was even scolded as a pervert. Pfft."


    "Ah. Now it all makes sense. This girl is so blind to reject Xiehan. We must get her and show her just who she is casting aside."


    "Right. What do you think we should do? Get her and forcefully drag her here?"


    "That''s too rude." but it did sound like something an idiot like Lin Jian would do.


    "Then we should take her to a room? We can have it decorated perfectly in her style and send our bro over. No girl can resist sweet romance hehe."


    "Is your brain filled with nothing but sh*t? How do you manage to be so stupid?"


    "How am I being stupid? I''m only trying to help a friend. Hey! I will become more stupid if you keep hitting my head."


    Ji Xiehan was speechless. I''m still here, you know.


    Jiang Xingyu suddenly looked like he had hit the jackpot. "I know! My dear Xiehan, I know a perfect method to pin down any woman. Whether she''s a moe and cute angel or a wild kitty, she will be all yours in a snap."


    Hearing this, Ji Xiehan''s attention was piqued. "What?"


    Jiang Xingyu laughed like an evil monster. "Don''t be too fast. What''s in it for me, eh? I''m a businessman after all."


    Ji Xiehan almost puked blood in fury. What kind of sh*tty friends were these? One was a dumb fool who just wouldn''t shut up while for the other one, business was everything. He would ask for profit even when breaking a piece of news. What insane duo was this?


    Through gritted teeth, Ji Xiehan spat out, "The mall in Country A will be yours."


    Jiang Xingyu widened his eyes in the next moment, not believing what he had just heard. The mall in Country A? That girl must be much more beautiful than he imagined. One had to know that that mall was Ji Xiehan''s own sweat and blood. He had spent great effort constructing it when he was just a young man many years ago. He could give it up for a girl?


    Wait, to be exact, he was giving it up so he would be given advice on how to chase her. Just what goddess was she?


    "Ahem... let go of my shirt first."


    Ji Xiehan let go as though that shirt had been forced into his hands in the first place. "Speak. Li Lanni won''t be single forever." Heaven knew she was so beautiful that many men must be trying to chase her. He didn''t want to be too late.


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t know her, while Lin Jian''s mouth dropped open. "Eh? Li Lanni, that little girl who used to hang out with your sister in the past? No wonder you got scolded as a pervert. How is that girl even legal yet?


    But thinking about it, she''s quite cute. I would have chased her already if she wasn''t too young."


    Ji Xiehan: "..."


    If someone didn''t shut this fool up, he would send him to hell with a kick.


    "Eh, Xiehan likes a minor? That''s illegal." Jiang Xingyu looked scared. He wasn''t surprised that Lin Jian knew the girl Ji Xiehan had taken a fancy to. It would in fact be extremely strange if he didn''t know her. He looked at Ji Xiehan accusingly. Was his friend a pedophile?


    "Who is in love with a minor? She''s an adult!" He glared at Lin Jian. "Even if you had a mouth multiple times bigger than your brain, it shouldn''t be like this, right?"


    "Forget it. I was wrong. Jiang, tell us what you have in mind."


    ___


    ~Jiang Xingyu''s wife-chasing class~


    "Chasing a woman and making sure she is yours can only be summarised into one word - marriage.


    Don''t glare at me yet. I''m not done. If you cannot manage to chase her, there''s another method. You can...


    Or...


    Finally...


    Blah blah blah.


    ...


    One hour later.


    By the time Jiang Xingyu was done, Lin Jian was on the verge of falling asleep. "Jeez... how do you manage to talk for so long? You made it sound like a real class."


    Jiang Xingyu looked smug. "So what if I talked for too long? That Country A mall is totally worth it." wiping off his imaginary sweat from his forehead, he looked at Ji Xiehan like a kid asking for candy. "So, when do I get to check on my mall?"


    Ji Xiehan looked down on him like an idiot. "What mall?"


    Jiang Xingyu: "Just now, you promised to give me that mall in Country A if I teach you to chase your wife. I''ve accomplished my mission, haven''t I?"


    Ji Xiehan''s lips curled into an indifferent smirk. "Is that so? I did say it would be yours. But when did I say that I would give it to you as a reward for helping me chase my wife?"


    "What? You! You are going back on your word."


    Ji Xiehan: "Is that so? I recorded our conversation just now. Listen to it and let me know when you hear the part where I said that I was exchanging it for this favor."


    Jiang Xingyu wanted to explode. This man had played him. "You... you!"


    He couldn''t speak and could only keep spitting a succession of ''you''s.


    "Are you done? Actually, I will not be too harsh to you because we are friends. Wouldn''t I be slapping your face if I didn''t honor my promise?"


    Jiang Xingyu brightened up when he heard this. However in the next moment, "I will let you have that mall if you work hard enough and manage to acquire it."

 Chapter 21 - She Would Make Them Pay

    Lin Jian laughed his butt off. "Did you really think you can swindle something out of Ji Xiehan? He is the expert swindler, okay? He swindles people. Have you ever heard of a swindler being swindled?"


    Ji Xiehan glared at him. You are the damn swindler. Your whole family are swindlers.


    "I will not play with you anymore. I have more important things to do." He said and left them alone.


    ...


    In his car, Ji Xiehan quickly took his phone and called his new assistant, Qiao Luna. "I''m giving you the details of a girl. Find out where she is."


    While waiting for the reply, he thought of the best strategy according to Jiang Xingyu''s wife-chasing class.


    "Make the girl your friend? Perhaps it''s too late for that. She already dislikes me.


    Send the girl flowers and gifts every day? She might throw them away.


    Got it! Tell the girl you like her."


    As soon as he recieved Li Lanni''s location, he rushed over.


    "First, get a present." Even if she threw it away, it didn''t matter.


    He gave Qiao Luna another call. "What do girls like?"


    Qiao Luna must have been surprised by this question but she was quick to answer. "Most girls like clothes and jewelry. If you don''t know the type clothes she likes or her size, you may want to go for jewelry." According to the situation, Ji Xiehan didn''t seem to be on familiar terms with the girl because he had just asked her to find out a woman''s location a moment ago. Since she was the assistant, she may as well tell him everything he had to know.


    Ji Xiehan got into a jewelry shop and looked around. Soon, he found a perfect diamond necklace. It was quite beautiful. Qiao Luna was right. If he was a woman, he would love it if someone gifted him something so beautiful as well.


    Turned out hiring a female assistant wasn''t such a bad thing after all.


    ...


    Confident, he rushed to the hospital, buying fruits on his way. Although he was giving her a necklace, she needed to eat fruits if she was sick.


    However, he wouldn''t ever expect that on his way in, he would see Li Yuming leaving the hospital with her daughter in tow.


    His heart sank. How could he forget? This morning, she had called him out for kidnapping her. It wasn''t going to be easy to get past Li Yuming.


    A perfect chance had just been ruined. If they were still in hospital, he could still make up a story about being on his way to visit someone.


    Forget it. There were many more chances.


    ___


    After drinking soup, Li Lanni went back home with her mother.


    Once she sat down, she brought up the topic from earlier. "Mom, is it possible to have a home-schooling tutor as well as go to school? The home schooling tutor will help me remember everything I need to know that I have forgotten."


    Li Yuming considered this option. "If that''s what you like, then it''s alright. I will hire more bodyguards for you."


    "Are bodyguards really allowed in schools?"


    "Of course. As long as they keep their distance and don''t distract the other students."


    "Then... Can I start soon? Tomorrow perhaps?"


    "Why not? I''ll make arrangements today."


    Li Lanni hugged her mother. "Thanks mom. You love me the most."


    Li Yuming glanced at her daugher who was clinging to her like a happy kitten and rubbed her head. "You''re my little girl. Of course I love you the most."


    ...


    As soon as she was in her room, Li Lanni''s smile froze and was replaced with a murderous glint. "Ji Feifei, I don''t know what you are up to. But I will find out. I will kill you if you try to hurt my mother and I."


    So what if she was a little girl? Ji Feifei was young too and she had already done many scheming things. She would not believe for a second that Ji Feifei was a clean woman. She must have done bad deeds before.


    If not, there wouldn''t be such a note warning her of her childhood friend.


    She took a book and started reading. She had been doing this for many days already. If she read some of these books, she wouldn''t be too dumb when she went to school, right?


    ___


    The next day, Li Yuming told Lanni that she could return to school any time she wished.


    "Lanni, you don''t have to put too much pressure on yourself. You are only going to school to interact with your friends and recover your memory. That''s why I''m taking you back to your old school.


    If you fail in those tests and find the classes too difficult to understand, you don''t have to worry."


    Li Lanni felt her heart warm up. How could her mother be so considerate? She was so caring that being her daughter felt like the biggest achievement on earth.


    No wonder that weird woman, Ji Feifei, was so jealous of her.


    ___


    "Ah-cho! Who is cursing me?" Ji Feifei sneezed out all the juice she had sipped just now.


    "Miss, I just recieved a piece of news from your school." Fang Xu reported.


    "Don''t bother me about trivial matters." Ji Feifei''s mood today was awful.


    Today, she had asked her father to let her go on a trip with her friends as a form of vacation.


    That dumb old fart had the guts to refuse her! He even said that if she had so much time in her hands, she should use it to make her school grades better.


    She would make that old fart pay for all this humiliation! She would really make them pay.


    "Miss..." Fang Xu had to report this no matter what. If he didn''t, he would be blamed for lack of competence later.


    "What! You stupid man! Haven''t I told you to scram already?"


    Fang Xu trembled. Was she really a twenty year old girl? She looked more like a thousand year old venomous snake. Huu.... this job was so difficult. "It''s related to miss Li Lanni."


    "Lanni, that little b*tch? Why didn''t you tell me before?"

 Chapter 22 - Use Their Weakness

    Fang Xu was speechless. Was it not you who told me to shut my mouth and disappear from your vicinity?


    "Speak! What are you waiting for?" She roared


    Fang Xu trembled. "Miss Li Lanni has been allowed to go back to school."


    "Just that?"


    Fang Xu sighed. It was really difficult so serve this temperamental pampered miss. He should have strived to remain with the warm-hearted Ji Xiehan instead.


    But for the sake of his ailing mother, and since it was his fault, he could only suck it up. "Miss Lanni should not be allowed to go to school. Didn''t you say she has amnesia? However, she was still allowed to go back. I''m thinking she lied about having recovered."


    Ji Feifei suddenly broke into a smile and lifted her fair hand to check out her red fingernails. "That''s just wonderful. I will let her stay and when she is at her highest point, release that medical report to the whole world."


    That must be Li Yuming''s and Li Lanni''s weakness. By doing that, she would shame Li Lanni and make her enemies aware of her medical situation. That would make her vulnerable, killing two birds with one stone.


    ___


    City B University.


    The luxurious maybach stopped and a girl was helped out. She was wearing the uniform of City B University.


    "Mark, can we please use a less luxurious car tomorrow? I don''t feel comfortable keeping such a high profile."


    Mark was one of her bodyguards. "Yes miss."


    Though he wondered, where to get a car that was not luxurious? He obviously wouldn''t get it in the Li residence...


    Never mind. He would tell master about it.


    ...


    As soon as she set foot in the school, it all felt familiar. It was as though one of the missing pieces of the puzzle was back. There were only a few remaining now.


    "I''ll go to class now." she said.


    As soon as the car drove off, a young man rushed towards her like he had seen a ghost. "My queen! I thought I would never see you again."


    Li Lanni was puzzled. "Who are you?"


    The young man''s enthusiasm didn''t die down. "My queen, how can you forget me? I''m Yu Guang.


    Right, which building are you going to? I will bring you there."


    "Guang, stay away from Lanni. Haven''t you had enough fun with girls? If you continue going at this rate, you will suffer from kidney failure."


    The person who interrupted was a young man too.


    "Lanni, don''t be fooled by this guy. He is so promiscuous that the girls he has fooled around with wouldn''t fit in this school."


    "Ah Chen, what are you saying? This is slander! Lanni, don''t listen to his rubbish."


    Li Lanni was not listening to any rubbish. This ''Ah Chen''...


    He was taller than most men, possessed an aura that made one subconciously want to bow down to him. Every step of his exuded of nobility.


    There was only one word to describe him... Gorgeous!


    So gorgeous she was going blind.


    Like any other girl, of course she would appreciate beauty when she saw it. It had nothing to do with falling in love - there was not a single person who didn''t appreciate beauty, right?


    But, she did not make a fool out of herself. "Ahem... thanks for the offer, misters, but no thank you. I have a blueprint of the whole school with me." She walked off right after saying this.


    Yu Guang gave a puzzled look to his friend. "She really lost her memory?"


    Ah Chen looked in her direction regretfully. "If you ask me, who will I ask?"


    He put both hands in his pockets. Lanni, you didn''t like me previously because I accidentally ruined my reputation before your eyes. If I use this opportunity to chase after you again, you might like me, right?


    He didn''t know that his friend was thinking the same way. If this Ah Chen didn''t keep ruining his moments and tarnishing his reputation before Lanni, he might have a chance to win her heart. This Ah Chen must learn to control his huge mouth or he wouldn''t have it nice.


    Neither of them knew that from a wall a short distance from them, someone glared furiously.


    "That sl*t! She has already managed to seduce Yu Guang? Forget about Yu Guang, that casanova. Even Ah Chen is in her web now? Just how did she do it? Turns out I underestimated her. The daughter of a b*tch is definitely one as well."


    She maliciously called a little girl who was passing by.


    When the girl came Ji Feifei clutched her stomach and looked pale. "Sorry, I feel unwell. Could you help me pass a message to my best friend? Her name is Li Lanni and she just went to the art building."


    "Don''t worry."


    "Tell her to meet me in the abandoned building, yeah?"


    The girl went ahead.


    Ji Feifei sneered. "Tsk, as stupid as Lanni herself."


    She called another little girl. This girl and the one from earlier were freshmen and didn''t know much. "Excuse me, I don''t feel very well. Could you help me pass a message to someone?"


    The girl looked curious. "Senior, if you are sick, you should go to the infirmary. How about I take you there?"


    "No no no!" Ji Feifei shook her head.


    This girl wasn''t as brainless as the first.


    She blushed and held onto a note she had already written. "Actually, I lied just now. It''s a confession letter and I don''t know how to send it. Could you please help me?"


    The girl saw that Ji Feifei really looked hopeful and considering she was a senior, it was difficult to reject it. Who knew what trouble she would face if she offended a senior?


    "Okay. I''ll take it."


    "Great! The guy down there with a head of brown hair and both hands in his pockets. Hurry before he leaves.. By the way, my name is Lanni."

 Chapter 23 - Id Like To See What Shes Up To

    She watched the girl go to Ah Chen and hid away to only peek.


    The girl was afraid of her so she really went to him. "Excuse me senior, are you Ah Chen?"


    "Yes. What is it?"


    "The girl over there...eh? where did she go?" she could no longer see Ji Feifei. It became awkward. "Anyway, her name is Lanni. She asked me to give you this."


    Ah Chen was astonished. "Li Lanni?" He took the note hurriedly. "Thank you."


    The girl retreated, blushing. This senior was so handsome. No wonder that girl was head over heels for him.


    Obviously, Yu Guang would be curious. "Open it quick! I want to know what my queen wrote to you."


    Ah Chen was disdainful. "Get your hands off!"


    "Eh, you are so fierce. You wouldn''t be in love with my queen, right?"


    Ah Chen sent him off him with a kick. "Piss off! Who the heck is your queen?"


    Anxiously, he opened the note.


    There lay a beautiful handwriting. [Meet me in the abandoned building right now.] There was even a small heart shape drawn at the end of it.


    "Lanni..." Lanni wants to meet me in private? She even wrote such a mushy note to me?


    His heart raced wildly. Could it be that Lanni had taken a liking to him and wanted to confess?


    Yu Guang had taken the chance to peer over and also saw the content. "Why do you look so happy? Have you also taken a fancy to my queen? You must know that she is only mine."


    Ah Chen was so angry he could pull the hair off Yu Guang''s head. He locked the idiot''s hands behind his back. "I told you to scram! Didn''t you hear me?"


    Yu Guang howled like a pig. "Ah! It takes time to scram. Also, how can I scram when you''re holding me so tightly?"


    Some distance away, girls couldn''t tear their eyes off.


    "Two handsome men fighting. Ah! My heart can''t take the cuteness."


    "Kill me already! Are they fighting over a girl?"


    "That girl must have saved two galaxies in her previous lifetime."


    "Why do I think they look like a couple instead? The charismatic and serious Ah Chen must be the top. Only such a man can tame a playboy of Yu Guang''s variety."


    "Hey!" Yu Guang couldn''t stand such a humiliating insult. Who did you just call a bottom? You''re the freaking bottom!


    "Ah Chen! Let go of me. I just realized that the note in your hands wasn''t written by Lanni."


    "What nonsense are you spewing? It''s in Lanni''s handwriting."


    Yu Guang who had just been let off snatched the note. "If you don''t know what Lanni''s handwriting really looks like, you''re a disgrace to our Lanni''s admirers'' club."


    "What the heck is that?"


    "Forget it. Look here. Although this looks like Lanni''s handwriting, it is forged. Look at the letters carefully. Some of them are more slanting than others. Lanni''s handwriting is perfectly neat with all her letters slanting at the same degree.


    Besides, doesn''t it feel too good to be true?"


    Ah Chen took a closer look. Indeed, this fool was right. Some of these letters looked out of place.


    Not only that, the pen used here was different from Lanni''s. It would only take closer inspection to realize this.


    So this fool was really interested in Lanni. It took a great amount of interest to realize such small details in one glance.


    "Someone wants to play me." Ah Chen''s eyes narrowed coldly.


    "I know. It must be one of those girls who have crushes on you. Perhaps they found out that you like Lanni. How about I go and check out who they are? I will give you the feedback." In the next second, he retreated. "Not a good idea. If my queen were to find out that I went, she might misunderstand me."


    "It''s not like I wanted you to go on my behalf. I''ll go. I have a gut feeling that it''s something interesting."


    ...


    At the same time, Li Lanni rolled her eyes when she recieved the message about Ji Feifei feeling unwell. If she was sick, why couldn''t she go to hospital? Who did she think she could fool?


    Hmph. I''d like to know what she''s up to this time.


    She turned to the girl she had been sitting next to before she recieved the message. She didn''t look like a bad person.


    "Cheng Yu, I need to go somewhere but I''m scared of that place. Could you accompany me?"


    The girl called Cheng Yu looked excited. She had always tried to be Lanni''s friend because they had been friends in the past but the latter didn''t seem to trust her much. How could she reject such a chance? "Sure. Where are you going?"


    "To the abandoned building. My friend is unwell."


    Cheng Yu looked curious. She was sick, but went to the abandoned building?


    But she followed on. "Then let''s hurry before it''s time for the next class."


    The abandoned building was on the far end of the school, so it took a while to get there.


    But, they didn''t need to go in. Ah chen was waiting outside. "Lanni, you are really here. Just now, I almost thought someone was pranking me." The thought of that tiny heart at the end of the note made his ears heat up. But what was up with the girl beside her? People didn''t bring their friends along when going to confess, did they?


    Li Lanni smiled. So what was Ji Feifei''s prank, then? "It''s you? My friend wanted me to meet her here."


    Ah Chen looked confused. "She did? But you also sent me this note to meet you here. I didn''t go inside knowing that we might miss each other."


    As evidence, he gave her the note.


    Li Lanni took it. "I didn''t write any. It must have been a misunderstanding.


    Can I keep it? I''ll look into it."


    "Sure."


    "Chen Yu and I will go back now.. It''s almost time for our next class."

 Chapter 24 - Partners In Crime

    "I''m heading back too." Ah Chen said.


    On their way back, he fought the urge to ask her out until he couldn''t fight it anymore. "Lanni, could we go home together after school?"


    Li Lanni wasn''t an idiot. It was obvious that this young man liked her. She wasn''t ready for any relationship. Who knew if she had a boyfriend already? Before she was sure that she remembered her past, she shouldn''t simply get close to any man.


    Hence, she rejected him politely. "After school, my mother will be waiting for me."


    "How about tomorrow?"


    "Sorry, I have to undertake extra classes at home."


    Ah Chen was now sure that she was deliberately avoiding him.


    If this was before, he would have cursed her and hurled rude insults at her. However, it was not the first time he was trying to ask Li Lanni out.


    The first time he did so was a year ago when he first saw her. She had just entered university and was as innocent as any girl her age could be. At the time, she had given him the cold shoulder.


    He was so angry that he ended up humiliating her in front of the other students.


    One had to know that he was the heir of an aristocratic family. Not only that, he was also the most handsome guy in B City University as well as the one with the most excellent grades. His reputation was clean and he had only ever been with one girl before. What right did a girl have to reject him?


    It was only later that he found out just how arrogant and immature he had been. The bad news was that Lanni had hated him already.


    But, when he found out that she had lost her memory, he thought it would be a good chance to make up for his mistake. He would go after her and once she was his, he would treat her as best as he could. After all he still liked her.


    This time, he didn''t flare up when she deliberately rejected him. Had she recovered her memory?


    He smiled like nothing happened. "Then I''ll see you when you are free."


    __


    As soon as Ah Chen left, the girl beside Li Lanni looked like her gossipy nature had been piqued. "Lanni, I think the campus hunk likes you!"


    Li Lanni didn''t look interested. "Honestly, the last thing I want right now is to hear about men. I just feel uncomfortable around them."


    Cheng Yu looked at her timidly, as though hesitating to ask something.


    "If you have something to say, go ahead."


    "Does¡­ does that include Senior Yang?"


    Li Lanni squinted her eyes. "Who is Senior Yang?"


    "Huh?" The girl looked shocked. "You don''t know? Wasn''t he your¡­" She suddenly stopped.


    "Why did you stop? What was he?"


    Cheng Yu looked conflicted. "He¡­ I''m only saying what I heard other people say."


    "Go ahead."


    "He is supposed to be your boyfriend. However, the rumors say that the day before your accident happened, you caught him together with Ji Feifei ¨C you know, the girl you''re always hanging out with ¨C and you were very angry.


    Although the rumors say that they were in a relationship, I don''t think they were. They were more like partners in crime."


    Partners in crime¡­ partners in crime¡­


    Those words played in her mind on repeat.


    "Where is Senior Yang then?"


    Cheng Yu looked miserable to be the one to tell her. "He was with you that day when you had that accident. His legs were badly injured and he fell into a vegetative state. The doctors think he will ever wake up and even if he miraculously does, he will be paralyzed forever."


    Li Lanni looked at the timid girl and pinched her eyebrows. "Where did you get this information?"


    "Ah? Lanni, those are just rumors I heard. None of it has been proven for sure."


    "There''s no smoke without a fire." Li Lanni mumbled.


    Why was it that she had never heard of this before? It was all so new.


    Didn''t the police report say that she was the only one in her car and that she was driving under the influence of alcohol? At least that''s what her mother said¡­


    So what was this new crap about a man being with her all about? How come the police didn''t know about him? Or did the police lie?


    Though this ''Senior Yang'' name sounded familiar and for a reason, she trembled just by thinking about it.


    Thinking back to her hypnosis session, she did remember walking beside a man. She turned back later and saw him receiving a check from a woman.


    If what Cheng Yu was saying was true, then it was possible that the woman she remembered was Ji Feifei ¨C that was the only troublemaker that could come to her mind at the moment.


    If it was as she thought, then whatever happened seven months ago was no accident. It was all pre-planned!


    "Do you know which hospital this Senor Yang is admitted in?"


    Cheng Yu was frightened by Li Lanni''s sudden angry tone. She looked like she was about to kill someone. "I¡­ I don''t know for sure. I heard he''s in the military hospital in the North District. His grandfather has a military rank so he brought him there so he could receive better care."


    Li Lanni glanced at Cheng Yu. This girl had kept saying that it was all from the rumors and that she didn''t know anything. Despite that, the information she gave was too detailed. Could it be a lie?


    No way. She had to investigate this. If it was true, then she would have found out something of extreme importance. If it was a lie, there was nothing to lose. At most, she will have just wasted some time. She wasn''t that busy anyway.


    "Let''s go or we will really be late."


    "Okay." Cheng Yu tailed after.


    ¡­


    Later, Cheng Yu made a call. "V, I have already done it. Lanni is going to investigate it. I made sure to make it sound like a rumor."


    "Good." A metallic voice said.


    "V, don''t you think this method of telling her the truth was too¡­"


    "Cruel? I don''t care if it''s cruel.. In fact, cruel will make her as fierce as she should be in fighting them back."

 Chapter 25 - Our Boss Wants You Dead

    As soon as Li Lanni left school, she told her mother that she would be late, using the library as an excuse.


    When she was sure that none of her bodyguards was around, she went to the military hospital in the North District. Perhaps she would remember something if she saw that guy, Senior Yang.


    However, they wouldn''t let her in no matter what. The fact that she only knew that man''s surname and didn''t know his first name didn''t make things any easier.


    Never mind. She would ask Cheng Yu about it the next day.


    ''Strange¡­ I feel like I''m being followed.'' She thought as she left the North District. To avoid getting questioned by Li Yuming, she had taken a cab.


    No one knew her whereabouts. Why did she feel like she was being stalked? The last time she felt this way, she was being followed by that pervert from the Ji family. She couldn''t just ignore the feeling and pass it off as being paranoid.


    ''What to do¡­ should I take a rougher path and ambush him?''


    Soon she dropped this thought. She didn''t know anything about her strength and self defense skills. What if it wasn''t just one person? If it was a group, she would be outnumbered in case they meant to harm her.


    She could only hail a cab, hoping whoever it was would give up.


    ___


    At the same time, Mrs. Ji called Ji Xiehan home with a sense of exigency.


    "Mother, what happened?" He rushed over immediately.


    Mrs. Ji didn''t look like anything was wrong. In fact, she was in a joyous mood.


    In the living room, a middle aged woman sat on the sofa as though waiting for something, her daughter closely beside her.


    Those who didn''t know would think they were here for a marriage negotiation.


    "Xiehan, this is Mrs. Gu and this is her daughter, Tianxi. She used to come over and play with you when you were kids."


    Ji Xiehan was annoyed. When he received her call, he was on his way to see his little beauty. Of course he would be annoyed. "Is this why you called me?"


    Mrs. Ji grabbed his hand. "Xiehan, don''t be so mean. Say hi to Tianxi."


    Her intention couldn''t be any more obvious. She had brought a woman home so she could introduce them?


    "Mother, I already told you. I''m only interested in one woman. I will find her and make her my wife."


    Mrs. Ji felt embarrassed. How could he simply say it in the presence of Mrs. Gu and her daughter? Mrs. Gu was her friend, if her on was rude to Mrs. Gu''s daughter, it might not turn out well. "Son, don''t be stubborn. I only asked you to say hi to Tianxi. I didn''t say ''say hi so you may become husband and wife''."


    Ji Xiehan reluctantly shook hands with her just to save his mother face. "If there''s nothing else, I have other things to do."


    "What''s the rush for? Tianxi just came back from overseas. You should show her around."


    Ji Xiehan gave his mother a glance she had never seen from him. She could trace anger from his eyes. It made her feel chills down her back. "Alright, go ahead and do your thing. It''s just showing Tianxi around. Do you have to look like you are being forced to give away your heart?"


    Ji Xiehan remained silent. Not only are you trying to force me into giving away my heart, soon I might have to give away my body as well.


    At this moment, Ji Feifei returned from school. Mrs. Ji found a way out of this. "Feifei you are back. Why don''t you show Tianxi around? She just came back from overseas and some places seem unfamiliar to her."


    Ji Feifei looked at Gu Tianxi then at Ji Xiehan. She could guess what had happened at a glance. She smiled, hiding her wickedness. "Sure. Sis Tianxi, a really cool store has been opened recently. Coincidentally, all their sales for today are discounted. We could get some really nice outfits there."


    Gu Tianxi was displeased by Ji Xiehan''s unwillingness to spend time with her. However, she could only go with the flow. To get to a man''s heart, one had to treat his family well.


    Don''t get her wrong. She was not in love with Ji Xiehan. All she wanted was the wealth in the Ji family. Before marrying him, she would make him sign a contract with terms stating that if they ever divorced, half of his property in the Ji family would be hers as alimony. It would be nice if she were to get all of it but that was impossible. Still, he was the only son of the Ji family. He should have lots of wealth in his name. Half of it was was good too. She would make sure to divorce him within the first year.


    "Let''s go then." She said to Ji Feifei.


    Ji Feifei took an extra card with her and left.


    ¡­


    Since they had gone out, Ji Xiehan had no more business at home. He went to look for his little beauty.


    According to Qiao Luna, she had started going to school. He should be able to find her in B City University.


    Actually, it would be easy if he simply told his sister to help him out since Ji Feifei was in B City University as well. For some reason however, he couldn''t bring himself to trust Ji Feifei no matter what. He had always had a bad feeling about her and it had gotten stronger lately.


    He drove off to B City University.


    ___


    Li Lanni''s uneasiness grew wilder by the second.


    She had been observing a red car that was behind them. It had followed them for a while and when she was about to conclude that they were being followed, it went in the opposite direction when they reached a crossroads.


    Just a few seconds later, another car appeared, this time it was a black one. After following for a while, it also disappeared, only for a white one to start doing what the previous ones had been doing.


    Li Lanni got worried. Who were they, and what did they want? She deduced that if there were more, they would soon surround them.


    Was the only option calling her bodyguards? That would make it known to her mother that she had left school on her own and gone to the military hospital. However, a little scolding wouldn''t take her life. These thugs would.


    Alas, she didn''t have the time to call her bodyguards because it was right at this time that they got surrounded.


    In the next moment, a gang of four heavily built men left those cars.


    "We want the girl. You can leave." One of them said, obviously speaking to the cab driver.


    "They are rude." Li Lanni mumbled.


    As expected, the cab driver ran for his life at such a moment. He wouldn''t get into trouble with an unknown gang because of a girl he didn''t know. Though it was such a pity. This girl looked like a nice child.


    Never mind. It was none of his business.


    "What do you want?" Li Lanni asked softly.


    "Nothing much. Our boss wants your life."


    Li Lanni opened the zipper of her bag, held it tightly and left the car slowly. She didn''t have anything to use to defend herself. Even if she did, these men looked too difficult for a normal person to handle, much less a little girl like herself.


    "Tsk¡­ how beautiful. No wonder boss doesn''t want her alive."


    "Don''t be fooled by her beauty. Now, act fast. Boss wants the results soon."


    Li Lanni wondered just who it was that wanted her dead.


    "Little girl, you can be rest assured that it will not be painful. I will shoot you right through the brain."


    "Are you crazy? We should torture her. She is quite lucky that boss didn''t order us to play with her. It would be quite fun."


    The first man knocked the second''s leg. "Are you human? How do you have the heart to defile such a cutie?"


    Li Lanni had an idea. She looked down and bit her lip, looking quite pitiful. "Can you¡­ can you please give me a chance to live? I will not interfere with your boss."


    "Eer¡­"


    Li Lanni blinked the tears she had gathered just now and made them roll down her cheeks in a pair of thin trails. "Please. My mommy doesn''t have anyone on her side but me. If you kill me, she will be on her own. Boohoohoo¡­"


    "Well, this¡­"


    Li Lanni used the chance when the others were confused too. When no one expected it, they all felt their eyes sting.


    "Eh? Ahh My eyes!"


    Li Lanni ran away after successfully spraying their eyes with perfume.


    "That little thing! Catch her! I will skin her alive."


    "Oh no¡­" She had provoked all the anger in them.

 Chapter 26 - Getting On The Elders Good Side

    Before their eyes stopped stinging, she had to find somewhere to hide or get help. Li Lanni used up all the strength she could muster to run as fast as she could.


    These thugs had probably undergone all kinds of torture because it was not long before they started catching up.


    Li Lanni was out of strength. Her legs hurt from suddenly running too fast.


    Was she going to die here today? But she didn''t even know the person who was trying to kill her. She didn''t know what her dreams were yet. She didn''t know the truth about her accident either.


    She couldn''t die¡­ she still had many things to accomplish.


    Her legs suddenly gave way. There was nothing she could do about it. She was too tired to go on. Just as she fell to the ground, a car entered her line of vision.


    Such a luxurious car¡­ its owner had to be someone rich and powerful. Wasn''t this La Voiture Noire?


    Seeing a new ray of hope, Li Lanni got to her feet and stood in the middle of the road. The driver would have to stop no matter what.


    "Haha! Little thing, I got you." Li Lanni could hear the tormenting voice in her ears. They were almost here. Just a few meters away.


    "Do you think you can run away after spraying our eyes? We were previously going to kill you painlessly but now, we will use the most torturous methods.


    ¡­


    Inside the car.


    "Master Ji, a girl suddenly stood in the middle of the road. She seems to be in trouble. Should I ignore her?" lately, there were many robbery cases happening this way. People would pretend to be in trouble only to rob the person who helped them. It was not an uncommon scene.


    Ji Xiehan looked up from his laptop with a frown. When he saw the girl he was looking for¡­


    "Stop! Can''t you see she''s being followed?"


    He jumped out as soon as the car stopped. "Are you alright?"


    Li Lanni recognized this face. It was the white-haired pervert. However, she didn''t resist when he carried her to the car. It wasn''t like she had the strength to resist even if she wanted to.


    "You! Don''t get yourself into trouble. Leave that girl to us." A furious gangster couldn''t take it. They had painstakingly followed this little girl and just when they were about to catch her, a man pops out of nowhere and carries her to his car?


    "Idiot." Another hooligan kicked his leg. "Has the perfume completely blinded your eyes? That''s la voiture noire."


    "So what? Its owner can only be at most a spoilt rich young master. What can he do?"


    "Tch. Is that so?" Ji Xiehan smirked coldly. "I can do this."


    ¡­


    Two minutes later, the four of them lay with their stomachs flat on the ground, in a sorry state.


    "Elder brother, we were wrong. We failed to recognize greatness."


    "Elder brother, please forgive us."


    "Grandfather, no, great grandfather! Please let us off this once." One of them grabbed his shoe to beg for mercy.


    "Annoying!" Ji Xiehan kicked him in his stomach. The man rolled away in pain.


    "Who sent you?"


    "We don''t know! The boss only wanted the little pretty miss dead. She communicated with us using different public telephones and left the money in an abandoned warehouse for us to pick."


    Ji Xiehan kicked him in the face. Of what use was such information?


    "Take care of them." He said to his chauffeur and the bodyguard who was sitting in the shotgun seat.


    Earlier, they had tactfully made arrangements to have the road blocked so no cars would be passing here for a while.


    Ji Xiehan sat in the driver''s seat and grinned at the two men. "Have fun."


    The chauffeur looked at the bodyguard. "Does fun¡­ include killing them?"


    The bodyguard was tempted to do this as well. "I don''t think so. Master Ji has no blood in his hands. I don''t think he would want to get some because of a little girl he just saved."


    "Is that so¡­ then if we beat them black and blue and leave them on the verge of death, that''s not considered murder, right?"


    ¡­


    Ji Xiehan drove to hospital. The girl in his back seat was asleep. He wanted her to get a check up, perhaps she was hurt by those men before she managed to escape. Her legs looked weak too. She might have run too much and got them swollen.


    When the doctor was done running tests, he looked at Ji Xiehan. "She has not ingested anything harmful and aside from a few blisters and scratches on her legs, there are no other injuries. She will need to rest and not move about too much for two days."


    "Okay."


    "Do we need to contact her family?" From the looks of it, the girl must have been a victim of kidnap for the man to ask about such particular things.


    "No need. I will take her home."


    __


    In the Li mansion, all the bodyguards had their heads hung low.


    Mark was the most remorseful. "Madam, it was negligence on my part. I did not protect the young miss."


    "Of what use is your apology? Find my daughter right away!" Li Yuming was so furious that her eyes almost exploded into flames. She had hired these people to protect her Lanni. What was their use if Lanni could sneakily go places on her own? Why was she not back yet? What if something happened to her? She had already sent a group of experts to track her.


    "Madam, miss is back." A servant reported, his happiness boundless. They were finally going to be relieved of a death sentence.


    "Lanni? Where?"


    "Outside. She is in the company of a man. He is quite handsome."


    Li Yuming was already on her way out and didn''t hear the servant''s answer.


    "You! Why are you holding my Lanni? What did you do to her?" Li Yuming at this point wouldn''t care who Ji Xiehan was. If he hurt her daughter, she would directly kill him.


    Ji Xiehan wordlessly carried Li Lanni into the house and put her carefully on the sofa. Only then did he speak. "Aunty, if I did anything to hurt Lanni, do you think I would have the courage to bring her home?"


    Li Yuming calmed down a little. He made sense. That wouldn''t be any different from committing murder and remaining in the crime scene for the police to catch you there. "What happened?"


    "She was being followed. She is still not speaking or reacting to anything because she is still scared." He narrated what had happened from what he made out of the situation he witnessed.


    "This child¡­ did she lose her IQ along with her memory? She knows that it is not safe but she still went to such a place on her own. It is all thanks to you this time."


    Ji Xiehan thought of something and a smile slowly crept onto his lips. He restrained it by coughing.


    ~Jiang Xingyu''s wife chasing class~


    "If gifts don''t work, be the hero that saves the beauty. Remember to be sincere and don''t ask her to be your girlfriend as compensation right away. Girls hate men who take advantage of them.


    Second step, get on the good side with the elders. They might help you in future."


    ~~


    Ji Xiehan took a last glance at Li Lanni then turned to Li Yuming. "Aunty, I still have business to take care of. I will head out first."


    "Ah? You are not staying for dinner?"


    Bingo! Ji Xiehan, you just got on the elder''s good side after playing the hero that saves the beauty.


    "I would like to, but I really have a lot of work to do."


    This way, he was creating an opportunity to be invited by Li Yuming again. It would give him another chance to see Lanni.


    Li Yuming didn''t force him to stay. "Child, I really don''t know how to repay you. If you were not there on time, my Lanni might have lost her life."


    Ji Xiehan smiled charmingly. "Aunty, you don''t have to feel indebted to me. I wouldn''t possibly sit back and watch an innocent person getting killed. I would have done it for anyone."


    Li Yuming was even more pleased by his modesty. "You are such a kind young man. You are from the Ji family, right? May I ask if you have a girlfriend?"


    Ji Xiehan chocked on his own saliva.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine. No, I don''t have a girlfriend."


    "What do you think¡­"


    "Mom!" Li Lanni finally spoke for the first time since she was rescued.


    "Lanni, you''re finally back to your senses. This handsome man saved you. You should thank him."


    Li Lanni''s eyes widened.. "It''s enough to thank him. Have you forgotten that he is the white-haired pervert who kidnapped me?"

 Chapter 27 - The Big Fish Is Hooked. Time To Rile In

    She couldn''t believe that her mother was so easily swayed by good looks and flowery words.


    Li Yuming took a good glance at Ji Xiehan who was about to pass out from tension. She scanned him like a robot before shrugging her shoulders. "Lanni, are you overthinking something? Xiehan doesn''t look like that kind of person to me. He is, on the contrary, very polite and kind. He wouldn''t hurt a fly."


    Li Lanni glanced at the white haired pervert who supposedly wouldn''t hurt a fly. No wonder he was a negotiation expert. That was one glib tongue.


    "Aunty, what were you saying just now? Did you want to introduce me to a girl? I would really appreciate it. My parents just won''t stop nagging me to get a wife. In fact, they have made sure everyone working close to my office is a woman."


    Li Yuming widened her eyes. "But you are so handsome. How come you can''t get a woman?"


    Li Lanni was about to die from fury. What were these two up to? She glared at Ji Xiehan furiously. "You kidnapped me, and now you saved me from those men. We are now even, right?"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t want to start an argument with her. "Yeah. I''ll be on my way now."


    ___


    In her room that night, Li Lanni took out her phone. How could she forget to get Cheng Yu''s contact number?


    She would have asked her about Senior Yang''s details. Today, it was rather unfortunate that she had to be sent off. She really wanted to meet that man who was supposedly her boyfriend as well as Ji Feifei''s partner in crime. Would he be the same man from her memory?


    On the other hand, she also wanted to know just how it was possible that someone knew her whereabouts and even managed to orchestrate her murder.


    Could it be that someone else knew that she was going to the military hospital? Or was it that she was always being followed by those people and they only got a chance when she was on her own?


    Wait, the second possibility would be strange. Her bodyguards would definiyely find out if someone was trying to stalk her.


    Thinking about it on her own, they said that their boss wanted her dead because she was beautiful. Logically, their boss was a woman. If it was a man, he would want to own her for her beauty - not kill her.


    The only women she was associated with were three: Li Yuming, Cheng Yu and Ji Feifei.


    Her mother was out of question and Ji Feifei didn''t know her whereabouts. Was the culprit Cheng Yu, then?


    ___


    "What do you mean she was saved?! Did I hire you to howl and do nothing?" Ji Feifei roared into a phone she rarely used. It was exclusively for this purpose.


    "Missy, we don''t know who the man is either. He beat us black and blue. You have to compensate us for being badly wounded."


    Ji Feifei sneered. "In your freaking dreams! If you can''t do anything right, why the f*ck did I hire you? Yet you even want me to pay you?"


    "We didn''t disclose the contact numebr you use to speak to us or the bank account you use to send us money no matter what. We made up a story about you using public telephones and leaving the money in an abandoned warehouse. At least you should be grateful for that, right?"


    Ji Feifei bit her lip. "Okay. But since you didn''t manage to kill that b*tch or at least harm her, I will only give you twenty percent of the agreed amount."


    The man was overjoyed. Twenty percent was two million. It was worth the beating especially since they had nothing in their wallets. As a result, he said something additional to Ji Feifei. "The man who saved her owned La Voiture Noire. He had silvery white hair and possessed the aura of nobility. He must be the legendary Master Ji from the Ji family."


    Ji Feifei clenched her fist so tightly it coukd break. "Ji Xiehan. Ji Xiehan again. Just why would he save that sl*t?"


    ...


    It was already late at night. However, Ji Feifei didn''t mind going to Ji Xiehan''s room.


    "Brother, you were not here for dinner. I thought you must be hungry so I brought you some dessert."


    Ji Xiehan didn''t spare her a glance. "Get out."


    Ji Feifei didn''t budge. She took a deep breath and went even closer to him. "Brother, are you not going to help me do my homework?"


    "Why don''t you get a home schooling tutor to help you?"


    Ji Feifei looked wronged. "Why are you always so mean to me? Mom!"


    Ji Xiehan really wanted to strangle her. He shouldn''t have come to the Ji household tonight. He should have gone to his own mansion. This woman seemed to really take pleasure in angering him. He wanted nothing more than to strangle her to death. "Fine. I''ll teach you." He sighed. He would only start an argument with his parents if she told on him.


    Happy, she brought her maths homework to the study and called him.


    "What do you find difficult?"


    "Everything. Can you teach me everything?"


    Ji Xiehan sighed about her stupidity but taught her anyway.


    Halfway through, her phone chimed. It was right on top of the desk, within Ji Xiehan''s vicinity.


    Nothing was out of place except... her screen saver was a picture of Lanni!


    That was still okay. However, Li Lanni seemed to be speaking cheerfully to another man. They were even holding hands.


    His curiosity would obviously be piqued. "That''s your friend?"


    Ji Feifei secretly smiled wickedly. The big fish has been hooked. Time to rile in the net.


    She took her phone innocently. "This pretty girl? She is my best friend as well as my classmate. In fact, you might know her mother since she used to be close to our family in the past."


    She continued rattling on ''casually''. "The guy in the picture is her ex-boyfriend. He loved her so much but she..." She left the remaining part for Ji Xiehan''s imagination to run wild.


    "Sigh. We can''t predict what happens in love, can we?"


    Ji Xiehan was obviously interested. "If she is of the same age as you, she must have been too young to date when in her first relationship. How about now?"


    Ji Feifei was even more irritated. So he was really interested in Li Lanni. That lecherous sl*t! Just what did she do to seduce Ji Xiehan? However, it wouldn''t last long because she was just about to shatter it into pieces. "Right now... I don''t know for sure. I see her hanging around with a senior from art class, but at the same time she is close to another senior from music class. She''s the school beauty after all so very many guys will want to be with her."


    Deliberately, she was trying to paint a promiscuous image of Li Lanni. No man would want her if she kept many guys by her side.


    As expected, Ji Xiehan''s expression darkened.


    Ji Feifei pretended to snap. "Oh! I spoke too much just now. Anyway brother, why would you be asking so much about my friend? Don''t tell me you''re interested in her? If so, I will help you pass a message."


    Ji Xiehan looked disgusted. "No! Get out of my sight right now."


    Ji Feifei took her books and left with a smug look. Who said she was here to do homework? She didn''t have a tinge of interest in school. Of course, she was here to tarnish Li Lanni''s reputation in Ji Xiehan''s mind. That was why she had not kept her phone in her pocket or left it in her room because she was going to do her homework. She had instead displayed it right on the desk where he could easily see it.


    ___


    As soon as Ji Feifei left, Ji Xiehan''s mouth twitched. "Tch. Lanni sure has terrible friends." What kind of friend would soil her friend''s reputation that much?


    Unless...


    Unless Ji Feifei was only pretending to be Lanni''s friend when she actually hated her. It did sound like something a pretentious woman like Ji Feifei would do.


    He took out his phone and gave Qiao Luna a call.


    Qiao Luna must have been woken up by his phone call. She sounded groggy. "Hello boss."


    Ji Xiehan realized just what time it was when she picked the call. He couldn''t turn it back so he just spoke. "Have someone track Ji Feifei''s every move." He felt she was up to something not-so-good.


    "Got it boss." Qiao Luna answered. "I''ll do it right away."


    Though she wondered, my dear boss, if people were to see what time you called me, wouldn''t they misunderstand your intentions? For the sake of that girl you are chasing, can you not call me so late at night?

 Chapter 28 - Will I Be Expelled?

    The next day, Li Lanni was still a little unwell so Li Yuming wouldn''t let her go to school.


    She could only go two days after. As soon as she arrived, she had a feeling everyone was giving her a weird look.


    She ignored them and went over to Cheng Yu. "Is something the matter? Why is everyone giving me weird looks?"


    Cheng Yu looked like she was struggling to say it. "Lanni, don''t pay attention to the rumors. They will die down soon and I know that you are not that kind of girl."


    "Okay, I will not pay attention to it. But at least tell me what they are talking about?"


    Cheng Yu had no choice. "They say you are a kept mistress."


    "What?"


    Cheng Yu knew that the matter would blow up any instant, so she may as well tell her right now to prepare her since she may be summoned by the school heads later. "They say that not only are you a mistress, the man who is keeping you is a senior professor in this university. And... he even has a wife."


    The news claimed that she had returned to school despite her amnesia. Since she couldn''t remember anything she learnt clearly, she was counting on that professor to pull strings and give her good grades.


    "How shameless."


    "I can''t believe I''m in the same school as such rubbish." The students cursed angrily, not caring that she was within their earshot.


    "She only just came back to school for one day but she has taken three days off after that. Isn''t she just relying on the fact that she has seduced a professor?"


    "Heh..." Li Lanni tittered. She turned to face the students who were blatantly scorching her with their accusing eyes and cursing her.


    "So what if I''m in a relationship with my professor? It''s because I''m so beautiful that he can''t keep his eyes off me, isn''t that so?"


    "What?!"


    The other students were shocked.


    "She dared to admit it. How shameless!" A girl with a pixie cut gritted her teeth.


    Li Lanni crossed her arms against her chest. "If I denied it, you would curse me all day. Isn''t it better to admit it?" She glanced at the girl with a pixie cut. "What is it Miss Pixie? Could it be that you like this professor and are angry because you are jealous?"


    "You!" the pixie girl was so angry she could scratch Li Lanni''s face.


    Another girl looked at Li Lanni like she was the most shameless person on earth. "He is a married man. He is even old enough to be your grandfather. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?"


    Li Lanni maintained her calm. "Is he? But I like older men. What should I do?"


    "You are shameless!" The girl''s lungs were exploding.


    Li Lanni picked her ears. Didn''t they have something new to call her? They had been using the same word all this while. It was worn out already "This miss here. Since you think he is not good enough for me, how about you match make me with your father? The next time we meet, you will have to show some respect and call me ''mommy''."


    "Li Lanni!"


    ...


    Li Lanni left after infuriating those students. Since they were having such a good time talking about it, she would make them angry so she wouldn''t be the only one feeling wronged.


    When only she and Cheng Yu were remaining, she turned to the girl. "By the way, what''s the name of the professor they say I''m involved with?"


    "Huh?" Cheng Yu was about to faint from the sudden roller coaster. Just now, handn''t she claimed to be dating that professor because she prefered older men? Now she didn''t know his name? She looked at Li Lanni carefully before slowly sticking out a finger to feel her forehead.


    Li Lanni grabbed her hand mid air. "Drop it. Are you gonna tell me, or should I go and ask every professor I meet if I''m his mistress?"


    Cheng Yu was rendered helpless. "You didn''t only lose your memory. You lost your brain altogether. Sigh, the man is professor Marcus."


    Li Lanni looked blank, not understanding why her friend looked so shaken by this fact.


    "Professor Marcus is said to have been in relationships with many girls from this university. He has not been fired only because there has never been any concr¨¨te proof."


    Li Lanni chocked on her own saliva. She was rumored to be involved with such a man?


    And it happened just soon after she returned to school? This couldn''t be any more obvious.


    "Ji Feifei..." she mumbled with her chest heaving.


    "Lanni, did you say something?"


    "No."


    "Oh. I was saying, it will be harder to clear the rumors since you admitted it a moment ago." Cheng Yu looked like she wanted to knock some sense into Li Lanni''s head. Can she recover her memory already?


    Li Lanni smiled. "It''s just proving my innocence. Where''s the hard part?"


    ___


    Outside the school, a black car was parked.


    The man watched Li Lanni''s every movement.


    ''It''s just proving my innocence. Where''s the hard part?''


    "Interesting." The man caressed the girl''s face on the screen.


    "Boss, should I investigate the matter?" Qiao Luna asked.


    "No need let her do it."


    "Okay. Boss, are you going inside the school, or will you wait here until she comes out?" One had to know that it was still morning.


    "I''ll wait."


    "But..." You still have work to do at the office.


    "I want to abandon my work and wait for her all day. Do you have anything to say?"


    "No, of course not. I have absolutely nothing to say." Qiao Luna adjusted her glasses. How come no one told her that being Ji Xiehan''s assistant was this difficult?


    ...


    Meanwhile, Li Lanni went to class.


    Perhaps no one else found it strange, but she shared all her classes with Ji Feifei.


    Was it a co?ncidence, or did Ji Feifei do this so they would be stuck together?


    She had learnt one fact since she woke up from coma : the person closest to you possessed the capability to hurt you the most.


    So this was Ji Feifei''s strategy. Being close to her so she would hurt her?


    She was now pretty sure that it was Ji Feifei who sent people to kill her when she went to the North District. She didn''t know how Ji Feifei knew where she was going, and she didn''t have any evidence yet, but she would be sure to make Ji Feifei pay for everything.


    "Lanni, are you alright? Don''t be too sad about the rumors."


    Li Lanni dramatically put her head on Ji Feifei''s shoulder. "But I''m sad. Boohoo... I''m so sad that I want to jump into the river and commit suicide."


    "Eh? Lanni, don''t do that okay? Even if you get expelled from school, you still have me."


    How could Li Lanni miss the glint in those eyes? Ji Feifei was obviously overjoyed when she mentioned that she wanted to jump into the river.


    Li Lanni put up the act. "I... will I be expelled?"


    "I don''t know Lanni. But in the past, all the students rumored to be involved with professors were expelled. For some, it was so bad that their bad reputations were reflected in their certificates. They couldn''t get jobs anywhere afterwards."


    "I don''t want that kind of life! I wanna get a job. Boohoo."


    Ji Feifei sneered inwardly. What''s the use of crying? "Lanni, I know a way to clear your name. But you will have to lay low first and let the rumors subside."


    It was Li Lanni''s turn to sneer inwardly. Lay low and let the rumors subside? I''m afraid you will only help me become more famous by fanning the flames and making it seem like my silent admission.


    ''I, Li Lanni, will not let myself be fooled. Perhaps I was that gullible in the past. But now, my inability to remember my past will not stop me from protecting myself.'' she declared mentally.


    "I will go to that professor''s home." Li Lanni suddenly said.


    "Ah? That''s a stupid move." Ji Feifei feigned concern.


    "Don''t worry. I will have a camera on me and record our conversation. I will later use it to prove my innocence."


    Ji Feifei raised her eyebrows. "Good idea. Everyone will believe you and stop making up stories about you."


    As soon as Li Lanni left her side, Ji Feifei sneered. "Stupid Lanni. What kind of trick is that?"


    She sent Professor Marcus a text message. [Keep yourself in a good mood today. A present will deliver itself at your doorstep this evening."


    Heh, Lanni, watch me ruin you forever.


    "Ah-Cho! ...


    "The person cursing me must be Ji Feifei." Li Lanni mumbled.


    Huh. Ji Feifei, do you really think I''d tell you what I plan to do to prove my innocence?


    Of course I would be that stupid.

 Chapter 29 - Unnamed.

    After school, it was not easy for Li Lanni to go anywhere on her own. Her mother had hired new bodyguards to make sure she didn''t manage to secretly run around on her own.


    Besides, it was not like she would sneak away on her own after what happened the last time. This time, she needed someone to accompany her.


    She walked towards her car calmly.


    "Lanni?"


    Li Lanni turned when she heard the familiar voice.


    As expected, she was annoyed. "White haired pervert, why are you here?"


    Ji Xiehan was speechless. What kind of nickname was this? Girl, I''m your future husband, okay? What kind of woman called her husband a pervert?


    "If you have nothing to say to me, I''ll make my move."


    "Wait." Ji Xiehan grabbed her arm before she took the second step.


    Li Lanni freed herself from his grip and crossed her arms. "What do you want?"


    "I came to give you this." He handed over a box.


    This present had been recommended to him by Qiao Luna. It was the latest diamond necklace from a famous jewelry brand. There were only three of them in the entire nation. One didn''t just need money to buy them.


    He watched anxiously as Li Lanni opened the box.


    In the next moment, she gave a sly smile. "Thank you, but I already have this. I don''t need two of them."


    She took a necklace from her own bag. It was identical to the one in the box.


    "What..." Ji Xiehan had forgotten something important. Li Lanni could afford to buy anything she wanted.


    If this brand was popular among girls and their latest necklace was even more sought out, he should have guessed that she would try to get one.


    "Does that mean... you don''t want it?"


    Li Lanni didn''t answer him. She simply glared at him. "Master Ji, I don''t know what you hold against me from our previous lifetimes but can you let me off? I really don''t like being stalked like this."


    Ji Xiehan''s heart fell. His presence bothered her that much? It was already humiliating enough that she rejected his present because she owned an identical one. Did she also have to shatter his heart into pieces?


    "Master Ji, please don''t look for me anymore." She sauntered away.


    Ji Xiehan gripped the diamond necklace tightly as he watched her back. What exactly did this girl have against him? Had he wronged her before? Logically, she shouldn''t be this angry with him because of what his former assistant had done before. Why was she holding it against him?


    ...


    As soon as he stumbled back to the passenger seat of his car, Qiao Luna was scared she would be killed.


    She had been the one to suggest this gift because she knew how much every young woman wanted to have it. She had expected that the girl would be happy and so would Master Ji. Could it be that the girl had still rejected him and now he was too upset?


    "Drive."


    "Y-yes." Qiao Luna trembled as she started the car.


    ___


    Li Lanni entered her car with a sigh. Although that man''s assistant had kidnapped her, she could tell that the man didn''t harbor ill intentions towards her. After all, he had rescued her recently and he didn''t try to take advantage of her because of it.


    However, that man''s surname was Ji. He was Ji Feifei''s brother. How could she have anything to do with him? She was not a na?ve girl so she knew what it meant for a man to keep stalking a girl and trying to curry favor with her.


    But, how could she be so sure that he was not doing this for Ji Feifei? Perhaps they were working together to trap her? Most importantly, she had forgotten her past. She didn''t want to end up in a sudden twist about her being entangled with two men because she had temporarily forgotten her love.


    She didn''t mean to be rude to him just now, but that was the only way to keep him off her skin.


    That wasn''t important anymore. She had to deal with the news about her and Professor Marcus today. Her reputation might be soiled forever if she waited until she got expelled from school.


    She took her phone and gave Ji Feifei a call, sounding helpless and pitiful. "I can''t get Professor Marcus'' private adress no matter how hard I search for it. What do I do, I really want to get him to clarify this matter."


    Ji Feifei was busy flirting with her new flame when Li Lanni called so she was a little pissed. But thinking about how terrible that girl''s reputation would be the next day, she didn''t mind it too much. "I''ll send you his adress right away."


    "Thank you Feifei, you are a life saver. Do you have his contact number as well?"


    "I do. Be careful, okay?"


    "Mmh."


    Li Lanni hung up with an evil smile. You keep calling me a fool. Just who is the fool between us?


    ___


    One hour later, in a seafood restaurant.


    "Honey, is the food delicious? You should eat more. Only then can you grow taller."


    "Sister, the food is very tasty. Eat some too."


    Li Lanni was having a meal with a little boy and his mother. The boy was so cute that Li Lanni couldn''t stop herself from feeding him.


    "Mrs. Marcus, please excuse me." Li Lanni took out her phone.


    "Go ahead." The woman had quite a good impression of this girl. They had met at the mall a few minutes ago. The girl accidentally knocked into them and broke the little boy''s new toy.


    Not only did she buy a similar toy to replace the one that she had broken, she also invited them for a meal to make up for it.


    She couldn''t bring herself to reject such a kind and obedient child. Not to mention, she was wearing the uniform of B City university. That was where her husband worked so there shouldn''t be a problem.


    Li Lanni felt a little guilty for having to use such an innocent boy and his mother to achieve her goal.


    However, she didn''t blame herself too much about it. That man had shamelessly admitted to being in a relationship with her this morning. How was her life supposed to continue?


    She went outside and made a phone call. "Hello Professor Marcus."


    The man was eagerly waiting for the present from Ji Feifei. As soon as he heard a sweet voice, he knew that she must be the present. Even so, he acted hard to please. "What do you want?"


    "It''s about the rumors circulating the school, about me being in a relationship with you. You know that this would do good to neither of us."


    "Tch. Are you recording this conversation and expecting me to spill something? You are too na?ve. We are in a relationship.


    We have been together for a long time but you might have forgotten about it. However, don''t you try to deny it. "


    Li Lanni''s mouth twitched. "That''s it? What should happen to my reputation, then?"


    "Little beauty, you don''t have to worry about that. Why don''t I just make sure you have good grades as a reward? If you are obedient, you will be rewarded even more."


    Li Lanni was terribly pissed off. How could a man be so shameless? "I didn''t call because of this. I only called to inform you that... your wife and youngest son are having a meal with me. Can you imagine, the mistress and the legal wife eating together happily. Quite harmonious, don''t you think?"


    The man''s heart trembled. This little girl was too audacious. "Don''t you dare do anything to my wife and son!"


    Li Lanni chuckled. "Please. Why would I hurt them? Your son is too cute.


    However, I cannot guarantee how tightly I can shut my mouth. I''m quite loose-lipped you know.


    Besides, I''m indeed na?ve enough to record this conversation. What should I do?"


    Professor Marcus was furious. What happened to the push over Ji Feifei talked about? Where was his present?


    He was not afraid of being involved with a young girl. After all, this Li Lanni was too beautiful. He had had his eyes set on her a long time ago but had no courage to approach her. Now that she had been delivered to him on a silver platter, why was she still being this way?


    If his wife knew about this... "Little girl, don''t go too far!" He spat out.


    Of course, Li Lanni knew why he was afraid of his wife finding out about his past deeds. To be exact, he was more afraid of his father-in-law than a mouse was scared of a cat. He would lose his life if that old man found out!


    She glanced at the little boy eating heartily. "I will tell her. I''ll give you five minutes to convince me otherwise.." Li Lanni hung up the call after stalling him.

 Chapter 30 - Tear Off Her Pretentious Mask

    Li Lanni''s threat proved to work. Within just five minutes, there was a new post in the school forum.


    [I was wrong. I framed a student as being in an illicit relationship with a professor. I hope everyone can forgive my crimes.]


    He had used a new side account and tagged Li Lanni and Professor Marcus.


    "Tsk. Sly fox." Li Lanni sneered.


    He wanted it to seem like a third party had framed them and just like Li Lanni, he was innocent in all this.


    Li Lanni curled her lips into a cold smirk. Since you want it this way, you shall have it.


    ___


    The next morning, a new piece of news erupted.


    The owner of the account that had posted the previous night claiming that he had framed a student and professor had been uncovered.


    His real identity had been revealed and¡­ he was unexpectedly Professor Marcus himself.


    [How shameless! He used such a cheap trick to pretend to prove his innocence.] insults erupted.


    [He is a shame to all professors. This time he must be fired!]


    [I''m embarrassed to be in the school where he works. That lecherous man has to be kicked out.]


    Before, there wasn''t any clear evidence about his affair with students. However now that he posted such a statement in the school forum, it was akin to a guilty attempt to clear his name.


    Now that it had been discovered, he was more likely to slip up and show his flaws. She had already found a way to bug him. As soon as she got evidence, he would be proven guilty and fired this time.


    As soon as Li Lanni got to school that morning, she realized that the gazes all around her were even more fierce than before.


    She was not surprised. Although she had dealt with Professor Marcus, she was still at the base of the flame. In fact, Professor being proven guilty only dragged her into the pit along with him. Of course, Ji Feifei was the most overjoyed. Just when she was starting to worry that Li Lanni might manage to prove her innocence, Professor Marcus doomed them both.


    "Don''t tell my mother anything about this." Li Lanni said to her bodyguards. "If you do, I will make sure you are all fired."


    "Yes Miss." They were at a loss. Master said to follow miss'' orders. She also said to report to her if anything happens to miss. However, the young miss didn''t want them to report that such a huge thing was happening. What order should they follow in this instance?


    Forget it. Master would be informed by the school management soon.


    Sigh. Working for rich families sure was hard.


    ¡­


    Li Lanni walked to class. She didn''t want her mother to worry about her, so she would have to prove her innocence on her own before the school management informed her mother of this.


    "Lanni, are you alright?" Amidst all the other students, Ji Feifei put up a '' very caring friend'' front and approached Li Lanni.


    The latter avoided her hug. "I couldn''t be better."


    "You went to speak to Professor Marcus, what did he say?"


    Li Lanni''s expression darkened. Her tone made it sound like she was concerned, but her words proved that Li Lanni secretly went to Professor Marcus'' home. She was simply pretending to be worried while fanning the flames.


    Not only that, she pretended to have realized that she said something wrong. "Oh! I shouldn''t have said that. Lanni, I''m sorry. You wouldn''t be mad at me, right?"


    Li Lanni flashed a smile. "Why would I blame you? We are friends. I downloaded a new song. It''s so cool. Do you want to listen to it?"


    "Sure."


    However, Li Lanni tapped on a recording instead. Her phone was very loud and everyone heard it.


    ("I can''t get Professor Marcus'' private adress no matter how hard I search for it. What do I do, I really want to get him to clarify this matter."


    Li Lanni ''realized'' that she had played the wrong file. She tried to stop it but it wouldn''t stop.


    While she was still stalling Ji Feifei, her response came through. "I''ll send you his adress right away."


    Ji Feifei grabbed the phone to decrease the volume. Of course she remembered the conversation from the previous day. It wouldn''t be nice if other people knew she could contact that old fart. Li Lanni was dumb, but not everyone was.


    However, the volume functions were not working either.


    "Thank you Feifei, you are a life saver. Do you have his contact number as well?"


    "I do. Be careful, okay?")


    Just when the recording ended, the volume button finally funtioned.


    But what was the use? It had failed at the worst time. Everyone heard the conversation. It would still be alright if it was just a voice similar to hers. She would have bluffed it out. However, they even heard the girl call her Feifei.


    Silence filled the atmosphere.


    Everyone was shocked.


    What did they hear? Was this an update for the rumor? Li Lanni got Professor Marcus'' private adress and contact number from Ji Feifei?


    What kind of joke was this? How could someone not know the contact number of the man she was in an affair with, and instead needed someone unrelated to get it for her?


    Li Lanni scratched her head and drooped her eyes, biting her lips pitifully. "Feifei, I''m so sorry. I like recording all my phone conversations so I can listen to them again in case I missed important information or forgot something. I didn''t know it would be like this."


    Ji Feifei wanted to tear her apart. Dumb girl! How dare she?!


    Li Lanni grabbed Ji Feifei''s arm. "Feifei, I really didn''t do it on purpose. I... I don''t know what happened to my phone just now."


    "Shut up!" Ji Feifei roared.


    Li Lanni left the scene, leaving Ji Feifei in the limelight.


    Cheng Yu couldn''t waste such a golden opportunity. "I think It''s normal for someone to want to look for a contact number if she wants to prove her innocence. However, how come Ji Feifei has Professor Marcus'' private adress and contact number?"


    Ji Feifei clenched her fists. "Nonsense! I only helped her look for it yesterday."


    Cheng Yu crossed her arms. "But That''s not what I heard from the recording just now. You said that you had it and would send it to her right after the call. Could it be... that you have been to Professor Marcus'' home before?"


    Ji Feifei couldn''t be any more irked. Was this little girl asking for a beating? "I have been there before but so what? I only went for class related matters."


    Cheng Yu held her chin between her thumb and index fingers, giggling. "But just now, you said that you didn''t know his adress and only helped her find it. Miss Ji, if you were only there for class related matters, why would you lie about not being there before?"


    Thanks to their love of gossip, the students''s opinions were easily swayed. This time was no different.


    In fact, they swayed even faster since this was a matter of more gravity. They all thought Cheng Yu made sense.


    "Are you saying that I have something to do with him?"Ji Feifei was losing it. She really wanted to rip Cheng Yu''s mouth apart. However, her father had warned her. If she caused any trouble in school, she would be punished severely.


    She could only calm down for now.


    Cheng Yu wouldn''t be satisfied if she didn''t provoke the devil out of her. "Who knows? Perhaps you are the true mistress he is keeping and you only used Lanni to cover up for yourself when someone discovered it?


    Ji Feifei, you always claim that Lanni is your best friend. Is this what best friends do?"


    "You sl*t shut up! You are spewing nonsense! I will rip you apart if you say one more word."


    Cheng Yu didn''t speak anymore. She didn''t need to. All she wanted was to rip the ''gentle and reserved'' mask off Ji Feifei''s pretentious face.


    Eveyone had seen her curse and hurl insults like a shrew. It was enough for now. The rest should be left for Lanni to handle.


    She took her phone. "Lanni just posted something in the school forum."


    [I will prove my innocence in twenty four hours. Not only that, I will also prove that I don''t need to use underhanded methods to pass any school test. The end-year examinations will be in two months.]


    Her point was clear. She would score good grades in that examination and prove that she didn''t need to have affairs to do it.


    Li Lanni was in the school library. Two months wasn''t much time, but it was enough for her.


    She had studied before so despite not having ant recollection of it, she would remember the things she had learnt before as soon as she read through them.


    Speaking of which, what had happened to her phone? She was planning to pretend that it wasn''t working but just now, it had really stopped working! Had it been hacked?

 Chapter 31 - Their Names Were Cleared

    That was scary- who would suddenly hack into her phone?


    She would deal with that later.


    At the moment, she had something more important to do.


    ...


    Just in like with Li Lanni''s prediction, Ji Feifei sobbed her way to Professor Marcus'' home. She had known that man long enough to know when his wife was home and when she was not.


    As soon as she arrived, she threw herself into his arms. Although she was just a young student attending university, she looked nothing like one. She had altered her university uniform to be so short that one didn''t need to spend a lot of effort to see her nudity. Paired with the thick make up and vibrant red lipstick, she would doubtlessly pass off as an escort.


    Her mannerisms were even more seductive. She threw herself into Professor Marcus'' arms- though she knew that she was doing this to a married man. "Professor, that Li Lanni bullied me today. You must make her suffer." her pouty expression was nothing in sync with her dressing.


    Professor Marcus patted her backside with his chubby hand. "As you wish. I will make her unable to ever score a good grade as long as she is in B City University."


    Ji Feifei wiped away her crocodile tears, trying hard to bear with the man''s lecherous moves. ''Damn old fart. I will destroy you next once you help me get rid of Li Lanni''. But that was not what came out of her mouth. "Thank you professor, I knew you dote on me the most."


    Professor Marcus was not all that pleased, though.


    Because of this girl, he had been exposed.


    He had been very willing to frame Li Lanni because she was such a beauty. Faced with such an innocent looking cutie, who wouldn''t want to have a taste of her?Not to mention, he actually had feelings for her.


    Heaven knew he would give an arm and a leg if it would make her say yes to his advances.


    . However, Ji Feifei had promised him that he would have her but he didn''t see a wasp of her hair. All he recieved instead was a bad reputation. He was still working out a way to clear his name. He had been having a hide time ensuring by all means that his wife didn''t get wind of the matter. If she did, all he had done would be in vain.


    But, he could only keep calm for now. Ji Feifei was after all from the Ji family. She could make his life hell if she wanted to.


    On the bright side, he was earning money from it! Getting involved in a deal that benefitted him no matter how one looked at it, and earning money on top of it all. The best part was the thrill of it - who would say no?


    Besides, she was not too bad either. She was pretty and slutty - just the way he liked his girls.


    "Professor, for this end year exam, I want Li Lanni to score the lowest grades in every subject."


    The professor glanced at her breasts lustfully. "Sure. I will do that for my beauty. But why do you hate her so much?"


    "I just hate her. Can''t I?"


    Professor Marcus laughed evilly. "Since That''s what you want and she dared to cause trouble for me, I shall do it your way."


    Ji Feifei was overjoyed.


    ___


    The next day, the events that unfolded were completely contrary to Li Lanni''s expectations.


    She did not recieve news about Professor Marcus'' dismissal. Instead, it was a clarification that the whole matter was a misunderstanding.


    The good news was that her name had been cleared of the stain.


    While the bad news on the other hand, was that Professor Marcus''s name had been cleared as well. The claim was that someone had framed Professor Marcus and even faked an ip adress to make it more realistic.


    Li Lanni furrowed her eyebrows. "Who the hell judged this matter? Are they blind or are they outright stupid?" How was this being framed? That man had been reportedly involved with many girls.


    She in fact didn''t care that much aboout her own case because it was just a little soil to her name. But what about those other girls?


    What about the innocent girls who he had reportedly forced himself on?


    "This won''t do. I will find justice no matter what." She declared.


    Cheng Yu held her shoulders, looking terrified. "Lanni, as long as you are not being scolded anymore and no one is pursuing you, you should let it go. This matter is complicated. He might have bribed the higher-ups. You should consider yourself lucky that your name has been cleared to begin with."


    Li Lanni was even more irked. Her name had been cleared? That was such an exaggerated statement. She knew that Ji Feifei must have tried to make it seem like she was the seductress by all means. She had only been found innocent because there was no sufficient evidence to prove her guilt. "And that''s exactly why I must bring the truth to light. Someone is supporting this beast behind the scenes and I know who they are. I can''t believe such a person exists in this world. Tsk, some families need to take better care of their children.


    Cheng Yu understood the implication of her words. She was saying that Ji Feifei was the one behind this turn of events.


    This was even more dangerous. "Lanni, you should stop when you can. Your name has already been more or less cleared out of this matter."


    Li Lanni glared at her. "You said this a moment ago and now you are saying it again. What are you, a repeater?"


    "It is a serious matter. That''s why I will not let you do it."


    Li Lanni scoffed with her arms crossed against her chest. "You should know, the more you don''t want me to do it, the more I want to. I will not leave any stone unturned until I bring the truth to light."


    Her expression exuded of determination.


    ___


    At the same time, Qiao Luna trembled as she entered Ji Xiehan''s office. She had been instructed to report eberything about Li Lanni to her boss.


    "Boss, Miss Li Lanni seems to be facing problems in school."


    "Speak."


    "There was a scandal about her and a professor. The scandal has been cleared today."


    Ji Feifei furrowed his eyebrows. "If the scandal has been cleared, why are you telling me?"


    "Well..." Qiao Luna was terrified.


    "The next time anything happens to Lanni, you must tell me as soon as it happens."


    "Yes boss."

 Chapter 32 - Her Personality Was Still Intact

    Meanwhile, Li Lanni held her chin in thought for a while before sitting right back down, opposite Cheng Yu. She pushed her bag aside and placed both of her hands on the table, looking at Cheng Yu right in the eye.


    For some reason, Cheng Yu felt chills run down her spine. This kind of look... why did it feel like it bode disaster?


    "Cheng Yu, I don''t have any recollection of you." The girl finally spoke after agonizing her friend with the eerie silent gaze.


    Cheng Yu was stunned and her heart suddenly thumped against her chest, making her almost unable to breath. "What do you mean?" Was she starting to suspect her motive of getting close to her?


    While she was starting to look for a reasonable excuse, Li Lanni spoke again. "But I have decided to trust you."


    "Huh?"


    What a turn of events. It was about trust now? And Li Lanni even said that she trusted her?


    Purely out of curiosity, Cheng Yu ran a hand at the back of her neck, her lips curving into a tiny smile. "How... how could you trust me? You don''t know me that well considering you don''t remember most of your past; and I was not part of that past to begin with."


    "Heh. What do I need the past for? I trust you and that''s it. What, do you want to sell me off? In that case, how about I help you count the spoils?"


    Although her words sounded very indifferent, that wasn''t the feeling reciprocated in her heart.


    She was scared. She was afraid anyone would hurt her, so she didn''t truly trust anyone.


    She only said this to Cheng Yu for a reason.


    This girl had started clinging onto her when she returned to school.


    Li Lanni didn''t know her true intention but she wasn''t too guarded against her.


    Since she didn''t know who this girl was before she lost her memory, she could only rely on her instinct.


    And her instinct told her that Cheng Yu wasn''t too harmful. Even if she happened to habor ill intentions, Li Lanni would find out soon.


    "Do you trust me?" she suddenly asked.


    "I do." The startled Cheng Yu responded.


    "Good. I don''t know who else can help me with this, so I came to find you instead." After the mini roller coaster, Li Lanni finally revealed her intent.


    "I will help you with anything that''s within legal boundaries."


    "Coincidentally, I''m not one to want to do illegal things."


    Cheng Yu heaved a sigh of relief. She was starting to think Li Lanni was up to causing trouble.


    "Unless they are meant for the good of everyone."


    "Eh?"


    "I need to get the details of all the students who have reportedly been involved with Professor Marcus. Can you help me with that?"


    "You''ve got to stop kidding me."


    "Which part of me looks like I''m kidding?"


    Cheng Yu massaged her aching temples. This girl was a piece of work.


    She knew full well that if she didn''t deliver the student details, Li Lanni would go all out to find them on her own, and the amount of trouble she would cause along the way would depend solely on luck.


    Haiz... the accident only made her lose her memory, but her personality was intact.


    "Let''s have lunch together tomorrow."


    "Okay. Thank you."


    Li Lanni stood up, took her bag, slung it on her shoulder and strutted away.


    Since Cheng Yu liked sticking to her so much, she may as well use her help. She would also use this chance to test her loyalty, killing two birds with one stone.


    ___


    The next day at lunch hour, Li Lanni couldn''t wait to go to the school cafeteria.


    "Lanni, let''s eat lunch together?" Ji Feifei appeared before her with one of those fake smiles plastered across her dolled up face.


    Li Lanni felt nauseated. Why was this scheming devil everywhere?


    Although that was what she felt, the words that left her mouth were as polite as ever. "Sorry, I''ll be studying with Cheng Yu over lunch. She will teach me a thing or two."


    Ji Feifei managed a smile despite her annoyance. "I can teach you too."


    Li Lanni played with a lock of her long hair, looking at a loss. "I don''t know... can you really teach me?"


    She deliberately emphasized on ''really'', making the meaning of her words obvious.


    Ji Feifei was enraged. "Are you saying that my grades are bad?"


    "How would I know? I lost my memory, remember?" She shrugged and walked off, leaving Ji Feifei so furious she could detonate.


    How could she not know? There were few reasons for someone like Ji Feifei to be jealous of her to the point of hatred.


    It was probably because of her school grades because an aristocratic family like the Ji family would obviously pay much attention to their children''s academic prowess.


    If she was half good, she wouldn''t be so jealous and hateful.


    With a sigh, Li Lanni went to the school cafeteria.


    "Lanni, over here." Cheng Yu let out a restrained shout and waved her hand when she saw Li Lanni walk through the door. She was sitting at a window, where the view was nicest.


    Li Lanni walked over eagerly and took a seat opposite her. "Did you bring it?"


    Cheng Yu was disheartened.. "When you saw me, you didn''t even say hi to me. Are these files more important than our friendship?"

 Chapter 33 - Playing Miss Perfect

    Li Lanni realized just how impatient she had sounded. "Sorry. I was too rushed."


    Cheng Yu was stunned. She was just making fun. She would never be offended by Li Lanni.


    The girls ordered their food and started eating. However, the atmosphere was still slightly awkward, the only sound produced between them being that of metal clicking against porcelain as they ate.


    To ease the atmosphere, she opened the zipper of her black leather bag and took out the file she had managed to get. "I could only get basic information because I was afraid someone would find me suspicious."


    Li Lanni reached a hand over the table and took the file. "It should suffice."


    She opened it and flipped the paper quickly, taking glances at the names. When she was done, she reopened the file and started reading the information seriously.


    Cheng Yu glanced at her curiously the whole time. Why was it that no matter how much time passes, she would never understand a single action of Li Lanni''s?


    "Only two of these students seem to have a questionable personality. The others don''t seem capable of being involved with married men."


    Cheng Yu chocked on the water she was drinking. Could she be a little less blunt?


    "How do you even analyze that?"


    Li Lanni lifted her head from the file, playing with the golden pen she had been using to write down her analysis. "Purely instinct. Would you believe me if I said that?"


    Cheng Yu probably thought she was crazy. "You already said it. Do I have a choice?"


    "You sure don''t." Li Lanni''s tone was full of satisfaction compared to when she walked in.


    She had just accomplished one step of her plan. It would be weird if she didn''t feel happy about it.


    "Are you done? Let''s go to the library." She suggested when Cheng Yu was no longer eating.


    "Can I call a rain check? I already made plans with my friend." Cheng Yu looked at a loss.


    After studying her face for a while, Li Lanni beamed. "No problem."


    ...


    In the library, Li Lanni simply couldn''t read.


    That was obviously because she was not here to read.


    She was trying out her luck in ''bumping into'' a girl called Nina. According to the check, this Nina was a bookworm of sorts. It wouldn''t be long before she appeared in the library.


    Cheng Yu had done such a great job in her research. She had even included the girls'' photos. It would make it easier to recognize them.


    Sure enough, the girl came in after a few minutes.


    Li Lanni took a large book and buried her face in it. She was more or less a stalker. It wouldn''t end well if she got discovered when her plan was in such a premature phase.


    The girl named Nina settled down quickly and took a book to read.


    It took Li Lanni just a few minutes to determine her personality.


    It was not strange. After her accident, she had to be wary of everyone. Since she couldn''t simply lock herself up at home and rid herself of all human interactions, she could only be more observant that other people and rely on her senses.


    And in the few minutes that she had studied Nina, she concluded that the latter was an introvert.


    It might be harder to convince her, but she would be easier to work with.


    Li Lanni left the library after coming up with a feasible plan.


    ...


    After school, she waited for Nina at the exit of her class building.


    As soon as the girl appeared, she grabbed her and pulled her to a path with less traffic - all in five seconds.


    "Who are you?" Nina was prepared to launch a ferocious blow but discovered on time that the opponent was a girl. Not only that, she had reverted to a cute and harmless form.


    "I''m Lanni. I''l sorry I had to drag you here but I need your help. My future depends on it."


    "What do you want?" As expected, the girl was heavily guarded against her.


    "I''m being framed." Li Lanni blurted.


    "What''s that got to do with me? You should go to the students affairs office or call 911." She turned to leave.


    "You''ve been in my shoes before. Won''t you help me?"


    Nina stopped in her tracks. Those words seemed to jab her being. "What do you mean?"


    Knowing that she had successfully gained her attention, Li Lanni convinced her to go to the empty park on their left together.


    They sat on the cold bench, Nina obviously emitting an aura of impatience.


    "To be exact, my name has been cleared. But the beast still lurks. I''m afraid I will forever live in regrets if I let this happen." Li Lanni explained apologetically.


    Nina guffawed. "You have been given an inch, and now you audaciously want to take a mile? You should be glad that you did not earn a suspension or worse."


    "Nina, do you think that man has only hurt two girls? I think It''s more than that. I think... most of these girls simply fell victims to his schemes. It might be because they rejected him or because someone else was using him to ruin their futures. And he has been so careful that he left no evidence behind.


    Why do you think no one is questioning him despite all the rumors? Why do you think no parent has complained about him?"


    "Li Lanni, I think you freshmen have too much time in your hands. But I''m not like you; I have a lot going on right now and can''t spare time to play with you. Don''t involve me in your fantasy of playing the Miss Perfect that wants to bring imaginary justice to the world." She stood up and sauntered away.


    "That stung." Li Lanni mumbled as she watched her vanishing silhouette.


    Well, she should have expected such a reaction. Hadn''t she deduced that Nina was an introvert? How then, did she expect her to involve herself in such matters?


    ...


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 34 - Nip It In The Bud

    However, how could such a tiny setback possibly make Li Lanni give up?


    This was the only way to expose Ji Feifei. Every other thing she thought Ji Feifei had done was only her intuition. There was no way she could possibly verify it to be true.


    The only thing she could find evidence to was this.


    That was right. She was declaring war against Ji Feifei.


    Instead of waiting for her to step up and come up with more sophisticated schemes, it would be better to nip it in the bud.


    She took out the diary she had started keeping a week ago and started checking the entries.


    When she found that there was nothing important to look at, she closed it and took out a novel instead. It would calm her nerves a little.


    "Miss, there you are. Master is worried about you." Needless to say, that was her bodyguard.


    Li Lanni turned to see the four of them looking so nervous they could pee their pants.


    Her eyebrows turned up at a slight angle in amusement. Had her mother made things difficult for them?


    Since she didn''t have anything important to do here, she took her bag and followed them to the car.


    ...


    The Li mansion.


    "Mom, I''m back." Li Lanni announced as she walked through the door.


    The figure she saw on the sofa opposite her mother as soon as her eyes darted around, however, made her clutch her bag in annoyance.


    She clenched her lips so tightly they formed a thin line. Her cold glare was directed towards the man on the sofa. "White haired pervert, what are you doing here?"


    "Lanni, don''t be so rude. Xiehan''s my guest." Li Yuming admonished, then turned to smile at Ji Xiehan awkwardly. "Lanni is a bit unfriendly lately. Please don''t mind her."


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan responded with a hum. He didn''t mind. In fact, he found this wild kitten personality quite intriguing.


    Li Lanni was even more annoyed. "What exactly is he doing here?"


    "Xiehan only passed by to check on you. The last time he saw you, you were unwell and he had saved you. You should be more polite towards him." Li Yuming couldn''t figure out why on earth her daughter would be Ji Feifei''s friend but hate Ji Feifei''s brother. Was this the legendary hatred out of love?


    Li Lanni knew that her mother was probably thinking up that kind of topic again.


    She took a deep breath. "I''ll walk him around in the garden."


    Li Yuming was stunned before her eyes filled with joy. "Of course. You can take up as much time as you want. I''ll go and prepare something for you both to eat."


    Li Lanni grabbed the man''s hand and led him away, leaving behind a flabbergasted Li Yuming.


    ...


    The man who had been dragged out with no chance to defend himself was the young master of the Ji family. That very young master who was rumored to hate women to the core and despise them as disgusting creatures.


    He was currently pressed against the wall as the detonating Li Lanni interrogated him.


    "What do you want?"


    "What do you think I want?" Instead of answering her question, Ji Xiehan asked his own teasingly.


    Li Lanni pressed an elbow against his chest, her gaze rather intimidating for a young woman of her age. "What did she ask you to do?"


    "Who is ''she''?"


    Ji Xiehan revealed a content expression when he saw how furious she looked.


    "I''m only here to say hello to Aunty Li and have a cup of coffee with her. Actually, Aunty Li and I have known each other for long time and I only tried to befriend you because you are her daughter. Why are you so fierce?" His expression was full of innocence, as though accusing her of thinking too much.


    Her hand that was pressing him against the wall loosened. "You... you are telling the truth?"


    "Uh huh. What else could there be?"


    Li Lanni''s eyes squinted. Right. He was Ji Xiehan. Why would he have time to play around with her? Perhaps she was just over thinking things... or was she?


    "Hmm... if you ever dare to hurt my mother or me, you will not know how you died."


    Ji Xiehan remained harmless, raising his hands as though in surrender. "I''m just an innocent negotiation expert. What harm could I possibly cause?"


    Li Lanni let go of him and wordlessly sauntered back to the house.


    The ''harmless negotiation expert'' leaned against the wall for a while, laughing.


    It was much better to clear any suspicion from her mind.


    That was why he had purposefully come here.


    And from the looks of things, he could count it as a success.


    On a side note, she had asked, "What did she tell you to do?"


    Was she guarded against him because she thought he was working for someone, or with someone to plot against her?


    He had done his homework about Li Lanni and knew that the only three people close to her at the moment were Li Yuming, Cheng Yu and Ji Feifei.


    Her mother was out of question and Cheng Yu was nothing interesting. Could it be Ji Feifei?


    Logically, it made sense. He was Ji Feifei''s brother and not long ago, he had realized that his sister in fact had something against Li Lanni.


    So she thought he could possibly become his younger sister''s puppet and follow her commands? She thought too lowly of him.


    She even pushed him against the wall and threatened him.


    "Tch, interesting."


    ...


    Li Lanni went to the bathroom after leaving Ji Xiehan outside to care about himself.


    When she left the bathroom, she saw that she had received a new text message. She unlocked her phone and took a look.


    [Having fun?]


    The sender information was blank.


    She frowned. Was this a prank?


    Even if it was a prank, it should at least have the sender information. What absurdity was this?


    _


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 35 - Dole Out Revenge On The Right People

    Li Lanni scrutinized the text message for a tortuously long time.


    She didn''t comprehend why but as soon as her gaze landed on those two words, her mind thought back to the letters she had been receiving from that stalker.


    Was it the same person?


    What did they mean by this?


    Her temples started throbbing. Li Lanni raised her hands to massage them in circles.


    A short while later, she shoved the thought out of her mind. She had more important things to deal with at the moment. She didn''t have time to deal with a stalker who wouldn''t reveal their motive.


    Li Lanni changed into a more comfortable outfit and went downstairs.


    Ji Xiehan was still there. She was displeased, but he couldn''t possibly leave without saying a word to her mother so she could only suck it up.


    "You guys are back so fast." Li Yuming exclaimed when she left the kitchen. She signaled the servants to help her set the dining table.


    "We didn''t have much to do." Li Lanni said, ignoring Ji Xiehan who was stealing glances at her. How was this even stealing glances? He was blatantly staring at her and acting like nothing happened.


    "Dinner is ready." She announced, inviting the pair to the dining table.


    This was the most agonizing meal for Li Lanni. She barely took a few bites.


    ¡­


    The next day, Li Lanni rushed to school. She had blinked the night away, thinking about how to handle the issue about Professor Marcus. Nina had refused to be part of it in a rather rude way. She had no words to describe that kind of temperament.


    She checked through the file Cheng Yu had given to her and found a more suitable girl.


    ...


    At lunch time, Li Lanni did not go to eat in the school cafeteria. Instead, she went to a restaurant opposite the school.


    That was where the girl she was meeting today, Jin Shanshan, worked.


    The girl had been expelled from school a year ago due to claims about being in a relationship with that lecherous Professor Marcus.


    From Li Lanni''s analysis, however, it didn''t seem to be the case.


    The girl had to learn as well as take care of her ailing younger sister. However, that didn''t prove that she needed to be in a relationship with a married man.


    in fact, Li Lanni believed that these facts were used in the wrong way.


    ...


    When she arrived at the restaurant, the first thing she did was register for a VIP membership card, which arrived within five minutes.


    In this restaurant, VIP customers could make special requests including asking for particular staff to serve them.


    Li Lanni greeted the manager with a smile


    "Hello, can you get Jin Shanshan to serve me? I heard from my friends who frequent this restaurant that she is very fast and efficient too."


    The manager didn''t think it was strange, so he summoned Jin Shanshan right away.


    Li Lanni sat in her private room, looking out of the window and admiring the scenery until the girl arrived. "Miss, what would you like to eat?"


    Li Lanni ordered without thinking it through and continued looking at the scenery outside.


    She had only said that Jin Shanshan was fast and efficient but she didn''t expect it to be true. Her meals arrived within a few minutes. "Miss, please enjoy."


    Li Lanni was astonished by the lavish spread. She probably wouldn''t finish a quarter of this even if she were a glutton.


    "My friend stood me up. Could you keep me company? I can''t finish all this food myself."


    Jin Shanshan looked conflicted. It was rare to hear such a kind of request from a girl, especially one as cute and adorable as Lanni. She didn''t look half as arrogant as most VIP customers were. Most importantly, she was wearing the uniform of B City University. "Miss... I''m still working. My boss would be angry."


    Li Lanni blinked her eyes pitifully. "That''s such a pity. Then could you sit down for just a few minutes?"


    "I..." the girl sighed. "Okay. But just a few minutes. I should get back to work soon."


    Li Lanni took a tiny lock of her hair and rolled it in her index finger, a sly smile appearing on her lips. Of course, she wouldn''t let Jin Shanshan see it.


    Well, well. This Jin Shanshan was quite easy to persuade.


    She looked into her eyes with all seriousness. "I can help you go back to school."


    Jin Shanshan was taken aback. "Huh?"


    Li Lanni maintained her gaze, her lips turning up at a slight angle. "I came here for a reason. And that reason is to find you and get you back to school."


    "Wait wait. Miss, are you muddled or something? we don''t know each other, right?"


    "You were in B City university, weren''t you?"


    "Hold on..."


    "You want to go back to school. You don''t want any other school, just B City University.... and it''s because you were expelled unjustifiably and want to go back and dole out revenge on the right people, right?"


    Jin Shanshan couldn''t make head or tail of this situation so she might as well just go with the flow. Of course, she would cling to any ray of hope to get her back to B City University. She still had business to do there."What if I did, what if I did not?"


    "Then I''m speaking to the right person." Li Lanni didn''t expect that the things she had analyzed in a few minutes would be right.


    She only knew the bit about this girl being kicked out unjustly. However just now as she was speaking to Jin Shanshan, she didn''t fail to notice the bitterness in her gaze as she stared at her uniform. She was right. Jin Shanshan wanted revenge and so did she.


    "Then Let''s team up. My plan is this..."


    ___


    Meanwhile, Ji Xiehan sat in his office, a thick file in his hand.

 Chapter 36 - Lanni Cares About Me The Most

    He initially didn''t intend to do this, but Li Lanni was just too interesting.


    There were too many things to be curious about regarding that girl. He knew that it was wrong to secretly investigate someone, but if that person was your future wife, it was slightly justified, wasn''t it?


    "Boss, I think miss Lanni will be displeased if she finds out that you have investigated her." Qiao Luna''s palms sweat as she tried to talk him out of it. She was a woman, of course she would understand women''s emotions the most.


    However, her boss was adamant. "Out of sight, out of mind."


    Qiao Luna was helpless. Fine, go ahead. Offend the woman you love in a snap. Don''t come back crying and asking for ways to pacify her.


    Ji Xiehan opened the first page of his thick file. It was a medical record.


    "Brain injury.... vegetative state... temporary amnesia..."


    He loosened his tie, smirking. "Heh... interesting."


    Qiao Luna widened her eyes. He found a woman''s accident interesting?


    "So she has amnesia. No wonder she doesn''t remember that we have met before. She even calls me a pervert."


    But wait... something didn''t feel right.


    Was her condition recurring?


    The date on the report of her amnesia was dated almost three months ago. How could it be that she forgot something that happened between then and now?


    Also, some of the content didn''t add up.


    She had gone to the same hospital again. He knew it because he had seen her in her mother''s company.


    Why was this not recorded here?


    Unless on that day, they were going to visit someone?


    That wouldn''t make sense. Li Yuming had always lived her life like a living island. She had very few friends and none of them lived nearby.


    In fact, she almost didn''t interact with anyone. From what he knew, the Ji family should be one of the few families she was close to.


    Speaking of which, why was it that he had never met Li Lanni in the past?


    She was Ji Feifei''s friend as well as Li Yuming''s daughter.


    There should have been very many opportunities for them to meet.


    Was it because he was too busy to pay attention to the people around him in the past?


    If only he had met his little beauty before....


    Wait! No distractions. He had something more important to think about.


    The missing medical record may seem unimportant, but it may also hold very important information. He should find it.


    He stood up, grabbing his coat from the back of his seat. "Qiao Luna, I''m leaving. Cancel all my appointments for the next three hours. If there is anything that needs my urgent attention, give me a call."


    ...


    Li Lanni went to school right after she had spoken to Jin Shanshan. Luckily, she didn''t have any class to attend in the afternoon or she would be late.


    Neither did Cheng Yu, who was waiting for her anxiously.


    She smiled as soon as she saw Li Lanni and rushed towards her. "Lanni, you''re back."


    "Yeah, and I have good news."


    "Really, really? Please tell me you gave up on these absurd missions?"


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. "How is that good news? Forget about it. I brought you lunch."


    She took out a food flask from the bag she had brought with her from the restaurant opposite B City University.


    In these few days, she had realized that Cheng Yu didn''t really like eating lunch. She would skip it unless someone invited her to eat together. Of course, it was not because she wanted to freeload on other people. She simply hated eating on her own.


    She was pleasantly stunned when she saw the food box. "This is for me?"


    "Uh huh. You should eat it before it gets cold. It will not be as tasty."


    Cheng Yu''s eyes were literally filled with stars. I knew it! Lanni cares about me the most.


    She gobbled up the food like a glutton, making Li Lanni hold her tummy and laugh. "Eat slowly. Don''t choke; no one''s snatching it away from you."


    Cheng Yu slowed down. No one is snatching it away, you say? Then why do I feel as though someone is watching me and glaring at me with burning eyes of jealousy because you brought me lunch?


    Of course, she didn''t voice this opinion because her mouth was busy.


    "Ah. That was the best lunch I''ve eaten all year. So what''s the good news?"


    "Pfft. How cute." Li Lanni tittered.


    "I spoke to Jin Shanshan, and she agreed to help."


    Because they were in the school park, she didn''t explain the situation in complete sentences. Walls had ears and so did hedges.


    Cheng Yu understood the situation without needing a vivid explanation. It seemed like Jin Shanshan had agreed to testify against Professor Marcus.


    Although she didn''t truly think what Li Lanni was doing was rational, she supported it. If that lecher was fired or even arrested, it would be for the good of everyone.


    If they had witnesses, it would be much easier to deal with him since this was a school.


    ....


    Everything was going on well until the evening of the following day.


    ...


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 37 - Would Cheng Yu Betray Her?

    To be exact, nothing really went out of hand. It just got slightly more exciting for Li Lanni.


    A new post made its way to the top searches of the school forum.


    [Freshman Li Lanni claims to want to show everyone evidence of Professor Marcus'' crimes. She promises to reveal it to the students'' board on Monday]


    As one would expect, this post exploded in popularity. Everyone was curious about what she was trying to do and how she was planning to deal with this matter.


    Who, among the students, didn''t suspect that man? They were just too scared to voice it out because they did not have evidence.


    However, seeing that someone was readily taking that risk, they gladly cheered for her.


    They couldn''t wait to see that man behind bars if it was possible to have him locked up.


    However, some of them, like Nina, regarded the post scornfully. "Tsk... she''ll only have herself killed."


    In this world, there were people you couldn''t offend... and once you offended them, you might not be able to keep your head. This Li Lanni didn''t seem to be able to realize this.


    And what was she doing, announcing her plan to the whole world? Wasn''t she scared it might bounce back and explode in her face?


    While Ji Feifei let out a bout of evil laughter.


    "Oh Lanni... my dear stupid friend. Just when I was running out of ideas to eliminate you. Watch me use this case to finish you off.


    ___


    The Li mansion


    Li Lanni''s room.


    "How?"


    The girl was so shocked her eyes were about to roll right out.


    "How could this be? I didn''t tell anyone."


    Li Lanni sat on her bed, deep in thought.


    She suddenly stood up. "That''s right. I told someone. Wait, I told two people.


    Cheng Yu and Nina."


    Of course, Jin Shanshan held a lot of hatred and bitterness. She wouldn''t ruin the plan that would be the first step of her revenge. Besides, she could no longer access the school forum since she had been expelled.


    Aside from her... Nina.


    Wait, that wasn''t half possible. Nina was too much against minding other people''s business. She definitely didn''t have the time.


    She was only left with one possibility... Cheng Yu?


    That was right. The only person who knew what she was doing from the start was Cheng Yu. She also knew every step of her plan.


    Would she really betray her?


    She clenched her fists, wheeling her breathing back to normal with a lot of difficulty.


    Right. She didn''t trust her from the start.


    From the beginning, she had only included Cheng Yu in her plan so she could test her loyalty.


    This only proved that she didn''t trust her to start with. Why then, was she so disappointed?


    The next day was Saturday, so Li Lanni would not need to go to school.


    Actually, this whole matter blowing up like it did wasn''t exactly a bad thing.


    The only downside to it was that it gave the lurking villains, Ji Feifei and Professor Marcus, time to retaliate. It would have been better if they were simply caught unaware.


    But, never mind. As long as she had witnesses and evidence, it wouldn''t mater what that duo did.


    While she thought about this, a phone call came through.


    "Lanni, are you free? Let''s go shopping together."


    Li Lanni felt a wave of disgust rush into her heart. What was Cheng Yu doing, acting as though nothing had happened?


    In this way, what was the difference between her and that scheming Ji Feifei?


    "I''m busy."


    Cheng Yu felt disheartened. As expected Li Lanni suspected her to be the one behind that post on the school forum and was angry because of that.


    "Lanni, I didn''t reveal your plan. Do you believe me?"


    "Do I have reason to?" Li Lanni was sarcastic in her remark.


    Cheng Yu bit her lip, feeling extremely wronged. "When we were talking about it, I thought I saw someone following us suspiciously."


    Li Lanni gripped the phone tightly. That''s right... she had felt it too. She only thought it to be one of her paranoia spells and ignored it.


    But now that Cheng Yu mentioned it, it did seem possible.


    Although there was nothing to prove that whoever was following them was definitely behind that post, there was nothing to prove that Cheng Yu was responsible either.


    "I''m truly going to be busy tomorrow. I have to take extra lessons on the weekends to make up for what I have missed all these months as well as what I have forgotten."


    Cheng Yu bit her lip, understanding this. Lanni had mentioned this in passing before. She still had an exam to pass, if she wanted to prove her ability.


    Thinking about it, this friend of hers did attract a lot of trouble.


    Was that promise really necessary?


    "Lanni, I can help you with your studies sometimes." She offered, earning a grunt of consent from Li Lanni.


    "Let''s go shopping on Sunday."


    In the end, she had thought it best to give Cheng Yu a chance. Perhaps she was just strange, but wasn''t a bad person overall.


    After all, she would also want to be given a chance if she got caught up in a misunderstanding of this sort.


    Feeling more at ease, she took a book to read.

 Chapter 38 - Counterfeit

    On Sunday, Li Lanni was less busy so she went shopping with Cheng Yu.


    "What do you want to buy? I''ll help you find it." She offered. She didn''t need anything at the moment so she had only come to accompany Cheng Yu.


    "It will be my mother''s birthday soon. i want to get her a present."


    "I see. Perhaps..."


    Li Lanni suddenly felt uneasy. She turned sharply to look behind her, her heart racing out of its normal rhythm.


    She clutched onto her purse tightly. ''Strange... why did I feel like I''m being followed again?'' her mind was fuzzy because she didn''t see anyone suspicious. Was she simply being paranoid again?


    "What do you think of this jade bracelet? It''s one of a kind; I haven''t ever seen a similar one. Cheng Yu turned when Li Lanni didn''t respond after a long time. She had blanked out. "Lanni?"


    "Lanni!"


    Li Lanni finally snapped back after being shaken violently.


    "Yes... eh, what was it you were saying?"


    Cheng Yu showed her the bracelet she had selected. "Does it look pretty?"


    Li Lanni took a brief look at it. "It does look beautiful and unique too. It''s befitting of a noble woman."


    Cheng Yu smiled elatedly. If Lanni said it was beautiful, then it was really beautiful. After all, what kind of expensive, delicate and mesmerizing things had the girl from the Li family not seen before?


    "Then I''ll buy this one. Let''s look around for a while first."


    Li Lanni had blanked out again. This time, she was really sure that she was being followed. It was an intuition, but it was stronger than all the other times.


    "Lanni, is anything wrong?" Cheng Yu touched her head, checking for a fever.


    "Cheng Yu, I think I''m being followed. But I don''t see anyone suspicious."


    Cheng Yu looked around then she slapped her forehead when she saw a certain figure on the first floor. Seriously, V? That is such an old school move. You will scare girls away if you follow them in such a blatant manner.


    Those who didn''t know would mistake you for an assassin of sorts.


    "Actually, I think that person has been stalking me since I woke up from coma? Could it be that I''m just scaring myself?" Li Lanni was beside herself with anxiety.


    Cheng Yu secretly glared at the figure on the first floor, tying to warn him into leaving.


    She quickly turned back to look at the scared Li Lanni. "Probably. Lanni, the accident must have traumatized you. Don''t think about it too much."


    Li Lanni shook her head like a rattle. "Impossible. That person has been sending me letters. They even sent me a text recently.


    Don''t look at me like I''m insane... I''ll show you right away."


    At this moment, the figure on the first floor took out a phone from the jacket''s pocket and started tapping on it rapidly. Those fingers were literally flying on the phone''s screen.


    Li Lanni searched for her phone in her purse and unlocked it.


    "You don''t believe me, right? Here it... eh?"


    Where''s the text message gone?


    "I swear, there was really a text message."


    Speechlessly, Cheng Yu took her hand and pulled her phone from it, putting it back in her purse. "Lanni, you are too anxious. You should be more relaxed, alright?"


    Li Lanni took a deep breath. "Perhaps I''m starting to hallucinate."


    Cheng Yu took her hand and pulled her along, admiring the beautiful necklaces, rings and bracelets in this store.


    When they had pleased their eyes enough, Cheng Yu took the bracelet she had chosen and went to the counter. "I''m taking this one. Help me wrap it up as a present."


    The lady at the counter took her card to swipe.


    "Miss, there''s not enough balance here." the lady looked displeased, returning the card.


    Cheng Yu suddenly remembered that she had bought new clothes for her younger brother. She checked in her wallet for cash and when she didn''t find enough, she took out another card. "Use this one."


    Giving her a glance of displeasure, the lady took the second card. Her eyes seemed to accuse Cheng Yu of wasting her time.


    "It''s not enough here either." The lady was even more infuruated. "If you don''t have enough money, don''t go buying expensive things."


    Cheng Yu slapped her forehead, realizing that she had taken out her brother''s card in her haste.


    The lady was no longer willing to take anything from Cheng Yu. "Why don''t you ask your friend to buy it for you? She looks rich considering all the clothes she is wearing are from big-name brands. Her purse alone must cost hundreds of thousands. Why can''t she pay it up for you?


    You can write her an IOU. You must have made her come along since you have that intention anyway."


    "Excuse me?" Li Lanni was thinking of a way to suggest helping Cheng Yu out without making it sound humiliating, but when the sales lady put it this way, it was definitely offensive. How could she make Cheng Yu pass off as a freeloader?


    "That will not be necessary." Cheng Yu took out the right card. "It''s only five hundred thousand. The money in here is definitely more than enough." She was only tolerating this kind of humiliation because she really liked this bracelet.


    "Wait. How much did you say it costs?" Li Lanni suddenly grabbed her hand.


    "Five hundred thousand?" Cheng Yu didn''t understand why her friend was so shocked.


    Li Lanni took the bracelet to examine it carefully. Cheng Yu and the sales lady watched nervously as she regarded the bracelet like a scuentific experiment of sorts.


    "It''s a counterfeit." She said after an agonizing ampunt of time.


    "What?" Both Cheng Yu and the sales lady were shocked.


    Li Lanni took out her phone and made a search. Then she showed Cheng Yu a picture.


    "It''s this bracelet.. It was auctioned in Country G for 1.2 million? Then how come it costs five hundred thousand now?"

 Chapter 39 - The Drama Unfolds

    "Isn''t it obvious? Some people made a counterfeit and dared to pass it off as the original. They are even so rude while at it. Isn''t it so we can buy it quickly and leave before we find out It''s counterfeit?"


    "Miss, you cannot make such a blatant accusation. There were more bracelets like this made after the auction. Since we could get our hands on one, it''s a fake?"


    Li Lanni''s lips twitched ever so slightly. "I don''t know. But all I know is that this bracelet should be a century old. I wonder if the creator popped out of their grave to make more of it?"


    "It''s alright to sell counterfeit products since some people don''t mind it. But by pretending they are genuine goods, aren''t you committing a crime? I''m quite sure every piece of jewelry in here is fake."


    "Miss, you cannot accuse our store like that. Do you have any evidence?"


    Li Lanni swept a glance through the store. "I was distracted just now when we were looking around." She couldn''t believe her friend almost got swindled under her watch. "Do you want me to scrutinize your goods? Let''s bet on it. We can call an expert in this field as well as the police. If I''m accusing you falsely, I will let them arrest me and if you are selling fake goods, you will agree to be arrested. What do you think?"


    Cheng Yu grabbed Li Lanni''s hand, putting the jade bracelet on the counter and dragging her friend away. "That''s enough. We found out it''s counterfeit on time so I won''t buy it."


    "Have you bought anything from this store before?"


    "Yes. I didn''t know they were fake before but since I know it now, I will not buy anything here anymore."


    Li Lanni shrugged her arm away. "Are you going to let her off for deceiving you?"


    "What else am I supposed to do?" Cheng Yu slapped her forehead.


    Li Lanni turned back and glared at the sales lady and sighed. "Never mind. It will simply waste our time."


    Cheng Yu remained silent. For the first time, Li Lanni let go of something of this sort. Normally, she would have been sure to make them pay for it.


    "It''s just that I have better things to worry about at the moment." Li Lanni said, making Cheng Yu take back her thought.


    ¡­


    On Monday.


    Li Lanni had gathered all she could about Professor Marcus but she felt nervous.


    This matter had just blown up in the school forum after all. It was likely to backfire on her if she didn''t handle it with adequate care.


    As expected, she was summoned by the dean before she had time to make her move.


    "Li Lanni, you have been back to school for just a fortnight but you are quite famous already. What do you think the school is, your personal playground?"


    The dean was a middle aged man with a slightly chubby face. The strands of red hair on his head were so thin and far apart that Li Lanni could clearly see his olive-colored scalp. This man possessed a scary aura that made people want to keep their distance.


    Rumor had it that this man had worked his tail off for decades to be able to hold this position. It was no surprise that he particularly hated students he thought did not need to do anything and would get what they wanted anyway because they had powerful families backing them.


    in his eyes, this Li Lanni was just one of them. If not, just how exactly did the chancellor agree to let a student who had supposedly lost her memory go back to school?


    Although she was a top student before, surely that wouldn''t be the case now since her brain was as good as an empty vessel.


    When he put his spectacles aside to scan Li Lanni, she was inevitably intimidated.


    "Stop this nonsense right away. Don''t blame me for what happens otherwise."


    "I''m sorry sir. But what I''m doing is not nonsense. I believe it''s the school''s duty to provide a suitable learning environment to the students. With a predator like this in disguise of a professor, how is this a suitable learning environment?"


    "Tsk." The man sneered. I gave her a chance to back out while still maintaining her dignity, but she doesn''t want it?


    "Do you have evidence to support your words?"


    "Yes." Li Lanni was confident.


    "I see. Present your so called evidence in Conference room 101 this afternoon at 4pm. I believe you know the consequences of stirring up unnecessary trouble."


    Li Lanni was sent off with this.


    By this time, it was already too late to back out. It''s not like she wanted to anyway.


    Hence that afternoon, a meeting was held and Li Lanni was present. It was treated as a disciplinary case and handled by the disciplinary committee.


    Several students wanted to know how the events would unfold and were peeking into the conference room, trying to watch the drama and stream it in the school forum at the same time.. No one bothered to send them off since this was a matter that affected many students anyway.

 Chapter 40 - I Cant Do This

    At the same time, in Feng Ji International.


    Behind the huge, white, curved office desk, the man typed away on his laptop, his long, slender fingers elegantly flying over the keyboard.


    He frowned and, reclining in his chair, he ripped the tie off his neck and fondled open the first button of his white shirt.


    At this moment, Qiao Luna walked in.


    "Boss, the..."


    When her eyes met the scene of her boss ripping open a button of his shirt, she paused.


    She was not drawn to the sliver of his collarbone revealed by the shirt or the slender fingers hovering above the second button but to the frown on the man''s face.


    Jeez! Was that really her boss? He looked so scary today! Did he get dumped?


    "Do you have something to say?" Ji Xiehan''s tone could not conceal his annoyance.


    Qiao Luna brought the documents in her hands, trembling. She placed the whole stack of them beside his computer. "Old Master Ji wants you to check through these projects and clinch the one you find most suitable."


    "Hm." Ji Xiehan grunted, obviously disapproving of his father. Qiao Luna was just an assistant that had not been working in Feng Ji International for too long. Even he didn''t dare to entrust her with anything slightly confidential. What was his father thinking, letting her handle such classified information?


    "Do you have anything else to say?" He raised his head quizically because Qiao Luna was still standing there as though waiting for something.


    "Y-yes." She gulped, knowing that she couldn''t escape this. If she had a choice, she would rather not report this kind of news.


    "It''s about miss Li Lanni. Apparently, she''s got some dirt on one of the professors in B City University and wants to expose it to the school management. The meeting should have started already."


    Ji Xiehan who was already annoyed pinched his nose bridge. "Quite the troublemaker, huh. She didn''t pass off to me as one to ruffle feathers when she can choose not to."


    "Apparently, this professor wronged her before and it almost ended in Miss Li Lanni earning an expulsion."


    "Why didn''t you say this before?"


    "The school forum of B City University is quite sealed off from the outside world. I couldn''t get a hint of anything until I planted someone to tell me if anything happened to Miss Li Lanni." Qiao Luna explained, then brought out the main point when her boss didn''t show any reaction to her words whatsoever.


    "You previously asked me to follow Miss Ji and report every suspicious move, right? I... I found something."


    "What is it?"


    "Miss Ji... um..."


    In the end, Qiao Luna couldn''t find the right words. She wiped off the beads of cold sweat on her forehead using a handkerchief.


    One had to admit that it was less awkward to walk into people having sex than to tell one''s boss that his sister was having an illicit affair with a married professor; almost old enough to be her father.


    Not only that, the kind of things she did using the Ji family as a shield were quite appaling.


    She couldn''t bring herself to say a word and instead pulled out the file at the bottom of those she had just given to Ji Xiehan, the one that did not contain any business matters, then opened it for him to see.


    ...


    At this time, Li Lanni was anxious but she tried to keep calm.


    She was a little scared; everyone would be if they were trying to uncover such a thing. After all, it could very well backfire and push her to the flames if she didn''t handle it well enough.


    But on the bright side, if she really handled it well, she would kill three birds with one stone.


    In the conference room, no one wanted to waste their time. They went straight to the point.


    "Li Lanni, you claim to have evidence of Professor Marcus assaulting his students. Can you present it right away?" The Chancellor spoke up, glancing at the nervous little girl.


    Li Lanni expected them to be this straightforward. They didn''t have time to mince on words. She didn''t spare a look at the lecherous man sitted next to the dean and acting like all this had nothing to do with him. "Yes. One of the students he molested is here to bear witness." Once she spoke, she glanced in the direction of the door, making everyone follow her gaze as though instructed to do so.


    A tall girl walked in. She was wearing simple clothes and her hair was combed back neatly.


    Although she still looked young and delicate, it felt wrong to assume her as one of the students.


    As soon as she walked in, her blazing eyes glared at a certain man sitting beside the dean. Her gaze lingered on him for a slight second before she introduced herself. "I''m Jin Shanshan, a former student of this university and in this matter, a victim."


    There was nothing wrong with what she said, but Li Lanni suddenly felt her head throbbing. Why did she have a bad feeling...


    Everyone was waiting to hear what Jin Shanshan had to say though they could pretty much guess what they were going to hear.


    The girl finally spoke after making them wait almost to the limit of their patience.


    "When I was a student here, I wasn''t good with my scores. Everyone knew that.


    Then a professor showed his concern and asked to speak to me in his office.


    Who knew that he was too ''concerned'', huh?"


    Li Lanni wasn''t pleased with her choice of words. However, it was already good enough that she was willing to talk so Li Lanni kept calm.


    Never would she have expected...


    Just as Jin Shanshan kept them wondering what she was driving at, she suddenly burst into tears, biting her lips.


    She looked in Li Lanni''s direction with an aggrieved expression, chocking. "Lanni, sorry.. I can''t do this."

 Chapter 41 - I Was Forced To Say All This.

    The moment Li Lanni heard those words, her brain felt like it had exploded.


    What was with that tone? This was not like Jin Shanshan at all! They had only met less than five times but there was no way that girl could cry and bite her lips, acting like a damsel in distress.


    Those who didn''t know would think she was being forced!


    The worst part was that all the professors in this meeting were people with high IQ, and they were able to tell the implication of her actions without needing anyone to explain it to them.


    "What are you saying?" one of them asked, his shaggy eyebrows raising as he observed the gril who was confident a moment ago and was acting wronged in the next.


    "Lanni..." Jin Shanshan clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles cracked. "Lanni had me testify against Professor Marcus."


    She looked at all of them and wanted to shut up but then continued. "She told me to say that Professor Marcus used my poor grades to take advantage of me and..."


    Looking at the professors whose expressions were turning from curious to dark to worse, she fell onto her knees, bumping against the floor with a thud. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have agreed to do this kind of thing. I didn''t have a choice either."


    "You are saying that this is all a lie?" The dean asked, his voice revealing just how annoyed he was.


    His thoughts echoed those of all the professors beside him as well as those of the onlooking students.


    The so called evidence that Li Lanni to prove Professor Marcus of sexual harassment was fabricated? What?


    "Tch. She actually thought she could do it?" Nina had come to watch for the amusement of it but she got a free entertainment show instead. It''s not that she didn''t know that Li Lanni was probably being framed, she was just amused at how addicted a certain someone was in causing trouble for herself.


    "I didn''t think Li Lanni would be like this. I actually thought she was telling the truth." A Bob-haired student sighed.


    "I thought she was the righteous heroine bringing the truth to light." another mocked.


    "Tsk. She has been in school for less than a month but she has done nothing but attract trouble every turn she takes."


    "What''s wrong with her? Is she addicted to seeking attention?"


    In just an instant, all those so called supporters of the truth who couldn''t wait to see her put the culprits in their right places were now mocking her.


    They cursed her for wasting their time, wasting the professors'' time and making up lies to satisfy her need for attention.


    The school forum was filled with all sorts of nasty insults.


    Of course, there was the smug ones. Ji Feifei snuck a glance into the conference room and her lips smugly curled into a smirk.


    Huh. Lanni, that''s what happens when you bite off more than you can chew.


    In the next moment, she turned to the bob-haired girl from just now. "Oh goodness! I think it''s a misunderstanding. Lanni wouldn''t waste everyone''s time just to fabricate evidence." She shrugged, revealing a helpless expression. "We all know that what she accused him of might be true. After all, the rumors have been going on for months."


    The bobhaired girl was infuriated. "What do you know? Just because there are rumors means he really did it? She is clearly bluffing, yet you want to spew nonsense in the name of standing by her side. Are all first year students so naive?"


    Ji Feifei amusingly narrowed her eyes. Perhaps she was one of the only people who knew this bob-haired girl''s identity.


    Not only was she Professor Marcus'' niece, her background was not half bad. Everyone wanted to curry favor with her. She was already angered by the fact that someone was accusing her uncle. If she saw that there were still people on Li Lanni''s side, she wouldn''t let the matter slide.


    Of course, the best outcome was for Li Lanni to be expelled. But if Li Yuming flaunted her wealth and got her back in school, it would be good if she established enmity on Li Lanni''s behalf.


    So what if she was a rich princess, huh? As long as everyone avoided her like a plague, she wouldn''t have a day of peace in school. It might even drive her to drop out.


    All while this happened, Li Lanni was in a daze. She only regained her composure after a while and looked at Jin Shanshan. "Shanshan, this is a serious setting. You cannot joke around."


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized just how dumb she sounded.


    She pinched her nose bridge helplessly, her gaze turning stern in a jiffy. "Jin Shanshan, you can eat sh*t but you cannot play people for fools. When did I force you to confess?"


    In response to Li Lanni''s suddenly cold demeanor, Jin Shanshan cowered in fright.


    "Please help me! I''m scared." She said to no one in particular, but it made everyone believe she was under a threat.


    "Little girl, you will be fine. You just need to tell us the truth. If student Li Lanni actually forced you to lie, she will not be able to hurt you." The dean promised.


    Li Lanni was speechless. Although B City university had groomed many students who became famous actresses later on, Jin Shanshan was clearly a former student of art. What was up with the explosive acting skills?


    "Did someone coerce you to do this?" she asked, maintaining her calm as much as she could.


    "The only one who coerced me is you!" Jin Shanshan didn''t bat an eyelid as she pointed a shaky finger towards Li Lanni. "I even have the script you typed out for me to use."


    As soon as she said that, she produced a sheet of paper from the pocket of her jeans and passed it to the dean who was closest to her.


    The man''s eyes narrowed the moment he saw it. "It''s really a script and it contains the statements she said just now."


    Li Lanni peeked over and saw that it was typed out. Such an amateurish scheme?


    "If that was written by me, why is it not in my handwriting? Anyone could have typed it out."


    "Or you could have typed it out so it could be easy to shake it off if it got discovered." the dean replied in disdain.


    "Heh. It''s already at this point but she is still trying to shift the blame." The bob-haired girl was at it again.


    "My eyes have been opened today. I didn''t know there was such a troublesome student in our school."


    The onlookers were still there. Of course they would be. No one would want to miss the end of such a twist.


    Li Lanni ignored their curses and only had one person in her eyes. "I''m sure you already know the implication of what you are doing. It''s better to stick to the truth because once the truth is revealed, you will either be safe or be regarded an accomplice.


    So I will give you a last chance. Did I force you to come here and testify against professor Marcus? Did I also type out a script and give it to you?"


    "Yes."


    "Damn it. Kick her out already! What are they waiting for?" a student roared.


    "Yes. It''s already at this point. Whose time is she trying to waste?" another student went along, making Li Lanni want to ask just who it was that called them to watch.


    Before the chancellor, whose time had been thoroughly wasted, could say anything, the girl who was the center of attention finally made a move.


    "Alright." Her gaze shifted from Jin Shanshan who was being dramatic on the floor and skimmed through the audience before her hands reached into her purse. Her fingers lingered on her phone for a while before she changed her mind and fished out a thumb-sized flash drive instead.


    "Well...."

 Chapter 42 - The Truth Comes To Light

    Li Lanni played with the flash drive in her hand, wordlessly letting everyone have the impression that she had some sort of evidence to prove her words.


    When Ji Feifei saw the flash drive between Li Lanni''s fingers, her eyes bulged. She ran off in the next second.


    "I heard a rumor¡­ about a girl from B City University¡­"


    She paused to make sure she had everyone''s attention. When she was satisfied by the silence that befell, she continued. "¡­who reported that she was being abused by a professor. But not only did the professor not pay for his crimes, the girl was blamed for seducing him and leading him on instead¡­"


    This was a familiar rumor. As expected, some of those curious faces scrunched up into frowns.


    "On the day she was punished for her ''misbehaviour'', she jumped into the lake behind the school and took her own life. I wonder if it''s true?"


    Many people were familiar with this tale, because it had only happened a year ago. However, her version of it was distorted.


    "If you are talking about the student surnamed Zhen, you are mistaken. She did take her own life, but it was because she was ashamed of herself after the truth was revealed." The dean quickly answered, trying to make this end quickly.


    "Oh really." Li Lanni''s hand paused in mid air.


    "Why are you bringing this up anyway? Are you going to use the excuse that the dead tell no tales to pin the blame on Professor Marcus? Li Lanni, you are shameless! This student should be given a letter of expulsion right away!"


    "Who said the dead tell no tales? They do tell tales. Many tales." She was disappointed that the dean didn''t truly regard the students and their safety.


    "May I use the equipment in this room to show you something?"


    "Go on." She was granted the permission, so she connected the flash drive to the projector.


    "The following video is not suitable for viewers under the age of 18. Luckily all of us here are of legal age." As soon as she said that, she played the video.


    On the screen, the setting was an office. A student was having a discussion with the professor. They were the protagonist and antagonist of the new discussion that Li Lanni had just brought up; the student surnamed Zhen and Professor Marcus.


    It was quite normal, but thanks to the kind of discussion that was going on, it was hard to not imagine that there was more to it.


    Sure enough, halfway through the video, the professor stood up and held the student''s shoulder. She didn''t seem to react negatively to it but that was because it was just a pat on the shoulder.


    The next time, he patted somewhere else ¨C her backside. The girl was obviously startled and she leaped away.


    At this moment, the professor chuckled and gazed at her in a way a professor shouldn''t gaze at his student. "Anna Zhen, do you know how pretty you are?"


    The girl walked towards the door. "Professor, thank you for guiding me. I will work hard¡­ I should head back to class now."


    He abruptly blocked her path. ,"What''s so fun about class? You should spend time with me instead."


    "That¡­ Professor¡­ I can''t. I really have to go to class now." From an outsider''s point of view, she was trying to reject him without offending him.


    But he didn''t give up. He closed in on her and ¨C when she tried to move away ¨C he locked the door so she couldn''t leave. "Are you scared you will not be able to keep up your grades if you don''t study hard? Don''t worry. Books are boring. You can work hard in other areas and do even better,"


    At this point, the girl was evidently trembling. She was yet to have a chance to retaliate when the lecherous man grabbed her neck and kissed her.


    Even the onlookers who were watching almost retched; it was hard to imagine what the girl must have felt.


    The worst was yet to come.


    He paid no heed to her protests as he shoved her to the wall and did despicable deeds to her.


    No one could bear watching anymore.


    "I''m sorry I had to let you watch such an inhuman scene. But only this way would everyone know just what kind of beast we live with. I mean, it was bad enough that he did that; why did he have to record it as well?"


    Now that Li Lanni said it, the way this video was shot made it look like a movie of some sort. The angle was good enough to record everything and considering it was not shaky in the slightest and judging from the point where it started, it could only be so if it was voluntarily recorded.


    "What a beast! I can''t believe there''s such a beast in this world!" One of the closest onlookers had tears staining her face.


    "He''s even right here in our school. What a monster!"


    "I don''t know what to say. Poor Anna. Perhaps that''s not the only time she was assaulted."


    "She was so traumatized..."


    Sniffles filled the atmosphere.


    Even the professors took a while to react.


    The beast, Professor Marcus, was still in disbelief. How did she¡­!"


    "That''s a fake video. It must be photoshopped." He finally snarled when he regained his senses, cold sweat staining his back and his seat feeling like it was full of needles pricking his butt.


    "Oh, is it? In that case I would like to trouble the school to find an expert to verify it." Li Lanni was not in a hurry to deny anything. Of course it was real. It had to be, logically and considering where she found it.


    "That''s enough." The chancellor interrupted. His tone was so grave that some students almost scurried away.


    "Professor Marcus has been dismissed of his duties."


    Silence followed.


    In the next moment, the students erupted.


    "Just that?!"


    "No way! He caused a student to take her life. Who knows how many more have suffered in his hands?"


    "Call the police! This matter has to be settled legally!"


    Li Lanni revealed a satisfied expression. The chancellor must have been planning to hand him over to the police after proving the authenticity of the video but since the students might riot if he did that, he would be forced to leave it to the police entirely.


    At least, she was sure that professor Marcus wouldn''t use his so called backing to worm his way out and lie that the video was fake.

 Chapter 43 - Killed Three Birds With One Stone

    "I just realized something." One of the students said, catching everyone''s attention all over again. "Dean Felix kept taking the side of Professor Marcus and even admonished Li Lanni. He even insisted that she should be expelled!"


    This statement gave them a light bulb moment and the other students immediately started to chime in.


    "That''s right. Now that you mention it, it''s too creepy."


    "Could it be that they are accomplices and he knew that Professor Marcus was wrong from the start?"


    Li Lanni''s eyes squinted.


    He couldn''t have known. From the little she had seen and heard about him, he didn''t seem capable of taking a bribe to hide a demon. He was simply too self righteous and believed that everything he thought was true was true.


    It wouldn''t be bad to let him learn a little lesson, though. After all his words almost earned her an expulsion just now.


    Following the huge reaction from the students, the police had to be called to take Professor Marcus away. Li Lanni handed over the USB flash drive for that video to be used as evidence. Only then did things start to cool off.


    As for Jin Shanshan, Li Lanni didn''t spare her a glance. Not even when she was taken away to be interrogated.


    Logically, it wouldn''t make sense for Li Lanni to hire a fake witness if she had such substantial evidence.


    Her statement about being forced by Li Lanni to testify against professor Marcus was automatically regarded as a lie. She had just earned trouble when she could have stuck to the truth and evaded it ¨C Li Lanni really wanted to congratulate her.


    "Lanni! Lanni, you''re a hero!"


    "Li Lanni actually brought the truth to light. How brave. She is so young yet so gutsy."


    "Many people knew what was going on but didn''t dare to say a word. Not only did Lanni speak up, she also found evidence and helped the school eradicate a huge monster."


    "Lanni is simply a goddess."


    "She''s from the same art class as me. Should I be flattered?"


    Li Lanni''s lips twitched. Hero? Goddess? These students were too easily swayed.


    Just a moment ago, they were all cursing her and calling her all sorts of names for wasting everyone''s time, playing righteous and seeking attention. Now that she did that one thing they were scared of doing, she turned into a goddess and even earned some fans?


    ...


    By the time she managed to make her way out, the students crowded around her, she was so tired that she almost thought she had escaped from a battle field.


    She rushed to the abandoned school building and sat in one of the classrooms.


    "There you are. I almost collapsed just trying to find to you." Cheng Yu walked in after a while, panting and with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. She handed Li Lanni a bottle of cold mineral water.


    Li Lanni looked at it and tittered. "I''m not from a battle, okay? Can you not be so dramatic?"


    Cheng Yu''s cheeks flashed but she still maintained her position with her outstretched hand. Li Lanni saw that she was eager and took the bottle then unscrewed it.


    However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t bring herself to drink the water. This was a new bottle of mineral water and it was still sealed when she took it from her. Why couldn''t she drink it? She didn''t suspect Cheng Yu, but she didn''t trust her fully either ¨C at least not just yet.


    Cheng Yu naturally detected the hesitation in Li Lanni''s mind and hurt flashed in her eyes. Nonetheless, she did not dwell on it.


    "Right. Where did you get that video?" She asked, referring to the one she presented as evidence a while ago.


    "Where else? From Ji Feifei."


    "Eh?" How was that possible? Ji Feifei obviously wouldn''t give it to Li Lanni. Wait, the main point was, where would Ji Feifei get it?


    Li Lanni felt that she had nothing to lose even if Cheng Yu knew too much at this point. "Do you really think Ji Feifei and that professor would maintain their little ''alliance'' if they had nothing against each other?"


    "What are you saying?"


    "It''s as simple as that. He must have something against Ji Feifei to make her so loyal to him ¨C and she must have had something against him too.


    Since she did, she would obviously keep it in a place that would arouse the least suspicion ¨C probably something that would look normal but isn''t. While it''s quite normal that girls will rarely put their bags down, Ji Feifei is different. She can leave her bag when she should but she will always take out the small blue purse and treat it like her baby. It wasn''t that hard to guess."


    Cheng Yu filled in the rest of the details. So Li Lanni found an opportunity to get that purse and search it? How did she even achieve such a feat? She said it herself that Ji Feifei didn''t ever leave that purse¡­


    "So how did you get it?"


    "I found her weakness and that was it. Oh, the process doesn''t really matter, right? It helped me kill three birds with one stone."


    "Three birds?"


    "Professor Marcus is going to hell and I got my revenge. As for the third stone, surely you can guess this. Ji Feifei won''t be trudging far. Just give it a few days. He will pull her to hell with him."


    From her tone, she didn''t plan all this in one day. She must have been plotting this for a while - probably ever since she decided to expose Professor Marcus.


    So this was her trump card all along¡­


    Cheng Yu bit her lower lip in disappointment. She had thought that they were quite close. In the end, Li Lanni only revealed her other little options and hid her trump card from her¡­


    "I heard there''s an upcoming art competition. Do you want to check it out together?" She asked to change the topic.


    "I don''t think so. I still have an exam to ace, remember?" Li Lanni didn''t look too interested.


    "Yeah." In fact, she had only brought it up to kill the previous conversation.


    ...


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 44 - Running Into Idiots

    Running out of topics to talk about, Cheng Yu simply sat next to the lost in thought Li Lanni, trying to make her presence as scarce as possible.


    She couldn''t explain it, but the present Li Lanni was quite different from what she was like in the past. In the past, Li Lanni was a friendly little angel, smiling back at everyone who smiled at her and often hanging out with many of her friends.


    The present Li Lanni, however, was too different. Not only did she not seem capable of keeping close friends, she was rather intimidating. She could emit a scary aura even when she was simply in her own thoughts.


    But she couldn''t blame her. After all, she had suffered a huge trauma and was now insecure about everything.


    Ring!


    Li Lanni''s phone chimed.


    She took it and checked the new text message.


    Her eyebrows pulled together before she placed the phone on the desk facing down and lifted her hands to massage her temples.


    That kind of reaction¡­ It wasn''t hard for Cheng Yu to guess who had texted her. From the timing, she could pretty much guess the content as well.


    "I suddenly feel hungry. Let''s grab a snack outside school, shall we?" She spoke when she was calm enough to not detonate.


    "Sure." Cheng Yu''s eyes lit up. "There''s a newly opened dessert shop near the school. I heard their cakes are especially delicious; the head chef is a former winner of the Dessert Master competitions."


    "Then let''s go. What are we waiting for?" Li Lanni stood up and took Cheng Yu''s hand. She didn''t particularly like desserts, but she didn''t mind eating them once in a while when she was in a bad mood.


    ¡­


    In the restaurant, the girls took the seats close to a window. The scenery from this spot was quite pleasing to the eye.


    "What do you want to eat? I''m treating." Li Lanni looked at the girl opposite her.


    "Ah¡­ you don''t have to." Cheng Yu felt embarrassed. She didn''t like freeloading on others.


    "It''s alright. I''m in a good mood and I dragged you here so I should treat."


    Cheng Yu glanced at the so called good mood and coughed. If this was the good mood, she would rather die than see the bad mood.


    Still, she glanced at the menu in her hands. "Then I won''t be overly polite."


    Soon, their orders were taken and their desserts arrived just a few minutes later.


    "How fast, huh?" Li Lanni drooled at the sight of the Russian tiramisu on her plate.


    "Perhaps it''s because they just started the business recently and they are yet to be too busy." Cheng Yu scooped a spoonful of her panna cotta and brought it to her mouth. "Ah ¨C so sweet! No wonder they say that dessert is a definite reliever for stress."


    After taking a bite of her tiramisu, Li Lanni had no objection against Cheng Yu''s words. "As expected of a ''Dessert Master'' champion."


    Just as they were savoring the taste of their dessert and chatting more as their moods uplifted, the ultimate mood killer walked in. To be exact, two ultimate mood killers walked in.


    "Lanni, you''re here too?" The incomer was Ah Chen ¨C and of course his sworn shadow Yu Guang wouldn''t be stumbling far off.


    "My queen, why didn''t you tell me you wanted to eat dessert? I would order it for you from any restaurant you want; you wouldn''t have to go through the trouble of coming all the way here."


    "Yu Guang, what''s wrong with you? Why won''t you stop following me? What are you, my tail?" Ah Chen was incredibly annoyed by this fool who kept following him and ruining his chances.


    "What tail? Even if I were a tail, I would only be Queen Lanni''s tail."


    Li Lanni: "I don''t need a tail, thanks."


    The young man leaped to her side. "Lanni, the next time you want dessert, how about you tell me? I''ll buy anything you want."


    "No thanks, really." Li Lanni''s head was on the verge of exploding,


    "Punk! Get lost!" Ah Chen admonished Yu Guang before making his way to Li Lanni. "You must be tired today. How about we have a meal together sometime? Maybe this weekend?" He was about to offer to pay for her dessert but he knew that Li Lanni would never agree to that.


    Alas, even his reasonable request was rejected. "I''m busy these few days."


    Ah Chen clutched his pierced heart.


    Yu Guang gloated in his misfortune. "Hahaha¡­ what made you think my queen would agree to go out with you? She can only go with me. Right, queen?"


    Li Lanni stabbed her fork into her tiramisu in annoyance. "How did I manage to attract a pair of idiots just by eating tiramisu?"


    Cheng Yu held a hand over her mouth and giggled. "Lanni, you do know they''re still here, right?"


    The dejected pair stumbled out just like they had stumbled in. Li Lanni heaved a huge sigh.


    "You have so many admirers, Lanni. Keeping them off your hair is enough to keep you busy." Cheng Yu commented, looking at the retreating backs of the dejected pair.


    "Not only do I have admirers, I have stalkers as well. Can''t my life just be normal?"


    Speaking of stalkers, it was as though they had made a prior agreement with her mouth. As soon as her words fell, her phone chimed.


    "Please kill me already." Li Lanni cursed and, although she didn''t want to check the text message, she knew it might be from someone else so she did.


    [Enjoying your Russian Tiramisu? It does look sweet.] Li Lanni frowned, then another text message came in. [Just like you]


    Li Lanni skimmed her gaze around the restaurant. There was no one in the vicinity who she knew.


    She glanced at the previous message as well, the one she received while in the abandoned school building. [Well done.]


    Her eyes constricted, then she glanced at the curious Cheng Yu.. "Cheng Yu, I think I figured out who''s been stalking me."

 Chapter 45 - What Was I Like In The Past?

    Cheng Yu''s face went pale. Her heart almost skipped a beat.


    "You... you have?"


    Li Lanni was thinking of a major possibility but Cheng Yu''s reaction startled her. "What''s wrong with you? You suddenly look so pale."


    Seeing that Li Lanni was sensitive and had noticed her nervous state, she became even more nervous. "It''s... it must be the wind."


    Li Lanni raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing a word of her lame excuse. "I see. We should go back to school now. I''ll go check out that art competition then go home.


    Um, on second thought, I''ll just go home. I can check out the competition tomorrow."


    Li Lanni was going to tell Cheng Yu what her suspicions were but thanks to Cheng Yu''s sudden reaction, she changed her mind.


    On their way out of the restaurant, Cheng Yu resisted the urge to probe about the matter, mainly because perhaps what Li Lanni had in mind was merely a thought. She might just solidify the suspicion if she asked.


    ¡­


    Once Li Lanni was out of the car, the first thing she wanted was to take a bath. Everything else could wait¡­ she was so tired.


    Li Yuming was in the living room, reading a business magazine.


    "Lanni, come here."


    Li Lanni felt this was the kind of tone a mother would use if their child did something wrong. Out of reflex, she hesitated. "Mommy, can we please talk later?"


    Li Yuming looked frighteningly stern. "No can do. Get your legs over here young woman."


    Faced with no choice ,she walked over cautiously.


    "Explain." Li Yuming placed her phone on the marble coffee table. On the screen was a video of what happened this afternoon.


    No need to ask, she had found out.


    "Eer¡­ mom¡­"


    "Lanni, if I remember correctly, I took you back to school so it can help you regain your memory. What''s the meaning of all this?"


    Li Lanni clutched the hem of her school uniform tightly. So news didn''t take that long to spread around after all. But then again, Li Yuming was her mother. It would be even more surprising if she didn''t get news about her so fast.


    "Actually this¡­ this was something my schoolmates and I planned to do together. It was only because it would look like a riot if all of us waltzed into the chancellors office and reported the incident that we decided that one person should do it. That one person just happened to be me."


    As soon as she was done speaking, Li Yuming frowned and looked like she had just lost a few years of her life. "Lanni, what happened to you? You never lied to me in the past. Why did you suddenly start lying and hiding things from me?"


    Her words were like a trigger to Li Lanni''s heart, and she felt as though her heart was being squeezed by a rope. Guilt washed over her whole being. "Mom, I¡­"


    Li Yuming patted her shoulder. "Forget it. Go and freshen up, okay? I''ll prepare your favorite coq au vin for dinner.


    Li Lanni took a bath quickly, but she couldn''t help thinking about what everyone around her kept saying. they all said her personality had changed.


    Cheng Yu had even joked that it was as though she had become another person altogether.


    Hence at the dinner table, she looked at her mother. "Mom, what was I like in the past?"


    As soon as the words left her mouth, Li Yuming''s face contorted and panic flashed through her eyes. It was brief and lasted merely a second, Li Lanni didn''t grasp it.


    Li Yuming reached for a glass of water and downed it in a few gulps. She then took a deep breath and met her daughter''s gaze. "Why would you ask that?"


    "My schoolmates say I''ve become... different."


    Li Yuming''s grip tightened on her fork. If she really became different, how nice would that be? It would especially be so if she stopped doing some of the things she did before she lost her memory.


    But that was like a dream out of a fairy tale. Li Lanni was clearly starting to revert....


    "It''s probably because you are more cautious and don''t trust people easily anymore. You were quite naive in the past."


    "Is that so...." Li Lanni thought it was logically possible.


    However, there was something she couldn''t comprehend about her mother''s expression.


    Why did she look like she was at a loss about something?


    When they peacefully finished their dinner, she dispelled their suspicions. She seemed to be suspicious about everything lately.


    The doctor had said that it was an effect of her mild trauma. If not, she would have started thinking too much about her mother''s strange expression.


    "Lanni, come sit here with me." When they had finished eating dinner, Li Yuming went and sat in the living room, patting the space beside her on the sofa.


    The television was playing a popular idol drama.


    She glanced at it and giggled. Who would have thought her mother was into these?


    She went over and sat next to Li Yuming, hugging her arm like a spoiled little girl.


    "Lanni, mommy cares about you the most."


    Li Lanni''s back straightened into a rod. She could guess where this discussion was heading, and she had a feeling she wouldn''t like the end of it.


    She let go of Li Yuming''s hand and scratched her head awkwardly before bolting up and flashing a smile. "I suddenly remember I have homework to do. How about we talk tomorrow?"


    Li Yuming threw a stern glance over. "Mark said you tried to sneak away on your own again."


    Li Lanni sat her butt right back to the sofa, rubbing her cheek against Li Yuming''s arm.. "Now that I remember, I finished all the homework I had to do. What was it you wanted to say, mommy?"

 Chapter 46 - Eternal Valor

    Li Yuming shot a sidelong glance glance at her daughter who was putting on an obedient act. "It would be best if you only did home schooling. I think my worst mistake was letting you go back to B City University."


    When Li Lanni heard the words she had been dreading, her back went cold. This was not what she wanted! "Mom¡­" Her voice sounded lifeless and dejected.


    "That''s what I wanted to say. Go to your room now; remember to not stay up too late."


    "You didn''t listen to my opinion, mom." Li Lanni blurted. Home schooling would be boring to death. Not to mention, she was seeking her revenge against Ji Feifei and her first step was almost accomplished. How could she leave school at such a time?


    No one needed to remind her what the main point was either. It was still alright if she left school once because of inevitable circumstances and returned later. But if she kept waltzing in and out like it was her own territory, wouldn''t that ruin her reputation? She might not be able to go back later even if her mother relented.


    Li Yuming stood up and pressed a button on the remote control to switch off the television. "When did I ask for your opinion?"


    Li Lanni remained in a daze as Li Yuming left the living room and ascended the stairs to her room. Did her mother just say that? She didn''t care what she thought about her own schooling option?


    In the master bedroom, Li Yuming lay in her bed sleeplessly for a while before going to the study. She took out her art tools and started painting absent mindedly.


    The best choice was ultimately emigrating. It would be enough to keep Li Lanni out of the trouble she was trying to bring upon herself. But since Li Lanni would obviously not agree to go no matter what, it was still alright if she didn''t interact with the outside world too much.


    She knew that it would hurt her feelings, but it was better than letting her run wild and get hurt again.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Li Lanni soaked in the bathtub for a long time before making up her mind.


    She opened the wardrobe and after staring at a set of her school uniform, she took it out and wore it. After checking her phone for messages, she took her bag and headed downstairs, where her mother was drinking a cup of coffee.


    She withheld her nervousness and went over to hug her. "Mom, I''m going to school now."


    "You haven''t taken your breakfast." Li Yuming reminded expressionlessly.


    "My friend asked me to have breakfast together in the university cafeteria." She said and hopped out before her mother could say a word more.


    Until the car drove off, she didn''t believe her mother had gone back on her own word and let her go.


    The housekeeper standing beside Li Yuming couldn''t believe it either. "Um, master, didn''t you ask me to find the best teachers for miss Lanni''s full time homeschooling? Why is she still going to school then?"


    Li Yuming placed the empty cup on the marble table and picked a magazine from the collection the housekeeper had brought. "I don''t think she will still seek trouble after what happened last night."


    The housekeeper smiled slightly but said no more. The master just didn''t want to admit that she was afraid Miss Lanni would be sad, right?


    One had to know that the young miss was the only person Li Yuming was truly close to. She loved her more than her own life and she would do anything if it would bring a smile on the young miss'' face. No one could blame her for that ¨C for a child who grew up without a father, the best thing her mother could do was try to make sure she didn''t feel the gap.


    Too bad the young miss grew up to be carefree ¨C a little too carefree for her own good.


    ¡­


    In the school cafeteria, Li Lanni didn''t have much of an appetite.


    She barely took two bites before heading to the art building.


    Cheng Yu was already in one of the classrooms, painting neat strokes with her brush. In the same room, Ji Feifei was also painting. Li Lanni couldn''t help taking an extra glance at the contrasting pair.


    Ji Feifei was obviously trying to look elegant even while painting. That was her main point and as for the picture she was painting, it was that of a vibrant and elegant woman; beautiful without any trace of a flaw.


    Shifting her eyes to Cheng Yu''s painting, she seemed to make a story out of it. It was a young woman too, but obviously not as pleasing to the eye as Ji Feifei''s. However, there was something different. It was as though her misty eyes had come to life, and one could imagine the countless emotions in her eyes.


    The contrast was obvious; while Ji Feifei was trying to impress the viewers with all the elegance and style, Cheng Yu was trying to express certain feelings and create a story out of the backdrop.


    It wasn''t hard for Li Lanni to think that one of the two had come into the room and started painting merely for the sake of outshining the other. And that person seemed to be Ji Feifei¡­


    "Cheng Yu, that''s beautiful. What is it called?" Li Lanni finally walked over after watching for a while.


    Cheng Yu turned to look at Li Lanni and unconsciously used her body to block the painting. "Lanni, you''re here. Are you going to check the details about the competition?"


    Li Lanni held out a small box. "Why are you hiding it? It''s very beautiful."


    Cheng Yu blushed as she took the box from Li Lanni. "It is? I''m not that confident about it myself." Happy that someone liked it, she became even more invigorated. "Eternal Valor. That''s the name."


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 47 - She Could Dream On

    "Eternal Valor¡­" Li Lanni repeated the name in contemplation. "It''s quite suiting. Is it your entrance for the competition?"


    Cheng Yu''s face blushed even more as her eyes turned into slits. "Of course not. I was only fooling around. The competition will require something more refined."


    "Is it? I think it''s good enough. There''s no competition you can''t win with this. After all, most judges take into consideration the ''life'' of a piece of art. Yours looks so real and expresses a lot. Not like some lifeless painting you see littering the walls of this building."


    At the side, Ji Feifei''s expression darkened. It was still alright for Li Lanni to keep showering Cheng Yu''s ugly masterpiece with praise, but it was another matter altogether to indirectly insult her. Especially since her painting was obviously so beautiful... She couldn''t contain her anger. "Lanni, what do you mean by that?!"


    Li Lanni out a hand over her mouth. "Oh, you''re here too. I was talking to Cheng Yu just now. Isn''t her painting pretty?"


    Ji Feifei clenched her fists and wanted nothing more than to berate Cheng Yu with her hands over her hips. However, more students streamed in at this moment.


    It was more important to maintain her image of the easy going and kind girl. Moreover, she was not done with Li Lanni yet. She would deal with Cheng Yu later.


    Hmph! Win the art competitions with that piece of rubbish? She could dream on.


    "Lanni, let''s have a word." Ji Feifei restrained her anger to say.


    Li Lanni tapped Cheng Yu''s shoulder. "I bet you didn''t eat breakfast. You need to recharge; I brought your favorite meals from Eastern Kitchen. You should eat it before it goes cold." She pointed at the box she had given to Cheng Yu earlier before following Ji Feifei out.


    Cheng Yu was stunned silly. So the box contained breakfast from Eastern Kitchen? She had thought that it was something Li Lanni wanted her to help her keep. She opened the box excitedly.


    Meanwhile, Ji Feifei''s expression was even darker. Li Lanni actually bought someone food from Eastern Kitchen so casually?


    It was worth noting that it was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. A mere glass of juice was capable of giving one a dent in the wallet.


    Even as the heiress of the Ji family, she couldn''t go to that restaurant mainly because the family didn''t let her. She had been overspending money for a while so her father froze her cards. Yet that piece of trash¡­


    "Why did you want to speak to me?" Li Lanni''s voice brought her back from her thoughts.


    Ji Feifei maintained her composure. "Is your relationship with Cheng Yu so good?"


    "What about it?" Li Lanni was passive.


    "Nothing much. I just heard some not-so-pleasant rumors about her. You should be careful."


    Li Lanni snorted. "Thanks. I will take care. Is that all you wanted to say?"


    Ji Feifei''s fingernails stabbed into her palms. Since when was Li Lanni so cold towards her? Had she discovered something? "I just wanted to know how you got your hands on that flash drive yesterday."


    Li Lanni swept a lock of her long hair to her back. Of course this was the only reason why Ji Feifei would seek her. That flash drive belonged to her. "Oh, that¡­ I was just lucky. I found it in my locker mysteriously. Someone must be trying to help me out."


    Ji Feifei wanted to slap her across the face and call her out for making things up, but she chose not to. It sounded far fetched but it was a tiny bit possible.


    Wait¡­ the aphrodisiac on the night of Li Lanni''s welcome party¡­ how did it turn into a sleeping pill?


    As this thought surfaced in Ji Feifei''s mind, her eyes turned blank. It seemed quite possible¡­ that there was someone helping Li Lanni out from behind the scenes. Just who was it?


    "I suddenly remembered I have something to do before the art class. I''ll get going now." Ji Feifei left before she could explode.


    Li Lanni wore a smug expression. "Tch."


    Now it totally made sense.


    Ji Feifei must be fond of driving wedges between people. Paired with what her mother had said about her being naive in the past, it answered one of her questions.


    She now understood why she didn''t have any real friends.


    At the thought of it, Li Lanni really wanted to have a meeting with her younger self and scold the hell out of her. Just how stupid must she have been, to regard such a scheming b*tch as her best friend?


    ¡­


    Ji Feifei wheeled her breathing back to normal.


    Why did Li Lanni suddenly turn cold towards her?


    She did want to eliminate that piece of garbage, but the piece of garbage still had some use. The exams were coming up soon. What would she do?


    ¡­


    Li Lanni walked back into Art Classroom 03 and laughed when she saw Cheng Yu enthusiastically inhaling the food like she had been famished for months.


    "Is it that good?"


    Cheng Yu looked up and swallowed the food she was chewing. "So good! Lanni, I was about to tell you that you don''t have to spend so much money buying me food but when I tasted it, it was totally worth it."


    Li Lanni giggled. While one was a scheming fake friend, the other was so honest and her friendship seemed genuine.


    Even a fool would know who to chose.


    "Right. About that art thingie¡­ didn''t they arrange it at a very inconvenient time? The exams are coming up after all. Sigh, it''s giving me a headache."


    Cheng Yu frowned at her oblivious friend. "Of course they knew this. That''s why the competition will be held two days after the end of the exams.


    Moreover, I heard insider news that there''s no such thing as submitting entries. All the competitors will paint their pieces on stage at the designated time."


    "Wait, what?"


    "Exciting, right!" Cheng Yu rattled on. "The prize is totally worth it! The winner will be recruited in Star Art International as a trainee and after the training period, a permanent job as a comic artist is guaranteed."


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 48 - Senior Ah Chen Likes You

    "This is Star Art International we are talking about. That renown company where most of the world''s infamous artists have either trained or worked before. Setting a foot at the entrance of that company might require you to give an arm or a leg, and even that won''t guarantee that they will take a second look at your work!"


    Seeing that her friend probably didn''t understand, Cheng Yu dragged her to the notice board.


    Li Lanni was almost lost in thought as she looked through the requirements while Cheng Yu rattled on like a broken recorder beside her. "I''m totally going to work hard. Even the prize for the second place is so exciting! Aah! I''m totally going to beat those punks from Hun He Art School!"


    "Wait, wait wait." Li Lanni grabbed her shoulders. "Slow down. Are you saying we are competing with students from Hun He Art School as well as other universities?"


    "Of course! Did you think it''s only for B City University? What were you reading from the notice?


    Actually, we are not the only ones who would have exams right before the competition. The organizers must have put a lot of consideration into it for fairness.


    Urgh... how I wish Hun He Art School wasn''t participating. Those guys are arrogant to death!"


    Cheng Yu looked particularly excited about the competition. She was more keen on the prize of first place.


    Li Lanni stopped thinking too much about the details and dragged Cheng Yu away from the notice board. "You want to become a comic artist?"


    "That has been my dream since I was a toddler." she exaggerated.


    "Seriously. I finally have the opportunity to make my dreams come true and prove myself. Surely I would be a damn fool if I didn''t grasp it."


    While Cheng Yu blabbered on, she saw someone from the corner of her eye. "Senior Ah Chen?"


    Li Lanni looked displeased as the young man walked over. She didn''t want to have anything to do with anything that was male, much less a human being. Her repulsion towards males was inexplicable at the moment but it was almost obvious in her eyes when Ah Chen came over.


    "Not happy to see me?" Ah Chen smiled charmingly to disguise the hurt in the depth of his eyes.


    Cheng Yu made her presence as invisible as possible, she might as well simply slip away. Li Lanni felt it was impolite to ignore people so she reluctantly spoke. "We are not classmates, are we? Classroom 01 is right opposite."


    Ah Chen grabbed the opportunity to strike up a conversation. "I came to check out the art competition notice."


    Li Lanni raised an eyebrow. "If I''m right, there is a similar notice on the notice boards of all art classrooms and studios."


    Ah Chen was embarrassed. His cover was blown too easily. He coughed. This Li Lanni... since when was her gaze so intimidating? He couldn''t stay in her radius for more than a minute no matter how much courage he mustered. "Classes should be starting soon. See you later, Lanni."


    As soon as he scurried away, Cheng Yu broke into a smile. "Lanni, I was right. Senior Ah Chen really does like you."


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. "I don''t want to be liked by an idiot, thanks!"


    Cheng Yu squeezed her heart that had been stabbed on Ah Chen''s behalf. "Actually, Senior Ah Chen is a mature young man and has excellent grades. He is good even in his minors, not to mention his good reputation and background. He only becomes an idiot when Yu Guang, that foolish playboy, is around. You have to understand that idiocity is highly contagious."


    "Yu Guang was not here, but he acted like an idiot nonetheless." Li Lanni retorted with her arms crossed against her chest.


    "That''s because you were around. How could he act normal with you in his vicinity?"


    "Are you blaming me for his stupidity?"


    "You charmed him silly." Cheng Yu replied with a silly giggle and earned a glare from Li Lanni. "Cheng Yu, can you do me a favor and not talk to me about boys?"


    Cheng Yu finally quietened down and classes soon begun.


    Li Lanni sat next to Cheng Yu, but a parasite forced itself on her left; Ji Feifei.


    Li Lanni just couldn''t understand the depth of this girl''s pretense. What did she take her for, a fool who wouldn''t have discovered the true side of her up till now?


    She ignored her and minded her own business.


    After class, Li Lanni made sure it was just the two of them left in the classroom and deliberately made one of those jokes that Ji Feifei would never tolerate. "Right, Feifei, could you help me pass a message to your brother? Tell him to meet me... nevermind. I''ll tell him myself." She left right before Ji Feifei could explode.


    "She''s so weird." Li Lanni couldn''t help muttering to herself as she saw Ji Feifei flip up and throw things around. Why would she hate it so much that her brother had his eyes on someone else?


    If she hadn''t heard about Ji Feifei''s famed dating history, she would almost think that Ji Feifei had an incest complex. Just the thought of it was disgusting.


    ___


    Just when Li Lanni was starting to wonder why one of her expectations was not coming to pass, it finally happened.


    On the fourth day after Professor Marcus'' arrest, explosive news broke out and filled the school forum.


    The young miss of the Ji family actually used her family''s name to do dirty deeds behind their backs and not only did she bully many students, she also committed huge crimes?!


    The most juicy part was her involvement with professor Marcus. The man had even provided irrefutable evidence!


    Li Lanni looked at her phone and smiled.


    This is just the beginning, Ji Feifei. How does it feel?


    ...


    That evening, in the Ji Mansion.


    "You idiot!" Before anyone could stop him, Old Master Ji''s palm landed right smack on Ji Feifei''s face.


    " You have brought shame upon the Ji family! Is your brain merely a decorative ornament?! Is this how I brought you up?"


    The girl knelt on the floor, clutching her chest and bawling her eyes out.


    Madam Ji could not stand seeing her daughter in such a pitiful state. She held her husband''s hand tightly and tried to calm him down before he could deliver another slap. "Honey, Feifei''s still a child. Cut her some slack!"


    "Still a child? Still a child, you say?!"


    Madam Ji saw that her husband probably wouldn''t calm down and might kill Ji Feifei in his rage. She grabbed on the strongest pillar that had just walked in. "Xiehan! Xiehan, please stop your father. He''s going to hurt Feifei at this rate."


    Ji Xiehan''s face was devoid of expression.. "It''s already good enough that he is not skinning her alive."

 Chapter 49 - You Should Be Happy That He Is Not Skinning Her Alive

    Madam Ji was stupefied for a moment before she erupted. "How can you say such a thing? She is your sister!"


    Ji Xiehan lightly shoved her hand away and went ahead to sit on the sofa, as though the drama happening before his eyes was nothing but a television show. His face didn''t reveal the slightest pinch of pity for his younger sister. "You should be glad that I''m not disowning her."


    When Ji Xiehan walked in, Ji Feifei had been prepared to cling onto him and pitifully beg for help. But once she heard his words, more tears came gushing out of her eyes. These were real tears this time.


    How could he? Why was he so heartless towards her?


    Weren''t brothers supposed to dote on their little sisters so much that they should slay gods for them? Weren''t they supposed to tread on needles and swim in seas of lava if their sisters asked for it? Why was hers so heartless?


    "Brother¡­" she cried.


    Ji Xiehan narrowed his eyes and was about to say something.


    Madam Ji grabbed her son''s hand and gestured for him to shut up before he said something even more heartless. She knew his son well enough. He definitely would.


    Ji Xiehan cast a disdainful glance over and remained silent, casually playing with his phone.


    Master Ji had anticipated that his son would say something to stop him and had therefore paused what he was saying to Ji Feifei.


    Seeing that Ji Xiehan didn''t look interested butting in, he was relieved.


    After all this girl had gone too far this time. She was their daughter, but she still had to be punished or she would continue wrecking havoc and commit more sins in future.


    "For the next one week, you cannot leave your room. Do you understand?"


    Ji Feifei wanted to protest amidst her tears but when she saw how intimidating her father looked, she didn''t dare to let out a peep. She nodded. It was just being grounded for a week, anyway. It wouldn''t hurt.


    But in her heart, what occupied the large part was neither guilt not remorse. It was hatred. Her desire to revenge was raging like a flame.


    Li Lanni, you damned b*tch!! This is all your fault. Just you wait. Once the week is over and I am allowed to leave the house, I will peel off your skin inch by inch.


    She would never have known that while she thought of new methods to make Li Lanni suffer, her father was currently thinking of the best punishment for her as well as the best school to take her.


    No matter what school it was, it would be one specified for rehabilitating wayward children.


    ¡­


    One thing still irked Li Lanni. Why was Ji Feifei still allowed to be in school? At least that was what she believed since there wasn''t any news or rumor about her expulsion.


    This shouldn''t be happening. If the school head had a brain, the first thing they would have done was expel Ji Feifei.


    She took a deep breath and kept her phone back into her bag. Never mind. She couldn''t possibly know what the school head was thinking. She should just watch first.


    Perhaps they simply wanted to let Ji Feifei go to school for a few days and then let her leave when the matter settled down. It would seem like a normal transfer.


    Such a thing was possible since this was the young miss of the Ji family they were talking about. Out of all families in the capital, everyone must want to save the Ji family some dignity.


    Although the school rules had to be followed in the end, it wouldn''t be a surprise if they made it seem like Ji Feifei was not in the wrong.


    Of course, this couldn''t take long or the punishment would lose its meaning.


    If they still allowed her to attend school like nothing happened even after a long while,  only then would Li Lanni take action. Luckily there was still a lot of time for that.


    ¡­


    That night as she lay in her bed, Li Lanni was unable to sleep even after reciting all the scientific stuff that she found boring.


    She didn''t hate science - she didn''t like it that much either but had read some of it anyway. She just didn''t like the feeling of not knowing anything. Her displeasure towards the fact that she had amnesia was concrete evidence.


    As she tossed in her bed, she didn''t know that elsewhere in the same city, a certain someone couldn''t sleep either.


    He turned in his bed restlessly before getting up and switching on the lights.


    Then he opened a drawer by the side of his bed and took out a stack of paper. He started to look through them.


    These sheets of paper contained all the information that Qiao Luna had gathered about Li Lanni.


    He had read through them umpteen times but he still did again.


    Qiao Luna had been very effient; she even included the photos she could get her hands on.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know whether it was the photos or the information that he wanted to look at more.


    All he knew was that when he regained his senses, he was running his fingers through a recent photo of Li Lanni and wondering whether it was alright to meet her again.


    She should have forgotten about their unpleasant little encounter, right?


    Even if she hadn''t, it had been many days already.. She shouldn''t be bothered anymore.

 Chapter 50 - Randomly Invading Her Thoughts

    After spending a lot of time with his friends, paired with his little knowledge about women, Ji Xiehan knew that the best approach was trying to get closer to her one step at a time.


    He still had an ultimate move up his sleeves and it was sure to make Li Lanni stay by his side forever. However, it could also possibly make her hate him to the bones.


    It was still safer to use the slow approach- though his friend had scolded him for wasting his breath in trying to teach him how to pick up girls. The two of them had scolded him for one hour straight before they cooled up.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Li Lanni woke up slightly earlier and hence went school earlier.


    Because she wanted to buy something in the store near the school, she asked the chauffeur to drop her off some distance away and she would walk to school after getting what she wanted.


    It was alright as long as she didn''t try to go anywhere that would be dangerous on her own so he let her.


    Once Li Lanni had got all the things she wanted, she strolled into the school with a happy smile plastered across her face.


    But the happy smile froze and turned into a scowl once her gaze met that of one human being she didn''t want to see.


    She retracted her gaze and walked off, ignoring him.


    She had just taken a step past him when she felt a grip on her elbow and her body was pulled back by a sudden force.


    Li Lanni tilted her head and glared at him, trying to pull her arm back. "What do you want?"


    Ji Xiehan had expected this kind of reaction from her, but he still felt heartbroken. "I have some matters to discuss with you, regarding Star Art International."


    Li Lanni was about to chew him out and walk off but when she heard the name of that company, she hesitated.


    This was related to the upcoming art competitions, right? After all, the prize for the winner was to become a trainee in that company.


    What made it attract her attention was the fact that Cheng Yu really wanted to win that prize and go to Star Art International.


    If there was something wrong with that company¡­ it would be better if she knew and warned Cheng Yu about it.


    "I''m going to the library right now." She said. She still had to study a lot.


    "That''s alright. We can meet after school and have dinner together. We can talk about it then."


    This time, Li Lanni didn''t reject him and silently agreed.


    Watching her walk off, Ji Xiehan had to praise himself for his wits. He had had Qiao Luna update him about everything that was related to Li Lanni so naturally he knew about that contest.


    He merely took a gamble and mentioned the first place prize, luckily he had won the gamble.


    What Ji Xiehan didn''t know was that Li Lanni had another reason to accept his invitation. She wanted to find out what had happened to Ji Feifei as well as test him in case he had evil reasons for trying to get close to her.


    ¡­


    The day went by quite fast. At lunch time, Li Lanni went to the abandoned school building. She had grown fond of going to that particular classroom whenever she wanted to be alone.


    Despite being an abandoned building, it was kept clean in case students wanted to use it. More accurately, it had only earned its name because it used to be the Literature teaching block and was no longer in use since another one was built.


    Just as Li Lanni expected, Cheng Yu came in after a while.


    The former was currently reclined in a chair as she fanned her neck using her hands. How she wished she could simply rip her shirt off! It was just impossible for her to do so because she couldn''t guarantee that no one would come in.


    Cheng Yu walked over with a box of ice cream and held it out with slight nervousness, as though afraid Li Lanni wouldn''t like it.


    Li Lanni took it gladly. "Is this for me? Thank you."


    Before Cheng Yu could say a word, she had already started taking scoops of the ice cream, the chilling effect on her tongue making her feel much better.


    "Damn summer." Li Lanni complained and scooped more of the ice cream.


    Cheng Yu slumped on a chair next to her. "You can say that again! Thanks to the heat, I take almost 20 minutes every day deciding whether or not to wear a bra, and which one to wear if I have to."


    Li Lanni tilted her head and glanced at her chest. "I wouldn''t wear any if I were you. It wouldn''t make much of a difference anyway."


    Cheng Yu looked down at her almost flat chest then covered it with her hands and glared at Li Lanni. "Lanni, you pervert!"


    Li Lanni broke into a chuckle. Then the word pervert reminded her of someone.


    Urgh¡­ why did he have to invade her thoughts even when she was simply having a random conversation with her friend?


    ....


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 51 - This Was Obviously Seduction

    Later, Li Lanni sent a text message to her mother and informed that she would be home a little late.


    Then she bid Cheng Yu before leaving the classroom.


    She found it rather coincidental that she was in the same classes with Cheng Yu for her major as well as her minors. If she hadn''t realized that Cheng Yu was not clingy, she would think someone had done it deliberately.


    Leaving the art building, she headed to the restaurant where she would meet Ji Xiehan.


    That pervert had already sent an address beforehand. Heaven knew where he got her contact number.


    When she arrived, Ji Xiehan was already there and was currently talking to someone on phone.


    He said something about talking later then hung up and put his phone on the table.


    Like a gentleman, he stood up and pulled a chair for her opposite him "You came."


    Li Lanni pretended she didn''t realise the meaning if his actions and sat on it, ignoring his scent that wafted into her nostrils because of their close proximity. "Oh well¡­"


    She said nothing after that, and it made Ji Xiehan''s heart clench. Was it that agonizing to have a meal with him? Why did she look like she was being forced to eat balls of fire in the company of a demon king?


    Anyhow, he would ask about it later. It was about time he knew why she hated him so much.


    "You wanted to talk about¡­" she didn''t want to waste time on anything and was about to ask but Ji Xiehan interrupted her. "Let''s eat first. I''m too hungry to talk."


    Ji Xiehan was already back in his seat, and he pushed a menu to her with a gentle tug. "What do you want to eat?"


    She looked through the menu for a while. "Grilled salmon, lemon green beans¡­"


    The more Li Lanni spoke, the more Ji Xiehan''s eyebrows twisted.


    Why were the dishes she ordered¡­ so similar to someone else''s preferences? She also wanted maple pecan tart for dessert, just like the other person did! Was this a coincidence?


    He just couldn''t remember who the other person was.


    Wait, she was clearly the one with amnesia. Why was he forgetting things too?


    Before the meals arrived, Ji Xiehan went to the restroom.


    Li Lanni was playing with her own phone from time to time but she couldn''t help but notice that Ji Xiehan had left his phone right on the table. She glanced at it in passing with a tsk. His level of trust was too high. Wasn''t he afraid that she might secretly know a few coding tricks? That she would put a bug in his phone to hack it or use it to send some not-so-respectful content to his parents or superiors for revenge?


    Of course, that was just a fleeting thought. Ji Xiehan hadn''t caused her any real harm so she didn''t have a reason to do such a thing. Besides, she knew nothing about coding. That was one of those few things she found too complicated and consequently boring.


    The black screen suddenly lit up.


    It must have been a setting in his phone because the display directly changed to reveal the new message.


    Li Lanni had not intended to look at it. It just happened to appear in her view. Her first reaction was to find Ji Xiehan too open. He didn''t even have a passcode to lock his phone!


    "Sh*t!" She cursed when she saw the content. Her hand trembled slightly, her eyes almost exploding from how huge they had grown.


    She had to bite her tongue to swallow back the sudden wave of disgust.


    The sender had tossed a picture over, attached with a message [Do I look sexy?]


    That was a fairly normal text if you forced it to be normal¡­


    The picture was that of a woman in an extremely thin and provocative red bikini that could barely cover anything at all. This could be normal too if you used forced logic to make it so...


    But what was up with the over the top pose? This was obviously seduction!


    And the most shocking part was that the sender was actually Ji Feifei.


    Did people usually send such suggestive pictures to their brothers?!


    No way, right?


    She didn''t have to have a brother to know that it was too lewd.


    Then Ji Xiehan and his sister¡­.!


    She didn''t know about his reaction because he had not seen the picture just yet; but she couldn''t help but wonder if this was something habitual between the two of them.


    Then wasn''t this too scary?


    A thought suddenly filled Li Lanni''s mind.


    Ji Feifei would tolerate anything but the thought of her brother being close to a girl.


    She had flared up each time Li Lanni mentioned anything related to Ji Xiehan.


    So¡­ it really was as she thought¡­


    Ji Feifei really did have an incest complex¡­


    Li Lanni was still in a daze when Ji Xiehan came back. The screen of his phone had already blackened out and Li Lanni acted like nothing out of the norm was going on.


    She even professionally played with her phone.


    "Lanni, do you really¡­"


    His phone lit up and interrupted his speech. Li Lanni couldn''t help sneaking a peek. The sender was Ji Feifei again.


    This time, she didn''t see the content because she withdrew her gaze too fast, but she clearly saw his expression.


    He looked like he had forced ten carats of sh*t down his throat as he frantically tapped his keyboard and tossed his phone aside after angrily sending a reply.


    Li Lanni didn''t know why, but that expression that showed his disgust towards whatever Ji Feifei had sent him slightly relieved her.


    Why was she relieved? Because Ji Feifei''s shameless feelings were probably one-sided?


    ..


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 52 - Didnt Want To Owe Him

    Their meals arrived soon. Ji Xiehan had also ordered a bottle of wine which he drank on his own because Li Lanni was not in the mood to drink.


    To be more strict, she just did not want to. She knew nothing about her alcohol tolerance. It wouldn''t be necessarily safe for a girl to get drunk in the company of a man, especially if that man was clearly interested in her. Wouldn''t she be offering herself like a chunk of meat on the chopping board?


    Halfway through the meal, Ji Xiehan couldn''t hold it anymore. The urge to ask about their first meeting was burning him up.


    Borrowing courage from the wine he had just drank, he put down his cutlery and looked at her, "Lanni, have we really not met before?"


    Li Lanni raised her head and contemplated for a few seconds. "We have."


    She counted using her fingers: "We met when you kidnapped me, those two times you sucked up to my mom and two whole times today. Right, I have caught you acting sneaky outside my home too."


    Ji Xiehan was caught between laughter and tears. "Before all those times, we have met before. In The Emerald Grand Hotel, I found out later that it was the day of your welcome party. Do you really not remember?" His hands were already tightly clenched and his back couldn''t get any more straight. He silently awaited his death sentence after poking the beehive.


    Surprisingly, the ''beehive'' didn''t react as he had expected. She didn''t call him out for using worn out pick up lines on her or for trying to forcefully claim familiarity with her. Instead, she gripped her fork so hard that her knuckles were a faint shade of pink. But the problem was that her silence was much worse than her sarcastic remarks! She was practically making him sit on needles, alright!


    After what felt like several evers, she finally let out a puff of air. "I do remember that my former classmates arranged a welcome party for me."


    "And?" Ji Xiehan probed when she didn''t look like she had any intention of completing her narrative.


    "And that''s it. I don''t remember anything else about it."


    Ji Xiehan had expected such an answer but he was still stunned silly. She actually forgot everything about it? Even dreams weren''t forgotten that much! Worst of all, he could see through the shock in her eyes that she wasn''t lying. She must be puzzled about it herself. She must be feeling awful as well.


    He didn''t want to make her feel worse about it ¨C he had thought she was lying about not remembering their meeting that night and had not intended to poke her wound.


    "It''s not that important," he said in a half mumble. He had also wanted to know why on earth she would appear in his room when they were strangers before that but since she obviously didn''t know, it was better to leave it be.


    On a side note, it had proven his second hypothesis true. Her amnesia must be recurring. She was not getting any better.


    Mustering up new levels of confidence, he spoke up. "I have a friend in the Medical Research Institute. He is a renown genius and coincidentally specializes in psychology and the brain. Not only that, he is also the best hypnotist in the country. If¡­ if you don''t mind, I can have him check your condition."


    Li Lanni''s expression fell with every statement he spoke and by the time he was done, her face looked like it had popped out of a freezer. "No, thank you."


    This was actually very polite compared to the kind of response he had expected when he saw how terrible her expression looked. He didn''t force it. If she needed his help, which she would probably never do, he would be willing to do anything for her.


    In truth, it wasn''t that Li Lanni wasn''t moved by his offer.


    The best hypnotist in the country would be the biggest aid for her to recover her memory. Of course, the doctor Li Yuming had found for her was just one of the best doctors. He couldn''t compare to the best hypnotist. One had to know that although Li Yuming was fairly rich in comparison to many people, that was it. She still couldn''t match up to the Ji family which owned immense power; and especially not to Ji Xiehan who was well acquainted with a majority of the powerful figures from all over the world.


    Despite this, she couldn''t accept that offer. For starters, she had come here to find out the latest updates about Ji Feifei and to hear what he had to say about Star Art International. She and Ji Xiehan were not even nodding acquaintances. How could she agree to owe him favors?


    Forget about owing him favors. Her mother had gone out of her way to find her the best doctor she could. Of course she appreciated her effort. How then could she casually change doctors simply because a certain someone suggested it?


    Although he had been rejected, Ji Xiehan wasn''t upset. It was already lucky enough that she was not scolding him and walking out fearfully.


    When she had had her fill, Li Lanni couldn''t contain her curiosity anymore. "You''re not going to come up with some other excuse to keep me waiting, are you?"


    (Authors note:


    1. They were her classmates seven months ago but because she missed school for all that time, they are no longer her classmates because they are now seven months ahead of her. Only Ji Feifei shamelessly stayed back to be in the same classes as her. I hope that didn''t confuse you!)


    ...


    Edited by Essy

 Chapter 53 - Zero Chances Of Winning

    Ji Xiehan was yet to answer her question when his phone rang yet again.


    "Sorry, I have to get this."


    ''Just great.'' Li Lanni thought. Had this pervert planned this all out? To call her out for a meal in the name of having something to talk about only to keep postponing it? He even did it each time she thought he was finally going to speak.


    That was so mean! Worst of all, her curiosity had been piqued to the max. She couldn''t simply leave.


    Li Lanni lamented a hundred times in her heart. How was this different from scratching one''s itchy skin through a thick leather jacket?


    Ji Xiehan hung up in less than half a minute.


    "That was my assistant just now. There are documents that require my signature urgently."


    "Do you need to go back to work, then?"


    Ji Xiehan clearly detected the displeasure in her voice though she had tried to conceal it. He was suddenly tempted to act like he was really in a rush to go and use it as an opportunity to ask her out again.


    However, he turned down this golden opportunity after thinking it through... and Qiao Luna was nearby anyway.


    "I don''t have to. My assistant is coincidentally nearby. She will bring the documents over in a while."


    "Oh."


    Qiao Luna didn''t waste any time. She arrived within a few minutes.


    As soon as she walked in, Li Lanni cast a glance over and her eyebrow involuntarily arched. This woman was Ji Xiehan''s assistant?


    She looked young, probably not many years over twenty, and she was quite beautiful too. Not extremely pretty but beautiful enough to make men want to be with her and women jealous of her.


    Most important was her disposition, okay?


    As soon as she arrived, she simply greeted Li Lanni politely and didn''t waste a second more before turning to her boss. Her explanation was brief and precise and she had obtained the signature in a minute. From an outsider''s point of view, this assistant was quite professional. She knew what to say so the outsider (Li Lanni) wouldn''t feel like she had been left out deliberately, but at the same time she didn''t reveal anything that was overly secretive.


    That wasn''t the main point.


    Li Lanni felt, for a second, that it was lucky that Ji Xiehan was not married. Otherwise with this type of elegant beauty as a man''s assistant, which wife wouldn''t feel a tinge of insecurity?


    Urgh, wait. She should have been focusing on the main point all this while. Why did she feel like she knew this assistant, like they had met before?


    As soon as Qiao Luna was done, she packed up the documents and walked out, secretly stealing a glance at Li Lanni on her way out.


    The boss had finally managed to ask miss Lanni out? A-mazing! " As expected of my boss." she mumbled.


    Of course she knew who Li Lanni was. After all she had been assigned the task of reporting Li Lanni''s moves as well as helping her out if she needed it.


    No one knew it but Ji Xiehan had an interesting expression on his face. He knew quite a bit about women and there was something wrong with the way Li Lanni and Qiao Luna glanced at each other.


    They wouldn''t turn out to have some weird feud, right?


    ...


    "About Star Art International..."


    ''Phew! Finally!'' Li Lanni thought.


    "All I wanted to point out is that Star Art International is the major sponsor for that competition."


    "I would be a fool if I didn''t know that."


    Ji Xiehan was used to her venomous tongue and felt nothing of her remark. "While they are agreeing to take in the winner of the art competition as a trainee in their company, the truth is far much different from what it appears."


    Li Lanni finally had a normal reaction. She was curious as she asked, "Why would you say that?"


    "Feng Ji International is one of the major allies of Star Art International, and I have a few friends in their company too... so it''s not surprising that I''m familiar with their strategies."


    Li Lanni did not interrupt him though she wondered whether he was trying to help her out or flaunting his ability to make friends in every reputable company and institute.


    "For this kind of thing, the whole competition is basically a pawn. They are only using it to gain immense fame when in real sense, all they want is to recruit the best artist from Hun He Art School. Not many people know this but Hun He Art School is a subsidiary of Star Art International.


    This is just like a game of the emperor holding a contest to decide on his successor when the prince is secretly hidden among the contestants. No matter how good you are, the chances of winning against the prince are equal to the chances of becoming a princess in a fairy tell."


    Li Lanni finally understood his implication. "So you are saying that the winner is already decided?"


    "You catch up quickly. This is not the first time they are doing this and probably not the last and it has been profitable for them for many years. Lanni, my point is that you shouldn''t hold your hopes too high. I''m afraid if you put your mind into it too much, you will end up in tears. It might even drive you to give up on your dreams."


    He was not exaggerating. Although he didn''t have anything to say about other companies'' popularity strategies, he didn''t like their way of doing things either.


    Star Art International was a haven for artists. Drag any artist off the street and they will tell you that their dream is to be in Star Art International.


    It was such a pity that the number of artists who had been forced to their bottleneck because they gave their all into similar competitions and still lost it was immense.


    It was even easier for them to give up since most of those times, it was obvious that their pieces of art were much better than the winning paintings.

 Chapter 54 - That Was All?

    Li Lanni couldn''t deny it. His words had created a turmoil in her heart. Was this what really happened behind the scenes in Star Art International?


    Of course, this matter had nothing to do with her since she wasn''t that keen on the competition, but Cheng Yu was.


    That girl wanted nothing more than to win and she had even spent a large sum of money recently to buy new paint and brushes.


    Not only that, she had also been busying herself looking at the paintings of the most famous artists and trying to learn all she could from them.


    One had to know that Cheng Yu was a natural talent in art. One simply had to look at the few drawings she did, those she had casually done to pass time, to know that she didnt need to use any effort to win if she wanted to. However, her recent actions were no different from those of an inexperienced rookie.


    It showed just how highly she regarded this competition. If there was nothing in it for her: if she was not going to win the prize despite her endless efforts, wasn''t this too unfair?


    Ji Xiehan looked at the girl whose thoughts were obviously dismantled by what he had just told her. He chose his words carefully, saying, "But if you really want to get into Star Art International, there is another way."


    She didn''t, but Cheng Yu did, and it was just as important. She looked up at him with newly found hope. "There is?"


    "Yes. I just mentioned that Feng Ji International has a great business relationship with Star Art International, right? Well, those guys are usually too difficult to talk to but I can recommend your work to them. If they are pleased by your abilities, they will surely want to poach you. You don''t have to worry about getting rejected because you are from B City University - a great rival of Hun He. I will initially show them the paintings and only reveal their artist when they are too dazzled to change their minds. There is no one who would turn down a great talent, is there?"


    His words surprised Li Lanni, and she couldn''t help revealing a tiny smile for a second.


    She had expected him to say that he would use his connections to get her into Star Art International.


    While that was a good option too, it would be an insult to Cheng Yu''s breathtaking talent.


    But he had worded it very nicely, only offering to expose the paintings to them and leaving the rest to the abilities of the artist.


    Seeing her sweet smile, his breath was stolen, his heart beat faster and he remained in a daze for a few seconds.


    She had done nothing but smile. How was she able to captivate his heart even without intending to? Why was his heart so useless?!


    The girl knew that this might be a perfect fall back plan in case Cheng Yu really lost but she didn''t clarify the real situation, letting him continue thinking that she was the one who needed this opportunity.


    She raised an eyebrow at the man''s silly look and thought in her heart, ''there is no such thing as a free lunch, though.'' This was Ji Xiehan they were talking about. Rumor had it that he wouldn''t do anything that would make him lose out. Perhaps he wanted profit?


    Instead of blindly guessing, she asked, "What do you want in return?"


    "What?" Ji Xiehan was lost in thought and didn''t understand her question when he heard her.


    "I don''t believe you would help me without wanting something in return. We are not close enough for that. So you can be frank with me. What is it you want in return?"


    Ji Xiehan''s gaze grew cold and he almost couldn''t stop himself from losing control. This girl! In her mind, was he only out to take advantage of her?


    Taking a sip of the wine beside him to calm his nerves, he looked at her with the same gentle gaze from before. "I want nothing in return. Do you believe me?"


    ''I will not believe that for a second'' was written all over her face and he sighed. "I''m only looking out for you because of Aunty Li. I don''t have any other intention."


    Li Lanni only believed a tenth of that statement but she didn''t dwell on it. She let out an ''oh well'' and said, "Speaking of which, your relationship with my mom seems quite good. Do you guys know each other so well?"


    Ji Xiehan coughed from the way she sounded. Girl, don''t look at me so accusingly. It''s not like I''m trying to steal anything from her¡­


    Though he had to admit that he was trying to steal her daughter...


    "Ahem¡­ we do know each other from the past. When I was young, Aunty Li and my mother were¡­ uhm¡­ they knew each other. And she took care of me quite a number of times when my parents were too busy. "


    Li Lanni didn''t ask any more. "I see. I should get going now. My mom will be worried sick if I stay out for too long," she said.


    "I''ll drop you home."


    "You don''t need to. I''ll have my chauffeur pick me up."


    "Aunty Li will definitely ask about where you were and who you met."


    "Fine."


    Li Lanni couldn''t say he was wrong. Her mother probably thought of her as some newly hatched chick that couldn''t protect itself. If the Ji Xiehan that he trusted so much brought her daughter home, she would be more at ease and Li Lanni would manage to skip the earful of interrogation.


    On their way out, Li Lanni had a sudden thought and glared at the man beside her. This was all?!!

 Chapter 55 - Were You Bullied?

    She had expected to get actual news out of their meeting!


    But nevermind. It was good enough that she had found out that there was a huge problem between the siblings.


    Although she didn''t get her hands on any evidence and it was such a private matter, she could at least use it to threaten Ji Feifei if that crazy girl came looking for her again.


    ___


    As soon as Qiao Luna left the restaurant, she went back to Feng Ji International.


    Alas, she couldn''t keep her mind off Li Lanni.


    Such a nice beautiful girl, she felt guilty for probing into her private life.


    Never mind. It was not all up to her. She had been put up to this. Nothing to be guilty about, really.


    She knocked on the door to the CEO''s office and went in. "CEO Ji, Master Ji signed the files."


    The middle aged man signalled for her to place them on the desk.


    Qiao Luna retreated immediately after delivering them. "CEO Ji, I''ll make my move then."


    "Wait." The man suddenly said.


    "Are there any other orders, CEO Ji?"


    "You got what I told you earlier, didn''t you?"


    Qiao Luna maintained her calm. "Yes."


    "I want results as soon as possible. I will give you one month."


    Qiao Luna felt the task was impossible and wanted to protest but she sighed in the end. "Understood."


    When she finally left the office, her brain felt like it had been fried.


    Qiao Luna, you idiot... what did you agree to?


    The CEO had actually tasked her to seduce Master Ji.


    Crazy, right?


    It wasn''t sure what the old man was trying to achieve by sending a woman to his own son. How she wished she had the guts to tell him that his son, Ji Xiehan, already had a girl he was into. if he was worried about not having a daughter-in-law in future, his worries were unfounded.


    She just didn''t dare to.


    Besides, she had been given such a task as seducing Ji Xiehan. Why not use this opportunity nicely?


    ___


    The time flew by very past and in the blink of an eye, it was the first day of examinations.


    Li Yuming personally drove Li Lanni to school, repeatedly reminding her that the exam was just a formality and she didn''t have to do it if she found the questions too difficult.


    She was afraid her daughter would be disheartened.


    Only after speaking her mouth dry did she finally let her out of the car.


    The first thing Li Lanni saw when she arrived in school was a small group of students talking and giggling. In the middle of the circle, a girl hung her head low. It was obvious that she was being bullied.


    That student was quite eye catching. It was not her face that attracted attention but her hair. It looked quite odd¡­


    Upon closer inspection, the student was Cheng Yu!


    Li Lanni was as surprised as the other students.


    The girl''s long hair had been styled in waves today, with insanely long bangs that covered more than half her face. The bangs at the front were shorter, while the ones at her sides covered her cheeks fully. While there might be people who would look nice with such a hairstyle, Cheng Yu''s face was small so she looked strange.


    Although Cheng Yu was not the type to be extravagant in her style and always chose to wear the university uniform, she was always neat and beautiful. Such a fail in style was not expected.


    As she approached, a girl with glasses sneered. "What kind of style is that? Is she trying to make us fail the exam by scaring us so early in the morning? Such an eyesore, I''m almost blinded by her!"


    Li Lanni scowled. "That''s mean."


    She would be unhappy even if the person being ridiculed was someone else, but the fact that it was Cheng Yu made her angrier. Although she couldn''t figure out much about Cheng Yu, she had observed that the girl actually had a kind personality and wouldn''t wrong anyone brainlessly.


    "Why are you speaking up for her? Isn''t she just an ugly little b*tch?" The girl with glasses was unhappy about being berated.


    Li Lanni didn''t want to be on bad terms with anyone but this was too much. She spoke in a rather arrogant tone, "You see¡­ Cheng Yu has always been beautiful. It''s only today that her hairstyle is a bit off¡­ but what about you? No matter how good your hairstyle is, you will not be beautiful. Jealousy is a disease."


    Li Lanni ignored the small crowd that had riled up by her words to the point of starting to curse and shout at her She went to Cheng Yu and gave her a hug. "Are you ready to ace those exams?"


    Cheng Yu looked up at Li Lanni, her hair almost covering her eyes. While Li Lanni didn''t find it a particular eyesore, she didn''t find it pretty either.


    "Lanni, do I look too awful?"


    Li Lanni knew that lying to her would only make her feel worse so she sighed. "What happened?"


    Cheng Yu remained silent.


    "Did someone hit you?"


    Cheng Yu didn''t say a word and Li Lanni knew she had guessed right. Many people would want to hide the fact that they had been hit and covering one''s face with hair was one of the most common methods. From her hairstyle, it was likely a slap.


    But wasn''t she uncomfortable?


    Fine. This was the only way to cover up completely. She would have used a scarf if it was winter but it was the scorching summer.


    Li Lanni did not probe further and went to the art building, dragging Cheng Yu with her.


    "I will definitely win the art competition!" Cheng Yu suddenly declared.


    Li Lanni turned to look at her, taking in the hurt in her eyes. It was a mixture of determination and feeling wronged. "Were you bullied¡­ did you have a disagreement with your parents?"


    As soon as her words fell, the tears that Cheng Yu had been holding back suddenly came bursting out.

 Chapter 56 - Why Is She Here?

    Li Lanni was taken aback and suddenly didn''t know what to do. She had made her cry...


    Luckily Cheng Yu only cried for a shirt while before she used the back of her fists to wipe her tears. She sniffled and said, "It''s nothing worth worrying about, actually."


    Li Lanni knew it was more than ''nothing worth worrying about''. "If you don''t let it out, it might affect your performance later."


    Cheng Yu frowned, gently biting her own lip before saying, "My parents don''t want me to take part in anything related to art. It''s even worse that I want to join the art competition this time... my mom is especially against it so we had an argument."


    Li Lanni watched the girl''s face, thinking that it was probably much worse than Cheng Yu made it sound. "Your relationship with your mother is not that good?"


    Cheng Yu widened her eyes, ''how did you know'' written all over her dumbfounded face. Did this Lanni possess some magical abilities to read minds?


    Li Lanni laughed at her expression. "It wasn''t that hard to figure."


    Actually, it was pretty obvious.


    According to the rumors circulating the school, Cheng Yu''s family was quite wealthy. However, you couldn''t say the same about her.


    The girl would always be careful when to spend money and she would always buy things that were less costly even if what she truly wanted was the more luxurious option.


    Not only that, while trying to investigate Cheng Yu for the sake of knowing if she had any ill intentions, Li Lanni had accidentally found out that Cheng Yu had a part time job.


    At first she thought it was because the girl felt too idle and wanted to spend her time doing something productive but then she later found out that the girl indeed needed money for her own upkeep. She would stay in the university hostels most of the time too, although her home was quite nearby.  Li Lanni couldn''t help feeling curious about it but she didn''t investigate further.


    However, putting that together with the extremely expensive bracelet she had wanted to buy her mother for her birthday, it didn''t feel right.


    Did a rich woman''s daughter need to work so hard to get a birthday present? Even if she wanted to get it using her own abilities, logically she would consider how befitting the present was, not how expensive it was!


    Putting all that aside, Cheng Yu would sometimes talk about her younger brother and she would look happy to do so. As for her parents, this was the second time she was mentioning them and she didn''t look happy the first time either.


    Of course, Li Lanni couldn''t say something that would make her feel worse. she coughed and answered, "You said so just now."


    Cheng Yu frowned then realized that she had indeed mentioned their argument. Was she so slow-brained today?


    "Let''s get into class. Any more chatting and we will be late." Cheng Yu nudged.


    The first exam they had today was for art. The girls walked into their classroom.


    Actually, there was still some minutes before the exam begun. Cheng Yu simply wanted to stop talking about her parents.


    The girls took seats close to each other.


    The first exam was art so Li Lanni was not in the least nervous. She had drawn very few times since she woke up but she knew that she was fairly good at it. Even if she wasn''t the best, she was confident that she wouldn''t completely fail.


    In fact, she was not nervous about her minors either. She had been reading a lot. She seemed to remember that she had made a wager about topping the exams this time in the heat of the moment a few weeks ago.


    However, the students had long forgotten about it. It didn''t matter anymore.


    "I suddenly remember something!" A girl screeched.


    The other students shot her looks of displeasure. What was she being so noisy for?


    At this moment, the commotion grew rather intense in just a few seconds. Everyone turned to look towards the back entrance to the classroom.


    Li Lanni turned to see a pair of girls boldly walk in tittering in their skyscraper heels.


    The girl on the left was Ji Feifei and on the right, a beauty with long, red hair that waved it''s way to her waist. She was wearing a very short tight skirt and a silk top, looking very eye catching.


    It was not compulsory to wear the university uniform in B City University. However, it was designed to be very unique and beautiful so most students preferred to wear it.


    However, there were some who probably didn''t have such items in their closets. One of them was the girl beside Ji Feifei.


    "Ruby.... Ruby Chan..." Li Lanni was just about to ask who that was when she heard a mumble beside her.


    She turned to look at Cheng Yu, whose face had turned pale. "Who is she?"


    She didn''t need Cheng Yu to answer that.


    The students had all fallen into discussion.


    "The exam this time is very important. Even Ruby came..."


    "What''s so strange? Although Ruby doesn''t ever come to class, she still has to do her exams, alright? If not, her family might get angry."


    "Get angry? Please... This is Ruby Chan we are talking about. Her father dotes on her like a treasure. Even if she were to officially leave school, he probably wouldn''t even raise his voice at her."


    Li Lanni understood. So it was just some pampered princess who finally knew her way to school. But what was up with Cheng Yu''s expression?


    "You know each other personally?"


    Cheng Yu looked even worse as she spat out. "It''s a long story."


    "What is Ji Feifei doing here anyway? Wasnt she expelled?" A girl finally realized that Ji Feifei was here too.


    Ji Feifei narrowed her eyes in anger. She had come together with Ruby. Ruby had gained all their attention the instant she walked in but they are only noticing her now?


    She ignored them and walked towards the lockers installed at the side wall. After taking all she had to take from her locker, she locked gazes with Ruby Chan and left.


    "Oh... so she was only here to take her things. Makes sense." The curious students finally understood.


    Li Lanni was relieved. She didn''t want to imagine having to breath the same air as that pretentious girl anymore. She was scared she might do something that wouldn''t look good on her....

 Chapter 57 - Fond Of Digging Her Own Graves

    "I suddenly remembered what Li Lanni said before. Something about acing the exam... I can''t wait to see the results!" The girl who had screeched earlier was at it again.


    Li Lanni cringed when she heard that statement. Really now, who says such a thing right before an exam?


    She was too naive to have thought that they had forgotten all about it.


    As expected, it drew all the attention right back to her. She really wanted to drop dead. Was she so fond of digging her own graves?


    The exam started soon. It was painting and they were all done in a short while. Because it was a test of speed and creativity, they were only given 100 minutes.


    At the end of it, some of them had to hand in incomplete paintings.


    Luckily, Li Lanni had managed to complete hers although it was not as perfect as she wanted.


    Cheng Yu, on the other hand, didn''t feel the pressure at all. Painting was her forte and she could do it even if she was given 50 minutes, much more 100.


    "Do you want to grab a snack and keep your mind off the exam?" Cheng Yu offered as she tugged at Li Lanni''s arm.


    "Sure. Let''s..."


    The piercing sound of high heels against the floor interrupted, followed by a waft of sweet perfume scent as a figure slotted itself beside Li Lanni and perfectly sandwiched her between herself and Cheng Yu.


    Cheng Yu was instantly displeased while Li Lanni was curious, taking a glance at the red-haired girl.


    "Hello, it''s been long." The girl said in a sweet voice that Li Lanni somehow found familiar.


    She didn''t remember the girl, though, so she simply nodded politely.


    The red haired girl rested her chin in her hand, sneaking a glance at the riled up Cheng Yu and said to Li Lanni, "I heard a dessert shop opened near the school. Care to grab a bite?"


    Li Lanni felt strange. This girl obviously walked in with Ji Feifei earlier. Why was she trying to get close to her now? Was she using the same old and extremely worn out trick of pretending to be a friend to hide malice? Decisively, she rejected, "My friend and I are going out together."


    Ruby didn''t look fazed. "We can all go together. Right, Xiao Yu?"


    Cheng Yu''s face darkened. For a reason, Li Lanni felt that these two were like fire and ice. Hence she politely rejected Ruby once again, "We may have some... um, private matters to talk about."


    This time, the girl didn''t insist. She mumbled something about it being Li Lanni''s loss before flipping a wave of her hair to her back and walking off.


    "Oh, Ruby, you look so gorgeous today!"


    "Ruby is always beautiful, every other day. It''s as expected of the beauty queen." Some girls started fawning over Ruby as soon as she stood to leave. Even the guys wanted to speak to her. They just didn''t dare to.


    Their attitude made Li Lanni wonder why exactly she had gone over to her. Was she reakky seeking trouble on Ji Feifei''s behalf?


    "Who exactly is she?" The curiosity was killing Li Lanni.


    "The campus belle." Cheng Yu said expressionlessly. "In reality, I think you are way more beautiful than her but she is more popular so she became the campus belle."


    "What''s up with the two of you?" She asked Cheng Yu, ignoring the ''beauty queen'' rant.


    Cheng Yu didn''t want to hide anything from Li Lanni even though she was unhappy so she said, "We were friends in middle school and high school. Actually, we were all friends: You, Ruby, Ji Feifei and I."


    Li Lanni raised her eyebrow. She was friends with Ruby? No wonder she found her familiar.


    Cheng Yu continued, "In high school, you and Ji Feifei became roommates and your friendship grew stronger. For the same reason, Ruby and I became best friends.


    But I don''t know how or why it happened... it wasn''t long before the three of you started shutting me out."


    Li Lanni: "..." did she need to ask? It had to be thanks to Ji Feifei''s manipulation. Her expression was hard to read. Just how long exactly  had that girl been a schemer? Since she was in her mother''s womb?


    "Ruby and I remained lukewarm for a while since we were roommates. But then... I unexpectedly stumbled upon something shocking about Ruby.... It''s a secret she doesn''t know herself. But when I told her about it, well, you can imagine what happened."


    From her tone, Ruby must have thought she was lying. It seemed like they also fought because of this reason....


    Since she had mentioned that it was a secret, Li Lanni didn''t want to probe further. She was actually more interested in something else...


    "I think Ji Feifei let Ruby take over her role in bullying you. They are each other''s shadow nowadays after all." Cheng Yu said, reading Li Lanni''s mind.


    At this moment, Cheng Yu recieved a new text message.


    She was so shocked that she almost broke her phone by dropping it!


    Li Lanni noticed her hange in expression. "Hey, do you still want to grab a snack or what? Also, what''s with that face? You look like you have seen a ghost!"


    Cheng Yu trembled, expressing that she would rather see a ghost.


    On the screen on her phone lay the following content.


    [V: Something''s wrong with Lanni''s car! Don''t let her take it home.]


    Tch. She knew it! Ji Feifei wouldn''t give up so easily. She couldn''t use Li Lanni anymore... it was not surprising that she was trying to kill her.


    They would have a music exam in less than an hour. After that, they wouldn''t have any more exams today.


    The sticky part was that Li Lanni didn''t like lingering in school unless she really had something to do but since she had started having home-schooling lessons after school, she would definitely rush home. There was not enough time to stop her...


    Wait, how would she even stop her? Tell her that she had recieved a warning message from a stalker?!

 Chapter 58 - Are You Alright?

    Li Lanni was still talking when she noticed Cheng Yu''s changed expression. She was glaring daggers at a certain direction. When she followed her line of sight, Cheng Yu was in fact glaring at Ruby Chan...


    "Do you really hate her that much?" Li Lanni laughed.


    "I don''t just hate her. I want to kill her." Cheng Yu fumed. Ji Feifei was gone already. The only person who could mess up with Li Lanni''s car had to be Ruby or her minions. She wasn''t lacking in deadset followers. After all, many people wanted to curry favor with her.


    Her main concern right now was to find an excuse to make Li Lanni stay away from that car.


    Though she wondered, was V in their school right now? If not, now did they know that Li Lanni''s car had been tempered with?


    She thought about something else and her heart raced. She could distract Lanni, but what about Li Yuming? She had seen her drop Li Lanni off this morning. Would she be safe?


    That was Li Lanni''s mother. Of course Cheng Yu would care.


    In attempt to know her whereabouts, she looked at Li Lanni and asked, "Will your mother pick you up after the exam?"


    "I don''t think she will. She might be busy later."


    Cheng Yu was relieved but then she wondered, if that was the case, how did V come to that scary conclusion?


    A tasteless snack and a music exam later, Cheng Yu was drenched in her own fear.


    As soon as Li Lanni came out of the music building, she grabbed her arm. "Lanni, how about we take the subway today?"


    If Li Lanni had not realized anything wrong earlier, she would be a fool if she didn''t realise it now. Cheng Yu was acting out of the ordinary.


    With her multiplied sensitivity lately, she instinctively felt that whatever was up must be quite serious to make Cheng Yu so worked up.


    After thinking carefully, she raised her eyebrow. Was someone perhaps trying to hurt her?


    Maybe... someone had bribed Cheng Yu to lead her to a dangerous place and use the opportunity to attack?


    She shook her head. Her trust towards Cheng Yu may be very low, but she definitely knew that the girl could not bring herself to hurt a fly.


    The other likely situation could only be that someone was trying to hurt her, Cheng Yu found out and was trying to protect her. Well, that sounded far-fetched too. What were the odds of such a thing even happening?


    As she contemplated whether to follow Cheng Yu and take the subway or not, a figure rushed out from the Literature building and hugged Li Lanni''s arm. "There you are. It''s been quite long since we last shared a meal. How about we go to my home for dinner? Xiao Yu can come with us too..."


    Li Lanni instinctively pulled her arm away. Girl, I don''t know you. Aren''t you being overly close?


    The girl didn''t mind being pushed away and continued with her persuasion. "If you don''t like the food made by the chefs in my home, we can all go somewhere else. Later, I will drop you home."


    ''Just great'' Li Lanni thought. It was already tiring enough to keep off the guys that kept fawning over her when she didn''t remember who they were. Did she have to start dealing with girls too?


    "Hey, Lanni! Lanni, are you not happy to see me?" The red haired girl plastered herself closer to Li Lanni. Any closer and one would start to have strange thoughts.


    Cheng Yu was annoyed now. "Lanni already said she has plans."


    "She didn''t say that!"


    "No difference. I did."


    Ruby Chan rolled her eyes. She was probably the kind of pampered princess who felt that everything must go her way. After glaring at Cheng Yu for a while, she let out a long sigh. "Fine. You guys take the subway. Lanni, see you tomorrow!"


    Seeing the girl saunter away, Li Lanni was helpless. "Honestly, this trick of pretending to be close just to dole out a stab in the back is too outdated. Doesn''t she think?"


    Cheng Yu expressed that she had nothing to say.


    As they talked, a bodyguard went up to them, looking like he didn''t have a choice. "Miss, Master wants you to go home right away."


    Cheng Yu''s heart skipped a beat. No way...


    Li Lanni had made a choice. "I''ll take the subway with my friend. Don''t worry about me: I''ll give my mother a call."


    The bodyguard was a bit insistent, making Li Lanni narrow her eyes. Something was really wrong!


    ...


    In her room, Li Lanni flopped onto the bed. Was it so exhausting to try to be alive?


    The anonymous message sender was at it again.. [Lanni, are you alright? Sorry, my carelessness almost let you get hurt again.]

 Chapter 59 - Give Up Already

    Li Lanni''s eyes narrowed.


    Again?!?!


    A chill ran down her back. Just who was this person? Wasn''t he tired of messing with her yet?


    If this was some sort of prank, It was not funny at all!


    The worst part was that the messages would always disappear soon after she read them.


    She tossed her phone aside and closed her eyes. Whatever, stalker! Stalk all you want. I''m not afraid of you! Really, I''m not.


    Not long after, Li Yuming came into her room. She skimmed her all over. "Honey, are you alright? Luckily you took the subway. I don''t know what I would have done if anything really happened to you!"


    Li Yuming looked worried, her hands were still trembling.


    Li Lanni sat up in confusion. "What happened?"


    "Those bastards! I have treated them very well for many years. How dare they collude with someone to hurt you? If that lad from the Ji family didn''t warn me, I would never have known."


    Li Lanni was shocked. So there was really something wrong with that bodyguard! Luckily she had followed Cheng Yu. She didn''t want to ask what had happened to the bodyguard in the end.


    "Wait, wait... how is this related to that pervert?!"


    Li Yuming held her daughter''s hands and had a meaningful glance. "Will you stop calling him a pervert already? He has already proved that not only does he not want to harm you, he wants to protect you too. Right. I called him back for dinner. Freshen up and come down, okay?"


    Li Lanni was still lost in thought. Cheng Yu found out that something was wrong and so did Ji Xiehan. Heh, Ji Feifei wasn''t so careful this time, was she?


    But after thinking about it, Li Lanni didn''t find it too surprising. He was Ji Feifei''s brother after all. She just couldn''t understand why the hell Ji Feifei''s brother would go against her. Weren''t they brother and sister and hence supportive of each other?


    Or could he be using this incident to gain her and her mother''s trust?


    Thinking about it, such a thing was possible.


    In real sense, Ji Xiehan only found out what was happening because he had asked Qiao Luna to report Ji Feifei''s every move.


    Between warning Li Lanni who was wary of him  to the point of hatred and Li Yuming who liked and trusted him, surely even an idiot would know what to do.


    ...


    At the dining table, Ji Xiehan sat opposite Li Yuming.


    "Xiao Han, how is your mother? Is she doing alright?" Li Yuming asked to strike up a conversation.


    "She''s alright."


    "That''s good, that''s good... I heard bits about what happened to Feifei. That girl, you must not misunderstand her. I have watched Feifei grow up and I know she''s not that kind of person. As her brother, you should help her bring the truth to light."


    Ji Xiehan nodded but remained silent. ''My dear aunty, I''m afraid the truth is right before you.'' He thought.


    Li Yuming saw that Ji Xiehan wasn''t very happy so she stopped talking after some little questions.


    Amid their chatter, soft footsteps resounded as Li Lanni walked in.


    She walked over and sat beside her mother, only distantly greeting the man on the other side.


    Li Yuming sighed. Her daughter was still too paranoid.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them, Li Lanni was currently making another connection in her mind.


    She had not realized this before but every time that weird stalker sent a message or letter, she would meet Ji Xiehan!


    Her gaze narrowed as she observed the man opposite her. Could he be related to that stalker?


    Or perhaps he was the stalker himself?


    Wait. He was the young master of the Ji Family. He shouldn''t stoop that low, right?


    But then again, he was a pervert. That was definitely one of the things perverts were capable of doing.


    Ji Xiehan felt uncomfortable under the girl''s piercing gaze. What had she misunderstood this time?


    Damn it. It was hard enough to simply have a meal with one''s future mother-in-law!


    ___


    Finally, it was the day of the art competition. Li Lanni''s mouth twitched when she saw the new notice in the art class forum. The rules for that damned competition had actually changed.


    All the previous years, the judges would decide on the winner at the end of the competition.


    This year, however, the organizers had added new rules.


    At the end of the competition, the students from all the participating schools would be allowed to vote for three hours.


    Not only that, the paintings would be submitted anonymously. This way, the students would vote for the painting they genuinely liked.


    "Why are you still here? We will be late if we don''t go to Hall of Legends right away."


    Li Lanni turned back to see an extremely anxious and nervous Cheng Yu. Her ''special'' hairstyle was still on, maybe the palm print on her face was yet to fade.


    "You..."


    "Talk later! Let''s go!" She practically dragged Li Lanni away.


    After being persuaded by Cheng Yu for days, she had decided to join the contest for fun.


    However, her arrival was not a laughing matter to other students.


    "What did you say?! Li Lanni is here too?!!"


    "Perhaps you''re mistaken?"


    They looked like they had just lost their souls.


    "I really wish I was but absolutely not!" The short haired girl was on the verge of tears.


    "Urgh... I was just starting to hope that I''d win." A disappointed lad complained.


    Ah Chen found them comical. "Forget it already. You should have aimed for second place from the start. What makes any of you think you would beat Li Yuming''s daughter in painting? Even those punks from Hun He Art School can''t achieve such a feat, okay?"


    This is the first thing Li Lanni heard when she arrived with Cheng Yu.


    She had an interesting expression. "Senior Ah Chen, what do you mean by that? What''s my mother got to do with this?"


    Everyone looked at Li Lanni like she was an idiot.


    Ah Chen coughed to explain. "Isn''t it obvious? You''re the legend''s daughter. Of course you''re a legend."


    Li Lanni laughed at their exaggerated attitude. "Don''t exaggerate."


    Ah Chen''s expression changed. He instantly transformed into a love-struck fool. "Eh? Goddess, I was lost in thought just now and didn''t realize it''s you! Do you think we could..."


    Li Lanni shot him a disdainful glare.. "Ah Chen, not now."

 Chapter 60 - Perhaps I Should Help You Take It Off?

    Ah Chen looked heartbroken, but he could only hold it in. Everyone who knew Li Lanni months ago said that she had changed. She had become much less friendly, and he could understand why...


    He just needed to give her some time. Perhaps Lanni would soon be moved by his sincerity and fall in love with him.


    But unfortunately, even in his dreams, he might not have imagined that the number of suitors wooing Lianni was beyond his imaginations. Some of them were even willing to go out of their way to protect her.


    Soon after that brief interlude, the competition began.


    Li Lanni had initially thought that the new rules were useless because people could buy votes if they wanted to.


    However, when they reached the venue, she realized that her worries were groundless.  The contestants were asked to randomly pick a tiny ball from the pile in a jar at the entrance. Just before the start of the competition, the contestants were allowed to open the ball. Each ball had a number in them, which they had to use to label their paintings. Anyone who ignored the rule and wrote their name would be disqualified immediately. The seating arrangement also made it impossible for plagiarism to happen.


    Li Lanni was impressed. She then recalled what that pervert had mentioned about Star Art International deciding on the winner even before the competition started. But since the rules were this strict and the venue was even in B City university, there wouldn''t be a loophole. Right?


    A soft smile escaped her lips. If the contest was this fair, Cheng Yu might really win. Heavens knew how determined that girl was!


    Her sweet smile was infectious, and soon, everyone near her smiled too.


    Yet, precisely at that moment, a sudden arrogant voice interrupted her musings


    "Move it! Don''t block the way!" A tall young man arrogantly walked in, an entourage of girls following behind him. All of them behaved arrogantly with their noses in the air.


    Cheng Yu''s face sank as she watched the entourage take their seats, and unconsciously the words slipped from her mouth, "Hun He Art School."


    "Hun He?" Li Lanni looked at her dazed expression.


    "The man at the front is the Legend of Hun He."


    Li Lanni was caught between laughter and tears. "Is he that good?" Just how good was he to make Cheng Yu have that kind of expression?


    Cheng Yu looked like she had just given up on the whole contest. "You haven''t heard of him yet? Legend has it that he came from a lineage of several art grandmasters."


    Li Lanni was still wondering if Cheng Yu was exaggerating when a petite girl came out of nowhere and joined their conversation. "Are you talking about Cedric? I thought those were just rumors."


    Cheng Yu didn''t mind the newcomer and enlightened both of them.  The more she spoke, the more excited she became "They are not fake. I have done a lot of research about all art grandmasters, and he is indeed a descendant of the Great Master Qin."


    "Who is that?" Li Lanni and the petite girl asked in unison.


    "Story for another day. Legend has it that Cedric was terrifyingly talented in painting since he was just a toddler. It''s just that he wasn''t interested in art. But in recent years, something has happened, and Cedric suddenly got a surge of inspiration. He began painting like crazy, breaking countless records, winning contests after contest, and creating masterpieces, making various art admirers fall in love with them. One of his paintings, The Cry, was auctioned in America for an insane price of 500 million dollars!


    Soon after that, several companies wanted to scout him, but be rejected all of them and preferred to act solo. Apparently, none of the terms they offered interested him.


    It was only recently that he found something that caught his eye, so he went to Hun He Art School. I heard they are now grooming him to be a second Li Yuming."


    When Cheng Yu was done, Li Lanni and the petite girl were speechless.


    Sis, are you sure you''re not describing some hero from a television drama?


    She made him sound so grand and mysterious!


    Also... Li Lanni raised an eyebrow.... why was her mother being dragged into this topic again?


    Nevermind, she will just let it be. As they were chatting, they realized it was already time for the start of the competition. The three of them rushed to take their seats.


    Of course, they earned scoffs from the students from Hun He Art School in passing. It was as though they were mocking all the other contestants for wasting their time participating in a competition they were bound to lose.


    Li Lanni shot a glance right back at them, murmuring in her heart, "Wait until my Cheng Yu kicks your butt. Let''s see if you will still be this arrogant."


    In a moment, the organizers explained the requirements and they officially started.


    ____


    Meanwhile, in Feng Ji International, Ji Xiehan''s office.


    "Boss, I''ve already taken care of the task." Qiao Luna reported.


    "Mm." Ji Xiehan was busy typing in his laptop, and he casually let her leave.


    Moments later, however, he felt something wasn''t right. He lifted his head to look at the woman still standing in front of him.


    "Boss..."


    Qiao Luna had her head down, and when she lifted it, her eyes were blazing with a passionate gaze.


    Then she sashayed to him, a step at a time... until she was right in front of him.


    "You..."


    "What are you doing?" Ji Xiehan looked at her sternly. His eyes became cold and stared daggers at her.


    Qiao Luna closed in on him, took a deep breath, and tried to sound as normal as possible. "Boss, we are in the middle of the freaking scorching summer. Don''t you feel too hot wearing your tie?" She inched even closer, successfully removing the distance between them. "Perhaps.... I should help you take it off?"

 Chapter 61 - Fireballs

    "Perhaps... I should help you take it off?" As she said, her hands inched to his neck.


    "Get out!" Ji Xiehan suddenly snarled, startling her.


    She retreated a meter away, cowering in fright.


    But the fright only lasted a second. Qiao Luna had been working for Ji Xiehan for only a few weeks. But this while she had learned to read his mood and understand him.


    If she wasn''t prepared, she wouldn''t have dared to make such a move on him. She dared to so, only because she was completely prepared.


    Alas, she didn''t even have a chance to execute her second move before the man flared up. "Why are you still here? Do you want me to call security?!"


    Qiao Luna maintained her composure and left the office as though she hadn''t been chased out.


    She puffed out a sigh.


    Well, the mission failed.


    But she knew that no matter how enraged he was, he would never fire her... and she precisely knew why he wouldn''t.


    If it wasn''t for this reason, she would have been fired seconds ago.


    So, this was considered half ''mission accomplished,'' right?


    Wait. It was at least 80% mission accomplished.


    ___


    At the same time, in B City University


    The three hours of voting went by very fast.


    In the blink of an eye, there was only one hour left.


    "I''m so nervous." Cheng Yu said with sweaty palms."


    Li Lanni hugged her gently. "You are already so talented. Such a thing as nervousness shouldn''t exist in your dictionary. You should believe in yourself." Of course, Li Lanni didn''t believe in any of those great things they kept saying about Cedric of Hun He Art School. If he was really that great, he wouldn''t have to fight with small fries like them for an opportunity to join Star Art International.


    Even if it was just a gimmick, he would find it below himself.


    Speak of the devil... Cedric''s entourage just happened to overhear their conversation yet again.


    "Tsk." A girl sneered. "They really think they have a chance to win. How naive!"


    "Forget it. They''re not worth our time." Cedric spoke for the first time.


    Surprisingly, his voice was deep and seductive, the kind that could make one''s imagination run wild.


    Paired with his handsome face, it was no wonder so many girls stuck to him.


    Too bad, he was annoying and arrogant. What a waste of good looks! Li Lanni sighed.


    The voting finally concluded. It was finally time to announce the winner.


    The Hall of Legends was filled with students. Even those who were not usually interested in art wanted to know who the winner would be.


    "Please be number 20. Please let the number 20 win!" A student frantically whispered.


    "What''s so good about number 20? Number 46 is the real deal, okay?"


    The two of them broke into soft discussions.


    When a girl  behind them heard them arguing, she almost wanted to go beat up these ignorant students.


    "All you amateurs know nothing. Have you taken a good look at the paintings? If you have even the slightest interest in such things, you would know that number 15 is the best. That roaring dragon is just too lifelike! At first glance, I almost thought it was moving!"


    Both of them were shocked by the stranger''s sudden outburst.  But, when the two students looked at the paintings again, they indeed felt that number 15 seemed too real.


    "Urgh... I voted for 20. Can I take it back?" She really regretted not voting this one. She wanted to vote for this one. But time waits for no one, and it was already time for the host to announce the results


    "Students, it''s time to announce the winner." The host said very excitedly.


    The entire hall fell into a hush. It was so quiet that Chen Yu could almost hear her own heart beating loudly.


    "I would like to request Si Yulin to come on the stage and announce the winner of this contest. Welcome, Vice CEO Si Yulin!"


    A buzz followed.


    Si Yulin? The Vice CEO of Star Art International?


    The winner was so lucky! Not only would they receive such amazing awards, but the awards would also be presented by Si Yulin!


    An elegant woman made her way to the stage. She looked so young and stunning.


    She didn''t waste their time: they were already anxious.


    "In third place, seventeen wonders by number 11." her sweet voice filled the hall.


    As she announced the third winner, the screen behind her displayed the votes. Seventeen wonders had won 300 votes.


    Instantly, everyone waited to see who 11 was.


    Of course, the students from other universities didn''t hope for anything. 11 would definitely be from Hun He Art School, and so would the second and first.


    But in the next moment, they were shocked. The person who stood up was Ah Chen.


    "Ah, ah, ah! It''s our Senior Ah Chen!" A student from B City University screamed in excitement.


    What followed was a wave of cheers.. Li Lanni and Cheng Yu also stood up to congratulate him.

 Chapter 62 - Fireballs 2

    Meanwhile, on the other side, Cedric''s entourage was at it again. "It''s just third place. Do they have to look like they won an Oscar''s?"


    "They''re lousy. Of course, they would be happy about such lousy achievements."


    But was it lousy, really? Even though the reward for the third place wasn''t that impressive, it meant a lot to many people, especially Ah Chen, to whom art was just a minor he was doing to pass the time. In fact, no matter what prize he won, it was inferior to a single word of congratulations from Li Lanni. Why would he mind?


    "Next up, the second place is number 24." The screen displayed number 24''s 301 votes.


    Cedric sneered. Damn it! How could he only get one vote more than Ah Chen''s? That was worse than losing, alright?


    His streak of bad luck was going a little overboard, huh.


    To evade his humiliation, he didn''t stand. He would rather forfeit his award than go up the stage and accept that he just got one more vote than Ah Chen. It was second place anyway, and he didn''t care about anything that wasn''t first.


    Si Yulin looked displeased by Cedric''s rude behavior. But when she saw the winner''s entry, her face lit up.


    "The grand winner is Fireballs by number 15! Congratulations." The screen showed number 15''s 605 votes. The votes actually doubled!! Cedric was infuriated. It was like a slap across his handsome face.


    As the grand winner was announced, the screen also displayed the painting ''Fireball.''


    Instantly, the hall was filled with the gasps of the viewers.


    "Whoa! Too beautiful!! Too lifelike! How can a painting be so beautiful?!"


    "I almost thought I saw that dragon coming at me!"


    "Which grandmaster painted that? Is it the legendary Cedric of Hun He?"


    When Cedric heard this, he almost fainted from anger. What Cedric?!?! That person got double votes than him, okay? In fact, the worst part was that he had to admit that ''Fireballs'' was indeed worthy of being the winner.


    Li Lanni was still absent-minded when the girl beside her saw her number; she excitedly nudged her. "Lanni, it''s your number! Go!"


    "Huh?" Lianni was shocked. She was... the winner?


    Was this a dream of sorts?


    When it sunk in, her first reaction was not to go to the stage, but to glance at Cheng Yu.


    Cheng Yu bit her lip. She knew it!


    She knew she wouldn''t win. She had been so nervous that she couldn''t complete her painting on time and submitted an incomplete entry. She knew that no matter how beautiful it was, no one would like anything that wasn''t complete. Why did she still hope for it?


    "Excuse me; I need to use the restroom." She fled right after saying this.


    Li Lanni glanced at Chen Yu''s fleeing back, then at the stage. After hesitating for a few seconds, she walked to the stage.


    When the audience saw a beautiful girl walking up to the stage and receive the award, they were stunned.


    "It''s a girl?!"


    "Such a bold painting, I expected the artist to be a guy. I even thought it was Cedric from Hun He."


    Ah Chen overheard the chatter and snorted. "Please, how could you even think of comparing Lianni with Cedric. Are you blind? I told you Lanni would surely win." His goddess was the best, okay?


    The competition officially ended after Li Lanni received the contract for the first prize.


    When she was getting down the stage, she was called out by Si Yulin.


    "Hi, Li Lanni. Your painting was so stunning and lifelike. I have no words to describe it. The moment I saw it, I fell in love with it. If you are willing, can you sell it to me? I can fulfill all your demands as long as they are reasonable."  Li Lanni was shocked by Si Yulin''s sudden proposal.  She didn''t think that her painting would attract Si Yulin''s attention to this extent. She was flattered, but she had to reject the offer. It was rare that she could paint so nicely, and she had even won an award for it. Of course, she had to bring it home and show it to her mother.


    "Ms. Si, I am flattered that you have taken a liking to my painting. But I apologize I can''t sell this painting."


    Si Yulin looked disappointed. "You really can''t? Please think about if for a few days?"


    "I''m sorry. I really can''t." Li Lanni was firm.


    Si Yulin was a little unhappy that she couldn''t have the painting, but thinking about how Li Lanni would soon be a trainee at Star Art International, she felt better.


    ...


    Li Lanni couldn''t possibly reject the award on stage since it would be slapping Star Art International in the face.


    So, she waited until it ended and approached one of the organizers.

 Chapter 63 - Dont Waste Time

    "Little girl, do you need something?" The middle-aged man inquired when he saw Li Lanni coming to him.


    "Yes." She chose her words carefully and decided to be straightforward. "Can I forfeit my prize?"


    "What did you say?" The man was first shocked, but then his shock turned into anger. Many people were willing to do anything to go to Star Art International, and that wouldn''t even grant them half a chance. This little girl wanted to give it up just like that?!


    Li Lanni understood why he would be angry. This year''s winner wasn''t from their subsidiary school, Hun He Art School. How could he be happy? Not everyone was like Si Yulin, who didn''t care who the winner was as long as they had the talent.


    But she was still determined. "I''m really sorry to trouble you. My current conditions don''t allow me to do anything aside from going to class. On the other hand, my friend has been working hard to get this chance. She is very talented, much more talented than me. Please take a look at her paintings. You will surely be satisfied."


    The more Li Lanni spoke, the more enraged the man became. In the end, he simply sneered. "Give your chance to the second place if you want to. Otherwise, don''t waste our time. Training lessons begin in one week."


    Li Lanni clenched her lips. She had already expected this reply. It wasn''t easy to give away such a chance.


    But the problem was that she didn''t need it! Although Art was her major, she didn''t truly like it. At least not after losing her memory. She had entered this competition just to accompany Cheng Yu.


    But for Cheng Yu, this was her life. She had even fought with her parents over it, and heavens knew how great she was. Li Lanni couldn''t figure out why she didn''t complete her painting.


    "Lanni?"


    Li Lanni turned to see a walnut-eyed Cheng Yu. She looked down to hide her swollen eyes.


    Previously Cheng Yu fell very disappointed and heartbroken. But when she saw Lianni''s painting, she was shocked and felt in awe. This painting truly deserved first prize.But she didn''t even congratulate Lianni for winning.


    In the next second, she threw her arms around Li Lanni. "Congratulations on winning! Sorry, I lost my cool that time."


    Li Lanni hugged her back. She felt terrible when she saw Chen Yu''s sad face. "Forget about the competition. Just go and complete "Moonlight. I believe in you." Its value would definitely raise leaps and bounds in the future.


    ...


    At the same time, in Feng Ji International.


    An extremely displeased Jiang Xingyu barged into Ji Xiehan''s office.


    "You promised a nice surprise if I changed the rules of the contest. Where''s the surprise?"


    Ji Xiehan shot a look at his best friend, wondering just how on earth this fool managed to be his friend. "Can''t you tell? Star Art International''s trainee this time will be genuinely the best." Wasn''t this a double win?


    "Just this?" Jiang Xingyu was displeased. Who cared about a trainee?


    Ji Xiehan sighed and shook his head, wondering whether it was right to think that this fool might help him protect Li Lanni in Star Art International. He then tilted his laptop to his friend. Several pictures were displayed on the screen.


    "What''s this?" Jiang Xingyu asked curiously.


    "Are your eyes merely ornaments?"


    Jiang Xingyu clutched his broken heart and clicked on the pictures.


    They were all paintings, and he instantly understood that they were entries for today''s competition.


    Ji Xiehan was extremely competent. He had even found out their real owners.


    "Urgh. Hun He is so disappointing. Their level keeps on falling for every passing year. They are not just letting me down but the whole Star Art International and Jiang Corporation.  Just what kind of students do they recruit? They have no talent! I''ll immediately replace the principal."


    They even dared to claim that they were creating the next Li Yuming? Could they even hold a candle to her with these measly paintings? Even Cedric''s abilities had pitifully dropped! He groaned and complained each time he saw a painting from Hun He.


    Actually, they were not all that bad. They were just not as good as those from previous years. The quality was dropping significantly.


    "This "fireballs" is really amazing. The dragon hovering over the earth and breathing fireballs.... such a novel idea and the artist was also able to depict it perfectly. Eh? Li Lanni? It''s from that girl who called you a pervert?" Jiang Xingyu burst into laughter before giving his friend a meaningful look. "No wonder you made me change the rules. I was wondering why you were suddenly interested in Star Art International. It turns out, it''s for your little beauty."


    "Give me back my laptop." Ji Xiehan''s expression darkened.


    "No, no, no, wait!" Jiang Xingyu hugged the laptop and moved away. Knowing Ji Xiehan, he wouldn''t show him these paintings if there was nothing in it for him.


    And indeed, he stopped in his tracks once he saw the fifth painting. "Moonlight 1.0?"


    He looked like he had just seen a ghost.


    His hands trembled as he zoomed the painting to check at a certain inconspicuous spot naturally. There were several words scribbled in Arabic. [Eyes like the moon, soul like the stars but a personality like a sun.]


    He took out his phone and found a picture of a different painting, then compared the hidden words. They were in French, but it was a perfect match! Moreover, the painting on his phone was also called Moonlight!

 Chapter 64 - I Dont Want To Help You. Bite Me!

    This was no coincidence. It had to be the same artist!


    Ji Xiehan watched as Jiang Xingyu''s face turn pale from shock, then red from the excitement. Jiang Xingyu was genuinely excited, "I found her... I finally found her!


    Wait, who painted it? There''s no name on it."


    Ji Xiehan leisurely reclined in his chair and replied languidly, "That''s the interesting part. This is the only painting whose owner I couldn''t find out."


    Actually, he had only looked for those paintings because he wanted to take a glimpse at Li Lanni''s entry. But when he was scrolling through the paintings, he happened to see "Moonlight." He then recalled Jiang Xingyu telling him about Moonlight so many times that his ears almost grew calluses. But to his disappointment, the painting was incomplete, and it''s owner seemed to very mysterious and had vanished into thin air. It piqued his interest. He wondered if both were the same painting.


    Jiang Xingyu''s excitement dimmed when he heard that even Ji Xehan couldn''t find him.


    "Wait. We can ask the other contestants. They will surely know. How about we ask your Lanni?"


    "She wouldn''t know. Even if she knew, she wouldn''t tell." It would be good enough if she didn''t ignore him. Most importantly, he didn''t want his Lanni to be bothered.


    Jiang Xingyu had known his friend for over two decades. He would be a fool if he didn''t understand that expression on his face. "Damn you, Ji Xiehan. You just don''t want to help me, right?"


    Ji Xiehan rolled his pen, completing ignoring him. His expression seemed to say, "I don''t want to help you. What can you do? Bite me if you dare."


    Jiang Xingyu was almost angered to death when he saw his expression. Just let it be. He should have been used to it by now...


    ...


    That night, Li Lanni shyly presented her painting to her mother.


    Li Yuming felt her heart fill with warmth when she saw her daughter''s painting. "You''re giving this to me? Thank you, it''s beautiful." Lianni''s eyes sparkled with joy, which she hadn''t felt even when she was receiving the award on the stage this morning.


    Li Lanni hugged her mother''s arm, and joyfully said, "I also won first place in the competition."


    Li Yuming rubbed her daughter''s hair, not looking surprised. "As expected of my Lanni. I''ll take you out to celebrate tomorrow."


    "Mmh."


    "What''s wrong?" She could tell that Li Lanni had something on her mind.


    "Actually, mom, I don''t want to go to Star Art International."


    Disappointment flashed in Li Yuming''s eyes, but she continued tousling Li Lanni''s hair. "Then let someone else go instead. Many people would die for that opportunity."


    "I wanted to. But they would only let me give it up to the second place. I wanted to let my friend go."


    "It only makes sense. If you were to directly give it to your friend, how would it be fair competition? Besides, I still think it''s your hard work, so you shouldn''t give it up."


    Li Lanni sunk into contemplation. It seemed like she wouldn''t be able to convince her mother to help her this time. She really wanted Cheng Yu to go! Unfortunately, she was just a student, and paired with the fact that she had to be always on the lookout, her abilities were limited.


    ___


    Obviously, not everyone was happy for Li Lanni.


    Elsewhere at the same time, a dozen or so glasses met their end.


    A beautiful glass table, as well as a human-sized jade vase, were not spared either.


    The unfortunate bodyguard, Fang Xu, cowered at some distance away, but he still had to report the matter entirely so he could only grit his teeth and endure the sufferings.


    "What do you mean by Li Lanni won? That b*tch! How can you let her win?"


    Fang Xu was speechless. What was he supposed to do?


    Was he supposed to steal the talent away from Li Lanni to prevent her from winning?


    But this was the path he had chosen. He had been very fortunate to be Ji Xiehan''s assistant, but he stupidly followed Ji Feifei instead.


    It even happened at such a time that he really needed the money and hence couldn''t quit. Was this his karma?


    Ji Feifei was boiling with anger. She threw the remote control over at the cowering bodyguard. "Get out! You nauseate me!"He evaded it narrowly and scurried away in the blink of an eye.


    Ji Feifei was so angry that her head almost exploded.


    It had only been a few days... how did that useless sl*t progress so far?


    She was now going to Star Art International?!


    One had to know that although she was from the Ji family, her father couldn''t manage to get her into Star Art International.


    It was not that he wasn''t able to... he just didn''t want to pull strings for her. She had to work hard for it, and this was supposed to be her once in a lifetime opportunity!


    If she didn''t get expelled, she would have participated in the competition and won it.


    Yet because of that c*nt, she didn''t even have a chance to try out!


    Worst of all, no matter what she tried to do, her plans would somehow fail. It was as though that b*tch had someone protecting her!


    Damn it! If it wasn''t because she was being watched by her father and couldn''t afford to make huge moves, she would personally strangle that b*tch!


    After calming down a little, she took her phone and dialed a number. As soon as the other side lifted the phone, she hurriedly spoke: "Ruby, help me do something."


    The voice on the other side sounded sleepy. "What is it now?"


    Ji Feifei sighed before ranting. "Damn it! Cheng Yu didn''t win that competition."


    "Isn''t that what you wanted?"


    "Yeah... but Li Lanni won! How dare she?"


    In response, Ruby mumbled something incoherently about being tired and not being able to promise any help before she hung up.


    Ji Feifei''s was bristling with anger.

 Chapter 65 - Second Hypnosis

    As expected in the next moment, a clang resounded as Ji Feifei''s phone broke into the television.


    This was getting out of hand! Even Ruby was hanging up on her now.


    Li Lanni, you b*tch! Just wait for it. I will fry you alive.


    Madam Ji was unsurprisingly awoken by the chaos downstairs. Her husband didn''t bother as he was pretty much used to his daughter''s temper.


    "Feifei, what happened this time?" Mrs. Ji rushed out of her room and asked in concern.


    Ji Feifei shed off her anger in an instant and jumped into her mother''s arms, sobbing pitifully. "Mother, I''ve been wronged."


    Madam Ji patted her daughter''s back, her heart breaking for her. "Hush...  Baby, don''t cry. Tell mother who wronged you? Your mother will help you."


    "Who else could it be? It''s a girl from my school. Her name is Lanni. She used all sorts of lies and tarnished my name through and through in school." She sighed, dramatically wiping the tears that had fallen in an instant. " Isn''t it enough that she has ruined my life? I have been expelled already, but she..... why won''t she let me off? I can''t believe I once thought of her as my best friend."


    Mrs. Ji''s heart melted when she saw her daughter crying pitifully. "Mother will definitely help you find justice. But... Lanni? Why does this name sound familiar?" She fell into deep thought, recalling where she had heard this name.


    Ji Feifei sneered in her heart. Forgetful old hag.... Li Lanni is the daughter of Li Yuming...Of course, she sounds familiar. Not to mention, Ji Xiehan was currently pursuing her.


    Heh. Li Lanni, I just created a new enemy for you. Are you grateful?"


    ...


    Unaware of all the drama unfolding in the Ji family, Li Lanni slept peacefully in her room. Even if Li Lanni had known, she would have just shrugged it off.


    That night she had a long dream.


    In her dream, a little girl held a pendant and ran to a man joyfully saying, "Daddy, daddy! Look, mommy gave this to me. Isn''t it beautiful?"


    The man looked at the childish pendant. The picture on it was the cartoon version of the little girl. "Uhm. It''s very pretty."


    "Daddy, help me put it on!" She said, her eyes full of stars from her joy.


    The man took the pendant from her small hands and helped her put it on, then added a compliment. "You look even prettier with it on."


    The scene suddenly changed, and again little girl appeared before the same man, looking shyly at him. "Daddy today, mommy taught me a dance."


    The man chuckled. "Really? Show to daddy."


    And so, the girl broke into animal dance moves. Because she was short and was wearing a bear onesie, she looked extremely cute and earned a cheer from him. "As expected, my Lanni is so talented. Come, daddy will reward you with a big hug." The girl broke into a peal of cheerful laughter and fell into his arms.


    The scene changed yet again, and this time, the girl was bawling her eyes out. "Daddy, don''t go.... please don''t go. Please..."


    She kept crying and shaking her head, even kneeling and begging the man to not go. But all she saw was the back view as the man disappeared into the distance.


    Li Lanni suddenly woke up in a daze. The corners of her eyes were still wet.  The birds were chirping, and the sun was spilling through the curtains. It was a pleasant morning. A gentle wind through the opened window woke her up from a daze. The turmoil in her heart calmed down a bit.


    ''What was that all about?'' She wondered.


    She knew that she would regain some of her memories through dreams, but this somehow didn''t feel right.


    According to what her mother had said, her parents had a divorce soon after she was born. It wouldn''t make any sense for him to leave when she was old enough to know what it meant.


    Also, in one of her memory fragments, when she was eight, the man had appeared before her in the guise of her mother''s friend. But in her dream just now, she should be four or five.


    Urgh... why was it so hard to regain one''s memory and comprehend one''s past?


    Tossing her messy thoughts aside, she freshened up and went downstairs.


    It was the weekend, and she didn''t need to go to school, but her homeschooling tutor would drop by in the afternoon.


    "You look pale. What happened?" Li Yuming was concerned when she saw her daughter listlessly coming down. Li Lianni saw her mother flipping through a fashion magazine.


    She cheered up and hurried over, hugging her mother''s arm. "Nothing mom, when is my next hypnosis session?"


    Li Lanni didn''t realize it, but sadness flickered through Li Yuming''s eyes for a second. She took in a deep breath and tousled her daughter''s hair. "Are you rushed about it?"


    "Of course, I would be rushed. Ever since the last time, I haven''t remembered anything. Even the school environment couldn''t help me. I only keep feeling some familiarity with some people, but I can''t remember who they are."


    Li Yuming kept her eyes glued to the fashion magazine, her other hand flipping it clumsily. "Don''t be anxious about it. Didn''t the Doctor say that being anxious would only make it more difficult?"


    "I''ll try to be calm... but you didn''t answer me, mom."


    "When you are ready, I will book an appointment with the Doctor. Can you get off me now?"


    Li Lanni pretended to be hurt and whimpered, "Am I that annoying?"


    But she was immensely happy. The only way to understand the situation was to regain her memory.


    ...


    Li Yuming was quite effecient, and the appointment was set for the next day.


    Li Lanni was a bundle of nerves and excitement when she entered the Doctor''s office. It was the same Doctor Zhao who had hypnotized her the last time.


    "Hi, Li Lanni! How have you been?" Dr. Zhao asked her cheerfully.


    "Hello, Dr.Zhao! I am fine."


    "Are you anxious? You should know that you need to be calm for hypnosis to work.." Doctor Zhao reminded her patiently when he saw her replying rigidly.

 Chapter 66 - It Is Ah Chen?!

    Li Lanni took in a deep breath. Of course, she was nervous! She had realized that the more she lived, the more she felt she didn''t know herself well enough, and no one actually knew her.


    There were too many things that contradicted what her mother said about her past... And her mother wouldn''t lie to her. Right?


    To put it bluntly, every new fragment of memory proved that she had lied to her mother or hidden things from her, or both. And some of those things... might be more serious than they appeared.


    Why would she do such a thing, when her mother loved her so much...


    She wondered just what shocking memory she was going to recover this time.


    Before this, she would never have thought that one day she would start developing fear towards herself. Was this even normal?


    If she had a choice, she would select to remember only the sweet and honest memories and forget all about the lies.


    But soon, she realized that she had nothing to worry about. At least not for now.


    Because hypnosis failed.


    That was right. Although she was already calm and didn''t have a tough psychological barrier, hypnosis still failed.


    Doctor Zhao was stunned. As one of the most proficient doctors in this field, this kind of failure was a first. He looked at the little girl before him. "What have you been doing since the last hypnosis session?"


    Li Lanni thought for a moment and then replied, "Does going to school count?"


    The middle-aged doctor nodded slowly. There was nothing wrong with going to school. A person''s daily activities shouldn''t actually have any effect on their chances of being hypnotized. It still didn''t make any sense. Unless... the girl herself didn''t really want to recover her memory.


    "For now, continue taking your medication on time and take care of yourself. Don''t overexert your brain."


    Li Lanni nodded and left the office in a daze, leaving Doctor Zhao and her mother in the room to discuss about her condition.


    "What do you mean hypnosis failed? Is my Lanni going to have amnesia forever?" Li Yuming was worried about her daughter.


    "At the moment, nothing is predictable. If she continues...."


    The voices slowly faded away as Li Lanni''s attention was piqued by something else in the distance.


    At the end of the corridor, a thin man was facing her direction. He had a cap on his head and a scarf bundling him up tightly to purposefully cover his face.


    Li Lanni frowned as she looked at him. Did he transmigrate from winter? Seriously, such clothes in summer should be inexplicable torture.


    Then there was that strange feeling... the paranoid alertness she always had when that stalker made his weird moves. Wait! This man was clearly not here to seek medical treatment. And he was looking at her absentmindedly. Was he the stalker?


    When he realized that she was looking at him, he was startled and ran away, practically disappearing in two seconds.


    Li Lanni''s first reaction was to run after him. Alas, she couldn''t even find which direction he ran off to.  But she wasn''t disappointed as she saw that the man had dropped his watch in a hurry.


    Li Lanni took out a handkerchief as a natural reaction and picked it up.


    Her eyebrows scrunched up. She had seen this watch before.


    Not once but many times. Who did it belong to...


    Never mind. It wouldn''t hurt to get someone to check the fingerprints.


    "Lanni, what are you doing? Why did you simply run off?"


    Li Lanni heard her mother''s footsteps, so she quickly wrapped the watch in her handkerchief and kept it away in her purse and looked at her mother pitifully, "Nothing, mom. Are you done? Let''s go home. I''m famished... I want to eat your yummy delicacies."


    Li Yuming smiled at her daughter''s spoiled tone. Fine, she had spoiled her rotten. "Okay, mommy will cook something delicious for you. Let''s go."


    After distracting her mother''s attention successfully, she followed after her mother calmly.


    Never in a million years would Li Yuming know that her spoiled little daughter was only trying to shift her attention.


    ...


    In the end, Li Lanni didn''t need to get a fingerprint check. She remembered the owner of this watch on her own.


    She had seen it several times on someone''s wrist, and that person was Ah Chen!


    She had a deep impression of it because it was a limited edition custom made watch, the one and only of its kind. She had even heard Cheng Yu rumble on about how Ah Chen''s brother owned a jewelry and ornament brand, and that he had especially made that watch for Ah Chen.


    Simply put, there was no way anyone else would have an identical watch. It had to be Ah Chen''s.


    Anger flickered in her eyes. That damned fellow!


    ...


    Lianni sauntered to Art Classroom 1 in annoyance first thing on Monday morning.


    Ah Chen was surprised to see her; it was not every day that Li Lanni would come to meet her on her initiative. He stood excitedly and greeted her, "Goddess, do you need something?"


    Pa!


    A slap echoed in the air.


    Ah Chen was struck dumb by that slap. Half of his face was numb by the slap.


    "Was it fun?!"


    Ah Chen rubbed his cheek. It hurt so much that he almost got angry. "Was what fun? Goddess, I don''t understand."


    Li Lanni threw the watch at him.


    Ah Chen looked surprised, then he smiled. "My watch! How did you find it?" Wait, what did this have to do with the slap?


    He was yet to register this thought when another slap came assaulting the other side of his handsome face. He had been backhanded mercilessly.


    "Come on! Why did you hit me?"


    His feigned ignorance only riled up Li Lanni. "Acting innocent? You perverted stalker! You have the guts to stalk people but you don''t have the balls to admit it? You dare to act innocent?


    Was it fun messing with me? Do you know that because of you, I spent several nights in fear? Do you know how threatened I felt? Do you?"


    ___


    I''m in a good mood so here''s an extra chapter to share the happiness! Enjoy ?

 Chapter 67 - I Dont Know What You Are Talking About

    With each word, Li Lanni''s anger increased. Even she hadn''t known just how significant the stalker''s impact was. Now that she was facing him, she wanted to bite him to his death!


    Ah Chen had been slapped witless. At that moment, he didn''t know whether he should be angry or not.


    No one had ever dared to lay a finger on him. Not even his mother. Yet now a girl dared to slap him not once but twice, and she was even yelling at him! It was unacceptable even if he liked her.


    The few students in the classroom shivered on Li Lanni''s behalf. Did this girl lose her brains along with her memory?


    By slapping Ah Chen, was she tired of living?


    Ah Chen struggled with himself for a few seconds before he swallowed his anger and looked at the raging girl. "Did someone hurt you and frame me by dropping my watch in your vicinity? This kind of thing happens quite often, and I lost my watch two days ago. So I have nothing to do with the stalker you speak of."


    Li Lanni paused her outburst, rapidly calming down.


    Could it be that she had suspected the wrong person?


    But when she recalled Cheng Yu''s incessant rumble, she was upset yet again. " I know that you never take that watch off. Don''t try to slither your way out of it!"


    Ah Chen was boiling with anger. He was being accused of something he knew nothing about. He wouldn''t have bothered if it was someone else. But the one accusing him was his own goddess. He was anxious to clear his name, and if he didn''t handle this matter properly, Li Lanni might be mad at him forever.


    While it was true that he rarely took off his watch, he did take it off two days ago to try on another, but that was precisely the moment he lost it. It was as though it was premeditated.


    He was still thinking whether to offer his help in tracing the real culprit when the girl made an impatient turn. "Ah Chen, I don''t want to have this conversation again. You know what I mean." With that, she sauntered away.


    Ah Chen remained in the same position, standing stiffly.


    That was clearly a threat. Next time, she would directly seek legal measures.


    Bloody hell! For the first time in his life, he was being warned, and he didn''t even do anything.


    The few students who were watching the spectacle hadn''t managed to overhear their conversation, but when they saw a helpless Ah Chen cursing, they were stunned.


    ¡­


    As soon as Li Lanni got to her classroom, Cheng Yu plastered herself onto her. "You hit Senior Ah Chen? What the hell did he do?"


    Li Lanni slumped onto a seat, giving Cheng Yu a sidelong glance. "News does travel fast."


    Cheng Yu sat beside her. "It''s such a piece of explosive news, so it''s not surprising. Anyway, you didn''t answer me."


    "It''s personal." Li Lanni threw three words over and kept silent with ''Don''t ask me anything else'' written all over her face


    Cheng Yu really wanted to know, but she knew better than anyone what Li Lanni''s taboo was. She hated it when people asked about her personal matters, so Cheng Yu could only keep her curiosity in check.


    Even so, she stuck to Li Lanni all day, rattling on like a broken recorder about how Ah Chen was a good match for her and that she should give him a chance.


    At the end of the day, Cheng Yu''s curiosity was finally satiated, and she got an answer to her question. One of the students from Ah Chen''s art class, who had caught a few words from Li Lanni''s accusation this morning, let it slip to the other students. Apparently, Ah Chen had been caught stalking Li Lanni!


    Everyone was displeased about their goddess being bothered by Ah Chen, but they only dared to gossip about it in hushed tones. By the end of the day, Lanni also heard all versions of stories about how Ah Chen stalked her. Although stalking of that level shouldn''t really be considered a crime, Li Lanni felt that her safety was threatened. He wouldn''t get away with it again if he crossed her bottom line.


    Cheng Yu was surprised. Ah Chen stalked Li Lanni and was caught while doing so?


    Really? She will not believe it.  Anyone could be fooled but not her.


    ___


    Today, Cheng Yu wasn''t the only person sticking onto another.


    In Feng Ji International, Jiang Xingyu wouldn''t let Ji Xiehan go.


    Why? It need not be asked. He was here to annoy Ji Xiehan into helping him find that person.


    "Are you an elementary school kid?!" Ji Xiehan was angered by this man''s antics. How could a grown man be so annoying? He was usually reasonable most of the time, but today, he was even more annoying than Lin Jian, that blabbermouth. Ji Xiehan really wanted to know what kind of deeds had he done in his past life to deserve such friends.


    This was the effect Jiang Xingyu wanted. He hopped over in triumph. "If you don''t tell me, I''ll continue to stick onto you like the strongest kind of glue!"


    Successfully pissed, Ji Xiehan tossed a name over. "Cheng Yu."


    Jiang Xingyu was speechless. This bastard knew it all along? What happened to their friendship? "Wait. Cheng Yu? I don''t know this name. I''ve never heard of it."


    Ji Xiehan languidly leaned in his chair and shrugged off, "Your little angel might have lost her memory. Either that or she is intentionally evading you."


    Jiang Xingyu glared at his friend. "She would never avoid me. She doesn''t have a reason to."


    "Whatever. You have a starting point now."


    Jiang Xingyu thanked him profusely then peered at Ji Xiehan cautiously. "You wouldn''t be this kind-hearted."


    "I''m glad your brain started functioning.."  A slight smirk appeared on Ji Xiehan''s face.

 Chapter 68 - Retribution

    "You business-minded profiteer! You won''t even let your own friend off!"


    Ji Xiehan gave a smug look. What could he do? "There''s no such thing as friendship in business."


    "Fine. What do you want?"


    "Two bodyguards. The most professionally trained."


    Jiang Xingyu raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. This is for your little beauty, too? You sure are going all the way for her. But doesn''t the Ji family have bodyguards too? As a matter of fact, there should be at least hundreds of them, and every single one of them is fiercely trained."


    Jiang Xingyu''s insistent rambling was cut short by the knock on the door.


    Ji Xiehan knew who it was, so he let her in.


    Qiao Luna looked like she wanted to report something, but she snuck a glance at Jiang Xingyu.


    "Jiang Corporation is Feng Ji International''s major partner." He said when he saw her proceed with caution upon seeing Jiang Xingyu


    Qiao Luna understood what he meant. He meant that she could say whatever she had to say as Jiang Xingyu was not considered an outsider.


    Compared to other days, Qiao Luna was significantly nervous. She delivered the documents before rattling her report and scurrying out of the office.


    Once she left, Jiang Xingyu raised an eyebrow with a "tut." "Your assistant... is rather strange."


    "I have an old man at home to thank for that." Ji Xiehan couldn''t hide his disappointment.


    Initially, Qiao Luna had been a very competent assistant, and most importantly, she didn''t harbor any kind of thoughts that employees shouldn''t harbor.


    But thanks to his father, she was now no different from those delusional women who tried to find excuses to throw themselves at their bosses.


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t know what to say. Why did Ji Xiehan make it sound like she had seduced him?


    He didn''t know whether he was overthinking it, but that woman''s gaze on Ji Xiehan... was more like she was looking at a foe.


    Not only that, the second before she scurried away, she also snuck a glance at him. He could swear that he felt chills from that gaze. It was as though she was threatening him too.


    And it wasn''t only about that...


    Maybe he was overthinking it?


    ___


    That very night, at a high-end apartment in the capital.


    Cheng Yu rang the doorbell incessantly.


    A long while later, a youth who looked not a day older than twenty opened the door. The youth was clad in homely clothes but had put on dramatically huge sunglasses and a scarf.  The scarf was crooked, obviously it had been worn in a hurry when the doorbell rang.


    "Cheng Yu? Please come in." Cheng Yu''s arrival was unexpected.


    Cheng Yu walked in. Seeing that the guest was only Cheng Yu, V took off the disguise before  hurriedly going about serving her snacks and offering wine, but Cheng Yu wasn''t even in the mood to stay.


    She shot a glare at V. "You have seriously crossed the line this time!"


    V instantly understood what Cheng Yu was talking about. "I''m sorry. I didn''t want things to unfold that way."


    "Sorry? That''s all you have to say?"


    "I didn''t think Lanni would have such a huge reaction either."


    Cheng Yu, who was always cheerful and kind, was very angry this time. "So you really purposefully framed Ah Chen? Are you crazy?"


    Her words sliced into V''s heart. It was hard to explain when no one really understood. "Listen, I wasn''t ready to face Lanni, and I knew she was going to interrogate Ji Xiehan. You know what that would mean... that man has immense connections. Finding me would only be as hard as lifting a pinky finger for him...I had to shift her suspicion to someone else."


    "And you just had to pick Ah Chen..." Cheng Yu was unhappy. "When will you be ready? Haven''t you been getting ready for ages already?"


    "When she trusts me."


    When Cheng Yu heard this, she didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at his words. She had never heard anything so laughable. Since when can someone trust a stalker?


    "Listen, I''m done collaborating with you if there''s any collaboration between us." Cheng Yu stood up as soon as she said her piece. She was extremely furious and annoyed.


    "How can you say that?! Aren''t we friends?" V desperately grabbed her arm.


    "And I will no longer be your friend if you keep this charade up." She shrugged that cold hand off and walked out.


    Even she hadn''t known how Li Lanni truly felt. Now that she thought about it calmly, it wasn''t funny. How could anyone be at peace with some unknown person sending creepy messages?


    V had protected Li Lanni a few times behind the scenes. For example, if V hadn''t appeared at the site of Li Lanni''s accident months ago, Li Lanni would have died. The situation was even more risky for V than it was for Li Lanni. That was the only reason Cheng Yu was willing to trust and help V get close to Li Lanni.


    Though Cheng Yu couldn''t help but wonder. Since V had saved her, this should have been enough to gain Li Lanni''s trust, right? Only an idiot wouldn''t grab such a chance.


    Why would one save someone they obviously cared about but then choose to make it seem like someone else had been the one to dangerously take her out of the car?


    But no matter what the reason was, it couldn''t change the fact that this method of acting creepy was scaring Li Lanni. And it was not clever... it was freaking stupid!


    Seriously, there were many other methods of getting close to people. V just had to choose this... there must be something wrong with the way that person''s brain was wired.


    It was even more stupid that she, who was Li Lanni''s closest friend, had played a role in this. Cheng Yu clutched her heart, guilt sweeping in. She couldn''t continue this for a long time.


    But as she exited the building, she felt as though a pair of eyes was watching her, and when she turned back, she saw no one.


    Her blood ran cold. Was she just being paranoid?


    She turned again, but this time she clearly saw a shadow disappear behind a wall.


    Her first reaction was to run into a busier place.


    She had helped someone stalk Li Lanni. This must be her retribution, right?


    Or could it be that Li Lanni had found her out as the stalker''s accomplice, and now she was returning the favor?


    ....


    That night, Cheng Yu was restless. In the end, she knew this wouldn''t do.. She took out her phone and drafted a long text to V.

 Chapter 69 - Cupcakes For A Broken Heart

    The following day.


    B City University


    Ah Chen had expected the misunderstanding to last at least a few weeks. He knew that even if he explained until his mouth bled, Li Lanni still wouldn''t believe him.


    Hence he had decided to speak with his actions. He would help her track the real stalker and prove his innocence.


    But, the thorniest problem was that he didn''t have a starting point.


    He didn''t expect that just after his first class for the day, Li Lanni would look for him again.


    When he saw the beautiful girl walk towards him, he felt it was over. He must have been framed again.


    Who would do this to him? What kind of animosity did they have against each other?


    Was it Yu Guang?


    That idiot was pursuing Li Lanni too, but lately, he was all over Ruby Chan, so Ah Chen had assumed that he had given up on Li Lanni.


    Perhaps he had not truly given up and was trying to strike his opponents down before approaching the goddess?


    Ah Chen had killed himself in his heart several times for being such a fool and being unguarded by the time Li Lanni reached before him.


    "Senior Ah Chen, hello." Li Lanni greeted him politely.


    Ah Chen was more shocked than excited. Did she just greet him?


    It was not that Li Lanni didn''t have a sense of basic etiquette, she just didn''t ever spare him a glance much less say hello. His ears flushed scarlet. "H-hello."


    Li Lanni took out a small box from her bag and stuck it out to him. "I''m sorry, I misunderstood you yesterday. These are cupcakes I baked to apologize. Please accept my apology." She sincerely apologized to him with a soft smile on her face.


    That smile struck Ah Chen straight at his heart. He felt like he was in a dream. Who am I? Where am I? Why is my goddess smiling at me? And she even personally baked cupcakes for him.


    He only recovered his sanity after pinching himself so many times that his skin was sore.


    He held out his hand slowly, as though afraid the box would disappear along with his goddess.


    Seeing that he had accepted the cupcakes, Li Lanni sighed in relief. "I''ll get going then. My literature class is about to start."


    "Wait." Ah Chen suddenly said.


    "Is there something else?"


    Ah Chen set the box of cupcakes aside carefully and looked at her thoughtfully. "Not only did you hurt my charming face by slapping it terribly hard, but there are also rumors around the school about me being a stalker. Do you think cupcakes are enough to apologize for that?"


    Li Lanni felt immensely guilty. This time it was completely her mistake. She wouldn''t be so impatient in the future. "Anything I can do to make you feel better?"


    Ah Chen pretended to spin his brains for a long time before finally saying, "Having a dinner with me will be able to compensate for the emotional damage."


    Li Lanni studied his expression before carefully asking, "What about the other damages?"


    Ah Chen was startled. What a smart girl. He was going to bring up other weird damages such as psychological and physical damages to guilt-trip her into having more meals with him. But now that she brought it up, it would sound like he was taking advantage of her remorse to make unreasonable advances.


    He could only ask the question that had been hounding his brain for weeks. "Lanni, just which part of me do you find deplorable? Why won''t you spare me a second glance even when you know I love you very much?"


    Li Lanni knew this question would come sooner or later. "Are you sure you want me to answer this?"


    Ah Chen felt the chills down his spine. "On second thought, forget it. Let''s have the meal this evening if it''s okay with you."


    But Li Lanni still answered him with a blank face. "Are you blind, or are you just pretending to be blind?


    I have a fianc¨¦ already! Are you really going to continue pursuing another man''s wife?"


    Ah Chen looked like he had swallowed a fly. In just a few seconds, he went to hell from heaven. "What did you say?"


    "I said I''m engaged. Is this reason enough?" She walked off, leaving behind a heartbroken Ah Chen.


    Little did Lanni know that her small lie would soon become a reality. If she had known, she wouldn''t have used her tongue so carelessly.


    Behind her, Ah Chen looked like all his life had been a lie. How could Li Lanni be engaged?


    Wasn''t she just nineteen? She wasn''t even twenty yet!


    But then again, it didn''t seem impossible. Some people even got engaged in their childhood. Perhaps Li Lanni''s so called fianc¨¦ was someone her family match made her with when she was still a child?


    But that didn''t make sense either. If Li Lanni had a childhood fianc¨¦, she wouldn''t have dated Senior Yang.


    He had witnessed their lovey dovey ways when Li Lanni was still a freshman.


    A thought crossed his mind. What if Yang Su was in fact, Li Lanni''s so called fianc¨¦? But didn''t the rumors say he was in a vegetative state?


    Now that sounded worse. Perhaps that was why Li Lanni was not close to any man. Maybe she was just being loyal to her unconscious fianc¨¦.


    He felt like he was going crazy from all the wild thoughts. Why was it so hard to woo a girl?


    Forget it. He would just eat his cupcakes to heal his broken heart.


    ~~~


    Sorry for the confusion, the chapters were inverted. It''s all good now

 Chapter 70 - Try Another Joke

    "Ah Chen, what are you eating?" A lad from his class asked, puzzled. Since when did this guy eat cakes?! Had he gone crazy?


    Ah Chen, who was munching on the second cupcake, glared at him in defense. This was from his goddess. No touching!


    The guy wasn''t initially interested but when he saw how Ah Chen savored it like it was from the kitchen of the gods, he couldn''t resist the urge to steal one away when Ah Chen wasn''t paying attention.


    The result was...


    "Urgh.... how do you even manage to swallow this?!"


    It was incredibly bland!


    As for the guy who was immersed in enjoying the bland cupcakes like they were a rare delicacy, he was crazy! Perhaps his tongue was laced with figurative honey so everything he ate would be sweet.


    Actually, Li Lanni had recieved one of those anonymous messages late the previous night. The dumb stalker had apologized for making her misunderstand Ah Chen. Li Lanni had thought that this might be Ah Chen''s way of getting out of trouble but when she thought about it clearly, she felt that Ah Chen didn''t look like he was lying when she confronted him. Besides that man from the hospital looked thinner and frailer than most men. Although Ah Chen was also on the slim side, he wasn''t that skinny.


    Now, her desire to kill that stalker surged even higher. He had made her misunderstand an innocent young man!


    She knew that she wouldn''t take back those slaps but she still had to apologize. A verbal apology definitely wouldn''t suffice.


    So after thinking about it,  she decided to bake him cupcakes. She would have asked the chef to do it for her but to show her sincerity, she baked them herself using a recipe book.


    Sadly, she didn''t know it but although the end result looked yummy, their taste was anything but.


    ...


    When Li Lanni parted with Ah Chen, she took a few of Cheng Yu''s drafts.


    The girl obviously bombarded her with questions since she had seen her speaking to Ah Chen. Li Lanni ignored them and went to Feng Ji International.


    Her training lessons would start on Thursday. Although she couldn''t give her chance to Cheng Yu, she could still help her get into Star Art International. It would be even better if they became classmates.


    Hence she said politely to the receptionist at the lobby, "I would like to meet Ji Xiehan."


    The woman at the reception scrutinized Li Lanni from head to toe and frowned when she saw that she was wearing B City  University''s uniform. "Little girl, do you have an appointment?"


    "No, but..."


    "You cannot see him. Master Ji is a busy man and will not just see anyone simply because they want to see him."


    Li Lanni hadn''t expected it to be too easy. She had deleted his contact number before and didn''t want to ask her mother for it. She knew that Li Yuming''s imagination would run wild. Wild enough to picture herself as Ji Xiehan''s mother-in-law at the very least. So she could only ask, "Can I make one now?"


    The receptionist didn''t look friendly. "Sure. But Master Ji''s schedule is full for the next two months. I''ll book you in in two months."


    Li Lanni almost couldn''t hold back her chuckle. Booked for two months? He must be busier than the city''s surveillance system.


    How could she not understand? The receptionist was obviously deliberately making her give up.


    "Forget it. It''s an urgent matter. Please call Ji Xiehan''s office and tell him that Miss Li is here to see him."


    The receptionist was annoyed now. "Who do you think you are that I should make an exception for you? And how dare you directly call our Master Ji''s name?


    How hilarious! In the end, you just want to seduce him with your vixen looks, don''t you? I have seen many like you! Underage girls who shamelessly want more than they can get."


    Li Lanni almost wanted to pick her ears. Underage girls? "And I have seen many like you as well. Receptionists who rudely assume the power to make decisions for the boss. Aren''t you afraid that if I turn out to be someone of importance, I will have you fired?"


    The woman was stunned for a moment then laughed in the next. "Important? Try another joke. Why would Master Ji know someone like you? You are only being shameless! Doesn''t your school give you enough homework?"


    "Oh?" Li Lanni raised an eyebrow, it was fun to irk the brainless receptionist. She wondered just how the famed Feng Ji International could hire someone who didn''t know to be polite.


    But since it was fun to irk her, she didn''t mind. "Since you doubt me, why don''t you confirm it? It''s as easy as calling Ji Xiehan."


    The receptionist was about to explode when hurried footsteps were heard. For a reason, Li Lanni had a strange feeling.


    "Miss Lanni, are you here for Master Ji?" Qiao Luna asked with a respectful bow.


    Li Lanni nodded.


    Qiao Luna glared at the receptionist. "Go and recieve your final payment and leave!"


    The receptionist was shocked to the core but kept a confident front. "Since when does Miss Qiao hold such authority in the company?"


    Qiao Luna was the epitome of seriousness. "You have gone against a basic work policy of respect. Not only that, you have also offended an important guest. I''m only asking you to resign. Of course, if you want to wait for Master Ji to find out what happened and kick you out like a stray dog, be my guest."


    Qiao Luna then turned to Li Lanni. "Miss Lanni, I apologize for that. Please follow me, Master Ji is in his office."


    "Okay." Li Lanni followed her, wondering why she felt something weird about this woman.


    Was it because she was Ji Xiehan''s assistant and was therefore close to him?


    Gah! Why did she just think about that?

 Chapter 71 - Meeting Ji Xiehan

    When Ji Xiehan heard from Qiao Luna that Li Lanni was in the lobby asking to meet him, his excitement was beyond words.


    He wanted to rush over and receive her, but he knew that he might scare her away with his excitement, so he sent Qiao Luna to receive her.


    This was the first time Li Lanni had looked for him. He couldn''t help feeling nervous. He waited with bated breath for Li Lanni''s arrival in his chamber.


    He didn''t have to wait for long as Qiao Luna soon escorted her to his chamber.


    After showing Li Lanni to Ji Xiehan''s office, Qiao Luna tactfully retreated.


    When she arrived, he tried his best to keep calm. " Hello! Little Beauty."


    "Hello, Mr. Ji." Li Lanni''s lips twitched as she politely greeted him. She wasn''t exactly pleased with these weird names that guys kept calling her, but it was just a nickname, so she didn''t kick a fuss.


    "You came to look for me because?" Ji Xiehan wasn''t stupid enough to think she was here to have a cup of tea with him.


    "I may need your help with something. "She straightforwardly stated her purpose.


    "Oh? With what?" He tried to act nonchalant, but his heart was on the verge of exploding. One had to know that Li Lanni was usually cold to him. Yet today, she had not only actively sought him; she was even asking for his help? This must be a dream!


    Unaware of the turmoil in a certain person''s heart, Li Lanni proceeded to ask, "You mentioned before that you are in good terms with people from Star Art International. If it''s not troublesome, please help me set up a meeting with Vice CEO Si."


    "That''s doable, but why do you want to meet her?" The only reason he could think of was that Li Lanni wanted to go to Star Art International, but since she won that contest, she should have received that opportunity naturally, shouldn''t she?


    "It''s for my friend." Li Lanni said, understanding his train of thought.


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan was a little disappointed that she was not seeking help for herself but for someone else. But he still took out his personal phone and dialed a number.


    "What do you want?" As soon as Jiang Xingyu lifted the phone, he impatiently asked.


    "Get to my office right this instant." Ji Xiehan hung up with just a few words, not giving his friend the chance to refute.


    Li Lanni looked on curiously. Did he call Si Yulin?


    If he did, then she would have to admire him. He could even order the Vice CEO of Star Art International around with just a few words.


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t waste time. He whined his way into Ji Xiehan''s office within half an hour.


    Jiang Corporation building was just close by, and he knew that Ji Xiehan wouldn''t seek him so urgently for trivial matters, so he hurried over thinking that there might be some urgent matter.


    "Yo, what do you want from me? I have already satisfied your...request..."


    The whiny Jiang Xingyu froze, his eyes widening when he saw Li Lanni in his office.


    Ji Xiehan was uncomfortable. Even though she is beautiful enough to freeze people into statues, she is his, alright? Is that reaction really appropriate? Stop looking at her... Jiang Xingyu!


    Jiang Xingyu finally felt the dagger-like glare and snapped back. I was only looking at her, jeez! Why does he have to overreact?


    If Ji Xiehan felt uncomfortable about Jiang Xingyu''s gaze, obviously Li Lanni would feel even worse.


    Nonetheless, she remained silent. From this man''s casual entry, he must be Ji Xiehan''s close friend. Pfft. As expected, one is recognized by the company one keeps. Perverts would only befriend fellow perverts.


    If Ji Xehan had known Li Lanni''s thoughts, he sure would have seethed with rage. He was innocent, okay! He was not a pervert. How could he be compared to that asshole Jiang Xingyu?


    Of course, as Ji Xiehan was not aware of her thoughts, he could only be silently degraded by Li Lanni in her mind.


    Ji Xiehan coughed and looked at Li Lanni. "This is Jiang Xingyu. You can discuss the matter with him."


    "Jiang Xingyu? CEO Jiang?" Li Lanni was in disbelief. She had only wanted to meet the Vice CEO of Star Art International, but this guy brought the big boss of the mother company? How efficient...


    Since he was already here, Li Lanni took out the drafts she had brought. Her first impression of Jiang Xingyu was much worse than what she thought of Ji Xiehan. She didn''t want to have a private meeting with him, so she asked for Ji Xiehan''s permission to discuss in his office.


    It was no private matter, so Ji Xiehan let them use part of his office while he checked some documents that he had allowed Qiao Luna to bring. That''s precisely what Ji Xiehan secretly hoped for too. Using this as an excuse, he could spend time with his Lanni though there was a third wheel in between, which couldn''t be helped.


    All was normal until Li Lanni presented Cheng Yu''s drafts to Jiang Xingyu. His mind was ablaze with questions, and he couldn''t hold them in anymore.


    "What''s your name?"


    Li Lanni was stunned by the sudden shift of focus, but she answered, "I already said, my name is Li Lanni."


    Jiang Xingyu scrutinized her with all his curiosity piqued.


    "CEO Jiang, is something the matter?" She felt goosebumps on her skin under his gaze. No one would feel comfortable under that gaze, okay?


    Jiang Xingyu understood that he had gone overboard with his gaze and coughed to avoid his embarrassment. "Little girl, do you know Cheng Yu?"


    Li Lanni frowned but still answered. "Yes, she''s my friend."


    "You went to the same school?"


    "Yes."


    Jiang Xingyu had ''I knew it'' written all over his face. "Which high school did you go to?"


    "Is this an interview?" Li Lanni asked uncomfortably.


    Ji Xiehan, who was eavesdropping from the side, glared at him. He was annoying his Lanni.


    "No, of course not." Jiang Xingyu laughed awkwardly, realizing he was scaring Ji Xiehan''s little beauty.


    Li Lanni knew that this guy would most likely investigate her if she didn''t answer, so she answered it. "Royalty High School."


    Jiang Xingyu frowned, his mood significantly changing.


    That girl didn''t go to Royalty High School. And Li Lanni didn''t look like she was lying.


    After a series of thoughts, he decided the answer still lay in Cheng Yu. "Can you help me meet Cheng Yu? I like her paintings."


    Li Lanni was relieved that they were finally back to the main point. "I will tell her about it."


    "Okay."


    Although it was concluded, Jiang Xingyu still felt there was more to this girl. There was no way such shocking coincidences existed in real life. Even if Moonlight was a coincidence and Cheng Yu was a coincidence too, Li Lanni would be something else.


    How could two different people have the same characteristics as well as the same friends? Unless it was in one of those imaginary fictions about parallel worlds, it couldn''t happen.


    Li Lanni was still wondering why Jiang Xingyu hadn''t stopped scrutinizing her when another question came. "Has Cheng Yu ever lost her memory or changed her identity?"


    This was getting overboard now. "I don''t know." Li Lanni replied with a blank face.


    Jiang Xingyu then significantly lowered his tone and carefully asked. "What about you?"


    "Huh?"


    "Have you ever lost your memory?"

 Chapter 72 - Have You Gone Crazy?

    Not just Li Lanni and Ji Xiehan, even Qiao Luna, who had just arrived with a new stack of documents, was shocked.


    "Enough!" Ji Xiehan couldn''t stand it anymore. Even a fool wouldn''t interrogate his friend''s wife that way!


    Jiang Xingyu understood that he had crossed the line, and awkwardly apologized, "I''m sorry, I went a little overboard."


    Li Lanni''s mouth slightly twitched. A little? CEO Jiang, you are being too humble. You went way too overboard!


    Even so, she smiled modestly to express that it was alright. But, in her brain, she had already killed Jiang Xingyu a thousand times and was concocting a revenge plan. One day when she had the opportunity, she would make him regret interrogating her.


    As she was already done with the negotiation, not wasting any more time, Li Lanni hurriedly slipped away. Damn it! That white-haired pervert was dangerous, but his friends were even more dangerous!


    ...


    As soon as Li Lanni left, Ji Xiehan sent Qiao Luna away and glared daggers at his friend. "What was all that about?"


    "Don''t look at me like that! I was only asking a few questions to confirm my suspicions." Jiang Xingyu urgently defended himself. He felt that if looks could kill anyone, he would have been brutally murdered by his friend.


    Ji Xiehan continued glaring at him wordlessly, so Jiang Xingyu could only explain helplessly, "There are too many obscure facts regarding my Little Xia. There are too many coincidences, and your Lanni is tied up with almost all of them."


    Ji Xiehan still stared at him with a blank face, not buying his explanation. Looking at his friend''s expression Jing Xingyu understood that he did not believe in him. He awkwardly coughed and revealed. "Ahem, well... Little Xia was Xiao Yu''s best friend, and they both disappeared at around the same time."


    Ji Xiehan finally had a reaction. "So, have you proved that Cheng Yu is this Little Xia you speak of? If so, stay away from my Lanni. You have already scared her enough."


    Jiang Xingyu looked extremely troubled then he sighed. "This is where a ticking time bomb lies."


    "What do you mean?" Ji Xiehan felt something terrible coming.


    "I trailed Cheng Yu last night and confirmed that she is Xiao Yu, not little Xia as you think."


    Ji Xiehan''s spine went  cold as he stared at Jiang Xingyu with a blank face. "What are you trying to say?"


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t want to say this either, but it was real, and the sooner they faced it, the better it would be for them. "I don''t know why she doesn''t recognize me nor why her temperament has changed, but I just confirmed that Li Lanni is Little Xia."


    The pen in Ji Xiehan''s hand snapped in half. "What?!"


    Li Lanni, was that girl? Ji Xiehan didn''t usually care about his friends'' private matters, but what the heck was this?


    His little beauty was Jiang Xingyu''s Little Xia?


    "You must have gone crazy from looking for her. There''s no way my Lanni can be some Little Xia you lost!"


    Jiang Xingyu looked even more lifeless. "I don''t want to believe it either. But can two people have similar characteristics, including their looks? Not even cloning can produce that result. There''s only one truth."


    Ji Xiehan was losing it. "Just two days ago, you were looking for Cheng Yu because of her painting. Isn''t it because that painting called moonlight was made by this Little Xia you speak of?"


    Jiang Xingyu frowned. "You must have misunderstood something. "Moonlight" was Little Xia''s painting, but it was gifted by her best friend Xiao Yu, and it was more important to her than anything else. I only wanted to look for Cheng Yu because I believed that if she is really the same Xiao Yu from back then, she would know where Xia is."


    Thinking of something, he took out his phone and looked for that painting before mumbling. "Eyes like the moon, soul like the stars but a personality like a sun. This statement was Xiao Yu''s way of describing Little Xia. Don''t you think it matches Lanni?"


    Ji Xiehan''s eyes darkened when he thought about it. Eyes like the moon... if that was meant to describe Li Lanni''s eye color, then the description was correct.


    But what about the latter two?


    A soul like the stars? A personality like a sun? What the heck was that?


    As though reading his mind, Jiang Xingyu continued, "I don''t know what ''soul like the stars'' means either. But ''personality like the sun,'' surely you have always described her this way too. She can be warm sometimes, but when someone crosses her bottom line, she can be fatally dangerous."


    "I never said Lanni is like that." Ji Xiehan denied.


    "But Xia is."


    "That''s Xia. Not Lanni."


    Actually, he was in disbelief too. He would never accept that the girl he had fallen in love with could be his best friend''s love who appeared and disappeared mysteriously.


    In actual fact, he had never met that girl. All he knew was that Jiang Xingyu had fallen in love with a girl who he described to be "so beautiful that even angels would die of jealousy." He and Lin Jian didn''t believe his nonsense, so they had spent days mocking him and laughing at his insane exaggeration. Out of frustration, he promised to let them see her.


    But on the day he was going to introduce her to his friends, that girl simply vanished. Not only that, but Jiang Xingyu also couldn''t find anything about her no matter how hard he tried. It was as though the girl didn''t exist to begin with.


    He and Lin Jian had then believed that it was all made up. But now... he was claiming that the so-called beauty from another universe was his Lanni? Preposterous!


    He was starting to think that Jiang Xingyu might have a loose screw in his head.


    Jiang Xingyu was pissed off now. Won''t you accept it? "Fine. You don''t believe me? Then look at this."


    He searched for a long time before finding a picture in one of his social media posts from more than a year ago.


    The man in the picture was Jiang Xingyu, and a girl was clinging onto his arm, she was wearing a cute white dress and looked like a teenager. If he didn''t trust his friend''s morality, Ji Xiehan would have believed that the girl wasn''t legal yet.


    But the most shocking thing was that girl was...


    "Lanni?!"

 Chapter 73 - Ji Xiehans Little Beauty Is Jiang Xingyus Little Xia?!

    Ji Xiehan couldn''t believe what he saw in the photo. He was shocked beyond words.


    Ji Xiehan carefully scrutinized the girl. There was no way he would believe that this girl was Lanni. But no matter what angle he looked, it was her. Whether it was her eyes, her nose, her neck, or her ears, it was the same. Even the estimated height was the same. The way the girl smiled was also similar. He thought of countless possibilities but eliminated them one at a time until he had no choice but to face reality. The girl indeed was Li Lanni. He was forced to accept that he and his best friend had fallen in love with the same woman. No wonder the way Jiang Xiehan stared at Li Lanni earlier was odd. He looked at Jiang Xingyu in askance, but he had, ''I told you so'' written all over his face.


    ''What the¡­" His brain froze for a second; he did not know what to say.


    Looking at his friend''s dumb expression, Jiang Xingyu wanted to say something to comfort him, but he too didn''t know what to say. Minutes passed. Both of then stared at each other, each wanting to say something but not knowing how to say it.


    ___


    Unaware of the storm she had just created, Li Lanni continued her life normally.


    Star Art International was very efficient; on Wednesday morning, they delivered Cheng Yu''s admission contract to Li Lanni''s home.


    Li Lanni was very excited when the butler gave her the contract.  She could not wait to tell Cheng Yu the good news.


    But there was a slight, no, a huge problem. She had forgotten to tell Cheng Yu her intention!


    Training at Star Art International would start from tomorrow. How could Cheng Yu prepare for training within one day? But she couldn''t be blamed. She wasn''t sure that she would secure this contract for her friend. If she shot her mouth off and failed, it would only bring more pain to Cheng Yu, who was still nursing her disappointment. She could only tell her about it today. Luckily it had arrived before she left for school.


    Li Lanni kept the contract in her bag and left the house excitedly. Since early in the morning, her mother was already busy painting, so she didn''t disturb her.


    Li Lanni eagerly wanted to share the news with her friend, so she reached school early. When Li Lanni arrived, only Cheng Yu was there.


    Li Lanni sighed in relief, ''Fortunately, Cheng Yu also came early today.''  But for some reason, today, Cheng Yu didn''t look well. She was absentmindedly stroking a paintbrush over the canvas before her. She didn''t even seem to notice that she had smudged the painting.


    "Are you alright?" Li Lanni asked as she pulled a chair to sit beside her, concern written all over her face.


    "I''m alright." Cheng Yu answered half-heartedly.


    "Is it about your parents again?" Li Lanni asked cautiously.


    Cheng Yu sighed. Since she had already been exposed, she might as well come open with it. More importantly, she needed nothing more than a pair of ears to listen to her and a shoulder to lean on. "It couldn''t be about anything else. I refused to withdraw from the art class, so we were already in bad terms. Then I failed in my only way to prove myself to them. Now they''re using the hard way. They have given me an ultimatum. If I don''t drop out of the art class, they will discontinue my learning."


    "That''s so absurd. How could they fall so low to threaten you?" Li Lanni felt bad for Cheng Yu. How could they do such a thing?


    Cheng Yu had already given up on convincing her parents.  She let out a chuckle self mockingly. "It''s not a threat. They will do it if it means proving to me that I''m nothing without them."


    Li Lanni''s heart ached when she saw Cheng Yu chuckle self mockingly. She couldn''t bear to see Cheng Yu sad. She quickly took the contract out of her bag and presented to Cheng Yu, "Forget about them. Look what I have got for you."


    Cheng Yu curiously opened the contract and was greeted with Star Art International on top of the page. She was dumbstruck for a while when she saw that it was an admission letter for her. She woke up from the daze when she heard Li Lanni say, " Don''t worry, you are still something without them. Congratulations! You are now a trainee at Star Art International! Go through the contract once and sign your name on it. I am sorry I didn''t tell you this earlier..."


    "Ah!!!" Li Lanni was still rambling when Cheng Yu jumped from her seat and screeched in excitement. She suddenly hugged Li Lanni. "You''re not kidding! You''re not kidding, right?"


    Li Lanni was shocked by Cheng Yi''s sudden outburst. She quickly shushed her. "Cheng Yu, keep it down."


    There was no one aside from them in class because they were early, but that didn''t mean someone wouldn''t come in.


    "Lanni, I really have been admitted to the Star Art International! Hahaha¡­I can''t believe it! I really can''t believe it! Lanni, you really made my day. I can''t stop myself from being excited over it!" Chen Yu continued with her musings. Her mood was a stark contrast to what it was before a few seconds. Li Lanni was also happy for her friend and waited for her to stop shrieking before continuing where she had been interrupted earlier. "Yes, you really received an admission letter from Star Art International, but the training lessons start tomorrow. Will you be able to prepare for it?"


    Cheng Yu''s excitement was still at its peak and shrugged it off. "What about it? I would be ready even if they started right now!"


    Li Lanni chuckled. Well, she had been worried about nothing.


    After a few minutes of doing a few happy dances, Cheng Yu finally calmed down and thought about it carefully.


    "What''s wrong?" Li Lanni asked when she suddenly saw her frowning.


    "Lanni, how did you get this contract?" Cheng Yu asked carefully.

 Chapter 74 - Lannis Past (1)

    "I had a meeting with people from Star Art International." She answered vaguely, mainly because she didn''t want to talk about Jiang Xingyu. She didn''t want to remember him.


    Cheng Yu was even more convinced by her previous hypothesis. "Lanni, although I really want to go to Star Art International, I want to use my own abilities. You didn''t need to bother your mom about this."


    Li Lanni tittered. So the girl thought that she had used her mother''s name to secure the contract for her?


    One had to know that as long as it was anything related to painting, Li Yuming''s name was akin to having a cheating machine. There was no request Star Art International wouldn''t fulfill. They would totally overlook everything else.


    But Li Lanni didn''t want to use this approach because she knew what her friend was thinking. Seeing that she was right, a smile escaped her lips as she hugged the helpless girl. "Don''t worry! I didn''t ask my mom for help. In truth, I only presented your drafts to someone in Star Art International, and they liked it, so they sent this contract to me. This should be considered using your own abilities, right?"


    "Really?" Cheng Yu felt flattered that people from Star Art took an interest in her work. No wonder Li Lanni had taken many of her drafts the day before. She had thought that Li Lanni only wanted to admire them.


    "Thanks, Lanni. I can''t express my gratitude in words." Cheng Yu felt indebted to her.


    "Xiao Yu, we are friends."


    Cheng Yu was stunned. Li Lanni had not addressed her so intimately in a long time.


    But this name did remind her of something that had almost slipped her mind.


    "Lanni, about..."


    Just as she was about to speak, Li Lanni''s phone rang.


    Li Lanni excused herself before cautiously answering. It was an unknown contact number, but she had an inkling of who it might be.


    "Lanni, have you already left home?"


    When she heard that voice, she knew that she had been right. It was the pervert.


    "Uhm. I''m in school."


    Ji Xiehan sounded slightly dissatisfied. "The contract should be sent to you soon. Since you want to be in the same class as your friend, it might be too late if you only get it this evening. I''ll ask them to send it to your school instead."


    When she heard that he was concerned about making her and her friend happy, Li Lanni couldn''t resist the smile that surfaced on her lips. So that pervert wasn''t entirely useless. "Thank you for your concern, but I received the contract already."


    Hearing this, Ji Xiehan was relieved. "That''s good then."


    "Thank you."


    "Huh?" Ji Xiehan was shocked by the sudden expression of gratitude by Li Lanni.


    Li Lanni unknowingly gripped her phone. "I forgot to thank you yesterday."


    A light smile appeared on Ji Xiehan''s face. He wouldn''t feel this happy even if he signed a contract worth hundreds of billions. But how could he let go of such a golden opportunity? He sounded like he had been dealt an enormous deal of injustice. "Lanni, is that all you have to say? A verbal thank you? Where is your sincerity?"


    And so, Li Lanni was guilt-tripped yet again. She didn''t like owing people.


    When he didn''t hear her say a word, Ji Xiehan was happy that he had achieved his goal, so he said, "Have a meal with me this evening."


    Li Lanni coughed. Just how much did guys like having meals with girls? First, it was Ah Chen and now Ji Xiehan?


    But unfortunately, "I have an appointment this evening. Maybe we can reschedule it?"


    The previous evening, she was mentally exhausted after leaving Feng Ji International, so she had asked Ah Chen to reschedule their dinner to today.


    What kind of appointment would be scheduled in the evening? Ji Xiehan wondered.


    It must be a dinner, and from his manly instincts, it had to be one of the same purposes as his. Someone must be trying to pursue his Lanni.


    Gritting his teeth, he agreed to go on the next day before hanging up.


    What the heck!


    Why were there so many men going after his little beauty? Now, even his best friend had joined the queue. How troublesome. It seemed... he would have to step up his approach.


    The call on Li Lanni''s phone was like a wake-up for Cheng Yu. She had become too sentimental earlier when Li Lanni suddenly called her Xiao Yu. She was about to come clean and tell Lanni everything.


    But now that she thought about it, that might have hurt Lanni''s feelings. She wouldn''t be able to beat it if Li Lanni got angry and stopped speaking to her. She was her best friend ever. Moreover, it wasn''t an appropriate time to confess.


    When Cheng Yu saw that Lanni was done with the call, she quickly adjusted her mood and hopped over to her and drowned with her so many why''s, what''s and how''s regarding the upcoming training classes.


    But while doing so, she secretly wondered if the person Li Lanni was speaking to just now was Ah Chen.


    If it was Ah Chen, that would be good. Not many people knew it, but Cheng Yu was aware of Ji Xiehan''s intentions towards Li Lanni.


    Although he was respectable and all that, he was Ji Feifei''s brother. Just for this reason, Cheng Yu didn''t trust him either.


    A snake could only come from a family of snakes. Since such a vile creature as Ji Feifei came from the Ji family, it said a lot about their child-upbringing skills.


    ...


    That evening, Li Lanni had a meal with Ah Chen.


    Contrary to her expectation, the guy was rather calm. He didn''t bring up any unpleasant conversations, and they simply had their meal like normal friends would.


    Li Lanni didn''t know that while she was having a meal with a senior schoolmate, a certain someone was having a meal with her mother.


    Who else could it be?

 Chapter 75 - Lannis Past (2)

    Obviously, Ji Xiehan was the only man who could get within ten steps of Li Yuming.


    Other mothers would be upset if someone pursued their nineteen-year-old daughter, but Li Yuming was, in fact, happy.


    Don''t get it wrong. She was only happy because the other person was Ji Xiehan. Anyone else would have been kicked out by her at the very least.


    "Xiao Han, do you have something on your mind?" Halfway through the meal, Li Yuming realized that Ji Xiehan seemed nervous. It must be for this reason that he came to have dinner with her. Especially since he came when Li Lanni wasn''t home, it wasn''t hard to make a guess.


    He smiled slightly. "Erm, yes. Aunty Li is sure attentive."


    Li Yuming chuckled a bit. She was a mother. Of course, she would know. "What is it? You can tell Aunty anything."


    Ji Xiehan thought about his words for a while, and after a few seconds of consideration, he decided that this was the best timing. "Aunty, can you tell me about Lanni?"


    As soon as his words fell, Li Yuming''s eyes widened then she set down her cutlery. A smile bloomed on her face.


    Ji Xiehan knew that she had misunderstood the reason behind his question, but he didn''t explain. She wasn''t entirely wrong. He did indeed want to know more about her because he loved her. Only that this time, there was a more significant reason.


    "What exactly do you want to know?" Li Yuming asked after calming her excitement.


    Ji Xiehan calculated in his mind before slowly saying, "everything from a year ago... and a little more than a year ago maybe."


    Li Yuming didn''t think much about it. It was only reasonable for a man to single out a girl''s adulthood. The childhood years wouldn''t help much since she was still unreasonable anyway.


    JiXiehan set down his cutlery and patiently waited for her to continue. But for some reason, Li Yuming was a little gloomy when she recalled that period. Or maybe she was just nostalgic. "Well, Lanni has always been sensible. She was quite popular in school, had many friends, and was as cheerful as a young girl can be. Not only that, but her grades have also always been excellent. As for outside school, nothing really fazed her."


    "What about her relationship with people she was close to?" Ji Xiehan asked indirectly. He wanted to know if Jiang Xingyu and Li Lanni were really in a relationship.


    Li Yuming only thought that he was curious about Li Lanni''s previous relationships and was very amused. "Well, she did have a boyfriend for a while, a senior from her school. Their relationship started on a whim, and when they realized that they didn''t really like each other, they became friends."


    That must be Yang Su, Ji Xiehan thought. From his investigation, Lanni was with someone else when she had that accident. At this point, he gave himself a good scolding in his heart. He had already known that Li Lanni was with someone else at the time. Why did he still come to ask? It must be because that Jiang Xingyu made him overthink.


    "Does she have amnesia?". Even though he knew that she did because he had investigated her a little, he felt obligated to ask as a good future son-in-law. He didn''t want to leave a bad impression of himself before his future mother-in-law, so he ignorantly asked.


    Li Yuming was a little sad. "She had an accident about nine months ago. It resulted in temporary amnesia. The doctors said she would recover her memory with time."


    Ji Xiehan knew this too.


    "Could you tell me more about this accident?"


    Although she felt it was a little private, Li Yuming recalled her own suspicions. She had always believed that what happened at that time was not an accident but someone''s attempt to hurt Lanni. But the police had long closed the investigation because there was nothing to prove that it was not an accident. She knew that Ji Xiehan might be of help. If there were anything one mind couldn''t solve, two minds would solve. And Ji Xiehan liked her Lanni so it shouldn''t be a problem.


    "I just said Lanni was always obedient and sensible, right? Well, that was until she turned eighteen. But later, she strangely got estranged to me. It''s not the usual mother-daughter scuffle. She hated me to the core.


    She didn''t tell me why she did either. She only kept saying that I''m a liar, and her whole life had been a lie."


    When Ji Xiehan saw the pain and sorrow in her eyes, he felt guilty. He wondered whether he had done the right thing by asking. He seemed to have jabbed a scar in Li Yuming''s heart.


    Li Yuming had kept it in for too long, and now that the wound had been opened, she really wanted to let it out. "Every day was a nightmare. She would lock herself up in her room and ignore everyone. She wouldn''t tell anyone what was happening. As a mother, I just couldn''t stand my daughter giving me the cold shoulder all the time. I really wanted to know what was going on, but she wouldn''t even speak to me. I was worried that something had happened to her or that she might be in trouble. I was most concerned that she might fall into depression by keeping all her feelings to herself.


    So I wanted to hire a therapist.


    But then I realized that she had started meeting someone in secret."


    Ji Xiehan''s back went stiff. This must be where Jiang Xingyu came in.


    "After meeting that person, she became happier.


    She gradually stopped locking herself up. I was happy for her and happy that she was getting back to normal.


    But that was simply the calm before the storm.


    One night, we had an argument, and she simply made a phone call and waltzed out of the house.. I thought that since she was your sister''s friend, she was going to spend the night at your home.

 Chapter 76 - Lannis Past (3)

    "I called Feifei, and she said that indeed, Lanni had mentioned going over.


    I relaxed, but then... in the middle of the night, I received a call from the hospital. My Lanni had been in an accident."


    As Lu Yuming talked about that night, sorrow became more evident in her eyes ."I always had my suspicions over this incident. When she was found, she was in the west part of the city. But she should have been going to your home, shouldn''t she? Her ex-boyfriend was also with her at that time. I thought she was probably eloping with him?"


    Ji Xiehan furrowed his eyebrows and was also slightly suspicious.


    Where was she going?


    And wait. Ji Feifei was involved?


    Crap! No wonder there was an accident.


    He wasn''t being pessimistic. His sister had tried to hurt Li Lanni not once but twice, and he had discovered it both times. Added to this, it should be thrice. He really wanted just to go and kill her, but what could he do? She was his blood-sister.


    He was sure that the damned girl knew that Li Lanni was going somewhere else but intentionally lied to Li Yuming. If things blew up, a pretentious actress like her would simply cry and say that she thought Lanni was going to her home, too.


    And her only reason for lying could only be... she had a role to play in that accident.


    It seemed... he had been wrong. He shouldn''t have considered their blood relationship. He should have punished her when he had the chance.


    But, wait, Li Lanni was going to the west?!


    His home was not far from Li Lanni''s, and neither was Jiang Xingyu''s.


    Wait! That idiot Jiang Xingyu had a private villa in a district in the west.


    Was this a coincidence?


    Ji Xiehan! You''re focusing on a minor point. He berated himself before asking, "Who found them?" Was this where Ji Feifei came in?


    "I don''t know either. The cops said that it was a passerby who found them.  But there is one thing that I wasn''t able to understand until now and it doesn''t make any sense to me. They said that she managed to crawl out of the car before she fell unconscious, but I went to the scene to check it out before it was cleared. If you saw that scene, you would know that it''s impossible to get yourself out. The car door at her side was severely damaged, and it would be impossible to open it from inside using her strength alone.  Not only that, but they also found a phone in the car. They thought it was Lanni''s and gave it to me, but it was neither Lanni''s nor her friend''s. Someone must have dropped it there, and surely, people don''t often walk into accident scenes, right? I believe there was one more person at the site of the accident, who had helped Li Lanni out of the car."


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know what to say. He had come seeking answers. But instead, he was rewarded with a head full of questions.


    Was she really going to meet Jiang Xingyu that night?


    If she was, why would she be with another man?


    If she wasn''t going to Jiang Xingyu''s place, where were they going?


    Who dropped that phone? Was it her savior?


    Li Yuming finally said her speculations after a brief pause with a sigh. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think Lanni must have offended someone. I believe it was no way an accident. Someone really was after her life, and that person is still out there. He could come for her life again. Just this thought alone had me spend many sleepless nights in fear. And the person who helped Li Lanni out of the car, was he a friend or foe? Either he wanted to save her or take her away but wasn''t able to do so, probably because some passerby was alerted by the accident. Or I maybe I''m just being too paranoid. But what can I do? She is my only daughter and my  whole world."


    Ji Xiehan also felt that the person was only helping Lanni. A foe would not use so much effort to get the victim out. Since there must be broken shards at the scene, why not stab her right away?


    On the other hand, if that were someone who knew Li Lanni, he would obviously save her first. As for why he didn''t save Yang Su, Ji Xiehan passed it off as a lack of time on the savior''s part.


    With a heavy mood, Li Yuming sent off Ji Xiehan.


    On the way back, he started analyzing Li Lanni''s accident.


    From Li Yuming''s narration about her accident, Ji Xiehan understood a few things.


    Jiang Xingyu did not meet Li Lanni on that day. Jiang Xingyu''s girlfriend also disappeared on the day Li Lanni had the accident. If Li Lanni was indeed his girlfriend, then her accident must be the reason why she didn''t meet him again and her amnesia would explain why she didn''t recognize him when she came to his company.


    And the reason why Jiang Xingyu couldn''t find her might be because she had been in a six month coma and Li Yuming had heightened the security around her.


    But why did Jiang Xingyu keep calling Li Lanni ''Xia''? As he was wondering about it, he recalled something.


    When he was a child, he had met Li Yuming''s ex husband a few times and he remembered that  his surname was Xia. That was most likely Lanni''s father as well.


    Did she use her father''s surname? But why would she? She had never met her dad, right? Or had she?


    Just how many secrets did his Lanni have?


    And as for the person who helped Li Lanni out of the car, he shouldn''t be a foe. Since he was a friend, he wouldn''t bother to investigate him.


    He had a more important task: to investigate Ji Feifei''s involvement in the accident.

 Chapter 77 - Lannis Past (4)

    He did not want to jump into conclusions regarding her involvement, but if she did really did have a role to play in Li Lanni''s accident, then she would have crossed his bottom line. Until now, the only reason he had been  sparing her was that she was his sister. But if he had any evidence regarding her involvement,  he wouldn''t care about this anymore.


    If Ji Xiehan knew just how important that ''savior'' was, he would not have tossed him aside so casually.


    ...


    After he went home, he called Jiang Xingyu to his place to have a chat.


    "Did you ask your Aunt Li about it?" As soon as Jiang Xingyu arrived, he threw a question at him, his tone laced with envy. Ji Xiehan had managed to get on Li Yuming''s good side before he did. When he was obviously Lanni''s first love...


    He knew that being Li Lanni''s love had nothing to do with anything. Li Yuming only favored Ji Xiehan because their families had been a bit close, and she had taken care of him a few times when he was a kid. This must be the only reason why they were close. But still, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth in envy. If only he had been close to Li Yuming as a child too...


    Ji Xiehan was unaware of his friend''s jealousy, so he invited him to have a chat over a glass of wine and explained what he had heard from Li Yuming. He tactfully left out the overly sensitive details like how the accident seemed to be premeditated since Jiang Xingyu didn''t need such details anyway.


    When he was done, he asked, "Her name is Li Lanni. Why do you call her Xia?"


    Jiang Xingyu seemed to recall something. "That''s her surname. She said to call her Miss Xia and not ask about her first name. I didn''t investigate her either because I respected her privacy."


    Ji Xiehan nodded. It was indeed as he had thought. "What of her family?" He asked to confirm if his part was in line with what Li Yuming had said.


    "When I asked to meet her parents, she became defensive, so I assumed she wasn''t ready and stopped asking."


    As though recalling something, Jiang Xingyu fidgeted in his seat. It was somehow unrelated to what they were talking about but at this point, even the slightest piece of information might be useful. "I always felt she had something on her mind. She was a bit... complicated. She had a bunch of taboo topics and would flip up if I tried to know her better. She rarely talked about anything personal, but a few weeks before she disappeared, she asked about you."


    "Me?" Ji Xiehan was shocked.


    Jiang Xingyu nodded. "Not you specifically, but your family in general. Apparently, your family had some past with her mother, and she thought you could help her answer some questions. I recommended that she ask your sister since they were of the same age, but she said..."


    "You can just say it." Ji Xiehan knew it was not pleasant.


    "She said Feifei was a pretentious b*tch, a backstabber and that she was the reason why her family could not reunite as well as the Ji family''s future downfall." He could remember it word by word because it was the only time his little Xia revealed her thoughts in front of him.


    "Heh. Is that so?" Ji Xiehan laughed.


    When Jiang Xingyu heard his friend''s laugh, for some reason, he felt chills down his spine. Was he being overly sensitive?


    Ji Xiehan twirled his wine glass. So his Lanni wasn''t that clueless. He had been worried that she would blame him if he did anything to Ji Feifei, considering their ''friendship'' .


    Then he figured out a problem.


    That was in the past. Since she had lost her memory, what if she thought that Ji Feifei was her friend? He might need to warn her.


    Obviously, he didn''t know that even in the present, Li Lanni had long figured out Ji Feifei''s motives and was currently weaving a trap full of vengeance.


    After exchanging a few more pieces of information, Ji Xiehan looked at his friend. "It doesn''t matter what happened between you and Lanni in the past. Since she has chosen to forget you, that''s up to you. I''m still going to pursue her. Don''t you force her to do anything."


    Jiang Xingyu had expected this already. From what he had heard from Ji Xiehan before, he knew that his friend had fallen deeply in love with Lanni. It was the first time Ji Xiehan was showing interest in a woman. How could he let go so easily?


    But the problem was, he loved her too, alright?


    "But if she recovers her memory, remembers me and chooses to rekindle our relationship, you cannot force her into anything either." He finally said.


    Ji Xiehan raised an eyebrow. Indeed, that statement troubled him. Li Lanni hadn''t even shown interest in him yet. What if in her subconscience, she still loved Jiang Xingyu and wouldn''t fall for another man? For some reason, he selfishly hoped she wouldn''t recover her memory.


    But he brushed that thought aside when he thought of their relationship and mocked his friend. "Even if she does remember you, you would be only an ex-boyfriend. Either that or she would remember you as a guy who she dated only on spur because she was emotionally low. After all, she didn''t really tell you anything about herself. She even gave you a fake name. That goes to show how ''sincere'' she was towards you."


    Jiang Xingyu remained silent, but in his mind, he mocked, ''she hasn''t told you about herself either. You had to ask her mother. Not just that, in her mind, you are  even lower than an ex-boyfriend. You''re a pervert.''


    Of course, he loved his life very much, so he didn''t dare to say this out aloud.

 Chapter 78 - Lets Meet Up (1)

    That night when Li Lanni returned home after having dinner with Ah Chen, she felt relieved.


    Finally, she no longer owed Ah Chen.


    However, it wasn''t all that bad to have a meal with that guy. As long as he wasn''t going overboard, he was gentle and kind and generally the type of guy who could make a good friend.


    "Mom, you''re still awake?" Li Lanni was surprised when she saw Li Yuming in the living room. She had lost track of time and returned a little late, so she had expected her to be asleep.


    "Lanni, come here." Li Yuming patted the space beside her.


    Li Lanni rushed over and habitually hugged her arm.


    "Who did you go out with? Can you tell mom?"


    "A senior from the art class. I misunderstood him before."


    She kept it short and vague, and Li Yuming didn''t probe further. She only reminded, "Girls shouldn''t stay out late."


    Li Lanni nodded. "Got it, mom,"


    Li Yuming was pleased. Although she had bodyguards, she couldn''t really trust them after what happened the last time. She had wanted to employ new ones, but that lad from the Ji family had decided to send over two of the most highly trained bodyguards. She had wanted to reject the offer, but this was about Li Lanni''s safety, so she could only thank Ji Xiehan. But even then, they would start their work in two days. These two days were still important.


    Since Lanni had promised to be careful, she felt relieved. Li Yuming dotingly rubbed her hair. Li Lanni''s hair was quite soft and nice to the touch and over the years, Li Yuming had gotten quite used to rubbing it as a way of expressing her affection. "Your art classes in Star Art  International start tomorrow. What do you think about it?"


    "Nothing much." Li Lanni was indifferent. "It doesn''t matter which class I go to, right? Cheng Yu is going with me so I won''t be bored."


    Her exam results would be out in a few days. After that, they would have a break before the next semester. Li Lanni was thinking of switching to online learning after that.


    "Lanni," Li Yuming suddenly called.


    "What is it, mom?"


    Li Yuming tousled her daughter''s hair, as though scared this might be the last time she was doing so. "Some things aren''t always as they seem on the surface. You must always remember to think and never make decisions when you''re not calm enough, alright?"


    "Yes, mom." Li Lanni only took this as a mother educating her daughter. That was what mothers should do anyway, so she didn''t overthink it.


    "You must also remember that no matter what, mother loves you more than anything, and mother always wants the best for you."


    This time, Li Lanni felt it was strange. "Yes, mom, but why are you telling me all this right now?"


    Li Yuming flashed a gentle smile and brought Lanni closer into her embrace and kissed her forehead. "That''s because I love my Lanni. Why can''t I say it?"


    Li Lanni knew this already, but it still made her happier. She also returned her mother''s hug and said with a light chuckle, "Mom, you sound like a bride''s mother parting with her daughter."


    Her crazy analogy amused Li Yuming. "I just realized my Lanni is growing up so fast. There are only a few months before you turn twenty. You will soon start making decisions entirely on your own. Not long later, you might meet someone you like and get married; then, I will not be able to see you and hug you every day."


    Li Lanni chuckled. Were all mothers so reluctant to see their daughters grow up?


    Of course, she didn''t know that her growing up was the least of Li Yuming''s concerns. Her biggest fear right now was not that Li Lanni would grow up, but that when she recovered her memory, they might become estranged yet again. But then again, only by recovering her memory would Li Lanni be able to tell her what actually went wrong. There was no hiding from it.


    "You have a long day ahead of you. Have a nice bath and go to bed early." Li Yuming tousled her daughter''s hair again and let her go.


    "Okay, mom. Goodnight." Li Lanni kissed her mother''s cheek and ran off to her room upstairs.


    The smile on Li Yuming''s face slowly disappeared as she sighed. She could only hope that even after her daughter regained her memory, Lanni would sit with her and have a good talk with her.


    ___


    The next day, Li Lanni arrived at Star Art International quite early. Cheng Yu arrived even sooner than her and was already waiting for her.


    "Lanni, you''re here." Cheng Yu chirped.


    "You look super happy today. What''s the good news?"


    Cheng Yu passed over a white plastic bag. "My brother baked cookies this morning. I brought some for you."


    Li Lanni was overjoyed. "Really? Thank you!" But she subconsciously touched her belly and grumbled, "But my mom especially made me breakfast this morning, and it was even so delicious. I''m stuffed already. What should I do?"


    "Pfft. You must have eaten your IQ along with your breakfast. Of course, you can eat the cookies later, dummy!" Cheng Yu mocked jokingly.


    On that happy note, the girls made their way into the building.


    Their tutor had sent them temporary passes as well as maps of Star Art International on their phones. They knew where exactly to go.


    When they reached the trainee department, they both halted when they saw two familiar faces.


    "Ruby Chan and Cedric?" Cheng Yu was the first to express her surprise.


    "It''s understandable for Cedric to be here since he''s an artist too. But what is Ruby Chan doing here?" Li Lanni whispered to Cheng Yu, puzzled.


    Cheng Yu answered dismissively. "She must be here to spend her daddy''s money. It''s not like she hasn''t done it before."


    Li Lanni was amused. Why did it feel fun watching Cheng Yu mock Ruby Chan?

 Chapter 79 - Lets Meet Up (2)

    It wasn''t that she hated Ruby - they were not even familiar, to begin with, but Cheng Yu''s expression when she mocked Ruby was just too hilarious.


    When Ruby Chan noticed them, she rushed over and naturally clung to Li Lanni''s arm. "Lanni, I knew you would come. Now I won''t have to worry about being bored amidst unfamiliar people."


    "Eer..." Li Lanni felt awkward. Was she considered familiar?


    "Come on. I''ll show you something you will really love." Without waiting for Li Lanni''s response, she simply dragged her away.


    The ignored Cheng Yu stomped. "She did that on purpose!"


    "Are you really going to get jealous of a girl over another girl? You do know that you''re all girls, right?" A voice mocked beside her ear.


    Cheng Yu did not even bother to look who was speaking. She only expressed her displeasure. "Do you know what''s the best scientifically proven method to have a long and peaceful life?"


    "I don''t. What is it?" The man asked ignorantly.


    "Minding your own business."


    The man chuckled. "But I want to mind your business. What should I do?"


    Cheng Yu finally felt something wasn''t right and turned robotically.


    Cedric??!


    What the heck was he doing here?


    No, wait. He was speaking to her?


    "Ahem..." Cheng Yu would never let herself lose her cool in the presence of a man. "No wonder your painting skills have deteriorated. Turns out you''ve been spending more time poking your nose where it''s least needed than painting."


    Cedric was speechless as he watched her walk away. His painting skills had deteriorated? How come he didn''t know that?


    ...


    After looking for a while, Cheng Yu finally saw Li Lanni. Ruby Chan had plastered herself onto her like a kitten. It made one go speechless.


    She wasn''t so brainless as to be jealous simply because someone else had dragged Li Lanni away. It was only because the person was Ruby that she was cautious. After all, Ruby was Ji Feifei''s friend. Who knew what she was up to?


    She was just about to walk over when she saw someone that made her brain go ablaze.


    Jiang Xingyu!


    Her first reaction was to hide behind a wall.


    Oh no... Jiang Xingyu?


    What the hell was he doing here?


    If that man saw her, he would drown her with millions of questions that she was not ready to answer.


    Just as she thought of what to do, she remembered an important fact: Star Art International was a subsidiary of Jiang Corporation.


    She took deep breaths to calm down. He was just here for inspection.


    He must be.


    It had nothing to do with her; she was just overthinking it.


    But in the next moment, her face froze. The man went right towards Li Lanni and Ruby Chan and naturally pulled Li Lanni aside!


    The pitiful Ruby Chan was mercilessly shoved aside when she tried to stop him. Cedric, who was not far away, understandingly grabbed her elbow and left with her to the classrooms to not disturb their reunion.


    Behind the wall, Cheng Yu closed her eyes tightly. This was getting out of hand. How could she forget such an important thing?


    She had walked right into that man''s turf and brought Li Lanni along with her!


    This man didn''t seem surprised to see Li Lanni. Had they already met?


    Worst of all, Li Lanni had lost her memory. This was so not going to be funny. A war was going to erupt soon.


    ...


    In another corridor, Li Lanni was shocked when Jiang Xingyu suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her away.


    "CEO Jiang?"


    The man looked into her eyes then suddenly hugged her. "Xia, my Little Xia."


    Li Lanni pushed him away violently, anger brimming in her eyes. "CEO Jiang, behave yourself!"


    Jiang Xingyu looked even more emotional. "Sorry, I forgot. You didn''t like being hugged in the past either."


    Li Lanni growled in her heart. "I love being hugged, but only by my mom and my friend, alright!"


    Jiang Xingyu kept a slight distance to avoid offending her. "Xia, I''m sorry. I misunderstood you all these months. I thought you had dumped me. I finally know what really happened. I''m sorry I didn''t protect you well enough."


    Li Lanni had initially thought that this man was simply misbehaving, but now she felt something was terribly wrong. She waved a hand in front of Jiang Xingyu''s eyes. "CEO Jiang, are you okay? You may want to have your eyes tested. I''m Li Lanni."


    Jiang Xingyu knew she would say this. "I know. But you told me your name was Xia. So I''ll only call you that."


    Li Lanni was stunned and gritted her teeth and replied seriously. "I suggest you get your brain checked along with your eyes."


    Jiang Xingyu felt his heart break. But he understood that he couldn''t rush things. He patiently told her, "I''ll wait for you to recover your memory. Then you will remember me, okay?"


    Li Lanni was tongue-tied. How did he know? Had he really investigated her? How dare he!


    Before she broke down from not knowing what to do, Jiang Xingyu glanced at his watch. "Xia, I only wanted to take a glance at you. I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes. See you again."


    Li Lanni didn''t show it on her face, but she was relieved that the weirdo was leaving. That was one strange method of ''taking a glance''.


    Ji Xiehan''s friends were even more dangerous than she thought.


    Speaking of Ji Xiehan, they were having a meal this evening, but he still had not told her the venue. Was he waiting for her to make a choice?


    Wait. Did he just invade her thoughts again? What''s wrong with her? She stood in a daze for a while.


    ...


    Cheng Yu felt relieved that nothing serious had happened and only came out of hiding once Jiang Xingyu left. "Lanni, we''ll be late for our first class. We don''t want to leave a bad first impression." Cheng Yu quickly dragged the dazed Li Lanni away.


    Li Lanni only returned to herself when she felt Cheng Yu dragging her away. She quickly brushed away her thoughts and followed Cheng Yu.. Both of them reached their designated rooms using the map provided.

 Chapter 80 - Lets Meet Up (3)

    In the trainee department, there were separate classrooms for different art fields.


    Li Lanni and Cheng Yu were in the Comic Arts class.


    As soon as they entered their studio, they exchanged looks when they saw two familiar faces again. These two were also in the Comic Arts class?


    "Lanni, come and sit here." Ruby Chan beckoned, obviously ignoring Cheng Yu yet again.


    Li Lanni smiled modestly. "I''ll sit with Xiao Yu today."


    Ruby was obviously unhappy. She didn''t fuss about it but she haughtily said, "You may want to be nicer to me. Thank me later."


    Li Lanni chuckled. She didn''t have anything against Ruby, so she only found the spoiled princess quite funny.


    Cheng Yu sighed in relief because the class started soon.


    ...


    When the four-hour class ended,  Cheng Yu was brimming with happiness. "I can now confirm that I wasn''t dreaming. I''m truly a trainee at Star Art International."


    Li Lanni laughed and pinched her. "Silly! Perhaps I should wake you up."


    "Hey! Why did you pinch me?" Cheng Yu complained.


    Li Lanni was still making fun of her when she saw a tall man from the corner of her eye. Amid the young trainees, he looked totally out of place in his blue suit, but he was quite charming too.


    Li Lanni was surprised when she saw him clearly. Ji Xiehan!?


    The man casually walked up to them like it was the most natural thing to do.


    "Hey, how was your class? Fun?"


    "Quite fun." Li Lanni answered honestly. She may not be extremely interested in it, but at least it wasn''t dull either.


    Ji Xiehan was happy that she wasn''t as cold as she usually was when she saw him. "Aunty Li asked me to pick you up."


    "Huh?" Li Lanni was surprised. Why would her mother ask him to pick her up? Wasn''t there a chauffeur?


    Ji Xiehan wondered why he felt like Lanni''s friend had something against him. She was practically glaring at him accusingly. If looks could burn, he might have been burnt down to ashes by Cheng Yu''s heated glare. He ignored her and said to Li Lanni. "It doesn''t make much of a difference. Besides, we agreed to have a meal today, right?"


    "In the evening." Li Lanni reminded.


    "We can turn it into lunch instead. In fact, it''s a better option because Aunty Li will have my head if I let you stay out too late."


    The way he made it sound... it was as though he and Li Yuming were so close that she was almost the outsider. Li Lanni was speechless.


    Nevertheless, she agreed to have a meal with him; it didn''t matter much whether it was lunch or dinner. And she also didn''t want to be late again, since her mother had warned her, just the night before,  to not stay out too late.


    Ji Xiehan was overjoyed after recieving her consent and led them to his car.


    He knew that Li Lanni would have loved to have this meal with Cheng Yu, too, but he wanted to have some time alone with her, so he didn''t suggest it.


    Cheng Yu very much wanted to stop Li Lanni from going to a lunch date with that bastard. But she couldn''t say anything since this cunning fellow already had Li Yuming''s consent. Thus, the displeased Cheng Yu was dropped home.


    ...


    At the restaurant, Ji Xiehan ordered Li Lanni''s favorite dishes naturally, as though he had known them for years.


    Li Lanni wasn''t too surprised. He must have asked Li Yuming beforehand. Nothing impressive.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t think of the right topic to talk about without making her uncomfortable. She was still quite distant.


    He was still racking his brains when he received a notification on his phone. He excused himself and took a look. It was a message from Qiao Luna.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t help raising his brows. That woman was quite weird. On the one hand, she was seducing him, but on the other hand, she was helping him chase Li Lanni. As expected, she must have been seducing him under his father''s orders.


    Just now, she had reminded him that flowers and gifts were essential for a date. She must have guessed that he was going to find Li Lanni when he left the office. But whatever the reason, it did remind him of something. Li Lanni didn''t like flowers. She thought of them as a fake gesture, at least that was what Li Yuming had said.


    While Ji Xiehan racked his brain on how to have a decent conversation with her, Li Lanni excused herself and went to the washroom. He quickly used the chance to check on the fashion news using his phone.


    All women loved fashion, right?


    At least he would have a common topic to discuss with her if he talked about fashion. So he searched for news about clothing brands that were popular among girls of Li Lanni''s age group.


    When she came back, he smiled at her. "I just saw that B&S will be holding a fashion show over the weekend. Do you want to go together? They must have some nice products that you will like."


    Li Lanni''s eyes widened and she choked on her own saliva when she heard his words.


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Xiehan remembered what B&S was. It was the nation''s most famous underwear and lingerie brand! It was famed for producing the sexiest and most flimsy types of lingerie one could imagine.


    Ji Xiehan''s face turned red; he had never embarrassed himself this badly.


    FML!


    What did he just say?!


    The first time he asked her out, he asked to go to a lingerie and underwear fashion show?


    He had finally lived up to her nickname of him. He was now a true pervert.


    Li Lanni''s cheeks flushed at the thought of what he had just said, but when she looked at him...


    Crap... why did it feel like the pervert was quite handsome when he blushed?


    How...charming!


    Li Lanni now understood why people said that Ji Xiehan was especially gorgeous . Now that she took a good look at him, none of that was a lie. Especially his eyes, they looked like they had the ability to draw people in like a vortex...


    Wait, what?!


    Lanni, what are you thinking about?!

 Chapter 81 - Lets Meet Up (4)

    After one of the most awkward meals, Ji Xiehan suggested going out for a movie.


    Alas, Li Lanni wasn''t in the mood, so he could only drive her home. It was already good enough that she had agreed to have lunch with him. He shouldn''t ask for a yard when given an inch.


    They were about to arrive at Li Lanni''s home when she received a new message. It was one of those anonymous messages yet again.


    Only that this time, the content was different.


    [Sunday, 5 pm. Blossom Park. Let''s meet.]


    Three short sentences.


    Li Lanni subconsciously glanced at Ji Xiehan. He was driving.


    Her previous suspicions about Ji Xiehan being the stalker were erased. He was driving right now, so he couldn''t possibly have sent that message.


    She knew that one could always schedule a text message to be sent at whatever time they wanted, but then again, he didn''t have a reason to act sneaky with her.


    Whatever it was, the main point was that the stalker had decided to reveal himself. It didn''t matter who she thought it was anymore.


    What mattered was, could she really meet up with that person?


    Thinking about it, that stalker had only ever warned her of things that could go wrong or sent her messages that she could consider not threatening.


    It was only the fact that he was a stalker that made her afraid.


    Did this mean that he meant no harm?


    But that wasn''t right. It was stupid to meet someone you only met online. In her case, it would be even more ridiculous. She had never spoken to that person. Communication had always been one-sided.


    Li Lanni raised an eyebrow and thought about the venue that the person had chosen. A public park.


    No one would choose such an open spot to commit a crime, right?


    "What are you thinking about?" Ji Xiehan''s voice interrupted her thoughts.


    Li Lanni snapped back and realized that the car had stopped. She looked ahead and smiled. "Oh, we''re home."


    Ji Xiehan silently got out of the car and, like any gentleman would, circled the car and opened the passenger door for her.


    Li Lanni looked at him, stunned. She wanted to say that it was not necessary, but in the end, she let him help her out. It wouldn''t hurt anyway.


    Unbeknown to them, Li Yuming was watching them from the first floor. She had just come to take a look when she heard the car engine sound, but was greeted with such a dazzling scene.


    "Where are you going?" Li Lanni asked when she saw Ji Xiehan was following her.


    "I''ll only be at ease if I deliver you to Aunty Li."


    Li Lanni remained silent. Man, that''s a lame excuse. Why don''t you just admit that you want my mom to praise you?


    Li Yuming rushed downstairs to receive them, a huge smile on her face. "You guys are back so fast? You should have used this opportunity to explore the city, go to the movies or the theme park, and have some fun!"


    Li Lanni: "..."


    Are you really my mom?


    She shrugged her shoulders and left to her room, leaving both of them with '' I am drained'' as an excuse.


    Li Yunming sighed; she really had spoiled her daughter. She apologized to Ji Xiehan and invited him in for a drink. Ji Yiehan turned it down politely and spoke with Li Yuming for a while before he left.


    Upstairs, Li Lanni''s mind was preoccupied entirely by that message. She was stuck, whether to go or not to go. She wondered whether she should tell her mother about it.


    After thinking about it, Li Lanni didn''t tell Li Yuming about the stalker.


    ____


    Soon it was Sunday; still, she hadn''t decided what to do. Li Lanni spent most of the morning thinking about it.


    In the end, she chose to wear comfortable clothes in case she had to fight. She tied her hair up and placed a pin close to her ear. It had  sharp pointed end.


    It wasn''t sharp enough to prick her scalp but she could use it as a weapon in dire situations.


    She decided to let her mother know where she was going for precautionary measures.


    "Mom, I''m going to meet someone at Blossom Park. I will be back within two hours at most."


    "Okay, take care." Li Yuming said.


    Li Lanni was more at ease. If two hours passed and she wasn''t back, Li Yuming would know that something was wrong.


    ...


    At the same time, in a high-end hospital in the Northern District.


    In a VIP ward.


    The door was pushed open, and a skinny figure clad in clothes that were out of place in summer walked in. The door was then tightly locked.


    The youth walked up to the figure on the bed. The man had been lying in the same position for months; no one knew when he would wake up.


    "Yang Su, long time no see." The youth suddenly said, looking at the man on the bed. "Do you remember me?"


    A pause followed, and the rhythmic beep could be heard clearly.


    "Oh, you don''t? But I remember you. You are one of the people who conspired to hurt the person I care most about."


    V let out an eerie chuckle before running a finger over the oxygen mask. "Has no one told you? No one gets away with hurting Lanni. If you hurt even a strand of her hair, I will have your life."


    The hand suddenly stopped, and the youth rattled relentlessly. "Honestly, I''ve wanted to do this for a long time. I know you will not feel any pain. Compared to the pain Lanni felt, this is too light of a punishment. But I still want to do it. You''re not useful anyway. You''re just a waste of space. It''s time you get out of the book."


    Taking a deep breath, V let out yet another eerie chuckle. "Goodbye, Yang Su. I''ll send Ji Feifei to accompany you soon."


    As soon as the statement was out, V directly pulled the oxygen mask off. A few seconds later, he put it back on, mocking, "No one realized you just died. That''s right. I messed with the system before coming here. How does that feel?"


    As though what had just happened was not murder, V simply left the hospital.

 Chapter 82 - Lets Meet Up (5)

    Li Lanni gathered her courage and left the house. Actually, Li Lanni needn''t be this nervous. Unknown to her, Ji Xiehan had previously hired two elite bodyguards to protect her.  Both of them were ordered to maintain enough distance from Li Lanni. Even now, they were guarding her. They were keeping a distance far enough not to invade her privacy but close enough to dash over if anything out of the ordinary happened. Of course, Li Yuming was already aware of this, that was why she was not worried about letting Li Lanni go out.


    ...


    Blossom Park wasn''t that far from her home.


    She arrived at the park within 30 minutes. When she arrived, she realized that the park wasn''t as crowded as she thought. In fact, there was barely a figure in sight.


    She looked around for the person she was meeting. She spotted only one figure sitting on a bench a few steps away from her. She couldn''t help feeling a bit nervous. She slowly started walking towards the bench and stood behind that person. It was only then that Li Lanni realized that the figure was a woman. She was shocked; her stalker was a girl! And from her stature, she looked not much older than her. As Li Lanni was immersed in her thoughts, that girl stood up and turned to face her.


    Seeing Li Lanni, the girl smiled brightly. "You''re here."


    Li Lanni''s eyes went wide. Wait; what?!


    Li Lanni was so shocked, and her heart started beating so loudly she could hear it in her ears. Her brain froze for a few seconds. She had no words to describe her shock.


    Her brain went hazy for a while as she looked at the girl like she was looking at an alien. Unconsciously, she reached to poke the girl''s face.


    "It... doesn''t look fake. Has technology developed so much that you can even make a face mask that looks this real?!" Li Lanni mumbled to herself in a daze.


    The girl was silent when Li Lanni poked her face but when she heard this, she giggled, "You''re too cute."


    Li Lanni snapped back from her daze when she heard her giggle and realized that she had done something silly. She was startled, how could she be so casual and let her guard down? This girl was supposed to be her stalker, the very stalker made her loose sleep for many nights.


    But why did this girl look like her?


    Yes, that was right. The girl''s face looked exactly identical to hers. Though a part of her face was covered by hair and long bangs, Li Lanni could tell that she looked exactly like her.


    Li Lanni''s mind was in a mess. She cautiously asked," Who are you?"


    The girl pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear and raised her chin. "Is it not obvious?"


    Li Lanni scrutinized the girl before her. What a shocking resemblance! Even the eyes, height, figure and voice was the same. How could it be?


    If it didn''t sound insane, Li Lanni would have thought that she was looking at herself!


    "Are you my clone?" Li Lanni asked in a daze.


    The girl coughed and tittered, speechless at Li Lanni''s low IQ today. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Xia Luna."


    Li Lanni frowned. "Loona?"


    The girl maintained her radiant smile that was an exact copy of Li Lanni''s. "No, it''s Luna. Like the moon."


    Li Lanni felt that statement was oddly familiar. Not just the words. The girl was oddly familiar too. "Have we met before?" At this point, hundreds of thoughts of speculation were running in Li Lanni''s mind.


    The girl clutched the hem of her blue dress, making Li Lanni feel slightly awkward. How was this different from looking at oneself?


    "We were in the same womb for eight months. Does this count?"


    Li Lanni was successfully annoyed. "You really want me to believe that you''re my twin?"  It was not that Li Lanni didn''t think that this girl might be her twin when she first saw her. But if she really was her twin, how come she didn''t know? And how come Li Yuming had never mentioned her?


    "If not, am I your grandmother?" the girl replied sarcastically. The girl was amused by the speed at which Li Lanni''s face changed colors.


    Li Lanni frowned at her sarcasm. "I''m not easy to fool. Show me some evidence!"


    Her disbelieving attitude amused Xia Luna even more. "Isn''t my face enough proof?"


    Li Lanni still looked like she didn''t believe her. Xia Luna sighed and reached behind her dress and unzipped it a little.


    Just as Li Lanni was wondering what she was doing, she turned around and pulled her hair to one side. "What of this? Is this evidence enough?"


    Li Lanni looked over curiously. Then she saw a birthmark that looked exactly like the one on her back. She was shocked speechless for a while, but when she took a good look at the so-called birthmark, she laughed.


    "You really went all out, huh. Even faking a birthmark. This is obviously a surgical stitch." She said with a sneer.


    Xia Luna zipped back her dress before chuckling. "You really think what you have on your back is a birthmark? It''s a surgical stitch too. Mine only took longer to fade because I didn''t want it to."


    Li Lanni frowned, thinking that her birthmark was indeed odd. But then, "So, since we are twins, we had the same surgery? How hilarious."


    Xia Luna didn''t mind her sarcasm and explained, "We did have the same surgery. We were born conjoined. Luckily we didn''t share any vital organs, so we were separated quite easily."


    "What?!"


    Li Lanni was shocked. Not only did this girl claim to be her twin, but she was also even claiming that they were born conjoined? Just how much insanity was going on here?


    Li Lanni felt her brain was really going to explode this time.


    ___


    The other female lead is finally here!


    The stalker and behind-the-scenes protector, Lanni''s  twin.????


    Technically, she''s been here for the last 79 chapters. She just wasn''t introduced officially.


    Erm.... tell me what you think. Do you like her?

 Chapter 83 - Lets Meet Up (6): (End Of The Stalker Arc)

    Xia Luna looked disappointed. "You still don''t believe me?" She reached behind her head and squeezed her eyes shut as she pulled out two strands of her long, wavy hair. She held out her hand to give them to Li Lanni. "I didn''t bring a DNA test report because you would think it is fake. So how about you do the test yourself?"


    Li Lanni looked at the long strands of hair but didn''t reach out to take them. She needed some time to process all this.


    ...


    When she was done, she shot a look at the girl before her. "If I were to believe that we are really twins, how do you explain the fact that I don''t know about you? Why did you only appear now?"


    Xia Luna pursed her lips, went back to the bench she was sitting on earlier, and patted the space beside her. "Come, sit here. I''ll tell you."


    Even though she Li Lanni was a complete mess inside, she pretended to be calm. She simply walked over and sat.


    Seeing that Li Lanni was cool enough, Xia Luna started explaining, "I wasn''t planning to meet you until you recovered your memory, but I heard that the people who know me started bothering you, so I came."


    CEO Jiang? This was the only person Li Lanni could think of.


    That man had started acting weird the moment they first saw and talked about things she couldn''t understand. He made it sound like they were in a relationship of sorts.


    Now it made sense. No wonder CEO Jiang had called her Xia. He must have mistaken her for this girl.


    "But how come he doesn''t know that you have a twin?" Li Lanni asked.


    "That''s a long story. But in summary, very few people from this city know that I exist."


    A short spell of silence later, Xia Luna hesitatingly grabbed her hands. "Lanni, I''m sorry. I have caused you trouble."


    Li Lanni was still not in the mood for apologies and all that. "May I know why you have been stalking me?"


    Xia Luna looked aside in shame. "I didn''t want to do that either. But you had just woken up from a coma and didn''t have an inkling of the past, yet you were close to someone who could hurt you. If I simply waltzed into your room and said that I''m your sister and your friend is a bad person, would you believe me? Your state of mind was also not stable enough at that time because of amnesia and some level of trauma."


    Li Lanni had to admit that she wouldn''t have believed her. Especially since this sister had popped out of nowhere. Even if she were to believe her, it would have taken a lot of time.


    "It would make you more alert if some unknown person said it creepily. As for why I continued sending you messages after that,  I didn''t want you to forget about me. But I didn''t want you to know who I was either, so I would delete them each time. I sound so silly, right. But what can I do? You are my only sister, and I didn''t want you to forget me."


    Li Lanni looked at the girl, obviously believing only half of her ridiculous words. But it wouldn''t help even if she doubted her, so she brushed it off. "Don''t you ever do that again."


    Li Lanni had many questions to ask, but she didn''t know what to say. It was as though her tongue was stuck; even her brain seemed to have temporarily stopped.


    Someone had been stalking her for the last many weeks, and she had spent days wondering who it was, then that person turned out to be not a man but a girl, and that girl was even her twin?


    Who could accept such a weird twist?


    ...


    Minutes passed.


    Li Lanni''s brain finally resumed its functionality. Then she thought of all the things Xia Luna had said.


    "You said that you were only planning to meet me when I recovered my memory? You did want to meet me then? Why?"


    Xia Luna thought about it before saying, "I''m afraid your brain will not be able to take in too much information. I''ll explain it all later."


    "You''re still planning to keep in contact with me?"


    Xia Luna didn''t answer but asked another question instead. "Any problem with that?"


    "Of course, there''s a problem!" I don''t trust you!


    What if she was an impostor?


    Xia Luna smiled gently, masking the fact that Li Lanni''s distrust hurt her. "You can ask Xiao Yu about me."


    Li Lanni was shocked yet again. "You know Cheng Yu?"


    "Of course I do. She is our best friend." As though knowing what Li Lanni was going to ask next, Xia Luna continued, "It was my idea to not tell you about me."


    Li Lanni wanted to ask more, but she had to go back home. She had already told her mother that she would be back within two hours, and it was almost over.


    Besides, who would spend time with someone they only just met?


    She had to make sure this girl was telling the truth before asking any of the millions of questions in her mind.


    ...


    That evening, Li Lanni took a few bites of her dinner absentmindedly.


    "What''s wrong? The food is not to your liking?" Li Yuming asked with concern. She looked like if Lanni said that food wasn''t to her taste, she would dash into the kitchen and prepare whatever it was that her daughter wanted to eat.


    Li Lanni was pulled out of the daze by her mother''s words. However, Li Lanni didn''t answer this question. She spoke of another thing instead. "Mom, I met a girl today."


    "Mmh?" Li Yuming probed. What about it?


    Li Lanni thought about it. She still didn''t believe Xia Luna''s words because her mother had never spoken about her.


    If she had to choose to trust one person between the mother who so evidently loved her and a ''twin'' who popped out of thin air, it was obvious who she would choose.


    So she carefully said, "Her name is Xia Luna, and...."

 Chapter 84 - Is She Really My Twin?

    A loud clutter interrupted her. When Li Yuming heard that name, she unknowingly dropped her fork, making the rice on her plate scatter.


    Li Lanni was stunned by the sudden loud clutter. She stopped and looked at her mother.


    "Lanni, what did you say just now?" Li Yuming looked evidently pale. The two words, ''Xia Luna'', were like a hex to her.


    Li Lanni didn''t understand what had happened, so she hesitatingly continued. "Uhm...she claimed to be my twin. I thought that if it''s true, you would definitely know, so..."


    "Don''t meet her again." Li Yuming interrupted her and coldly said.


    "Huh? But... why not?". Li Lanni was shocked by the sudden change in Li Yuming''s mood.


    Li Lanni was initially going to ask if Xia Luna was her twin, but from her mother''s reaction, it couldn''t be any more obvious.


    "Whether you are twins or not, the Xia family has nothing to do with us, and that girl has nothing to do with you. Do you understand?"


    Li Lanni couldn''t understand her mother''s reaction. Usually, shouldn''t a mother be thrilled when she hears news of her daughter? Why was her mother shocked instead?


    But the main point was, "Mom, why didn''t you tell me I have a twin?"


    Li Yuming had a turmoil of emotions in her head. She looked right at Li Lanni and enunciated every word clearly, "As I said, she has nothing to do with you."


    "How can she have nothing to do with me? We are sisters, aren''t we? Mom, I don''t  know what reasons you have for not liking her. But I am old enough to know such important things.  I am not a kid anymore. Please, can you not put me in the dark and tell me?"  Her tone was neither timid nor overbearing as she patiently asked.


    She could see turmoil in her mother''s eyes. But she didn''t understand why. Why did she have such a huge repulsed reaction?


    Li Yuming had a bitter smile. If she didn''t handle this matter properly, it might lead to an argument, and that was one thing she didn''t want. She didn''t want to lose her daughter again.


    Li Yuming sighed and looked into her daughter''s eyes and asked her,


    "Why did she say she was here?"


    Li Lanni remembered her sister''s words clearly. "Because she misses me....and wants to reunite."


    "If she really misses you, why didn''t she come here to our home? Why would she choose to meet you in secret?"


    This, Li Lanni didn''t know either. She could only use logic to speculate," Because she didn''t know how to face you after being away for so many years?" After all, siblings could easily break the awkwardness brought by decades of separation. It was harder for parents.


    She thought she made sense but Li Yuming facepalmed. "Your naivety is off the charts. Do you really believe her? Do you really think she misses you? The Xia family is a cluster of sly foxes. All of them are treacherous, including your biological father.


    That girl might be of the same age as you, but she is more cunning than a thirty-year-old.


    You''re only a trophy for her to inherit the Xia family''s business and that''s just one of her minor aims."


    "What do you mean?" Li Lanni was puzzled. What did the Xia family business have to do with her?


    Li Yuming was frustrated. She took a deep breath and said, "Why don''t you ask your ''dear beloved'' twin? You seem to trust her already anyway. Why ask me?"


    Li Lanni was speechless. Why did her mother sound like she was losing a treasure? Moreover, she realized that not only did her mother hate her father and sister, but she also seemed to hate the entire Xia family to the core.


    And what did she mean ''you seem to trust her already''?


    Though, thinking about it, she had to admit that although they had only met once, she did feel safe around Xia Luna. A large part of her believed that Xia Luna wouldn''t hurt her. She wondered if it was because of what people called the bond between twins.


    But no matter what, her mother loved her very much. She knew that no matter what feud there was between her mother and the Xia family, all her mother wanted was the best for her.


    She wouldn''t want their relationship to go sour just because of some faraway twin who had suddenly appeared. Besides, she was yet to know whether that twin of hers was a good person or a snake pretending to be good. She couldn''t only use her instincts as a deciding factor.


    So she hugged Li Yuming and cozied up to her. "Mom, what are you saying? I will only trust you."


    Hearing this, Li Yuming''s expression softened.


    "Mom, I haven''t seen you try out the braised beef yet. It is so yummy; the chef must be in a good mood today!" She used Li Yuming''s fork to pick up a piece of braised beef and put it close to Li Yuming''s mouth.


    Li Yuming ate it, her heart flooding with warmth and love. "You little brat. You should save such sucking up skills for your future husband."


    ____


    Xia Luna only went back to her apartment much later. She was surprised to see the uninvited guest in her living room. "Xiao Yu?"


    Cheng Yu looked over at her. "There you are. Can I spend the night here tonight... wait. You went out without your disguise?"


    "It would be hard to explain if Lanni thought her twin was a man." Xia Luna dismissed.


    "I know, but... shouldn''t you have changed back after meeting her? Someone could see you!" Chen Yu was vexed.


    "I was careful."


    Of course, she didn''t know that she had been seen by not one person but two people.


    ___


    Hey sweeties, sorry the mass release that should be on 5th has to be delayed because of some issues. I''ll tell you the new date once it''s decided ?

 Chapter 85 - Tell Me About Xia Luna

    That night Li Lanni was restless all night. She very much wanted to know how Cheng Yu and Xia Yuna knew each other. Her whole mind was a mess.


    The next morning, she woke up early and sent a message to Cheng Yu to ask her when she was leaving for the studio. She didn''t get any reply even after a while, so she freshened up, had breakfast, and left for Star Art International early.


    That girl was probably bundled in a corner somewhere with some canvas. Her enthusiasm for the classes was off the charts.


    Alas, when she reached the studio, she realized that Cheng Yu hadn''t arrived yet.


    Li Lanni was surprised. For the first time, she reached the school before that bookworm.


    But since she was on her own, she was bored.


    She took an easel and started sketching absentmindedly. Honestly, her heart wasn''t into it. She only started sketching to calm her restless mind.


    She heard footsteps approaching and thought Cheng Yu had arrived, so she pushed the easel uvaside and turned towards the door with a smile.


    But instead, she was greeted with a beaming girl with a head of red hair. It was the type of red that was bound to look weird or even scary on many people. She wondered just how Ruby managed to look so good with it. Well, that was one of the perks of being good looking. Even if she draped on a wig with a random mixture of all sorts of blinding colors, Li Lanni believed that she would still look good.


    "Lanni, what are you thinking about?" Ruby asked when she realized that Li Lanni was staring at her hair.


    "Nothing, your hairstyle suits you. Do you need anything?"


    Ruby was overjoyed from the compliment, and her smile grew even wider. "Really? Thank you."


    When she had calmed from the mini excitement, she showed her the food flask she had brought. "Have you had breakfast yet? I brought some for you."


    Li Lanni chuckled, wondering why people liked giving her food and treating her to meals. Did they take her for a foodie?


    Then she took a glance at the large food flask with four tiers. Was this really breakfast for one?


    But, "I already had breakfast."


    Ruby was visibly disappointed. She urged, "But you can still eat a little more, right? Most of the dishes are low in fat. You will not get fat if you eat a little more."


    "But I''m really stuffed."


    Most importantly, how could she simply accept food from someone she wasn''t that close to?


    "Then I guess I''ll have to throw it away," Ruby said sadly, looking at the food flask.


    Li Lanni shook her head quickly. "Throwing food is a bad habit. You should give it to your other friends." Ruby had already gained many admirers in class. They would walk on the clouds if she gave them breakfast.


    "But isn''t it rude to give someone else something that was rejected by others?"


    Li Lanni wasn''t surprised by this mentality. It did sound like something a girl like Ruby would say. "Not really. This is food anyway." It was different from a present.


    Ruby looked like an abandoned puppy. "Then can you at least have a taste of the buns? I made them myself. Do you dislike them?"


    Li Lanni really couldn''t stand her pitiful demeanor, especially since she had made them herself.


    However, she couldn''t bring herself to trust a friend of Ji Feifei''s no matter what.


    So she decided to say frankly, "Ruby, it''s not that I dislike the food you made. I just don''t trust you."


    Surprisingly, she felt like a load had been lifted off her shoulders once she said it.


    Although the words stung, Ruby didn''t kick up a fuss. Trust was earned; it couldn''t be forced. "Well, your loss then." She shrugged and went off to give the food to Cedric instead.


    However, the guy looked at her disdainfully. "I''ll only accept food from my mother or my future wife!"


    "You''re heartless!" Ruby gritted her teeth and took out the buns from the first tier to start eating herself while sulking pitifully.


    When Cedric saw her eating, he snatched some and started eating as if nothing has happened with a blank face.


    Ruby had no words to say. How could one be so shameless? How thick was his face! But she secretly felt delighted.


    Cheng Yu had arrived, just in time to watch the epilogue of the amusing scene. For some reason, she felt that the scene was a bit funny.


    "You''re here at last." Li Lanni said with a smile when she saw Cheng Yu arrive. Today, Cheng Yu looked brighter than usual. "Did something nice happen?"


    Cheng Yu sat next to her and took out a bunch of new paintbrushes in different sizes. "Nothing new, really. I had a good night of sleep."


    Li Lann didn''t say it out loud, but somehow she had a feeling that Cheng Yu was hiding something from her and hadn''t spent the night at home. Given how she and her parents are currently on bad terms, she wouldn''t be this happy if she was coming from the home.


    Li Lanni shrugged it off. Every person has their own secrets that they wouldn''t like to share with others. Now that reminded her of why she was waiting for Cheng Yu. She went straight to the point. " Cheng Yu, Tell me about Xia Luna."


    Cheng Yu didn''t look shocked as she had already expected Li Lanni to ask. "Sure, I''ll tell you everything you need to know. But are you sure this is the right time?"


    Though she was eager to know, Li Lanni admitted that it was indeed not the right time and definitely not the right place.


    ...


    After class, Li Lanni suggested they eat lunch at a nearby restaurant.


    The restaurant had a peaceful vibe and wasn''t noisy. It was perfect for both of them to sit together and have a nice chat.


    Cheng Yu didn''t have any problem with it, so she went along. She knew that Li Lanni was curious about Xia Luna''s past, so after they were done with their orders, she started telling about Xia Luna.


    "I am not very sure of where to start. It''s kind of a long story but I''ll keep it short. Luna and I haven''t known each other for very long. Just a little over a year."


    Li Lanni frowned. Xia Luna had made it sound like they knew each other from their mothers'' wombs. She thought both of them were familiar for many years.


    Cheng Yu didn''t realize Li Lanni''s shock. She stared at the window in a daze while reminiscing how she had met Xia Luna for the first time, "One evening when I was returning from an errand; someone tried to rob me. It was quite late, and there was barely anyone on the streets.


    The thief snatched my bag and was running away. I was quite tired that day and had no energy to deal with that thief. But then a ''guy'' rushed out from heaven knows where and knocked down the thug before retrieving my bag for me. When I took a good look at ''him'', I was shocked. I thought it was you.


    That person''s disguise was shabby, just a change of clothes with no makeup, so as soon as her scarf fell off, I could tell that she''s a girl."


    Li Lanni thought that it was a typical ''hero saving the damsel in distress'' type of scenario. But unfortunately, the hero turned out to be a girl.


    Cheng Yu snapped back. "Oh, right. I was staying at the university hostels at the time, so I invited her back for a drink. My impression was that I was inviting you. It was only when she helplessly introduced herself that I realized she wasn''t you. Even then, I only believed it after testing both of you several times." Cheng Yu felt stupid every time she remembered that. She had almost gone crazy from thinking that Li Lanni was double-crossing her as a prank of sorts.


    "Anyway, that''s how we met. Xia Luna said she was from Westlake City and had come to B City to look for her sister, the one I had mistaken her for, and I instantly knew that she is your twin.


    Even then, I didn''t trust her yet, so I didn''t tell her anything. I thought she might have some bad intentions. I even once thought of her as an impostor. She didn''t get offended by my lack of trust and just brushed off with a smile.


    But with time, I realized I was wrong. She would spend her time doing her work, and if she wasn''t working, she was looking out for you."


    "Looking out for me?" Li Lanni was surprised.


    "Yes. She didn''t really ever have to do anything since you never needed help with anything, but I could tell that she was ready to protect you if anything ever happened. She cared about you more than anything. In fact, she''s a good person. At first, I thought she was pretending to care about you to gain my trust.


    But one day, something happened to me, and I was so sad..." Cheng Yu didn''t mention what exactly happened, and Li Lanni thought it better not to ask.


    ___


    What to expect in this arc:


    --Not much about Luna


    --Ji Xiehan and Lanni might get closer


    --Things might get a bit... uhm... interesting


    If you don''t want to be informed of what to expect, you can ignore it or tell me to stop warning.


    Enjoy your reading ?

 Chapter 86 - Awkward Conversation

    Cheng Yu continued, "She helped me get back to my feet. If she weren''t there for me, I would''ve gone mad at the very least.


    Since then, I started to trust Xia Luna, and to thank her, I made a painting as a gift for her. That was how we became friends."


    When Cheng Yu was done, Li Lanni snickered. "She made it sound so mysterious."


    She then realized the main point. "I''m nowhere in that story."


    Cheng Yu remembered something and looked awkward. "Well, when we became friends, I helped her set up a meeting with you. But when you first saw her and learned who she was, you hated her. You were so jealous of her that you almost hated me along with her."


    "Jealous?" Li Lanni''s eyes went wide. Jealousy?


    "Yes. Because she had always been with your dad while as for you... Since childhood, you spent so much effort trying to meet him at least once, but you couldn''t.  Then as you grew, you started to believe that he was dead.


    Li Lanni remained silent. If she had believed that her father was dead, both she and Cheng Yu knew who was the reason for that. But why would her mother make her misunderstand?


    Her mother really seemed to hate the Xia family. From what she had said about them the previous night, Li Lanni had almost believed that Xia Luna was an example of an evil sister.


    She would never have guessed that the evil twin was her.


    Now, she really wanted to smash a brick against her head. Why was she so mean back then? How could she throw her temper around?


    Cheng Yu saw her expression and knew what she was thinking. "Honestly,  you have always been a good person.


    But once Luna appeared, I don''t know what hit you either. It was as though some evil being had possessed you. If you were not constantly finding reasons to pick fights with Luna, you were keeping to yourself and ignoring people."


    The more Li Lanni heard, the more she wanted to bite herself up. Was she that evil? How could she behave like a shrew?


    "Then, one day, Luna took you to meet your dad. It turns out he had missed you too. Since that day, you became the bubbly and kind Lanni that I knew. You even became friends with Luna. You flaunted how both of you were telepathic and drowned me with all your sisterly love. Jeez!"


    Li Lanni was shocked by the sudden roller coaster of emotions. Cheng Yu must have done it on purpose!


    She had thought that after she knew how Cheng Yu and Xia Luna were related, she would calm her restless mind. But after hearing all this, she felt more disturbed. She felt conflicted. She didn''t know whom to listen to!


    Her mother had said that her sister was evil, while Cheng Yu said she was kind and caring. Why did her mother hate the Xia family to the core?  What happened in the past?


    Moreover, she felt guilty about her past behaviour towards Xia Luna. She shouldn''t have done that. How could she throw her temper around so childish?


    Cheng Yu knew what she was thinking, so she suggested going to Xia Luna''s apartment together.


    After thinking about it, Li Lanni agreed to go. She wanted to know what had happened in the past that made their family to fall apart. She was sure that she wouldn''t get any answers from her mother, so she could only ask Xia Luna.


    .....


    " Lanni, we''re here." Cheng Yu saw that Li Lanni was still in a daze, so she called her out.


    While she was busy organizing her thoughts, Li Lanni realized they were already at Xia Luna''s unit.


    Her heart raced; she bet it wouldn''t race this fast if she were going to meet a boyfriend. She had gone back on her own word so fast...


    Cheng Yu found her expression comical. "She''s your sister. Do you have to be so nervous?"


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes and put on a nonchalant face.


    Since Chen Yu had the spare key, she directly opened the door before announcing, "V, look who I brought."


    Li Lanni turned to look at Cheng Yu with surprise. "Who is V?"


    Before Cheng Yu could answer, a ''guy'' came out from the kitchen with a glass of water in ''his'' hand.


    "It''s you!" Li Lanni suddenly shrieked. Xia Luna was also shocked by Li Lanni''s arrival. Even in her dreams, she hadn''t thought that Li Lanni would come to her home on her own accord. But after a while, she calmed down.


    Cheng Yu shifted her gaze between the two before asking Li Lanni curiously, "Did she prank you?"


    Li Lanni looked like she wanted to beat someone up. "You''re the guy who appeared at the hospital that day, right?" Although the face was obviously a girl''s, she was wearing masculine clothes that were slightly bug for her, so the figure passed off as that of a young man. It was only upon very close inspection that one would notice the slight curves on her chest.


    No wonder she had felt that man was too skinny. It turned out it was a girl.


    Xia Luna drank her water as she waited for Li Lanni to calm down before explaining, "I like wearing male clothes."


    "Why?"


    "They''re comfortable."


    Li Lanni was speechless.


    A girl who found male clothes comfortable?


    Cheng Yu saw that this conversation was getting awkward, so she chuckled. "Luna likes to act rebellious. But she isn''t too rebellious."


    Li Lanni nodded; everyone had their own preferences. She then asked, "Why did you call her V anyway?"


    "That''s an alias she uses online."


    Li Lanni had had enough of all this mysteriousness. "So many aliases... don''t tell me..."


    Xia Luna laughed and said, "I won''t tell you."


    Li Lanni saved her strength. Why was it so hard to hold a conversation with Xia Luna when they were twins? Where was the so-called telepathy and understanding that was supposed to exist between twins?!

 Chapter 87 - You Look Good Together

    But after meeting her again, she felt all the mixture of emotions that was raging within her seemed to have calmed down.


    The three of them chatted for a while, but it was mostly Cheng Yu speaking and trying to lighten up the mood.


    Li Lanni felt awkward, being in the presence of Xia Luna suddenly. She couldn''t have a decent conversation with her sister.


    Previously she had treated her very rudely, and then yesterday, she didn''t even trust her.


    And today, she was in her apartment when she had promised her mother that she wouldn''t meet her anymore. It felt weird to be torn between her mother and her sister, but this was the only way she could get the two to talk.


    Time flew by, and it was soon evening. Li Lanni looked at the time and remembered that they still had an assignment to do.


    She looked at Cheng Yu and reminded, "We have a class assignment to do today."


    "Oh, right." Cheng Yu remembered, but then she shrugged. "But I have read the book already. Do I have to reread it?"


    Li Lanni blinked her eyes, wondering how Cheng Yu wasn''t able to tell what she meant. "I have read it too, but I''m going to reread it as instructed. The more we understand the storyline, the better it will be for us."


    Cheng Yu looked at her as if she still didn''t get what she was implying.


    Li Lanni chuckled at her innocently naive expression and explained, "The tutor probably wants us to try out developing the comic version of the novel.


    I heard Star Art International has bought the copyright of the original novel. They must be planning to develop a comic version."


    Cheng Yu looked at Li Lanni like she had just landed from another universe. "Star Art International has such plans? When did that happen?"


    "This morning." Li Lanni said naturally.


    Cheng Yu was speechless. Something happened this morning, it was not announced but Li Lanni knew it already and was already predicting their next moves? Impressive!


    While Xia Luna smiled silently, her sister''s intelligence quotient hadn''t decreased due to amnesia as she thought.


    No wonder her life was normal, even without her memory of the past.


    She had always known that is Li Lanni recovered her memory, she would be unstoppable.


    But now Xia Luna knew that with or without her memory, Li Lanni could still be unstoppable. The rate at which she was growing up was terrifying.


    It had just been a few months, but she had managed to pull out a dangerous thorn by her side. Although that girl wasn''t dead yet, she had been stripped of most of her power, and her family was now keeping watch on her, especially her brother.


    Technically, she could no longer hurt Li Lanni.


    "Xia Luna, do you want to meet our mother?" Li Lanni suddenly asked. This was her main reason for coming today. If Xia Luna and her mother had to talk about their misunderstanding and clear it, they would have to meet first.


    Xia Luna''s eyelashes trembled ever so slightly before she looked at Li Lanni with all seriousness. "Why should I meet her?"


    Li Lanni was really reconsidering her decision to treat Xia Luna better. "Because she''s your mom too...?" Wasn''t that a given?


    "Oh." Xia Luna looked distant and dismissive. "I''ll meet her then."


    "Lanni, do you want to meet our dad? He misses you very much."


    Li Lanni''s heart skipped a beat. Did she want to meet her dad?


    Of course, she did!


    But her mother said...


    Cheng Yu saw how uneasy Li Lanni looked and chuckled. "Luna, don''t scare her."


    Xia Luna''s expression eased. "Oh... I forgot."


    An awkward spell of silence later, Xia Luna offered, "I''ll help you guys do your homework."


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes. "Don''t make it sound like you''re our senior."


    Xia Luna let out a "heh" while looking at Cheng Yu.


    Li Lanni, at the side, felt a weird vibe. She mumbled, "I don''t know if it''s because I''ve read too many GL novels, but I think you two look good together."


    Cheng Yu: "Huh???!"


    Xia Luna: "Excuse me?"


    Li Lanni took a look at their shocked faces and laughed. "I was just kidding. Don''t look so worked up."


    The girls both sighed in relief, as though they were scared of the joke Li Lanni had just made.  It made one want to tease them even more.


    ...


    Of course, the twins were not going to build their relationship overnight, and Li Lanni still had to speak to her mother about it. So she said her goodbyes and left for home.


    That evening, at the dinner table.


    Li Lanni was quite nervous, so she kept stuffing herself.


    Li Yuming couldn''t help laughing. "What happened to you? You''re so uneasy that you''re eating the carrots you hate the most."


    Li Lanni just realized she had eaten a carrot and drank a huge glass of water to down it.


    She then snuck a glance at her mother. "Mom, actually..."


    "Mmh?" Li Yuming probed when Li Lanni suddenly paused.


    Li Lanni hesitated, would Li Yunming get angry if she knew that she had met Xia Luna today?


    But as she thought about the situation clearly, she realized that she shouldn''t rush it. It was still possible that Xia Luna was hiding behind some mask and she had deceived Cheng Yu into trusting her.


    After all, if the Xia family wasn''t really bad, her mother wouldn''t be a divorcee.


    "Erm... I just wanted to ask... er... what I wanted to know is, why do you like putting me together with Ji Xiehan?"


    Li Lanni almost bit off her tongue. After racking her brains for an excuse, the excuse that surfaced in her mind was about that pervert?


    Even worse, it didn''t work.


    Li Yuming should have been excited, but she wasn''t so easily fooled.. She raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, what did you do?"

 Chapter 88 - This Inhumane World

    Li Lanni was shocked by her mother''s perceptiveness. "Huh? Of course, I did nothing."


    "Laaanni...?"


    Li Lanni''s face went red. "I''m such a good girl. I''m absolutely adorable and obedient. What can I possibly do?" Before her mother could respond and bombard her with more questions, she kissed her face in a flurry. "I have incomplete homework, so I''ll go up first. Goodnight!"


    Li Yuming chuckled as Li Lanni ran out of the dining room. Didn''t she know her daughter better than anyone? The cheeky girl was probably up to something.


    ...


    The next day, in the Comic Arts studio.


    The tutor had to attend a meeting, so he was substituted by Miss Song. Miss Song was a middle-aged woman who was quite beautiful for her age.


    Cheng Yu couldn''t hold back her awe. "Is everyone in Star Art so gorgeous?"


    Li Lanni shot her a look, but she couldn''t deny it. Indeed, the deputy CEO was stunning, their tutor was handsome, and this substitute tutor was beautiful.


    Not to mention, she didn''t want to admit it, but Jiang Xingyu was handsome too. His level of handsomeness was comparable to the pervert.


    Wait, why did that pervert invade her thoughts yet again?! Also, did she just think he was handsome? No, the main point was, he was starting to invade her thoughts more often lately.


    "Trainees, you have a test today." The beautiful substitute teacher said, dragging Li Lanni back from her thoughts.


    "What?" The trainees were all shocked.


    "No one mentioned a test!" a young man complained, and the few other trainees chimed in.


    "It''s not difficult." Miss Song smiled. "You have  already prepared for it."


    "What''s the test?" Cedric was the only one who asked, earning glares from the other students who were still hoping she would change her mind.


    "That''s the right attitude." Miss Song looked at Cedric with approval. "It''s quite simple."


    "This month, we are going to draw the first volume of ''Until the end''."


    Everyone was familiar with this name. It was a super famous web novel with hundreds of millions of views and tens of millions of fans. In fact, their tutor had asked them to read the first volume of the novel the previous day.


    ''But wait, the comic adaptation was going to be drawn by them?'' Everyone had the same thoughts running in their minds.


    "Seeing the expressions on your faces, I think all of you have guessed already. You were asked to read the novel yesterday. So, today''s test is to draw the first chapter of the comic. The time limit is forty minutes. I am looking forward to seeing some good art pieces. But as you draw, don''t forget to keep the protagonist''s character in your mind."


    After explaining all the requirements, she let them work on their own.


    Cheng Yu glanced at Li Lanni like she was a god. Her prediction had been right! Luckily she had read and understood it.


    She looked back at her sheets of paper and started working. This was her forte.


    Li Lanni also started sketching.


    Ten minutes later, a mini bang resounded. Everyone looked up from their sketches to see a distraught Ruby Chan sprawled onto her desk; her stationary casually shoved aside.


    "This inhumane world!" She complained.


    Miss song shrugged. If she disliked art, what was she doing in this class?


    Cheng Yu was going to mock her when she remembered something. It was none of her business.


    ...


    Thirty minutes later, most of the students were done. They were using fast-drying acrylic paint, so they didn''t need to wait for long.


    Miss Song picked up a few of the samples she liked to present as good examples.


    Cheng Yu''s and Lanni''s were definitely among them.


    Li Lanni was awed when she saw her friend''s work. "Xiao Yu, you''re so good at it."


    Cheng Yu knew her own abilities, but she was embarrassed. "Thank you. Yours is awesome too. You even remembered the protagonist''s eye color."


    "Tch. It''s just so-so." They heard an arrogant voice mocking them fro behind.


    Cheng Yu turned in displeasure to see Cedric looking down on their work.


    "Why don''t you mind your business?"


    "But it''s really so-so." He said as a matter-of-fact.


    Li Lanni harrumphed. "Why don''t you show your work then, since you''re so impressive?"


    "Sure." Cedric said while casually handing his paper to them.


    Cheng Yu''s eyes went wide.


    Li Lanni was startled. This...


    "What? Are you too impressed?" Cedric said, gloatingly when he saw their awed expressions.


    Li Lanni was annoyed by this guy''s high and mighty attitude, but she had to keep her mouth shut.


    Wasn''t this too impressive?


    The female protagonist of the comic was a master of archery.


    According to Miss Song''s instructions, the introduction page was of her shooting an arrow to the target.


    They all had to portray the same thing, but it looked at another level of difference in Cedric''s work.


    His female protagonist had an arrogant look on her face as she aimed, and most importantly, her gaze and pose were so perfect that it made one captivated into the scene in a second. She seemed as if she was an epitome of grace and beauty. The other few pages were just as excellent.


    And his choice of colors and style was beyond anyone else''s imagination.


    He had brought both his and the author''s imaginations into life in just one picture!


    The fans of the novel version would doubtless love the comic if the adaptation were Cedric''s version.


    Li Lanni subconsciously covered her own work.


    It was already perfect, but compared to Cedric''s, it paled by a huge range.


    Cheng Yu''s face didn''t look any better.


    "How come Miss Song didn''t use it as an example?" Li Lanni asked. This was the best version she had seen.


    "If it were presented, everyone would drop out of class," Cedric said in a monotonously.


    Cheng Yu remained silent.


    Li Lanni had no way to refute this. Indeed, it was true.


    No wonder Ruby gave up. She must have snuck a glance at his sketch.


    Poor girl...


    Li Lanni was even more curious. "Since you are so good, why did you only get second place in the art competition the last time?"


    Cheng Yu didn''t say a word, but she perked her ears, obviously wanting to know too.


    "I deliberately lost," Cedric said nonchalantly.


    Li Lanni now felt stupid for winning it.


    Fine, you are talented. You have the right to be haughty.


    The class continued. Cheng Yu was absent minded for the rest of the time. Even when the class ended, she still looked lost.


    Li Lanni was worried. Had she suffered a blow too?

 Chapter 89 - Two Lannis

    But when she called her out, she was interrupted by Cheng Yu''s sudden shriek.


    "Ah! It feels like my idol has come back to life! I am so excited that I can''t put it into words."


    Her shriek was so loud that Li Lanni had to cover her ears. "Girl, is that why you were silent?"


    "Yes! Do you now see what I was trying to tell you before? You didn''t believe it when I said to you on that day. Now, do you believe me?


    Although Cedric is quite proud and annoying, his talent is way off the charts!"


    Li Lanni didn''t know what to say anymore. Well, she should have expected her to fangirl over such a rare talent. She had thought that Cheng Yu was exaggerating things about Cedric. But today, when she saw his paintings, she had to accept that Cedric was indeed on another level.


    She somehow felt that she very much lacked in the painting skills. So she turned towards Cheng Yu and said, "We need to practice more. How about we stay at my home tonight? We can practice together, and my mom can give us a few pointers."


    When Cheng Yu heard her, she was even more excited. Everyone who knew Cheng Yu knew that she admired masters of the art.


    Since she was so excited just by the mention of Cedric, one could imagine her reaction once Li Yuming was mentioned. This was Li Yuming they were speaking of!


    She had always dreamt of having someone like Li Yuming for a mentor. Although she was her friends'' mother, she didn''t dare to ask Li Lanni for this favor. And now Li Lanni had suggested it herself?!


    She felt today was her luckiest day. She was so overwhelmed that her brain even stopped for a while before she stuttered, "Then... then let''s swing by Luna''s apartment first. I''ll bring my favorite paint and brushes." She had left them behind when she spent the night at Xia Luna''s.


    Li Lanni was amused. "Is that necessary?"


    "Of course! I''m going to meet a god. How can I not bring my best everything?"


    Li Lanni chuckled at how Cheng Yu called her mother.


    Both of them packed their bags and left for Xia Luna''s apartment.


    All the way to Xia Luna''s apartment, Cheng Yu kept chattering about how great Li Yuming was and how much she admired her, making Li Lanni go speechless.


    Xia Luna was not at home, so Cheng Yu used her spare key to unlock the door and quickly took her belongings before they left for Li Lanni''s home.


    Unbeknownst to them, there was a low-profile car parked nearby.


    ...


    In the car,


    Ji Xiehan reclined to make himself invisible when the girls passed near the car.


    He had been secretly tailing Li Lanni lately.


    Last Sunday, the bodyguards had reported that Li Lanni was meeting someone they thought was unusual.


    He had asked for the person''s whereabouts and followed them to find out who they were but he was shocked.


    There were two Li Lannis?!


    The other "Lanni" had gone to Goldenwing apartments.


    He thought that he must have imagined it, so he followed the genuine Li Lanni on Monday, and after class, she surprisingly went to that apartment with her friend.


    So today, he  worked out a time when Li Lanni should be in class and went to wait near the apartment. He hypothesized that if there were really another girl that looked like Li Lanni, she would get out of the building at some point.


    He waited for a few hours and saw nothing strange.


    He was just about to give up and leave when he saw two girls giggling their way into the building. One of them was Lanni. The other one should be her friend, Cheng Yu.


    Why was Lanni here again?


    Don''t ask him how he was so sure that the girl was Li Lanni and not the other girl. He just felt it was his Lanni.


    Perhaps this was Cheng Yu''s apartment, and she had only come here to visit her friend?


    No, that was impossible.


    This was a high-end apartment.


    For the sake of Li Lanni''s safety, he had investigated Cheng Yu, and he knew that she didn''t have a good relationship with her family. It was so bad that she had to do odd part-time jobs for a living. But at the moment, she had lost her previous job. There was no way she could afford an apartment in such a luxurious neighborhood.


    It couldn''t be Lanni''s apartment either. She lived in her mother''s villa.


    He waited for a while even after they left, but he saw nothing out of the norm.


    Perhaps he was overthinking it?


    But no, that was not possible. He had clearly seen that girl on Sunday, and he was sure she was not Li Lanni.


    Even though they looked alike, the vibe that girl exuded was a bit different.


    Besides that, they looked extremely identical. Even if one were to make a clone, they wouldn''t be that similar. Even cosmetic surgery could not produce a result close to that. In fact, not even twins... wait.


    He thought of a possibility.


    Could it be... she was Lanni''s twin?


    But, if Lanni had a twin, he would have known.


    But then again, he had been overseas for many years and hadn''t known about Li Lanni''s existence either. He only knew about her when they met at the Emerald Grand Hotel two months ago.


    Was it possible that there was a twin he didn''t know about?


    Just who was the other girl?


    After thinking about it, he made his way to the Ji mansion. If there was a twin, there was someone who would definitely know about it.


    ...


    Madam Ji was overjoyed when she saw her son. "Xiehan, you''re finally here. It''s been long since I last saw you."


    "Hi, mother."


    Madam Ji was so excited that she pulled him onto the sofa and asked how he was and nagged him for not coming home for days.  Ji Xiehan knew that this time it was his mistake for not coming back and consoled her. After making sure that his mother was calm, he slowly asked her, "Mother, I want to ask you something."


    "Ask away."


    "Do you remember... Li Yuming? You know, the woman who saved me many years ago?"


    "Ah, you mean that woman who looked after you when you were six? What about her?"


    Ji Xiehan acted ignorant and asked casually. "Where is she?"


    Madam Ji wondered why he suddenly asked about her. "Don''t tell me you still want her to look after you? It''s been so many years, and that woman met her retribution."


    "Retribution?"


    Madam Ji looked so horrified that she made a cross sign on her chest. "She must have done so many wrongs in her past life that the gods punished her in this life.


    I heard her marriage wasn''t smooth.


    She was also unfortunate to give birth to a pair of conjoined twins."


    "Conjoined twins?!" Even Ji Xiehan was shocked. Such a rare thing actually happened?


    The main point was, she had twins?


    "I saw them once; they were so pretty." Madam Ji continued. "Too bad they were so unfortunate. That woman was labeled a jinx along with her babies.


    I don''t know what happened afterwards.


    But years later, I met her, and she had a beautiful little girl with her. She should be one of the twins. She was even in Feifei''s school, and they later became friends.


    I didn''t see the other twin, and I didn''t even ask."

 Chapter 90 - Ultimatum

    Ji Xiehan was stunned. Li Yuming really had twins?!


    So that girl could be Li Lanni''s twin...?


    As he was digesting this news, a sudden thought came to him, what if the girl he saw with Jiang Xingyu in the photo was not Li Lanni but her twin!


    In other words, what if he and Jiang Xingyu didn''t fall the same woman, and Jiang Xingyu''s girlfriend was Li Lanni''s twin?


    If that was the case, he would kill that idiot for lusting over his Lanni. How could he call himself a man if he couldn''t even recognize his own wife?


    Erm... Ji Xiehan, let''s not get ahead of ourselves.


    Nothing had been proven yet.


    On another note, the way his mother was currently looking at him... gave him chills.


    "Mother, what is it?" He asked her cautiously.


    Madam Ji looked like she had been waiting for that question. "Xiehan, are you really going to spend the rest of your life alone? You should find a woman and marry soon or you will not be able to handle the loneliness. You don''t know but the older you are, the harder it is for good women to like you.


    This topic again! He knew this was coming.


    But this time, he was not repulsed to talk about it. On the contrary, he was excited. "Mother, you don''t have to worry. I already have a girl I like. I will surely bring back a daughter-in-law for you and father, and many adorable grandchildren to play with."


    Madam Ji wasn''t happy. Instead, she sighed. "Xiehan, you cannot be hung up on a girl you only saw once and didn''t see her again. What if she''s not interested in you? Even worse, you can meet her again years later only to find that she is married already. What will you do then?" Madam Ji was not aware that her son had long found his little beauty and was currently chasing her.


    At this time, Ji Feifei had arrived in the living room, just in time to overhear Madam Ji''s laments. She rushed over and said, "Of course not mother, brother will not be lonely. He has me."


    Ji Xiehan''s expression changed. He looked like he had seen something slimy and disgusting.


    Madam Ji didn''t realize this and patted her daughter. "My Feifei is so sensible. But your brother cannot be with you forever. You will soon get married, and he will still end up being lonely."


    "How can that be?" Ji Feifei laughed and hid her true intentions. Who said a sister could not accompany her brother forever?1


    Especially since the brother was so handsome... she had long decided that she would never get married.


    Ji Xiehan was on the verge of losing his temper from the girl''s lustful gaze. He really wanted to have a word with his parents and berate them for the way they had brought up his sister.


    He couldn''t control himself and asked his mom. "Mother, just how was this brat brought up?"


    Madam Ji was shocked by his sudden accusation. "Huh? Are you criticizing your father and me?"


    "Yes. You dear daughter..." is too immoral! He decided against giving his parents a heart attack. "Whatever it is, you have to enroll her into a rehabilitation school. The kind meant for wayward children. If not, she will really be the Ji family''s downfall."


    Madam Ji thought he was talking about Ji Feifei''s expulsion. "Are you really still thinking about how she was accused? Surely you should know your sister well enough to know that she was framed. It''s already good enough that you''re not helping her clear her name."


    He sneered and muttered in a low voice, "It''s exactly because I know her well enough."


    "What did you say? I didn''t hear you. But don''t think of using this as an excuse and brush off the marriage topic." Madam Ji said.


    Ji Feifei was initially startled and furious when Ji Xiehan asked their parents to enrol her in a rehabilitation school. But she calmed down after a while since she knew Madam Ji would never do that. As expected, her mother really did not pay attention to his words and brushed it off.


    Ji Xiehan knew his parents wouldn''t listen to his words. Fine, just do as you want. But don''t blame him if he accidentally kills her.


    "Anyway, about your marriage, I already have a few maidens in mind. Gu Tianxi from the Gu family really seems to like you.


    I''m not forcing you to marry her but you can get to know her, and who knows, you might just fall in love with her."


    "I don''t want her." Ji Xiehan said straightforwardly.


    Madam Ji didn''t know what to say. Her son seemed to hold some hatred towards Gu Tianxi. He had even embarrassed her the last time she came to visit with her mother.


    "What about Feng Ci? She''s beautiful, intelligent, and, most importantly, the Feng family has a special relationship with our Ji family."


    Many decades ago, Great grandfather Feng had partnered with Great grandfather Ji and founded Feng Ji International together.


    Even though the company was now solely owned by the Ji family, this kind of connection was still significant, and the two families were still close friends.


    But Ji Xiehan still rejected her without batting an eyelid. "I only have eyes for one woman."


    "Utter nonsense!" Old Master Ji roared as he made his way downstairs.


    What did he mean he had a woman in mind? This punk would not get close to any woman at all! Even the little assistant he sent to him had failed to charm him.


    "I can already barely accept the fact that you refused to be the CEO of the company when it''s your responsibility. Now you don''t want to get married either? Our partners are starting to think there''s no future for the company!"


    Ji Xiehan felt a headache coming on. "I am not refusing to get married. I have a girl I like, and right now, I''m pursuing her.. If I am ever to marry, I will marry only that girl."

 Chapter 91 - Apprentice

    "Who is that girl?" Madam Ji asked curiously. Who was that girl that could make her son fall in love and declare loyalty?


    "The name is Lanni. Anyway, we will get married when the time is right."


    Old Master Ji harrumphed. "I bet that girl doesn''t even exist, or I would have seen her."


    Madam Ji frowned as she held her chin between her thumb and index finger in thought. "I think I''ve heard this name before. I wonder why I can''t recall it."


    "There''s no such girl. Don''t let this punk fool you!" He said to his wife before glaring at his son. "Xiehan, you must get engaged. I''m giving you one month. If you do not bring that girl you speak of and introduce her to us, or if she is not good enough to hold up the name of our Ji family, you will have to marry Gu Tianxi or Feng Ci."


    "What?" Ji Xiehan was stunned. Old man, we have been friends for years. How could you just throw an ultimatum at me? What the heck is this?


    When Ji Feifei saw the drama unfold in front of her, she secretly sneered.


    Oh, I thought it wouldn''t happen.


    She knew better than anyone that Madam Ji would never let Li Lanni into the Ji family.


    For starters, she had already created a bad impression of Li Lanni in Madam Ji''s mind. Aside from saying that Li Lanni had bullied her many times, she had also ''accidentally'' let it slip that Li Lanni had a messy private life.


    The most important fact was that Li Lanni was from a broken family. Would the Ji family really accept a woman with no proper upbringing?


    Obviously, once Li Lanni got rejected, Ji Xiehan would be heartbroken. Then she would step up as an excellent younger sister and comfort him. It was common knowledge that men would easily fall in love with the women close to them.


    Besides, who could reject a beauty like her?


    Tsk tsk. Just the thought of it made her anticipate. She couldn''t wait so long. Old Master Ji should have given him one week!


    No one knew what was happening in Ji Feifei''s delusional mind, but Ji Xiehan had a bad feeling about her gaze. What was this brat up to?


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Li Yuming''s  villa,


    On reaching home, Li Lanni brought Cheng Yu to her studio. Li Yuming liked to have her personal space when painting. So, for her comfort and convenience, Li Yuming had two studios in the villa. The smaller one she had given to Li Lanni since she didn''t use it too often.


    Cheng Yu couldn''t hold back her awe as she looked at the neatly arranged easels, paint, brushes, and palettes. Everything in this studio, even a single graphite pencil, must be expensive and of the best quality. Li Yuming really loved her daughter.


    Even though her family was also a wealthy one, they wouldn''t ever do such a thing for her. It would be good enough if they didn''t throw away the equipment she had bought from her odd jobs'' salary.


    Li Lanni noticed how awestruck Cheng Yu was and smiled slightly.


    She had never seen anyone so obsessed with art. Thanks to her amnesia, she was like a blank sheet of paper, with no dreams. Sometimes she felt empty inside. She didn''t have particular interest in anything and only did things because she should. She didn''t understand the feeling of being so obsessed with a dream and pursuing it at all odds. But she did like the brightness in  Cheng Yu''s eyes when she painted. So she would do anything to support Cheng Yu''s dream.


    Wordlessly, she set up everything they needed for practice. When she was done, she turned to look at Cheng Yu, who was still busy exploring her studio. She calmly went to look for her mother in her room.


    Luckily, Li Yuming wasn''t doing much. She was only folding her laundry.


    She looked up when she heard a knock on the door, "Come in."


    Li Lanni walked in and sat next to her on the bed. "Mom, can I ask for a favor?"


    Li Yuming paused what she was doing and looked at her daughter with a gentle smile. "Go ahead."


    "I brought my friend with me so we can practice painting together. Could you help us out?"


    Li Yuming had a smile blooming on her face. She loved art. But she knew that her daughter didn''t like it as much. So when she actively suggested such a thing, Li Yuming couldn''t possibly say no to her. Most importantly, she couldn''t say no to her daughter even she asked her to pluck the stars from the sky, let alone such a simple favor. "You guys wait for me. I''ll be there in a short while."


    "Thank you, mom."Li Lanni nodded happily and left her mother''s bedroom.


    On the way back to the studio, she passed by the kitchen and brought some snacks for her friend.


    "My mom will be here in a short while. Why don''t we have snacks first?" Li Lanni saw Cheng Yu arranging her precious art tools and said to her.


    Cheng Yu''s joy was beyond words. She was really going to be taught by Li Yuming!!


    ...


    By the time Li Yuming arrived, the girls had eaten their snacks and had started sketching.


    She quietly crept up behind them and studied their sketches.


    "Loosen your hand a little."


    "Huh?" Cheng Yu was startled by the sudden gentle voice before her ears flushed. Was Li Yuming speaking to her right now?


    "The way you hold your pencil is too tight. It will be easier to sketch is your fingers are as free as possible."


    Cheng Yu adjusted her hand immediately. Li Yuming smiled in approval. The girl probably knew what to do already. Perhaps she had a lot on her mind.


    Li Yuming looked at Li Lanni''s sketch and then looked at Cheng Yu''s.

 Chapter 92 - Apprentice 2

    Although she was Li Lanni''s mother, she liked Cheng Yu''s sketch more. This young girl was so passionate that her sketches looked like they would come to life. It was hard to imagine just how wonderful they would look once she completed them.


    Li Lanni, on the other hand, seemed to do it just because she didn''t want to let her down.


    While both of them were excellent, Cheng Yu''s passion was more encouraging.


    Since she didn''t want to distract them, she let them do their thing as she sat aside.


    The more she looked at Cheng Yu''s painting, the more she felt that Cheng Yu was born to paint. When she saw that she was almost done with her painting, she slowly asked her, "Little girl, you are so talented. Which family are you from?"


    Cheng Yu paused and nervously replied, "Aunty, I''m from the Cheng family."


    Li Yuming was familiar with this name. "Then you must be Cheng Yu. I''ve heard Lanni mention you before."


    Cheng Yu was once again flattered. She had thought that  like the Ji family and Ruby''s family,  Li Yuming would look down on her after learning her identity. But, as expected of her most admired artist!


    She broke into a smile.


    "Little girl, do you love art very much?" Li Yuming asked, trying to make her voice as friendly as possible.


    "Yes, aunty." Cheng Yu stuttered.


    "Then, do you want to be my apprentice?"


    "Eh?"


    Cheng Yu''s first reaction was to be shocked. She felt that just she heard something incredible.


    What did Li Yuming just say?


    Li Yuming smiled gently. "I''ll let you think about it."


    Cheng Yu was dizzy with sudden excitement. Master, I don''t need to think!  I''m ready!


    Li Lanni, who had been ignored at the side, could only smile helplessly.


    Cheng Yu had managed to steal her mother''s heart so easily.


    One had to know that Li Yuming''s love for art was only second to her love for her daughter.


    Now that she had found someone who loved art as much as she did, how could she let her go?


    She even looked like she almost wanted to adopt Cheng Yu.


    However, Li Lanni was not jealous. On the contrary, she was relieved.


    If she were to be honest, it was not that she disliked art but she somehow felt it was a responsibility for her. Not a passion. She had always been afraid of letting her mother down. As the daughter of a famed prodigy, who didn''t expect her to be a prodigy?


    Now that her mother had found a disciple, she wouldn''t be under so much pressure anymore.


    Cheng Yu was overjoyed as she officially became the first apprentice of the great Li Yuming. This was the happiest day of her life! She couldn''t wait to tell Luna the good news.


    Li Yuming gave the two of them several points to take not of. Filled with new knowledge and happiness, they slept in Li Lanni''s room that night. The next day, both of them left together to the institute. Cheng Yu was walking on clouds all day.


    As soon as she was back at Xia Luna''s apartment, she jumped onto Xia Luna''s back and exclaimed. "Guess what?! I have become an apprentice!"


    Xia Luna looked at her over her shoulder with a smile. "As expected of my Xiao Yu."


    "Guess who my master is?"


    "My mother?" Xia Luna guessed effortlessly.


    "How did you know?" Cheng Yu looked awed. "Did Lanni tell you?"


    Xia Luna laughed. "Of course not. It''s not hard to guess. Not many people can make you so happy."


    Cheng Yu sat down and smiled. "You''re so lucky... to have her for a mother."


    Xia Luna smiled and kept quiet. Yeah, lucky.


    "What is it?" Xia Luna asked when Cheng Yu suddenly looked down.


    "I..."


    Cheng Yu thought about it, then just sighed. She didn''t want to spoil the mood, "It''s nothing. I just recalled something unpleasant."


    Xia Luna knew she had changed the topic, but she nodded silently. And since they were on the topic of parents, she could pretty much guess what Cheng Yu was thinking about.


    So she suggested it instead. "On a side note, Xiao Yu, can you move in with me?"


    "Huh?" Cheng Yu was taken aback.


    Xia Luna languidly sat on the sofa and said to her, "It''s quite boring to be on my own."


    "But...." could she really just move in?


    That was not the most important part because the most important part was the cost.


    This was a luxurious apartment. Even if she worked her head off, she couldn''t afford half of one month''s rent. So she really couldn''t share the cost.


    A while ago, she was only thinking of asking Xia Luna to let her stay for a few more days as she looked for a new job. And now Xia Luna was asking to live together?!


    Looking at her crestfallen expression, Xia Luna knew she had misunderstood. "I don''t need you to pay for anything."


    "How can that be? This is your house." Cheng Yu protested. She hated freeloading on others.


    "You''re doing me a favor by keeping me company."


    After saying this, Xia Luna realized she didn''t make any sense, and Cheng Yu was feeling more and more awkward, so she just became straightforward. "Fine. Once you get a well-paying job, I''ll let you help me. For now, you just have to concentrate on your classes."


    Cheng Yu was embarrassed. Xia Luna was obviously trying to help her out yet she was the one persuading her.


    Two days ago, she had had yet another fight with her parents for the same reason as always: they wanted her to quit the art classes.


    But how could she quit? That was her dream! So she outrightly refused to listen to them.


    Since she refused to yield, they had threatened to kick her out. She couldn''t take their daily yelling anymore. So she packed her essentials and left home on the very same day.


    Luckily, she had friends like Lanni and Luna.


    She didn''t know how to express her gratitude.. She knew they didn''t need it, but once she became self-sufficient and wealthy, she would thank them properly.

 Chapter 93 - Damned Idiot

    And as for whether she would become rich or not, of course, she would. She was an artist. She just needed to work hard and qualify to be employed by Star Art International as a comic artist. Then becoming rich would be only a few steps away for her.


    After hesitating for a while, Cheng Yu finally accepted her proposal.


    Xia Luna sighed in relief. She was not very good with words; if Cheng Yu stubbornly rejected her again, she wouldn''t know how to convince her.


    Xia Luna liked spacious apartments, so although she lived alone, there was an extra room in her apartment.


    Since it was decided, Cheng Yu quickly moved into the extra room. She would bring over the rest of her things the next day.


    Now that the issue about her housing was resolved, she felt a huge burden off her shoulder. It was only then she saw that Xia Luna looked troubled.


    Xia Luna was so good at hiding her feelings that one had to be extremely keen to realize that she had something bothering her.


    Even then, she didn''t like talking about her troubles and hated being questioned about her private life. This was one of the many similarities between the twins.


    But Cheng Yu couldn''t watch this anymore. She carefully asked, "Did something happen?"


    Xia Luna realized that Cheng Yu had noticed her unstable mood. So she sighed and told her with a tinge of annoyance in her tone."Someone''s trying to investigate me."


    She hated it when anyone tried to step into her personal space. Even though she knew that person would not be able to find anything significant about her, she still felt irritated.


    Cheng Yu was startled. "Someone saw you? This is the only way they would know about you." She then had a sudden thought. "Could it be your mom? Lanni might have told her about you. Perhaps she doesn''t trust you and wants to know what kind of person you really are? You know how anxious your mother is when it comes to Lanni''s safety."


    It was only after she had finished voicing her thoughts that Cheng Yu realized she might have poked at a wound. Her words had directly implied that Li Yuming only cared about Li Lanni and was wary against Xia Luna. While it was true, it would still hurt.


    Luckily Xia Luna didn''t actually care. "She''s not the one investigating me."


    "Then who is?"


    "Ji Xiehan." Xia Luna said.


    Cheng Yu felt her head spin. "Well, now that''s not funny."


    Because Ji Xiehan was Jiang Xingyu''s friend. If he investigated Xia Luna and found out that she was Jiang Xingyu''s girlfriend, he would obviously tell Jiang Xingyu.


    But, "Are you still unwilling to speak to Jiang Xingyu? He has the right to know, don''t you think?"


    "What right?"


    "As your boyfriend, he should know why you left him, shouldn''t he?"


    "I don''t like him. That''s all he needs to know."


    Xia Luna realized that Cheng Yu was looking at her like she was a scumbag, so she shrugged. "So what if I meet him? I cannot force myself to love him."


    "Then why did you date him?" Cheng Yu couldn''t help asking.


    Xia Luna didn''t want to answer that. It would make her a true scumbag in Cheng Yu''s heart.


    How was she to say that she momentarily liked a man because he accompanied her when she was lonely, but she had to slip away because she realized that although the man was so deeply in love with her, she didn''t actually love him?


    That being said, she knew she should have properly broken up with him.


    But some things couldn''t be changed.


    Or maybe.... she should meet up with him and break up properly.


    ___


    Meanwhile, Ji Xiehan was now sure that Li Lanni had a twin.


    So he started investigating the other girl.


    However, it was strange that he couldn''t get any records of that girl. If he hadn''t seen her with his own eyes, he would think his mother had made up a story.


    She seemed to have locked away or deleted everything related to her.


    That girl must be a programmer and an excellent one at that.


    But it did prove one thing.


    Li Lanni''s twin was Jiang Xingyu''s girlfriend.


    Because when that girl disappeared, Jiang Xingyu couldn''t find any information about her either. Now he knew why that girl disappeared.


    No wonder when they thought of Li Lanni as Xia, many things didn''t make sense.


    Now they all made sense.


    ''Damned idiot! He actually mistook Lanni for his girlfriend?


    He scared my little beauty for nothing.'' Ji Xiehan cursed his friend mentally until he felt better.


    At the same time in Jiang Xingyu''s villa, Jiang Xingyu, who was reading a newspaper, sneezed suddenly and wondered who was cursing him.


    ...


    After coming to this conclusion, Ji Xiehan wanted to tell Jiang Xingyu about it in person as soon as possible.


    But he had a pile of unfinished work to complete and when he was done, it was already late at night.


    The next morning, Ji Xiehan went straight to Jiang Corporation. However, Jiang Xingyu wasn''t in his office. His secretary said that he had gone over to Star Art International for inspection.


    Star Art International?! Ji Xiehan jolted.


    That idiot was going to ''inspect'' his little beauty!


    He couldn''t wait anymore.


    Ji Xiehan wasn''t wrong.


    In Star Art International, Li Lanni was about to break down.


    Jiang Xingyu had been waiting for her arrival at the entrance of Star Art International. As soon as he saw her, he dragged her to the employee''s cafeteria on the first floor and took her to the corner most table.


    As if that wasn''t scary enough, he started giving her various gifts as though they were a very intimate couple.


    Li Lanni was dumb stuck when she saw a small pile of gifts of various sizes on the table. Her face darkened.


    "Xia, this bracelet is from Amanda Lin''s latest creation.. Isn''t she the jewelry designer you like the most?" Jiang Xingyu, unaware of Li Lanni''s mood, started showing her the gifts one at a time.

 Chapter 94 - Inspection

    "Uh..." Li Lanni looked at the beautiful purple bracelet in his hands and was speechless. It was beautiful, and she liked it, but she was not Xia!


    Looking at her expression, Jiang Xingyu thought that she did not like the present and eagerly but gently said, "If you don''t like it, I can ask her to design a custom made one just for you, okay?"


    "Well..." Li Lanni was having a hard time. She was on the verge of blurting out, "I''m not your Xia! Your Xia is in Goldenwing Apartments!"


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t give up. He whipped out a small case containing a gorgeous pearl necklace, the most beautiful pearl necklace Li Lanni had ever seen. "What about this? Don''t you like pearl necklaces the most? This necklace was crafted very carefully, and it''s even..." Li Lanni didn''t hear the rest of it. She was glancing at the box beside him. It was probably full of presents, each one more valuable than the last.


    And the man was coaxing her to accept them like he was coaxing a little girl to accept toys.


    Li Lanni couldn''t take it anymore. "Well, CEO Jiang, you..."She was just about to say that he had mistaken her for her twin when someone barged in angrily.


    "Jiang Xingyu!!"


    They both turned towards the entrance.


    Ji Xiehan walked in, staring daggers at his friend. Without saying one more word, he dragged him out by the collar.


    "Hey! Let go!" Jiang Xingyu protested. This was utterly humiliating!


    Li Lanni was surprised by Ji Xiehan''s sudden entry. She then sighed, she had to thank Ji Xiehan for his timing. If he arrived a second later, she would have revealed to Jiang Xingyu about Xia Luna.


    On a side note, Ji Xiehan wasn''t going to beat him up, right? Anyways, it had nothing to do with her.


    Li Lanni was about to leave when Ji Xiehan came back.


    His previous anger was gone and he looked like nothing had happened just now, even smiling at her charmingly. "Lanni."


    Li Lanni was captivated by his smile. The way his lips curled upwards, the gentleness in his blue eyes as he looked at her... how charming!


    She snapped back as soon as this thought surfaced.


    What was happening with her?!


    Why did she keep thinking about him at random?


    How could Ji Xiehan not see her dazed expression when she saw him? But he was amused by how she adjusted her expression in a flash. He chuckled lightly before sitting opposite her.


    Li Lanni was still uneasy, though she had to admit that she wasn''t as repulsed with Ji Xiehan''s presence as she was with Jiang Xingyu.


    Perhaps it was because she knew that everything Jiang Xingyu was doing was meant for another woman... or perhaps there was another reason she didn''t know of.


    "Can I pick you up after school today?" Ji Xiehan asked with his signature smile on his face.


    "Okay." Li Lanni replied in a daze. Her attention had been stolen by a mere curl of his lips.


    When Li Lanni realized what she had just said, she bit her tongue. What was that? Why did she say okay? Had her brain been possessed?


    But she couldn''t take back what she had said, and the pervert had already heard it, so she could only bite the bullet.


    She glanced at the time; her class was almost starting. "I''ll go to the studio now."


    "Okay." Ji Xiehan flashed yet another bewitching smile, and Li Lanni almost gasped from how handsome he looked.


    She literally ran out of the cafeteria to avoid embarrassing herself. That pervert must have already figured out that there was something about his smile that made her brain stop functioning. He must be doing it on purpose! Damned pervert.


    "What was that all about?" As soon as Ji Xiehan left the cafeteria, Jiang Xingyu asked him, whining. "Didn''t we have an agreement?"


    Previously, they had agreed to pursue her fairly and let Li Lanni choose who to like.


    But this unreasonable guy had suddenly dragged him and thrown him out of the cafeteria then replaced him?! How could he accept that?!


    He couldn''t rush back in and fight either because it would cause a ruckus and make his Xia despise him.


    Ji Xiehan glared back at his friend, who was glaring at him. "She''s not your Xia."


    "Is your brain fried?" Jiang Xingyu exploded.


    "Your Xia is her twin."


    "What did you say?!"


    ...


    Because Li Lanni had run all the way, she arrived before the class begun.


    As she arrived in her classroom, she couldn''t help but wonder why Ji Xiehan was angry with Jiang Xingyu.


    He was that angry when Jiang Xingyu interrogated her but she couldn''t help thinking beyond that. Could it be he had found out the truth about her and Xia Luna? Don''t ask how she figured it out. When she saw that the way Ji Xiehan dragged Jiang Xingyu out of the room, she had a feeling that it was not because of some trivial dispute. It must be something bigger than that.


    She didn''t want to meddle in matters that weren''t part of her business, but Xia Luna had said that she didn''t want to be discovered yet. She wondered whether she should call Xia Luna and inform her that she might have been discovered. Thinking so, she went and sat in her place.


    Cheng Yu was waiting for her, looking bright and cheerful. "There you are!"


    Her cheerfulness infected Li Lanni. "What''s the good news?"


    "Nothing, I just had a good night of sleep."


    Li Lanni cocked her eyebrow. "Xiao Yu, are you... are you in love?" What''s with all the good nights?


    Cheng Yu almost dropped the pencil in her hand when she realized that her friend had misunderstood and quickly defended herself. "Hell no! I just moved in with Luna, and I''m peaceful, that''s all!"


    Li Lanni chuckled and looked her with doubt screaming all over her face. "You and Luna..."


    Cheng Yu smacked Li Lanni''s head. "Don''t give me that look. And don''t say such frightening things, jeez!"


    Both she and Luna were straight, okay?


    "Also, stop reading girl romance novels already!"

 Chapter 95 - That Should Be Illegal

    Li Lanni laughed. Fine, she needed to stop reading such novels already.


    Maybe she should focus her energy on the task at hand.


    ...


    After class, Cheng Yu went to Xia Luna''s, and Ji Xiehan took Li Lanni to best restaurant, and she didn''t protest.


    For a reason she didn''t understand, however, she was nervous.


    Ji Xiehan noticed her nervousness and started chatting with her to lighten up the mood.


    He cleverly didn''t mention her twin. Although he was sure that Li Lanni knew about her, he thought it better not to ask her about it. Especially not at such a time. She might just think the only reason he took her out for lunch was to get information from her.


    "Lanni, do you think you could ever date?" As they were chatting, he suddenly asked out of nowhere.


    "Huh?" Where was this coming from?


    Ji Xiehan laughed lightly at her shocked expression. "I''m just asking. You don''t need to answer if you don''t want to."


    "Oh..." Li Lanni was relieved for some reason.


    Ji Xiehan was wondering when it would be time to confess to her. He was initially planning to wait for her to regain her memory, but now, he was under some crazy ultimatum. If he didn''t manage to get her to be engaged with him within one month, he would have to marry either of those girls.


    Damn! The old man must have done it on purpose!


    Seriously, the girl wasn''t even particularly friendly with him. How could he get her to agree to marry him within one month?


    That was impossible even if he had the magic of a love potion.


    But thinking about it, his parents must have loose screws in their heads. What were they implying by suggesting marriage with Gu Tianxi?


    Even if all the women in the world died, he would rather die lonely than marry that woman.


    Putting her pride and arrogance aside, she was obviously an ambitious woman with one goal in mind: using the Ji family for her selfish benefits.


    The Gu family wasn''t doing well in business in recent years. It wasn''t that he had a problem against the company, but the family wanted to use the Ji family to revive their own company.


    The betrothal gifts they were going to ask for were obviously going to be astronomical. It would be shocking if they didn''t ask for half of the Ji family''s shares in Feng Ji International. Not to mention the woman was a spoilt brat.


    Li Lanni might have been spoiled by her mother too, but unlike Li Lanni who was kind and sweet, that woman looked like she could do anything to get what she wanted. Most importantly, anyone who got along with Ji Feifei must be just as evil.


    As for Feng Ci, seriously, his parents were even more blind.


    Many years ago, the Feng family was in an economic crisis. To save their family, they sold off all their shares in Feng Ji International to the Ji family.


    While it looked like a win-win situation, the Feng family couldn''t possibly be happy about it.


    What decades worth of friendship?


    They were obviously finding ways to recover the company, and from the moves they were making, they were not just trying to take back their shares. They were planning to swallow the whole company.


    How could his parents want him to marry such a woman? If they didn''t use their daughter to make Ji Xiehan give them back the company, they wouldn''t be the Feng family. Seriously his parents must have become muddle-headed with old age.


    Li Lanni realized that at some point, Ji Xiehan''s mind had drifted and he was thinking about something. What was he thinking about so seriously?! He looked quite handsome though...


    "You didn''t have a good night of sleep? You have dark circles under your eyes." Unconsciously, her voice became gentle with slight concern in her voice.


    Her sweet voice jolted him back.


    When he heard what she had just asked, his ears flushed with a pale scarlet color and joy flashed in his eyes, "Are you worried about me?"


    "What? No..." It was Li Lanni''s turn to blush. Indeed, her question sounded like she cared about him.


    His dark circles were so slight that one needed to pay attention to notice them. But even then, she somehow found them an eyesore on his handsome face.


    She quickly defended herself. "I''m just worried... that my mom would be worried about you."


    She scolded herself once she said that.


    Now it sounded like she was bringing him home.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t mind her words. They were a good sign. Perhaps in her heart, she was starting to care about him even just a tiny bit.


    His lips curled upwards to reveal a sliver of his snow-white teeth.


    Li Lanni looked aside with a cough. Her heartbeat had accelerated slightly.  Someone tell this man that what he''s doing is illegal!


    Ji Xiehan looked at her blushing face and couldn''t resist the urge to tease her a little more.


    In all the twenty-seven years of his life, he never would have thought that his heart would be stolen by a little girl seven years younger than him. And she was so innocent that it felt like puppy love.


    Neither of them knew that at this time, trouble was brewing in the Ji family mansion.


    Madam Ji had finally figured out.


    "That girl called Lanni. I think I remember her now. But isn''t that the name of the girl who bullied you in school? Xiehan couldn''t have fallen for that girl, right?" She asked Ji Feifei worriedly.


    Ji Feifei shrugged, putting on a wronged expression. "I don''t know. I don''t know if brother would like such a girl..."


    Madam Ji frowned. She had a bad feeling, especially about the surname Li. What if that girl was the person she was thinking about? It wouldn''t be fun if his son fell for such a girl.


    "Feifei, do you have that girl''s picture?"

 Chapter 96 - Teaser

    Ji Feifei was happy to show it. And of course, she had always had Li Lanni''s photo. She was waiting when her mother would ask for it. Finally, her mother remembered about Li Lanni!


    She quickly showed her mother a photo of Li Lanni with Yang Su.


    Just as she expected, Madam Ji frowned. "She has a boyfriend? If that''s the same girl, Xiehan shouldn''t chase her.


    But once she took a good look at the girl, she frowned in displeasure. "This girl bears some resemblance to Li Yuming."


    It had been many years, but she couldn''t forget that woman. And from Li Lanni''s face, anyone could tell that they were mother and daughter.


    Ji Feifei''s role was to make Madam Ji sure of it. She pretended to think hard about it then ''remembered'' and said, "Her mother is called Li Yuming."


    Madam Ji''s frown deepened.


    Well, the girl looked pretty.


    But she had taken her mother''s surname.


    She personally didn''t have anything against that, but she didn''t want to give anyone a reason to talk about the Ji family.


    Besides, this girl clearly had a boyfriend.


    How could she let her son marry someone else''s girlfriend? Not to mention, Ji Feifei had said that this girl''s personal life was a mess.


    Ji Feifei watched Madam Ji''s displeased expressions gloatingly.


    But then she shrugged helplessly. "Mother, perhaps we are mistaken? It''s just a name after all. Brother only said her name is Lanni. He didn''t say the surname is Li. Perhaps it''s another Lanni. There are many girls called Lanni anyway.


    While she put on a caring and optimistic act, she was only making Madam Ji become hopeful only to get that hope crushed harder.


    The day they would meet Li Lanni would be quite entertaining.


    ....


    The oblivious pair had a delicious lunch before Ji Xiehan offered to drop her off.


    Li Lanni didn''t reject the offer, and she scolded herself for accepting this so fast.


    Could someone tell her why she was getting more and more brainless?


    The entire car ride was almost silent, with only slow, soothing music playing in the background.


    Even though the entire ride was a smooth one, for some reason, she felt a bit nervous. Nowadays, in the presence of Ji Xiehan, her heart suddenly starts beating loudly. Once they arrived, Li Lanni got out of the car and dashed off like a scared rabbit.


    But just a step later, her hand got caught from behind in a firm grip.


    Her face went red as she felt him close in on her. She couldn''t dare turn to look at him.


    "Is.... is something the matter?" She stammered.


    Ji Xiehan was now right behind her. He was so close that if he moved foward just a little more, their bodies would touch.


    Ji Xiehan loosened his grip on her hand a little, but he did not let go. And for some weird reason, she didn''t shrug it off. Neither did she try to put some distance between them.


    As far as he could remember, they had never been this close to each other.


    For a moment, everything he wanted to say flew out of his mind. He was standing so close to her that his senses were filled with her scent.


    From his angle, he could see that her face was flushed all the way to her ears, and he knew that he wasn''t any better off.


    He watched as her other hand tightly gripped her shoulder bag in nervousness. How cute! Her tiny actions tickled his heart.


    How he wished time would freeze at this moment.


    But, it was just a wish.


    Li Lanni recovered from her embarrassment and asked, "You want to say something?"


    Ji Xiehan snapped back too, but his voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Star Art International is holding its 9th-anniversary banquet tomorrow. Can we go together?"


    His warm breath gently brushed against her face, making her heart flutter like a warm breeze had swooshed against it. Li Lanni unconsciously bit her lip, scolded herself for doing that, and stuttered. "I...I  have an invitation." The tutor had invited them to be a banquet in today''s class.


    "Then let''s go together." He said as though it was the most natural thing to say.


    Li Lanni pondered about it a bit, at the same time wondering why he wasn''t letting go of her hand. If anyone saw their current position, they would misunderstand it. But she couldn''t bring herself to remove her hand. She knew she was being silly for thinking this but It felt nice to have her hand in his big and warm hand. Thus they maintained an ambiguous position even though she was feeling a bit awkward. After a moment of hesitation, she answered passively, "I haven''t decided whether to go yet."


    A smile threatened to surface on Ji Xiehan''s lips. That meant she wasn''t against going together, right? "Tell me when you come to a decision."


    "Okay."


    He was glad to hear this answer. This meant that if she was attending it, they could go together. Even better was the fact that whether she was going or not, she would have to contact him to tell him her decision. He bit his tongue in his mouth to avoid smiling.


    But somehow he felt that he forgot something important.


    Meanwhile, Li Lanni was wondering whether to tell him to move away when he naturally let go of her hand and created some distance between them. She sighed in relief. Her heart was beating so loudly when they were so close that she felt she was losing her mind.


    When she looked up to distract her fluttering heart, she found her mother was walking towards them.


    Her mother was home? Then had she seen their awkward position earlier? How embarrassing. Li Lanni blushed even harder than she did a moment ago when she almost felt his body against her back. "Mom..."


    Li Yuming glanced at the two of them then glared at Ji Xiehan when Li Lanni wasn''t looking.. It was a warning of sorts.

 Chapter 97 - What Kind Of Child Upbringing Was That?

    Li Lanni didn''t know what to say to her mom, so she fled to her room.


    Once she left, Li Yuming shot Ji Xiehan a look of disapproval. "I know how you feel towards my Lanni, but it doesn''t mean you can take advantage of her. I don''t want any shady business."


    Ji Xiehan felt awkward. Without a doubt, the ''shady business'' Li Yuming was talking about was obviously premarital sex and having children before they got married.  Having such a discussion with his mother in law was really... "Auntie, I understand. I will only be with Lanni when she''s my wife."


    Li Yuming was pleased with his confident and genuine answer, and she even invited him in for a drink. Of course, she would. She liked Ji Xiehan as she would like her own son. She was even happier that he was going out of his way to ensure Lanni''s safety. So she didn''t have anything against him getting close to Lanni as long as he didn''t do anything to hurt her.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t stand on ceremony. Well, that was one of the perks of having a future mother-in-law who liked you.


    Li Yuming personally brewed coffee for him and they had a long, pleasant chat.


    Ji Xiehan looked at Li Yuming secretly, trying to assess whether he could ask her about Li Lanni''s twin.


    Since she was their mother, she would surely know better than anyone.


    That idiot Jiang Xingyu had spent all morning trying to get Ji Xiehan into helping him investigate Xia.


    Well, he could retrieve the information that the girl had deleted, but he didn''t want to go deeper into the matter. Because she was Li Lanni''s sister, he respected her privacy, and retrieving her information might just violate that.


    All he wanted to know was where she was and what her name was.


    But looking at the calm Li Yuming, he decided against it. The fact that Li Lanni''s twin didn''t stay with her mother and sister was enough to state that they didn''t have a good relationship. Besides, that girl went by the surname Xia. It was likely that Li Yuming had not seen her since she had a divorce, and it was likely that deep within her heart, she missed her daughter.


    He had already poked a huge wound in Li Yuming''s heart the last time. He didn''t wish to poke another.


    If both he and Jiang Xingyu really reached a dead end, he would ask her. But he had to try his best first.


    Of course, he was only doing this because if he didn''t, that unreliable friend of his might think he was lying about Li Lanni having a twin and start wooing his little beauty again.


    What a headache.


    The future mother-in-law and son-in-law duo talked about a few things, and in passing, he even mentioned Star Art International''s banquet.


    While they were at it, Li Yuming asked about Ji Feifei once again. "How is Feifei? Lanni always avoids the topic whenever I ask her. Is Feifei back in school?"


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t remain silent about it anymore. Li Yuming genuinely cared about Ji Feifei, but that brat obviously hated her daughter. She didn''t deserve it. So he took a deep breath and said it. "Actuallly, all those things she was accused of were true."


    Li Yuming put her coffee cup on the table; it had almost slipped off her hand in her shock. "How can that be? Feifei is not that kind of person!"


    Ji Xiehan shrugged. "Well, you don''t know her that well."


    "But she is Lanni''s friend." Li Yuming mumbled.


    Ji Xiehan sighed. Li Yuming probably didn''t know that it was in fact Li Lanni who had brought the truth to light.


    She was the only one in the dark. But he understood her point of view. Ji Feifei had managed to fool even their parents. It wasn''t a surprise that she had deceived Li Yuming too.


    But for Li Lanni''s sake, this couldn''t drag anymore. "Well, I don''t know about that, but she''s good at putting on an act."


    Li Yuming trusted Ji Xiehan''s judgment, but she still wondered, "But she''s your sister. How can your sister be such a person?" It wasn''t possible for people who grew up in the same household to have different characters, right?


    Ji Xiehan reminded her of one colossal point. "Our parents didn''t really spend much time with me when I was young. If that''s how they brought her up too, I''m not shocked that she turned up like that."


    Li Yuming couldn''t refute this. Indeed, how could parents understand their children if they didn''t spend time with them? Now that she thought about it, Ji Xiehan had always been left in the care of nannies and tutors when he was little. He was even scared of his parents as a child. Eventually, his aunt couldn''t watch anymore and took him with her to Australia.


    Seriously, what kind of child upbringing was that? Then wouldn''t her grandchildren be in trouble?


    "But I''m different because I was taught by you, aunty." He quickly defended himself when he saw that she was on the verge of reconsidering letting Li Lanni befriend a man from the Ji family.


    Li Yuming looked relieved when Ji Xiehan said that. "When you have children in future, you must pay attention to them and make sure they grow up the right way."


    At the same time, Li Lanni was just descending the stairs to grab a glass of water when she overheard this statement.


    She almost tripped on the stairs. What kind of topic was that?!


    If it wasn''t for the resemblance between her and her mother, she would start doubting who, between her and Ji Xiehan, was Li Yuming''s real child.


    And the pervert replied in all seriousness. "I will definitely bring them up in a proper way."


    Not wanting to be part of that awkward conversation, Li Lanni sneakily went to the kitchen making her presence as scarce as possible and when she was done, returned to her room in a similar way.

 Chapter 98 - Banquet With The Pervert

    The next evening.


    In the end, Li Lanni had decided to attend the banquet.


    It was majorly because her mother thought it was beneficial for her to socialize and make friends.


    As the most famous artist, Li Yuming had been invited too, but she had an exhibition during the day and would be too tired to attend a banquet in the evening.


    By the time Li Lanni finished dressing up, Li Yuming was yet to return from the exhibition. But she still made a phone call and nagged her endlessly about what to do and not to do.


    Li Lanni laughed at the last ''don''t''. "Don''t get too drunk, and do not trust anyone. Not even if it''s Ji Xiehan. I know he isn''t immoral enough to take advantage of a woman but you''re such a beautiful girl after all."


    Turned out her mother did have some reservations towards Ji Xiehan after all.


    To avoid wasting time, she went to wait at the entrance of the villa. Just as she ended the call with her mother and kept her phone in her purse, she saw a silver bugatti chiron swerve in.


    Ji Xiehan had arrived.


    She had to hold her breath as the man opened the door and stepped out elegantly, like a superstar stepping onto the red carpet.


    His dark blue suit highly contrasted his silver-white hair and for a moment, Li Lanni almost fangirled over how handsome he looked.


    He walked over and gave a slight gentlemanly bow. "Ready?"


    Li Lanni had to rearrange her thoughts and she could swear that her heart stopped for a second. The man must have done it on purpose, and the slight curve of his thin lips was proof of that.


    Not allowing herself to lose her mind to such slight teasing, she grunted in response and followed his lead to the car.


    A minute or two passed, and Li Lanni realized that his gaze was on her.


    "What is it?" She stammered in askance, and she could have sworn that the look in his deep blue eyes at that moment wasn''t entirely pure.


    Whatever was running through his mind she didn''t know, and she had a feeling she didn''t want to know.


    Ji Xiehan tore his gaze away and started to drive. "You look beautiful."


    Li Lanni involuntarily looked down at her dress. Luckily she wasn''t showing too much skin. "Thank you." She said. ''You look handsome yourself.'' Of course she couldn''t say this aloud.


    That was bound to be yet another silent car ride.


    There was still time before the banquet started, so Ji Xiehan drove slowly in the name of prioritizing safety. The sliver sportscar looked totally out of place gliding on the road like a snail.


    It wasn''t much different from walking all the way.


    And all this was because Ji Xiehan wanted to greedily spend some time with her alone.


    The thought of other men getting to enjoy the view of his Lanni''s beauty made him uncomfortable. He wished he could have her all to himself.


    But no matter how much time he bought, they still arrived.


    Most of the guests were already there, and the banquet had begun.


    Thanks to their tardiness, they attracted quite a lot of attention.


    The attention was majorly on Ji Xiehan. Many people had expected him to attend and were eagerly waiting for his arrival.


    But what made their eyeballs almost roll out was the beauty he helped out.


    Clad in a blue floor-length gown, she looked like a young but capable lady. From her disposition alone, one could tell that she was from some affluent family and her upbringing was definitely impeccable.


    The most scary thing was that although their hands were not linked, she and Ji Xiehan looked like a couple despite her young look.


    "Who is that girl?" A few guests couldn''t keep their curiosity in.


    "I''m not quite sure but she looks very familiar. She''s so beautiful! Is she Xiehan''s girlfriend?" The person who spoke was Jiang Xingyu''s mother, and as soon as she was done, she shot her son a look, silently scorning him for not having a girlfriend.


    Jiang Xingyu felt wronged. I have a girlfriend, okay!


    He walked over to the duo with a smile. "I didn''t think you would come."


    Before he could catch up, someone, or rather a crazy fool, appeared from nowhere and squeezed himself into the conversation. "Damn! Ji Xiehan, you traitor!" He complained. "How can you hook up with such a beauty and not introduce her? What happened to bro code?


    Wait the most important thing is, do you think you will break up soon?"


    Ji Xiehan shot a look at Lin Jian, wanting to pretend not to know him. "What drugs are you hooked on this time?"


    Jiang Xingyu wanted to kick him in the guts too.


    Before he did, Lin Jian looked at Li Lanni like he was looking at a goddess. "Beauty, my name is Lin Jian. Nice to meet you.


    Uhm... this guy is quite boring while I''m interesting and handsome. Do you think you can consider me when you break up with him?"


    Ji Xiehan swallowed the urge to dole out a generous beating. Did this fool leave his brains at home?


    Jiang Xingyu felt embarassed too. Did this guy have brains?


    ''Here goes another of the pervert''s perverted firends'' Li Lanni thought but maintained a nonchalant expression. "I''m Li Lanni."


    Then she did something none of the three friends expected.


    She hooked her arm with Ji Xiehan''s and smiled sweetly. "Sorry, we''re not breaking up any time soon. Xiehan''s my fianc¨¦."


    Fianc¨¦!


    She had just said fianc¨¦...


    Lin Jian shut his mouth.


    Jiang Xingyu coughed. What?


    Ji Xiehan was shocked, his brain taking a while to register what she had just done and said.


    Li Lanni was shocked too. She had never thought that she could say such a stupid thing in the heat of the moment just to keep a man off.


    The pervert wouldn''t be mad, right?


    She looked up at him almost desperately, silently pleading him to play along and make his friend stop talking nonsense.


    How could Ji Xiehan not understand her plea? He was more than happy to play along. "That''s right. Lanni will be my wife soon. You better stop thinking about it. Then he turned to look at her gently, reassuring her that he wouldn''t let anyone mess with her.


    Of course, neither of them thought of the fact that they were in a banquet with more than a hundred guests and they were currently being watched.


    Some distance away, a wine glass dropped as its owner clenched her fists.

 Chapter 99 - Banquet With The Pervert 2

    Ji Feifei was initially happy when she saw Ji Xiehan''s car arrive. When she saw him step out of the car looking so dashing as ever, she almost drooped at the sight. It was not every day that she could admire her brother.


    But her admiration turned into irritation when she saw him circle the car and help a woman out. And out of all people, it just had to be Li Lanni.


    That damned witch, what had she done to Ji Xiehan?


    However, thinking about the drama that was soon to unfold, she kept her calm.


    And she was not disappointed.


    As soon as Madam Ji saw Ji Xiehan with Li Lanni at the entrance, her face became contracted and she unconsciously dropped the wineglass in her hand!


    Putting on an act of the caring daughter, she hurried over and took Madam Ji''s hands to check them. "Mother, are you okay? How could you be so careless? Luckily your gown isn''t ruined, and you aren''t injured.


    Don''t worry about that girl. She..."


    Madam Ji didn''t notice that Ji Feifei was beside her, much less hear what she was rambling on about.


    Her attention was on the pair still close to the entrance. It seemed like... the girl that bullied Ji Feifei was really the girl that Ji Xiehan liked. And she was also the little girl she had seen together with Li Yuming years ago.


    Just as she had predicted those years ago, the girl turned out to be very beautiful, and judging from her disposition, she was well behaved too.


    She had only seen Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian hurry over to greet the pair and didn''t hear what they talked about.


    But she clearly saw that the girl simply hooked her hand with Ji Xiehan''s! Unacceptable! She could not accept such a thing!


    No matter how beautiful the girl was, there was no way she was going to let her son be a third party. This was the main point at the moment. In the photo Ji Feifei had shown her, the girl was with another man.


    Later, she would ask the girl about it.


    Ji Xiehan felt a sharp gaze on him and turned to the direction. Then his blood went cold.


    How. Could. He. Forget?


    No wonder he had a bad intuition the day before.


    How could he forget the closeness between the Ji family and the Jiang family?


    This banquet was of great importance to the Jiang family.


    Even Jiang Xingyu''s parents were here. Logically, the Ji family would be here too.


    Darn it.


    He smiled at his mother in the distance and clearly saw that she shot him a questioning look. He smiled once again, to express that he would explain later.


    It all happened in less than two seconds.


    Seeing that the crisis was temporarily averted, he brought Li Lanni along to greet some guests, making Li Lanni wonder why she needed to know so many people.


    Even then, she still greeted them and conversed with them politely. A few of them with sharp eyes recognized her artistic talent from the previous competitions she had participated in, some of which she couldn''t remember, and they were eager to invite her to exhibitions as a guest. At the same time, some were willing to employ her in their companies.


    Of course, she would consider going to exhibitions, but she gracefully turned down the invites to jobs. Everyone she had spoken to was pleased by her confidence and eloquence. She was so easy to talk to since she wasn''t totally clueless about anything.


    Li Lanni soon became the center of attraction as Ji Xiehan''s partner.


    Young master Ji, who was known to lack tender feelings towards the fairer sex, brought a female companion with him today! What happened to finding females troublesome and disgusting?


    And look at the way he spoke to that woman, gentleness was oozing from his eyes.


    While the bored ones were eager to watch the spectacle as it was not every day that they could gossip about Young Master Ji''s love life.  They were eager to collect gossip materials which they could chat for three days and three nights.


    Many young ladies, who had come to this party for the sole reason of admiring him, could hear the sounds of their hearts breaking in disappointment.


    Well, since Ji Xiehan was taken, Jiang Xingyu was an option too.


    Li Lanni didn''t seem to be intimidated by being the center of attraction. She casually continued to chat with Ji Xiehan and other guests. Her every little action was full of grace.


    A while later, Ji Xiehan went to receive a phone call, so she strolled around, casually picking a glass of wine from a waitress.


    Even she wondered how she knew all those things. She had been keeping herself up to date with most things so she wouldn''t stick out in such circumstances, but she knew that some of those things she had said were unknown to her.


    She blinked her long eyelashes and sipped on her wine as she thought of a possibility. She must have learned them before losing her memory, and now she was starting to remember. This was a good sign!


    She was still basking in her newfound joy when a chubby waitress suddenly bumped into her!


    She had a few wine glasses on her tray, and most of them toppled, a few crashing onto the floor.


    Li Lanni was not able to dodge in time, resulting in her gown getting stained.


    She sighed as she looked down at her gown sadly. There goes a million dollar gown; her mother had explicitly chosen for her. She wondered if it could be restored again.


    "I''m sorry." The chubby waitress apologized, even though she didn''t look sorry at all.


    "It''s alright." Li Lanni said regardless and was now thankful that she had taken her mother''s advice and carried an extra dress for emergencies like these.


    She looked up to see that the waitress was still looking at her.. They were attracting attention, which Li Lanni didn''t like.

 Chapter 100 - Is This How Star Art International Treats Guests?

    "Miss, I will pay for the damages." The waitress said pitifully.


    Li Lanni cringed from the waitress''s overly pitiful expression. She had thought that it was an accident, but now she wasn''t too sure anymore.


    She was starting to get annoyed, "You don''t need to. Please excuse me."


    However, the waitress blocked her path. "Miss, I will feel really guilty if I don''t pay for the damages."


    Li Lanni was starting to get irritated. Didn''t she already say she didn''t need to? She maintained her good mood, nonetheless, not wanting to bicker with a waitress. Besides, more guests were starting to look over. "You don''t have to, really. I''m not going to blow up such a small matter, so can you please let me go?"


    The guests watching were even more impressed by Li Lanni''s attitude. Most heiresses would kick up a fuss and demand exorbitant compensation if they had their clothes stained.


    On the other hand, not only did Li Lanni not get angry; she was even rejecting compensation.


    Some steps away, Ji Feifei, who was enjoying the show, suddenly glared at the waitress. What was that bimbo doing?!


    The waitress shrugged from the glare then directly became more offensive. "Is it because you think I cannot afford it?"


    Li Lanni cringed. She wasn''t trying to look down on her, but... could she?


    "Is this how people from wealthy families behave? You are despicable!"


    Li Lanni raised her eyebrows ever so slightly. At the same time, Ji Feifei was smug because  Madam Ji was looking over and had displeasure written all over her face.


    Seeing that Li Lanni was silent, the waitress thought that she was defeated and became even sharper with her words while keeping her pitiful expression. "What right do you have to act all high and mighty? You are just a fatherless bastard. Aren''t you just the daughter of a slut? A slut who has been divorced by her husband many years ago! Seeing how you have been acting around men, you must be a slut too!"


    A slap rang through the hall.


    In that instant, everyone''s attention was now piqued.


    Li Lanni couldn''t hold back anymore; this was her bottom line. She could tolerate being insulted but someone dared to insult her mother!


    How dare she? She should also be asking, how come a waitress knew that her mother was a divorc¨¦e? Thinking of a possibility, she stepped back as though she wasn''t the one who had just administered a slap and asked in annoyance. "How much have you been paid?"


    "What?" The waitress was struck dumb by the sudden slap.


    "You are here to cause trouble deliberately. Isn''t it because you have been paid to do so? Tell me, and I will pay twice more if you point that person out."


    The waitress was taken aback. This wasn''t part of the script. Wasn''t Li Lanni supposed to yell at her and create drama like a shrew? Wasn''t the plan to make her lose the image she had just gained, that of an even tempered, well behaved young miss?


    "No¡­ no one paid me. What I said just now was the truth!"


    Li Lanni smiled slightly then glanced at Si Yulin, who was rushing over. She was unexpectedly calm.  "Since you have not been paid to cause trouble, doesn''t this mean that employees of Star Art International are like you, deliberately creating a ruckus, probing into guests'' personal lives, and hurling unnecessary insults?


    Is this how Star Art International treats their guests?"


    "Li Lanni, what happened, dear?" Si Yulin asked gently. She was quite fond of Li Lanni.


    Li Lanni had displeasure written all over her face as she explained what had just happened. "It''s alright if she wants to insult me, but why did she drag my mother into this?"


    When Si Yulin heard the whole story, her face was flushed with anger. This was going to ruin their reputation. Most importantly, this waitress dared to insult the trainee she liked very much. And she even insulted Li Yuming!


    The commotion had attracted everyone''s attention, and Jiang Xingyu''s interest was piqued too and he walked over. He was at the other side of the hall just now, so he was unaware of what was happening. When Ji Xiehan ended the call and came in, everyone was staring at Li Lanni.


    But instead of going to Li Lanni''s side, he stood beside Jiang Xingyu to watch the spectacle silently. His little beauty wouldn''t lose to a waitress, right?


    A wave of chaos erupted when Si Yulin scrutinized the chubby waitress and said with a frown, "She is not an employee of Star Art International."


    "What?"


    "How is that possible?" The guests were shocked.


    Li Lanni was shocked too. Then who was she? Her eyes darkened. Was what she was thinking even possible?


    Si Yulin saw that Jiang Xingyu was glaring at her and explained. "Every employee of Star Art International has undergone training from Jiang Corporation. Not only that, everyone Star Art International hires must be highly qualified, and they must take a test for decorum. They would never behave like this."


    The Jiangs could agree with her. Even they were shocked that someone from Star Art International could blatantly cause trouble at a banquet. Since Si Yulin was at it already, Jiang Xingyu and his parents let her settle the matter.


    Si Yulin glared at the waitress. "Who are you? Who sent you here?"


    The waitress was shocked witless, but when she looked in the distance and saw Ji Feifei''s glare, she recoiled and stuttered incoherent words.


    Ji Feifei couldn''t take it anymore. It was already bad enough that Madam Ji was no longer so angry with Li Lanni. What she had was to remind Madam Ji that people would have a lot to talk about if they accepted Li Lanni into the Ji family. But looking at Madam Ji''s expression right now, she had failed miserably.


    If that bimbo ratted her out, she would be done for.. She couldn''t let that happen.

 Chapter 101 - Is This How Star Art International Treats Its Guests?

    So she strutted to the center of the commotion and said in a voice loud enough for many people to hear, "Is this one of Star Art International''s antics? You are pushing all the blame to her since you were unable to manage your employees properly?" ''Tsk, since you want to defend Li Lanni, you can perish together.''


    Si Yulin was displeased, but this was Miss Ji, so she couldn''t be impolite.


    She summoned a young woman then looked at Li Lanni gently. "Let my assistant help you get changed, okay? I will shoulder all the damages and deal with this matter."


    There was no need to kick up a fuss, so Li Lanni went to get her extra dress from Ji Xiehan''s car before following Si Yulin''s assistant to a changing room. Si Yulin''s assistant had brought a dress, but Li Lanni had her own, so she turned it down. She sent a message to someone before proceeding to change.


    The dresses were of the same color scheme, so she didn''t need to redo her makeup and hair. This was also her mother''s idea.


    She was done in just a few minutes and exited the changing room.


    A smile formed on her lips as she checked her phone. Ji Feifei, you still want to mess with me? I''ll be happy to play along. She would be a fool if she still didn''t know who was behind this drama.


    She didn''t know why the hell Ji Feifei would pull such a prank on her, but she had a feeling it was related to Ji Xiehan.Tch. Like she cared.


    She went back to the banquet hall. Impressively enough, the drama was still on.


    With Ji Feifei fanning the flames, it would be shocking if she let it end so quickly.


    The chubby waitress even had an employee ID, so the situation was sticky. Si Yulin knew the employee ID was fake, but she couldn''t prove it on the spot. That, and the fact that Ji Feifei was blowing the matter out of proportion.


    The guests were currently lashing at Si Yulin for trying to evade responsibility.


    Jiang Xingyu wanted to but in, but Ji Xiehan held him back. It wasn''t sure what the man was thinking, but Jiang Xingyu did as he was told.


    Just as the guests were getting impatient with this unnecessary drama, a series of claps rang out.


    Everyone turned to the source of the sound.


    Li Lanni was back.


    Ji Xiehan grinned in a sense of pride. That was faster than he thought.


    Li Lanni made her way to Ji Feifei with an amused expression. "What impeccable acting. Even I almost got fooled. We would give you a standing ovation if we were not already standing."


    "What do you mean by that?" Ji Feifei snapped.


    Li Lanni crossed her arms. "Don''t you know what I mean, Miss Ji?


    You orchestrated the whole drama. I don''t know what you wanted to achieve, but since you didn''t achieve it, you went ahead to attack Star Art International instead? Girl, I admire your guts."


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Ji Feifei cackled, then looked at Li Lanni spitefully. "You think this is about you? Pfft. You really think everything revolves around you, spoilt princess?"


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. Spoilt princess? Was she as spoilt as Ji Feifei, who could go as far as to seduce her own brother? Tch, Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps!


    She would have blurted this out, but it wouldn''t benefit her, and it would implicate the pervert, so she brushed it off. "I don''t care what you want. If you think I wronged you, you should come to me. But why would you waste everyone''s time? You know, you made the Jiang family lose face."


    The Jiangs didn''t feel it initially, but now that Li Lanni mentioned it, they did feel embarrassed. Everyone who attended the banquet were the top elites of the city and were no fools. When they heard Li Lanni''s words, they felt something was fishy here.


    "That girl is right. If Ji Feifei really created all this mess, then it''s not good at all." Mrs. Jiang said in displeasure. Even though Mr. Jiang was silent, displeasure was written all over his face. Star Art International was a subsidiary of Jiang Corporation, after all.


    A short distance away, Jiang Xingyu held his chin curiously. One statement from her influenced everyone''s thoughts, including his parents? This little beauty was interesting.


    "Since I know that I''m the one you''re after, why don''t we settle this in private?


    If this drags on, everyone will be displeased. You can tell me why you did this, but in private."


    Just as she thought, Ji Feifei couldn''t stand this. "No way! I will not let you bully me! You will only use the chance to tarnish my reputation again. Why the heck would I target you? Lanni, I thought we were friends." She sobbed, making Ji Xiehan cringe. Act on! I was scared you wouldn''t act.


    As expected, she gathered her skirts and ran to Mrs. Ji, clinging to her arm and crying.


    Li Lanni really wanted to burst into laughter.


    "Since this is what you want, why not? If that''s the case, then I''ll leave. But I have evidence of Miss Ji hiring someone to harass me. I don''t know..." she pretended to think hard about it. "Would the court take it seriously if I said that Miss Ji has repeatedly been targeting me and making me feel my life is threatened?"


    Just as she made her way to leave, Ji Xiehan stopped her. "What evidence do you have?"


    "Huh?" Li Lanni wasn''t expecting him to speak.


    He put on a serious expression. "Threatening someone''s life is a crime, and you are accusing my sister of it. How can you just drop such a bomb and saunter away? I will not let you go.. Go ahead and show us the evidence."

 Chapter 102 - Unnamed

    Ji Feifei was a bit panicked when she heard Li Lanni say that she had evidence against her.


    That b*tch had already made life difficult for her. Not only had she been expelled, but recently, Old Master Ji didn''t trust her. She was just lucky that Madam Ji trusted her no matter what happened.


    If she lost Madam Ji''s trust as well, she would be done for...


    She was just about to rush foward and do something.


    But she thought about something and she calmed herself instantly.  She thought about how she had done everything discreetly. No one could figure anything out. Even if they did tie anything to her, it could at most only be a coincidence.


    And  when she heard Ji Xiehan''s words, she was deeply elated and was even more pleased with herself.


    Her dearest beloved brother was finally on her side. He was finally starting to see clearly what he deserved.


    At the same time, Li Lanni tilted her head curiously when she heard Ji Xiehan''s words. She was his companion, right? Why was he against her?


    As she thought of this, Ji Xiehan spoke again. "You should know, I hate people who lie and bully others. It doesn''t matter who you are. So, are you going to show the evidence or not?"


    Li Lanni''s mouth opened, but she had nothing to say so she just closed it. Was Ji Xiehan really saying such things with a straight face?


    She could understand that although she was his companion tonight, he would definitely defend his family as a good son. But, seriously... hated liars and people who bully others? Ji Feifei was all of that, and he knew it! To be able to say such things without flinching, he was absolutely shameless!


    "Should we assume you were only seeking attention and using a public gathering to pursue your personal grudges?" Ji Xiehan probed again.


    Li Lanni thought she saw him wink at her and came to a realization. Was he pushing her to show the evidence? But did he not know that this might ruin the Ji family''s reputation, right?


    It took a few seconds for her to play along. "How can you say that? People who have acting skills don''t need evidence, but we who can''t act need to have strong evidence to support our words."


    Ji Feifei stabbed her nails into her palm with a frown on her face. That witch was obviously talking about her.


    But what was the use? She smirked and haughtily looked at Li Lanni as if she were looking at a clown. Ji Xiehan was siding with her anyway. It wouldn''t be long before he kicked Li Lanni out of the face of the earth. Or so she thought!


    Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni kept their little charade up for a few seconds.


    The guests were no longer displeased. So what if this wasn''t part of the banquet? Nothing was better than a free round of gossip, right? What they lacked was just a bowl of popcorn.


    The young women were especially thrilled. Their broken hearts healed again. So they were fighting already. Trouble in paradise so soon? That happened faster than they thought.


    They now stood a chance, right? Although Jiang Xingyu was a good match too, Ji Xiehan was more handsome and had a stronger presence. Not to mention his charming smile that could send confusion in everyone''s heart and his eyes that seemed to see right into the depth of one''s soul.


    Thanks to this ''interrogation'', they were now openly looking at Ji Xiehan with eyes full of infatuation.


    At the side, Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian rolled their eyes and exchanged looks, what interrogation? These two were obviously flirting! And they were even doing so in such a high profile way!


    The charade finally ended with Li Lanni playing a video on her phone and passing it to Ji Xiehan.


    Ji Xiehan watched it for a few seconds and had a ''shocked'' expression on his face and then stared at Ji Feifei in ''disbelief''.


    Ji Feifei trembled. Did that b*tch actually have evidence?


    Madam Ji was curious too. She had been angry that Li Lanni was slandering her daughter yet again, but the look on Ji Xiehan''s face gave her a bad feeling.


    When everyone saw Ji Xiehan''s shocked expression and disbelief, they were very much curious to know what was in the video.


    Ji Xiehan knew everyone was curious; thus, he satisfied their curiosity by letting them see the content of the video.


    It looked like a clip from a surveillance video. Two women were conversing; the waitress from just now and Ji Feifei.


    Although no one could hear what they were saying, Ji Feifei obviously gave a stack of cash to the waitress.


    No one needed to think further. She had obviously hired the waitress.


    "It''s not what you think!" Ji Feifei attempted to defend herself.


    "Oh? Then why are you speaking to her? Why did you give her money?" Li Lanni probed.


    "I... I owed her a favor. She came to me for help!"


    "Stop it already. You sound ridiculous. Even a 3-year old kid wouldn''t believe such lies. Would you need to act so sneaky if she only needed help?" Li Lanni sneered and took her phone back from Ji Xiehan.


    At this point, it wouldn''t matter whether or not she had more evidence. Everyone''s opinion was already shifting.


    Of course, Li Lanni would grab this opportunity. "Is it such a coincidence that right after she came to you for help, she served drinks and ''accidentally'' bumped into me, then unnecessarily started hurling insults at me? I also want to know how come she didn''t appear in the hall before meeting you?"


    By this time, Si Yulin had retrieved the list of waitresses that had gone to the banquet. It had taken a while because it was past working hours, so she had to call the manager of their cafeteria and get him to check the records. He had only sent the list right now.


    True to Su Yulin''s words, the chubby waitress was nowhere on the list.


    All this evidence pointed to one direction; Ji Feifei had really hired her. Everyone''s gaze towards Ji Feifei became strange.


    To add oil, Li Lanni further asked, "She even made a fake employee ID and gave it to the waitress. This makes me think that the two of them have not just done this one thing together. Could it be that they have been involved in more shady business?"


    Si Yulin raised an eyebrow then glared at the waitress. Star Art International''s opponents have been finding out classified information against them lately... she needed to investigate this ''waitress'' further.


    Li Lanni was not interested in the drama that followed. It was already enough that she had publicly embarrassed her.  She did have evidence of Ji Feifei bribing her former bodyguard to cause an ''accident,'' but she would be a fool if she used it here. She had a feeling the Jis would still defend Ji Feifei.


    She was initially not planning to do anything significant to Ji Feifei, but now she changed her mind. The girl was more brazen than she thought.


    Li Lanni was too immersed in her thought, and she didn''t notice the non-verbal exchange between Ji Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu.


    ___


    At the same time. In Goldenwing Apartment.


    "Damn! It!" Xia Luna dropped her phone.


    "Girls shouldn''t curse. It''s rude." Cheng Yu said, glancing at her friend.


    "Tell me about decorum later. That Ji Xiehan knows my codename."


    "What?" Cheng Yu exclaimed. "How did that happen?"


    Xia Luna didn''t know where to start. "Lanni is at Star Art International''s banquet.


    Someone played a dirty trick to shame her, so she sent me a message and asked me to check the surveillance for her." She paused and sighed at Ji Feifei''s stupidity. Did she really know how to scheme, or was she still a rookie at it? She could make such a low level mistake even after being a schemer for years?!


    "Whatever it is, I quickly checked for the footage, but she must have chosen a blind spot. So I checked the security camera from the street across, and I did find something. I sent it to Lanni.


    Who would have known that Ji Xiehan knew Lanni would ask for my help, and used this chance to track me? I don''t even know how he did it and damn it! He must have already known what his sister had done."


    Cheng Yu was dizzy just from listening. "Why does that sound like something from a sci-fi movie?"


    Xia Luna ignored her and speculated. "Perhaps he had an inkling of my codename, and he only used this as an opportunity to confirm his suspicions."


    Cheng Yu shrugged. "What use is a codename anyway?"


    Xia Luna frowned. This oblivious girl. "Don''t you get it? If he is so good at programming and hacking that he has found out my codename, or if he knows someone that is that good, it means that he can easily find out everything else about me."


    The mood in the room turned solemn.. She didn''t want anyone to find out about her past. Ji Xiehan, please don''t do this!

 Chapter 103 - The Pervert Who Takes Advantage

    "Enough about me. Why aren''t you at that banquet?" Xia Luna quickly changed the topic.


    Cheng Yu''s stopped thinking about those serious things. She didn''t like the solemn mood, either.  "I went to an exhibition with your mom." Her eyes sparkled with joy when she reminisced about her visit to the exhibition with Li Yuming. This was one of the advantages of being a famous artist''s disciple. She had been treated with much more respect than she had recieved all her life.


    She proceeded to talk about many things at the exhibition, none of which Xia Luna was interested in but listened anyway.


    "How come I didn''t know about that exhibition? You didn''t tell me about it."


    "I didn''t know about it either. She only remembered to ask me today, and I didn''t have anything to do after my class, so I tagged along."


    "You didn''t go with Lanni?"


    "Someone had to go to the banquet." That, and the fact that Li Lanni would have preferred to go to the banquet if Li Yuming asked her.


    "I see..." Xia Luna was clearly lost in her own world.


    Cheng Yu suddenly asked, "Luna, do you miss your mom?"


    Xia Luna stopped what she was doing and smiled. "She left when I was just a baby. There isn''t an ounce of familiarity between us. What''s there for me to miss?"


    Cheng Yu nodded slowly.


    Although that was what Xia Luna said, Cheng Yu could see it in the depth of her grey eyes. She did miss her mother. How could she not miss her?


    Every child would if they had been separated from their mother for that long. Not to mention, Xia Luna had one of those stepmother that are usually labelled as scheming stepmothers in novels. All the more reason for her to want to be with her biological mother.


    She just didn''t want to admit it. And from her look right now, she didn''t want to talk about it. In fact, she had never wanted to talk about her mother.


    Seriously, what exactly had happened between Li Yuming and the Xia family?


    ...


    Back in the banquet hall,


    Ji Feifei couldn''t cry her way out of this predicament.


    "Feifei, why did you do it?" Madam Ji asked. She was so embarrassed that she didn''t know where to show her face. How could her daughter do such a thing in a public setting? She was even involved with a fake employee with a questionable identity.


    "Mother, I didn''t mean to. I really didn''t mean to." She bowled her eyes out, clinging onto her mother like she had been bullied.


    ''Someone give her an Oscar''s already.'' Li Lanni harrumphed her way out of the banquet hall.


    Ji Xiehan followed her out too. He was not interested in the spoiled daughter-loving parent''s drama either.


    When he came out of the hall, he saw that Li Lanni was languidly waiting beside his car.


    She didn''t know it, but she looked like a little girlfriend waiting for her boyfriend to finish his business and drop her home.


    "Did you wait for too long, my little fianc¨¦e?" He teased.


    Li Lanni shot him a look,'' Who are you calling your little fiancee?'' but she was too embarrassed to admonish him, so she swallowed her words. She was the one who had thrown his name around carelessly, so she shouldn''t be mad at him for teasing her.


    She didn''t dare to look up at him. "Sorry I had to do that... your friend sounded like... he would be a pain in the butt if I didn''t knock him off... you will not mind, will you?"  Even she didn''t know what she was saying.


    "No." Ji Xiehan said to her relief. If there was any gains from her little fianc¨¦ act earlier, it was he who had gained. Despite this, he wouldn''t be Ji Xiehan if he didn''t grab the chance. "But I played along with your little act. How are you going to thank me?"


    Li Lanni''s eyes widened. Wasn''t he going to let her off? Sure enough, he was business profiteer through and through!!


    "Eer... I thought you were defending your sister as the good brother you are? Why did you turn against her and side with her nemesis instead?" This was what kept her puzzled all the while; she didn''t expect him to support her. She was even prepared for his rebuttal.


    Ji Xiehan leaned against the car close to her and shrugged. "Of course, I would side with my little beauty. You got the evidence pretty fast." He complimented before adding, "And you have something else to thank me for."


    "What?" Li Lanni blinked.


    "Just then, you were going to give up, and I helped you. Are you really not going to thank me?"


    Li Lanni shook her head with a frown. "I was not giving up. I had a plan!"


    Ji Xiehan closed in on her, then pressed a hand against the car, almost trapping her between his body and the car. "But I did help you. And you didn''t reject my help. Are you really going to be ungrateful?"


    Li Lanni widened her eyes. Why did it feel like he did it on purpose?


    But she didn''t want to bicker with him. He did make it easier to get rid of the trouble. "Fine. You helped me a great deal. Thank you very much."


    Ji Xiehan looked pained like he had been bullied. "Lanni, how can you be so insincere?"


    Li Lanni almost rolled her eyes. How thick was his skin?!. But what could she do about it? "Fine. I''ll bake you cupcakes. How about that?"


    Ji Xiehan was going to ask to meet her again, but when he heard the offer, he almost drooled. What was better than his little beauty''s handmade cupcakes?


    But, he still couldn''t accept that. She had baked cupcakes for another man before. Qiao Luna was his assistant. Of course, she would report that.


    Full of jealousy, he acted like a spoilt little boy throwing a tantrum. "I don''t like cupcakes."


    Li Lanni wanted to kick him in the guts, but she couldn''t because she would owe him again. "What do you want, then?".


    "I love..." he thought for a while. He didn''t know much about pastries because he didn''t like them, but he was not going to let go of this heaven-sent chance. "I prefer strawberry cookies."


    Li Lanni gulped. She didn''t know how to bake cookies.


    But she knew someone who did. "Deal."


    Ji Xiehan smiled evilly. He had killed two birds with one stone. Not only would he get to eat cookies made by his little beauty, but she would also have to deliver them in person, and in the process, he would make her spend time with him.


    Of course, this could still get better. "That is to thank me for helping you with Ji Feifei''s matter. But I still got Lin Jian off your hair."


    Li Lanni really wanted to faint. What had she gotten herself into? ''If given an inch, you want a mile.'' This pervert was not going to let her off easily. Her chest heaved in exhaustion. "Just say it."


    Ji Xiehan pretended to rack his brains for a while, enjoying her nervous expression. The favor he wanted from her couldn''t be granted so easily. He would save that for later.


    "How about.... you let me kiss you?"


    "No way!" Li Lanni refuted with a blank face.


    He was disappointed at how quickly Li Lanni refused him, but then he asked again, "Then how about you kiss me?"


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. What was the difference?


    Ji Xiehan had had enough fun teasing her; he knew that she would not accept his request, so he carefully said, "I can''t think about anything for now. How about you owe me this time?"


    "Okay." Li Lanni replied casually.


    Wait! Why did it suddenly feel as if she has fallen into the trap he had woven for her? Li Lanni blinked her eyes in a daze.


    Happy that he had had his way, Ji Xiehan opened the driver''s car door. "I''ll send you home first."


    Li Lanni quickly got in too. It was embarrassing to be out here. Luckily no one was looking at them.


    But unknown to her, at the entrance of the hall, Madam Ji was standing at the corner, where they couldn''t see her. She had come to have a word with Ji Xiehan but was greeted with her son openly flirting with a girl in the parking lot.


    ...


    In the car, much to his dismay, Li Lanni asked Ji Xiehan to drive faster. So his little plot to spend more time with her didn''t work.


    But he didn''t mind it. She still owed him cupcakes and a favor.


    And who said he couldn''t make her owe him more?


    As soon as they arrived, Li Lanni got off the car and smiled at him, "Thank you for the ride."


    He smiled back charmingly, his blue eyes gazing at her gently before he dropped the bomb. "How are you going to thank me?"


    "What?"

 Chapter 104 - You Have Brains. Use Them Well

    Ji Xiehan looked at her meaningfully.


    "More cookies for you." She said as she went on her way, not willing to breathe the same air as this brazen man. She had had enough of his shamelessness.


    Ji Xiehan grinned in satisfaction and quickly followed behind her, before making another demand. "Make them on different days, so it actually feels different." As soon as he said this, he felt like he was a three-year-old kid asking for several one-dollar coins because he thought they were more valuable than a ten-dollar bill. So he quickly coughed up an excuse, "Well, I''m only looking out for you. I don''t want you getting tired."


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes at his theatrics. Baking cookies twice was less tiresome than doing it once? She turned to continue walking to the house.


    Ji Xiehan quickly ran after her. "That was just to thank me for driving you to the banquet. You haven''t thanked me for driving you back."


    "Excuse me?" Li Lanni tilted her head to ask the man behind her. He was not just a business-minded profiteer; he was a cold-blooded vampire too.


    He was seriously using every single opportunity he had to take advantage of her. What audacity.


    Ji Xiehan waved his hands innocently. "I do not like owing people. And similarly, I do not like it when people owe me. Why don''t we just get this over with?"


    Li Lanni really had to give it to him. Every time she met this man, her respect for him seemed to drop to the level below. And the more he spoke, the more he lived up to the nickname she had christened him, ''the pervert''.


    And it didn''t help that he had recently changed his tactics. In the past, he would keep his distance when she wanted him to and stay out of her way.


    But it wasn''t sure what had hit him. He had suddenly turned into a flirtatious man, sticking onto her when he was least needed and finding every excuse he could to spend time with her.


    She was only twenty, but that was old enough to understand what exactly this man wanted from her.


    And it was something she was not ready to give yet. She looked him up and down then just sighed. Opening her purse, she took something out and shoved it into his hands. "We owe each other nothing after this. Please stay far away from me."


    Ji Xiehan grinned and watched her back view as she walked into the villa. What a gorgeous waist... and backside.


    Once she disappeared into the house, he opened his hand to reveal what she had shoved into his palm.


    It turned out to be candy. He lifted his lips in amusement. Did women always carry candy in their purses?


    And out of all things, she gave him candy? But somehow, this candy held more significance than all the gifts he had ever received.


    He eyed the colorful little thing in his hand and was about to unwrap it and eat it when he thought of a better destination than his mouth. Taking out his own wallet, he opened it and kept the candy next to a picture of her. As for how he got her photo, there was no need to ask. He had secretly taken it on the first day they ate lunch together and then printed it in a small size to fit in his wallet.


    Satisfied with the new ''souvenir,'' he got into his car and drove off.


    ...


    Li Lanni was tired by the time she got into the house. She hadn''t had the appetite to eat at the banquet, so she was famished too.


    She placed her purse on the nearest sofa as she made her way to the kitchen to find something to munch on.


    "You''re back." Li Yuming joined her in the kitchen after a short while. "How was the banquet?"


    Li Lanni paused in her tracks, awkwardly gripping a bottle of water that she had taken from the fridge. She couldn''t help but remember how someone had insulted her mother.


    But she flashed a smile while unscrewing the cap and replied to her mother. "It was alright."


    From her tone, Li Yuming could more or less guess that something might have gone wrong. But she must be tired, so Li Yuming didn''t bother her about it.


    In fact, what she wanted to know right now was her relationship with Ji Xiehan, having seen what happened earlier from her window.


    She could have sworn that they looked like a boyfriend coaxing his little girlfriend because she was upset and throwing a tantrum.


    In the end, she didn''t ask. Li Lanni was still paranoid. It might take some time for her to actually start liking a man -- though her maternal instincts told her that she has already started developing interest in him.


    Oh, how nice it was to be young. One could fall in love so cutely. These two were an ideal match. Their babies would definitely be the most adorable.


    Unaware of her mother''s terrifying train of thought, Li Lanni warmed up some dumplings she found in the fridge, ate them before going to her room.


    Once in her room, Li Lanni laid on her bed and finally remembered what had happened earlier, how she had stuffed the pervert with a candy. She couldn''t help but giggle.


    Seriously, she had just used a candy to thank a grown man. Pfft. But it did suit him. He was acting like a baby anyway.


    ___


    At the same time, in the Ji family mansion.


    Ji Xiehan had been driving back to his villa, still basking in a good mood when his mother called him back home urgently.


    He had to go home even though he didn''t want to.


    Madam Ji was seething in anger.


    Putting the scandal Ji Feifei had created aside; nothing could change the fact that Ji Xiehan had attended a banquet with Li Lanni!


    "Explain." As soon as he entered the house, Madam Ji spat out a word impatiently.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t understand why his mother sounded so angry. "What do I need to explain?"


    "That girl you came with at the banquet." Madam Ji angrily said.


    He was thrown into confusion for a moment. Shouldn''t his mother be happy?


    Of course, she should, unless that damned nutcase of a younger sister had said something she shouldn''t. Since they were at it, he could only explain. "Her name is Li Lanni. She is Li Yuming''s daughter and the girl I''m chasing, but she doesn''t know it yet, so I will pretty much appreciate it if you do not interfere."


    "What nonsense!" Madam Ji fumed. "I will not let you marry a girl like her."


    "And what''s ''a girl like her'' supposed to mean?"Ji Xiehan refuted .


    Madam Ji used all her self control to hold herself back from giving her son a slap across his face. "Didn''t you hear it? People were talking about it at the banquet.  She is the daughter of a divorcee, and heaven knows where her father is. Her mother has a bad reputation too. It''s only a matter of time until people dig that up."


    "And that''s supposed to be my business?" He couldn''t understand how his mother could be so narrow-minded. How could she label a person just based on the rumors outside? Had Ji Feifei infected her with some of her stupidity?


    "Every part of it is your business." Madam Ji shrieked. "Li Yuming is a jinx, has a bad reputation, and God knows what else... and that reflects on her daughter too. There are better women to choose from."


    Ji Xiehan''s eyes turned cold and he stood up to leave. He hated it when people said terrible things about Li Lanni. But what he hated more was when people insulted Li Yuming. He had spent enough time with her to know that she was not the type of person every other woman made her out to be. She was not the kind of woman his mother was talking about.


    And the last thing he wanted to deal with right now was a feud between his mother and his future mother-in-law.


    He tilted his head and looked at his shocked mother. "Instead of  listening to rumors outside and badmouthing people for no apparent reason, you should be spending that time with your ''dear'' daughter and teaching her how to behave herself.


    Just look at what scandal she created at the banquet today. Hasn''t she brought enough shame to the Ji family? She probably said she was only teaching Lanni a lesson for framing her, but you have brains. Use them well." He turned on his heel and left. He had so much to say that he could spend hours saying it but it didn''t matter. His mother seemed to have been blinded by that brat.


    Madam Ji slumped back onto her sofa in anger and shock. How could her son talk to her that way? And for a dirty little sl*t?!

 Chapter 105 - Cliché

    Ji Xiehan didn''t wait to hear what his mother has to say.


    He was right. Ji Feifei had cried and begged for their forgiveness, saying that she only wanted to teach Li Lanni a lesson for framing her weeks ago. And as the fools Ji Feifei had made them, they actually believed her.


    To be exact, Old Master Ji did have his suspicions, but Madam Ji had been taken for a fool.


    It was tiresome just thinking about it.


    ___


    The following day.


    After their art class, Li Lanni and Cheng Yu happily decided to go to the employees'' cafeteria for lunch.


    They had heard Ruby say the food there was delicious. And for a girl like Ruby to compliment it, it had to be tasty.


    They were just about to reach the entrance of the employees'' cafeteria when Li Lanni saw someone from the corner of her eye.


    She wasn''t very familiar with this woman, but she could vaguely remember her to be Madam Ji. They had met at the banquet.


    Li Lanni could guess that she came here to meet her, but she had a feeling that she didn''t come here just to have a casual conversation with her.


    "Lanni?" Cheng Yu probed when she realized that Li Lanni had stopped. "What''s wrong?"


    Madam Ji had a solemn expression as she scrutinized Li Lanni then turned to Cheng Yu. "I want to have a word with your friend. If you''ll excuse us." After leaving her with these words, she just dragged Li Lanni away.


    "Sheesh." Cheng Yu was unhappy when the woman simply dragged her friend away, but what could she do about it?


    Wait. Wasn''t that Madam Ji? What did she want from Lanni?


    ...


    Li Lanni wasn''t happy either. How could she just drag away like that without her consent? there was such a thing as a courtesy!


    Of course, Madam Ji''s visit was expected after the discussion that didn''t end well with her son last night.


    "To what do I owe the honor of having Madam Ji look for me?" She asked with a frown on her face when the woman stopped dragging her.


    Madam Ji wasn''t in the mood to mince her words, or she found it below herself to do so. "You do know why I am here."


    "I don''t." Li Lanni said with a straight face. If this was about Ji Feifei...


    "My Xiehan is a handsome and capable man, with an impressive educational background and a good head on his shoulders. He is not even the CEO yet but look at all the achievements he has made in the company over the years. The woman he will marry has to be intelligent and from an impressive background. A woman who can carry on the name of our Ji family."


    When she was done speaking, Li Lanni looked at her, confused. "And which part of all this is my business?" Was this an advertisement of sorts?


    "I know what you want." The woman was displeased by Li Lanni''s tone. "Every woman wants to marry my Xiehan. But you do not qualify."


    Li Lanni finally understood what was going on. This was one of those rich mother-in-law vs. poor daughter-in-law scenes.


    Only in this case, neither was she poor, nor was she interested in her rich son. So she laughed it off. "Madam Ji, I don''t have anything to do with your oh-so-precious son." This woman wasn''t polite, so Li Lanni didn''t bother being polite either. Not to mention, she was Ji Feifei''s mother.


    "Huh." Madam Ji scoffed. "Years ago, I would have mistaken you for a good girl. But not only did you turn into an immoral woman, but you are also a gold digger.


    A woman like you, who doesn''t even come from a complete family, do you think you deserve my son? Was it your mother who taught you to seduce men from wealthy families?


    Don''t even bother putting on an act. In the end, don''t women like you only want money? Tell me how much do you want from my son? I will give it to you if you stay away from him."


    Li Lanni almost picked her ears. Clich¨¦ through and through. Didn''t these mothers-in-law ever have new lines?


    She smiled at the woman before her, almost in pity at her nonsensical thoughts. But when she heard her talk that way about her mother, the pity in her disappeared and she retorted, " You are so delusional. Now I know where your daughter''s wishful thinking came from. Do I need money from your son? Oh please, don''t be ridiculous. I''m not interested in your son." She sneered. "You think too highly of yourself. Think about who you''re speaking to. I am Li Yuming''s daughter.


    I don''t blame you for not knowing it, but my mother is among the world''s most famous artists. A single painting from her can as well buy your entire house.


    She can earn millions of dollars just by closing her eyes and doodling some circles on paper. What more money do I need?


    You are telling me that I need to marry into your family for money? Ridiculous!


    You should be asking yourself which part of me your family deserves."


    She had never liked throwing her mother''s name around, but she couldn''t help herself. How could she stand someone using their so-called power to look down on her?


    "You must be offering me money as an indirect way of making me accept your son, but sorry! I will not stoop below my standards no matter how much you offer."


    Madam Ji was fuming with rage. How dare this girl look down on her son?!


    "Also, I can''t believe that people from the so-called top families act like shrews. Are you so proud of yourself to prove that other people are not worthy?" She recalled something and asked in a half-whisper. "Your daughter was in a scandal with a married man not too long ago. Are you the one who taught her to seduce married men?"


    With that, she walked off.


    "Little sl*t!" Madam Ji cursed behind her. She was just pretending to act all high and mighty! And how dare she talk that way about Feifei?! She even dared to use that statement to insult her!


    That girl better not set foot near the Ji family.


    Of course, Li Lanni was not planning to set foot in her family. Madam Ji was just delusional!


    ...


    After meeting Madam Ji, she was no longer in the mood to have lunch, so she went home.


    She couldn''t help thinking about it. This wasn''t the first person talking that way about her mother.


    Technically, only people from the Ji family were trying to make her mother pass off as some immoral woman. Was this another of Ji Feifei''s antics?


    This wouldn''t do.


    She thought for a while then made a phone call.


    "Luna, I want to eliminate someone."


    "What?"


    Xia Luna was just about to go to sleep when she recieved Li Lanni''s phone call. That statement made her blood run cold.


    She peeked to make sure the light in Cheng Yu''s room was off before she lowered her voice to ask. "Who?"


    "Ji Feifei." Came the emotionless reply.


    Xia Luna wasn''t shocked. Of course it would be her. It was in fact surprising that she wasn''t dead yet.


    No, wait. The focus here was that Li Lanni wasn''t even close to her. Why would she tell her such a thing?


    It was as though Li Lanni was reading her mind--if that could possibly be done through phone -- because her next statement answered it all. "Luna, you''re my sister. You are the only person I can tell this."


    Xia Luna felt her heart swell with warmth. Her sister finally realized this.


    "Actually, I knew you wanted to get rid of her yourself. That''s why I didn''t make any major moves on her." Xia Luna explained. "I have a way to get close to her. Do you want me to shove a knife into her heart?"


    "What? Hell no!" Li Lanni literally shouted. Was her sister crazy? How could she say such things so casually?


    "This phone call isn''t being recorded by some hacker, right?" Li Lanni remembered to take precaution. "Perhaps we should meet up."


    "That''s a bad idea. Your man is looking me up. He might tail you."


    "Eer..." Why was it that when Xia Luna said ''your man'', her brain automatically filled Ji Xiehan into that slot?


    It might be because he was the one Xia Luna was talking about but oh well.


    "First off, he''s not my man. Secondly, we can discuss on phone as long as it''s not being spied."


    "It wouldn''t be. I''m good in this field."


    "Okay." Li Lanni proceeded to tell her what she wanted to do. She could have done it herself, but she knew that Ji Feifei might be expecting her to do something after what happened at the banquet.. She trusted that Xia Luna knew what to do.

 Chapter 106 - Messed Up Life

    Once the call ended, Xia Luna sat on her bed and placed the phone back on the bedside table.


    From the phone call they had just had, she knew that Li Lanni was starting to trust her. Or maybe she almost fully trusted her.


    But instead of happiness, her face was filled with sadness... a lonely kind of sadness.


    Actually, she hadn''t known Li Lanni for very long. She had grown up only knowing that she had a father and a stepmother. No one ever mentioned her mother, and like the good girl she was, she never asked.


    It only happened about two years ago. Her father, Xia Hanchen, had suddenly been screened with a heart tumor. His health had deteriorated so rapidly that in a few months, he was almost just a walking shell. The doctors didn''t think he would make it past a year. He would talk to no one and just keep staring into space in a daze.


    But every time he looked at Xia Luna, she would feel like he wasn''t truly looking at her. It was as though he was trying to see someone else through her.


    She had always wondered who that person might be. Could it be that she resembled her biological mother and he was missing her?


    One day, her questions were answered. He suddenly called her and told her about her biological mother and her twin sister.


    She was shocked to find out that her mother was still alive, having assumed that she was dead all along. She was even more shocked that she had a twin. And she could tell from the look in her father''s eyes that he missed them too much.


    As his dying wish, he pleaded her to let him meet with his ex-wife and his other daughter.


    That was the first time she saw her father so desperate. She couldn''t bring herself to say no to him, especially when she was so desperate to make him happy. If there was anything she could do to make him live a day longer, she would do it even if she had to tread through fire.


    Thus the next day, she packed her bags and made her way to B City to look for them. Somehow she knew it would be easier to talk to her sister than to her mother. So she found a way to get close to Li Lanni. As expected, Li Lanni didn''t refuse to meet their father. She was happy to go.


    Both father and daughter were happy after their reunion, and miraculously after meeting Li Lanni, his condition started improving. He was elated that Li Lanni didn''t hate him or ask where he had been all those years or why he had divorced Li Yuming.


    Following their rendezvous, the tumor in his heart had shrunk significantly, and he had managed to get out of hospital - even though they had to take strict care of him.


    Xia Luna had always suspected that her father still had feelings for her biological mother, but after he met Li Lanni, it became even more apparent.


    So when she told this to Li Lanni, she was excited and proposed a plan to make their parents meet and talk things through. At that time, Li Lanni was more excited than her, even hoping that they would reunite in future and be a complete family once again.


    With Xia Hanchen''s health getting better and better and surpassing expectations, that dream did seem possible.


    But unfortunately, Li Lanni met with an accident before that plan could come into action.


    And now, as expected, Xia Hanchen''s health had become worse than it was a year ago.


    Xia Luna knew what he wanted. But could she really make Li Lanni meet him again? Many things had happened after Li Lanni''s accident, and her mother would never trust her, much less agree to let her bring Li Lanni to their father. Going to see him herself was even more off the charts, and Xia Luna knew that it was what he wanted more than anything.


    Would her father''s life really have to end so miserably? Surely the heavens should be merciful to grant him this one last wish, right?


    While these thoughts ran through her mind, Xia Luna fell into a restless sleep full of nightmares.


    ...


    The next morning, Cheng Yu was surprised to find her in the kitchen, absentmindedly making breakfast.


    "What are you thinking about, and so early in the morning?" She asked.


    When Cheng Yu asked her, she had actually not really expected an answer, and as expected, she didn''t get any because Xia Luna simply shoved whatever she was thinking about at the back of her head before flashing a smile. "Morning. I made breakfast."


    Cheng Yu pursed her lips. "It''s okay if you don''t want to talk about it. But you should know that letting it out is always the best solution. Keeping it all pent up in you will only make you sadder."


    Xia Luna smirked, didn''t she know this already? It just didn''t feel right to bother people about her hectic life.


    And it was damned hectic. A father who was on the brink of death, a mother who hated them for heaven knows what reason, a sister she felt indebted to. And a boyfriend, no, an ex-boyfriend she had to answer to, who was close to finding her again. And some mistakes she had to own up to, including the murder she had committed not too long ago. She had always tried to push that scene out of her mind, but sometimes she couldn''t help but think about it.  And she would feel so guilty that she would almost want to turn herself in. But once she remembered why she did it in the first place, that guilt would be replaced with indifference. But that didn''t mean it didn''t bother her.


    Oh, and top on her list of problems was a scheming stepmother, whom she had to thank for 97% of her predicaments. Honestly, even she didn''t know how she came up with that figure, but it did feel right.


    She was the rebellious iron girl she had made herself, but she could also crumble at times. In fact, at times, she felt more vulnerable than she had ever imagined possible. Or maybe, she had always been this vulnerable. Just like a paper tiger that looked fierce on the surface but could easily be torn into pieces. Perhaps she was not as strong as she had always thought she was.


    "Luna?" Cheng Yu was getting worried. It would be alright if Xia Luna spoke or cursed or cried like other girls did when they felt sad. But this girl would always stare into space, lock herself into her own world, and be lost in it for so long that it would get creepy.


    Not again...


    But she was in luck this time. Xia Luna brushed away her lousy mood and gulped down her breakfast before getting changed.


    "Where are you going?" Cheng Yu asked worriedly.


    "To stroll around."


    "Oh." Cheng Yu knew she was lying. Xia Luna might be good in hiding her feelings and lying, but she could lie to anyone else. Cheng Yu knew her deepest wounds and understood her the most. It would be strange if she could be decieved by her.


    But Cheng Yu didn''t call her out for it. She must need to be on her own for a while. She would calm down after letting it out.


    Which made Cheng Yu wonder, where did she always go when she was not at her apartment? And that seemed to be on a regular pattern too...


    But to avoid having a fallout with her, Cheng Yu didn''t ask too many questions. Perhaps it was better if she didn''t know. She finished her own breakfast, washed the dishes, and left for Star Art International.


    ...


    Li Lanni was early today. Cheng Yu sat next to her with a smile on her lips. "We didn''t have lunch together yesterday. How about we do so today?"


    Li Lanni had one of those expressions that Cheng Yu couldn''t understand. "I really want to. But I owe the white-haired pervert cookies and have to bake some today."


    Cheng Yu was startled. What pervert?


    Was it Ji Xiehan? That was the only man that had white hair and was close to Li Lanni lately.


    Speaking of which, "Why was Ji Xiehan''s mother looking for you yesterday? She simply dragged you away!"


    Li Lanni didn''t have anything to hide. "She came to give me a lecture about how great her dearest son is and how I don''t deserve to marry into their family. Are you kidding me? Urgh... like my taste is that bad."


    Cheng Yu looked at her defeated expression and cocked her head curiously. Although Li Lanni clearly said her taste wasn''t that bad, why did it feel like she looked heartbroken?


    She couldn''t have started falling in love with Ji Xiehan, could she?


    No.. That wasn''t possible.

 Chapter 107 - The So Called Huge Favor

    Cheng Yu was the only one who knew about Li Lanni''s encounter with Madam Ji. Actually, Li Lanni didn''t want to reminisce and gossip about her confrontation with Madam Ji to anyone because she felt it below herself to dwell on it.


    But Cheng Yu wouldn''t let her off. She had clung to her and annoyed her into recounting all the details about her conversation with Madam Ji word-to-word. Li Lanni knew that Cheng Yu was worried about her, so she patiently told her everything and asked her not to say these things to anyone.


    While Madam Ji was about to burst with anger, how could she face people when a little girl had shamed her?


    Her hatred for Li Lanni deepened even more. She was initially thinking about giving that girl a chance if she was outstanding, but now she had made up her mind. Li Lanni would never set foot into their family.


    In anger, she called Mrs. Feng, who was her close friend and ranted to her over a cup of tea. "Can you imagine it?! A little b*tch dared to be so rude to me, yet she expects to get her hands on my son?! Not as long as I live!"


    Mrs. Feng had heard about Ji Xiehan bringing a girl to the banquet. While she was displeased, she had kept her calm. And look, it paid off! She knew Madam Ji too well.


    How could the Ji family accept some random girl into their family? Only a capable girl like her Feng Ci could make a good wife for Ji Xiehan.


    Now that they were at it, she brought it up in passing. "The kids have grown up very fast. We are now even talking about their marriage. I still remember seeing them play together and pull pranks on each other."


    Madam Ji somehow knew where this kind of conversation was heading to and went with the flow. "Feng Ci was so pretty as a little girl. And now she has grown into an exceptional beauty with brains. If only Xiehan could open his eyes..."


    The women chatted on, each knowing what they wanted but passing it off as a casual chat.


    In the end, Mrs. Feng just came out with it. "We cannot force the kids to fall in love, but we can initiate it. How about we let them meet? They might just ignite a spark!"


    Madam Ji couldn''t hide her happiness. While she liked Gu Tianxi more, Feng Ci was good too.


    As kids, they would always play as a group with Lin Jian, Jiang Xingyu, and a few other kids, but the boys were fond of bullying the girls. The girls always found Ji Xiehan more friendly to speak to, as he wouldn''t bully them like other boys did.


    So they would always stick to him. Feng Ci was no different. She particularly adored Ji Xiehan and would find all sorts of excuses to go to the Ji mansion to play with him. When Ji Xiehan left the country with his aunt, she had bawled her eyes out for days.


    Although it was just an innocent friendship back then, and they were only playing together like siblings would, it was this kind of naive and pure friendship that was most likely to blossom into love.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in Jiang Xingyu''s mansion,


    "I have a bad feeling." Ji Xiehan suddenly said, shifting his gaze from the laptop to his friend.


    "About what?" Jiang Xingyu nonchalantly asked, still immersed in his iPad.


    "My mother." He hesitated, "I know her too well, and she didn''t seem to like Lanni."


    "How can anyone not like Lanni? She''s an angel. Practically." Ji Xiehan languidly replied but felt something was wrong and finally looked away from iPad. He was met with his friend''s deadly glare.


    Jiang Xingyu gulped and replied meekly, "What?... oh, fine. I shouldn''t compliment your little beauty. "


    ''This inhumane world. My Xia should come to me soon. I want to spend my days with my own little beauty! '' He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath.


    "Speaking of which, do you think my mother will like Xia? She seemed to really like Lanni. Since they are twins, she should like Xia, right?" As soon as he was done, he realized he had said something wrong. Crap.


    "Let''s talk about that when you have found your Xia." Ji Xiehan mocked.


    Jiang Xingyu hugged his iPad and sulked. Right. It would be a different case if she lost her memory or something of the sort. But the girl was deliberately avoiding him. How could he take this lying down?


    Once he got that girl back, she wouldn''t hear the end of it from him.


    Ji Xiehan felt it was a waste of breath to share his worries with Jiang Xingyu and wondered what would happen if his mother confronted Li Lanni or did anything similar to that.


    They were not even on friendly terms. If that happened, even their current delicate relationship would be ruined.


    He was oblivious to the fact that the trouble was already rearing its head.


    "I remember you still owe me a favor." Jiang Xingyu suddenly interrupted his friend.


    "What favor?" Ji Xiehan stared annoyingly at his friend; he knew him too well. The idiot was about to find excuses to extort him.


    "The one from many years ago. When you had just come to visit your parents in Summer and got into a fight with the older boys, I helped you cover up, remember?"


    "What drugs are you on?" Ji Xiehan cringed. Who in their right mind would dig up something from over a decade ago?


    "I''m not on drugs. But that day, you shakily said you would do anything if I kept my mouth shut. Then you owed me a favor. It''s been many years, but you won''t go back on your word, will you? Don''t give me ''I don''t remember'' as an excuse. It will not change a thing."


    "What do you want?" Ji Xiehan asked disgruntedly. He knew it had to be something he wouldn''t agree to do, or else his friend wouldn''t have gone all the way to dig up something that happened when they were teenagers.


    And he had an inkling of what it was related to.


    "A lot has been happening in Star Art International lately. There seems to be a mole, and it''s not the suspicious waitress from the banquet. She had a different agenda and we have already taken care of her.


    Although Si Yulin is already investigating the matter, it''s going to take a while, and the incident at the banquet has already caused me a lot of troubles. I cannot let my subordinates do all the work when I can help them, right?" Jiang Xingyu looked at his friend with a crafty smile.


    "Where''s this discussion heading?" Ji Xiehan demanded. He had a feeling this was where the so-called huge favor came in.


    "I have my suspicions over a girl in the Comic Arts trainee department."


    Ji Xiehan would be a fool if he didn''t understand what he wanted by now. "You want me to ask Lanni to spy on her?"


    Jiang Xingyu saw the stern look on his friend''s face and knew that what was awaiting him was a resounding "no."  "Surely, you can do this for a friend, right?"


    "This is madness. Can''t Si Yulin do it? She is in Star Art International too."


    Jiang Xingyu knew this too. But it was just more practical. "The girl I''m suspecting is somewhat close to Li Lanni."


    "Cheng Yu?" Ji Xiehan cocked an eyebrow. She did need money, but it didn''t seem possible.


    "No. It''s a red-haired girl. The name is Ruby Chan. She is in the same class as Li Lanni, but she doesn''t even love art. Heaven knows why she''s there. By the way, she is close to your sister too."


    Ji Xiehan let the words sink in. Why was Ji Feifei involved in everything unpleasant? Was she addicted to causing trouble everywhere she went?


    He was yet to get all the details about Li Lanni''s accident months ago, but he had a gut feeling that was Ji Feifei not only involved, but she also played a significant role in that accident. Then there were those little ploys she played previously, and now she was involved in Star Art International too? This was no joking matter.


    But still, he didn''t want to involve Li Lanni.


    Jiang Xingyu knew this, so he pulled out the trump card. "Heaven knows what would happen if Li Lanni got too close to that Ruby girl unaware of her malicious intentions towards her.  It would be best if LLanni could keep her guard up and find her intentions first, right!"


    Ji Xiehan clenched his fists. He knew that Jiang Xingyu was saying this to persuade him, but it was true.


    Li Lanni wouldn''t be safe if she was close to Ji Feifei''s friends.

 Chapter 108 - Why Would Ruby Be A Mole?

    Ji Xiehan sunk into thought. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, what Jiang Xingyu was saying was right.


    But could he really ask Li Lanni to spy on someone? Wouldn''t that be too overboard?


    Even if he asked her, would she comply with his request? She did owe him a favor, but there was no way he was going to use it for Jiang Xingyu! Thinking till here, Ji Xiehan shot a glare at his friend.


    If he couldn''t bring himself to ask, he could just warn her about Ruby Chan. That would ensure her safety without having to do such tasks.


    "Hey! Don''t you even think about backing out! I know you too well." How could Jiang Xingyu not know what his friend was thinking even after receiving a glare from him!


    Ji Xiehan sighed. Well, that didn''t work.


    ___


    That night, Li Lanni busied herself around in the kitchen.


    She had initially thought of procrastinating for ages and making Ji Xiehan give up on the cookies, but after meeting his mother, she didn''t want to owe him anything. She would rather be done with it as soon as possible.


    Baking even with the help of a recipe book wasn''t very easy for her. The last time she baked hadn''t been easy either. She had wanted to ask her mother for help but thought against it in the end, not wanting to bother her.


    By the time she was done with mixing the batter, there was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.


    Her clothes and hair were covered with flour even though she had worn an apron and a hat. She quickly portioned the batter onto the baking pan and put them in the oven then set the timer.


    She sighed while wiping the sweat  and sat on the chair to take rest.  She drank a mouthful of water and thought in frustration that she was never going to make cookies again! Luckily she made many of them this time. She would just tell the pervert that she had baked two portions. If he insisted on having her bake again, she would just order some from a pastry shop.


    It would still take a while for the cookies to be ready, so she started playing with her phone to pass the time.


    Within half-an-hour, the timer went off. Li Lanni quickly switched off the oven and wore a pair of thick mittens before taking out the cookies from the oven.


    They looked pretty with the strawberry pieces sticking out a little. At least they looked edible and were pleasing to the eyes.


    She waited for them to cool down and took one to taste it.


    "Well, at least my hard work paid off." She praised herself as she tasted the sweet crunchiness. "I deserve a pat on my back!"


    "Who are those for?" Li Yuming asked as she sniffed the sweet aroma in the kitchen.


    Li Lanni was startled and turned to look at her mother. "Mom, when did you get here?"


    "Just now. I went to your room and didn''t find you."


    "Oh..." Li Lanni was too embarrassed to say that the cookies were for Ji Xiehan. Her mother would certainly overthink things, so she changed the topic. "Is something the matter?"


    "I will go somewhere early tomorrow morning." Li Yuming smiled when she saw her daughter avoiding the topic. "I might be back quite late or the day after."


    "Where are you going?" Li Lanni couldn''t help asking.


    "Nowhere important. Take care of yourself, okay?"


    "Okay." Li Lanni didn''t probe further. But she couldn''t help but wonder where her mother was going. Was it out of B City? Whatever, she was tired and had no energy to think about it now. She went to her room and freshened up.


    Before sleeping, she sent a text message to Ji Xiehan.


    ...


    The next day after class, Li Lanni went back home to get changed before going to meet Ji Xiehan. This was also because she had not carried the cookies with her to class or they would get eaten by her or Cheng Yu.


    She had not had lunch yet, so she suggested meeting at a restaurant not far from Feng Ji International. This was only logical since he had to go back to work after lunch.


    Because the restaurant was farther from her home, Ji Xiehan arrived before her.


    Once she walked into the private booth he had booked and saw how dashing he looked in his black suit and blue shirt; she looked at her Jeans and simple top self-consciously. She should have worn a dress.


    She bit her lips and proceeded like she didn''t care. "Hey."


    Ji Xiehan let out a smile, looking even more attractive with those slight curves at the corners of his mouth. "You look lovely." He complemented honestly.


    Although what she was wearing was meant for her comfort and she didn''t pay much attention to it, she still looked beautiful.


    Obviously, this was because she looked beautiful in anything.


    "I do?" Li Lanni''s heart raced, and she sounded silly. "You don''t look too bad yourself."


    It was Ji Xiehan''s turn to bask in happiness. This was the first time she had complimented him. He was happy even if it was most likely out of courtesy.


    "How are your classes going?" He asked after placing their orders.


    "It''s all good. We are going to have a test soon. I guess they are planning to discontinue students who will not pass the test."


    Ji Xiehan thought it made sense too. For the test to be prepared this early, this was the only logical reason. So they did care for quality after all. He recalled his conversation with Jiang Xingyu from the previous day and decided this was the best time to bring that up. "There are students who don''t do well?"


    Li Lanni was at ease, so she talked about it. "There are such students in every class, right? It makes one wonder why they are wasting so much time."


    "Maybe they have different agendas?" Ji Xiehan said. "Actually, there''s a mole in Star Art International."


    Li Lanni raised an eyebrow in question.


    Ji Xiehan continued. "Two weeks ago, Star Art International was planning to purchase the copyright of a comic. The comic wasn''t doing well in the market, and it was going to be redrawn by Star Art International into a better version. There was no way another comics company would have thought of buying the same unpopular comic. Still, on the day before the contract was signed, the author suddenly backed out on Star Art International and collaborated with another company instead."


    "Huh?" Li Lanni was surprised.


    "This is just one of the many things happening recently. Star Art International has been losing too many deals, including some of the already signed ones. It''s obvious that someone is playing tricks."


    "There seems to be a mole, and the mole might be your classmate." Ji Xiehan continued.


    "That''s terrible." Li Lanni frowned, seeming to think of something.


    "Yeah. It could slow down a company''s progress and cause huge losses. Jiang Xingyu has been sitting on pins and needles. He thinks Ruby Chan is the mole."


    Li Lanni''s frown deepened. "That''s absurd. Why would Ruby be a mole?"


    To get her help, he couldn''t hide anything, so he expressed his hypothesis. "While Ruby Chan is from a rich family and doesn''t need money, she could still be a mole. She could do it for her father."


    "She could... but it would not make sense. Her father''s company has nothing to do with art."


    "Of course. That would have been too obvious. But think about it. Chan Enterprise has been trying to compete with Jiang Corporation for ages now. If a subsidiary of Jiang Corporation was attacked to bankruptcy, wouldn''t Chan Enterprise beat Jiang Corporation?"


    Li Lanni was in deep thought again. "It would...


    Indeed, Chen Enterprise would be the biggest benefactor if something went wrong in Jiang Corporation.


    "But Ruby isn''t the mole." She still refuted his suspicions after thinking about it clearly.


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "Let''s be logical. She doesn''t like art, doesn''t do well either, attends classes every day when she didn''t even go to class in B City University. Wouldn''t that be too obvious? I don''t think anyone would plant such an obvious person.


    If I wanted to plant a mole in a comic art class, I would plant someone talented. Someone like Cedric because no one would suspect him.


    Of course, Cedric isn''t the mole either."


    Ji Xiehan found her train of thought compelling and more logical than Jiang Xingyu''s. But, "How would you know that Cedric isn''t the mole either?"


    "Because I know who the real mole is." Li Lanni shrugged. "To be exact, there are two of them. The other one is in a different department, but I know about both of them."


    "What?!" Ji Xiehan widened his eyes in shock.

 Chapter 109 - How Did You Know All This?

    Ji Xiehan was mortified. "You knew about it all along? How did you even know?"


    "That was easy to find out. The one from my class is a good artist, but she has always looked like she is in a hurry to go somewhere.


    Then when no one is looking, she discreetly meets up with a particular guy. Three days ago, she had a bud in her ear. It was of the same color as her skin and was covered by her hair, but I saw it briefly and cannot mistake it. The other mole is quite obvious, right?" Li Lanni casually rattled on, as though what was saying was something that happened every other day.


    Ji Xiehan stared at her in disbelief. "You''re kidding, right?"


    "Nope. Believe it if you want to. But I don''t think it would be funny to joke around with such a matter. "


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know whether to ask how on earth she knew all this or how she could be so calm saying it. "And you didn''t tell anyone?"


    "Nobody asked me. It was none of my business." She shrugged.


    Ji Xiehan was rendered speechless.


    Dwelling on it would only exhaust his brain, so instead, he asked, "So who are the two moles?"


    "I cannot tell you." Li Lanni shook her head in denial.


    "Why not?"


    "I only stumbled upon these facts without intending to. It''s none of my business." She said expressionlessly.


    "..." Ji Xiehan was left speechless.


    He did not know what to say. Jiang Xingyu had exhausted his brain cells, and so had Si Yulin, and they had only come up with a wrong guess. Yet Li Lanni knew the truth without intending to? What kind of weird situation was this?


    He gazed at the girl before him, wondering what he could say to make her tell him. Otherwise, Jiang Xingyu would not get off his back.


    He was a negotiation expert, alright, and he could get anything he wanted with the help of his glib tongue. But unexpectedly, he couldn''t bring himself to use some of those tricks on Li Lanni. Nevertheless, he had to thank her. If he didn''t tell him that, he would have wasted a lot of his time and resources investigating the wrong target!


    He could only look as troubled as he was. "Thank you."


    "What are you thanking me for?"


    "Even though you didn''t tell me everything, you did give me a major pointer. I appreciate it." Ji Xiehan replied with a gentle smile.


    Li Lanni remained silent, not understanding how this matter would affect him. This was not related to Feng Ji International in any way, right?


    "This means a lot to Jiang Xingyu." Also, his crazy sister might be involved in this too. He felt obliged to help Jiang Xingyu. But thinking of how it was going to take time to investigate the two moles, paired with the other two things he was investigating -- Li Lanni''s accident and Jiang Xingyu''s Xia -- he did have a lot on his plate. His smile gradually disappeared, paving way for a distressed frown.


    When Li Lanni saw that the smile on his face had disappeared, unconsciously, she furrowed her eyebrows too. For some reason, she didn''t like it when he was anything but happy. She wanted to see him smile forever, even though she didn''t know why she cared. All she knew was that it was such a pity for such a handsome face to frown.


    For a moment, she almost blurted out everything she knew. But thinking about it, what if she got into trouble for it? The walls had ears. It was not worth it.


    Looking at her blank facial expression, Ji Xiehan could tell that she was having trouble deciding what to do. He didn''t want to force her into anything, so he let her be. If she wanted to tell him about it, he would gladly accept the information, but if she didn''t, he was not about to force it out of her mouth. So he quickly tried to change the conversation.


    Fortunately, at the same time, the waiter came in after knocking the door with their lunch.


    Soon, Li Lanni pushed everything at the back of her mind to satiate her hunger.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t eat much; he was secretly sneaking glances at her and took a photo or two.


    Where had the frown flown away to! At this moment, he was no different from a teenager passionately in love!


    His admiration was apparent in his eyes. How could a girl look so beautiful, even when just doing something as simple as eating?


    He could tell how much she was enjoying the food from how she savored it, and a smile escaped his lips.


    If they had a daughter in the future, he would be happy if she resembled her. She would be the loveliest little girl on earth.


    She would even be lovelier if she had her grey eyes and his silvery hair.


    No. Such a combination would be dull.


    Maybe she should have his hair and his blue eyes.... it would also be pretty if she inherited everything from her mother... or his blue eyes and her black hair.


    After debating in his brain for a while, he decided that they could have three kids: two girls and one boy or two boys and one girl.


    One could have black hair and blue eyes; another could have black hair and grey eyes and other silver hair and blue eyes.


    Then they could play together every day. He would teach the boys to protect their sisters and their mother; and the girls'' role would be to recieve his hugs and kisses and candy.


    He was just about to name them when he snapped back. Calm down, Ji Xiehan! She is not even your girlfriend yet.


    He had gotten far ahead of himself.


    If Li Lanni had known what he was thinking, she would have gone crazy by this guy''s nonsensical imagination.


    Once they were done eating, he offered to drop her off before going back to work.


    But she had been driven there by her chauffeur, so she rejected his offer politely.


    Before they parted, she held out the small bag she had carried with her. "Your cookies."


    Ji Xiehan grinned happily as he reached for them. He felt like a little kid finally receiving his hard earned candy. "Thank you."


    Li Lanni''s face suddenly burned scarlet as she hesitated, he would like them, right?


    "Eer... I''ll be on my way then." Li Lanni quickly brushed away her silly thoughts.


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan wanted to ask her out again but remained silent. She might just reject him. He should find a good reason first.


    "Ling Shan." Li Lanni suddenly said.


    "What?" Ji Xiehan was unable to understand what she meant.


    "The girl from my class, the one we talked about earlier. Her name is Ling Shan. And the other one is the CEO''s assistant."


    Ji Xiehan soon realized that She was talking about the moles. "Thank you."


    "I figured you would find out anyway. I already gave you too many spoilers. Might as well just tell you." She shrugged.


    It took a moment for the information to sink in. The CEO''s assistant actually betrayed Star Art International? How tragic.


    "Lanni, I will protect you." He suddenly promised.


    "Huh?"


    "I will not let anyone know that you are the one who found them out. But if anyone does find out, I will be sure to protect you."


    Li Lanni felt touched by his promise. At least she didn''t feed the information to the dogs. "If..." she tried to stop her mouth but it spoke on its own. "If I see anything else that is strange, I will let you know."


    Ji Xiehan nodded his thanks as he walked her to her car. He would seriously squeeze out every single second he could to spend more time with her. Even if it was just one more second, it was worth it.


    ___


    That evening, Ji Xiehan finished up all his work before taking a shower and sitting on the sofa in his room comfortably. Then he fished out the cookies to enjoy them.


    He couldn''t remember eating anything so sweet in his adulthood.


    It was somewhat foreign but not appalling; he liked the taste of it.


    When he was done, he sent a message to her happily. [The cookies were sweet.]


    ..


    Li Lanni was sitting on her bed and reading a novel when her phone chimed. She took a glance; then, her face went red when she saw the content. [Pervert: The cookies were sweet.]


    She didn''t know how to reply.


    She was still racking her brains when another text came in. [Pervert: Thank you.]


    She let out a silly giggle before replying. [You already thanked me.]


    Soon came another.


    [Pervert: I was just finding an excuse to text you. Can''t you tell?]


    Li Lanni grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it.

 Chapter 110 - He Kissed Her!

    After blushing like a naive little girl for a while, Li Lanni finally pushed the pillow away and thought of what to say to him.


    Then she remembered Madam Ji''s confrontation. The joyful spark in her eyes immediately turned serene.


    She couldn''t get close to Ji Xiehan. If his mother didn''t confront her, she might have let whatever was happening spiral into friendship at the very most.


    But now, after all the things his Madam Ji said t about her and her mother, she didn''t even want to be his friend. She had better things to do than bicker with people from the Ji family.


    She turned her screen off and closed her eyes, deciding not to reply.


    Ji Xiehan waited for her reply for hours. He glanced at his phone for the umpteenth time with a frown. Was she ignoring him? He sulked. ''Why hadn''t she texted him back yet?


    She probably had not read his text yet and had gone for bed. That must be the reason! She would reply him the next morning after checking the message.


    "There''s no reason for her to ignore me, after all."


    Ji Xiehan comforted himself when he saw that she stiil hadn''t replied back, and went for the bed after checking his mails.


    Little did he know, she was going to ignore him for days.


    Indeed for the next few days, Li Lanni neither answered his calls nor replied to his texts. She would also slip away from Star Art International so fast that he wouldn''t be able to see her if he went over after her class.


    Had he done something wrong? He couldn''t help but wonder.


    Many days passed, and the one-month deadline his father had given him was almost over.


    He knew that his father meant it when he said that he would have to marry either of those two women if he didn''t get Li Lanni engaged to him within one month.


    He also had a feeling that his mother was eagerly waiting for the month to end before starting to introduce women to him.


    He only had one week left.


    This wouldn''t do.


    He thought about it then dialed a certain idiot''s number.


    "Eh? Eh? Ji Xiehan finally actively called me? Is the sun going to rise from the west tomorrow?"


    Ji Xiehan put up with Lin Jian''s chatter. He needed his help anyway. "Help me do something."


    "Of course you would only call me because you need help. You heartless profiteer!"Lin Jian ranted for a while.


    Ji Xiehan was about to hang up when the motor-mouthed idiot said something more reasonable. "What do you need?"


    ...


    When he was done with Lin Jian, he felt his brain cells must have been depleted. He massaged his temples and sighed. So much for having friends. He grabbed his car keys and headed out of his office.


    Because he had rushed over, he had to wait for almost an hour before he finally saw Li Lianni exiting the building. This time, Cheng Yu was not with her. It was even more convenient.


    As soon as he saw her, he hurried over to her.


    This time, he saw it clearly. Li Lanni saw him and tried to slip away.


    He just had an inkling about it, but now that he saw her sneaking away, he knew that something was wrong. Thus he quickly grabbed her elbow just as she tried to rush away.


    "Ji... Ji Xiehan?" She gasped.


    "Don''t try to evade it. You clearly saw me. Lanni, why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" He knew that he didn''t have time and that she might just shrug him off and walk away, so he went straight to the point and asked the most important question when he had the chance.


    As expected, she shrugged his hand away and said coldly. "Mr. Ji, please behave yourself."


    Ji Xiehan''s mood dropped by a hundred degrees. "Why are you suddenly being so formal?"


    "Since when have I been casual with you?" She muttered, rendering him speechless. She was right; Indeed, Li Lanni had always been distant towards him.


    Perhaps because she had been a little less distant lately, he must have read too much into it and assumed she was beginning to warm up to him. How naive of him. Of course she couldn''t have started liking him so soon. He had gotten ahead of himself yet again.


    But still, there had to be a reason for her to become more distant suddenly. Why would she?...He thought of a possibility and felt his heart sink. "Did someone say something to you?"


    Li Lanni looked up at him blankly.


    "Was it my mother?" He knew that his mother didn''t like Li Lanni. If there was anyone who would say something mean to Li Lanni to make her cold towards him, it had to be his mother.


    Li Lanni was awed by how fast he had managed to make a correct guess. But what was the use? The last thing she wanted right now was to be entangled in some melodrama with families she didn''t even want to be affiliated with.


    "It''s none of your business Mr. Ji. Please get out of my way." She said blankly.


    "How is it not my business Lanni? You are ignoring me. As the person being ignored, that''s my business in every way. Not to mention that I..." He grabbed a fistful of air and cursed inwardly. He had almost blurted out that he loved her. This wasn''t the right time to confess his feelings for the first time.


    "Excuse me." Li Lanni tried not to lose her temper as she pushed him aside. But there was nothing the strength of her little hands could do against a strong man like him.


    "Sorry, Lanni. I didn''t want to have to do this either." He whispered, gazing deeply into her eyes.


    "W-w-what..?" Li Lanni suddenly trembled. Something was wrong. His expression...


    Before she knew it, she felt her world spin then she was against the wall in half a second. Before she could protest, a sturdy body was pressed against her; then, she felt a cold and wet sensation on her lips.


    Her eyes shot open, her breath stopping for a second or two as her heart raced.


    Then the man pulled away from her and looked at her apologetically. "Lanni..."


    She snapped from her daze, suddenly realizing what had just happened. He... he kissed her?


    She raised her hand, and her palm landed on his cheek with a crisp resounding slap!


    Ji Xiehan was shocked out of his wits. He had more or less expected it but still shocked him.


    "How dare you?! Ji Xiehan, you disgusting man! You... you!" She didn''t know what to say, so she pushed him away and ran all the way to the parking lot where the chauffeur was waiting for her.


    Damn it.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t run after her. He knew that would only make her more upset.


    He already knew she wasn''t ready for that, but he still went ahead and kissed her. Ji Xiehan, are you such a fool? He must have left his brain in the office while coming. He grabbed at his hair and watched as her car drove off past him.


    He had messed up this time.


    ...


    Once Li Lanni reached home, she threw her bag onto her bed and dashed into the bathroom. She was determined to wash that pervert''s scent off her even if she had to take thirty showers and splash a litre of perfume on her body.


    That annoying bastard, how dare he do that to her?


    She wasn''t  going overboard. He should consider himself lucky that she was not suing him for sexual harassment. She had all the grounds to do so, didn''t she? He had pressed her against the wall and kissed her! All against her will!


    She stood under the shower as the warm water cascaded over her bare skin.


    By instinct, she reached to touch her lips. It was the first time she did so since he kissed her.


    She closed her eyes and hugged her shoulders in disappointment. Just when she was starting to think that he was a respectable man. How could he take advantage of her?


    She brought her fingers to her lips once again, caressing them gently as she tried to forget that scene. But no matter what she did, that kiss had already happened. It couldn''t be undone.


    She stayed in the water for forty minutes before she decided that she was clean enough. She clumsily got out of the shower and dried herself before wrapping her body in a bathrobe.


    She picked up the clothes from where she had dumped them earlier and took a sniff.


    She didn''t know what she was doing either. Unsurprisingly, his scent was still lingering on her clothes.


    It was surprising, however, that their scents had combined into an even sweeter scent. It was neither too strong nor as repulsive as she had thought it would be.. It almost made her imagination go wild.

 Chapter 111 - Sweet Scent Lingering

    Li Lanni felt confused. Was she mad? That man had disrespected her. It was inexcusable no matter what he had to say.


    He had apologized before kissing her, and that proved that he did it even while knowing that it would upset her.


    She should be angry with everything related to him. She certainly wasn''t... this was bad. She was even sniffing at her clothes repeatedly, she was hugging them close to her chest even though she knew she shouldn''t be doing it.


    Ahh...she didn''t know what she even wanted anymore! What did that pervert do to her?


    To save her brain from going completely crazy, she quickly changed into comfortable clothes before going to do the laundry. When she was done, she went to her mother''s art studio to pass the time admiring the paintings.


    It did help to calm her mind a little.


    But it did not prepare her for what was awaiting her.


    ___


    The next day, she thought everything was going on as usual until she realized the kind of looks everyone was giving her.


    Although she was curious, she decided to ignore it. If it was anything important, she would find out very soon.


    Later, when the class was over, she clearly heard whispers from a group of students in front of her.


    "The girl who usually sticks around Cheng Yu? Really, I couldn''t tell!"


    "What''s there not to tell? She is very beautiful. Not many men can resist such beauty, okay? I say Ji Xiehan has good taste."


    "I thought Ji Xiehan hated women. At least that is what everyone says. Who would have known..."


    Li Lanni finally understood a tiny bit of what was happening. Was it related to Ji Xiehan? To be exact, what was that about Ji Xiehan not being able to resist her?


    She saw that the few students were looking at their phones and nudged each other to stop speaking once they realized her presence.


    She frowned and took out her own phone to casually search Ji Xiehan''s name.


    Shocking headlines popped up.


    [Ji Xiehan is engaged? What?]


    When she read the first headline, she was stunned for a second. That  pervert was engaged?!


    And the most important thing was that despite being engaged, he flirted with her! He even kissed her yesterday, how shameless!


    She wondered just which woman was so unlucky as to have him for a fianc¨¦. She was too pitiful.


    As she scrolled through the chats, she was greeted with even more headlines.


    [Ji Xiehan''s secret fianc¨¦e will totally wreck your love life. She''s too beautiful.]


    [Ji Xiehan and his secret fianc¨¦e are a match made in heaven. How adorable!]


    These and many more similar headlines had made their way to the top of the search rankings.


    She randomly clicked on one of the headlines. The gist of the article was expressions of shock about how no one expected Ji Xiehan to have kept his love life hidden away so perfectly and so on.


    But what shocked her was the attached picture of Ji Xiehan kissing her!


    What under the sun was going on?!


    So she was the one mystery girl who was engaged with Ji Xiehan?


    Li Lanni slapped her forehead helplessly. It was that pervert''s fault. He just had to kiss her in public...


    Wait. It was only a kiss. How did these news outlets conclude that they were engaged? Can they not be so scary?


    She kept scrolling through the comments from people who knew Ji Xiehan or were his followers on social media.


    [I have always wanted to marry Ji Xiehan, but I cannot compete with such beauty! I give up.]


    [If I had such a beautiful fianc¨¦e, I wouldn''t want the world to know about her either.]


    [Who said he hates women? He just cannot look at other women, alright! No one would if they had such beauty by their side.] This particular comment had gained a few thousand likes in just a few minutes.


    Li Lanni ignored the comments and browsed through the pictures of her and Ji Xiehan talking, getting into a car, there was even a blurry one of them eating together.


    Then she finally saw what she was looking for. It was a video! It was a little blurry, but one could make out the content clearly. It was from when she had linked her hand with Ji Xiehan''s and announced, "We are not breaking up any time soon. Xiehan''s my fianc¨¦."


    What?!


    She remembered when this happened. It was that day of Star Art International''s banquet. She had wanted to get Lin Jian to stop spewing so much nonsense, so she had grabbed Ji Xiehan''s hand and said that.


    But how did it make its way into the headlines? What in the world?!


    She felt uncomfortable with all the gazes, so she quickly got into the car to go home. But thinking that her mother might probably also see that video, she felt anxious. How was she going to explain it to her?


    As expected, as soon as she was home, her mother drowned with the questions.


    "You are engaged to Ji Xiehan? How come I am not aware of this matter! He is a good man and all that, but how long have you two known each other? How old are you? It''s okay to be in a relationship, but I don''t think rushing into engagement and marriage is a good idea."


    Li Lanni really wanted to pull off her hair. "I don''t know how this happened either. It''s a misunderstanding!"


    "How is it a misunderstanding? You clearly said the two of you are engaged." Li Yuming didn''t know whether she was more upset about her daughter blindly rushing into marriage or because she had kept it from her.


    Li Lanni was at a loss. What kind of trouble had she gotten herself into? Her mind was in a mess. She coughed up some excuse and rushed to her room, saying she would explain this later. Li Yuming could only stare blankly. The kids'' lives were getting more adventurous.


    ...


    In her room, she started doing her assignment to calm her mind.


    As she sketched her homework a few minutes later, something flashed in her mind.


    She had said that statement about being Ji Xiehan''s Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e three weeks ago at the banquet. If anyone heard it, the news would have blown up already. How come it only happened today? Where had the video been for all these days? Don''t tell her someone was keeping it and waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it?


    Besides, the pervert suddenly kissed her the day before; then, within a few hours, the news had blown up.


    "Pfft. Men are getting more and more childish these days." Li Lanni cursed under her breath and shoved her stationery aside, rushing out of the house. That pervert wouldn''t hear the end of it from her!


    It was still working hours; she hoped to reach Feng Ji International before the pervert left work.


    She would never have anticipated that she was being waited for.


    As soon as she left the car and headed towards the building, reporters suddenly swarmed around her.


    Before she even had a chance to realize what was happening, she was bombarded with many questions as cameras flashed around her and microphones were shoved close to her face.


    "Miss Li Lanni, please answer a few questions."


    "Miss Li Lanni, are you really engaged to Master Ji?"


    "Will the two of you get married soon?"


    "Sorry, I''m not up for interviews." Li Lanni tried to get away. How could she forget about reporters? Sure enough, she was muddled because of that bastard. With a piece of juicy news about Ji Xiehan''s love life, how could the media sit silently?


    "How long have you been together?" The questions kept coming.


    "Are you here to wait for your fianc¨¦ to finish up his work and pick him up?"


    "Miss Li, why are you not saying anything? Is it because you have something to hide?"


    "Miss Li, many people get engaged after many years of dating, but you are only twenty. Did your relationship start when you were still underage?"


    Li Lanni had a headache. What was all this about?


    "Back off!" She said annoyance, her voice more overbearing than she had ever imagined. The reporters subconsciously shut up and moved out of her way. The authority in her voice just now was terrifying.


    "I said I am not up for interviews. Which part of this do you guys not understand? I am not ready to talk about my private life. Now, if you''ll excuse me."


    She knew the reporters were displeased, but she didn''t care. If she didn''t shut them up, they were going to start asking about unspeakable things.


    What was that about whether she had started her relationship when she was underage? Sheesh!


    She proceeded into the building.. She couldn''t directly get into the elevator like she owned the place, so she approached the receptionist.

 Chapter 112 - A Familiar Situation

    This time, the receptionist was a different person, but she wasn''t a rude as the previous one.


    Actually at that time, Ji Xiehan had fired the previous receptionist on the same day and had asked the HR department to hire a receptionist who was pleasing to the eye and knew how to behave.


    If he hadn''t, it was not sure how many guests would be angered by her. No one could blame Feng Ji International, however. They had indeed carefully hired their staff after ensuring that they were well behaved and qualified for their jobs. However, some of them just thought they were too important and became arrogant over time. It couldn''t be helped.


    "Miss, do you have an appointment?" The new receptionist asked politely when Li Lanni said that she wanted to see Ji Xiehan.


    "No." Li Lanni cursed inwardly. On her way here, she had tried to call him, but the damned man had ignored her calls for several rings, and in the end, he simply hung up on her. Now that she was here, she wondered whether she would be thrown out. That would be so embarrassing... was it too late to turn back?


    It might be because the receptionist recognized her as Ji Xiehan''s rumored fianc¨¦e; she didn''t ask her to book an appointment. "Master Ji is currently in a meeting. It started just a few minutes ago and might take very long. Would you like to wait for him?"


    Li Lanni was even more upset. At this moment, she very much wanted to barge into that meeting room and tear that damned man into pieces. Alas, she couldn''t be unreasonable and behave like a shrew.


    She took a deep breath to calm down her temper and replied, "I''ll wait."


    As soon as she said these words, she saw Qiao Luna strutting towards them and say, "Miss Li, please come with me."


    Li Lanni wordlessly followed Qiao Luna into Ji Xiehan''s office, wondering why she was here when her boss was supposedly in a meeting. Shouldn''t secretaries accompany their bosses to meetings and take note of important matters?


    "Master Ji said to wait for him here." Qiao Luna said once they reached Ji Xiehan''s office.


    Li Lanni silently took a seat. So that man knew she would go looking for him if she couldn''t get through to him on the phone? It was even possible that he had purposefully ignored her calls. By this time, she had already stabbed him a million times in her heart.


    Qiao Luna offered to bring her a drink, but she turned it down politely.


    Actually, she just didn''t trust him. He could deliberately kiss her and make headlines with her. Who knew what else he could do if given the chance?


    "Miss Li, if I may be audacious to ask, are you truly engaged to Master Ji?" Qiao Luna suddenly asked.


    Li Lanni frowned. This was the question she hated the most. "No."


    "Oh." Qiao Luna paused before slowly adding, "Master Ji is a really nice man. And he loves you very much. Ever since I was employed in this company, I have heard him mention you at least once every day, and he is always so happy when he talks about you that one''s heart could melt. The two of you look so beautiful together as well."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Li Lanni asked uncomfortably. Did her job scope include finding a match for her boss?


    "Every assistant would want their boss to be happy, right? I just thought I should let you know."


    Li Lanni nodded expressionlessly. She didn''t need to know. Especially because her anger towards Ji Xiehan had lessened significantly, she had even started considering the possibility that it was a misunderstanding all because of a few words from his assistant.


    Goodness! One shouldn''t trust negotiation experts. They were dangerous! Even their assistants were so glib tongued that they could make one lose their mind!


    Most importantly, there was something about Qiao Luna that made her take a scrutinizing look at her. There had always been something strange about her, but Li Lanni couldn''t grasp it, so she let it be.


    Qiao Luna didn''t want to bother Li Lanni any longer -- that, and the fact that she felt uncomfortable under Li Lanni''s piercing gaze -- so she said her goodbyes and left her in the office. Once she was outside, she let out a sigh of relief.


    Inside, Li Lanni didn''t know how long the meeting would last, so she started playing with her phone to pass time. She didn''t want to take another glance at the ongoing gossip. Heaven knew what else those reporters must have added to the blogs after being ignored by her.


    She kept checking the time, but it seemed to be moving especially slow today.


    After playing all the games on her phone and getting bored of them, she checked the time to realize only half an hour had passed. She proceeded to read the latest updates of the web novels she was following, but that only took a few more minutes.


    With a sigh, she decided to close her eyes a little. The meeting might take two more hours. If she slept for one hour, she would have used up half the time.


    Just like that, she unknowingly fell into a deep sleep, unaware that in the meeting room Ji Xiehan was currently trying to make the meeting as short as possible.


    Ji Xiehan quickly ended the three-hour-long meeting within one and a half hour and rushed back to his office.


    He hoped Li Lanni didn''t get tired of waiting for him and leave. He had only wanted to make her wait for a little, but he didn''t expect that the discussion would be more than an hour long.


    He pushed the door open with trembling hands. As soon as he walked in, he was greeted with Li Lanni''s sleeping face.


    Li Lanni had her eyes tightly shut; she had curled up on the large sofa with her phone beside her. Some of her hair stuck onto her face making her look irresistibly cute.


    He was bewildered by such an adorable scene and stood there in a daze for a while.


    After he snapped from his daze, he slowly made his way towards her. She was even cuter up close, making one want to forget about everything else and just watch her sleep. Gentleness washed over his face as he held back the urge to pull her hair away from her face.


    With his mind lost into the peaceful scene, he was suddenly hit by nostalgia! This seemed to have happened before...


    What was with this familiar situation?


    He would never forget the first time they met.


    It had been a similar situation. That night, he had spent the night at The Emerald Grand Hotel after a late evening meeting, and just after taking a bath, he had found a girl sleeping in his suite.


    That night, she had taken strong sleeping pills. At first, he had even assumed that she was one of the girls that his mother was fond of sending to him. Up to date, he had never understood what she was really doing in his room that night. Was it because of the sleeping pills that she had become so muddled that she got her room wrong?


    But whatever the situation was, he didn''t care. It didn''t matter anymore because he loved her. She could sleep in his room as much as she wanted. She seemed to like sleeping in his office as well. She could sleep as often as she liked.


    Speaking of which, he should give her access to his office so she wouldn''t have to wait for Qiao Luna to bring her up the next time she came looking for him.


    Not intending to disturb her rest, he made as little noise as possible as he walked to his chair and sat. He made a call and keeping his voice as low as possible, instructed Qiao Luna not to let anyone into his office.


    For the next two hours, he simply stared at the little beauty sleeping peacefully.


    When Li Lanni woke up, she saw Ji Xiehan sitting in his chair and was shocked. Wait! How long had she slept?!


    She quickly rubbed her eyes and combed through her hair using her fingers to tidy it before looking at Ji Xiehan awkwardly. "I..."


    As soon as he saw her eyelids flutter, Ji Xiehan had quickly brushed the smile off his face and replaced it with a look that spoke of annoyance and a hint of anger. "Have you had enough rest? Now can we talk about the matter at hand?"


    "Huh? What matter?" Li Lanni inquired, shocked by his tone. He should be apologetic, shouldn''t he? What was up with the upset tone? Moreover, that was her line!


    Before Li Lanni could come out of her shock, he further demanded, "Why is there news of me being your fianc¨¦? Could you explain why this is happening?"

 Chapter 113 - Who Exactly Is The Victim Here?

    Li Lanni blinked her eyes rapidly. "Are you seriously blaming me? You should be ashamed of yourself. You were the one who kissed me!"


    "And you are the one who called me your fianc¨¦. It was just a kiss. The media would have assumed I was only fooling around or that you are my girlfriend at most. Thanks to what you said, I have many people to answer to now." Ji Xiehan retorted.


    Li Lanni couldn''t make head or tail of what was going on. She was the one who had been taken advantage of. She was the victim, okay? Why was he making it sound like she was the one who had taken advantage of him?  "Is this why you hung up my call?" She gritted her teeth and asked.


    Ji Xiehan massaged his temples then looked right at her. "I was upset, Lanni. Everyone is on my neck, questioning me. I didn''t know how to hold a conversation with you."


    As though to prove his words, the telephone on his desk rung. As soon as he received it, "Hello, this is Mars Media..."


    He hung up with a sigh and looked at her. "This is just one of them. This is a severe issue Lanni; my parents expect me to get married. I cannot afford to be in a scandal with a girl."


    ''I didn''t create the scandal, now did I?'' Li Lanni thought.


    "Lanni, how did that video leak out?" Ji Xiehan asked in all seriousness.


    "Why are you asking me?" She retorted. Just because she grabbed his hand and claimed to be engaged to him didn''t mean she recorded that and gave it to the media, okay! "But, I should ask you how those photos of us leaked out."


    Ji Xiehan thought for a bit and shrugged. "Is it not obvious? All those photos were taken after the banquet. Someone must have been following us after obtaining the video."


    Li Lanni blinked. Why did it seem like he was blaming her for being the root of all this?


    This conversation was not going anywhere. She sighed after thinking about it for a long time; she looked into his eyes and said, "It''s already done. So, what now? The Ji family holds a lot of power. You can just have them delete the news and pass it off as a misunderstanding, right? It was, after all, indeed, a misunderstanding."


    "No can do Lanni. Very many people have already caught wind of it. And that includes my parents and...


    Look, whatever it is, I definitely cannot pass it off as a misunderstanding. As the next CEO of Feng Ji International, the most basic thing I am supposed to do is keep my record clean. Even if I deleted the news now, not many people would believe it is a misunderstanding. It would look like I often have scandals with women.


    Besides, that would be pushing all the blame to a girl I have been seen with before.


    There is no way this will be part of a clean record."


    "What''s that even supposed to mean? Once you say you have been misunderstood and we were just acquaintances, wouldn''t your name be cleared? We only went to a banquet together. Acquaintances do that often."


    "Yeah, but acquaintances do not kiss, Lanni."


    "You are the one who kissed me." Li Lanni insisted furiously, again. This can''t be done, that can''t be done; what was she supposed to do now?! "You should have known that it wouldn''t sit well with your clean record if you grabbed a girl and kissed her."


    "It happened in the heat of the moment. How would I have known that I was being followed?"


    It was back to her yet again.


    Li Lanni groaned. Great! Just great!


    "Lanni, I don''t mean to put you at a disadvantage, but I really have no choice."


    "What do you mean?" She had a bad premonition.


    Ji Xiehan contemplated for a while before saying, "As I just mentioned, my parents expect me to get married soon. They are putting me under real pressure even though I am not ready for it.


    My father gave me an ultimatum to bring a woman back home within a month, or I would have to marry whoever he chose for me.


    No one would want that, right?"


    He carefully studied her expression. It was blank, so he continued. "The time he gave me is almost over so I had found a woman... I was planning to have her pretend to be my fianc¨¦e for a while then feign a break up later. But with all this news going on, there is no way she would agree to it."


    The warning bells went off in Li Lanni''s mind. "So, what am I supposed to do?"


    "Replace her."


    "What?"


    "Be my fianc¨¦e." He repeated word by word.


    Li Lanni blanked out for a whole minute before she finally reacted. "You''re crazy!"


    She had heard enough! She just stood up and made a beeline for the door, but Ji Xiehan was faster. He sprung to his feet and pushed the door closed just as she touched it.


    "What are you doing?" She asked with a tremble.


    "Listen to me once, okay?" He persuaded.


    Li Lanni heard the despair in his voice and couldn''t bring herself to be too rude. "What do you want? I am certainly not getting engaged to anyone. Especially not to you."


    Ji Xiehan felt his heart break from the blatant way she was rejecting him, but she couldn''t be blamed. It was his fault. But if he had a choice...


    Scratch that. He didn''t have a choice.


    Scratch that too. He had made himself "have no choice". But it was all the same, right?


    "It''s a fake engagement. I only want to buy time and distract my parents for a while. When it''s over, we can just feign a break-up and go separate ways. I will make sure your life remains private, and no one bothers you."


    "How long?" She almost killed herself for the asking. Perhaps it was the desperation in his voice or her guilt due to the fact that the statement she casually said had indeed ruined his plans.


    "Three..." Ji Xiehan swallowed. "Three months. Just three months." He had almost said three weeks, but that might not be enough time to make her truly fall in love with him.


    "Three months?" Three months, thirteen weeks, a hundred days, it was not too long, but it wasn''t short either; many things can happen within three months.


    "Do you have any idea of how many opportunities I might miss in three months? Is my life supposed to stop?


    What if I fall in love? Am I supposed to pause my love life for three months too, just because I will be ''engaged'' to you? And, how would I explain this to my future husband? Should I say ''that year I accidentally messed up with someone''s life by claiming to be his fianc¨¦e so I had to pretend to be truly engaged to him for a while''?"


    "Li Lanni!"  Ji Xiehan roared. This woman was really going to drive him insane. How dare she say such things to him? ''You will not have to explain anything to your future husband because that will be me! Do you hear me?'' He almost said.


    Li Lanni was taken aback by his sudden outburst and stopped rambling. "Anyway, it''s a ridiculously long time. I cannot do it."


    Ji Xiehan''s expression was a mixture of sadness and anger. "What about me? I''m stuck to you, do you know that? How should I explain this to my parents to the company''s higher ups?"


    When she saw that pitiful expression on his charming face, her heart wavered. She sighed, "I''ll think about it. Give me some time, will you? You can''t expect me to decide such a serious issue in a moment of a spur, right? After all, this is an engagement. It is not as huge a deal as marriage but it is still very important to a woman." She would have a headache if she kept this discussion going. She was desperate to finish it.


    Ji Xiehan regarded her for a while then withdrew his hand. He knew he had made her heart unsettled. There was a high chance that she would agree to his request.


    With a charming smile he said, "I will drop you off at home."


    "You don''t need to." Li Lanni blankly rejected.


    "The reporters will make it hard for you to leave. Then I will walk you to the car."


    Until Li Lanni left, he maintained his pitiful and wronged, distressed expression. It was only after she left that he let out a smile.


    Damn! That wasn''t so easy for him to act out. He had totally played the victim card when he orchestrated the whole thing with Lin Jian''s help.. He would respect actors and actresses much more from now on. Acting was not his cup of tea!

 Chapter 114 - Idle Minds

    When Li Lanni went back home, her mind was more restless and unsettled than it was before she left for Ji Xiehan''s office earlier.


    As soon as she entered the villa, she was greeted by an anxious Li Yuming, who again bombarded her with many questions about where she had run off to. Li Lanni quickly came up with some excuse and ran to her room. She knew that she was very rude to her mom, but right now, she was not in the mood to talk with anyone. She would explain later.


    In her room, she sat on her bed after freshening up and contemplated all the events that occurred.


    She still had a strong gut feeling that the pervert had a role to play in this matter. There was no way that such coincidences existed.


    Not to mention, Ji Xiehan was one of the men that many women admired and loved, even if they knew they didn''t have a chance to be with him.


    Why was it that they all sounded supportive of her rumored relationship with him?


    Shouldn''t there be at least a few of them bashing her? Shouldn''t the overly possessive women scold her for not being good enough and tainting the man of their dreams?


    There was such a thing as jealousy. Even if they knew that she was beautiful and all that, there was no way they would feel the same way about it. What happened to the ''Ji Feifei''s?


    Also, the comments from the ladies were a little strange... it was as though they had been told what to say.


    Either that, or those were all new accounts that had been created and were being controlled by the same person.


    Seriously, was there such an idle person? The pervert sure was a pervert.


    She reclined against her pillows in bed as she thought and laughed about it.


    She was woken up from her myriad of thoughts by a phone call. When she saw that it was Xia Luna calling, she quickly accepted the call.


    "Luna?"


    On the other side, Xia Luna sounded defeated, a word that couldn''t usually be used to describe her. "Lanni, I couldn''t get what you asked for."


    "How is that possible?" Li Lanni was shocked. She had personally witnessed the sister''s prowess in programming a few times in the past few weeks. She knew how excellent Xia Luna was. How could it be possible that she was unable to find something she had been looking for for almost a month?


    "I think someone is protecting Ji Feifei." Xia Luna stated. "It turns out she has not been working on her own. No wonder she has always been so audacious."


    "Anyway, Lanni, I found out something more interesting. Do you want to hear it?"


    "Go on." Li Lanni was in a worse mood. This was her only chance to put Ji Feifei in her place - behind bars. And it had just been shattered.


    "Ji Xiehan has been investigating her too."


    "What?!" Li Lanni was flabbergasted.


    "I was even more shocked than you are. He is her brother, right?"


    "Maybe he is the one protecting her, so you will not find any incriminating evidence against her?" Li Lanni guessed.


    "That''s not possible. From what I found out, he has been trying to take a tiny step at a time stealthily, unlike how he has been trying to recover my deleted information. Perhaps it is because he doesn''t want anyone to know that he is investigating his own sister. Either that or he is afraid he might find out something that would shock him, and he is not ready to face it. Either way, he is suspicious of her."


    Xia Luna had been too deep into her hypothesis and didn''t realise that she had just said that Ji Xiehan was investigating her, while Li Lanni was too immersed in her own thoughts to realize it immediately.


    Li Lanni had an idea that made her want to explode in happiness. "That means that Ji Xiehan wouldn''t be too much against us if we made a move towards Ji Feifei, right? He might even help us out if the Ji family attacked us for it."


    "You dummy. With your low IQ, how are you even my sister?" Xia Luna admonished. "Ji Xiehan loves you very much. I reckon he would stand by you even if you went against his mother, much less the sister he obviously doesn''t like."


    "That''s not the first time I am hearing this today." Li Lanni cringed. "Ji Xiehan''s assistant went on and on about this too."


    "Then, that only proves me right." Xia Luna chuckled. "Lanni, I wish to talk to you a little more, but I have things to get back to. I''ll call you again tomorrow, okay?"


    "You are now starting to sound like a boyfriend." Li Lanni rolled her eyes, even though she knew Xia Luna wouldn''t see it.


    "Hahahaha! Blame me for being such a handsome girl."


    Li Lanni chuckled. What in the world was a handsome girl?


    After she ended the call, she realized that her phone battery was low. While she was putting her phone for charging, a sudden idea sparked in her mind.


    She could collaborate with Ji Xiehan, right?


    There were things Xia Luna couldn''t do, but Ji Xiehan could. He had more advantages because he and Ji Feifei were siblings. He could easily get close to her, and no one would suspect a thing.


    ''Besides...'' Li Lanni thought with an evil grin. ''Ji Feifei had her family fooled. If one made that trust crumble, what would happen then? ''


    It was even more exciting just thinking of what would happen once Ji Feifei realized that her ''Oh so loving brother'' had been the one to finish her off.


    ''Lanni, don''t get ahead of yourself.'' When she realized that she had gone too far with her thoughts, she scolded herself before going to sleep. Now that she had planned out everything, she had a dreamless sleep, unaware of certain someone''s restless sleep all over the night in his mansion.


    Although Ji Xiehan was sure that Li Lanni would accept his proposal for sure, he couldn''t stop himself from worrying. What if she rejected the proposal? Then wouldn''t he have to marry a woman he didn''t like? He tossed and turned to stop himself from thinking about it.


    ....


    The next morning, Li Lanni woke up to the bright rays of the sun seeping into her room and freshened up before going to meet up with Ji Xiehan.


    Unlike Li Lanni, who was calm, Ji Xiehan was on pins and needles.


    He looked like he was waiting for a judge to pass a verdict that involved his life or death.


    "I have thought about it." Li Lanni began.


    "And?"


    "I agree to be your ''fake'' fianc¨¦e." She said, deliberately emphasizing the word fake.


    Ji Xiehan didn''t mind it. He was overjoyed but hid it well beneath his indifferent expression, knowing that there was more coming his way.


    "I will act as a true fianc¨¦e to you, but I have two conditions."


    "I will comply with whatever you ask.." He promised in all seriousness, not knowing that he was going to regret it just a minute later.

 Chapter 115 - Conditions

    "First, I''m not doing this for you. I am doing it in exchange for your cooperation." She didn''t intend to hide this fact.


    "Why do you need my cooperation?" He probed, wondering why the discussion had taken a sudden unexpected turn.


    "I know that you are investigating your sister." She said blankly, taking him by surprise.


    "And I know that you are investigating my sister too."


    Ji Xiehan was even more shocked. Ji Xiehan soon recovered from his shock and thought that her sister might have told her about it. But... really, no way. With that girl''s personality, it was unlikely for her to tell Li Lanni about it. How did she know, then?


    "My first condition is that you will stop investigating my sister. Her life is none of your business." Li Lanni spat out. Even she didn''t know when she started sounding like a mother when protecting her little chick.


    "What''s your second condition?" He asked, ignoring the fact that he was shocked.


    "Help me investigate Ji Feifei."


    "Okay."


    Li Lanni raised an eyebrow. Were brothers usually this ready to sell their sisters out? His reaction should have been to give her a piece of his mind and storm off, right?


    But if she had a sister like Ji Feifei, she would sell her out in a flash as well.


    "My third condition..."


    "There are more?" Ji Xiehan was starting to get tensed up. The next one might crush his fantasy.


    "Yes. And you better listen because this is very important." She emphasized, looking right into his blue eyes.


    "I have drawn up our love story. You are to follow the script strictly. Don''t you ever say something else to the media, okay? I will let you arrange when to appear together in different places for the show.


    Everything we do is just a show. Do not interfere with my life; do not appear before me if it''s not arranged for the media, and most importantly, do not fall in love with me."


    "Those are at least five conditions. You said there were two." Ji Xiehan complained when he saw her demand those conditions cold-heartedly.


    "That shouldn''t be your main point." She tossed the script at him.


    Ji Xiehan was stunned when he read it. He read it out aloud. "We first met at the movies a few months ago and fell in love at first sight, one thing led to another and then we got engaged...


    Then later, you will realize that you prioritize your career over your love life, but and that is not alright with me so you will break up with me? What the heck?" Just looking at that annoying script made him cringe.


    "You should be lucky that I didn''t make it so you would cheat on me. I should have made it, so your family confronted me with a hefty sum of money and asked me to stay away from you." She mocked.


    "Such a tragic love story, huh? Why don''t you become a scriptwriter for a melodramatic soap opera? I am sure it would gain ten views." He chided, crumbling the so-called script into a ball.


    "Less sarcasm." She took a look at the crumbled script and glared at him. "Of course, if you don''t like these terms, we can part ways. It''s not my reputation that''s on the line anyway."


    Ji Xiehan gritted his teeth. Just when he had started thinking that he had gained the upper hand, this girl made one amazing feat and knocked him down into a puddle. How did she manage to do it?


    Could she have realized that he needed this engagement more than she did?


    Li Lanni was currently playing with another copy of the script, a smug look on her face.


    Her eyes seemed to be saying, ''I know you orchestrated the whole scandal because you need this engagement desperately. I am taking advantage of that. What can you do about it?''


    He couldn''t blame her. Who was it that taught her how to be a business-minded profiteer?


    He scratched his chin and agreed. He didn''t have much choice.


    Hence, their fake engagement began.


    Ji Xiehan defeatedly pulled the script in her hand. But the gloom on his face turned into joy when he thought about how he could meet up with Li Lanni frequently. Li Lanni, who was carefully watching his expressions, was caught off guard by his sudden change of mood.


    Was he a kid? His mood changed faster than the speed of light!


    They both left the restaurant after discussing the conditions. Even though he was unhappy about the conditions, Ji Xiehan grinned happily. She had unknowingly left a lee way for him. He would utilize it fully.


    Having spotted a paparazzo slip behind the hedge around the restaurant, she slid her arm around his and snuggled intimately into his arms as they left the restaurant and muttered under her breath, "Biggups to all actresses. How do they manage to act intimate with men they are not even close to?"


    The difference was that with her, she wasn''t repulsed by Ji Xiehan. There was even a tiny hint of attraction at a corner of her heart that could no longer be denied. Well, for that, she had to thank Ji Xiehan. It was al because of his habit of clinging to her persistently in the past. But for actresses, it was purely professional, and they even had to act so love-stricken as if they were indeed in love. From this moment, she would genuinely respect them.


    Ji Xiehan was too occupied with his own thoughts to realize that she had thought about the same thing he had the previous day.


    Once they reached his car, Ji Xiehan couldn''t keep his mouth shut anymore. "Lanni, who exactly are you?"


    "What do you mean?" Li Lanni looked up after fastening her seat belt and inquired.


    "Every time I meet you, I find out something new about you, and it always makes me feel you are not just a simple student. You are an artist, but it feels like you are far from that."


    Li Lanni almost chuckled at his way of putting it. "What are you getting at?"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t care to hide his awe. "Your observation is way off the charts. The speed at which you discover many things is frightening as well.. Aside from Ji Feifei -- but I know that it is because Ji Feifei might be under someone''s protection -- every other thing you have found out so casually has been shocking."

 Chapter 116 - Did The Pervert Eat Something Wrong?

    "For instance, you remember what you told me a few weeks ago in the cafe?" He was referring to the incident about the moles. After investigating thoroughly, they had found out that indeed, that girl from her class and the CEO''s assistant were the moles. It had left them shocked speechless.


    "That, and the speed at which you found out that I am investigating your sister. And..."


    Li Lanni grinned. "And how I found out that this whole engagement charade is your handiwork?"


    Ji Xiehan looked back at her, his shock real yet fake. He meant to feign it, but he was indeed shocked. Did she know this too? "What? No. I wanted..." He tried to evade it but was interrupted by Li Lanni.


    "Oh, please don''t give me that. Most of the huge news outlets reported it, but Lin Media Group didn''t. I know who the CEO of Lin Media Group is. You asked him for help, didn''t you?"


    Ji Xiehan cocked his head. How did she come to that conclusion when Lin Media Group didn''t report the news?


    What she said next stunned him. "Your friend knew that I would get suspicious, so he didn''t let his subordinates report the rumor.


    But logically, your best friend should be the first to know whether or not the engagement is real. As the CEO of the leading media group, he should have caught wind of the rumor before it blew up, and as a good friend, even try to stop it. That, and the fact that you kissed me and left behind such glaring evidence."


    Ji Xiehan narrowed his gaze. Basically, he and Lin Jian had lost even before the game begun. This girl''s way of thinking...


    It wasn''t that he didn''t know that his plan might have some faults, he had just underestimated her. He had thought that she would be too shocked to think about anything, and if she ever found out, it would be too late. Never did he expect...


    "Since I already know and I have agreed to this fake engagement, are you planning on telling me what your intention is?"


    "Can I not?"


    Li Lanni shrugged. It was none of her business anyway. She was getting what she wanted, after all.


    That evening, Li Lanni was enjoying her leisure time by reading a famous detective novel. The way the lead characters investigated cases that were hard to handle intrigued her. Although it was just fiction, she couldn''t contain her admiration for them. Li Laani was utterly immersed in the book when she was pulled back by a phone call. When she saw that it was Ji Xiehan, she accepted the phone call with a slight frown.


    "We only made an agreement today, and you are calling me already?" Li Lanni complained with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.


    The other side was quiet for a long while before she finally heard the man''s deep breaths. He sounded a little anxious. "Does that mean I can call you later?"


    "What? No!" Li Lanni was almost angered to death by this pervert''s way of twisting logic. "I don''t want you to call me. I''m going to hang up."  Li Laani spat with her eyes still on the book, curious to know what would happen next in the plot.


    "What''s wrong with calling my fianc¨¦e?" The man sounded pitiful and wronged.


    "You... damned man! Have you gotten too deep into character? Since when was I your fianc¨¦e?"


    There were soft chuckles on the other side.


    "What are you laughing at!"


    Ji Xiehan sighed before answering, "It''s funny how right I was. I knew you would scold me if I called, but I did anyway."


    Li Lanni scratched her head in frustration. This was a special case. He must have escaped from a mental hospital. Was he itching for a scolding? "Why would you itch for a scolding so much?" She couldn''t help but mockingly ask.


    The other side was silent for a while, but somehow she knew that he must be smiling. That heavenly smile on his handsome face could drive one crazy...


    "Because..." she heard his voice and snapped back from her stupor. "Your voice is so beautiful, Lanni. No matter what you say to me, it makes me happy. It doesn''t matter if you scold me or curse or yell at me. As long as it''s your voice, my ears will love it, and so will my heart."


    Li Lanni''s heart raced, and she knew that her face would be red as a tomato. She had never thought the pervert could say such cheesy words... and in such a gentle and soothing tone...


    But she couldn''t lose out to him.


    She adjusted her voice and spat out, "You''re insane!"


    "That''s common knowledge, Lanni. Don''t you know that? You drove me insane with love. If there''s anyone to blame here, that would be you."


    What in the world was going on? Did the pervert eat something wrong for dinner?


    As she was wondering what was wrong with him, she heard him continuing,


    "Lanni, are you free tomorrow? I would like to take you somewhere."


    "No. I''m not going anywhere with you. If you continue spewing nonsense, I will hang up on you!" She threatened.


    She heard a light chuckle. "You will not. If you wanted to hang up on me, you would have done so the first time you threatened to.


    But you didn''t.... say, you like my voice too, right?"


    Without a word, she hung up.


    In his bedroom, Ji Xiehan scratched his chin as he chuckled. She hung up. How cute.


    While Li Lanni was in a turmoil. Why did she hang up? What was she trying to prove?


    His last words echoed in her ears. ''You like my voice, too, right?''


    "Aaaah!" Li Lanni flopped onto her bed, face down as her legs kicked the bedding beneath her body.


    It was only when she calmed down a little that she rolled onto her back and slapped her forehead. ''Li Lanni, you are crazy!


    You are absolutely crazy. Why would the pervert''s words faze you so much!''

 Chapter 117 - Focus On Your Happiness

    She calmed herself and rolled her eyes. Who knew how many women he had said those words to? She must be just one of the many. Yeah, that must be it!


    He must think that she was naive enough to fall for such a meaningless talk.


    But although that was what she said, she couldn''t deny that those words she found meaningless had made her heart race.


    As though her hands had brains of their own, she unlocked her phone and checked through her phone call data, completely forgetting about the novel she was supposed to read.


    Her phone was set to record every phone call automatically. The one that ended just now was no different.


    She replayed it on loop, almost shrieking every time she heard his voice once again. It sounded so seductive!


    Eventually, she fell asleep, cradling the phone like a baby and slipping into a sweet slumber.


    ___


    The next day, thanks to that pervert''s persistence, they were going to make a public appearance for the media''s sake. She would go after her Art class, but first, she had matters to settle at home.


    No matter how much she wanted to evade her mother''s questions, she still had to answer them.


    So that morning, when they were having breakfast, she carefully brought up the subject. "Mom, Ji Xiehan, and I..."


    "You finally decided to explain it? My hair grew whiter just from waiting." She half-joked.


    "Well..." Li Lanni stuck her fingertips together, wondering how she was supposed to explain to her mother that she was in a fake engagement with a man because he needed to distract his parents, and she needed a favor in return.


    Last night, instead of reading a detective novel, she should have read a romance one about contract marriage or engagement. That way, she would have known what the female leads of those novels do when their mothers comfront them about the sudden engagements.


    Was it too late to cough up an excuse and hide away to read an episode or two?


    Looking at her mother''s ''you-better-start-speaking-up-young-lady'' expression, she knew that it was too late.


    "Well, mom... the thing is..."


    Li Lanni''s mind was in a mess. Why did she come without preparing?! When she saw her mom watching her every expression with eagle eyes, she gulped.


    What could she say now! Could she tell her mom  ''I am in love with Ji Xiehan very much and want to marry him?''No, her mother would definitely drag her to the hospital to have her head checked.


    ''Actually, this is all fake, and we will be done once his parents are fooled''?


    No, that was even worse. She would end up in some mental institution for sure.


    Ahuh. If anyone was going to a mental institution, it should be both of them, right? Why would she carry the burden alone?


    She was still rambling mentally when Li Yuming finally spoke. "Lanni, I''m not against you getting engaged or even getting married. I''m just afraid you are rushing into it too fast.


    Ji Xiehan is a nice young man. I know that by heart. But will you be happy? Are you sure that this is what you really want?"


    Li Lanni fluttered her eyelashes. "Yes, mom. This is what I really want."


    She did not dare to look her mother in the eye.


    Never would she have thought that she would have to tell her mother a lie about such an important matter.


    Thinking about how they would break up in three months, her heart broke.


    ''Mother would be very upset. Lanni, you silly girl. What have you gotten yourself into?'' Just to get back at Ji Feifei, how could she stoop so low as to decieve her mother?


    She should have told her the truth.


    Oh well....


    "Is anything bothering you?" Li Yuming saw that her daughter was still unsettled and asked worriedly.


    "No. Nothing that''s important." She lied. Yet again. "I''m just scared that his family might not like me. Actually... I know they don''t like me and..."


    Li Yuming unknowingly gripped her fork too tightly. She swallowed a bitter gulp of saliva.


    Was history really set on repeating itself?


    If this were before, she would have straight away asked Li Lanni to break up with Ji Xiehan.


    But after witnessing how much Ji Xiehan loved her daughter and how much her daughter was attracted to him too, she couldn''t bring herself to make them unhappy.


    She reached for Li Lanni''s hand and gently stroked it. "Since you have chosen to be with Xiehan, you must understand one thing.


    Your husband''s name will be Ji Xiehan. Not Ji Huifen, not Wen Lin and not Ji Feifei.


    You should never care whether they like you or not.


    I''m not saying that you should be rude to them, but if they do not appreciate you, it''s their loss then. Just focus on your happiness."


    When she heard her mom console her, Li Lanni''s eyes stung. Her heart was filled with guilt. Her mother was saying all this because she thought she was really in love with Ji Xiehan, yet in actual truth was...


    She couldn''t keep this up anymore. "Mom, actually..."


    "Look at the time! Go; you will be late for your art class." Li Yuming reminded her when she suddenly saw the time.


    Li Lanni sighed and left the dining room. Never mind! She could explain to her mother later.


    But as soon as she reached the institution, she was again interrogated. Among the people bombarding her with questions, Cheng Yu was definitely among them. As soon as the class was over, she dragged Li Lanni to a spot near the parking lot and cornered her. "Did you two do anything interesting yet? Did you make it real? Come on, tell me."


    Er..." Li Lanni was speechless.


    Shouldn''t she be asking when this relationship started, when they even got engaged and why she had not told her?


    Besides, "Haven''t you always hated Ji Xiehan?" Of course Li Lanni had realized how displeased Cheng Yu always was when Ji Xiehan was around.


    Cheng Yu dramatically did a hair flip and said, "Luna said he is a good person, so he has to be. Now that you both are together, you should treasure your relationship."


    Li Lanni felt her heart break. "You believe Luna more than you believe me? Just who is your best friend?!"

 Chapter 118 - Theyre Kissing!

    Cheng Yu burst into laughter. "You both are my best friends. I mean, you are identical. Can anyone possibly like one more than the other?


    Besides, haven''t you always found Ji Xiehan annoying? You even call him a pervert. Don''t tell me you are starting to think he''s nice and even like him?"


    "Nonsense!" Li Lanni snapped. "Who would like a man like him? I don''t have such bad taste, urgh..."


    "Is that so?" A sudden deep voice made her freeze.


    She stiffly turned around to look at the man who had suddenly appeared out of thin air and gasped. Then she glared at Cheng Yu. Ji Xiehan had appeared from behind Li Lanni. Which went to say, Cheng Yu must have seen him. How could she not tell her? She was damn sure that Cheng Yu had asked her intentionally. This unreliable friend!


    "Ji Xiehan, what are you doing here?" She controlled her expression and asked, unfazed.


    "If I didn''t come here, how would I know what my darling fiancee truly thinks of me?" He said pitifully, feigning heartbreak.


    As though it was the most natural thing to do, he slipped his hands around her from behind and closed his eyes to savor the moment before he got pushed away. "Honey, did you miss me?"


    When she didn''t say anything, he turned her around - totally ignoring Cheng Yu - and lifted her chin to look into her grey eyes.


    Li Lanni wanted nothing more than to stomp on his foot with her high heeled shoes. But before she did, she heard gasps from around them.


    "They are kissing! How cute..."


    "Oh oh oh, I want to fall in love too! There has to be another Xiehan out there somewhere, right?"


    Who the heck was kissing?!


    She didn''t have to look to know that they were taking photos and videos of them.


    Ji Xiehan leaned into her ear to whisper. "Darling, it''s for the media''s sake. We have to make it look real, right? I saw some paparazzi on my way here."


    "How the hell is that my business?" Li Lanni really wanted to strangle him.


    "Of course, it''s your business. If we don''t do this, people might assume there is trouble in paradise.


    You can guess what tomorrow''s headlines would be. [trouble in paradise already? Weren''t they acting all lovey-dovey yesterday?]


    Li Lanni bit her lips to stop herself from slapping him. Who the heck was acting lovey-dovey with him?


    Cheng Yu had slipped away to avoid being the third wheel, making Li Lanni even more unhappy.


    What was worse, that the pervert was deliberately breathing onto her ear lobe. She could have sworn that he even licked it a little. He was seriously driving her nuts.


    "There''s no trouble in paradise. Now could you let go of me?" She said almost pleadingly, trying to push him away.


    But the man was sturdy. "Honey, if I let go of you, the onlookers will think we are fighting. Why don''t we just go to the mall like this? I can carry you to the car."


    Li Lanni had really had enough. "Can you stop spewing nonsense!"


    "I can''t." He said and looked at her teasingly. "But if you keep my lips busy, I will not be able to spew any more nonsense."


    Li Lanni saved her words. She would die of anger if she kept talking to this pervert.


    But the pervert was clearly not intending to let her off for a second. "Honey, are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"


    Li Lanni shot him a glare and wriggled out of his embrace to go to his car. For this date, she had let the chauffeur go back home after dropping her off this morning so that Ji Xiehan would pick her up, and then both of them can go to the mall together.


    But now that this was happening, she was regretting this decision. They should have gone separately.


    Now, she was stuck with him.


    ...


    Because the news of their ''engagement'' had gone viral, they didn''t need to arrange for any reporters or paparazzi.


    They appeared at the mall on their own.


    Ji Xiehan pulled up in the parking lot and stepped put, gentlemanly helping Li Lanni out.


    Although she didn''t want to, she hooked her arm with his and pretended to be madly in love with him.


    Urgh... she should befriend an actress and ask for tips. This was tiring. She didn''t even know whether she was doing it right.


    But Ji Xiehan was fully in character. He looked love-stricken like a teenager, protectively bringing her into his embrace when the reporters approached them.


    How could he not do it, right? He was truly in love with her. He was only acting out the reality.


    The reporters felt like they had been dealt a ton of dog food. Just when they thought that Ji Xiehan was already as friendly as a man could ever be, he broke records when he interacted with his fianc¨¦e. How loving!


    They coughed awkwardly and started a cluster of questions.


    "Master Ji, please tell us more about your relationship."


    Ji Xiehan was waiting for this. ''I will gladly do so.''


    "I''ll keep it brief. I don''t want to disrupt business in the mall." He said although that was not what the mall''s manager was thinking.


    Because of Ji Xiehan''s presence, more customers were flocking into the mall. Many of them wanted to have a glimpse of Li Lanni in person.


    One would think the two of them were celebrities!


    In fact, this was going to increase the mall''s popularity. Who would mind such a huge pie dropping right from heaven?


    After obtaining permission, Ji Xiehan went ahead to tell their ''love story'' "The first time I saw my darling Lanni it was at the Emerald Grand Hotel. She was having a welcoming party."


    Li Lanni pinched his arm discreetly. What! Nonsense! Was this pervert spewing! That wasn''t part of the script!


    She pinched so hard that Ji Xiehan felt her nails dig into his flesh. Almost hissing from the pain, he continued. "I fell in love with her at first sight. But I didn''t know that we would ever meet again.


    Then it just happened out of coincidence that I saw her at the movies one day. I approached her and had a chat with her.


    After that, we kept meeting up. Sometimes it was coincidental, but most of the time, I sought her out. She must have been moved by my pursuit because she fell in love with me, too, so we took things to the next level."


    Li Lanni wanted to roll her eyes. Why don''t you write a romance novel? It will break the record of the planet''s most clich¨¦ novels.


    "Then why did you keep it secret?" A reporter questioned what was on everyone''s mind.


    "That''s because my darling doesn''t like being too public... ah, that should be all. My darling and I need to go for shopping. Please excuse us."


    This bastard! What this darling, that darling! Can''t he call her more properly? Li Lanni was about to burst from embarrassment.

 Chapter 119 - Darling This Darling That

    After saying a few more words to the reporters and angering Li Lanni almost to death, Ji Xiehan finally thought he had had enough fun and led Li Lanni inside for shopping.


    At that time, Li Lanni, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly dragged him to a corner, between the cloth lines and pinched him hard.


    "Darling, don''t pinch too hard. People might think you are trying to murder your man." Ji Xiehan squeezed out the words. He was trying his best to maintain his calm while Li Lanni''s stinging pinch pierced through the skin of his arm.


    Li Lanni twisted the tiny skin she was pinching. "What did you call me?"


    Ji Xiehan hissed slightly. "Darling, why are you so vicious?... ouch... okay, I''ll call you Lanni."


    Li Lanni still didn''t let go of him. She admonished in a whisper. "What was that weird love story you were telling?"


    Ji Xiehan felt wronged. What was wrong with what he had said? Hadn''t they met at The Emerald Grand Hotel for the first time?


    He only added some truth to her script to make it more believable. "Wouldn''t it be more believable if we added some realistic truth to the script?"


    "Realistic script? Are you saying the script I gave you wasn''t realistic, huh?"


    "Lanni, my hand''s going to start bleeding. Could you let me off this time? I promise I will follow the script henceforth."


    Li Lanni studied his expression. Only after believing that he meant it did she let him off. He had to rub his arm when she finally let him off. What a vicious girl! That stung... he could swear that part of his skin was red and swollen. Luckily it was covered up by his sleeves.


    Li Lanni shot him a final. warning look She thought she saw a salesgirl approach them but disappear when she saw the situation. In embarrassment, she dragged Ji Xiehan to the women''s clothing section.


    Although she had come here because of Ji Xiehan''s insistence, she did need new clothes for fall.


    Just in case she needed help, the sales girls were close by. But they kept a reasonable distance so they wouldn''t make their customers uncomfortable.


    Li Lanni preferred to select her own clothes, so she didn''t ask for their help.


    She was just looking at a leather mini skirt when the pervert beside her spoke. "That is so beautiful. It would look amazing on you! Darling, go try it out."


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes at him. "I didn''t ask for your opinion."


    Even then, she was happy that she was not making the wrong choice. If someone else thought it would look on her, it had to be true.  She went to try on the skirt together with the top that came with it.


    She was out a few minutes later, and Ji Xiehan, who was dazed by her experience, had to cough, or he would have embarrassed himself. Even the sales girls couldn''t contain their awe when they saw her.


    "She''s so beautiful!" One of the sales girls whispered to another.


    "That skirt accentuates her curves perfectly! I couldn''t tell before but she really is perfectly proportioned in all the right places." The other said, too excited to whisper.


    "Her fianc¨¦ is the luckiest man on earth."


    Seeing their reaction and hearing their whispers, Li Lanni knew she looked good in the skirt. She smiled in satisfaction, and changed back to her clothes then proceeded to continue looking for more clothes.


    "Darling, why don''t you try out this dress? Black looks beautiful on you." Ji Xiehan held out a little cotton black dress.


    Li Lanni frowned and ignored him.


    "Darling," he held out yet another black dress. But this time, it was less plain. It had a red rose embroidered to its chest. "This one is beautiful too. Try it out for me?"


    Once again, he was ignored.


    Why didn''t she like them? He wondered. The first time they met, she was wearing a black dress that hugged her body perfectly. He was awed by her beauty.


    But after that, he never saw her wearing any black clothes; so he wanted to see her in a black dress again


    Thinking again, he grabbed a different type of dress. This time, it was a vibrant cream A-line dress with peacock feathers printed onto it. They were too life-like.


    Li Lanni took a look and raised an eyebrow. This was definitely one of the most colorful dresses around here. While it looked pretty, she didn''t like its brightness. But.... she knew someone who would totally love it.


    So she grabbed it from him and entered the changing room.


    Once she was done changing, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt a little uncomfortable. She looked beautiful, but she didn''t like this style.


    She liked plain clothes. No matter what color it was, she would prefer it if it was as plain as possible. She preferred using jewelry to break the colors.


    Speaking of jewelry, she needed to buy some too.


    She changed back to her own clothes before leaving the changing room.


    But, she was infuriated to see Ji Xiehan almost drowned in a pile of dresses and accessories.


    "May I ask what in the world is going on here?" She crossed her arms.


    The man smiled at her. "I picked these dresses and accessories. Darling, please try them out."


    She was about to scold him when she saw that people were watching. Obviously, a woman would try on clothes for her man when shopping. It wouldn''t make sense if she rejected him. She could only grit her teeth and try them out. Though, she had to admit that Ji Xiehan''s taste was impeccable.


    Aside from that colorful dress, everything else he picked matched her taste.


    She decided to buy all those that she had tried out.


    When he saw that she had accepted all his choices of clothes, he got even more out of control. He knew she wouldn''t do anything because they were being watched, so he took full advantage of that.


    "Darling, this skirt is pretty."


    "Darling, this top is gorgeous. One look and I know you would look fabulous in it. Want to prove me right?"


    "Darling, you would look sexy wearing these shorts. Maybe you can wear them for me someday, mmh?"


    "Darling, try out this dress. Come on."


    "Darling..."


    Not only did he drown her with clothes, but he also teased her and kissed her cheek a few times too. Then he would apologize like an idiot. "Sorry, darling, you were looking too beautiful. I couldn''t help but kiss you."


    Even though he apologized, Li Lanni knew that he was only saying it; he was not in the least bit sorry!


    Li Lanni was holding in all her anger. ''Wait till we get out of here. I''ll skin you alive, pervert.''


    Even though that was what she thought, she kept a smiling front and tagged along with him.


    They went to the jewelry section. Li Lanni picked a few necklaces and bracelets for herself and one for that colorful dress she had picked earlier.


    While she looked, she spotted a men''s watch.


    Her heart suddenly raced as she stole a peek at a certain someone.


    This would certainly look gorgeous on his wrist. It was pretty costly, but it was worth it. Well...


    Just as she was thinking of what to do, Ji Xiehan slid next to her and said, "Darling, I saw a beautiful ring. Well, although you wanted our relationship to be private, everyone knows about it now. I should buy you an engagement ring, don''t you think?"


    "Ji Xiehan!" She hissed. "Are you out of your mind?! Are you addicted to role-playing? Do you know how annoying you are? I can give up, you know."


    Ji Xiehan was terrified, not expecting her to suddenly lose her cool. Luckily, no one was close enough to overhear their conversation.


    "You know what? Never mind. I''m giving up on this. You can..."


    "Please don''t." He grabbed her arm and pitifully pleaded. "Please. I''m sorry... I will behave myself from now on."


    Li Lanni was furious. This man really was ace in acting pitiful. Even she was moved by his pitiful demeanor. She couldn''t stand seeing him look like an abandoned pet.


    "Fine. This is the last warning." She said and proceeded to pick the jewelry she had chosen. She then picked out bags and shoes to go with the clothes she had chosen.


    True to his word, Ji Xiehan stuck to his place and followed after her silently. He stopped teasing and kissing like he had been doing before


    He also stopped pointing out what he thought was pretty and asking her to try them on.


    Though she could see that he really wanted to. He had almost slipped up a few times and stopped himself from speaking just in time.


    Li Lanni giggled slightly. Why did it feel like the pervert was too cute when acting like a bullied husband?


    Wait, husband?!

 Chapter 120 - A Future With Ji Xiehan

    Eer¡­ there was nothing wrong with that, right?


    Maybe in the future, if they ever married¡­ should she bully him a little? Li Lanni giggled when she imagined that.


    But in the next second, she realized how absurd her thoughts were and scolded herself for having such terrifying thoughts.


    What was she thinking? A future with Ji Xiehan?! How insane! Insanity must be contagious. This pervert must have infected her with some of his stupidity.


    She didn''t want to spend more time with him, lest she would also become crazy. She was more or less done shopping, so she forcefully dragged him into paying for the purchase. Ji Xiehan still wanted to shop; from the moment his eyes fell on that ring, he couldn''t tear his gaze off it. The ring was made of platinum and had a small diamond on it and, on the whole, gave an elegant feeling. Somehow he felt that kind of elegant ring could only befit someone like Li Lanni. But, alas, she wouldn''t let him buy the ring for her.


    Li Lanni, on the other hand, didn''t know what to think of an adult man behaving like a sulking kid.


    She wondered just how many screws were loose in his brain.


    She just brushed it away as him making up excuses to spend more time with her.


    She had bought many things, so the money she had carried in her purse wouldn''t be enough.


    So, looking through her purse, she fished out the black Mastercard that her mother had given to her.


    "Please pack the peacock feathered dress separately. Wrap it up as a present." She instructed, holding out the card for the cashier to swipe.


    "Uhm¡­"


    Li Lanni realized the cashier had an odd expression and looked at her. She was holding a similar card between her fingers and looking at the two of then inquisitively. The card must be Ji Xiehan''s.


    Li Lanni took a deep breath and glanced at him.  "I can pay for my own purchase."


    Ji Xiehan didn''t intend to take it back. "Darling, I''m your man. It is only right that I pay for you."


    Li Lanni had the urge to berate him, but there was someone else so she couldn''t. She could only act modestly. "There''s no such rule. Xiehan, I appreciate your gesture, but you really don''t have to."


    Ji Xiehan felt his heart flutter. The way she had called his name¡­


    She had even drawn out the syllables so cutely that if they were alone, he would have directly kissed her.


    Nevertheless, he didn''t back down. "Honey, you never let me take you out for fun, you don''t let me spend much time with you either. Are you really going to deny me the right to do this one little thing for you?"


    Li Lanni knew she would never win, so she sighed and kept her card away, making a mental note to calculate the cost and return his money later.


    Ji Xiehan smiled happily. Finally, he got to do something for his little beauty. He had never been this happy to spend money.


    Meanwhile, the cashier was the most stunned.


    It was already rare enough for customers to buy as many items as Li Lanni had all at once.


    But not only did Li Lanni buy all of these, but they were also of the highest quality and very expensive!


    As though that wasn''t enough, they were arguing over wanting to pay for the items, both of them were even holding black Mastercards! This unfair world!


    Was this the so-called ''couple from matching family backgrounds''? They indeed matched each other in every aspect.


    Just as the cashier was about to give the receipt to them, the manager rushed towards them and said, "Miss, because of your visit, we had more customers visiting our outlet today. To express our gratitude, I would like to give you a 20% discount."


    Li Lanni was taken by surprise. "Why would you?"


    "Please take it as a thank you gift." The manager said. He would have let Li Lanni have all the clothes for free, but he knew that she would think he was trying to suck up to her. That was why he was giving a discount.


    Because it was a sincere gift, Li Lanni didn''t turn it down in the end.


    Happy that she had agreed to the discount, the manager specially arranged for her goods to be delivered to her home.


    They had just finished and left the building and were heading to the parking lot when Li Lanni remembered something.


    "What''s wrong?" Ji Xiehan asked when she suddenly stopped.


    "Wait for me a moment." She said and dashed back into the store.


    Ji Xiehan shrugged and waited for her.


    Li Lanni rushed all the way to the jewelry section.


    Without a second thought, she grabbed the watch she had seen earlier and rushed to the cashier.


    The lady beamed when she saw Li Lanni back. When she saw what Li Lanni had bought, she couldn''t help being a little gossipy. "Is this for your fianc¨¦? Should I wrap it up as a gift?"


    Li Lanni''s ears went red. "Yes."


    The cashier wrapped it up fast and held it out to her with a smile. "You guys love each other very much. Not only that, you are also very beautiful together. Your fianc¨¦ is so handsome and you are so pretty; an ultimate couple. You will definitely be together for more than a hundred years."


    Li Lanni knew the cashier was just being polite, but it still made her blush. It was even more awkward because she knew that the whole relationship was, in fact fake. How could she and Ji Xiehan look good together? They were not even in love!


    Well, the pervert may be a little interested in her but she definitely didn''t feel anything for him.


    In her own turmoil, she didn''t know that the cashier was sincere right from her heart.


    It wasn''t every day that she saw a couple who loved each other this much.


    Although the girl still seemed unsure of her own feelings, it must be because she was still young and trying to figure things out. But it was obvious just how deeply she loved the man.


    ...


    Li Lanni hurried back outside, not willing to be teased anymore. She didn''t love Ji Xiehan, okay? She just liked the watch and thought it would look good on him. She just couldn''t resist the urge to buy it. That had nothing to do with feelings.


    Ji Xiehan eyed the gift in her hand then saw her flushed face.


    She looked happy and absolutely cute, but something in his heart dimmed.


    She had rushed over to buy a gift and returned blushing. Who was it for? It had to be for a man, right?


    He had to clench his fists hard to restrain his jealousy from surfacing. No matter how unhappy he was, he didn''t want to lose control and do something Li Lanni wouldn''t like.


    Hence he thought of something he had seen in the jewelry section. "Wait for me for a minute."


    Before she could respond, he had rushed to the mall.


    ¡­


    The cashier was in for tons of dog food today. Just a moment ago, Li Lanni had rushed back to buy a gift for Ji Xiehan.


    And just when she left, Ji Xiehan had rushed back to buy her a present too?


    What was this odd way of buying gifts one after another?


    Ji Xiehan had chosen a watch and a bracelet. They were from one set that was meant for a couple. This was the latest masterpiece of the most famous couple''s brand.


    The set Ji Xiehan had chosen, in fact, the most valuable.


    Obviously, Ji Xiehan didn''t choose it for its price. It was the detail that mattered to him.


    Looking at them separately, one wouldn''t even think they could be a couple''s set. After all, they were different items.


    But looking at them together, they complemented each other perfectly.


    After buying them, he had the cashier wrap the bracelet as a gift then he kept the watch away.


    Li Lanni waited for a few minutes and was starting to wonder what was taking him so long when she finally saw him exit the building.


    He had kept the small gift box in his pockets, so she didn''t see it.


    She wondered why he had gone back. Had he gone back to get a gift too?


    She was still staring at him; then she noticed his expression suddenly change.


    "Lanni!"


    Before she could react, he reached her in a flash. She was suddenly hugged and pulled away. Then a truck raced past.


    Li Lanni felt her body suddenly tremble. Her eyes went wide.


    If he didn''t pull her away, she would be dead already....


    "But¡­ but this is a parking lot." She stammered.


    "There always has to be one or two crazy drivers out there. Are you alright?"


    "Lanni?!"

 Chapter 121 - I Have Something To Tell You

    At the hospital, Ji Xiehan was beside himself. He paced back and forth on the corridor as though his wife was in labor. It made one wonder what he would look like in the future when his future actually went into labor.


    As soon as the door to Li Lanni''s room opened, he rushed towards the doctor and asked, "How is she?"


    "Are you Li Lanni''s family?" The doctor asked him patiently.


    "Yes. How is Lanni?" Ji Xiehan anxiously asked again.


    "She is out of danger. She fainted because of shock. For the next few days, try not to exhaust her emotions."


    "Can I see her now?"


    "She is asleep, but certainly you can. But make sure that you don''t disturb her sleep...."


    Before the doctor could finish speaking, Ji Xiehan rushed into the room.


    While the doctor who was left behind sighed. These people, how could he just ignore his instructions and rush off? Forget it; the patient''s condition was not that serious anyway.


    Inside the ward, Li Lanni was sleeping peacefully between the white sheets.


    Ji Xiehan approached her slowly and gently caressed her face.


    "You scared me." He mumbled in a whisper.


    He was initially shocked that Li Lanni didn''t react much when she was almost knocked dead, then just as he was about to ask, she simply fainted. She must have had a slow reaction.


    "Lanni..." at this moment, Li Yuming rushed in.


    Ji Xiehan clenched his fist. He had not informed Li Yuming. Well, he just didn''t want Li Yuming to be worried and was determined to take care of her on his own.


    "Aunty, how did you..." he couldn''t bring himself to ask.


    "It''s all over the news." Li Yuming said, rushing over to hold her daughter''s hand. "How is she? Is she hurt? What did the doctor say?"


    Ji Xiehan''s heart ached when he saw how worried Li Yuming was. "She is out of danger."


    Then he recalled what she had just said and frowned. "Aunty, you said it''s in the news?"


    Li Yuming took out her phone and showed him the headlines.


    A string of glaring titles read: [Prince charming to the rescue]


    [Hero saving his belle]


    [Ji Xiehan saved his damsel like a knight in shining armor]


    Ji Xiehan''s first reaction was what the heck?


    Were these reporters crazy?!


    Life was almost lost, and they were focusing on the romantic side of it? Shouldn''t they be focusing on important facts? For example, they should have used that time and effort to track down the driver of that truck and punish him for driving carelessly. He had scared Lanni to the point she...


    Seriously, no one ever took accidents seriously unless it happened to them.


    He didn''t know that he was focusing on the wrong point too, and that it was going to drive a wedge between him and Li Lanni in the near future.


    ...


    It was night already, and Li Lanni was yet to wake up. Because Ji Xiehan was sticking onto Li Lanni''s side, Li Yuming went to buy food for him. If not, the poor man might starve to death.


    Li Yuming couldn''t help but feel touched. She had thought that she was the only person who loved Li Lanni. It turned out; there was someone who loved her even more than she did.


    She knew Ji Xiehan''s favorite foods, so it was easy for her to decide what to buy. She also bought congee since she knew that Li Lanni would wake up soon.


    At the same time, in the hospital, Ji Xiehan''s phone rang.


    As he didn''t want to disturb Li Lanni''s rest, he went out to receive it.


    "Hello?"


    No one answered.


    "Is this a prank of sorts?" He was going to hang up when he heard Li Lanni''s voice. "Ji Xiehan?"


    His first reaction was to turn sharply and look in the direction of Li Lanni''s ward. Had she woken up?


    Wait. The cell phone number was not hers.


    Before he asked, the girl spoke again. "Brother-in-law, how is my sister?"


    Ji Xiehan then realized that he must be speaking to Li Lanni''s twin. There was such an insane level of similarity? Even their voices were the same?! Then wasn''t he and Jiang Xingyu in trouble?


    He was about to hang up on her, but thanks to what she had called him, he unconsciously spoke to her gently. "She is out of danger."


    "Brother-in-law, I need to tell you something. Could you meet me behind the hospital building?" Xia Luna pleaded.


    Ji Xiehan glanced at Li Lanni''s ward. If he left, who would take care of her?


    The girl had already hung up.


    Ji Xiehan gripped his phone tightly as he contemplated. She must have something important to say if she was even willing to meet him in person.


    He couldn''t forget what a headache that girl had given him. She was so good at programming that even he, as a man, had to give it to her.


    When he was studying abroad, he had dabbled with computer science and programming in his free time and was well versed in it. Even then, the girl was an expert at it.


    It hurt his pride as a man. He only had the advantage of speed against her.


    Aside from this, he was wary against this girl for some reason. Yet now she was asking to meet him...


    But then again, this was a golden opportunity.


    Thinking about it, he signaled for a nurse and had her take care of Li Lanni. Then he went to the back of the hospital building - after sending an SOS to Jiang Xingyu, of course.


    Once there, he looked around but didn''t see any girl. He frowned but was patient. Maybe she was not here yet. He would give her fifteen minutes at most.


    At this time, in Li Lanni''s ward.


    The nurse brought one of her medical books to read while watching over Li Lanni.


    Then the door opened. She looked up and was shocked out of her wits. "Aren''t you...!"


    She freaked out and looked at the hospital bed, then saw Li Lianni.


    She was even more confused. There were two of the patient?


    "Hush." Xia Luna said. "I''m her sister. But you cannot tell anyone I was here. Do you understand?"


    The nurse subconsciously nodded under her piercing gaze. For Li Lanni''s safety, she didn''t dare to leave the two of them alone. Xia Luna knew this and was displeased, but she kept quiet. Whatever.


    She went over to Li Lanni''s side and took her hand. "Lanni, thank goodness you are alright. I was so worried."


    "I thought, I thought I would lose you again..." she was almost on the verge of tears.


    "Luna..." at that moment, Li Lanni''s eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes.


    "Lanni..." Xia Luna was excited when she saw her wake up and hugged her tightly.


    Li Lanni was dazed for a moment and then revealed a smile when the hug broke. "I''m alright, Luna. Don''t worry; I was just shocked."


    "You bad sister. Don''t you scare me like this again." Xia Luna reprimanded her emotionally.


    "Yes, yes. I won''t." Li Lanni quickly consoled her.


    When the nurse saw that Li Lanni had woken up and seemed to have a close relationship with Xia Luna, she was relieved. To give them some space, she left the room and waited outside the room, in case of emergency.


    When his fifteen minutes were over, Ji Xiehan called.


    Xia Luna answered with a trembling voice. "Brother-in-law, please wait a moment. I''m almost there." Then she hung up without giving him time to reply.


    Li Lanni had an interesting expression. What was that all about?


    Now she had a clear view of Xia Luna. "You came out without a disguise?"


    "I was in female clothes when I saw the news, so I just rushed out."


    "Oh... and what''s the deal with Ji Xiehan?" She laughed.


    "I had to trick him. I don''t want him to know I''m here."


    Li Lanni burst into laughter. Her sister was too naughty.


    They chatted for a while, exchanging recent information, then Xia Luna stood up to leave.


    "Lanni, I have to go now. I cannot stay..." for too long.


    Before she could finish her statement, the door was opened.


    Xia Luna was shocked to see Ji Xiehan standing at the doorway.. But she was even more shocked when she saw Jiang Xingyu and Li Yuming standing behind him.

 Chapter 122 - Unexpected Meeting

    The air froze.


    Xia Luna''s face paled and she bit her lip.


    What in the world...


    She looked at Ji Xiehan, at her mother, then, reluctantly, she looked at Jiang Xingyu.


    She could fell all the gazes on her.


    Li Lanni saw the situation and shifted her gaze at the four of them. What in the world was going on here?!


    Xia Luna gripped the hem of her dress so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. What kind of rendezvous was this?


    Li Yuming''s presence didn''t shock her. Which mother wouldn''t be there if her daughter was in the hospital?


    But what was Jiang Xingyu doing here?


    Seeing his expression, she didn''t need to ask further. Ji Xiehan had called him here.


    How could he?


    After racking her brains awkwardly, she looked at Li Yuming. "Mother..."


    She was yet to say anything else when she saw Li Yuming''s expression darken further.


    "Who are you calling your mother?! I didn''t think you would be so scheming. What are you doing here?!" The hatred in Li Yuming''s voice could not be any more obvious.


    Xia Luna, who was usually strong, almost burst into tears. ''But I''m your daughter too! Why do you hate me so much?'' She thought. But that wasn''t what came out of her mouth. Her heart became numb with pain, but she controlled her voice and replied coldly "I came to see my sister. Is that a crime, Ms. Li?"


    Li Yuming frowned even further. She was disgusted when Xia Luna called her ''mother'', but when she switched to ''Ms. Li'', Li Yuming an unfamiliar feeling swelled in her heart.


    Before she could understand that unfamiliar feeling, she exploded. "Your sister? Don''t spew nonsense. Didn''t your Xia family disown my Lanni? What do you want now, huh? Since when did Lanni become your sister?!


    I know what you are up to. I know the kind of person you are. This is my final warning to you and your Xia family. Stay away from my daughter. If not, I cannot guarantee that I will be this lenient. Now, off you go!"


    If Xia Luna were to say that she wasn''t sad, it would be a big lie.


    Everyone else kept quiet, too awkward to say anything.


    Xia Luna silently breathed in and out to calm her raging emotions. When she managed to calm down, she looked at Li Yuming and couldn''t help but ask, "What did I do wrong? Whatever happened between you and dad happened when I was a baby. Did I ever do anything to you? Did I ever hurt Lanni? Why do you hate me so much? Where is this prejudiced hate coming from?"


    "You..." Li Yuming thought her lungs would explode from anger. How dare this girl act innocent?! Sure enough, the Xia family was a gathering of the most shameless people on earth! "Just leave!"


    Xia Luna bit the inside of her lips, relaxed her hands, and started walking away.


    "Luna," Li Lanni called out sadly, she couldn''t bear to see her sister broken-hearted. Even though Xia Luna put replied casually with a blank face, she could tell her mother''s words deeply hurt her sister.


    Li Yuming was displeased. Very well. The scheming girl had even gotten on Lanni''s good side.


    Now, there was someone with a more interesting expression than everyone else. That was Jiang Xingyu.


    ''Luna''... so that was her real name.


    Looking at her, he finally felt the difference between her and Li Lanni.


    Li Lanni was gentle and calm, just like the moon. On the other hand, Xia Luna was a rebel right to the bones. How could they be the same person?


    Now Cheng Yu''s little poem made more sense.


    [Eyes like the moon,


    a soul like the stars


    but a personality like the sun.]


    That was the perfect description of Xia Luna.1


    And that wasn''t even the main point. Why was she acting like she didn''t know him?


    He had rushed all the way here when Ji Xiehan informed him that she was in this hospital. As soon as he saw her, what he wanted was to grab her and strangle the hell out of her. He could only stop himself because he couldn''t do that with his mother-in-law in the room, now could he?


    But what was up with her and Li Yuming?


    Was he in the between one of those so-called legendary family dramas?!


    He felt as if his heart was pierced when he saw her dejected look after being reprimanded by her mother but still put on a strong front.


    It reminded him of the first time they met. That sad and dejected look in the girl''s eyes at that time.


    For a moment, he itched to embrace her.


    But then thinking of how she had abandoned him, his heart was filled with anger.


    "Luna, wait!" Li Lanni called out when Xia Luna burst out of the room.


    "Forget about her." Li Yuming said, placing the food she had bought on the table, dismissing the piercing pain in her heart when she saw Xia Luna run off.


    Li Lanni wanted to ask many questions, but she couldn''t with outsiders here, so she shut up.


    At this moment, Ji Xiehan nudged his friend as if he was looking at an idiot.


    His expression seemed to say, ''I got your Xia for you, and you let her run away? Idiot!.


    Jiang Xingyu snapped back and ran out.


    Li Yuming looked at Ji Xiehan curiously; he shrugged to indicate that he didn''t know what was going on either.


    Li Yuming paid no heed and proceeded to serve Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni the food.


    ...


    Outside the hospital,


    Xia Luna ran all the way out of the hospital and onto the street.


    Once she was away from everyone else, she could no longer hold back her tears. They just came gushing out like a broken dam.


    Why?


    She had never met Li Yuming before. She only knew her from photographs and interviews.


    This was the first time they were meeting face to face.


    It was also the first time she was letting the word "mother" out of her lips.


    All her life, her stepmother had hated her and mistreated her. She had never brought herself to call that woman her mother. Ever since she knew that Li Yuming was alive, she had been longing to meet her.


    If she said that she had never once been jealous of Li Lanni for being loved by Li Yuming so much, she would be blatantly lying. She had always looked forward to the day Li Yuming would dote on them both.


    Yet she didn''t expect that the first time she would meet her, the first time she would say the word ''mother'', she would not receive a hug as she had always thought but a cold heartbreaking reply instead...


    ''Who are you calling your mother''?


    Those words kept on ringing in her brain.


    She clutched her chest and cried harder, paying no heed to the passerby''s stares. Just what had she done to deserve such hatred? Just because she was a Xia? But wasn''t Li Lanni a Xia too?


    Wasn''t she her daughter too?


    Just when she was about to slump onto her knees, she felt a familiar scent waft into her nostrils as someone held her from behind.


    The man was out of breath. He must have run all the way here.


    "Jiang... Jiang Xingyu..." she stammered when she turned around.


    Jiang Xingyu had thought about everything he could possibly do to Xia Luna if he caught up with her.


    Yell at her? Scold her? Straight up, kill her?


    He would never have imagined that the first thing he would want to do would be to comfort her.


    The girl cried even harder when she felt that familiar embrace.


    "There there... don''t cry anymore." Jiang Xingyu coaxed her gently as if he were coaxing a little girl.


    Xia Luna rested her head on his chest, absent-mindedly, allowing herself to be weak this once.. Just this once, she promised herself.

 Chapter 123 - How Could You?

    Snuggling in Jiang Xingyu''s arms, Xia Luna completely let herself go.


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t mind her. He hugged her closely and let her cry her heart out.


    When her tears ran out, she stabilized her emotions, pulled away, and looked at Jiang Xingyu awkwardly, finally realizing what she had just done. She was even more embarrassed when she saw a huge wet patch on his shirt. She guilty evaded his eyes and apologized, "Er...Sorry!"


    Jiang Xingyu ignored her apology and took her hand. "I''ll take you home."


    "Jiang Xingyu, I can..."go by myself. Xia Luna swallowed the other half of the sentence when she saw Jiang Xingyu ignore her and drag her into the parking lot, where he had parked his car.


    Xia Luna didn''t protest anymore and sat in the car when he very gentlemanly opened the door for her. It wouldn''t hurt to hitch his ride anyway.


    Jiang Xingyu still couldn''t believe that the girl in his car was the same girl he had looked for in every corner of the earth.


    That girl who had left without saying a word was finally sitting beside him.


    The more surprising thing was that he neither admonished nor asked the reason for her disappearance. Instead of being angry, he felt as though the missing piece of his ribs had finally been slotted back. How could he even have the strength to get angry?


    "Where do you live?" He asked as he started driving.


    When he was met with silence, he turned to look at her in askance.


    The girl had her eyes closed. She was deep in a peaceful sleep and even had a slight smile on her lips. He was dazed for a while by her appearance and couldn''t bear to wake her up.


    Thinking about it, he simply drove to his villa. If she woke up and wanted to leave, he would then drive her to wherever she lived.


    Once they arrived, he gently carried her out of his car all the way to the master bedroom on the second floor. The servants would usually retreat to their rooms after finishing their work and only come out if they were needed, so there was no one in the vicinity.


    Jiang Xingyu carefully put her on his bed and removed her shoes before going to the bathroom. He returned with a damp towel and wiped the dried tears off her face.


    When he was done, he covered her and left the room.


    Xia Luna heard the door close then she didn''t hear any footsteps for a while. She knew Jiang Xingyu must have left the room, so she opened her eyes slowly.


    Actually, she had been awake all along. She just didn''t know how to face Jiang Xingyu, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.


    But why did the man bring her to his house? He was not planning to lock her up, right?


    Looking around, she found this place quite familiar.


    This was the same house they used to spend time in a year ago. This was the room they slept in a couple of times, and if she hadn''t claimed to be too young, this would have been the bed where they made love.


    Her real reason, however, wasn''t her age. She was already of legal age. It was just that she couldn''t bring herself to do it with a man she wasn''t emotionally attached to.


    Although that was what she thought even now, she couldn''t help feeling guilty.


    Jiang Xingyu loved her so much. She could tell that he was mad at her, but even then, he didn''t take it out on her. She would have preferred it if he yelled at her or even cursed her, she would be less guilty then.


    Looking around, she decided to believe that he wasn''t planning to lock her up. He knew her well enough to know that she would escape easily. If he wanted to lock her up, he would look for a place she wasn''t familiar with.


    While she thought of what to do, Jiang Xingyu came back with a bowl of noodles in his hands,


    So he had gone to cook for her.


    Seeing her awake, Jiang Xingyu smiled happily. "You''re awake. I knew you would wake up soon, so I made you a bowl of egg noodles."


    Xia Luna didn''t utter a word.


    "You don''t want noodles? Then what do you want to eat? I will make it for you." Jiang Xingyu thought her silence meant she didn''t want to eat noodles.


    When Xia Luna heard him, she reached for the bowl silently. She didn''t want to owe him, but rejecting it would make him sadder, so she just ate it.


    When she was done, Jiang Xingyu took back the bowl to the kitchen and washed it, then came back.


    "You should rest a little more. It''s already late; you can just spend the night here."


    Xia Luna still didn''t say a word. She didn''t know what to say.


    "Don''t worry, if you are uncomfortable with my presence, I''ll sleep in the guest room tonight."


    "Jiang Xingyu, we need to talk." She said before he could leave.


    Jiang Xingyu''s body froze. A few seconds later, he shook his head. "I had many meetings today, and I''m tired. We will talk later." He didn''t wait for her to respond before leaving the room.


    How could he not know what she was about to say? She was not going to talk about what happened a year ago. She was obviously going to ask to leave. If she said she wanted to break up with him, he would not know how to make her stay. He would rather not hear it.


    In the master bedroom, Xia Luna sighed. She knew he was avoiding the topic.


    Alas, they had to talk about it sooner or later. It was already heartless of her to have left the way she did. She didn''t want to keep his hopes up.


    He must be thinking that if they stayed close to each other, they might reignite the spark. But the problem was that spark didn''t exist, to begin with.


    Forget it, she would speak with him tomorrow.


    She was so exhausted from crying earlier, so she quickly fell asleep. Strangely, being in Jiang Xingyu''s bed didn''t prevent her from falling into a deep sleep.


    Meanwhile, in the guest room, Jiang Xingyu couldn''t sleep a wink. He kept thinking that if he drifted into sleep, he would wake up to find his Xia gone.


    In the end, he got out of bed and snuck back into his room. He had to laugh at himself. This was clearly his own house, but he was acting sneakily like a thief.


    Seeing that she was asleep, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    He went to her side and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand into his palms. He didn''t forget to maintain a safe distance between them.


    Although he had held her to sleep before, he knew that she would be uncomfortable if he simply slid next to her and slept.


    So he held her hand tightly like an insecure kid scared that others would snatch his favorite toy. He rested his back against the headboard and closed his eyes while reminiscing about the past when they were still dating.


    ...


    He thought he had only closed his eyes for a minute, but it was already morning when he opened his eyes again. His first instinct was to look down. Xia Luna''s hand was no longer in his, and she was not on the bed!


    "Xia?" He called out then looked towards the bathroom. There was no one there. He stood up and was about to run out when a note fell from his lap.


    He knew what this must mean but still picked it up with trembling hands and unfolded it anxiously.


    [Jiang Xingyu, thank you for being there for me. I appreciate your love...]


    He didn''t read anymore and crumbled the note into a tiny ball, cracking his knuckles in the process.


    "Xia, how could you do this to me?"

 Chapter 124 - He Is Mine!

    Late at night in Ji Mansion,


    The familiar sound of glasses shattering filled the living room.


    "How could he do this?! How could he?!" Ji Feifei screamed at the top of her lungs and pulled at her hair in frustration.


    Madam Ji was startled. Was her daughter going crazy? "Feifei, calm down. Calm down, okay? Tell mother what happened."


    Ji Feifei broke down in Madam Ji''s arms. "It''s all that b*tch''s fault. It''s all because of her!"


    It took a while for Madam Ji to realize who she was talking about. There was only one ''b*tch'' that Ji Feifei talked about lately. "Li Lanni? What did she do this time?"


    "She and brother are engaged!" Ji Feifei didn''t know what to say to her mother, who didn''t even know what her son was doing.


    "What did you say?" Madam Ji was flabbergasted.


    Ji Feifei cried harder, then took out her phone to show Madam Ji the news.


    Madam Ji hadn''t been paying attention to online news lately.


    Also, because Ji Xiehan orchestrated all this, no one approached people from the Ji family for interviews. Even the media outlets that reported the news just because others were reporting. So the Ji family had not caught wind of the matter until now.


    "Aahhhh! How could he do this? He even risked his life for her!" Ji Feifei screamed. She had seen the news of Ji Xiehan saving Li Lanni from almost being run over by a truck.


    What did Li Lanni do to bewitch Ji Xiehan? That was her brother! He was hers!!


    Madam Ji wasn''t any happier. She was boiling with anger when she saw all those headlines and videos of her son saving that girl.


    It was still okay for Ji Xiehan to love a girl... she could have easily taken care of that, but what was the meaning of this? They were engaged already! How could her son not even say a word about this matter to her? Her son was getting out of hand.


    "That''s not possible." She mumbled. "Feifei, go to sleep. I will look into this matter tomorrow morning."


    Tsk. She was very well aware of her son''s temperament. Even if she called him and asked about it right now, she wouldn''t get any answers from him. She would look into the matter the next morning; she believed that girl had something to hide. If not, there was no way his son would fall in love with that woman''s daughter.


    She was never going to let such a jinx into her family!


    Ji Feifei still had a lot to vent, but when she saw her mother''s expression, she knew it was not the time to act spoilt, so she obediently went into her room.


    ___


    In the hospital ward, in the morning


    "Luna!" Li Lanni half-screamed as she woke up startled.


    Li Yuming worriedly held her hand. "Did you have a nightmare?"


    Even though she had regained consciousness, Li Lanni still had to stay one more day for observation in the hospital. Li Yunming and Ji Xiehan were both worried about her, so they stayed back.


    Ji Xiehan had only left a while ago to buy them breakfast.


    Seeing her daughter wake up suddenly with a pale face Li Yuming was worried.


    Li Lanni took a while to respond. She had a bad dream; Xia Luna had been shot dead by a middle aged woman. Even though she hadn''t been with Xia Luna for very long, she had developed a deep bond with her. She didn''t want to lose one more family member. It took her a while to accept that she was only dreaming. She then frowned and looked at her mother. "Mom, something''s fishy."


    "What happened?"


    Li Lanni slowly and carefully asked, "Mom, why exactly do you hate Luna?"


    Li Yuming''s expression darkened. "Are we seriously going to talk about that girl again?"


    "I know you don''t like her, but she... she was so sad.


    I couldn''t help thinking of how I would feel if our father sent me away the same way you kicked her out. I would be so depressed..."


    Li Yuming unconsciously tightened her grip on Li Lanni''s hand. Indeed, that was her daughter too. She also felt pain in her heart when she saw Xia Luna run out so sadly.


    But in the next second, she frowned. "Don''t you play the guilt-trick with me. Did that girl teach you that?"


    Li Lanni was saddened and almost lost her cool. "Mom, she''s not a bad person."


    "What do you even know about her, Lanni? Only her name? You are telling me that you think she is a good person just based on this?"


    Before Li Lanni could answer, the door opened, and Ji Xiehan came back.


    Li Lanni was unhappy. She wanted to know why her mother hated Xia Luna to the core. She wanted to know the reason for her mother''s prejudiced anger towards Xia Luna!


    "Lanni, are you feeling better? I brought you breakfast from your favorite restaurant." Ji Xiehan asked gently with a smile. He knew that atmosphere in the room was tense, so he tried to cheer her up.


    Li Lanni stiffly smiled at him and took the box from his hands.


    Ji Xiehan gave one to Li Yuming and placed another on the table. Then he sat beside her to start feeding her.


    "I can eat myself." Li Lanni protested with flushed cheeks.


    Ji Xiehan shamelessly took advantage of Li Yunming''s presence and paid no heed to her words, "Honey, you are still tired. Let me feed you."


    Although she was embarrassed, she could only agree, or else this bastard might start saying things he shouldn''t say.


    Ji Xiehan was very satisfied. How could he not make use of such a golden opportunity? It was not every day that he could feed his beloved. In the past, whenever he was having his meals, he dreamed about feeding her in a lovey-dovey manner. Finally, his dream was fulfilled!


    Li Yuming coughed and smiled proudly. The kids were too cute. The little baby she had cradled and told bedtime stories to was now a grown-up woman in love. She was even engaged now. Which mother wouldn''t be happy?


    After finishing her meals, She left to handle the discharge procedure not to be a third wheel.


    If she only knew... Li Lanni didn''t want to be alone with the pervert. Li Lanni was tensed when she saw her mother leave her alone with this pevert.


    "Are you scared I might ''eat'' you up?" Ji Xiehan teased when he saw her ''mommy-don''t-go'' look.


    "No! I''m scared I might kill you." Li Lanni saw the laughter in his eyes and gritted her teeth.


    Ji Xiehan tittered. "You don''t want the nation to accuse you of being a heartless girl who killed her husband, do you?"


    Li Lanni was no longer listening to him. Her expression turned sad. "I wonder if my sister is doing alright."


    Having watched the fight between Xia Luna and Li Yuming, Ji Xiehan felt he was in an awkward position. He couldn''t take sides with the mother, and neither could he take sides with the daughter.


    "Your friend is not going to kill her, right?" Li Lanni asked worriedly. She had heard a bit about relationship. She was worried that Jiang Xingyu might want to take revenge on her sister.


    Ji Xiehan''s hair stood on end. Was Jiang Xingyu alright? That girl didn''t kill him, did she?


    "Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?" His sudden change in expression amused Li Lanni.


    "I''m just worried about my friend."


    "You have a lot to be worried about. If he does anything to hurt my sister, I will skin him alive."


    Ji Xiehan remained silent. What if she does something to hurt my friend? Should I skin her alive too?


    "Ji Xiehan, I want to..." she was about to say that she wanted to give Xia Luna a call when Li Yuming came back after doing all the paperwork.


    She looked furious.


    "Mom, what happened?"


    "I''m disappointed in you Li Lanni. How could you do this to me?" She turned to glare at Ji Xiehan. "And you. I can''t believe you would do something like this. So much for thinking my daughter was in safe hands."


    Ji Xiehan felt a chill down his spine. "Aunty, what happened?"


    "You are asking me what happened? You tell me what happened. About the fake engagement... care to explain?"


    Li Lanni felt her heart sink to the depth of her stomach. Her mother had found out....

 Chapter 125 - Cat Got Your Tongue?

    Li Yuming glared at the two of them. "Weren''t you professing your love for each other? What now, cat got your tongue?"


    "Aunty, it''s not what you think." Ji Xiehan tried to salvage the situation.


    "And what am I thinking, huh? Ji Xiehan, you have disappointed me. I want to speak to my daughter." Li Yuming hissed in anger.


    Ji Xiehan understood that she was chasing him indirectly, so he stood up to leave. But before going, he looked into her eyes and sincerely said, "Aunty, the engagement is indeed fake. But my love for Lanni is not. I love Lanni with all my heart."


    Li Yuming looked at his retreating back and almost called him back. He was right. He truly loved Lanni. She could see that clearly from the way he treated her.


    But, since they loved each other so much, why would they fake an engagement? After thinking about it for a while, she still could not understand.


    "Are you guys even dating?" She shifted her gaze to her daughter and asked her.


    Li Lanni looked at her mother and knew that she couldn''t hide it any longer, so she admitted truthfully, "No."


    "You have the nerve to admit it? Why did you lie to me? I even happily waited for the two of you to approach me about wedding planning."


    Li Lanni felt even guilty and evaded her mom''s eyes. "Mom, I''m sorry." And she really was.


    Li Yuming couldn''t bear to make things difficult for her daughter. She simply held her hand. "Lanni, I know you are an adult now, and you have the right to make your own decisions. But I just want to continue being part of your life. I still want to share your joy, sadness, and everything else. Is that too selfish of me?"


    Li Lanni''s eyes stung when she heard her mother''s words. Her mother was wrong; she was the selfish one. She had hidden so many important things from her mother. While some people couldn''t even hold a peaceful conversation with their mothers, hers doted on her so much. Yet she had been so self-centered. "Mom, I have something to tell you. Let''s talk about it later at home."


    "Okay." She had things to tell her daughter too. She passed her the clothes she had brought. "Change into these."


    ...


    In the car, Li Lanni finally wondered how Li Yuming knew of their fake engagement. She had just left the ward for a while and come back with the knowledge.


    Li Lanni also felt the weird gazes on her on their way out of the hospital. Could it be that someone had posted it on the news?


    She checked online and indeed saw a bold headline. [So the whole engagement was just a charade? Unbelievable!]


    Attached was a picture of a crumpled sheet of paper on a table.


    In the next picture, the crumbled paper had been unfolded, and the content was revealed.


    Li Lanni recognized this paper.... that was the script she had written for their love story!


    Ji Xiehan had crumbled it into a ball because he was displeased by its content. How the hell did it end up in the news?


    Heck!!


    They had forgotten all about it when they left the restaurant. But then again, it wasn''t shocking that they didn''t pay attention to it.


    That was a high-end restaurant, and there was such a thing of privacy. Did the workers often check through waste paper? Of course not! That would be absurd.


    She saw the caption and had to laugh at it. [Look what we found at their table. Is this what every couple does when they get engaged? Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni are liars!]


    She chuckled and looked at the script again. There was a loophole...


    "Lanni, are you looking at the news? Forget about it. I will handle this matter for you." Li Yuming said when she saw that her daughter was looking at her phone and giggling. "Don''t let it get to you."


    "It''s okay, mom. I can handle it."


    She then started scrolling through the comments.


    Angry netizens had started speaking up.


    Soon To Be Mrs. Ji: [I knew my Xiehan wouldn''t fall in love so easily! That sl*t better stay away from my hubby.]


    Ji Xiehan is mine: [Isn''t she the girl who caused trouble at B City University just a few months ago? Now she has resorted to seducing men who don''t want her? What is wrong with her?]


    Ji Xiehan''s little doll: [Sl*ts like her will never be accepted into the Ji family. She must have blackmailed our Xiehan into this. How shameless!]


    Li Lanni frowned. These three and many other Ji Xiehan''s love-stricken fans were all lashing at her.


    But even then, seriously, it took two hands to clap.


    How could she have faked an engagement on her own? Wasn''t Ji Xiehan in the wrong too?


    Scrolling downwards, she saw that some stood up for her, saying that perhaps it was a misunderstanding, and if it was not, then Ji Xiehan was in the wrong too. However, they were soon drowned by the insults.


    Li Lanni turned to look at her mother. "Mom, it''s still early. I can still make it to class if I go now."


    Li Yuming tousled her hair. "Be good and stay at home to rest. Don''t run around. I already asked for a leave on your behalf."


    "But, I feel better already." She pleaded.


    Li Yuming couldn''t resist her puppy dog eyes, so she asked the chauffeur to go to Star Art International.


    Contrary to her expectations, no reporters were waiting for her.


    She had expected to be swarmed as soon as she got off the car.


    She looked around just in time to see a paparazzo being sent away by a security guard.


    Ji Xiehan must be behind this, she smiled.


    She thought, in the worst case, if she was bombarded by the reporters, she would use this chance to answer to the reporters, but since they gave her time to prepare a better strategy, she was even happier.


    Li Lanni looked at the time and realized there were still a few minutes before her class begun. So, ignoring the curious looks around her, she went to a secluded spot and made a phone call.


    "Luna, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine. What about you? I saw the news." Xia Luna sounded calmer than Li Lanni had expected.


    She was relieved that her sister was not too sad. "I didn''t have the chance to call you until now."


    "I understand Lanni, let''s not talk about it anymore. You and Ji Xiehan are so careless. How could you leave such evidence behind?"


    "We left that? How come I don''t remember?"


    "Lanni, can you be more clear?"


    Li Lanni laughed and continued, "Did you see that so-called script? That''s not my handwriting."


    "It was printed." Xia Luna said, not understanding what her sister meant.


    "It''s exactly because it was printed. Who knows who wrote it? Pfft. Luna, help me check something, can you?" Li Lanni stopped playing with words and came straight to the point.


    "Of course. What do you want me to check?"


    Li Lanni explained her plan, rendering Xia Luna speechless.

 Chapter 126 - Knock Some Sense Into Ji Xiehan

    "What are you up to, exactly?" Li Yuming asked Li Lanni when she was back home. She could tell at one glance that her daughter didn''t just go to Star Art International because she wanted to. She must have had some hidden agenda.


    Li Lanni did in fact, have an agenda. It was just not hidden.


    She flashed a smile and hugged her mother briefly. "Mom, I''m so tired today. Can I take a shower then tell you all about it?"


    "Alright. I''ll go cook something yummy for you."


    "Thanks mom."


    ...


    Li Yuming had just started cooking  when a maid announced that Ji Xiehan was here.


    She turned off the cooker, set the spatula aside and went to meet him. Why was he here?


    The man even had a fruit basket with a colorful box on top of the fruits.


    "Aunty, is Lanni doing better? I brought you two fruits."


    As much as Li Yuming still wanted to be mad at Ji Xiehan, she couldn''t reject his heartfelt gesture. So she reluctantly let him in.


    The man looked like he was on pins and needles. He didn''t know what exactly to tell his future mother-in-law.


    After thinking for a while, he decided to come out with the truth. "If I didn''t do this, my parents would force me to marry another woman." He said.


    Li Yuming glanced at him and chided. "If you cannot stand up to your parents and tell them that you want to make your own decisions, how will you be able to make a good husband for my Lanni?"


    Li Lanni came back at this time. What kind of topic was that? How awkward...


    It was strange to talk about marriage in  her mother''s presence.


    When Li Yuming saw her, she returned to the kitchen, leaving them with "The two of you think of how to handle this."


    She had not seen the insults against Li Lanni. If she had, she would have killed all those commentators for insulting her daughter.


    ...


    Li Lanni sat next to Ji Xiehan as soon as they were alone. She was in fact, so close that her sweet, soft scent wafted to him. He knew she had just taken a bath. He was a bit surprised, as she would always find excuses to be as far from him as possible. This move was unexpected.


    Just as he was wondering whether he should wrap his arm around her, she leaned close to him and in a voice that only the two of them could hear, she said, "Don''t do anything. Let me handle this matter on my own."


    Ji Xiehan finally understood. So it was not because she wanted to be closer to him but because she wanted to whisper something out of Li Yuming''s earshot?


    He really wanted to be the one to dispel the news. He had already warned all the news agencies that no one should dare ask Li Lanni any questions. He had also come up with a way of explaining it to the media on his own. He was going to either stick to ''proving'' that the engagement was real or say that he had forced Li Lanni to pretend to be his fianc¨¦e.


    He had wanted to be the hero to save the damsel, but now the damsel wanted to be her own hero.


    Never mind. He would get an opportunity in future.


    Li Lanni leaned even closer to his ear, so close that the tiny hairs stood on end. He thought she was going to kiss his earlobe then he heard her saying, "I might... do something that will tarnish your reputation a little."


    He turned and looked at her. Seeing her starry eyed expression, he knew that she was not going to literally tarnish reputation. Even if she did, it wasn''t like he cared. "Go ahead."


    She seemed surprised. "Really? You cannot regret later."


    "Sure. Have fun."


    Li Lanni giggled. Have fun?


    Seeing his reddened ears, she felt quite proud of herself. Should she perhaps... tease the pervert a little more from now on?


    Wait. Why did she have the urge to tease him?


    ...


    By the next morning, Li Lanni had already gotten what she wanted. Xia Luna was quite efficient. In fact, she had got it the previous day. She was only waiting for the right time which was today.


    Looking at the insults online, one could tell that it had gotten out of hand.


    What was worse, Li Lanni''s personal details had been dug out.


    There was nothing wrong with a broken family, but the netizens were using this point to attack her. It made one cringe at their shallow minds.


    There was even a video of Madam Ji making a scene about how much she loved her son, and how he wouldn''t let him be blinded by such a woman.


    Ji Feifei had cried in front of the cameras too, telling the media how messy Li Lanni''s personal life was. Such a promiscuous woman would never deserve to be her sister-in-law.


    The videos were filled with comments.


    [How can a bastard like her deserve our Xiehan?]


    [I cannot believe such a perfect man could be deceived by a girl like her. She must have some tricks up her sleeves!]


    [More like up her skirt. I heard her mother had a horrible reputation in the past. She must have followed her footsteps.]


    The commentator above was one of the three who had been attacking her the most.


    Li Lanni''s eyes darkened. Ji Feifei actually dared to publicly insult her mother again.


    Of course, there were a few netizens who felt Li Lanni was being attacked for nothing.


    One of them was Jiang Xingyu''s mother. [You guys are going overboard. I have met that girl before and she is nothing like you describe her. You should get your facts right before accusing people. Most importantly, it''s her personal life!


    Never mind that you are trying to poke into her personal space, you are even insulting her family? How shallow-minded.]


    Because that was Mrs. Jiang and she was using her official account, no one dared to insult her. They simply ignored it but it was obvious that they really wanted to lash at her along with Li Lanni.


    The Jiang Mansion.


    "Youngsters these days!" Madam Jiang huffed. She had just gone online a little when she was greeted by such news. She was quite fond of Li Lanni from their first meeting. How could they scold her so much? They were even dragging her family into the mix.


    "What is Xiehan doing when all this is happening? Xingyu, go knock some sense into your friend. If he doesn''t handle this matter, it might drive a wedge between him and that child."


    "Mmh." Jiang Xingyu hummed absent mindedly.


    "What on earth is Mmh? Anyway, if Xiehan doesn''t want to treat her right, you can snatch her away. She''s such a good girl after all."


    Jiang Xingyu stared silently.


    Father Jiang coughed in a fit.


    Madam Jiang crossed her arms and glared at the two of them. "What? You have something to say?"


    "No." They shook their heads in unison.


    Seriously, just because she liked a girl, she could advice her son to snatch her from his friend? What an adventurous mother.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Mrs. Jiang asked her son.. "You rarely ever come back home and now that you''re here, you''re all gloomy. Is it about that mysterious girl again?"

 Chapter 127 - Playing The White Lotus

    Jiang Xingyu felt even more depressed when his mother asked.


    That girl had seriously abandoned him again.


    Why did she keep doing this to him?


    As a man, how could he take this lying down?


    Yet he knew that no matter how angry he was, he could not bring himself to do anything that would hurt her.


    Actually when he saw Xia Luna again, he had thought of locking her up so she wouldn''t be able to escape. But what was the use locking her up if she didn''t want to be with him?


    She would only go further away if she ever had the chance.


    He had thought that she wouldn''t leave without clearing up matters with him, yet that was exactly what she did. Again. That selfish girl!


    Seeing her son''s expression, Madam Jiang knew she had hit the nail on the head. Jiang Xingyu must be thinking about that girl again.


    She hated to see her son so heartbroken. "Xingyu, in this world, you cannot always have what you want. Some things are just beyond your reach. That mysterious girl you like... maybe she has a reason for not liking you back."


    Jiang Xingyu gripped his coffee cup so tightly it could break. "I don''t want anything else. I only want her."


    Madam Jiang knew her son too well. Once he was set on something, he couldn''t be convinced so easily.


    She could only sit beside him with a worried expression. "What''s so special about her anyway? It''s just a girl, right? There are very many women who like you. While some are only after your status, there are those who truly love you too. If you get a girl who truly loves you, you shouldn''t let her go just because of a girl who doesn''t like you."


    Jiang Xingyu frowned at his mother''s words. "She loves me."


    "Oh please don''t be so naive. You are already in your late twenties. Do you still believe that a girl who loves you can bear to see you missing her so sadly?" Madam Jiang didn''t know what happened between her son and that girl he kept fussing about. All she knew was that the girl seemed to have dumped him many months ago. Jiang Xingyu would sometimes think about her and become depressed all of a sudden. Today, it was much worse than ever before. As a mother, she couldn''t bear to see her son like this.


    "Is that really the only girl you will ever like?"


    "Mother, I will never marry any girl unless it''s her."


    Although her heart broke, she couldn''t say anything about it.


    That was her son''s choice.


    Actually, she had always wanted a daughter. When she realized that she couldn''t have any, she started hoping for a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter.


    She had long decided that no matter what woman her son chose, as long as she was a nice girl, she would treat her like her own daughter.


    So although she was displeased that the girl kept breaking her Xingyu''s heart, she wasn''t mad at her. Perhaps the girl had her reasons. "Xingyu, who exactly is that girl? Can you tell me about her?"


    "Xia Luna." Jiang Xingyu said before his brain could process it. Then he froze. Why did his mother ask?


    Madam Jiang was currently shocked. "Xia Luna? This name is familiar. Is she a celebrity or something?"


    "No." As if Xia Luna would be a celebrity. With her character? Her fans would probably kick her out of the Entertainment industry. If she would even have any fans, that is.


    "That''s strange... I think I have heard some gossip about her before."


    Madam Jiang remembered what she had heard and tensed up. "Right. Isn''t that the daughter of Xia Hanchen, the tycoon from Westlake City who has invincible prowess in software development?


    I heard she has impeccable talent in programming, but she is a rebellious girl and does things girls her age should never be able to do. In fact, normal human beings cannot be like her. She might have even committed some crimes. Xingyu, are you sure.... that''s really the girl you like?"


    Jiang Xingyu was lost in thought and didn''t notice the slight fear in her voice.


    ___


    Meanwhile, the media was blowing up.


    The reporters were no longer being restricted from hovering near Star Art International.


    As long as they kept a safe distance so as to not distract other people, no one cared to send them away.


    When the class finished, Li Lanni dragged Cheng Yu to the restroom and told her what to do.


    While Cheng Yu was still getting the hang of it, she saw Li Lanni take out a make up kit and start applying make up.


    Now the huge bag made sense. "But what''s the make up for?"


    Li Lanni smiled mischievously. "I want to apply makeup. Why can''t I?"


    Cheng Yu shook her head and watched silently. These sisters were too naughty. Were they really going to do this?


    When she was done, she let out a smile to the mirror. She had practiced to do this since the previous day. Even her mother would be fooled if she saw her like this.


    "Let''s go." She led Cheng Yu out.


    As soon as they exited the building, the reporters swarmed all around them.


    Cheng Yu took a look at her changed expression and understood what the makeup was all about. She looked so depressed!


    What was this girl trying to pull off?


    "Miss Li, have you read the news online?"


    "Miss Li, why would you have a fake engagement?"


    "Miss Li,  what do you have to say for lying to everyone?"


    "Miss Li, did you really blackmail Ji Xiehan into pretending to be your fianc¨¦?"


    "Miss Li, are you really a promiscuous girl who likes to seduce rich men?"


    The questions kept flooding in, while Li Lanni remained silent. She neither tried to get away nor said a word.


    Soon, the reporters started exchanging gazes, wondering whether she was alright. Why was she not speaking?


    Li Lanni took this chance to speak. "Are you done?"


    Although her voice was stern, her expression was anything but.


    One would think she was an abandoned wife. Her pale face and her saddened eyes made her look so pitiful... she had deliberately applied a slightly darker shade under her eyes, so paired with her pitiful expression, she looked like she had been crying.


    "If you are done asking, I will answer you.


    I don''t know who came up with such news but really..." she looked down sadly.


    Cheng Yu was shocked witless.


    What was this? Was Li Lanni acting like a white lotus now? If there were no reporters, she would laugh.


    Li Lanni looked at the reporters with pain hidden in the depth of her eyes. "I don''t understand... is that person so proud to prove that our relationship is fake?


    And you, reporters, are you so proud to prove them right? You didn''t even care to ask me whether the news was fake or not but went ahead to ask such insulting questions. Is this..."


    She sighed speechlessly and clutched at the hem of her dress tightly.


    "I don''t care about what people say online. But I''m just sad that this news had cast discord between me and my beloved and his family. I have nothing to say."


    The reporters were stunned for a while. So was the news true or false?


    Her answer was nothing but a vague string of words.


    "Miss Li, so is the news true or false?" One reporter asked.


    Li Lanni poked Cheng Yu discreetly, and the latter knew the stage was now hers.


    She looked through her phone then shrieked. "Ahhh.. Lanni, look what I just saw!"


    Her expression was that of shock as she showed Li Lanni the news.


    Li Lanni took a look then she was ''shocked'' too.


    In the next moment, she bit her lip. "Unbelievable... She''s my friend. She cannot do this to me."


    Cheng Yu frowned at her. "Lanni, don''t be naive. She already tried to tarnish your reputation in B City University. How could you still speak up for her?"


    The reporters were curious.


    While Li Lanni''s conversation with Cheng Yu was supposed to be discreet, they ''unintentionally'' spoke loud enough for the reporters to hear.


    "That''s impossible. She would never do this to me." Li Lanni''s walnut eyes even watered a bit.


    The reporters started looking through their phones.


    Then they saw something that shocked them.


    In the thread insulting Li Lanni, the true identities of the commentators had been revealed.


    All the other names had been masked but those were just a few.


    The top ten commentators, whose user names were ''Soon to be Mrs. Ji, Ji Xiehan''s little doll, Ji Xiehan''s favorite toy'' and other similar usernames were all Ji Feifei! What kind of insanity was this?


    The reporters were shocked and started discussing among themselves.


    "So the whole thread was started and commented on by the same person?"


    No wonder all the comments looked similar! So they were from the same person!

 Chapter 128 - The Truth

    "Aren''t you all focusing on the wrong point?" One of the reporters pointed out.


    "Right!" Another exclaimed. "All these usernames are Ji Feifei''s! Isn''t she Ji Xiehan''s sister?"


    The reporters broke into discussion.


    "How disgusting. ''Soon to be Mrs. Ji''? ''Ji Xiehan''s doll''? ''Ji Xiehan is mine''? ''Xiehan''s little pet''? What the heck? Is she crazy?"


    "She is mannerless. Those who didn''t know might think she has a thing for her brother. Urgh... just when I thought I had seen it all."


    At the side, Li Lanni smiled secretly. Ji Feifei, let''s see how much your parents will pamper you from now on.


    "You guys are overreacting. Maybe she just wanted the user names to look real? You know, like they are Ji Xiehan''s fans?" Li Lanni thought out loud. While she sounded like she was defending Ji Feifei, she was just making the reporters angrier.


    And they were indeed angrier. "That doesn''t make it right. It might be a little negligible if it were another man but this is her own biological brother! Doesn''t she feel disgusted?" An older female reporter retorted.


    "And what''s wrong with you? She framed you and now you are defending her?! Don''t be silly!"


    It soon became an argument among them.


    Just as it was about to calm down, Cheng Yu exclaimed. "OH MY GOD!! I thought it was just a username. Check out the account ''Soon to be Mrs. Ji''. She has been posting pictures of her paintings. And all of them are of her brother... shirtless!"


    Cheng Yu didn''t have to pretend to be disgusted. She was truly disgusted.


    There was even one with a catchy caption. [I have always tried to imagine him au-naturel. Is this how he would look like under those suits?]


    "..."


    Ew!


    How could one even have such an imagination for their brother? Was Ji Feifei insane?


    Li Lanni instinctively snuck a look at that painting.


    Her eyebrows were creased. Why as it that the thought of another girl imagining Ji Xiehan shirtless made her so uncomfortable?


    Whatever it was, she had fed candy to the reporters. She went her way, leaving them shocked beyond words.


    ___


    As expected, it blew up in just a few minutes.


    Ji Feifei had created several accounts to insult Li Lanni.


    Not only that, they were all such mushy accounts with their usernames declaring love to Ji Xiehan!


    And she even posted paintings of her brother?


    That was such a huge scandal.


    Li Lanni didn''t want to imagine the turmoil going on in the Ji family.


    ...


    When she got home, her mother was not yet there. So she used the opportunity to create a side account. Ji Feifei could create side accounts, so could she.


    She logged into it and composed a very long post.


    [I think something is really wrong with that girl.


    Wasn''t she expelled from B City University for being involved with a married professor?


    Now she has resorted to seducing her engaged brother? She must have a weird fetish LMAO!!


    Don''t forget; she is also the one who started the thread and claimed that her brother''s engagement is fake.


    Now that I think about it, the so called evidence is questionable. So what if a sheet of paper was found with a drafted love story?


    It doesn''t have their names!


    Moreover, she only claimed to have found it in the restaurant where they went.


    Who knows who it actually belongs to?!]


    With just a few statements, she created doubt in everyone''s mind.


    Comments came flooding in.


    Winter and Autumn: [Indeed. She only claimed that it was made by Li Lanni and Ji Xiehan.


    But now that it has been revealed that she has feelings for her brother, I''m starting to think that she might be the one who created that so called script!]


    Li Lanni smiled. The netizens were turning the right way. She didn''t need to do anything further. All she could do now was watch.


    People had almost forgotten about how Ji Feifei was expelled and how she was accused of doing appalling things using her family''s name as a shield, including bullying people.


    They dragged out all her past records and insulted her.


    They didn''t spare her for a second.


    [I was saying, why does this girl seem to always target Li Lanni? I was at a certain banquet and witnessed her try to frame Li Lanni!]


    [Forget about that. I was in B City University before. This girl always stuck to Li Lanni. What is she, a shadow?]


    [Do you need to ask? She was obviously sticking to Li Lanni so she could find a Lee way to scheme. What a loser!]


    [I was in B City University too. That Ji Feifei always bullied everyone she thought was prettier or smarter  than her. We were too scared to speak out because, you know, she is from the Ji family. Li Lanni, on the other hand, had always been friendly. Too bad she was blinded by that snake''s fake friendship. I''m sad that she has learnt it the hard way but I''m glad she has finally realized what kind of person she had as a friend.]


    When Li Lanni saw this comment, she swallowed bitterly.


    ''I''m afraid the way in which I learnt was way harder than this.''


    The insults kept going.


    Perhaps because they felt safe with Ji Feifei''s true colors being revealed, everyone she had bullied in school spoke up.


    Some of them were even major crimes.


    A girl with several digits for a user name posted, [I had a friend in B City University. Just because the school hunk looked at her twice, Ji Feifei hired ruffians to defile her. Poor thing...]


    Soon after she posted it, she deleted it then deleted her account altogether.


    But Li Lanni had seen it.


    Initially, it was just small cases but were unnegligible only because they were too many.


    However, such a crime wasn''t to be trifled with.


    Her guess was that, the girl had decided to speak up in the heat of the moment then after thinking about it properly, she had deleted it. Perhaps she was scared that the Ji family would find her?


    She had taken a screenshot out of instinct. Who knew it would be helpful?


    "This cannot be ignored." Li Lanni said with a frown.


    Even if that girl''s innocence couldn''t be returned, it didn''t mean the criminals should get away with it.


    As for whether it was true or not, it had to be true. Who would joke around with such a serious matter?


    And.. this just added to Ji Feifei''s crimes. If she wasn''t punished, there was no such thing as justice in this world.


    After thinking about it, she gave Xia Luna a call. "Can I bother you again?"


    Xia Luna sounded cheerful. "How can you say that? I''m just afraid that I would be useless to you."


    "Oh come on. Don''t start sounding that way." Li Lanni really didn''t know what to do with her sister. "Help me retrieve the information of the girl who just deleted her account. I will send you the screenshot."


    ___


    When she was done speaking to Xia Luna, Li Yuming was back.


    Her first instinct was to look at Li Lanni carefully. "Are you okay? Don''t be too sad. You still have me no matter what." She thought Li Lanni was sad after being betrayed by her best friend.


    In fact, she was so angry with Ji Feifei that she wanted to storm into the Ji mansion and rip her apart. Only rationality kept her from doing that.


    Surprisingly, Li Lanni simply smiled. "I''m not shocked. I knew she hated me for ages."


    "What do you mean?"


    Li Lanni sat next to her mother. "I said that I wanted to tell you something, right? But I couldn''t say all of it with all this going on.


    Now I should tell you."


    When she said this, she took out that note she had recieved months ago when she left the hospital. It was now old even though it was still in good condition.


    Li Yuming looked at it and frowned. "This is...?"


    "That day, I recieved this anonymous letter."


    Li Yuming frowned. Wasn''t this Li Lanni''s handwriting? "You didn''t write it?"


    "No." Li Lanni then gave her her own book.


    Indeed, when Li Yuming looked at them together, they were slightly different. Who had such a similar handwriting?


    "Anyway. I unconsciously half believed the note, so I kept an eye on Ji Feifei.


    And indeed, she is a scheming girl."


    Li Lanni sounded sad. "She tried every way to fool me so she could get her way. I don''t understand why she did most of the things she did, but she is involved with almost all my misfortunes. In fact, she was the one who tried to frame me, hired those bodyguards to harm me... and it could be more than just this."


    Li Yuming felt betrayed. "I have always treated that girl like my own daughter. I even let her take care of you a few times when you were in coma. Oh my God... she could have killed you."


    Li Lanni felt spooked just thinking about it.


    "She had the perfect chance to kill me. But it would be obvious that she was the culprit."


    Li Yuming thought about it and nodded too. But still, she was terrified.. How could she have been so careless?! She had almost lost her daughter due to her own short-sightedness.

 Chapter 129 - Retribution

    [The following arc may contain a lot of information. Readers are advised to be prepared for it.]


    Li Yuming hugged her daughter tightly. "I''m sorry, Lanni." Her heart trembled just at the thought of many things that could have happened.


    Li Lanni snuggled comfortably and replied emotionally, "Mom, please don''t apologize. I''m the one who should be sorry. I hid things from you."


    Patting her head, Li Yuming looked at her daughter and said, "As long as you don''t do it anymore."


    "Actually, I didn''t say anything before because you trusted her very much. And I had just lost my memory. Of course, you would believe her more and think that I''m just paranoid."


    "What nonsense are you saying? Of course, I would believe my baby more than anyone. Li Lanni, you are more important to me.


    Is that why you didn''t tell me anything?"


    "Yes." Li Lanni admitted.


    Li Yuming had to admit that she had trusted Ji Feifei too much. If not, that girl would never have had the chance to scheme against Li Lanni right under her nose. She should have to be more careful too. She regretted till her intestines turned green. It was her carelessness that caused her daughter to suffer silently.


    "But from now on, no more secrets, right?" Li Yunming looked into her daughter''s eyes and asked.


    "Yes." Li Lanni replied honestly and snuggled deeper into her mother''s arms


    After revealing the secrets and hurt buried deep in her heart to her mother, she felt as if a huge load had been lifted from her shoulders. Now that she doesn''t have to feel guilty anymore, she felt refreshed.


    ...


    Unlike the embracing mother and daughter, the Ji family was a mess.


    Madam Ji was sulking on a sofa, too depressed to say anything.


    "My daughter... my own daughter... How can that be?" she kept mumbling.


    What was worse, after all that news blew up, Ji Feifei was not even in the least bit apologetic. On the contrary, she had even yelled with her hands on her hips, "So what if Xiehan is my brother? Is it wrong to like a handsome man? I would like him even if he were my father!"


    And regarding the bullying incidences, she had dismissed it saying that they all deserved what she did to them.


    "How could my baby do this?" Madam Ji broke down just thinking about it.


    Old Master Ji didn''t say much either. Ever since that expulsion incident, he had known that his daughter had strayed away from the right path.


    He, in fact, has seen right through her manipulative side and knew that she might have done more unspeakable deeds.


    And yet, his wife would never let him take her to a school for wayward children.


    Ji Xiehan had been right. Indeed, Ji Feifei was going to be the Ji family''s downfall.


    What Old Master Ji didn''t know was that dark clouds were looming over them, and more trouble was brewing their way.


    ...


    The following evening, Li Yuming was exchanging some pieces of information with her daughter when Ji Xiehan dropped by.


    For the sake of convenience, Li Lanni had told her mother about her plan with Ji Xiehan. She tactfully didn''t mention Xia Luna.


    She wanted to tell the matter about Xia Luna too, but she stopped when she realized it would be too much for her mother to take.  After all she might have received a considerable shock when she knew that the girl she had pitied and treated so well had been scheming against her daughter.


    When Ji Xiehan arrived, they all started discussing what he had found out.


    "I have obtained evidence that she has indeed been involved with many crimes.  Every one of the people she disliked has been harmed in a way or another." Ji Xiehan was practically embarrassed to have such a woman for a sister.


    How was he supposed to face his in-laws now?


    Was it too late to disown her?


    He cleared his throat and went into detail. "The Ji family hasn''t been giving her a lot of money. Since she started being a spendthrift, father basically froze her cards.


    So she has been getting money from illegal business: drug trafficking."


    Li Lanni was shocked. She had thought about such a thing, but she didn''t expect it actually to be true. It came as a huge surprise.


    Li Yuming was even more shocked. And here she thought that Xia Luna was a cunning girl. If Xia Luna was cunning, then what was Ji Feifei? Wasn''t she practically the devil?


    "What are you planning to do? Sue, her?" Ji Xiehan asked Li Yuming.


    Li Yuming, in turn, looked at her daughter. She was the one who had been mostly affected by Ji Feifei''s schemes. She would go by her opinion.


    Li Lanni thought hard about it and just stared into space. She would have really loved to skin that girl alive, burn her to death, or just choke the guts out of her.


    But then again, there was such a thing as law.


    If she resorted to doing things the same way those unlawful people did, how would she be any different from them?


    In the end, she looked at Ji Xiehan. "Let''s sue her. I want to uncover all the crimes she has been involved in and let the court sentence her fairly.


    Just... just don''t do anything to make her sentence lighter, okay? You and your family, leave it entirely to the court."


    Ji Xiehan was perplexed. He had expected Li Lanni to execute a huge punishment or personally torture Ji Feifei. But then how could his Lanni stoop to their level? She would surely punish them but lawfully.


    She need not ask him not to intervene in this matter, he would always be her support even if she asked him for illegal stuff.


    He only hoped that his parents had learned a lesson because if they had, they would never try to shield their daughter this time.


    ...


    When Ji Xiehan left their villa, he called to let a bodyguard drive his car back. Meanwhile, he strolled on his own.


    It was not that this whole matter did not sadden him.


    That was his sister, after all.


    He knew that the little brat had some stupid fantasies about him. But even then, he had been hoping that she would grow out of it.


    After all, it was normal for young girls to adore their brothers.


    Besides, he had not even been there when Ji Feifei was born. He had not been there in her childhood either. They would only meet a few times when he came back to the country to visit his parents.


    Aside from that, their brother-sister relationship was too distant.


    He was partially to blame for this. Ever since he knew that he had a sister, he hadn''t been a good brother.


    He and his little sister just didn''t hit it off. It didn''t help that the girl was somewhat clingy from the very beginning.  Hence instead of trying to be closer to her, he spent almost all his time avoiding her. It was no shock that she didn''t actually see him as a brother but as a man instead.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t help blaming his past self. For her to be in this situation, he shared equal responsibilities as their parents.


    Then again, that girl was weird in every way.  It wasn''t just about her crazy incestuous fantasy. All that bullying she had done couldn''t be excused. And drug trafficking... that was a severe case.


    Thinking of all these things, Ji Xiehan rubbed his forehead and sighed. What''s done cannot be undone. So he could only hope that with this, his sister will realize her mistakes and change for good.


    Aside from this, Ji Xiehan was also thinking about another result of his investigation.


    Ji Feifei didn''t have anything to do with Li Lanni''s accident. Or at least there were no ties to her.


    He had then tried to investigate the guy who was in the car with Li Lanni at the time. He had a feeling that guy must be connected somehow.


    This was mainly because that Yang Su seemed to have been a little close to Ji Feifei. He knew he was paranoid, but nothing could be brushed off.


    However, the guy had been in a prolonged coma before he died. He didn''t even have the chance to question him.


    As for Yang Su''s personal life, it was spotless aside from that tiny connection he had with Ji Feifei.


    But they were from the same school. It wasn''t a surprise. Besides, that guy was Li Lanni''s boyfriend. No one would plot to harm his own girlfriend, right?


    Perhaps it was really an accident, after all?


    __________


    I know many of you will be mad at me for making Lanni choose to sue Ji Feifei, but hey... don''t hate me yet.. In the next arc, you will understand why Lanni chose that.

 Chapter 130 - Turning Point

    Just like that, Ji Feifei was charged with multiple crimes. Most of the crimes, despite her not doing them personally, she hired the people to do it, so she was still held responsible for them. However, Ji Feifei refused to admit her crimes, and the pieces of evidence were not enough to prove her guilty. Thus the court decided to hold a hearing session again in the coming month. Meanwhile, she was detained in the jail


    Ji Xiehan, Xia Luna, and Li Lanni were determined to use this time to find more evidence -- and they believed they could do it as long as they worked hard.


    Ji Xiehan had discussed with his parents and, because they knew that their daughter was in the wrong too, they did not meddle.


    ~~ "It''s for her own good." Ji Huifen embraced his sobbing wife and coaxed. "If we keep giving in to her, she will never learn a lesson. Eventually, she will suffer worse consequences if she does worse things."~~


    Although Madam Ji was sad, she couldn''t deny that her husband was right. Her son had been right too. She had just been too stubborn to listen to him.


    Now she couldn''t help feeling even more guilty. She loved her daughter very much - it was only reasonable for a mother to love her daughter - but because of her maternal love, she had become blinded and couldn''t see her daughter''s mistakes.


    She had blindly believed that her daughter had been wronged and even blamed and cursed at Li Lanni for bullying her daughter, without knowing that she was blaming the victim.


    Her eyes watered in guilt and embarrassment. Thinking of how the girl she had offended was the girl that her son loved so much, she felt even worse.


    ___


    On Monday.


    It had been two days ever since Ji Feifei''s matter blew up. It was now all over the news.


    Most of Madam Ji''s ''closest friends'' had been mocking her for having such a daughter.


    She laughed bitterly when she thought she about her so-called true friends. Those were the people that would usually suck up to her in every way.


    The minute she was down, everyone started throwing stones on her.


    Only one of the people who she didn''t even consider to be close to her all this while was her true friend. That was Madam Jiang. Even though their sons were best friends, she had always thought that Madam Jiang was a pretentious woman who acted too modest and never behaved like a woman of her class.


    This incident was an eye-opener for her and she realized just how wrong she had been about her.


    When all her friends were avoiding her, only she came to her house to meet her. That day both of them had a heart-to-heart conversation. When Madam Jiang heard how Madam Ji had opposed Li Lanni and cursed at her, she fumed at her friend, and she gave her almost a whole hour''s worth of scolding.


    "Are you kidding me? Your daughter wronged that girl so many times, and you have nothing to say?"


    Madam Ji lamented. "What can I say? That girl must hate me. I was so rude to her."


    "Then apologize." Madam Jiang berated. Wasn''t that what anyone should do if they made a mistake?


    "I cannot see her let alone speak to her. She will not give me even a minute." It wasn''t that she had not tried to talk to Li Lanni the day before but failed even to get to see her.


    Madam Jiang thought about it and smiled. "Don''t worry. I know what to do. You just make sure you don''t say something mean because if you do, you would rather not apologize at all."


    "I''m not that shallow."


    Hence they made their way to Star Art International.


    Li Lanni was done with her class early, but she had a pending assignment to do, so she stayed back to complete it. Cheng Yu had nothing to do at home, so she stayed back to keep her company and, while doing so she started reviewing her classwork. At that time, the two of them were the only ones left in the studio.


    While the girls went on with their comics, a middle-aged woman walked in.


    Li Lanni looked up at her and smiled when she recognized this woman. "Madam Jiang." She stood out of politeness to greet her, and so did Cheng Yu.


    Madam Jiang''s smile deepened even more. These girls were so polite. "You don''t need to be so formal. I''m just walking around."


    "Oh..." Li Lanni wondered how one could be casual towards Madam Jiang.


    This was the big boss''s mother, after all.


    She was still rambling mentally when Madam Jiang spoke up. "Lanni, do you have a minute?"


    Li Lanni wondered why Madam Jiang would want to speak to her. Had she done something against the company policy? Was it about how she had told on one of her classmates? But that was long ago. If they wanted to punish her or terminate her classes, they should have done so long ago, right?


    Despite her nervousness, she kept a neutral expression and followed Madam Jiang.


    But Madam Jiang could still perceive her anxiousness and smiled "You don''t need to be so uneasy. I just called you for a casual chat."


    Li Lanni smiled in response and eased a bit.


    Madam Jiang brought her to the employee''s cafeteria, where Madam Ji was waiting.


    Outside the door, she took Li Lanni''s hand and pleaded. "My friend may not be one of the people you want to see. But could you please hear her out?"


    Li Lanni was embarrassed that such a prominent woman was so gentle with her, so she nodded.


    But as soon as they walked in, her face froze. Madam Ji, out of all people?


    "Go on." Madam Jiang urged.


    Li Lanni wanted nothing more than to turn back and walk right out. But thinking about it again, she decided that running away wouldn''t do her any good. It was better to hear what she had to say. If this were about Ji Xiehan again, she would drag him here by the ear and let his mother tell him to stay away from her.


    "Nice to meet you again, Madam Ji." Li Lanni politely greeted, but her eyes were cold.


    Madam Ji also sensed her mood, but she didn''t get upset. It was her fault, to begin with.


    "Nice to see you again too. Please sit."


    Afraid that the girl would get angry and simply walk away, she went straight to the point. "I came here to apologize on behalf of Feifei."


    "Oh." Was all Li Lanni uttered. Apology? Li Lanni didn''t feel the need for that. What would it change? Besides, "I suggest you apologize to all those girls whose lives were ruined by her. But then again, they don''t need it. An apology will not make them happier, nor will compensation return what they lost. One of those girls even lost her ability to walk. Can an apology cover that? If you are here to convince me to cancel the suit against your daughter, you better try the others. But I bet they don''t even want to see you."


    At the side, Madam Jiang was impressed. This girl was so sharp-tongued, but it was not overboard. Everything she said made sense. For some things, it was too late to apologize.


    Madam Ji knew this too. That was why she didn''t insist on it. "I know Feifei cannot be pardoned so easily.


    Aside from this, I also came to apologize for myself."


    This surprised Li Lanni.


    "I was too shallow-minded and said mean things to you. I didn''t know what Feifei had done to you, and I thought you were a bad girl." She tore off all her pride and continued. "Henceforth, I will no longer judge people until I know them well enough. Can you please forgive me?"


    Li Lanni looked at the woman before her in shock. Was Madam Ji seriously asking for her forgiveness?


    She had long known that Madam Ji was a proud woman. Besides, she was a senior. She hadn''t expected that she would swallow her pride and apologize to a little girl like her.


    But looking at her now, she looked like just any other remorseful person.


    If she dwelt on the matter for too long, it would be unreasonable on her part. So Li Lanni blankly said, "I forgive you.


    However, I do have a question that I wanted to ask you since we met the first time."


    Madam Ji was elated that Li Lanni was willing to forgive her, so she urged her," Go on."


    "I wanted to know why you hate my mother and me so much; may I know where your prejudice was coming from? "


    She had thought that she had pushed her luck too far, and Madam Ji would definitely scold her and walk off, considering the amount of hatred she had for them. But to her shock, she answered. "I don''t actually hate you.. I was just upset."

 Chapter 131 - Meeting The In Laws

    When Li Lanni left the employees cafeteria, she was no longer in the mood to go back to the studio. She called Cheng Yu, and they left Star Art International together.


    After she had said her piece to Madam Ji, she no longer felt the need to continue speaking to her, so she had excused herself.


    "Why would Madam Jiang want to speak to you? You didn''t do something against the company policy, did you?" Apparently, Cheng Yu was having the same suspicion as she did earlier.


    "No. In fact, it was nothing important.", Li Lanni shrugged it off.


    Cheng Yu didn''t press further. She was going to paint with Li Yuming later, so she was too excited.


    On the other hand, Li Lanni was going to Xia Luna''s. They still had things to talk about regarding Ji Feifei.


    ____


    Meanwhile, in a high-end mansion,


    A red-haired girl hugged a pillow on the sofa while she glanced at a middle-aged man beside her. He was busy typing on his laptop. After hesitating for a while, the girl spoke to him, "Dad, Ji Feifei has been arrested."


    "Mmh. I know." The middle-aged man responded blankly.


    "Then... is it time to make my move?" She asked cautiously.


    "No." The man replied offhandedly, still immersed in his work.


    "But why not? The Ji family is weak right now and..." The girl whined in a spoiled manner.


    "It''s exactly because they are weak. Ruby, don''t do anything unless I tell you to do so." The man suddenly lifted his head, looked into her eyes, and warned her.


    "But why..." Ruby was surprised. Her father had always allowed her to do what she liked. But when it came to this, he was keeping her waiting for too long. "I really want that b*tch to suffer for everything she did to me."


    "I know, princess, but you should learn to be patient. I''m sure you are not the only one after her blood. That Li Lanni girl, for instance, is after her too."


    Ruby thought about it. Indeed, Li Lanni hated Ji Feifei too. "Then should I befriend Lanni? I have been trying to, but she..."


    "Don''t." Her father interrupted.


    "But why?" Ruby was shocked. Her enemy''s enemy was her friend, right.


    "That girl isn''t simple. Don''t court trouble. Also, discontinue your Art classes. You are doing nothing but wasting a lot of time there."


    ___


    Saturday


    Li Lanni had thought that the pervert had forgotten all about meeting his parents, but she should have known better.


    This bastard was cunningly waiting for the perfect day when she couldn''t turn him down.


    "Darling, we still have more than two months before we can break up." He said with all confidence when she tried to make an excuse to slip away.


    "That doesn''t mean I should go to your home! What kind of condition is that?"


    Ji Xiehan inched closer to her teasingly. "Honey, the main point was to bring a girl home so my parents will stop bugging me to get a woman. In fact, I am already a few days overdue. We should have met them last week itself."


    Li Lanni was helpless. What kind of mess has she thrown herself into? When she saw Ji Xiehan''s teasing look on his face, she gritted her teeth and regretted until her intestines turned green. She shouldn''t have agreed to him in the first place. Was it too late back out now?


    How could Ji Xiehan not perceive her emotions, so he quickly clutched his heart pitifully said in an aggrieved tone, "Honey, I already completed my end of the deal. Are you going to ditch me now?"


    Li Lanni looked at him speechlessly. Every time she meets this guy, he shows her a whole new level of shamelessness.  "Can you have a little more shame?"


    Ji Xiehan rubbed his head with a hurt expression. "You are the one who doesn''t have shame¡ªyou heartless girl. You let me decide when and where to appear for the media''s sake, but when I want you to meet my parents, you want to come up with excuses and reject me. How could you be so feeling less?"


    "What? When did I..." Li Lanni was about to refute but then remembered that such a thing did indeed happen.


    At the time, she had just wanted to be a little fair since she already had the upper hand. Who would have known that her fairness would land her in his trap again?


    She shouldn''t have left him a leeway! If she gave him an inch, this bastard would take a mile.


    Seeing that he was on the winning end, Ji Xiehan daringly slipped a hand around her waist. "Let''s go?"


    Li Lanni could only grit her teeth and agree to go.


    Even though it was just a fake meeting, Li Lanni felt it would be rude not to get any presents when meeting elders. Hence she dragged Ji Xiehan to a gift store on the way to Ji Mansion.


    He was happy to go, of course. That was just another opportunity to tease her, and he didn''t waste it.


    After looking around for a while, she decided to get an antique painting.


    While Madam Ji disliked Li Yuming, it didn''t mean that she hated all the painters and did not appreciate art. In a particular article on an interview with Madam Ji, she remembered reading that she was fond of many painters and had collected many of the masterpieces.  Ji Huifen appreciated art too, so this covered the interests of both of them.


    Even though this was just a meeting for the media''s and Ji Xiehan''s sake, but even then, Li Lanni decided to be sincere with her gift.


    At the billing counter, Ji Xiehan insisted that he would pay, but Li Lanni stubbornly refused. How could she give the first-meeting gift to his parents with his own money? When he saw her acting stubborn, Ji Xiehan relented and let her pay.


    After packing the gift, both of them then headed to his home.


    On the way, for unknown reasons, she felt nervous about meeting her in-laws. She knew that meeting them was just an act, but she still felt anxious despite already meeting them.


    Ji Xiehan was even more nervous. Knowing that his mother didn''t like Li Lanni, he could only hope that the former wouldn''t flip upon the latter.


    Both of them felt as if they were sitting on pins and needles.


    ...


    They soon reached the destination in half-an-hour. Ji Xiehan quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her.


    At the main entrance, a butler was already waiting for them, anticipating the arrival of their future mistress.


    When he saw a gorgeous and elegant lady in a white sleek A-line dress with a minimum make-up on her face walk out of the car, the butler was stunned for a moment. How beautiful!


    But he quickly adjusted his expression and went forward and greeted them respectfully, "Young master Ji!"


    He then turned towards Li Lanni and greeted her, "I guess this must be Ms. Li. Nice to meet you. I am Wu Feng, the butler of the house you can call me butler Wu."


    Li Lanni politely greeted, "Hello Butler Wu"


    The butler then took them to the living room where Master Ji and Madam Ji was waiting for them.


    Li Lanni exchanged pleasantries with them, trying to ease her nervousness and chatted with them cordially.


    As anyone would expect, this was bound to be one of the most awkward meetings between a man''s fianc¨¦e and his parents.


    The atmosphere was even more tensed thanks to the fact that Li Lanni was not actually Ji Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e.


    After the talk they had a few days ago, Madam Ji didn''t deliberately make things difficult for Li Lanni. But even so, they couldn''t like each other overnight. There was still obvious tension between them.


    After exchanging some small talk, Ji Huifen tried to lighten the mood a little. "Xiehan, why don''t you take your girlfriend for a tour around the compound? Dinner will be ready soon."


    Madam Ji coughed awkwardly. That was her line. "Yes. The backyard has been redecorated. I''m sure Lanni will love it."


    Hence, Ji Xiehan brought Li Lanni to the garden for a stroll. It was only then that she realized how big and luxurious the Ji mansion actually was.


    The backyard was nothing but a sea of green, with a small flower garden at the side and an ornate fountain at the center.


    It gave the whole place a calming feeling as the water splashed and rolled its way down the tiles.


    Ji Xiehan wrapped his arms around her. "Do you like it? If you do, we will have an even more beautiful fountain in our matrimonial home.


    Before she could land him a fatal jab, he breathed against her ear. "Darling, my parents are watching us."


    Li Lanni could only swallow her anger. Very well.. She should have known.

 Chapter 132 - A Kiss By The Fountain

    He only brought her here so he could take advantage of his parents'' presence to do such things.


    But shouldn''t people be shyer when their parents were around? She just couldn''t understand the pervert''s train of thought.


    Seeing that she was about to explode, Ji Xiehan slowly let go and stood beside her.


    "Do you want me to show you the places I liked to frequent when I was a kid?" He offered with a chuckle.


    For some reason, Li Lanni couldn''t resist the thought of Ji Xiehan as a child. He must have been too cute with his silver hair and blue eyes.


    "The old Jiang Mansion isn''t far from here." Ji Xiehan said. He swallowed the second half of his statement, which was, ''you and your sister will still be able to spend time together after marriage.''


    Li Lanni didn''t want to go to the Jiang Mansion. Wouldn''t that be too casual? So Ji Xiehan brought her to the places he used to play instead.


    "Jiang Xingyu and I used to fight a lot. Then there was Lin Jian, the blabbermouth who liked to incite us to fight. We would drag each other over there for a good exchange." Ji Xiehan said, pointing at a somewhat hidden part of the backyard.


    Li Lanni held her hand over her mouth and giggled. She couldn''t help imagining the child version of Ji Xiehan fighting with his friends and then later getting punished for fighting.


    It must be so cute... now she couldn''t help curiously wondering what his son would look like. Would he be extremely adorable with eyes like his father''s?


    It would be especially cute it Ji Xiehan was a doting yet strict father... it somehow felt like an impossible combination but it would be the best - him doting on his kids to the heavens yet punishing them if they were too naughty.


    Li Lanni could even almost picture them playing all around him and calling him "Daddy".


    She was still lost in thought when she felt his lips land on her cheek.


    Her eyes went wide as she turned to look at him.


    He leaned over and kissed her again, this time on the lips. His expression was as though he had not done anything out of the ordinary.


    Li Lanni''s cheeks flushed as she glared at him and found her voice only after a while. "You... you... how could you just kiss my lips?"


    Ji Xiehan gazed down at her, his eyes fiery, "You don''t want me to kiss your lips? Then tell me, where do you like to be kissed? I''ll kiss you right there."


    "You..." Li Lanni was furious. This shameless man!


    Li Lanni fumed, her face turned red, her lively eyes blazed as she stared at him. Her stare pierced right into his heart and it started pounding more loudly.


    He slipped his arms around her and brought her into his embrace all so naturally. "Honey, I just saw that my mother is taking peeks at us. I''m just giving them a show."


    As soon as he said this, he took her lips in his and kissed them gently as if he was enjoying the best delicacy in the world.


    Li Lanni was shocked by his kiss again. She wanted to evade it but was soon enthralled by his presence. Her heart fluttered as an unfamiliar feeling swelled within her.  She unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. She knew she should resist him and push him away, but she couldn''t help but savor this addictive feeling.


    She was aware that no one was watching them. Perhaps the pervert just thought so... or he was lying.


    Whatever it was, what she wanted right now was to indulge herself in his kiss selfishly. She didn''t know before that it would feel this nice to kiss the pervert. Was she going crazy?


    Ji Xiehan held her tightly against his body, gently biting her lower lip then soothing it with his tongue, making her feel things she didn''t know she could ever feel.


    She made the move to nudge his lips with her tongue, as though asking for access which he gladly gave her.


    Deepening the kiss, her hand trailed along the back of his head all the way to his neck. For a moment, she even forgot where they were. Her fingers traced his collar and found his tie.


    Ji Xiehan reluctantly broke the kiss and took her hand off his collar with a chuckle.


    Li Lanni was still relishing the moment when he suddenly parted from her lips.


    She looked at him with her rosy cheeks, her eyes still in a daze with a cute pout on her lips in disapproval. Ji Xiehan tried to control his breathing back to normal and kissed her forehead. "Honey, we are still in the backyard. Do you really want to do this here?"


    Li Lanni came back to her senses and blushed in embarrassment. How could she have lost herself?


    He leaned into her ear and gave her earlobe a gentle bite. "If you really want to, we can..."


    "Who wants to do anything with you? Didn''t you say it was just a show? Your parents must have stopped watching already, so that''s... enough, I guess." She said guiltily, evading his eyes.


    Ji Xiehan let out a light chuckle. He had only meant to tease her a little. Looking at her, he couldn''t help but believe she might be developing feelings towards him.


    Even then, her reaction just now surprised him. He didn''t know that she so badly wanted to be kissed by him. Should he kiss her more often then?


    He snuck a look at her lips that were slightly swollen from the intense kiss and really wanted to kiss her again. But then, they were still at his parents'' house. "We should go back in. Dinner should be ready now."


    Li Lanni was relieved. She practically dragged him back to the house, not willing to think about what happened anymore.


    ...


    This time, interaction with their parents went smoother.


    They mostly ate and talked less, and the only thing they talked about was Ji Xiehan.


    Once they were done eating, Madam Ji insisted on having a chat with them before they could leave.


    Even though she had only insisted because mothers-in-law usually talked to their daughters-in-law, she was surprised by how easygoing Li Lanni actually was.


    She was neither rude nor arrogant, and she was not pretentious either. As the icing of the cake, she wasn''t as brain-dead as Wen Lin had assumed.


    Wen Lin has judged her by her looks- she assumed that beautiful girls knew nothing aside from beauty - and she was delighted by Li Lanni''s knowledge in various domains.


    She couldn''t help but wonder whether she had done the wrong thing by agreeing to let Ji Xiehan and Feng Ci meet up and ignite a spark.


    In the end, she decided to watch and wait. If Li Lanni was really the best girl for Ji Xiehan, she would turn down the Feng family.


    A while later, Ji Xiehan started getting jealous that his mother was hogging Li Lanni all to herself. "It''s starting to get late. I should..."


    The temperature suddenly dropped, followed by a ramble.


    "Oh no. I forgot that the weather forecast predicted that there would be a thunderstorm tonight." Madam Ji sighed.


    Ji Xiehan had forgotten about it too.


    Li Lanni looked outside through the window for a while then turned to Ji Xiehan. "My home is not far. We can make it if we leave right now."


    "That''s crazy." Ji Xiehan refuted without thinking. "Drive at a terrifying speed to your home? You do know that''s dangerous, right? Besides, it could start any minute now. Darling, I''m not about to put your life in danger."


    Li Lanni''s heart raced from the way he had called her. She tried not to blush as she consistently grabbed his hand. "But it might be harder to leave once it starts... and we don''t know how long it''s going to last."


    Madam Ji saw the worried look on her face and made a suggestion. "Why don''t you spend the night here? Xiehan can take you back home tomorrow."


    "What?"... eer... spend the night here?


    She snuck a look at Ji Xiehan as though asking for his help. But how could he help her out? He would really love to spend the night with her. That, and the fact that it was indeed dangerous to leave right now, He was not about to do anything that might hurt her.


    Li Lanni saw that he was obviously not going to side with her and helplessly looked at Ji Huifen. Even he sided with them.


    It was as though even heavens really didn''t want her to leave. Before she could try to insist, a loud rumble of thunder resounded before it started pouring like cats and dogs


    Just great!


    Now she didn''t have a choice, did she?

 Chapter 133 - Between The Sheets

    Li Lanni wondered whether Ji Xiehan had made some arrangements with the weather. Why did he look so happy because she had to stay over?


    Meanwhile, Ji Xiehan was secretly wondering whether fate had exclusively decided that they spend time together. It was a good thing, so he was overjoyed.


    To avoid making the kids feel awkward, Madam Ji had the maids prepare hot drinks for them; then, she dragged her husband away with her. The maids retreated quickly, too, after delivering the drinks.


    Now it was just the two of them, a man and a woman, in the living room.


    There was nothing wrong with that, but Li Lanni couldn''t help feeling conscious.


    Especially when she recalled the kiss they shared earlier... and the question he had asked her about where she liked to be kissed. Her heart bit quickened. She didn''t need a mirror to know that her face was bright red as a tomato.


    When Ji Xiehan saw her blushing profusely, he wondered what she had in her mind that was making her blush so hard. Did it have anything to do with him?


    After drinking the hot cocoa, Li Lanni felt a little warm. But a while later, she started feeling cold again thanks to the sleeveless dress she was wearing. Her arms were almost completely exposed.


    Shuddering a little, she hugged her arms and rubbed against them for frictional warmth.


    Ji Xiehan took in her little action and had concern written all over his face. "Are you cold? I''ll give you one of my coats to wear."


    Li Lanni imagined herself wearing one of his coats that would look extremely oversized on her. She laughed and shook her head. "It''s okay."


    He scrunched up his brows. "Would you rather wear my shirt instead? That''s okay too." He looked serious as though he really meant it. His fingers even reached for the buttons.


    Li Lanni blushed furiously. "Of course not! A coat is fine."


    Ji Xiehan chuckled at her cuteness. He really wanted to take a pinch at her cheeks.


    Without any warning, he flopped himself beside her, bringing her body into his arms.


    Li Lanni was alarmed. "What are you doing?!"


    "Keeping you warm." He said expressionlessly.


    "What happened to the coat?"


    "Honey, what use is a coat? Isn''t it better to have me instead? I''m so much warmer and much more comfortable."


    Li Lanni was speechless. Fine. It didn''t hurt. It felt nice to be in his arms anyway. Besides, bickering with him right now would only exhaust her strength. She was only worried that he might do something to her.


    After being nervous for a while, her body slowly relaxed when he didn''t make any move. She even rested her head against his chest and drifted into sleep.


    Ji Xiehan looked down at her, happiness flooding his heart. Even in his dreams, he didn''t dare to imagine that Li Lanni would one day trust him enough to fall asleep against his chest.


    Yet there she was, comfortably falling into a deep slumber, even hugging his neck like he was a plush toy.


    He let her hug him as she wanted. How nice it felt to be a plush toy.


    Because her position was uncomfortable, she only slept for a short while before waking up.  Only then did she realize that she was still in Ji Xiehan''s embrace. Not just that. While she was asleep, she had moved to a more comfortable position - his lap. She quickly moved away with burning cheeks.


    Ji Xiehan was disappointed by the sudden loss of warmth.


    It was only then she remembered that her mother must be worried. "Oh no!"


    "What is it?" Ji Xiehan asked with concern.


    "I forgot to tell my mom about my whereabouts. She must be so worried!" She quickly reached for her purse to take her phone.


    Ji Xiehan took her hand to stop her. "No need. I already told her you are here."


    "Oh... When did you do that?"


    "Just a while ago. You were asleep." He didn''t mention the fact that Li Yuming was so overjoyed when he informed her that he could swear she had broken into dance. She sounded like she was looking forward to cuddling some grandchildren soon.


    Even after knowing that their engagement was fake, she didn''t stop them from getting close to each other. That was only because she knew that their feelings were true. How could she mind?


    Li Yuming could even imagine kids similar to Li Lanni and Ji Xiehan running and playing all around her. She almost blurted about how to take care of kids. But she didn''t want to take up much of their time and get in their way, so she hung up after saying a few words.


    "What are you laughing at?" Li Lanni asked when she saw Ji Xiehan randomly chuckle.


    "Nothing. I just remembered something. Anyway, you should sleep soon. I''ll take you to my room."


    "You mean a guest room, right?" How could she sleep in his room?


    "No, honey. You are sleeping in my room. Aren''t we ''engaged''? It would be strange if we slept in separate rooms. Besides, all the spare rooms are occupied."


    Li Lanni could only bite her lips. What?


    It was already weird enough that she was staying over at his parents'' house. Now she had to sleep in his room too? "Then, I will sleep here."


    "That''s insane." Ji Xiehan protested. How could he let his little beauty sleep in the living room?


    "If you sleep anywhere else, my parents will know everything. There was already a rumor, remember? That, and the fact that we got ''engaged'' in a flash.  They already have their suspicions, and sleeping separately will only prove them right.


    Li Lanni felt a headache coming on. "But we are only engaged, not married. Not every engaged couple shares a room."


    "You are right. But we should  make our relationship look real."


    Indeed, he was right. But how could she just sleep in his room? It would still be okay if they were dating or least had a fling. But in their situation, wasn''t that absurd?


    "We don''t have to sleep on the bed together." He said meaningfully.


    Li Lanni contemplated then decided it was better. As long as they were not sharing a bed, she could just treat it as sleeping in a hotel room.


    Ji Xiehan was relieved when she finally relented. He brought her to his room and changed the beddings. "If you need anything, you can tell me."


    "Where are you going?" She questioned when he reached for the door.


    "To the study. You can simply send me a text message if you need anything."


    "You are not going to sleep?"


    "No. I will sleep tomorrow." He said blankly, playing the pitiful card again.


    Li Lanni felt guilty. Was he going to work the night away because she was occupying his bed? She glanced at the sofa in the room. It was a love seat, and she definitely wouldn''t fit on it, let alone Ji Xiehan, who was significantly taller than her.


    Biting her tongue, she walked towards the sofa. "You sleep on the bed. I''m not that tall, I can sleep here."


    Ji Xiehan looked at the sofa and cursed inwardly. Why was it here?


    "No way. Just sleep on the bed."


    "But you should sleep too."


    "Then I will sleep on the sofa."


    Li Lanni sighed. "I would feel guilty about letting you sleep uncomfortably while I occupy your bed."


    "Then let''s both sleep on the sofa."


    "Huh?"


    He closed in on her teasingly. "Aren''t you guilty that I will be uncomfortable? If not, then let''s both sleep on the bed." His twisted brows seemed to say, "we are either going to be comfortable together or uncomfortable together."


    Li Lanni knew that she couldn''t outwit Ji Xiehan this time. Not only was this man cunning like a fox, but he was also proficient in reverse psychology. The way he had trapped her using the guilt, he knew she was rendered speechless.


    In the end, Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni lay on the bed together. Li Lanni remained on the edge of the bed, keeping as much distance from Ji Xiehan as possible.


    She knew that he couldn''t possibly force her into anything, but she was still nervous.


    Even she didn''t know why she was so scared. She had slept against his chest earlier and also sat on his lap, and she wasn''t even frightened then.


    No, that was different. We were in the living room. But now they were in his room, on his bed, and under the same sheets. What kind of mess has she gotten into? Was it too late to let him go to the study? Li Lanni regretted being soft on him.


    Ji Xiehan saw how she looked like she could take off any second and tittered. He won''t bite, alright? Unless she let him... he quickly applied a sudden break to his thoughts.


    He better not think those things; otherwise, the one who would be suffering would be himself.

 Chapter 134 - Between The Sheets 2

    Li Lanni didn''t usually fall asleep fast. Paired with the fact that Ji Xiehan was beside her, she couldn''t even sleep after counting sheep.


    On the other hand, Ji Xiehan fell asleep pretty fast. Just a few minutes later, she felt his slow and steady breathing.


    She sneakily turned and stole a peek at his handsome face, borrowing the light from the moon.


    She couldn''t help smiling as her hands itched to touch his closed eyelids. Why was it that every time she saw him, he was more and more handsome?


    After fangirling over his face for a while, her eyelids felt heavy, she turned on her side and fell asleep.


    Hearing her soft, steady breathing, Ji Xiehan slowly opened his eyes. He knew that she was scared of falling asleep in his presence, so he had pretended to be asleep.


    Seeing that she had fallen asleep, he gently brought her into his arms then fell asleep too.


    ___


    The next morning.


    Li Lanni woke up to the bright rays of the sun.


    She tried to stretch her limbs, then stiffened. Why was she in a man''s arms?!


    Her first instinct was to kick.


    "Ow! What was that for?" Ji Xiehan groaned. He was immersed in a sweet dream, then it all got ruined by a kick.


    Li Lanni''s mind was more clear now, and she remembered that she was in Ji Xiehan''s bed. "Sorry..."


    "Honey, why are you so vicious? Are you trying to kill your husband in sleep?"


    ''What husband? Who was her husband?!'' Li Lanni rolled at her eyes at his shamelessness. She could say that she was already used to it by now. But she was embarrassed by her actions. She tried to get up when she was pulled right back into Ji Xiehan''s arms.


    "I need to get up." She protested.


    "No can do. You have to compensate me for that kick." He closed his eyes and went right back to sleep.


    Li Lanni shrugged and rested in his arms. Perhaps because he didn''t do anything he shouldn''t at night, she was more relaxed and secure now.


    Unknowingly, she fell asleep again.


    This time, she woke up after only half an hour. Ji Xiehan was no longer in bed. She simply sat up, not knowing what she was supposed to do in an unfamiliar environment.


    Just as she wondered what to do, Ji Xiehan came back.


    "Beauty, you''re awake. Freshen up, I brought clothes for you to change into." He placed the plastic bag on the nightstand. "You can use my bathroom. Are you hungry? I will cook it for you."


    He realized that Li Lanni was looking at him oddly. "What''s wrong?"


    ''Beauty, you''re awake. Are you hungry? I will order breakfast for you.'' The following statement replayed in Li Lanni''s mind again and again. She somehow felt that she had heard these exact sentences somewhere before...


    Li Lanni stared at the man before her as though she was looking at an alien.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? Lanni, you are scaring me."


    "We have met before." She stuttered.


    "What?"


    "We have met before, haven''t we? That night at The Emerald Grand Hotel. No, to be exact, that morning."


    Ji Xiehan paled in surprise. "You were not faking it? You had really forgotten?" He thought she was embarrassed by that incident and pretended to forget it, so he also played along with her.


    Li Lanni tried to remember what happened after that, but her head swelled as pieces of memories resurfaced in her mind. She mumbled to herself, "That''s strange. Why would I forget something that happened only a few months ago?


    No, I''m focusing on the wrong point here. Why would Ji Feifei drug me?"


    "She did what?" Ji Xiehan''s heart skipped a beat when she said that.


    "She drugged me. Not only that, but she also told me that you were my husband and that you asked for me. I don''t understand. What would she gain from that?"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. Was he Li Lanni''s husband? But that night was the first time they met, and she was asleep.


    "She drugged you with sleeping pills?" he asked, remembering what the doctor had said that night.


    "No way. Ji Feifei wouldn''t waste so much time. It must have been an aphrodisiac. I don''t know why I fell asleep instead of... you know..." she felt awkward speaking out the effect of aphrodisiac to him. Of course, he understood what she was talking about by seeing her expression.


    "I have a feeling she was not just trying to get me into your bed.", she said as she tried to analyze her intention; countless possibilities came to her mind, but she could only think of one possibility


    "She wanted to humiliate me." Li Lanni sighed.


    Ji Xiehan raised an eyebrow, not understanding the logic.


    "She knew you wouldn''t touch me. But then, I thought you were my husband. Wouldn''t I make a huge fool out of myself and get on your bad side in the process?


    Actually, she had been telling me that she was my sister-in-law ever since I woke up. I''m guessing she was planning something all along, but I just can''t figure out what it was... but it must be related to you."


    "Forget her. She is a chronic liar. She can even lie to herself. Don''t let it get to you, okay? Don''t overthink it." He said, annoyed by her sister''s deeds.


    He was currently thinking about something else. "Do you remember our second meeting? You know, at the theme park? I called you out, but you only looked at me before dashing away."


    "What?" Li Lanni looked confused, unable to remember that piece of memory.


    "Forget it. Do you know why you started calling me a pervert?"


    He looked so wronged while saying that word making Li Lanni blushed. Then she shook her head as she couldn''t remember anything related to those incidents at all. "I guess it was because you were stalking me. I don''t remember all the details."


    Ji Xiehan furrowed his eyebrows and asked again, "You don''t remember how my former assistant kidnapped you?"


    "Now that you mention it, I think someone kidnapped me before. I just don''t remember much about it.


    Ji Xiehan had now concluded. But he didn''t want to shove it into her face so directly.  "Why is your recent memory blurry? Do you have a clue?"


    Li Lanni racked her brains. "I was hypnotized before. The last time, it failed. Do you think it could be a side effect?"


    "I have never heard of hypnosis having such a side effect before." He frowned. After contemplating, he made a suggestion. "I know a friend who is well versed in hypnosis. Do you want to try hypnosis again? Maybe he can help you figure out some things."


    *****


    IMPORTANT NOTE:


    Hey readers, I put this here so that everyone can see it. Don''t worry, it''s a note so it will not affect the cost of coins.


    --The progress of this book has strayed away from my original thoughts. It practically became different.


    So I''m wondering whether to just go with the flow and edit it to make it better with the dimension it took, or to rewrite the whole book.


    The plot might change to some degree. That''s why I''m seeking my readers'' opinion on this.


    If some of you think the current plot is good, I''ll just edit it and continue writing as it is.


    If not, then I''ll rewrite the whole book.


    Do comment so I know what your thoughts are!

 Chapter 135 - Misunderstanding...?

    "Can I not?" She said, almost helplessly. There was a slight hint of fear in her voice, which didn''t go unnoticed by him. The last hypnosis session must have scared her.


    Ji Xiehan went forward and hugged her. "It''s okay. You don''t have to go if you don''t want to."


    He didn''t know what exactly she felt, but it must be unpleasant. It wasn''t easy to live with the knowledge that everything she had forgotten about herself could be anything. What if it turned out to be something she was not willing to face?


    After all, most people had amnesia because of traumatic experiences. And the fact that she kept forgetting even things that happened after she woke up could mean that in her sub-conscience, there was something she was trying to forget.


    Because she felt secure, she couldn''t keep it in anymore. "All this while I''ve been wondering who I really am, why my life just doesn''t feel right. It''s as though I''m living just for the sake of it.


    Sometimes things happen, and instead of giving me answers, they only make me more curious¡­ but scared at the same time. I''m afraid I may not be able to face the truth once I remember it. What if I was a bad person before?" She felt helpless, remembering that her mother had always seemed uneasy whenever she brought up anything related to regaining her memory.


    What if her mother was hiding something from her because she couldn''t face it?


    "You don''t have to force yourself to remember anything." Ji Xiehan coaxed. "Only when you are ready to do it, only then will we go for hypnosis."


    Of course, there was something both of them were forgetting. Amnesia happened when one least expected, and similarly, they would recover their memory when least expected. And Li Lanni was bound to be shocked by the unforeseen events.


    Unaware of this, Li Lanni rested her head against his shoulder, feeling safe. It was a different kind of security from what she felt when Li Yuming hugged her. It was also different from what she felt when Xia Luna and Cheng Yu hugged her¡­ and she liked it. His broad shoulders were the only ones that could provide her this kind of comfort. She wanted to keep hugging him a little more. However, her stomach just had to rumble at that moment.


    Ji Xiehan broke the hug, bursting into laughter. "Was that your stomach? Because I swear, I thought I heard thunder."


    Li Lanni laughed at herself, too, playfully smacking his arm. "It was so loud. How embarrassing. It''s as though Beel has possessed me."


    "Beel?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Beelzebub. That''s one of the demons from an otome game I''m playing. He''s the avatar of gluttony. He is always hungry, hahaha.


    Oh, you must get to see his brother Lucifer. He''s so handsome and¡­" she went on to ramble about the demons in that game and how she ogled at the handsome brothers, making Ji Xiehan so jealous his hair could turn green.


    What was so good about some fictional 2D characters? He was more attractive and handsome, okay? He had to be. More importantly, he was real! He consoled himself and left her to take a bath then brought her downstairs for breakfast.


    To her surprise, Madam Ji was even friendlier this morning.


    For some reason she didn''t understand, Madam Ji kept asking her to eat more nutritious food. At some point, Li Lanni thought she saw Madam Ji sneak a look at her stomach.


    Ji Xiehan caught his mother''s actions and coughed. Why were elders always so eager to have grandchildren?


    Just like Li Yuming, Wen Lin seemed to forget that he and Li Lanni were not married yet and that she was still in school. Wouldn''t having a baby disrupt her studies? These women''s focus...


    ___


    After breakfast, it was finally time to drop Li Lanni off.


    Even though Wen Lin initially disliked Li Lanni, but now the more she looked at her, the more she liked her.


    Now she understood why her son was so enchanted by her. Li Lanni was just too loveable.


    She felt it was a pity that Li Lanni was leaving soon and wanted her to stay a little more, earning a displeased look from her jealous son.


    Luckily it was Sunday, and Li Lanni didn''t have to go to the studio. Otherwise, she would have been late.


    "Honey, shall we go to the movies tomorrow?" Ji Xiehan asked as he pulled up in Li Yuming''s villa.


    "No." She rejected him instantly.


    "Why not? You don''t have anything to do after your class."


    "I have things to do." She gritted her teeth.


    "What things?"


    "I''m meeting up with my sister."


    Speaking of her sister, Ji Xiehan wondered what that girl had done to Jiang Xingyu. The poor man had been keeping himself away from humans and drinking his stomach swollen.


    Poor thing¡­


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Xia Luna''s apartment,


    Ever since meeting Jiang Xingyu again, Xia Luna was anything but friendly.


    It was only lucky that she didn''t like taking out her bad mood on people. If not, everyone around her would be dead already.


    As usual, she would keep up an unfazed and alright front in the presence of her sister and best friend, but when she was alone and no one was watching, her true feelings would slowly start to reveal themselves.


    "Ha¡­" she let out a bitter laugh, throwing her phone back to her bed.


    "One week. It''s been one week already. I guess I was right after all¡­"


    She caressed a photo with her slim fingers. The man in the photo was smiling back at her. Only that this time, it seemed to mock her.


    "Jiang Xingyu, you damned liar!" She cursed.


    "What happened to ''I will still love you no matter what happens''? Were you taking advantage of the fact that I was young back then to tell me empty promises?


    Just when I decide to give you a real chance, shed off all my pride and tell you the truth about myself, you disappear on me? Just great."


    She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.


    Even though she knew that their relationship back then had been fake, she had still been moved by how much he loved her¡­ or claimed to love her.


    That night, she had made a decision. She was going to try dating him. She knew that feelings could be cultivated if people spent time together.


    She was willing to learn to love him. It had taken her a significant amount of courage to decide to tell him the truth.


    She didn''t know how to face him, so she had written a snippet of it down. She had attached her personal phone number added that if he still loved her after knowing that, they should meet up and have a talk.


    She knew she had acted like a coward, but she just couldn''t bring herself to see his first reaction to such news.


    So she had been waiting. A part of her hoped he would still want to talk to her and be with her.


    Then came this kind of disappointment.


    She crumbled the photo in her hands. Men¡­!


    ***


    Right! Anyone else playing Obey Me? That''s my favorite otome and it''s super fun! Hahahaha I can ogle at Lucifer and Mammon all day.

 Chapter 136 - Human Punching Bag

    Once Li Lanni was dropped off, she went all the way to her room muddle-headedly. In the Ji mansion, she behaved nonchalantly during breakfast, but after speaking with Ji Xiehan this morning, she was edgy about her memory loss. She still couldn''t understand how she could forget things so easily. Did this usually happen with amnesiac people?


    Although she knew that she might not be ready to recover her memory, she was torn between wanting to know her past and wanting to remain in the dark.


    But who would really want to be in the dark? She wanted to know something. Just a clue was enough.


    As soon as she set her bag aside, she started rummaging through her things. She didn''t know what she was looking for exactly. All she knew was that she had a nagging feeling that the last time she checked, she missed something.


    It was as though a different brain was controlling her hands.


    She went to her books and checked through all the notebooks, files, and even novels. Then she found a familiar diary lying at the bottom. It gave her a weird feeling.


    The last time she opened it, she didn''t find much information, and she had not written anything in it since then,  but she still took it.


    She sat on her bed and opened it, then let out a breath. Here goes nothing¡­


    This time, she read all the words one at a time.


    Just like the previous time, there was nothing much. Just random things that didn''t mean anything.


    By the time she was done with all the books, almost three hours had passed. She had not seen anything out of the ordinary. Of course, there couldn''t be anything out of the ordinary.


    She must have started being paranoid again.


    Pushing everything at the back of her mind, she went to talk to her mother.


    ¡­


    As soon as Li Lanni came to the living room, Li Yuming drowned her with questions.


    "How did it go?"


    "How did what go?" Her mother''s sudden question shocked Li Lanni.


    "Your meeting with your future in-laws. They didn''t bully you, did they?" Li Yuming sounded like she had won the lottery.


    "Of course not. They were¡­ uhm¡­ nice to me."


    Li Lanni realized that her mother was giving her a strange look. "Mom, you''re scaring me. What is it?"


    "So, how was it?" Li Yuming asked, scrutinizing her.


    "Huh? How was what?"


    "You and Ji Xiehan. Did you do it?"


    "..."


    It took a while for her to figure out what her mother was talking about. Her face turned red with embarrassment. Ahem¡­ really? Was there a mother who asked her daughter whether she did it and how it was?


    Li Lanni didn''t know where to put her face. "Mom! What kind of question is that?"


    Li Yuming looked like she had done nothing wrong. "What''s wrong with my question? I only want to know if I should start anticipating some cute little darlings. You are very beautiful, and Ji Xiehan is so handsome as well. Your babies will be the most adorable. Is it a surprise that I''m looking forward to it?"


    Li Lanni coughed violently. "Mom, first of all, I''m only twenty."


    "What''s wrong with that? Nowadays, age doesn''t matter as long as you are of legal age."


    Li Lanni felt defeated. "Secondly, I''m still in school, did you forget that. And most importantly, Ji Xiehan and I are not even married yet." Heck! They were not even dating.


    "That can be corrected, don''t you think? There''s nothing wrong with being married while in school. You can just work out the best time to get kids."


    "..."


    This must be an effect of spending too much time with the pervert. He must have transmitted some of his nonsense to her mother.


    While she was still racking her brains over what to do, her phone rang. Speak of the devil! It was that pervert Ji Xiehan calling.


    "What do you want?" She asked in annoyance, thinking that he simply wanted to tease her.


    "Ji Feifei broke out of jail." Ji Xiehan''s anxious voice came from the phone.


    "What?" Li Lanni stood up in shock. "How did that happen?"


    "Someone must have helped her break out. I didn''t want to alarm you, but you should be careful. She might go looking for you."


    Li Lanni slapped her forehead and inwardly cursed. She shouldn''t have done this legally. She should have simply killed her.


    "What happened?" Li Yuming held Li Lanni and asked. The girl''s face was horribly pale.


    "A jailbreak happened. Ji Feifei escaped." Li Lanni mumbled.


    "What?"


    ___


    While everyone else was in shock, Xia Luna was having a blast.


    An hour ago.


    It had been long since she had such a rush of uncontrollable emotions. She had to let it out.


    She took her laptop and typed some codes at record speed. When she was done, she printed out a few papers, and before her brain could function properly, she had gone to the jail where Ji Feifei was detained.


    She looked at the building for a while.


    The paper she had printed out earlier was a blueprint she had obtained using all the security cameras in the building.


    Switching off her phone, she pulled the mask over her face and grinned mischievously. ''Let''s attempt a  jailbreak.''


    Then she went to the small lane next to the building, and after some searching, she found a small opening. She entered the building through a small opening. She was sure not many people knew it existed. Because if they did, there would be at least twenty jailbreaks every day.


    She was out in less than five minutes, with a ''human punching bag'' with her.


    "That was faster than I thought. I deserve a pat on my back." She rattled and drove off swiftly, taking her punching bag with her. Earlier, she didn''t knock Ji Feifei out because it would be harder to get her out through the small opening. Hence she had only threatened her.


    But now that they were out, she knocked her out and drove to what looked like an abandoned building.


    She surveyed her surroundings to ensure they were not being followed before she entered the building, dragging her knocked out human punching bag with her.


    The building they had entered was where Xia Luna had lived before. It was not abandoned, but it had few inhabitants because of its current condition- it was old and looked like it would collapse if a slight thunderstorm happened.  In fact, the building was now completely deserted. Xia Luna tied Ji Feifei onto a chair and played with her phone, waiting for her to regain her consciousness.


    That didn''t take long. Ji Feifei fluttered her eyelids only a few minutes later, groaning from the pain at the back of her head.


    "You finally woke up. That took you long enough, sleeping beauty." Xia Luna mocked.


    "Li Lanni! What do you want from me?" Ji Feifei growled. "My family will find you. They will not let you off!"


    "Oh, is that so? I''m so scared¡­" Xia Luna guffawed.


    Ji Feifei finally felt something was eerily off. "You¡­ you are not Li Lanni. Xia Luna?!"


    Xia Luna looked unfazed, pacing around Ji Feifei like a beast around its prey. After scaring the latter almost to death, she paused and closed in. "You know me. Impressive.... But do you know what happens to everyone who knows me?"

 Chapter 137 - Psycho

    "What can you do? I swear my family will not let you off!" Although she was frightened, Ji Feifei was determined not to show her weakness. So what if she was Xia Luna? She was just like her sister - a fly that could easily be swatted.


    Xia Luna leisurely scrutinized Ji Feifei, making the latter wonder whether she was really going to die.


    With a hum, she walked to a drawer and opened it, taking out a knife than she started playing with it while glaring at Ji Feifei. Several thoughts ran through her mind. ''You really think I wouldn''t hurt you? You are not dealing with Lanni, you know.''


    It was not that she thought of Li Lanni as an easy target, but unlike her sister, Xia Luna didn''t have a conscience. Her hands were already stained with blood. What difference did it make if she killed one more? And for her sister, she would do anything.


    Ji Feifei freaked out when she saw Xia Luna play with the knife as though it was a toy. Who plays with knives like that? Was she a psycho? Why didn''t those people tell her that Xia Luna was so scary? For a second, she imagined that knife piercing through her chest or stomach or¡­ no! She didn''t want to die!


    Even then, she didn''t want to show that she was scared. "Do you think just holding a knife would scare me? Anyone could do it."


    All of a sudden, she saw the knife fly towards her, narrowly missing her head.


    "Ahhhh!" Ji Feifei trembled in shock. She looked like she would pass out any second.


    Xia Luna rolled her eyes and took out another one - but this was one was a scarier double-edged fighting knife with a central spine and edges sharpened the full length. Ji Feifei felt chill on her back when she saw that dagger in her hand, "What are you screaming so loudly about. I just felt that your hair is repulsive to my eyes, so I was trying to shave your head from a distance. Don''t worry; I''m very good with my aim¡­ However, sometimes I miss it when I''m angry."


    She walked over and grabbed a fistful of Ji Feifei''s detainee T-shirt. "So, you better start talking, young woman."


    "T-talk about what?" Ji Feifei tried to break off the rope tying her wrists, but that only hurt her armpits and wrists. She could only look back at Xia Luna, who mocked at her. "You would have to try harder than that. Talk!"


    Talk about what? Would it hurt to be a little more specific? Ji Feifei was on the verge of breaking down.


    "You know what I want to hear, Feifei. I''ll give you one minute to prepare yourself."


    The so-called preparation meant to let Ji Feifei think with a knife held dangerously against her neck. The knife was so close to her neck that if Xia Luna''s hand skipped a little, she could ''accidentally'' kill her. Ji Feifei almost peed her pants in fear.


    "Your time is up! So start speaking. You know what I am asking about, right" When Xia Luna saw that one minute was completed, she reminded her with a devilish grin.


    " I...I...that..." In fear, words didn''t come out of her mouth and could only stutter.


    Xia Luna was losing her patience, so she hit her in a stomach with her knees.


    That one-hit caused Ji Feifei to soak with sweat in pain.


    She gulped in horror and stammered, "I''ll talk¡­ ah!"


    "Then speak, what are you stammering for? And remember, don''t even think of lying with me." Xia Luna growled.


    "N-no! I wouldn''t dare -I ¡­ I will tell you the truth. Everything!"


    "Then tell me honestly, who are you working for? Don''t try to weasel out of this." Xia Luna warned her with a smirk in her face.


    Ji Feifei bit her lips so hard they could tear. Sweat had already formed on her forehead, but even then, she stammered. "I¡­ I don''t know what you''re talking about¡­ ah!"


    Xia Luna simply punched her in the stomach. Ji Feifei coughed up blood; she could literally see stars in the daylight. She coughed up


    "Who are you working for?"She asked her again.


    "No¡­" Before she could finish her sentence, another punch landed in the same spot.


    Ji Feifei thought she was going to die. Wasn''t Xia Luna Li Lanni''s twin? Weren''t they, in fact, a few months younger than her? How could Xia Luna be so vicious?


    Her eyes were dazed; she was starting to see two of everything.


    "Look into my eyes and listen carefully, my patience is thining, and I''m asking it for the last time. Who are you working for?"


    Seeing the murderous intent in Xia Luna''s eyes, Ji Feifei knew she would really die if she didn''t answer her.


    "My boss''s name is P¡­"


    Before she could say the full name, an alarm beeped on Xia Luna''s phone.


    "Damn it." Xia Luna cursed. "The black cats found out you are missing. How troublesome."


    In an instant, she picked up the knife that had fallen earlier, shoved them back to the drawer, and cleared all the traces of her.


    Then she untied the rope off Ji Feifei. She only needed to pull one end of it, making Ji Feifei scold herself in humiliation. It was that easy?


    As soon as the rope was off, she applied something on Ji Feifei''s wrists, tied the rope into a noose and threw it onto the floor, then dashed into another room.


    By this time, a police siren could be heard outside the building.


    Ji Feifei was still wondering what Xia Luna''s theatrics meant when she heard a loud booming voice. "Fugitive Ji Feifei, this building is now surrounded. So come out, hands in the air."


    Ji Feifei was too stunned to know what to do. Xia Luna must have beaten her into a stupor.


    She heard heavy, rushed footsteps, and knew that the police were here.


    But then she thought of something and relaxed. That was right. She had been kidnapped. She was a victim, and Xia Luna was only hiding away in a room. "How naive Xia Luna! You are going to get arrested." She cursed. Xia Luna must have wanted to get them both out, but the building was already surrounded. SHE couldn''t SLIP AWAY. Anyway, Xia Luna was the true criminal here, so Ji Feifei wasn''t really scared.


    The door banged open.


    "There she is."


    Ji Feifei burst into tears. "You finally came to rescue me. One minute more, and I would have died."


    The two police officers exchanged looks.


    One of them looked around when he set his eyes on the rope and the chair, his eyes gleamed with viciousness. "Yeah. One more minute, and you would have committed suicide. Do you think you can escape charges by killing yourself? We gotta teach this one a tough lesson."


    "What? Sui¡­ no, no! I was kidnapped. That woman tried to kill me. The ropes were used to tie my wrists. Look. They are sw¡­." Swollen.


    Ji Feifei stared at her hands in disbelief. They were not swollen! But she had been tied up so tightly!


    Now that she looked around, the set up did look like she was going to take her life.


    An abandoned building, a rope tied into a noose and a chair. What would anyone think?


    "I''m telling the truth! She did this on purpose."


    "So, where''s the kidnapper then?"


    "In that room." She pointed to the room where Xia Luna had dashed.


    The officers called for back up to search the room while two of them cuffed her and took her to their car. She was still a criminal, nonetheless.


    But it was even worse when the search team came back out of the building. "There is no one else in the house. Not even a trace. The windows were too small for a human to get out.  However, we found these." The man was referring to knives and two guns."


    "Those are not mine!" Ji Feifei protested.


    "Shut up," one of the officers backhanded her.  This girl was little, but her crimes were terrifying. Now she even possessed guns illegally?"


    Ji Feifei didn''t realize she had been trapped until now.


    Meanwhile, Xia Luna waited until there was absolutely no activity before she came out of the woods.


    ''Plan B -successful thank goodness that she had Plan B for an emergency.. That was close.''

 Chapter 138 - Why Does This Not Feel Real?

    When Ji Feifei was charged with illegal possession of weapons and jailbreak out of nowhere, she was in disbelief. Both of those were Xia Luna''s crimes! How did it end up being on her head instead? How could Xia Luna trick her?


    She didn''t know it, but as soon as Xia Luna entered the other room, right before the police arrived, she slipped out of the house through an exit only she knew existed.


    In the past, when Xia Luna was living in the building, she had created a secret passage for emergency purposes. The passage was hidden deep inside, so even if police searched every nook and cranny of the house, it was practically impossible for them to find the secret passage. It directly led to the exit on the opposite side; thus, she was able to escape stealthily.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Li Lanni was relieved when the police informed them that Ji Feifei had been caught again.


    As soon as Ji Xiehan informed her of what had happened, she had called him back so they could sit together and analyze what was happening.


    This matter was suspicious, to begin with. How could Ji Feifei attempt jailbreak without any outside help? So, both of them firmly believed that someone must have helped Ji Feifei out. But, when the police reported that there was only Ji Feifei in that abandoned house, they were puzzled.


    It was even more surprising that the particular house had no records of someone living in it. But here and there, the police found the traces of someone living in the house. Thus, they believed that it was a hiding place for some fugitive.


    Xia Luna was fond of erasing all traces of her wherever she went. It proved to be helpful because, according to the police investigation, Ji Feifei was the only one who had ever been seen entering that house. So police concluded that the house was Ji Feifei''s secret hideout.


    But Li Lanni couldn''t believe any of that. "Why does this feel so far from being real to me?"


    "What are you implying?" Ji Xiehan asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ there''s just this feeling that we are missing something. It''s as though the police have been deceived." She knew she sounded silly, but that was just how she felt about it.


    "The police have been deceived? Don''t be silly." Ji Xiehan chuckled. "How can the police be deceived?"


    "They can." Li Lanni shrugged. " if not, why are there certain criminals that have always been on the run, and even years later, the police haven''t ever caught them? Isn''t that because they often deceive the police?"


    Ji Xiehan took her phone from her hand and locked it. "You are reading too many detective novels. First of all, using the phone screen too much is harmful to your eyes.


    Secondly, I can see that these novels have started having side-effects on your brain. Are you trying to imagine that someone helped Ji Feifei out then deliberately let the police catch her and escaped on his own?


    Obviously, if someone can break a person out of jail with all that security, then it could only mean that they are good at it. It wouldn''t be hard to take Ji Feifei with them."


    Li Lanni felt stupid thinking about it too. "I don''t know¡­ maybe they are Ji Feifei''s enemy and wanted to teach her a lesson?¡­"


    Ji Xiehan raised an eyebrow, starting to feel that her imagination was affecting his brain too. "Ji Feifei has so many enemies¡­ Could it be someone on our side?" He thought of a person then shook his head. If it was really that person, then that was too idle of them.


    Whatever it was, they had nothing to worry about. The police would be more careful with Ji Feifei now. It would be impossible to attempt jailbreak again. But just to make sure such a thing didn''t happen again, he decided to put his security team on a lookout.


    "What are you thinking about?" Li Lanni questioned when she saw him contemplating something.


    Ji Xiehan pulled out of his thoughts and gazed at her face. "Nothing in particular¡­ now that Ji Feifei is caught and is behind bars again, can I think about you instead?"


    "Eer¡­"


    Was he asking for permission to think about her? Can the pervert not be so crazy?


    At this moment, Li Yuming returned from the kitchen. She had gone to whip up something for them to eat.


    "What''s the current situation? Did the police catch her?" Li Yuming sat across from them, letting the maids help her set the table.


    "They did. But I''m starting to think we should have just skinned her alive instead. It''s too troublesome to keep thinking of the possibility that she might break out." Li Lanni said thoughtlessly.


    "Well¡­" Li Yuming coughed. She was entirely shocked to hear Li Lanni suddenly utter such words too. But then again, the Xias were heartless, and their blood was flowing in Lanni, so there was no need for her to be shocked by her words.


    Although she knew this, she was determined to make sure Li Lanni was different. She would never let her daughter be like them. "Just a few days ago, you were on the right track, deciding to do things in a lawful way. Now just a few days later, you are starting to divert your thoughts?"


    Li Lanni knew it was no laughing matter, but she found her mother''s serious glare funny. "Relax, mom. I was just kidding."


    It was really just a joke¡­ well, at the wrong time, it seems.


    After having their meal, Li Lanni walked Ji Xiehan out.


    They strolled in leisure, not in a bit hurry, both of them secretly not wanting to part ways. However, Ji Xiehan was silent the entire time.


    "What are you thinking about?" Li Lanni nudged his arm and asked.


    The entire walk, Ji Xiehan had been thinking about her.


    To be specific, he was wondering what kind of person Li Lanni was before. Was this little damsel just an illusion?


    He already had questions about her, but what she blurted out before dinner got to his mind.


    She had said it without thinking. Literally, but he was looking at her at the time and could have sworn that he saw her eyes flash with bloodlust. It was as though she really meant what she said.


    It would not be shocking coming from another person, but Li Lanni? The little beauty who couldn''t even kill an ant? Now that was shocking in a way that reminded him of something, but he just couldn''t wrap his brains around it.


    He was still thinking about it when he felt a nudge on his arm, followed by her cheerful voice, asking what he was thinking.


    "I think I''ll go back to my room now." She looked embarrassed for a reason he only understood a while later. He thought she probably wanted to spend more time with him.


    His lips threatened to curl into a smile, and he had to cough to swallow it back. "You should sleep early. Goodnight."


    "Goodnight." She said but remained standing there with no intention to go back to the house.


    ''Is she waiting for something?'' He wondered.


    "Why don''t we catch a movie tomorrow in the evening?" He tried pushing his luck a little.


    "Eer.. okay!"


    Ji Xiehan''s eyes brightened; this time, she didn''t even come up with an excuse. It was as though she was looking forward to it. Did she start accepting him?


    "Then¡­ then I''ll go now." She stammered.


    "Okay." He replied with a playful smirk on his face.


    "Don''t overthink about the case and have a good sleep." She added, thinking that he was still worried about Ji Feifei''s jailbreak.


    "I will." He replied happily when he observed care for him in her tone.


    When she saw that smile, her heartbeat quickened, so she quickly said bye to him and ran off into the house.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t help but break into a peal of laughter when he saw her running in embarrassment.


    Li Lanni scowled when she was back in her room. That idiotic pervert! He was a pervert when it was least needed, but when she somehow anticipated him to act like a pervert, he became a gentleman. And what was he laughing so loudly for, hmph...


    Why the hell did he not kiss her?


    Whatever. She was not disappointed.


    Maybe just a little¡­?

 Chapter 139 - Date

    Monday.


    Li Lanni''s class had successfully completed the first volume of the comic they were drawing.


    Today, they started the second volume.


    As usual, after the lecture was done, the professor asked them to draw the comics for the second volume based on the story they were asked to read. While they were doing so, the professor walked around the classroom, silently assessing the comics made by the students.


    ''This batch of students have improved a lot'' the professor was delighted when he saw the paintings. Each one of them was unique and creative.


    But then he stopped next to Li Lanni with a frown when he saw her painting. This girl¡­


    To avoid making her feel humiliated, he waited until the class ended, then called her to his office and questioned her. "Have you really read the novel and understood it?"


    Li Lanni nodded, wondering why he would ask such a question. They were in the second volume already. Wasn''t that a given?


    "Really? I don''t think you have really understood it enough. Because if you had, you would know that the novel is quite a happy one. Your comic wouldn''t hold such darkness."


    Darkness? Li Lanni thought back to her comic.


    "It is easier for people who have read the original novel to overlook such a plot error. However, new readers will misunderstand it. As I said before, you should put yourself into character every time you make a sketch. Also, this is not the only problem I have noticed in your drafts. I am disappointed to say this, but your performance has significantly deteriorated since you first joined the class. While the others are improving, you are seriously lagging behind. Are you experiencing some problems? If you have some problems, you can share it with me." Though his words were condemning, his voice was gentle.


    "No¡­" Li Lanni frowned, all this seeming new to her. When had she not put herself into character?


    "I will not take up too much of your time, but I haven''t expected this results from you, who hwas the grand winner in the previous painting contest. Go on and think about it." The tutor said with a gentle smile. He hesitantly added, "You should know that no matter how much effort you put in something if you are being forced into it, all your efforts will be futile."


    "Thank you, sir. However, I''m not being forced into anything. I willingly joined this class."


    When Li Lanni left his office, the first thing she did was open her locker and take out all the drafts to take a look. These were just copies, she kept the originals at home but had copies in the studio locker for reference.


    She checked through them from the first chapter. At first, there wasn''t any change. But from the fourth chapter, she began to notice that what the tutor had said was true. Seriously, if one were to see her latest chapter, there was no one would believe that she had joined the class by winning a contest.


    More importantly, it looked like the story had strayed from the original. If the dialogue were to be added, it was sure that it would look misplaced.


    But hadn''t she been working hard?


    What went wrong?


    ___


    Later in the afternoon,


    Ji Xiehan completed his work earlier, pushed the less urgent documents aside before leaving his office. He would work on them later at night.


    After asking Lin Jian and being laughed at for half an hour, he finally got his way around finding the least frequented movie theater. He had selected a popular movie more suitable for female audiences and booked tickets.


    All the previous times, he had got her to go out with him using schemes and tricks. This was the first time she had willingly agreed to go somewhere with him. This should be considered their first official date, right?


    So he followed Lin Jian''s advice and found a present. He already had one; the bracelet he had bought her when they went shopping but didn''t have the chance to give it to her.


    He wore the watch that was a match with it and took the bracelet with him.


    Feeling more confident, he let out the breath he didn''t realize he was holding and went to pick Li Lanni up.


    The girl didn''t make him wait too long. Two minutes after he sent her a text, he saw her exit the villa, wearing a blue dress that matched the color of his tie.


    He couldn''t help smiling. What a sweet coincidence.


    "Did I keep you waiting?" She asked, her eyes staying on his tie for a few seconds.


    "No. I just arrived. You look beautiful."


    She blushed and unknowingly tightened her fists. "T-thank you." She had dressed up for him. It would be disappointing if she didn''t look beautiful. She was happy that he liked it, and was even more pleased that their clothes were a complementing match. They looked just like a couple in love. Though she refused to accept it, she was delighted inside.


    Once they were at the movies, he went ahead to buy snacks as she waited for him. "I booked tickets for a teenage drama ''Our Youthful Love.'' I didn''t know what kind of movies you liked, so I asked some of my female colleagues, and everyone said this was a nice one." He informed.


    "Haha¡­" When Li Lanni heard him say, she broke into a peal of laughter.


    "What''s so funny?" he was puzzled by her sudden laughter.


    Li Lanni burst into another round of laughter. "Haha..oh my god...haha..I can''t control myself ..haha..Your face when you said the name of the movie was amusing."


    Ji Xiehan laughed at himself too. It was just that he was a little unsure. After buying the tickets for the teenage drama, he only later realized that it was full of fluffy romance. Then he remembered that when they talked about online novels, she mentioned a few that she liked. Those were all detective novels, and even if there were some romance ones, the main theme was a crime.


    Most people liked the same genre of movies and novels, so she should like detective and mystery, right?


    But then again, she played otome games once in a while. So he didn''t know whether to change the tickets or not.


    Li Lanni figured out why he was confused. She felt happy that he prioritized her choice. "I''m not really picky with what I read or watch. I only do it to pass the time, so you should have chosen what you like instead."


    "Then let''s watch the teenage drama. I''ve never watched one before." He happily led the way, and she instinctively clung to his arm because he had popcorn and coke in both hands.


    They took a seat close to the front.. They were quite early, so there were only a handful of people aside from them.

 Chapter 140 - Date 2

    Soon the movie began.


    Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni were sitting together with a huge bucket of popcorn between them.


    It wasn''t even after 15 minutes of the film''s start that Ji Xiehan lost interest in watching the movie, and started staring at the beauty beside him in a daze. Li Lanni was completely immersed in watching the movie. Ji Xiehan only kept his gaze fixated on her, while occasionally taking popcorn and shoving it into his mouth.


    He didn''t understand why girls liked going to the movies, but for guys, it must be because they enjoyed seeing their girlfriends happy. Seeing how happy Li Lanni was, he felt their date was well spent.


    In a daze, he reached to take more popcorn, and coincidentally Li Lanni also reached at the same time. Their hands brushed against each other.


    She felt a rush of what felt like an electric current right through her veins and became conscious of his gaze.


    She flashed a smile at him. "Are you enjoying the movie? If not, it''s not too late to switch to another."


    "I like it." Ji Xiehan said smiled charmingly. He really did like it. Only, he liked the person next to him, not the movie. He didn''t even know what the movie was all about.


    The scene currently playing on the screen was of the young couple eating ice cream and feeding each other.


    That gave Ji Xiehan an idea. He reached to take some of the popcorn and put his hand near Li Lanni''s mouth. The girl was a little surprised and chuckled, then she took the popcorn into her mouth, obediently eating from his hand.


    Ji Xiehan felt happier than he would if he was the one eating. He grabbed it a few more times to feed her. Even though they were not talking, this silent interaction was so sweet that Ji Xiehan did not want the movie to end soon.


    Li Lanni didn''t want it to end either. She was not sure whether she was enjoying the movie or the company of the man next to he more.


    Ji Xiehan got even naughtier, taking more popcorn by his hand then teasing her with it before shoving it into his own mouth. He burst into laughter when he saw how silly she looked with a cute pout due to disappointment.


    Li Lanni glared at him in anger when she saw him laughing at her expense. She then thought of something, and a glint flashed across her eyes. With a playful smirk, she inched closer towards him and pulled his tie suggestively.


    Ji Xiehan''s heart started beating loudly when he saw her closing in and suggestively pulling his tie. His eyes sparkled with anticipation, and shameful thoughts flooded his mind when he suddenly felt a cluster of popcorn tickle his neck then roll all the way to his stomach.


    Li Lanni held a hand over her mouth and laughed heartily after shoving a handful of popcorn down his shirt.


    Ji Xiehan was helpless when he saw a heap of popcorn underneath the shirt. Never mind, as long as she was happy.


    By the time the movie was done, Ji Xiehan had a bellyful of popcorn. Literally. And the culprit in all this was having a blast laughing while he felt ticklish. ''You will pay for this.'' He swore inwardly.


    Such a grand opportunity to make her compensate him for physical and emotional damage had just presented itself. How could he not grab it? After the movie ended, he went to the washroom and cleaned all the popcorn on him before taking her back home.


    On the way back home, Li Lanni felt a chill on her back, and when she saw the smirk on his face, she thought he was up to no good. Thus, as soon as they arrived at Li Yuming''s villa, she quickly got off the car. But he was quicker than her and grabbed her hand, suddenly yanking her into his embrace.


    Li Lanni was shocked by the sudden move, but she remained silent without having any intention to push him away.


    Ji Xiehan lowered his head, and daringly kissed her forehead and cheeks.


    She blushed from the sweet sensation and pulled away from him, not daring to look up into his eyes. "I¡­ I''ll go now. T-thanks for the movie and¡­ dropping me off!"


    "Wait." He grabbed her hand again before she could flee.


    "W-what is it?" Even she couldn''t believe just how broken her voice sounded. What was wrong with her? Had Ji Xiehan eaten away all her confidence?


    Ji Xiehan took a nicely packed box from his pants pocket and gave it to her. "It is for you."


    Li Lanni looked at him, then took the box before opening it right there. A shimmering blue bracelet greeted her.  "It''s beautiful¡­ thank you. Help me put it on." She was not just saying it to humor him. It was indeed, one of the most beautiful bracelets she had ever seen. Of course, the fact that Ji Xiehan was the one to gift it just added to its beauty.


    Pleased, Ji Xiehan took it and helped her put it around her wrist. Now he felt that her hands looked even more beautiful. He couldn''t resist taking her hand and placing a soft kiss on it.


    Li Lanni closed in on him, and before he could register anything, a kiss landed on his cheek. Then she fled all the way to her room, blushing furiously.


    ___


    Unlike Li Lanni, who was having the time of her life and falling in love so sweetly, Xia Luna was currently the epitome of annoyance.


    Even after beating Ji Feifei up, the frustration within her didn''t subside. So she disguised as a male, went into the bar, and caused trouble by unreasonably beating a few teenagers up simply for being there.


    When she still didn''t feel relieved, she went on to ride a bike at full speed, making the traffic police chase after her and then swiftly evading them, among other forms of trouble she had caused in the last sixteen hours. She wreaked havoc wherever she went, but not only the uneasiness and frustration within her not subside, but it increased even more.


    It was not just the usual uneasiness that one could sleep or cry off. It was¡­ the most overwhelming feeling of sadness she had ever had.


    She had the urge to break everything in her line of sight. Even though she controlled herself and didn''t actually break anything - aside from a few bones at the bar - she emitted a scary and chilly aura akin to the cold beast all the time that even Cheng Yu dared not go anywhere near her.


    But after seeing that she didn''t leave her room all day, Cheng Yu got worried. She knew that Xia Luna would never think of killing herself, but what if she got gastritis from not eating all day?


    Hence she cooked a few dishes and a bowl of soup and daringly went into her room.


    "Do you need anything?" Xia Luna had tried not to sound rude, but her husky voice sounded so scary that Cheng Yu almost fled.


    But she still went ahead. "Luna, you have not eaten anything. Here, have some food to eat."


    Xia Luna was indeed hungry, so she thanked her and accepted the food.


    She had a taste of the braised beef that Cheng Yu had cooked, then stopped and scrutinized the latter.


    "What''s up?" Cheng Yu felt nervous.


    "I''m just surprised. You''re the only one who still treats me so kindly even after knowing my true colors. And to think I ever imagined¡­"


    Cheng Yu could fill up the cut-out words, but she knew it would hurt her friend, so she didn''t say it out. "Luna, you have never been on your own. I care about you and¡­ you do know that Lanni would also care about you even if she found out, right?"


    Xia Luna scoffed. "Right. I should be thinking about people who still accept me. Why would I even be thinking of some man?" When she said the last part of the sentence, Xia Luna''s voice was so scary that Cheng Yu felt her knees weakening.


    Cheng Yu didn''t know what to say. By listening to her words, she could tell that cause of Xia Luan''s predicament was Jiang Xingyu. She had always believed that Jiang Xingyu loved Xia Luna and that it was she who didn''t reciprocate the feelings.


    However, the situation right now seemed contrary to what she thought. It was as though Xia Luna was the one who loved relentlessly, and her heart had been broken by the heartless Jiang Xingyu. And well...why was she so sad over a man she didn''t have feelings for anyway?


    Because she didn''t want to antagonize Xia Luna any further, she kept her curious thoughts to herself and did not ask.


    Once Xia Luna was done eating, she took her laptop and grinned mischievously. Heh. She was done taking out her bad mood on innocent people.. Then she started typing codes.

 Chapter 141 - The Darkest Secrets Of Jiang Corporation

    Tuesday.


    Li Lanni could barely think about anything else when she entered the studio, and her increasingly reddening cheeks gave her away.


    "Eh? Someone is very happy today. Tell me, did something good happen? Tell me, tell me!" Cheng Yu cheerfully pulled her chair closer and demanded gossip.


    Li Lanni coughed to stop herself from smiling and showed Cheng Yu her wrist. "I got a new bracelet. Isn''t it pretty?"


    "Wow. It''s so beautiful!" Cheng Yu exclaimed honestly. But even then, she felt there was more to it.


    When did Li Lanni not have a beautiful bracelet on her wrist or a necklace around her neck, or earrings at least? She must have a collection of the pretty jewelry in her home, each worth a fortune, all of which she only treated like the accessories they were. Since when did she ever pay so much attention to a bracelet? Cheng Yu''s eyebrows rose in curiosity. "Was it a present? Look at you, you''re blushing! Did Ji Xiehan give it to you? What happened next? Did you kiss him in return? Wait, have you guys made love yet?


    Aaah... am I going to be a godmother soon?"


    "So, gossipy." A displeased groan interrupted Cheng Yu''s cheerful ramble. She looked back to see Cedric plastered next to her.


    "Hey! What''s wrong with you? You are the one who invaded my space, and now you are complaining that I''m gossipy?"


    "Whether I''m in your space or ten meters away, that doesn''t change the fact that you''re gossipy." He yawned.


    "You...!" Cheng Yu wanted to explode. She huffed and ignored him, turning back to Li Lanni. "Forget him. He must be sad because ''his precious'' Ruby left the class, so he wants to take it out on people."


    "Ruby left the class?" Li Lanni was surprised.


    "You didn''t know? She was not even in class yesterday. I heard she was asked to quit. Right. You have better things to do now. You don''t even have time to concentrate on news that''s none of your business."


    Li Lanni wanted to laugh. Why did it sound like Cheng Yu was happy about Ruby''s leaving?


    "Are you really going to ignore me? I''m still here, you know." The hornbill at Cheng Yu''s side howled for attention.


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes and ignored him. "Speaking of which, you should take a look at the news. I heard..." Cheng Yu proceeded to talk about celebrity gossip.


    Li Lanni took out her phone and did a search too. Indeed, she had been so preoccupied with Ji Xiehan and other things lately that she hadn''t caught up on much entertainment news.


    She had just opened an article with a funny title when a more catchy title in capital letters popped up.


    [THE DARKEST SECRETS OF JIANG CORPORATION.]


    Without a second thought, she opened the article and found even more interesting news.


    [As one of the top ten companies in the country, the Jiang Corporation has been getting better and better in the business world. Yet, here come ten SHOCKING things about this multibillion company that will make you cringe. You''re welcome!


    [1] In June 1981, The [censored] forced [censored] to [censored] after [censored]


    [2] Many years later, in March 2011, The former [Censored] was also a part of the [censored] that [censored]


    [3] Last year in January  the current [Censored] followed the trend and [censored]


    .


    .


    .


    After all this madness, the tenth clause was,


    [10] If the Jiang Corporation takes down this post, I will release the whole article without censoring any words.


    ...


    Li Lanni exited the article with a cringe. "What kind of nonsense is this?" Why would someone create such a catchy article then censor everything? What stupid prank was this?


    Seriously, all those ''ten shocking things'' were censored. The uncensored words didn''t even make a sense at all. Who was so idle?


    Apparently, Cheng Yu was also reading that article, and so were many students.


    "Do you think the Jiang Corporation caught hold of this article and censored its content before it got released? No one could be so idle as to so this, right?" Cheng Yu speculated.


    "Or... there''s someone that is this idle." The thread starter was anonymous, but their style of writing made Li Lanni feel a d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    "What do you mean?" Cheng Yu leaned in and lowered her voice. "Wait. You''re not thinking...


    Surely, V couldn''t be that idle, right?" Cheng Yu also had the same feeling when she remembered Xia Luna''s anger with Jiang Xingyu.


    "She is so idle lately."


    ...


    After the class, Li Lanni went along with Cheng Yu to speak to Xia Luna.


    Goldenwing Apartments.


    "My dear unpredictable sister. May I know what this is all about?" Li Lanni asked curiously. No matter what angle one looked at it, Xia Luna wouldn''t gain anything from doing this. She would only gain trouble at most, if the people from Jiang Corporation found out that she was the one behind it. Did she think her life was too boring and needed some trouble to spice it up?


    The girl reclined leisurely in her seat, looking happier than she did in the last few days. "Does it matter why I''m doing it? It''s only for fun."


    Li Lanni didn''t know what to say. But she was curious. "Does the Jiang Corporation actually have dark secrets?"


    Xia Luna replied nonchalantly, "None that I know."


    "Then why haven''t they taken down the thread yet?" Cheng Yu was puzzled.


    "They wouldn''t take the risk. What if I actually know some dark secrets? "


    "..."


    Li Lanni had nothing to say at her sister''s antics and looked at Cheng Yu, who was equally speechless by her answer.


    They could only watch on as people started speculating and asking numerous questions about what the Jiangs had done.


    Xia Luna was crazy!


    ...


    The girls went ahead to chatter all afternoon.


    "Have I told you yet? Lanni and Ji Xiehan kissed!" Cheng Yu excitedly said to Xia Luna.


    "What, really? Congratulations!" Xia Luna looked excited for her sister.


    Li Lanni was taken by surprise and playfully jabbed Cheng Yu. "Who told you we kissed?!"


    "You blushed when I asked you. Doesn''t that mean you kissed? Tell us, how was it? Were his lips soft and sweet? Did you let him touch you? How far did you go? Do you think you will be making love the next time you meet?"


    Li Lanni cringed from all these questions. This perverted girl.


    What was worse, Xia Luna was listening too, as though she was also curious. All that was left was her asking, "Do you think I will become an aunty soon?"


    She blushed a little but answered anyway. "We did kiss, but... we can''t make love unless we''re official, right? I mean, there''s nothing wrong with doing it now, but I''m not up for casual sex, so..."


    "Hold on. You''re not official?" Xia Luna scoffed.


    "Yeah. How can you not be official? Are you waiting for permission from the skies?" Cheng Yu seconded.


    "But... he hasn''t asked me to be his girlfriend."


    "Then ask him to be your boyfriend!" Cheng Yu and Xia Luna said at the same time, echoing each other''s thoughts.


    "What? Wouldn''t that make me seem too unrestrained?" Li Lanni rested her cheek in her hand and looked them in askance.


    "Really? Just what nonsense have you been reading?" Xia Luna chided. "If a man truly loves you, it does not matter who confesses first."


    "Go on! Ask him out and confess. In fact, chances are that you will not have to say a word before says, "Yes, my love. I''ll gladly be your man." Cheng Yu deepened her voice to imitate a man''s voice, making them all burst into laughter.


    "In fact, do it right now. You can ask him out tomorrow after work. Xia Luna urged her sister with a sparkle in her voice.


    "Uhm...now, why so soon? I can ask him about this matter later....." Li Lanni hesitated.


    "Why later? Sooner the better, call him now." Cheng Yu also pressed her.


    Under their combined coercion, Li Lanni took out her phone, but still hesitated, "Er... I''m too embarrassed to make a call. I can just send a message, right?"


    Under her sister''s and friend''s waiting gazes, she tried to compose a message and kept deleting it.


    Then Xia Luna grabbed her phone and typed decisively. [Xiehan, are you free tomorrow in the evening? Let''s have dinner together. I have something to tell you.] Then she sent it before Li Lanni could intervene.


    Within a few seconds, Ji Xiehan called back.


    Li Lanni glared at the girls to shut up before picking it. "H-hello..."


    A short silence followed before he asked, "At what time?"


    "7pm... you can choose the venue." She was too nervous to think of it.


    Ji Xiehan agreed and hung up.


    Li Lanni threw her phone beside her and squealed. She had just asked a man out!


    "Make sure you kiss tomorrow!"


    "Kiss? Make out at the very least!"


    The girls chatted away happily, not knowing that trouble was looming their way.

 Chapter 142 - You Forced Me To Do This

    That night, in Jiang Xingyu''s villa.


    "That little..!" Jiang Xingyu really wanted to curse. How dare she?


    He wouldn''t have known who was behind that article if Ji Xiehan had not told him how good she was at programming and hacking. She had used an anonymous user account with a fake IP address, and the real address couldn''t be traced even by the most proficient hacker he could hire. It was quite obvious now.


    He knew that the article meant nothing and that Jiang Corporation didn''t have any dirty secrets, at least none that he knew about. However, that was not what the higher-ups thought. They thought it was risky to pull down the post because whether it was true or not, such an article would ruin Jiang Corporation''s image, whether it was there or not.


    The only thing they could do was get the thread starter to admit that they were only messing around - which was impossible because they couldn''t even trace them.


    Jiang Xingyu was on the verge of exploding. Didn''t that girl leave him? What was this for? Was it fun to mess with him? Fine. It was still fine to mess around with him, but why the heck was she attacking his family''s company?


    He had enough of it!


    He took his car keys and sped to Ji Xiehan''s personal mansion.


    ...


    Ji Xiehan was feeling quite happy lately. The little beauty he had been courting for months finally warmed up to him, and she even kissed his cheek! How could he not be happy?


    He thought he was at the peak of his happiness when his phone chimed with a new message. He opened it to reveal the content, and his heart almost jumped right out of his mouth.


    [ML: Xiehan, are you free tomorrow in the evening? Let''s have dinner together. I have something to tell you.]


    He had to read the message over and over, as though afraid he had read it wrong or that he had an illusion or that it would disappear.


    Maybe the way he had opened the chatbox was wrong.


    He closed the chatbox and opened it again.


    The message was still there.


    His Lanni actually sent that?


    As though to ensure that her phone was not hacked, he called her.


    Then came the nervous voice at the other end, confirming that she was indeed asking him out.


    "I am happy!!" He jumped and punched the air as soon as the call was hung up.


    Wait. What could she want to tell him? It was something nice, right? It had to be something about their relationship. After all, they were in good terms right now, and her tone sounded like she was looking forward to seeing him the next evening.


    "Yes! Yes! Yes!" His excitement skyrocketed.


    When he had calmed down a bit, he opened a bottle of rare wine to celebrate and started pouring some in a stem glass when the door opened.


    "Look who finally decided to seek human company." Ji Xiehan mocked when he saw his friend walk in and flop onto a sofa as though he owned the place. He had ruined his happy moment.


    "I''m not here to drink with you. You have to help me." Jiang Xingyu went straight to the point.


    "I know what you want." Ji Xiehan took another stem glass and filled it with wine, intending to offer it to his friend, but when he remembered how much Jiang Xingyu had been drinking lately, he retracted the glass and started drinking on his own. He gave Jiang Xingyu water instead.


    The latter didn''t mind it. "So, are you going to help me?"


    "No." Ji Xiehan rejected firmly.


    "Why not?"


    Ji Xiehan sat on another sofa and regarded his friend. He had become haggard in just a few days. Even then, he couldn''t help. "I know you want me to find your Xia''s location because of the thread she started about your family''s company.


    Actually, I know where she lives, but I cannot tell you because she is my future sister-in-law. I''m planning to confess to Lanni. How can I offend my in-laws even before we start dating officially?"


    Jiang Xingyu stared daggers at his friend. He regretted coming here. How could he forget his childhood friend for a woman he met not long ago? Did he come to ask for help or to he dealt with dog food? This horrible friend! "Whatever. You have to help me. I am your friend." Jiang Xingyu demanded.


    "I will not help you do something you will regret." He looked at his friend sincerely. "You are angry. Only when you are calm enough can I offer to help you. Even then, I need to get permission from my sister-in-law. I cannot guarantee that she will agree, and if she doesn''t, I will respect her privacy."


    "Whatever." Jiang Xingyu was done with this girlfriend-slave, or was it, sister-in-law slave?


    He stood up and left. If he wanted to drag Xia Luna out, he had other ways to do so. He just didn''t want to ever resort to this.


    ''Xia Luna, blame it on yourself. You have forced me to do this.''


    ...


    The next day, Li Lanni stayed back after class to try and improve her sketches. Cheng Yu stayed back too because she had been unable to complete her work on time.


    Just when they were almost done and started talking about what to do later in the afternoon, Cheng Yu''s phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, making her frown.


    "Hello..." she answered hesitantly.


    "Sis... save me!" A muffled cry came from the other side.


    "Xiao Ying!" She exclaimed in shock when she heard a familiar voice from the other side.


    Li Lanni frowned when she head her shrill cry. Cheng Yu''s brother?


    "Xiao Ying, where are you? What happened? Did that woman bully you?" She asked, referring to their mother.


    "Do you want your brother back?" A deep male voice boomed into the speaker, instead of her brother''s making Cheng Yu tremble.


    "Who are you?"Cheng Yu asked after controlling her shivering voice.


    "That doesn''t matter. Do you want your brother or not? If not, I will give him to one of the bosses..."


    "No, no, no! Please don''t do anything to him." No matter how strong she tried to be, tears stained Cheng Yu''s face.


    "Good. Then follow my instructions. Don''t you dare think of calling the police."


    "Yes... yes, I will not tell the police! Where is my brother?"


    Li Lanni kept her mouth shut, to minimize her presence and to not to alert the opposite party.


    When the call was hung up, she finally held Cheng Yu, who had slumped onto a chair. "Who was that? They have your brother?"


    "What should I do? He hung up... is he going to kill Xiao Ying? It''s all my fault! I knew that woman wouldn''t take good care of him, but I still left him with her. He''s been kidnapped now, and I don''t know what they did to him. It''s all my fault..."


    "Calm down, okay? Tell me what they told you." Li Lanni tried to calm her friend.


    "He told me to go and find him... but didn''t reveal the location. I..."


    "I''ll call the police. Do you trust me?" Li Lanni looked into her friend''s eyes and asked sincerely.


    Cheng Yu hesitated but then nodded after calming down.


    "If they call again, you go wherever they ask you to go. They may ask you to break your phone or throw it away to avoid being tracked, so I''ll give you mine... hide it safely. I''ll let the police track it." This was more or less a trial and error, but Li Lanni was confident.


    Cheng Yu nodded. It was the only choice she had now.


    Just as Li Lanni was about to dash out and run to the nearest police station that wasn''t far away, Cheng Yu''s phone rang again. She received it and put it on the speaker.


    This time, the man sounded harsher.


    "Acting smart with me, huh? Do you think you can outsmart me?"


    "I didn''t..." Cheng Yu denied in tears.


    "Your friend is rather cunning. Ask her to smash her phone immediately if you want your brother back safely."


    Li Lanni was just as surprised as Cheng Yu. How did he know what they were doing? Were they being monitored? A chill ran down their spine.


    "Her phone or your brother. Make a choice. I''m watching."


    Li Lanni didn''t want to risk it. She reluctantly smashed her phone, much to the man''s satisfaction.


    "Good. Now go to the underground parking lot."


    Li Lanni had a strange feeling about this.


    However, they might really kill Cheng Yu''s brother if she tried anything funny, so they both went along.


    "Enter the black car and give your phone to the driver."


    Did they really have a choice? They could only mechanically follow the instructions.


    "I think this is strange.." Li Lanni said and earned a glare from the buff driver.

 Chapter 143 - Make Your Way Here

    She glared right back at him. "What? Did anyone say we couldn''t talk?" She harrumphed and remained silent. Cheng Yu wasn''t in the mood to talk anyway.


    The driver deliberately kept using longer routes and going in circles, infuriating Li Lanni and Cheng Yu, then only drove to private property after an hour.


    Wait. A villa?


    "Go on in." The man instructed.


    They went in as instructed. Li Lanni held Cheng Yu''s shoulder. "Xiao Ying will be alright. I will not let anything happen to him." She didn''t know why she was so confident either, but she just was.


    They entered the villa, the door shutting heavily behind them. They heard heavy and firm footsteps emanating from the corridor.


    They grew more anxious each second that passed, and just when they were about to break down, the man showed himself.


    "Jiang Xingyu!" Cheng Yu cursed.


    "I. Knew. It!" Li Lanni gritted her teeth. Who could kidnap anyone from Star Art International and even use the underground parking lot that was reserved for the important figures in the company? Who else could access the security cameras and know what exactly they were doing? No wonder she felt something was wrong with all this.


    "Nice to see you again, beauties." Jiang Xingyu beamed and went over to a couch. "Take your seats."


    He glanced at Li Lanni as though in disbelief. "You almost ruined my plan and landed me in trouble, do you know that?"


    Li Lanni scoffed and ignored him.


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t mind. "You both know why you''re here, don''t you?"


    Seeing that the culprit was Jiang Xingyu, both of them relaxed. Cheng Yu even dared to scold him. "You idiot! If you are doing this to get to my friend, I swear, I will not let you see her!"


    "Bloody fool. I will never let you go anywhere near my sister." Li Lanni spat. This disrespectful man did not deserve her sister.


    "Heh." Jiang Xingyu chuckled and looked at one of his bodyguards. "Bring the boy."


    In a few seconds, a buff bodyguard dragged a teenager in.


    "Sis!" The boy tried to run to his sister as soon as he saw her.


    "Oh no, you don''t!" Jiang Xingyu laughed and stopped him. "Your sister still has a task to do. If she doesn''t...


    He took out something from his pocket. It looked like a remote control but had a red button flickering on its center.


    "A detonator?!" Li Lanni freaked out.


    Cheng Yu was too shocked to say a word.


    "Yup. And the bomb is in his stomach. I will press the button if you do not ask Xia Luna to make her way here."


    Li Lanni gulped and glared at him. "Ha! Try another joke. No one''s calling my sister over, and you are not pressing any button."


    "You have only been in her life for a few days, and this is none of your business, so shut up." Jiang Xingyu glared at her. If Li Lanni was not at the wrong place at the wrong time, he would have already made Cheng Yu reveal Xia Luna''s whereabouts.


    "You!"


    "This is between Xia Luna and I. You may be twins, but you don''t get to make decisions for her. Don''t anger me." He then turned to Cheng Yu. "Xiao Yu, what do you say? Do you want your brother back?"


    Cheng Yu saw how scared her brother was and cursed hundreds of times in her heart. No matter who she chose, she would have betrayed the other.


    Jiang Xingyu saw her uneasiness and asked one of the bodyguards for something. The man left the room and returned with a phone, Cheng Yu''s phone. Jiang Xingyu gave it back to her. "Go ahead. Dial her number."


    Li Lanni so badly wanted to take off her hairpin and shove it at the man''s neck, but the fool may really press the detonator.


    She could only watch bitterly as Cheng Yu dialed Xia Luna''s number and gave the phone to Jiang Xingyu, which made her cringe. If he only wanted to call her, shouldn''t he just have stolen her phone or Cheng Yu''s? Why did he have to scare an innocent teenager in the process?


    Xia Luna picked the call after only one ring. "Xiao Yu, are you home yet? I..."


    "Xia Luna." Jiang Xingyu interrupted with a laugh.


    "Why do you have Xiao Yu''s phone?" Xia Luna sounded startled.


    "Why don''t you make a guess, honey?" He taunted, earning a fierce glare from Li Lanni, but he continued anyway. "I have the most interesting line up of the year right here with me. Want to hear it? Cheng Yu, Cheng Ying, and Li Lanni. Make your way here obediently or..."


    "Damn you, Jiang Xingyu!"


    Xia Luna was so angry that she could kill the bastard. How dare he kidnap the people she cared about?


    She knew exactly where he was: in his villa. So she changed at record speed and made her way there.


    Even though she had rushed, she didn''t seem to have any sense of urgency - majorly because she knew that Jiang Xingyu wouldn''t really hurt anyone for her. In fact, she would have ignored the situation and let him give up and send Cheng Yu back. But if Li Lanni was missing for too long, Li Yuming would be worried sick, and the last thing anyone wanted to be was for more people or the police to be involved.


    Xia Luna only arrived several minutes later, sauntering in like she owned the place and in male clothes and makeup that made her pass off as a young man instead of the delicate beauty she was.


    "Look who finally made their way in." Jiang Xingyu said with a chuckle, giving her a once over.


    "Luna, you shouldn''t have come here." Li Lanni said with a tinge of worry in her voice, and Cheng Yu had the same thought despite knowing that if Xia Luna was the one who got kidnapped, both of them would rush over without hesitation.


    Xia Luna walked right over to Jiang Xingyu and sat beside him, sparing Li Lanni a glance. "Don''t worry sister, I needed to speak to him anyway." She looked at the man who was curiously studying her. "They can leave now, right?"


    "Of course." Jiang Xingyu held out a hand towards a bodyguard who gave him a new phone. He handed it to Li Lanni. "I owe you a phone."


    I don''t need your charity." Li Lanni ignored it with a scoff. All she wanted to do right now was kill him. Why was her sister even agreeing to speak to him? But since Xia Luna insisted, she could only shoot the man a fierce warning glare and head out with Cheng Yu and Cheng Ying.


    "What about the bomb?" Cheng Yu asked worriedly as they stood. "Won''t you remove it?"


    Before Jiang Xingyu could reply, the teenager looked up at Cheng Yu apologetically and said, "I''m sorry, sis. I played along with him. There is no bomb. The detonator is fake too."


    When Li Lanni heard this, she had the urge to set an actual bomb in that villa. How dare that bastard use a child?


    Cheng Yu was speechless in anger and pinched his cheeks slightly. "Do you know how worried I was? How could you even play along with a stranger to prank your sister?"


    The boy was truly apologetic. "I didn''t know he would make you so worried. Besides, he promised to give you a permanent, well-paying job, so you don''t have to struggle anymore. He also promised that if you still couldn''t take care of me, he would take me to a nice boarding school so you won''t have to worry about me anymore. And if mother did anything to bother our peace, he would put her behind bars."


    Cheng Yu was displeased. That man had used everything her brother cared about to trick him. She didn''t even care whether what he promised the young chap was real or not. It was still wrong of him.


    Cheng Yu and Li Lanni were not the only ones that were angry and disappointed. Inside the villa, Xia Luna was even more furious.


    She was so angry that she remained silent and sat on the sofa obediently, in fear of losing control of herself if she did anything.


    "My love, you wrote a pretty long article. What now, cat got your tongue?" He teased her sarcastically.


    "Jiang Xingyu, don''t provoke me!" She gritted her teeth in anger. Who the heck was his love?! Wasn''t he the one who cowered out of his so-called love? She glared at him, her eyes threatening to set him on fire.


    "Oh, someone''s got her claws and fiery eyes out. And may I know why you sound different?" Her voice was more profound than usual. It could pass off as a young man''s, and in some way, it made him feel it was familiar.. When she didn''t answer, he asked another question. "May I know why you are wearing men''s clothes?"

 Chapter 144 - Phoenix

    Xia Luna rolled her eyes. "Get them to leave." She said, referring to the bodyguards in the room.


    "You heard her." He glanced at them, and they swiftly retreated.


    "May I know what I''m doing here?" She asked, and while he was distracted for a second, she shot to her feet.


    Jiang Xingyu grabbed her collar, quickly making her sit back down. "You will have to try harder than that." He had known she would try such a thing.


    "What do you want?"


    "I''ll show you." The man said before standing and pulling her to her feet, then leading her to a room she knew all too well. She didn''t try to struggle and obediently let him take her to his room. There were many chances to escape. She just needed to earn his trust for a minute, and of course,  she wasn''t planning to leave without giving him a piece of her mind.


    Making her sit on the bed, he held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Make that thread disappear. You know what I''m talking about."


    He walked over to the dressing table he rarely used and took out a small bottle from a drawer, tossing it at her. "Get that makeup off your face too. It''s repulsive."


    "And how is that any of your business?" She chortled.


    "I don''t want to think I''m keeping a man in my room. Get it off."


    She harrumphed but still did as he said then proceeded to delete the thread. She was still distracted on her phone when he went over to the bed, pulled something from under it, and before she registered what he was doing, she felt a cold sensation on her ankle and a click sound.


    It shocked her, and she looked down to see her ankle chained. "Seriously?"


    "You are not leaving again, Xia Luna. Now, where were we?"


    "Jiang Xingyu, unlock this thing!" She roared.


    "I will, but not just yet."


    Xia Luna saved her breath. She knew how unreasonable he could get when he let his emotions control him. Actually, she had already guessed that he might want to lock her up. Even then, she was still slightly shocked that he actually did. Did he think she was some pet?!


    Fine. She would remain silent until he got bored and let her go. If not, she could not guarantee that she wouldn''t decide to murder him.


    The two of them were in for long days to come.


    ...


    Li Lanni''s afternoon had been totally ruined by that Jiang bastard. If he did anything to hurt Xia Luna, she would kill him!


    Once she and Cheng Yu parted ways, she bought a new phone and called her mother. Luckily because she had told Li Yuming that she might be later than usual today, the latter assumed she was still in Star Art International when she didn''t hear from her. About her phone, she only said that she had accidentally broken it.


    After she reached home, she laid in her bed and contemplated whether to cancel her date because she no longer felt like going anywhere. But then she needed to cheer up. She still had an hour or so to get ready, so she took a quick shower before finding something to change into.


    She quickly changed into a burgundy dress, put on light makeup, and left the house. She did not want to keep Ji Xiehan waiting for too long.


    On the way to the main door, she stopped by her mother''s studio and let her know she was going out on a date with Ji Xiehan.


    "You look so beautiful, I''m jealous of him." Li Yuming gushed. "You don''t need to hurry back! You can spend the night at his place too." She beamed.


    Li Lanni did not know what to say. Why was everyone so eager for her to do something naughty with Ji Xiehan?


    Under the teasing gaze of her mother, she swiftly left home.


    It took an hour to reach the restaurant Ji Xiehan had chosen for their date. It was her favourite restaurant-''Berry Cusine''. She had only mentioned it once in the past in passing. At that time, their relationship was not even close as now and didn''t expect him to remember it. His consideration touched her. When she arrived, Ji Xiehan was already waiting for her.


    When Ji Xiehan saw her arrive, he stood up with a smile and pulled a chair for her like a gentleman.


    "Thank you." Li Lanni returned a smile and sat down. As coincidental as it could get, he was wearing a burgundy bow tie. Li Lanni chuckled at the coincidence. Was this telepathy?


    "I know you don''t like flowers, so I got you this instead." He held out a box with a crystal hair clip in it.


    "Thank you." Li Lanni took it from him and directly fixed it in her hair.


    Both of them were nervous for the same reason, and their interaction became a bit restrained. He was wondering what she really wanted to tell him while she wondered how he would react to her confession.


    To disperse the awkward atmosphere around them, he quickly called the waiter to order their meals. Li Lanni sighed in relief; she decided to talk about it after their dinner. They ate in silence as Li Lanni gathered her thoughts. Before she realized it, she had eaten a bit too much and felt a bit uncomfortable.


    "Ji Xiehan, let''s take a walk." She suggested when they were done eating.


    "Okay." He settled the bill and led her out.


    Li Lanni was getting more nervous with every passing second. He wouldn''t reject her, would he? That would be too embarrassing. But considering how he been sticking to her, he must love her too, right?


    "Ji..." She was about to speak when a young lad bumped into her.


    "I''m so sorry! Miss, are you okay?" The young man hurriedly picked Li Lanni''s purse that had fallen and gave it to her. "Here. I hope nothing is damaged. I''m so..." he froze when he saw Li Lanni''s face.


    "It''s nothing. You may go." Li Lanni was uncomfortable from his gaze, and so was Ji Xiehan. He held her waist protectively.


    The young man looked shocked and in disbelief. Seconds later, moisture gathered at the rims of his eyes. "Phoenix!"


    He would have hugged Li Lanni if Ji Xiehan didn''t stop him. He was still overjoyed nonetheless, wiping the tears that had already started falling from his eyes. "It really is you. I knew I shouldn''t believe all that nonsense everyone kept saying about you. I knew you would come back. Are you coming back to the team?"


    "Uhm... I think you got the wrong person. My name is not Phoenix." Li Lanni replied, still shocked at his antics.


    "Of course, you are Phoenix. I could get my own name wrong, but I would never mistake anyone for you."


    "She said she is not Phoenix. Please excuse us." Ji Xiehan was irritated that someone was ruining their time with his tears. He led Li Lanni away right after saying that.


    "She really is Phoenix!" The young man mumbled. "Would anyone get their sworn sister wrong?"


    ...


    "What an ''entertaining'' day." Li Lanni sighed when they finally got rid of the young man. First, she gets kidnapped and leaves her sister in the hands of a bastard, and now someone mistakes her for someone else?


    "You really don''t know him?" Ji Xiehan asked.


    "I don''t."


    Ji Xiehan looked at her and said nothing else. What if that person was from her past? In the last few months, he had discovered that her past was quite questionable. There were many things he couldn''t understand, no matter how hard he thought about it.


    "Could it be Luna''s alias?" Li Lanni thought out aloud. Her sister had more aliases than necessary. What if this was just one of them?


    "It could be. You should ask her about it later." Ji Xiehan seconded. Indeed, Xia Luna was sneakier than Li Lanni. She was more likely to have such a strange alias, and since they looked alike, one could mistake them for each other.


    Yet again, the mood had been ruined. Li Lanni no longer thought it was the right time for a confession. Especially not when she had started wondering what would happen if that Phoenix name was not Xia Luna''s alias but hers instead.


    ...


    At the same time, Xia Luna was also having an entertaining evening.


    Her entertainment was watching Jiang Xingyu fawn all over her and literally beg her to eat.


    "You don''t want to eat nuggets? Then what do you want to eat? I will have it prepared for you." Jiang Xingyu pleaded, holding the seventh choice of food. She had wordlessly rejected the last six and wouldn''t even say a word.


    He was on the verge of breaking down. Knowing how stubborn Xia Luna was, letting her stay hungry until she decided to eat was definitely not an option.. She would rather starve to death than relent.

 Chapter 145 - Get This Done With.

    This went on for hours.


    "What do you want?" He placed the umpteenth food tray on the table and asked helplessly.


    "Let me go."


    It was the same words she had said for hours.


    "No, Xia. Anything but this."


    "Then leave me alone." She retorted.


    "I''ll forcefully feed you instead." He threatened as his patience was wearing thin.


    She scoffed and looked away. "If you think this will make me submit to you, in your freaking dreams!"


    "Don''t be stupid, Xia Luna! Haven''t you had enough already?!" Jiang Xingyu roared. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at her.


    He took a deep breath when he realized what he had just done and took her hand. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to shout at you."


    Xia Luna retracted her hand and pulled away from him, going as far as the chain could allow. "I don''t know you anymore, Jiang Xingyu."


    "And do I know you? You put on an act in front of me. Otherwise, are you going to claim that you transformed from an adorable little damsel to a carefree crossdresser within one year? If not, what are you trying to hide?"


    "That''s none of your business." She snapped.


    "It''s in every way, my business." He was tired of pleading with her. "Feigning nonchalance will not get you out of here. You can keep the pretense as much as you want!" He stormed out of the room.


    Xia Luna shrugged and lay back on the bed. The chain was long enough to let her sleep, but it was still uncomfortable. She ignored it and tried to sleep. She curled up in bed as her shoulders shook slightly. She tried not to be scared.


    Despite her stubbornness and strength, Xia Luna had one weakness that could break her apart. She was afraid of being trapped.


    When she was little, her stepmother would often tie her using ropes or chains and lock her up in the storeroom as punishment. By the time her father found out what her stepmother had been doing, it was too late. It had already affected her mental health.


    She had been trying to overcome this fear, yet this was precisely what Jiang Xingyu did in the name of love or whatever reason he had. He had trapped her.


    ...


    Xia Luna tried to lull herself to sleep. No matter what that man did, she would not relent.


    When she was a kid, her stepmother had tortured her in many ways leaving a psychological scar on her. What further harm could Jiang Xingyu possibly do to her? No one could hold a candle to that woman in torturing. Reminiscing those days made her grit her teeth in hatred and disgust.


    Although that was what she thought, being locked up was not the only problem. After just a few hours, she was famished.  This morning she had been too rushed to eat breakfast, and because she had rushed here, she didn''t have time to eat lunch either.


    Her stomach hurt from all the hunger pangs. If she kept this up, she might have gastritis. She was already starting to feel slight tremors in her body.


    Just as she considered calling Jiang Xingyu back, the door opened, and a maid walked in with a tray of food.


    "Madam, sir asked me to bring this. I warmed it up for you."


    Xia Luna was too hungry and exhausted to keep resisting. So she accepted the food. "Thank you. Also, call me Luna next time."


    "Sir ordered us to call you madam." The maid trembled and answered meekly.


    Xia Luna was displeased. Madam? What madam? She was not married to him, and she wouldn''t be. She was not even close to being his girlfriend. Why would he ask his servants to address her as the mistress of the house? Whatever. It was just a word. It wasn''t like it would do anything to decrease her lifespan.


    After filling her stomach, it was much easier to sleep this time. She didn''t even care that she was in Jiang Xingyu''s bed or that her ankle was chained.


    Just as she drifted off to sleep, she heard the door open, followed by soft but firm footsteps that she recognized all too well.


    She stiffened and pretended to be asleep.


    Soon, the space beside her sank, and she knew he had laid down next to her. There was no movement for a while, and she assumed that he must be asleep.


    Just when she was about to let out a sigh of relief, she felt him wrap a hand around her and bring her into his embrace.


    She pretended to be in sleep contrast to the turmoil within her. She waited for what he would do next, but there were no movements again. He only held her in his arms and fell into a peaceful sleep.


    If he had not forced her here in such a rude manner, this would have been one of those sweet memorable moments.


    "Jiang Xingyu, I need to use the bathroom." She said after a while.


    Jiang Xingyu was fast asleep, but when he heard her voicing her discomfort, he woke up immediately. He opened a safe where he retrieved the key and unlocked her chain, letting her go to the bathroom.


    He was still paranoid, but he couldn''t possibly guard her even when she went to the bathroom, could he? Well, he could if it wouldn''t be absurd and outright stupid. He could only eagerly wait for her to come back.


    ¡­


    After easing her discomfort, Xia Luna looked around.


    Aside from the tiny window in the shower compartment, there was a larger frosted window near the bathtub. She looked around and saw a pair of scissors on the toiletry rack. Her eyes landed on the neatly folded towels on the next shelf.


    Actually, if she really wanted to seize this chance to escape, it was easy as pie. Was Jiang Xingyu testing her? He did know that she didn''t care, didn''t he?


    She robotically walked over to the rack and picked the pair of scissors. It was sharp and¡­ it could help her in two different ways.


    Either cut the towels and use them to make a rope to climb out of the window, or stab the man and teach him a lesson before leaving. Or both.


    However, thinking of something, she put the scissors back.


    She went back onto the bed and naturally lay back in his arms.


    Jiang Xingyu let out an audible sigh. After letting her go on her own, he remembered the large window. When she didn''t come out after a few minutes, he had almost believed that she climbed out. Then she surprised him by coming back and even snuggling in his arms. He kissed her head and hugged her closer.


    It was only the next morning that he jolted, remembering that he had forgotten to put the chain back on her. As expected, she was no longer in the room.


    "Damn it!" He cursed. He had been careless with her yet again.


    He grabbed the nearest jeans he could get and swiftly wore it, grabbed his phone, and was about to make an order when the door opened and in she waltzed.


    "You¡­"


    Xia Luna walked in with a sweet smile. "I brought you breakfast."


    Jiang Xingyu looked at her in a mashup of happiness and disbelief. "You only went to make me breakfast?" Not only did she not flee, but she also brought breakfast for him!


    "Wash up and eat." She smiled yet again and placed the tray on the nightstand. "I didn''t cook anything; it was the maids who prepared it. I was done eating, and you had not yet left the room, so I brought it up for you."


    "Oh." Jiang Xingyu was still overjoyed that she cared about him.


    He washed up at record speed and started eating.


    He kept stealing glances at her. To be exact, he was blatantly staring. Xia Luna chuckled and questioned. "Why do you keep looking at me?"


    "You didn''t leave." Jiang Xingyu was still in disbelief. She had such a heaven-sent chance. If she wanted to leave, not even his bodyguards could stop her. He could guess as much because for someone to disappear for more than a year completely, she had to be a skilled trickster.


    When she saw that he was done with his breakfast, she looked into his eyes and said in a solemn voice, "Jiang Xingyu, we need to talk. You are childish and absolutely annoying. You know that, right? I was willing to give you¡­ to give us a chance, but then you ignored me. Why are you clinging to me now?"


    "Wait, what? When did you do anything aside from run away from me, Xia? The last time I thought we would talk, but you must be addicted to running away.. The moment I let my guard down, you slipped away without giving me a chance to speak with you."

 Chapter 146 - Misunderstanding?

    Xia Luna furrowed her brows and slapped her forehead in realization. "I had to attend to an emergency at that time so I had to leave early, and you were in a deep sleep, but I left that note and told you to¡­ wait, did you even read that note?"


    From his expression, he probably didn''t read it. Xia Luna just didn''t know what to tell him. If he didn''t read that note then¡­ did she misunderstand his silence?


    The turn of events also dumbfounded Jiang Xingyu. Wasn''t that a mushy note about how she couldn''t be with him?¡­ if that was not a rejection note, what was it? Did he misunderstand her intentions?


    Xia Luna glared at him fiercely. What was the meaning of all this ruckus then?


    Whatever it was, she still needed to get this done with once and for all.


    "You want answers, right? I will give you the answers to all your questions." She peeked at his unreadable expression, but she could see that the fork in his hard had been gripped so tightly that his knuckles were turning pale.


    "You want to know why I left, don''t you? I will tell you why I left, why I stayed in hiding for all these months, and why I''m now using fake identities. But before that promise me one thing, will you?"


    "What?" Jiang Xingyu was more terrified than curious. Why did she make it sound like a huge deal?


    "My condition is¡­" she was hesitant and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Jiang Xingyu, promise me you will not hand me over to the police."


    "Erm¡­" Jiang Xingyu was speechless.


    Weren''t they talking about them, their love life, and their misunderstandings? How did the topic of the law and the police suddenly pop up?


    Xia Luna became more anxious when he only coughed and didn''t say a word. What was he thinking? It would be better if he spoke it out. His silence was making her anxious.


    She clutched the hem of her shit nervously. "I really didn''t want to abandon you without explaining anything. But if I contacted you, you would be implicated." She sounded¡­ helpless?


    Jiang Xingyu gulped and stared at her. Everything she was saying was suddenly so foreign that he didn''t know how to wrap his mind around it.


    "What do you mean by implicating me?" He finally remembered to ask after a long pause.


    Xia Luna looked like she was battling with herself to say this. "Jiang Xingyu, I''m wanted by the police. If anyone knew I was contacting you, you might have been deemed to be hiding a criminal."


    "What?" It was a half-whisper. Jiang Xingyu was so shocked that no right words could come out of his mouth. He opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, not being able to utter a peep.


    He only found his voice later. "How could the police want you? What did you do?"


    "I stabbed my stepmother." Xia Luna took a deep breath and replied solemnly.


    The plate in Jiang Xingyu''s hand found its way to the floor with a loud clatter. He looked at the woman before him in disbelief. "You''re joking, right?"


    And, my dear Xia, could you drop one bomb at a time?


    "I wouldn''t joke with such matters."


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t know what to think. Aside from being a troublemaker to some extent, he had always thought of his Xia as a damsel who was mild and tame and couldn''t even bring herself to hit someone.


    Yet now she revealed that not only did she stab someone, but she also hid away to escape charges?


    Where was he? What was this universe called? Who was this girl, and what did she do to the real Xia Luna?


    When Xia Luna saw how horrified he looked, her heart was filled with sadness. She stood with a shrug. "I guess there was no difference, after all. If you don''t want to see me anymore, I understand."


    Jiang Xingyu grabbed her hand and made her sit. "Xia, what nonsense are you saying? No matter what you did, it will never change what I feel for you. Besides, you must have had your reasons, right?"


    Xia Luna''s eyes grew cold as she just spat it out. "It was self-defense."


    ___


    Fifteen months ago.


    In her stupor and shock, Xia Luna rushed back home even though it was late at night. As soon as she was home, she locked herself in her room, hugged her knees, and sobbed.


    "It''s all my fault." She muttered. "Lanni, I''m so sorry."


    Li Lanni wouldn''t have left her home if she hadn''t advised her to do so. She had told her that she would take care of her. But little did she know that she was only pushing her sister to her near death.


    They did say that accidents are by fate, and humans can neither foresee nor control them, but that didn''t erase the fact that the person who asked her sister to leave was her. To make it worse, she had been a coward. Her first instinct was to hide away when she felt someone else''s presence.


    After crying her heart out for hours, Xia Luna stood up. What was the use of crying? She had to go back to B City.


    According to what her father had said, her mother must be a kind woman. If she could convince her mother to let the Xia family take care of Li Lanni, it would be much better. After all, her father could access the best hospitals in the nation.


    She wobbled her way to the master bedroom and was just about to knock the door when she remembered that her father was out of the city for a business trip.


    To avoid being asked questions by anyone else, she left through the backdoor. But then something caught her eye. What was Li Xiyan doing outside so late at night?


    That''s right. Her step mother''s surname was also Li.


    Heaven knew where her paternal grandmother got that scheming woman and forced her on her own son.


    But that didn''t matter for now because Li Xiyan was currently speaking to someone on the phone. Oblivious of Xia Luna''s presence, she hung up and grinned devilishly then kept her phone away. It was a cell phone, different from the phone she usually used. Xia Luna furrowed her brows in suspicion. She definitely had something to hide.


    Xia Luna momentarily forgot about where she was going. That could wait for a little. Something was fishy about Li Xiyan, and she had to know what it was.


    Hence she sneakily followed the woman, keeping a safe distance.


    Unaware that she was being followed, Li Xiyan grinned and sauntered her way to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. "One down, two to go.", she whispered in excitement with a wicked grin on her face.


    Xia Luna felt chills down her spine. One down, two to go? What did that even mean?


    A cold glint flashed across her eyes. She had a bad premonition. It might have meant nothing if this was any other day.


    But just a few hours ago, something huge happened to Li Lanni, then the demoness made a phone call and was smiling so happily. It was not sure whether the demoness knew about Li Lanni''s existence, but she couldn''t rule out that possibility either. What if she knew about Li Lanni and Li Yuming and was trying to eliminate them?


    Xia Luna knew it was just instinct, but she somehow felt the two were related. Her mind was in a mess. She needs to look into the matter immediately.


    She was just about to go back to her room to check when Li Xiyan took out the cellphone and made another eerie call.


    "Li Yuming too.


    Yes.


    Wait for my update."


    As soon as Xia Luna heard her mother''s name come out of the woman''s lips, her blood boiled and she barged in without thinking, "Don''t you dare!"


    "Oh. Look what the cat dragged in." Li Xiyan was shocked when she saw Xia Luna suddenly barge in but controlled her expression and mocked her with a smirk.


    "You hurt my sister, and now you want to hurt my mother. Li Xiyan, where is your conscience? Haven''t you tortured me to your heart''s content?" She raged.


    "Who asked them to try and invade my territory? She replied languidly.


    Not only is your sister trying to threaten my position by being alive, but she is also even trying to investigate my family as well. How dare she?! If she wants to save the world so much, why can''t she become a superhero?!"


    "You¡­" Xia Luna didn''t know what shocked her more. Li Xiyan''s stupidity or the fact that Li Lanni investigated Li Xiyan''s family? Was her sister crazy? Why would she do that?


    ***


    Author''s note:


    A few chapters ago, I asked you guys whether you want the story to be changed and you all said you want it to go the way it is.


    Because I respect my readers'' and fans'' opinion, I will only edit it and remove those parts that don''t make sense but the story will remain the same.


    Thanks for reading?

 Chapter 147 - Murderer

    But whatever it was,  "There is no excuse! Li Xiyan, you are a murderer! You shameless woman, I''m going to expose you!"


    "Oh no, you don''t." The woman pulled Xia Luna and tackled her to the ground.


    "What are you doing?"


    The woman grabbed a fruit knife. "Ending you little b*tch. So you can accompany your dumb sister."


    The next thing Xia Luna saw was the knife heading towards her chest. She didn''t know what she did until she heard the sound of steel slicing into flesh¡­ and it was not her who had been stabbed but Li Xiyan. She had stabbed Li Xiyan. She didn''t know when it happened either.


    "Ahhhhh!" A shrill scream broke the silence.


    Xia Luna was horrified when she saw a little maid standing by the doorway. Several servants were rushing over to check what was going on too.


    Xia Luna, who still had the bloodstained knife in her hand, trembled. "She tried to kill me. It was self-defense." She tried to explain nervously, but no one listened to her everyone started to call her a murderer


    ¡­.


    The present.


    Xia Luna still felt disgusted and sad when she remembered the events that followed.


    "No one believed me. Usually, I was cold and unfriendly, thanks to how much that woman had tortured me in my childhood.


    I didn''t even spare the servants an extra glance. I didn''t know it made them assume I''m a bad person until that moment.


    The maid who screamed, Wanwan, must have seen more than she claimed to have seen. However, she insisted that all she saw was me stabbing my stepmother. She even swore that I had a bad personality and would resort to violence when things didn''t go my way. Li Xiyan, on the other hand, was too kind even to hurt a fly.  All the evidences were against me.


    My father''s heart condition acted up when he heard the news and was hospitalized. So, I was all on my own."


    Jiang Xingyu swallowed, feeling like the most useless prick under the sun. His Xia had suffered so much, yet he had not been there for her. And moreover, while she was suffering silently with no one to rely on, he had blamed her and even hated her.


    Without trying to understand the reason behind her actions, he had kidnapped her friend''s brother and forcefully locked her up to force the truth out of her mouth.


    He regretted until his intestines turned green. Ji Xiehan had been right. His stupor had indeed made him do deplorable things.


    He looked at her and took her hand, almost unable to look at her. "Xia, you don''t have to tell me if it hurts."


    "It doesn''t make a difference Jiang Xingyu. Besides, if I don''t talk about this today, I will not be able to talk about it again." She bit the bullet and continued.


    "So they called the police and reported me as a murderer. I somehow ran off from the house and hid somewhere safe.


    While that woman was in the hospital, I obtained evidence of her contacting Ji Feifei, a guy called Yang Su and some notorious goons."


    Jiang Xingyu had the umpteenth shock of the day. "Hold on. Ji Feifei was involved too?"


    "Yes, and when I found out, I was more shocked than you are. I already knew that Ji Feifei was a fake friend of Lanni''s, but I didn''t know she would go to the extent of teaming up with other people to kill her.


    Jiang Xingyu remained silent with surprise. No wonder in the past, Xia Luna had said that Ji Feifei was the Ji family''s future downfall. Even he hadn''t expected that the innocent-looking little girl would have it in her to be an accomplice to murder.


    But that was not the most surprising thing. He remembered that Ji Xiehan had investigated the matter before and found no leads. How come he and Ji Xiehan didn''t find anything while Xia Luna did?


    Xia Luna continued to narrate what happened as though it did not happen to her but to some characters in a movie. "I did find evidence of their communication. There were no voice call recordings, but I somehow retrieved their deleted text messages and presented them to the police.


    However, as soon as Li Xiyan saw the light again, she refuted all the evidence. She told the police that I  was a proficient hacker and that I could hack into her phone and edit anything into incriminating texts."


    Before that moment, Xia Luna had never hated her skills so much before. The witch had totally used it against her.


    "Well, there was nothing to prove that the texts were fake, but there was nothing to prove that they were real either, so it was dispelled. That was the only thing that could prove that Li Xiyan had a motive to hurt me. How infuriating!


    And there was an issue regarding inheriting my father''s legacy. My father''s health had been deteriorating. If he died and Lanni and I died too, all his wealth would evidently go to his wife. It wouldn''t be a surprise if she greedily eliminated anyone who could compete with her for the wealth. However, I couldn''t point this out because she would cry and declare her love in front of the police¡ªthat, and the fact that it was mere speculation, not conclusive evidence.


    So I was under arrest. But I couldn''t let myself be arrested.


    I knew that if I was jailed, that woman could create any means possible to eliminate me while in jail. I couldn''t die before avenging Lanni and making sure no one would hurt my mother. So I ran away, hoping that I would find evidence somewhere.


    So here I am, yet I haven''t found anything in the past year."


    What Xia Luna didn''t mention was that in the past year, she had trained hard and learned more fighting and survival techniques so she would be able to protect her mother and sister if the need arose. She was also planning to talk Li Lanni into training. Li Lanni''s physical strength had decreased a lot, and Xia Luna was not even sure that Li Lanni could swat a fly if it came her way.


    A thought struck her mind, and she sprang to her feet. "I found a link among everyone that I discovered to have been involved in that accident. It''s an odd coincidence that even I didn''t know was possible.


    Li Xiyan, Ji Feifei, Yang Su, and the few other minions were all people Lanni had investigated before. I don''t know why she would do such things, honestly.


    They have odd similarities too. For one thing, Yang Su and Ji Feifei both pretended to be Lanni''s friends at some point. Then there''s their smooth collaboration. Something must have been tying them together, and it is not just money.


    I hypothesize that they knew each other before Lanni came about. Perhaps they were doing the same illegal thing together?


    That was why I kidnapped Ji Feifei out of jail and tried to make her talk¡­"


    Jiang Xingyu''s jaw almost dropped to the floor.


    How many bombs were his Xia planning to drop?


    Everything she said made him question his knowledge of life. He had heard about Ji Feifei being arrested and all the crimes she had committed. He had also heard that Ji Feifei had broken out of jail but was soon captured. At that time, he was bewildered and speculated how she was able to break from prison.


    Now Xia Luna was saying that she was the one who broke Ji Feifei out?


    What kind of movie had his life turned into?


    Xia Luna didn''t know the turmoil she had just created in his mind and continued speaking to no one in particular. "Ji Feifei said her boss''s name was P¡­ She didn''t complete the statement before the police interrupted us. P must be the first letter.


    But what the hell is the whole name?


    Plum? Pumpkin?


    Uhm¡­ not food, I guess. Proud? Prudence? Even more unlikely.


    Philip? Paul?


    I guess I''m becoming stupid."


    She was so lost in thought that she almost knocked her foot on the foot of the bed. Jiang Xingyu grabbed her and made her sit beside him, wrapping her in a warm hug. "Calm down, will you? Take it slow. For now, stop thinking about it."


    Xia Luna didn''t try to leave his arms. "No, I cannot. This is important. I have to make that woman pay for hurting my sister. Her and whoever else worked with her or sent her."


    "Yes. But think about that later. For now, think about me for a second, can you?"


    He looked into the depth of her eyes that looked unsettled. He kissed her forehead in an attempt to calm her down. "Xia, I will keep my promise. I will not turn you in. But from now on, could you not hide things from me? I want to be part of your life. I want to join in your battles and fight for you.. I regret that I was not with you during the past year. But now, could you let me walk with you?"

 Chapter 148 - My Duty As Your Man

    Xia Luna pushed his arms off her gently. "No, Jiang Xingyu. I didn''t tell you all this so you could join me. I told you so you understand why I couldn''t and cannot be with you. Look, this is my battle, and I don''t want to implicate anyone.


    I don''t even know who I''m fighting against, and I''m pretty sure that whoever it is, I''m already their target. How can I let you put your life in danger for me?"


    Jiang Xingyu took her hand, placing a light kiss on her cold little fingers. "How can I let you walk into danger on your own? Xia, I would be a failure if I did that. My role as your man is to protect you."


    "My man, Jiang Xingyu? Since when..." Xia Luna was dumbfounded as she asked him.


    Jiang Xingyu shrugged shamelessly. "I don''t remember ever breaking up with you. You only left, but you didn''t dump me. As far as I know, you are still my girlfriend, and I''m still your man. And the last thing I want is for my girlfriend to leave again because she feels the need to be in hiding."


    Xia Luna was rendered speechless. Why didn''t she know before that this man knew how to twist facts so well? He was twisting logic in such a blatant way that she couldn''t even find the right words to retort. Hell, she didn''t even have the strength to retort. This was the perfect example of birds of a feather flocking together. No wonder he was a friend of Ji Xiehan.


    "Xia, let me protect you. I will not let anyone hurt you. I will help you find evidence to turn that woman in as well as prove your innocence. And if there''s anyone else out there that needs to be turned in, I will help you find evidence against them too. I know I''m starting to sound like a broken recorder with my rambling in circles. But you get what I mean, right?" Jiang Xingyu continued flusteredly.


    Xia Luna didn''t know what to say. All her life, her battles have always been hers. She has never let anyone help her, not even her father. How could she just turn into a damsel in distress and need a knight in shining armor to save her?


    She was still racking her brains when her phone rang.


    Worry appeared on her face when she glanced at the caller''s name. She glared at the man, who was still looking at her. "It''s my sister. She must have been worried all night, thanks to you."


    Jiang Xingyu responded to her glare with a laugh. "Well¡­"


    Xia Luna glared at him once more and answered the call. "Lanni."


    Li Lanni sighed in relief when she heard her sister''s voice. "Thank goodness you''re alright. Did that man do anything to you? Should I find someone to deploy the police¡­ no, should I hide a fifty-inch long knife and come to hack him to death?"


    Xia Luna burst into laughter. "Aren''t you too fierce? He did nothing to me. Not like he would be able to do anything even if he wanted to."


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. "I''m glad you are fine."


    Xia Luna remembered something and switched to gossip mode, forgetting the man beside her for a moment. "How did your date go? Did you confess? Did he agree¡­ what else happened?"


    "I thought Xiao Yu was the most gossipy one." Li Lanni chuckled and sounded sad.


    Rage was evident in her voice as she said to her sister furiously, "What is it? Did the bastard reject you? How dare he reject my beautiful, intelligent, and perfect sister? Tell me where he is, I will beat him into a pulp."


    Her sister''s thoughtfulness touched Li Lanni. "He didn''t reject me. To be exact, he didn''t even have the chance to reject me. Someone ruined the moment, and I didn''t even confess."


    "What a bummer¡­ I was hoping I would become an aunt nine months from now." Xia Luna groaned, not only rendering Li Lanni speechless but also Jiang Xingyu, who was sitting beside her. He stared at her wide-eyed wondering, was this girl seriously talking about that before him?


    "Invite him out again. This time, confess as soon as you see him." Xia Luna said, talked about a few other things, and hung up.


    She was about to put her phone back when she felt her body float. Before she knew it, the man shoved her onto the bed and towered over her.


    She yelped in alarm, which was swallowed by him in the next moment. She felt his cold lips on her as he kissed her. He only paused when they were both out of breath.


    He said in a masculine voice, "Why don''t you make your sister an aunt first?"


    Before Xia Luna could say anything, without any warning, he tugged at her shirt.


    Xia Luna instinctively pushed him off her with all her strength. Only her last strand of rationality stopped her from kneeing him in the groin. "What do you think you''re doing?" She roared.


    Jiang Xingyu was startled awake. He ran a hand through his hair speechlessly. He must have been so muddled by the fact that she willingly opened up to him that he assumed that she still loved him.


    Also, he had forgotten that Xia Luna did not like to be touched or hugged, even in the past. It was only a few times when they shared a bed that she accommodated his likes and let him hug her to sleep. Last night, she did not push him away; it must have been for the same reason too. How could he take things far?


    Xia Luna bit the corner of her lower lip as she observed his apologetic yet pitiful expression. She grabbed his hand and played with it, trying to explain. "Jiang Xingyu, I do not hate you. But I do not love you either."


    "But you said you were willing to give me a real chance. Are you changing your mind now?" Jiang Xingyu had not missed that.


    "Yes, I said I was willing to give you a chance: and no, I have not changed my mind. As long as all these predicaments are over, we can be together. I will try to love you, and even if I am not able to, I will still treat you with all the respect and care you deserve.


    It''s not that we cannot do this right now, but if we did, it would be because I feel indebted to you, not because I want..."


    Jiang Xingyu did not wait for her to complete his statement before he shook his head vigorously. "No need. We can do it when you want to."


    As a man in love, there was no way he would forcefully sleep with the girl he loves. He wanted to obtain her consent out of love. He knew that as long as she felt secure around him, she could fall in love with him.


    "Thank you for understanding¡­ and not forcing me." Xia Luna smiled at his response


    Jiang Xingyu coughed. How was he supposed to answer that?


    A knock resounded on the door and saved him from the awkwardness. He hurried to open it.


    "Sir, I''m sorry for disturbing your rest." It was the housekeeper. "May I ask if you had made any order from Chou Boutique?"


    It was not that Jiang Xingyu could not order from that boutique, but it was a renowned women-only boutique. The housekeeper found it strange to see a delivery man from that boutique claiming to deliver goods for Jiang Xingyu.


    Jiang Xingyu was surprised too.


    He was about to say he didn''t order anything when Xia Luna spoke up. "It''s my order. Please help me pick it."


    "Okay." So it was the Madam. The housekeeper nodded and returned downstairs.


    Jiang Xingyu looked at Xia Luna curiously. "When did you make any order, and with my card too? How do you even know my card details?"


    Xia Luna looked at him like he was a forgetful idiot. "I know the pins to all your cards. You should have received an expense notification from your bank." She looked at him while fidgeting nervously. "I can''t use my own cards. You will not mind, will you? I will return your money in cash.


    Right. Also, could you give me a ride? I need to go somewhere, and you have to go to the office too, right? You can drop me off on your way."


    When he saw her asking while fidgeting, Jiang Xingyu felt an arrow pierce through his heart. He ran a hand through his hair as his ears turned red. Why did Xia Luna look so cute right now? He almost couldn''t resist kissing her lips. But he would probably get a slap for that, so he coughed to control his emotions and replied, "Wash up and get dressed then.. I will wait for you downstairs."

 Chapter 149 - I Want A Daughter

    He took a set of work clothes and went to another room, freshened up and changed before going downstairs. Xia Luna wasn''t  done yet, so he sat on the couch to wait for her. While at it, he took one of the newspapers that had been delivered a few minutes ago and started reading through it.


    "Tsk." He cringed when he read one of the headlines from a slightly popular media house. [Heroes to Zeroes: Oracle Daily in hot soup for reporting false news.]


    These days it was quite common for many news agencies to report news they thought was right and later finding out that whatever they had reported was fake, or it was not entirely true.  But even after finding out the facts, most of them would not correct the articles, fearing that it would ruin their reputation. However, such a thing had never happened to any of the agencies under Lin Media Group. It was even more shocking that Oracle Daily, the largest and most famous agency under Lin Media Group, was the one being caught up in such a scandal.


    "Lin Media Group is seriously deteriorating." Jiang Xingyu frowned as he went on to read the comparison between the news reported by Oracle Daily a few days ago and the actual facts. What a huge difference. Did the journalists even try to check through anything, or did they just hear rumors and blindly dump them into articles?


    He was still immersed in the news when a maid reported, "Sir, Madam is here."


    Jiang Xingyu thought the maid was talking about Xia Luna but was shocked when he heard the footsteps emanating from the entrance and froze.


    Xia Luna was still here! Not only that, but she also wanted her presence to remain unknown, and his mother''s arrival was definitely not going to help that happen.


    He turned robotically to face his mother. "Good morning, mother, why are you here?"


    Madam Jiang crossed her arms over her chest in disapproval. "Hello to you too."


    She reached over to smack his head in annoyance. "You punk. You rarely ever make your way home, and now I cannot even visit my own son unless I have a reason? I guess I should have booked an appointment six months earlier as well?"


    Jiang Xingyu was embarrassed by his mother''s words. Now that he thought about, it had been a while since he visited his mother. No wonder she came here early in the morning. Jiang Xingyu awkwardly coughed, "Mother, I didn''t mean it that way. Don''t exaggerate it."


    "Yeah, yeah." Madam Jiang had a hurt expression. "Now, I cannot even say a word. Great."


    Jiang Xingyu didn''t know what to do with his mother, who loved to act and make a big deal out of everything. Couldn''t she just be like other mothers?


    His mother''s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, "I called your phone, but it was unreachable, so I decided to drop by since I was on my way.


    Li Yuming is holding an Art charity banquet on Friday. She has invited the Jiang Family. Your father and I are going but you must definitely be present as well."


    "I understand, mother." It was on such short notice, but he would definitely be there. Even if he was on the moon, he would make sure to return on time. He wanted to grab every opportunity to get on the good side of his future mother-in-law. How could he miss such an opportunity readily served on a golden platter?


    Madam Jiang was happy when she saw her son nod obediently.


    Since she was done here, she wanted to leave but before that, of course, she was going to nag her son endlessly about his love life. She casually said to him, "Are you still hung up on that girl who dumped you? Don''t waste away your whole life because of her. If you give up, just say the word, and I will introduce you to a very beautiful and nice girl."


    "Mother, is there anything else?" Xia Luna should be done changing soon. He didn''t want her to meet with his mother under such circumstances.


    Madam Jiang felt sad by his words, "This is why I want a daughter. While my son finds all sorts of excuses to send me away or stay away from me, she would cling to me and spend the lonely days with me."


    Jiang Xingyu tittered at his mother''s theatrics. He wordlessly promised to bring her a daughter-in-law soon.


    Seeing that her son didn''t outright reject her as always, her eyes brightened up and she turned to leave after achieving her purpose of coming, "I''ll be leaving then."


    "I''ll walk you out." Jiang Xingyu secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    But then at that moment¡­


    "I''m done." A soft voice resounded from the top of the stairs.


    Jiang Xingyu cursed under his breath.


    Madam Jiang was shocked. If she didn''t hear it wrong, it was a woman''s voice. There was a woman in Jiang Xingyu''s house?


    She turned in excitement. No wonder he wanted to send her off so fast. But when she saw the young woman, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    What was Li Lanni doing in her son''s house early in the morning? Wasn''t she Ji Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e?


    It was not that she minded it if Li Lanni fell in love with her son; in fact, she would be overjoyed if that happened, but she was worried that the two friends would fight if Li Lanni was involved with Jiang Xingyu before properly breaking up with Ji Xiehan.


    "You punk. No wonder you wanted me to leave so fast." She jabbed her son then beamed at the girl who was equally shocked to see her.


    "Lanni? It''s nice to see you again. Come here. Let aunty hug you. I missed you very much."


    Xia Luna balled her fists, not knowing whether to impersonate her sister or tell the truth.


    It was definitely easier to impersonate her sister since Madam Jiang didn''t even know that Li Lanni had a twin. However, that might make Madam Jiang misunderstand Li Lanni, and in turn, she might tell Madam Ji that Li Lanni was a two-timer. Creating a wrong impression of her sister in front of her future in-laws was definitely not one of the things good sisters should do.


    Not to mention, she would create a wrong impression of herself if she lied right now.


    She gulped and walked over.


    Jiang Xingyu was also expecting her to impersonate Li Lanni. He was currently weaving a story about how Li Lanni and Ji Xiehan broke up already in case his mother started asking questions.


    However, Xia Luna shocked him by admitting her identity. "Aunty, I''m sorry you got the wrong person. I''m not Li Lanni."


    Madam Jiang cocked her head in confusion. "What? What are you even saying? You are obviously Lanni. There''s no possibility of two different people being this identical."


    Xia Luna nervously explained. "I''m Li Lanni''s sister. My name is Xia Luna."


    "Oh¡­ are you twins? No wonder you look so similar. Xia¡­ wait. What? Who did you say you were?"


    Xia Luna gulped and repeated her name.


    Madam Jiang''s smile froze. "Let me confirm this. Is your father''s name Xia Hanchen?"


    "Yes."


    From Madam Jiang''s shocked expression, she could already tell that the latter must have heard about her. It was definitely time for that "stay away from my son" drama to begin.


    Madam Jiang was so shocked that she had to sit. She did not know whether she was more shocked about ''that'' Xia Luna being Li Lanni''s twin or that she was in Jiang Xingyu''s house.


    So this was the girl that dumped her son. She had been wondering just what she looked like, but never in a million years would she have expected this.


    When she had recollected her brain, she looked at her equally puzzled son. "You do know what type of person she is, don''t you?"


    Jiang Xingyu bit the bullet. "You mentioned a snippet of that the last time I was home. However, mother, some things aren''t always as they appear. Xia was framed. Mother, I''m sorry, but this is not my secret to tell. So I cannot explain beyond this, but I trust her."


    "Is that so?" Madam Jiang thought about it. Since her son trusted the girl even while knowing her reputation, it should mean that there were good reasons behind what happened, right?


    All she wanted to be was for her son to be safe. However, that was not going to be a reason for her to stand in the way for her own son''s happiness.


    She looked at the nervous girl with a warm smile. "I have heard about you, they were definitely not good things. I was going to question your past, but I have faith in my son''s judgment.. Since my son trusts you, I guess I should trust you too."

 Chapter 150 - Ill Hold Him Down For You

    Jiang Xingyu thought that his mother wouldn''t accept Xia Luna after knowing the truth about her background. He was on pins and needles. But not only did she not create a ruckus as he thought, but she also accepted Xia Luna with a warm smile.


    Her words relieved Jiang Xingyu. He sighed and decided to push his luck a little. "Mother, for the sake of her safety, no one can know Xia''s whereabouts. Could you please not tell anyone about her?"


    He thought that his mother would be suspicious and start bombarding him with questions, but she just scoffed. "Nonsense! Of course, I will not tell anyone. Since you said it is a misunderstanding, I would not want to cause trouble for my future daughter-in-law. If anything, I should be offering my help." She smiled at Xia Luna and tried to make her voice as friendly as possible. "My dear, if you experience any problems, just say the word and I will be there to help you."


    Jiang Xingyu was displeased that his mother was snatching his role, while Xia Luna was slightly embarrassed that Jiang Xingyu''s mother already acknowledged her. That was not the end of it. Madam Jiang stood up and took her hand, as though wondering whether to give her the Jiang family''s heirloom. "You decided to reconcile with Xingyu, right? That''s great. I''m telling you; my son can be an asshole most of the time, but¡­"


    "Mother¡­" Jiang Xingyu groaned. How could she say such a thing in the presence of his Xia?


    "I''m speaking to my future daughter-in-law. Why do you have so much to say? No one needs you here. Go find something to fill your mouth."


    She ignored her son and continued speaking to Xia Luna. "Although he can be quite a pain in the butt sometimes, I know that he truly loves you. You should have seen how hopeless he looked when you were not around. He looked like an abandoned pet."


    Xia Luna held back the urge to burst into laughter. Jiang Xingyu looked hopeless when she left? But then again, it was her fault so she did not laugh.


    Madam Jiang continued in a slightly pitiful tone. "I do not want to sound like I''m nagging you, but if he bullies you again, could you just beat him up instead of leaving? If you can''t, tell me about it, and I will hold him down for you so you can beat him to your heart''s content."


    "Sheesh." Jiang Xingyu felt abandoned. Just who was her real child? Was she really his mother?


    Even so, he did not mind. It was a good thing that his mother liked Xia Luna. One of the worst nightmares for a woman was to have a mother-in-law who hated her. Since his mother liked Xia Luna, it would save him all that drama of being caught in between his mother and his wife.


    Besides, as a woman herself, his mother might know how to convince Xia Luna to stay in case the latter changed her mind and wanted to flee again, not that he would let the situation escalate to the point that Xia Luna would have to be on the run again. But just in case.


    Madam Jiang and Xia Luna had a lot in common. The former had always wanted a daughter while the latter had always craved for a mother''s warmth and love. So, the two of them hit it off so well that one would think they had known each other for ages. Both of them had endless topics to converse about.


    Jiang Xingyu couldn''t take it more and interrupted them before his mother could suggest forgetting about him and adopting Xia Luna on her own. "Mother, we need to go. I should drop Xia off on my way to the office."


    Madam Jiang was displeased, but she could only let go. She reluctantly let Xia Luna go but only after they exchanged their phone numbers and promised to chat once in a while. Madam Jiang entered her car to let her chauffeur deive her back while Xia Luna got into Jiang Xingyu''s car.


    After hesitating for a while, in the car, Jiang Xingyu tried to ask casually, "Do you like my mother? The two of you seem to hit it off."


    "Yeah." Xia Luna was still looking out of the window at Madam Jiang, who was getting into her car. She waved at her and tore her gaze. "Don''t you find it strange? My own mother hates me to the core while a woman I just met already likes me. And it''s not just fake ''love'' for the sake of saving face for his son. Everything about her is so sincere."


    Jiang Xingyu was glad she thought that way of his mother, but he still didn''t think that Li Yuming was a bad person.


    "You see, many people misunderstand you. Perhaps that''s the case with your mother as well. My mother trusts you because you are my choice and I trust you. Before she knew that you are the girl I love, didn''t she also think all those rumours about you are true?" Jiang Xingyu tried to console her as he started the car.


    Xia Luna could not refute this. Indeed, before Jiang Xingyu spoke up, his mother had been shocked and even looked like she was going to kick her out. She seemed to believe everything she had heard.


    "Perhaps what your mother needs is a reason to think better of you." Jiang Xingyu concluded.


    Xia Luna''s lips twitched. Like that would ever happen.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in the Li villa,


    Li Lanni was not very happy after she failed to confess to Ji Xiehan on their date last night. But after calling her sister and ensuring that the latter was alright, she felt better. On the phone, her sister sounded happy. Perhaps she had spoken things out with Jiang Xingyu and solved their little problem? If that was the case, she would be happy for her sister.


    She sat down at the dining table to eat her breakfast in a better mood, but still, she wasn''t happy about her failed confession.


    Li Yuming joined her a short while later. "Good morning. You don''t look as bright as I expected."


    "Eer¡­ how bright should I have looked?"


    "Like a girl madly in love. I mean, you already are, but it should feel different after going on a date with your man."


    Li Lanni rested her chin in her hand. ''Here we go again, the topic of love.'' She thought.


    But that made her realize something. Everyone around her knew she was in love with Ji Xiehan. Was she seriously the last one to find out her own feelings? Just how slow-witted was she?


    "I have invited him to the charity banquet held on Friday. You will have a lot of time to talk to him then. Of course, you can also ask him out before Friday." Li Yuming pulled her out of her thoughts.


    "What charity banquet?" Li Lanni asked curiously.


    "Oh¡­ I forgot to tell you. I''m holding a charity banquet to auction off my paintings." Li Yuming explained.


    "Oh¡­ but it''s just a few days away. Isn''t that too short notice? Will people really attend it?"


    "The banquet was decided on short notice, and I couldn''t come up with a better day, but don''t worry. I''m sure people will attend."


    Li Lanni could agree to this too. After all, this was her mother. If her fans heard she was holding any event, they would rush over even if they were only informed a few hours before the event.


    This was no different from her selling her paintings. Only that this time, she was not going to take any of the income she got from them. Instead, all the money would be sent to a charity organization.


    Li Yuming gave three envelopes to her. "These are some of the invitation letters. Help me give one to Xiao Yu and the other two to your Vice CEO and your professor."


    "Okay." Li Lanni finished up her breakfast and left.


    As soon as she arrived in the studio, she looked for Cheng Yu to give her the invitation before she could forget about it. "My mother is holding a charity banquet. Are you free to attend it?"


    Cheng Yu''s eyes visibly brightened up like a sunflower, and she took the invitation letter with a tiny squeal. "Of course, I will attend it!"


    She was about to say more when a whiny voice interrupted. "Can I go too?"


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes at Cedric, who had just plastered himself next to her. "You are everywhere. Can you stop annoyingly interrupting every conversation?"


    Cedric snatched her invitation letter with a grin. "Li Yuming is my idol. Of course, I will go."


    "Hey! That''s mine." Cheng Yu tried to snatch it back, but the young man had already fled.


    Li Lanni laughed. "Never mind.. I''ll get another one for you."

 Chapter 151 - A Little Imp Out Of Nowhere

    Li Lanni spent her days routinely attending the institute and working on her assignments. But fortunately, these days were not without any entertainment for her. Li Lanni amused herself as she watched Cheng Yu and Cedric bantering with each other. The young man seemed to be addicted to angering Cheng Yu. He would find all sorts of ways to rile her up, making her so furious that Cheng Yu had to scold him for hours before her anger could calm down.


    Amid this drama, the next few days flashed by in a blink of an eye, and the day of the charity banquet finally arrived.


    In the afternoon after their class ended, Li Lanni finally remembered something that had totally slipped her mind. She stopped Cheng Yu, who was about to go her way. "What''s your choice of dress for tonight?"


    Cheng Yu rubbed her neck nervously. "I haven''t decided yet."


    She did have a nice dress that could suit the occasion, but it was outdated and slightly worn out after undergoing several washes. She did not want to embarrass her best friend and her mentor even though she knew neither of them would mind whatever she wore. She was even considering borrowing a dress from Xia Luna.


    But Li Lanni''s next sentence saved her the trouble. "I have a dress that I bought for you a few weeks ago, but I kept forgetting to give it to you. Maybe you could try it out?"


    Cheng Yu felt embarrassed, but she knew that Li Lanni was not just finding an excuse to give her one of her own dresses. From her expression, she must have really bought it for her. "Then, I will not stand on ceremony."


    Hence the girls made their way to Li''s villa.


    Li Yuming was in her room, probably getting ready for the banquet, so Li Lanni did not bother her. She brought Cheng Yu into her room directly. "Here we go. I''ll show you the dress."


    Cheng Yu was one part nervous and one part excited, making Li Lanni laugh at her. "Why are you so tensed up? It''s a dress I''m going to show you. Not an atomic bomb."


    "Do I look tensed up to you?" Cheng Yu denied even though she was obviously on edge. She had seen Li Lanni''s walk-in closet the last time she spent the night here, and any random one of those dresses could cost a dime. She was just scared that whatever Li Lanni was going to show her was some exorbitant dress that might be more expensive than her life.


    Li Lanni finally opened the closet and took out the first dress in sight. "Here it is. I put it here so I would remember it, but I still ended up forgetting.


    Quick, try it on."


    Cheng Yu was dazed for a moment. What a magnificent dress! It was a strapless cream floor-length gown with tiny gems embedded on its waistline. Although its design was quite simple, it looked elegant from every angle and would definitely look good on her. Li Lanni sure knew how to pick them. She didn''t reach out to take it, afraid she would ruin it with a touch.


    Li Lanni laughed at her antics. "Go on. The make-up artist should be here soon. She can do your make-up first."


    "I get to wear make-up too?" Cheng Yu gasped in surprise.


    "Of course. You should look dashing tonight. Who knows? You might meet your prince charming tonight." Li Lanni winked at her mischievously.


    "Like they exist." Cheng Yu shrugged it off with a chuckle and went ahead to change into the gown. Not wanting to waste time, Li Lanni changed into her dress as well. She chose a black backless gown for herself.  Coincidently both of them came out at the same time dressed in their gowns looking stunning in their attire. The cream colour of the dress highlighted Cheng Yu''s skin colour and accentuated her looks. Li Lanni sighed in admiration when she saw her, sure enough, she chose the right dress.


    "Cheng Yu, my darling, you look absolutely gorgeous in the dress. I am sure by the end of the banquet tonight, men admiring could queue up to thousands of miles." Li Lanni exclaimed in awe, as she playfully winked at her.


    Cheng Yu was embarrassed by her words, but when she saw how stunning Li Lanni was looking, her eyes brightened, and she playfully retorted, "Look who is speaking. Just look at yourself in the mirror." Saying, so she dragged her to the full-length mirror. "Oh, my pure maiden heart. Li Lanni, you look beautiful and stunning. You are a natural coat hanger." Cheng Yu was not exaggerating it, just a simple black dress, but Li Lanni was able to look elegant and graceful.


    Li Lanni''s face turned red from embarrassment, but Cheng Yu looked like she had activated her fan-girl mode and continued to praise her with all the known words in the dictionary. It was only when the make-up artist arrived, both the friends stopped their playful bantering. The make-up artist did her magic fast enough. Dressed to the nines, the girls left for the venue and arrived just at the right time.


    Most of the guests had already arrived. As the main host, Li Yuming was greeting and having small chats with them.


    Li Lanni briefly swept her gaze in the hall and held back a gasp. She already knew that her mother knew some influential figures, but she did not expect such a sight. Most of the infamous businessmen were here tonight, not to mention some unexpected political figures. Most importantly, the head of the National Charity Fund Organization was present too!


    Li Lanni even thought that she had seen the president''s daughter playing with another kid somewhere. Even the president was here?! What a fantastic line-up!


    Cheng Yu was shocked too. Most of these figures rarely appeared at art exhibitions. They must be here because it was a charity, and she felt it was a nice thing. This meant more lives could be saved.


    The girls split up and started greeting some of the guests.


    As soon as Madam Jiang saw Li Lanni, she rushed over like she had seen her daughter after many years. "Lanni!"


    Li Lanni smiled back at her. "Madam Jiang, you are here too. Thank you for attending."


    "Oh, it''s nothing. I like Li Yuming''s paintings and hope to get at least one tonight. And I told you not to be so formal with me. Just call me auntie."


    "A-auntie." Li Lanni called out in a tiny voice.


    "Good girl." Madam Jiang was pleased. This pair of sisters was just so loveable. She was suddenly jealous of Li Yuming for having both of them but thinking about how she would soon have Xia Luna as her daughter-in-law, she was no longer jealous. She took Li Lanni''s hand and patted it. "My dear, you¡­"


    "Lanni." At this moment, Madam Ji hurried over like her house was on fire. She shot a glare at Madam Jiang, thinking, ''I just looked aside for a while, and she is already trying to steal my daughter-in-law?''


    The latter was speechless at Wen Lin''s childishness and excused herself. "See you around, Lanni."


    "Okay, auntie. I''ll look for you later."


    As soon as she left, Madam Ji was happier. "It''s nice seeing you again."


    She looked somewhat troubled. "I may have to explain something to you."


    "What is it?" Li Lanni had a bad feeling about whatever it was.


    Before Madam Ji could find the right words, a beautiful young woman made her way over and flashed a smile at Madam Ji. "Aunty, you''re here too."


    Li Lanni cast a quick glance at the newcomer. She knew this woman. This was Feng Ci from the Feng family, the one that was said to have co-founded Feng Ji International with the Ji family. Rumor had it that the two families were very close, so it shouldn''t be surprising that the young woman was acting all clingy with Madam Ji.


    Madam Ji had never felt this awkward. This just had to happen before she could explain the matter to Li Lanni.


    "It''s been so long. Aunty, do you think Xiehan is coming too? He doesn''t usually attend such events but I still hope he makes an exception. After all, I''m here."


    "Well¡­" madam Ji did not know what to say.


    "Hello." Li Lanni said curtly. Although Feng Ci had ignored her, she should greet her as a good host. She then walked away to give them space after that.


    Alas, Feng Ci''s aim wasn''t to speak to Madam Ji but to piss Li Lanni off and probably also stake her claim.. Of course, she knew who Li Lanni was: that little girl that had been on the rumor mill with Ji Xiehan about an engagement she thought was too unrealistic. How could she let a little imp out of nowhere steal away her Xiehan?

 Chapter 152 - War Of Figures

    Hence, Feng Ci sauntered over to Li Lanni. "So you are Li Lanni, huh. Everyone overrated you."


    Li Lanni had seen Ji Xiehan enter the hall and was trying to smile at him when she was interrupted by Feng Ci''s mocking voice. She turned to look at the woman who was deliberately trying to cause trouble. "I could say the same about you." She calmly replied.


    Feng Ci was annoyed. What did she mean by that?


    Even so, she could not let herself be angered by a little girl. In her skyscraper high heels, she appeared taller than Li Lanni whose heels weren''t that tall. She stood in front of Li Lanni, trying to intimidate her with her height. "If you think you are worthy of Xiehan, you should go take a look at yourself in the mirror. Which part of you do you think deserves a man like him?"


    Li Lanni crossed her arms over her chest with a snicker. "I don''t need the mirror to know that I am worthy of him. His love is enough proof.


    While you, Miss Feng, might need the mirror more than anyone." She sized the other woman up like she was an ant. "Even after plastering yourself to him all your childhood, and almost throwing yourself onto him, he didn''t spare you a glance. Is it because you are too ugly?" Li Lanni left without waiting for an answer to that.


    As a survival tactic, she liked to know about her friends, her enemies and her friends'' friends and foes. Naturally, she knew a little more than the surface information about the Feng family in general and Feng Ci in particular.


    She knew that although Feng Ci was undeniably beautiful, she was so obsessed with her own beauty that she couldn''t stand anyone ridiculing her. She had done it on purpose because, seriously, what era was this? Were there still women who fought over men who didn''t even love them? How pathetic.


    Madam Ji saw that the two did not start a visible fight and was relived. She had known Feng Ci for years and she knew how possessive she could be at times. Earlier before Feng Ci interrupted, she had wanted to tell Li Lanni about the deal she had with Feng Ci''s mother in the past, and that she had changed her mind. However, there was no longer any need to tell her that. The girls had already clashed.


    Luckily, the banquet officially begun before any blood could be shed.


    After the guests ate and drank a little, it was finally time for the main agenda: the auction. Everyone took a bidding paddle and went to their seats.


    The auctioneer went up to the stage and took the microphone. "On behalf of Li Yuming, I would like to thank all the guests for attending this banquet despite such short notice.


    This charity auction is in association with the National Chronic Illness Association. All the funds obtained tonight will be donated to help pay hospital bills for as many patients with chronic illnesses as possible; as well as provide for their daily necessities while in hospital."


    Everyone cheered for Li Yuming. How noble of her.


    Although no one usually talked about it, Li Yuming had contributed to many charity organisations, hospitals, orphanages and elderly nursing homes over the years.


    Rumor had it that it was because her own life had been tragic and that her parents had passed away because of lack of hospital fees.


    No matter her reason, she was doing a good deed. This time, she had actually decided to auction every single one of her paintings that had yet to be sold, including the new ones that she had recently painted and the old ones that she had decided to keep for herself!


    "Although this is Li Yuming''s charity banquet, a few other painters decided to auction off their paintings as well." The auctioneer continued.


    "That being said, I will introduce the first item."


    The first painting was brought to the stage.


    "The first item is Cedric Han''s ''Prison''. The starting price is 500,000."


    In the audience, Cheng Yu was startled. Cedric submitted his painting for auctioning? Then why did he steal her invitation letter? He didn''t even need it! That harbinger of trouble!


    "550 thousand." The bidding started.


    ...


    "720 thousand."


    "720 going once, twice, closed!"


    Because most of the people had their eyes on Li Yuming''s paintings, the others were completed very fast.


    When Li Yuming''s paintings started being auctioned, they went by very fast too. Li Lanni even bought two of them because she loved them too much to let them be sold to other people.


    Several paintings later, it was finally the climax of the auction. The last item was usually the most valuable and this time was no different.


    "The climax of tonight is Li Yuming''s earliest painting, caged." The auctioneer went ahead to briefly gush about how this particular painting had garnered so  much value because Li Yuming wouldn''t sell it no matter what price anyone offered. That, and the fact that it was her earliest painting that she had created about two decades ago, made it more valuable than all the others.


    "Because of the reasons stated, I will not give any rule. Bid at your free will."


    As soon as he was done, a man in black raised his paddle. "One dollar."


    A voice in the crowd giggled for a second.


    Li Lanni instinctively turned to see who the bidder was, as did everyone else. From his dress code, he must be a bodyguard.


    Li Lanni''s eyes narrowed. She raised her own paddle. "Thirty million."


    That was a huge price range, but it was still way below the highest price ever offered for the painting so no one minded it.


    They all started bidding seriously.


    "Fifty million."


    "Seventy million."


    A short silence followed.


    "Seventy million going once,"


    At this moment, Cedric raised his paddle. "One hundred and fifty!"


    Li Lanni''s eyes went wide. That''s not how bidding is done!


    Jiang Xingyu glared at Cedric and raised his paddle. "Three hundred."


    Ji Xiehan gave him a dirty look. "Four hundred."


    Cedric did not give up. "Four hundred and fifty."


    Ji Xiehan shot him a look. He wanted this painting and he was going to get it. "Five hundred and fifty."


    What was more surprising was that many people were still bidding. One even offered six hundred and eighty million.


    "Seven hundred!" Jiang Xingyu said calmly.


    Li Lanni kept looking at them back and forth in shock. Did they really know that was money they were shouting out and not just random figures?


    By this time, most people had stopped bidding. It was a valuable painting alright, but not many people were willing to offer such astronomical amounts of money. Even Cedric had given up. Now it was just Ji Xiehan versus Jiang Xingyu, yelling out figures like money meant nothing to them.


    When the bid reached nine hundred million, Ji Xiehan started wondering why his friend so badly wanted the painting.


    It was not like Jiang Xingyu was a fan of Li Yuming''s. He had initially thought that the idiot was only shouting figures to oppose him but now Jiang Xingyu''s determination was apparent. A thought crossed his mind. There was something about this painting that had made him want to bid for it with the intention of gifting it to Li Lanni. Perhaps Jiang Xingyu wanted to gift it to his Xia? It was highly likely. Since that was the case then¡­


    Ji Xiehan forfeited the bid, earning a look of sincere gratefulness from Jiang Xingyu.


    He smiled back to express that he didn''t mind. After all, Li Lanni had always been close to her mother. She might not even value the painting as much as Xia Luna would.


    Hence in the end, Jiang Xingyu bought the painting at the insane price of nine hundred million! That was the craziest price one had ever heard being so readily offered for a painting.


    It made one wonder what was so special about it.


    ¡­


    Since the charity bid was the climax of the banquet, most banquet started dispersing once it was over.


    Li Lanni took the chance to send a text to Ji Xiehan then happily went to wait for him behind the hotel.

 Chapter 153 - Intoxicated

    While she waited, she felt a burning gaze on her and she could swear that whoever it was meant harm. She turned to the source and saw the silhouette of a woman disappear into the night. Just as she was wondering whether to follow the woman and find out who she was, she felt a pair of warm hands wrap around her.


    She turned in shock and stared at Ji Xiehan who had just arrived, forgetting all about the woman.The man looked at her with a gentle smile. It had been a few days since they last saw and he had missed her terribly. He had been looking at her for the most part of the banquet, wishing to rush over to her and embrace her. When he finally saw her just now, he couldn''t control himself from hugging her.


    Seeing her reaction, he coughed up an excuse. "Darling, there are people around. Do you forget that we still need to act like an engaged couple?" Right. The engagement. She had almost forgotten it existed. Li Lanni pulled away from him and burst into laughter. She looked at him dazedly as she admonished. "At this point, do you still need to use that worn out excuse? You have a brain, come up with something newer and more creative." Ji Xiehan coughed at her words but he didn''t say anything to refute them. Indeed, he had used this excuse so many times that she must already know he was only using the whole engagement thing to get closer to her. "You know, you are too handsome to be using worn out pick-up lines and excuses." She continued with a slur then reached for his face to touch it. "Beside, do you even need an excuse? You can just use your face. Don''t you think it''s attractive enough?" Ji Xiehan was shocked. Since when did Li Lanni say such words? This was so unlike her! He didn''t accidentally meet Xia Luna, right? Even then, her words made him overjoyed. So she found him attractive. His lips uncontrollably curled into a smile.


    "Smile more. You are even more handsome when you smile. How charming!" She gushed and touched his lips, trying to pry them into a wider smile.


    Ji Xiehan finally felt something was off. "Are you drunk?"


    Looking at her properly, her gaze was a little unfocused. Now that he thought about it, she had drunk quite a bit when greeting the guests earlier. Perhaps the alcohol had kicked in slowly? That, or she had been holding up during the bid and couldn''t hold it anymore.


    "Who organized this banquet?" Ji Xiehan wondered. How could they make the bid happen after letting the guests drink?


    "I don''t¡­ ah-cho!" She sneezed before she could complete her statement.


    Ji Xiehan took off his coat immediately and placed it on her shoulders. "We should leave now or you will catch a cold."


    "No." She shrugged his hands off and pleaded coyly. "I don''t want to go home. It''s so boring there. Let''s stay here for a while, please¡­ pretty please..."


    Ji Xiehan rubbed his forehead helplessly. "Okay. Just for a few minutes then we will go home." He knew she would become sleepy anyway. Then he would carry her to his car and drive her home. There was no use arguing with a drunk.


    Hearing that they didn''t have to go home, Li Lanni was overjoyed. She threw herself into his embrace, letting the coat fall off her shoulders in the process.


    Ji Xiehan froze. What was this?


    Li Lanni was saddened that he did not make a move to hug her.


    "Hug me." She slurred.


    Ji Xiehan swallowed and wrapped his arms around her. Happy now, Li Lanni nestled in his embrace like a clingy kitten.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them, Feng Ci just happened to see this scene. She had looked for Ji Xiehan for a while after the guests started dispersing. After searching for a while, someone said to have seen him heading to the back of the hotel. She had hurriedly gone over hoping to have a word with him but what kind of scene was this? How could Ji Xiehan not see her ethereal beauty and intelligence? How could he fall for some little barbie instead? Just because she was younger? She frowned and went her way. She would make that little brat pay!


    Neither Li Lanni nor Ji Xiehan saw the angry Feng Ci. They went ahead hugging like there was only the two of them in the world. Li Lanni was about to drift into sleep on his comfortable chest but just when he moved to check on her, she was startled and grabbed onto his shirt. "Don''t go..."


    Her pitiful voice tugged at Ji Xiehan''s heartstrings. "Okay. I won''t leave."


    Li Lanni smiled and held his neck possessively, as though she was protecting her treasure from being snatched away. She felt his neck and poked at it curiously. As though she had made a discovery, she poked again.


    "What are you doing?" Ji Xiehan couldn''t understand her antics.


    "So¡­ soft." She poked his neck again. As though for confirmation, she trailed her finger lower and poked his collarbone through his shirt. Feeling the fabric, she frowned, finding his shirt annoying. So she grabbed his tie and yanked it off.


    Ji Xiehan was startled by her actions. Did this girl know what she was doing? He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his neck. "Stop it."


    Li Lanni looked up at him pitifully. "Why can''t I touch your skin?"


    Ji Xiehan almost relented and let her do anything she wanted but his rationality yelled at him. "You are drunk, Lanni. Let''s go home."


    "I''m not drunk." She retorted.


    "Hm. You''re not drunk. Can we go home now?"


    "I''m really not drunk." She was not an idiot. She knew that he didn''t believe her.


    "Okay." He agreed with her and took her hand, intending to lead her away.


    She shoved his hand away with a huff. "You don''t believe me! I''ll prove to you that I''m not drunk." She created a short distance between them and crossed her arms. "The banquet just ended. We are behind the hotel and the moon is bright. Which is a coincidence because¡­"


    She inched closer to him. "Because we are just about to have our second official kiss." She pulled him by his collar and pressed her lips onto his.


    That took him by surprise. Before he could do anything, she deepened the kiss and tried to pry his lips apart. The girl seemed to know what she was doing, and it set his belly on fire. He held the small of her waist to support her and responded to her kiss by slipping his tongue into her mouth, which she gladly allowed him to. They only paused a little to breath.


    Li Lanni gasped as she looked at him. "I''ve been wanting to do this since we last kissed."


    "What?"


    She answered by crashing her lips back to his, using her kiss to express all her need and desire for him. Ji Xiehan was still a little surprised. This was so unlike her. Even then, he immersed himself in the moment. It was only when he felt her uncontrollably reach for the buttons on his shirt that he reluctantly broke the kiss. It wouldn''t end decently if they kept kissing here.


    "What is it? You don''t want to kiss me?" With her cheeks flushed, Li Lanni complained.


    "It''s not decent of us to keep kissing here." He explained.


    "So what? This is a hotel. One can do anything her, why can''t we?" She harrumphed. "If you don''t like the moonlight, we can just get a room here."


    Ji Xiehan chuckled. Just what kind of wine did she drink? Before she could actually drag him to a hotel room, he dragged her to his car and shoved her in before she could protest.


    "Be good." He admonished when she looked like she wanted to get out.


    "Oh." Li Lanni looked sad.


    Ji Xiehan chuckled and kissed her cheek.. Her eyes brightened up, making him want to tease her a little more. Why was she so cute when she was slightly drunk?

 Chapter 154 - Intoxicated 2

    Ji Xiehan fastened her seat belt while she was still being obedient then hurriedly went over to the driver''s seat and started the car.  He only hoped she wouldn''t do anything silly while he drove.


    When they arrived at Li Yuming''s villa, he was relieved. The stubborn little thing had been quite good. She had even closed her eyes, probably asleep. With a smile and a small sigh, he pulled up and left the car. Then he circled over to the passenger side and opened the door for her.


    Seeing that she was asleep, he didn''t want to wake her up. He unfastened the seat belt and gently carried her out of the car, intending to take her into the house. Alas, the little devil chose this moment to wake up.


    When Li Lanni saw the familiar building, she clung to his shirt as though he was dragging her to hell. "Where are we going?"


    "I''m taking you home." He patiently explained. He thought that she would calm down but she tried to leap off his arms. "I don''t want to go!"


    Ji Xiehan pressed a kiss on her forehead to pacify  her. "You should rest. I''ll pick you up tomorrow and take you to a place of your choice, okay?"


    Li Lanni was not even listening. She clutched his clothes tightly like her life depended on it and  kept shaking her head vigorously. "I don''t want to! Don''t want to, don''t want to¡­"


    When he ignored her pleas and went ahead towards the villa, she sniffled and looked so pitiful that he could swear she was going to cry.


    Ji Xiehan was helpless. Did girls usually turn into babies when they were drunk? Since he had been turned into a ''baby''-sitter, he could only accept his fate and patiently ask. "Where do you want to go?"


    "To your house!"


    "..."


    Where did she just say she wanted to go?


    Seeing that he was not saying anything, she blinked her eyes and urged. "I want to go your house. Can we, can we?"


    Ji Xiehan was at a loss for words. What exactly had Li Lanni drunk tonight? It was already shocking enough that she had been clingy earlier. Now she even wanted to spend the night at his house?


    ¡­


    Upstairs.


    A while ago, Li Yuming was wondering what was taking Li Lanni so long and whether she was coming back home. Earlier when the banquet ended, she had wanted to call her and return home together.


    But when she finally found her, she was greeted with the scene of her and Ji Xiehan kissing passionately. Her daughter even looked like she wanted to strip Ji Xiehan right there and have her way with him.


    She blushed and hurried away. Never mind. Ji Xiehan would drop her off.


    After waiting for a while and seeing no sign of them, she concluded that they were probably going to spend the night together. Just the thought of it made her smile. Her baby was finally willing to trust someone!


    But thinking about it, Li Lanni had once said that she couldn''t afford to get pregnant now. And the last time she saw her, the latter seemed to be a bit drunk. She might forget this. Perhaps she should remind them to use protection? Morning after pills could affect a woman''s body. It would be better if Lanni didn''t use those. Since Lanni was drunk, she might as well send the message to Ji Xiehan. It wouldn''t be awkward. After all, it would just be like reminding her own son.


    While she still wondered how to compose the message, she heard a car pull in. She peeked outside through her window and indeed, it was the intoxicated pair. Perhaps she didn''t need to send the message anymore.


    She was still thinking this way when she witnessed the mini drama of her daughter refusing to go home. She let out her chuckle. What kind of situation was that? Then Ji Xiehan simply took her back to the car and drove off. Li Yuming didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. So she should really send the message, right?


    ___


    Ji Xiehan''s Highbridge Mansion.


    One hour later.


    After bringing the troublemaking drunk  to his house, she was calm once again. She definitely was not the same little devil that had made him almost lose his mind just because she didn''t want to go to her own home because she thought it was boring.


    Munching on a bar of chocolate she had insisted on making him buy on their way here, she had on a satisfied expression as she watched him change the sheets. If she was sober, he would have let her stay in his room. However, there was no way he was going to take advantage of her drunken state. That was why he was changing the beddings to let her sleep in the guest room.


    After getting the bed ready, he ran a bath and waited for her to finish her chocolate bar. When she was done, he had to laugh. She had some of the chocolate stuck onto her face and hands. He shook his head.


    And yet earlier she was claiming to be sober.


    He led her to the bathroom. But the little devil adamantly refused to take a bath unless he was going to bathe with her. How could he do that?! She was drunk!


    Thus he led her back to the bed and let her sit on it, then he went back to the bathroom and returned with a damp towel which he used to wipe her face and hands.


    Then he let a maid change her out of her clothes into the sleepwear he had bought along with the chocolate earlier. She pouted in disappointment about not being able to bathe with him but when he tucked her in and kissed her face, she was happier.


    "Go to sleep. Goodnight." He said, to which she nodded. He sighed in relief. That was a huge test of his patience.


    "Where are you going?" She asked when she saw him leave the room.


    "To sleep." Ji Xiehan really wanted to run away. She was not going to protest against this, right? Well, he was right. The girl moved to one side, patting the huge space she had left for him.


    "There is enough space. Just sleep here."


    Ji Xiehan scratched his head. Where exactly was this headed? This time, he couldn''t accommodate her no matter what. "Lanni, you are drunk and¡­ you definitely don''t know what you are saying. Go to sleep, okay? Let''s talk more when you wake up."


    She covered her head to ignore him, then a few seconds later, sulkily peeked out from the covers and looked at him. "Why do you have to make a big deal out of everything? You meanie¡­ I only want you to hold me¡­ like you did that night. Is that too selfish of me?"


    Once again, he lost to her words. He could only hope that be would be able to control himself.


    To her delight, he lifted the covers and lay beside her. She snuggled up to him and took a sniff. "You smell nice."


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know what to say to that. "Mmh. Let''s go to sleep."


    "Mmh. Goodnight, I love you." She mumbled.


    !!


    What did she just say?!

 Chapter 155 - She Kissed Him!

    The next morning.


    "Aaah--!" Li Lanni pulled at her hair.


    How.could.she?!


    She really wanted to slap herself when she recalled all the things she had done the previous night.


    She had kissed Ji Xiehan. On the lips! She had even told him that she had wanted to do it since their last kiss by the fountain. Aah!


    That was not even the end of it. It was just the start. She had also refused to go home and insisted on going to his mansion instead. As if that was not embarassing enough, she had literally pleaded with him to sleep on the same bed with her?!


    Could it get any more absurd?


    Hearing her scream, Ji Xiehan rushed from the kitchen to check on her. "What''s wrong?"


    Li Lanni didn''t have the courage to face him. She had caused so much trouble last night, how embarrassing! "I¡­ I¡­"


    She didn''t know the right words to say. "L¡­ about last night¡­"


    Ji Xiehan stifled a laugh. So she was worried about what had unfolded the previous night.


    Actually, he hadn''t been troubled by any of the things she did. She had not caused any significant trouble or broken anything.


    Except the words she had mindlessly mumbled before falling into a deep slumber. Those had made his heart race so fast that he was unable to sleep. He had been scared that if he slept, he would wake up to find that it had been a dream and she had said no such thing.


    After staying up for the better part of the night, he had scolded himself for being silly. How could he believe the words of a drunk? Wouldn''t that be absurd?


    Seeing her look at him so apologetically, he was even more sure that those were nothing but drunken words. "It was nothing. Freshen up, I''ll go back to continue preparing breakfast." He left the room after saying this.


    When Li Lanni saw him leave the room like that, she had a feeling she had forgotten something. Why did it feel like he wanted to ask her something but changed his mind in the last minute?


    What was she forgetting?


    After racking her brains for a while, she couldn''t remember anything. So she took a bath.


    When she was done, there was a dress and everything else she needed on the bed. That included underwear and it made her blush. Surely Ji Xiehan wasn''t the one who bought these, right? She didn''t want to ask. It was probably him. That made her wonder, who changed her clothes last night? Her cheeks burned. Just how much trouble had he gone through for her?


    When she was done changing, she made her way downstairs. Ji Xiehan was done cooking breakfast and called her to eat.


    Li Lanni chewed on a slice of ham. Ji Xiehan''s skill in the kitchen was just as good as his skill in business. That, and the fact that he had put in a lot of effort, made it more delicious than those delicacies made by experienced chefs. She almost ate too much without realizing it.


    Only when they were done did she remember the matter at hand and looked at him awkwardly. "Thank you for taking care of me last night¡­" and for not taking advantage of her. She knew that a woman causing such trouble and being clingy was tempting to a man. The fact that he did not take the chance to have her way with her proved just how much respect he had for himself and for her.


    Besides, she did not wake up with a headache as many people would after drinking a little too much. He must have given her hangover soup and she must have been too drunk or sleepy to remember it.


    Ji Xiehan''s response was detached. "Mmh."


    Li Lanni glanced at him and studied his expressionless face. Was he mad at her? Did she do something to upset him?


    "Did I¡­ do something wrong?" She hesitantly asked.


    Ji Xiehan looked at her seriously. "Do you have something to tell me?"


    Li Lanni thought hard about it. Did she have something to tell him?


    Her mind suddenly darted to the fact that she had wanted to tell him about her feelings. She opened her mouth but before the words came out, she held back. It was definitely not the right time for that.


    So she shook her head and shot the question back at him. "Do you have something to tell me?" Seeing that he wasn''t speaking, she nervously clenched her lips. "If I caused too much trouble last night or said anything I shouldn''t, I''m sorry. Please don''t take it to heart."


    Her words pulled him out of this thoughts. He looked at her with a frown. Even though he already knew that she had said what she did the previous night as a result of her drunken stupor, he had still hoped that she meant it when she said that she loved him. Now she was apologising for it? It would be a lie if he said that he was not disappointed. However, asking her about it right now might just make her uncomfortable. "Nothing happened last night. Let''s not talk about it anymore."


    Seeing that he no longer wanted to talk about the previous night, she nodded and sunk into her own thoughts.


    She remembered that before Ji Xiehan appeared, she had seen someone. That woman made her heart shiver. She must be a dangerous person. Li Lanni trusted her instinct and this time was no different. Just who was that woman?


    Who could she ask? Xia Luna?


    Now that she thought about it, she still had something that she had forgotten to ask Xia Luna. She had meant to ask about that boy from before, the one who had claimed to know her. She could ask about both. Besides, there were still matters that they needed to discuss together.


    After calling and explaining to her mother that she would only go home later, she wanted to hail a cab.


    However, Ji Xiehan frowned at her. "I''ll drop you off wherever you want to go."


    "Oh¡­" she could only agree.


    Though she had to say, she was used to the cheerful Ji Xiehan.. This cold version of him was novel and not in a good way.

 Chapter 156 - How?!

    XX Hotel.


    Room 1204


    "Madam, I got the information you asked for. Li Lanni was discharged from hospital in January after being in a long coma. The woman from last night''s banquet must be her. Miss Xia Luna''s whereabouts are still unknown." Li Xiyan''s assistant


    "What did you just say?!" Li Xiyan flung the files at her assistant angrily.


    The assistant who had been shouted at for doing nothing wrong was on the verge of tears. She trembled as she repeated the message. "That woman is indeed Li Lanni."


    "That b?tch!" Li Xiyan grabbed everything that was movable in sight and threw it to the floor.


    Why was she alive?! How could it be...


    Why?


    She thought she had gotten rid of both of the troublesome twin flies. She had used up so much effort. Now Li Lanni was suddenly alive? Why was everything going wrong?


    The previous day, she had gone to Li Yuming''s charity banquet to see it fail and watch Li Yuming become a laughing stock. After all, Li Yuming was a loser no matter how many years passed.


    Of course, the banquet was a huge success and that was one huge wound to Li Xiyan''s heart. Her attempts to embarass Li Yuming failed miserably too. Never mind that there were even people willing to give hundreds of millions for that woman''s lousy paintings! It was for charity but it was still a huge deal.


    She had been sulky until she suddenly saw the girl she thought was Xia Luna.


    What huge news!


    When she heard people calling her Li Lanni, she thought that Xia Luna was impersonating her sister. Her assumption was that Li Yuming had been saddened by the death of her precious daughter, and since her other daughter was a wanted criminal, she had made the latter impersonate the former in public. So she sent her assistant to investigate and find clues of  Li Lanni being a fake. As long as there was the slightest piece of evidence, she would report both of them and have them rot in jail; one for her crimes and the other for hiding a criminal. What a happy ending, right?


    And now, this dumb assistant was saying that not only had Li Lanni survived, she had even been discharged from hospital many months ago?!


    "You dumb woman! Get out of my sight!" She hollered.


    "Yes." The assistant scurried away.


    ___


    At the same time, Goldenwing Apartments.


    "Wait, what?" Xia Luna was shocked as she looked at Cheng Yu.


    Cheng Yu relaxed her shoulders. "I swear Luna, it had to be her."


    Xia Luna held her chin in doubt. Cheng Yu had just said that she seemed to have seen Li Xiyan at Li Yuming''s charity banquet the previous night. But¡­ why would Li Xiyan be there? Wasn''t she in a different city?


    Even if she had coincidentally come to B City, why would she attend Li Yuming''s banquet? She hated Li Yuming to the core! "You don''t know her that well. Perhaps you saw the wrong person? Maybe there''s someone who looks so much like her."


    Cheng Yu saw the doubt in Xia Luna''s eyes and slapped her forehead. "No way. I don''t need to know a venomous snake that well to be able to recognize it. I will surely know to cower away when I see one. That woman is definitely the most venomous kind.


    No one hates Aunty Li as much as that woman does. Even when she greeted Aunty Li like the other guests did, there was malice hidden in the depth of her eyes."


    Cheng Yu hated the fact that Li Yuming didn''t seem to care about Li Xiyan. Shouldn''t she be guarded at the very least? That woman was evil!


    "Not just that. When she turned away from Aunty Li, she let out this weird smile. You know, the kind that villains usually reveal when they are just about to start scheming." [1]


    Xia Luna had been with Li Xiyan for long enough to know what Cheng Yu was talking about. Something in her eyes dimmed. She was about to speak when Cheng Yu recalled something with a start.


    "Right. I saw how strangely she reacted when she saw Lanni too. It was as though she had seen a ghost with her own eyes! She was so shocked that she almost stumbled to the floor in those high heels -- how I wish she did but oh well, villains never suffer much. It was not sure what she thought about but after a while, she suddenly snickered and flipped her hair."


    "You must have studied her all night to know everything she did. You have worked so hard." Xia Luna laughed.


    Cheng Yu couldn''t believe Xia Luna was in the mood to laugh. This was a serious matter they were talking about, and it might even involve life and death!


    Xia Luna stared into space, finally thinking things through. "I didn''t foresee this. That woman must know Lanni''s whereabouts now."


    "What¡­ what will we do? We definitely cannot let her hurt Lanni."


    Xia Luna relaxed back onto her backrest. "What are you talking about? Of course no one''s going to get hurt.


    Scratch that. Someone is going to get hurt. But that person is not Lanni. Neither is it going to be anyone else on our side. It is going to be that woman."


    She was just about to come up with a strategy with Cheng Yu when the doorbell rang.


    Xia Luna and Cheng Yu exchanged puzzled looks.


    "Did you order anything?" Xia Luna asked in a hushed tone.


    "No. Did you?"


    "No."


    Since it was not a delivery, who could it be?No one knew their address. Could someone have found out? Xia Luna hurriedly disappeared into her bedroom as Cheng Yu went to check who the newcomer was.


    "Lanni, it''s you! Come on in." Cheng Yu was relieved when she opened the door.


    "Did you just say Lanni?" Xia Luna came back in relief. The news of Li Xiyan had spooked her so much that the first thing she thought was that someone had found out her whereabouts. They had even been too shocked to think of checking the monitor.


    "You girls don''t look happy." Li Lanni commented after some small talk. The atmosphere was evidently tense.


    "It''s nothing. We were just talking about some random gloomy things. Xiao Yu was telling me about a dog she kept when she was a kid, but the dog suddenly disappeared and she never saw it again."


    Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow. Just how good was Xia Luna at making up stories?


    Li Lanni smiled with an "oh", making herself comfortable before shrugging. "If both of you don''t want to tell me what''s going on, you can just say so¡­" she then looked at her puzzled sister. "That''s obviously a lie?"


    Xia Luna couldn''t deny it. But she couldn''t help asking, "How is it obvious?" Her statement was flawless, right? She had also made it up on the spot without even batting an eyelid. Besides, if she was not able to lie so effortlessly, she would long be dead. How could Li Lanni discern it so easily?


    Apparently, Li Lanni knew what she was thinking so she laughed. "I don''t know either. It just felt like you were lying."


    Xia Luna shrugged while Cheng Yu giggled. Was telepathy starting to happen again?

 Chapter 157 - Im Not, You Are

    Li Lanni did not force Xia Luna to speak up. However, this matter concerned her too; and if Li Lanni knew what was going on, she would be on the look out and would not fall prey for whatever Li Xiyan was surely going to do once she knew Li Lanni''s whereabouts.


    "Have I told you about my¡­ our stepmother?" She asked.


    "No." Li Lanni shook her head. Forget the stepmother. Xia Luna had not told her much about herself. Li Lanni had numerous questions to ask, but this was not the right time to ask them so she could only let Xia Luna speak about the details she was comfortable divulging.


    For the whole matter to make sense, Xia Luna briefly explained everything from where it started, as explained to her by her paternal aunt.


    "Actually, you knew about this before but because you have forgotten, I guess I will just start over. Our grandmother didn''t like our mother. I don''t know what business they have against each other but that''s their business. For whatever reason she hated our mother, grandmother tried every means to get father to leave her and be with another woman instead."


    Xia Luna paused, disgusted by what she was going to say next. "When father showed no interest in other women no matter who they were, grandmother found one who is somewhat similar in appearance to our mother. Getting her own son drunk to the point of blacking out, she sent Li Xiyan to his bed."


    Li Lanni frowned. What kind of mother does that? To her own son?!


    That was not the end of it. Xia Luna continued.


    "Our mother was heavily pregnant at the time. Once she found out what had happened, she was angry at grandmother and suggested moving out with father. However, grandmother adamantly refused to let that happen. She even threatened to commit suicide if father really moved out.


    Mother had no choice but to bear with it. All was going well until we were a few months old. Li Xiyan showed up with a little baby younger than us, our step brother."


    "What?" Li Lanni was shocked. There was a brother?


    Hold on. Li Xiyan actually got pregnant after climbing onto their father''s bed when he was drunk? "Why then did she not reveal that she was pregnant? Was it because she was afraid our father would make her have an abortion?"


    "Yeah. It gets even more interesting." Xia Luna practically sneered. "Grandmother forced father to marry Li Xiyan because of the boy. That, and some other reasons that Aunty refused to tell me, caused our parents to divorce."


    Li Lanni felt bad on her parents'' behalf. They must have been tortured a lot.


    "Well, that''s how Li Xiyan came into the picture. But once she appeared, she didn''t seem to want to leave any time soon.


    As far as I remember, father has never acknowledged her. He hates her for ruining his marriage. All I ever felt for her was fear and disgust. She would spend all the time that father was away to vent  her frustration on me.


    However, she did nothing entirely life-threatening until I was of legal age."


    Because Cheng Yu already knew, Xia Luna mentioned the part about Li Xiyan trying to stab her and ending up being stabbed herself. However, because it would be too much for Li Lanni to take in at the same time, she left out the reason why that happened.


    By the time Xia Luna was done, Li Lanni''s expression had experienced several changes. "That must be a psychopath."


    "Trust me, she is. She''s not just a psychopath, she is a crazy one at that." Xia Luna was disgusted just thinking about it.


    "So this was what the two of you were talking about?" Li Lanni still felt there was more to it.


    Xia Luna looked more solemn. "The thing is¡­ Xiao Yu seems to have seen her at the banquet last night." She paused to study Li Lanni''s expression. Seeing that she was expressionless, she continued. "She might go after you and mother¡­ Lanni, I''m not trying to scare you. But she is an evil witch. You must be careful, okay?"


    Li Lanni suddenly recalled why she was here. She was going to ask about that woman that she saw the previous night. Her intention was to ask Xia Luna to check the surveillance and find out who that woman was. But now that they were talking about this, she had a thought. Could the woman she had seen be this Li Xiyan? She seemed to emit so much hatred that Li Lanni could swear she would be dead if aura could kill.


    She didn''t have to ask anymore. It must have been her. "I think I saw her too. It was just vague and I didn''t see her face¡­ but everything about her spoke of malice."


    Xia Luna was now sure that Cheng Yu had seen right. "I will check the surveillance just to be sure. Meanwhile, you and¡­ uhm¡­ mother¡­ have to be careful." Xia Luna was still uncomfortable addressing Li Yuming as her mother since the latter hated her so much. Luckily, Li Lanni nodded and didn''t dwell on it.


    Now that she had solved the mystery about that woman, Li Lanni went ahead to ask about the other question she wanted. "Do you have any other alias?"


    Xia Luna didn''t know how to answer that. "Why do you ask?"


    "I told you before that my date with Ji Xiehan got interrupted, right?


    That''s because there was this young man that bumped into us. Then he said something about me appearing again and even called me Phoenix.


    I don''t know him. I have never seen him at all. I thought maybe¡­ he mistook me for you and that''s another one of your aliases?


    ¡­ what''s going on? Why are the both of you suddenly so pale¡­"


    Li Lanni realized that the more she spoke, the paler her sister and friend got. It was as though they were hearing something more shocking than the fact that Li Xiyan had seen Li Lanni.


    Xia Luna balled her fists to calm down. "Well, the guy didn''t get the wrong person. I''m not Phoenix. You are."


    "What?" It was Li Lanni''s turn to be shocked. She was? And was that worry she thought she saw in her sister''s eyes?


    "Why do I need an alias?" She asked, not thinking it made any sense.


    Xia Luna looked defeated. "I seriously don''t know. No matter how many times I asked you, you said I didn''t need to know."


    She instinctively turned to Cheng Yu.


    "You didn''t ever tell me either. You said it was a secret." Cheng Yu shrugged.


    Just great. Li Lanni sighed.


    She had come here seeking answers. How did it end up with her getting more questions instead?


    That young man had said something about her going back to the team. What team?


    Most importantly, why did she even need to use an alias? This was so unlike her. And why would she keep it a secret from Xia Luna and Cheng Yu?


    "You are sure you don''t know? You cannot even think of anything?" She pressed Xia Luna, who didn''t meet her gaze. "Lanni, you were so mysterious. You did things only you could understand."


    "What things?"


    "Like¡­" Hold on. Investigating Li Xiyan, Ji Feifei and Yang Su? Did that count?


    Thinking about it, she shook her head. "I tried to find clues but I found nothing.. Not even in the slightest bit."

 Chapter 158 - I Thought You Moved In

    Leaving Goldenwing Apartments, Li Lanni didn''t know whether she was confused or scared. Why did it seem like Xia Luna was trying to hide something? It was as though there was something that she knew and was scared of saying.


    Xia Luna''s response was probably supposed to make her give up  but on the contrary, it only made her more determined to know the answers. So as soon as she was home, she made her way to her mother''s studio.


    "There you are! I almost thought you had decided to move in with Xiehan. Not that I would mind if that happened, but you should at least inform me." Li Yuming was so excited that she stood up immediately, dropping her painting brush in the process, and pulled her daughter into a hug,


    Li Lanni pulled away with flushed cheeks. "Mom, what have you been thinking about all day?"


    How could she move in with Ji Xiehan? They were not married. They were not even dating yet! Last night was just...


    Wait. Her mother knew that she had spent the night at Ji Xiehan''s? How embarrassing¡­


    After the initial embarrassment, Li Lanni calmed down and thought of why she was here.


    "Is something the matter?" Li Yuming asked after a few seconds. She noticed that Li Lanni did not seem happy.


    "Mom, can I ask you something?"


    Li Yuming had a feeling it was not one of those things she was willing to answer but she nodded anyway. "Ask away."


    "Mom, is there¡­" Li Lanni thought about how to phrase her question in a way that would not make it sound like she was accusing her mother. At the same time, she carefully studied Li Yuming as she asked. "Is there something you have not told me about my past?"


    As expected, something dimmed in Li Yuming''s eyes. She had tried to hide it as fast as possible but Li Lanni was alert enough to notice the slightest change.


    A few seconds later came Li Yuming''s expressionless question. "If you have something to ask, go right ahead."


    Li Lanni then explained the same thing she had told Xia Luna. This time, she clearly saw Li Yuming''s hands tremble slightly. Why was everyone so scared of that Phoenix name? What exactly was it?


    "Pfft. You think too much about trivial things. That was just your username on your school forum. That guy might have been from B City University."


    Li Lanni nodded. Xia Luna was hiding something and her mother was lying to hide something ¨C probably the same thing. They also seemed confident that she would not see through them. They did know that she would still get answers once she recovered her memory, right?


    It was already bad enough that in all these months, she had not recovered her memory and had only remembered tiny details that didn''t help in the slightest bit. And the two people she had been considering her closest family were hiding things from her. If only she didn''t have to rely on them...


    Right. She shouldn''t rely on anyone to tell her everything. She already knew from the start that she should find answers on her own. When did she forget this? When did she slack off? That did not matter anymore. She was going to search every nook and cranny of the earth if she had to, and she knew that the answer lay somewhere for sure. And that was what she did. She went to her room first. If there was any place one could find any clue, bedrooms were usually the most obvious.


    Once in her room, she searched through her books even though she had already searched twice.


    Finding nothing new, she checked through the closet, drawers, under the bed and, probably as an effect of reading too many mystery novels, scrutinized the wall inch by inch for any trace of a hidden door or vault. Of course, she found none.


    She sighed and reorganised everything into perfect order. Maybe she was overthinking things. Now that she thought about it, why was it that whenever anything little happened, she would get this anxious and start reading too much into things? A cluster of recent memories flooded into her mind.


    First, she had suspected that Ji Xiehan had ill intentions towards her, then she had had some trouble trusting her own mother for a while, then there was the fact that she trusted almost no one. She was so wary of people that she ended up wanting to look into everyone that smiled at her more than once or tried to befriend her.... and now this.


    Was she having a paranoid personality disorder?


    Her head started hurting slightly. Only then did she realize that she was over exerting her brain by thinking too much.


    She needed to calm down.


    "Calm down, Lanni. Calm down." She mumbled repeatedly.


    But that didn''t do anything to calm her nerves. Trying to sleep didn''t help either. She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. Even that did nothing to help aside from exhaust her throat.


    Before her brain could process it, she tidied her hair and left the house. She only realized what she was doing when she arrived at Highbridge Mansion.


    ''Lanni, you are silly.'' She scolded herself. How could she simply make her way to Ji Xiehan''s house without informing him? What if he was not even home?


    But he didn''t seem to want to go anywhere earlier. He must still be home, right? And considering how friendly they were to each other, he wouldn''t mind keeping her company for a few hours, right?


    Li Lanni took a deep breath and proceeded to enter the mansion. The butler had seen her earlier this morning with Ji Xiehan. Besides, practically everyone knew about their ''engagement'', so he simply let her in, even telling her that Ji Xiehan was in the study and giving her directions.


    But as soon as he had let her in, he seemed to remember something with a start.


    It was too late. Li Lanni had already made her way to the study and stopping her would only make it suspicious.


    Li Lanni hesitated slightly, thinking about why she would say she was here. In the end, she decided to simply go with the flow. Then she knocked on the door. The door was slightly open, swinging wider open when she knocked...


    To reveal the sight of Ji Xiehan and Feng Ci.... kissing across the desk."

 Chapter 159 - Please Continue

    Li Lanni stared at the two figures, frozen in place.


    The kissing pair heard the door open and were startled too. Feng Ci, who was facing away from the door, turned and was shocked that the newcomer was Li Lanni. Why did it have to be that little b?tch?


    "Eer¡­" Li Lanni snapped out of it awkwardly. "The door was open¡­ sorry. Please continue." She said and left the room, gently closing the door on her way out.


    _


    A while ago.


    When Li Lanni left this morning, Ji Xiehan was still in a bad mood. He still couldn''t get over the fact that Li Lanni simply forgot the most important thing that happened the previous night.


    After sulking for a while, he finally stopped to think. When people got drunk, they usually did things they usually couldn''t do, or were afraid of doing. That was why many people drunk a little wine to ''borrow courage'' and say things they couldn''t say in their completely sober state.


    Could it be that Li Lanni actually wanted to confess to him but didn''t have the courage but suddenly blurted it out in her drunken state?


    Now that he thought about it, it seemed to be the case. After all, she had been getting closer to him lately, not to mention her clingy character last night.


    Even though he knew that was an effect of her drunkenness, he couldn''t rule out the possibility - the fact- that she could only do such things if she liked him, or loved him.


    Another possibility flashed his mind. What if she thought she was dreaming when she said those words or she had forgotten that such a thing happened?


    No matter what the possibility was, one thing was for sure. Li Lanni must be in love with him.


    A smile gradually brightened up his facial features. Since she was in love and was scared to say so, he should help her out, right?


    Hence Ji Xiehan happily started planning out a confession. He was going to do it as soon as possible.


    The morrow would be Sunday. She probably wouldn''t have much to do.


    He could also help her take a day off from her art classes. If she didn''t agree to that, it was good too. He could just make the best out of twenty four hours.


    He searched online for the best local destination for a vacation. Finding none that could satisfy all his requirements, he frowned. This wouldn''t do. He finally launched the notepad application on his phone that he hadn''t ever thought of using before.


    After thinking for a while, he decided to go to a picnic with her instead. He would make arrangements to make it as perfect as possible. He would arrange for food, snacks and fruits, bake some pastries for her and get a nice bottle of wine.


    Then he would confess. If she rejected him,... nope. She loved him. She wouldn''t reject him.


    If she agreed to be his girlfriend, he would propose going on a vacation together. She would definitely also want to go somewhere relaxing with her boyfriend, right? Since that was the case then¡­


    He was still lost in throught, writing his plans down on the notepad application when someone walked in, no, barged in. Because she had not been invited. Not only that, Ji Xiehan could also hear her picking a fight with the butler.


    "How dare you try to stop me?! Do you know who I am? I will get Xiehan to fire you later."


    Of course the butler knew who she was. He had served the Ji family since Ji Xiehan was little so he knew that Feng Ci was Ji Xiehan''s childhood friend. Even so, he was not trying to stop her. He had only greeted her! He could only apologize to prevent the matter from escalating, to which Feng Ci huffed and walked on with her nose in the air.


    He was displeased in his heart. Feng Ci was such a nice girl when she was little. How could she grow into an arrogant and temperamental woman? Luckily the young master had gotten engaged with a kind, young lady.


    .


    "Xiehan¡­" After finding her way in, Feng Ci coyly called out the man who was suddenly looking at her with displeasure.


    "Why are you here?" Ji Xiehan asked coldly. "Why are you picking unnecessary fights with my butler?"


    "He was trying to stop me from coming in. He is so disrespectful, you must fire him!"


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t mask his displeasure. "Does your business here include nitpicking on my employees? If so, you are done. You may leave."


    "Xiehan¡­" Feng Ci felt wronged. "How could you be so mean? I came here to discuss with you¡­"


    Ji Xiehan frowned. After a few seconds, he pinched the space between his eyes. "Fine. Let''s talk in the study."


    Feng Ci gladly followed him.


    Once they were seated, Ji Xiehan once again glanced at her coldly. "Speak."


    He was not trying to be rude, but she had interrupted him from planning out his confession. How could he be happy about it?


    As expected, Feng Ci whined in displeasure. "Xiehan, you have changed. You were not like this in the past at all. You were so friendly and kind. We were even best friends. Do you remember how, when I was five, the other boys kept pulling at my hair? You would fight them off for me every time. When I asked you why you were so kind, you said that you were a superhero and your role was to protect me from being bullied." Feng Ci''s eyes slightly teared up as she reminisced the protective Ji Xiehan.


    That year, my parents were so busy that they forgot all about my birthday. When you found me crying by myself, you brought me to play at your home. Learning that it was my birthday, you had your helpers bake a cake and even brought your friends so we could celebrate it together. Do you know, that was my best birthday ever?"


    Ji Xiehan tapped a finger on the desk.. Of course he remembered the past.

 Chapter 160 - He Should Be Hers!

    However, this was not the time to start reminiscing about things he did when he was a child. Was there any little boy who didn''t do the things he did when he was little? Why was Feng Ci making such a big deal out of it? He was irritated. "Go straight to the point."


    "Xiehan¡­" Feng Ci didn''t understand why he was so hostile to her. Or rather, she knew fully well why he was being this way. She just didn''t want to believe it. It must be because of that little girl. Yes, it must be her! She was just a good-for-nothing brat who knew nothing but think the world revolved around her. What made her think she could be with Ji Xiehan?!


    With a hint of annoyance, Feng Ci stood and leaned across the desk a little, glad that she was wearing a low-cut dress today. Of course she had deliberately worn it knowing she was going to meet Ji Xiehan. The black fabric clung to her body tightly, especially around the chest area. At the angle she was leaning right now, she was giving Ji Xiehan the kind of view no sane man would be able to resist.


    Seeing that he was not reaching out to touch her, she inched even closer. "I miss you, Xiehan ¨C I miss us. We should have been together. Can''t you see how perfect we look together? We were definitely meant to be."


    At this point, Ji Xiehan knew that this matter would cause him trouble if he did not handle it right away. He pushed his feet against the floor and used the momentum to create a distance between them.


    Then he met the woman''s gaze with his icy one. "Feng Ci, we were friends. That''s the only reason why I respect you. However, if you do not conduct yourself with dignity, don''t blame me for throwing you out. You already know that I''m an engaged man."


    "But Xiehan, I know it''s a lie. You cannot be engaged. That is impossible. You loved me back then and I know you still do¡­" Feng Ci was literally blabbering, knowing that Ji Xiehan really meant it when he threatened to throw her out.


    "Feng Ci, please leave." Ji Xiehan said dismissively and took out his phone to continue planning out his date.


    Feng Ci cursed under her breath and straightened up. She glanced at the man who was now tapping on his phone. He looked so handsome¡­ his finely carved features, his thin, seductive lips and his serious expression when doing whatever he was that he was doing were enough to send any woman''s heart fluttering.


    No way! This should be her man! She was not going to give up on him no matter what ¨C especially not after carrying a torch for him for all these years.


    Ji Xiehan paused what he was doing when he suddenly felt a strong perfume scent attack his nostrils and a hand on his shoulder. He looked up in surprise and before he could push her away, he felt her lips crash on his.


    He was shocked for half a second. What did this woman think he was doing?


    As though she had made arrangements with the devil, the door had to open in that instant. Feng Ci turned, and Ji Xiehan froze when he saw who was at the door. What was Lanni doing here?


    It was not that she couldn''t be here but why are such a time? Why did she have to witness such a disgusting moment?


    "Sorry¡­please continue!" She said and rushed out.


    Her words snapped Ji Xiehan back.


    Damn it! She must have misunderstood him!


    Without thinking, he pushed Feng Ci away ¨C not caring that she stumbled on her heels ¨C and rushed after Li Lanni.


    Feng Ci hit the floor with a thud, sprawling in the least dignified position with her clingy dress even sustaining a small tear due to the force. She scowled in embarrassment. How could he?


    But who cared about a dress anyway? She was blissful! That stupid girl had seen them kiss! They were definitely going to break up. See, even the heavens were helping her.


    _


    Outside.


    "Lanni!" Ji Xiehan called out.


    Li Lanni ignored him and continued walking towards her car.


    Ji Xiehan ran and held her hand that was reaching to open the car door. "Lanni, please listen to me."


    Li Lanni stopped but did not turn to look at him ¨C too angry to do so or afraid that she would meet his lying eyes, the kind that cheating men usually had when they were caught in the act.


    "Lanni, you have misunderstood the situation. There is nothing going on between Feng Ci and me." He desperately explained. Realizing that their position earlier stated the exact opposite of what he was saying, he gripped her small hand a little tightly, knowing that what he was about to say was obviously going to sound like a lie. What hurt was that it was the truth! "Lanni, she¡­"


    Li Lanni cut him off. "Ji Xiehan, I don''t know how to explain our current relationship but I don''t think we are close enough for me to question your personal life. It''s alright. You don''t have to explain to me what you were doing. You may only have to explain to your parents later¡­"


    Li Lanni stopped speaking. She didn''t know what she was saying either. She felt that she was lying to him about her thoughts but she was lying to herself too in the process. Of course she cared! She minded that they were in that position! But what right did she have to mind? They were not in any kind of relationship. Although it hurts, he does have the right to kiss and make out with whoever he wants.


    Her words sliced into Ji Xiehan''s heart like a sharp blade. "Lanni, we¡­" That''s right. What was he to say?


    "I was going to talk to you later." He sighed.


    When Li Lanni heard his words, her heart trembled. He was going to cancel their fake engagement?


    "I think we should talk now¡­" Or else it would escalate into a misunderstanding.


    "I was going to tell you that¡­"


    "No!" Li Lanni couldn''t hear any more of it. She didn''t want to hear it. She knew it was going to hurt her. She would rather not hear it at all. When she saw that he was going to speak again, she placed her hand on his lips, shutting him up.


    Ji Xiehan was taken aback by her reaction.


    Then his brain finally processed it and he was amused. He wanted to talk about his feelings so she would understand why he couldn''t have anything to do with any other woman. That way, she might understand him more when he told her what exactly had transpired.


    Why did she stop him? Was it because of this sequence that she thought he was going to say that he was in a relationship with Feng Ci, so she was stopping him from saying it?


    He chuckled a little and took her hand that was covering his mouth and kissed the back of it. "It''s not¡­"


    This time, Li Lanni shut him up using her lips, taking Ji Xiehan completely by surprise.

 Chapter 161 - What Was Their Relationship?

    Li Lanni pressed her lips to his, unwilling to hear him declare his love for another woman. She loved him. Although she kept backing out every time she was going to tell him this ¨C or other factors kept coming in her way, her feelings were undeniable.


    Ji Xiehan held her waist and stopped the kiss. If he didn''t tell her this right now, they might get interrupted again.


    His action snapped her back, making her realize just how childish she was being. So what if she kissed him? If his heart belonged to another woman, there was nothing she could do to make him hers. If she forcefully clung to another woman''s man, how different would she be from Li Xiyan, her stepmother who collaborated with her grandmother to forcefully break her parents apart?


    "I''m sorry for being selfish..." she started. "I just¡­ the thought of you being with another woman¡­" She realized she was not making any sense and stopped midway. She had been clouded by jealousy just now and there was no way to explain it.


    "Lanni, what nonsense are you thinking about? Who said I was going to be with another woman?" Ji Xiehan finally had the chance to squeeze in a few words.


    "Huh? You were not? But you and her¡­"


    "Don''t be silly." Ji Xiehan flicked her forehead and hugged her. The thought of her being so jealous and riled up because of him made him happy.


    When she was calm enough from the hug, he finally explained what she had seen. "Lanni, I know this sounds overboard but Feng Ci came to talk. That was why we were in the study; I thought she had serious business to discuss. What you saw back there was the result of her suddenly throwing herself into my arms. I swear, I didn''t do anything."


    Li Lanni chuckled. He looked like a little kid admitting his mistakes.


    "Why are you laughing? Is it because you do not trust me?"


    "Of course I trust you."


    "Lanni,"


    "Ji Xiehan¡­"


    They called each other at the same time, and then both pointed at the other to say "you go first".


    "They say ''ladies first''." Ji Xiehan laughed when it looked like they would be stuck for a day.


    "Okay¡­" Li Lanni''s cheeks flushed crimson when she thought about what she was going to say. She was not prepared at all!


    "I..." She almost tore her gaze away from his eyes. After a while, she finally blurted it out. "Ji Xiehan, I love you!"


    Ji Xiehan''s eyes went wide. Although he already knew it, he was still surprised. A smile swept across his face.


    "Ji Xiehan, we were not exactly friends when we first met and you were definitely not the kind of guy I would want to date. I thought you were one of those sweet talkers who use their tongues to lure women into their charm and end up playing with their hearts like their feelings do not matter. That, and my insecurity towards everyone in general and men in particular made me want to stay away from you. But when I got to know you, I realized that you are a straightforward man who only does things when you are ready to handle the consequences. Not to mention what a gentleman you are. Your handsome looks are a perk to all these."


    She searched her head for the right words to compliment him but all of them felt like understatements. "Ji Xiehan, I don''t know when it happened either but I fell in love with you."


    Ji Xiehan held her hand, taking in everything she had just said. All along, he had been wondering why she had always tried to keep her distance from him in the past. It turned out it was because she was insecure. Now that she trusted him enough to even fall in love with him, his heart was filled with happiness.


    "Lanni, I was not trying to play with your feelings the first time I said that I love you. Even now, I''m not kidding either."


    Before he could say anything else, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips onto his. Ji Xiehan hugged her and pressed her body against the car, deepening the kiss.


    Unlike the other times, the kiss was passionate, making Li Lanni feel a sense of fulfillment after a long time. Finally kissing him when they were both sure of what they felt for each other, it was a different kind of feeling and they both liked it.


    Li Lanni lost herself in the waves of passion, moaning slightly when his hand trailed along her back.


    *Crash!*


    A series of crashes in the distance interrupted them from their passionate moment.


    Ji Xiehan turned to the source, panting slightly as his heart raced from the kiss. He frowned when he saw the culprit who had dared to ruin the moment.


    In an instant, he glanced at the maid who was nervously cleaning up the remains of the beautiful antique flower pot.


    "What is that woman still doing here?" He almost yelled. He had almost forgotten about her.


    "Sir, I will..." the maid spoke up nervously.


    "Kick her out!" He ordered.


    "Ji Xiehan! How could you?!" Feng Ci ordered. It was already enough that he was kissing that sl?t. Now he was even ordering for her be kicked out?"


    Before she could throw another tantrum, two bodyguards came and dragged her out, making her limp because her shoes were broken.


    Everyone ignored her yells as she got literally thrown out.


    "I had momentarily forgotten about her." Ji Xiehan explained to Li Lanni, holding her waist.


    "Let''s go to the house." It was weird to keep kissing out in the open.


    Still holding her waist, Ji Xiehan led her into the house.


    The few servants who saw them enter held in their gossip but they still exchanged glances and blushed. Was their young master and his fianc¨¦e going to do it?


    When he passed by the broken shards that were fomerly his vases and decorations, Ji Xiehan frowned and turned to the butler. "Calculate the cost of everything she has broken and send the bill to the Feng family."


    "Understood, young master." The butler acted on it immediately.


    It was not that Ji Xiehan was so materialistic and cared so much about vases, but Feng Ci was truly mannerless. How could he tolerate random people entering his mansion and breaking things as they please?


    If the Feng family did not teach their daughter properly, they better restrain her so she wouldn''t go causing trouble in people''s houses.


    That said, he should thank her. Her arrival had made Li Lanni so jealous that she finally confessed her feelings.


    Li Lanni shrugged as she saw the servants take note of everything Feng Ci had broken. That was such a mild punishment for her but whatever. As long as she didn''t bother Ji Xiehan anymore.


    _


    In the bedroom, the kiss didn''t continue as Li Lanni had expected. The two of them sat on Ji Xiehan''s bed, starting to talk about random things.


    Now that they had confessed to each other, Li Lanni had a new question. What was their relationship now?


    Ji Xiehan remembered that they had not talled about why she was here. "Were you looking for me?"


    Li Lanni was more comfortable to talk about such things with him now. "Yeah... I needed to get my mind off everything. My life right now is just so jumbled up that I don''t know what to do."


    Ji Xiehan understood her. It was normal to feel that way sometimes. "You are probably mentally exhausted. I was going to suggest going on a vacation and it''s a coincidence that you seem to need it. What do you think?"


    "I think it''s a good idea. I definitely need it. Where did you want us to go?"


    Ji Xiehan had yet to settle on a location but now that she was here, it was better. Two heads were better than one. " I was thinking of going to Europe. We can go to  France, Germany, and... have you been to Ciel?"


    "Ciel?" Li Lanni frowned. Where was that?


    "It''s a small district in Paradise City, Olphire.[1]  It is almost detatched from the rest of the country and is known for its calm and peaceful environment. The air there is so fresh that some people go over to recuperate."


    Li Lanni''s eyes lit up as she listened. That did sound like a nice place to go on a vacation. Although it didn''t sound exactly romantic, it seemed to be peaceful and relaxing together was definitely going to be romantic in a way.


    ______


    [1] Olphire is a fictional country in Europe, the setting of my third book (Villainess 101)


    I thought that since they are going to Europe, they might as well also go to my own fictional country while at it.

 Chapter 162 - Its An Aunty Now?

    After Li Lanni left, Cheng Yu looked at Xia Luna curiously. "Why did you lie to her?"


    "I didn''t. I only ommited some facts." Xia Luna answered defensively.


    "Omission is a lie too, Luna." Cheng Yu insisted. "Lanni will be mad at you once she learns that what you told her is not the whole truth."


    Xia Luna knew this too, but there was nothing she could do about it. "Some things are not my secret to tell. Lanni will find them out on her own. Besides¡­" she stood up, lost in thought as she paced slowly. "Besides, Xiao Yu, I think Lanni is better off without the memory of her past. If she really wanted to recover it, it wouldn''t take this long. I''m not a doctor, nor am I a psychologist, but I think her brain is fighting it off. Don''t you think so too?"


    Cheng Yu was yet to answer this absurd question when Xia Luna''s phone rang.


    Cheng Yu sighed in relief, thanking whoever the caller was for saving her from having to answer that.


    Xia Luna picked her phone from the marble coffee table and frowned slightly when she saw the caller identity. Why was Jiang Xingyu''s mother calling her?


    She answered the call with a gentle "hello."


    "My dear, I miss you. You didn''t even remember to give this old hag a call."


    A smile escaped Xia Luna''s lips. Madam Jiang was too cute. If only her son was half as cute¡­ "Aunty, I''m sorry I forgot. I will not forget next time."


    Cheng Yu at the side was shocked. What aunty was Xia Luna talking to, and so happily?


    Madam Jiang was pleased by Xia Luna''s words. "Good girl. You are so nice¡­ if only my useless punk of a son was half as thoughtful as you."


    Xia Luna chuckled. Were they thinking of the same thing?


    "Luna, are you free this evening? I would like to invite you for dinner. Don''t worry, it is just you and I. My husband is out of the city on a business trip and I have already given all the servants a day off."


    Hearing that Madam Jiang had already made such preparation, even sending the servants away because of her, Xia Luna couldn''t find it in her to reject the invitation. Not to mention, she actually liked Madam Jiang. She could only agree to go.


    It was only when she hung up that she saw Cheng Yu''s look of hunger. The girl was obviously hingry for gossip. "Luna, who are you speaking to? It''s an aunty now?"


    Xia Luna laughed and sat back on the couch. "Will you believe it if I said that it is Madam Jiang?"


    Cheng Yu''s eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Which Madam Jiang? Surely you don''t mean Jiang Xingyu''s mother, right?"


    "Yup. Jiang Xingyu''s mother." Xia Luna was enjoying her friend''s shocked expressions.


    "What? How? I mean¡­ why on earth would you be speaking to Jiang Xingyu''s mother so coyly? Did you hit your head somewhere? Did you eat something wrong this morning?"


    Xia Luna held her tummy and laughed. "Don''t be dramatic. Do I need to hit my head or eat something wrong to speak to Madam Jiang?"


    "Come on, don''t leave me too anxious. Tell me already." Cheng Yu urged for gossip.


    "Do you remember when Jiang Xingyu forcefully made me go to his villa?"


    "Yes." Of course she rememebred that. The bastard had swindled her brother into playing along with him to fake a kidnap act. What did that time have to do with anything anyway?


    "We talked." Xia Luna explained briefly. "Well, I don''t think we are arch enemies anymore."


    "Okay¡­" Although Cheng Yu was mad at Jiang Xingyu, she was happy for Xia Luna so she didn''t know how to react to the news. "So what''s all this got to do with Madam Jiang calling you and making you smile so happily?"


    Xia Luna explained the rest of it; how Madam Jiang had suddenly arrived in the morning and found her at Jiang Xingyu''s villa, to how they had talked a little and hit it off.


    "At least something good came out of it. His mother is very kind."


    "People change, Xiao Yu." Xia Luna''s eyes looked pained when she said so.


    "Yes, people change. But not everyone changes into a bad person. Besides, those who change for the bad are usually pretenders. They hide their true self and when it finally shows up, it appears as negative change." Cheng Yu was quite familiar with this too. "But with Madam Jiang, you don''t have to worry. If there is any completely genuine woman on earth, it would have to be her."


    Xia Luna had to agree to this too. It was not easy to find someone who will openly let you know that they are shocked, surprised, disappointed or happy and also show it from the bottom of their heart that they like you with no ounce of pretence. She was akin to a baby, pure and innocent, untainted by the world and its innumerable lies.


    "Right. She invited me for a meal. I''ll dress up and go." Xia Luna remembered and stood up.


    ¡­


    Xia Luna arrived at the old Jiang mansion in an hour and a half. Madam Jiang had sent her the address and would have sent a chauffeur to pick her up if she didn''t firmly reject the offer.


    As soon as she alighted from the cab, Madam Jiang rushed out like an excited child and pulled Xia Luna into a warm hug. "You are here at last! Please come in."


    Xia Luna cheered up from her bright mood. "Aunty, have you been well since the last time?"


    "Yes. And you are more beautiful since we last saw." Madam Jiang gushed, briefly scanning Xia Luna.


    Xia Luna had specifically dressed up. She was wearing a pale blue A-line dress and, for the first time in a long time, she was wearing high heeled shoes. Her long black hair was straightened and she even had a light layer of youthful makeup. She looked radiant and beautiful.


    As soon as they walked into the house, however, Xia Luna''s smile froze. What the hell was Jiang Xingyu doing here?

 Chapter 163 - Is It Too Late To Back Out?

    Seeing Xia Luna''s shocked expression, Madam Jiang was afraid that she would turn and leave so she nervously explained. "This punk finally decided to come home -- at the wrong time, of course. When I tried to send him off, telling him that I''m expecting an important guest, he planted himself on the seat and refused to move."


    Jiang Xingyu frowned but remained silent. How could let her throw him out? He lnew his mother well enough to guess who the guest must be. After all, she even gave the servants a day off so they wouldn''t see her. The girl had been ignoring him again. How could he miss the huge opportunity to see her?


    Xia Luna shot a glare at Jiang Xingyu. "How dare you trouble aunty?" Her eyes scolded.


    "We can just ignore him." She said to Madam Jiang, who was relieved and led her to the dining area.


    Because she was happy about Xia Luna coming over, she had prepared most of the dishes herself. She happily brought them to the dining table. "Let''s eat dinner first then talk later. I didn''t know what you like eating so I cooked a little of everything. Luna, do you like shrimp? Here, give it a try."


    "Aunty, you are such a good cook!" Xia Luna exclaimed after trying out the dishes.


    "Really? I''m so happy that you like them. You should eat more. I understand you young ladies all want to watch your weight but you shouldn''t starve yourself."


    Xia Luna almost forgot her manners as she enjoyed the food. As long as her brain could remember, she had never enjoyed a meal prepared by any mother figure. Her paternal aunt wasn''t mean, but she didn''t know how to cook so she never cooked for her. Now that Madam Jiang had cooked so well and put her heart into it, how could she not love it?


    "Aunty, you should eat too." She was embarassed that Madam Jiang was only paying attention to her and not eating herself.


    "Oh, alright." Madam Jiang served a few dishes for herself before bringing her attention back to Xia Luna.


    "Hey!" Jiang Xingyu finally complained. Were they really going to ignore him?


    No one had cared to invite him to the dining area and when he followed them on his own, they were now only fawning over each other, treating him like he did not exist. How could they?


    Madam Jiang frowned following her son''s complaint and glared at him ferociously. "Do you not have hands to pick your own dishes? Fill up your mouth and stop making so much noise! Sheesh¡­ what a hornbill."


    "..."


    Noise? He had only uttered one word! T_T


    Jiang Xingyu sulkily served his own dishes and tried to make his presence scarce. These heartless women! Were they going to treat him this way if he and Luna got married?


    No way! He couldn''t survive this cold treatment for a lifetime! Was it too late to back out?


    For the rest of the meal, he was indeed ignored. His mother was slightly better: she would turn to glare at him if she thought he was about to make noise and distract them. Xia Luna, on the other hand, completely treated him like thin air.


    She didn''t even look at him when he deliberately dropped a spoon, reached under the table to pick it and naughtily ran a hand over her fair legs in the process. She merely bent slightly to slap his hand away like she was swatting a fly, and continued eating like nothing happened.


    After that torturous meal, Jiang Xingyu fled to his bedroom.


    "Phew. The annoying third wheel is gone." Madam Jiang sighed in relief.


    Xia Luna burst into laughter. The mother-son interaction was just too cute. Even though they looked like a cat and a rat on the chase, she could tell that they loved each other.


    She couldn''t help wondering whether that was how Li Yuming and Li Lanni interacted too.


    She brushed the thought aside. Why would she think about such a sad thing at a happy moment like this?


    After a few random topics, Madam Jiang finally went to the point. "I have a friend who is a private detective. He is very good at what he does and there is nothing he cannot uncover.


    If you don''t mind, I will let him look into your case. He will surely find evidence to prove your innocence."


    Xia Luna was stunned and touched at the same time. Madam Jiang didn''t even know what exactly had happened in the past but she was willing to help her. Just how kind could she get?


    "Aunty, thank you for the offer, but¡­"


    "Luna," Madam Jiang cut her off. "You don''t have to worry about anything. He is very secretive and would never go against his work policy by revealing anything to anyone else. Besides, he is loyal. He will surely complete the task as fast as possible."


    The corners of Xia Luna''s eyes became slightly itchy. She could only be honest. "Thank you aunty, but I''m used to doing everything on my own. I''m not used to having anyone help me¡­ Besides, there are things I wouldn''t like anyone else to know. Not even a detective."


    Since it was that way, Madam Jiang did not force her. "I understand, Luna. If you change your mind, just say the word and I will get him here in a flash."


    Xia Luna uncontrollably threw herself into Madam Jiang''s arms. "Thank you aunty."


    Madam Jiang hugged her back, soothingly patting her back gently. This child seemed so sad¡­ Poor thing, she must have suffered a lot. She made a mental note to dote on her more from now on.


    "Are you guys done ignoring me yet?" Jiang Xingyu hollered from the staircase, descending with what looked like a frame but had been covered with a white cloth.


    Madam Jiang was displeased that the third wheel was back but when she saw what he was holding, she didn''t mind anymore.


    Xia Luna looked at the white cloth then looked at him curiously.


    Jiang Xingyu saw her questioning look and smiled. For the first time tonight, she looked at him.


    He walked over to the white sofa and slotted himself next to her, presenting whatever he was holding. "Here, this is for you. I didn''t have the opportunity to give it to you before but I guess this is the right time."


    Xia Luna accepted it and anxiously uncovered the white cloth. Then her eyes went wide with surprise, her lips curling upwards in an excited smile.


    "This¡­ you got this for me..." The corners of her eyes teared up slightly. She turned to the man next to her and before she knew what she was doing, threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you Jiang Xingyu."


    Jiang Xingyu held her waist and was equally happy. If he could make her smile so blissfully, he didn''t mind spending a few more billion on gifts.


    The gift he had given her was the painting he had won at the bid in Li Yuming''s charity banquet.. It was Li Yuming''s earliest painting.

 Chapter 164 - Divorce

    Madam Jiang saw them hugging and excitedly sprang to her feet. "Ah! My grandchildren will be on their way soon, let me check which room is the best for them to play in!"


    Xia Luna pulled away from Jiang Xingyu like she had been struck by lightning. Grandchildren, she said?


    Madam Jiang was not joking. After checking out all the rooms in the mansion, she downloaded an application with thousands of bedroom designs for babies and sent some to Father Jiang. Her bashful voice could be heard clearly. "Honey, we might have grandchildren soon. Quick, help me select the best bedroom design!"


    A few moments later, Jiang Xingyu''s phone rang.


    It pulled him out of his shocked stare. "Fa..."


    "You punk! What did you do to my wife this time?!"


    Jiang Xingyu pulled the phone away from his ears until the roar calmed down, then he cautiously returned it to his ear after making sure his father was done. "What did I do?" He did nothing, okay!


    "How do you explain why my wife is suddenly talking about grandchildren?" Father Jiang did not give his son any room to explain. "It must be you! I know you better than anyone. You must have tortured her brains out!"


    Before Jiang Xingyu could respond, a cold voice interrupted. "Are you saying that I don''t have brains, honey?"


    Jiang Xingyu looked over to see his mother with her hands on hips and an expression like she wanted to kill someone. Sh?t! She must have heard that. These two are going to¡­


    "Wifey, that''s not what I meant."


    "Jiang Xingren, you bastard! I''m going to divorce you. I really am!"


    There we go¡­


    "Wifey, can you not talk about divorce? We both know you can''t¡­"


    "Oh yeah?" Madam Jiang was glaring at Jiang Xingyu''s phone as though her husband could see her through the speaker. "Watch me sue you for divorce. I will sweep away the last piece of your wealth with me and marry my teenage crush!"


    Jiang Xingyu could not take it anymore. "Erm, before you guys sweep each other''s wealth and date your teenage crushes, could you use your phone?"


    "Shut up!" They both shouted at him.


    "Gee¡­ okay!" He placed his phone on the sofa. "Please continue!"


    He fled from the living room, dragging Xia Luna away with him.


    "Why did you drag me out?" Xia Luna had been laughing her ribs broken just now.


    "Those two are always either showing off their love or yelling divorce. Don''t mind them."


    Xia Luna laughed just thinking of their conversation. "They are too cute."


    It was obvious that they loved each other and loved their son.


    Jiang Xingyu looked at her like she was an alien. She found that cute?


    His ears were almost bleeding from hearing their meaningless banter! It was not that his parents were constantly fighting, don''t get him wrong. In fact, they never argued about anything that mattered. It was always the petty little things and they would drag him into it. Then they would ''reward'' him for being a good audience by showing off their love in front of him. Thank you very much but no thanks!


    "Hey, do you think we can exchange families?"


    Xia Luna frowned and looked him up and down. "Do you ever listen to the words you speak?"


    "..."


    Fine, that was lame.


    He ran a hand through his chestnut, slightly messy hair. "Erm¡­ I don''t think they will be done any time soon. How about we¡­" He stopped when he realized that she was not even listening. She was typing something on her phone, probably a text to Cheng Yu.


    Leaning foward, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Heaven knew he had wanted to do this since he lay his eyes on her when she arrived.


    Xia Luna turned to look at him when she felt the soft sensation on her cheek.


    "I¡­There was a fly on your cheek." He explained.


    "So you swallowed it¡­ I see, thank you."


    Jiang Xingyu''s brows scruched up. Ew!


    "Luna, you are so mean!"


    Why was everyone so mean to him? Xia Luna was the meanest of them all!


    Most importantly, months ago he had even given Ji Xiehan lessons on how to court his wife. Why was he, the love guru, having such a hard time?


    Wait, Ji Xiehan didn''t actually use his advice. "Urgh¡­ this inhumane world!"


    "What''s wrong with you?" Xia Luna found his sudden change of expressions hilarious.


    "Are you worried about me?" He slotted himself right next to her to ask.


    She rolled her eyes.


    Well, that didn''t work.


    "Luna, did you get bored?" Madam Jiang broke their awkward silence.


    Xia Luna rushed over to Madam Jiang''s side like she had seen a life saver. "Aunty, I''m glad you came back. Jiang Xingyu is so boring!"


    She glared at her son. "You useless son! I let you stay with my daughter-in-law so you could keep her company, not so you could bore her to death!"


    Jiang Xingyu could not take it anymore. He was now being accused of being boring?


    "You do realize that without a son, you cannot have a daughter-in-law, right?"


    When he saw their hesitant looks, he knew he had won. "And You Luna, without a husband, you cannot have a mother-in-law."


    He let out a wink and made demands like a newly crowned emperor. "Also, you cannot have a grandchild without a child. So, you guys better stop bullying me. I''m important."


    Madam Jiang ignored him and looked at Xia Luna beside her. "Luna, are you interested in becoming a Jiang? If so, let''s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau first thing tomorrow morning. I will adopt you and discard this punk. He is useless anyway.


    Ah¡­ or better yet, I will make you his sister so he cannot even court you anymore." She enthusiastically dragged Xia Luna away.


    "Hey!" Jiang Xingyu felt like a sore loser, his imaginary crown losing its meaning before he could even flaunt his newly found power.

 Chapter 165 - The Best Of Them All

    Ignoring her son for the gazillionth time, Madam Jiang pulled Xia Luna to his room to talk about whatever it was that mothers-in-law discussed with their future daughters-in-law.


    He didn''t mind that they were talking but why in his room? And judging from his mother''s tone and Xia Luna''s laughter that sounded like she would die from it, they were obviously talking at his expense.


    He went over intending to complain¡­ then he saw it. "Mother¡­ how could you?" He groaned with his face flushed in embarassment.


    How could she show Xia Luna his most embarrassing moment?


    Xia Luna was laughing too hard to even notice him. In her hands was a picture of nine-year-old Jiang Xingyu, whose tear-stained face was swollen from being ''kissed'' by bees as a reward for poking their hive.


    "I was showing Luna photos of you as a child. How could I not show her the best of them all?"


    Jiang Xingyu was so done with them. "Nevermind that you showed this picture to my friends. Did you have to show it to Luna too?" Who could stand it that their future wife was seeing their most humiliating photo?


    "Nonsense! Of course she should show me. Then I will have something to use to shut you up whenever we fight."


    Jiang Xingyu stared at her in disbelief. She was in this too? "Shouldn''t you focus on the main point here? Instead of helping her son, she was taking photos of me." He tried to gain Xia Luna''s sympathy.


    "You liar. I helped you!" Madam Jiang interrupted.


    "Yeah¡­ after taking photos."


    "Why would she help you? Did she poke the beehive for you?" Xia Luna defended Madam Jiang, making Jiang Xingyu want to flee from this family.


    Fine, never mind. As long as his Xia was happy.


    ___


    In contrast to the cheerful environment in the Jiang family, elsewhere, the roof was on the verge of collapse.


    Feng family home.


    "That b?tch! That son of a b?tch!"


    Feng Ci swept all the glassware onto the floor.


    Everything that could be broken or toppled met the same fate, including a European vase that Father Feng had bought in London just two days ago, and it had cost thousands of pounds.


    This was his beloved daughter but he was still displeased by her behaviour. "Will you calm down! What is wrong with you?"


    "Father, you have to help me!" When Feng Ci saw her father arrive, she rushed over like she had been treated unjustly.


    Father Feng was still angry as he asked. "What?"


    "Father, Xiehan and that little b?tch are really together!"


    "What did you say?"


    It was not just Father Feng. Even Mrs. Feng, who had been trying to ignore her daughter''s tantrum, was shocked.


    "How can you be so sure? It is not like their so-called engagement is even realistic."


    "I saw them k-i-s-s-i-n-g. They were very passionate at that." She enunciated the word without a hint of embarassment.


    "What?" Her parents exchanged glances.


    "This is not good." Father Feng mumbled, his expression like the world was ending.


    "I agree." His wife seconded.


    It was not that they cared so much about their daughter''s feelings towards Ji Xiehan. Who cared about her feelings anyway? She was a beautiful woman, she could gain any man''s attention if she wanted.


    It was just that they were hoping for her to get together with Ji Xiehan so they could benefit from him. Everyone was aiming for profit, after all.


    "Hmph. I know what to do." Mrs. Feng took out her phone and dialled a number.


    "Hello Wen Lin," she greeted happily when Madam Ji answered the call.


    "Hello, how have you been?"


    The two engaged in some small talk before Mrs. Feng impatiently blurted why she had called. "Did you know that your son is getting closer to the little brat?"


    Wen Lin was silent for a moment before she said something that Mrs. Feng would never have expected. "I''ve been meaning to talk to you about this but didn''t get the chance. Why don''t we catch up tomorrow?"


    From her solemn tone, Mrs. Feng knew it was unpleasant. There was no way she was going to waste her time just so she would hear something she did not want to hear. She put the call on speaker. "Just speak it out."


    "Okay." Wen Lin didn''t mind. "The thing is, I met the girl a few times¡­" she could not just be blunt and say that she had misunderstood Li Lanni and after meeting a few times, realized that Li Lanni was actually a better choice for her son than Feng Ci.


    So instead she said, "Xiehan loves her very much and they are so happy together. As a mother, how can I stand in the way of my own son''s happiness?"


    The Fengs were all irritated by her words. What pretentious nonsense was this?!


    Even so, they signalled for Mrs. Feng to speak politely.


    "Wen Lin, how can you say that? We both know how good Xiehan and my Cici look together. Besides, they were friends for years. They will definitely make the happiest couple. Right now, he is probably momentarily charmed by that little girl. Little girls these days are learning more and more tricks."


    Madam Ji was displeased that her friend was saying such mean things about Li Lanni. She was obviously implying that Li Lanni was a seductress who lured men. Though she couldn''t help but mock at herself. Just a few weeks ago, she also hated Li Lanni and thought that way of her.


    However, she would only create an enemy for Li Lanni if she said this to Mrs. Feng. So she neither agreed with what Mrs. Feng was saying nor refuted. "That¡­ why don''t we leave it for Xiehan to decide? If he falls in love with Feng Ci, I will not do anything to stop them from being together. But if his choice is still Lanni in the end, I cannot do anything about it either."


    Mrs. Feng hung up with a sneer.. "That little girl must be better at playing tricks than we thought."

 Chapter 166 - Pervert

    [Warning: This chapter is a little mature. If you are not comfortable with such content, you may want to skip it]


    10pm.


    Ji Xiehan drove into the underground parking of Li Yuming''s villa. After stopping the car, he got out and swiftly circled the car to help Li Lanni out.


    "I have a weird feeling." Li Lanni said after exiting Ji Xiehan''s car. He was dropping her off after spending the whole afternoon together, hugging like nothing else in the world mattered.


    "About what?" Ji Xiehan asked, closing the car door after helping her out.


    "I don''t know¡­ there''s just this bad feeling."


    Ji Xiehan brought her into his embrace and kissed her on the cheek. "If you are thinking about that crazy woman, you are being too anxious over trivial matters. Stop thinking about it, okay? Don''t exhaust your pretty brain. Nothing can go wrong with me here."


    She was surprised that he could read her like an open book. He was right. She was indeed thinking about Feng Ci. A woman''s instinct told her that Feng Ci was not going to give up on Ji Xiehan any time soon. What if that woman caused trouble?


    But hearing Ji Xiehan''s reassurance, she nodded and rested her head against his chest, breathing in the seductive scent of his  cologne. The turmoil in her head magically calmed down. So what if Feng Ci tried to cause trouble? Ji Xiehan wouldn''t fall for her anyway. Li Lanni realized that she was worried over nothing.


    She stayed in his embrace with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, with no intention to let go.


    If she didn''t have to go back home, she would stay in his arms forever. It felt so nice to finally be close to him and not worry that he could be only playing around like many men do. Unfortunately, they still had to deal with their own work especially since they were going to take some time off for their vacation. She reluctantly let go.


    "Honey, do I get to see you tomorrow?" Although it was a question, Ji Xiehan''s tone was more like that of a statement. He was not asking to meet her tomorrow, he was informing her that they would meet. And she didn''t mind it. On the contrary, she was looking foward to it.


    "Yes. Give me a call when you''re free"


    Ji Xiehan nodded and let his index finger trace her face, then raised her chin so she would look into his eyes. She knew what was coming, and she tried hard to keep herself from averting his gaze.


    His thumb caressed her lips, making her eye his own lips and swallow in anticipation.


    "Lanni, I love  you." He said and pressed his lips onto hers. Li Lanni''s heart raced as he gently deepened the kiss.


    Lanni wrapped her arms around his neck at the same time that he held her waist. The kiss started off gentle and sweet, then roughened up a little with him pressing her body against his own and his tongue prying open her mouth. She let out a small moan as his tongue curled around hers, his hands exploring her body. Even through the layers of fabric, she felt waves of excitement from the movement of his hands and the stiffening of his shaft which she could feel through their clothes.


    He spun her and pinned her against the silver car, sandwitching her between himself and the car. His right hand reached down to caress her thigh, bringing it up his waist.


    The move made her dress slide almost to her waist, giving him access to her bare skin. His lips moved from hers and trailed to her neck, his tongue caressing her skin at the same time that he caressed her thigh, gently squeezing her butt. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, uncontrollably moaning when she felt his fingers tracing her panties.


    "Any more and I will not be able to stop myself from having you right here, right now." Ji Xiehan broke the kiss, panting lightly.


    That was the second kiss they had shared since expressing their feelings and the most passionate ever. He could tell from her alluring gaze that she liked it too, and was anticipating for more.


    He chuckled and pecked her slightly swollen lips lightly. "Go on."


    Li Lanni straightened up her disheveled clothes and hair, gave him a quick hug then went into the house. Her brain was slightly disoriented. Deciding that she would talk to her mother the next day, she went to her room and headed straight for the bathroom.


    The warm water cascaded down her skin, making her more frustrated than she already was. An image slowly formed into her mind -- him in the shower with her, kissing her lips as his hands traced every inch of her body.


    Desire crept up her skin, she almost couldn''t resist the urge to touch herself with the thought of him in her mind.


    However, she decided against that. It would feel nicer if it was him touching her. She cursed herself once the thought surfaced. How come she didn''t know that she was such a pervert?


    _


    Highbridge Mansion.


    Li Lanni wasn''t the only one who needed a cold shower. Ji Xiehan was literally having a cold shower. Scratch that. He had had several of them already. It didn''t help that his mind was constantly filled with their kiss from earlier. If they had kissed that way earlier when they were together in his room, what would have happened?


    After his umpteenth cold shower, Ji Xiehan finally settled in his bed - in the spot she was sitting earlier in the day. His heart raced faster as his brain chose that moment to think about what didn''t happen that afternoon, and what might happen during their one-week vacation. That''s right. They would go to Europe for a whole damn week.


    They had decided not to choose what to do in Europe so it would be natural but one thing was for sure; that vacation was going to be as torturous as tonight.

 Chapter 167 - Fate

    By the time Xia Luna got back to Goldenwing Apartment, it was almost midnight.


    It was all thanks to Jiang Xingyu, that bastard. Once Madam Jiang let them have some time alone, he had clung to her adamantly, refusing to let her leave. It was only when she threatened to complain about him to his mother that he relented.


    Then, he insisted on dropping her off. Xia Luna knew it was only his excuse and what he really wanted was to know where she lived. Even then, she didn''t care. He wouldn''t gain a thing from that.


    Once they arrived, he stubbornly clung to her again, talking about random things that were not even her business.


    By the time she was finally able to break away from him and enter the elevator, she was already so annoyed that she would have beaten him up if he was not so well trained.


    Letting out a sigh, she opened the door and entered the house, making as little noise as possible.


    The light in Cheng Yu''s room was still on; she must be painting, so Xia Luna didn''t go to bother her.


    Once in her room, she placed the painting on the bedside desk and went to the bathroom.


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu had heard Xia Luna arrive even though the latter had crept in silently.


    She knew that Xia Luna would not go to talk to her in fear of distracting her. However, she was not even painting. She was only reading a novel. She had something to talk to Xia Luna about so she went over to her room.


    Once she opened the door, she could hear the sound of running water in the bathroom and guessed that Xia Luna was taking a shower. She sat on the bed to wait for her.


    She had not brought her phone with her so she idly looked around. That was when her eyes landed on the painting on the table.


    Her gaze narrowed. Wasn''t that the painting that Jiang Xingyu had spent so much money and effort to buy? He was buying it as a gift to Xia Luna? But he did know that it would hurt her feelings, right?


    Cheng Yu was right. The painting hurt Xia Luna''s feelings. Rather, it was not the painting itself but the concept of it that broke her heart.


    The subject of the painting was a woman holding two babies in her arms.


    Their faces were all blank with no particular definition. Everyone who wanted to buy it just wanted it for its beauty and knew nothing about Li Yuming''s true thoughts.


    However,  Jiang Xingyu knew just as well as Xia Luna and Cheng Yu did that the woman in the paining was Li Yuming. The babies in her arms were obviously Li Lanni and Xia Luna.


    Considering their relationship right now, it should be a jab to Xia Luna''s heart.


    But then again, that painting was the only place where Li Yuming still held her so lovingly. Even after all those years, it was the only place where she was that close to her mother. How could she not treasure it?


    Xia Luna left the bathroom thirty minutes later and was surprised to see Cheng Yu in her room.


    "So, how was your dinner?" Cheng Yu tried to lighten up the mood that was on the verge of getting solemn.


    Xia Luna shrugged and sat on the dressing table, turning on the jair dryer. "It was nice." She silently dried her hair, her silence stopping Cheng Yu from saying a word.


    "You have something to talk about?" She probbed.


    Cheng Yu could tell that there was something weighing Xia Luna''s mind. It was probably one of the two things that had been bothering her for the past year: her family and her case.


    She knew that she shouldn''t ask. Xia Luna wouldn''t answer anyway.


    So she went straight to the point and talked about why she was here. "I was keeping watch on Li Xiyan¡­" she started.


    "That''s so good of you. I forgot to do that." Xia Luna smiled. Cheng Yu was such a good friend.


    Cheng Yu looked uneasy. "Eer¡­ for some reason, she suddenly rushed back to Lakeside City. I got someone to check and¡­ she even forgot to get her things and check out of the hotel. She must be in such a hurry."


    Fear crept up Xia Luna''s stomach. Apparently, she had the same thought as Cheng Yu.


    Wordlessly, she grabbed her laptop and turned it on, slamming the keyboard because it was taking a little long.


    She rapidly opened a software and tapped what looked like random keys on the keyboard.


    When she was done, a location showed up.


    She had gotten Li Xiyan''s exact location but when it showed up, she felt her body go limp.


    "It can''t be¡­"


    "Luna, maybe it''s not what you think." Cheng Yu tried to calm her down.


    "How could it not be? If¡­ if father''s condition didn''t¡­" she couldn''t complete the statement. Xia Hanchen''s condition couldn''t worsen. He was already at his worst. If it worsened even at the slightest, they would no longer be talking about a living human but a corpse.


    "If that''s not the case, why would Li Xiyan rush to the hospital so urgently?


    Why?"


    Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.


    "All I wanted was for my family to reunite. Was that too selfish of me? Is that why fate did this?"


    ___


    The next morning.


    Li Lanni looked bright and happy as she made her way to the dining area for breakfast.


    "I baked a cake last night." Li Yuming said, bringing it to the table.


    Li Lanni frowned slightly as she studied her mother. "Are you okay, mum? You have dark circles."


    "Oh it''s nothing. I didn''t sleep early last night. I will catch up on sleep later." She said dismissively.


    Li Lanni could only nod. If her mother had something bothering her but didn''t want to talk about it, there was nothing she could do about it.


    In actual fact, Li Yuming had just been restless the whole night.


    She was uneasy about something that she couldn''t understand; except she knew that her mother''s instinct was acting up.


    She found it strange. Everything was obviously going on well for Lanni. She looked radiant lately and, judging by the frequency by which she had been disappearing with Ji Xiehan, their relationship must be blossoming.


    What, then, was this uneasy feeling about her child being sad?

 Chapter 168 - Interesting Past

    "Mom, Xiehan and I are going to Europe on Tuesday for one week." Li Lanni''s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.


    She smiled at the great news. "Lovely! You guys have fun. What''s your relationship now?"


    Li Lanni''s cheeks flushed as she thought about what had transpired in the parking the previous night. "We''re dating¡­ I guess." That''s what happens after a confession, right?


    Li Yuming uncontrollably pulled her into a hug. "Oh, I''m so happy for you! You blockheads finally decided to take things to the next step. I was starting to think I would have to pretend to be cupid and step in between the two of you.


    Li Lanni giggled at the thought of it. Her mother playing cupid? She might just invite Ji Xiehan for a meal and trick the two of them into Li Lanni''s room, then lock them in and wait for them to do something interesting. "I''m glad it didn''t get to that."


    _


    Old Ji Mansion.


    Ji Xiehan went home for breakfast today.


    It was worth noting that ever since Ji Feifei was jailed, Ji Xiehan was spending more time at home.


    It downed on Ji Huifen and his wife belatedly, that their son hated their daughter so much that he didn''t want to go home, just so he would evade her.


    No matter what, that was no longer important. The girl was probably learning her lesson now.


    The hearing would be held in a few days. They were sure she was going to be given a heavy sentence because of her involvement with drugs. Fortunately, all the tests done on her for drugs came out negative. Hopefully, she would have changed for the better once her term was over.


    It was not the right time to be thinking about her, Wen Lin brought up the matter that she and her husband had been mulling over. "Xiehan, when are you and Lanni going to start planning your wedding?"


    "We are here if you need any help. We can recommend the agency that planned our own wedding. They are even better at it now that all these years have passed." Ji Huifen suggested.


    "Yes. They will give you the best wedding of the century. What kind of wedding does Lanni like? With her character, I think she would like something not too grand. You know, a wedding is a woman''s most important day. Make sure she loves it."


    "Mother¡­"


    "Right! I know a very good wedding gown designer from the time Jiang Xingyu''s mother got married. I can recommend him to you."


    "Mother¡­"


    Ji Xiehan was interrupted once again. "Ah! I know just where to get the perfect outfit for your dad and I. Of course we should look great on our son''s big¡­"


    "Lin, our son looks like he has something to say." Ji Huifen nudged his wife.


    Finally having a chance to speak, Ji Xiehan looked at his father gratefully. "Mother, "


    He was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say. He and Li Lanni had only started dating less than twenty four hours ago. Although he had been wooing her with marriage in mind, it was too early to even talk about it with her. How could his mother be going on and on about wedding planning?


    But then again, his parents were still under the impression that he and Li Lanni were engaged. There was nothing wrong with them asking about when they were getting married. He could only say, "Lanni is still in school. Besides, she thinks she is too young to get married."


    His second statement made Wen Lin realize it. "Right. How could I be so impatient? Lanni is only twenty. When you guys are ready, you can start to plan your wedding."


    Ji Xiehan was relieved. Crisis averted.


    ¡­


    Li Lanni suddenly clutched her chest.


    "Are you okay? What''s wrong?" Li Yuming asked worriedly.


    Li Lanni frowned. What was that weird feeling? "I''m okay. I just felt uncomfortable for a moment."


    "How is Luna anyway? I haven''t heard from her since yesterday." It was supposed to be a mumble but Li Yuming heard it.


    "You are still keeping in touch with that girl?"


    "Yes." Li Lanni didn''t deny it.


    Li Yuming was displeased but she couldn''t say anything after all. Li Lanni and Xia Luna were identical twins. Trying to separate them when they had already formed a bond of sorts was only going to give her a headache. She would later explain to Li Lanni just why she shouldn''t get close to Xia Luna. For now, she could only let the bodyguards protect Li Lanni from a distance.


    ___


    At the same time, Lakeside City Hospital.


    It was late the previous night and Xia Luna couldn''t hail any cab. Hence she blinked the night away and left as soon as she could hail one.


    Once she arrived, she rapidly paid and ran all the way to the twefth floor, to room 1204 where Xia Hanchen was staying.


    Her hands trembled as she touched the door, scared that if she pushed it open, she might see something she wasn''t ready to see.


    Taking a deep breath, she slowly pushed the door open¡­


    The ward was empty.


    No way!


    Her eyes widened as she swallowed hard. Her dad was not there.


    Her legs weakened. How could this be? She had been too late after all¡­


    She slumped onto the floor, tears streaming down her face as her shoulders shook violently.


    A series of slow claps rang through the air.


    Xia Luna had a bad premonition. She turned to look at the woman who had just walked in.


    "Oh-lala! Look who we have here." Li Xiyan crossed her arms against her voluptuous chest. "Xia Luna in the flesh."


    Xia Luna cursed inwardly but her expression remained indifferent. Had she been tricked by Li Xiyan? Did she just fall for it like an idiot?


    "Aww something good came out of this after all¡­" she snickered.


    Last night, the doctors had called her and told her the worst news ever; Xia Hanchen''s condition had gotten better!


    Can you imagine it? After all the efforts she had used to silence that old fart, he had gotten better?!


    That was right. She had been trying to kill him. What was his use anyway? He was just a waste of space.


    All these years, she had tried every means to make him fall in love with her; and that included directly imitating Li Yuming. However, the fool had refused to see what a beauty she was and had been hung up on that witch. Just what did that Li Yuming do to him to make him so enchanted?


    However, fate


    She knew that she could absolutely not kill him directly as that would be too obvious. So she could only  mess up with his medication.


    How could he still survive that? Just how strong was his desire to live?


    She was still angry after being informed of that the previous night when shr remembered something that made her smile.


    She had been informed by her assistant that someone was spying on her. If whoever that was told Xia Luna that she had rushed back to Lakeside, that girl would obviously go running.


    And now here she was, right in her grasp.


    "Oh Xia Luna, I missed you! Youa re finally back. I guess the police miss you more?"


    "Hahaha¡­" Xia Luna laughed sarcastically. "Miss Li Xiyan, I guess you need to have your eyes checked. Is your vision clouded because of old age?"


    "You!"


    "Am I wrong?" Xia Luna crossed her arms too. Take a good look at me. You don''t think there''s anything wrong with your eyes, Miss Li?"


    Li Xiyan lost her confidence in a flash, staring at Xia Luna like she was seeing a ghost. "Li Lanni¡­"


    "Hmph." Xia Luna closed in on her, glad that she was not wearing anything that could directly give her away as Xia Luna. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple top, something anyone could wear. She was also happy that she had been too rushed to think of disguising herself. She could easily pass off as her sister. This was the last resort she had thought of in a moment of urgency but still the best.


    "Li Xiyan, how have you been?" She whispered into the middle aged woman''s ear.


    Li Xiyan was spooked, finding ''Li Lanni''''s taunting as scary as that of a ghost.


    "Stop pretending Xia Luna¡­ L.. Li Lanni doesn''t know me."


    "Oh really?" Xia Luna circled her tauntingly. "Is there¡­ a reason why I shouldn''t know you?"


    She stopped behind Li Xiyan to half-whisper. "But, Miss Li, we have a very interesting past together. How could I forget you?"


    Li Xiyan felt her back go cold. Interesting past¡­ could it be?


    Had Li Lanni found out what she did months ago?


    But that was not right. Li Lanni had amnesia, didn''t she?


    "Oh, I would really love to catch up with you but I need to go now. Adios!"

 Chapter 169 - Stop Right There!

    "Stop right there!" Li Xiyan shouted when Xia Luna walked past her and was just about to touch the door.


    Xia Luna froze. Did she see through her? Even so, she turned sweetly with a smile that one couldn''t comprehend. "Do you need anything else?"


    Li Xiyan closed in on her to check every inch of Xia Luna. Was this really not Xia Luna? She had already heard that Li Lanni and Xia Luna were an identical copy of each other. Having been born conjoined, they were even more identical than other identical twins.


    However, was this really not Xia Luna?


    After thinking through it severally, she scoffed. "Nice try Xia Luna, I almost got fooled."


    Xia Luna remained indifferent even though her heart was almost popping out of her chest through her throat.


    "So, a wanted criminal is  right before me. Wouldn''t I be a bad citizen if I didn''t call the police?"


    Xia Luna let out a low ''hmph''. "Are you sure you are not talking to yourself?"


    She took out her phone and laughed. "Do you need help calling the police? It will save me the trouble of having to go to the police station."


    Li Xiyan was hesitant. That sounded so much like Li Lanni. Xia Luna was not one to talk so much. She would rather get violent.


    "What, are you scared already? Oh don''t worry. The police don''t bite."


    Li Xiyan initially had her doubts but now she was sure that the girl before her was Li Lanni.


    ''But that doesn''t make any sense.'' She thought. ''Lanni wouldn''t be so close to Hanchen.''


    She had clearly seen how dejected the girl was when she saw that her father was no longer in the ward. She must have thought too much of it. But then again, Li Lanni was his daughter too. She would be sad as well.


    ¡­


    Xia Luna used the opportunity when Li Xiyan was confused to slip away.


    She went to have a quick word with Xia Hanchen''s attending physician.


    The middle aged man pulled Xia Luna aside, also under the impression that she was Li Lanni.


    "Your father got better. He will be awake in a month to two."


    Xia Luna was relieved. So it was the opposite of what she thought. She had thought that her father''s condition had worsened but on the contrary, he had gotten better?


    "However, I must warn you." The doctor continued. "Your stepmother has been trying to hurt him. She tried to hire me to do something to him."


    He was nervous when he saw Xia Luna''s shocked expression and quickly explained. "I swear, I didn''t do it. Your sister is such a nice girl. For her sake, I would never hurt your father."


    Xia Luna''s heart softened. So that was what Doctor Zhao thought of her. She had always thought of him as a father figure.


    "How is your sister? Is she alright? It''s been long since she last dropped by."


    "Yes. She''s fine." She almost said that she was Xia Luna but on second thought, it was better if few people knew about her whereabouts. "Thank you for not hurting my father."


    She said sincerely.


    "It''s nothing. If I did such a thing to my patients, that would be against my ethics as a doctor." Doctor Zhao said modestly.


    "Even so, I still need to thank you."


    Heaven knew what kind of human being Li Xiyan was. She liked to play with people''s weaknesses and using them to lure them into working for her. It was rare that anyone would still stand their ground against her.


    "Can I see him?"


    "Of course. We transfered him to the recovery ward. This way." He led the way and Xia Luna followed.


    Once she entered the ward, she emotionally hugged Xia Hanchen. "Dad¡­"


    Her tears flowed freely.


    After all that tension, she was finally seeing her father and he was even getting better.


    She sat by his side, resting her head next to him, her heart finally calming down.


    At that moment, her phone rang.


    She was about to go out to recieve the call but when she saw who the caller was, she smiled and recieved it right there.


    "Lanni?"


    She could have sworn that when she said her sister''s name aloud, Xia Hanchen''s eyelashes shook a little.


    "Luna, where are you?" Li Lanni''s worried voice came through the speaker.


    "I''m in Lakeside City hospital."


    "Hospital? Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine." Xia Luna smiled when she saw that her father seemed to make slight movements. If she knew that her father would be so responsive just by hearing Li Lanni''s name, she would have done this ages ago.


    "Then why are you at the hospital?" Li Lanni remembered what Xia Luna had said about their father''s medical condition when she asked about it. "Did you go to visit our father?"


    "Yes." Xia Luna suddenly didn''t know what to say. If Xia Hanchen was awake, she would have asked Li Lanni to say a few words to him¡­


    "I just wanted to know if you''re alright. I had a sudden bad feeling¡­ "


    Xia Luna was about to say something when she saw Li Xiyan approaching. "I''ll talk to you later."


    Li Xiyan sauntered in and like the loving wife she was pretending  to be, threw her arms around Xia Hanchen to sob her fake tears out; making Xia Luna so disgusted that she almost tore off her fake mask right there. However, she had no evidence of her trying to bribe Doctor Zhao. She would have to get that first. For now, she could only scoff at the side and make a mental note to disinfect him once the witch left.


    ¡­


    Xia Luna only left the hospital once she was sure that Li Xiyan had left. Knowing that the witch must be keeping an eye on her, she kept up her ''Li Lanni'' front and didn''t go back to the Xia home even though she really wanted to.


    She went back to B City as soon as she left the hospital. Her expression darkened as she thought of how Li Xiyan had managed to trap her.. She had some matters to discuss with Cheng Yu.

 Chapter 170 - Decieved

    "How did she even know she was being followed?" Xia Luna questioned, pulling her legs under her on the couch.


    Cheng Yu put aside the freshly squeezed orange juice she was drinking, realization downing on her. "That woman¡­"


    "What woman?" Xia Luna asked.


    "Li Xiyan''s assistant. I didn''t think she would back out."


    Cheng Yu went ahead to explain how she had got Li Xiyan''s assistant to collaborate with her. She had already heard rumors about Li Xiyan bullying her assistant. Using this and promising to help her pull away from Li Xiyan, she got the woman to agree to keep an eye on Li Xiyan.


    "She even tearfully thanked me for promising to help her. I didn''t think she would turn on her word."


    Xia Luna rubbed her temples. "How naive can you get? Just because she thanked you, you think she was being sincere and would betray her master for you? Do you even know why she is still working for Li Xiyan despite being tortured?"


    Cheng Yu shook her head. She didn''t think about this.


    "It''s because Li Xiyan has dirt on her. That assistant might look innocent but in real sense, she is a dangerous person. She killed her own child."


    "What?" Cheng Yu whispered in shock.


    "Yeah. Apparently, she got pregnant for the wrong guy. Pretty much the same story as Li Xiyan''s except, when the man rejected her even after the baby was born, she thought it better to kill the innocent little thing than have to take care of an abandoned child."


    "How awful¡­" Cheng Yu had an expression like she had swallowed a fly. How could one be so heartless to her own child? Was she even human?


    But then again, there were such mothers. Hers didn''t murder her as a baby but she was not any different.


    "She dumped the baby in a fountain amd Li Xiyan saw her doing that. Of course, she recorded it as well. That''s how she got the woman to work for her for all these years and forced her to be loyal despite torturing her endlessly."


    Cheng Yu did not know what to say after hearing that. What could anyone say about such a thing?


    No wonder despite the presence of such a weakness by Li Xiyan''s side, the latter had not used her in the past.


    In actual fact, Xia Luna had thought of doing so. But being the careful person that life had made her, she had to thoroughly investigate everything about a person before even thinking of making a deal with them. That was how she came to know of that woman''s past.


    Besides, someone that could be so heartless as to kill their own baby wouldn''t flinch when she got tempted to betray her.


    "Sorry Luna." Cheng Yu was so ashamed of herself. "You have helped me so many times that I wanted to do something for you too. I saw that you had forgotten all about this so I wanted to do it for you. Little did I know that it would land you right into the enemy''s trap!"


    "Xiao Yu, you shouldn''t be sorry. You meant well and oh well¡­ we all make mistakes sometimes."


    Since that was settled, there only one more thing left for her to do: she should explain to Li Lanni what she had done at the hospital. Although she knew that Li Xiyan wouldn''t really see through what had happened, it was still safe to take precaution. That witch might try to look into it if she had even a sliver of suspicion.


    ___


    When Li Lanni learnt about what had happened, she knew what to do. After all, no one would look into what she had done since the night before. She could just fake having gone to Lakeside City if anyone asked her.


    After waiting for Ji Xiehan for what felt like several hours, he finally called her.


    She picked her phone with her lips uncontrollably forming a smile. "Hello."


    "I''m coming to pick you up."


    He was brief and hung up before she could ask any questions.


    Li Lanni looked at her phone with a raised eyebrow. What did he mean by an expressionless ''I''m going to pick you up''?


    What was she supposed to do, pack up and wait at the door or something?


    Checkimg through the closet, she found a purple sleeveless dress and changed into it. Perhaps Ji Xiehan was taking her somewhere for fun.


    Ji Xiehan did not make her wait for too long; arriving only half an hour later.


    "You look beautiful." He said as he hugged her. He meant it but then again, he would find her beautiful no matter what she wore.


    Li Lanni hugged him back and entered the car when he opened the passenger door for her.


    "Where are we going?" She asked as she fastened the seat belt.


    "Haha."


    "Why are you laughing?"


    Ji Xiehan turned to her teasingly. "You entered the car and fastened your seatbelt before you thought to ask where I''m taking you. Aren''t you scared I can kidnap you and sell you off?"


    Li Lanni found herself a little silly too. But, "Xiehan, even if you wanted to sell me, I would gladly go."


    Ji Xiehan held her chin between his thumb and index finger. "Did you eat honey?"


    "Only one way to find out." She teased, to which he responded by pressing his lips against hers.


    It was only a slight kiss, and he pulled away before she could have enough of it.


    He laughed when he saw her silly dissatisfied pout. "That''s enough for now. We are going over to my parents'' for lunch."


    Li Lanni tittered. Was he trying to say that he didn''t want them to do the walk of shame to his parents'' mansion? Her second reaction was to look down at herself. "You should have told me before. I would have worn something more decent for meeting the in-laws."


    Ji Xiehan was pleased by how she had called his parents. He smiled and looked at her dress. "What''s wrong with what you''re wearing?"


    "Isn''t it a bit too revealing?"


    He frowned slightly.. Not because he was afraid it was too showy for his parents'' liking but because he was jealous at the thought of other people getting to see her skin. If only he could bundle her up so she wouldn''t show any skin¡­

 Chapter 171 - Get Used To It

    "It''s perfect." He said.


    "Okay¡­"


    "My parents want me to bring you home for lunch. Are you willing to go with me?"


    Li Lanni found him comical. He was asking whether she was willing when she was already in his car and they were already on their way? "What if I said I''m not?"


    "If you''re not, we will go somewhere else. I can bring you home when you want to go." He looked serious about it, as though if she said that she wanted to go back to Li Yuming''s, he would turn back.


    "Just kidding. Of course I''m willing to go." She laughed before he could make a U-turn. She had missed Madam Ji and the old master too. "It''s just¡­"


    This was the first time meeting his parents when in an actual relationship with him and she was a bit nervous.


    He understood this and kissed her cheek for reassurance. "It''s alright. You just have to be yourself."


    He was now glad that they had pretended to be engaged before. She had met his parents and contrary to their previous prejudice against her, they now liked her. It would be one hell of a task of she was meeting them for the first time and they really disliked her, considering how their relationship was just starting to bloom.


    They stopped by a gift shop. Unlike the last time, Li Lanni now knew their preferences so she easily chose a watch for the old master and a necklace for Madam Ji.


    They arrived at the Old Ji mansion half an hour later.


    "Lanni''s here!" Madam Ji exclaimed when she heard her son''s silver-white sports car drive in. She pulled the apron off her and rushed out like an excited child.


    Old Master Ji went out in anticipation too.


    As soon as Li Lanni was out of the car, Madam Ji rushed to take her hand. "Lanni, you are finally here. Come on in."


    "Hello aunty, uncle." Li Lanni greeted them modestly.


    Old Master Ji was yet to have the chance to say anything when Madam Ji pulled Lanni into a hug. "Oh Lanni. It will not be too long until you have to call me mother." Wen Lin pulled her into the house enthusiastically.


    "Did I just get ignored?" Ji Xiehan, whose hands were outstretched to hug his mother, was speechless. No one even said a word to welcome him!


    "Get used to it, son. I got ignored too." Old Master Ji knew it was going to happen more often.


    In the living room, Li Lanni showed her gifts to Wen Lin.


    "You didn''t have to, dear. It''s already enough that you are here." That was what Wen Lin said, but her hands quickly reached for the pearl necklace. She ran her fingers over the small, fine, snow-white pearls. One look and she knew that it must have cost a dime. Not that the price mattered, she would appreciate it even if it wasn''t costly. "But isn''t this type of model for young women? Old hags like me would look weird wearing such necklaces."


    "What are you saying aunty? If I didn''t know you were Xiehan''s mother, I would think you were his sister instead." Li Lanni said, and she meant it. Wen Lin had taken such good care of herself that she looked at least ten years younger than she really was.


    Which woman didn''t like to be complemented for looking young and beautiful? Wen Lin was even happier, soon dragging Li Lanni to the kitchen with her so they would chat more in the absence of the father-son duo.


    "And we got ignored again." This time, Old Master Ji was the one who complained.


    "Get used to it dad."


    They really needed to, because for the rest of the time including when they were eating, Wen Lin hogged Li Lanni all to herself, completely forgetting all about her husband and son.


    "I was asking, am I even needed here?" Ji Xiehan finally complained, earning a glare from his mother.


    "You punk! Are you really being jealous of your fianc¨¦e? I''ve been with you for almost three decades."


    "Of course I wouldn''t be jealous of her. I''m jealous because of her." He mumbled.


    "You bad son. Are you jealous of your parents now?"


    Li Lanni found him childish too and laughed at him. Who on earth gets jealous of his own parents?


    After the meal, Madam Ji had something to ask Li Lanni. She took her hands to nervously ask, "Are you very close to Jiang Xingyu?"


    "I''m training at Star Art International so he''s technically my superior." Well, that and the fact that he could be her brother-in-law.


    "Just that?" Wen Lin seemed conflicted. "A friend of mine seems to have seen you at his house."


    "Huh?" Li Lanni was puzzled for a moment before it downed on her. That must have been her sister.


    However, she couldn''t say this out so she just coughed and dismissed it. "Your friend must have seen wrong."


    She was right. Except, neither the friend nor Wen Lin knew about Xia Luna.


    Wen Lin frowned and shrugged it off too. "That must have been the case. Don''t think too much of it. I just wanted to ask you before coming into any conclusion.


    Even so, she had a slight frown on her face. The first time must have been a coincidence.


    The second time, however, she was passing by the Jiangs'' when she clearly saw her playing around with Madam Jiang.


    That was still alright, considering how much Madam Jiang had always wanted a daughter and how much she liked Li Lanni. However, why would Li Lanni be playing around with Jiang Xingyu as well? Jiang Xingyu even kissed her and she didn''t look displeased at all - or at least she didn''t act so. In fact, the whole scene looked like a mother playing with her son and her daughter-in-law. It sounded odd, but that was the vibe she got from them.


    Jiang Xingyu wouldn''t secretly fool around with his best friend''s fianc¨¦e, right? Even if he could, considering how beautiful Li Lanni was, there was no way his mother would let that happen, right?


    After hearing Li Lanni''s answer, Wen Lin felt like her intelligence was being insulted.


    Li Lanni clearly felt that Wen Lin''s temperament towards her had changed since she asked that question. It had gone back to the initial awkwardness.


    Ji Xiehan knew that if he tried to say anything, it would only make the situation more strange than it already was.


    _


    "The person my mother''s friend apparently saw, that was your sister, right?" Ji Xiehan asked when they were on their way out.


    "I guess so. She is getting more careless by the day." She would have a word with her later. It was still alright if people saw her and thought that she was Li Lanni. However, if someone happened to see both of them at different places in a short span, that wouldn''t be funny.


    "My mother doesn''t mean any harm." Ji Xiehan stated.


    "I know." She bit her lip, looking at him. "Her opinions just change too fast. She has no sense of trust. One only needs to say something with a little semblance of evidence for her to be convinced.." If not, she wouldn''t have been decieved by Ji Feifei for so long.

 Chapter 172 - Honeymoon

    "Let''s not talk about them anymore." Ji Xiehan was slightly uncomfortable about it. He loosened his tie a little as he wondered whether to drive her back home or go somewhere else to spend more time together. Guessing that she might need time to decide what to pack for their vacation and she might not have enough time the next day, he decided to drive her back home.


    "Later, I would like you to meet my aunt too." He said after a short spell of silence.


    "Your aunt?"


    "Yes, my paternal aunt. I lived with her for the better part of my life. She''s like a third mother to me. Of course I will let her meet the woman I love."


    Li Lanni knew a little about Ji Xiehan''s aunt. "I''ll be glad to meet her. Will we have to go to Australia?"


    "Not necessarily. She likes travelling when she''s free and might come to B City soon. But if you want to go to Australia, that''s good too."


    "We can go the next time we plan to go on vacation. I''ve never been to Australia before."


    Instead of answering, Ji Xiehan leaned in and kissed her lips.


    Li Lanni''s eyes bulged. "We''re on the road, Xiehan."


    "It''s a red light."


    And he took full advantage of it, kissing her until the cars behind them honked to remind him that the light had turned green. He stole a few more kisses before driving off again.


    .


    As soon as they arrived, Li Yuming teased her daughter endlessly.


    "A certain someone won''t spend much time at home since she''s now someone''s girlfriend."


    "Don''t be jealous now, mom." Li Lanni laughed.


    "Where did you go today?" Li Yuming asked, and Li Lanni explained how she had gone over to the Old Ji Mansion.


    "About your sister¡­"


    Li Lanni knew Li Yuming was about to say bad things about Xia Luna and she was not ready to hear it yet. "Can we talk about it later?"


    Li Yuming sighed. She didn''t want to say bad things about Xia Luna either. After all, she was her daughter too. However, that didn''t mean she could let the Xias use Lanni. Nevermind. She would talk about it once Li Lanni returned from her vacation with Ji Xiehan.


    Later.


    Li Lanni looked through her closet, picking what she wanted to pack for their vacation. She packed a few pants and tops, a few simple dresses and nightwear.


    She thought about all the places they could go. What if they went to the beach? She should pack a swimsuit or two just in case,  right?


    She picked a blue one with matching sarong. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of it. Was she really ready  to let Ji Xiehan see her in such revealing clothes? She could bet he would not be able to control himself. If that led to something else, would it be too soon?


    But then again,  it was never too soon for anything, right? As long as they both wanted it and were ready for it - and she was.


    __


    Monday.


    The couple had chosen to go to Germany first.


    They arrived in Berlin at 4pm. They were tired so they directly went to the hotel.


    A beautiful dark-haired woman welcomed them with a bright smile. "Are you on your honeymoon?" This hotel was quite popular among young couples and especially among newlyweds, so it was no surprise that she would make such an assumption when she saw a young couple.


    "Uhm¡­"


    "Yes." Ji Xiehan quickly interrupted before she could say that they were not.


    Li Lanni shot him a look.


    "No wonder you look so deeply in love!" The woman gushed in her German accent. She went ahead to ramble to Li Lanni. "Your husband is so handsome and you are so beautiful! You are definitely the lovliest couple I''ve seen today.


    If you want, you can come over and I''ll tell you a few tricks. There''s also a store that sells beautiful and sexy lingerie on the seventeenth floor." Although the last two statements were meant to be whispers and she had even covered one side of her mouth and spoken closer to Li Lanni''s ear, the words were loud enough for Ji Xiehan to hear.


    "Thanks for the advice. We might need it later." He shamelessly said, earning a slight stomp on his foot.


    Once they left the reception, she berated him for lying to the kind-hearted woman. To which he shrugged like he had not said anything wrong. "Aren''t we on our honeymoon? We just started dating. There''s no rule that only married couples can go on a honeymoon, is there?"


    Li Lanni rolled her eyes. "You and your forced logic." She dragged him to the elevator so she wouldn''t have to hear any more of his nonsense.


    "We are staying in the same room?" Li Lanni expressed her shock, seeing that he only had the key to one room.


    He grabbed her waist as a response, kissing her ear lightly. "You don''t want to share a room with me?"


    "It''s not that I don''t want to, but¡­" her voice trailed off in her nervousness.


    "Are you scared that I will do something to you?"


    The elevator arrived with a ding. Ji Xiehan dragged her with him to the room and opened the door with his right hand while the left still held her waist.


    "I''m¡­ not scared." She stuttered as they entered the huge room.


    He kissed her neck and lingered on it a little. "I think you are."


    He laughed at her uneasy expression. "You can relax, my love. I will not do anything to you." He kissed her forehead. "Not unless you want me to."


    Li Lanni''s cheeks flushed. "Let''s just rest first. I''m tired."


    "You don''t want me to do anything to you yet?"


    Li Lanni ignored him and headed towards the bed. But once she took a clear look at the bed, her cheeks flushed.


    Was this a wedding suite by default?


    On the bed was a sea of red roses and a few little boxes slotted between them. Were those...! Li Lanni swallowed. Surely, they couldn''t be what she thought they were, right?

 Chapter 173 - Special Massages

    "Are those¡­" Li Lanni couldn''t even bring herself to say it out aloud.


    "Condoms? Yes they are." He shamelessly completed the statement.


    Li Lanni glared at him. How could he be so blunt about it? "Was that your arrangement?"


    Ji Xiehan went foward and picked one of the little boxes, holding it up to scrutinize it exaggeratively. His eyebrows knitted. "This is not my size so no. But if you want me to make arrangements¡­"


    "Stop talking about it already!" Li Lanni was embarassed. "Let''s just rest."


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan pulled the cover off the bed, sending all the flowers and little boxes flying. He gaped as they covered her frame on their way to the floor. "That was so beautiful. I should have taken a picture."


    "You want to take a picture of me with condoms flying all around me?"


    Before he could make another lewd statement, she flopped onto the humongous bed, stretching her limbs. "I''m so tired."


    She was just about to close her eyes when she felt a weight pressed down on her body.


    "What are you doing?" She was startled when Ji Xiehan pressed on top of her and started trailing his hand down her body.


    "Aren''t you tired? I''m giving you a special, loving massage."


    Shivers ran down her spine as his finger came into contact with the skin of her collarbone. She swallowed. "Then give me an actual massage."


    "Sure." He kneaded her shoulder slightly and her body stiffened.


    Lowering his head, he kissed her lips. She hugged his neck, deepening the kiss as Ji Xiehan grinded his body against hers. He slid his tongue between her lips, exploring her mouth.


    He only stopped when they were both out of breath, kissing her neck. He licked and sucked down to her collarbone at the same time that he reached behind her back to unzip her dress. He slid it over her shoulders and off her hands, revealing her pink lacy bra. He swallowed, his manhood stiffening further at the view of her perfectly sculpured fair breasts peeking though the lacy material.


    She unconciously reached to cover her chest with her hand when she saw him staring, but that only made it more alluring, his adams apple bobbing as he swallowed.


    He gently but firmly pulled her hands off her chest and put them on his shirt instead. She started to fumble with his buttons as he gently took one of her breasts out of the bra and into the palm of his hand. It felt warm and soft, he couldn''t help kneading it gently. She threw her head back, biting her lower lip to prevent a moan from escaping her lips as he fondled the softness of her breast. Her nipple hardened stiff as he pressed it gently between his thumb and forefinger.


    He lowered his head and took it into his mouth. She let out a low moan, her toes curling from the waves of pleasure. He sucked on one nipple as he reached behind her back to unhook her bra. He took the other breast in his hand too, giving both of them attention. His tongue trailed down to her midriff.


    Then he felt no more movement from below him. He looked up curiously and was surprised to see her eyelids closing.


    Did she just fall asleep while making out with him? He looked down at his dishevled clothes and at the bulge below his belt.


    Resisting the urge to wake her up so they could continue what they had started, he covered her, took a change of clothes from his luggage and went to the bathroom.


    ¡­


    Being extremely fatigued from the long flight, Li Lanni only woke up two hours later.


    "Are all the pillows so warm and comfortable around here?" She mumbled in her sleepy daze, grabbing onto the said pillow and snuggling it to her face. She took a long sniff when the familiar scent wafted into her nostrils. "It smells so nice too."


    "That''s my chest." Ji Xiehan cleared his throat.


    Li Lanni rubbed her eyes with her fists, the sleep fading off  in a flash. She looked down at the chest she was snuggling with no ounce of restraint and pulled back like she had touched a hot piece of metal.


    She glanced at his firm chest and abdominal muscles that he had left bare for display and gulped. "Is.. is that how you sleep?" She asked in a soft voice.


    "How?"


    Was this man really feigning innocence right now? He knew what she was talking about.


    "Like this¡­" she pointed at his bare chest, his abdomen that was heaving at his every breath and at the boxer briefs that were the only piece of clothing on his body. She quickly tore her gaze away when she saw a swell growing in the boxer briefs that she had just pointed at.


    "Do you sleep au-naturel?"


    Ji Xiehan swept his gaze over her body. "What do you think?"


    "That''s not how you slept¡­ uhm¡­ the last time we slept together."


    Ji Xiehan chuckled and ran a hand through his black hair leisurely. "You wanted me to sleep this way; au naturel?"


    Li Lanni widened her eyes. "What? No! You''re twisting logic again, that''s not what I meant."


    Her flushed cheeks looked extremely cute. Ji Xiehan couldn''t help but wonder how one girl could manage to blush so many times in a span of only a few hours. One only needed to tease her a little and her cheeks would be red like ripe apples.


    It gave him the urge to tease her a little more. "Honey, you can tell me anything, you know. If you want me to sleep the way I usually do (In my birthday suit) I''ll gladly do so."


    He grabbed her by the waist, making her fall over his body. She nervously balled her fists, not knowing where to put her hands. With a laugh, he pulled her head closer to whisper in her ear.. "We can also finish what we started earlier¡­ or we could start over."

 Chapter 174 - Full Of Surprises

    She didn''t have the chance to protest before he pulled her hands apart and they landed right smack on his abdomen.


    The last two times they shared a room, he was quite reserved, bathing and changing in a different room. A while ago, he was on top of her so she didn''t get to see it clearly. This was technically the first time she was seeing his chest. She couldn''t help lingering her gaze longer, pressing the firm cube-like muscles beneath her hand. Seeing that he did not mind it, she trailed lower, tracing the well-sculpured V-line with her fingers.


    She had tried to imagine his body through his suits a few times but no matter what kind of picture she made in her mind, it paled in comparison to the real thing. He must have worked out a lot to obtain such a seductive body. She sneaked a few peeks at the generous bulge below but quickly glanced back at his chest.


    Ji Xiehan placed his hands behind his chest, enjoying the chills as Li Lanni mindlessly caressed his body. He had not deliberately worked out so he would obtain a seductive body to lure women. But seeing how she was almost drooling at what she was seeing, it was like a trophy for all his hard work. The little man in his briefs could agree with him.


    Unknowingly, Li Lanni''s hand trailed to a region that shouldn''t be touched. "Ji Feifei is so bad at painting." She said in annoyance.


    "What about her?" Was she seriously bringing up another woman?


    "She painted her imagination of your shirtless body before. The real deal is a million times better."


    He laughed, his muscles vibrating slightly under her touch. Before she could ask what he was laughing at, he held her body and suddenly flipped so she was under him again.


    She yelped in surprise. Was he really going to continue¡­


    His kiss answered her. He grabbed her hands and put them above her head, knowing fully well that she wanted to continue touching his body.


    ''How mean¡­'' she thought, but she still let him do as he pleased. He held her hands in place as he torturously ran a hand between her breasts.


    At that moment, her stomach growled.


    He let go, and she laughed. "How embarassing. I think we should eat first."


    Ji Xiehan realized he was hungry too. "There are a few restaurants on the seventeenth floor. Do you want to eat German cuisine?" He suggested.


    "Of course. How can I be to Germany and not eat German cuisine?"


    Ji Xiehan could agree on this too. He had been to several countries, and he didn''t have any food allergy - at least none that he knew of - so whenever he visited a new country, he would get a taste of their cuisine. He knew just the kind of food to recommend to Li Lanni.


    Once they had decided, he went over to his luggage to take clothes to wear.


    He decided to wear jeans but just when he pulled it out, he saw small packets below it. He knew instantly what they were. He was not embarrassed about it but Li Lanni was.


    "You¡­"


    "It''s my father." Ji Xiehan sighed, wondering what the old man was trying to imply by slipping protection into his twenty seven year old son''s luggage. "Did he think we needed all these? It''s not like we are rabbits."


    "That''s your main point?" Li Lanni didn''t know what to do about him.


    When she opened her own luggage, she was even more speechless. There was unfamiliar lingerie on top of her other clothes. No need to ask. Her mother must have slipped those there.


    Ji Xiehan saw the face she was making and understood instantly. He wrapped his hands around her. "Aunty Li wants us to make kids fast too?"


    Li Lanni swatted his hands away. "Go and dress up." What kids?


    Ji Xiehan dressed up right there, as though putting his body on display for her to see.


    She straightened her dress too, intending to take a bath later.


    ¡­


    On the seventeenth floor.


    By the time they got to the restaurant, it was already 9pm. Obviously, Ji Xiehan was to blame for the delay. He kept hugging and kissing her, even pressing her against the wall so he could tease her a few times.


    It was not like she hated it, though. On the contrary, she liked it just as much as he did.


    Because the restaurant manager was used to having customers drop by at odd times. 9pm was still early, so there was still plenty of fresh food.


    Ji Xiehan passed Li Lanni the menu first.


    "Sauerbraten?" Li Lanni rattled off some of the dishes in fluent German.


    "Ich hoffe, sie sind so lecker, wie sie klingen." [1]


    She was shocked by her own words. Her eyes flew wide open. "Did I just¡­ speak German?"


    Ji Xiehan reached to pat her head across the table. "You''re full of surprises. I''m not shocked."


    "What do you mean you''re not shocked? I''m flabbergasted!"


    Ji Xiehan laughed at her slow brain. "You must have learnt it before and only needed something to help you remember."


    "That must be the case¡­" There was no other explanation to it. But why would she learn German? There was nothing wrong with learning a foreign language but why German?


    Li Lanni went ahead to try out the dishes. Indeed, they were delicious.


    "Eat more. You might need the energy for the exercise we will do later." He added more meat onto her plate.


    Li Lanni ignored the second part and focused on the first. "You are not worried about me gaining weight? Don''t most men want their girlfriends or wives to keep slim?"


    "That''s other men." Ji Xiehan stabbed a piece of roast meat with his fork and brought it to her mouth. "Not me. I will still love you even if you become fat and look like a bloated ball."


    She slapped his shoulder. "Who did you just say looks like a bloated ball?"


    Ji Xiehan burst into laughter. "Who said that? I only said I would still love you if¡­ hey, stop hitting me." He grabbed her hands and effortlessly held them together. "Your¡­"


    Li Lanni didn''t hear the rest of his statement. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the entrance. "What is she doing here?"


    ___


    [1].... I hope they are as delicious as their names sound.

 Chapter 175 - This Is Not A Coincidence

    "This is not a coincidence." Li Lanni narrowed her gaze at the incomer.


    Feng Ci walked in boldly in her short, tight dress whose length ended right below her butt. Her cleavage was revealed too, making Li Lanni frown a little. "That dress could fit in my wallet."


    Feng Ci sashayed over and slumped her butt right next to Ji Xiehan, adjusting her position so her breasts were more exposed for him to see. She was shamelessly seducing him! She even tried to grab his arm, intending to rub her chest against it and looked displeased when he evaded her touch. "Xiehan¡­"


    "My fianc¨¦e and I are having a private conversation. Miss Feng, if you''ll excuse us." Ji Xiehan coldly dismissed her.


    "But Xiehan, I came to speak to you too. I heard you are in Berlin too, so I came to say hi."


    Li Lanni almost rolled her eyes at the side. Was that how people say hi? More like she came to force herself onto Ji Xiehan. Could she get any more fake? This was no coincidence. She obviously found out about their vacation and deliberately followed them. What level of stubbornness did a woman need to cling onto a man who didn''t like her?


    Li Lanni continued eating as though the intruder was part of the air. Of course she was not going to lose her apetite because of some clingy fly. Seeing that she was not in the least bit affected by Feng Ci''s intrusion, Ji Xiehan continued to eat too, ignoring the woman beside him.


    Once they were done, he smiled at Li Lanni who was opposite. "My love, are you full? Let''s go and talk in our room instead. We can have our dessert delivered there too." he lowered his voice to add, "Or we could be each other''s dessert."


    "Okay." Li Lanni stood up and hooked her arm around his.


    "We''re on the seventeenth floor." He seemed to remember something.


    "And?" She threw him a questioning look.


    "The receptionist said that the lingerie store was on this floor, didn''t she?"


    When she ignored him, he pinched her waist slightly. "Honey, are we really not going to take a look?"


    She shot him a glare to which he responded, "Won''t you try them on for me, honey?"


    Li Lanni jabbed his abdomen. This was a public restaurant, didn''t he realize? There was barely anyone in the restaurant at the moment, but it was still embarassing to talk about lingerie within other people''s earshot. She was about to berate him when she realized what he was doing. Those words were meant for Feng Ci''s ears.


    As expected, the latter was about to explode from anger and jealousy. Why were they talking about such things? She was still hoping to separate them before their relationship became too strong.


    She had used so much effort to find out their whereabouts and cancelled everything on her schedule just to follow them. Now, after all that hard work, she finds out that they might have already started having sex?


    If eyes could stab, Li Lanni would have hundreds of flaming daggers in her back already. Feng Ci''s lips twitched in disdain. How dare that woman sleep with her Xiehan?


    She crossed her arms and harrumphed. Judging from Li Lanni''s age and her innocent look, she was probably a dead fish in bed. ''Wait until I get you back, my Xiehan. I will show you what real pleasure feels like.'' She thought.


    _


    Ji Xiehan managed to drag Li Lanni to the lingerie store. Actually, she also wanted to wear something seductive for him. If possible, she would wear a different set of lingerie for him every day of their vacation.


    She ignored her slight nervousness and picked a black lacy set, holding it against her body as though picturing how it would look on her.


    "You have gotten bolder, haven''t you?" Ji Xiehan gulped, also picturing how she would look in the two piece lingerie she was holding.


    "We are the only ones in the store right now so why not?"


    "Right." Ji Xiehan swallowed and also looked through the rows of sexy lingerie, some of which were practically nothing.


    Li Lanni looked through the rows too and saw one that she loved the most. That was the most seductive piece of lingerie she had ever laid her eyes on. Usually, she wouldn''t even think of buying such a set but thinking about how Ji Xiehan would go crazy seeing her wearing it, she wanted it.


    "What are you looking at?" Ji Xiehan tried to follow her line of sight but saw nothing strange.


    She swiftly stood in front of him to block his line of sight so he wouldn''t ruin the surprise by seeing what she was intending to wear later. That was right. She was going to wear it for him later. It was a bold idea that she could not imagine herself doing before ¨C but which woman did not want to see her man pleased by her body and looks?


    Just then, Ji Xiehan''s phone rang.


    "It''s my mother." He said to her before picking the call.


    "Hello mo¡­"


    "You punk! Have you arrived in Berlin? I told you to give me a call once you arrive." The holler invaded his ears as soon as the call connected.


    "I forgot." He said genuinely.


    "Then you must be having a good time." Madam Ji sounded happier. "Is Lanni doing fine? Please help me say hello to her."


    Before he would suggest that she say hello to Lanni on her own, Madam Ji interrupted. "I will not distract your lovey-dovey time anymore. It''s very late over here. I''ll go back to sleep."


    Ji Xiehan had to chuckle at that. Did she wake up in the middle of the night to give him a call?


    Once he was done speaking to her, he turned to find that Li Lanni was already at the counter. Seeing him approach, she grabbed the plastic bag and turned to him.


    "Are you already done?" He asked. That was fast.


    "Yes, let''s go."


    "can I have a look?" he tried to take the bag from her hand.


    "Of course not!" She swatted his hands away and dragged him out of the stoor and into the elevator, pinning him against the mirrored wall.


    Of course, she wasn''t strong enough to do that so effortlessly ¨C it was only because he let her. "I meant to ask you this. Why is that woman here? I know she couldn''t find out your schedule so easily."


    Ji Xiehan chuckled at her serious expression. "What can she do?"


    "It''s not funny." She narrowed her gaze dangerously.


    "The best way to make her give up completely is to let her see that we will never be together. Only then can she stop pestering me." He explained as they left the elevator and entered their room.


    It just had to be at that moment that they saw the said invader leaning against the door of the room next to theirs.


    "What? You think only you can book a room in this hotel? It does not belong to your family, you know." She glared daggers at Lanni.


    Lanni scoffed and entered the room with Ji Xiehan. That woman was dead set on seeking attention. Arguing with her was only going to waste her time.


    Ji Xiehan ignored her too, making Feng Xi so angry that she stomped her way to the reception.


    "I want a copy of the key to room 3507." She threw a card across the desk, demanding in a commanding tone.


    The receptionist crossed her arms. "Not happening."


    No one liked rude customers to begin with, and it was already bad enough that this woman did not even have a basic sense of courtesy. Earlier, she had sauntered in, spewing rude words whenever things didn''t seem to go her way, and she had relented because it was her role to make the customers comfortable.


    Now she was here to demand access to another room? Never mind that the couple in 3507 was her best couple so far ¨C and a very polite young woman and her equally kind husband. Even if the couple wasn''t that lovely, she would never go against her work ethics and give in to such a demand.


    "What did you just say? Do you know who you are speaking to?" Feng Ci hollered, threatening to cross over the desk and rip the receptionist into pieces.


    "I said, I will not satisfy your demand." Before Feng CI could say anything else, she added, "It does not matter who you are. In this hotel, you are just a customer like any other. We have every right to terminate your stay if you continue to cause trouble."


    Feng Ci would have thrown a tantrum, called her father and had him deal with the receptionist then sauntered off to another hotel. However, this was where Ji Xiehan was staying. There was no way she could leave. She could only change her tone and nicely ask.. "Could you give me a copy of the key? I will pay whatever price you ask for."

 Chapter 176 - Is He Really A Man?

    Feng Ci left the reception with a satisfied grin on her face.


    That woman had refused to relent no matter what she offered. Who was she acting all righteous for? She would deal with her later.


    It was not that she was at a loss¡ªshe, Feng Ci, was never at a loss. She just didn''t want to let the receptionist off. What would that say about her pride? But in actual fact, she should thank her. Because of her adamant refusal, she had thought of a better plan to get closer to Xiehan.


    She went to her room, ordered for a few adjustments to be made to suit her comfort then went to the bathroom. She added rose petals into her water and soaked for half an hour. She only left the tub when she was feeling calm enough and changed into a beautiful nightgown.


    "How can any man reject a woman like me? I''m so beautiful." She gushed as she looked herself in the full length mirror. No matter what pose she made, it showed just how beautiful she was. Her body was too perfect to be turned down by any man. Was Ji Xiehan blind?


    An idea struck her mind. Perhaps she should make him a little jealous? That might just ignite the feelings she knew must be hidden deep in his heart. After all, that was the nature of many men©`they would not know just how much they love a woman until they lost her.


    ¡ª


    Room 3507


    Unaware of what Feng Ci was thinking of her new boyfriend and not caring about it either, Lanni dragged him all the way back to their room.


    As soon as the door shut, Xiehan pinned her against it and pressed his lips onto hers. He kissed her slightly roughly and impatiently, and it was not long before he started tugging at the zipper of her dress. "I''ve been waiting to do this for ages."


    "It was just two hours." Li Lanni laughed as she gently pushed him off her.


    "Honey¡­" He spoke up to complain.


    "I''ll take a shower first." She pressed a tiny peck at the corner of his mouth as though to pacify him.


    "But I don''t mind." Their lips connected as soon as he grabbed her and pressed her back against the door.


    Lanni had to use up a fair amount of restraint to push him away again. "But I mind."


    Before he could continue, she made a beeline for the bathroom, and then suddenly rushed back for something.


    She picked the plastic bag she had dropped on the floor when they started kissing. "Be good, I won''t be long." She said both to him and the little man that was already awake in his pants then rushed back to the bathroom and shut the door.


    Ji Xiehan went to sit on the bed, slight disappointment creeping in. He had wanted to take a peek at what she had bought when she went to the bathroom, but then she remembered to take it with her. She was being so mysterious. Just what was it?


    He lay back on the bed to wait for her to finish her bath. While he was still waiting, his phone rang.


    The caller ID gave him a bad premonition. Why the hell would Feng Ci be calling him at this time of the night? Without thinking, he hung up. It rang again just a few seconds later. He wanted to ignore the call or simply hang up again, but he had a nagging feeling. What if it was something important? He hesitantly received it.


    "Help me!" Feng Ci cried. Ji Xiehan heard nothing else before the line went dead. That was strange...


    He had a sudden thought. Had she been attacked?


    This was a foreign country and Feng Ci probably knew no one but him here. Besides, even if she knew anyone else, it was late at night and he was closest to her. If anything happened to her, she would logically think of him first.


    He was not heartless enough to ignore anyone''s call for help even if he disliked that person. He looked in the direction of the bathroom. Lanni was still bathing, so he grabbed his phone in case she looked for him, and left the room.


    ¡­


    He rang the doorbell twice but there was no response. He tried to push it a little and it opened.


    "Ah©`!" A muffled cry for help resounded from the bathroom, followed by a series of clatter.


    Ji Xiehan''s first reaction was to rush over in panic. Alas, as soon as he entered the bathroom, something tripped him and the next thing he knew, he had fallen on top of Feng Ci.


    "Are you crazy?" He hollered, quickly getting up and glaring at the woman on the floor.


    She had tears in her eyes as she sniffled. "I hurt my leg while leaving the bathroom. The walls are sound proof so no one would hear me, so I could only call you."


    Ji Xiehan turned and left the bathroom, leaving the room without checking whether her leg was indeed hurt. It couldn''t be real anyway. How would she explain tripping him? That she was on the floor and it was her fault for not seeing her?


    Indeed, that was how Feng Ci was going to explain it. She was not even hurt to begin with. That was part of her plan. She had lain on the floor and called him. She knew that he was not cruel enough to ignore a call for help. Taking advantage of this, she faked a situation that would make it sound like she was in danger.


    Heaven knew how delighted she was when she heard the door open. However, she did not hear the sound of rushed footsteps as she had expected. She grabbed a bottle of essential oil and screamed before smashing it onto the floor.


    As expected, he rushed in and she was prepared for this. She was also prepared for how she would explain the whole situation. Once he took a glance at her legs, he would not care about it being an obvious lie. Because he would lose control of himself.


    Her nightgown was short and sexy with red little flowers covering some of the parts revealed by the lacy material. With her position on the floor, she was even more alluring. No man would be able to hold back. Besides, the material of the night gown was so delicate that it tore as soon as Ji Xiehan fell on top of her.


    The bang of the bathroom door brought her back to her senses. He left? He actually walked out? How could he not even spare her a glance? She rushed out of the bathroom just to see him disappearing out of her room.


    "Is he really a man?"


    _


    Ji Xiehan had never been so angry in his life. How could that woman trick him into her room? He had thought that no matter how crazy time had turned her, she would never fake an emergency.


    Then again, he was the stupid one. He knew that she was insanely set on seducing him yet he went to her room and right into her trap like an idiot. He really wanted to bang his head on something.


    Lanni was drying her hair when he walked in.


    "There you are. I was wondering where you went to this late."


    Ji Xiehan sat on the bed and contemplated. If he told her the truth, she would probably be mad at him.


    "Did something happen?" She was concerned when she saw his nervous look.


    "I went to Feng Ci''s room just now."


    Lanni''s eyes flew open. "You did what?"


    "She tricked me." Ji Xiehan explained; disgusted by what she did. He went ahead and explained exactly what happened, not leaving out anything.


    Just when he thought she was going to get angry, she jumped onto him, hugging his waist. "Thank you."


    "T-thank you?" Why would she be thanking him? Shouldn''t she get mad at him, hearing that her boyfriend just went to another woman''s room?


    "Thank you for telling me the truth." She met his gaze seriously. "Many men would have chosen to give an excuse, knowing that the woman would be jealous or upset."


    He held her closely. "I was about to do that too, honestly."


    Lanni was not surprised by that. If she was in his shoes, who knew what she would have done. "But why did you change your mind?"


    "Because my love, I don''t want to ever lie to you." Because once a small lie is told, one might have to lie again to cover it up. He wanted their relationship to be built on full trust.


    Lanni pulled away from him with a snicker. "You say you have never lied to me? Then what about those sly methods you used to get me engaged to you, do you think I never found out?"


    Ji Xiehan coughed.. He couldn''t deny that. But, "Honey, whatever a man does to gain the interest of the woman he loves should be excused as long as he doesn''t go overboard, don''t you think?"

 Chapter 177 - He Should Have Expected It

    [PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK¡ªThe following chapter is not suitable for readers who are uncomfortable with mature content, or those below the age of 18. You will still be able to understand the plot if you skip it and proceed to the next chapter. Don''t say I didn''t warn you.]


    __


    Lanni did not know how to refute that. He was seriously going to say anything to defend his moves in the past. But thinking about it, she had been avoiding him every chance she got. Perhaps he really should be excused for resorting to using sly tricks, especially since they proved to be effective.


    "What are you thinking so hard about?" His voice jolted her out of her thoughts as his hand made a beeline for her neck. He started caressing it in slow circles but just when he was about to kiss her, she suddenly stopped his hand.


    After having been interrupted so many times in a row, such a move was frustrating to Ji Xiehan. However, the last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable so he obediently stopped before giving her a questioning look.


    Lanni was unable to meet his gaze, looking elsewhere as she said, "I''m sorry, I¡­ we can''t do this."


    His eyebrows formed a frown. Why? Wasn''t she willing to do it earlier? Did he do something to upset her?


    Seeing that he was puzzled but didn''t look like he was going to ask, she offered an answer. "When I went to the bathroom earlier, I realized that my period came. What a bummer." By the end of the statement, her voice was so tiny that he almost couldn''t make out what she was saying.


    When he understood what she had just said, he felt bummed too. What awful timing. He was a bit familiar with women''s cycles thanks to his habit of trying to learn a little bit of everything, so he guessed that it had probably been triggered by her sudden change of environment. He should have expected it.


    "How long is it gonna take?" He couldn''t help asking.


    "One week at the very most." Surprisingly, she was not embarrassed to talk about this with him.


    "A whole week? Seven damn days? One hundred and sixty-eight freaking hours?"


    Lanni burst into laughter. "I didn''t know you were the type to curse too." She crawled off his lap and sat on the bed beside him. "Don''t be dramatic. I said one week at the very most."


    "That doesn''t sound any better." Ji Xiehan was still gloomy. But it was already here and there was nothing they could do about it; and running the red lights was definitely not something he could opt for.


    To avoid making her uncomfortable, he hugged her, understanding. "It''s already late. Let''s go to sleep."


    Lanni nodded and lay down on the bed. She was also disappointed about not being able to seduce him in her new lingerie. However, they still had six days. She could still do it later. They would also have to go to the beach later.


    Ji Xiehan quickly got ready for bed, turned off the bedside lamp and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled comfortably, trying not to blush at the feeling of his still stiff manhood poking at her backside through their clothes. He tried to ignore the feeling too, concentrating on rubbing and patting her tummy instead.


    "What are you doing?" She asked with a chuckle at his antics.


    "I''m rubbing your stomach so you won''t feel any more pain." He answered in all seriousness.


    "Eer... who told you I was feeling pain?"


    He paused to shrug even though he was behind her and she couldn''t see him. "I don''t know... don''t women always feel pain during that time of the month?"


    Li Lanni had to smile at that. How caring...


    She turned and wrapped her hands around his neck, using instinct to find his lips and kissing them lightly. "Thank you... but it''s just like any other day for me."


    "Oh." He responded, but still continued to rub and pat her stomach when she turned. She let him do as he wanted, snuggling comfortably in his arms.. It was not like she minded a little more doting.


    Lanni was comfortable, but a certain someone wasn''t. She had almost forgotten about this until the poking became more intense and he slipped to the bathroom, probably thinking that she was already asleep.


    When he came back, he naturally hugged her and tried to fall asleep. But it was not long before he slowly slipped off the bed again. Lanni felt uncomfortable thinking about it. Was he going to spend the whole night in the bathroom¡ªprobably taking cold showers?


    Without thinking about it, she grabbed his arm and yanked him back to the bed. He was caught offguard, thinking that she was asleep and not expecting her to suddenly pull him so he fell right back onto the bed.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Borrowing the light seeping in through the curtains from outside, he was able to see her and he frowned suspiciously when she suddenly crawled over his body. "What is wrong?"


    All the confidence suddenly gone, Lanni was embarassed about what she had suddenly thought of doing. Where did she get such a sudden wave of boldness? She stammered, "I¡­ we don''t have to actually have sex to relieve the tension."


    Ji Xiehan instantly understood what she meant. She wanted to please him with her hands or do it orally? His manhood responded before he did by hardening further than he had ever thought possible, threatening to burst through his pajama pants.


    His voice was hoarse when he spoke. "My love, you don''t have to."


    "I know." The boldness was suddenly back, and Lanni did not feel an ounce of nervousness when she stated, "But I still want to it."


    She covered his lips, shoving back the words he was just about to say. He relaxed to enjoy the moment¡ªhe badly wanted it.


    Lanni boldly took the lead, kissing him as her hands caressed his neck, down his chest and abdomen through his clothes. Her right hand trailed even lower, finding his crotch and grabbing it through his pants.


    She almost covered away when she felt a man''s member for the first time she could remember; but when he groaned in pleasure, she gently rubbed it with her palm. All she was doing was from instinct and what she had read, heard or watched¡ªshe didn''t have actual experience and was a bit clumsy at it¡ªbut it was enough to set his body ablaze.


    Her fingers fumbled for the buttons of his pajama shirt and she slowly unbuttoned it, without breaking the kiss. He freed his hands from her hair, letting the shirt slide off his hands when she tugged on it.


    Her hands hugged his back and caressed it as she broke the kiss and stole a brief glance at him. Seeing the lustful look all over his face, she gave a slight smile in satisfaction and kissed his chest.


    As soon as her hot, wet tongue got into contact with his skin, Ji Xiehan had to stop himself from reaching a climax. He uncontrollably held down her head, wordlessly demanding for her to kiss her way lower.


    Lanni satisfied his wish, kissing his perfectly defined abs that were heaving to the rythm of his panting. He held his breath as he felt her go below his belly button.


    She held her breath for a brief second then pulled down his pants and boxer briefs at the same time. Her eyes almost went wide when it sprang free, precum glistening at the tip of it from excitement and anticipation. It was bigger and harder than it had looked and felt while in his pants. She took it in her palms, rubbing its tip then gently caressing its length as she slowly lowered her head.


    "Honey¡­" he groaned when she kissed his balls, teasing them with her tongue.. She rubbed its length in her right hand, her left hand circling its tip.

 Chapter 178 - I Should Have Done This Already

    His groans of pleasure, laced with the natural scent of his body, enticed her to go further. She gave his balls a slight suck, driving him close to his climax before she suddenly stopped.


    His shaft was now rock-hard and warm in her palms. She kissed her way up its length. She flicked her tongue against its tip before twirling it as far as it could go around his shaft.


    Just when the anticipation was about to make him explode, she finally took him into her mouth. She tightened her lips around him, her hot, wet tongue gliding lower than her lips could reach at the same time that her hands caressed the base of his manhood.


    He held ran his hand up her back and it was not long before he felt his climax building up. "Honey, I''m close¡­"


    She was yet to have a chance to react when he felt a chill down his spine amd it just burst out, catching them both offguard.


    "Are you alright?" He asked after a short while. After all, not every woman would be comfortable with what had just happened.


    "Yes." She managed to say. Just a little sore but alright nonetheless.


    He pulled her into a hug. "That meant a lot to me."


    She smiled against his bare chest. Seeing how happy he was after his release, she wouldn''t mind doing it again. The two of them cleaned up and went back to bed, snuggling against each other each with a satisfied smile.


    ___


    The next day.


    Ji Xiehan was the first to wake up. He gently pulled himself away from Lanni before heading to shower and ordering breakfast afterwards.


    Lanni woke up to the alluring aroma of the food that the hotel staff had just brought in. She stretched her limbs and swung her legs off the bed lazily.


    Seeing that she was awake, Ji Xiehan walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "You''re awake just on time. I ordered breakfast."


    Lanni hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. "I''ll go freshen up for breakfast."


    With that, she headed to the bathroom. She was done in a few minutes and they started eating together.


    Halfway through their breakfast, Ji Xiehan''s phone rang again. No one needed to ask to know who was calling.


    Ji Xiehan swiped his screen without thinking and the phone stopped ringing.


    "You hung up?" Lanni asked in surprise.


    "Yes©`and blocked her too. I should have done this a long time ago."


    "I''m glad you realized that. She is hell bent on distracting us."


    "It''s my fault. I thought she would give up once it was obvious that she cannot separate us."


    "She will probably only give up when we say our vows."


    "Vows?" His eyebrows wiggled.


    "Yes, wedding vows¡­you know, when we get married. If¡­" she was unable to finish her statement. Their relationship had just begun and it was probably too soon to even think about the future. Besides, it would be so embarrassing if she was the only one thinking of a future together with him¨çand judging from his surprised look, that seemed to be what was happening.


    Of course, that was not the case. He had always thought of her as the woman he wanted to marry. He was just shocked that she was of the same opinion.


    "You may be right. In that case, we should get married sooner so she gives up sooner."


    Lanni scrunched her brows. "I didn''t say that so you could tease me."


    "Why can''t I tease you?" he grabbed her waist to tickle her a little. She was too adorable. How could anyone not want to tease her? He only let go when she was out of breath from laughing too hard.


    Once they were done having breakfast, they went to have a walk and shop around a little. Their initial plan was to go for a swim but they had to change that in the last minute.


    "There''s a famous mall for women just a few streets ahead. Do you want to take a look? We can shop for nice clothes and you can even get presents for Aunty Li and Luna."


    "You are very familiar with Berlin?" she couldn''t help but observe. He knew almost all the nice places.


    "Yes. I frequented here after my high school. I wanted to study in a University here."


    "Then why did you change your mind?" Li Lanni knew that he had completed his university education in the US.


    "No special reason. I just realized I wanted to go to the US instead."


    "I see." Li Lanni wanted to ask a little more, but their cab had arrived so she saved the questions for later.


    "Welcome sir and miss." A salesgirl politely greeted them and welcomed them into the mall, before asking if they were looking for anything specific.


    "Thank you. We are just looking around. Please don''t mind us." Li Lanni replied, flashing back an equally bright smile.


    Using the arrows, Li Lanni found the sections she was looking for. She looked around before picking some of the things that interested her.


    "Xiehan, this necklace would look perfect on Aunty Wen, don''t you think?" She painted at a diamond necklace through the glass display case but when she lifted her gaze to look at him, she saw someone else and froze.


    This woman was everywhere! Why did she follow them here as well? Feng Ci sauntered into the mall like she owed it, her golden-colored dress clinging to her body so tightly that she could only take small steps in her skyscraper high heels.


    Only that this time, her arm was intertwined with that of a young man. He looked obviously younger than Feng Ci, and her high heels made him appear a few centimeters shorter as well. One wouldn''t call them quite the match. That was the point©`Ji Xiehan would be jealous if he saw her with another man, but he would be angry if the other man was not even good enough for her. That would trigger him to confess to her and make her break up with him.


    That was not the only reason for choosing a younger man, however. It was also because a younger man would be easier to get rid of. She could always tell him that she realized he was too young for her.


    Seeing Ji Xiehan''s subtle frown, she was even more confident. Her mission had been accomplished. As for Lanni''s slight change in expression, she assumed that was her being happy that her love rival was now taken.


    ''You will not be happy for much longer, Lanni.'' She thought as she walked over to them.


    "Xiehan, you are here too. What a coincidence." She habitually wanted to grab his arm, which he evaded yet again.


    To mask her embarrassment, she went ahead to introduce him.


    "Mark, this is Xiehan¨çthe childhood friend I told you about. Xiehan, this is my boyfriend, Mark. We just started dating." She ignored Li Lanni, who was happy to be ignored. She did not want to be associated with Feng Ci''s friends anyway.


    "Oh, is he?" Ji Xiehan mocked, knowing fully well what her real intention was. "You look perfect together."


    Feng Ci wanted to explode but she kept a happy fa?ade. "I knew you would be happy for me." She turned to Mark before she could explode into flames of anger. "I saw a really beautiful bra the last time I passed by here. I hope it has not been taken yet, let''s go and check it out¡­Mark?"


    She was curious that her fake boyfriend had spaced out but when she realized what he was looking at, she wanted to gorge his eyes out. Why the hell was he looking at Li Lanni? What was so good about that b*tch?

 Chapter 179 - Jealous?

    In annoyance, she dragged Mark away before he could do something that would embarrass her.


    "What do you think you are doing?" she could be heard hollering as soon as she thought she was far enough.


    Lanni simply laughed at them. "I bet she was trying to make you jealous."


    "Oh."


    She tilted her head to look at him curiously. "Oh? That''s all you''re gonna say?"


    "What else am I supposed to say, my love? That I''m jealous? Well, I''m not." He countered, not caring that he was being so brutally honest.


    "I don''t understand why such a beautiful and smart woman would be so lost in love that she would go crazy from the obsession." It was meant to be a mumble, but it was loud enough for Ji Xiehan to hear.


    "Smart?" He frowned, wondering whether his girlfriend''s definition of the word was different from everyone else''s.


    "Not my words! People say she''s smart." She quickly shrugged, making Ji Xiehan chuckle.


    "It''s just to satisfy her pride." He said as a response to her curiosity. In actual fact, Feng Ci was beautiful, talented and basically what any man would hope for ©`before she got angry. Once she lost her temper, all the so-called smartness would go down the drain at a super speed.


    If he had never met Lanni, perhaps he would have ignored all this and chosen to be with her considering their past friendship. He might have even married her if she truly loved him. However, what she felt was far from love. At first, she tried to be with him because her parents wanted her to. When she realized that he had no interest in her, she became obsessed with the intention to make him love her just to satisfy her pride. Who would want that?


    "Let''s go somewhere else. I''ve got everything I wanted." Lanni urged, the enthusiasm in her voice slightly faded.


    "Are you and Mark familiar with each other?" He suddenly inquired, making her stop in her tracks with a puzzled expression.


    "How did you come to such a conclusion?"


    "From the way he was looking at you¡­" As a man, he knew that Mark was not looking at Li Lanni because he was fascinated by her. It was the gaze of someone who had finally seen someone he had not seen in a long time.


    "I''ve been meeting so many weirdos lately. He''s just one of them." Lanni dismissed with an indifferent shrug.


    _


    Later, Ji Xiehan and Lanni went back to their hotel room.


    Their stay in Germany would have been perfect if Feng Ci did not follow them. Although they were trying to ignore her presence and they still enjoyed the few minutes that she did not appear before them, it was still apparent that their vacation was nothing like they had expected.


    While they ate dinner that evening, Ji Xiehan brought the train tickets he had booked for France. He passed them to her with a grin. "I wanted to surprise you so I didn''t tell you this before. We are changing plans so Feng Ci doesn''t follow us."


    "That''s a good idea." Li Lanni agreed, hoping that they would have an actual good time in France.


    At the same time, in the next room.


    "Hello¡­what?" Feng Ci exclaimed when she heard what her father just said. "No way dad!"


    "I''m being serious." Old Master Feng said on the other end. "You better get back home right away."


    "But dad, I''m still executing my plan. I even got a little closer to Xiehan." Technically, she was not lying. Their rooms were only separated by a wall. Her father couldn''t hear any of it.


    ¡­


    The next day, the couple went to France as planned. The weather was nice and so was the view from their hotel room.


    "This is parfait! Nothing can go wrong now." Li Lanni exclaimed in excitement as they entered their room. Everything about it was romantic¨çand it was not just about the red curtains or the wine at the bedside table¨çeven the very air had the scent of love in it. Or maybe it was just because she had heard the news that Feng Ci had gone back to Country C.


    That was right. Feng Ci had in fact taken the first flight back. Heaven knew why, but it was none of Lanni''s business. As long as she was out of their way.


    At that moment, Ji Xiehan''s phone rang. He signaled to her that he was going to pick it before going to the window.


    It was brief but when he was back, Li Lanni felt something was off.


    "Is something wrong?" She asked.


    Ji Xiehan looked like he had lost half of his life. "My father just called."


    "And?" She felt something bad coming.


    "Something seems to have happened at the company. I may have to hold a video conference, or several of them." He replied, unsure of whether he would be able to solve the issue that way. After all, he was hundreds of miles away and he didn''t even know what the problem was all about. Could he really solve it on a video call?


    He doubted that...


    Li Lanni clearly saw the doubt in his eyes and knew what he was thinking. The best way was probably to go back home so he would actually find out what the matter was and how to solve it. However, he must he afraid to ruin her holiday so he didn''t want to end it prematurely.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug and kissed his cheek slightly. "Xiehan, I know what you should do."


    "But honey, this is our first vacation together. And I suggested it to calm your mind."


    Yeah, that. She had almost forgotten how uneasy she had been before Ji Xiehan suggested going on a vacation.


    " But even then, "Xiehan, it doesn''t matter. We have many more chances to spend time together. On the other hand, the company might suffer humongous losses if we do not go back."


    Ji Xiehan hugged her. She was right. Indeed, they wouldn''t have called him if the matter wasn''t serious and judging by Old Master Ji''s tone, something must have gone terribly wrong.


    Hence, just like that, they took the earliest flight out of France.

 Chapter 180 - Surprised

    B City©`the day before.


    Xia Luna had been working harder ever since it was confirmed that her father would wake up soon. She knew that no matter how many people thought she was really guilty of stabbing Li Xiyan, her father would always trust her.


    Even so, it would be nice if he had little to worry about once he woke up. Who knows, his health might even get much better and he could be just like any other person.


    However, there was a problem. Li Xiyan was now on the lookout and the initially hard task was now even harder. Should she really consider talking to Madam Jiang''s detective friend? ''No way. I cannot let a man be the one to solve my problems.'' She thought, shaking her head at the fact that she had even considered that option.


    She stood up from the chair and groggily stretched her limbs. She had been awake for the last at least twenty four hours and now she was so tired that she could drop right onto the floor and sleep.


    She was just about to drag her tired body to sleep when she got a notification from her phone.


    "You must be kidding me." She muttered when she saw the message from Jiang Xingyu. Why would he text her so urgently and what did he mean by [Something went totally wrong]? What happened?


    She dialed his number and called him.


    As soon as the call connected, his worried voice came through the speaker. "It''s my mother. She¡­"


    "Hello?" Xia Luna glanced at her phone. The call had been hung up all of a sudden.


    ''What happened to Aunty?'' She wondered, the sleep fading off her eyes in a flash. Without thinking about it, she grabbed her bag and rushed all the way to the Old Jiang Mansion.


    Seeing that the guards refused to let in a young ''man'' without permission from the master or madam, Xia Luna grabbed her phone and called Jiang Xingyu. The idiot actually refused to pick her calls.


    In utter annoyance, she called Madam Jiang who was surprised but rushed over to meet her.


    "Huh? Where''s Luna?" Madam Jiang mumbled once she reached outside. Then she glanced at the young ''man'' at the side curiously. He looked too young to be Jiang Xingyu''s friend. "And you are?"


    "Aunty, it''s me." She said in her usual voice, startling Madam Jiang. Why was Luna wearing male clothes and covering her face? But remembering that she was living in disguise, she was no longer shocked. She hugged her and pulled her into the house.


    "What a brilliant surprise! Please come in."


    Xia Luna followed her and sat on a couch then studied Madam Jiang worriedly. "Aunty, are you alright?"


    "I''m more than alright ¨çI''m jubilant! It''s not every day that my favorite girl comes to see me."


    Xia Luna felt something wasn''t right. Didn''t Jiang XIngyu say that something was wrong with his mother? No wonder that idiot refused to pick her call when she called again earlier.


    She was just about to rant about him when she heard his excited voice from the door. "Mother, I took the day off just to spend time with you. You are very happy to see me, right?" He walked in, looking surprised when he saw Xia Luna next to his mother. "Eh? No wonder you did not miss me in the slightest. Your Luna is here. Oh I''m heartbroken." He exaggeratedly clutched the left side of his chest.


    "You are surprised to see me?" Luna asked, her expression turning cold.


    "Of course! Hahaha¡­ I''m surprised but I''m happy at the same time." He scratched his head.


    "Oh really." She crossed her arms against her chest. "I am surprised to see you too." She emphasized the last syllable, glaring daggers at him.


    "Eer¡­ why does this feel like a battlefield?" Madam Jiang was dumbfounded.


    "That''s because he called me, telling me that something happened to you." Xia Luna mercilessly exposed him.


    Madam Jiang frowned at her son. "How could you do that, you useless son? You made my Luna so worried!" At that, she grabbed a sandal and charged towards her son.


    "Mo¡­mother, wait! You misunderstood. Ah©`not my head!" Jiang Xingu tried to dodge as his mother used the sandal to smack his head, not in the least worried about humiliating her own son.


    "I will beat your head. I will even smack your face! How dare you lie to Luna?" Madam Jiang did not pause her beatings.


    "I didn''t lie! She misunderstood me!" Jiang Xingyu defended himself as he tried to get away.


    "Explain." Madam Jiang demanded without any intention to stop beating up her son.


    Hence Jiang Xingyu could only explain while trying to shield his head from the sandal. "I was about to say that you missed her when my phone went dead. She is the one who misunderstood me."


    "Is that so?" Madam Jiang stopped beating him up, and he grabbed the opportunity to flee.


    Xia Luna could only accept his explanation. Indeed he had only said "It''s my mother???. It was she who had assumed that something had happened to her and run over worriedly. Even so, "You tricked me." She smacked his shoulder.


    He glanced back at her gently, his expression full of love. "If I didn''t trick you, I wouldn''t ever get to see you again."


    "Ah, I see what''s happening here. I guess I''m not needed." Madam Jiang flashed them a smile then went up the stairs, humming happily. So it was because her son had missed her future daughter-in-law. Since that was the case, she should not bother them. It would be even better if they spend the whole day together and got closer to each other.


    "Where are you going?" Jiang Xingyu asked when he saw her heading for the exit.


    "I''m leaving." She didn''t have any business here and she was too sleepy to argue with him.


    "Xia, could you stay a little longer? I promise I will not bother you.." He grabbed her hand to plead.

 Chapter 181 - Betrayal

    Xia Luna glanced at him like he was a fool. Ignoring his words, she swatted his hand away and made to leave.


    He grabbed her hand again before she could make the second step. "You said we would be together! Is this what you meant?" He complained, looking at her like she was a jerk.


    "I said we would be together once all this is settled¡ªand it''s far from that." Xia Luna countered coldly.


    "Don''t be so hard on me." He daringly wrapped his arms around her to coax. "I miss spending time with you, just like in the past. Do you remember how happy we were when we first met in Summer village?"


    Xia Luna pushed his hands off and rolled her eyes. "That was the second time, you dunce. The first time we met was in Scarlet Bar. You were so annoying that I could never forget it in a million years."


    Jiang Xingyu smiled, proud of himself. "You actually remember our first meeting. Was it significant to you too?"


    "Of course. How can my worst day not be significant?" She huffed, and Jiang Xingyu grinned. Was it so difficult to admit that she liked the time they spent together in the past?


    "You love me, don''t you?" He taunted, mischievously circling her. "You''re just like your sister¡ªdenying the feelings you know you feel deep down in your heart."


    The second part was meant to be his own thoughts but he said it out aloud and as expected, she glared daggers at him. "I''m not my sister, Jiang Xingyu!"


    "Sorry, I¡­" he realized that she didn''t even seem to be listening to him.


    Intending to poke fun, he pulled off the baseball cap and scarf that were covering her head and face.


    "You!"


    Before she could explode, he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her cheek. When she tilted her head in shock, he took the opportunity to press another kiss but this time on her lips.


    Xia Luna was inatriculate. It took her a while to take in the fact that he had just kissed her. "What are you¡­"


    He was about to grab her and hug her while she was still confused when a sudden force pulled him away, then a punch landed on his face before he could realize what was happening.


    "What the¡­!"


    A series of punches intending to kill assaulted his face and chest before he could make head or tail of the situation. Caught offguard, Jiang Xingyu was only able to fight back several punches later. He tacked the incomer to the ground and only then was he able to see their face. "You?"


    "Jiang Xingyu! How dare you!"


    "What''s going on?" Xia Luna was startled witless too, not expecting to suddenly become a witness to such a vicious fight. The men kept pushing each other to the ground and fighting like the world was coming to an end. "Somebody stop them!" Xia Luna shouted, unable to separate them on her own.


    "What''s going on here? What''s wrong woth the both of you?" Madam Jiang rushed out after hearing the vicious punches fill the air and Xia Luna''s shout. "Stop! Both of you!"


    As though a switch had been pressed on them, Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian stopped fighting and pulled away from each other but still glared at each other angrily.


    "Is this how you came to say hello? Wow, hello to you too!" Jiang Xingyu huffed in anger, straightening up his clothes and wiping the drops of blood at the corner of his mouth.


    "Because you are a freaking traitor, you shameless man!" Lin Jiang cursed, resisting the urge to run over and punch his guts out.


    "Calm down, both of you." Madam Jiang held Lin Jian''s hand. These two were friends since their childhood. Why the hell were they suddenly fighting? She turned to Lin Jian to ask, "What did Xingyu do?"


    Lin Jian had calmed down a little but he was still angry, glaring at Jiang Xingyu as he explained. "Aunty, I only came over to say hello to you, then I was greeted with such a shameless and disgusting scene."


    "What disgustung? You are the one who is disgusting!"


    "You shut up!" Madam Jiang glared at Jiang Xingyu before turning back to Lin Jian. "What disgusting scene did you see?"


    Xia Luna felt something bad coming¡­


    "What the hell is he doing with Xiehan''s girlfriend? I saw him even¡­ urgh! It''s too awful to be talked about."


    Xia Luna clenched her fists while Lin Jian pointed at Jiang Xingyu with a shaky finger. "Xiehan takes you as his best friend. Is this what friends do to each other? He even saved your life. Is this how you repay the man who treats you better than a biological brother would?"


    Seeing Madam Jiang''s and Jiang Xingyu''s pale expressions, he thought the former was shocked while the latter was guilty so he continued. "Aunty, I''m not lying to you. She is Xiehan''s woman. If you ever read online gossip you would know." He then pointed at the equally pale Xia Luna. "And you! I don''t even know what to say to you. Xiehan loves you so much. How dare you betray him? Would you be so happy to come in between two friends?"


    It was only when he was done rambling that he realized something wasn''t right. A cheating couple might be too embarassed to say a word when they were caught in the act but why was  Madam Jiang not saying anything? Instead of shock, she looked anxious instead.


    "What''s wrong, aunty?"


    "Well¡­" Madam Jiang snuck a glance at Xia Luna then smiled back at Lin Jian. "I''m sure that''s not what it is. Xingyu would never betray Xiehan. Come in, let''s get you some ice for your face."


    "No way! Why are you defending him? He was kissing her!" Lin Jian blurted out.


    "That¡­" Madam Jiang didn''t know what to say anymore.


    "There''s nothing wrong with that." Xia Luna spoke up at the side, stunning everyone.


    "He can kiss me if he likes. After all, we have dated before. We wouldn''t be betraying anyone."


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Lin Jian exploded.


    "I''m not Li Lanni. I''m her sister. Now, if you would apologize to my man."


    Madam Jiang''s eyes went wide at the same time as Jiang Xingyu''s. What did Xia Luna just call him?


    Lin Jian was shocked too, but with a different reason. This was not Li Lanni, but her sister instead? How was that even possible? There was such a thing as twins in this but how come he had never heard of Li Lanni''s twin?


    And the main point was, "Is she the girl you said you were dating a year ago¡ªthe one that disappeared mysteriously?" He asked Jiang Xingyu in shock.


    Realizing that Xia Luna was glaring at him, he coughed and flashed her a smile. "Sorry I beat up your man. I seriously thought you were Lanni and Seriously, how can there be two of you? Shouldn''t there be three¡ªone for Xingyu, one for Xiehan and one for me?"


    "And the blabbermouth Lin Jian is back." Jiang Xingyu sighed in defeat.


    "Wait. I''ll just confirm something." Lin Jian grabbed his phone and dialled Ji Xiehan''s number.


    "Why is his phone off? Is it beacuse he is so upset with the two of you that he switched his phone off so he can sulk on his own?"


    "Can you get him to shut up?" Xia Luna massaged her temples. She was sleepy and Lin Jian''s endless chatter was driving her nuts.


    "Can you please shut your trap! My woman wants you to be quiet." Jiang Xingyu gladly took up his role as the protective boyfriend. When Xia Luna glared at him, he shrugged like he had done nothing wrong. "You just called me your man. Doesn''t that make you my woman?"


    "Whatever Jiang Xingyu. I''m too¡­" before she could finish her statement, she fainted.


    "Luna!"


    "Luna!"


    Jiang Xingyu held her before she could hit the ground as Madam Jiang sprinted over in alarm. "What did you do to her?"


    "I didn''t do anything." Jiang Xingyu protested and carried her into the house. He gently lay her on the couch in the living room. "Call the family doctor."


    "Don''t!" Xia Luna suddenly woke up with a start.


    "Luna, you''re awake! I was so worried." Madam Jiang touched Xia Luna''s forehead worriedly.


    "I''m just exhausted, I guess." Xia Luna tried to sit up. Her head hurt.


    "Does your head hurt? Are you sure we shouldn''t call a doctor?" Madam Jiang rattled off and grabbed her phone.


    "I''m really okay aunty." Xia Luna insisted. "Besides, it''s already enough that one more person now knows about me."


    "Him?" Jiang Xingyu glanced at Lin Jian who had followed them in. "Don''t worry about him. He may be a blabbernouth but he knows that if he rattles about that, I will kick his guts."


    "I hope you are right."

 Chapter 182 - We Are Done, Xia Luna

    Xia Luna glanced back at Lin Jian who pinched his thumb and forefinger together and pulled them over his lips like a zipper. She clenched her lips into a line and averted her gaze to Jiang Xingyu. "It''s still a bad thing. The more people know about me, the harder it is for me to remain in hiding."


    Jiang Xingyu couldn''t agree more. This was about her safety and her life¨çand her freedom too.


    "Xingyu, can we not meet anymore?" She suddenly said solemnly. "Ever since I met you again, things that shouldn''t be happening have been happening one after another and¡­" she didn''t know what else to say and just sighed.


    "Okay." Jiang Xingyu said.


    "Okay?" Xia Luna was just as surprised as Madam Jiang and Lin Jian. The latter was quick to catch up and he had already understood that this was the girl Jiang Xingyu dated before. He had been blue for ages after she left and now that she asked to disappear again, he was saying yes without needing to be convinced?


    "You don''t want me to say that it''s okay?" Jiang Xingyu caressed her hair tenderly.


    This time, she didn''t slap it away. "I did want you to agree but¡­ I''m just surprised you did."


    "I know. I''m surprised too." Jiang Xingyu said honestly, taking advantage of the fact that she was not pushing him away to lean over and press a soft kiss onto her forehead. "But Xia, this is not just about my feelings. It''s about your safety and you''re right ever since we met again, we have had to explain your identity to more people. Who knows, there might be other people who saw you but didn''t ask."


    This was for the best, so Jiang Xingyu knew that he would be acting unreasonably if he insisted on continuing to meet up and spend time together. "We can exchange text messages or make phone calls. We can even have video calls once in a while. We would just have to ensure no one hacks into our phones and it will be alright. Besides, you promised that once all this is over, we would be together."


    "Xia Luna''s eyes turned to crescents as she smiled. She did not expect Jiang Xingyu to suddenly utter such understanding words, considering his stubbornness streak recently. "Thank you for understanding, Xingyu."


    He held her hand in his, rubbing it for the comfort of them both. "Anything for you, my love."


    "What about we, the audience who have to be force-fed a round of this dog food that you are shoving at us?" The blabbermouth was at it again.


    Madam Jiang slapped his shoulder and glared daggers at him. "Shush!"


    "Aunty, why did you slap me?" Lin Jian complained. Having watched him grow up, Madam Jiang treated Lin Jian just like her son, and that included scolded or hitting him when he did wrong or was just being irritating like in this case.


    "Can''t you see, they are making some progress in their relationship? We are happy for them so we should not interrupt them." Madam Jiang said, happy to watch her son display his affection for her future daughter-in-law.


    Xia Luna felt embarrassed to have lost herself. "Can I go home and sleep now?" She would kill anyone who said no.


    No one was able to answer her on time. She fell into a slumber, this time a deep one and did not start even when Lin Jian''s phone rang in a loud volume.


    "Take her to your room for a rest. She must have been so tired." Madam Jiang said to Jiang Xingyu. "I will go to the kitchen and prepare food for her to eat when she wakes up."


    "For me too."


    "And me!"


    Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian said at the same time like kids excitedly asking for candy.


    "Nonsense! I''m only cooking for my daughter-in-law. You punks can go to your mothers-in-law and let them cook for you." Madam Jiang huffed her way to the kitchen.


    "Make Li Yuming cook for me?" Jiang Xingyu muttered as he scooped Xia Luna in his arms. That thought was scary.


    ??Eer¡­ which mother-in-law exactly?" Lin Jian stared in a daze. He should get rid of some of his innumerable girlfriends already.


    ___


    Jiang Xingyu rolled his body over and swung his naked body out of bed.


    "Where are you going?" she asked lazily, tired from the activity they had just done.


    "Get out."


    Xia Luna blinked her eyes and stared into Jiang Xingyu''s angry ones. Why exactly was he mad at her? She stretched her limbs with a subtle smile. "What happened? You look scary."


    "Didn''t you hear me? I said get out." He snarled coldly.


    Xia Luna sat up on the bed with her eyes squinted. So she had heard right the first time. He had asked her to get out. "I heard you but why?" she couldn''t help asking.


    "Why else Xia Luna? Because we are done." He looked like he was getting angrier by the second.


    "Done? Just like that? Done and dusted?"


    "That''s what you wanted Xia Luna, now stop wasting my time and get the heck out!"


    Xia Luna flattered her eyelids and raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight. As soon as she was fully awake, her stomach grumbled. She was so hungry! She didn''t even remember when she fell asleep and was too lazy to get out of bed.


    She was about to ask whether Cheng Yu had already left when she remembered where she was. She had fallen asleep in the Old Jiang Mansion. So this must be Jiang Xingyu''s room in the old mansion.


    "You''re awake." Jiang Xingyu walked in with a change of clothes, asking her to wash up and go downstairs for breakfast.


    Xia Luna remembered something, her cheeks flushing immediately.


    "What happened?" Jiang Xingyu stared at her curiously. Since when was Xia Luna capable of blushing?"


    "Nothing." She was almost unable to look at him. What kind of dream was that?


    Out of everything she could dream of, how could she dream about her and Jiang Xingyu having sex? As if that wasn''t embarrassing enough, how could she dream that he had dumped her after the act?"

 Chapter 183 - Tragedy

    Xia Luna had slept all evening and all night. She didn''t even wake up when Madam Jiang finished cooking and tried to wake her up for dinner. She was famished.


    Taking the clothes that Jiang Xingyu had prepared for her, she freshened up and went downstairs for breakfast. Lin Jian had rushed over for breakfast too under the guise of missing Madam Jiang''s delicious dishes. Obviously, Jiang Xingyu knew Lin Jian''s real reason but only laughed and did not expose him. When he was done, he snuck a glance at Xia Luna and rushed out.


    ___


    B City airport.


    As soon as Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni arrived, Lin Jian was waiting for them.


    "Why are you here?" Ji Xiehan asked him in surprise.


    Lin Jian took a long, scrutinizing look at Li Lanni and tried to find the differences between her and Xia Luna.


    ''Oh, even with identical eyes, Lanni''s gaze is more on the gentle side while her sister is kinda unfriendly and fierce.'' Lin Jian thought. Besides, there was no way Xia Luna would have disappeared from the Jiang old Mansion and appeared with Ji Xiehan at the airport. So there were really two of them. They had not told him why not many people about Li Lanni''s twin so he had only half-believed their tale.


    "Is something the matter?" Lanni was uncomfortable under his gaze.


    ''The sister looks like one who would have beaten me up instead of asking if anything is wrong.''


    "Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to pick you up." Lin Jian rambled.


    Lanni said nothing more but gave Ji Xiehan a look that said, ''I think he met my sister too.''


    Ji Xiehan nodded slightly, understanding her suspicions.


    Li Lanni swallowed. Luna would have to be more careful if she actually wanted to hide. More importantly, it was better to prove her innocence before the whole world knew about her.


    Li Lanni went back home as Ji Xiehan rushed over to the company.


    ¡­


    When she arrived home, Li Yuming was watching a movie in the living room.


    "You''re back?" Li Yuming was surprised to see Li Lanni.


    "Yes." She tiredly flopped onto the sofa. "The vacation had to end prematurely."


    "You should have told me. I would have come to pick you up." Li Yuming hugged her daughter before understanding the situation. "Did you come back because of what happened in Feng Ji International? It must be pretty serious then."


    "You heard about it too? What happened?" Li Lanni was curious as to what would have been too difficult for Old Master Ji to handle on his own.


    "I don''t know much. There was suddenly news about Tragedy befalling Feng Ji International but it only lasted a few minutes. I guess Lin Media Group took it down."


    Li Lanni nodded in understanding. No wonder there was no news. At least none that she read about or watched anywhere. It turned out Lin Media Group drowned it.


    "Anyway, the news was briefly about how Feng Ji International''s CEO might change soon." Li Yuming said as she recalled what she had read before the news got pulled down.


    "But what''s wrong with that? The CEO was bound to change soon, right?" And logically, Ji Xiehan would be the new CEO.


    "Yes, but come to think of it. If the next CEO was going to be Ji Xiehan, it wouldn''t be termed as a tragedy."


    "That seems unfortunately right." Lanni swallowed. Such things usually happened in companies. It was common and hard to deal with. "I hope the Ji family can handle it."


    ¡­


    It was only much later that Li Lanni was able to find out what exactly had happened. As soon as Ji Xiehan had a little time, he went to talk to her knowing that she would be worried about him.


    "You look tired." Lanni poured him a glass of water. Even his shirt was a little wrinkled at the collar. He must have rushed to the company right from the airport and after understanding what was going on, he must have rushed over to her without having time to freshen up and change his clothes.


    "I''m no longer so tired after seeing you." He put the glass back onto the table, then grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit on his lap, hugging her like a soft toy.


    "Hey, this is my mother''s house." She reminded softly. How could he be so shameless?


    "Then let''s go to mine instead." He nuzzled against her neck with no intention to let go.


    "Don''t mess around. Tell me, what''s going on?"


    Ji Xiehan sighed at that. It was more stressful than it sounded. "Our second largest shareholder suddenly sold his shares to a mysterious buyer."


    "How could that be?"


    "Heaven knows. The man didn''t give any reason and he doesn''t have to¨çthere is no rule that major shareholders have to explain their decisions regarding the shares."


    "So what are you going to do now?" Li Lanni tousled his hair soothingly.


    Her soft fingers in his hair and scalp made him relax a little more as he heaved a sigh. "I don''t know honey. The thing is, it would have been nothing if that kind of news didn''t break out. But the fact that it did makes us believe that another major shareholder must be behind it. Either that, or someone who is confident that they can obtain more shares than the Ji family?"


    "Who can that be?" Lanni asked. It was not easy to achieve such a feat. "Is it the Feng family?"


    "I think so too. But my parents are still blinded by the fact that the Feng and Ji families are ''friends'' and don''t think the Feng family could do this behind our backs."


    "They really need someone to talk to them."


    "That will only work when the Feng family actually takes over the company. The only option now is to get more shares."


    The Ji family currently had forty five percent. They only needed a little over five percent they would still be the biggest shareholders no matter what. Old Master Ji had fifteen, Madam Ji ten, Ji Xiehan ten and Ji Feifei¡­


    "Right, Ji Feifei!"


    Ji Xiehan held a hand over his forehead and cursed.. Damn it.

 Chapter 184 - A Third Eye

    How could he forget about her? Ji Feifei had been thrown into jail and his parents neither did anything to stop that from happening nor to lighten the sentence. She wouldn''t throw a fit by agreeing to sell her shares to the Ji family, would she?


    Li Lanni understood his concern and pondered over it a little. "Why don''t you go and talk to her? Coax her a little. I don''t think she would sell out the Ji family if she knew you still cared about her©`it''s her family too, after all."


    "That''s the thing. I don''t still care about her, Lanni. I didn''t even care to begin with." Ji Xiehan dismissed the idea.


    "Can''t you just pretend for a bit?" Would that hurt?


    "I can''t." He said firmly. There was no way he was going to humor a woman who clearly wanted something different from being his sister¨çsomething that clear-headed women would never want from their brothers.


    Li Lanni sighed with a slight shrug. "Then what are you going to do?"


    "I don''t know if my parents are planning to humor her if they haven''t been doing so already. If they are, I have nothing against it. But if they haven''t and she decides to sell her shares as a way of revenging, there''s nothing I can do about it."


    Li Lanni wanted to talk some sense into him. Did he realize that if Ji Feifei gave away her shares, that would be a whole ten percent less for the Ji family? They would have thirty-five percent and that would be dangerous. It would make it much easier for the Feng family to surpass them.


    But before she could open her mouth to scold him, she thought through it again. Ji Xiehan was tired. What he needed right now was a nice rest and a round of nagging wouldn''t do anything significant to help.


    "So what are you going to do?"


    Li Lanni heard no response even after a while. She turned curiously and found that his eyes were tightly shut. He was even rhythmically breathing warm air onto her neck. She didn''t want to move in fear of waking him up but after a while, her body felt sore. So she gently pulled his arms off her, got off his lap and eased his body onto the couch so he could sleep more comfortably.


    Left with nothing to do, she casually started looking through her phone.


    A headline suddenly popped up. Li Lanni was not able to read much of it before it was suddenly taken down, probably by Lin Media Group again, but she knew that it was definitely related to Feng Ji International again.


    "Hmm¡­ who dares to defy Lin Media Group?" Lanni thought aloud. The previous news had already been taken down. Logically, no one would dare to report it again in fear of offending the Ji and Lin families unless¡­


    "Xiehan is here. Oh, he''s asleep?" Li Yuming came downstairs and was surprised to see Ji Xiehan sleeping, his head rested against her daughter''s lap.


    "Mom." Li Lanni only looked up but did not move in fear of waking him up.


    Li Yuming went over and sat on the couch closest to them. "He must be so tired and stressed about what is happening in his family''s company. You should take better care of him during this period."


    "Y-yes." Lanni blushed furiously, understanding just what type of ''care'' her mother was talking about. But would that really make him less tired? It should tire him out all the more, right?


    "Not just in one way, Lanni." Li Yuming knew what her daughter was thinking. That was not what she meant©`well, that too but not just that. "You should do something to help him out in the company as well."


    "Huh? Me?" Lanni pointed at herself in surprise.


    "Yes. Isn''t that why he has a girlfriend?" Li Yuming looked at her daughter seriously. She still had a lot to learn. "Relationships are not just about the fluff and fun. When one of you needs it, the other should help out."


    "But I know nothing about business." Lanni said. All she knew was comic art which she wasn''t even confident in anymore. What would she know about business and how to save a company from the brink of being stolen over by someone else? Forget knowing how to save a company. How could she know how to do something that the whole Ji family was having trouble doing?


    "You don''t need to know much about business. You can just do what you can. You see, Xiehan probably has so much on his mind right now that he might oversee some things. Perhaps a third eye can see those." Li Yuming explained.


    Lanni felt like a light bulb had exploded in her head. That was right. Ji Xiehan could easily fail to see some things that might actually turn out to be important. "You''re right. Now that you mention it, I''m surprised that the Feng family is suddenly so gutsy, considering they have been in the shadows for all this while. It happened so suddenly that it''s as if they are being supported by someone."


    Li Lanni stopped her ramble and looked at the gossip page. "Or maybe, they are indeed being supported."


    "You could be right." Li Yuming said. "Now that you mention it, it seems to be the case. Just who could it be?"


    "Someone who can dare to openly go against the Ji family¡­ could it be the Gu family? I remember they own a news group too." she speculated.


    __


    At the same time, in the Feng family home.


    "Here''s to a happy collaboration." Old Master Feng raised a cup of beer to Old Gu.


    "I''m glad we are collaborating. Our children are getting married too."


    At the side, Feng Ci rolled her eyes. "What''s the use? The Lin Media Group has already taken down the news before it even became anything worth talking about.


    Gu Tianxi rolled her eyes with a wineglass slotted between her knuckles. "That''s easy peasy. You don''t have to worry your pretty head, sister-in-law.. Just focus your energy on spending time with my brother."

 Chapter 185 - Love At First Sight

    The Feng family had managed to convince the Gu family to help them take over Feng Ji International. As the young master of the Gu family had his eyes on Feng Ci, it was easy to obtain their help as long as Feng Ci agreed to marry Gu Tianchan.


    As soon as he found out that a collaboration was possible, Old Master Feng had called back his daughter and arranged a meeting between her and Gu Tianchan. Obviously. Feng Ci was unhappy about this but since her parents had promised that she could break up with Gu Tianchan as soon as his family helped the Feng family out, she could only bear with it.


    "Sister-in-law, you are such a good match with my brother." Gu Tianxi deliberately gushed.


    "Really? Tianchan is so handsome. It''s an honor to be considered a good match with him." Feng Ci pretentiously said before turning aside and sneering secretly. How could Gu Tianchan possibly be as good as Ji Xiehan? Heaven knew how disgusted she really was.


    Gu Tianchan was handsome alright, but he was one of the infamous playboys of B City who only used their second heads to think. He swapped women faster than anyone could count them and marriage was nowhere in the list of things he wanted to do. Yet this time, he had actually sworn that Feng Ci was the woman he truly loved and the only one he would marry. It would have been touching to some other women, perhaps, but it disgusted her to the core.


    The thought of having to humor the man and pretend to be equally in love with him riled her up even more. Gu Tianxi''s taunting was even worse to her ears, and only her father''s glare stopped her from flipping up.


    How could she not know? Gu Tianxi was only trying to get her closer to Gu Tianchan because she was in love with Ji Xiehan and was trying to eliminate a love rival.


    She forced a smile and said, "But what about the Lin family? They are helping out the Ji family. After all, the two families have been close for years."


    Gu Tianxi smiled through her bloody red lips. "Why are you so worried, sister-in-law? The Lin family is easy to deal with. We only have to use Lin Jian to distract them and I can do that without having to bat an eyelid."


    "Forget about Lin Jian and the Lin family. My dear, shouldn''t you give me a tour around here?" Gu Tianchan snaked an arm around Feng Ci''s waist, infuriating her to the core even though she pretended to like it and even stroked the back of his hand as she nodded.


    As soon as the two of them left the room, the rest cheered jubilantly as they tossed to their collaboration that was going all too smoothly.


    "So how will we deal with the Lins?" Mrs. Feng asked.


    "Don''t worry. I can handle him." Gu Tianxi said meaningfully.


    "Tianxi no! I can''t have you seduce a worthless man just for the sake of..." She almost blurted something out when Gu Tianxi patted her shoulder and interrupted.


    "Mother, you have nothing to worry about. That man is going to get messed up but I''m definitely not going to stoop so low."


    Mrs. Gu was relieved. It didn''t matter if other women agreed to get married for collaboration''s sake but if her daughter was going to do the same, she was only allowed to marry a more reasonable man.


    _


    Outside.


    "What do you like to eat?" Gu Tianchan asked one more of his boring questions.


    "I''m not picky. She smiled at him but when he was not looking, she sneered silently. Someone kill this man already!


    Gu Tianchan let out a smile, making his handsome face brighten up. "I''m glad our families decided on this collaboration." He said, looking at her gently even though all it made her feel was utter annoyance.


    "Ever since I saw you, I''ve been trying to get close to you. I know this sounds like a playboy asshole''s classic line but trust me Feng Ci, I fell in love with you at first sight. Ever since then, U have tried to get closer to you. It was just too difficult considering how you didn''t even ever have time for me. That, and your attraction to that person..."


    Feng Ci was not even listening to a word he was saying, much less believing what he had just said. She was only startled when she heard him say that he was happy their families had decided to make this collaboration.


    "Can we go back now?" She said just a few minutes later.


    "Sure."


    Feng Ci didn''t know it, but Gu Tianchan was actually in love with her. She thought that he had readily agreed to go back because just like her, he was bored. On the contrary, it was because he did not want to offend the woman he had spend so much effort to be able to get close to.


    After blowing her a kiss on the cheek and making her almost unable to stop herself from puking her guts out, they went back into the house holding hands.


    ___


    "Mother, I don''t want to marry that man! It''s nauseating just looking at his face!" Feng Ci exploded as soon as the Gus had been walked out.


    "Shush!" Madam Feng pulled her daughter aside. "Who said you would marry him?"


    "But you were so enthusiastic while discussing marriage." Feng Ci pulled at her hair in frustration.


    "Don''t be silly. You only have to play along and get engaged. You will part ways before the wedding."


    "But how is that possible? He seems so charmed and... they would not just let me off after spending so much money to help our family."


    Mrs. Feng smirked at that. "That''s why a few days before the wedding, we will make him cheat on you."


    "You don''t mean..."


    "Don''t be such a silly girl. You will marry whoever you want. As for Ji Xiehan... heh. Since he''s of no use now..."


    "You cannot do anything to him." Feng Ci interrupted.


    "Of course I''ll do something to him." Mrs. Feng let out a sinister laugh.. "I will turn him into your toy."

 Chapter 186 - Sleep With Me

    Lanni had a bad feeling. "The Gu family is close to the Ji family. Would they really side with the Feng family?" She shook her head and thought about the main point instead. "If the Feng family actually manages to get Feng Ji International with the help of the Gu family, will they revenge against the Ji family?"


    The only way to found out was to wait and see their next move, but that wouldn''t help. She glanced at Ji Xiehan who was still fast asleep.


    "Why don''t you take him to your room? If he keeps sleeping in that uncomfortable position, he will be sore when he wakes up." Li Yuming said when she saw that he didn''t seem to wake up any time soon. After saying so, she went to the kitchen to prepare some dishes for when he woke up.


    "Eer¡­" Lanni had thought of this but was embarrassed to actually do it. But indeed, his body would be sore from sleeping on the couch so she tapped him awake.


    "Is it morning already?" Ji Xiehan yawned when he woke up.


    "No, silly." Lanni laughed at his silly look. "It''s afternoon. I just want you to sleep in my room instead."


    Ji Xiehan was about to say that he was no longer sleepy but when it hit him what she had just said, he gladly stood up and followed her lead to the second floor.


    As soon as the door opened, he felt his heartbeat accelerate. He had never been to a woman''s bedroom before¨çat least not a woman he was dating. Lanni''s room was light-themed with white curtains and a soft white carpet. The furniture was majorly white and the only contrast was the bed whose covers were a royal purple color. For a girl like her, he had expected something pink and girly but this was better.


    "Come in. Are you scared?" Lanni asked when he didn''t follow her in.


    "I''m not scared. Why would I be scared?" He walked in as he said.


    "I don''t know¡­ you might be afraid that I would eat you up." She teasingly made a threatening face.


    He grabbed her waist with a hearty laugh. "I would really like it if you would¡­" His hands rubbed on her waist, letting her know his hidden meaning. "But unfortunately, you can''t now."


    He breathed in her soft, flowery scent, making her stiffen as he ran his hand across her midriff and reached under her left breast. "When can you?"


    Lanni''s breath hitched as she tried not to lose herself to his sudden touch. "In one or two days."


    "I hope it''s in one." He said as his hand moved a bit further up, cupping her breast. He squeezed it slightly. Her teeth dug into her lower lip to supress a moan.


    "You should be sleeping." She gently pushed his hand off her breast. Not because she didn''t want him to touch her¡ªin fact, heaven knew just how badly her body wanted his caress. However, he wouldn''t be able to take things further and that would leave her body in need.


    Ji Xiehan chuckled, seeing that she was pushing him away despite enjoying what he was doing.


    "Alright, I will go to sleep now."


    He sat on her purple bed, took off his shoes and lay on his back. Since he was uncomfortable in his clothes, he ripped off his tie and undid the first two buttons of his shirt. Then he covered a hand over his eyes and tried to sleep.


    Lanni coughed and looked aside. The sight of her boyfriend lying on her bed with a sliver of his chest peeking through the unbuttoned part of his shirt was posing a huge temptation to her restraint.


    Her mind slowly drifted to that night in Berlin when she had gone down on him. Her throat tightened as she swallowed, and her eyes involuntarily trailed down his body. A swell slowly started to form on the crotch area of his pants, making her wonder whether he was thinking of the same thing.


    Ji Xiehan was indeed thinking about that too. Although his eyes were closed, he could feel her burning gaze on his body. He couldn''t stop his own thoughts from running dirty.


    He opened his eyes to catch her staring at his crotch. She tried to pretend to look at something else and he laughed at her embarrassed state. "Come here."


    She went over obediently, lying next to him. Scared that he would start talking about something that would embarass her even further, she brought up her speculation about the Feng family.


    "My love, do we have to talk about business right now?" Ji Xiehan protested, hugging her tighter.


    "Yes. The more we procrastinate it, the closer the Fengs get to taking over Feng Ji International." She was only making an excuse so he wouldn''t bring up the Berlin incident but she was right so he couldn''t refute it.


    Lanni went ahead and told him what she thought. "Do you think it''s possible for the Gu family to betray the Ji family? After all you have friends and business partners for many years."


    Ji Xiehan thought back to how rudely he had rejected Gu Tianxi. That couldn''t possibly be enough reason for the Gu family to betray a close partner. But then he also remembered how strict he had been every time he was asked to handle business projects. He had brushed shoulders with the Gu family several times.


    Although it was their fault every time and he just couldn''t tolerate their nonsense, he knew that they must secretly dislike him.


    He just hadn''t thought about it because their dislike for him was still not a strong enough reason. But at this point, he couldn''t rule out any possibility and that was a huge one. "It''s possible now that I think about it."


    After sleeping for a while, his brain was clearer so he could now think better. "The best move now is to approach Ji Feifei before the Fengs do."


    That didn''t mean he was going to coax her or give in to some of her stupid fantasies. He was going to give her a piece of his mind and if he had to use coercion, so be it.


    Lanni stole a glance at his serious expression and knew that whatever was brewing in his brain might work, but not as gently as should be. "Let me help you. I''ll deal with Feifei."


    Ji Xiehan''s lips curled upwards. He pressed a peck onto her neck. "Honey, you don''t need to. I can handle it."


    "But I still want to help you, my love. Look at you, all tired out. You must have a lot to deal with and Ji Feifei is probably just the tip of the iceberg. Why don''t you leave this to me and handle the larger matters instead?"


    Her gentle coaxing paired with what she had just called him made it impossible for him to say no to it. He could only nod. "But honey, if it''s too difficult or if it takes up too much of your time, you must stop immediately."


    "I''m not some clueless little kitten, okay?" She rolled her eyes and playfully smacked him.


    "What are you then? A kitten with a clue?" He teased, earning another smack.


    He turned her so she was lying on her back  grabbed her hands and held them together so she wouldn''t hit him. Successfully locking her down, he lowered his head to kiss her lips. "Are you trying to change the topic?" He gently pecked her lip.


    "What topic?" She feigned innocence.


    "Trying to get away by putting up an innocent act, are you?" He tauntingly kissed down her lips, moving away just when she thought he was going to deepen the kiss.


    She tried to break free from his grip, but her wrists were held tightly in one of his hands. She couldn''t move even by using up all the strength she could muster.


    "I really don''t know what you''re talking about." Lanni shook her head, trying to break free. Her resistance only made her more seductive, and Ji Xiehan''s urge to tease her grew wilder. Pressing her under him, he continued to peck her lips lightly.


    She had the urge to pull down his neck and deepen the kiss and she knew that he was denying her that on purpose¡ªand it was driving her crazy. When he lowered his head to peck her lips again, she unexpectedly parted them.


    Even so, he only lighy kissed her.


    Just when the anticipation was about to drive her crazy, he deepened the kiss, kissing her demandingly like his life depended on it. She moaned lightly when his tongue came into contact with hers. It had not been long since they last kissed but she had missed it so badly.


    Finally getting the sweet taste of his lips and tongue again, she returned the kiss with an equal level of anticipation and lust.


    He stopped briefly to gasp for air. She used the chance to ask him to let go of her wrists.


    He did¡ªbut before she could hug him, he stopped what he was doing, rolled to the space beside her and hugged her, holding her into place so she wouldn''t move.


    "What''s that all about?" She complained.


    "Let''s sleep a little.. Sleep with me."

 Chapter 187 - I Can Change Your Situation

    "This is so unfair!" Lanni pinched his face. But that did nothing to help, so she huffed and snuggled in his arms to sleep too.


    Because she had already taken a week off, Lanni had nothing to do all week. She wanted to go back to Star Art International but now that she had found something to do, she might as well go back the following week instead.


    On Wednesday in the morning, she took her breakfast quickly before thinking about how to go about what she was planning. Initially, she had decided to directly go to Ji Feifei before the Feng family did but after doing some research, she found out that the Feng family had already discussed with Ji Feifei. All that was left was signing the transfer document. It was useless no matter what she said. Hence, she thought of another way instead.


    She grabbed her phone and shoved it into her satchel and headed out.


    "Where are you going?" Li Yuming asked when she saw Lanni blazing past her.


    "I''m meeting someone." Lanni stopped briefly to answer.


    "I know I told you to help Xiehan when you can, but that does not include putting your life in danger, okay? Don''t do anything dangerous." Li Yuming nagged.


    "I know, mom. I''m not doing anything that''s too dangerous or too difficult for me." She saw that Li Yuming was about to start another round of nagging and smiled. "I know, I know. If I need any help, I will call you."


    Li Yuming smiled in satisfaction, gave her a few more reminders and let her go.


    ¡­


    Lanni rushed to Planet Caf¨¦. She had booked a private room to meet someone.


    "It''s you?" The man asked, puzzled when he saw her walk in.


    Lanni walked over and sat opposite him. "You know me?"


    "Yes. You are Ji Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e aren''t you? I bet the whole world knows and I should have guessed that you are the one who would want to meet me." He responded, slightly angry that he had been tricked into the enemy''s lair so easily.


    The man was Old Master Feng''s chauffeur. The previous day, he had received an anonymous email from someone who claimed that they could change his situation, and they asked to meet him in this caf¨¦ at this time. How stupid he had been! He had thought that the Ji family wouldn''t resort to using such tricks to get whatever they wanted but clearly, he had been wrong. No, he must have been blinded by desperation.


    Knowing that he would walk right out if she wasted his time, Lanni went straight to the point. "Listen, I was not bluffing. I can indeed change your situation."


    "What can a little girl like you do, huh? What do you even know?" he scoffed.


    "Do you judge people''s abilities by their age?" Lanni threw back a question at him.


    "I don''t. But for one like you, I don''t even need to judge. It is pretty obvious that a girl like you would only know to look pretty and enjoy being pampered."


    Lanni leaned onto the backrest languidly with a tiny smile at the corners of her lips. "You are testing me." When he looked shocked, her lips twitched. "If you despised me half as much as you make it sound, you would have walked out as soon as you realized that I''m the one who called you here. "


    Caught by a little girl, An Zichen was ashamed of himself. "Fine. What do you want?"


    "That''s the question I was waiting for." Lanni smiled. She was a little annoyed at how he took her for a pampered princess. Why did many people do that anyway? She was pampered by her mother, alright, but that did not mean she knew nothing. "I know about the debts your parents left unpaid." She suddenly announced.


    An Zichen was flabbergasted. "How did you¡­"


    "I can help you clear that." She cut him short. "Every single one of them to the very last cent." She emphasized.


    Without waiting for him to react, she continued, "Your abilities are impeccable but your current job cannot provide anything more than just a meal." After digging up, Lanni knew just how underpaid the employees in the Feng family were. But it was not her business to feel wronged on their behalf unless she had to, like right now. She looked at the man''s shocked face and continued. "Which is why, I will help you get a better job. That way, you will be able to take care of your sister."


    "You know about my sister too?" the man was so puzzled that he looked at her like she was a god of sorts.


    "I promised to change your situation. Now, how can I change it if I don''t even know the situation to begin with?"


    And it had not been too difficult to find out everything about him. After looking up the employees close to Old Master Feng, she found out that all of them had some difficult past that allowed Old Master Feng to exploit them. That was why none of them had quit on their jobs.


    She knew that when Chauffeur An''s parents worked for the Feng family and when they died, they owed the Feng family a huge debt. Since he was unable to repay the debt, Old Master Feng brought him to his home, to work for him as a chauffeur until the debt was repaid. Even if he worked hard and received nothing from his lowly pay, it would take at least fifty years for the debt to be completely repaid.


    He had no major problem with using up the rest of his life to pay a debt his parents had to owe because it was urgent. However, he had to take care of his sister who was weak in health. He needed money for that and every time she got sick, he would have to borrow more money from the Feng family and the debt kept piling up.


    Lanni was sorry for having to use such a person but she had to. Besides, she wouldn''t even realize such a person existed. She snapped back from her thoughts and continued offering her help. "I will also take your sister to a better hospital, get her the best doctors and a kidney donor."


    "And I''m supposed to believe that there is such a thing as fallen angels?" he stared at her. "You want me to betray the Feng family, don''t you?"


    It was not that he couldn''t. If someone could save his sister, forget about betraying the Feng family. He would even betray himself.


    "Of course not." Lanni waved her finger. "I only want you to help me deliver a document."


    "How can I be so sure that you will not play me?" He asked cautiously. It wouldn''t be a first. Before he was brought to the Feng family, someone had offered him a job, promising to save his sister if the job was complete. But after completing it, they went silent on him. That was why he was unable to trust Lanni.


    Hearing his words, Lanni was not surprised. She took out her phone and dialed a number and called it. "Are you done yet?"


    "Yes." Came the reply on the other side.


    "I see. Bring the phone to her." Lanni changed to video call and turned the phone to Chauffeur An.


    "Do you think you can fool me¡­" his ramble stopped when he suddenly saw his sister''s face on the phone. "Ziyao!"


    "Brother!" the young woman was cheerful despite her condition. She happily waved at her brother on the screen. "Guess what? I''ve been transferred to another hospital. Look, I''m in a VIP room. It''s much better than anywhere I''ve ever been!" She excitedly tilted the phone so he could see the beautiful VIP hospital room.


    "I don''t know who brought me here and paid off the bill. The doctor in charge only said that it''s a young woman. Whoever she is, may all her dreams come true."


    An Zichen was just as emotional as his sister, tears even uncontrollably falling from his eyes. "Ziyao, hold on a moment. I will call you later."


    As soon as he hung up, he looked at Lanni gratefully, all his previous suspicion about her only bluffing fading in a flash. He suddenly slumped onto his knees. "Thank you."


    Lanni was taken aback. "Please don''t kneel!"


    He stood up, still emotionally thanking Lanni profusely. Only after thanking her almost a hundred times did he stop to ask, "But since you have already helped my sister, what if I don''t comply with your request?"


    "What do you think?"


    An Zichen stuck his hands together in front of his face. "You will not have to do anything. I''ll do whatever you ask."


    Lanni sighed in relief, having accomplished what she wanted. She took out a document from her satchel. "I want you to give this to Ji Feifei. Tell her it''s the share transfer document and ask her to sign it.. The money will be sent to her bank account within an hour."

 Chapter 188 - Warm, Damp, Handsome Wall

    An Zichen was surprised by her words. He had not expected her to simply send him to get Ji Feifei to sign the document. If it was that simple, how come she didn''t send someone else or go on her own?


    Lanni apparently knew what he was thinking. She locked her hands together with a tiny grin on her lips. "Just do as I say and worry about nothing else."


    "Okay." An Zichen took the task seriously. Lanni directed him to the prison where Ji Feifei was. All he had to do was say, "Here is the share transfer document" and be done with the job.


    Lanni was on pins and needles as she waited for An Zichen to come back. It was not that she doubted him. In fact, if there was anyone that would never go back on their word, it would have to be him. He wouldn''t betray her especially now that she had just saved his sister''s life.


    What she was worried about was whether her plan would actually work. She was playing with Ji Feifei''s psychology and she was not fully confident that it would really be fruitful. If it worked, all would be well but if it didn''t, she wouldn''t even have a chance to try again.


    Just when her nervousness was at its peak, An Zichen returned.


    She waited with bated breath for him to speak.


    "She signed it." An Zichen finally said, passing the document to her. He now finally understood what she was doing. Since it was him giving her the document, Ji Feifei would never have a doubt.


    "Thank goodness." Lanni let out the breath she had been holding for over an hour. With her hands shaking slightly out of anticipation, she opened the document.


    The first page indeed stated that she was selling her shares to the Feng family. What she didn''t know, however, was that all the pages that followed stated that she was giving all her shares to Ji Xiehan for free. Obviously, she was not going to use her money to buy them and neither was she going to use Ji Xiehan''s. That''s what she got for agreeing to betray her own family. Lanni was betting that since they had already discussed, she wouldn''t read through the whole document considering what an impatient person she was.


    She had been right. In fact, Ji Feifei had rolled her eyes and literally grabbed the pen from An Zichen with a snort. "I bet the Ji family would never have expected me to do this but whatever. Who would reject such an insane amount of money when they actually need it? As soon as I get out of here, I''m cutting ties with them and living on my own with this money.


    All she had done was ramble and then sign the document. She had not even read the first page of the contract let alone all of it.


    Lanni looked at him. "Thank you. I will transfer the money to pay your debt later. After that, you will be free to leave the Feng family. As for your new job¡­"


    "I don''t think I should get a new job, how will I explain suddenly getting so much money?" He interrupted.


    "Eer¡­ you won the lottery? A distant relative wants you to live with them and paid the debt off to set you free? You just discovered that your parents had hidden away a stash of money and didn''t have enough time to tell you before they passed away? There are many excuses for the record. You just have to come up with one." Lanni said.


    "That sounds so easy to do." An Zichen said. "However, I still think it''s best if I continue working for the Feng family. If I directly leave now and he finds out what happened with Ji Feifei, he might go after my sister."


    Lanni was about to say that he could do what he wanted but thinking about it, An Zichen had just worked for her. She shouldn''t let anything happen to him. "From the moment you agreed to do me this favor, you have gone against the Fengs. Once they find out that they have been tricked, Ji Feifei will tell them that it was you who gave her the document. No matter what you say then, no one will believe you. Old Master Feng will go after you and your sister.??


    An Zichen''s eyes widened as he realized just how right she was. He had not thought through the repercussions of his betrayal and now that she said it, Old Master Feng would never let him off.


    "Break your ties with the Feng family. I will help you find another job and you will be safe." Lanni promised and she meant it. She was not going to let him suffer and neither would Ji Xiehan.


    "I will do as you say." Although it was embarrassing to take instructions from someone a few years younger than him, An Zichen had already been impressed by Lanni''s brief and precise way of handling things so he didn''t mind following her lead.


    ¡­


    That evening.


    Ji Xiehan gave Lanni a call once he was home from work so she went over to his mansion.


    "Good evening Miss Lanni." The butler greeted her warmly when he saw her arrive.


    "Hello Miss Lanni." The maids greeted her in unison too. After seeing how friendly she was previously when she came, they quite liked her.


    "Hello." She responded with a sweet smile. "Where is Xiehan?"


    "The young master is in the master bedroom. Miss Lanni, are you hungry? I will get the chef to prepare something for you to eat." The butler answered.


    "Thanks, but I''m not hungry. I will go and find Xiehan first." Lanni said and went to the second floor.


    She knocked on the door of the master bedroom. When he didn''t respond, she thought that he might be asleep. She hesitantly opened the door, covering her eyes as she walked in. What if he was sleeping in his birthday suit as he said he usually does?


    "Oops!" Because her eyes were covered, she bumped into a wall. To be exact, she bumped into a human wall©`a warm shirtless human wall that was slightly damp¡­with sweat?


    She ran a hand through his hard chest with her eyes still closed and traced down his rock-hard abs. "Are walls so sexy these days?"


    Ji Xiehan grabbed her hand and pushed it down his V-line. "Yes. There''s an extremely sexy wall before you. Do you want to hug it, kiss it, or¡­ something else?"


    Lanni opened her eyes and only then did she see the only piece of cloth on him. A towel loosely draped around his waist. He had another towel on his head, probably what he was using to wipe his hair. She swallowed a gulp of saliva. "Why do you only have a towel on?"


    "I just finished taking a shower." He made way for her to come in.


    No wonder his skin was wet.


    "Eer¡­ should I¡­ leave so you can dress up and come back later?" Lanni tried to look elsewhere.


    "No need." He rubbed on his hair using the towel for a while and put it on the dressing table. His hair was now ruffled, and Lanni couldn''t take her eyes off it. She was so shocked that her eyes almost popped when he reached to take off the towel.


    She hurriedly turned with her eyes closed. "Can''t you have some decency?"


    Ji Xiehan laughed. "There??s no such thing as decency in the presence of the person who has seen every inch of my body."


    With no restraint, he went ahead to cream his body before taking the clothes that he had chosen earlier and dressing up right there. Lanni tried not to look at him even though she really wanted to. She knew what would happen if she took even a tiny peek and she was not ready for that. At least not before talking business.


    Once he was done dressing up, he walked in front of her and held her hands, pulling them off her face. "You can open your eyes now."


    She resisted his pull, peeking through her fingers to ensure that he was actually wearing clothes. Ji Xiehan chuckled at his antics. Was he so untrustworthy?


    Seeing that he was not lying, Lanni reached into her satchel and took out the share transfer contract. "I got this for you."


    Ji Xiehan had to smile in awe, knowing that she had accomplished whatever it was that she was trying to do. How fast. Although he knew that she was smart, he had thought that he might have to step in. seeing that she had done it on her own, he happily opened the contract.


    He was initially shocked to read the part about Ji Feifei giving her shares to the Feng family but when he flapped to the later pages, he had to let out a laugh. "You tricked her."


    "Well, people like her can only be handled using mind tricks."


    Ji Xiehan tore off the first pages. "I''ll get my lawyer to verify this."


    Lanni told him what had happened before saying, "I was worried about that, would there be a problem because she didn''t willingly sign it?"


    "What problem?" Ji Xiehan shrugged. "Did anyone force her? It was her fault for not

 Chapter 189 - Let Me Thank You

    It was her fault for not reading the contract properly. Lanni had neither stolen the signature nor forced her to sign it.


    "You''re right. No matter what kind of lawyer she hires, we will not be liable for her carelessness." Lanni snickered. "I guess she thought she was betraying the Ji family and teaching them a lesson for letting her go to prison. Little did she know that she would fall into what she thought was a trap she laid."


    Remembering something, she said to Ji Xiehan, "Right. This is how you will convince your parents that the Feng family had a deal with Ji Feifei."


    Ji Xiehan knew what she was talking about. However, that didn''t seem convincing enough since no one had signed it.


    Also, "honey, can we not talk about other people right now?"


    "Right." Lanni looked up at him.


    "Thank you." He suddenly said.


    "You don''t need to thank me. I enjoyed helping you and besides, it''s just a small part." Ji Xiehan was dealing with the difficult matters. He had already held a meeting with most of the higher-ups and got them on the Ji family''s side.


    Now, even if the Feng family somehow magically managed to obtain more shares than the Ji family, they were several steps behind¡ªthey had less supporters on their side.


    Even so, Ji Xiehan still had to thank her. She had made it harder for the Feng family. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her grey orbs. "My love, how do you want me to thank you?"


    Lanni felt her heart racing as she looked up into his eyes. Why did that question sound so wrong? She maintained her gaze in his charming eyes and threw the question back at him.  "How do you want to thank me?"


    Ji Xiehan looked like he had been anticipating that question. He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I want to thank you in bed¡­ by making love to you."


    Lanni felt her cheeks heat up. Did he just say that? "I-I¡­"


    "Are you okay now?" He asked, leaning his head lower.


    Suddenly seeing his eyes so close, she gasped as her heartbeat quickened even further. Without a doubt, he was asking about her period. She nodded, then suddenly realized just how shameless her nod seemed.


    As expected, Ji Xiehan took that as permission. He leaned in and kissed her lips. He started off light and soft, then deepened the kiss as his right hand went behind her neck while his left hand found her waist, circled it and pulled her against his chest.


    She lifted her hands and hugged his neck, letting her fingers trail the back of his neck all the way to his silver-white hair that was still slightly damp. She gasped as she felt his hand snake down her body and squeeze her butt.


    She involuntarily let out a moan, knowing better than anyone just what he was about to do to her. He had anticipated this since the night they were in Berlin and so had she.


    She felt her legs weaken into a puddle as he lifted her. She opened her eyes when she felt her back land gently on the soft, white bed. Her eyes met his blue, lustful ones as he pressed her under him.


    She reached to unbutton the shirt he had worn just a few minutes ago. His body smelt nice and fresh after his shower, and she couldn''t help kissing his neck as he eased her dress off her body.


    As soon as he saw those soft breasts again, his patience evaporated into thin air, and he unhooked and took off her bra anxiously. His hand caressed his way to her cotton panties, and he impatiently tore it off.


    Lanni chuckled at his impatience, not minding it in the least bit. With a slight push, she flipped him below her with matching anticipating, pulled off his pants and boxer briefs to his knees and took his rock-hard and throbbing manhood in her hand. He groaned as he hugged her so she was lying over his body with his shaft between her legs.


    He looked into her eyes to see if she was willing to let him do what he was about to do. Seeing nothing but want in her eyes, he held her over him, directed his shaft between her thighs, kissing her neck as he pushed his hips upwards to thrust into her.


    "Ah¡ª!" Lanni suddenly let out a muffled scream at the same time that he felt an obstruction. He gently pushed her off him in alarm.


    "Are you alright?" When she nodded, he held her in his arms and hugged her gently.


    "Are you hurt?" He asked although she had said she was alright. He knew instinctively what that obstruction just now was. "You didn''t tell me it''s your first time."


    Lanni chewed on her lower lip. "I didn''t know either."


    Cheng Yu had told her that she had a boyfriend before. She had assumed that she might have done it with him. Apparently, that was what Ji Xiehan thought too. He had thought that since she had a boyfriend before, she wouldn''t be a virgin.


    He snapped from his thoughts and went to the bathroom to run a bath. When the bath was ready, he returned and carried her off the bed.


    "Where are you taking me?"


    "I''m going to check if you''re hurt." He said regretfully as he used his foot to open the bathroom door. He shouldn''t have been so impatient with her. He had never slept with a woman before, let alone a virgin; but from what other people said, a woman''s first time might be painful. How could he let his other head control his thoughts?


    "What''s with that expression?" Lanni laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She knew that he must be blaming himself. "If I didn''t know, how would you have known? Besides, it wasn''t too painful."


    Ji Xiehan nodded and placed her into the tub, his eyes gazing at her gently. Although he didn''t have anything against a woman who wasn''t a virgin, he was still happy that she was all his. He had never said this before but he had been a little jealous of her ex-boyfriend.


    "I''m kinda happy that I haven''t been with anyone before you." Lanni suddenly said. Although he had never asked about it, she had always thought that a man like Ji Xiehan might prefer ''pure'' and untouched women. For this reason, she was slightly afraid that he might be disappointed.


    Ji Xiehan chuckled. She was thinking of the same thing as him. Looking at her, he could vaguely guess her unsaid words too.


    Letting the water run over her skin, he looked at her seriously. "Lanni, I want you know that our relationship is not just about sex. I mean, sex is definitely a part of it but it''s not the only part nor is it the most important."


    Lanni no longer felt awkward talking about this with him. They would have to discuss it sooner or later.


    "I said this before and I do not mind saying it again in case you forget." He continued under her gaze. "Lanni, relationships are not a joking matter to me. I''m not one to mess around with women. I had never dated before because there was no woman that I thought was good enough for me to spend the rest of my life with.


    Since I found you and chose you, I will not fall for anyone else. You are the one I will marry when the time is right, have kids with and spend the rest of my life with."


    If anyone else said those words, Lanni might think they were only trying to please her with words they had probably told every other woman they messed with. But the seriousness in Ji Xiehan''s eyes and his confident and decisive tone made her believe that he meant every word he said.


    The slight tension in her heart eased. "What a coincidence. I don''t think it''s a good idea to mess around either. Since I decided to be with you, it''s only going to be you now and in future."


    Glad that they were of the same opinion about relationships, he pressed a slight kiss on her forehead.


    "What are you doing?" She yelped when he suddenly parted her legs.


    "Checking if you''re hurt." He said seriously.


    "Are you really going to check me down there?" She blushed at the thought of it.


    In response, he pinched her adorably flushed cheeks playfully "How is one girl able to blush so many times?"


    "It''s all your fault!" He was the one who kept doing things that embarassed her.


    Ji Xiehan''s lips curled into a smile. "You''re my girlfriend. Why can''t I look at you? You''ve seen mine too. You have touched it too. You even¡­"


    "Stop talking about it!" She splashed bubbles to his face. "Anyway, why are you kneeling outside the tub? Come in, let''s bathe together."


    "Sure." He slipped in immediately like he was just waiting for the word.


    "...."

 Chapter 190 - Lets Finish What We Started

    Ji Xiehan hugged Lanni close to him as soon as he joined her in the bath tub. Lanni yelped when he lifted her so he was beneath her and she was sitting on him. That was dangerous, they could have slipped!


    "What do you think you''re doing? We could have got hurt." She admonished.


    "Don''t worry my love. I was careful." He would never let her get hurt. Ji Xiehan smiled and held her body tightly, closing his eyes to enjoy her proximity.


    It wasn''t long before she felt something throbbing against her backside and poking her. She peered at him in surprise. "You can have a boner while in water?"


    "Why not?" he laughed. With her this close to him and sitting practically next to it, forget about a warm, cozy bath. He would have a boner even if they were in freezing cold water.


    Lanni''s thoughts ran wild as she became a little too aware of the fact that they were both naked and so closely huddled together. She couldn''t help but wonder why he stopped earlier. They were so close to doing it and even though he suddenly realized that it was her first time, he should have continued, right? She wouldn''t have been too hurt anyway¡­ her skin felt hotter at the thought of it.


    "What are you thinking about?" Came his voice behind her ear as he nibbled on her earlobe playfully. No doubt, he knew exactly what she was thinking about because he was thinking of the same thing.


    "Nothing. Eer¡­ we shouldn''t soak for too long." She said.


    "You''re right. You have soaked for long enough. Do you still feel uncomfortable?"


    "No." She shook her head, feeling much better after the bath. Ji Xiehan lifted her off him and they both got out of the tub.


    He grabbed a bathrobe at the side and gave it to her.


    Lanni looked at the pink fluffiness in her hand and looked back at him as though finding it strange. Did he use pink bathrobes?


    "It''s new. No one has used it before." He didn''t include the fact that he bought it in case she slept over.


    "Mmh." She draped it around her body and walked out of the bathroom as he followed closely behind her. Ji Xiehan changed the sheets and swiftly changed his clothes.


    Lanni was still wondering whether she would have to wear her dirty clothes when he walked towards the closet. He touched a t-shirt and was about to take it when he thought back to the rows of female clothes in the walk-in closet.


    Not too long ago, he had wanted to get her a present. His assistant recommended a few brands for female clothes. After taking just one look, he had the urge to buy everything that he thought would look good on his Lanni. That was why he had ended up buying so many dresses, shoes, bags and jewelry that one would think Lanni had moved in. Since they started dating, he had even got a maid to buy nightwear in Lanni''s size in case she slept over.


    He was about to leave the t-shirt and go to bring one of the clothes he had bought for her but he stopped. The thought of having Lanni wear his t-shirt made him feel something inexplicable in a sweet way. Hence he took the cotton t-shirt and actually acted like he was at a loss.


    "If you don''t mind, you can wear this."


    Lanni turned to take a look and saw him holding a large men''s t-shirt against his body. She quickly closed the application that she had just opened to order clothes from an online mall. She had never worn a man''s clothes before, but wearing her boyfriend''s t-shirt must look and feel sexy so she didn''t hesitate to grab it from him.


    She thought of whether to tell him to turn around or give her space to change but before she did, he spoke first. "Are you hungry? I will go and get you something to eat."


    Lanni smiled, knowing that he was only using the excuse to give her space. How gentlemanly. She realized that the more she stayed close to him, the harder she fell for him.


    Ji Xiehan only came back a while later, after cooking some of her favorite dishes. He placed the food tray on the night stand, casting a glance at the woman on his bed. Being a lot taller than her, his t-shirt was long enough to cover her backside and part of her thighs. It was not sure what she had done, but it was fitting in the waist area, making it look like a short dress. Her thighs and legs peeked through the white fabric, sending his brain in a craze.


    "I hope I can borrow this." She said as she revealed a folded part of the t-shirt. His belt was peeking through.


    He stifled a laugh. So that was how she had made it fit her waist. After making sure that the tray was stable on the night stand, he walked over to her and pecked her cheek. "You look lovely. You should wear my clothes more. "


    Lanni managed a smile and kissed him on the lips. At that moment, the aroma from the food he had just brought in wafted into her nostrils and before she could say a word, her stomach growled to complain about being abandoned by her.


    Ji Xiehan stepped back and took the tray. "I cooked for you."


    "It''s delicious." She said even before having a taste.


    Ji Xiehan laughed at that. "How do you know? You haven''t even tried it out."


    "Because you''re great in the kitchen and it smells nice."


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t refute her logic and brought the meal to her. As expected, it was yummy.


    "Braised with white wine, just like I love it. Even the garlic is just right. How do you know what I like to the last detail?"


    Ji Xiehan smiled and kept the answer mysterious. Li Yuming had only told him that she liked coq-au-vin. As for the other details, he did his homework.


    He ate his own food, sneaking occasional peeks as she munched her way through all the food on her plate, smiling in satisfaction at how delicious it was. It''s not just women that appreciate compliments about their culinary skills. Men do too, and Ji Xiehan was on clouds from seeing how genuinely happy she was.


    It was only when her plate was clear and he had taken the dishes back to the kitchen that Lanni said something. "How yummy. Yummier than any other coq-au-vin I''ve ever tasted. You have to teach me to cook this way. Do you have a secret ingredient?"


    Ji Xiehan smiled. "I do have a secret ingredient. To be exact, it''s one that my aunt taught me. But you don''t have to learn to cook."


    "But why not?"


    He hugged her from the side. "Because you don''t need to. I will cook for you as many times as necessary."


    Lanni felt her heart race as she hugged his arm, peeking up at him. "If you are this sweet to me for any longer, I will become spoilt."


    "What''s wrong with that? Girlfriends are meant to be spoilt." Ji Xiehan felt his body reacting once again. She was not wearing a bra, so when she hugged his arm, her breasts rubbed against him through the cotton fabric. She didn''t seem to realize it as she kept rubbing herself against him.


    He tried not to look at his arm, turning his gaze downwards instead. However, his eyes were only greeted with her fair legs that were exposed by the short length of what she was wearing. Her position was far from modest, and it made him wonder whether she was wearing anything beneath it. He coughed and made to get away. What was he thinking?


    Lanni hugged his arm a little tighter when she felt him shift. It felt nice to hug him. He was wearing a t-shit with short sleeves so there was only one piece of fabric separating her breasts from the skin of his arm. She felt his warmth through it and felt her nipples stiffen into pebbles, craving for his touch.


    Bolder than she had ever been, she pushed him down on the bed and crawled onto his body. Before he could react to the sudden push, she held down his shoulders as her lips came crashing down on his.


    Ji Xiehan slid a hand through her hair to hold her neck and deepened the kiss with the same urgency as her. When she realized that he was resisting the urge to reach for her chest, she broke the kiss and straightened into a kneel against his body. Resolutely, she took off the loosely tied belt from her waist and held the edges of the t-shirt, pulling it off her body. Suddenly seeing her naked body in front of him, Ji Xiehan swallowed. "Are you sure about this?"


    Lanni grabbed his hand and brought it to her breast. "Yes." She reached for his clothes in anticipation.. "Let''s finish what we started."

 Chapter 191 - Lets Continue What We Started (2)

    With the situation they had been in a while ago, Ji Xiehan was not surprised by her words. Even so, her boldness surprised him. He was learning a different side to her each day and he loved every single one of them. He embraced her warm, naked body and flipped her under him.


    Just then, his phone rang.


    Ji Xiehan frowned in annoyance. Who would call at such bad timing? He ignored it and held the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. Then he leaned down to kiss her.


    She held a hand over his shoulder to stop him. "It might be important."


    Ji Xiehan wanted to ignore it when the call ended but the phone started ringing incessantly again. He cursed under his breath, shoved the t-shirt onto the bed and stretched a hand to the nightstand to pick it.


    "What are you talking about?" he asked with a frown as soon as the caller spoke. "I''ll take a look."


    Once he hung up, he wanted to shove the phone aside and check later.


    "What happened? You look shocked." Lanni asked curiously.


    Ji Xiehan ran a hand through his silver hair, ruffling it. "My father said I''m all over gossip forums again. I wonder what that means."


    "Then have a look." Lanni responded. Wasn''t it obvious that he should? She took his t-shirt and held it over her chest as she sat up to satisfy her curiosity. She wondered what Ji Xiehan would be doing in the gossip forums and she had a bad feeling about it.


    Under her curious and uneasy gaze, he checked the news on his phone. His eyebrows scrunched up as soon as he saw the headlines. "When father said ''you are on the gossip forums again'', he didn''t mean me. He meant us and it''s not good news."


    "How bad could it be?" Lanni moved closer to him.


    "This bad." He sat down, holding the phone closer so she could see.


    [Trouble in paradise: Lanni given the cold treatment as Xiehan rekindles old flame with his childhood friend.] Read the headline in bold font.


    The couple exchanged looks. Lanni held a hand over her forehead. "Ji Feifei is in jail. Who came up with this nonsense then?"


    Ji Xiehan read the article and pointed at it. Following his gaze, Lanni saw the exaggerated gossip about how Ji Xiehan went to Berlin for a vacation on the surface while in real sense, he secretly told Feng Ci his whereabouts so they would meet up. While in Berlin, the two met up in Lanni''s presence and cheated on her right under her nose and in the room next to her.


    The article even went so far as to state that Ji Xiehan would sneak to Feng Ci''s room at night so they would have fun while Lanni slept on her own. There was a picture attatched¨çthe one of Feng Ci on the bathroom with Ji Xiehan on top of her.


    "Shit." A curse escaped Lanni''s lips. She wasn''t sure what disgusted her more. The fact that that shameless woman tricked her boyfriend or that she had even taken a photo and was using him now?


    ___


    Four hours ago.


    Soon after An Zichen helped Lanni get Ji Feifei''s signature on the fake share transfer document, Old Master Feng went to give her the contract they had prepared beforehand.


    Alas, he was shocked when Ji Feifei claimed to have signed it already.


    "What do you mean you signed it? I didn''t bring the contract to you so how could you have signed it?" Old Master Feng thought Ji Feifei was messing with him.


    "I don''t understand either. I signed it this morning." Ji Feifei frowned.


    Old Master Feng sunk into thought. Perhaps his wife sent her the contract and forgot to tell him about it? He flipped it to the last page and didn''t see the signature he was expecting. He showed it to her. "If you signed it, where''s your signature?"


    "Right¡­ what?" Ji Feifei rubbed her eyes and looked at the paper again. "Where did the signature disappear to? I swear I signed it."


    After calming down from the fit of her shock, she looked at the document again. "This looks different from what was brought earlier."


    Old Master Feng held his chin in thought. "But were the terms the same? If they were identical to what we had discussed then there shouldn''t be any problem." He was getting more convinced that his wife might have brought it to Ji Feifei to save him the trouble.


    "I¡­" Ji Feifei stuttered. "I didn''t really read it. Since we already discussed¡­"


    "Forget about it." Old Master Feng calmed down after convincing himself. His wife wouldn''t mess up the terms anyway. He took out his phone to call his wife for confirmation. However, her response shocked him. She knew nothing about it!


    Visiting time was almost over and he was running out of time so he was impatient and almost shouted when he asked her, "Who brought the contract you signed?"


    "Your chauffeur." She almost snarled too, in irritation.


    Old Master Feng looked at her like she was an idiot and left.


    "An Zichen. No wonder¡­"


    Now it all made sense. As soon as he arrived home, An Zichen had suddenly told him that he had transferred the money he owed the Feng family to Old Master Feng''s bank account. After showing him the bank receipts, he asked to quit his job.


    At the time, Old Master Feng was only displeased about giving up on one of the employees that were easiest to exploit but since the lad had paid off his debt and the old man was in a good mood, he let him leave. It was only later that he wondered where he had suddenly got so much money.


    Now it all made sense. Someone must have given that money to him. He must have tricked Ji Feifei. "And that foolish girl! No wonder her family doesn''t want her. How is she so stupid? Who signs a contract without checking through it?"


    He went back home, almost fainting from anger.


    "That''s not the face I expected from a triumphant return, father." Feng Ci went to receive him, firing off questions and receiving a slap as a reward.


    "You slapped me¡­" She stared at her father in disbelief.


    "You useless woman. You are just as useless as Ji Feifei. None of this would have happened if you had managed to seduce Ji Xiehan. If you cannot even seduce a man, Of what good are you as a woman?"


    "How dare you say that to our daughter?" Madam Feng huffed as she left her room, wondering what was going on. She glared at her husband when she saw the palm print on Feng Ci''s cheek.


    Old Master Feng calmed down slightly, flopping onto a couch. He explained what had happened with Ji Feifei and An Zichen. "Whatever it is, it is done already. We need a new plan."


    "Who tricked Ji Feifei anyway? They must have needed perfect knowledge of her to guess that she wouldn''t read the contract properly." Feng Ci said.


    "So you do have a brain." Her father glared at her. She had been so useless lately. "It must be her family. They know her best."


    Madam Feng sat next to her husband. "It cannot be Wen Lin." She had been close to Wen Lin for years and she knew the woman better than anyone. The woman treasured her daughter more than her life. In fact, Madam Feng was shocked that Wen Lin had let Ji Feifei be imprisoned. But no matter why she let that happen, Wen Lin would never do that to Ji Feifei. And neither would Ji Huifen. "So it can only be one person. The person who has never been that close to Ji Feifei to begin with."


    "Ji Xiehan." Old Master Feng was surprised too. He had thought that their sibling rivalry was too deep for Ji Xiehan to even know his sister''s middle name. it turned out he knew such deep-rooted facts as well. "As expected, that man isn''t to be underestimated."


    "I don''t think this seems like Xiehan. He doesn''t look like the type of man to play tricks." Feng Ci frowned. She had always tried to understand Ji Xiehan as much as possible. Although she didn''t know every single thing about him, she had a gut feeling that there was more to this.


    "Enough with that. Whether it is Ji Xiehan or not, We need a serious plan. We cannot fail."


    "We should get the other shareholders and higher ups on our side before the Jis get them on theirs." Madam Feng said.


    "What makes you so sure that Ji Huifen and his son won''t think of this?" Old Master Feng banged the envelope on the table in frustration.


    A moment of silence later, Feng Ci humphed. "I don''t know how to make sure Ji Huifen doesn''t do anything, but I have a way to distract Xiehan."


    "What?" They both looked at her.


    "Something I''m glad I didn''t delete.." She winked and excitedly left the room.

 Chapter 192 - Im Going To Disown Her

    "What is she up to?" Madam Feng glanced in the direction where Feng Ci had just runoff.


    "If it''s anything that will bring us more trouble, I''m going to disown her." Old Master Feng threatened, and he meant it.


    "How dare you say such words? She''s our baby!"


    "Yeah, right. A twenty-six-year-old baby." Old Master Feng harrumphed and left the room, leaving her with "your daughter better not mess anything up."


    While the oldies almost fought, Feng Ci was currently contacting her friends from the media.


    What she had in hand was a video she had taken in Berlin.


    That night before she called Ji Xiehan for help, she had set up a camera in the bathroom. In case he tried to dump her, she was going to use the video of them having sex to blackmail him into breaking up with Lanni and getting married to her instead.


    However, the plan almost backfired because he didn''t even spare her a second glance. She was still angry until she checked the camera. From the angle in which he had fallen on top of her, they looked like a passionate couple. He couldn''t wriggle his way out no matter how glib his tongue was.


    After replaying the video several times so he would find the perfect short video, she found that she would have to use a bit of photoshop to make it more real.


    But thinking about it, some overly nosy people might check the authenticity of the video and any traces of photoshop might make the whole video seem untrustworthy. She couldn''t risk that.


    Hence, she decided to use pictures instead. In fact, the picture was more real-looking and Ji Xiehan would never deny being her room. If he still did, she would get a hacker to retrieve the hotel''s surveillance footage¡ªthere must be surveillance cameras in the corridors and they must have captured him entering her room.


    Feng Ci happily gave the pictures to her friend. Ji Xiehan was done in this time. "Serves him right for thinking he can get away with rejecting and humiliating me."


    ___


    Ji Xiehan''s Highbridge Mansion.


    "Honey¡­" Ji Xiehan was inarticulate. How was he supposed to explain such a picture? He was innocent. What happened in that picture was really a result of Feng Ci tripping him. The woman must have hidden a camera beforehand. But who would believe him?


    However, Lanni did. She placed a hand on his. "Just one look and I can guess what happened. It''s so obvious. Sigh, what a shameless woman."


    "So you believe me?" Ji Xiehan was surprised and happy at the same time.


    "Of course. If I''m mot wrong, this is from the day she tricked you into her room, right?"


    Ji Xiehan nodded. Now he was glad he had chosen to tell her the truth that night. If he hid it from her, how would he have explained himself now? No matter what he said, it would have seemed like a lie.


    "She must have several loose screws in her head." Lanni didn''t want to even think about her.


    She checked the time on her phone. She should probably go back home soon. "It''s already 11 pm?"


    When did it get so late?


    Ji Xiehand was surprised when he saw the time too. It had gotten so late without their knowledge.


    Lanni looked at the t-shirt that she was unknowingly still holding against her chest. Was there any mall that could make a delivery so late if she wanted to order a change of clothes?


    Ji Xiehan knew what she was thinking. He held her warm body in his arms. "Honey, I know your mood just got ruined but could you stay tonight and go tomorrow? It''s already so late."


    Lanni thought about it and indeed, it would be unreasonable to go home now. She wordlessly pulled the t-shirt over her head and wore it then lay in bed.


    Although she couldn''t possibly be mad at him for Feng CI''s attempt to drive a wedge between them, she was not willing to continue talking about it and her dismissive mood proved just that. Ji Xiehan could only lie down next to her and hug her.


    Of course, a certain part of his body was quick to acknowledge her presence. Sigh, why was it so hard to spend time with his girlfriend? Every time they were about to take things to the final step, something just had to come up and interrupt them. It was getting on his nerves. Thinking about something, he froze.


    How could he have been so forgetful? Li Yuming had long warned him that she didn''t want any shady business. She didn''t want Lanni to be pregnant before they were married. Besides, Lanni was still studying. She was probably not ready to have children yet. How then, could he have been so stupid and forget to use protection a while ago when they were about to do it?


    "Damn, so foolish!"


    Lanni turned to look at him curiously. "Who are you scolding?"


    "Did I say that aloud?" He felt silly.


    "Yes." Lanni laughed at him. "Honey, let''s go to sleep. I''m tired and you must be too. Besides, you must have a lot to deal with tomorrow."


    "Okay." Ji Xiehan nuzzled his nose against her neck and tried to fall asleep too.


    __


    The next day.


    After waking up, Ji Xiehan finally brought Lanni to his walk-in closet so she would choose a dress to wear.


    "Wow¡­ all these beautiful dresses in one closet?" Lanni marveled. Although she already had innumerable clothes that were of the best material and designs, Ji Xiehan''s choices amazed her. They were different from what she would choose but they were beautiful as well.


    "Hey, isn''t that the gown I wanted to buy two weeks ago but found it gone the next time I went to the store?" Lanni pointed at a magenta strapless gown with a glittery waistline. She had seen it while just passing by a store but was in a hurry so she didn''t stop to buy it. The next time she went to buy it, the manager said that a handsome man had bought it for his girlfriend. She had been happy for the woman but disappointed that she couldn''t have it.


    Not to mention, there was no other dress of the same design since it was a limited edition piece and the others had already been sold. Who would have thought that the handsome buyer was Ji Xiehan and the girlfriend was her? They were not dating two weeks ago so she wouldn''t have thought of it no matter what.


    She smiled and looked through the others. There were even a few in European style; he probably bought them when they were in Berlin. She wondered when he sneakily bought them.


    "Do you like them?" he asked from behind her.


    "I love them. Thank you." Lanni smiled and hugged him. It was a pleasant surprise.


    "Since they have been here for so long, why didn''t you show them to me last night?" Lanni wondered.


    Ji Xiehan looked into her eyes. "Because I wanted to see you wearing my clothes."


    "You''re an actual pervert, not that I''m complaining." She was kinda used to his shameless¡­ or perhaps she even liked it a little.


    Ji Xiehan leaned in to kiss her but she placed a hand on his mouth to stop him. "Not now Xiehan, I need to go and so do you."


    Ji Xiehan nodded and gave her space, not before briefly kissing her lips.


    Once she was done dressing up, she went downstairs.


    "I''ll drop you off." He said, reaching for his car keys.


    "You don''t need to, honey. You should go home. You will probably have a lot to deal with." Lanni speculated. "I''m guessing Feng Ci sent those photos online to keep you busy cleaning the mess as her family does something more significant in Feng Ji International."


    "Besides, my car is still here." She pointed outside at her white car.


    Ji Xiehan couldn''t refute her. Indeed, Feng Ci must only be distracting him. Since she had her car, he could only see her off. Lanni took the key from her purse and pressed it. Her car beeped and flashed as she threw her arms around Ji Xiehan''s neck to hug him. "I know it must be hard on you." She breathed onto his neck. "But you can do it, my love."


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan hugged her waist before letting her enter her car and drive off. It was hard. But after receiving such encouragement from his girlfriend, he felt invigorated. Taking out his phone, he returned his father a call.


    As soon as he was done, the blabbermouth Lin Jian called.


    "Did you really play your little beauty? I know you wouldn''t, but I still hope you didn''t because if you did then¡­"


    "Says the man who doesn''t even remember the name of his twentieth girlfriend." Ji Xiehan interrupted his ramble.


    "Who says I don''t remember? Of course, I remember. My girlfriend number twenty was called Talia. Wait, crap¡­ I dated Talia only last year so she cannot be girlfriend number any digit below 200. Uhm¡­ Fanfan? No, not Fanfan¡­"


    Ji Xiehan sighed in defeat. "I would never betray Lanni.." After answering the question he had been asked.

 Chapter 193 - Such A Good Morning

    When Lanni got home, it was just as expected. Li Yuming was upset or worried. Whatever it was, she was not happy. She paced the living room in distress, looking like she would detonate at the slightest provocation. Lanni proceeded with caution. "Good morning mom."


    "What''s so good about Xiehan being all over the news over a scandal with another woman? If that is happy news, then this morning is very good."


    Lanni let out a small sigh and pulled her mother to sit on the couch, sitting beside her. "Mom, you know Xiehan better than anyone. He would never betray me."


    Li Yuming took a deep breath so she wouldn''t scare her daughter. "I know, Lanni. I know him both from his childhood and in his adulthood. Xiehan has never been one to play around with women. He would never do anything to hurt you." She paused, knowing that what she was saying might not make sense. "Even if¡­ even if there are photos of him with another woman, I still want to believe that there is more to it."


    Lanni held her mother''s hand. "You know, one thing I like about our relationship is that you like and trust Xiehan so much. It''s not easy for a misunderstanding to creep in between our two families."


    After saying this, she went ahead to explain what had happened in Berlin.


    "I knew Xiehan wouldn''t do anything to betray your relationship. Just as I expected, that girl was the one playing tricks." Li Yuming rubbed Lanni''s hand. "But that is just as bad. Does it always have to end like this?"


    ''End like how?'' Lanni thought but swallowed the question before she asked it because Li Yuming continued with a tone filled with pain. "What I''m worried about is not Xiehan betraying you. That would never happen. I''m just worried that your relationship will be destroyed by a third party just like¡­"


    "Just like what?" Lanni probed when Li Yuming didn''t say anything.


    As a response, Li Yuming stood up, mumbled something about not meaning to have spoken too much, and left for her room. Lanni watched her leave with confusion written all over her face. Why did it feel like, in the last statement, Li Yuming was no longer talking about her relationship with Ji Xiehan but about something else instead?


    She checked the gossip news once again. As expected, the news was exploding. There were even more versions erupting. There was even one that claimed that Feng Ci was Ji Xiehan''s true love and that they had been separated by Lanni who seduced Ji Xiehan and sowed discord between him and his true love.


    Lanni merely rolled her eyes to it and went on with her life. When she was swarmed by gossip-seekers on social media and confronted about it, she ignored all the questions. Most of them were Feng Ci''s shills and would only find loopholes in her answers and use them against her and Ji Xiehan anyway.


    Days passed. The following week, Lanni went to Star Art International.


    As expected, she was the topic of gossip once again. She cared about none of it, so she simply brushed it off when a few of the other students would gather and speak while looking in her direction then look away as soon as she looked at them.


    Unlike the others who kept blaming her for seducing another woman''s boyfriend, Cheng Yu approached her with a disgusted face. "I knew that bastard was up to no good. How dare he go after you when he knows that he is still involved with another woman? How dare he mess around with her right under your nose? Urgh... I''m so angry. Someone kill him already."


    Lanni smiled even though her boyfriend was being scolded. That was because she knew that Cheng Yu meant no harm. She held the latter''s hand with a small smile. "Xiao Yu, I''m so glad you care about me, but I trust Xiehan."


    To that, Cheng Yu shoved her painting tools aside and stuck out a hand to touch Lanni''s forehead. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head against the door or something?"


    Lanni laughed at her antics. "I''m perfectly fine. Why wouldn''t I be?"


    "Then why do you explain the fact that you are defending a man who cheated on you? There is evidence right before you, Lanni. Look at that picture, did you? You don''t know how angry I am. I want to pull his hair off right now."


    Lanni chuckled lightly. Having such a friend, Ji Xiehan would never bully her, not that she thought he could.


    After explaining to Cheng Yu what had happened in Berlin, the latter no longer had doubts although it sounded far-fetched. "Fine, I will only believe this because I trust you. Even so, I can''t say the same about Luna. She has been so angry these few days that I would have sworn she went to cause trouble in Feng Ji International."


    "She didn''t really, right?" Lanni was dazed. "How is she anyway?"


    ___


    At the same time.


    Xia Luna glared at Jiang Xingyu. "Let me go!"


    "No can do, Luna. Xiehan needs to concentrate on his work right now and you going to the company will only distract him." Jiang Xingyu had pulled her away from Feng Ji International building and dragged her all the way to his home. Xia Luna may be strong, but she definitely couldn''t beat a man who had trained all his life. They had been tangled in what almost looked like a fight until he cuffed her down to a chair.


    "You have no idea what you''re doing." Xia Luna hissed. "I need to go to Feng Ji International right this instant."


    "I just said no can do. Deal with it."


    Xia Luna took deep breaths to prevent herself from exploding. Jiang Xingyu was driving her to the limit of insanity. "And I said it for the last seven hundred and thirty times that I am not going to cause any trouble. Do I look like a troublemaker to you?"


    "You haven''t spoken that many times and yes, you look like a troublemaker." Jiang Xingyu shrugged.


    "Xia Luna tried to find something to pick the handcuffs but found none. If only she wore pins in her hair¡­ "Why do you walk around with such stuff anyway? Were you on your way to get a girl and play bondage with her?"


    "What nonsense are you saying?" Jiang Xingyu frowned at her. "I knew that you would try to go to Feng Ji International. I was waiting for you to show up so I could stop you."


    "You''re crazy." Xia Luna huffed and remained silent. Talking with this idiot would only exhaust her strength.


    Jiang Xingyu circled her and stopped behind her, leaning over to cover the height difference that was a result of her sitting. "Listen, why don''t I take the day off work and spend time with you? It will keep you busy at the same time."


    Xia Luna tilted her head to meet his gaze. Surprisingly, she said, "Sure."


    Jiang Xingyu was taken aback and stopped to stare at her. He even circled her so he was facing her and looking at her lips clearly. "It''s alright?"


    "It''s not? But you asked¡­"


    "Yes, yes it is. Of course, it''s alright. It''s just that I was surprised. You have always found excuses to stay away from me. It''s surprising that you would agree for me to take the day off and spend it with you.." He realized he was not making any sense and her smile seemed to be mocking him so he shut up.


    "Right, right. I should have done so already. Hold on, I''ll just give my secretary a call." Which he did right away, and let his secretary handle most of the matters and only call him if there was anything that specifically needed his attention. When he was done, he sent Ji Xiehan a message to inform him that he had taken care of Xia Luna. He was just about to call Lin Jian when he felt a tug on the sleeve of his shirt.


    He looked down at her, slid his phone into his pocket, and went to sit next to her. "What happened?"


    Xia Luna pulled the collar of his shirt and flirtatiously looked into his eyes. Her gaze sent him into confusion and her words were just enough to make him believe he was dreaming. "You are such a handsome man, Xingyu. Why wouldn''t I want to spend time with you?"


    He gulped and stuck out a hand to feel her forehead. She didn''t react to it and he felt it again, then again. The fifth time he did the same thing, she held his hand with a hearty laugh. "I don???t have a fever, Xingyu. I''m not crazy either. I¡­Well, I was crazy before. I mean, how can any sane person reject a man like you?"


    Jiang Xingyu paled in surprise. He had always wanted to hear even one of such words from his Xia. But why was it so spooky now that she was saying them?


    "Xingyu¡­" Her voice brought him back to the real world, but she suddenly pressed her lips on his.

 Chapter 194 - One Problem Left

    Jiang Xingyu froze, not knowing where to place his hands. Was he supposed to hug her, or would she be mad at him? She had always avoided and ignored him and now she was kissing him. How should he react?


    She bit his lip slightly to remind him to not let his thoughts wander while kissing her.  When she hugged his neck and deepened the kiss, he finally reacted by pulling her by her waist into his embrace and returned the kiss.


    Her hand went around his waist, then circled his lower body. Just when he thought she was going for his crotch and was surprised about it, her hand dipped into his pockets and before he could react, she had taken out a small key.


    "How could you¡­" How did she even know where the key was? Did she have a pair of super eyes or something? His brain cleared just as she pushed him away and unlocked the cuff on her ankle.


    She lept off the chair before he could catch her. "Sorry, I have to go!" She said and sprinted off.


    Jiang Xingyu cursed. How dare she lure him using seduction and trick him?


    Now that he thought about it, that must be how she had survived in the past year. She must have used deception.


    He wondered whether to call his assistant and go back to work or just stay home since he had already taken the day off. With a sigh, he decided to go back to work. He didn''t have anything to do on his own anyway.


    ___


    That evening.


    In the Feng family home.


    "How did they even do it? Are the Jis gods?" Gu Tianxi expressed her shock.


    "Yeah, and you Gus did nothing to stop them." Feng Ci exploded. So much for having to pretend to be in love with Gu Tianchan.


    After the news about her and Ji Xiehan blew up, Gu Tianchan had jealously called and asked her all about it. She had to pretend that it was Ji Xiehan who had come onto her and that she felt nothing for him. After all that trouble, all she got was this?


    "What do you mean we did nothing? It is you Fengs who are too stupid!" Gu Tianxi would never let anyone insult her family.


    "Can you both stop fighting already?" Gu Tianchan stepped in before the two women murdered each other. He went over to Feng Ci and hugged her from behind. "My dear, you¡­"


    He stopped when he suddenly got punched in the face. If he didn''t react in time, he would have ended up with a broken jaw.


    "What was that for?"


    Feng Ci stood up and looked him up and down. "Take a good look at yourself. Which part of you do you think is good enough for me?"


    Gu Tianchan was shocked.


    Since the Gu family was no longer helping, Feng Ci didn''t think she needed to pretend anymore. She let out everything she had always wanted to say. "You are disgusting! Just the thought of you makes me want to retch. You know what, if I really had to marry you, I would have¡­"


    A slap across her face interrupted her.


    Feng Ci looked at the incomer in shock. "Mother¡­"


    Mrs. Feng was so angry she could explode. She and her husband had only stepped aside to talk with Old Master Gu and Mrs. Gu. They had left the kids together so they would interact and so that Feng Ci would get to know Gu Tianchan better. Who would have thought that just a few minutes later, she would come back to her daughter hurling insults at him?


    She smiled at Gu Tianchan modestly. "Please don''t mind Cici. She loses her mind whenever she is anxious."


    "I understand." Gu Tianchan brushed it off generously.


    At the side, Gu Tianxi harrumphed. Even though she had wanted Feng Ci to marry her brother, she didn''t think she could let that happen anymore.


    ¡­


    While the Feng family and Gu family were almost getting into a fight, the situation was different in the Ji family.


    Wen Lin had prepared a table full of meals and had called Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni home for dinner.


    The atmosphere was merry.


    Ji Huifen even brought out his oldest bottle of wine and opened it, poured everyone some and raised his glass for a toast.


    "Xiehan, you have worked hard this time." He said, proud of his son. Within just a few days, he had put all the Feng family''s efforts to waste. Not only had he let all the higher ups and partners know how irresponsible and untrustworthy the Fengs were, he had also made them remain on the Ji family''s side.


    "Our Xiehan has always been hardworking." Wen Lin patted her son''s shoulders.


    "Lanni helped me a great deal." He raised his glass to Lanni and smiled at her.


    Lanni smiled back. "I only did the little work that''s not troublesome." She didn''t take all the credit to herself.


    "I wouldn''t have done it without those sweet calls of encouragement from you, my love."


    Since Wen Lin no longer had anything against Lanni, she was happy to see the interaction between her son and Lanni. These two were so cute. They should get married already. "Lanni, why don''t you invite your mother to dine with us this weekend? We have never had a meal together since you and Xiehan got engaged." Wen Lin said.


    "Sure. I will let her know." Lanni replied. Thinking about something, she squeezed her eyes shut for half a second and then smiled, brushing her thought off.


    Ji Xiehan only had to take one look at her to know what she was thinking. In instances like this, his parents would have invited her close family over for a meal. But for her, they could only invite her mother. They didn''t know about her sister and her father was a topic they avoided.


    He reached under the table and placed a hand on her thigh for comfort, silently letting her know that he was there for her. Although he couldn''t possibly replace the position of a father in her heart, he still cared about her more than anyone else could.


    "Xiehan, are you still not willing to take over the company?" Ji Huifen asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.


    Before Ji Xiehan could answer, Wen Lin jabbed her husband and glared daggers at him. "Don''t bore my son with that kind of questions. Xiehan can take over the company when he feels like and if he doesn''t want to, so be it."


    "Sheesh¡­ I was just asking." Ji Huifen recoiled. Why was his wife so mean?


    "Now that we''re at this¡­ I''ve been wondering how this could happen¡­" Wen Lin clutched at her chest as though in inexplicable hurt.


    Everyone looked at her curiously.


    She continued in a mixture of doubt and hurt. "Feifei was going to be on the Feng family''s side? How could that be?"


    Ji Huifen let out a sigh. "I can''t believe it either."


    Lanni and Ji Xiehan exchanged looks. Ji Xiehan placed down his cutlery before saying,  "Mother, it is true. There is no misunderstanding. She was really going to sell us out."


    "But how can that be? We are her family." Wen Lin was still in disbelief.


    "Yes, but that doesn''t stop her from having evil thoughts." Ji Xiehan said.


    "I can''t believe my own daughter can be so¡­" she didn''t even know what to say of Ji Feifei.


    "It''s our fault too. We let her become spoilt." Ji Huifen regretted doting on her.


    "There''s no point regretting anything now." Ji Xiehan sighed. It was too late to regret. That wouldn''t make Ji Feifei become a better person than the venomous snake she was.


    Lanni remained silent while the Jis talked about Ji Feifei.


    She looked at Wen Lin, then looked at Ji Xiehan. Averting her gaze, she glanced at Ji Huifen briefly.


    "What''s wrong?" Ji Xiehan asked when he saw her frown.


    "It''s nothing." She shoved her thoughts at the back of her head. Why was she finding everything so strange?


    Just now, she had suddenly found the Ji family familiar. A sudden snippet of memory had surfaced in her mind but just before she grasped it, Ji Xiehan had spoken and the snippet had faded away in a flash.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in a certain mansion in B City.


    "Have you found Ji Feifei yet?" An elderly man asked his henchman.


    "Sir, Ji Feifei is in prison. Her family didn''t do anything to help her out."


    "Just in our favor." The elderly man burst into a round of hearty laughter. "Everything is going on perfectly. We just have to find her now and everything will fall into place. But there is one problem."


    "What problem?" The assistant asked.


    The elderly man''s expression turned firece as he enunciated every syllable with what sounded like bitterness.. "Li Lanni."

 Chapter 195 - Bottleneck

    "Li Lanni is really alive?" The assistant asked in shock.


    "In the flesh. Cormorant saw her."


    "Do you really believe that lad''s nonsense?" A young man who had just walked in interrupted before the assistant could say anything. The young man walked over to the elderly man and threw files on his table. "Li Lanni is dead. No one can survive such a crash. Is she a ghost then?"


    "Then, the person that Cormorant saw¡­" The elderly man started.


    "Must be her sister." The young man interrupted. "Didn''t Li Xiyan already say that they are twins?"


    "Then I really hope she is. Because if she is Lanni, then¡­"


    "She is not and that''s that." The young man walked out.


    "Sir, please don''t mind Flynn. He can be quite¡­"


    "Don''t I know my own son best?" The elderly man interrupted his assistant with a huff. "Go and find out whether that girl is Li Lanni. If she is, report it to me immediately."


    ___


    B City.


    Ji Xiehan and Li Lanni left his parents'' home after the meal. The ride back to Li Yuming''s villa was mostly silent.


    When they arrived, it was a little late so Ji Xiehan did not want to bother Li Yuming, promising to pay her a visit the next day instead. He pulled Lanni into a hug and kissed her cheek. "You should sleep before it''s very late. Goodnight."


    "Goodnight. " Lanni returned his kiss.


    However, he looked a little hesitant to part so she asked, "You have something to say?"


    Ji Xiehan took her small, fair hand to play with her fingers. "yeah. Honey, I already settled the matter at the company."


    "Pfft." Lanni found him too cute. Was he waiting for a reward or something?


    She pulled on his collar and kissed his lips slightly, soothing him like a kid. "You did well."


    "Mmh." Ji Xiehan was more overjoyed from her reward than he would be if he received a million other rewards. Even so, he acted like a spoiled kid asking for more candy. "Honey, that''s not enough."


    Lanni wanted to laugh at his childishness. Even so, she pulled his collar again and kissed him, this time deepening the kiss slightly. It was only when she was done that he was satisfied. "Honey, since the problem at the company has been solved and our vacation was interrupted last time, do you think we should go on another vacation?"


    Lanni couldn''t help but sigh. She wanted to, but, "I already took a whole week off the last time. It''s too soon for me to take more time off."


    Ji Xiehan hugged her in understanding. Although he wanted to spend time with her alone, he didn''t want to inconvenience her studies.


    "Besides, you cannot be so sure of anything. Who is to say that the Feng family will not retaliate soon? You might need to be there for the company for longer than you think." She continued.


    "You''re right." Ji Xiehan rubbed her back, still unwilling to break the hug.


    "What about Feng Ci?" She wondered. People had stopped talking about his affair with Feng Ci already, but she didn''t like it that most people thought her boyfriend was a cheating jerk.


    "Don''t worry about her. She will be forced to tell the truth soon."


    "You have a plan?"


    "I don''t need one. Honey, I don''t want to talk about that woman right now." In fact, he didn''t want to talk about her ever. She was a jinx. After hugging for a while longer, they finally let go and Lanni went back to the house.


    Although it was already late, she was not sleepy. So she went to make a cup of coffee for herself, drank it and decided to go to her art studio. She still had work to do.


    While she passed by her mother''s studio, she saw that the light was on. Her mother was still awake? She was about to go and say hello but just before she knocked, she changed her mind. Her mother was probably painting. She decided not to distract her.


    Thirty minutes later.


    Lanni crumbled the sheet of paper into a ball and massaged her temples. In the last thirty minutes, she just couldn''t draw anything. She couldn''t put her mind into it.


    It was not just in the last thirty minutes. In the past few weeks, she had been having trouble focusing. Everyone else in her class was drawing the sixth volume of the comic they had been working on. On the other hand, she was stuck on the fifth volume. At first, she would just do worse with each chapter.


    After having a chat with the tutor, she did slightly better, but after exhausting her mental strength. Now she couldn''t do anything no matter how hard she tried. She shoved her stationery aside and stood up, rubbing her forehead. Her eyes darted through her paintings. They were beautiful and all, then they started getting worse. Some of them even looked like she was being forced to paint them.


    "If ou are being forced to do something, you cannot do it well no matter how hard you work." Her tutor''s words rang in her ears. "Your performance is deteriorating each day. If I didn''t know, I wouldn''t believe you came to Star Art international by winning an art contest."


    "No way¡­" she muttered in horror. Could it be¡­ no¡­


    She couldn''t have reached a bottleneck, right?


    "But how''s that possible?" her breathing hitched as her hands covered her paled face. "If I reached a bottleneck now, how would I become a comic artist?"


    Just then, her vision started getting blurry.


    "What''s happening?" She asked as her heart raced. Everything was suddenly spinning around her. She was just about to scream when an image started forming in her mind.


    ¡­


    A bar.


    A young woman stood from the barstool and took her glass of wine, going out from the backdoor. It was less noisy outside and the bustling music could only be heard from a distance. The woman looked nothing more than eighteen, but her long curly hair and the dress she was wearing made her seem a little older at first glance.


    The dazed Lanni knew that the woman was her.


    She took a small sip of her wine and soon, a man also came out through the backdoor.


    "It''s much better being outside." He said.


    "Are you speaking to me?" Lanni turned to ask him.


    "Yes." He answered, his eyes lingering on her as though he was checking her out. "What''s a beautiful girl doing in the bar all alone anyway?"


    Lanni seemed a little confused, probably after taking wine. She observed the man before her for a while before answering. "The usual. You know, getting away from normal life and seeking a thrill?"


    The man burst into laughter. "Right. Young girls are always seeking thrills. Do you want to go with me? You really should."


    "Okay." Lanni said and followed him. He dragged her outside and gave her a round of scolding and instructions.


    However, they didn''t actually go anywhere together. At some point, he made some hand signs and disappeared into an alley. A few seconds later, Lanni circled the bar, found another entrance and snuck back into the bar. This time, she went straight for a VIP room.


    She nervously pushed the door open and a group of five men came into view. Sneakily, she slipped into the room and hid behind the closest chair. They were discussing something that she couldn''t fully understand. She could only make out a few words and at some point, she took out her phone to record whatever they were saying.


    Unfortunately, her phone rang, startling the men.


    "There''s an intruder!" one of them shouted when he looked behind his chair and found a girl hiding.


    Lanni sprinted out of the room.


    "Don''t let her get away!" She heard one of the men shout after her.


    She kicked off her shoes, running out of the bar and blazing through the streets. It wasn''t sure how long she ran but just when she was about to give up and let them catch her, a force pulled her and hid her behind a huge trash bin.


    Lanni looked beside her and saw that it was the man she was speaking to earlier. "What are you doing? They will see us!"


    "They are drunk." The man said firmly.


    Lanni peeked at them. "They surely can run fast even when drunk."


    "What nonsense, P. What are you, a pig? You cannot even run fast when sober. I''ll train you harder from now on. Did you get anything?"


    ¡­


    Lanni''s thoughts came back to the present. Her head hurt so much she thought it would explode.. What was all that about? Who was that man, and who were the drunk men? Why would that man act like he didn''t know her at the bar and then later act so familiar with her? Why was she at the bar to start with? Lanni''s mind was filled with confusion.

 Chapter 196 - Tragic

    Lanni was still shocked about her memory fragment when another appeared. She was wearing the same clothes as before and it was late at night; it must be a continuation to the previous memory fragment. She crept into the house as though being cautious of being found out.


    But Just as she passed by the living room, she heard a rustle and the lights went on.


    "Where are you from, young lady?" An upset Li Yuming asked. She must have been sitting on the couch all this while, waiting for Lanni''s arrival.


    "I¡­" Lanni stuttered. "I went out with my friends."


    Li Yuming stood up and walked towards her, closing in the distance between them. "I know where you went, young woman. You don''t need to lie to me."


    "Mother¡­" Lanni was nervous.


    Li Yuming placed a finger on Lanni''s red lips, shutting her up. "Lanni, I don''t have anything against what you are doing but¡­ why do you insist on ruining your life over things that might not even matter?"


    "What do you mean things that don''t matter mother? This is¡­"


    "Shush." Li Yuming interrupted her defense. "You are only eighteen. What do you know? You have been brainwashed and¡­"


    Lanni didn''t wait for her mother to finish her statement before interrupting. "And nothing. Mother, my age doesn''t equal to my level of knowledge and understanding. I know what I want with my life, mother." She walked off as soon as she was done.


    ¡­


    Lanni stared into space as the memory fragment faded off. "I had a fight with mom? I can''t believe it¡­"


    Not just that, why did the Lanni from both memory fragments seem so strange? It was as though she was a different person altogether! Instead of answering the questions she had always asked herself, those memory fragments only made the puzzle more complex.


    With a mind full of questions, Lanni went to sleep.


    ___


    The next morning, Lanni woke up quite late. Her head hurt.


    Last night, she had a strange dream. She actually dreamt that she was at a bar with a young man and that when she came back home, she argued with her mother before she walked off.


    Stretching her limbs, she walked out of her room. As though her legs were being controlled by a different force from her brain, she walked mindlessly and was in her art studio before she realized it.


    Her gaze landed on the balls of paper on the floor. She frowned, remembering what she was doing last night and why she had crumbled so much paper.


    "Hopeless." She mumbled in her croaky voice. Realizing that her throat was sore, she coughed a little and decided to get herself a glass of water or breakfast.


    She was about to leave when something caught her eye. She turned back to look at it.


    On the canvas was the sketch of a young woman holding onto the railing of a balcony. Although it wasn''t complete, she could tell that the woman was herself. Now she remembered it. What she thought was a dream wasn''t actually a dream. It was something that happened in the past and she had remembered it the previous night. She must have absent-mindedly sketched out what she saw in her memory.


    So it really happened. She was really at a bar at that time. But why? And why was Li Yuming so mad at her later?


    "Lanni, are you alright?" Li Yuming''s worried voice brought her back to her senses.


    "Mom, morning." She said and hugged her mother. Only after feeling her mother''s warm hug did she realize that she had been scared.


    "I called you several times but you didn''t hear me. What are you thinking about?" Li Yuming asked as she patted her daughter''s back fondly.


    "Mom¡­" Lanni was about to ask about what she had remembered from her past. However, she thought about how her mother had seemed to be hiding something the last time she asked about her past. She was probably just going to brush her off with a mild lie again. So she shook her head and said, ???It''s nothing. I just¡­ I miss Xiehan."


    Li Yuming laughed heartily. "Look at you missing him already when you were together just last night. Who was it that said that they didn''t want anything to do with that pervert'' just a few months ago?"


    "Mom, don''t tease me now. I''m hungry." Lanni was embarrassed thinking about how fiercely she had rejected Ji Xiehan in the past.


    Li Yuming tousled her hair. "Okay, okay. I will not tease you anymore."


    "Mom, what are you looking at?" Lanni asked when she saw that her mother had stopped and was staring at something. She followed her gaze and found that Li Yuming was actually staring at the sketch on the canvas. "Erm¡­ that was just me doodling last night. I was bored so I wanted to paint myself."


    Li Yuming looked at lanni as though trying to confirm her words and when she saw nothing but a blank expression, she nodded. "Let''s go downstairs now. Breakfast is ready."


    Lanni was relieved and went downstairs for breakfast with her mother. She didn''t know that she could be such a good liar. When she actually hated liars and every word that came out of their mouths-how ironical. But she didn''t mean to lie either. It was only because she knew that the truth wouldn''t give her answers. Urgh¡­ that sounded like forced logic too.


    "Are you okay?" Li Yuming asked again. Why was Lanni so absent-minded?


    "I''m alright mom. I''m still alright." She insisted and continued to eat her breakfast.


    What she didn''t know was that Li Yuming was studying her expressions. Her mind went back to the sketch she had just seen in Lanni''s room. Although it was just a blank sketch, the image Li Yuming got was the same one from Lanni when she was eighteen and rebellious. Was it a coincidence that Lanni''s so-called mindless sketch could bring that out, or had Lanni started to recover her memory?


    If it was the latter then¡­ it was tragic.


    ___


    Later.


    As expected, Lanni got a scolding from her tutor once again. It wasn''t exactly a scolding per se, but he still expressed his disappointment.


    "Lanni, you know fully well why Star Art International recruits young artists. It is because we want to groom them. In your case, we want to groom you and your classmates into comic artists. In the end, Star Art International is aiming for profit. If you cannot do a simple sketch, then, how will you be of use?"


    Lanni was slightly taken aback by the sudden sharp words. However, he was right. Which company wasn''t aiming for profit? Jiang International was no different and that was the reason why they would start a subsidiary in the field of art. She only looked back at her tutor and said nothing.


    "Think about it Lanni," The man continued. "You can take lessons from someone else. I heard you are Li Yuming''s daughter. Why don''t you ask your mother to teach you a few tips when she is not too busy? If you cannot then you can also¡­"


    "I quit." Lanni said.


    "¡­you can ask some of the best students in the class to help you out. You might understand them better since you are of the same age bracket¡­ what did you say?" Lanni''s two words sunk in only a moment later and he was shocked.


    "I said I quit." Lanni repeated the words. "Sir, I have done all I can but I just can''t get anything right. I hate to lag everyone behind so¡­" Lanni sighed before saying the two words again. "I quit."


    "Wait." The man shot from his seat and stopped her from leaving his office. "You cannot just quit. You have come a long way. If it''s because I was too harsh just now then pardon me. Just don''t be so hasty."


    Lanni could tell from his tone that he really didn''t want her to give up. He must have said all he did because he was under pressure from his superiors. After all, everyone else in the class was now way ahead of her, the so-called champion. Even Cheng Yu had improved tremendously after becoming Li Yuming''s student. She was the black sheep now. Which was why she thought she should save everyone the trouble and leave the class.


    "Why don''t you think about it?"


    Lanni nodded and left, even though she had no intention to think about it. She had already made a decision and she was not going to change her mind.


    Everyone else had already left the institute so after grabbing her things, she entered her car but didn''t know where to go. She let the chauffeur go back home and drove around aimlessly for hours. She was tired and she knew that the car would run out of gas soon. She was hungry as well, so she chose to go and eat and rest.. But before she realized it, she was at the entrance of Feng Ji International.

 Chapter 197 - Silhouette

    Lanni looked at Feng Ji International''s building through the windscreen of her car and realized that she had absent-mindedly driven here. She wondered whether she should go back home or say hi to Xiehan now that she was already here. Xiehan wouldn''t mind that she was going to his office during working hours, right?


    Checking the time, she was surprised. She had driven around for so long? Now that she looked around, employees had started swarming out of the building looking relieved. Xiehan should be out soon. Thinking about it, she bought food for both of them in the restaurant close by and went into the building.


    Just like the last time, no one asked Lanni any questions. In fact, the receptionist politely asked whether she wanted to wait for Xiehan in the lobby or go to his office, and even offered snacks and drinks which Lanni politely rejected.


    Qiao Luna led her towards the elevator as she said, "Mr. Ji is still in a meeting but it is sure to end soon. Please wait for him for a while."


    "No problem." Lanni said and suddenly stopped, glancing in the direction of the employees'' elevator.


    "Miss Lanni, is something the matter?" Qiao Luna asked as she followed her gaze.


    Lanni averted her gaze. "It''s nothing."


    It was just that she had thought that she had seen a familiar silhouette disappear into the employees'' elevator. Shrugging it off her mind, she entered the elevator with Qiao Luna.


    Once in his office, Lanni sat on the couch and placed the bags of food on the marble table in front of the couch. She reclined to let her nerves rest. It sounded impossible but as soon as she was in Xiehan''s office, all those negative thoughts flew off her mind. She was now calm and at ease as she made small talk with Qiao Luna.


    "You are saying that Feng Ci was here earlier?" Lanni exclaimed to what Qiao Luna had just said.


    "Yes, and she made a scene. Can you believe it? Mr. Ji doesn''t even like her, but she throws her temper around and expects to control everyone like this is her home. How annoying."


    Lanni tittered and finally understood why everyone respected her. It was all because she respected them too, unlike Feng Ci who knew nothing but shout at people when they didn''t do what she wanted them to do.


    She studied Qiao Luna up close and remembered something. "Right. Which company did you work for before coming to Feng Ji International?"


    "Miss Lanni, why do you ask?" Qiao Luna recoiled.


    "I don''t mean to pry into the personal lives of Xiehan''s employees, I''m just curious. If you mind then you don''t have to answer."


    "I don''t mind. I worked for¡­" Qiao Luna was yet to answer when the door opened and she stood up. "Oh, Mr. Ji is here."


    "Lanni?" Xiehan was pleasantly surprised to see Lanni waiting in his office. He walked over to her, all the fatigue from hours of meetings vanishing.


    Lanni stood up and hugged him at the same time that Qiao Luna slipped out of the office.


    "I''m glad to see you. Did you wait for too long" He asked after breaking the hug.


    "No, I only just arrived a moment ago." Lanni touched his collar and scrutinized him. "You look tired."


    "Yeah, I had so much to do today. But now that I saw you as soon as I finished all those meetings, I think it was all worth it." He sat on the couch and pulled her onto his lap.


    "You and your flirting." She chuckled and eased into his embrace. She was happy to see him too. After coming to his office, she was just calm. But now that she was with him and in his arms, she couldn''t be any happier.


    "You came to pick me up? Then I shouldn''t waste your effort. Let''s go." He made to make her get off him and stand.


    However, she pinned him down by his shoulders. "I don''t want to go anywhere."


    Ji Xiehan didn''t mind that. He had thought that she wanted to go somewhere together but his office was good too. Lanni sat beside him and took out the boxes of food from the plastic bag.


    "You cooked for me?" Xiehan smiled in surprise as the sweet aroma of food filled the air when she opened the boxes.


    "No, I just bought it from the restaurant across the road." Lanni placed a set of disposable cutlery in front of him along with his food and looked at him. "Are you disappointed?"


    "Of course not. How could that be?" Xiehan grabbed her into a cuddle. "I''m happy that you thought about it." He was famished. Since morning, he had not had the chance to swallow a sip of water let alone eat. Hence as soon as Lanni was done laying the table, they wolfed down the dishes, almost forgetting their manners.


    "When I came in, you were interrogating my assistant?" Xiehan asked when they were both full.


    "I hope you don''t mind. I just found her a little strange. " She answered as she disposed of the empty food boxes in the trash can.


    "I see." Of course, Xiehan wouldn''t mind it. "I find her strange too, sometimes. I mean, she is hardworking. The most hardworking assistant I have ever had. However, sometimes she just becomes weird."


    "Why would you still keep her if she is being weird?" Lanni cocked her head towards him to ask.


    "She is not doing anything wrong and neither is she betraying Feng Ji International. Why would I mind her personal strangeness?"


    "Eer¡­" His logic was weird. But that was so much like Xiehan. She was not doing anything that would affect him in any way so it shouldn''t matter. Of course, Lanni knew nothing about how Qiao Luna had once seduced Xiehan under Ji Huifen''s instructions and he thought it better to not mention anything about it.


    Once she had cleared the table, Lanni sat beside him and hugged his arm. Xiehan tousled her hair, petting her like a kitten. "You have something on your mind?"


    Lanni looked up at him in surprised. "How do you know? Can you read minds?"


    Xiehan chuckled as he brought her into his embrace. "I don''t need to be a mind reader to know that. If I cannot even tell when my girlfriend is unhappy, am I not a failure as a man?"


    Lanni couldn''t agree more. Indeed, she could also tell at a glance when he was unwell, tired or had a lot on his mind. It was just instinctive.


    "You mentioned that you have a friend who is well versed in psychology and is also a hypnotist. Could you help me arrange a meeting with them?" Lanni came out with it after a moment of contemplation.


    "You have decided to go for hypnosis? Why so suddenly?" Xiehan was confused. The last time they talked about it, Lanni had adamantly refused to be hypnotized. Why would she want to meet a hypnotist now?


    "I didn''t want to recover my memory previously but now I do." Lanni stated, and then explained how she had remembered a confusing part of her past the previous night.


    "Xiehan, I am just so confused. I want to solve this puzzle once and for all."


    Xiehan hugged her, rubbing her back. "Okay, I will contact the hypnotist. But are you ready to face the truth about your past?"


    Lanni pushed his hand away and looked at him in shock. "You know about my past?"


    "No." Xiehan said monotonously.


    "Then what do you mean ''face the truth about my past''? You sounded like you are so sure that it is something shocking."


    "I don''t know much about your past but I discovered a few things from my observation and from a few facts."


    "What facts?" Lanni frowned.


    "First off, Aunty Li hates to talk about your past. She may have told me a few things but she looked like she was hiding something. Then a few months ago, I did a check on you because I hadn''t ever heard of you before¡­" Xiehan paused, expecting her to be mad at him for investigating her. When he saw that she wasn''t, he continued. "It looked like some things had been deliberately deleted."


    "But you can recover them, right? Why didn''t you?" She wondered.


    "I had already violated your privacy, honey. Besides, wouldn''t it be strange if I as the first to find out some hidden secrets about you? But if you want me to, then I will."


    Lanni stared blankly for a while then came to a decision. "I don''t want to know about it from anything aside from my brain."


    "Then I will contact the hypnotist right away." Ji Xiehan took out his phone immediately, making an appointment after confirming what day she was comfortable with.


    "Thank you." She said when the call was disconnected.


    "Are you going to thank me verbally?" Xiehan teased, his fingers intertwining with hers.


    "You profiteer. You would even extort your girlfriend.." Lanni was helpless against his grin of satisfaction.

 Chapter 198 - I Love You

    [WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SUCH CONTENT, PLEASE SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. Don''t say I didn''t warn you. Those reading this, make sure no one under the age of 18 is peeking at your screen. Enjoy! ]


    He grinned in response to her words, his eyes screaming ''you still have to thank me though''. Resigning to her fate, she wrapped an arm around his neck and raised her head. Her lips skimmed against his lightly, and before he could savor it, she was done.


    "Just that?" Obviously, he would complain.


    Lanni looked at him like he was a cold-blooded vampire but even then, she hugged him and pressed her lips against his. She had meant it to be a brief kiss. But every time their lips met, she would crave for more and would want nothing but to kiss the breath out of him.


    And she did. She deepened the kiss with a sense of urgency, and he returned it with the same need. She pulled the tie off his neck and threw it aside, undoing the first two buttons of his white shirt. His hand went around her body, laying her down on the sofa at the same time that his body came on top of her.


    His fingers traced her body and reached for the hem of her top. She lifted her body slightly to help him take it off. The top half of her bare body was fair and alluring, sending his brain into a craze.


    When she reached to undo the other buttons of his shirt, he only grew hotter and more impatient. He took her small hands off his clothes, his breathing hitched as he exhaled hot air against her exposed skin. Although he was on the verge of exploding from his need, he was more focused on making her happy.


    Since it was her first time, he wanted to make it unforgettable for her. He slid down the straps of her bra, reaching behind her back to unhook it and take it off. His breathing hitched when he saw her erect nipples and he couldn''t help gazing at them for a while.


    She grabbed his hands and placed his palms on her breasts, her eyes filled with eargerness. He didn''t need to ask. She was ready to take things further. He cupped the pair of soft mounds in his hands, squeezing them lightly. He rubbed the hard nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, making her writhe and moan in a mixture of pleasure and anticipation.


    Kissing her body, her hand traced down her curves and unzipped her jeans. She was not shy at all, reaching to unbuckle his belt and he paused to help her take it off. Swiftly, he took off her jeans and his own shirt and pants.


    He pressed down on her, his throbbing member pressing onto her through the fabric of his boxer briefs and her thong. She hugged his back tightly as he grinded against her. The need for him grew wilder by the second under her skin.


    She was embarrassed when she felt him tug on her legs and part them. She knew that the center of her thong must be wet and he must have seen it. But seeing how happy he looked and how it seemed to turn him on all the more, she was no longer so embarrassed.


    He traced down her lower body, directly touching her wet folds through her soaking thong


    She threw her head back and moaned as his fingers touched her folds through her thong. He rubbed on it in circles, teasing and stroking as he felt her get wetter.


    He pulled off her thong, looking down at her. Lanni instinctively wanted to press her thighs together but he held them apart, lowering his head.


    "Xiehan..." what was he doing?


    Her words were swallowed back by her moan as his tongue made contact with her folds. He flicked on her clit with his tongue. Her hands uncontrollably grabbed his hair as she moaned his name to the waves of pleasure.


    Just as she was about to hit her climax, he raised his head.


    "Xiehan..." she pushed on his head, urging him not to stop.


    "Honey,..." he groaned, positioning himself between her legs. Remembering something, he left the couch and went over to his desk, swiftly unlocked a drawer and took out a little box. He opened it on his way back to the couch and took out a condom. He quickly tore off the wrapper and slid it over his manhood and resumed his position between her legs.


    She closed her eyes, knowing what was about to happen. She couldn''t help feeling a little scared.


    "Relax, just trust me, okay?" He croaked, to which she nodded.


    Pushing the tip of his manhood at her center, he thrust his hips foward slowly.


    Her nails dug into his shoulders as she yelped in pain. He paused and looked at her, kissing her cheeks and forehead to soothe her. Gradually, the pain faded. Each of his thrusts sent her into ecstasy.


    Her skin felt like it was on fire and she clung onto him as she wrapped her legs around his waist to respond to the flames of pleasure that coursed through every inch of her body.  He kissed her lips deeply, his pace quickening as he felt his orgasm building up.


    With a final hard thrust, they both reached their climax, screaming each other''s name.


    Xiehan collapsed onto her body and didn''t pull out of her immediately. Instead, he kissed her face and hair, hugging her and  savoring the moment.


    When he finally pulled out, they continued hugging on the couch. She traced his chest, wrapping her arm around his body. Her faced was flushed and her eyes slightly dazed from their passionate lovemaking.


    "I love you Xiehan." She slurred against his chest.


    Xiehan chuckled slightly. No need to ask. From her expression, she had enjoyed what had just happened between them. He kissed her forehead.. "I love you Lanni."

 Chapter 199 - Heartless Girl

    After a long spell of silence, Xiehan realized that it was getting late. So he asked, "Should we go home now?"


    It was only after he asked that he felt her rhythmic warm breaths against his chest. He looked down at her and indeed, she had fallen asleep. She looked so cute and happy that he couldn''t help stroking her body. He had already long decided that since he had chosen her, he would only ever love her.


    And after what happened just now, the decision was even more etched in his heart. Some time later, she stirred in her sleep and rubbed her hands against her skin. Understanding that she was cold, he got off the couch, careful not to wake her up.


    He went to the chamber in his office where he usually decided to spend the night whenever he spent most of the night working. It was a fully equipped bedroom so he wouldn''t have to buy anything every time he stayed over. Opening the closet, he took out a blanket and went back to the office to cover her with it.


    He looked down at her curled up body. Thinking about it, he carried her from the couch and brought her to the chamber instead.


    It was already late, and she would probably be hungry when she woke up. He took a shower and decided to order something for them to eat. After ordering the delivery, he decided to look through the internet for movies to watch later so she wouldn''t be bored. Just as he sat down, her phone that was on the coffee table rang.


    Seeing that the caller was Li Yuming, he thought that she might be worried about Lanni, having not heard from her all afternoon. So he picked up the phone and answered the call.


    "Lanni, where are you? Why are you not home yet?" Li Yuming rattled worriedly as soon as the call connected.


    "Aunty, it''s me." Ji Xiehan said.


    "Oh, it''s Xiehan. " Li Yuming sounded relieved that her daughter was in safe hands. "Where is Lanni? Is she coming back home later?"


    Ji Xiehan glanced in the direction of the chamber. It would probably be late when she woke up. "She is asleep right now. I will bring her back home tomorrow."


    "Okay, okay. I will not bother you guys anymore. Just¡­" Li Yuming initially sounded overjoyed then she suddenly paused in her speech.


    "Just what aunty?" Ji Xiehan asked. She sounded worried. Was something wrong?


    "Lanni didn''t look alright when she left the house this morning. She didn''t come home after her class too. I''m worried something might be wrong."


    Xiehan understood her concern. Lanni wasn''t feeling alright earlier. She had a lot on her mind and she had even quit her art class. Xiehan pondered for a moment but then deciding that it was not his tale to tell, he didn''t mention it. He only promised to look after Lanni.


    Of course, Li Yuming didn''t forget to tease him a little now that her mind was at ease. All that was left was her suggesting the names of her future grandchild.


    Xiehan looked at the phone with a chuckle after hanging up. Why were all the parents always so eager for grandchildren?


    ___


    Speaking of parents being eager for grandchildren, Xiehan was not the only one getting teased by his future mother-in-law.


    Xia Luna was undergoing the same kind of fate in Jiang Xingyu''s villa.


    Earlier this morning.


    After Xia Luna ran away from Jiang Xingyu the last time, he had used up all his might to ask Ji Xiehan for her exact address. The last time he had dropped her off, he hadn''t gotten to know what unit she lived in. Since Ji Xiehan didn''t know either, he could only resort to waiting for her.


    So this morning, Jiang Xingyu woke up earlier than usual. Knowing that Xia Luna was an early riser, he had set the alarm two hours earlier. He would rather doze off at work today than miss the chance to see her.


    When he arrived close enough to Goldenwing Apartments, he parked his car at the side. He had chosen an inconspicuous car today so she wouldn''t notice him at first glance. From where he was, he could see everyone that came and went into Goldenwing Apartments. Satisfied, he reclined in the driver''s seat to lurk.


    Before he realized it, he was nodding off. He turned on the music in the car and danced to it. Seconds later, he realized that he could miss her if he wasn''t looking at the entrance. So he stopped dancing and sat up straight. Even so, he nodded off and hit his head onto the steering wheel.


    "Ouch." He groaned as he rubbed the bump that was starting to form on his forehead. That hurt.


    But on the bright side, he was no longer sleepy. So he sat there and continued staring at the entrance. However, it wasn''t long before he started feeling sleepy again.


    That wasn''t a problem. He had already thought of a solution to that. There must be a shop nearby.


    Taking a bill from his wallet, he got out of his car with his eyes still glued on the entrance.


    "Ow!" He hit his head against the car door while closing it and in the process, his fingers were pressed too. He blew on them severally and gripped them in his left hand, trying to soothe them. They were already red and sore, so he decided to forget about them. He would get them treated later.


    He looked ahead and saw a shop not too far away. He sprinted towards it, glancing back at the entrance after every step. Just five steps later, he bumped into a trash bin. Luckily, it didn''t topple over. He hurried to the shop. "Can I have a bottle of iced water?"


    "Sorry sir, we have run out of iced water." The lady shook her head apologetically.


    "Could you please¡­ what? No iced water?" Jiang Xingyu''s heart sank. He looked up ahead to find another shop. There was none on the left and on the right, he had seen a convenience store on his way here but it was at least five kilometers away. He would have to take his car if he wanted to go fast.


    So he hurried back. This time, he didn''t have to look back every step. But because he was too sleepy, he bumped into the same trash bin from earlier. It toppled over and he came crashing over it like a sack of radishes.


    "Ew!" He stood up quickly, but because he was too fast, he tripped and fell, the trash bin rolling over him. He pushed it aside and stood up. He had sprained a leg, but at least the trash bin was empty. He limped his way back to his car and was just about to get in when he froze.


    What was Xia Luna doing in front of his car? She was in disguise but he knew that it was her.


    Not only that, she burst into laughter when she saw him.


    "What are you laughing at?" He was annoyed.


    "Hahahahaha." She threw back her head, reeling in laugher as she pointed at him.


    This heartless girl!

 Chapter 200 - Fighting Like Kids

    "What happened to you?" She teased with a laugh. "You look like you have been attacked and beaten up."


    Jiang Xingyu looked at her like she was a heartleas scoundrel. "If I was beaten up, you would laugh at me?"


    "If something is funny, of course I would laugh." She held a hand over her mouth and laughed even harder.


    Jiang Xingyu harrumphed and grabbed her hand, opening the car door and stuffing her inside.


    "What are you doing here anyway?" She didn''t seem to mind that he had dragged her into the car without her permission.


    "I came to see you. I didn''t think I would find you so soon. I expected you  to slip away." He said as he reclined in the driver''s seat. He had chosen a car she wouldn''t recognize on purpose. It was even more surprising that after seeing him, she didn''t avoid him but went down to meet him instead.


    "I saw you through my window." She said with a shrug. Actually, it was Cheng Yu who had seen him leave his car while she was leisurely looking out through her window, and shown Xia Luna. They had watched most of his predicaments together and laughed their hearts out. Only after a while did Luna decide to go and meet him.


    Hearing her explanation, he really wanted to disappear. Why did she witness all of his embarrassing moments? First, she saw his mother beating him up like he was a child. Then she showed Xia Luna his most embarassing photo from when he was nine. And now she watched him trip and fall? She had even seen him topple over the trash bin!


    "Why are you here anyway?" She interrupted his train of thought, looking at him in defeat. "Xingyu, we agreed not to meet anymore. Why did you look for me?"


    Jiang Xingyu averted his gaze in guilt. It was because of her safety that they had agreed not to meet. "Xia, I missed you. I just couldn''t stop myself from coming to see you."


    "Then you better stop yourself. You know fully well why we can no longer keep meeting up."


    "Yes. I understand." He sighed. He turned to look at her side profile. She was looking out through the windscreen. Only now did he get to look at her clearly. She had applied make up on her face and even had fake feckles below her eyes. Her fake eyelashes were longer than her natural ones, and the lipstick she had on was so unlike her.


    Even Li Yuming couldn''t recognise her like this. It was only because he was expecting her to be disguised that he knew it was her. It pained his heart. He wanted to be with her as her real self. It hurt his feelings that his woman had to hide away and pretend to be someone else just to keep her life. As a man, wasn''t he a failure?


    "Why are you scanning me like that? Is my makeup skill so perfect?" She turned and asked him.


    "Why don''t we go to my villa and talk? You tricked me the last time so¡­"


    "Fine." He didn''t need to come up with an excuse before she agreed to go.


    He started the car, not forgetting to steal a glance and tease her. "You are so willing to be close to me these days. Is it because you like me too and can''t wait to be by my side?"


    Xia Luna rolled her eyes and ignored him. This guy must have hit his head too hard on the trash bin. Thinking about his fall earlier, she burst into laughter again.


    "What are you¡­" realizing what she was laughing at, Jiang Xingyu huffed and continued driving. The car ride was mostly silent, only punctuated by her peals of laughter once in a while. Although he was infuriated, there was nothing he could do about it. Besides, this was one of those few times that his Xia was laughing so happily. How could he say anything against it?


    Once in his villa, he made hot cocoa for both of then.


    "What do you want to talk about?" She asked as she took the hot cocoa from the table.


    "Do you have to be in such a hurry? Let me drink my cocoa first." Jiang Xingyu took his cup and took a sip. After seeing her, he was no longer so sleepy. He could actually hold a sane conversation.


    When they had finished their drinks, she threw a glance at him. He didn''t need to ask. She was probing what he wanted to talk about.


    "Xia, I know you like doing everything on your own¡­"


    "If you are going to talk me into accepting help from you and your mother, you better give up." She interrupted before he could even say it.


    Jiang Xingyu adjusted his body on the sofa so he was facing her directly. "Xia, listen to me. You cannot do this on your own."


    "Are you saying that I''m too useless to handle my own problems?" She threw a glare at him.


    "N-no Xia, that''s not what I meant." His eyes bulged. How could she get the wrong meaning of his words? "What I mean is, it is hard. I totally understand your side of it but¡­ you can''t always manage everything on your own."


    "It''s none of your freaking business Jiang Xingyu." At first, she had deliberately made him think she had misunderstood him so they would drop the topic but now, she was truly annoyed.


    "How is it not my business? Can you stop saying that already? I''m your man and it''s my business to look out for you." He was annoyed too. Why did she keep pushing him out of her life when she knew fully well that he was part of it?


    "I am not your woman, Jiang Xingyu. I never was." She insisted.


    His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Whatever. Xia Luna, the last person I want to fight with is you. Why are we arguing like kids anyway?"


    "Who is fighting with you? You are the one starting a fight." Luna harrumphed.


    "You started it." Jiang Xingyu realized that she had cocked her head and was raising an eyebrow as though mocking him. "Fine. I started it."


    As expected, she looked happier now, and he didn''t know what to do with her.


    "I should¡­" she was yet to say that she should go when the man beside her dropped onto the sofa, his head resting on her lap. Just like that, he fell asleep.


    She wanted to push him away but he was holding onto the hem of her blouse. It was not sure whether it was because his grip was too tight or she just didn''t want to wake him up, she let him be.


    Seeing how peaceful he looked on her lap, she couldn''t resist the urge to tousle his hair. She even smiled before scolding herself. What was she doing?


    Even so, she didn''t push him away, reclining against the backrest to sleep too.


    She didn''t know when it happened but she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she was no longer on the living room couch but on Jiang Xingyu''s cozy bed instead. She stretched her limbs and went to wash her face to clear her mind.


    That was the most peaceful sleep she had had in a while. She had been so restless lately that her dreams would be full of nothing but nightmares. Who would have thought that she would have slept like a child when it was already morning?


    Her stomach grumbled. When she checked the time, she was surprised that it was already noon. Just how long had she slept? After checking that her makeup was not ruined, she left Jiang Xingyu''s room.


    She could hear noises from downstairs and peeked curiously.


    "Ah! Never underestimate a woman''s instinct." Madam Jiang was excited when she saw Xia Luna. "I kept having the urge to pay this useless punk a visit and when I did, it turns out my Luna is here."


    Xia Luna brightened up when she saw Madam Jiang too. She ran right into her arms like an excited kid. "Aunty!"


    "Oh I''m so happy to see you." Madam Jiang embraced her tightly, her heart flooding with maternal love.


    Xia Luna hugged her, almost tearing up. Her mind almost wandered towards Li Yuming but she stopped it in time, breaking the hug. "Aunty, are you hungry? I will go to the kitchen to cook for you."


    "You can cook?" Madam Jiang was pleasantly surprised. Xia Luna didn''t look like the type to like being in the kitchen.


    "I''m pretty good at it." She responded, then went ahead to talk about what Madam Jiang wanted to eat.


    "Are you guys going to ignore me?" Jiang Xingyu, who had no choice but to stop in the middle of speaking complained.


    Xia Luna looked at him then back at Madam Jiang. "He''s not used to it yet?"

 Chapter 201 - Was He A Masochist?

    Madam Jiang cast a side glance at her own son like she found him annoying too. "Why do you like whining so much? Are you a two year old kid?"


    Jiang Xingyu clutched at his chest in heartbreak. "Fine. I will leave. You two are bullies, humph."


    Xia Luna chuckled. She enjoyed bullying him just as much as everyone else did. She hugged Madam Jiang. "Aunty, I''ll go and cook for you now."


    Madam Jiang didn''t want her to tire herself out. But seeing how happy and eager she was, she couldn''t bring herself to say no. Besides, she had never had a meal cooked by a daughter. Of course, she didn''t have any daugther. Xia Luna was very much like one, so Madam Jiang was eager to have a taste.


    As soon as Xia Luna entered the kitchen, she familirized herself with it before taking out the ingredients she needed.


    But just as she started preparing them, Jiang Xingyu walked in.


    "What do you want?" She snapped at him.


    "I''m only here to watch you cook. Is there anything wrong with that?" He leaned against the fridge with a smirk plastered across his face.


    Xia Luna was infuriated. "I don''t want you to watch." She hissed.


    "Oh." He walked towards her, pretending not to see her darkening expression. "Then I''ll help you."


    "I don''t need your help." She narrowed her gaze like she could beat him up.


    "Honey, let me help you." He insisted and took the knife from her hand.


    "Jiang Xingyu!" Xia Luna''s lungs almost exploded from fury. Couldn''t this guy just stop being irritating for once? Hmph, she knew who he was afraid of. She glared at him and left the kitchen.


    "Aunty, Xingyu just won''t stop bothering me." She told him off mercilessly.


    "Really? You actually ran to tell mommy? What are you, a three year old girl?" Jiang Xingyu mocked as he followed her out to defend himself. "I''m only trying to help her out but she doesn''t appreciate my help."


    Madam Jiang looked at both of them and laughed heartily. They were just too cute. They would make the perfect couple. "Luna, let him help you. You might need help and you can make him do the boring tasks like chopping vegetables. Make sure you  bully him while at it."


    Xia Luna frowned quizzically. Her words made it sound like Jiang Xingyu would be on the losing side but whose side was she on exactly?


    Madam Jiang looked innocent like she was actually siding with her.


    Of course, Madam Jiang was on Xia Luna''s side. It was just that if she let Jiang Xingyu bother her right now, they might get closer. What she wanted in the end was to make Xia Luna her daughter-in-law anyway.


    Xia Luna huffed in defeat and returned to the kitchen. Behind her, Jiang Xingyu happily blew a thankful kiss at his mother, who wordlessly warned him not to go overboard. He raised a thumb in response and followed Luna back into the kitchen.


    He grabbed an apron from the hook and draped it over himself then positioned himself next to her. "What should I do?"


    Xia Luna cast him a glance and ignored him, continuing to do her work.


    Seeing that she was ignoring him, he laughed. She was just too cute. "Do you realize that our aprons are similar? It''s like wearing a couples outfit with you."


    "That''s because they are identical, you dummy." Xia Luna didn''t know what to do with him.


    He laughed after successfully making her talk. "So you really are ignoring me on purpose. Come on, give me some work to do."


    "I''m warning you. If you bother me, I will stick this into your guts." She threatened, pointing the edge of the vegetable knife at his stomach.


    "You don''t play with such tools, honey." He grabbed her hand and pulled it further away from him.


    "Hmph." She resumed chopping the radish.


    "Give me a task, come on." Jiang Xingyu whined.


    She took a deep breath then pointed at the jars on a shelf. "Bring out the second jar and open it for me. Quick."


    "Okay." Jiang Xingyu happily grabbed the jar from the shelf and opened it at the same time that he placed it on the kitchen counter. Because he had been too careless, the content splashed in his face.


    Xia Luna averted her gaze and giggled.


    "You asked me to open a jar of floor and didn''t mention what was inside? You pranked me." He complained with his whitened face, hair and chest.


    "You should check the label first. Don''t you know that?" She was laughing too hard to think of helping him dust it off. She even took out her phone from her pocket and took a photo of him, laughing at his silly look. "What? Your dye is awesome. Don''t take it off yet."


    Jiang Xingyu helplessly swatted the floor off him. Such a heartless woman. Was he a masochist for loving her?


    When he was done, he went back to her side. She had had enough fun laughing at his expense and was now back to chopping vegetables  Only then was he able to see the speed at which she was chopping vegetables. "Are you even human? How can you do it so fast?"


    He picked up a slice of onion. It was so thin too.


    Thinking of something, he took another knife, grabbed an onion and started chopping it. "I can do it too. See?"


    She didn''t spare him a glance.


    "Don''t ignore me. Lo¡­ ah!"


    Xia Luna shot a look at his scrunched up face then followed his gaze down to his finger. Blood was seeping out of a small cut.


    In shock, she rushed to him and grabbed his hand, putting his finger in her mouth. It was only a while later that she remembered to take an ice cube from the fridge. After taking it, she rushed back and grabbed his hand, pressing the ice cube on the cut. When he hissed, she glared at him. "Bear with it. How could you be so careless? Are you a little child? Look, now you''ve cut yourself. I really don''t know what to do with you."


    He smiled, earning another glare from her as she rubbed the ice cube against his finger. "What are you smiling for? Don''t go playing with knives if you can''t use them!"


    Jiang Xingyu''s smile widened even more, revealing his snow-white teeth.. Before this, he had never been so happy about being cut.

 Chapter 202 - Restless

    "Do you know how you look right now? Do you want to know?" He asked, unable to restrain his smile from deepening even further. She paused her actions and looked at him curiously. Her eyes were still filled with anxiousness and worry.


    "You look like a wife scolding her husband because he has hurt himself and she is worried." Jiang Xingyu felt proud saying such words to her.


    She froze, all the worry vanishing from her eyes. She wanted to retaliate but she couldn''t. He was right. A wife would definitely worriedly grab ice cubes or a band aid if her husband got hurt. She annoyedly let go of his hand and threw the ice cubes into the trash bin. "Stop sounding like I''m worried about you. Why would I be worried over you? It was just out of instinct that I¡­"


    She stopped, realizing that her words were not making anything better. Saying that she did it out of instinct was just the same as admitting that she cared about him deep down. Throwing him a "I would do it for anyone", she began cooking.


    Jiang Xingyu looked at her back then back at his finger. Happiness filled his heart even though he had been ignored.


    At the door, Madam Jiang smiled in satisfaction and slipped away. Hearing Jiang Xingyu''s yelp, she had worriedly rushed over. But when she reached the door of the kitchen, she was met with such an affectionate scene instead. Luna was actually worried about her son!


    She held a hand over her chest in bliss. Never had she thought that she would one day be so happy about her own son getting hurt. Even when Jiang Xingyu got ignored, she still smiled through it. It must be because Luna was going through a hard time that she wasn''t willing to open her heart up to anyone. She only needed time. Once she realized that she actually cared about Xingyu, she would give him a chance.


    Realizing that she had been watching their cute cold war for quite some time, she went back to the living room.


    By the time Xia Luna realized it, she had prepared at table full of dishes. They all started eating it in delight.


    "Luna, you''re a better cook than me." Madam Jiang exclaimed after just a taste. Jiang Xingyu would be lucky to eat food prepared by her often.


    Xia Luna smiled modestly. "Aunty, you are too kind. You''re the best cook ever."


    Although her culinary skills were above passable, this was the most delicious food she had ever cooked. Perhaps it was because she was cooking for Madam Jiang that she had put all her heart in it.


    Jiang Xingyu did not utter a word¡ªhe was too busy enjoying the food. He even chocked once and Xia Luna worriedly gave him a glass of water.


    Halfway through the meal, a blabbermouth  joined them.


    "Why are you not at work, punk?" Lin Jian glared at Jiang Xingyu. He had looked for him at Jiang Corporation and he was not there. The idiot didn''t even answer his calls. In the end, he had to go to his villa. Lin Jian was about to scold him when he saw the  dishes all over the table and stopped. He scanned the different types of meat braised, roast and saut¨¦ed,  rice, several vegetable dishes and salads and his mouth watered. "What''s with the feast? Is there some sort of celebration?"


    "Ah, Lin Jian is here. Why don''t you join us?" Madam Jiang waved him over.


    Lin Jian didn''t even need to be told. There were lots of delicious-looking dishes on the table. How could he not have a taste?


    "What''s the occassion?" He asked curiously as he sat.


    "Luna cooked for us today. Does that qualify?"


    Lin Jian finally realized Xia Luna''s presence, having been too focused on the food to realize. "She can cook?" He glared at Jiang Xingyu. "How can he be so lucky? A super beauty and she can even cook? None of my girlfriends can even boil water."


    Madam Jiang scoffed at him.


    Xia Luna minded her business.


    Jiang Xingyu was too busy munching his way through a fried chicken thigh to pay attention to him.


    In the end, not a single grain of rice was left on the dining table. Xia Luna was initially worried that she had cooked too much. However, the two friends scarfed it down like gluttons and asked her to cook for them some other day.


    "Those two won''t wake up soon." Madam Jiang laughed at her son and his friend who were sprawled on couches in the living room, fast asleep.


    Xia Luna laughed at them too. "They look kinda cute."


    "Both of them?" Madam Jiang teasingly asked, and Xia Luna realized that she had been staring at Jiang Xingyu the whole time. This was a streak of insanity. Why was she paying so much attention to that idiot?


    ...


    That afternoon, Madam Jiang dragged Xia Luna to watch a movie together. Later, she even taught the latter how to knit. Before they realized it, the sun had set and they were on the topic of babies.


    "Luna, do you prefer girls or boys?" She excitedly asked.


    "Erm¡­" what?


    "Actually, I used to prefer girls in the past but since I already have you now, it doesn''t matter anymore. She excitedly continued. "But I''m pretty sure it would be nice to have another lovely girl filling the house with happiness."


    "Well¡­"


    "Luna, are you okay?" Madam Jiang realized that she suddenly looked sad.


    "Yes. I just¡­ can we not talk about children? I''m not even married yet. I don''t even have a boyfriend yet."


    "I see. Don''t worry, I won''t bring it up again." Madam Jiang smiled lovingly.


    It made Luna''s heart fill with guilt. She rested her head on Madam Jiang''s lap. "Aunty, I''m sorry if I sounded rude. It''s just¡­"


    "Luna, I understand." The woman tousled her hair. "I know what you''re going through. It''s hard for you to think of the future now."


    Xia Luna couldn''t help feeling a bit emotional. How could Madam Jiang understand her so much? This felt so much like how people said that mothers understood their children.


    Every time she was with Madam Jiang, she would find her heart growing closer to her. Perhaps, with Madam Jiang around, she would no longer miss her own mother in future.


    "It''s late already. Let''s go back in." Madam Jiang''s voice brought her out of her thoughts.


    ___


    At the same time.


    Li Yuming''s villa.


    Li Yuming held her phone against her chest as she paced the living room. "I have already spoken to Xiehan and he assured me that Lanni is alright. Why am I still so restless?"


    Not only that, the restlessness had also multiplied after that phone call. Was that normal?

 Chapter 203 - You Cannot Escape

    "You cannot escape this time."


    Lanni looked up at the scary-looking man towering above her. His eyes were bloodshot with anger while his nose kept twitching as he closed in on her.  She stumbled and fell to the ground on her backside. The man pointed a gun at her forhead.


    "But why?" Lanni asked. "Why do you want to kill me?"


    "Because you should be dead!" He spat through huge gritted teeth, then he pulled the trigger.


    Lanni started awake. Her chest heaved up and down as her heart raced. She raised her hand and touched her forehead. She was sweaty but there was no blood, no bullet and when she pinched herself, she felt pain. So she was alive. It was just a nightmare.


    What scared her the most was not the man''s face and eyes. Neither was it the fact that there were dead bodies not too far away. It was that in her dream, that girl who was supposed to her was not in the slightest bit scared. How creepy...


    She swung her legs to the side of the bed and stood up,  looking around in a daze.


    Thin rays of sunlight seeped in through the white curtains. So it was already morning. She had unknowingly slept through the whole evening and night.


    This was neither her room nor Xiehan''s bedroom. Where was she?


    "Xiehan?" She croaked and coughed to clear her parched throat.


    "Honey, you''re awake." Ji Xiehan walked into the room as soon as he heard her call his name.


    Lanni hugged him, finally feeling safe. "Where is this place?"


    "We''re in my office." He rubbed her back. Only then did he feel that she was trembling slightly. He looked at her worriedly.  "Are you alright?"


    "I''m okay now." She snuggled into his arms comfortably, to Xiehan''s relief.


    "I ordered breakfast for you. You must be hungry." Xiehan said and went to bring the food he had bought, after which he also brought her clothes which he had asked his butler to bring to his office.


    Because Ji Xiehan had work to do and meetings to attend, Lanni made her presence scarce and obediently watched a movie in his chamber. She only later decided to go to Star Art International to pick her things.


    "I''ll take you there." Ji Xiehan closed the file he was working on and suggested when she told him where she was going.


    She went beside him and kissed his cheek. "Love, you have work to do. I''ll contact my chauffeur."


    "I promised Aunty Li." He insisted, and Lanni was helpless. She couldn''t retaliate whenever he threw her mother in as backup. Knowing that trying to convince him would only waste their time, she took her bag and phone from the chamber. Having someone else handle his work, Xiehan grabbed his car keys and drove her to Star Art International.


    As expected, Cheng Yu was worried when Lanni missed a class and upset when she learnt that Lanni was in fact giving up altogether.


    "Lanni, why would you give up now? You''ve come a long way." She lamented.


    "Xiao Yu, some things are just not meant to be. Perhaps I''m no talented painter or comic artist as I thought." Lanni kept her things into the car as she spoke.


    "What does Aunty Li have to say about it?"


    Lanni stopped in her tracks. "I haven''t told her about it yet."


    "Don''t you think you should tell her when you make such an important decision?" Cheng Yu asked. Li Yuming would surely be ddisappointed. She secretly hoped that Li Yuming would convince Lanni to change her mind.


    "I should." It was just that the previous day, the first place she went to after leaving Star Art International was Ji Xiehan''s office. She hadn''t gone home yet so she hadn''t had the time to talk about it. "I''ll tell her about it when I go home right now."


    Cheng Yu looked like she still wanted to nag but Lanni hugged her. "Xiao Yu, let''s talk all about it after your class tomorrow. Xiehan still needs to get back to work."


    Only then did Cheng Yu notice that Ji Xiehan was in the car. She waved at him awkwardly and bid Lanni sadly. "Fine. I''ll meet you at 2pm. You better not be one second late."


    Lanni tittered, opened her purse and took out a candy which she stuffed into Cheng Yu''s palm. "There there. I won''t be late."


    Cheng Yu regarded the candy and glared at Lanni who had already escaped into the car. "What do you think I am, a baby?"


    She harrumphed and unwrapped the candy then shoved it into her mouth as she watched Ji Xiehan drive off.


    "You like sweet things too?" A familiar male voice pulled her out of her thoughts.


    She turned and when she saw that it was indeed Cedric, words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "What''s wrong with you? You are everywhere! Why do you keep butting your nose where it doesn''t belong?


    I do not want you near me, can''t you understand? I don''t want you near me, get it? There''s such a thing as minding one''s own business, sheesh!" She walked off when she was done.


    "Damn." Cedric let out a low laugh. "Someone''s got their claws out." Why was it so cute though?


    ___


    When Lanni arrived home, Li Yuming was in the living room.


    "What''s with the box?" She asked, referring to the box that the butler had helped bring in from Xiehan''s car.


    "Those are my things from Star Art International." Lanni chose to bring up the subject immediately. "I just quit my art lessons."


    Li Yuming was silent.


    She only spoke up one word a while later. "Okay."


    Lanni frowned in confusion. Okay? That was all? She had expected to be interrogated at the very least and in the worst case, to be dragged right back into Star Art International. This silent, unquestioning reaction was in every way out of her expectations.


    After throwing that one word at her daughter, Li Yuming went to the kitchen and made tea for Xiehan. After that, they chatted about random things.


    Not only did Li Yuming not ask a thing about Lanni''s decision, she also asked what Lanni wanted to do now that she no longer wanted to be in Star Art International. When Lanni said that she didn''t know yet, Li Yuming didn''t react negatively to that either.. She only urged her to give it time.

 Chapter 204 - Im Sorry

    "Don''t you think my mom is being strange?" Lanni asked as she walked Xiehan out later.


    "If she nagged you, you might have felt sad about it." Xiehan responded.


    Lanni nodded. He was right. It was much better that Li Yuming was not nagging her.


    She walked Xiehan to the parking lot.


    "Xiehan, you¡­" she turned to speak and just when she did, his lips met hers.


    She was surprised but soon responded to the kiss by hugging his neck and letting him deepen the kiss.


    He pushed her back against his car but stopped before his hand could reach under her dress. "Does it still hurt?"


    Lanni understood instantly what he was asking about and felt slightly embarassed. "It''s bearable."


    She felt something pressing against her crotch thanks to their closeness and looked at him in surprise. "You have a boner that fast?"


    Ji Xiehan took her hand and brought to his crotch. "This is all thanks to you."


    Lanni withdrew her hand quickly. "Xiehan, not here." And certainly not now.


    "Of course not." He laughed. After kissing her a last time, he entered his car.


    ___


    The next day¡ªStar Art International.


    As usual, Cheng Yu was earlier than the other students to arrive in Star Art International. This time, however, she was not the first. Someone else had already arrived.


    She cast a glance at Cedric and wanted to mind her own business but then she remembered how rude she had been the day before. Cedric had done nothing but speak to her. Even though she was usually irritated by him, she couldn''t deny that she had been unreasonable and taken her bad mood out on him.


    Decisively, she went and sat next to him.


    Cedric snuck a glance at the girl who had just sat beside him and picked up his brush to continue painting.


    "Cedric." She called out softly.


    Cedric turned and his gaze lingered on her for longer this time. "I thought I was hallucinating."


    Cheng Yu frowned slightly. Why did those words sound so wrong?


    "This is the first time ever that you have sought me on your own." He stroked his brush against the canvas. He was painting something that she couldn''t make out because she wasn''t even looking, and it seemed to be upside down.


    She pushed his weird words at the back of her mind. "I came to apologize."


    "You¡ªwhat?" Cedric lost hold of his brush and it smudged the painting.


    "Yesterday, I was mad. I didn''t mean to take it out on you like that."


    Cedric scrutinized her for a longer time than she was comfortable with and when he sensed her unease, he grinned. "Sure you didn''t."


    "What?" What did he even mean?


    "Don''t you always take it out on me? When have you not shouted at me for merely existing?"


    Cheng Yu looked down, feeling guilty. Indeed, she had always been annoyed whenever he appeared and she would always sneer or shout at him then ignore him. "But that''s your fault. It''s all because you are so annoying."


    Cedric smiled, not able to retaliate against that. He tried to correct the smudge on his painting, his gaze averted from her.  "Why were you so mad anyway?"


    Cheng Yu breathed out a long sigh. Although she was close to Luna, she couldn''t bring herself to bother her so she had not told her about Lanni quitting. She had it all bottled up and now that Cedric asked, she couldn''t stop herself from talking about it.


    "Lanni left the class."


    "She did? I figured she would. Sadly, her performance has been dropping every new day."


    Cheng Yu was almost mad at him for being so direct about it but it was true and there was nothing she could do about it. "You pay so much attention to her?"


    Cedric turned to look at her. "Of course. She is my idol''s daughter. Of course I would pay attention to her. And you must be best friends, right? You are always sticking together like you have been glued onto each other."


    Cheng Yu found it easier to speak to someone who knew so much already. She grabbed a spare painting brush and started playing with it as she spoke. "Lanni is more than a friend to me." She started. "Most of my life is bland without her. Lanni means a lot to me." Luna did too, but that was different. Luna wasn''t one to share any emotional support, being cold herself. But for Lanni,... "Lanni makes me feel strong even at my weakest point. A person like her, it''s not like her to give up on anything she decided to do. Even I am shocked by her decision. And the worst part of it is that I know why exactly she has decided to quit and there is nothing I can do about it."


    By the time she was done, her whole face was a mask of sadness and despair.


    Cedric continhed scanning Cheng Yu for a while and when he finally spoke, what came out of his mouth was something irritating. "You made it sound like the two of you are romantic lovers. Say, you wouldn''t be interested in girls, right? I would understand, she is so beautiful anyway."


    Cheng Yu''s eyes narrowed then she glared at him. "Can''t anything better come out of your trap? You''re insane."


    She stood up and left his side, going to settle down on her seat with a huff. That idiot. She must have been stupid to talk to him.


    Cedric laughed. He had just wanted to laugh. He wasn''t good with jokes, it seemed. He held his almost complete painting and turned it back right-side-up.


    In her seat, Cheng Yu sulked for a while before realizing that she was still holding his brush. She stood up and was going to return it to him.


    But when her gaze landed on his painting, the brush in her hand dropped to the floor as she stared wide-eyed at the painting.


    What was a painting of her doing on Cedric''s canvas?

 Chapter 205 - Scared

    Cedric turned when he heard the sound of the brush connecting with the floor. When he saw Cheng Yu staring wide-eyed at his painting that was basically her painting, he froze. It was much like being caught making a mistake as a kid.


    He had painted it upside¨Cdown and because it was a back view of her, she couldn''t really recognize herself. But when he was done, he had forgotten that she was still in the studio and excitedly turned it.


    "Why would you paint me?" She expectedly asked. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn''t find a reasonable excuse for him painting her.


    "Because I like you." He answered like it meant nothing. As though afraid she didn''t hear, he looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers. "Cheng Yu, I''m in love with you."


    Cheng Yu stared in shock. What did she just hear? There was something wrong with her ears. There must be. Maybe it was the way she had turned that was wrong. "What¡­ you¡­" she couldn''t even construct a complete statement and kept stammering.


    It was only later that she found her voice. "You''re kidding, right?"


    "Yes."


    "What?" Cheng Yu glared at him. She had just freaked the hell out her by suddenly declaring that he liked her and before she could process it, he was saying that it was a joke?


    "That''s what you expected me to say-that I like you, right?" Cedric grinned at her, making her unable to say a word for a while.


    "You''re crazy." Cheng Yu harrumphed and picked his paintbrush, threw it at him and went about her own business. What kind of sick joke was that?


    Cedric looked watched as she angrily started to do her own work and ignored him. A sly smile escaped his lips. "Actually, there might be some truth in some jokes."


    "What are you saying?" Cheng Yu didn''t want to but before she could stop herself, she turned to ask.


    "I''m reading a quote from a book." He stuck out a novel to show her. It wasn''t sure whether he was actually reading it but that was none of her business so she shrugged and continued doing her own work.


    Actually Cedric was not lying. Neither was he joking. He actually liked Cheng Yu. The first time he saw her was a few months ago. Her brother had almost been run over by a car and he saved him. Cheng Yu had frantically thanked him before going away with her brother. She had dropped her purse and before he could give it to her, she had already hurried away.


    He knew that it was wrong to check people''s purses but he was smitten by her beauty and he was curious about who she was. Who could blame him for checking out of curiosity? Her purse had what Cedric assumed would usually be in girls'' purses-a lip gloss, a few bills and what looked like a small, pink packet which Cedric looked at curiously but didn''t understand at the time. There were also her national ID and her school ID. That was how Cedric knew what university she was in.


    He didn''t even think of using that information to return her purse until much later. When he did, he changed his mind about it. She had probably forgotten all about their meeting and replaced her IDs. Besides, he might be unable to control his feelings once he met her; and he didn''t want her to think that he was taking advantage of the fact that he saved her brother. He thought of sending them to her school or address but at last, he kept them safely with him.


    He hadn''t even thought that they would meet again until he heard that Star Art International was sponsoring an art contest and Hun He Art School would participate, as well as B City University. Not only that, the venue would be B City University. He had excitedly joined the contest in the hope of meeting her again.


    When he reached B City University, he was in for an even better surprise. She had joined the contest too! He couldn''t describe his joy. How could he be so lucky? Unfortunately, he wasn''t good with girls and offended her from the start. He could only ask about her but he couldn''t possibly get close to her.


    When the contest started, an idea crossed his mind. The winner would go to Star Art International for comic arts training. She was such a good painter and it was possible for her to win. So he deliberately restrained his skill so he wouldn''t win. If all went well, she would win and go to Star Art International. Then he would find other means to go to Star Art International and they would be in the same school, and he would have a chance to pursue her.


    Of course, fate was not going to play things according to his wishful imagination. The winner was actually not Cheng Yu but his idol''s daughter instead! His disappointment was immeasurable.


    As though that was not taunting enough, the people from Star Art International had personally invited him to the institution. What was the use? Cheng Yu wasn''t going.


    Yet just at the last moment, he learnt from someone that Cheng Yu was going to Star Art International too! Hence he had hurried into the institution and accepted the invitation that he had almost rejected.


    When he arrived, it was such a coincidence that Ruby Chan was there too. He knew Ruby because their parents were a little close and he knew that she was in B City University too. He had learnt from her that Lanni and Cheng Yu were very close, so he dragged her everywhere with him so she would distract Lanni while he got close to Cheng Yu.


    However, that had failed miserably. Lanni didn''t seem to trust Ruby. Besides, Cheng Yu would ignore him every time they met or scold him for merely breathing the same air as her.


    Lately, she had not been avoiding him so much and now that Lanni had left the class, he could now slot himself next to Cheng Yu and she wouldn''t mind so much. Just a moment ago, he had uncontrollably blurted out his pent-up feelings.


    He was ready to face her reaction, but when he saw how scared he looked, he changed his mind and made a joke out of it. A bad joke that earned scolding from her.


    Why was she so scared anyway? Did she have a bad history with love?

 Chapter 206 - You Look In Love

    Later that day.


    Luna was in her room, busy typing codes on her laptop when the doorbell rang. Cheng Yu was already home so she was hesitant. Who could it be? Thinking that it might be that annoying fellow, Jiang Xingyu, she went to open the door.


    She was surprised, however, when she was who it was. "Lanni? Come on in."


    Lanni walked in and sat on the sofa, curiously looking at her sister.


    Luna brought her a drink and sat next to her. "Why are you scanning me like that? It''s getting a little creepy."


    Lanni let out a small smile. "You look different. Are you in love?"


    Luna chocked on her saliva and coughed in a fit. What nonsense was her sister spewing? "You''re the one who looks in love. You look so bright and cheerful."


    She ran her eyes all over Lanni''s body and asked teasingly, "I know about how you confessed to Xiehan and how you went to Europe together for a vacation. Although you had to come back prematurely, you don''t look disappointed at all. Tell me, did something happen between you too?"


    Her eyes squinted slightly as she half-whispered. "You know, something that should give me the hope of becoming an aunty soon? What happened next? Did your relationship get even better after that?"


    "Are you reading my mind?" Lanni interrupted her jabbering. How did she even know any of those things? She hadn''t even told Cheng Yu about them.


    "Is it hard to guess? You''re my sister after all. Come on, tell me."


    "Luna¡­" Lanni sighed.


    Luna looked worried as a glint flashed in her eyes. "What happened?" If Ji Xiehan bullied her sister, he was not going to hear the end of it from her.


    "What about you? How are you fairing on?"


    Luna smiled in relief. So her sister was not being bullied. "I''m alright. I''m making progress in my case and¡­" a smile involuntarily formed on her face. "Aunty is so friendly to me."


    "Aunty? What aunty?" Lanni inquired.


    "Jiang Xingyu''s mother." Xia Luna felt happy just talking about the loving middle-aged woman. "She''s so kind and treats me like her own daughter even though I don''t love her son. That must be the only good thing about Jiang Xingyu¡ªhis mother."


    Lanni tittered at her sister''s words. "If there was nothing good about him in the past, why did you date him?" She hadn''t met Madam Jiang in the past, right?


    "I was young and stupid and anyway, he hasn''t always been a fool. He was quite sensible in the past."


    "You sound like you''re in love with him, just teasing." Lanni quickly corrected her words before Luna had her head.


    "But Luna¡­" Lanni started worriedly.


    "What is it?"


    "I think¡­" she hesitated, knowing that Luna would surely scold her. But thinking about it, she said it in the end. "I think our mother misses you."


    Xia Luna frowned for almost half a minute then a slight laugh escaped her mouth. "Oh? Okay."


    Lanni knew that her sister took it as a joke. "I''m serious, Luna."


    Xia Luna raised an eyebrow and scrutinized Lanni. After a while, her mood dropped. "If this is a joke, it''s not funny."


    Lanni felt uneasy too. She knew that the topic of their mother was a thorn to her sister, especially after their last meeting. "I''m not kidding Luna."


    "Why would you think so?"


    Lanni remembered how Li Yuming would suddenly blank out while looking at her and how she would seem restless.


    When she told Luna this, the latter thought she was thinking too much. "How did you come to the conclusion that she is restless because of me? It could be anything. She could be staring at you because she is recalling something about you or just because looking at you calms her down. Who knows?"


    Lanni took her sister''s hand. "I know what I''m saying, Luna. I''m not thinking too much about anything."


    "If anything, I don''t think she would want to be associated with me."


    "But¡­"


    "But you saw how she treated me Lanni. You heard what she called me and what she told you about me. Why would you still think she would want anything to do with me? You are the only daughter she recognizes and it doesn''t matter to me anymore." Luna suddenly blurted out.


    She then glanced at the shocked Lanni. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to be rude."


    Lanni smiled. "You weren''t. I''m just¡­ it''s just so hard to bear."


    Unwilling to continue talking about this difficult topic, Lanni casually asked, "I will be free for the coming few days as I figure out what I want to do. Do you want to catch a movie together tomorrow?"


    "I would love to, but I''ll go to Lakeside City tomorrow."


    "Why would you go to Lakeside City?" Lanni was confused. Hadn''t Luna been going there too frequently lately?


    "I''m going to visit our dad." The smile slowlh returned to Luna''s face at the mention of the person who cared about her the most. "The doctors said he would wake up soon."


    "That''s great news." Lanni said with a hint of longing in her voice.


    Luna grabbed her hand in slight excitement. "Do you want to come with me?"


    Lanni was excited at the idea then the excitement suddenly died down. "Tomorrow? I can''t. I have an appointment with the hypnotist."


    "Hypnotist? Why would you want to see a hypnotist?" Luna sounded a bit off as she frantically asked.


    "Because he can help me recover my memory. He is Xiehan''s friend."


    "Yeah, of course." Luna shook her head to clear the confusion. "But why did you change your mind? You said you didn''t want your memory back."


    To that, Lanni explained what had happened three nights before, how she had recovered a section of her memory that was confusing.


    "I see. Then you should¡­ yeah you should go to a hypnotist then."


    "Luna, are you alright?" Lanni asked worriedly. Her sister suddenly looked pale and a bit sweaty.


    "Yeah, I''m okay. It must be the heat."


    Lanni thought something was strange but laughed it off. "Okay. Luna, I''ll go home now."


    "Okay." Luna did not even hesitate, and when Lanni left, she rushed to her room.


    She took an old phone and turned it on then frantically sent a text to a contact named Flynn.. [The meds aren''t working anymore. What should I do?]

 Chapter 207 - Why Not?

    Luna anxiously waited for a reply but instead, the phone vibrated with an incoming call. She answered it right away.


    "What are you saying? What do you mean the meds aren''t working anymore?" A deep male voice asked in a perfect German accent.


    "Lanni stopped taking those tablets long ago. Their effect must have worn out already. Lanni has started to regain her memory. She might even have remembered things she shouldn''t." Luna couldn''t hide the worry in her voice. "How are things on your side?"


    There was the sound of what must be the man pouring something into a glass, probably wine. He took his time and gulped a loud swig then brought his attention back to the almost impatient Luna. "My side isn''t safe." He enunciated every syllable like he was declaring a verdict that would determine the life or death of someone¡ªwhich he sure was. "Lanni cannot come back here. She will die. The old man hates her to the core and will want to kill her as soon as he sees her. And trust me, she will surely want to come if she recovered her memory."


    "You''re not helping." Luna hung up with an eyeroll. So what if Lanni couldn''t go back? Now what? The man only knew to scare her and in the end, she would still be the one to come up with a strategy. There was no use talking to him.


    She gripped the phone and sunk into thought. The last time she thought Lanni might recover her memory, she had prevented that from happening by swapping her medicine with almost identical drugs that she had used up all her connections to find. As for how she managed to swap it, she simply had to walk into Li Yuming''s villa when she was not there.


    She didn''t have to say a word and everyone assumed that she was Lanni. That was also how she had dropped Lanni warning notes months ago, before she resorted to sending text messages.


    As for the drugs, Lanni must have grown resistance to them. Of course she would have. At least five months had passed since she stopped taking them and according to the person who gave them to her, the effect could only last for six months at the very most. Of course, at the very most meant it could be much sooner than six months.


    But that was not important. What was bugging her right now was that she couldn''t possibly use the same method.If Lanni were to take more of those tablets, who knew how they would affect her. Besides, she had no prescription so there was nothing for her to swap to begin with.


    She went to the living room and sat on the sofa, trying to think of what to do. She didn''t know Flynn that closely. She couldn''t possibly trust him to take care of Lanni. Besides, he was fast to state that Lanni wouldn''t be safe in that place. Why was it so difficult?


    An idea crossed her mind. Lanni mentioned that the hypnotist she was seeing was Ji Xiehan''s friend.


    Quickly, she grabbed her laptop and sat back on the living room couch. Then she searched on Ji Xiehan''s social media accounts for friends who were medics or related to the field.


    Because Ji Xiehan didn''t have many friends on his personal social media accounts, it was easy to find and recognize the man.


    "Han Xichen. Now I want to be hypnotized." She exaggeratively giggled when she saw the display photo. The man was quite handsome. Getting back to business, she searched for where he lived and where he worked.


    Satisfied, she thought about how to plan a meeting with him. If all went well, she would negotiate with him so he would fail to hypnotize Lanni and in exchange, she would offer benefits. That way, Lanni would believe that she really couldn''t be hypnotized. What a genius idea!


    But thinking about it with a clearer mind, she slammed the laptop shut and stood up. What a dumb idea. What the heck was she even thinking? That was Ji Xiehan''s friend. Which went to say that he might not agree to do anything against his friend''s will. He might even rat her out.


    "Why are you pacing? This is so unlike you." Cheng Yu''s voice interrupted her thoughts.


    "Oh, Xiao Yu. You were locked up in your room. Are you in a bad mood?"


    She was, but "Uhm¡­ I asked you a question first, Luna." She interrupted before Xia Luna could brush her off. "You have never looked this anxious. Something is definitely wrong."


    "You''re right. Something is horribly wrong Xiao Yu. Lanni is starting to remember things."


    Cheng Yu looked like she had been struck by a bolt of lightning. "No wonder."


    "No wonder what?" Luna raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Come on, tell me."


    "No wonder she quit the art class. I was wondering why she did." Cheng Yu bit her bottom lip in panic.


    "Wait wait wait. She did what?" Luna was shocked witless.


    "Quit the art class." Cheng Yu promptly repeated her words. "She didn''t tell you?"


    "You are telling me that Lanni left the art class?"


    "Yes." Cheng Yu didn''t even want to think about it. "If you say that she is starting to regain her memory then it could be that she knows who she really is. Maybe she knows what her true passion is and that''s why she is no longer interested in Art. After all, Aunty Li must have only made her go to art class to make her forget all about her past."


    Cheng Yu jabbered on for a while and Xia Luna was pacing, not even seeming to listen. But she suddenly stopped and glanced at Cheng Yu. "For the first time, I agree with Ms. Li. We have to stop it from happening. No matter what, Lanni cannot recover her memory."


    "And why not?" An upset voice asked from the door.

 Chapter 208 - I Can Explain

    Xia Luna and Cheng Yu were both startled.


    Xia Luna turned robotically, her heart racing. "Lanni¡­"


    Lanni shifted her gaze between the two of them then she laughed. She walked over to the table and grabbed a bunch of keys. "I forgot my keys so I had to turn back. The interesting conversation I just overheard wasn''t part of my business so¡­ don''t mind my interruption, please continue with your conversation."


    Cheng Yu had nothing to say as a retaliation against Lanni''s mocking words.


    When she saw Lanni leave, Xia Luna anxiously grabbed her arm and pleaded. "Listen to me."


    "Let go of me." Lanni pulled her arm out of Xia Luna''s with a fierce glare.


    "Lanni, don''t¡­ I can explain."


    "Explain?" Lanni scoffed. "What do you have to explain Xia Luna? I trusted you. I believed you even when the truth was right in front of me. How could I¡­ I have been so stupid." The last part was meant to scold herself.


    Shooting a glance of disbelief in Cheng Yu''s direction, she walked out. She had instinctively stopped herself from saying hurtful words even though she thought of them and they were true. No wonder Li Yuming said that Xia Luna was too cunning. Indeed, only a mother knew her daughter best.


    On one hand, she was acting like the loving sister who wanted nothing but to reunite their family while on the other hand, she was busy scheming against her¡ªand Cheng Yu knew all about it and was even supporting her.


    Lanni laughed in self-mockery. She should have learnt from her encounter with Ji Feifei. How could she still trust anyone after what happened with Ji Feifei?


    ¡­


    Lanni stayed in her room and only came out when she really had to. She would even have her meals in her room.


    She only left the house on Friday morning, when it was time to go to the hypnotist.


    She dressed up quickly and sent Xiehan a text message. He was accompanying her, so he would pick her up on their way. Once she had sent the text, she went to wait for him in the living room.


    Li Yuming was on her way out when she saw Lanni and went to her happily. "You finally left your room. I was worried something was wrong with you." She couldn''t resist hugging her daughter warmly.


    "You were worried about me?" Lanni wondered aloud. She just wanted to be on her own for a while to think everything through. But if Li Yuming was worried, why didn''t she check on her? Isn''t that what any mother would do, especially one that loved her daughter as much as Li Yuming did?


    Li Yuming could pretty much guess what Lanni was thinking, and she smiled awkwardly.  Only she knew how many times she had gone to Lanni''s room and when she reached the door, she had to forcefully stop herself. The last time something similar happened, it spiralled out of control. Li Yuming was traumatized just thinking about it.


    "Why are your eyebags so dark? Haven''t you been having enough sleep?"


    "Don''t worry about me. I will be able to sleep better now." Li Yuming was happier, cheering up instantly. "Anyway, what happened to you?"


    "Can we not talk about that? I really don''t want to." Lanni shook her head, and Li Yuming understandably nodded. "As long as you''re alright now."


    When Ji Xiehan arrived, Lanni''s mood lightened up even further.


    Right. Why would she care so much about a friend she knew so little about and a sister who basically popped out of nowhere? She should be concentrating on herself and her loved ones. Those who genuinely loved her¡ªJi Xiehan and her mother.


    The ride to the hospital was cheerful, punctuated with several happy laughs and lots of sweet words. Ji Xiehan even stole a few kisses at the red lights and when they turned green, Lanni would steal kisses too.


    When they arrived at the hospital, neither wanted the ride to end.


    "That''s enough for now. We will continue on our way back." Ji Xiehan teasingly nibbled on her earlobe a little before letting go of her. When Lanni glared at him, he laughed and defended himself. "Your eyes are asking for more. But you know that this is a hospital, right?"


    Lanni shook her head. "You are so shameless. But I''m not complaining¡­ I love you that way." She said, earning a kiss on the forehead.


    "I was wondering whether you guys would really come and just when I want to rush to grab a snack, you waltz in hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings and biting each other''s ears." A man interrupted them.


    Lanni was a bit embarassed that someone had seen them, while Xiehan happily introduced them. He turned to Lanni and said, "This is Han Xichen."


    Then he hugged her waist. "Han, you already know about my wife."


    Lanni was startled. What did he just call her?"


    "So this is Lanni." He extended a hand to greet her. "Nice to finally meet you." Then, he jabbed Ji Xiehan. "Congratulations man. When are you getting married?"


    "When she says yes."


    Han Xichen was taken aback. She hadn''t yet? But then, it was not part of his business so he led them into his office, asking them to make themselves comfortable.


    Because he had other matters to attend to, he didn''t waste time and started interrogating Lanni.


    "You want to be hypnotized to recover your memory. Do you know how you lost it?"


    "A car accident." Lanni answered, fright starting to slowly creep in. Perhaps it was the man himself or the fact that she knew he was going to help her uncover what a part of her was still slightly afraid to face.


    "Are you ready?" He asked directly, to which she thought for a second and nodded.


    "Am I still needed here? If my presence will be a distraction then I should wait outside." Xiehan said, but before he moved, Lanni grabbed his hand instinctively.


    "She will be scared if you are not here." Han Xichen was surprised that Ji Xiehan would like the type of girl who was basically a damsel in distress.. Even so, it was not his business so he took out a lighter from his pocket and flicked it on.

 Chapter 209 - I Do Not Want You

    The image before Lanni''s eyes shifted into one she had not expected to see.


    A little girl hid behind the wall as two adults argued on the other side, probably not aware of her presence.


    "I already told you. I want nothing to do with you and your family." Li Yuming snarled at the man before her.


    "Yes you did. You said that a minute ago too but Yuming, Lanni misses me. Luna needs you too. How can we let our children suffer just because we are divorced?" The man retorted. From Lanni''s previous memory fragments and from what he was saying, he must be Xia Hanchen.


    "My daughter doesn''t need you. Quit it already, will you?" Li Yuming sounded bitter. "I know what you want and I am not going to let that happen as long as I am alive."


    "You''re not going to let me take care of our daughter?" Xia Hanchen frowned as though in disbelief.


    Seeing that Li Yuming was silent, he resorted to coercion. "Lanni is my daughter and I have every right to be part of her life. I will sue for her custody if I have to."


    "Are you even listening to yourself?" Li Yuming scoffed.


    The argument continued for a while, but Lanni didn''t hear more of it.


    She was surprised that as a little girl, she had witnessed a fight between her parents. However, that was none of her business. At least not for now.


    The scene changed and this time, she was no longer a little girl but a young woman in her late teens instead.


    Li Yuming grabbed her hand and pulled her to her room, sat her on her bed and shook her shoulders, squeezing them furiously.


    "You''re hurting me." Lanni complained.


    Li Yuming looked into her eyes angrily. "Hurt? You know how to feel pain? Then why do you insist on ruining your life, Lanni?" She let go of Lanni''s shoulders with more force than necessary, making the latter feel pain.


    Lanni rubbed her shoulders and looked right at her mother. "I am not ruining my life, mother. I am just doing my duty as a¡­"


    "What kind of sick duty?" Li Yuming looked like she would pull her hair off. "What kind of duty involves you putting your own life at risk? Is it because of that woman?"


    Lanni didn''t ask who Li Yuming was referring to, she seemed to understand who "that woman" was. "I''m not doing this for anyone. This is what I want to do and it has nothing to with anyone."


    "Lying." Li Yuming retreated a short distance away. "You are lying. I know you better than anyone and I know that she''s one of the main reasons. But let me remind you, Lanni. That woman hated you from the moment you opened your eyes. She has always wished you were not born into her family."


    "Mother¡­"


    "What makes you think she will like you now? You''re just a teenager, I understand¡ªbut how can you be so naive?"


    The scene faded off as well.


    Lanni was perplexed. Why was every piece of memory that she was remembering a fight? Did she fight a lot before losing her memory? She seemed quite stubborn too.


    The next piece proved that she was even more stubborn than she thought.


    This time, she was with a man.


    She remembered this man, it was the same man from the memory fragment she had remembered a few days ago when she was in her studio. This time, his face was clearer as he sat behind a desk.


    Lanni angrily grabbed his pen, tossed it aside and grabbed his notebook too. When he took his laptop, Lanni slammed it closed too, then glared at him, huffing.


    "What is it, princess? Was it too hard?" The man reclined in his chair and Lanni could swear that he was mocking her. "Then you better give up. I wouldn''t want to be responsible for tiring out a fragile flower. How would I answer to your parents then?"


    Lanni crossed her arms. "You''re right. I failed."


    "I told you¡­"


    Before he could complete his statement, Lanni''s hand swung and landed a slap across his face. "You know why I failed, Flynn. You know what you did."


    Her eyes were brimming with anger and the man called Flynn was shocked too. She grabbed his collar, looking like she could beat him up. "You deliberately messed with my computer. Just like you have always messed everything up."


    The man looked surprised and a little guilty.


    "Why did you do it?" Lanni asked angrily. "Why do you mess everything up?"


    She looked aside with ridicule written all over her face. "Every time I failed, it was always because you messed up with something to slow me down or make me fail altogether.


    I''m your trainee Flynn. Why do you hate me so much?"


    "Because you do not belong here." The man suddenly spoke up.


    "What?" Lanni looked a little lost by his sudden declaration.


    The man stood up, towering over her as he mocked her. "What, did you really think that this agency is for spoilt princesses like you?" He did not mind Lanni''s expression that was a mixture of shock and hate, and continued. "What did you think this was,  a banquet where you only need to dress up and smile at people? This is a cruel world, princess."


    Lanni''s eyebrows raised as she frowned. "Where''s all this nonsense coming from? I have always worked hard but you¡­" she sighed helplessly. She seemed irritated that the man was attributing her failure to her background when he was the one who had deliberately made her fail. "You are unpredictable. Sometimes you''re expressionless, then you suddenly turn cold and evil. It''s as though you decided that you wanted me to fail my training from the first moment you saw me here."


    "Right. You do have great observation skills. I don''t want you here, just because you are you. What can you do about it?" The man mocked and ignored her.


    Lanni pursed her lips. Of course, there would be aich a person everywhere one went.. So that man was called Flynn. What was he training her for anyway?

 Chapter 210 - Hypnosis

    The scene changed yet again.


    This time, Lanni was slightly older and a lot bolder than she was before. This time, she was standing before someone she was quite familiar with¡ªJi Feifei. She crossed her arms against her chest as she interrogated Ji Feifei. "What''s your relationship with Li Xiyan?"


    Before Ji Fei Fei could answer, Lanni''s head hurt like a fire was burning her brains out. She gripped her forehead, groaning from the pain. Seeing this, the hypnotist chanted something to wake her up.


    Once she was awake, her head no longer hurt that badly. It felt as though she had been asleep for days and when she asked for the time, she was surprised that it had taken only thirty minutes.


    "If you are hypnotized two or three more times, you might remember everything." Han Xichen said to her, happy that she seemed to remember many things.


    "Thank you." She said gratefully, her hand still holding onto Ji Xie Han''s tightly.


    "You don''t have to thank me. It''s my duty." Han Xichen gazed at her for a little longer, trying to understand something.


    When the girl explained her memory loss, she said that she had temporary amnesia after a car accident. Why then, did it seem like the cause didn''t feel correct?


    ...


    Meanwhile, Goldenwing Apartments.


    Luna was beside herself with anxiety. Since Lanni overheard her conversation with Cheng Yu, she had been ignoring her calls.


    "You know, I''m tempted to kidnap and lock her up then only let her go after she listens to my explanation." Luna said to Cheng Yu.


    Cheng Yu shrugged like she didn''t want to be part of it. She had been ignored by Lanni as well. "You cannot force her to understand you. Just give it time."


    "Of course. Yes, J should give it time. That way, she will remember everything before she even knows why I didn''t want her to."


    "Don''t you think it''s her choice, though?" Cheng Yu asked, earning a stare of shock. She continued in a small voice, "I know you mean well, Luna. You don''t want her mental health to be affected. But don''t you think it should be her choice whether she wants to forget it or not?"


    To that, Luna said nothing and left for her room.


    Cheng Yu shrugged. If she didn''t know what Xia Luna really wanted, she would have misunderstood her.


    Xia Luna was so bad at expressing her intentions that one might easily dislike her.


    _


    Lanni and Xiehan left Han Xichen''s office after a long while.


    He was not busy today, so he used some time to catch up with Xiehan and get to know Lanni¡ªas a patient and his friend''s future wife, of course.


    By the time they left his office, they were hungry.


    Xiehan held her waist and suggested, "There''s a really nice restaurant a few meters away. Do you want¡­" he suddenly stopped.


    Lanni followed his gaze and found that he was looking at a tall girl with fiery red hair flowing all the way to her waist. She was holding a bag which Lanni assumed must contain medicine.


    When she saw Lanni and Xiehan, she flashed a bright smile at them and rushed to Lanni''s side.


    "Lanni, it''s been long since we last saw." She cheerfully hugged Lanni.


    Lanni was still surprised to see her. "Ruby?"


    "Are you surprised to see me?" She continued chatting on like she and Lanni were long-lost best friends.


    However, Lanni wasn''t in the slightest bit interested in catching up with so-called friends. She was already fed up after being betrayed by Cheng Yu and her own sister.


    She brushed Ruby off with a lukewarm greeting, but was surprised to realize that Ji Xie Han was still staring at her. She was a little surprised then she smiled.


    Ruby looked up at Xiehan for a while. As though thinking of something, she stuck a hand out for a handshake. "Mr. Ji."


    It was just that. A brief handshake. She didn''t act all cozy with Ji Xiehan like she had with Lanni. At least the girl had brains.


    "Why are you at the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?" Ruby asked Lanni.


    Seeing the genuine concern in the girl''s eyes, Lanni didn''t have the heart to ignore her question so she answered, "No. Just a check up."


    "Oh."


    "Are you unwell?" Ji Xiehan suddenly asked, startling both the girls.


    Ruby stared at Lanni for a few seconds then shook her head. "No. These are for my dad." She turned back to Lanni and seemed to force a smile despite being uncomfortable. "Lanni, I''ll see you later."


    When Ruby left, Ji Xiehan still seemed distracted and Lanni snapped a finger in front of his face. "Are you close to her?"


    Ji Xiehan snapped back to his senses. "No."


    "But you looked entranced." Lanni pointed out.


    "Did I?" Ji Xiehan teasingly grabbed her waist again. "I do know her. Ruby Chan, infamous thanks to her father. Anyway, I have never seen her so up close before. It was a little strange."


    "So strange that you were worried about her?" Lanni asked seriously. She was not trying to sound like a jealous, possessive girlfriend but it was hard to trust anyone lately. If her own sister could¡­ this had nothing to do with Luna, but what if Xiehan fell for Ruby''s good looks?"


    "Honey, I already told you. I would never like any other woman. I can only ever love you." Ji Xiehan said, understanding from her question just what she might be thinking.


    Lanni smiled and decided to trust him.


    Actually, Ji Xiehan was shocked too. Why would he suddenly be concerned about another woman, and that with his girlfriend right next to him?


    Not only that, he could also have sworn that his heart skipped a beat as soon as he saw Ruby smiling at them. Whatever this was, he could only hope that it was not the onset of trouble.


    "You mentioned a restaurant, let''s go." Lanni pulled him away.. She was famished.

 Chapter 211 - You Are Being Unreasonable

    Xiehan took Lanni to the restaurant he had suggested a while ago. Because they were both famished, they ordered immediately and started eating as soon as the meals arrived. It was only when they were eating dessert that Ji Xiehan found the chance to ask. "You have been so silent lately. Is something bothering you?"


    For the last few days, they had not met and only exchanged calls and text messages. Lanni didn''t sound alright, but he had been waiting for her to open up on her own. But seeing that she was still a little moody, he couldn''t help but ask.


    Lanni smiled briefly. "I''m¡­"


    She was going to say that she was alright but she knew that she wasn''t. Ji Xiehan would only be worried about her if she didn''t speak up so she did. "I realized why I couldn''t recover my memory before, even with hypnosis."


    "Why is that?" Ji Xiehan was curious.


    "It''s Xia Luna."


    Ji Xiehan was taken aback. Xia Luna? How was she even responsible?


    "I overheard her saying that she couldn''t let me recover my memory, right after telling her about the few things I had remembered."


    Lanni looked betrayed as she glanced at the shocked Xiehan. "Can you imagine how shocked I was? After trying my best and hoping to remember anything, I suddenly realize that my own sister is the reason why I couldn''t, and the person I thought of as a friend knew about it all along. Not only that, but now I''m also almost sure that she is also the one who made me lose my memory from the start."


    "I didn''t think she was capable of doing such a thing." Xiehan was shocked too. He didn''t think Luna could possibly hurt her own sister.


    "I didn''t think she could do it either. But that''s what I get for trusting her too much." Lanni laughed in self-mock. "Here I was thinking of ways to make mother get to know her better and clear whatever misunderstanding there is between them. Who knew that behind closed doors, she was busy scheming against me? I should never have trusted her."


    Xiehan took her hand and caressed it. "Don''t blame yourself my love. You didn''t know. But Lanni, I don''t know much about Luna but I do know¡­"


    "You know that she loves me and wouldn''t do anything to deliberately hurt me, and I shouldn''t jump into conclusions before listening to her explanation?" Lanni suddenly interrupted, catching him off guard.


    "Xiehan, there is nothing for her to explain. I know she is going to lie to me. Mom was right about her."


    Xiehan sighed and didn''t know what to say without sounding like he was taking sides. Besides, if he were to take sides, he should sound like he was siding with his girlfriend. So he changed the topic. "Did you remember anything just now?"


    "Yeah." Lanni''s attention was successfully diverted.


    "At least I can pin some pieces of the puzzle together. I was investigating something. I was just about to get the answer that I was looking for when my trainer destroyed all my leads and jeopardized my investigation. I was so angry that I confronted him." Lanni explained.


    "Actually, I don''t understand him at all. Sometimes, he is helpful to me. Like when I got on the big boss'' bad side, he stood up for me. He also saved my life on several instances. But at other times, he acts like he has been possessed by a devil. He will make my life hell and snap at me for making the slightest mistake."


    Ji Xiehan''s key word was, "A man?"


    Lanni understood that tone and found him cute. "Don''t worry. We kept a professional distance. At least I don''t remember anything that states otherwise."


    She knew that Xiehan might be scared that once she recovered her memory, she might find that she had been in love with someone else. That had crossed her thoughts too, but she no longer worried about it. No matter what her past came back with, she would only love Xiehan.


    Seeing that he had calmed down from the sudden rush of anxiety, she continued, "I still don''t know much about that organization but whatever it was, mother didn''t want me to be there. We had a fight because of it and she even thought that I was only there because I wanted to please my grandma."


    "Your grandma?" Xiehan was surprised. Lanni had a grandma?


    "Yes. I don''t remember much about her yet, but mom said she didn''t ever like me. Anyway, I wasn''t there because of anyone. I only wanted to help the nation."


    Xiehan had a bad feeling about this. Lanni had lost her memory as a young adult. What did a girl that young have to do with helping the nation? And from how she made it sound, she must have been a teenager.


    "So what were you? An investigation agent of some sort? You must have been so young for that." Xiehan inquired, surprised that he had even thought of that possibility.


    "I don''t know for sure. But whatever it was, it must have been nice. I was helping bring the truth to light and who knows, probably saving a few lives while at it."


    "It wasn''t anything nice." Xiehan stated, much to her shock. "Your mom was against it. Besides, your trainer didn''t even want you there. It must be because he didn''t want to risk your life."


    "So what? It''s my life." Lanni shrugged.


    "You''re being unreasonable." Xiehan admonished seriously.


    "Excuse me?" She was taken aback.


    "Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear, or what you need to hear? Because what you need to hear is that what you just said is selfish and unreasonable."


    Lanni remained silent and he continued. "Aunty Li loves you so much. She would die if anything happened to you. You are her only family, Lanni. Why are you only thinking of what you want and not what would become of her if what you want landed you in danger? Why can''t you think of the people who love you?"


    Lanni was taken aback by the sudden lecture, but every word he said was true. "Xiehan, this is just what I''m speculating. Don''t crucify me yet."


    Xiehan caressed her small hand over the table. "Lanni, I wouldn''t let you drag yourself into danger.


    Lanni placed her other hand on his with a smile and promised, "I will not do anything that will make you worried."


    Xiehan was satisfied by her declaration, so he paid the bill and they left the restaurant. In his car, he pondered whether to drop her home yet. A thought crossed his mind. Since he had already taken the day off, he might as well spend it with her.


    "Why don''t we go to my place? We can play a few games and catch a movie later."


    "Sure." Lanni agreed. She had nothing to do at home either.


    Xiehan drove to his mansion. There was no traffic since it was just early in the afternoon so they arrived quite fast. When the car came to a stop, he turned to Lanni and realized that she was gazing at him.


    He leaned over and kissed her on the cheeks. Seeing that she was still staring and seemed to be deep in thoughts, he kissed the corner of her lips.


    Lanni snapped back from whatever she was thinking about and hugged his neck, kissing his lower lip.


    "Honey, let''s get into the house first." He suggested, and she nodded. They got off the car fast, and he didn''t even lock it before grabbing her into a hug and pressing his lips against his.


    They entered the house, kissing all the way to his room. Luckily all the servants had disappeared to their rooms and whatever other places they could find as soon as they saw the two of them hugging and kissing.


    Xiehan unlocked the door using one hand as the other hand hugged her against his body. He pushed the door open and carried her in, pressing her against the door as soon as it closed. Kissed landed from her lips to her neck as he impatiently tugged at her clothes and started taking them off.


    Lanni hadn''t known it but she had so badly missed the feel of his touch. The anticipation was mutual. She yanked his tie off and literally ripped his shirt open, sending buttons flying across the room. They took their clothes off at a remarkable speed.


    "I want you." she mumbled against his now bare chest. She pushed him backwards until he reached the bed and when he did, she pushed him down on it. He obediently let her push him onto the bed and gasped as she came on top of him.


    Her lips crashed down on his in an impatient kiss. She hugged her tightly and deepened the kiss.


    "I missed you." She lifted her body slightly and glanced down below, at the bulge that had already formed on his crotch.. "Both of you."

 Chapter 212 - We Missed You Too

    "We missed you too." Xiehan hugged her and pulled her against his body, kissing her neck. He held the sides of her thong and slid it down her waist.


    He flipped her under him as he took off his boxer briefs. "How do you want it, slow or fast?"


    "Fast¡­.ah!" A moan escaped her lips as he slammed into her.


    ___


    Later.


    Lanni rested her head against Xiehan''s chest as he caressed her hair down her back.


    "Honey, are you planning to go for hypnosis again?" Xiehan asked as he stroked her waist.


    "Yeah." She replied. "I think I''m ready to remember everything now."


    Xiehan thought it was the best decision. Postponing it wouldn''t do much to actually help.


    Lanni''s phone rang. She frowned when she saw who the caller was. Those two just wouldn''t give up, would they?


    ...


    Earlier


    Golden WIng apartments.


    Nothing was going well for Luna.


    After Lanni overheard her conversation with Cheng Yu, she had ignored her calls. She had even tried to send several messages to explain but Lanni blocked her. She thought of hacking into Lanni''s phone or laptop and leaving a message but chances were that it would only make Lanni angrier. Hence she could only give up for now.


    But that was just the beginning of her troubles. She had been following a lead that would help her expose Li Xiyan. After Li Xiyan started suspecting that she might be alive, Xia Luna had stopped trying to investigate on her own, in fear that someone might manage to track her down. Hence she had secretly hired a private investigator and given him all the information she had managed to gather.


    Two days ago, he had told her that he had managed to find evidence that could prove Li Xiyan guilty. If Li Xiyan was proven guilty, it could possibly prove that she had been in danger. However, this morning, she had received dreadful news. The investigator was actually found dead in his home.


    Luna clenched her fists, trying to stop herself from going insane. "Why does this have to happen now?" she slammed her laptop shut.


    All her months of hard work had suddenly gone down the drain. She clenched her lips. What now? Why did everything have to go wrong at such a time?


    ¡­


    When Cheng Yu came back home, Xia Luna was sitting on the floor. She went to her worriedly. "Are you alright? What happened?"


    Xia Luna''s shoulders lifted into an indifferent shrug. "I guess I was never going to get the stain off my name in this lifetime."


    "What happened?" Cheng Yu was aware that Luna had talked to a private detective. "That man couldn''t have been hired by Li Xiyan and betrayed you, right?"


    "I wish it was just that." Luna breathed. "I wish she had just hired him to betray me. But no, she didn''t. He is dead."


    "What¡­" Cheng Yu muttered, sitting on the floor next to her. "How could that be? Why at such an important time?"


    "That''s the point, Xiao Yu. It''s because it is such an important time."


    The insinuation in Luna''s voice couldn''t be any more obvious. Cheng Yu cautiously questioned, "Are you suspecting that Li Xiyan killed him?"


    "Who else could? The police think his wife did it and have arrested her. But I don''t think so. I''m so confused."


    Cheng Yu patted her back. "It''s okay, relax. Everything will fall into place."


    Xia Luna suddenly shot to her feet. "You''re right."


    Cheng Yu looked up at her and was happy that Xia Luna didn''t usually stay distressed for too long. "See?"


    However, her joy didn''t last long. Xia Luna grabbed her laptop and stuffed it into a bag, then swiftly changed into her male disguise.


    "Where are you going?" Cheng Yu was startled and worried when she saw Luna swiftly changing.


    Luna grabbed the bag and briefly explained. "everything will fall into place, but not on its own. It''s up to me now."


    "Luna, where are you going?" Cheng Yu called after her, but Luna didn''t answer her and went on her way. "Sigh, they''re both so stubborn."


    ¡­


    Luna had the cab stop far from her actual destination. She discreetly looked around to make sure she was not being followed and took out a pair of gloves. In the distance was Detective Paul''s house. She went to a bench on another street and took out her laptop.


    For convenience, he had told her his address so they wouldn''t have to talk on phone. She had been to his house once so she remembered it well. However, she couldn''t break down the door to a crime scene. That would make it obvious that someone had been to the house and would pose trouble.


    She used her laptop to check for any surveillance cameras that could capture anything at his house.


    She found one and checked its feed. In once, she saw Detective Paul''s wife picking a stone in the front yard and when she lifted it, it turned out to be stuck onto a bottle buried into the ground. She opened the bottle and took out a key. Luna sighed in relief. She wouldn''t need to pick the lock anymore. After obtaining this information, she copied a random feed and made the security camera stop functioning for five minutes.


    When everything was ready, she went to the spot she had seen Mrs. Paul pick a stone from the feed and checked. After finding the right stone, she took the key and opened the door. Once she was done, she took off her shoes and snuck into the house. She already had gloves on so she didn''t have to worry about leaving her fingerprints anywhere, and taken off her shoes to avoid leaving any shoe prints. She knew that she was being too cautious but it was better than getting caught.


    She looked at the staircase and went up after thinking about it. detective Paul only lived with his wife, so there was no one else in the house after the husband died and the wife got arrested. She had four minutes left. She would have bought herself more time but if the surveillance camera was altered for too long, it would be suspicious.


    After looking through the rooms on the first floor, she found the study. "I hope he left something here." She mumbled to herself.


    He probably wouldn''t leave anything on the bookshelves as a precaution. especially since he was a married man and wasn''t the only one living in his house. Who knew, someone might try to bribe his wife to steal something. After looking around, she saw a safe. She was about to think about how to crack the code when she realized that she must be crazy. The man was killed. If it was really related to the case, the murderer would be dumb if they didn''t steal whatever information there was before killing him.


    She clenched her fists, realizing that she was at a dead end. She breathed out a sigh and left the house as sneakily as she had entered. Grabbing her bag from where she had left it, she glanced at the time. She had two minutes left. But there was nothing she could do. There was no point.


    Just as she was about to leave, she looked at the window that was supposed to be the master bedroom''s. A thought crossed her mind. What if the murderer just wanted the information, but he refused to hand it over so they killed him? He could have hidden it somewhere.


    "No way. I shouldn''t give up before checking every nook and cranny." She muttered in a whisper, determination flashing in her eyes. This was a matter of her life. She didn''t mean to be selfish but there was no way she could agree to pay for something she did not do. Well, it was something she did, but she didn''t have a choice. It was self-defense and the real murderer was still strutting around freely.


    Besides, her father might wake up soon and the last thing she wanted to be was for him to have another heart attack because she had been arrested. Not to mention, proving Li Xiyan guilty might also prove that she had a reason to want to murder Detective Paul. it might help prove Mrs. Paul''s innocence. Decisively, she altered the feed again to buy herself two more minutes and snuck back into the house. This time, she didn''t waste any time before dashing into the master bedroom and checking.


    Just when she was about to give up, she saw a small perfume bottle on the desk. It was a familiar bottle and she knew that it wasn''t a perfume. It was a USB drive in the guise of a perfume. a rush of hope filled her heart as she kept it in her pocket.


    But at that moment, a voice filled the house.


    "The house is surrounded. Raise your hands in the air and come out."


    Xia Luna froze.. Damn it.

 Chapter 213 - That Was Close

    Xia Luna took a careful peek outside. There were indeed about fifteen armed police officers outside. She had been found out¡­


    She was about to follow the order and go out when she frowned as a thought crossed her mind. All those police officers against one intruder? Not to mention that she was just a young woman and young women were usually underestimated. Wasn''t this too exaggerated?  Perhaps there was someone else in the house and she didn''t know about it?


    She heard the announcement again and knew that the police would flood into the house any second now. If she were caught, it wouldn''t matter whether she was the one they wanted or not. She would still be arrested nonetheless.


    The police were looking up every window so her fastest exit, the master bedroom''s window, was inaccessible. She didn''t need to check to know that there must be one under the bathroom window as well. Besides, her time was already up. Even if she managed to distract the police and leave through the door, she might be captured by the surveillance camera she had tempered with. That would still help the police discover her.  If only she had carried her laptop in here! But she had left it hidden together with her shoes for ease of movement.


    "Get in. Search every nook and cranny of every room! And be careful, she might be dangerous." Luna heard one of the officers bellow orders.


    Without a doubt, she was the one being looked for. ''What to do? Think, think think.'' She thought as she looked for a place to hide. Fighting an unknown number of policemen was definitely not an option when she couldn''t even beat Jiang Xingyu in their childish fights. Gah! Why did she have to think of him at such a dangerous moment? Her life was on the line now!


    She scanned the wall, windows and roofs. How could a detective not have any place to hide in his home? Shouldn''t he have a secret passage at the very least? But no, he had none. And the police were coming upstairs. She could hear their heavy, rushed footsteps against the floor as they made their way into every room. They seemed to split ways, and she saw the knob of the door to the master bedroom twist.


    Luna dashed into the closet and closed its door carefully just as the door opened. She knew it was an absolutely dumb move but she couldn''t give up without trying at least. She stilled her body and stopped breathing when she felt someone near the closet. The person moved away and she heard them go to the curtain and search for her behind it. She hit her lips to stop a laugh from escaping her mouth. What did he take her for, a child playing hide-and-seek?


    "She''s not here." He announced after a while. She felt his footsteps retreat away, followed by their conversation.


    "Not here either." Another said a distance away.


    "Not in the kitchen either."


    "Did you search properly?" The stern-sounding officer bellowed again.


    "We searched all the crevices." They answered.


    "I see. She might have escaped. Hurry!"


    Then she heard their footsteps retreat as fast as they came. She breathed a sigh of relief when everything stilled down once more. That was awfully close.


    It was too dark in the closet and she couldn''t see the time on her watch. She had left her phone too, in case someone called, so she could only count the minutes in her heart. After giving it a long time and making sure that they were really gone, she pushed the door open slightly and peeked outside. Everything was clear now. Her time was over and she definitely couldn''t use the door now. But on the bright side, she had managed to escape being caught.


    She pushed the door further open but just as she did, she stopped in her tracks.


    "We caught her." One of the officers smiled. They were all standing near the window.


    He walked over and  dangled a pair of handcuffs in front of her. "I knew she was still in here. Xia Luna, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in the court of law."


    Xia Luna felt defeated as the cold handcuffs connected with her wrists. Had she been so anxious that she didn''t consider the possibility of being tricked?


    "Boss, isn''t this a man?" Another police officer pointed out as he looked Xia Luna up and down.


    "Shut up. What do you know? She has been disguising as a man all along and today, I''m lucky because we were informed that she might cross-dress." The man responded, looking like he wanted to murder Xia Luna right away. "She''s quite the naughty girl. She even took off her shoes and wore gloves. Habitual criminal, huh?"


    Xia Luna wa currently wondering who the heck told them about them crossdressing. No one had ever found out. She wordlessly let them lead her to their car that was waiting some distance away. The siren was off. No wonder she didn''t hear anything until they were outside the building. Just how much attention were they giving her? She was not a serial killer, hey!


    She was still rambling mentally when she saw something¡ªsomeone that made her heart skip a beat. Lanni¡­ what was she doing here? She was actually speaking to one of the police officers.


    Xia Luna''s lips curled slightly. So it was her. No wonder the police would know that she would be in male clothes. Aside from the Jiangs and Cheng Yu, Lanni was the only one who knww about her male disguise. So she had ratted her out¡­ she should have thought so.


    What was this, revenge? If that was the case then she had nothing to say, right? So much for being sisters.


    Xia Luna took a long glance and Lanni and met her gaze, mouthing the words "good job".

 Chapter 214 - Cuffed

    Lanni looked at Luna in confusion. What was she thanking her for? She hadn''t managed to be of any help, right? And, why would anyone look so solemn while thanking another?


    ¡­


    One hour ago.


    Lanni ignored her phone and continued hugging Xiehan. But just when it stopped ringing, it started ringing again. The caller was incessant.


    "Honey, it might be important. You should answer it." Xiehan suggested.


    "It''s Cheng Yu." Lanni looked disgusted just uttering that name. "Why would I speak to a traitor?"


    Xiehan reached for her phone and held it close to her. "She already knows that you are mad at her. If it wasn''t an emergency, I don''t think she would have to call you."


    Lanni thought about how Cheng Yu wasn''t in good terms with her family. Perhaps something happened to her and she had no one else to call? If something happened to anyone, she would feel bad if she didn''t help them even if that person was her sworn enemy. Hence she hesitantly picked the call.


    "Lanni, I''m so sorry to bother you but¡­"


    "Go straight to the point." Lanni dismissed.


    Cheng Yu had not expected Lanni to pick her call so she was inarticulate for a while and only spoke later. "Luna went to the detective''s house. If the police catch her there then¡­"


    The word police startled Lanni and she sat up. "What detective and why is the police involved? Can you be a little more clear?"


    Cheng Yu took and deep breath and slowed down. "The detective who was helping her find the evidence to clear her name. He was found dead in his home early this morning."


    "And?"


    "Luna is going to his house now. That''s a crime scene."


    Lanni was startled for a while then she snickered. "Cheng Yu, if this is your way of making me worry about that traitor, sorry, it didn''t work."


    "What? Traitor?" Cheng Yu was shocked someone would call their sister that. "That''s not important. Lanni, I''m telling you the truth. I swear it."


    "And so what if she''s going to a crime scene? I cannot stop her." Lanni shrugged even though Cheng Yu couldn''t see her.


    "You can stop her, Lanni. She can only listen to you." Cheng Yu hung up immediately after saying this.


    Lanni scrunched up her brows. When did she agree? She was about to call Cheng Yu and tell her that it was none of her business but the latter sent a text message with the detective''s name and address then switched off her phone.


    "A detective whose address is so easily accessible?" Lanni raised her eyebrows.


    "What happened? Is it an emergency?" Xiehan asked from beside her.


    Only then did Lanni snap out of her thoughts. "Luna!"


    Xiehan was yet to ask what had happened to Luna when Lanni dressed up at record speed.


    He dressed up just as fast and grabbed his car keys, rushing out of the house after her. "Where are you going? I''ll drive you there."


    Lanni gave him the address and grabbed her phone back as soon as he copied it. She dialled Luna''s number  hurriedly. However, the call didn''t go through.


    "She''s crazy." Lanni cursed and stopped calling. She might have switched her phone off. "We can only hope to reach there before she does and stop her from going in."


    Xiehan stepped on the accelerator and sped away. "Then we better do that fast."


    Just a few minutes later, they were almost there. Lanni recalled something and turned to Xiehan. "Hold on. Stop here."


    "Huh?" Xiehan turned to ask.


    "We shouldn''t get too close to a crime scene either."


    Xiehan thought she was being too cautious but he pulled up some distance away anyway. Lanni literally jumped off the car as soon as it stopped.


    "Are you crazy? That was dangerous." He admonished, but she had run off. Stubborn girl¡­ he would give her a good scolding later.


    He wanted to follow her but changed his mind after thinking about it. It would be best for the twins to solve their own matter privately. He followed her from a distance, just in case she happened to need him.


    ¡­


    Lanni confirmed the address on her phone and walked towards it. This was insane. What if she was the one being caught in the crime scene instead? She was about to turn back but the thought of her sister getting herself into unnecessary trouble made her heart uneasy with worry. She took a deep breath and went on. She was already here anyway.


    She took out her phone and checked through the online map. Luckily, there was only one path Luna could possibly follow even if she wanted to sneak into that house. She couldn''t miss her. Lanni snuck into the compound. She would hide somewhere and drag Luna away as soon as the latter appeared and give her a piece of her mind.


    But just as she got a clear look at the compound, she saw a group of policemen surrounding the house.


    She shut her eyes and opened them again. What was she seeing?


    Did this mean¡­ that Luna had been caught? Qas she too late already? This couldn''t be¡­


    "Who is that girl?" One of the policemen noticed her and asked.


    Lanni cursed under her breath. She wouldn''t be in trouble, right? She forced a smile and walked up to the policeman.


    "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" He looked wary as he scanned her.


    "Hello officer, my name is Li Lanni."


    "Show me your ID." He narrowed his gaze.


    Lanni uncomfortably took out her national ID and showed it to him. He didn''t look totally convinced, but his colleague mumbled something about the suspect being caught. He no longer questioned Lanni''s identity, and she was curious. Was the suspect Luna? Or else why was he so wary of her before the suspect got caught?


    "Why are you here? Don''t you know that you should not enter a crime scene?" He interrupted her thoughts.


    "I''m sorry. I came to say hello to Mrs. Paul and was surprised to see the ''crime scene'' tapes so I came closer to have a look.


    "Leave." He said sternly.


    "Yes."


    Lanni snuck a look before leaving¡­ and that was when she saw her sister being led out of the house in handcuffs....

 Chapter 215 - I Was Wrong About Her

    She had already expected it, but when she saw Luna being led out like a criminal, her heart sank. She was too late. Luna''s gaze confused her. Why did she look like they were arch enemies?


    She so badly wanted to rush over and stop the policemen from taking her away. However, her business here was supposed to be paying Mrs. Paul a visit. She had even pretended not to know that Mrs. Paul had been arrested for the murder of her husband.


    It was already suspicious enough that while one twin was caught intruding the crime scene, the other had arrived in the name of visiting the hosts. If she went to Luna now, the police would suspect that they were together.


    One fugitive was better than two, so Lanni pretended not to know Luna. She looked back at the police officer and curiously asked, "Sir, why is this a crime scene now? Is Mrs. Paul home?"


    "Little girl, mind your own business and get lost." The officer bellowed, and Lanni retreated.


    "Yes, excuse me."


    ¡­


    She rushed back to the spot where Xie Han''s car was parked, panting.


    "Did you stop her?" He asked as he started the car to leave immediately.


    "No. The police got there first." Lanni chocked.


    "No way." Xiehan turned to glance at her.


    "They arrested her."


    Xiehan held the steering wheel with one hand as the other landed on her knee as a gesture of comfort. "It will be alright."


    "Yeah¡­" Lanni bit her lip. She was so useless that she was unable to stop her sister from getting herself into trouble. What was wrong with Xia Luna? Did she take herself for a superhero of sorts? Did she think she could really escape the police every time? And why the heck did she even care?


    "Are you worried about her?" Xiehan looked at her and asked.


    "Why the hell would I be worried about the woman who betrayed me?"


    Xiehan chuckled. "You''re so cute when you say things you don''t mean. It''s okay. I know you''re worried about her and it''s a good thing. It doesn''t make you weak."


    To avoid pissing her off, he stopped teasing her when he knew he should. He took out his phone at a red light. "I''ll tell Xingyu about this."


    "Why do you have to tell him?"


    "She is his girlfriend¡ªor at least that''s what he believes. So he has to know such an important thing. He might find a way to deal with this matter."


    Lanni pursed her lips and said nothing. Jiang Xingyu did have a right to know and be involved in this. But why was it making her feel so useless?


    ¡­


    Lanni couldn''t think straight. She still wanted to deny it, but she was worried about Luna. She couldn''t let her stay in police custody. Even she was surprised that there were so many policemen at the scene just to catch an intruder. Why was that so¡­ unbelievable? It was as though they had been specifically ordered to do in large numbers and get a dangerous criminal.


    Lanni''s heart sank when she thought of a possibility. If they hadn''t yet, they were going to discover Luna''s true identity soon. What would they do to her then?


    No way. She couldn''t let her sister be tortured in police custody.


    That evening, Lanni couldn''t take a bite of anything no matter how hard she tried to eat. She unknowingly played with her cutlery as she stared into the air, deep in thought.


    "What''s happening with you? You haven''t eaten grain of rice all evening. What are you even thinking about?" Li Yuming was worried. Lanni was in a bad mood again? What was up with her ever-changing mood?


    Lanni placed her fork onto the plate and passively spoke, "have you ever been worried about someone that betrayed you?"


    Li Yuming raised an eyebrow to inquire. "Who betrayed you, and why would you worry about them?"


    "She deceived me. She betrayed my trust . But now that she has been arrested, I can''t stop myself from worrying about what may happen to her. Am I being silly?"


    Even though she had not mentioned any name, Li Yuming automatically thought of Xia Luna. Was Lanni talking about her?


    Li Yuming didn''t say a word of it, but when she slotted the pieces together and believed that Xia Luna must have been arrested by the police, her heart clenched with worry. Why was she even worried?


    She let out a shallow sigh. She was Xia Luna''s biological mother. No matter how much she hated Xia Luna, she would still be worried if something were to happen to her. It was just that, nothing much.


    "How did she betray you?" She asked to stop herself from worrying any further.


    Lanni harrumphed and stabbed a piece of pineapple, shoving it into her mouth. She chewed and swallowed as she found the right words to phrase it. In the end, she just blurted it plainly. "I don''t know what she did but it''s because of her that I couldn''t recover my memory before. She might have done something¡­ I''m guessing maybe she switched my meds. That''s the only possible way I can think of."


    "She did what?" Li Yuming was taken aback.


    "Ridiculous, right? Yet here I was trusting her like the fool she had taken me for." Lanni placed the fork onto the plate and moved to hug Li Yuming''s arm. "I should have listened to you, mom. You were right about her. She does have ill motives."


    "Uh¡­" Li Yuming was confused.


    Xia Luna didn''t want Lanni to recover her memory? That was¡­


    She reached to caress her daughter''s head as a form of comfort but her face scrunched into a frown. ''No, Lanni. You were not wrong about her. I was.'' She thought.


    For the first time she could ever imagine, she was of the same opinion as the girl she thought of as a trickster despite her young age.. Because if anyone were to ask her, one of the things she dreaded most was for Lanni to recover her memory.

 Chapter 216 - Im Innocent

    The next morning, in the interrogation room.


    "I already told you. I have nothing to do with Detective Paul''s death." Xia Luna insisted for the umpteenth time.


    "All the evidence is pointed towards you." The policeman snarled.


    "What evidence?" Xia Luna was irritated.


    "You are the only outsider that appeared in his house within the last forty-eight hours and no one saw you enter or leave. What business do you have sneaking into people''s houses?"


    "I already said I will not answer that without a lawyer." Xia Luna licked her chapped lips.


    "You are a wanted criminal, you were caught in another crime scene and you still insist on finding a lawyer? What do you think this is, a joke?"


    Xia Luna saved her breath. This man had been trying to rile her up ever since she got arrested. Was he trying to make her lose control and fight so he would have an excuse to physically assault her?


    The more she stayed here, the more she felt like it didn''t make sense. Even if Lanni were to hand her over to the police, she wouldn''t be so evil as to pay them to harass her. There must be someone else involved here. But who could that be?


    "The truth is clear to everyone, but you still refuse to admit to your crime?" He gritted his teeth.


    Luna bit her lip and pretended not to hear his provocation. She was being accused of two crimes, neither of which she was guilty of. And now she wasn''t even being allowed to get a lawyer? What happened to her rights?


    "She hasn''t confessed to her crimes yet?" A policewoman entered the interrogation room to ask.


    "Nothing." The man shook his head in response.


    The woman walked over to the chair opposite Xia Luna''s and patted the man''s shoulder. "I''ll have a word with her."


    The man retreated, reluctantly letting his colleague take the seat. Perhaps she would be able to talk some sense into her, being both women.


    As soon as it was just the two of them, the policewoman went straight to the point. "When did you go to Detective Paul''s house?"


    For some reason, Luna felt a little safer with this woman. She looked genuine, or maybe it was just that she was tired of this push and pull and was resigning to her fate. She sighed and told the truth. "Yesterday in the afternoon."


    "Where were you yesterday in the morning and on the night before?" The interrogation continued.


    "In my apartment." And she was. Cheng Yu could testify that since they lived together but they wouldn''t even let her contact anyone.


    The woman asked a few more questions and stood up, still in thought. "Do you know why you are here?"


    "Because you think I had something to do with his death?" Luna shrugged. Wasn''t that what they had been saying since the day before?


    "No." The woman said sternly. "We don''t just think that you have something to do with his death. All the current evidence is pointed towards you."


    "What?" Luna shook her head in protest. The policeman from earlier had said this too, but she thought he was only trying to make her lose her temper. "But how? You said he died yesterday at 5am. I was still sleeping in my house at that time. I could only at most be charged with trespassing."


    She turned to look at Xia Luna. "You are wanted for escaping criminal charges a year ago. You are so mysterious that there is almost no information about you. There is no trace of you in that house even though you were caught there. Which means you can commit a crime and leave no trail. And two days ago, Paul said that he would stop helping you because he found you guilty from his investigation. This information alone proves that if Paul was in danger from anyone, it would be you."


    "What do you mean?" Luna was confused. "Two days ago, he told me that he had found the truth to prove my innocence. He was going to help me submit it to the court. Why would he also tell me that he found me guilty?"


    "Someone overheard your conversation with him."


    "Who?"


    "His wife."


    Luna laughed in self-ridicule. So that was why they were so sure. And to think that she had wanted to help that woman prove her innocence. She couldn''t entirely blame Mrs. Paul, though. If her husband was dead and she was being blamed for his death, she might also lie to get herself out of trouble.


    "But mere words cannot be used as evidence to declare someone guilty."


    "But if you cannot prove your innocence, you will be deemed guilty."


    Luna massaged her temples with a sigh. "What if I can prove that I was at my apartment two nights ago?"


    "You should have done so already. What are you waiting for?" The woman shrugged.


    "I need to speak to my friend." She announced.


    "I see." The policewoman left the interrogation room after obtaining Cheng Yu''s details and contact information from Xia Luna. She came back a few minutes later. "Unfortunately, we couldn''t reach your friend. However, there is a young woman here to see you. She claims to be your sister."


    Xia Luna was about to roll her eyes and refuse to see Lanni but thinking that she might have misunderstood her, she followed the policewoman out. She stood a short distance away as Luna went over to Lanni.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked as she sat down.


    "How are you? You look pale." Lanni fussed.


    "Are you worried about me?" Luna laughed.


    "Of course I''m worried." Lanni glanced at the policewoman at the side and swallowed the scolding she was going to give Xia Luna for sneaking into a crime scene. "I got a lawyer. He should be here any time now."


    "You did?" Xia Luna was now more convinced that Lanni wasn''t the one who called the police on her. If Lanni wasn''t behind her arrest, then who was?

 Chapter 217 - Unexpected

    Luna took a peek and saw that the policewoman had moved a few feet away from them, probably to give them a little more privacy. She smiled at her gratefully but still didn''t lower her guard. It must be a trap so she would say something that might incriminate her, thinking it was safe.


    She looked back at Lanni. "I''m sorry Lanni."


    Lanni forced a smile and thought back at the matter at hand. "I don''t think it''s the right time to talk about that. You can explain once you get out of here."


    That meant she had a chance to explain. Luna smiled in gratitude. "Thank you."


    Lanni looked at the entrance. "Oh! The lawyer is here already." She stood up to greet him. "Mr. Wang, this is my sister. I guess they should give you more time to¡­"


    "I''m not here to talk to your sister." Mr. Wang suddenly told Lanni spitefully.


    "But why? Aren''t you her lawyer now?" Lanni was shocked.


    "I''m only here because I couldn''t get through to you and I had to come all the way here just to tell you that I no longer want to take this case. Now if you will excuse me." He went on his way as soon as he finished uttering the disappointing words.


    Lanni remained rooted on the spot and blinked. What was going on? "Luna¡­"


    "I understand, Lanni. At least you tried." Luna was not mad at her. It was not her fault that the lawyer bailed out on them. Besides, it was already surprising enough that Lanni would even hire a lawyer for her despite being mad at her. Time was already up, so Luna had to leave and Lanni had to go back home.


    ¡ª


    Li Yuming told no one but she was on pins on needles. She knew that Lanni had gone to find a lawyer for Luna. She also knew that Luna would be taken to court soon. Even so, she could only wait at home and hear the news from Lanni.


    "For how long will you continue to be a coward, Li Yuming?" She scolded herself. She knew it deep down that she was worried about Luna. It was a maternal reaction, and she couldn''t deny it. Why couldn''t she just go and check on Luna herself?


    She was still pondering when Lanni returned, looking dejected.


    "What happened?" She rushed to Lanni to ask.


    If this was any other time, Lanni would tease her with, "I thought you hated her? Why do you look so worried now?"


    But in this situation, it was complicated for her too. "The lawyer suddenly refused to take this case."


    "What?" Li Yuming raised a hand over her mouth.


    Lanni tossed her bag onto the couch. "I know I said I hate her for betraying me but¡­ I can''t stand the thought of her suffering in jail. I wish I could take her place."


    She expected Li Yuming to scold her, but what the latter said surprised her instead. "I can''t believe I''m saying this but I wish I could take her place too."


    Lanni looked up at her mother in surprise. Li Yuming tried to find an excise but she found none so she smiled. "You know Lanni, she''s my daughter too. No matter what happened between me and her, I''m still her mother. I would still feel hurt if I saw something happen to her."


    "Mom¡­" Lanni threw herself into Li Yuming''s arms. "I knew you still loved Luna. I can''t believe I''m saying this either but¡­ I''m going to find another lawyer."


    "I can''t believe I''m saying this but I''ll help you find the best lawyer." Li Yuming caressed Lanni''s hair.


    Lanni blinked away a drop of tears. She couldn''t believe she was thinking this way but at least something good came out of this predicament. Li Yuming finally accepted her feelings towards her other daughter.


    "Mom, how about you pay her a visit while at it? I''m sure she would be excited to see you." Lanni tried pushing her luck, still not believing she was doing this for someone she was angry with.


    "Instead of paying her a visit, why don''t we try to bail her out? You said she was only a suspect." Li Yuming suggested.


    "Yeah¡­" Lanni felt her head hurt. "I thought she was just a suspect because she was caught in the crime scene. Only later did I realize that there was incriminating evidence against her."


    "How can that be?" Li Yuming''s heart sank too.


    "I don''t know if they can release her on bail." Lanni worried.


    "We will not know unless we try." Li Yuming sounded determined.


    "You''re right mom. So should we try now?"


    "What are we waiting for?" Li Yuming grabbed her phone and her purse. On their way, she made a few phone calls to find a lawyer.


    When she was done, Lanni finally found the chance to ask. "Why did you hate her so much anyway?"


    Now that Lanni asked, Li Yuming found that her reason wasn''t so concrete  perhaps because she now knew that Luna might not actually mean harm. "Just a few days after you left the hospital months ago, she snuck into our house. I know she didn''t know that I saw her. But I knew that wasn''t you. I don''t know what she was doing in your room but it couldn''t be anything good. You don''t know how frightened I was."


    Lanni didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "Just that?"


    Li Yuming rubbed her hair. "That''s just the trigger. The rest is a story for another day."


    _


    Soon they arrived at the police station. They hadn''t expected it, but Luna was released on bail. The only condition was that she could not leave the city.  The process was fast too. It wasn''t long before they saw her walking out.


    "Lanni, you bailed me out?" She was emotional, then she froze once she saw Li Yuming. Her hands involuntarily balled into fists as she retreated half a step.


    Li Yuming''s lips quivered. Guilt and shame filled her heart as she hesitantly reached out for her, calling out the name she had not called in two decades. "Luna¡­"


    Xia Luna''s eyes shot open and she stopped retreating. She tilted her head to look at Lanni, wordlessly asking what in the world was going on.


    Lanni chuckled in response and took Li Yuming''s arm.. "Mom, you''re frightening Luna. How about we talk in the car?"

 Chapter 218 - A Couple Having A Scuffle

    "Right." Li Yuming realized that her sudden actions were indeed scary. She went towards the car with Lanni and the shocked Luna.


    "I''ll sit in the shotgun. You and Luna sit in the back." Lanni quickly told Li Yuming and entered the car before they could react to her words.


    Li Yuming didn''t mind but Luna was still puzzled stiff. What in the world was going on? Didn''t Li Yuming hate her? Why did she call her so sweetly earlier? Why was she agreeing to let her into her car and even sitting together? She looked in Lanni''s direction in askance but Lanni wasn''t even looking at her, so she silently but nervously entered the car.


    The ride was quiet and as awkward as could be, with Luna keeping as much distance as the backseat could allow.


    Lanni saw this and shook her head. These two made it feel like they were a couple having a scuffle. She turned and flashed Luna a smile. "Mom was so worried about you earlier. She didn''t sleep a wink."


    ???She was?" Luna raised a brow.


    "I was?" Li Yuming was surprised too.


    "Or else, how do you explain your dark circles?" Lanni mercilessly exposed her mother.


    Luna couldn''t look help but peek at Li Yuming. She was really worried? Li Yuming scanned Luna with her eyes and nervously smiled. She couldn''t just start telling her that she had missed her out of nowhere, right? That would be too weird.


    Lanni was helpless so she asked her mother, "Did you successfully get a lawyer?"


    Li Yuming remembered that she had called one earlier. "Yeah. But he is busy with another client at the moment and can only meet me in two days. I know it''s a long time but this is the best lawyer I have ever heard of so I''m willing to wait.


    Lanni smiled in satisfaction while Luna was even more shocked. Li Yuming was willing to spend so much time and effort to get the best lawyer she knew for Luna?


    While it shocked Luna, Lanni was now totally convinced that Li Yuming was willing to accept her other daughter and perhaps even become close to her.


    But even after that short conversation, silence prevailed once again and the mother-daughter pair kept stealing awkward glances at each other.


    Lanni helplessly shook her head. Soon, they arrived at Goldenwing Apartments. Lanni pondered for a moment before pointing something out. "Now that this case has blown up, many people know about you, Luna. Will you really be safe if you stay here?"


    "There''s nothing to worry about." Luna hurriedly dismissed.


    "Why wouldn''t she be safe?" Li Yuming was worried.


    Luna shot a glare at Lanni, who pretended not to see it and explained to Li Yuming. "Li Xiyan is after Luna''s life. Actually, she has been at Luna''s neck for more than a year now. Even Luna''s previous crime is her fault. Luna was only defending herself."


    "How dare she?! That woman wrecked my family. Now she dares to bully my daughter?" Li Yuming clenched her fists. "I shouldn''t have left before getting rid of her. Anyway, if it isn''t safe, Luna cannot live on her own." Before she could stop herself, she suggested, "She can stay with us for the time being."


    "That''s a good idea." Lanni did not give her sister the time to reject the offer. "Luna, go up and gather a few necessities¡­ uhm, never mind. We can buy some on the way."


    "I didn''t say I was going¡­" Luna finally found her voice and regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. Would her mother be disappointed and hate her again? It had taken so long before Li Yuming finally warmed up to her¡­ but thinking of Cheng Yu, she still couldn''t go with Lanni and her mother.


    "What about Xiao Yu? I cannot let her be on her own. What if someone tries to harm her while I''m away?" she quickly explained.


    "She can come too. Wouldn''t that be awesome?" Lanni chirped.


    "Xiao Yu¡­ Cheng Yu?" Li Yuming inquired and was surprised when Lanni nodded. Cheng Yu and Xia Luna knew each other and from what they were saying, they even lived together?


    But now that she was more welcoming of Xia Luna and was even willing to get to know her better, she did not mind. Besides, Cheng Yu had the right to be friends with whoever she wanted.


    ¡­


    Luna went up to her apartment to grab her laptop and ask Cheng Yu to go with her while at it. It was not that she was scared of living on her own. She had been constantly in danger for the past one year and she was able to take care of herself after all. It was just that she couldn''t bring herself to turn down the offer she had always wished for.


    Although she didn''t know why Li Yuming was suddenly trying to get close to her after the fight they had the last time they met, she didn''t mind it in the least bit. If anything, she was overjoyed. This was good news. It wouldn''t be too long before their family finally reunited.


    Luna entered the house cheerfully. "Xiao Yu."


    There was no answer, so she went to Cheng Yu''s room. "Xiao¡­"


    She swallowed her words when she found that Cheng Yu was not in her room. Xia Luna could have assumed that she was in Star Art International if Cheng Yu''s things were not missing. There was nothing on the table. Her easel was gone too. All her shoes were missing as well.


    Luna had a bad feeling as she opened the closet. That, too, was empty. She stared at the cloth hangers in shock. Cheng Yu left and didn''t tell her about it? This was so unlike her.


    Even so, she didn''t jump into conclusions and took her phone to call her instead.


    "Sorry, the subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unreachable. Please try again later.." Came the automated response.

 Chapter 219 - Theyre At It Again

    Three days later.


    Li Yuming cooked lunch for both of her daughters like she had been doing for the past three days. She gladly set the table and called them down to eat. Her heart was filled with the kind of fulfillment that she had never felt before. Perhaps this was what she was really missing before ¨C her other daughter.


    Within the short time she had spent with Luna, she had learned that some of the things she had initially thought of Luna were wrong. Although Luna was indeed a little introverted, she was actually kind and had people she cared about. This proved that perhaps, she was not the selfish, scheming girl that Li Yuming had initially assumed her to be.


    The three of them ate lunch together, like the happy trio they should have been all these years. After having lunch, Luna took her phone and went to the backyard. She dialed Cheng Yu''s number for the umpteenth time.


    "Sorry, the subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unreachable. Please try again later." She got the automatic response for the gazillionth time.


    "Cheng Yu, just where are you?" her heart crept with worry.


    "You haven''t managed to get through to Xiao Yu yet?" Lanni joined her and asked.


    "Not yet."


    "Then we should try to look for her." Lanni was worried too.


    "But I didn''t want to invade her privacy by hacking into her phone or something." Luna sighed.


    "That''s not the only way." Lanni bit her bottom lip. "We can physically look for her. Check if she booked any train or bus tickets, find out if she has still been going to school and check with Xiao Ying."


    "You''re right." Xia Luna agreed although she had a bad feeling about all of this. How could anyone simply disappear like that? She could only hope that Cheng Yu was fine.


    ¡­


    That evening.


    "I can''t believe it." Luna laughed mockingly.


    "Xiao Yu actually left the city," Lanni added.


    "that''s not the main point here. The main point is that before she left, she gave a statement to the police. She actually said that on the night that Detective Paul was murdered, I left the house late at night and returned early in the morning."


    Li Yuming massaged her temples as she heard her daughters converse. why would Cheng Yu do such a thing? "But it''s just plain words with no proof, right? The court wouldn''t accept that as evidence for the crime."


    "Yeah, but we would rather have baseless words in Luna''s favor than against her." Lanni chimed in. "Besides, they are best friends and in her statement, she even said that she was afraid Luna might hurt her for telling the truth so she decided to flee."


    "I can''t believe a brought a snake to me so she would bite my own daughter." Li Yuming gritted her teeth in self-blame.


    "You don''t have to blame yourself, mother." Luna held her hand, surprised that she had already gotten used to addressing Li Yuming that way. "I''m the one who got close to her. I''m the one who also went to that crime scene and brought all of this upon myself. So it''s up to me to find all the evidence I need to prove my innocence in both cases."


    "What nonsense are you saying, Luna?" Lanni admonished. "I''m your sister. No matter what happens, no matter how much danger there is, I will help you prove your innocence."


    Li Yuming glanced at both of them and took their hands in hers. "The two of you are my daughters and the last thing I want is to see you put your lives in danger. But since this situation is already dangerous in itself, I will accompany you. I will go every step with you and prove your innocence."


    "Me too." A voice chimed in from the entrance. Li Yuming, Lanni, and Luna turned to see Ji Xiehan walk in with Jiang Xingyu. Ji Xiehan looked at the three women and continued, "I will do this for Lanni and Aunty. I will do all I can to help."


    "I will help too. Luna is my responsibility and I will do everything to protect her." Jiang Xingyu declared.


    Li Yuming stood up and looked Jiang Xingyu up and down. "You and Luna¡­"


    "Hello, aunty. I''m sorry for being so audacious." Jiang Xingyu held out the gift he had specifically prepared. "Luna is my¡­"


    "It''s one-sided!" she quickly shot up and glared at him before he could say anything he shouldn''t.


    Jiang Xingyu laughed and shrugged. "Well, one-sided or reciprocated, I''m in love with Luna so I will protect her with my life."


    Li Yuming happily took the gift from Jiang Xingyu. These two looked like they were always playfully teasing each other but they were perfect for each other and it was so amazing to watch. It was already so satisfying to witness one daughter fall in love. Now that it was both of them, she was even more joyful.


    Lanni cheerfully stood and jumped into Ji Xiehan''s embrace. "I missed you, my love."


    Xiehan lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead. "I missed you even more. How are you doing my love?"


    "Everything''s so boring without you," Lanni complained.


    "Is she saying that we are boring?" Luna asked, puzzled by the sudden display of affection that they were being made to watch.


    "These two are always displaying their affection. Don''t they ever get tired of it? They don''t even check the situation before they start kissing and hugging." Jiang Xingyu seconded.


    "So what if we display our affection? Don''t you do it all the time too?" Lanni peeked at them from Xiehan''s chest.


    "When do we ever¡­" Luna was inarticulate. What was there for her and Jiang Xingyu to display?


    "Don''t you fight all the time? That''s your way of displaying your affection."


    "You''re impossible." Luna wanted to walk away but she bumped into Jiang Xingyu who was standing in the way and glared at him. "Can''t you watch where you''re standing?"


    "What..? It''s you who should watch where you''re walking." Jiang Xingyu retorted.


    "Do you believe that I can make it so you can''t even walk?"


    "Well¡­ they''re at it again.. Where''s the popcorn?" Lanni laughed.

 Chapter 220 - This Idiot Can Be Sensible

    Xia Luna ignored Jiang Xingyu and went her way. Arguing with him made people think they were having a couple''s spat or were displaying their nonexistent affection for each other. She really wanted to beat some sense into everyone.


    "Is it just me or is my sister madly in love?" Lanni glanced in the direction that Luna had just left with a laugh.


    "I think she''s in love!" Li Yuming chirped then looked at Jiang Xingyu. "Once all of this is over, I will give you my blessing. You must take good care of my daughter."


    Jiang Xingyu glanced at Ji Xiehan to wordlessly flaunt. He was not the only one who had managed to get into Li Yuming''s good books, so he should stop flaunting every time. Ji Xiehan laughed at his silly friend as Jiang Xingyu promised to take care of Luna. He even almost swore on all his ancestors that he would never betray Luna, making everyone laugh.


    Luna, who was watching from the first floor''s balcony, was speechless. Why was this guy making it sound like there was something between them?


    "They are so cute." Lanni laughed to Xiehan, earning a pinch on her waist. "Aw! What was that for?"


    "Don''t talk so intimately about another couple. You are paying so much attention to them. What about me?" He complained childishly.


    Lanni shook her head and buried it on his chest. "You are jealous of this? Are you a little boy?"


    "I want you to myself no matter how old I am. Even when we are so old that we have no teeth left in our mouths, I will still want you to myself."


    "Uhm¡­ you do realize you are not alone, right?" Even Li Yuming couldn''t help complaining.


    "Say that again, aunty. It''s impossible with these lovebirds. They don''t care about our eyes no matter how many times we complain." Jiang Xingyu was relieved that someone was on his side, finally.


    "Who is complaining? Speak for yourself." Li Yuming abandoned his side mercilessly. "I''m only indirectly gushing about how much my daughter and son-in-law love each other. Isn''t it an excellent thing?"


    Ji Xiehan and Lanni burst into laughter.


    Jiang Xingyu was speechless. Just when he was starting to be happy about finally having someone who didn''t bully him, his mother-in-law joined them.


    Never mind. If bullying him made people happy, he didn''t mind it if his future mother-in-law joined them. As long as she was not against him getting together with her daughter.


    The happy moments only lasted a short while. That was because everyone soon got back to work. When Madam Jiang found out about Luna''s predicament, even she joined them in searching for evidence to prove her innocence.


    Lanni and Xiehan were going to retrieve the ''perfume bottle'' USB drive. When she realized that she had been busted, Luna had no choice and had left it in Paul''s house ince she knew that she might be searched and lose it in the process. This time, they would retrieve it using legal means.


    Li Yuming was going to make sure no one played tricks; and investigate Paul''s wife. Madam Jiang and Jiang Xingyu would assess the situation and find the evidence against the real murderer. Just like she already did, they had all their suspicions locked on Li Xiyan. They only needed to find out who she used to commit the crime and get evidence against them.


    As Xia Luna watched everyone share roles and let her do nothing but tell them everything she knew and wait for the good news, she realized just how many people she had around her that cared about her. So it wasn''t just Cheng Yu that cared about her all along. So many other people did. Her sister, her brother-in-law, Jiang Xingyu, Madam Jiang and now her mother too. And¡­ Luna thought of someone and felt all the strength leave her body.


    "What happened?" Madam Jiang was sitting next to Luna so she was the first to realize that something was wrong with her.


    After she pointed it out, everyone around the table looked at Luna too, with worry all over their faces.


    "Now that I''m not allowed to leave the city, I can no longer pay my dad a visit? The doctor said he might wake up soon." In actual fact, visiting him was not her only concern. She was also bothered by the fact that the hearing would not happen soon. Her father might wake up before it was done and he would be so worried¡­ seeing his condition relapse just after waking up from such a long coma¡­


    Probably there wouldn''t even be anything to see. He might die from the shock as soon as the news reached his ears.


    Silence engulfed the table. There was no way they could convince the police to let a suspect of murder leave the city. It was already good enough that she had been released on bail.


    "How about¡­" Jiang Xingyu started, and everyone looked at him. "How about we transfer Uncle Xia to a hospital in B City? We can also get the best doctors to take care of him and that way, Luna would not have to go to Lakeside City to see him. At the same time, he would be safer the farther he is from Li Xiyan."


    A long spell of silence followed. Jiang Xingyu frowned and started wondering whether he had said something wrong when Madam Jiang burst into laughter.


    "What''s so funny?"


    At this question, everyone laughed too.


    "So this idiot does have brains. He can actually say something sensible." Ji Xiehan patted his friend''s back teasingly. Everyone laughed and joked at Jiang Xingyu''s expense.


    After being made fun of, Jiang Xingyu actually arranged for Xia Hanchen to be transferred to Hillside Hospital in B City on the same day. It was now easier for Xia Luna to visit him.


    For a moment, everything was going well. But that moment did not last long. It was merely the final calm before a raging storm struck.


    The unforgettable tragedy happened on Tuesday, Ist November.

 Chapter 221 - Just A Little More.

    The first day of November had been set as the day of the first hearing in court. Everyone was looking forward to it.


    By the 29th of October, Lanni and Xiehan had managed to find the ''perfume bottle'' USB drive and got someone to verify that its content was original and had not undergone any changes. They showed it to everyone at the dining table that night.


    The content was several videos, including confessions from servants in Xia Hanchen''s home. Some of them revealed that they had witnessed Li Xiyan''s violent behavior and that it was she who had started the fight between her and Xia Luna. There was also video evidence to prove this. One of the maids was on her way to the kitchen when she heard a vicious argument and had recorded it for the sake of gossip.


    However, she had not expected it to escalate to the point of near-murder. She had fled soon after it happened to avoid being caught in the middle of such a scuffle. After Paul investigated everyone that was in that scene at the time and found out that some servants had left, he looked for them and spoke to them. That was how he found out that the maid had the video. He got it from her as well as her verbal statement. That was some of the content of the USB drive and he was going to help Luna present it to the court.


    "Just in time. We should make a copy of it and send it to the lawyer too." Li Yuming suggested when she saw it. These kinds of meetings had been common lately; Madam Jiang would come over with her son and so would Xiehan. They would have things to discuss and even if it was not related to Luna''s case, they would still have meals and drinks together.


    "Yuming is right. He is a reputable lawyer, but there is no such thing as too much caution. We should still give him a copy and keep the original, in case it gets lost." Madam Jiang seconded. She and Li Yuming had grown quite close lately.


    "I will also save another copy on cloud," Lanni suggested, and they all burst into laughter at how cautious they were being.


    "Enough about that. Now that we are able to prove that Li Xiyan is the one who attacked Luna first, how about the current case?" Lanni asked.


    "Mrs. Paul refused to confess that she had lied to the police. She still insists that her late husband told Luna that he had found her guilty."


    Everyone huffed. How can one tell such a lie and insist on it?


    "There is already so much evidence to prove that her statement was a lie. There is no way that Detective Paul would have told Luna that he had found her guilty when he had found all this evidence, right? It wouldn''t make any sense." Xiehan shrugged.


    "Yuming doesn''t have to try anymore. We already have enough evidence in our hands." Madam Jiang announced.


    "Did you find the real murderer?" Lanni asked.


    "Is it Li Xiyan?" Luna speculated.


    "Not exactly Li Xiyan¡­" Madam Jiang explained. "It is a young man. There is evidence of him entering the house and leaving sneakily at around the time that Detective Paul is said to have died. However, there is nothing to prove that he is in contact with Li Xiyan or may have worked for her."


    "And he is still lurking out there?" Li Yuming sounded worried. "What if he and the mastermind find out that we have evidence against him? Wouldn''t he try to go after Luna?"


    "We came here as soon as we found the evidence. We will hand it over to the police. However, we cannot be sure that his mastermind will not hire someone else. We have to keep our guard up."


    Luna looked solemn. "As long as he is caught. He can reveal the mastermind if he gets interrogated."


    "Though I''m curious. Why would the police previously suspect Paul''s wife for murdering her husband?" Lanni asked.


    "Are you seriously going to look into that? Some people''s lives are complicated. You would rather not find out." Xiehan held her waist as he stated.


    It was not important. As long as Luna was freed of the charges, whatever lie everyone told would be invalid. It was no longer their business.


    Now that everything was only one step away from being settled, everyone was happy.


    Jiang Xingyu raised a glass in the air, grinning widely as his eyes filled with joy. "Just a little more and I will be able to make Luna my woman."


    "Uh..." Luna was speechless.


    "That''s your main point in all of this?" Madam Jiang looked at her son like he was an idiot.


    "How is it not the main point? Luna has been throwing me off with this matter as an excuse. Now she will no longer have any excuse. She will have to be with me."


    Luna shook her head at his logic. "Who gives you excuses? Are you insane?"


    "Then you agree to be with me?" Jiang Xingyu looked excited as he asked.


    "You''re impossible." Luna stood up from beside him and went to sit next to Madam Jiang instead. She no longer wanted to be close to this unreasonable man.


    "Mother, look at her bullying your son." Jiang Xingyu complained, earning a glare from his mother. "Shush! My Luna is such an angel. How can she even bully anyone? It''s you who is bothering my little angel."


    "Just who is your real child? Did you perhaps switch me and Luna and carry the wrong child home?" Jiang Xingyu whined.


    "How I wish I carried the wrong child home." Madam Jiang looked serious as she lamented. "It would be much better to have such a darling like Luna as my child than a punk like you."


    Li Yuming watched the mother-son banter and laughed so hard her stomach hurt. This family was too funny.


    And the best part of it was that Luna would be in safe hands if she married Jiang Xingyu.. She wouldn''t have to worry about her daughter being mistreated by her in-laws.

 Chapter 222 - What Really Happened.

    After the meal, the Jiangs went back to their home. After spending a little more time with Lanni, Xiehan had to go back and complete his work so he left too. Now it was just Li Yuming and her daughters again.


    Lanni went to her room and tried to call Cheng Yu again. Although the latter had given a false statement and fled, Lanni still felt there was more to it. That didn''t look like something Cheng Yu could do. She wanted to get to the bottom of it.


    Who knew, perhaps Cheng Yu had been forced to give that statement by someone. If there was anyone who could force people into giving false statements against Xia Luna, there was no one aside from Li Xiyan who could be responsible for that. Just what lengths could that woman go just to frame Luna?


    Lanni clenched her fists. If Li Xiyan could go to impossible lengths just to get rid of Luna, then she was no different. It didn''t matter what she would have to do. She would do what it took to get the truth out of Cheng Yu''s mouth.


    Thinking about this, something surfaced in Lanni''s mind. She seemed to have made a similar declaration before. She sat on the bed and calmed down, making the memory more clear.


    She was facing a white-haired elderly man as she boldly inquired, "What''s the meaning of this? Why did you instruct us to lie about completing the investigation for this case when it is still unsolved? Are we just going to go with the flow and accuse the innocent like other people are? The purpose of this agency is to reveal the truth to the public and to the police. We help people get justice and expose evil. Why would you ask us to lie to the police then? If we lie, then what''s the purpose of this agency''s existence to begin with?"


    "Little girl, stop asking questions and do as you have been told." He scoffed in annoyance at her irritating questions.


    "No." Lanni firmly refused. "I will not be part of this. I stand for the truth no matter what. Even if it means defying you, big boss, I''m not going to lie to the police or anyone. I am going to continue investigating this matter."


    The memory fragment came to a stop, and Lanni was just as puzzled as she was proud.


    She knew that sometimes, being so bold was just the recipe for trouble. But recalling how decisive the past her was in standing for the truth, she felt like it was a good thing. She still couldn''t recall what case they were investigating or which innocent person was being accused. But it eased her mind a little. She had always feared that she might turn out to be a spy of sorts. But now that she had remembered this, she knew that she had been a good person.


    Now that she remembered this, she wondered why Xia Luna didn''t want her to recover her memory. Wasn''t she a good person?


    "Why ask myself questions when Luna is just a wall away?" Lanni thought out aloud. She stood up and went to Luna''s room.


    "Come in," Luna said when she heard the soft knock on her door. When she saw Lanni, she looked at her curiously. "Why are you here? It''s already so late."


    "I just wanted to have a small chat." Lanni walked in and sat on Luna''s bed.


    "What is it, should I be anxious?" Luna half-joked.


    "You don''t need to be anxious, silly. Can''t I just chat casually with my sister?" Lanni laughed although it was not just a casual chat. Luna sat next to her on the bed. As soon as Luna was more relaxed, Lanni asked, "Why didn''t you want me to recover my memory?"


    Luna remained silent for a while. They had been sweeping this under the mat for too long and it looked like it was time to pull it right out and address it. "Well¡­"


    "Well?" Lanni looked at her. Was it a long story?


    Luna smiled. "It''s kind of¡­ a complicated story."


    When Xia Luna went into hiding, one of the things she did was thoroughly investigate Lanni. It took a long while and she was about to give up when she met someone. She had been sneaking to Lanni''s ward to visit her and one day while she was at it, she bumped into a man. She interrogated him and found out that his name was Flynn.


    "So you met Flynn. Who is he anyway?" Lanni was even more curious when she heard this piece.


    "Just listen, okay?" Luna said and continued narrating. After meeting Flynn and finding out that Lanni was his trainee, she wanted to know what Lanni had been doing in secret. Flynn told her the truth but that was only because if he didn''t, Luna would use him as a clue and go seek the truth anyway. And the truth was that Lanni was an undercover journalist.


    The agency they were working for was a newsgroup on the surface but secretly, they did investigations. They had managed to uncover the truth in many instances that people had played tricks. They would report the truth on the news and let it gain the attention of the police or the government.


    "So that is what I was. An undercover journalist." Lanni didn''t know how to react to this news. "Why did you not want me to recall my past then? Isn''t it a good thing?"


    Luna facepalmed. "It was dangerous. Can''t you tell? You were just a rookie in that agency and were exposed to so much potential danger. Besides, you were asked to investigate Li Xiyan. That is how you got into so much trouble and guess who was responsible for your accident?" Luna took her hand. "Lanni, I knew you would want to go back to that place once you woke up. So in collaboration with Flynn, we found syrup that would make you forget everything.


    That was how you lost your memory. Once you woke up, we knew that we couldn''t expel the possibility of you recovering your memory so I gave you those pills."


    Lanni massaged her temples. She had not expected the truth to be like this. On several occasions, she had even assumed that she was a bad person and that was why Luna didn''t want her to remember it, fearing that she would feel guilty.


    "I''m sorry Lanni. I shouldn''t have made this decision for you." Luna apologized.


    "You finally realize this." Lanni pouted, surprised that she wasn''t as angry as she had expected to be upon finding out the truth. Perhaps it was because she had learnt from the time that they had spent together that Luna might have had reasons for doing what she did.


    "Now I know the truth. I don''t know how to react." Lanni smiled, mocking herself for not knowing what to do.


    "It''s understandable that you don''t." Luna breathed out a sigh. She felt much better now that the truth was already out of her mouth. It was no longer pent up inside her heart. "Don''t blame Xiao Yu. She remained silent about it because of the same reason as mine. That, and the fact that I asked her to shut her mouth."


    "Of course I don''t blame Xiao Yu." Lanni smiled. She had already guessed that her reason would be the same as Luna''s. "How is she anyway? I''m worried about her. I think Li Xiyan might have hidden her somewhere."


    "That''s what happened." Luna was disgusted just thinking about it. "Li Xiyan kept her captive."


    Lanni stood up in shock. "What?! Why didn''t you tell anyone about it? Xiao Yu must be in danger!"


    "Calm down, okay?" Luna pulled her back down. "I didn''t have a choice. Besides, this is just my speculation. Come, I''ll show you something."


    Luna showed Lanni something on her laptop. She had found that Cheng Yu had been in the same location and had not moved ever since the day she reportedly left B City. Li Xiyan had been to that place twice.


    "That''s the only proof I have that Li Xiyan has something to do with her disappearance. I cannot report this to the police because it is at most coincidental. Do you get it now?"


    Lanni sighed helplessly. "But your hearing is tomorrow. Who knows what Li Xiyan is planning? We should try to save her before then."


    "I cannot leave the city, remember?" Luna was just as helpless.


    "Luna, why didn''t you tell us? We could have thought of something." Lanni wanted nothing more than to strangle her sister. How could she keep such an important thing from them?


    "I only found out a while ago," Luna explained. "All these days, I have been mad at Xiao Yu. I didn''t think of the possibility that she could have been forced. It only occurred to me a while ago so I tried to look for her."


    "Great.. Just when I thought everything was going well."

 Chapter 223 - We Have To

    Lanni let out sigh after sigh as her thoughts ran wild. "Tomorrow is an important day and we definitely cannot afford to have any weakness. And Cheng Yu being held hostage by Li Xiyan is the greatest weakness we could ever have."


    "What can we do?" Luna asked, and Lanni gave her a meaningful look. Luna felt chills down her spine. "No, no you do not mean that."


    "We have to save her, Luna. Or who knows what Li Xiyan might do to her to get to us?"


    "But we cannot even notify the police. We have no evidence that Li Xiyan kidnapped her." This time, it was Luna who was hesitant.


    "Have you been possessed by me? Since when were you such a lawful citizen?" Lanni mocked with a scoff. "We are going to save her ourselves."


    "That''s dangerous. If we get discovered, we will all be in danger." Luna warned. She was one who would take most risks without any hesitation so if she felt that something was dangerous, then it really was dangerous.


    "But if we don''t try, the only one in danger would be Xiao Yu." Lanni urged.


    Luna didn''t want to leave her friend in trouble either but¡­ "But I really can''t leave the city. I would be in more trouble if I did."


    Lanni sank into contemplation. They couldn''t just leave their friend, could they? There had to be a way. She could go to whichever city she had to because she was not under any restriction, but she needed Luna''s help. If only Cheng Yu was being held within the city¡­ Lanni''s eyebrows knitted as she thought of something. That was right.


    "We are not leaving the city." Luna looked at her quizzically, and she explained her hypothesis. "Li Xiyan knows that you would try to find Cheng Yu''s location by hacking. She might have dropped Xiao Yu''s phone in a fake location to mislead you."


    "Now that you mention it, we did find that Xiao Yu booked a train ticket to leave the city but we don''t know if she actually boarded the train." Luna realized that they might have been fooled too. "Wait. But why did she appear in that location that Xiao Yu''s phone is?"


    "Who knows? Perhaps she has other business there." Lanni dismissed. No matter why Li Xiyan went to that place, there was no way Cheng Yu was there. She wouldn''t be so stupid as to let Cheng Yu have her phone with her.


    Luna grabbed her laptop. "Let me try to find where they actually went."


    "But how would you do that? Xiao Yu doesn''t have her phone with her. "


    "Road surveillance from the day she disappeared." Luna had already started typing a series of codes.


    Lanni waited under bated breath then after a while, she had a thought. "Should we tell mom about this?"


    Luna didn''t look up from her laptop as she answered, "I don''t know, but she wouldn''t let us go on our own and the fewer we are, the less the danger."


    Lanni couldn''t agree more so she said nothing more of it. "I''ll make preparations for our departure then."


    She hurried back to her room and made a phone call, then went to the closet and dragged out a full body mannequin.


    "Are you done?" Luna joined her and asked. She already had her bag that had everything they needed. When she saw Lanni drag the mannequin, she frowned in curiosity. "What''s that for?"


    "In case mom looks for us." Lanni dressed up the mannequin in her nightgown then laid it on her bed. When she was done, she dragged another mannequin.


    "And what is that for?" Luna raised an eyebrow as Lanni seriously did the same thing with the second mannequin.


    "This is you." Lanni put ''Luna'' in bed then covered the two of them, deliberately letting out some fabric of their nightgowns. "We had a sleepover in my room, and now we fell asleep."


    "This is crazy." Luna giggled.


    Lanni opened the window and urged, "Hurry! We should get going."


    Luna glanced at the rope she had tied onto the window and was speechless. This old trick still existed?


    "The curtain will cover it up." Lanni smiled, patting herself on the shoulder for covering all bases.


    They got down through the window and looked around.


    "Did I hear something?" A guard on patrol stopped in his tracks. The girls managed to hide behind the wall just as he turned. They trembled as he walked towards their hiding spot. He was definitely going to catch them. Lanni turned to ask Luna if they should explain it to him. Just before she did, the guard arrived and Luna stepped out before she could stop her.


    "Young Miss?" He was clearly surprised.


    "I''m just out on a stroll. Did I scare you?"


    "No, no, it''s nothing young miss. Then you¡­" the rest of his words were swallowed as he fell into a deep sleep.


    "What did you do?" Lanni was puzzled when she saw the man on the floor.


    "I knocked him out. Don''t worry; he will only be asleep for a few minutes."


    Lanni dragged Luna away. They left the compound without notice and there was a low-profile black car waiting outside. Lanni led Luna in.


    "Miss Li, I thought you had forgotten all about me." An Zichen greeted them when they entered the car.


    "I''m sorry to trouble you so late at night." Lanni apologized sincerely. It was just that anyone else would have notified Li Yuming. She couldn''t get a stranger in their business either so a cab was out of the question. Besides, she couldn''t possibly take any car without attracting attention so she had decided to call An Zichen.


    "You don''t have to be too modest, Miss Li. I was scared you would never need me." An Zichen looked like he was doing well since leaving the Feng family. "Where are you going so late at night?"


    Luna took out her laptop and confirmed before telling him the location. An Zichen guessed that it must be urgent so he sped into the night. They arrived within just twenty minutes.


    Luna opened her bag and took out a mask then threw it at Lanni. Before she could ask, Luna took a spray bottle and shoved it into Lanni''s hands. "If anyone notices you, this will make them sleep."


    Lanni understood and grabbed another mask. "We don''t want Xiao Yu to sleep or we will not be able to get out."


    "Great." Luna took out a pair of wireless earphones and dialed Lanni''s number then connected the call. "We will have to make do with this."


    "Is this really necessary?" It was Lanni''s turn to laugh, but Luna took her laptop and checked one of the several windows on the screen. "I''ll tell you when to enter."


    Lanni took in a deep breath and went straight for the house where she didn''t know what to expect. It felt strange to willingly go to the tiger''s den, especially when she knew that Luna could only tell her when to enter. There were no cameras inside the house so once she was in, she would have to face whatever or whoever she would meet. She went in at Luna''s signal.


    There was no one inside; Luna must have done something to distract them so Lanni hurriedly started looking for Cheng Yu. Since she had to be sneaky, she could not call out Cheng Yu''s name in fear of alerting them. She could only patiently check every room.


    "Xiao Yu!" she finally couldn''t hold in her excitement when she saw Cheng Yu in one of the rooms, a yelp of excitement escaping her lips. She covered her mouth quickly and went forward. The girl had been bound with duct tape and was sweating profusely. From her quick breathing and the wounds and cuts on her skin, she must have suffered a lot.


    "Li Xiyan, how dare she? I will make her pay." Lanni declared as she swiftly freed Cheng Yu.


    "Lanni." Cheng Yu cried when the tape was pulled off her mouth.


    "It''s okay. You''re alright now." Lanni hugged her, feeling moisture gather at the rims of her eyes. They had all misunderstood Cheng Yu and called her a traitor¡­ when she was actually a victim too¡­ "I''m sorry Xiao Yu. If we believed you sooner, we would have found you sooner."


    "Don''t blame yourselves. It was all so confusing." Cheng Yu understood them. If she were in their shoes, she would have misunderstood too.


    "Let''s go quickly. Luna must have distracted those idiots. We should hurry before they realize something is amiss." Lanni recalled someone and asked, "Where is Xiao Ying?"


    "He should be home." Cheng Yu couldn''t be too sure. However, Li Xiyan only needed her if she wanted to get to Lanni and Luna so logically, she shouldn''t have kidnapped her brother.


    "Okay, let''s leave." Lanni helped Cheng Yu up.


    "Going so fast?" A mocking voice emanated from the entrance.

 Chapter 224 - Rats Entering Their Own Trap

    Lanni froze in her tracks. She turned to look at the door and swallowed when she saw Li xiyan standing there, giving her a look of triumph.


    She sauntered in, her voluptuous hips swaying as she moved. She stopped in front of Lanni and Cheng Yu and looked down at then like she was staring at ants. "Look who we have here. Rats walking head-first into their trap."


    Lanni''s eyes widened. Trap? This was a trap? Li Xiyan had tricked them into coming here? But how was that even possible?


    "Li Lanni." Li Xiyan''s lips twitched then she burst into an evil laugh. "I didn''t think we would ever see each other on earth. You''re quite the phoenix, eh?"


    Lanni wasn''t in the mood to argue with this psychopath. "Li Xiyan, what do you want?"


    "To settle scores with you. Can''t you tell?" She guffawed. "Now that you willingly came here, do you think I would let you leave just like that?"


    Lanni took a deep breath. This was trickier than she thought.


    "Listen. I hate your dumb sister more than I hate you. Why don''t you call her here? As long as I have her, I will let you and your friend live for now."


    "You''re insane. I will never let you hurt my sister." Lanni spat through gritted teeth. Who did this woman think she was?


    "Oh, what an amazing display of sibling affection. In this case, I guess I should no longer the two of you any mercy."


    Lanni bit her lip as she thought of what to do. If only there was a weapon she could use to kill this woman.


    Uh¡­ weapon. Of course she had one.


    She took out the little bottle and sprayed its contents into Li Xiyan''s face.


    "I can''t believe I wasted so much time before thinking of this." She scolded herself before swiftly leaving the room with Cheng Yu.


    Outside the door, several henchmen lay unconcious. She looked around and was shocked for a while before dragging Cheng Yu away.


    "You''re out safely. That was close." Luna was outside the house. They hurried to the car.


    "Li Xiyan suddenly appeared and caught us. I wonder how she knew that we were going to break Xiao Yu out." Lanni gasped to catch her breath after running so fast.


    "Isn''t that obvious? The hearing is tomorrow. She knew we would try to save Xiao Yu if we found out that she is here." Luna analyzed. That was obviously the case.


    "Let''s leave first."


    They got into the car and An Zichen drove off speedily.


    "Luna¡­" Cheng Yu started.


    "I know. you don''t have to mention it. I''m sorry I doubted you at first." Luna hugged Cheng Yu before the latter could explain anything. She knew Cheng Yu was going to explain why she lied about Luna before.


    "Luna is right. We doubted you before but now that we know the truth, we are not going to bring it up anymore."


    Lanni turned to her sister and gushed. "If you didn''t fight those guards, we wouldn''t have been able to get out. What are you, a superhero?"


    "What guards?" Luna was confused.


    "Uh¡­ the ones that accompanied Li Xiyan."


    Luna frowned. "No way. Everything was going well until Li Xiyan appeared. I tried to warn you but you didn''t hear me so I came to help you fight in case you had to. I didn''t even get in before I saw you coming out."


    "Huh? How could that be?" Lanni wondered. "It''s weird to insinuate that they fought among themselves."


    "Maybe someone helped us out but we just did not see them." Cheng Yu chimed in.


    "You''re right. Who was it, was it you, An Zichen?" Lanni turned to ask him.


    "No, I was waiting for you the whole time." An Zichen responded.


    Luna thought of a possibility and had a shocked expression on her face. "Flynn."


    "What did you say? Who?"


    "Flynn. He has been following Li Xiyan, at least from the last exchange we had."


    "No way. If it is him, he would probably help Li Xiyan to capture me." Lanni laughed mockingly. From her memory, he must hate her.


    "No way. Why would he help the enemy?"


    "What''s the matter with Li Xiyan anyway? Why did I investigate her?" Lanni changed the topic, not wanting to talk about that man anymore.


    "Who am I to ask?" Luna dismissed, and Lanni raised an eyebrow accusingly. "Fine, fine. I know why you did, but can I answer it later? It''s already so late and I''m sleepy.


    "Fine." Lanni let her off. They had a lot of time to talk about it anyway. Besides, what was more important now was to know how to sneak back into the house. They needed to take care of Cheng Yu''s wounds and call a doctor if necessary.


    "But can we really sneak in? It will not be safe with Xiao Yu''s wounds." Lanni thought aloud.


    "Of course not. We can just make a triumphant entry. We did something good anyway so mother will not be mad at us."


    "What triumphant entry?" Lanni glared at her sister.


    But Luna was right. Even if Li Yuming was going to be mad at them for sneaking out of the house late at night and endangering their lives, she would be proud of them once she saw them bring back Cheng Yu.


    As a precaution, she called Cheng Yu''s brother and ensured that he was alright. Just for the sake of more security, she would send over a bodyguard or two to protect him. For the same reason, Jiang Xingyu and his mother had sent over a team of bodyguards to guard the hospital where Xia Hanchen was. Nothing could go wrong before or after the hearing.


    Cheng Yu was asleep, and Lanni reclined in the backrest to sleep a little too. She was now truly calm.


    _


    The following day.


    Everyone arrived in court in time for the first trial.


    There was no trace of worry or despair on anyone''s face. After all, they had all the evidence and Luna being brought to court was just a formality for her to prove her innocence.


    Li Yuming sat next to Lanni with a happy smile plastered across her face. After today, her daughter would no longer have to be under restriction in the name of being a suspect.


    Li Yuming''s phone rang at that moment and she excused herself to go out and recieve it. When she came back, her face was ashen with shock.


    "What happened?" Lanni asked worriedly.


    "The lawyer." Li Yuming merely said two words.


    Without a doubt, Lanni understood what had happened. The man must have wuthdrawn. Now, it was doubtless that Li Xiyan was behind this. She must have made the first lawyer drop the case and now she had done the same for the Lawyer that Li Yuming hired.


    "But how can he withdraw on the last day, and in the last minjte too? Where is his professionalism?"


    "What happened?" Madam Jiang fekt something was wrong when she saw Li Yuming and Lanni''s worried looks so she qent over to ask with a whisper.


    Once Li Yuming exolained the situation, she frowned. "Of course, there have to be one or two irresponsible scounrels out there. I will teach him a lesson once the trial is over."


    "What do we do now?" Lanni eas more worried about this. The trial was about to start.


    "Who needs a lawyer when we have all the truth with us?" Madam Jiang said meaningfully.


    "Right! I saved all the evidence." Lanni breathed a sigh of relief. Gladly, they had decided to be overly cautious.


    Everyone went to sit in their places as the trial begun. After the opening statements and introducing the case, the prosecutor finally asked Luna the question everyone had been waiting for. "Guilty or not guilty?"


    Luna scanned the courtroom and bit her lips.


    "Do you plead guilty or not guilty?" The prosecutor asked once again.


    Luna looked at him and enunciated the syllables. "Guilty."


    Silence washed over the courtroom. Everyone stared at Luna in disbelief.


    "Huh?" Lanni was the first to react.


    "She pleaded guilty." Li Yuming''s jaw dropped.


    "Why would she say that she is guilty?" Madam Jiang''s voice rang through the courtroom. "Luna, you must know that this is a courtroom and not a place for you to play around. Why are you making such a horrible joke?"


    "I''m not making a joke. I really am guilty." Luna sighed. "I killed Detective Paul."


    A crash resounded as Jiang Xingyu''s phone dropped to the floor. He stood up furiously and glared at her. "Drop this nonsense! What are you even saying? Are you muddled?"


    "Order!" The judge warned.


    "The defendant has pleaded guilty¡­"


    "Wait. Please wait. I want to have a word with my sister in private." Lanni pleaded.


    "I''m afraid that''s not possible." The prosecutor stopped her.


    Lanni rushed foward. "But what she is saying is a lie! She is telling lies.. We have evidence to prove that she lying."

 Chapter 225 - Verdict

    The prosecutor frowned, and Lanni insisted. "I will show you the evudence now."


    "Go ahead." He said, and Lanni quickly unlocked her phone.


    She checked her storage for the videos she had saved. "I know that this is a different case, but it will prove that Luna did not have any motive to murder Detective Paul. He helped her."


    "Where is the evidence then?" The prosecutor asked.


    "It''s right¡­" Lanni frowned as she checked several folders. It was in her phone. Why wasn''t it there anymore? "In my cloud storage." Her smile seemed forced as she checked and found it missing in her cloud storage too. What in the world?


    Li Yuming wondered why she was hesitating. Perhaps she had forgotten her password? She checked for her own copy as did everyone else.


    "It''s gone!" Lanni exclaimed and turned to look at Li Yuming, Madam Jiang, Jiang Xingyu and Ji Xiehan.


    Madam Jiang frowned too. "My copy is gone too."


    Li Yuming, Ji Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu exchanged looks and understood each other. They had lost their copies too.


    Lanni frowned in realization and glared at Luna accusingly. "It was you. You deleted all the evidence, right? Why are you doing this?"


    Luna looked back at Lanni with a snicker. "What are you talking about? What evidence, are you muddled?" She harrumphed and continued to make weird statements. "I deliberately tried to kill Li Xiyan because I hate her. And I killed that man because he found evidence to prove me guilty. What else are you talking about?"


    Her mouth made an ''O'' as though she had come to an understanding. "I see. You must be in denial. That is why you constantly believe that I am innocent even when the facts are right before your eyes."


    "Who is this girl?" Lanni pointed at Luna in shock and glanced at the prosecutor. "Are you sure this is my sister? Maybe someone is impersonating her! My sister wouldn''t be speaking so much nonsense."


    "The facts are before your eyes." The prosecutor stated, and Lanni interrupted. "These are lies! Can''t you see for yourself?"


    "Order!" The judge stopped their banter. "The suspect has pleaded guilty."


    Lanni felt all the strength leave her body. If a suspect pleaded guilty, the judge could simply pass the verdict on the same day. She placed her hands together in front of her face. "Your honor, please do not pass the verdict yet. Please give us time to prove her innocent. She really is¡ªperhaps someone is blackmailing her to speak all this nonsense."


    "This is a court." He reminded sternly. Even so, he added, "she will be asked a few questions to prove that she is the real murderer."


    Lanni heaved a sigh of relief and went back to her seat.


    The interrogation started immediately.


    "At what time was Mr. Paul murdered?"


    Luna thought about it and accurately answered, "at 4.10 am."


    "According to the autopsy, her answer is correct." The prosecutor said.


    "Everyone knows that. It was posted on gossip forums." Lanni interrupted, and he shrugged before the interrogation went on.


    "Where was he stabbed, how many times and what was the impact?"


    "He was stabbed twice in the left side of his chest. The first stab only grazed the skin a little but the second one went right through his heart." Luna answered like it was nothing, shocking everyone present.


    "What was the position of his body and the weapon when he was found?"


    "He was lying on his stomach, on the floor; and the knife had been pulled out and placed beside his head."


    Lanni''s eyes went wide when the prosecutor said that she had got it right again.


    "What type of knife was used?"


    "A chef''s knife with a marroon handle." She answered effortlessly.


    "She''s guilty." Even the prosecutor was shocked. Aside from the police, the only person who knew this much information was the detective''s widow. She had been a suspect at first, but her innocence was proved when they found out that she had sneaked out of the house late at night and only returned at 5am. The fact that Luna knew so much could only mean that she had been there when the man was murdered, which meant she was the murderer.


    Lanni watched in disbelief as two policemen cuffed Luna and led her away. There was probably nothing that could be done anymore. The verdict would be read in a few days. After that, it would be too late.


    Lanni''s eyes watered.


    Ji Xiehan pulled her into his embrace to comfort her as Madam Jiang and Jiang Xingyu comforted Li Yuming.


    _


    "How could she do this?" Lanni cried against Xiehan''s shoulder. "Why? Why would she plead guilty and even say things that prove her guilty when she is innocent?"


    Ji Xiehan didn''t know what to think either. They had all seen the evidence of Luna''s innocence. What in the world was the meaning of this? He could only pat Lanni''s back to soothe her.


    _


    Li Yuming wasn''t feeling any better off. She stared into soace like a lifeless doll and did not let out a peep. Just when she had reunited with her daughter, just when she had finally heard Luna call her ''mother''...


    Just when they thought everything was going on well, it all shattered like it had been a dream. How could fate be so cruel?


    She knew that no matter what Luna said, she was innocent. She just couldn''t understand why Luna would take the guilt upon herself and lie in front of the court with a straight expression. She even went hacking and deleted all the evidence. Did she hit her head against the door this morning and go crazy?


    Madam Jiang was in disbelief too. Just when she was thinking that it was finally time for Luna to stop being in hiding and live freely, the girl did this. Like Lanni, she also believed that Luna must be under a threat. But what threat?


    Ji Xiehan drove Lanni to her home and stayed with her a little more to make her feel better. Lanni realized this and felt guilty about it. "Xiehan, you don''t have to put your job aside for me. You should go back to work."


    "It''s nothing. Work is boring anyway." Xiehan sat on the bed and brought her into his embrace and ran his fingers through her hair.


    Lanni let her thoughts ran wild and hugged his waist. "Xiehan."


    "Mmh?" He looked down at her.


    "Let''s attempt a jailbreak." She said seriously.


    "Attempt a what?" Xiehan was so startled that he sat up straight.


    "Let''s break Luna out of jail. Once the court gives her a sentence, it will be too late."


    "Are you crazy?" Xiehan stared at her in disbelief. Was she seriously saying this?


    "It''s not dangerous. If Luna can break Ji Fiefei out of jail, then we can help her break out too¡­" her voice trailed as she thought of something.


    "Wait. If Luna goes to prison, she might meet with Ji Feifei because she will go to the same prison as her. Do you think this could be the reason why she pleaded guilty? Could it be that she wants to meet Ji Feifei and maybe seek revenge?"


    Ji Xiehan frowned at her analysis. "That would be too far-fetched and not worth it in the slightest. Don''t forget, she might be in isolation due to the nature of her case. Besides, who can guess the sentence? She could be hanged instead."


    "Hanged¡­" the word hit Lanni like a bolt of lightning. Forget her analysis. Luna could be hanged¡­


    "Just why? Why did she choose to do this to herself?" Lanni pulled at her hair.


    _


    Everyone was saddened by what Luna had done, but the most saddened was probably Jiang Xingyu.


    The man locked himself in his room for three days straight and neither ate a grain of rice nor drank a drop of water. Madam Jiang was worried almost to death. But no matter how she coaxed her son, he wouldn''t let anyone into his room, much less leave the room.


    If this continued, he might starve himself to death.


    Decisively, Madam Jiang had someone knock the door down and was immediately greeted with the stench of alcohol. The man lay lifelessly on the floor with a bottle of alcohol in his hand¡ªalthough most of  its contents had been spilled on his clothes.


    She paused for a while, taking in her son''s pitiful state. Walking over the broken door, she to her son and knelf beside him, using a finger to push the hair off his face. "Xingyu you¡­ how could you do this to yourself?"


    "She has always been like this. She doesn''t care about what everyone else feels." The drunk gritted his teeth and brought the bottle of alcohol to his mouth. The remaining drink poured onto his clothes and whatever made it to his mouth chocked him.


    Madam Jiang sat on her legs and pulled his head to his lap.. "But you are harming yourself too. Don''t you care how your dad and I feel?"

 Chapter 226 - You Only Care About Your Wife

    "What''s wrong with him? Why is he acting like a little child throwing a tantrum when he is a fully grown man? Is he asking for a beating?" A harrumph resounded from the door. What was he doing, getting his mother all worried? It was already enough that his mother was worried about Xia Luna. Why did he want her to be worried about him as well?


    Jiang Xingren glared at his son fiercely. "You punk! Get off the floor now!" He pinched his nose tightly between his thumb and forefinger. "Go and take a shower, gah! You stink like a sewer, you will suffocate my wife!"


    "You only care about your wife." Jiang Xingyu grumbled, and Jiang Xingren scoffed at him. Left with no choice, Jiang Xingyu could only drag his weak body to the bathroom.


    After taking a bath and changing into clean clothes, he looked more decent. Lunch was ready, so Madam Jiang called him down to eat.


    "That''s more like it." Jiang Xingren nodded when he saw his son looking better than the lifeless log of wood he had become in just three days. "Men should be strong. Otherwise, how sad will your woman be when she comes back and finds you in such an unbearable state?"


    "That''s enough. Don''t berate him too much." Madam Jiang stood up for him.


    "For the first time, you are not scolding him together with him." Jiang Xingyu made a joke out of it, earning a glare from both of them. He had made them so worried that they were on the verge of pulling their hair off their scalps and he had the guts to make a joke?


    "Fine. Let''s think of a way to get the evidence to prove her innocence. You said she deliberately deleted it?" Jiang Xingren asked.


    "Yes. And that''s the strange part in all of this. Why would she do such a thing? It''s as though she wanted to go to prison no matter what." Madam Jiang still couldn''t understand.


    "Do you think the evidence you had found to prove her innocence had all been fabricated? Perhaps she deleted it earlier because she knew that the court would prove it fake anyway?" He speculated.


    "No way." Madam Jiang shook her head confidently. "Xingyu and I worked hard to retrieve it. We couldn''t have got anything fake and besides, we checked the authenticity."


    "Then she must be under a threat." He concluded.


    "Actually we thought so too. But who could have threatened her? And what would be the leverage? Xia Hanchen was transferred to Hillside hospital and we have people monitoring the whole hospital.


    "Wait. What about Cheng Yu?" Jiang Xingyu suddenly recalled. Xia Luna cared about Cheng Yu like her own sister. If anyone used Cheng Yu to threaten her, she would do what they wanted right away.


    "Right¡­ Cheng Yu! Why didn''t she attend the hearing when she and Luna are best friends? Shouldn''t her best friend''s hearing be of utmost importance?


    _


    Cheng Yu had not attended Luna''s hearing. Besides Lanni and Luna, no one else knew why she had not attended.


    The sisters knew that on the night they rescued Cheng Yu, they had brought her to their room and tried to treat her wounds. However, they couldn''t be sure that there were no other complications so they sent Cheng Yu to hospital in the wee hours of the morning.


    Aside from being dehydrated and a few of the wounds being infected, there were no major complications.


    Cheng Yu was currently at her home. Goldenwing Apartments was no longer safe enough since Li Xiyan could infiltrate it like she did the last time. She did not want to depend on Lanni and Luna and let them get her a place to stay, so she had swallowed the pill and gone back home.


    It wasn''t too bad. She could keep an eye on her brother while at it.


    Sitting on her bed, Cheng Yu checked her new phone impatiently. There was no call from Lanni or Luna. Not even a text message. Lanni''s phone wouldn''t go through either.


    "Are they alright? Why aren''t they saying anything?" Cheng Yu wondered aloud.


    It was still not safe for her to walk around at such a time, but she was worried that something could have happened to her friends.


    ''Maybe I should go to Lanni''s home and check on them?'' She wondered.


    _


    Li Yuming''s home.


    "Miss, Miss Cheng is here to see you." The housekeeper announced to Lanni, who was sitting on her legs on the white sofa, blankly staring at a book.


    "Let her in." Lanni looked up, suddenly remembering that she had almost forgotten all about Cheng Yu. She put the book beside her on the sofa and stood up, stretching as she felt around for her slippers using her feet. When she found them and wore them, she gathered the long waves of her hair and tied it up into a messy ponytail then went out to meet Cheng Yu.


    "Lanni!" Cheng Yu rushed over and hugged Lanni as soon as she saw her. "You and Luna are so mean! You didn''t tell me anything about the hearing. Do you know how worried I''ve been? At last I couldn''t handle it anymore so I rushed here to check the situation myself."


    Cheng Yu finally realized something was wrong. Lanni didn''t look alright. "What''s wrong? What happened?" When Lanni didn''t answer her, she contemplated then remembered that the last time they talked, they had said that Luna was currently living together with them. "Where is Luna?"


    Lanni didn''t know where to start. She pulled Cheng Yu to the sofa she was sitting on earlier and took a deep breath. "Xia Luna is the craziest person on earth. She pleaded guilty."


    "She did what?" Cheng Yu would have fallen onto the floor in shock if she wasn''t sitting.


    "She pleaded guilty." Lanni enunciated the syllables. "Not only that, but she also deleted all the evidence that we had spent so much time gathering to prove her innocence. I don''t know her anymore."


    "That''s strange." Cheng Yu frowned, then suddenly thought of someone. "Where is your dad?"


    Lanni bit the inside of her lip. "You know what? I thought she was being threatened too. However, our dad is safe and we rescued you too. The two of you are the only people my sister cares about. Oh, and me too, but I''m right here and so is mother. Basically everyone she would worry about is safe. What would anyone use as leverage to blackmail her?"


    Cheng Yu couldn''t think of any possibility no matter how hard she thought. This was a case of murder, so she couldn''t possibly be doing this because she had a mission to complete in prison. Luna wouldn''t be that unreasonable.


    "Perhaps¡­" Lanni didn''t want to think that way of her sister but, "perhaps she really did it."


    "What nonsense are you saying? We both know Luna would never do such a thing." Cheng Yu berated.


    "Then tell me another possibility." Lanni shrugged, and Cheng Yu was speechless. She didn''t know what to think either.


    "What about the young man you guys said had been caught as the true murderer?"


    Lanni sat down in despair. "Since the evidence has been deleted, of course there was nothing to prove him guilty."


    Cheng Yu sighed. Why would Luna do that?


    They were still racking their brains when Li Yuming passed by. She only spared them one glance before heading into the kitchen.


    "Uh¡­" Lanni peeked at Cheng Yu then looked at Li Yuming''s retreating back and frowned in confusion. She had already explained to Li Yuming that Cheng Yu did what she did because she had been forced. Why was Li Yuming still ignoring Cheng Yu?


    "I guess she is mad at me." Cheng Yu bit her lip.


    Li Yuming came back a few minutes later, bringing a tray of fruits with her. She sat on the sofa next to the one the girls were sitting on as she placed the tray onto the emerald coffee table.


    She looked surprised to see Lanni and Cheng Yu. "Ah¡­ you girls are here. When did you get here?"


    Lanni and Cheng Yu exchanged looks.


    "Uh¡­ what do you mean ''when did we get here'', mom? We have been here for a long time." Lanni expressed her confusion.


    "You even looked in our direction and ignored us, and I thought you were mad at me." Cheng Yu seconded.


    Li Yuming glanced at the two of them and laughed. "I know you girls are trying to make me laugh. How lovely."


    Lanni and Cheng Yu exchanged looks again. She was serious¡­


    Li Yuming looked at Cheng Yu and asked, "Why would I be mad at you? You are my excellent disciple. Did you do something wrong that I don''t know about?"


    "Uh¡­ because of what I said about Luna." Cheng Yu stuttered, as though scared that she would remind Li Yuming to be mad at her.


    "What are you saying? What did you say about Luna?" Li Yuming asked, baffling them both.

 Chapter 227 - Muddled

    "Mom, are you alright?" How could she forget something that happened not too long ago? She wasn''t muddled out of shock, right? Lanni was worried, especially knowing that some people reacted that way to trauma or shock. Could it be...


    Li Yuming let out a long sigh. "Let''s forget about it. Anyway, what are you girls up to? We should be thinking of a way to get Luna out of there."


    In the past month that Xia Luna had stayed in Li Yuming''s villa, the two had grown quite close. It was no wonder Li Yuming couldn''t bear to let her go to prison.


    Lanni was happy that finally someone had the same thought as her. She shifted her position so she was looking at Li Yuming and quickly said, "I have a foolproof idea."


    "What?" Li Yuming and Cheng Yu both looked at her and asked.


    "To replace Luna. I will find a way to knock her out and drag her out of there. Then I will replace her." She explained her plan in all seriousness.


    "And then what? Go to prison on her behalf? I understand that you love your sister but I am not going to let that happen." Li Yuming glared at her.


    "Who said anything about going to prison on her behalf? Of course not. I will let them know that they have the wrong person. I can say I got knocked out and when I woke up, I was in jail.  Then they will have to free me and we will hide Luna."


    "Then Luna will be what she has been for the past year¡ªa wanted criminal." Li Yuming sighed, and Lanni bit her lip. Indeed, it was a stupid idea. It wouldn''t even work.


    "But what are we going to do?"


    "We are going to do what we did before. We will find the evidence to prove her innocence." Li Yuming declared determinedly.


    However, that was easier said than done. Five days passed, and they had not even found a single lead.


    The Jiangs had also been working their butts off but they had not found a single clue either. Not even Ji Xiehan, who had tried to retrieve the evidence by hacking had achieved any progress. Hence, they couldn''t stop the court from giving a verdict.


    Luna was pronounced guilty and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment.


    Lanni was in disbelief. How could one girl outwit everyone? She had deleted those videos and files and no one had managed to retrieve them no matter how hard they tried. That wasn''t what bugged Lanni the most. It was the fact that her sister was now in prison. It was hard to bear but there was nothing more she could do about it.


    No matter what it was, she hoped Luna had done what she did for a good reason.


    _


    11th November.


    Life had to go on. On one hand, there was no use dwelling on the past. On the other hand, Lanni had a feeling she might be able to help Luna if she recovered her memory. Staying in prison for twenty years when one didn''t commit a crime was hectic.


    Hence Lanni wanted to recover her memory¡ªher identity, and do what she could.


    That afternoon, she had an appointment with Han Xichen. Ji Xiehan was busy in Feng Ji International, so this time she went on her own. Unlike the last time, she was no longer scared this time.


    ¡­


    A scene appeared in Lanni''s mind.


    She was standing in front of a middle-aged woman as she patted her head.


    "Don''t worry. The first mission is usually the hardest. You may have failed, but you became stronger." The woman coaxed.


    "Thanks Miss Nila. But I still feel bad about it. I got discovered and Flynn had to save me. If they were not drunk, I would be dead." Lanni was disappointed in herself.


    "Phoenix, there is no such thing as ''if''. Once something happens, it has happened. It''s gone and will not rewind." The woman said to Lanni.


    The present Lanni was shocked. Phoenix?


    So that was where the alias came from. It was from that organization¡­ no wonder Li Yuming lied to her when she asked about it.


    "Come. I will teach you how to write an article


    "Alright." Lanni followed her into her office, wondering what made Miss Nila think that she didn''t know how to write an article.


    However, it was not any normal article. On the surface, it was indeed a normal story or piece of news. However, there were hidden pieces of information in it and only the writer would be able to tell.


    "What a brilliant way of storing information." Lanni exclaimed.


    "Of course. You see, keys can be copied, passcodes can be cracked and people can even temper with biometric censors. That''s why we use all those other forms of security but still keep our documents this way."


    Lanni nodded in understanding.


    The scene shifted, and Lanni was with that woman again.


    "Your new mission is to investigate two families. The first one is the Li family." The woman declared.


    Lanni''s eyes went wide as her jaw dropped. "My own family?!"


    "Of course not." The woman seemed to have had fun messing with her. "The person you will be investigating is Li Xiyan."


    "I see." Lanni was relieved.


    "The other family you will investigate is the Xia family."


    "What? Why would I¡­"


    The woman didn''t seem to know why Lanni was protesting, so she cut her off. "Xia Hanchen is her husband, so he might be involved too¡ªthough I hope he isn''t. You have to investigate them both."


    "What am I investigating?" Lanni questioned.


    "Li Xiyan comes from a family of renown doctors and they major innthe field of manufacturing medicine. However, they have been making medicines that are banned because they are harmful to human health. You have to investigate Li Xiyan in two months."


    "This¡­" Lanni was hesitant.


    "You chose to be here, Phoenix. So you must complete your mission as assigned." Miss Nila interrupted. "Besides, you are Li Xiyan''s stepdaughter, aren''t you? That makes it easier for you to investigate her."


    Lanni nodded and left her office after taking up the mission.


    _


    The present Lanni was surprised. So that was why she was investigating Li Xiyan. It turned out that woman was dangerous in every way, even in her profession.


    She figured Li Xiyan usually did all of this in private because it was illegal. But what did she do during the day anyway? Saunter around and curse at Li Yuming for remaining deeply rooted in Xia Hanchen''s mind?


    Lanni didn''t remember anything else before she fell asleep. When she woke up, her head didn''t hurt as much as it did the last time.


    "I guess you are recovering more and more of your memory." Han Xichen said when Lanni woke up. "You only need one or two more sessions to figure out all of your past. On a side note, if I may be audacious to ask¡­"


    Lanni raised an eyebrow, silently giving him permission to ask whatever he wanted to ask.


    "Did you really lose your memory in a car accident? From my experience, it seems to be different. I''ve had a patient before, and they were forced to forget their past for their parents'' selfish reasons and ended up living a lie. No matter how many times they were hypnotized, she would remember nothing..."


    Lanni smiled. If he said this the last time, she might have been shocked or eveen offended.  But since she already knew the truth, she was unaffected. "Trust me, it''s alright."


    Han Xichen did not dwell on it anymore. "When will you come for the next session?"


    "I don''t know." Lanni thought about it. "In two weeks to one month. I will notify you beforehand."


    The man nodded and watched her as she left. How beautiful¡­ Ji Xiehan must have saved the world in his previous life to date such a beauty in this life.


    _


    When she left Han Xichen''s office, Lanni had a better understanding of herself. The organisation she was working for¡ªor at least training at¡ªwas an undercover agency. She was an undercover journalist in training, and one of her training missions was to investigate Li Xiyan.


    Now she knew why Li Xiyan hated her so much. It must be because she found out that Lanni was investigating her. That, and the fact that Lanni was Li Yuming''s and Xia Hanchen''s daughter.


    Lanni was just leaving the hospital when she bumped into something firm, a man''s sturdy chest.


    She looked up with a frown and was surprised when she saw the handsome man looking back at her. He had his brown hair in a ponytail, his thin lips curled into a smirk and his gaze on her was as mocking as always. He looked unpredictable even with a slight smirk pasted on his face. It was the same face she had seen in dreams and when hypnotized.


    "Flynn?"

 Chapter 228 - That Sick Bastard!

    "Flynn?" Lanni was clearly not expecting to see him any time soon or ever. "What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be in Germany?"


    The man grinned devilishly and looked down at her. "It turns out, your memory is quite better than expected."


    Lanni pursed her lips and glared at him. "Is that meant to be some kind of joke? It''s not funny."


    "Ah¡­ you can lose your memory but old habits die hard, don''t they? You still have your golden birdie claws out¡ªas defensive as ever." His lips twitched into a smirk.


    Lanni really wanted to strangle him. She would beat him up if he wasn''t a hundred times more skilled in fighting than she was. Why was this guy always mocking her whenever he had the chance? "What are you doing here?"


    "To check up on you." He said matter-of-factly, earning an eye roll from Lanni but he continued anyway, "I heard you regained your memory."


    "Most of it." Lanni answered because with his abilities, he would still find out even if she hid it from him.


    As expected, the man snickered. "What a waste of time, effort and brains."


    Lanni''s brows knitted into a frown. "What the hell do you mean?"


    "Don''t you know?" The man languidly leaned against the wall and took out a cigarette and a lighter. Lanni grabbed them and walked to a trash bin at the side, then shoved the cigarette and lighter into the bin, shooting him a glare. "This is a hospital. Couldn''t you restrain your annoying smoking habits a bit?"


    "So what if it''s a hospital?" He laughed tauntingly.


    She turned and looked him up and down. "Right. I should have let you smoke. That way, the doctors would see you and give your lungs a thorough check. They must be damaged already thanks to all the smoke you have been taking in."


    "Are you worried about me, princess?" He slammed a hand against the wall and suddenly had her trapped between the wall and himself.


    Lanni scrunched her eyebrows and pushed his chest off her. "Less nonsense. I asked you why you are here."


    "To mock you." He was finally being serious and she didn''t like it either.


    She huffed and walked past him, but his voice stopped her just after a few steps, "your sister spent so much time and effort just to make sure you wouldn''t return to the place that could cost your life. But what about you? Would you let her rot in prison and do nothing about it?"


    Lanni stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. "How do you know? Wait,  how much do you know?"


    "Oh¡­ my silly princess, I know everything about you. I even know who your current boyfriend is and how many times you have met him."


    Lanni glared at him but deep down, she was slightly scared. Was this man a stalker?


    He saw her accusing gaze and laughed. "Listen, I don''t care about your man, but you should do something about your sister."


    Lanni looked at him curiously. "Do you have a way out?"


    "Of course. Let''s have a meal together and I will tell you all about it." He started walking off. She thought about it for a second and followed him.


    ...


    Flynn walked into a restaurant with Lanni behind him. He sat and ordered a meal.


    "Place an order too, I''m treating." He offered, but Lanni shook her head. It was already bad enough that she was sitting opposite this unpredictable man.


    "You will not even save face for your trainer?" He grinned, and Lanni ignored him.


    Faced with her attitude, he could only make his suggestion. "You should get Luna out of prison."


    "Prison break? Yeah, right." Lanni sighed. She had thought about it, but Xiehan had chewed her out just for merely considering it.


    "Who said anything about a prison break?" Flynn crossed his arms, his eyes accusing her of being slow-witted.


    "Then what else are you talking about?"


    "Find Li Xiyan."


    "Find who?" Lanni was taken aback. Why would he mention Li Xiyan out of nowhere?


    "We both know that you believe she is the one who forced your sister to plead guilty¡ªand I''m a hundred percent sure that she did. You have to find her and prove that she is the one who forced your sister to lie in court. It''s already bad enough that she has been wrongfully convicted. If you prove to the court that she had been forced to wrongfully admit to the crime, something good might come out of it.


    I''ve told you what to do. It''s up to you to accomplish it."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "You sound so serious¡­ like you are giving me a mission." She placed her elbows on the table and looked at him. "Besides, why do you care so much about my sister?"


    Flynn scoffed  and stood up. "I don''t care about anyone, princess. And even if I cared about anyone, it wouldn''t be your sister."


    The food arrived just as he turned to leave, and he paid the bill, letting Lanni eat it instead.


    Lanni shook her head helplessly. What a strange species. Because she did not want to waste food, she wanted to pack it up as take out. When she took a closer look, she was surprised. Why did that strange man order only her favorite dishes?


    Although Flynn was strange, he was right. She needed to find Li Xiyan. She should find ways to get close to Li Xiyan. Only by getting close to that woman would she find her weakness.


    It was impossible to know just what she had used to blackmail Xia Luna into pleading guilty. Therefore, if she found Li Xiyan''s weakness, she could use it to force her to reveal what leverage she used, and also confess the truth.


    _


    Lanni left the restaurant a short while later, carrying the take out boxes in a plastic bag.


    She had just reached outside when she saw someone she wasn''t expecting. "Xiehan? Shouldn''t you be in a meeting right now?"


    Xiehan glanced at the plastic bag in her hand and let out a slight smile. "Aren''t you happy to see me?"


    Lanni hugged him slightly. "Of course I''m happy to see you. I was just worried about your work."


    "I cancelled the meeting." He answered expressionlessly.


    Lanni finally felt something was off. She reached to touch his forehead and neck. "Are you alright? You don''t sound right."


    He took her hand off his neck and smacked a kiss on her lips. "I''m just tired. Do you want to go home together?"


    "Sure." Lanni quickly called the chauffeur to go home on his own before following Xiehan to his car.


    She placed the plastic bag in the backseat and sat in the shotgun. Xiehan glanced in the backseat slightly and started the car.


    When Lanni noticed his slight actions, she frowned and looked at him. Was this really about being tired? "Are you upset about something?"


    Xiehan stopped at a red light and didn''t turn to look at her before asking, "did you hug him back?"


    "Huh? Who?" Lanni was confused.


    Afraid that his eyes would scare her, Xiehan didn''t look at her and only unlocked his phone before passing it to her just as the traffic light turned green.


    Lanni looked at the content of his screen and was speechless for a while. There were two photos, one of her and Flynn when he trapped her between himself and the wall. From the angle the picture was taken, it looked like they were hugging intimately.


    The second photo was taken when the two of them were together at the restaurant. Lanni knew that they were merely talking about Luna, but that was not what the photos said. She suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    "Xiehan, it''s not how it seems." She said, even though she knew she sounded like a girlfriend caught in the act but still trying to worm her way out.


    "I know." The man grunted, to her surprise.


    "You¡­ you believe me?"


    "I shouldn''t believe you?" He peered at her.


    "Of course you should!" She quickly corrected herself before cautiously asking, "since you believe me, why are you still mad at me?"


    "I''m not mad at you. I''m mad at that man for trying to take advantage of my woman while I was away."


    Lanni didn''t know what to say. She kept looking at the pictures. The more she looked, the more she found that something was off. "Where did you get this picture?"


    Ji Xiehan''s lips twitched as he replied, "Han Xichen sent them."


    "Han Xichen?" Lanni was puzzled. She was still at the hospital when Flynn appeared. Did that mean Han Xichen followed them?


    Xiehan knew what she was thinking and corrected her. "He said it was sent to him from a strange contact."


    "Did you try to find out who the sender is?"


    "I tried. However, I couldn''t get anything out of it."


    Lanni''s suspicion solidified. "Flynn, that bastard!"

 Chapter 229 - Dangerous Criminal Convicted

    Xiehan''s lips twitched when she cursed. She had just blurted out the name of the person he also thought must be behind this. Since they both thought of him, it must really be him. What did he want? Because if he was thinking of trying to drive a wedge between him and Lanni¡­


    Xiehan suddenly wanted to grab someone by his ponytail and fling him across the street.


    "What did you guys talk about?" He changed the topic before he could really look for him and break his hands or give him a black eye.


    Lanni didn''t want to talk about what happened either. "He urged me to investigate Li Xiyan. He thinks the same as us¡ªthat Li Xiyan blackmailed Luna. I don''t know why he cares but..." Xiehan turned to raise an eyebrow as she continued, "I think he has a point. But how do I even go about doing such a suicidal task?"


    Xiehan''s chest vibrated from his slight silent laugh and Lanni realized what she had just said. "Fine. I agree, I was courting death in the past when I agreed to investigate her. But how should I go and court death for a second time?"


    Xiehan pulled up into Li Yuming''s compound. After stopping the car, he turned to face her and took her hand into his. "Honey, you will be courting trouble if you do it on your own. But if we do it together, we will bring her down."


    "How can you be so confident when¡­ ow!" She frowned and yelped when Xiehan suddenly flicked her forehead.


    "Honey, are you doubting your man''s abilities?"


    "Of course not. I know what you can do better than anyone. However, Xiehan¡­" Lanni felt her head hurt just from thinking about it. "This woman managed to do everything sneakily. We were all working together¡ªall five of us. But she still managed to do everything sneakily and have her way while we didn''t even know what happened until it was too late."


    Xiehan couldn''t refute her point, but he couldn''t agree either. "That''s why we should work harder this time. I refuse to believe that one woman could beat all of our combined effort a second time."


    Lanni said nothing, but she still thought they might not be able to beat Li Xiyan.


    She sat still in the shotgun seat and started playing with her phone.


    Xiehan didn''t say anything to rush her out of the car and reclined the seat to relax next to her.


    "Xiehan this¡­" Lanni suddenly held a hand over her mouth.


    "What is it?" Xiehan sat straight and looked over. A piece of news had just popped up on Lanni''s screen. Xiehan facepalmed. "I don''t know how we didn''t but we should have expected this."


    "That''s not the main point." Lanni pushed her phone aside in frustration. "This news should have broken out several days ago when the verdict was passed. Why only now?"


    That was right.


    Lanni had just seen news regarding her sister being convicted of murder. The whole world was now talking about Xia Luna.


    However, it had been several days already. How come the news only got to the media now?


    "It''s as though¡­ the media already knew. Even so, they only let the enws out now. Moreover, this infuriating headline¡­" Lanni paused and wanted to kill someone. [DANGEROUS WANTED CRIMINAL FINALLY CONVICTED.]? Who the hell was a dangerous criminal?


    "This is obviously meant to infuriate us. It''s as if they were being instructed¡­"


    In fact, this was a familiar situation.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" Lanni looked at Xiehan.


    "That Li Xiyan is controlling the media? I''m thinking that way too."


    "You were right!" Lanni suddenly exclaimed when realization dawned on her. "Not about Li Xiyan controlling the media. I mean, that too¡­ but you were right when you said that one woman couldn''t possibly be able to beat all five of us combined."


    "What are you insinuating?" Xiehan asked, even though he could already what she was thinking.


    "She must have someone behind her." Lanni hypothesized, shocked by her own conclusion. But the facts were right in front of her. "One woman cannot do everything that Li Xiyan does all on her own. Besides, everything just feels too meticulously planned.


    Just what kind of influence does that woman have behind her? Just who is she?"


    _


    Meanwhile, Cheng Yu wasn''t having it any better.


    It was already bad enough that she had missed many of her classes with no explanation. It had taken Jiang Xingyu''s word to stop her from being expelled from Star Art International altogether.


    Now that she was back and all caught up with everything she had missed, something else came up. News about Xia Luna was suddenly everywhere.


    The worst part was that not many people knew that Lanni had a twin.


    When they saw the news about Xia Luna being convicted with murder, some of them thought that it was Lanni. Some even insinuated that Lanni had lied about her identity and that she was Xia Luna, only under an alias. It was hectic just hearing their chatter. She couldn''t possibly explain to everyone who asked about Lanni that Lanni and Luna were two different people. One one hand, they wouldn''t believe a word of it. On the other hand, that would be indirectly admitting that Luna was guilty.


    She had let it be, but the headlines irked her. What the hell was [Dangerous wanted criminal finally convicted]?


    Since when was Luna a dangerous wanted criminal? "Whoever wrote this headline should just die!" She cursed.


    "Easy, tigress. You are too irritable these days. Girls shouldn''t curse people to die." Someone plastered himself next to her.


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes and ignored him. She had thought this guy would mind his business and stop bugging her. However, it seemed like she had a permanent parasite by her side.


    Cedric didn''t mind being ignored and moved even closer to her with a smile, as though he didn''t know just how much that was angering her. "Why are you so angry anyway?"


    Cheng Yu pursed her lips and was prepared to tell him off as usual.


    He sprung his shoulders into a shrug and continued rambling, "just take it as you''re writing in a diary."


    "And how do you compare to a diary?" Cheng Yu was annoyed. What kind of sick comparison was that?


    "Just like a diary, I will not tell anyone whatever you tell me. I will take it to the grave with me."


    Cheng Yu looked him up and down and realized that he looked serious. Even so, she huffed and took out her painting tools to ignore him and do her own work.


    Cedric let out a smile and took her paint brush from her hand. "Your mood reflects your art. Don''t you know? You''re in a bad mood and we are drawing such a happy volume in the comics. You will not do it right with this kind of mood."


    "Cedric Han, what do you want from me? Will you just disappear?!" She yelled at him.


    "Unfortunately, I do not have magic." He said, earning a murderous glare from her. He ran a hand through his hair and continued nagging incessantly. "How about we take a short walk around? We still have thirty whole minutes before the class starts."


    Cheng Yu harrumphed and tried to grab back her brush. However, he held it higher up and she couldn''t reach it no matter how she tried to stretch. Seeing that he was taking advantage of their height difference to bully her, Cheng Yu was on the verge of exploding. "Give back my brush! I came here early today so I would be able to do something meaningful before the lesson."


    "But I came early today to spend time with you, and I want to do so by taking a walk with you."


    Cheng Yu sighed and sat back down, opened her bag and took out another brush. However, Cedric must have anticipated it, because as soon as she took it out, it was snatched away by him. When she looked up at him, he had a silly smirk plastered across his face.


    "What will it take for you to stop bothering me?"


    "One walk. Just one walk and I wilk get off your hair." He still maintained his hand high above her head lest she caught him offguard and grabbed the brush from him.


    "Fine." Cheng Yu could only resign to her fate. Cedric gladly grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the studio and into the elevator.


    To avoid disturbing the people from other departments, Cedric led her out of Star Art International so they would have the so-called walk along the street.


    Since she was unwilling to talk about why she was angry¡ªpaired with the fact that he could guess anyway¡ªhe did not ask. They merely walked silently.


    Even so, Cedric''s heart was filled with joy.. Being able to walk with her like this was something he didn''t imagine possible before.

 Chapter 230 - Arch Enemies

    The duo passed by a European-styled coffee shop and Cedric thought about it before stopping her. "Do you want coffee?"


    Cheng Yu silently nodded, so they walked into the coffee shop one after another. Cheng Yu chose a seat by the window and sat down just as Cedric sat in the seat opposite hers.


    Cedric glanced at the menu and back at her. "What would you like to drink?"


    "Espresso." Cheng Yu said without thinking, and Cedric smiled, making the former wonder why he liked smiling so much. How silly.


    They both ordered Espresso and it arrived fast.


    "We have similar tastes, it seems." Cedric made a joke out of it and she scoffed at him. Why did he like to make a big deal out of little things?


    Cedric coughed to mask his awkwardness as he lifted his cup to his lips.


    Cheng Yu lifted her cup to her lips too, savoring the strong taste.


    "Everyone thinks Luna did something wrong." She suddenly spoke, catching him off guard.


    Cedric instantly paid more attention to listen.


    "I know Luna isn''t exactly a friendly person. I know she is selfish sometimes¡ªmost of the time. But I know her better than anyone. She would never deliberately hurt anyone."


    Cedric listened to her and the more he heard, the more he thought something didn''t make sense. "You make it sound like they are two different people."


    "Because they are. Xia Luna¡­ is Lanni''s twin." Cheng Yu knew Cedric was shocked by the information. Even she couldn''t believe she was saying this to Cedric of all people but she had been holding in for too long and now it just came bursting out like a flood.


    "And I feel so useless. I know she has been wrongfully convicted but there is nothing I can do about it. And I have to hear people curse behind her back behind her back and I can''t do anything about them either."


    Cedric reached over the table to hold her hand but stopped when his hand was just a centimeter close to hers. He knew she would chew him out if he touched her.


    It was already rare that she would actively talk to him about her feelings. If he messed it up, he might never get such a chance again. He could only keep his distance and comfort her. "She is lucky to have a friend like you¡ªa friend who would still trust her even after hearing her plead guilty with her own mouth. And Lanni is lucky too.


    Cheng Yu blinked as a slight smile formed at the corners of her lips. "You don''t have to console me."


    "I''m serious Xiao Yu." He coughed when he realized what he had just called her. But when she didn''t show any sign of getting angry or minding the intimate address, he pretended he hadn''t realized it either and continued, "you are the best friend anyone could ever ask for."


    "But just being their friend doesn''t help." She frowned helplessly. "I should do something that will actually get Luna out of there. Or else I will never be able to face them after everything they have done to help me before."


    "Is there something I can do to help?" Cedric quickly offered his help.


    Cheng Yu thought about it and was about to reject him. But thinking about how she couldn''t do anything with her limited abilities, she took  the last sip of her espresso and said, "Nothing yet. Can I call you if I ever need help?"


    "Of course." Cedric was even happier. Now he had an excuse to ask for her contact number, which he did immediately. He took out his phone and gently slid it on the table towards her. "We should exchange contacts. In case you need help, you can just give me a call."


    Cheng Yu took his phone and saved her contact number in it, then gave herself a call and saved his number.


    When they left the coffee shop, Cedric was walking on clouds. He had just got Cheng Yu''s contact number! He looked around and was just about to find another excuse to go somewhere together when she spoke first. "We should head back now."


    "Okay." He remembered the time and headed back with her. She walked faster on their way back and he understood that it was because they just had a few minutes before their class started. Just as they arrived in the building, they saw Jiang Xingyu walking towards them.


    "CEO Jiang, hello." Cheng Yu politely greeted him when he stopped in front of them.


    "I want to have a word with her." Jiang Xingyu coldly shooed Cedric away.


    The latter huffed and walked to the side as Cheng Yu wondered why Jiang Xingyu would look for her.


    "What do you want?" With no one else around, Cheng Yu couldn''t bother to be polite to him anymore. The fact that Jiang Xingyu spoke up for her a few days ago didn''t mean she had forgiven him for kidnapping and using her brother. Even though it was not kidnapping per se, it didn''t make it any better.


    Jiang Xingyu understood this too, so he didn''t say anything about her attitude. "I want to talk to you about Luna." He said the words that he knew she would never reject.


    "What about her?" Cheng Yu questioned.


    Jiang Xingyu started walking towards the elevator, and she could only silently follow him. The man led her to the employees cafeteria.


    "I''ll be late for my class." She complained as soon as she understood his intentions. "We should talk after my class instead."


    "The class will not start before you arrive." He said as tyrannically as he could possibly sound, and Cheng Yu was irritated.


    "Are you simply  going to waste everyone''s time just because you are the big boss? You must be sick in the head. I don''t know what Luna even ever saw in you."


    "Are you taking out your frustration on me?" Jiang Xingyu laughed. "Then you better hope that I do not return the favor. Because I am very frustrated."


    Cheng Yu stood up with a huff. "If you have something to say, say it after my class." She left after saying these words, and Jiang Xingyu laughed. Was she aware that he could eliminate her from that class if he wanted to?


    Of course, he wouldn''t do that. Luna would kill him if he did. He could only wait.


    _


    "Are you that close to Xingyu?" Cedric, who was waiting for Cheng Yu outside the elevator, asked as soon as she got out.


    Cheng Yu frowned but answered, "We are not close. He is Luna''s boyfriend."


    When she realized what he had just called Jiang Xingyu, she looked up at him curiously. "Are you close to him?"


    "We are arch enemies. Does this count?" Cedric smirked.


    Cheng Yu recalled how Jiang Xingyu had ignored Cedric earlier. They did seem like enemies. She couldn''t help but chuckle. Wasn''t this an odd combination of enemies? What did they even do to each other? "What happened between you two?"


    Cedric laughed. "Things happened. At first, I didn''t actually like him because he rejected my sister."


    "You have a sister?" Cheng Yu didn''t know about it.


    "My elder sister. She is beautiful, kind, elegant, intelligent and basically everything a man would want from a woman. However, he rejected her in a banquet¡ªwith tens of people as audience to that. He even said such mean words. My sister was so ashamed that she could no longer show her face in public for a while."


    "So you hated him because of this?" Cheng Yu still didn''t think this reason made sense. The issue was between Jiang Xingyu and Cedric''s sister, not Cedric himself, right?


    "After that incident passed, everyone forgot it. Jiang Xingyu even treated me as fairly as he would treat anyone else." Cedric continued. "However, during Li Yuming''s charity art gala, do you know what happened?"


    Cheng Yu shook her head.


    "I had my eyes on the last painting. Actually, my sister had her eyes on that painting. It was going to be her birthday soon and I wanted to buy it as a gift for her. However, Jiang Xingyu made sure he got it by all means. Wouldn''t you hate him if you were in my shoes?"


    "I¡­ I would." Cheng Yu bit her lip and smiled slightly in embarrassment. So that painting had been for his sister all along.


    And there she was thinking that it was for her. Even though Jiang Xingyu had got it for Luna in the end, she had still been happy that Cedric was willing to spend so much money to buy her a painting of her idol along with her best friends. After all, he had only given up when the bid prices became ridiculously high.


    But now that she thought about it, just where exactly did she get such an assumption? Was she crazy? She and Cedric weren''t even close! Forget being close. She even hated his guts!

 Chapter 231 - Make It Up

    As soon as the class ended, Cheng Yu gathered her things hurriedly and looked like she was in a rush to go somewhere.


    Cedric noticed this and hurried over to her before she could leave.


    "What do you want?" Cheng Yu snapped in annoyance when she saw him standing in her way.


    Cedric was taken aback. Wasn''t she friendly earlier? They even had espresso together and took a peaceful walk. They even exchanged phone numbers and she had agreed to give him a call if she ever needed help with anything. Why was she suddenly snapping at him so coldly?


    Then again, this was probably her normal attitude towards him. He shouldn''t have thought too much just because she was slightly less hostile earlier. He cleared his throat and smiled. "Are you free to have lunch together? I know of¡­"


    "I''m busy." Cheng Yu cut him off ruthlessly and went on her way. She was just too embarrassed to face him after thinking too much for so long.


    Aside from sounding rude, she was not lying about being busy. She hadn''t spoken to Jiang Xingyu earlier and had decided to meet him after her class.


    The man was actually still waiting in the employees cafeteria. Jiang Xingyu was usually friendly to his employees, so they were not afraid of sitting in the same cafeteria as him and having their lunch.


    When he saw her, he stood up to meet her. "Let''s go somewhere else."


    "Okay." Said Cheng Yu, starting to wonder why he was being so mysterious. What could he possibly want to talk about that they needed to go somewhere else?


    She silently followed him to his car and when he asked her to get in, she silently entered. Even so, she sat as far as she could from him, not even fastening the seat belt.


    Jiang Xingyu watched her actions and laughed. "Are you scared? Don''t you trust me?"


    "I should trust you?" Cheng Yu huffed, still not making any move to fasten the seat belt.


    Jiang Xingyu looked at it then at her and said seriously, "the belt is meant for your own safety." Realizing that she was actually scared, he frowned. "Even if you don''t feel safe around me, you should consider the fact that I would never want to wrong Luna. She would hate me if I did anything to hurt you."


    When she heard him say this, she let out a small sigh in relief and fastened the seat belt. Even so, she looked like she was ready to flee.


    Jiang Xingyu couldn''t help raising an eyebrow. What was she so afraid of anyway? It was none of his business, so he didn''t ask. He accelerated so they arrived at Jiang Corporation within half an hour.


    Cheng Yu let out a small, awkward smile when she realized that they were probably going to his office.


    He pulled up into the underground parking lot at Jiang Corporation and they got off at almost the same time.


    Jiang Xingyu led the way to the elevator, and the entire elevator ride to the forty-fifth floor was silent.


    The elevator doors slid open with a ding. Just as they stepped out, a young woman rushed over to Jiang Xingyu. "CEO, welcome back. President Han is here and¡­"


    "I''ll meet him in thirty minutes." Jiang Xingyu said to the female secretary and continued walking to his office.


    The secretary went on her way and did not say a word of greeting to Cheng Yu¡ªnot that she minded it. It was just that the look Jiang Xingyu''s secretary gave her was a bit weird. She frowned and followed Jiang Xingyu to his office. Why would she care about the secretary''s gaze?


    _


    Jiang Xingyu invited Cheng Yu to a seat then offered her a drink. She politely rejected it, so he went straight to the point. "You are close to Luna, that is why I looked for you."


    Cheng Yu waited for him to continue.


    "Is there perhaps¡­ something I don''t know about? You should tell me everything. That is the only way we could figure out¡­"


    "I know just as much as you know." Cheng Yu didn''t need to hear the rest of it. "You do know what kind of person Luna is. Do you think she would tell me anything that no one else knows?"


    "I see." Jiang Xingyu rubbed his palms together in slow motion. He had thought that Cheng Yu would know something helpful. Reaching another dead end, he could only sigh.


    _


    After thinking about it for days, Lanni finally thought she should accept the fact that Luna had been imprisoned. She decided to visit her.


    Luna was only allowed two visits in a month and they were only one hour each. Lanni sighed and went nonetheless.


    However, she didn''t expect that upon arrival, she would be denied the chance to see her sister.


    "Why? I''m her sister." Lanni was confused when the prison officer told her that she could not see Luna.


    "I''m sorry Miss Li, but she listed you among the people who could be a threat to her, so you cannot visit her." The prison officer said expressionlessly.


    Lanni''s face paled in shock. She did what? She shook her head in disbelief. "No, that''s impossible. Maybe you made a mistake. Listen, please let me have a word with my sister. Just one minute¡­ I''m sure she wouldn''t reject my visit."


    "I can''t. Please leave."


    Lanni knew he would no longer be polite if she insisted on seeing Luna so she robotically turned to leave.


    But how was it possible? How could Luna do such a thing? The more things progressed, the more it felt like she didn''t know her sister anymore. It was as though Luna had been possessed by a demon of sorts.


    Lanni sat in her car and didn''t start it. Instead, she leaned her head agaisnt the steering wheel as she thought of every possible reason for Luna''s behaviour. Finding none, she closed her eyes to mask her sadness.


    Her phone vibrated. Lanni searched for it in her handbag and when she found it and saw who the caller was, she coughed twice to ensure her voice didn''t sound like anything was wrong, then she slid her thumb across the screen to answer it. "Xiehan?"


    Ji Xiehan paused for a moment as though detecting something before he spoke, "Honey, did something happen?"


    "Uhm¡­" Lanni was shocked. How coukd he tell that something had happened when all she said was one word¡ªhis name?


    "Where are you? I''ll come to pick you up." He decisively said, and she could hear a small clank from the other side. He had probably just picked up his keys.


    "Xiehan, you don''t need to pick me up. I''m alright actually. I''ll just go home and have a rest¡ªyou don''t need to leave your work for me."


    "Leave my work? But¡­" He stopped mid-statement as though thinking about something then continued a moment later, "Be careful on the road. If you can''t drive, give your chauffeur a call."


    "What were you going to say?" It was obvious that he had left something out.


    "It''s nothing, love. Go home and rest, okay?"


    "Mmh." Lanni hung up after blowing him a kiss, but she still felt she was forgetting something.


    _


    As soon as Lanni arrived, she went to her room and flopped on the bed.


    "I can''t believe she did that." She mumbled, still in disbelief. "Perhaps she was scared I would scold her or try to force the truth out of her? Good lord, what made her think I would do that?"


    Lanni''s lips twitched. Fine, maybe she would be tempted to do just that.


    She didn''t need to ask to know that Luna had already done the same for Li Yuming and everyone else. She mustn''t want to be visited by anyone. With a thousand thoughts flooding in her mind, Lanni fell asleep.


    She only woke up three hours later when her phone chimed with a message notification. She checked the message, which turned out to be a spam message from the online mall she usually shopped.


    She stretched her limbs lazily. Lately, she hadn''t been having enough rest with everything on her mind. She dragged her body to the bathroom and washed her face, then realization dawned on her as she looked at herself in the mirror.


    She was supposed to go on a picnic with Xiehan this afternoon! How could she forget?


    Checking the time, it was already 5pm. She dialed Xiehan''s number and he picked the call after just one ring.


    "Xiehan, I''m so sorry I forgot about our picnic. You even took a day off for this¡­" she facepalmed at the thought of it. "Oh god I''m such a horrible girlfriend."


    "Heh." Xiehan chuckled and she knew she should be wary against that laugh.


    "I''m so sorry my love. I''ll make it up to you."


    "Okay." Xiehan said in a tone that gave her chills.. "You have to make it up in a satisfactory way."

 Chapter 232 - Go On One Knee

    "Why does it sound like you''re scheming something?" Lanni laughed. "We are already together. Do you still need to scheme to get what you want? You can just ask, you know."


    Xiehan chuckled. "Who said I couldn''t scheme just because I have already made you mine? I can still play tricks, alright?"


    "Hold on. Give me an hour." He added.


    "Okay." Lanni hung up and waited. Something must have come up, requiring him to go back to work.


    One hour later, he called again.


    "Not a second late." She smiled, pleased with her man''s punctuality. He said one hour when he meant it and would be right in time¡ªneither too early not too late. Realizing that she had been doing nothing but staring at her phone and waiting for his call, she took the phone and answered the call.


    "Come down." Xiehan said monotonously as soon as the call was connected.


    "What? Down, where?" She was taken aback. Realizing what he meant a moment later, she rushed to the window and pulled the curtain apart then looked down. When she saw his silver sports car, she was baffled. "What are you doing here?" She asked into the phone, looking down at his car with a puzzled expression.


    The car door opened, and Xiehan stepped out with the phone still held to his ear. He looked up and waved at her then continued speaking into the phone, "I came to pick you up."


    Lanni looked down at her baggy t-shirt and shorts. For the sake of having a nice rest, she had changed into comfortable clothes before having a nap. She didn''t look like she was dressed up to go anywhere. "Pick me up to go where?" She asked into the phone.


    "You forgot about our date so we are going to have dinner at my place. Isn''t that just fair?" He grinned, looking up at her. Even though he knew she wouldn''t say no, he added, "You promised to make it up to me. Are you going to take back your words, my love?"


    Lanni chuckled at his spoilt tone. "Alright. Give me a minute or two, okay?"


    He agreed, so Lanni opened her closet and grabbed the first black dress she saw. She quickly changed into it and brushed her long hair backwards, letting its thick waves fall to her back. She grabbed a tube of lipgloss and ran back to the mirror, applied a little of it on her lips and checked that it was alright.


    When she was done, she grabbed a golden purse, stuffed her phone inside it and grabbed a golden pair of high-heeled shoes on her way out. She slid her feet into the shoes and made her way down the stairs.


    "Did you wait for too long?" She asked when she was out.


    Xiehan looked over and was startled to see her out so fast. He took in her tight black dress and was awed. He already knew that his girlfriend''s body was perfectly proportioned in all the right places but seeing her in this dress, he couldn''t help running his gaze all over her body. "That was fast." He finally said.


    Lanni smiled and walked over to hook her arm around his. "I didn''t want to keep you waiting."


    "I didn''t¡­" Xiehan was about to say that he didn''t wait for too long but changed his statement midway to a complaint, "I waited for so long. Look, I even grew a strand of grey hair."


    Lanni slapped his shoulder playfully. "Isn''t your hair white anyway? One strand of grey will not stand out." She pulled a fistful of it, making him wince.


    "As much as I like it when you grab my hair, it''s much better if you are doing it in bed."


    "You dirty-minded pervert." Lanni rolled her eyes. This man was impossible. He could bring up such topics even when they were talking about something totally different. She entered the car and fastened the seat belt in attempt to ignore him.


    Xiehan got in, laughing after having made fun of her.


    Before fastening his seat belt, he leaned closer to her and smacked a kiss on her cheek. "You look lovely."


    Lanni turned to look at him and glanced at his blue tuxedo. "You look handsome yourself."


    "I''m glad you think so." Xiehan gave himself a pat in the back for dressing up.


    Lanni must have actually meant it when she said that he looked handsome, because her gaze was fixated on him for the entire ride to his mansion. Of course, that earned her a few kisses.


    When they arrived, Lanni realized that there was no one in the vicinity.


    An alluring aroma greeted her as soon as she walked into the house.


    "Your chef must be in such a good mood today." She sniffed in the air to take in the aroma.


    Xiehan chuckled. "Are you hungry? We should eat first then." With that, he led her to the dining room.


    Only after entering the dining room did Lanni realize the different atmosphere. She stood in place, taking in the totally changed atmosphere.


    There was a small, white flower vase on the table with red roses slotted into it. The light was dim, and four red candles burnt at the side, giving the atmosphere a warm, romantic feeling. There was even a slow, romantic tune playing in a low volume. The servants must have all been given a day off too.


    "You prepared all of this?" Lanni was awed.


    Xiehan held her by the waist and led her to the table, then pulled a chair for her. He waited for her to sit before answering her question. "I thought I might as well prepare a candlelit dinner for us."


    He walked out of the dining room and returned with a two-tier food trolley. After arranging the food on the table, he took back the trolley then returned to sit opposite her.


    Lanni was awed by the spread of delicious food. One glance at the steak and her mouth watered. Now that she recalled it, he had taken a day off work today. Had her man spent all afternoon preparing for their date?


    "Xiehan¡­ I don''t know what to say¡­" was all she could utter.


    "How about¡­" he stood up and Lanni freaked out.


    Her eyes went wide. "You¡­ you''re not going to go on one knee, right?"


    Xiehan, who was halfway towards her, wss startled. He burst into laughter. "What are you thinking? I was going over to you to kiss you."


    "Oh." Lanni smiled. She didn''t know whether she was relieved or disappointed.


    Xiehan placed a kiss on her lips then sat back down so they would start eating.


    He cut a piece of steak and put it in his mouth, his gaze fixed on her.


    "Why are you giving me that look?"


    Xiehan averted his gaze to pour some wine into his stemglass. "You want some?" He asked her. When she nodded, he poured some into her stemglass too.


    "How would you react if I actually did that¡ªwent on one knee?" He asked after putting the wine bottle back on the table.


    Lanni wasn''t exactly taken aback by his question but she still didn''t know how exactly to respond to it. She threw him a question instead. "Should I be honest?"


    Xiehan took a sip of his wine with a slight grin and threw the question back at her. "Should I be scared?"


    "I don''t know." Lanni shrugged. "You know Xiehan, I love you very much. But I''m not ready for engagement or marriage yet."


    Xiehan nodded. He knew this too. He already knew that the two of them pretending to be an engaged couple was one thing. But for Lanni, marriage was still not on her mind¡ªand might not appear on her mind any time soon. He had only asked out of curiosity when he saw her startled expression at the thought that he was going to propose.


    "You''re not¡­ disappointed, are you?" She asked worriedly.


    Xiehan reached over the table and took her hand in his, caressing it slightly. "Don''t sweat it, Love. I totally understand. It''s too soon for us to talk about marriage. I only asked out of curiosity."


    Seeing that they were of the same opinion, Lanni smiled.


    "I¡­" she was about to say something when she felt a vibration from her purse. She paused her statement and took out her phone. Seeing the caller, her eyebrows scrunched as she looked back at Xiehan. "I''ll take this."


    Xiehan nodded, and she went to the window and picked the call.


    Xiehan waited for her to finish the call before continuing to eat. He was looking at her, so he clearly saw it when she exclaimed in shock and dropped her phone on the floor.


    He shot up from his seat and rushed to her. "What happened?"


    "Lanni? Lanni?" He shook her shoulders.


    Lanni turned to look at him. "Why now? Why at such at time?"


    "What happened?" He asked again.


    Lanni let out a sigh and leaned against the wall as she raised her hands to her spinning head.. "It''s my dad."

 Chapter 233 - His Little Cupcake

    Xiehan was silent for a whole minute, processing what she had just said before carefully asking, "What happened to your  father?"


    "He¡­" Lanni tried to steady her breathing as Xiehan held her. "He woke up!"


    Xiehan frowned and looked at her. "You don''t look anything like someone whose father has woken up after being in a coma for a whole year."


    Lanni bit her lip. "I know. It''s just that, " she lowered her voice, as though guilty about what she was going to say. "What wrong timing."


    Xiehan understood her instantly. He couldn''t say that he thought the same way, but he understood why she would think that way.


    Lanni had hoped to get Luna freed before her father woke up. Now that he was awake, she might have to explain to him where her sister was.


    Lanni picked up her phone and checked it. Seeing that it was broken, she kept it in her purse. She would buy another one later. "I''ll go to the hospital to see him."


    "Right now? You should go in the morning." Xiehan suggested, knowing that she must be too emotional at the moment. It would be best to digest the news first.


    "No. I should go now. Though I don''t know how to face him. Do you know, before this, I have never gone to see him even though he was just in a hospital nearby." Lanni held her forehead. How could she be such an uncaring daughter?


    "It''s understandable. There was so much going on." He consoled.


    Lanni thought of something and spoke. "Wait. What if I double cross him for a while? I can go once as myself and another time as my sister. He would never know since we are identical anyway."


    "That''s a bad idea." Xiehan said as soon as her words were out. "He would be hurt when he realizes that he has been fooled all this while."


    "That is if he ever finds out. However, I will make sure he doesn''t and I will also make sure Luna is freed soon." She insisted.


    Since she said it that way, Xiehan couldn''t say anything else. He could only dismiss, "I''m not saying that it''s okay to decieve him but I don''t have a better idea so¡­ why don''t you think about it first? If you really decide to do it, then I will not have anything else to say about it."


    Lanni nodded. Hence, she stayed over for the night.


    _


    The next morning.


    Lanni freshened up then changed into a different style of clothes. Once she had light breakfast, she hurried to the hospital. Xiehan accompanied her, but Lanni wanted him to wait for her outside as she went in on her own.


    Seeing that she was dressed up in the same style as Xia Luna and was probably going to impersonate her sister, Xiehan could only hope she changed her mind on her own. After all, he couldn''t force her to do what he wanted.


    The attending doctor was already waiting for her.


    "Doctor, how is my dad? Can I go to see him?" She asked anxiously.


    "You may." The doctor replied, leading her towards Xia Hanchen''s ward. "However, do not take too long and you must make sure not to agitate his emotions as his condition is still delicate."


    "I''ll take note of that." Lanni smiled and went into the ward.


    Xia Hanchen lay calmly on the bed, fast asleep. Lanni stood at the door for a while. That was indeed her father. Now that she saw him again after so long that she couldn''t remember, her heart filled with a mixture of joy and love.


    She was overwhelmed as she walked over to his side and softly called, "dad."


    The man''s eyelids fluttered a bit, then he woke up.


    "Dad, you''re really awake." Lanni was excited and the word ''dad'' left her lips too easily. Perhaps it was because she was impersonating Luna, who was close to their father.


    Xia Hanchen smiled and Lanni expected him to call her "Luna" but the word that left his lips was, "Lanni?"


    Lanni was taken aback. He had seen through her so easily. She smiled in self-mock. Although she and Luna were twins, what made her think she could fool their father? She could only slowly nod. "Dad, I¡­"


    She was yet to say a word more when Xia Hanchen sprung almost to a sitting position and Lanni had to rush over to stop him. "Dad! You have to calm down."


    "Lanni! It''s really my Lanni." Xia Hanchen was so excited that his eyes watered as he stretched his arms like a child asking for a hug. Lanni''s eyes teared slightly as she hugged him.


    He patted her back. "You are better now."


    Lanni knew he was talking about her waking up from coma, so she nodded as she broke the hug. "Dad, I missed you."


    Although her pretense of being ''Luna'' had been shed off, she still freely addressed him as her dad.


    "I missed you too, cupcake."


    Lanni laughed at the nickname but now that he said it, it felt so sweetky familiar.


    Xia Hanchen took her hand and looked her all over before gushing, "You have changed so much. In just a year, my cupcake is now A grown up woman, so strong and beautiful."


    "Thanks dad." Lanni was happy with the compliment and for a moment, she almost forgot all about Luna. That was until he asked.


    "I''m so happy that you are here. Where is your sister? You girls are my happiness."


    Lanni''s expression changed slightly amd she suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    "What''s wrong? Is something the matter?" Xia Hanchen was fast to notice her change in expression.


    "Luna, she¡­" thinking of Xiehan''s advice, Lanni was about to tell him the truth. But thinking of how the doctor said that she should not agitate his emotions, she couldn''t bear to tell him the ruthless truth. "Luna has been quite busy these past days. She couldn''t come to see you."


    "No problem. As long as she is fine." Xia Hanchen did not feel anything was off.


    Lanni secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She wanted to stay more and chat all day. However, she was scared that he would start asking her questions about Luna, so she coughed up an excuse. "Dad, I have to go to school later. How about I come back this evening, then we can chat all night."


    "Of course, cupcake. Even though I want you to stay all day because I missed you too much, your studies are more important." Xia Hanchen let her go as she pleased, and Lanni was glad that he did not cling to her.


    ''I''m sorry dad. I will tell you the truth when you get better. You can''t take it now.'' She thought guiltily.


    When she left the hospital, Xiehan was still waiting for her outside. He was leaning against his car and when he saw her leaving the building, he went over to her.


    "He''s really awake. I know I was confused earlier but I''m so happy now." She said as soon as she saw him.


    Xiehan smiled too, relieved after the fright he had recieved the night before when he saw her drop her phone out of shock. "How is he?"


    "He is doing fine. For someone who has been in coma for a whole year, his condition is so much better than I expected. We talked a little." She rambled on. Suddenly remembering Luna, she sighed sadly. "I couldn''t bring myself to tell him about Luna yet. I can only bring that up to him when he is stable enough."


    "That''s still better than you pretending to be your sister. It''s already hurtful that his daughter is in prison, it would be much worse if he later learnt that his other daughter lied to him." Xiehan responded, and Lanni nodded in agreement.


    "So what do you plan to do now?" He probed.


    Lanni thought about it for a while. "I should try to learn Li Xiyan''s weakness. I don''t know if it will really work but at this point, I can only try."


    Xiehan nodded slowly and led her to the car. Fastening his seatbelt, he looked back at her. "I thought you would want to do that, that is why I thought of a plan that might be if help."


    "Thank you love." Lanni leaned towards him and pressed a kiss on his cheek.


    "But you haven''t heard the plan yet." Xiehan smiled, giddy from the kiss.


    "So what? I know that my boyfriend is smart. Whatever you think of will definitely be helpful." She held a hand over her chest cheerfully. "Right. The next time I visit my dad, we should go together."


    "You want to introduce me to him already? I thought you would think it is too soon because you haven''t caught up yet." He laughed, obviously amazed that she had thought of letting him meet her father.


    "My dad needs more reasons to make him happy now.. Sorry Xiehan, that''s just me being selfish.

 Chapter 234 - DO NOT UNLOCK: SKIP TO CHAPTER 235

    Xiehan heard what she had said and stopped at a red light to flick her forehead.


    "Ow! What was that for?" She complained as she rubbed the spot he had flicked while glaring at him.


    He glanced at her as he scolded. "What nonsense are you saying? You care about your father''s health and are doing your best so he gets better sooner. How is that being selfish?"


    "I''m clearly using you. Don''t you mind it in the slightest?" She asked carefully.


    "No, I don''t mind." He grinned, and she leaned against his arm until the light turned green.


    "When are you going to see him again?" Xiehan asked, knowing the turmoil in her heart.


    "I don''t know. Maybe I should go tomorrow or the day after." Lanni was confused by her own words. "I want to see him so badly. But I''m also scared he might see through me and find out that there is something wrong with Luna. I really don''t know what to do."


    "Why don''t you think about it? You can decide later or tomorrow." Xiehan suggested.


    She nodded to agree, so Xiehan dropped her off at home before going to work.


    _


    The following day.


    Because she had only spent a little time with her father the previous day, Lanni wanted to visit him again.


    Early in the morning, she wore an apron over her clothes and started busying herself around in the kitchen.


    She made oatmeal congee and arranged an assortment of fruits into a basket. She was just about to transfer the congee into the flask when Li Yuming came in.


    "This is a first. You are in the kitchen so early in the morning? Who are you cooking for?" Li Yuming assumed that she was cooking for Xiehan and smiled happily. How cute. Was she making him lunch so he would carry it to work? But when she saw the congee and the assortment of fruit, she realized that it looked like food meant for a sick person.


    "Is Xiehan feeling unwell?" She worriedly asked.


    "No, Xiehan is fine." Lanni realized that her mother must have thought that the food was for Ji Xiehan. "I didn''t prepare this for Xiehan."


    "Who is it for, then?" It couldn''t be for Luna because prisons did not permit food from outside, so Li Yuming was confused.


    Lanni put the dish in a silver food flask and tightened the lid. She slotted it into the basket with the fruits beside it then said, "it''s for dad."


    It took a whole minute for Li Yuming to process what she had heard and when she did, her face was pale. "What did you say? Can you say that again? Because I thought I heard you say that it was for your dad." Li Yuming even held her ear as though it was not working, with her eyebrow raised.


    "Yes. That is what I said. I''m taking it to dad. He woke up the day before yesterday and I didn''t know what his condition was yesterday, so I didn''t make any food for him. Now that I know how he''s doing, I decided to cook something for him. He is still unwell so he can only eat these." She ran her eyes over the food flask and fruits. "When he feels better, I will cook something more delicious for him." Lanni answered all so naturally.


    Li Yuming was more stunned about how bluntly she was saying it than the fact that she was going to see that man. When she finally reacted, she grabbed the basket and set it aside. "You are not going anywhere."


    "And why not?" Lanni asked the question whose answer she already knew.


    "You are not going to see that man." Li Yuming gritted her teeth.


    Lanni looked her blankly before asking again, "Why?"


    Li Yuming exhaled a puff of air before saying what she knew she had already said many times before. "I''m only looking out for your safety. And by getting close to people from the Xia family, you are compromising that."


    Lanni slapped her forehead as she felt her temples begin to throb. "Mom, I thought we were past this already."


    "No we aren''t. And we won''t be unless you get it to the depths of your brain." Li Yuming looked at her sternly. " Xia Hanchen is not who he seems to be. In reality, he is a selfish scumbag. Do you really think he likes you, misses you and all that? He just wants to use you!"


    "Mum¡­" Lanni didn''t know what to say to her mother anymore. "Isn''t that what you thought of Luna in the past, and weren''t you proven wrong?"


    "That was Luna. And she is my daughter, and I only didn''t trust her in the past because she grew up in Xia Hanchen''s care. I was worried she would become like him¡ªbut the fact that did not doesn''t mean that he is any better than he was back then."


    Lanni stared at her mother for a while, not making head or tail of what she was saying. In the end, she only waved her hands in the air as a sign of giving up. "Mom, I don''t know what happened between you and dad but whatever it is, I do not wish to be a part of it."


    "You are my daughter." Li Yuming barked.


    Lanni grabbed back the basket. "Yes. And that is why you have to let me live my own life and make my own decisions."


    Li Yuming could only watch her leave and because she did not wish to intensify the argument¡ªor whatever this situation had turned into, she did not try to stop her.


    "She is just as stubborn as her father." She could only sigh.


    _


    When Lanni arrived at the hospital, Ji Xiehan was already waiting. Since she decided to go to see her father today, she had also decided to bring Ji Xiehan with her.


    Xiehan was leaning against his car. He was carrying the coffee he had just bought in one hand while a plastic bag swung loosely from his arm. She walked over to him with a bright smile. "Morning, Love."


    Xiehan held the coffee away from her as she pressed a kiss onto his cheek. When she was done, he kissed her lightly on her lips before presenting the coffee he had bought for her.


    He also held out the white plastic bag. "This is for you."


    Lanni opened the plastic bag and saw a paper package which had been slightly stained with butter from whatever was inside it. She smiled on excitement as soon as she recognized it. "You got me croissants!"


    Xiehan smiled, seeing that his guess had turned out to be correct. "I''m glad you like them. You can eat them in the car first then we can go in when you are done."


    Lanni smiled as she opened the car door to sit inside. Xiehan entered the car too. He had already had breakfast so he waited as she munched her way into the croissant.


    After that argument with her mother, she had not had breakfast before leaving the house and Xiehan just happened to buy her some. Was he a psychic? She swallowed what she was chewing then smiled in his direction.


    Xiehan smiled back and raised a thumb to rub off the tiny crumbs at the corner of her mouth. "Are you a child? You are definitely eating like one."


    Lanni happily munched on, not minding that she was being scolded. Xiehan could only speechlessly shake his head.


    When she was done, he stopped her before she could open the car door. She looked at him curiously so he asked, "Is something wrong, did something happen?"


    Lanni looked at him with raised eyebrows. He was officially a psychic.


    Knowing what she was thinking, Xiehan chuckled lightly. "Aunty Li called me a while ago. She said that you were mad and left the house without eating anything, that''s why I got you coffee and croissants."


    Lanni stared at him, opening and closing her mouth but no word came out. Li Yuming actually did that? Why would she? Why was it so hard to understand her mother sometimes?


    Lanni shrugged her shoulders and did not say a word about it.


    Ji Xiehan was curious. Just what had happened between these two? He studied her annoyed expression and asked, "What happened?"


    Lanni looked all the more irritated as she finished her croissant. "She doesn''t what me to visit my dad. I mean, he is my dad and he is in hospital. He has no one else to take care of him with Luna in prison and I definitely cannot trust Li Xiyan to be there for him. That woman could even do something to hurt him. As his daughter, isn''t it only right for me to be there for him?"


    Xiehan nodded. Her words made sense. He reached for her hand and caressed it gently. "I don''t know why she is trying to stop you but she cares about you."


    "If she cared about me half as much as she makes it sound, she would let me do what I''ve always longed to do." She scoffed.

 Chapter 235 - 234: Selfish

    Xiehan heard what she had said and stopped at a red light to flick her forehead.


    "Ow! What was that for?" She complained as she rubbed the spot he had flicked while glaring at him.


    He glanced at her as he scolded. "What nonsense are you saying? You care about your father''s health and are doing your best so he gets better sooner. How is that being selfish?"


    "I''m clearly using you. Don''t you mind it in the slightest?" She asked carefully.


    "No, I don''t mind." He grinned, and she leaned against his arm until the light turned green.


    "When are you going to see him again?" Xiehan asked, knowing the turmoil in her heart.


    "I don''t know. Maybe I should go tomorrow or the day after." Lanni was confused by her own words. "I want to see him so badly. But I''m also scared he might see through me and find out that there is something wrong with Luna. I really don''t know what to do."


    "Why don''t you think about it? You can decide later or tomorrow." Xiehan suggested.


    She nodded to agree, so Xiehan dropped her off at home before going to work.


    _


    The following day.


    Because she had only spent a little time with her father the previous day, Lanni wanted to visit him again.


    Early in the morning, she wore an apron over her clothes and started busying herself around in the kitchen.


    She made oatmeal congee and arranged an assortment of fruits into a basket. She was just about to transfer the congee into the flask when Li Yuming came in.


    "This is a first. You are in the kitchen so early in the morning? Who are you cooking for?" Li Yuming assumed that she was cooking for Xiehan and smiled happily. How cute. Was she making him lunch so he would carry it to work? But when she saw the congee and the assortment of fruit, she realized that it looked like food meant for a sick person.


    "Is Xiehan feeling unwell?" She worriedly asked.


    "No, Xiehan is fine." Lanni realized that her mother must have thought that the food was for Ji Xiehan. "I didn''t prepare this for Xiehan."


    "Who is it for, then?" It couldn''t be for Luna because prisons did not permit food from outside, so Li Yuming was confused.


    Lanni put the dish in a silver food flask and tightened the lid. She slotted it into the basket with the fruits beside it then said, "it''s for dad."


    It took a whole minute for Li Yuming to process what she had heard and when she did, her face was pale. "What did you say? Can you say that again? Because I thought I heard you say that it was for your dad." Li Yuming even held her ear as though it was not working, with her eyebrow raised.


    "Yes. That is what I said. I''m taking it to dad. He woke up the day before yesterday and I didn''t know what his condition was yesterday, so I didn''t make any food for him. Now that I know how he''s doing, I decided to cook something for him. He is still unwell so he can only eat these." She ran her eyes over the food flask and fruits. "When he feels better, I will cook something more delicious for him." Lanni answered all so naturally.


    Li Yuming was more stunned about how bluntly she was saying it than the fact that she was going to see that man. When she finally reacted, she grabbed the basket and set it aside. "You are not going anywhere."


    "And why not?" Lanni asked the question whose answer she already knew.


    "You are not going to see that man." Li Yuming gritted her teeth.


    Lanni looked her blankly before asking again, "Why?"


    Li Yuming exhaled a puff of air before saying what she knew she had already said many times before. "I''m only looking out for your safety. And by getting close to people from the Xia family, you are compromising that."


    Lanni slapped her forehead as she felt her temples begin to throb. "Mom, I thought we were past this already."


    "No we aren''t. And we won''t be unless you get it to the depths of your brain." Li Yuming looked at her sternly. " Xia Hanchen is not who he seems to be. In reality, he is a selfish scumbag. Do you really think he likes you, misses you and all that? He just wants to use you!"


    "Mum¡­" Lanni didn''t know what to say to her mother anymore. "Isn''t that what you thought of Luna in the past, and weren''t you proven wrong?"


    "That was Luna. And she is my daughter, and I only didn''t trust her in the past because she grew up in Xia Hanchen''s care. I was worried she would become like him¡ªbut the fact that did not doesn''t mean that he is any better than he was back then."


    Lanni stared at her mother for a while, not making head or tail of what she was saying. In the end, she only waved her hands in the air as a sign of giving up. "Mom, I don''t know what happened between you and dad but whatever it is, I do not wish to be a part of it."


    "You are my daughter." Li Yuming barked.


    Lanni grabbed back the basket. "Yes. And that is why you have to let me live my own life and make my own decisions."


    Li Yuming could only watch her leave and because she did not wish to intensify the argument¡ªor whatever this situation had turned into, she did not try to stop her.


    "She is just as stubborn as her father." She could only sigh.


    _


    When Lanni arrived at the hospital, Ji Xiehan was already waiting. Since she decided to go to see her father today, she had also decided to bring Ji Xiehan with her.


    Xiehan was leaning against his car. He was carrying the coffee he had just bought in one hand while a plastic bag swung loosely from his arm. She walked over to him with a bright smile. "Morning, Love."


    Xiehan held the coffee away from her as she pressed a kiss onto his cheek. When she was done, he kissed her lightly on her lips before presenting the coffee he had bought for her.


    He also held out the white plastic bag. "This is for you."


    Lanni opened the plastic bag and saw a paper package which had been slightly stained with butter from whatever was inside it. She smiled on excitement as soon as she recognized it. "You got me croissants!"


    Xiehan smiled, seeing that his guess had turned out to be correct. "I''m glad you like them. You can eat them in the car first then we can go in when you are done."


    Lanni smiled as she opened the car door to sit inside. Xiehan entered the car too. He had already had breakfast so he waited as she munched her way into the croissant.


    After that argument with her mother, she had not had breakfast before leaving the house and Xiehan just happened to buy her some. Was he a psychic? She swallowed what she was chewing then smiled in his direction.


    Xiehan smiled back and raised a thumb to rub off the tiny crumbs at the corner of her mouth. "Are you a child? You are definitely eating like one."


    Lanni happily munched on, not minding that she was being scolded. Xiehan could only speechlessly shake his head.


    When she was done, he stopped her before she could open the car door. She looked at him curiously so he asked, "Is something wrong, did something happen?"


    Lanni looked at him with raised eyebrows. He was officially a psychic.


    Knowing what she was thinking, Xiehan chuckled lightly. "Aunty Li called me a while ago. She said that you were mad and left the house without eating anything, that''s why I got you coffee and croissants."


    Lanni stared at him, opening and closing her mouth but no word came out. Li Yuming actually did that? Why would she? Why was it so hard to understand her mother sometimes? She shrugged her shoulders and did not say a word about it.


    Ji Xiehan was curious. Just what had happened between these two? He studied her annoyed expression and asked, "What happened?"


    Lanni looked all the more irritated as she finished her croissant. "She doesn''t what me to visit my dad. I mean, he is my dad and he is in hospital. He has no one else to take care of him with Luna in prison and I definitely cannot trust Li Xiyan to be there for him. That woman could even do something to hurt him. As his daughter, isn''t it only right for me to be there for him?"


    Xiehan nodded. Her words made sense. He reached for her hand and caressed it gently. "I don''t know why she is trying to stop you but she cares about you."


    "If she cared about me half as much as she makes it sound, she would let me do what I''ve always longed to do.." She scoffed.

 Chapter 236 - Sneaky Intruder

    Xiehan eyed her for a moment before asking, "Did you try to understand her?"


    "What?" Lanni frowned quizzically.


    "Your mom. Did you ask her why she was acting the way she was? Do you know her reasons?"


    Lanni huffed and remained silent. Who was she to ask? Li Yuming didn''t want to tell her anything no matter how many times she asked. How then could she understand her? "She is so secretive that she doesn''t want to tell me anything. I did ask this in the past."


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow in contemplation. Even though Lanni put it that way, he still couldn''t find it in his heart to blame Li Yuming. "Perhaps there''s something that she doesn''t want to tell you? You see, there might be things that you cannot bear to know. Maybe she is only beings secretive to protect your feelings."


    Lanni glared at him. "Just whose side are you on?"


    Xiehan laughed even though he knew it was not funny. "Listen, I''m not taking sides. I''m only trying to make sure you don''t have a falling out with your mum."


    Lanni shrugged. "Let''s go in now."


    She got off the car and he followed her out, taking the basket with him.


    He glanced at the perfectly arranged fruits beside the food flask and remarked jealously, "Where''s mine?"


    Lanni gave him a side eye and shook her head. Who would be jealous of his own future father-in-law? Even so, she promised to prepare a meal for him the next time he went to Li Yuming''s villa.


    Satisfied, Xiehan led the way to the hospital. Because the attending doctor already knew who Lanni was, he directly let her go to visit Xia Hanchen. The pair smiled as they made a turn to go to Xia Hanchen''s ward, then Lanni stopped, her legs freezing.


    Xiehan followed her line of sight and when he saw someone sneakily leaving Xia Hanchen''s ward, his expression darkened.


    Lanni gripped his hand tightly to control herself. Her expression couldn''t be any more fierce. "Is that who I think it is? Because if it is, I might hack someone to death."


    Xiehan didn''t say a word, his eyes saying it all. He was ready to flung someone out of the hospital using their ponytail. What the hell was he doing here¡ªhe was everywhere!


    Lanni hurried over to catch him off guard. "What the hell are you doing here?!"


    The man started and turned to face the duo. He grinned when his eyes met Lanni''s angry ones. "Ah, Princess. You are here too!"


    Lanni didn''t mind his taunting because her attention was on something else but when Xiehan heard him call Lanni ''princess'' so naturally, something in his heart dimmed.


    Lanni pushed him to the wall and grabbed a fistful of his collar, her eyes threatening to shoot lasers at him as she enunciated word by word. "What are you doing here? Why did you just leave my dad''s room?"


    "Nothing!" Flynn raised his hands in the air with a playful grin plastered across his face. "I''m innocent, really! I only came to pay Mr. Xia a visit."


    Lanni couldn''t make sense of his words no matter how she thought about it. Her body tensed up when she thought of a possibility and she tightened her hold on Flynn''s shirt. "I do not know why you are here nor what you are planning but get this clearly. If you so much as hurt a strand of hair on my dad, I will kill you."


    She sounded so threatening that even Xiehan was surprised. However, Flynn laughed and effortlessly pulled himself away from her. "Ah, someone''s princessy claws are out. Listen, I didn''t do anything okay? Nor do I plan to do anything."


    Lanni was tempted to grab his neck and strangle him to death but before she did, the man moved away and stole a glance at Ji Xiehan before teasing, "If you touch me again, your lover might get jealous."


    Lanni glanced at Xiehan and was about to rebut but when she saw how uncomfortable he looked, she rushed to him instead. As soon as she held his hand, all the anger faded form Xiehan''s eyes. Not wanting him to be uncomfortable again, Lanni glared at Flynn. "Leave right now. I don''t want to see you ever again."


    "Heh." Flynn laughed tauntingly. "Princess, you are the one who will look for me. Mark my words." With that, he left.


    Lanni frowned in disgust. What was wrong with him?


    "The way he keeps calling you princess irks me." Xiehan finally spoke.


    "You can say that again love. It''s so irritating." Lanni seconded.


    "I want to fling him out by his ponytail." Xiehan confessed.


    Lanni took a peek in the direction that Flynn was just leaving. She eyed his honey-colored ponytail as it flapped on his shoulders slightly with every step he made. "It does look good for flinging."


    "He is weird." Xiehan added, thinking of how this man had deliberately sent a picture that could cause a misunderstanding between hkm and Lanni.


    "I don''t know when he has ever not been weird." Lanni frowned. How could such a person exist? "Whatever it is, I will kill him if he even thinks of hurting my dad or anyone I care about for that matter."


    Xiehan held her hand with his free hand. "No. You will not kill him."


    "Do you think I''m joking? Just you wait and see. If he does anything he shouldn''t¡­"


    "I will kill him before you do." Xiehan interrupted her. When she looked up at him in confusion, he continued, "I will not let you dirty your hands for people who do not deserve it."


    _


    Lanni and Xiehan finally made it to Xia Hanchen''s ward after so many distractions.


    Lanni took in a deep breath at the door then took another deep breath. When she did it the third time, Xiehan furrowed his brows. "Are you nervous?"


    "Yes." She grabbed the fruit basket from him and hugged it tightly. "It''s the first time I''m introducing a man to my dad."


    She didn''t know whether she had done it in the past but considering her age and the fact that they had not met that many times, it was only logical that this was the first time. She didn''t know how Xia Hanchen would react to this.


    Seeing her unease and hearing her reason, Xiehan didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. Didn''t she sound so bold the previous day? When he saw her take more deep breaths, he tugged her to the door. "How about you go first? Check on the situation and if you are ready to introduce me, I will be waiting here."


    "Really?" Lanni''s eyes widened at the suggestion. He was being serious?


    "Of course. You don''t seem to be ready. You can ask him first then you will know how he will react to the news."


    Lanni nodded to agree with the idea. Decisively, she pushed the door open.


    Xia Hanchen was awake but reclining on the bed. As soon as the door opened and he saw Lanni walk in, he broke into a happy smile. "Cupcake."


    Used to the name after hearing it before, Lanni smiled emotionally as she walked over to him. "Dad."


    She hugged him and when she remembered that Flynn had been here earlier, she stiffened.


    Xia Hanchen who was hugging her noticed this and asked, "Cupcake, what''s wrong?"


    "Did he do anything to you?"


    "Who?"


    "That man who just left. What did he do? Should I get ready to¡­"


    "Relax, cupcake." Xia Hanchen patted her. "He didn''t do anything. He only came over to talk."


    Lanni was even more surprised. "Talk? Talk about what? Are you close to him?"


    Xia Hanchen looked surprised. "Isn''t he your friend? He said you were still a little busy and couldn''t come earlier so he came over to talk to me."


    Lanni gritted her teeth but when she saw him looking at her, she smiled to mask her irritation. "Y-yes. He is uhm¡­ my friend." To change the topic, she brought the basket she had placed on the table. "Dad, I cooked this for you myself. Because you are still weak, you can only eat this kind of food. I will make something tastier when you get better."


    "What are you saying? Anything you cook is the tastiest food." Xia Hanchen said coaxingly.


    Lanni felt sweetness fill her heart.


    "Even if it included burnt pancakes." He added with a chuckle.


    Lanni heard what he had said and froze. "Hey! When did I make burnt pancakes? How can you be so mean?"


    Xia Hanchen laughed heartily, having fun teasing his daughter. Although they had not been close for too long, he loved her and he knew that she loved him just as much¡ªand that they were both trying to make up for all those years they missed thanks to Li Yuming''s restriction.


    Lanni watched him eat happily and knew that she must have cooked much better this time.. She had put her heart into it¡ªof course it would be tasty.

 Chapter 237 - Get Out Of Here

    When Xia Hanchen was about to finish eating, Lanni started feeling nervous again.


    Xia Hanchen noticed this and looked at her worriedly. "Cupcake, is anything the matter? You look nervous."


    Lanni shook her head rapidly and grabbed an apple from the assortment of fruits. She washed and peeled it then sliced it for him.


    Xia Hanchen knew she was having trouble trying to say something so he took the sliced apples and ate as he waited for her to speak.


    Finally, she let out a puff of air and spoke. "Dad, I would like you to meet someone."


    "Who?" He asked even though from her timidity just now, he could guess who she wanted him to meet.


    "Someone important to me. He¡­" Lanni paused and went to the door. She opened it and looked at Xiehan who was still outside, sitting on a bench in the hallway and checking something on his phone. He turned to look at her and she smiled, her message clear even though she did not utter a word.


    Ji Xie Han stood up and followed her when she entered the ward.


    Lanni walked back to Xia Hanchen with a happy smile plastered across her face. She pulled Xiehan''s hand as she introduced him. "Dad, meet Ji Xiehan. He is from the Ji family and he is my boyfriend." She tilted her head to the man diagonally behind her. "Say hi to my dad."


    Ji Xiehan let go of her arm and walked foward to Xia Hanchen. "Hello, Uncle. I''m pleased to finally meet you." He stretched out a hand. However, Xia Hanchen neither glanced at him nor made to shake his hand. Seconds passed. Half a minute passed and it started getting awkward.


    When more than a minute passed, Lanni couldn''t bear it anymore and coughed. "Dad¡­"


    Lanni was yet to say a word more when Xia Hanchen finally reacted. He glared at Ji Xiehan then glanced at the latter''s hand and looked like he wanted to slap it away. "I am not pleased to meet you."


    Ji Xiehan was shocked by the sudden outburst. Lanni was stunned for a moment before she thought of something. She placed a hand over her mouth and tittered. "Dad, that''s so mean." She turned to Xiehan and patted his back as though trying to soothe him. "Don''t mind him. He likes joking around too much."


    Turning back to Xia Hanchen, she chuckled. "Dad, as much as I enjoy your teases and your jokes, this is your first meeting with your future son-in-law. You should be a bit more serious.


    "I''m not joking." Xia Hanchen interrupted her, his expression so displeased that Lanni was scared it would trigger a heart attack. "I am not pleased to meet this man. Get him out of here."


    Realizing that he was serious, Lanni stepped forward. "I don''t understand. Dad, he is my boyfriend and he is a very kind, nice man. Why do you dislike him?"


    "He, a kind man?" Xia Hanchen looked like he wanted to leap forward and tear Ji Xiehan into pieces. Lanni had to stop him.


    Just when she was on the verge of exploding from wondering what was going on, Xia Hanchen held her arm to protect her as he glared at Ji Xiehan. "You are the man who so blatantly took advantage of my daughter! You even forced her to be with you! I wanted to see what a gutsy fellow you are, and now you even have the audacity to appear before me now and introduce yourself as her boyfriend?!"


    "Huh?" Lanni was flabbergasted. What kind of accusations were these and where did they come from? "Taking advantage of me¡­forcing me¡­dad, where did you even get such a terrifying thought?"


    Xia Hanchen patted her hand to comfort her. "Cupcake, don''t be scared. Even though I''m bedridden now, I will not let anyone harass you. As long as I''m still breathing, I will protect you from predators like him."


    Lanni was more confused than touched. She pulled away from him and held the flabbergasted Xiehan''s hand. "Dad, I don''t know why you think he is taking advantage of me, and I don''t understand how you came to the conclusion that he forced me to be with him but you are mistaken. Xiehan is my boyfriend. We''re in love with each other."


    It was Xia Hanchen''s turn to be confused. "In love?"


    "Yes dad." Lanni looked bashful as she explained. "We are madly in love. How can he force me to be with him when I already wanted to be with him?"


    Xia Hanchen looked at their intertwined hands and a frown formed on his face. "Cupcake, you don''t have to pretend with me. I''m your dad so you should tell me the truth. Is he threatening you? Because if he is, you can tell me and I will..."


    "He is not." Lanni snuggled closer to Xiehan as though to prove her words. Looking at Lanni''s eyes, she did look bashful like a young woman in love. The kind of gaze she was directing towards Xiehan was one filled with warmth and love. This made him even more confused. "But your friend said¡­"


    Lanni''s ears perked up at the key word. "What friend?"


    "Flynn." Xia Hanchen explained. "He said that you had been forced into a relationship with a man and that you were scared that if you rejected him, he would hurt you."


    Lanni took a deep breath and muttered a curse. Damn that man. She should have known. It did sound like one of the insane things he would do. Why the heck would he make up such a lie to mislead her father?


    "What else did he say to you?" She controlled her anger to ask gently.


    Xia Hanchen thought about it before saying, "He told me about Luna."


    Lanni felt all the strength leave her body. That idiot! She had tried very hard to keep the truth from him to avoid agitating his emotions. How dare that man spill it? Not only was he an idiot, he was a blabbermouth too!


    After cursing Flynn a hundred times in her heart, she finally heard Xia Hanchen''s displeased question. "When were you planning to tell me?"


    "D-dad¡­" Lanni lowered her voice in guilt. "I''m sorry I¡­ I didn''t want to distress you¡­"


    "You should know better than to keep things from your dad." He harrumphed. "Look how sorry you are now. And that Luna! How could she do this to her father? Couldn''t she wait a little more before going abroad?"


    "Huh?" Lanni was puzzled. Abroad?


    "What are you so shocked about? Don''t tell me she didn''t tell you either? That would be too horrible of her."


    Lanni was so shocked that she almost spilled the truth. She only managed to catch her tongue in the last moment and quickly nod. "Y-yes. She told me before she left." She could only swallow and go with Flynn''s tale.


    So he had not told Xia Hanchen about Luna''s imprisonment? It was unbelievable.


    "I don''t know what she is up to this time. Which learning programme doesn''t allow the learner to visit or contact their family until the term is complete? What insanity!" Xia Hanchen was displeased just by the thought of not being able to see his Luna for so long.


    Lanni snuck a glance at Xiehan and cleared her throat. "There are indeed such learning programmes. It''s just¡­ ahem¡­ not popular because of the requirements."


    Xia Hanchen sunk into thought for a while. Just when Lanni was wondering whether he believed her and Flynn, he glanced at Ji Xiehan then back at Lanni. "I want to have a word with him. Alone."


    Lanni was startled when she heard the second part. Recalling how her dad was hostile towards Xiehan after what Flynn told him, she couldn''t bring herself to leave Xiehan behind. She dashed to his side to cover him up. "Dad, we have disturbed your rest too much already. You should go to sleep now."


    "Do you think I will bully him?" Xia Hanchen laughed when he saw his daughter secretly acting protective.


    Lanni looked at him, mentally accusing, ''Not only do you look like you will bully him, but you also look like you will skin him alive as soon as I walk out that door.''


    "Honey, could you help me buy something in the convenience store a few meters to the left?" Xiehan asked in a low voice. He even gave her his card and asked her to buy him a bottle of water.


    Lanni looked at him quizzically. Was he trying to imply that it was okay to leave him alone with her father?


    Xiehan seemed to understand her silent question, and he nodded in response. Lanni therefore said goodbye and left the room.


    _


    After buying the water, Lanni didn''t go back to Xia Hanchen''s ward. Instead, she waited next to Xiehan''s car.. Even though Xiehan had said that it was alright, she couldn''t help being curious and worried. What could they possibly talk about?

 Chapter 238 - My Wife

    Time ticked. Thirty minutes later, Lanni started getting anxious. What was it that they were talking about for so long? Did she need to go and check?


    She was just about to go and check when she saw Xiehan finally exiting the hospital.


    She sighed in relief as he walked to her.


    "You took so long. What were you even talking about?"


    Xiehan grinned as he gave her a sidelong glance. "Are you scared that Uncle will bully me? Don''t you trust him?"


    Lanni shot him a glance. "Forget about trust. He looked like he was going to make things difficult for you. Turns out I was worried about nothing."


    Xiehan pressed the car key to unlock the car and opened the passenger door for her. She went in, and he also entered to sit in the driver''s seat as he glanced at her teasingly. "Honey, don''t you trust your man''s charm? If I can charm my way into your heart, then I can convince the in-laws too."


    Lanni scoffed at his weird analogy and handed the mineral water she had bought to him. He unscrewed the cap and threw his head back, gulping two swigs. She watched his adams apple bob as he swallowed. A stray drop of water rolled its way down his chin and to the adams apple, and Lanni found herself staring at the view. When he had enough water, he closed the bottle using the cap and set it aside.


    Lanni coughed and asked, "What did you guys talk about for so long anyway?"


    "We were talking about you, naturally." He answered, starting the car.


    "Yeah¡­ obviously you would talk about me. But what exactly did you say to each other?" She was curious.


    Xiehan chuckled at her desire for gossip before answering, "He threatened¡ªpromised¡ªto skin me alive if I ever did anything to hurt you."


    Lanni stared at him, trying to process it. Was that what they talked about for all that time? Just a threat? Well, that did seem like what fathers-in-law would discuss with their sons-in-law. Just imagining the scene made her want to laugh. She looked up at him with a tiny smile on her lips. "Don''t worry. He does not really mean it. He will not skin you alive."


    "He looked and sounded serious." Xiehan shrugged with his hands on the steering wheel.


    "But he will not have to skin you alive¡­ he will not need to because you will not wrong me."


    When Ji Xiehan heard what she said, a smile formed on his lips. "I''m happy that you trust me, love."


    Lanni took advantage of the fact that he was driving and smacked a kiss on his cheek. Because he was driving, he could only glance at her sideways as she stole kisses.


    After leaving the hospital compound, Lanni thought of something and frowned in anger. "That Flynn is officially a weirdo."


    "Why do you say so?" Xiehan asked, even though he could vividly guess why she would call him that.


    Lanni huffed in anger. "Why the hell would he tell my dad such lies? He even said that you forced me to be with you! Why is he so hell-set on messing with us?"


    Xiehan shrugged. He couldn''t guess what Flynn was thinking but one thing was for sure¡ªhe still wanted to beat the hell out of him. "He must be trying to sow discord between us, and between your dad and me."


    Lanni couldn''t agree more. "Indeed. He is causing trouble at every turn. Forget lying to dad. Why the hell would he say that Luna went abroad to study?"


    "To buy you more time?" Xiehan hypothesized.


    Lanni blinked as she thought about how scared she was of Xia Hanchen asking about Luna. "Yeah, that seems like a possibility. But then again, he doesn''t look like the kind of guy to do things because he is looking out for me. If anything, all he has ever done is jeopardize everything I do. What if he is only doing this to create a misunderstanding between me and dad? What if his actual aim is to later have someone tell him that Luna is not abroad but in prison instead? You know, I still don''t get what he was doing in Dad''s ward."


    "It is hard to understand. It is even harder to understand the relationship between the two of you." Xiehan said meaningfully.


    "What are you talking about?" Lanni blinked.


    "Do you remember everything about your past with him?"


    Lanni shook her head slowly. She only remembered the general stuff. Perhaps that was why she couldn''t understand Flynn at all, especially since he was always mean to her in her memory. She couldn''t understand why he had started acting like he somehow cared about her and the thought of it was scary.


    "Then you shouldn''t think too much about it. Perhaps you were in fact friends, and he is only trying to help out his friend. You could ask him the next time he pops up." Xiehan added.


    Although that was what he said, Lanni glanced at him and realized that he was trying to supress something. Was he perhaps¡­ jealous?


    Pfft obviously.


    Her boyfriend was the easily jealous type. She shouldn''t have chattered so much about another man with him. "Let''s not talk about him anymore. The thought of it is draining my brain cells."


    "Sure." Xiehan didn''t mind changing the topic because he had a better one in mind. "My parents want us home for dinner."


    "Really, when?" Lanni was excited.


    "This weekend. Will you be free?" He was happy to see that she was looking forward to it.


    "Yes, I don''t have much going on."


    "Then I''ll pick you up."


    _


    On Saturday.


    The Jiang Mansion.


    A servant knocked on the door to Jiang Xingyu''s room. He had spent the night at home the previous night. Because he had stayed up late and only slept when it was almost dawn, he had just woken up.


    Jiang Xingyu groggily went to answer the door. "Do you need something?"


    "Young master, sir wants you to go downstairs."


    "Why does he need me?" Jiang Xingyu rubbed his eyes. When he got no answer from the oblivious maid, he ran a hand through his hair. "I''ll be there."


    The maid left, and Jiang Xingyu took a quick shower and changed into a clean set of clothes.


    He went downstairs wondering why his father needed him there. When he reached the dining room, he frowned when he saw a guest at the table.


    "Ah, Xingyu is here. Come over." Jiang Xingren enthusiastically announced.


    Jiang Xingyu ignored the guest and sat at the table.


    However, the guest was evidently here for him. Jiang Xingren smiled as he introduced the young woman sitting some distance from him. "This is Han Xiaoli, from the Han family. The two of you have a lot in common. Go on, say hello to her."


    "Mmh." Jiang Xingyu grunted in response, with no intention to say hello to the guest or strike a conversation with her.


    Seeing the atmosphere start to get awkward, Jiang Xingren coughed and glanced at Han Xiaoli. "Xingyu hasn''t been feeling well lately, don''t mind his attitude. Actually, he is usually friendly and easy going and you two can make good friends."


    "Hello." She said curtly, recoiling when Jiang Xingyu glared at him.


    Jiang Xingren couldn''t have it any longer. "You punk. How many years will you lose from your life if you are a little friendly?"


    Jiang Xingyu slammed his cutlery pnto his plate, making an ear-shattering noise. He stood up and huffed angrily. "That''s because I know why you brought her here. Is this a match-making session of sorts?" He glared at the dumfounded Han Xiaoli. "Didn''t I already make it clear to you? I have someone in my heart. I will never like you. Why don''t you understand this? What kind of woman are you to keep pestering a man who doesn''t like you?"


    "Jiang Xingyu!" Jiang Xingren barked.


    Jiang Xingyu turned on his heel and was about to walk out when Han Xiaoli stood up and took her bag. "I only came here because Uncle invited me for lunch. Don''t think too highly of yourself." As soon as she was done speaking, she walked out.


    Jiang Xingren glared at his son condensingly. "What the heck is wrong with you? Why would you be so rude to a kind woman?"


    "As I said before, it is because of your motive behind bringing her here. I know you are trying to match make me with her even though you know fully well that I have a wife." Jiang Xingyu looked back at him accusingly.


    "What wife?!" Jiang Xingren reprimanded. "Don''t randomly call women that when you are not married."


    "What''s the difference? She is the one I will marry anyway."


    Jiang Xingren felt his head hurt. "What kind of man are you? A blind one? How can you not see such a beautiful and smart woman but instead be focused on a murderer?"

 Chapter 239 - Stab In The Heart

    Jiang Xingyu''s back went cold. It took him about two minutes to believe that his father had just uttered the words he had heard. Did he just call Luna a murderer? His chest heaved up and down as he swallowed hard. He clenched his fists as he spat each syllable through gritted teeth, "Take that back!"


    Jiang Xingren stood up, his eyes bulged in anger. "How dare you speak to your father like that, punk!"


    "Hey hey! What''s going on here?" Madam Jiang, who had just arrived, rushed over to stop them before it could escalate into an actual fight. She looked at her husband then at her fuming son. "What happened?"


    "He actually called Luna a murderer." Jiang Xingyu fumed. "Which eye of yours saw Luna kill anyone?"


    "I said what came out of her mouth. And what she said with her own mouth is that she murdered the detective. What does that make her?"


    "That''s enough." Madam Jiang interrupted as she patted her son''s back.


    "I don''t know what era he is stuck in. People actually still force women onto their sons. Wow, just wow." Jiang Xingyu huffed and stormed off. Madam Jiang glanced in her son''s direction then turned to glare at her husband. "What are you doing? What is all this about?"


    Jiang Xingren took her hand. "Honey, I''m only looking out for him."


    "But you do know that he only loves Xia Luna. By introducing a woman to him at such a difficult time, aren''t you stabbing our own son in the heart?"


    Jiang Xingren was helpless against this mother-son duo. "My wife, do you really believe that an innocent person would plead guilty, and there will be nothing to prove that she is lying? This time she murdered a detective. The next victim could be you, or me or our son. I''m only trying to ensure that our son is safe and if the threat to his safety is the woman he loves, I will not hesitate to separate them."


    Madam Jiang could only sigh. She couldn''t blame her husband. He was only doing the best for their son. Unlike her and Xingyu, he didn''t trust Luna.


    Actually, it was ridiculous for her to trust Luna too. After all, she had only known her for a few months and Luna was already wanted by the police when they first met. However, all she knew was that she liked the girl and wanted to believe her no matter what. It was something inexplicable¡ªsomething that was probably not in her husband.


    Jiang Xingyu looked out through the window of his room. He was displeased about his father bringing a woman to match make him with but what displeased him all the more was the woman''s identity. Out of the billions of women in the world, why did he have to bring Cedric Han''s sister? It was as though he did it on purpose¡ªbecause he knew that Jiang Xingyu had rejected Han Xiaoli before.


    As it turned out, predicaments worked like magic at times. They could make people show their true colors, weaken their resolve or make them give up on something¡ªor someone.


    Only a tiny fraction was willing to struggle to the end, and Jiang Xingyu was just that tiny fraction.


    He was still trying to find evidence to prove Luna''s innocence. If he couldn''t get any, he would wait for Luna to complete her jail term. It didn''t matter how long it took.


    She would be released in the end, and regardless of their ages, they would resume what they had and get married.


    _


    On the same evening, in the Ji Mansion.


    "My dear, eat more. You have become skinnier." Wen Lin''s heart ached as she urged Lanni to eat more. Not only had she lost some weight, but she also looked dull and had slight dark circles under her eyes. She shot a sideways glare at her son and looked back at Lanni. "Is Xiehan giving you a hard time?"


    Ji Xiehan was speechless. If Lanni didn''t look well, it was because he was giving her a hard time?


    Lanni smiled as she shook her head. "No aunty, Xiehan dotes on me too much."


    "Then why¡­" Wen Lin suddenly remembered. There was news a while ago about a wanted criminal being convicted. Although the name was Xia Luna, the photo of that criminal was identical to Lanni. Even she had almost believed that it was Lanni! It was only when she recalled that Lanni should have a twin that she understood what was going on. It must be the twin that was convicted.


    Since that was the case, it was also obvious why Lanni was unhappy. She carefully asked, "is your sister doing alright?"


    Lanni''s hand froze for a moment. The expression on her face changed slightly and she could only sigh. "I don''t know for sure."


    She would have been sure if Luna had let her visit but she wasn''t¡ªbecause Luna wouldn''t let her visit. She could only let her imagination run wild with all sorts of guesses. What if Luna was being mistreated? She wouldn''t even know. And no one would because like the oddball that Luna was making herself, she had rejected everyone''s visit. The frustration in Lanni''s heart couldn''t be expressed verbally.


    Seeing Lanni become sadder and hearing her response, Wen Lin felt bad for asking. "We¡­"


    She was about to offer her help but she stopped. How could she utter such words as "we will help you get her out"?


    With the Ji family''s connections, they really could. Through underhanded means and corruption, of course. However, wouldn''t that be ironical?


    They had not helped their own daughter out. It was not that she was complaining, the girl needed to learn her lesson.


    And since they were letting their daughter learn a lesson by serving her jail term without getting any help out of it, they couldn''t possibly help someone else escape charges.


    Of course, Wen Lin knew nothing about Luna being forced to admit to commiting the crime. She thought Luna was indeed guilty, which was why she was comparing her situation to Ji Fiefei''s.


    "If it wasn''t for this incident, I would have thought that you were cheating on Xiehan." She remarked, trying to lighten up the mood. "The two of you are so identical."


    After the news blew up and Wen Lin remembered that Li Yuming had twins, she had figured out that the girl she saw at the Jiang''s was probably Lanni''s twin. How identical!


    Lanni chuckled when she heard the remark. She already knew that months ago, Wen Lin had mistaken Luna for her. She was relieved now that her future in-laws knew the truth and no longer misunderstood her. She was even happier that Wen Lin didn''t rush to judge her.


    When Ji Xiehan heard what his mother just said, he narrowed his gaze. "Mother, what kind of statement is that? How could you utter such words?"


    Wen Lin chuckled. "Oh come on. I don''t mean Lanni could do anything to betray you. I know she wouldn''t."


    Lanni smiled slightly and Xiehan let it go too. They talked about all sorts of random things but it was apparent that the weirdness unintentionally brought about by Wen Lin''s statement still lingered. That was one of the most awkwards meals they had ever had together.


    After dinner, Ji Xiehan said that he would drop Lanni home.


    "Why don''t the two of you stay over tonight?" Wen Lin suggested, giving the two of them a meaningful look.


    Ji Huifen understood his wife''s train of thought and glared at her. He didn''t say anything against it though, because he hoped for that too. If Lanni and Xiehan stayed over, they would obviously share a room and that would increase their chances of engaging in meaningful activities. Who didn''t want a few cute little grandchildren to play with?


    Lanni thought about it and had to turn down the offer. "I have to go somewhere early tomorrow in the morning and I need to make preparations."


    "Oh, don''t sweat it then." Wen Lin took Lanni''s hand. After urging her to eat more healthy food, have enough sleep and endlessly nagging her son to take better care of her, she and Ji Huifen finally saw them off.


    "Where are you going tomorrow morning?" Xiehan asked as they entered the car.


    "Nowhere else. I''m going to spend the day with my dad." Lanni responded, a flash of sadness tracing her face.


    Xiehan ran a thumb down her face and when it reached her jaw, he used it to raise her chin. "It will be okay, my love. All of this will end."


    "But when?" Lanni breathed out a sigh of tiredness. She was seriously tired of all this. What did it take for a girl to live a normal life? She closed her eyes to rest a little.. Xiehan saw her recline with her eyes closed and slightly increased the temperature in the car so she would be warmer while sleeping.

 Chapter 240 - Dont Waste My Effort

    Lanni opened her eyes a few minutes later when she recalled something. She looked out then glanced at Xiehan who was driving. "I need to get something from the supermarket. "


    "There''s one a few meters ahead." Xiehan responded. When they reached the supermarket, he pulled up into the parking lot.


    Lanni opened the car door and before he could too, she leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. "Stay here. I''ll be fast." She dashed off before he could respond, so he could only do as she asked and stay in the car.


    Lanni hurried to the sanitary goods section and picked what she wanted. When she was done, she grabbed several bars of chocolate on her way to the cashier. Seeing that they were probably too many, she returned most of them and remained with one. She thought about it and in the end, she ended up taking two. One more wouldn''t make a difference, right?


    She paid for her goods and exited the supermarket. She was just about to go back to Xiehan''s car when in her excitement, she bumped into someone.


    "I''m so sorry." She apologized quickly, but when she looked up and saw the person she had bumped into, she cringed. "You again?"


    "I knew fate would let us meet again, princess." The man was as annoying as ever.


    "You disgusting man! Are you stalking me?" Lanni exploded. Even though Flynn was as annoying as a fly, he didn''t strike her as the type to stalk people. Wouldn''t that be too scary?


    Flynn shook his head when he saw her look at him with condensing eyes and probably judging him internally. "Do you think so lowly of me, princess?"


    Lanni turned to leave, and he continued speaking. "I admit the first time we met, I had followed you. But at the hospital and right now, I promise, it was a fated coincidence."


    "You expect me to believe you." It was not a question but a certain statement, and Lanni laughed aloud when she saw him nod. "What do you take me for, a little girl?"


    "Aren''t you a little girl though?" He teased, and when he saw that she was really going to leave angrily, he called after her, "Since fate let us meet again, I might as well tell you what I was going to tell you tomorrow." She stopped, and he continued, "of course, if you want me to look for you tomorrow, I don''t mind either. I can do that too."


    "Tell me what you want to say." Lanni turned stiffly. She didn''t want to spend any more time with this weirdo but meeting again was even worse.


    Flynn seemed to understand her reasoning, so he chuckled. "Princess, do you think you can actually get rid of me easily?"


    Lanni wished she was stronger than him so she could pummel him to death. Was he the devil? If it wasn''t because she knew he wanted to say something important, she would have left with a huff.


    After having enough of what he was doing¡ªmessing with her, he finally spoke. "I have bought you enough time with your dad. I have also created a school that doesn''t allow contact from the outside world. The ''school'' is in Germany and if your dad does a search, he will find that Luna actually went to that school."


    Lanni was flabbergasted. He actually did that? He made it sound so easy but Lanni knew that it wasn''t as simple as it sounded. Especially since that so-called school didn''t truly exist, it was even harder.


    Even so, she was still unsure whether Flynn was a friend or a foe so she queried, "and what''s the name of the school?"


    "You still doubt me after all I did to help you. Ouch." The man sulked but even then, he took out a copy of a student identity card from the pocket of his pants and gave it to her.


    Lanni took a look and she was impressed. It was an actual student identity card and it belonged to Luna. There was even student information and Luna''s picture was in the top left corner.


    "Galaxis Academy¡­" Lanni mumbled.


    She took out her phone and did a search. A small webpage actually popped up and she looked at Flynn curiously. "Does this school actually exist?"


    Flynn grinned. "I take it as you are impressed with my deception skills. Don''t sweat it. I''m just good at illusion."


    "Oh." Lanni nodded. He was indeed Flynn. Even though he was weird, he had helped her out this time. "Thank you."


    "If you really want to thank me, don''t waste my efforts." He warned seriously.


    "Understood sir." She exaggerated and was about to leave when she heard him mumble, "Nothing is absolute."


    Lanni turned sharply as he continued. "The truth can hold a percentage of lies."


    Lanni squinted her eyes. She had heard these words somewhere.


    "Lies can hold some truth."


    "Where did you¡­"


    "Even reality can be an illusion." He interrupted.


    Lanni stared at him blankly. Why were those words so familiar? She tried to rack her brains to recall but nothing sane showed up on her mind. "What do you¡­ eh? Where is he?"


    Lanni looked around when she didn''t see the man. She had just blanked out for a second. Where had he disappeared to?


    She glanced around slowly. Considering the short time she had blanked out, he should still be around somewhere. He must have hidden away. However, she was trying to get away from him, not look for him. So she went back to the car instead.


    Xiehan glanced at her quizzically and Lanni knew doubtlessly that he had seen them¡ªnot that she was trying to hide her meeting with Flynn from him.


    Although he didn''t ask his question in the end, Lanni knew what he was wondering about so she explained, "he created a fake school in Germany and made it seem like Luna went to that school. That is what he was here to tell me."


    "Mmh." Xiehan swallowed a hard lump. As a boyfriend, he was not doing much for his girlfriend. It was instead another man who was doing it.


    It wasn''t because he didn''t want to help, but Lanni didn''t like it when he did. She liked doing everything on her own but apparently, someone was breaking the rules.


    "Honey, from this moment I am going to help you." He declared with no room for negotiation.


    Even so, Lanni had to negotiate. "But my love, I already told you. I don''t like it when people do things for me. Well, in this case, I couldn''t really manage to create a fake school and my brain was too slow to even think of it. But honey, I can handle it. Trust me."


    She knew that if she said it was because she did not want him to bother with her problems when he had his own work to care care of, he would say that he was not too busy for her. That was why she could only use this approach.


    Xiehan reached to pat her head. "I know you stubbornly don''t want to bother me."


    How did he know? She bit her lip.


    Xiehan caressed her head and Lanni had to remind him that he was driving. He simply pulled up at the side of the road and looked at her seriously. "Regardless of whether you can do it or not, I am here to help you."


    "You¡­" Lanni couldn''t say anything in the end. They would only argue in circles and in the end, he would still help her. Besides, for the coming period, she needed as much help as she could get so she couldn''t reject it. She smiled and pecked his lips. "Then I have to thank you in advance my love. If I need help with anything, I will definitely tell you about it."


    Xiehan chuckled at her sly way of asking him to stay away unless he was asked to step in. Fine. As long as they managed it in the end.


    "I was going to talk to dad when he got more stable and tell him the truth." Lanni started. "However, Flynn has already gone too far. There is no turning back now. And this is a more sane way to handle the situation than risking giving dad another heart attack so I shouldn''t waste this chance."


    Xiehan turned to glance at her as she continued, "The more Luna stays in jail, the more dangerous it is. We cannot expel the possibility of Li Xiyan trying to end her, so we have to act fast. You said you had a plan¡­ what were you thinking about?"


    Xiehan cleared his throat. "Getting someone into your home. We need as much information as possible on Li Xiyan and our mole can get such information."


    Lanni nodded. It did seem like something that could work, because planting moles was a bit common. However, "Who can get into our home and escape Li Xiyan''s scrutiny? Besides, they would need to stay a while and gain her trust. Actually, I was thinking of something else."


    "What?"


    "Since I already have the identity and the right, I should go myself."

 Chapter 241 - The Perfect Candidate

    "Are you out of your mind?" Xiehan scolded. "What are you even thinking, suggesting to go into such a dangerous place?"


    "This is the only thing I can do, my love. I know it will be dangerous but I will take care of myself. It''s the fastest way."


    "That doesn''t make it the right way, nor is it the only way to handle this." Xiehan chided. Why did she always only think of methods that put her life in danger?


    "We can get an employee to go to your home. The employee doesn''t necessarily have to gain Li Xiyan''s trust and whatnot. He just has to carefully gather information. We will help him from the outside."


    "What are you talking about?" Lanni didn''t understand. Wasn''t this similar to the initial suggestion?


    "Let''s go to my mansion and I''ll show you." Xiehan said and headed for his mansion.


    When they arrived, they went straight to his study.


    "Have a seat." Xiehan signalled as he nodded towards a chair. Lanni sat silently, wondering what he was up to.


    Wordlessly, he turned on his laptop and started typing some of those codes that she had only seen Luna type before. Out of curiosity, she stood to watch him, standing some distance away so she wouldn''t distract him. His fingers were almost a blur as they flew over the keys and she could only stand aside and watch him.


    He was done in less than three minutes. He grabbed a small USB flash drive and inserted it in the laptop. When he was done with whatever he was doing, he took out the USB flash drive and held it between his thumb and the side of his forefinger, waving it. "Who needs trust when they have this?"


    Lanni gasped. If it wasn''t for this incident, she would have forgotten that Xiehan knew a thing or two about programming. She inched closer and took the USB drive from his hand. It was smaller than half of a thumb. "What''s in here?"


    Xiehan looked up at her with a lopsided grin. "A virus."


    Lanni was surprised. He could even create viruses? Was this the so-called knowing a thing or two? After the initial shock, she asked, "what does it do?"


    "It copies everything." He responded.


    Lanni frowned. "I don''t understand. Why do you need a virus to copy information from a computer? That is something that can be done solely using a USB flash drive, right? You only need to hack the password if there''s any."


    "That''s one reason why we need a virus." He swung in his chair so his elbows were on the desk and the back of his hands under his chin. "The other reason is, this will help us find more information than you can imagine. All her deleted information will be retrieved and copied here." He explained.


    Lanni recalled something and thought that she was indeed impulsive. "If getting information from Li Xiyan''s computer was as easy as copying it, someone would have done so already. There must be ways to secure it."


    "Now you get it." Xiehan''s lips twitched, his expression proud as though his little disciple was starting to learn.


    "You created it just now?" She asked curiously.


    "Not exactly. I had started making it for fun when I was still learning. However, I didn''t complete it in the end because it''s a virus that could invade people''s privacy. I didn''t want it to exist but now that we need it, I only recreated it as I remember."


    No wonder he had taken such a short time to create it.


    Lanni threw her arms around him and kissed his neck. "You are awesome!"


    After listening as he explained what else the virus could do, Lanni sat opposite him as she contemplated. "We already have a way to get information and now we only need someone who will do it. Someone on our side that we can trust¡­"


    She racked her brains as she thought about the people close to her. Cheng Yu?


    Cheng Yu was her best friend so it was natural that she would think about her first. Besides, she was among the few people who knew what was going on. However, she dismissed the idea. Li Xiyan already knew Cheng Yu so that would never work. Aside from her, she didn''t know anyone else she could trust.


    A name suddenly crossed her mind. Ruby¡­


    A frown formed on her forehead. Although Ruby hadn''t sought trouble with her, she had not given her any reason to trust her either. It was still not clear, after all this time, whether she was an ally or an enemy. So that was a no. She couldn''t possibly work with someone she didn''t trust.


    Served her right for keeping to herself too much and not trying to make friends¡­


    "We can get random people and look into their background. When we find the perfect candidate, we will pay them a hefty sum to complete the task and when it''s done, we will never see each other again." As soon as Lanni finished this statement, a thought struck her. But before she could shout it out, a better one surfaced in her mind. "An Zichen!"


    Xiehan was also considering the best person from his side who they could send to Li Xiyan''s residence. He had just thought of the best candidate when he heard her yell "An Zichen!"


    He tilted his head and looked at her. "Who?"


    "Oh, An Zichen is the man who helped us get the contract from Ji Feifei. Do you remember him?"


    "Hm." Obviously, he would never forget. At the time, the Feng family had teamed up with the Gu family and they were trying to take over Feng Ji International. It had taken him a lot of effort to get the higher-ups on the side of the Ji family.. While he was busy dealing with the shareholders and the higher-ups, Lanni helped him trick Ji Feifei into giving her shares to him.

 Chapter 242 - The Perfect Candidate(2)

    That was how An Zichen came about¡ªhe was Old Master Feng''s chauffeur at the time and he had been the one to trick Feng Ci.


    Xiehan thought about it. Lanni had mentioned that she had saved his sister and helped him clear his debt. That, and the fact that she had also helped him get a job, made him unwaveringly loyal to Lanni. He would do anything to pay her back for her kindness, which was why he was just the perfect candidate for the job.


    Seeing as he did not object, Lanni smiled. It seemed like he also thought of An Zichen as the best candidate.


    "Then, I''ll contact him." Lanni stood up but just before she grabbed her phone to make the call, Ji Xiehan suddenly stood and closed in on her. It only took a few seconds for him to grab her hand and pry the phone away, leaving it on the table. "Do that later. For now, spend a littlw more time with me."


    Lanni blushed when she understood that his statement had a double meaning to it. "Alright."


    Xiehan reached under her knees and behind her back then lifted her off the chair, kissing her all the way to his room.


    _


    The following day.


    Lanni had arranged a meeting with An Zichen in a restaurant. She had booked the VIP section so it was just her and him in a room.


    When she arrived, the man was already waiting. After making sure that no one was around, she carefully took off her wig and exaggerated huge spectacles.


    She had disguised herself while coming her and so had An Zichen¡ªbecause Li Xiyan might at one point suspect that he had been sent by Lanni. If that happened, she would look into everyone that Lanni had come into contact with recently.


    "Miss Li, you asked me here today because?" An Zichen was nervous. Lanni rarely ever asked to meet him. Had he done something wrong?


    "I need your help with something." Lanni was frank because he needed to go back to work."


    "I will do anything you need me to do, Miss Li."


    Lanni no longer minded his form of address so she went on to explain what she needed him to do. "I would like to send you to my home as an employee."


    "You want to employ me?" An Zichen was confused.


    "No, not exactly." Lanni sighed. "It''s a bit complicated actually. I need you to become an employee for my stepmother so that you can help me plant something in her study."


    It took a minute for An Zichen to take in what she had just said. And when he did, neither did he reject the job nor ask questions. He quickly accepted to do what she wanted him to do, willingly offering as much help as possible.


    Lanni saw that he was agreeing too fast and knew that he must take it too lightly. She placed her hands on the table as she looked at him. "My stepmother is a dangerous woman. Very dangerous." She remembered the fragment of memory she had recovered about her investigating Li Xiyan and added, "In fact, so dangerous that investigation organizations and underworld factions have been trying to find her and probably end her."


    "I understand." He knew the stepmother must be dangerous from the moment Lanni mentioned the task. If it was so easy, Lanni would have done it herself or hired a random person to do it. Summoning him meant it was confidential and probably dangerous. Even so, he was not going to back out.


    Lanni was touched when she saw how determined he was despite knowing that it might probably put his life in danger. What a loyal man¡­


    She reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope which she gave to him. "This is your identity, together with all the documents you will need."


    He opened the envelope and pulled out the sheets of paper and certificates. He was surprised that there were real certificates and a portfolio. According to the documents, he had graduated from the medical school with a high grade.


    An Zichen trembled slightly as he stared at the documents then at Lanni. "Miss Lanni, am I going to work in a hospital? But I know nothing about medicine."


    "Don''t worry about that." Lanni smiled. "You will not show her this. You are going to be a bodyguard. If there is any position in that home that would never be too crowded, it is that of a bodyguard. She needs many of them because she knows that someone might seek her life. However, she could as well hire some from training agencies. This is why we also created you documents for that."


    An Zichen understood. "I will do my best so she employs me."


    Lanni proceeded to explain the plan. "She may be paranoid but she likes using people to her advantage. She will investigate you as soon as possible. When she discovers your identity as a medical school graduate, she will want to use you. She may make you try out some tasks to test your ability. If that happens, I want you to gather as much information as you can before she sends you away. You must be careful, okay?"


    At this point, An Zichen was starting to feel like they were dealing with a criminal of sorts. Why else would Lanni insist so much on him being careful? Even so, he did not waver. He had done more difficult things before, especially while he worked for the Feng family.


    Lanni and Xiehan had come up with two plans and the second one involved the flash drive.


    "This will not require you to get her attention as a ''doctor''. You need to find an opportunity to sneak into her study and instert this in her computer." She held the flash drive out to him.


    An Zichen looked at it for a few seconds then reached to take it. "When do you want me to do this?"


    "How soon can you be ready?" Lanni asked in return.


    "I could go tomorrow if you want me to."

 Chapter 243 - Couldnt You Come Up With A Better Idea?

    Lanni breathed out a sigh of relief. An Zichen was as expected, reliable. "Then tomorrow, it is."


    After going through everything else he needed to know, it was decided that he would go the following morning as though randomly seeking a job. Lanni thought of making him disguise with makeup, a fake scar or a skin mask.


    However, things might go south if he ever forgot those things or something ever happened and exposed the fact that he was under a disguise.


    So after having him dye his hair and change his dressing style, he went to Li Xiyan''s house.


    _


    Meanwhile, Lanni went to visit Xia Hanchen again. This time, Li Yuming didn''t say a word despite knowing where she was going.


    Xiehan had a meeting to attend in the morning so he did not accompany her.


    Lanni chatted with him for a little longer than the first two times. His health was getting better and better and in a few weeks he would be discharged.


    "You look so happy." He remarked when he saw that Lanni kept smiling at nothing in particular. "Can you share the joy with daddy?"


    Lanni leaned over to hug him, her smile deepening further. "It''s because you are getting better. Of course I would be happy." While she was happy because of that, the main cause of her joy was something else. She would get information about Li Xiyan soon. She was both excited and anxious, but only let the excitement show.


    Xia Hanchen smiled, infected by her happiness. "Why don''t you tell me about how you are doing yourself? How is school, Hmm?" He probed.


    "Well, uhm.." Lanni had not thought about that part of her life in a long time. "I was in an art class but I left." When she saw him raise an eyebrow to question her decision, she explained, "I felt like that wasn''t the place for me¡ªand I was right. Because when I recovered some of my memory I realized that the art class was not where I belonged, but somewhere else instead."


    A sigh filled with sadness escaped her lips. "Mom lied to me."


    "Typical of Yuming." Xia Hanchen laughed.


    "What?" Lanni''s ears perked up.


    When he realized what he had just said, Xia Hanchen cleared his throat. He didn''t mean to discuss his ex-wife with their daughter. But since he and Lanni had never talked about her, it wasn''t wrong to say a thing or two. "Your mother is a caring woman. However, her good intentions may sometimes be mistaken."


    He seemed to remember something, which he didn''t say in the end and continued, "She is the kind of woman who sometimes acts impulsively when she is in panic. She could mean to protect someone but what she actually does could make the person mistake it as being betrayed."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that he did not speak ill of her mother, considering Li Yuming had been stopping him from meeting his daughter. Then again, he still loved Li Yuming. It was normal that he didn''t hold resentment against her.


    "If you don''t mind me asking, why did the two of you break up? I mean, aside from my grandmother constantly coming in between the two of you, there must be another reason why she hates you and the Xia family so much, right?" She asked after thinking about it. It was not just hatred. Li Yuming even seemed to be afraid of them and she would not say a word no matter how many times she was asked.


    "Well¡­" Xia Hanchen sighed, suddenly looking sadder.


    Lanni saw his expression and knew it was something more serious than it sounded. "If you don''t want to talk about it¡­" her voice trailed off.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to talk about it. It''s just a little hard¡­"


    The door opened, interrupting him. A nurse walked in and glanced at Lanni apologetically. "I''m sorry, It''s time for Mr. Xia''s rest."


    Lanni nodded and said her goodbyes before leaving. They still had all the time in the world. They could talk about it some other time.


    _


    Later, An Zichen called and updated her of his progress.


    "She did not look into my background. She did not even ask me to introduce myself and merely hired me after testing my strength by asking me to spar with some of the bodyguards."


    Lanni massaged her temples when An Zichen delivered the news. "It seems like Li Xiyan won''t be bringing you to her lab any time soon. She might look into you later, but that may take long. We cannot wait any longer."


    "So what should I do?" He asked.


    "We will have to proceed with the second plan."


    "I understand." An Zichen responded. "What do I need to do?"


    "Sneak out later and meet me." Lanni suggested. She would need to give him the USB flash drive. She had not given it to him earlier because she had hoped that they would go with the first plan, because this was more dangerous. To be fair, they were both dangerous but the first posed less risks.


    ¡­


    That evening, An Zichen went to Xiehan''s mansion.


    They sat at the coffee table in the living room to discuss. Lanni and Xiehan sat beside each other while An Zichen sat opposite them.


    "The best time to sneak into places is usually at night." Lanni spoke up first, and the men nodded in agreement.


    "How is the security?" Xiehan asked.


    "I didn''t snoop around much to avoid arousing suspicion. But from the little I gathered, there are four guards guarding the study in shifts."


    "Mhh." Lanni and Xiehan exchanged looks of relief. It had been right of them to think that the study would have something important.


    "Distract the guards and we will distract Li Xiyan." Xiehan said.


    "How will you do that?" An Zichen couldn''t help being curious. Well, he would need to know what they were going to do so he would estimate how much time he had.


    "She would go crazy if my sister was released from prison, or broke out for that matter." Lanni answered him.


    "That''s right." Xiehan gripped her hand.


    "Tomorrow in the afternoon, Xia Luna will break out of prison. In the evening, the news will get to Li Xiyan." Ji Xiehan added.


    Lanni turned to look at him. "Yeah, but how will that happen? A few hours is too little."


    "Lin Jian." Xiehan said, and Lanni instantly understood. The blabbermouth will help them spread a rumor.


    When everything was all set, An Zichen left. Lanni wrapped her arms around Xiehan and breathed into his chest. "I''m so nervous."


    "It''s okay." Xiehan rubbed her back in small circles. He was nervous too. However, they had to be strong or else they might slip up.


    "Are we really going to break Luna out? This is the most difficult task." Lanni tilted her head and asked. Although they had a foolproof plan, it was still dangerous and could land all of them in trouble¡ªincluding Luna.


    "On second thought, no." Xiehan also thought about it. "Aren''t you identical? It doesn''t make much of a difference who appears on the news. As long as Li Xiyan is fooled."


    Lanni blinked as he continued, "Tomorrow in the afternoon, you will take a photo with Jiang Xingyu."


    Lanni nodded in understanding. Li Xiyan must already know that Luna was Jiang Xingyu''s girlfriend. If Lanni and Jiang Xingyu appeared together, her first impression would be that was Luna."


    The following day, Xiehan called Jiang Xingyu over and explained the matter to him.


    Jiang Xingyu cringed when he heard the part about taking a photo with Lanni, pretending that it was Luna.


    "Don''t give me that face. Don''t you want your girlfriend out of prison?" Xiehan glared at him when he saw the latter acting wronged.


    "Couldn''t you come up with a better plan?" Jiang Xingyu grumbled.


    "Why don''t you come up with one?" Xiehan chided.


    Jiang Xingyu could only keep quiet. Fine. Luna was his woman anyway, and he had not been able to think of anything reasonable. He and his mother had been trying to use their connections to get Luna released but it was as though someone else¡ªsomeone probably more powerful than them¡ªwas trying their best to make sure Luna stayed in. He was desperate so he could only agree with Lanni and Xiehan''s idea.


    After reaching an agreement, Lanni had her hair straightened and changed into the clothes she had prepared. The only noticeable difference between her and Luna was that Luna''s skin was slightly more pale because she rarely left the house, and this was easily corrected using a dab of unnoticeable makeup.


    To avoid attention from more people, Lin Jian came over to take the photo. He would personally send it to a paparazzo with a catchy caption. It would be unwise to publish it as official news because it would create too much attention so as soon as the news reached any of Li Xiyan''s people, Lin Jian would have it deleted.


    He looked at the main leads of the rumor and chuckled when he saw how awkward they looked. "Come on, pose for the photos." He urged.


    Lanni and Xingyu stood expressionlessly and moved a little close to each other.


    He attempted to take a photo and frowned when he saw the result.. "This won''t do. How about you hold hands?"

 Chapter 244 - Something Went Wrong

    Ji Xiehan shot a glare at Lin Jian. The latter shrugged. "What? Aren''t you the one who came up with this idea? Are you regretting it now?"


    Ji Xiehan frowned and said nothing more. It was already bad enough that he had to watch his friend and his woman pretending to be intimate. Why did this blabbermouth have to poke him where it hurt?


    Lanni pursed her lips and moved closer to Jiang Xingyu. How difficult could an act be?


    "What are you¡­" he was startled when she suddenly stood too close.


    "The more we dilly dally, the longer we will have to stand together." Lanni wanted to get it done with and quickly move to the next step.


    Xiehan couldn''t watch anymore. He knew that he would ask them to stop if he continued standing there so he went to grab them something to drink.


    "Come on, think of her as your Luna for a second." Lin Jian took advantage of Xiehan''s absence to urge.


    Jiang Xingyu glared at Lin Jian when he heard that.


    "Why are you glaring at me?" Lin Jian really wanted to toss the camera away and run away. They were asking for a favor but kept giving him vicious looks when he said anything to get the job done. Seeing that Jiang Xingyu was slightly dazed, he said in a low voice, "oh my¡­ take a close look at her. Isn''t she every inch of your girlfriend? It''s as though she is actually your Luna."


    Jiang Xingyu wss about to retort when he took a good look. Indeed, Lin Jian was right. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have mistaken Lanni for Luna when he first saw her a few months ago. He leaned closer to take a clearer look and without knowing it, stuck out a hand to cup her face.


    Lanni subconsciously pushed his hand away just before his palm could come into contact with the skin of her face. "You shouldn''t get too close. I''m still your sister-in-law and I have a boyfriend."


    Her voice jolted him. He balled the hand that was reaching to touch her face into a fist and ran the other through his hair.


    "I took two photos and they''re perfect!" Lin Jian celebrated. He rushed to show them. "This one looks like you are really touching! Look¡­"


    Jiang Xingyu stared at Lanni and she stared back, wondering why he was acting strange. Neither of them heard what Lin Jian was saying. When he shook them out of their thoughts, Jiang Xingyu glared at him.


    "W-what did I do wrong?" Lin Jian felt chills down his spine.


    "Damn you Ji Xiehan!" Jiang Xingyu cursed and stormed out.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Lin Jian asked, to which Lanni shrugged. How could she understand that man''s train of thought?


    A short while later, Ji Xiehan returned with a tray of drinks. "I hope you are done. I brought¡­" he paused and looked at the two of them. "Where is Xingyu?"


    "He left." Lanni was defeated.


    From her tone, Xiehan knew that it was not just about simply leaving. Something must have happened. He let out a sigh. He knew this might happen. He knew this would make Jiang Xingyu miss Xia Luna too much. He knew Jiang Xingyu might actually mistake Lanni for Xia Luna, which was why he had the sudden urge to stop the so called shoot. But he had not stopped it because he knew it was too late to think of a new plan.


    He placed the tray on the table then gave Lanni her chocolate and Lin Jian his black coffee.


    "When am I supposed to start the rumor?" Lin Jian asked.


    "You should have already started it." Xiehan looked at him seriously.


    Lin Jian hurriedly transferred the pictures to his phone, made a caption and sent it to someone. "Done." He celebrated when he had sent it.


    "I hope Li Xiyan receives it soon." Lanni crossed her fingers.


    "She will. You can trust Lin Media Group on this."


    And he was right. Within just a few hours, the news had reached Li Xiyan.


    _


    Xias residence.


    "How could this be?" Li Xiyan''s phone dropped to the floor as her mouth gaped into an O. "How can she be out of prison? How did this happen?"


    Li Xiyan paced as she grinded her teeth. If that girl was free, then it was just a matter of time before she would be done for. This was impossible!


    She took the phone from the floor and checked. The screen was broken but the phone was still functioning.


    The news stung her eyes. [Another prince charming taken?]


    Below it was a picture of the young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Xingyu, looking fondly into the eyes of a woman. His left hand was touching her cheek and from their pose, they were definitely a couple in love. No matter what angle Li Xiyan looked at it, the girl must be Xia Luna.


    Besides, logically, Lanni already had a fianc¨¦ who happened to be Jiang Xingyu''s friend. Even if she were to fool around with Jiang Xingyu, they wouldn''t let the news be broadcast. There was only one possibility¡ªXia Luna had been freed.


    She sat down on the couch and narrowed her gaze. Seconds later, she summoned some of her top henchmen.


    She pointed at one of them, who was proficient in IT. "Check when this picture was taken." She shoved the broken phone at him.


    Then she looked at the rest of them. "I want you to search every part of this country and find Xia Luna. Bring her here before dawn. If she escapes, you will be held responsible."


    "Yes ma''am." The group chorused and left.


    Li Xiyan summoned yet another group. "Go and find Li Lanni. If you catch her¡­" Li Xiyan''s eyes blazed with bloodlust. "...Bring her back. I will let her watch her sister''s death before I kill her." She sneered. These two girls were too troublesome.


    When the two groups had gone to complete their tasks, Li Xiyan suddenly called An Zichen.


    He trembled slightly, wondering whether he had been found out. When Li Xiyan wasn''t paying attention, he pressed the speed dial on his phone.


    "I have a task for you too." Stated Li Xiyan.


    An Zichen wanted to curse. He was supposed to plant the USB in Li Xiyan''s study. How could he do so if he was given a task?


    He was wondering what excuse to give when Li Xiyan lazily stated the task. "Go to B City and find out if Xia Luna is still in prison."


    _


    Ji Xiehan''s mansion.


    Once they were sure that Li Xiyan had recieved the news, Lin Jian stopped the rumor from spreading any further.


    "The first part is done. Let''s wait for the second phase." Lanni''s voice was slightly shaky with anxiety. The second part¡ªAn Zichen planting the USB flash drive was the most dangerous.


    "My love, don''t be nervous. It will be alright." Xiehan consoled again.


    "Yes, it will be. If Li Xiyan is too angry to think of the possibility that she is being tricked." Lanni let out sigh after sigh.


    "How smart do you think she is?" Xiehan asked.


    "I''m not sure about that." Lanni took deep breaths. "But one thing is for sure. She is not Ji Feifei. She cannot be fooled easily and¡­ she is a dangerous person."


    Lin Jian heard what she had said and frowned at the duo. "Are you guys alright? If she is smart then why are you trying to play such a lowly trick on her?"


    "This was the only way." Lanni frowned at Lin Jian, although she didn''t truly mean it.


    She also knew that if Li Xiyan knew about Xia Hanchen waking up, she would fly into panic and rage. She hated Xia Hanchen and hoped for him to die so she would inherit all his wealth. This was one main reason why she wanted Lanni and her sister dead.


    It was because if she got rid of the twins, there would be no one to fight her for Xia Hanchen''s wealth.


    Lanni would have used Xia Hanchen to distract Li Xiyan but after thinking about it, it was far too risky. What would happen if Li Xiyan targeted Xia Hanchen?


    Lanni balled her hands into fists. "If she suspects that she is being fooled, or just confirms for the sake of being careful, what will we do?"


    Lanni had just finished her statement when her phone rang. She looked at Lin Jian and Xiehan. "An Zichen is calling at such a time. Did something go wrong?"


    "Answer it." Xiehan urged.


    Lanni swiped the screen then out the phone on speaker and placed it on the table.


    A rustling was heard before a female voice came through. "I have a task for you too."


    The trio held their breaths. That was Li Xiyan. From the looks of things, she was speaking to An Zichen.


    "Go back to B City and find out whether Xia Luna is still in prison."

 Chapter 245 - No Time To Flirt

    Lanni, Xiehan and Lin Jian exchanged looks. None of them expected that the sudden phone call would reveal such information.


    An Zichen accepted the mission with a shaky voice. "Yes ma''am."


    When their conversatin finished, the trio let out the breath they had been holding during the call.


    A few minutes later when An Zichen was alone, he called and told them about the instructions Li Xiyan had given¡ªto bring Luna back and capture Lanni while at it.


    "This isn''t a good thing." Lin Jian was the first to speak.


    Lanni massaged her temples. "It''s a good thing that An Zichen is the one being sent over to confirm whether Luna is still in prison. Because he is our person, he will naturally tell her that Luna actually escaped. But then, there is the constraint of time."


    Although Lakeside City was only about one hour away from B City, it could still be difficult if An Zichen couldn''t make it back and forth within the planned time. Besides, what if Li Xiyan had him stay in B City for some other mission?


    "It''s not necessarily a bad thing." Xiehan said after contemplating for a while. "Once he reports that Xia Luna is not in prison, Li Xiyan will get more serious with her search."


    "You''re right." Lanni swallowed. "I hope he goes back to Li Xiyan''s house before tonight. Or¡­ does he really have to come? " she looked at Xiehan meaningfully.


    "We can have him decieve her." Xiehan said, understanding her meaning."


    "Why are you guys plotting such dangerous things and not even considering the danger it could incur?" Lin Jian grumbled. Forget these two not considering the dangers. They had shoved him out of their conversation and were speaking things he couldn''t make head or tail of.


    "Shush." Lanni shut him up with a glower before looking back at Xiehan. "Just in case he is forced to remain in B City and join the search parties, he should sneak into the study at the same time that he pretends to be on his way here. That way, he would not have to report his finding to Li Xiyan because he will run back here."


    "Mh." Xiehan agreed with her. Knowing what else she would be worried about, he added, "When he comes back, I will protect him. I will get someone to guard his sister in the meantime."


    "My love, you are so considerate." Lanni placed her hand on his.


    "You''re my woman. Of course I would do my duty as your man." Xiehan was happy that she was not rejecting his help this time.


    "Aren''t you focusing on the wrong point here?" Lin Jian couldn''t help commenting as he glanced at Lanni like she was weird. "You are being sought. How are you so nonchalant about it?"


    "So what if I''m being sought? It''s not like she can get me anyway." Lanni was not at all scared.


    Lin Jian had nothing more to say. Since he had nothing left to do, he watched from the sidelines and made himself invisible.


    _


    In the end, An Zichen pretended to leave for B City but snuck back into the compound. When he was in, he gave Lanni a call for further instructions.


    "What''s the situation? Who is near the study?" Lanni asked.


    "There are two guards. Many of the guards have been sent to B City but I cannot be sure that there are none in hiding."


    "Where is that woman?" Lanni probed.


    "She left the house a while ago, I don''t know where she went."


    "That''s a good thing. Uhm¡­"


    "I''ll deal with them." Xiehan interrupted Lanni who was thinking of a way for An Zichen to distract the guards. Before she could ask how he would go about it, he grabbed his laptop and turned it on. Lanni smiled and let him do his thing. All was well as long as Xiehan could hack his way into anything.


    Five minutes later, An Zichen''s work phone vibrated with a notification. Aside from their personal phones, every bodyguard had a work phone that was exclusively for messages from Li Xiyan.


    An Zichen looked at his and sounded bummed. "It''s a notification from the boss. She shared a location and asked everyone to go there. There seems to be an emergency and she would realize that something is wrong if I don''t go."


    "Don''t worry. That''s me." Xiehan spoke into Lanni''s phone.


    Realization dawned on An Zichen. So that was his way of distracting the guards.


    "Did you hack into Li Xiyan''s phone? How did you even do that?" Lanni raised an eyebrow.


    "Is your man awesome or what?" Xiehan looked like he was waiting for praise.


    "Is this really the time to flirt?" Lanni shook her head but patted his shoulder like he was a child. "Go on, tell him what to do."


    Xiehan cleared his throat, remembering that An Zichen was waiting. "Make sure all of them run off before you go to the study. Beware of possible booby traps and alarms. Once you insert the USB, wait for a minute then pull it out and leave."


    "I think we should keep the call connected in case of anything." Lanni suggested an the two men agreed.


    An Zichen dug into his pockets for the wireless mini earphones that Lanni had given him and connected them. He kept his phone in his pocket for convenience and waited.


    Once he was sure that there was no one bodyguard around, he snuck to the second floor, narrowly escaping the butler. He heaved a sigh or relief when he reached the study room door. His relief was shortlived because when he saw the passcode lock, he felt drained.


    "Everything okay?" Lanni asked worriedly when she heard his low curse through the speakers of her phone.


    "There is a passcode lock."


    "Send me a picture of it." Xiehan said.


    An Zichen took a picture and send it to Xiehan''s phone immediately.


    "Okay. Give me a few seconds." Xiehan said.


    "O-okay." An Zichen could only wait. Those few seconds felt like a whole day for him and just when he was about to break down from anxiety, he finally heard Xiehan''s voice.


    "598103." Xiehan said expressionlessly. When An Zichen did not react, he probed, "did you get it? Key in the code. 5-9-8-1-0-3."


    An Zichen snapped back and quickly keyed it in.


    "Are there any traps?" Xiehan reminded him to be cautious.


    "I don''t think so." An Zichen answered after looking around.


    "With that kind of security, she doesn''t need them." Lanni said, unsure of her own words. There was no such thing as too much caution, right? Especially for someone like Li Xiyan.


    Fortunately, there were no traps in the end. An Zichen found the laptop on the desk and reported. Afraid he would do something wrong, he only turned it on after being told to do so.


    "System destructing in 59." A female voice suddenly filled the air.


    "Sh?t!" An Zichen cursed, jumping back in shock.


    "What''s that?" Lanni asked in shock too.


    "A self-destructive system. It must have detected me as a stranger."


    "49¡­ 48¡­ 47¡­ 46¡­"


    Lanni and Xiehan were just as freaked out as An Zichen when they heard the sudden countdown.


    "Insert the USB now!" Xiehan was the first to react.


    An Zichen grabbed the USB and pushed it into the port without a second thought.


    "It stopped." He wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead.


    Lanni hugged Xiehan in relief.


    "The computer has been invaded with viruses now. Enter any random password to unlock it."


    An Zichen entered a word and it really unlocked. As soon as it was unlocked, the screen displayed [copying files 1/12527]


    "You must be kidding me. Why does she have so many files in her computer?" An Zichen was flabbergasted.


    "That''s including the deleted ones of all time." Xiehan explained.


    That was still so many. An Zichen could only watch the digits change. This was torture.


    He stood on pins and needles as he waited for completion. Luckily, it was fast and the thousands of files were being copied at a speed he wouldn''t have imagined possible.


    An Zichen sighed in relief when he saw that there were about a few hundred of them left. However, at this time, he heard footsteps going towards the study. "Someone is here." He mumbled into the speaker. When he heard the clanking of high heels against the floor outside, he cursed. "The boss is here too."


    "Oh no¡­" Lanni widened her eyes. "Pull the USB out and hide."


    "But we have come too far." An Zichen protested. Wouldn''t everything that had been copied be deleted?


    "Listen to me. Hide right now!" It didn''t matter how far they had come. She would rather repeat the whole process than let An Zichen get caught.


    An Zichen did as he was told. He grabbed the USB and slid behind the curtains¡ªthere was nowhere else to hide¡ªand remained stiff and still.


    On the other side, Lanni and Xiehan remained still too, knowing that speaking could endanger An Zichen''s life.


    Lanni covered the mouthpiece and turned to Xiehan worriedly. "Will he be alright?"

 Chapter 246 - You Are Too Kind

    Lanni hung up then exchanged looks with Xiehan and Lin Jian.


    "I told you this was dangerous. No one ever listens to me." Lin Jian mumbled.


    "Shut up." Lanni was annoyed. Who wouldn''t do dangerous things to prove their sister''s innocence? She was already guilty because she had dragged someone else into the danger. What she needed least right now was someone taunting her about it.


    "What should we do now? If he has been caught, it''s too late to run over there and rescue him." Lanni was running mad from worry.


    Xiehan didn''t know what to expect either. It was too far-fetched to hope that Li Xiyan would not see him. It was obvious why Li Xiyan went back. She must have realized that something was amiss with Xiehan hacking into her phone and sending a fake message to her bodyguards and henchmen. Even if that was not the case, it would still have alarmed her to come home and find no one guarding the door.


    So, they could only hope for An Zichen to slip out of the study through the window if he was close to it.


    Lanni was sitting on edge and anticipating a phone call¡ªor anything to assure her that An Zichen had managed to escape. Her phone did ring, but the caller was not An Zichen. She picked it with a slight crease on her forehead. "Mum?"


    They had not been talking a lot lately. Why was she calling?


    "Lanni, where are you?" Li Yuming''s voice held a hint of worry. She must have been trying to mask it but it was still obvious.


    Lanni looked drained. There couldn''t be another problem, right? "I''m at Xiehan''s. Did something happen?"


    "No, no." Li Yuming was relieved. " Since you are with Xiehan, it is all good. Stay where you are for now."


    Lanni felt something was off. "Something happened, right?"


    Li Yuming didn''t want to disclose it to avoid making Lanni worried but it would be better if she knew. "I saw a suspicious person snooping around. He could be dangerous and I don''t know what he''s looking for so¡­ just be careful, okay?"


    Lanni knew instantly that the said man must be one of the people Li Xiyan had sent to find her. She stood up anxiously. "Where is that man right now?"


    "He ran away as soon as he realized that he had been discovered. He was too fast." Li Yuming responded.


    "I see." Lanni sighed. She was now completely sure that he was one of Li Xiyan''s people. "Mum, be careful too, okay?"


    "Sure. I will be once you tell me what you are up to." She sounded confrontational.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Are you feigning ignorance? If that''s the case, you''re bad at it." Li Yuming huffed. "First, you took a photo with Jiang Xingyu, pretending to be your sister. Then you made it public and a few hours after that, we¡ªyou are being sought. What exactly are you doing?"


    Lanni was flabbergasted. Just like Xia Hanchen, Li Yuming could also tell them apart even if they impersonated each other perfectly.


    Because it had already reached this point and Li Yuming had found out, Lanni could only explain.


    When she was done, Li Yuming was mad at her. "You only know to explain now? Were you seriously planning to hide such a thing from your mother?"


    "Mom, it''s not that I didn''t want you to know¡­" Lanni felt bad for not telling her.


    Li Yuming wanted to call her home but on second thought, Xiehan''s mansion was safer. She hung up after reminding her to take care.


    Lanni held her phone after Li Yuming hung up.


    "What to do now? What to do?" She paced restlessly.


    Xiehan stood up and hugged her in his arms. "You can only calm down and wait."


    "Okay. I''m calm now." She sat down and checked her phone every five seconds.


    After her tenth check, the doorbell rang.


    "It could be him!" Lanni sprang to her feet, forgetting that An Zichen couldn''t have arrived so fast. When she opened the door, a scowl filled her face.


    "Eh? Did I do something wrong?" Jiang Xingyu felt awkward and didn''t know whether to enter or turn back.


    "Since when did you knock before entering Ji Xiehan''s house?" Lin Jian asked when he saw the incomer.


    "I''m not as ill-mannered as you."


    "Why are you back anyway, and so late? Didn''t you huff and storm out angrily?"


    Lin Jian earned a glare from Jiang Xingyu who then said, "That has nothing to do with you." Who wouldn''t be anxious in his place? Of course he would dash over as soon as he calmed down.


    Jiang Xingyu entered and made himself comfortable before looking at Xiehan and Lanni. "From your expressions¡­ it''s not very good news, is it?"


    "I don''t know where to start." Lanni sighed and Jiang Xingyu instantly knew that something must have gone wrong. Once Xiehan explained what had happened, he cursed. Just how difficult did it have to be? "She is not going to kill her if he finds her, right?"


    "I don''t think so. She might interrogate him instead." Lanni hypothesized.


    "Then that will buy us some time to rescue him." Jiang Xingyu.


    "What are we doing here?" We should be on our way." Lanni stood up, suddenly jolting from her thoughts and considering herself silly for not thinking of that.


    "Are you so kind that you want to offer yourself to the enemy and save her the trouble of looking for you?" Xiehan scolded.


    "Right. I forgot I''m her current target." Lanni sat down in defeat. All of them were targets. In fact, Jiang Xingyu and Xiehan were only targets because of her and Luna.


    _


    In the end, they had to wait. In the meantime, Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu sent some of their men to Lakeside city.


    If An Zichen did not give them a call before the two teams arrived, the only option would be to barge in.


    The minutes ticked by slowly. One hour was about to elapse when Xiehan received a call. The teams had arrived.


    "I guess we have no choice¡­" he was yet to complete his statement when Lanni''s phone rang too.


    "It''s An Zichen!" Lanni sprang to her feet subconsciously and quickly recieved the call.


    "Miss, I managed to escape on time." An Zichen said, relief apparent in his voice.


    Lanni sighed in relief. "Where are you now?"


    "I''m on my way to B City."


    "Great. We will make arrangements for someone to protect you and your sister. I''m sorry you had to go through so much for our sake." Lanni was apologetic.


    "It''s nothing, Miss. You saved my sister''s life and I owe you for that. Right. I still have the USB. Should I bring it over now?"


    "You do?" Lanni was once again relieved. It was not sure whether anything had been copied, and there was only one way to find out. "But it''s already so late. How about you bring it tomorrow?"


    "It''s not bothersome." He said.


    "That won''t do. You need to rest after what happened." Lanni thought of another idea. "How about I send someone to pick it once you arrive?"


    "Uhm.. sure."


    Lanni hung up the call and told the others the good news. "Thank goodness he escaped. He slipped out through the window before Li Xiyan could see him and since there was no one else in the vicinity, he escaped."


    "That''s a good thing." Xiehan was releived too, and so were Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian.


    "Right? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him." Lanni slotted herself next to Xiehan and hugged his arm.


    "Doesn''t this call for celebration?" Lin Jian suggested happily. He had always wanted to raid Xiehan''s cellar and now that he had a reason to do so, he was not letting go of the opportunity.


    "What celebration? What have we achieved?" Jiang Xingyu glared at him. "There''s no celebration until Luna is out of prison."


    "Fine." Lin Jian hugged a pillow and sulked, mumbling, "no one loves me, they all torture me and force-feed me dog food."


    Lanni glanced at him and scolded. "I was wondering why this guy doesn''t have a girlfriend. Now I know the reason."


    "What nonsense are you saying? I have girlfriends, okay! I can''t even count them." Lin Jian immediately protested.


    Lanni rolled her eyes. "You think it is something to be proud of? None of those girls actually likes you."


    "So what? As long as they are with me, who the heck cares about love and whatnot?"


    "My love, you need to rest." Xiehan held her, saving her from listening to Lin Jian''s endless nonsense.


    "It''s alright." Lanni said, although her eyes were dull and slightly swollen because she was not used to staying up too late.


    Knowing that she was anxiously waiting for the USB and wouldn''t give in to any persuasion, he changed his approach. "I want to sleep."


    "Then go ahead." Lanni urged.


    He wrapped his arms around her and breathed against her neck.. "But I need you to accompany me, or else I will not be able to close my eyes."

 Chapter 247 - The Content

    Lin Jian looked at the pair before him and couldn''t help laughing. "What do you mean you can''t close your eyes if she is not there with you? What are you, a two-year-old boy?"


    Xiehan glowered at him then continued acting cute. "Honey, let''s go sleep, okay?"


    Of course, Lanni knew that it was his way of making sure she rested. Since that was the case, she went to his room with him, leaving behind the lonely duo.


    "I can''t believe Xiehan has changed so much." Lin Jian stared in the direction the couple had left. In the past, Xiehan would keep away from women for such silly reasons as not being interested in dating. Ever since he met Lanni, not only had he used all sorts of tricks to make her his, he had also become quite clingy to her.


    Besides, his life seemed boring in the past with only the commitment of duty in his mind but now, there seemed to be an added spark to his previously monotonous life.


    When Jiang Xingyu heard what Lin Jian had said, he guffawed. "What do you know? People change when they fall in love, okay? Jerks like you wouldn''t know."


    "What are we doing here anyway? We should go to sleep too." The blabbermouth suggested. There were guest rooms in the mansion so they would not have to go home. Lin Jian was getting sleepy too.


    "You go to sleep. I''ll wait for the good news before I sleep." Jiang Xingyu said, referring to the man who was going to get the USB from An Zichen as soon as possible.


    Hence, Lin Jian went to sleep while Jiang Xingyu stayed up all night.


    _


    The following morning.


    Lanni was the first to wake up. She looked up at Xiehan''s face and pecked his cheek gently before quietly sliding off his arms. The man stirred and looked like he would wake up. Lanni stiffened as she didn''t want to wake him up.


    Once he was still, she pulled away. Xiehan felt around as though looking for something. Lanni tittered when she realized that he must be looking for her, so she took a pillow and pushed it into his arms to replace herself. Then she went downstairs to make breakfast.


    She looked into the fridge and shook her head. "I will go to buy more ingredients later. For now, let''s make some pancakes¡­"


    Recently, she had been learning to cook so she would cook for Xiehan once in a while. Pancakes were easy to make, so she was almost done in thirty minutes.


    She felt footsteps behind her and guessed that Xiehan was awake. "You''re awake. Freshen up, breakfast will be ready soon."


    She didn''t feel any movement and probed. "Honey? If you''re still sleepy¡­" she turned as she spoke and she was shocked when she saw the man who had just walked in. "Lin Jian, what are you doing here?"


    Lin Jian rubbed his sleepy eyes when he realized that it was a woman in the kitchen and not a man. "Ah! It''s you. I thought Xiehan was cooking breakfast for us but eh, you know how to cook too?"


    "Why are you bothering my wife?" An angry Xiehan walked in and was displeased to see Lin Jian in the kitchen.


    "Sheesh. I didn''t bother her." Lin Jian sulked on his way out.


    Xiehan wrapped his arms around Lanni. "How could you leave me all alone and even fool me with a pillow?"


    Lanni chuckled. "Honey, I''m cooking."


    "Alright. I will not distract you then." Xiehan stepped aside and watched from the sidelines.


    "Even if the USB didn''t get everything, it should get something useful at the very least. As long as she has ever left a trace of her dealings, some of it should be recovered." He said after some time.


    "Yeah. I hope so too." Lanni was no longer as anxious as she was a day ago. It was as though she was now sure of how it would end.


    When Lanni finished cooking the last pancake, she brought the breakfast to the table. They all ate in silence, each in their own thoughts. Lanni was hoping that the USB would be returned soon. Because An Zichen had arrived late the previous night, the USB would be brought this morning. Lanni hoped it contained something concrete againt Li Xiyan.


    Jiang Xingyu was wondering just what kind of person Li Xiyan was in private, and why she seemed to have some influential backing. She couldn''t even be investigated no matter how he and Xiehan tried. Were they going to find out soon?


    Xiehan was hoping that everything became clear as soon as possible, so Luna would be freed soon and his Lanni would stop worrying about her. Since Xia Hanchen was awake now, the only other thing that Lanni was worried about was Luna.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jian was wondering which beauty he should invite to accompany him when they celebrated their victory.


    Soon after they were done eating breakfast, Xiehan''s bodyguard returned.


    "Is it finally here?" Jiang Xingyu leaped over to take a look. When the bodyguard gave a tiny USB flash drive to him, he almost fainted from joy.


    "It''s too early to celebrate, don''t you think? Let''s check its content first." Lanni was unusually calm¡­ and she was suddenly starting to have a bad feeling.


    Xiehan turned on his laptop and took the USB from Jiang Xingyu. After running some program, he inserted the USB but just a second after he did, the screen turned black. Xiehan ran a hand through his hair and cursed.


    "What happened?" Lanni quickly asked.


    "It''s a virus."


    "Yeah¡­" Lanni raised her eyebrows in confusion. Wasn''t the content supposed to be a virus?


    Xiehan pulled out the USB and looked back at the waiting pairs of eyes. "This is not the USB we gave to An Zichen. The content is different. Now that I look at it properly, this USB is an identical copy but it is not the same one." He was in disbelief himself, but the truth was right before them so he could only break the news with a smirk. "An Zichen tricked us."


    "What? But how is that possible?" Lanni was shocked.


    "That must be what happened. He cannot coincidentally mistake it with a similar one."


    "But why¡­ why would he trick us? I still think it could be a mistake." Lanni couldn''t bring herself to believe that the loyal An Zichen could have betrayed them.


    She took out her phone and gave him a call. However, the call did not go through. When she decided to call his sister instead, the call didn''t go through either.


    Xiehan''s bodyguard was still in the room and when he heard what was happening, he thought he should speak up. "When I went to get the USB, Mr. An insisted on seeing Miss Li in person and insisted that he would only personally hand it over to Miss Li. He only reluctantly gave it to me when I proved to him that you had sent me."


    Lanni heard what the bodyguard had sais and was even more confused. While that would have sounded like he was being cautious of someone trying to swindle the USB out of him, it sounded weird under these circumstances.


    She couldn''t bring herself to believe it but it seemed like she had to. She looked at Xiehan. "Could you check whether his sister is at the hospital? Perhaps, just like Luna, he has been threatened. And in his case, the only thing he cares about is his sister."


    Xiehan hadn''t received any alarming message from the bodyguards taking care of An Zichen''s sister but he called to confirm anyway.


    "What did they say?" Lanni asked as soon as the call ended. Lin Jian and Jiang Xingyu were waiting for an answer too.


    "An Zichen went to the hospital a while ago and took his sister away claiming that they were going for a short walk and the doctors had authorized it. They have not yet returned."


    Everyone''s expression collapsed.


    "They are not returning. He is changing hospitals because he is afraid that we would take it out on his sister. And he must have bought over the doctors so they agreed to let her go and did not tell me a thing." Lanni was still in disbelief. "So what was this all this time? Was this a game all along, were we only complementing their game all this while?"


    "Do you want me to bring them back?" Xiehan asked seriously, with his phone ready to make the call as soon as she said the word.


    "Forget it. We have more important things to deal with. I wonder just how powerful Li Xiyan is that she is able to make everyone do as she says."


    "So much for staying up to wait for the good news." Jiang Xingyu flopped onto the sofa and immediately fell asleep. His hope had just been shattered. Now that they already tried this move, Li Xiyan was definitely going to be thrice as careful as she was before.. It seemed like they had just reached a dead end.

 Chapter 248 - Give Her To Me

    Lin Jian glanced at Jiang Xingyu who had seriouslt fallen asleep on the couch then back at Xiehan. "Are we going to let him sleep here?"


    "Help him to the guestroom." Xiehan said expressionlessly.


    Lin Jian looked at Jiang Xingyu and narrowed his gaze. He grudgingly helped him up and took him to the guestroom. When he came back, he let out a sigh. "That guy is as heavy as lead."


    He looked at the silent couple and asked, "What are you going to do now?"


    "What I was supposed to do from the start." Lanni bit her lip. "I''m going to face Li Xiyan on my own."


    Lin Jian raised his eyebrow. "Are you listening to yourself?" He then peeked at the calm Xiehan. "You''re letting her endanger her life like this?"


    "I will be by her side." Xiehan said naturally. Even he knew that after what happened, Lanni wouldn''t trust anyone. She would only be at peace if she was the one going to Xia Hanchen''s house.


    "Since we have the duplicate, the real USB is probably with Li Xiyan. I don''t know how much An Zichen revealed though. We can no longer rely on the distraction about Luna having broken out of prison." She sighed. What a waste of time. They only ended up giving their trump card away.


    "Since we can no longer be sneaky, we can only be high-profile. She is likely to increase her numbers and so should we." Xiehan''s lips twitched.


    "What are you saying?"


    "Break in in broad daylight and in large numbers." He explained.


    "Are you trying to get into a fight with that woman?" Lanni felt her head ache. "Fine, we can probably fight her if we''re all together¡ªwith all your security details, my mum''s and the Jiang family''s."


    "And mine too!" Lin Jian quickly chimed in to express that he wanted to be of help too.


    "Yeah. And the Lin family''s too. But we don''t know who is backing her up and how capable they are. Are you really sure we won''t all perish if whoever it is shows up?"


    "Don''t you think you''re overestimating them?" Xiehan raised his eyebrow.


    "No, I don''t. Or else it would not require a secret organization like the one I was in to sneakily investigate her. Besides, I don''t really believe she is doing these things¡ªmanipulating Cheng Yu, Luna and An Zichen¡ªon her own. Whoever is backing her up must be some invincible figure¡ªor figures."


    "And that is exactly why we need speed and numbers."


    Lanni was confused for a second before she suddenly understood. "You''re a genius! We should go now, right? While she expects us most."


    "Don''t you think you have someone to seek an ''explanation'' from?" Xiehan reminded meaningfully.


    "Right." Lanni stood up. "I''ll change my clothes then while you gather the teams."


    "Why am I the only one who doesn''t understand what you guys are doing?" Lin Jian grumbled at the side.


    "You will understand on the way. Go and get changed too." Xiehan shooed him.


    "M-me? I''m going too?" Lin Jian pointed at himself.


    "We need a large number and you''re part of that number. Lead your security details¡ªmany of your bodyguards. Make sure there are some protecting your family though."


    Lin Jian did not understand but he followed the instructions anyway.


    A few minutes later, Lanni came out of Xiehan''s room wearing sports attire and shoes.


    "In case I need to fight." She explained when she saw his gaze.


    Xiehan narrowed his eyes. Did she think that was appropriate attire for fighting? He didn''t say anything in the end, because he would not let her have to fight.


    Lanni''s first stop was An Zichen''s new house¡ªwhose location had been obtained by Xiehan.


    She rang the doorbell and waited. A few seconds later, the man opened the door. "You?"


    Lanni crossed her arms, walking into the apartment leisurely. "Out of all things you could do, I didn''t expect you to betray me."


    "Miss, I''m¡­"


    "No, you''re not." Lanni interrupted him before he could say that he was sorry. He wasn''t.


    An Zichen stood there saying nothing, as though contemplating something. In the end, he said nothing.


    Lanni took a glance at his sister who was eating fruit on the sofa then turned to leave. "I only came to check on you. Since that is done, I''ll be on my way."


    She walked out in slow steps, and just as she reached the door, she heard rushed footsteps. She stood, and just as she felt An Zichen reach to grab her arms, she turned and grabbed his instead. His hands were cuffed faster than he could imagine, and before he could use his legs to fight, those were chained too.


    "Those who can''t fight can only immobilize the opponent." Lanni gushed at her own speed. That was fast. She looked down at An Zichen who was now on the floor. "I wanted to know what else you were planning to do for Li Xiyan. Turns out you were trying to kidnap me."


    "Miss, I had no choice." An Zichen said, a second before his mouth was sealed shut with duct tape.


    Lanni looked down at him. "I don''t need your explanation." As long as he was out of her way.


    She looked at the flabbergasted An Ziyao. "Come with me."


    The girl was shocked, but because she was afraid that Lanni might hurt her brother if she resisted, she obediently walked over amid An Zichen''s futile struggles to free himself.


    Lanni left the house with the girl beside him. The others had been waiting at the door to barge in if Lanni needed help, and they were surprised that Lanni had handled it on her own.


    "Good job. But what''s with the girl?" Lin Jian looked at An Zichen''s sister curiously.


    "Her brother will kill her at this rate. I can''t believe he stopped her medication just because she got slightly better." Lanni facepalmed. Even though An Zichen betrayed her, she was not going to take it out on an innocent young girl. She whispered some instructions to Lin Jian, who took the girl and left immediately.


    "He can join us when he is done. Let''s get going." She said to Xiehan and they left the building. Before they entered the car, Lanni suddenly stopped.


    "What''s wrong?" Xiehan asked.


    "What if someone frees An Zichen?"


    "No one will. Don''t worry." Xiehan reassured.


    _


    About two hours later.


    Lanni and Xiehan arrived in Lakeside City, with a staggering team of one hundred and twenty security details.


    "Don''t you think this number is kind of insane?" Lin Jian, who had joined them, found it somewhat funny.


    "Later, mind your tongue." Xiehan reminded for the umpteenth time.


    "Don''t worry. I know when and when not to blabber nonsense. Anyway, why is your little beauty in a different car?" Lin Jian asked when he noticed that Lanni was not with them.


    "Because she has been kidnapped and we are here to rescue her."


    "Ah¡­ I finally get it." Lin Jian was suddenly excited.


    "What''s going on?" Jiang Xingyu asked groggily, having just woken up. "Where is this place?"


    "You woke up. We are going to Li Xiyan''s house." Lin Jian joyously broke the news. It had been his idea to shove the sleeping Jiang Xingyu into the car with them.


    Jiang Xingyu rubbed his eyes and glared at Lin Jian. When Ji Xiehan explained what was going on, he calmed down. Fine, since it involved this, it was alright to have ''kidnapped'' him. When they arrived near Xia Hanchen''s mansion, the three men got out of the car and led their bodyguards towards the entrance.


    Just five minutes after their arrival, several bodyguards streaked out of the mansion with Li Xiyan.


    "So it''s you. I was wondering who is seeking their death by disrupting my peace in such a high-profile way." Li Xiyan snickered when she saw Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu.


    "Give her to me." Xiehan said coldly.


    "Give who to you?" Li Xiyan was confused for a second.


    "Drop the act! If you don''t release her right this instant, don''t blame us for being impolite." Lin Jian said angrily.


    Li Xiyan was even more confused. Did she capture anyone? At that moment, one of her bodyguards whispered something in her ear. Realization dawned on her and her eyes sparkled. It seemed like An Zichen had successfully kidnapped Lanni. ''Good job An Zichen.''


    The sparkle in her eyes only lasted a second before she coldly stared at the three men and their bodyguards. "I don''t know what you guys are looking for but if you are here to seek trouble, I will give you trouble."


    "Ma''am, they are too many." The bodyguard said in a low voice, to which Li Xiyan expressionlessly responded, "they are powerless. Or else they wouldn''t have come in such a large number."


    "It seems like we have to get her ourselves." Jiang Xingyu''s lips twitched.


    "Break in." Xiehan ordered.


    Li Xiyan was taken aback, not expecting them to actually dare. Naturally, all the bodyguards came out to stop them from breaking in.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Lanni took advantage of the increasing commotion to sneak in.

 Chapter 249 - Who Is This Idiot?

    As soon as she entered the house, she felt a sense of familiarity. It was not strange, considering the fact that her relationship with her father was close in the past. Perhaps she had come over before.


    No matter what the situation was, it was more useful than the information that Xiehan''s men had forced out of An Zichen''s mouth. That man couldn''t be trusted anyway. It wouldn''t make much difference if he was under torture.


    Using her memory of the mansion, she slipped to the master bedroom.


    She checked out through the window and saw that down below, the battle seemed to have reached a stalemate. No one was making the first move yet.


    She started searching immediately. It would be best if they didn''t actually fight in the end.


    She looked around the room and there were too many places to search.


    "She must be hiding it in a vault or at least something that can be locked." She thought aloud. She couldn''t possibly have thrown it away because someone could look for it and find it.


    She searched for a while and neither found the USB nor anything else that could incriminate Li Xiyan. She had already turned the master bedroom upside down when she had anither thought. This was Xia Hanchen''s room too, so Li Xiyan might not hide anything in here.


    She opened the door and peeked outside. No one was in the vicinity, so she dashed to the study. Because she had increased the security and thanks to the restraint of time, Li Xiyan had not changed the passcode of the study room door yet. This worked to her advantage, she entered the same code that Xiehan had sent An Zichen the day before and the door opened.


    She started searching right away. She searched the drawers at a rapid speed and found nothing. Just when she was about to give up, she saw a vault.


    Her lips curled into a grin as she quickly took out her phone and took a picture of the vault. Just a few seconds after she sent it to Xiehan, he replied with the passcode. She entered it and the vault clicked open.


    "He will have to teach me how to do that." She muttered.


    She looked into the vault and saw a blue folder. Her lips curled into a smile. Was this what they were looking for? Finally finding a straw to cling to after so long, she pulled it out. When she saw the unmistakable USB, she was even happier.


    She grabbed the folder and the USB. Just to be sure, she opened the folder and checked the content. She flipped through the paper and her gaze narrowed. "This evil woman. How could she do this?"


    She was just about to leave when she heard footsteps. She froze in her tracks. Who was it now? Li Xiyan was still out there. She positioned herself ready to attack the incomer just as the door opened.


    Her kick hit air, and she was about to launch another attack when her hands were suddenly locked together. "Easy, princess. It''s me."


    Lanni sighed in relief. So it was just the idiot Flynn. "What are you doing here?"


    "Saving your skin¡ªlike I''ve always had to."


    Lanni was irritated by his high and mighty tone of making it seem like she had always relied on him. "Whatever, I have to get out now or they will really start fighting."


    "Aren''t you going to ask why I am here?" Flynn deliberately taunted.


    Lanni scoffed in response. "What you do is none of my business. Now get out of my way."


    However, instead of excusing her, he suddenly dragged her to the wall.


    "What are you¡­"


    "Shush!" Flynn interrupted her, even holding a hand over her mouth before he softly whispered, "someone''s here."


    "No way." Lanni whispered back. However, after listening carefully for a few seconds, she did hear footsteps on the floor outside. "We''re done for."


    Whoever it was paced up and down then stopped right outside the door, and Lanni guessed that it must be a guard who was back to guard the study.


    "We''re trapped in here." Flynn taunted in a whisper. He turned to look at the pale-faced Lanni. "You know princess, it would have been romantic to get trapped in a room with a woman. But since it is you, it is more of torture than romance."


    "Shut up." Lanni glared at him. "It''s because of you that I didn''t manage to leave on time."


    "Are you blaming me, princess? I was here to rescue you." Flynn raised his eyebrow.


    Lanni huffed. "Yeah. And you did a great job at that."


    "Trainees." Flynn smirked helplessly. "Instead of bickering, we should think of a way to get out of here."


    "Aren''t you Mister know-it-all? Find us a way out!" Lanni glowered at him. They couldn''t count on the guard leaving, and it was only a matter of seconds before an actual fight begun. Lanni quietly but swiftly opened the folder and under Flynn''s curious gaze, took a series of pictures of every page of the content. She sent the pictures to Xiehan. This way, even if she was trapped and didn''t find a way out in the end, Li Xiyan''s deals would still be brought to light.


    _


    At the entrance.


    "What is Lanni doing that''s taking so long? We cannot keep this up much longer." Lin Jian whispered after having hurled all sorts of threats to Li Xiyan. If they attacked and alerted the authorities, it would not be beneficial for either side.


    "Stall for more time." Xiehan said solemnly. His phone chimed and he took it out to take a look. When he saw the pictures sent by Lanni along with the caption, he looked at Lin Jian. "Lanni is in trouble. I''ll go and check."


    "No way. What are you doing?" Lin Jian held him back. "If any of us leaves, Li Xiyan will know that she is being tricked and Lanni will be in more danger."


    "Then we need to distract her even more."


    "What are you up to?" Lin Jian had a bad feeling about it.


    Xiehan glanced at the tens of security details then at Li Xiyan''s team which was also ready to attack as soon as Li Xiyan gave her word. He looked back at his team seriously. "Attack."


    "What?" Lin Jian and Jiang Xingyu exclaimed in unison.


    "Stop!" A crisp voice filled the air.


    Everyone stopped in their tracks while Jiang Xingyu and Lin Jian heaved a sigh of relief.


    Lanni walked out from behind the bodyguards with a smile plastered across her face. No one knew when she got out but it was a relief. She walked to Xiehan''s side then waved the blue folder in front of Li Xiyan''s face. "Li Xiyan, I have something of yours."


    Li Xiyan visibly froze. "How did she¡­ this was¡­ a trick." Realization dawned on her and she couldn''t believe that she had been played like a fool by a bunch of useless idiots.


    "Oh, it''s too late. Save it." Lanni taunted. "If you want it back, you know where to find me." When she saw that Li Xiyan''s men were about to make a move, she played with the folder in her hand. "You better ask them to behave. I made copies of this, you know."


    "Li Lanni! What the hell do you want?!" Li Xiyan hollered.


    "I''m not interested in chatting with you." Lanni entered the car haughtily after having her way.


    "Retreat." Xiehan gave the order and their team retreated to their cars.


    Xiehan, Lin Jian, Jiang Xingu and Lanni entered one car. Just when Lanni was about to close the door, Flynn slotted himself into the car.


    "What are you doing?" Lanni recoiled when she suddenly felt someone slot himself next to her.


    "Hitching your ride. Is that a crime, princess?" Flynn was as annoying as ever, eyeing Xiehan who was next to Lanni. "Does your man mind so much? Though I must remark, your taste in men has deteriorated."


    "Who is this punk?" Lin Jian, who was in the shotgun seat, turned and looked at the idiot who had just sat in the back seat like he owned the place. Jiang Xingyu peeked over from the driver''s seat too.


    Flynn looked at Lin Jian and gave him a slight wave. "You must be Lin Jian¡ªthe one who knocked up a girl and ditched her."


    "Are you nuts?! Who the hell are you?" Lin Jian was ready to launch a punch.


    "Forget him." Lanni calmed him down before glaring at Flynn. "If you are here to hitch a ride, behave yourself. Otherwise, get lost."


    "Sure sure. Since you said so, I will get lost." He left right after, leaving the four of them in rage.


    "Just who is he?" Lin Jian asked Lanni again.


    "Let it slide. You can''t fight him." Lanni was tired of him too. Why was he messing with her and all the people around her?


    "It''s not about whether I can fight him or not." Lin Jian rambled on as Jiang Xingyu started the car and drove off.. "It''s about you and him. What''s your relationship with him?"

 Chapter 250 - You Have No Choice

    Lanni let out a breath as she looked back at Lin Jian who was seriously waiting for an answer. "None that should be your concern." She finally answered emotionlessly.


    She knew that Lin Jian was only looking out for Xiehan and was afraid that his friend might be betrayed. Despite this, she didn''t think she and Lin Jian were close enough to discuss such personal matters. How could she tell Lin Jian who Flynn was? If she did, she would also have to explain why she was in contact with such a person¡ªthen she would have to disclose her past altogether.


    As expected, Lin Jian was dissatisfied with her dismissive answer. He frowned and gave her a warning glare. "I don''t personally care who that guy is nor why he seems to be close to you but I''m warning you. If you do anything to break Xiehan''s heart¡­"


    Xiehan sent him a chilling glare and he shut up, mumbling to himself, ''I''m only looking out for you, Geez!'' What an ungrateful friend!


    When Xiehan finally got Lin Jian to stop interrogating Lanni, Jiang Xingyu spoke for the first time since Flynn barged into their car. "Was what he said true? Did you really knock up a girl and ditch her?"


    Now that he asked, everyone was curious too. Was Lin Jian really such a jerk?


    "What the¡ª! Of course not!" Lin Jian quickly defended himself when he saw their curious gazes. "I don''t know what that man has against me but I would never knock up a girl. And even if it somehow happened¡ªthe possibility is almost zero out of a hundred but if it actually happened, I would take responsibility for my child. I would never let my own child suffer a loss just because I''m not ready to settle down. Not to mention, kids are adorable. Why wouldn''t I want him?"


    Lanni saw the playboy swear that he couldn''t shirk responsibility and found it comical. So the idiot actually had a brain. But from the looks of it, he didn''t seem to know anything about kids aside from their cuteness.


    "What''s the next move?" Jiang Xingyu changed the topic, quickly moving on from Lin Jian.


    "Obviously, use the information we have obtained to blackmail Li Xiyan." Lanni answered him then recalled that there was something she had not confirmed.


    "Can I use your laptop?" She asked the man beside her. He turned it on and gave it to her. As though he already knew what she was going to do, he ran the codes for her. Lanni smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks my love."


    On the driver''s seat, Jiang Xingyu''s eyes narrowed. These two just wouldn''t stop flaunting their love, would they? "You can display your affections all you want. Soon, Luna will be by my side and we will blind you with our love."


    Lin Jian had nothing to say. All he wanted was to complete this task and rest.


    Lanni was not listening to Jiang Xingyu. When she had inserted the USB in Xiehan''s computer, thousands of files showed up. They included emails, reminders and notes. "Whoa so many?"


    She randomly opened one of the emails and frowned at the content. It was an exchange between her and someone surnamed Wu. Disgust and horror filled her face when she understood the content. "She is trading with Zeus."


    "What?" Lin Jian was shocked.


    Jiang Xingyu almost lost control of the steering wheel in shock. "You''re kidding, right?"


    "I''m not. The emails prove so. Even though it''s not clear what they are trading since they reffer to it as ''the goods'', it is still clear that it has been going on for a long time."


    Even Xiehan was shocked. Even though he had expected Li Xiyan to be one of the worst human beings ever, he had not expected her to trade with such a gang as Zeus. Even if she was only trading with an individual and not the whole gang, it would still be terrifying.


    Zeus was a notorius underground organization known to produce terrifyingly skilled assassins. Not only that, but they also indulged in drug and weapon trafficking for fun and who knew what other crimes they committed that no one knew about.


    They were top on the wanted list of the police but up to date, no one had been able to catch any of them. Their base was unknown and everything about them was mysterious.


    Yet Li Xiyan was trading with such an organization?


    "No wonder she is so capable." Lanni sighed in realization. "Do you think Zeus is backing her up?"


    Xiehan looked over at the emails and read a few of them before drawing a conclusion. "It is most likely just a trade relationship between them."


    Her worries dissipated a little. If it was just a trade relationship, Zeus wouldn''t possibly bother with little fries like them if they messed Li Xiyan up.


    Lin Jian took a look at the emails too and when he did, his expression darkened. That woman was really in close contact with that gang.


    The remainder of the car ride was silent, and Jiang Xingyu naturally drove to Xiehan''s mansion where they all sat around the dining table to resume their prematurely ended discussion.


    "Do you need me to publicize this news? I can make sure the whole country knows about it within thirty minutes. I could even have it pop up as an ad in mobile applications." Lin Jian offered.


    "No. While that is one of the right things to do, we need Li Xiyan''s ''help'' at the moment." Lanni answered.


    "She should try to retrieve the evidence. Since she will be unable to, she will contact us." Jiang Xingyu hypothesized.


    "And we will keep her waiting. Her hands are tied anyway. Let her feel how agonizing it is to wait." Xiehan said seriously.


    "Honey, you are so charmingly evil."


    _


    In the end, they let Li Xiyan wait for three days before they agreed to meet her. They would have made her wait for longer, but the longer they waited, the longer Luna stayed in prison.


    Hence, they organized a meeting with Li Xiyan. Lanni went to meet her at the restaurant, with several bodyguards ready in case of any emergency.


    She walked into the VIP room that Li Xiyan was waiting and sat down like she owned the place. Her gaze was mocking as she looked at the woman across the table. "Li Xiyan, I never thought we would ever meet under such circumstances."


    "Go straight to the point." Li Xiyan didn''t want to admit defeat although it had come to this point. There was no way she could be completely defeated by a useless little girl like Lanni.


    Lanni played with a lock of her hair as she looked at the invincible woman¡ªwho had just been conquered by her. "Isn''t it obvious?" She planted her elbows onto the table. "I want you to prove Luna''s innocence. Obviously."


    "As long as you prove Luna''s innocence, I will give you back your folder and the USB. This matter will end between us."


    Li Xiyan scoffed when she heard that condition. "I may as well just kill you."


    "Go ahead." Lanni challenged. "Then my friends will make sure the whole world knows who you are. When it comes to that, not even Zeus will save you. Instead, they will abandon you and use you as a scapegoat for all your deals with them."


    Even though Li Xiyan did not want to admit it, Lanni had a point. She was not so full of herself as to think that she would be protected by that side. From the start, she had been warned to be careful of everything she did. If anything were to happen to her, she would be on her own.


    That was why she had always deleted everything. It was a surprise that these idiots had managed to get their hands on everything but as soon as this matter ended, she would make them pay.


    She gritted her teeth hatefully. "Is that all?"


    Lanni thought about it. She had wanted to know how Li Xiyan had forced Luna to confess to a crime that she had not committed. But did it matter anymore? Thinking about it, she still asked in the end. "What leverage were you holding against my sister?"


    "Don''t you get ahead of yourself." Li Xiyan gritted her teeth.


    "Sure. Instead, I will just go back and release the news. What do you think?"


    Li Xiyan forced herself to calm down. She would still find chances in future to make these two brats suffer to their deaths. "Fine. I will prove her innocence. After that, she will tell you the answer herself, now won''t she?"


    Lanni smiled slightly. Right. Luna would be more truthful anyway. "Well, as soon as you do, I will personally hand over the items."


    "Why should I trust you?" Li Xiyan narrowed her gaze.


    "Because you have no other choice." Lanni gloatingly yawned and stood to leave.


    Li Xiyan indeed had no choice. But so what? Lanni seemed to be too confident.. She was going to use her overconfidence to destroy her.

 Chapter 251 - How Sly

    Li Xiyan knew that Lanni was dead serious about her threat so she acted faster than expected. Within a day, someone stepped out to turn himself in. He admitted to having murdered the detective.


    He also proved that he had framed Xia Luna for his own crime and blackmailed her into deleting the evidence that would have proven her innocence, and pleading guilty.


    Naturally, the court had to investigate the credibility of his words. It took one week and once Luna was proven innocent, she was released from prison.


    On Wednesday morning, Jiang Xingyu went to pick her up along with Madam Jiang and Li Yuming. Meanwhile, Lanni stayed with Lin Jian and Xiehan, plotting the next step so they would strike at the best timing.


    Lanni glanced at the news article that had been published right after Luna was proven innocent.


    "Tsk, such insanity." Lanni shoved the newspaper at Lin Jian who was playing with his phone. "Oracle Daily, a magazine under Lin Media Group, published such a piece of news and you didn''t know it beforehand? What kind of CEO are you, does Lin Media Group even need you?"


    Lin Jian managed to catch the newspaper before it fell over the table and put his phone aside to respond to the uncalled for scolding. "I''m the most competent CEO, okay? The most talented CEO that Lin Media Group has ever had¡ªand of course, my gossipy nature comes in handy."


    Lanni rolled her eyes at him.


    "I knew this piece of news was going to be published. It was submitted by one of the best reporters of Oracle Daily so how would I not know?"


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "And you didn''t stop it or at least tell us about it?"


    "No one asked me. Naturally, I couldn''t just start blabbering on my own, right?" Lin Jian ran a hand through his hair.


    Lanni took in a deep breath to supress her anger. She turned to Xiehan who was typing on his laptop. "Can I beat him up?"


    Xiehan didn''t look up from his laptop as he responded, "Don''t waste your energy on such a person. I''ll get the bodyguards to beat him up for you."


    "Hey! Are you really my friend?" Lin Jian complained. What kind of friend offered to have him beaten up instead of helping him out?


    Lanni huffed and sat back down. The news was nothing. It must have been meant to inform her anyway. Xiyan was a harder task. Because this was such a serious matter, the court did not give them many details and they only knew what had happened exactly when the news was published. She grabbed back the newspaper and looked through the article once again, reading every single word of it.


    It turned out that the man who turned himself in was the same one who had been hired by Li Xiyan to murder the detective. His name had not been published and his face had been pixelated but from his frame, Lanni could recognise him.


    The reason he had provided was that the detective had found dirt on him so he got rid of him. He never once mentioned Li Xiyan, taking all the blame instead.


    "How sly." Lanni let out another scoff. This must be Li Xiyan''s doing. She did prove Luna innocent, but she did not turn herself in. Of course, Lanni had not expected her to turn herself in. But one matter still bothered her. Luna had been exposed publicly and ridiculed by the whole nation for a crime she had not committed, yet the real culprit was being protected and reported anonymously. Just how unfair could society get? Wait, that wasn''t right. It was because both pieces of news were reported with Li Xiyan''s instructions.


    "I will make her pay tenfold."


    Lanni''s phone rang. She picked it emotionlessly.


    "You have read the news, haven''t you? I have done my part, now it''s time for you to do yours." Li Xiyan did not waste a single word.


    "Yeah, I''ve read the news just now."


    "Who is bringing back the items?" Li Xiyan was impatient.


    "Someone will, as soon as I see my sister with my own eyes and verify that she has not suffered any form of abuse. If she is missing even a single strand of hair on her head, you can forget about your items."


    "Li Lanni! Don''t get ahead of yourself!" Li Xiyan threatened, and Lanni hung up with a smug expression.


    "If Luna is alright, will you really give her back those items?" Lin Jian asked curiously.


    "What do you think?" Lanni grinned evilly.


    "You wouldn''t be that kind, right?" Lin Jian was uncertain.


    Lanni relaxed back in the chair. "If I was going to be that kind, I wouldn''t need you here."


    Lin Jian finally understood. "You are going to go against your agreement!"


    "People like her don''t play by the rules, so neither will I." Lanni said solemnly. If she was going to go easy on Li Xiyan, that woman would continue to cause trouble. The best method was to end her once and for all.


    "I''m done." Xiehan finally looked up from his laptop.


    When he showed Lanni what he had been doing, she smiled and hugged him. "Honey, I love you!"


    Lin Jian couldn''t help peeking over and was astonished too. "I thought you were doing your work. You''re so reliable! No wonder you managed to get such a beauty as your girlfriend."


    While Lin Jian was endlessly fawning over Xiehan, the doorbell rang.


    Lanni excitedly went to answer and as expected, it was Jiang Xingyu and Li Yuming, and in their company was Luna.


    "Luna!" Lanni threw her arms around her sister.


    "Lanni." Luna returned the hug warmly, all four of their eyes tearing up.


    Lanni broke the hug anxiously and checked Luna all over. "Are you alright? Were you bullied? You lost weight!"


    "Lanni, I''m fine now." Luna hugged her sister once more.


    "While the sisters cry in each other''s arms, why don''t you tell us what''s the progress of things? Has the case been permanently closed now?" Lin Jian inched closer to Jiang Xingyu to ask.


    "Luna will not be bothered anymore." Jiang Xingyu was relieved as well. If he had not hugged Luna and felt her warm body against his earlier, he would have thought that it was a dream.


    "We should go home now. Luna needs to have a nice meal and rest." Said Li Yuming who had been silent the entire time.


    "Sure. I''ll grab my laptop." Lanni rushed to grab her laptop and after promising to give Lin Jian and Xiehan a call, she joined her mother and sister. "Let''s go."


    Seeing Jiang Xingyu''s displeased look, Lin Jian couldn''t help but tease him. "Are you jealous of your in-laws now? Relax, she is back now. You will be able to spend more time with her later."


    Jiang Xingyu scoffed in response.


    "Anyway, where is aunty? Didn''t the three of you go together earlier?"


    "Something came up so she had to rush back."


    _


    As soon as Luna got back home with Lanni and Li Yuming, Li Yuming went to the kitchen to start preparing several dishes to celebrate her return.


    Meanwhile, Lanni accompanied Luna back to her room so she would take a bath and change her clothes.


    Luna left the bathroom in a few minutes and sat on the bed next to Lanni.


    "It must have been hard on you." Lanni checked her over again, afraid that she had missed something.


    "It wasn''t hard." Luna smiled.


    "How come? That was a prison, not a vacation of sorts." She knew that Luna was trying not to make her worry. "You don''t have to pretend to be alright to make me less worried."


    "It was alright, really. No one could bully me." Luna sounded serious about it.


    Lanni didn''t know what to ask anymore. She didn''t know whether to feel relieved that Luna was alright or worried that Luna might be hiding the actual situation from her.


    "Li Xiyan didn''t really care about me when I was convicted. She made a few attempts to get rid of me but when they failed, she stopped for some reason. But ever since that man turned himself in, one of the wardens tried to get rid of me several times."


    Lanni knew that it was obviously Li Xiyan''s doing. She must have been scared that Luna''s release would cause her trouble so she wanted to kill her. A glint flickered in her eyes.


    "Why did you plead guilty?" Lanni asked after a while. She had wanted to know this for ages. "What was she holding against you?"


    "Lanni, it doesn''t matter anymore, right? I''m alright now after all." Luna wanted to forget about it.


    "It matters, Luna. It still matters. I want to know just what she said to you that made you play her tune."


    Knowing that Lanni wouldn''t let it go, Luna took in a deep breath and answered, "She poisoned our dad."

 Chapter 252 - Keeping My Promise

    "What did you say?" Lanni was taken aback. "Dad was¡­ poisoned?"


    A murderous glint flickered in Luna''s eyes as she balled her fair hands into fists at her sides to control her urge to murder someone. "Yeah."


    "When did this happen?"


    "On the night before the hearing."


    "How?" Lanni was confused. On that night, they had saved Cheng Yu and brought her back to their home. After that, they went to sleep normally. When did Luna have the chance to interact with Li Xiyan?


    "Actually on that night¡­" Luna started, the expression on her face turning more fierce by the second.


    _


    On the night that they rescued Cheng Yu.


    After returning to Lanni''s home, Lanni and Luna took care of Cheng Yu''s wounds. They were not too serious but to avoid any surprises, they decided to send her to hospital early in the morning.


    When that was settled, they all went to sleep. However, Luna couldn''t sleep no matter how hard she tried. It must be because she was excited about the next day. She was finally going to stop living in hiding and walking around in disguises and aliases. Honestly, she was getting tired of them. How could she not be excited?


    Hence to calm her nerves, she took her phone and quietly went to the balcony for a breather. The night was not too cold and the moon was bright, the perfect night to spend out with friends or a lover. Not to mention, the morning would bring even better news.


    Luna looked out and saw the chef down below, flirting with a maid. Her lips curled into a smile. It was also a romantic night. Love was in the air.


    At the thought of love, a tiny flush crept onto her face. "Perhaps¡­ after tomorrow, I should really give Xingyu a chance." She mumbled.


    Previously, she had used the current circumstances as an excuse to make him stop clinging onto her. But when she thought about it clearly, Xingyu was such a nice man.


    She couldn''t open up his mind and check what he was thinking but it was sure that he truly loved her. She had seen how hard he had worked in the past few days to help her prove her innocence.


    Not to mention, his family liked her too. They were honest people and would not hide their true feelings only to reveal them later. This point was enough to assure her that she would never be entangled in those marriage scandals where the in-laws were all against the wife and the husband was caught in between the two parties.


    "Why am I even thinking of him as a husband?" Luna scoffed at her own train of thought. She should go slow with such matters. Of course they would date first and only proceed to the next step if they were truly compatible with each other and ready to stay together in marriage¡ªone of the things she hated most was broken marriages.


    Just when she was about to turn back and go to sleep, her phone chimed. She frowned when she saw the unknown number. Who would call her so late at night? It was either Jiang Xingyu or a nemesis out to look for trouble. She swiped her thumb across the screen to answer it.


    "I wasn''t sure you would answer." The female voice made Luna''s lips twitch. She didn''t expect that it was the latter. How did that woman get her phone number? Did she force it out of Cheng Yu''s mouth before? That wasn''t important at the moment.


    "What do you want?" She asked impatiently.


    "Do you need to sound so irritated? Luna, I''m still your mother, you know. Maybe you could be a little friendly or at least respectful to me."


    Luna gritted her teeth. "Cut the crap." What mother? She would never acknowledge that woman even as her stepmother. "You wouldn''t call to have a casual chat."


    "You''re slightly smarter than a three-year-old." Li Xiyan taunted.


    "Since you have nothing to say¡­" Luna was ready to hang up.


    "I found an old video while going through my old gallery, and I want to share it with you. Do you want to see?"


    Luna''s hand paused before she could tap the end call button. Just as she was about to ask what Li Xiyan meant, the call ended.


    "I have a bad feeling about this." Luna muttered. In the next moment, she received a video from the same number.


    As soon as she played it, Luna felt her body freeze as all her strength left her bones.


    In the video, a nurse entered Xia Hanchen''s old ward and took a syringe from an elastic band tied around her thigh, then pulled a bottle of medicine from the same place. She loaded the syringe and injected the content into Xia Hanchen''s drip. It would still be not too big of a deal if it was a normal nurse, but the ''nurse'' was Li Xiyan!


    Her phone rang again and she picked it up without thinking. "Li Xiyan how dare you!"


    "Oh, save it." Came the taunting chuckle. "Your dear daddy isn''t dead yet. Actually, you still have time to save him."


    Luna''s hand trembled. Of course Li Xiyan needed something from her and she was going to use the poison as a threat. Otherwise, she would not have called her in the first place. She would have finished Xia Hanchen secretly and forgotten about it. And although she didn''t want to think of that, she could somewhat guess what Li Xiyan wanted.


    "I want you to plead guilty in court."


    "You''re crazy." Luna sighed.


    "Or, you could just go ahead and prove your innocence, then your dearest daddy will be no more."


    Luna remained silent for a while, so Li Xiyan kept taunting. "The poison takes effect after two months. It''s been fifty nine days already so¡­ the poison will start to take effect within twenty four hours. Make sure you are convicted within this period. If you perform well, I will give him the antidote."


    _


    The present.


    Luna''s fists were clenched so hard that small red crescents formed on her palms, thanks to how hard her nails dug into flesh. "I wasn''t sure whether she had actually poisoned dad, but I could not take chances. I thought that perhaps she had actually done so two months ago to kill him in a slow manner and now that things unfolded this way, she changed her mind and decided to use it to get rid of me instead. So I agreed to do it. Even so, that woman didn''t let me off. She also had me promise to delete the evidence as well."


    "That woman is the devil." Lanni hissed. "And how sure were you that she would actually give the antidote? He hates dad, after all."


    "I was not sure." Luna sighed. Heaven knew what a difficult decision that had been. "I took the risk nonetheless. If I did what she wanted, there was a slim chance that she would let dad live. But if I didn''t, I was sure that she would have let him die."


    Lanni could not blame her for the choice she made. If she were in her place, she would have done the same thing. "We will make her pay."


    "Obviously." Luna scoffed.


    "You mentioned she said that the poison would start to take effect on the sixtieth day? Does such a poison even exist?" Lanni had never heard of one whose effect was so slow.


    "This is Li Xiyan we are talking about. She creates them." Luna scoffed. "Speaking of which, I have a feeling that this is not the first time. Dad might have been drugged before."


    "What are you saying?" Lanni was infe again shocked.


    "The doctors kept estimating the time it would take for him to wake up but each time, he wouldn''t even get better. This time too, they said that he would wake up within a month after his condition got better. However, he only woke up two months later, which¡ªaccording to what mother and Xingyu said¡ªis also coincidentally soon after I pleaded guilty. I''m starting to think that the antidote might have expelled all the previous drugs and poisons."


    "We should make Dad''s security stricter." Lanni couldn''t hide her shock. That woman was something else. They needed to be more careful if they wanted to get rid of her.


    Lanni''s phone rang. She picked it up and trying not to sound fazed, she said, "Why are you so impatient? Are you scared I will go back on my own word?"


    "Of course not. I believe you are not so dumb as to go back on your word." Li Xiyan said meaningfully.


    Lanni smiled when she heard the threat and hung up. She stood up and headed for the door.


    "Where are you going?" Luna quickly asked.


    "Sending the items back to her."


    "Are you crazy?" Luna scolded.


    "Of course not. Didn''t I promise to give them back to her? Of course I have to keep my promise.." Lanni said matter-of-factly.

 Chapter 253 - We Have Nothing To Do With Each Other Now

    Lanni rushed to a restaurant that was close to her home and chose a seat. She shoved the USB into the file and placed it on the table, then went to the washroom.


    After checking that no one else was in, she took out her phone and dialled Li Xiyan''s number. "The items are on table 2C, Plum Restaurant. Have someone pick it up as soon as you can, or do not blame me if someone else sees it." She hung up immediately after finishing her statement.


    "I should have video called so I would see Li Xiyan''s face." She chuckled.


    Knowing that Li Xiyan had people who were currently in B City and may be close by, she hurried out of the restaurant and back home in the shortest time she could.


    When she got back home, Luna was still in the same position she had left her in, still puzzled by her decision to return their hard-earned evidence to Li Xiyan.


    "You really gave it to her?" Luna asked.


    "Yes. Now she and I have nothing to do with each other."


    "What''s your plan?" Luna asked, knowing that Lanni wouldn''t be so irrational.


    "Watch it." Lanni smirked playfully and sat on Luna''s bed. She took out her phone and called Lin Jian.


    "If you and your man keep calling me at times you shouldn''t, you will owe me." Came the ramble of dissatisfaction.


    "Oh? And when exactly shouldn''t I call you?" Lanni laughed, guessing what he meant. She must have interrupted his ''fun''.


    Lin Jian complained for two whole minutes before Lanni interrupted with a taunt. "The more you talk, the longer you keep your beauty waiting. Do you know that?"


    "Fine. What do you want? It better be something important."


    "Since you are so busy having fun, let''s meet up tomorrow at 12pm. I will send you the location."


    "Sure." Lin Jian hung up.


    Because Lanni called Lin Jian, Luna somewhat understood what they were planning. "You want to use the media to expose her crimes? Don''t you think that move is a little¡­shallow?"


    Lanni sat back next to her and patted her back. "Relax, I will never let Li Xiyan go after what she did to our family. We have plans that will ensure nothing goes wrong."


    "Okay." Luna smiled. Since they had planned it out, it had to be good enough.


    "You should rest for a while. I will have a chat with Xiehan." Lanni stood to leave.


    "But you haven''t eaten yet. We spared some food for you." Luna reminded.


    "I''ll grab something to eat. You need to rest, okay?"


    Luna furrowed her brows. "Is there something you want to tell me?"


    Lanni bit her lower lip slightly. "There is indeed something¡­"


    "I''m all ears." Luna sat up straight.


    "Don''t be so serious. It''s not like some bombshell or something." Lanni laughed at how tensed her sister suddenly looked. "It''s just that before we take the final step of dealing with Li Xiyan, there is something we should do."


    "And what is that?"


    "Have some rest first. We can do it tomorrow in the morning before we go to meet the others."


    Because Luna was indeed tired, she took a nap for the rest of the afternoon.


    _


    The next morning, outside the hospital.


    "Lanni, are you out of your mind? Why are we at the hospital?"


    Luna didn''t even need to wait for an answer from Lanni. The latter must have brought her to visit their dad.


    Who would have thought that the so called thing they were yet to do involved their father? "I will go and talk to him when Li Xiyan is taken care of. Otherwise, I don''t know how to face him now. I might end up letting the truth slip out of my mouth."


    "That is exactly why we should go to see him today." Lanni unfastened her seatbelt and opened the car door. She stepped out and waited for Luna, who reluctantly followed her out. "Luna, our dad is Li Xiyan''s husband after all. Even if they don''t love each other, they are still a married couple. Don''t you think we should let him know what his wife did that is making us go against her? We hope that she doesn''t ever regain freedom after all."


    Luna took in a deep breath. "You do have a point. Besides, I missed him too much so let''s go and see him."


    Lanni patted her back to reasssure her when she understood why Luna still seemed to be scared. "We will prepare him psychologically before breaking the news so he doesn''t suffer a shock. Besides, if we don''t tell him and he watches the news later when Lin Media Group exposes her, he would be even more shocked."


    "Then you break the news to him." Luna threw the ball back to Lanni. She couldn''t trust her own ability to tell such news to anyone¡ªand the last thing she wanted was to send Xia Hanchen back to coma.


    "Sure, I will."


    Hence, they made their way to Xia Hanchen''s ward.


    The doctor was just done with his daily check and Xia Hanchen had slept throughout the previous night, so he let them go in to see her.


    Lanni walked in first with a bright smile. "Dad."


    Xia Hanchen looked up and when he saw his little cupcake, he brightened up. "You finally missed your daddy. I thought you wouldn''t come to see me anymore."


    Lanni walked over to his side and hugged him. "I''m sorry dad. I had a lot going on these few days. But here I am now, and Luna here too!"


    "Luna?" Xia Hanchen was so excited that he would have leapt off the bed if Lanni didn''t quickly stop him.


    Luna walked over, still smiling from the sweet scene she had just witnessed. This was what she had been dreaming off ever since she met Lanni again¡ªa family reunion. She almost couldn''t stop her eyes from tearing up as she walked over to Xia Hanchen''s side.


    "My little muffin." Xia Hanchen pulled Luna in for a hug.


    "Pfft. Does dad have a thing for desserts?" Lanni chuckled lightly when she realized that his nicknames for them were both desserts.


    When Luna broke the hug, she whispered at her side, "You have no idea. I asked Aunty why dad keeps calling me ''muffin'' and she said that our mum used to make him such delicious desserts. When he missed her in the past,hee would bake some for himself and eat with a forlorn expression."


    "Oh¡­" Lanni felt bad. He obviously loved Li Yuming so much. However, it was too bad that Li Yuming obviously hated him.


    "What are the two of you whispering there? Don''t think I can''t see you." Xia Hanchen was curious when he saw Lanni''s expression suddenly change.


    "Uh¡­" Luna didn''t know what to say.


    Xia Hanchen looked at her and recalled something. "You came back from Germany already? Don''t tell me you quit your class."


    "Germany¡­ uh¡­" Luna scratched her head. The night before, Lanni had casually mentioned how, for the sake of buying time, Flynn had told Xia Hanchen that she had enrolled into a school in Germany, one that did not allow any contact with the outside world until one completed their course.


    She had even shown her the fake student ID and Luna knew that there couldn''t be any slip ups. However, if she went along with the lie, the matter they were about to tell him regarding Li Xiyan would not make sense. She peeked at Lanni and when she saw the latter giving her a go-ahead nod, she tried decided to come out with it. "Dad, the truth is that I was not¡­ I was not in Germany."


    Silence befell the room. Xia Hanchen did not utter a word for a long time. Just when the girls were starting to worry that he was mad at them, he finally spoke. "I know."


    "You knew?" They were both surprised.


    Xia Hanchen looked at them smugly. "I am your father, both of you. Did you really think you could fool me?" He looked at Lanni and reminded, "When you first came to see me, you were wearing your sister''s clothes. Wasn''t it so I would think that you were her?"


    Lanni hugged him emotionally. Indeed, he was their real father. He recognized them accurately when even their boyfriends could mistake them for each other.


    "Is there something you need to explain?" Xia Hanchen finally asked.


    Because it was easier now, Luna told him everything that had happened recently. Of course, she made it sound milder than the situation actually was. But that did not change the gravity of what Li Xiyan had done.


    When he was done hearing, Xia Hanchen''s eyes darkened. "I agree. It''s about the right time for her to be taught a lesson. I will come with you."


    "Huh? Dad what are you saying? You still need to recover." Lanni quickly tried to talk him out of it.


    "Lanni and I can handle it. Besides, our friends have teamed up with us." Luna seconded.


    Even so, Xia Hanchen did not change his mind, becoming more set on it instead.. "That woman put me in this state. How can I not be there when she is taught a lesson?"

 Chapter 254 - Happy As A Ghost

    "What do you mean?" Lanni asked in shock.


    "She drugged me. I found out about it but it was too late." Xia Hanchen explained. "All my health problems are caused by her."


    Luna was confused. "What about the tumor?"


    "I doubt there was any tumor. I wouldn''t be surprised if she bribed the doctors to lie about there being one. Screening results can be faked using someone else''s after all." Xia Hanchen laughed in self-ridicule. He should never have allowed that snake into his house.


    "The thought of it is scary." Lanni sighed. How could such an evil person exist? Was she even a person to begin with?


    "She will not hurt us anymore." Lanni said. They were going to destroy her and make her pay for everything she had done.


    After chatting with their father for a while longer, the girls left the hospital. They were going to meet up with Lin Jian and the others.


    __


    Plum restaurant, at lunch hour.


    As soon as everyone arrived, they ordered their food and discussed as they planned out the next moves.


    "Why do I think this would be going to easy on her?" Lanni massaged her temples.


    "Haven''t you always wanted to do things in a legal way?" Xiehan held her hand and rubbed it under the table.


    "Yeah, but I still think that there is no legal way of giving her the kind of ending she deserves."


    "I also think we are going too easy on her." Luna seconded.


    "I will make sure the police don''t give her an easy time. How about that?" Jiang Xingyu suggested, reaching under the table to hold Luna''s hand. When she swatted his hand away, he retreated as though nothing had happened.


    "That would not be enough." Luna clenched her fist.


    "Then what do you want to do to her?" Jiang Xingyu asked.


    "I want to peel her skin off inch by inch." Luna''s expression was serious, she really meant what she was saying.


    "I want to chop off all the parts of her body one by one." Lanni spoke up. "Or we could peel off her skin then chop her body parts."


    "Uh¡­" Jiang Xingyu no longer knew what to say.


    Xiehan was even more speechless.


    It took a while for Lin Jian to pick up his dropped jaw and when he did, his face was filled with horror as he looked at his friends. "I didn''t know your tastes were so¡­ horrifying. By dating such scary women, aren''t you scared they may get mad at you one day and chop you to death?"


    "My Lanni wouldn''t do that." Xiehan quickly defended.


    "Luna wouldn''t harm a single hair on my head. Besides, even if I were to die under her knife, I would still be happy as a ghost." Jiang Xingyu retorted at the same time.


    Lin Jian quickly shuffled away from him. This guy''s taste was scary.


    When they were done coming up with a strategy, which was the unsatisfactory legal way, they all left the restaurant so everyone could go about with his business.


    Just as Luna stepped out of the door, Jiang Xingyu grabbed her hand and pulled her away.


    Luna was taken aback. But when she looked into Jiang Xingyu''s eyes, she was no longer as irritable as she usually was. Instead, she willingly held his hand, making Jiang Xingyu look at her in a mixture of shock and ecstasy. "I''ve been meaning to thank you properly."


    A smile crept onto Jiang Xingyu''s lips. A single ''thank you'' from her was enough to make up for all his effort and erase all the agony he felt while she was away. "How about you thank me by having dinner with me tonight?" He boldly tried his luck.


    To his surprise, she agreed readily, and that too with a sweet smile on her face.


    Luna rarely smiled and when she did, it always made his heart race. He couldn''t resist planting a kiss on her cheek when she was least expecting it.


    "Those two will be an item in the blink of an eye." Lanni, who was watching them from some distance, couldn''t help commenting. They had made so much progress already. All that was left was taking the bold step and they would he a couple.


    "Ow!" Lanni felt a sting on her waist at the same time that a palm hovered over her eyes.


    "Why did you pinch me?" She glared at the culprit who was currently towering in front of her and blocking her view.


    "You are not allowed to look at other couples." Xiehan grinned mischievously.


    "Can you not be so childish?" Lanni chuckled. "What are you still doing here anyway? Shouldn''t you go back to work?"


    "I will in a second. Are you free tonight? Let''s have dinner together. We can also spend some time together tonight. I miss you these past days."


    Lanni frowned as she looked at him. "You miss me?" Was he being serious? Even so, she agreed to have dinner with him.


    _


    While the guys went back to work, Lanni and Luna went to Stat Art International then informed Cheng Yu that they were waiting for her.


    When Cheng Yu received the message, she dashed over, almost tripping a few times.


    "Luna! You are really back." She hugged Luna as soon as she saw her, her eyes tearing up.


    "There there, don''t cry. I''m really back."


    "You are so mean." Cheng Yu complained as she broke the hug. "How could you reject visits from everyone? I wanted to visit you on several occasions but I couldn''t even see you from afar. I didn''t even know how you were doing."


    "I didn''t want everyone to drown me with questions. But am I not here now?"


    "You''re the worst friend in the world." Cheng Yu accused.


    Because they were in a public place, Lanni and Luna did not explain what exactly had happened. They left after having some small talk and promising to see her again.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Since she woke up, Lanni couldn''t tear her eyes off her phone. She kept refreshing the feed impatiently, her stomach a pit of nervousness.


    "It''s finally here!" She exclaimed when she saw the headline she had been waiting for.

 Chapter 255 - You Are Under Arrest

    "What''s here?" Xiehan asked from behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist.


    Lanni turned and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Honey, you''re awake. Did I wake you up?"


    "I was awake the whole time." Xiehan pulled her closer to his body, and Lanni didn''t push him away. She happily showed him the headline on her phone. "Honey, look."


    On her screen, a bold headline in large font read, [LI XIYAN''S CRIMES EXPOSED]


    Xiehan took a look at the headline and a smile formed on his lips. When he read the entire article, his smile deepened further.


    The article had gone ahead to expose every single one of Li Xiyan''s crimes, including her involvement with Zeus and the fact that she had been the mastermind who framed Luna and had her imprisoned. She had even tried to murder her own husband! Just how horrible was she? The crimes had been outlined in order from what could be considered as minor crimes to the most heinous, making the readers'' jaws drop.


    Xia Hanchen was among the country''s most famous businessmen, so his wife, Li Xiyan was well known to the public too. Now that she had been exposed, countless blogs were talking about it. Even the television news that was broadcast that morning had Li Xiyan''s crimes as one of the major headlines.


    "Lin Jian isn''t so useless after all." Xiehan praised.


    "Of course he isn''t useless. Or else I wouldn''t have trusted him with this important task. We should thank him." Lanni smiled from ear to ear.


    Just as she was about to leave the bed, Xiehan pulled her hand so she landed right smack on his chest. He held her in place using his hand. "Why don''t we celebrate a little first?"


    "But I''m too tired from last night." Lanni tried to get up again.


    "Too tired? But you can still jump around so early in the morning." Xiehan gazed at her dangerously. Before she could react, he switched their positions so she was underneath his body.


    His hand snaked around her body and under her nightgown, tracing her warm skin. Just as his fingers reached her breasts, her phone rang.


    Lanni started and reached to answer it, with Xiehan still hovering over her.


    "Why are you calling?" She asked impatiently when she realized that the caller was Li Xiyan.


    "It was you, wasn''t it? Heh. I didn''t know that you wouldn''t keep your promises." Li Xiyan growled.


    Lanni knew she was talking about the news. She must have seen the headlines. She snickered. "Li Xiyan, which promise of mine did I break? I promised to return the file and the USB to you and didn''t I?"


    "You gave the content to the media before giving them back to me." Li Xiyan''s tone was affirmative, knowing fully well that it had to be Lanni and her group. No one else would dare to go against her.


    "Yeah¡­" Lanni drawled out the syllable tauntingly. "But I don''t remember promising you that I wouldn''t disclose the content. Did I?"


    "You little¡ª!" Li Xiyan cursed and she could hear the sound of somethjng breaking before Li Xiyan''s voice was heard again. "I didn''t call to ask you about it. I called to warn you. Watch your back, little girl, because I''m going to kill you!"


    Lanni hung up the call, then replayed the voice recording.


    "What was that for?" Xiehan chuckled. He had known that no one in their right mind would willingly listen to someone threaten them but now it seemed like Lanni had been planning something all along.


    "Isn''t Li Xiyan fond of claiming that evidence is fabricated? She can go ahead and claim that the content of the USB was fake. Then, she would have to explain why she wanted it so badly." Lanni grinned.


    _


    Meanwhile, Xia Hanchen''s mansion was on the verge of expoding from Li Xiyan''s anger.


    "That little b?tch! How dare she?" The glass in her hand shattered, piercing her palm but she was so angry that she didn''t feel the pain. "I will make her pay!" She swore.


    "Ma''am, the flight has been booked." Her assistant reported.


    Li Xiyan stood up and went to her room. As soon as she saw the headline, she had asked her assistant to book the earliest flight out of the country. Of course she was going to flee! Who would stay back and wait for the police to find them?


    She changed her clothes at record speed, making sure to wear a scarf a wig and a pair of huge goggles. When she was done, she grabbed a few random clothes and shoved them into a suitcase then dragged it out.


    "Ma''am, I''ll help you." The assistant hurried over and lugged the suitcase.


    Li Xiyan hurried out of the house.


    "You stay here." She ordered her assistant, who frowned but remained behind anyway. How could she not know Li Xiyan''s intention? She was obviously sacrificing her. If the police came and didn''t find Li Xiyan, they would arrest her instead. After all, she had been Li Xiyan''s accomplice in most of the crimes. Perhaps she was also supposed to take the blame upon herself. However, there was nothing she could do about it. She could only sigh and accept her fate.


    Meanwhile, the chauffeur floored the accelerator and sped to the airport. They arrived just a few minutes before it was time to board the flight. However, just as she got off the car, two policemen suddenly blocked her way.


    "W-what are you doing?" She was startled.


    "Li Xiyan, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent."


    "Did you get the wrong person? Get out of my way." She waved her hand in annoyance.


    "Show me your ID." One of the policemen demanded.


    "Of course. But you will have to apologize for wasting my time." She took out an ID card from her purse and shoved it at the policeman.


    When he took a good look at it, he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed her hands. "You are under arrest for one more crime. This is a fake ID."


    "What? You¡­ how dare you!"

 Chapter 256 - Birds Of A Feather

    Lanni waited with bated breath and when Xiehan finally received a message notification, she quickly asked what had happened.


    "The police have her now." Xiehan announced happily.


    Lanni threw herself into his arms and wrapped her hands around his body. "Finally. She is finally in the hands of the police."


    "She will not be able to bother us anymore." Xiehan cupped her face, pressing a light kiss onto her forehead.


    "Although I still think this is going too easy on her, it is much better than having her continue to walk around as a free woman and cause more trouble." Lanni cheerfully grabbed her phone. "I think we should really celebrate this. Once she is sentenced, we will celebrate again."


    Her phone rang just as she was about to make a call.


    "I''ll take this." She smiled at him and answered the call.


    "Did you see the news? Did I do well?" Lin Jian quickly asked for praise, and Lanni could as well imagine his excited expression like a kid asking for candy.


    A chuckle escaped her lips as she praised. "You did well."


    However, the guy was not satisfied. Instead, he complained. "That''s not fair at all! Are you only going to thank me verbally?"


    Lanni laughed when she heard the familiar words. Birds of a feather do flock together, don''t they? Before they started dating, those were the same words Xiehan would use every time he did her the tiniest favor.


    Treating Lin Jian as the child he was trying to act like, Lanni asked what he wanted as thanks.


    Lin Jian pretended to think hard before demanding, "How about we have a few drinks together tonight? We can also spend the night together."


    "Are you crazy?" Lanni was taken aback by the request.


    "Haha, I''m just kidding. Why are you so worked up?" Came the laugh from the other side.


    "That''s not a good joke." Lanni was annoyed. Who would make such a joke? Those who didn''t know would think that he was trying to flirt with his friend''s girlfriend.


    Just as she was about to hang up, the guy made a more reasonable request. "Since you cannot have drinks with me, how about you help me find a pretty girl to drink with? You can introduce me to one of your friends. You can help me find one that''s outgoing, has a beautiful figure, is elegant and beautiful."


    Lanni was speechless. That did sound like something a guy like him would request. But where the hell was she supposed to get a friend to introduce to him? Even if she had a friend that fit his criteria, there was no way she would let any of her friends get together with a womanizer.


    "Why are you silent? Are you going to say that you don''t have such a friend?" Lin Jian probed.


    "I indeed don''t." Said Lanni.


    "Liar! You have one. You just don''t want to introduce her to me." Lin Jian accused.


    Lanni massaged her temples. "There is no way I''m introducing Cheng Yu to you. Go and find her if you have the manly guts."


    "Eh? Cheng Yu?" Lin Jian seemed slighly surprised. "Who is¡­ oh, she is the girl who was with you at aunty''s banquet, right? She''s beautiful but I''m not talking about her."


    "Who are you talking about then?" Lanni was getting tired of this conversation and wanted it to end as soon as possible.


    "The other one who is slighly taller than you, has a pair of lovely eyes and long, red hair."


    "Ruby?" Lanni was surprised.


    "Yeah, that''s the one." Lin Jian sounded like he was about to pass out from the imagination of he and Ruby together. "She is as beautiful as a fine piece of ruby. Lanni, introduce me to her."


    Lanni was about to say no when he interrupted. "If you don''t, I will bug you about it every day."


    Knowing his personality, be would really bug her every hour. Lanni could only sigh. What was she thinking when she asked Lin Jian for a favor? "I can only give you her contact details. If you don''t manage to convince her to go on a date with you, don''t you come back crying to me." She warned.


    "Are you kidding me? Which woman can reject me? Unless she is not straight, she will surely agree to go on a date with me." Lin Jian basked in his own praise as he gladly asked for Ruby''s contact number.


    While in Star Art International, Lanni and Ruby had exchanged numbers so she directly sent it to Lin Jian before going back to Xiehan.


    Xiehan pulled her to sit on the couch next to him. "Who was it? You took long and you look drained."


    "Your dear friend, Lin Jian." Lanni exhaled a sigh.


    "Did he bother you?" asked Xiehan.


    "You have no idea. That man wanted me to thank him for helping us out. In the end, he asked for Ruby''s contact details."


    Xiehan silently took out his phone and composed a text message.


    _


    Lin Jian''s phone chimed. Having just sent a text message to Ruby, he was expecting her reply. So when his phone chimed, he hurriedly checked and frowned in the next second. The sender was not Ruby but Xiehan instead.


    [If you ever bother my wife again!]


    The message sounded like a genuine threat and there was even a bomb emoji next to the words.


    "Hey! What kind of friend is this?" Lin Jian complained.


    _


    When Lanni saw the message that Xiehan had just sent, along with the bomb emoji, she laughed and hugged him. "Honey, you are the best."


    Xiehan wrapped his arms around her. "I''m serious about it. If he bothers you, I will not he so kind to him."


    Lanni pecked his cheek then his lips. "I will not let him bother me. Anyway, what about the party?"


    "I''ll ask Xingyu whether he is available tonight. You should ask aunty too."


    Lanni nodded. "Right. I haven''t told dad the good news yet.. I''ll go to the hospital now."

 Chapter 257 - She Is Avoiding Me

    Meanwhile, in Li Yuming''s villa.


    Li Yuming dragged her feet around the kitchen as she prepared breakfast. Although she was cooking, her attention was elsewhere, so she ended up burning most of what she was cooking.


    She sighed as she disposed of the burnt sunny side up eggs.


    "I''ll help you with that." A familiar voice suddenly interrupted her as a pair of hands reached to take the pan from her hand.


    Li Yuming looked up happily then saw Luna. She smiled as she let her take the pan. "Luna, you''re awake."


    "I woke up a while ago. Good morning, Mum."


    "Good morning my dear."


    Luna felt a wave of happiness from what Li Yuming had just called her. So this was what children felt when their mothers called them honey, sweetheart and other sweet names for their children.


    Her stomach grumbled so she took the ingredients and started cooking. She had woken up quite early today and started programming.


    A short while later, Jiang Xingyu called. The man didn''t have much to talk about; he only wanted to thank her for having dinner with him the previous evening. Then he spent almost a whole hour just teasing her and flirting with her. By the time the call ended, she was mentally exhausted and famished so she went downstairs to find something to eat. That was when she saw Li Yuming cooking in slow, absent minded movements as though all the life had been drained from her body.


    She wondered what was on her mind. When she took the pan from her, Li Yuming looked happy but Luna could have sworn that she saw a hint of disappointment flash in Li Yuming''s eyes. Even so, it didn''t seem like she was disappointed because of her so Luna did not ask about it.


    After cooking breakfast and sitting with Li Yuming at the kitchen island, she finally asked. "Mum, are you feeling unwell? What''s going on?"


    Li Yuming''s hand that was holding a fork stopped. This was the first time in her life that Luna was showing concern for her. Even so, she shook her head to express that she was alright and nothing was wrong.


    "Mum, you don''t have to lie to me. I know what I saw and that was definitely not what people look like when they are alright." Luna was not going to let it slide. She was worried that whatever it was might affect Li Yuming''s health and that was the last thing she wanted to happen.


    Seeing that Luna wouldn''t let it slide, she thought she might as well share her feelings with someone. "It''s your sister."


    "What about Lanni?" Luna gripped her fork tightly in nervousness.


    "You must have realized it too. She is rarely home nowadays and when she is, she stays in her room unless she is eating." Li Yuming smiled bitterly. "She is avoiding me."


    Luna thought about it and that did seem to be the case. In fact, she knew why exactly Lanni was acting the way she was. She was afraid that if she stayed near Li Yuming too often, they might have to talk about Xia Hanchen again¡ªwhich would obviously lead to the argument she was so desperately avoiding. That was why when she was not with Xiehan, she would spend most of the time in her room.


    Although Luna knew this, that was not what she said. Instead, she laughed at what Li Yuming had just said. "Why on earth would Lanni avoid you? She loves you more than anything."¡ªthe second part was true, but that was beside the point.


    Luna took a bite of her fried egg and chewed it slowly as she found the right words to say. When she swallowed it, she took Li Yuming''s hand from across the kitchen island. "Lanni is an adult, mum. Don''t worry about her. She will be alright and besides, she and Xiehan are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. They can barely keep their hands off each other."


    "That''s true." Li Yuming said in realization. Indeed, she must have been thinking too much. Lanni must be spending more days at Xiehan''s mansion because they wanted to spend more time together.


    ''Those two should get married already.'' She thought with a chuckle.


    Obviously, Lanni and Xiehan had not been together for that long. She wouldn''t have such thoughts if the man was not Xiehan. She could only want to see them married as soon as possible because she knew what kind of person Xiehan was. He would never do anything to wrong Lanni.


    Luna finished up her breakfast at about the same time as Li Yuming.


    "I will do the dishes." She stood up.


    Li Yuming stopped her. "Just let the help do it, don''t tire yourself out."


    "Okay mum."


    Li Yuming thought for a moment before asking, "Luna, are you too busy today?"


    "Aside from visiting dad for a moment, I don''t have much to do. Why, is something up?"


    Li Yuming''s eyes darkened slightly but she swallowed the mean statement that she almost said. Instead, she requested, "I wanted to go and shop for some clothes for myself and I don''t like shopping alone. If you are free later, you can join me. You need to shop for clothes too."


    Because her own clothes were mostly male clothes and only a tiny number of women''s clothes, Lanni had given some of her new dresses and skirts. Even so, she still needed to buy her own clothes so she thought it was a good idea and agreed to go.


    "Then, I will head off. Can I take some fruits for dad? I may not have enough time to go and buy some." She asked with a cute pleading look on her face.


    Li Yuming couldn''t possibly resist those eyes. "Go ahead. You can take as many as you want."


    Luna happily grabbed a fruit basket and arranged in some of the fruits that Xia Hanchen liked. When she was done, she peeked at Li Yuming with mischief hidden behind her cutesy expression.


    Li Yuming chuckled. That was the same expression Lanni usually had when she was about to ask for something that she knew she might not get. These two were indeed twins. "Mh?" She looked at the girl and raised an eyebrow to probe.


    "Mum," Luna started nervously. She was about to speak then she stopped, looking disappointed. "Never mind. You will obviously say no to it."


    Li Yuming was confused, heartache filling her chest. "Luna, how could you say that? You haven''t even asked for what you want yet. How could you conclude that I will say no to it?"


    Luna played with the handle of the fruit basket, looking down sadly. "I just know you will."


    Li Yuming felt as though her heart had been crushed. She reached to hold Luna''s hand. "Luna, you are my daughter. How could I say no to you?"


    "Really? You will not say no?" She looked up with a ray of hope.


    "No, Luna. As long as it is not something that will hurt you, I will agree to it." Li Yuming promised, much to Luna''s delight.


    "In that case, then come with me to visit dad, please?"

 Chapter 258 - A Pair Of Identical Cupids

    "What did you just say?" The request shocked Li Yuming and, even without waiting to hear Luna repeat her words, she looked at her in disbelief before shaking her head. "I''m sorry. I cannot do that. Anything but this."


    "Please mum, come with me this once? I promise I will not bother you about it anymore." Luna pleaded.


    "I said I can''t." Li Yuming decided to be stern about it or she wouldn''t be able to say no.


    Just before she could turn and rush away to avoid being pleaded anymore, Luna held her wrist. Li Yuming looked back to see the corners of Luna''s eyes glistening with moisture.


    "You said you wouldn''t say no to whatever I ask. But when I ask, you say no without batting an eyelid¡­"


    "Luna¡­" Li Yuming was at a loss. Before she could say anything, Luna turned and left, holding onto her fruit basket tightly.


    She sneaked a peek at Li Yuming and bit her lips as she blinked away the fake tears that she had managed to gather. It would probably require some time to get Li Yuming to meet Xia Hanchen and even more time for then to get closer. At this rate, their family would probably reunite when she and Lanni already have husbands and kids.


    Even so, it was already good enough that Li Yuming didn''t snap at her when she made the request and that was progress.


    When she arrived at the hospital, Lanni was just done feeding Xia Hanchen the congee that she had brought. Luna walked over and placed the fruit basket on the table. "Hello dad. Lanni, you''re here too."


    "I wanted to tell you that I would come but your phone wasn''t going through." Lanni looked at her questioningly.


    Luna massaged her temples as she remembered the torture she had gone through earlier this morning. "It must be because you called when that idiot was endlessly talking to me."


    "What idiot?" Lanni asked then found the answer immediately. It must be Jiang Xingyu. Who else could call Luna and talk to her endlessly?


    "Xingyu. He is such a piece of work." Luna answered with a sigh.


    When Xia Hanchen heard the name that Luna stated, his face was filled with excitement. "A man? My Luna has a boyfriend?"


    Luna coughed from awkwardness. "Dad, he is not my boyfriend."


    "He isn''t? But you flirt with each other endlessly. He even called you this morning and who is to say that you were not talking and flirting on phone all night?" Lanni raised an eyebrow.


    Luna frowned at her sister. "Flirt all night...we don''t flirt that much, okay? Besides, he is the one who flirts with me."


    Lanni and Xia Hanchen exchanged a look and laughed. These two would make a fun couple.


    "May I know what the two of you are laughing at?" Luna glared at them and received peals of laughter as a response. She ignored them and went to the table then took an apple. "Dad, do you want some?"


    "No, my dear. I''m really full now. I can eat some later." Xia Hanchen replied, rubbing his stomach.


    Luna gave him a meaningful look and said in a sing-song tone, "Are you sure you don''t want them? I got them from mum''s kitchen¡­"


    "What did you say?" Xia Hanchen sat up in shock.


    Luna slumped back onto the chair, throwing the apple into the air then catching it before it fell. A grin was plastered across her lips as she tauntingly repeated. "I got them from mum''s kitchen. But since you don''t want them¡­"


    "Who said I don''t want them? Of course I want them!" Xia Hanchen even looked like he wanted to pounce on Luna and grab the apple from her.


    Lanni burst into laughter. If anyone were to tell her that her father could act like a young man in love at the mention of her mother, she would call that person out for lying. But now that she was witnessing it with her own eyes, she found it sweet.


    Luna peeled the apple and gave it to Xia Hanchen, who savored it slowly like he was eating food prepared by gods. "Are fruits from Yuming''s house so tasty? You should bring me some more tomorrow."


    Luna laughed but promised to bring more nonetheless.


    It was only when Xia Hanchen finished the fruit that he felt something was off. "How come you got fruits from her kitchen? You are allowed to go there now?"


    Luna recalled what she had forgotten all along. "We forgot to tell you! Actually, I''m staying at mum''s house now."


    "That''s good, that''s good." Xia Hanchen was overjoyed. But in the next second, he looked like he wanted to ask something. However, he didn''t ask in the end. Something dimmed in his initially cheerful eyes.


    Luna had lived long enough to understand him, so she could guess at one glance what he was thinking about. She helplessly let out a breath. "I tried to convince her to come with me but she didn''t." She was not going to use that ''she is busy'' excuse because she knew that Xia Hanchen would not buy it. She explained the exact situation. "I even attempted to emotionally blackmail her but oh well¡­ I guess we may need more time before we make progress."


    "I understand, Luna. You don''t need to feel bad about it." Xia Hanchen patted her head, afraid that she would blame herself for failing. "As long as she is alright."


    "Actually, mom is just too stubborn. I''m sure she also wants to know how you are doing." Lanni said with a smile, remembering how on many occasions, Li Yuming had looked like she wanted to ask something. If her assumption was right, then she had wanted to ask about Xia Hanchen but she was too proud to actually ask.


    Xia Hanchen didn''t want to get too ahead of himself but he was hopeful. "Once I get out of here, I will pursue her myself."


    Luna shot him a look. "Are you seriously telling your daughters that you are going to pursue their mother?"


    "What''s wrong with that? Don''t you already know?" Xia Hanchen retorted.


    "Fine, fine, we know. But tell me, what strategy are you going to use that you haven''t used in all these years?" She taunted.


    "You bad child. How dare you say that to your dad?" Xia Hanchen huffed.


    "But I''m telling the truth. Right, Lanni?"


    Lanni thought about it and nodded. "Indeed. We are already twenty years old but you have not been able to get her back yet. Let us girls get it done for you."


    "You might as well become a pair of identical cupids." Xia Hanchen humphed, but he was happy in actual sense. He was glad that their daughters were supporting their reunion.


    After spending a few more minutes with Xia Hanchen, he needed to rest so they decided to leave. Lanni reached for the doorknob but just as her hand connected with it, the knob turned and the door was pushed open from outside.


    She thought it was the nurse and stepped aside to excuse her but when she saw who the incomer was, she froze in shock. "Mom?"

 Chapter 259 - You Have No Right To Stop Her

    Luna was also shocked when she saw Li Yuming. She subconsciously glanced at Xia Hanchen, whose cheerful mood faded in a puff. Was Li Yuming here to grab Lanni and drag her away?


    If this was in the past, he would have let her do as she pleased because back then, Lanni was a minor in her custody and he did not have any visitation rights. But now, there was no way he was going to let that happen.


    He sat up, glaring at Li Yuming fiercely. "Lanni is an adult now, and she is my daughter too. You have no right to stop her from seeing me if she wants to."


    Li Yuming frowned and walked in, brushing past Lanni and Luna who then exchanged looks. Lanni hurriedly turned and grabbed Li Yuming''s hand. "Mom, the doctor said we cannot agitate him."


    Luna stepped in too. "Yeah. If there''s anything to discuss, please let''s do it at home."


    Li Yuming''s gaze shifted between the two of them before she glared at Luna. "What''s wrong with you? You wanted me to come here and now that I''m here, you don''t trust me?"


    Lanni looked at her sister quizzically, and Luna shrugged to express that she didn''t know what was going on either.


    Li Yuming went to Xia Hanchen''s side and looked down at him. "How are you feeling?"


    Lanni and Luna''s jaws dropped and before they could pick them up, they heard Xia Hanchen''s response, in the most gentle tone they had ever heard. "Yuming¡­ are you worried about me?"


    "Ahem¡­" Lanni coughed lightly then grabbed Luna''s hand and pulled her out with her, pulling the door closed while at it.


    "What''s this weird scene?" Luna was almost scared by what she had just witnessed.


    "Can''t you tell? Our mother just visited dad willingly. She even showed her concern for him! If I wasn''t sure that I''m awake, I would think I''m dreaming!" Lanni was caught in between shock and excitement.


    "Well, I think I''m dreaming. Pinch me!" Luna was in disbelief. As soon as her words were out, Lanni launched a small kick and landed it on Luna''s leg.


    "Ouch! I said pinch me, not kick me!" Luna glared at her.


    "As long as it wakes you up. Tell me, what did mom mean when she said that you asked her to come here?"


    "How am I supposed to know?" Luna was shocked witless too. "I did try to convince her to come but she heartlessly said no. Didn''t I say this already? I even tried to emotionally blackmail her."


    Lanni found it interesting. "And how exactly did you emotionally blackmail her?"


    "By acting cute." Luna replied with a shrug.


    "Just this?" Lanni didn''t think it was possible. From the pieces of memory that she remembered, she had tried to act cute with Li Yuming many times in the past but the latter would not bat an eyelid.


    When she voiced this out, Luna raised an eyebrow. "You have tried acting cute, but how adorably sad did you look? Did you cry?"


    It was Lanni''s turn to be surprised. "You cried?"


    Luna crossed her arms mischievously. "I didn''t cry. But my eyes did get wet and I blinked my tears away and ran off in heartbreak."


    Lanni''s jaw found its way towards the floor once again. Luna acting cute? Why did the thought of that seem so wrong? "No wonder mom couldn''t bear to disappoint you." She laughed.


    "As long as it works. I wonder what they''re doing right now." Luna thought aloud. "I don''t think they would act all shy around one another so they should have probably made up already. Maybe they''re kissing?"


    Lanni glared at Luna. "You perverted girl! Why would you even think about such things regarding your parents? Come on, let''s get out of here. We have a party to plan."


    The two of them left the hospital and entered the store across the street to buy snacks before going. Just as they exited the store, they saw Li Yuming leave the hospital, sauntering in her high heeled shoes and entering her car with a spiteful grin on her face.


    "This doesn''t look like the kind of expression one has after making up with her ex-husband." Lanni remarked.


    "You can see her expression from such a distance?" Luna munched on her chips as she looked at Li Yuming''s car.


    "Maybe not. But her disdain is so obvious that I can feel it from such a distance." Lanni stole a piece of chips from Luna''s packet and shoved it into her mouth before Luna could react.


    "Stop with your nonsense. You''re thinking too much...why would mum be disdainful after seeing dad? And, stop stealing my chips." Luna slapped away Lanni''s hand that was reaching to steal more chips.


    "You meanie. It''s only a piece of chips." Lanni complained.


    Luna couldn''t get her train of thoughts. "Aren''t you eating chips too? They are from the same brand and the same flavor. Why can''t you eat your own?"


    Lanni took the opportunity when Luna was talking and grabbed one, quickly shoving it into her mouth. "I don''t know¡­ it just feels like yours are yummier."


    Luna laughed and started walking. "Let''s go. You said we should plan the party."


    "Yes, about that. I''ll get a new dress. There is a nice store close to our home and all the clothes there are beautiful and of high quality material. You can buy one too." Lanni suggested.


    Luna remembered what Li Yuming had said earlier. "Right. Mum and I are going to shop for clothes this afternoon. You can join us but¡­ don''t you have many new clothes already?"


    Lanni swallowed what she was eating then grinned. "What do you know? I''m going to dress up for my Xiehan. Of course I should wear a suitable dress."


    "You and your Xiehan." Luna was stuffed from all their displays of affection.


    The girls entered the car and went home. When they arrived, Li Yuming was resting on the couch in the living room.


    "Mom, we''re back." Lanni announced then slumped next to her.


    Li Yuming pulled her legs off the couch to make space for both of them. When Luna went over to sit next to her as well, all of Li Yuming''s worries faded. This was the kind of life she had always wished for. She had always wished to have both of her daughters beside her. Even though she never admitted it in the past, she knew that the empty feeling she had always felt was due to the fact that Luna was away from her.


    She smiled and gave them a peck on the cheek each.


    Luna was not used to it so she was shocked for a moment before a smile filled her face.


    Lanni''s heart warmed from the scene. Luna looked even more beautiful when she smiled so happily. Who on earth said that Luna was cold? She was just lacking a mother''s love.


    "Mum, you said that we would go shopping together this afternoon. At what time will we go? Also, Lanni wants to buy a dress too so we can go together."


    "What? I¡­" Li Yuming stuttered then reached to tousle Luna''s hair with a smile. "I''m sorry, something came up so I can''t go shopping anymore. How about you go with your sister this time?"


    "No problem." Luna smiled.


    However, Lanni had a complicated feeling about Li Yuming''s change of plans.

 Chapter 260 - Instinct

    Even so, Lanni didn''t want to create a fuss over a trivial matter so she didn''t say anything about it. In the end, it was decided that she and Luna would go shopping on their own.


    _


    That afternoon, Lanni dragged Luna to one of the stores she frequented.


    As soon as they entered, Lanni saw a gorgeous blue dress by the window. She hopped over to it in excitement. "I told you this store was full of beautiful clothes. Even a simple scarf here is exquisite." She chirped and called over a salesgirl. "Please help her try it on."


    "Me?" Luna was taken aback by Lanni''s request.


    "Yes! Isn''t it pretty?" Lanni held up its hem for Luna to touch.


    "But it''s too colorful." Luna felt uncomfortable just imagining such a dress on her body. The top half of the dress was a royal blue color. However, the skirt was a lighter shade of blue and had uncountable realistic-looking lilies stitched closely together around the hem.


    Seeing her reluctant stare, Lanni shook her head. "Are you chroma phobic? This dress isn''t too colorful, and I''m sure it would look great on you."


    "Then why don''t you try it?" Luna dismissed.


    "Fine. We would look the same way in it anyway. I''m sure you will love it when you see it on me." Lanni chuckled and went to try it on.


    Just as she left, Luna''s phone chimed with a text message. Her eyebrows furrowed when she read it then she tilted her head to look outside. When she saw the familiar long ponytail, she breathed out a sigh and glanced in the direction of the dressing room. Hoping that the dress was complicated and Lanni would take long changing into it, she dashed out of the store and walked to the man waiting for her. "What''s this about?" She asked in annoyance.


    "Oh...you really are twins. You even show your claws the same way." Flynn grinned, deliberately trying to set her off the same way he liked to annoy Lanni.


    "I''ll punch you if you dare to waste my time." Luna threatened in response, and Flynn knew that she would really do it. This was the difference between her and Lanni. While Lanni preferred to solve things with as little violence as possible, Luna wouldn''t hesitate to swipe a dagger across one''s neck if things didn''t go her way.


    "What do you want? I thought you were in Germany already." Luna crossed her arms, her expression looking like she ready to attack if the man said anything he shouldn''t.


    "Yeah, I really wanted to go." Flynn scratched his neck in what looked ljke nervousness for a second. "But it''s such a pity if I don''t take Lanni back with me."


    "We already talked about this." Luna glared at him dangerously. Her fists were even slowly clenching and this amused Flynn.


    "Yeah. And that''s why I have not knocked Lanni out and shoved her into the plane with me." He peered towards the store with a hint of longing in his eyes. When he didn''t see the person he was hoping to see, he coughed and looked back at Luna. "You know what I think? The organization would really use your help. After all, you''re terrifyingly good at hacking. You may even be better than the best programmer on our team. Paired with Lanni''s intelligence, the two of you would make an excellent pair. Unfortunately¡­"


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving." Luna was not interested in joining any teams and neither was she interested in hearing anyone talk about them.


    "Help me pass a message to Lanni." Flynn implored, taking a small envelope from his pocket. Luna gave him an obviously fake smile as she wondered what the hell was in the envelope. He had not written a love letter to Lanni, right? Who still does that? Nonetheless, she reached for it and secured it in the pocket of her jeans.


    She walked forward then stopped and turned with a crease on her brows after just two steps.


    Flynn was still standing in the same spot and when he saw her turn, he raised an eyebrow to ask if anything was wrong. Luna smiled as she shook her head then proceeded back into the store.


    She took a long glance outside. That moment when she turned, she thought she saw a flash of light flicker somewhere. But thinking about it, she must be thinking too much into such tiny details.


    "There you are. Where did you run off to?" Lanni asked as soon as she saw Luna. She was sitting on a chair, waiting for Luna and she was wearing the blue dress.


    Luna came up with an excuse on the spot. "I went to the bathroom."


    "But the bathrooms are this way." Lanni pointed in the opposite direction from the door.


    Luna shrugged. "There were many people queued there and I couldn''t wait, so I went to the ones outside."


    Even she couldn''t believe her own ability to lie so effortlessly¡ªnot that she was proud of it.


    Lanni stood up to give her a full view of the dress. "What do you think? Is this beautiful?"


    Only then was Luna able to take a good look at the dress. She nodded in approval but before she could speak, her phone rang.


    "It''s mum." Luna said before answering the call. Li Yuming only wanted to know how they were doing so the call ended pretty fast.


    When Luna hung up, Lanni was staring at her weirdly. "What''s wrong?" She couldn''t help asking.


    Lanni looked around to make sure there was no one within earshot before answering. "I think mom is acting strange."


    Luna kept her phone in the front pocket of her jeans and shook her head at Lanni''s speculation. "You''re thinking too much."


    Lanni nodded even though she didn''t agree. Her instincts had never been wrong and she knew that this time was no different. There had to be something wrong with Li Yuming.

 Chapter 261 - Better Bullying Methods

    Meanwhile, in Li Yuming''s villa.


    "Ma''am, here is what you asked for." A young man handed a USB flash drive to Li Yuming.


    She took it then gave him an envelope. "You did well. Make sure no one finds out about this. No one. Not even the people closest to you."


    The young man opened the envelope and checked its content and when he saw the thick stack of bills in it, he grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you ma''am. I will be sure to tell no one."


    When the man left, Li Yuming inserted the flash drive into a laptop and checked its content. A small frown formed on her lips when she saw the pictures with Luna and Flynn in it, a rush of complicated feelings filling her heart. This girl...


    _


    Lanni and Luna only got back home later in the evening, each carrying several shopping bags in their hands. Most of the clothes they had bought were for Luna, Lanni had only bought a few.


    As soon as they got to Luna''s room, they started trying the clothes out as if they had not already done so at the mall.


    After trying out her second dress, Lanni was more certain that there was something on Luna''s mind so she sat next to her. "What''s wrong? You don''t look alright."


    Luna was about to dismiss it but she knew that Lanni wouldn''t be convinced so she patted the jeans she had been wearing when they went to the mall. "I just wasn''t sure whether to tell you."


    "Tell me what?" Lanni probed.


    "Earlier, I met Flynn."


    Li Yuming who was at the door stopped.


    She had cooked a few dishes for the girls to eat since they had not eaten lunch. But just as she reached Luna''s room and was about to knock and call them, she heard Luna say that she had met Flynn.


    With a frown on her face, her hand paused mid-air.


    Unaware of their mother''s presence, the girls continued conversing.


    "Was it when you claimed to have gone to the bathrooms outside?" Lanni guessed, and Luna was not too surprised that she had found that out. Other people might believe her when she lied smoothly enough but with Lanni, she couldn''t be too sure.


    She could only nod and retrieve the envelope from her pocket. "He left a message for you. I wasn''t sure whether I should give it to you but since it was meant for you, I guess the right thing is to give it to you."


    Lanni took the envelope with a confused look. What was that crazy guy up to this time?


    She opened the envelope and took out the letter, shaking her head as soon as she saw a pair of cartoons drawn at the top. Despite the artist''s horrible drawing skills, they were obviously a male and a female with a messily drawn heart in between them. Was this supposed to be a horribly drawn couple? What nonsense.


    "Lanni, I know you don''t like to hear this but I miss you very much¡­" Lanni read out the content and was caught in between laughter and annoyance.


    Luna, on the other hand, was clutching her stomach from laughing too hard. "I didn''t think he really wrote a love letter to you."


    Lanni crushed the letter into a small ball. "That guy is all sorts of weird. Since he can no longer bully me in the organization, he has decided to choose another approach to make my life difficult? Xiehan might misunderstand if he saw this."


    Li Yuming who was at the door knocked and called them to eat.


    _


    That was the most awkward meal that Luna had ever eaten. She kept feeling as though she had done something wrong. As soon as they were done, she stood up. "I''ll do the dishes."


    "You don''t have to." Lanni tried to stop her but was interrupted by Li Yuming, who sternly said, "let her do it."


    Lanni looked at her mother curiously then shrugged. "I''ll go to my room then."


    Li Yuming watched Lanni leave before she turned to look at Luna. Seeing that she was holding a plate, Li Yuming grabbed her hand and squeezed her wrist before taking the plate and placing it back on the dining table.


    "Mum?" Luna was surprised by her actions.


    Li Yuming held her hand, looking into her eyes with an unreadable expression. "Do you have anything against Xiehan?"


    Taken aback by the sudden question, she shook her head. "No, of course not. Why would I have any issue with my sister''s boyfriend?"


    Li Yuming let go of her hand. "Since you do know that he is your sister''s boyfriend and your future brother-in-law, I don''t understand why you would still play cupid and try to match make her with that German guy."


    Luna was speechless for a moment as she took in the fact that Li Yuming knew she had met Flynn. This meant that when she thought she saw a flash of light, she was not imagining it. There really was someone capturing photos of them. Linking it with Li Yuming''s statement, she could guess what exactly the situation was. Li Yuming had found someone to follow her.


    A smile flashed on her face, but behind it was heartache and bitterness. So much for thinking that her mother finally trusted and accepted her. She took a deep breath to calm her raging emotions. "Flynn is¡­"


    "I know who he is." Li Yuming interrupted.


    Luna''s lips moved but she couldn''t say a word. Since she knew who Flynn is, why was she accusing her of trying to matchmake her with Lanni?


    "I know what he wants." Li Yuming continued. "However, I don''t want Lanni to go back to that place." She looked into Luna''s eyes meaningfully. "I will not be friendly to anyone who encourages her to go back¡ªnot even if that person is you."


    Luna''s clenched fists relaxed as she smiled. "Understood."


    Then, she turned and went upstairs.. Li Yuming watched her retreat and sighed to herself. Was she too harsh on her?

 Chapter 262 - The Distance Caused By Separation

    That weekend.


    The party was held in Xiehan''s mansion. It was a simple party with only nine people. Ji Huifen had gone on a vacation with his wife so Xiehan did not invite them. In the end, it was just The Jiangs, Li Yuming and her daughters, and Lin Jian.


    "Who is the ninth person?" Lanni asked Xiehan as they cooked together in his kitchen. She had done her math and there should be eight people.


    "I don''t know. That punk will obviously bring a girl along." Xiehan guessed, and Lanni knew he was talking about Lin Jian.


    "I wonder who the unlucky girl is. Poor thing¡­" Lanni mumbled under her breath as she chopped a radish on the chopping board. Xiehan had said that he would personally cook all the food so she had gone over to help him. Because Xiehan was much better than her at cooking, she did the small tasks like washing and choping vegetables and preparing ingredients for him while he cooked.


    Their coordination was perfect and before long, they had managed to prepare several dishes.


    Just as they finished setting the table, the doorbell rang and Lanni went to answer it.


    Madam Jiang had arrived with her husband. When the former saw Lanni, she hurriedly pulled her into a hug. "My dear, you have become prettier."


    "Thank you, aunty." Lanni returned the hug warmly then welcomed the two of them into the house.


    "Hello aunty, uncle." Xiehan greeted them with a spatula in his hand.


    "Good job, Xiehan." Madam Jiang praised, referring to the dishes he had prepared. Of course, she didn''t forget to nag him to take good care of Lanni.


    "Are the two of you really my parents? How could you ask me to wait for you then leave on your own?" A whine signified Jiang Xingyu''s arrival.


    "Oh please. Why would we hitch your ride? We just wanted to distract you so we would arrive before you." Madam Jiang responded smugly.


    Lanni burst into laughter as she watched the Jiangs. These three were obviously a pair of parents and their son but those who didn''t know would mistake them for siblings. Their banters were too cute.


    Soon, Li Yuming arrived with Luna in tow. They were both silent and looked somewhat odd. Lanni raised an eyebrow when she looked at them. What was going on between these two this time?


    Luckily, Jiang Xingyu hopped over to Luna and pulled her to his side, successfully breaking the awkwardness.


    Because Lanni and Xiehan had been wearing aprons while cooking, their clothes and hair were still neat so they just took off the aprons before joining the others at the table.


    "Lin Jian isn''t here yet?" Lanni observed.


    "He sent me a message and said that he would be late." Jiang Xingyu answered.


    "Then I guess we should start eating." Xiehan suggested. That punk was probably flirting with a girl somewhere¡ªprobably the same girl he was going to come with.


    Initially, Lanni and Xiehan had been worried that they had cooked too much. But not too long after they started eating, there was barely anything left on the table. In the end, Lanni and Xiehan decided that they would cook a few more dishes for Lin Jian and his girlfriend later.


    Too full to move, everyone happily sat in the living room to watch television.


    Madam Jiang slotted herself next to Li Yuming to watch while discussing whatever it was that future mothers-in-law discussed together. Jiang Xingren sat next to Xiehan and Lanni while Luna kept to herself.


    At first, no one noticed that Luna had been trying hard to keep up with everyone when she was actually lost in thought. It was only a little later that Jiang Xingyu realized that there was something wrong with her. She was barely watching the movie on TV and when she couldn''t keep up the pretense anymore, she simply left the living room and went to the backyard.


    Jiang Xingyu followed her out a few seconds later and watched from a short distance away. Luna stared into space for a while before sitting on a bench and burying her head in her arms.


    Jiang Xingyu walked over carefully and sat beside her then gently tapped her shoulder.


    Luna looked up expressionlessly and raised an eyebrow to inquire if anything was wrong.


    "Is anything the matter?" He gently asked.


    "Nothing. I''m just tired so I came out for a breather." She responded expressionlessly.


    If he had not seen her staring into space, he would have believed her words. Seeing as she didn''t want to talk about it, he stopped asking and simply sat there, wordlessly letting her know that he was there if she needed someone to talk to.


    For a while, she ignored his presence then before she knew what she was doing, she leaned a little to her right so her head was slightly touching his shoulder.


    It was rare for her to willingly get close to him so Jiang Xingyu was pleasantly surprised. He shifted his body away from her, making her disappointed for a moment, but she felt better when she felt him pull her closer to him and plant her head into his chest. So he had only moved to make her more comfortable.


    The two of them sat together on the bench in silence, the only sound in the air was that of crickets and the occasional cars and planes in the distance. It was soothing and she soon became comfortable in his embrace. "I just realized that the distance caused by two decades of separation cannot be overcome that easily."


    She had spoken too suddenly, and it took a while for Jiang Xingyu to understand what she was talking about. "Are you talking about your mum?" He gently asked, then he felt her head bump against his chest as she nodded.


    "She still doesn''t trust me." She continued, a slight laugh of self-mockery escaping her lips in the process. "She still thinks I would hurt my own sister."


    Jiang Xingyu''s fingers found their way to her hair and he tousled it ever so gently to comfort her. "Maybe you''re overthinking it? Did she say that she doesn''t trust you?"


    "She asked to go shopping with me so she would spy on me and when that didn''t work out, she sent someone to follow me." Luna chuckled to expel the sadness from her heart.


    Jiang Xingyu''s eyebrows furrowed. First, she rejected Luna and now when everyone thought that she had accepted her daughter, she didn''t trust her? What was wrong with Li Yuming? In his opinion, it would have been better for her to completely reject Luna than hurt her feelings like this. His fist that was away from Luna clenched as he considered having a word with Li Yuming.


    His other hand ran through Luna''s silky, long hair. She didn''t show any discomfort or push his hand away, which made his heart fill with happiness. "Forget about her. Let me show you something beautiful."


    "What?" Luna raised her head to peek at him curiously.


    "Just come with me." He gently pushed Luna off him and stood up.. In the next second, he looked down at her and offered his hand to her.

 Chapter 263 - Sneaky Thieves

    Luna glanced at Jiang Xingyu''s palm for a second. Seeing that he wanted to help her get up, she placed her hand in his and stood up. When her hand came into contact with his, the warmth from his palm crept under her skin and a smile formed on her lips.


    This was not the first time they had held hands but it felt different. She didn''t know what it was but she didn''t hate it. Even after standing up, she continued to hold his hand and he didn''t let go of hers. Instead, he spread his fingers and linked them with hers.


    Luna looked down at their interlocked fingers and didn''t protest as she followed his lead to wherever he was leading her.


    Jiang Xingyu stopped in front of the fountain and guided her to take a seat on the bench facing the view.


    ''He brought me all the way here just to see the fountain? As if I didn''t see it before,'' Luna thought.


    She looked ahead of her and huffed a laugh. "Water¡­ it''s really beautiful."


    Jiang Xingyu casted her a side glance, his lips curling slightly upwards. "You think so? Then wait till you see this."


    Luna watched amusedly as he got up and went closer to the fountain.


    "There is a remote control, but I can''t get it without having my legs broken¡­ but there should be a switch somewhere." He mumbled as he tried to find the switch without getting his clothes wet. He extended his hand out while trying to keep the rest of his body as far from the water as the length of his hand could allow.


    "There." He said when he finally found the switch and flicked it on through the waterproof protector.


    He retracted as the lights went off. The area surrounding the fountain suddenly shrouded in darkness. Just as she wondered what that was all about, the tiny lamps on the fountain lit up one by one and the color of the water started to change. What followed was a colorful water blast.


    "Wow!" Luna exclaimed as the fountain gradually filled with color. Under the dim, colorful light, Jiang Xingyu''s face was even more handsome. She wasn''t sure whether the fountain or the man in front of it was more stunning.


    "What do you think? Is it beautiful?" He went back to the bench and sat next to her.


    "It''s gorgeous." She had a rare smile on her beautiful face.


    Jiang Xingyu glanced at her hand that was placed on the bench at her side and had the urge to hold it. Would she let him? He planted his hand onto the bench then slowly moved it towards hers. When their skin was about to touch, she raised her hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. He sighed in disappointment.


    "How come it wasn''t lit up before?" Luna asked as the water turned pink.


    Jiang Xingyu finally remembered the reason and scratched his neck awkwardly. Actually, this was part of Xiehan''s surprise for Lanni and he had helped him install it. The moment he saw Luna sad, he had forgotten all about it and decided to show it to her.


    _


    Inside the mansion.


    "What was that?" Lanni was surprised when she saw a flash of color from the window and wanted to check it out.


    ''That damned idiot.'' Xiehan cursed Jiang Xingyu in his heart as he stood in front of her to block her view. "Honey, what are you doing here on your own?"


    Lanni''s attention was successfully diverted from the window. "I''m looking for my sister. I can''t find her anywhere."


    Xiehan finally understood why Jiang Xingyu would go to the fountain. "Have you not realized that Xingyu is missing too?"


    A flush crept onto Lanni''s cheeks as realization dawned on her. "Right. I shouldn''t look for her anymore. They must be together right now."


    _


    Outside.


    "Hey, your sister stays here often, right?" Jiang Xingyu asked out of the blue.


    "Yeah¡­ why did you ask?"


    Jiang Xingyu was glad to hear her reply. "Since that''s the case, the kitchen shouldn''t be lacking in snacks. What do you say¡­ let''s raid the kitchen?"


    Luna hadn''t eaten much at dinner and she was a bit hungry. "What are you waiting for?" She stood up, grabbed his hand, and dragged him towards the back door.


    Since everyone''s attention was drawn to the movie they were watching, they didn''t notice when the two of them snuck into the kitchen hand in hand. When they entered the kitchen, they didn''t let go of each other''s hand and grasped it tightly.


    After searching for a while, they finally found a load of snacks on one of the shelves. Luna excitedly reached out for the food and grabbed a huge packet of spicy potato chips using her right hand¡ªall while still holding his hand with her left hand.


    "Will we finish all of that?" Jiang Xingyu chuckled.


    Luna tilted the packet and frowned. "200g. Only this?"


    Jiang Xingyu burst into laughter, but she was far from done. She dragged him towards the fridge, opened it, and did a search. When she found what she was looking for, she tried to grab it only to realize that she could only use one hand.


    She didn''t release his hand as he expected but instead, nodded towards the item and asked him to grab it.


    Jiang Xingyu happily grabbed the 100g tub of ice cream and closed the fridge. They then scurried out of the kitchen before anyone caught them.


    When they went back to the fountain, Luna sat next to him and grabbed the food, placing the ice cream away from him as she opened the packet of chips and started eating.


    "Hey! What about me?" Jiang Xingyu was speechless at her actions.


    ___


    I am going to send the reference pictures to my server. If you haven''t joined yet, please do. Type the following link on your browser: tinyurl..com/Avalorian. Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 264 - Im So Happy

    "You get to eat nothing." Luna bit a piece of chips and chewed it smugly as she gave him a provoking look.


    Jiang Xingyu laughed and resigned to his fate. He would go and steal something to eat later. Luna continued to eat the chips on her own then paused after a short while.


    "The ice cream should have started melting." She said and opened the lid. Indeed, it had melted a bit. She excitedly took a piece of chips and under his surprised gaze, dipped it into the ice cream before putting it into her mouth. "So yummy."


    Jiang Xingyu laughed as he saw her act all excited. From her character, he couldn''t even tell that she also liked dipping chips in ice cream.


    she turned to see him looking at him and chuckled at his expression. "Want some?" Seeing that he clearly did, she dipped one in ice cream and brought it to his mouth. Jiang Xingyu was shocked but quickly ate it before she could realize what she was doing.


    Luna didn''t seem to mind feeding him because once he was done, she fed him more. Before they realized it, they were feeding each other.


    _


    At a wall some steps away from them, Jiang XIngren pinched his wife in the back. "Stop spying on our son."


    Madam Jiang, who was obviously peeking at the duo a second ago, straightened up and shook her head in denial. "Who is peeking? I wasn''t peeking! I was only taking a breather."


    Jiang Xingren nodded sarcastically. "Yeah, right. You cannot breathe unless you are slightly bent and your son is within your line of sight."


    "Stop it or I''ll get angry." Madam Jiang huffed. "SO what if I''m peeking at my son? Can''t you see how happy he is? I can''t help watching them for a little longer."


    Jiang XIngren looked in Jiang XIngyu''s direction and a smile flashed across his face. In front of the fountain were his son and the girl he loved, watching the fountain while munching on something. At some point, Jiang XIngyu even pulled the girl into his embrace and hugged her.


    "That''s my boy. He finally managed to persuade her. I''m so proud my boy has finally become a man. He truly is my son, he does have my genes after all."


    Madam Jiang shot him a glare. "Your genes? You are right. No wonder it took him so long to be able to get close to her. He is only able to be with her now because I dote on Luna so much. She can only tolerate him because she loves me."


    Jiang XIngren raised an eyebrow and looked at his wife. "Are you trying to say that I don''t know how to woo women?"


    at that, Madam Jiang nodded and exposed her own husband mercilessly. "Do you want me to remind you how we got together? You were such a blockhead. You would keep trying to find excuses to get close to me but never dared to make a move. In the end, your friend had to tell me that you liked me."


    Although they were outside and there was no one else aside from Jiang XIngyu and Luna who were out of earshot, Jiang Xingren was still embarrassed. "How could you embarrass your husband that much? Do you even love me?"


    "No."


    "You heartless woman." Jiang XIngren clutched his heart. Of course, he knew that his wife was only teasing him. Even though they had been married for almost thirty years, they were still so deeply in love. Time had not decreased their love for each other but increased it instead.


    _


    As for the duo who were not even aware that they had an audience, they continued watching the fountain and eating their chips. Before they realized it, they had finished all the chips and ice cream.


    "I could eat that all night." Luna licked the stray cream from the corner of her lips.


    "We could go and grab some more." Jiang XIngyu suggested, earning a small jab.


    "No way! It''s already so late at night. We cannot eat too many snacks at night."


    "You are watching your weight too?" Jiang Xingyu teasingly grabbed her arm to remind her just how skinny she was, which she didn''t let go of without punching him, of course. Who teases a girl about her weight?


    "It''s just not healthy."


    Jiang Xingyu grinned as he played with her fair fingers. "Luna, I''m so happy." He grunted. He never would have thought that Luna could one day be so comfortable as to let him hold her and play with her fingers. They had even eaten together and she had fed him and even let him feed her. This was such significant progress in their initially horrible relationship that he almost thought he was on a dream.


    Luna tilted her head to look at his face that was slightly lit up by the colorful environment. Because they were silent now, she realized that aside from the sound of water hitting the tiles, there was a musical tune in the background that was soft and soothing to the ear.


    She smiled as she looked at Jiang Xingyu''s face. She couldn''t deny it. She may have decided to give him a chance out of gratitude, but she was happy too. This was one of her most wonderful nights and she couldn''t deny that she loved it too.


    especially after what happened with Li Yuming earlier, she needed a distraction so badly and this was it.


    Jiang Xingyu swallowed when he saw how intensely she was scanning his face. She looked into his eyes and before he could process it, her fingertips were touching his face slightly.


    He tried to force his breathing to remain normal but it still turned heavy under her slight touch. When she let go and was about to turn, he cupped her face in his right hand. "Luna¡­"


    "Hm?" Luna''s breath was slightly heavy too.


    Jiang Xingyu traced her face slightly. "Luna, want to kiss you."


    "What?" His words surprised her and she blinked before she heard him say it again.. "I want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?"

 Chapter 265 - Uncooperative Beauty

    "I.." Luna was taken aback by his request. She had not expected him t be so direct about it and she did not know what to say. She stared at him as her lips parted slightly but no words came out.


    Jiang Xingyu saw how deliciously alluring her lips looked when they were parted and couldn''t stop himself anymore. He leaned in inch by inch until their faces were almost plastered together and their lips were merely a few centimeters apart. He paused and waited for her to pull away from him, push him off her, slap him, or do whatever else women usually do if a man tries to kiss them.


    When she didn''t, he was relieved. peeking down at her face, she didn''t look displeased in the least bit, and her eyes were even drooping, her lips slightly parted. He brushed his lips against them slightly and gently took her lower lip between his.


    "Sorry to interrupt you but...oops!" Madam Jiang turned away and pretended to close her eyes. She had come to tell Jiang Xingyu that they were leaving and didn''t expect to find him and Luna kissing. She really wanted to bang her head into a wall. Would Xingyu forgive her for ruining his moment?


    But it wasn''t her fault, right? She never would have expected them to progress so fast!


    When Luna heard Madam Jiang''s voice, she quickly pushed Jiang XIngyu away and looked at her awkwardly. "Aunty¡­"


    "You don''t have to stop. Please carry on with what you were doing."


    Jiang Xingyu raised his head and glared fiercely at his mother, who scurried away like a rabbit. He continued glaring at her back even as she ran away. ''You just ruined my heard-earned kiss!'' he thought.


    Was it too late to resume it? He looked at Luna as he wondered.


    "It''s getting cold. We should go back inside and besides, the others might be wondering where we are." Luna stood up before he could try to resume the kiss.


    ''No one would wonder where we are. I''m sure everyone knows now.'' He thought. They had been missing for such a long time and everyone knew that he was chasing her. In fact, he had a feeling that she had only decided to go back because of their near kiss.


    After inwardly complaining about his mother several times, he resigned to his fate and stood up to go into the house with Luna.


    As soon as they were back into the house, he wanted to stick to her but Luna went over to Lanni. "Lanni, you were telling me something earlier."


    "I was?" Lanni tried to remember with a confused expression.


    Luna reached behind herself and discreetly pinched her squeezing her flesh so tightly between her thumb and forefinger that Lanni almost hissed from the pain. "Yeah. You were saying something about Xiao Yu."


    Lanni was about to complain about the pinch when she saw Luna''s pleading look and opened her mouth as though she had just remembered. "Yeah, I wanted to tell you something. Come with me."


    Relieved, Luna followed Lanni away from everyone else.


    "She is just trying to avoid me." Jiang Xingyu felt wronged.


    Li Yuming, who was not far from him, heard him and looked in the direction where Lanni and Luna had gone. With a huff, she grabbed her bag and left.


    Meanwhile, Lanni brought Luna to the kitchen and cornered her. "What happened between you and Jiang Xingyu?"


    "Nothing. Why would you think that something happened?" Luna quickly denied.


    Lanni crossed her arms and scanned her up and down. "Physically, you look slightly different. Your cheeks are a bit flushed. Let''s not mention how you are avoiding him so desperately after hiding away with him for a while."


    "I did not hide away with him." Luna felt her sister was difficult to deal with. Seeing Lanni give her that disbelieving look, she sighed. "Fine. Something did happen...I mean, something almost happened."


    "What? Tell me, tell me." Lanni''s gossip mode was instantly activated and she annoyingly urged her sister to spill the beans.


    Luna sighed and knew that Lanni would not let her off unless she told her what happened so she found the right words. "Jiang Xingyu and I¡­"


    "Jiang Xingyu and you ¡­?"


    "Well, we¡­ we kissed, I guess."


    "Oh my god! That is so huge!" Lanni was even more excited than Luna who was the one to have been kissed. she only realized after doing a happy spin that something didn''t seem right. "Why did you say you guess? You don''t know whether you kissed or not?"


    Luna glared at her. "How am I supposed to know? He just brushed his lips against mine then his mum came. Does that count as a kiss?"


    Lanni was about to say that it was nothing but changed her words to a tease. "My dearest sister, your first kiss is taken! tell me, how was it? Did you heart race?"


    "Are you seariously teasing me?" Luna was in disbelief.


    "Why are you hiding from my future brother-in-law then? Is it because you are scared to admit that you liked it and want a more passionate kiss?" Lanni fled out of the kitchen when she saw Luna look for something to hit her with.


    Luna grabbed a glass bottle and chased after her. "Stop right there! I promise I won''t pour sugar all over your hair."


    Lanni ran to Xiehan''s side and hid behind his back. "Xiehan, you have to help me! Luna suddenly wants to beat me up."


    Xiehan narrowed his eyes. "Leave my wife alone or I will not be kind."


    "Are you kidding me?" Luna was speechless as Lanni made a face at her from behind Xiehan.


    Jiang XIngyu who was watching them smiled and grabbed the opportunity. "Who dares to bully my Luna? Come here, I will protect you."


    "How about I beat you up instead?" Luna threatened seriously, making Lanni and Xiehan burst into laughter while Jiang Xingyu remained speechless. Why was it so hard for him to be the hero and save his beauty? He was a hero alright, but this beauty was not cooperative.


    At that moment, the door opened and they all turned to look.

 Chapter 266 - Most Likely

    Everyone turned to see Lin Jian walking in with his nose in the air. Holding his left arm was a beautiful, tall young woman. She was wearing a short, black dress and a pair of 5-inch high heels as red as her hair. She looked elegant and charming with an infectious smile.


    Lin Jian''s look was a huge contrast to hers. He was wearing what looked like a random outfit he had grabbed from his laundry basket. His jeans was in a slightly palatable condition but his t-shirt was too disheveled. His hair was messy too, making one wonder whether he had not had time to dress up. His friends knew him well enough to guess that he must have been up to something and didn''t even bother to brush his hair before coming here.


    "Ruby?" Lanni did not pay attention to Lin Jian''s look but was surprised when she saw the girl next to him. So the guy wasn''t that useless after all. He had managed to charm Ruby. Although that was the case, she was uncomfortable.


    After all, she was the one who had given Ruby''s contact details to Lin Jian. If this womanizer broke Ruby''s heart, she would feel responsible.


    Ruby glared daggers at Lanni as soon as she saw her.


    "Look who is here! I''ve heard of people leaving parties at midnight and others joining at midnight. Then there''s you¡ªarriving when the party is already over and with a beauty in tow." Jiang Xingyu ridiculed Lin Jian for being late.


    Jiang Xingren, Madam Jiang and Li Yuming had already left. In fact, a moment before they appeared, he was also planning to leave.


    Lin Jian held Ruby''s waist while ignoring her ferocious glare and laughed as though he had not arrived late. "Ha-ha¡­ I know. Actually, it''s not my fault. The beauty was unwilling to come so she took a little long to dress up." Seeing that no one was willing to listen to his nonsense and was giving him meaningful looks, he raised the bag be was carrying in his right hand. "Hey! I''ve got some booze. We can drink it together. Of course, we will steal some from Xiehan''s cellar when he is not looking. Let''s drink till we drop!"


    At the mention of beer, Jiang Xingyu hurried and grabbed the plastic bag from Lin Jian.


    "Ah! Where are my manners?" Lin Jian scratched his head and ruffled his already messy hair. "I forgot to introduce you. This is Ruby, my new¡­ eer¡­"


    He peeked at Ruby teasingly and when he saw her threatening look, he laughed. "My new friend! Ruby, meet my friends."


    Ruby let out a small sigh of relief and smiled. If this guy had dared to spout nonsense...


    Lin Jian started introducing everyone to Ruby. "I bet you already know Lanni. I heard you were in the same class in B City University as well as Star Art International." Ruby nodded so Lin Jian found it easier to go on with the introductions. "The man next to Lanni is her boyfriend as well as my friend, Xiehan. That is Jiang Xingyu and Lanni''s twin."


    "Nice to meet you." Ruby modestly greeted and shook everyone''s hand although she already knew all of them.


    When she shook Xiehan''s hand, she didn''t dare to look into his eyes and smiled awkardly as she retracted her hand.


    Lanni was not paying attention, but Luna was.


    She shot a confused look in Ruby''s direction. Why was this girl acting weird?


    ''You better not have any intentions about my sister''s boyfriend.'' Luna growled internally.


    Of course, no one noticed the complicated look in Xiehan''s eyes when he shook Ruby''s hand, which disappeared as soon as it appeared.


    Once they sat down, Lin Jian blazed to the cellar and returned with several bottles of wine.


    Since everyone was in a good mood, Xiehan didn''t mind and let him grab all the alcohol he wanted to grab.


    They sat down around the table which was big enough to host a small conference meeting. Lanni naturally sat on Xiehan''s left and next to her was Luna and Jiang Xingyu had forcefully slotted himself next to her. Ruby was on Xiehan''s right so Lin Jian naturally sat next to her.


    For a moment, they drunk in silence.


    "Are we really going to drink this way? It''s so boring! Lin Jian complained.


    "What''s wrong with drinking this way?" Xiehan understood what the blabbermouth was getting at. Wasn''t he tired of these drinking games?


    Sure enough, he suggested, "Let''s play truth or dare!"


    "No." Xiehan rejected the idea without batting an eyelid. There was no way he was playing that game with Lin Jian.


    When he had just come back from Australia, Lin Jian and Jinag Xingyu had thrown a welcome party for him and invited many friends, most of whom were girls. He did not mind this until they played truth or dare and Lin Jian dared him to kiss a girl.


    Although he had rejected the dare and drunk in punishment, the girl had clung to him for weeks after and it was not easy to get rid of her.


    Lanni, who knew nothing about this, thought that Xiehan simply thought the game was not suitable. "We can play something else. How about spill your guts, fill your guts?" she suggested.


    Everyone agreed. Xiehan thought about it and agreed too. It was much better than having to do some of Lin Jian''s insane dares.


    Hence, they started playing.


    They had mixed up the rules so what they were actually playing was a mashup of Spill your guts, fill your guts and Most likely.


    They would deal cards and the person who ended up with the ace of hearts would ask who is most likely to do a certain action. Everyone would point at the person they thought would do the action, and the one with the most fingers pointed at them would have to answer a guestion from everyone.


    The punishment for not answering a question was a shot each.


    In the first round, Xiehan had the ace of hearts and used the chance to revenge. "Who is most likely to be found cooking while naked?"


    Everyone roared in laughter and pointed at Lin Jian.


    "Hey! When did I..! Lin Jian was enraged and glared at Xiehan who quickly defended himself, "I didn''t say it was you, did I?"


    Lin Jian huffed and grudgingly waited for the questions.


    Since it was the first round, the questions were quite mild and revolved around who his first crush was and when he first kissed, but he ended up drinking five shots because he couldn''t remember any of the answers.


    In the next round, Jiang Xingyu had the ace of hearts and he grinned at Luna. Luna had a bad feeling about it. Just when she was wondering whether he was planning to target her, he asked, "Who is most likely to cross dress?"


    "Are you kidding me?" Luna was shocked by his question, and the fingers that pointed in her direction in a second. Only Ruby had pointed at Lin Jian but the rest of them had seen her in male clothes.


    She glared at Jiang Xingyu. This man did it on purpose!

 Chapter 267 - I Love Him

    When Jiang Xingyu saw her sending him a fierce glare, he acted innocent. He even smiled in her direction as though he had not done anything. "What is it? Is there anything wrong?"


    Luna wished they were alone so she would give him a thorough beating. Everything is wrong, okay! Although that was what she thought, what came out of her mouth was something else. "Of course not! What could be wrong? You have questions? Bring them on!"


    Jiang Xingyu grinned at her. Well then. Let''s see if you will answer this confidently. He was first. He wanted to use this chance to ask whether she liked him in the slightest bit, but since he was afraid that he might get an answer that would shatter his heart, he changed the question. "Do you have any phobias?"


    Luna was surprised, having expected a question related to her feelings. She was happy yet disappointed, and she thought about it and nodded. "Yes."


    Jiang Xingyu was about to ask what the phobias were when she spoke again, "You can only ask one question. Next question?"


    Jiang Xinyu sulked. Fine. The game would not end before he asked.


    It was Lanni''s turn next and she grinned before asking mischevously, "When did you have your last kiss and with who?"


    Luna was stumped. "Before I answer this question, let me ask you something. Are you really my sister?"


    Lanni laughed. "Your answer, please."


    Luna resigned to her fate and cleared her throat, putting on a serious expression which was a contrast to the turmoil she was feeling in her heart. "About one hour ago, with him." She nodded towards Jiang Xingyu who was beside her.


    Jiang Xingyu cleared his throat as a crimson color slowly stained his ears. He did not expect her to admit that what happened at the fountain was a kiss. It had been brief after all, and he thought it had meant nothing to her.


    Lin Jian exclaimed when he heard Luna''s reply. He looked at the slightly flushed Jiang Xingyu in disbelief. "You guys finally made progress! How far did you go? Are the two of you dating now? How come no one told me such big news?"


    "I thought you were the boss of a news group?" Luna glowered at him.


    Lin Jian laughed and since he was next, he thought about it and snuck a peek at Jiang Xingyu. He should use this opportunity to help his friend find out what he wanted to know, right? "Are you seeing anyone at the moment?"


    Luna was no longer so surprised. She looked at everyone who was eagerly waiting for an answer then at Jiang Xingyu whose hands were trembling and were probably sweaty already. She smiled. "Of course. My eyes are open so I''m seeing all of you."


    Everyone was flabbergasted and Lin Jian narrowed his gaze. "That''s not the kind of ''see'' I meant¡­"


    "That''s how I understood your question and I answered it. Your chance is lost, next question?" Luna looked at Xiehan.


    Lin Jian was speechless. This girl was so cunning!


    Jiang Xingyu slowly sighed in relief, surprised that he would feel relieved. But it was understandable. Although she was not close to any other man at the moment, Luna had not agreed to be his girlfriend either. The probability of her admitting that she was seeing someone¡ªhim¡ªwas only next to zero.


    The game continued. Xiehan didn''t know what to ask yet. "I don''t know what to ask for now. How about I ask you two questions in the next round?"


    Luna knew that by the next round, Xiehan would have thought of the most difficult question possible, but she still nodded. There might never be a next round for her.


    When it was Ruby''s turn, she wanted to ask what Luna''s phobias were but when she met her threatening glare, she said that she didn''t have any questions and passed.


    In the next few rounds, the game became crazier and all sorts of questions popped up. Lanni had to say what part of Xiehan''s body turned her on, Luna wrote a list of her enemies'' names, Jiang Xingyu almost blacked out from drinking too many shots consecutively and Lin Jian had to describe his last sexual experience in detail.


    Everyone was intoxicated so they carelessly asked any question that surfaced, except one.


    She had been using her wit to worm her way out of all the questions she was asked. When she couldn''t play tricks because the question was too particular, she chose to answer it. Hence she did not take a sip of alcohol since the game started.


    When she finally had the ace of hearts, a grin of satisfaction graced her lips. She raised an eyebrow slightly as she glanced in Ruby''s direction.


    Ruby''s back straightened from the penetrative look and she whispered to Lin Jian who was beside her in question, "Does Lanni''s sister hate me?"


    Lin Jian was too drunk to think clearly so he shrugged. "Why would she? It''s not like you wronged her. You haven''t even met her before."


    Ruby swallowed the statement she was going to say when Luna raised the ace of hearts. "Which girl is most likely to hang out with Lin Jian?"


    Ruby''s mouth widened into an ''O''. She shook her head in Luna''s direction. "You can''t ask such a question." Wasn''t it too direct? She was the only one who had been seen with Lin Jian today so the answer was too obvious.


    Luna leaned in her chair leisurely as she cast a meaningful glance at Ruby. "I didn''t know there was such a rule. Anyway, everyone thinks the answer is you so there''s no point asking another question, is there?"


    Lin Jian finally felt there was something wrong with the way Luna was looking at Ruby. Was there some rivalry between these two beauties?


    He shifted his gaze between them. "It couldn''t be related to Jiang Xingyu, right? But that was not right. Ruby may be beautiful, but she was not Jiang Xingyu''s type. Besides, his heart was already filled with Luna. What was with these two then?


    The questions started rolling immediately.


    Lanni was first. "Are you in love with anyone, or do you have a crush on anyone?"


    Ruby drank to that, making Lanni speechless and Luna enraged.


    Lin Jian asked a perverted question and earned glares from everyone, and Ruby drank to that too. By the time four questions were done, she was drunk so she leaned slightly to her left and rested her head on the man''s shoulder.


    Everyone exchanged gazes when they saw Ruby lie so effortlessly on Xiehan''s shoulder. Lanni wss shocked too.


    Xiehan was shocked then confused, and when he registered what had happened, he gently nudged Ruby''s head off him.


    However, the girl didn''t want to leave and wrapped her arms around him instead.


    Luna couldn''t hold it anymore. "I knew it! This girl was acting weird." She couldn''t believe how calm Lanni was about it. She pointed at Ruby who was half awake. "You! I haven''t asked you my question yet. Tell me what''s between you and Xiehan."


    Too intoxicated to think properly, Ruby looked up at Xiehan''s face and slurred. "Me and Xiehan?" She scanned him for a moment with her eyes.. "What else could there be? I love him."

 Chapter 268 - Ruined All Our Plans

    "What?" Lin Jian was the first to react. Ruby was in love with Xiehan? This was shocking!


    He was about to tease Xiehan for having smitten the hearts of two beauties but then he remembered that Ruby had been unwilling to go to the party with him. But as soon as he said that he was late and Xiehan and the others were waiting for him, she quickly agreed to go.


    At that moment, he had thought that she was just tired of playing hard to get but now that he heard her words, the only reason she had agreed to go was because he had accidentally spilled that Xiehan would be there!


    This was a stab to any man''s pride and ego. Glaring at the two of them, he stood up and stormed out of the room.


    Jiang Xingyu grinned mischievously. "Obviously, it is Ruby who is after Xiehan and not the other way round. Why is he glaring at Xiehan?" He leaned back in his backrest and took a sip of his drink while enjoying the show. "Serves him right. He has always played with women''s hearts and now it is time for him to pay for it."


    Seeing that Lanni did not react, he peeked at her. "Aren''t you being too nonchalant? A woman just confessed to your boyfriend!"


    Lanni rolled her eyes at his desire for drama. "What am I supposed to do? Fight her?"


    Before it could escalate any further, Xiehan pushed Ruby off his shoulder and stood up. "Have Lin Jian drop her off."


    ___


    Chan Mansion¡ªthe following morning.


    "Open this door!" Mr. Chan banged on the door to his daughter''s room.


    He heard the sound of feet dragging against the carpet then the door opened to reveal a walnut¨Ceyed Ruby. "Dad, what is it? I was still asleep." she complained with a yawn.


    "What is it? I should be asking you what is wrong with you! You really went and did it."


    "What did I do?" Ruby groggily asked.


    In response, Mr. Chan grabbed her hand and dragged her to the living room then sat her on the couch to lecture her. "I told you stay away from the Ji family, didn''t I? Not only did you associate with them, you even confessed to Ji Xiehan. Are you crazy?"


    Ruby''s sleepiness cleared off as soon as her father''s words sunk in. "What¡­"


    "Do you know that what you have done could ruin all our plans? We have been waiting for years and you want to ruin it just because of a moment of selfishness?"


    Ruby was still confused. She vaguely remembered the game they were playing, then Xia Luna asked her what she felt for Ji Xiehan and she blurted it out. But how did her father even get wind of it? As soon as she asked herself this, she got an answer. The person who dropped her off last night¡­


    "I swear, that man''s mouth is at least a hundred times more functional than his brain."


    "Don''t try to drag other people into this. You are the only one who created this mess."


    Ruby sighed in defeat. "I will go and apologize. I will explain to Lanni and Xiehan while at it."


    "What nonsense! What will you explain? Utter rubbish. You will not set foot out of that door until I let you."


    Ruby grabbed an apple from the table and bit hard into it. Just great. Now she had been grounded indefinitely.


    _


    Meanwhile, Lanni had decided to forget about what happened the previous night. After all, Ruby was not the only girl who liked Xiehan. He had admirers everywhere and if she were to get angry every time anyone expressed her interest for him, she would be angry all her life.


    In the afternoon, she was reading through some news articles when her phone chimed.


    She was expecting a call from Xiehan so she involuntarily smiled as she reached for her phone. When she saw the caller identity, however, her sweet smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown as she answered the call. "What do you want?"


    On the other side, Ruby was disheartened when she heard Lanni''s indifferent tone. "Lanni, I can explain," she started.


    "I don''t need you to explain anything." Lanni dismissed and hung up. She was not going to pretend that she was friends with a girl who just happened to be her romantic rival.


    Not to mention, Ruby had always exuded weird vibes and could not be trusted.


    Xiehan called just as she resumed reading.


    "Do you have time to have dinner together this evening?" he went straight to the point, and she guessed that he had to go back to work soon.


    "Sure, I don''t have much to do."


    "I will pick you up when I get off work." He said, then he hung up because he had to rush.


    "Everyone around me is acting strange." Lanni rubbed her temples after setting her phone aside. What was going on with everyone? Or was she the weird one who was being too sensitive over nothing?


    _


    At the same time, Luna was quietly creating a gaming software on her laptop when she received a call from Jiang Xingyu. Her eyebrows scrunched up.


    Knowing that the idiot would keep calling if she ignored it, she grabbed her phone and slid her thumb over the screen to answer it. "You better have something important to say, or else I will hang up. You have twenty seconds."


    Jiang Xingyu sounded heartbroken by her cold response. "Baby, aren''t you too fierce?"


    "Fifteen seconds left." she reminded seriously.


    Knowing that she would really hang up, Jiang Xingyu gathered his courage. "Can we have dinner together tonight?" Afraid that she would simply say no, he added, "I have something important to discuss with you."


    Luna remained silent for a moment.. What could he want to discuss? She was pretty sure it had nothing to do with what happened the previous night at the fountain, considering how serious he sounded.

 Chapter 269 - Two Pieces Of News

    "If you have anything to tell me, go ahead and say it right now. There''s absolutely no need to have dinner together."


    Hearing her cold rejection, Jiang Xingyu was disappointed. How could he let go of such an opportunity to see her?


    "It''s something that cannot be simply stated on phone. You do know that phones can be hacked, don''t you?" He threw in an excuse.


    "No one can hack into my phone." Luna countered without batting an eyelid. She was not tooting her own horn but she was one of the best hackers and programmers. All her accounts were protected. As if anyone would hack into her phone.


    When Jiang Xingyu heard her retort, he found an excuse too. "But someone can hack into mine."


    "Urgh¡­ fine." Luna gave up debating with him. He would just find a more insane excuse if she argued with him.


    Hearing her finally agree, Jiang Xingyu joyously punched the air. "I will pick you up at 6pm."


    "No need. Just send me the address."


    Jiang Xingyu felt bummed but agreed to send the address. If he insisted on picling her up, she might just refuse to go altogether.


    _


    That evening.


    As soon as he knocked off work, Xiehan picked Lanni up and took her to a popular Italian restaurant. Just when they finished making their orders, Xiehan had a phone call and went out to receive it.


    While waiting for him, she took out her phone to play a few games.


    "What are you doing here?" a familiar voice startled her and she looked up.


    "You? Why are you here?" Lanni was puzzled when she saw Luna. "Don''t tell me that you and Jiang Xingyu are also having dinner here?"


    Luna found her sister''s words a little odd. "You are also dining here¡­ with Xiehan?" Lanni nodded, and she found it even more odd. "Then why did they choose the same private room? I''m pretty sure this cannot be a coincidence. They could have simply said it if they wanted to have a joint date."


    "Date¡­ you finally agreed to go on a date with him?" Lanni raised her brow teasingly.


    "Not now, Lanni. I''m in a bad mood. I have a bad feeling about this."


    Lanni had a bad feeling too, but she suppressed it with an obviously forced smile. "What''s there to feel bad about? I''m sure it''s nothing. Worst case scenario, they have to go on a super long business trip."


    Luna exhaustedly sat beside her. "We both know you are worried too."


    Before Lanni could retort, Xiehan came back and beside him was Jiang Xingyu. Trying their best to keep up their smiles, they slotted themselves opposite Lanni and Luna. They even nudged and made fun of each other in attempt to lighten up the mood, which was instead working the opposite magic.


    "You can drop the smiles. We know they are fake." Luna berated them, and they coughed awkwardly.


    "Why don''t we have dinner first?" Xiehan suggested.


    "It''s bad news, right?" Lanni started. "I will not be able to stomach any food if I''m anxious."


    "Well¡­" Jiang Xingyu was helpless. He looked at Xiehan as though asking for help and when the latter ignored him, he could only rack his brains for the right way to put it. "We do indeed have bad news. Actually, it is two pieces of bad news. Which one should we start with?"


    Lanni shot a glare at Jiang Xingyu then shifted her gaze to Xiehan. "Honey, what''s the bad news?"


    Xiehan thought for a moment and decided to start with what they found out first. "Your dad is missing. He disappeared from the hospital."


    "What did you say?" Lanni was stumped.


    "He disappeared this morning." Xiehan added. "We have tried looking for him but we could not find a single trace.


    "Is he telling the truth?" Luna asked Jiang Xingyu, as though she believed him more.


    Jiang Xingyu nodded solemnly. "That is what I was trying to say."


    Luna''s mouth went wide with shock. "But that''s not possible. I went to visit him today at noon. He was there in the hospital."


    "Did you see him with your own eyes?" Xiehan inquired.


    "Yes!" Luna blurted before she recalled what had really transpired and shook her head. "No. I didn''t¡ªbut that''s only because the doctors were conducting several necessary tests on him and it would take at least two hours to complete. I decided to go back home and visit him later." She explained.


    Xiehan sighed. "That''s the point. He disappeared early in the morning and the doctors covered it up by telling all sorts of lies."


    Jiang Xingyu shifted his gaze between Lanni and Luna and scolded them. "I''ve been meaning to say this. How could the two of you leave your father on his own? Isn''t it your duty as his daughters to take care if him?"


    "Shut up." Xiehan glared at him.


    Lanni laughed bitterly. "Xingyu is right. It''s our fault. It''s my fault actually. I should have stayed in the hospital to look after him but instead, I hired a caregiver¡ªall because I was afraid that mom would be angrier with me."


    Luna placed her hand on her sister''s to comfort her. She was on the wrong too. She was afraid that frequenting Xia Hanchen''s ward would put his life in danger so she had limited herself to two visits per day and she would not spend too much time with him.


    She stroked Lanni''s hand as she swallowed a lump. "Blaming ourselves will not help us in any way."


    Lanni controlled her emotions. "You''re right. We need to find a solution now. Hold on. There were two pieces of bad news. What''s the second one?"


    Luna listened anxiously too, afraid that it would be worse news than the first.


    Just when the two of them were on the verge of breaking down from anxiety, Xiehan broke the second piece. "Li Xiyan escaped from prison."


    The phone in Lanni''s hand dropped.


    Luna punched the wall.. "Damn it."

 Chapter 270 - Two-faced Hypocrite(1)

    "I knew it." Lanni cursed when she snapped out of her shock. "I knew it wouldn''t work. I told you¡­ damn it." She bit the inside of her lip in anger.


    "Lanni¡­" Jiang Xingyu was about to say something but was stopped by her ferocious glare.


    She shifted her gaze between the two of them as she clenched her fists so hard that they cracked. "I told you this was not a fool proof way to deal with her but what did you say? The two of you insisted that leaving it in the hands of the law was the best thing to do. Just great! The precious law has handled it pretty well."


    Xiehan pulled her to his side. "Honey, I understand how upset you are, but pointing fingers at each other will not help us get a solution."


    Lanni stood up, determination written all over her face. "Don''t anyone dare to stop me. I am going to find that woman by all means and when I do, I will strangle her with my own hands."


    "Uh¡­" Xiehan glanced at the frail little hands that were supposed to strangle Li Xiyan but he didn''t doubt her. From her fierce expression, she could really do it.


    However, that could be dangerous so he tried to talk her out of it. "Honey, don''t be rash. We¡­"


    "Are you on my side or on hers?" she glanced at him threateningly.


    Before Xiehan could respond, Luna stood up. "I''m with you. Let''s show that woman what happens to people who mess with Xias."


    Left with no choice, Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu could only join them. Otherwise, these two might land themselves in danger; they needed to be there for them.


    "Do you think Li Xiyan really has our dad?" Luna asked Lanni.


    "Who else? Isn''t it already clear?" Lanni scoffed. It was not a coincidence that Li Xiyan escaped from prison at the same time as Xia Hanchen''s disappearance.


    "In fact, it is highly likely that she personally snuck into the hospital and bribed the doctors so they would lie." Jiang Xingyu speculated.


    Luna thought about it for a moment and shook her head slightly. "The first part is probable but the second part seems more unlikely. Li Xiyan wouldn''t let anyone see her. That''s not her style of doing things."


    Lanni thought so too. "Besides, the doctors may not want to ruin the hospital''s reputation so when they noticed that a patient is missing, they would try to cover it up as much as they can." She knew she was thinking the worst of the hospital but that was the brutal truth. She had read many news articles about such cases and the thought of it was horrifying.


    The hospital staff were probably trying to find Xia Hanchen too.


    "That''s possible. Whether it was because they wanted to deal with this matter without making the relatives worry or because of their own selfish reasons, we cannot rely on them. Let''s conduct our own investigation." Xiehan said.


    "I know someone from the National Intelligence Unit¡­" Jiang Xingyu started but Luna interrupted him.


    "That woman is a psycho. The more people we involve in this, the more dangerous it will be for our dad. It is better to keep it among us ."


    "Alright." He did not refute. Luna was the one who knew Li Xiyan best, after all.


    "How about Lin Jian? He already knows what is going on so he does not count as an outsider, does he?" Xiehan contemplated and asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ how will he be of help?" All Luna knew about him was that he was a willful young master who did as he pleased and swapped women as frequently as he changed clothes. He didn''t seem to have any focus in life! What was more dangerous was his mouth which functioned several times faster than his brain.


    Xiehan knew what she was concerned about and reassured her, "Don''t worry. He knows when to keep his mouth shut. Lin Media Group owns a private investigation agency that only a few people know about. We can use this agency under the guise of scouting for news and since they have all signed contracts of confidentiality, we will not have to worry about anyone else finding out."


    "That would be helpful." Lanni responded. It wasn''t like they had much choice.


    They discussed what to do and when they were done, Luna stood up. "Since it is decided, I will go home now. I have another matter to settle."


    She stormed out of the private room as soon as her words were out, as though it was an emergency.


    "What happened? Did something happen at home?" Jiang Xingyu asked Lanni, who shook her head in confusion.


    "If anything happened at home, I would be the first person to find out. Perhaps it''s a personal matter." she speculated, even though she knew it was highly unlikely. The girl simply started a string of curses a while ago and stood up as soon as their discussion was over.


    Thinking about it, she stood up too. "I think I should go home too."


    _


    Luna rushed all the way home and when she arrived, Li Yuming was in the living room.


    "I was looking for you girls. Where did you run off to?" she asked as soon as she saw Luna.


    Luna was going to ignore her and go to her room but since the latter spoke first, she stopped and looked at her. "Oh yeah, you were?"


    Li Yuming was confused by her tone but smiled it away. "I am attending an art gala in a few days. Do you girls want to come with me?"


    Luna crossed her arms as she looked straight at her mother. "Did you get the wrong twin?"


    Li Yuming was now firm that something was wrong. "What is up with you?"


    "You''re asking me?" Luna found it ridiculous.. "My dad is missing, and you are the only one who is in the mood to attend banquets and celebrate. Do you have something to do with his disappearance?"

 Chapter 271 - Two-faced Hypocrite(2)

    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Li Yuming was flabbergasted when she heard the words that came from her own daughter''s mouth.


    Luna snickered, as though calling her out for putting on a barely believable act. "My dad has very few enemies. Although Li Xiyan is top on the list, she is not the only one who would benefit if anything happened to him.


    Don''t think I have forgotten how much you hate him. A few days ago, I thought you no longer hated him so much. You even put on such a beautiful act that I almost believed you but on that very day¡­ tch¡­" Some words were too hateful for her to utter, and she was enraged that Li Yuming could even ask her such a question. "You hate him, especially since you know that he and Lanni are getting closer. You don''t even care about her feelings, sigh. Tell me, did you do this? Is it to get back at him for trying to reunite the family? Where are you hiding him?"


    Li Yuming swung her fist and was about to land a slap on Luna''s face but stopped at the last moment. She laughed bitterly. "You don''t trust me. I''m your own mother-I gave birth to you, yet you do not trust me?"


    Luna laughed as though she had just heard the most insane joke. "Trust you? You have your guard around me so much that you would send people to tail me and take photos of everyone I interact with. Don''t tell me I should trust someone who thinks I''m a potential cause of danger?"


    Li Yuming sat back down as she glanced at her daughter with a lazy smile. "Aren''t you a potential cause of danger, though? If you didn''t portray yourself that way, why would I think so?


    Do you know what the laughable fact is?"


    Luna listened curiously to know what nonsense Li Yuming was going to say this time.


    "That you don''t trust me, yet you are living under my roof." Li Yuming continued. "Aren''t you scared I might have intentions to hurt you? I mean, since according to your own words, being your mother doesn''t matter."


    "Heh." Luna laughed then enunciated her reason, syllable by syllable. "I''m only here because of her. Did you really think I was here because of you?" she chuckled mockingly as she shook her head. "No, Miss Li. I''m here to protect my sister."


    Seeing Li Yuning frown, she crossed her arms languidly. "Clearly, you are unable to do that despite being her biological mother. First you stopped her from doing what she wants, then you forced her to do things she doesn''t want in the name of protecting her and right now¡­ you are standing in the way of her happiness simply because of your own grudges. If you simply respected her decisions..."


    "Enough!" Li Yuming couldn''t bear to hear anymore.


    Luna''s lips twitched. "What is it, Miss Li? You did all those things, yet you can''t bear to hear the truth?" Since she no longer had time to bicker with her, she turned to leave but before she walked away, she peeked at Li Yuming from over her shoulder. "By the way, that was beside the point. The main point is¡­ you better have nothing to do with this, mother."


    Li Yuming''s mouth gaped as she stared at her retreating back. She hated it when Luna distantly called her "Ms. Li." But right now when she called her mother, the word seemed to slice into her heart like a sharp dagger.


    ¡­


    Lanni furrowed her brows after witnessing that fight. No wonder these two didn''t truly get along. They didn''t trust each other and each thought that the other would hurt her. How insane.


    She walked in and when Li Yuming saw her, she quickly pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind and plastered a smile onto her face. "Lanni, you''re finally here."


    Seeing that she was acting like nothing had happened, Lanni smiled and played along. "Yes. Is Luna home yet?"


    Li Yuming''s face paled at the mention of Luna. The name was almost like a jinx to her ears. Avoiding the question, she took the invitation cards from the table and showed them to Lanni. "I have been invited to an art gala and I have an extra invitation card. Do you want to come with me?"


    "When will it be?" Lanni felt her head hurt. She was worrying about her father right now and didn''t thunk she would be in the mood to attend any event in the next few days.


    "It''s in a week. If you won''t have anything to do then, we can go together."


    Lanni forced a smile and accepted the invitation card then went upstairs and headed straight for Luna''s room.


    The latter was tapping furiously on the keys of her laptop and Lanni almost didn''t want to be anywhere within her radius. However, this was crucial and Xia Hanchen''s life depended on it so she made her way over to her and sat on the bed. "Why do you suspect her?"


    "Who?" Luna asked but her fingers neither paused nor slowed down.


    Lanni scoffed when she heardbthat question she had expected to hear. "You know what I''m talking about, Luna. You were arguing with her just a moment ago."


    Luna paused and looked at her. "How much did you hear?"


    "You warned her, saying she better have nothing to do with this."


    Luna was slightly relieved. It was great that she didn''t hear anything. This meant she could bluff her way out of this. Although she did not trust Li Yuming, she didn''t want to directly sow discord between her and Lanni, especially since she didn''t have any proof yet.


    Alas, she was just about to open her mouth to speak when Lanni saw through her. "You better not think of lying to me."


    Luna was at a loss. Left with no choice, she could only tell the truth.. "She is a two-faced hypocrite."

 Chapter 272 - Used Up All Effort For Nothing

    Lanni took a moment to process what Luna had just said and frowned. How could Luna say such words? "You do know that she is our mother, right?"


    "Yes. Which is why I didn''t want to point this out before. I didn''t want to create friction between you two."


    Lanni still found it unbelievable. Although she knew that her mother made some ruthless decisions sometimes, it was all with a good reason. "What made you think that way of her?" She asked gently.


    "Can we not talk about it anymore?" Luna knew what her sister wanted. She was probably trying to understand both sides so she would come up with a solution that would make she and Li Yuming understand each other more. But the problem was that between her and Li Yuming, there was really no solution unless time could be reversed.


    Lanni sighed and stood up. "If you ever want to talk about it, you know where to find me."


    Luna nodded and resumed to what she was doing, casting Lanni a sidelong glance. "I think we should contact Lin Jian as soon as possible and discuss the details with him."


    "The guys already did. They should give us an update soon." Lanni responded.


    "They are more reliable than I thought." Luna laughed slightly.


    While they were still chatting, Luna received an incoming video call request on her laptop. Because of the speed at which she was typing, she answered it without intending to and the screen turned dark.


    "A hacker?" Lanni asked in alarm when she saw the black screen.


    "Shouldn''t be." Luna was at ease, knowing that the caller had to be someone who was actually interested in speaking to her.


    The screen remained black for a while and if it wasn''t for the green button that indicated that the video call was on, she would have thought that her laptop had crashed.


    "Who could this be?" Lanni was curious and started to speculate. Cheng Yu? That was the only person who was close to Luna but she couldn''t come up with such nonsense. Jiang XIngyu wouldn''t do something so pointless either.


    She was just about to suggest hanging up when th display on the screen shifted and a handsome face appeared. What shocked Lanni was that this face was quite familiar¡­


    "You¡­"


    "Hello princess!" The man''s tone was jovial even those his face remained cool and indifferent. When he realized who the person closest to the screen was, he corrected his statement. "Hello Luna! Have you been well since we last met?"


    Lanni was infuriated merely by the sight of this man. "First you were making life difficult for me, and now you are torturing my sister. What exactly do you want?"


    "I just want to say hi. Can''t I?" he ruffled his already messy hair with a languid expression.


    Lanni gnashed her teeth. If only slaps could be sent over video calls¡­


    "Anyway, princess, I have a piece of news for you. Should I say?"


    Lanni hated the way he called her but what she hated more was his silly way of beating around the bush and making her anxious. "Speak if you want to or click the red button if you don''t want to."


    "Heh." The man let out a chuckle. "You look so cute when you are angry. All I wanted to break is¡­ Li Xiyan escaped from prison. Congratulations, you used up all that effort to achieve nothing."


    Seeing Lanni on the verge of exploding from his taunting, he decided to cut it short. "Since I have already broken the news, I will hang up now. See you soon, princess!"


    Lanni remained silent. See you never!


    A moment before he hung up, he grinned at the screen. "By the way, your dad is here with me."


    "What did you say?"


    Alas, the call had already been hung up.


    "Call him back. What does he mean?!" Lanni was on the verge of losing her mind as she urged Luna. "Call him back!"


    Luna who had been silent all this while finally had a reaction. "I can''t."


    "What do you mean? Why can''t you?"


    "He called me by hacking into my laptop. How am I supposed to call him back?"


    "By hacking into his laptop," Lanni said matter-of-factly. Wasn''t that obvious?


    Luna heaved helplessly. "Lanni, I can hack into anyone''s computer but this is Flynn we are talking about. I wouldn''t even be able to start before he counterattacks."


    "What nonsense are you saying? How can you make a conclusion without trying? You are the best hacker and¡­" she no longer knew what to say and the person she was speaking to was merely staring at her like she was an alien.


    "Nevermind." She took her phone out of her purse and gave Xiehan a call. "Honey, are you busy right now?"


    "Of course not." He answered instantly although she could hear the sound of paper being flipped on the other side. He was obviously working but his meaning was clear¡ªhe could never be too busy for her.


    Lanni felt a flood of warmth fill her heart. If it was not urgent, she would not bother him at such a time.


    She took a deep breath then explained the situation to him. When she was done, even he was surprised that there was someone whose hacking skills intimidated Luna.


    "But how exactly did she know what he was capable of, and whether or not she could beat him?" XIehan questioned.


    Lanni thought about it and glanced at Luna. the latter had heard Xiehan''s question through the phone so she answered, looking dejected, "I tried to hack into his phone before."


    Hearing this reason, Lanni was almost on the verge of giving up. Just how good was he?


    Xiehan went over to Li Yuming''s villa immediately and met the girls on the terrace. They led her to Luna''s room and he turned on his laptop as soon as he sat down and used the details from Luna''s laptop. Surprisingly, he was able to use the same method to video call Flynn in less than two minutes. He glanced at Luna in surprise.


    At that moment, Flynn''s face appeared on the screen so he decided to deal with the scumbag first.


    When the man saw Xiehan''s face, he broke into a smile as he peeked at Lanni who was behind Xiehan. "Tsk, tsk, you have become even more princess-like. You actually need a man to save you. How useless."


    "Do you have my dad or not?" Lanni was pissed off.


    "Hahaha" the man suddenly laughed.. "That was just a joke I made up. You actually believed it?"

 Chapter 273 - Girlfriend?

    Lanni glared at the screen. Can I beat this man up?


    "You shameless man! How dare you joke around about such a matter?" She leaned over Xiehan''s shoulder and was about to end the call when she felt that something wasn''t right. "How did you know that my dad is missing?"


    Flynn chuckled aloud. "Don''t give me that suspicious look, okay? I just received intel and wanted to confirm it. It seems like the rumor was true after all."


    Lanni no longer knew what to do with him. Xiehan, on the other hand, was staring at the man as though his eyes could pierce through the screen and right into the man''s body. "Since you have nothing to say, quit bothering my girlfriend."


    Flynn laughed even louder when he heard the warning. "Ha, girlfriend? My princess will never have a boyfriend and even if she does¡­"


    To stop him from speaking any more nonsense, Lanni leaned over again and was going to slam the laptop shut.


    "Actually, princess, I really have your dad." The man suddenly spoke again. This time, he sounded like he had stopped fooling around and was more serious.


    "What did you say?" Lanni felt a chill down her spine.


    "Please don''t blame me, okay? I didn''t want to kidnap him either. It''s just¡­ orders from above."


    "You''re kidding." She said sternly.


    But this time, Flynn was no longer laughing and making fun of her. "I''ll send a video to your phone. Once you watch it, you can decide whether I''m joking or not."


    Just as he finished speaking, Lanni''s phone chimed and she took it out with trembling hands.


    A few seconds into watching the video, she looked pale with shock.


    Xiehan and Luna rushed to her side to watch the video and were even more confused. How could such a thing happen without anyone noticing?


    In the video, Flynn walked into the ward boldly like it was part of his own territory. He chatted with Xia Hanchen casually for a moment then suddenly injected with with a liquid and the latter passed out.


    After that, he wheeled Xia Hanchen out of the room so openly that it was hard to believe that no one saw them.


    "What''s all this? What do you want?" Luna was the first to snap out of the shock and ask. "No matter how much you ask for, we will give it to you. Just return our dad to us."


    Flynn clicked his tongue in disdain. "If I wanted money, why would I get the old man? I would kidnap the princess, okay? She is more valuable."


    "What do you want then?" Tears glistened at the corners of Lanni''s eyes.


    Flynn focused on her and then glanced at Luna and Xiehan. "Excuse us."


    "We are not going anywhere." Luna blurted.


    Flynn huffed and focused on Xiehan instead. "If something happened to your future father-in-law because you are being stubborn, I''m afraid the beauty will no longer want you."


    Xiehan was about to retort when Lanni held his hand and squeezed it. "It''s alright." It was a video call anyway.


    Luna and Xiehan had no choice but to go out.


    As soon as they were out of the room, Luna let out a string of curses. "That despicable monster! I can''t believe I once thought he was a good match for my sister."


    She shut her mouth when she realized that Xiehan was right beside her. Luckily, he was not paying attention to her and was busy on his phone instead.


    He made a string of phone calls and when he was done, he glanced at the shut door. ''That idiot better not have any intentions towards my woman.'' He thought.


    As a man himself, he knew that Flynn''s gaze towards Lanni was complicated. It was as though he missed her, longed to meet her again and the thought of it was driving Xiehan crazy.


    He was done gathering his special team and was about to start giving them instructions when Lanni left the room looking dejected.


    "What''s going on? What did he ask for?" Luna rushed over worriedly.


    Lanni stumbled into Xiehan''s embrace, looking like her whole life had been sucked out of her. "He wants me to go back to Germany."


    "Go to Germany¡­" Xiehan repeated the words he bad been dreading to hear the most. From the moment that man asked him and Luna to leave the room, he guessed that it would involve such a request but even then, he was still shocked to actually hear it.


    "G-go to Germany?" Luna was stunned too but she reacted faster. "Then let''s go. We will go together and bring several trained men with us. He will not be able to hurt a strand of hair on your head."


    "You don''t understand." Lanni was so confused that her head hurt. "He didn''t ask me to go to Germany to bring him back. He wants me back in the organization. He wants me to take back my identity as Phoenix."


    "That''s not going to happen." An icy glint flashed past Xiehan''s eyes. He didn''t know much about the said organization but one thing was for sure. Being a member of that organization was the reason why Lanni''s life was sought in the past.


    She had recovered more of her memory in recent days so she had told him about it. Before her accident, she had offended several powerful figures by exposing their dirty deeds. If she went back to that sort of lifestyle¡­


    Lanni knew what he was thinking and sighed. "What else can we do? Send your special team to Germany to bring him back? I''m afraid that''s not possible."


    "What''s impossible about it?" Xiehan frowned.


    "That organization¡­" Lanni didn''t know what words to use. "They are all sly foxes and are hard to deal with. If they were not sure that nothing would go wrong, they wouldn''t have used this method."


    Xiehan knew that hard-to-deal-with sly foxes was an understatement but even then, he was not willing to let Lanni go to that place. "Why don''t we at least try? If we fail, I will go with you."


    "I have an idea." Luna spoke up before Lanni could answer. "I will go on your behalf."


    "What are you saying?" Lanni was stunned.


    "Aren''t we identical? We are in fact, so identical that even Xingyu and Xiehan couldn''t tell us apart." She laughed, referring to how the two men had both thought that they had fallen for the same woman.. "If I go in your place, no one will ever suspect a thing."

 Chapter 274 - Galaxis

    "How could you even think of such an idea?" Lanni scolded when she recovered from her shock.


    Luna looked helpless. "What else am I supposed to do, send you to that place? You haven''t even completely recovered your memory yet!" Even with her memory of the past, it was dangerous to be there. With the current circumstances, it was several times more dangerous. But for Luna, it was slightly less dangerous since she was skilled in combat and would be able to protect herself more than Lanni could.


    Lanni massaged her temples when she heard that explanation. "I don''t want to go either." But this was about her father''s life¡ªshe would go to hell of she had to. Besides, "Perhaps there are not many people who know about us being twins, but Flynn does. What if he discovers that you are impersonating me?"


    "He wouldn''t find out but even if he did, he would be on our side." Luna was firm. Everything he had done so far was to help them????? except this.


    "Why would he be on our side? Are you listening to yourself?" Lanni was on the verge of breaking down.


    Luna finally shut up and started thinking of another solution.


    As Lanni''s boyfriend, Xiehan felt useless for not being able to do much to help his own girlfriend. However, there was no way he was going to give up without trying. He didn''t believe that the organization was as invincible as they made it sound. "What''s this organization anyway? You have never mentioned its name before." He probed.


    Lanni contemplated for a moment before mumbling as though she didn''t believe it herself. "Galaxis¡­"


    "Huh?" Xiehan was taken aback. This name¡­"Isn''t that a news outlet?"


    "Yes." Lanni was in disbelief too, as she remembered the details. "It''s just a normal news outlet on the surface but in real sense, it''s a secret organization of undercover journalists and underground investigators. Galaxis Academy¡­ that school actually exists."


    "The one where Flynn got a fake student identity card for Luna? I thought it was a nonexistent school that Flynn made up to deceive your father." No matter how he searched he had not found anything related to the school.


    "That''s where I was being trained to become an undercover journalist. Flynn was my trainer and all those missions were merely assessment tests, most of which I failed." Lanni explained.


    "If an assessment test puts your life in danger, what will happen when you undertake real missions?" Luna shook her head at the thought of it. Why did they want her back if she failed her assessment tests and was even in danger? Logically, they should think of her as weak and incompetent, right?"


    Lanni naturally knew what her sister was thinking and could not blame her for that. She was wondering about the same thing too. Was it perhaps...because the big boss had found out that she failed all those tests because Flynn deliberately sabotaged her?


    She thought back to what Flynn said and decided not to mention it. If she did, Luna would surely insist on going with her. SHe would rather be in danger alone¡ªif there was any danger awaiting her¡ªthat drag her sister along with her.


    She sighed and speculated, "Perhaps they don''t need me to complete actual missions. Maybe it''s some other reason."


    "Flynn said they wanted you to restore your identity as Phoenix." Luna reminded.


    "She will not go." Xiehan said for the umpteenth time. This time, he was sure of what to do.


    "What do you have in mind?" Lanni asked curiously.


    He stretched his hand to pat her head. "Go and take a nap while I make arrangements. I will explain everything once I''m done."


    Since he said so with so much certainty, Lanni trusted him and nodded.


    "You should rest too. I will call you once I''ve handled everything." He said to Luna, and she nodded and went downstairs.


    ¡­


    Li Yuming was curious when she saw Xiehan enter the house anxiously a while ago. She wanted to ask what was going on but didn''t want to bother him at the moment. Hence, she sat in the living room and waited.


    A long while later, she finally heard footsteps heading downstairs but when she lifted her head, she saw that it was Luna instead. As soon as their gazes collided, all those words from earlier flooded back into her mind and her lips twitched.


    Luna walked over to her and sat on the couch next to her.


    Li Yuming didn''t know what to say. Honestly, she was tired of fighting with her daughters¡ªespecially Luna. She hoped the latter would leave her alone so they would not start arguing all over again.


    "Mum," Luna started, her voice slightly nervous. Li Yuming turned to look at her in surprise and she smiled awkwardly then continued, "Regarding all those words I said earlier I would like to apologise."


    Li Yuming was slightly taken aback. She smiled slightly and said, "You don''t need to. I''m the one who should apologise." ''For not fighting harder in the past.'' she added mentally. If she had fought harder and gotten custody of Luna, she would have brought her up. Then, she would never have to worry about her character.


    Luna pursed her lips and stood up. "You are not to blame for anything. Just¡­ try to let go of your past grudges, will you? They will not do you any good."


    "Why did Xiehan come?" She tried to change the topic. Grudges? They were not merely grudges.


    Luna was unsurprised by the question. "We found our dad. We know where he is now." She studied Li Yuming''s expression and when she saw that it didn''t change in the slightest, she smiled. "We don''t have the ability to bring him back yet, but at least we are now hopeful."


    "Anything I can do to help?" She offered out of the blue. When she realized how startling it was, she coughed. "For Lanni. I know how worried she can get and if he is not found soon, she might run around and cause trouble."


    Luna held her chin while deep in thought. As expected. "No thanks. I''m sure Lanni, my brother-in-law and I can handle it so we do not have to trouble you. Anyways, thanks for offering to help, mum."


    Li Yuming was at a loss. No matter how sincere she was in offering her help, it would sound fake as long as Xia Hanchen was involved. In truth, she would never have wanted to help him either.


    _


    Lanni was unable to fall asleep and kept tossing in bed. After some time, she decided to get up and grabbed her phone. She made a call and just when she hung up, she got a text message from Flynn.


    "Damned bastard!" She cursed when she read the content of the message.


    She got out of bed and freshened up then gave Xiehan a call to ask where he was. He had already gone back to his mansion, so she decided to talk about it the following day.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Lanni was not the only one who went to Xiehan''s mansion. Jiang Xingyu, Lin Jian and Luna were there too, and they looked like a team seated together around the table. Several bodyguards stood at the side and Xiehan was explaining their role.


    "This is my special team and each one of them is highly skilled. I have divided them into three teams and given them each their roles." He stated. "We will use the same pln we used to get evidence from Li XIyan''s study, only more sophisticated this time.


    The first team will get Uncle Xia''s location while the second team causes a distraction. If all goes well, then these two teams will manage to get him out. If anything goes wrong, the third team will step in."


    "What if there are booby traps?" Lin Jian asked.


    "They are highly skilled." Xiehan restated, to assure Lin Jian and everyone else that there was nothing to worry about.


    "The rest of us, together with a few investigators from Lin Jian''s side, will find Li XIyan."


    Lanni had almost forgotten about that woman. Hearing Xiehan''s plan, she knew that it was fool-proof. He would not have promised anything if there was less than 100 percent chance of success.


    However, it only made her feel worse.


    "What''s wrong?" Xiehan was the first to notice that she didn''t seem alright.


    Lanni wanted to say that it was nothing but Xiehan was planning to send the team off as soon as possible. This was the only chance to stop them. "This¡­ all this is not necessary."


    "What are you saying? He is my future father-in-law and this is the least I can do to ensure his safety." Xiehan cupped her face, thinking that she was worried about him troubling himself.


    Lanni held his wrist with her shaky hand. "It''s just¡­ not required." she stuttered.. "I want to go to Galaxis."

 Chapter 275 - No Choice Left

    Everyone froze when they heard Lanni''s sudden declaration.


    "What? You''re kidding, right?" Lin Jian questioned.


    "Think about what kind of situation we are dealing with. Do you think I would be in the mood to joke around?" Lanni shot a look at him.


    "If you''re not joking, then what''s going on? Why do you suddenly want to give up when we have already come to this point?" Luna could not understand no matter how she thought about it.


    Xiehan''s forefinger tapped the table surface rapidly as he looked at her. "Did that man threaten you?"


    "Which man?" Lanni feigned ignorance with a tiny smile.


    "What did he say to you?" Xiehan''s gaze narrowed. He had the urge to fling that guy away using his ponytail.


    Lanni shifted her gaze on everyone before it stopped on Xiehan. "Can we talk about it in private?"


    "Why? Aren''t we all¡­" Lin Jian was about to complain when Luna stopped him.


    "It might be personal. Give them a moment."


    Hence, Lanni and Luna made their way to his room.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked as soon as they were on their own.


    Lanni took out her phone and showed him the screen. It was a text message from Flynn and indeed, a threatening one.


    [Princess, I will be expecting you in two days. By the way, your boyfriend better stop trying to act smart with us: or do not blame us for not being kind.]


    Xiehan clenched his fists when he saw the text message.


    "I made him promise to let dad come back as soon as I arrive. He is an asshole for sure but at least he doesn''t break promises¡­" she held his hand soothingly. "It''s alright. I didn''t agree to do anything else so as soon as they let dad go, I will come back."


    "It''s not going to be that easy." Xiehan was sure of it.


    "I know." Lanni sighed in exhaustion. Being forced into going to that place was one thing but being pressed for time was another matter. Why didn''t they simply kidnap her then?


    _


    Downstairs.


    "You are being weird." Lin Jian suddenly stated, his scrutinizing gaze directed towards Luna.


    Luna frowned but before she could react, Jiang Xingyu held her hand and glared at the blabbermouth protectively. "Don''t you have anything else to blabber about? Why are you picking on my¡­" he was about to blurt the word ''wife'' but quickly corrected himself to avoid getting scolded later, "Why are you picking on Luna?"


    Lin Jian shot him a look. "Haven''t you realized it yet? First, she seemed to be in good terms with Flynn and even befriended him. Then she was apparently unable to do something that is usually a piece of cake to her and now, she is saying nothing to stop Lanni from going back to that place. Instead, she seems to want her to go."


    Luna cringed and slammed her hands onto the table. "So what if I said something? What would that do? She will still go anyway."


    Lin Jian was shocked. He chucked like a lunatic and looked at Jiang Xingyu. "Did you hear that?"


    "That''s enough. I''ll beat you up if you spout any more nonsense!" Jiang Xingyu threatened. As Lanni''s sister, Luna was the most worried, okay? She was just as helpless as everyone else and had limited capability.


    Lin Jian was about to say something else when Xiehan returned with Lanni.


    Seeing their helpless faces, he was curious. "What''s going on?"


    "Lanni has to go." Xiehan reported. "I will accompany her for as long as I can."


    Luna took a deep breath. "If that''s the only choice then¡­ I have no objections. I will take care of matters here and make sure Li Xiyan learns her lesson."


    Lin Jian shot her a disdainful look and stood up. "We will all team up and find Li Xiyan. No matter where she hides, we will find her even if she goes to space. Besides, stop making it sound like they will be gone for ages, okay? You make it sound as though¡­"


    "Stop it already, for the last time." Jiang Xingyu warned. What was wrong with this fellow? Was it because he had been dumped by Ruby that he was finding fault in everyone else?


    Lanni and Xiehan noticed the tension in the room but they didn''t want the matter to escalate so they didn''t ask what was going on.


    Lanni smiled. "I''ll inform mom about it. She will be so worried¡­" her eyelashes suddenly drooped as her voice broke at the end of her statement.


    "This is why I''m going to accompany you." Xiehan held her hand. One of the reasons was because he couldn''t bear to let his girlfriend go on her own, especially when there was a possibility of unforseen danger.


    But if Xiehan was going along, Li Yuming would be less worried about it.


    ¡­


    "What sort of insanity is this?! No way. You are not going anywhere." As expected, Li Yuming was not agreeable.


    "Mom, it''s not like I have any other choice here. I¡­" Lanni was on the verge of passing out. She had repeated the same explanation for the past one hour but her mother was adamant.


    "You have a choice. Why don''t you ask me for help? I will use my connections to find someone who can locate him and bring him back. Besides, there is such a thing as the police. Why don''t you inform the police?"


    "If I do that, they will hurt him." She said for the umpteenth time.


    "Then so be it."


    "What?" Lanni couldn''t believe what she had just heard. Her ears were probably playing tricks, right?


    Li Yuming massaged her temples as she looked at her daughter.. "What do you want me to tell you? Don''t you already know how dangerous it is to go? Even a three-year-old child knows that one must never trust a kidnapper. How can you guarantee that you will not be hurt in the process? What if you fulfill their request, but they still turn against you and hurt both of you?"

 Chapter 276 - He Does Not Deserve It

    Lanni could agree that she had a point but, "If I do as they say, then they may set dad free, or they may go back on their promise. But if I don''t go, then they will surely hurt him. Since there is a sliver of hope, why should I give up?"


    "I would agree if it was anyone else but him." Li Yuming snickered. "He is not worthy."


    Lanni stood up. "He may not be worth it for you since you hate him so much anyway. But to me, he is. I''m willing to risk it all." She turned to go back to her room. If this topic continued, they would fight again.


    "He is a murderer." Li Yuming suddenly spoke.


    Lanni paused in her steps and turned robotically. Her face went pale in shock when she digested what her mother had just said. "You¡­"


    She was about to ask what her mother meant when in the next second, a chuckle escaped her lips. "To make me give up, you will surely say anything, right? By claiming that he is a murderer, I will hesitate to go and start investigating whether you are telling the truth or not and because of this delay, I will be late. Even if I do go in the end, they might still hurt him.


    Oh, and¡­ when I start investigating, who is to say that you will not create some pieces of ''evidence'' to make me believe it?"


    Li Yuming broke into a bitter laugh. Was the father-daughter pair so formidable at convincing people, or was her Lanni just too gullible? Or could it be that her capability as a mother was so lowly that her daughter no longer trusted her? She even thought she was capable of coming up with such a meticulous scheme...


    No matter what it was, she decided that she would no longer hold back. "Come here." she sat down and patted the space beside her.


    Lanni thought about it briefly and walked over.


    Li Yuming called the housekeeper to make sure none of the servants went to the living room for the next one hour. After making sure that they were alone, she took a deep breath. "You have always asked me what I hate so much about the Xias and why I do not trust Xia Hanchen. I did not want to give you an answer before because no matter what, they are your biological family but now¡­ it seems like I have run out of choices.


    Lanni parted her lips but no words could leave her mouth. She could only wait for Li Yuming to continue.


    The latter looked reluctant to talk about it but braved it. "Before I met Xia Hanchen, I was just a slightly popular artist with no family except my brother. He was still in university so I took care of him. We were as close as siblings could possibly get."


    "You have a brother?" Lanni was surprised. She had never heard of it.


    "I did." Li Yuming said with a bitter sigh.


    "Oh¡­" Lanni understood the meaning behind it instantly.


    "When I got married, I paid more attention to my husband and in-laws. As for my brother, I would only keep contact with him on phone." She explained. ??But when I was expecting you and your sister, he was so worried about me that he started coming to my house frequently to check on me.


    No one minded him at first since he was my brother but with time, he started getting into fights with my in-laws. This was majorly because he once said that he had suspicions about them, paired with the fact that he tried to stand up for me when Li Xiyan happened and it got so huge that he wanted Xia Hanchen and I to get a divorce. Of course, this is not the reason why we went separate ways."


    "Then what is?" Lanni already knew about how her paternal grandmother set her father up with another woman just to get rid of Li Yuming so she guessed that this must be the reason behind their divorce.


    However, Li Yiming''s explanation was different from what she knew. "Because Xia Hanchen adamantly rejected the divorce, my brother wanted to find a way to force him to agree. Hence he started investigating your father to get a weakness. He found something¡­ earth-shattering."


    "What did he find out?" Lanni was curious.


    "I don''t know. When he found out the secret, he called me and said that he had discovered something shocking about my husband and was going to tell me about it at home. But he didn''t return alive." Li Yuming dabbed at the corners of her eyes and blinked rapidly to stop the huge teardrop that was threatening to fall. "On his way back, he had an accident and died on the spot."


    Lanni felt emotional as she asked, "If he didn''t tell you anything, how did you conclude that dad is a murderer?" She had expected that the shocking secret was what made them divorce.


    "It was a planned accident. There were several bullet holes on his car and he had been shot twice. My brother had no enemies except the Xias and it was just too coincidental that he died immediately after uncovering their secret."


    When Lanni thought about it, it was indeed suspicious. But one couldn''t draw a conclusion from a suspicion, right? "Did you investigate it?"


    "I tried my best, Lanni. I couldn''t get anything from it but. That''s until your paternal grandmother approached me one day and asked me to take you and leave. If I didn''t, my brother would not be the only person I lost."


    Lanni was so shocked that she didn''t know what to say anymore. She had not expected the truth to be like this.


    She might have still had suspicions but she recalled a fact: Luna didn''t tell her anything about Li Yuming''s brother. She probably knew nothing about him, which went to say that the family might have banned everyone from talking about him.


    Her head spun from the sudden info dump. So this is why her mother hated the Xias so much¡­

 Chapter 277 - Too Much Distrust

    "So, because you could not find the truth after investigating for a long time, it automatically equals to him being behind the murder?" A chilling voice suddenly interrupted their conversation from behind them.


    Lanni nearly screeched in shock when Luna suddenly appeared behind her. "When did you get here?"


    Luna rolled her eyes and circled the sofa so Li Yuming could see her clearly. "I''ve been here all along. You were just too engrossed in listening to her lies to notice me."


    "Lies?" Li Yuming was perplexed and enraged. "You have gone overboard! It''s alright if your mind has been poisoned since you were young and naive but calling the truth a lie is too much! Do you think I would lie about such a matter?"


    Luna sat down nonchalantly. "It''s clearly¡­ just a tale with no valid proof."


    "Luna!" Lanni glowered at her. Saying such words would be alright if Li Yuming was making things up but by making such a heartless comment when she was clearly still grieving over the loss of her brother, wasn''t it too cruel?


    However, Luna did not think it was overboard or wrong in any way. She focused on Li Yuming. "You say that your brother mentioned discovering a secret about dad, did he tell you what he discovered or at least give you a clue?"


    Li Yuming was reluctant to have this conversation with Luna but for the sake of clearing the air, she answered, "he didn''t have the chance to."


    Luna nodded slowly to indicate that she understood before asking, "Did he tell you when he would get home to tell you about it?"


    "Why are you asking this?" Li Yuming was suspicious but when Luna said that she was simply trying to understand, she answered that too. "He said he was on his way."


    "That''s my point." Luna suddenly chuckled, earning question gazes from Lanni and Li Yuming.


    She used the back of her hand to support her chin as she assessed, "Uncle didn''t have the chance to tell you about the shocking secret he discovered, and neither did you find out about it later, so how did you conclude that it is enough to give dad a motive to murder him?"


    "You¡­"


    Li Yuming was about to ridicule her when the latter interrupted. "Besides, he said that he was on his way home. Even if he had not yet hit the road at the time, do you think there was enough time for dad to find out that secret had been discovered, plan a murder then hire people to do it? Don''t you think he would have been too squeezed for time?"


    Li Yuming narrowed her eyes with a snicker. "Since you think you know so much about assessing cases, why don''t you become a detective?"


    "That''s enough." Lanni interrupted to prevent another fight from erupting. "Luna, just because he told mom that he was going to tell her the secret he discovered on that day doesn''t mean that he had just found out. He could have found it out some days or even weeks beforehand and didn''t know how to talk about it. Or he could have been trying to find evidence.


    Who knows? Perhaps he even decided to talk about it when he sensed that his life could be in danger."


    Li Yuming smiled. At the time, she had thought about this possibility too.


    "You are too imaginative." Luna snickered. She looked at Li Yuming once again. "You said that he wanted to make you and dad have a divorce at any cost. What if he came up with some nonsense to slander him and make you sue him for a divorce?"


    "My brother would never lie." Li Yuming was on the verge of losing her mind from being interrogated by her own daughter.


    "Anyway, it was already hard to investigate twenty years ago and now, it will be much harder. There probably isn''t any lead." Lanni was at a loss.


    "That''s another reason why I couldn''t tell you about it in the past. I was afraid you would treat it as baseless words and accusations since there isn''t any proof."


    Luna rolled her eyes when she heard that. "Quit trying to guilt-trip Lanni into believing your tale. You''re already not trustworthy at all! First, you lied and told Lanni that dad was dead. Then you claimed that the family rejected her and now you just spun a new tale about him being a murderer and expect everyone to believe you?


    Let''s not forget how selfish you are¡ªyou even lied to Lanni about the career she chose and shoved her into an art class just to fulfill your own dream. What kind of mother are you?!"


    "Xia Luna, are you insane?! Even if you don''t trust her, can''t you at least have some respect? Is this how you talk to your mother?!" Lanni couldn''t hold it in anymore and exploded.


    "Lanni, you¡­" Luna clenched her fists and swallowed back the rest of her words. In the next moment, she chuckled. "I was wrong."


    Lanni was just about to be relieved when Luna continued, "I was wrong to think that this wrecked family could ever reunite." Her chest heaved as she looked at Lanni. "Fine. You can trust her all you want. It''s your choice whether or not to believe what she said. It''s up to you to decide whether you want to save him or not¡­ but if you don''t, then let me go in your stead.


    I hope you will not begrudge me for trying to save the life of the only person who considers me his family." After saying that, she stormed off.


    "Oh well¡­ as if there''s not enough drama already." Lanni massaged her temples.


    "Here she was claiming that I''m trying to guilt-trip you when she is the one doing that in such a blatant way."


    Lanni was no longer sure who to believe. She scanned her mother instead.


    "What? Why are you giving me that look? I gave birth to that girl. How can I not know the kind of person she really is? I let her stay here¡­ I thought her personality had changed after seeing that you cared about each other¡­ but it turns out I only brought the snake into my house."


    Lanni found the word offensive. "Luna is right. This family was not meant to reunite."


    There was too much distrust.

 Chapter 278 - Little Brother

    Amid the dramatic tension, Lanni left for Germany the following day. Using the directions that Flynn sent her, she made her way to Galaxis Academy as soon as she arrived. She finally realized why she was unable to find anything related to the school in the past; it was too isolated with no building within several kilometers of its radius.


    There was no way to go to the school with Xiehan, so he had to stay as close to the premises as possible, which was a few kilometers away to avoid getting into trouble with those deplorable human beings. After nagging her to send him a signal if she encountered anything dangerous, he finally reluctantly let her go.


    Lanni was dropped off by a van that Flynn had sent to pick her up. When she arrived, she looked around at the familiar yet unfamiliar environment and had mixed feelings. She had once put in all her effort to be in this place...yet at the moment, all she felt was hatred and a tinge of fear. Would her dad really be okay?


    She was thinking about it when someone bumped into her on his way.


    "I''m so sorry, miss. Are you alright?" He quickly apologized then froze in the next second when he saw Lanni''s face. "Phoenix! It''s actually you! You came back?"


    Lanni squinted her eyes as she tried to remember the excited young man before her. She remembered him from a certain evening in Country C. She was on a date with Xiehan and was just about to confess her feelings to him when this young man bumped into her. His reaction had been the same: he had been shocked to see her. Only that at the time, he was surprised about her being alive.


    The young man continued rattling on in excitement. "I knew it was you that night! I heard someone say you had lost your memory. Is it true? Is that why you did not recognize me?" Aside from that night, Lanni couldn''t remember him from anywhere else. "Who are you?"


    "Eh? What? You don''t know me?" The young man looked disheartened. "You can forget everyone else but how can you forget your own little brother? Ouch~my heart hurts."


    Lanni didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed like there was one of Lin Jian everywhere, right?


    Seeing that she was going to ignore him, the young man quickly reintroduced himself. "I''m your little brother, Robin."


    "B-brother?" Lanni exclaimed as she glanced at him suspiciously. Since when did she have a little brither?


    "Have you forgotten this too? I must have been so unimportant." He sobbed exaggeratively. "We were both trainees under Flynn, that monster."


    "Monster." A sudden voice resounded from behind them and the duo reflexively turned to see Flynn glaring daggers at them.


    "Uhm¡­ sis, I just remembered that I have something else to do. See you around!" The young man fled in the blink of an eye.


    "Stay away from him." Flynn warned.


    "That''s not necessary." Lanni responded. She would not stay around for long enough to bump into him again.


    Flynn cleared his throat and said, "I don''t know how much you remember but I''m not going to treat you like a new trainee. You will have to do everything on your own, princess."


    "Can you stop calling me that?" Lanni was irritated.


    "Aren''t you one? Anyway. I''m used to it so you will have to put up with it."


    Lanni swallowed back her anger. Whatever, she would not be staying for too long anyway. "Take me to my dad."


    "You finally asked. Let''s go, he''s been waiting for you." the man led the way and she followed.


    He led her to one of the buildings which she vaguely recognized. They went on to the first floor and the more they walked, the more Lanni remembered the place. This was¡­


    They entered one of the offices and after locking the door from the inside, Flynn pressed his palm onto one of the walls. In the next moment, a screen appeared on the wall and detected his hand, then the wall opened up to reveal an exit.


    "A fake wall?" Lanni was unexpectedly calm when she saw what looked like magic happen before her.


    "You seriously forgot everything, didn''t you? I don''t know what the old man was thinking when he decided to call you back.


    The old man he was talking about was the boss; Lanni had never seen him but he only ever chose recruits based on their abilities. Logically, Lanni should not have been brought back in her current state.


    "I suddenly thought of a reason. Perhaps the old man knows that you have recovered most of your memory and is afraid that you may pose a threat to the organization. Say, he wouldn''t have called you because he wants to finish you off, right?" Flynn blabbered as they made their way to the headquarters.


    "Are you trying to scare me? I''m not a gullible little girl." Lanni scoffed.


    Flyn chuckled. "You used to be one."


    Luckily, they arrived fast and she no longer had to hear him assault her ears with matters of the past.


    When they entered an awfully familiar building, an eerie sense of fear arose in Lanni''s heart. Her heart pounded as though they were entering the depths of hell. She didn''t know what scared her more. Was she afraid that her father might have been hurt already, or was it because she was meeting the boss for the first time?


    Flynn received a phone call with instructions and led her to a room.


    Lanni was just about to ask how many weird entrances and exits they were going to go through when she finally saw something that ignited a ray of hope in her heart.


    "Dad!" She rushed up to the man chained onto a chair and embraced him tightly.


    "Lanni, why are you here?" Xia Hanchen looked displeased and worried.


    "What do you mean why am I here? Of course I''m here to save you."


    "You shouldn''t have come here. What if you get hurt?"


    Ahem¡­" Flynn coughed at the side. "I hate to interrupt your heartwarming reunion but the boss is waiting."


    Lanni straightened up and nodded. "Dad, I''ll be back shortly."


    Xia Hanchen masked the worry in his tone and sent a warning look to Flynn before saying, "Take care, come back fast."


    After that, she followed Flynn to another room. She expected to see the boss but instead, it was a large screen. Not surprising. This was how everyone communicated with him.


    She started the call based on her memory and spoke as soon as she had the chance. "I have come as you asked. When are you going to let us go?"


    A chuckle reverberated in the room before the boss huffed in disdain. "Little thing, you have not even started on your mission, yet you are already asking to leave?"


    "Excuse me?"


    What mission?


    Lanni had a bad feeling about this.


    "Did you think I merely called you here to take a look at you because I missed you? You wouldn''t be so naive, right?"


    Lanni clenched her fists. I knew it!

 Chapter 279 - She Will Be More Comfortable

    Li Yuming''s villa.


    No matter how Luna tried to distract herself, she would still think back to her argument with Li Yuming the previous day. The phrase ''brought a snake into my own house'' irked her to the core.


    She had been feeling it for a few days now but after hearing that statement, it was clear just how uncomfortable her presence made her mother and how much hostility she harbored towards her.


    She slammed her laptop shut and stared at her phone. After contemplating for a while, she picked it up and made a call.


    Previously, she had moved out of her apartment at Goldenwing when Li Yuming persuaded her to move in with her. Luckily, she had not permanently moved out and the house still belonged to her.


    In actual fact, she had encouraged Cheng Yu go back and inhabit it after Li Xiyan got arrested. So the apartment was clean and in good condition too.


    All she had to do was move back in.


    After informing Cheng Yu about her decision, she casually packed her luggage and headed out.


    Just as she approached the door, the housekeeper rushed to her with surprise. "Miss, where are you going?"


    "To my apartment." Luna responded with a gentle smile.


    The housekeeper was not sure what to do in this situation. She turned to look at Li Yuming who was just making her way downstairs.


    Luna grabbed hold of her luggage when Li Yuming stared at her. "I''ll be on my way now."


    Seeing that Li Yuming had no reaction, the housekeeper chose not to interfere either. "Alright. Take care, miss."


    Luna snuck a final glance at her mother as she turned to leave. Although she had decided to leave, she couldn''t help feeling a little disappointed that Li Yuming didn''t say anything to try and stop her. She didn''t even have any reaction¡­


    Her lips curled into a tiny smile. "She will be more comfortable now."


    _


    "Tell me, what exactly is going on?" Cheng Yu asked as soon as Luna arrived.


    Luna tiredly lugged her bags to her room then returned and slumped onto the couch. "Many things are going on. First things first, Lanni went to Germany?"


    "What''s wrong with Germany? She could have gone for a vacation, right? She once went there with Xiehan but they were interrupted¡­" Cheng Yu stopped when she thought of something. "Unless¡­"


    "Yeah. She went back to Galaxis." Luna completed the statement.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. Why would she suddenly go back? Is she insane?"


    Luna let out a tiny laugh. "I''m insane to have let her go. It''s all because my dad was kidnapped by those bastards, and they wanted Lanni back in exchange of his safety. If it wasn''t because I had to stay back and make sure Li Xiyan is caught again, I swear, I would have knocked her out and gone on her behalf."


    "Hold on. Could you drop one bomb at a time?" Cheng Yu was stupefied by the sudden pieces of shocking news.


    "Your dad was kidnapped? How did that even happen and how¡­ and why didn''t you tell me? Also, Li Xiyan escaped from prison?"


    "It was Flynn who kidnapped him. Flynn is Lanni''s former trainer, that bastard." Luna sat up straight and looked at Cheng Yu seriously. "I''m sorry that last time you were caught up in my mess and ended up getting kidnapped because of me. However, this time, I will not let anything happen to you."


    "Luna, what nonsense are you saying? It''s all because that woman is crazy. It had nothing to do with you at all." Cheng Yu held her hand, feeling useless that it was almost always Luna helping her out and rarely the other way round. "What are you going to do now? Is there anything I can do to help?"


    "Yes. Be careful and don''t go anywhere on your own without informing me." She had to know where her friend was at every time to avoid surprises like what happened before.


    "Just this? I want to actually help." Cheng Yu frowned.


    Luna was helpless against the girl''s eager look. "Okay, I may need your help with¡­"


    They were still speaking when the doorbell rang.


    Luna looked at Cheng Yu suspiciously. "Are you expecting anyone?"


    Cheng Yu thought about it and shook her head. "No." She didn''t have any friends aside from Lanni and Luna so no one would look for her.


    Luna harrumphed. "Someone is here to cause trouble already? I just came back!" Luna laughed and grabbed a floor lamp at the side, then went to the door. She opened the door slowly with her right hand ready to land the lamp on whoever was at the door.


    "My¡­Ahh!" Madam Jiang shrieked when she saw a huge lamp landing down on her head as soon as she walked in. She was not able to dodge in time but the pain she expected did not arrive.


    Instead, it was an embarrassed laugh as Luna quickly shoved the lamp aside. "Aunty, it''s you¡­"


    Madam Jiang patted her chest in fright. "Luna¡­ it''s been ages since we last saw each other and the first thing you want to do is kill me?"


    Luna quickly pulled Madam Jiang to the couch and stood beside her obediently like a kid who was admitting to her mistakes. "Aunty, I''m sorry. I wasn''t expecting you and thought that it was someone who came to cause trouble."


    No one knew that she had moved out of Li Yuming''s villa so naturally, she was not expecting any guests. Seeing that Madam Jiang still looked sulky, she quickly added, "If I knew that it was you, the first thing I would have done would be hugging you!" She then hugged Madam Jiang warmly.


    Madam Jiang could no longer put up an angry act. "You little sweet-talker."


    Luna chuckled happily. "Aunty, I''ll get you something to drink. How about iced tea?"


    "Sure." She was unable to say no to her passionate offer.


    Cheng Yu at the side was getting more surprised by the second. She already knew that Luna and Madam Jiang had grown close but she didn''t expect them to be this close!


    She had never smiled this happily even when with Li Yuming, her own mother.


    Cheng Yu had always known that what Luna lacked the most was a mother''s love. However, her own mother was so prejudiced against her. Earlier when she called and explained what had happened with Li Yuming, Cheng Yu was so angry that all her adoration for Li Yuming flew out through the window. Who would treat their own daughter that way?


    But now when she saw her usually gloomy friend fawning over Madam Jiang, she smiled and was relieved. If only Madam Jiang was Luna''s mother¡­


    But it didn''t matter, right? After all, Jiang Xingyu was currently chasing Luna so in future, Madam Jiang might become Luna''s mother-in-law.


    For the first time, she felt as though that man was a good match for Luna. How did he get so lucky as to have such a loving mother?


    Luna soon returned with the iced tea as well as a plate of cookies. "Aunty, have some tea!"


    Madam Jiang joyously sipped on the tea. " As expected, Luna knows what I like the most. If only that punk of mine was half as sensible as you."


    At the mention of Jiang Xingyu, Luna''s ears heated up slightly as she thought back to the scene Madam Jiang stumbled into that night. Why couldn''t she stop thinking about that scene?!"


    "Luna, why did you leave your mother''s house? I went over to invite you to dinner but your mother said that you left."


    Luna finally comprehend. No wonder Madam Jiang knew that she had gone back to her apartment. It turned out she had gone to look for her earlier. She shoved aside the gloom that was threatening to surface on her face and smiled instead, "Xiao Yu was unable to get used to living on her own so I came back to keep her company. But aunty, you could have just given me a call."


    Madam Jiang had detected the slight hurt in Luna''s expression a moment ago. She set her teacup on the table and took her little hands. "Luna, don''t worry about anything, okay? If Li Yuming does not know how to treasure her daughter, I will take you away from her and pamper you for the rest of my life."


    "Aunty¡­" Luna was moved.


    Madam Jiang hugged her and patted her back. "Alright, don''t cry. Otherwise, that punk of mine will accuse me of bullying you and fight me to the death."


    Luna laughed as she recalled the silly banters between Jiang Xingyu and his mother.


    For a moment, she considered getting together with Jiang Xingyu just so she would make Madam Jiang her mother-in-law.


    She scolded herself as soon as the thought surfaced. How could she have such a selfish and terrifying thought?

 Chapter 280 - Like Begets Like

    Cheng Yu wanted to give the duo privacy to talk so she excused herself and went to her room.


    Soon after Cheng Yu left, Madam Jiang thought of something and looked worried. "Luna, isn''t it dangerous for you to be on your own? Xingyu told me that Li Xiyan escaped prison. She might seek you and cause trouble." Madam Jiang thought about Cheng Yu and was worried about her too. The last time, Li Xiyan had used her to force Luna into admitting guilt for a crime she had not committed. Since she was once again free, wouldn''t she seek revenge on Cheng Yu as well?


    Since she was Luna''s friend, she was concerned about her safety as well, and was even considering having both of them move in with her.


    Luna felt emotional that Madam Jiang was worried about her. "Aunty, don''t worry about me. I''m an expert at hiding. Previously, I was in hiding for more than a year and not even special level investigators could find me, let alone Li Xiyan. This time, if I decide to hide, she cannot find me either. Not to mention, our roles have been reversed this time and I''m the one looking for her."


    Madam Jiang did not look reassured in the slightest bit. "What on earth is a hiding expert? Don''t be stubborn. How about you come and live with us? Xingren and I will take good care of you."


    Luna coughed in a fit, chocking on her saliva. "Aunty, what are you saying?"


    "Come and move in with us. There are no rules anyway, you can do what you want and treat the house as your own. I can guarantee that you will be comfortable."


    Luna was glad for the offer but she could not agree to it. "Thanks for offering, but I''m afraid this is not appropriate."


    After all, she and Jiang Xingyu were not even friends, let alone dating. How could she audaciously move into his parents'' house?


    Madam Jiang knew what she was thinking about and clarified, "That punk of mine rarely comes to the old house to visit. You may not even cross paths for weeks. Anyway, you can just take it as living in a friend''s house if you don''t mind having a friend my age."


    Luna was almost moved by the offer but she had to reject it politely. "Thank you but¡­ I cannot leave Xiao Yu on her own. I''m afraid she may encounter some danger."


    Madam Jiang thought about it and realized that Luna made sense. She could not force her into moving in with her, but she thought of a different method of protecting her. "Since that''s the case, how about I send a few bodyguards to protect you? This way, your security would be guaranteed."


    Luna was about to reject it but seeing that Madam Jiang was genuinely worried about it, she couldn''t bear to. "Then I will have to trouble aunty."


    Madam Jiang was overjoyed. "In that case, I will ask that punk to dispatch four of the best bodyguards. Two will be in charge of protecting you and the other two will protect your friend."


    "Thanks aunty." Luna hugged her arm, earning a pat on her head.


    At that moment, the doorbell rang again and Luna went to check. This time, she checked the monitor first so she did not require a weapon when she opened the door.


    "Why are you here?" She asked Jiang Xingyu who had just walked in.


    "I went to look for you then found out that you were no longer home. I couldn''t reach through to your phone. I was so worried about you yet here you are, having the time of your life!" He complained in a flurry as soon as he was asked.


    When he saw his mother in the living room, enjoying a cup of tea and cookies, he was furious. "Didn''t you tell me you had a meeting with your old workmates for a chat? Why are you in Luna''s apartment instead?"


    Madam Jiang peeked at her son smugly. "Do I need to seek your permission before I come to see my Luna?"


    Jiang Xingyu frowned at her. "Was the lie necessary? Just admit you didn''t want me to tag along. And since when did she become your Luna?" She was obviously his Xia, okay?


    Luna laughed heartily as she watched the mother-son duo start with their bickering again.


    Jiang Xingyu ignored his mother and went to Luna instead. "Xia, are you alright? Will you be safe?"


    Luna was helpless at the sight of his worried face. "I''m really fine. You and aunty can relax. Aunty even decided to dispatch bodyguards¡­" she laughed lightly. They seriously treated her like a delicate toddler.


    Jiang Xingyu was relieved, but he didn''t forget to shoot a glare at his mother for stealing his thunder. In response, Madam Jiang made a funny face at him.


    Jiang Xingyu tried to redeem himself. "If you need anything, you must tell me about it. I am there to help you."


    Unlike all the other times, Luna did not reject his offer and instead, hugged him for a brief second. "Thank you."


    Jiang Xingyu was so overjoyed that he skipped over to his mother to flaunt.


    In response, Madam Jiang gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you so proud of? You have to work so hard, cross a thousand seas and defeat several monsters just to get something that I can obtain by merely being there."


    Jiang Xingyu sulked in a corner. "Are you really my mother?"


    __


    Meanwhile, in Berlin.


    Lanni was infuriated when she learnt that she had to accept a mission before her father was released.


    The old boss was an absolute idiot.


    Indeed, like begets like. A scoundrel like Flynn could only be under the guidance of a scumbag worse than him.


    When the call with the boss ended, Flynn brought her to another office to explain everything about the mission.


    She had to swallow her rage and listen to the mission that was awaiting her.


    "Do you know Xing Real Estate?" Flynn asked.


    Lanni racked her brains and said, "I''ve heard about it."


    Flynn nodded in approval. "It seems like my job is much easier this time. Xing Real Estate is a normal real estate company on the surface. But in secret, the company deals in drug and weapon smuggling. That''s where they get the money they use in running business."


    Lanni was not surprised. She had heard a few such rumors.


    "However, there is no evidence to prove this. Your task is to enter that company as an employee and find the evidence needed to prove the dirty deeds that take place behind the scenes." Flynn explained briefly.


    Lanni blinked. "May I know why I''m the one being given this mission?"


    "Could there be any other reason? Of course, it''s because Xing Real Estate is in your city. Besides, your identity is the least suspicious." Flynn scoffed.


    "Do you have some misunderstanding about the words least suspicious?" Lanni furrowed her brows. "This is a Real Estate company but I''m a former student of art, and I was an undercover journalist in training before. How on earth am I not suspicious?"


    Flynn''s gaze turned serious. "No one knows about your training. Of course, you will be in trouble if you tell anyone about it.


    About being a student of art¡­ surely, I do not need to tell you, do I? It''s up to you to find a way into the company."


    Lanni swallowed the anger that was brewing. What kind of hell-mode mission was this? "How long do I have?"


    Flynn checked the mission sheet and quirked up a brow. "There is no time limit. You can take as long as you can."


    Lanni''s eyes flashed with an icy glint. Awesome! She would never finish the mission.


    "Since I have already agreed to complete the mission, you should let my dad go, shouldn''t you? After all, I''m going back to B City to carry out the mission."


    "Of course we will let him go." Flynn grinned.


    "Great. Then¡­"


    Lanni was still speaking when he interrupted and added, "As soon as you complete the mission."


    "What? What sort of madness is this? You blackmailed me to come here and I did. You forced this mission onto me and I accepted it. Now you want to continue holding my dad hostage?!" She slammed her fist onto the table in rage.


    Flynn looked at her enraged little face and felt pity. "It''s not my choice, princess. It''s an order from above." He pointed a finger upwards.


    Lanni took in a deep breath to suppress the urge to murder someone. "You are an asshole! You and your stupid boss are both gaping assholes!"


    Flynn tittered in amusement. "You better not say that out there. If the old man heard what you said, he would have your head."


    "Whatever.." Lanni wanted nothing more than to strangle that old man and chop his body into pieces.

 Chapter 281 - An Amorous Affair

    Xiehan was waiting for Lanni at a nearby hotel. Seeing that it was taking long and Lanni was not yet back, worry started seeping into his heart. What could be happening? Could those idiots have changed their minds and decided to hurt Lanni instead? Or could this have been a trap all along?


    He paced in the hotel room and clenched his fists as he regretted letting her go on her own. He should have insistently gone with her no matter what.


    He was preparing to call for backup and go to Galaxis Academy when the door to the suite opened. There was only one person who could enter the suite without knocking so he turned around sharply. When he saw Lanni enter, he rushed up to her and pulled her into his embrace.


    They could hear each other''s heart racing from how tightly they were hugging.


    Xiehan broke the hug after a while and cupped her face in his hands. "How did it go?" It was only when he asked that he realized that Lanni was alone. He peeked behind her then asked, "Where is Uncle?"


    Lanni was even more infuriated now that he asked. "Those people are insane foxes! They actually gave me a mission and I have to complete it before they can release my dad." She sulkily explained the so-called mission.


    Xiehan tousled her hair without saying a word. It was within his expectations. If they merely wanted her to complete an assignment, intimidating her would be enough. They didn''t need to go through so much trouble and kidnap Xia Hanchen. They must have done so only to get something that they would use to pin her down.


    "I must finish this in the least time possible. After all, they will only let dad go once it''s complete. Until then, they agreed to let me have a video chat with him for ten minutes every day and visit him whenever I want. Crap, this sounds so much like a prison." Lanni lamented.


    While it sounded like they were being lenient, the video call was only for her to ensure that they did not hurt him. Allowing her to visit him whenever she wanted was merely superficial. It wasn''t like she could keep flying between B City and Berlin every day. She would have to spend at least 12 hours in the air just to see him for a few minutes.


    Instead of that, it was a more sane option to complete the mission as soon as she could then bring him back home.


    "I will help you." Xiehan''s voice pulled her out of her train of thought.


    "What?" Lanni peeked up from his chest.


    Xiehan kissed her on the forehead. "Honey, your battle is my battle too. I will help you complete it in the least time possible and bring Uncle back."


    Lanni felt emotional when she heard his heartfelt words. A smile escaped her lips. "Thank you my love. But¡­ aren''t you already too busy?"


    She already knew just how occupied Xiehan was in Feng Ji International.


    Although they had defeated the Feng family a few weeks ago and rendered their effort null, it was not the end of it. She knew that the Feng family had not given up and were constantly finding loopholes to exploit. He already had a hard time keeping them off.


    Moreover, he had been occupied helping her expose Li Xiyan and prove Luna''s innocence just a few days ago.


    How could she make him help her out in this matter as well?


    She smiled sweetly. "This is a small matter, I can handle it."


    Xiehan knew what he was concerned about. Even so, "the company is important but you are important too. If there is anything I can do to make it easier for you, I will gladly do it."


    Before she could say no, he looked into her eyes. "Are you really going to deprive me of the right to help my wife?"


    Lanni wrapped her arms around his waist as she chuckled gently, not at all repulsed by the fact that he called her his wife. "If there is anything I need help with, I will definitely let you know."


    Xiehan nodded in approval.


    "The sooner we get back to Country C, the better. My mum will be extremely worried if I''m away for too long."


    Xiehan could agree with that. Besides, they only had two hours before their flight. Hence after having a quick meal, they headed to the airport.


    _


    For the next few days, Luna busied herself trying to find ways to trap Li Xiyan.


    When she learnt that those foxes from Galaxis tricked Lanni, she was so angry that she vowed to seek revenge when she had the time. It was only because she was afraid Li Xiyan would flee out of the country that she had to postpone it.


    On the fifth day after Li Xiyan''s disappearance, she was finally able to gather some intel.


    She had been spending most of her time locked up in her room and barely left her desk.


    Cheng Yu could not watch this anymore. She knocked on the door and walked in, carrying a tray of food with her. "Luna, you should have something to eat. If you continue working tirelessly like this, it will not be good for your health."


    Luna did not tear her gaze away from her laptop screen as she said indifferently, "I already have a lead. I will not stop until I catch that woman¡­ the longer she stays in hiding, the more dangerous it is for us and everyone else."


    "Yeah, but if you continue like this, you will not even live long enough to see her pay for her crimes." Cheng Yu placed the tray of food on the desk with a gentle smile. "Take a short break and eat, will you?"


    Luna''s lips curled up slightly to form a smile of gratitude. "Thank you. I will eat then get back to work."


    Cheng Yu sighed in relief. She sat at the side and asked, "How is Lanni? I have not been able to get through to her lately."


    Luna clenched her fist furiously as she explained the matter. "Can you believe it? That old geezer actually used such an underhanded method."


    "Well, what would you expect from people like them?" Cheng Yu was disgusted just thinking about it. She pondered for a while and was confirmed for a moment. "Luna, how did they know that Lanni had recovered her memory?"


    Luna''s expression shifted for a second. She tapped on the surface of her desk using her index finger. She was about to blurt something out but changed it in the last moment. "No matter how they found out, it doesn''t change the fact that they are a bunch of scumbags."


    Cheng Yu scanned the woman before her curiously for a while then stood up, deciding not to push her limits. "I''ll go to my room now. I hope there is something I can do to help Lanni out."


    Luna stared at the door for a while then sighed. "There must be."


    __


    After trying to find a loophole for these few days, Lanni was still unable to get any. Getting into Xing Real Estate was harder than the old geezer made it sound. At this rate, how was she able to get evidence of anything in the least time possible?


    On Saturday, she went out for lunch with Xiehan. However, her mind was stuck on her mission and she was unable to focus on their date.


    "What''s wrong? Is the assignment too difficult?" Xiehan gently asked.


    Lanni was yet to answer when a figure stumbled into their private room. "There you are! I''ve been looking all over the earth''s surface for you!" The man complained.


    Lanni frowned slightly when she saw the blabbermouth appear. Why was he everywhere?


    "What do you want?" Xiehan asked him expressionlessly.


    Lin Jian walked over and shifted his gaze between Xiehan and Lanni then decisively slotted himself next to Xiehan. He then looked at Lanni. "Sister-in-law, I have a small matter to discuss with Xiehan. You won''t mind, right?"


    Lanni shook her head with a smile. "You guys go ahead. I''ll¡­"


    She was about to excuse herself when Xiehan interrupted. "Stay." There was nothing he wanted to keep from her anyway.


    Seeing that Xiehan didn''t mind, Lin Jian went ahead to talk about it. It was a matter related to Lin Media Group and Feng Ji International. When they were done, Lin Jian casually asked, "what about the matter with sister-in-law? Is it resolved yet?"


    He already knew about how Lanni had a task to complete so when she asked, Lanni shook her head. "Getting into Xing Real Estate is not a walk in the park."


    Lin Jian scratched his chin as he thought about it. "But no one said you had to be an employee of Xing Real Estate, right? You can simply seduce the boss and pretend to be in an amorous affair with him.. That''s even easier than trying to get into the company."

 Chapter 282 - Who Are You?

    Lanni and Xiehan both glared at Lin Jian.


    The man shivered from their fierce glares. "What is it? Why do the both of you look like you want to strangle me? My idea is super brilliant, okay? With Lanni''s beauty, she won''t even have to do much before CEO Xing is charmed silly by her. It will be several times easier than trying to get into the company." He vehemently defended his suggestion.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow as she glanced at him meaningfully. "It is indeed a good idea."


    "See? I knew it was awesome! Isn''t my excellence off the charts?" Lin Jian was about to do a happy dance.


    "Yeah¡­ how about I give you to CEO Xing instead?" Lanni glared at him threateningly.


    "No no no! It''s a dumb idea." Lin Jian laughed and dismissed the suggestion.


    Now that he thought about it, Lanni already had a boyfriend. How could she pretend to be in a relationship with another man? Even if she agreed, Xiehan would never let it happen.


    Xiehan ignored his friend and focused on Lanni. "Xing Han owes me a favor from many years ago. I helped him out before, and it was a matter of life and death. I can use this fact to ask him for help."


    "How will that work?" Lin Jian was the first to ask.


    Xiehan ignored Lin Jian and continued, "I will have him take you in as Xing Real Estate''s employee. Once you enter the company, you will only have to be careful and make sure you don''t get fired before getting to the bottom of things."


    Lanni felt as though a huge load had been lifted off her shoulders. "Thank you my love. As long as I can get into the company, finding evidence will be a walk in the park."


    "Hey! Are you guys listening to me? Why would anyone let a new employee come into contact with illicit goods any time soon? It will take ages for him to trust her and let her know what he does in secret." Lin Jian prattled.


    Xiehan frowned at him. "Did you leave your brain at home?"


    Lanni scoffed as she looked at Lin Jian. "It is even harder to trust a "girlfriend". It may take several lifetimes for him to let me get into contact with his secret deals. However, for such a company, employees must sign a contract of confidentiality. There is no need for trust."


    "So you are planning to breach your contract as an employee? Wouldn''t that evoke the anger of Xing Han and his lackeys? They might seek you and besides, other companies will be afraid of you and you will never get a job anywhere in B City." Lin Jian speculated.


    "So what? The job is a cover and naturally, I''m going to use an Alias. I will be an idiot to use my true identity while poking a beehive." Lanni rolled her eyes at him.


    Lin Jian nodded his head in approval. "See? That was what I was trying to say. Being an employee is definitely a hundred times better."


    Lanni''s lips twitched. Could this man be any more shameless?


    _


    Xiehan asked Xing Han out for a meal as soon as possible and brought up the matter with him.


    As expected, the man was unsatisfied with Xiehan''s recommendation since she had no experience in the business field. Nonetheless, he had already promised to do anything that Xiehan had asked of him so he could only grit his teeth and allow her into the company. He even let her occupy the position of his personal assistant, which just happened to be vacant.


    Hence, Lanni signed the contract and was officially an employee of Xing Real Estate. She was asked to start working on Monday, which was just in line with what she wanted.


    ¡­


    Monday, in the morning.


    Lanni finished dressing up and doing her makeup then donned the wavy, ashen blonde wig they had bought the day before.


    It was only when she finished getting ready that she realized just how good she was at disguising herself. When she wore the rectangular spectacles and took a look in the mirror, she almost couldn''t recognize the woman staring back at her!


    She was wearing a high waist, purple pencil skirt and a chiffon blouse, with a pair of matching high heels. Even she almost thought that she was really a secretary.


    She made her way downstairs to have breakfast before heading to the office.


    Li Yuming was already at the table, waiting for Lanni. When she heard footsteps, she knew that the latter had arrived. "You are awake. Come, tell me the progress of¡­ who are you?"


    Li Yuming was startled when she turned and saw the unfamiliar girl in her house.


    Lanni smiled gently. Great. She could fully believe that the disguise was flawless. Even her own mother did not recognize her!


    She sat down in her usual spot next to Li Yuming before explaining, "We decided that I will go to the company under an alias. Xiehan has already secured a job for me so all I need to do is scout for information."


    Li Yuming''s eyes darkened when she heard ber explanation. She scanned her daughter who now looked like a total stranger and was flawlessly acting like a secretary even before getting to her office. "All this just to save a murderer?"


    Lanni''s eyes glinted slightly. "Mom, it''s not that I don''t trust you but¡­ it''s just too unbelievable. How about this, when dad is released, I will investigate the matter. I have a feeling it''s a giant misunderstanding."


    "Let''s just eat." Li Yuming knew that if they continued dwelling on this topic, it would not do them any good. Unless she had irrefutable proof, trying to convince Lanni that Xia Hanchen was a dangerous man would only produce the opposite of the desired result.


    The two of them were about to finish their breakfast when Xiehan arrived.


    "Hello aunty." He greeted Li Yuming cheerfully.


    "Xiehan, have you had your breakfast yet? Come on, join us!" Li Yuming''s mood improved tremendously following Xiehan''s arrival.


    Xiehan thought about it and smiled. "I have already had breakfast but since it is food prepared by a goddess, I will have a bite." As he said that, he was eyeing Lanni''s hand which was holding a fork with a piece of cheescake. In the next second, he grabbed her hand and led the cheesecake to his mouth under Lanni''s dumfounded gaze.


    Li Yuming, on the other hand, felt flattered. "What a sweet tongue." She chuckled. No wonder he had charmed her daughter out of her mind.


    "You''re such a nice young man. I still find it a pity that you are not my son." Li Yuming half-joked.


    Xiehan slotted himself next to Lanni. He knew that Li Yuming meant what she was saying. She had loved him like she would love her own son, after all. He peeked at her from beside Lanni. "Aunty, what are you saying? If I were your son, I would never be able to date Lanni. It''s a good thing that we are not related."


    Li Yuming laughed. "You are right. On second thought, it''s even better for you to become my son-in-law."


    "Yeah." Xiehan nodded then peeked at Lanni mischeviously while continuing his conversation with Li Yuming. "Besides, sons are no good. How about I give you a grandson instead? He will be cute and loveable."


    "Xiehan!" Lanni smacked his hand. Not even the thick layer of foundation could conceal her flushed cheeks. What kind of topic was this?


    After being smacked by the beauty, Xiehan stopped messing around and handed a file to Lanni. "Your alias is ready now."


    Lanni opened the file with slightly trembling hands. It was not every day that she got to pretend to be someone else.


    The alias Xiehan had created was extremely detailed. It even included a new address, which was essential in case someone followed her.


    There were a few certificates and fake identification documents, which were a result of Luna and Xiehan''s combined hard work.


    Her identity would be Jiang Xiaomu, the younger sister of Jiang Xingyu. She had studied overseas for many years so no one knew about her. This was the most convenient identity since it would save them the trouble of having to find a fake family.


    Lanni finished reading through the files of her alias and peeked at a strand of her ashen wig. "Although my surname is Jiang, why do I think I look more like your sister than Jiang Xingyu''s?"


    Xiehan glanced at her wig and frowned slightly. It was almost the same color as his own hair. "It''s just a hair color. So what if your hair is not similar to your parents''? You could have just dyed it to what you like. I don''t have the same hair color as my parents either."


    Lanni glanced at his hair then thought back to his family. Indeed, it was so different that she had once assumed that his hair was dyed.


    There was nothing to worry about and if anyone suspected a thing, she could just claim to have dyed it.


    "Let''s go or you will be late.." Xiehan urged when Lanni finished eating.

 Chapter 283 - A Stunning Beauty

    Xiehan accompanied Lanni to Xing Real Estate. Just when he was about to bid her and leave, the man arrived and walked towards them.


    "Master Ji, what an honor." CEO Xing greeted Xiehan cheerfully. He then examined the girl by his side. "This is¡­"


    "My little godsister, Jiang Xiaomu." Xiehan responded naturally, getting in the act immediately.


    "Ah, so it''s my little assistant. Miss Jiang, nice to meet you." He extended a hand in greeting.


    Lanni was in a trance for half a second before she quickly remembered her new identity and shook the man''s hand.


    Contrary to the man''s prejudice when Xiehan asked this favor of him, he was excited and pleased when he met Jiang Xiaomu in person. What a beauty!


    He quickly called a female employee over then said to Lanni, "Ling Yu will show you around the company and help you settle in your office."


    Lanni walked to the female employee. "Nice to meet you, please take care of me."


    "You don''t need to be too polite." Ling Yu chuckled with a smile. Since there was nothing else, the two ladies left.


    It was just the men left.


    Xiehan was still staring at Lanni''s silhouette as she left, missing her even though they had been together just a moment ago. Thanks to Xing Han''s appearance, he had not been able to give her a goodbye kiss.


    "What a beautiful girl¡­ I''ve never seen anyone so pretty in my life." Xing Han was also staring in Lanni''s direction, and he kept looking even when they had disappeared into the building.


    He only snapped back when he realized that the man was about to leave. "Master Ji, your little god sister is really pretty!"


    "Mmh." Xiehan nodded languidly. Of course, his little beauty was pretty.


    "Say, does she have a boyfriend?" The man asked, making Xiehan cough in a fit. Unaware of the effect of his words, he continued, "Although she is as beautiful as a celestial being, she has you for a godbrother and Jiang Xingyu for a brother so no man would dare to get close to her. But since we are friends, how about you help me get close to her?"


    Xiehan glanced coldly at the eager man. "Stay away from her."


    Xing Han could swear that Xiehan looked at him as though he wanted to murder him, though he could not understand why. "Why don''t you want to set us up? It''s not like she''s your girlfriend¡­ you''re engaged anyway."


    In Xing Han''s view, Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e was called Li Lanni so there was definitely nothing between him and Jiang Xiaomu.


    "Stay away from her." Xiehan hissed, the murderous intent in his eyes evident.


    Xing Han could only chuckle concedingly. "Fine. I will not get close to her." Although that was what he said, his intention was still obvious.


    Xiehan glared condensingly at him before he left. If it wasn''t that urgent, he would never have let Lanni work under a boss who started having weird thoughts about her at first glance. But then again, his girlfriend was beautiful even with her disguise. How could any man not like her?


    _


    Lanni followed Ling Yu around as she showed her around the company.


    Earlier when they were still with Xiehan and the CEO, she had acted friendly and smiled at Lanni generously; but now that they were alone, she shed off the pretense and regarded Lanni with eyes full of hostility. "Why are you lagging behind? If you are this slow, how will you ensure that the boss gets to his appointments on time? You will seriously drag him down!"


    Lanni raised an eyebrow in surprise. She was being slow? Why did this woman sound like they were enemies from their previous lives?


    Despite her displeasure, Lanni tailed on silently.


    The woman led her to the end of the hallway and pointed at the door with a golden "CEO" label at the top. "This is the office of the CEO. You should stay away from it unless it is a work-related matter."


    Lanni''s brows furrowed. If it wasn''t a work-related matter, why the hell would she go to the CEO''s office?


    She finally had an inkling of what was going on. Could it be that this woman had a thing for the CEO but couldn''t get close to him, and was afraid that Lanni would win his favor?


    She shook her head silently. No way! She had a boyfriend, alright?


    Since she couldn''t say this, she could only keep an indifferent smile. Getting into catfights with fellow employees was not part of her task. "Could you show me to my office?"


    The woman scoffed and lef Lanni to the next office, which was separated from the CEO''s office by a glass wall. "This is your office."


    Lanni smiled as she walked in. "Thank you, I can do the rest myself."


    Ling Yu harrumphed and sauntered away. What an arrogant brat.


    She had once been the CEO''s assistant, and had carried a torch for Xing Han since her first day of work. On the day she finally had the courage to approach him, she ended up getting demoted and replaced by another woman. She had found all sorts of reasons to make that woman lose her job and when she finally succeeded, she had hoped that she would be promoted back to her original position. Who would have thought that she would be replaced by a little brat out of nowhere instead?


    "Humph¡­ little brat, your days in Xing Real Estate are numbered." She harrumphed her way back to her own office.


    ¡­


    Aside from the unnecessary hostility, Ling Yu had not done much to help Lanni so the latter had to get used to everything on her own.


    Lanni didn''t mind. She checked through the files and notes left behind by the previous secretary and tried to fit in.


    Since it was the first day, she had a lot of work to do and was trying to get used to it. She answered the CEO''s calls and fowarded the important ones to him, scheduled his meetings and fowarded the important emails to him.


    She was still getting the hang of things when the telephone on her desk rang, and it was a call from the CEO''s office.


    "Get me a cup of coffee. Double espresso, no sugar." Came the brief instructions, and the call was hung up right after.


    Lanni put the telephone back in place and headed for the pantry. A few girls were there to get coffee or snacks and when they waved at her, she briefly smiled then minded her business.


    As soon as she was a few steps away from her, she could hear their chatter.


    "Ling Yu was right. She is so beautiful!" One of the girls was stunned.


    "Yes. I wonder where she came from¡­ tsk, with such a beauty in the world, it is no wonder Ling Yu was dumped." The other girl chortled.


    "Don''t make it sound like boss had anything to do with Ling Yu¡ªthat woman must have lied. She is so fake!" The first girl snickered.


    To that, the second girl glanced in Lanni''s direction. "How is she any different? She is dressed so seductively so she is obviously not here for work. Isn''t her intention obvious?"


    Lanni listened to the chatter and merely smirked. Weren''t these two too idle? Besides, couldn''t they at least bother to whisper when gossiping?


    The coffee cup filled and Lanni was about to turn to leave when another girl blocked her path. "Hello, you must be Jiang Xiaomu."


    "Is there something I can do for you?" Lanni raised an eyebrow in suspicion.


    The girl cheerfully stretched out a hand. "I''m Li Na. I''m new here too, I hope we can be friends."


    Lanni thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Okay."


    If she needed to know about the company as fast as possible, she may have to be friends with people who can unintentionally help her out.


    The girl was relieved, after thinking that Lanni would say no. Hence she was even happier. "This company has a great reputation on the outside but the employees are like a pack of enemies cooped together. They are always trying to outdo each other and make the other person look worse." She sighed. "I heard what they said about you¡­"


    "It''s fine." Lanni did not mind. Well, part of it was true. She was indeed in the company merely to get close to the boss. It was only that her reason for wanting to get close was different from what they imagined.


    "I''ll head back now." She said to the girl and went to the CEO''s office.


    After delivering the coffee, she went back to work but only ten minutes passed before she was summoned to the CEO''s office.


    She hurried over immediately. "CEO, you called for me."


    "Mmh." The man tore his gaze away from her and looked at his cup. "I forgot to start drinking it so it got cold. Get me another cup."


    "Yes." Lanni took the cup of coffee away but was surprised when she touched it. It was still hot¡­


    Nonetheless, she brought another cup.


    Five minutes later, she was summoned once more.


    "I don''t want a double espresso anymore.. Get me a cappuccino instead."

 Chapter 284 - Unreliable Teammate

    Lanni found the man''s character peculiar but she did as she was told and got a cappuccino. When he summoned her to his office once again, Lanni was pensive. Were CEO''s this difficult to work for?


    This time, the man probably didn''t even need anything. He simply glanced at her and claimed to have forgotten what he needed, and that he would call her back once he recalled it.


    Lanni pursed her lips when she returned to her office. ''Please do not call me back, thank you very much.''


    It was already hard enough to get used to her work as well as try to figure out the perfect timing to start her investigation.


    Just a few minutes later, Xing Han''s hand hovered over the telephone on his desk. He was just about to make the call when he caught a glimpse of Lanni from across the glass wall.


    A smile surfaced on his lips. Because he never paid attention to his former assistants unless it was related to work, he had almost forgotten that the wall separating their offices was made of glass. He stared at Lanni''s side profile. She looked exceptionally beautiful even while working.


    He chuckled to himself. He could stay in his office doing nothing all day and be rewarded with such a beautiful view! The best part was that he would have to disturb the beauty anymore.


    He was just thinking about it when the girl stood up and headed for his office. He straightened up like a rod, subconsciously checking to ensure that he looked good enough. He couldn''t help scolding himself. He had dated a few times already. Why was he acting like a teenager experiencing the first awakening of love?


    Lanni knocked on the door and entered after being let in. "CEO, your meeting with Mr. Feng starts in ten minutes."


    "Got it." He smiled charmingly. "But, Xiaomu, you don''t have to be so polite and call me CEO every time. You can just call me Xing Han or whatever else you like. You can even call me honey."


    Lanni frowned slightly, finally understanding what was going on. Was this man hitting on her? She maintained a nonchalant expression. "I''m afraid that''s not appropriate, CEO."


    "Tch." His lips twitched, especially when he noticed the deliberate emphasis she had put on the last word to remind him of his place. What an arrogant girl¡­ but why didn''t he dislike it?


    ...


    When Lanni got back to her office, she gathered the documents required for the meeting. As Xing Han''s assistant, she would naturally have to accompany him to such an important meeting.


    Lanni glanced at her purse for a while and she pondered whether it was the right time. Considering her reason for coming to Xing Real Estate, Luna had given her a bug that could record long videos. They would be important if she wanted to obtain evidence of the illegal dealings.


    But on second thought, it was not the best idea to show her fangs on the first day of work. She could not guarantee that Xing Han was not suspicious of her. What if he set a trap for her? She pondered for a moment before deciding to learn her surroundings first.


    _


    In the conference room, Lanni sat next to Xing Han as they waited for the other party to arrive. She turned on her laptop so she would take down important notes.


    When the man next to her saw this, he grinned and leaned in closer to her. "Xiaomu, you don''t have to bother about these useless things. Let me handle them¡ªyour beautiful hands should be used for other tasks instead."


    Lanni uncomfortably created more distance between them. "CEO Xing, respect yourself." She was on the verge of exploding. If this man kept acting flirtatious, she might blow the cover from fury.


    Luckily, the door opened at that moment and the man had to sit upright, putting up an indifferent front. Ling Yu led a middle aged man and a young woman into the conference room and retreated.


    Lanni stood up to greet the guests but when she saw the young woman, she froze in her tracks. Feng Ci¡­ and the man next to her was Old Master Feng¡­


    She had only known that Xing Han was meeting with a Mr. Feng from the schedule made by the previous assistant. She didn''t think it would be these Fengs! And they actually had an alliance with Xing Han?!


    She quickly pushed her thoughts off her mind and greeted the two of them as though she was meeting them for the first time.


    Feng Ci scrutinized her for a while. "Have we met before?"


    Lanni froze. Had she been uncovered?


    She was about to say that they had never met but smiled instead, "yes. However, it''s been so many years, I didn''t think Miss Feng would remember me."


    Feng Ci seemed to be deep in thought and couldn''t exactly remember where she met this woman. Why was she giving off a vibe which was somewhat familiar?


    Lanni generously explained, "We met at my brother''s birthday many years ago, before I left the country."


    Feng Ci scrutinized her for a while, trying to recall who her brother was but she couldn''t no matter how she thought about it.


    Lanni maintained her smile and acted as naturally as possible. She would rather have Feng Ci think she had forgotten something than risk letting Xing Han suspect her identity.


    The meeting started, and Feng Ci naturally forgot all about Lanni and focused on the main agenda.


    On the other hand, Lanni listened carefully in case there was something important for her to take note of. Naturally, the Feng family would not randomly seek Xing Han for a trivial matter. There had to be some shady deal going on.


    The meeting proceeded normally and there was nothing out of the ordinary.


    "So, about the goods¡­"


    Lanni was about to give up getting information when she heard Old Master Feng''s words and her ears perked up.


    However, the latter stopped speaking and glanced in her direction awkwardly.


    In the next moment, Xing Han cleared his throat. "Xiaomu, help me inform everyone in the project planning department that I would like to have a meeting with them this afternoon. While at it, bring some snacks for Old Master Feng and Miss Feng.


    Lanni sharply understood what was going on. They must be about to discuss something discreet and Xing Han was finding random excuses to send her away so they would have time to discuss it.


    She had thought that he wouldn''t mind since she had already signed the employment contract.


    Masking her disappointment, she went ahead and tactfully gave them space.


    __


    That evening.


    When Lanni arrived at her new apartment, she found three unexpected figures sitting comfortably in the living room.


    She was frightened for a second before she patted her chest from the horror. "What are the three of you doing here? You almost took my life from the fright you gave me!"


    Luna smiled as she munched on a packet of chips that Jiang Xingyu had brought her. "I came here to look for you and found that Xiehan and Xingyu were coincidentally here as well. Xiehan has the key so we got in."


    Lanni flopped onto the couch and kicked her high heels off her feet. What a tiresome day.


    "How was your first day at work?" Luna asked.


    "How was your first day being my sister?" Jiang Xingyu asked at yhe same tkme.


    Xiehan ignored them and sat beside Lanni. "It must have been hard on you, working under a scumbag all day. Did he do anything he shouldn''t?"


    Xiehan sounded like if Xing Han did anything he shouldn''t, he would get someone to chop his hands into pieces.


    Lanni laughed at his protective stance. "I happen to know of a way to make him drop his advances in the blink of an eye. He will not spout any more nonsense. But you would never believe who I saw earlier."


    "Li Xiyan?" Luna quickly asked.


    "Of course not." Lanni rolled her eyes at her. Would she be this calm if she saw Li Xiyan? "Old Master Feng and his beloved daughter. They have a secret deal with Xing Han."


    The three were stunned to the core. No wonder the Fengs had gone MIA. It turned out they were merely being kept bussier.


    "What kind of deal?" Xiehan asked, and Luna amd Jiang Xingyu also curiously listened.


    "I don''t know. Xing Han sent me out." Lanni tiredly removed the spectacles and pulled her wig off, letting free the natural hair she had missed.


    "What a bummer. I was hoping the bug would become of use soon." Luna was disappointed.


    Lanni was disappointed too. She had thought too much of herself and had expected to be able to get evidence within the first day. It would probably take more time than she anticipated.


    She suddenly thought of something amd her eyes sparkled. "Hey, I have an idea!"


    "What?" The three asked in unison.


    "Xing Han suddenly has such an unreliable teammate by his side.. Wouldn''t it be a waste if I don''t utilize her?" Lanni raised an eyebrow suggestively.

 Chapter 285 - A Passionate Kiss

    "What do you have in mind?" Xiehan felt an ominous feeling rise in his heart when he heard her words.


    Lanni regarded him and chuckled meaningfully. "Feng Ci still has feelings for you, doesn''t she?"


    "I don''t know, but what about it?" Xiehan did not understand why she was suddenly interested in whether another woman had feelings for him.


    "I bet she still does. She doesn''t seem like one to give up so easily¡­" Lanni smiled as she concluded.


    "What about it?" Jiang Xingyu was curious too.


    "The main point is, why are you making it sound like something to be happy about?" Luna''s eyes narrowed in ridicule. Just how many women were after her future brother-in-law? First, there was a Ruby and now there was a Feng Ci? And why was Lanni acting so happy instead of bothered?


    "The point is, we can use it in our favor." Lanni answered.


    "How?" the trio were curious, and Xiehan could vaguely guess what she was up to.


    He scrutinized her expression. "What kind of mischief are you planning?"


    "Take a guess!" Lanni laughed excitedly, making the three have a weird feeling about whatever she was plotting. Seeing their synced expressions of worry, she languidly leaned back in her backrest. "How about the three of you give me time to check whether the plan can work? If it can, I will let you know all the details before I execute it."


    "Okay¡­" The three could only nod and wait to see what she was up to.


    Rejuvenated from her despair a moment ago, Lanni rubbed her tummy. "I''m so hungry."


    She stood up and picked the high heels she had kicked off. "I''ll go make something to eat. Are you guys hungry too?"


    "I''m starving." Luna complained, shoving the last piece of potato chips into her mouth.


    Jiang Xingyu peeked at her.


    "Why are you looking at me? Do you have something to say?" Luna gave him a condensing look.


    "No." Jiang Xingyu shook his head and chuckled. She was famished even after making him buy her snacks and ravaging all of them¡­


    "I''ll make something to eat. Just go and take a bath." Xiehan stood up, promptly folding his sleeves in preparation to go to the kitchen.


    "Baby, why are you so cute?" Lanni hugged him with the shoes still in one hand and the wig and glasses in another.


    Xiehan rubbed her back slightly and grinned. "Mmh. Do you want to thank me?"


    A flush crept onto Lanni''s ears when she understood his hidden meaning. She coughed the awkwardness away and whispered in a voice she thought only the two of them could hear, "How about you stay here tonight? I will thank you then."


    Xiehan wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. "Alright, it''s your first day staying in a new apartment so we can use this chance to warm up the atmosphere."


    "Hey, you two! Can you at least make sure you are alone before you suddenly turn the conversation R-18?" Jiang Xingyu could no longer pretend not to hear them. "Luna and I are getting blinded and deafened by you!"


    "Please do not include me, thanks!" Luna grabbed a pair of earphones and connected them to her phone then randomly started listening to music.


    Jiang Xingyu was speechless.


    "Ahem...I''ll go and start cooking then." Xiehan winked at Lanni, ignoring his friend.


    "But I didn''t buy anything." Lanni slapped her forehead as she suddenly remembered. She had only meant to check out the apartment and had not thought of buying any food.


    "I bought a few ingredients on my way here," Xiehan said when he understood what she was worried about. Although he said that he had bought a few, the fridge was currently filled with all sorts of grocery and fresh fruit. Hence he went to the kitchen and thought about what to cook, then picked the suitable ingredients and started preparing them.


    Lanni went to her new bedroom at the same time. She tossed the wig and glasses onto the bed and the shoes on the floor then flopped onto the bed with a sigh.


    Looking around in the room, a hint of surprise flashed through her eyes. She had only known that Xiehan found her a high-end apartment but she had not expected it to be this detailed!


    Even the bedroom was designed simply and with the same colors and designs as those in her bedroom at home. Not a single detail was missing!


    She smiled slightly. Xiehan must have done it this way so she would be comfortable and get used to it quickly if she wanted to stay here permanently. Actually, she had not thought about it before.


    But now that she was here, she found it a waste of space to merely use it to deceive people. Considering that Xiehan had put in so much effort and she liked it, she could move in and stay here, then pay Li Yuming a visit every few days.


    Coming to a conclusion, she stood up and headed for the bathroom.


    She was done bathing and changing in half an hour. Xiehan was not yet done cooking so she used the chance to check through the phone notifications that she had been unable to check while at work in fear of being exposed.


    She found an email from B City Universityand checked the contents before replying. Aside from several spam messages, there were also a few missed calls from Cheng Yu and Li Yuming; she called them back and briefly let them know that she was alright. She was just about to connect her phone to the charger when she caught sight of a series of digits in the missed calls window.


    She stared at the digits for a moment¡­ it was a German cell phone number.


    Her lips clenched as she thought of her dad. This was the same number they had been using to communicate for the past few days, so he must have missed her and had them give her a call. Unfortunately, she had been at work so she absolutely could not receive the call. She had even gotten a new cell phone to use for work purposes. She wondered whether the mean big boss would still let her speak to her dad now that she had missed the call.


    "There''s only one way to find out." She smiled.


    She then decided to plug the phone charger and called.


    She waited with bated breath. The call rang for a while and no one answered it. Disappointment engulfed Lannis heart. The call was just about to be automatically disconnected when someone answered it. In the next second, Xia Hanchen came into view.


    "Dad¡­" Lanni half-whispered, almost on the verge of tears.


    "My little cupcake." Xia Hanchen croaked. "How are you? Is everything going hard on you?"


    Lanni swallowed the lamp in her throat. "Don''t worry, it''s not too difficult, I will complete it in the shortest time possible." she promised, even though she knew it was not as easy as merely saying the words.


    "Of course I trust my little cupcake." Xia Hanchen was not just saying it, he believed that no matter what predicament there was, Lanni would surely find a solution to it.


    Lanni scanned the man on the screen. He didn''t show any signs of being bullied. But when she saw a glimmer from the corner of the screen, she frowned. "I have already started the mission. Are the chains still necessary?!"


    Xia Hanchen sharply detected the disdain in Lanni''s tone and chose to change the topic. "Is Luna there? It''s been long since we last spoke."


    "Yeah, I will call her right away." Lanni peeked at the time and found that they had already used up four minutes.


    She sprinted into the living room to save as much time as possible but just as she was about to call out her sister''s name¡­an unusual scene met her eyes.


    Jiang Xingyu had his arms wrapped around Luna''s slender body. Her hands were holding his neck and they were kissing passionately, locked in each other''s embrace.


    Lanni was startled. With flushed cheeks, she turned and went back to the bedroom. She would have Luna talk with their dad the next day.


    ...


    In the living room, about half an hour ago.


    Once Lanni and Xiehan left, Luna no longer had a reason to keep pretending to be listening to music. She awkwardly gripped her phone when she suddenly realized that it was just her and Jiang Xingyu left in the living room, and how close they were.


    He was so close that she could faintly feel the scent of his cologne. She had simply not noticed it earlier since they were not on their own but now, she could feel a slight hint of nervousness creep under her skin.


    In the next moment, she took a deep breath to calm herself then yanked the earphones off.. It was just Jiang Xingyu. What was there to be nervous about?

 Chapter 286 - Brother

    "What are you listening to?" Jiang Xingyu chuckled, intrigued by her nervous look.


    "Without you." Luna threw in a song she was not even listening to.


    "Really?" Jiang Xingyu laughed. "That is my favorite song."


    "Is it?" Luna tittered, not expecting that the song she had blurted out just happened to be one that he liked the most. She even suspected it to be one of those outdated methods that men used to make it seem like they had something in common with the woman they like.


    "It is." Jiang Xingyu looked reminiscent. "The artist is one of my best artists too, I like many of his songs."


    Luna did not respond so he continued, "He sang this particular album for the woman he loves, who left without saying a single word."


    Luna was pensive when he heard his words. "Are you speaking nonsense to find a conversation topic?"


    She thought he was making things up, especially when she heard the part about the woman leaving without saying a word. Even if he wanted to make up stories, couldn''t he at least make one which didn''t sound so similar to their own? Unless he was intentionally trying to remind her of what happened between them¡­


    Jiang Xingyu knew what she was thinking about and said, "If you think I''m making things up, why don''t you check?"


    "Gladly." Luna immediately unlocked her phone, wondering why she had not thought of it before. When she did a search about the artist''s wife, she was surprised that it was just as Jiang Xingyu had said: she had left him and disappeared without a trace, so the man had sang several emotional songs in a row to try and lure her back. What was even more shocking was that the song Luna had claimed to be listening to had been released just a few days after Luna left.


    "Uh¡­"


    This song suddenly made things awkward between them.


    Knowing how she must feel, Jiang Xingyu coughed and tried to change the topic. "How have you been?"


    She was happy that they didn''t have to talk about it anymore, She smiled as she answered, "I''m alright¡­ for the most part."


    Jiang Xingyu nodded, not knowing what else to say. They were clearly able to converse normally with Lanni and Xiehan around. Now that it was just the two of them, why did he suddenly feel as blank as a clueless teenager in front of his crush?


    Well, he really was clueless in front of his crush, only that he was not a teenager¡ªthough he was acting like one.


    "Right!" He subconciously exclaimed when he found something to talk about, and wanted to slap his mouth. What was wrong with him? He cleared his throat awkwardly. "How is the matter regarding Li Xiyan going?"


    Luna gave him an odd look. They had been working together: Jiang Xingyu, Lin Jian, Xiehan, Cheng Yu and her. Shouldn''t he know the progress? Even so, she nonchalantly answered, "There is a major lead. We can find her soon."


    The man nodded. "If there is anything you need my help with, please let me know. I will do my best to be of use."


    She could finally confirm that Jiang XIngyu was being weird. "You have been helping me already. Everyone has, and I would not have gotten this lead if we didn''t all work together."


    He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah¡­ but, if you need any help on a personal level, don''t hesitate to tell me about it."


    Luna pursed her lips slightly. "Then I won''t be too polite."


    Jiang Xingyu was overjoyed. She agreed to ask him for help! If he rounded it off, it should be equivalent to her being willing to be with him, right?


    "Haha¡­" Luna let out a chuckle out of the blue.


    "What are you laughing at?" The looked at her quizically. Her phone was no longer in her hand so she could not have laughed at something funny she saw online.


    She scanned him meaningfully. "I just find it funny¡­ if you and Lanni appear in public together, wouldn''t she have to address you as her brother?"


    "It''s already agonizing that I have to treat her like the little sister I dote on in front of other people. Can you not remind me?" Ever since he found out that he had mistaken his best friend''s girlfriend for his own girlfriend, he had never been able to truly get rid of the awkwarness, especially thinking about how passionately he had pursued her.


    "Xiehan could have made her anyone''s sister. Why did he have to make her my sister? Shouldn''t he have chosen Lin Jian instead?"


    "No man would want his girlfriend to have a brother like him even if it is merely an act." Luna laughed, rejoicing in his misfortune. "Besides, unlike his parents, Uncle and Aunty Jiang know about my family''s situation. They also like Lanni and me a lot, so they were willing to pretend to be Lanni''s parents."


    Madam Jiang''s exact words had been, "Forget about preteding to be Lanni''s mum. Even if you asked me to adopt her and make her my real daughter, I would gladly drag her to the civil affairs bureau."


    Thinking about it made Luna''s heart warm up. Was there any woman more loving than Madam Jiang? She should be given the title of the nation''s mother.


    She remembered something else and broke into another bout of laughter, making Jiang Xingyu look at her oddly. She laughed even harder. "Since Lanni is your sister and she is my sister too, doesn''t that make us¡­"


    "Take that back." Jiang Xingyu looked disgusted.


    "Hahahaha no way! Isn''t it awsome? Having a brother like you is my greatest accomplishment in life. Why would I take it back?"


    "What did you call me?" Jiang Xingyu glances at her dangerously.


    "Brother! What about it?" She was having a blast messing with him.


    The man grabbed her chin to make her look into his eyes, then enunciated word for word, "Listen here. I am not your brother!"


    Luna tore her gaze away, giggling at his enraged expression. "Oh? But you are. Brother! Is your little sister adorable? Brother, I really like the prawns from Scarlet restaurant. Will you get me some?"


    Jiang Xingyu decided to ignore her.


    Luna grabbed his arm like a spoilt girl, ruffling his hair at the same time. She was seriously getting too much into the role of an annoying little sister. "Brother, why aren''t you speaking to me? Are you mad at me?"


    Jiang Xingyu was suddenly glad that he didn''t have a sister. Were they this annoying? What annoyed him even more was that the woman he loved was calling him her brother so freely without a tinge of awkardness. If she had an ounce of feelings for him, she should at least be unwilling to think of him as her brother even if it was an act, right?


    He turned sharply, looking down at her furiously. "You are asking for it."


    Seeing him on the verge of exploding, Luna smiled and wanted to tease him even more. "B¡­"


    She was barely able to get the first syllable out when her lips were suddenly sealed with his.


    Her eyes shot open as he slid a hand behind his neck and kissed her roughly and demandingly, as though trying to mark his territory.


    When he felt her body stiffen, the man was pulled back to his senses. He pulled his hand off her head an couldn''t bear to look into her eyes.


    A moment ago, he was so furious that he wanted to remind her just who he was. In order to prove that they would never be fraternally related, he had lost his mind and kissed her without her permission.


    "I¡­ I''m sorry." He swallowed.


    Luna looked back at him blankly, not uttering a word.


    ''She must be so angry that she doesn''t know what to say. Damn it Jiang Xingyu!'' He cursed himself in his mind. They had merely gotten a tiny bit closer in the past few days. By doing what he just did, didn''t he nullify all his efforts? He grabbed her arm desperately. "Luna, I¡­"


    Before he could utter one more word, he suddenly felt a soft body bumping into him slightly and his lips were covered in the next second. He froze for a moment and was yet to register what was going on when the girl pulled away.


    She looked at him admonishingly. "If you are going to kiss me, do it like you mean it. Why did you stop midway?"


    Her words startled the hell out of him. What was Luna saying?! She did know the implication of her words, right?


    Before he could ask, she wrapped her hands around his neck as she pressed herself onto him and sealed his lips with hers. He felt heat crawl under his skin as her slender little fingers caressed the back of his neck.


    Losing control of his restraint, he wrapped his arms around her body and deepened the kiss.

 Chapter 287 - Sister-in-law As Cupid

    The duo was still immersed in their kiss when they had a soft patter of footsteps and started, and Luna instantly pulled away from him.


    "Luna¡­" Jiang Xingyu called out in a complaining tone. He had not had enough.


    "Lanni just saw¡­" Luna couldn''t bring herself to speak out the whole statement. Her image in her sister''s mind must be ruined. "Besides, this is Lanni''s place and¡­"


    Although she couldn''t complete the second statement either, Jiang XIngyu understood what she was trying to say. She found it indicent to make out in someone else''s house, especially since they were not alone.


    He looked at her, his eyes still full of passion as he asked, "Does this mean we can kiss more when we''re alone?"


    Luna shot him a glare. That was not what she meant, okay?


    Though, thinking back to the taste of his lips, she wouldn''t mind¡­


    Xiehan finished cooking and lay the dining table. He then went to the living room. "The food is ready."


    "Okay!" Both Luna and Jiang Xingyu rushed to the dining room like they were running away from each other.


    Xiehan regarded them pensively. What had happened between these two this time?


    He was just about to dismiss it as none of his business when a small hand slung over his shoulder. Lanni stood on her toes and tried to make it seem like she was taller than him, comically stretching her hand so she could plant her elbow on his shoulder. "If you finished cooking any later, the scene would have turned X-rated." she chuckled.


    Xiehan looked in the direction of the dining room and laughed. "Xingyu finally wormed his way into her heart?"


    "I think he did!" Lanni was more excited about her sister finding love than she was about her own love life.


    Xiehan laughed and pulled the apron off him, took it back to the kitchen then went to the dining room with Lanni.


    The meal took half an hour and when they were all done, Xiehan went to do the dishes. Casting a meaningful glance at Luna, Lanni quickly followed Xiehan to the kitchen.


    The man was just done loading the dishwasher, so she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.


    Xiehan had not heard her walk in, so he was briefly surprised and chuckled as he placed his hand over hers. "What are you doing here?"


    Lanni snaked her hand over his abs, feeling them through the fabric of his shirt. He must have worked hard to obtain such impressive muscles¡­ she was entraced for a moment before she answered jubilantly, "I''m giving those two knuckleheads a chance to set off sparks."


    "You naughty little thing." Xiehan laughed. "What about us? Won''t you give us a chance to set of sparks too?"


    Lanni pressed against his back, breathing warm air into his neck. "What if, giving the blockheads a chance to set off sparks is just an excuse, and the real reason I''m here is to grab the chance to hug you like this?"


    He turned and pulled her into a hug, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Then you can hug me as much as you want."


    Lanni slid a hand to the back of his neck as she looked up into his eyes.


    He cupped her face with one hand as he leaned his back against the kitchen counter. "You get more beautiful the more I look at you, my love."


    Lanni tiptoed while pulling down his neck and kissed his lips softly.


    He grabbed her waist and was about to deepen the kiss when she pulled away with a titter. He frowned and looked at her. "What''s that about?"


    She winked and pulled farther away from him, giving him a meaningful look. "See you tonight."


    Xiehan was unsatisfied when she took off immediately after turning him on but when he heard her words, he looked forward to it.


    _


    Being left in the same room with Jiang Xingyu once again, Luna clutched her phone tightly.


    She couldn''t help remembering that she had suddenly kissed him out of her own volition earlier. Thinking about it, she couldn''t bear to face him. How was she supposed to explain that? Should she pretend it didn''t happen?


    Or should she act like it meant nothing? She was not sure whether it meant nothing to her, but one thing was for sure. Jiang Xingyu definitely took it to heart.


    After mulling over it, she decided that the best response was to have no response at all. The best thing was probably to flee before he brought it up.


    "I need to go now¡­" she started.


    "I should get going." Jiang Xingyu spoke at the same time.


    "Then¡­ we should both leave." Luna chuckled at the coincidence.


    Jiang Xingyu nodded slightly. He had wanted to leave when he saw how awkward she was beside him, so she would be more comfortable.


    But now that they both wanted to leave, he couldn''t help smiling and wanting to be selfish for a moment. "Since we are both leaving, how about we leave together? I can drop you off."


    Luna had come on a cab earlier, so she did not mind hitching a ride. "Okay."


    Jiang Xingyu was in disbelief for a moment. She really agreed?


    He snapped back in a moment and grabbed his car keys. "i will let Xiehan and Lanni know."


    As soon as he spoke, he stopped to think. Xiehan and Lanni were alone in the kitchen. What if he interrupted something he shouldn''t..?


    "You guys are leaving?" Lanni arrived and asked before he could stand to go look for them.


    "Uh.. yeah." Luna smiled. "I have a few things to do."


    Lanni nodded, not intending to insist that they stay longer. "Xingyu, could I bother you to drop my sister off?" She took in the role of cupid and created an opportunity for them to spend more time together.


    "Sure. I will make sure she arrives in her apartment in one piece before I leave." The man quickly accepted the important task, in fear that Luna would change her mind and take a cab instead.


    And so, Lanni saw them off to his car before she giggled her way back to the house. Things were probably going to get heated between those two tonight. Would she have an adorable little nephew or niece soon?


    _


    Goldenwing apartments.


    As soon as Jiang XIngyu pulled up, Luna literally jumped off the car like she was running for her life. "Thanks for the ride! If there is nothing else, then¡­"


    She stopped her statement when she realized that Jiang Xingyu had gotten off the car as well and was standing beside her. "Where are you going?"


    "I promised Lanni that I would make sure you arrive in your apartment in one piece." He shamelessly threw in the excuse that Lanni had given him.


    "But I have arrived." She furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Yeah, but you are still in the parking lot. My mission will only be complete once I make sure you are in your house." He had on an expression of a serious employee who followed instructions to the last detail.


    Luna was helpless, so she could only let him tag along as she went to the elevator.


    "Since this residence was already discovered by Li Xiyan, don''t you think it is dangerous to keep living here? Don''t you think you and Cheng Yu should have moved to a more secure place?" He expressed his concern as the elevator went up.


    "Don''t worry about us; the security of this place is actually passable¡­ it''s just that Li Xiyan had some force behind her and Xiao Yu was on her own. Otherwise, no one would be able to get her if I was there with her." She explained. "Besides, I often have it hard getting used to a new environment. I would rather stay where I am."


    The man considered her words and nodded in approval. His mother had already told him this. Paired with the fact that he had dispatched people to secretly take care of them, there was really nothing to worry about¡ªhe had only asked to strike a conversation.


    The elevator soon arrived, and the man kept tagging along as Luna made her way to her unit.


    She didn''t pay attention to him and walked ahead. Realizing that the door was locked and Cheng Yu was probably not in, she took her key and opened the door.


    "I''m here. You have completed your assignment so you can go back now." She attempted to shoo him away.


    "Aren''t you going to invite me in for a cup of tea?" The man sounded aggrieved, as though he had been treated unfairly.


    "One is really marked by the company one keeps." Luna mumbled. What a shameless man!


    In the end, she could not shake him off so she said, "Come in. I will make you a cup of tea."


    Jiang Xingyu excitedly hopped in and took a seat.


    Luna had not minded him before but now that she recalled that Cheng Yu was away, and it was just the two of them in her apartment, why was her heart racing faster than usual?

 Chapter 288 - Go Back To Business

    Luna ignored the turmoil of emotions and went to the kitchen to start making a cup of tea. Thinking of a way to buy time until Cheng Yu returned, she decided to bake pancakes as well.


    Alas, she was still in the middle of preparing the batter when her phone chimed with a notification.


    She peeked over and saw a new text message.


    [Xiao Yu: Luna, I went to visit my brother at home and will stay over tonight. See you tomorrow!]


    Luna cursed. Cheng Yu just had to spend the night away at such a time. She grudgingly sent an "Ok, take care" then huffed as she looked at the batter.


    Finding it meaningless, she decided to keep it in the fridge and just make a cup of tea.


    A few minutes later, she emerged from the kitchen with a cup of tea and placed it in front of him. "Have your tea and leave."


    "Why are you sending me away so fast? Do you hate me so much?" Jiang Xingyu complained, sounding aggrieved.


    Luna flopped on the couch opposite him. "It''s inappropriate for a man to spend too much time in a single woman''s house."


    Jiang Xingyu raised an eyebrow. So that was why¡­ "But what is so inappropriate about it? It would be so if we were unrelated strangers, but I''m in love with you so what is so bad about it?"


    "I''m not in love with you." Luna gritted her teeth.


    "Mmh." Jiang Xingyu took a sip of his tea. "But you like me at the very least."


    Luna wanted to refute but she couldn''t find the right words and could only bite her lip. If she claimed not to like him in the slightest, how could she explain the kiss she willingly planted on his lips earlier?


    "Enough nonsense. Just take your tea, okay?"


    Jiang Xingyu smiled and took another tiny sip. Selfish to spend more time with her, he took the tea one tiny sip at a time, savoring the taste like it was tea made by the gods.


    Soon, one hour had elapsed. Luna couldn''t take it anymore. "Why are you taking your sweet time?"


    Jiang Xingyu took another tiny sip. "You invited me for a cup of tea, but you don''t want to let me take it? Where is your sincerity?"


    Luna almost coughed up blood from fury. This man was doing it on purpose! Deciding not to bicker with him anymore, she took her laptop and started playing a game while ignoring him.


    By the time Jiang Xingyu was done, it was already 11pm and the tea was cold and no longer as tasty.


    Luna had managed to create a new virus and was giving him a weird look.


    At that time, his phone rang.


    He picked it up with a brilliant smile. "Hello, mother?"


    "You punk. You said you would come home for dinner but didn''t come in the end. Were you messing with me?" The woman sounded enraged.


    Jiang Xingyu scratched his head, remembering that he did promise to go home for dinner. "I forgot about it¡­ I had dinner at Lanni''s place with Luna so it slipped my mind."


    "You had dinner with Luna? That''s great, that''s great! How is my little darling?" Madam Jiang excitedly forgot that she was lecturing her son and went on to ask about her darling future daughter-in-law.


    Jiang Xingyu snuck a glance at the girl opposite him before promptly saying, "She is right here with me. Do you want to say hello?"


    "Eh? You are with Luna right now¡­ at this hour?" Madam Jiang was astonished. "Are you two alone?"


    Jiang Xingyu''s ears heated up slightly, catching his mother''s meaningful tone. "Yes, I am at her apartment¡­"


    Before he could finish his statement, his mother coughed awkwardly. "Why didn''t you say so? You made me disturb your sacred moment! Hurry and get back to business." She then hung up, leaving Jiang Xingyu speechless.


    When the call ended, he caught a glimpse of the time and was surprised. it was so late¡­ no wonder Luna was glaring daggers at him.


    Deciding to let her be on her own now, he stood up. "Thanks for the tea, I think I should get going now."


    Luna looked relieved. "You finally realized¡­" she had been sitting on pins and needles for these three agonizing hours!


    Jiang Xingyu was helpless. "Can you at least be a little less obvious when kicking me out? Where is your hospitality?"


    luna ignored his complaint and stood to see him off before he could change his mind and forcefully stay the night.


    "I''ll only see you to the door. You know your way to the parking." She dismissed as soon as they reached the door.


    "I''ll see myself off." Jiang Xingyu recalled something and stopped in his tracks.


    Because she was not expecting him to suddenly stop, she bumped right into his back.


    "Can''t you warn me before you stop?" Luna rubbed her nose that had only sustained a slight numbing pain from the sudden impact.


    "Can''t you watch your step?" Jiang Xingyu shamelessly threw the blame at her.


    He even turned to look at her like she was an alien. "Is your nose made of concrete? My spine was almost broken."


    "What?!" Luna cringed.


    The man started stretching his back, acting like he was in agonizing pain. "My back hurts so much¡­ I can''t even move an inch!" He wailed exaggeratively.


    Luna rolled her eyes. "Drop the horrible act. Would you be standing there and wailing so much if you were really in pain?"


    Hearing that, he dashed to the nearest sofa and flopped down. "You don''t believe me? It hurts so badly¡­ come and take a look."


    Seeing how pitiful he looked, Luna took a deep breath and went to take a look. Even though she knew that he was merely putting on an act, she could not bear to think of the 0.01% possibility that he could really be in pain.


    He knelt beside the couch and spun him so he was lying on his stomach. "Where does it hurt?"


    Jiang Xingyu was overjoyed after successfully having his way. He stretched his hand to touch a random spot where her nose should have bumped into. "Here. Ah¡­ it hurts¡­"


    Luna was speechless. Why don''t you become an actor?


    She violently tugged on his shirt so it was untucked from his pants and pulled it up to his neck.


    Jiang Xingyu was caught off guard and his heart raced. What was Luna doing?


    The girl inspected his back even though she knew there was nothing to look for. Instead, she was entranced by his body. His shoulders were broad and muscular, leading down to a perfectly sculpted back. Such an impressive backview¡­ she subconsciously wondered what his chest and abs looked like.


    She was about to call him out for intentionally lying to get his attention but her throat was too parched to get any word out. Instead, her fingers gently trailed along his back as she admired it.


    Jiang Xingyu continued lying on the couch obediently. Even though he didn''t know what she meant by touching his back in such a way, he enjoyed what she was doing so he did not intend to stop her.


    The more she touched it, the more she wanted to touch. The allure won over her and before she realized what she was doing, she stretched her hand across his back tried to snake it to his chest. However, it was impossible with her position so she sat on the couch next to his legs and hugged him from the back.


    The man grunted as she caressed his upper body without an ounce of restraint.


    Luna cursed herself for how unrestrained she was acting but even then, her hands did not stop moving. She touched his nipple between her thumb and forefinger, driving the man almost to the limit of his self control. He grabbed her hand and sat up then faced her as though using his eyes to question her intentions.


    Luna didn''t know what answer to give to that, her own breathing disoriented.


    Seeing her flushed cheeks, all the remaining restraint in Jiang Xingyu broke free and he grabbed her pressing a kiss onto her lips.


    Luna did not push him away, on the contrary hugging his back as she let him deepen the kiss.


    He held the back of her head as he gently pushed his tongue past her lips and into her mouth. She involuntarily let out a small moan as his hand left her head and circled her lower back.


    Still holding the kiss, he lowered her onto the couch and pressed his body onto hers, grinding as he kissed her deeply.


    The living room was filled with the sound of their kisses and panting.


    The man traced down her body and found the hem of her blouse. Just before he pulled it up, she grabbed his hand and pressed down on it.


    He broke the loss and looked at her in askance to which she replied, "we can''t do that yet."


    Jiang Xingyu let out a small smile and let go of her blouse. "Then let''s just kiss.." What followed was a round of more intense kisses.

 Chapter 289 - Goodnight, My Love

    Luna grabbed a fistful of his hair, completely losing herself in the passion of their kiss. The man caressed her back all the way down to her thigh with one hand while the other held the back of her head.


    It was only when he uncontrollably reached to touch her breasts that the man stopped.


    "Any more and I will not be able to control myself," He said in a hoarse voice, his heart still racing and his breath ragged as the aftermath of their passionate kiss.


    Luna sat up and straightened her clothes. If they continued, she would not be able to control herself either.


    Jiang Xingyu straightened his shirt and tucked it back in then gently looked at her. "Just now¡­"


    Luna knew what he was about to say and quickly interrupted, "I''m sleepy. I should go to bed now or I will have dark circles when I wake up."


    Jiang Xingyu paused his statement and could only hum in approval. He knew that she was avoiding the topic but seeing that she was not willing to talk about it, he did not force her and let her change the topic.


    "It''s already so late." Luna almost bit her tongue off as soon as the words were out. She meant to rush him to leave since it was already so late, but her words sounded misleading. One would think she was asking him to stay over since it was too late to leave.


    Seeing the joyful grin on his face, she knew that he must have misunderstood.


    She smiled and tried to explain, "What I mean is, it''s already so late so you should probably¡­"


    Before she could complete her statement, he grabbed her hand and looked at her pitifully. "It''s already late and I am too sleepy as well¡­ I can''t drive."


    "Then call a chauffeur." She dismissed.


    "But that is too troublesome. Please let me stay here, I promise I will be good."


    "Are you kidding me?" Luna rebuked. Let him stay under the same roof with her, when it was just the two of them in the house? No way!


    Seeing that she was going to reject him, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What if I fall asleep while driving and cause an accident? Just let me stay, alright? I will obediently sleep on the couch."


    Luna was wondering whether to let him sleep on her bed and sleep in Cheng Yu''s room herself when she heard his words. Since he suggested sleeping on the couch himself, she would not be bullying him if she let him. In fact, it had saved her the trouble so she agreed.


    She looked at him sternly. "Go to sleep. I will get you a blanket."


    Jiang Xingyu had wanted to sleep on the couch in her room but it was already good enough that she was letting him stay so he did not complain.


    Luna searched for a blanket in her room and was shocked when she found none. How could she not have any extra blanket?! This was insane, right?


    She went to check in Cheng Yu''s room and didn''t find any either.


    She finally remembered that she had wanted to replace them and cleared them out but she had not had the time to buy new ones. Just great¡­


    SInce it had come to this and she had already told the man that he could stay over, she could only bite her lip and drag him to her room.


    "Luna?" The man who had been dragged by his collar was surprised.


    Luna tried not to look at him. "You will spend the night here."


    He was overjoyed. "Here, on the couch?" he glanced at the couch which was just a few steps away from her bed.


    The girl massaged her temples. "Nope¡­ on the bed."


    Jiang Xingyu was in disbelief.


    Before he could express his surprise, she grabbed a set of men''s clothes and tossed them at him before pointing to the bathroom. "Go and take a shower."


    The man chuckled and went to the bathroom. If he told anyone that he was going to wear his girlfriend''s clothes, would they believe him?


    Luckily, they were men''s clothes or he would have preferred to sleep wearing nothing.


    He was done in a few minutes and exited the bathroom, wearing a shirt which was tight on him. Luckily, Luna had always worn men''s clothes that were slightly bigger than her size to conceal her breasts, or else he would not have been able to wear them.


    She stared at him for a moment and swallowed to suppress her urge to pounce on him. What was wrong with her today? Her weird out-of-control urge was scary!


    She grabbed a towel and a nightdress then took a shower herself. When she was done, she dried her hair then climbed to the bed and shot the man sitting on the couch a look. "Make yourself comfortable, but don''t touch me unless you hate your hands and want them sliced off."


    The man laughed at her threat. "You don''t want me to touch you?"


    Luna shot him a dirty look. "What? Did you think I called you to my bed so we could have sex?"


    "Ahem¡­" Could she be a little less blunt? He had not haboured such hopes so he was not disappointed. He climbed onto the bed, keeping some distance from her after covering himself. "If you don''t want me to touch you then don''t touch me either."


    Luna wanted to admonish him but she could not find any word to retaliate. He had every right to say that. After all, the intense kiss earlier was a result of her touching and groping him so much that he could no longer restrain himself.


    She turned to her side to face away from him. "Go to sleep. Goodnight."


    "Can I give you a goodnight kiss? I promise I will only kiss without touching you."


    He laughed at her flushed little face and dragged his body to her side. Using his hands as support, he hovered over her and pressed a light kiss onto her temple. He proceeded to smack gentle kisses on her face, as though he was treating her like a valuable treasure.


    "Goodnight, my love."

 Chapter 290 - I Like Doing This, Only To You

    WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE READING SUCH CONTENT, DO NOT UNLOCK IT AND SKIP TO THE NEXT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!


    About three hours ago, in Lanni''s new apartment.


    The doorbell rang. Xiehan, who was reading a document on his laptop, was startled alert. "Only three people know your new residence. Xingyu and Luna have already left so¡­ who could that be?"


    He was about to stand and answer it when Lanni sauntered past him nonchalantly. "It could be one of my colleagues."


    Xiehan thought about it and found it impossible but stood up, picking his laptop from the coffee table. "If it''s someone from Xing Real Estate then they should not see me."


    After all, according to everyone in that company, Lanni¡ªas Jiang Xiaomu¡ªwas his godsister and he was an engaged man, so it would raise eyebrows if he appeared at her house at night.


    He fled to her room as she went to open the door. Just when he started wondering who the newcomer could be, his gaze caught the ashen-blonde wig on a mannequin. His blood ran cold. She had forgotten her disguise!


    The door of the bedroom opened just as he contemplated whether to send her a text message.


    "You¡­"


    "Work clothes." Lanni waved the package she had just received.


    "You ordered a delivery? You do know that you scared me, right?" Xiehan admonished, sighing in relief.


    "You look so cute when you are worried." Lanni laughed at his expense then hastily stuffed the package into the closet as though it was a bomb.


    For the next two hours, she sat on her bed and read through several files from Xing Real Estate. She had gotten her hands on them using a lot of effort, and they would help her get a better understanding of the company she was working for.


    By the time she was done, it was a little late at night. She peeked at her phone and found that she had not received any text message from Luna. The latter had promised to text her, which made her eyebrows raise out of curiosity.


    "She didn''t have time to text me¡­ I wonder if Jiang Xingyu got lucky tonight. Do you think he will?" She meaningfully asked the man on the couch, who had just finished going through documents from Feng Ji International.


    Xiehan looked up at her with a frown. "Why do you care so much about Xingyu? Why don''t you ask your own man whether he got lucky?


    Lanni laughed at his expression. She set her laptop onto the bedside table and rolled off the bed. "You are not getting jealous because I paid a little attention to them, right?"


    The man did not say a word, but from his expression, she guessed that he was indeed jealous. Pfft¡­ how cute.


    She walked to the closet and retrieved the parcel she had received earlier. Making sure that he was not watching, she opened the package and pulled something out, then promptly wrapped it in a cotton towel.


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow at her theatrics.


    "I''m going to take a shower." She announced and fled into the bathroom in the next second.


    He glanced at the bathroom door with a laugh. Why was she acting strange?


    He reclined on the couch to wait for her.


    About half an hour later, the door to the bathroom opened and the girl stepped out.


    She had a long sheer black robe draped around her body.


    Before he could take a second look, she fumbled with the little tie at the front and pulled the robe open, then let it slide off her shoulders onto the floor behind her.


    Her seductive body came into view. Her breasts were covered in a fiery red lace bra that was a perfect match with the lace thong and high-thigh stockings she was wearing. The red material clung to her body like it was part of her skin, accentuating the fairness of her skin and the soft curves of her body.


    He had not expected her to suddenly exit the bathroom wearing lingerie, so he gulped at the sight as he finally understood why she was acting sneaky earlier.


    "You look gorgeous." He croaked, his body swiftly reacting to the view.


    "Stand up," she said, her voice seductive and commanding.


    He reflexively stood, his eyes not leaving her body for a second.


    Lanni was satisfied by his reaction, and by the visibly obvious bulge below his waist. "Take your shirt off."


    Xiehan''s lips twitched, intrigued by her tone. He unbuttoned his shirt with a chuckle and took it off, gladly obeying her order.


    Once the shirt was done away with, Lanni surveyed his upper body. Her man''s body was getting more impressive by the day, with the abs hardening even more.


    "Pants down." This time, her voice trembled and her face couldn''t be any redder.


    The man obediently unbuckled his belt and held the trousers by the sides of his waist. "Just the pants?"


    Lanni''s breathing was slightly disoriented. "Just the pants."


    He took it off and stood with his hands at the sides of his boxer briefs, waiting for her next order.


    On the contrary, she closed in on him and grabbed his hands, pulling them away from his waist. Then she slowly slid onto her knees.


    "You like doing this, don''t you?" His belly vibrated slightly from his laugh.


    "I like doing it¡­" she peeked up at him while licking her lips gently. "...only to you."


    She pulled down his boxer briefs, letting out his hard, throbbing shaft. She caressed its base gently before promptly taking him in her mouth. The man closed his eyes and let out a groan of pleasure, his hand involuntarily holding her head and curling a fistful of her hair around his fingers.


    Her head bobbed as she slid his manhood in and out of her mouth, her warm tongue twirling around it gently.


    She caressed his thighs simultaneously and rested her hands on his waist, sucking him faster and deeper than she ever had.


    Groans and pants left his mouth, mixing with her own gentle moans. He soon felt his climax building up and held the back of her head. "Honey, I''m close."


    The girl stopped to catch her breath and looked at his rod which was now so hard that it almost hurt. "Not yet."


    She stood up while sliding her hands along his abdomen all the way to his chest, then pushed him towards the bed.

 Chapter 291 - No Better Way To Wake Up

    WARNING: You already know.


    ___


    Lanni pushed Xiehan to the bed and the man was complaint. She climbed onto the bed and hovered over his body as her hands trailed up his skin in slow, torturous strokes. She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his lips, then traced down his jawline all the way to his neck.


    He held the back of her head and pulled her up but just before he kissed her, she gently tugged his hands away. "You can''t touch me."


    "Why not?" He asked in his hoarse voice. Heaven knew how much he was itching to touch her.


    She pressed a tiny kiss onto his jawline and gently nibbled on it. "No hands."


    Xiehan swallowed a gulp into his parched throat and stopped trying to touch her and let her do as she pleased. But when she trailed her wet tongue down his abdomen, he could not control himself anymore and his hands found their way to her head like they had a brain if their own.


    Lanni looked up then slid off the bed. Before he could figure out what she was doing, she grabbed his tie from the chair and returned with it, then pinned his hands together above his head. He chuckled slightly as he let her tie his hands in a dead knot. "Good Xiehan, no hands."


    Satisfied with her masterpiece, she leaned over to ask in his ear, "Mr. Ji, do you want to see me dance?"


    Before he could respond, she pulled away and grabbed her phone on the couch. She tapped on it a few times then started playing a slow song and dimmed the light.


    In an instant, the air was filled with the most provocative lyrics he had ever heard. Under the dim light, Lanni pushed all her hair behind her shoulders then started swaying her waist and hips gorgeously, trailing her hands over the places he so badly wanted to kiss and touch.


    His whole body was aflame in anticipation as he watched her perform such erotic movements. With the lingerie she was wearing, it was more seductive than seeing her dance stark naked.


    How was this thanking him? This was purely torture¡­ not that he was complaining. This was the sweetest kind of torture he had ever undergone.


    Lanni enjoyed his reaction, seeing how crazy he was getting over her¡­ She loved the fact that he wanted her body so badly¡ªand her desire for him was not any less.


    When he couldn''t take it anymore and was considering ripping the tie off his hands, the girl stopped dancing and sashayed to the side of the bed, swaying her body close to him. "How was my performance just now?"


    "Perfect." He said honestly, wishing nothing more than to pin her beneath him.


    "It could get even better." She whispered provocatively and climbed onto the bed, sitting on his hips. She looked into his eyes as she grinded against his hips tantalizingly. He could feel her wetness through the thin fabric of her panties and that made his urge wilder.


    She pulled off him again and just when he was starting to miss her close proximity, she held the sides of her thong and slid it off her waist, swiftly pulling it off her body and throwing it onto the floor.


    She then climbed back onto him, positioning herself close to his manhood. She held its base and slid it into her body, moaning from the wave of pleasure.


    Xiehan clenched his hips and thrust into her as she pushed her palms against his chest and moved her butt to meet his rhythm.


    Unable to take the restraint anymore, he ripped the tie off his hands and grabbed her by her waist. Lanni reached behind her back to unhook her bra while maintaining the rhythm. She flung the lacy material away amid the waves of passion as Xiehan''s hands reached to cup the breasts he had so badly longed to touch.


    He pulled her down and hugged her back with one hand while the other squeezed her boobs. The two figures were entangled with each other as they made love to the rhythm of the provocative songs playing in the background.


    He slowed down and kissed her lips with urgent need, then grabbed her butt and pounded into her harder and faster.


    "Xiehan¡­" His name escaped her lips in a moan as she felt her climax building up. With one final hard thrust, they had their release at the same time. Lanni collapsed onto his body, trying to catch her breath.


    "You''re beautiful, and you were amazing¡­ you always are. I love you, Lanni." He kissed her lips and hugged her. Their bodies were covered in a thin layer of sweat and neither of them minded it.


    She slid off his body and collapsed into his arms. "I love you too, Xiehan."


    The couple lay in each other''s arms for a while before he decided to get up. "Let''s take a bath."


    "Do I have to?" She groaned a complaint. She was too tired to move an inch.


    With a gentle laugh, he went to the bathroom and ran a bath. Then he returned and carried her off the bed bridal-style. He gently put her in the bath tub then slid in next to her.


    Lanni felt comfortable and drowsy with the warm water caressing her skin.


    "Do you like it here? If you do, you can permanently move in." He asked her while pulling her into a hug.


    "I was thinking of that too. It''s quite convenient and you can come over whenever you want to." Obviously, the last part was the main point.


    Xiehan leaned down to kiss her face. He had been busy for the past days and had not spent that much time with her. Now that they had more chances, he would definitely drop by often.


    "Honey, don''t forget to pay your ''parents'' a visit, okay? I''m talking about auntie and uncle Jiang." He gently reminded. When he did not get a response, he peeked down at her the found that she had fallen asleep at some point, letting out even breaths.


    He smiled and cleaned both of them up then carried her back onto the bed. He turned off the erotic playlist that was still playing on her phone and set it onto the nightstand. After changing both of them into pajamas, he climbed onto the bed and slept with her in his embrace.


    __


    The following morning.


    Lanni woke up to Xiehan''s hand in the shirt of her pajamas, cupping her boobs while gently squeezing her nipples. She didn''t mind that he was touching her body when she was asleep. On the contrary, there was no better way to wake up.


    She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep so she would get to enjoy the touch a little longer. However, her body betrayed her as she couldn''t conceal a moan when he gently squeezed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.


    He turned on his side and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, my love."


    Her response was another moan of desire as she pressed into his embrace while hugging his neck. She could feel his manhood through their clothes and was surprised by how hard he already was.


    Satisfied with her reaction, Xiehan pulled her hand off his neck and held it over her head as he kissed the front of her neck.


    She wanted to use her other hand to touch him but he grabbed it too, and held both of her hands together over her head.


    "Good girl, no hands." He grinned and took one of her breasts into his mouth.


    Lanni bit her lower lips and closed her eyes. Was he getting back at her? Then this must be what they call "sweet revenge".


    The man already had his tie ready, which he used to tie her hands before resuming his kisses. He kissed and licked his way down her navel and paused to take off her pajama shorts. She subconsciously raised her butt to help him take it off.


    When he was done, he held her thighs and spread them apart, his head between her legs. She jolted when she felt his tongue come into contact with her clit. She clenched her hips and arched her back as he flicked it gently with his tongue.


    It was the best kind of pleasure she had experienced, and the fact that her hands were tied made her urge even crazier.


    "Take me." She moaned.


    The man said nothing in response to her words and he continued kissing her folds like he had not heard her.


    Lanni couldn''t take the desire anymore. "Have me, Xiehan. I want you inside me right now." She whimpered.


    This time, he raised his head with a grin. "As you wish."


    He pulled off his pajama pants swiftly.. Then, he positioned himself between her legs and held her thigh in the air as he thrust into her.

 Chapter 292 - Take Responsibility

    After a night and morning of intense love-making, Lanni dragged her tired body into the bathroom to clean up.


    She leisurely took a shower and sat at the vanity to dry her hair. She paused every few seconds to peek at Xiehan who was making the bed from the mirror with a sweet smile.


    She was still entranced by his handsomeness when her phone rang. When she saw the digits on the screen, she jolted as she recalled what day it was. "Shoot! I''m late for work!"


    She turned off the hair dryer and urgently picked the call.


    "Little Mumu, you are late for work." Came Xing Han''s nonchalant reminder. The man even laughed slightly after speaking. Luckily, he was in a good mood or else she might be fired on the second day of work!


    "I''m so sorry¡­ I will be there in the shortest time possible." She apologized quickly then menatlly cursed. What the f*ck was ''Little Mumu''?!


    "Ah, you don''t have to rush, Little Mumu. I merely called to tell you that you can take as long as you want. You are in charge of looking as beautiful as possible, after all." He laughed.


    Lanni was so infuriated that she would have slammed her phone onto his face if he was any nearer. Was there anyone more nonsensical than him? She was pretending to be his secretary but those who didn''t know any better would think she was in a fake relationship with him! How infuriating.


    As soon as she hung up, she noticed that Xiehan was peeking at her curiously.


    "You are not late." He said.


    Lanni checked at the time and indeed, she still had an hour. She was incensed. "Why did that freak call me then? Is he itching for a beating so badly?" Lanni was inwardly swearing to give him a good beating once her mission was complete.


    "I can deal with him if you want. He will not bother you anymore." He pulled her into his embrace, making it sound like it was easier than saying the words.


    Of course, it was if he wanted to. But¡­ "No need. That would be like using a sledgehammer to crush an ant, don''t you think?" She laughed at the thought of it. "Once I have gathered enough information, I will make him cry for his mom and yell for his dad."


    Xiehan chuckled as he tightened his arms around her, breathing onto her air. "I would love to watch that show."


    "My love, are you a bomb detonator?" Lanni slid her hands over his arms.


    "Am I?" He asked with a slight laugh.


    "As soon as you touch me in the slightest, my body explodes with want." She responded without the slightest bit of restraint¡ªnot that she needed to restrain herself in front of her boyfriend anyway.


    The man smiled at her words. "Then you must be a detonator too." His meaning couldn''t be any clearer. "Should I take the day off work? I can help you ask for one too."


    Lanni scoffed at his shameless suggestion. "Of course not! We need to go to work."


    She pulled away from him, making him miss her immediately. Seeing his disappointed expression, she broke into a laugh.


    She tiptoed to kiss his earlobe. "Good Xiehan, let''s go to work, okay? We can roll around in bed all night tonight."


    Hearing her promise, he suddenly looked forward to that night. He pressed a light kiss onto her temple. "I will take a shower now."


    _


    The same morning, in Goldenwing Apartments.


    The rays of the sun seeped in through the gap left by the curtains that were not completely drawn. Luna fluttered her eyelids but could not open her eyes, the sudden light was too blinding.


    She tried to adjust to the light so she would go back to sleep. Grabbing the pillow under her head, she hugged it and only then did she notice what was odd about it.


    "Eh? Are pillows so warm these days? It feels nice too¡­ since when were pillow manufacturers this considerate?" Feeling the comfortable pillow, she hugged it while patting it all over.


    Jiang Xingyu, whose chest had been mistaken for a pillow, was speechless.


    The girl kept sleepily moving her hands all over. "This¡­ doesn''t feel right. Why is the pillow moving, is it breathing?"


    It was only when she said "breathing" that she jolted, all the sleepiness vanishing in a flash as she recalled that she had not slept on her own last night. She had slept with Jiang Xingyu!


    "Morning beauty, do you like what you''re seeing?" Jiang Xingyu winked at her, lying completely on his back to give her a better view.


    Luna really wanted to launch a kick at him. "You! Why are you so close to me, and why aren''t you wearing your clothes properly? Where are your manners?"


    Jiang Xingyu languidly crossed an ankle over another. "Who am I to thank for this state? It is clearly because of your bad sleeping habits that I ended up this way."


    "What nonsense are you saying?" Luna was embarrassed. She wanted to admonish him more but she could not find any rebuttal, especially when her gaze landed on those perfectly shaped, hard abs and the chest she must have been lying on for the better part of the night.


    "I''m spouting nonsense? Can you say that with a clear conscience? You are the one who rolled to my side.


    Not only did you say my shirt was an eyesore and take it off, you also groped me endlessly¡ªyou harassed me all night!" Although Jiang Xingyu sounded like he was launching a complaint, his grin couldn''t get any wider. It was the best night he had ever had.


    Luna was truly indescribable when asleep¡­


    As for the culprit, she cleared her throat and fled from the bed. She did not dare to look at Jiang Xingyu in the eye and dashed to the bathroom then turned on the shower. "It appears that I''m too dangerous when I''m asleep¡­"


    But how was she to blame? Jiang Xingyu was seriously too handsome and his body was perfect. She almost lost control touching it when she was awake so how could she control her hands when she was asleep?


    What was worse, she kept finding him more handsome lately.


    Once she was done taking a bath, she wrapped a towel around her body and exited the bathroom.


    It was only when she was out of the bathroom that she recalled just how short the towel was¡­ she was used to leaving the bathroom this way when she was alone but with a man in her room, it didn''t seem too appropriate.


    But it was too late. The man had already seen her, astonished by the sudden beauty in his line of sight and his gaze as he stared at her exposed thighs didn''t do anything to make the atmosphere less awkward.


    She would highlight the situation if she ran back, so she feigned nonchalance and walked over to the vanity while trying her best to ignore the burning gaze on her body.


    The man looked away after a while. "I should take a shower too."


    "Yes. Go ahead." Luna was happy to get rid of him. However, she was confused when the man walked over to her and touched a lock of her wet hair. "What are you doing?


    "Touching you." He said like it was something common to utter.


    "Excuse me?" Luna prepared herself to launch a punch.


    "You touched me all night. Isn''t it only fair that I get to touch you too?" He asked with an expression like he had been bullied.


    "What nonsense. You spent the night in my room so consider what happened as you paying rent." She blurted out the nonsense she had just come up with. Although his body was awesome and nice to the touch, that didn''t mean she was simply going to let a man grope her.


    Jiang Xingyu chuckled at her answer. What an excellent way to pay rent¡­


    Of course, he wouldn''t give up without extorting her. "That was the second time. The first time was when you touched me on the couch. I seem to have paid too much rent. What should I do¡­" He pretended to ponder over it before suggesting, "How about I spend another night? That way, it would be settled."


    Luna looked up at him through the mirror. "Jiang Xingyu, how can you be so shameless?"


    The man leaned over and touched her exposed shoulder. "What? After sleeping with me, Miss Xia doesn''t want to take responsibility for my body?"


    Luna had no way to retort. Wasn''t it supposed to be the man taking responsibility after sleeping together?


    Gah! This man¡­!


    They did sleep in the same but nothing happened between them, so why was he uttering such words that could lead to a misunderstanding?


    Her image of a pure, innocent flower had crumbled to smithereens and there was no way to redeem it. Just what kind of demon had possessed her?

 Chapter 293 - Cannot Be Forever

    After using up a crazy amount of effort, Luna finally managed to shove Jiang Xingyu into the bathroom and make him take a shower. Because all her male clothes were casual attire and he needed to go to work later, she helped him order a set of official clothes then dressed up.


    When she was done, she went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


    She was in the middle of cooking when she felt a pair of hands wrap around her abdomen.


    "I''m cooking." She waved the spatula in the air to threaten him.


    The man pulled her tighter into his embrace as he inhaled her scent. "You were so pretty that I couldn''t help it."


    Luna pulled his hands off her. "Go to the dining area and wait for breakfast."


    "Okay." The man left obediently. Even though he knew this was probably something that was only happening for the first and last time, a selfish part of him wanted to have the best of this moment.


    Luna soon finished cooking and brought the meals then sat down. They had their breakfast in silence and finished it within half an hour.


    Finally, it was the moment he had been dreading. He finally had to leave, and he would not have any reason to see her again.


    "I should get going now, or I will be late for work." He said as he adjusted his tie.


    "Okay." Her answer was curt and nonchalant, and he could not conceal the disappointment. He had thought that she would say something else¡­ perhaps tell him that they would see each other some other day, or anything to express her reluctance to part.


    Unfortunately, he was reluctant but she wasn''t. There was no way she would say such a thing. By the time his hand connected with the door, she had already sat down and was working on her laptop. Jiang Xingyu stole a final glance and opened the door, disappearing into the hallway. In the end, last night was last night; it was not going to turn into forever just because he wanted it to.


    _


    Lanni arrived at work with ten minutes to spare. As she made her way to her office, Xing Han just happened to leave his office so they almost bumped into each other. Luckily, she dodged on time but her lips twitched. Why did it seem like the man had intentionally tried to bump into her?


    What did he think this was, a melodramatic romance movie with the leads bumping into each other like no one ever has eyes?


    "Beauty, it''s you!" The man looked pleasantly surprised. "You are even more beautiful than you were yesterday. Ay, my happy days have just began."


    Lanni maintained her calm expression. Could he be any more fake? "Good morning, CEO?"


    "Little Mumu, I already told you. You don''t need to be too polite with me. You can address me using my name. If you think my name is too troublesome, you can give me a nickname. You can even call me ''honey''."


    Lanni was irritated, but she concealed a murderous glint behind her rectangular glasses. At the same time, she just happened to see an opportunity to end his fantasy and she gladly grabbed it. "Sir, you are my employer, so I can only address you appropriately. Besides, the nickname ''honey'' is already taken."


    Of course, the second part was the main point. She was letting him know that she had a boyfriend. If that made him fire her, then so be it. There was no way she was going to tolerate another man continuously flirting with her even if it was for the sake of keeping her real job, much less this fake one.


    As expected, the man''s face froze at her words. "Is that so?"


    Lanni knew she had passed the point across, so she was relieved. "Yes. If there is nothing else¡­"


    She was about to excuse herself and enter the office when the man shamelessly interrupted her. "Little Mumu, why are your standards so low? For a beauty like you, you deserve a man at least as good-looking as me, a man who take good care of you and who can perform well."


    Lanni was rendered speechless by a certain person''s shamelessness.


    Since he was choosing to attack this way, she did not mind launching a similar counter-attack. "My standard is quite high, sir. The man has to be at least as good-looking as my brother to say the least. Of course, there are not many men as handsome as my brother in this world."


    Xing Han''s expression crumbled. In terms of looks, he truly could not compare to Jiang Xingyu. Was this why the girl was not interested in him?


    The more he thought about it, the more it felt it made sense. Indeed, with a brother as handsome as Jiang Xingyu, how could her standards for men not skyrocket? Besides, it was said that her brother doted on her to the heavens. She would probably only turn her head to a man who would pamper her more than her brother did.


    "Does¡­ does your boyfriend meet this criteria?" He couldn''t help asking.


    "Yes. He is also very loving and¡­ we will get engaged soon." Lanni intentionally looked love-striken but her feelings for her boyfriend were real.


    Her words were like another atomic bomb exploding in Xing Han''s face.


    While he was still pondering about it, Lanni made her way to the office to prepare for their first meeting of the day.


    ¡­


    The meeting was being held in a high-end restaurant.


    Xing Han walked into the private room with Lanni tailing behind him.


    Seeing the beauty from above his shoulder, he forgot all about this morning''s conversation. So what if she had a boyfriend? That man was probably miles away and the one close to her right now was him. What was there to fret about? The beauty would be his in the end.


    When they entered the private room, the other party was already taking slow sips of his wine.


    Lanni and Xing Han sat down after exchanging a few pleasantries. She looked at Lin Jian like he was an alien. Who drinks wine so early in the morning?


    "Young Master Lin, you sought me here today because..?" Xing Han got straight to the point.


    Lin Jian did not hear him. He was currently scanning the woman next to Xing Han.


    The man got uncomfortable and coughed. "Young Master Lin, you have excellent taste in women. However, she is¡­"


    Before he could blurt out nonsense that would have earned him a punch from Lanni, Lin Jian cut him off with an exclamation. "It''s you!"


    Lanni froze. Dead, dead, dead. She had been recognized.


    What was up with this idiot?


    They had already told him that she would be Xing Han''s secretary under an alias, hadn''t they?


    Why was he scanning her like that?


    Why did he exclaim?


    "Mr¡­. Mr. Lin¡­" her voice trembled and she inwardly cursed.


    "It''s really you! No wonder I thought you looked and sounded familiar." Lin Jian seemed to realize something.


    "You know my secretary?" Xing Han looked at the other man curiously.


    Lanni felt her heart leave her body. Could this man shut up? Would his mouth hurt if he kept it shut?


    ''I''m scr*wed. This mission is over!'' She cursed in her heart as she discreetly peeked at Xing Han, trying to find an opportunity to pinch Lin Jian and stop him from speaking.


    Unfortunately, it was difficult with their position and the idiot might just loudly ask why she was pinching him.


    In the end, she could only cross her fingers and start racking her brains for an explanation for later.


    "Isn''t this Xiaomu?" The blabbermouth finally spoke.


    Lanni sighed in so much relief that she was about to faint. She secretly shot him a glare. He did it on purpose, right?"


    "Yes, you are right. My secretary''s name is Xiaomu." Xing Han smiled proudly.


    "No wonder I thought she looked familiar." Lin Jian nodded in understanding.


    "You know each other?" Xing Han asked.


    Lanni crossed her fingers again, hoping he would not say anything nonsensical. According to everyone, she was Jiang Xingyu''s sister. She and Lin Jian must know each other but then again, they couldn''t be too familiar with each other since she had supposedly been overseas for many years.


    "Of course!" Lin Jian looked overjoyed to see her. "Xiehan, Xingyu and I grew up together, playing with mud together, skipping school together and sneaking into the theme park together. Xiaomu would video call Xingyu every day and say hello to us too."


    His tone was so reminiscent that even Lanni almost believed he was telling the truth.


    "Say, Xiaomu, why didn''t you tell me you were back? Don''t you love your devilishly handsome brother Jian anymore?"


    Regarding Lin Jian''s way of complimenting himself even while bullshitting, Lanni was speechless. Just how obsessed was this man with his looks?

 Chapter 294 - He Would Not Know How He Died

    "How did you manage to employ the Jiangs'' precious daughter? Her parents are so protective of her and her brother dotes on her like a treasure. I cannot believe he actually let her work!" Lin Jian exclaimed as he looked at Xing Han.


    Lanni, at the side, was grateful. Although his act earlier had almost made her heart pop out through the skin of her chest, at least the outcome of it was something good. If Xing Han had any lingering suspicions about her identity, they would be dispelled thanks to this man''s rambling.


    To play along, she laughed. "Can you not make it sound like my brother has me for a prisoner? Of course I have to work or else my bum will grow mould from sitting around and doing nothing all day."


    "You will look pretty even if you are lazying around. Don''t worry about growing mould, I will make sure that doesn''t happen." Xing Han interjected.


    Lin Jian glanced at Lanni and was speechless. Wasn''t there something wrong with that statement? Why did it sound like Xing Han was hitting on Lanni?


    Now that he thought about it, the man''s gaze had not left Lanni for a second.


    He could not entirely blame him though, Lanni was too beautiful. If she was not Xiehan''s girl, he would have long tried to get her. She was even more beautiful in work outfits and those glasses that made her look like a serious businesswoman at work.


    However, by blatantly hitting on Xiehan''s woman, was Xing Han tired of living? He really wanted to warn him. If he continued having such thoughts about Lanni, he would not know how he became a ghost.


    After the brief heart-racing moment, the three finally got into business mode.


    Lanni took out a file under Xing Han''s instruction and gave it to Lin Jian.


    The man flipped through the pictures and information of houses impatiently with a frown.


    Lanni smiled gently. "If you would like more information on the villas, I have it saved on a flash drive¡­everything to the finest detail.


    Xing Han raised an eyebrow slightly, satisfied with her performance. If Lanni had all the details, they would not need to physically go to those houses to let Lin Jian have a look.


    "No need to look through all of them. I don''t have much time." Lin Jian looked at Lanni. "Why don''t you just help me select one that is suitable for a woman?"


    Lanni tried not to bite her lip. So he was buying a villa for a woman. She wondered who the unlucky girl was.


    Getting back to serious business, she checked through the pictures and chose one. "This one would be preferred by most women. The exterior design is simple but beautiful, and the interior is exquisite. If she is a woman who likes everything simple, she will definitely love it. You will not need to change anything.


    If she likes bold colors and more complex designs, she will like this one more." She tapped on another design and continued explaining the ins and outs of the villa depending on the woman''s personality. She even included the location and view.


    At the side, Xing Han kept nodding. He didn''t have to do anything and this little assistant would be able to help the customer select a villa that would suit all his girlfriend''s requirements.


    Agreeing to Xiehan''s request to employ her was proving to be a good idea each new day.


    Within the next few minutes, they settled on villa and Lin Jian completed the payment immediately. Lanni promised to have the keys sent to his house within 2 hours.


    _


    When they went back to the company, Xing Han received a personal phone call and had to rush somewhere.


    Hence, he had no time to run back to his office. He glanced at the document in his hand helplessly. In the end, he smiled at Lanni. "Little Mumu, help me keep this in the safe inside my office. Make sure no one else sees it."


    Lanni was surprised. Did he just say safe?


    He was allowing her to access such a private thing?


    Despite being flustered, she reached for the document calmly. "Understood, CEO."


    He looked back and forth in the hallway before lowering his voice to say, "The passcode is 04087920. Make sure you are the only one who knows about it." Then, without waiting for a second more, he blazed out of the building.


    Lanni frowned slightly. He had blurted the passcode once and expected her to have got it?


    That f*cker must have done it on purpose. He wanted to ensure she forgot the passcode so she would have to call him. Nice try!


    Luckily, when she tried to recall it, she found that she remembered all the digits.


    ''04087920. 04087920''...


    She made her way to the CEO''s office, mentally chanting the digits like it was an incarnation.


    She didn''t realize when she bumped into someone.


    "Don''t you freaking have eyes?!" It just had to be Ling Yu, and the woman was incensed.


    Lanni was about to apologize when she realized the main point. "What were you doing in the CEO''s office?"


    The woman crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What? Why can''t I be in his office? Is the CEO yours?"


    Lanni scoffed. "You are acting sneaky by being in people''s offices in their absence. The CEO was in a meeting a while ago¡­" she thought of the only possibility and her eyes glinted. "If I find out that you are doing anything you shouldn''t, don''t blame me for not being kind."


    "What right do you have to act all high and mighty? It''s merely your second day here!" Ling Yu looked like she wanted to rip her apart.


    Lanni smiled softly and brushed past her. It was because it was her second day that she had to latch onto every opportunity to gain Xing Han''s trust, alright?


    She entered the office and after making sure that Ling Yu was gone, she went tp the safe and keyed in the passcode. Luckily, she had not forgotten it despite bumping into Ling Yu who interrupted her chanting.


    She unlocked the safe and what met her was several files and USB flash drives.

 Chapter 295 - Snagged A Freebie

    Lanni felt her heart race when she saw the items she had not expected to see. She had thought that since Xing Han had allowed her access to his safe, it would be empty and the document she was delivering would be the first item. Who would have thought that there were other files and flash drives?


    The top file had a huge "CONFIDENTIAL" printed onto it.


    Her lips twitched. Who labels a confidential file ''confidential''? Wasn''t that helping whoever was looking for his secret files to find it more easily? He was merely giving free access to the file¡­


    Her heart raced as she thought about how her search had probably come to an end. She would take pictures of the content of the files and send it to Galaxis then she would pretend nothing ever happened. Once that side decided to act, she would find a reason to resign, then Jiang Xiaomu would disappear from the earth''s surface.


    She excitedly reached to get the first file, the one with a confidential label, but just when the tips of her fingers touched it, she froze.


    ''Li Lanni, are you an idiot?'' She scolded herself. How could it be so easy to get her claws on evidence on the second day? She was merely an assistant at this point! This seemed more like¡­ a trap.


    What if Xing Han was still guarded against her and deliberately sent her to access his safe? If that was the case, there would be several cameras in the ofifce to capture every angle and every action of hers would be displayed on camera.


    Her back went cold. If she panicked now, her actions would appear even more guilty. Hence she feigned nonchalance as she arranged the few files properly.


    She then took the file she had been instructed to keep and secured it in the safe, on top of the others. Once she was done, she locked the safe and after ensuring that it was well locked, she did not linger any longer and left the office like it was on fire.


    Perhaps it was a trap, perhaps it was not; but whether it was or not, it was better to be safe.


    _


    She went back to her office and took a seat on the high back chair. When she was about to resume her work, the door opened and a man walked in.


    "CEO, you are back." She said curtly.


    The man had a satisfied grin plastered across his face. Not a flirtatious one like those stupid winks he had been sending her way since he saw her.


    Well, the stupid winks were on the verge of surfacing, but the grin was that of praising someone who had done something good.


    "CEO?" She probed when he didn''t say a word and kept staring at her for longer than she was comfortable with.


    "Little Mumu, there are a few things I would like to discuss with you."


    Lanni frowned slightly at that nickname he wouldn''t drop but stood up. "Should we talk in your office?"


    It was weird for her to be seated when her employer was standing.


    "No need. Let''s talk here." He sat on her desk like he owned the place.


    Well, he did own the place, but who sits on a woman''s desk with no restraint? What was worse, he asked her to sit. She had no choice but to sit on her chair and push it as far from him as the space behind the desk could allow.


    "Little Mumu, have you ever heard any rumors about our company?" He asked seriously.


    "What kind of rumors?" She feigned ignorance even though her heart couldn''t beat any faster.


    "Some¡­ not so good things." He looked into her eyes through her glasses as though searching her expression.


    Lanni pretended to be deep in thought, as though wondering what he was talking about. She knew fully well that he was testing her. Perhaps he might even suspect her.


    Seeing that she was not speaking after a long time, he decided to drop the bomb. "As long as one has the resources, creating a company is a walk in the park." He started. "But¡­ no matter what kind of resources one has, maintaining the company and making it prosperous is no easy feat.


    You will have to work hard. You will need to be smart and¡­ you will often have to make sacrifices. I mean, everyone does make a sacrifice or two to save what he loves."


    He paused and looked into her eyes. "I made some too."


    Lanni blinked. What was up with this monologue?


    "Little Mumu, you are an employee of this company, so you understand the policies, don''t you? You know what to do, right?"


    Lanni nodded like a bobble headed doll. "I should work hard and not let you and the company down."


    Xing Han laughed at her answer. "Not that, Little Mumu. What I mean to say is¡­ what happens in Xing Real Estate remains in Xing Real Estate."


    Lanni nodded in understanding, secretly wondering whether he was telling her this because he was doubting her. Just when she was preparing for the worst, she heard his voice again. "As my assistant, I will need you for many things so I came here to give you this."


    Lanni took the document and as soon as she saw the title, she had to bite her lips to stop the smile that was threatening to surface. It was a contract of confidentiality.


    This could only mean one thing. Xing Han would no longer hide anything regarding the company from her!


    She almost couldn''t conceal her joy as she scribbled her signature across the little rectangle meant for her to sign.


    She then handed the sheets of paper to him.


    "Good girl." He praised and left her office, leaving behind an overjoyed Lanni.


    She was finally getting closer to completing her task!


    ¡­


    That day, there was no out-of-ordinary meeting. They were all related to legal business. By the time they were done, Lanni was so tired that she 2wanted to drop onto the floor and take a nap.


    However, she couldn''t since she had an appointment with a hair stylist.

 Chapter 296 - Too Much Into Character

    Lanni drove the low-profile car she had bought for convenience to the stylist''s.


    When she arrived, the stylist''s assistant was already waiting for her.


    "You must be Miss Jiang. Miss Wu is waiting for you." The cheerful assistant greeted, then led the way.


    Lanni followed the lead to a grand styling room where the beautiful middle-aged woman was already waiting.


    Since everything was ready, she did not waste time and had Lanni sit before starting to do her work.


    "You mentioned that you want your hair dyed. May I ask which color you want?" Miss Wu asked as she massaged Lanni''s scalp.


    "Can I have the same color as this?" She pointed at the wig she had just taken off. The reason why she wanted to dye it permanently was because wigs were troublesome. If anything went wrong and it was discovered that she was wearing one, it would raise more suspicion to her identity.


    "Sure, that''s doable." Miss Wu responded. "However, there is a downside. Your hair is the kind that grows very fast. It will not be long before natural strands start to show up. Black and ashen blond are such contrasting colors so if you want it to be completely blond, you may want to dye it more often¡ªwhich will weaken your hair.


    "No problem." Lanni shrugged. She would only dye it once. By the time it grew too long to be concealed, she would have completed her mission so she would dye it back to its original color.


    Since it was decided, Miss Wu went ahead and dyed it. When she was done, she styled it in the soft waves that Lanni wanted. Her hair was naturally voluminous to begin with, so when it was styled in waves, it looked even more beautiful.


    She smiled at the woman in the mirror. Xiehan would go crazy if he saw her like this.


    She was about to stand when the stylist''s assistant led someone in. Lanni''s smile in the mirror froze. It was Feng Ci.


    Luckily, the wig had been kept away.


    "Miss Wu, I would like¡­" Feng Ci was still speaking when she noticed the girl sitting in front of the mirror. "You?"


    "Hello, Miss Feng." Lanni quickly got into her role as Jiang Xiaomu. Luckily, although she had taken off her glasses, she was still wearing her makeup. So, although Feng Ci thought she looked really familiar, she only linked it to the fact that they might have known each other in the past.


    She walked to Lanni with a smile. "You don''t need to be too polite and call me Miss Feng. You can just call me Sis Ci."


    Lanni nodded. Since Feng Ci was older than her, it made sense.


    "Anyway, Xiaomu, I didn''t expect to meet you here. Do you think we could grab a coffee sometime?"


    Lanni knew that Feng Ci would not ask people out without a reason. She probably had something in mind but Lanni was willing to play along. She wanted to play with her too. "Sure. I''m not usually too busy after work."


    "How about today? We can go after my hair is done." Feng Ci pressed.


    "Uh¡­ I promised my parents to drop by today. Maybe some other time?"


    Feng Ci thought about then nodded. She could wait a little.


    Lanni sighed in relief when she left. It was safer if she knew what Feng Ci''s real motive was.


    ¡­


    After discussing with Xiehan and the others, they had reminded her to make sure to go to the Jiangs once in a while to visit. After all, she was their ''daughter''.


    Hence, Lanni drove to Jiang Mansion.


    "Young miss!" The servants greeted in unison as soon as she arrived.


    Lanni returned their greetings with a smile. The Jiangs were really so much in character. If she didn''t know what was happening, even she would believe that she was actually Jiang Xiaomu.


    "Aunty!" She smiled at Madam Jiang once she saw her in the living room, and hurried over to greet her.


    Madam Jiang stood up to hug Lanni. "You little child. Aren''t you going to call me mother?" She joked.


    Lanni laughed along. "I can call you "mom" but do you know why that will not be correct?"


    "Why?" Madam Jiang asked curiously.


    "If I call you "mom", Luna will have to address you the same way, then she cannot be your future daughter-in-law anymore." She laughed.


    Madam Jiang pretended to ponder over it. "Daughter or daughter-in-law¡­ is there really a difference? Actually, I can be her mother too. That punk of mine is too useless anyway."


    "Are you really my mum?" A complaint emanated from the staircase.


    Lanni burst into laughter. These two were going to start bickering again.


    "Stop blabbering. Come here and say hello to your sister." Madam Jiang closed in on her son and dragged him by the ear.


    "Have you gotten too addicted to your role?" Jiang Xingyu was flabbergasted. Did she really think that Jiang Xiaomu existed?


    Madam Jiang glared at him. "Punk, what did you say? Even if Jiang Xiaomu is not my daughter, she can be my granddaughter. Instead of spouting so much nonsense, you should spend that effort trying to make me a grandma."


    Jiang Xingyu scratched his chin. "You haven''t learnt to crawl yet but you want to run? You are not even a mother-in-law yet but you want to be a grandma from nowhere?"


    "You! I''ll beat you up." Madam Jiang dramatically grabbed a sandal. What followed was the mother and son chasing each other all over the living room, with a sandal raised in the air by Madam Jiang.


    Lanni laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. Were these two always fighting like this?


    When Madam Jiang finally caught her son, the latter wailed pitifully. "Waaaah mother! I will not spout nonsense anymore! I am going on a date with your daughter-in-law. If you beat me up, she will think I am ugly and will not fall in love with me!"


    Madam Jiang''s hand paused. "You are going on a date with Luna?"


    "Uh huh. Don''t you see how handsomely I am dressed?" Jiang Xingyu nodded immediately.


    "What are you waiting for? Go go go! Don''t keep a girl waiting." She shooed him away like a stray animal.


    Lanni was curious when she overheard their conversation. Jiang Xingyu was going on a date with Luna? What great news!


    Madam Jiang finally sat on the couch opposite Lanni. "I''m sorry you had to see that. My son is just so naughty."


    Lanni laughed. "It''s alright." It was very entertaining anyway.


    "This punk¡­ he better not give Luna a hard time." Although Madam Jiang was admonishing her son, it was apparent that she loved him very much. Lanni also knew that the words she had just said were not uttered deliberately for her to hear.


    Madam Jiang truly loved Luna. What a lucky girl¡­ the wheel of fortune was finally turning in her favor.


    "Lanni, when will you be free for the banquet?" The woman asked after some time.


    "Banquet?" Lanni was pensive.


    "Your welcome banquet. You are a daughter of the Jiang family so after being away for so many years, everyone expects us to throw you a welcome banquet."


    Lanni was incredibly touched by how detailed Madam Jiang was. "Aunty, thank you but it''s not that necessary. Besides, what will happen once my mission is complete?"


    "That shouldn''t worry you, and of course it is necessary!" She held Lanni''s hands in reassurance. "Then it''s settled. Tell me a date when you will not be busy and I will organize everything. Also, tell me if there are specific you would like to invite or those you don''t want to invite."


    Seeing that she was adamant, Lanni nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Aunty."


    "Why are you thanking me? We are a family after all."


    Lanni chuckled at her double meaning. They were fake mother and daughter for now but in real sense, they would really be family if Luna and Jiang Xingyu got married.


    ___


    Pearl Hotel.


    Jiang Xingyu arrived five minutes earlier than the agreed time for their date.


    As the huge golden clock on the wall of the private room¡ªas well as the Patek Philippe watch on his wrist¡ªticked away the seconds, he almost couldn''t keep his butt on the chair.


    Heaven knew how much effort he had spent to convince her to go on a date with him.


    That morning when they were having breakfast, she had tricked her into having a bet with him. If she lost the bet, she would go on a date with him. Luckily, she had lost.


    He couldn''t conceal his joy.


    Time elapsed. Soon, it was 7.30 pm, their agreed time. He sat on edge as he waited but saw no sign of her. He thought that she might have been caught in traffic.


    Soon, it was 8pm. She glanced at the clock with a smile. Some women always wanted to be late for dates, to keep the man anticipating, so he didn''t mind.


    When it was 9pm, he thought she might have spent too much time dressing up. He simply asked a waitress to sprinkle fresh, cold water on the bouquet of roses he had brought with him and continued waiting.


    However, it was soon 11:30 pm and there was still no sign of her.. Not even a chime of her text message.

 Chapter 297 - Stood Up(?)

    "Maybe she forgot about the date and remembered later, so she is late." He made yet another excuse for her with a sigh.


    The waitress appeared for the umpteenth time. "Sir, may I get you anything to drink?"


    "No." He gave the same answer he had given the past a hundered or so times that she had asked. Couldn''t she tell that he was in a bad mood? If he wanted a drink, he would certainly ask for one! Would she need to bug him?!


    It was not that he had not noticed the kind of look she had been giving him every time she made a trip to the private room. It was as though she was pitying him for being stood up and wanted to replace his woman.


    She was lucky that he was not the kind of man to throw his temper at anything that appeared in his line of sight. Otherwise, he would have yelled at her before shouting for the manager and having her fired.


    He glanced at the bouquet at the side. The petals had started drying up again. Some were even falling off. After having the waitress sprinkle cold water on them again, he glanced at the time with a sigh. It was almost midnight. Would she really come?


    It was hard to believe that he might have been stood up. All this while, he had wanted to call her and ask why she had not arrived but every time he was about to dial her number, he was afraid that she would not answer. Even worse, she might just answer and scold him for being delusional and thinking that she would be willing to go on a date with him.


    "But if she didn''t want to come, why did she agree?" He asked the air, and the answer landed right into his brain.


    He had given her no choice. He had pulled a prank on her. At the time, he had stupidly thought that it was excellent but now, it was the most stupid thing he had ever done.


    He had made her agree to the terms of the bet: if she won, she could instruct him to do anything, and if he won, she would go on a date with him. Once she had agreed, he had said, "I bet that you cannot stab Lanni."


    He could not forget the shock in her eyes, how madly she had scolded him, then the cringe on her face when she realized that she had been pranked.


    He had jubilantly asked her to honor the terms of the bet, to which she rolled her eyes and said okay. That was how their date had been set for tonight.


    But now that he was here, waiting for her when the clock was just a few minutes away from striking twelve, he regretted spouting such nonsense.


    The more the clock ticked, the more convinced he was that he had pushed past the limit of her tolerance and that this was her way of making him give up.


    He looked up again. In five minutes, it would be midnight. Was there such a thing as a midnight date? He had never heard of one. It went without saying that she would not come.


    He grabbed the flowers from the table, leaving behind a few red petals and droplets of moisture.


    At this moment, the annoying waitress made another appearance. If he did not have Luna in his heart, perhaps he might have realized that she was a stunning beauty. However, he had no time to see her as anything more than a human being.


    "Sir, did your girlfriend stand you up?" She asked in the gentlest voice she could muster, then drew closer to him. "It happens sometimes. Some women just don''t treasure a good man."


    "Get out!" He snarled. Her words infuriated him so much that he wanted to grab her neck and strangle her.


    The little waitress scurried out of the room. An angry man could be dangerous, geez!


    Before he really left, he decided to resort to the last measure out of his reluctance to give up. He took his phone and dialled her number.


    The call went through and he held his breath as he heard the first doot, the second, then the third. On the fourth and final one, he thought he could hear a familiar tone outside. Just as he tried to listen, the call connected.


    "Hello." The solemn voice resounded from the phone half a second after it reverberated from the door.


    In the next moment, the door was pushed open from the outside and at the doorway stood the woman he had been waiting for all night. She was wearing a red, floor-length evening gown that had a high slit up her thigh and had her hair styled in an elegant updo. It was rare to see her looking this feminine, but she looked tired.


    The waitress who had been trying to get into Jiang Xingyu''s good books was flabbergasted. His girlfriend was so beautiful! No wonder he couldn''t bother to look at anyone else.


    He was still stunned when she hung up the call and made her way to him. "I''m sorry."


    Her soft voice jolted him. All the sadness, despair and even anger that he had felt all night dissipated in a flash. He worriedly scanned her face. "Did something happen?"


    "Xiao Yu''s brother got into an accident and we rushed him to hospital. She was so worried and I stayed to keep her company until the doctors said that he was out of danger. It was only then that I remembered that I had a date with you and decided to rush over. I didn''t even realize the time until I reached here." She rumbled in one breath before sighing. "Oh god I''m so sorry. I really didn''t mean to be late."


    "How is Xiao Ying?" He asked with concern written all over his face.


    "He is alright, he woke up. It was an allergic reaction kind of accident¡­ luckily we got him to hospital on time."


    The man pulled her into a hug. "I''m glad you are fine."


    Earlier, amid his irritation, a part of him had been worried that she might have gotten into an accident or something. He had tried his best not to believe that such a thing could have happened to her. Luckily, she was alright.


    She wrapped her arms around his back for a moment before she broke the hug. "It''s too late, right? I will make it up to you¡­ how about we choose another day for a date?"


    A selfish part of him wanted to agree to the suggestion so she would have to fo pn another date with him. However, he didn''t want to force her into something she would only do reluctantly. "It''s alright. You honored your promise."


    Luna looked relieved and he was not usre whether he was happy or sad about it. She darted her eyes towards the seat. "Let''s sit down. My heels are killing me."


    Jiang Xingyu promply made his way to the table and pulled a chair for her.


    He couldn''t help smiling at her statement. She was not used to wearing high heeled shoes but she had worn them today just for this date. Not only that, she was also wearing a red dress. Paired with the atmosphere, they looked like an actual couple in love.


    Before he could state any comment, the waitresss appeared, but this time to ask whether to bring the food. Jiang Xingyu had made a specific special order. When he nodded, the waitress left and arrived with a trolley of food in a few minutes.


    She lay the table with several of her favorite foods, including spicy grilled chicken.


    "How did you know what I like?" She chuckled.


    "I still remember." He smiled.


    Luna nodded. They had eaten out together several times in the past. Now that she thought about it, she didn''t feel so guilty of the past anymore. It felt kinda sweet¡­


    "You must be hungry. Why don''t we dig in?" All his sorrow had faded, leaving behind an empty stomach.


    Luna was famished too. She picked up her cutlery and stabbed a piece of her grilled chicken. In the next second after putting it in her mouth, she nodded in approval. It was the tastiest grilled chicken she had ever had.


    "Do you like it?" He smiled.


    "I love it! Do you want to have a taste?" Although it was a question, she did not wait for his answer before stabbing a piece and leading it to his mouth. Seeing her cheerful expression, he instinctiveky bit it off the fork.


    "It''s indeed yummy." He knew she would like it since he had given the restaurant a special secret ingredient that his mother used when grilling chicken.. He was familiar with this taste but the fact that she fed it to him made it yummier that it had ever been.

 Chapter 298 - Date

    Jiang Xingyu continued enjoying every mouthful of grilled chicken that she put in his mouth and felt his life couldn''t possibly get any better.


    A smile graced his lips as he dug into the noodles on his plate. "Do you want to have a taste?"


    Luna glanced down at the appetising noodles but shook her head with a laugh. "I''ve eaten so much noodles in my life that I can probably manufacture some in my stomach. I don''t like their taste anymore."


    Jiang Xingyu chuckled. "Maybe you have not had a taste of this restaurant''s specially made noodles with meticulous preparation and 12 special spices. It will leave you begging for more."


    "12 spices?! Is it still edible?" Luna''s eyes widened.


    "Why don''t you find out?" He twirled a small portion and led it to her lips.


    Her heart raced as she took it into her mouth. She had never thought that she would do something so intimate with a man, yet not only had she fed him, she had also let him feed her.


    She avoided his gaze and concentrated on the taste of the noodles then her lips curled up. "It''s indeed yummy."


    "I told you." He laughed. "Do you want the rest of them?"


    She glanced at the tempting plate but then hesitated. "You haven''t eaten much..."


    "We can swap food." He suggested.


    "Good idea." As she spoke, she pushed her plate in between them before she could think of asking for an extra one. Since she had already done it, she stabbed her fork into a piece.


    The man''s smile deepened as he also pushed his plate between them and dug in.


    "Would you like some wine?" He asked after some time. He had ordered some but since she had arrived late, he had not suggested it.


    He thought she would pass but the girl nodded her head. So, he picked a pair of stem glasses and the wine at the side, then he poured them a little each.


    "It is already so late, so we should not drink too much." He explained as he passed her a glass.


    Luna accepted it and clinched their glasses then took a sip. "Is it just me or is everything so tasty? Even the wine is excellent." She gushed.


    "It is indeed tasty." He looked at her meaningfully. The meals and wine were indeed perfect, but even if they tasted horrible, he would still find it awesome if he was eating it with her.


    Silence followed in the next few minutes, with both of them eating quietly after running out of things to talk about. In this moment, Luna unknowingly started thinking about their relationship.


    She had previously decided to give him a chance and date him out of gratitude, but then she had changed her mind after mulling over it. A relationship started out of any other reason but love may not always be the right thing to do.


    Even if she did fall in love with him later, they may not realize it and merely treat it as her being appreciative. It would not feel as real as a love relationship.


    Hence she had decided to let nature take its course. If she couldn''t love him and he fell for another woman, it would still be a perfect ending.


    But now that she had been spending more time with him, she realized that although he was so annoying that she wanted to bite him to death, she did not hate it in the slightest.


    On the contrary, her heart would beat faster every time he got closer to her, she would get nervous at times and at other times, she would want nothing more than to kiss the annoyance out of him.


    She had spoken to Cheng Yu about it and the latter was certain that those were signs of her falling in love with him. However, she did not dare to jump into conclusions. It could be an infatuation or her brain''s response to all those thoughts she had been having about him being a nice guy. Perhaps it might fade¡­


    And the last thing she wanted was to hurt him again. He really didn''t deserve to be hurt the first time, let alone a second. That was why she remained silent and said nothing about her feelings.


    "What are you thinking about?" He asked when he realized that she was no longer eating but staring at him, her expressions shifting from little frowns to smiles he could swear were full on infatuation, then another little frown.


    She snapped back and retracted the fork she didn''t know she was waving in the air. "Nothing. I''m just wondering¡­ if I will be able to eat this kind of food again."


    He laughed at her way of asking it. Of course she could! She was a wealthy young miss. Although her dad was currently hostage, there was no way she would lack money to buy a private plane if she wanted, let alone a meal at a restaurant. Yet she sounded like it was harder than ascending to the heavens.


    Viewing this as a chance, he happily grabbed it. "I will bring you here whenever we have the time. You can have a taste of other specialties too."


    "Sure." She smiled, and he couldn''t be any happier.


    When they were done eating, he offered to give her a ride back to her apartment. Luna was about to reject it and take a cab but thinking about it, she agreed and entered his car with him.


    The entire ride was silent until they arrived. Before she opened the door, he placed a hand on top of hers. "Thank you for going out on a date with me. You could have stood me up especially after what happened but you didn''t¡­ it means a lot to me."


    She took in his genuinely grateful expression and was glad she showed up in the end.. "I liked it too, so I''m also thankful to you for giving me such a great time."

 Chapter 299 - Date (2)

    "You really had a good time?" He thought she was only being courteous.


    "I did." She replied honestly. If she was being fair, her night couldn''t have been any better. When she thought she might not make it, she had imagined that Jiang Xingyu would be angry, call her a heartless woman and send hundreds of text messages to berate her for wounding his pride¡ªall without trying to find out what happened.


    She had also thought that he might not believe her reason for being late. Yet the man had surprised her once again. Not only was he not mad at her, he had also given her such a perfect night. What else could she possibly ask for?


    She leaned in and smacked a small kiss onto his lips¡ªa sweet, innocent kiss.


    The man was surprised for a second then the tips of his ears turned red. He then snaked a hand behind her neck and kissed her deeply.


    When it ended, he wanted to help her out of the car and she couldn''t bear to reject him, seeing his enthusiasm.


    Outside the car, she adjusted her feet on the ground a little awkwardly. "I''ll go up now."


    "Wait." He held her hand. She turned to look at him inquisitively and he said, "I overheard my parents say that they will throw a welcome banquet for your sister¡ªas my sister. Will you be free to attend it?"


    "When will that be?" She asked.


    He ran a hand through his hair. "Uhm¡­ I didn''t ask. How about I let you know after finding out?"


    "Sure. Is there anything else?" She forced a smile. She was never wearing high heeled shoes for such a long period of time!


    "Are you alright?" He saw through her forced smile that was trying to conceal a wince.


    "No. It''s nothing! If there''s nothing else, then you should head back soon."


    He scanned her and noticed her fidgeting on her legs slightly. "Do your feet hurt?"


    Since he had already found out, she couldn''t conceal it anymore. "I''m not used to wearing such shoes! Which reminds me, why would you even like a woman like me? I can''t walk gracefully, can''t dance and I definitely don''t look as great in gowns as other women do." She sounded like she was launching a complaint against him for liking her.


    He broke into a chuckle.


    "Why are you laughing?" She looked at him sternly.


    "I don''t care about how you act. All I know is that you are the one I love." He then placed a hand behind her back and another under her knees then lifted her up. "I''ll take you to your unit."


    "You don''t need to¡­" Even though that was what she said, her hands found their way to his neck as she sighed in relief. The walk to the elevator would have surely killed her.


    The man''s heart was filled with bliss as he shifted his position and entered the elevator with her in his arms. Since there was enough space, he didn''t let go until he was in her house and she asked to be let onto the couch.


    Once he let her sit properly, he knelt before the couch and lifted the hem of her dress to expose her ankle.


    A frown formed on his face when he saw that it was slightly swollen. He made a mental note that if she were to wear high heeled shoes again, he would prepare a pair of flat sandals for her to change into.


    He gently touched the slightly swollen bump while looking at her. "Does it hurt?"


    She wanted to say that it was alright. After living the kind of life she had lived, what kind of pain had she not experienced? What could be so bad about a slightly swollen ankle?


    However, when she looked down and saw the crease on his forehead along with the worry in his eyes, she instinctively wanted to act a little spoilt. She was almost unfamiliar with the idea of being taken care of this lovingly and a part of her didn''t want it to end. Just this once. She would be a weak girl just this once.


    "It hurts¡­" her voice lowered out of her lack of confidence to utter such words.


    When Jiang Xingyu heard her words that were close to a purr, his heart clenched and all he wanted was to give up everything in life and protect her.


    "I will give you a massage." He offered.


    Luna felt her heart start that silly racing stunt again but she could not say no to that. "I have a few massage oils in my room." She gave him directions on where to find it and reclined on the couch as he went to get it.


    The man returned within a few minutes and knelt on the carpet once again, taking her ankle in his hands.


    He poured a little oil in his hands then started massaging it gently at first, then exerting a little pressure when she could handle it.


    She pulled a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she looked down at his gentle actions with a happy smile. He was treating her ankle like it was a very important piece of work, and his meticulous actions warmed her heart.


    "Does it hurt if I do this?" He asked as he tried to move her foot.


    "No." She said almost immediately.


    "What about this?" He tapped on the swollen part that was now more relaxed.


    "No."


    "Good." You will need to apply an ice compress in the morning. He then took the other foot that was just as swollen.


    By the time he was done, it was already 4:30 am.


    She was so sleepy that she almost dozed off.


    Seeing this, he stood up. "I will let you go to sleep now. Remember not to hop around too much."


    "It''s already so late and you will need to go to work in a few hours. Why don''t you just sleep here?"


    He thought about it and she was indeed right. If he insisted on going back, it would be time to wake up by the time his head hit the pillow.


    Hence, the two of them spent yet another night on the same bed.

 Chapter 300 - Blockhead

    Luna tossed with no intention to fall asleep. Although it was apparent that she was sleepy, she was trying hard to remain awake. In the end, Jiang Xingyu was also distracted by her.


    He turned to check on her. "What''s wrong? Do your feet hurt?"


    Detecting the worry in his tone, she was filled with remorse and embarrassment. "No."


    "You can''t sleep¡­ do you need a bedtime story before you can fall asleep?" He teased.


    She shot a glare in his direction even though he couldn''t see it in the darkness. "No. I''m just¡­"


    "You''re just what?" He probed curiously.


    Although there was no light, she was sure her cheeks were redder than they had ever been. "I''m just scared¡­ that what happened last night will recur."


    It took a moment to process her words and when he did, he broke into a hearty laugh. What exactly was she scared of? That she would roll to his side and lie on his chest, or that she would strip him of his shirt and touch him?


    His lips curled up. "Then I look forward to it."


    Luna was speechless. It turned out that she was worried for nothing. Obviously, she would try to keep her hands to herself as much as possible, or it would not be appropriate.


    Alas, the ''harassment'' he was anticipating did not happen, and the two of them slept soundly and only woke up at 10am.


    "You''re late for work! I''m so sorry¡­" she apologized when she saw the time.


    "It''s not your fault." Alarm clocks were mere decorations to him. As long as he wanted to wake up at a specific time, he would be able to make it no matter how late he slept. This morning, he had woken up about 3 hours after they slept but when he saw the beauty beside him, he found the idea of waking up for work too troublesome. Hence, he sent a message to his assistant and asked him to postpone his morning appointments, then he went back to sleep.


    Waking up later, he felt more refreshed.


    Luna, who didn''t know this, felt she was to blame. It was she who had been late for their date and after that, he had to massage her feet, which took up a lot of time as well.


    Seeing her self-reprimanding expression, he couldn''t resist pressing a kiss onto her cheek. "I didn''t want to go to work early. Besides, I''ve been going to bed pretty late these past few days so the fatigue just kicked in."


    Luna knew that he might be saying it just so she wouldn''t blame herself but she nodded and freshened up, then went to make them breakfast.


    Once they were done eating, he was ready to go to work.


    Luna saw him out to the parking lot.


    He gazed at her for a while and so badly wanted to give her a goodbye kiss. However, he was unsure how she would react to it so he restrained himself and reached to open the driver''s door.


    Just as he pulled it, a small hand landed on his and he looked up in confusion.


    "Take care." She smiled sweetly.


    Jiang Xingyu couldn''t hold back anymore. He turned and pulled her into his arms, lightly kissing her forehead.


    Her eyes brightened up as she added, "You don''t need to make excuses to ask me out."


    Jiang Xingyu chuckled in embarrassment. "I know. I''m sorry I did that yesterday¡­ I will definitely respect your space from this moment."


    Luna''s eyes darkened but she could only nod and see him off. As soon as he drove off, she facepalmed. What a blockhead! What she meant was that if he wanted her to go out with him, he could just ask¡ªhe didn''t need to resort to tricks. Alas, the man was probably too happy to process her words.


    _


    In the next few days, everything went back to normal. After considering all the factors, the Jiangs decided to hold the banquet on Saturday, 17th of November.


    During this period of time, Lanni focused on working hard as Xing Han''s assistant. Rumor had it that no matter how hard an employee worked, if they did not meet his requirements, they would be fired. Hence she had to do her best to avoid getting fired before the time was right.


    At the same time, she would use every chance she had to find more information on the underground drug deals. All of this, added to all her efforts of trying to get Xing Han to stay away from her, she was so exhausted every day that she wanted to give up. Alas, she had already come this far.


    On the night of 15th November, she had dinner with Luna in her apartment.


    "You have worked hard. Now you just have to gather substantial evidence that incriminates Xing Han and you will be free." Luna patted her back.


    "I will be able to find something in no time. The man trusts me too much already." The reason why she had not blatantly given him a beating was because of this. She was so close to completing her mission that it was no longer troublesome to endure it a little. Hence, she only constantly rejected his pursuit but didn''t cut him off in a way that would make them enemies.


    Luna was relieved when she heard her words. She hugged her sister lovingly. "Lanni, thank you for working so hard. Thank you for trying your best." Despite Li Yuming''s warnings and the revelation she had made when Xia Hanchen was kidnapped, Lanni still went ahead to expend so much effort to save him.


    She hugged Luna back. "You don''t need to thank me. He is my dad just as much as he is yours."


    Luna was pleased that Lanni still cared about him. "Call me crazy, but I still hope for our family to reunite."


    Lanni guffawed. "Quit dreaming. You and mum can''t stand each other for a second. What makes you think you will not murder each other when the time comes?"


    They both burst into laughter before Luna said longingly, "Seriously, I really wish we were like ordinary families."


    That earned another scoff from Lanni. "Why would we be like ordinary families and what exactly do you mean by "ordinary"? Don''t you know that every family has its own problems? While one may look peaceful on the surface, it may not necessarily be the case! Perhaps some of them have worse problems than ours¡­ they were just strong enough to hold together and not fall apart like ours did."


    "Not every single one has a weakness, though. Take for instance, the Jiang family."


    When Lanni heard that comparison, she facepalmed. "So that''s what you''re getting at." She scanned Luna meaningfully. "Say, why are you getting jealous of your own family?"


    "My own¡ªdon''t speak nonsense!" Luna admonished.


    "Ermahgerd¡­ someone''s embarrassed! Are you two already dating?" Lanni burst into a bout of teasing laughter.


    Luna helplessly glared at her. "Be more serious. I have news regarding Li Xiyan."


    "Tell me about it." Lanni''s attention was successfully diverted.


    "I couldn''t trace her. It''s as though she disappeared off the earth''s surface. I investigated carefully and she couldn''t have switched her identity either."


    Lanni sighed. "No matter what, I hope she disappeared for good."


    "I hope so too.." Luna sighed along.

 Chapter 301 - Banquet (1)

    17th November.


    To make the banquet as realistic as possible, the Jiang family had invited several aristocratic figures.


    Lanni, who was waiting in one of the rooms in the hotel, was speechless when she peeked and saw regal figures litter the hall. She looked up at Madam Jiang with worry written all over her face. "Aunty, aren''t you concerned that you will offend too many people? After all, if they find out that I am fake and that they have been used as a pawn to make my identity more believable, they will not be happy in the slightest bit!"


    Madam Jiang passed a gown to her. "Don''t worry. Since I dared to do something of this sort, I naturally put everything into consideration and ensured that there will be no repercussions."


    Lanni felt reassured. She then took the gown carefully and her eyes widened when she saw it. "Is this¡­"


    Madam Jiang knew why she was so shocked. She sat on the bed with a smile. "This is the gown I wore during my coming of age banquet." Although that was almost almost three decades ago, the gown was still beautiful, elegant and could not be considered as out of style. She had kept it carefully so it was still perfectly new as well.


    It had been designed by the most famous designer from all those years ago, an elderly man at the time. Since it was his mpst treasured piece of work as well as the last before his passing, it had garnered tremendous fame and was considered as a treasure. Alas, after Madam Jiang wore it those many years ago, no one had seen it ever again. In fact, Lanni had only seen it in pictures.


    "I had always wanted to give it to my daughter and let her wear it to her coming of age banquet. But¡­ you know what."


    She didn''t end up having any. Lanni finally understood why Madam Jiang was especially nice to every young woman she found to be obedient and likeable. It appeared that her desire for a daughter was stronger than it was rumored. Luckily, she had a son so she could have a daughter-in-law and granddaughters.


    She touched the fabric of the dress and still felt uncomfortable. "Aunty, I think it would be more suitable if Luna wore this gown. After all, she¡­"


    She didn''t complete her statement but Madam Jiang understood it. She was the girl that Jiang XIngyu liked and highly likely to be her daughter-in-law On the other hand, Lanni had a boyfriend already, so it was not appropriate and might make things awkward.


    "What nonsense are you saying? You are my daughter right now so you should wear the gown I kept for my daughter. As for Luna, I have another gown which I specially kept for my daughter-in-law."


    Since this was the case, Lanni did not press anymore. She changed into the gown and waited for the banquet to start.


    _


    Most of the guests arrived and the banquet soon started.


    Madam Jiang went to the stage with her husband and picked the microphone. Instantly, a hush befell the hall. This was partially because the hosts were about to speak and partially because Madam Jiang was too stunning!


    Even though she was no longer a young woman and even had a son who was old enough to marry and have kids, she still possessed the beauty and elegance that she did when she was still just a newlywed. The maturity she had garnered over the years only served to make her more imposing and ultimately authoritative.


    The man beside her was no different: he was still handsome and in perfect shape. No wonder their son was so gorgeous that the girls drooling over him could circle the entire city! It was all inherited from his parents.


    Madam Jiang swept a glance across the hall before speaking. "Thank you all for attending this special banquet¡­" after giving a speech of thanks, she smiled. "I would like to introduce someone to you¡ªmy darling daughter, Xiaomu!"


    It was then that all the guests remembered the agenda for this banquet. It was to welcome the Jiangs'' precious daughter.


    Everyone turned to follow Madam Jiang''s line of sight.


    Then they saw a young woman descend the stairs gracefully. Her wavy hair had been pinned to her back, exposing her delicate and beautiful face. She had on a dash of light makeup that made her look stunning without being over the top.


    She was wearing a dark red one shoulder evening gown whose design was quite simple yet elegant. Paired with Lanni''s beauty, it was breathtaking.


    "How beautiful! Here I was saying that Jiang Xingyu must have inherited all the genes of beauty from his parents, but isn''t this too heaven-defying? Xiaomu is so beautiful!" One of the female guests exclaimed.


    Everyone finally snapped back to their senses.


    So stunning! They didn''t expect the Jiangs'' daughter to be so mesmerising as well!


    "A beautiful mother, handsome father, handsome son and now the daughter is this beautiful too? How is this still fair?!" A guest lamented, envious of the Jiang family but not haboring resentment.


    Lanni smiled gently as she heard all those exclamations. There was no woman who hated to be complimented. Even she didn''t know that she would look this beautiful.


    Since she was going to be in public, she had chosen to stray away from her usual style so no one would recognize her. Hence she had purposely styled her hair and made herself to look more mature¡ªshe could easily pass off as a twenty-five-year-old woman. Madam Jiang''s gown accentuated her body perfectly and was coincidentally befitting with this kind of style.


    Hence she relaxed, knowing that no one would recognize her. She walked to the Jiang couple. "Mother, father."


    "Good girl. Xiaomu, do you want to say hello to the guests?" Jiang Xingren got into character and asked with the tone of a doting father.


    Hence, Lanni smiled and oicked the microphone.


    But, before she could speak, a crash resounded.


    Everyone turned to the source only to see?? Li Yuming had shattered her glass in her hands....

 Chapter 302 - You Did It On Purpose

    Everyone saw Li Yuming bend down to pick the shards but got pierced in the next second. She gripped her finger and hissed in pain.


    "Mom!" Lanni reflexively shouted before she could stop herself.


    Just as she was about to rush forward, Madam Jiang pulled her back with a smile and whispered, "you will reveal your identity."


    Lanni instantly remembered that she was not Li Yuming''s daughter tonight so she forced herself not to rush to her mother and check on her.


    Madam Jiang sighed in relief. Everyone could have heard Lanni''s shout just now. Luckily, Luna had also called out "mum" at the same time, hence drowning Lanni''s voice.


    The girl hurried to Li Yuming''s side. "Mom, are you alright? How could you be so careless?" She grabbed her hand to check on it as she asked one of the staff to bring a first aid kit.


    Li Yuming recoiled when the vile girl''s fingers touched her. "I''m fine."


    She then walked out of the hall.


    Luna raised her eyebrow slightly and harrumphed. Then, she picked a glass of champagne from a bartender and strolled away.


    Jiang Xingren and his wife started introducing Lanni to the guests and making small talk with some of their friends.


    On the other hand, Luna found her way to the back exit. As expected, Li Yuming was out there by herself.


    Hearing the sound of footsteps behind her, she turned and frowned when she saw the incomer. "What do you want?"


    Luna half-crossed her arms with the almost empty champagne glass still in her hand. "What an excellent talent you are! I really have to give it to you¡­ not only are you one of the world''s most famous artists, you are also so talented in acting as well¡ªit''s not too late to join the film industry, you know. You could win an oscar."


    "What rubbish are you talking?" Li Yuming was incensed.


    Luna took the final sip of her champagne. "Really, you don''t need to put up an act with me. I saw what you did back there."


    "Get straight to the point." She hissed. How could anyone tolerate being berated by their own daughter?


    "Oh, I will." Luna scanned her up and down. "You did that on purpose, didn''t you? You dropped that glass deliberately."


    Before she could speak, Luna beat her to it. "You also picked it up and purposely had your finger scraped. You knew that Lanni would never keep her calm if you experienced the slightest form of injury. Even if it is just a mere sting, she will disregard everything else and her emotions would show.


    You chose the perfect timing when Lanni was under the spotlight and everyone was focused on her so they would all hear her calling you her mother. Then they would all start questioning why a daughter of the Jiangs would call you her mother and eventually investigate the matter, then discover that she is in fact Lanni."


    When Li Yuming heard her, she was speechless. "I think there''s something wrong with your brain."


    "Is it?" Luna laughed. "Then I inherited it from you." Her expression suddenly darkened as she thought of the worst outcome possible. She fired off words, not caring who she was speaking to. "If word got out, Xing Han would know he is being played and do you know how much danger that would cause for Lanni? I know you don''t like what she is doing, but how can you selfishly disregard your own daughter''s safety?"


    Li Yuming raised a hand. Just when Luna expected it to land on her cheek, the former stopped, huffing in anger. "I don''t know what drugs you''re on but listen to me very carefully because I''m saying it for the last time. I. Would. Never. Hurt. My. Daughter!" She enunciated every word clearly.


    Luna''s eyebrows frowned as her lips curled slightly at the corners. "Sure you wouldn''t."


    Casting a final glance at Li Yuming, she turned on her heel and stopped when she saw Jiang Xingyu from the corner of her eye. "Why are you here?"


    The man smiled with charm exuding from every inch of his being. "Aren''t you pleased to see me?"


    He signaled a bartender then took away her empty champagne glass, replacing it with another one and picking one himself. "Do you want to have a talk?"


    Luna nodded slightly. "Sure."


    She clinched their glasses and downed the content in one go before returning the glass.


    She then followed his lead to the balcony where there was no one else, and nothing but a small table and a pair of chairs.


    "You look dashing." He finally said. She had worn a dress that wouldn''t stand out too much so she wouldn''t steal the thunder. Even so, she looked amazing. The champagne colored dress had a front slit and a low v-neck but it wasn''t over the top.


    "Thank you. You look handsome yourself." She scanned him from head to toe and swallowed a gulp.


    "I do? Thank you." He was happy even though he knew that she probably only said it out of courtesy.


    As though reading his mind, she inched closer. "You look handsome¡ªI''m not just saying it."


    Even happier, he tilted his head and pecked on her lips. "Do you mind that I overheard your conversation with your mum just now?"


    "I don''t mind." It wasn''t like she cared anyone overhearing what kind of person Li Yuming was. If anything, she would very much love for the whole world to know about her true character.


    "I still think what is happening is that you are misunderstanding each other. You both think the other person is wrong when in real sense, you just haven''t taken any time to understand each other."


    "I don''t wish to waste any of my time understanding a woman who doesn''t have any qualms about hurting her daughter¡ªas if that''s not enough, she would even put on an act to deny it." She scoffed.


    "That''s my point. Just because she dropped the glass at that very moment, it''s equal to her doing it on purpose? It could not have been a coincidence?" Jiang Xingyu challenged.


    As expected, Luna merely rolled her eyes. "There has to be a certain level of trust before I can have the mind to investigate what really happened."


    Since their relationship seemed to deteriorate more than it could ever improve, Jiang Xingyu decided to drop the matter for now.


    He peeked down at her high heels and stifled a chuckle. "You don''t ever learn, do you?"


    Luna followed his line of sight and laughed when she recalled what had happened the last time she wore high heeled shoes for a long time. She laughed along. "I''m trying to get used to them."


    "Good luck with that." He teased.


    Luna shrugged and stepped in closer, shrinking the distance between them so much that all that was left was wrapping their arms around each other. "Besides, if I don''t wear high heels and my feet don''t get sore, how will I manage to gain a heavenly massage later?"


    The man was amused by her words. "You know, your feet don''t need to be sore for them to gain a massage. I can do it even when they''re perfectly fine. You just have to say the word."


    "You can?" She tried not to blush.


    "I sure can." He took a sip from his glass and then placed the glass on the small table at the side, mischief creeping into his eyes as he added, "however, there may be a difficulty to it."


    "What difficulty?" She asked curiously.


    He lowered his voice into a seductive whisper. "If I lay my fingers on your beautiful feet again, I may not be able to stop my hand from ''accidentally'' crawling upwards."


    He wanted to slap his mouth once the words were out. However, the anticipated scolding did not arrive. In its place was her meaningful glance. "Since it will be an accident, I will not be able to stop it from happening."


    His slight shock translated into a laugh. "No matter how far it goes?" When she nodded with a flushed face, he checked that there was no one else then pushed her against the railing of the balcony. His hand crawled its way to the slit of her dress, sliding in as he tilted his head to whisper in her ear. "How about this far?"


    Luna jolted from the sudden contact of his hand on her bare thigh. She had never allowed herself to be close to a man, much less let him touch her like this. She wanted to tell him to stop but she knew that her skin was liking the touch.


    Not getting a response from her, he pressed onto her further as his hand slid even higher. "What about this?"


    Her breathing quickened as she bit her lip to stifle a moan. She gritted her teeth when she felt him go even higher. "Jiang Xingyu!"


    Although her voice sounded stern and a little angry, she parted her legs slightly to give him access to the place she knew he was yearning to touch.

 Chapter 303 - Banquet(2)

    Jiang Xingyu gladly accepted the access and his hand trailed upwards. His fingertip came into contact with her thong and surprisingly, it was wet. She stifled a moan and gripped his arm as he rubbed it.


    Raising his head, his lips crashed onto hers as he fumbled to push her thong aside. He waited for her reaction and when she didn''t do or say anything for him to stop, he gently slid a finger into her. She bit his lower lip, unable to stop a moan from escaping her mouth. He picked up his pace, thrusting his finger in and out of her while kissing her demandingly. His other hand found its way into her dress through her cleavage and pulled out her left breast from the cup of her bra.


    Her hands grabbed him, pulling him to herself as he rubbed her nipple.


    Luna had never experienced such pleasure before but she knew that the waves building up inside her body must be her climax.


    At that moment, the man stopped what he was doing and pulled her panty back into place.


    "Don''t stop." she gripped his hand pleadingly.


    "I can''t go on." He tried to adjust his breathing back to normal.


    "Why?" She asked, shocked that he would stop at such a time.


    The man pressed a soft kiss onto her lips and pulled away immediately. "If I go on for a second more, I will not be able to stop myself from taking you right here."


    Luna didn''t know what to say. Should she be happy or sad?


    Footsteps resounded from a few meters away and from the sound of it, they were heading towards the balcony.


    Jiang Xingyu snapped from his trance and hurriedly straightened up her clothes before combing his fingers through his hair to organize it.


    "There you are. I was looking for you." Lanni said when she arrived, just as the two finished making themselves presentable.


    "You were looking for me?" Luna asked.


    "Lanni sent a signal with her eyes and hoped that Luna would understand it. Then she looked at Jiang XIngyu. "Dad wants to have a word with you."


    Jiang XIngyu was about to say that they were alone and she didn''t need to keep up the uncomfortable act when he caught sight of a faint shadow. He finally understood Lanni''s look and decided to play along. It seemed like someone doubted Lanni''s identity.


    Hence, he pulled Luna to his side. "Xiaomu, I have yet to introduce you to Luna. She''s¡­"


    "My sister-in-law, I know." She giggled like a spoilt little sister and extended a hand to Luna. "Sister-in-law, I have heard so much about you from my brother. It''s nice to finally meet you."


    Luna shook Lanni''s hand and was tempted to break it. The girl was doing it on purpose! She knew that Jiang Xingyu had intended to introduce her as his friend. Even so, she could only smile and play along. "So you are Xiaomu, the little sister he keeps prattling about. You are much lovelier than he makes it sound."


    After flattering each other for a while, Lanni clung to Luna???s arm like she was really her sister-in-law. "Sister-in-law, would you like to go shopping together sometime?"


    "Your sister-in-law is a busy person." Jiang Xingyu admonished like he was trying to get rid of an annoying little sister. When Lanni saw the shadow of whoever was peeking disappear, she gave Jiang Xingyu and Luna a thumbs up. These two were excellent actors. They had successfully convinced Feng Ci that Jiang Xiaomu really existed.


    That was right. The person who was peeking was Feng Ci. She had started suspecting Lanni''s identity when she realized that when wearing gowns, Jiang XIaomu''s figure was too similar to Luna''s.


    But after witnessing them get to know each other in private when they were alone and didn''t need to act, she pretty much dispelled the thought. It was possible for different people to have similar figures. If not, there would not be such a thing as body doubles in this world.


    Even so, she didn''t completely give up. She followed the three back into the hall.


    As soon as Luna was on her own and there were a few people in the vicinity, she sauntered over. "Hello, Miss Xia."


    Luna raised her eyebrow, wondering what this snake was up to this time. She flashed a smile. "Hello."


    Feng Ci offered her a glass of wine, and Luna shrugged and picked it, then pretended to take a sip when she, in fact, drank none of it. She would be a fool if she drank anything served by her enemy. The latter could very well use the opportunity to poison her.


    When Feng Ci saw her drink it, a smile graced her lips. Lanni''s sister was just as stupid as her sister. She had added a ''special'' drug into the drink. Her stomach would ache so excruciatingly that she wouldn''t be able to sit up.


    It was a special drug and would not be cured by any other medicine except the antidote she had. Once Luna was under her control, she would find her and offer the antidote on condition that she tell her the truth. If Jiang Xiaomu was really Lanni, she would not need to work too hard to expose her.


    Then, she would owe the Jiangs a favor after exposing the impostor who was impersonating their precious daughter.


    "Miss Xia, I wonder where your sister is tonight. Doesn''t she attend every banquet that your mother goes to?"


    Luna snickered. "Why does Miss Feng care about my sister so much?"


    Feng Ci felt anxious from that stare and hurriedly explained, "Lanni and I are friends. Of course I would care about her."


    "Oh. She never told me she had a friend like you." Luna scoffed then added, "Whatever it is, she is feeling unwell so she could not make it."


    Initially, they had wanted to have Luna pose as Lanni since the former was less known to everyone and no one would notice that she was missing.


    However, she and Li Yuming might just end up fighting in public.


    "Oh, that''s so sad. Where is she? I will pay her a visit."


    Luna was intrigued. Was this woman a fool? She actually expected to expose them using such a rooie method? Nonetheless, she was waiting for this question! "Don''t worry. My brother-in-law is taking care of her." She deliberately enunciated brother-in-law, knowing how obsessed Feng Ci was with Xiehan.


    Feng Ci''s face paled, as expected.


    She gritted her teeth and cursed Lanni in her mind. What had that woman done to enchant Xiehan so much?! He would even miss a banquet held by his best friend''s family just to take care of her?!


    ''Just what part of me is inferior to that little girl?'' Her breathing quickened. To prevent herself from exploding, she smiled modestly and left.


    ''Just you wait. I will take back what''s mine!'' She clenched her fists at her side but pretended to be calm on the outside, strolling to the bathroom.


    Lanni felt a chill crawl up her spine. Just who had she offended this time?


    Just when she was trying to sneak away for a breather, a middle-aged woman appeared before her. "Miss Jiang!"


    Lanni couldn''t ignore her, so she greeted her modestly. "Hello."


    "You have grown up into such a beautiful young woman! The last time I saw you was when you were an adorable little baby. You couldn''t even pronounce your own name back then but I knew you would be beautiful when you grow up. I just didn''t expect you to be this beautiful!" She gushed in admiration.


    Wait, what?


    Lanni was stumped.


    Adorable baby¡­ wasn''t this woman too good in brown-nosing? Since when was Jiang Xiaomu a baby?


    "Right. My son is here too. Do you remember him? You used to play together and went to the same kindergarten."


    Lanni''s eyebrows scrunched up. Went to kindergarten¡­ together?


    When the woman''s words hit her, she finally understood what was going on. So it was just a way to strike conversation and introduce Xiaomu to her son!


    There were several young men who had tried to strike conversations with her, and parents who wanted to match her up with their sons, but none of them had been so blunt. Lanni suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Before she could think of a way to get out of it, Madam Jiang walked over and hooked her arm with Lanni''s. "Xiaomu just came back. I would like to spend as much time with her as possible, so I don''t intend to marry her off so soon."


    "Oh¡­ so that''s the case." The middle aged woman retreated reluctantly, letting Lanni heave a sigh of relief.


    She playfully sent a text message to Xiehan. [Why did you miss the banquet? You don''t know it but there have been so many match-making attempts already! If you are too late, I will be a mother of two by the time you find me.]


    She laughed as she waited for his response, which arrived just a few seconds later. [Xiehan: Don''t you dare!]

 Chapter 304 - Dare To Take The Challenge

    Lanni''s phone chimed again. She thought it would be another text message from Xiehan but instead, it was a call from a certain annoying boss.


    "Little Mumu, how is it going?" The man was as enthusiastic and infuriating as ever.


    "I''m alright. CEO, today is Saturday." She meant to remind him that it was not a working day and he should not be making any calls related to work, especially since she had already stated on the first day that she would not be able to work overtime on any day.


    "I know, I know¡­ I just wanted to apologize for not being able to make it to your banquet." The man apologized vehemently.


    "It''s alright." She didn''t want him to go anyway; she had only extended an invitation because it would have been weird if she hadn''t. Who knew what kind of trouble he would have caused if he had attended?


    "Little Mumu, don''t be upset. I will get you a present to make up for my absence. If you wish, we can also have a few drinks together."


    "No, thanks. It''s really alright." Lanni expressed her understanding. Why was this man so hard to deal with?


    The only positive side to it was that after this banquet, he would no longer doubt her identity. She knew that he had his people in the banquet, disguised as guests. However, thanks to the guests who would suck up to the Jiang family so much as to claim to have cradled her as a baby, the act became even more realistic.


    Soon, the banquet ended. The guests started leaving for their homes and Lanni went to change into a more comfortable pair of shoes.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Xingyu rushed to look for Luna before she could leave. He found her outside, drinking yet another glass of wine.


    He walked over and tried to pry the stem glass out of her hand. "Don''t drink too much."


    She let out a small laugh, diverting her attention from Feng Ci in the distance, who was on the verge of exploding from seeing her perfectly fine.


    "It''s just wine. Besides, I can hold my liquor well."


    He stood beside her. "Really? Better than I can?"


    She raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Why don''t we find out?"


    "Are you challenging me for a drink?" It was his turn to be intrigued.


    "WHat do you think? Will you accept the challenge, or are you going to cower away like a kid?" She challenged.


    The man scratched his chin. "I''m not scared. I''m just.. not used to taking part in drinking contests with women."


    "There''s a first time to everything. So, what''s it gonna be?" she twirled her wineglass provokingly.


    "I have a collection of nice bottles at my place. I bet that you will drop after two sips." He responded.


    "You better bet that the first one to drop will be you." She emptied the rest of the wine into her mouth and stuffed the empty wineglass into his hand then headed for his car.


    He gave the wineglass to one of the staff who just happened to pass by, then pressed on his key and went to the car. He opened the passenger door for her, waited until she had fastened her seatbelt and closed the door, then cirled the car to the driver''s seat.


    Remembering something, he stretched his body to retrieve something from the back seat. Under her curious gaze, he opened the package to reveal a pair of diamond sandals. "I didn''t have the chance to give yiu these earlier."


    A smile flashed across her lips. "Than you." He had actually remembered to get her sandals in case she got tired from wearing heels. She herself had nearly forgotten about it and only remembered when it was too late to go back to the hiuse, then she had decided to buy a pair later if she felt sore.


    She picked the sandals and wore them, getting rid of the heels immediately.


    _


    Soon, they arrived at his villa.


    It had been ages since she last set foot in this villa, so she found it familiar yet unfamiliar.


    "Are you hungry? Shall we get something to eat first?" He suggested as he took off the coat of his suit.


    "I''m a little hungry." She had not eaten anything at the banquet and had only drunk wine and champagne.


    "What would you like to eat?" He rolled up his sleeves, preparing to go to the kitchen.


    "Any light meal will do."


    The man nodded and went to the kitchen. He had previously sent a notification to all the servants, telling them to take the day off. Hence, it was just the two of them in the villa.


    Luna picked a magazine from the rack nearby and made herself comfortable.


    Soon, Jiang Xingyu finished cooking and set the table. The two of them dug in and ate in silence. When they were done, he led her to the cellar.


    "How about we play a drinking game? We can play truth or dare." He suggested as he picked a bottle with high alcohol content.


    Luna sat down comfortably and shook her head at him. "If you want to get to know me, you can just ask. We don''t need a drinking game for that."


    Having been exposed, he ran a hand through his hair. But since she was willing to let him get to know her better, it made things much easier. Heaven knew she could have simply just drunk to each of his questions.


    Hence, the two started drinking while sitting opposite each other.


    "Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked his first question after a while.


    She coughed and looked at him like he was an alien. "Don''t you know whether I have one or not?"


    He laughed at his own silly question. "Well, you have not been particularly close to any other man but then there''s¡­ that guy¡­ Flynn. He seemed to¡­ act a little too familiar with you." He stated nervously, knowing that if her answer was that she and Flynn were anything other than friends, he would be shattered.


    She gulped a shot. "You don''t have to know about our relationship."


    His hands balled into fists. As expected.


    Just as he plunged into despair, he heard her voice again.. "However, if I was in a romantic relationship with another man, I would never let you touch me."

 Chapter 305 - Aftermath

    Her words pulled him back from the edge of a cliff. Not only had she let him touch her, they had even shared a bed twice. Although nothing happened between them those two times, it should mean that he had a chance, right?


    Hence, he joyously went ahead to ask her a few questions, while she asked him a few of her own.


    Since they were trying to find out who could hold their liquor better, they mostly drank and rarely spoke.


    Luna asked after a while, "Did you have any other girlfriend or fling after me?"


    He was waiting for that question so he would clarify that he had never been in a relationship with another woman and was waiting for her, so he quickly answered, "Why would I look for other women? I already found a wife."


    He immediately added his next question. "What kind of man would you want to marry?"


    She was a little lightheaded so she answered without thinking. "A man like you."


    He was taken aback and stared at her.


    In her defense, she shrugged and downed another shot. "If any woman met a man who loves her just a tenth of how much you love me, she would be devoted to him all her life. Since I''m ten times more fortunate than that, wouldn''t I be a fool if I didn''t cling onto you?"


    A charming smile escaped his lips, pleased by her words. "Why don''t you cling onto me, then?"


    It was as though she was waiting for that, because as soon as his words were out, she shot up and circled the table, immediately crushing into his arms.


    Her actions were unexpected and he almost couldn''t catch her on time. Once he had steadied her, he looked at her in surprise. "What was that for?"


    "You asked me to cling onto you, didn''t you?" She said in self-justification.


    He laughed and was about to ask another question when she wrapped her arms around his neck like a clingy child. "Listen, I''m not competing with you anymore. You can hold your liquor better than me. You win."


    His lips twitched. So her antics were related to her drunkenness. He didn''t expect her to be drunk so fast when she was the one who had been yapping endlessly about her supposed high tolerance.


    Since he was also feeling a little drowsy, he decided to call it a night.


    "Do you want to sleep in my room or in the guest room beside the master bedroom?" He asked jokingly as he helped her to her feet, keeping in mind that they would sleep in separate rooms.


    However, the girl in his arms had other plans. "Who the hell wants to sleep in a guest room? You can sleep there if you want but I''m sleeping in your bed tonight."


    He chuckled at her antics.


    "What? Don''t you want to share your bed with me? You meanie¡­ I shared mine with you and twice at that." She complained.


    He raised an eyebrow at her. Was she really that drunk? She could still walk straight and she knew exactly what she was saying. Why then was she speaking so much nonsense?


    Even so, he took her to his room and took off her sandals. She didn''t wait for him to help her onto the bed before she lept onto it on her own. She then grabbed a pillow and hugged it.


    Seeing that she was comfortable, he made to leave. However, she grabbed his hand. "Where are you going?"


    He turned back to look into her eyes dangerously. "Luna, we are drunk. No one can say what will happen if I really stay here."


    "Are you scared?" She challenged. Before he could answer her, she pulled him onto the bed. "Do I look drunk to you? I''m just a little drowsy." Crawling onto him, she ran a hand along his chest. "I would want to sleep in this bed, with you beside me even if I hadn''t touched a drop of wine."


    Her words tore off all of his restraint. "Then, I will take a shower first." He gently pushed her off him and went into the bathroom.


    "What about me?" She called after him. When he didn''t answer, she thought about it and decided to wait.


    Alas, the man was taking longer than her patience could last. In the end, she decided to take off her dress and enter the bathroom.


    The man was just done rinsing his hair when he heard footsteps and turned to see Luna walk into the shower compartment, wearing nothing but a bra and a thong.


    "Luna, what are you doing? Get out." He warned, his heart racing.


    However, she drew closer to him, and making his self-control wear thinner by the second.


    She unclasped her bra and stood under the shower, their skins almost touching. "We can share a bed, so why can''t we share a shower?" Scanning him up and down, she added, "Besides, you touched my sex earlier. Why can''t I touch yours?"


    As soon as her words were out, she reached down and grabbed his manhood, which was already hard from their close proximity.


    "Luna¡­" he groaned. In the next second, he grabbed her and pressed her against the glass wall of the shower compartment. She chuckled in amusement as the steam droplets rolled onto her skin, making him lose the last strand of self control.


    _


    The next morning.


    Luna jolted awake to find that she was embracing her favorite pillow, Jiang Xingyu''s bare chest.


    She felt as though and explosion had gone off in her mind.


    Last night, she had sex with Jiang Xingyu!


    "What have I done¡­" she mumbled inaudibly.


    "You''re awake." The man woke up too, and he had never been happier.


    Luna closed her eyes, unwilling to face this. What happened the night before was not an accident. She was not too drunk to know what was happening. She had not been forced or emotionally blackmailed into doing it. In fact, she had wanted to do it with him since they made out at the balcony of the banquet hall.. It was just¡­ when she woke up and was more clear headed, she realized that she was not ready to face the aftermath of it.

 Chapter 306 - Aftermath(2)

    "Luna, is everything alright?" Jiang Xingyu sat up and held her shoulders.


    She snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah. I''m alright. I''m just¡­ tired."


    The man did not probe any further but she didn''t look alright in the slightest. The thought of it made him anxious. He had once heard Lin Jian, that womanizer, say that some women would feel regret and repulsion after having sex for the first time.


    It was Luna''s first time last night¡­ could she be regretting it?


    Thinking about their relationship that was yet to be stable, it was indeed likely. Perhaps she felt horrible for having done it with a man who was neither her boyfriend nor her husband.


    All night, he had been unable to sleep, afraid that he would wake up and find that he was dreaming. When he finally became too sleepy, he had mentally come up with a way to express his feelings to her in the morning, then propose that they get into a relationship.


    But seeing what kind of mood she was in, he didn''t dare. He didn''t want to ruin the memory of that perfect moment, so he chose to act like what happened was something natural.


    "You must be hungry. I''ll make us breakfast." He fled from the bed as fast as he could.


    Alas, Luna could pretty much guess what he was trying to evade. "Let''s talk about last night."


    "Do we have to?" He dreaded.


    She pulled his hand so he could only obediently sit on the bed and listen to what she had to say.


    She played with her fingertips for a moment until she could not drag the matter anymore. "Jiang Xingyu, what happened last night shouldn''t have happened."


    That was what he was expecting but he still felt his heart crush into smithereens. "You¡­ want to treat it like an accident?"


    Luna immediately felt guilty about what she had said. "I didn''t say to treat it like an accident¡ªit wasn''t one. Let''s be honest, we both wanted it."


    The second part made a smile surface on his lips. Whatever she was going to say, he would still be glad. As long as she didn''t feel like she had done something she didn''t want to do, it was alright.


    She watched his expression turn calmer before she continued, "It''s just¡­ It shouldn''t have happened at the time it did. Our relationship is too rushed. One day we''re strangers to each other, the next day we''re kissing and crossing the final boundary¡­ don''t you think it''s too fast? I think we should slow down."


    She looked like an enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulder when she finally spoke her mind. He scanned her expression for a moment and let out a sigh. "Luna, I agree with you."


    She raised an eyebrow and he continued, "We did rush it too fast. But don''t you think it''s too late to talk about slowing it down? What''s there to slow at this point?"


    Luna was dazed. Indeed, how could they slow it down after that irreversible deed they did? But then again, "I don''t want to get into a relationship with you just because of that. I don''t want to become your girlfriend today, and then use it as a justification for what we did. Who knows how long such a relationship can last?"


    This was why she felt it was a mistake. After what happened, there were only two choices she could make: either be his girlfriend to protect their dignity, or forget about what happened and treat it like a one night stand. Both solutions would be too unfair to him.


    When he understood her point, he felt like he had just been pardoned after being sentenced to death. He held her hand comfortingly. "Luna, it''s alright. I want nothing more than to take responsibility but if you are not ready, we can sweep it under the rug until you are ready."


    "Xingyu, thank you." She leaned onto his chest in relief.


    He smiled as he hugged her shoulders, loving the sound of his name from her lips.


    When he felt a certain shameless part of his body start to react to their close hug, he pulled away. "I will get breakfast ready."


    "Sure."


    It was only when he left that she looked down at her body. At least the man had the mind to care. He had not left any marks where they shouldn''t be left.


    She then got ready to take a bath. Last night, she had learnt that ever since that time she ended up spending the night in this villa, Jiang Xingyu had been randomly buying and keeping clothes of her size¡ªin case she spent another night.


    There was everything she needed, including the shampoo she used, a new toothbrush, body cream and every clothing item including underwear.


    She checked out the bras and panties and frowned. As for how men always seemed to know the sizes of their girlfriends'' bras and panties, heaven only knew.


    Wait, did she just think of herself as his girlfriend?


    Shaking the thought off, she took a bath and changed into a sky blue dress.


    She then went to the kitchen, where the bare-chested Jiang Xingyu was holding a spatula and preparing breakfast with a serious expression.


    She smiled and almost drooled as she watched his upper back muscles bulge and relax with each of his actions. No matter how this breakfast tasted, she would enjoy it after watching such a seductive man cook it.


    He felt some movement behind him and turned. Luna quickly stopped staring and sat on a stool behind the kitchen island.


    He smiled charmingly and resumed cooking. When he was done, he went upstairs and grabbed a shirt. His lips twitched when he caught her disappointment after seeing him all covered up. But that did not stop her from secretly admiring his collar bones through the unbuttoned top section of the shirt.


    He served their breakfast and sat down beside her.. Since they were both famished, they dug in.

 Chapter 307 - Get Rid Of Her

    Monday¡ª19th November.


    Lanni knocked off work early since there was nothing much for her to do in the afternoon.


    After passing Xing Han''s test of her loyalty, she realized that the man was no longer too guarded against her. Hence, she had an inkling of what was going on beneath the surface. On that very day, she had overheard him discuss with someone else and promise them to deliver the goods on Wednesday night. A few hours after that, the company''s bank account received an astronomical amount of money.


    As she left her office, she let out a smile of half victory. The latter half was more difficult to attain but at least there was something for her to hope for.


    Sge had just arrived at the underground parking and was about to enter her car when someone stopped her. "Xiaomu!"


    Her mood dropped when she saw the enthusiastic woman but she kept up a smile and pretended to be pleasantly surprised. "Sis Ci, what are you doing here?"


    Feng Ci closed in as though the two of them were best friends. "I was just discussing a deal with Xing Han and did not expect to run into you. It must be fate."


    Lanni pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "It must be fate indeed."


    "Since we are fated, why don''t we go shopping together?"


    Lanni had already made plans to go pay her mother a visit later but this was a heavenly chance. She had wanted to find a way to befriend Feng Ci¡ªas Jiang Xiaomu¡ªwithout being suspicious, but now the best chance had presented itself.


    She knew that Feng Ci was a proud woman and if she kept rejecting her, the latter would simply stop trying to get close to her.


    Hence, she sent a text message to Li Yuming and let her know that she would be late for dinner and stay the night.


    _


    Li Yuming glared at the text message on her phone so hard that it seemed like fireballs would shoot out of her eyes and burn the phone to ashes.


    "Master, are you alright?" The housekeeper, who had been taking instructions a moment ago, was worried when she suddenly saw Li Yuming''s expression.


    The latter remained silent, but the housekeeper knew that there was only one thing that could rile her master up. "Did you have a fight with miss?"


    Li Yuming glared at her and she shut her mouth.


    She gripped the phone tightly in her hand. It was all because of that side. Because of them, her daughter had to pretend to be someone else''s daughter and couldn''t even go back home freely in fear of being followed. In fact, ever since this act started, the only time she had seen Lanni was at the banquet and even then, the latter had to act like a stranger and call her "Aunt Yuming".


    Because of them, her relationship with her daughter was deteriorating. How the hell was she supposed to appreciate that?!


    _


    Unaware of her mother''s tirade of emotions, Lanni followed Ji Feifei''s lead to the shopping center. Since she didn''t want to go back to the company after shopping, they each drove their own car and arrived one after another. They chose to go to a street full of nothing but rows of clothes and jewelry stores.


    Lanni got off the car first and was about to lead Ji Feifei to one of the stores she frequented when she remembered who she was right now. Xiaomu had been abroad for years and should not be familiar with many things here. Hence she smiled and pointed at a random store. "Let''s start here! The dresses look pretty nice."


    Feng Ci agreed and went along.


    While Lanni randomly checked a few dresses, checked their sizes and decided to buy those she liked, Feng Ci rarely found interest in any of them.


    Lanni knew that she must be bored to death. After all, she didn''t want to shop! She wanted something else and Lanni so badly wanted to know what it was. If she was not hurrying up to go and keep her mother company, she would have loved to try out hundreds of dresses and waste Feng Ci''s time. Alas, it would waste her own time too so she dropped the idea.


    Instead, she sought out Feng Ci. "You don''t look well."


    Feng Ci looked troubled. "I''m just worried about Xiehan. Is he alright?"


    Lanni''s lips twitched. As expected. Feng Ci had only sought her because she, as Jiang Xiaomu, seemed close to Xiehan and even treated him like a godbrother.


    She flashed a delicate smile. "Xiehan is alright. Last I checked, he was taking care of his fianc¨¦e." She deliberately added.


    As expected, Feng Ci almost blew her top. "That scheming b*tch? How does she qualify to have him take care of her?"


    Realizing that she may have given herself away, she calmed down. "I''m sorry. It''s just¡­ hard to watch him being taken advantage of by that girl. She is so cunning!"


    Lanni laughed. The feeling of listening to a complaint about herself was indescribable. "I totally understand. The feeling of seeing something(or someone) you care about being treated unfairly is hard to bear."


    Her words held a double meaning, and Feng Ci was overjoyed when she heard it. She was right! Xiaomu did like Xiehan. Otherwise, why would a grown woman cling onto a grown man and call him godbrother? It would have been believable if she kept a safe distance but she had sent someone to spy and just this morning, Xiaomu insisted on dropping Xiehan off at his workplace and kissed his cheek.


    She grabbed the opportunity. "Xiaomu, do you like Xiehan?"


    Lanni was overjoyed by the question but kept her cool. "Xiehan is such an outstanding man. There''s probably no woman who won''t like him, right?"


    Feng Ci grinned at the troubled look on the girl''s face. "You know what I learnt in this unfair world? You should aim to grab what you want no matter what. Don''t let it slip."


    Lanni mocked the woman in her heart. She wanted to use Xiaomu to get rid of Lanni?


    Hehe.

 Chapter 308 - Collaboration

    Lanni looked like she was in a difficult position. "I always go for whatever I want, but if it belongs to someone else¡­"


    "Are you kidding me? How does that fake woman compare to you in any way? She isn''t even worthy of being compared to a strand of your hair!" Feng Ci urged with all the sincerity she could manage to fake.


    Lanni snorted. "You''re right. I was thinking too much. There is no woman who can qualify to be my opponent if I go after a man."


    Feng Ci was offended by Lanni''s deliberately provoking tone. However, she wanted to use her to get rid of Lanni, so she should not know about her own feelings for Xiehan. She could only go along and flatter her endlessly.


    When she could no longer stand shopping with her love rival, Feng Ci pointed at a restaurant across the road. "Why don''t we have a meal over there? I''m famished. We can go home afterwards."


    Lanni had been waiting for that. "I would love to, but I promised my friend to dine together. Maybe some other time?"


    "Okay." Feng Ci had not intended to eat with her anyway. It was just as bad as eating with Lanni. Both of them were after Xiehan so how could she like them? She could only tolerate Jiang Xiaomu a little because she was using her to get rid of Lanni.


    When they left the store with shopping bags in their hands, Feng Ci tried to probe a little. "About Xiehan, are you going to¡­"


    "I know what to do." Lanni interrupted haughtily.


    Hearing that, Feng Ci was pleased. At least the girl was not useless.


    Just as they parted ways, Lanni''s phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat, and Feng Ci clearly saw the name ''Luna'' sprawled across the screen. Her eyes glinted with a murderous intent.


    Lanni acted calm and picked the call. Luckily, Luna would always refer to her as Xiaomu if they were not on their own. Hence even if it was a phone call, she would only call her using her real name if she was certain that it was safe to do so.


    They chatted for just a few seconds since they were supposedly not very close, and Luna casually invited her to have a cup of tea together.


    "You are close to Xia Luna?" Feng Ci curiously asked when the call ended.


    In response, Lanni raised an eyebrow. "I didn''t know I had to answer to you and tell you who are or are not my friends?"


    Whether with her real identity or her alias, she was not going to let anyone think that she was their sidekick.


    Feng Ci gritted her teeth but smiled. "Of course not. It''s just¡­ she is Lanni''s twin."


    Seeing Lanni''s amused look, she tried to sow discord. "I heard that twins are too similar. In fact, they often fall in love with the same man. She may also fall for Xieahn and you¡­"


    "You don''t need to worry about that." Lanni dismissed and entered her car.


    Although she had been pissed off almost to death, she had achieved something-Feng Ci was more or less on her side. She only needed to do a few more things now and she would accomplish her goal.


    __


    Luna hung up the call and set her phone aside.


    "How is it going?" Cheng Yu asked curiously.


    "She didn''t tell me yet. I guess she was with someone who should not overhear the conversation." Luna concluded, and decided that she would wait for Lanni''s call later.


    "Why don''t we get back to work first?" Luna suggested as she pulled her laptop over.


    "Aren''t we already done?" Cheng Yu was confused.


    "We need to test it. It would be better if there are no errors. Of course, there are a few things we have not decided on. If we make every tiny detail as perfect as possible, the other party will have nothing to nitpick. This way, we can gain as much profit from it." Luna explained, and Cheng Yu thought she made sense.


    The two of them were coming up with a mobile application for comics. This has been Luna''s idea. However, there were many comic applications on the market so they had to make theirs stand out if they were to be successful with it.


    Right now, the application was ready for testing, which was what they were doing.


    "Ready?" Cheng Yu probed.


    "Go ahead." Luna agreed, and Cheng Yu went ahead to publish the first chapter of her comic using the tablet.


    Luna then logged into the app using her phone and checked it out. "The interface is great, and it will not crush¡­" She was satisfied as she checked out every aspect of the application.


    "We will have this comic for the front page advertisement." She decided as she skimmed through what Cheng Yu had published.


    Cheng Yu knew that Luna was doing this to give her publicity and felt warmth flood into her heart. "It''s already good enough that you are letting me take part in this." In fact, that was an understatement. Luna was letting her take half the credit for the application when all she deserved was nothing more than a few mentions for the ideas she gave along the way.


    Luna seemed to read her mind and held her hand. "Are you an idiot? Outlook is very important for an application. It is this that will draw in potential users. Since you made most of the major decisions on this, you are a co-founder."


    Hearing this, she could not reject it anymore. "But what if the company we collaborate with has a different opinion? They could like the app but that doesn''t mean they will like the comic."


    Luna crossed her arms like a boss. "We are not dropping freebies here. If no one wants to adhere to the terms we suggest, we can simply start our own studio. At most, we will just have ten times the workload."


    Cheng Yu laughed at Luna''s decisiveness. However, it was still better to collaborate with another company for now.


    "Okay, back to work." Luna grabbed a pen and started checking a list. "The search engine is perfect, recommendation system, perfect, currency¡­" She looked up at Cheng Yu. "We had not decided on this.


    "Right." Cheng Yu sunk into thought. "What do you think of coins?"


    "Isn''t every app using that?" Luna disapproved and shook her head when she thought of diamonds. That couldn''t do either.


    "What about rubies? The app''s theme would be fitting with red." Cheng Yu suggested.


    Luna scratched her chin in thought then flipped to a blank piece of paper to draw a small sample.


    "That''s excellent!" Cheng Yu gushed. Instead of rubies, they went for ruby keys in the end, then decided on the currency.


    50 keys would cost 50 Hong Kong Dollars in real cash, and it would require 10 keys to unlock one chapter.


    Luna quickly fixed the codes to add the changes then sighed in relief.


    "Now we need people we trust to help us test it." Luna still wanted to be sure that there would not be a single complaint. If the company they collaborated with found any glitch, their efforts would go to waste.


    She had already to have Lanni, Xiehan and Jiang Xingyu test it. Even so, the more people tried to use it, the more sure they would be about it.


    "How about we get Cedric to try it as well? He can try as an author as well as a reader." Cheng Yu suggested.


    "Cedric?" Luna quirked up a brow.


    "Well, he is trustworthy." Cheng Yu''s cheeks burned slightly as she explained.


    "You guys have gotten quite close, huh?" Luna teased.


    "Uhm¡­ no no¡­ it''s not what you think!" She quickly defended herself.


    Luna crossed her arms like a mother interrogating her daughter. "And many I know what I am thinking? Is there something I don''t know?


    Cheng Yu''s face couldn''t be any redder. "Actually, Cedric and I are just friends."


    The latter raised her eyebrow. "Your friends make you blush so hard?"


    "Stop teasing me!" Cheng Yu complained. Luna was doing it on purpose!


    "We really are just friends. Though we¡­. We may have kissed once." Cheng Yu stuttered.


    "Whoa! You¡ªwhat? No wonder your face is so red!" Luna inched closer for gossip.


    "It was just a tiny peck¡­ on my cheek." Cheng Yu explained urgently.


    Luna burst into laughter. "If a kiss on the cheek is making you blush so hard, then you have feelings for him!"


    Before the latter could admonish her, Luna teased her even more. "The guy you like simply has to glance in your direction for you to start smiling like a fool and blushing like a love-striken teenager."


    Cheng Yu so badly wanted to hide. "Anyway, I''m not ready to be with him.. I''m not sure about his feelings, him being the kind of guy he is. What if he is just fooling around?"

 Chapter 309 - Collaboration(2)

    "Well, you''re right." Luna did not defend Cedric. That guy''s character was questionable. From what she had heard about him from Cheng Yu so far, he seemed to have a fling with Ruby, then started sticking onto Lanni and not too long after, started flirting with Cheng Yu. Who the hell would trust such a guy?


    Even so, she was not going to completely discourage her, just in case the young man had stopped flirting around and seriously wanted to be with Cheng Yu. "You need to give it time and see his true character. If he truly loves you, you will find out soon enough."


    Cheng Yu gripped her phone tightly. "You don''t understand. It''s not about true love and whatnot. I''m just¡­ not willing to be in a relationship."


    Luna recalled why she and Cheng Yu understood each other so well. They had a lot in common, especially in relation to their families. They both had disagreements with their mothers but Cheng Yu''s was much worse.


    When she was a little girl and her brother was a baby, their father passed away in an accident. Just a few months after, their mother remarried and brought them with her to her new marital home.


    Cheng Yu''s stepfather had no qualms about Xiao Ying, who was just a few months old at the time, since it was easier to deceive a baby. He just had to pose as the real father and Xiao Ying would be like a true son to him.


    However, Cheng Yu was different. She was already old enough to know that her father had died and was never coming back, and the man her mother had married was her stepfather. Hence, he disliked her from the moment they first met. He would pretend to love her and treat her like a real daughter when Cheng Yu''s mother was around but when it was just the two of them, he would scold her and call her all sorts of names. Cheng Yu grew up to be terrified of him and would keep as much distance from him as possible.


    At first, she thought that all would be alright as long as she kept away from the man and did not piss him off. However, she couldn''t have been more wrong. The man had more motive than that.


    When she was a young teenager undergoing the first awakening of puberty and becoming sensitive of her body as a girl, the man went too far. In order to scare her away from home, he touched her inappropriately when her mother was not home.


    Cheng Yu''s first reaction was, of course, to run away and hide. She waited for her mother to return before she went back home and told her about it. No matter what his reason was, his perverted actions could never be excused and he should have been sued for sexually assaulting a minor.


    However, Cheng Yu''s mother was the worst kind of person on earth. Not only did she not trust her own daughter, but she also blamed her for what happened. She accused Cheng Yu of dressing up inappropriately and went as far as to say that she was trying to seduce her husband. The worst blow was her saying that her biological father''s death was her own fault¡ªthat she was an unlucky girl who had jinxed her own dad to his death.


    After that incident, Cheng Yu became an introvert who was not willing to trust anyone and rarely made friends. She could no longer play with her schoolmates and spent as much time in the library as possible. She would only go back home when she really had to, and even then, she would keep to her room and have her brother send her meals.


    She was especially afraid of the opposite sex and had sworn to never get into a relationship with a man. What was worse, her mother always strived to do things that would hurt her feelings; like taking away everything she liked. If Cheng Yu took a liking to any animal and took it in as a pet, her mother would either kill it or send it away.


    She even tried her best to drive a wedge between Cheng Yu and the only person she cared for¡ªher brother. When she couldn''t do it, she resorted to doing worse things; like not allowing her to go the university she initially wanted and trying to force her away from her dreams. She had even once tried to force Cheng Yu into an early marriage for the sake of vexing her daughter and only gave up when there was no family that was willing to accept the girl as a daughter-in-law.


    Now, although she still went back home sometimes for the sake of her brother, she was still at loggerheads with both her mother and her stepfather.


    For a girl with such a tragic past and a cruel shadow cast over her life, she could only be with a man if he was trustworthy, of unquestionable character and he gave her a sense of security.


    Cedric was definitely not the kind of man that could be considered as good enough.


    However, Luna still thought that it would be best if Cheng Yu found a loving man and settled down. She had already experienced enough loneliness while growing up. How could she spend the rest of her life on her own?


    She took her friend''s hand and patted it comfortingly. "Xiao Yu, not everyone is the same. There has to be someone out there who will treasure you and not hurt your feelings."


    "Luna, I want to think that way too, but life is not a novel. It doesn''t always have to turn out the way we want it. Just because my past wasn''t happy doesn''t mean my future will be great." she frowned.


    "Look at me, aren''t I the best example?" Luna pointed at herself. "I don''t have a nice past with mothers but what about now? There is someone who treats me better than she would treat her own daughter¡ªand we are not even related in any way."


    "That just means you are lucky." Cheng Yu shrugged.


    "No, Xiao Yu.. It just means, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If you shut your eyes completely, how will you see that light when it appears?"

 Chapter 310 - Collaboration (3)

    Cheng Yu wanted to say something but her lips moved, nothing leaving her mouth in the end.


    At last, she flashed a brilliant smile. "Madam Jiang is awesome! If only every mother was like her... oh, part of the reason why she dotes on you so much is because of Jiang Xingyu. Though I''m certain that she would still like you if you didn''t marry him."


    She seemed to recall something. "Speaking of Jiang Xingyu, what''s going on with you and him? Last I checked, you were suspecting your feelings for him."


    Luna knew she was trying to change the topic but she did not push it¡ªCheng Yu would embrace her own feelings when the time is right.


    "Xingyu and I¡­ well, things happened faster than they should have." Luna sighed.


    "And that''s supposed to mean¡­?" She may have asked the first question to change the topic, but now she was truly curious.


    "Well, we progressed too fast so we talked about it and agreed to let nature take its course." She paused when she noticed Cheng Yu giving her an odd look. "Why are you looking at me like that?


    "Did you do it with him?" she questioned.


    "Yeah¡­" Luna did not deny it. "Why are you looking at me like I''m a jerk?"


    Cheng Yu leaned against the back of her hand. "Aren''t you one though? You just did a hit-and-run."


    Luna rolled her eyes. "Just whose friend are you?"


    ¡ª


    The next day.


    After thinking through all the companies they could collaborate with, Luna and Cheng Yu made a decision. Of course, everyone would want to aim for the best, hence they decided to start with Star Art International.


    They both woke up earlier than usual and Luna made the final touches while Cheng Yu prepared breakfast.


    When they were both done and finished eating, they got ready to leave for Star Art International.


    "Whoa, Luna! I didn''t know you would look this dashing in suits!" Cheng Yu gushed." The girl was wearing a red skirt-suit that ended a little above her knee. Her hair was styled in soft waves and she had a little makeup on her face, making her look youthful and elegant. "You look like one one of those overbearing female CEOs!"


    "You''re exaggerating." Luna laughed.


    "Not at all! I swear, you look like a goddess." Cheng Yu was not exaggerating. In fact, she felt that whatever word she used to compliment her friend would be an understatement.


    Luna scanned her friend. "You look beautiful yourself." She was not just saying it to make the latter happier. Although Cheng Yu was wearing an aged, black pants suit, she had kept it in good condition and still looked beautiful and professional in it.


    Let''s get going or we will be late." Luna raised her fair wrist to check the time, even her demeanor was like that of a boss.


    _


    Star Art international.


    Luna and Cheng Yu had managed to book an appointment with Si Yulin¡ªwho was now the CEO of Star Art International¡ªso they were not worried about having trouble getting in.


    As they entered the elevator, they just happened to come face to face with Cedric.


    "Xiao Yu?!" The man was evidently perplexed when he saw her. She looked beautiful!


    "Why are you so early? Isn''t the class supposed to start later?" Cheng Yu looked at him quizzically.


    "I wanted to meet that Jiang bastard. I heard he would be here for inspection." As soon his words were out, he felt a chill down his spine. only then did he notice Luna who was glaring at him murderously.


    Cheng Yu saw the situation and quickly intervened. "Right. Have you met Luna yet?"


    "I couldn''t tell. If I met her outside, I would think she is Lanni." He laughed, wondering why the girl seemed to have a grudge against him.


    He extended a hand to greet her, which Luna ignored with a smirk.


    He leaned to ask Cheng Yu with a whisper, "Why does she seem to hate me?"


    Cheng Yu laughed awkwardly. Of course she would hate you. You just called her man a bastard!


    Luckily, they soon heard the ping of the elevator as it arrived on the thirteenth floor.


    Cedric got off and it was just the two girls left.


    "Jiang Xingyu is coming for inspection?" Luna asked.


    "Yes. I forgot to tell you about it but he comes for inspection every month. He just happens to be coming today."


    "I see." Luna didn''t know whether or not she hoped to meet him. Should she be happy that they may bump into each other?


    However, it was nearly impossible. He would be too busy going through all the departments to have any chance to bump into her.


    Hence, they quietly made their way to the CEO''s office.


    "Hello, you must be Miss Xia and Miss Cheng." The secretary greeted them sweetly. "CEO Si said to go in immediately."


    "Thank you." Luna was pleased about not having to wait. After all, she needed to go back home and do her work while Cheng Yu had to go to class. It would be better if the negotiation went as fast as possible.


    The secretary opened the door for them and they walked in, then Luna froze in the next second. Sitting on a leather chair not far from Si Yulin''s was none other than the man she was wondering whether she would bump into, Jiang XIngyu.


    He looked pleasantly surprised to see her, and she sharply caught him staring at the sliver of her thighs, left out by the suit she was wearing.


    She glared at him then flashed a smile at Si Yulin. "Good Morning, CEO Si."


    "Hello. The two of you look beautiful." The beautiful woman behind the desk switched to a casual tone. She was already familiar with Cheng Yu since the latter was one of the top students. On the other hand, Luna was Lanni''s sister, and rumor had it that Jiang Xingyu was into her, so she didn''t think she had to be formal with the two of them.


    After offering them seats, she deliberately snuc a glance at the man beside her and said, "President Jiang is here too."

 Chapter 311 - Hand Under Skirt

    "Hello, CEO Jiang." Luna greeted him distantly.


    "Pfft." Si Yulin chuckled. "Little sister-in-law is too adorable."


    Luna raised an eyebrow. What did she call her?


    Jiang Xingyu shot a glare at Si Yulin and the latter shut up. He then looked at Luna. "Don''t listen to her nonsense."


    Cheng Yu and Luna exchanged glances and merely smiled. Rumor had it that Si Yulin and Jiang Xingyu were close friends. It turned out to be true! After all, he seemed to have told her that he was pursuing Luna.


    "I see¡­ my little brother Jiang here has not managed to win the beauty yet! How is that possible? Aren''t you too slow?"


    "Yulin!" Jiang Xingyu roared.


    "Alright! I will not tease you anymore." She laughed, making Luna think that her views had been turned upside down. Who would have thought that the overbearing Si Yulin was actually so playful in private?


    Meanwhile, Cheng Yu wondered how they got so close. Some people were fond of shipping the two of them. After all, despite the age gap, Si Yulin was still very beautiful and elegant. She would be a perfect match with Jiang Xingyu. Luckily, their relationship was like that of siblings.


    Luna took out her laptop and the negotiation started.


    Si Yulin took a look at the program and cast a glance at Jiang Xingyu. "How about I let him deal with this?"


    Luna nodded in acknowledgement, but before he took a look, she sternly warned, "Do not deliberately pull strings for me."


    Jiang Xingyu raised an eyebrow curiously. "don''t you want to snag the deal?" Wasn''t her warning equal to telling him that she did not want to get it?


    Luna looked at him seriously. "I want to get the deal, but not because the big boss and I know each other on a personal level. It should be because my application qualifies to collaborate with Star Art International."


    At the side, Si Yulin leaned over to whisper to Cheng Yu, "No wonder Big Boss Jiang is so smitten with her. It turns out she is an ambitious young woman who keeps her private life and her business apart."


    Cheng Yu smiled and said nothing of it. She was part of the discussion too, so she did not gossip with Si Yulin too much.


    "Star Art International has its own software production team which has so far developed two comic apps. What makes you think that your app, Xiayu Comics, will stand out?"


    Luna launched the application on the laptop. "As you can see, navigating through the tabs is easy and smooth, the user interface is excellent and the comics can automatically be translated to whatever language the reader would like. Also¡­"


    Luna and Cheng Yu explained everything about the application fluently, impressing both Jiang Xingyu and Si Yulin. They did not find the need to hide any important points because this was Star Art International¡ªthey did not need to worry about anything. There were many cases about companies who rejected software only to pirate the idea and launch it secretly. However, they knew that neither Jiang Xingyu nor Si Yulin could do such a sneaky thing.


    In the end, the two of them discussed a little before Si Yulin turned to the girls. "Since you have such a complete idea, why do you still need to collaborate with a company? Why didn''t you start your own app studio instead?"


    Luna glanced at Cheng Yu, who spoke up. "That''s majorly because we lack adequate manpower and funds."


    "What if I help you start one?" Jiang Xingyu offered. "We can be partners, and I will provide manpower and funds. I can also help you steal¡­ ahem¡­ I mean, poach, a few comic artists from Star Arat International. In exchange, I will be a main shareholder.


    The girls exchanged looks. Was he really the boss of Star Art International? Instead of signing the deal that would benefit the company, he was instead helping outsiders use the company''s resources? But then again, there was nothing to lose on his part.


    He would, on the contrary, gain profit from the app studio.


    Si Yulin cleared her throat. "President Jiang is right. You girls are in the wrong place. If you let Star Art International launch this application, you will only gain 40% of the income as the producers and Xiao Yu would gain 45% of the income earned by her comics.


    On the other hand, if the two of you launched it on your own, you would earn the full 100% and you can set up your own terms about the comics. Isn''t that a better deal?" Maturally, she knew that the profit from one app was not enough to lure Jiang XIngyu. He was only grabbing this chance to work side by side with the beauty. Hence, she naturally helped him convince her.


    Luna could not come to a decision immediately. "My partner and I need some time to think about it."


    "Take your time." Si Yulin did not push it.


    Just like that, the collaboration that they had taken so much time to negotiate had somewhat turned into a different matter altogether.


    Si Yulin had another meeting to attend. However, Jiang Xingyu did not have any intention to leave her office. Realizing the situation, she sent him a wink and stood up. "Xiao Yu, why don''t we have a little chat?"


    Cheng Yu''s cheeks flushed as she figured out what Si Yulin was getting at. "Alright, CEO Si."


    When the two of them left, it was just Luna and Jiang Xingyu left.


    She stood up, preparing to flee but just as her hands connected with the doorknob, a bigger hand pressed onto the door and locked it.


    "What is that all about?" She turned to ask the man.


    "I missed you." As soon as his words were out, his lips pressed down on hers. He only stopped slightly to take a breath. "You look so alluring in suits. It makes me want to strip them off you."


    "You better not." She warned.


    "Oh yeah? Watch me.." His hand was under her skirt as soon as his words were out.

 Chapter 312 - Happiness, At Last

    "Jiang Xingyu!" She gritted her teeth.


    The man''s hand easily found its way to her panties as he pressed her against the wall. "Do you know how you sound right now?"


    She didn''t want to hear his answer but he said it anyway. "You sound just like you did that night¡­ when I had you against the wall of the shower compartment."


    "You bastard!" Her breathing was heavy and she bit her lower lip as he fondled with her knickers. She pushed him off her. "We can''t¡­ not here."


    He stopped and looked into her eyes. "Does that mean we could if we were in my office?"


    She scowled at him. "That''s not what I mean. Xingyu, we talked about this."


    "Of course." They had talked about it, but he simply couldn''t keep his hands to himself. It would have been easier to resist his urges before anything happened between them but now that it did, it was impossible to stop himself from wanting her every time he saw her. What was worse, he knew just how much she wanted him as well, and that made it even harder to bear.


    "CEO Xia, I can''t believe we will really be business partners." He tried to change the topic.


    "I''m not a CEO." She laughed.


    "You are not one, yet, but you will be soon." His voice was still hoarse as he spoke.


    "You know, the initial plan was to launch a studio in the first place. Xiao Yu suggested naming it ''Moonlight Studios''.


    "And then?" He tried to pull away from it before he could lose control once again.


    "Well, you know what. We could not afford to give our studio or the application the publicity it requires. But now that we have you on our side, that is taken care of."


    He regarded her lips as they parted and the more she spoke, the more her mouth seemed to invite her for a kiss¡ªwhich he accepted gladly.


    Before she could lose herself to the passion, she pushed him gently. "You may have to practice a little more self-control, CEO Jiang."


    The man ran a hand through his hair. Although he so badly wanted to continue, he could only let her go.


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu went to class while Luna went back home. That evening, they mulled over the ins and out and decided to accept Jiang Xingyu''s offer in the end.


    Of course, Cheng Yu would grab the opportunity to make fun of her. "Did you and CEO Jiang rekindle your passion when we left you two alone?"


    "Don''t speak nonsense." She ignored her friend.


    "What was that? Are you going to pretend with me as well?" Cheng Yu chuckled. "When the two of you left the office, his hair was disheveled and your lips looked more plump. It was obvious just how intensely you kissed each other. In fact, I''m surprised your clothes are still in good shape."


    Luna cringed at her friend. "Why do you have so much to gossip regarding Jiang Xingyu and me? why don''t you tell me about Cedric, huh? I saw him checking you out in the elevator."


    Cheng Yu recoiled with flished cheeks when she heard the name. "I''ll just shut up and not spew nonsense anymore.


    __


    The following day, Lanni was rejuvenated when she went back to work. After getting a little close to Feng Ci and giving the latter the impression that she wqs going to get rid of Lanni, she had gained her support.


    She then casually asked Feng Ci what type of business she was collaborating with Xing Han.


    The woman had only stated three words: "the other business". However, that was enough for Lanni.


    Her goal all along had been to expose Xing Real Estate. However, of she were to drag the Feng family down with it, it would be even better. Then not only would she achieve her goal and have her dad released, she would also help Xiehan get rid of a rival while at it.


    Hence, it was not surprising that she was in a jubilant mood.


    "What''s the good news?" Xing Han dropped by ber office as usual, grinning from ear to ear.


    Lanni looked at him meaningfully. "The fly I''ve been trying to swat for the past two lifetimes is finally about to die. Isn''t this tbe best news ever?"


    Xing Han scanned the girl with curiosity written all over his face. He did not know what she was talking about but from what he had gathered when he investugated her, this girl seemed to be a little too close to Xiehan.


    Could it be that she really had feelings for the man and the so called fly she was trying to swat was Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e?


    Thinking anout it, it was not such a bad thing.


    Xiaomu had rejected him but he had heard that Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e was incredibly beautiful as well. If he dumoed her for Xiaomu, then he might try to get her. After all, she would be devastated if her love broke their engagement, and heartbroken girls were easier to get.


    Little would Xing Han ever imagine that Xiaomu and Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e were the same person.


    Lanni joyously resumed her work.


    In the evening, she met up with Luna.


    The latter told her all about the studio they were going to start.


    "Congratulations. That is much better than one app." She gushed. After all, Luna could create several more in just a short time. Her current favorite game was one that Luna had developed, even though it was a dummy that had not been launched into the application market yet.


    They takked about it for a while before Luna asked, "You called me because¡­?"


    Lanni took out her phone and played a video. She had gathered evidence of Xing Real Estate being involved in drug trafficking.


    "You''re awesome!" Luna threw her hands around her. "You finally did it!"


    Lanni was on the verge of crying from how happy she was. "Things are finally going well for us, Luna.. We will finally see our dad soon."

 Chapter 313 - More Than A Pinch(1)

    The girls embraced for a while. After everything that had happened in the last few months, they truly deserved to be happy.


    Luna pulled away after a while, looking at her sister longingly. "There is one thing missing in all this."


    "Don''t even mention it." Lanni groaned in defeat.


    "Are we really going to investigate what happened back then? Maybe then we can understand where the misunderstanding came from."


    Lanni thought about it and shook her head. "Luna, some things are merely catalysts. There may have been several underlying issues between them, including our grandma and all. Even if we were to solve this matter, who knows, another misunderstanding may simply appear between them."


    Luna was dissatisfied but it was true.


    "So, it is best to let them fight it out. Maybe then they will come to their senses and rekindle their love." Lanni concluded.


    "They are acting like little kids. Urgh¡­ even little kids don''t act this silly." Luna groaned a complaint.


    "Forget about them. Let''s get back to business."


    Luna didn''t find it enjoyable to continue talking about her parents'' love life either, so she listened to Lanni''s analysis of the situation. The latter had pretty much gotten incriminating evidence. However, as long as Xing Han had a meticulous brain, he could possibly weasel his way out by pushing all the blame onto his underlings.


    "I have figured out a way to gather incriminating evidence against XIng Han. He will not be able to worm out of it no matter how hard he tries."


    "Tell me." Luna was curious.


    "The man is exceptionally careful and lets his pawns handle everything. However, there are special instances where he gets the deed done himself." She explained.


    "And that is¡­ with extremely special partners?" Luna guessed.


    "Bingo. And will you ever guess who one of these special cases is?" Lanni teasingly raised an eyebrow.


    "The Feng family?" Luna guessed after thinking for a second.


    "Geez¡­ they say that twins are telepathic. I didn''t believe it was true until now that I see it with my own eyes." A male voice suddenly filled the air.


    Luna reflexively grabbed a floor lamp while Lanni prepared herself to throw her phone at the intruder. When they saw who it was, they glared at him.


    The man laughed throatily. "When we get married, I will not have floor lamps in our home. Just in case you get mad at me and want to hit me with one."


    "What the hell are you doing here? How long have you been standing there?" Luna asked in a single breath, ignoring his nonsense.


    Lanni looked like she wanted to murder him. "How dare you sneak into people''s homes and eavesdrop on them? That''s rude!"


    Jiang XIngyu walked in with ease. "How is it my fault? I pressed the bell for ages and you did not respond. Then I punched in the passcode and came in. The two of you were too engrossed in each other''s hug to notice me."


    Lanni scanned him and when she was convinced that he was not lying, she looked in her sister''s direction. "Why is it so easy for other people to access my apartment? It''s alright if it''s a friend but if it were an outsider¡­"


    Luna did not need to hear the rest of the sentence. "I will upgrade the security so everyone who comes here will need biometric access."


    "That can be cracked." Jiang Xingyu spoke even though no one asked him.


    "Yes, it happens, but not if it has been developed by me." Luna interjected.


    Regarding that point, he had nothing more to say.


    "What are you doing here anyway?" Lanni asked.


    "I had a feeling that my girlfriend was here so I came to pick her up."


    "Who the heck is your girlfriend?" Luna shot him daggers.


    Lanni shifted her gaze between the two of them and grinned. Did they finally start dating? "Ow!" she rubbed her forehead with a frown when it was suddenly flicked.


    "Stop thinking nonsense. This guy must be addicted to seeking attention."Luna warned, sending another glare in Jiang Xingyu''s direction.


    The man was about to say something but when he met her don''t-you-dare look, he kept it to himself. "I couldn''t find Xiehan and he is not picking his calls either. It is an urgent matter and I guessed that he would be here so I came to try my luck."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow in confusion. "He is not here, and he has not been answering my calls either. I figured he''s busy. Have you checked with his parents?"


    "They haven''t seen a wisp of his hair all day and neither has his assistant."


    "That''s strange." Lanni was pondering over it when the front door opened. They all looked over and indeed, the man they were looking for walked in, an air of tiredness all over him.


    Lanni stood up immediately and helped him take off his jacket. "My love, where have you been? You look so exhausted."


    "I had a meeting with an associate and after that, I had to deal with several matters." He slumped into the closest couch to the door.


    Lanni helped him take his shoes and socks off then headed to the master bedroom. When she returned, she stood at the entrance of the hallway with a hair tie, easing her long hair into a bun as she looked at him. "I have helped you run a bath. Go and take a relaxing bath while I prepare dinner."


    The man nodded and stood up, completely ignoring his friend and his future sister-in-law.


    "She looks just like a dutiful little wife." Jiang Xingyu scratched his chin in thought. "When her man is tired, she pampers him so much that he forgets all about the uninvited guests at home."


    As though thinking of something, he looked in Luna''s direction.


    "Don''t you even dare to think of it." She warned even before he could get the first word out. She knew herself all too well. Even if she actually got married in the end, her husband would have to stop dreaming if he expected her to act like a dutiful wife.. It would already be good enough if she didn''t annoy the hell out of him after a tiresome day of work.

 Chapter 314 - More Than A Pinch(2)

    Lanni decided to prepare quick dishes since her boyfriend was famished and she didn''t want him to be hungry for much longer. When she was done, Xiehan had finished taking a bath and was discussing with Jiang Xingyu while Luna ignored them and played a game on her phone. The four of them sat at the dining table and started eating.


    Lanni and Xiehan were sitting next to each other so naturally, Jiang XIngyu slotted himself next to Luna.


    "When is your celebratory dinner?" Lanni asked halfway through the meal.


    "What celebratory dinner?" Luna was confused since her sister''s gaze was on her.


    "to signify the opening of your studio. Don''t tell me you are not planning anything?" She gave them a meaningful eye.


    Jiang Xingyu took a sip of freshly blended fruit juice and dabbed a cotton towel at the corner of his lips. "We have already decided on the location of the studio as well as all the important things to get it rolling. However, we decided to let the ribbon-cutting ceremony wait until everything is in order."


    "What ribbon-cutting ceremony?" Luna cast a sidelong glance at the man beside her.


    "How can we not have one?" He shot a look back at her.


    "I want to be as low-profile as possible, thank you very much." Luna argued.


    "That is possible¡­ but how the hell will you gain publicity then? Don''t you want to market your apps?" He countered.


    "A ribbon-cutting ceremony doesn''t have to be part of it."


    The debate went on for a long time, until Lanni reminded them that their food would get cold if they did not start eating. They paused to eat, both looking eager to continue arguing.


    Lanni shook her head with a grin at their urge to fight. Just how cute would they be as a couple? She could already picture them arguing over trivial matters like what kind of material they should use for the curtains in their home.


    Luna felt chills down her spine when she noticed her sister''s meaningful gaze. Beneath those eyes, there couldn''t exist anything but endless mischief.


    When they were done eating, Lanni tapped her sister on the shoulder. "Why don''t we go and have a chat? We can let the men discuss their important matter.


    ...


    The guys went to the living room to start discussing, while the girls went to Lanni''s room.


    "That was one huge interruption. You were telling me how to get Xing Han caught in the mater." Luna started as soon as she sat on the couch.


    "Why don''t we talk about you and Jiang Xingyu first?" Lanni teased.


    "Important matters first." There was an obvious flush to her cheeks, making Lanni want to tease her for ages. Her sister looked adorable when she blushed!


    However, the sooner they completed the task, the better it would be, so Lanni told her all about her plan.


    "You are saying that I should pretend to be you and go with him to dinner, while you go back to the company?" Luna''s eyes widened when she heard the first part of the plan.


    "Yes. He is going to negotiate with Old Master Feng and Feng Ci tomorrow over dinner. I would have gone with him and then later rushed back to the company, but I cannot because of two reasons.


    First, that man always has someone watching over me when I''m not at work. He still doesn''t trust me completely.


    Second, the goods may be moved out of the storage room tomorrow at night. I will not be able to get hold of them if I don''t do it at the same time as the negotiation. Any later that that and I risk getting caught.


    She needed the actual goods as part of the evidence. As soon as she got a hold of the exact location, she would contact a detective sent over by Galaxis.


    Luna thought about it and felt that it was the best way to handle it. Besides, she would be more confident than Lanni if she were to attend a meeting with a bug on her. The latter might be a little nervous and in turn, arouse suspicion.


    Once they had decided what to do, they went back to the living room, where the guys were currently watching a game on the television.


    "You look relieved." Xiehan observed as he pulled Lanni to his lap.


    "I am." She went ahead to briefly explain the current situation. Recalling that they were not alone, she tried to pull away from his lap. "Xiehan, we are not alone."


    "So what? That doesn''t stop me from hugging my girlfriend, does it?" He let out a deep laugh and kissed her cheek.


    Jiang Xingyu witnessed their actions and burnt with jealousy. In the next moment, he pulled the off-guard Luna and she landed right smack on his lap.


    "What are you doing?" She was startled and tried to get off.


    However, the man had expected it, so he locked his hands around her abdomen. She reached and pinched his thigh viciously. The pain shot through his skin, making him hiss. Gritting his teeth, he checked to see that XIehan and his girlfriend were not watching, then pinched Luna''s butt.


    "How dare you?" She was startled by his action.


    He glared down at her and lowered his voice to one only she could hear. "If you move, I will tell the whole world that I have done more than just pinch your backside."


    "You asshole." She harrumphed.


    "What? Haven''t I?" He breathed against her left ear teasingly. "In fact, I very much want to do it again."


    Luna''s face dyed red. In just a short time, this man had turned into such a pervert.


    Knowing that he might really do as he threatened, she didn''t dare to try and leave.


    It was not that she wanted to leave in first place, anyway. She liked the feeling of being on his lap after all.. It was just that their relationship was a little too awkward at the moment. What identity was she using to act so intimately with him?

 Chapter 315 - My Boyfriend Is So Bad

    "It''s getting late. I have to go back and discuss a few matters with Xiao Yu." Luna finally used an excuse that Jiang Xingyu could not refute. While he was still thinking about what she had said, she grabbed the opportunity to slide off his lap.


    The man frowned but couldn''t do anything about it.


    On the other hand, Lanni''s ears perked up when she overheard them. She smiled in Jiang Xingyu''s direction. "Jiang XIngyu, could Itrouble to drop my sister off again?"


    "I can¡­"


    "You can count on me." Jiang Xingyu hurriedly snagged the chance before she could say that she could go on her own.


    Lanni smiled sweetly, sending a meaningful glance at her sister. before giving Jiang Xingyu more instrictions. "Please make sure she is in bed and warm enough."


    The man grinned at Luna who was blushing awkardly. "Will do. I will make sure she is warm all night." He ignored her glare and took her hand to complete the mission.


    "You are getting so much into your role as cupid, aren''t you?" Xiehan punched Lanni''s face when they were on their own.


    "Isn''t it fun?" She laughed heartily. "My sister may be intelligent in most aspects but she is a dimwit when it comes to matters of the heart. She loves him so much but she has doubts about her feelings, so she really does need the push to make her realize it."


    He pinched her face. "Are you sure it''s not because you simply enjoy playing a matchmaker?"


    "Would it hurt if you didn''t expose me? I''m ignoring you!" She harrumphed.


    Xiehan chuckled and stood up with her in his arms. "Let''s see if you still ignore this."


    "Ignore what?" She answered her own question when she realized where he was headed. Fine, you win.


    _


    The following day.


    Luna donned the wig that Lanni had previously used and they wore identical outfits. To make sure Luna was familiar with everything, and to buy Lanni time to find a way to break into the store, Luna went to work as Jiang Xiaomu.


    As soon as she arrived, Xing Han, was as usual, flirtatious. She scanned Luna from head to toe. "Little Mumu, you look a little pale today. Are you unwell?" He looked worried. "If you are unwell, why don''t you take a sick leave? Your health is more important."


    Luna spent most of her time indoors, so her skin was paler than her sister''s, Besides, she was less jovial and putting on a fake smile was not something she could easily do. Hence, she looked Xing Han up and down. "It''s just because my boyfriend is very bad, so I''m so tired. Do I need a sick leave for that?" She yawned.


    XIng Han looked like he was on the verge of exploding. He gritted his teeth and said nothing in the end, leaving and banging the door shut behind him.


    Luna smiled when she got rid of the man. Actually she was not lying. Someone was indeed very bad. Only that he was not her boyfriend. However, that man had terorized her all night. He had only let her off when she was so worn out that she collapsed weakly against his chest. Even so, he looked like he had obviously not had enough. She was so not going to let herself be in an enclosed room with him again.


    That evening.


    The meeting was held in a small conference room of The Emerald Grand Hotel.


    Luna entered the small conference room, carrying Xing Han''s laptop amd documents. The man sat down and she sat on the same side of the table as him, thoughtfully keeping a certain distance from him.


    Old Master Feng soon arrived with Feng Ci in tow.


    Although Luna hated the woman just as much as her sister hated her, she had to force a fake smile and pretend to cheer up when she saw her. She swore to punch a dent into Feng Ci''s pretentious face once this was over.


    In this deal, she didn''t have much to do since they had already discussed the details. In fact, her presence wasn''t needed. Xing Han had only had her accompany him for formality.


    Hence, she did not need to worry about speaking too much and consequently, she would not risk exposing her identity.


    The meeting went smoothly, and her camera captured all of it. She had it installed in her brooch and from her position, it could capture everyone in the scene.


    It seemed like luck was on their side, because Xing Han explained everything in detail. Hence, it went without saying that she had managed to gather irrefutable evidence against him.


    Her phone vibrated, and she apologized for the distraction before her slender fingers reached to turn it off. Before she did, she swept a glance at the screen and saw that Lanni had sent a thumbs up emoticon.


    This was her signal that everything had been handled on her side. She pursed her lips to prevent a smile from surfacing, then looked in Xing Han''s direction uncomfortably. "I''m sorry, sir. May I leave for a moment?"


    Xing Han waved his hand to let her leave. She thanked him and stood up, but just as she exited the room, he caught sight of the edge of her wig behind her ear. She had just experienced a wardrobe malfunction.


    "Stop right there!" He hollered.


    Luna froze on the spot and turned inquisitively.


    "Li Lanni. Did you think you hid yourself well enough?" He mocked.


    At first, it was indeed not suspicious. However, when he investigated Lanni with the intention to pursue her, he had found out that the girl had disappeared. Coincidentally, the day of her disappearance was the same day as that of Jiang Xiaomu''s sudden appearance. If that was a coincidence, what about the fact that they looked alike?


    Their disposition was different, and so was the color of their hair. Even her makeup skills were so excellent that he would never have recognized her. However, did they really think they left no loopholes?


    A few days before Li Lanni disappeared and Jiang Xiaomu appeared, Li Lanni and Ji Xiehan had tried to contact a certain cosmetic brand, with the intention of purchasing a human skin mask.. Although they did not buy it in the end, it still explained a lot.

 Chapter 316 - Nothing To Grumble About

    Luna swallowed a gulp. At the same time, Old Master Feng and Feng Ci had been shocked into rocks.


    The middle-aged man was on the verge of having a heart attack. He knew the girl named Li Lanni all too well. That little b*tch was responsible for his failure to grasp Feng Ji International. Not to mention, she had also charmed the man that his daughter loved, the only man who would have helped his family regain control over the company.


    That witty young woman was his greatest nemesis. He had been trying to find ways to get rid of her but was unable to, and now Xing Han was saying that Jiang Xiaomu was that woman?!


    "What are you talking about? What do you mean she is Li Lanni?" Feng Ci almost screeched in shock.


    "She is an impostor." Xing Han gritted his teeth. "I bet she is up to something else too."


    "Catch her!" Old Master Feng roared.


    "You don''t need to tell me that." Xing Han snapped his finger and Luna was surrounded.


    She could have run away when they were still in shock, but she didn''t. Aside from the fact that she would rather fight than run, she knew that Lanni would arrive soon. If she ran away and let Xing Han and the Feng father and daughter run after her, it would be hard for them to be caught together.


    Hence, she put on an act instead. Tears washed her face almost instantly. "I¡­ I don''t know what you''re talking about!"


    "What are you pretending for?!" Old Master Feng wanted nothing more than to slap her fake face swollen.


    Feng Ci was still in disbelief, laughing at herself especially when she remembered that she had tried to suck up to this piece of trash. To think that she had been the one to reveal many details of this deal, thinking that Jiang Xiaomu would get rid of Li Lanni for her. Now it turned out that Jiang Xiaomu was a fake?! She was actually her foe in disguise?!


    Xing Han looked at the girl whose hands were trembling at the side as her beautiful little face soaked in tears like she was under the rain. He had the sudden urge to embrace her¡­


    He scolded himself back to his senses. Little traitor! "Lock her up!" He ordered his men.


    Just as Luna prepared to launch the first kick, hurried footsteps filled the corridor then Lanni barged into the room first. A second later, the room flooded with policemen.


    "Get her!" Xing Han yelled at his men as soon as he realized what the situation was. One of his men pressed a gun against Luna''s head. They now had her hostage.


    Just as the man was about to let out a chuckle of triumph, he felt a cold sensation on his neck. Then came a cold voice from behind him. "Harm a single hair on my sister''s head and I will let you hold your boss''s death anniversary a year from now."


    "Miss, you can''t¡­" one of the policemen tried to warn Lanni as the others split between capturing the Feng father and daughter and saving Luna.


    Lanni pressed the fruit knife into the man''s neck. "It''s self defence!"


    Seeing that their boss''s life was in danger, the man didn''t know whether or not to hurt Luna. One of the policemen used this lapse to pull Luna to safety.


    Lanni ran over and hugged her sister as soon as the men had been disarmed and arrested. "Are you alright?"


    Luna nodded profusely. "I couldn''t fight." Or else she might have lost the tiny camera. It was merely the size of an insect, and she would not find it easily if she dropped it while fighting. If that happened, all their effort would have been rendered useless.


    Lanni sighed in relief. "Luckily, we''re both alright."


    She then retrieved the tiny camera from Luna and gave it to the detective. "This is substantial evidence."


    The man nodded and kept it, then walked out of the room.


    "I''ve been meaning to ask, why¡­ why are there two of you?" Xing Han stared at the two identical women even as his hands got cuffed.


    Luna scoffed at him like he was a fool. "Did you sleep through all of your Biology classes?"


    "You are twins! You are so identical that you can successfully impersonate the same person and both pass off as her!" He finally observed as he got dragged away by the police. He looked in Luna''s direction. "Just so you know, I like you more. I have fallen in love with you at first sight...ow!"


    The police officer slapped the back of his head to shut him up and dragged him away.


    Lanni sighed when it was just the two of them left in the private room. "He still thinks Xiaomu exists and that we are impersonating her."


    "Forget it. We better get out of here."


    She pulled the wig off her head and asked Lanni for makeup remover wipes. After wiping her face clean, she tossed the wipes into a trashcan at the side.


    "How am I going to get rid of this identity?" Lanni asked, feeling troubled.


    "Why don''t we celebrate the completion of our mission first? We can ask aunty for help regarding that."


    "You''re right." They exited the hotel happily.


    Once they were in the car, Lanni remembered one part of the mission. "Where''s the other camera?"


    Luna retrieved it from beside a button on her shirt. "Why did you need two?"


    "The mission was merely to get evidence and probably hand it over to Galaxis, but since it would have been too dangerous, we involved the police." She massaged her temples. "I didn''t do anything wrong¡ªsince Galaxis'' main aim was to send him to prison either way¡ªbut I need two copies of everything in case they ask for it. Besides, he could use his connections to destroy the evidence so we need backup. Sigh, do you think the old man will grumble about me not waiting for instructions before dealing with Xing Han?"


    Luna shook her head as she pulled out of the parking. "You are part of Galaxis, so no matter what method you use to destroy him, the credit will be theirs.. The old man has nothing to complain about."

 Chapter 317 - Revert Back To Her True Self

    Luckily, Luna was right. The old boss was slightly dissatisfied about Lanni involving the police. However, Lanni had retrieved and submitted more evidence aside from the recording. Since there was sufficient irrefutable proof, the man would be given the death penalty, so he didn''t have much to complain about.


    Hence, he had Flynn send Xia Hanchen back to B City.


    The man and his daughters were so happy to reunite that they spent a whole week celebrating.


    Madam Jiang decided to remain silent about Lanni''s alias. If everyone found out that it was a fake identity, she would handle the matter. If no one bothered about it, it would be the best outcome.


    A few weeks later, on 19th December,Xing Han was sentenced to death while all his accomplices¡ªincluding Old Master Feng and Feng Ci¡ªwere sentenced to 20 years in prison.


    __


    20th December.


    Lanni called Xiehan over to have a few drinks together.


    "I''ve gotten quite used to this apartment. I don''t know whether or not I should go back home." She sighed, massaging a glass of red wine in her hand.


    "You can stay if you want to, you know." He ran his thumb against her cheek. "It''s all up to you. You can occasionally pay aunty a visit or go home for dinner a few times every week, but stay here for the most part."


    "It''s actually nice to be in my own apartment." She smiled. "But I can''t help feeling that something is missing."


    Xiehan thought about it for a moment. "You had been acting as someone else for such a long time. Perhaps you''re still finding it hard to revert back to your true self."


    She couldn''t deny that, especially since for some reason, she had not dyed her hair back to black. She preferred the ashen blonde look even though she looked prettier with her original color.


    Xiehan could pretty much make a guess but to avoid making her feel pressured, he remained silent about it to let her figure it out on her own.


    When Lanni gave Li Yuming a call and told her about her decision to remain in her apartment, the latter had nothing against her decision and insisted on sending over a team of bodyguards. Since it was for her own safety, Lanni didn''t reject them. She hung up the call after making some small talk with her mother for a while.


    "I feel like she''s becoming easier to converse with lately." She said through a chuckle as she connected her phone to the charging cable.


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps she''s just starting to accept the fact that her baby is all grown up and can make her own decisions."


    Lanni slotted herself next to him with a laugh. "Now that you mention that. Why is it usually hard for mothers to accept that their daughters are growing up?"


    Xiehan scratched his chin when he recalled how his sister had been pampered even when she was an adult. If she made a mistake, their parents would say something about her being young and not knowing what she was doing. It had taken a rude awakening to make them know that they were responsible for ruining her life by indulging her too much. On the other hand, it had been different for him. He had been expected to be excellent, mature and flawless since he was a little boy. He had barely been allowed to be like other kids. Even the friends he hung out with had to be from families his parents considered ''good enough''. "It''s different for sons, I guess."


    Lanni frowned. She knew about his childhood, so she was aware that if Xiehan''s aunt didn''t take him away, his parents might have just brought him up into a robot. "If I ever have a child, whether it''s a son or a daughter, I''ll let him enjoy his childhood. I mean, everyone wants his child to be the best, but we can''t just force them to live the kind of life they don''t want."


    He pulled her into his embrace with a smile. "You would make an excellent mother. Why don''t we talk about making some?"


    "You hooligan! I didn''t say I wanted kids!" She wriggled out of his embrace and fled to the kitchen. Discussing such a topic with a man was dangerous!"


    The man laughed at how scared she looked. Of course, he was just teasing her.


    _


    Meanwhile.


    With Jiang Xingyu''s help, Moonlight Studios had successfully entered the software industry.


    They had successfully hired several comic artists, most of whom were from Star Art International. Hence, the first application¡ªXiaYu Comics¡ªhad been released. Within just a few days, the app had tens of thousands of downloads, thousands of positive reviews and from the looks of things, it wouldn''t be long before they regained the funds they had used in creation and marketing and started earning profit.


    Luna cheerfully read through the statistics. "As expected, your comic is such a hit!" She chirped.


    They had used the first page and synopsis of Cheng Yu''s comic to market the app and it drew in new users like a vortex!


    Cheng Yu was flattered. "Luna, you are exaggerating. The app is already so great that no matter what comic was used, it would still gain millions of new users."


    Luna had a pleased smile on her face as she took up her Ipad to continue reading the comic. It was not just because Cheng Yu was her friend that she was reading it. The comic, "Falling in love with a heartless devil", was so addictive that she could barely put her Ipad down. The concept of the story was original and the art was perfect. It was currently the most popular comic on the app with readers always bugging her for the next update.


    Talking of the next update, Cheng Yu yawned and stretched her limbs. "I''ll go and take a nap now. When I wake up, I''ll start drawing the next episode."


    "Go ahead." Luna smiled. Finally, they both had a source of income. It had jist happened at the right time since Cheng Yu''s training period at Star Art International was drawing to a close.. The girl would have more time to focus on her comics and the studio.

 Chapter 318 - Out Of Character?

    Luna was wondering whether or not to take a nap when the doorbell rang. This time, she was not spooked so instead of grabbing a floor lamp, she checked the monitor and was pleasantly surprised when she saw who the uninvited guest was.


    "Come on in!" She cheerfully ushered him in as soon as she opened the door. She didn''t realize what she was doing until she launched herself into his arms all so naturally.


    "Are you excited to see me?" Jiang Xingyu tapped her forehead as though praising her for being a good girl.


    "Is it too late to pretend to be annoyed?" She pulled a pouty face, earning a chuckle from him.


    "We both know that you couldn''t wait for me to come over, considering how close we are right now." He remarked with a proud expression.


    She pulled away from him and went back to sit on the couch.


    He sat down next to her. "You look more beautiful than you did the last time we met."


    "Are those the kind of lies you use to pick up girls? Just so you know, it''s too outdated." She harrumphed.


    He chortled at her theatrics. "Just so you know, I don''t ever ''pick up girls''. I am only interested in one girl and she is already next to me right now." He then pulled her into his arms, and she did not resist him. On the contrary, she willingly wrapped her arms around his neck when he sat her on his lap. He couldn''t help being curious. "You are so different today. You are so cheerful and...active." She was even more active than Lanni, which was strange considering how dull she usually was.


    "I''m just in a good mood. Can''t I be happy once in a while?" She pinched his face accusingly.


    "No, you can''t. You can only be happy at all times" He nibbled on her lower lip gently. "And my role is to make sure your happiness never fades."


    She laughed at his words as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "CEO Jiang, are you aware that you are starting to sound so¡­ romantic? I''m almost falling in love with you!"


    He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You haven''t yet?"


    "Mmh¡­ let me see." She raised his chin using her thumb and forefinger, then inspected his face inch by inch, running her fingers along it like she was seriously conducting some research. When she was satisfied with the face, she moved down to his neck, rubbing a finger against his bobbing Adams apple then trailing it down his jawline. "You are quite handsome and are good in every aspect. Now that you mention it, you are worth falling in love with."


    "Are you drunk?" He inspected her eyeballs. When he saw nothing but her clear, slightly watery gray eyes, he frowned. Since she was not drunk, why was she acting like a drunk?


    "I didn''t have a sip of alcohol but I may be really drunk." She laughed. "Drunk in love!"


    "Uh¡­ who are you, and what did you do to my Luna?" He gazed at her seriously.


    Luna didn''t understand why she was acting so jumpy either. She had met up with Jiang XIngyu innumerable times but every time, it was him actively seeking her out. She had never been the one to make any move on him but now, not only was she sitting on his lap and grinding against his thighs with her arms around him, but she was also spewing such nonsense!


    As though snapping back to her senses, she pulled away and sat next to him, drooping her head like she had suffered an injustice.


    "Are you¡­ on your period?" He asked carefully.


    She shook her head without lifting it. "It''s not that time yet."


    He couldn''t understand her drastic change of mood so he laughed it off. "Do you want to have a date together? You now, to celebrate the progress of our studio?" He suggested.


    "Why not? I don''t have much going on anyway." She agreed before she could stop herself. Since she truly didn''t have much to do today, she smiled and didn''t mind that she had agreed too readily.


    "Okay, get changed first. I have already booked the restaurant so I will wait here for you."


    Now that he mentioned that, she realized that he was totally dressed up for a date. He even had a bow tie on.


    She raised an eyebrow and went to dress up. Soon, she exited her room wearing a short, white dress which was off the shoulders. Although she was pretty much used to wearing high heeled shoes after doing so for a long time, her shoes for the date were not too high for her comfort. She looked beautiful and gentle, her straight hair making her look a little innocent. The look reminded him of the girl she once was before changing into a cold young woman in male disguise.


    He stood up and took her hand gently, placing a soft kiss at the back of it. "You look lovely."


    She smiled and pulled his neck down, then smacked a soft kiss on his cheek. The intimate gesture took him by surprise but he smiled through it then led her out.


    ¡­


    "How were you so sure that I would agree to go on a date with you?" He asked as she opened the passenger door for her.


    "I knew you had no reason to say no." He circled the car to the other side and got in, settling in the driver''s seat. If this was another man, she would have scoffed and assumed that he had two dates in mind; so if she said no, he would contact another woman and as her out.


    However, Jiang XIngyu was just so genuine with her that every single one of his actions seemed genuine. He looked honest even when spouting some of those cheesy words that playboys use to hook up with their targets.


    The Emerald Grand Hotel wasn''t that far, so they arrived within twenty minutes.


    "Is there something about this hotel that you guys like?" She wondered why many events had happened here.


    "It''s a great hotel, just look at the ambiance." He led her in slowly so she would have time to see the interior decor. It was mostly styled in gold and white, and most of the decorations were made of pure gold.


    This hotel had many restaurants offering meals from different parts of the world, and the accommodation offered was top notch too. Although having a single meal or spending the night here was likely to put a dent into one''s purse, the services were worth the price. Basically, there was nothing to complain about.


    They headed to their private room as Jiang Xingyu explained, "By the way, this hotel''s previous owner was Lu Shaoting. Have you ever heard of him?"


    "Lu Shaoting, the former Vice President of Lu Enterprises? I''ve heard of him." She sat down on the seat he pulled for her. "No wonder it is such an excellent hotel. I heard everything about that Lu family is awesome.. The new CEO of Lu Enterprises is basically just a young man but he had brought his company to great heights!" She gushed.

 Chapter 319 - A Life Full Of Bliss

    The duo ordered their food and soon dug in. At Luna''s request, they neither ordered wine nor spicy food. She was in the mood to eat something that was easy on the taste bugs and drink something sweet.


    They ate peacefully, occasionally feeding each other and toasting the fresh apple juice they had ordered in place of wine.


    The red, scented candles burning at the side of the table provided a warm and hypnotizing, romantic environment, and the soft tones reverberating from the grand piano at one end of the room lured one to stand up and dance.


    He couldn''t hold in the urge anymore, so he stood up and bowed as he held his hand out like a gentleman. "Milady, will you do me the honor and dance with me?"


    Her cheeks had a rosy flush to them as her heart skipped a beat. "I know nothing about dancing."


    "I will teach you." He offered. Actually, as long as she willingly danced with him, it was alright even if she stepped on his toes. He would gladly nurse them later.


    Since he said so, she no longer had any objections. She placed her fair hand in his and tried not to blush as she stood up. His arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her to a more spacious spot and started teaching her to waltz. It was easier than she thought and within a few minutes, they were waltzing circles around the private room.


    "I never thought life could be this blissful¡­" ''Especially life with a man.'' She added in her head. In the past, even when she dated him, romance had not existed in her head. She had only associated such feelings with novels, comics and television series. She had thought it was all a fake emotion that people came up with to entertain viewers. She didn''t think it was real and that it would be this sweet when she experienced it on her own.


    "From the moment I met you, Luna, I knew I would be the happiest man in the world as long as you are in my life¡ªand I was right. There is nothing else I could ask for."


    She gazed into the depth of his eyes, her heart overflowing with warmth when she realized just how sincere his words were. Once again, he meant every single one of them and she could see his love for her written all over his eyes. She couldn''t keep doubting herself anymore. "Jiang Xingyu, I have something to tell you." She said in a lowered tone.


    He ended the dance since he could tell that she was tired from her deepened breaths and how fast her heart was beating. They sat back down on their chairs. His back was as straight as a rod as he tried to ponder what she could want to say to him. Out of selfishness and his reluctance to ruin this perfect moment, he was even considering interrupting her just in case she was going to say something disheartening.


    But then again, perhaps she had something good to say, judging from the current circumstances and her amorous gaze right now. His heart almost raced right out of his chest when she flashed a gentle smile and placed her soft little hand at the back of his hand. How beautiful! He so badly wanted to embrace her and never let go.


    "Jiang Xingyu, for the past few weeks¡­"


    She didn''t seem to know how to continue her statement, making him chuckle lightly. Her cuteness was off the charts!


    "I''ve¡­" Before her second word was out, his phone rang. She frowned and wanted to ignore the call and continue speaking, and he wanted her to ignore it too. Alas, the caller was incessant and he thought that it might be an emergency so he picked it.


    In the end, his face was filled with gloom and anger when he heard what his assistant had to say.


    "What happened? Did something go wrong?" she was concerned.


    "Not really. It''s just a spoilt brat throwing a tantrum." He sounded annoyed. Since it was related to her as well, he explained, "It''s that idiot, Cedric Han. He suddenly raised problems with the second contract which he supposedly didn''t realize before."


    "What does he want?" She felt troubled. She knew that Cedric was one of those arrogant young masters who were self-centered and cared about nothing but themselves, but she didn''t think he would show that side of him so soon¡ªespecially since he had been acting all nice and sensible.


    "The fool wants us to increase his basic pay tenfold and at the same time, he wants us to alter the terms of contract for him because he is the most special god in the universe and he is doing us a favor. We should give him 70% of his comic''s monthly income." He explained sarcastically.


    "What the fck is wrong with him?" Luna felt her head hurt. "Why do I have a gut feeling that he is targeting you? He doesn''t seem to have any other reason to cause mischief at such a time."


    "He really is." He sneered.


    Because the comic application was still too new and they did not want to make the authors completely go down with them in case they failed, they had set up a term where an author would have to sign a new contract every time they published a new comic.


    Cedric had started updating his new comic in the app and it had gained more than double the number of fans of his first work. Now that it was time for him to sign the contract, he was asking for such astronomical terms. He had even gone as far as to state that if they did not fulfill his wish, he would withdraw his second comic and sell it to a more famous app. Moreover, it didn''t sound like a blank threat¡ªhe would really do it. How troublesome.


    "If he really withdraws his book and publishes it to another app, the loyal fans will search for it by hook or crook and that will make our competitor gain an excellent author as well as tens of thousands of readers from us. This will encourage such horrible behaviour among the other authors. They will keep doing such things once they get too full of themselves." He analyzed.


    She thought hard about it and let out a cold smile. "I know how to deal with him."


    "You don''t need to trouble yourself. I will deal with him since he is doing this to vex me."


    She sighed, maintaining hergaze at him. "You can be rest assured, my way to handle it will be the best."


    "Then I''ll have to trouble you." He no longer insisted since she was sure about what to do.


    "It''s no trouble." She thought about whether to continue her confession but realizing that the mood had been ruined beyond redemption, she changed her mind. SHe could do it some other day.


    ¡­


    After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant. Luna didn''t know what had possessed her brain until she woke up the next morning in his arms, wearing nothing but a smile.


    "I really am an idiot.." She cursed herself.

 Chapter 320 - Doting Husband

    She slid off the bed but before she moved a step, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the bed.


    "Don''t leave, okay?" The man sleepily rubbed his eyes with the other hand.


    A smile escaped her lips. He looked like a clingy child hugging his favorite toy protectively. She forgot all about her negative thoughts and leaned over to press a kiss between his eyebrows. "I have something to tend to. I''ll give you a call later, okay?"


    The kiss seemed to wake him up completely. He sat up, comprehending what she had just said. "You can freshen up and get ready; I''ll prepare breakfast for you."


    "You don''t need to." She waved her hands immediately. "Just continue resting¡­ I''ll buy coffee on my way."


    "No can do." He got off the bed insistently. "You will either forget to buy breakfast on your way or simply ignore it, and that''s not good for your health."


    Knowing that she would not be able to convince him no matter what she said, she nodded her thanks and went to the bathroom.


    In the end, the man made her eat a nutritious breakfast and even made her bring snacks with her. She massaged her temples as she eyed the mountain of snacks. What was with the doting husband attitude? It was scary, okay?


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu didn''t have to go to school today, so Luna called her out to a restaurant. It was close to Golden Wing Apartments, so soon after Luna sat down, Cheng Yu walked in and sauntered over to her when she saw her.


    "Why did you call me out when you were already so close to the apartment?" Cheng Yu was confused. "Also, what''s with me dressing up and wearing high heels?"


    Luna smiled when she saw that the latter had followed the few instructions she had sent over. "Are you free to go shopping? It won''t take long."


    Cheng Yu was confused. Luna wasn''t the type to shop around like her sister usually did. If she was not accompanying Madam Jiang, she would prefer to randomly choose clothes online and have them delivered. Since when did she decide to shop around?


    Luna peeked at her phone screen for a second and smiled. "Why don''t you have something to eat first? I have already had my breakfast."


    The latter decided to go with the flow and see what''s happening. "I''ve had my breakfast too. We can start shopping right away. Is there something specific you are looking for?"


    Luna scanned her phone that was now full of those weird codes that only programmers could comprehend. "Uhm¡­ let''s shop for jewelry. I know the best mall we can go to."


    Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow but nodded at last. Luna would explain when she was ready. Hence, the two ladies made their way to the mall.


    "What exactly do you have in mind? A birthday present for someone? Something to wear to an event¡­?" Cheng Yu inquired.


    "Let''s just look around." Luna saw someone and sighed in relief. She leaned over to whisper something in Cheng Yu''s ears. The latter frowned for a second then understood just what was going on. She kept up a confident act and pretended that nothing was going on, even though she could feel a burning gaze on her.


    After looking around for a while and buying nothing, the duo sat down to have a drink. At this moment, Cheng Yu realized that Cedric walked over and sat at a spot close to them.


    The man smiled joyously and wanted to say hello when Luna spoke up first. "This is why I don''t like those spoiled young masters from wealthy families. They''re so troublesome."


    "Well, not all of them are the same. There are a few reasonable ones¡­ like Cedric." Cheng Yu played along, even though she didn''t fully understand why Luna was doing this.


    The latter looked even more troubled. "I thought Cedric was different but what did he do? He proved to be just one of the tyrant kids we hate the most."


    "What did he do?" Cheng Yu feigned ignorance.


    Luna looked puzzled. "You don''t know yet? How are you still in the dark? He caused such a ruckus! The man wants us to revise the contract specially for him. Not only that, but he is asking for ten times the compensation."


    "Excuse me?" Cheng Yu looked disgusted.


    "I''m not kidding. Xingyu and I are having sleepless nights because of his unreasonable request. I don''t know¡­" she was still speaking when a figure leapt over at their side.


    The young man scratched his head and looked like he would fall to his knees in an instant. "Xiao Yu, you have to believe me. I was only kidding! Why would I want to make things difficult for you?"


    Cheng Yu was a little puzzled but she put up a serious expression. "You were¡­ kidding?"


    "Yes, yes yes! I would never come up with such unreasonable terms." He swore as he waved his hands in denial.


    Luna was not in the slightest bit surprised. She knew that for stupidly pampered young masters like Cedric Han, nothing mattered to them. It was rare for them to care about anything, but Cedric cared about Cheng Yu. After doing her research, she had found that there were only two things that the young man cared about: his sister and Cheng Yu''s opinion of him.


    What scared him most was the possibility of the latter thinking of him as an irresponsible man and possibly hating him. Hence, she decided that the best way to deal with him was to make him think that Cheng Yu would hate him for coming up with such terms. She also knew that he was shopping for jewelry today, so she brought Cheng Yu out to grab his attention, then act like they were casually conversing.


    As expected, he vehemently denied knowing about his agent coming up with such unreasonable requests. As if to prove to his goddess that he had nothing to do with it, he asked Luna for the contract. Since she had come prepared, she fished it out and the man signed it without batting an eyelid.


    Cheng Yu secretly gave her a thumbs up. Excellent!

 Chapter 321 - Magic Potion

    Meanwhile, Lanni spent most of her day catching up with her mother, then painted for a while. Now that she was no longer under so much pressure, she found that she could actually paint as well as she did in the past.


    It turned out that she didn''t hate painting. She could do it and do a good job, just not under the constant pressure of deadlines and requirements to make each work better than the last. She was different from Cheng Yu, to whom greater pressure only served to push her determination further.


    ¡­


    In the evening, she decided to pick Xiehan up from work. The latter had already sent her a text message to explain that he was busier than usual these past few days, so he would leave work at 6:30 pm.


    Hence, she changed into clothes she found more presentable¡ªa short, pink, flowered chiffon dress and a pair of matching high heels¡ªand let her ashen hair down, only holding the loose strands with a tiny hair clip. Applying a tiny bit of lip gloss to her lips, she grabbed a nude purse and left the house. She took her low-profile car but since she wanted to pick her boyfriend up, she did not let the chauffeur drive her to her destination, choosing to drive on her own instead.


    She took a longer route and didn''t rush over so by the time she arrived near Feng Ji International, there were a few minutes left until 6pm. She glanced at the time and decided to park the car and wait. No one bothered her when she pulled into an empty slot in the employees'' parking lot outside the building, probably because no one was planning to park their car when it was already past knock-off time. A security guard on duty waved at her with a genuine smile, and she waved back before taking out her phone.


    She had barely spent a minute parking her car. Wondering what to do to pass the time, she absent mindedly tapped on a cooking app to check what she should learn to cook next¡ªwhich reminded her. Xiehan was working overtime, which meant that he would be famished once he left the office.


    There was a restaurant just a few meters away, so she decided to make a reservation so she would take him to dine as soon as he left work. Since it was close by, she locked her car and walked to the restaurant.


    Although it was around the busiest hours, it was still convenient as she was able to make a reservation fast. She chose a room on the fourth floor, facing the west, after finding out that its ambiance suited them most and it had an excellent view of the city. A waitress showed her to the room to be sure that it suited her tastes. Once they were done, she nodded in satisfaction, thanked the waitress and turned to leave¡ªjust in time to see a familiar ponytail. He had bleached his hair to the lightest shade of blonde she had ever seen, but she would recognize that back even in hell.


    She stopped in her tracks. What the hell was Flynn doing here, and why was he acting sneakily? Not that it was too obvious, she was just too wary of everyone¡ªespecially him. She would find him sneaky no matter what he did.


    She battled mentally between leaving and following him. In the end, curiosity got the better of her. Trying not to make any noise in her high heels and not appear suspicious, she waited for him to disappear at the end of the hallway before she followed him.


    She stalked to the end of the hallway, where she had seen the man disappear to. Just when she wondered where she would find him in the vast corridor with rooms lined on both sides of them, she heard a familiar voice.


    "I''m here."


    It was Flynn.


    He was in the first room along the corridor, and he had not even bothered to close the door.


    A shuffling sound was heard and she couldn''t comprehend what was going on, neither did she have the guts to move forward. She ran the risk of being discovered, and she so badly wanted to know who Flynn was meeting.


    She had a feeling he was up to no good, not that he had ever been up to any good to begin with.


    "Why are you here?" A deeper male voice responded.


    Lanni swallowed the gasp that was on the verge of escaping her throat. ''Dad?''


    She could not see anything from her angle, but she would never fail to recognize her father''s voice. What was he doing here? Why was Flynn meeting him?


    "I''m here to say hello." She heard Flynn respond. A few seconds later, he added, this time more seriously. "My boss sends his apologies." Before she could hear anything else, the door shut and all the sound was cut off.


    Since she couldn''t hear anything and standing in the corridor trying to eavesdrop would only attract suspicion, she could only leave.


    Disappointment crept into her heart. She had heard the content of their conversation. Whatever they would discuss after the apology wasn''t likely to be anything that mattered. Even so, why did she feel as though that conversation was¡­ fake?


    Her purse vibrated against her palm. She opened it and took out her ringing phone, sliding a thumb across the screen to answer it with a gentle smile. "Have you left the office, my love?"


    "Mmh." The man hummed in agreement. "I saw your car..." He sounded confused about it, probably because she was not in the car.


    "Right. I came to pick you up." She quickly headed towards the elevator and pressed the "down" button. She mumbled for him to wait for her and entered the elevator as soon as the doors slid open.


    She hurried to the spot where her car was parked and saw him leaning against it. She threw her arms around him in a hug, all her confusion from a moment ago fading into thin air. "I missed you!"


    He held her tightly against his body and kissed her forehead, all the exhaustion from a day full of meetings evaporating in a puff. His little girlfriend was like a magic potion. No matter how tired he was, he would be rejuvenated as soon as her seductive little body melted into his. "I''m the luckiest man on earth." He muttered.


    __


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 Chapter 322 - He Is Back

    "You must be hungry. I booked a reservation for dinner." Said Lanni as she kissed his face.


    Now that she mentioned it, he had been so busy that he took nothing but a cup of espresso in the morning and skipped lunch, and he was so hungry at the moment that his stomach hurt from the piercing pangs.


    Lanni had thoughtfully made preparations to eat nearby before going home. To have such a caring girlfriend, he must have saved a planet in his previous life.


    She held his hand and joyously led him to the restaurant. He chuckled when he realized that that was where she was earlier when he called her. "Why did you have to take the trouble to go back to the company when I called? You could have just asked me to come over."


    "I wanted to hug you first." She sat down when he naturally pulled a chair for her.


    He smiled and sat down opposite her. "Thank you, my love."


    "What was that? Are you seriously only going to thank me verbally?" She teasingly reminded him of his reaction every time she thanked him in the past.


    At the time, he would find every excuse to be close to her but she would push him away at every turn; so whenever he did her the slightest favor, he would use it as a chance to create more opportunities for them to spend time together. Thinking of it now, he never would have thought that they would be this deeply in love.


    Seeing as she was still waiting for a more special "thanks" from him, he stood up and closed in on her, then kissed her lips.


    She blushed when he pulled away, pulling on a cute pout. "That''s not enough."


    He leaned in and half-whispered, "How about I thank you in my bed, tonight? I''ll ''thank'' you all night long."


    "You¡­! You''re still such a pervert!" Her cheeks reddened even though it was not something she had never done with him before. How could he say such things in such a public place as a restaurant? She was shy about it even though it was a private room and no one could overhear their conversation. She had meant to ask for another kiss, okay!"


    The pervert laughed and sat down, enjoying the effect of his tease. She was so adorable when her cheeks were pink. In fact, she was so adorable every time that he couldn''t resist the urge to tease her.


    "I need to use the restroom." She said and stood up almost immediately, disappearing out of the room as though she was scared he would do something to her right there.


    He laughed at her reaction and waited for her. She returned less than a minute later, her face drained of the earlier blush and her steps urgent as though she was running away from something.


    "Did something happen?" He stood up worriedly.


    "It''s nothing." She sat down and massaged her temples.


    He looked at her curiously. How could it be nothing when she looked like this?


    He was yet to ask when a waiter brought in the food she had ordered while booking the room. Seeing that she didn''t bring it up, he decided to wait until she was comfortable enough to talk about it.


    After taking the first bite of her roast pork, she finally spoke up. "I saw him again."


    "Who?" He asked, even though the answer that his brain had automatically come up with was not one he desired.


    "Flynn." She uttered the name he dreaded to hear. What did that man want this time? "Earlier he went into my dad''s private room. They were here¡ªin this restaurant¡ªtalking about heaven knows what. Just now when I went out, I saw them leaving together and it does not sit well with me. I have a feeling that Flynn is up to something. Do you think my dad''s in danger?"


    Xiehan paused his movements and thought about what she was saying. He then looked at her seriously. "How did your dad look when you saw them? Did he look calm¡­ or solemn?"


    "They were chatting like friends of some sort." This was what she found weird, and what stopped her from confronting them. She was afraid to probe into their private meeting but then again, how could they be friends? "Do you think he is under a threat and does not dare to call for help?"


    Xiehan frowned when he thought about it. No matter how he thought about it, it was impossible. "Honey, you must be overthinking it. Uncle Xia is not a child; perhaps he is just having a great time with his friend."


    "Friend?" She was spooked just thinking of them as friends.


    "Can''t they be friends? The last time I saw them together, they looked close." He pointed out.


    She knew this too, but, "that was before Flynn betrayed him by kidnapping him and using his life to threaten his daughters. How could he still trust him enough to walk around with him?"


    Her worries were not unfounded. Hence, he took her hand and held it soothingly. "Why don''t you talk to him about it later? Just so you stop worrying, I will have my men follow him from a distance and protect him in case Flynn is up to something fishy."


    "Thank you." She was more reassured now. The Xia family''s bodyguards had all followed Li Xiyan, and she could not entirely trust the new ones to protect him. Now that Xiehan would send his men, nothing could go wrong.


    He smiled charmingly. "Is that really what you want to say?"


    "I love you." She corrected herself with a smile. They continued enjoying their food, casually chatting about random things.


    They forgot about Flynn, but that was until they finished eating and left the restaurant. The man appeared from nowhere and pulled on Lanni''s wrist. It was too late for Xiehan''s bodyguards to stop him from getting close to them.


    "Can I borrow her for a moment?" He raised an eyebrow at Xiehan, blocking an attack from one of his bodyguards.


    "It''s alright." He said to his bodyguards and they stopped attacking, then he turned to Flynn. "What do you want from my girlfriend?"


    "I merely want to have a word with her. Can you not overreact?" The man looked impatient.


    "She doesn''t want to talk to you." He glared at the other man, glancing at Lanni''s hand that was in Flynn''s death grip. Seeing that Lanni was obviously trying to get away, he grabbed Flynn''s hand and pried his fingers off her wrist. "Let go of her."


    He let go helplessly. "She used to be physically weak but intelligent and witty in the past. Ever since she met you, she is just weak." Huffing in annoyance, he asked the girl who was now holding onto Xiehan''s arm like he was her pillar of strength. "Do you really not miss your job?"


    __


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 Chapter 323 - The Unlucky Goddess

    "What the hell do you mean?" Lanni did not let go of Xiehan''s arm. No matter what Flynn had to say, it couldn''t possibly be anything good.


    The man looked at their linked arms in disdain, his eyes calling her out for acting like a weakling. He ignored her hostile gaze and focused on things that actually mattered. "I''m talking about you being an undercover journalist. Don''t you miss it?"


    Before she could say that she didn''t, he added, "Did you really not enjoy working for Galaxis in taking down Xing Han?"


    She shook her head without a thought. She had been forced, okay? How could he ask if she enjoyed doing something she had been blackmailed into doing? Did he think she was a masochist?


    "Not even in the slightest?" He pressed.


    Xiehan was displeased by Flynn''s insistent questioning but he didn''t want to force his own will on her so he let her answer on his own.


    She thought about it and didn''t seem to get an answer.


    Flynn clapped once. "As expected, I know you best. Princess, as long as you have questions about anything, you will make sure you get to the bottom of it. This includes anything questionable about the people around you. It''s in you. Besides, haven''t you always liked the idea of getting into different personas? You would have made an excellent actress if you liked the entertainment industry, but you don''t. Instead, you prefer taking the real world as your stage and acting roles that actually save lives and get rid of villains. Isn''t this why you came to Galaxis in the first place?"


    "Are you still talking about me?" Lanni was surprised. Who was that strange person that Flynn was talking about? That was definitely not her¡­ even though his words sounded familiar.


    The man looked surprised by her reaction. "I see you have not recovered all of your memory yet. I''ll do the honors of reminding you. When you first became my trainee, I really didn''t like you in the slightest. I thought you were nothing but a spoiled little girl doing things for the mere excitement of it." He reminisced.


    "I once asked you why you so badly wanted to be an undercover journalist, and you said that you liked uncovering the truth, and the thrill of acting as someone else while at it was exciting. When I told you to debut as an actress if you loved acting so much, this is what you told me; "Why would I want to be seen acting in fictional worlds? That''s not thrilling enough for me. I like to take the real world as my stage¡ªto get rid of actual, real life villains. Of course, if I save a few lives while at it, it would be much better. Not that I''m trying to be a superhero, though."


    Lanni didn''t think that was something she would say. She had always wondered why she went to Galaxis even when the people around her were against it, and now Flynn was saying that she was only looking for a thrill? That didn''t make any sense. "Look, I will not believe you simply because you claim to know what I wanted, okay? If you will excuse us."


    Flynn laughed. "I know you might have said that to put me off since you didn''t like me either. Anyway, my aim was to let you know that if you ever want to come back, the doors of Galaxis will be open for you. I will give you two weeks to think about it."


    "I don''t need it, thanks." She pulled on Xiehan''s hand and they left together.


    ¡­


    "Do you think you could ever go back?" Xiehan asked when they were in her car. She was driving since she was picking him up.


    She shook her head in disgusting. "I''m never going back to a group of people who only want to use me. They probably sent Flynn to convince me to go back. Xing Han''s case must have been a test to evaluate whether I am still useful."


    Xiehan thought so too, so he nodded. He didn''t want her to go back to that place either. But if she really wanted to go, he would not have forced her to stay, so he was happy that she had declined on her own.


    "Let''s forget about them. I wanted to tell you¡­" he was still speaking when his phone rang. He chuckled out a "speak of the devil" and answered the call. "Aunt?"


    "Hmph. I''m surprised you even remember who I am." Lanni heard a gentle female voice harrumph.


    "I wad going to call you." Xiehan stated, earning a round of scolding from the woman.


    "You little brat! It''s already bad enough that you forgot about me and now you want to pretend that you were about to call me as well? Do I look that gullible to you?" She complained.


    Xiehan let out a deep laugh. "How can that be? Why would I forget one of the most beautiful goddesses in the world?"


    The woman harrumphed, although she sounded more gentle this time. "What a sweet tongue you have. I wonder how many women have fallen under your charm already. Right. What happened to my niece-in-law? You promised to introduce her to me!" She complained like a kid who had been denied her promised candy.


    Xiehan was speechless. Could she act her age for just a second? He peeked to find that Lanni''s cheeks were flushed scarlet. Laughing, he said to his aunt, "I was going to tell her about you just now."


    "Really? Is she there with you?" She sounded excited, then switched to video call. Xiehan sought permission with his eyes and tilted the phone when Lanni let him.


    As soon as her eyes met Lanni, she gasped in awe. "She is so beautiful! Xiehan, where did you get such a beauty?"


    "Hello aunt." Lanni smiled, feeling weird that she was calling the other woman "aunt". She looked so young!


    "Good girl. No wonder Xiehan keeps rambling about you on every phone call. You are so sweet! Allow me to introduce myself." The woman smiled. " I''m Ji Meiling, the woman who was so unlucky as to have the punk beside you as my nephew. Oh, what mistake did I commit in my previous life?"


    "Aunt¡­" Xiehan grumbled a complaint, making both women laugh at him.


    Lanni exchanged some small talk with the other woman, getting along with her in a flash. She looked young despite her age, making it easier for Lanni to communicate with her without too much age gap restraint.


    Aside from finding that the woman looked extraordinarily beautiful, there was also something about her that Lanni found suspiciously familiar. It was her eyes. Where had she seen those eyes before?


    She turned reflexively and studied Xiehan''s eyes. After looking for a while, all she could see was that the shapes of their eyes were a tiny bit similar but aside from that, Xiehan''s eyes were blue while the woman''s were hazel.


    Even so, she was sure she had seen them before, and not just once. Was she thinking too much?


    After a while, Lanni decided to shove the thought off her brain.. How many people were there in the world anyway? Perhaps she had met someone with similar-looking eyes in the past and she just happened to remember them.

 Chapter 324 - Rotten Luck

    When the call ended, Xiehan glanced at Lanni who still seemed to be thinking deeply about something. "A penny for your thought?"


    Lanni retracted her gaze that was staring into space and smiled. "Nothing. I just thought her eyes were familiar but thinking about it, we shouldn''t have met before." She looked at him and asked, "Is she your aunt from Australia, the one who brought you up?" She guessed, since they seemed to be as close as a son and his mother.


    "Yeah." She noticed that there was a fond gentleness in his eyes when he talked about her. She must have taken such good care of him, or else he would not be this close to her. "I wanted to tell you about her but then she called. Since the two of you already got to speak to each other, it saves me the trouble of having to tell you everything about her."


    She laughed when he sighed in relief. Was it so difficult to introduce someone?


    "Speaking of which, love??" He held her hand as he started. "Are you going to be too busy in the next few weeks?"


    She thought about it before responding, "I shouldn''t be too busy. There are a few things that I should handle but not too many of them. Why do you ask?"


    "The last time we tried to have a vacation, Feng Ci happened."


    "Urgh¡­ don''t even remind me." She groaned, once again celebrating the fact that the latter had finally done herself in. She thought about his incomplete statement and raised an eyebrow. "Unless you¡­"


    "Want to go on another vacation? Of course I do!" He completed her statement cheerfully, and she giggled in response. No wonder he was so busy lately. He must have been working overtime so he would create time for the two of them to go on a vacation soon.


    "Were you thinking of going to Australia this time?" She asked, wondering whether this was where his aunt came in.


    He nodded. "If that would be alright with you."


    "Anywhere''s perfect." She smiled. She still wanted to explore Europe, but she had never been to Australia either, at least not since she recovered her memory. It would be exciting and¡­ "Wait, were you planning to use this chance to visit your aunt and introduce me to her?"


    He searched her face for any hint of displeasure at the thought of visiting his aunt. After all, she had not been fully willing to visit his parents in the past. He sighed in relief when he found that the idea seemed to excite her instead. "Again, it depends on what you want, my love."


    She crossed her arms with a harrumph. "That''s what you always say. When are you ever going to do what you want?"


    He chuckled at her pouty expression. "Your happiness is my happiness, my love. What else would I want to do except what you want?"


    She glared at him and started the car, ignoring him. "Why are you so irritatingly charming?"


    He couldn''t help laughing at her twisted train of thought. "If I wasn???t so charming, how else would I manage to snag myself the best girlfriend in the world?"


    "Your aunt is right. You really are honey-tongued." She pulled out of the parking without sparing him a glance.


    "Hehe¡­" He laughed and offered his lips to her. "Do you want to taste it and confirm whether her words are true?"


    "It''s not like I don''t know¡­" She ignored him for the rest of the drive.


    Since he was tired, he fell asleep in a few minutes. She let him take a nap and slowed down so he would rest more peacefully, sneaking a few peeks at his sleeping face. He looked so charming that her lips curled into a smile.


    Even when they arrived at his mansion, she was reluctant to wake him up and continued observing the "sleeping beauty".


    The man woke up on his own a few minutes later. "We''re home already?"


    Realizing that they were, he pulled her into his arms and launched a complaint. "But I want to continue sleeping with you beside me."


    "You can sleep as much as you want in the house."


    She had barely completed her statement when a series of taps resounded against the windscreen. She checked in annoyance to see an extremely infuriated Jiang Xingyu knocking incessantly. "Come out, right this instant!"


    Xiehan was annoyed about being interrupted but he could only let go of Lanni and leave the car. "Where''s the fire?"


    "In my chest!" The man was enraged. "I''ve been waiting for you for the last three hours and the first thing you do upon your arrival is commence your x-rated activities in the car without caring about your poor friend?!"


    Lanni wanted nothing more than to sew his mouth shut. Who the heck was doing x-rated activities? Also, "Who the hell waits for another for so long without giving a call at least? What if he didn''t come back home?" She was not merely berating him for the sake of it. She had thought of taking Xiehan to her apartment so they would spend the night together. However, he was asleep and she didn''t want to wake him up.


    In response to her lecture, he shrugged and looked like he had suffered a huge deal of injustice. "I tried calling his phone for two days and he was unreachable every time. I could only wait for him here. Sigh, I must have committed an unforgivable sin in my past life to end up with a friend like him in my current life."


    "Your luck was just rotten." Lanni laughed at his expense.


    "What do you want?" Xiehan was not interested in his idiotic rant.


    "Geez¡­ would you die if you were a little more polite?" Jiang Xingyu complained. But knowing that his heartless friend might really kick him out, he stopped complaining and got to the point.. "I want to talk business with you."

 Chapter 325 - Disinterested

    Xiehan was even more annoyed when the latter didn''t seem to have any urgent reason to seek him so incessantly. "Whatever it is can wait." He dismissed and held Lanni by the waist.


    Jiang Xingyu saw the situation and since he still loved his life, he decided to leave first. "I''ll give you a call tomorrow. Just don''t ignore me, okay?" Xiehan ignored him, then he remembered something else. "Right, about your sister-in-law¡­"


    "She is your responsibility now." Xiehan responded sternly, reminding him that since he had decided to be with a woman, he should take full responsibility for her.


    "What happened to my sister?" Lanni asked worriedly.


    "Uh¡­" Jiang Xingyu stuttered. He had forgotten all about Lanni''s presence and blurted out matters that were probably better off not reaching her ears. But now that he had he had already mentioned it and since Xiehan was glaring at him furiously, he could only continue the statement he had started.


    "I accidentally found out that she has been in constant communication with that Flynn guy. They are even meeting up this evening." He scratched his chin in thought. "You asked me to report to you if I found out any of his weird moves, didn''t you?"


    Xiehan frowned slightly while Lanni wondered, why the hell would that man start looking for her sister soon after he looked for her?


    "If I find out that he is making any weird moves towards my sister, I will skin him alive." She gritted her teeth threateningly.


    "He is more likely to skin you." He mocked, then continued speaking to Xiehan. "Do you think I should follow them to find out what they are going to talk about?"


    Xiehan frowned. "Do you really need me to tell you what to do? Are you a kindergarten kid?" Even so, he added, "If you think Luna might be in danger, you should be close by just in case."


    "Got it!" Jiang Xingyu hopped towards his car, cheering like he had received a huge award.


    "Uh¡­ why does it seem like he was looking for an excuse to spy on Luna?" Lanni laughed.


    "Just ignore him." Xiehan held her by her waist and pulled her into the house.


    __


    That evening.


    Luna met Flynn at a small restaurant near Goldewing Apartments. When she arrived, the latter had ordered several dishes, none of which she was interested in.


    "Come on, try out this chicken and mushroom pasta. The last time I was here, I ate it and it was the tastiest pasta I had ever eaten." He offered some of the food for her to have a taste.


    She shook her head without an ounce of interest. "I will just have a glass of water, thanks."


    "Are you so disinterested in eating? What about this wine? I heard¡­"


    "Flynn, just go straight to the point. Stop beating around the bush." Luna interrupted his meaningless chatter. Aside from generally not being interested in his nonsense, it would also not be a good thing if she spent too much time with another man. She was interested in Jiang Xingyu after all, and the latter didn''t know that yet. What if he assumed that she was into some other man? They were not in any specified relationship, after all.


    Seeing her lack of interest, Flynn shook his head. "I say you have changed so much. I''m not talking about how you stopped wearing male clothes; that was a disguise and you are not a man after all, so this is how you should dress up."


    "What''s your point exactly?" Luna was getting impatient.


    "You have this new shade to you¡­ it''s as though a lot has changed around you lately. Are you in love?"


    "That''s none of your business. Why did you call me here anyway?" She tried to keep her temper in check before she could be tempted to beat this idiot up.


    The man finally got more serious. "Listen, I brought this. It should be helpful to you." He held out a lipstick to her.


    Luna took the lipstick then uncapped it curiously. When she had a good look, she asked with a frown, "What is this?"


    "Something you were looking for." He answered.


    When she understood him, she smiled. "I can''t believe I''m saying this to you again, but thank you."


    He laughed and peeked in a certain direction then looked back at Luna. "I would have asked you to thank me by coming over to Galaxis since you are intelligent and all, but there really is a deep ''twin effect'' between you and your sister."


    "What nonsense are you even saying?" Luna asked, keeping the lipstick in her purse.


    "Your sister rejected her chance because she fell in love." Flynn felt defeated before adding, "With a man who doesn''t even deserve her."


    Luna cringed. "First of all, there is no one more deserving of my sister than Xiehan, who loves her more than she loves herself. Secondly, it is up to my sister to decide which man is good for her."


    He surrendered, faced with her stern face. "Hey, I was just giving my opinion, okay? Don''t kill me. Anyway, my point is, I thought you would be of help but you cannot be¡­ for the same reason as her. You are in love, aren''t you?"


    Luna frowned. What did her being or not being in love have to do with anything?


    He shrugged when he looked at her questioningly. "I have to say, you have same tastes." He looked in a certain direction.


    She followed his gaze to see Jiang Xingyu sitting not too far away from them. She sent him a questioning look and he pretended not to have seen her.


    ¡­


    Jiang Xingyu had not thought of disguising himself in order to follow Luna, neither had he thought of sending someone else. He was not trying to spy on her, after all. All he wanted was to be there in case Flynn was up to any mischief and Luna needed help.

 Chapter 326 - A Bashful Little Girl

    He did not understand why the hell Flynn would give her a lipstick. Did he seek her, bug her into agreeing to meet him up for dinner merely to give her such a little thing? Couldn''t he have sent it to her house instead?


    The most important thing was that when Luna received it, she seemed overjoyed and even thanked him like he had just saved her life. It didn''t make much sense.


    The two of them talked for a little while more, but by this moment, he was sure that Luna was not being coerced into anything. He was still battling whether he should leave or continue staying just in case things took a dramatic turn when he felt a familiar gaze on him, and his eyes met Luna''s.


    Her grey eyes seemed confused, looking at him questioningly as though wondering what he was doing at that place.


    He felt his blood run cold. Would she be mad at him for following her? He was dead!


    Just when he muttered ''dead'' for the hundredth time, he saw Luna say something to Flynn then rush towards him and raise her hand. He closed his eyes for the incoming slap and prepared himself for an earful of scolding about how he was a jerk who did not respect other people''s privacy.


    He couldn''t say that she would be wrong to say that. He really was a jerk. It was her choice who she met up with. But simply because he was jealous about her meeting with another man, he had found reasons to follow her.


    He squeezed his eyes and wondered why the slap wasn''t landing yet. Just as he wondered whether to peek, a soft sensation landed on his cheek. It was a kiss. He opened his eyes wide. It was a kiss¡­ not a slap?


    "What are you thinking about?" She laughed through her question.


    "You¡­ aren''t you mad at me?" He asked nervously.


    In response, she shook her head curiously. "Why would I be mad? Did you do something wrong?"


    He looked at her in shock, then understood the situation a second later. She must have misunderstood his appearance here as a coincidence. Since she did not know what he had been up to, he was not about to give himself a death sentence. He pulled her into his arms quietly, his heart racing.


    "What are you doing here? I missed you." She wrapped her arms around his neck.


    His body froze, not expecting that she would say such a thing to him.


    What was up with her being overly friendly lately?


    Could it be that he was so impatient to make her fall for him that he was starting to read too much into everything? Perhaps she just missed him like she would miss a friend. Right, what if that was what he was to her, a friend?


    "I have a feeling your imagination is running wild right now." She observed, from how dramatically his expression was changing.


    "Of course not." He denied. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" He contemplated before adding, "with him?"


    "Flynn wanted to have a word with me." She responded with no intention to hide anything from him, but didn''t explain anything else after that. She changed the topic instead. "I''m hungry. Let''s go somewhere else and eat."


    "Uhm¡­ okay¡­" He scratched his chin. Shouldn''t she ask to order something to eat since they were already in a restaurant? Even so, he didn''t ask any question and decided to go by what she wanted. "Where do you want to go?"


    "Your house." She said without thinking.


    "What?" A flush crept onto his neck.


    "Ahem¡­ I just want you to cook for me. Is that alright? I simply want a meal¡­ don''t misunderstand it as something else."


    It would have been better if she had not explained it, but trying to make him understand that she wanted nothing more than to have a meal made his throat tighten. He coughed and nodded. "What do you want to eat? We can buy fresh groceries on our way there."


    "I don''t know. I''ll eat whatever you feel like cooking." She was too nervous to think at the moment.


    Jiang Xingyu led her out of the restaurant, completely ignoring Flynn who was still looking in Luna''s direction. They entered his car one after another, and he started it.


    "I''ll cook my specialty." The man announced, starting the car excitedly.


    "I''ll be looking forward to having a taste of it." She grinned, then subconsciously stuck out her tongue to lick her lower lip. He cleared his throat and averted his gaze from her. Was she trying to lure him into doing one of those things that she had claimed to not want?


    Also, she was saying that she was looking forward to the food cooked by him. Why, then, did her gaze suggest that she was looking forward to having a taste of him instead?"


    "We are here." He pulled up at a grocery store.


    "What a bummer. I wanted to stay in the car a little longer." She groaned.


    He laughed, not quite understanding her antics. "You can stay in the car as long as you want, while I will go and buy the ingredients, mmh?"


    He thought that he had made a genius suggestion, but that was until she pulled up a disheartened expression. "What''s the point? It will no longer be fun to keep staying in the car if you are no longer here." She looked into his eyes seriously as he spoke, making his heart race.


    Was she implying that what she wanted was to spend more time with him? Was Luna seriously hitting on him?


    Not only did it seem that way with those seductive glances she kept sending his way, it had been happening more often lately.


    He smiled and got out of the car, then opened the passenger door for her. "Let''s go. We can buy everything then drive home with the speed of a slug. That way, you will get to stay with me longer."


    "You are teasing me." She harrumphed but still placed her hand in his gently. Even she didn''t know why it was happening, but she couldn''t keep up with her own feelings lately.. Every time she appeared, she would randomly start acting like a bashful little teenage girl seeking his attention. This was scary!

 Chapter 327 - Jiang Xingyu, The Lucky Punk

    The duo held hands as they went to the grocery store. She snuck glances and smiled occasionally, making him curious about what she was thinking. At one point, she even tangled their fingers together and smiled.


    "What''s making you smile so sweetly?" He couldn''t help asking, his mood being lifted along with hers.


    She glanced at their hands and raised her head to look into his eyes. "No one has ever made me feel this happy."


    He raised an eyebrow curiously. What did he do to make her so happy? He knew that he had not done anything particularly, but the fact that he was making her happy was enough to make him even happier.


    She bashfully stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on his cheek. He looked down at her with a gentle smile before returning the kiss on her forehead. Her cheeks flushed scarlet. "Xingyu¡­"


    He looked at her curiously. There was something about her tone that sounded strange. Just when he was about to ask if anything was wrong, her hands flew around his neck. Pulling down on his neck, she pressed her lips against his.


    There were a few people at the store but neither of them cared about that. He wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled her up against him, deepening the kiss. His hand ran along her back but before he could do too much, she pulled away, blushing furiously. "We are in public."


    "Right¡­" He coughed and wondered whether that meant they would be able to continue later.


    She took up his hand again. "Xingyu, we need to talk later."


    He felt as though his heart had skipped a beat from his tone. "Okay." He looked forward to hearing what she wanted to talk about. Contrary to the anxiety he felt the last time, he was excited this time. Was it because he had a feeling that it would be a piece of good news?


    "Luna?" A female voice suddenly interrupted them. They looked over to the right at the same time, and saw Madam Jiang walking towards them and dragging her husband along.


    "My dear, I missed you!" She pulled Luna into her arms cheerfully.


    "I missed you too, aunty." Luna was already in a good mood and when she saw Madam Jiang, her mood brightened all the more. "How have you been? It''s been ages since we last saw each other."


    "What do you mean it''s been long? You were home for dinner three days ago!" Jiang Xingyu whined.


    "That''s an awfully long time!" The women exclaimed in unison, as though he had mentioned years instead of days.


    He looked at them and turned to his father in defeat. "She didn''t even notice me. Am I still her son?"


    "Are you asking me?" Jiang Xingren shrugged, having been ignored as soon as his wife saw her favorite future daughter-in-law.


    "Sigh, what are you doing here anyway? Did you get dragged over to shop together because Luna was too busy?" He asked mockingly, gloating in his father''s misfortune.


    "What nonsense are you spewing? Of course, I wanted to accompany my wife!" Jiang Xingren berated.


    Jiang Xingyu looked his father up and down. "Sure¡­" As if he would believe that kind of crap. He must have been pulled out of the door by the ear or threatened with divorce.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, the ladies decided to shop around together.


    "What was Xingyu planning to buy exactly?" Luna wondered aloud, sweeping her eyes through the vegetable section. She had merely wanted to accompany Jiang Xingyu after all, and she had no idea what exactly he wanted to buy.


    She saw him having a talk with his father and wondered whether to ask him. Before she could make a decision, she spotted fresh apples in another row. "They look tasty¡­" she almost drooled at the sight.


    "Luna, what are you staring at?" Madam Jiang questioned, realizing that she had been speaking to thin air for a while.


    The latter silently rushed to grab an apple and started munching on it before paying for it, leaving Madam Jiang with a slacked jaw. She paid up and studied the young woman from head to toe. "You are acting strange."


    "Am I?" Luna continued wolfing down her apple like her life depended on it.


    "You hate apples."


    She paused, shocked with her own behavior. "Perhaps I''m just hungry?"


    Madam Jiang scrutinized her and thought of something but remained silent about it. "That useless punk! How could he drag you to go shopping with you without getting you something to eat? I''ll give him a good scolding later." She harrumphed, sending a glare in the direction of her son who was also frozen stiff from shock after seeing Luna eat something she disliked so much. She pulled her future daughter-in-law to a restaurant within the store. "Forget that useless idiot. Let''s have something to eat together."


    "Aunty, I''m fine." She giggled at her dramatic reaction.


    That didn''t stop Madam Jiang from dragging her into the restaurant. A waitress soon came over, making Luna realize just how hungry she was. She quickly made her order. "I''ll have fried chicken and¡­"


    "No no¡­" Madam Jiang interrupted in a flash, quickly composing herself when she realized that she had startled Luna. "Why don''t you eat grilled chicken instead? It''s tastier."


    "Alright." She nodded obediently and changed her order.


    Madam Jiang secretly sighed in relief. She didn''t know what she was thinking about, and she didn''t know whether she was dreading or looking forward to it. Amid her mixed feelings, she randomly asked, "Do you like Xingyu?"


    "Wait, what?" Luna was so startled that she dropped her phone onto the table. A flush crept onto her cheeks when she processed what she had been asked. Seeing that the other was waiting for her answer, she battled her thoughts with an embarrassed smile on her face then decided to come clean. "I was going to tell him¡­ tonight perhaps."


    Taking that as a yes, Madam Jiang let out the breath she had been holding and cheered on behalf of her son. "That lucky punk. He is lucky that I am not a man myself.. Otherwise, I would have won you over."

 Chapter 328 - Why Does The Past Matter?

    "You don''t look particularly excited about it." Madam Jiang observed.


    Luna sighed. "Relationships don''t always last long. I mean, liking (or loving) each other doesn''t always mean much, right?" After all, her own parents had divorced and in such a heartbreaking way even though they were rumored to have been deeply in love with each other. They were still enemies presently, despite the obvious love in each other''s eyes.


    What about she and Jiang Xingyu who had not known each other for that long?


    Madam Jiang understood her concern. However, "You cannot judge your relationship based on someone else''s. They are not you and you are not them; your relationship would never be like theirs¨Cnot even if that person is your identical twin. Just because your parents broke up doesn''t mean you and your husband will break up."


    "H-husband?" Luna stuttered in a whisper. She was still talking about "like". How did it morph into marriage in a flash?


    "Look, you can be worried about other men but you will never have to worry about Xingyu." She reached over the table and planted her elbows on the surface, looking into the younger woman''s eyes seriously. "I''m not just saying this because I''m his mother. I was not kidding when I said he couldn''t live without you.


    When you left, it was as though his life had come crumbling down on him. He would hole up in his room all day, all night. Sometimes he would starve himself and drink himself almost to death, childishly hoping that your heart would ache for him, and that''s not even the most stupid thing he did. Although I reprimanded him for being an idiot at the time, one thing is for sure: he will never bring himself to do anything that could make you leave him again."


    Luna held a hand over her mouth. She had left thinking that they didn''t truly love each other. Never would she have thought that he was so deeply in love with her. Madam Jiang made a lot of sense, which made her wonder, "Why¡­ why do you like me? I hurt your son so much. After everything he did to himself, aren''t you supposed to hate me?"


    The latter squinted her eyes slightly. "I hated you before I met you. You know, I thought my son was heartbroken over some spineless gold digger who had left after accomplishing her mission. But when I met you and realized just what a sweet young woman you were, I realized one thing; why should the past matter? It does nothing but makes us bitter over things that will never change.


    Why not enjoy the present and the future instead? So, I detached myself from the past and it made me realize something more important."


    "What?" Luna was curious.


    "That if we met under different circumstances and if Xingyu wasn''t in love with you, I would still have loved you as much as I would love my daughter."


    "Aunty¡­" Luna felt her eyes sting. She circled the table and hugged Madam Jiang warmly.


    ¡­


    Later when they were done eating, they went back to the men who had just finished purchasing the groceries and whatever else they had been doing the whole time.


    Madam Jiang went back to her husband''s side, winked and mouthed ''good luck'' to Luna. "I''ll give you a call later, okay? Make sure to tell me if he bullies you."


    "She''s the one always bullying me." Jiang Xingyu complained, while his father muttered something inaudibly. If Luna was a man, he would never let her get so close to his wife. He was almost getting replaced!


    Luna glared at Jiang Xingyu, making him shut his mouth, then mouthed a ''thanks'' to Madam Jiang. The two pairs then split ways, each going their own way.


    The man was relieved when they were finally on their own. "I got everything we need. But do we even still need them?" He looked down at his huge bag of ingredients.


    "I''ll help you cook something for you to eat. You can keep the rest in the refrigerator, of course." She led the way out, not reaching for his hand this time.


    "Is there something bothering you?" He observed. She was walking faster than usual, her lips occasionally moving as though she was chanting something, but she said nothing in the end.


    "No." She said curtly. Of course, something was bugging her! How the heck was she supposed to confess to a man? It wasn''t that easy, okay? besides, that wasn''t the only thing that was bugging her nerves.


    She closed her eyes for a second and let out a breath. "Give me a second." Without letting him respond, she disappeared back into the building. She went to the restrooms. Outside the doors to the restrooms, there was a trashcan. She observed it for a while and thought back to what Madam Jiang had said earlier.


    "Why should the past matter? It does nothing but makes us bitter over things that will never change. Why not enjoy the present and the future instead?"


    "Right. Why should the past matter? It''s been twenty years." She muttered to no one in particular. Then, she opened her purse and took out a lipstick. It was the same lipstick that Flynn had given to her earlier. Making a firm decision, she dropped it into the trash can before entering the washroom.


    ¡­


    Five minutes ago.


    Jiang Xingyu was already concerned that Luna was acting strange, then she ran off just like that. Worried that something was wrong, he followed her back into the building.


    She used the staircase so it was easier to follow her. She stopped on the third floor and headed straight for the washrooms. He was about to call her out when she stopped for a moment and dropped something into the trashcan, muttering words he couldn''t catch.


    What caught his attention was the fact that whatever she had thrown away was the lipstick that Flynn had given her. It seemed to be so important earlier. Why did it seem to bother her just a short while later?


    He had a feeling that it was no ordinary lipstick. Out of curiosity, he went over to the trashcan. Seeing that the rubbish had been emptied earlier and there was nothing but the lipstick inside, he took out a handkerchief and used it to pick it up.


    After wiping it for assurance, he twisted the cap open and cursed when he took a good look. "I knew it!"


    It was not lipstick.. It was a USB flash drive.

 Chapter 329 - Taken

    No wonder. It was weird for her to be so grateful for something as useless to her as a lipstick, but if it was a USB flash drive in disguise, it made perfect sense. Flynn must have meant to give her important information. Considering where he worked, he must have investigated something for her and the flash drive must contain whatever had been found out from his research.


    What didn''t make sense was, why had she dumped it? He was sure that she had not had the chance to watch it yet. Besides, even if it happened that she had secretly watched it or copied the content elsewhere, why did she drop it so carelessly? What if someone else found it?


    He thought through all the consequences and decided that it would be best if the flash drive was disposed of in a better way, aside from being dumped in a trash can where someone else could see it and be curious of the content.


    Of course, curiosity was killing him and he so badly wanted to check what was in it. However, he knew that she might be mad at him if that happened, so he decided that he would destroy it unless she allowed him to check the content.


    He secured it in his pocket but just as he wondered whether to leave, he heard the sound of running water. The door opened soon after and Luna stepped out, frowning when she saw him outside.


    "Did you follow me?" She asked the question he was dreading to hear.


    He nodded nervously like a child who had been caught red-handed and who had no choice but to admit his mistake. "I was worried about you."


    She scrutinized his expression and wondered why he wasn''t asking anything. If he followed her, then shouldn''t he have seen a scene that wasn''t meant for his eyes? Her eyes darted to the trash can and when she saw that it was empty, she raised an eyebrow at him.


    Muttering "dead" under his breath, he explained, "I was worried that someone else would find it so¡­ I was going to destroy it."


    She laughed at his sorry excuse. Even if he was going to make an excuse, couldn''t he at least say something that was a little believable?


    "Let''s go." She led the way, no longer caring what he did with it. She had decided to throw it away anyway.


    Seeing that he had been let off, he sighed in relief and followed her out.


    _


    Later, at Jiang Xingyu''s villa.


    Since Luna had already eaten with Madam Jiang, she only had a cup of fruit juice. The man kept away most of the ingredients he had just bought, he would cook her something delicious the following day.


    He had a conference call to attend to, so he gave her a laptop to play with as she waited for him. He shut his laptop and dashed to her side as soon as he was done. She was sitting cross-legged on the sofa with the laptop between her legs, typing at a speed almost invisible to the human eye.


    "What are you typing?" He asked gently as he sat down beside her.


    She stretched her arms in exhaustion. "That took you so long. I almost grew white hair from waiting."


    He smiled at her complaint, starting to get used to this side of her. "Are you sleepy?"


    She nodded through a yawn. Although it was still fairly early compared to the time she usually slept, she must have been working so hard lately that she was getting lazier by the day.


    Hearing her response, he stood up and held her hand. "Let''s go to sleep, then. I''m tired too."


    She shook her head. "Can''t. I''m too tired."


    Taking that as a cue, he bent over and pulled the laptop off her lap, then carried her off the couch. She yelped in surprise but wrapped her arms around his neck a second later. He walked to his room at the slowest speed and gently lay her on his bed like a fragile treasure.


    "Still tired?" He asked gently. When she nodded, he asked, "Do you need a massage?"


    Her cheeks flushed as she glared at him. If he was really suggesting a massage, why was he giving him that expression that made everything sound wrong? "I don''t really need one. But if you want me to give you a massage, I can consider it." She threw back a teasing glance at him.


    He flopped onto the bed with a jubilant smile. "I would be a fool if I said no to that, wouldn''t I?"


    She scoffed and slid off the bed, then went to the vanity where she had seen a bottle of almond oil the last time she was here. She stood in front of the vanity and took in a deep breath. Should she use this chance to confess? Was it the right time?


    After thinking back and forth, she decided to go with the flow. She wasn''t in any sort of hurry, after all.


    Once she found what she was looking for, she walked back to the bed.


    "Should I undress now?" He asked teasingly.


    She was yet to say a word when his phone, which was on the bed, vibrated. The screen lit up, displaying "Chloe".


    Her eyebrows scrunched up. Who was Chloe?


    What made her jaw drop was his genuine smile when he saw the caller identity. He answered the call with a gentle "Hey princess."


    She shut her eyes and swallowed a gulp. Princess?


    She didn''t want her mind to run wild but the man neither had a sister nor a daughter, and none of his friends had daughters. Who was he speaking to?


    A thought crossed her brain, making her blood run cold. Could it be¡­ that he was taken?


    __


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 Chapter 330 - Are You Jealous?

    She tried to smile it off and not eavesdrop on their conversation but Jiang Xingyu''s tone didn''t do anything to make that easy. He sounded so gentle that it was almost unbelievable. Although he had always spoken to her in a tone that made her feel¡ªthink¡ªshe was special to him, this time it was on a whole other level.


    "Who said so?... No, of course not! How could that be¡­ Okay, okay¡­ I love you more than my whole life. Happy now? Sure, I''ll buy it for you and send it to your home."


    Each of his statements sliced through her heart like a dagger. What bothered her the most was, why the hell would he say such words to another woman in her presence? Was it so she would know that he had a girlfriend?


    With a sigh, she returned the massage oil onto the vanity and turned to leave.


    Just as she reached the front door, Jiang Xingyu was behind her. "Luna, where are you going?"


    His confused expression irritated her. "I''ll be on my way now. Goodnight."


    He grabbed her hand before she could move a step. "What happened?"


    She cringed at his question. Was he seriously trying to feign oblivion? "You are asking me what happened when you had the audacity to flirt with two women at the same time?


    Look, I don''t care how your brain functions, but I''m leaving so you will have more time to chat with your Chloe. You''re welcome."


    The man was stumped. In the next second, he understood what was going on and slapped his forehead. "Oh my god! Hahahahaha¡­ Is she the reason why you''re leaving?"


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you jealous?" He asked through a laugh.


    Of course! Who wouldn''t be jealous if the man they were about to confess to suddenly started flirting with someone else? But how could she admit that? She crossed her arms with a scoff. "Jealous? What makes you think I would get jealous because of someone like you?"


    "The look in your eyes." He broke into another bout of laughter. Although he was enjoying her jealous antics, he didn''t dare let it go on for too long, knowing that she would never speak to him if she left in her angry state. Hence, he held her hand and dragged her to the couch, sitting beside her.


    "Listen, uhm¡­ Chloe is¡­"


    "I don''t want to hear it." She made to block her ears.


    Taking her hands off the sides of her head, he laughed at how cute she was when being jealous. He couldn''t help thinking too much about it. Why was she jealous in the first place? Had she started liking him?


    Feeling like he was on top of a cloud, he resumed explaining, "She isn''t someone you should be jealous of, really. She''s just a baby."


    "How is that my business?" She harrumphed, then widened her eyes. "Wait. A baby?!"


    "Don''t give me that expression!" He waved his hands in the air. "No, she''s not my daughter."


    "Oh." She sighed in relief. It wasn''t that she had any problem with dating a man who was already a father. However, as a woman who had grown under the toxic care of a stepmother, she was scared of being one herself. What if she had learnt all the bad things from Li Xiyan? She wouldn''t want someone else''s child to go through that kind of torture.


    But the point right now was, "If she is not your daughter, who is she?"


    "My cousin''s daughter." He explained. "You see, my cousin and his wife are always very busy and rarely have time for their baby. Hence, when she first met me and I gave her the attention she needed, she started sticking onto me. They don''t live in B City so I can''t go to see her every day, which is why she will often give me a call and we will talk for hours sometimes."


    Luna felt silly for having been jealous over a little girl. "How old is she anyway?"


    His answer made her feel even more stupid. The girl was only five!


    Now that she recalled it, the whole time, Jiang Xingyu had sounded like he was coaxing a little girl. So he really was coaxing a little girl.


    "She is so adorable. If you like kids, I can introduce you." He suggested.


    "I''m not too sure about that." She dismissed.


    He laughed and pulled her onto his lap. "Now, let''s talk about why you were jealous."


    "I wasn''t!" She protested and pulled off him, heading to the master bedroom in embarrassment.


    He ran after her, laughing at her blushing face. "Just admit it. You thought I was seeing another woman, didn''t you? But the question is, why did it rile you up so much?"


    "Shut up." She didn''t need a mirror to know that her cheeks were pink at the moment. She dashed into the bedroom and wanted to dive into bed to hide.


    But just as she neared the bed, she shut her eyes with a hand against her temples.


    "Luna?" He dashed over to support her before she could fall. He helped her onto the bed and looked at her worriedly. "What happened? Are you dizzy? Does your head hurt?"


    She nodded and then shook her head almost immediately. "I felt dizzy for a second. I''m alright now."


    He scanned her worriedly and dashed to pour her a glass of water from the small dispenser in the room. "Have some water."


    She took the glass from his hand and merely took a sip before she felt it was enough. She turned to scan his worried face. "Relax, okay? I''m really alright. I must be tired, that''s all."


    "I''ll take you to hospital." He suggested.


    "Come on, don''t make a fuss for such a tiny matter." She laughed, though she was touched by how much he cared about her. "I will take a warm shower and rest. I promise, I will be alright after a shower."


    Since she sounded so sure, he nodded. She stood up but as soon as she did, she fell back onto the bed, blacking out.


    "Luna!"


    __


    An hour later, at the hospital.


    Jiang Xingyu dashed to the doctor as soon as the door to the emergency ward opened.


    The doctor pulled off his mask. "Are you the patient''s immediate family?"


    Before he answered, hurried footsteps filled the hallway before Lanni and Xiehan rushed over, panting from having rushed all the way here. He had given Lanni a call as soon as he brought Luna to hospital.


    "What happened to my sister?" Lanni asked anxiously, turning to the doctor. "Doctor, how is she? Is she alright?"


    "Miss, calm down." The doctor swept a glance at the three of them. "It''s actually good news."


    Lanni glared at him. "Good news?! My sister fainted and you call it good news?"


    Jiang Xingyu''s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Wait, what?


    "The patient, Xia Luna, is one month pregnant. Congratulations! Both the mother and child are in perfect condition."


    Lanni''s eyes went wide. P-pregnant?


    Xiehan cast a glance at his friend. "Congratulations¡­?"


    Jiang Xingyu was speechless.


    ___


    **OMG!!!


    *runs around with flailing arms*


    Someone''s going to become a daddy!*

 Chapter 331 - Is This A Prank?

    "This is a prank, right? How can my sister be pregnant?" Lanni was in disbelief. It was impossible no matter how she thought about it. Luna wasn''t even close to any¡­


    Her train of thought paused when she realized what Xiehan had just said to Jiang Xingyu. Congratulations?!


    Did that mean Jiang Xingyu was the father of the child?


    Now, that was more shocking.


    "Does she know?" She asked.


    The doctor, who was waiting for them to calm down before telling them what to do or not to do, shook his head. "The nurse will tell her about it once she wakes up."


    Lanni shook her head and let out sigh after sigh.


    Xiehan laughed at her expression of disbelief. "You still don''t believe it?"


    She shrugged. "Well, you can always trust Luna to remain calm for ages and then unleash one brilliant feat when no one expects it."


    The man laughed, then turned to his friend who seemed to be uneasy. "What is it? Aren''t you overjoyed?"


    Xiehan looked like he would unfriend him or give him a punch if he spouted any nonsense about not being ready to take responsibility and wanting Luna to have an abortion.


    "Don''t give me that "I''ll beat you up" look, okay?" Jiang Xingyu was caught between laughter and tears. "I''m going to be a father¡­ and the mother to my baby is the woman I love. I''m excited, okay!"


    "If that''s what "excited" looks like, I would not want to see angry." Lanni mumbled.


    The man sat down, brushing a hand through his hair. "What if she doesn''t want it? I mean, she wasn''t even ready to date me. Would she be ready to have a baby with me?"


    ¡­


    "I''m pregnant?!" Luna was in shock when she heard the news. She scanned everyone''s faces and burst into laughter. "This is a prank, right? I cannot be pregnant." Her shock was identical to her sister''s a while ago, jut no one was paying attention to that.


    Lanni stepped forward. "No, Luna. It isn''t some prank. You really are expecting a child."


    She scoffed. "Please. It''s impossible. I only had my period¡­" she stopped suddenly when she remembered just how long ago it had been. It was about six weeks ago. But then again, her period had always been irregular, so that didn''t prove anything.


    "Let them run another test. I''m sure there must be some mistake somewhere." She declared.


    Lanni nodded and called the doctor over to specifically run a pregnancy test.


    Once the results were out, Luna looked at the sheet of paper and shook her head. "This cannot be. How can this be happening?"


    Jiang Xingyu had not expected her to dance in excitement when she heard the news, but it still broke his heart that she was devastated about it. When she settled her gaze on him, he so badly wanted to dash off and hide.


    "I''ll have a word with him." She said weakly, and Lanni and Xiehan left the room. Now it was just the two of them, and he could no longer run away from having to hear her say about it.


    She looked at him and sighed. "I''m sorry."


    His heart sank at her first words. As expected.


    She looked up at him to explain, "Xingyu, I''m only twenty; and forget about marriage, I''m not even in a relationship. Not to mention, my career just kicked off. If I have a baby now, my life will be ruined." She sighed. "Besides, my dad is so much against illegitimate kids. So I¡­ I really can''t have this child."


    Jiang Xingyu swallowed a gulp when he heard of her decision. The happiest news of his life was that he was about to become a father, but now it was turning to be the most painful news.


    Even so, he couldn''t blame Luna, nor could he force her into having the child.


    She felt her heart sink in guilt when she saw his deflated expression. "Xingyu, actually I¡­ I was ready to be in a relationship with you. I was going to agree to be your girlfriend but this¡­"


    "You don''t need to explain." He smiled, but that was not able to hide the hurt in his eyes.


    Luna closed her eyes and sighed. She knew that some people would call her decision cruel but she couldn''t do something she was not ready to do. Not only would that hurt her, it might just end up hurting the child all its life.


    _


    Lanni was about to leave first with Xiehan when the door opened and out of it came a devastated Xingyu. It took a second for her to figure out what must have transpired between him and Luna.


    She turned, only to be pulled back by Luna.


    She gave him a confused and angry look. "I''m going to have a word with her."


    Xiehan had also figured out what happened by now. He didn''t let go of her hand. "And give her an hour-long lecture about why she should keep the baby? I don''t think that''s going to work.


    If she has already made up her mind, trying to force her to understand your thought of it is going to do nothing but strain your relationship with her."


    Lanni thought about it and slapped her forehead. "You''re right. I was being impulsive."


    As long as Luna made a decision, it was impossible to get her to change her mind. Besides, all she needed now was support. If she confronted her angrily, it would only make her feel like no one was on her side.


    Xiehan studied his devastated friend and said, "I will speak to him."


    Lanni nodded. "I''ll wait for you in the car."


    Once Lanni was gone, he sat next to Jiang Xingyu. "Do you want to have a drink together later?"


    "No need." He croaked, fighting back his tears.


    When he couldn''t pretend to hold it in anymore, he broke down. "Have you ever got something you really treasured, then lost it before you even got to see it?"


    Xiehan sat next to him.. "You know, as much as you''re doing the right thing by not forcing her, you are the child''s father¡ªyou have as much right to it as she does."

 Chapter 332 - Choices

    "What would you do if you were in my place?" He asked, even though he knew Xiehan might not have much to say since he had not had any experience with such a situation.


    The latter let out a smile. "Well, I would make a deal with her. I would ask her to give the baby to me once it''s born."


    Jiang Xingyu thought about his friend''s idea and decided that it wasn''t a bad one. "You know, I would be sad if I''m no longer in peaceful terms with her after taking the baby but if that''s what it takes to save our baby then I don''t mind giving it a shot."


    "Idiot." Xiehan nudged his friend. When the latter gave him a confused look, he explained, "The deal is just a way of buying time. She is still in shock right now so she is thinking irrationally. By the time eight months are over, she will have grown attached to it and will not want to give it away anymore. After all, I don''t think there''s any mother who would still hate their baby after carrying it for nine months."


    "You are a genius." Jiang Xingyu was awed at the fact he had been too devastated to think about. But then he frowned. "Well, Luna''s mother hates her so much even after carrying her for nine months."


    Xiehan frowned at the thought as well. "Forget about her. She is a weird case." Who would love one twin but despise the other when they were identical? All her excuses were irrelevant too¡­


    "Well, if you are going to try that out, you should be ready for anything. She could still dislike the baby for ruining her life so you may want to be prepared to be a single father in case that happens."


    "I don''t mind." He was relieved knowing that he could save his child even though he had not talked to her about it yet.


    __


    The days went by pretty fast and before they noticed it, a week had passed.


    Luna stared at the screen of her laptop. Her fingers had not moved for the past ten minutes. Cheng Yu couldn''t watch it any longer.


    "Luna, are you okay?" When the latter nodded despite not looking alright in the slightest, she sighed. "Are you still thinking about Jiang Xingyu?"


    She shook her head and gave an excuse about feeling tired, even though that was exactly what she was thinking about.


    The man had made an insane request three days ago and she could not get it out of her mind no matter how hard she tried. How could he ask her to have the baby and then give it to him? Was he out of his mind?


    "Have you made the appointment with the doctor already?" Cheng Yu asked.


    "I did this morning." She answered through a sigh.


    Cheng Yu studied her friend carefully. "Are you sure you don''t want to think about it?"


    Luna slapped her forehead. "Xiao Yu, you too?"


    Cheng Yu waved her hands in defeat. "Fine, fine. I will stop lecturing you, but right after saying this. Luna, I still think you are doing something you will regret."


    As if on cue, the doorbell rang just as Cheng Yu finished speaking.


    "I''ll answer that." She stood up and when she saw who the guest was from the monitor, she gave Luna an eye. "No matter how upset you are, please don''t say something you will regret, okay?"


    She opened the door just as Luna was starting to wonder who it was, and Madam Jiang walked in looking solemn. Her eyes grew wide.


    "I''ll go buy ingredients for cooking dinner." Cheng Yu fled to give the two women time to talk.


    "My dear, how are you doing?" Madam Jiang still sounded kind despite her bad mood.


    "I''m fine." Luna couldn''t bring herself to look into the other woman''s eyes or rush to hug her like she always did¡ªnot after how badly she knew she had hurt her son''s feelings. But she couldn''t force herself into something she was unable to do just to protect someone else''s feelings, could she? That might simply ruin three lives later.


    "You must have figured out why I''m here." Madam Jiang cut the chase.


    __


    Earlier, in the Jiang Mansion.


    Madam Jiang was worried after not seeing her son for days. He had been ignoring her calls and when she finally got him to go home, he holed himself up in his room all day.


    She couldn''t watch it anymore and barged into his room, only to find him sitting on the floor and reverting back into a depressed state.


    Her heart shattered as she crouched next to him and pulled his head onto her shoulder. "What happened to you?" Luna must have confessed to him. Shouldn''t he be the happiest man right now? Why was he like this instead?


    "She is pregnant." He breathed.


    Madam Jiang smiled as her suspicion was confirmed. "So she really is pregnant!"


    "You knew?" Jiang Xingyu was shocked.


    "I guessed so. She was acting weird that time we met you at the grocery store. She had a sudden change in likes. Anyway, I suspected it but didn''t want to be the one breaking it to her. But wait. Isn''t that supposed to be good news? Why are you so devastated instead?"


    Thinking of something, she threatened, "If you tell me any nonsense about not being able to take responsibility for what you did, I will disown you."


    "Mum, am I such a jerk in your eyes?" He laughed bitterly.


    "Then what''s wrong?"


    "She doesn''t want it." He sniffed. "She decided to get rid of it."


    Madam Jiang''s hand stiffened. How could that be?


    ___


    The present.


    She looked at the young woman before her and didn''t know what to say to her. Luna looked sad when she stated the reason for her visit, and her heart broke. She loved Luna so much that she didn''t want to see her sad for a single second, but she also didn''t want to give up on her son''s happiness and her grandchild without at least trying.


    "Luna, could you at least tell me why you are so hell set on this decision?" She asked gently.. "I know it''s not just about your career, life and whatnot."

 Chapter 333 - All Sorts Of Work Out

    Luna felt guilt wash over her entire being. "Aunty, I don''t have any other reason."


    Madam Jiang scanned her seriously. "Since that''s the case, then listen to me.


    I know I may sound selfish for saying this, but I''m not going to pretend that I don''t care about that baby. Aside from being yours and Xingyu''s, he is my grandchild as well."


    Luna couldn''t blame her. At least she was being honest. But, "I''m sorry, I¡­"


    "I''m still speaking." She interrupted her, maintaining her serious look. "There are uncountable methods of contraception. I''m sure you don''t need me to name and explain them?"


    Luna blushed and shook her head.


    "I thought so." Madam Jiang crossed her arms. "Since you knew that they existed, but you and Xingyu still chose to observe none of them, what were you expecting aside from getting pregnant? It''s one thing if they failed but if you didn''t even think of protecting yourselves, where do you get the audacity to claim that you were not ready to be parents?"


    "Aunty¡­" Luna was so embarrassed that she didn''t know what to say. Madam Jiang had never been so serious with her, much less to talk about such a topic.


    The older woman sat down. "That said, let''s talk about your decision to get rid of it. If you are sure that you will neither regret it nor miss that baby, I have nothing against your decision. But think about what might happen to your body afterwards. Think about¡­" She paused midway. She didn''t need to tell her any of that either. She must have already learnt all about it.


    She stood to leave, pausing briefly. "If knowing this helps; I wasn''t ready for Xingyu either. Xingren and I were in love but we had to rush into marriage because Xingyu happened¡­ but don''t I love him more than my life now?


    Luna, you must be overwhelmed at the moment but¡­ don''t be rash, okay?


    I''ll see myself out."


    Luna blanked out as Madam Jiang left. She was just like her in the past? That was unexpected.


    Of course, she knew that Madam Jiang couldn''t possibly make up such a thing just to convince her to keep her baby.


    But, what she had said made sense. What if, after having an abortion, she regretted it and wanted the baby back?


    ___


    Lanni''s apartment.


    Xiehan pulled the pacing Lanni into his arms. "Hey, calm down, okay?"


    "I can''t calm down, okay? I want to, but I can''t." She felt like pulling her hair.


    Xiehan pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "Tell me, what''s happening? You are getting more distressed by the second."


    "I have no idea." She shrugged. She didn''t know why she was so restless and that made her even more restless.


    She sighed. "I wonder how Luna is doing. She must be so depressed."


    "That''s it." He chuckled. "You are restless because you think Luna is restless. Maybe that''s a twins thing as well. Why don''t you check on her?"


    "Last I checked, she didn''t answer my call." She sighed.


    Xiehan ran a hand through her hair. "Why don''t I help you relax?"


    When she nodded, he held her hand and led her towards the master bedroom.


    ¡­


    Thirty minutes later.


    "Xiehan, it feels so good¡­" Lanni breathed a gasp as her heart raced.


    "Are you feeling better now?"


    "Not just better. I feel ecstatic!" She let out a breath as he gently flipped her onto her back.


    He stretched her arms out above her head and held them in place, then lifted her leg by the knee pit . He let it down after a few seconds. "Sit up."


    She did, then rested her head on his chest. "I didn''t know your way of helping me relax was by stretching my muscles." She laughed.


    He tapped her forehead. "Were you thinking of something else? If you want me to do that too, I will gladly do it."


    "Pervert." She jabbed him, her cheeks flushing. "Anyway, I didn''t know there was a gym in my apartment until today."


    "That''s because you have not had a thorough tour of your apartment yet." He laughed. There were rooms she had never been curious enough to check out, and one of them just happened to be the gym. It had all the modern equipment and she could hire a trainer if she needed to.


    Thinking about it, she sighed. "It''s boring to work out alone, don''t you think?"


    "You can call me over to work out with you when you want to." He wiggled his brows. "We could do all sorts of work out. In the gym, in the bathroom, on the sofa, in the kitchen, in bed¡­"


    "Hey! I wasn''t talking about that kind of work out." Her cheeks flushed. Her boyfriend was so perverted!


    Before he could say anything else, she stood up. "I''ll go take a shower."


    "Mmh." He nodded then immediately added, "Can I join you?"


    She was speechless. Before she could say no, her brain started straying and forming images of him in the shower, with water all over him.


    She gulped and nodded before she could stop herself, then she disappeared into the bathroom.


    He chuckled and followed her in. When she covered her bare boobs with her hands, he withheld a laugh. "Why are you shy? It''s not like we have not had a shower together before."


    "Shut up and come here." She pulled him under the shower with his clothes still on. They soaked and immediately clung onto his skin, outlining the alluring body underneath them. Her heart raced as she unbuttoned his shirt and took it off him.


    He held the back of her head and kissed her passionately. Grabbing her hand, he led it to his crotch. Her eyes widened when she felt how hard he already was.


    "Honey, I want you." He whispered.


    She took his hand and pressed it onto her breast. "I want you just as much." Then she pressed her lips against his.


    His hand slid around her back and pulled her against his body.. She fumbled with his pants and pulled them off him, letting them drop onto the wet floor.

 Chapter 334 - Why Are You Too Nice?

    The following day.


    Xiehan made breakfast then went to the study where Lanni was typing rapidly on her laptop. "Breakfast is ready. Do you want to eat it in the dining room or should I bring it here?"


    She paused and stretched her limbs with a smile. "Thanks honey, I''ll join you in a second." She then saved her work and stood up, almost falling because she had stood too fast.


    "Careful!" He was beside her in the next second, supporting her. "What did you wake up so early to do anyway? You have not taken a breather since you sat behind that desk."


    "Writing a news article." She answered as she wrapped her small hand around his waist.


    "Since when were you a reporter?" He studied her curiously.


    "Why don''t I explain it after breakfast? I''m hungry," She said, and he nodded.


    When they were done eating, she went ahead to tell him all about it. She was writing news articles for intern and trainee reporters who were unable to do it themselves or were not too confident in their own skill.


    "Why would you do that?" He was curious. Was this a new hobby?


    "To fish for a quick buck." she shrugged.


    Xiehan scanned her in disbelief. "Do you need money? Why didn''t you ask me for some?"


    She let out a sigh. She had expected such a reaction from him. Besides, she couldn''t exhaust her mother''s wealth even if she tried to, so it was surprising that she was looking for money. But then, "That''s not my money. I want to work for my own."


    Since getting a job, she had realized just how different it felt when she was spending the money she earned on her own. Unfortunately, her job was temporary and she had resigned right after her mission was complete.


    Xiehan understood her point. It had also felt different for him when he got his first job and stopped relying on his aunt''s money for everything.


    "Since you like writing news articles, why don??t you find a job as a columnist or a reporter? I can help you look for one." He suggested.


    She hugged him and pecked his cheek. "Why are you so nice? But honey, I want to do it on my own."


    He chuckled at her stubbornness. "That''s allowed too. But if you ecounter any difficulties¡­"


    He was yet to complete his statement when she clung to him. "You don''t even need to tell me. I will run back to you if I encounter anything I cannot handle on my own."


    He nodded in approval after getting a satisfactory answer.


    "Right, mum gave me a call earlier. She wants us to go home for lunch."


    He patted her head fondly. "That''s alright. I have a day off today so why don''t we go right after my conference call?"


    "You still need to make a conference call even on your day off?" She wondered. What kind of break was that?


    "It''s with an overseas business partner. We are preparing to negotiate a deal with him so the earlier I call and get to know the specifics, the better it will be." He responded, kissing her cheek. "I won''t be long, okay?"


    She chuckled at his tone. He sounded like he was a coaxing a little girl, not that she minded it.


    As soon as he left, her phone rang with an incoming call from the person she thought was never going to speak to her.


    "You finally remembered that you have a sister." She jokingly berated.


    "I was wrong¡­" Luna sounded so pitiful that Lanni''s heart broke.


    "Are you alright?" She worriedly switched to video call, and was relieved to see how cheerful Luna looked. It was a huge improvement from her distressed state a few days ago. "Thank goodness you''re alright."


    "Were you scared?" Luna burst into laughter.


    Lanni pretended to be annoyed. "Why did you call? Elder sister here is too busy to have her time wasted."


    "Pfft¡­ which elder sister? Don''t tell me you''re talking about yourself?"


    Lanni huffed. "Come here, Luna. I promise I won''t kill you!"


    Luna laughed. "Actually, you will not have to. I may die before I get to see you."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Lanni frowned.


    "I''m going to tell dad the news." Luna''s expression sank as she spoke. "I mean, no matter what I decide to do, it''s important for him to know what''s happening with his daughter, right? But I''m scared of his reaction."


    "I''m sure it will be alright." Lanni coaxed. "Dad loves you so much he will support you no matter what happens."


    "You''re right. Now I feel much better. Thanks Lanni." Luna felt more confident now.


    "Tell me how it goes later, okay?"


    Luna nodded, then they went ahead to talk about other random things before hanging up.


    __


    To be close to both his daughters, Xia Hanchen was living in B City, in a new villa he had purchased after leaving the hospital. He was still not well enough to go back to work so he worked from home, hence Luna was sure where she would find him.


    She nervously walked into the villa and found him in the living room. "Dad?"


    Xia Hanchen looked up seriously. "Look who finally remembered that she has a dad."


    She went over and hugged his arm. "What are you saying, dad? How could I forget about you?"


    "Didn''t you? When was the last time you gave daddy a call?" When Luna looked down in embarasment, he added, "Are you finally ready to tell daddy what''s going on with you?"


    She was puzzled. How did he know that something was up? Wasn''t his instinct too scary?


    Since Xia Hanchen had already guessed that there was something wrong, she no longer needed to worry that he would be startled by the news. Hence, she told him all about it.


    His eyebrows scrunched up when he heard about her decision. "Pumpkin, are you sure about this? What about the dad?"


    She sighed when Jiang Xingyu''s depressed expression flashed in her mind. "Well, he''s a good man."


    Xia Hanchen studied his daughter and wondered whether she was listening to herself. He thought about her situation and couldn''t really blame her for anything. In the end, he held her hand. "I''ll support whatever you decide, Pumpkin. Even if you change your mind later, I will still support you."


    Her tears almost fell from relief. "Thanks dad."


    He patted her head. "If you want to thank me, then don''t hide such important things from me, okay?" He scolded.


    She nodded and buried her head into his arms.


    Her mind suddenly strayed in a direction she didn''t want it to think.


    What if the baby she was carrying was a girl? Would Xingyu dote on her as much as her father did? And if it was a boy, just how would Xingyu interact with him? And would he be an adorable, miniature version of his dad?


    She frowned as soon as she thought about it. What was she even thinking? And why did she feel joyous from the thought?


    The thought made her realize something and she questioned herself. Why did she book the doctor''s appointment a month away when the termination was better off done as early as possible?

 Chapter 335 - Is She Lying?

    Li Yuming''s Villa.


    "I made your favorite pudding for dessert!" Li Yuming announced cheerfully and stood up to bring it.


    "I''m already stuffed. I''m not sure if I will be able to eat any of it." Lanni pouted. The food was so yummy that she unknowingly ate too much.


    Xiehan stroked her head playfully. "Don''t worry. I will eat on your behalf."


    "You meanie¡­"


    He laughed at her accusing tone. "You''re already stuffed, aren''t you? You will get a ''food baby'' if you eat a spoonful of aunty''s delicious pudding. Mmh¡­ I wonder what flavor it is."


    She ignored his teasing begrudgingly. "Speaking of babies, I want to know how the real one is doing."


    As if on cue, Luna called at that moment, and reported the outcome.


    "That''s awesome. I told you he wouldn''t be mad." She was jubilant when Luna told her about Xia Hanchen''s support. Luna seemed to have something else to say but when Lanni saw Li Yuming return, she promised to call later then hung up with a smile.


    "You are happy." Li Yuming observed when she returned with the pudding.


    Lanni supported her chin on her hand. "You might just become a grandma, of course I''m happy. But then again, I''m anxious, sigh."


    "Wait, what?" Li Yuming was shocked. She shifted her perplexed gaze between the two of them before her expression turned strict. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"


    "It depends on what you think I mean." Lanni said, earning a slight pinch from Xiehan.


    "Aunty, actually¡­" He started.


    "Wait¡­" Li Yuming interrupted him with her index finger on her lips. Caught between excitement and shock, She scrutinized the man strictly. "Just how forgetful are you? Anyway, that''s not important." She shook her head to clear the confusion then said, "Look, this is the best news I''ve heard in my life but??? I''m not going to have my daughter go through the trauma of having people point fingers at her for being an unwed mother. Are you guys planning to get married?"


    Xiehan face palmed while Lanni jolted. "Mom!"


    Finally comprehending the misunderstanding. She laughed. Her brain must be on vacation. She coughed and explained, "I''m not pregnant."


    Li Yuming was caught between disappointment and shock. "If my daughter isn''t pregnant, how will I be a grandma? Are you planning to get married and adopt a baby? Oh, are you getting a pet?"


    Lanni sighed at her mother''s inability to catch up. "No one''s adopting a baby nor a pet. Your daughter is expecting one¡­ or two, who knows?" The last part was an inaudible mumble.


    "But you just said¡­" Li Yuming paused when she understood it. She felt her blood chill for a second. "You are saying that Xia Luna is¡­"


    Lanni nodded excitedly. "Uh huh¡­ I bet that was her secret to tell but I was so anxious and excited that my tongue got too loose."


    "Oh." Li Yuming shrugged like it was none of her business. "I added a secret ingredient to this strawberry pudding. I bet you guys will love it!"


    Lanni frowned slightly then recovered her smile. "It must be hard to be a mother at such a young age¡­ especially when you''re neither married nor engaged. I bet one could really use some advice from her mother." She sighed. "But poor Luna, her mother doesn''t even care whether she''s dead or alive, let alone whether she gets rid of her baby or keeps it."


    "Excuse me?" Li Yuming was flabbergasted.


    Lanni shrugged. "You know, I''m starting to wonder what kind of person you really are. I mean¡­" She paused before she could say something she would regret. Standing up, she smiled. "I''m full. Thanks for the meal, it was delicious." She then walked out of the dining room.


    Li Yuming blinked as though to confirm that she was awake. "I can''t believe she spoke to me that way."


    "Actually, I think she''s right." Xiehan carefully stated.


    She stared at him in shock. "Xiehan, you too?"


    He shrugged. "Luna is such a kind-hearted girl. Sure, she may be rash sometimes but¡­ do you even care about her?


    We all once thought you were going to patch things up with her but all you did was show your hatred and distrust¡ªfor no specified reason, if I may add. How is what Lanni said a lie?"


    Li Yuming let out a breath. "Let''s not talk about how it''s my choice to love or hate who I want. Have you all been stupefied by that girl''s sly pretense? I''m telling you, that girl''s not as gentle as she appears. She''s a devil in disguise¡­ but none of you believe me. I mean, which good person commits murder without a conscience?"


    Xiehan calmly raised an eyebrow. "I know this isn''t the first time you have heard this, but aunty, what right do you have to question the character of someone you didn''t bring up? Besides, if you know the true self that she is hiding, why do you keep saying the same thing but not expose her?"


    She slapped her forehead and glanced in the direction of the living room. "It''s not like she would believe me. And she is in the line of the storm."


    Xiehan frowned. If this was the first time he heard this, he would definitely investigate it. However, he had heard it multiple times and soon after, time proved that Luna was nothing like her mother described her. Sure, she had made some mistakes and committed some crimes in the past, but that did not make her a devil in disguise.


    Which fake person would even go as far as to plead guilty for a crime they didn''t commit, simply to save their friend? That proved just how much she treasured the people close to her¡ªand Lanni was the closest person to her. How could she hurt her?


    It was definitely not a misunderstanding. Was Li Yuming exaggeratively making a mountain out of a mole hill¡­ or was she simply lying?


    ¡­


    "Honey, do you think my mum''s actually telling the truth? All her previous warnings amounted to nothing, after all." Lanni asked, hooking her hand with Xiehan''s as they headed to the car. The door to the dining room was open at the time so she had heard what Li Yuming said to Xiehan.


    "Are you in my brain?" He grinned, then became more serious. "I hate to say this about her, but even I am starting to doubt her words."


    Lanni trembled when she thought of the possibility. This had been going on for long enough. If she was trying to frame Luna and Xia Hanchen, it was too much already.


    "I''m starting to guess how this will end¡ªprobably with her apologizing to Luna for all the misunderstandings she is trying to cause, and for not trying to make up sooner¡­ and it will probably be too late." She sighed.


    Xiehan frowned at the scary thought. It wouldn''t get to that, right?


    "I don''t care how many times she tries to frame her. I will support my sister to the end." She declared.


    "And I will support you to the end.." He kissed her lips lightly, then opened the car door for her.

 Chapter 336 - No Rights Left

    Monday, 19th February.


    Cheng Yu had finished getting ready for work and was about to have breakfast when she realized that Luna had not left her room yet. The latter had gotten used to sleeping early and waking up early so she would usually be the first to get ready.


    Cheng Yu wondered whether she was awake. When she waited for a few more minutes and still saw no sign of her, she went to check on her. The door had not been locked from the inside so she knocked and entered, only to find the latter still snuggling her pillow comfortably.


    She shook her head and went over to wake her gently. "Luna, wake up. You have a meeting soon."


    "Mmh?" Luna rubbed her eyes then rolled onto her side to continue sleeping. "But I don''t want to go. It''s so comfortable here."


    Seeing how tired she looked, Cheng Yu sighed. There was indeed a meeting in about one hour and a half and it would be better if she got up as soon as possible. However, Luna had been working so hard for the past few weeks that her body must be exhausted now. Besides, she was pregnant now and needed to take more rest.


    Thinking about it, she suggested, "How about this? I''ll bring your breakfast then you can continue resting after eating. As for the meeting, I can postpone it."


    When she nodded, Cheng Yu brought over a tray with the dishes she had prepared for Luna¡ªdelicious but carefully selected to nourish her body. Of course, Luna had long decided to have an abortion and did not necessarily need supplements. Even so, Cheng Yu still encouraged her to stick to the required diet.


    Cheng Yu finished her own breakfast as well. She was preparing to call the restaurant downstairs and have them deliver food to Luna at lunch time when she realized that the latter had left her room. "You are¡­"


    "The company just gained more fame. This isn''t the time to slack off." Luna smiled, suddenly rejuvenated after eating. "Wait for me, okay? We can go together."


    If Cheng Yu was not used to Luna''s frequent change in mood lately, she would have been shocked. But since this wasn''t the first time it was happening, she nodded. "Okay. I will help you prepare your things."


    Luna smiled. "What would I do without you?"


    "You would take care of everything on your own, klutz." She joked and urged the other to get ready.


    Luna smiled and went to take a bath. It was not an exaggeration. She was indeed getting clumsier by the day. If she didn''t have Cheng Yu by her side, she would have already made a huge mess of the company.


    ¡­


    Moonlight Studios.


    As soon as her meeting ended, Luna returned to her office, only to find a new mountain of work on her desk.


    She sat on the leather seat and groaned in exhaustion. The day had just begun, but she was already tired.


    Compared to its first month, Moonlight Studios was now several times busier, with more employees and more launched applications. Although everyone had worked very hard, she needed to thank Xingyu all over again. The company wouldn''t have thrived without his support.


    Speaking of Xingyu, she wondered whether he would come today. He had been so busy in Jiang Corporation lately that he rarely made an appearance here, and his visits were too brief as well.


    She leaned over her desk. Why would she even expect him to come? He would find all sorts of excuses to come in the past but now, their situation was too different.


    "Are you okay, Luna? Do you need some fruit?" Cheng Yu asked when she entered the office and found her friend in such a sorry state.


    Luna straightened up with a smile. "No, I''m fine. These documents are just so many¡­"


    Cheng Yu sighed when she saw the small mountain of files. "If it helps, I have completed the design you asked for."


    Luna took the blueprint from Cheng Yu and her mood brightened. "You''re a genius!"


    "You exaggerate." Cheng Yu scanned the documents beside her friend. "I can help you check through the contracts since I''ve finished most of my work."


    With Cheng Yu''s help, she was more motivated, but with every passing hour, she checked the time and her heart sank.


    Before they realized it, it was already time to knock off.


    Taking some of the files to read through at home, Luna arranged her things in preparation to leave. She was just about to stand when a knock resounded on her door.


    "Come in." She said, assuming it was her assistant. "You can go home once you''re done."


    When she didn''t hear a response, she raised her head curiously, only to meet with Jiang Xingyu''s gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. "You?"


    "Good evening, boss." He smiled modestly.


    "You don''t have to call me that." she maintained her calm, not sure how to react to his presence. This was the first time she was seeing him so up close in weeks. Every other time he came to check on anything, he would speak to her assistant and leave without saying a word to her.


    "You mentioned that you needed another assistant since the current one intends to quit her job soon?" He cut the chase.


    Unsure of how to face him, she nodded and kept the professional attitude. "Yeah."


    He handed over a folder. "If you don''t mind, I can recommend one. She just graduated from Z University but her grades are stellar and she is hardworking. If you consider her fitting, you can call her for an interview."


    She read through the file quickly and looked up at him. "Thank you."


    "It''s nothing much." He smiled slightly, then turned to leave.


    ''Wait¡­'' She said in her mind, but her tongue was too stuck to let the word out. She watched his retreating back and tightened her hold of her bag unconsciously.


    She had not seen him for so long, and heaven knew how much she missed him.


    She so badly wanted to run after him and hug him¡­ but what right did she have to do that now?

 Chapter 337 - No Regrets

    Leaving her office, Jiang Xingyu almost couldn''t resist the temptation of going back. He forced himself to press the down button of the elevator. It was already hard to stay away, and when he heard her footsteps as she left her office, he was on the verge of losing it.


    The elevator finally arrived just when he was on edge and he dashed in. Just as he was about to let out a breath, she got in as well.


    It was the elevator meant for the executive employees so she had the right to use it, and it would have been impractical for her to wait all that while simply because he was there. It was just the two of them and he hoped for it to remain that way. Still, he didn''t know whether her presence made him elated or uncomfortable.


    Noticing her reflection in the mirrored wall, he realized that she was busy on her phone¡ªor pretending to be busy so it wouldn''t be awkward.


    His gaze trailed downwards and unconsciously rested on her belly. His lips moved but before he spoke, the elevator pinged its arrival on the ground floor.


    She left in slow steps and so did he. He knew she was afraid to speak to him. He wanted to say something but different things kept coming up just as he opened his mouth, and in the end, she entered her car.


    He watched the car leave and so badly wanted to curse the employee who had bumped into him, the young woman who had annoyingly stopped him simply to say hello, and his assistant who had called him¡ªall at the wrong moment.


    He let out a long sigh.


    If fate hadn''t drawn them apart, he would have asked how she was doing. Was she finding it hard to cope? If she was, was there anything he could do to help? Most importantly, could they still keep a positive relationship between them?


    He couldn''t live without her. Heaven knew he had tried¡ªbut it was killing him.


    He knew he was being selfish but he wanted to be by her side even if she no longer liked him. If she didn''t want him to be her boyfriend, he could be her friend, or a close acquaintance, or a supportive business partner¡ªanything but the cold war they were in right now.


    ¡­


    Goldenwing Apartments.


    Slumping onto the couch in the living room, Luna kicked her shoes off her feet and gathered her legs under her on the couch.


    Was this really how it was going to end? Seeing Xingyu earlier, he seemed to have lost some weight.


    A tear rolled down from her eyes, then another, then a bout of uncontrollable tears. It was all her fault. If she had been more careful, it would never have come to this.


    The door opened and Cheng Yu walked in. "You are home. I bought some¡­" she paused when she saw the latter hugging her knees, a sobbing mess. Placing the grocery bags on the table, she sat down and hugged the latter, confused by this turn of events. "You had always wanted to see him. So now that you did, why are you sadder?"


    Luna jolted to her senses and quickly wiped her tears.


    "Who said I wanted to see him?" She croaked.


    "You don''t say it aloud but you still do. Don''t get me started on how disappointed you always get when he doesn''t come to the company; or when he comes but doesn''t meet you. You want to talk to him, don''t you?"


    She couldn''t deny that. But now that she thought about it, she had been thinking about herself all along. What about him? She shrugged. "I have already made a decision that''s all about my interests. How can I still continue to bother him simply because I want to?" She closed her eyes. "I don''t want to cause him more pain."


    Cheng Yu studied her serious expression and her heart broke. The latter was blaming herself again, but she was not going to pretend that she had not been selfish simply because they were friends. Hence she carefully asked, "If there is something you could do to cause him less hurt, would you do it¡ªeven if it means staying away from him forever?"


    "Yes." She nodded, her voice full of sorrow.


    Cheng Yu''s phone rang. Seeing that her brother was calling, she picked it up and whispered to Luna, "Give me a second."


    The conversation was over pretty fast, and when she returned, Luna was feeling a little better after letting it out.


    "What were we talking about? Right, have you really made up your mind this time?" Cheng Yu asked as she sat down.


    Because she was scared, Luna had postponed the doctor''s appointment a few times already. She was almost three months pregnant now. If she cancelled it this time, safety could no longer be fully guaranteed when performing the surgery.


    Luna thought about it and sighed. "I haven''t changed my mind."


    Actually, she would not have chickened out the first time if she did not scare herself by watching and reading real life stories about abortions that went wrong. Every time the date neared, her imagination and dreams would be filled with images of her as one of those unfortunate women.


    Today was the eve of the latest appointment. She deliberately stayed up a little late so she would be too tired to dream¡ªeven she didn''t know what logic she was using. She did have a dream despite her efforts.


    However, instead of the nightmare she dreaded, it was a beautiful dream.


    ...


    "Honey, you are back." A soothing male voice called out to her, then Xingyu walked towards her.


    "Hubby, did you miss me?" She hugged him.


    "Mommy! Mommy is back¡­" All of a sudden, a toddler dashed towards her cheerfully.


    She bent down and hugged the adorable child. "Baby¡­"


    "Mommy, why is there rain in your eyes?" The toddler asked, making Luna realize that she was unknowingly crying.


    ¡­


    Waking up, Luna realized that she had been hugging her pillow like it was a child. One corner of it was wet from her tears, making her wonder what she had dreamed of that had made her cry.


    Even though she didn''t remember the details of her dream, all she knew was that she didn''t cry because she was sad. They must have been tears of joy because even in her real life, she had never been as happy as she was in that vague dream. She so badly wanted to remember it but the more she tried, the more she forgot it so she simply let it be.


    ___


    M Gynecology Hospital, five hours later. After waiting on the bench for so long, it was finally almost time.


    Luna was counting her fingers for the umpteenth time when an excited couple passed by.


    "We are pregnant! We really are expecting a baby!" The woman almost jumped in excitement but was restrained by her husband.


    "Careful, baby. There are three of us now so we need to be cautious." Right after saying ''cautious'', he leapt in the air and shouted so loudly that a nurse had to ask him to leave.


    "They''re kinda cute." She laughed at the young couple, then sighed.


    "Xia Luna?" A slightly older woman, the gynecologist, called out to her. When she looked up, she said, "Are you ready? Come with me."


    Seeing that Luna was still sitting, she probed. "Well?"


    Luna felt as though her legs had been glued onto the floor. Her knees trembled and when she finally stood up, she almost fainted from how weak she felt. Her lips quivered.


    Checking that there was no one else in the hallway, the woman lowered her voice to say, "No one will blame you if you change your mind right now." When Luna looked up at her, she added, "You will not blame yourself either. You see, I have seen countless women regretting their decision as soon as it''s done¡ªand it seems to me like you are not sure that this is what you want."


    "I¡­"


    "Luna, wait." A voice spoke up before she could answer the gynecologist.


    ***


    OMG!! **runs around with flailing arms**


    Who do you think is here?


    Madam Jiang


    Lanni


    Cheng Yu


    Jiang Xingyu


    Her dad?


    Any other guess? The list could go on lol


    Give your guess in the comment section below????????

 Chapter 338 - Is This Goodbye?

    Luna looked over and was surprised to see the person she least expected to see here. "Xingyu?"


    He hurried over and grabbed her hand.


    "Can I have a word with her before she goes in? Please." He pleaded with the gynecologist.


    "I''ll give you five minutes." The woman would have told him off since she didn''t have time to waste. But from Luna''s reaction, this young man was likely to be the father of the child or at least someone very close to her, so she gave them time.


    Jiang Xingyu gratefully dragged her out of the Gynecology department, nodding to the gynecologist''s warning not to agitate Luna''s emotions too much.


    She obediently followed him out of the building and when he stopped, she finally asked, "what are you doing here?"


    He scanned her expression. "You don''t want to see me?"


    "I¡­" her tongue stuck. How could she not want to see him?


    She didn''t know she was waiting for him until he appeared. When she saw him, she was so happy that she almost couldn''t control the urge to throw herself into his arms, but how could she say any of this?


    Seeing that she didn''t seem to have anything against his interruption, he let out a sigh of relief. "I came to see you now because¡­ any later and I wouldn''t be able to."


    "What do you mean?" She frowned, not comprehending his words.


    "Well, I''m¡­" He let out a breath. "I''m leaving."


    Her eyes went wide, and he continued, "I''m going to Canada. I will not be back any time soon¡­ so I came to say goodbye."


    She looked away from him and fought back the sting in her eyes. Who would have thought that he was going to say goodbye? "When will you be back?" She uncontrollably asked.


    "I don''t know. Perhaps I will be back in ten years, perhaps I will stay there forever."


    "Ten years¡­" She repeated the words, feeling as though her world had shattered.


    "My flight takes off in an hour so I have to go now." He took out a pair of sunglasses and slid it onto his face. He felt a slight tug on his sleeve just as he turned to leave, so he turned and looked down. Luna was clinging onto his arm.


    He patted her head. "I have to go. You should go back too. Goodbye, Luna." He then turned and headed towards his car.


    She watched the distance between them get longer as his words rang in her ears. Ten years? That was an awfully long time! Not to mention there was a possibility of him not coming back at all.


    Even if he came back, he would have already forgotten all about her and maybe, he would be married and he would have a family then.


    So, was this really the end for them? Would it be totally over now?


    ¡­


    At a nearby corner.


    "Come on come on come on¡­ go after him! Don''t let him leave." Lanni sniffled.


    Cheng Yu, who was also peeking, was so startled that she almost launched a punch. She patted her chest in fright. "What the¨C! are you doing here?" She whispered in shock.


    Lanni crossed her arms. "Did you really think no one would know what you''ve been up to?"


    "Quiet, she will hear you." Cheng Yu whispered.


    Lanni peeked at the devastated Luna then turned to Cheng Yu. "Is he really leaving?"


    "What do you think?" Cheng Yu winked mysteriously.


    Lanni thought about it. "Mmh¡­ did you come up with this plot with him?"


    "Eh, that was quick."


    "It was obvious." Lanni laughed.


    "Actually, he was planning to leave. Not today, but he was making such preparations." Cheng Yu explained. "Because he didn''t think he and Luna would ever go back to how they used to be. He thought Luna hated him and no longer wanted him. The silly part is that Luna thought he hated her and didn''t want her anymore."


    "They are knuckleheads. So you gave Xingyu a call?" Lanni guessed, since she had wanted to do the same thing. The day before, she had given Jiang Xingyu a call and made him realize what Luna actually thought, and hoped that the two would have a talk. That was when he told her all about his plan with Cheng Yu.


    "I know we must have agitated her feelings by doing this, but if she doesn''t think that Xingyu might leave and she would lose him forever, she will never wake up." Cheng Yu sighed.


    "I hope she won''t continue being silly at this point." Lanni added, wondering why Luna had not gone after Xingyu yet.


    ¡­


    Luna clenched her fists. She should go back now. The gynecologist must be a busy woman and she shouldn''t waste too much of her time.


    Taking a last glance in the direction of his car, she turned to get back into the building, but her legs felt stuck. It was as though they were being controlled by an internal force she couldn''t resist.


    Hearing an engine start, she couldn''t hold it anymore. She turned and rushed towards Xingyu''s car.


    She had merely taken a few steps when he got off and ran to stop her. "Why are you running about? Be careful, okay?"


    "Do you really have to leave?" Her eyes glistened with moisture.


    He cupped her face and appeared to be at a loss. "Yeah. I don''t have any reason to continue staying here, Luna."


    "What about me?"


    "What?" He was shocked, thinking he had heard her wrong.


    She shook her head and grabbed his wrist. "I mean, aunty will be devastated if you leave."


    At the corner, Lanni and Cheng Yu slapped their foreheads simultaneously. "Really, Luna?"


    Jiang Xingyu''s heart sank. He had heard her wrong and actually thought she was reluctant to see him leave.


    "I am taking her with me." He threw in a random statement.


    "Oh¡­" she sounded disappointed but didn''t say anything else, so he pulled his hand out of her grasp.


    "Then, can you take me along, too?" She looked up at him pleadingly. He took his sunglasses off in shock, as though they were obstructing his hearing.


    Her heart raced as she desperately grabbed this chance. "Xingyu, I love you... I¡­ I can get someone to bring my passport really quick. Let me come with you please?"


    "Luna, what did you say?" He thought he was hallucinating from having hiped for too much.


    "I can''t live without you¡­" She couldn''t stop her tears anymore.

 Chapter 339 - I Love You

    Jiang Xingyu was flabbergasted. What was going on? This must be a dream, right? If not, then why was his Luna clinging onto him and saying that she couldn''t live without him?


    When she threw herself into his arms, he couldn''t contain his feelings anymore. Even though it was a dream, why did it feel so real? It must be because he was hoping for such a moment so much that the heavens had pitied him and decided to let him feel it through a dream.


    Since it was a dream, he thought he may as well push his luck a little bit.


    He held her by the shoulders and pushed her slightly. When she looked up at him with a pair of confused, tearful eyes, his expression turned stern as he said, "No, Luna."


    Her expression shattered and he continued, "Why should I take you with me?"


    She looked like she was on the verge of giving up but for some reason, she stubbornly held onto his arm. "Because we love each other."


    "That doesn''t set anything in stone." He pushed. "Not everyone who is in love ends up together, you know. And we don''t have any defined relationship between us." The second part was the main point.


    Her heart sank. Even so, she had already come so far. She had already let him know her feelings for him, so how could she back out now? She tiptoed and pressed a kiss onto his lips, completely shocking him. "Can''t we have one now? I can be your girlfriend."


    A smile escaped his lips. This dream was getting too good to be true. He didn''t want to ever wake up. She looked anxious, as though scared that he would reject her. Nodding, he kissed her forehead. "Okay."


    ¡­


    In the corner.


    Lanni and Cheng Yu had used up a great deal of effort to be able to eavesdrop from such a distance.


    "Phew. At least she knew what to do in the end." Cheng Yu sighed in relief. "But shouldn''t she have proposed marriage at least?"


    Lanni shot her a glance. "It''s already good enough that she confessed her feelings."


    Well, that was true considering Luna''s personality. She was so scared of the outcome of relationships that it was already good enough for her to willingly start one.


    ¡­


    "The flight! Will we be late?" Luna remembered with a start. "I will make a call to book mine. Wait. Before that, we need to finish up something." She grabbed his hand and dragged him away before he could say a word.


    Seeing that they were going back to the gynecologist''s, Xingyu''s heart shattered.


    He had been too excited from her confession that he forgot all about this. He thought she had changed her mind¡­


    But even so, agreeing to be his girlfriend didn''t mean she was also willing to have his child. He shouldn''t ask for too much. Since he had already gotten what he had always wished for, he was overjoyed¡ªeven though he was disappointed that he would never get to see this baby.


    ¡­


    Reaching the gynecologist''s office, Luna knocked and went in after being allowed to do so. She did not let go of his hand so he went in with her.


    "You sure took your time." The woman chuckled.


    "I''m sorry." Luna apologized. "Is it¡­ Is it okay to cancel the surgery?"


    She looked at the two of them and realized how bashful Luna looked, and laughed. "It''s totally okay. I will help you handle the cancellation procedure and the fee will be refunded in full within three days."


    She sighed in relief at how easy it was. "I don''t get a deduction for cancelling it?" She wondered.


    In response, the woman smiled and reached for a file. "Of course not. I don''t know about other hospitals but here, we do not charge anyone for choosing to save an innocent life."


    Luna nodded with her eyes glistening. After making this decision, she felt relieved, as though a huge load had been lifted from her shoulders.


    Meanwhile, Xingyu didn''t dare to believe in what was happening. Why did it sound like Luna had decided to keep the baby? From the conversation, it didn''t seem like she was intending to do it later. Was he really going to be a dad, after all?


    "Your baby is in perfect health. I will recommend some supplements for you to keep your body nourished." The gynecologist stated. "Remember to come for your check-ups and keep your emotions in check." She flipped through the file in her hands. "These are some of the exercises that are good for your body during this period. Remember to not overdo it. On these few pages, there are foods that you should or should not eat. I can recommend a nutritionist to draw a diet plan for you." She continued stating everything that the duo needed to know.


    When they thought she was done, she looked at the both of them. "It''s okay to have sex but don''t be overly rough while at it."


    Luna blushed while Jiang Xingyu seriously nodded. "Noted. Is there anything else we need to take note of?"


    "I have said everything there is to say. If there is anything, you will be informed about it during your next checkup."


    ___


    Xingyu was still in disbelief when he got into his car with Luna, carrying a file and a bag of medical supplements.


    She calmly hugged the file to her stomach with a gentle smile on her visage.


    He didn''t need to think to know what she was thinking about. She must be thinking back to the ultrasound. They had decided to have one when the gynecologist was done giving them pointers. Since there wasn''t much going on in the department, they didn''t need to wait and they could soon see the dots on the screen, which the doctor said was the baby.


    She almost burst into tears of joy when she heard its heartbeat and he almost jumped in excitement.


    He couldn''t get the scene out of his head either.


    "Actually, we are not going anywhere." He broke the silence.


    "What do you mean?" She tilted her head and asked in shock.


    He went ahead to explain what had transpired the previous night, leading him to come here today.


    She slapped her forehead. "That naughty girl. But well, we wouldn''t be together right now if she wasn''t so naughty.." Perhaps she should reward Cheng Yu when they get back.

 Chapter 340 - Reunion

    Jiang Mansion.


    "Xingyu is finally here." Madam Jiang sighed, sitting on the couch in the living room. She had heard the sound of a car engine and knew instantly that her son was back.


    Jiang Xingren, who was from the kitchen, gave her a cup of hot chocolate. When she took it, he sat beside her. "Why do you look so sad if our son is back?"


    She glared at him for his slow wit. "Don''t you get it? Our son went on an extremely delicate and important mission. I''m worried, okay?"


    "Uh¡­ what mission?" He looked confused, earning a scornful look from his wife.


    "Xingyu went to chase our daughter-in-law. How can you sit around and not encourage him?"


    He shrugged in his defense. "What''s there to be worried about? Xingyu takes after me. He will definitely bring our daughter-in-law back home." At first, he had not trusted Luna especially since the latter was a wanted criminal in the past. However, after interacting with her a few times and seeing just how much his son loved her, even he could agree that there was no better match for XIngyu than her.


    While they were bickering, two pairs of footsteps resounded.


    Madam Jiang looked over and jumped in excitement when she saw the two of them. "Luna!" She ran over like an excited child and pulled the girl into a hug.


    "Aunty, you¡­" Luna didn''t know what to say. After everything that had happened, she had thought that Madam Jiang would disapprove of her. Who would have thought that she would still be enthusiastic to see her?


    She returned the hug warmly and sighed. "Aunty, I''m sorry. Because I was willful and didn''t see things clearly, I made you and Uncle worry."


    "Luna, what are you saying? It wasn''t your fault. It''s this useless Xingyu who was careless and caused you trouble." Madam Jiang broke the hug and cupped her face. "Look at you, have you been distressed? You have dark circles and your eyes are swollen too.???


    She turned to glare at her son fiercely. "Did this punk make you cry? I will teach him a good lesson!"


    Before anyone could respond, she attacked Xingyu and grabbed his ear.


    "Ouch! Mother¡­ I didn''t do anything." He tried to defend himself.


    Madam Jiang huffed, pulling his ear fiercely. "You are still denying it, huh. Then how do you explain this?"


    "I really didn''t do anything!" Xingyu complained pitifully. Was he really her son? He had gone through heaven and hell to bring back her daughter-in-law, and instead of getting praised, he was getting punished?


    Luna was caught between laughter and tears. How she had missed witnessing these fights.


    "That''s enough, honey. You will really pull his ear off at this rate." Jiang Xingren came to his son''s rescue. Xingyu immediately rushed to Luna''s side for protection.


    She laughed at his theatrics. "Aunty, Xingyu didn''t bully me."


    "See? Even Luna thinks I was good to her, but you pinched me!" He pouted, grabbing Luna''s arm.


    "That''s enough." Madam Jiang was annoyed. "What are you wailing for? Aren''t you embarrassed? Since Luna is willing to let it go, I will forgive you this once."


    She then took Luna''s hand. "Luna, I prepared delicious food for you. Come on, try it out."


    She gladly followed her to the dining room. Of course, the men were completely ignored and had to invite themselves to join them. She had expected that the atmosphere would be awkward. Seeing that nothing seemed to have changed between her and Madam Jiang, no words could express her joy.


    After the meal, Madam Jiang brought her for a walk around the garden.


    She had innumerable questions to ask but was scared to make Luna uncomfortable so she didn''t know how to bring them up.


    "Aunty, is anything the matter?" Luna sharply noticed the older woman''s unease.


    In response, Madam Jiang shook her head. "Not at all, Luna. I''m just happy that you came back to us."


    Luna smiled gently. "I''m even happier that I came back, happy that I didn''t go through with the mistake I was going to make." Madam Jiang had been right. If she really went through with the operation, she would later miss her baby. This much was evident because right now, she looked forward to meeting her baby more than anything else.


    Madam Jiang was relieved. So she really was together with Xingyu permanently. "So, what are the two of you planning?"


    "What do you mean?" Luna asked, then understood it immediately.


    She had not thought about it but it was inevitable. If it was just the two of them, they would be in a dating relationship. But since they were going to be parents soon, would that really be appropriate?


    Seeing that they were finally on the same wavelength, Madam Jiang suggested, "If the two of you decide to get married soon, you can ask for my help no matter how soon it is. I will make sure you have the kind of wedding you have always wished for."


    "Thank you, aunty." Luna couldn''t help feeling touched. She must have saved a galaxy in her previous life to deserve such a caring mother-in-law."


    ___


    Lanni''s apartment.


    "How did it go?" Lanni asked Xingyu on the phone while she set aside the Ipad she was using to read comics.


    When the man explained how smoothly they had reunited and how excited his mother was to see Luna, Lanni was relieved. She hung up the call with a smile. "Finally, she found her happiness." Luna truly deserved it after all she had been through.


    Checking the time, she filled an online application then baked a small cake, and left for Xia Hanchen''s villa.


    ¡­


    "You are here. What a pleasant surprise." Xia Hanchen was overjoyed to see his daughter.


    Lanni held out a see-through basket with a box inside it. "I promised to bake you a cake, so I brought it today."


    "You didn''t have to go through the trouble. Since you have already baked it, I will reluctantly accept it." Even though he claimed to be reluctant, he quickly grabbed the basket and invited her in.


    She smiled at his theatrics and sat on a couch. Seeing a stack of documents on the table, she felt troubled. "Are you very busy¡­ should I come back later?"


    "Of course not. You are welcome at any time. I need a break anyway." He smiled.


    She frowned when she thought about how much work he had to do although he was working from home. Did it make any difference? "Is it very busy at the company? I can help you out since I don''t have much to do lately."


    He shook his head immediately. "Don''t worry. Daddy can handle this little work. How''s it going?" He asked as he opened the box and then almost drooled at the chocolate cake that came into view.


    "I''m fine dad. I¡­" She stopped when she spotted a pink, silk scarf on the farthest couch. It was obviously a woman''s. She was sure that it was not hers and it was not the type that Luna would wear either. Her cheeks flushed at a possibility. Was her dad seeing someone? Pfft.... how cute.

 Chapter 341 - Unconditional Support

    A smile escaped her lips thinking about it. If he really was seeing someone, then it would be for the best. He deserved to find happiness too, especially since both of his daughters were all grown up. She would be much busier soon and would not have enough time to pay him frequent visits. On the other hand, Luna was now about to become a mother and would be busy as well. He would be too lonely on his own.


    Even if the woman he fell in love with was not her mother, Lanni would still be happy for him. After all, Li Yuming had rejected him so coldly that it would be unreasonable for him to keep pining for her.


    Xia Hanchen noticed Lanni''s line of sight and cleared his throat. Ignoring the scarf, he probed, "What were you saying?"


    Lanni tore her gaze from the scarf and decided not to say anything about it. "I applied for a job online."


    "You did? What kind of company?" He asked curiously, glad that he had successfully diverted her attention.


    "A news agency." She responded cheerfully.


    He frowned at her answer, thinking about it with his thumb on his chin. "If you want to work at a news agency, why didn''t you go back to Galaxis? It is a grand news agency and if I''m correct, you still have a position there."


    Lanni was spooked just at the thought of it. Galaxis? "I was still a trainee at the academy and even if I was qualified, I wouldn''t go back there."


    "Why not?" He questioned.


    She frowned and stretched out a hand to touch his forehead. "Did you knock your head? Of course I cannot go back. Firstly, we had an agreement that I would only complete one mission and then I would be free. Secondly, they forced me to complete the mission by threatening your life. I would never be comfortable working for a company that plays dirty just to get work done." The thought of it irked her. Was the past her so stupid as to enroll into such an agency?


    Xia Hanchen raised an eyebrow at her reasons. "The first reason makes sense, but as for playing dirty¡­ which news agency has never played tricks? To get to the bottom of some things, one may have to make a few sacrifices."


    She thought back to how she had created a new fake identity just to trick XIng Han and get evidence of his crimes. "If those tricks involve lying to criminals in order to catch them red-handed, then they shouldn''t count as tricks, should they? As long as it does not include threatening the lives of innocent people."


    He couldn''t refute her logic. He nodded in approval. "Good luck, cupcake. I hope your application gets approved."


    She smiled happily and hugged his arm. "Thanks, dad. I will work hard."


    He patted her head proudly. "Just don''t tire yourself out too much, okay? Also, don''t endanger yourself and if you encounter any sort of trouble, just look for daddy."


    She nodded, happy that he was not doing anything to stop her from doing what she wanted.


    After thinking things through, she had realized that Flynn was right. She really was suited to being a reporter. After all, she would never let anything suspicious go past her and not try to find the truth, unless she thought it was a mere waste of her time.


    All along, she knew that art was just a minor hobby to her and that she had enrolled in B City University''s art class in the past thanks to the pressure she got from Li Yuming¡ªand time had proved her right. Li Yuming had made her major in it just so she would forget about what she really wanted, taking advantage of the fact that she had forgotten her past. No wonder she was anxious when she started regaining her memory.


    Not that Lanni blamed her, she must have done so in the fear that her daughter would put her life in danger while scouting for news. However, she was more appreciative of Xia Hanchen''s way of supporting her.


    But thinking about it, it was also surprising that Xia Hanchen would want to recommend her to go back to Galaxis. After all that happened, shouldn''t he be the one to hate that agency the most?


    Before she could ask about it, the answer crossed her mind. Flynn.


    It must be thanks to that guy''s incessant coaxing. Now it made sense why the annoying guy would keep seeking Xia Hanchen. He must have been finding ways to convince him that she wanted to go back. As expected, nothing good ever happened whenever that guy appeared. He was like a jinx, bringing bad luck wherever he set foot.


    "Lanni?" Xia Hanchen''s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. When she looked at him in a trance, he chuckled. "What are you thinking about? You are lost in thought."


    Since they were still on the topic, Lanni decided to tell him about it. "Dad, I don''t think you should keep close contact with Flynn. Everything about him is suspicious."


    "What do you mean? Isn''t he your friend and former trainer? Besides, he is such a nice young man."


    She slapped her forehead. "Don''t trust what you see on the outside. That man is such a deceptive actor."


    He chuckled at the anxiety in her voice. "Then I will listen to you, cupcake."


    She was relieved.


    "Anyhow, how is that young man from the Ji family treating you?" He asked. "If he ever tries to bully you, tell me and I will teach him a good lesson."


    She laughed at his protective expression. "Don''t worry. Xiehan is the best boyfriend I could ever ask for."


    As if on cue, her phone rang and from her bashful smile, it was obvious who the caller was.


    He sighed at the side, his face filled with happiness. He really was growing old. The little princess who used to babble incomprehensible words and give him happy, toothless smiles was suddenly a young woman in love. Not only that, but he was also a soon-to-be grandpa.. How time flies.

 Chapter 342 - Two Magical Words

    Before she could pick the call. Xia Hanchen also received a call from work. Hence, Lanni decided to bid him goodbye so he would return to work, and talk to Xiehan while in her car.


    "Why are you awake so early?" She asked with a slight laugh when the call connected. He was on a business trip in the UK, and it was barely 6 am in his time.


    "I missed you so much that I dreamt about you all night." Came the sweet reply. "The first thing I wanted to do as soon as I woke up is to speak to you."


    Lanni felt her cheeks flush. "Did you have honey for breakfast?"


    In response, he laughed lightly. "I haven''t had breakfast yet, but I know for sure that not even honey is sweeter than you."


    She sighed with a smile as she reclined in the driver''s seat. "I miss you."


    "I miss you too, my love." Xiehan groaned. It had only been two days but he missed her so much it was unbearable. "I will be back tomorrow."


    She was puzzled. "So soon? Didn''t you have a lot to do on this trip?"


    "Mmh. But luckily, the other party took a shorter time making their decision than we had anticipated, making things easier for both sides. Why does it sound like you are not happy about me coming back earlier than expected?" He asked teasingly.


    A smile escaped her lips. "Of course I''m happy. I''m just worried that you are overworking yourself just to get things done earlier."


    "Isn''t it best to finish everything ahead of schedule?" He laughed. "Don''t worry. I know my limits."


    "You better not push yourself too hard." She nagged a little more and nodded in approval when she received a satisfactory response.


    "Yes ma''am." He chuckled. "I wonder if I will be lucky enough to receive the honor of having my beautiful girlfriend pick me up at the airport?"


    "What''s in it for me?" She teased, although she would have picked him up even if he didn''t ask. She had missed him too much.


    He chuckled at her tone. Before he could respond, a knock resounded on his door and his assistant came in. "Sir, the conference call with Mr. Guan starts in twenty minutes."


    He nodded and stood up from the couch in the suite. "Honey, I have to go."


    Lanni had already heard the assistant''s report. "Get to work, We can talk later. Tell me when the flight is due to arrive, okay?"


    "Mmh. Don''t forget to miss me." He blew her a kiss, then got ready for the conference call.


    ___


    Jiang Mansion, later that evening.


    Luna sat on the swing and reclined in the backrest, smiling at nothing in particular.


    When Xingyu found her, he called the housekeeper over.


    "Young master, what orders do you have for me?" The man asked respectfully.


    "Tomorrow, find someone to restructure the swings. Make sure the new seats are bigger for more comfort and padded for your young madam''s safety. Also¡­"


    Luna slapped her forehead with a laugh when she overhead the instructions. "It''s just a swing. Do you have to make such a fuss?"


    He looked at the housekeeper seriously. "Did you take note?"


    The man whipped out a small notebook and pen from his pocket and wrote down all the details.


    "Also, make sure it is comfortable but not too high," Xingyu added. When he was done, he went over and sat beside Luna on the swing. "There''s two of you now, so we have to be at least twice as careful."


    She could not refute him and could only nod. "Whatever you say, soon-to-be daddy."


    He joyously ran a hand along her stomach, as though he could feel the baby. "I still can''t believe I''m going to be a dad. I must be the luckiest man on earth."


    Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.


    It wasn''t every day she hugged him, so he was startled. "What''s wrong?"


    Clinging onto him, she shook her head. "Nothing. I just feel like hugging you."


    This situation reminded him of something. When Moonlight Studios had just gotten into track, he had gone over to invite her on a date. That day, she had also been as clingy as she was being right now and had even sat on his lap out of her own will. At the time, he was surprised but now it made sense.


    It must have been because she was already in love with him at the time. How could he not notice it? Besides, she was already pregnant considering the timing.


    Could it be that their baby liked its dad so much that it influenced her feelings?


    "I don''t need to think to know that your mind is filled with nonsense." She raised an eyebrow at his silly grin.


    "How did you know?" He laughed at his own silly thoughts. What was he thinking? Even he was impressed that his brain could come up with such nonsense. A second later, he realized something else and raised an eyebrow. "How do you know me so well?"


    In response, she rolled her eyes and grabbed his ear. "You are my man. Of course, I know you well enough." Otherwise, how would she have allowed for their relationship to escalate this much if she wasn''t sure that she knew him?


    His ears flushed as his brain replayed the two words on repeat; "my man". Luna had just called him her man. His heart raced as he swallowed a lump. If he was dreaming before, then his dream must have turned into reality. For a while, his lips quivered but he couldn''t get a single word out, as though he was scared that speaking would ruin this once-in-a-lifetime magical moment.


    His actions made her scratch her chin in thought. "A penny for your thoughts?"


    In response, he stood up, careful not to set off the swing, then took her hand. She subconsciously stood from the swing and followed his lead.


    When he led her to the garage, she became curious. "Where are we going?"


    He turned to smile down at her. "May I have the honor of having you accompany me somewhere, milady?"


    "Of course.." Her heart fluttered when he used the same tone he had used on their first date.

 Chapter 343 - A Lifetime Of Luck

    He opened the car door for her and after gently helping her in, he carefully closed the door and circled the car to enter the driver''s side.


    When he started the engine and started driving at a speed that a snail could beat, she almost burst into laughter from his dramatics. "Why are you driving so slowly?" She asked even though she could already guess the answer.


    Sure enough, came the anticipated response, "I am being extra careful."


    "But driving at normal speed wouldn''t cause any danger." She chuckled.


    "Oh." He increased the speed, but the so-called speeding up was only slightly different from walking.


    She sighed and let him do as he pleased. She wouldn''t be able to convince him anyway and besides, he was still new to being a father and was still tensed up. He would be more relaxed with time.


    ¡­


    Thanks to their sluggish speed, it was already 9 pm by the time they arrived at their destination.


    Luna was awed when she saw the grand villa they had just entered. The villa was built in harmony with nature and even had a few trees¡ªprobably artificial¡ªbetween the glass walls. Paired with the gentle sound of birds chirping and flowing water from the fountain and the nearby river, this was the most calming place she had ever been to.


    "Do you like it?" He asked nervously, as though scared she wouldn''t like it.


    "I love it." She tiptoed and hugged him in excitement. Everything from the theme to the spacious rooms, to the fact that it was secluded in a place with no other houses in the vicinity, was a perfect match with what she liked. How could she not like it?


    Noticing the aquarium in the living room, she went over and, noticing that the fish were waiting at the top, she took a pinch of the food beside the aquarium and sprinkled it in. She chuckled when the colorful fishes scrambled for the food. "I love it. I love everything about it."


    He was relieved and smiled. This was a villa he had bought a few months ago when he was chasing her, thinking of it as their marital home if she ever agreed to marry him.


    Holding her waist from behind, he placed his head against her neck. "You must be hungry. Let''s head over to the dining room."


    She was indeed hungry, so she let him hold her hand and lead her to the large dining room¡ªwhere another surprise awaited her.


    The table had already been laid with white and red fragrant candles and rose petals. On the white wall furthest from the door, red roses had been organized to form the characters [L&X], which she automatically filled in as Luna and Xingyu.


    When he took her out of the Jiang Mansion, she had wildly guessed that he was taking her out on a date but she didn''t expect it to be so much better than she had imagined.


    He pulled out a chair for her and sat opposite her after making sure that she was comfortable. He then uncovered the food trays and revealed several of her favorite dishes, including the grilled chicken from their first date. Just when she thought she had seen the limit of his pampering, he went ahead to help her cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. He was paying so much attention to her that she almost teared up from how silly she had been in the past. Just how muddle-headed was she to push such a perfect man away? Luckily, her eyes had been opened at the right moment.


    ...


    "I would like to give a toast." He announced halfway through the meal. Following his words, he poured her a glass of warm milk then half-filled his stem glass with the wine at the side of the table. He then held out his stem glass with a chuckle.


    She glanced at his wine then at her milk grudgingly. She had almost forgotten that she could not take any alcoholic drink over this period of time.


    "To the start of our relationship." He half-whispered then downed his wine in one go.


    She took a sip of her milk then glanced at him. "Thank you."


    "What are you suddenly thanking me for?" He looked at her in slight confusion, and she thought she could also detect a hint of nervousness in his eyes.


    "Thank you¡­ for always being there for me." She continued emotionally. "You made me step out of the darkness and realize just how beautiful the world actually is." She couldn''t forget how trapped she was in the sadness of her past before she met him. She was no different from a cold being with a numb heart; until she fell in love with him and realized that she could once again be happy. She couldn''t help caressing her face with her fingertips. "You gave me the courage to face and conquer my insecurities and most importantly, you gave me your heart."


    "Luna¡­" He was rendered speechless. "I can''t express how lucky I am to have you by my side. I had only one goal when I met you¡ªto make you mine. And now that you are mine, I have several other goals; to be with you forever, to fight every battle side by side with you, to help each other accomplish our dreams, to wake up with you in my arms every morning until we are grey and old¡­ and to be the best husband to you and the best father to our kids."


    He naturally pulled out a red rose stalk from the bouquet in the flower pot at the side. He then stood up and circled the table to her side, then went down on his left knee, holding up the rose stalk to her. "So, Luna, will you marry me?"


    Her heart pounded rapidly as her eyes went wide. Everything suddenly felt surreal and she had to pinch herself to prove that she was not dreaming.


    "Yes!" Her eyes welled up in joy and excitement as she held his hands and pulled him up and repeated, "Yes, I''ll be your wife."


    He pulled her into a jubilant hug and spun on the spot with her in his arms in a mixture of relief and happiness. Letting her down, he picked up the rose stalk that had fallen at some point and out of it, he pulled a gold and diamond ring attached to a string and untied it.. Holding her left hand delicately, he slid the ring onto her ring finger.

 Chapter 344 - The Future Mrs. Jiang

    Xingyu pulled her into a hug that lasted several minutes. When he finally managed to calm down a little from his excitement, he pressed a kiss onto her forehead. He wanted to announce it to the whole world that Luna had agreed to marry him but first, he wanted to ensure she was comfortable. Hence he asked, "Are you tired? I will run you a bath then you can go to sleep after taking a bath."


    When she nodded, he carried her to the master bedroom¡ªeven though she could walk on her own¡ªand lay her on the huge bed. He then dashed off to run a bath and soon returned to carry her to the bathroom.


    "Xingyu, I''m not a baby." She was embarrassed when he wordlessly lifted her off the bed.


    "Mmh." He nodded but didn''t let her down. "Let me pamper you."


    She had no retaliation to that, so she could only wrap her arms around his neck and let him do as he pleased.


    He only let her down when they had reached the bathroom. "Go ahead." He coughed, his voice getting hoarse for some reason. "There are clothes in the closet, you can find pajamas to wear."


    Before bringing her over, he had already asked one of the part-time servants at this villa to prepare female clothes in her size, and had specifically pointed out the styles she liked.


    "I will take a quick shower in the next room and then go to the patio for a breather."


    Before she could say a word, he flew off. She laughed when she understood the situation. A certain someone was scared that he would not be able to control himself at the thought of her in the bath so he had fled¡­ and was probably on his way to take a cold shower.


    She took a bath and went to the patio. He was already there, lying on a clam-shaped swing bed and holding a book¡ªeven though it was obvious that he wasn''t focused enough to actually read it. She chuckled and climbed onto the swing bed, kissing his lips.


    "You''re done." He closed the book and hugged her with a smile.


    "Yeah." She eased herself into his arms comfortably. Even though it was not a cold night, he stretched his hand to a compartment at the edge of the swing bed, and pulled out a blanket then draped it over her body so she wouldn''t get cold.


    "I''m not cold." She laughed.


    "But your nightwear can''t do much to keep you warm." He tried his best not to look at it. She was wearing a red, lacy nightdress that only reached halfway down her thighs. The top part of the nightdress was almost see-through, letting him catch a glimpse of her boobs. His throat tightened just thinking about it. If he kept seeing her body that way, he was sure that he would no longer be able to control himself¡ªwhich was another reason why the blanket was useful.


    Before he could get it out of his mind, she pulled the blanket off her body and looked into his eyes.


    "You¡­"


    Before he could speak anymore, she pressed her soft lips onto his. Deepening the kiss, she crawled onto him and fumbled with the buttons of his pajama shirt. Grabbing his hand, she planted his palm onto her breast and squeezed it against the soft boob through her nightdress. He couldn''t help caressing it gently, ecstasy running down his spine as she ran her fingers along his chest and abs.


    Seeing as he was still unsure, she smiled. "The doctor said it''s alright."


    Her words were like a spell that swept away all his self-control. He slid the straps of the nightdress down her shoulders and pulled her down onto his body as he caressed her back.


    "I love you, Luna." He said hoarsely and kissed her passionately as he swapped their positions to pin her under his body.


    "I love you too, Xingyu." She said through a moan, as his lips trailed down her skin in slow, torturous motions, making her body crave for more. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he took off her nightdress and slid her panties off her waist. Her body itched in anticipation, and she reached to help him take off his pajama pants.


    "Xingyu¡­" She moaned out his name as he positioned himself between her thighs.


    "I''ll be gentle," He promised. Then, kissing her lips, he gently slid into her. Her fingers curled into his hair as her body filled with waves of pleasure from his slow yet firm thrusts.


    The warm breeze caressed their skin as they made love. When they reached their climax, he held her in his arms protectively and kissed her face. How he wished this moment could last forever.


    ___


    The following morning.


    Luna woke up to the soothing sound of nature and the first thing she saw was her left hand, whose fourth finger had a diamond ring on it.


    Her heart raced as she smiled happily. It really wasn''t a dream; Xingyu really proposed last night. She really was his fianc¨¦e now. She turned to check on the other side of the clam bed and found it empty.


    ''Where is my fianc¨¦?'' She wondered, then felt her heart melt. Who would have thought that she would one day be able to call him that?


    "You''re awake." He walked in a few seconds later, carrying a tray of food with him. She smiled and stretched her hands for a hug.


    Setting the tray down on the circular table a few meters from the swing bed, he went over and pulled her into a warm hug. "Good morning, soon-to-be Mrs. Jiang." He kissed her lips.


    "Morning my love." She rested her head on his belly, wishing that this moment would last forever¡ªbut it couldn''t because the alluring aroma from the food made her stomach growl in hunger.


    "I''ll quickly go wash my face." She laughed and slid off the bed then hurried into the house.


    "Be careful!" He called after her with a grin.

 Chapter 345 - Xiehans Fiancée

    Lanni''s apartment, at noon.


    Lanni paced around the walk-in closet, trying to find what to wear. Xiehan''s flight would arrive in one hour and a half and she couldn''t contain her excitement. After trying on dress after dress, she finally settled for a blue skirt and white sleeveless top. Sliding her high heels on, she put on a dab of lipstick and, spraying a tiny bit of perfume onto her neck, she grabbed her car keys and left the apartment.


    __


    B City Airport.


    She had left the house at the most convenient time, so neither she nor Xiehan had to wait for the other for too long. It wasn''t long before she saw him exit his terminal.


    Just as she was about to rush up to him, she noticed a young lady a step behind him. She ignored her, assuming that the girl was going her own way, but just as Xiehan reached her, the girl clung onto his sleeve.


    Lanni almost gasped in disbelief. Not jumping into conclusions, she looked up at him with a smile. "I missed you."


    Before he could say a word, the girl beside him spoke up cheerfully. "Hello, I''m Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e. You are?"


    Lanni almost dropped her car keys in disbelief. Fianc¨¦e? What was this girl saying? How could one gain a fianc¨¦e just by going on a two-day business trip?


    The girl was giving her a provocative look that reminded her of Ruby. Now that she thought about it, they were quite similar. Paired with their slightly similar facial appearances, they had many similarities in their gaze, aura, not to mention that this girl also had long, fiery red hair. It made her wonder whether Xiehan preferred red-haired girls.


    Even so, she didn''t want to lose her mind before confirming the girl''s words so she looked up at Xiehan for confirmation.


    Xiehan saw her stumped expression and massaged his temples.


    "Xiaoshi, don''t mess around." He warned the girl beside him sternly, then looked at the confused Lanni. "Yun Xiaoshi is my cousin¡ªAunt Meiling''s daughter. I didn''t have the chance to introduce you before she started spouting nonsense. She is too playful."


    The girl looked mortified and patted her chest, pretending to be heartbroken. "What are you saying? Are you denying me now?"


    "If you continue spewing crap and upset your cousin-in-law, I will shove you into the first flight to Australia." He threatened.


    The girl looked embarrassed. "Cousin, please don''t be mad."


    Lanni was even more confused. She was no longer a fianc¨¦e and was a cousin now?


    Seeing Lanni''s expression, Yun Xiaoshi looked at her pitifully. "Cousin-in-law, I was fooling around just now. Please don''t be mad at cousin, okay?"


    Having finally comprehended this bizarre situation, Lanni was helpless against the girl''s pitiful face. "Alright, I won''t be angry." As long as no one joked about being Xiehan''s fianc¨¦e again. She was still feeling the chills from how the shock Xiaoshi had given her.


    Xiehan held Lanni''s waist, ignoring his naughty cousin. "Let''s go, my love. We can ditch her¡ªshe knows her way back to the Ji Mansion after all."


    Lanni chuckled at how sad the girl looked when Xiehan mentioned ditching her. "You guys must be tired from the flight. How about having lunch at my place? We can drop her off at the Jiang Mansion later."


    Before Xiehan could respond, the girl jubilantly hopped to Lanni''s side. "Cousin-in-law is the best! Unlike a certain boring man."


    "Hey! Since when was I boring?" Xiehan glared at her.


    ¡­


    On that weird note, the three made their way to Lanni''s car.


    As she drove off, she couldn''t help sneaking a glance at the girl in the backseat. They were about the same age, and she looked cheerful and easy to please. Besides, the more she looked at her, the more Lanni thought the girl looked a lot like Ruby.


    From their banters, Lanni could tell that they were much closer to each other than most siblings. They must have grown up together since she was his aunt''s daughter¡­ which made Lanni''s eyebrows raise at a certain thought.


    What if this was the reason why Xiehan had seemed to care for Ruby? Could it be because she looked so much like his cousin that he also thought of her as a relative?


    Now that she thought about it, those few times that Xiehan interacted with Ruby, he had never gazed at her like a man would look at a woman he was attracted to. Even so, she still wouldn''t be comfortable if her man got too close to a woman who was not related to him. Luckily Xiehan understood this and kept his distance from Ruby.


    __


    When they finally arrived at Lanni''s apartment, Xiehan and Xiaoshi made themselves comfortable and Lanni served them drinks.


    After chatting randomly for a bit, Lanni finally voiced her curiosity. "I thought Aunt Meiling didn''t have kids?" Wasn''t it one of the reasons why she took in Xiehan in the first place?


    "She does. Xiaoshi is always travelling around the world so aunt rarely talks about her." Xiehan explained. "This time, we happened to bump into each other in the UK and that gave her the perfect idea of where next to travel for fun."


    Lanni chuckled at the young lady''s preference. Luckily, she seemed to be quite honest and kind¡ªthey would get along well. Compared to the scheming Ji Feifei, Xiaoshi was a much better sister for Xiehan and, who knows, perhaps they could be friends as well.


    Xiaoshi''s phone rang as they spoke.


    "I need to take this, please excuse me." She said and picked up the call.


    "What do you mean it''s booked out? What a bummer¡­ then help me check out The Emerald Grand Hotel." She responded to whatever the other party had said.


    When she hung up, Lanni looked at her curiously. "Pardon my curiosity. Are you trying to book a hotel room?"


    "Yes." Xiaoshi kept back her phone with a sigh. "I didn''t make adequate preparations before deciding to come."


    "Why do you need to book a hotel room?" Xiehan asked.


    "Yeah, you don''t need to. There are extra rooms here, you can stay over." Lanni seconded cheerfully.


    "Really? I can?" Xiaoshi was surprised, while Xiehan''s expression darkened.


    That wasn''t what he meant, okay? He meant she could go over to the Ji Mansion!

 Chapter 346 - With The Love Of My Life

    Just like that, it was decided that Yun Xiaoshi would stay over at Lanni''s apartment.


    "Why are you sulking?" Lanni laughed at Xiehan''s pouty expression.


    "Who is sulking? I''m not sulking." He denied, even though it was evident on his face. Lanni stifled a laugh. He couldn''t be jealous, right? But Xiaoshi was a woman and that too, his cousin.


    "I''m going to check on the food." Lanni stood to go to the kitchen. "Xiaoshi, do you want to come with me?"


    "Of course!" The girl agreed cheerfully. She would be glared to death if she stayed with her cousin anyway.


    The girls chatted about all sorts of topics as they cooked, and they realized that they had a lot in common; they had similar tastes in music, watched the same movies and even followed the same stars. Hence, they got along so naturally that one would think they had known each other for years.


    "Why don''t we watch a movie later? Many awesome movies have been released lately; you can use this chance to relax." Lanni suggested as she prepared the ingredients for dessert.


    "I thought you would never ask!" Xiaoshi was excited. "I saw several awesome trailers, we can go to watch any time when you are free."


    "Then let''s go this evening. Do you want Xiehan to come along?"


    "Does he have to? He will end up being a third wheel." Xiaoshi joked, then laughed at the thought of her cousin''s expression if he knew what they were planning. "We should invite him too. Otherwise, I will get shoved into the first flight to Australia for stealing someone''s girlfriend."


    They both burst into laughter as they mimicked Xiehan''s threatening tone at the airport.


    "Speaking of which, do you not want to go home?" Lanni asked curiously, wondering how come it could be used as a threat.


    In response, Xiaoshi sighed like her life had been drained out of her body. "Who wants to go back? The last time I was home, mother forbade me from travelling around and I had to use up my wits to get away. I will not go back unless I find a prince charming to fall in love with and bring back home."


    Regarding the young lady''s views of life, Lanni was speechless.


    ¡­


    They set the dining table and the three of them ate their lunch amid their chatter. When they were done, the girls sat on the couch in the living room to watch a drama. However, Xiaoshi kept yawning in exhaustion. Hence, Lanni showed her to the guest room and let her take a nap.


    "You finally realize that you have a boyfriend." Xiehan harrumphed in complaint when Lanni returned to the living room.


    She plastered herself next to him with a giggle. "Are you jealous? But Xiaoshi is a girl."


    He pulled her onto his lap and hugged her, resting his head on her shoulder. "How can I be jealous? On the contrary, I am happy."


    After all, Xiaoshi was no different from a younger sister to him. Growing up, she liked to cling to him whenever an opportunity presented itself¡ªwhich was quite similar to Ji Feifei''s character. The only difference was that unlike his useless sister, he was not repulsed by Xiaoshi and indulged her.


    He had been scared that just like Ji Feifei, Xiaoshi would hate Lanni for taking away her cousin''s affection (and whatever other insane reasons the former had for hating Lanni.)


    Seeing that they were getting along like long-term friends, he was relieved. Indeed, Xiaoshi was a much better person than his biological sister. He had not pampered her for nothing.


    Lanni was currently thinking of the same thing. "How is Xiaoshi so cute? Gene mutation?" They were all from the same family, right?


    "It depends on who brought her up." Xiehan rubbed his nose. He didn''t want to say anything against his parents either, but some facts were just too evident.


    She chuckled at his response. "Speaking of which, we are going to watch a movie this evening. Do you want to come along?"


    Xiehan remained silent for a while.


    "Did you have other plans already?" She guessed from his silence.


    "Xingyu called Lin Jian and me out for drinks. But if my girlfriend wants me to accompany her, of course I will ditch the men and follow you."


    Lanni tittered. Poor Xingyu. "It''s alright. Xingyu has undergone a wild roller coaster of emotions recently and probably needs support from his friends. How about you go have a drink with him? We can watch another movie together some other time."


    When he didn''t speak for a while, she turned to face him, only to be met with a pair of complaining eyes. He looked like he really wished he could divide himself into half so that one piece accompanied Lanni and Xiaoshi while the other went out with the men.


    She laughed at his expression. "Be good. How about I reward you with a kiss?"


    He held the back of her head and kissed her passionately. "You must be careful, okay? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you or Xiaoshi."


    "We will. It''s just watching a movie." She laughed.


    "If anything happens, give me a call." He nagged.


    "Got it."


    "Don''t slip away from your bodyguards."


    "I understand." Not that she was ever planning to slip away after what happened the last time she did.


    "Don''t get back home too late."


    "Sure."


    "Give me a call when you get back home."


    "Mmh."


    After another string of nagging, Lanni finally managed to slip off his lap and go to make preparations.


    She made a call to the nearest movie theater which also happened to be one of the best ones in the city. After selecting a movie, she booked the tickets for the 8 pm time slot .


    When that was settled, she wondered what Luna would be doing all night since Xingyu would be busy having drinks with the men. Besides, she was curious about how she and Xingyu have been getting along since she confessed.


    After thinking it through, she decided to make a call.


    "Sis!" Luna sounded jubilant.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "Uh¡­ did something good happen?"


    "Of course! I''m with the love of my life now. How can there be a shortage of good things happening?" Luna bragged.


    Lanni was suddenly stuffed with unexpected dog food.

 Chapter 347 - Movie Night

    "Do you have anything planned for this evening?" Lanni asked before another fireball of dogfood was thrown her way.


    Luna thought for a moment. "I''m accompanying Aunty Jiang to sew but that will not take long. I was thinking of calling you out for fun."


    "Perfect. In that case, why don''t we watch a movie together? Xiehan''s cousin is coming too." She suggested. She had already booked three tickets but Xiehan wasn''t going along.


    Luna was surprised. "Xiehan has a cousin?" She has never heard of it.


    "Yes, and she is absolutely cute. You will definitely like her."


    "Count me in." Luna cheered. "My man is calling for me. Talk to you later, okay?"


    "Geez." Lanni patted her chest when the call ended. Just when she had thought that her sister would no longer display her affection, yet another bomb came charging at her. She should have shown off her love with Xiehan a little more when Luna was still single.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in the Jiang Mansion.


    As soon as Luna went upstairs with Xingyu, Madam Jiang did a happy dance in the living room.


    "What''s going on this time?" Jiang Xingren, who had just arrived from work, was speechless at his wife''s playfulness.


    Madam Jiang rushed over to him and spun excitedly. "Did you know? Our son finally popped the big question last night!"


    "He did?" Jiang Xingren was pleasantly surprised. He had thought that Xingyu would chicken out and never be able to ask the said question.


    Madam Jiang couldn''t be any happier. "Luna now has a ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. What do you think?"


    "What''s there to think? I told you that our son would definitely bring our daughter-in-law back home. He takes after his dad, after all." Jiang Xingren patted his chest in pride.


    In response, Madam Jiang rolled her eyes. "What do you mean he takes after you? He definitely takes after me, okay? Or else he would still be hiding the ring and cowering away."


    "Honey, are you saying that I hid the ring and cowered away when I proposed to you? Don''t forget that I popped the big question in a hall full of people and you were so awed that you were on the verge of tears." He defended himself.


    In response, she harrumphed. "That doesn''t change the fact that you were too shy to chase me and I had to confess my feelings to you first!"


    "It doesn''t matter who confessed to who first. What matters is that I love you more each day."


    "You are still so mushy." She laughed.


    He nodded proudly. "That''s because you are still the most beautiful woman in the world."


    Luna, who witnessed the heart-warming scene from the balcony, smiled at Xingyu. "They are still so deeply in love even when their son is about to get married and they are about to become grandparents."


    Xingyu held her hand and pulled her to him. "Our love is stronger than theirs. We will definitely be deeper in love even when our grandchildren are getting married and we become great grandparents."


    ___


    That evening.


    At the agreed time, Lanni let a chauffeur drive her and Xiaoshi to the theater. They were quite early but because the movie they were watching was a highly anticipated popular movie, the place was already bustling with activity.


    "Luna isn''t here yet." Lanni observed. She had already told Xiaoshi about her sister.


    "Should we wait for her outside?" Xiaoshi asked.


    Lanni thought about it and said, "Why don''t you wait for me here? I will quickly grab the tickets and snacks then we can go in and wait for her."


    "Okay." Xiaoshi decided to look around as she waited.


    She had just looked around for a few minutes when she saw "Lanni" arrive from a different direction and start dialing her phone. She walked over to her in surprise. "Didn''t you go to pick the tickets? Also, why did you change your clothes? You even changed your hair color."


    Luna glanced at the young woman who had just approached her in surprise. Based on Lanni''s description, this should be Yun Xiaoshi. She quickly understood that the girl had mistaken them for each other. Even so, she decided to play a little. "That''s because I''m a superhuman. I can teleport and change clothes and the snap of my fingers."


    "What? Cousin-in-law, you are messing with me, right?" Xiaoshi didn''t believe in the existence of superhumans, but how could she explain what had just happened?


    "I''m not messing." Luna said seriously. "Why are you so shocked? Didn''t Xiehan tell you?"


    "Luna, don''t scare Little Shi." Lanni laughed when she arrived to this scene. She then went ahead to explain, "Luna is my sister, the one I mentioned. She is my twin."


    Xiaoshi dashed to Lanni''s side like she had found a saviour. "No wonder! Why didn''t you tell me you guys are twins? You are so identical that I thought you were one person." She wondered whether her cousin could tell them apart. Wouldn''t it be tragic if the twins decided to play pranks? She then thought of something and chuckled. "Serves me right for tricking you at the airport, I guess."


    Lanni chuckled in agreement. "The movie is starting soon. Let''s go in."


    "Okay, I''ll just send a text to my man and tell him that I have arrived." Luna responded.


    Lanni cast a glance at her sister. "I will start ignoring you if you don''t stop throwing dog food around."


    "Let''s ditch her." Xiaoshi joked.


    On that happy note, the girls settled in their seats and the movie soon started.


    The movie they were watching was called "If you were mine", featuring the nation''s current most popular actress. It was a heartbreaking movie of a young couple who kept missing out on opportunities to be together because of a series of misunderstandings caused by their families.


    In a twist of events, the female lead finally found out the truth and looked for the male lead so she could explain everything to him. Alas, she found that it was too late as the male lead was already married.


    "Waaah¡­ so sad. If her flight didn''t delay, she would have arrived before the wedding.." Cried Xiaoshi when the movie ended.

 Chapter 348 - Top-notch Bragging

    "Some things are just destined to happen." Luna coaxed, sad about the ending as well.


    "I know¡­ which is why I''m so scared." Xiaoshi looked away sadly.


    "Why are you scared?" Lanni had a feeling that it was not related to the movie, and Luna listened in curiously as well.


    Xiaoshi didn''t want to talk about it in the theater full of people, so she waited until most of the people had exited. She then poured her heart out. "Actually, I came back this time because of a man. Don''t tell my cousin." She whispered out the last part.


    "Of course we will not." Lanni chuckled.


    "Where is my microphone?" Luna joked, earning glares from both girls.


    When she stopped fooling around and became more serious, Xiaoshi continued, "I have been in love with someone since I was a teenager but when I confessed to him, he said that we were both too young to think about love. Besides, he thought it was a mere puppy love crush that would fade once we grew up.


    Hence, I decided to stay away from him for all these years and now that I''m a grown up woman, he should take me more seriously." She sighed, evidently nervous. "I heard he is in B City so I insisted on coming back with my cousin. Luckily, he doesn''t have a girlfriend¡­ I hope he will not reject me again."


    Lanni and Luna were both surprised that she was still in love with her teenage crush.


    "You are so cute, Xiaoshi. No man can reject you." Lanni encouraged her genuinely.


    Luna nodded to second that. "I only knew you three hours ago but I already know that you are a kind and genuine girl. You are so easy to like that no one would be so blind as to not fall in love with you."


    "Really? Thank you so much." Xiaoshi hugged the sisters, seeing as they were encouraging her from the bottom of their hearts and not just saying random things that they didn''t mean in order to please her.


    Feeling more confident, she let out a sigh. "You are so kind. My cousin has such a good taste."


    "What''s this got to do with XIehan?" Lanni laughed.


    "That''s because you are so much better than those fake girls that aunty used to introduce to him. You are friendly and kind and so is your sister. He has gotten himself a perfect girlfriend and family-in-law."


    Luna chuckled. This young woman''s focus was quite out of the ordinary.


    Lanni''s heart melted from the praise. "You are so kind yourself. In fact, you are a much better sister than Luna."


    "Hey! You mean she is a much better sister than Ji Feifei, right?" Luna asked sternly.


    "Nope, she is better than you. I would swap sisters if it was possible." Lanni harrumphed.


    Luna widened her eyes. "How can you say that? I am the best sister anyone could ever ask for! Not to mention, we are even twins and have the best telepathy."


    Lanni crossed her arms with a strict look. "Then I would rather not have a twin than have to rely on telepathy to find out about my sister''s engagement." She glared at Luna''s ring finger.


    Luna followed her gaze and smiled in embarrassment. "That¡­ I was going to tell you about it later."


    "Uh huh." Lanni obviously didn''t believe her.


    "Come on, don''t be mad. Elder sister loves you the most." Luna hugged her arm.


    "I''m your elder sister." Lanni narrowed her eyes.


    Luna laughed. "Fine, fine. No one was born earlier so we have to rely on other ways to determine who the elder sister is."


    "In that case, I got a boyfriend first." Lanni bragged.


    In response, Luna crossed her arms. "That doesn''t mean you fell in love first. I met the love of my life when you were still bragging about coming of age."


    "Hey!" Lanni complained.


    "I also got engaged first, and I will be a mother first. Do you still want to contest?" Luna challenged.


    "Fine, you win." Lanni grudgingly admitted defeat. Even if Xiehan proposed right now, she would still lose to Luna.


    Luna patted her head playfully. "I love my little sister so much."


    Xiaoshi was still laughing her butt off at the twins'' bicker when she heard the part about Luna being engaged and being a mother. She looked at the latter in awe. "You are¡­"


    "Yes, I''m pregnant." Luna laughed joyfully when the girl couldn''t complete her statement.


    "Double Congratulations!" Xiaoshi wished her in excitement. She loved babies and was secretly hoping that Luna would let her hold the baby when it was born.


    "Can I treat you to a meal to congratulate you? I didn''t bring any gift with me."


    "Of course. It''s the thought that counts." Luna was starting to get hungry since she was avoiding eating junk food, so there was no way she would reject free food. Hence, the girls made their way to a restaurant that Xiaoshi chose after researching on the internet.


    __


    Compared to the emotional atmosphere that the girls had, the men were drowning in drinks at the cellar in Xingyu''s villa.


    Just when Xiehan and Lin Jian were starting to wonder what was going on with their friend, the latter finally spoke up. "Sigh, I really don''t know what to do."


    "What happened?" Lin Jian asked with concern. "Did you do something wrong and upset your little beauty again?"


    When Xingyu shook his head, Xiehan finished his umpteenth drink. "Then why do you look deflated?"


    Xingyu played with his glass, lying his chest on the table like he was at a loss. "Well, here''s the thing. I proposed to Luna and she said yes, and now I don''t know what to do next. Should I tell our relatives about it, or should I host an engagement party and invite the entire city? I mean, I don''t know what kind of engagement party she would like or when she would like us to start planning our wedding¡­ and the fact that we are also soon-to-be parents plays a huge role too¡­"


    "Geez!" Lin Jian almost chocked on his drink.


    What roundabout way of bragging was this?! "Spare us single souls already!"

 Chapter 349 - Battered Single Souls

    Xingyu shot a glare at Lin Jian. "Where do you get the audacity to include yourself among single people?! You literally have enough girlfriends to fill an airplane."


    Lin Jian looked distressed. "What do you know? I may have uncountable girls by my side, but none of them is my true love. Most of them are with me simply because of the benefits I give my exes when breaking up."


    Xiehan shook his head in ridicule. "Such an easy way to get money¡­ how many people do you think wouldn''t be tempted by that?" Many women now knew that they only needed to date him for a day or two to receive a hefty amount of break-up benefits. How could he blame them for taking advantage of it?


    "Right? It''s such a surprise that you are not getting hit on by men as well." Xingyu chuckled.


    "You meanies!" Lin Jian complained. "Do you know, this is just the least of my woes. Recently, I have fallen in love with a girl."


    "How is that anything new?" Xingyu raised an eyebrow.


    "I''m being serious this time," He repeated the words he had said every other week. When he saw that his friends were looking at him like they were scolding him for being a jerk, he felt wronged. "I really love Ruby. But she hates me so much¡­ the more I go after her, the more she wants to stay away from me."


    "Serves you right." Xiehan laughed.


    "How could you be so heartless?" The man complained and looked at Xingyu as though seeking solace.


    Alas, the latter seconded Xiehan. "You really deserve it. How many girls'' innocent hearts have you broken? Your record is so notorious that no one can trust you now. It''s just logical that Ruby doesn''t want anything to do with you."


    Regarding these heartless friends, Lin Jian had nothing left to say. He decided to save his words and use more effort when chasing Ruby next time.


    "Wait. Ruby?" Xingyu was suddenly curious. "She is the girl you love?"


    Lin Jian was on the verge of losing it. "Isn''t that what I just said? Why do you look so shocked?"


    Xingyu snuck a glance at Xiehan and coughed. "Nothing." He seemed to understand why Ruby wouldn''t spare Lin Jian a glance. This wasn''t going to create trouble between Xiehan and Lin Jian, right?


    Lin Jian followed his gaze and recalled the same thing. He had thought about it before, but the girl didn''t seem to try to get close to Xiehan either, so he thought she might have been momentarily charmed by him.


    Anyway, tonight was not about him and his romantic woes so he shifted the focus back to Xingyu. "What are you planning to do now? Since you guys are already expecting a baby, I would suggest having your wedding as soon as possible. Any later and your beauty will not be able to handle the hassle and bustle of preparing for a wedding. With us here, you can have the perfect wedding even if you decide to have it in two days."


    "Thank you." Xingyu smiled genuinely. He had always known that he could rely on his friends.


    "However, I would suggest having the wedding after the baby is born." Xiehan voiced his thoughts. "After all, you proposed and got engaged as soon as she became your girlfriend. If you want to have an engagement party as well, don''t you think it might be too much for both of you to handle?"


    "Now that you mention it, our relationship is quite rushed. I was too excited to realize that." Xingyu contemplated.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a luxurious restaurant.


    "Then he went on one knee and held out a rose¡­ I was so shocked and excited!" Luna narrated Xingyu''s proposal cheerfully.


    "That''s so romantic. And your ring is so beautiful." Xiaoshi gushed in admiration.


    "And it suits you too," Lanni added.


    Luna glanced at her ring finger with a smile. She loved it too¡­ She didn''t remember ever talking about rings with Xingyu but he had managed to get exactly what she loved.


    As they finished up their food, Luna''s phone rang. She blushed. "My man''s call. He must be missing me and wondering why I''m not home yet."


    Lanni grabbed her phone to text Xiehan while Xiaoshi nursed her wounded single soul.


    Lanni chuckled at her deflated expression. "I guess the men have finished their meeting and my future brother-in-law is looking for his fianc¨¦e. We should go home as well."


    When Xiaoshi nodded, they all left the restaurant and walked Luna to Xingyu''s car where the chauffeur was waiting.


    "Thank you for the treat, Xiaoshi." Luna thanked the other genuinely.


    "It''s nothing much. I enjoyed it as well." Xiaoshi smiled.


    "How about we add each other''s cintact numbers so we chat later?" She suggested as she took out her phone. "Right. Do you read comics? I know a really awesome app with hundreds of interesting comics."


    "I love comics! What''s the app?"


    When Luna recommended it, Xiaoshi installed it on her phone right away.


    At the side, Lanni chuckled. She had thought that Luna had forgotten all about her company after getting engaged. On the contrary, she was still business minded enough to scout for more users even when simply having a meal.


    Promising to go out for fun more often, the girls bid each other and each went their way.


    ¡­


    The Jiang Mansion.


    Because it was already late, Xingyu and Luna did not go back to Frais Villa and decided to spend the night in the Jiang Mansion instead.


    After Luna had a bowl of nourishing soup, they went to Xingyu''s room and talked about the plans for their future.


    "When do you want to have the wedding?" He asked, considering what she wanted first.


    "After the baby is born." She responded, giving similar reasons to those that Xiehan had stated.


    "As for the engagement banquet, we can have it soon. What do you think of the third day of March?"


    "3rd March sounds great." He nodded and noted it down in his Ipad.


    She pieced in some details too, and selected the most suitable venue after agreeing about it with him. "Could we just invite close friends and relatives?"


    He nodded in agreement. "I don''t want to have too many guests either. We can give some invitation cards to our parents so they invite their close friends, and then invite our own friends."


    "I only need one invitation card." She stated with a shrug. "That one''s for Xiaoshi. My dad doesn''t need to have a card in order to attend his daughter''s engagement. Lanni and Xiao Yu don''t need them either."


    "Who is Xiaoshi?" Xingyu was curious.


    "Xiehan''s cousin."


    He hummed in approval. A certain someone was finally letting go and making more friends. It was a good sign.


    Actually, Luna didn''t ever think she could ever make friends with other people, much less with a girl she just met. However, she liked the fact that she was free to mingle with other people now; unlike the cold introvert she once was.


    While they wrote their guest lists, Xingyu wrote down his mother''s name and that reminded her of something.


    "Do I need to send an invitation to¡­ her?" She asked hesitantly, unable to get the word out of her mouth.


    Xingyu knew she was talking about Li Yuming. He had almost forgotten about her.


    He pulled her into his embrace soothingly. "You can just send one out of formality. If you don''t want her to attend it, then you don''t need to invite her."


    She nodded. "Just take it as inviting an enemy¡ªone who will receive the invite but will definitely not come."


    He kissed her forehead. "I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright, It''s not your fault. Besides, I am not sad about it anymore." After all, Madam Jiang had pretty much taken up the role of a mother in her life and not only did they love each other so much, she was about to be her mother-in-law as well. Why else would she be sad?


    Resuming the initial preparations, they sent their suggestions to their friends to seek their opinions, then went ahead to try and come up with designs for their invitation cards.


    __


    Lanni''s apartment.


    Lanni was on the balcony, going through some news forums when she received a pop-up notification of Luna''s message. When she saw the suggestions for the venue and the theme, she smiled and reacted to the message with a heart to express that it was perfect.


    [Have you come up with an invitation card yet?] She asked in the group chat.


    [Not yet T_T


    Xingyu''s taste is such an insult to aesthetics and I''m so lazy that I cannot think of anything!] Came the reply from Xingyu''s phone, and Lanni knew that it was her sister''s reply.


    She laughed and responded, [May I suggest this?]


    Opening another window on her tablet, she made a few changes to an invitation card she had created before and then sent it to the group chat.


    [It''s beautiful! We don''t need to think of a design anymore, thanks sis! <3] Luna was the first to react.


    [Wait, why do you have a custom invitation card?] Xingyu asked.


    __


    ??Hello darlings!


    Do check out my newest book, The Tyrant''s Wife. ??

 Chapter 350 - Heavenly Luck

    [That''s because I looked into the future and predicted that you lovebirds would get engaged and rack your brains over the design of your invitation cards.] She joked in the group chat and laughed when Luna sent over a bunch of teasing remarks.


    "Why are you sitting out here alone?" Xiehan spoke up from behind her. She turned and saw him standing at the door leading to the balcony, wearing low cut pajamas that exposed his finely defined chest.


    "Come here. It''s such a calm night that it''s a pity to not sit out and enjoy it."


    He went over to the space she was patting beside her and sat down, then pulled her into his arms and breathed in her scent. "Indeed, it is calming."


    "Is Xiaoshi asleep?" She asked. The young woman had flopped into bed soon after they arrived.


    "I guess she is." He closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.


    Placing the Ipad aside, she hugged his arms that were around her. "My sister finally found her happiness. It''s such a relief; I''m so happy for her."


    In response, he kissed the side of his neck. He was happy too; happy that his friend had finally gotten together with the woman he loved and at the same time, happy that one issue had been lifted off his girlfriend''s plate and she would be less stressed now.


    "What about you?" He breathed onto her neck.


    "Me?" She asked as her breath got heavy and unsteady from whatever his closeness was doing to her. Pulling her hair away from her neck, he kissed the soft skin and caressed it with his tongue. "Yes. Are you happy?"


    She nodded reflexively. "You are my man¡ªwhat else could I ever hope for?"


    Letting out a tiny chuckle, he asked, "What do you like about me?"


    "Everything." She gasped when she felt his hand snake around her and slide up her nightdress. "You''re handsome, so hardworking, intelligent, caring, and¡­ good in bed."


    He smiled at her evaluation of him. Pulling her onto his lap, his hands fondled her breasts. "Is this enough to lure you to bed? It''s already so late; any later and you will not be able to get enough sleep."


    "Mmh." She nodded to whatever he was saying even though she could barely hear any of it.


    Laughing, he stood up with her in his arms and carried her back into the bedroom.


    ¡­


    The following morning.


    Lanni hummed her way into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Xiehan had woken up much earlier since he had work to take care of, so it was just her and XIaoshi left in the apartment.


    "You look happy." Xiaoshi left the guest room and raised an eyebrow.


    Lanni set the table joyously. "I had applied for a job and this morning, I received an email stating that my application was approved. I will go for an interview this afternoon."


    "That''s awesome!" Xiaoshi was happy for her. When she sat at the table with Lanni, she glanced at the other teasingly. "No wonder you and my cousin "celebrated" a lot."


    "What are you talking about?" Lanni blushed when she realized just what Xiaoshi meant. When she saw the latter glancing at her neck, she subconsciously used her hair to cover up the kiss marks.


    "You don''t need to be shy. You two are in a relationship after all." Xiaoshi teased.


    To change the topic, Lanni shoved a piece of fruit into the latter''s mouth to shut her up. "I haven''t decided what to wear to my interview yet. Could you help me?"


    "Sure." Xiaoshi''s attention was successfully diverted.


    After breakfast, they went to Lanni''s room and began looking through all the options.


    When they had made their choice, Lanni did a few things to prepare for the interview before she took a bath and changed into the outfit they had selected¡ªa floral skirt and a white blouse.


    "You look beautiful! Good luck." Xiaoshi winked at her as she left the room.


    "Thank you. Will you be alright staying on your own?" Lanni was worried that she would be bored since there was no telling how long the interview would last.


    Xiaoshi had not thought about it but she smiled. "It''s alright. I will just watch a bunch of television dramas until you return."


    Lanni chuckled. She looked like an obedient child promising to behave herself while her mother was away. "You can call Luna over if she is not busy."


    "Okay, okay." If you continue putting on that worried face, you will turn into a wrinkled old hag, and then I will not like you anymore."


    Lanni laughed. "As long as you are okay."


    ¡­


    Soon after Lanni left, Xiaoshi''s phone rang as she bawled her eyes out at a sad twist in the drama she was watching.


    She freaked out when she saw who the caller was. "Mother?"


    "Did you think that I would not know where you ran off to if you told Xiehan not to tell me?" Ji Meiling scolded.


    "I can''t hear you. Hello?"


    "Just stop. Your acting is ridiculous." Ji Meiling really didn''t know what to do with her daughter. "Did you get to meet Lanni?"


    Seeing as the topic was diverted, Xiaoshi was happy to answer that. "Uh-huh. She is more beautiful than you made her out to be! And she is so friendly as well." She went on to babble about the details of how she and Lanni had gotten along.


    "Alright. As long as she is a good girl and Xiehan loves her." Ji Meiling was satisfied that her nephew had finally found love. Since that was settled, she continued scolding her daughter. "Take care of yourself, okay? And don''t be a bother to your cousin."


    "How could I? I''m a little angel; the best cousin one could ever ask for." She wiggled her brows even though she knew just how much she had bothered Xiehan lately. She was even putting up in his girlfriend''s apartment. Was this really alright?


    ___


    Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni entered the building and made it to the conference room with five minutes to spare. There had been a traffic jam on her way thanks to an accident ahead, luckily she had left the house earlier so she still made it in time.


    After being let in, she walked in and sat in front of the two interviewers; a man who looked to be in his late twenties and a younger man who she recognized as the CEO and the Chief Editor respectively.


    After reviewing her resume, they asked her several trial questions. They then discussed in a hushed tone that only the two of them could hear, making her wonder whether she was too horrible. She would not be surprised if she did not qualify. After all, she had studied online and not had any actual experience in the field.


    Just when she was wondering which company she should apply for next, the CEO finally spoke up. "Mr. Ming will show you to your office. You can start working tomorrow if it is convenient for you. The work contract will be given to you in a minute; you can read through it and sign it if there are no problems."


    Lanni was in disbelief. Did that mean she had passed?


    She almost couldn''t contain her excitement. "Thank you, sir. I will do my best."


    ¡­


    The Chief Editor, Mr. Ming, led her to the twelfth floor and entered his office. Thinking that he was going to give her a few instructions first, she followed him in.


    "This is your contract." The man handed the documents to her. "This will be your office once you sign it. I will get someone to redesign it according to your preference."


    Lanni looked up from the contract she had just started reading, thinking that he was speaking to someone else.


    "It''s been long since I started looking for my replacement and I''m glad that I finally found the right person. Your trial period is three months. Don''t disappoint my expectations."


    Lanni finally realized that there was something wrong with her contract as well. "Sir, I''m afraid you got it wrong. I applied for the position of a journalist. How can I replace you?"


    "Is that so?" The man looked intrigued. "But we have interviewed you and found that you qualify for the position of Chief Editor. Even though you don''t have any experience in the field, you are knowledgeable and are able to analyze information correctly, handle whatever problem comes your way, and make the best decisions regarding what should or should not be published.


    Tian Yu Media does not turn away promising talents simply because of their lack of experience. Instead, we do our best to nurture them."


    Lanni was speechless when she heard the explanation. No wonder she felt the interview questions were too different from what she had expected. It turned out that she had applied for the position of a journalist but been interviewed for the position of Chief Editor¡ªand even qualified for it.


    What heavenly luck was this?

 Chapter 351 - The Unlucky Man

    That evening.


    Xiaoshi wanted to go over to the Old Ji Mansion to say hello to her aunt and uncle. Hence, Xiehan returned from the office earlier to drop her off.


    "Lanni isn''t back yet?" He was surprised when he didn''t find her at the apartment. The interview shouldn''t take this long, right?


    Xiaoshi shook her head. "She sent me a text message a while ago and said that it might take longer than she thought."


    "I see. We can wait for her." Xiehan sat on the couch. Since he was going to the Ji Mansion, he should bring Lanni with him. It had been ages since they last went over and if he didn''t bring her along, his parents would chew him out.


    "Speaking of which, is aunty getting along with Lanni? I heard someone say that she is very mean and hates her." Xiaoshi asked, curious and annoyed. How could anyone hate Lanni?


    Xiehan flicked her forehead. "Is your brain filled with nothing but gossip?"


    "Ow! I''m only concerned about you! Don''t you think it will be troublesome for everyone if you and Lanni get married but your family doesn''t like her?" She rubbed her forehead as she complained.


    Xiehan let out a smile. "Don''t worry. She won her over."


    "Oh." Xiaoshi was no longer worried. "I''m happy for you, cousin. You finally fell in love and it''s true love too."


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow in amusement. "What about you?"


    "What about me?" She feigned ignorance.


    "I know you have a guy you like. Who is the unlucky guy?" He teased.


    "He is very lucky, okay! And I won''t tell you who he is."


    Xiehan knew that she was not joking about not wanting to tell him who the man was. He thought about it and decided to let it slide. "As long as he is a morally upright man and he will not bully you. If I find out that he is playing with your feelings, I will beat him up¡ªI won''t care that you love him." He looked at her strictly.


    She smiled, her heart melting. "You sound just like a protective brother¡ªnot that I''m complaining."


    "I''m being serious here." He frowned.


    She stopped playing around. "I know, I know. My taste isn''t so bad as to fall for a jerk. I will definitely not let you have to beat anyone up."


    Just as they spoke, Lanni finally returned.


    She looked tired and flopped onto the couch as soon as she entered the house.


    Xiaoshi naturally brought her water. "You are back. You look so exhausted¡­ what did they do to you?"


    "They made me the the Chief Editor." Lanni was still in disbelief.


    "Wait, what? Congratulations!" Xiaoshi didn''t know what position Lanni applied for; but since the latter sounded like it was too unexpected, even she was reflexively shocked.


    Lanni didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "I mean, it was totally unexpected. The current¡ªno, former¡ªChief Editor is going overseas so he was helping the CEO find the best person to take up his post. I spent the entire afternoon taking down notes of everything I need to know."


    "This calls for a celebration." Xiehan smiled. He then went to the cellar she didn''t know existed in her apartment since it was a hidden room, and returned with a bottle of wine and three stem glasses. He poured wine into the glasses and clinched them. "Congratulations, my love."


    "Wait, you''re not surprised?" Lanni glanced at him quizzically after taking a sip of her wine. She raised an eyebrow when she thought of a possibility. "This is not your doing, is it?"


    Xiehan thought about how he had made her work for Xing Han. Her suspicion hadn''t arisen from thin air.


    "Honey, I would really appreciate it but then, I prefer working hard on my own to achieve what I want." She took his silence for a yes.


    He patted her head with a chuckle. "Babe, you think too much. Do you really think I''m one of those men who use their status to secretly make their women have their way? Of course not! I have faith in my woman." He grinned. "Of course, if you need my help getting anything, I will gladly do whatever you want me to do; with your permission, that is."


    "Uh¡­ my love life is wrecked! Now I won''t be able to accept a man unless he is at least as good as my cousin." Xiaoshi commented. He understood women so well and knew what to do or not to do to keep them happy. It was almost shocking that he was not a playboy¡ªyet he was loyal and only had eyes for one woman.


    Lanni stared at Xiehan in awe. "My man is so charming that I''m almost jealous of myself!"


    "That''s enough." Xiaoshi dragged Lanni into her room. "Get changed, we are going to the old mansion for dinner."


    What was up with these sisters? Were they planning to kill her with their displays of affection?


    Lanni laughed and got changed.


    __


    The Old Ji Mansion, later in the evening.


    Lin Wei was overjoyed to see her son, niece and future daughter-in-law.


    "You finally know your way back home." She scolded Xiehan as she hugged him.


    "I''ve been busy at the company." He said, then handed over a bag. "Lanni and Xiaoshi prepared this for you."


    "It''s already enough that you girls came to visit. You didn''t have to prepare gifts as well." She hugged Lanni and Xiaoshi happily, then led them into the house.


    "Hello, Uncle." Lanni and Xiaoshi greeted Ji Huifen.


    "How have you been?" Ji Huifen was elated as he shook hands with the girls. He couldn''t help scanning Xiaoshi in disbelief. "The little girl who used to cling onto me, calling me uncle and lifting her tiny arms to ask for hugs is suddenly a young woman too! How time flies."


    "You can say that again. My handsome uncle is suddenly so old." Xiaoshi joked, and everyone laughed.


    "Say that again? Which part of me looks old?" Ji Huifen looked like he was about to grab a mirror and check himself out.


    "Of course you are old. My son is more handsome than you¡ªbecause he takes after his mum in some aspects." Wen Lin harrumphed, making everyone joke and laugh at Ji Huifen''s expense.


    They all made their way to the dining room.


    "Now that we talk about it, time really is flying." Wen Lin raised an eyebrow as she served food for the girls. "My friends'' kids are even getting married and having children. In fact, one of my high-school classmates already has a grandchild old enough to call her grandma."


    "Is that so?" Xiehan coughed, while Xiaoshi laughed and teased the perplexed Lanni. They all knew where this was headed.


    Just as they dreaded, Wen Lin glanced at her son. "It wasn''t long ago that Xinghe was complaining about her son not being in a relationship despite being so old. But now, not only is Xingyu engaged, his fianc¨¦e is even pregnant too."


    "I''m full." Xiehan was preparing to flee, but his mother grabbed his hand.


    "Your best friend is already planning his wedding and welcoming a little one. When are you and Lanni planning to get married and have kids?"


    Since he couldn''t avoid it, Xiehan could only deal with it. "Mother, we already talked about this, didn''t we? Lanni is still young."


    "You always give me this excuse." She harrumphed. "What do you mean Lanni is young? She is already twenty years old; the legal age for marriage is eighteen and besides, Xingyu''s fianc¨¦e is her twin."


    Lanni chuckled helplessly. "But aunty, just because my twin is ready for marriage doesn''t mean I have to be ready as well, right?"


    "Right, I get it. I''m just worried that you guys don''t have it in mind. After all, it''s much better to have kids when you are younger, or you will be too busy to have them later." Said Wen Lin.


    "Lin Lin, don''t bug our son now. Those who don''t know might think you are trying to rush Lanni." Ji Huifen came to Lanni''s and Xiehan''s rescue.


    While they spoke, a maid announced the arrival of Xingyu. He soon entered the house, hand-in-hand with Luna.


    "What a grand occasion! Even Xingyu finally decided to pay a visit." Wen Lin was overjoyed.


    "We are staying over at the old mansion so we thought we should say hi." Xingyu said, and went ahead to introduce Luna to everyone.


    "Xiaoshi?" Lanni checked on the girl beside her. "Are you alright? You are trembling." She observed.


    "I''m okay." The girl looked away after flashing a smile.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. The girl''s mood had taken a drastic turn at some point. However, since she didn''t want to talk about it, Lanni let it be for now.


    However, as Xingyu and Luna joined the table, Xiaoshi couldn''t stop her eyes from watering. Eventually, she dashed out of the dining room.


    Lanni followed her worriedly. "Xiaoshi, what happened?"


    In disbelief, the girl wiped her tears using her fist. "Luna''s fianc¨¦¡­ is Xingyu?"

 Chapter 352 - First Day At Work

    Lanni was about to answer her when she remembered something with a start. Xiaoshi had gone pale with shock when Wen Lin talked about how Xingyu''s mother had been complaining that her son was single despite being so old, and how she was more peaceful now that he had finally gotten engaged.


    Her jaw dropped in disbelief. "You¡­"


    "Xingyu is engaged?" Xiaoshi looked up at her tearfully.


    When Lanni didn''t say a word, the girl let out a sigh. "I understand."


    "Xiaoshi¡­"


    "Lanni, you don''t need to say anything." She interrupted and entered the washroom. Washing her face, she exited the room with a smile. "Everyone must be waiting for us. Let''s not keep them waiting for too long."


    Lanni followed her back into the dining room. She was still in disbelief. Who would have thought that the man Xiaoshi had loved for years was Xingyu?


    She knew that Xiaoshi was a good girl but she didn''t want to imagine what would happen. Would they still be friends despite the fact that she turned out to be her romantic rival''s sister? Most importantly, would she give up on Xingyu since he belonged to someone else, or would she try to compete with Luna?


    Lanni didn''t need to think about it for too long. When they went back to her apartment, Xiaoshi looked for her.


    "Lanni, could you do me a favor?" She asked through a smile that Lanni knew she was trying hard to manage.


    "Sure." She hoped it wouldn''t be anything crazy or one that might sabotage Luna.


    "Could you¡­ could you not tell Luna about this?" She pleaded. "It''s not easy for me to make friends and¡­ if Luna knew how I feel about Xingyu, she might dislike me."


    "Okay, this stays between us." Lanni promised after scanning the latter and being convinced that she was being sincere.


    "Thank you. I will go to bed now." She turned to leave.


    Lanni grabbed her hand. "Will you be okay?"


    Xiaoshi looked away to mask the sadness in her eyes. "Yeah. I mean why not?


    I cannot keep pining for an engaged man, can I?" Her eyes watered slightly and she blinked the tears away. "I mean, sure, I thought he would like me. I thought he would realize that I truly love him since it''s been so many years and I''m no longer the little girl he claimed was too young to know what love is. I thought he didn''t have a girlfriend but it turns out that he has a fianc¨¦e¡­"


    She let out a sigh. "It was I who was too late. He doesn''t even seem to remember me. But¡­ he and Luna look so happy. It would not be fair to ruin their happiness just because I didn''t get what I wanted."


    Lanni hugged the girl. Even though she was obviously more hurt than she was letting Lanni know, at least she could still think clearly.


    Luckily she was sensible enough to know better than to try to wreck Xingyu''s relationship with Luna.


    Since she wanted to be alone for a while, Lanni let her go to the guest room to rest.


    ___


    The following day.


    As it was going to be Lanni''s first day of work, she woke up earlier than usual and prepared everything she needed to go to her new workplace. After dressing up in a blue peplum dress and donning a pair of diamond high-heeled shoes, she was about to leave her room when Xiaoshi found her first.


    "I was just about to come and check up on you." She smiled at the young woman.


    Xiaoshi looked much more vibrant than she did the previous night. "Good morning, Chief Editor Li! It''s your first day of work so I made nutritious breakfast for you! I also prepared you a bento so you don''t go hungry."


    Lanni was awed. "Thank you Xiaoshi. Let''s have breakfast together."


    The girl went to the dining room with Lanni.


    "Cousin woke up much earlier because he had to go to the office and didn''t want to wake you up. Anyway, he prepared some sandwiches for you to snack on when you are hungry." She explained as she sat down opposite Lanni.


    Lanni smiled at the cousins'' supportive way of sending her to work today. Xiehan had even left a love note for her on the bedside table, to wish her luck on her first day¡ªshe certainly needed it, especially since she was going to work in a position she had never thought she would once work on.


    As they had breakfast, she observed that Xiaoshi didn''t seem to be pretending to be happy just so she would no longer worry about her. She seemed to be genuinely feeling better, so Lanni relaxed a little.


    "It''s such a bummer that both you and my cousin are going to work." Xiaoshi felt bummed that she would have to be alone.


    Lanni chuckled. She was about to suggest that she go for clothes shopping with Luna since the latter had taken a short break from work but remembering how strained their relationship was at the moment, she sighed and said nothing.


    She was still thinking of what to say to break the awkwardness when Xiaoshi''s phone rang and the caller was none other than Luna.


    Xiaoshi was startled. She stared at the screen for a while then took deep breaths to calm down before answering the call.


    "Xiaoshi, are you busy this afternoon?"


    "No. Is anything the matter?" She asked reflexively.


    "I want to go and check out baby clothes and toys but my unreliable sister is going to be busy all day. Could you accompany me?" There was a short spell of silence before she added, "I would also like to talk to you about something."


    Xiaoshi''s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Luna had found out after all¡­


    Clenching her hand into a fist, she agreed to the meeting.


    "Awesome! I will pick you up at my unreliable sister''s apartment at noon. We can have lunch together before shopping."


    ¡­


    When the call ended, Xiaoshi was deflated. "Will she hate me now?"


    "Of course not. Since you are not doing anything wrong, why would she hate you?" Lanni comforted her.


    Xiaoshi let out a smile. "You know, I had decided to go back home today. I was going to take the first flight back to Australia¡­ But when I woke up this morning, I changed my mind and decided that I will not be a coward and run away from my feelings. After all, only by facing the reality will I move on." She sighed. "But now I''m starting to think that maybe I should have left."


    Lanni no longer knew what to say. SInce Xiaoshi was always constantly moving from one country to another, it was not easy for her to make friends. Now that she had found that she, Lanni and Luna had so much in common and that they could be friends, she was scared of losing them and was now afraid that if she and Luna talked, their new friendship would disappear into thin air.


    Thinking about it, she held the girl''s hand. "You know, if you and my sister cannot get along now, then you were just not meant to be friends."


    Xiaoshi nodded. "Wait, is it really possible for people to be friends despite having feelings for the same person?"


    Lanni tried to think back and the only pair she could think of was Ji Feifei. She shook her head. That disgusting weirdo had feelings for her own biological brother, turning them into enemies. But then again, they were never friends to begin with so that did not count.


    "Now that you mention it, there was such a thing between Xiehan and Xingyu."


    "Wait. What do you mean?" Xiaoshi was flabbergasted.


    Lanni laughed when she realized how her words sounded. "That''s not what I mean. I mean, Xingyu was in love with Luna and Xiehan was in love with me; but no one knew we were twins. They both thought they were in love with the same woman and, heavens, I thought they would have a falling out."


    Since they didn''t, it was possible to get along as long as they did not scheme against each other.


    "I feel better now, Lanni." Xiaoshi smiled. Though she wondered what Luna wanted to talk about.


    "Then I will go to work now."


    "Good luck, Chief Editor Li." The girl winked, enjoying addressing Lanni using her new title.


    ___


    Tian Yu Media.


    "Good Morning, Chief Editor Li." Mr. Ming greeted as soon as he saw Lanni enter the building.


    "Hello Mr. Ming." Lanni entered the elevator meant for executive employees, which she had been given access to the previous day.


    "I will show you around and introduce you to the people you will be working with frequently." The man said, and led Lanni to a conference room on the tenth floor.


    Several employees were already sitting around the large rectangular table, and they looked up when Mr. Ming walked in with Lanni.


    "This is the new Chief Editor, Li Lanni." He introduced, then the employees greeted her in unison.


    A woman who looked older than Lanni walked in, and Mr. Ming took the file she was holding before turning to Lanni.. "This is your assistant, Han Lili."

 Chapter 353 - First Day At Work(2)

    Lanni held the meeting with her new subordinates and by the end of it, she knew that she would get along with most of them. Of course, there were a handful of them who thought it was impossible for her to have deserved the position of Chief Editor¡ªconsidering her age¡ªand one of them was her assistant.


    Since the two lay their eyes on each other for the first time, Lanni felt a strong sense of hatred emanating from the other. It was as though they were enemies in their previous lives and just happened to be reincarnated into the same dimension.


    Lanni didn''t care much about her spite, and hoped that they would each stick to their own lanes despite their obvious dislike for each other.


    Alas, that was clearly not what Han Lili was thinking. She must have felt that it would be more thrilling if she and Lanni kept brushing shoulders and creating trouble for each other.


    It was merely thirty minutes into their work when she delivered a stack of news articles for Lanni to look through and approve with a signature.


    Sitting on the high executive seat behind her desk, Lanni started flipping through the articles and reading them.


    "Why do you need to read them? You just need to sign at the bottom. All of these articles will be published anyway." Han Lili remarked.


    Lanni frowned slightly and continued reading.


    The woman crossed her arms disdainfully. "Why do you need to be so pretentious? Pretending to be Miss goody two shoes and reading word for word will not help to save the time we are already losing. Why don''t you just¡­"


    "Are you going to teach me how to do my job?" Lanni looked up sternly. As she did, she held up one of the news articles. The headline was about an infamous celebrity, Yan Qingqing, and the article was of her being discovered to be a drug addict. She had supposedly been enrolled in a rehabilitation center.


    Lanni checked the name of the writer and then raised an eyebrow at Han Lili. "Call Yu Ming over."


    Soon, a young girl was brought over by the scornful Han Lili.


    Lanni shifted her gaze between them.


    "Do you have evidence to support what you wrote?"


    The young girl shook her head. "But, I have written it in such a catchy way, surely no one will ask for evidence."


    Lanni shook her head in disapproval. "How did you obtain this piece of news?"


    Yu Ming cracked her knuckles nervously. "A celebrity told me. She and Yan Qingqing are close friends so she would definitely know such a thing about her."


    "Close friends?" Lanni raised an eyebrow. "If she is her close friend, then why would she disclose to a reporter something that could ruin Yan Qingqing''s career? What kind of friend would do that?" When Yu Ming remained silent, Lanni added, "Besides, who is to say that she did not lie on purpose? What if she pretends to be her friend but is actually the person who so badly wants to ruin her? What if we were to publish this news only to find that it was a lie and Yan Qingqing sues Tian Yu Media for libel?"


    "Chief Editor, I was wrong. I was so desperate to find a huge piece of news that I didn''t think this through." Yu Ming admitted her fault when she realized the huge mistake she had almost made.


    Lanni did not make things difficult for her. "Take this back, and take this as a final warning. Use your brains next time."


    After all, it was simply common sense that a journalist should not report false news. Alas, there were so many cases of media agencies merely focusing on the views and sales that some journalists no longer felt the need to verify whatever they were going to write about.


    When Yu Ming left, Lanni turned to Han Lili. "Do you now realize why I need to read through the articles? If you don''t, there is something wrong with your brain."


    "Hmph." Han Lili turned on her heel with a snort.


    "Stop right there." Lanni stood up with her arms crossed.


    Han Lili didn''t understand why, but she subconsciously stopped when she heard Lanni''s stern tone.


    Lanni circled her desk and faced the woman. "Han Lili, I get that you don''t like me¡ªtrust me, the feeling is mutual¡ªbut that doesn''t mean I will tolerate your rudeness. Go to HR and get your job description. Once you understand it, you can make the choice whether to resign or come back here and do your job as you should."


    When she was done, she went back to her desk and continued doing her job.


    Han Lili left the office, rolling her eyes as soon as she was out. "Who the hell does she think she is? She only got to that position because of a mistake!"


    "Are you talking about the new Chief Editor? She is quite fitting for her job though¡­" Yu Ming, who was on her way back to Lanni''s office, mumbled when she heard Han Lili curse.


    "Mind your own business." The latter harrumphed her way to HR.


    ¡­


    Lanni looked up when Yu Ming returned.


    "Chief Editor, I had another article but¡­"


    Although she didn''t complete her statement, Lanni understood her. She must have been scared that the article would not be approved so she didn''t submit it. Lanni took it from her and read through it. The topic was a celebrity as well, but this time it was about a celebrity getting married. However, she was not the only one who had written about this piece of news.


    Lanni read it and compared it to the rest then said, "This is what will be published. But did you try to interview her?"


    "I couldn''t get through to her agent." Said Yu Ming.


    "Prepare for the interview. I will contact her." Lanni offered, then got back to work. By the time she was done approving all the articles that would be included in the next day''s issue, she was so tired that she wanted to drop on her desk and fall asleep. She had forgotten to eat her bento, so she warmed it up.


    Just as she took a bite, Xiehan called.


    "Honey?" She was surprised that he would call before his knock off time.


    "How is your first day of work, Chief Editor Li?" He asked.


    "Not a walk in the park." She sighed. It was only the first day and she had to deal with a b*tch already. How many more would she have to deal with by the end of the year?


    "The first time is usually the hardest. Once you get used to your new position, it will be much easier to handle whatever challenge comes your way." He encouraged.


    "You are right. I just wanted you to coax me a little." She acted spoiled.


    "Did you miss me?" He teased as usual.


    "Mmh¡­ let me think." She pretended to hm and haw for a while. "There are so many handsome men in Tian Yu Media. Even the CEO is a stunning hunk. Why would I still miss you?"


    "Would you leave me for him?" He sounded pitiful and wronged.


    "Of course not." She laughed after successfully teasing him. "Why would I have eyes for other people? They are like passing clouds."


    "Hmm." He was more satisfied after hearing her flattery. "Honey, I will leave work earlier today. Shall I pick you up?"


    "I drove here." She responded.


    "I can get my chauffeur to drive your car back."


    "Won''t that be troublesome?" She frowned.


    He let out a charming laugh. "Babe, I''m just finding reasons to get to see you earlier. Can''t you tell?"


    A smile escaped her lips. "Since that''s the case, I will do Mr. Ji the honor of letting him pick me up."


    "Then, you better go back to work so you finish up soon. Don''t forget to miss me."


    ___


    Meanwhile, Luna and Xiaoshi had just finished their lunch and were walking around the mall.


    Compared to Luna''s joyous mood, Xiaoshi was torn in between excitement and tension.


    She saw that Luna neither looked disappointed nor angry, but that didn''t stop her from sitting on pins and needles. What would Luna want to talk to her about? No matter how hard she thought about it, the only thing she could come up with was Xingyu.


    On that note, they went to the children''s section in the mall and started looking around.


    Luna chuckled when she saw the clothes for one day old babies. "How tiny!"


    Xiaoshi held up the tiniest apron she had ever seen. "They are cute."


    "I know, right? Whoa, these shoes¡­" Luna paused to check out a pair of shoes that could fit in her jeans pocket. But just as she reached to pick them, she paused. She didn''t know whether her baby was a boy or a girl yet. Deciding to check later, she turned to Xiaoshi and realized that the latter looked blue.


    She was surprised. Didn''t Xiaoshi love babies and everything related to them? She had thought the latter would be overjoyed to accompany her. "What happened?"


    Xiaoshi looked troubled but shook her head. "Nothing. What did you want to talk to me about?"


    Luna smiled slightly. "You must have guessed it, actually."


    Xiaoshi was deflated.. As expected.

 Chapter 354 - Evil

    "Let''s take a seat and talk about it." Luna suggested.


    Xiaoshi nodded, so they went over to the resting area. There weren''t many people in the children''s section of the mall so they were the only ones in the resting area, providing privacy if they needed to talk.


    As soon as Luna sat down, Xiaoshi bit the bullet. "I''m sorry. I¡­"


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t ask for your permission before looking you up¡­" Luna started at the same time and was surprised by Xiaoshi''s words. She raised an eyebrow to probe. When the other shook her head with a relieved look, she found it weird but brushed it off and continued to explain. "I saw that you were coding an application and knew that you are a programmer. When I looked you up, I found that you don''t work for any company and merely sell your apps when they are completed."


    "Yes¡­ I only do it for fun and I''m not that good at it." Xiaoshi was surprised that someone even noticed it.


    "What are you saying? You are so talented!" Luna gushed. "Would you be interested in joining my company?" She finally got to the point. Although she guessed that Xiaoshi must have decided to work the way she did because she did not want to be under any company''s contract, she didn''t want to give up without trying.


    "You see, although my company is a start up, you can be rest assured that I will not let you be at a disadvantage. If you are willing, we can discuss the terms. Uh¡­ why are you looking at me like that?" She noticed that the girl was staring at her.


    "You own Moonlight Studios¡­ you are also the one who created the comic application you recommended to me?" Xiaoshi asked. When Luna nodded, she almost screamed in excitement. "You are so awesome! You made me feel like a clueless rookie¡­ can I get an autograph?" She couldn''t believe that while she kept wondering which heavenly programmer had managed to create such an excellent app, the heavenly programmer was right beside her!


    "You exaggerate." Luna chuckled, then looked at her probingly to ask what her decision was.


    Xiaoshi excitedly opened her purse and fished out a pen. "Of course I would be overjoyed to work for my idol! Do you have the contract here with you?"


    Luna was surprised. She had managed to recruit her that easily? She had prepared almost a thousand words for negotiation. Since it made things easier for both of them, she was happy as well. "I will get someone to send the employment contract over."


    She then contacted Cheng Yu and shared their location.


    It was only when they were done talking that Xiaoshi realized that she had been worried over nothing. So Luna had intended to talk about recruiting her all along¡­ it had nothing to do with Xingyu after all.


    In relief, she dragged Luna to shop for baby clothes. This time, she was super excited and helped Luna select cute toys.


    "If you don''t know the baby''s gender yet, you can buy both¡­ or you can buy unisex clothes." She suggested.


    "Why didn''t I think of that? I must be turning into an idiot." Luna slapped her forehead. They both laughed and went ahead to select adorable unisex clothes.


    Within half an hour, Cheng Yu came over.


    "Over here." Luna waved her over, and the latter walked over.


    Handing the contract over to Luna, she smiled and lowered her tone to tease. "It''s only been a few days since I last saw you and you are already glowing. Is boss Jiang so aggressive?"


    "Get lost." Luna glared at the pervert then introduced the two of them.


    Xiaoshi quickly signed the contract. "Aren''t I the luckiest person on earth? I get to work for a pair of beautiful bosses, and they are both friendly."


    Cheng Yu smiled and shook her hand. "Welcome to Moonlight Studios. We are lucky to have you."


    Luna read through the signed contract and recalled a detail. "I forgot to add a term. Whenever you want to go to Australia to pay a visit to your parents, you can apply for some time off."


    "You are so kind." She had even thought about the fact that her home was so far away. "If you pamper me too much, I might become willful and make you go bankrupt."


    Luna and Cheng Yu laughed.


    "I''ll just give my mum a call. Please excuse me." Xiaoshi stood to go make the call.


    As soon as she was out of sight, Cheng Yu''s expression turned serious. "What do you think you are doing?"


    "Did I do anything wrong?" Luna shrugged innocently.


    Cheng Yu frowned. "Isn''t she that girl you suspected to be in love with Xingyu?"


    Luna nodded.


    Cheng Yu slapped her forehead. "Since that''s the case, then why are you getting so close to her? Not only are you letting her accompany you to shop for your and Xingyu''s baby, you are also giving her a job? What if she stabs you in the back?"


    "I thought it through." Luna smiled. Although she suspected that Xiaoshi had feelings for Xingyu when she noticed her dejected expression in the Ji Mansion, she couldn''t be too sure. Perhaps she was overthinking things. Besides, whether Xiaoshi liked Xingyu or not, she was not doing anything to try and break them apart.


    Not to mention, "I''m not going to miss out on a capable employee simply because I think she likes my fianc¨¦. How many female employees in the company are obsessed with Xingyu?"


    Cheng Yu felt it made sense. There were countless girls who kept swooning over Xingyu every time he visited and even confessing their love to him. Some of them were even so crazy as to threaten to end their lives if he didn''t pay them attention, and hated Luna for being rumored to be in a relationship with him. There wasn''t much difference if they employed one more fan of Xingyu as long as she stayed in her lane.


    "But what if she causes you trouble?" she asked when she thought about it.


    "Come here." Luna beckoned with her finger. When Cheng Yu leaned over the table, she whispered, "Don''t tell anyone, but I don''t really trust people from the Ji family."


    Cheng Yu finally understood her ultimate goal and laughed. "You are evil¡­ a good kind of evil."


    Luna didn''t trust Xiaoshi too much, especially after witnessing Ji Feifei''s and Wen Lin''s hatred1, it was not surprising that she had doubts about Xiaoshi. The latter was friends with Lanni as well. Hence, by bringing Xiaoshi to her side, Luna would be able to uncover any evil intentions if Xiaoshi started scheming¡ªkilling two birds with one stone.


    While planning this out, Luna didn''t know that one day, Xiaoshi would save her life and she would regret suspecting her. But that''s a story for another day.


    ___


    Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni left her office when Xiehan called to tell her that he had arrived. When she exited the building, the man was leaning against his silver car. In his sapphire blue suit and dark sunglasses, he looked like he had just stepped out of a men''s fashion magazine. Several employees snuck peeks at him, some even dashing over to shyly give him their cell phone numbers.


    Lanni chuckled and walked over. "I only took a few minutes but you''re about to turn me into every woman''s romantic rival?"


    Xiehan grinned.


    When she walked over to him, the ladies around thought that just like them, she had taken a fancy to the handsome man and was going over to strike a conversation.


    They deliberately waited to see the outcome.


    "Isn''t that the new chief editor? Do you think he would spare her a glance?" One secretary who had just gotten rejected asked another.


    The other glanced at Lanni. "I don''t know¡­ but the new Chief Editor is so beautiful. Surely he will be moved by her."


    As the two girls conversed, Han Lili snorted after appearing out of nowhere. "What makes you think that beauty can guarantee being liked by a man? Besides, what''s so beautiful about her face?" She then sauntered away.


    "What''s wrong with her?" The short-haired secretary asked her friend.


    "She got ignored so she''s taking it out on others. She''s crazy." The other laughed, then they both gasped in surprise when Xiehan pulled Lanni into his arms and kissed her.


    "Do you now realize just how attractive your man is? You should spoil me a little more." He teased.


    "How about I beat your face sore? that way, you will no longer be so handsome and they won''t want you." She looked like she was serious about it. He laughed and opened the car door for her.


    By this time, all the female employees had their jaws on the floor. It turned out that the handsome man was the Chief Editor''s man!


    ¡­


    "Can you accompany me somewhere?" Xiehan asked after driving for a while.


    "Where?" She looked at him in surprise.


    "Here." He pulled over, and Lanni was surprised.


    A jewelry store?

 Chapter 355 - I Owe You A Life

    "Why would you want to come to a jewelry store?" Lanni was confused.


    Instead of answering her, Xiehan helped her out of the car and led her into the store.


    As soon as they arrived, a salesman hurried to welcome them. "Mr. Ji, Miss Li, good afternoon."


    "Is it ready?" Xiehan asked as he led Lanni to seat on a chaise longue.


    "Yes." The salesman hurried into a section in the store, then brought over a jewelry box.


    Xiehan took it from him and opened it. When he saw the content, he smiled in satisfaction and proceeded to talk to the salesman about a few things that Lanni couldn''t fully comprehend. When they were done, Xiehan held the box out to Lanni. Inside it lay a gorgeous, blue diamond necklace.


    "This¡­ is for you." He said.


    Lanni was caught in between shock and joy. "How did you know I wanted this necklace?"


    "I saw that you wanted to buy it online but there were only two of them produced by its designers and they had already been sold, so you couldn''t get it. Hence I got the designers to make a new one for you." He explained.


    She smiled and threw her arms around him. "Thank you my love!"


    He then proceeded to put the necklace around her neck. When he saw her touch it with contentment written all over her face, he smiled.


    As they exited the store and returned to the car, Lanni kept her gaze on him. She frowned when she noticed his furrowed eyebrows. "Honey, what''s wrong?"


    "Nothing. I was just thinking about something." He shook his head.


    "Care to share?" She asked. Whatever it was must be the reason why he was restless.


    "I''m just wondering whether you will love me forever." Xiehan looked troubled.


    "What nonsense have you been listening to lately?" She chuckled, then held his hand. "Of course, my love. I fell in love with you, and that will never change. You don''t need to have any doubts, okay?"


    Reassured by her words, he frowned at his own silly thoughts. Even though he knew that Lin Jian was a blabbermouth whose words were always mere chatter that didn''t make the tiniest bit of sense, he still became restless when the blabbermouth said that women couldn''t wait to get married to the men they loved, and that Lanni''s not being ready could mean that she no longer loved him. But thinking about it clearly, how could Lanni stop loving him?


    "What happened at your office today?" He asked to change the topic, even though he had intended to find out later.


    "Nothing much." She didn''t think Han Lili was too hard to handle. She simply needed a few days and the woman would be as tame as a kitten.


    Xiehan turned to look at her. "I overheard your subordinates say things like you were accidentally made the Chief Editor."


    "Accidentally?"


    He nodded. "When you went to the interview, your name was accidentally swapped with Han Lili''s so you did the interview for the position she had applied for. When the top management realized the mistake, you had already been hired so they made her your assistant."


    He scoffed at the nonsensical tale. "This must be her way of making everyone look down on you and think you are incompetent. Do you need me to get rid of her?"


    Although he didn''t mention it, they both knew that people thinking she was unqualified was not the worst outcome. With time, some would begin to question whether what happened really was an accident, or whether Lanni had bribed her way into the position.


    Actually, he was tempted to get rid of Han Lili without asking Lanni, so she wouldn''t have to deal with such annoying flies. However, he also knew that Lanni wouldn''t want him to interfere with her work matters without her permission.


    She scoffed. "You don''t need to dirty your hands because of such a tiny bug. I will handle her on my own."


    ___


    Days passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, it was the 3rd of March.


    The banquet was being held in a hotel owned by the Jiang family, and since there were not too many guests, they had managed to make everything perfect in such a short amount of time.


    "You guys are awesome. I owe you a life." Xingyu said to his friends in his dressing room.


    "It''s nothing." Xiehan raised a toast to him, while Lin Jian blabbered nonstop about how he should be repaid.


    Xingyu was in a good mood so he did not chew him out. Adjusting the brooch on the chest of his grey tux, he snuck a glance at Lin Jian. "I''ve been meaning to ask, how did you manage to get Ruby to accompany you to this banquet?"


    Xiehan was surprised to see him enter the hotel with Ruby as well, considering how he had been whining the last time about Ruby not sparing him a glance.


    Lin Jian thought back to how he had been bugging her all week, and how he had promised to get out of her hair if she accompanied him to this banquet¡ªa promise he was definitely going to break. "You have no idea."


    Xingyu patted him on his shoulder to wish him luck. "The guests are here. I''ll go get my fianc¨¦e."


    Lin Jian clutched his chest to nurse his wounded soul.


    "When Ruby agrees to marry me, I will shove all of you with dog food to your deaths!" He vowed.


    Xiehan shot him a glare and ignored him to go and look for Lanni.


    ¡­


    Luna''s dressing room.


    Lanni, Cheng Yu and Xiaoshi helped Luna get dressed and did her makeup. When they were done, Luna stood up to look herself in the mirror. When she saw the beautiful, radiant young woman looking back at her, even she was awed by her own beauty.


    She had thought that the grey, body hugging gown would look too revealing but surprisingly, she looked beautiful without being too over the top.


    "Something is missing." Lanni brought over the gown''s detachable skirt and fixed it onto the waist of the gown. When she was done, she circled her sister and blew a kiss. "You are ready to go, Mrs. Jiang. I bet your fianc¨¦ will wish to hide you in his pocket so he is the only one who gets to see your beauty."


    "I know right! Forget all the other men. Even I would want to steal you from him if I were a man." Xiaoshi winked, and the girls all laughed.


    "You girls are exaggerating too much." Luna chuckled, blushing.


    "I have an idea." Cheng Yu winked, and Lanni and Xiaoshi caught on what she meant immediately.


    "I know those naughty looks. You girls better not be up to anything evil." Luna warned seriously.


    "Yes, mommy." Lanni teased.


    At that moment, a knock resounded on the door.


    Cheng Yu was closest to the door, so she went to open it. When she saw that the incomer was Xingyu, she crossed her arms with an evil grin. "Good evening, Mr. Jiang. How''s it going?"


    "Nothing much. I just came to pick my future wife." Xingyu looked proud of himself.


    "I see." Cheng Yu cleared her throat and looked back into the room to send a signal to the others. She then looked back at Xingyu, who already had a feeling that something bad was coming his way.


    "Mr. Jiang, Sorry, I will not let you take my best friend away today."


    "Wait, what?" He was flabbergasted.


    "Are you kidding me? This is not a wedding!" Exclaimed Lin Jian who had just arrived. Because it was just an engagement banquet, they had not prepared for this kind of stunt.


    Cheng Yu gazed at them and shrugged. "Whoever said it is restricted to weddings? We have Luna, so we decide the rules."


    "Yeah. Besides, Luna is such a perfect goddess. Do you think it makes any sense if you take her away so easily?" Xiaoshi added, having just pulled Lanni over to join in the fun.


    Xingyu looked at her in surprise. "Xiaoshi, you too? I thought you were on my side."


    Xiaoshi knew what he meant; Xiehan was his best friend and therefore, he was definitely on the groom''s side. Since she was Xiehan''s cousin, Xingyu thought that she would follow her cousin and be on the groom''s side.


    But when she heard him call her name and say he thought that she was on his side, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.


    She quickly shook the nonsensical thoughts out of her mind and crossed her arms. "Of course I''m on Luna''s side. Before you take our beauty away, you will have to pass some tests. If not, we will just take Luna away and marry her ourselves."


    Lin Jian waved his hands urgently. "Please don''t! We will pass whatever tests. Wait. We can help him out, right?"


    "Of course. But we can start with the two of you." Cheng Yu smiled.


    "My test is a question. If you didn''t get together with Luna and had to choose one of us, who would it be?"

 Chapter 356 - Too Thick-skinned

    Lin Jian left the question to his friend and Xingyu didn''t need to think through the answer. "If Luna and I didn''t get together, then you can forget ever attending my engagement banquet."


    When he saw that Cheng Yu was raising an eyebrow at him as though calling him out for being a lying jerk, he was helpless. "I''m telling the truth. I fell in love with Luna at first sight and before that, I had never loved any woman. Which means that if I didn''t ever see her, then I wouldn''t ever fall in love."


    Cheng Yu crossed her arms. "Let''s be realistic here. You are the only son in your family so definitely, you would get into a conflict with your parents if you decided to never get married. Are you sure you wouldn''t go for the next option if Luna rejected you for too long? For example, Lanni?"


    "Don''t say such terrifying things! Lanni is Xiehan''s girlfriend." Xingyu waved his hands.


    "What if she wasn''t?" Xiaoshi joined in.


    "What I mean is, she is Xiehan''s girlfriend so we cannot make such jokes about her."


    Seeing that Cheng Yu was about to come up with another question, Lanni chuckled and patted her shoulder. "That''s enough. Luna will kill us if we wreck her engagement party."


    Xingyu sighed in relief and looked at Lanni like he had seen a saviour.


    However, an even more difficult question landed. "How can you tell my sister and I apart?"


    "Why would you be called identical if anyone could tell you apart? I mean, if your hair was not a different color, I bet even your mother wouldn''t know who is who." Lin Jian came to his friend''s rescue.


    "Yeah. Are you sure you would be able to recognize yourself correctly if the two of you stood in front of a mirror?"


    Xingyu''s cousin, who had just joined in the fun, added.


    In response to their words, Lanni let out an evil smirk. "That''s the point. If I remember correctly, a certain someone once recognized his girlfriend wrongly and kept bugging his sister-in-law." If such a thing happened again, the repercussions could be tragic.


    "I''m sorry. It will never happen again." Xingyu was ashamed of himself when he recalled how he had insisted that Lanni was his girlfriend and almost caused a misunderstanding between Xiehan and Lanni.


    Holding a hand over his chest, he added, "I know my wife now. Whenever she is around, my heart picks up its pace and I feel like my life is finally complete. This feeling will never be present with any other woman no matter who she is."


    "Jeez! You didn''t have to do that, you know! You even threw your dog food at your groomsmen." Lin Jian lamented.


    Cheng Yu took a peek at Xiaoshi suspiciously. The girl looked like a dagger had been thrust through her heart, proving them right. So Xiaoshi really did have feelings for Xingyu.


    "One more thing and you will pass my test." Lanni announced. "You have to promise all of us that you will treat Luna well. She is precious to us, you know." She looked at the girls, who nodded in agreement.


    Then she added seriously, "You must accept that every time you bully her, we will give you a good beating and punish you whichever other way we find suitable."


    Xingyu did not bat an eyelid. "I accept whatever punishment you decide, and I also promise that you will not need to use it on me."


    Lanni nodded in satisfaction. "You better keep your promise."


    "Are we really needed here?" Lin Jian whispered to Xingyu''s cousin. The man had managed to pass every test on his own, after all.


    "Mine is a simple question." Xiaoshi said when it was her turn. "Which brand of makeup is Luna using tonight?"


    Lanni and Cheng Yu giggled, while the men were flabbergasted. The girls are the ones who chose and did Luna''s makeup. How would Xingyu know?


    They would not be able to come up with the correct answer even if they racked their brains for hours.


    "I guess this is where I come in." Lin Jian puffed his chest out proudly. He had bought makeup for so many girls that he knew all the popular brands. Since Luna was the daughter of a wealthy businessman and the fianc¨¦e of an even wealthier CEO, she should logically go for the best brand regardless of the cost. Hence, he started listing off luxurious makeup brands. "Galaxy?"


    Xiaoshi shook her head.


    "Starry Night?" He tried again.


    Xiaoshi once again shook her head.


    At this rate, they could spend the whole day guessing. Hence Xiaoshi came up with a rule. "If the third guess is wrong, you fail."


    Lin Jian felt his head shatter. But he was betting on three more brands! He turned to Xingyu pitifully. "I have failed you¡­"


    Just as the girls celebrated teasingly about how Luna was once again theirs, Xingyu calmly spoke. "G&M."


    The girls exchanged shocked glances then stared wide-eyed at him. "Did you take a peek?"


    "Did you text Luna to ask? That''s cheating!"


    Xingyu chuckled. "Of course not. Do I even need to?


    My wife''s skin is a little more sensitive than average people, so she is usually very careful. Since G&M brand majorly focuses on sensitive skin, people with allergy to certain makeup products and expectant women, Luna has always used this brand."


    Xiaoshi was amazed. "The question was meant to test how well you know your fianc¨¦e and whether you pay attention to the finest details. Well done, you pass."


    "Woohoo!" Lin Jian yelped in excitement, even though he had barely contributed.


    On that note, Xingyu was allowed into the dressing room to take Luna. She smiled radiantly when she saw him. "I knew those naughty girls would pull some tests on you."


    He held her into his arms. "Forget simple tests from a trio of girls. No matter what tests life throws at us, we will always be victorious. My love, you look so beautiful that I want to cancel the engagement and just admire you all night."


    "You can admire me after the banquet." She hooked her arm around his. "The guests must be here. We shouldn''t keep them waiting."


    ¡­


    On that note, the banquet began. After the introductory speech, Cheng Yu was going to get herself a glass of champagne when a strong hand pulled her away and she got dragged to a secluded section.


    "What the hell are you doing?" She asked the culprit, Cedric Han.


    The man looked wronged.


    Seeing his pitiful demeanor, she had the urge to pat his head. "Are you alright?"


    He nodded and shook his head immediately after. "I''m just as good as anyone could be when attending the banquet of his enemy."


    She furrowed her eyebrows at his complaining tone. He had the guts to complain?! Wasn''t he the one who clung onto her like gum and insisted on coming to the banquet with her?


    Seeing her accusatory tone, he whined. "I only wanted to spend some time with you! Who would have thought¡­"


    Cheng Yu had to admit that his skin really was thick. He could manage to go to the territory of the man he hated so much simply to spend some time with the girl he liked?


    Though she couldn''t totally blame him. When he confessed his feelings to her, she neither agreed nor refused to be with him and vaguely told him that she was not ready. Hence, he decided to wait for her. Alas, she had been avoiding him with all sorts of excuses so when he found the chance, he stubbornly clung to her.


    "Yu, I''m bored. Let''s go somewhere more secretive and pass some time."


    She rolled her eyes at him. "What''s the point of going to a banquet if you are merely going to stay aside and pass time? I''m going to use this chance to make connections with other people in the business circle."


    "But, Yu¡­"


    "One more word from you and I''ll deduct your salary by eighty percent." She cut him off.


    Cedric was deflated. He had almost forgotten that Cheng Yu was his boss now. Although she also drew comics on the comic application, it didn''t change the fact that she was a co-founder of Moonlight Studios and that made her rank several tiers above him.


    He was the heir to a regal conglomerate and didn''t care much about the money he earned from drawing comics. However, he was still devastated when Cheng Yu threatened him. Would her heart ever soften and find a place for him?


    ***


    A.N


    ?It''s finally here!?


    Soon, I will be playing a game(or a few games) with you guys in the comment section and on the discord server, with many rewards including nitros and coins. Leave your comments so I know if there will be anyone actually playing.


    ?If you haven''t yet, check out my new book: The Tyrant''s Wife.

 Chapter 357 - The Wrath Of Xia Luna

    Xingyu led Luna to the banquet hall with their arms hooked. "Are you ready?"


    "Well¡­ I guess?" Luna stuttered.


    Xingu slowed down his steps worriedly. "Are you alright? If you are feeling unwell, we can cancel the banquet and have it on some other day."


    When she saw him whip out his phone in preparation to make a call and call off the banquet, she shook her head helplessly. "I''m alright. I''m just nervous."


    More than her nervousness, she was in disbelief. It was still hard to believe that she was engaged and that she was hosting her engagement banquet tonight. It still felt like a dream.


    Xingyu held her hand to comfort her. He knew that she was still new to such settings. "If a guest makes you nervous, just imagine they have a pair of bunny ears."


    Luna burst into laughter. "Do you think I''m a little girl?"


    "It still lessened your nervousness though." He chuckled.


    She couldn''t deny that she was indeed a lot more relaxed after laughing at his antics.


    "There you are. You look so beautiful!" Madam Jiang exclaimed when she finally saw her soon to be daughter-in-law. She took a moment to admire her then turned to her son. "It''s almost time for the opening speech. You guys will do the opening dance as well."


    "Got it." Xingyu led Luna to the stage.


    Just as he took the microphone, they both saw a figure walking in through the entrance. Luna was shocked. Li Yuming attended the banquet?


    Xingyu held her hand. The guests'' attention had been drawn by the arrival of Li Yuming. He lowered his voice to ask, "Are you happy that she is here?"


    She shrugged. "Honestly, it makes no difference.


    Before this, she had been scared that Li Yuming''s absence might make it feel like the banquet was incomplete, and that she would be overjoyed to see her. But seeing her arrive, Luna realized that it didn''t really make a difference whether she was there or not.


    ¡­


    Li Yuming''s presence may not have made a difference to Luna, but it did to other people. When Madam Jiang saw her, she nodded in approval. "She finally knows to look for her daughter."


    Jiang Xing Ren shot her a glance. "Who is to say that she is not here merely to save herself face? After all, more and more people are finding out that she has two daughters, Luna and Lanni. If she doesn''t show up at her own daughter''s engagement banquet, what will everyone say about her?"


    Madam Jiang frowned when she realized just how high the possibility was. Perhaps Li Yuming was here not because she wanted to, but because she was scared to lose face.


    "Whatever. As long as she doesn''t ruin my daughter-in-law''s day." She dismissed.


    Li Yuming looked over at them and when her eyes locked with Madam Jiang, she let out a smile. She then took a glass of champagne from a waiter''s tray and took a sip when Xingyu raised a toast to everyone.


    A slow song started playing, and Xingyu led Luna to the dance floor. He pulled her palm onto his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist, then started moving gracefully to the rhythm.


    They looked happy and love stricken as they looked into each other''s eyes and danced around the hall. Soon, the guests started to pair up and join in.


    Jiang Xingren dragged his wife to the floor, Xiehan naturally chose Lanni for the first dance and waltzed just a short distance away from his parents.


    "May I have this dance?" Cedric appeared before Cheng Yu.


    "Do I have a choice?" She asked in a low volume. They were being watched, so it would be awkward for him if he got rejected. Hence, she grudgingly placed her palm in his hand. "This once."


    Cedric was overjoyed.


    Using the same trick, Lin Jian managed to get Ruby to dance with him and he was even happier than the groom when she agreed.


    Li Yuming felt a mixture of complicated feelings as she watched everyone enjoy the dance. She was about to go to the washroom when someone magically appeared before her. "It''s nice to see you."


    Her gaze narrowed when she realized that it was Xia Hanchen. "I cannot say the same about you."


    The man chuckled and asked to dance together, to which she sternly said no.


    "Come on, can''t you humor me for our daughter''s sake? Today is her special day." He gazed at Luna.


    Li Yuming followed his gaze and studied how Luna didn''t seem to have anyone else in her eyes. It was as though the banquet hall was just a backdrop and all she could see was Xingyu. "Does she look like she cares?" After all, she didn''t even care to say hello.


    Xia Hanchen threw his shoulders back. "I don''t know, but I care."


    Before she could figure out whatever nonsense he was trying to say, he grabbed a drink from a passing waiter''s tray and took a sip, heading away from her.


    ___


    The banquet went on smoothly.


    After dancing for a while, Xingyu brought her to introduce her to the Jiang family''s close friends and relatives.


    He brought her to an elegant foreign woman with a bob haircut. "This is my cousin-in-law, Lexi." He introduced, calling for the woman''s attention. "Lexi, meet Luna, my wife."


    "I lived long enough to see you get engaged. Congratulations!" Lexi shook their hands, then lowered her voice to tease Xingyu. "You have good taste."


    They chatted a little before Lexi''s husband brought her away.


    Xingyu held Luna''s hand as he watched the duo leave. "Those are Chloe''s parents."


    "Oh¡­" Luna was embarrassed when she remembered who Chloe was. It was the little girl who had once called Xingyu at night, making her misunderstand and think he was in a relationship with another woman. "They didn''t bring the girl with them to see you?"


    Xingyu was a little surprised too. "Perhaps they don''t want to bother me with their child anymore, considering I''m engaged now. After all, their cute daughter almost made me lose the trust of my wife." He glanced at her meaningfully.


    "Shut up." Her cheeks flushed. She noticed something from the corner of her eye and her brows knitted.


    "Did something happen?" He tried to follow her line of sight but didn''t see anything particularly attention grabbing.


    "No. Play on your own for a while, I''ll be right back." She unhooked their hands and disappeared into the hallway as soon as her words were out.


    She stalked to the end of the hallway and found the person she had noticed, Xiaoshi. She was sitting on the floor and hugging her knees.


    "Xiaoshi?" She called out and held a hand to touch the girl''s shoulder.


    The girl''s body visibly stiffened. However, when she turned, she had a smile on her face. "Luna?"


    "Why are you sitting here on your own?" Luna asked, even though she already knew the answer.


    Xiaoshi maintained her smile, even though her eyes clearly portrayed just how hurt she was. "I wanted to take a breather. I will be back in shortly."


    The latter nodded. She knew that even if she made Xiaoshi talk, there wasn''t anything she could do to make her feel better, so she let it be. Even so, she could not leave her to stay out here on her own, especailly not when she was so sad. "Have you tried the strawberry cakes? Lanni selected them. Have a taste later."


    "Mh." Xiaoshi cheered up and went back into the hall. Sighing in relief, Luna went to say hello to some of the guests.


    ¡­


    A few minutes later.


    Luna finally found the chance to take a breather and talk to her girlfriends.


    "Holding a banquet is so tiresome." Lanni lamented.


    "You can say that again! But I''m happy that I''ve found a few more partners to collaborate with." Cheng Yu smiled.


    "Well done, Xiao Yu." Luna raised a toast to her, but she drank a glass of juice instead of wine.


    "I will have to thank CEO Jiang for inviting such prominent guests. But since he already has you, you can help us thank him." Cheng Yu winked suggestively, earning a glare from Luna.


    Lanni chuckled and suddenly paused. "That is¡­"


    Cheng Yu and Luna followed her gaze to see the said CEO Jiang talking with Xiaoshi. Just as they were about to dismiss it as a common conversation between friends, Xiaoshi turned to leave but tripped on the hem of her dress and fell right into Xingyu''s arms!


    The girls'' jaws dropped.


    ¡­


    The girls were not the only ones who witnessed the scene. Lin Jian and Xiehan did too.


    "Bravo!" Lin Jian clapped. "Wait. Not bravo. That''s a great move, but she is doing it on a taken man. Can she really handle the wrath of Luna?


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow to the scene. Did she really trip on purpose?

 Chapter 358 - The Culprit

    Luna clenched her fists so hard they cracked.


    "Luna, you¡­" Lanni was still speaking when she realized that Luna was no longer beside her. Instead, she was beside Xingyu.


    She grabbed Xiaoshi and pulled her away from Xingyu, glaring at her fiercely.


    "Luna¡­" Xiaoshi stuttered.


    "I didn''t expect this from you, Xiaoshi. How dare you try to seduce my fianc¨¦ using such a lowly move, and right under my nose ! Have you no shame?"


    "It''s not what you think!" Xiaoshi defended herself.


    "Oh, it''s not?" Luna crossed her arms, regarding the other sarcastically. "Sure, I''m supposed to believe that your gown was so long that you tripped on it, and ''accidentally'' fell onto my fianc¨¦s chest because he simply happened to be there. Yun Xiaoshi, who are you trying to fool?"


    "Luna, you¡­" The girl shook her head, her mouth wide in disbelief. "I¡­ excuse me."


    She dashed out of the banquet hall.


    The guests immediately fell into chatter.


    "How shameless! She actually dared to seduce the groom in a hall full of guests!" A middle aged lady frowned in disapproval.


    "Well, the groom is quite handsome. We cannot blame her for falling for him. But seducing him when she knows that he is engaged is indeed too much." Another remarked.


    "Youngsters these days¡­"


    "That''s mean." Xingyu remarked as the hall filled with whispers and curses about Xiaoshi''s behaviour.


    Luna shot him a glare. "Are you sad that I told off your little beauty? Speaking of which, why did you catch her?"


    "Because it really was an accident. She would have gotten injured if she really fell. She is Xiehan''s cousin after all." He wanted this to end as fast as possible. Although he found it absolutely adorable that she was jealous and protective, this was a banquet after all.


    "I can''t believe this." Luna let out a laugh. "You really thought she tripped? You would believe a woman as long as she cries and looks pitiful? Now I understand why men end up getting tricked by women."


    "Honey¡­" he awkwardly held her shoulders.


    When she looked at him like she wanted to rip him into pieces, he waved his hands in self defense. "I''m just saying, being angry will exhaust too much of your emotional strength. How about I help you? I can be angry on your behalf."


    Luna rolled her eyes, still furious at what had just happened. But since she didn''t want to ruin the banquet over such a trivial matter, she let it be.


    The banquet rolled back into order and the guests soon forgot about what had transpired. However, Xiaoshi didn''t go back into the hall.


    Lanni was initially intending to let her be alone for a while but worried that she might hurt herself, she went to check on her. She looked for her for a while and just when she was about to give up her search, she finally heard sobs coming from the parking lot. She followed the sound and sure enough, Xiaoshi was crying her heart out as Xiehan scolded her.


    "Do you know what would happen if you selfishly ruined Xingyu''s family? Not only would Xingyu end up hating you, Luna would hate you as well. Then, (I know she is not that kind of person) but what if you get bullied at work? Also, don''t forget that you are my cousin. If my in-laws have a bad impression of my family, do you think they would fully trust me with Lanni? Also, do you know how disappointed aunt would be if she found out that you are going after someone else''s husband?"


    Lanni felt a headache coming on as she approached them. "Xiehan, enough."


    "It''s for her own good." Xiehan''s gaze narrowed. Although he was happy that Xiaoshi fell in love with a nice man, he was taken and there was nothing that could be done about that.


    Xiaoshi threw herself into Lanni''s arms like she had seen a saviour. "Lanni, I really didn''t mean to. It was really an accident."


    Lanni patted her head in surprise. "Are you telling the truth?"


    Seeing that there was finally someone who was willing to hear her side of the story, she nodded vehemently. "I received a text message from someone who claimed to be Xingyu, saying that he had something to tell me and that I should go on my own. Because it was within the hall and there were many guests, I didn''t think too much and went to him. But then he said he didn''t send me any text message. We laughed it off and I was about to go and look for the real sender when I felt a tug on the front hem of my dress. Then my shoe got trapped and I lost my balance. I would have fallen on my face if Xingyu didn''t hold me."


    Lanni was flabbergasted when she heard the recount of what had transpired. "Do you still have the message?"


    "Yes. It''s right here." She hurriedly fumbled for her purse and fished out her phone. She scrolled through a few times but after a while, her expression changed.


    "What is it?" Lanni raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s gone!" Xiaoshi was in disbelief. "I swear, I did not delete it."


    Xiehan snorted at the side. "Let me have a look at your phone."


    Xiaoshi was upset that her cousin didn''t fully trust her, but she gave her phone to him if it could prove her innocence.


    "My laptop is in my car." He said as he inspected the pink phone. "I will find out whether your phone was hacked into, and recover the deleted message."


    He had just finished his statement when a loud crash resounded from the hall. Screams followed, and the lights went out.


    It took a minute for the lights to be back on when and when they were, what met everyone''s sight was the humongous chandelier on the floor. It had shattered into pieces.


    "I''ll go check on everyone. You check Xiaoshi''s phone." Lanni headed right back into the banquet ball when Xiehan nodded. Although she knew that she was being paranoid for nothing, there were so many cases of assassination that happened in a similar fashion. Her heart raced as she dashed to check on Luna.


    She was relieved when she saw the latter with Xingyu.


    "There you are. I was coming to check on you." Luna looked pale, she had probably imagined the same thing.


    Lanni threw her arms around her sister. "I''m glad you are fine. I was scared."


    Luna rubbed her back. "That was strange¡­ why would a chandelier suddenly drop?"


    Xingyu thought hard about it. there was no such thing as too much caution. "Lanni, could you and Cheng Yu help us check whether everyone is alright? I will ask Lin Jian to join you. Luna and I will go to check what happened."


    Lanni nodded and broke the hug. "Be careful."


    ¡­


    Luckily, no one was missing and only a few people sustained slight scratches from when the chandelier broke, and were currently being taken care of. Lanni heaved a sigh of relief when everyone was accounted for.


    She joined Cheng Yu and Lin Jian in the dressing room after calling Luna to report the situation.


    "Do you think the banquet can still be saved?" Cheng Yu was helpless. Although no one was badly injured, some of the guests were still in shock.


    "I believe Aunty Xinghe and Uncle Xingren will take care of it." Lin Jian nodded to the guests who were talking to Madam Jiang.


    Soon, Luna and Xingyu joined them, looking uneasy.


    "Indeed, someone tampered with the chandelier. Xingyu and I checked, and from the security footage, someone tried to turn off the surveillance cameras. Although this has nothing to do with the chandelier, it is sneaky. We also found out that the chandelier broke because of a sudden change of voltage, which could have been done by someone on purpose." Luna looked disappointed and sad as she explained.


    "Did you find out who it was?" Lanni had a bad feeling about it.


    "Someone who wanted to ruin the banquet." Luna laughed bitterly. The culprit didn''t want to hurt anyone, they merely wanted to ruin the banquet. Looking at the guests who were taking their leave one after another, the scheme was a success.


    Lanni thought back to Xiaoshi''s words and frowned. "No wonder. What if they wanted to use Xiaoshi to ruin the banquet? After all, if a woman seduced the groom in his engagement party, the bride might be so angry that she would create an embarrassing scene."


    "What are you even saying?" Luna frowned. Was she saying that Xiaoshi''s incident was really an accident?


    Lanni explained what Xiaoshi had told them in the parking lot, and speculated that it was the same person behind both scenes. But who hated Luna and Xingyu so much?


    Just as they spoke, Xiehan came in with Xiaoshi behind him, shock written all over their faces.


    "What happened?" They all looked over at him, waiting for the results of his investigation.


    Xiehan clenched his fists as he bit out the words.. "Aunty Li was behind it."

 Chapter 359 - Shocking Coincidence

    Lanni widened her eyes in disbelief. "How could that be?"


    "The evidence is right here." Xiehan showed her the text message he had recovered on Xiaoshi''s phone. The cell phone number indeed belonged to Li Yuming.


    Lanni shook her head. "How could she do this? Wait. What would she even gain from having Xiaoshi get to Xingyu?"


    "You don''t get it yet?" Luna laughed bitterly. "Mildest outcome, I would be so angry that I would wreck the banquet, and then I would turn into the joke of the entire city.


    Or, I will think Xingyu is playing around and break up with him. Or who knows, what if Xiaoshi really seduced Xingyu and he fell in love with her? What would happen to me then?"


    Lanni didn''t know what to say. Just the fact that a mother could even want to do such a thing to her own daughter was shocking.


    "How dare she? I will kill her!" Roared a voice from the door, making everyone have a bad feeling.


    Lanni felt the world was ending when she turned and saw the enraged Xia Hanchen. "Dad¡­"


    The man did not collapse as they dreaded. Instead, he went back to the banquet hall where most of the guests had already left, and only a handful were left.


    He sucked in a breath furiously and grabbed the hand of Li Yuming who was about to leave. In the next instant, he landed a slap right across her face.


    "How dare you!" Li Yuming exploded.


    "No. How dare you!" Xia Hanchen roared. "I know you hate my daughter. I get it. But how dare you try to ruin her engagement? She is pregnant with your grandchild, yet that doesn''t even stop you from plotting against her?!"


    Li Yuming''s jaw dropped with every word that the man said. "What nonsense are you saying? When did I plot against Luna?"


    She looked up to see Luna walk towards her with Lanni, Xingyu and Xiehan. She laughed as she pointed a finger at Luna. "Of course. It must be her. What lie did this girl say this time?"


    Luna clenched her fists tightly, and Xingyu held her protectively.


    "The evidence is already here, yet you are still trying to deny it?" Xia Hanchen was in disbelief. "We all know that you are the one who tampered with the chandelier. We also know that you deliberately set Xiaoshi up to cause misunderstandings. Do you even have a heart?"


    Li Yuming furrowed her brows. "Ridiculous! I attended this banquet out of respect for the fact that I am still Xia Luna''s biological mother, but that doesn''t mean you can accuse me of anything and pin whatever blame you want onto me!"


    Luna rolled her eyes. "Quit pretending." She then took Xiaoshi''s phone from Xiehan and tapped on the screen to reveal the message, and then showed it to Li Yuming. "Since you are innocent, can you explain why you sent this message to Xiaoshi?"


    Li Yuming shook her head without checking out the message. "Yun Xiaoshi and I have only met twice in our lives and I don''t have her cell phone number. How would I send her a message, and why would I even do it?"


    Seeing that Luna was still holding the phone to her, she casually read the message, and then she was stumped.


    "I understand that you hate me, but I am your daughter after all. Doesn''t it break your heart?" Luna asked.


    "Luna¡­" Xia Hanchen felt his heart shatter into pieces. Before he could say anything else, Madam Jiang, who had been watching to see whether Li Yuming would tell the trut, came over.


    "Yuming, I don''t know what comes over you every time you see Luna and tempts you to bully her, but I will not let you bully anyone from the Jiang family. Please leave before I call the police and have you arrested for attempted physical assault." She pointed towards the entrance as she wrapped a hand around Luna''s shoulder.


    Li Yuming had never felt so humiliated. She took in a deep breath but scoffed in the end. "Lanni, let''s go."


    "I will stay with Xiehan tonight." Lanni responded expressionlessly.


    Li Yuming looked at her. Did she also think she was responsible?


    Lanni avoided her gaze. She couldn''t start to describe how disappointed she was. Li Yuming shrugged and left.


    ¡­


    "I''m sorry I misunderstood you." Luna said to Xiaoshi later when they were alone.


    Xiaoshi forced a smile and said nothing. It was not okay. Nonetheless, "I understand. I wouldn''t be comfortable if I were in your place either. But Luna, you should know that I have no intention to wreck your engagement."


    Luna remained silent, wondering how she could make it up to Xiaoshi for having misunderstood her.


    "I guess we could never be completely comfortable around each other." Xiaoshi said through a smile.


    Luna couldn''t deny it so she nodded. The only way she could be comfortable around Xiaoshi was if the girl stopped loving Xingyu and moved on, but that was definitely going to take a while.


    ___


    After seeing the remaining guests off, Jiang Xingren led his wife out of the hotel, and so did Ji Huifen.


    Lin Jian saw Ruby try to slip away and dashed to her. "Where are you going?"


    "Away from you!" Ruby looked bummed that she had been found out.


    "But we are supposed to go together." He slotted himself next to her, and hooked her arm with his own.


    "You only asked me to attend the banquet with you and the banquet is over. What else do you want?"


    "I will drop you off. Otheriwise, your dad will give me a good beating the next time he sees me." He used the only available excuse though he was not lying. Ruby was insanely pampered by her father. If he felt that a man was taking advantage of his daughter and not guaranteeing her safety by making sure she was home, he couldn''t guarantee that he would not get his legs broken.


    Ruby rolled her eyes. At this moment, she didn''t have a choice but to let this playboy drop her off. Even if she said no, she wouldn''t be able to hail a cab in this part of the city. If she called her dad to have a chauffeur pick her up, he would tell her to let Lin Jian drop her off. What a headache. "Fine."


    Lin Jian was overjoyed. "Give me a second. I will say goodbye to Xiehan and grab my car keys from the dressing room." He dashed off as soon as his words were out.


    She crossed her arms and leaned against his car to wait for him.


    A minute passed. She was just wondering whether she should still wait when she saw a girl head out. She frowned in surprise.


    Xiaoshi was surprised when she bumped into Ruby. She couldn''t explain it but she found Ruby quite familiar. More than that, why did they look almost like a copy of each other?


    "You are¡­?" Xiaoshi asked as she tried to recall what Lin Jian had called her earlier.


    "Ruby." Ruby introduced herself with a smile. "Yun Xiaoshi, right?"


    Xiaoshi nodded. "You know me?"


    "Yes. Aren''t you Xiehan''s cousin?" Ruby smiled, making the other surprised.


    They ended up chatting a little, before Xiaoshi pointed out the shocking coincidence. "You know, I used to think that the only way people could look alike is by being twins. You know, like Lanni and Luna. But looking at you¡­" Xiaoshi was surprised by what she was about to say. "Forget the similarities between us. I can swear, your eyes look just like my mothers!"


    "You are kidding!" Ruby laughed.


    "I swear, I''m not kidding." Xiaoshi reached to take out her phone so she could show Ruby a picture of her mother, but remembered that she had given it to Xiehan so he would check it out for her and ensure she had not lost any data from when it was hacked.


    "Uh¡­ can I use your phone for a minute?" She asked shyly.


    "Sure." Ruby didn''t think too much of it and handed over her phone.


    Xiaoshi quickly logged into her social media account and found a picture of her mother, then showed it to Ruby.


    The latter was stunned. "We really do have the same eyes."


    "I told you. What a coincidence, right? Hey, do you think my mum had twins and didn''t know about it?" She guessed jokingly.


    Ruby burst into laughter. "You''re so funny. But I am at least a year older than you."


    "Oh well¡­" Xiaoshi shrugged. Perhaps it really was a coincidence.


    "Don''t get worked up. Perhaps we might be related but in a different way?" Ruby giggled.


    "What do you mean?" Xiaoshi was stumped.


    Ruby heard footsteps and when she looked up, she saw Xiehan leaving with Lanni and Lin Jian. She looked back at Xiaoshi with a laugh. "I was just kidding!"


    *-*-


    ????????¡â?Do comment and let me know what you think!

 Chapter 360 - An Audacious Request

    "Hey Lanni." She flashed a smile at Lanni who was beside Xiehan.


    When the latter merely smiled and nodded to acknowledge her, she pulled a lock of hair behind her hair nervously. "Can we talk?"


    Lanni shifted her gaze to Xiehan while in thought, trying to confirm her last conclusion. The man was not paying attention to Ruby and was busy showing Lin Jian something. Relieved, she pulled Ruby to the side. "What do you want to talk about?"


    "I''m sorry." Ruby went straight to the point. "I may have said things¡­ that caused a misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding?" Lanni raised an eyebrow. She had clearly confessed that she liked Xiehan. What was there to misunderstand?


    Ruby knew this, which was why things had almost spiralled out of control. "Lanni, if I leaned against you and said that I like you, what would you think of it?"


    Lanni thought about it and really couldn''t think too much of it.


    "That''s my point." Ruby smiled. "The misunderstanding was only caused because I was beside him and because he is a man."


    "Right¡­" Lanni decided to let go of the matter since she wouldn''t gain anything from dwelling on it anyway.


    Ruby knew that Lanni didn''t really trust her words so she added, "actually, I''m in love with Lin Jian."


    "What¡­?" Lanni was surprised. There was someone who liked that idiot?


    Ruby looked embarrassed. "Well, I couldn''t help it. But being with someone like him¡­ is there any woman in B City who hasn''t been with him? Just how many girlfriends does he have already? Although I like him and I know he has interest in me too, I would rather keep my feelings to myself than be with a man who can''t keep his d*ck in his pants for a moment."


    Lanni was still surprised about the sudden information. Nonetheless, she was not surprised about Ruby''s decision. After all, being with a man who would only date you for a day or two and then break up was merely asking for a heartbreak. Recalling what the idiot had been yapping about lately, she couldn''t help remarking about it. "Love changes people. Perhaps he will stop playing around since he is in love with you now."


    "If only that can happen." Ruby smiled. It was near impossible, considering this was Lin Jian they were talking about. "Well, I hope you''re no longer mad at me. Can we still be friends?"


    Lanni had to admit that she did feel happier about Ruby being in love with someone else and not having an interest in her Xiehan. "Sure."


    The girls hugged, but Lanni was still slightly wary. After all, if Ruby hated her and wanted to get rid of her, she might just pretend to be friendly to her.


    "Xiehan must be waiting. I''ll get going now." Lanni was about to turn and go back when she noticed Ruby''s troubled look. "Is there something else?"


    Ruby took the latter''s hands. "Lanni¡­"


    She was about to say something when she changed her mind midway. "Do you want to grab a drink together sometime?"


    Lanni knew that it was not what the girl wanted to say, but she didn''t say anything about it.


    ¡­


    Xiaoshi went to say goodbye to Ruby before she could get into Xiehan''s car with Lanni.


    "See you soon?" She said as she hugged Ruby.


    Ruby sighed and was about to leave when she recalled something. Xiaoshi could be of help too¡­ Hence she carefully brought it up. "Xiaoshi, could you help me with something?"


    "Of course." She was happy to be of help.


    "Could you¡­" Ruby carefully made sure that no one was listening. "Could you help me meet up with Xiehan?"


    Xiaoshi was stumped. What?!


    "Please don''t misunderstand. It''s just that he has been avoiding me but I have something very important to tell him. I would have asked Lanni for help but we just cleared a misunderstanding and I am not ready to start another.


    Xiaoshi blinked her eyes in disbelief. "What could be so important? Tell me about it and I will pass the message to him, or tell Lanni about it."


    "I can''t¡­ it''s a secret as well."


    Xiaoshi looked at her suspiciously. What was so secretive that Lanni couldn''t hear about it? She was at a loss too. "I''m sorry. My cousin would be mad at me if I helped another woman meet up with him in secret. You do know what someone else might think, right?"


    "Please." Ruby pleaded earnestly. "I promise, it''s not anything that could sow discord between Lanni and Xiehan."


    "My cousin''s waiting." Xiaoshi saw that Xiehan was waving at her and used it as an excuse to flee. What a strange woman. But why was it that when she saw Ruby looking so pitiful, she almost couldn''t take it? If she stayed for a single second more, heaven knew she would have thrown away all her caution and helped Ruby.


    ¡­


    Lanni''s apartment.


    Xiaoshi unknowingly paced the living room in distress. No matter how she tried, she couldn''t get Ruby''s pitiful gaze off her mind. In the end, Xiehan grabbed her hand so she would stop pacing. "What''s wrong with you?"


    Xiaoshi stopped and glanced towards the kitchen, where Lanni was making some snacks for them. "Cousin, can you do me a favor?"


    Xiehan chuckled helplessly. "If you need something, you can just say it. Why do you need to look so depressed?"


    Xiaoshi felt guilty that she was about to do this, but she couldn''t stop herself. What if it really was an emergency and only Xiehan could be of help? Hence, she pushed the guilty thoughts to the back of her mind. "Could you meet me tomorrow? I will tell you then."


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow. Was it because Lanni couldn''t know whatever they were going to talk about? "Xiaoshi, what mischief are you up to this time?" He asked strictly.


    "Nothing! I have never been up to any mischief, okay? Then it''s decided. I will see you at Flowery Ile Hotel at noon." She dashed into the kitchen before he could say no.


    "What are you making? It smells delicious!" She exclaimed as soon as she barged into the kitchen.


    "Does it? I hope it tastes as good." Lanni laughed. "I''m making strawberry cupcakes and the last time I made them, they were a disaster."


    "I''m sure they will be awesome." Xiaoshi rubbed the back of her neck and then took a glass and half filled it with water. She took the water in small sips and when Lanni was not looking, she quickly sent a message to Ruby.


    The two of them had exchanged contact numbers the first time they met tonight.


    [Flowery Ile Hotel at noon.]


    ''Sorry cousin.'' She thought as she sent the message, then hoped that Ruby indeed had something important to say. She then acted as though nothing was happening.


    ___


    The next day.


    In a large conference room in Moonlight Studios.


    Because she had been away from work for a while, Luna had many reports to listen to. When they were done, she finally talked about the new face in the meeting room, who everyone had been curious about throughout the meeting.


    "Everyone welcome Yun Xiaoshi, the new programmer. She is capable and talented and I hope no one will give her a hard time." Luna introduced and everyone looked at Xiaoshi.


    "Please take care of me." Xiaoshi said modestly, then shyly added, "Don''t listen to boss. I would never be a hundredth as good as her."


    "She is pretty and humble. Is she single?" A male employee asked, and everyone burst into laughter.


    "She is pretty, but I still want to contest with CEO Jiang for boss. Do you think I can win?" Another male employee interjected.


    "Jokes aside." Luna massaged her temples. It was because she was usually friendly even when she was serious that everyone grew a little too close to her, not that she minded it.


    Knowing that the male employees were not joking and they really had feelings for her, she deliberately raised her hand so they would see her engagement ring. Heaven knew that a certain someone would explode if he heard them joke around about stealing her away.


    After the meeting, Xiaoshi was shown to her office, where she would be working with a few other programmers. Her new workmates were friendly and spent most of the morning explaining Moonlight Studio''s current project to her.


    ____


    Noon, at Flowery Ile Hotel.


    Xiehan wondered what the hell his little cousin was up to. But knowing that she rarely made unnecessary trouble, he went over to the VIP room that she had sent to him.


    Alas, as soon as he opened the door, the person he saw holding a menu was not Xiaoshi, but Ruby!


    "You¡­" He was in disbelief, quickly understanding the situation. What lowly trick was this?


    "I''m sorry I used this trick. Xiehan, can you sit? It''s important." She said immediately.


    "If you want to talk business, give my assistant a call. If not, then stay in your lane and don''t ask for trouble." He growled and turned to leave.


    "Xiehan!" Ruby stood up, but perhaps she stood too fast, a thud resounded as she fell onto the floor, passing out.

 Chapter 361 - Prove Her Worth

    "Stop faking it." Xiehan was annoyed. Was this girl trying to make him carry her to the hospital so she would take pictures and send them to Lanni, creating a misunderstanding between them? What an outdated trick.


    As a human being, part of him strongly wanted to believe that she had really fainted but he couldn''t help recalling what had happened the last time he helped "a woman in trouble".


    He was about to turn and leave when he felt a strong reluctance in his heart. Could she have injured her head from the impact of the fall? What if her life was in danger?


    Pinching his nose bridge, he took out his phone and called Lin Jian. "Where are you?"


    "Lin Media Group." The latter responded immediately. "What''s up, did you miss me too much already?"


    "Just shut up." Xiehan really wanted to ask what he had done wrong to deserve a friend like him. He never stopped joking! "Get to Flowery Ile Hotel right away. Your woman''s life may be in danger."


    "Who? Ruby?! I''ll be there right away!" Lin Jian caught on immediately, and Xiehan heard him bark a few orders before hanging up.


    He must be rushing over, so Xiehan felt more relaxed and sent the VIP room number over. This way, he could be sure that no trouble would arise, and at the same time, Ruby would be safe if she was not pretending. But, why did he still feel uneasy?


    He stalked to his car and got in. As the chauffeur drove off, his phone rang. His eyes darkened when he saw the caller identity. That mischievous girl!


    "May I know what you meant by doing this?" He tried to control his temper, or else he would get Xiaoshi''s location and slap the hell out of her.


    "C-cousin¡­" Came the timid voice.


    "I''m sure you are aware that I have a girlfriend, right?" His voice sounded threatening.


    "I thought she might really be in trouble. But later, I wondered what would happen if she had tricked me, so I called to check on you." Xiaoshi explained guiltily. "I''m glad you are alright."


    "Don''t try such madness again." Since she already knew her mistake, Xiehan did not dwell on it too much.


    ¡­


    He had just arrived at Feng Ji International when Lin Jian called him.


    "How did you know that Ruby had fainted?" He went straight to the point.


    Xiehan frowne, placing his phone on his desk and reaching for a file. He didn''t want to bring that matter up. "It doesn''t matter. How is she?"


    Lin Jian let out an audible sigh. "Her condition isn''t looking great. I just contacted her father."


    Xiehan was surprised. She wasn''t faking it? Luckily he had not chosen to ignore her completely. Or else, perhaps could not have been saved. For some strange reason, his heart was unsettled. He couldn''t help wondering what exactly she wanted to tell him. Perhaps it was not what he thought?


    Thinking about it, he sent a text message to Lanni.


    ___


    Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni had finally gotten the hang of doing things. After busying herself about all morning, she went to the CEO''s office to report her progress in the last few days.


    "Very good." The man nodded in approval when he heard all about her progress. "Mr. Ming has a good eye."


    Lanni couldn''t stop a smile from surfacing. "Thank you." To gain the approval of the CEO in such a short time proved that she really was more capable than she thought.


    "I''m not saying this so you slack off." CEO Qian emphasized. "Mr. Ming was so good at his job that I kept insisting that there couldn''t possibly be anyone good enough to take his place. However, from my observation these few days, I have high expectations for you. Do not disappoint me."


    "I will work hard." Lanni promised, then left the CEO''s office.


    As she got back to her own office, she realized that everyone was giving her a curious look. Some would run away as soon as they saw her, and a few groups would disperse as soon as she approached. It was no doubt that there must be some topic going on around her¡­ again.


    "What''s going on?" She asked a random journalist when she submitted her article a few minutes later.


    The girl looked nervous. "Chief Editor, Han Lili has been going around saying that you seduced the CEO and that is how you managed to steal her position from her." When she heard Lanni let out a laugh, she shook her hands as she trembled. "I¡­ I didn''t say it! It was Han Lili."


    Lanni rolled her pen. So it was this rumor, just more twisted to appear a little more dramatic. She scoffed. "What do you think? Does it make any sense?"


    "What?" The girl was confused.


    "Nothing." Lanni smiled. She knew that she had the authority to fire anyone below her in the company. However, that would be no fun. She had a way to make sure Han Lili didn''t have the strength to ever act b*tchy around her boss again. For now, she could only watch whatever was going on around her with a scoff.


    Her phone vibrated with an incoming text message. Judging from the jovial smile on her face, it was obvious who the text message was from.


    [Xiehan: Are you free after work? I would like you to accompany me somewhere.]


    She smiled before replying, [Bribe me and I will go.]


    Soon his reply arrived. He had sent a kissing emoticon and asked whether it was enough. She laughed. How silly¡­ [Obviously, it''s not! That''s not how you bribe your girlfriend.] She attached a pouty gif.


    She only needed to wait for a few seconds before his reply came in. [How about we go first? Then I will ''bribe'' you in my bed all night.]


    "That pervert." Her cheeks flushed scarlet. No matter how much time passed, he was still a pervert through and through. But then again, she had asked for it so she could only send over an [Okay] with a :Yay: emoji. Actually, she looked forward to that ''bribe''...


    ___


    Moonlight Studios.


    After being shown around and learning about the company''s new projects in her departments, Xiaoshi was informed that she would undergo a probation period of three months.


    During this period, she had to prove her worth. Once the three months were over, her work would be assessed and she would be assigned to a group depending on her talents, or dismissed if it was found that her presence couldn''t bring any worth to the company. However, there was also a rule that if an employee did something outstanding while in their probation period, they could directly become a permanent employee.


    Although Xiaoshi had fought with Luna recently, she didn''t decide to slack off and get dismissed as anyone would expect. On the contrary, she still admired Luna''s capability and still had the desire to work under a boss like her.


    Hence, she decided that she would make sure to stand out as soon as possible.


    Once she had the time, she carefully studied one of the projects she thought she could be of help doing. It was the new application being developed by Luna, which was an otome game that would use Cheng Yu''s most popular comic as its story.


    Xiaoshi thought it was an excellent idea, considering the millions of readers who loved the comic and wished they would have more interactions with the main leads. It was certain that the game would have uncountable players as soon as it was launched. As expected of Luna.


    To get more insight, she read the comic even though she had already read it, trying to understand it more from a commercial point of view.


    The more she read, the more a certain idea etched itself in her mind. When she was done, she decided to pluck her courage and suggest it to Luna.


    When she reached the door of the CEO''s office, she was about to knock when her hand hung mid air. All her confidence faded. What if her idea was silly? Perhaps it was because she wanted to prove her worth that everything she thought of was excellent in her own mind. How embarrassing it would be if Luna scoffed at it or laughed¡­


    "Xiaoshi?" She was still battling mentally when the door opened and Luna appeared.


    Since it had come to this, Xiaoshi could only bite the bullet. "Boss, I had a tiny suggestion about the game "Demon Below Me."


    "Let''s hear it." Luna went back to her office and welcomed Xiaoshi, then listened to what the latter had to say.


    Xiaoshi let out a sigh and explained, "I realized that the comic that will be used as the game''s story is all about demons, but the more I read it, the more I found it opposite to another comic by Author Cedric, which is all about gods. It''s the kind of opposite that would look perfect together so¡­ how about we merge it into a game of demons and gods, and use both comics as the theme?"

 Chapter 362 - Working Together

    Luna checked out Cedric''s comic on the spot.


    "I have to admit that it''s indeed a good idea." She said joyously as soon as she pictured them in the same game.


    "It is?" Xiaoshi was surprised, especially since she was afraid that her idea was too lowly for Luna to approve.


    "Indeed. Why don''t you write the whole proposal? You can give it to me later and I will show it to Cedric and Cheng Yu. If the turn out is better than we had estimated for the original version, you will directly qualify as a permanent employee."


    "Thank you, Luna." It was almost unbelievable. She had gained so much approval on her first try? In the next second, her expression turned sad.


    As though reading her mind, Luna laughed. "Are you worried that I''m going easy on you because we knew each other before I scouted you?"


    "Uh-huh¡­" Xiaoshi nodded shyly.


    Luna was amused. "Don''t worry. I am a business-minded person. Of course, I will not risk ruining my company''s projects for the sake of friends. Even if it is Lanni, she will have to work hard and earn it."


    Hearing that, Xiaoshi felt reassured. She would only feel reassured if she got the things she deserved by working hard, not by having people be lenient on her.


    A knock resounded on the door and Cheng Yu came in with a notebook and a stylus in her hands. She glanced at Xiaoshi and when the latter left, she walked to Luna''s desk.


    "Luna, I completed the initial drafts."


    Luna took the notebook from her hand and scrolled through the drafts. She nodded in satisfaction. "However, you may not be able to use them as they are."


    "Is there anything I should change?" Cheng Yu looked over.


    "Not the drafts¡­ the story." She went ahead to explain Xiaoshi''s proposal. "So, you and Cedric will work together on this. You can bring over the final drafts once you are done."


    "Are you kidding me?" Cheng Yu wws stumped. She had to work together with that stubborn-as-hell man? Sadly, even she couldn''t deny the fact that merging both books would bring about a much better effect than if it was just one of them.


    Luna burst into laughter when she saw her friend''s defeated expression. "Are you unwilling to work with Cedric? Scared that you will fall head over he3ls in love with him, huh? Or could it be that you are already in love with him and are scared that your feelings will be revealed if the two of you work together?"


    Cheng Yu grabbed a piece of strawberry from the colorful fruit salad that Luna was munching on while working, and shoved it into the latter''s mouth. "Keep your mouth full. Is there any CEO who plays around as much as you do?"


    She had just finished her statement when she recalled that there indeed was one. "Lin Jian is a special case."


    Luna laughed. "Why don''t you get to work then, Author Yu?"


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes and decided to bite the bullet. It was for the sake of the company after all.


    In the end, Cedric and Cheng Yu sat opposite each other in the latter''s office. While Cheng Yu tried her best to finish up as fast as possible so they could forget about this, Cedric did the opposite¡ªhe was trying his best to drag it out as much as possible so he would get to spend more time with Cheng Yu.


    At first, Cheng Yu didn''t mind. But after hours with no noticeable progress, she couldn''t take it anymore. "You are doing it on purpose, aren''t you?"


    "Yes." The idiot didn''t even bother to deny it.


    She sucked in a breath. Could she slap him to death? Because heaven knew just how tempted she was to do that.


    Seeing how riled up she was, he leaned over the desk. "Are you alright? You look distressed."


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes. "You are right here in front of me. How can I not look distressed?! I''m so worked up that my head could explode, okay!"


    "Yu, how can you say that? You even yelled at me, my heart is broken." He recoiled and clutched his chest pitifully.


    "Then why aren''t you dead yet?" She sighed, wishing she could send him to heaven with a kick.


    Cedric knew that acting pitiful wouldn''t work on her this time. He had used the pitiful trick too many times. Hence, he changed his tactics a little. "What do you say we grab a snack? I''m so hungry¡­"


    Cheng Yu was about to deny it when her stomach rumbled. She had forgotten all about food when she got busy. Hence, her series of scolding turned into one word, "Okay."


    Cedric was overjoyed. She said yes!


    Happily gathering their equipment and keeping it away safely, he led her out of the office. The employees cafeteria had been opened recently and all the food served there was delicious, so he suggested going over.


    All Cheng Yu wanted was to eat so she nodded to whatever he said.


    In just a few seconds, she started hearing chatter around them.


    "Isn''t that Cedric? He really managed to get Miss Cheng to go out with him?" A female agent gossiped aloud.


    "Hush! Do you want to die? I heard she is the mysterious co-founder of Moonlight studios." A short-haired girl jabbed her, even though she wasn''t whispering herself. She looked at the duo and added, "Though I have to admit that they look together."


    "Yeah¡­ but it''s such a pity that she is technically his boss. Do you think she can say yes to him?" The first girl sighed like it was pitiful outcome.


    The short haired girl looked surprised. "But, he is Cedric Han. He is a young master from a wealthy family so although she is his boss, he can still deserve her based on his family background."


    Cheng Yu''s gaze darkened as she glared at the man beside her. What a magnet of gossip. He was no different from the playboy, Lin Jian.


    ¡­


    Speaking of Lin Jian, the man was currently sitting on needles on a bench in Hillside Hospital.


    "Why hasn''t Ruby woken up yet? What happened to her? Why did she faint?" He had mumbled these, and many other questions on repeat for so long that he couldn''t keep track.


    When he thought he could pass out from anxiety, he heard footsteps heading towards him and was surprised to see Xiehan and Lanni.


    "Xiehan! You are here." He dashed to his friend''s side like he had seen a saviour.


    "Behave yourself." Xiehan blocked the other before he could hug him. Was this man an idiot?


    "You are so mean!" Lin Jian lamented then remembered why he was distressed. "Ruby hasn''t woken up yet. Do you know why she fainted?"


    "I don''t know." Xiehan explained what had happened.


    Lanni let go of his hand. "From what you said earlier, she had Xiaoshi trick you into meeting her, and as soon as you realized that it was her, you turned to leave but then she fainted while trying to chase after you?"


    "Yes." Xiehan looked at her nervously. Was there anyone who would believe such a twisted plot? She would trust him, right?


    Lanni studied his face, making him feel like he was standing on pins.


    However, she wasn''t even focusing on him but on her inner thoughts. "Mmh¡­ something is fishy about all this."


    Xiehan felt his soul leave his body. "Honey, I promise. This is what really happened."


    Lanni was confused for a moment then slapped her forehead when she understood his train of thought. "Something is fishy about her, not you."


    "Oh¡­" He let out a sigh of relief and pulled her into a hug.


    Lin Jian was speechless. He thought they had come to comfort him but they were comforting each other instead?


    A doctor left Ruby''s ward, coming to his rescue. "Are you the patient''s close family?"


    "We are¡­ her friends." Lin Jian answered truthfully, despite being tempted to claim to be her family.


    The doctor looked troubled as he took off his mask. "Can you contact her family?"


    "We can¡­ but her dad is overseas on a business trip. Is it¡­ something too serious?" Lin Jian''s heart raced. Why did the doctor sound so solemn?


    "Why don''t we talk in the office?" He led the way, and the trio followed him.


    It was understandable for Lin Jian to be anxious since he liked her, but Xiehan didn''t know why he was feeling the same way.


    He was, in fact, so tensed up that his hands were trembling. It was a feeling he couldn''t comprehend no matter how he tried.


    Lanni noticed the fear in his eyes and held his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Perhaps he was scared that he would be blamed for what happened to Ruby, she thought.


    ¡­


    Sitting in the doctor''s office, the man went ahead to explain a series of medical mumbo jumbo that they could barely understand.


    In the end, he dropped the bombshell.. "Ruby has been diagnosed with Leukemia."

 Chapter 363 - Is She Faking It?

    "What?" Lin Jian felt all the strength leave his body while Xiehan stared at the doctor blankly.


    "We can prescibe her medicine to slow down the symptoms, but the ultimate cure is a bone marrow transplant. Which is why we would like you to contact her family." He explained. "Although it is not impossible to have a compatible donor with whom the patient does not share a blood relationship, the probability is higher with bioological relatives."


    "Then I will contact Mr. Chan right away." Lin Jian wiped the tear he didn''t know had dropped from his eye.


    "Please do it as fast as you can." The doctor dismissed them.


    The three of them left the office and tried to contact Ruby''s father. Alas, his phone had been turned off.


    "I will go and see her. Perhaps she can tell us about her mum and then we will try to contact her." Lanni suggested, suddenly realizing that Ruby had never talked about her mother.


    Xiehan nodded. "I will contact Mr. Chan''s assistant.


    ¡­


    Lanni walked towards the doctor''s office, to ask whether Ruby was awake and if she could see her. She was about to knock on the door when she realized that it was slightly opened. She heard the doctor talk to someone on the phone and laugh joyously. She didn''t mean to eavesdrop on other people''s conversations but curiosity got the better of her.


    She didn''t hear much but what she caught was shocking. "The job is done".


    She frowned when she heard the doctor say the words to the other party. What job? Why did he seem so sneaky, and who was he talking to?


    Although she knew that it might not have anything to do with whatever she was thinking, she couldn''t help feeling unsettled. After all, she, Lin Jian and Xiehan were the last people to exit the doctor''s office.


    She turned and went back to where the men were waiting for her.


    "Did she tell you?" Xiehan asked as he pulled his phone back from his ear.


    Lanni shook her head. "Actually, I found out something troublesome."


    "What happened?" Lin Jian joined in worriedly.


    Lanni nervously explained what she had heard. "What if Ruby is faking it and she isn''t really sick?"


    Lin Jian furrowed his brows at her. "Are you being serious right now?"


    "It''s just a suspicion. The doctor was indeed acting sneaky and many things just don''t add up. What if¡­"


    "I didn''t know you are such a heartless woman." Lin Jian scoffed in disbelief. "Ruby is in this condition yet you still have the heart to suspect her of faking it??!"


    "I said¡­"


    "Don''t say it. I''m so disappointed. Is it because she once had her eyes on your boyfriend that you want us to stop focusing on how to get her treated, so she can die?"


    "Jian, enough." Xiehan felt a headache coming on. He knew that while Lin Jian was currently so madly in love with Ruby that he would never suspect her, Lanni would not trust her. He rubbed his temples. "While we try to contact her family¡­"


    "Don''t say anything about having another test. I know Ruby would never fake such a thing." Lin Jian interrupted.


    Xiehan realized that beside him, Lanni was on the verge of exploding from anger. He held her hand. "Let''s go. Lin Jian can look after her and we can help him contact her family later."


    ___


    Lanni''s apartment.


    Although Xiehan had told her that she was thinking too much, Lanni couldn''t stop herself from wanting to get to the bottom of it. If the doctor was really talking about another task, it would be for the best. But if he was doing anything sneaky regarding Ruby''s ailment, she would not spare him.


    "Have some fruit." Xiehan brought a plate of colorful fruits to the balcony and sat opposite her.


    She thanked him and stabbed a piece using a fork, then looked at him. "Xiehan, do you also think I''m unreasonable?"


    He shook his head immediately. "No, my love." He sighed. "Well, sometimes you are a little too paranoid but it''s understandable. You have been betrayed so many times that you just cannot trust anyone."


    "Forget about paranoia." She sighed. "I still can''t figure out what Ruby could ever gain from faking Leukemia. I mean, she doesn''t have any siblings so the only person who can transplant theior bone marrow to her is her dad.


    The only thing I can think of is that she wants to act pitiful and gain someone''s attention."


    Although she had stated clearly that she didn''t have feelings for Xiehan and that she had been misunderstood, Lanni couldn''t completely rule out the possibility that she was trying to gain Xiehan''s pity.


    After all, who would trust a girl who said one thing and did the opposite just a few moments later? Because she convinced Xiaoshi to help her trick Xiehan into meeting her, Lanni could no longer trust her.


    She gazed at her boyfriend seriously. "Don''t get fooled by her, okay?"


    "I won''t." Xiehan chuckled, and he meant it. "What are you planning to do now, investigate her?"


    "Yes¡­ I would have let Luna help me do that since she can get information much faster than I can. However, Xingyu will chew me out if I bother her¡­" She looked troubled.


    "Leave it to me." He said naturally.


    She shook her head instantly. "Feng Ji International is so busy lately. Besides, it''s just a small matter, I can handle it on my own albeit slowly."


    "But you already have a matter to settle at work." He was worried that she would be too tired.


    Lanni chuckled at his words. "Han Lili? That''s nothing. I can deal with her and still have time to conduct my investigation.


    Since she was so confident, he could only leave it to her. He fed her a pineapple piece. "If anything happens and you need my help, you should tell me right away, okay?"


    "Yes, sir." She jokingly made a salute sign.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in Moonlight Studios.


    After having lunch, Cedric was more serious about their task. Since they were working together, they managed to complete the initial drafts before it was time to knock out.


    Cheng Yu was relieved. She had thought that she would have to work overtime because of a certain naughty person despite being so tired that she could pass out. To her surprise, it turned out that the naughty person could also get seriosu sometimes, and when he did, he was so effective at work that she was motivated to go at his pace as well.


    As soon as they submitted the drafts, she practically dashed into the elevator as though she was fleeing. Well, to be exact, she was indeed fleeing. She was running away before a certain naughty person could catch up to her and make her life difficult.


    Alas, she was in for a surprising turn. When she got to the exit of the building, she was shocked to see the person she was running away from, and he was waiting for her.


    She lips twitched. He must have guessed that she was going to run away from him so he dashed to the exit first, and decided to wait for her there since she would have to leave the building no matter what. Smart move.


    "Yu, I enjoyed having lunch with you today. Would you like to join me for dinner at my home later? I will pick you up."


    "Of course not!" She was in disbelief. Was he being serious? His home?!


    He held his chin in contemplation. Why did she sound like there was something wrong with having dinner at his home? Thinking about it, there indeed was something wrong. Since he had never brought any girl home, his parents might think that she was his girlfriend and that he was taking her over to introduce her.


    Of course, he didn''t mind that kind of misunderstanding. If anything, it was the only misunderstanding he could ever hope for. However, he knew that Cheng Yu wouldn''t like it. "Alright, we cannot go to my home. What about your place?"


    When he saw her frown, he pulled on a pitiful expression. "Yu, I promise to be good. I will cook delicious food and wash the dishes."


    Cheng Yu was helpless. Before she could say no, her phone pinged with a text message from Luna.


    [I will stay at Xingyu''s tonight. Have fun! <3]


    There was nothing new about that. Luna had been staying over with Xingyu so often that she may as well move in with him. She was wondering whether to order takeout for dinner when she remembered that she was not on her own.


    Cedric was still right there, looking at her with a pitiful gaze. "Yu¡­"


    She felt helpless. "Fine. After dinner, you will be on your way. Don''t even think you can whine your way into staying over."


    "Of course not!" He had not thought about it. But now that she mentioned it, he wondered whether he could give it a try....

 Chapter 364 - Nightmare

    Goldenwing Apartments.


    Cheng Yu kicked off her high heeled shoes when she arrived home after a tiring day, not giving any thought to the young man who had followed her home. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, then slumped into the couch to take some rest.


    "Are you very tired, would you like a massage?" The ignored man grabbed on this chance to make himself useful.


    Cheng Yu creased her brows at him. Would he die if he was a little less stubborn? She gave him a stern look. "No. But I''m sure the veggies in the kitchen would like one."


    "What?" He was confused.


    She gave him an amused look. "I remember that a certain someone vehemently promised to cook and wash the dishes. You don''t have to do the second part though, we have a dishwasher. So I''m only asking you to cook." Under his dreadful gaze, she added, "All the ingredients you need are in the kitchen."


    She had restocked everything they needed in the kitchen so Luna would always readily have whatever she wanted to eat, but the news came like the roaring sound of thunder to Cedric. He was just about to claim to want to go and buy the required ingredients.


    Once he was allowed to go out, he would figure out a way to wiggle out of this grave he had dug himself. If worse came to worst, he would order takeout and hide it among a pile of fresh vegetables, then he would warm it later. But now he definitely couldn''t do that!


    "Is something wrong?" She asked when she noticed his expression that looked like the world was ending.


    "Nothing¡­" He held back his woes. Of course something was wrong! He didn''t know how to cook. In fact, he didn''t think he knew what a kitchen looked like in real life.


    however, he was scared that Cheng Yu would be angry with him and kick him out if she found out that he made a promise he was unable to fulfill, so he dragged himself to the kitchen. Surely, cooking shouldn''t be that hard?


    ¡­


    After looking around at the foreign appliances for what felt like ages, Cedric couldn''t take it anymore. He pushed the kitchen door closed and slid his phone out of his pocket, then dialled his sister''s number.


    "It must be raining actual cats and dogs. My adorable little brother finally decided to give me a call?!" cedric''s sister, Han Xiaoli, exclaimed as soon as the video call connected.


    "Sis, I''m in trouble!" Cedric lamented anxiously.


    "What happened?" Han Xiaoli looked worried.


    "I don''t know how to cook." He lowered his voice into a whisper, peeking to make sure Cheng Yu was not within earshot.


    "Pfft¡­" The latter burst into laughter. "Why do you need to know how to cook? Hold on¡­" She realized something and peeked around. The place that Cedric was in wasn''t familiar to her.


    She raised an eyebrow. "That''s not our kitchen."


    Cedric regretted making a video call and stuttered. "That¡­ I decided to move out and live on my own. I''m an adult already, I can''t keep bugging dad and mum, haha!"


    He thought his answer was flawless, but she was not even listening to it. She was busy checking out his background. "That''s a woman''s kitchen."


    "What? How would you even know?!" he was shocked by his sister''s godly eyesight. Even he couldn''t tell a man''s house from a woman''s let alone the difference between kitchens.


    The latter began to tease him. "You didn''t move in with a girl, did you? Hold on. I would know if you moved out. Are you planning to run away from home?"


    He felt his head hurt. "I didn''t and hey! It''s an emergency."


    She burst into laughter as she gloated in her brother''s misfortune. "I''ll help you, under the condition that you promise not to lie to girls anymore. Everyone hates being lied to and she will not trust you anymore if you do. But I''m still curious. There is really a girl that can get you this worked up? May I know who the lucky maiden is?"


    "No. You may not. Help me!" He was on the verge of tears from how these women were tormenting him.


    When she had had enough fun laughing at him, she finally decided to be of help. "Since it''s your first time cooking, why don''t you make her egg-fried rice? It''s a little easy to make."


    "Yes yes!" He felt revived after finally hearing something that brought him some hope.


    Under her instructions, he picked out the required ingredients and set them on one kitchen counter.


    "Prepare the ingredients first so you don''t have to rush through cooking." She advised. "Take a bowl and break three eggs into it."


    She had just finished speaking when he grabbed a bowl from the utensils he had prepared and broke the egg into it¡­ as well as the shell¡­


    Han Xiaoli facepalmed. "You don''t even know how to break an egg? I really should have bullied you a little more when we were younger."


    Cedric looked into the phone screen pitifully like a child admitting his mistakes, so she couldn''t bring herself to scold him anymore.


    She instructed him to dispose of the shells and then went to her own kitchen and broke an egg, patiently showing him what to do.


    He followed suit, doing it right this time. When he set the eggs aside, she let out a sigh. "We still have a long way to go."


    She then instructed him to take a measuring cup and the glass jar labelled [rice].


    Just as he placed the jar on the kitchen counter, it slid and fell onto the floor, shattering into pieces and spewing rice all over the floor.


    "Are you okay? What happened?" Cheng Yu appeared faster than he imagined, and his first reaction was to try to hide the mess.


    She didn''t even care about the spilled rice and checked him over instead. "Are you¡­"


    She paused halfway through her statement when she noticed the ongoing video call.


    Han Xiaoli, on the screen, looked stumped.. It took a while before she caught her voice. "Cedric, what the heck are you doing with that woman?!"

 Chapter 365 - Treacherous?

    Cheng Yu was surprised when she heard Han Xiaoli''s words. What did she mean?


    Before she could ask, the woman on the screen directed her cold glare towards her brother. "Stay away from that treacherous woman, do you understand?"


    Cheng Yu couldn''t hold it in anymore. "Excuse me, but do I know you?" Since they had never encountered each other, why was the other party accusing her of being treacherous and even asking her brother to stay away from her?


    It wasn''t that Cheng Yu wanted to be close to Cedric, but there wasn''t anyone who liked being called names so she waited to hear what the other party had against her. Alas, she merely harrumphed and hung up the call.


    Cheng Yu was not the only one who was confused, Cedric was too. He tried to give her a call to find out but the other had switched off her phone.


    He thought of going over to her place to find out what was going on with her but as a man who had two sisters, he remembered that women could be quite sensitive sometimes, even over matters that one might think made no sense.


    If he left right now, it might appear as though he was taking sides and had chosen his sister''s side despite not knowing the whole story. Hence, he continued standing by Cheng Yu''s side. If he were to pick a side, he would readily choose to believe that Cheng Yu would never be the kind of person mentioned by Han Xiaoli.


    She gently pushed him aside and grabbed a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess on the floor.


    "Let me do that." He quickly offered, he had created this mess after all.


    "Leave it." Her tone was so stern that he recoiled to the side, in fear of upsetting her even more. He awkwardly wondered what to do and in the end decided to make his presence scarce by not letting out a peep.


    When Cheng Yu finished cleaning up and saw him standing at the side like a child who had done something wrong, she was amused. "Aren''t you going to do as your elder sister said?"


    He shook his head like a rattle as though he had been waiting for that question. "I don''t want to leave. Can I please stay?"


    She was speechless at this man''s antics. Knowing that she would not be able to get rid of him even if she tried, she ignored him and started preparing a fresh set of ingredients.


    "Yu, I''m sorry." He decided to come clean, seeing as she had assumed the mess from earlier as an accident. "I don''t know how to cook."


    As expected, she turned to glare at him. Although he had dreaded this, he also knew that the outcome would be much worse if he still pretended to know and she found out the truth later. he honestly explained, "I was scared you would kick me out if you knew that I didn''t know¡­"


    She massaged her temples. "Did you really think that I didn''t know? If you knew, you would look forward to showing off your skills when I sent you to the kitchen. You would not be frightened as though I was sending you to the guillotine."


    "Yu, can you forgive me? I will not lie to you anymore."


    Her heart softened from how sincere he sounded. "Okay."


    She then went ahead to prepare to cook sour and sweet pork while he stood aside obediently.


    All was silent until he slotted himself next to her. "Can you teach me how to cook? Once I''m good at it, I will make you delicious meals every day."


    Seeing him promoting himself so earnestly, she had the urge to laugh. Since he was merely standing there and probably feeling awkward, she decided to teach him a thing or two. "I''m teaching you not so you can cook for me, but so you don''t have to starve if there is no one to cook for you."


    "Yay!" He cheered and started watching what she was doing as he listened to her words. For the most part, he was engrossed in the beauty of her side profile and heard nothing. But when he jolted and remembered that he wanted to cook for her in future, he paid more attention to it.


    ___


    The meals were ready in longer than she thought they would be. She set the table with the help of her new disciple but didn''t have much appetite.


    When she tasted a piece of the meat for the sake of not going hungry, she immediately grabbed for a glass of water. How salty!


    Paired with the saltiness, none of the food tasted good. Was she so shocked that she couldn''t even correctly do what she was good at?


    Although this was the worst meal she had ever cooked, a certain person was scarfing it down like it was a rare delicacy.


    She looked at him speechlessly. She obviously didn''t feel a thing for him. She didn''t even like him. Why was it that when she heard his sister spew nonsense about her and urge him to stay away from her, her heart felt such a great deal of discomfort? She couldn''t have started having feelings for him, right?


    No matter what, she couldn''t be with him. She knew this and didn''t need a reminder about it. Not every family was like the Jiang family, who treasured their soon-to-be daughter-in-law regardless of her past.


    Putting aside her past, there was her background which would never be changed. Even though she had a well-paying job now and would soon be able to take care of herself and her brother and would afford a more luxurious life than the one she was already living, it was still not enough to match up to the Han family. The last thing she wanted was to be the subject of drama between rich in-laws and the girl they think is too lowly for their son. Besides, his sister was already against her and who knows who else was.


    Hence, she thought it would be best if nothing started between them. "Cedric."


    He looked up from his plate with his mouth full of whatever he was wolfing down. She almost chuckled but remained serious. "We may have been classmates before, in Star Art International, but you should understand that it is in the past."


    "Yu, what are you saying?" He swallowed his food to ask.


    She crossed her arms against her chest with a strict look on her visage. "We are no longer in Star Art International. We work at Moonlight Studios now, and I am your boss. Putting this aside, Luna and I don''t want to promote workplace relationships as this could create unnecessary drama at work."


    "What drama?" Was the only thing he was curious about after her rambling.


    She looked at him like he was a fool. "If everyone was dating their colleague, it might be romantic, right? But what would happen if everyone broke up and started fighting at work? What kind of chaos would that create?"


    He thought through her reason and didn''t find anything wrong with it. It seemed to answer him. So this was why she would always avoid him. He was relieved, having previously thought that she hated him.


    "So, if I resigned from Moonlight Studios and was no longer your subordinate, would you say yes to me?" He asked in all seriousness.


    Cheng Yu was speechless.

 Chapter 366 - Scandalous

    For the next few days, Cheng Yu avoided Cedric like the plague. It was nothing out of the ordinary since she had always avoided him anyway¡­ aside from the fact that he was avoiding her as well. If she went right, he would go left even if that was not where he was intending to go.


    If she entered the room he was in, he would make a random excuse and leave. The only exception was the conference rooms whenever all the authors had a meeting with her and Luna. He couldn''t walk away, but he would avoid her gaze as though repulsed by her.


    On Thursday, in her office, Cheng Yu let out a sigh. This was the outcome she had wanted. Why, then, did she feel so hurt about it?


    "I knew you had something bothering you." Luna spoke, jolting her from her deep thoughts. She didn''t know when the latter had walked in.


    "Luna, you should have called me over. Why did you have to come all the way?" She immediately stood up and helped Luna onto a chair, leaving her speechless.


    "Xiao Yu, you too?" Luna didn''t know whether to be happy or sad. A few days ago, news of Luna being engaged and being expectant had filled the city. Everyone was happy for her, but after knowing about her pregnancy, they all started treating her like she was a delicate egg that could break at the slightest tug.


    Let''s not even get started about how Madam Jiang and her family had made sure that every nook and cranny of the Jiang Mansion was padded. Xingyu was currently doing the same for L&X Villa, and they would move in when the work was done.


    Cheng Yu laughed at her friend''s helplessness. "Everyone wants to take care of you and ensure you and my future little godchild are in perfect health."


    Luna rubbed her stomach happily, then got back to the main point. "What''s going on with you? Is your family bothering you again?"


    Cheng Yu shook her head with a troubled look. Her family had, of course, not completely ceased to bother her. They would try to look for her and create trouble once in a while but after she threatened to sue them and permanently take her brother away from them, they had stopped trying to find trouble. That was the least of her worries now.


    Luna had guessed as much. "It''s not your parents? Let me guess, is it possible in any way that it could be related to a comic artist called cedric Han?"


    Cheng Yu clicked her tongue. "Why does everyone think I could be troubled because of him?"


    Luna laughed as she crossed her arms. "Oh? Who else thinks so?" this proved that she really was bothered because of him, right?


    Cheng Yu realized that it didn''t make much of a difference. After all, Lanni and Luna would often think the same way, so it didn''t really count as many people thinking that way, right? Anyway, "I couldn''t care less about him. As if he would influence my emotions."


    "Is that so? If my observation is correct, your mood started getting explosive as soon as he started ignoring you, and this happened the day after both of you had dinner at Goldenwing Apartments." Luna analyzed with the expression of a detective. "May I know what happened that night? Did something trigger you to repel each other?"


    "You are so gossipy!" Cheng Yu was helpless. Knowing that she would not be able to brush it off, she leaned against the desk, facing Luna. "Nothing much. I asked him to stay away from me. If I enter a room, he should leave and if I go left, he should go right."


    Luna almost found it comical. "Which is what he has been doing, but it hurts your feelings that you cannot be together?"


    Cheng Yu thought hard about it, then dismissed it. "Luna, some things were just not meant to be." It didn''t matter how hard her friends tried to make it work between her and cedric. As long as they were not meant to be together, all their efforts would be fruitless.


    Luna knew this, but she still didn''t think that Cheng Yu and Cedric were not meant to be. She spoke out of her own experience. "You may think that you and him are not of the same world or that his family may reject you, but what if it is different from reality?" Even she had thought that her past was too dirty for her to deserve Xingyu but in the end, she was the only one that Xingyu wanted and his family appreciated her as well.


    Cheng Yu was thinking about the same thing, but their circumstances were too different. "His sister already expressed his disapproval."


    "What?" Luna frowned.


    Cheng Yu nodded, then explained the incident from that night when Cedric followed her to Goldenwing Apartments. "It is rumored that Cedric listens to his sister more than anyone else. He loves her even more than he loves his parents. As long as she says the word, he will do whatever she wants him to do."


    "So, you think he will also reject you merely because she does not approve of you" Luna finally understood what the latter was thinking. When Cheng Yu nodded, she added, "But not everything works that way, Xiao Yu. Just because you love someone and listen to them doesn''t mean you will let them control everything including your love life. How will you find your happiness if it''s always about someone else?"


    "I don''t know, Luna." Cheng Yu still looked troubled.


    Luna thought about it and said, "How about I check into this Han Xiaoli? I will find out why she called you treacherous, it couldn''t be for no reason." her implication was that the other woman could have mistaken her for someone else or misunderstood her. If they found out what really happened and cleared the misunderstanding with the other party, perhaps she would not dislike Cheng Yu anymore.


    Cheng Yu nodded to the suggestion. "Thanks, Luna."


    ___


    Meanwhile, Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni sat in her chair in her office, holding the latest issue of the weekly magazine in her hands. She had gone through all the featured articles before they were published so of course, there wasn''t anything new¡­ except a huge reveal in the business section.


    She had not approved of this, because it was a piece of fabricated news about a businessman. According to the news article, the businessman had been caught up in a scandalous case of corruption, and there was evidence to prove him guilty. Of course, the so-called evidence was mere words, since the whole thing was false to begin with.


    Just as she chuckled about it, an email was forwarded to her. The said businessman had decided to sue Tian Yu Media for libel.


    However, in reaction to the news and the alert she had just received, she could only laugh at a certain someone''s stupidity. They had done themselves in this time¡­ because the said businessman was someone she was quite familiar with.


    ___


    AN: Make a guess, lol...well, two guesses.


    Who is the said businessman?


    Who is the person Lanni thinks has done themselves in?


    A reward awaits the first person to get both correct answers within 24 hours

 Chapter 367 - Dismissed

    With an evil grin plastered on her face, Lanni dialled a number.


    "Yo, sister-in-law!" Xingyu greeted jubilantly as soon as the call connected.


    Lanni couldn''t help laughing. The new form of address sounded kinda cute. "Did Luna have you call me that?"


    "She didn''t have to. Well, you will be sooner or later, so it doesn''t matter when I start calling you my sister-in-law, does it?" He laughed.


    Lanni''s tone turned strict. "Then, you must be the only man who would sue his sister-in-law."


    "Eh? When did I sue you?" Xingyu sounded surprised, then recalled that he had indeed sued someone. All he remembered was that his assistant reported that a news agency had published false news about him and tarnished his reputation. In response, he had only given two words: "sue them." Who would have thought that it would turn out to be his sister-in-law?


    Now that he thought about it, Luna had mentioned that Lanni was now the chief editor of a news agency. If there was any problem with a piece of published news, the blame would befall her. What kind of sin had he committed?!


    He panicked. "I didn''t know you work at Tian Yu Media and that my actions would trouble you. I''m so sorry, sister-in-law! I''ll get my assistant to revoke the suit right away." As he spoke, Lanni could hear him summon his assistant on the other end.


    "Hold on!" She immediately stopped him.


    "Is there something else?" He carefully asked, afraid that she was upset. If he did anything to anger her, heaven knew that Xiehan and Luna would gnash him to death.


    Lanni chuckled at his tensed tone. "Don''t revoke anything. Go ahead with the suit, okay? I want to deal with this matter on my end." She instructed.


    "O-kay¡­" Xingyu was confused by her words. Was there anyone who wanted to be sued? Even so, he could only do as she asked.


    Lanni hung up the call and rolled her pen. Her aim of calling Xingyu was to ensure he didn''t drop the suit once he realized that she was the Chief Editor of Tian Yu Media. When she was done, she also notified Xiehan not to take any action once he heard the news.


    This would teach Han Lili a lesson. Did she really think that a mere piece of false news would be enough to kick her out?


    ¡­


    Just as she expected, the matter blew up. Xingyu even helped her fan the flames from his end.


    The following afternoon, Lanni was summoned to the CEO''s office.


    The man''s expression was grim as he pushed aside the newspaper on his desk and looked up to glare at Lanni who had just walked in. "Miss Li, I believe one of your roles is to ensure that every piece of news that is published or reported is authentic."


    Lanni''s expression did not shift in the slightest. "CEO Qian¡­"


    "Don''t give me excuses." He interrupted, looking utterly disappointed. "I did not expect this from you. Get the party behind this to resign. And if you are at fault too, you will not get away either."


    Lanni nodded. "Understood, CEO."


    As she left his office, she was a bit surprised. She didn''t expect that the man could already tell that whatever happened was not a result of her negligence but of someone else''s meddling. As expected of the CEO. He was so observant¡­ No wonder Tian Yu Media was gaining fame at a rapid pace ever since he took over from the former CEO.


    "Someone''s going to get dismissed this time. I told you she didn''t deserve her position." she heard Han Lili sneer to another employee just as she walked down the hallway.


    The employee being spoken to appeared to be troubled. "I thought she looked quite capable, but looks can be deceiving. If she really doesn''t qualify, she might not be able to do a good job and Tian Yu Media would be in trouble because of her."


    As soon as they saw her pass by, the other employee shut her mouth while Han Lili continued jabbering on.


    From such gossip in the company, Lanni knew that it was about time to get rid of annoying flies. Otherwise, her abilities would be doubted forever.


    ¡­


    Since she didn''t want to drag the matter too much and risk having it soil the reputation of Tian Yu Media, she immediately called for a meeting with the editorial team, publishing team and journalists in one of the largest conference rooms.


    The meeting had been expected since such a huge scandal had arisen, hence everyone rushed to the conference rooms within a few minutes.


    As soon as she walked in, a hush befell the hall.


    She went straight to the point. "I believe that everyone knows why we are here."


    When they agreed in unison, she glanced at Han Lili who had followed behind her like the good asssistant she was doing a horrible job at becoming. She then looked back at the employees. "In that case, I will not waste time. Many of you have been made to believe that I got to this position using corrupt means, and that Han Lili was initially chosen.


    You should know that not only does this rumor destroy my reputation, it also questions the credibility of CEO Qian, who has always believed in doing the right thing." This was the part that annoyed her the most. It was not okay to mess with her, but dragging innocent people into the mix just to make her life difficult was too much.


    " So, I will clear everyone''s doubts." She declared, and had Yu Ming play a video on the large screen. "You are all free to point it out if you see anything that qualifies as underhanded means."


    The video was taken on the day of her interview. Interviews were usually recorded in case someone else undertook them and later showed them to the CEO, or if they were to be shown to the board of directors. This time, they just happened to come in handy and Lanni had obtained the permission of CEO Qian to use them.


    When Han Lili saw what was being played, she panicked slightly.


    In the video, Lanni answered every question thrown her way with confidence and eloquence, and she had smart answers for all of them. The CEO and former Chief Editor were visibly impressed.


    When the video ended, Han Lili was the first to speak up arrogantly. "So what if they were satisfied? They may have given kind remarks just to make her feel better about herself. This doesn''t prove that she didn''t give bribes beforehand!"


    "Are you an idiot? CEO Qian would never receive a bribe!" A male employee wanted to give her a slap.


    "Yeah. If our CEO was capable of accepting brainless employees for money, this company would be shambles. Besides, didn''t you see how intelligent chief editor Li is? As if she would need a back door." another seconded.


    Seeing that everyone''s opinion was in her favor, Lanni played Han Lili''s interview video, which made everyone cringe in disgust. She knew nothing and kept glancing at her palm to read out the answers she had written down, which were all wrong answers.. She even lied that she had once worked for the largest media group in the nation, Lin Media Group, and that she was fired after being accused falsely.

 Chapter 368 - Dismissed(2)

    Everyone sneered in disgust. How did such a person even get into Tian Yu Media?! It was an embarrassment to work in the same building with such a fool!


    Yet, the video that was played next made their blood boil in anger. Han Lili made her way to the editorial department and gave a golden card to the department head. Along with it, she gave him a few sheets of paper.


    The video was taken from a surveillance camera that did not support audio. However, there were a few people who could read lips and they managed to understand their conversation. The two of them had already made an arrangement beforehand, to publish the news article that Han Lili had written. In exchange, the latter would give him one million yuan as the deposit, and later give him two million if Lanni was fired thanks to the scandal.


    It was finally clear.


    "So Han Lili was the one behind that corruption scandal. I knew CEO Jiang would never be that kind of person." a little fangirl patted her chest in relief.


    "Right? Jiang Corporation has advanced to greater heights ever since CEO Jiang took over. Even though there are companies which get to their top positions through corruption, the Jiang family has always been against such dark deals." another seconded.


    Gossip filled the conference hall, as yet another journalist whispered." That''s not the main point, okay? The point is, this news was supposed to create trouble for Chief Editor Li and make her lose her job for being incompetent. But Han Lili totally slapped herself in the face! Chief Editor Li must have been waiting for her to make a move."


    The employees burst into peals of laughter as a dark-haired man joined the discussion. "Do you know what''s more tragic? CEO Jiang is Miss Li''s brother-in-law. Han Lili did herself in this time."


    "CEO Jiang is her brother-in-law?!" the ladies were shocked.


    The man lowered his voice to say, "Don''t you know about it? Miss Li''s twin sister is engaged to him. When I saw the news, I was so heartbroken, thinking it was Miss Li. I have always had feelings for her."


    The girl who had spoken earlier laughed at him. "Well, it doesn''t make a difference. Chief Editor Li is taken too, and her boyfriend is so handsome you could faint from the blow."


    ¡­


    On the stage, Lanni stood up and the conference room fell into a hush. From the whispers a moment ago, she knew that Han Lili had not just offended her. She had learnt that not only was Han Lili rude to everyone, she had been flaunting her authority around and using her position as "the rightful chief editor" to bully the interns and everyone else she thought was below her.


    Hence, she made the announcement everyone was looking forward to. "For misusing her position and going against her work policy, Han Lili will be punished. She will send a letter of apology to Jiang Corporation and be responsible for whatever repercussions her actions have caused. After that, she will be dismissed. The head of the editorial department will suffer the same consequences."


    In just a few sentences, she had dealt with the most stubborn thorn by her side and sent a severe warning.


    Later, in the CEO''s office.


    "Good girl." CEO Qian praised when she reported how she had handled the matter. "You didn''t decide to make a post and clear your name but chose to make the matter huge and use it as a warning to everyone who still doubts your capability, letting them know what their fate will be if they challenge your authority. Good, this was a perfect way to handle it."


    Lanni was happy from the praise. CEO Qian sounded just like an elder brother, proud of his little sister for finally doing the right thing.


    Pushing the weird thoughts aside, she took back her tablet from him. "Thank you, CEO. I will ensure such an incident doesn''t reccur."


    ¡­


    As she left the office, Lanni was aware of the gossip around her. Contrary to the little cutie they once saw her as, she was now an unpredictable demonness. They even looked scared when they greeted her. Lanni didn''t mind the change of attitude. On the contrary, it would ensure no one tried to mess with her anymore.


    When Han Lili left the office, she made Yu Ming her new assistant and told her what to do.


    She had just settled down in her office when her personal phone rang. Why would Lin Jian call her? She curiously answered the call.


    "You are so unfair! You heartless woman!" the other party had nothing but a series of complaints as soon as Lanni answered the call.


    She held her phone away from her ear and waited for the yelling to end before carefully putting it back against her ear. "Uh¡­ Are you sure you called the right person?"


    "Of course! You, Li Lanni, are the most heartless woman on earth! How could you go to work at another media agency instead of Lin Media Group? What''s this if not being unfair? I want to know what Xiehan has to say about this!"


    Lanni laughed at his accusation. "Calm down, okay? I did think of coming over at Lin Media Group. However, I knew that I was not qualified."


    Lin Jian humphed at the other end. "What nonsense are you saying? What qualification? Lin Media Group would have accepted you even if you had zero qualification!"


    "That''s the thing." Lanni pressed the phone between her ear and shoulder so she would continue arranging the documents on her desk while talking to him. "It''s exactly because I knew that you would do that, that I didn''t come. I would very much appreciate it if I got a position I deserve instead of one I got because the CEO is my boyfriend''s best friend."


    Lin Jian no longer knew what to do. All the women he had dated before would have been overjoyed if he used his connections to help them secure better jobs in grander companies, while Lanni wanted to earn everything on her own. Why did he suddenly feel like Xiehan was so lucky?


    Speaking of Xiehan, he remembered his main point.


    "If that''s the case, then good luck. A hardworking woman like you will soon qualify to work in Lin Media Group. When that time comes, will you consider coming over?" He anxiously asked. Everyone liked an honest and competent employee, after all.


    "I''ll think about it when the time comes." Lanni promised. "Is there anything else?"


    "Yes." Lin Jian wasn''t sure how Lanni would react but he could only say it. "Ruby woke up. She is doing much better now."


    Lanni had been so busy lately that she almost forgot about it. "Did she get a bone marrow donor?" She asked.


    "Her father was luckily a compatible donor. She is recuperating now." There was an obvious tinge of joy in his tone, which was soon replaced with nervousness. "Lanni, would you like to pay her a visit? You could bring Xiehan with you."


    "Heh¡­"


    Lanni''s chuckle sounded like a curse in his ears, making him anxious. "What¡­ What happened?"


    Lanni shifted in her seat, her gaze darkening as though Lin Jian was right in front of her. "Ruby asked to see Xiehan, didn''t she?" When Lin Jian hesitated, she laughed.. "I knew it."

 Chapter 369 - Spoiling The Princess A Little Too Much

    Lin Jian felt his soul leave his body. "Lanni¡­"


    Lanni scoffed through the phone. "Lin Jian, are you seriously letting her have her way even while knowing that she is trying to seek another man''s attention? Don''t you spoil your little princess too much?"


    Lin Jian had nothing to say to her sarcasm. It hurt him too, okay! But if he blatantly rejected Ruby''s request, she would be upset and that would definitely not help him get closer to her. Hence, he could only hang up and hope that Ruby would soon realize just how much time she was wasting by trying to get close to a taken man.


    In the end, Lanni shrugged. "It''s just paying her a visit, right? Alright, I will go tomorrow in the evening. Of course, I will check with Xiehan first."


    Lin Jian remained silent. Whether Xiehan went or not depended on Lanni, but he loved his life so he didn''t dare to point that out.


    ___


    The following day, Moonlight Studios.


    Looking at the information she had gathered, Luna let out a helpless sigh.


    "What happened?" Cheng Yu asked worriedly.


    Luna picked a pen on her desk and uncapped it, then leisurely tapped the top of the desk as she gathered her words. "Xiao Yu, I''m sorry."


    "What''s this about?" Cheng Yu was curious. She pulled the white leather chair and sat opposite Luna, raising an eyebrow to the other''s apology.


    Luna looked troubled. "I found out the reason why Han Xiaoli is so much against you being together with Cedric."


    "Oh¡­" Cheng Yu had almost forgotten about it, and her heart felt uneasy when she suddenly recalled it. She did want to know, but part of her was reluctant to hear what Luna had to say. She felt as though she was sitting on needles as she observed her friend''s expression.


    Luna nervously stated, "This has nothing to do with you. In actual sense, you are merely suffering because of me." She explained. "It is because Han Xiaoli once confessed to Xingyu, and he rejected her. She has been holding the grudge for ages and hates me for supposedly taking away the heart of her man. Since you are my friend, she doesn''t like you either.


    It''s just an unfortunate coincidence that you and her brother like each other, so she cannot let this opportunity to revenge slip."


    Cheng Yu was rendered speechless by the explanation. Here she was thinking that she had done something wrong. It turned out to be a strike of vengeance by a spoilt heiress was in denial after a failed confession?!


    "I will help you deal with it." Luna promised resolutely. She would not let her own choices ruin the happiness of her bets friend. Of course, she wasn''t going to break up with Xingyu either. Han Xiaoli would have to wake up from her delusional slumber.


    ____


    In the evening, Lanni went to the hospital where Ruby was. Earlier, she had sent a text message to Xiehan so he would go first. When she arrived, he had long arrived and was making some small talk with Lin Jian and Ruby.


    The girl looked frail as she lay between the white sheets, wearing a pale blue hospital gown. Her hair was a mess, her little face was almost as pale as the sheets, and even her lips were drained of color. Such a pitiful sight, no wonder the two men were at her beck and call, serving her fruits and telling her jokes to cheer her up.


    "Lanni, you are here!" She smiled sweetly and looked much happier when Lanni walked in through the door.


    "How are you feeling?" Lanni was not as enthusiastic as her, but she smiled anyway.


    "I''m fine now. I should be discharged tomorrow at the latest." Ruby said through a pale smile. "Thank you for checking up on me."


    "It''s nothing." Lanni found a spot to sit.


    Ruby glanced at Xiehan and added, "And, thank you for not leaving me alone on that day. If you didn''t bring me to hospital, who knows what would have happened to me¡­"


    "You don''t need to thank me. It would be too heartless of me if I neglected anyone in that situation." Xiehan felt uncomfortable, probably because of the tension that was starting to build up between Lanni and Ruby. The former''s eyes looked like they were about to start emitting daggers, so Xiehan held her hand and rubbed it gently.


    " Since Ruby is alright now, I guess we should take our leave." He suggested, knowing that Lanni was not willing to continue being here.


    Naturally, she was happy to leave as well. Though for some reasons, she was curious about something.


    However, just as Xiehan walked past the bed, his hand was grabbed by a small, cold hand. He turned to look at the girl on the bed curiously.


    "Xiehan, don''t go. Could you accompany me a little longer?" Ruby pleaded, her eyes looking up at Xiehan pitifully.


    Lin Jian clenched his fists at the side.


    Lanni couldn''t hold it in anymore. She leaned over and swatted Ruby''s hand away from Xiehan''s wrist. "That''s enough. First, you fake your illness and now you want to deliberately seduce someone else''s boyfriend, right in front of his girlfriend? Have you no shame?!"


    Ruby recoiled in shock. "Lanni, how could you say that?"


    "If you are going to put up and act, make sure it is believable." Lanni glared at her fiercely.


    Lin Jian was displeased. "Lanni, I understand how you feel, and the fact that you don''t trust Ruby, but how can you accuse anyone of faking illness?"


    Although Xiehan didn''t say anything, he was not pleased by the accusation either.


    Meanwhile, Ruby fought back tears as she looked at Lanni in disbelief. "I know I have said this before but I really don''t have that kind of feelings for Xiehan. It''s really not what you think¡­"


    The latter was disgusted. "Forget the feelings part, you can say anything about that. I''m just curious¡­ your "truth" is that you really had Leukemia and now, you have been treated? Who was the bone marrow donor?"


    Actually, this development was not similar to what Lanni had expected. She thought that for the sake of making Xiehan get close to her, she would fake the medical details so her only possible compatible donor would be Xiehan. Afterwards, she might use "being grateful to him for saving her life" as an excuse to get closer to him.


    Although her guess was luckily wrong, it didn''t make much difference. She was still using this fake illness to get closer to Xiehan and was even doing it right in front of everyone!


    Lin Jian answered the answer for Ruby. "Her father. Who else would it be?"


    Lanni scoffed. "Really? Why do I recall hearing the doctor state that only her biological relatives could be possible donors?"


    "Isn''t that exactly what happened?!" Lin Jian was getting impatient.


    Lanni smiled evilly, under Ruby''s tensed and shocked gaze. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but Neil Chan is not even her biological father. May I know how exactly this happened?"


    "What did you say?!" Lin Jian was shocked, while Ruby burst into tears.


    Xiehan frowned at the scene. "Enough. Lanni, bone marrow donors don''t have to be biologically related to the patient." What he didn''t mention was, Ruby must have wanted to keep the fact that she was Neil Chan''s biological daughter a secret. It was revealed in such an accusatory tone, wasn''t this too hurtful?


    As though reading her boyfriend''s mind, Lanni glanced at him then at Ruby with a scoff. She then opened her handbag and took out a stack of paper. "Of course, I know that. Which is why I kept investigating. And guess what? They are not compatible either."


    Xiehan leaned over to read the content of the document and so did Lin Jian. The analysis was baffling. Lin Joan''s eyes widened in disbelief and he pulled the document out of Lanni''s hand, then showed it to the tearful Ruby.


    If Neil was not a compatible donor, then he couldn''t have donated his bone marrow to save Ruby. Then how could she explain her current condition?


    He almost didn''t dare to ask, "Did you orchestrate this?"


    The girl wiped her tears using the back of her fist. "I really don''t know how this happened!"


    Lanni couldn''t believe that she was still trying to deny the claim. She looked at Ruby sharply. "I have an interesting audio clip. Does anyone want to hear it?"


    The two men looked at her with obvious curiosity, so she scrolled through her phone and played the clip. She deliberately fast-forwarded to the part everyone was waiting for.


    [Dad, why would you want me to do this?] It was Ruby''s voice.


    A chuckle resounded, followed by a man''s voice, which was Neil Chan''s. [Silly girl, aren''t you trying to get close to Xiehan?]


    "Stop, don''t play it anymore." Ruby tried to grab Lanni''s phone in despair. Lanni was faster, and held her phone above her head with a glare. Her reaction was akin to admitting it, so she had no choice. "I''ll admit it.. It was all fabricated."

 Chapter 370 - Ruby Chan

    Lanni looked at Ruby meaningfully, then glanced at Xiehan with "I told you" written all over her eyes.


    Xiehan''s eyes darkened.


    Ruby knew what he was thinking and quickly explained, "All I wanted was to get a little closer to Xiehan as a friend. I didn''t expect¡­"


    Her statement trailed off, as though she was too troubled to say anything.


    Lanni scratched the part behind her ear. This was unbelievable! After lying to everyone, making everyone worried over a lie and trying to seduce Xiehan, she now wanted to act wronged by pushing the blame onto Lanni and accuse the latter of invading her privacy?


    While she did invade her privacy, she didn''t have much choice. Would she have to investigate Ruby if she didn''t start scheming?


    Not willing to argue with her, she grabbed Xiehan''s hand. "My love, let''s go."


    "Mmh." He led the way out of the ward.


    Lin Jian, who had not reacted since receiving the bombshell, looked at Ruby in disbelief.


    All along, she had been acting strange but Lin Jian decided to believe her, even when all the signs proved him wrong. He hadn''t completely believed it even when Lanni showed the proof but when she admitted it through her own lips, his world shattered.


    As though seeing through him, Ruby held a hand out to him. "Lin Jian, listen to me. They got it all wrong¡­ "


    "I won''t be such an idiot." Disappointed, Lin Jian walked out.


    ___


    Neil Chan''s villa.


    The man looked more disappointed than Lin Jian was a while ago. He shook his head as he studied his daughter, who had left the hospital since the cat was already out of the bag.


    " You had such a tiny task to do. All you had to do was pretend to be sick, which you were doing quite well. How could you mess it up?"


    Ruby played with her fingers, in disbelief about the mistake she made. She still couldn''t believe that just because of a moment of impatience, she had given herself away. Besides, "Who would have thought that Lanni would be so suspicious? She had already investigated everything even before she came to the hospital."


    Neil still couldn''t make much sense of it. "I''ve been meaning to ask, how the hell was she able to get a voice recording from our house? If I remember correctly, we were in my study when we talked about it and¡­ damn it!"


    "Dad?" Ruby''s eyebrows scrunched up when her dad suddenly cursed.


    Neil huffed in anger. "You have been tricked, do you know that?"


    "What do you mean?" Ruby didn''t understand.


    He held her by the shoulders so she would look into his eyes. "With the tightness of the security in this villa, do you think it is possible for her to have snuck into the house and placed a bug in the study? It''s not possible for her to have used someone from the inside either. Besides, she would need to have known that we were up to something in order to think of bugging our house."


    Ruby frowned. Indeed, the villa''s security was unprenetable. Ever since someone tried to kidnap her when she was a teenager, Neil had employed a new security team from an internationally renowned organisation. Even the kitchen maids were specially trained to be loyal. Besides, their basic salary was multiple times more than that of regular bodyguards, so they definitely couldn''t be bribed using money. Threatening one of them was not a possibility either, since their formation in the villa did not allow anyone to do anything secretly. Basically, it really was impossible for Lanni to have snuck in a bug.


    "Then how did she¡­"


    Neil patted his daughter''s head like she was being too naive. "You, my dear, have been tricked. She could have just created a voice recording using our voices and used a conversation she thinks we could have had. Since you were shocked, you wouldn''t even realize that you have been tricked."


    Ruby widened her eyes in disbelief. Now that she thought about it, the conversation from the recording didn''t seem to be what they had discussed word for word.


    She slapped her forehead. "I''m sorry dad. I ruined everything. I was just so devastated when I realized that someone else knew that I''m not your daughter that I didn''t see through the trick."


    Neil rubbed her head to comfort her. "It''s alright, it''s normal to make mistakes. And what do you mean you''re not my daughter? Biological or not, you''re my little princess¡ªyou have always been."


    Ruby emotionally hugged him.


    Having been spoiled by him all her life, the worst day of her life was the day she found out the truth¡ªthat she was not the Chans'' biological daughter.


    The past was quite dramatic.


    ___


    Neil and his wife had been trying to get pregnant for years in vain. Just when they had given up and were about to opt for adoption, the wheel of fortune turned in their favor, and his wife finally conceived.


    However, that was far from the end of their problems. When their daughter was born, she had a weak heart and died before even letting out her first cry.


    Neil''s heart was shattered when he heard the news. After all, this child had carried all their hopes. He had been looking forward to becoming a dad. He didn''t want to imagine how heartbroken his wife would be when she learnt the news.


    Just as he wondered how he would bring himself to break the bombshell to her, he overheard a pair of nurses arguing about how to handle a newborn baby girl. Apparently, she had mysteriously appeared in the hospital and her origin couldn''t be traced, hence there was no one to take care of her. Since they wanted to give the baby up for adoption, he decided to take her. He initially wanted to tell his wife the truth but seeing how overjoyed she was when she woke up and saw the little redhead, he couldn''t bring himself to break her heart.


    Hence, it turned into a secret that lasted fifteen years. He was planning to wait for Ruby to be an adult before telling both of them the truth, but fate had other plans in store. One of the nurses from fifteen years ago decided to tell Ruby''s mother the truth.


    ___


    Neil blinked and looked at his daughter as he thought of the past. When she learnt that Ruby was not her daughter, his wife had divorced him for having lied to her, so the only family he had now was this precious daughter.


    Noticing his gaze, Ruby smiled back at him. She couldn''t find the right words to accurately describe her feelings. When she learnt that she was not the princess she had always thought she was, but instead an abandoned baby who was picked up at birth, her world had come crumbling down on her.


    She was devastated when her mother left, but the most fortunate thing was that Neil didn''t treat her any worse. He still adored her and pampered her like his own biological daughter. In fact, if there was a choice, she would forget the past and pretend she never learnt the truth.


    Because the truth was much worse than it seemed.


    Neil would never have thought that by deciding to adopt the baby he thought was motherless, he had slotted himself into a deadly conspiracy¡ªA conspiracy that had lasted two decades. He never would have thought that the helpless girl had merely been robbed of her true life. Still, he was glad that he decided to take her. Otherwise, she might have been killed just to make sure the truth never got out.


    Ruby let out a sigh when she thought about it. "Sometimes, life can be more twisted than movies. Who would have thought¡­"


    Neil patted her shoulder. "I will say it again, Ruby. You are my daughter no matter what."


    "I know, dad. But I still want to tell them the truth." It wasn''t that she was unsatisfied with Neil as a father¡ªshe had never been. It was only because she couldn''t stand the deception that innocent people had to face as a result of what happened in the past. Besides, they both knew that the worst was yet to come. Although the plans of those people had failed, it didn''t mean they wouldn''t try to harm her family. After all, they now lived with an impostor, which was like a ticking time bomb. Most importantly, everyone had a huge misunderstanding about her now¡ªespecially Lanni.


    Neil knew what his daughter was thinking. He breathed out a sigh. "What do you want to tell Xiehan then? The truth about Ji Feifei¡ªthat she is an impostor? That the Ji family might be in danger? Or that you are his biological sister?"


    ***


    Did a bombshell just break?


    *Runs around with flailing arms.*


    A tiny summary just in case I got anyone confused (I hope I didn''t)


    ¡ªSomeone conspired to switch the Ji family''s baby at birth, and slotted in Ji Feifei, then discarded Ruby.


    ¡ªNeil Chan adopted Ruby to take the place of his dead baby.


    ¡ªThe nurse told Ruby''s Foster mother the truth when she was fifteen, but she and Neil found out the truth(about the conspiracy) much later after doing some digging. I hope it''s clear enough!

 Chapter 371 - A Facade

    Lanni''s apartment.


    After leaving the hospital, Lanni was still restless. Even so, the biggest crisis had been averted; Ruby could no longer use the trick of pretending to be pitiful to get close to Xiehan.


    Xiehan, who was staying for dinner, was curious when he had her let out sigh after sigh. "Are you still thinking about Ruby?"


    She nodded, not denying it. "Failing is one thing, but what if she gets back up and comes up with some other trick? It''s not easy to constantly keep and eye on someone, right?"


    In response, he looked deep in thought before he glanced at her and set aside the magazine he was reading. "I''ve been meaning to say this, we seem to have misunderstood Ruby."


    "What are you saying?" She was surprised that he could even come up with such a statement after all that had happened. Wasn''t her confession clear enough?


    He knew what she was thinking so he explained, "I mean, her actions and words are questionable. However, there''s something off about the way she looks at me. We all think she has that kind of feelings for me but from my observation, her gaze is nothing like a girl in love. Instead, it''s as though she is looking at a close relative that she doesn''t know how to converse with."


    "Have you been charmed by her?" Lanni was speechless by the nonsense he was spouting. What exactly made him come to such a conclusion? Did he think that just because he didn''t have feelings for Ruby, it was the same for her?


    The man shrugged, ignoring what she had just said. "Besides, from a man''s perspective, I think she likes Lin Jian. There is no way a woman will be in love with two men, is there?"


    "That''s a facade." Lanni dismissed. This wasn''t the first time she had heard that. In fact, Ruby had said it herself, that she was in love with Lin Jian and was merely afraid that he was too much of a playboy. However, "It could be just an act to cover up her true intentions. Also, who said a woman cannot be in love with two men? Not many people accept it but it''s quite common."


    Luckily, a call from Xingyu interrupted them before their conversation could turn stale.


    ___


    Lanni was not the only person who thought that Ruby''s feelings for Lin Jian were an act meant to cover up for her true intentions.


    When Ruby called Lin Jian out for a meal the next day, he was reluctant to go. When he learnt that Ruby''s illness was fake, he was so disappointed that he wanted nothing to do with her.


    However, the girl kept insisting so he had no choice but to go.


    "What do you want?" He asked as soon as he got to the restaurant they were meeting at.


    Ruby frowned and bit her tongue. His attitude was identical to how he usually treated his women when he was tired of playing around and wanted to dump them. Something in her eyes dimmed.


    "I merely wanted to have a chat. You asked me to go to the movies with you before, but I was busy so I promised to go when I''m less busy. How about we go this weekend? I don''t have much going on." She spoke like she didn''t mind his dismissive attitude.


    When Lin Jian heard her, he scoffed. "Ruby, do you think I''m a fool?


    Because Lanni and Xiehan have found out your plot, you want to cling onto me and use it as proof of you not having any ulterior motives?"


    "What? What are you saying?" She was stunned. Although her father had advised her to stay away from the Jis for a while, this was not her reason for meeting up with Lin Jian! It was only because she felt empty and needed a distraction.


    Fine, her aim was still selfish.


    Lin Jian looked her up and down, almost in disgust. "I have nothing against a woman pursuing the man she likes, but pretending to be innocent while trying to ruin other people''s relationship is too much! You¡­"


    Ruby couldn''t stand it anymore. "Enough! Why do you all think the same way? Why do you all claim that I''m trying to ruin Xiehan''s relationship by seducing him? Are you insane?! Why would I seduce my own b¡­"


    She calmed herself down before the word "brother" got out of her mouth.


    She cursed herself. How could she lose control that way? This was a public restaurant. What would happen if someone heard her? If anyone knew that she had found out the truth about her identity, not just her, but the whole Ji family might be in danger. Hence, she took a deep breath and stopped talking.


    However, Lin Jian was still stunned from her suddenly explosive attitude. He sat down and looked at her curiously. "Your own what?"


    Meanwhile, the only possibility he thought of was ''boyfriend''. Could it be that she was about to say that Xiehan was her boyfriend? Was that why she was trying so hard to get close to him?


    Wait. Was Xiehan two-timing and secretly keeping Ruby as his girlfriend behind Lanni''s back?


    His first reaction was not to be heartbroken that the girl he liked was taken, but to be angry with his friend. He wouldn''t be such a jerk, would he? After all, even he, the renown playboy, was not a two-timer. The main point was, it would be shocking if Xiehan turned out to be that kind of man. In the next instant, he shook his head. Xiehan was definitely not that type of man.


    While his brain ran wild with more possibilities, Ruby softly spoke up. "My best friend''s man. You see, Lanni used to be my friend before she lost her memory but because I was close to Ji Feifei, she doesn''t trust me anymore. Even so, I still think of her as my friend."


    Lin Jian found nothing wrong with her response, but he was curious. "Why then, were you close with Ji Feifei? You knew what kind of person she was, didn''t you?"


    Ruby''s eyes dimmed slightly. How could she say that all she had wanted was to slowly get close to her real family through the impostor, Ji Feifei? More importantly, she had always wanted to revenge against Ji Feifei for shamelessly taking her identity. After all, since it was a conspiracy, then Ji Feifei must have already been told that she was not the Jis'' biological daughter. Besides, she even once seduced Xiehan; it must be because she was aware that he was not her biological brother¡ªbut that didn''t make it any less disgusting.


    In front of Lin Jian, Ruby could only cook up another reason. "She was Lanni''s friend first. I just wanted to make friends, not knowing what kind of person she truly was."


    For some reason, Lin Jian still wanted to be close to Ruby¡ªeven after knowing that she had been lying all along, and even while knowing that she was still lying for the most part right now. At least one thing seemed true coming from her; her lack of feelings for Xiehan. It was a relief, if he was to be honest.


    When he saw how anxious she looked after answering his question, how her beautiful eyes drooped like she was waiting for a verdict that decided her life or death, his heart melted.


    In the end, he couldn''t bring himself to cut off all ties with her like he had planned. What was wrong with him?! Since when was it difficult to cut off ties with a girl?!


    He coughed to stabilise his emotions. "Xingyu and his fianc¨¦e are planning to go to the beach, and they invited me to go along. Do you want to come with us?"


    Before she could answer him, he knew that she might be awkward around Lanni and Xiehan after what had happened so he added, "It won''t be just the four of us. I''m guessing Luna will definitely call her sister and Cheng Yu over."


    Ruby looked a little troubled when she recalled how hostile Luna was to her. She timidly asked, "Will Xiaoshi go too?" Xiaoshi was more welcoming of her, besides, it would be a great opportunity to catch up with her cousin.


    Lin Jian thought about it. "I''ll ask her later. What about you, are you going?"


    "Yes." Although she wasn''t sure, she couldn''t say no under his charming gaze. Never mind. If the others were still hostile towards her, she would simply stick to Lin Jian''s side.


    ¡­


    When they got their invites, Lanni and Xiehan decided to take this as a break from work, and Cheng Yu took it as a chance to get away from a certain troublesome person for a while.


    When Lanni asked Xiaoshi if she was joining them, the first thing the girl asked was, "Is Xingyu going?"


    Lanni nodded honestly. She thought Xiaoshi would choose to go but instead, she shook her head.


    "I''m sorry, I''ll have to call a raincheck this time.. I''m developing a new softwa re and can only take a break when I''m done."

 Chapter 372 - Beach Retreat

    With just one look, Lanni figured out what the latter was thinking. Being busy was just an excuse to not join in the fun, because Xingyu would go too.


    It seemed like the girl had finally decided to stay away from Xingyu and move on. It was for her own good as well as the good of everyone, so Lanni smiled. "When you are done, we can go out for some snacks to celebrate."


    "Of course." Xiaoshi didn''t look heartbroken anymore.


    ¡­


    At the beach, on Friday.


    Xiehan was the first to arrive with Lanni on his private plane. They went to Xiehan''s beach manor.


    Lanni looked around the spacious living room as Xiehan lugged in their luggage. "Whoa! I didn''t expect the place to be so luxurious. And it''s so clean for a place you don''t occupy that often."


    Xiehan let a servant take the luggage to the master bedroom as he responded, "When we were younger, Xingyu, Jian and I would always come to the beach every summer. We didn''t want to keep staying at the hotel every time we came over so I decided to buy a manor instead."


    Lanni twirled excitedly. "Then I''ll take advantage and come often. The others aren''t here yet?" because the manor had enough rooms, they would all stay together during this period.


    Xiehan shook his head. "I''m sure Xingyu will be the last to arrive."


    Lanni chuckled in agreement. That guy was doing everything at the speed of a snail lately, just to ensure that he was cautious enough not to upset their unborn baby.


    Just as they spoke, an announcement filled the atmosphere. "Guess who''s here!"


    Lanni shook her head. "Do we even need to guess?"


    When she set her eyes on Lin Jian''s get up, she was speechless. Just when she thought that the guy''s limit of bizzare dressing was his get up for their celebration dinner several months ago, the man set yet a lower limit for aesthetic tastes. This time, he wore a colorful shirt with at least a thousand little flowers of all colors, and paired it with bright-colored shorts. He even had a silver colored spiky chain around his neck and a silver earring.


    "Even if you know that you are handsome, you cannot insult our eyes like that!" She lacked words to describe his twisted sense of fashion.


    "You think I''m handsome? That''s an honor!" He grinned as he leaned over to Lanni and pointed at his face.


    "Is that your main point?" Lanni chuckled, then glanced at Ruby who was sticking to his back and trying to make her presence as scarce as possible.


    It was rare to see such a proud girl act so embarrassed, but she had nothing to say about it.


    "You''re finally here. Miss Xing will show Ruby to her room." Xiehan finally spoke up, glaring at his friend for acting flirtatious around his girlfriend.


    As soon as his words were out, a middle aged housekeeper walked over. "This way, Miss Chan."


    Ruby looked relieved, and immediately followed her upstairs.


    "Damn! Why would you do that? Are we still friends?!" Lin Jian instantly complained about the serious-faced Xiehan. He had been planning to trick Ruby into staying in the same room as him, but Xiehan had ruined it all!


    "Stop playing with women''s hearts." Xiehan frowned as he warned.


    "Who said I was playing with her heart?" Lin Jian mumbled, but Xiehan had already grabbed Lanni''s hand and pulled her away.


    As they went upstairs, Lanni couldn''t help sneaking glances at him with an interesting expression. "Since when did you care about Lin Jian playing around?"


    Xiehan frowned and started unpacking their things, not answering her question.


    She went ahead to tease, "It''s only because it''s Ruby, right?"


    He stiffened at her words and was about to explain when he found that even he couldn''t explain himself. He was about to say something when she added, "You sounded so protective back there¡­ If I didn''t know any better, I would think Ruby was your little sister and as her brother, you were telling off the jerk who might break her fragile heart."


    He looked up at her playful face with a slight laugh. "What weird-themed movies have you been watching lately? It''s just that girls'' hearts are meant to be treasured, not broken like it means nothing. It''s something every man should know."


    Lanni gazed at him as she leaned against the doorframe, suddenly letting her imagination run wild. If they ever had a daughter, just how much would he spoil her?


    Seeing his girlfriend''s love-strike face, Xiehan didn''t dare to ask what she was thinking about. She must be imagining wild things.


    ¡­


    Later, everyone else arrived.


    It was quite a large group with Lanni, Xiehan, Xingyu, Luna, Lin Jian, Ruby, Cheng Yu and Cedric¡ªwho had forcefully followed Cheng Yu.


    When Luna saw him, she couldn''t help teasing her friend. "You said you wanted to use this as a break from seeing him every day, yet you dragged him along!"


    "Urgh¡­ Like I would drag problems along." Cheng Yu looked so angry she could puke blood. She had decided to come on a commercial flight, but when Cedric accidentally saw her ticket when he went to her office the previous day, he "accidentally" tore it and crumbled it beyond recognition, then he offered to drop her off on one of his family''s private planes as compensation.


    Just the thought of it was infuriating.


    "So that was what happened." Luna smiled when she heard the explanation. "But why does it sound so far-fetched?"


    "Because you won''t believe me no matter how I explain it." Cheng Yu ignored her and went to the kitchen to grab a drink.


    Seeing his companion leave the room, Cedric, who was pretending to play on his phone, rushed to follow her. "Yu."


    Cheng Yu felt her head hurt. "Why are you following me?! Didn''t you only come to drop me off? I''m here, safe and sound. You can leave now." She roared.


    Cedric recoiled a few steps and looked like a shivering puppy. "Yu, you''re scary¡­ I only wanted to keep you company for a while¡­"


    "I don''t need it. Leave!" She snarled.


    In response, the guy''s beautiful eyes drooped sadly like a pet abandoned by its owner, as he made small steps out of the kitchen.


    Cheng Yu took a deep breath. "Fine. You can stay. But keep your distance away from me and don''t spout any nonsense, okay?"


    "Yes!" Cedric''s eyes regained their brightness and he did a happy jump. In the end, acting pitiful proved to work. Cheng Yu just couldn''t stand to see him sad.


    Speaking of which, women were only unable to stand seeing a man sad if they cared about them. Didn''t that mean Cheng Yu cared about him? If that was the case, then why was she still pushing him away?


    He wanted to ask but remained silent. Never mind. If he asked right now, she might just kick him out.


    ¡­


    When they saw Cedric leave the kitchen happily, Lanni and Luna exchanged glances.


    "Do you think Xiao Yu kissed him?" Luna whispered to her sister, who chuckled under her breath.


    "He looks so happy, maybe he did get lucky."


    When Cheng Yu returned, she noticed that everyone was giggling while stealing glances at her. "What''s wrong with all of you?" She had a feeling their thoughts were running in directions they shouldn''t be.


    Lin Jian coughed. "Nothing. We were just thinking that we should probably play a few games?"


    "Good idea." Xiehan immediately seconded. They were staying in to rest today and would only go out on the next day. However, the atmosphere was tense with two pairs of enemies in the same room.


    Ruby was practically sticking onto Lin Jian and keeping as much distance from Lanni as possible, while Cedric and Xingyu were glaring daggers at each other every time their eyes met. Luckily, Xiaoshi had decided not to come, or else she, Luna and Cheng Yu would be breathing hate at each other too.


    Thinking of it as the perfect way to lighten the atmosphere, Xingyu went along. "What should we play? How about a competition instead? We just happen to be hungry so we can get to see who the best cook is. We can pair up with our companions."


    "Leave that to us ladies. The men can contest on something else." Cheng Yu quickly spoke up when she remembered what a horrible kitchen wrecker Cedric was.


    Cedric looked at her gratefully. He wouldn''t have to embarrass himself.


    Meanwhile, Lanni gave her friend a deadly glare. Just when she was about to do a happy dance about winning even before they started! Whatever she wasn''t so bad in the kitchen herself.


    "But Luna is pregnant. I''m sure Xingyu won''t let her into the kitchen." Lin Jian gloated.


    Luna glanced sideways at him like he was an idiot. "Shouldn''t you be worrying about yourself? I bet your Ruby can''t even boil water."


    Everyone laugh ed at him, while Ruby was stunned. How did Luna know that?

 Chapter 373 - Contest

    Luna''s gaze met with Ruby''s, and the former smiled. "Are you puzzled? I looked you up."


    Ruby frowned. Why did these sisters like looking her up? Even so, she didn''t want to create trouble for herself so she shut her mouth.


    Knowing what she was thinking, Luna explained, "That was long ago, when I realized that you were trying to get close to my sister despite being Ji Feifei''s friend. Of course, I''m not going to let people of questionable character near my sister."


    Lanni shot a look at her sister. "Enough, Luna. It''s a joyous occasion." Although what she was saying was right, Ruby must be feeling awkward so everything they said might sound like they were reprimanding her.


    "Fine, fine. Let''s go to the kitchen then."


    "I''ll go on your behalf." Xingyu immediately offered. Before anyone could call him out for being unfair, he pointed out, "My wife cannot handle such dangerous things as fire and knives in her condition. Please excuse us."


    The other men could only bite their tongues, wishing they could substitute their women.


    As they racked their brains for excuses, Xiehan beat them to it. "Excuse me, my girlfriend is delicate, so I will substitute her."


    Lanni smiled sweetly.


    Everyone was speechless.


    "What kind of excuse is that?!" Xingyu had no words to describe his friend''s excuse. Could it be that there was no better excuse so he resorted to using this?


    Just as they racked their brains for words to use to rebut him, Lin Jian spoke up and declared, "Ruby can''t go to the kitchen. She is so precious, who will bear the blame if she got injured? Neil Chan will kick my butt."


    He pretended to be pitiful and Ruby looked at him gratefully. She wouldn''t have to make a fool out of herself anymore. But did Lin Jian know how to cook?


    " Well¡­" Cedric started.


    "Don''t you dare!" Cheng Yu stared him down before he could get another word out. Substitute her? Was he trying to embarrass her?!


    The whole room roared in laughter.


    Cedric remained silent, inwardly sobbing on his own after being shouted at.


    In the end, Xiehan, Cheng Yu, Xingyu and Lin Jian made their way to the kitchen. The others were curious, so they followed them, using "cheering their partners on" as an excuse. They stood to one side and watched as the contestants decided what to cook.


    After a long battle of thoughts, Xingyu decided to deep fry chicken thighs, Cheng Yu chose to cook what she was best at, sweet and sour pork ribs, while Xiehan chose to cook mushroom pasta, and the remaining meat dishes.


    "Let Lin Jian cook the vegetables." Cheng Yu said, kindly choosing the easiest option for him.


    Lin Jian looked at him gratefully and rolled up his sleeves. "I got this!"


    Even so, Lanni giggled at the side. Could he really do it?


    Cedric thought he had been spared until Xingyu jeered at him. "Are you going to sit aside with the women and let your princess cook?"


    Cheng Yu tilted her head and glared at him. "Shut up. How does that concern you?"


    "I''m just saying!" Xingyu shrugged innocently.


    Cheng Yu shot him a warning look. Despite his feigned innocence, she knew what he was thinking. He must know that she was good in the kitchen so what he said was his lame attempt at eliminating a competitor. Ignoring him, she picked up an apron from the stack that had been brought over by the housekeeper, then draped it over her dress. Tying her hair into a bun, she washed her hands and started preparing the ingredients.


    ¡­


    One hour later.


    It was finally time to decide the winner. All the bystanders were to have a taste of all the dishes then vote for the person they thought cooked the best dish.


    Lanni went first. She deliberately tasted everything else first before tasting Xiehan''s mushroom pasta as the finale. Her expression brightened up. "As expected! My baby is the best cook in the world."


    Xiehan proudly patted her shoulder. "I wouldn''t disappoint you."


    "What nonsense are you saying? Have you ever tasted fried chicken that''s this delicious?" Luna immediately countered, having just taken a bite of Xingyu''s dish.


    Lanni rolled her eyes at her. "What''s so good about it? He used an air fryer!" Lanni called out the unfairness.


    "That''s because I didn''t want it to contain any extra oil. I don''t need to spell out the reason, do I?" Xingyu looked over at Lanni smugly.


    While the two argued, Ruby spoke up after tasting Lin Jian''s pickled radishes. "Obviously, my Jian is the winner."


    Lin Jian tensed up then hid his face to smile. He was overjoyed that someone had considered him the winner despite his lack of expertise in the kitchen, but what felt more special was what she had called him. ''My Jian'', she said?


    Ruby seemed to have realized what she had just said and her face flushed crimson. She wanted to say something to redeem herself but knowing that it would only serve to further deepen the misunderstanding, she coughed and served herself more vegetables.


    Everyone who was preparing to pick on Lin Jian for doing nothing but stir-frying a few vegetables and bringing ready-made pickled vegetables onto the dining table, but they didn''t dare to ruin the magical moment.


    Cedric frowned when he tasted everyone''s cooking. "What''s the point of this contest? Everyone knows that Yu cooks best."


    He was not wrong, there really was no point in the whole contest because for something as vague as cooking skills, everyone would choose their own partner as the winner out of love¡ªand survival instinct.


    After enjoying their feast, everyone started feeling lazy. They had already been exhausted from having travelled from B City.


    When she felt sleepy, Luna snuggled to Xingyu and fell asleep against his shoulder.


    With a doting smile, he took her in his arms gently. "My wife is sleepy, so we will make a move first. Excuse us."


    "Go, go. Don''t flaunt your love to us now." Cheng Yu pressed a hand against her chest like her single soul had been wounded.


    When she saw her friend''s reaction, Lanni turned her head from the game she was playing on her phone and looked at Cedric, then Cheng Yu. "Why would you still be acting like a single girl when there is a man right beside you, one who likes you?"


    Cheng Yu froze, then she turned aggressive as cracked her knuckles, shooting daggers in Lanni''s direction. "Come here! I promise I won''t kill you!"


    "Xiehan, help!" Lanni climbed onto the couch that Xiehan was sitting on and clung to him like her life was in danger.


    The man, who was chatting casually with Lin Jian, held his girlfriend and glared daggers at Cheng Yu.


    The latter retreated mournfully. "Fine. You have someone to protect you, so you can tease me all you want."


    Lanni made a funny face at her and dunked into Xiehan''s arms.


    At the side, Ruby watched what was happening with a listless smile. She was not jealous of Lanni for being doted on by Xiehan, but if only her brother could acknowledge her.. . Even if he didn''t love her a tenth of how much he loved Lanni, she would be happy if they were on good terms.


    Xiehan felt her gaze on him and looked over. She smiled gently, then tapped Lin Jian and whispered something to him.


    Xiehan was thunderstruck. That smile¡­ Why did it look like his mother''s?


    As soon as the thought registered itself, he shook it off. It must be because of what Lanni teasingly said about him acting like a protective brother to Ruby, that he was now starting to have bizarre hallucinations.


    At that moment, Lanni rubbed her eyes and shifted in his arms. Knowing that she must be sleepy, he stood up and took her hand. "We will go up now."


    Cheng Yu knew that she would soon be left alone with Cedric so she fled. "I woke up early today so I have to catch on some sleep."


    Lanni, Xiehan, Ruby and Lin Jian all laughed at Cedric yet again. Just as he was looking forward to spending some alone time with her, she had taken flight even before his plan could come into action.


    ¡­


    Xiehan put Lanni to sleep and was just about to join her when his phone rang. To avoid disturbing her sleep, he stepped out to pick the call at the mezzanine.


    He was just done speaking when the door beside the master bedroom opened. He looked over to see Ruby, wearing a long, silk nightgown. She smiled when she saw him. "Xiehan?"


    He looked at her, his expression unknowingly turning gentle. "You''re not sleeping. Are you having trouble falling asleep in an unfamiliar room?"


    Ruby was stunned. This was the first time he was not ignoring her. Knowing that she would have wasted this chance if he walked out on her, she decided to go straight to the point. "I have something important to tell you."


    This was not the first time she was saying this, so Xiehan frowned slightly.. "Go ahead."

 Chapter 374 - Sleep Together

    Ruby was prepared for Xiehan to coldly say no and walk away, so his words took her by surprise. It took a while for her to recover from her shock and when she did, she started racking her brains for the right words to use to break this kind of news.


    Unlike all the other times, he waited patiently for whatever she had to say. On one hand, he had a feeling that it really was something important, or else she wouldn''t keep bugging him despite what had happened before. On the other hand, he knew that if she didn''t speak up today, she would still look for him later.


    "What do you want to say?" He probed when a few minutes passed in silence.


    She took in a deep breath, then looked around briefly to ensure that no one was around. Although they were probably the only people awake at this moment, she was still not fully assured. The walls had ears. "If it''s not troublesome, could we talk later? It''s something¡­ no one else should know."


    Afraid that he might misunderstand her, she quickly clarified, "It''s about Ji Feifei, and if you''re afraid that Lanni might misunderstand our meeting, you can tell her. But only her."


    Xiehan had an interesting expression. Why did she look so panicked? He suddenly had the urge to say something to reassure her, but he didn''t in the end. He simply nodded. "Let''s talk about it tomorrow."


    "Mmh." She retreated to her room happily. She was bound to have a sleepless night from anticipation.


    ___


    That night, Ruby was not the only one having a sleepless night.


    A while ago, Cheng Yu was shown to her room by Lin Jian, the jerk.


    Knowing that the man before her was an idiot, her first reaction was to glare him down sternly. "You better not do anything fishy."


    She was still speaking when she noticed a familiar black leather suitcase on the bed. That was not hers but¡­wasn''t that Cedric''s suitcase? She lifted her head to glower at Lin Jian.


    The latter obviously knew what she was thinking and hurried to defend himself. "I didn''t have a choice! This is the only room left."


    Cheng Yu harrumphed and crossed her arms, looking at him threateningly. "Do you think I''m an idiot?"


    "No, of course not! Why would I think such a thing?" Lin Jian waved his hands quickly, his face looking innocent as he explained, "There are indeed many rooms in this mansion, but many of them are servants'' rooms and others are undergoing renovation so they cannot be used. The only usable rooms are these few."


    As if trying to redeem himself, he quickly added, "I thought I was going to sleep in the same room with Ruby but I miscalculated, so there is one room less than I thought. You may have to put up with this for these few days."


    Cheng Yu looked at Cedric''s suitcase and frowned when she imagined herself sharing a room with a man she had no ties with. Feelings of no feelings, it was still a little too overboard to sleep together when they were not in any kind of relationship. She raised her hand to massage her temple.


    Seeing her stressed look, Lin Jian tried to redeem the situation. "You both will be asleep anyways, nothing will happen."


    He thought he had said the right thing, but all he did was worsen the situation. Cheng Yu checked the time on her phone. "I will book a room at a hotel. You can go back to your room now."


    "No, no don''t!" He anxiously jumped in her way. He had promised to do Cedric a favor by creating an opportunity for sparks to fly between him and Cheng Yu. If she left now, all his effort would go to waste. Realizing that he had overreacted and Cheng Yu was giving him a weird look, he placed a fist by his mouth and coughed lightly.


    "Well, you can indeed book a hotel room, however, business is at its peak now and it''s pretty hard to get a room in any hotel. Not to mention, they are very far away from here. How can you go on your own? Let''s not talk about how unsafe it is for a girl to stay at a hotel room on her own, who is to say that you will get there safely in the first place? Countless cases of robbery and murder have been reported around this area."


    The man looked serious and even a little scared as he rumbled on reasons why she shouldn''t go, evoking a fear in the depth of her heart.


    Seeing that she was starting to waver, he whipped out his phone with a helpless expression and opened a folder. "Look, one of my subordinates sent me this. It''s an article that will be published by Oracle Daily¡ªa magazine under Lin Media Group¡ª tomorrow. It''s about a family that was murdered in cold blood last night¡­how tragic¡­"


    Cheng Yu was so frightened by the news that she didn''t dare to go and take a look.


    This was within Lin Jian''s expectations, and he was glad that she didn''t dare to check it out. Because despite the article being true, the case did not take place anywhere near the beach, but in a different city. However, he didn''t say anything about the tragedy happening when the family was on their way to the hotel¡ªshe had imagined it herself¡ªso technically, he did not lie to her.


    He waited for the fear to work its charm and it really did. Cheng Yu shook her head in panic. "I won''t go."


    He smiled. Cedric owed him one this time. Before he could finish his mental celebration, she added angrily, "However, I will not spend the night with him! He can sleep in your room or anywhere else."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she shoved him out of the room, catching him off guard, and shut the door.


    Lin Jian was speechless.


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu took a shower and changed into her nightdress, then climbed onto the huge bed. She was sleepy before but now, she couldn''t fall asleep no matter how many sheep she counted. She kept tossing uneasily.


    Lin Jian had said earlier that there was no other available room. Where would Cedric sleep?


    On the couch in the living room? She didn''t even dare to imagine that. Such a spoilt young master, how could he sleep on a couch?


    She shook her head in the next moment. Served him right. No one invited him anyway, he forcefully tagged along.


    But even so, she shouldn''t be so heartless as to let him spend the night so uncomfortably, right?


    She was still battling her thoughts when she heard a soft knock, followed by the soft call of her name. She got off the bed and opened the door, only to see Cedric standing there.


    "You¡­" She was unsure what to say to him.


    Cedric spoke first with a smile. "Can I take a change of clothes?"


    She wordlessly stood to one side and let him in. He didn''t do anything aside from open his suitcase and take out a set of well-folded clothes including pajamas, a blue translucent box with toiletries neatly arranged inside, and a phone charger. Mentally checking his list, he dug into the suitcase and took a white towel then shoved everything he had prepared into a smaller bag.


    He then slung the bag over his shoulder and patted his pockets to ensure he had carried his wallet.


    She watched everything at the side, until he passed by her with a smile. "Goodnight."


    Just as he walked through the door, she felt a tug at her heart and grabbed her hand before her brain could stop her. He turned to look at her suspiciously.


    "Where will you sleep?" She asked. From what he had gathered, she could guess that he was not planning to spend the night within the mansion.


    He shifted the weight of the bag to one side and kept a nonchalant smile. "There is a hotel nearby."


    Cheng Yu felt guilty. He was lying. Lin Jian had already said that the nearest hotel was several kilometres away. He was saying this just so she would not worry about him. But, "The security around here is horrible. You can''t go out on your own."


    Contrary to all the other times when he would readily switch to acting pitiful, he followed Lin Jian''s advice this time.


    The man''s exact words were, "Although women''s hearts are tender, and her heart might soften if you act pitiful, women generally prefer a man who is reliable."


    Thinking about it, he dropped the act this time. "It''s alright. I will take a cab there and besides, I know quite a few moves in case I need to fight."


    Hearing this, Cheng Yu felt even guiltier. She shook her head in disapproval. "You¡­ You can stay here." She was about to ask him to sleep on the floor but changed her mind. "Never mind.. The bed is quite big, it''s alright as long as you keep to your space."

 Chapter 375 - Another Way In

    Cedric was overjoyed, but he pretended to be troubled. "But¡­ Wouldn''t that trouble you too much?"


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes. "If I say it troubles me, what will you do?"


    "It won''t! He quickly returned into the room and unpacked his bag before she could change his mind. He even speedily changed into his silk pajamas and stood beside the bed. Cheng Yu was speechless.


    She was wondering whether he would really keep to his side when she realized that he didn''t look like he was planning to sleep on the bed. Instead, he took a pillow and placed it on the carpeted floor and lied down.


    "You¡­" Cheng Yu scratched her head in embarrassment. "Sleep on the bed. I''ll take the floor."


    However, the man did not react. She leaned over to take a peek and found that he had already closed his eyes and was breathing slowly and steadily. Seeing as he had already fallen asleep, she shrugged and climbed onto the bed. Despite the presence of someone else in the room, she was probably too tired so she quickly drifted into a deep sleep.


    About half an hour later.


    When he was sure that the girl had fallen asleep, Cedric opened his eyes and peeked at her. She looked so cute¡­


    Seeing that she had already kicked the blanket away, he chuckled and got up, then covered her.


    "With these bad sleeping habits, she will probably roll off the bed and fall. Nevermind, I should sleep next to her to guard her." He thought, then lay next to her.


    Fine, he simply wanted an excuse to sleep next to her.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Cheng Yu yawned when she woke up. That was the most peaceful sleep she had had in a long time. It was as though she was in a warm embrace all night, lulling her to feel safe and comfortable. When she woke up, her first reaction was to dart her eyes to the space beside the bed.


    Cedric had already woken up. The pillow was no longer on the floor, he must have already gone downstairs.


    Getting up, she grabbed a towel and bathrobe from her clothes and half-sleepily dragged her feet to the bathroom.


    But when she opened the door¡­


    Her eyes widened as her jaw dropped, all the sleep clearing off from her eyes. The first thing she saw was a muscular back¡­ a naked, muscular back with water dripping down from his hair all the way down his broad shoulder blades and her first reaction was not to look away but to widen her eyes.


    When the door opened, Cedric was shocked and turned reflexively.


    She looked away as soon as their eyes met. "Sorry! I thought¡­ I¡­" She dashed out of the bathroom before she could embarrass herself.


    Behind her, the man laughed, intrigued.


    ___


    By the time Cheng Yu took a bath and went downstairs, breakfast was ready and everyone was waiting for her.


    Everything was normal, but she had a feeling that they were all giving her weird looks and giggling under their breaths.


    She ignored them and walked over, wondering where to sit. On the dining table that could fit up to ten people, there were three empty seats between Lanni and Cedric. She naturally wanted to sit next to Lanni but if she deliberately kept her distance from Cedric, she would never hear the end of their teasing. Hence, she shrugged her shoulders and sat next to him.


    As if that was what they were all waiting for, they all broke into cheers and teased Cedric. Lin Jian even patted his back and congratulated him for heaven-knows-what.


    Cheng Yu was speechless. Was everyone so idle?


    "Xiao Yu, how was your night?" Lanni asked as she passed Luna a jug of milk.


    Cheng Yu didn''t think too much of it and answered honestly, "It was alright. How was yours?"


    "Just alright?" Luna darted her gaze over curiously, unknowingly pouring too much milk into her bowl of cereal. It was only when Xingyu took the jug from her that she looked at him gratefully and turned back to Cheng Yu. "Are you tired¡­ Does your waist hurt?"


    "No, I''m not tired. And why would my waist hurt?" She asked curiously, then comprehended just what her friend was getting at. Her face flushed. "Luna, you''re so dirty-minded!"


    The dining room roared in laughter. Cheng Yu silently buttered her bread and ignored the taunts that followed. Jeez, was everyone so corrupt? What made them come to the conclusion that something happened between her and Cedric? While thinking about it, her brain formed the image she had seen in the bathroom earlier.. .that sexy back¡­


    Because he was still fairly young and with his physique that looked a bit skinny, she never would have thought that his body would look that muscular with no clothes on. He only turned for a brief second but when she caught sight of his chest, she almost had a nosebleed from how seductive it looked.


    She shook the thought off her head. When did her thoughts become so corrupt? It must be the effect of staying close to these dirty-minded people.


    "What''s wrong?" Lin Jian asked Ruby next to him. She had been silent throughout, and didn''t even laugh when everyone was making fun of Cedric and Cheng Yu.


    She shook her head. "Nothing."


    She just wasn''t sure how to interact with everyone. More than that, she was scared of Xiehan''s reaction later when he learnt that they were siblings. Would he be accepting of her, or would he think she was lying? Actually, all that mattered was that the Ji family found out the truth and prepared themselves for a possible calamity.


    Lin Jian saw that she was not willing to talk about whatever was bothering her so he let it be, and passed a de-shelled egg to her. "It''s nutritious."


    "Thank you." She smiled briefly.


    Breakfast went smoothly and when everyone was full, they decided to stay indoors for a while before going to the beach later.


    Hence, Xiehan, Lanni and Ruby met in the study.


    Ruby was the last to arrive, and she was unsure where to sit so she kept standing. "I''ll go straight to the point."


    Lanni nodded in approval. That would be for the best. This had dragged on for too long. She would not have come along if it wasn''t because Xiehan wanted her to get first-hand information of whatever Ruby was going to say. Obviously, the man was afraid she might misunderstand if he secretly met Ruby on her own.


    Trying not to look at Lanni, Ruby looked elsewhere. "The truth is, Ji Feifei is not your sister."


    She waited for the news to sink in but neither of them looked surprised. Instead, she was the one who was shocked by this outcome. They knew?


    "Just this?" Xiehan''s question confirmed her suspicions.


    "You¡­ You already know?" She couldn''t help asking.


    Xiehan''s expression didn''t change. "I guessed out of logic."


    At first, it was merely a guess out of logic¡ªthe fact that Ji Feifei did so much to seek their parents'' attention, and the absurdity of her boldness while seducing her brother, was too questionable. His guess had been confirmed by a detail that Lanni remembered from her past.


    All she remembered was that she had found out something about Ji Feifei and it made the latter want to take her life, but it proved Xiehan''s guess right. This was the only thing that someone like Ji Feifei could care about¡ªbeing stripped of the identity she was so proud of.


    "What''s this got to do with you anyway?" Lanni asked, then it dawned on her. She suddenly remembered how she had once thought that Ji Meiling''s eyes were familiar. Now that she thought about it, it was only because they were quite similar to Ruby''s!


    In fact, now that she scanned Ruby, she realized that the more she looked at her, the more she found her similar to Xiaoshi, Ji Meiling, Ji Huifen and even Wen Lin. Could it be¡­


    Ruby''s next statement confirmed this guess. "Ji Feifei took my place. It was a conspiracy and¡­ I''m your real sister, Xiehan." She went ahead to explain what had happened in the past, and how she needed up as Neil Chan''s daughter.


    Xiehan was not sure how to immediately react to the news. When Ruby was done speaking, her phone rang so she stepped out to take the call.


    Lanni glanced at Xiehan. "Do you believe her? Because I don''t."


    Xiehan held her hand with her frown. "Of course not. Would you believe anyone who appeared out of nowhere and claimed to be your sibling? Obviously, I''m going to get to the bottom of it."


    Even if he thought Ruby could be telling the truth and even if she bore some similarities to his parents, he couldn''t blindly bring her to the Ji family.


    In a society where plastic surgery was no longer novel, anything was possible. It was in fact, highly possible for this to be a bigger conspiracy.


    What if she initially wanted to marry him and get into the Ji family but couldn''t, so she found another way in?


    When he told Lanni his speculation, she burst into laughter. "That would be a bit overboard, but nothing is impossible.. I''ll help you investigate."

 Chapter 376 - A Stroll By The Beach

    When Ruby left the study, she basically stumbled downstairs helplessly. She was sure that based on Xiehan''s gaze earlier, he didn''t truly believe her. However, it was still alright if he investigated since it would only prove that she was telling the truth.


    Just as she took a turn to go to her room, a strong hand dragged her to the side.


    "What do you want?" She asked sharply. Lin Jian had almost startled the life out of her.


    The man gazed down at her flirtatiously. "Let''s take a walk by the beach."


    She pulled her wrist from his hand with a frown and leaned against the wall behind her. "Everyone is going together later."


    Lin Jian knew this, but he insisted. "Don''t you want to take a walk with me¡­ Just the two of us? There is probably no one outside at this time so it will be cool."


    Ruby nodded to his persuasion, she needed some time to cool off anyway. Hence, the two of them got changed and made their way out of the house.


    Ruby wore a long, white skirt with a crop top, and had a pair of flat sandals on her feet. Lin Jian walked beside her, coincidentally wearing a white shirt and a pair of blue shorts of the same shade as her crop top¡­


    Scratch that. He had seen the clothes she had changed into and deliberately worn a matching outfit.


    He looked down at her as she walked beside him, the cool morning breeze fluttering her hair off her face. She suddenly sneezed and rubbed her palms against her arms.


    Instantly, he shrugged off his white shirt and placed it on her shoulders.


    She looked up at him curiously so he explained, "I don''t want you to catch a cold."


    She smiled, her cheeks flushing a bit. Although the shirt was thin and couldn''t make much of a difference, her heart felt warm. Besides, she almost couldn''t hold in her awe when her gaze landed on the shirtless man beside her.


    He noticed her gaze and leaned in flirtatiously. "Are you impressed by what you''re seeing? You can look for as long as you want¡ªno need to be shy."


    As he spoke, he paraded himself for her to have a clearer view of his body.


    "Don''t be silly!" She pushed him away, her face blushing furiously.


    Gazing at her beauty, he slowly inched his hand closer to hers uncertainly. In the next moment, he held her hand in his. She was startled and was about to quickly withdraw her hand but he held onto it tightly. "The beach isn''t very safe. You could get bitten by a crab or something¡­ What will I do then?"


    Ruby was flabbergasted by his poor excuse. Couldn''t he make up a better one? Anyway, she didn''t mind holding his hand so she shrugged and let him be.


    A smile of satisfaction flashed his face. As a man who was used to charming girls as soon as they saw him, this was the first time he had to work hard to get a girlfriend. Even he couldn''t believe that he was being this gentle.


    "Are you tired? Do you want me to carry you?" He asked beside her ear. She was yet to respond when he caught sight of a familiar figure strolling behind them from the corner of his eye. Upon closer inspection, he realized that everyone was following behind as well: Cheng Yu was leading the way while Luna, Xingyu and Cedric followed her. Behind them, Lanni and Xiehan were holding hands and laughing joyously.


    "You guys are here too?" He asked Cheng Yu, who was the first to catch up to them.


    Before Cheng Yu could answer him, Xingyu glared at his friend. "You snuck out on your own. How could you?"


    Lin Jian scratched his head and blinked his beautiful eyes, thinking of an excuse. "It was the only chance I could get! An engaged man like you won''t understand."


    "Go easy on Lin Jian. It''s not easy for him to get a chance to be alone with his beauty." Luna said to Xingyu, earning waves of teasing laughter from the rest.


    She then glanced at Lin Jian teasingly. "Was there any progresss? Tell us, quick!"


    Seeing how curious everyone was, Ruby was unsure how to respond. It was already awkward enough when Lin Jian pursued her in broad daylight, but with everyone helping him create sparks between them, it felt complicated.


    "Just keep walking! Why do you have so many questions?" Lin Jian placed a hand over her shoulder protectively.


    As they walked, they passed by a stall selling ice cream and cold drinks.


    "Love, I want to buy some ice cream." Lanni tugged Xiehan''s hand like an excited child.


    "Mmh." Xiehan patted his pockets. Luckily he had carried his wallet, so he let go of her hand and went to the vendor. He soon returned with two cones of ice cream, one with caramel topping and the other with chocolate topping.


    Lanni naturally took the former and licked it with an excited smile. "Thank you! I didn''t know you liked chocolate ice cream?"


    The man wiped the excess ice cream from the corner of her mouth using his thumb and naturally licked it. "Both are for you."


    Lanni was even more excited than a child at this point. "I love you!"


    In front of them, Luna eyed her sister''s ice cream jealously. She then tapped Xingyu''s hand. "Honey, I want ice-cream too."


    Xingyu was dreading this. He pinched his nose-bridge helplessly. "No, honey. You can''t eat anything that''s too cold."


    "Oh¡­" Luna looked miserable, obviously wishing she could get just a tiny bit.


    In the end, Xingyu couldn''t bear to see her so disappointed, so he walked over to the stall and returned with a cup of yoghurt with a straw slotted in.


    Although she couldn''t eat ice-cream, she liked yoghurt too so she took it with a smile and tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "You''re the best!"


    At the side, Lin Jian watched his friends get complements and kisses for simply buying something so little, and decisively went to the stall as well. He bought chocolate candy and strawberry ice cream, both of which he presented to Ruby.


    Not wanting to be left out, Cedric bought ice-cream for Cheng Yu as well, but she shot him a mean look.


    Xiehan pressed his lips together and tried not to gloat, while Lin Jian and Xingyu burst into laughter.


    Only Lanni was kind enough to explain to the guy, "Xiao Yu doesn''t like ice-cream. You can get her strawberry juice instead."


    "Oh¡­" The defeated guy once again cheered up, and hurriedly bought a bottle of strawberry juice. When he returned, he unscrewed the cap and slotted in the straw for her, then presented it nervously.


    Cheng Yu shot him a glance. "Don''t you get it? I just don''t want anything from you."


    "He is just trying to make you happy, take it easy on him." Luna came to Cedric''s rescue.


    "Luna is right. It''s just some juice, and you must be thirsty." Lanni went along as she finished the first cone of ice cream.


    Ruby was still awkward around everyone, so she remained silent and focused on eating her ice cream, though she was of the same opinion as the twins.


    After laughing at him for long enough, Xiehan, Xingyu and Lin Jian finally decided to speak up for him.


    "He is always trying to make you happy but all you do is shout at him. Poor guy¡­" Lin Jian exaggerated.


    "Can you really bear to see him so deflated?" Xiehan commented when he received an SOS signal from his girlfriend. Although Xingyu wasn''t in the best terms with Cedric, he spoke up a few words on his behalf as well.


    Cheng Yu was speechless. These traitors! Under their persuasion, she reluctantly took the bottle.


    They continued walking in a single row and chatting happily. Their destination was a resort that the guys had mentioned, where they would have fun all day.


    After walking for a while, Luna started slowing down. Wordlessly, Xingyu stopped her, stood in front of her and crouched. "I''ll give you a piggyback."


    Luna felt her heart melt by how fast he had noticed her tiredness. "Honey, you''re so sweet." She climbed onto his back without hesitating. She was wearing shorts so she had nothing to worry about.


    Xingyu stood up and walked on steadily. He didn''t slow down even with Luna on his back.


    A few steps later, Xiehan stopped and directly pulled Lanni onto his back. She adjusted herself and hugged him, resting onto his back comfortably. She smiled and kissed his ear, making them flush instantly.


    "I''ll throw you into the water if you don''t stop." He threatened in a low voice. Hearing his threat, she stiffened and stopped fooling around.


    "Do you want a piggyback ride too?" Lin Jian asked Ruby teasingly. She was indeed tired so she nodded and climbed onto his back.


    At the side, Cedric looked at Cheng Yu meaningfully, but didn''t dare to voice his words.


    Seeing that the other men were silently cheering him on, he gathered his courage. "You must be tired so¡­"

 Chapter 377 - Frogs

    "You must be tired after walking for so long so¡­ I can carry you for a while if you don''t mind." Cedric offered, almost fainting out of nervousness.


    Cheng Yu shook her head as she looked at him. She sighed helplessly. Why was the man still so persistent about acting like a couple with her, even after she had rejected him so many times?


    Although this is what she thought, she had already embarrassed him earlier and made him the laughing stock for a while, so she couldn''t bring herself to say no to him again. It was just a piggyback ride, and it didn''t mean much, right?


    Making a mental note to talk to him about it later, she walked behind him. "Just this once."


    He joyously supported her onto his back, not sure where to place his hands. Just like Lanni and Luna, she was wearing a pair of shorts that didn''t even cover half of her thighs. If his hand came into contact with her skin, would she be offended?


    Deciding that she would be even more offended if he supported her by her butt, he pretended to not realize anything and held her tights, his heart racing when her sweet fragrance wafted into his nostrils as the breeze softly blew. His heart was content. Saying yes to him carrying her meant he was starting to gain her trust.


    According to his own observation as well as that of Lin Jian, she did have feelings for him and was merely afraid¡ªprobably because their identities were too different. She was probably scared that soon after they got into a relationship, their parents would oppose their union and force them to break up.


    Hence, aside from trying to get closer to her, his other aim of coming to this trip was to find a chance to let her know that no one could influence his decisions, and no one would have a say about who he could or could not be with. As for his sister''s opposition the last time, that girl was probably spewing nonsense because she was in a bad mood.


    "Let''s race! The last pair to arrive at the resort are frogs!" Lin Jian proposed a race mischievously and immediately took off with Ruby on his back.


    "That''s foul!" Cedric complained as he held Cheng Yu tightly and tried to catch up.


    "Hold tight!" Xiehan told Lanni, then sprinted and overtook Cedric and Lin Jian within a few seconds. Lanni laughed gloatingly at Lin Jian, who had been defeated at the game he proposed himself.


    Behind them, Xingyu gave up without bothering to try. Of the three friends, he had always lost when he, Xiehan and Lin Jian raced since they were kids. The latter had always used this fact to poke fun at him. Seeing that Cedric was quite fast too, he knew that he would lose either way.


    The three pairs arrived at the resort, out of breath from laughing at Cedric and Cheng Yu who had fallen on their way here.


    By the time Xingyu and Luna arrived, the six of them had already played a few games of poker.


    "Ha¡­ Frogs!" Lin Jian pointed a finger at them and laughed like a kid.


    The others laughed, while Xingyu gently let Luna off his back. "Babe, do you mind being a frog with me?"


    Luna adjusted the hem of her top and smiled at him sweetly. "Of course not my love. We are the sweetest couple whether we are snails or frogs."


    "Please stop!" Lanni pretended to close her eyes.


    "Come here! We almost grew mould on our butt from waiting for you!" Cheng Yu eagerly waved them over.


    For the first time, Ruby spoke up. "Are you sure you were not just hoping for them to come so you don''t keep losing?"


    Lin Jian held his tummy and laughed so hard that he almost fell off from his chair.


    "Nonsense, of course not!" Cheng Yu denied guiltily.


    They were playing poker in pairs; with the men being the major players and the women cheering them on and helping them make the right moves. However, both she and Cedric were new to card games so although they had been told the rules, they kept losing no matter how good their cards were.


    Hearing Ruby''s accusation, Luna had an interesting expression and looked at Xingyu. "Do you know how to play poker?"


    Lin Jian answered on his behalf. "This man is a monster. No matter what card or dice games you play, he will always give everyone a run for their money. Even casino gurus are scared of him!"


    Everyone finally understood why Lin Jian was laughing at Cheng Yu.


    Luna was overjoyed while Lanni clung onto her man''s arm." Is he that good? Love, we cannot lose out to them. He is good, but there are two of us now."


    It was Cheng Yu''s turn to laugh at Lanni. "Have you forgotten? Luna is practically a genius at card games too. Even I can''t tell what psychological tricks she uses¡­" She realized halfway through her statement that this was yet another reason why she would lose. Urgh¡­ She and Cedric would probably lose again.


    ___


    B City.


    While her cousin and his friends had fun, Xiaoshi was alone in her new apartment. She didn''t have many friends in Country C, and the few friends she had made at work were not close enough for her to ask them out.


    She was thinking of using this chance to pay her uncle and aunt a visit but changed her mind. There was something she had always wanted to do and this was probably the best chance.


    After looking it up online, she copied a telephone number onto the dial pad of her phone. She closed her eyes and thought about it. Should she really do this? After thinking through the pros and cons, she decided to go through with it.


    Holding her breath, she dialled the call.


    "Hello, this is Montagne Hospital. How may I be of help?" A woman spoke after picking up the call within three rings.


    Her heart raced as she gathered her words. "I would like to book an appointment with Doctor Han Xichen as soon as possible." If this delayed, she might change her mind.


    "Please hold." The woman said, then the sound of flipping paper resounded on the other end. Just as Xiaoshi was starting to feel anxious, she spoke again. "Doctor Han is free this afternoon. Is this timing convenient?"


    Xiaoshi checked the time. It was already noon, so she had to head over immediately. She had thought that the doctor would be busy and she would have to wait until Monday. Nonetheless, this was much better so she agreed. "Please send me your location."


    As soon as the call ended, she took a quick shower and changed her clothes. When she was done, she checked her phone and found that she had received a text message with the location.


    ¡­


    "I''m here to see Doctor Han. I made the appointment on the phone thirty minutes ago." She nervously said to the receptionist when she arrived.


    The receptionist looked at her record then back at her. "Miss Yun? Dor Han''s office is on the thirteenth floor, the third room to your left."


    Xiaoshi nodded her thanks and lifelessly entered the elevator.


    When she got to the said office, her attention was caught by the man sitting behind the large white desk. He was wearing a pair of clear glasses and reading a book on his desk seriously. Even from this angle, she could tell that he was breathtakingly handsome.


    Han Xichen looked up when he realized that the patient had arrived. He took off his reading glasses and glanced at her. "Are you miss Yun?" When she nooded, he motioned for her to have a seat.


    "I want to forget everything. Could you help me erase my memory?" Xiaoshi blurted even before she was settled in her seat, afraid that she would change her mind if she delayed for a second.


    The man frowned ever so slightly, clearly taken aback by such a request. He had received countless patients who wanted to recover their memory, but this was the first time he was getting one who wanted her memory erased. "Why do you want your memory erased?"


    Xiaoshi shook her head. "Can I not answer that?" As though recalling something, she added, "Is it possible to only forget one person?"


    Han Xichen studied her and guessed, "Were you heartbroken?"


    Xiaoshi remained silent.


    The man muttered something under his breath then repeated his question. "Who are you trying to forget? Is it the man who broke your heart?"


    It was not sure what came over Xiaoshi, but she suddenly started bawling her eyes out. Chocking on her sobs, she took out a handkerchief from her purse. "Why¡­. Why not me? Am I not pretty enough?"


    The girl said many things amid her cries, but this was all he understood.. So she was lovelorn because the man she loved was taken. But wasn''t it too much to erase her memory just because of this?

 Chapter 378 - Be Mine

    Aside from being a hypnotist, Han Xichen was a psychologist as well. Hence, although he should have done whatever she wanted, he was not going to let her go through with something that could potentially ruin her without trying to convince her against it. Hence, he looked seriously at her. "How old are you?"


    "What?" Xiaoshi looked up with tearful eyes. They were talking about something else just now. How did the topic suddenly shift to her age? She gathered herself together and croakily answered, "Twenty."


    Han Xichen raised an eyebrow in surprise. She was actually younger than he thought. He had assumed that she was a bit older¡­ no wonder she was so rash.


    "You''re still so young¡­ and you are very pretty. I''m sure there are countless men who would love to date you. Are you sure you really want to ruin your life for a man who may not even realize that you did it because of him?"


    Xiaoshi looked at him hesitantly, her voice lowering into a mumble as she blinked her beautiful, big eyes. "You think I''m pretty?"


    "Is that the main point?" Han Xichen was intrigued by this young lady''s point of focus.


    She nodded to his question, looking at him hopefully.


    "Yes you are." He said. "Very pretty."


    He would have said the same thing no matter who the patient in front of him was. She knew this too, but her ears flashed when she heard it.


    She then looked at him seriously. "Then¡­ can you be my boyfriend?"


    "What?" The man was taken aback. One second ago, she was still crying painfully about being ignored by the man she had supposedly loved for years, and the next second she was hitting on him and asking him to be her boyfriend?


    Gripping the hem of her blue dress, she nodded nervously and added, "I promise, I am hardworking and understanding. I don''t cause unnecessary ruckuses and I don''t get jealous easily. Even if I do, I will not do anything to interfere with your life. I will be the best girlfriend and¡­"


    Han Xichen finally realized what was going on. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. Let me guess. Are you trying to prove to yourself that you can move on, or do I happen to coincidentally look a lot like the man you love?"


    Xiaoshi widened her eyes in surprise then started scanning him while thinking of Xingyu for comparison. In the end, she shook her head. "No. You look nothing like him. he¡­" She stopped whatever she was going to say and focused her gaze on him. "So, will you be my boyfriend?"


    "I''m sorry." He calmly responded. This was not the first time he was being hit on by a patient. Thanks to his handsomeness, forget about all the doctors and nurses in the hospital who had a crush on him; there were countless patients who pretended to have amnesia just so they could get to see him and hit on him while at it.


    However, this was the first time he found it hard to reject a girl.


    The girl before him was not herself. He had cast a mild hypnotizing spell on her earlier, so although the effect was not strong, whatever she was blabbering right now was what she really felt. DIt seemed like deep in her heart, she wanted to grab a random stranger and date him to forget about that man. Poor girl¡­


    When she heard his response, her tears fell like water from a broken dam. "Why?"


    "Don''t cry¡­" He coaxed and gave her a handkerchief. "Because I daren''t take advantage of your broken state. Besides, I cannot be in any relationship with my patient. I''m sorry."


    "Oh¡­" She sighed. At least it wasn''t because he found her deplorable.


    "Do you still want your memory erased? You can make a booking and have it done on Monday. If you wish, I can record this conversation just in case you demand an explanation for your memory loss in future." He asked when the effect of hypnosis had completely faded.


    She shook her head after giving it some thought. "Forget it."


    Han Xichen was satisfied by her answer. Although he was yet to bring out his persuasion skills, this was the outcome he wanted so he was happy. "I''m glad you changed your mind. Do you need help getting over him?"


    She shook her head. "I will be okay."


    Perhaps she had been thinking too much and making rash decisions because she was trying to suppress her own feelings. But now that she had let it pout, she suddenly felt much better.


    ___


    Meanwhile, at the beach.


    After playing and snacking all day, the group raced back to the manor on four motorboats. Lin Jian and Ruby won this time. At the end of the day, Cheng Yu and Cedirc were the only ones who had not won at anything, earning teasing laughter from everyone else.


    After eating dinner, everyone wanted to rest for a moment so Lanni used this chance to drag Xiehan aside.


    "How is it going?" SHe asked curiously. He had asked a close friend to help with the investigation earlier.


    Xiehan shook his head to indicate that there wasn''t much progress. "He couldn''t uncover anything aside from the fact that Ruby is not Neil Chan''s real daughter. It still proves nothing."


    "Why don''t we have Ji Feifei take a DNA test? We can do the same for Ruby, I''m sure the results won''t lie."


    Xiehan thought about it and shook his head. "After telling us what she did, she is surely aware that we might have her go through a DNA test. if her tale is fake, who is to say that she will not conspire with the hospital to lie to us?"


    "She doesn''t have to know." She said meaningfully, her gaze trailing towards Ruby and Lin Jian who were playing at the terrace.


    "What do you have in mind?" he asked even though he could pretty much guess it.


    Lanni smiled at him mysteriously then rushed to the cellar and came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Shen then went to the terrace, beaming happily. "Is anyone up for drinks?"


    Lin Jian shook his head when he understood that Lanni probably wanted to have a word with Ruby. "I would love to, but I just received a signal from Cedric. I''ll let you girls start first."


    "You¡­" Ruby was not able to stop Lin Jian on time, so she had to resign to her fate. What was Lanni up to this time?


    "You want to talk to me?" She asked, hoping this was not another fight.


    Lanni nodded with a complicated smile. "I realized that all this while, I had been misunderstanding you so I came to apologize. I''m so embarrassed for accusing you all those times."


    "It''s okay." Ruby shrugged even though it was not okay. SHe knew that there wasn''t anything else that anyone would have thought of in that situation, but that didn;t mean she was happy. All those accusations were indeed a little too much. She simply wanted Lanni to get to the point.


    "Maybe we could drink and forget the past?" Lanni offered, looking genuine.


    Ruby sighed. The last thing she wanted was to be at loggerheads with her future sister-in-law, so she nodded. "I guess I''ll have to rely on you to protect me later. There''s a big bad wolf on the loose."


    Lanni giggled, knowing she was referring to Lin Jian. "Don''t worry. Your brother will break his legs if he tries to take advantage of you when you are drunk."


    Ruby felt a rush of indescribable emotions when she heard what Lanni had just said. Your brother¡­


    Because she was trying to get Ruby to let down her guard, Lanni let her select her own glass as if proving that there was nothing wrong with any of them.


    She then poured wine into both glasses and picked hers up, then clinched them. Seeing that Ruby was hesitating, she gulped her own wine down in a swig.


    Ruby let her guard down when she was certain that there was nothing wrong with the wine. It wasn''t saure when she stopped trusting Lanni, and she knew that she was being ridiculous. Lanni was not a heartless person. Even if she didn''t like her, she couldn''t possibly hurt her. So she gulped down her own drink and refilled her glass.


    In the end, the wine was much stronger than Ruby thought. Lanni could hold her liquor much better than the other, so Ruby was the first to pass out. It was within her expectations.


    When she signalled him over, Xiehan went over to help Ruby to her room.


    "Stay away!" Ruby instinctively threw a punch in her drunken daze. Obviously, she was still wary that someone could take advantage of her.


    Xiehan patted her head. "It''s okay. It''s me."


    "Brother?" She tamed down almost instantly, smiling as he let Xiehan help her up.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow at the side. Did they still need a test?

 Chapter 379 - Reliable

    When Xiehan returned, Lanni had just taken a cup of sobering tea and was no longer feeling as drunk as she was earlier. She looked excited when she saw him. "How did it go?"


    In response, he opened his palm to her. She was excited when she saw the strands of red hair in his hand.


    Actually, there were many ways in which they could have gotten Ruby''s DNA sample but since they didn''t want the latter or anyone else to know for now, this was the best way.


    Securing the hair in a lock bag, Lanni also took the glass that Ruby was using a while ago. There was no harm in having two samples.


    She then tiptoed and tried to pluck a strand of Xiehan''s hair.


    The man chuckled and leaned over to accommodate her height. "So casual? Aren''t you going to distract me with a hug before you pluck my hair?"


    Giggling at his excuse of asking for hugs, she kissed his lips. "Is this okay?"


    He nodded, then saw that she had plucked two strands of his hair and shook his head immediately. "It''s not okay. You only compensated for one strand."


    Lanni was helpless at his childishness. "Such a profiteer. You won''t even let go of this little benefit?"


    "Nope." He grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply. He only let go when he felt her pushing him.


    "We should hurry up and find a doctor as soon as possible." She urged and kept his sample in another lock bag.


    "Don''t worry about that. I already contacted a reliable friend of mine, we can give him the samples as soon as we go back to B City. Don''t worry, he wouldn''t betray me even at gun point."


    "So effecient?" Lanni was awed by his speed. While she was running around like a headless chicken and battling time and thinking of what hospital would be most trustworthy, her man had already found one?


    While they talked, she couldn''t help asking, "What do you wish for the truth to be? Do you hope that she is really your sister?"


    When he heard her question, his eyebrows formed a slight frown. He didn''t think he needed a sister, especially considering the short part of his childhood that he had spent with Ji Feifei.


    That girl was fond of destroying anything he liked and lying to their parents just to get him into trouble. Of course, he was not going to forget about how she had tried to hurt his girlfriend and boldly made a move on him.


    But then again, it was probably because she knew from the start that she was not a member of the Ji family and that her only purpose of being there was to sow discord among everyone in that family.


    At last, his expression remained indifferent. "I honestly don''t care whether she is my sister or not. I just want to make sure that my family will not be taken advantage of.


    Although that was what he said, a thin ray of hope lingered in his heart. If Ji Feifei was not really his sister, how nice that would be¡­


    "Yo, Xiehan, we are waiting for you guys!" Lin Jian yelled through a window.


    Lanni quickly kept away the seal bags and beamed. "Let''s go."


    In the living room, Lin Jian was frantically searching for a movie to watch while everyone stated their preferences.


    After searching for about an hour, he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Why are you all so difficult? It''s impossible to find a suitable movie for all of you!"


    "What''s wrong?" Lanni looked at the complaining man curiously.


    As though he had seen a saviour, he flew over to her. "All these useless people have different preferances! Cheng Yu likes musical movies while Cedric likes action, Xingyu likes Sci-fi, I like fantasy¡­ Right. Then there''s Xiehan. Is there any particular genre he likes?"


    "Horror." Lanni said through a laugh. "But although he likes horror, my darling will love whatever I want to watch and I will love whatever he wants to watch."


    Lin Jian gave her a mean look then glanced at Luna. "You both love idol and teen romance, right?"


    When Luna and Lanni both nodded, he looked momentarily relieved. "Finally a pair with similar interests. Why Don''t you all pair into sets of twins? This will make work easier. Right, where is Ruby?"


    Lanni was about to say that Ruby had fallen asleep when footsteps resounded from upstairs. Ruby had woken up and she walked downstairs, rubbing her eyes. She looked around and found that there was an empty space between Xiehan and Cheng Yu. She so badly wanted to sit next to her brother¡­ But she shook her head, recalling all the misunderstandings that had arisen when she tried to get close to him before. Hence, she walked over to Lin Jian''s side.


    The man seemed to remember something. "You were drinking with Lanni a moment ago¡­ You fell asleep? How are you awake so soon?"


    "Bad dream." She responded with two words and curled into Lin Jian''s embrace like a scared child. She had actually dreamed that Ji Feifei and the people behind her had found out that she told Xiehan the truth, so they killed him for revenge.


    Seeing this cingy side of Ruby, Lin Jian couldn''t help patting her head comfortingly. If this was in the past, he would have used this chance to kiss her or flirt with her. However, he knew that such actions would only pass off as him playing around and not being serious about her so he restrained himself.


    "Ahem¡­"


    Everyone averted their gaze and tried not to distract this huge display of affection.


    ¡­


    After searching for much longer, Lin Jian finally found a movie that everyone could watch.


    It was a young adult-themed movie with a few elements of fiction and fantasy.


    "I used up my brain juices to come up with this." Lin Jian declared. ''everyone, praise me'' was written all over his face.


    Cheng Yu, who had been drawing a comic on her tablet all this while, was the first to face-palm. "What''s the huge deal? We could have just watched a random movie and those who don''t like it would go to watch something else on their own."


    "What do you know? It''s multiple times more fun if it''s all of us watching the same movie and enjoying it." Lin Jian shrugged.


    Laughing, she glanced over at Ruby. "Your taste¡­ Is quite unique."


    Lanni and Luna joined in the fun of teasing Ruby but she merely shrugged with a laugh. "Well, as long as I ignore his endless nonsense, it''s okay. Though sometimes I think his nonsense is too much to be ignored."


    "What did you say?" Lin Jian looked at her like she was a heartless bandit who broke his heart. Even then, he was secretly celebrating. Ruby''s words implied that she could be with him!


    Happier than him was Ruby herself. After shunning her for ages, this was the first time that the people close to Lanni were taking the initiative to converse with her. They were even teasing her! She wondered whether it was because it was becoming more obvious that she liked Lin Jian.


    The movie started out quite well but halfway through, the screen started to fill with horrific scenes.


    "Ah! Monster!" Cheng Yu was so terrified that she leapt onto Cedric for protection, and she did not even realize it.


    Similarly, Lanni buried her face in Xiehan''s chest and only peeked at the screen through the slits of her fingers, while Ruby clung onto Lin Jian in tandem.


    Luna looked at her friends speechlessly. "What are they so scared of?"


    The screen was suddenly awash with bloody scenes. The men were still indifferent, while the girls were terrified. They even felt their bile build up, except Luna.


    Xingyu glanced at her curiously. "You are not scared of such scenes?"


    "Nope," She knew that they were fake, no matter how realistic they looked. Of course, everyone knew they were fake. But for her, what was so scary about it? The scenes she had witnessed in real life were miltiple times scarier. In fact, whatever was on the screen was no different from child''s play to her.


    While Xiehan held Lanni in his arms to protect her and Lin Jian patted Ruby, the most joyous man in the room was definitely Cedric.


    Cheng Yu was shrieking while glueing herself onto him so tightly that they almost morphed into one. Even when the scene changed to a calm one, she didn''t let go.


    When she returned to her senses, she couldn''t help aplogozing in embarrassment. "I''m so sorry!"


    Cedric patted her with a gentle smile. "It''s my job to protect you."


    Cheng Yu''s heart skipped a beat. When did Cedric learn to say such flirty and easily misunderstood words?


    When she caught Lin Jian secretly giving him a thumbs-up, she finally understood. It must be that playboy''s infl uence.. Indeed, one is marked by the company one keeps.

 Chapter 380 - I Want A Baby Too

    Night fell.


    By the time the movie ended, it was already a little late.


    "I''ll go to sleep now." Luna yawned as she stretched sleepily. "I have become quite lazy lately.!"


    Even she couldn''t believe how clumsy she had gotten. In the past, she would stay up late effortlessly whenever she needed to, and it would not affect her performance the following day. However, lately, she still felt sleepy soon after she had dinner despite taking several naps during the day.


    When Cheng Yu heard her lamenting, she laughed. "Of course you will be lazy. There are two of you now."


    "Speaking of which, have you guys found out the gender of my little godchild?" Lin Jian couldn''t help asking.


    Xingyu hugged his fianc¨¦e as he answered, "We decided to find out when the baby is born."


    Lin Jian couldn''t take their displays of affection anymore. "Jeez¡­ Ever since they became pregnant, they have been so lovey dovey. Luna clings to him now despite avoiding him like the plague in the past." He cradled his chin in serious consideration as he studied Ruby beside him. "I suddenly want to have a baby too!"


    Ruby felt goosebumps rise on her skin. "Don''t simply spout such words!" She rebuked.


    Lin Jian glanced at her flirtatiously. "I didn''t say I would make you the mother. Or could it be that you actually want to be the mum?"


    "Shut up." Ruby blushed, her cheeks almost becoming as red as her hair.


    "Eh? You are blushing. You think it would be awesome too, right? Actually, it''s not a bad idea. You are so beautiful, our baby will definitely be adorable."


    "Ahem¡­ I was planning to finish up a few chapters of my comic before sleeping. I will take my leave first." Cheng Yu fled. This flirtatious man! If she continued listening to their conversation, it might soon turn R-18.


    When Cedric heard her, he pretended to remember something. "I just remembered that we have a deadline. I have to submit the new volume in three hours. Adios!"


    When Cheng Yu saw Cedric follow her into the room, she shot him a deadly glare. "Are you addicted to following me?"


    Cedric smiled naturally. "Of course. We are sleeping in the same room now. Who else would I follow?"


    She decided not to deal with him and walked to the bed. She sat in the middle of the king-sized bed and gathered her legs under her, then reclined on the whote fluffy pillows. When she was comfortable, she took her tablet and continued painting her comic.


    She was yet to be engrossed in her work when Cedric took off his indoor sandals and climbed onto the bed as well, settling right beside her.


    She looked at him in shock. Although she didn''t intend for him to sit on the floor, the bed was large enough to accommodate a whole family. Why did he have to sit right next to her? Inwardly groaning about having to shift from her comfortable position, she pulled the pillows supporting her back towards the edge and moved, leaving a large space between them.


    She thought he would do his own thing but he dragged himself to her side, practically sticking onto her so she could feel his warm breath against her ear.


    "What''s wrong with you?" She instantly exploded.


    He looked at her innocently. "I lack inspiration recently, so I wanted to read something else to refresh my mind. I''m sorry if that is a bother."


    She still couldn''t comprehend it. "Aren''t there many comics on the app? You can read them."


    "I have already read all the comics on the app." He responded.


    She frowned and said, "Then download another comics app. I''m sure there are at least twenty of them in your application store."


    "As an artist of Xia Yu comics, how can I run off to support our competitors?"


    Cheng Yu would have called him out for making excuses, but her attention was caught by something else instead. If Cedric had finished reading all the available comics on the app, just how few were they?


    She took out her laptop and checked the statistics immediately.


    "This isn''t good¡­" She mumbled.


    "What isn''t good?" He wondered.


    She remained silent and continued focusing on the data. They had not recruited too many authors because it was just a startup company. However, now that she looked at it from a reader point of view, it was indeed a bit lacking.


    There were only a few completed comics and most of them were either new or ongoing. It took long to complete a single chapter of a comic, so the readers had to wait for a long time before they could get an update of their favorite comics. The downside was that it was rare to find many comics of the same type, since they were overall few to begin with.


    So, although they were getting many new users, the old ones left at almost the same pace. She had been wondering why despite the efforts of their marketing and the awesomeness of the application, the number of users was not increasing as fast as they had imagined.


    "We didn''t give enough attention to the long-term goals." She pointed out hers and Luna''s mistake.


    "Uhm¡­ Could you speak human language?" Cedric could not make head or tail of what she was saying.


    She slammed her laptop shut. "We need a marketing director. We thought we could do marketing on our own but from the look of things¡­"


    Cedric didn''t know when the topic suddenly shifted to the company but she had finally said something he could understand. "Did you say marketing director? Do you need me to introduce someone to you?"


    "Thanks but no need. We will announce the vacancy when we go back to B City." She had yet to talk to Luna about this.


    Cedric scratched his head. "I know. But have you considered the fact that Moonlight Studios is a new company? The first app is not even six months old yet, so everyone is still unsure whether it will gain a footing in the business industry or go bankrupt like many startup companies. Therefore, the candidates who will apply for the position are most likely to be those who have been seeking jobs in vain and have no choice but to try this new company. In other words, desperate people."


    Cheng Yu tilted her head and looked up at him for the first time tonight."That made a shocking amount of sense, considering it just came from your mouth."


    She then contemplated for a moment. "But the person you will recommend¡­will they agree?"


    He ignored her indirect insult and nodded. "Don''t worry. She is very close to me. Actually it''s my sister."


    "She won''t come." The ray of hope that had just lit up in her heart dimmed instantly. Why would Han Xiaoli agree to work under her? It would be good enough if she didn''t cause trouble for her.


    Cedric was stunned. How did she come to such a conclusion before even hearing the details? Before he could ask, he realized the reason. She must have thought he was referring to Xiaoli.


    He cleared his throat to stop himself from laughing. "I''m not talking about Xiaoli. I know you don''t like her."


    "Then who?" She asked curiously. Did he have another sister?


    "I have another sister, Natalie. However, she was born out of wedlock so the family does not recognize her. Putting this aside, she is the most talented marketing director you can ever hire. She has even worked for Feng Ji International before and only resigned because she wanted to get married."


    Cheng Yu was in awe. "Natalie Han?"


    "You have heard of her?" He found her tone amusing.


    "Is there anyone who has not heard of Natalie Han? The golden hand of Feng Ji International, she graduated from a reputable university overseas and was even once the executive assistant of a European tycoon called Desmond Fort, before becoming the head of the marketing department of Preston and Fort Group." She sounded like she was talking about a god. After rambling on for a while, she paused and looked at Cedric suspiciously. "You are telling me that someone like her would agree to work for our puny little company? Are you kidding me?"


    He grinned excitedly. "Why don''t you let me give it a try?"


    "I will need to talk to Luna first, though." Although she had as much right in the company as Luna did, she still didn''t want to make such an important decision on her own and wanted to discuss with her first.


    When she nodded, he was overjoyed. Great. Finally, he had a chance to prove that he was not useless.


    ___


    AN


    Speaking of Desmond Fort of Preston and Fort Group, have you checked out my new book yet? Do take a look if you haven''t! An insanely handsome ML and second ML with drool worthy abs, not to mention a beautiful and intelligent¡ªthough a little scheming¡ªFL. You wouldn''t want to miss out!


    [The Tyrant''s wife]

 Chapter 381 - Friend-in-law, Help!

    Downstairs.


    Lanni was about to retire to hers and Xiehan''s room as well when Lin Jian stopped her.


    "Lanni, can we talk? I need you to do me a favor." He flew to her side anxiously.


    "What is it?" She was sleepy so she wanted to get this done fast.


    Seeing that Xiehan was shooting him a mean look for bothering his wife, he cut the chase and went to the main point. "It''s an emergency. In fact, a life and death kind of emergency¡­ There''s this shocking piece of news that was discovered about a celebrity. However, I don''t like how the articles were written. I have already received almost a hundred of them but none of the proposed headlines is attention-grabbing enough and the articles¡­ Urgh¡­ instead of keeping the reader gl;ued, they will make the news lose the desired effect."


    He looked like he was about to die from the nonsense that his subordinates had written, making Lanni''s lips twitched. "Are you the CEO or the chief editor?"


    "While I am the CEO, I gave the Chief Editor some time off to deal with a family emergency. Besides, I like getting it done myself sometimes."


    Lanni found him strange. "Then why don''t you get it done yourself?"


    He immediately looked miserable. "If I could do it myself, I would not be seeking you. Please help me, friend-in-law! You are the prettiest and kindest friend-in-law one could ever ask for. Can you really bear to see a handsome man so sad?"


    Lanni was speechless. What the heck was friend-in-law? Also, his words¡­


    Xiehan glared daggers at his friend and took Lanni''s hand.


    Lin Jian was about to ask what he had done wrong when he realized that Lanni and Ruby looked uncomfortable as well. He finally understood it. The tone he had used to speak to Lanni¡­


    Damn it¡­ That was the tone he had always used to get anything from women. It was incredibly charming, but it made it sound as though he was trying to Lure Lanni.


    He coughed at his own mistake. "Anyway, the point is, I really really need your help. If you don''t help me, I will bug you every time I see you."


    Lanni was amused. Xiehan was about to rebuke his friend but Lanni stopped him. She then smiled sweetly. "Okay. Just tell me what the piece of news is. I will come up with an amazing title and write the article tonight."


    Lin Jian was overjoyed. "Awesome! I will send it to your email right now."


    "May I go now?" She raised an eyebrow at him.


    "Yes yes." He nodded then hugged Ruby on the couch. He was so elated that he couldn''t conceal it. Ruby wondered what was so exciting about having an article written for him, but she did not ask. It wasn''t her business anyway.


    "Do you want to do something fun together?" Lin Jian inched closer to the beauty, realizing that he had almost neglected her.


    "Like¡­ Like what?" She blushed from his proximity.


    "You decide. We could watch another movie, go to the top floor to gaze at the stars, play some games¡­ Or Anything else you want to do. Wait. If you are not sleepy, that is."


    "It''s okay." She had just slept not too long ago and although it was just a short nap, she no longer felt sleepy. "We can go to the top floor. I just happen to need some fresh air."


    "Okay." He grabbed her hand excitedly and, thinking that she might be cold later, he grabbed a shawl before leading her upstairs.


    ¡­


    The breeze was a little cool, giving off the soft scent of nature. It was indeed calming.


    "I knew this would be the best choice." She opened her arms and spun on the spot, taking in the cool breeze like an excited child. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the concrete balcony. "look! There''s Orion!" She pointed to a part of the sky.


    He followed her gaze and burst into laughter. "You cannot see Orion in summer."


    "Oh." She chuckled awkwardly then decided to admit it. "I''ve never gazed at the stars."


    "Why not?" He tilted his head to ask curiously. Weren''t most girls interested in stars? For some reason that he didn''t understand even after dating so many girls, he still couldn''t fathom this little interest of theirs.


    Ruby sighed with a shrug. "I just¡­ Couldn''t."


    Seeing how sad her expression had turned, he didn''t interrupt and waited for her to gather herself.


    At last, she laughed dryly. "It just never interested me."


    Although that was what she said, he knew she was lying. Besides, based on Neil Chan''s overprotective and paranoid character, he could guess the reason. He took her small hand in his gently. "You can watch with me if you like."


    He then went ahead and started pointing at the stars and naming the constellations for her. The topic slowly shifted into planets and space, and she asked all the questions she had always been curious about, all of which he answered with detailed explanations.


    "How do you know so much about astronomy?" She finally couldn''t help asking.


    His lips eased into a charming smile. "It was one of my momentary interests. So I studied it on impulse."


    "Why did you stop?" She looked aside when she realized that she had almost been charmed silly by that smile.


    "It was, after all, an impulsive choice. I left the school of astronomy when the curiosity faded."


    They were talking about his interest in astronomy. Why did his words make her so uncomfortable?


    "Did I say something wrong?" He panicked when he saw her droop her head in disappointment.


    "No, I¡­ I''m just tired." She lied.


    He held her chin and looked into her sad eyes. "Ruby, you know you can tell me anything."


    She frowned and thought about it then simply blurted her question. "Your interest in everything is momentary¡­ You have never liked anything for more than a few days. Does¡­ Does this¡­"


    "You are wondering whether my interest in you is a fleeting impulse as well?" He finished the question on her mind.


    "Yes." She nodded, then immediately regretted asking. What if he said yes? What if her question triggered him to dislike her?


    She had wanted to push him away on the basis that he might just ditch her later, but she couldn''t. Even though she already knew the kind of pit she was digging for herself by getting closer to him, she just kept sinking deeper and deeper.


    Lin Jian gazed at her lovingly, a warm smile on his lips. In the next moment, he suddenly became serious. "Ruby, I don''t know if I told you this before but I really like you. It is neither an impulse nor a momentary interest. To be honest, I never really liked any of my exes. I was just playing around but with you¡­"


    "How many girls have you said that to?" She interrupted coldly.


    "Wait, what?" when he heard her words, he finally realized the crisis he was facing.


    "Your reputation of being a playboy will one day make you untrustworthy. No one will believe you even if you tell the truth." He repeated Xiehan''s and Xingyu''s words in his head. Those two had been right. He indeed didn''t ever like any of the girls he dated before and merely liked the attention he got from them. When he told her this, she said nothing and merely gave him a disdainful look. He was telling the truth but he didn''t believe her¡­


    "How many girls have you dated in total?" She asked the question he was most scared of.


    "Uhm¡­ I don''t know. I lost count years ago."


    Ruby almost rolled her eyes. According to the rumors, he had his first girlfriend when he was nineteen or twenty years old. If he had been switching girlfriends once or twice every week for all these years, it was hard to imagine how many they were. "How many thousands?" She exaggerated, looking at him seriously.


    "Thousands! No way¡­ Even though I lost count, I know that they cannot be that many. They could probably exceed four hundred by just a few." He quickly defended himself.


    "Four. Hundred?!" Her mouth gaped in disbelief.


    "No, no! Three. Three hundred." He shook his head and waved his hands quickly.


    "Three hundred?" Not only was Ruby not relieved, she was even angrier. "You¡­ You dated all those women?! You¡­"


    She paused and asked, "And you slept with all of them?"


    Seeing her gaze turn increasingly angry, he had the impulse to lie and say that he had never slept with any of them, or just a tiny percentage of them. However, he knew that lying would only extinguish the tiny trust she had in him. So he shamefully admitted, "Yes. But Ruby¡­"


    She flung his hand away. "Don''t touch me!"


    She must be disgusted by him¡­he couldn''t blame her. But he couldn''t give up either. He grabbed her hand just as she made the third step to get away from him. "Ruby, I''m sorry for being such a jerk in the past. But I''ve stopped playing around, I promise.. I will only be with you from now on."

 Chapter 382 - Devil In Disguise

    "Ruby, please believe me." He pleaded.


    Ruby was rendered speechless by this man''s audacity. He expected anyone to believe him?


    Seeing that she was not budging, he sighed helplessly. "Give me a chance to prove it to you. Just one week. If I mess up in the slightest, you can ignore me forever."


    She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "One week¡­isn''t that the longest time your relationships can last?"


    His eyes drooped. One week sounded like he would simply date her for show and then ditch her on the seventh day, which would still be enough for him to satisfy his thrill. However, that was not what he had in mind. "Four days. Give me four days then."


    "Three." She said with a tone that did not allow any space for negotiation. While it didn''t sound like there was any difference between the former and the latter, Lin Jian took the mission seriously. He only had three days to prove that he loved her.


    Though he couldn''t help but wonder, before three days ended, what would their relationship be?


    "May I go now?" She looked down at her wrist that was still in his grip.


    "Sure."


    He was still holding her hand despite saying so, so she was confused.


    "Can I hug you?" He closed in on her. Before she could react, she was suddenly pulled onto his chest. The hug lasted a mere second and he pulled away immediately after. "Goodnight."


    "Goodnight." She turned away to flee. Why did she suddenly think this conservatve side of him was harder to resist than his flirtatious side? How dangerous! She had to get away before he charmed her into getting into getting into a relationship she might regret.


    ___


    The next morning.


    Lin Jian was the first to wake up. He paced the living room with thoughts flooding his mind. On one hand, he wondered whether Lanni was done writing the article while on the other hand, he couldn''t think of ways to earn Ruby''s trust no matter how hard he thought about it. If he used any of his past tricks, it would only make her flee farther away from him.


    Just when he thought he was about to have a mental breakdown, he finally caught sight of Ruby descending the stairs. He gathered himself and tried not to be too excited before he smiled and stepped forward to meet her. "Ruby, good morning."


    "Morning." She noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes, which was something she had never seen before. She also realized that he was still wearing the clothes from the night before. It was as if he had not slept a wink.


    Even so, she didn''t ask and decided to mind her own business.


    Lin Jian was overjoyed that she had not ignored him. "Are you hungry? I will go and make breakfast."


    "Ah no! Stay away from the kitchen!" Jiang Xingyu, who had just arrived, freaked out. He was not in the mood to get a stomach upset.


    Lin Jian was unhappy. "What''s with your overreaction? Ruby just woke up, so I''m going to cook her a nutritious breakfast."


    "At least we know that you are doing it out of love. Those who didn''t know will think you are seeking revenge!"


    Ruby chuckled at the side. "Is he that bad at cooking?"


    Xingyu didn''t know where to start. "If we didn''t secretly help him out the last time, we would have to eat salty lumps of coal in place of vegetables. In fact, the whole kitchen might have exploded."


    Ruby cringed awkwardly. "Uh¡­ No thanks."


    Lin Jian glared at Xingyu. Were they really friends?!


    Noticing his hostile look, Xingyu stretched his limbs lazily. "Why are you glaring at me? I''m only helping you out."


    Lin Jian finally understood. That was right. If he claimed to cook for Ruby and ended up ruining her appetite, she might be unhappy.


    "Never mind. I''ll order takeout." He took out his phone.


    "You don''t need to. I was going to make breakfast." Xingyu made his way. No wonder he had woken up early and come down before Luna did. He never left her side lately, acting like the perfect shadow. He decisively followed his friend so he would learn how to cook and prepare at least one meal for Ruby.


    Ruby watched them with a smile and turned on the television. Just as she settled down, her phone lit up with an incoming call. She slid her thumb across the screen. "Dad?"


    "Where are you?" Neil sounded anxious.


    "Uhm at the beach¡­?" Didn''t she already tell him that she was going with Lin Jian?


    "Not possible. You are lying to me. I saw you in B City last night, and you were at the entrance of Emerald Bar." Neil''s tone sounded strict. He was not the kind of dad to prevent his daughter from doing what she wanted, but it would still upset him if she lied to him.


    "What? What in the world¡­Are you sure you were not hallucinating?" She was alarmed.


    "You are the one who is hallucinating."


    Helplessly, she switched to a video call and went out. Then, she made her phone face the ocean in the distance. She then turned it to see her confused father. "Do you see it now? We are still at the beach."


    "But I saw¡­ Never mind. It must be someone who looks like you."


    "Someone who looks like me¡­" Xiaoshi?


    That was the closest person she could think of. The last time they met, they realized that they looked so much alike that they almost concluded themselves to be sisters. But since they were cousins, it still made sense. The main point was, her dad saw Xiaoshi enter a nightclub?


    She suddenly had a headache. She didn''t have anything against anyone entering a club, but as a girl, how could Xiaoshi go to such a place on her own? Emerald Bar was B City''s gathering of ruffians and even a few mafia gangs had been spotted there. What if she was bullied by those brainless hooligans?


    She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Luna.


    She finally understood it. The last time they had met at the banquet, she had realized that Xiaoshi was in love with Xingyu. Was it because she was heartbroken about her love being engaged that she went to get herself drunk?


    Luna raised her eyebrow at the woman who was studying her intently. "Is there anything wrong?"


    Ruby shook her head. She couldn''t blame Luna for Xiaoshi''s heartbreak. It wasn''t like she had broken up a couple. It was just the latter''s one-sided feelings after all. Even so, she wished she was close enough to her cousin so she would comfort her.


    Luna shrugged at Ruby''s peculiarity and sat in the living room where Cheng Yu had just arrived. She sat down and held her chin against her palm.


    "I have a bad feeling about your gaze." Cheng Yu felt goosebumps rise on her skin.


    As expected, Luna winked. "It''s the second night you guys slept together. Did something happen this time?"


    "Ugh¡­ IfIf you keep being this gossipy, my godchild will turn out into a gossipy baby." She groaned.


    "That''s okay! She can just follow her aunt to become a news reporter."


    Cheng Yu knew that she would never win this round so she changed the topic. "I was analysing the user statistics for XYC last night and realized that we really need a marketing director. Coincidentally, Cedric has someone in mind and is going to recommend her."


    "Someone that Cedric recommended? Who is that?" Luna''s attention was finally diverted.


    ¡­


    The guys soon finished cooking breakfast and set the table.


    When they were done, a servant walked in with a small stack of newspapers and magazines.


    Lin Jian went over to check them out and saw one from Tian Yu Media.


    It immediately piqued his interest. "Huh, let''s see the standards of this agency that a certain friend-in-law insisted on working for."


    On the top page was a few headlines, each one more shocking than the last. However, he was not surprised by any of them since he had seen most of those revelations in the articles he received the night before.


    However, when he saw the hot topic of the entertainment news section, his blood ran cold. He blinked and read it again.


    [DEVIL IN DISGUISE: The cringe worthy truth about Qian Yan Ran.(Page 14)]


    There was no doubting it. He had a bad feeling at the pit of his stomach as he flipped to page 14. Then he saw it. It was an article explaining why the said superstar had changed so much in recent months. In fact, her style had undergone a huge transformation too, and fans had been questioning it for a while. Finally, the truth had been discovered. The current Qian Yan Ran was an impostor. She was a rival artist who had retired when her talent ran out. Later, she went under the knife to look like Qian Yan Ran, and eliminated the former so she would take her place. Simply put, it was not that Qian Yan Ran had changed. The true Qian Yan Ran was dead.


    But the main point was¡­ how could Lanni do this? "Li Lanni! Get down here right now!"

 Chapter 383 - Exposed

    Lanni descended the staircase following Lin Jian''s ear-shattering shouts. She had slept very late the previous night so she was unhappy. "Lin Jian, why are you shouting so early in the morning?"


    Xiehan, who had just left the study, looked at his friend reprimanding as well. "Did something happen?"


    "Yes! Your little beauty stole my news article!" Lin Jian reported anxiously.


    Lanni frowned and countered. "What article?"


    "The one about Qian Yan Ran. Don''t you dare try to worm your way out of this one!" Heaven knew how much traffic Oracle Daily would have gotten from this.


    Lanni blinked innocently. "Stole? You gave it to me. My man was there too, he can bear witness."


    At the side, Luna and Cheng Yu were watching the spectacle with a giggle. Lanni was too naughty.


    "Yes, I gave it to you¡­ But that''s so you could help me write the article. It was for Oracle Daily but you send it to Tian Yu Media."


    Lanni chuckled. "Whoever said I would write for Oracle Daily? As the chief editor, how could I write articles for a competitor instead of grabbing it for my own agency?"


    Lin Jian was speechless.


    Lanni slumped into a couch and yawned. "But I wrote a different one for you with the same information. If you don''t mind, you can send it to your company so they release it with the afternoon news."


    The whole room roared in laughter. How would that be of benefit? Oracle Daily would simply be blasted for copying outdated news.


    Seeing the sulky Lin Jian, Xiehan laughed at him gloatingly. "Who told you to try and trick my girlfriend? You cannot outsmart her."


    He had long seen through Lin Jian''s intention. His main aim was to let Tian Yu Media know that Lanni was collaborating with its competitors. She could be scolded for it but in the worst case scenario-which would be to Lin Jian''s advantage-she would lose her job.


    Once she lost her job, he would invite her to an agency under Lin Media Group under the guise of helping a friend out.


    "Is it that obvious?" He slumped to Ruby''s side sulkily.


    She laughed at him before offering solace on her shoulder.


    He quickly forgot all about the news. What was more important than getting closer to Ruby? In fact, he should be thanking Lanni, not complaining about her!


    Lanni chuckled when she saw how the situation had spiralled. "Actually, there is nothing wrong with trying to scout an employee, but you should use fair means. You are lucky that I decided to deal with it mildly but I hope it doesn''t happen again."


    Lin Jian reflexively sat up straight and looked at her. "Your words¡­ What''s wrong with Lin Media Group? You can work at any of the agencies you like or even come to the main company. You have no idea how great this offer is."


    "I have an idea but I''m not coming, CEO Lin." Her tone was indifferent. Her aim had never been to work for the biggest agency or media group. She was in it for experience, and Tian Yi Media could give her enough of that without putting her under unnecessary pressure.


    " That''s enough fighting for a morning. Do you guys still want to eat?" Xingyu called from the door of the dining room.


    Cheng Yu stood up with Luna and went to the dining room. Lin Jian was disappointed about having to leave Ruby''s side, but when he tried to hold her hand, she did not push him away so he smiled happily.


    Lanni yawned and looked miserable. She was hungry, but she so badly wanted to sleep!


    Comprehending the situation, Xiehan held her. "You can go back to sleep after having breakfast. We can go to play later."


    The group was planning to have fun today before going back to B City at night. The next day would be Monday and they would need to go back to work.


    Lanni nodded and stood to go to the dining room. When everyone was settled down, she noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Cedric?"


    Everyone looked at the empty space beside Cheng Yu, where Cedric liked slotting himself.


    Cheng Yu was puzzled. How come she had noticed his absence? Was she that uncaring? "I''ll go and check up on him."


    When she reached their room, the man was still asleep on the floor. She was still contemplating whether to wake him up or let him continue sleeping when she indistinctly heard a groan.


    "Cedric?"


    When he did not respond, she took small, careful steps towards him and peeked down at him. It was then that she noticed that he was trembling slightly under the white sheet.


    She panicked and hurriedly uncovered him. "cedric!"


    The man turned and opened his eyes lazily. "Mmh? What is it?"


    Her heart lurched in her throat when she saw how lifeless his eyes looked. "What happened? Are you feeling unwell?"


    He nodded then immediately shook his head and sat up with a lot of difficulty. "It''s nothing you should worry about."


    Seeing his sorry state, she believed none of his words. Wordlessly, she helped him onto the bed and only then did she notice how high his temperature was. Was he having a fever?


    She didn''t need to ask how it happened. Her gaze lingered on the floor and the thin sheet he had been covering himself with.


    Her heart clenched in guilt. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have made you sleep on the floor. I¡­"


    All she had cared about was for him to keep his distance from her, but she forgot that the nights were quite cold in summer. She slept comfortably on the bed while he had to make-do with the floor carpet. Just how heartless had she been?


    Seeing her expression, Cedric laughed and croaked through his parched throat. "I''m really okay."


    "Stop talking. I will get you some medicine." As soon as she finished speaking, she helped him recline onto the bed and pulled the duvet over him.. She then wet a towel in the bathroom and placed it on his for ehead, then urged him to wait for her.

 Chapter 384 - I Saw That

    When she went back downstairs, she pushed the guilt out of her mind. She could not reverse time no matter how guilty she felt. All she could do to help at this point was take care of him during this period. She served a bowl of congee and announced, "Cedric is feeling unwell so I will bring his breakfast upstairs."


    "What happened to him?"


    "Should I call a doctor over?"


    Everyone asked simultaneously. Lin Jian looked sad. "It''s probably a cold. It must be because of sleeping on the cold floor. Poor thing."


    Cheng Yu felt her brain want to explode when she was reminded of her mistake.


    "No, you don''t need to call a doctor yet. He has a fever." She answered Xiehan, then asked, "Do you have any fever meds?"


    Xiehan shook his head. "I will get someone to buy some at the pharmacy."


    "I can go buy them." Xingyu offered immediately. Lin Jian jabbed him then said, "I have some pills in my room. I will bring them to you."


    "Thank you." Cheng Yu was relived, then she carried the tray and went back upstairs.


    Lin Jian was about to stand when Lanni blocked his path. "There is something you are not telling us."


    "Huh? Me?" He asked innocently.


    "Yes, you. I saw you jab Xingyu just now." Ruby raised an eyebrow.


    Luna glanced at him curiously. "How is it possible that you are the only one who has fever medicine?"


    Lin Jian was speechless. Why were the women all attacking him at the same time? "That''s because it''s safe to have medical supplies in the house. Ptherwise, what would you do if you became sick in the middle of the night?" He gave the most logical excuse.


    There was nothing wrong with his reason except, "The point is, you knew what was happening before Cheng Yu even said it."


    "Fine, fine, I''ll spill it." He sat back down, knowing that if they kept bugging him for answers, Cheng Yu might get suspicious as well. "Last night when Cheng Yu was asleep, Cedric filled the bathtub with ice cubes and took a bath. The idea was to make her worried about him if he became sick."


    "How would you know?" Luna asked suspiciously, and everyone including Xiehan and Xingyu listened in as well.


    "I gave him the idea. Can I go now?" He pleaded.


    Lanni glared at him. "Do you know how worried Cheng Yu is?"


    "Don''t play such games again." Luna seconded.


    "I won''t, bye!" He fled as soon as he had the chance.


    Xingyu looked amused. "No wonder I found it strange that he had meds on him. He isn''t the kind of person to remember to carry such things as first aid kits and medical supplies."


    Ruby recalled something and wanted to laugh. No wonder she thought she saw him leave the house late at night. Was it to help Cedric buy the medicine in advance? He was helping another man get a girlfriend before he did so himself. What a good friend¡­?


    ¡­


    Upstairs, after helping Cedric take his medicine and feeding him breakfast, Cheng Yu decided to sit at the edge of the bed and look after him. She took out her tablet to sketch while at it.


    "Yu¡­" Cedric started.


    She looked over. "Mmh? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"


    "No." He was struck by how attentive she was. Although he was not faking his illness to gain pity, this wasn''t any better. He had harmed himself just to gain her attention. He realized that although he wanted her to stay by his side, he wanted it to be because she was happy to, not because she was worried about him.


    Her worried expression as she looked up broke his heart. His lips moved. "I''m alright now. You should go to the beach with the others."


    She smiled at his attempt at not making her life come to a stop just because he was unwell. Placing a hand on his forehead to feel his temperature, she set her tablet aside. "No one is going yet. Besides, who will take care of you if I leave?"


    "I will be asleep and won''t need any taking care of." He secretly enjoyed the touch of her palm, but still didn''t want to selfishly force her to stay by his side.


    "Then you can just go ahead and sleep." She took her tablet and continued what she was doing. "There are things I have not finished yet."


    Instead of falling asleep, he tried to get off the bed.


    She flew over immediately and stopped him. "Where are you going?"


    "To take my drawing tablet." He answered monotonously.


    "You want to draw? You should rest for a while."


    "I''m not sleepy yet. Can I draw a little and sleep later?"


    "Uhm¡­" Why did he sound like a boyfriend asking for permission from his girlfriend?


    Not wanting to think about it too much, she took out his drawing tablet from his bag and gave it to him.


    He immediately made several sketches without stopping and only looked up briefly. He was surprised to see her lost in a trance. When he snuck over to peek at what she was doing, he saw that she had drawn a female character in four different pictures, and in each picture, she had the same dress but in different colors. She was probably trying to find the best color for her.


    He spoke gently beside her ear. "Is this Jasmine, the female lead of [Reborn as The Daemon''s Wife]?" He recognized her as one of the characters from her latest comic. She had only drawn the initial sketch before but he remembered her.


    Because he spoke gently, she was not startled and nodded. "I just can''t decide what color suits her best."


    He scrutinised it more closely. "Mmh¡­although she is supposed to be the innocent kind of beauty who many people find gentle and cute, she is the bravest and strongest woman one could ever meet. So I think bold colors suit her better." He then took her hand and used the stylus between her fingers to point at the first picture. "Instead of pink, maybe you could try burgundy? Also, instead of a floral dress, you could use ornaments. Like diamonds.." He suddenly stopped . Why was her face suddenly turning red?

 Chapter 385 - Too Sweet

    "This is just my opinion, it''s still up to you whether or not you think the same way." Cedric was careful not to pressure her into doing what he wanted.


    She ignored the strange feeling she had from his proximity and his voice beside her ear, and changed the character''s dress into a long, burgundy one with tiny, clear diamonds embedded at the waistline and hem. The end result satisfied her as well and she couldn''t help looking at him in awe. "As expected of the top artist!"


    He laughed lightly. "There''s one more thing."


    She let go of the stylus, letting him make the adjustment he was talking about. He simply made some tiny changes to the diamonds and the character''s eyes, but the end result was too shocking. The picture had gained more definition, making it look like the female lead could walk out of the screen the next second. Her eyes looked like they were alive as well.


    Her jaw dropped and she pulled him to sit beside her before questioning him like an interviewer. "How do you even do it? You don''t need to use any effort to be the best."


    This time, he didn''t accept the praise as arrogantly as he would always do when they were both students of Star Art International. He smiled mysteriously. "Whoever said I don''t use effort?"


    "You do?" She was more shocked than she was when she first heard about him.


    "Naturally. Or I would never achieve such results. To be honest, I end up draining myself too much most of the time."


    Her eyes were on the verge of rolling out from how wide they were. She blinked in confusion. "Why would you do that to yourself?"


    Mental health was the most important thing for everyone. As artists, they had always been reminded to take care of themselves and not overwork their brains. For imaginative creators, overworking could lead one to lack motivation and make them quickly reach their bottleneck. There were many past stories about artists who went insane or fell into depression¡­


    Yet, not only did he drain himself, it was a regular thing as well? How outrageous!


    He maintained his smile, even chuckling a little. "Because I have to. I have to be the best no matter what."


    Although he was saying such determined words with a smile, she thought she could feel a hint of sadness in his voice. "You''re crazy" lingered at the tip of her tongue but she could not say it out no matter how hard she tried. She continued looking at him in surprise as she chose the right words to ask her question. "Is there¡­a reason why you have to be the best, even if it means hurting yourself in the process?"


    He averted his gaze.


    "If it''s personal, you don''t have to¡­"


    "It''s not." He interrupted before starting to explain. "In the past, it was because I wanted my dad to recognize my potential."


    He paused and decided to start narrating from where it all began.


    "You know about my sisters and how we don''t have the same mothers, right?"


    She nodded.


    He continued, "My dad was already married to my mother and they had Xiaoli. It was a marriage of convenience between them, but they were peaceful. That was until my dad''s first love reappeared, and it turned out that they had a daughter together. She was even older than Xiaoli."


    " Natalie?" She guessed.


    Cedric nodded. "Yes. The truth was revealed. It turns out that my grandparents forcefully set my dad up for a business marriage to save their company, so he could no longer be with his first love. When he understood the situation, he relented and agreed to the marriage but before that, he snuck away to bid his love farewell. Natalie was a result of that."


    Cheng Yu was flabbergasted. Who would have thought that the prominent Han family was so messy?


    "When my dad found out about Natalie, he struggled with himself for long until he finally found the courage to face my mother and ask for a divorce. He had already planned it out and decided that he would take Xiaoli with him and marry his first love. But just when he finally mustered the courage and brought it up, they realized that my mother was expecting me. So he could no longer have a divorce.


    My father hates me and my mother for being the hindrance for him and the love of his life. On the other hand, my mother despised me for being the reason why my father disliked her. She didn''t bully me or hit me and neither did she deprive me of anything I needed. But every time something went against her will and she scolded me for being the harbinger of all her bad luck, my heart would be filled with despair.


    So I used up all my effort to try and be the son they can both be proud of."


    When he was done speaking, she felt her heart ache. She never would have guessed that while he seemed like a pampered young master all along, his life was multiple times more painful than one could imagine. She raised a hand to stroke his soft, brown hair before she could stop herself. "You are already amazing, Cedric. You don''t need to prove yourself to anyone."


    He nodded, holding her wrist and cradling it delicately. "Actually, I have long stopped caring about their opinion of me."


    "But you still work so hard." She sounded sad.


    He nodded, not denying her claim. "I don''t work as hard as I did in the past since I already acquired most of the skills I need¡­but I still work hard so you won''t think of me as an incapable, lazy bum."


    "What?" Why was this suddenly about her?


    She understood what he meant, so she quickly shifted from that topic. "Actually, you are already great even when you are not trying too hard."


    "That''s because I have you as my major motivation."


    "Uh¡­" She was speechless. Since when did th is guy gain such a sweet tongue?

 Chapter 386 - Romance Tutor

    Seeing that the atmosphere was about to get awkward, Cedric decided to change the topic. "At what time are we going to the beach?"


    She shot him a look. "What do you mean ''we''? No matter what time everyone is going, you are staying behind to rest."


    His heart warmed from her caring tone. No one had ever shown him such care aside from his sisters, who had to do it secretly to avoid getting scolded by their parents. "Actually, I feel much better now. Didn''t I already take medicines?"


    Most importantly, he had the most effective cure right beside him, of course he would be better in seconds.


    She placed her hand on his forehead to feel his temperature, then grabbed his hand and took his pulse. Still not satisfied with the results, she asked for a thermometer. Luckily, Lin Jian had one so she had him measure his temperature. In the end, she agreed that he was indeed alright.


    Even so, she was still cautious. "Why don''t we go out later?"


    weighing the options, he decided that staying back with her and spending some time alone was much better than going to play at the beach with everyone else so he quickly agreed.


    She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow when she saw him nod. Why did it feel like he was a little too happy about this?"


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, when they got Cheng Yu''s message, the others decided to go first and let the duo join later.


    Lin Jian proudly flaunted with his nose in the air. "It would have been tragic if we went back to B City with her treating him like an enemy. But since he has a love master¡ªme¡ªfor a romance tutor, they will be on friendly terms even if they won''t be dating."


    "What the heck is a romance tutor?" Lanni found it laughable.


    Luna went along to tease. "Some love master, huh. You are not even dating yourself yet you claim to be able to teach other people how to woo girls?"


    Although Lanni and Luna were teasing him, they were actually happy for their friend. It would be awesome if she got someone to take care of her. Of course, they would give Cedric a good beating if he dared to break Cheng Yu''s heart. They were just a little unhappy about not being able to spend time with her.


    When Lin Jian heard them, he retaliated immediately. "Who is single? My Ruby agreed to give me a chance!"


    "Uh¡­ What?" Ruby was stunned.


    "She did? When did that happen?" Lanni and Luna were puzzled.


    "Should I open a bottle of champagne for you?" Xingyu offered.


    Xiehan cast him a sidelong glance. "If he is serious about it, that is."


    "Hey! Of course I''m serious. Am I such an unreliable jerk in your eyes?"


    "Aren''t you?" It was a unanimous chorus, everyone glaring at him, including Ruby.


    Lin Jian was speechless.


    "Let''s play basketball." He suggested, to change the topic of focus away from himself.


    "No balls." Xingyu reminded immediately.


    "What do we play then?" He sulked.


    Lanni glanced at the calm sea and pulled Xiehan''s hand excitedly. "Let''s go for a swim!"


    ''Thanks Lanni.'' Lin Jian muttered inwardly as he anticipated Ruby''s reaction.


    "I don''t know how to swim." She sounded bummed as she spoke up in embarrassment.


    He grabbed this golden chance and tried to hide the excitement in his eyes. "That''s okay. I can teach you."


    "But¡­ I''m scared of the water." She bit her lip nervously.


    He held her hand gently as he led her towards the water. "Don''t worry, I will not let you feel scared."


    Thinking of something, his excitement was heightened by leaps and bounds. He had just been wondering how he could prove himself within such a short time and a chance presented itself on a golden platter.


    In such a situation, it was common for a man to try and take advantage of the girl''s vulnerability to make inappropriate moves. But from the number of times that his female friends had ranted to him about being taken advantage of, he knew that she would find it repulsive if he did the same.


    Hence, he thought of a way to teach her without touching her inappropriately.


    He led her to a part where the water reached his waist and stopped. "This part is not deep so you can easily stop when you feel tired. Besides, the sea is calm so you can relax. Let''s first get you used to the water." He helped her float with his hand under her tummy to make her feel less scared then slowly let go when she could float on her own.


    At the side some distance from them, Luna watched with a chuckle. "They actually look good together. But what''s up with Xiehan and Lanni? I feel like they''re hiding something."


    Xingyu felt that way too, but he brushed it off. "Every couple has their own secrets. They don''t seem to be fighting so I don''t think we should try to intervene."


    "I know, I''m just curious." Luna couldn''t figure it out no matter how she thought about it. However, Lanni would definitely tell her whatever was going on when she was ready, so she didn'' t try to probe. "Right. Honey, do you have a lot going on tomorrow?"


    "Not too much. Is there something wrong?" He asked as he splashed some water onto her already dripping hair.


    "I scheduled an emergency meeting with shareholders tomorrow in the afternoon. You are one of them."


    "I will be there on time. What''s the emergency, though? I can help you sort it out." He offered.


    "What if it''s troublesome?" She didn''t dare to take up too much of his time.


    "If it''s troublesome, then I will get Jian and Xiehan to help."


    Indeed, there could never be a problem too huge for three CEOs. Even though one of them was not a CEO, he was a business genius as well. "Thank you my love." She hugged him.


    A roar suddenly resounded.


    Lanni burst into laughter as she stopped swimming. "Sis, is that your stomach grumbling? Because I swear, I thought I heard thunder."


    "Hey! That''s mean. Why would it be me?" Luna complained.


    "Because you are the one who gets hungry every two minutes?" Lanni teased.


    Lin Jian stopped teaching Ruby and held her hand, swiftly leading her towards the land. "You really heard thunder, Lanni."


    The sky darkened in a flash as soon as his words were out and in the next f ew seconds, a louder roar of thunder resounded.

 Chapter 387 - Charades

    In just a few seconds, it started raining heavily. Xingyu lifted his fianc¨¦e by the waist and rushed back to the house.


    The stalls were being blown away and houses around the beach were quite far apart so the closest safe shelter was still Xiehan''s manor. Xiehan carried Lanni and sprinted as well, arriving at the same time as Lin Jian and Ruby.


    Although it had just been raining for a few minutes, they were thoroughly soaked by the time they arrived.


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu woke up with a start when she heard the loud growl of thunder. She had unknowingly fallen asleep while chatting with Cedric earlier.


    She looked out through the window and panicked. "Oh my God! The others are still at the sea!"


    "They''re back." Cedric spoke from behind her just as she prepared to rush out.


    Cheng Yu let out a sigh of relief when she heard him. "You still need to rest, don''t simply run around."


    After warning him, she opened the door and peeked into the living room from the mezzanine. Seeing that everyone was alright and they were rushing into the house, she was at ease and went downstairs to the kitchen.


    She returned from the kitchen with a large flask of ginger soup for everyone just as they returned from their rooms after taking a shower.


    "Ginger soup is known to prevent colds. Come on, drink some." She served it to them in bowls like they were kids. She then picked up the bowl she had prepared differently and gave it to Luna. "Yours has a less amount of ginger and honey."


    Luna received the bowl and cozied herself on the couch with a smile. "Thank you." Cheng Yu was just too considerate.


    "It''s nothing." She sat down on the couch opposite. She could never forget how lovingly Luna had taken care of her before. She had no way to repay the kindness, taking care of her during her pregnancy was the least she could do.


    "Why don''t you take some yourself?" Cedric reminded as he inched closer to her.


    "I don''t need it. On the other hand, you had a cold this morning so it might be beneficial to you." She stared hard at his untouched bowl to remind him.


    "But it tastes horrible." He complained.


    Lin Jian held in his laughter. How old was this guy?! He still acted so childish around Cheng Yu.


    What was more surprising, Cheng Yu actually tousled his hair and gently promised to make him strawberry pudding if he finished his soup.


    That works too?


    "I''m so mad! Didn''t the forecast say that it would be sunny and calm today?" Ruby complained, unhappy that she could not learn to swim.


    "Well, it really is calm." Lin Jian groaned.


    "Weather forecasts aren''t always a hundred percent accurate. We can do something else instead." Lanni suggested.


    "Charades?" Luna proposed the game she was best at.


    "Good idea. That way, Cheng Yu and Cedric will get to join." Xiehan nodded. He had noticed that his girlfriend didn''t like the fact that they left her friend behind earlier.


    It was decided.


    The rule was the same as usual: they would play in pairs.


    "We are going to win this." Xiehan was excited just thinking about it. Usually, he didn''t need to complete his statements before Lanni understood what he wanted. Sometimes it took just a single word.


    Similarly, it usually took just one glance at Lanni''s expression to know what she wanted. With such perfect telepathy, was there still a question of who would win?


    Xingyu scoffed from beside them. "In your dreams. Luna and I are both experts at indoor games, and have the best chemistry and telepathy."


    However, the girls had something different in mind.


    "It would be unfair for couples to play against pairs of friends and enemies." Luna pretended to be concerned for Cheng Yu, even jabbing her while at it.


    "Hey!" Cheng Yu pouted. Cedric was not her enemy, okay! But that was not the point¡­Why did she get the feeling that her friend was plotting something?


    "Luna is right." Lanni went along mischievously. "I will pair up with Luna. Cedric can pair with Xingyu, Xiao Yu with Idiot Jian and Ruby with Xiehan."


    "Who did you just call an idiot?" Lin Jian was the first to explode.


    "That''s your main point?" Xingyu was speechless.


    Lin Jian grumbled. "Right. The main point is how I don''t get to pair with Ruby. Xiehan, can we switch partners? I don''t mind pairing with her."


    Xingyu no longer knew what to say. Was he the only one who thought that it was unfair for twins to be on the same team?


    "Then, who should I switch with?" Cedric looked miserable. He just had to pair with Xingyu. He shot a look at Lanni. She did this on purpose!


    Lanni laughed and shrugged. "You are in love with my friend, which means you will get to hang out with us often in future. If you keep clinging onto a spineless grudge with my brother-in-law, wouldn''t that make things awkward?"


    "I''ve been meaning to say, what grudge are you even holding?" Luna questioned him.


    "They are just being childish. Let''s begin." Cheng Yu rolled her eyes at Cedric.


    Hence, no one switched their partner. What was more shocking, Cedric complied.


    No one knew it, but Lanni''s words had caused quite an impact on his heart. "You will get to hang out with us often in future"... It was as though she was confident that he and Cheng Yu would definitely end up together. How could he not be happy?


    The pairs set the rules and started playing.


    Lanni and Luna guessed each other''s word correctly every time and even did it within just a few seconds. It was not surprising that they were leading the scores. However, another pair baffled everyone. Xiehan and Ruby were too telepathic! Their scores weren''t any less than the twins''.


    Lin Jian couldn''t help commenting. "We all understand that Lanni and Luna are twins¡ªtwo sisters, one mind, they say. But what about Xiehan and Ruby?"


    "We''re probably just good at it." Xiehan smiled.


    However, Ruby inwardly laughed. Of course, they were siblings! Despite not being twins and not staying together for all these years, it was still easy for them to understand each other.


    The game continued late into the afternoon, and Lanni sighed. "We may not be able to go to B City tonight."


    With the weather being so unpredictable, it would be dangerous to leave tonight.


    Luna looked distressed when she thought about it.


    As if understanding her concern, Xingyu patted her to comfort her. "Don''t worry about the meeting. We can just have a conference video call later. If not, we can reschedule it."


    Naturally, he hoped that they would make it to B City in time but if that couldn''t happen, forcing it was not an option.


    She nodded. Luckily, she had been competent since the company set foot into the business world. Since she had never been tardy or lazy, the higher ups would not be unhappy about her rescheduling just one meeting.


    They played poker and watched another movie.


    When it started raining again in the evening, Lanni helplessly took out her phone and stepped aside to give her boss a call.


    "CEO Qian, I''m really sorry to trouble you. I went to the beach but it''s raining heavily, I may not be able to make it back to B City in time for tomorrow''s meeting." She apologized nervously.


    On the other end, the other party didn''t sound displeased. Instead, he comforted her. "You have been working so hard. Take this as a break. Don''t rush over until it is safe to do so, okay?"


    "Thank you, CEO." Lanni sighed in relief as she hung up. "CEO Qian is so considerate."


    "Is he?" A voice resounded from behind her, and she turned to find that it was Xiehan.


    She laughed when she understood his expression. "He is my boss, it''s a good thing that he is considerate to his employees. Don''t tell me you are jealous of this too?"


    Xiehan didn''t answer her but he was sulky as he closed in on her. "He treats you so well¡­ a little too well."


    She tiptoed and tapped his nose. "That''s just because your girlfriend is the most amazing employee. Besides, I have the most handsome and awesome boyfriend. Why would I still notice other men?"


    "Mmh." He was placated when he remembered that she was already his girlfriend. Even if the other party had a motive, she would not notice it, let alone be moved, because she had a boyfriend.


    She hugged him but still felt that something was not right. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"


    He tightened his arms around her. "Nothing. I''m just a little emotionally unstable."


    Even he couldn''t understand what was going on.


    "I know just what you need.." She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed his lips.

 Chapter 388 - Too Worrisome

    Xiehan held her waist and deepened the kiss. It was not a gentle, loving kiss but a ferocious one as though he was venting something.


    Her body shuddered when he bit her lip. "Did something happen?"


    He collected himself and shook his head. "As I said, nothing you should worry about. It''s just that¡­"


    She waited patiently for him to continue.


    He sighed helplessly and pinched his nose bridge. "My aunt and uncle are planning to visit soon."


    She tilted her head in confusion. "Isn''t that a good thing?"


    "Well, it is. We won''t have to make a trip to Australia anymore. Well, we can later but it will not be because of this. Alas, I''m afraid they''re not just coming to visit. They are coming for Xiaoshi."


    Lanni still didn''t understand how that was a bad thing.


    It shouldn''t be a bad thing, however, "I have failed as a cousin. I didn''t protect her well enough and let her fall in love with a man who couldn''t be with her."


    She tousled his silver hair with a tiny smile. "It''s not your fault, my love. It''s never your fault who someone else falls in love with. Even if you think you are responsible for introducing her to your friends and letting her meet Xingyu, you still couldn''t control fate. They would have met even if not through you."


    He nodded and held her hand. He already knew this, but there was someone who didn''t. He found the best way to break it to her without causing too much shock. "You see, my uncle pampers Xiaoshi too much. As long as it''s something she wants, he will get it for her. Even if it means snatching it from someone else."


    Lanni finally comprehended the situation, and her heart trembled. "You mean to say, that if he finds out that Xiaoshi is in love with Xingyu, he will try to break him and my sister apart?"


    "That''s not impossible." He answered worriedly.


    "It''s ridiculous!" Lanni frowned in disapproval. She shook her head in denial. "I don''t really think there can be such an unreasonable person. Can there? I mean, he wouldn''t ruin so many lives just to give his daughter what will never truly belong to her right?"


    "Calm down." Xiehan patted her to comfort her as he led her back towards their room. "I''m not saying it will definitely happen, it''s just the worst possibility."


    She sighed helplessly. "I know. But if it happens¡­ I''m just worried about what that would mean for Xingyu and Luna."


    "Don''t worry. I will not let that happen." Even he knew how unfair it would be.


    ...


    Xingyu and Luna''s room.


    Luna gazed at her laptop absent-mindedly and yawned for the third time in a few minutes.


    Xingyu looked over from his work and walked to her, lifting her from the chair without a warning. "Why are you overworking yourself? Look how tired you are."


    "I''m not tired, just a little hungry." She wrapped her arms around his neck comfortably.


    He looked down at her teasingly. "What kind of hungry?"


    "You''re so naughty¡­" Luna berated him, though she couldn''t deny that she was hungry for him as well.


    So as to not starve his wife and baby, he gently placed her on the bed, pulled the covers over her and left the room to bring her something to munch on.


    He made his way to the kitchen and was just about to take a detour on the hallway when he overheard familiar voices.


    "I''m just worried about what that would mean to Xingyu, and especially for Luna." It was Lanni''s voice.


    It was not his habit to eavesdrop on other people''s conversations, but he had clearly heard his and his wife''s names. Since it was about them, his curiosity was piqued and he stopped to listen.


    He didn''t hear clearly what Xiehan said to Lanni and only caught "don''t worry" among his words. Taking a deep breath, he decided to go his way, though he couldn''t help but wonder what those two were up to. They had been acting really strange lately.


    With a shrug, he pretended to have heard nothing and headed off to the kitchen to prepare a light snack for Luna.


    ¡­


    A few minutes later.


    Ruby tossed in her bed and sat up, curling in her blanket like a scared child.


    The lightning flashed through her curtain, followed by a terrifying roar of thunder that spooked her out of her wits. Although she was already so old and despite learning about it over the years, she was still unable to overcome her fear of thunder.


    She trembled as she hugged her blanket tightly, wary of the ghosts that may appear in the next instant. She couldn''t sleep with the light on but when she turned it off, she would be spooked almost to the point of tears.


    Pulling the blanket away carefully, she made small steps out of the room and dashed out of the door like there was a terrifying ghost in her room.


    She had just made a few steps towards the staircase when she heard footsteps. She was so terrified that she ran back to her room, panting heavily. She didn''t dare to enter and neither did she dare to stay outside and meet whatever ghost was coming up the stairs.


    At a loss, she plastered herself against the wall in an attempt to get away.


    "Are you okay?" Came a familiar voice worriedly from in front of her.


    She sighed in relief when she realized who it was. "Xingyu? Yes, I''m okay. You are up so late."


    "I went to get something to eat." He responded.


    It was then that she realized that he was carrying a plate of delicious-looking vegetable salad.


    "I was going to get water to drink. I''ll get going then." She then fled.


    He watched her retreating back with interest. Why did she look so scared?


    Just as he wondered why, a large rumble of thunder filled the air, followed by a restrained scream from the staircase. Comprehending the situation, he grinned and held the tray on one hand, then took out his phone to send a message.


    [Your beauty is scared of thunder. Now''s your golden chance.]


    Lin Jian, who was having sleepless nights from wondering how to prove his love to Ruby, responded in five seconds. [Where is she?]


    A few seconds later came another text.


    [How did you know?]


    He had even attached a "suspicious" emoji.


    Xingyu laughed. Did this guy overthink and imagine that Ruby had gone to look for him because she was scared? He explained the situation briefly and retreated to his room.


    ¡­


    Downstairs.


    Ruby grabbed a tub of ice cream and turned on the television.


    "Who eats ice-cream when it is so cold?"


    A voice sounded from behind her, spooking her so much that the ice cream fell onto the carpeted floor.


    Lin Jian was shocked. Xingyu had stated the situation but he didn''t expect it to be this severe. He suddenly didn''t know what to do.


    He was yet to figure out how to handle it when she threw her spoon away and jumped right into his arms. "I''m so scared!"


    His heart broke when he felt her body trembling. He had never seen anyone this scared of thunder before. Although he found it strange, he couldn''t bear to ask her about it. He hugged her and stroked her back gently. "I''m here. Don''t be scared anymore."


    She nodded but remained in his arms with no intention of moving away.


    "What do you want to watch?" He adjusted her into a more comfortable position and asked, but he received no response. He carefully peeked down and found that she had fallen asleep. Her beautiful face looked more adorable with her eyes closed, and the red fringe on her forehead made her irresistible.


    He so badly wanted to kiss her forehead but thinking of her scared look earlier, he restrained himself. She had probably been unable to fall asleep despite being very sleepy, all because she was scared.


    Hence, he carefully carried her to her room. He gently lay her on her bed and tucked her in, then stayed by her side for a while. He intended to leave when she fell into a deep sleep but he unknowingly fell asleep at the side of the bed, holding her hand in his.


    ___


    Ruby was not the only one having a sleepless night earlier.


    Cheng Yu had spent hours trying to buy time but no matter what she did, she still became sleepy in the end.


    After witnessing Cedric have a fever this morning, she couldn''t bear to let him sleep on the floor anymore. He couldn''t let her sleep on the floor either, so they were sharing a bed tonight.


    The thought of it was making Cheng Yu lose her mind. What kind of sin had she gotten herself into? She tried to pass time while doing all sorts of unimportant things.. Alas, with time, she was so sleepy that she almost nodded off on the table.

 Chapter 389 - My Only Goddess

    On the bed, Cedric was watching her with an amused expression. Was she that scared of sharing a bed with him? Then, if she knew that it would not be the first time that they slept on the same bed, wouldn''t she beat him to death? Since he still wanted to stay alive, he didn''t mention it.


    "Aren''t you going to sleep yet? it''s not good for a girl to stay up too late." He asked with concern.


    "I will soon. Go to sleep first." She yawned.


    Understanding that she was still uncomfortable around him, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes. Even then, he was worried that she would force herself to stay up all night and didn''t drift into sleep. If she still didn''t go to sleep after a few minutes, he would use the excuse of being sleepless and wanting to watch a movie to go to the living room.


    In the end, he was too worried for nothing. Soon after he closed his eyes, he heard the soft patter of her footsteps against the fluffy carpet. She closed in on him and he felt her gaze on his face. Then, she poked him carefully. He didn''t know what she was up to but he didn''t react and continued feigning sleep.


    After poking him a few times for confirmation, she carefully circled to the other side and climbed onto the bed. Since she was already so sleepy that she could barely keep her head steady, she fell into a deep slumber as soon as her head hit the pillow.


    ¡­


    The following day.


    In the afternoon, Xiehan was informed that it was safe to travel back to B City.


    "Aw what a bummer. I wanted to continue enjoying the inevitable vacation." Lanni was the first to complain.


    Xiehan chuckled at his girlfriend''s antics and rubbed her head. "That''s okay. We can go on many vacations when we are not busy."


    "Mmh." She nodded. In reality, she wanted to go back to B City as soon as possible so her work would not delay anymore. Her career was still in the rising phase after all. It was just inevitable that she would feel lazy once in a while.


    Luna was relieved when she heard the news and went to pack hers and Xingyu''s luggage."


    "What are you doing? Aren''t you going to pack?" Cedric leaned over Cheng Yu''s shoulder in interest. He was especially jovial today, which was perfectly normal considering the fact that they had spent the night peacefully last night. When he woke up, he had found her leg sprawled carelessly across his lower body while her hand lay on his chest.


    Even though he knew that it was just her poor sleeping habits and had nothing to do with her personal interest, he was still so tensed up that he blushed fiercely just thinking about it.


    She was not fazed by his presence behind her and casually said, "I''m booking my flight ticket."


    He frowned in displeasure. "You don''t have to¡­"


    She turned and shot him a look. "I don''t want to fight with you about this."


    He nodded in agreement. "I don''t want to fight about it either. Why don''t we save ourselves and each other the trouble? Let''s skip the part where I chew your plane ticket or ''accidentally'' spill water on it and fast-forward to when we go to B City together."


    Cheng Yu was speechless.


    "I won''t bother you. I promise to be good. Pretty please¡­" He looked at her pleadiingly with those beautiful, bright eyes, making her heart melt into a puddle.


    "You have to stop doing that!" She berated as her cheeks flushed. She already couldn''t stand it when he acted flirtatious. When he acted cute, it was a whole other level. She could end up saying yes to his every request without thinking through it.


    Which made her wonder, since when did she like guys who could be considered as cute? She thought she liked the mature type. Perhaps it was because he could be mature when he needed to be and irresistibly cute the next moment? Her poor heart!


    Seeing her fan girl expression, Cedric smiled happily. "I''ll take that as a yes."


    At the side, Lin Jian had a pensive expression. "Are we seriously going to the same city on four different planes?"


    When no one paid him any attention, he clammed his mouth shut and went to pack his luggage as well.


    When he was done, he returned to the living room to find that everyone else was ready to leave. Ruby was tapping something on her phone furiously. He went over to take a look. "Is something wrong?"


    She looked frustrated. "Lu Meili''s latest movie is screening tonight. I can''t get a ticket from the official site and it will be too late if I wait to get to B City first."


    Lin Jian was taken aback. "You like Lu Meili too?"


    Ruby nodded before realising that they had something in common. "Wait. You like Lu Meili?"


    "Of course!" was excited. "She is too beautiful for anyone to not know her. Not to mention, she has been an actress since she was a child. We were probably still playing with mud when she received her first award as the best child female lead. Back then, Xiehan, Xingyu and I would sneak out to watch her shows. She was our goddess!" When he finished blabbering about Lu Meili''s beauty and talent, he realized that the room was engulfed in an unnatural hush.


    Lanni glared at Xiehan beside her.


    He quickly defended himself. "You are my only goddess, my love."


    Almost at the same instant, Xingyu waved his hands at Luna who was glaring at him, defending himself vehemently. "Honey, you know that I idolize no woman but you! Lin Jian is lying. He is the only one who was smitten by that actress. He even followed her to the US and proposed to her on her eighteenth birthday!"


    Luna burst out laughing. "Of course, I know you only love me."


    At the side, Cedric and Cheng Yu laughed at how strong these two men''s desire to survive was. It was only then that Lin Jian realized the grave he had dug for himself.


    Not only did he know Lu Meili''s birthday, he had even proposed to her after following her all the way to the US! Could he still redeem himself?


    Damn you Jiang Xingyu! Are we still friends?


    He had totally pushed him under the bus!


    Seeing Ruby''s raised eyebrow as she looked at him like he had yet again proven himself as a jerk, he looked towards Xiehan urgently.


    Xiehan was too busy laughing at him but when he received his gaze, he didn''t heartlessly push him under the bus. "At the time, we made a bet and decided that the loser would propose to the most popular female star. Jian lost and had to propose to Lu Meili since she was the most popular female star at the time."


    Ruby seemed convinced by this answer and Lin Jian sighed in relief.


    However, Cheng Yu just had to mess with him. "What did Lu Meili say?"


    Lin Jian really wanted to die. "Don''t ask me anymore, okay? I was just a silly young man myself at the time."


    Sigh, this was too scary! Being a playboy did have its payback.


    After making enough fun of Lin Jian, Lanni pulled Ruby aside to speak to her. "I was anticipating Lu Meili''s movie too. Coincidentally, I have three tickets for tomorrow."


    "You do?" Ruby was surprised for a moment, then filled in the gaps. If she had three tickets, wasn''t that enough for her to go and watch the movie with Luna and Cheng Yu?


    Lanni could pretty much guess what she was thinking and laughed. "I was planning to watch it with Xiaoshi and Luna so I bought three. However, Luna had already bought two so she could watch it with Xiao Yu, so we ended up with five."


    Ruby was excited but still asked carefully, "You don''t mind if I join you?"


    "Of course not! Then it''s decided. Tomorrow night, be there or be square." Lanni chirped.


    The latter smiled and thanked her. She knew that it was not completely impossible to get tickets no matter how popular the movie was, but she thought it was better to go with Lanni''s group than watch it on her own.


    However, as she turned, she caught sight of Luna briefly giving a thumbs up to Lanni.


    She suddenly understood the situation. So the sisters were planning to use this chance to observe her. Her hands slowly balled into fists. Just when she thought that they were starting to trust her¡­


    ___


    AN


    *Runs around with flailing arms.*


    Any MBL readers here?


    The nation''s top actress/Lu Aotian''s and Wan Jia''s beloved princess/ Mu Zichen''s beautiful wife, starred in yet another movie!


    If you haven''t read the book yet, sear ch My Beautiful Love. Lu Meili is so adorable as a baby!

 Chapter 390 - Lock Him Up In Bed(and Do All Sorts Of Naughty Things To Him)

    The following day.


    After settling her work, Lanni finally had time to watch the planned movie with the girls. Since her office building wasn''t that far from her apartment, she took a quick shower and changed into casual clothes before going over.


    The girls had already arrived and were waiting for her outside. Cheng Yu hugged a bunch of snacks alongside a bucket of popcorn and cola, making one wonder whether she was going to watch or eat.


    As Lanni approached, she waved her over excitedly. "Lanni!"


    Lanni sauntered over and was about to hug them when Xiaoshi dragged her to the side. "You didn''t tell me Luna was coming."


    Lanni felt awkward. "If you are uncomfortable, you can sit beside me. We will be watching the whole time anyway."


    In the end, Xiaoshi decided to ignore her awkwardness. She had been unable to face Luna ever since she realized that the man she liked was her fianc¨¦. However, how long could she continue to hide? Luna was her superior now, and bumping into each other was inevitable. Not to mention, her cousin-in-law was Luna''s sister. Even if she hid now, she could not hide forever.


    She confidently clung her arm around Lanni''s and led the way. Ruby, Cheng Yu and Luna followed suit. They had managed to contact the management so their seats were placed on the same row. Because Cheng Yu was right behind Luna, they sat next to each other. Xiaoshi naturally sat next to Lanni who she was closest to. Unknowingly, Ruby had thought of the same thing so Lanni was sandwiched between them¡­ and Xiaoshi realized that the person next to her on her left was Luna.


    She gave a gentle smile. "Boss."


    Luna laughed at her antics. "I already told you, you don''t need to be so formal. Just call me Luna when we''re not at work."


    The movie was yet to start and she didn''t want the atmosphere to be eerily silent, so she casually asked, "How are you?"


    While she asked, her gaze was directed at Luna''s slightly bulging belly.


    Luna rubbed her stomach with a gentle smile. "We are fine. The little thing gets a little naughty sometimes but it''s still alright."


    Oddly, she realized that unlike just a few days ago, she didn''t feel hurt when Luna talked about the baby. She genuinely felt happy for her. Not that she had ever harbored any ill intentions towards Luna, but the realization that she wasn''t jealous was baffling. It seemed like¡­ that psychologost''s method had really worked. Just a few days and there was such significant progress?


    "How have you been? Are you getting along with your colleagues?" Luna''s question pulled her out of her thoughts.


    She nodded. "Work is perfect and my workmates are friendly. I get a lot of inspiration from them."


    Luna was relieved. This was Xiehan''s cousin after all, so she hoped for the best for her. "What about¡­ Outside work?"


    "My parents are coming to visit. And I got a boyfriend." She blurted out before she could stop herself. Crap. That was a lie.


    "You did?" Luna was surprised, and so were the three secret eavesdroppers at the side.


    She could only nod and hope they didn''t ask for too many details. Luckily, the lights dimmed and the movie started screening. By the time the movie ended, she would have thought of a perfect lie in case they asked again.


    ¡­


    When the movie ended, Xiaoshi received a phone call so everyone forgot to ask about her new boyfriend.


    Cheng Yu was just about to sigh in relief about evading questions when Lanni placed a hand on her shoulder and teased. "How is Cedric?"


    "Same as usual. So stubborn I want to lock him up." She answered half-heartedly.


    Luna chuckled and winked suggestively. "It''s a good idea, actually. Lock him up in bed and do all sorts of things to him!"


    "What? You¡­" Cheng Yu''s face flushed crimson.


    "You can buy sexy lingerie and perform a strip tease." Lanni added, lowering her voice.


    Ruby lowered her voice a little and added, "I know a newly opened lingerie store. Although it is not a renown brand, their products are amazing!"


    "How would you know? I thought you don''t have a boyfriend, why do you need lingerie?" Cheng Yu tried to change the topic by questioning Ruby.


    The latter shrugged. "Can''t I buy them for practise? And don''t try to change the topic."


    "Let''s discuss this at a more suitable place." Luna suggested seriously.


    In the end, all five of them went to Lanni''s apartment which was the closest.


    After ensuring that they had the desired privacy, they earnestly started teaching Cheng Yu how to seduce Cedric.


    "Are you girls being serious? Cedric and I¡­"


    "Obviously like each other. And that''s enough to get things rolling." Lanni interrupted her friend and whipped out her phone. "If you are too shy, you can just buy them online. They have all sizes."


    "With your skin tone, red would look perfect on you." Ruby observed seriously, her chin rested in her hand.


    "What? Red is a little¡­" She blushed just thinking of it.


    "Pink can do too." Lanni tried to imagine her friend in pink.


    "Mmh.." Luna observed Cheng Yu seriously as well. "I think a deeper shade of pink will do. Like hot pink. You don''t need to go for complicated-looking lingerie since it''s the first time."


    Ruby found a pink piece on her phone and handed it over excitedly. "Got it! This would look gorgeous. With your boobs¡­"


    "You perverts!" Cheng Yu was sure that her face resembled a tomato right now.


    At the side, Xiaoshi coughed at these girls'' earnest effort to get their friend laid. She knew almost nothing regarding men and sex, so she quietly listened.


    "We can get your hair done tomorrow. Lanni will help you with makeup, then you can call Cedric out for a dinner date." Luna said, more excited than when she was planning her own date.


    "Actually, cooking is better. Just drag the guy to your house and cook. When both of you are done eating, life him into your bedroom and lock him up. I''m sure he will be thrilled to have you tie him onto the bed." Lanni said exaggeratively.


    Xiaoshi was holding her stomach from laughing too much. "If you are afraid about him mistaking your relationship, you can confess to him first and become his girlfriend, then tease him later."


    "Actually, that makes more sense." Lanni nodded in agreement, and so did Luna and Ruby.


    In the end, they bought several sets of lingerie for Cheng Yu, as well as a new fiery red dress and diamond heels. They then helped her plan her dinner date scheduled for two nights later.


    After hearing all the encouragement from her friends, Cheng Yu was excited. She was no longer afraid of Cedric''s family opposing their relationship. He had told her about his past and from that, she concluded that they wouldn''t have the time to meddle in their son''s private life.


    Hence, she happily placed the order for the items they had selected.


    "I suddenly have the urge to tease Xingyu." Luna chuckled mischievously.


    "Did you peek into my mind and learn that I''m thinking of teasing Xiehan tonight?"


    "You don''t say! I will select my lingerie then." Luna unhappily shoved her phone aside. "They cannot deliver them today. Who wants to go shopping?"


    "Count me in." Ruby was the most excited, despite her single status. She coughed when she realized that she didn''t have any use for it. In the next moment, she shrugged. She could wear it the next time she met Lin Jian. That playboy would definitely want to take things further soon.


    Xiashi grabbed her purse. "I''m going too. I can learn a thing or two."


    "We better accompany Mrs. Jiang and take good care of her." Cheng Yu stated as an excuse and stood up, but soon realized what her words had indirectly implied.


    She wanted to bite her tongue off when she noticed Xiaoshi''s frozen smile. She didn''t mean it that way! Not explaining would make the atmosphere tense and explaining would only confirm what Xiaoshi had thought she meant. Gosh!


    Lanni cleared her throat. "With four bodyguards/fairy godfriends, Luna will definitely charm the socks off Mr. Jiang tonight."


    The atmosphere was a little less awkward so they made their way to the store.


    The most active duo was undoubtedly Lanni and Luna.


    "That''s my design!"


    "I chose it first."


    "No, I chose it first."


    "Fine, let''s take one each but in different colors."


    "Okay!"


    ¡­


    "Didn''t we agree on different colors?! You copied me!" Came the battle again.


    "No, you copied me. I chose red first."


    At the side, Xiaoshi raised her eyebrows at the battling sisters and glanced at Cheng Yu beside her. "Why are they fighting?"


    Cheng Yu facepalmed and shook her head.. Could those two be any less childish? "It''s not like their boyfriends will know it if they are wearing the same lingerie."

 Chapter 391 - Surprise(1)

    When they finally recalled that they were not battling over a piece of clothing that they would wear in public, the twins decided to pick identical pieces.


    However, Luna looked troubled. "But I''m pregnant now. Will I really look good in it?"


    "Of course you will! Is that even a question?" Lanni was baffled at her insecurity.


    Cheng Yu walked over to them and scanned the former''s stomach. "Actually, you don''t even look pregnant." She was not just saying it to console her friend. Because Luna had just entered her second trimester, her stomach was just a slight curve that could not be noticed if she wore clothes that made her stomach less conspicuous.


    Lanni looked at her and added, "Not to mention, it only adds to the charm. You are carrying his baby, of course brother-in-law will be multiple times more smitten by you."


    Luna placed her arms over the shoulders of her sister and her friend. "You girls always know what to say. I have always been scared that I will soon not look beautiful anymore and that Xingyu will lose his interest in me and fall for someone more attractive."


    Cheng Yu slapped her forehead. "Can you be a little less imaginative?"


    "Who said having kids will make you less attractive? Just look at our mother and your future mother-in-law." Lanni added.


    "Uh...you have a point." Luna had to agree. Although she was not in the best terms with her mother, she had to agree that Li Yuming really was beautiful for her age. Probably due to her healthy diet, she still had a perfect figure. On the other hand was Xinghe. She could easily pass off as a thirty-year-old with her flawless body and youthful skin!


    "Now that you mention it, I really should ask my mother-in-law how she takes care of her skin." Luna looked like she had just snagged a jackpot.


    "You will tell us, right?" Lanni''s eyes glowed eagerly and so did Cheng Yu''s. Which woman didn''t want to look beautiful?


    Luna smugly flipped her hair. "Please. If I tell you, how will I be the most beautiful granny when I grow old?"


    "Geez.."


    The girls all intended to try on the lingerie to know whether it suited them. Since Luna''s had many straps on its back, Cheng Yu and Lanni helped her tie them.


    Cheng Yu frowned when she realized that Xiaoshi was no longer in sight. "Where is Xiaoshi?"


    "She must have gone to help Ruby." Lanni guessed.


    Luna thought of something and found it amusing. "Speaking of which, aren''t they a bit too simikar? Forget the hair. They have the same height and slightly similar eyes."


    Lanni frowned as she thought about it. Could they really be cousins?


    Xiehan had sent the DNA samples to the hospital, and only when the results came out could she confirm it. Before that, she did not intend to shoot her mouth.


    At the side, Cheng Yu chuckled. "You are the most identical pair of twins in the world."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh¡­ Even our boyfriends once got us mixed up some time."


    Luna added curiously, "But why would you say that?"


    "Not only can you pass off as each other, your boyfriends are so much alike too. They are best friends at that. Even your love rivals are almost like clones of each other."


    Lanni laughed while Luna shook her head. "Your point of focus¡­"


    While they spoke, Ruby came out of a changing cubicle and as expected, Xiaoshi was with her.


    Ruby walked over and gushed at Luna. "You look ravishing! Even as a woman, I almost can''t take it."


    "My God! You are the one I should be saying that to." Luna twirled the other in awe. She was wearing a simple black piece with a little see through dress and a pair of stockings. Although the whole set was black, her red hair stood out as it tumbled down her back in waves. If she wore red lipstick, she would drive anyone insane.


    "You both look dashing. Why don''t you get together?" Cheng Yu teased them.


    Ruby looked like she had beeb struck by lightning. "And evoke the wrath of Jiang Xingyu? No thanks!"


    "Lin Jian would kill me!" Luna reacted at the same time, then narrowed her gaze flirtatuously and zeroed her gaze at Ruby''s chest. "Though, the idea itself isn''t too bad. This miss here is quite gifted in a particular area."


    "Get lost." Ruby covered her chest as she blushed.


    "Are you giving Lin Jian a surprise tonight?" Lanni asked.


    She hesitated. "I don''t know. Should I?"


    "Not yet. Since you are still in doubt of his feelings for you, you may regret right after." Xiaoshi finally spoke up for the first time. "At that point, no matter what tiny mistake he does, you will subconsciously interpret it as him having lost interest in you."


    "She is actually right." Luna had not thought too much about it. "Now that I recall it, Xingyu and I started off¡­that way. After what should have been a one-night-stand.


    After that, I didn''t dare to a free to be in a relationship with him exactly because of this. I was always paranoid about him not loving me anymore since we had slept together.


    The point is, if you are one to get insecure easily, you may want to stabilise your relationship first."


    Ruby was a little surprised that Luna had uttered so many words, even revealing her own past just to advise her. She smiled, her previous negative feelings fading. "Both of you are right. I''ll keep this in mind."


    Cheng Yu looked at her seriously. "Though I must add, to a man who truly loves you, it doesn''t matter whether you do it as an accident, before getting into a relationship or after marriage. He will treasure you nonetheless. Because what matters is your heart, not just your body. But if it''s a jerk, even if you meticulously prepare your honeymoon and do it on the moon with stars twinkling all around you, he will still ditch you if he wants to."


    " Uh¡­ when did you become a love guru?" Lanni raised an eyebrow as she held her piece.


    " Yeah, you have never had a boyfriend." Luna was baffled too.


    " Please. I''m a comic artist and I draw romance comics." Cheng Yu was smug.


    This time, Ruby was even more surprised. "You are a comic artist?"


    When Cheng Yu nodded, she smiled and was happy for her. If she remembered correctly, Cheng Yu''s parents were always going off about the latter''s interest in painting and art and always tried to hold her back from it. Since they had been friends before, she was happy for her now that she was pursuing her dreams.


    Lanni gushed at the side. "She is so awesome. She is responsible for my dark circles."


    "Huh? Why would I be¡­" Cheng Yu was baffled.


    "Isn''t it because your comics are too good? I end up sleeping very late because I can''t keep my eyes off!"


    "Lanni isn''t lying. I can testify to that." Xiaoshi said.


    Luna patted Cheng Yu''s shoulder. "Didn''t I tell you that you are awesome? You are Xia Yu comics'' star."


    Ruby looked surprised. "Right. Xia¡­ Yu¡­ Xia Yu comics is yours? I found the name familiar but didn''t dare to jump into conclusions. Nonetheless, I installed it and started reading. I especially like the comics of an author called "Beautiful Moon".


    When she finished speaking, she realized that everyone was chuckling.


    "That''s our Xiao Yu." Luna winked proudly.


    "Beautiful Moon¡­" Lanni raised an eyebrow and looked at her sister. "Xiao Yu is clearly expressing her admiration for you even using her pen name. I can''t take this display of affection!"


    Luna finally realized it. She had not thought about it before and only assumed that Cheng Yu liked the word "moon". But now that she thought about it, it was the exact meaning of her name. She smiled gently, so touched she could almost tear up.


    Xiaoshi peeked at the two mischievously. "If Luna wasn''t engaged, I would have shipped them." She whispered to Lanni.


    The latter lowered her voice. "You are asking for a beating. Actually, I used to think they are a good match too, but my sister beat me up when I mentioned it."


    She thought she was whispering, but Luna raised an eyebrow. "I don''t think I have ever beaten you up, but it''s a good idea." She then cracked her knuckles viciously.


    "Hey! We have been here for too long. We should go and complete the purchase." She made an attempt to flee.


    "But you haven''t tried it on¡­" Ruby pointed at the lacy material in Lanni''s hand.


    The latter held it up and glanced at Luna then sighed. "I don''t need to. It will look good on me."


    "Right. Luna tried it on for you already. I''m so jealous. Why don''t I have a twin?" Ruby lamented and went to change back into her clothes.


    Luna changed too, and laughed.. "Right, sis, I may need to trouble you."

 Chapter 392 - Can I Say No?

    "Can I say no?" Lanni joked.


    "Nope. I will trouble you even if you said no." Luna giggled like she would be the most annoying thing if she got rejected. After joking for a while, she got serious. "It''s our company. I feel the exposure is a little too lacking."


    Lanni thought about it briefly. "Got it. I will try my best on my end, but I may need to interview you, Xiao Yu and Xingyu. Is that okay?"


    "It''s okay for me." Cheng Yu agreed, then frowned a little. Would it make a difference? After all, she had zero popularity. Even so, she decided to trust Lanni''s arrangement.


    "I''ll ask Xingyu if he minds." Luna responded. Even though they were engaged, she was not going to use his name for publicity without finding out whether he was comfortable with it.


    "Tell me about it when he responds. I will schedule an interview for the three of you."


    "Thanks, sis." Luna hugged her gratefully.


    They had all come to the mall in Lanni''s car, so they decided to drop Xiaoshi and Ruby off first.


    When it was just the three of them in the car, the atmosphere turned serious.


    "You¡­" Luna didn''t know how to start.


    Cheng Yu started, "She didn''t seem suspicious to me."


    "Ruby?" Lanni confirmed. When Cheng Yu nodded, she thought about it. "She didn''t seem suspicious to me either. And neither did Xiaoshi."


    Luna mulled over it. "Perhaps we really are being paranoid. They couldn''t have put on an act the entire time, right?"


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "One can put up an act for decades, let alone a night. But don''t worry, I didn''t get any red flags from their attitudes earlier."


    Cheng Yu didn''t like the direction this was taking. "So, we should consider them our friends? Let''s not talk about how Xiaoshi still likes Luna''s fianc¨¦. Who is to say that her jealousy won''t flare up and make her want to hurt Luna later?" She didn''t believe a word about Xiaoshi having found a boyfriend.


    "And Ruby¡­ are we really going to trust Ji Feifei''s former friend?"


    Lanni started the car and glanced at her worried friend. "Ruby''s situation is a little complicated. I will explain it later, okay?"


    Cheng Yu was barely pacified. But when she thought that this could have something to do with how strangely Xiehan and Lanni were acting at the beach, she nodded and decided to patiently wait.


    Goldenwing Apartments was closest, so they dropped Cheng Yu off.


    As she got off, Luna couldn''t help taunting her. "I would have stayed with you tonight but I''m no longer single so goodnight."


    "Are you seriously flaunting to me the fact that you are going to seduce your man?" Cheng Yu was speechless.


    "Can''t I?" Luna teased. "Let''s not talk about my sex life. Go to bed early, okay? Hug a pillow and don''t be scared."


    "That''s enough. Who will Xiao Yu complain to if you tease her too much?" Lanni pretended to speak up for Cheng Yu before teasing her as well.


    Cheng Yu glared at them. "You horrible sisters. I''m no longer your friend." She then fled to the elevator before they could make fun of her again.


    ¡­


    After taking a bath and making a cup of coffee, Cheng Yu settled in her room to draw. She had just drawn for a few minutes when her phone screen flashed with an incoming call.


    Seeing who the caller was, she was a little puzzled but stilled herself. "I wonder why Young Master Han couldn''t wait to talk to me at the office and had to call me this late at night?"


    "I miss you." The other party sounded aggrieved.


    Cheng Yu was helpless. "I''m sorry. If you don''t have anything important to tell me, I need to get back to work."


    "Don''t you miss me at all?" Cedric lamented inwardly but didn''t dare to voice it. Knowing that she must really be busy, he went straight to the main point. "My sister agreed to be your marketing director and wishes to report to work tomorrow."


    "Really?" Cheng Yu was pleasantly surprised and stood up excitedly.


    "Yes. Also, since she is doing her little brother a favor, she doesn''t need any remuneration for now."


    Cheng Yu''s surprise turned into shock. "What? But she will be working so hard. How can she not receive any income?"


    As she finished speaking, she realized the oddity of it. Moonlight Studios was just a start up. In comparison to the jobs that Natalie had undertaken in the past, her pay at Moonlight would probably only be enough for her breakfast.


    "You can discuss the details with her tomorrow. I''ll give you her contact number and email address right away." He added.


    "Thank you." She was so excited that she was inarticulate. She could only get these two words out.


    Cedric wanted to continue talking to her but he had nothing to say except express his feelings. However, it was not the best time to do that; it would only seem like he was taking advantage of the fact that he had done her a favor. Hence, he reluctantly said, "Then I will go to sleep. Don''t stay up too late yourself."


    Cheng Yu chuckled at his tone. Why did he sound like a boss?


    "Goodnight."


    When the call ended, she checked the time and decided not to call Luna. The latter must have already arrived at the Jiang mansion, so she didn''t want to accidentally disrupt something she shouldn''t.


    ¡­


    Jiang Mansion.


    "You are back." Xingyu looked up from his laptop and stood when he saw that Luna had arrived.


    He had wanted to pick her up but she said that Lanni would drop her off. He checked behind her and was curious. "Lanni didn''t come in?"


    Luna hugged him and sat down. "She was in a hurry to go to Xiehan''s."


    Xingyu nodded and didn''t probe further. He carried Luna onto his lap and kissed her. "Did you have fun?"


    "Uh-huh. The movie was awesome. She blabbered on about the movie they had watched, then mentioned that they had gone shopping as well.


    "I''ll have the chef warm your food." He stroked her and was about to summon the chef.


    However, she shook her head. "I already ate dinner. We had a meal at Lanni''s place before going shopping."


    "What did you buy?" He was curious.


    "Uhm¡­ a dress." She blushed when he asked. Now that she talked about it, she remembered that she had planned to give a certain someone a surprise tonight.


    She wiggled out of his arms with a pout. "I''m sleepy. Let''s go to sleep."


    "Okay." Since the wife had said it, he shut his laptop and carried her upstairs.


    Once he reached his bedroom, he gently placed her on the bed and went to get her pajamas from the closet.


    "I want to take a shower first." She slid off the bed and grabbed the pajamas he had brought. When he was not looking, she sneakily grabbed the lingerie from the shopping bag from earlier and disappeared into the bathroom.


    The bathroom door was translucent so he could see the outline of her body as she showered. Swallowing, he took a book to read in an attempt to calm himself.


    After reading at the speed of two words per minute, he finally managed to keep his mind off the sound of running water from the bathroom, and her alluring voice as she sang.


    After half an hour of this indirect torture, the sound of water finally stopped.


    Then came her sweet voice after a long time. "Love, are you going to take a shower too?"


    He turned to answer her and was stunned silly. "You¡­"


    She had let down her hair and had no makeup since she had just taken a shower, but her skin looked radiant and beautiful. The red, lacy material clung to her supple skin, nullifying all the progress he had made at suppressing his desire.


    He almost forgot to breathe and struggled to get a word out.


    She walked over to him provocatively and climbed onto his lap. "Do you like it?"


    "Honey, you are pregnant." He reminded, trying to avert his gaze from her boobs that were now in front of him. They looked fuller and more seductive under the red lace. He so badly wanted to touch them¡­


    She took his hand and pulled it to her chest. "It''s okay as long as we are not too rough at it. Didn''t the gynecologist say that?"


    He squeezed one of her breasts gently and almost went insane when she unconsciously bit her lip and closed her eyes. "How am I supposed to be gentle seeing you like this?"


    She smiled and kissed his lips as she pushed him gently, making him fall back onto the bed. She knelt over him and whispered in his ear, "Then let me take the initiative."


    _____


    Uhm¡­ kids, close your eyes! XD


    If you haven''t yet, join my discord server : tinyurl.com/Avalorian.


    Check out my new book: The Tyrant''s Wife.

 Chapter 393 - DNA Test Results

    Lanni gave Xiehan a call as she exited the Jiang Mansion.


    "Where are you? Are you busy?" She asked when the call connected.


    "I just left my office and I''m heading home now. Shall I pick you up?" He asked.


    "No, I drove out. Did you work overtime today?" It was way past working hours, he must have had a lot of work to do.


    "I was waiting for something. Do you want to talk about it tonight or tomorrow?" He asked mysteriously.


    From his tone, she could guess what he was talking about. He must have received the DNA results. She was caught off guard, not having expected it to be so fast. Even so, it was better that they would not need to waste too much time on this matter.


    "I''ll go over right now." She said decisively. She would not be able to keep her curiosity in for a whole night. Most importantly, she missed her man too much even though they had only seen each other the day before.


    She arrived at his mansion just as he arrived, and as soon as he got out of the car, she jumped right into his arms. "Did you miss me?"


    He looked down at the girl clinging onto him and looking up cutely, his lips curling into a loving smile. "I miss you as soon as you get out of my sight." He was not exaggerating.


    Contrary to Lin Jian''s belief about a couple''s love fading after being together for a while, what he felt was the opposite. He and Lanni had been together for almost a year and their feelings only grew deeper each day.


    He carried her by the waist and walked towards the bedroom, as the butler brought in his things. He placed her on the bed and kissed her lips as he shrugged his coat off.


    She helped him take it off and asked curiously, "Did you get the DNA results?"


    "Mmh." He trailed his lips down her neck.


    "Did you check the content?" She asked, out of breath.


    "No."


    "Do you want to¡­"


    "Later." He interrupted with one word before pinning her hands above her head. He then proceeded to use his teeth to slide off the straps of her dress from her shoulders. His moves were torturously slow¡­


    Lanni couldn''t believe that after all the plans she made for an entire evening to seduce him, paired with all the preparations she had made including buying a set of lingerie, she was the one who had been seduced out of her senses.


    ___


    After intense lovemaking, they took a shower and changed into pajamas. Xiehan''s was royal blue with a white button strip, while Lanni''s was a pink nightgown with a hem identical to Xiehan''s button strip and an overcoat of a soft lace material of the same color as Xiehan''s pajamas.


    She looked at them with a smile. "Couples pajamas?"


    "Do you like it?" He couldn''t help admiring how cute she looked in the pink and blue combination.


    She snuggled into his arms. "They''re adorable."


    After embracing for a while, he finally brought out the briefcase with the DNA report.


    He took out the document and his hands trembled slightly. After a few seconds, he passed the document to her instead.


    "Love, are you nervous?" She wanted to tease him but this was not the right time, so she opened the folder carefully and read through the document.


    When she reached the conclusion, her lips twitched as she glanced at Xiehan.


    Based on her reaction, he could pretty much guess the result. He still took it to confirm and his eyes narrowed at the 0% compatibility. "She is not my sister."


    She was about something when she realized how odd his tone sounded. "You¡­hoped for her to be your sister?" Otherwise, why would he sound disappointed?


    He shook his head. "Not particularly. Still, I had almost believed that she is my sister based on her similarities with my family members. She looks so much like my aunt, Xiaoshi, and my paternal grandmother. There are some aspects of her I think resemble my mother''s too."


    She could comprehend his confusion. Even if one were to find an impostor and send them to the Ji family, it was almost impossible to find one that resembled both parents.


    "Let''s confront her tomorrow. There may be another side to this."


    ___


    The next day, Lanni invited Ruby for dinner at her place.


    The latter was pleasantly surprised by the invite, but she found it strange that it was just the two of them.


    She took a sip of the juice that Lanni had served her and looked around. "It''s just us?"


    She had just finished her question when the front door opened and Xiehan walked in.


    She smiled happily. So it was a dinner with all the friends together. Did this mean they were starting to accept her into their circle?


    Lanni leaned back in her chair as Xiehan sat beside her. "Ruby, I guess you must have figured out why you are here."


    Ruby was confused. "What do you mean?"


    "Why would you lie to us? You told such an outrageous lie!" Lanni didn''t beat around the bush and slapped the document onto the table.


    Ruby picked it up hesitantly, more or less guessing what it was. Sure enough, it was a DNA test report¡­ and the result was that she and Xiehan were not biologically related!


    Her eyes widened and she almost didn''t know how to speak up. "This¡­ this can''t be! We really are siblings!"


    Xiehan finally spoke up coldly. "Then, explain why the compatibility is 0%."


    Ruby was confused too. "This, I don''t know. But I''m telling you the truth. After my dad told me about my past, I didn''t truly believe it so I got close to Ji Feifei and stole your parents'' DNA samples when I went to your house. I did the test and had 99.99% compatibility with both of them."


    Xiehan studied her expression and she really was surprised. The shock was not fake. Then, what was up with the different results? Could they have been faked?


    Apparently, Ruby was thinking about this too. "The chances of anyone faking the results is too low. The only people I told were the two of you, after all."


    "What are you implying?" Lanni questioned.


    "It could be a mistake made by the hospital. Perhaps they accidentally messed up the samples?" She suggested, then sighed at the only other possibility. "If someone else found out and deliberately switched the results, it could be fatal. It would only mean that the masterminds know that I told you the truth, and it might put everyone in danger."


    Xiehan looked at her seriously. "Are you telling the truth?"


    "Yes." She didn''t flinch.


    He scanned her and dropped a serious question. "Then do you dare to take the test again?"


    Ruby nodded in affirmation but said, "But what if it is switched again?"


    "I will take it to a more reputable hospital." He declared.


    Initially, he didn''t want to bother his doctor friends but now it seemed like he didn''t have much choice. Even if there was bribery or threats involved, he knew that his friends would never fake the results.


    " Actually, Xichen minored in genetics." He recalled.


    "Xichen?" Lanni found this name familiar.


    "Han Xichen. That busybody doctor who hypnotised you before." He explained.


    "Oh, I remember him now and yes, he can be trusted." She suddenly lowered her voice. "I know a way to determine whether the results were switched on purpose."


    "What way?" Xiehan asked. Ruby remained silent since she knew that the suspicion around her was yet to be cleared.


    Lanni whispered something into Xiehan''s ear, and his gaze darkened.


    "Who is going to do that? Don''t even think about going to such a place on your own." He warned strictly.


    "I can go with Ruby and Cheng Yu. Luna is pregnant so we can''t bring her along." she looked forward to it.


    "Go where?" Ruby asked when she was mentioned.


    "To the prison." Lanni''s eyes lit up excitedly.


    Ruby frowned. "Are you planning to conduct another test between Ji Feifei and the Ji family? But she can simply have whoever is supporting her fake the results, right?"


    Lanni shrugged. "What can a criminal do while behind bars? I don''t believe there is anyone supporting her or they would have helped her escape from prison ages ago. They may have given up on her when she messed herself up."


    "You have a point¡­"Ruby thought about it. "When do you want to go?"


    "Tomorrow!" Lanni almost couldn''t keep still.


    Xiehan massaged his temples. "There are other ways but you just had to choose this. Are you sure you''re not just seeking an excuse to poke fun at Ji Feifei?"


    "Of course not." She laughed guiltily.


    "It''s not that you can''t, but you have to be careful." He compromised, knowing that the little thing would bug him to death if he didn''t let her go.


    Ruby smiled confidently. She would strip that woman of the identity she stole from her. She was rejuvenated thinking of the fact that she had gained half of their trust. "Let''s go tomorrow then.. We can get our samples taken in the morning then head over to the prison later."

 Chapter 394 - Second Test

    "It''s already quite late. Do you mind spending the night with us?" Lanni invited politely.


    Ruby knew that it had nothing to do with time. This was a security measure. They were probably afraid that if she left the apartment, she would scheme ways to have someone change the results later, or even come up with some excuse to miss the test. The guest room she would be staying in will probably be bugged too, just in case she called someone to help her carry out the plot.


    Even so, she pretended to be dumb. She couldn''t blame anyone for being cautious against her. After all, the first test had made their little trust plummet.


    So she nodded as though she didn''t realize a thing. "That''s alright."


    Lanni stood up immediately, as though she was worried that Ruby might change her mind. "Then I will clean up the guest room. It has been uninhabited for a while."


    When she got to the guest room, she quickly changed the sheets and replaced them with a new pair. Although the guest room had not been used since Xiaoshi moved out, the part-time housekeeper always cleaned it along with the rest of the house so all the surfaces were clean.


    She checked that the air-conditioner was in good shape then took out her phone and called Luna and whispered into the phone. "Sis, I need a favor. The SOS emergency type."


    "What is it?"


    She could hear the tapping sound of keys from the other side, so she guessed that Luna must be busy. She suddenly was not sure whether to ask for her help. But since she had already made the call, she may as well go through with it. "I need a bug as soon as possible. Do you have any?"


    Luna paused for a while, probably because she was confirming. After a few seconds, she answered, "I do. I will get someone to send it to you."


    "Thanks, you''re a lifesaver." She sighed in relief, then asked for the bug to be sent as a mysterious gift. She was relieved when Luna said that she would keep it in the pockets of new jeans, then send the Jiang Family''s butler to deliver it.


    What followed was a series of curious questions, which Lanni ignored.


    The jeans arrived as soon as they finished having dinner. To Lanni''s relief, there were three bugs as precaution. She used "equipping the room with toiletries and towels" as an excuse to place the bugs at different parts of the room. She also stuck one into the pockets of the new pajamas she gave Ruby to wear.


    When she returned to her room, Xiehan pinched her waist. "You''re being too obvious. She almost noticed what you were up to from your exaggerated kindness." He warned.


    Easing herself onto the bed, she tilted her head to look at him. "That''s the point. I don''t actually plan to spy on her. I just want to scare her into giving up. If she has any intention to do something fishy, that is." Which was why she would place a bug in her pajamas. It was all so she would be alert of the fact that she might be watched all night.


    Actually, Lanni had intended to really watch her at first. However, she would merely lose a whole night of sleep. Besides, it would be awkward for Xiehan if they accidentally saw a scene they shouldn''t. It was already bad enough even if it were someone else, and the fact that this woman could potentially be Xiehan''s sister made it worse.


    ___


    The next morning.


    Lanni was the first to wake up. She peeked at the man beside her and patted his handsome face. While he looked harmless with his eyes closed, one shouldn''t be deceived. This man had tortured her all night! Though when she thought about it, she remembered that it was she who had asked for it.


    She moved slowly to avoid waking him up and freshened up, then went to the living room. The sun had already risen and Ruby was already waiting in the living room. She had dark circles and was trying not to nod off on the couch.


    Uh¡­


    Lanni halted. Had she gone too overboard?


    She was merely trying to instill some fear in the girl, not make her entirely sleepless!


    "You''re awake. At what time are we going to the hospital?" Ruby asked, holding no grudge for the mentally exhausting night.


    Lanni could only walk over and sit on the couch. "The doctor will come over in a while." Last night, she had heard Xiehan ask(threaten) Han Xichen to obediently make his way over. "Why, are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"


    Ruby looked helpless. "I have a class later this afternoon."


    She was still a student of B City University. After playing around and even going to Star Art International when she didn''t exactly need to, she had failed her exams terribly and had to repeat a class. Her father had suggested sending her to an overseas university but she had declined. After all, it didn''t matter which school she went to. It would be useless as long as she did not want to learn. However, she had settled down and decided to take her studies seriously, and didn''t want to miss any of her classes.


    Lanni looked surprised when she heard the latter''s words. Indeed, people change. She could only smile. "He should be here soon. After taking the samples, there should still be a few hours before it''s time for your class."


    As they spoke, Xiehan woke up and joined them, and Han Xichen was brought over by Xiehan''s chauffeur too.


    "Sorry I''m late!" He glanced at his golden watch. He was two minutes late.


    Ignoring Xiehan''s glare, he went ahead to greet the girl. "Hi, pretty ladies." He was suddenly stunned when his eyes met Ruby''s. Wasn''t this¡­ that girl who sought him to erase her memories after a heartbreak?


    When he looked carefully, he realized that it was just a resemblance at first sight.


    Since Xiehan had already told him what to do, he went ahead and opened the briefcase of equipment he had brought. He took Xiehan''s and Ruby''s samples swiftly. "That should be it. The results will be out this evening."


    "Sure thing." Xiehan observed that Ruby didn''t look flustered when her blood was taken, and showed Han Xichen out.


    "What do you want to tell me?" Han Xichen knew that the latter must have something to say.


    "You know how many people you should tell about this, right?" Xiehan looked ta the other threateningly.


    "Of course I will tell no one. Are you doubting my professionalism?" He raised his eyebrows, then grinned. Who would have thought that even the legendary Ji family could have such a huge scandal? he wanted to ask for more details but let it be.


    More than that, he wanted to ask about the little girl. He had investigated and found out that the little girl was Xiehan''s cousin. However, if he asked about her, he would basically be admitting that she had sought him for therapy and that would be against the rules. Hence, he could only hope that the little thing was fine.


    ¡­


    The process had gone faster than Ruby thought so she decided to accompany Lanni to the prison as planned. They had already obtained permission but as they neared the place, Lanni''s expression changed into a curious one. "I can''t believe she listed us among the close family members and friends she trusts to visit her."


    Ruby was baffled by this outcome too. "Perhaps she knew we would look for her. And she must also be prepared to smugly reject us if we ask for any favors."


    The thought of it was frustrating. Lanni suddenly realized what they had overlooked. "What if we are only allowed to see her and communicate through a glass wall? How will we be able to get her hair then?"


    "We didn''t think of that, did we?" Ruby thought of a way and asked, "Are you a lawful citizen? A hundred perfect law-abiding?"


    Lanni turned her head to Ruby curiously. "What do you mean?"


    The latter made a call first, then said to Lanni, "I cannot go in. I will not be able to stop myself from tearing her face off."


    It was understandable. Who could stand the sight of the person who robbed their life? It was still alright if Ji Feifei did not know the truth. But ever since she learnt that Ji Feifei had known the truth all along, she was so furious that killing her wouldn''t be enough.


    Before they entered the detention center, she lowered her voice and said to Lanni, "I asked my father to pull some strings. Later, you may be allowed to hug her. You know what to do then, right?"


    Lanni was shocked but she nodded. She had underestimated the Chan family''s influence. They could even pull strings at a detention center¡­


    But that was not her business.. All she k new was that she would use this chance wisely.

 Chapter 395 - Cupid

    When Ji Feifei was called out to meet her visitor by the prison warden, she didn''t look in the slightest bit surprised. When she saw that it was Lanni, a glint flickered in her eyes but she didn''t look surprised by this either.


    Without waiting for her to speak, Lanni stood up and hugged the other party emotionally. "Feifei, I missed you!"


    Ji Feifei was startled, then she tried to pull away from Lanni''s arms. The latter quickly used this chance to tangle her bracelet in Ji Feifei''s hair. Thanks to the struggle, Ji Feifei managed to pull away after a short while, leaving behind a few strands of her hair in the process.


    Lanni was relieved when she saw the few black strands. She had been afraid that the bracelet was too smooth and would simply slide through.


    She sat down like nothing had happened, after secretly securing Ji Feifei''s hair. "How have you been?"


    "You bitch!" Ji Feifei was so angry that she cursed on the spot. She almost went mad with rage from this woman''s theatrics.


    Lanni smiled indifferently. "Sorry I asked. You''re definitely not doing well." After all, her hair was so weak that it could be plucked with a slight tug.


    "You must be happy to see me here, aren''t you?" Ji Feifei snarled.


    Lanni scoffed and shook her head. "Don''t tell me it''s worth noting that I managed to swat a fly?" She then took a glance at the time on her watch. "Ah look at the time. I have things to do so¡­"


    Standing up, she took out wet tissue from her small purse and wiped her hands, then dumped it in the trash can with a disgusted expression. "Enjoy your time, Miss Ji."


    The last two words were said with so much sarcasm that Ji Feifei gritted her teeth. Li Lanni, how dare you!


    Once she left this place, she would skin that woman alive.


    ¡­


    "That was cool." Ruby commented when Lanni returned. "Ji Feifei views herself as a goddess that should practically be worshipped. By wiping your hands after hugging her, you humiliated her so much that she will remember you for the rest of her life.


    Lanni was calm contrary to Ruby''s look of admiration. "Let''s go."


    "Are you going to let Doctor Han test her sample as well?" Ruby did not understand. Wasn''t it the same whether she or Ji Feifei took the test? Since Wen Lin only had one daughter, if one was real then the other was evidently fake.


    Lanni had something else in mind. "I will take it to the same hospital where the first test was done."


    "Okay¡­" Ruby could not fathom her thoughts.


    Lanni smiled as she started the car. "This is the only way to find out whether what happened last time was a mistake, or whether the test results were deliberately tampered with."


    "What would you do¡­if they were deliberately tampered with?" She asked curiously.


    Lanni''s expression did not change but her eyes held a venomous glint. "If someone tried to deceive my man¡­ Of Course, they have to pay for it."


    Ruby smiled gently. She really cared for Xiehan¡­


    ___


    At the same time, Moonlight Studios.


    Cheng Yu was sitting on needles all morning as she waited for Natalie Han''s arrival.


    At the conference room, she ordered for drinks to be prepared beforehand and looked through the employment contract.


    She then looked at Luna beside her, who was calm as though the guest they were waiting for was a close friend.


    "You are so calm!" Cheng Yu exclaimed.


    Luna shot her a funny look. "Why wouldn''t I be? We have already made perfect arrangements."


    Cheng Yu looked through the list of things she had taken care of and frowned. "Is this enough? Are you sure we shouldn''t do more¡­like throw a party for her arrival or something?"


    Luna laughed at her friend''s anxiety. "Relax. We have done many things to make her stay comfortable. Not only have we prepared an assistant, we are also giving her one of the best offices in the building and it has been decorated specifically for her. If she still doesn''t like this and thinks it is too lowly, we can find someone else to fill in the role. Otherwise, if we try too hard to please one person, our company might be taken too lightly."


    Cheng Yu couldn''t deny this. "I''m impressed that you can even think of this. Is this really your first time managing a business?"


    Luna laughed. "Technically, yes. But I used to help my dad once in a while."


    Cheng Yu understood. No wonder she had such a great understanding of everything despite not having graduated.


    A knock resounded at the door and as expected, Cedric walked in, leading in an elegant woman.


    Cheng Yu was the first to react. She jovially greeted the woman and showed her to her seat. "It''s nice to finally meet you, Miss Han."


    Natalie sat down and extended a hand to greet Luna, then Cheng Yu. "It''s nice to meet you too. You must be my new superiors, Miss Cheng and Miss Xia. Cedric told me many things about you."


    "Good things, I hope?" Luna chuckled, infected by the woman''s smile.


    Natalie wore a simple, black skirt suit and had her hair in a Bob-cut. She looked elegant but not arrogant. For a woman of her abilities, she really was down-to-earth and her smile was infectious.


    Both Cheng Yu had a good first impression of her, and the opinion was two-way. She felt these two young women were easy to get along with. Besides, she had a great level of admiration for them, based on Cedric''s description. He had stated that these two had started the company from scratch and managed to get an investment from Jiang Corporation. Even though Luna was the fianc¨¦ of Jiang Corporation''s CEO, one could tell that she was capable of handling her own matters without having to rely on her fianc¨¦.


    After a short chat, Cheng Yu finally presented the employment contract. She was hesitant. Should there really be a contract when the woman had decided not to receive any income?


    Natalie seemed to detect her hesitation, so she took the contract and directly signed it without reading through it.


    "Uh¡­ You''re not afraid we might sell you off?"


    She smiled nonchalantly and leaned in her chair. "While my brother is quite willful at times, his judgement of people isn''t bad."


    What she meant was, since Cedric trusted them so much that he freely introduced her to them, she was sure that no problems would arise from this agreement.


    Cheng Yu and Luna were satisfied. They didn''t expect it to be this easy.


    Cheng Yu stood up. "Luna can''t walk around too much so I''ll show you around the building."


    Before Natalie could respond, the neglected Cedric finally had something to say. "Me too! I want to be shown around the office building. Why does Natalie get this special treatment when I don''t?"


    Cheng Yu shot him a fierce glare. "Will you die if you shut up?"


    "You only know to shout at me." He grumbled, watching with intense jealousy as his sister effortlessly got what he had to work so hard for. He had to come up with so many schemes just to get to be at her side for two extra minutes, while Natalie merely had to appear and she willingly showed her around? How biased!


    "You better not cause trouble." Cheng Yu warned him, then led Natalie away.


    "Pfft¡­ How cute." The woman suddenly laughed, then coughed.


    "Uhm¡­ What''s cute?" Cheng Yu looked at the woman beside her curiously.


    Natalie smiled and glanced in the direction of the conference room, where Cedric was standing and watching her enviously. "My little brother had never been an attention-seeker, much less such a jealous one." She smiled dotingly. It appeared that the relationship between her and Cedric was much better than that between Cedric and Han Xiaoli.


    In regards to her words, Cheng Yu was rendered speechless. Not an attention-seeker? Not jealous? Was Natalie really talking about Cedric? Heaven knew how much torture she had been through because of that man''s pettiness!


    Natalie seemed to understand this, and she smiled. "It was only until he met you that he started displaying such characteristics. Not only does he get mad when anyone else gets near you, he wants to cling to your side all day as well. I can tell from one look that you are also the reason why he agreed to come to this company."


    " Really? He caused so much trouble with his employment contract that we almost gave up on him." Cheng Yu wanted to roll her eyes.


    What Natalie said next baffled her even more. "Of course he would be willful and cause trouble! His aim of coming here was to get your attention but you were not giving him any. He really likes you."


    Cheng Yu was speechless.


    Did Cedric really recommend his sister to be the marketing director?


    Because, she really felt that N atalie was more of a cupid than any department''s director.

 Chapter 396 - Fools Falling Into A Trap

    The employees'' cafeteria, at lunch time.


    Cheng Yu was just about to finish her food when a figure slotted himself opposite her. "Can I sit here?"


    She looked up at the anticipating Cedric and realized that he wanted to sit with her. "Sorry, I''m full and I have to rush."


    She was facing the door so she had to pass Cedric to head out. He grabbed her hand as she walked past him and went straight to the point. "You have started avoiding me again. I already explained that my family wouldn''t interfere with us but¡­ Did I do something wrong? Or is it¡­" He looked dejected. "Is it because you hate me?"


    "What? Of course not." She was baffled at how he was able to come to such a bizarre conclusion. Knowing that arguing with him would merely waste her time, she looked straight at him. "Cedric, you didn''t do anything wrong. It''s just¡­"


    She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She knew that her words may hurt his feelings but she didn''t have much choice at the moment. "It''s just that I can''t give you as much attention as I want. I have many things to do, Cedric. You know that I''m already playing two roles at the company, not to mention, I''m preparing for the graduation."


    "Graduation?" He looked confused then suddenly understood. Their graduation at Star Art International would be in a few weeks. If she didn''t mention it, he would have forgotten all about it. He had almost forgotten that he was still a student and had only got a job using his natural talent.


    "Yes. Now you know why I can''t be at your beck and call, right?"


    He nodded but still found it baffling. "Why are you working so hard? Doesn''t it exhaust you?"


    She smiled helplessly. Of course it exhausted her. She was not a machine, okay? However, it was the only thing she could do to earn as much money as possible in a short time. She wanted to enroll her brother into a better school and be able to give him the kind of luxurious life that he had never experienced.


    She had already discussed it with Luna; once the latter got married, she would terminate her lease contract and Cheng Yu would fully rent the apartment, since she liked the place. She would have her brother stay in the other room.


    Although it sounded far-fetched for a girl her age to think of taking her brother to move in with her, she knew that there was no better choice. The poor boy would merely continue to suffer if he continued staying under the care of their heartless parents.


    She didn''t explain any of this to Cedric and the young man didn''t probe either. He nodded, looking relieved although she had not said anything about making time to spend with him. He flashed a charming smile. "Thank you."


    "What are you thanking me for?" Cheng Yu was confused.


    "Thank you for not ignoring me. And thank you for explaining the situation to me."


    She was amused. Why did he look like he had been pardoned of a death sentence? She smiled and spoke before her brain could process it. "I was thinking of inviting you for dinner sometime. Are you free this weekend?"


    His eyes widened then narrowed almost immediately. Was he dreaming?


    He must be!


    If not, why did he hear Cheng Yu invite him for dinner?


    "You are too busy?" It was her turn to be nervous. She was planning to use the dinner date to explain a few things to him and confess her feelings but he seemed unwilling so her eyes dimmed. "If you don''t want to come¡­"


    "Want, want, want! I''ll be there on time! Where and when?" After confirming that he was not dreaming, he was so excited that he could grow wings and fly off.


    She bit her lip to prevent a smile. "Saturday, at my place. See you then."


    Then, without waiting for a response, she rushed back to her office. She had to make up for lost time.


    (Author''s teasing note: Or maybe, she was just too embarrassed to be in the same space as Cedric after asking him out on a date.)


    ___


    That evening.


    As Han Xichen promised, the results were out within the day. He brought the file to Xiehan''s mansion where Lanni, Ruby and Xiehan were already waiting.


    Lanni observed the potential siblings and raised an eyebrow. Xiehan looked calm on the surface but knowing him well enough, he was anxious deep down. On the other hand, Ruby did not look tensed in the slightest. It was as if she had already predicted the outcome.


    The atmosphere was eerie, so she coughed and glanced at Han Xichen. "Why don''t you just spill it?"


    He was relieved at her request. The awkwardness was too much for him to handle so he joyously took out the results and read through a series of medical terms that probably only he understood. The trio listened carefully and tensed up when he introduced the conclusion.


    "The DNA compatibility is 50%. This proves that the hypothesis of Ji Xiehan and Ruby Chan being siblings is true."


    A long spell of silence followed.


    Ruby took a peek at Xiehan nervously. Since the test had been done by his trusted friend this time, he would no longer suspect her, right? She suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Lanni knew she was not in the position to break the silence, and Han Xichen was starting to feel awkward again.


    "Uhm¡­ Is this the part where the siblings should embrace and cry emotionally about missing out on each other for so many years?"


    Lanni jabbed him with a slight laugh.


    Xiehan finally reacted. He glanced at Ruby in disbelief. "You really are my sister."


    "I am." Ruby felt as though she was sitting on needles.


    "While I''m not used to having a sudden sister-swap, at least you are an upgrade from that scheming Feifei." He joked.


    The mood lightened up a bit. As long as he didn''t particularly hate her or blame her for being away for all these years, she was happy.


    Lanni was about to say something when her phone rang. She answered the call and when it ended, her eyebrows raised. "So fast?"


    "What is?" Xiehan looked over and asked.


    She frowned as she thought about it. "The other DNA test, the one with Ji Feifei''s sample. The hospital called and said that the results are out, and the file will be delivered here in a few minutes."


    Han Xichen had vaguely heard Lanni and Ruby discuss this, so he frowned too. That certainly was fast.


    "I bet they didn''t even do the test." Ruby rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, anticipating the fake results.


    Within fifteen minutes, the butler brought over a package addressed to Xiehan.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow to that. "Isn''t that so clever? They think I would have hidden the results or lied about them, so they sent it directly to Xiehan."


    "Like you would need to hide fake results." Ruby laughed out loud. Ji Feifei''s supporters must not have known that they had already done an authentic test. They must have bribed all the hospitals in B City to change whatever DNA test was related to the Ji family. However, they forgot that Xiehan had his own connections.


    The man slid his long fingers along the white file and opened it curiously. He too, wanted to see the result.


    As expected, the conclusion was that Ji Feifei was Xiehan''s biological sister.


    Han Xichen didn''t know what exactly was going on so he was confused. "I thought it was a case of being switched at birth. could it be that it was not the case? Instead, it is a case of one twin being lost at birth?"


    "It is a case of being switched at birth." Lanni explained. "The impostor has supporters who are helping her secure her position in the Ji family. She is in jail, so she would not be suspected of doing anything behind-the-scenes."


    "If they find out that we already know about Ruby, they might make it seem like Ji Feifei and Ruby are fraternal twins." Xiehan analyzed.


    "That''s not impossible." Lanni had not thought about it.


    "How creepy¡­" Ruby had goosebumps just thinking about it. Being twins with that witch?


    "So what do you plan to do? Do you need my help exposing her?" Han Xichen offered.


    Lanni suddenly laughed like a sly fox. "You don''t need to. I simply lay a trap and they fell right into it like the fools they are."


    "What do you mean?" Han Xichen had a bad feeling. What was the little beauty scheming?


    Ruby had a bad feeling, and Xiehan was curious.


    Lanni cradled her chin and deliberately kept them waiting for a while before smiling. "You see, I didn''t really submit Ji Feifei''s hair. I only took it to alert them. However, the only way for them to get out of the trap I lay is if I''m actually a daughter of the Ji family.. Yup, I submitted my own hair in the name of Ji Feifei''s."

 Chapter 397 - You Are No Longer On Your Own

    "Don''t say such terrifying things." Xiehan was startled by what she had just said.


    Ruby chuckled, while Han Xichen was in awe. "It''s an excellent idea. Lanni is so smart."


    Xiehan smiled dotingly at his girlfriend. Well, he had to agree that she was intelligent to come up with such a sure-win trick. However, the mere thought of having her as his sister almost drove him crazy. He was certain that she didn''t know what that would have meant. It wouldn''t be funny.


    Seeing his expression, Lanni laughed helplessly. "Of course, it is just a trap. You cannot be my brother, you already know that. I did a DNA test with my mother for official reasons before."


    He pulled her to his side. "When do you plan to expose them, and what can I do to help?"


    "Uhm¡­" She was about to speak when she realized that Han Xichen was still present. Unsure whether she could talk about such confidential matters in his presence, she looked up at Xiehan.


    Han Xichen caught her movement from the corner of his eyes and looked at his watch. "I''ll let the three of you have a chat."


    When he left, Lanni shifted her gaze between Ruby and Xiehan. "That depends. Who do you think is backing Ji Feifei up?"


    Ruby thought about it and shook her head. "I don''t know. I have tried to find clues before but I couldn''t come up with anything. I''m afraid that if I''m discovered, I would endanger everyone."


    Xiehan was not used to suddenly having Ruby as his sister but his heart softened when he saw how frightened she looked. He couldn''t help reaching out to pat her shoulder." You don''t have to do it on your own anymore. You have us."


    "Now it all makes sense." A restrained exclamation left Lanni''s lips.


    When they both looked over at her, she smiled and waved it off. "It''s nothing important. Ruby, Xiehan is right. You have us now so you don''t have to worry about doing anything on your own. Just tell us everything you know so we know how to start our investigation."


    Ruby was still giddy after receiving a brotherly pat on her shoulder. She was still smiling happily when she answered Lanni. "I actually know nothing except the fact that they exist. I suspect that they are the culprit behind my kidnapping when I was a teenager but it''s not proven." She sighed at her uselessness. "If only mother could tell us who told her the truth years ago."


    Realizing what she had just blurted, her eyes widened in excitement. "Right! We can ask mother. If we know which nurse it was that told her the truth, we can look for that nurse and find out who convinced her to do it. She couldn''t possibly have randomly made such a decision."


    Lanni analyzed her words. "That''s such a thin lead, but it''s better than nothing."


    "How do we contact your mother?" He was referring to her foster mother.


    "Uh...I don''t know." She suddenly looked dejected. Her father had said that she was dead but Ruby didn''t believe it. He must have lied just so she wouldn''t feel so bad about having been rejected when the truth came to light.


    "When were you born?" Xiehan suddenly asked.


    "Uh¡­15th August." She blinked, not understanding why her brother would ask this.


    "Do you know which hospital you were found?" He probed.


    She shook her head. "I will ask daddy."


    Lanni finally comprehended his plan. "You want us to use this as a lead instead?"


    "It''s safer." He explained. While Ruby''s foster mother could tell them the truth, it was also possible that she was bitter about the fact that her daughter had turned out to be a fake daughter. What if she channeled this bitterness into vengeance? Lying to them deliberately would be the best outcome.


    Lanni thought about it and nodded. "Then, let''s follow this lead."


    ___


    The following day.


    Han Xichen had arrived at the underground parking. Just as he left his car and headed towards the elevator, he noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall and holding a cute basket in her hands. He walked towards her curiously. "Yun Xiaoshi?"


    The girl smiled nervously. "H-hello Doctor Han. I''m sorry to audaciously stop you. I was afraid the receptionist would not let me in so I waited for you here."


    "I¡­ I wanted to thank you so I made you a bento. If you don''t mind, you can have it for lunch. There¡­ There are also some fruits and snacks." She spoke in one breath, as though she had been practising what to say to him and let it out before she could get too nervous to speak.


    Han Xichen studied the girl before him. She was wearing a blue floral dress with high heels and had her long, red hair in a neat ponytail. When she raised her head to timidly give the colorful basket in her hands to him, her fringe swayed to reveal a beautiful little face and a pair of radiant eyes. It really was a breath of fresh air from his initially gloomy morning.


    He wanted to reject the gift; he was a doctor and was merely doing his duty. Not to mention, he didn''t do much. However, he couldn''t bring himself to reject a gift personally prepared by such a pretty girl. In the end, he reached to take the basket with his long fingers. "Thank you."


    "You don''t need to thank me. I enjoyed cooking¡­"


    He smiled. "Do you like cooking?"


    Although he had asked a normal question, his serious tone made her a little nervous and she shook her head. "Not usually. It''s a new interest."


    Who knew what he was thinking, but he nodded in satisfaction. "Then you should do it more often. Partaking in hobbies will help quicken the recovery of your mental health."


    "Thank you, doctor." She thanked him once again. "I guess you need to go to work now? I''ll go to work too." She then happily bounced to her car.


    He chuckled as he watched her drive off, then entered the elevator and went to the office.


    ¡­


    By telling her to partake in her hobbies more often, he meant that she should cook more. Yet the girl seemed to have misunderstood him. Not only did she prepare a bento and fruits for him every day, but she also waited for him at the parking lot to give it to him. It was the same for three consecutive days and each time, she would run away as soon as his hand grasped the basket.


    When he arrived on Friday, he didn''t see the jovial figure at the spot where she usually waited. For some reason, his mood dampened. Could it be that he was looking forward to seeing her?


    He frowned and slapped his head.


    ''Xichen, get a hold of yourself. She is your patient. Even if she no longer is, she once was. Besides, it has only been three days.'' He berated himself.


    So what if she was a patient? He was just happy to see her smile and do something she loved so cheerfully. It had nothing to do with being or not being his patient.


    Stopping the mental battle before it could make him start having thoughts he shouldn''t, he exited the car and headed for the elevator.


    "Doctor Han!" An anxious voice sounded just as the elevator doors slid open.


    He stopped in his tracks. Although he was a psychiatrist and could understand people''s thoughts from a mere glance at their expressions, he was suddenly at a loss. He couldn''t understand why he smiled when he turned to see a radiant-looking beauty in a short, red dress rushing over. Or maybe, he understood but was just neither ready to accept or admit it.


    As usual, she walked up to him, handed over the bento box and retreated. This time, he stopped her. "Wait."


    She stopped but didn''t dare to turn. "Doctor Han, is there anything else?"


    "You don''t have to come tomorrow." He went straight to the point.


    The girl turned, suddenly looking deflated like she had just lost her remaining meaning of life. She forced a smile and asked, "Why?"


    He intended to tell her that he thought she didn''t need to continue sending him food and that she could cook for the people close to her instead, but he couldn''t bring herself to do it under her saddened expression. Afraid that she may be depressed, he shut his eyes and frowned. "I don''t work on Saturdays."


    "Oh." She looked more cheerful. She was scared that he didn''t like what she cooked. Although she was a rookie, she had been trying her best. Her food was passable, if one were to be fair. Hearing that it was because he would be busy, she sighed in relief. "My parents are coming over on Sunday. See you on Monday then!" She skipped away happily.


    ____


    Mini theatre:


    Doctor Han: I don''t want to dampen her mood. She looks so happy.


    Author Ava: Are you sure it''s not just because of how cute she looks when she smiles?


    Doctor Han: Well, that too....

 Chapter 398 - The Awaited Date

    Saturday, 5pm.


    Cheng Yu finished cooking and left the food on low heat so it wouldn''t get cold. When she was done, she took a shower and changed into a short, peach-colored dress and a pair of diamond heels. After applying a thin layer of nude makeup and straightening her hair out, she sprayed a tiny bit of perfume at the side of her neck and let out a sigh.


    Cedric would arrive in about twenty minutes and her stomach was in knots. She walked to the dining room for the umpteenth time, to check if it looked perfect. She had simply lit a few candles and placed a few elegant lamps on the floor, so it wouldn''t be over the top. Even so, she kept thinking it was not enough. Decisively, she pulled out her phone and made a video call to her friends. "Is this okay?"


    "Oh my God¡­don''t you look ravishing?" Lanni was the first to connect to the call.


    Cheng Yu blushed. "That''s all thanks to you girls. Cedric will be here soon."


    Luna connected to the call and looked at Cheng Yu''s background. "It''s lovely! Is the guy almost there?"


    Cheng Yu nodded. "I''m so nervous."


    "Don''t be. Remember, he already likes you. You are only trying to make things official, so there is 100% chance of success." Luna reminded her.


    Lanni echoed her. "Besides, you look so beautiful. Even a monk would fall in love."


    The three of them burst into laughter at Lanni''s exaggeration.


    "Hey, remember to update us later, okay? I''m dying of thirst for gossip." Lanni made her promise.


    "Sure, sure. If you promise to hang out tomorrow." Cheng Yu countered.


    "Of course. I don''t have much going on tomorrow. Are you coming along, Luna?"


    Luna laughed teasingly. "I will. If a certain someone will be able to get out of bed and hang out, that is."


    "Hey! Why wouldn''t I be able to get up?" Cheng Yu was done with these dirty-minded twins. As they chatted, the doorbell rang. Her heart once again picked up its pace. "I better go, girls! Wish me luck."


    Lanni blew her a kiss. "There it comes."


    Luna realized that the call was still on even though Cheng Yu had already rushed to the door, so she poked at Lanni''s icon. "Hey, do you think we should keep the call on and eavesdrop?"


    "Uh¡­ If you want to watch them make out later, be my guest." Lanni fled from the call, so Luna ended it with a sigh.


    ¡­


    "You''re here. Come in." Cheng Yu showed Cedric in. He was dressed up formally and had his hair combed nearly, looking more handsome than usual. He gave off a mature and responsible vibe, and the fact that he was carrying a bouquet of roses made her heart race even faster.


    "You look beautiful." He smiled charmingly as he gave the bouquet to her.


    "Thank you." She stood aside to let him in, then found a vase to place the flowers. While she arranged them, she found a box of chocolates stuck in between the stalks. She smiled and took it out, then led him to the dining room.


    She had prepared a few topics to talk about beforehand but as soon as they sat down, her mind was blank. It was starting to feel awkward so she asked, "Are you hungry? I prepared dinner."


    He seemed to have run out of topics to talk about too, so he offered to help her set the table.


    She led the way to the kitchen and told him what to do. "Just don''t break anything, okay?"


    "I won''t." He laughed, but he was indeed careful. They managed to set the table without any breakage.


    She reached to pour wine into her stem glass.


    "Did I say you look beautiful?"


    She didn''t expect him to suddenly speak, so she was startled. Her hand shook and the stem glass toppleed, emptying its contents onto her thigh.


    She looked down and cursed a million times in her head. The dress she was wearing was made of thin fabric and was already showy. Now that it was wet, it wasn''t a decent sight. She so badly wanted to slap herself.


    "Are you okay?" He stood up worriedly and took out a handkerchief to give to her.


    "It''s okay." She forced a smile. This was so embarrassing¡­ "I''m sorry, I need to get changed. Wait for me, okay?"


    Before he could say a word, she rushed to her room and grabbed a random pink dress. She wasn''t sure whether it would suit her makeup but she draped it on anyway. The dress she had so meticulously prepared was ruined so it no longer mattered what she wore.


    Luckily, the pink dress ended up looking better than the one she had chosen. She was pleasantly surprised, her bad mood instantly fading as she rushed out. Alas, because she had rushed too fast, her foot sprained just as she reached the door. "Ow¡­"


    "Is everything okay?" Cedric rushed over as soon as he heard her yelp of pain. When he saw her crouching and holding onto her ankle, he held her shoulders. "Did you sprain your ankle? Let me help you."


    She remained silent, so he helped her take off her shoes and carried them in one hand as he helped her to the living room.


    "Let''s eat first, or the food will get cold." She suggested.


    He went to the dining room and brought her food over. "Here. Don''t move too much."


    She nodded and scarfed down the food to mask her embarrassment, barely saying a word.


    "I''ll do the dishes." He announced when they finished eating.


    She shook her head with a frown. "You don''t need to. I''ll do it later."


    He looked down at her foot. "You''re still in pain. I''ll get you a pain-reliever cream." Before she could respond, he left. He returned a few minutes later with a small bag from the pharmacy on the ground floor. Rolling his sleeves, he opened the tube. "Shall I help you?"


    She shook her head immediately, not willing to continue embarrassing herself in his presence.


    He insisted on doing the dishes so he let him, and used that time to apply the cream onto her anke and massage it. It was a little red from the impact and she had to shut her eyes to contain the pain.


    He returned from the kitchen just as she rested with her eyes closed. Hearing his footsteps, she opened her eyes lazily and burst into laughter at the scene that met her eyes.


    The guy had water and soap all over him, including his hair. "Were you washing the dishes, or were they washing you?" She clutched her stomach and laughed.


    "Uhm¡­first time." He scratched his head awkwardly, getting more soap into his hair.


    The sight was difficult to look at. "There is such a thing as a dishwasher, Cedric."


    "Oh, there is? I mean, I know that such a thing exists but there are too many appliances in the kitchen. I couldn''t tell which one is the dishwasher."


    Cheng Yu facepalmed. This young master had never set foot in the kitchen before, had he?


    Well, he had. At her apartment, when he ended up wrecking her kitchen while trying to flaunt his nonexistent cooking skills.


    She laughed at him. "Do you want to take a bath? There''s a small clothes store downstairs, tell me your size and I''ll get the staff to bring some up."


    She took out her phone and dialled the store''s official contact number.


    He paused and decided that it would be best to take a shower after all. "You can just get casual clothes. It doesn''t have to be formal. My pants size is M, S for shirt and boxer briefs¡­"


    Cheng Yu coughed, her face immediately turning red.


    Cedric looked at her innocently. "Did I say something wrong?"


    She shook her head vigorously. "Go and take a shower. You can use my room." She pointed towards her room and quickly made the call.


    ¡­


    The clothes were delivered within ten minutes and he was out of the bathroom soon. When he was done changing, he didn''t know what to do. Should they watch a movie?


    He knew that she was in a bad mood so he was afraid of asking her anything.


    "Could I bother you to help me?" She asked and tried to get off the couch. Her ankle was still in pain and she didn''t want to apply too much pressure onto it.


    He rushed over and carefully held her. "Do you want to go to your room?"


    When she nodded, he helped her to her room and let her sit on her bed, then prepared to leave.


    At this moment, she grabbed his hand. "Stay with me tonight."


    "What?" He was puzzled.


    She frowned slightly to mask her embarrassment.. "I planned it out for so long but the date turned out to be a total failure. I feel horrible¡­could you stay with me?"

 Chapter 399 - I Like You

    "Yu, I¡­" He was troubled. Would it really be appropriate?


    "It will not be the first time." She shrugged.


    Now that he thought about it, it was indeed not the first time that they spent the night in the same room and on the same bed. However, the other times, there were other people in the house. This time, however, it would just be the two of them and that made things more awkward between them.


    He was just about to come up with an excuse about having work to do but when he thought about how painful her ankle must be, he couldn''t bring himself to say no to her. He nodded in the end. "Okay."


    Feeling a little better, she freshened up and changed into a modest nightdress, then sat on the bed to have a chat with him.


    They talked about different topics, from drawing to international artists, then ended up talking about embarrassing and strange events in their past. Unknowingly, the topic of discussion eased into their future.


    "Since I was a little boy, I have always wanted to have a villa filled with all sorts of painting. I wanted to fill the walls with landscapes before but now, I would love them to be paintings of something else." He said casually.


    "What?" She tilted her head to ask.


    "You."


    She blinked when she heard his response. He didn''t seem to have realized the impact of that word he had just uttered and went on to explain the best spots where he would very much love to hang her smiling face and the various occasions he would select as backdrops.


    "I once drew an anime version of you out of frustration in the past." She laughed.


    "You did?" He was surprised. Although she said that she had done it out of frustration, the fact that she had thought about him so much that it inspired her to draw was the greatest honor he had ever received.


    She nodded. "I don''t remember where it is. I must have torn it later. But I can redraw it."


    "I''d love to see it." He nodded in anticipation.


    "Help me get my drawing tablet." She sat up and pointed at the long study table at the side. He rolled off the bed and took the tablet, then brought it to her and waited nervously.


    He watched as she drew every stroke purely based on her memory. It was almost as though she had drawn him so many times that she no longer needed any reference. She was done in just a few minutes, then she grinned as she quickly filled in the colors.


    "There, done." She showed it to him when she was done.


    He glanced at the anime on the screen and was caught in between laughter and tears. Not only had she drawn an anime of him, it was also a chibi version. Who would have thought that he could look so cute?


    "How adorable! I suddenly want to make you a character in my comics."


    He smiled as he poked the adorable thing on her screen. "What kind of character?"


    "The male lead." She blurted without much thought.


    He smiled as he inched closer to her. "A romance comic? I wouldn''t mind being the male lead as long as you are the female lead."


    Before she could react, he added, "However, I have already started drawing a comic with you as the female lead. You wouldn''t mind, right?"


    "Really? Let me have a look." She anxiously asked. "Oh...you didn''t bring your drawing tablet with you, right?"


    "I can use my regular tablet." As he spoke, he reached for the nightstand and retrieved his tablet, which had been folded to the size of a phone. Unfolding it, he launched an application and swiped through it, then a drawing of Cheng Yu showed up.


    It was the cover picture, and she was wearing an elegant wine-colored gown that was off the shoulders. Holding a scepter in her hand, she looked like a fantasy queen in her garden.


    "I used your image without permission. Do you mind?" He asked cautiously.


    "It''s so beautiful. Can I use it as my wallpaper?"


    "Of course." He sent the picture to her. "I drew the comic for fun but if you don''t mind, I could publish it."


    She nodded, not minding in the slightest. "Who is the male lead?" Of course, she would be curious about who could be paired with her in the comic world.


    He grinned and said, "The female lead is a strong queen. She doesn''t need a male lead."


    An idea popped up in his head. "Why don''t we create one comic with the two of us as the leads?"


    He exoected her to scold him but instead, she smile. "Why do we need to be a couple in a fantasy comic when we can he a couple in real life?"


    "What?" Her words caught him off guard.


    She had blurted out without thinking through it, but since she had already said it, she could no longer change her mind. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "What I mean is, we like each other, so why not?"


    He gazed into her eyes, not daring to believe what he had just heard. Did she just say that they liked each other?... She liked him too?


    Gathering her confidence, she took his hand in her small, trembling one. "Cedric, I like you. Perhaps, I even love you. Can you¡­can you be my boyfriend?"


    When he felt her soft, warm hand in his, he finally dared to believe in the scene unfolding in front of him. His heart was racing so fast that he didn''t know what to do.


    However, his silence made her so nervous that all her anticipation was starting to fade into embarassment. Could it be that he had thought too much, that he didn''t actually want to be with her?


    When he saw her saddened expression, he snapped back to his senses. "Yu, you¡­ you like me? It''s even possible that you love me? You also want to be with me?" His voice was still full of disbelief. "I''m not dreaming, right? quick, pinch me!"


    In relief, she emotionally pinched his cheek then kissed the part she had just pinched, before blushing and pulling away.


    His ears stained red and he was so happy he could fly to the sky. Holding her hand, he pulled her back to his side so she would face him. In the next second, he leaned over and pressed a gentle peck on her lips.


    She suddenly didn''t know where to place her eyes and resorted to curling herself and disappearing into the duvet. She didn''t need a mirror to know how red her face must be.


    After using up almost all of his self control to prevent himself from breaking into a happy dance, he stretched his hand to turn off the light and then lied down next to her.


    He couldn''t help pulling her into his arms. "Yu, are you really my girlfriend now?"


    "Mmh." She nodded without turning to face him.


    He smiled like an idiot and said nothing more, afraid that whatever he would say might anger her into changing her mind.


    After battling his thoughts for a while, he finally said, "Then, would you like to go out on another date with me?"


    "Sure." She answered in one word, her voice flustered.


    "Yu, I''m not dreaming, right?" He confirmed yet again.


    "If you ask again, I will say that you are dreaming." She warned and turned to glare at him.


    Under the Moonlight, the guy''s handsome face looked even more charming when he smiled, and his eyes seemed to have a glow added to them. He chuckled at her threat. "Don''t even think about it. You have already agreed to be my girlfriend so you are mine. If you say anything to change that, I will cry so hard that I will pass out."


    "You don''t need to cry, you crybaby." She pinched his face and pecked his lips, her heart racing. This must be the boldest thing she had ever done.


    In response, he pulled her into a tighter hug and kissed her for a little longer, prying her lips open as his hand held her waist. They were both inexperienced so they were basically biting and licking each other''s lips, but their hearts were filled with contentment.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and just as she shifted the position of her leg, she felt something stiff against her thigh. At her age, she obviously knew what that was, and her face reddened even more as she looked at him. "You¡­ that¡­"


    Cedric coughed awkwardly. "It''s okay. Don''t worry about that."


    "Oh¡­" She looked relieved.


    In reality, his body had always reacted to her presence, it was only natural. However, he knew that she was not ready for it so he didn''t dare to touch her yet. He could only hold her and go to sleep with her in his arms.. This was the happiest night he had ever had.

 Chapter 400 - Dont Say Such Misleading Things

    The following morning.


    Cheng Yu woke up to an intense stare. She sat up with a start. "What is it?"


    Cedric shook his head that was being supported by his hand. "I''m just happy. I can finally confirm that you really are my girlfriend. I thought I was dreaming."


    She didn''t know what to do with him. "Is that why you didn''t sleep a wink? Your eyebags are swollen and dark."


    He once again shook his head, looking embarrassed when he was exposed. "I was afraid that I would wake up to find that it was all a dream, so I didn''t dare to fall asleep."


    She pinched his face with a chuckle. "You are not dreaming, silly."


    He hugged her and kissed her lips once again, only then did he calm down.


    "I''ll go and make breakfast." She rolled off the bed, feeling hungry.


    He followed her to the kitchen to obediently continue taking lessons from her. However, his mind was filled with the softness and sweetness of her lips; he didn''t grasp a word of what she said. In the end, he wrapped his arms around her waist.


    She giggled as she let go of the spatula in her hand. "You didn''t hear anything, did you?"


    She found it surprising that she was able to tolerate the feel of a man''s arms around her. In fact, she even liked it. After her horrible encounter with her stepfather, she had thought that she would never be able to tolerate a man''s presence, let alone kiss and hug. However, when Cedric held her, she did not feel any of the fear she would always feel when any man got close to her. On the contrary, she felt safe.


    Her phone rang, so she turned off the stove and answered the call. As expected, the caller was Lanni, and she was asking for gossip.


    "You gossipy girl." Cheng Yu berated with a girl.


    Lanni laughed on the other end. "So, are you going to tell me or not? Did you confess? Did the two of you end up having sex all night?"


    "You¡­" Cheng Yu didn''t know what to say about her dirty-minded friend. Seeing Cedric''s shocked expression, she knew that he had definitely heard Lanni''s words. She was so embarrassed that she so badly wanted to chop her friend into pieces.


    "You didn''t? What a bummer. At least, you did it for half the night, then?" Lanni continued probing.


    Cheng Yu moved to the end of the kitchen, out of Cedric''s earshot before lowering her voice into a whisper. "Just shut up. We didn''t do anything all night, okay? We only hugged and kissed."


    "Really, just kissing?" Lanni was at it again.


    Cheng Yu frowned. "If you keep doing this, I''m gonna have to call the police."


    "Ha-ha¡­ I''m so scared."


    Not wanting to listen to that busybody''s taunting, she directly hung up.


    On the other hand, Lanni was reeling with laughter as she kept her phone away.


    Xiehan, who had just woken up, tightened his arms around ebr waist. She stopped laughing and pecked his head gently. "Did I wake you up?"


    "What are you doing?" His voice was raspy from having just woken up, making her heart almost skip a few beats. She laughed when she thought about Cheng Yu''s reaction. "I''m teasing Xiao Yu. She was so flustered, her face must be as red as a tomato!"


    He chuckled at her naughtiness and got off the bed, heading for the bathroom. "Do you want to join me?"


    "Of course!" She swallowed and followed him into the bathroom. Obviously, she would not miss the opportunity to treat her eyes to the drool-worthy visual feast. The more she looked at his body, the more she found it irresistibly attractive.


    Turning on the shower, he pinned her against the wall and slid off the straps of her nightdress. He then pulled her soaking hair to her back and cupped her face. Kissing her gently, he said, "I will go to pick up my uncle and aunt from the airport later. Do you want to come with me?"


    She thought about it with a slight frown. "Can I? I mean, will it be appropriate? After all, we are only in a dating relationship."


    "It is." He nodded. "We were going to make a trip to Australia to meet them anyway. It doesn''t make any difference to meet them today. Besides, they will be living here during their stay, you would have to bump into each other someday."


    Xiaoshi''s apartment wasn''t spacious enough for them to stay over with her. On the other hand, his aunt and his mother were not exactly friends so they couldn''t stay at the old Ji Mansion either. However, he couldn''t let them stay at a hotel when his mansion had so much space, so he would have them stay here.


    Lanni thought it made sense as well. "Then, we can go to meet them. I don''t have anything else to do today. At what time will their flight land?"


    "11am." He responded, then pulled her into his embrace to kiss her.


    She held the back of his head and stroked his abs with the other hand. "Honey, I want you."


    In response, he deepened the kiss and pinned her against the wall.


    ¡­


    B City Airport.


    As Xiaoshi waited for her parents, she noticed two familiar faces and walked over. "You guys are here too."


    Xiehan flicked her forehead. "Why not? Are you scared I will tell aunty and uncle about how naughty you have been?"


    "Hey, I''ve not been naughty!" She complained and retreated to Lanni''s side. "Cousin-in-law can be my witness, right Lanni?"


    Xiehan laughed smugly. "Don''t even try. She will not speak up for you."


    "But I really didn''t do anything." Although she was sure that she did nothing wrong, she couldn''t help being curious. Did her cousin find out about how she had been preparing bentos for the doctor? But that was not a crime, right? Even though she did nothing wrong, why was she suddenly feeling flustered?


    While they spoke, a middle-aged couple noticed them and went over.


    Lanni knew from one glance that the woman before her was Ji Meiling, Xiehan''s aunt. She looked so young that no one would believe that she had a daughter of Xiaoshi''s age. Looking at the man beside her, she guessed that he must be Xiaoshi''s father.


    "Hello uncle, aunt. Lanni, meet uncle Yun and aunt Meiling." Xiehan introduced them when he noticed that they were giving his girlfriend curious looks.


    "Hello, Uncle, aunt." She greeted politely.


    "Lanni!" Forgetting about her daughter and nephew, Ji Meiling gave Lanni a hug. "It''s nice to finally meet you. How adorable! No wonder Xiehan hid you away."


    "I didn''t hide her away." Xiehan coughed. In fact, he flaunted about being her boyfriend to the whole world.


    Ji Meiling ignored him and gave a little box to Lanni. "You are so cute, this bracelet should look awesome on you."


    "Aunty, you don''t have to¡­"


    "It''s nothing. It didn''t cost much." She responded.


    Even though she said that it didn''t cost much, Lanni was stunned when she got to see it. It was a delicate, diamond bracelet and if her information on accessories was correct, it should cost a few million. It had obviously been meticulously prepared but since she couldn''t possibly reject a gift from an elder, she accepted it with a smile.


    "Lanni, do you want to go to the spa together sometime? I have a lot of time in my hands lately and my useless daughter would rather travel the world than spend time with me." She happily invited.


    "I''m still here¡­" Xiaoshi half-whispered. "How was your flight?"


    "I''m tired." Uncle Yun finally spoke, before hugging his daughter. "How is it going? Are you adapting to the environment here?"


    Xiaoshi nodded as she gave their luggage to Xiehan''s bodyguards. "I made a few friends."


    The middle aged man grunted in approval, then turned to his nephew and shot him a stern look. "What''s up with you and that girl?"


    "As I said earlier, she is my girlfriend." Xiehan had a bad feeling about his uncle''s tone.


    As expected, came his grumpy response. "I do not approve of this relationship."


    Xiaoshi was shocked, while Xiehan frowned. "Whoever said I needed approval?"


    "You punk. How could you say something so rude?" The man knitted his brows.


    Xiehan shrugged. "You just met my girlfriend a minute ago and have yet to get to know her. What reason could you possibly have to disapprove of her?"


    "One look and I can tell that she is a sly schemer." The man harrumphed, looking in the direction where his wife was cheerfully fawning all over the girl. "Besides, isn''t this the girl who dared to ruin my daughter''s future? After getting together with Shishi''s man, she still has the audacity to be with you? How could you be with a woman like her?"


    Xiehan facepalmed. It turned out, just like many people in the past, his uncle was yet to know that Lanni had a twin and thought that she was dating him and Xingyu at the same time. He thought about it and clarified. "Xingyu''s fianc¨¦e is my girlfriend''s twin. However, Xingyu does not belong to Xiaoshi. Although she has loved him for years, he didn''t ever reciprocate the affection, nor did he promise her anything.. So, no matter how much I respect you, I would very much appreciate it if you don''t say such misleading things."

 Chapter 401 - Unscrupulous

    "So they are twins." Uncle Yun didn''t look relieved. Because, whether it was Lanni or her sister, his daughter had indeed been robbed of the opportunity to be with the man she loved.


    "Dad, let''s go home first. You must have had a long flight." Xiaoshi hooked her arm around her father''s to avert the argument that was about to break out.


    When he entered the car, Xiaoshi stopped Xiehan, looking aggrieved. "I''m sorry, cousin. I had always rattled to him about how I felt. When I found out that Xingyu is engaged, I told him about it too¡­ I didn''t know he would blame Lanni."


    Xiehan studied his cousin and wondered whether she didn''t deliberately say something misleading to her father. Her expression was filled with sadness but not an ounce of guilt, so he believed that it was Uncle Yun who had overreacted on his own. Besides, he knew the girl well enough, and he knew that she was not the type to forcefully hog on what did not belong to her. As for how Uncle Yun got a picture of Xingyu''s fianc¨¦e, he could have done some digging. Xingyu''s and Luna''s engagement party was so grand. Countless media outlets had written articles in magazines and published videos on their websites. Hence, he patted her head. "It''s okay. As long as you know your place."


    Seeing that her cousin did not misunderstand her, she was relieved. "I know."


    ¡­


    Lanni did not understand why Uncle Yun seemed to be hostile towards her. Even so, she remained polite to him and stuck to Xiehan''s side most of the time.


    The middle-aged couple was tired, so the servants prepared refreshments.


    "What are you busy with, recently?" Uncle Yun asked Lanni, out of the blue.


    It was a normal question, so Lanni politely answered, "I work at a news agency."


    As soon as she spoke, the man''s eyes furrowed. "So you''re a reporter. I heard reporters earn more money if they publish huge scandals, so they usually make up fake tales just for traffic."


    "That''s not true. In every field of work, there are deceptive individuals, but that doesn''t make everyone else evil." She forced a smile.


    The man grinned. "While that may be true, I think every reporter is a liar."


    She was yet to respond when he asked, "What family are you from?"


    "Uhm¡­" This was a complicated question. She thought about it for a moment before saying, "My father''s surname is Xia while my mother''s is Li."


    "So you took your mother''s surname." He smirked indifferently as took a sip of his tea.


    Although she was uncomfortable, she held onto Xiehan''s hand as she nodded. "Yes."


    He look in her direction sharply. "I heard that women who let their children take their own surnames are either unscrupulous or they pretend to be strong when they''re not. No matter what category she falls under, I wonder what type of daughter she brought up."


    "You cannot say such things about my mother!" Lanni lost her temper on the spot and shot up, glaring daggers in Uncle Yun''s direction.


    Xiehan patted her hand and pulled her back to the seat, before glancing at his uncle. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    The man laughed. "I''m just teasing your girlfriend a little. Who would have thought that she was so temperamental? One word and she is already exploding, how will she be able to take care of the Ji family in future?"


    Lanni shook her head at the ridiculous joke. "Call¡­"


    Xiehan patted her hand, and she glared at him before she continued, "Call it a joke, a test or whatever. I will never be able to sit by and let anyone insult my mother. For a man to be able to say such things about a woman, it makes one wonder whether your mother''s teachings went to waste, or whether she bothered to teach you at all."


    When his expression darkened, she raised an eyebrow. "You may be an elder but I will only respect you if you deserve it. Excuse me." She left the room when she was done speaking.


    Xiehan stood up and faced his uncle. "What I was about to say is, it was never her responsibility to take care of my family. If that was a joke, it was not funny. Stick to your lane, uncle."


    ¡­


    Xiehan looked for Lanni until he eventually found her sitting in the gazebo. He walked over and sat beside her.


    "I''m sorry I lost my cool." She dipped her head into his chest.


    He tousled her hair. "It''s okay. You don''t need to hold back against anybody. No matter who tries to bully you, you have every right to retaliate."


    Hearing his words, Lanni tightened her arms around his waist, feeling much better. "What does he have against me anyway? We only just met."


    He knew that she would remember it sooner or later so he explained, "It''s about Xingyu."


    She rolled her eyes helplessly. "Are you kidding me? Is he going to mess with the whole family just because my sister got together with Xingyu? What a lame excuse to do stupid things! I will put him in his place if he tries to mess with me again!"


    He chuckled at her counternance that looked like an angry cat. "I''ll do that for you. You don''t need to dirty your adorable little claws."


    "Claws?" She hit his shoulder with an annoyed expression.


    He laughed as he defended himself. "Who is to blame? It''s just that when you''re angry, you''re so adorable that it makes one think of a kitten. Hey, don''t hit me there!"


    "I''m going to hit you!" She threatened.


    Grabbing her little hand, he placed it on his chest instead. "You will need it later."


    She blushed furiously. "You won''t ever stop being a pervert, will you?"


    ___


    Meanwhile, in the living room.


    Ji Meiling took her tea silently as she suppressed her emotions. In the end, she shot a glare at her husband. "What the hell is wrong with you! Xiehan loves this girl very much and she is very obedient and kind. Yet, instead of trying to help her feel comfortable, you are targeting her?!"


    "Why are you speaking up for outsiders instead of your own daughter? Do you know what she has been through?" He glared at her.


    Xiaoshi couldn''t watch it anymore. "Dad, I''m really okay now. Besides, it''s no one''s fault and¡­"


    "You shut up. Don''t think I don''t know that you tried to have your memory erased!" He bellowed.


    Ji Meiling was just about to scold her husband when she heard his words. She was stunned. "She did what?"


    She looked at her daughter in disbelief. "Shishi, is this true?"


    Since it had already been found out, Xiaoshi couldn''t try to hide it anymore. She sighed. "Yes mom. But, I was just silly for a while and wanted to forget everything. However, I have given up on that thought."


    Ji Meiling''s eyes darkened, sadness seeping into her heart. Her baby had suffered so much. Even so, she glared at her husband. "Shishi is our daughter and we want her to have everything she wants. However, that does not excuse your behaviour towards Lanni. After all, neither Lanni nor Luna broke up an existing relationship. It was all our daughter''s one-sided feelings."


    The man was furious. "How can you say such heartless things? What kind of mother are you?!"


    "One who will tell her daughter the truth no matter what. Although I want her to be happy, I don''t want her to ruin her life by spending all of it chasing after things that will never belong to her. Besides, so what if you break Jiang Xingyu and Lanni''s sister apart? If he didn''t like Shishi in the past, will he notice her now?


    He won''t! You will only cause misunderstandings between Lanni and Xiehan while at it."


    "Insolence!" Uncle Yun exploded.


    Xiaoshi bit her lip tightly. She already knew. She knew that Xingyu would never like her. But hearing it from her mother, it still hurt so much that she almost couldn''t breathe. However, she knew that although her mother''s words were cruel, they were true. She patted her father''s arm. "Daddy, mom is right."


    Uncle Yun''s heart softened when he saw how ad his daughter looked. "My poor baby. You have suffered so much." Don''t worry, daddy will make things right for you.


    ¡­


    The following day, in Xiaoshi''s apartment. When she woke up, she was conflicted. Should she make lunch for the doctor or not?


    It wasn''t that she was afraid he would go hungry if she didn''t¡ªafter all, he had not been starving before she started making him bentos. However, she was worried that if her father found out that he was the doctor she had asked to erase her memory, trouble might erupt. She didn''t want to do anything that would cause trouble to the handsome doctor. Hence, she gave up on the thought and went to work.


    The result was her being unable to concent rate on her work and thinking about him all morning.

 Chapter 402 - Speak Of The Devil

    "Yun Xiaoshi, what is wrong with you?" Luna''s stern voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She snapped back and looked up, meeting her boss''s strict gaze. "We are discussing an important matter. Why are you blanking out?"


    "I¡­ I''m sorry."


    "I will not repeat anything I just said. If you are not going to pay attention in a meeting, why bother being present?" Luna scolded, then continued explaining the details of the next project.


    After being called out, Xiaoshi was embarrassed but she concentrated for the rest of the meeting.


    As soon as it was over, she went to Luna''s office to ask about the details she had missed.


    "Boss, I¡­" She didn''t know how to say it.


    Luna looked up from her laptop. "Is there anything bothering you?"


    "Well¡­" thinking about it, she decided that Luna already had more than enough on her plate. Besides, they were not even close. So she shook her head. "It''s nothing."


    Luna hummed as she looked at the young lady. "I suggest you take care of it. It''s affecting your job. Take the rest of the day off, okay?"


    Xiaoshi was stunned. Although Luna was strict, she was kind enough to give her the day off so she would settle her private matter. However, she shook her head. "Thank you boss, but I don''t need a day off. I will not let my mood affect my work anymore."


    Luna nodded and let her go.


    Soon after Xiaoshi left, Cheng Yu walked in with her tablet. "The background is ready."


    Luna took the tablet to take a look. "Not bad. Send it to Xiaoshi. The game should be ready in a week."


    "That''s manageable. Cedric and I are already done."


    After hearing the report regarding official matters, Luna''s gaze suddenly turned into a naughty one. "Speaking of Cedric, how much progress have the two of you made?"


    Cheng Yu blushed at the thought of it. "Why are you so gossipy? Get back to work!"


    Luna laughed and continued teasing. "Did you do it all night?"


    Cheng Yu was flabbergasted. "You and Lanni are indeed twins. No doubt about that!" Even their perverted questions were the same.


    "Don''t even mention Lanni to me. That girl forgot all about our meeting yesterday." Luna frowned begrudgingly.


    "How about you seek her for vengeance?" Cheng Yu grabbed the chance to flee.


    Luna laughed at her friend''s speed of dashing away. Just as she was about to get back to work, her secretary knocked. "CEO, there is a Mr. Xia here to see you."


    "Let him in." She instructed, wondering what her father could be doing here.


    When he was led in, she looked at him curiously. "Dad? Why are you here?"


    The man harrumphed and sat opposite her. "If I didn''t come, would you have forgotten that you have a dad?"


    She shook her head guiltily, realizing just how long it had been since she spoke to her father. She had been missing his calls lately and kept forgetting to call back. "Of course not, you are the best dad in the world, how can I forget about you?"


    "You''re just trying to sweet talk me." He pretended to be angry.


    She stood up and circled the desk to his side, clinging onto his arm. "Of course not. Don''t you trust me anymore? Even if I didn''t miss you, your grandchild would miss you to death."


    At the mention of his Grandchild, Xia Hanchen''s heart melted. He could no longer pretend to be mad. He carefully led her to the fluffy couch at the side and asked, "How is my grandchild?"


    "He gets a little stubborn sometimes. At times, he is so naughty that I can neither eat nor have a good night of sleep." Although it was so troublesome, her expression was still filled with love and pride when she talked about her baby.


    Xia Hanchen patted her head. "It will be alright. Your mother didn''t have it easy either."


    "She didn''t?" Luna looked up curiously. She had heard tales about it but this was the first time that Xia Hanchen was mentioning it.


    He shook his head, looking solemn. "She was carrying twins after all¡ªconjoined twins at that. Her second trimester was so troublesome that the gynecologist advised us to consider an abortion.


    However, we were not ready to give up. We endured it to the end, until you were born. As soon as we compared your piercing yells to your sister''s silent tears, we guessed that you must have been the stubborn one."


    "No way!" Luna burst into laughter.


    "I''m not kidding. From the start, we thought that you would be the most active while your sister would be the calm type. Who would have thought¡­"


    He paused when he realized that he had spoken too much. Perhaps because he had been holding it in for too long, he simply let it out. "If I knew Li Yuming was so heartless, I would never have married her. Because of that mistake I made¡­ by falling in love with her, my babies have suffered the consequences all their lives. You had to grow up separated from your mother while Lanni couldn''t be with her father. Yet, that heartless creature didn''t care."


    Luna hugged his arm. "It''s okay, dad. We don''t care anymore."


    "But I do. I know that she tried countless times to turn Lanni against me. What is wrong with her?" He patted his daughter''s head. "I''m sorry pumpkin. I shouldn''t vent my feelings to you."


    "Dad, you can always feel free to tell me how you feel. You can''t keep it all pent up. Also, if¡­"


    "If what?" Xia Hanchen had a weird feeling about his daughter''s gaze.


    Luna stuck her forefingers together. "If you want to get someone to keep you company, we don''t mind."


    He glanced at her and shook his head in shock, flicking her forehead. "What have you cheeky girls been thinking about?"


    "Dad, we are just worried about you!" She complained as she rubbed the part he had just flicked.


    "You don''t need to worry about me." He coughed ambiguously, making her wonder whether he was really seeing someone.


    ___


    That evening, In Xiehan''s Highbridge Mansion.


    "Are you going somewhere?" Uncle Yun asked Ji Meiling who had just finished dressing up.


    She slid on a bangle and checked her hair. "I''m going to say hi to Xinghe. It''s been years since we last saw each other so she called us over for dinner. Do you want to come along?"


    Before her husband could respond, she recalled a detail and shook her head. "You probably don''t. Xinghe''s daughter-in-law is Lanni''s sister, after all." Since they were engaged and Luna was pregnant, it was not a surprise if they were staying together. Which went to say, it was not impossible for them to bump into each other. If her husband caused trouble for Luna¡­


    The man frowned when he understood his wife''s worries. "Don''t worry. I will catch up with Xingren over some drinks."


    "Okay."


    Uncle Yun got ready, and just as they left, they ran into Xiaoshi in the living area.


    The girl was surprised. "Dad, mom, you are going out? I was going to invite both of you for dinner at my place."


    Ji Meiling was yet to respond when the man beside her spoke. "We have been invited by some old friends. Come with us, I will introduce you to them. If you encounter trouble while we are away, they can help you out."


    Xiaoshi tilted her head in surprise. "If I encounter trouble, I can always tell my cousin about it. Besides, isn''t Uncle Ji in B City too?"


    "You know that our relationship with your aunt isn''t that great, don''t you? Stop asking questions and come with us." He instructed.


    Ji Meiling glanced at her husband and was about to say something but she shook her head instead. She would be there too anyway. Nothing could go wrong.


    In the end, the family of three made their way to the Jiang Old mansion.


    ¡­


    In the living room.


    After making some small talk and catching up, Uncle Yun glanced at Jiang Xingren. "How is your son? I heard he is doing quite well in the business field."


    "It''s just some small achievements. That punk finally settled down and became a little more responsible." Although he was proud of his son, Jiang Xingren didn''t flaunt too much.


    Of course, Uncle Yun was not interested in Xingyu''s achievements and whatnot. He laughed heartily before asking," Isn''t he home?"


    Xiaoshi felt something bad coming, so she excused herself to go to the bathroom.


    Just before she left, she heard Jiang Xingren saying, "He went to pick our daughter-in-law up. Ah, speak of the devil. There they are."


    Xiaoshi swallowed and disappeared towards the communal washroom.


    Uncle Yun''s gaze darkened. He had brought his daughter along to create more chances between her and Xingyu. Who would have thought that Luna would come along?


    Since there were guests at home, Xinghe took Luna''s hand and happily introduced her to Xiaoshi''s parents.


    The latter gave a friendly smile to Ji Meiling, but when she shook Uncle Yun''s hand, her expression was unreadable.


    The man felt as though her eyes contained some warning in them. Was he overthinking?

 Chapter 403 - I Neither Hate You Nor Like You

    Luna retracted her gaze from the middle-aged man. She had interacted with many traitors and backstabbers in her life so she could easily tell if one had questionable motives. For some reason, she felt that the man before her was one she should be guarded against.


    Straightening up, she looked at Madam Jiang with a slight smile. "Aunty, I have a few things to do before dinner."


    "No problem. I''ll call you when dinner is ready." responded Xinghe, wondering why the atmosphere suddenly felt tensed.


    Hearing that Luna was leaving, Uncle Yun grabbed the opportunity. "Shishi is still new to B City and doesn''t have any friends yet. Xingyu, why don''t you show her around?"


    Xiaoshi had just returned from the bathroom when she heard the instruction. She gulped. What was her father doing?


    Xinghe finally realized what was happening and she felt uncomfortable. Although she liked Xiaoshi and was in a friendly relationship with the Yuns, her son was engaged! What was old Yun doing?


    She was just about to create an excuse for Xingyu when he spoke up. "Sure."


    He then led Xiaoshi out, after giving his mother a reassuring look.


    ¡­


    In the garden.


    Xiaoshi didn''t dare to get too close to Xingyu. Although this was the man she had loved for years, she knew better than anyone what would happen if she got her hopes too high.


    She hesitated before saying, "I¡­I''ll have a word with my dad."


    "Mmh." The man grunted and said nothing else. He sat on a bench, not paying any attention to her. Instead, he took out his phone and asked Luna to wait for him.


    Biting her lip, Xiaoshi went over and sat on the bench, cleverly leaving some distance between them. She tilted her head and looked at him. "Xingyu, I just want to know¡­"


    "Mmh?" He looked over, almost losing his patience.


    Even so, the girl gripped her hem as she asked the question she was most curious about. "If you never met Luna, would you ever consider me?"


    He frowned as he looked at her. She knew that his answer would break her heart, yet she still asked. Was this little girl a masochist? If this was any other girl, he would have ruthlessly sent her off with the meanest words possible. However, considering the fact that she was his best friend''s beloved cousin, he told her the truth but in a milder way. "Before I met Luna, I didn''t ever think about my marriage or my future. But since I met her, I know that I will never fall in love with any other woman. I already said this on the day of our engagement banquet. Besides, Xiaoshi, I thought you had already given up."


    Her eyes drooped. "I did. I don''t want to keep hurting myself either. It''s just my dad¡­"


    "He would not misunderstand the situation if you didn''t tell him the wrong thing." He interrupted and stood up, looking down at her. "Yun Xiaoshi, I have always thought of you as the person you are¡ªXiehan''s cousin. Nothing more. Not as a woman I can be with, not as a friend. Not even a younger sister, and I neither like you nor hate you.


    However, if your dad continues to create trouble, I cannot guarantee that the two of you will not be my enemies."


    Watching his departing back, Xiaoshi held it in until she couldn''t anymore, and burst into tears. She thought she was numb to the ache, but hearing such words from the man she loved, how could she still pretend to be strong?


    She choked on her sobs and suddenly heard footsteps from behind her. Freezing, she quickly wiped her tears and turned. "Dad?"


    Uncle Yun was furious when he saw his daughter''s soaked face. "That jerk! In what way is my daughter any worse than that sly vixen? She even has a past record of murder. How can she compare to you?!"


    Xiaoshi was taken aback. Luna had aurder record?


    No, the point was, "Dad, it really doesn''t matter anymore. I have moved on."


    "Of course you have." His expression did not look convinced in the slightest.


    Xiaoshi tried not to cry as she thought about how she could be Xingyu''s enemy if her father continued to try and matchmake them. Although she would have loved to be with him, she wouldn''t be able to deal with the guilt of destroying a pregnant woman''s life, and she didn''t want to be his enemy either. So she bit her lip and explained, "Actually, I have a boyfriend."


    "Don''t be ridiculous." Uncle Yun frowned as he sat beside his daughter. "Who would cry over another man if they had a boyfriend?"


    "I really do." She insisted. "I wasn''t crying over Xingyu. I just¡­think he doesn''t pay enough attention to me. I''m starting to think he doesn''t like me anymore and that''s why¡­"


    The man studied his daughter''s expression but was still not convinced. "Who is this boyfriend and why have I not heard about him?"


    "Our relationship is still in its early stages and he is very busy because he is a doctor. I didn''t get the chance to tell you about him before you started¡­doing what you did earlier."


    "You are lying."


    "No I''m not." She shook her head. In her desperation to make him believe her, she blurted out the first nonsense that popped up in her head. "Then, I will bring him to meet you."


    She had thought that her dad would be convinced and stop asking. However, he nodded. "Okay. Bring him for dinner tomorrow."


    "Uh¡­ What?" She was startled.


    The man crossed his arms. "Well? There isn''t a man who would not make time to meet up with his girlfriend''s parents. If the man exists, that is."


    Xiaoshi so badly wanted to bite her tongue off. What had she gotten herself into?


    ___


    The following day.


    "Doctor Han, I need your help!" She rushed up to Han Xichen as soon as he arrived.


    The man raised an eyebrow curiously. "You didn''t come yesterday, I thought you have given up bringing fruits and lunch."


    She grabbed his hand in an attempt to shut him up. "It''s an emergency!"


    "An emergency? What happened? Do you need me to arrange for an ambulance?"


    She shook her head. "No, it''s not a medical emergency. But you may as well prepare for emergency treatment because I''m about to faint!"


    "What happened ?" He was more relaxed. Seeing her peek around in case there was anyone else within earshot, he led her to his office and had her sit. "Tell me about it."


    She took a deep breath. "I told you about how the guy I liked is engaged, right?"


    When he nodded, she continued in one breath. "So the guy is my boss''s fianc¨¦ but my dad is trying hard to make things work between me and him and that would only make things awkward for everyone so I tried to stop him but he is too stubborn and I ended up blurting out about how I had a boyfriend." She sighed and dropped the bigger bombshell." So, I have to find a boyfriend today and bring him to have dinner with my dad this evening."


    Han Xichen frowned. "And for some reason, you think he would not suspect you of bringing a fake boyfriend?"


    "It''s better than not trying."


    He massaged his temples. "So, why are you here? Do you want me to help you find a fake boyfriend?"


    She nodded pleadingly. "I would have grabbed a random guy from anywhere but I lied that my boyfriend is a doctor. Please help me hire one of your colleagues as a temporary boyfriend."


    Han Xichen was speechless.


    One could always trust Xiaoshi to make the weirdest kind of requests. First, she wanted her memory erased and now she wanted him to hook her up with one of his colleagues, and she was doing so with such a pitiful, begging expression.


    He thought about it for a while and shook his head. "If you got taken advantage of, how would I answer to Xiehan?"


    "Huh? You know my cousin?" She was shocked.


    He nodded. "We are friends. You now understand why I can''t do it, right?"


    She looked like she was about to cry. "But I have no other choice. I promise, I won''t get you in trouble."


    He firmly shook his head. "No can do, Xiaoshi. I could lose my job. I''m sorry."


    She looked at him gloomily, but because she didn''t want to make things difficult for him, she took a deep breath and took out her phone.


    "You''re not about to post an announcement on your social media, are you? Even if you block your dad, how long will it take before you find a suitable boyfriend?"


    Xiaoshi was stunned. Did psychologists really know how to read minds? She was about to point it out when she realized that he was right. Indeed, it would beate by the time she found the right suitor. How many doctors had the time to check social media, and how many of them would be interested in such a ploy?


    The man was about to tell her how to make her father forget about it when he cha nged his words to, "I''ll go.. I''ll be your fake boyfriend."

 Chapter 404 - Boyfriend For Hire

    "You¡­ What?" Xiaoshi was taken aback.


    Han Xichen frowned as he reclined in his chair. "I just don''t want you to bump into some hooligan who will take advantage of you. Otherwise, I will not be able to forgive myself."


    Xiaoshi was just thinking of hiring an actor to pretend to be a doctor when she heard his words. Thinking of how considerate he was, her heart softened. "Thank you."


    Besides, he really was the safest option. If her father did a background check, he would be more convinced about their relationship after learning that he was Xiehan''s friend.


    "So, how did we meet?" She wondered aloud. If they narrated their real meeting, it would make it seem like he was taking advantage of her weakness for personal gain.


    Thinking about it for a second, he frowned. "Isn''t it obvious? Xiehan introduced us. This is the most plausible situation."


    "But if he asks Xiehan¡­" She was afraid of dragging her cousin into a mess.


    "Don''t worry. He will not bother to ask if we make the act convincing. Besides, we will only mention that Xiehan introduced us casually. It has nothing to do with whether or not we developed feelings for each other." He reassured.


    "Well, that''s true." She had to admit that he was better at playing mind games than she was.


    Twirling a pen, he said, "Tell me where we are meeting your dad and leave the rest to me."


    "Okay, I will send you the address as soon as my dad tells me." She trusted him, not that she had any other choice.


    "Do you have my number?" He looked up at her and asked when she stood to leave.


    "Uhm...nope." If she did, she would not need to make a trip and wait for him for so long.


    "How will you tell me the address?" He stretched out his palm. It took a moment for her to understand that he was asking for her phone and when she did, she awkwardly placed her phone in his palm.


    After keying in his private phone number and leaving himself a missed call, he returned her phone to her. As she reached to take it, her fingers accidentally touched his and she felt like she had been struck with electricity. She let go like her fingers had been scalded.


    She looked at the hands before her for a while. These were the hands that had saved so many lives before¡­


    She had done some online search about him and found out that before he majored in psychology, he was a surgeon and had performed so many life-saving surgeries despite his young age. She didn''t know why she felt surprised seeing that his hands were just like any other man''s¡ªand had long, beautiful fingers. Was she expecting him to have ten fingers on each hand instead of five?


    "Your phone." He gently reminded.


    "Oh." She took it and instead of keeping it in her bag, stared at it as though it had inherited some of his ''life saving aura'' from his palm.


    Looking at the little girl, Han Xichen was amused. For the second time, he realized that he couldn''t truly figure her out. Why was she suddenly acting strange? Just what was she thinking about this time?


    "I have to go to work!" She excused herself and rushed, arriving one minute late.


    She ran into Luna who was heading towards the executive elevator and frantically apologized. "I''m sorry I''m late."


    "Xiao Yu has sent the background to your email. Get to work, I want the project done before this evening."


    "This evening¡­? Xiaoshi was stunned. She could complete the remaining part of the game within the day but what about testing it? That should take at least a few days!


    Luna knew what she was thinking, so she smiled." Just complete what you should and send it to me. I will do the rest."


    "Okay." She hurried to her office and got to work. This time, she made sure not to be distracted and worked continuously until lunch break. As soon as she had finished setting up the background and sending it to Luna, she let out a sigh then her mind immediately ran wild.


    The first thing she thought about was him¡ªHan Xichen. What were his hobbies, likes and dislikes? What about his family? She should know about these details, right? Otherwise, it would be strange if she didn''t know such important details about her boyfriend. Well, fake boyfriend.


    "What''s the difference? He is my boyfriend for the day anyway." She thought aloud. Whether fake or not, there probably wasn''t any woman who wouldn''t want to claim such a handsome man. Wait. What nonsense was she thinking?


    ___


    Meanwhile, in Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni read the email in her inbox and frowned. Damned Rong Han Studio. They had scouted over Tian Yu Media''s guest, again.


    Aside from a daily newspaper and Business, Fashion and Health & Fitness magazines, Tian Yu Media also owned a television studio.


    They had a weekly business program and would invite prominent business people every Tuesday for a live interview. For this week, they had invited a real estate tycoon from City S. However, Lanni had just received an email stating that the tycoon had backed out on the interview, and she instantly knew that he had been convinced by their rival, Rong Han Studio.


    She was just wondering whether to contact the tycoon when an idea flashed in her mind. Why would she need to lick the boots of outsiders when she could simply replace the guest?


    Dialing the telephone on her desk, she made a call to Moonlight Studios.


    "Luna, do you and Xingyu have something on tomorrow evening?" She asked when the call connected.


    "No, why?"


    "I was initially planning to publish your interview on this week''s issue of the business magazine. However, our guest for tomorrow evening''s live interview suddenly backed out. Do you think you could replace him?" She went ahead to explain why a TV interview would have a much better effect than magazine.


    "I would love to!" Luna exclaimed excitedly. "Hold on. Let me ask Xingyu." She took out her personal phone without hanging up and called Xingyu to ask if he would be free. When she received his response, she got back to Lanni. "Xingyu will be available too. Send me the address later."


    Lanni sighed in relief. If she didn''t get a guest of the same level of influence, she might have to answer to the CEO. Luckily, although Luna was still new in the business field, Xingyu was already an influential businessman that a news agency like Tian Yu Media would never dream of inviting.


    When she was done communicating with the studio so they would confirm the time slot, she received a call to go to the CEO''s office.


    She went over and knocked gantly, getting in when she heard his deep voice. "CEO Qian."


    The man sized her up. "I saw that you intend to invite CEO Jiang of Jiang Corporation to tomorrow''s interview. What happened to the guest I had invited?"


    "He backed out. He has already sent over the compensation." She answered calmly.


    The man frowned at the last-minute rejection but thought that it wasn''t such a bad thing after all. With such an attitude, it woukd be no surprise if the man refused to answer all the questions later, humiliating them in a live telecast. However, "Will you be able to invite CEO Jiang?"


    One must know that even if they managed to get such a man to an interview, they had to tell him about it a few weeks in advance. Would he clear his busy schedule just for them?


    "He has already agreed." Lanni''s answer dispelled his worries, but he couldn''t help but gush at the kind of people that this little girl associated with. After doing a background search of her, he found out that she was the girlfriend of Feng Ji International''s Ji Xiehan, and the renown businessman, Xia Hanchen, was her father. Not only that, but she was also friends with the CEO of Lin Media Group, and now that he thought about a piece of news that had erupted several weeks ago, Jiang Xingyu should be her sister''s fianc¨¦. Not to mention, the world-famous artist, Li Yuming, was her mother. She was basically sorounded by big shots.


    He couldn''t help asking, "Why did you choose to work here?"


    He was not going to ask why she needed to work¡ªone couldn''t sit at home and idle around just because they were related to big shots¡ªbut why Tian Yu Media? Why not Lin Media Group?


    After working here for a while, Lanni knew that he was a trustworthy and competent man so she was honest. "I want to gain enough experience."


    "You want to start your own agency later?" He guessed correctly. When she nodded, he was intrigued. "You have come to the right place. As long as you work hard, I can train you."


    Lanni was surprised by the sudden pie that had just dropped from the sky.. "Thank you, CEO."

 Chapter 405 - Boyfriend

    Leaving the CEO''s office, Lanni was in a jubilant mood. How would have thought that she would land herself a mentor just by answering a few questions?


    However, she would think about that later. At the moment, she had to prepare for the next day''s interview.


    After deciding on the host, she wrote down a series of questions. She was aware that some hosts liked to take advantage and ask questions that made the guests uncomfortable or awkward. Although there was nothing wrong with asking about matters that the audience was most curious about, the guests'' willingness and comfort was the top priority. She would have considered this even if she had not invited her sister this week.


    After setting up a series of main topics, she sent them to the host in an email and gave him a call. "You are allowed to ask one or two off-topic questions but make sure they are not too personal. Don''t let the guests feel that their privacy is being intruded too much.


    The man listened to her warning before suddenly chuckling. "Little missy, aren''t you a little too controlling?"


    Lanni frowned but before she said a word, the other party hung up.


    She sighed. It turned out, she was yet to gain enough authority in the agency.


    It was not completely unexpected. Although she had dealt with Han Lili and changed everyone''s opinion of her, there were bound to be a few subordinates who still thought her abilities were being exaggerated. Of course, her own physique was more or less a disadvantage.


    Putting her age and looks aside, her voice was so soft that it was hard to take a command from her seriously. Despite that, she rolled her pen resolutely. She would let that guy¡ªand whoever else was disrespecting her¡ªthat the worst thing one could do is underestimate anyone.


    ___


    That evening¡ªRoyal Restaurant.


    Uncle Yun had reserved a spot and arrived earlier than the agreed time. It was obvious just how much he looked forward to seeing his daughter''s so-called boyfriend.


    He sipped on some tea as he quietly waited for his daughter.


    At 6pm, she finally arrived. He looked behind her and noticed that there was no one with her. To be honest, he was expecting this.


    Since his daughter had claimed that the other party was a doctor, it would be unsuspicious for her to simply apologize and say that he was caught up in an emergency. He frowned as his daughter sat down and placed her bag beside her. "Shishi, you don''t need to lie to daddy. I understand."


    Hearing her father''s words, Xiaoshi understood why Han Xichen had been against the idea of her cancelling the meeting in the name of an emergency. It was not believable.


    However, she shook her head with a smile." He agreed to the meeting. He should be here soon."


    "I see." Uncle Yun said, then they waited.


    Time passed by the minute and soon, it was almost 7pm. Xiaoshi was starting to get anxious. Didn''t he agree to be at the restaurant by 6:30? She didn''t have anything against his tardiness but she knew that the longer they waited, the more her father was convinced that it was an act. It would be hard to make him believe them later.


    She took out her phone and tried to make a call. When the other party didn''t answer, she sent a string of text messages.


    The man silently watched his daughter and was prepared for her to say that her boyfriend could not make it. He suddenly felt bad for her.


    "It''s rush hour. Perhaps he is caught up in a traffic jam." She made a reasonable excuse while her heart raced. If he was caught up in traffic, why didn''t he answer her calls?!


    After waiting for a while, she couldn''t sit still anymore. She stood up to head to the restroom. She was just about to turn when a pair of hands engulfed her, and a voice spoke beside her ear. "Babe, did you wait for too long? I''m sorry, I had to deal with some matters before rushing over."


    Xiaoshi immediately recognized Han Xichen''s voice and she could swear that her heart had skipped a few beats. She was not accustomed to having such close contact with men, let alone being spoken to in such an intimate manner. Paired with Han Xichen''s unbelievably flirtatious tone, her cheeks immediately flushed.


    She dared not look up at him when she remembered how he had hugged her from behind. "Excuse me."


    She then stumbled to the restrooms.


    While Han Xichen and Xiaoshi both knew why she was blushing, that was not what Uncle Yun thought. From his point of view, his little daughter was excited to see her boyfriend but when she recalled that her dad had seen their intimate act, she was embarrassed.


    A smile formed on his lips. So the boyfriend was real after all.


    Han Xiechen gave himself a thumbs-up when he saw that he had accomplished the desired effect. No matter how awkward she seemed around him, Uncle Yun would mistake it for shyness.


    "So you are the guy who''s been making my Shishi cry." The man expressed his displeasure when he recalled how heartbrokenly Xiaoshi had cried the day before.


    Han Xichen didn''t understand the entire situation so he had to quickly adjust. He extended a hand in greeting. "Hello sir."


    The man ignored him, which was expected. So he sat down and explained, "I would never deliberately make Xiaoshi cry. I love her so much." Seeing the other party''s accusatory glare, he added, "It''s just that I have been so busy lately that I didn''t get to spend enough time with her that Shishi felt neglected. However, I have already submitted a request for a change in department so I will be less busy in future."


    "I see." Uncle Yun contemplated. Although these responses were flawless, why did he still feel something was wrong?


    Shishi had still been so madly in love with that Jiang guy less than three weeks ago. How was it possible that she had already fallen in love with another man and they were already fighting? It didn''t make much sense.


    Understanding the man''s concerns, Xichen seized the chance to cancel out all the possible questions. "I will be on leave next week: I plan to use this time to travel around with Xiaoshi and get to spend more time with her. You see, our relationship was quite rushed and there is still a lot we are yet to know about each other. I hope you won''t mind if you don''t get to see her for a while."


    With this, Uncle''s Yun''s question of how long they had known each other and when they started dating was no longer valid. He could only nod. "Take as much time as you want. It''s important to get to know each other."


    Even so, he didn''t give up prying as he still had suspicions. "Since you didn''t know each other that well, why did you still rush your relationship?"


    To this he smiled slightly. "Uncle, feelings cannot be controlled, can they? We fell in love at first sight: it didn''t matter whether we got together immediately or ten years later, the results would still be the same."


    Xiaoshi had just returned from the bathroom when she heard his statement about falling in love at first sight. For a moment, she looked up at the man beside her. How come she didn''t realize that he was so good at bluffing his way out of a situation?


    Meeting her gaze, he added, "Don''t some people get married after meeting just a few times?"


    When Uncle Yun thought about it, he had no way to refute it. In fact, he and Meiling had gotten after meeting thrice. The third time was on their wedding day. Yet, he loved her so much that no one would think it was an arranged marriage between them.


    After ordering their food, he continued asking a few questions. "Which family are you from?"


    Knowing that the man would investigate, he answered, "The Han clan from City H."


    The awe in Uncle Yun''s eyes was evident. "The Han clan, the widely-known practitioners of medicine? Are you Han Honglin''s grandson?"


    "Yes." Han Xichen nodded, while Xiaoshi was curious. Could it be that infamous cardiologist she had heard about?


    In reality, not everyone from the Han clan was a doctor. There was in fact just a few of them. However, Han Honglin was one of the most respected figures in the country, hence everyone knew about his family.


    Han Xichen had never cared about this but it was convenient at the moment. Uncle Yun would no longer suspect him of having ulterior motives towards his daughter since he had such an impressive background.


    Feeling a burning gaze on him, Han Xichen let down his cutlery and picked up the small hand beside him. Xiaoshi was so shocked that she almost yelped, but his gentle smile rendered her speechless.


    It was already unfair enough that this man was so talented. Did he have to be so insanely handsome as well ? She was about to pass out from that smile!

 Chapter 406 - Stuffed To Death With Dog Food

    The dinner went much better than Xiaoshi had anticipated. After learning that Xichen was the grandson of a renowned cardiologist as well as a reputable doctor, Uncle Yun was no longer suspicious of him. After all, the Yun family was nothing in comparison to the infamous Han clan. There was no way a man with such an excellent background would be interested in playing a charade with his daughter. On the other hand, his daughter was a stunning beauty. Although it was also almost impossible for her to be affiliated with a man of such social standing, it was more believable for them to be in a relationship than to team up and lie to him.


    Never would he have expected that these two incompatible individuals were, in fact, teaming up to trick him.


    When Uncle Yun learnt that Han Xichen was one of Xiehan''s close friends, he was even more impressed. He knew that his nephew was careful while making friends. Based on this fact, he was convinced that his daughter would not be at a disadvantage.


    ¡­


    When they were done, Uncle Yun left first and let the youngsters catch up.


    As the two of them walked to the parking lot, Xiaoshi let out the breath she had been holding. She excitedly let out a squeal and launched herself into his arms. "You were awesome! What a sweet tongue you have, you have totally convinced him!"


    After rambling for a while, she finally realized that she was hugging him tightly¡­


    She awkwardly pulled away, wishing nothing more than to punch herself. She was so used to hugging her friends when she was excited that she forgot her manners.


    Seeing her embarrassed little face, Han Xichen thought that she looked quite cute. He smiled and changed the topic. "You can ask your friends out a few times and let your dad assume that you are with me. I don''t think he has the time or thought to stalk you."


    "Okay! Why don''t I treat you to a meal as thanks?" She added as she nodded to his suggestion.


    Han Xichen would have readily agreed. However, although she was jovially inviting him, he could tell that she was conflicted about it. The meal was not a mere thanks. It was a way to entirely cut ties with him, so they would no longer have to see each other. Seeing that she was forcing herself to make a decision she didn''t know whether she was ready to make, he spoke up. "There''s no need for a meal. If you feel so indebted to me, you can owe me a favor and I will contact you in future if I ever need your help."


    She thought about it and nodded. "Deal."


    This was partially because as a grandson of the Han clan, why would he ever need anyone''s help? The possibility of his contacting her was quite slim. On the other hand, it would not entirely break things off between them.


    Perhaps because she didn''t have many friends, she selfishly wanted to cling onto this man who she found to be kind and easy to talk to. She would be happy if they were friends but at the same time, she didn''t want to cause him any trouble.


    "Then, I''ll go home now. I still have a prototype to complete." She waved and prepared to leave.


    "I''ll drop you off." He offered.


    "My cousin''s bodyguard drove me here." The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she didn''t know why she felt regretful.


    Just before they parted, a pair of familiar faces came into view. It was Xingyu and Luna, who had just left their car. Xingyu was going on about something and seemed to be trying to curry her favor, while Luna ignored him disdainfully.


    Xiaoshi''s gaze lingered on them for a while before she recovered from her trance to look at something else.


    "Yo, Xingyu." Han Xichen waved over when the couple was close enough.


    Xingyu looked over and was a little surprised as he walked over with Luna. "Xichen? What are you doing here?"


    "I came to accompany a little beauty for dinner." He gave the simplest excuse. "I could ask you the same thing."


    "I promised my wife to buy her dessert from this restaurant but forgot about it, so she is mad at me. I brought her over to pacify her and end this cold war." Xingyu explained. Even though he said that they were fighting, they were holding hands and exchanging sweet smiles from time to time.


    Han Xichen couldn''t take it. "We have not met in a long time and the first thing you want to do is stuff me to death with dog food? You horrible man!"


    The men bumped shoulders as a form of greeting. Xingyu then introduced the two. "Luna, this is Xichen. I don''t know whether you have heard of him before but if you want to look for the most incompetent doctor in the world, this is him."


    "Hey, how dare you slander me in front of sister-in-law?"[1] Han Xichen playfully punched his friend''s arm before extending a hand to greet Luna. "I finally get to meet you. This unreliable man must have kept you away in fear that I would expose his dirty past to you."


    "What dirty past? Don''t speak nonsense." Xingyu immediately defended himself. "Love, don''t listen to him. He is only bluffing because I exposed him."


    When Han Xichen saw his friend¡ªwho was usually too proud for his own good¡ªexplaining to Luna so patiently, he was baffled. It turned out, it was true that love could change men in the most unbelievable ways.


    Finally recalling why he thought Luna was familiar, he was stunned. Wasn''t this Lanni''s sister? The last time he saw her, she looked like a tomboy. Seeing her again, he could swear that he would have mistaken her for Lanni if she wasn''t holding hands with Xingyu.


    "Why are you looking at my wife?" Xingyu hid Luna behind him, behaving like a kid who didn''t want his precious gift to be swooned over by other kids.


    Han Xichen laughed at his possessiveness. "I''m just wondering why Li Yuming didn''t have triplets."


    His implication was the same as Lin Jian''s when he discovered that his friends were dating twins.


    Luna and Xingyu took it as a casual joke, but it was different for Xiaoshi. For some reason, she felt a little uncomfortable hearing such words from Han Xichen. To put it plainly, she had been uncomfortable from the moment the two men started talking about Luna.


    Yet, she couldn''t tell whether she was jealous of Luna or envious of the fact that Xingyu was so protective of her¡ªor whether it was because Han Xichen had given a remark that could easily pass off as flirtatious.


    Luna had long noticed Xiaoshi but their relationship was still awkward so she didn''t say a word. After a short exchange between the two men, Xingyu led Luna into the restaurant.


    Han Xichen tapped Xiaoshi who was lost in thought. "I have a feeling that Xingyu is the man you love, the one who didn''t love you back and got engaged with another woman. Am I right?"


    Xiaoshi subconsciously wanted to deny it but she was too shocked. "How did you know?"


    "Logic." The man grinned. It made sense now that he thought about it. As Xiehan''s cousin, it was likely for her to like one of his friends, especially if that man is Xingyu. Many girls tended to like men like him. But, even if there was no logical explanation behind it, Xiaoshi''s gaze on Xingyu had betrayed her.


    He thought about the situation and was a little surprised. "You don''t look like a heartbroken girl to me, though."


    "Huh?" She tilted her head to ask curiously.


    Looking at her, he analyzed, "If you were still so madly in love with him, you would not be able to stand that fierce display of affection."


    Xiaoshi was stunned when she realized it. Indeed. If this was any other time, she would have long excused herself to go and cry elsewhere. Even if she didn''t do wnuthing about it, the sight of Xingyu doting on another woman so much would have felt like a sword being twisted ruthlessly in her heart.


    Han Xichen softly continued, "You are moving on. You are starting to make peace with the fact that he cannot be yours, and it''s the best thing for you to do."


    Xiaoshi was once again stunned. Perhaps because she had never had too much hope to begin with, the truth was not as hard to accept as she had thought it would be.


    Han Xichen saw her changing expressions and had the urge to pat her head. This feeling, it was no different from successfully completing a patient''s therapy. He knew that Xiaoshi''s case was the easiest to deal with. After learning about her, he concluded that as long as she discovered that she could do it, it would be much easier for her to move on. Which is why he had told her about her own progress, and from the looks of her expression, it had worked.


    [1]....In some countries, it''s normal for a m an to call his friend''s wife ''sister-in-law''.

 Chapter 407 - Interview

    The following day, Moonlight Studios.


    Xioshi was on her way to the CEO''s office when she ran into Cheng Yu.


    "Are you going to Luna''s office too?" Cheng Yu asked her.


    "Yes." Grabbing this heavenly sent chance, she stuffed a flash drive into Cheng Yu''s hands. "The prototype is complete. Please help me give it to her, thank you!"


    Before Cheng Yu could say a word, the latter had fled back into the elevator. She laughed at the girl''s theatrics, though she couldn''t blame her. Although they had not deliberately done anything to hurt each other, it was almost impossible for love rivals to get along. In fact, Xiaoshi''s relationship with Luna was the most difficult to deal with, since they would cross paths whether they liked it or not. Knowing that a war might break out between them at any second, Cheng Yu felt as though this was a ticking time bomb.


    She was just about to take a detour to Luna''s office when someone came running after her. It was Cedric, and he myst have rushed over since he was out of breath.


    "Yu, there is a glitch in the system." He reported anxiously.


    "What?" Cheng Yu had thought that Cedric was seeking her for a personal matter so she was stunned for a second matter.


    "I suddenly cannot access any page on the app. It''s all blank." He showed his phone to Cheng Yu.


    She took it and compared it to her own app, then frowned. "Did you report it to the technical department?"


    The young man nodded. "I did, but no one responded. I thought I should tell you because it would be tragic if too many users experienced this, especially new users."


    Cheng Yu had to admit that he made a lot of sense. The application was still fairly new. If it stared breaking down so soon, it might affect the ratings. Hence, the sooner it was dealt with, the less damage there would be. "I''ll tell Luna."


    As soon as she spoke, she rushed to Luna''s office. The latter was stretching her long fingers and when Cheng Yu walked in, she looked over with a raised eyebrow.


    "There is a¡­" Cheng Yu was in the middle of explaining when she suddenly paused, shocked at the twist. The application was working as usual.


    Guessing the reason for her anxiety, Luna explained, "I just dealt with it."


    "Oh." How fast. As expected of Luna.


    She gave her the USB flash drive she had been given by Xiaoshi as she asked, "Did Lanni send the venue for tonight''s interview?"


    "TY Center, the interview starts at 8pm. Are you coming?"


    As a Co-founder of Moonlight studios, it was only natural for Cheng Yu to receive an invite to the interview too. However, she was not sure whether she wanted to go.


    After thinking about it, she shrugged. "Why not? I was afraid that my parents would bother me if they know about my involment with you and Xingyu. But now that I think about it, why should I care? I will shoo them off if they attempt anything they shouldn''t. I cannot hide my potential forever just because of them."


    "That''s a strong girl." Luna was happy that Cheng Yu was slowly peeling herself out of the cocoon in which she had been fearfully hiding. "Xingyu will pick us up in the evening." After discussing the details and a few other things, Cheng Yu left the CEO''s office, only to find that Cedric was waiting for her outside.


    "Is something wrong?" She asked.


    Cedric didn''t know how to describe his sentiments. Although he was a bit older than his girlfriend, she was so serious when she switched into ''boss'' mode that he almost felt inferior to her.


    "Can we have dinner together this evening?" He went straight to the point, knowing that she wanted to return to work.


    "I have an interview at 8pm." She responded apologetically.


    "Oh¡­ Then can I drop you off at the venue?"


    She couldn''t possibly say no this. Unlike other girlfriends, she spent so much time working that she almost didn''t have time for her boyfriend. Since this was the only way they could spend a few extra minutes together, she nodded. "Pick me up at 7pm."


    ¡­


    In the end, they arrived at TY Center in pairs. They were shown to the waiting lounge, where Cedric would sit and wait for her interview to complete. Although he could not be beside her during the interview, there was a large, high density screen on the wall in front of him, so he would be able to watch a life broadcast of the interview.


    They had arrived just a few minutes before the interview was set to begin so they were immediately shown to the studio.


    The host, a man who looked to be in his mid thirties, handed a sheet of paper to them. "The interview will border around these topics. If there is any of them you are uncomfortable with, let me know so I can eliminate it."


    They skimmed through them then Xingyu said, "They are alright." They were all business-related topics so there was nothing wrong with them.


    However, none of them knew that the host had no intention to use any of those topics.


    He was merely asking as a formality. He showed them to their seats and prepared to start.


    Helping Luna onto the red, velvet couch, Xingyu took a second glance at the host. He had a bad feeling about the man''s attitude.


    However, knowing that there wasn''t anything a host could do in front of the live cameras, he withdrew his gaze and sat down.


    Soon, the live interview started.


    The first few questions were meant to warm up the atmosphere so the host kept it light.


    He looked at Cheng Yu and Luna who were sitting opposite each other and asked gushingly, "I heard the two of you are still very young. How old are you?"


    "I''ll be 21 in two months, Luna is 20." Cheng Yu responded.


    "You are very talented despite your young age. Girls like you should be the pride of society! When I was your age, I was still playing around and wasting my days away." The host laughed, then questioned, "I wonder if the two of you are still students? Which university are you studying at?"


    Luna nodded at Cheng Yu to go first, so she answered, "I just finished my comic arts course at Star Art International."


    Luna added humorously, "I dropped out of college." There was no point hiding it since it could be dug out anyway.


    Although it was true, her tone made it sound like she was telling a joke. Not only the host, even Cheng Yu, Xingyu and the live audience found her response comical.


    The host stopped laughing and focused his gaze on Luna. "Despite being a college drop-out, you managed to create a company from scratch? You must be a genius."


    Luna had a bad feeling about his answer. Why did it sound like he was being sacrastic?


    She was yet to conclude her thought when the man suddenly asked, "Speaking of which, why did a start-up company get an investment from Jiang Corporation? Mr. Jiang, could you tell us why?"


    Everyone was curious about it, so Xingyu answered, "I went through the company details and found that it was worthy of an investment. No businessman would let go of an opportunity to earn profit in future, after all. Of course, the main point is to support my fianc¨¦e."


    When he heard Xingyu''s main point, the host was no longer able to pin ''relying on a rich man'' on Luna. Hence, he changed his tactics. "As a good fianc¨¦, that''s a sane thing to do. Though everyone is curious. Why would you help Miss Cheng get into Star Art International? Also, why did you make her your partner in this startup as well? Is it because she is Miss Xia''s friend, or are there other reasons?"


    Xingyu frowned at the dumb question. While he sounded curious, he was indirectly asking whether Xingyu had an intimate relationship with Cheng Yu!


    He tried not to lose his temper and laughed it off. "Miss Cheng is an excellent artist. She doesn''t need any help getting into whichever art institution she wants. For the second question, haven''t you already given an answer to that?"


    The man could not refute his words. If he pressed too much, it would sound like a direct accusation so he laughed in good humor. "It turns out, Miss Cheng and Miss Xia are close friends."


    The trio was yet to relax when yet another bomb was dropped in form of a question. "Have you ever worried about the consequences of collaborating with these two young ladies?"


    Xingyu had a bad feeling, so he shut the other with a single word, "No."


    However, the man did not give up. "You are so loving, Mr. Jiang. You are willing to support your fianc¨¦e despite her past. Speaking of which, Miss Xia, people have been asking about how you managed to get out of jail despite the irrefutable evidence of your crime. Did the Jiang family help you out?


    Luna patted Xingyu to stop him from flying into a rage. If he fought, the host would only term it as a guilt conscience.


    "Did you invite us to this interview to ask us about our company or to indirectly hurl false accusations at us?"

 Chapter 408 - Fired

    The host was stunned. He had not expected Luna to question him so directly.


    When faced with such questions, most guests would usually appear calm in an interview, in fear or tarnishing their own reputation. As long as the answer was dismissive in the slightest, the host could choose to twist it into whatever he wanted. He could even label the guest as arrogant or call them out for despising everyone after gaining a few achievements. Even if there was no evidence, sometimes an article was all it took to destroy one''s effort.


    Luna''s company was yet to gain a foothold in the industry, so a slight mistake could doom its growth. This was why the host had been confident that she would not retaliate no matter what.


    However, he was wrong. Luna questioned him calmly, "What was the point of asking us about our opinions regarding the topics prepared if you were not planning to use any of them?"


    To this, the host gave a fake smile. "Miss Xia, you have misunderstood. Although we did prepare a series of questions beforehand, we also allow the live audience to send some of the questions they are curious about." inwardly, he laughed. Hehe¡­ Did she think it was hard to deal with a little girl?


    "This matter has long been clarified. You can look it up, I''m sure the news is still online. If you still have doubts, you are welcome to go and question the court about it." She answered unhurriedly.


    "How would we know? After all, the Jiang family¡­" He still clung to this point.


    Xingyu suddenly stood up, his face devoid of expression. "I''m sorry. My fianc¨¦e is pregnant and needs to rest more. We should get going now."


    If it wasn''t because Lanni was an employee of Tian Yu Media, heaven knows he would have flipped up. Giving a reasonable excuse was merely because he didn''t want to make things difficult for Lanni, who had invited them.


    The host panicked. Although Xingyu had given such an irrefutable reason, the audience was not blind. He was clearly trying to hold back his displeasure.


    Comments had already started flooding on the bullet screen and TY Media''s website.


    [It''s already hard enough to watch an interview of my idol but he wants to leave. I''m so sad T_T]


    [Isn''t it because of that trash host? I feel like he''s holding a grudge against Miss Xia right from the first question!]


    [I paid attention to the so-called murder case. It turned out, Xia Luna had been framed and blackmailed into pleading guilty in court. After such an ordeal, it takes courage to be able to continue living. Yet, not only are you not encouraging her for her bravery, you are using the incident to slander her instead? Are you even human?!]


    [That''s it. I''m not going to watch any more interviews and programmes from TY. Trash studio! (emoji:furious)]


    Luna was wondering what to do when they heard the soft clank of high heels as a woman walked in.


    She looked young and had her hair tied into a neat bun. With her white dress and light makeup, one could consider her as cute. But at this moment, she looked serious as she whispered something to the man. The man''s expression paled and he walked out of the studio, as the young woman took his seat.


    She glanced at the guests with a gentle smile. "I''m so sorry for what my colleague has done. Miss Xia, Miss Cheng, Mr. Jiang, if it''s not troublesome, could we continue the interview? I will replace him."


    It was not uncommon for guests to walk out on interviews, but replacing guests did not happen very often. She was nervous.


    Cheng Yu sighed. "I''ll let Luna decide."


    The young lady looked at Xingyu, who said the same thing. "Babe, what do you want to do?"


    Although it was such an awkward moment, the live audience couldn''t help shrieking in excitement. Comments filled the bullet screen once more.


    [Aaaaah! My husband is so tyrannical!]


    [The commentator above, keep your drool to yourself. He is someone else''s husband.]


    The first commentator retorted [Do you dare to claim that you didn''t drool?]


    [He dotes on Luna so much! The way he said ''babe, what do you want to do?'' made my knees weak.]


    [I''m so done with this live PDA, but my eyes just won''t budge!]


    Seeing the comments start to change for the better, and the initially dropping viewer ratings start to rise, the new host, Ava, was nervous. What would Luna say?


    Luna was still displeased. However, seeing Ava''s anticipating eyes, her heart softened. The girl was probably an intern. If she successfully averted the crisis, she may have a breakthrough in her career. Since she didn''t want to make things difficult for an intern, Luna nodded. "Let''s go on."


    Outside the live studio, Lanni heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Luna''s compliance.


    She turned and glanced at the former host, who she had summoned out a while ago. "You are fired."


    The man had expected a scolding from his superiors, but he didn''t expect that Lanni would directly utter such words. He scoffed amid his surprise. "Why?"


    Lanni did not want to waste time dealing with such a scumbag. "If you still want to feign ignorance, then you will know the reason once you receive the letter of termination."


    She then sauntered away in her high heels.


    In truth, the host had nothing against Luna. It was only because he had been warned by Lanni earlier that he looked the guests up. When he realized that Cheng Yu was Lanni''s friend and that Luna was her sister, he planned out this strike. Since Lanni treasured them so much, he would make them make fools of themselves in front of the watching eyes of the entire nation.


    When he saw that they were about to walk out, he had been unfazed, because he could simply write a few explosive headlines and throw the blame on the three of them.


    Yet, who would have expected that he would be kicked out of the interview instead? This was a huge blow to his career! As if that was not enough, he was fired!


    Although he was afraid, he harrumphed. What authority did a little girl have? Why did she think she had the right to fire him?


    "Let''s see who gets fired in the end." He laughed.


    ¡­


    Inside the studio, the interview was lively and humorous. Since it was an open interview, there were many topics regarding Moonlight Studios that could be talked about. And Ava knew just the right questions to ask. Not only did she spike the interest of potential investors for the company, her own intelligence was also displayed.


    Once in a while, she would throw in a question or two about their personal lives, and the comments were threatening to blow the screens.


    Ava looked at Cheng Yu who had just finished answering a question. "You are so smart. I''m sure your boyfriend feels like the luckiest man on earth. Wait. Do you have a boyfriend?" She louvered her tone dramatically through the second part, acting like it was supposed to be a secret question.


    Cheng Yu blushed when she thought about Cedric who must be waiting for her. Clearing her throat, she nodded. "Yes."


    "Did you hear that? The hearts of all the single men just broke!" Ava joked, but it was no exaggeration. All of Cheng Yu''s fans started crying and expressing their heartbreak on the bullet screens.


    Getting back to the main business, Ava asked about Moonlight Studio''s latest project.


    "The newest upcoming project is a game called Demons Vs gods. It was based on the comics "The Demigod''s Wife" by Cheng Yu and "Demon Under Me" by. Cedric Han." Luna explained.


    Ava was awed when she heard the explanation. "I have read both the comics." She almost lost herself and squealed when she thought about the five devilishly handsome brothers in "Demon Under Me".


    She was not the only one. The comment screen was filled with red hearts as fans of the comics flooded the site with comments.


    "How soon will we get to play it?" Ava asked the question in most of the comments.


    Cheng Yu smiled when she saw how excited the fans of both comics were. "The game is currently undergoing test-runs. If everything goes well, it should be available to play in a few days."


    Since it was yet to be officially released, they didn''t give too much details. Even so, the fans were already looking forward to it. It was evident that in the coming days, Luna and Cheng Yu would explode in popularity. Although Xingyu was already a widely known businessman, his popularity would increase as well.


    ___


    Li Yuming''s villa.


    Li Yuming was waiting for the TV drama she liked to watch. There was still about half an hour before it started so she leisurely switched through the channels to find something to watch while waiting. She casually switched to TY and was surprised when she saw the ongoing interview.


    Her surprise morphed into curiosity and she listened. Luna and Cheng Yu took turns explaining the genre and general overview of their new game.


    Li Yuming''s lips curled upwards unknowingly. "So smart." [1]


    ¡­..


    [1] ¡­.Make a guess.


    Who is Li Yuming referring to as smart?


    Xingyu?


    Her apprentice, Cheng Yu?


    Her estranged daughter, Luna?

 Chapter 409 - Family Comes First

    After the interview, the outcome was better than they had anticipated. In the next few days, Moonlight Studios exploded in popularity and potential investors flooded in. At the same time, there were countless new applicants for various departments in the company.


    Luna checked through their information and rejected those that did not qualify, then asked the others to attend an interview. Even though they were still short of employees, she was not going to blindly hire people who might disappoint her later.


    Aside from the countless emails threatening to break down her computer, their social media accounts were on the verge of breaking down as well.


    In just a few days, there were innumerable new followers and thousands of requests for the game to be released sooner. The comments were hilarious.


    [Little moon, don''t be such a bully. Release the game and we will love you forever!] The ''little moon'' in the comment was obviously Luna. After this user started it, all the other commentators started fondly addressing her using this new nickname.


    [Little moon, if you do not release the game sooner, we will haunt you in your dreams.]


    [Shoo! Don''t scare our little moon. Ps-I have already found a suitable nickname to use in the game. Grandmaster of leaderboard legends.]


    [How arrogant!]


    [I found one too! Damon''s little fox.]


    Damon was one of the male characters in the comic, and Luna had confirmed that he would be a character in the game as well. The news had sent young women shrieking in excitement. As soon as one user declared that she would use a nickname with Damon''s name in it, several teenage girls and young women followed suit.


    Until a teenage boy commented, [Mine is "The moon''s little star"]


    The comments paused for a moment, then erupted in a flash. The moon''s little star? Was he asking for a beating from Xingyu?


    Luna laughed when she saw their comments. How lively.


    The situation was no different on Cheng Yu''s side. She had gained thousands of new followers in the last few days. She rarely posted pictures of herself and instead posted her paintings or snippets and fan arts of her comics. However, when she started dating Cedric, she had posted a picture of their intertwined hands and added the caption "I didn''t think I would ever fall in love until I met you."


    The post had not garnered much attention before but was suddenly flooded with comments full of tears and heartbreak emojis from the guys. There were even some who jokingly asked when the two of them would break up and whether they would have a chance.


    Cedric was infuriated. What did they mean ''break up''? feeling aggrieved, he rushed to Cheng Yu at lunch break and complained about it sadly. "Yu, you are not allowed to fall in love with other guys."


    Cheng Yu laughed at his childish demeanor. Even so, she caressed his face lovingly. "Of course not. I only like you."


    Luna was suddenly stuffed with this display of affection. She couldn''t believe that rumor portrayed Cedric as a tyrannical young master. Indeed, one should never trust rumors. She stood up and reminded Cheng Yu, "We need to create official social media accounts for the company. Let the authors create their own accounts too." After this influx in popularity, there would be more new users on the comic app, and the authors would gain new fans.


    Cheng Yu nodded. "I''ll do that right away. About the requests to release the game sooner¡­"


    Luna smiled wickedly. "Delay it by two weeks."


    Cheng Yu did not immediately comprehend what she was trying to do but Cedric was awed. "You don''t want them to get what they want too easily?"


    Luna nodded. "If it seems too easy, there is nothing special about it. They will forget all about the game after just a day or two of playing."


    There were new games on the market every other day, so she did not hope that Demons Vs Gods would be so addictive that the users would play it forever. However, she hoped that they would not get bored of it too soon.


    Cheng Yu thought about it and felt nervous too. But then again, there would be new users so it wouldn''t be the end of it if the old ones got bored.


    Luna let the love birds spend some time together and went to give Lanni a call. She invited her out for dinner to thank her.


    Meanwhile, Lanni was summoned by the CEO soon after the call ended.


    The man didn''t look pleased. "By switching the host in the middle of an interview, do you realize the effect that had on TY Media?"


    Lanni sighed softly. "I''m sorry. However, the effect would have been much worse if the guests really walked out."


    CEO Qian looked up at the young girl in contemplation. "The point is, by doing that, you basically admitted that we are the only ones at fault."


    Lanni was not intimidated by his gaze. "But that''s the case. He was slandering the guests and if they really walked out, who knows what nonsense he would have spread." She was at fault for not switching out the host as soon as she sensed something wrong with him, and the host was at fault for trying to pick on a guest.


    The CEO could not refute her words. Even so, his eyes were still full of questions. "I still think you made such a decision and fired him mainly because of your sister."


    Lanni''s eyes flickered. Although she was not being reprimanded for it, she had to admit that if the host was picking on someone else, she would not be as angry as she was. She took a deep breath and admitted it. "CEO, I''m sorry if my decision had a negative impact on the company. However, I really couldn''t watch my sister, brother-in-law and best friend get bullied and do nothing about it. If I cannot even protect the people I care about, then what''s my use in this world?" Her words were unhurried, firm yet not rude.


    "I do not wish to choose between the company''s reputation and my family''s reputation. But if I really have to choose, then I would choose my family."


    The man said nothing but his eyes dimmed slightly.


    If I really have to choose, I would choose my family.


    This little girl probably knew nothing about the impact of her words.


    He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and probed, "What if I ask you to issue a public apology for your actions?"


    Lanni frowned slightly. "That would equate to me insinuating that Luna was not being slandered, that she was putting on airs and that there was nothing wrong with what Wang asked." Wang was the name of the male host who had been kicked out.


    The CEO looked at her with a slightly raised eyebrow, making his point clear. His implication was clear. He was putting her at a tight spot.


    Although no one was talking about it, TY Media had lost its trust in the eyes of the public since Wang was their employee after all. The effect was only alleviated by the fact that Ava was such a darling that the public liked her. Even so, their official website had received comments of disapproval.


    thinking about it briefly, she decided to be honest. "I would rather quit."


    She would rather quit¡­ CEO Qian studied the girl for a while.


    Could it be that women were more inclined towards caring for their loved ones? She was so determined that she didn''t seem to care that the company might drag her name in the mud if she did not yield.


    Of course, he was neither planning to fire her nor soil her reputation. The question was merely meant for testing her. He simply wanted to know whether she was the type of person who would give up her career for love.


    Lanni waited anxiously and started wondering whether she had said anything wrong. The man finally asked, "You have a boyfriend, right?"


    "Yes." She looked at him curiously. What was with this unrelated question?


    He paused for a moment then asked, "What would you do if he gave you up for his career?


    If¡­ he had a one in a lifetime opportunity but he could not pursue it because of your relationship, what would you want him to do?"


    Lanni found the question strange but she shook her head. "I don''t know. Realistically, I don''t think he would ever leave me even at gunpoint. But hypothetically speaking, I would be sad if he left¡­ But I would not stand in the way of his decisions."


    "I might really be a jerk."


    Silence engulfed the room for an unknown amount of time. Just as Lanni wondered whether she should leave, the man suddenly changed the topic. "I''ll send you some study cases and tests. You can do them during your free time and let me assess your capabilities."


    He had offered to train Lanni before so this was a normal task. She nodded. "Okay.." She wanted to say something but in the end, she decided to mind her own business.

 Chapter 410 - Ticking Time Bomb

    Leaving the CEO''s office, Lanni could not comprehend what she was feeling. She got a cup of coffee to calm her nerves before getting back to work.


    In the evening, she went to The Star restaurant where Luna was already waiting. However, she was not on her own. At the table next to theirs, Cheng Yu and Cedric were exchanging infatuated smiles.


    "It''s a coincidence that Xiao Yu and her guy decided to have dinner here as well." Luna explained as Lanni sat down. It was not unexpected. After all, The Star Restuarant was widely known for its calm and romantic ambience. It was practically heaven for young couples and Cedric and Cheng Yu were no different. To be close to their friends but still have their own private conversations, they had chosen the that was just a few feet away from theirs.


    "I''m hungry. Have you placed the orders yet?" Lanni''s stomach grumbled just as she spoke.


    "I ordered crab for you. I heard that this restaurant has the best sea food in town." Luna responded, Sighing at the fact that she could no longer eat sea food. It always made her lose her appetite no matter how delicious it tasted.


    Lanni laughed and patted her head. "Don''t worry. Once my nephew/niece is born, I will take you to eat all the sea food in the world."


    Luna swatted her hand away in disdain. "How is work? You look tired."


    "Hanging in there." She was having trouble keeping up. She had started as a chief editor as soon as she joined the company. The work load would be unbearable if it increased in the slightest. Of course she would be tired. She was not a superhuman, after all. However, she was not about to give up. She believed that she would get used to it after some time.


    Their food arrived; Lanni''s oven-roasted crab and Luna''s vegetable salad. Although it looked especially pleasing to the eye, it was all veggies and no meat. Lanni looked at the plate of her sister who disliked vegetables and looked aggrieved every time she ate them. She was puzzled. What puzzled her even more was that Luna dug in and looked like she was enjoying her meal.


    "Uh¡­"


    Was her nephew or niece a future vegetarian?


    "Don''t push yourself too hard." Luna lectured. In the next second, she turned her head sharply and looked around behind her.


    "What''s wrong?" Lanni followed her gaze and frowned when she saw nothing out of place.


    Luna retracted her gaze and squinted her eyes. "It''s nothing. I think I''m just being too sensitive." Even she couldn''t understand why she suddenly felt that something was ammiss. When she remembered how the gynecologist had mentioned that women were more sensitive when they were pregnant, she calmed down.


    Lanni thought about it and subconsciously placed a hand over her chest. Why was her heart racing? Was it because her sister was uneasy so it had startled her?


    "Lanni, that¡­" Cheng Yu suddenly looked in the sisters'' direction.


    They looked over in unison, their faces equally anxious. Even the way they raised their left eyebrows to probe was identical.


    Cheng Yu laughed and shook her head. "It''s nothing."


    Her turned to continue eating. Just now, she had seen Xia Hanchen with a woman, hugging intimately. Her first reaction was to gasp in shock and call for Lanni''s attention. But as soon as she called Lanni, she realized how silly she was being.


    Why was she making a fuss out of nothing? If Xia Hanchen was with a woman, it could be Li Yuming. She had not seen the woman''s face but she shouldn''t be a young woman based on her style. Not only that, she also had the same hair color which should be about the same length as Li Yuming''s.


    If the sisters were to see their parents together, they might be too excited about the possibility of their family reuniting. However, what if things were not the way they appeared? She had not seen the woman''s face after all. Perhaps she was someone else.


    Of course, she would not judge Xia Hanchen if he were to get together with another woman since he and Li Yuming were long divorced. It would just be a shock, and it was probably better if Xia Hanchen was the one to tell his daughters about his relationship.


    Obviously, Cheng Yu did not realize that Xia Hanchen had noticed his daughters and that he had hugged the woman to conceal her identity. He had also retreated behind a pillar. It was almost as if¡­ there was something to hide.


    ¡­.


    "Lanni, are the Yuns troubling you?" Luna changed the topic when she realized that Cheng Yu was no longer going to talk.


    The latter shook her head. "Do they dare?"


    She had been trying to be polite but kept her distance from them. It was not sure what Uncle Yun was thinking, he had stopped trying to find trouble with her. He was even friendlier to her. Either way, Lanni wanted to stay out of trouble so she did not bother about him. She had a more important matter bugging her at the moment.


    ¡­


    After finishing dinner, she waited for the Jiang family''s chauffeur to pick Luna up before she went to Xiehan''s place.


    The man was in the study, paper carelessly strewn on his desk.


    She waked forward and gently asked, "You didn''t find anything?"


    If he did, he would not look this distressed.


    He shook his head and grabbed her hand, yanking her into his arms. His heart raced and she couldn''t help tousling his soft hair gently. She then made herself comfortable on his lap and took up a piece of the strewn paper.


    Xiehan was investigating the matter regarding Ruby''s past. He had managed to prove that indeed, Ruby had mysteriously appeared in the hospital where Neil Chan''s baby was born. However, there was nothing strange that happened in the hospital where Ji Feifei was born.


    To put it simply, the culprit must have found a baby from a different hospital so it would be untraceable even if anyone ever had suspicions. However, what was the motive of doing such a thing?


    "Ji Feifei should be a pawn that should be used for the other party''s benefit. That is why they have supported her for so long." Xiehan analyzed.


    Lanni thought about it. "People usually plant moles in the form of employees or spouses. This is the first time I''m hearing of someone planting a child¡­it takes long for the child to grow up into someone who can be of use. This means, the other party was not in a hurry to execute their plan."


    The man''s arms tightened around her. "But then, she is an adult now. It''s a ticking time bomb."


    They both silently wondered whether the other party not helping Ji Feifei out of prison was part of their grand plan.


    The main point was, "For one to plan a scheme for more than twenty years¡­ Just who did the Ji family offend in the past?"


    "That''s what I''ve been trying to investigate." He glanced at the documents on the large desk. Knowing that he might miss a detail, he had searched on every single detail related to the Ji family before Ji Feifei''s birth. He had even investigated Ji Feifei, hoping that he would find a clue regarding the mysterious supporter. However, both searches were futile.


    He let Lanni go through the tiny snippets of information that he had found. Perhaps, from a third party''s point of view, she might discover something that he might have missed thanks to his anxiety.


    She calmly read through them word by word and frowned when she saw a printed picture of a letter. She pointed at it. "This is?"


    "It was in the Old Ji Mansion''s library. It''s old and almost unreadable so I took a picture and printed it, but I don''t know what language that is." He had had people search for one of the phrases and to his dismay, it wasn''t any of the known languages on earth. It was almost as if it was a random combination of characters. However, it was letter. Which went to say that it was an existent language.


    Lanni scanned it for a while. Something flashed through her mind but she was unable to grasp it before it faded away.


    Xiehan noticed the change in her expression and sighed. "Forget it. I thought it could be a lead but it''s useless if we cannot understand it. We have other leads; Ji Feifei is a major lead."


    "I''ve seen this before." She gasped.


    "What?" He leaned over and looked at what her finger was touching. At the end of the letter, there was something after the initials and signature. It looked like a logo of sorts, but the character was incomprehensible. He had thought that it was a strange signature.


    Lanni looked up. "Do you have the original letter?"

 Chapter 411 - The Recipient

    "It''s still in the library of the Old Ji Mansion."


    Lanni thought about it and suggested, "Let''s go and have dinner with your parents tomorrow."


    Her intention was obvious, and it had been long since his parents saw her. Naturally, they would be jubilant.


    Hence, the following day, Xiehan picked her up from work and they went to the Ji Mansion together.


    That evening, Xiehan and Lanni were not the only guests.


    Uncle Yun had wanted to catch up with Ji Huifen so he dragged his wife along. Since they were Xiehan''s parents after all, Ji Meiling put behind their conflicts and agreed to dine with them.


    However, neither Ji Meiling nor Wen Lin was comfortable with each other''s presence. It was not unexpected. Back then, a battle had threatened to break out when Ji Meiling insisted that she would take his nephew back with her. She had almost fallen out with her brother as well, and it was only when their late mother intervened that she was able to take Xiehan away. As a result, she and Wen Lin no longer saw eye to eye.


    To prevent the awkwardness, Ji Huifen talked about Xiehan¡ªa common topic for all of them.


    "You rarely bring my daughter-in-law back. Are you trying to make sure I''m bored to death?" Wen Lin complained unhappily.


    Xiehan grinned. "Isn''t she here now?"


    The woman was not pacified. "Who knows how long it will take for you to think about me again."


    Ji Huifen butted in, "How about the two of you have a baby?"


    Lanni choked on the water she was drinking while Xiehan coughed. "Father¡­"


    "If the two of you are too busy, we can help you take care of him." He offered.


    Before the couple could respond, Ji Meiling interrupted. "No way! Can you take care of a child?"


    Everyone was shocked by her words, but she didn''t think she had said anything wrong. She glanced at her brother and her sister-in-law. "If you cannot even take care of your own child, how will you be able to take care of someone else''s baby?"


    "Ji Meiling!" Wen Lin roared.


    Ji Meiling glanced at her indifferently. "Am I lying? Even after your son was taken away, you did not learn your lesson. How did you bring up your daughter?"


    Wen Lin was so angry that she wanted to rip the other woman into pieces. "It is not up to you how I bring my children!"


    "Of course. It is up to society." Ji Meiling scoffed. "Your daughter turned out as a criminal. It''s not you who is going to suffer but the people she schemes against. And whose fault is that if not yours?"


    Ji Huifen felt a headache coming on. "Meiling, that''s enough."


    "No it''s not. She will never acknowledge her mistakes if no one points it out. Let me ask this, since Ji Feifei was imprisoned, have you ever visited her as her mother?"


    She didn''t need to ask. With Wen Lin''s personality, the response was predictable.


    She shook her head and turned to her brother. "I guess you didn''t visit her either? Do you realize that some people turn into criminals just because they lack parental love? I''m not saying that Feifei is not in the wrong, but as her parents, how can you completely abandon her? Are you even human?


    Are you going to pretentiously claim that you were afraid that you would be lenient if you saw her miserable state?" She read their minds with a sneer. "If you cannot bear to punish your child for committing such grave crimes, how do you qualify to be parents?"


    Ji Huifen and his wife were ashamed of her words. Although she was harsh, none of what she said was false. They had already failed to fulfill their responsibility and Ji Feifei turned out the way she did. They didn''t even realize the kind of person their daughter was until she hurt many innocent girls. After that, they should have paid more attention to her, but it had been months since they last saw her.


    At the side, Lanni rubbed Xiehan''s hand under the table. She knew that he was conflicted. On one side was his biological parents who loved him. On the other side was his aunt and uncle, who had loved and taken care of him like their own son for years. It was no different from being caught in between two mothers, both of whom he loved. It was hard to speak without seeming like he was taking sides.


    Luckily, Ji Meiling calmed down after stating all the things that had been pent up in her heart for years.


    After dinner, the Yun couple went back to Xiehan''s mansion while Lanni and Xiehan decided to stay over for the night.


    In Xiehan''s room, Lanni studied her boyfriend as he tempered with the surveillance cameras on the corridors. "Are we really going to sneak around? We can just tell your parents the truth¡­?"


    The man paused his movements and shook his head.


    She instantly understood. "You want to tell them the truth when everything is clear?"


    He nodded. "That, and the fact that everyone is currently a suspect."


    Of course, it would not make any sense for Ji Huifen or Wen Lin to switch their own child and scheme against their own family. However, the more people found out about this matter, the higher the chances would be for the mysterious supporter to find out their whereabouts. Most importantly, he did not wish for anyone else to live in fear.


    Lanni nodded at his reasoning and waited for his signal. When he was done, he led her to the library, which was on the fourth floor. It occupied the entire floor and although it had three entrances, it was continuous.


    She was awed. "How huge."


    With a library this big, it was impossible for one to be unable to find any kind of books. She didn''t realize before that there was anyone in the Ji family with this kind of hobby.


    As though reading her mind, he explained, "It was my grandpa''s. He had strictly forbidden anyone from coming to the fourth floor. Although he is no longer with us, the family still follows this rule."


    Lanni nodded in understanding. "No wonder they were sneaking in."


    It was like a whole other dimension with antique shelves filled with endless books. On the walls were beautiful landscape paintings, some of which she had only heard of but never seen in real life. There was even a century-old painting which was said to have been the masterpiece of Cedric''s great great grandfather, who was a legend of his era.


    She held back her interest in art pieces and looked around for more relevant things. Xiehan retrieved the old letter and gave it to her.


    It was clearer now that she was holding the original version. She looked through the browned, dog-eared letter and directly went for the sign she had thought was familiar.


    However, it was as though her brain was locked. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn''t seem to remember where she saw it.


    The only thing she could think of at the moment was, "Is the matter related to your grandpa? He must have been the recipient of this letter, after all."


    The man looked at her from the book he was going through. "That'' s possible. However, he was not the only one who accessed this library."


    "He is not?" Lanni was puzzled. Since there was a rule, why would anyone else access it?


    The man shook his head. "There is a fingerprint lock on all the doors. No one can come in even if they want to. We only accessed it because I cracked it earlier."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. "Fingerprint sensors didn''t exist twenty years ago."


    She finally understood why he thought that someone else had access to the library. It could be whoever installed the fingerprint lock.


    "I''m certain that it was definitely not my grandma either. She had no interest in art. But that¡­" He pointed at a painting of a mountain on the wall. "That''s your mother''s. I saw her painting it stroke by stroke when I was a kid. However, my grandpa was no longer with us. So, I suspect that my dad has been coming here. The letter must be addressed to him and he must have kept it here so no one would ever find it."


    "It may have some important information." She speculated. If not, then Ji Huifen would have torn or burnt it. He would not keep it in a place where it was still possible to retrieve it.


    The man was looking out through the window, his blue eyes deep with emotion.


    She carefully suggested, "I have an idea. If I recognize this sign, then there must be someone close to me who has seen it before."


    Before he could remind her, she smiled. "I will not explain it to anyone. I will just let them coincidentally see it."


    He doubted that it would work, but it was better than a dead end. "Go ahead."


    Receiving his permission, she made a call on the spot. "Hello, is this EFW? I would like to order a custom-made brac elet."


    Xiehan smiled when he heard her.. How smart.

 Chapter 412 - Twilight

    After giving the details of the kind of bracelet she wanted, Lanni sent a picture and asked for the strange sign to be embedded onto it. After that, she smiled. "Now, all I have to do is wear the bracelet often. If anyone has seen the sign before, they will definitely ask about it."


    Xiehan thought about her method speechlesly. Although it was slow, it was much better than randomly asking everyone if they had seen it before. The latter method would only work if they were willing to explain everything, which was not the best thing to do at the moment.


    "Meanwhile, I will help Ji Feifei get out of prison." He declared out of the blue.


    She looked up at him in shock. "Since when did you become such a loving brother? Unless you¡­"


    "It''s hard to investigate her when she is not in my line of sight. The only way to keep watch is to keep her within my radius. Don''t worry, I will not let her do anything out of line." The latter statement was a reassurance to her. They both knew the kind of feelings Ji Feifei harbored for him.


    Lanni withdrew her gaze. "I know. I''m not worried about that."


    He closed in on her and raised her chin. "Really? But you are giving me that look."


    She closed her eyes for a second. "I''m just¡­ nervous."


    She was afraid of what might happen if they failed to find out the truth and retaliate in time. Would Xiehan be in danger?


    Understanding what she was worried about, he pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back soothingly. "It''s okay. I will not be in danger."


    Reassured, she nodded and leaned against his chest.


    "Let''s get out of here." Now that they knew that Ji Huifen could access the library, it meant that their presence could be discovered. She nodded and took a picture of a painting on their way out.


    After leaving the library, he wiped out all traces of their presence before they went to sleep.


    In the next few days, no one noticed a thing about Lanni''s bracelet. It was just as expected. She simply hoped that there was someone who would recognize it, but she was not entirely sure about it. Although she was not too hopeful, she was still disappointed.


    However, something else happened and caused a stir online.


    It was not sure who started it, but a bunch of youngsters started cursing Luna online.


    [So what if she is a genius? She is merely a school dropout.]


    [She has the audacity to say it in an interview. She even sounded like she was proud of it. Urgh¡­ I''m so disgusted.]


    There were even a few ''mothers'' who spoke up.


    [A business interview is supposed to be inspirational and encouraging. By publicising a school dropout with poor moral values, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to tell youngsters that they should follow her bad example?]


    [She is pregnant at such a tender age. Girls her age should be focusing on their education! How immoral!]


    [I heard young master Jiang was initially engaged to another girl but she seduced him and blackmailed him with a baby, so he had to break up and get engaged to her instead. So vicious at a young age!]


    [Who knows if the baby is really Jiang Xingyu''s? Such shameless women can do anything to marry into wealthy families. The Xia family isn''t doing that well anymore, anyway.]


    Lanni was infuriated when she read these comments. Someone was tired of living. From the focus of these comments, it was obvious that someone had started the thread with a malicious intent, and that person was also controlling the comments. There was no single person who had stood up for Luna. Or perhaps, there may be a few, but their comments must have been deleted.


    What was more puzzling was that Luna had not deleted the post. She could do that in seconds. However, it was a good thing that she hadn''t. It would be better to find out who the thread starter was.


    While Lanni looked through the information, the site suddenly closed down. She was about to conclude that Xiehan or Luna was at work when she realized that it was not hacked. It was just a new comment and it had shot to popularity so fast that the website almost couldn''t stand the influx of new replies and likes.


    She checked it curiously and found that it was a new comment by a user called [Twilight05.]


    [One look and it''s clear that this thread is full of brainless fools.


    So what if a girl did not complete her college studies? Does that make her less respectable? Did you try to find out why she could not go on? Let''s not mention the unfortunate circumstances that can force a student out of school. Of course, a genius of her level does not need school. It''s degrading to her IQ to be in the same class as ordinary people.


    Immoral? Seduced an engaged man? Get your brain checked. The whole world knows that she is his first girlfriend. don''t yap nonsense or we will start to think that she ruined your daughters'' chances of being with such an outstanding man. Also, she is an adult. It''s up to her when she wants to have kids. What does it have to do with you, is she carrying your baby?


    Latched onto a powerful man? Please. Does Li Yuming''s daughter need to marry into wealth?


    I hope your daughters are trolled and harassed. See if you still dare to point fingers at an innocent young woman.]


    Lanni was stunned when she read the post. She read it several times over, and repeated the third phrase about ten times. Does Li Yuming''s daughter need to marry into wealth? Li Yuming''s daughter?


    She was not surprised that someone would term Luna as Li Yuming''s daughter, since many people now knew that they were sisters. What shocked her was that¡­ Twilight05 was Li Yuming''s pen name!


    She would have thought that it was probably a fan of Li Yuming''s who had used the same nickname to match their idol, but when she saw the explosive reaction from Li Yuming''s fans, she knew that this was really her mother''s account.


    Why would she speak up for Luna? She even acknowledged their mother-daughter relationship!


    She smiled and directly called Li Yuming to ask about it.


    In the end, the latter''s response made her regret asking.


    "Everyone knows that she is your sister. If her reputation is tarnished, you will be dragged in the mud along with her. The rumors might affect me too, I''m only doing it for us."


    Lanni sighed and hung up. She had long accepted that it was a lost cause.


    On the bright side, the tide had changed following Li Yuming''s comment. There were new comments expressing their support.


    [School dropout or not, I love Little Moon! Ps: I''m still waiting for "Demons Vs Gods".]


    [What insane nonsense! All you haters are just jealous of Luna. Don''t make me start listing all the geniuses and tycoons who did not graduate from high school.]


    [Twilight is right. The thread starter must be bitter because their daughter was rejected by Xingyu.]


    In the end, the thread was reported by many users so it was deleted. However, it proved a point. Someone was trying to target Luna.


    Could it be a competitor who wanted to strike her down before Moonlight Studios got too famous? Was it someone who was seeking revenge for a personal grudge?


    Just as she thought about it, a new piece of news popped up from Moonlight Studios'' official website. "Demons Vs Gods" had been released!


    Excited, she finished her work at lightning speed and prepared to install it. There was a mobile version as well as a computer version, so she installed it both on her phone and her laptop. It was lunch hour so no one would mind her playing in her office.


    She was stunned when she looked the game up. Tens of thousands of downloads in just a few hours? Just how many people were waiting for this game? It seemed like they would save up a lot on marketing.


    Thinking about this, she installed the game and created an account.


    The game was romance-action themed and suited both men and women. There were two modes; story mode and battle mode. The story mode was no different from a simulation, where one would create their own character and ''live'' the tale of the game.


    In battle mode, one would choose their type of character which could be a demon, a human or a god. They could be a solo fighter or form teams, but one could only team up with their own kind. Every few hours, an anonymous treasure chest would be released. The players had to fight their way to the source and find it, then safely return to their own camp. Points were awarded for every hit and kill, and the treasure would usually contain experience points, diamonds or weapons which would be shared among the members of the team who got it.. Of course, a team was allowed to ''steal'' the trea sure chest from another team before it was opened.

 Chapter 413 - The Moons Only Star

    After thinking about it, she decided to be a demonness. It was impossible to change a character unless one created another account. The advantage of being an immortal was that after attaining a certain level, one would no longer need to borrow power from the in-game immortals during battles. They would gain their own power.


    She was surprised to find that there was already a fierce battle going on. A treasure chest had been announced a few minutes ago. Although a team of humans had been the ones to find it, it was currently in the hands of demons, and was at risk of being snatched away by goddesses.


    She laughed and created a username, then sent a message to the game.


    [Does anyone need a teammate?]


    Almost instantly, two demonnesses and a demon were beside her. It was a full team so they joined in the battle.


    However, since they were all new to the game, they were struck down before they could even move a few steps. After restarting a few times, they were more used to the game, so they played for longer.


    The game chatroom was blowing with activity as several players earned enough experience points to rank highly on the leader board. Their usernames made one speechless.


    [I rule the leaderboard. Bite me.]


    Lanni burst into laughter. Why did that arrogant name sound like something Lin Jian would choose?


    There were crazier ones like [Grandmaster of leaderboard legends] and [The moon''s little star.]


    When Lanni saw the top player''s name, she couldn''t hold back her laughter. [The moon''s ONLY star]. When she saw that [the moon''s little star] had disappeared, it couldn''t be any more obvious. Xingyu had just gotten rid of a rival and declared dominance while at it.


    The jealous man even sent a message into the game.


    [The Moon''s ONLY star: Luna is mine!] The message was obvious. One could use Luna''s name if they wished, but that was only if they were tired of living.


    After that, he fought battles in a row and managed to snag the top position on the leaderboard. As if competing with him, [I rule the leaderboard. Bite me.] made sure to come second, proving that he was indeed Lin Jian. It made one wonder just how idle these CEOs were. Didn''t they usually have countless meetings to attend every day?


    ¡­


    The feedback for the game was excellent. It was almost as though everyone was playing and enjoying it. Within the first day, it was clear that "Demons Vs Gods" was going to be popular.


    In the evening when Xiehan picked her up, Lanni asked whether he was playing the game too. In the end, she was baffled at his username. [L''homme du soleil]? What did that even mean? She knew that it must be a French term but she didn''t understand what it meant.


    She looked up at him curiously.


    Grinning flirtatuously, he leaned over and explained, "Your in-game username is "Little sun."


    "Yeah¡­so?" She was still confused. She had only decided on this nickname because she saw her sister''s "Little moon".


    He glanced at her like she was slow-witted. "If Xingyu''s name is "The moon''s only star, what is mine?"


    "The sun''s star? No, that doesn''t make any sense. The sun''s¡­ man?" She guessed as her heart picked up its pace. When she saw him nodding, her cheeks flushed. Why was her man so cute?


    "Did anyone ask about the bracelet?" He asked as he sped along the highway.


    She sighed in disappointment and shook her head. "I''m still convinced that someone will."


    He looked at her but didn''t say anything that might dim her hope. He was currently making arrangements for Ji Feifei to be set free.


    "Can you drop me off at my dad''s villa? He called me over for dinner."


    He nodded and switched the lane at a roundabout.


    ¡­


    Xia Hanchen was overjoyed when Lanni walked in while holding Xiehan''s hand. He had called his daughters over for dinner and did not expect that not only would they both come, but they would bring his sons-in-law while at it.


    "Come in!" He jovially led them to the living room.


    Xingyu frowned when he saw his friend. "You traitor. So this is what you have been doing!"


    "What have I done?" Xiehan was puzzled as he sat on the couch with Lanni beside him.


    Xingyu looked like he had been dealt a blow. "You pretended to be busy recently when you have been secretly coming over to spend time with our father-in-law. Do you think you will become the favorite son-in-law by doing that?"


    "Uh¡­" Lanni was speechless. That was a thing too?


    Xiehan ignored his grumbling friend and started catching up with Xia Hanchen. Of course, he wanted to be in his father-in-law''s good books. If not, would Xia Hanchen trust him to take care of his precious daughter?


    Because both of his darlings were home, Xia Hanchen was excited. "I''ll make dinner for¡­"


    "No, don''t!" Luna yelled reflexively, startling the three of them. When she saw their baffled looks, she giggled with a hand over her mouth. "If he cooks for us, we will know that he is happy because his daughters and sons-in-law are back. However, those who don''t know will think that he is angry and doling out revenge."


    The three of them finally understood. So, he didn''t know how to cook.


    "Why don''t I cook? It''s been long since I cooked." Xiehan rolled his sleeves and stood up.


    Seeing him, Xingyu frowned bitterly. He was doing it on purpose! He was sure that Xiehan had been spending a lot of time cooking for Lanni and his skills must have improved by leaps and bounds. He was going to use this chance to please Xia Hanchen!


    What a coincidence, he had been cooking for Luna too. He would definitely outshine him. He rolled his sleeves too. "I''ll go too."


    Xia Hanchen laughed at their dramatics. "The three of you stay here and munch on snacks. I''ll show the guys around the kitchen."


    Luna chuckled at the show that was about to unfold. "They''re so childish."


    Lanni laughed and made herself comfortable, then tied her hair into a bun so it would not be a bother. When she raised her hand, her bracelet came into clear view. Luna saw it and was a little surprised. "How pretty! Is this from EFW? Is it custom-made?"


    Lanni smiled and looked at her. "Yes it is, but how would you know?"


    "Just a guess. It''s the brand you like most and you prefer bespoke pieces." She took Lanni''s hand and examined it. "It''s so unique and¡­"


    The word "beautiful" hung on her lips.


    Lanni saw her puzzled expression and felt tensed for some reason. "Luna, is something wrong?"


    "Of course something is wrong! How could you and dad get father-daughter jewelry and not include me?"


    "Huh? Father-daughter jewelry? What are you talking about?" Lanni was baffled.


    "Is it a coincidence?" Luna mumbled softly, looking relieved. "Makes sense. You cannot get different pieces of the same set so many years apart. Is it just a coincidence?"


    Seeing her sister''s shocked look, she explained, "Dad had a watch when we were young. I remember it because it was his most treasured watch. On its face, there was this sign." She pointed at the strange sign on Lanni''s bracelet. "However, I don''t see him wearing it anymore. It must have gotten too aged or perhaps, it''s ruined."


    Though the latter was almost impossible based on the quality of the watch.


    Lanni was puzzled when she heard her sister''s words. It turned out, it was her father''s watch. Could it be that she had seen that watch before, and that was why she found the sign familiar?


    Although it didn''t sound very plausible, it was the only clue she currently had.


    Under the guise of going to drink water, she found her dad in the kitchen and casually asked, "Dad, I remember you had a treasured watch before. I don''t see it anymore."


    Xia Hanchen was visibly stunned, but he laughed. "Are you trying to make me give it to you? Sorry, it was a gift from a friend. I wouldn''t let you have it."


    "Friend¡­what friend?"


    While Xiehan and Xingyu were busy preparing ingredients to cook, he responded with an indifferent smile. "Flynn''s father."


    "Wait, what? You know his¡­" She shook her head. "No, the point is, Flynn is an orphan." Or at least that was what he had claimed before.


    Xia Hanchen raised an eyebrow. "Is that what he told you? Turns out he doesn''t trust you too much."


    "Dad¡­" She complained.


    He sighed. "Since he didn''t tell you, it''s not in my place to mention it. Anyway, after spending some time with him, I found out that his dad is actually someone I''m very familiar with."


    Lanni nodded and didn''t ask anymore. At least she had a clearer clue now. Flynn''s father would definitely have a clue. Perhaps, he even knew the meaning of the words on the letter.


    Trying to push her luck, she raised her bracelet to him and asked, "Do you know what this means?"


    Xia Hanchen was a little puzzled. However, it was not time to ask questions yet, so he merely responded, "This is a signature.. Flynn''s father''s.

 Chapter 414 - Its Mine

    Lanni sunk into thought. Should she ask about Flynn''s father? However, it may arouse too much suspicion and she was not ready to explain yet, so she decided to let it be. She would investigate it later.


    "I think it''s my turn to ask questions now." Xia Hanchen smiled and left the kitchen.


    Exchanging glances with Xiehan who had been secretly listening, she followed him out. He turned as though to confirm whether she was following him and asked, "Why are you so curious about my watch? Also, why did you make a similar bracelet?"


    "Uh¡­ I just liked it." It wouldn''t turn out to have some strange meaning, right? She felt that her father''s gaze was weird. What if it turned out to be the sign of some forbidden organization, and she had claimed herself as part of it by wearing this bracelet?


    She laughed at her own exaggerated thoughts. If it was related to some organization, her father would have definitely known about it, and he would warn her.


    When he heard his response, he nodded and said nothing more about it. Even so, he tapped her shoulder slightly. "Even though Flynn is your friend and his father was a good friend of mine, the agency he is affaliated with is not one you can fool around with. Don''t go poking your nose where it does not belong."


    "I will not ask him anything." She was embarassed that her intention had been discovered so easily. It was only natural that Xia Hanchen was against her having anything to do with Galaxis, considering what they had done to them before.


    Hearing her response, he patted her head in satisfaction. As they talked, they arrived in the living room where Luna was going through a beauty magazine leisurely.


    The guys soon finished cooking and set the dining table with a lavish spread of dishes. The aroma of the attractive-looking dishes was so alluring that their stomachs grumbled.


    Xia Hanchen nodded in satisfaction when he tasted the dishes. Of course, aristocratic families usually had servants and chefs. However, he knew that most women would be pleased if their men personally cooked for them. When he saw each of them fondly serving dishes for the girls, He was pleased knowing that his daughters would be in the hands of men who genuinely cared for them.


    He watched the peaceful atmosphere and asked, "Lanni, have you ever thought of changing your surname?"


    Lanni paused in her movements. "Huh?"


    Not just Lanni, the other three at the table were shocked too. They instantly understood what Xia Hanchen meant, but they were so taken aback that it felt as though they could not comprehend a word.


    "Your surname was originally Xia. You are a daughter of the Xia family. Would you like to change your surname back to what it should be?" He asked again, explaining it more clearly this time.


    "Well¡­" Lanni was so stunned that she couldn''t say a word. While she did know that her surname was originally Xia, she had never thought too much about it. She was perplexed now that he mentioned it.


    "I will let you think about it." Xia Hanchen eased into a smile.


    "No, dad. I¡­" Lanni knew that it would only be more difficult if she let it drag on, so she immediately shook her head. "I can''t. I''m sorry."


    Although she liked the fact that she had reunited with her dad, she didn''t want to completely ruin her relationship with her mother and changing her surname might do just that. Her mother had doted on her for so long after all. Even though there were things they did not agree on lately, it would be unfair to do something that might hurt her feelings even further.


    "I understand." Xia Hanchen was visibly disappointed but he did not push it in fear of making his princess unhappy.


    A long pause of silence followed. Luna spoke up to ease the atmosphere, "Lanni, do you mind accompanying me to the gynecologist tomorrow?"


    Xingyu was baffled. "But we were¡­"


    "I remember, your assistant mentioned something about you having to attend an emergency meeting in City H tomorrow?" Luna interrupted with a glare.


    "Yes." Xingyu swallowed his grief and watched from the sidelines as his sister-in-law snatched what was initially his role.


    "I''ll take the day off tomorrow." Lanni took out her phone to send an email to her boss. Since she had never taken a day off work before, and since she had always been efficient, she would be granted one easily.


    "At what time is your appointment? We can go to shop for some toys after leaving the hospital." Lanni suggested. She had a feeling that Luna wanted to talk about something else as well.


    However, Luna shook her head. "I cannot take the whole day off. Moonlight Studios is still in its¡­"


    Before she could complete her statement, Xingyu gave her a stern look. "Are you trying to overwork yourself again? Have you forgotten your main role?"


    She was startled by his tone, then her eyes drooped. "I won''t do it again¡­"


    Seeing her pitiful demeanor, he was unable to continue scolding her so he rubbed her head. "Just take tomorrow off, okay? I will help you handle matters at the company. Over the weekend, I will take you somewhere fun."


    "Really?" She brightened up and leaned against his arm.


    It was no longer surprising that Xingyu treated Luna like a little girl, even using such things as a trip to coax her. What was still shocking was that around Xingyu, Luna acted like any other girl who was deeply in love with her man. After watching this forceful display of affection, Xia Hanchen ft stuffed. After dinner, he insisted on having both of his daughters stay over for the night and shooed the sons-in-law off before they had a chance to retaliate.


    ¡­


    After watching a movie together, Xia Hanchen led his daughters to their room on the second floor. He pushed open a door leading to one of the three humongous rooms in the villa. It was styled simply with light yet refreshing tones and had two large, regal beds that were only a few feet apart.


    "I thought you would want to sleep in the same room. If not, one of you can go to the next room, they are identical." He explained as they walked in.


    "A sleepover doesn''t sound like a bad idea." Lanni bounced onto the bed on the left while Luna carefully sat beside her.


    "I don''t hate the idea too much either. I''ll just have to put up with her for the night." Luna looked like she was at a loss.


    "Hey! I''m the one putting up with you!" Lanni complained, though she knew that her sister was joking.


    "If so, then go to the other room."


    "Nope. I like this one better."


    "Then go to the other bed."


    "Nope. I like this one better. And I sat here first, so it''s mine."


    "I''m the elder sister, so it''s mine."


    At the door, Xia Hanchen burst into laughter, his lips curling in pride. This kind of scene should have happened years ago when the twins were still kids. However, they didn''t have time to grow up together, much less bicker over such petty things.


    He didn''t expect much but he had long prepared a room for them and had been waiting for the opportunity to let them stay together. Seeing them come to an agreement and decide to sleep on the same bed, he let out the breath he had been holding. It seemed like they really were in good terms. They were not acting it out for the sake of not worrying him.


    ___


    As soon as Xia Hanchen left, Luna glared daggers at her sister. "What have you been hiding from me?"


    Lanni froze. She knew that she couldn''t hide it forever. However, she really couldn''t talk about it. She was at a loss. "There''s nothing. I just¡­"


    "I see. I''ll go to sleep first then." Luna shrugged and turned off the bedside lamp, lying in bed.


    Lanni peeked at her using the faint, blue light from the colored floor lamp at a corner. "Are you mad at me?"


    Luna turned to her side and nodded in displeasure. "I know it when you are anxious, nervous, distressed and scared. I can feel it, you know. Yet, you won''t tell me what''s troubling you. You won''t let me help you. If I can''t help you, then what''s my use as a sister?


    Lanni was rendered speechless. She took a deep breath to still the rush of emotions. "Luna, it''s not that I don''t want to tell you about it. I just can''t¡­yet."


    Before the latter could retaliate, she added, "You have so many things to take care of now, and you are pregnant. I don''t want to selfishly put your life and that of the baby in danger. Besides, this matter is n ot directly related to me.. I''m just helping out."

 Chapter 415 - A Couple Made In Heaven

    Luna was unhappy about not being of any help but what Lanni said made sense. She could only nod unwillingly. "If there''s anything I can do to help, promise me that you''ll tell me about it."


    "I will." Lanni promised. In actual fact, there were things that would be much easier if they had Luna''s help. Even so, she didn''t want to involve her unless they had to.


    ___


    The following day, Xia Hanchen made breakfast for the girls. While they ate, he expressed his understanding regarding the previous day''s topic. "I know that you are scared that if you changed your surname, your mother would be sad. Perhaps she might even do something that might ruin your relationship. But Lanni, if she loves you, she should stop being so selfish. She should let you do what you want."


    Lanni paused in her movements and he continued, "It''s not just about this matter. Lanni, if you ever want to do anything but are afraid that she would not support you, I want you to know that daddy will always be on your side."


    Luna didn''t say anything to comment about it, since the relationship between her and Li Yuming was already so strained.


    Lanni couldn''t deny his words. She had to admit that Li Yuming was indeed a bit selfish at times. If not, they would never have had an argument about her career, she would not have made Lanni believe that she was an artist, and Lanni would not have to do a minor online course in the field that she wanted. Hence, she was glad that her father didn''t think the same way. "Thanks dad."


    Soon after breakfast, the girls made their way to the gynecological hospital.


    The report was out sooner than they thought, and Luna hugged it happily like it was her baby.


    Lanni smiled. The gynecologist had concluded that the baby was in good health, but she had reminded Luna to be more careful of her health and not work too hard.


    Lanni pulled her to a bench and sat her down before lecturing her. "Luna, aside from being the CEO of Moonlight Studio''s, you are also part of the software production team. Don''t forget that you are someone''s fianc¨¦e as well as a mother too. How can you take care of all these tasks on your own? You have to take breaks sometimes. Take care of yourself."


    Luna reclined onto her sister''s shoulder as she sighed. "You are starting to sound like Xingyu and auntie."


    Those two had been taking turns nagging her every other day. Jiang Xingren even wanted her to take a break from work for a few months.


    "If you don''t do what you should be doing, of course we will nag you." Lanni pinched her cheek.


    Luna was about to say something when she suddenly stopped and stared in a direction. "What is she doing here?"


    Lanni followed her gaze and when she saw Li Yuming, she was surprised too.


    At the same time, Li Yuming saw them and waved at them. They reflexively waved back, but still wondered why she was here.


    "The point is, this is a gynecological hospital." Luna was even more puzzled.


    Lanni shrugged. "Perhaps she is here for a friend?"


    Luna nodded at the speculation then stood up. "It''s not our business. Let''s go and shop around."


    Lanni stood up and cast one last glance in Li Yuming''s direction then followed her sister out of the hospital. No matter how strange it seemed, it was indeed not their business.


    Since Luna''s stomach was becoming more obvious, it was no longer comfortable for her to wear normal clothes. They went to a store selling baby clothes and clothes for expectant women.


    Luna tried on a few dresses before they went to the baby clothes'' section.


    Lanni held up a cute tiny white dress and felt her heart warm. "How adorable! It makes me almost want to have a baby."


    Luna laughed and teased her. "That''s not happening any time soon. Unless you are pregnant."


    Lanni rolled her eyes at her taunt. "I can''t be. Xiehan and I have always been careful."


    "Accidents might happen." She lowered her voice to tease her intentionally.


    In response, Lanni rolled her eyes and sighed. "Actually, I wouldn''t mind that kind of accident happening."


    Luna picked up a weird emotion in her tone. Why did she sigh so sadly? Was it because Xiehan was not ready? Though Lanni was probably not ready either. She was still a little too young after all.


    As usual, they bought unisex clothes and toys for the baby, then they decided to have lunch.


    ¡­


    Today, Lanni and Luna were not the only ones shopping around.


    Xiaoshi dragged Han Xichen around the mall and bought nothing in particular.


    Since they made Uncle Yun believe that they were in a relationship, they had to make it look real. Han Xichen had a day off today. Coincidentally, Luna had given the software department two days off as a reward for the excellent feedback that the game had received. Hence, he brought her out for shopping and they deliberately took several pictures while at it.


    The man''s hands were full of shopping bags of different sizes as they entered a jewelry store.


    As soon as they walked in, a middle-aged woman welcomed them with a sweet smile. "Hello, you look so beautiful together!"


    Xiaoshi blushed when she heard the compliment. Because they were shopping together, everyone thought of them as a couple and complemented them for looking good together.


    There was even a cute sales lady who recommended them a pair of couples bracelets and said that they were a couple made in heaven.


    Han Xichen was more used to it, he led her to the waiting couch like a good boyfriend and took out his phone to show the sales lady pictures of necklaces. "Do you have these necklaces?"


    "Yes. Give me a minute.." The sales lady went to bring them from the store.

 Chapter 416 - Betrayal Of The Heart

    "Is there anything else you would like?" He asked gently. His voice was soothing and alluring, make her heart feel like she was in a race.


    She shook her head with her cheeks flushing. "N-no."


    He nodded, then waited for the sales lady to bring the necklaces.


    Once they were brought, he held up a fiery red ruby necklace and placed it around her neck. "It looks so beautiful on you. It accentuates the color of your eyes."


    "Thank you." She touched the necklace as her eyes fluttered. They both knew that he was merely doing it to look like a real boyfriend. Why was she so flustered by his actions?


    The main point was, the man she loved was Xingyu. Why was she so flustered under another man''s fluttery? Why was her heart betraying her?


    His fingers brushed against her skin as he helped her try on the other necklaces. Each time, it was as though she had been struck by electricity. She had to keep reminding herself that they were faking it to remain sane.


    Intitially, she had wanted to try on a few official clothes too. However, she could no longer stand it. She was almost going insane.


    Of course, his complements about her beauty were true. His urge to give her all the treasures in the world was also true. He just didn''t know the kind of effect his gestures had on her.


    Or perhaps¡­he knew.


    He knew what would happen if he kept spending so much time with her. However, he was just being selfish. For some reason, he didn''t want to part ways with her, which would have been the most appropriate thing to do. In actual fact, they had agreed to put up an act for a month and then find a believable reason to break up. However, there was still two weeks left but he was already starting to feel reluctant.


    "Han¡­ Dr. Han, I want to go home." She declared after getting the jewelry packed.


    He looked at her curiously. "You don''t want to get a new perfume anymore?"


    She turned and widened her eyes in confusion as she looked at him. "How did you know that I wanted a new perfume?"


    "You''ve been glancing longingly at the store across the street." He pointed out at a store that belonged to a famous perfume brand.


    She inwardly gushed about how observant he was. Was there anything that missed his scrutiny? She shook her head when she thought about it. "That''s YX. It''s a century old brand and all their perfumes cost a fortune. I can''t afford it."


    For some strange reason, she couldn''t make excuses around him. It was as though each of his questions was hypnotic, she would tell him the truth even if she didn''t initially intend to do so. If she managed to lie, he would see right through her like a demon of sorts. Since she had already spilled the main idea, she shrugged and added, "I don''t want to use my parents'' money for everything. I plan to give myself a treat once I get my bonus income."


    He glanced at her as she spoke, sounding like a young lady who was trying to be independent. His lips curled upwards. "I could buy you one."


    She reflexively shook her head. "I don''t need it anymore. I already have one from a different brand."


    Although she said it with a smile, he knew that she was rejecting it because she didn''t want to owe him anything when they were neither close nor supposed to be close.


    He nodded and gave his card to complete the purchase. Since there was nothing wrong with a man buying gifts for his girlfriend, she didn''t say anything against it. Later, she would return the money or give the necklaces back so he would give them to his sister or his real girlfriend.


    At the thought of this, she couldn''t help timidly asking, "Do you¡­have a girlfriend?"


    He raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Aren''t you my girlfriend? Babe, are you trying to deny me?"


    Her ears flushed crimson and she jabbed him. "Be serious. You know what I''m asking. Stop giving me that look!"


    He gave a low chuckle. "You asked this before and my answer was no."


    "Oh¡­" Strangely, she was a little relieved.


    She was yet to comment about it when he continued with a devilish smile, "But if you are willing to be my girlfriend, I will no longer be single."


    "Stop joking around." She grabbed his hand and made him stand.


    Leading him out, she kept some distance from him as she let her mind run wild. His car was parked some distance away so they had to walk for a while. While she focused on her inner thoughts, she didn''t realize that she had trailed onto the car path, and a speeding car hooted at her.


    "Careful!" He dropped the bags in one of his hands and grabbed her arm, pulling her to his side. She lost her footing from the shock and from his sudden pull, making her bump onto his chest. He checked her over to ensure she was alright before steadying her and picking up the fallen bags.


    "How old are you? Don''t you know how to walk carefully along the streets? You¡­"


    She didn''t hear the rest of his scolding. Her heart fluttered as she glanced at his eyes that looked so serious, and his lips that were moving in attempt to lecture her.


    "Are you even listening?" His eyes squinted when he saw the silly smile on her small, pink lips.


    She snapped and nodded as she blinked her eyes, but it was clear that she had probably not heard a single word. She must have left her brain in the jewelry store.


    What was tragic, her silly look was so cute that it made him wonder what it would be like to have a little sister. Or perhaps, it would be better if he had a girlfriend instead.


    He looked helpless. "Never mind." Moving all the bags to his right hand, she grabbed her small hand using his left and kept a close watch on her as they headed to his car.

 Chapter 417 - Too Predictable.

    Han Xichen opened the passenger door and helped Xiaoshi in, then he kept all the bags in the backseat before occupying the driver''s seat.


    The entire car ride was silent until they arrived at her apartment. As soon as the car stopped, she dashed out like her house was on fire. "Thanks for the ride, Dr. Han. I''ll go up first!"


    "You forgot something." He laughed and stepped out of the car.


    "What?" She paused and looked at him curiously, then saw him opening the door to the backseat to reveal the colorful shopping bags. She scratched her head awkwardly. "These¡­ I should give them back."


    He raised an eyebrow. "You want me to wear them?"


    "Of course not!" She was speechless at his attempt to act dumb. His tone was even so natural that it sounded as though he was seriously considering the idea. "I mean¡­ It''s already good enough to fake it. As for the gifts, you could give them to your sister."


    He grinned at her idea. "My sisters are much older than me and are all married. They will beat me up if I do such a thing as give them clothes and jewelry that teenage girls and young women like."


    She laughed, not daring to imagine the scene of Han Xichen getting beaten up. "Then¡­ You can keep them. What if you meet a girl later, and she likes them? You can give it as a gift."


    She thought her idea was perfect, but he looked aggrieved. "You want me to give to my girlfriend the things we used as props for our act?"


    She was suddenly at a loss. "But they are so expensive. I can''t simply take them¡­" She knew that the man would definitely not accept a refund.


    "Why don''t you take it as a friendly gift? If you still feel like it''s too much, you can treat me to lunch."


    By ''treating him to lunch'', he meant that she should continue making him bentos whenever she had the time. He hoped that she would understand what he meant without needing him to say it out aloud. Luckily, she did.


    She smiled as she asked, "What do you like to eat? I will make it for you tomorrow."


    "I''ll like whatever you cook." He answered without thinking through it. When he saw her widened eyes, he couldn''t help pinching her cheeks and teasing her. "What I mean is that I''m not a picky eater. I don''t have any food allergies¡ªat least none that I know of. What are you thinking?"


    "Oh¡­ Nothing." She shook her head. His words sounded like what a man in love would say. ''I would eat anything as long as my love cooked it''. Was it her fault that she misunderstood his implication?


    The man glanced at the shopping bags and decided that they were too many for her to carry on her own, so he picked them up. "What''s your unit?"


    "Uhm...20. It''s on the 6th floor." She followed him into the elevator nervously. When they arrived, she opened the door with slightly trembling hands.


    Ever since she moved into her apartment, she didn''t have many visitors. Aside from the cleaning staff, Xiehan had dropped by a few times to check on her and fill her fridge. Her dad had only been here once...


    To put it simply, this was the first time that she was letting a man who was not her relative into her apartment and it was strange. What was more strange was that she didn''t feel uncomfortable about it.


    After placing the bags on the couch, Han Xichen didn''t intend to overstay his welcome. He straightened his sleeve and turned to leave. "I''ll ask the staff at the reception to let you into my office when you come. You don''t have to stand in the parking lot and wait for me."


    She nodded, though it didn''t make much difference whether she waited in the parking lot or in his office. His routine was so strict that she could almost always know what time to appear in the parking lot. However, he might have to handle an emergency and be late. In that case, it would be more convenient to access his office.


    ___


    That evening, Lanni reported her progress to Xiehan.


    "It turns out, Flynn''s parents are alive. I don''t know why he would lie to me, but that doesn''t make him a suspect yet. He is too young to have done anything significant twenty years ago. On the other hand, I have a bad feeling about his father."


    Xiehan pulled her onto his lap and showed her the content on his laptop screen. "I overheard your conversation with your dad and started digging up. On the twentieth of every month, he would come to B City and leave on the twenty-second. However, in October, he would stay for a little longer and leave on the twenty-sixth."


    "I didn''t know Flynn was this predictable." Lanni found it baffling when she saw the dated travel and hotel records. He had always struck her as a smart and sneaky person.


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow. "As long as it is something that happens often, there is bound to be a pattern. My guess is that during these trips, he came to visit someone he cares about¡ªand it''s very likely for that person to be his father."


    She thought the speculation made sense, but, "The point is, Flynn is German. Shouldn''t his dad be German?"


    "That doesn''t mean he cannot live in B City for many years. Besides, he looks mixed to me. Look at this." He pointed at the records for the past two years.


    "His last routine visit was two years ago. A day after he returned to Germany, a huge dent appeared in his bank account. Something must have happened to his dad at the time, making him spend a lot of money. He stopped coming to B City routinely, but this proves one thing; his dad is indeed suspicious. I couldn''t find his records."


    Lanni rubbed his arm. "It''s already impressive that you could find so much." Flynn had the backing of Galaxis, after all.


    "It''s a huge clue." He agreed.


    "Do you think he could be the mysterious supporter?" She asked.


    "So far, we have only proved that he is the sender of that letter. We still don''t know what it means." Although that was what he said, he was almost fully convinced that the sender of that letter was the culprit behind everything. After all, the only noticeable strange thing about the past was that letter. Everything else seemed to be normal, and it would have been impossible to prove that Ji Feifei was not a child of the Ji family if Lanni did not play tricks.


    The other party must have lackeys in B City and this made their work easier.


    Lanni was in deep thought. "Actually, there''s a way to translate that letter."


    "No way." He rejected her suggestion without having to hear it. Before she could protest, he added, "Honey, I know you are trying to help me out; but I can''t let you seek that creepy man for any reason."


    "But if his father wrote it, he might know what language it is. Perhaps, he might understand it too." She insisted.


    He raised an eyebrow at her. "How many of Flynn''s words can be trusted?"


    She thought of something and let out a smile. "All of them, if there is something in it for him."


    Beefore he could forbid her from using herself as bait, she caressed his hair. "Aside from helping you figure things out, this is actually quite fun."


    She didn''t know when it started but recently, she had been looking forward to finishing her work fast so she would continue trying to find more pieces of the puzzle. It was like playing a mystery game, only that this was real life and failure to resolve the mystery or alerting the enemy might result in death.


    Since it involved her own amusement, he didn''t say anything against it anymore. He gave her the picture of the letter and forcefully gave Flynn a video call by hacking his computer.


    In a few seconds, the man''s face appeared on the screen.


    "This style of a ''grand'' video call is Luna''s style. However, Luna wouldn''t be sitting on Xiehan''s lap so you should be Lanni." He analyzed.


    "Stop pretending to be unable to tell us apart." She wanted to give him a slap through the screen. She had long realized that apart from the people closest to them, he seemed to know them too well.


    Being exposed, he laughed. "What''s up? Did you miss me? Did you finally decide to come back?"


    "In your dreams. I only need¡­"


    Lanni suddenly stopped speaking as her gaze focused on the calender behind Flynn. She gathered herself and calmly asked, "Flynn, where are you?"


    "Galaxis." He answered in one word, as though she was asking a stupid question.


    "Okay. It''s hard to communicate this way, I''ll give you a phone call." She hung up immediately. She then tilted her head and asked the man behind her, "Did you see it?"


    He shook his head. She was in front of him. He only noticed that she must have seen something shocking but was unable to follow her gaze.


    She was still in shock. "It''s the sign¡­ I remember it now. It''s the official seal of Galaxis as well as the signature of the Big Boss.


    This means that Flynn''s dad¡­ is the Big Boss of Galaxis."


    She seemed to understand somethi ng.. "No wonder he lied about his parents being dead."

 Chapter 418 - A Warning

    Afraid that Flynn would find it odd if she took too long, she took her phone and hurriedly gave him a call. Since she had already found out the identity of his father, she was no longer in a hurry to send him the letter.


    On one hand, it was because she knew how loyal Flynn was to Galaxis. She was not confident that he would help her out. On the other hand, she now suspected that the bizarre letter was written in a code language exclusive to Galaxis. Since she was a former trainee at Galaxis Academy, it was likely that she had learnt it too. However, it was just a suspicion. She couldn''t entirely rely on remembering it.


    When he answered the call, she thought about it and asked, "Will you be in B City any time soon?"


    "If you ask me to come, I will be there as soon as you need me." He responded in the tone of a lackey answering to his boss.


    "Then get on the next flight to B City." Lanni demanded, thinking that he was definitely kidding. However, the man chuckled softly and said, "Got it." He then hung up.


    Lanni looked at her phone in disbelief. "That was too easy. Why do I feel like I''m falling into a trap?"


    "He probably wants your help with something but he has been unable to convince you, so he is going to use this chance to his advantage." He couldn''t forget how earnestly Flynn had tried to lure Lanni back to Galaxis. "If he asks for anything you don''t want to do, I''ll shove him onto the first flight to Germany."


    Lanni chuckled at his protective tone. "Don''t worry. I will not let myself be at a disadvantage. Take care of Ji Feifei and leave this to me."


    "I''m more or less done. Ji Feifei will be set free in about a week." He announced proudly, as though waiting for praise. She giggled and ran a hand through his soft hair. "My baby has worked hard."


    He enjoyed the praise as he hugged her. "Aren''t you going to reward me?"


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips.


    ¡­


    The following morning, Flynn had arrived and he asked to meet Lanni in a caf¨¦.


    Xiehan would never completely trust that man so he accompanied Lanni to meet him.


    The man ran his hand through his hair that was in a ponytail and yawned as he looked at her. "I rushed over for you. It better be something important."


    Lanni, who was sitting opposite him, smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. "You have always disregarded me and treated me like a spoilt princess who had no business discussing anything with you. How could you say you rushed over for me? The reason you are here so fast is because you want something from me, right?"


    Flynn shot a provoking glance at Xiehan then held his chin in his hand as though he was at a loss. "You are no longer so gullible. What will I do? It''s almost the same feeling as¡­being unable to deceive one''s little sister anymore because she has grown up."


    "Go straight to the point." Lanni couldn''t stand his taunting.


    Enjoying the fact that it was so easy to annoy her, he grinned with his arms crossed. "Tell me what you need."


    Choosing to trust him this once, Lanni took out the printed picture of the letter and spread it out on the table in front of him. "Do you understand this language?"


    He looked up at her in surprise. "I thought you recovered all of your memory. You don''t remember this?"


    Lanni remained silent. It turned out, her speculation was right. It must be a code language and she must have been taught how to use it when she was Flynn''s trainee.


    The man swept a glance through the letter and looked up at the two of them. "Interesting. I didn''t think you would receive such a...strong message. Who is the recepient?"


    "I want to know what it means." Lanni ignored his question.


    He shrugged since it was not his business to begin with.


    "I can tell you¡­" He looked at Xiehan meaningfully.


    Lanni held her man''s arm. "That''s alright. There''s nothing to hide from him."


    He frowned slightly and looked straight at Lanni. "The thing is, I need you to do something for me, but it''s not time yet. I can only explain it when the time comes. If you agree to owe me this favor and do whatever it is when I ask you, then I can consider translating it for free."


    "You¡­" Xiehan was ready to protest to this nonsensical term.


    Lanni patted his arm. "It''s okay. He wouldn''t dare to cross the line. I have something against him."


    Flynn raised his eyebrow at her threat. "Are you trying to scare me, princess? You know that doesn''t work on me."


    Xiehan clenched his fists to stop himself from launching a punch. What right did this man have to call Lanni that?


    Lanni no longer minded him. She simply took out a lipstick from her pocket. "Do you remember this?"


    He frowned when he saw the ''lipstick'' in her hand. "What''s that?"


    Lanni smiled, her eyes full of mischief. "Don''t feign innocence. It''s the flash drive you have to Luna. I''m her sister. What makes you think she would hide it from me? And you¡­ you did something against Galaxis'' privacy policy." In real sense, this USB flash drive had been given to her by Xingyu. He didn''t want to look into her private matters and knew that he may not resist the temptation if he kept it, so he gave it to her. She had not checked the content either but she was sure it was something that would put him in a tight spot.


    "What makes you think anyone would believe that I have something to do with it?" Flynn grinned meaningfully.


    Lanni waved the lipstick at him. "I''m not sure about that. But one thing''s for sure. This would make the biggest headline for Tian Yu Media."


    It was unsure what the man was thinking. He suddenly declared, "I will not try to take advantage of you, don''t worry. Once the deal is complete, I will want that back."


    "Sure." Lanni kept it back in her purse with a smile.


    "What a waste of my effort. She didn''t even check the content." The man suddenly sighed, making Lanni wonder why he was so sure about it. Before she could ask, he looked at the letter seriously.. "It''s a warning¡ªor more specifically , a threat of what''s going to happen."

 Chapter 419 - Adopting A Pig

    Lanni and Xiehan exchanged glances. They had thought as much. Lanni looked at Flynn and asked, "What''s the exact message?"


    "I will let you know how it feels like to lose the one you love and not be able to do anything about it. You and your whole family will pay for what you have done." He paused and looked at them. "That''s what the letter says."


    "Who is it addressed to?" Xiehan spoke up to ask for the first time. He wanted to be sure whether it was related to Ji Feifei''s matter.


    "Is there a specific date¡­ Or year?" Lanni added.


    "No." Flynn answered Xiehan then looked at Lanni like she was an idiot. "Obviously, no. The only essence of such letters is to make the recipient anxious for the longest time possible. Why would there be a specific date?"


    "My work is done, right?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrows.


    Lanni thought about it and shook her head. "No. You have to make a promise."


    Hearing her order, Flynn chuckled. "Princess, are you trying to extort me? I don''t remember promising to keep anything a secret."


    Lanni tensed up. If the letter was really written by the big boss of Galaxis¡ªwho they now knew was Flynn''s father¡ªwould he rat them out?


    "I''ll owe you." Xiehan declared.


    "Xiehan¡­" Lanni glared at him. How could he agree to owe this unreasonable man so easily?


    As expected, Flynn looked overjoyed. "Well, then. I guess I''ll have to carry some secrets to my grave, then."


    Xiehan held her and smiled. "Don''t you trust your man?"


    Lanni nodded sadly. "But he isn''t a kind person."


    "Don''t worry. I''m not that kind either."


    Lanni was less anxious when she heard his reassurance.


    The man stood up and yawned. "I''m tired. Help me say hi to Luna."


    Lanni frowned. Why would she?


    As if reading her mind, Flynn shrugged. "If you don''t, I''ll go and say hi to her myself."


    Not wanting this complicated man to go anywhere near her sister, she gritted her teeth. "Fine."


    ¡­


    "You will be late for work. I''ll drop you off." Xiehan looked at the time on his watch and anxiously nudged her into his car.


    Fastening the seat belt, she let out a sigh of relief. "We have much more information now. The only person who wanted to seek revenge against the Ji family is the mastermind behind the swapping¡ªand he is also the same person that''s been protecting Ji Feifei from behind the scenes. At least we have a specific identity now; the boss of Galaxis."


    Xiehan listened to her rattle on and turned on the autopilot then mode pulled her to his side and pressed his lips against hers. "Thank you, my love."


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. "I don''t want to go to work. I want to stay in your arms all day."


    He slid an arm around her waist and unbuckled her seat belt, pulling her into a tight hug. "I can help you take the day off."


    Instead of being overjoyed, she pulled away from him. "Never mind. Xiehan, why do you give in to everything I say?"


    He raised an eyebrow at her accusation. "I shouldn''t give in to everything you say?"


    She nodded seriously. "At a time like this, you should not tolerate my laziness. Otherwise, I will become so spoilt that there will be no difference between marrying you and letting you adopt a pig."


    His lips curled as his blue eyes filled with happiness at the mention of marriage. It turned out, she thought about their future too. Flicking her forehead, he grinned. "Why not? I can feed my little pig and give her everything she wants."


    Lanni shot him a glance. Did Xiehan just call her a pig?


    No, that was not the main point. The main point was, why did she think it sounded sweet?


    ___


    In the evening.


    After leaving work, Lanni dragged Xiehan to Li Yuming''s villa. On one hand, it had been ages since she last spent time with her mother.


    On the other hand, her mother had been close to the Ji family in the past, she might know something that they didn''t.


    Intending to give her a surprise, they didn''t tell her beforehand. When they arrived, they told the housekeeper to not announce their arrival yet.


    Lanni naughtily crept up behind her mother and wanted to playfully cover her eyes from behind. However, she was startled when she saw what Li Yuming was doing. She was playing Demons Vs Gods!


    "You play games too?" Lanni was surprised.


    "Lanni?" Li Yuming felt her soul leave her body from shock but she quickly recovered and turned to hug her daughter. The backrest of the couch was a huge hindrance so she circled it and pulled Lanni into her arms. "You''re here. You didn''t tell me you were coming."


    "We wanted to give you a surprise." Lanni was awkward. Clearly, she was the surprised one.


    Li Yuming shrugged. Although it was not common for women her age to play such games, she didn''t think there was an age restriction for playing games. "It''s a nice and creative game. It''s also the type you like. Are you and Xiehan playing too?"


    "Yeah, do you want to play a round together?" Lanni waved Xiehan over as she suggested.


    "Sure. Come here." She pulled Lanni to sit beside her and let Xiehan sit opposite them.


    What a stark contrast. If this was in the past, she would have given all her attention to Xiehan and Lanni would complain about the unfair treatment. However, it had been so long since her daughter visited. She didn''t dare to visit Lanni either, in fear that Lanni would be displeased. She didn''t dare to let this chance slip.


    Lanni logged into the game using her phone and so did Xiehan.


    However, Lanni soon realized a bummer. "What the heck? Xiehan, your girlfriend is a demoness. Why would you be a demigod?"


    The man shrugged innocently. "A demoness and a demigod¡­ Don''t you think it''s an interesting pairing?"


    Lanni glared at him and ignored him. "Mom, what''s your character?"


    "A demon. We can pair up." Li Yuming stated, much to Lanni''s relief.


    "Let me invite Xiao Yu. She''s a demoness too."


    Hearing that, Xiehan called Lin Jian who was also a demigod, and Xingyu who was a god. Another character soon slotted himself into their team: Cedric, a god. Demigods could pair up with either gods or humans, giving Xiehan and Lin Jian an unfair advantage. Luckily, one could only be a demigod by unlocking a certain level, so this made it fair.


    Lanni initially wanted to play a round of demons against gods with Xiehan''s team but they were unevenly matched. Just as she wondered whether to invite one of her in-game friends, a message appeared on the game interface.


    [#5 ranking player, Little Moon, is online.]


    For entertainment''s sake, there would be a notification whenever the top 5 players logged into the game, since everyone wanted to challenge them. Before anyone could summon Luna for a challenge, Lanni dragged her into their team.


    "Little Moon?" Li Yuming seemed to find the nickname strange.


    "Luna." Lanni answered, suddenly realizing what she had done. Luckily, it was merely a game so Li Yuming did not fuss about it.


    When they were ready, the demons prepared to raid one of the gods'' camps. Since Luna was the highest ranking demon, she naturally told them which route was safest to use.


    A few seconds into the game, there was a complaint.


    [I rule the leaderboard. Bite me.: How is this fair?! We are going against a team of demons, two of whom are the creators of this game! Obviously, they know everything about it.]


    [Yu07: Shut up. You have Cedric on your team and he took part in creating the game too.]


    Lanni laughed at Cheng Yu''s rebuttal that immediately cut off any chances of Lin Jian playing foul.


    In actual fact, knowing the details about the game didn''t give any team an advantage. After all, they would be up against other players and teams, which made it difficult no matter how informed one was.


    [L''homme du soleil: Are we starting? Let''s set up traps for these clueless demonesses.]


    [Little Sun: (@L''homme du soleil) You should have said that in your team''s private chat.]


    L''homme du soleil: (@Little Sun) does it make a difference? You won''t escape our traps either way.]


    Lanni was infuriated. "Hey! These arrogant demigods! Let''s teach them a lesson."


    Li Yuming chuckled at their battle spirit and went along. She was not as good as these youngsters, so she almost died several times. When the gods realized this, they kept aiming at her so they would weaken the demons by eliminating their teammate.


    For some inexplicable reason, every time she was struck, Little Moon would shield her.


    It was just a game. Why was it making her feel so emotional?


    ___


    Valentines Special: Adopting a cute little piggy £¨`£¨¡ñ¡ñ£©¡ä£©


    ~Tips from Teacher Xiehan''s diary.~


    ¡ªBuy her snacks and pastries to keep her happy.


    ¡ªIf she is sad or angry, hugs and kisses do the trick.


    ¡ªTell her how special she is.


    ¡ªMost importantly, make sure she is well fed. (literally and figuratively) This way, your cute piggy will never leave you! <3


    ~


    Happy Valentines readers!

 Chapter 420 - Things Arent Always How They Appear

    When the game ended, the demons had managed to steal the treasure from the camp of the gods, albeit with their ''lives'' almost depleted.


    Xiehan had almost managed to kill them but luckily they had Luna.


    [I rule the leaderboard. Bite me. : That was foul! How could you hypnotise us to fight against each other?] Lin Jian complained.


    To his words, Cheng Yu scoffed.


    [Yu07: Idiot, she didn''t hypnotise you. She charmed you. It''s one of her powers.]


    Lin Jian was speechless. Was it too late to be a demon? Although he ranked second on the leaderboard, he didn''t have any special powers and could only use ordinary weapons.


    [The moon''s ONLY star: (@Little moon) Luna¡­]


    Luna saw her man''s message that sounded aggrieved and immediately asked, [My love, what happened?]


    [You can only charm me. You can''t charm other men.] Came the childishly jealous reply.


    Luna was speechless. [It''s just a game. In real life, I only want to charm the hell out of you.]


    [Little sun: Uh¡­ is it too late to run away?]


    Lanni had just logged out of the game when she received a private message from Luna.


    [What was that all about?]


    She was talking about the fact that Lanni had dragged her into the same team as Li Yuming.


    Lanni shrugged. [I found her playing. Anyway, forget it. She left and won''t be joining us anymore.]


    [Oh¡­]


    Lanni stared at the monosyllabic reply for a while. Why did it feel as though her sister was not happy about the news?


    Setting her phone aside, she made her way to the kitchen where Li Yuming had gone.


    Li Yuming was lost in thought as she prepared the ingredients to start cooking. When she heard Lanni walk in, she looked over with a smile. "Are you hungry? I''ll get you a snack as you wait for dinner."


    Lanni shook her head. "I just wanted to ask you something."


    "Go ahead." Although Li Yuming said so, her hands tightened around the handle of the knife she was using to chop onions. She hoped it wasn''t a question whose answer would worsen their relationship.


    Earlier, Lanni and Xiehan had agreed that they could tell Li Yuming the truth so she asked, "You were close to the Ji family before Ji Feifei was born, right? Did you ever¡­ Notice anything strange about them?"


    Li Yuming looked at her in surprise, obviously not expecting that kind of question. "Strange? What kind of strange?"


    "The thing is, someone vowed to revenge many years ago and¡­ they sent a letter in a weird language and Ji Feifei¡­"


    "Lanni, stay away from trouble." Li Yuming''s tone was suddenly stern, and the knife in her hand dropped with a clutter.


    "You know something?" Otherwise why would she react like that?


    Li Yuming picked up the knife and placed it on the kitchen counter before closing in on Lanni. "Lanni, what I know is¡­unbelievable. No one would ever believe me if I said it. Not even you and Xiehan.


    It''s best if the two of you don''t try to investigate."


    Lanni was baffled. Li Yuming knew everything? They were just trying their luck. No, the point was, "If we don''t investigate, the Ji family might be in danger. Xiehan might be in danger too."


    Li Yuming flinched when she heard her words. "The thing is, they¡­" She sighed halfway through her words. "It''s just, Lanni, things aren''t always the way they appear. Sometimes the truth is more cruel than speculation."


    Lanni blinked as she tried to figure out what her mother meant. "Mom, tell me what you know."


    Li Yuming cupped her face, looking aggrieved. "No. I vowed to remain silent."


    Lanni could tell that the second part was a lie. However, what was baffling was, why was Li Yuming so sure that she and Xiehan would not believe the truth?


    Unless, Xiehan''s father was the one behind his own family''s potential destruction?


    She laughed at her wild thoughts.


    Don''t be silly. He cannot threaten himself, now can he?


    When Lanni explained Li Yuming''s reaction to Xiehan, the man was not entirely hopeless.


    "It''s a clue."


    "How so?" She asked in surprise.


    "I''ll talk aunty into telling me something more specific." He looked determined.


    She frowned. How would he do that when even she couldn''t get anything clear out of her mouth? Before she could ask, she remembered what he was best at. "Well, good luck."


    He smiled and took her hand. "I may not be able to do it in a day, but I will do it nonetheless."


    Lanni smiled and leaned against his shoulder as they waited for dinner.


    ___


    The following day.


    In the morning, Xiaoshi made a bento and rushed to the hospital. Although she was allowed to go to his office, she still wanted to wait in the parking lot for some strange reason.


    Five minutes into her waiting, Han Xichen arrived. He seemed to have expected to find her here as he smiled while stepping out of the car. "You have a thing for the parking lot?"


    She smiled sweetly and tried not to stare at him. The man was wearing black pants and a navy blue shirt. Although it was nothing complicated, she couldn''t help imagining how handsome he would look if he draped a lab coat over him.


    The man walked towards her and took the bento from her hands. "Thank you."


    She nodded. "Then...then I''ll leave now."


    "Wait." He frowned when he caught sight of something on her finger.


    "Mmh?" She looked at him quizzically.


    Silently, he took her hand. She felt as though she had been struck by electricity as his hands touched hers. He examined her fingers with a frown. "What happened?"


    She finally remembered the cut on her forefinger when he mentioned it. "That¡­ I


    I cut myself while chopping vegetables."


    He frowned at her nonchalance. "Don''t you know how to clean and cover a cut? How old are you?"


    When he saw that she was starting to let out that silly smile yet again, his handsome brows furrowed. "Come, I''ll treat it for you."


    Thus, he led her to his office and sat her down before bringing over a first-aid kit. He cleaned the cut in fast, precise movements that were pleasing to her eyes. When he was done, he placed a band aid over it.


    She looked down at her finger then up at him in displeasure.


    He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "What''s wrong?"


    She averted her gaze timidly. "I want a cute, cartoon-printed one."


    He looked at her and wanted to burst into laughter. Even so, he went to find one of those band aids that were meant for little girls; a pink one with an animation princess drawn on it.


    In reality, he knew that she had nothing against the former band-aid. She just wanted to act a little spoiled.


    Even she didn''t know why she was doing it. All she knew was that she didn''t want to leave so fast.


    "Don''t get it wet." He instructed when she was done.


    "Mmh."


    He let go of her hand, and only then did she realize that she was holding onto his. She looked up and met his deep, black eyes that seemed to suck the soul out of her.


    She had the urge to look down but at the same time, she wanted to keep looking into those eyes that sucked her in like a pair of vortices.


    "I¡­" She wanted to say something but nothing left her parted lips. Her heart picked up its pace when she realized that his face was getting closer to her¡­ So close that their lips were only the width of a finger apart.


    Her eyes shut as she fought the urge to lick her lips.


    Seconds passed. The kiss she awaited did not arrive. When she opened her eyes, she was met with his fiery eyes. His lips were curled into a smile that seemed to make fun of her.


    "You will be late for work." He reminded her with a smile.


    "Oh." She snapped back, but she did not avert her gaze from his eyes. It was only several seconds later that she realized what he had said, and jolted out of the seat.


    "I have to run! See you tomorrow." She rushed away like a scared rabbit.


    He chuckled when she rushed out and tousled his hair as he gazed at the door. What was he doing just now? Was he out of his mind?


    ¡­


    Xiaoshi ran all the way to Moonlight Studio''s and only paused to take a breath when she entered the elevator. Her mind was in a mess.


    Earlier, was Han Xichen going to kiss her?


    Surely, he wasn''t right?


    But if not, why did he get so close to her?


    If he was, why did he stop?


    And why the hell did it matter so much?


    While deep in her own thoughts, Xiaoshi didn''t realize that someone had walked in on the fifth floor, and neither did she realize that the person who had walked in was Xingyu.

 Chapter 421 - Precious Baby

    On the twelfth floor, the elevator doors slid open and Luna walked in.


    "Boss." Xiaoshi greeted, and only then did she realize that there were two bosses in the elevator, so she greeted Xingyu too.


    Luna nodded at her before looking at the man beside her. She was surprised to see him and gave him a puzzled look. "Don''t you have a meeting in a few minutes?"


    They had just talked a while ago and he told her that he was preparing for an important meeting.


    The man grinned. "Yeah, your meeting. I came to pick you up for your meeting at Royal Hotel."


    Luna was speechless. "Honey, I can go on my own."


    When he looked at her like he did not trust her, as though she was a little girl who needed him to take care of her even if she was simply attending a meeting, she knew that trying to talk him out of it would be a waste of her breath. Hence, she shrugged and leaned in his arms. "If you dote on me too much, I will be so useless that I will no longer be able to take care of myself."


    "That''s okay. I can take care of you forever." He said matter-of-factly.


    At the side, Xiaoshi couldn''t stop a silly smile from forming on her lips. She couldn''t help wondering how it would sound if Dr. Han were to say such words to her.


    In the next second, she widened her eyes. Shouldn''t she be wishing to be in Luna''s place? To hear such words from Xingyu? Why was she wishing to hear them from Han Xichen instead? However, although she reminded herself of it, her imagination was still filled with Han Xichen''s seductive smile.


    ¡­


    Royal Hotel.


    When Luna and Xingyu arrived, the other party was already waiting.


    It was a middle-aged man, CEO Hu, who owned a famous software production company. However, in the past several years, his company''s business had been declining because he had not been able to produce anything that was worth mentioning. It was as though he had reached a bottleneck.


    To prevent himself from going bankrupt, he had decided to invest in softwares from small-time companies, and he would earn tremendous profit if the softwares appreciated in value.


    "CEO Jiang, good morning!" Although CEO Hu was about the same age as Jiang Xingren, he was still quite respectful to this young man who had been labelled as one of B City''s most successful businessmen despite his young age.


    "Good Morning." Xingyu was neither too polite nor too rude. He helped Luna to her seat like she was a delicate and precious little egg, then went straight to the point in fear that his wife would be too tired from negotiating too much.


    CEO Hu saw his actions and knew that if anyone wanted to survive in this city, they should never think of messing with this young woman. CEO Jiang pampered her too much!


    "Then I''ll cut the chase. Miss Xia, I would like to offer you a mall that I acquired recently. The Hillside Mall; it''s quite popular especially among young women, and business has been flourishing in recent years. I will also offer you 5 percent of shares of Hu Group. Miss Xia, what do you think?"


    "There''s no such thing as free lunch." Luna had thought that they were going to discuss an investment but from the looks of things, that didn''t seem to be the case.


    The man smiled. "Well, you can term this as a free lunch. I can also accept any other terms you have, as long as you sell Demons Vs Gods to me."


    So that was it.


    Luna grinned but shook her head. "Sorry, that''s the hard work of my friends and I. I will not sell it."


    The man had expected that she would definitely say yes, so he was a little surprised. "How could that be? If you sell me this game, I will change a few things and make it the top ranking game on the application store. Of course, you will still own some rights to the game. We can also split the profits, and you can also name whatever other terms you would like." Afraid that she would say no, he added, "Although your studio has gained a bit of reputation recently, you are still at most rookies. It will definitely benefit you to collaborate with a company whose old games already have tens of millions of fans."


    What he said made sense. After all, it was only natural that gamers would want to try out the new games of the companies they were familiar with.


    Still, Luna shook her head without flinching. No matter how good the offer was, this was not just her hard work. Xiaoshi may not care much about it since she only completed it to fulfill her duty, and Cedric might have done it for the same reason. However, for Cheng Yu, this game meant the world to her. Just like the comic "The demigod''s wife", this game was Demons Vs Gods was her beloved baby. How could Luna bear to sell it?


    "I''m sorry. I can accept an investment or a partnership but I will not sell it."


    "Miss Xia, please think about it. We can discuss with your partners too." The man did not want to lose this chance.


    Seeing that he would be insistent, she stood up. "It doesn''t matter what you offer."


    The man was about to look at Xingyu so he would help him convince her, but the latter did not give him a chance. He could only inwardly lament about it.


    As they walked towards the parking lot, Xingyu pulled her into his arms and joked. "What do I do? I want to kidnap you and lock you up so you can only make games for the two of us to play. Later, we will have many kids and they will play with us."


    Luna frowned and pinched his cheek. "CEO Jiang, has your imagination always been this wild?"


    They were still speaking when a gust of wind rushed towards them. Xingyu reflexively protected Luna behind him and stopped the young man who was rushing over from bumping into them.


    The man stopped and bowed to apologize. "CEO Xia, I''m sorry for stopping you so audaciously."


    Xingyu looked at him ferociously, making the young lad tremble in trepidation. He looked not a day older than eighteen; he must have just graduated from high school, so they couldn''t understand why a lad this young was seeking them.


    Luna emerged from behind Xingyu and asked, "What is it?"


    The boy looked hopeful. "CEO Xia, can we have a talk? It''s about software."


    After glancing at Xingyu and receiving his approval, she nodded. "Okay. Let''s grab a cup of tea."


    A few minutes later, in the Royal Hotel.


    Xingyu sat aside to let them talk.


    The young man took out a USB Flash drive from his pockets and gave it to Luna with his trembling hands. "This is a software; I made it myself. If you find it worth it, can you please buy it?"


    Luna expected such a thing, so she glanced at Xingyu at the side. The man had carried his laptop over so he brought it to her.


    Luna inserted the USB flash drive and checked the content after having the boy insert the password.


    However, she frowned when she clearly saw it. It was a game, and the overview as well as the theme baffled her. "This looks so much like Demons Vs Gods."


    The boy looked hopeful. "I created it three years ago and did not intend to ever sell it. However, I urgently need the money now so I audaciously sought you. I hope you will consider it."


    Luna closed the information with a slight shake of her head. "It''s exactly because it looks like Demons Vs Gods that I cannot purchase it. Why would I have two games that look at least 65% alike?"


    In fact, Luna was not sure whether she was dreaming but the two games were almost identical. Aside from the story mode of Demons Vs Gods which had been created out of the two comics, everything else was similar. If she launched it as an application, she was certain that not only would many aspects such as the team rules and the gameplay be the same, even the ''world'' might look alike. The only noticeable difference was the absence of immortals.


    The boy''s eyes drooped in disappointment. However, he did not bug her too much. He stood to leave.


    When Luna saw him leave, she immediately thought of young talents who ended up getting oppressed by the big fish in the business world. She couldn''t help asking, "Do you have any other softwares, or can you create one if I told you what to do?"


    "Yes. I can do anything." His extinguished hope returned.


    Luna nodded in approval and gave him a card. "Why don''t you come for an interview? If you qualify, I will let you work in the software department.. You can save up the money and go to co llege to further your studies if you wish to."

 Chapter 422 - Boss Yu And Cedric

    Once Luna had settled the boy, she went back to Xingyu who was waiting for her.


    "Are you sure about this?" He asked her, having heard a little about their conversation.


    She hooked her arm around his. "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing."


    Because she had everything in order, he nodded. "If you need anything, don''t hesitate to tell me about it, okay?"


    "Of course." Although she had not snagged the investment, she may have found a genius. This trip was worth it.


    She smiled when she thought about CEO Hu''s words and looked up at him joyously. "While he neither invested nor collaborated with Moonlight Studios in the end, his reaction proved a point; Demons Vs Gods is on the right track."


    He smiled and rubbed her head. "My darling is awesome."


    ____


    Meanwhile, In Moonlight Studios.


    Cedric dashed to Cheng Yu''s office when he heard that he had been called over.


    "Yu, you called for me." A smile was plastered across his face, and he was almost flying from how happy he was.


    "Mmh." Cheng Yu pushed her laptop aside and stood up, stalking towards him.


    Before he could process it, she hugged him. "I missed you."


    He felt giddy from the sudden hug, his heart instantly picking up its pace. "Yu, I missed you too. But I can''t presumptuously come over to find you."


    Resting her head against his chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You can come any time you want."


    "Really? Don''t give me that kind of freedom. Otherwise, I will spend all day here and forget about my work."


    She chuckled and said nothing about it.


    They barely had any time to spend together. Aside from squeezing in a few minutes to have lunch together, they couldn''t meet up all day. In fact, it wasn''t every day that they got to have lunch together since they ate at different times most of the time.


    As for the evenings, they could only meet for a few minutes before they each went their own way. How was this different from a long distance relationship?


    "Let''s go shopping on Saturday." He suggested, and she nodded immediately.


    "On second thought, let''s go somewhere this weekend. Just the two of us."


    This time, she pushed against his chest and looked at him in surprise. "How is that possible? Will your family allow it?"


    He shrugged. "Why not? They don''t restrict my movements. Speaking of which, I want to move out soon."


    Cheng Yu thought it was a good idea. That way, he would be father away from his family who he no longer wanted to be close to.


    "Would you like to move in with me?" He suddenly suggested.


    When he saw her glaring daggers at him, he quickly corrected himself. "I won''t speak nonsense anymore. Yu, don''t be mad, okay?"


    Cheng Yu looked at him seriously. "Do you know why I cannot move in with you?"


    He shook his head innocently.


    Obviously, he didn''t know.


    She sighed. "Cedric, I don''t want to rush things between us. We only started dating less than a month ago. We are yet to be completely comfortable around one another. How can we be ready to live together?"


    He thought about her words. "But Yu, we have already slept in the same room before and we were comfortable about it."


    She raised an eyebrow at him. "That''s one night. What does it prove?


    Most importantly, I don''t want to take things any step further until I''m sure that there will be nothing coming in between us. I know that we may disagree on some things or even get into arguments but honestly, I can''t take constant fights¡ªespecially if they are caused by outsiders. Let me settle things on my end first, okay?"


    "No." He shook his head and pulled her into his arms. "If there is any settling, I want to do it with you. Let''s do it together, okay?"


    "Stubborn." She pinched his waist as she chuckled at his attitude that seemed to constantly change from that of an attention-seeking boyfriend to that of a mature and supportive man.


    "I have to get back to work. See you this evening, okay?" She coaxed him with a kiss.


    Holding the back of her head, he kissed her for a little longer before he left unwillingly.


    ¡­


    In the evening, Cheng Yu contemplated before deciding to carry some work home instead of working overtime. She had already promised to meet up with Cedric after all.


    As expected, the guy was already waiting for her at the parking lot. When he saw her, he rushed over like a loyal puppy. "Yu, are you tired? I''ll give you a massage."


    Smiling, she launched herself into his arms. "This is enough."


    "Really? I thought you would need a kiss too." He teased as he held her.


    "That would be even better." She was so comfortable that she didn''t want to move an inch.


    Passing by, the other employees'' Jaws dropped to the ground when they witnessed this scene.


    "Boss Yu and Cedric?!" a secretary with rectangular framed glasses shrieked.


    "What about it? Cedric has been going after her for as long as I can remember." The short-haired employee beside her shrugged.


    A chatter slowly broke out.


    "It''s such a pity, Boss Yu is his superior. This pairing feels so wrong¡­"


    "Are you nuts? This is Cedric Han we are talking about. The great painter Han! His latest painting is only slightly less valuable than one of Li Yuming''s oldest works." An employee in the know explained.


    "Then why does he need to work here?" Another asked.


    "Yeah. He can just be a full time painter. If I were to earn half as much money from painting, I would never wish to work in an office."


    The first employee scoffed at these ignorant idiots. "Isn''t it obvious? It''s only because he wanted to be close to Boss Yu. Luckily, his hard work paid off."


    "Uh¡­ I suddenly remembered something. Boss Yu once posted a picture of a pair of hands then later admitted to being in a relationship. Could it be that her boyfriend is actually Cedric?"


    "That''s possible. I heard they were in the same class before."


    The girls were awed just thinking about it. How cute!


    However, the guys'' hearts broke.


    "Stop speculating wildly. They''re probably just friends." One of Cheng Yu''s die-hard ''boyfriend'' fans grumbled.


    "Yeah. So what if they kissed? She will jilt her as soon as she realizes that he is not good enough for her."


    Gradually, the discussion morphed into a battlefield for girls being happy for their boss versus guys feeling jealous and wondering what was so good about Cedric. In the end, they decided to settle scores via an intense battle of Demons Vs Gods.


    ¡­


    Oblivious to the battle happening because of them, Cedric hugged his girlfriend and pressed gentle kisses onto her forehead. When they remembered that they were still in the parking lot, they entered his car so they would grab a drink together before going home.


    After thinking of where to go and not agreeing on a cafe even after a long while, Cedric suggested taking a walk in the park near Goldenwing Apartments.


    She felt it was a good idea since she rarely took a walk lately. She had always carried a pair of flat sandals with her whenever she wore high heeled shoes. When they arrived at the park, he parked the car and she changed her shoes before they started walking around.


    "Mmh¡­ The air feels so fresh here." She closed her eyes and breathed in the cool, fresh, calming scent of blossoming flowers. The park was dotted with several types of colorful flowers which were organized into a beautiful collection. She was awed. "How beautiful. This would make the perfect spot for a picnic."


    Cedric took her hand and held it. "Indeed. So beautiful." Though he was looking at her, not the park.


    "Screw shopping. We can do that online. Let''s come for a picnic on Saturday instead." Her happy mood seemed to have brightened even more.


    "Okay." He couldn''t say no to something that brought her so much joy.


    She happily pulled him towards a bench surrounded by red and white roses, then sat down and pulled him beside her. "Cedric, I would like you to meet my brother soon."


    "Your brother?" He did know that she had a brother, but he was surprised that she wanted them to meet.


    She smiled as she looked up at him. "Mmh. He¡­ Aside from Lanni and Luna, I consider him my only family. Obviously, I should tell him about such an important thing as me having a boyfriend."


    He nodded, happy that she was considering letting him meet such an important person. "What does he like?"


    "Forget the formalities. He is simple minded and will like you as long as he knows that you will treat his sister well."


    He was relieved that the boy sounded easy to please. "You said apart from Lanni and Luna, he is your only family? Does this mean you consider the twins as your family?"


    "Yeah." It should be an obvious fact by now.


    He carefully asked, "What about me?"


    He didn''t want to sound like a whiny and jealous boyfriend, he just wanted to know where he stood in her heart.

 Chapter 423 - A Good Show Is About To Unfold

    She glanced at him and pretended to think hard about it. "You¡­"


    "Mmh?" He was anxious under her stern gaze.


    "Just a temporary fling, obviously."


    He was stunned for a second before he looked wronged. "Yu, how can you say that?"


    She burst into laughter after having teased him. Before she could correct herself, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "I will not allow you to make me a temporary fling. Even if I am indeed just a fling, I have to be at least a permanent one, the kind that lasts forever."


    She held onto his arm as she allowed herself to rest in his arms. "As you wish."


    He tousled her hair and looked into her eyes. "Yu, I love you."


    Cheng Yu swallowed and returned his gaze, her fingers gently trailing along his handsome face. He leaned down to kiss her, but just as their lips were about to connect, she felt a sudden violent tug on her elbow and just as she turned, a slap landed on her left cheek.


    "You b*tch!"


    "You¡­" Cheng Yu glared at the incomer, a middle aged woman in luxurious clothing.


    "What ''you''? Do you know what you have done?"


    She was just about to slap Cheng Yu once more when a firm hand blocked her attack.


    Scoffing in anger, Mrs. Cheng glared at Cedric. "Is this the stupid boy toy you have been hanging around with?"


    Cedric tugged on Cheng Yu''s arm, trying not to lose his temper. "Yu, who is she?"


    "The woman I used to call my mother." Cheng Yu did not mince her words, her eyes glaring at the middle-aged woman like they could bore fiery holes in her.


    "What did you say? I gave birth to you!" The woman exploded and threw her bag at Cheng Yu''s head.


    The latter dodged it easily and smiled scornfully. "If it wasn''t because of that, do you think I would have tolerated you for so long?


    My whole life was almost destroyed by you. You did everything in your power to prevent me from chasing my dreams. Shen Yuran, what right do you have to comment about my character? Did you ever take your time to discipline me like other mothers do?"


    It seemed like Shen Yuran''s only weapon was launching slaps, she tried to swing her hand again. This time, it was caught and twisted by Cedric. Before she could explode, the young man looked at her condensingly.


    She huffed and pulled Cheng Yu''s hand. "I will not allow you to tarnish the Cheng family''s reputation! You are coming home with me!"


    "What right do you have to tell me what to do? I''m not your daughter!" Cheng Yu spat and flung her hand out of Shen Yuran''s grasp.


    Shen Yuran froze in her tracks.


    Cheng Yu didn''t care about her anymore. She grabbed Cedric''s hand and led him away. "Don''t mind her. I will make sure she doesn''t bother us anymore."


    "Do you need help getting rid of her?" Cedric suggested out of the blue.


    She chuckled at his tone. "Can you not make it sound like she is a supervillain? While she is a villain, she is not that hard to get rid of. I can swat her away any time I want."


    She just didn''t want to take extreme measures yet because she was still her mother after all. But if Shen Yuran kept pushing her luck, she could not guarantee what would happen.


    Cedric pulled her to his side. "Look, there''s cotton candy. Do you want some?"


    She followed his gaze to the spot he was pointing and nodded. Anything to get her mind off that woman.


    ¡­


    In the next few days, Xiehan tried to talk Li Yuming into telling him what she knew about the Ji family''s past. However, none of his words made her willing to utter a single peep. He didn''t give up and continued trying.


    Meanwhile, Ji Feifei returned on Saturday. Wen Lin happily called her son over for a meal.


    Xiehan didn''t plan on wasting a single second. Once he was called over, he picked Lanni up and drove to the Ji family home.


    When they arrived, they found that the so-called dinner was in fact, a feast. Several dishes had been cooked and Wen Lin had invited her closest friends as well. It was not surprising that Ji Meiling and her husband were present, although it was obvious that the former did not want to be here.


    As for Ji Feifei, she had plastered herself beside Wen Lin, enjoying her affection as though it belonged to her. When Xiehan saw her, he almost gave in to the urge to strangle her. However, he maintained his smile and ignored her as he held Lanni''s little hand.


    "Brother!" Ji Feifei smiled and greeted fondly, ambling over to hug him.


    Xiehan moved away just as her hand was about to touch him, disgust flooding his handsome face. Who is your f*cking brother?!


    Because of this damned girl, his sister had been separated from the family for years. She still had the audacity to call him that? Was her brain filled with nothing but pee?


    Ji Feifei was embarrassed when Xiehan avoided her. Although he was usually unfriendly to her, he had never been this hateful before. She fought back her fake tears and rushed back to Wen Lin. "Mommy, does brother think I''m disgusting? Is it because I spent so much time in jail? But I took a long, thorough bath and changed into new clothes¡­"


    As expected, Wen Lin couldn''t bear to see her daughter looking so sad. She immediately shot Xiehan a glare." Xiehan! How can you treat your sister so coldly? She has suffered so much, why aren''t you comforting her?!"


    Xiehan shook his head. "Whose fault is it that she was sent to jail? Have you already forgotten what she did? I only got her out because it''s what Lanni wanted. However, that does not mean I have forgiven her."


    "Lying! You''re lying! She hates me so much. Why would she ask you to help me out? Don''t think that you can lie to make our parents accept this venomous snake into our family!"


    Xiehan was speechless at someone''s shamelessness. Who exactly was the vile snake?


    Before he could explode, Lanni faced Ji Feifei. "Honestly, I would let you rot in prison if it was up to me. You destroyed too many people''s lives and you aren''t even sorry for it. However, I didn''t have much choice. Luna kept bugging me about it every day and besides, your best friend Ruby did me a big favor and this is the only way I could repay her."


    At the mention of Ruby, Ji Feifei tensed up. She soon recovered when she remembered that Mr. G had already tempered with the DNA results. No one would ever know the truth.


    She pretended to be even more wronged. "That doesn''t give you the right to despise me! I''m¡­"


    "Feifei, come here." Ji Huifen called her to his side. It was already bad enough that he had to constantly witness the fights between his sister and his wife. If his daughter and his future daughter-in-law did not get along either, he didn''t think he would want to live anymore.


    Xiehan sat a few seats away from Ji Feifei and pulled Lanni beside him. On the opposite side were Ji Meiling and her husband, and beside them were Jiang Xingren and Xinghe.


    Now that Ji Huifen had averted the possible fight, the room fell into silence.


    "Are we waiting for anyone else?" Ji Huifen asked his wife in a low tone.


    "Yeah. The Lins." Wen Lin responded, stating that the Lins were almost here.


    When Xiehan heard their conversation, his lips curled into a smirk. He excused himself and gave Lin Jian a call, his scheming eyes trailing towards Ji Feifei.


    Want to pretend to be a queen? Let''s see if you will still have the courage once the real queen is here.


    Lanni realized what her boyfriend was trying to do and cleared her throat to stop a laugh. How naughty of him.


    She looked up when she heard approaching footsteps and was a little puzzled when she saw Xingyu walking in with Luna. It was not surprising since the Jis had watched Xingyu grow up and treated him like their son, so they must have called him and Luna over; but why in the world did Xiaoshi arrive right behind them? It could be a coincidence, but why did it seem deliberate?


    If Lanni thought so, how could the parties involved not realize it?


    Ji Meiling shot a displeased look at Wen Lin. How childish.


    Just because Ji Meiling had said a few things about Ji Feifei¡ªwhich were all true, Wen Lin had deliberately brought Xingyu, Luna and Xiaoshi into the same frame?


    Was she trying to force Xiaoshi into making a fool out of herself?


    When Ji Feifei saw the strange trio, her lips curved upwards. Having heard of the situation among them from her mother, she was rather smug, especially when she recalled how Luna had tortured her before.


    How could Jiang Xingyu fail to notice a noble girl like Xiaoshi and instead fall for the daughter of a jinx?


    W ell, it didn''t matter.


    A good show was about to unfold.

 Chapter 424 - The Seed Of Doubt

    Luna swept a glance at Xiaoshi then at Wen Lin. Her eyes seemed to ask what she was up to. Wen Lin felt as though she was sitting on needles when she felt her gaze. Why would she glare at her so fiercely? Had she sensed something?


    Even so, she did not regret what she did. Whether Luna knew about it or not, it would not change the fact that Xiaoshi had feelings for her fiancee. No woman would tolerate their own love rival. Actually, she had nothing against Luna. She merely wanted to use her as a weapon against Xiaoshi.


    Xingyu led his fianc¨¦e to sit down beside his parents, completely ignoring Xiaoshi who was beside Ji Meiling. The atmosphere turned more awkward as soon as the two women who were meanyt to be romantic rivals sat at the same table. This was different from the two of them working in the same building, since they didn''t share an office.


    "Xiaoshi, how have you been? I heard you are working for Xia Luna now. Is everything alright? " Ji Feifei spoke up, her eyes full of malice as she indirectly insinuated that Luna must be bullying Xiaoshi.


    Xiehan tensed up slightly, knowing that the damned b*tch would not randomly speak up unless she was up to something. He subconsciously wanted to glare daggers at her.


    Xiaoshi did not seem to detect the malice, she smiled at Ji Feifei. "I''m alright. Luna is a great boss."


    As expected, Ji Feifei clung onto this point. "really? You should be careful when dealing with people, you know? You cannot blindly trust people like her."


    This time, Lanni could not hold back. "Ji Feifei, what are you trying to imply?"


    "Obviously, that she is the daughter of a jinx, a pretentious b*tch and a murderer."


    "How dare you!" Lanni wanted to tear her into pieces.


    However, Luna chuckled. "Sis, I can''t believe you would get flustered over the words of someone like her. Are you meeting her for the first time?"


    Lanni sat back down with a displeased expression. "I know...but that doesn''t mean I will tolerate her saying such crap about my sister."


    In response to her words, Ji Feifei scoffed. "Did I lie? Your sister is such a pretentious b*tch! If not, would she snatch a man from Shishi? She knows fully well how much Shishi loves him¡­ and she is her employee as well as her brother-in-law''s cousin. How heartless does one need to be in order to do such an inhumane thing?"


    Everyone turned to look at Ji Feifei and wondered whether there was something wrong with her brain.


    Xinghe frowned. "Ji Feifei has been in jail for so long. She should not know a thing of what has been happening lately, much less have such bizzare misunderstandings about them. I wonder who told her such things."


    While speaking, her gaze trailed towards Wen Lin, indirectly accusing her.


    Knowing that the matter might get out of control, Wen Lin cleared her throat. "Feifei, don''t be mean. Luna is your sister-in-law''s sister, so you have to be polite to her."


    The latter rolled her eyes with no intention to do as she was told.


    As they spoke, the Lins arrived, and the atmosphere that was initially starting to calm down immediately tensed up again. To be exact, it was Ji Feifei who was tensed. What was that b*tch doing here?!


    Lin Jian had walked in with his parents following behind him. Beside him was Ruby, whose hand he was holding.


    Before anyone could ask him, Lin Jian walked forward to introduce Ruby. "Aunt Lin, Aunt Xinghe, Aunt Meiling, this is my girlfriend, Ruby. I knew that I would meet you here so I brought her along to introduce her." These three had been teaming up with his mother to constantly nag him about getting into a serious relationship so it was nothing out of the ordinary for him to introduce his genuine girlfriend to them.


    Wen Lin''s eyebrows twitched slightly.


    Xinghe looked at the young woman and smiled. "Ruby? Neil Chan''s daughter? Little Jian, You have a good eye."


    Ji Meiling smiled too. "That''s true. She is so beautiful. Come here, let aunty have a good look at you."


    "Meiling, don''t scare her!" Wen Lin berated Ji Meiling and pulled Ruby to her side.


    At the same time, Madam Lin was full of pride. "My stupid son finally realized that he has been wasting his life away. Ruby, if he dares to bully you, tell me and I will kick his butt for you."


    "Am I really your son?" Lin Jian complained.


    In response, Qian Lihua, his mother, rolled her eyes and harrumphed. "Unfortunately, yes. How I wish I gave birth to a son like Xiehan or Xingyu instead. Would I still need an idiot who knows nothing but to play around with innocent girls?"


    "Mother, can you not embarass me?" He complained.


    She pinched his ear slightly. "Then can you not embarass yourself?"


    Although she was complaining, she was very pleased. The whole nation knew her son as a playboy. It was a relief that he finally became serious. As his mother, she could clearly tell that her son loved Ruby.


    She sat beside Meiling to catch up. "How is Xiaoshi doing? I heard she is working now. What a responsible young woman."


    Ji Meiling was proud. "I hope she is not merely playing around for a few days."


    Qiao Lihua didn''t pay any heed to Ji Feifei who was supposed to be the star of the day. She had always felt that the latter was not as innocent as she appeared, and she would not pretend to like her. She focused on the other girls instead.


    Shifting her gaze between Ruby and Xiaoshi, she frowned. "Huh?"


    "Aunty, is there¡­ something wrong?" Xiaoshi asked nervously.


    "Nothing''s wrong. I''m just baffled at the coincidence. Why do I feel like you and Ruby look so much alike?"


    Ji Feifei tensed up when she heard her words.


    "Now that you mention it. I have always thought so too! She even has eyes that look similar to Meiling''s. What a sweet coincidence." Xinghe added.


    When Ji Feifei saw her aunt scrutinizing Ruby, she cursed under her breath. Did this b*tch come here to go against her?!


    At the same time, Xiehan smiled. Heh.


    He then glanced at Ruby. "I think she looks a little like father. If I didn''t know better, I would think she is our sister. It must be why she is best friends with Feifei¡ªbecause of this sense of security. Right, Feifei?"


    "Y-yes." Ji Feifei wanted to explode. Why was Xiehan saying such things? Was he suspecting something? To ruin whatever thoughts they could have, she pretended to unconsciously say, "When Ruby was a teenager, she had an accident and was disfigured."


    Her implication was that she had to undergo a cosmetic surgery, which would definitely deter her original appearance. So, it was purely coincidental that she looked similar to the Jis.


    She thought her response was flawless, but Lanni raised an eyebrow. "Really? But I was Ruby''s friend when we were young and I don''t remember such a thing. She has always looked this way."


    Ji Feifei pretended to smile but deep down, she so badly wanted to murder Lanni.


    When Lanni realized this, she glanced at Lin Jian. Knowing that it would not be shocking if he made that kind of joke, he studied Ji Meiling curiously.


    "Aunt Meiling, are you sure you didn''t have another baby and accidentally forget about her?"


    "You punk, what nonsense are you thinking about?" Ji Meiling laughed and pinched his cheek.


    Lin Jian raised an eyebrow. "You didn''t? What about you, aunty Lin? Ah, now that I recall, Ruby''s birthday is the same as Feifei''s. Could it be that you had twins but didn''t know about it?"


    Qiao Lihua couldn''t stop herself anymore, she pulled her son''s ears. "You idiot, what nonsense are you spewing?"


    Lin Jian rubbed his ear but resumed talking. "Am I? I''ve heard of such dramatic stories. I''ve even heard of babies being switched at birth."


    As though realizing something , Lanni gasped in pretend shock. "Ji Feifei doesn''t resemble uncle and Aunty Ji in the slightest, yet Ruby does. Isn''t it a little strange?"


    Xiehan smiled at her and pinched her secretly, but on the surface, he placed some food in her plate. "Stop fooling around. If you joke too much, Feifei might start to doubt her identity."


    Lanni chuckled and remained silent.


    This was all within Xiehan''s wish. They didn''t want to directly state that Ji Feifei was not the daughter of the Ji family but Ruby was. Not only would that be dramatic, they would alert the enemy too. So they decided to instead create a seed of doubt in Ji Huifen''s and Wen Lin''s hearts. This way, the couple might start to investigate.


    If Ji Feifei found out that she was being investigated, she would run to her supporter for help and give them just the chance they needed to find out who he was.

 Chapter 425 - Babe, Are You Doubting Your Man?

    The meal went on with immense awkwardness. However, it was neither Xiaoshi nor Luna who was awkward. Instead, it was Ji Feifei who would never have expected that the show she was awaiting did not arrive. It was her who was in the limelight like a clown. As if that was not horrible enough, her parents must have started to doubt her identity.


    She could not let them find out the truth! If they found out, she would be dead.


    They soon finished dining, and the Jiangs were the first to leave. Ji Meiling was afraid that her daughter was secretly sad, so she led her away too. Lin Jian wanted to have a word with Xiehan so his parents left first.


    When it was just the few of them left, Xiehan spoke up. "Did Ruby find a place to stay yet?"


    Lin Jian was baffled. Since when did Ruby not have a place to stay? Before he could point this out, the girl pinched him and he understood. He didn''t fully comprehend the situation but judging by the secret reactions of Ruby, Xiehan and Lanni, he played along. "Not yet."


    It was meant to be a casual conversation but Wen Lin heard it since she was still close by. She asked curiously, "Why wouldn''t she have a place to stay?" Wasn''t she Neil Chan''s precious daughter?


    Lin Jian looked awkward so Lanni spoke up, "She had a fight with her dad because she is dating Lin Jian. However, it would be inappropriate for her to temporarily live with him since their relationship is still in its developing phase."


    When she saw Wen Lin thinking about it, she pretended to snap out of it. "Wait. She can stay at my place. Ruby, you won''t mind, right?"


    Ruby knew what the ultimate plan was so she pretended to be at a loss. "But you and Xiehan¡­"


    She did not complete her statement but her implication was obvious. She did not want to distract the couple''s bonding time. Ji Feifei, who was gloating at the side, frowned. Why the hell was Xiehan keeping close to Lanni?


    Ruby shook her head timidly. "Thanks, Lanni. I''ll just stay at the hotel."


    As soon as her words were out, Lanni suggested that Ruby stay at Li Yuming''s villa. However, it would be awkward since the two were not close to each other, and Lanni would not be present.


    Xiehan grabbed this chance to strike the ultimate blow. "It''s not safe for a girl to stay at a hotel on her own. Why don''t you stay here?"


    "Huh?" She pretended to be shocked, but Ji Feifei did not need to fake it. Her eyes were on the verge of rolling out of their sockets.


    "Aren''t you best friends with Feifei? You can use this time to catch up. Besides, there are many guest rooms here." He then turned to Ji Feifei and acted like the reasonable elder brother. "Feifei, you regained your freedom all thanks to her. I''m sure you would be excited to stay with her, right?"


    "Y-yes. Brother knows me best." Despite her shock, she had to pretend to be happy about it.


    Ruby glared at her venomously. Who the hell is your brother? Don''t go claiming other people''s brothers as your own.


    ¡­


    Just like that, Ji Feifei was stuck having to live under the same roof with Ruby for heaven knows how long. Not only that, but she would also have to pretend to be best friends with her. Ji Huifen and his wife didn''t mind this arrangement, so she didn''t have any excuse to send her off and could only grit her teeth.


    At the side, Xiehan let out a tiny smile. He would torment that woman to her death one step at a time.


    ¡­


    Since she knew that she was in danger of being found out, JI Feifei decided to secure her position before it was too late. She had to please Wen Lin and make sure that even if her parents found out the truth, they would be unwilling to part with her.


    Hence, as soon as she woke up the following day, she went to the kitchen and made herself busy making breakfast. She used a cooking guide she found online and ended up scalding herself a few times by the time she had finally managed to whip up breakfast.


    Although it displeased her immensely, the result was better than expected. Wen Lin took her hand worriedly. "Feifei, what happened to your hand? Did you scald yourself? Why did you go to cook?"


    Grabbing this chance, she immediately looked wronged. She looked down and smiled as she explained, "I was away for so long that I missed you. I just wanted to do something to make you happy."


    Xiehan was not going to give her the chance to evoke his parents'' pity. His lips twitched. "If you wanted to do something to make everyone happy, it would have been better to let the chef cook. What the heck is this?"


    "Bacon¡­" Ji Feifei responded timidly, looking like she was on the verge of tears.


    However, Xiehan didn''t back down. He flipped the so-called bacon using a fork and glanced at her. "Oh? I thought it was a flattened piece of coal. Does it actually look like bacon¡ªor anything edible¡ªto you? My appetite is ruined."


    "Xiehan!" Wen Lin exploded. "Your sister tried her best. Is this how you treat her?"


    Lanni, who had been keeping silent, looked troubled. "Aunty, Xiehan is not wrong. It does look like coal."


    Wen Lin glared at them but before she could say a word, Ji Feifei ran out with tears in her eyes.


    Ruby raised an eyebrow and waited for For Ji Feifei to try to get revenge later. It would be fun.


    Ji Feifei, I will be waiting.


    ¡­


    When Xiehan and Lanni got into his car so he would drop her off, she couldn''t help glancing at him curiously. "What are you doing? By directly going against her, aren''t you sowing discord between you and your parents?"


    He cupped her face with a grin. "Babe, are you doubting your man''s tactics?"

 Chapter 426 - I Would Commit Murder For You

    "What are you up to?" She asked as she caressed his face.


    "Bribe me and I''ll tell you." He grinned.


    In response, she pecked his lips lightly, making him chuckle.


    "I''m not sowing discord between my parents and I, they know better than to push me away. I''m only trying to push that woman on edge and at the same time, creating the perfect opportunity for my sister and my parents to get close."


    "How so?" She tilted her head and asked curiously.


    "Do you really think she will treat Ruby well?"


    Lanni finally comprehended his plan. Was Ruby going to put on the act of a tortured white lotus? It was hard to imagine¡­


    While they spoke, they arrived at Tian Yu Media.


    He glanced at the time and found that she was about twenty minutes early. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her cheek. "My love, I''m already starting to miss you."


    "Is it just me, or have you been a little clingy lately?" She chuckled as she patted him on his head.


    He held her tightly in his arms, making his reluctance to part with her apparent. When she asked about his clinginess, he thought about it and decided to be honest. "I''m a little afraid."


    "Afraid? What are you scared of?" She looked at him in askance.


    "Afraid that you will leave me."


    She glanced at him and was helpless. Baby, how did you come to such an insane conclusion? Why the hell would I want to leave you? Although this is what she thought, she knew that he could be merely acting spoiled and waiting for her to dote on him. Hence, she patted his head like the baby he was acting as. "I wouldn''t leave you. Okay, my love?"


    He still looked reluctant to part, so she held his neck and kissed his lips. "Be good. I''ll accompany you tonight."


    When she was done speaking, she opened the door and entered the building before them. He watched her back until it disappeared among the other employees, then looked down at himself. How could she carelessly throw such words at him?


    Thanks to the words she had mindlessly uttered, he was almost unable to focus on his work all day. His mind was filled with nothing but her. By the time it was lunch hour, he couldn''t hold it anymore and gave her a call.


    "Have you eaten lunch?" He asked in a raspy voice.


    On the other side, Lanni glanced at the mountain of work on her desk and lied, "Yes."


    "What did you eat?" Came his next question.


    "Braised meat and rice. How is work, my love?"


    She was trying to divert his attention, but he wasn''t so easy to fool. "You sound like you''re lying. Go and eat before getting back to work."


    She gasped at his stern tone. "Why would you make such a wild assumption? I¡­"


    "Li Lanni, are you going to eat on your own, or should I come and pick you up for lunch?"


    Knowing that she would not be able to convince him, she could only resign to her fate. Otherwise, he would set his work aside just to take her out to eat. What kind of sin would that be? "Okay, I''ll go eat. Do you have to be so fierce?" He even used her full name, jeez!


    "If I''m not strict with you, will you work yourself sick?" He still sounded unhappy.


    She called her assistant over and asked for the latter to send her some food. She then returned to the call. "Baby, I ordered some food. Can you stop being mad at me now?"


    The man was silent for some time, he seemed to be thinking about it.


    His silence was making her more nervous by the second. "Honey¡­ Xiehan?"


    "It seems like¡­ I''ve been doting on you a little too much. You are getting naughtier by the day."


    "Uh¡­" She was yet to ask what he meant when the man directly hung up. Why did his words sound so wrong? Something felt fishy, but she couldn''t immediately figure out what it was.


    ¡­


    Feng Ji International.


    Lin Jian arrived at Xiehan''s office just as he hung up the call with Lanni.


    He slotted himself in the seat opposite Xiehan and let out a breath.


    "Ruby is actually your sister¡­ I would never have guessed it."


    Because he needed Lin Jian''s help slotting Ruby into the Ji Mansion, Xiehan had later explained why he was doing so, or else Lin Jian might have misunderstood something.


    "Don''t tell anyone about it."


    "Including Luna? She cornered me earlier and wanted me to provide an explanation for whatever has been going on."


    Xiehan rubbed his temples. It was already within his expectations that they would not be able to hide it from Luna. Although he could guarantee that Lanni would be safe, the only way to convince Luna about it was to explain everything to her. Alas, they still wanted to keep the matter as secret as possible.


    When Lin Jian saw his friend''s expression, his eyebrows furrowed. "Xiehan, you do know that you cannot keep everything to yourself, right? We are your friends. Why don''t you let us help you?"


    "I don''t want to drag everyone into the mess." He explained. He had merely told Lin Jian that Ruby and Ji Feifei had been switched at birth, but he had not said anything about someone being behind it all.


    Lin Jian couldn''t guess what was happening no matter how he tried. He could only pat his friend on the back of his shoulder. "If you ever need help, I''ll be right here."


    "Would you commit murder for me?" He joked.


    "Who do you want me to kill? Should I get rid of their body too?" Lin Jian was not joking, he looked like he was really ready to kill for him.


    Xiehan''s lips curled into a smile.


    ¡­


    Much later in the evening, Xiehan picked Lanni up. She had worked overtime and only left the office at 8pm.


    When she entered the car, she slumped against the backrest and let out a breath. "I''m so tired."


    He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. In the next second, he tugged her abruptly and she landed on her stomach, lying on his lap.


    "Xiehan, you¡­"


    "You never listen, do you?" As he spoke, his palm landed on her butt.


    Her eyes widened in shock. "Did you just spank me?"


    He slapped her butt again just as her voice fell.

 Chapter 427 - If I Dont Teach You A Good Lesson, My Surname Is Not Ji

    "Why have you been so naughty?" He asked her with a glare, as he spanked her yet again.


    "I didn''t. I had to¡­I had a lot of work to do." She was utterly speechless. Did he think she was a child? He was seriously¡­


    Just as she thought about it, she felt his hand rubbing her backside and her face flushed scarlet. What was he doing? Honey, we are still in the car. The chauffeur is still here¡­


    She was yet to voice this out when his palm landed yet again, making her let out an ambiguous-sounding yelp. She covered her mouth in embarrassment. She had finally understood what he meant this morning when he said that he had doted on her too much. Was this his way of teaching her a lesson?


    At the front, the chauffeur desperately minded his own business and ignored whatever was happening behind him.


    Xiehan looked at the little thing who had finally stopped struggling to leave his lap and swiped her hair off her face. "Will you continue to disregard your health and work overtime?"


    She finally had a chance to explain. "Honey, I''m not disregarding my health. It''s just¡­"


    "Mmh?" She felt his hand rise behind her and closed her eyes. However, what she was waiting for did not arrive. Instead, she heard a sly threat. "If I don''t teach you a good lesson tonight, my surname is not Ji."


    They had arrived at her apartment, and he pulled her hand and led her out of the car. He dragged her all the way to her apartment and as soon as the door opened, he pinned her against the wall.


    He pressed a kiss on her lips before she could gather her brains, as his hand circled her small waist. He kissed her demandingly, making her body go limp as he took her tongue in his mouth and sucked on it.


    Just as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he took her small hands and held them above her head, securing both of her wrists with one of his hands.


    Looking down at her seductively, his fingers traced her shoulders and found the hem of her short, peach dress. He gently lifted it and caressed her thigh upwards in slow strokes.


    Her skin felt as though it was on fire as his fingers slid against it, and she so badly wanted to touch him too¡ªbut her hands had been held too tightly. He caressed her inner thighs upwards but just when he was a tiny inch away from the part she wanted him to touch the most, he stopped.


    Seeing his evil grin, she knew that he was doing it on purpose.


    Her slight disappointment quickly morphed into excitement when he slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. He ripped her bra off and kissed her shoulder, trailing down her boobs. Her breath accelerated as she felt his tongue slide down her skin, igniting a fire under her skin. He sucked on her skin gently, making a gasp escape her lips. He took one of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and took the other in his mouth.


    Alas, he stopped just as he thought that he was going to suck on it.


    He was totally doing it on purpose!


    He touched and teased her in places she so badly wanted to be touched, but just when she was about to hit the peak of her excitement, he would stop.


    Too weak to move, she leaned in his embrace and tried to pry her wrists out of his grip.


    Kissing her lips, he carried her to her room and threw her onto the bed, trapping her between his body and the bed.


    He tugged on her dress that was halfway undone and pulled it off her body along with her soaking wet panties. His grin was full of mischief when he looked into her eyes, and she was yet to figure out what he was up to when he parted her thighs and held them in place. The words she was about say turned into a moan when his tongue suddenly came into contact with her aroused clit.


    Her back arched as she threw her head back, moaning and whimpering in immense pleasure. She so badly wanted him¡­ so badly wanted to feel his manhood inside her.


    But just when she was a second close to her climax, he stopped.


    An alluring smirk formed on his thin, sexy lips as he exited the room, leaving her all hot and needy.


    She closed her eyes and finally understood what he meant by teaching her a lesson. This was torture! Moving her body, she wondered whether he was coming back. She waited for a while, but the man seemed to be determined to torture her.


    What was worse, she couldn''t stop her mind from running wild. She couldn''t get his sexy, masculine body out of her mind, nor could she stop thinking about what would have happened if he didn''t leave just now.


    Her right hand unconsciously cupped her breast, her left hand sliding down her body as she recalled the feeling of his touch. Unable to take it anymore, she slid off the bed intending to follow him out. Just as her hand connected with the door knob, the door opened and he walked in.


    Wordlessly, he grabbed her, bent her over the edge of the bed and thrust into her roughly. A sudden moan left her lips.


    "I will not be gentle." He pulled her hair out of her face and warned beside her ear, before he picked up his pace and made hard, rough love to her.


    When he hit his climax, she slumped on her stomach, trembling from the innumerable orgasms she had just had.


    He climbed onto the bed and pulled her tired, flushed body into his arms.


    When her heartbeat had slowed down a bit, she looked up at him. "Honey, was that supposed to be punishment? Because if it is, then aren''t you luring me into making more mistakes?"

 Chapter 428 - Naughty Little Minx

    "You haven''t really learnt your lesson, have you?" He glared down at her threateningly.


    In response, she bit her lower lip and slotted herself onto his chest, her gray eyes gazing into his. "If not, what will you do? ''Teach me a lesson'' again?"


    His chest vibrated with his deep laugh. This naughty little minx. "I''ll punish you all night."


    He flipped her as soon as the words left his mouth, and pressed her under him. He wasn''t joking when he said that he would punish her all night.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in the Jiang Mansion.


    Xingyu finished his work and went back to his and Luna''s room, only to find her reclining against a pillow with a laptop on her lap.


    He frowned in disapproval. "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    She smiled at his arrival, then raised one hand to ask for a hug. When he had hugged and kissed her, she continued clinging onto his arm. "I still have a few things to do. Go to sleep first."


    "What would you have to do so late at night?" It was too late and besides, he had already taken care of all matters regarding Moonlight Studios. What else did she need to do?


    "It''s about my sister. I''m sorry, I can''t explain the exact situation since she didn''t even want me to know about it in the first place. However, I need to make sure she does not land in danger." She explained vaguely.


    He could only accept this information that was as good as her not opening her mouth in the first place. However, that didn''t mean he was happy about it. He grabbed the laptop out of her hands." You can do that tomorrow."


    "No, my love¡­ It has to be tonight. Just five more minutes. I promise, I will be done and I will go to sleep then."


    He wanted to say no, but when he met her pleading eyes, he couldn''t bring himself to do so. He sighed helplessly. "What will I do with you?"


    "Dote on me forever." She giggled after having had her way and pecked his cheeks, then resumed her research.


    Earlier, she had cornered Lin Jian to interrogate him about what had been going on. However, the latter refused to spill a single word.


    What he didn''t know is that when she pinned him to the wall by his shoulders, she planted a bug on him.


    Well, what she did was an invasion of privacy. However, there was no such thing as right and wrong in matters regarding the safety of her sister. She would even commit murder, forget placing bugs on people.


    As she thought of this, she played the video of Lin Jian''s conversation with Xiehan with her Bluetooth earbuds on. Her eyes widened at Xiehan''s explanation.


    Ruby was his sister? They were even switched at birth?


    Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about everything that had been going on. No wonder Lanni was suddenly close to Ruby, who was supposed to be her love rival.


    To be exact, she was not her love rival. All along, she had been merely trying to get close to her brother!


    No wonder Ruby and Xiaoshi looked alike. They were first cousins!


    But what she couldn''t understand was, if Ruby was Xiehan''s sister who was accidentally switched at birth, then why did she act sneaky instead of saying it outright?


    After Xiehan found out, why was he and Lanni being secretive? Shouldn''t they announce it to the Ji family?


    Then there was Ji Feifei¡­


    "I think I know what''s going on." She mumbled under her breath. In the next moment, her fingers flew across the keyboard of her laptop as she tried to follow Lanni''s and Xiehan''s trail.


    While Xiehan had been careful, Lanni had accidentally left behind a tiny clue, which was sufficient.


    It turned out, those two had sought out Flynn. It made her pensive. Why would they need Flynn''s help?


    If they needed a hacker, Xiehan was one himself. If they wanted someone to help them investigate, they would seek Lin Jian or her. For them to go through all the trouble and have Flynn fly over, it could only mean one thing: this matter was related to Galaxis. But what was the relationship, exactly?


    After thinking about it, she took a deep breath and hacked into Xiehan''s laptop.


    ¡­


    Xiehan was just calming himself from the intense activity he had been up to when an alarm resounded on his laptop. Someone was hacking into his laptop! Who in the world had such guts?


    He slid off the bed and took the laptop from the nightstand, then started to fight back. The more he battled, the more he found it strange. Why did this person''s modus operandi seem so familiar?


    He forcefully video called the other party after draping a random robe on his body, and was surprised when an extremely familiar face showed up. He was wondering who had the guts to hack into his laptop and it turned out to be the most gutsy hacker in the city.


    He turned to Lanni who had sat up in surprise at what was happening. "Did you tell Luna about it?"


    "Do I have to?"


    "Does she have to?"


    They had responded at the same time.


    "..." He was speechless at their unanimous response. Okay.


    "What do you want?" He asked the woman on the screen.


    "Why don''t we save each other''s time? Tell me everything else I need to know and I will no longer need to hack into your computer." Luna was running out of time so she went straight to the point.


    "What if I don''t?" Xiehan was not willing to drag her into everything.


    She shrugged. "Then, I will hack your computer till it breaks. Do you want to try me?"


    Xiehan knew that aside from having his laptop hacked, Xingyu would bite him into pieces if he let his delicate fianc¨¦e overwork her precious fingers by having to hack too much. He sighed and resigned to his fate. "Tomorrow, Feng Ji International.. I will explain everything."

 Chapter 429 - Give Them A Chance

    The following day.


    Lanni woke up to a phone call from her dad. Her voice was still raspy as she answered the call. "Morning, dad."


    "Lanni, did I wake you up?" Xia Hanchen asked, his tone sounding worried.


    "Not really. What''s up?" She looked at the space beside her and realized that Xiehan had already left. He had left a note on the bedside table, which she picked up to leisurely glance through.


    [Honey, I have a meeting in the morning so I have to leave. I''ve left breakfast on the dining table. Enjoy <3


    P. S: Don''t go doing naughty things.]


    She blushed and threw the note aside, dragging herself out of bed as she held her phone to her ear. "Dad, did you call me for something?"


    Since he had already woken her up, he could only tell her about it. "Are you free today? I would like you to meet some uncles and aunties."


    Lanni was slightly taken aback. Ever since she reunited with Xia Hanchen, he had never mentioned a word about the Xia family. She had almost forgotten that they existed. However, she couldn''t really leave B City on such short notice. She asked, "Does it have to be today? I have things to do today."


    The other line was silent for a moment before Xia Hanchen let out a sigh. "That''s okay. We can go tomorrow instead. If that''s alright with you, I will pick you up in the morning."


    "Uh...I have things to do tomorrow too." She sounded troubled. "I have a meeting in the evening too, and I don''t know at what time it will end."


    "What a bummer." The man sounded a little disappointed but he immediately cheered up. "When are you free?"


    Lanni scratched her hair. "I don''t know, dad. How about I tell you when I''m free?"


    The other side went silent.


    "Hello¡­ Dad?"


    A heavy sigh resounded as the man''s deep, disappointed voice filled her ears. "Cupcake, I know you may have heard a lot of things about the Xia family, about how treacherous they are and all. Some of them are true. But, not all of them are bad. Actually, some of the things you have heard might be exaggerated."


    He paused for a moment before he helplessly continued, "Cupcake, they miss you so much. Can you not hate them before giving them a chance? Could you get to know them before deciding whether you like or hate them?


    Your grandma has been bugging me to let her meet her precious granddaughter again and if I don''t bring you back this weekend, she will bug me again."


    Lanni did not hear much about the last part, she was focused on the part about having heard too many things about the Xia family that was an exaggeration. She couldn''t help frowning. She had not heard that much about them except the things that Li Yuming and Luna said.


    When she recalled that he had talked about her grandmother missing her, she was stunned. "But dad, grandmother does not like me. She did not like me from the start. Isn''t that why she sent me and mommy away?"


    Most importantly, wasn''t it Old Mrs. Xia''s fault that her parents were no longer together? Wasn''t it all because she had got her dad drunk and forced him together with Li Xiyan?


    Xia Hanchen knew this, but he still didn''t think his mother would dislike Lanni. He explained, "Cupcake, when your mother and I divorced, it was only natural that we take one child each. It just happened that she took you away and I stayed with Luna. Even so, you were still a baby back then and had nothing to do with anything. Why would your grandma dislike you?"


    "Does that mean mother had something to do with everything?" She asked about what his words implied."


    He stopped in his tracks and let out a breath. "Can we not talk about the past? Anyway, it''s your grandma who urged me to go look for you. Don''t detest her before giving her a chance, okay?"


    Lanni was at a loss. "Dad, I''m really busy today. I cannot call it off. How about we go tomorrow? It''s the weekend. I can postpone my plans.


    Xia Hanchen was happier now. "Okay. I''ll pick you up tomorrow, girl." As if worried that she would still be scared, he added, "I called your sister a while ago and she agreed to go too. She is even bringing Xingyu along, so you don''t need to worry about not being with anyone you are familiar with. If you want, you can bring Xiehan along too."


    As expected, Lanni was more at ease now. It was not that she did not trust her father, but in such an unfamiliar place, it would be better to have her sister and her boyfriend by her side. "No problem. I will give Xiehan a call and ask him about it later."


    When the call ended, she dragged her tired body to the bathroom. Her gaze darkened slightly when she saw her skin through the mirror. She had several ambiguous marks all over her breasts and back, and she even had some on her neck. Rubbing her waist that still hurt, she had to admit that Xiehan had never been as rough as he was the previous night. He still had the energy to wake up so early to go to a meeting¡­and to threaten her?


    After a quick shower, she found that there was nothing appropriate to wear. Summer was nearing its end, and it was still too hot for her to wear a turtleneck sweater. She was suddenly at a loss for what to wear. After rummaging through her closet for minutes, she finally found a sleeveless blouse that she could wear with a chiffon scarf. luckily, she managed to cover the embarrassing marks without being too obvious.


    Though she vowed to revenge for this. That man must have done it deliberately!


    As he had stated in the note, there was breakfast on the table, and it included her favorite sandwiches. Smiling, she packed two sandwiches and decided to grab a cup of coffee at the cafe downstairs, since she was almost running late.


    ¡­


    Tian Yu Media.


    "Chief, here are the models that have been selected for the cover of August''s EM cover. Please take a look."


    Lanni accepted the folder and glanced through it. EM was the fashion magazine owned by Tian Yu Media, and it featured everything related to fashion including jewelry, cosmetics and clothes for men, women and children.


    She glanced through the portfolios and was stunned at one of them. "Ruby Chan?"


    The little assistant nodded and explained, "Although she is not a model, she is no less popular than professional models. Besides, her father is a famous businessman, not to mention she is very beautiful. I think her striking appearance would be great for a magazine cover."


    Lanni thought about it with a frown. Indeed, Ruby was a beauty. Since she had submitted her application, then she must be willing to do it. She closed the file after looking through it once again.


    "Give Ruby Chan, Tang Youran and Meng Lan a call. We will have them try out for the job."


    That was fair, so the assistant noted it down before placing a USB flash drive on Lanni''s desk. "These are the articles for tomorrow''s news. I filtered them out and only sent those that are relevant."


    "Okay." Lanni inserted it in her computer and started reading through the articles. She frowned when she noticed that the assistant was still standing in front of her desk. "Is there something else?"


    "Y-yes." The girl was timid. "Boss, there is a bouquet of flowers and a letter for you."


    "From who?" She asked nonchalantly.


    "His surname is Ji." Answered the girl.


    A smile slowly formed on Lanni''s lips but she restrained it and said, "Bring them over."


    The girl brought the bouquet of roses over. Although she didn''t have a particular liking for flowers, her heart was filled with contentment when she saw the fresh flowers, with dew still dripping from the slightly. Slotted between the stalks was a box of chocolate, which she took out with a chuckle.


    She opened the box and found a sticky note plastered onto it.


    [Love, I miss you. I hope you think about me all day~Xiehan]


    She smiled as she took out her phone to reply. [I would think about you whether or not you sent the flowers.]


    ¡­


    Feng Ji International.


    Xiehan was listening to a report from his secretary in his office when his phone vibrated. He paused and took it out, smiling when he saw the content of the message.


    The secretary said nothing, but it couldn''t be any more obvious who the message was from. Ever since her boss announced his relationship with his girlfriend, he was constantly found smiling at odd times, grinning at nothing in particular.


    It made one want to fall in love!

 Chapter 430 - I Dont Need A Girlfriend

    Xiehan dismissed his secretary before giving Lanni a call. "Do you miss me?"


    "Mmh. Are you going to be busy tomorrow?"


    Xiehan frowned slightly at her question. "Why?"


    "My dad wants me to go to the Xia family home tomorrow. It''s my first time in a long time¡­ would you like to accompany me?" She asked. The other side was silent for a while, so she thought that he must be busy. She paused and added, "Well, if you will be busy then¡­"


    "Baby, we had plans for tomorrow." He interrupted, starting to sound strict when he heard about her sudden change of plans.


    Lanni widened her eyes and slapped her forehead. She had forgotten about it all thanks to her dad''s words. They were planning to go to the Ji family home and anger Ji Feifei in the morning and in the afternoon, they would go on a picnic.


    "I''ll make it up to you, my love. I was so nervous that I thoughtlessly promised my dad." She apologized guiltily.


    Although she had visited in the past, it was under different circumstances and she had forgotten all about it.


    "Mmh?" Xiehan raised an eyebrow, his voice deepening dangerously. "Is your skin itching to be taught a lesson?"


    "Honey, don''t be so fierce." She complained with her voice lowered, her face flushing when she comprehended the second meaning of his words.


    He laughed deeply after having teased her. "Sure, my love. I''ll accompany you. But after that, you will have to make up to me all night."


    "Okay." She blushed at his shamelessness to say such words like they meant nothing.


    ___


    In the evening, at Hillside Hospital.


    Before going back home, Xiaoshi decided to drop by and take back the lunch box in which she had sent lunch to Han Xichen.


    As soon as she arrived, she wondered whether her visit made any sense. She could very well have picked it up the following morning like she always did.


    However, she didn''t pause in her steps. She took a deep breath and made her way to the elevator.


    There was a patient in his office, so his assistant let her wait for him in his resting room.


    The resting room was simple with a few pieces of furniture; a bed, a love seat, a television, and a closet. Although she didn''t know what doctors'' resting rooms should look like, she thought that it was quite pleasant to the eye. It was sparkling clean and beautiful and aside from the slight medical scent, the air carried his mild, masculine scent.


    She sat on the white leather love seat, making herself comfortable. In a few minutes, Han Xichen''s assistant brought her juice and snacks. She picked up a cookie and wondered when he would be done. As if on cue, the door opened and he walked in.


    "Xiaoshi." His face bloomed with a smile as he sat right next to her.


    "Hey¡­" She set down the cookie between her fingers. Why was she suddenly feeling nervous?


    "Did you wait for too long?" He asked as he pulled off his white lab coat.


    "I just arrived." She smiled. "Are you very busy, should I come back some other day?"


    "I would never be too busy for you." He rested a hand on the backrest of the couch, behind her head.


    She tried to ignore his presence as his words played inside her mind on repeat. I would never be too busy for you.


    He sounded like a loving boyfriend assuring his little girlfriend that no matter how much work he had to do, he would still make time for her. The woman who could be with this man must be the luckiest woman on earth.


    To stop herself from thinking too much about it, she gently reminded, "I came to pick up the bento box."


    "Oh, that." He stood up and disappeared into a door, then came back with an empty bento box. "Thank you. It was delicious."


    "You don''t need to thank me." She kept the box away with a slight flush on her face.


    He was studying her, then he asked, "Just this?"


    "Huh? Uhm¡­" It was time to go. She knew this but for some reason, she wanted to stay a little longer. Hence she found something random to talk about. "About the break up,.."


    She almost bit her tongue when her words were out. What sort of topic did she just bring up?


    Since she had already mentioned it, she could only bite the bullet and continue. "When should we break up? And why should we break up? I mean¡­ this was the plan, right? If we don''t, our fake relationship might make it difficult for you to get a girlfriend later."


    He glanced at her and let out a low chuckle. "That''s alright. I don''t need to get a girlfriend." So I don''t mind keeping this relationship going, he added mentally.


    When she understood his words, her heart skipped a few beats as she jabbed him. "Be serious."


    He was serious, but she thought he was joking. He could only laugh helplessly. "Then why don''t we use the most basic reason? I cheated on you and you were mad at me so we broke up."


    She frowned and shook her head. "No. I don''t want to use such reasons as you cheating on me, it will create you trouble." not only would her father seek him to battle it out with him, it would also be unfair for such a perfect man to bear the title of a cheating scumbag.


    He grinned when he realized that she cared about him a lite more than he thought. She was actually worried about her reputation. He thought about it and suggested, "We can say that we stayed together and found that we are incompatible."


    "How so?" She asked curiously. Although they were of different professions, he was not too much older than her and he was handsome. Paired with his regal background and how hardworking he was, there was no way she would find such a man incompatible to her.


    He thought about it too. Although he had never had a specific type of women he liked, he couldn''t deny that a beauty like her was indeed loveable. Even if he was stuck doing this favor for her forever, he would be happy to do so.


    He snapped out of his own unwanted thoughts and thought of a plausible reason. "Perhaps you fell for me merely because you were heartbroken, and later, you realized that you don''t really love me so you decided to break it off?"


    Once again, he didn''t offer her the solution he knew would solve this mess once and for all. It was as though he wanted to continue being in this trap together with her.


    As expected, her eyes widened at his suggestion. "Can you not make it sound like I''m such a jerk?"


    He brust into laughter at her reaction.


    "I''m serious! Stop playing around." She jabbed him angrily.


    "I''m serious. No one would think of you as a jerk. Everyone knows that an angel like you would never be one." His tone was full of seriousness, not leaving space for one to doubt any of his words.


    "What?" She was dazed by the sudden change of his tone.


    He cleared this throat when he realized that he had been too unpredictable. "I mean, you have been so kind to me that I decided that an angel like you deserves more than a verbal thank you. I brought you a gift."


    While he spoke, he opened the bag he walked towards the bed and opened a drawer by the bedside table. Out of it came a velvet box about the size of his palm and he brought it to her.


    "For me?" She took it suspiciously and opened it. A floral red bracelet made of ruby and silver came into view.


    It seemed as though he liked seeing her wear jewelry made of ruby, perhaps it was because they complemented her hair color. He had once said that they were a perfect match with her golden eyes.


    She wasn''t crazy about jewelry but from the buzz among girls on social media, she knew that this was one of the most valued bracelets from the latest series of M Angel, a famous jewelry production company.


    She touched it delicately. "It''s beautiful. Thank you."


    Seeing as her attention was successfully diverted, his lips curled into a smile. While he did buy the bracelet to gift to her, he was planning to give it to her much later. However, he brought it out earlier than planned just to shut her up.


    For some reason, he didn''t want to keep talking about the break up even though he knew that would eventually have to do it.


    ___


    AN:


    Have you checked out my latest book yet? If you haven''t, you''re missing out on so much fun!


    Search: The Tyrant''s Wife and add it to your library. Please support it and help this poor author reach her goal T_T


    THANKS for reading darlings!

 Chapter 431 - Lend Me Your Embrace

    Xiaoshi''s phone rang, a reminder flashing on the screen.


    She was full of regret when she saw it. "I have to go home now. I need to finish up on some work."


    "I''ll drop you off." He offered as he picked up his car keys.


    She was suddenly happy about having taken a cab this morning, she had no reason to reject the ride. She nodded and followed him to the parking lot.


    When they arrived at her residential area, he opened the door for her.


    She got down and unconsciously rubbed her fingers against the bracelet on her wrist. With a smile, she invited, "You must be tired after a whole day of work. Why don''t you stay for dinner?"


    She clearly saw the astonishment in his eyes and had the urge to take back her words. Did she just invite a man into her house? Those who didn''t know would think too much of it!


    However, there was nothing wrong with a boyfriend going into his girlfriend''s house, was there?


    She wanted to slap herself when she thought about it. He was merely a fake boyfriend. How could she think up such nonsense?


    The man knew his place, he didn''t do anything aside from obediently sitting on the couch and finding something to talk about.


    To alleviate the awkwardness, she went into the kitchen and started preparing to cook. She soon returned with an apron draped over her and tied her hair into a messy bun as she asked, "What would you like to eat?"


    "Anything is good. Do you need help?"


    She wanted to say no and cook on her own, but she knew that she may indeed need help with everything she was going to cook. "Help me prepare the ingredients."


    "Okay."


    They made their way back to the kitchen one after another. Luckily, she had an oversized apron so she gave it to him. At the time, he had just picked up a knife and was washing a tomato at the sink, so he naturally raised his arms for her to help him put it on.


    Perhaps he thought nothing of it but she was flustered, okay? She swallowed a gulp and held the apron in front of him. Just take it as helping Xiehan put on his coat.


    Of course, the man before her couldn''t possibly pass off as her cousin no matter how hard she tried to imagine him that way. She couldn''t help but notice how masculine his body looked. He stood still as she tiptoed and pulled it over his neck, then circled him to tie it behind his waist. As if he had done nothing wrong, he resumed washing the vegetables and went ahead to chop them.


    To be exact, he had really done nothing wrong. It was her brain that was doing something wrong.


    Trying to maintain her sanity, she found the tools she needed and started cooking.


    "What do you like eating?" The man asked to break the silence.


    "I don''t know¡­ I''m not a picky eater either." She responded, remembering that there wasn''t anything she disliked eating since she was young. "Except carrots!" She quickly added.


    "That makes two of us." He laughed at her funny reaction.


    "You don''t like carrots either?" She was surprised by the coincidence.


    "I didn''t. My mother liked to add them into practically every meal she cooked and would ramble on about all their health benefits. Even so, I would pick them all off my plate."


    She burst into laughter, imagining a little Xichen sneakily throwing away the carrots when his mother was not looking.


    "What about now?" She asked curiously. "Does she still force you to eat them?"


    "Not anymore." He shook his head, a sense of sadness suddenly clouded his eyes. "Sometimes I wish she could."


    Understanding his words, she was suddenly stumped. "She¡­ I''m sorry."


    He chuckled. Knowing that she had misunderstood him. "Oh no, she isn''t dead¡­ Though my real mother is."


    "You were adopted?" She asked curiously."


    He shook his head. "Not exactly. My mother died having me and my dad remarried. Because he married her within six months of my mum''s death, everyone was displeased with her.


    My uncles and aunts kept comparing her to my mother and saying that she was not worthy of being with my father, and that she was merely a substitute. However, she didn''t take it out on me. She loved me as though I were her true son. I only found out that she was not really my mother when I was a teenager."


    Xiaoshi blinked. She was not new to people treating other people''s children as their own but it was still a little surprising. "And then what happened?"


    His own words filled his heart with bitterness. "It turns out, not only was she being emotionally harassed by being compared to my mother, my father had been constantly assaulting her too. She had been holding it in for my sake. As soon as I came of age, she decided to leave."


    The reality was more painful than she had thought. She gently patted his shoulder.


    "It''s alright now. Sorry, I talked about such solemn things." He smiled.


    "No, it''s alright. I don''t mind lending an ear." She smiled as she uncovered the casserole. "Also, you lent me your ear before."


    He smiled at her. "That was my job, and you have thanked me enough for that. However,"


    "However what?" She glanced up to meet his complicated gaze.


    "I won''t mind if you lent me your embrace too." He grinned.


    "Huh?" His words caught her by surprise. What was he trying to imply? When her mind finally wrapped around his words, she cleared her throat. "But you are no longer sad. You don''t need it."


    "How can you say that? I am very sad, okay? Look how gloomy I am." He put on a dramatic sad face, then laughed the next instant.


    "Who flashes that kind of smile when they are sad?" She rolled her eyes at him and slapped his shoulder using a mitten.


    "Don''t you know that there are people who smile, laugh and appear cheerful just to mask the sadness within them?" He continued laughing, but she couldn''t refute his words anymore.


    To get it done once and for all, she leaned onto him and wrapped her arms around his waist.


    He smiled dotingly and let down the things in his hands, wrapping his arms around her. Her scent permeated through his nostrils, making his heart beat faster than usual. When she tried to pull away, he didn''t know what came over him but he pulled her to himself to continue hugging her.


    ___


    When Cedric left work, Cheng Yu met him in the parking lot as usual.


    He hugged her and gently pecked her forehead. "Where do you plan to go now?"


    "My place." She answered tiredly. "Though I have a feeling that woman might try to find me again. Perhaps she knows where I live."


    The woman she was talking about was doubtlessly her mother.


    "Your mother is a psycho. She called my mum and told her to ask me to stay away from her daughter." He laughed when he recalled what had happened when the two of them had left the park the last time.


    Cheng Yu frowned in disgust. "That bitch. What did your mum say?"


    "Nothing." He grinned. "Because I snatched the phone and gave her a piece of my mind. Yu, how have you managed to live under the same roof as someone so venomous?"


    "You have no idea." She frowned when she thought about the kind of life her mother had made her live.


    He pulled her back into his embrace as he fondly patted her head. "Don''t worry. You don''t have to live that way anymore. I will be here for you."


    "Cedric, why are you so kind?" Her eyes stung slightly as she held his waist.


    "Am I supposed to allow people to bully my girlfriend?" He raised his eyebrow. "Yu, although I don''t have much power for now, as long as I''m here, I will not let anyone put their finger on you." Even if it means using his family influence, he would use it to protect his girlfriend.


    "Thank you, Cedric." She rubbed his back and promised herself to be a strong woman and not burden him.


    "Are you attending the graduation ceremony tomorrow?" He asked.


    She pulled away instantly. "Shoot, I forgot all about it. Are you attending it?"


    It was postponed due to some reasons and was being held the following day, so it had slipped her mind.


    He nodded. "Yes I am. I even got everything ready. I even got us a matching outfit. You promised to go with me."


    "Aw, I was planning to sleep the whole day." She felt bummed.


    "But the graduation ceremony doesn''t take the whole day. Yu, please come with me." He looked like he would start acting like a baby if she insisted on saying no.


    She didn''t want him to have to use the pitiful approach so she nodded. "Okay, I will accompany you.. But after that, you have to let me sleep."

 Chapter 432 - The Onset Of A Nightmare

    The old Ji Mansion.


    Since Lin Jian was pretending to be Ruby''s boyfriend, it made sense for him to use ''paying aunt Lin a visit'' as an excuse to see Ruby. Xiehan had sent him a message to remind him of the right time to make his appearance.


    When he arrived, she was in the gazebo in the front yard, reading a book. She looked so absorbed in it that it would take courage to interrupt her.


    Scratch that. He was simply scared. Previously, he had been carefree around her. Even when she suddenly gave him the condition to prove his love to her, he had not been this nervous around her for a second. However, now that he knew she was Xiehan''s sister, he couldn''t help feeling pressured.


    He had seen how protective Xiehan was of his cousin, Xiaoshi. If he did the slightest thing and upset his sister, wouldn''t that man hack him to death?


    When she felt the presence of someone in the gazebo, she looked up and frowned when she saw him acting sneaky, looking like he was battling between leaving and staying. "What''s wrong with you?"


    He shrugged to indicate that nothing was wrong. "Is aunty home?"


    She nodded and resumed reading her novel.


    He made himself comfortable beside her and was puzzled when she continued reading and giggling like he didn''t exist. "Ruby, are you going to ignore me?" How could she be so unwelcoming?


    She looked at him blankly. "Haven''t you already made your presence noticeable? That''s all you needed to do and it doesn''t mean I should force an awkward conversation with you."


    Hearing her words, he looked hurt. She was so sharp-tongued. "Ruby, can''t you give me a little face? Are you going to discard you after gaining my help?" He complained.


    Finally realising what she was dealing with, she closed her novel while using her fair fingers as a temporary bookmark and looked straight at him. "Lin Jian, did you overthink something? We may be putting on an act but that doesn''t make me your girlfriend. Don''t try to play ''the abandoned boyfriend'' with me, okay?"


    "But you promised to give me a chance." He pointed out accusingly.


    She nodded. "Yes I did. And I''ve yet to decide whether or not you really deserve it. Buzz off."


    "You''re so fierce." He lamented.


    "Get lost." She didn''t have enough patience to deal with him.


    Seeing as she was not in the mood to chat with him, he could only make his way into the mansion and deliver the tonics he had brought for Wen Lin.


    In reality, Ruby didn''t initially have much anything against Lin Jian. As long as he had stopped fooling around, she may have given him a chance since she liked him too. However, she changed her mind when his name once again exploded on the entertainment section''s tabloids. His name had been tangled in yet another scandal with an international model. Was this man ever lacking in scandalous news?!


    What was worse, he didn''t even bother to explain. He acted as though nothing had happened. How could she tolerate him?


    Hence, she waited until he had left before she entered the house.


    "You stupid bitch, why are you here?" Seeing as there was no one else in the living room, Ji Feifei venomously attacked Ruby.


    The latter gave a slight laugh and raised her eyebrows. "I should be asking you that, JI Feifei." She deliberately emphasised on the word "Ji", making Ji Feifei''s skin crawl. Even so, she would never allow herself to lose her composure around this loser.


    She scoffed. "I don''t know what you are up to, Ruby, but let me give you a warning. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to sow discord between me and my parents."


    Ruby blinked as though she had heard something surprising. "And why are you so sure that I want to sow discord between you and your parents? Do you know of a specific reason?" Besides, did she have any shame, claiming someone else''s parents as her own even while knowing that they were not in any way related?


    Her words baffled Ji Feifei. Why did she sound so odd? Could it be that she didn''t know the truth? If this b*tch knew the truth, Ji Feifei didn''t think she would remain silent. She would have caused a ruckus eons ago.


    But if she didn''t, why did Xiehan bring her here? That didn''t sound right either. She suddenly thought of a reason and her eyebrows knitted.


    "You bitch, don''t you ever try to seduce my brother!" She pointed a finger at Ruby accusingly.


    "Ji Feifei, I didn''t know you were so disgusting." Just who was seducing whose brother? She lowered her voice. "As for creating trouble, since you want me to do that, watch me."


    Before Ji Feifei could let out a curse, she caught sight of her mother descending the staircase so she shut up. She wanted to put on an act but Ruby beat her to it, sobbing like she had suffered too much.


    "Feifei, what will I do? Will my father not want me anymore? I already lost my mother and I feel very sad. If I lose my dad too¡­"


    Wen Lin was intending to have the helpers prepare fruits for the girls but before she could call for them, she saw Ruby cry and her heart shattered. She rushed over and gently patted her. "Ruby, what''s wrong?"


    As though she had suddenly lost control of her emotions, Ruby leaned against Wen Lin''s shoulders and cried. "Aunty, I don''t know what to do. My dad is still so mad at me. I feel like I''ve lost everything overnight."


    Wen Lin felt as though her heart had been broken into pieces. She had never felt this hurt even when she saw her own ''daughter'' Ji Feifei cry. She patted the girl''s back and pulled her into her embrace to coax her. "Ruby, you''re a good girl. Your dad will soon understand you. Just give it some time, okay?"


    Ruby felt her entire body freeze when Wen Lin hugged her. This feeling¡­


    It was different from when her foster mother hugged her before. Finally in her biological mother''s embrace, she realized just how much she had longed for such a moment. Her fake tears instantly turned into real ones, and she choked on her sobs.


    At the side, Ji Feifei gritted her teeth when she saw her mother embracing Ruby so fondly. She faked a smile and tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Ruby, how about we catch a movie? You will feel better."


    Ruby shook her head and looked up at Wen Lin with teary eyes. "Aunty, can I hug you a little longer, please?"


    Wen Lin didn''t know why her eyes stung but she pulled Ruby into an even tighter hug. She must be acting this way because she had missed her mother too much. The poor thing¡­


    ''I should treat her better from now on.'' She made a mental note.


    If Ji Feifei knew what her ''mother'' was planning, she would have slit her own throat.


    She never would have known that this was merely the onset of her nightmare.


    ___


    The next morning.


    Cheng Yu''s phone rang just when was finishing up on her makeup. It was a message from Cedric. [I''ll pick you up.]


    Since they had agreed to go together, she smiled and responded with an "okay" before finishing up on her preparation.


    Cedric must have been on his way when he sent her the message, because he arrived in ten minutes. She was done so when she received a call from him, she splashed a little of her jasmine-scented perfume onto her wrist, grabbed her purse and keys and rushed out.


    The man was leaning against a ferrari in the parking lot. He was clad in a dark blue tuxedo that was of the shade as the dress she was wearing. It was indeed a couples outfit, but what was up with the ferrari? Did he have to be so flashy?


    "Babe, you look beautiful." He took her hand as she approached and spun her around, then hugged her.


    "And you look so breathtakingly handsome." She pulled away and looked him up and down in awe. "My god! Will I really still be your girlfriend by the end of the ceremony?"


    He smiled at her words, then nodded seriously. "You''re right. That''s indeed something to think about. You run the risk of losing me, so you better hold onto me and take good care of me lest another girl snatch me away."


    "Idiot. Let''s go." She slapped him on the shoulder as though reprimanding him for being so narcissistic. This must be a side effect of spending too much time with Lin Jian.


    ¡­


    In his villa, Lin Jian sneezed three times in a row.


    He glanced at the ceiling, looking lost. Why was this happening so often? Were there many people with grudges against him?

 Chapter 433 - The Moon Rises After Sunset

    Li Yuming''s Villa.


    Lanni rushed over after being called by her mother in the morning. They would depart at 11, so she had some time to chat with her.


    Li Yuming smiled brightly and led Lanni to her old room. There were a few gowns on the bed as well as new shoes and accessories.


    She smiled as she touched the hem of a delicate, cream dress. "Are these for me?"


    Li Yuming nodded. "Do you like them? You can wear one of them this afternoon and keep the rest for ocassions that may need them."


    Lanni frowned curiously. "This afternoon?"


    Realizing that it had slipped her mind, Li Yuming slapped her forehead. "The national art exhibition is being held today. Would you like to accompany me?"


    Lanni felt her hands suddenly tremble. She recalled that there was indeed such a thing. How could she forget about it? Although her mother didn''t remember to give her an invitation, it didn''t seem right for her to not go to support her.


    Li Yuming saw how helpless Lanni looked and her heart sunk. Even so, she understood that her daughter had gotten quite busy after getting a job. She took her small hand and rubbed it gently. "It''s alright if you already have plans for the day. It''s my bad for forgetting to tell you about it earlier."


    Lanni felt guilty. "I''m sorry, mum. It''s just that I already promised dad to go to Lakeside City today. I don''t think I will make it back in time for the exhibition."


    "Lakeside City? You are not going to the Xia family, are you?" Li Yuming was startled.


    "I am. Luna and Xiehan are coming too."


    Li Yuming relaxed slightly when she heard that Xiehan was going along. Even so, she couldn''t pretend to be comfortable about the fact that Lanni was going to that place. How could she be at ease? However, if she pointed out her insecurity, it would only trigger a fight and that was the least desired thing at the moment.


    She swallowed and casually asked, "


    Why did he tell you to go over on such short notice?"


    Lanni was relieved when Li Yuming did not react explosively to the news. She had come out with it since she didn''t want to hide things from her mother, but she hoped that the latter would not be against it. Hearing her question, she rubbed the vracelet on her wrist as she explained.


    "Dad didn''t think of it before. He thought that I would definitely say no if he brought it up, but I know he really wants me to go."


    Li Yuming sighed. "You know that I don''t want you to go. However, I don''t want to fight about it."


    Lanni hugged her. "I don''t want to fight about it either, mum. I''ll take care of myself."


    "Be careful, okay? Both of you." Li Yuming insisted as she hugged her daughter emotionally.


    "We will." Lanni returned the hug but was suddenly confused by her mother''s words. Both of us...? Although they both knew that she was going with Xiehan why did she suddenly feel like her mother''s words meant something else?


    Before she could think much about it, Li Yuming pulled her to her painting studio.


    Lanni looked around and was awed by the new paintings that she had not seen before. Were they going to be displayed at the exhibition?


    That didn''t seem right. The paintings for the exhibition should have been submitted at least a week earlier. However, she was sure that they were new. Her mother''s talent had improved tremendously.


    Li Yuming smiled when she saw her looking around with her eyes full of worship. The best kind of acknowledgement she could ever receive was appreciation from the only people who mattered to her.


    She smiled dotingly and took out a scroll, opening it up in front of Lanni. "This is for you."


    Lanni opened it immediately, curiously studying it. It was a simple landscape painting with a calm sky and a river flowing downhill, between two rows of colorful trees. The sun had just set, and its last, final rays reflected onto the river, giving the whole painting a calming effect. It was almost hypnotozing as she stared at the river for a long time. She glanced at the tiny name written above Li Yuming''s pen name: [Sunset].


    "Do you like it?" Li Yuming asked.


    Lanni returned to her senses, realising that it was indeed a painting made specifically for her. Something about it made her feel a strong connection at first glance.


    "I love it. Thanks mum." She hugged her and her gaze trailed back to the painting. The more she looked at it, however, the more she felt that there was something odd about it. It was almost as though there was something missing.


    After a few more glances, she finally realized it. "Mum, is there another piece? Was it from a set of two?"


    "No. It''s the only one." Li Yuming denied it. As if something had snapped in her mind, she hurriedly Lanni away. "I made cupcakes earlier, I''ll let you carry some during your trip. Give some to Xiehan later."


    Lanni didn''t think too much about it and followed her out of the studio. If she had glanced at the painting behind the door, she would have realized that it was the second piece of hers. They were almost identical; only that the other piece was less vibrant, with the rising full moon powerfully shining its rays against the flowing river. When placed side by side, one would realize that it was indeed one continuous piece. [The moon rises after sunset]


    Li Yuming must have been prepared before. She exited the kitchen within a few minutes, carrying a small colorful basket with her. Aside from a box of cupcakes, there were oranges and apples.


    She was just about to complain about her dislike for oranges when she paused. It wasn''t that Li Yuming didn''t know that. However, she realized a fact when she thought about it. Weren''t oranges and apples recommended for pregnant women? Why would her mother give her that?


    Li Yuming shrugged when she noticed her gaze. "Just carry them on your trip. No one''s eating them here anyway. If Xiehan doesn''t like them either, you can give them to your friends."


    Lanni nodded but her eyebrows slightly raised. Li Yuming should know Xiehan''s preferences better than anyone. How could she not know that the only fruit Xiehan liked was pineapples?


    Was she thinking too much¡­?


    Deciding not to ask and shatter her little fantasy, she carried her basket back and waited for her father to pick her up.


    ¡­


    As soon as Lanni stepped out of the door, Li Yuming contacted one of her security details. "Get a team to follow the young miss."


    Actually, she was wondering whether she should follow Lanni herself. If the Xias did anything to her, how could she stay calm while entrusting Lanni''s life to bodyguards?


    After thinking through it a few times and reminding herself that Xiehan would be there too, she sighed and sat down to calm herself. Bodyguards would be sufficient. If not, at least she should trust Xiehan, right?


    ¡­


    In the end, Li Yuming was too worried for nothing.


    Not only were the Xias looking forward to seeing Lanni, they welcomed her warmly too.


    Xia Hanchen proudly paraded himself with each daughter holding onto one arm. He must be the happiest man in the world.


    He smiled as he introduced Lanni to his family. "Cupcake, this is my cousin. You can call him Uncle Yuguang."


    "Hello, Uncle Yuguang." Lanni politely greeted the young-looking man before her, finding him familiar.


    "They are already so old. Why do you still use such childish names on them?" An old man with a head full of white hair walked into the living room, shooting Xia Hanchen a glare.


    Xia Hanchen smiled in response to his words. "Who what if they''re old? They will forever be my cupcake and my pumpkin even when they''re 50. Father, how have you been?"


    "Grandfather." Luna greeted the elderly man too, and Lanni finally understood that he was their grandfather.


    Xia Hanchen helped Lanni to the elderly man''s side as the latter sat on a comfort chair. "Father, this is my other daughter, Lanni. This gentleman is her boyfriend, Xiehan. The man beside Luna is her fianc¨¦, Xingyu." the forgotten sons-in-law were finally remembered.


    The elderly man studied Lanni from head to toe, as though confirming her identity.


    She smiled gently. "Grandfather."


    He hurled out his hand to take hers. "It''s been years. How have you been?"


    "I''ve been fine." Lanni was not used to the man''s scrutinising gaze, so she wanted to recoil to the side. However, she felt more comfortable when she saw Luna''s reassuring smile, and she held the elderly man''s hand.


    The latter was pleased. "I have been hearing about how talented you are. Besides, you girls have grown into beautiful young women, just like your mother back then. I wonder what this punk was thinking, messing up when he had married such a beautiful and kind woman."


    "Father!" Xia Hanchen roared at the side.


    The elderly man shot him a glare. "Am I wrong?"

 Chapter 434 - Secret Mission

    Lanni smiled gently and said nothing to interrupt the father-son verbal battle.


    Xia Hanchen glanced at his father and wanted to say something, but when he remembered that his daughters were present, he shut his mouth and turned to Lanni instead. "That didn''t go exactly as planned but cupcake, you will get used to him after witnessing his insanity for a while."


    Lanni chuckled at his words but her gaze stayed on the elderly man. Before she could say anything else, an elderly yet elegant woman made her way to the living room. As though she had been expecting them, she excitedly greeted Xiehan and Xingyu.


    It was only after chatting with them for a while that she looked at Luna and Lanni. The preference was evident.


    Lanni didn''t know if it was because of what Luna had told her before, but she subconsciously shuddered when the woman got close to her.


    The woman didn''t seem to realize this as she jovially confirmed what she had heard of Lanni. "Of course, my granddaughter would be intelligent. She has the blood of the Xia family in her after all."


    Lanni smiled, though she was a little uncomfortable about the hidden message in the compliment. Was she merely expressing her pride in her smart grandchildren after hearing about their achievements, or was she trying to indirectly imply that Li Yuming was not smart?


    No matter what it was, Lanni was not planning to kick up a fuss about it. She focused on her grandfather, who was friendlier to Li Yuming.


    However, the elderly woman clearly wasn''t going to mask her displeasure. She fondly asked Lanni, "How have you been? I was worried that you would turn into a deceptive fox after being raised by that kind of woman."


    Lanni felt a dull ache in her heart and wanted to explode. But when she remembered how her father ended up marrying Li Xiyan, she shrugged. Perhaps the old lady still disliked Li Yuming even after so many years. In response to her question, she gently grinned and said nothing.


    Luna realized her sister''s emotional turmoil and held her hand soothingly. Actually, she didn''t like it either. No matter how horrible her relationship with her mother was, she couldn''t stand it when people kept talking crap about her. After all, she was the person that Lanni cared most about.


    As if casually stating it, Luna glanced at her grandmother. "Grandma, it''s been so many years and mother has long left father." Before anyone could react, her eyes drooped as she added, "How sad¡­she and father divorced and he ended up with a criminal. On the other hand, she is so lonely and only has us on her side."


    Her words sounded like she was casually talking about her parents, but the old lady frowned. Why did it sound like Luna was personally attacking her?


    She was clearly reminding everyone that not only did Old Mrs. Xia drug her own son and get him together with a criminal, she had also caused him and the love of his life to separate for years. Not only that, but she was also pointing Old Mrs. Xia out for not letting go of past hatred, and was trying to destroy the relationship between a mother and her child even though it had been so many years.


    Xia Hanchen shot his mother a look then patted Lanni''s shoulder in fear that she would be sad. "Cupcake, don''t be upset. Your grandmother only means to say that she is happy that Yuming took such good care of you. Look at you, you have become so beautiful."


    Lanni glanced at her grandmother once more, then at her father. In the end, her gaze trailed at Xiehan who was sitting opposite them with Old Master Xia.


    Although the man was playing chess and chatting with Old Master Xia, Xingyu and Xia Yuguang, some of his attention was on Lanni. When he felt her gaze, he looked back at her and his brows slightly twitched.


    She met his gaze and her heart picked up its pace. It was as though they had communicated their thoughts through that simple gaze.


    ''Honey, I have a strange feeling about them.'' She thought as she peeked slightly at her grandmother.


    ''I think so too.'' His eyes seemed to say. Although they did not say any words, they understood each other''s doubts.


    Luna''s hand tightened around Lanni''s, so much that the latter had to shake it off. Lanni''s actions jolted her out of her deep thoughts and she stood up, excusing herself to go to the bathroom.


    She had gone upstairs, so Lanni made an excuse and followed her after casting Xiehan a glance.


    The most confused person was Xingyu. Why did it feel like his fianc¨¦e, best friend and sister-in-law were conducting some secret mission and leaving him out of it?


    ¡­


    On the first floor.


    When Luna realized that Lanni was following her, she grabbed her and pushed her into a room, holding a hand over her mouth.


    It took a few seconds for Lanni to register what was going on.


    "What happened?" She whispered.


    Luna locked the door and looked around to make sure there was no hidden camera before she sucked in a breath. "Grandmother is acting strange."


    "I think so too." Lanni was glad that Luna understood it, it saved her the effort she would have needed to explain.


    "She bugged our dad to bring us back but ever since she met you, she has been doing nothing but trying to provoke you. I don''t know whether she is trying to provoke you or make you hate and blame our mother. Either way, I''m starting to have doubts about her."


    Lanni caught on a point and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Our mother¡­"


    Luna slapped her shoulder. "Whatever. I don''t like her anymore but that doesn''t change the fact that she is my biological mother too. For this reason alone, I will not let anyone scheme against her." As though worried that her reason did not make much sense, she added, "Take it as me thanking her for the fruits."


    "What fruits?" Lanni feigned ignorance.


    "Please. Do you think you really fooled me into believing that you are the one who prepared the oranges and apples for me? Besides, aside from the fruits, she sent bodyguards to protect you¡­and me too."


    The second part baffled Lanni but she didn''t have much time to think about it. "Do you think we should bug grandmother?"


    Luna immediately shook her head. "She is too wary. Let''s think of another way. Before then, we have to go back now or they will find our disappearance odd."


    The sisters made their way back downstairs. When the elderly lady saw them, she looked up and let out a gentle laugh. "Twins can be quite strange sometimes, can''t they? They even want to go to the bathroom together. Did you find the common bathroom?"


    Luna knew that it was no ordinary reason, the elderly lady was merely testing her to find out what they were going to do upstairs.


    "We didn''t. After taking several turns on the first floor, we couldn''t find it and we didn''t feel the need anymore so we came back."


    Lanni nodded to second her sister''s far-fetched excuse, then found the right opportunity to change the story. "Grandpa, do you like to play chess? We can play one round together."


    "It''s almost time for dinner. Let''s play once." Old Master Xia called her over, and Lanni sat opposite him.


    ¡­


    After dinner, Old Madam Xia suggested for her granddaughters to stay back for the night.


    However, Xia Hanchen was strongly against it. "Luna can''t be away from her fianc¨¦. Xingyu would never be comfortable about it."


    "What''s wrong with her staying back? And isn''t it just a night? Is he trying to imply that I cannot take care of my granddaughter?" The woman was furious.


    "No one said that." Xia Hanchen was speechless.


    Before he could say something to further offend the elderly lady, Lanni spoke up sweetly. "Grandma, Luna and I have matters to handle tomorrow so we cannot stay back. We will come to visit again soon, how about that?"


    The woman harrumphed. "Did Li Yuming tell you not to trust us? Is that why she had to send bodyguards to spy on us?"


    That reminded her of what Luna had said. Li Yuming sent bodyguards?


    After her initial shock, she raised an eyebrow. "Grandma, you and mother don''t totally trust each other after what happened in the past. You didn''t think she would have taken good care of your granddaughter for twenty years, so I don''t think she would feel safe knowing that her daughters were in your home."


    "You¡­" Old Madam Xia held back a curse when her son patted her shoulder. She went to have a word with her sons-in-law who were engrossed in an in-depth conversation with Old Mr. Xia.


    Making sure that Lanni and Xia Hanchen were talking about something, Luna secretly slipped back into the building and snuck to the master bedroom.

 Chapter 435 - The Xia Family

    Lanni felt her heart lurch in her throat when she saw her grandmother go back into the house. Would Luna be alright?


    When no one else was noticing, Xiehan squeezed her hand. "Luna is good at this."


    "I know. But I''m still worried." Her body was stiff with tension. Luna was pregnant. If anything happened to her or the baby, she would never be able to forgive herself.


    "If you look anxious, they will start to suspect you." Xiehan leaned by her ear and whispered. He was right, so she took deep breaths and tried to calm down.


    Glancing at her slightly parted lips, he pressed a kiss on them.


    Her eyes went wide, then her cheeks flushed in embarassment. "What the hell are you doing?" There were other people around!


    He grinned evilly. "Getting them to stop looking at you."


    Well, he had succeeded. Xia Yuguang, who had been sneaking glances at her, was now playing on his phone while the maids at the side desperately found things to do and mind their business.


    ¡­


    Upstairs.


    Luna did not expect to find anything useful at first glance. However, she did find many suspicious aspects. For example, there was an unnoticeable fingerprint censor on the doorknob of the study room door, and if one was careful to notice, there was what looked like a jade rose above it. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was a camera that must have been set to take pictures of intruders.


    Luckily, hacking was her forte. Besides, she had been to this mansion when she was younger and knew her way around. From her observation earlier, not many things had changed. Even God was helping her.


    Just in case she needed it, she had always carried a gel with her whenever she went. While it looked as harmless as a lipgloss, it was a gel virus with fatal effects; it could disable a fingerprint lock and force it open within seconds.


    Once she got in, she used the desktop to disable and erase her movements from all the surveillance cameras in the house then proceeded to check around.


    She didn''t have much time and could only use the chance to make herself familiar with the study. Her eyes almost popped out when she saw a painting that looked like what Lanni had described before.


    Her gaze narrowed. This painting of Cedric''s great great grandfather should be in the Old Ji Mansion''s library. What was it doing in the Xia Mansion''s study? Because she was not sure, she took a picture to ask Lanni for confirmation later.


    Just as she was about to touch it, she received a text message from Lanni. The old lady was coming upstairs!


    She quickly exited the study and went to the communal bathroom nearby. By the time the old madam saw her, Luna was on her way back from the bathroom. She had even left her hands slightly damp as an alibi.


    As expected, the old madam looked relieved when she saw that Luna had indeed gone to the bathroom. She even flashed a smile. "I''ve been meaning to say, don''t hold it in for too long or your stomach will hurt. You are expectant and should be more cautious."


    Luna flashed back a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes. "Understood, grandma."


    The old madam was visibly shocked. Luna didn''t ignore her!


    She was used to Luna''s explosive temper from before. Not only could she explode at the slightest provocation, but she was also fond of giving people a penetrative stare, one that made people feel like she could see right into their hearts. Moreover, she held grudges for ages. The old madam had not treated her too well before, so logically, Luna should not be smiling and calling her grandma.


    If it wasn''t for the slight curve on her lower abdomen, the elder madam would have been convinced that she was looking at Lanni.


    While she was still trying to figure out what was odd about the young woman, Luna brushed past her. "Grandma, my family is waiting for me. I have to go."


    The elderly woman frowned. What the heck did she mean? Was she trying to imply that she was not part of her family?


    She was yet to figure this out when Luna disappeared down the stairs.


    ¡­


    "What are you girls up to?" Xia Hanchen flicked the twins'' foreheads when they were on their way back.


    "Ow, dad!" Lanni rubbed her forehead and looked up at Xiehan, who was sitting beside her, to complain.


    Xingyu was sitting opposite them. He glanced at his fianc¨¦e, who was waiting for him to rub her forehead, then at Lanni and Xiehan. "I want to know too."


    Lanni and Luna exchanged glances. If they told their dad and Xingyu about it, that would mean that more people knew about the matter.


    "Dad, why don''t we tell you about it when it''s settled? Xingyu, you too." Lanni said reluctantly.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to tell them about it, but the walls had ears. They could only explain when they were certain that it was just the five of them.


    Xia Hanchen harrumphed. "You better not be committing a crime."


    "Of course not! We are innocent little babies. How could we go against the law?" Lanni chuckled as she put on an innocent face.


    "Innocent babies?" Xingyu and Xiehan exchanged glances and laughed. Like anyone would believe that.


    ¡­


    As soon as they arrived in B City, Lanni, Luna and Xiehan rushed to Lanni''s apartment. It was already 9pm and Xingyu would not let Luna go back on her own, so they brought him along.


    After settling on the living room couches, Luna took out her phone and showed Lanni the pictures she had taken. "Is this the painting you saw in the Ji Mansion library?"


    Lanni was shocked when she saw it. "This is it! Wait, there''s a slight difference. The one at the Ji Mansion does not have this signature." She pointed at a signature at the bottom left corner. It should be the original artist''s signature and pen name.


    Luna was baffled. "One of them is a counterfeit?"


    "I don''t think so¡­" Lanni frowned. She had touched the painting at the Ji Mansion and it didn''t seem to be counterfeit.


    Xiehan looked over too, and saw what she was pointing at. However, "I don''t think any of them is a fake. They are both authentic. One of them must be a legal copy."


    Luna frowned slightly. Her gaze met Lanni and she seemed to have understood something too. "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?"


    Lanni made a search online and when she was done, she was baffled. "There are only two of this painting that have ever existed. I don''t think it''s a coincidence that they happen to be with the Ji and Xia families."


    Xingyu couldn''t make head or tail of what was going on so Luna explained it to him.


    When he had grasped the situation, he thought about it and asked, "What about aunt Yuming''s appearance? Do you think it''s a coincidence that she was close to the Ji family for a while then married a man from the Xia family?"


    "What the heck?" Luna almost dropped her phone.


    Xiehan frowned, while Lanni gasped. "It sounds far-fetched, but it does make some sense. Why did our mother marry father? And why does she keep insisting that the Xia family is treacherous no matter what we tell her? Besides, what does she know that she thinks would put my life in danger?"


    Xiehan tried to pin the facts together but he shook his head in the end. "Aunty Yuming got close to the Ji family because of me. As for why she married uncle Xia, I cannot make a guess."


    Jiang Xingyu was at it again.


    "What if you were just an excuse?" His words were directed at Xiehan.


    Luna shot him a glare. "Can you not say such terrifying things?"


    Xiehan cleared his throat. "What are we investigating again?"


    "Right. The boss of Galaxis. But what if the Xia family also has something to do with him?" Luna contemplated. "Grandma is acting strange¡­"


    "Grandpa too." Lanni added. "I don''t want to think this way but why does it feel like our dad is strange too? They might know something."


    "Do you think we should ask him?" Luna suggested.


    Lanni tilted her head to glance at her. "Are you crazy? If we think he is strange, why would we ask him?"


    "Because he might know something. He might be acting strange because he knows that we are trying to uncover something that might put us in danger. Isn''t that what mother said to you?" Luna shrugged.


    Xiehan thought about it and suggested, "Don''t interrogate him. We can just tell him a few details for the sake of testing his reaction."


    "Good idea." the three of them agreed.


    ___


    Meanwhile, Ji Feifei locked herself in her room and made a call. A deep voice answered after a single ring.


    "What is it? Did you do it?"


    "Boss, I think I''ve been found out!" She cried.


    A series of curses resounded. "Stupid b*tch!" If she thought she was being suspected, why was she so brainless? Didn''t she know that her phone could have been bugged?!

 Chapter 436 - Trapping The Impostor

    Just as the man on the other end thought, Xiehan had hacked Ji Feifei''s phone so they were able to overhear her phone call on his laptop.


    When the call ended, Xingyu asked, "The man on the phone is the boss of Galaxis?"


    "Should be." Luna guessed.


    "I''ve talked to him before, and although he has always used a voice changer, that sounds like his tone. She can contact him directly and that means they are close. We are close to our goal."


    "Let''s split up." Luna suggested. Since this would make their task easier, the others agreed by nodding their heads.


    Luna thought about it and suggested, "Lanni, get mother to talk. Xiehan, follow Ji Feifei. I will interrogate father."


    "What about me?" Xingyu, who had not been given any role, asked in a tone full of complaint.


    Luna wanted to ignore him but when she thought about it, she massaged her eyebrows. "Follow me to interrogate father."


    ___


    That evening, when Cedric dropped Cheng Yu back at her apartment, both of them were tired and famished.


    The graduation party had not lasted too long. When it ended, the two of them had decided to take a walk and have some fun before going back.


    "I feel happy." She giggled her way into the elevator while he followed her. This was the best day of her life. It wasn''t just because of the academic accomplishment nor was it solely because of her job. He was beside her during the most important day of her life, this was the best kind of achievement she had ever received.


    Her friends had sent her gifts since they were occupied today. Besides, the ceremony was exclusive to members of Star Art International so Lanni and Luna would not be able to get in even if they wanted to.


    On the other hand, her mother didn''t even send a simple congratulatory note, let alone a gift. If this was before, she would have been sad and hurt. However, with Cedric by her side, none of it mattered. She was still overjoyed.


    "Let''s cook." She suggested when they entered the house.


    He was hungry so he nodded.


    Luckily, she had stocked up her kitchen recently so they had everything they needed.


    As usual, he stood to the side and carefully watched as she cooked. However, his gaze was more fixated on her than on the ingredients on her chopping board.


    When he couldn''t hold in the urge anymore, he gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her neck.


    She felt ticklish and nervous as his hot tongue brushed against her skin. The hairs behind her ears rose as she dismissed him. "Sit aside and wait for the food."


    He tightened his arms around her waist with no intention to let go. "But I want to eat you instead."


    She was stunned for a second before her eyes went wide. She had not expected him to utter such words so casually.


    She was just about to push him away when she felt something stiff against the small of her back. He really meant it¡­


    With a racing heart, she could only try to maintain her sanity and continue cooking. Since it was already a bit late and they were hungry, she cooked noodles and they were ready within a few minutes.


    She served them in bowls and he had to let go of her so she would set the food on the kitchen island. Sitting opposite her, he quietly wondered whether he had pushed her a little too fast.


    It was just a speculation at first, but when she silently ate, washed the dishes and tried to make her presence scarce, he knew that he was right. He could only bite the bullet and trap her before she could rush him to leave.


    "Yu, it''s already so late. And I''m tired¡­"


    As expected, her voice turned stern. "Cedric, we are only in a dating relationship which hasn''t lasted long. We cannot keep spending the night together."


    From what Lin Jian had told him before, she would grow distant if he didn''t clear the misunderstanding as soon as possible. He bit the bullet and tried to explain himself. "Yu, I''m not trying to pressurise you. Whether and when you want to take our relationship to that step is up to you. Please don''t feel obliged to do anything."


    She looked relieved, but he could tell that she didn''t entirely believe him.


    He tilted his head to look at her as he added, "I will wait until you are ready.


    Tonight¡­ I''m indeed really tired and I don''t want to answer to unpleasant questions so I cannot contact a chauffeur from the Han family either. Will it be okay for me to stay if I will sleep in the living room?"


    She so badly wanted to curse. Why was it that no matter what he asked for, she couldn''t bring herself to say no? She was tired so she could understand how he felt. Besides, he had already promised to behave himself. It would not make much sense if she still rejected him.


    She was about to say yes to him sleeping on the couch when she remembered that night at the beach. He had slept under uncomfortable conditions and gotten so ill that she was about to die from guilt. How could she let that happen again?


    "Forget it. You can sleep on the bed. Just don''t think of doing anything inappropriate."


    "Got it." He nodded joyously.


    In actuality, she wasn''t against doing anything with him. She was just not ready for it yet.


    Luckily, the guy did as he promised. Aside from hugging her arm and sleeping soundly, he didn''t do anything even though it was evident that he wanted to do something.


    She smiled at his sleeping face and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.


    ___


    The following day.


    Xiehan went to pay his parents a visit and most importantly, to see how his sister was doing.


    He had already told her of his visit so as soon as he stepped out of the car, Ruby rushed to him with a smile on her face. "Brother."


    Xiehan rubbed her head and quickly withdrew his hand. "You can''t call me that yet. At least not here¡­until we have dealt with that impostor."


    Ruby nodded obediently and looked around to ensure that no one was eavesdropping before she said, "That will be soon. She is getting more riled up by the minute. Last night, she almost blurted out her displeasure for me in front of our parents."


    "Isn''t my sister awesome?" He chuckled. It had been a few days, so he was getting more used to having a sibling change. Besides, Ruby was more loveable so he was more willing to be close to her than he had ever been with Ji Feifei.


    "Quick, reward me." She acted spoiled, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around.


    He chuckled and patted her head as a form of praise. "Rile her up even more. Make her slip up."


    It would be hard to explain Ruby''s identity to their parents, since they would be full of questions and might startle the snake. However, if they let the old couple know that Ji Feifei hated Ruby, they would begin to question why Xiehan brought the latter into their home.


    Besides, Ji Feifei''s distress might cause her to unintentionally reveal a flaw.


    When he was done explaining a few matters to her briefly, they pretended not to have met each other and went into the house separately.


    "Brother!" Ji Feifei rushed up to him when she saw him while she was on her way downstairs.


    Xiehan ignored her with a hint of disgust in his eyes and went to speak to the butler. "Are my parents home?"


    "The old master is in his study while madam went to pay a visit to Madam Lin. Young master, would you like a cup of tea?"


    "Thanks, I''m alright." He said and started heading upstairs.


    Ruby saw the perfect chance and grabbed it.


    "Brother Xiehan, hello." She greeted sweetly.


    The man turned around and smiled at her. "How have you been? Are you feeling better?"


    "Mmh. I''m alright now. Uncle and aunty treat me well." She responded, sneaking a glance to the enraged Ji Feifei. She was directly provoking her.


    ''Xiehan spoke to everyone but ignored your passionate greeting. How does that feel?'' Her eyes mocked.


    Ji Feifei was on the verge of exploding. As soon as Xiehan disappeared up the stairs, she violently grabbed Ruby''s hair. "Who the heck are you calling ''brother Xiehan''? Is he your brother?! I''m asking you!"


    Ruby was about to retaliate when she caught a movement behind Ji Feifei. She fell onto the floor even though she had not been pushed, crying pitiably.


    "I only wanted to show some respect since he is older than us. I''m not trying to steal your brother from you, please trust me."


    Ji Feifei was about to curse her from acting exaggeratively when hurried footsteps resounded.. In the next second, Wen Lin rushed past her and helped Ruby up while she glared at her." Feifei!"

 Chapter 437 - Impostor

    "Feifei!" Wen Lin glared at Ji Feifei as she held Ruby gently and helped her up.


    By the time Ji Feifei realized what Ruby had been planning all along, it was too late. She could only grit her teeth. "Mum, she is faking it. I didn''t push her!"


    "Aunty, she pushed me." Ruby sobbed, knowing the effect of her tears on Wen Lin.


    As expected, Wen Lin felt her heart ache even more. She hugged Ruby fondly. "Come with me. Aunty will bring you to eat some snacks."


    Ji Feifei glared at their backs. "Who is your daughter between me and her?! Why would you trust the words of an outsider?"


    Before Wen Lin could say a word, Ruby crossed her arms and glanced at her. "Outsider? Ji Feifei, are you trying to make me laugh?"


    Once again, Ji Feifei shuddered. What did her words mean? Did she know the truth? When she thought back to how Xiehan had been driendly to her, she panicked.


    "I¡­"


    "Feifei, I thought we were friends. How could you call me an outsider? Is that how you really consider me?"


    Ji Feifei secretly sighed in relief. Before she could make an excuse, Ruby pulled away from Wen Lin.


    She then turned to the latter and smiled, as if trying to hide her grievances. "Aunty, I will move out. I wouldn''t want to make Feifei uncomfortable."


    "Where will you go?" Wen Lin was worried.


    "Anywhere. As long as Feifei is comfortable." She looked aside and wiped a drop of tears, successfully shattering what was left of Wen Lin''s heart.


    "The audacity!" A deep voice resounded from the staircase as soon as Ruby spoke.


    Wen Lin looked up and saw her son walking downstairs, looking like he was about to declare war against the whole world.


    "Xiehan¡­" She was about to speak when her eyes widened in the next second. Xiehan brushed past Ji Feifei and pulled Ruby to his side.


    "You¡­" She was shocked. Hadn''t they agreed not to reveal the truth yet?


    Xiehan glanced at her wordlessly. Although that was what they had agreed, he knew that Ruby might really move out just to make Wen Lin mad at Ji Feifei. While it would work, he couldn''t stand the thought of his parents being under the same roof as an impostor while their real daughter missed them helplessly.


    "Ji Feifei, what the hell is wrong with you?" He stared down at her ferociously.


    Wen Lin''s eyes widened in shock. "Xiehan, you¡­"


    "Ruby will stay in this house for as long as I want. Does anyone have a problem with that?"


    Without waiting for them to respond, he added, "Also, she will stay in whatever room she wants. Ruby, go and check out where you want to stay. It doesn''t matter if the room is occupied, I will get someone to clean it up and redesign it according to your tastes."


    His indirect message was not entirely secret. He meant that even if the room she wanted was Ji Feifei''s. He would kick Ji Feifei out of the room and clean it up for her.


    He turned on his heel and went back upstairs, but his actions and words had struck a chord in Wen Lin''s heart.


    As his mother, she was certain that Xiehan was in love with Lanni. It would make no sense for her to think that he liked Ruby. Besides, she could tell that his relationship with Ruby was different from that of lovers. Why then was he so hell set on protecting her?


    ¡­


    Ji Feifei was still in disbelief when she went back to her room.


    She paced around in panic and stalked downstairs, intending to grab something to eat when she saw Ruby on the staircase. She was not on her own. Xiehan was with her too.


    She rushed back a few steps to eavesdrop and clearly saw them hugging each other. She was just about to point out their inappropriate behaviour when she overheard their conversation.


    "Mother will be suspicious."


    He rubbed her head like she was a little girl. "That''s the point. We cannot keep it a secret for too long. Otherwise, the impostor will find a way to kick you out of the mansion."


    Although that would not change many things and they could still turn the tables, he didn''t want his parents tp feel guilty for kicking out their biological daughter. It was already hurtful enough that they had been living with a counterfeit and didn''t know about it.


    "You are right, brother. What should I do now?" She asked.


    Hiding behind the corner, Ji Feifei was stumped. She almost fainted in shock when she clearly heard what Ruby had just called Xiehan. Brother? !


    They knew that they were siblings! They also knew that she and Ruby had been switched at birth! What was worse, they had been finding ways to get her kicked out!


    No wonder Xiehan came up with a charade to squeeze Ruby into the Ji Mansion. No wonder he was so protective of Ruby, no wonder he hated her more than he did in the past.


    No! She could not let it happen!


    She rushed back into her room with a racing heart.


    "Is she gone?" Ruby asked when she could no longer hear footsteps.


    "Mmh. She must be going to call for help." He speculated. A while ago, he had decided to meet up with Ruby so they would discuss what to do next. Just when they were about to start talking about it, they realized that Ji Feifei was eavesdropping on them.


    "Was it okay to do that?" She asked, referring to how they had deliberately let it slip that they knew their true identities.


    "She is going to do something that will be most beneficial to us." He laughed, knowing how stupid Ji Feifei was.


    ¡­


    Ji Feifei''s room.


    In a fit of panic, the girl grabbed a secret phone that no one knew about and made a call.


    "What should I do? they know the truth! It''s for sure this time. I heard Xiehan talking about it with that b*tch!"


    "Is there anything you can ever do right?" A curse resounded from the other side, then the man uttered insults at her. When he had finally calmed down, he asked, "Who knows? Do your parents know already?"


    Ji Feifei shook her head when she thought about it. "I don''t think so. I merely heard them say things like it would be hard to tell their parents the truth and that they needed the old trash and bitch duo to be doubtful and investigate it themselves. Either way, Xiehan deliberately did things that made his mother suspicious. It will not be long until she pins the pieces together too."


    the man was fuming in rage. After a few seconds, he said, "Now you can only pull the big guns."


    "Pull¡­ What guns?" She trembled when she heard his tone. The last time she had committed crimes for the boss, he jilted her when she was in jail. In fact, he had still used her even while she was still behind bars. Now that she was free, he was not going to ask her to do something that would send her back to prison, was he?


    Just as she prepared herself to find excuses to reject the mission, his voice came through. "Kick that girl out. I will give you the cards but it''s all ip to you how you play it."


    "Sir, this¡­"


    "Didn''t you say that you wanted to marry Xiehan at all costs? This is your chance." The man laughed heartily.


    ¡­


    Xiehan''s study.


    Ruby and Xiehan listened closely as the man spoke. However, the instructions they were waiting for did not happen. Instead, he hung up the call and sent Ji Feifei a text message.


    Xiehan was unable to read the content, but he frowned. It was that bizzare language again. He should have expected it. How could the boss of Galaxis leave his tracks behind so carelessly?


    In actual fact, it was not easy to hack into Ji Feifei''s secret phone as it had been protected by a series of viruses. He had used a lot of effort and had managed to overhear something important. Even so, they had still hit a dead end.


    The only way they could translate the message was if Lanni could remember that language, and the probability of that happening was too slim to be reliable.


    the most troublesome fact was that Ji Feifei must be preparing to scheme against Ruby. But what could the scheme be?


    "The only way to make mother and father hate me is by framing me for a crime that would never be tolerated. What do you think that is? Will she make it seem like I tried to hurt mother and father...or her?"


    Xiehan speculated in disgust. "Our parents would hate you much more if you tried to hurt me. However, she wants things to go in her favor so she will probably self-harm to frame you.. Our parents will kick you out, and she will probably threaten to file a lawsuit against you if I do not agree to take her as my wife."

 Chapter 438 - I Gave You The Answer

    "Now I''ve seen it all." Ruby could not believe that someone could be so vicious. "What should we do now? If they are not going to meet up, how will we be able to know who the other person is?"


    She thought about it and added, "What if we use the hard approach?"


    "Hard approach?" He asked as she tapped his phone screen to dial a number.


    She nodded. "We have tried to slowly expose her but this might not necessarily give us the desired results at the right time. Why don''t we force her to spill the beans?"


    He had thought of this too. However, "This method might not work either. It''s highly likely that she has long vowed to take the truth to her grave. Even if she hasn''t, she might not necessarily know anything helpful."


    She frowned but she couldn''t refute this possibility. To protect himself, that insane boss of Galaxis might have ensured that no one got to see or meet him. She had learnt from Lanni that everyone at the agency had only spoken to him through a blank screen. Only his son knew his identity, but they would be dreaming if they expected him to help them go against his father.


    "Don''t worry." Xiehan rubbed her head and made the call.


    "Did you get anything?" He asked when Luna answered the call.


    They had decided to split their tasks so he hacked Ji Feifei''s phone and sent her the codes so she would try to hack the other side.


    "Still trying. I''ll let you know if I get anything." On the other end, Luna rubbed the back of her neck in distress. It was already hard enough to hack that person''s phone, but it was even harder to do so without a trace.


    When Xingyu saw her rub her neck, he frowned and brought her a glass of milk. "Drink it and have some rest. You can go on in the morning."


    "I''m almost done." Luna took a sip of the milk and resumed what she was doing, her long, slender fingers flying across the keyboard at a speed that Xingyu would have found impossible if he hadn''t seen it before.


    "It''s here!" Luna suddenly exclaimed and tapped the enter key to reveal the information she had found.


    However, in the next second, her screen turned black and lit up again to reveal the face of a man.


    "You freaking¡­!" Luna balled her fists to stop herself from uttering vulgarities. Didn''t this man know how to choose the right time to hack into her laptop?!


    "Why are you so riled up? Are you mad because I interrupted your fun?" Flynn laughed at her enraged countenance. "How rude. Are you investigating my father? I know you are."


    Luna so badly wanted to strangle him. "So what if I am? Get lost! I want to resume my work."


    "Tsk, are you addicted to making yourself go through unnecessary trouble?" He snickered.


    Luna couldn''t stand his provocation, and Xiehan wished he could stab the man through the screen for troubling his fianc¨¦e. "How is it your business?"


    "Of course it''s my business. I gave you the answer. I can''t believe you''re still seeking it. Isn''t this a slap to my face?"


    "What do you mean?" She was stumped.


    "Are you an idiot? The answer is with Lanni." The screen went blank and the man''s face disappeared.


    Luna stared at it in shock. What in the world?


    Next day.


    As soon as work was over, Luna rushed over to Lanni''s apartment and explained Flynn''s bizarre reaction.


    "He said the answer is with you."


    "Me?" Lanni was flabbergasted. What was Flynn playing at this time?


    She was about to voice this out when she suddenly recalled something. "The USB flash drive."


    "The what?"


    Lanni was yet to respond when her phone rang. She frowned slightly when she saw the caller''s identity. It was long past working hours, so why was CEO Qian calling her?


    Luna''s phone rang too, so Lanni stepped aside to answer her call. "Hello, CEO Qian?"


    "I''m sorry Lanni, you don''t have to come back to work tomorrow."


    "What do you mean?" Lanni was confused.


    "You are fired." The man went straight to the point.


    "What? Why would I be¡­ Hello?"


    The call had been hung up. She glanced at her phone in disbelief as if trying to confirm that she had really been speaking to CEO Qian. Why did he suddenly fire her, and why did he say he was sorry?


    She sucked in a breath and went back to the living room, trying to hide her shock so she wouldn''t startle Luna.


    However, she came back to a pale-faced Luna who looked to be distressed.


    "Sis, what happened?" She had a bad feeling about this.


    Luna had a bad feeling about her sister''s phone call too, so she spilled the beans. "Didn''t I tell you that I met a genius whose game just happened to be similar to Demons Vs Gods? He suddenly said to the media that I stole his game from him. He said that we met to negotiate but I claimed to be unsatisfied with the game, only to turn around and produce it on my own. He even gave evidence of our meeting and discussion."


    "No way! Not you too!" Lanni''s heart picked up its pace.


    "Sis, what''s going on?" Luna found her reaction odd.


    She explained what had suddenly happened with Her CEO. "This is strange. It''s not a coincidence."


    They exchanged glances and seemed to understand each other''s insecurities. Was this related to the man they were investigating? Was he attacking them?


    Lanni took her phone and dialled Xiehan''s contact number with trembling fingers. "Xiehan, is everything alright on your side?"


    "From your call, you must have guessed that something is wrong?" The man sounded exhausted.


    "Uh huh." She gritted her teeth, realising that her fears had come true.


    Since it would only make her more worried, he didn''t hide the truth from her. "About two hours ago, a parter suddenly withdrew their investment from a project that is halfway done and I have to go to the UK urgently. I''ll be back soon, my love."


    "I understand, honey. Take your time and be careful, okay?" She urged.


    "Take care of yourself too." He hung up to resume his preparations.


    When the call ended, Lanni thought of someone else and was scared to call her. Would that man attack Li Yuming too?


    Before she could register this thought, she saw an incoming call from Flynn.


    She was contemplating whether to answer it when it automatically connected and the annoying guy spoke up.


    "He is trying to distract you. Let me help you handle this. I cannot handle Feng Ji International and neither can I deal with CEO Qian. But let me help you handle the little boy. Will you trust me?" His message sounded like it was intended for Luna.


    The latter moved closer to Lanni''s phone and asked, "Will you go against your dad?"


    "Aren''t I doing that already?" Flynn chuckled. "He is my father alright, but that doesn''t make me on his side. I don''t like what he is doing either."


    "Like we would trust you." Lanni scoffed.


    "Well, you better trust me, princess." He was as annoying as ever, but he didn''t want to vex them too much so he immediately added, "He used me and now he is trying to use my sister too. Would I be on his side?"


    The sisters exchanged shocked glances and widened their eyes. Luna was the first to snap back. "Sister? Is your sister Ji Feifei?"


    That was the person that the man was currently trying to use.


    However, Flynn chuckled. "Don''t make wild guesses. Anyway, whether you trust me or not, I will deal with the little boy."


    He hung up.


    "Do you trust him?" Lanni asked faintly.


    "Do I have a choice?" Luna sighed. "Lanni, why do I feel so anxious?"


    Lanni hugged her, even though she felt the same way. "Calm down, Luna. Have some rest and try to relax. You need to take care of yourself. Should I call Xingyu over?"


    "No. He must be helping Xiehan out. I don''t want Xiehan to end up having to do everything by himself." She pulled away from Lanni''s shoulder and tried to think about what to do.


    "Right. The USB."


    Lanni remembered it and went to her room then took it from her safe. She had kept it after successfully using it to threaten Flynn. Because it was meant for Luna, however, she had not checked it out.


    "Luna, what if the content is shocking?" She asked.


    "There isn''t any shock I haven''t received." Luna prepared to receive the USB, but was shocked when she saw it. "Isn''t that the flash drive that Flynn gave to me before, the one I got rid of?"


    "Xingyu gave it to me." Lanni explained as she uncapped it.


    Luna finally understood why Flynn had berated her by saying that he had given her the answer. Indeed, he had given it to her, and she had thrown it away. Was her brain fried?


    "Ready?" Lanni asked and inserted the USB flash drive when the other nodded.

 Chapter 439 - The Answer

    When both Lanni and Luna were ready to face whatever was on the USB flash drive, Lanni inserted it in her laptop and waited with bated breath.


    Even though she had prepared herself psychologically and despite having experienced many gruesome and shocking scenes, she still held her sister''s hand tightly in nervousness.


    Lanni patted the back of the other''s hand. "It''s okay. It''s a good thing." This was the answer they were looking for, after all. She proceeded to select the ''external storage'' on her laptop screen and was stumped when an authentication window popped up. They needed a password?


    "Are you kidding me? Why would Flynn give us a USB flash drive that was protected with a password and not give us the password?"


    It took a second for Luna to recall his words. "Wait. Aside from saying that the answer was with you, he also said that the answer is you. Perhaps the latter statement referred to the password?"


    Lanni thought it made sense so she placed her fingers over the keyboard and typed L-a-n-n-i. When it was rejected, she tried L-i-L-a-n-n-i and was stumped when that got rejected too.


    "Maybe it''s a nickname? He keeps calling you ''princess''. Try that." Luna suggested, earning a glare.


    "Do not be silly." Lanni chided, though the latter''s word had reminded her of a possible password. She thought about it and swiftly keyed in P-h-o-e-n-i-x.


    "Urgh why did we need to go through the trouble? I can hack it." Luna belatedly remembered what she was best at. It was probably the reason why Flynn did not give them the password, because she would not need it.


    She had just pulled the laptop to her side when her eyes met a green tick on the screen with the words "Authentication successful" displayed under it.


    "Okay. I guess that works too."


    The screen was suddenly filled with many thumbnails, it turned out that the flash drive was a collection of videos. From the thumbnails, they could clearly tell that some of these videos were at least a decade old. There were new ones as well, but they chose to click on the first one at the top.


    The content of the video was beyond their expectation. Although it was of poor quality and had not been taken from a clear angle, the sisters clearly saw a young woman show up. She looked beautiful and had long hair which she had tied into a ponytail, and they could tell at a glance that it should be Li Yuming.


    The content proved them right. The young woman rushed over to a handsome young man, who they guessed was their father, and hugged his arm bashfully. "Hanchen, it''s good news!"


    "Mmh?" The man turned to look at her.


    She had a beautiful smile as she announced, "I''m pregnant. Are you happy?"


    "I''m overjoyed!" The man hugged her briefly. What followed was Li Yuming''s chatter.


    "If it''s a girl, I will name her Luna. She will be the cutest girl on earth."


    "Mmh. She will be pretty." The man agreed.


    She cocked her head curiously, "Hanchen, what would you want to name it if it''s a boy?"


    "I don''t know yet. I''m so happy I can''t think straight."


    "Never mind. Leave such matters to me."


    Watching the video, Luna''s lips couldn''t help curling upwards. She knew that it was merely a coincidence for her to have been given her mother''s favorite name, but that didn''t prevent her from feeling her heart melt. It turned out that her mother once loved her.


    The next video was also about Li Yuming and Xia Hanchen, and she was rubbing her belly happily as she chirped, "Hanchen, the doctor said we''re expecting twins."


    "That''s good news." The man responded.


    "Hanchen, I''m looking forward to seeing them." She hugged his arm.


    "Me too." His expression did not change much.


    Lanni frowned as she watched. "Is it just me or was their love one-sided? It''s as though mother was in love but father wasn''t paying attention to her. Otherwise how come she went to the gynecologist on her own?"


    Luna did not know what to say about it either. She had always thought that Xia Hanchen was the one who had been head over heels for Li Yuming. But she didn''t think too much of it. Perhaps he was just not good at expressing himself?


    The next video was a recent one and from the angle, it had been taken in secret just like the former two.


    Luna widened her eyes when Li Xiyan showed up, disguised with a wig and makeup. She wouldn''t have recognized her if she wasn''t so good at it herself.


    What happened next was more baffling. The woman looked to her left nervously but in the next second, she was pulled into a man''s arms. Xia Hanchen''s arms!


    Lanni''s jaw almost dropped to the floor. Wasn''t this woman in hiding? Most importantly, why was their dad hugging her?


    "Wait. Isn''t this that day we had dinner with Cedric and Xiao Yu?" She exclaimed when she clearly saw their background and the date that the video had been taken.


    A flash of pink suddenly crossed her mind. That scarf she had once seen at his villa¡­ Don''t tell her it was Li Xiyan''s?


    "He is seeing Li Xiyan. But he said that he hated her because she ruined his health." Luna was shocked stiff.


    "Perhaps he is with her to plot revenge? Maybe he helped her escape from prison or helped her keep the secret and did not uncover her disguise." Lanni tried to find a plausible reason even though she herself didn''t believe it.


    "The point is, he didn''t tell us." Luna recovered from her shock. Thinking that the answer might be in the other videos, she played the next one.


    This time, it had been taken in a prison. The quality was the worst and they almost couldn''t recognize the subjects, perhaps because the person recording it had to hide far away. Luckily, the voice conversation was clear.


    "How long do I need to stay here?"


    Lanni''s body stiffened. It was Ji Feifei''s voice.


    "Just a little longer." A deep voice responded, making the two of them exchange shocked gazes. It was their dad!


    Why was he speaking to Ji Feifei?


    They could forcefully come up with a reason to explain why he was still in contact with Li Xiyan but what about Ji Feifei? And why did he sound like they were close, and like he was responsible for getting her out of prison?


    Neither daring to talk nor jump into conclusions, Lanni played the next video, which was much clearer than the rest and looked to be one of the most recent as well. The timestamp was dated a year ago.


    In the video, Flynn held a wineglass and stood beside Xia Hanchen who was standing at the mezzanine of an unfamiliar villa.


    "Father." Flynn called out.


    "No!" Lanni covered her face with both of her hands. Did she hear that right? What did Flynn just call Xia Hanchen?


    "What the heck? Did he just call him¡­ father?" Luna was in disbelief too, and she exited the video then replayed it, paying much more attention this time. She even checked if the video was photoshopped but it wasn''t. Flynn''s lips moved clearly to utter the word they thought they had heard. Flynn''s father?!


    They thought they would hear the man''s denial but his lips curled into a smile they had never seen on his face. It was sinister and looked to be hiding schemes behind it. "Son. Heh, you wouldn''t call me that for no reason."


    Lanni felt her strength leave her body. Flynn''s father¡­ Was Xia Hanchen?!


    She concentrated to the max as she saw Flynn move his lips.


    "I need to ask you for something."


    "I knew it came at a price. What do you want?" Xia Hanchen asked through a frown of disdain.


    "Could you spare her?"


    Flynn did not mention who he wanted to be spared but the man seemed to understand the hidden message. He immediately frowned.


    "No way!"


    Lanni didn''t watch the rest of the video as her mind was in turmoil. Flynn was her brother? He was obviously half-European so his mother was probably German. Did that mean he was her half brother? No, the point was, wasn''t Flynn''s father the boss of Galaxis?!


    Luna continued watching, hoping that there would be something to counter what she had just seen and heard.


    Li Xiyan glared at Xia Hanchen in the next video. "You promised to let me get rid of that b*tch! She harassed me throughout my youth. Don''t get me started on how the mere face of her reminds me of your ex-wife."


    From her words, she was talking about Luna.


    Xia Hanchen grinned amusedly. "My love, relax. I still haven''t started complaining about what you did to Lanni."


    "She deserved it." The woman pouted.


    In response, Xia Hanchen chuckled and grabbed her hand. "I know. Even so, you cannot do anything to her¡­.yet.. I still have a lot of use for her."

 Chapter 440 - Pieces Of The Puzzle

    When the current video finished playing, the next one automatic played. This time, it was a monologue of Flynn.


    He smiled at the camera but unlike the usual grimace that usually joyously laced his lips, this time he looked like he was hiding his sadness behind that handsome smile. "If you got to this video, you must have watched the others. You must have found the answers to many puzzles."


    Lanni nodded even though she knew that he would not see her, while Luna stared blankly at the screen. It was unsure whether she could hear a word.


    "I don''t know how long I''m going to stay alive as I found out things I shouldn''t. Just like your second uncle, my days are numbered now. I need to ask you for a favor."


    Luna jolted and listened carefully when she heard this. Her lips trembled as she asked," Just like Second Uncle?"


    Lanni suddenly understood. "Mum''s brother!"


    Now that they recalled it, Li Yuming had once mentioned that Xia Hanchen was behind their maternal uncle''s death, because the latter had found out shocking secrets about him. At the time, they had thought she was bluffing and forcibly making up reasons to prevent Lanni from going to save her father from Galaxis.


    Thinking up to this point, Lanni burst into laughter. "Wait. Why did I need to save him from Galaxis? He is the boss¡­ meaning that''s his territory. How could he have been forcefully kidnapped?"


    Luna facepalmed when she realized what was going on. "He tricked us. He made up the whole ''kidnapping'' charade to make you work for him." Luna almost couldn''t contain her anger. At the time, Lanni had used up all her effort and when she was done, the boss of Galaxis had wanted to make her continue working for him. It was only when Xiehan made a deal with Flynn that they let her off. Who would have thought that the person behind it all was Xia Hanchen himself?


    They had missed out a huge part of the video so they rewinded it.


    "Once you find out the truth, pretend you know nothing. Until you are strong enough, don''t try to counter him. Or else what happened on the last night you were with your Senior Yang might just happen again." Flynn concluded and the screen turned black.


    Lanni felt her mind explode when she thought back to his last words. What happened on the last night when she was with Senior Yang? The accident more than a year ago, the one that put her in a coma for six months?!


    If this was before, she would have denied it, and found every reason to claim that her father would never have anything to do with it. However, she had clearly heard him from the video. He had agreed with Li Xiyan that she deserved what had happened, and it was just not the right time for her to die because he still needed to use her.


    She couldn''t believe it. The person they had been looking for was right beside them. All along, they thought of him as the person who cared about them the most when in reality, he hated them so much in secret¡­


    Although she was disheartened, she gently patted her sister who looked like the world had just collapsed on her. "Luna, don''t be upset. Betrayals happen."


    Although that was what she said, she knew just how much it hurt deep down. No matter who betrayed her, it would never amount to this kind of pain. It was agonizing, numbing and cold enough to send one to the shackles of despair.


    Luna sucked in a breath when she thought about everything that had happened. "You had already left his side but I came to find you. I looked for you myself and brought you back close to him¡­ I accidentally helped him out. I''m so sorry, Lanni."


    "You didn''t know. It was not your fault." Lanni hugged her.


    No matter how hurt they were, they had to get up and find a way out of this. Before they could gather their thoughts, Lanni''s phone rang and the screen displayed [Dad <3]


    This contact name would usually bring a happy smile on Lanni''s face. While she was smiling at this moment, her smile was filled with ridicule and self-mockery. Even so, she cleared her throat and pretended that everything was alright.


    "Cupcake?" The man called sweetly.


    "Mmh?" Lanni bit her tongue to stop herself from hurling a string of insults.


    "Did something happen? You sound upset." His fake worried voice infuriated her, but she had to put up the act.


    "I lost my job."


    Because anyone would be upset after losing their job, he didn''t suspect a thing.


    He was silent for a moment before he said, "Forget it. It''s that agency that doesn''t know better. How dare they fire my perfect and talented daughter? How about you come to dad''s company?"


    If this was before, she would have felt touched and thought that her father cared about her. But after learning the truth, it was not hard to tell that it was part of his scheme to lure her to his side to use her.


    "You don''t need to worry about it. I''ll find another job in a jiffy."


    The man sounded disappointed but he quickly changed the topic. "Come home for dinner, okay? I''ll cook your favorite braised pork."


    Lanni agreed but rolled her eyes when the call ended. Was she blind before? The man didn''t even know what her favorite meal was! Braised pork was probably what Li Xiyan liked, since it wasn''t Luna''s favorite either.


    She let out a sigh. "I''ll go and have a meal with him, to gather some facts. Shall I drop you off at Xingyu''s?"


    When she finished speaking, she realized that Luna was getting ready to leave. "Where are you going? Luna, you heard what Flynn said. We are still too weak to take any action. Besides, you are not in the best condition to confront him."


    "I''m not going to look for him." She understood her sister''s worry.


    Lanni remained silent when she thought about a possibility. Was she going to find Li Yuming?


    ¡­.


    Lanni was not wrong. After thinking about it, Luna decided that it would be best to look for Li Yuming as soon as possible.


    Li Yuming''s villa.


    "Madam, the young miss is here." The housekeeper announced to Li Yuming, who was cooking in the kitchen.


    She was overjoyed and let go of the tools she was holding then dashed to the living room, but was surprised when she saw Luna. "It''s you? What are you doing here?" She had thought that ''the young miss'' that the housekeeper had talked about was Lanni.


    Luna hadn''t thought about what she was going to say. When she saw Li Yuming, the grief she had been holding back burst out in tears. "I''m so sorry..."


    "You found out the truth?" Li Yuming guessed. Otherwise, Luna would never wish to be in the same space as her.


    The girl nodded as she tried to fight back her tears. "I blamed you for things you did not do and¡­"


    Li Yuming sighed and interrupted her, as she closed in to wipe her tears. "It''s not your fault. You had been blinded by that sly fox."


    Li Yuming didn''t know what to talk about so she asked, "Where is your sister? You girls have to stay by my side."


    Luna looked up in shock. "You..you acknowledge me?"


    "I''m still mad at you. But you are my daughter, I cannot deny that. If you remain close to that man, what if he hurts you?" Li Yuming shrugged then added, "But don''t think too much of it. I''m only worried about my grandchild."


    "Mother!" Luna buried her face into Li Yuming''s arm, making the latter feel helpless.


    "What should I do with you?"


    ___


    Meanwhile, Lanni was asked the same question as she dined with Xia Hanchen.


    "Where is your sister?"


    "She went to say hi to mother." She deliberately said to test out his reaction, and when he gripped his fork, she asked, "Is something wrong?"


    He frowned as he shook his ejad like the sly fox he was. "No. I''m just scared. She hates Luna so much after all. What if she were to hurt my daughter and grandchild?"


    "She won''t." Lanni had no appetite but she had to pretend to eat.


    "Lanni, I''m telling you, looks can be deceiving." The man said.


    "Uh huh. I agree." Sarcasm rolled off Lanni''s tongue, but the man did not realize it.


    How stupid she had been! All along, the man had been trying his best to slowly create misunderstandings between her and Li Yuming. How could she not have realized it?


    No wonder he wanted her to change her surname. Just like Luna, she would be on bad terms with her mother if she changed her surname to that of the man Li Yuming hated the most.


    Now that she thought about it, she couldn''t help but realize that before he regained consciousness from coma, Luna and Li Yuming had started getting closer.. However, as soon as he woke up, their relationship worsened in a flash. How manipulative of him!

 Chapter 441 - It Was Me? How Come I Didnt Know?

    She couldn''t help recalling what had happened at Luna''s engagement banquet. She had thought that Li Yuming was so heartless as to want to embarrass her own daughter on such an important day but now that she thought it through carefully, what if the situation wasn''t as it appeared?


    What if the real culprit had been Xia Hanchen, and he maliciously framed Li Yuming to further alienate her from Luna, and make Lanni disappointed in her at the same time?


    She was going crazy just thinking about it. To what lengths had this man gone? What an idiot had she been to never have realized a thing?


    She snapped out of her thoughts to realize that he looked distressed. If this was in the past, she would have been worried about him. Although she didn''t want to know what was going on in his mind, it would be suspicious if she didn''t show her concern so she gently asked, "are you alright?"


    The man smiled and tried to hide his feelings¡ªor pretended to try and hide hid feelings. "It''s alright. Just a little stressed."


    She went along with the act. "What happened?"


    "I heard Ji Feifei is out of prison." He sighed like he was at a loss.


    "Yeah." She responded, inwardly mocking him. He talked to her recently and was now pretending that he didn''t know and merely heard a rumor?


    She observed him carefully as he swallowed a gulp and looked like he was even more disheartened after hearing the news. In the end, he spoke up again.


    "Could you have Xiehan take her back? I''m sure he can do that."


    Her eyebrows raised. What a schemer. He had been using Ji Feifei and since the latter was getting out of control, he was trying to use his own daughter to help him get rid of her?


    She shook her head. "She is Xiehan''s sister and he helped her out. There is no way he would send her back in prison just because of a word I say."


    "Lanni, she hurt you before. I''m afraid she would want to do it again." He frowned in pretend worry.


    "Under whose orders was she working?" She asked casually, but he didn''t get her underlying meaning.


    "Li Xiyan''s." He gritted his teeth in anger. "That bitch. I treated her so well but she went behind my back to hurt my daughters. If I see her again, I will strangle her to death with my bare hands.


    Talk to Xiehan, okay? If that guy loves you half as much as he claims, he would not compromise your safety for the sake of a criminal."


    Lanni was speechless at someone''s talented way of twisting the facts in his favor. Now she had seen it all.


    Since she had known this man''s true colors, she didn''t dare to spend the night at his house and made an excuse to leave. She had just arrived at her apartment and was about to call Luna to ask how she was doing when Xiehan called.


    "Honey, I may have to be away for longer than I thought." He sounded exhausted.


    "It''s alright. Do you need help?" She offered.


    "Mmh. Take care of yourself. That''s the greatest kind of help you can give."


    She chuckled, knowing that he understood her but still decided to play with words. "Xiehan, I have good news. We found out the identity of Ji Feifei''s supporter."


    "The boss of Galaxis?" The man was expectedly shocked.


    "Yes."


    "It''s someone you didn''t expect?" He could tell from her tone that she was pained and disappointed.


    "Let''s talk about it when you come back, okay? Luna and I are going to interrogate him soon."


    "You need to be careful, okay? He has the whole of Galaxis behind him. We need to plan this out." He reminded.


    She slumped into the couch. "Don''t worry. We will be careful."


    She hung up and realized that it was a little late, so she sent a message to Luna. She trusted Li Yuming and knew that Luna would be in safe hands.


    The next morning, the girls met up with Flynn, who was already in B City since he knew that they would want to talk to him. They met up at a private room of a beverage shop and he threw some metallic cubes at the corners. Seeing their raised eyebrows he explained, "They will make the room temporarily soundproof."


    It was a reasonable caution measure so they nodded.


    Gaining a half brother out of the blue was so shocking that Lanni and Luna didn''t know how to react. They now understood why the man seemed to like minding their business so much.


    Ignoring the strange emotions, Luna was the first to speak.


    "How did you find out about him?"


    It was an expected question. The man reclined in his leather chair as he explained, "I told you he manipulated me before, right? He seduced my mother and used me to pin her down. When I grew up, he acknowledged me and I thought he cared for me, only to realize that I was being used as well."


    He took a sip of his hot tea. "Galaxis is not just a news agency. It''s a den of criminals in disguise. The worst part is that for every crime you commit, he will secretly record it. I once witnessed a man go against him and try to leave. As a result, the old man sent him to the police under the guise of uncovering a criminal. Worse than that, he has made countless people go through fate worse than death."


    Although they had expected it, the news was still earth-shattering.


    Flynn focused his gaze on Lanni. "When you came to Galaxis, I so badly wanted to tell you to leave. I wanted to tell you the truth but I couldn''t. I could only use indirect means to make you give up."


    Lanni finally understood it. "No wonder you hated me. You didn''t hate me. You were protecting me."


    When the man nodded, she felt as though she could digest it forever so she asked, "Do you know anything regarding him and the Ji family?"


    "Only that Ji Feifei is not your boyfriend''s sister." He dropped yet another bomb, but they already knew this so they were not shocked.


    Lanni and Luna saw the understanding in each other''s eyes. He had mentioned it while talking about Xia Hanchen, which meant that he was certain about the man being behind the switching twenty years ago. That confirmed their theory too.


    "What is she planning to do?" Luna tried to push their luck since they had found out that Xia Hanchen had given Ji Feifei a task.


    The man frowned. "I don''t know. Just make sure your parents are safe. I have to go or someone will get suspicious."


    His words made sense. He had never gotten along with the sisters as they usually avoided him. It would be odd if he was found having tea with both of them and conversing freely.


    ___


    Two days later.


    " How dare you!" Ji Feifei''s shrill scream resounded throughout the Ji Mansion and woke up those who were still asleep.


    "What happened?" Madam Ji dashed downstairs when she heard the commotion, only to find Ji Feifei slapping and hitting a maid. She almost lost her cool. "Feifei, what are you doing?!"


    The Ji family treated the servants almost like their family, and they wouldn''t hit or scold them for no good reason.


    "She was planning to poison us!" Ji Feifei pushed the little maid onto the floor.


    Wen Lin frowned when she heard her words. "How is that possible? Manman has been working for this family since she was a teenager and has never done anything wrong. Did you misunderstand something?"


    "Madam, I didn''t do it." The maid shook her head with tears in her eyes.


    "You keep denying it, then what was this doing in your pockets?" Ji Feifei crossed her arms and glared at her, then launched another slap that sent her to the floor.


    Wen Lin grabbed the bottle and smelled its content. It was indeed poison. She didn''t defend the maid this time. "Speak. Why do you have this bottle?"


    "I don''t know how it got into my pockets." She sobbed.


    Ji Feifei sneered and was about to say more when Ji Huifen appeared at the doorway, having heard the fiasco.


    "I remember your son is in hospital." He said unhurriedly.


    When the maid heard the threat, she panicked. "I wasn''t me. It was that girl with red hair. She gave it to me!"


    Wen Lin was even more confused. There was only one girl with red hair living in the Ji Mansion recently. "Are you talking about Ruby?"


    "Yes. It was her." The maid affirmed and looked at Wen Lin desperately. "She gave it to me. Madam, I wasn''t planning to do anything. I was going to report it to you."


    "It was me? How come I didn''t know this?" A gentle voice resounded from the hallway.

 Chapter 442 - Uncovered

    When Ji Feifei heard Ruby''s voice, she froze. Didn''t she leave with Lin Jian early in the morning? She had chosen this timing because she thought that Ruby was out, and that the matter would have escalated too much by the time she returned.


    Even so, she was not going to let it go. She rushed to Ruby who was close to the entrance and landed a slap on her face. "How could you do this? We took you in! Is this how you repay us?!"


    Ruby sneered and landed an even more fierce slap right back on Ji Feifei''s face. Before the woman could explode, she slapped her yet again, so hard that the latter almost fell from the impact. How dare she try to frame her?


    Luckily, they were prepared for this. They already knew what Ji Feifei was going to do, and it was Xiehan''s idea for her to leave the house the previous afternoon, as well as this morning, to create an alibi for herself.


    "How dare you!" Ji Feifei wanted to pounce on Ruby and scratch her face but was held back by Ji Huifen.


    "It was her, I swear. She said I had to poison the young master. She paid me." The maid spoke up when she received a glare from Ji Feifei.


    "Where''s the money then?" Ruby asked scornfully. The maid had been loyal to the Ji family for ages. For Ruby to be able to bribe her, she must have used a lot of money. That money should still be present, right?


    "I used it to pay my son''s hospital bill." She cried. "You threatened to hurt my son if I didn''t do it." The maid had a sickly son, which was why Ji Feifei had chosen her.


    Wen Lin found it unbelievable. She didn''t know why she trusted Ruby so much but she asked, "Ruby, is this true?"


    The girl shook her head. "No. I don''t know why she would slander me. Besides, why would I ask her to poison Xiehan when he isn''t even here?"


    Ji Feifei frowned slightly. Wasn''t it because Xiehan had promised to return the previous evening? The plan was already set, and she didn''t have the chance to secretly tell the maid about the change of plan without being noticed so she decided to go along with it. Things weren''t going exactly as planned.


    Ruby used this spell of silence to ask the maid, "Let me ask this. When did I tell you to do it?"


    "Yesterday in the afternoon. At about 4pm." The maid blurted according to what Ji Feifei had told her. Ruby was away the previous afternoon and so was the maid, who had claimed to have gone to visit her son after finishing her work. It was easy to assume that they were together at the time. Besides, Ji Feifei had a record to prove that the maid did not go to the hospital.


    What she didn''t expect was that Wen Lin would slap the maid viciously. "You damned liar!"


    "I''m not lying." She insisted with tears in her eyes, looking up to Ji Feifei for help even though she knew that she would be ignored.


    Wen Lin frowned at her in disgust. "I was with Ruby yesterday in the afternoon."


    "What? How could that be? I was with her yesterday in the afternoon and we talked for more than five minutes. Maybe she slipped away from you to meet up with me."


    Ji Feifei smiled secretly and praised the young woman for being smart. As long as Ruby left Wen Lin''s side even to go to the bathroom, the latter would have doubts.


    She didn''t expect Wen Lin to laugh and scoff instead. "Ruby was by my side the entire afternoon. Speak. Who asked you to slander her?"


    "It was really her!"


    "So, I''m lying?" Wen Lin laughed in ridicule, then noticed that the maid was sneaking glances at Ji Feifei and the latter was clenching her fists. "Feifei, what''s going on with you? You''re acting strange."


    "Nothing. I''m just angry that she would do such a thing when she has been treated so well."


    "Who asked you to do it?" Ji Huifen asked, losing his patience from this charade. "If you don''t want to answer us, you will answer to the police instead."


    Hearing the word ''police'', she panicked. If she went to jail, who would take care of her ailing son?


    "It was the second Miss." She finally said through sobs.


    "You''re lying! Did someone send you to slander me?" Ji Feifei exploded while glancing at Ruby, indirectly accusing her.


    Ruby smiled evilly. "Oh, is she? How unfortunate. I have a particularly entertaining recording¡­ It would have been useful if her words were true."


    "What recording?" Ji Huifen asked, as Wen Lin curiously looked over too.


    Ruby took out her phone. "I''m sorry Aunty. I was suspicious of her so I installed a secret voice recorder in her room. Then I recorded this."


    She played the audio file, and Ji Feifei''s voice was clearly heard. "I heard you have a sickly son. Would you like me to help you pay his hospital bill? Not only will I do that, but I will also help you find him a lung donor."


    "Stop! It was me. I did it." Ji Feifei rushed to grab Ruby''s phone when she heard her own voice.


    Ruby paused the recording. "Did you?"


    Wen Lin was disappointed while Ji Huifen asked solemnly, "Why would you do such a thing?"


    The pretentious girl fell onto her knees. "I just wanted to kick her out. She was taking up too much of everyone''s attention. Even my brother wouldn''t spare me a glance while he kept giving his attention to her. It was almost as if she is your daughter while I''m not."


    "So you decided to poison your parents? Are you really their daughter?" Ruby mocked before the impostor could gain her parents'' pity. The last statement was a threat as well.


    "I didn''t mean to. I''m so sorry. Mom, dad, could you please forgive me?" She bawled her eyes out.


    Ruby was about to suggest calling the police when she received a call from Lanni and stepped aside.


    "I''m almost done." She whispered into the phone.


    "Ruby, we have to change the plan. Jail is where the culprit wants her." Lanni hurriedly said.


    "How did you know?" Ruby was confused.


    "Don''t ask me yet. I''ll explain later. Just think of a way."


    Ruby glanced at her phone whose screen had turned black soon after the call ended. She didn''t know what was going on but she could only follow Lanni''s orders. She went back to the crying impostor and her parents and suggested, "How about we let Xiehan handle her? He helped her regain her freedom, after all. He must have anticipated this kind of outcome."


    Wen Lin had to agree. Besides, it was Xiehan who brought Ruby to the Ji Mansion.


    She shooed Ji Feifei to her room before taking Ruby''s hand. "I''m sorry she tried to frame you. This child¡­ Were too lenient with her when she was little so she grew up to be spoiled."


    "It''s alright." Ruby shrugged.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in Li Yuming''s villa.


    Luna woke up to the alluring aroma of breakfast. She had unknowingly fallen asleep on the couch the previous night and was surprised when she woke up in her old bed from when she stayed here.


    Her room had been kept clean and her clothes and accessories were unmoved, as though she was still living here. She was hungry, so she quickly freshened up and headed downstairs.


    "You''re awake. How are you feeling?" Li Yuming poked her head from the kitchen door when she heard her footsteps. She quickly brought the warm breakfast to the dining room and called her over.


    Luna sat at the dining table and dug in. " I feel better but I''m not ready to meet him."


    "Then don''t. You can stay here for as long as you want. If not, the Jiang residence is good too." Li Yuming sounded so protective it was as though Luna was dreaming.


    "I thought you hated me." Her brows slightly knitted.


    Li Yuming peeled an apple and put it on a clean plate for Luna to eat after finishing her food. "I did hate the fact that you were constantly on his side and driving Lanni away from me. But you were under years of manipulation and the first thing you did after finding out the truth is come to me. How could I send you away?"


    "I''ll make him pay for what he did to you." Luna declared, and Li Yuming didn''t know what to say. She didn''t want to dwell on this solemn topic.


    "Let''s play a round?" She suggested when the latter finished her breakfast.


    "Mmh." Luna nodded.


    Li Yuming was the first to take out her phone and before she logged into the game, countless Insults swamped her phone.


    Everyone was scolding Luna for stealing someone else''s hard work. While everyone loved the game, thieves were frowned upon so they spammed 1-star ratings on the application store.. This matter was yet to settle down and from the series of events, the game and the entire Moonlight Studios might be shut down thanks to the thousands of complaints the moderators were receiving.

 Chapter 443 - The Gray-eyed Boy

    Li Yuming took a deep breath and didn''t want to dampen Luna''s mood. She exited the website and asked, "Have you played Dragon King before? Let''s play that this time."


    "Okay." Luna didn''t think too much of it and launched the game on her phone.


    ¡­


    Tian Yu Media.


    Lanni went to the CEO''s office as soon as she arrived. The man glanced at her disintrestedly. "Why are you here? You are no longer an employee of Tian Yu Media."


    "Did I do something wrong?" Lanni demanded an explanation. "Before you fire me, you have to give me a valid reason."


    The man did not spare her a glance. "I''m sorry. The contract termination fees will be sent to your account before this evening."


    If Lanni were to ask herself whether the man was avoiding her gaze because he was angry or because he couldn''t bear to look at her, the answer would be obvious. He was so satisfied with her performance that he had offered to train her to run a media agency. How could he be mad at her?


    "If you are under a threat, we¡­" She started then paused midway. What help could she possibly offer to a CEO of his calibre? It was so unlike him to give up. Since it had come to this point, it could only mean that there was really no way out. She smiled. "You know what? I''ll just pick my stuff."


    The man raised his head and looked at the door when Lanni had left. Just like that, he had lost a potential talent. He had been given two options; to fire Lanni or endanger the life of the only relative he had left. This time, he had chosen his family.


    ¡­.


    Old Ji Mansion.


    "Boss, I failed." Ji Feifei reported on her secret phone.


    "What an idiot! Is there anything you can do right? Go to Four Seasons in an hour." The man on the other side ordered. "Zeus will tell you what to do. Don''t be a second late. If you fail this time, don''t blame me for what I will do."


    Ji Feifei sighed in relief. She was being given another chance. However, she knew that this was the last chance for her to redeem herself. Hence, she snuck out of the mansion through a secret exit that she had long created¡ªwhich no one else knew about¡ªand rushed to the hotel.


    She arrived at the rooftop with one minute to spare and the next second, heavy footsteps resounded.


    A man in his early thirties made his way to her. He was buff and had tattoos all over his skin, looking too unruly and playful for his age. He took off his black-framed glasses and grinned at the young woman in front of him. "Ji Feifei, long time no see."


    Ji Feifei felt her legs tremble. This was not Zeus. It was Skeleton, the most psychotic killer of Galaxis, who had earned himself the title of ''the demon of death''.


    Ji Feifei felt her blood run cold. Her mouth trembled as she asked, "W-what are you doing here? Where is Zeus?"


    The man frowned at her questions, looking like he didn''t want to be questioned. She clammed her mouth shut and waited to hear what he had to say. However, she waited for agonising minutes and the man didn''t look like he was going to speak.


    When he was done keeping her in suspense, he finally moved his lips. "Follow me."


    ___


    It was only three days later that Xiehan returned. As soon as he landed at the airport and turned on his phone, he got hundreds of messages and missed calls from his parents. He ignored them for a moment and decided to go to look for his girlfriend first.


    Lanni was overjoyed to see him back. She dumped the brochure she was looking at aside and threw herself into his arms.


    She took his briefcase and helped him in. "Honey, is everything alright?"


    "Yeah. But I might need to take over the company." He slumped into the couch and drank the water that she offered him.


    She sighed, thinking about how he had never intended to completely take over Feng Ji International. She did not ask for the reasons, but she ran her soft fingers through his hair gently. "You can do it, my love."


    Hearing her trust in his abilities, he pulled her into his arms and inhaled her scent. "Will you stand by my side?"


    "Of course." Was that even a question?


    His phone rang and he reluctantly answered it, then his eyebrows furrowed deeply at whatever the other party had said.


    "Is anything wrong?" She sensed his sudden change of mood.


    He pulled her back into his arms, slowly breathing onto her neck as he calmed himself down before saying, "Ji Feifei is dead."


    "How could that be?" It was not that Lanni cared about Ji Feifei, but they still needed her to pin down Xia Hanchen.


    "I somewhat expected it." He sighed. Lanni had told him about Xia Hanchen over the phone so he knew just who to suspect. The man must have decided to kill her to get rid of anything that could lead their suspicion to him.


    "I need to go home." He declared. "Come with me."


    She knew that they had missed each other but she shook her head. "Ji Feifei and I¡­have had grudges in the past."


    He nodded when he understood what she meant. She was not the right person to appear before the Ji family at the moment, because it was not impossible to term her as a suspect.


    ¡­.


    When Xiehan arrived, Wen Lin was bawling her eyes out in the living room while Ji Huifen held her. They looked like they had aged instantly.


    "My baby¡­.how could she be dead?" Wen Lin sobbed. Ji Feifei had gone missing three days ago and they had reported it to the police. The police had searched for two days and it was only this morning that there was some news. Yet who would have thought that it would not be good news, but a report stating that they had found Ji Feifei''s head and leg floating on the river? The DNA report further confirmed that they were indeed Feifei''s.


    The girl must have died a gruesome death and they were not even allowed to see her yet.


    Wen Lin sobbed a fresh bout of tears when she thought about it. "Who did my daughter wrong? Who would treat her that way? My poor child¡­"


    It was at this moment that Ruby finally had the confidence to go downstairs, having been too shocked by the news herself.


    As soon as Wen Lin saw her, it was as though she understood what had happened. She pointed a finger at Ruby. "It was you, right? You are the one who hated my Feifei so much¡­"


    "I wouldn''t do such a thing." Ruby stated firmly, even though she knew that Wen Lin was not the only person who suspected her.


    "Linlin , calm down." Ji Huifen pulled her back before she could pounce on Ruby to beat her up.


    "Let go of me! I want to call the police!" the woman was raging in pain and anger.


    Xiehan walked in through the door, and she finally saw a ray of hope and rushed over to her son. "Xiehan, you have to call the police. She killed your sister."


    Xiehan hugged her to calm her down and when she was slightly calm, he glanced at Ruby. "But my sister is right here."


    "What nonsense are you saying?" Wen Lin followed his line of sight and expected to see Ji Feifei, but was stunned and thought that her son was so heartbroken that he was hallucinating. No matter how aggrieved she felt, she didn''t want to lose both her children so she patted his shoulder amid her tears. "Xiehan, you have to calm down. You cannot allow yourself to fall into depression, okay? Think about how we would feel if that happened. Lanni would be very sad too¡­"


    "Think about Ji Feifei. Does she look like you?" Xiehan interrupted and showed her the large family photo on the wall.


    She didn''t know what came over her but she walked over to scan Ji Feifei. Indeed, there was zero resemblance. It wasn''t that she had never noticed it. She had always thought that her daughter must possess resemblance to her other relatives like her paternal grandmother or great grandmother. Ji Huifen looked over too, and he was stunned before he glanced at Xiehan. "What are you saying?"


    The man held Ruby''s hand and brought her over. "Now take a look at her."


    Wen Lin once again noticed something she had realized but not taken to heart before. "She looks so much like us. She even has mother-in-law''s hair and eyes."


    Xiehan''s paternal grandmother had vibrant red hair which had been inherited by Xiaoshi and Ruby. In terms of looks, she looked like what the combination of her and Ji Huifen should look like.


    She was so shocked that her tears drained. "Xiehan, what''s going on?"


    "She is your daughter, mother. Ji Feifei was an impostor." Xiehan finally spilled. He knew that it was not the right time to break such shocking news but if he didn''t, the relationship between his mother and his sister might be ruined beyond repair.


    He sat them down and explained everything he knew in detail. When he was done, Wen Lin still couldn''t believe it.


    "You''re saying my baby was switched? I didn''t even realize it? And the person who did it was Xia Hanchen?"


    Xiehan nodded. "What does he have against you and father?"


    "I don''t know. Huifen, do you know? Huifen?" Wen Lin shook her husband who looked stunned beyond words.


    "This modus operandi is familiar¡­.and there is only one person who would hate me and my family so much¡­He is back." His lips trembled.


    "Who is back?" Wen Lin asked, and Xiehan and Ruby looked on curiously too.


    "The gray-eyed boy."

 Chapter 444 - The Whole Story Back Then

    "What gray-haired boy?" Everyone was curious about what Ji Huifen had just stated.


    The man momentarily forgot about Ji Feifei''s demise and the fact that he had just learnt that Ruby was his daughter as he tried to recall the past.


    "A boy from the Guan clan. Back then, the Guan clan was close to my family so that boy and I were naturally friends. Everything was peaceful and my grandfather and Old man Guan were especially close. Until one day, my grandfather found out something he shouldn''t."


    Xiehan and Ruby tensed up. This must be where it all started.


    "The Guan family seemed to have a good relationship with the Li family on the surface but in real sense, they were accomplices."


    "The Li family?" Xiehan asked curiously. Li Yuming''s family?


    Ji Huifen must have guessed what he was thinking. He shook his head. Not Li Yuming''s family. I investigated her years ago and she came from a different family and merely had the same surname. Anyway, both the Guan and Li families were medicine practitioner families. They had many talents in the field of medical research but they did not use it to save lives; they used it to destroy humans just to earn a quicker buck.


    Aside from producing harmful medicines and selling them to governments, they would make deals with parents who delivered unhealthy babies or those whose unborn babies were prone to suffer from long-term illnesses, and switch them out with healthy ones.


    Sometimes, the weak babies would be given to poor parents who wouldn''t be able to do anything about it even if they had suspicions. Sometimes, they would be killed.


    Some of those babies could be nursed into perfect health by the geniuses in those families. However, not only were they not lucky, they were perhaps unluckier than those who were killed because they would be used as lab rats and if they proved to be useful, they would be fed with medicines to forcefully groom them into geniuses, then they would be forced to join the business of those families. It was an ongoing cycle and no one had ever found out. If someone did find out, they would not remain alive.


    When my grandpa found out, he was shocked and wanted to flee the country with my grandma, my parents and me. However, Old man Guan was fast enough to catch up to him and tried to kill him.


    On that day, the boy with gray eyes and I were playing together and happened to stumble upon their fight. The one who ended up dead was not my grandpa, but Old Guan.


    We had seen it all and knew who was on the wrong, but the boy somehow forced himself to believe that my grandfather was at fault. He threatened to return for vengeance.


    At the time, we all thought that the boy was speaking out of anger. He was my age after all. What could he do? Besides, we didn''t hear anything about the Guan and Li families after that. I thought they had disappeared. Little did I know that he would be back¡­ I don''t know how he ended up with the surname Xia but this method of switching babies and using them is too much like them. Besides, he sent a letter to my father to threaten and inform him of his return."


    The siblings remained silent as Ji Huifen sunk into thought.


    He had noticed that Ji Feifei didn''t look like any of their family members ages ago. Sometimes, he would be skeptical about it but he would brush it off since his suspicions didn''t make much sense. Just like Wen Lin, he had thought that Ji Feifei might resemble her distant maternal relatives.


    The siblings were in shock and so was Wen Lin.


    He looked at the girl he had just learnt was his daughter and asked, "Ruby, did anyone try to do anything to you when you were little?"


    If Xia Hanchen had switched them, then he must have wanted to use Ruby and kill her as a way to get revenge against the Ji family.


    "Someone tried to kidnap me when I was in my early teens. Dad couldn''t trace them even with all his connections." Ruby responded, thinking about the same thing.


    "What happened to the Guam family?" Xiehan asked. It was strange that they disappeared into thin air.


    "I don''t know. I don''t know how the boy ended up in the Xia family either." Ji Huifen couldn''t come up with anything no matter how hard he thought about it.


    Xiehan rubbed his brows. "Do you want to go to see Ji Feifei? She was our family for many years, after all."


    Wen Lin had not entirely calmed down from the shock and trauma. Although Ji Feifei had been her daughter and they had shared a mother-daughter bond for many years, it would be a lie if she said that she was not happy to find out that her real daughter was alive. "I will go to see her even though it''s not as her mother. She was still a baby when everything happened and did not know what had been planned out for her life, after all."


    Ji Huifen was of the same opinion. "Everything she did later was her choice but I loved her before finding out the truth. I''ll pay her my last respects."


    Xiehan thought so too, so he made plans. Meanwhile, "We have a bigger task. To find out whether Xia Hanchen really is that boy. If he is, we will have to bring him and his family down if they still exist.


    ¡­.


    Meanwhile, Han Xichen made his way to Xiaoshi''s apartment because he had missed her, having not seen her for the last three days.


    She was puzzled when she saw her at the door. "You are here."


    She wanted to dig a hole to hide in. How could Han Xichen come over when she was cooped up indoors and was still dressed in her pajamas? Even her hair looked like a messy bunch of red.


    "May I come in?"


    "Yes. Forgive my manners." She made way for him to get in and poured him a glass of fresh fruit juice.


    "How are you?" He asked when he saw that she didn''t look as cheerful as she always did. She looked tired and dull.


    She sat down opposite him and relaxed herself, feeling happier now that she had company. Although she was nervous about her outlook, the man did not comment about it and that made her relieved since he didn''t mind. "Many things have been happening lately. My boss was accused of stealing someone else''s work, you must have seen it on the news."


    "I did." The news had been so explosive that there was almost no one who didn''t know of it.


    "So I want to help them uncover the traitor. Boss Yu says it was a set up. Besides, now that the best hacker is unavailable, the software production department is much busier."


    "You should have some rest ocassionally. If you work throughout without taking a break, you will only drain yourself and lose productivity. Do you want to grab a milkshake together?"


    "Sure." She nodded. She had actually wanted to take a break, but she didn''t have anyone to go out with since her workmates were just as busy as she was.


    Hearing that they were going out, she disappeared into her room and freshened up at record speed, then changed into jeans and a black top and brushed her hair backwards.


    When she left her room, she looked very pretty, though he didn''t think she looked any less beautiful with her messy outlook a moment ago.


    "Let''s go." He led the way out. He was planning to make her walk a little so he had specifically told her to wear flat shoes.


    As they walked, he stuck a conversation. "You haven''t told me much about yourself."


    "Haven''t I?" She was puzzled.


    "No. How come I never heard about you? I don''t know what you like or dislike, your hobbies or your dreams."


    She smiled slightly, realizing that she might have subconsciously assumed that he would be read into all her interests. "I love travelling around. But I decided to settle down and get a life for myself. What about you?"


    He smiled at her way to shove the question back to him. "I don''t have any hobbies I particularly like. I usually go along with what my friends want to do."


    "You''re the most simple yet complex guy I''ve ever met." She chuckled. He didn''t have any favorite foods, was neither mild tempered nor temperamental, and now he didn''t have any particular interests and neither disliked what his friends did? Why did it feel like he was too flexible to be true?


    "Is it a bad thing?" He grinned.


    "No. I wouldn''t mind it." If anything, she would love to be around a man like him, since they would rarely clash on interests.


    The man gazed at her for a moment, then slid his hand to her side to hold hers. He felt her hands tremble and saw her eyes widen. Ignoring her shock, he gently asked, "Shishi, would you take me along to travel around?"


    *AN:


    There are two Li families. Li Yuming''s and Li Xiyan''s. They are not relatives.. Just the same way two people can share surnames in real life.

 Chapter 445 - Last Respects

    Xiaoshi nodded immediately, heat creeping up her cheeks from the feeling of her hand in his. His palm was warm and covered hers entirely, with his fingers securing the back of her hand and gently rubbing against it. "Uh, yes."


    He peeked at her, intrigued by her response. "Did you hear what I said?"


    She thought about his question and tried to remember what he had asked after holding her hand. All she knew was that it was a question, but her heart was beating so fast that she didn''t catch any of the words. She shook her head in embarrassment. "No."


    He chuckled softly. From her reaction, he had already guessed that the question had evaporated into thin air.


    He repeated the question, but before she could answer, his fingers gently ran up her wrist and made her heart skip a few more beats.


    She once again nodded without knowing whether it made sense. When she heard him laugh, her cheeks that had just calmed back to their usual color flushed yet again. "Are you teasing me?"


    He didn''t deny the accusation and nodded with a tiny laugh. "You''re so cute. I can''t help it."


    She glared at him but her eyes only appeared adorable due to her blush. Luckily, they reached the milkshake shop where they were going so he stopped teasing her. She didn''t tell him anything but he ordered her the vanilla milkshake she preferred. Slotting in a thick straw for her, he put it in her hand and held her free hand.


    This was not the first time they were holding hands but her heart still raced as though it was her first time being this close to a man. Well, aside from her cousin and father, she had never been as close to any man as she had been to him, but she didn''t expect that her heart would race faster than it had raced in the past when she heard Xingyu''s voice through Xiehan''s phone.


    She stopped her thoughts from running wild but it still baffled her. Why was she spending so much time with Han Xichen? In fact, the closer she was to him, the closer she wanted to get. It felt slightly similar to what she had felt for Xingyu in the past but at the same time, different in a way that gave her the urge to be addicted. Her eyes widened at the thought. Was she starting to like a different man?


    Han Xichen didn''t know what the girl beside him was thinking but from how furiously she was chewing on her straw, her train of thoughts must be interesting. "What are you thinking about?"


    "Your hand feels nice to hold." She blurted, then wondered what had come over her.


    The man grinned at her response. "Is that so? Then you can hold it whenever you want." She wanted to shake their hands apart but he only tightened his hold around her little hand. "Do you think I would trust you to watch where you are going? I don''t want you falling into ditches and bumping your head into trees."


    "I didn''t¡­" She denied his words, but she couldn''t deny that he would have done just that if he did not pull her back the last time.


    "Do you want to go back home or continue strolling around?" He asked, and she didn''t think it through before being honest with her answer.


    "Can we walk a little more?"


    "Of course." Obviously, he was happy to keep walking with a beauty like her. While they walked, he kept buying her a piece of every street food she looked at longingly, and within a few minutes, she was full. When he placed tacos in her right hand, she glanced at the skewers he was holding and shook her head. "Don''t buy me anything else. I''m full."


    He nodded and watched her take a bite of the tacos then he took a bite of one of the skewers.


    Her eyes subconsciously moved up to his lips. He bit on the meat elegantly and chewed it without much expression but she could tell that he was enjoying it. The tacos suddenly didn''t taste as good as it did a second ago. She felt the urge to switch it with the barbecue between his lips.


    Before he could catch her staring at him, she averted her gaze and looked at the beautiful scenery. Night had fallen, and the city was dotted with street lights that made it look more alluring than it did during the day. She subconsciously pulled on his hand and led to him walking faster since she had increased her pace. It was only when they arrived at her residential area that she felt bummed. They were back so soon¡­


    "Would you...would you like to walk with me again when you are free?" She asked nervously.


    "Of course. Tell me when you want to." He agreed, much to her relief.


    ¡­


    The next day at work.


    Cheng Yu was so busy that she had barely had a few hours of sleep. If one were to wipe her makeup away, they would be faced with huge dark circles and a pair of dull sleepy eyes.


    Xiaoshi made her way to her office early in the morning, to report the progress of her work. When she was done, she realized that Cheng Yu was still staring at her so she asked, "Is there anything else?"


    Cheng Yu dragged her chair forward and planted her elbows on her desk. "The matter regarding Luna is quite suspicious. First, she meets a young man who wants to sell her a software and she offers him a job, then the man turns around and accuses her of stealing his software, and even submits the video recordings of their meeting. It''s definitely premeditated¡­"


    "I thought so too." Everyone who believed in Luna thought that this was something that had been planned out, but Xiaoshi didn''t understand why Cheng Yu was explaining it to her anew. "Why are you telling me this?"


    "Do you have anything to do with it?" Cheng Yu asked straightforwardly.


    Xiaoshi was stumped. So that was it! She bit her lower lips to stop herself from exploding in anger. "No. Why would I? Just because you think there is tension between me and Luna doesn''t prove that I would want to hurt her, okay?"


    Cheng Yu smiled. "You don''t need to get riled up. I''m just wondering who would benefit if Luna''s efforts were to go down the ashes. If her reputation were to be damaged beyond repair, who would be happy about it?"


    Seeing Xiaoshi''s upset expression, she added, "I''m not pointing you out as a suspect. But you know, anyone can be suspicious. Who knows, the culprit might as well be someone close to Luna, someone she trusts. But whoever has a guilty conscience definitely has something to hide, don''t you think?"


    "Well then. I don''t have anything to do with it." Xiaoshi shrugged. She really didn''t. She had also been shocked when she heard the news.


    Cheng Yu smiled slightly. "You better not."


    Although her tone sounded like he was warning her, it no longer held suspicion.


    When Xiaoshi left, she reclined in her seat and sighed. The best way to get everyone to do their best searching for the real culprit was to individually make everyone think that they were the prime suspect. She wondered if it would work as fast as she wanted.


    Xiaoshi was on her way back to the common office that programmers usually hung around when she received a call from her mother.


    "Mom, is there something wrong? I''m at work." She knew that her parents would never call her while she was at work unless something really huge happened.


    "Are you able to take the day off? Come to the Ji Mansion if you can." She did not explain the details on the phone but Xiaoshi could tell that it was a serious matter.


    The company was much busier than usual but luckily, Cheng Yu approved of her day off nonetheless.


    When she arrived at the Ji family mansion, the solemn mood surprised her. She gave her mother a curious glance across the room. What was happening?


    "Come here." Ji Meiling called her over and softly explained the entire matter to her.


    ___


    The Ji family was unable to find out who Ji Feifei''s biological parents were, so they paid their last respects to her¡ªas a former member of their family¡ªbefore sending her body to the crematorium.


    _______


    Author''s Note.


    One of the book''s main villains just left to never return. Are you happy about it? Leave a comment or a review if you are. This note is also to inform you that there will be several things/changes happening in the next few chapters.


    ¡­


    On a side note, if you haven''t yet, check out my latest book; The Tyrant''s Wife.


    Use my linktr.ee to follow me on Instagram, join my server and support me on Kofi. One link for everything!


    Linktr.ee/Avalorian

 Chapter 446 - Under A Spell(1)

    Ji Feifei''s departure was not the end of the Ji family''s nightmare but the onset of it. Ji Huifen spent about a week going through the facts of the past and concluded that the gray-eyed boy from his memories was indeed Xia Hanchen. As for how he ended up in the Xia family, he, Xiehan and Wen Lin guessed that he must have been adopted. Perhaps the Xia family had also collaborated with the Guan family in the past, and they took him in after the demise of his grandfather and the disappearance of his family?


    This was merely a speculation, but it made a lot of sense when they thought about the events that surfaced later.


    At first, the three of them were worried that Xia Hanchen would make Ji Feifei''s biological parents seek trouble with them but they had been, thankfully, wrong.


    ____


    It had been two weeks since Ji Feifei left the picture. Luna had spent this time tracking down the young man who had tainted her name. As expected, it was not easy to find him since he had the protection of Xia Hanchen. When she finally did, it was only because she had decided to be ruthless and kidnapped the young man''s mother.


    "Please don''t do anything to my mother!" The man pleaded over the phone when Luna gave him a call.


    "Then make your way here right away. Don''t you even think about calling anyone else¡ªI will track your movements." Luna threatened, and the young man knew better than to brush it off. Luna was an excellent programmer and it was highly possible for her to have hacked into his phone already.


    "Where?" He asked with a shaky voice as she had yet to give him an address.


    "I will send you a location. Ten minutes. One second later and you will pick up your momma''s remains." Luna hung up and tossed her phone aside to look at the frightened middle-aged woman that she had kidnapped.


    She had brought her to a hotel room and not blindfolded her¡ªonly having tied her up¡ªletting her know that she was not in some repulsive blood-filled place.


    What she didn''t know was that from the rumors that the woman had heard, kidnappers only let one know where they were if they were going to kill them. After all, the location would be a major lead to the kidnappers'' identity if the victims could remember it.


    She looked up at Luna with a mixture of hatred and disgust.


    Luna had room service bring in some food and placed it in front of the pale, middle aged woman. "Auntie, have some food."


    The woman glanced at the food in front of her and her veins protruded in anger, she had no intention to eat it.


    "Come on, I''m not planning on starving you. You must be hungry after working all day." Luna coaxed, keeping some distance in case the woman became aggressive.


    The woman''s eyes glared at her like they could burn holes through Luna''s stomach. "As a mother-to-be yourself, how could you do this to someone else?! All I want is to work and provide for my children, yet you rich people are doing everything in your power to make that difficult for me!"


    "Trust me, I do not wish to make the life of anyone difficult." Luna sat on the comfortable couch and picked up the glass of milk that had been brought to her along with the woman''s dinner. She took a small sip from it gently. "If your son did not decide to ruin my life, do you think I would have resorted to doing this?"


    "You liar! My son would never destroy anyone''s life!" The woman pulled at the ropes around her hands and wanted to give Luna a slap for trying to speak ill of her darling son.


    Her actions and words earned a scoff from Luna. "Obviously, no one can commit a crime until they do it. Have you not read or heard of the news? Or do you really think that the software your baby darling claims to have been stolen from him was really his?" She knew the woman would not say anything kind in response so she chuckled and added on her own, "No it wasn''t. That was my and my friend''s blood, sweat and tears."


    Before the woman could talk, she added, "No one understands how difficult it is for two young women to survive on their own without their families. Sometimes, their families don''t support their dreams and aspirations so the young girls have no choice but to plunge into the cruel business world in the hopes of finding something that would place a slice of bread on their tables."


    She sighed after bringing up Cheng Yu''s experience. "Do you know, my friend once fainted because she worked continuously for two days without a wink of sleep nor a grain of food. It was all because we were trying to complete the game and release it at the right time¡ªfame in this line of work doesn''t last that long, after all.


    Yet, after all these weeks of hard work, all it took was a few pictures and a statement from a young man I met recently, for all our hard work to go sliding down the drain."


    "Are you telling the truth?" After hearing what Luna had said, the middle-aged woman was perplexed. She had once been a young woman herself¡ªand she had also been once abandoned by her family and left to fend for herself. She knew how difficult it was. If it was really as Luna had stated¡­


    Luna took in a deep breath after successfully guilt-tripping the woman. "Would anyone lie about their life?"


    "Sure, I can go back to my family if everything I worked for is taken away from me¡ªbut she has nowhere to go. What will become of her?"


    Knowing that she had managed to calm the woman down and get her thinking, she suggested with an innocent smile, "Aunty, I could untie you. But can you promise not to hurt me?"


    "I would never hurt an unborn baby." The woman looked aside, finally realizing the absurdity of it all. How could a pregnant woman risk it all to kidnap someone else? It seemed like this young woman''s words were true. She really had no choice. She was doing it for her friend.


    For some reason, she felt her heart soften even though she knew that a kidnapper should never be trusted.


    Luna untied her, knowing that the woman would not try to hurt her. She had made sure of it. "Auntie, could you eat your food now? It''s awful to see you starve¡ªIt makes me feel as though my own mother were starving."


    As though she was under a spell, the woman scared down all the food on her plate, and it made her question her son even more. This young woman was so kind. Was she really capable of stealing?


    She didn''t want to believe that her son was in the wrong, but what if that was the case?


    "I believe that Luo Chen did not do it out of his own will. When we met, I had the impression that he was an honest young man who would not want to deliberately harm anyone. He must have been forced." Luna said to further emotionally blackmail his mother.


    She smiled and bought time, telling random little tales until the young man arrived.


    As soon as he walked in through the door, the first thing to greet him was a slap from his mother. "Punk! What did you do?"


    "Mother, what are you talking about?"


    The woman seemed to think of something. "Tell me about the money you received three weeks ago. Did you really get it from a company who offered to work with you, or did you get bribed to do something wrong?"


    "Mother, what do you mean?" The young man named Luo Chen looked slightly guilty like he was trying to hide something.


    When his mother saw this, she slapped him even harder. "Speak! Who was it?


    Luo Chen, I have worked hard all these years trying to educate you, yet you repay me by doing something so shameless? Did all my teachings go down the drain?"


    Luna tapped the woman¡ªwho looked disappointed¡ªon her shoulder. "Aunty, please don''t be too fierce with him. Let''s talk it out."


    Since the young woman had spoken, Luo Chen''s mother moved aside to let her son in.


    Luna sat down at the table in a position that would have the mother and son duo sit opposite her, so Luo Chen was facing the door of the site''s bedroom.


    She secretly tapped her phone screen and waited for about three seconds until Luo Chen calmed down. She then asked, "Did I really steal your work? Tell the truth."


    "No." The young man blurted, then placed a hand over his mouth.. Why did he just blurt out the truth? When he saw his mother, he was planning to worm his way out of the mess. Why did it feel like there was a strange force that came over him and forced him to tell the truth?

 Chapter 447 - Under A Spell (2)

    The middle-aged woman looked at her son in disbelief. She was already swayed when she heard Luna''s words, and all it took was that simple word for all the trust she had in her son to come crumbling down. She glared at him, her eyes full of disappointment. "Why did you do it? Why would you do such a thing?"


    The young man knew that there might be cameras in the room and that he might be in trouble if he said the wrong thing. Even so, his lips once again moved against his will. "My girlfriend''s life would be in danger if I didn''t. She would have been killed."


    Not only was Luo Chen''s mother in shock, Luna was surprised too. She knew that there was a young woman who was kidnapped to force him into submission but she had thought that it was his sister. Who would have thought that the lass was his girlfriend?


    Luo Chen''s mother furrowed her brows. "Because of a girl, you are willing to destroy other people''s lives and destroy yours while at it?" She didn''t know what to tell her son that would accurately display all the anger and disappointment she felt.


    "I love her, mother. How could I let any harm befall her?"


    Luna knew that the young man had done the wrong thing but she did not entirely blame him. She didn''t have a limit for what she could do if it involved the lives of those she loved either. As one who had once been forced to plead guilty for murder, she knew how it felt like to feel helpless.


    She thought about it for a moment before saying, "Your girlfriend will be safe. I will make sure of it."


    "She will, you will?" The young man felt useless that he was not able to save his own girlfriend and needed the help of another girl to do that.


    "Yes. As long as you tell me who had you do it."


    The young man showed a hint of hesitation as though she didn''t trust Luna, making the latter glance at him with mockery in her eyes. "He had you frame me and even after you did as you were told, he did not keep his promise of letting her go. Do you still hope that he will release her?"


    She had hit the nail on the head, and it made Luo Chen look at her in disbelief. She knew that the mastermind was a man. Could it be that she already had suspicion and merely wanted to confirm it?


    He was suddenly awed. From the first time he met her, he knew that Luna was not an ordinary young woman. Her intelligence had baffled her every time he encountered it and this time was no different. She was still waiting for an answer and he wanted to evade the question in fear that she would not keep her promise. However, once again, it was as though he was under a spell as he obediently gave all the details he knew.


    "I don''t know his identity. We conversed on the phone but when it was time for him to give the software to me, as well as the money, it was a woman who showed up. She had long, brown hair that was slightly wavy and looked to be in her thirties or early forties. She had brown eyes and was smoking."


    Luna almost cursed from the description. The said woman had many features that were similar to Li Yuming, and it was easy to misunderstand. It was not hard to guess who had sent the woman, and the purpose. "Is this her?" Luna showed him a picture of Li Xiyan''s new get up.


    "Yes, it is her." Confirmed, Luo Chen, and it made her wonder whether Li Xiyan had made her disguise look like Li Yuming on purpose.


    She had gotten her answer, and she could confirm that the culprit was indeed Xia Hanchen-her ''beloved'' father who had offered her immense comfort when he heard about what was happening to her company.


    If there was such a thing as a devil in disguise, then that would be Xia Hanchen. To destroy someone yet offer them comfort for their loss so naturally, the Oscars owed him a trophy.


    Her phone chimed and she picked it up before calmly saying, "Bring her in."


    Hanging up, she looked at the young man. "This meeting did not happen. Do you understand?"


    "Yes." He responded like a robot with no brain of his own.


    "Good." As she spoke, the door opened and an innocent-looking girl came in with Xingyu behind her.


    "Lanlan!" Luo Chen stood up and emotionally pulled her into his arms before checking if she was alright.


    "I''m fine." The girl cried. "This gentleman saved me."


    Xingyu sat beside Luna and was impressed that she had indeed taken care of everything on this end. Well, almost everything.


    "Luo Chen," She called out, and the young man turned to look at her respectfully. "I hope you will follow my arrangement from now on. If I can save your girlfriend, then I have the ability to get her locked up again."


    "Yes." The young man did not need to be reminded. He had already decided to follow Luna''s instructions. The young woman could have made him do her bidding and only leave her with a promise to save his girlfriend once he was done, but she didn''t. She was more kind than the man who had contacted him.


    "I will get the three of you a place to temporarily live with guards to keep you safe. Don''t move around too much and if he asks you about it, tell him you used the money he gave you to buy back your old house from a relative." Luna instructed. "I will tell you what to do next once you are settled in."


    She realized how demanding she sounded when she was done so she added. "You are willing to be on my side, I believe."


    "Yes, of course." The man nodded. "I will call you elder sister from now on."


    "Uh¡­ No thanks." She laughed. She had enough siblings already, and was having a headache adjusting to the fact that she had a half brother. She didn''t want to add sworn brothers on the list.


    The young man knew that she meant no harm so he chuckled too. "Then allow me to call you my master."


    A certain jealous man frowned at the sight of the young man laughing so happily with his fianc¨¦e. Young man, are you asking for death?


    Luna dismissed the trio as she had more things to do, so she let someone secretly lead them to the house she had already prepared beforehand. When they were all out of earshot, she glanced at the bedroom door. "They are gone."


    At her words, Han Xichen walked out to the living area and had a smile on his lips. "Did you get what you need?"


    Luna nodded at the man who had sat opposite them to catch up with Xingyu. "Yes. All thanks to your hypnotism skill, they were under control without even knowing what hit them. They didn''t even suspect it."


    Of course they would not suspect a thing, they had been hypnotised. Han Xichen grinned to himself. He had made the woman believe in everything that Luna told her and after that, made Luo Chen spill the truth. If they overdid it, it would be suspicious so Luna had decided not to ask too much.


    Han Xichen offered her a kind smile. "Don''t mention it. I did it for Shishi, it was for selfish reasons.


    Two days ago, Xiaoshi had cried to him about not being of help in investigating the matter, and feeling horrible about it because she was under suspicion too. He had offered her to help her in this way and luckily he had succeeded.


    "I''ll take my leave now." He announced.


    "Of course, and thank you." Luna thanked him before getting down to finding ways to trap Xia Hanchen.


    Han Xichen gave Xiaoshi a call as soon as he left the hotel room. The girl was anxiously waiting for his response, so he went over to her apartment so he would explain everything in detail.


    Scratch that. Explaining was an excuse, and he was going to her apartment solely because he had missed her.


    The girl excitedly showed him in and hugged him. It was not usual for her to do that out of her own accord. He was happy, but he noticed the underlying gloom in her eyes.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked as his thumb ran down her cheek.


    It was useless to hide things from a man who would figure it out either way so she did not even try to do so. She sighed as she explained, "My parents prolonged their stay because of this matter. They are worried about me."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" He questioned, only for her to look sadder.


    "Once it is settled, they will go back to Australia." She hugged her arms.. "I''m suddenly not sure that I did the right thing by deciding to settle down here, so far away from them. Maybe I should go back with them?"

 Chapter 448 - Under A Spell(3)

    "Do you have any good reason to keep staying?" Han Xichen asked her after a long pause.


    She thought about it for a while before listing her reasons out. "Yeah, I already found a job, which was something I had been dreaming of for a while. I met some new friends too. Besides, I think I like it here more than in Australia. I grew up there anyways, a little change wouldn''t hurt."


    Most importantly, I met you. She concluded in a soft voice in her mind, not daring to directly voice her thoughts that she believed would make him find her strange. He did not say anything but he had a feeling that there was something that she left unsaid. When she was ready to say it, she would talk about it. Until then, he decided that he would not probe.


    He studied her expression that looked excited when she talked about the comparison between B City and the City where she had grown up. Although she would miss her parents if she did not follow them, she would miss Xiehan and Lanni if she went back with her parents. Aside from missing her parents, there didn''t seem to be anything else that made her want to go back.


    It was clear where the young lady''s heart really was.


    "Have you ever thought about your future?" He asked out of the blue.


    "The future?" She was baffled at the sudden change of topic. They were talking about her urge and reluctance to follow her parents. When did the topic morph to her future?


    He resisted the urge to tap her forehead as she looked cute with her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes. When you get married and have kids."


    He talked about the matter of marriage and kids so casually that it made her cheeks burn up. It was a normal topic, why was her reaction so exaggerated?


    The man chuckled, having taken in her reaction. He must have done it on purpose because his lips curled upwards. "I''m talking about something that most women go through. You will meet someone you love enough to settle down with, then you will have a family. Your in-laws will not want to be distant from you and will expect you to pay attention to them once in a while.


    You will have a husband with whom you will want to spend most of your time and when you have kids, they will need your attention. Not to mention, you have a job too. You don''t seem like one to stay at home without working, from my observation of you."


    She nodded to his last words. If she could simply stay at home, she would have long quit working at Moonlight Studios where she felt unwelcome sometimes.


    "Tell me, how often will you stay beside your parents?" He dropped his main question.


    His words got her thinking. Indeed, when she was younger, she liked to stick to her parents and would watch the door for their return every time they left for work. With time, however, things slowly changed. She grew to have different interests but that did not mean that she no longer loved her parents.


    "Do you get my point now?" He asked, and she nodded.


    "Then follow your heart." He smiled at her. "You are a grown up woman now and can travel on your own. If you miss them so much, you can always go over for a visit and stay for a few days or weeks. I think you like it here"


    "I will take you along!" She blurted as though her brain had gone offline, it always did in his presence. Sometimes she wondered whether he had a superpower that helped him switch people''s brains off when they were with him.


    "What?" It took a second for him to realize that she was talking about how he had mentioned wanting her to take him along to her trips around the world. A smile laced over his thin lips at the fact that she had remembered it. "I would be glad to go."


    "Thank you. I feel much better now." She sighed in relief as though she had solved the most difficult puzzle. Her big eyes blinked with her words, draining away all the self-control that had been keeping him sane all along. He swallowed as he stared down at her face.


    She was not the most beautiful girl he had met but she was the most charming. A brilliant pair of eyes that were like a pair of vortices out to charm whoever was looking at them into drawing closer and closer, until they sank into their allure.


    He didn''t realize how close his face had moved to hers until his lips landed on her small, red ones.


    She was startled and reflexively moved away from him while staring at him with her widened eyes and trying to catch her breath. Her heart raced wildly from the shock and it took a while to successfully calm it. When she finally registered what had happened, she averted her gaze as she felt heat creep up her ears. Did Han Xichen just kiss her?


    "I''m sorry, that shouldn''t have happened." He massaged the space between his brows. He was not just saying it to appear like a gentleman. He was truly apologetic. One should only kiss a girl if she was okay with it, and she might be offended if he caught her off guard like he had just done. How could he be such a j-


    "It''s okay. I don''t dislike it." Her shaky voice shocked the crap out of him. What did she just say?


    When she realized the words that had just left her mouth, Xiaoshi wanted to drown herself in the juice inside the half-filled glass on the table. While it was true that she didn''t find the kiss annoying or repulsive, how could she say such a thing to a man?


    It was still possible to control himself before he stole her kiss but now that he did, it was harder than his most mind-wrecking test in medical school. Although it had happened for a second, he had felt the warmth and softness of her lips and they only enticed him into wanting more of it. If he continued staying here, he would do something that he might regret.


    "I have to go finish up on some work." He said as he stood up to leave.


    Her expression fell, as though she was displeased about his departure. He had the urge to pat her head but fought it.


    After gauging his expression and being convinced that she had not done anything to upset him, she felt happier. "See you when you''re free?"


    "Yes." He agreed before scolding himself. He had just decided to create some distance so he would stop the mistake he was making. What was wrong with him? It was too late to take back his words so he could only let her see him off.


    ___


    The following day, in Moonlight Studios.


    Luna had ensured that the security of the entire building was foolproof, having modified it herself. She secretly led Luo Chen into the building and into a meeting room that only she and Cheng Yu knew about.


    The young man was not surprised to be brought here since he knew that Luna was planning to give him instructions after all. He sat on his chair and obediently waited for her instructions.


    "I''ll offer you a job." She had other things to handle after this meeting with him so she went straight to the point to save time.


    "What? Why would you do that?" He was shocked. Who would offer a job to the person who almost destroyed their future?


    "Are you willing to take it or not? I don''t want to waste such a brilliant brain as yours. I believe you have other works?" Before he could respond, she strictly added, "Those that belong to you."


    "I have another software." The young man nodded, touched by Luna''s ability to be able to tell.


    It was just within her expectations. Her father could not have found a random boy on the street and had him frame her. He must have found a genius who lacked enough exposure to showcase his talent and share his ideas with the world¡ªone who had probably been robbed of his blood and sweat a few times before. She had investigated him and was pleased with his talent.


    "Thank you, boss. I will do my best."


    She smiled and said nothing of it. It was a win-win situation. "I will check out your softwares, then I will send a contract to you and you can start working after this matter is sorted. For now, you just have to pretend that I still haven''t met you."


    "That''s a piece of cake. But what about Lanlan?" He asked. The girl had been kidnapped and the man would probably soon find out that she was no longer in his custody.


    Luna smiled evilly, "Don''t worry. That man is a psychopath and his henchmen are scared of him. They will probably hide her escape from them and try to find her on their own.. They will fall into our trap as well as buy me some time."

 Chapter 449 - Brainless

    When Luna was done talking to Luo Chen, she let Cheng Yu tell him what he would need to do as she gave Lanni a call.


    "Ready?" The latter had been waiting for her signal with her finger over her mouse.


    "Yes. Release the news." Luna had a sinister smile as she prepared to start this dad versus daughters game. Did Xia Hanchen really think that he would be able to fool everyone forever?


    "Say no more." Lanni tapped the mouse and the news article that she had written was immediately aired for the whole world to see. Tian Yu Media had fired her, but CEO Qian forgot to revoke her access to the online media websites.


    Even if Xia Hanchen realized that it was her who leaked the news, there was nothing he could do about it yet as he was still dreaming of gaining control over her. If he did try to do something, they were prepared to counterattack. It was a battle of two versus twelve; the result was almost predictable.[1]


    ¡­


    "It was you!" Luna yelled as soon as she got to Xia Hanchen''s house, and the man seemed to be expecting her. He must have read the news that Lanni had released. Thanks to the hard work of Luna''s and Xiehan''s fingers, the news took over all the websites, including those that had nothing to do with Tian Yu Media. It was like a virus that had spread over the entire Internet, making sure everyone got hold of the news behind what really happened in Moonlight Studios.


    "Dad, how could you do this?" She asked heartbrokenly. Initially, she was planning to act this out but now that she was facing him, she didn''t need to act.


    She felt cheated, betrayed¡­ How could he turn out to be that kind of person? How could he cheat them all these years?


    He didn''t need to ask to know what she was talking about. He must have spent the entire day coming up with a suitable lie because it effortlessly left his lips. "It''s for your own good."


    Luna laughed mockingly, not believing that she had once been stupid enough to be controlled by this monster. "You sabotaged my hard work and claim to have done it for my own good? What language are you speaking?"


    He turned to face her, hiding the disgust in his eyes as he always had. This time, she caught his little action and her blood almost boiled out of proportion. She would have strangled him if he wasn''t stronger than her.


    The man spoke out his practised excuse. "You need to study. Girls your age are finishing up their college education and planning to further their studies, not rushing into matters that they cannot handle."


    "Matters that they cannot handle," She repeated his words with a playful smile. "Are you talking about me starting my company?"


    "Drop that dumb start-up and go to school. It didn''t have a future, I was helping you get rid of something that would have broken your heart later." He said unflinchingly.


    She had never heard such unconcerned words from him. But then again, she had never questioned him about anything so she never got to know how he would react to being challenged. Still, she pretended to not have noticed it.


    "I can study part time like Lanni did. Didn''t she get her diploma already? She didn''t need to go to school. Surely, you don''t expect me to parade my baby bump in school, right?" She laughed then pretended to notice something. "Wait. Is this also why you had Lanni fired from her job? are you behind it as well?"


    The man regarded her with a scoff, not caring to be pretentiously hospitable by offering her a drink like he had always done. "Why would I waste my time on her? How can you compare yourself to that little piece of trash?"


    Luna gasped. She had already heard him talk ill of Lanni in the videos but it was still baffling to witness it first-hand. It was almost unbelievable.


    He frowned when he realized what he had just said. However, he was not apologetic. "It is time for you to get a brain, Luna. I let you get close to her but not to be swayed by her! Do you know who brought her up?"


    "Yes. Our mother. My biological mother." She answered unflinchingly.


    The man almost exploded but he hid it behind his ''at-a-loss'' farce. "I don''t trust her. Even though she gave birth to you, why hasn''t she tried to reunite with you? All she does is try to sabotage you. Have you ever wondered why?" He didn''t wait for her to answer before he continued, "Because she cannot brainwash you. She has already fooled your brainless sister but it is hard to do the same for you so all she can do is try to separate you from her and both of you from me."


    "Really?" Lanni spoke from the entrance, making the man turn and glance at her in surprise. When did she get in here?


    Lanni sighed and smiled like she was hurt. "Brainless, useless fool¡­so that''s how you see me."


    "Lanni¡­" He started.


    "No need. I thought you had our best interests in mind but turns out¡­" Her statement trailed off before she glanced at her sister. "Luna, I''m going shopping. Are you coming?"


    Luna knew that they were going to Li Yuming''s villa so she nodded and promised to visit her father and settle the matter some other time. Their appearance today was merely meant to create doubt and panic in Xia Hanchen''s mind and they had already done that. It might backfire if they overdid it so they decided to leave it at that for now.


    ___


    Li Yuming was watching the door for their return and she looked relieved when she finally saw them, both of them in one piece. "I would never have let you go there if it wasn''t part of the plan."


    "Don''t worry about us, mom. We are always careful." Lanni chimed and Luna seconded, as they both took their places to hug her arms.


    It was just like when they were little, Li Yuming smiled. They would both cling to her from both sides just like they were doing now. She had so badly missed this feeling. Even without that man, her life felt complete now that her daughters were both by her side.


    "How did you end up with dad anyway?" Luna asked when she remembered Xiehan''s recount of the past. Besides, if Xia Hanchen did not like Li Yuming a tiny bit, why would he be with her?


    "I will tell you everything you need to know." Li Yuming promised, knowing that they would need to know as many facts as possible as some of them might help in their quest to bring the man down.


    "At the time, I was close to the Ji family and he naturally assumed that I was there to seek revenge. It turned out, he sought me because he thought I was from the Li family that was close to the Guan family."


    "No wonder." Lanni came to a realization. So Xingyu''s wild speculation was right. Her meeting with Xia Hanchen was not a coincidence.


    "He seemed to be under pressure from someone or something and we got married soon. I thought he loved me, he treated me quite well despite the rush. It was my brother who found out that he had mistaken me for another woman, and that he was having an affair with the woman he had mistaken me for."


    Luna cringed at the audacity of that man. Just how disgusting could he get?" What about grandma drugging him and putting Li Xiyan in his bed?" Wasn''t that what happened?


    " That''s only half true." Li Yuming was finding 8t hard explaining such personal matters to her daughters.


    "What''s the truth?" Lanni asked gently, hoping they were not probing too much.


    "It was a facade. The Xia family is involved in the dark business too. That was the only way for the old woman to get Li Xiyan into the family without raising too many eyebrows. Melodramatic clich¨¦s are usually more acceptable in the eyes of the curious public. No one would speculate a thing."


    The old lady had been right, since in these two decades, only a handful of people knew the truth.


    " So that''s the only way to get to the Guans." Lanni thought aloud. It seemed that while the other two families disappeared, the Xia family remained intact. Xia Hanchen and Li Xiyan were proof that those two families could still be in existence and merely hiding somewhere. If they followed this lead, perhaps they would find them.


    "I don''t think we need to worry about them for now. Should we get rid of that two faced man first? He is a worse threat." Suggested Luna.


    "That''s not a good idea." Li Yuming shook her head. "We need to plan this first. Besides, Luna, stay away from this."


    "Why?" Luna was baffled.


    Li Yuming narrowed her eyes at her. "Are you forgetting something? You cannot let your emotions keep fluctuating."

 Chapter 450 - Paranoid

    "I will take care of myself." Luna promised. She was not a child and she knew that she was not just taking care of herself but of her baby too. Of course she would be careful when doing what had to be done. She knew not to let herself be in sticky situations.


    However, Li Yuming wasn''t having any of it. "I still don''t want you to be involved. Let your sister and I handle it."


    "Mother¡­"


    "Luna, I said no." Li Yuming''s tone was strict, not allowing for further negotiation. She could only give in reluctantly.


    "Luna, mum is right. We can''t involve you and you know the reason better than anyone. If a physical battle broke out, what would happen? We don''t want that monster using you as leverage against us." Lanni added as she patted her sister''s head from behind Li Yuming.


    She earned a smack from their mother. "Don''t be mean."


    Luna smiled, not thinking that Lanni''s words were mean. Besides, it was true that Xia Hanchen might view her as the weakest among them and decide to use her to pin them down.


    "Okay. I''ll stay away. But you won''t have anything to say against me helping out behind the scenes, right?" Asked Luna, rendering Li Yuming speechless.


    "You stubborn girls. What will I do with you?"


    The girls laughed and snuggled close to her, looking nothing like the devils they could become when they decided to torment their enemies.


    Lanni''s phone vibrated with a call from Lin Jian.


    "What would he want from me?" She frowned quizzically, knowing that the blabbermouth would never seek her unless he had something to bug her about.


    "Young master Lin." She said politely into the phone while pulling away from her mother to sit upright.


    "Friend-in-law, how can you be so distant?" The latter sounded like her words had wounded his poor soul.


    "What should I call you then? Friend-in-law?" Not everyone used such absurd honorifics, okay?


    "You can call me brother-in-law." He said, sounding much happier.


    "Okay. What do you need?"


    "Are you implying that I only call you when I need something?" Came a grumble from the other end, and Lanni had the urge to roll her eyes.


    "If you have nothing to say, then should I hang up?"


    "No don''t! Friend-in-law, are you free to meet up for a talk? Just drinks and a talk."


    She knew that he had something to tell her but he probably couldn''t say it over the phone, so she agreed. "Send me an address not too far away from my home."


    When the call ended, Lanni stood up from the couch. "I''m meeting Lin Jian."


    "I''m coming with you." Li Yuming looked at her worriedly, but Lanni shook her head. "You can''t. It''s a private matter or he would have said it over the phone."


    "But it is no longer safe for you to go anywhere on your own." Li Yuming looked troubled. "What if he comes here instead? You can talk in the study or in the gazebo."


    Thinking it a good idea, Lanni called him over. If not, Li Yuming would be worried for every second that she would be away.


    The man arrived within ten minutes and the butler showed him to the gazebo in the backyard, before Lanni made her way over.


    " What do you want to talk about?" She asked as soon as she saw him. For the sake of his own safety, she had told him to make sure no one stalked him.


    The guy looked like he had just woken up, his hair was messy even though his clothes were neat. The getup baffled her but she ignored it. When he saw that he was being rushed even though he had hurries over, he looked pitiful. "You didn''t even ask how I am."


    "How are you?" She asked, massaging her temples at the antics of this insane man.


    "I''m not fine. I''m hungry." He complained.


    Lanni called a maid over and had her bring some food over. The man joyously dug in and Lanni was relieved. "Is it okay now?"


    "No." He shook his head. "Ruby is ignoring me again."


    Lanni wanted to beat the crap out of him. "She just reunited with her family. Give her some time before you start bugging her, will you? Is this the only reason why you wanted to speak to me?"


    Lin Jian knew that it was impossible to make her help him get closer to Ruby so he gave up on the thought. "I wanted to talk about something else too."


    "Spill."


    "Now that you are no longer an employee of Tian Yu Media, can you come over to Lin Media Group?" He suggested in all seriousness.


    Lanni chuckled. She should have expected it. She had thought that the guy would have long given up on the idea when she mentioned wanting to start her own media agency. Who would have thought that he was still clinging onto the idea?


    "I know that you need the experience and CEO Qian is no longer willing to teach you since the fire you after all." He frowned at his own words, realizing that it was the other way round. It was Lanni who no longer wanted a mentor who had chosen to fire her since they would be making things difficult for each other the whole time. Either way, "You will get all the experience you need at Lin Media Group. Why don''t you give it a try?" He tried to convince her.


    She shook her head and knew that if she told him no, he would merely find more opportunities to bug her. "Okay. I will think about it. But no promises, okay?"


    Lin Jian was overjoyed. At this point, it would be easier to convince her since she had already considered it. "I will send you the employment contract, then. You can sign it when you are ready."


    "There you are." A voice said from behind Lanni and she turned with a smile when she recognized it.


    "Xiehan, you are here." She ran over to him.


    The man gave his friend a long, curious look as though questioning his presence at Lanni''s home.


    "I''m merely scouting an employee. I will be on my way soon." Lin Jian was intimidated by his friend''s scary gaze. How would they interact with each other when they became in-laws?


    He scurried away at the thought of it, leaving the couple to catch up.


    "Honey, how are you feeling? How is everything?" Lanni asked when they were alone. A lot had been happening to the Ji family within such a short time that it was enough to make one go crazy.


    The man pulled her into his arms. "Much better. I have things in control now."


    "I''m sorry my dad did all those things." She sighed, and he tousled her hair.


    "You don''t have to be sorry. It''s not your fault." Although Xia Hanchen was her father, he was responsible for his own actions and that had nothing to do with Lanni. He did not blame her or her family for it.


    "Are you alright?" She asked when she heard him sigh repeatedly, his emotions seemed to be out of place.


    "Mmh. Just tired." As he spoke, he made his way to the fluffed bench in the gazebo with her in his arms. He held her as he sat down to rest.


    "Do you want to rest in my room instead?" She offered.


    "I''m afraid I will not be able to sleep there." He chuckled. When she understood what he meant, she blushed slightly and moved a few inches away. "Just rest here."


    ¡­


    Moonlight Studios, the following day.


    Luna held a meeting with the software production department in the conference room. She swept a glance through the entire table and was baffled to see that everyone had heavy eye bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. Even those who had makeup on were unable to completely mask their fatigue.


    "Why don''t you all go home early today? We can resume the project in the morning." She decided. It would be useless if they stayed since they were too tired to be productive,


    After the meeting, Luna stood up to make her way out of the conference room but within just a few steps, she stopped with a frown on her face.


    "Luna, are you okay?" Cheng Yu noticed her frown and asked in concern.


    "Yes." She shook her head to stop overthinking. She thought she had felt someone''s malicious eyes on her but the room was only occupied by her employees. She must be overthinking things.


    "Xiao Yu, could you arrange for a meeting with the marketing department?" She instructed the girl beside her, and Cheng Yu stepped aside first so she would make a call to notify them.


    She had just made a step to continue walking towards her office when a bang resounded at the same time as someone suddenly tugged her.


    "Luna!" Cheng Yu''s scream brought her out of her shock, letting her know what had just happened.


    Someone had shot her¡­ but when she looked down at herself, she was not bleeding. Instead, someone else was in front of her and was now clutching her stomach as she slowly lowered to her knees.. It was Xiaoshi.

 Chapter 451 - 451

    "It''s a gunshot!" Someone cried, and Cheng Yu rushed to check on Xiaoshi.


    "Call an ambulance!" She shouted at someone, and the onlookers sprung out of their shock to follow her instructions.


    Cheng Yu wasn''t sure what to do with Xiaoshi who had been shot in the stomach, her mind filled with chaos. "Xiaoshi¡­"


    "I''m okay." The girl smiled weakly, her eyes drooping like they could shut at any instant. She was losing too much blood.


    "Please hold on. The ambulance will be here soon." She held her hand tightly, desperate to pass on the warmth from her hand to Xiaoshi''s.


    "Why did you jump infront of me?" Luna finally spoke after being silent the whole time. Her tone was full of blame. "Why?"


    Xiaoshi turned her eyes to look at her boss without tilting her head and didn''t know what to say. Luckily, the corridor soon filled with the patter of doctors'' footsteps and it cut off the awkwardness.


    ___


    At the hospital.


    Lanni rushed all the way to the ninth floor and found Luna sitting on a bench outside a bench in the company of Cheng Yu.


    "Luna! Are you alright?" She was relieved to see her not lying in the ward but sitting on a bench.


    "News does travel fast." Luna smiled, making Lanni frown in displeasure.


    "You are still in the mood to joke around? Tell me, what happened?"


    "Nothing. I''m alright." Luna didn''t want her sister to worry about her, but her words made Lanni want to explode in anger before looking quizzically at Cheng Yu.


    "It was premeditated¡­" Cheng Yu explained the entire situation, still in shock. "I don''t know where Xiaoshi was but she shielded Luna at the crucial moment." she sighed.


    Although she was relieved that Luna was alright, Xiaoshi was hurt, leaving her with mixed feelings. She was not fond of the girl but she didn''t dislike her to the point of wanting her dead.


    Lanni let out a breath when she heard the entire story. There wasn''t any need to speculate to know who was behind it.


    "We have to lock in the news." She said, then asked, "Does her family know?"


    "I called Xiehan." Xingyu responded. He didn''t know how to face the Yun family yet since Xiaoshi had gotten hurt while saving Luna. He could only hope that her life was out of danger.


    Cheng Yu checked on Luna once in a while and held her hand that was turning cold from anxiety. "Luna, it''s not your fault."


    "I know." She whispered, but her mind was not filled with guilt as Cheng Yu thought. To be exact, she was indeed guilty but not for the reason that Cheng Yu imagined. It was because all along she had thought Xiaoshi secretly hated her and held malicious intentions¡ªconsidering the fact that they loved the same man. She had never thought about it before but she would have assumed that Xiaoshi would be happy if something happened to her; if she died and left Xingyu''s life. Who would have thought that at such a time, the person to jump in and risk their life to save her was that very girl she thought of as a rival?


    She had misunderstood her all along¡­


    Lanni understood what her sister was thinking after studying her for a while. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "It''s not your fault that you didn''t trust her. She did seem too good to be true."


    To be honest, Lanni had been somewhat suspicious of her too. It was only after studying her for a while that she started to believe that there was someone as kind as Xiaoshi, whose kindness was not a mask to disguise ill motives. She couldn''t blame Luna for not believing her.


    Even so, Luna still blamed herself. "I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her."


    "Nothing will happen to her. Come here." Xingyu pulled her to rest on his shoulder, understanding that Luna would feel this way no matter who was lying in the ward in her place.


    The operation had been going on for over an hour now but there was no sign of the red light above the door dimming. Every second of it brought torturing anxiousness and by the time it was over, the group waiting on the benches was about to collapse from nervousness.


    "She is out of danger. She will wake up in a few hours." Announced the doctor, making everyone sigh in relief.


    ¡­


    When Xiaoshi finally regained consciousness, the first person she saw beside her was Xiehan.


    "Cousin." She strained out two syllables and saw the man visibly brighten up looking happier.


    "You''re awake." Xiehan held her hand.


    "How is Luna?" The other asked, making Xiehan frown at her.


    "No matter whether you are working or playing, you always have a way of making me worry to death, mmh? At this rate, I will age faster because of you."


    She managed a slight, weak laugh. "Even if you age, you will still be handsome enough for cousin-in-law to remain smitten."


    "You smooth-talker." Xiehan was speechless at her way of trying to sweet-talk her way to avoid his lecture. Even so, he still had something to say. "How could you throw yourself in the path of a bullet?"


    "I don''t know. Instinct." She made it sound like she would have done it for anyone when in truth, it was because the first thing she thought about when she saw that Luna was on the verge of getting shot was the baby. It didn''t matter that the person in front of the gun barrel was a woman she was not in good terms with.


    Xiehan frowned down at her, not knowing whether to be happy or sad about what she did. "Don''t try to save anyone if you cannot get both of you out of danger. Your life is important too, okay?" He lectured.


    "Understood." She nodded obediently, then looked up at him with puppy dog eyes as though she had something to ask him for.


    "What is it?" He knew she wasn''t acting cute for nothing.


    She thought about what she wanted and blushed, then shook her head in embarrassment. Forget it.


    Xiehan took in her expression and frowned slightly. What was she thinking about? Massaging his eyebrows, he decided that she would talk when she was ready to. "Ruby is taking care of the discharge procedure."


    "I am being discharged?" Her eyes lit up in joy, as though she couldn''t wait to leave this place.


    "Yes. I know you hate hospitals." He confirmed, much to her relief. He waited for her to finish rambling and brown nosing him for being the best cousin in the whole world before he proceeded to explain. "You will stay at my mansion and my friend will take care of you. Is this alright with you?"


    "Your¡­ Friend?" She asked, her eyes growing big.


    "Han Xichen. You have met him before." Xiehan explained, and it made the young woman''s cheeks stain scarlet. Not only had they met before, they were friends now and they had even kissed once. Trying not to make herself so obvious, she nodded and remained silent.


    Xiehan found it strange nonetheless. Not only did his cousin dislike hospitals, she would grumble about having to take any medicine. Having a doctor take care of her was no different¡ªhe had expected a hundred excuses and pleas and he had even prepared to counter them. Why did it seem like she was happy about being under medical observation?


    Ruby entered the room with a small folder and gave it to Xiehan before smiling at the woman on the bed. "Shishi, how are you feeling?"


    She was about to joyously say that she was much better but she frowned before the words left her mouth. If she said that she felt better, her cousin might conclude that she could recuperate without the need of a doctor. That would wreck her chance of being taken care of by the handsome Han Xichen. Hence after thinking about it, she weakly smiled. "A little better."


    Xiehan shot a look at her. Was it just him, or was his little cousin acting strange?


    ¡­


    By the time Han Xichen made his way to Xiehan''s villa after being informed of what had happened, Xiaoshi''s heart was beating fast in anticipation, and she was all impatient from having waited for too long.


    In truth, she had not waited for that long¡ªthe man had hurried over as soon as Xiehan mentioned that it was about Xiaoshi. She only thought it was long because it had been a while since she last saw him.


    Her cheeks flushed when she heard the voices of two men¡ªXiehan and Han Xichen¡ªfollowed by their footsteps pattering towards her room. The door opened and the two walked in.


    "Check on her. She''s awake now." instructed Xiehan, and Han Xichen walked towards her.


    "What happened? You were in one piece when I last saw you.." The man made fun of her as he prepared his equipment.

 Chapter 452 - What Is Rightfully Shishis

    Han Xichen ran tests on Xiaoshi and when he was done, he reported to Xiehan. "She is doing well. As long as she takes good care of herself, it will not be long before the wound heals completely."


    The man went ahead to prescribe medicines to prevent inflammation, decrease pain and kept rambling on about reasons why she shouldn''t skip taking any pill. She would usually use all sorts of excuses to not take medicine but since it was him telling her about it, she was actually looking forward to it. When he heard her say that he would check on her often and ensure she was taking care of herself, she was even happier.


    He was standing close to her and it gave her the urge to stretch out a hand to touch him. Before she could move an inch, he had already left the room to discuss with Xiehan. She frowned and secretly blamed her cousin.


    The men did not come back even after a few minutes and she wondered whether he would be back any time soon. Would Xiehan see him off? If he did without letting her see him a last time, she would bite her cousin to death.


    She was still thinking about this when the door opened. Her lips formed a smile which quickly disappeared when she realized that the incomer was not Han Xichen but her father, and behind him were her mother and Lanni.


    "Shishi, how are you?" Her father rushed to her side and took her hand.


    "My baby, are you feeling better?" Ji Meiling was still recovering from the shock of hearing the news that her daughter had been shot. "What happened? Why would anyone shoot you? Was it an enemy of the Ji family?"


    "Mum, dad, I''m fine." She looked up with a smile and even tried to sit up to prove that she was not as weak as she appeared.


    "Don''t move!" Ji Meiling berated and held her small hand.


    "Lanni, you are here to visit me too." Xiaoshi was overjoyed when she noticed the young woman and felt even better.


    Lanni walked over and placed the small fruit basket on the table before looking at Xiaoshi. "I don''t know how to thank you."


    Without a doubt, she knew what Lanni was talking about. "You don''t need to thank me. How is Luna? Was she too shocked?"


    As they talked, Uncle Yun frowned as he finally understood what was going on. He was wondering who would have a grudge against his daughter. It turned out, no one was targeting Xiaoshi. She was only in this state because she took the bullet to save someone else. His face was full of displeasure. "What do people''s lives have to do with you? Why would you risk your life for people who don''t even appreciate it? Are they worth it?"


    "Dad!" Xiaoshi did not appreciate her father saying such mean things about anyone.


    The man was even angrier. "The woman who destroyed your life, is that the woman you saved? Yet she doesn''t even care to visit you and show her so-called gratitude. It''s her equally brainless sister who comes to pretentiously give a basket of fruits." He turned to glare at Lanni. "Do you think my daughter''s life is worth a few pieces of fruit?"


    "My sister did not destroy anyone''s life." Lanni interjected. She could not blame the man for being upset about what happened to his daughter but that did not mean she had to let him talk trash about Luna. It wasn''t Luna''s fault either. "And we are not ungrateful. No matter what we offer, it would never compare to two lives. Would you prefer us to insult Xiaoshi by offering monetary benefits to thank her?"


    "Have your sister break up with Xingyu and we will call it even." The man spoke like he had finally found the long desired opportunity.


    "What did you say?" Not only was Lanni shocked, Xiaoshi and Ji Meiling were flabbergasted too. Who would ask for such a thing?


    The middle-aged man smiled down at Lanni. "You say that nothing can repay Shishi but there is something you can do. Instead of owing us a debt of gratitude, why not settle it right away? If you claim that she is grateful, then tell her to let go of my daughter''s man."


    "Your daughter''s man?" Lanni scoffed like she had heard the most baffling kind of nonsense.


    "Not only did she take away Shishi''s man, she almost took away her life as well. I''m only asking you to give back what is rightfully Shishi''s."


    Lanni stared at him and almost didn''t know what to say. She had seen parents defending their children and getting justice for them but what kind of absurdity was this? "You are the most shallow man I have ever met."


    "Call it shallow or whatever, but this is the only gratitude I will accept." The man shamelessly insisted. "Do it fast. It''s your sister who pushed my daughter almost to her death after all."


    Ji Meiling no longer knew what to say and rubbed her temples, wishing for the man to shut his mouth. She would have a good word with him later. If she did it right now, it would only worsen the argument that was already ongoing.


    Lanni frowned when she heard the man blatantly accuse her sister. "Mr. Yun, let me ask you this, did Luna drag Xiaoshi in front of her to shield herself?"


    "You bitch!" The man roared and raised a hand to slap the Ungrateful witch but before it landed, his wrist was caught by a delicate hand.


    "I do not allow anyone to do that. Not even my father." Lanni glared at him fiercely.


    Luckily, Xiehan returned to stop the commotion before it could escalate further.


    "Uncle, are you addicted to bullying my girlfriend?" Xiehan asked casually, but the threat in his tone did not go unnoticed.


    "Why are you helping outsiders even after seeing how unfairly your cousin is being treated?" The man huffed.


    "Lanni is right, dad." Xiaoshi spoke up when a chance presented itself. It was she who had chosen to protect Luna. Even if she died, it would not be Luna''s fault.


    "Let''s have a talk in the living room." Xiehan called his uncle out and the two of them left the room one after another.


    Exchanging a glance with Lanni, Ji Meiling wanted to have a word with her as well. "Lanni, I don''t blame you and your sister."


    She nodded. It was clear that the woman did not have anything against anyone, and merely couldn''t speak up against her husband. The man was unreasonable, it was impossible to discuss with him without arguing and that must be the last thing that Ji Meiling wanted to do, especially when her daughter was bedridden.


    Ji Meiling was relieved that Lanni did not blame her. "How is your sister? Is she still shocked?" She asked out of concern.


    "She''s doing better." Luna had wanted to follow her to pay a visit to Xiaoshi but since she was currently being targeted, Lanni had firmly insisted that she should stay at home. Besides, who knew how Xiaoshi''s father would react? Lanni had been right about the latter. The old man might have pounced on Luna if he saw her. Seeing as he did not welcome her either, she exchanged a few words with Xiaoshi and took her leave.


    Ji Meiling went to get something for Xiaoshi to eat so in an instant, she was on her own with no one to chat with. She didn''t have her phone with her either so she was bored. Hence when Han Xichen entered the room to retrieve his phone that he had forgotten, she grabbed his hand before he could leave. "Could you stay longer? I''ll be bored to death if you go."


    A smile slowly formed on his lips. He had been leaving as fast as he could just in case she didn''t want him to stay around. In actual fact, he had deliberately left his phone behind so he would go back to pick it and glance at her for a few more seconds so obviously, he was overjoyed when she asked him to stay. "Of course."


    "Help me up." She joyously demanded and he did as she said. Placing two fluffy pillows behind her back for comfort, he asked if she was alright before sitting down beside her.


    "Dr. Han, how soon will it take for me to be completely fine?" She asked softly while wondering whether it was alright to take his hand and hold it.


    "About a week." He responded, earning a disappointed "Oh" from her.


    "You''re not happy?" He looked down at her pale little hand that was clutching the duvet.


    She shook her head. "I only get to spend time with you for a week."


    A chuckle escaped his lips. This was not the first time a patient wished to be unwell for longer so they would continue to stay in his company but for the first time, he was not repulsed. He took her hand and rubbed his thumb against the back of it gently. "Shishi, you know that you can ask me over any time you want."


    This is the scene that Xiehan witnessed when he walked in after seeing Lanni off.

 Chapter 453 - I Like Shishi

    The man''s gaze shifted between the two of them and obviously, he had overheard their conversation. He looked shocked by the discovery that there was something starting to bloom between the two of them. Han Xichen could pretty much guess what was going to happen next. Would Xiehan beat him up for taking advantage of the cousin he protected so much? Under Xiehan''s gaze, Han Xichen''s lips moved. "I''m sorry Xiehan, I like Shishi."


    Not just Xiehan, Xiaoshi was shocked too. Did he just admit that he liked her? How could this be? How could Dr. Han like her?


    "Let''s talk about it some other day." Said Xiehan, his eyes gazing down at the equally shocked Xiaoshi. He then looked back at his friend. "I''ll see you later for some drinks."


    The man took it as a cue to leave. Since Xiehan already knew about his feelings, he did not hold back and took Xiaoshi''s little hand to kiss it before he left.


    The girl''s cheeks burned in embarrassment when she realized what her cousin had just seen. "Cousin, I¡­"


    "Do you feel the same way for him?" Xiehan interrupted by asking. The girl was too confused to know whether or not she liked him, let alone answer Xiehan''s question. Taking note of his, Xiehan added, "He is single, and he is my friend. I would entrust my sister to him. I know his character better than anyone and he is different from that playboy with the surname Lin."


    He paused to look at her and added, "No pop-up clingy exes and definitely no hateful family members to make your life stressful. If you like him, you can take your relationship further."


    Hearing his reassurance, Xiaoshi was more confident about the credibility of Han Xichen''s words from a moment ago. It was surprising to hear such words from him out of the blue. Even so, she knew that the person who cared about her the most was Xiehan. He would not let her be with a man who was not good enough for her.


    However, she was at a loss. "But cousin, I already have someone else in my heart."


    Xiehan did not comment on her words but he smiled slightly. Silly girl. She still thought that she loved Xingyu, not realizing how long it had been before she last thought about him. She didn''t know that somewhere along the way, the cunning psychologist had snuck into her heart and was swiftly replacing the man she thought she would love forever.


    Letting her be the one to discover her own feelings, he sunk into thought and wondered how his sister was fairing on. Last he heard, Lin Jian, that playboy was pursuing her-and he hoped it would not lead to heartbreak and a fierce exchange of fists.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, a certain playboy was on the phone with Lanni.


    "Have you thought about my offer?" He asked as he made himself comfortable on the plush couch. He was talking about his employment offer to Lanni, the one she had promised to think about.


    "Yes I did and yes, I will sign the contract." Came the woman''s soft voice. "However, I would like to discuss some of the terms with you."


    He sat up excitedly. "That''s okay! Let''s meet up when you are free and talk about it."


    When he hung up,he joyously gave Ruby a call. "Ruby, I''m so happy, come here, let''s celebrate."


    "What''s your happiness got to do with me?" The girl was snarky as usual. before he could try to convince her, she added, "I went shopping with my mum and I don''t have time to entertain you." She hung up in frustration. Why was the man so adamant to spend time with her even after she had ignored him?


    He failed to understand that no matter how much she liked him, her heart was unable to erase all the women from his past and it made her uncomfortable. She couldn''t help wondering what would happen if they ever got into a disagreement or had to spend a lot of time away from each other. Would he go to one of those women to seek soothing?


    "Is that Lin Jian?" To her chagrin, Wen Lin recognized the voice on the other end and asked about it. When Ruby nodded, she was surprised. "I thought you were dating."


    "Nope. We weren''t." She said softly, remembering that it had only been part of their plan to make her move into the Ji Mansion.


    Wen Lin didn''t totally understand why anyone could pretend to be a couple with someone else but she didn''t question her daughter''s choices. She merely commented. "He isn''t that much of a bad guy but his mother is my friend."


    "Please don''t tell me you approve of him?" Ruby asked in surprise as she transferred one of the shopping bags in her left hand to the right so it would be easier to carry them. There wasn''t anyone in the entire nation who didn''t know about Lin Jian''s debauchery.


    Wen Lin who understood her train of thought placed her hand on her shoulder in reassurance. "Lihua is my friend. Don''t worry, we will beat him up if he dares to cheat on you. But from my observation of him, he truly loves you."


    "Thanks mum." She smiled. She was finding it easier getting used to her new family since she spent a lot of time with her parents lately.


    "Don''t worry. Ruby, pay a visit to Neil later, okay? He brought you up after all." Wen Lin added. While it was important for her to create a relationship with her daughter, she didn''t want to jeopardize the latter''s relationship with her foster father.


    " I will." Ruby responded. She would have done so earlier but was scared that her biological parents would be uncomfortable. Now that Wen Lin was the one to bring it up, she didn''t see why not.


    "Go on, have fun with Lin Jian." Wen Lin urged, and Ruby no longer had any excuse to say no. She could only dress up and go on a date with the guy.


    ¡­


    "Thanks for coming, Ruby." Lin Jian happily welcomed her into his house which he had swiftly had the servants decorate when he heard that she would come after all. He had also freshened up and changed into casual black clothes then combed his hair back neatly.


    "I only came because my mum told me to." She ignored how handsome she looked and sat down when he pulled a chair for her at the dining table.


    "I''m glad you came either way. How is the situation with your family?" He asked to strike a conversation.


    She smiled, feeling more at ease. "I feel safe now. Even if I still have to keep looking over my shoulder, I trust my brother." No matter what happened, she felt like she could depend on Xiehan for anything.


    Lin Jian noticed this and realized that he wasted so many chances. He had met Ruby long before she reunited with Xiehan. If he had been more persistent back then, he would be the one whom she trusted so much now.


    ''Soon, you will trust me to keep you safe too.'' He made a mental note.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Lanni was about to settle down to work when she heard the doorbell rang. She was surprised to see Xiehan when she opened the door. "Aren''t you supposed to hold a video conference? What are you doing here?"


    "Checking up on my love." He said in all seriousness before pulling her into his arms and kissing her.


    "We met a few hours ago." She chuckled, though she couldn''t deny that she had missed him too. At the back of her mind, something kept bugging her.


    "Is everything okay? Everything normal?" He asked as he sat on the couch.


    She shook her head after thinking about it. "I felt like someone trailed me earlier. Maybe it was just me overthinking but I came back home immediately just in case I was really being followed."


    It was not sane for her to brush things off after what almost happened to Luna.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll ensure your safety." He promised, considering sending his most capable security details to protect her and Li Yuming. He knew that Li Yuming had many bodyguards already but there was no such thing as too much caution.


    She flashed a smile as her hand moved to touch the side of his face, then she noticed his dark circles. "You''re not okay." It was not a question but something she had affirmed after observing him closely. Lately, he acted strange and whenever he hugged her, she would hear his heart beating fast as though he was afraid of losing something.


    He sighed. He had been avoiding the topic every time he saw her. However, it was only a matter of saying it now or later. He would have to face it either way.. "My love, I need to tell you something."

 Chapter 454 - I Have To Leave

    "What is it?" Lanni felt knots in her stomach. Considering how strangely Xiehan had been acting lately, it was impossible to not feel nervous about whatever was going on through his mind.


    She held her breath for seconds until she heard him say, "I have to leave."


    "Leave?" No matter how hard she tried to guess, she would never have come to the conclusion that she would hear such words so she was confused. "What do you mean ''leave''? Why do you want to leave and where do you want to go?"


    He held her hand to soothe her emotions and calm her down before he answered her questions. "To an island. I mentioned before that I will have to take over the company, right?"


    She nodded, but she still wondered why he had to take it over when he clearly didn''t want to. When she thought about it, she concluded that he must be doing it to help decrease his father''s work load.


    "Every new CEO of Feng Ji International has to go and undergo intense training before taking over the company." He briefly explained. "Since I will take over the company in the near future, it is ideal for me to go as soon as possible."


    "How soon?" She asked. From his tone, it sounded like it was rather soon¡­


    "Within three months." He answered, much to her relief. Three months was better than three weeks or even just three days. She would have some time to spend with him before his departure.


    "For how long will you be gone?" She asked after a few seconds and when she met his complicated gaze, she knew that it was where the bummer lay. It was probably a long time and she did not dare to try and guess it.


    "Two years." He stated with a sigh.


    "Two whole years?" Her voice lowered as her eyes widened in shock. "Why so long?"


    "It should have been three. I negotiated with my father for a long time before he allowed a year less." He explained, making her understand why the matter had been bugging him for such a long time. He had to go away for such a long time and he didn''t even get to decide whether or not he wanted to go, or when he wanted to do it. If only he was given an option, like going for three months every year until he had achieved all the qualifications.


    Lanni sighed in defeat. If it was something that all the CEOs before him had done, he couldn''t possibly wiggle his way out of it. Without needing to ask, he would not be allowed to bring any friends or family with him. She placed a hand at the side of his face as she asked, "Is it a very far away place?"


    "Clauhan Island." He stated a name that made her baffled.


    "Clauhan Island exists? I heard of it when I was a kid but it was later said to not exist." She blinked as she recollected the memories.


    "That''s because it''s a privately owned island with almost no ties to the rest of the world. You cannot call or send messages to the inhabitants of the island¡ªcommunication is one way to ensure the secrecy remains intact. The rumors surrounding it in the past were too deplorable. Despite this, it is a significant place that might have sent a few governments tumbling if it was destroyed." He explained.


    "So they decided to term it as nonexistent?" She was baffled. She had searched the place on an online world map before and it was indeed nonexistent. When he nodded, she finally understood why communication was one way.


    "I will not be allowed to return before the training period is over and I can only make one phone call every day and send out a single letter every week." He added, making her even more disappointed.


    "So I can only hear from you once in a while." Her eyelids drooped. He had very many people to contact but he could only contact one of them every day. It was impossible for everyone who cared about him to gather into one spot to await his phone call every day so she could only hear from him a few times every month.


    Who the hell came up with such a rule? That person must be a sadist.


    He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. "Hey, don''t be so blue, okay? We still have three months together. We can still complete our battles before I leave."


    "It''s not about the battles." It would still not be alright even if he was supposed to leave two years later. She leaned onto his arm and let out a breath.


    "Will you wait for me?" He asked the question that had been bugging him the most. It wasn''t that he didn''t know how much Lanni loved him, but after Lin Jian constantly joked about him getting dumped for leaving for such a long time, he was no longer at ease and needed reassurance.


    "Yes." She was baffled that he would even ask such a question. when she said that one word, she felt his tensed body ease in relief and couldn''t help chuckling. Countless thoughts ran through her mind. It was not unfounded for him to ask whether or not she would wait for him. She had heard countless real-life stories of couples who broke up because one of them had to be away for too long for their other half to wait.


    Insecurity was common, and if they started thinking of the possibility of her falling for another man while he is away or him having eyes for another woman as she waited for him, it would indeed wreck the trust between them. She took a deep breath before boldly asking, "Would you like us to get married before you leave?"


    "What?" Her question caught him off guard and he had to pull away to pay more attention to what she was saying.


    She had already said it but under his gaze, she had to gather more courage to repeat her words. "I asked whether you want to get married before you leave. That way, you can be rest assured that we are already husband and wife and that we belong to each other."


    He stared at her in disbelief and when he finally processed her words, he pulled her close to him and wrapped an arm around her waist, placing his chin on her shoulder. "Thank you, my love. That''s the most reassuring thing I have ever heard.


    But I know you are not ready yet so let''s not rush it just because I will be away for a long time." He did not want to selfishly push her even though he so badly wanted to make her his wife in the next second if it was possible.


    "I thought you would be upset." He confessed.


    "I am sad, and I will miss you very much, but I cannot hold you back from what you have to do." She wrapped her arms around his neck.


    ¡­


    Cheng Yu slumped onto the bed in her apartment as soon as she got off work. Even though Luna had returned and was taking care of most of the matters at the company, something unexpected had happened so they had to speed up their plan.


    After the attempted murder at Moonlight Studios, they spent quite a lot of effort to ensure the news remained within the company-while the other party vehemently tried to use it as a way to tarnish their reputation in the public eye. It was a good thing that they had Lanni and Lin Jian on their side, who diverted the news even though it was released.


    When Cheng Yu learnt about what was really happening with the sisters and their family, she was baffled. Just when she thought she had seen it all.


    Rolling onto her side on the bed, she gave Luo Chen a call. "Release the audio that Luna asked you to."


    The young man was cooperative and didn''t ask any questions before doing as he was told. Relieved, Cheng Yu waited for the public to listen to the voice recordings. She was about to drift to sleep when the doorbell rang. There was only one person who would seek her at such a time and that was Cedric, so she pulled herself out of bed.


    Sure enough, the man was standing outside the door with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She let him in with a smile. "You didn''t come to work today."


    "I had to handle some matters at home." He explained as he sat on the couch. "Yu, how are you holding up?"


    "Hanging in there." She yawned. The truth was that she was barely managing to go through with her tasks without messing everything up. If Luna was not there for her to look up to, she would have long had a mental breakdown.


    Cedric''s heart broke seeing her so exhausted.. "It''s almost done. When this matter is settled, let''s go on a vacation, okay?"

 Chapter 455 - A Good Idea

    "Good idea." Cheng Yu agreed that she needed nothing more than a vacation at the moment. She hoped that the matter would be settled soon. From the current progress of things, the decision to ban Moonlight Studios could soon be lifted by the moderators. After all, it had been proven that Luna did not steal Luo Chen''s software. All that was left now was for Luna to prove that there wouldn''t be any more scandals involving Moonlight Studios that questioned its credibility. The reason why Luo Chen sent a voice recording was to ensure the whole truth was brought to light, so no one would ever bring the matter up to doubt Luna again.


    However, since the scandal had been so huge, they might have to create another application to divert the attention of the public.


    "I''ll help you with the new task. Come on, let''s complete it." Cedric stated with no space for negotiation and since she needed the help, she silently took out her laptop and tablet to work with Cedric.


    Unexpectedly, the work she thought would take her a few more days was completed in two hours. It turned out, she merely needed more motivation for her brain to stop lagging. As soon as they were done, she felt more refreshed.


    "So, do we get to go on a vacation tomorrow?" The guy asked through a grin.


    "What? That''s such short notice. We may be needed¡­" She disagreed with him. Although what was left was for the software production department to complete, she and Cedric might be needed in case there were changes to be made.


    "If there is any change, we can do it from wherever we will be. Let''s carry our equipment with us just in case." He insisted as he leaned over, his face only a few inches from hers.


    "Okay." She needed the break and he was right. She would tell Luna about it later.


    Cedric grinned happily after finally managing to convince her, and his hand went around her waist. This was not the first time he hugged her but her heart picked up its pace, beating against her chest like it could break out. She knew that what he wanted was more than a hug, and her lips uncontrollably parted when he closed in on her.


    He pulled her close to him as he gently kissed her lips, savoring the softness he had so badly missed. He held her waist with one hand while the other wove through her hair to the back of his head. He softly but her lower lip and licked it with his tongue.


    "Yu, I love you." He whispered when he heard her whimper.


    ¡­


    The Old Jiang Mansion.


    Xingyu carried a plate of fruit salad and made his way to the balcony where Luna was sitting. She had her back facing him as she stared out at nothing in particular. One look was all it took for him to know that she was still traumatized¡ªguilty that someone else was pulled into the mess that was meant to harm her and that the villain was still lurking.


    He placed the white platter on the small table and took a seat beside her. "Don''t be scared, my love. I''ll be there for you."


    "I''m not scared. Just disappointed." She would never be scared. She didn''t believe that she would be defenseless if Xia Hanchen attacked her again.


    The only thing greater than her disappointment was the possibility that Xia Hanchen would go around hurting the people close to her and Lanni.


    "Come here." Xingyu pulled her into his arms. He could not lie and say that Xia Hanchen had given up or that the man would not try to do anything stupid. However, he would be sure to protect her no matter what arose.


    It was only much later, when Luna had managed to calm down, that the duo made their way to the living room.


    Xinghe was reading the news in the living room and she looked up when she heard the movements from the staircase. She looked up urgently. "Luna, are you feeling better?"


    "Yes." Luna stated, sticking to a few words so her tone would not reveal any emotion as she did not want the people around her to keep worrying about her.


    Xinghe knew that her soon to be daughter-in-law was still feeling upset and it was understandable. Even so, she wanted to help them uncover the criminal. She looked at Xingyu and then asked, "Do you think this has anything to do with Xiaoshi? While the girl is not a bad person, I cannot say the same about her father. He does look like someone who would try to hurt his daughter''s romantic rival."


    Her words were true and when Xingyu first heard the news, he had been certain that Xiaoshi''s father had done it. He had found it strange that the person who was close enough to save Luna just happened to be Xiaoshi. He had even suspected that the whole act was staged and Xiaoshi was supposed to push Luna out of the way to ''save'' her from a bullet¡ªwhich he suspected to be fake. If Luna fell too hard from Xiaoshi''s push, she might lose the baby, her life or both and it would still look like an accident as no one would ever blame Xiaoshi.


    It was only after investigating that he realized that the culprit was not Uncle Yun but Luna''s own father, Xia Hanchen.


    "He didn''t." He answered his mother''s question as he helped Luna over to a seat.


    "How can you be so sure?" Xinghe was curious.


    "I know who did." Xingyu swallowed the rest of his words, not wishing to remind her of the fact that the person she looked up to the most was the very one who now wanted her life.


    "It''s my dad." She answered her future mother-in-law, making the latter''s jaw drop. She had billions of questions. Everything she knew had been turning upside down ever since Ji Feifei died and it turned out that she was not even the real daughter of the Ji family. Mystery after mystery had been forming before them and this time, it was a bomb. That there was someone who would want to hurt their own daughter by killing her.


    Having experienced a lot in her own life, it wasn''t long before she composed herself and beckoned Luna over. "Come here, child. I won''t let anything bad happen to you."


    She hugged the girl and patted her back gently, making Luna realize that something good had come out of this predicament. She was already used to Xinghe''s kindness and thought of her as her mother. Now that the truth was out in the open, she may have lost her father but she had reunited with her mother. It was as though she had two mothers now. There wasn''t much to cry about, was there?


    "Do you want to play chess together?" Xinghe asked, and before Luna could answer her, her phone rang.


    It was a call from Han Xichen and it spooked the guts out of the three of them.


    "You can ignore it." Suggested Xingyu, but Luna was no longer going to hide away. It was time to face the villain.


    "Pumpkin," The man''s voice was on loudspeaker so the three all heard his voice and it rendered them speechless how perfectly one could put on an act.


    "Don''t call me that. You pretentious man." Luna snarled.


    "Luna, what happened?" The man sounded startled as though he did not expect to be yelled at by the harmless daughter who loved him to the heavens.


    "I know you were behind the shooting." Luna snickered to let the words sink in before asking, "Don''t tell me you were trying to cover up a wrong by commuting another wrong? Is it because I know the truth about you that you want to get rid of me?"


    "Luna! How could you say such things?" The man was yet to drop his act, he sounded like he was hurt by her words.


    "Why don''t you come home tomorrow? We can discuss everything with clear minds." as if anticipating to hear a ''no'' from Luna, he stripped her of the chance by trying to convince her. "You cannot continue to live under distress, pumpkin. You don''t just need to take care of your health but of my grandson too. So many things have happened around you and your sister lately."


    "Talk over a cup of tea? Sure." the corners of Luna''s lips twitched as she snickered the words out. When the call ended, the remaining gentleness in her gray eyes faded to reveal a murderous intent.


    "Xia Hanchen, I will bring you down. You and the entire Xia family. Just you wait."


    Her chilly voice reverberated in the room, making goosebumps rise on Xinghe''s skin as she had never seen Luna like this. However, she could not blame her even for a second. She was merely acting up on what had been forced out of her.


    That night, Luna dreamt that she had poisoned Xia Hanchen and it gave her an idea.

 Chapter 456 - Dare To Trust

    As soon as she woke up, Luna made a call to her sister.


    "I know what to do with that traitor." She said through gritted teeth, partially glad that she had not been impulsive to kill him as soon as she found out the truth.


    "What do you want us to do?" Lanni asked, and she sounded sleepy on the other end. She must have just woken up because she even yawned.


    "I will find the slowest most torturous poison and have him take it. Perhaps he can still trust us if we pretend to be convinced by his explanations. If not, we could use someone close to him."


    Luna suddenly regretted wrecking her relationship with him and thought that she should have pretended to know nothing. If the fake father-daughter love still existed, it would be much easier to poison him when the time came and there would be no danger because Xia Hanchen would never guess that she and Lanni knew the truth. She sighed. "Bummer. Anyway, the point is that he will be in so much pain that he will wish to die but he will not. I heard that there is one that can make the victim''s insides deteriorate and corrode over a span of one week, before they eventually die of organ failure."


    "Don''t even think about that. " Lanni rebuked sternly, just when Luna thought that her idea was perfect.


    "Why not?" She asked in confusion. Even she knew that her sister so badly wanted for the man to die in pain. It didn''t make sense for her to reject the idea that would make the man undergo so much torture.


    "That''s too little torture considering what he did to us. We should make him suffer much more than that¡ªI''m suddenly glad that Xiehan and Xingyu prevented us from killing Li Xiyan in the past. We can kill them together and make it so painful that they would forever remember it as ghosts." Lanni said sharply, making Luna smile. It turned out they were on the same page.


    "I talked to Flynn earlier and he said that he knows how to end him." Lanni added. "He will drop by my apartment later today."


    Right, there was Flynn. Luna recalled and was even happier. They had their brother on their side, and he had worked with Xia Hanchen for long enough to know things that she and Lanni may not know. "He better not show him any mercy."


    "I don''t think he is planning to." Said Lanni, and she was right. Flynn was indeed not intending to show any mercy.


    ¡­


    The man was still seething in rage when he arrived at Lanni''s apartment. He tore off the skin mask that he used as disguise and let off a low, evil chuckle. "I had already decided that I would not let him off for using and killing my mother. Now, he has the audacity to try and murder my sister and future nephew or niece? He really is digging his grave too deep."


    He sat on the couch and smiled at nothing in particular. "I will not let him get into his grave that easily. I will hang him upside down and let him dangle inside it, swinging him and giving him the hope that there is a chance for survival. I will play with him like a cat plays with a mouse until I have enough fun. Once I''m amused enough, I will tear his head away from his body and let him rot in hell."


    Lanni raised her hands to cover Luna''s ears. How heartless¡­


    But then again, the son of a murderer wouldn''t turn out to be any different. The fact that his father made his mother suffer didn''t make the situation any better.


    "What do you plan to do?" Luna asked, having heard Flynn''s words even though her sister had covered her ears.


    "Kidnap Xia Hanchen." He said it like it was the most obvious thing and they were asking a silly question.


    "How is that possible?" If it were that easy to kidnap Xia Hanchen, wouldn''t they have done it already? While the man had been kidnapped before, it was merely an act to pull Lanni to his side so he would manipulate her.


    "I have not been his son for all these years for nothing." Flynn snickered. "Soon, I will turn the acts into a reality and make him wish he never sired me."


    "What''s your plan?" Luna questioned, ignoring the hatred emanating from Flynn''s entire body.


    "Obviously, to lure him out of his house. This is where I will need your acting skills." His words were directed at Lanni.


    "Me?" Lanni blinked and touched her chest as she questioned.


    His gaze trailed between them before he said, "Both of you. And quite possibly your boyfriends too. Of course, you will be the one to pull off the acts, Lanni. The rest of us will handle things behind the scenes and ensure your safety.


    "What do you need me to do?" Lanni asked, knowing that there wasn''t much time and she would waste a lot of it if she started doubting her capabilities.


    "Lure him into the place. Tell him that you are meeting up with the boss of an agency that wants to recruit you." Flynn explained briefly, giving her a piece of paper where he had written all the details. He had come prepared.


    "You got it." Said Lanni, and Flynn told Luna what to do before leaving as mysteriously as he always did.


    "Lanni, you are going to be so close to that demon." Luna was worried.


    "You are usually the most fearless person, Luna. Why are you worried?" Lanni stood up to close the door before sitting back on the couch to practise what to say and how to say it.


    "Do you trust Flynn?" Luna asked after considering her words for a while.


    Lanni''s eyes snapped to look at her sister. This was an unexpected question but she was not entirely shocked that it had been asked. "If you are asking whether I deem him as someone I can be close to and entrust my life to him then no, I don''t. However, I believe that he indeed has the same goal as we do this time."


    Luna took her sister''s hand and held it, rubbing the other hand against her belly as she felt some slight movement. "I know this sounds pessimistic but Lanni, we had similar goals as that man. We all wanted to reunite our family¨Cor so he made us think. And he made us believe he loved us."


    Lanni could understand why her sister was troubled; she had been troubled regarding the same matter for some time too. Her lips slowly curled. "Luna, do you remember that in one of Flynn''s videos, he asked¡­that man to spare someone?" She was unable to refer to Xia Hanchen as her father anymore and Luna understood her so she nodded.


    "I rewatched the videos countless times until I understood what was going on, and I found out whose life he was pleading for." She continued under her sister''s curious gaze. "He was begging for my life."


    "You?" Luna was as surprised as Lanni had been when she discovered it.


    Lanni nodded. "It was when I curiously walked through a door I was not supposed to go near. I didn''t get to see what was in the other room but it was against the rules of Galaxis. He was going to kill me."


    Luna took a deep breath and didn''t know what to say. Sometimes she wished Lanni didn''t remember anything from her training period in Galaxis Academy. Some of it was just too painful to remember. Luckily Lanni had learnt to be strong and didn''t break down no matter what shocking secret came her way.


    "I''ll give him a call right now." Lanni stated, referring to Xia Hanchen. It would be best to contact him as soon as possible so they knew what to do if their plan did not seem possible.


    The man sounded shocked when Lanni called him. They had fallen out pretty horribly after all.


    He must have already planned to use the trick of reverse psychology on her, because he was quick to apologize. "Cupcake, I''m so sorry. I was under so much stress and your sister was suspicious of me. I''m sorry I took it out on you and said such mean things."


    "Is that really how you think of me?" Lanni asked, feeling repulsed.


    "Of course not. You are my precious daughter." If Lanni did not know the truth, she would not catch the mockery in the man''s tone and might have believed him. He went ahead almost pleading. "Luna is already so mad at me. If you are angry too, I really won''t know what to do."


    "Are you behind the shooting?" Lanni asked, making it sound like it was the reason why she had called.


    The man paused for a second and let out a slight snicker that almost went unnoticed.. "Why would I do that to my baby? She misunderstood me."

 Chapter 457 - I Can Prove You Wrong

    Oh, did she? Lanni mocked him in her heart.


    "I told her what I thought of it and she yelled at me. We fell out so badly that I had to call and ask whether what the media revealed is true." She explained the nonsense she had come up with a while ago, which was in line with Flynn''s plan.


    "It''s a lie. You know that I would never hurt my own flesh and blood. Actually, Lanni, there is something I didn''t tell you."


    "What is it?" Lanni asked.


    "That day, I had a bug on me. Someone is trying to investigate me for heaven knows what reason."


    Lanni was amused by his ability to push logic. Was he trying to make it seem like he had been forced to say such mean words to save her and Luna? He had even cleverly left it to her imagination so she would be the one to fill in the meaning behind his words. If she exposed him later, he would simply deny having said anything about it.


    "I understand." She was too tired to argue with him so she dismissed him.


    ''Why does this seem too good to be true? It''s happening all too easily.'' Xia Hanchen questioned mentally on the other end.


    Before he could think about it, he heard what he perceived to be the main reason why Lanni had given him a call.


    "I got a job offer but it''s from a private agency. The owner wants to meet up with me in private." Her voice was a mixture of excitement and nervousness.


    "Why would you want to meet up with a stranger in private? The fact that he claims it to be a private agency is suspicious." He warned out of instinct, but he was not trying to look out for her safety. He was only acting as a caring father to once again gain her trust.


    He was thrilled when she said," It is why I called. I don''t want to go on my own. Can I borrow some bodyguards?"


    "Why do you want to borrow bodyguards? I will go to the place with you." He offered, and the girl was overjoyed.


    "When is the meeting?" He asked.


    "In two days."


    He hung up with a smirk on his lips.


    "Stupid girl. You should have worked for me." His tongue ran over his teeth. "But since you want it to end this way, then be my guest."


    ¡­


    Ever since Xiaoshi heard Han Xichen confess his feelings for her, she had been walking on eggshells. She no longer knew how to face the man so she decided to keep her distance and pretend to know nothing until she couldn''t pretend anymore. She knew that what she was doing was not solving a problem, she was merely avoiding it¡ªbut she was not ready to face it yet.


    She knew what would happen if she rejected him; they would not be on good terms anymore. A selfish part of her still wanted to be in contact with him.


    She was still thinking about it when he called and she answered the call before she could think of ignoring or rejecting it.


    "Shishi, how are you feeling?" He asked with a tone full of concern.


    "I''m much better now." She responded and gently poked her belly, near the bullet scar. It was healing much faster than the man had predicted.


    "You have been sticking indoors for too long and should take a short walk. Do you want to go out together?" He suggested, rendering her speechless for a while.


    It took some seconds to gather her thoughts and the man waited patiently on the other side of the line. Just when she thought he would soon give up and hang up on his own, she heard his gentle call. "Shishi,"


    "I''m sorry, I can''t." She said in one breath as though she was afraid that she would be unable to do it if she delayed for a second.


    The line went silent and she waited for the hang up tone. "Is it because of what I said to Xiehan?" He asked straightforwardly.


    While kt was indeed the reason, she did not expect him to point it out in the open so for a while she did not know what to say.


    Taking her silence for a yes, he sounded helpless. "You can ignore what I said. Can we go for a walk as friends? If you are uncomfortable to be with me on your own, you can bring Xiehan along."


    While he made the suggestion, he knew that the girl trusted Xiehan and would definitely agree if her cousin was going along. He also knew from Xiehan''s reaction on that day that the man approved of him to be With Xiaoshi. If the three of them went out together, he didn''t need any guess work to know that Xiehan would find an excuse to leave the two of them alone. It was just a roundabout way to end up with the same result.


    Coincidentally, the doorbell of his condo opened and he was not surprised to see that the guest was Xiehan. He rarely had any guests, and he had been expecting Xiehan since the latter had stated that he would look for him later.


    "Come in." He said to his friend who might soon be his in-law as well, and stepped aside to let him in after hanging up the call with Xiaoshi.


    "You know what I want to say to you." Xiehan did not mince his words.


    Knowing his friend well enough, he indeed knew what the latter was going to say. "You don''t need to tell me anything. I will take good care of her."


    Xiehan nodded in approval as it was indeed the exact thing he was going to talk about. "You don''t need to prove that to me but to her father."


    Knowing how unreasonably overprotective his uncle was of Xiaoshi, he did not expect him to approve of Han Xichen that easily.


    "I already did. Shishi and I met him." He explained, puzzling Xiehan. Even so, the latter did not probe too much.


    Han Xichen grabbed this chance to pull some strings in his favor. "She is scared of taking a walk with me."


    Xiehan hummed and took out his phone, dialling Xiaoshi''s number immediately. "Come and join me for lunch."


    "Where?" Xiaoshi asked in surprise.


    "Just get ready. The chauffeur will pick you up and bring you to the venue." Xiehan instructed and hung up.


    As expected, Xiaoshi looked confused when she was brought over and when her eyes landed on Han Xichen, she glared daggers at her cousin.


    "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Xichen can check on you." Xiehan stated in concern, much to the girl''s chagrin. Was there anyone who did this to their own cousin?


    In response to her glower that threatened to revenge if a chance presented itself, Xiehan grinned and stood up. "I have other things to do so I will let you two have a talk."


    He then bumped shoulders with Han Xichen as he lowered his voice to say, "You know what not to do."


    "Of course." Although he liked Xiaoshi, he would never do anything against her wishes.


    This was the only reason why Xiehan had no qualms about leaving Xiaoshi in his house. Besides, she was not a toddler. She would have turned to leave if she did not want to be here.


    "I knew you would pull off such a stunt." She crossed her arms and snickered at Han Xichen when it was just the two of them left.


    The man helped her onto a couch so she would not be too tired, laughing at her words. "Yet you still came."


    "A part of me still wanted to prove myself wrong." She sat down since she was starting ring to feel tired.


    "Is it just that?" He knew it wasn''t the right time to make fun as this was probably his only chance but he couldn''t help teasing her. "Are you sure it''s not because you missed me?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous." She ignored his words, though she felt heat rush up her cheeks.


    "Am I?" He laughed and settled down beside her as he studied her expressions carefully. "Why don''t you want to consider me? Is it because of Jiang Xingyu?"


    Her heart skipped a beat but she wasn''t sure what she felt. It was almost as though she was being misunderstood and wanted to explain herself¡ªbut she didn''t know what the misunderstanding was, much less how to explain herself.


    She tilted her head and her eyes met his deep gaze.


    "Why, Shishi?" His lips parted to ask, and she swallowed. She thought he was asking why she didn''t like him but he continued in a direction she did not expect. "Why do you force yourself to believe that you will love him forever when you don''t even have an ounce of feelings for him anymore?"


    "Because I do, and I will." She insisted stubbornly, making him laugh at her naivety. Seeing her frown, he brushed a thumb against her scarlet cheek. "Then why do you blush when I get close to you?"


    "I¡­" Her tongue was stuck as her heart picked up its pace.


    "I can prove you wrong.." He closed the distance between them.

 Chapter 458 - I Thought You Were Smarter Than This

    "Huh?" Xiaoshi probed, not understanding what he meant.


    Instead of answering her, he pulled her to his side to close the distance between them, then pressed his lips against her soft cheek and it immediately flushed.


    His thumb rubbed against the part he had just kissed as his other hand stroked her face before cupping it. He rubbed his finger against her lips which parted as her eyes slowly shut, her tongue itching to lick her lips.


    With each passing second, she felt his face inch closer and closer to hers, then it stopped. The kiss she was anticipating did not arrive and when she opened her eyes, a grin surfaced on his face and he pulled away from her.


    "You could have stopped me." He raised an eyebrow.


    "What?" She was still disoriented from the mixture of incomprehensible feelings in her body, that had surfaced from his proximity. When she finally understood what he meant, her eyes narrowed in a frown. "That''s so childish of you."


    He chuckled. Was she angry because he had tried to prove a point or because she had not gotten the kiss he had made her want? He didn''t need to think to know that it was the latter. "It''s so childish of you to keep pining for an engaged man, one that you don''t even like anymore."


    "You¡­" She was shocked and annoyed at the same time. It was so unlike him to say anything mean to her, and what did he mean she was childish?


    "Why don''t you try kissing a random man? Do you want me to get a stranger here and ask him to get that close to you? See if you don''t slap the hell out of him in repulsion." His tone was serious. He knew that he was being selfish by doing this to her, but it was unbearable to hear the girl he liked go on and on about another man when they had mutual feelings between them. Besides, the longer it took for Xiaoshi to snap out of it, the harder it would be for her to completely move on.


    "Go on," He urged.


    "I need to leave." She made to stand, before a whisper befell her ears.


    "Sit." It was one word, but she sat back down as though she were under a spell.


    He scanned her eyes and found that they were slightly unfocused, only then did he proceed to ask, "What''s so bad about me?"


    "Nothing." She was still unfocused and he knew that she should be uncontrollably speaking what was truly on her mind, so he prepared for the worst. "My dad thinks the only man who deserves me is Xingyu. He will never acknowledge any other man as my boyfriend or husband."


    He was surprised, but not entirely surprised by the revelation. He had somehow expected it but he still asked, "What about the dinner? he said I was good enough."


    "He wanted me to be close to you to make Xingyu jealous." Her eyebrows furrowed slightly at her words, before her small hands reached to hold the sides of his face. "Xichen, I don''t want to use you that way. You''re a great guy."


    He winced slightly at the shock that had made his body feel like it was electrocuted.


    She looked into his eyes as she continued, "You are everything a woman would ever want in a man. And honestly¡­ I would be lying if I said that I never considered you. But I don''t want to be with you as the second best option just because the first was impossible."


    Her words were both shocking and touching, she had never expected to hear them from her. At the same time, she knew that he would never get to hear her say such words with her in her natural state. Otherwise, he wouldn''t need to hypnotise her before she spoke them out.


    He didn''t want to mentally exhaust her since she was still injured, so he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gently kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep."


    Her eyes gradually closed as she lowered herself into his arms, and he eased her into a comfortable position.


    ___


    Thanks to Wen Lin''s constant urging, Ruby had to spend a lot of time with Lin Jian. He accompanied her to pay a visit to Neil and when they returned, he took her out for dinner.


    Lin Jian kept stabbing his fork into his steak without eating as his mind was disoriented. It was only the previous night that he complained to his friends about being ignored by Ruby even when they were together, and he learnt from Xingyu that there was a new rumor circulating about him.


    He looked at Ruby across the table and spoke up, "Ruby, the article is fabricated. I don''t have anything to do with that model."


    "You don''t think I will blindly trust you, do you?" She paused to look at him, wondering which part of her made her look like a fool in his eyes.


    "I really don''t." He insisted. "Perhaps her management company wanted to create a headline to boost her fame. It had happened before."


    She had heard of such things happening before but that didn''t mean she believed him. "Why would her company randomly pick a man to use for hype? Why does it have to be you?"


    It was a rhetoric question, and she gave the answer herself. "It''s because you have had so many girlfriends that you probably wouldn''t realize that it''s a lie if some random woman claimed herself as your ex girlfriend."


    He knew this, and he was not proud of his past. All his predicaments were related to the jerk he had been. He took her hand from above the table. "Ruby, can we forget about the past, please? I only love you and in future, I will only ever love you."


    She gave him a skeptical look and he looked into her eyes deeply.


    "You won''t know whether or not I''m telling the truth if you don''t give me a chance."


    That was true, and she knew that dwelling on his past would do nothing but keep wrecking whatever tiny trust might form in between them. "Okay. If any woman pops up and claims to be your girlfriend, don''t appear before me anymore."


    He was still basking in joy when he heard her "okay" when it instantly dimmed from the rest of his statement. "That''s too general. What if the woman is lying?"


    "Think about it, Lin Jian. If you had a girlfriend and men kept popping up every other day to claim her as their girlfriend or the ex that they still love, wouldn''t you be bothered?" She frowned at him. Whether it was teh truth or a lie, she wouldn''t be okay with it.


    " You are right." Her words made sense and he sunk into thought. "I will make sure no one ever bothers you." He promised and she nodded.


    Until they left the restaurant, he was still in disbelief. Did Ruby really give him a chance?


    He had to call his friends and brag about it all night!


    ___


    As agreed, Xia Hanchen picked Lanni up to take her to the location of the meeting she had lied about having with the president of a secret agency.


    As she walked to his parked car, she wondered whether she should move houses. It was not safe for the man to know where she lived, it made things easier for him if he wanted to harm her. On second thought, however, she shrugged the thought off her mind. Why did it matter? He was soon going to be dead and he would no longer have the ability to do anything to her even if he wanted to.


    She entered the car and the man was still on a conference call. She studied his face for any trace of malice in case he changed his plans. They were going according to his plans. Xiehan had investigated and found that he was not planning any mischief today, since he would kidnap Luna two days later.


    He waved at her as a form of greeting and sh offered a smile, then he returned to the conference call he was holding.


    She took out her phone to play with, making sure not to disclose anything from her body language. She was glad that he was busy since it saved her from the need to pretend to be a loving daughter.


    By the time he shut his laptop, they had almost arrived at the address she gave the chauffeur.


    "Are you nervous?" He observed that she had not spoken a single word since she entered the car.


    She nodded and took a deep breath. "Do you think I will qualify?"


    "Why not? My cupcake is the smartest." He praised, and she was repulsed. You will not pretend for much longer, she thought.


    Flynn had arranged to meet in a building that would have them go through an office building so it did not arouse the man''s suspicion. Sure enough, Lanni led him smoothly into the building, through the sky bridge that connected it to a different building and into a room in the second building.


    As soon as they entered what looked like a conference room, the door shut heavily and a chair by the window swung, then Flynn stepped down from it.


    "Oh father, I thought you were smarter than this."

 Chapter 459 - The End Of Xia Hanchen (1)

    Xia Hanchen took a glance at his son who was currently grinning at him with spite written all over his face, and his own face eased into a smile. "I must say, I saw this coming."


    "Yet you still walked into the devil''s den. Should I call you naive or stupid?" Flynn taunted, not in a hurry to lock Xia Hanchen down as he knew that the latter couldn''t leave even if he wanted to.


    "Call yourself overconfident." Xia Hanchen burst into laughter at the naive children in front of him.


    He turned to look at Lanni with a raise of his brows. "Lanni, you too? I didn''t think it would be so easy for someone to brainwash you and make you go against your own father."


    "Cut the crap. We all know the truth." Lanni was on the verge of beating him up. She had stepped away from him and to Flynn''s side just in case the former went berserk and tried to harm her or use her as leverage.


    The man was unfazed despite being trapped. He even laughed.


    "You did not disappoint your father, I must say." He praised through a snicker. "Though you forget that I''m the one who taught you everything you know."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he walked towards the large magnetic doors that had been tightly locked and tried to hack the pass code.


    Lanni was almost awed when she saw how fast he was doing it. She finally knew where Luna and Flynn got their talent at programming from. Despite his speed and skill, all that happened was his hand feeling like it had been electrocuted.


    Flynn snickered. "You also forget that aside from everything you taught me, I have learnt more from the world. The student surpassed his master, to be precise."


    Xia Hanchen did not believe that a measly trap of two kids decades younger than him could prevent him from leaving. He kept tapping his phone and the pass code lock on the door and a minute later, the lock on the door clicked open.


    "I would have loved to stay and humor you for a little longer but I have to go." He flashed a smile.


    The doors slid open but what was revealed was not a passageway but a series of criss-crossed swords waiting to slice through his skin if he made a step to go out. He thought it was an illusion until he touched one of the swords and the sharp tip sliced into his finger, making huge drops of his blood fall onto the ground.


    "Let''s talk about leaving when I have torn all your limbs." Flynn chortled at the man''s failed attempt at leaving.


    "You and what army Flynn?" Xia Hanchen brought his bleeding finger to his mouth to stop the bleeding and the pain.


    Flynn looked down at him like he was an ant. "Me and the whole of Galaxis."


    "Do you think you can really turn the agency against me?" Xia Hanchen laughed like he had heard the most ridiculous joke.


    "I mean, I can turn you against you." Flynn laughed. "I was wondering how I would manage to poison you but you saved me the trouble by touching the poisoned swords on your own. You even sped up the process by licking your poisoned blood. Why don''t you watch and see whether or not the others are willing to go against their falling tyrant king whom they hate?"


    He had destroyed innumerable lives, so it was easy to bring together everyone who wanted him dead.


    "You are trying to buy time to let the poison work." He frowned and closed in on Flynn to launch a punch to his head.


    Flynn dodged it with ease and laughed. "You are so naive. How did you even manage to stay alive for so long? The poison isn''t going to act up right now. It will be slow and tortuous, and you will wish for death to come to you sooner but I will not let that happen too easily."


    When he was done speaking, he swung on his heel and kicked Xia Hanchen in the stomach, making Lanni close her eyes when she heard the sound of what she guessed to be ribs cracking.


    Xia Hanchen coughed up blood but recovered immediately and punched Flynn''s chest, this time using much more force.


    The man swayed for a few seconds but soon steadied and retaliated with a succession of punches and kicks, most of which Xia Hanchen dodged. Within a few seconds, Flynn was on the losing end.


    "You were holding back." He snickered when Xia Hanchen grabbed his neck and pushed him against the wall.


    "You should learn to be filial." Xia Hanchen applied more pressure on his hand that was tightly around his son''s neck.


    The young man''s face was starting to pale from lack of air but he still had a smile on his lips, rendering Xia Hanchen confused. What was so good about dying that he was happy about it?


    "You¡­"


    Just as he spoke, he felt a pain in his back, shooting through his whole body. His fingers unconsciously let go of Flynn''s neck and he turned to the source of the pain, to find Lanni holding a gun behind him.


    "Get your stinky claws off my brother!" She ordered, shooting yet another bullet into his stomach.


    His lips pursed as though he was in disbelief, as Lanni shot through both of his legs one at a time. She was deliberately shooting him in parts that would bring him immense pain but at the same time not kill him, because they couldn''t let him die so easily after all they had been through because of him.


    "Lanni, my cute Lanni. You have grown up better than I thought." He laughed through his bloody mouth. He was losing a lot of blood and thanks to the bullets, his steps were faltering by the second.


    Lanni shot through his left arm, looking like she was getting addicted to it. "I have to thank you for that."


    "You are just like your stupid mother. I should have killed you when you were little." He laughed, making Lanni frown.


    "That slut, she pretended to be in love with me yet spread her legs for the whole city and neighbouring towns."


    "How dare you!" Lanni exploded.


    Xia Hanchen laughed like a maniac. "That bitch, she was getting fucked by Ji Huifen, yet here you are dating his son. Gross, isn''t it?"


    Lanni pointed the gun at his chest as her chest heaved. Her finger started to apply pressure on the trigger.


    "Lanni, don''t! He''s trying to make you kill him!" Flynn tried to talk some sense into Lanni, whose eyes were full of bloodthirst.


    "He knows that we plan to torture him. He is trying to take the easier route by provoking you to kill him faster." He explained, and Lanni''s eyes finally regained some rationality.


    She thought he made sense. What she hated most was anyone talking trash about her mother, so Xia Hanchen must have grabbed onto this fact to push her on edge. She pulled the trigger once again but shot his hand so it was nothing but flesh and blood left.


    "Sparrow." Flynn called, and a young man appeared from another room.


    He rushed to Lanni as soon as he saw her. "Sister!"


    "Get lost." Lanni shooed him off, not wanting anything to do with Galaxis.


    "Get our guest of honor to the room we prepared specially for him." Flynn instructed, and the young man named Sparrow took Xia Hanchen who was on the verge of fainting from blood loss into the room he had just exited.


    "I will take good care of him." Flynn promised Lanni, and the latter nodded.


    "Get me a video. I''m certain that mother will enjoy the view." She smiled just thinking about it. Watching the man who had tortured her for most of her life getting tortured to his death, there isn''t anything that could make Li Yuming happier than this would.


    " She isn''t like that." Flynn stated, and Lanni looked at him in confusion.


    "What?"


    "Your mother." He explained. "I did my research on her long ago. She isn''t the kind of woman that old fart was making her out to be."


    "I know." She smiled. Of course she trusted her mother.


    If Li Yuming was a promiscuous woman, how could she have been alone for all these years with no man in her life? Instead, the promiscuous one was Xia Hanchen. Flynn was much older than her and Luna, which went to say that he had met Flynn''s mother long before he met Li Yuming. Even so, he did not marry Flynn''s mother, and even after getting together with Li Yuming and having babies together, he still cheated on her with Li Xiyan. The answer was eat as day.


    ¡­


    When Lanni left the building, she felt as though she had left another realm and was finally back into the human world. She felt empty when she thought about how her father was going to be tortured but she did not regret anything.. He deserved it.

 Chapter 460 - The End Of Xia Hanchen(2)

    When Lanni arrived at Li Yuming''s villa, Xiehan, Xingyu, Luna and Li Yuming were waiting for her while on the edge of their seats.


    She had given them a call a few minutes ago to report that she had successfully delivered Xia Hanchen into the hands of Flynn and that they no longer needed to protect her. Even so, they were still anxious and waited for her return while sitting on pins and needles.


    "Xia Hanchen is dead." She reported the good news, and everyone sighed in relief.


    "I must be the only child who is happy to hear about my father''s death." Luna blinked as soon as her happy dance ended.


    "You are not. I am too and so is Flynn." Lanni reassured her with a pat.


    "He deserves it. It''s already good enough that he still has a family so he will not die without a burial place. He should be happy about this." Xingyu commented, frustrated by the fact that he had to watch by the sidelines as the man who tried to kill his fianc¨¦e got tortured by someone else. Even so, he would still undergo pain and die in an agonizing way so it didn''t matter too much.


    "Is it too early to celebrate?" Luna asked as she rested her head against Li Yuming''s arm.


    "Nope," In turn, Li Yuming tapped her nose.


    "You have grown quite close in the last few days." Lanni observed, relieved that they were no longer on each other''s necks.


    Li Yuming looked at her like she was an idiot. "What are you spouting about? Luna is my daughter after all. Besides, we are both mothers so we have a lot to talk about."


    "Are you trying to rub in my face that I don''t have a baby yet?" Lanni pretended to sulk, making the two women along with Xingyu tease her and Xiehan endlessly.


    "I feel it!" Luna exclaimed as her hand flew to her tummy. She rubbed it slowly as though she was waiting for something then sighed in disappointment.


    "What is it?" Li Yuming asked, while the others dipped their heads wondering what she was waiting for.


    "I thought I felt the baby kick." Luna''s voice was a mixture of anticipation and disappointment, and as soon as she spoke, she felt a jab in her stomach.


    "There!" she placed a hand on her belly and almost cried from how happy she felt.


    It was already a great feeling to be a mother, to know that there was a life growing inside her. But feeling her baby move about and kick, it was so magical that she so badly wished to stop time so she could feel it forever. At the same time, she wanted the days to fly so she would be able to see her little bundle of joy.


    Xingyu placed his hand on Luna''s tummy, almost losing control of his emotions when he felt the little kick beneath his palm.


    He placed his lips on the protruding belly. "Baby, can you hear me? I''m your daddy."


    "He can''t hear you, Xingyu." Li Yuming facepalmed.


    Xiehan laughed at his friend''s antics. "Don''t blame him. It''s his first time being a dad so he knows close to nothing."


    Luna didn''t want her man to be made fun of so she raised an eyebrow. "How many times have you been a dad, Xiehan?"


    "At least I know my facts. Besides, I will in future and I will be the best dad in the world." Xiehan bragged like he was certain about it. With his personality, no one could deny that he would make the best dad. Even so, Luna could not accept defeat. "That''s only possible if you go to another world because in this world, the best father is Xingyu."


    "Ssh." Lanni suddenly hushed them and they all turned to look at her.


    "Is everything alright, my love?" Xiehan asked her.


    "How can we be joking around at such a time?" Her gaze ran through all of them as she scolded them in disbelief. "Xia Hanchen is dead. Do you know what that means?"


    "Less problems on our plate. Isn''t that what it means?" Xingyu raised an eyebrow at her and did not comprehend why the death of the villain seemed to distress her.


    "It means more problems on our plate!" Lanni corrected him with a stern glare. It was hard to believe that anyone could be so forgetful. Had all of their brains been eaten by dogs? "Have you all forgotten what lurks in the shadows? That man had a family. There is the Xia family and perhaps, the Guan family might just rise from the ashes along with the Li family. Tell me, how are you even in the mood to joke around?


    ___


    Lakeside City.


    "I cannot get any news of Hanchen." Xia Yuguang reported to his aunt who was sipping on tea in the living room.


    "Then spend more effort looking for him. Why would he suddenly go silent on us?" Asked the old lady. No matter what explanation anyone tried to come up with, she did not believe that Xia Hanchen could have deliberately decided to hide away.


    Xia Yuguang continued making phone calls in vain and when all his channels failed to retrieve any significant news, he sat down opposite his mother with a sigh. "The last time there was news about him, he was with that trouble-seeking daughter of his."


    "The one who doesn''t know how to keep her nose where it belongs even when she is pregnant?" The elderly woman sneered.


    Xia Yuguang shook his head. "The other one. Lanni. I don''t know where they were going because the car seems to have disappeared off the road at a roundabout. There isn''t any trace of it after that but much later, it reappeared and the only occupant was that girl. She returned on her own and looked distressed.


    "Everything about that girl is so strange. What did she do to Hanchen?" Old Mrs. Xia had goosebumps just thinking about it.


    "She couldn''t have done anything." Retorted Xia Yuguang. "If a girl could do anything to Hanchen, then he would be long dead. Don''t think too much of a silly girl with barely any ability to keep herself sane."


    Old Mrs. Xia didn''t know what to think of it.


    Xia Yuguang frowned as he thought aloud, "What if he used this opportunity to disappear back to where he belongs? Perhaps he went to find his real family. He isn''t a Xia after all."


    "Don''t say such nonsense in future." Old Mrs. Xia berated her son sternly, but she also wondered if it was possible. No matter what, there was no way she would believe that a frail girl like Lanni could do anything to Xia Hanchen on her own. Even if she possessed some abilities that no one knew about, she couldn''t do much and would have needed a lot of help.


    "Keep an eye on those two girls and their boyfriends." She instructed.


    "Right. Ji Xiehan. How could I forget?" Xia Yuguang looked like he had made a huge discovery.


    "What about him?" Asked the elderly madam, twirling the last two small sips of her tea.


    "There are things about him that don''t quite add up." Xia Yuguang explained while deep in thought. "How come his girlfriend just happens to be Lanni? Is it a coincidence that he happened to fall in love with Xia Hanchen''s daughter, whose mother is Li Yuming?"


    "What do you think?" She was in thought.


    "Do you think it''s possible that he already knew who she was?" He speculated.


    She thought about it and thought back to the information she had gathered about all of them when they visited. "He knew who she was but not for the reason you''re thinking. He was close to Li Yuming when he was a child."


    "That makes sense." He felt as though all the information he knew had reset to nothing.


    ¡­.


    "I set a trap for the Xias. We can deal with the Guans and the Lis later." Luna laughed out of the blue.


    "What do you mean?" Lanni asked with a frown.


    "Take a look at this." Luna took the laptop that was on the coffee table onto her lap and turned it on. After entering a series of codes, a video started playing. It looked like it had been taken from a traffic surveillance camera.


    Lanni realized that the car she had been in had appeared on the screen but frowned when she saw the routes it took. "We didn''t go that way."


    She was even more surprised when she saw herself leave Xia Hanchen''s car much later while he was nowhere to be found. "I didn''t come back in that man''s car."


    "Of course not." Luna smiled evilly. "I set this trap for the Xias. Say, do you want to accompany me to watch then fall into the ditch like idiots?"


    ___


    AN


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 Chapter 461 - Trap

    Lanni was rendered speechless by her sister''s insane speed of handling things. How fast.


    "What if the Xias are on alert?" She asked, not daring to take any risk.


    In response, Luna laughed languidly. "Don''t worry. As long as their IQ is still at the same level as it was the last time we met, they will never guess that I am trapping them. They will investigate you and find one answer at a time¡ªall of which will be what I want them to find. By the time they realize it, they will be too deep into the ditch I have dug and covered."


    Xiehan thought about Luna''s words and found a loophole. "The only way to be certain that they will not discover the trap is to get the nation''s top hacker on our side. This will eliminate the possibility of them hiring him to find Lanni''s whereabouts."


    "That makes sense, but the world''s top hacker is dead. We don''t have to worry about him taking sides." Luna answered jovially. Their luck was off the charts.


    "Xia Hanchen." Lanni''s lips moved as she made a guess. When Luna nodded, she thought it made sense. It was no wonder Xia Hanchen possessed such tremendous hacking abilities. She knew that Luna was among the top five in the republic, so anyone who could make her pale in comparison had to be the best of the best.


    "Bingo." Luna winked at her but Xingyu, Xiehan and Li Yuming were puzzled.


    "Xia Hanchen was a hacker?" Xingyu asked in disbelief. Was there an end to his late father-in-law''s surprises?


    "I wouldn''t be shocked." Li Yuming had seen all the shocking bombs that her ex-husband had to offer, so there wasn''t much that could faze her.


    "Was the language of Galaxis created by him?" Xiehan asked.


    "According to the time that Galaxis came into existence, it is possible." Lanni whispered in uncertainty.


    Xingyu suddenly sat up straight. "Hold on. The top hacker is dead but what about the second, third and forth? The Xia family could get all of them together and use them to counter us. Or they could even get a whole team of them. Not to mention, the country''s top hacker usually isn''t the absolute top. There may be a few in the shadows who are hiding their abilities but could wreck the top hacker in seconds."


    "No wonder my darling was named as one of the CEOs with the most potential when he was barely twenty-three. He has always thought about every possible outcome of a situation." Luna circled her hand around her man''s neck from the side and kissed his cheek.


    "You don''t need to shower us with dog food." Lanni berated her sister. "But Xingyu is right. What if there is someone out there better than Xia Hanchen and is hired by them?"


    "Then we can sway them later." Li Yuming suggested. It was impossible to know the identity of someone they were yet to deal with and this was the only way to go about it. "For now, let''s think about what happens once the Xias get the misleading ''truths'' about Lanni."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Cheng Yu had made Cedric stay over at her apartment. Since the company was currently unsafe, Luna had asked her and everyone else who might be targeted to work from home, and would notify them on when to go back to work.


    She could call it a blessing in disguise since it gave her more time to be with her boyfriend even though they were working most of the time.


    "Wake up." She nudged the man who was still sleeping and hugging the pillow she had shoved into his arms when she woke up.


    "Yu, let me hug you a little longer." He pulled the pillow that had her scent to his chest, making her roll her eyes.


    "That''s not me, blockhead."


    His eyes flew open when he realized that her voice was coming from the side of the bed and not from his arms. When he finally managed to regain his bearing, he frowned at her. "How can you be so evil? You slipped away and tricked me."


    "You were too easy to trick. How can you mistake a pillow for your girlfriend?" She playfully smacked his head.


    "It has your scent." He retorted.


    "It''s not breathing." She pulled him off the bed while paying zero attention to his protest about having slept late and needing to sleep for five minutes more.


    Once he sat on the couch in the living room, he almost dozed off and she smacked his head.


    "Honey, is there anyone who treats their boyfriend as fiercely as you do?" He complained as he rubbed his eyes that were almost closing on their own.


    Cheng Yu ignored his exaggerated dramatics. "Luna just sent me a text message stating that we could go back to work. It''s safe now."


    "What a bummer. I wanted to continue working beside you for much longer." He groaned.


    "Well, we can see each other in the evenings." She shrugged. Isn''t that what they always did?


    "For five minutes." He complained, as it was enough. He wanted to spend more time with her, but his girlfriend was always swamped with work and could only spare five minutes. For the past few days, he had been happy because she would call him over and even if she spent most of that time working, being in his line of sight was enough to keep him happy.


    "Make that six. I can add a minute every day." She said so he would stop complaining.


    "Only one more? One minute isn''t even enough to make out." He groaned.


    Her eyes went wide at his words, making him spring his shoulders and sigh. "It''s not even enough to kiss."


    She frowned at his exaggeration. "Then move into the unit beside mine."


    When she said that, she was merely trying to shut him up and didn''t think too much of it until she saw him contact movers and go to speak to the apartment agent.


    "What are you doing?" She asked with a frown.


    "Moving into the apartment beside yours¡ªWell, below yours." The other apartments on Cheng Yu''s floor were occupied so he chose one on the floor below.


    "I didn''t mean¡­" She felt her head hurt. "you don''t have to do this."


    "Did I previously mention that I wanted to move out of my parents'' house? You just happened to give me a better idea than purchasing a bungalow. You can come over or call me over whenever you want to, and besides, if you get mad at me and kick me out in the middle of the night, I will not have to go home." He explained all so naturally.


    "Who the heck said anything about kicking you out in the middle of the night?" Cheng Yu facepalmed. "Fine, you will no longer make excuses about it being too late to go home so you can stay the night." Not that she minded him staying over.


    He grinned in response. Who said so? He could simply say that the elevator was far and he was too tired.


    ¡­.


    After dealing with Xia Hanchen, Flynn went back to Germany. Meanwhile, Xiaoshi''s parents went back to Australia when they were certain that their daughter was no longer in danger. With Xiehan taking care of her, there was nothing to worry about.


    The girl was jovial and in the next few days, she was almost bouncing with joy.


    On Saturday, she gave Lanni a call. "Lanni, are you free? Let''s have lunch together."


    "Does it have to be lunch?" Lanni asked, feeling too lazy to go anywhere. She had planned to do nothing but sleep all day today.


    "If possible." Xiaoshi responded hopefully. "I wanted to introduce you to someone who will only be free today. But if you are busy¡­"


    "I''ll come." Lanni dragged herself out of bed. She had always felt guilty for not being able to help her new friend since she could not go against what she believed was right, so the least she could do was cheer her up.


    "Great! Come to The Grand Pearl. I''ll be waiting for you." Xiaoshi chirped.


    It was already almost noon so Lanni freshened up and went over.


    Xiaoshi was waiting at the entrance so they would not miss each other¡ªand probably because she was too excited to sit still.


    "You are here!" She chimed at Lanni''s arrival.


    "You look happy." Lanni commented. The girl looked radiant in the red dress she was wearing. Her pretty face was delicately made up as though she was going on a date.


    She smiled at Lanni''s words. "I am happy. Come on, he is already waiting."


    Lanni followed her curiously, and the girl led her to the table she had reserved. She was surprised when she saw the so-called guest.


    She never would have expected that the person Xiaoshi was going to introduce was a familiar face. "Dr. Han?"


    "Xichen, this is Lanni. My friend as well as my cousin''s girlfriend. Lanni, this is¡­" Xiaoshi was in the middle of rattling her introduction when she stopped after hearing Lanni''s words. "Wait. You know each other?"


    "He helped me regain my memories." Lanni responded then asked, "You know each other?"


    Xiaoshi nodded shyly.. "He''s my boyfriend."

 Chapter 462 - Prove It—1

    "He is your boyfriend?" Lanni was taken aback by the sudden twist of circumstances.


    On the other hand, Xiaoshi didn''t look like it was anything surprising. "Yes! Isn''t he the best choice?" She lowered her voice to whisper in Lanni''s ear. "He is handsome and so caring, and he knows how to make a woman happy. What else would a woman ask for?"


    "Nothing¡­ I guess." Lanni was still trying to wrap her mind around the shocking bomb that had just been thrown her way without a heads up.


    Han Xichen''s phone rang and because it might be important, he stepped aside to answer it.


    Xiaoshi took this chance to pull Lanni onto the seat opposite hers to interrogate her. "Lanni, aren''t you happy for me?"


    Lanni scanned the slightly younger woman and tried to assess her mood. "The main point is, are you happy for yourself? Although I''m happy that you have moved on despite the difficulty, I don''t wish for you to be with someone you don''t like." Both situations were difficult and if it was possible, Lanni hoped that Xiaoshi would be in neither of them.


    Xiaoshi''s eyes searched for Han Xichen and she saw him speaking on the phone while facing away from a window at the end of the room, at an empty spot. "You have heard of forced marriages, right? Forced marriages, business marriages, contracts, literally every kind that involves little to no emotion."


    Lanni nodded and wondered why the latter was bringing this up.


    "If I were to get into one of those situations; to marry without having feelings for each other, I wouldn''t mind it if the other party is Xichen." Xiaoshi answered, making Lanni''s eyebrows raise in suspicion and realization.


    "That''s not something anyone randomly says about guys they don''t like. Are you starting to develop feelings for him?" She asked, trying not to sound pushy.


    In response, the other smiled. "That happened ages ago without my knowledge. I like him. It took me long to realize it but I really do. He is the best man in the universe."


    Lanni''s lips finally curled into a smile as she hugged Xiaoshi. "I''m so happy for you. How long have you been dating?"


    The latter broke the hug to count her fingers. "Let me see. Eleven¡­no, twelve hours."


    Lanni was taken aback. Twelve hours?


    Xiaoshi laughed. "What did you think? That we have been together for long?"


    "That''s what I thought. How did you even end up together?" Lanni was curious.


    "We have been friends for a while now. Friends, or so I thought." Xiaoshi went ahead to explain how their friendship progressed, from the time she gave him bentos every morning in the parking lot to the accidental kiss. "Until last night, the bastard used reverse psychology on me."


    ...


    The previous evening, Han Xichen went to Xiaoshi''s apartment. She had gotten back to her place after fully recovering. Even so, this was the first time they were seeing each other since the day he had hypnotised her at his condo. She wanted to hug him but then remembered what had transpired between them the last time, and his confession. She stopped in her tracks and went to the kitchen to return with an apple on a platter, then she sat down and started peeling it.


    She was not the only one who had changed-he had too. Unlike the other times, he was not here to smile and check up on her. This time, he sat on the couch and looked straight at her. "We need to talk."


    "Mmh? Talk about what? You look serious." So serious that her hand that was holding a fruit knife trembled.


    "I am serious." His expression did not change. He took the fruit knife out of her hand and placed it on the table along with the half-peeled red apple that she was peeling for him. His actions drew all her attention to him.


    "What do you want to talk about?" She had a bad premonition and felt her insides tense up. It must be bad news from his actions.


    "I''ve been thinking about it and decided that we can no longer be close." He spoke after keeping her waiting for a few seconds.


    A chill sped down her spine and she was speechless for a while. It was only about a minute later that she found her voice. "Why?"


    The man was unfazed by her shocked demeanor. "As you said it before, I will not be able to get a girlfriend while keeping a close relationship with you."


    She thought she had recovered from the shock until she heard his words. She took a deep breath then looked at him in confusion. "But you said that you didn''t need to have a girlfriend." She could clearly remember the exact time he said it. She had suggested that they break off their fake relationship because if they kept it going, it would appear as though he was taken and that might hinder him from getting into a real relationship. He was the one who rejected the idea. What had changed?


    He seemed to read her mind and he frowned. "I didn''t need to, and I think the reason is self-explanatory."


    "No, it isn''t." She shook her head. In truth, she knew what he meant but she just couldn''t process it.


    "Because I knew that the one I wanted was you." He explained.


    "And you don''t anymore?" The question came out as a whisper, as though she didn''t have the strength to properly ask it.


    "I still do." He confessed. "But we don''t always have to be with the person we like, do we? And I cannot keep being close to you when you are stubbornly pining for another man." He paused to let the words sink in then added, "Besides, Shishi, I have no desire to be used as a bait. If all you want is to make Xingyu jealous, then please go ahead and make a social media post about hiring a fake boyfriend. I''m sure your dad would not mind too much."


    His unfiltered words sliced through her heart like daggers. She couldn''t say that they were unkind words since they were all true. All along, he had been giving in to whatever made her situation more bearable, indulging her even though they didn''t share any relationship. He was not obliged to help her and was only being kind to himself by pulling away to avoid being used. She was not angry but that didn''t mean she was not hurt. She used up what she thought was her last strength to bite out three words. "You are right."


    Deep down, she hoped he was joking. She hopefully waited for him to flick her forehead and laugh at her for being so easily fazed, then tell her that he was merely joking. Alas, he stood up and all she saw was his back as he left without sparing her another glance. She hugged her arms and fought back her tears as it finally dawned on her what she had done. It was all her fault that it came to this. She had no one but herself to blame¡­


    ¡­


    A few hours later, at the doorstep of Han Xichen''s condo.


    Xiaoshi didn''t know how she got here nor could she count the number of times she had taken wrong turns until she finally remembered the right route.


    She knew that she shouldn''t be here. She shouldn''t bother him anymore, but her hands acted like they had a mind of their own and pressed the doorbell.


    The door was opened within a few seconds by Han Xichen, who was wearing blue home wear, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw her. "You are not one of the people I was expecting to see any time soon. What are you doing here?"


    "I don''t want you to stay away." She answered and quickly placed a hand on the doorframe so he would not shut the door in her face¡ªnot that she thought he was capable of doing that.


    He glanced at her little movement that threatened to bring a smile to his lips, but he kept a straight face. "We have already had this talk."


    She was saddened by his nonchalance. "But I miss you so much. I... I like you."


    "Shishi, what did you say?" His voice pitched as he looked at her in surprise.


    She had already prepared for this so she took a deep breath and continued. "I was blind to not realize it before but I like you so much. I really do."


    Seconds passed while he looked down at her and said nothing. When she thought she would pass out from nervousness, his lips finally moved. "You better be sure of yourself because I''ll need to prove it."


    "H-how?" She stammered.


    __________


    How do you think he is going to make her prove her words?


    ¡ªCheck out my other books if you haven''t yet.


    The Tyrant''s Wife


    Villainess 101: The president''s wife is a vengeful devil


    My Beautiful Love

 Chapter 463 - Prove It—2

    "Let me think about it." His brows scrunched up in seriousness as he thought about what to make her do to prove what she had just claimed.


    Her heart raced uncontrollably. He was not going to tell her to do something impossible, right? Deep in her heart, she unknowingly trusted him and knew that he would not take advantage of this chance to make her do anything against her wishes. The only thing that worried her was that he might have already given up on her and did not like her anymore, and that he would ask her to do something impossible as a way of getting rid of her.


    He kept her guessing for more than a minute and watched her wait nervously before he finally snapped back to reality. "Yes. I know just the task for you."


    "What¡­" Her voice shook as it disappeared into a whisper.


    He looked down at her like a predator that had finally caught its little prey and finally ordered, "Kiss me."


    "What?" She looked up at him and blinked in surprise. Just this?


    "What? Didn''t you say you were willing to prove that you like me? This is quite a normal thing for people to do when they like each other, is it not?" His deep voice reverberated in her ears.


    "It is." She took deep breaths to calm her racing heart, then realized that he was laughing at her.


    "Aren''t you going to come in?" He teased.


    She finally realized that he had long stepped away from the door while she was still grabbing onto the frame like her entire life depended on it. She coughed at her silly actions and entered the house in small steps. When he let out a laugh, she finally realized what was happening and frowned, then turned to face him. "You did it on purpose."


    He neither admitted nor denied it, and she knew she had guessed right, She punched his chest with restrained force. "You scared me. You idiot."


    He grabbed her hand that was on his chest with a jovial laugh. "You deserved it. Who takes that long to realize their feelings? I even had to employ such ''special'' means for you to finally awaken."


    She sighed and no longer blamed him. He was right, after all. She took the liberty to rest her head on his chest. "I thought I had lost you."


    "You didn''t. If you didn''t realize your feelings, I would hypnotise the hell out of you." He joked then looked down at her seriously. "What about my kiss?"


    Her cheeks burned at the reminder. After preparing herself mentally, she raised her head and tiptoed to press a harmless peck on his lips.


    ¡­


    Thinking about Han Xichen''s endless teasing that followed after the kiss last night, Xiaoshi felt she could die from embarrassment. She would never dare to talk about it.


    "That''s how I ended up as his girlfriend. It turns out the idiot was using reverse psychology on me." She explained to Lanni.


    "He really needed to do that. You are a blockhead." Lanni laughed. She didn''t know the details of the relationship between the two but merely from Xiaoshi''s narration, she could tell the girl had fallen for Han Xichen soon after their first meeting.


    Xiaoshi sighed out of the blue. "Lanni, do you think I have detachment issues?"


    "I''m not sure I know what that''s supposed to mean but I don''t think there is such a thing as moving on too soon." Lanni answered.


    "That''s what I was thinking about. Can you read minds too?" Xiaoshi laughed but she was serious.


    Lanni detected this and nodded. "It''s up to you-it would never be up to anyone else how long it takes for your heart to let go of something. No one has the right to judge you and even if they do, ignore them and live your life the way you want to."


    Lanni frowned when she thought about her mother. She had heard countless insults directed at Li Yuming for not remarrying, but she knew that Li Yuming would be scolded even if she did fall in love again. What people wanted was gossip-in a way, it had nothing to do with what kind of decisions one made. She didn''t want Xiaoshi to be scared of introducing Han Xichen to the people who knew about her previous infatuation of Xingyu in fear that they would judge her for moving on too fast.


    "Are you girls done discussing me?" Han Xichen finally returned from his phone call.


    "Not at all. We''re just getting started." Lanni joked at Han Xichen''s response, and Xiaoshi laughed.


    The man''s lips curled into a smile as he sat opposite Xiaoshi, then he casually glanced at Lanni. "Do you recall everything now?"


    Lanni nodded then immediately shook her head, looking a little confused before she decided to explain it. "We could say I remember everything except one section. It''s all tied to one place. When people talk about matters related to it, I find it familiar but when I try to recall how I left the place, I either lose focus or get a headache."


    She was talking about Galaxis. She couldn''t remember a fragment of memory on her own, not even whatever had happened with Flynn. Everything she knew was what Flynn had told her regarding her previous training period. Even so, the man had refrained from telling her the things that actually mattered, and had only given her general information.


    "Then it was your decision to shut it out. Your brain doesn''t want to recall it so I would advise you to not force it." He spoke after giving it some thought. In his experience, such fragments of memory would turn out to be the most traumatic experiences that the patients had undergone, so in this case, he hoped that Lanni would forget them forever.


    She nodded at his words. "Okay. I''ll take your word for it." She no longer needed Galaxis anyway-Han Xichen was already dead and if there was anything left regarding that den of criminals, it was no longer her business. Besides, Flynn was there.


    "Thank you." She once again said to the man across the table, who had helped her rediscover herself.


    "Don''t thank me. We are family." He smiled and shot a meaningful glance at Xiaoshi, who was wondering whether she would have needed to spend so much effort to recover her memory if Han Xichen had agreed to erase her memory.


    When she heard his words, she snapped back to reality with a start. "What? Family?"


    "Aren''t we going to be in-laws in future?" He was having a blast teasing her. "She will be the wife of my cousin-in-law." He was certain that his friend considered Lanni as the only woman he would be with.


    Xiaoshi was rendered speechless by his logic. "You can''t talk about marriage when our relationship is how old?" She started counting her fair fingers.


    "Twelve hours, thirty minutes and seven seconds?" He beat her to it. "Yes I can. Are you planning to dump me later?"


    "No." She frowned and wanted to beat him up. Who the hell talked about dumping each other within the same day that they got into a relationship?


    The man didn''t think he had said anything wrong. "There are only two paths that a relationship can take; breaking up or spending the rest of your lives together. Which one do you prefer?" As she was still speechless, he added, "I prefer to get married and have very many little Shishis."


    "You, stop teasing me." She finally realized that he was having way too much fun with this. "And why do you only want Shishis and not Xichens?" He sunk into thought but shook his head. "Sons¡­ Well, I have nothing against sons, but I''m afraid they might turn out to be like me."


    "You don''t want your kids to take after you?" This was the first time Xiaoshi was hearing such a thing but she quickly understood the reason. "I knew you were the worst kind of person when you were little. Naughty kid."


    "I was not naughty. At least not as naughty as you were." He retaliated as he blocked the punch that was about to be playfully thrown at his chest from across the table.


    "Who said I was naughty?" She asked defensively.


    "Do I need anyone to say it? It is evident from your current personality that you were the naughtiest kid in the neighbourhood-the kind that other parents like to use as a bad example when teaching their kids to not pick up the bad habits." He laughed at her face that had contorted in anger.


    "You meanie. Don''t talk to me!" She harrumphed and pretended to be angry with him, shuffling closer to Lanni to ignore him.


    Lanni smiled slightly as she watched the new couple bicker like little kids.. It reminded her of the time when she and Xiehan had just started dating, and she suddenly missed him so badly.

 Chapter 464 - Disoriented

    "Lanni?" Xiaoshi called out when she realized that Lanni had spaced out for too long. The latter didn''t seem to hear her so she tapped her arm, and she finally jolted out of her trance.


    "Mmh?" She looked confused.


    "Why aren''t you eating?" Xiaoshi pointed at the food that had been delivered a few minutes ago, but was untouched by Lanni who was deep in thought. She hadn''t even realized when the food was brought in.


    She picked up her cutlery. "It''s right. I''m still a little disoriented¡­ I guess it''s because I slept too much."


    "Do you want to go out for fun later?" Xiaoshi suggested. She knew that Lanni had something on her mind and it had nothing to do with her feeling disoriented. She couldn''t probe unless the latter was willing to talk about it herself, so she could only offer something that would help her cheer up without being intrusive.


    Lanni was thankful for her good intention but she had to call a rain check. "Maybe next time?"


    "Of course." Xiaoshi did not push it. "If you need someone to talk to, I''ll be right here."


    ...


    As soon as she finished having lunch with the new couple, she left the restaurant absentmindedly and before she realized it, she had rang Xiehan''s doorbell.


    "My love, I thought you were going to sleep all day." The man opened the door with a complicated gaze. He was pleasantly surprised to see her but was at the same time worried, especially when he noticed that she didn''t seem to be in the best mood.


    "I missed you." She confessed and threw herself into his arms.


    He embraced her lovingly and kissed her forehead. Her hands were wrapped around his neck while her face plastered herself onto his chest. He didn''t need to ask her to know that she had something on her mind. Before he could ask about it, she raised her head and her lips crashed against his.


    He quickly adjusted to the sudden gesture and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tighter embrace as he kissed her lips. He gently sucked her lower lip as his right hand slid against the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her ear before sliding down to lift her chin.


    Her arms tightened at his back as she took the initiative to slide her tongue through his lips and she had to tiptoe to make up for the difference in their height.


    He held her waist and lifted her off the floor to carry her into the house, then sat on the couch and placed her on his lap. She gazed at him for a few seconds then smiled and got off his lap to sit beside him.


    He glanced at her with a curious side-eye. "Should I assume that the ambience here is much better so you wanted to take a nap here instead?"


    She responded with a smile. "Yes. Isn''t that because you are here? Obviously, naps are much sweeter in your presence."


    "When did you learn to be such a sweet talker?" He chuckled at her honeyed words.


    "That''s an effect of being close to you." She implied that one is marked by the company one keeps.


    "That isn''t simply an effect. It''s a perk." He exaggeratedly gave himself credit and she rolled her eyes.


    "Can I sleep in your room?" She asked out of the blue and he frowned.


    "What kind of question is that? Of course you can sleep anywhere you find pleasing, at any time you want. You can even sleep on top of me if you think it''s more comfortable." The second part of his statement was meant to be a tease.


    "I wouldn''t mind doing that later, but I will have to pass the offer at the moment."


    "Are you sure about that? My chest is more comfortable now." He took her hand and brought it to his chest as though asking her to try it out.


    In reality, she didn''t need to feel it to know. "I know that. It is my favorite pillow after all, of course I would know."


    "Do you need me to carry you there?" He took her up from the couch before she answered, and she could only wrap her arms around his neck.


    He placed her gently on the bed and sat beside her, next to her legs. "Go to sleep."


    She didn''t close her eyes and continued looking at him, and he found her odd. "Is there something wrong?"


    She didn''t know what was wrong with her either. She felt a wild flood of emotions that she couldn''t quite place. All she knew was that she wanted to be close to him. When he asked her whether something was wrong, she couldn''t stand it anymore and sat up while looking at him.


    "Come here." He pulled her into his arms, and took her lips in his. All her insecurities vanished in a flash as she lost herself in the flame of his passionate kiss. He took his time to savor the taste of her lips while at the same time reassuring her that he was there for her and that everything would be alright.


    Many things had happened in her life in such a short time, it was understandable for her to feel on edge; so he strived to make her forget the pain and remember the happiness that life had to offer.


    He broke the kiss and looked into her lost eyes as he caressed the side of her face with his thumb. "I love you."


    She pushed on his shoulders and he complied by lying down as she wanted him to, then she climbed onto him as their lips met. He held her waist to support her as she kissed his lips, then flipped to pin her under him.


    "I want you." She whispered as her fingers caressed the back of his head. "Make love to me."


    He was already aroused and he almost lost control at her words. He burrowed his head in the crook of her neck and kissed it, sucking it gently as his left hand held her waist. His right hand held up her thigh and caressed it, making her dress slide up her waist.


    She slid her hand off his neck and reached at her side to pull down the zipper she knew he was looking for. She sat up briefly to let him take off her dress then slumped back onto the bed while pulling him down on her.


    Her lower body girated against his manhood that was already hard in his pants. It stiffened harder from her actions and he groaned, impatiently ripping his clothes off his body.


    He looked into her eyes that were now filled with desire and reached his hand between her thighs. She whimpered when his hand came into contact with her wet core.


    He felt the small patch that had formed on her panties and in the next moment, he pulled it off her waist and slid himself into her.


    He sucked her nipple as he gently pushed in and out of her. He pressed the other between his thumb and forefinger, earning a whimper from her.


    "Xiehan," She whispered against his ear. His eyes that were full of desire looked up to meet her passionate gaze. "Take me hard."


    He kissed her lips then held both sides of her waist as he picked up his pace.


    ¡­.


    Lanni fell asleep as soon as they were done and when she woke up, she was on her own and the space beside her was cold. Xiehan must have woken up long ago. She looked around and noticed the rising sun through the open window, making her widen her eyes.


    Did she sleep all afternoon, throughout the entire night? When she looked down at herself and saw the blue nightdress she was wearing, she knew that she was right. Xiehan must have helped her freshen up. She wondered where he was.


    She checked the kitchen and didn''t find him. However, he had made her breakfast and left it on the dining table. It was still hot, so she guessed that he was still nearby.


    "You are finally awake. I was starting to wonder whether tales about princesses being kissed out of their sleep are really true." Xiehan remarked when he found her scanning around for him.


    "There is only one such princess." She retorted. Now that she had found the person she was looking for since she woke up, she realized that she was hungry and sat down to eat breakfast.


    "Do you need to go to work?" She asked since he was already late if he was planning to go to the office.


    "Honey, it''s Sunday." He was amused.


    She was shocked then realized that he was right.. Yesterday was Saturday, which is why she had been sure that she would find him at home. Did she lose part of her brain after sleeping for too long?

 Chapter 465 - Mr. Unreliable CEO

    While they had breakfast, Xiehan finally had the chance to have a good talk with Lanni.


    "Did something happen?" He asked. She was not herself the previous day.


    "It''s nothing. I was just feeling blue about your departure." She confessed.


    For a moment, he didn''t know what to say. When he announced his departure, she had seemed so nonchalant that he almost believed that it didn''t make her in the slightest bit unhappy. Who would have thought that her feelings would later come raging out like a flood.


    He pulled her onto his shoulder to pat her. "Don''t think about it. The days will pass by before you even realize it."


    She did not doubt this. She knew that the hardest part was his departure. Soon after, the time would fly and he would be back in no time. She couldn''t help wondering how the wives of military officials felt every time their husbands had to leave.


    "Don''t let your mind run wild." He flicked her forehead, knowing that she was thinking too much when he saw her start to space out. "Do you want to sleep some more? You can do so after breakfast."


    "Not anymore. I have slept for so long that I will turn into a potato if I sleep anymore." She rejected the idea immediately.


    Her phone rang and when she found that it was Lin Jian, she had the urge to roll her eyes. "Mr. Unreliable CEO, when am I supposed to report to work? I''m growing old just waiting for your signal."


    "About that." Lin Jian cleared his throat on the other end. "I was about to ask whether you needed more time to deal with your family matters. You can start working after that."


    "Are you insane?" Lanni couldn''t understand how he had managed to be the CEO of Lin Media Group without causing the downfall of the entire company. He was too lenient.


    "Are you about to complain about me giving you too much free time? It''s not like I have much choice."


    "Why wouldn''t you have a choice?" She wondered whether he was dreaming.


    "Can''t you check the space beside you for an answer?" the man sounded like he was complaining.


    Lanni was about to scold him when she realized what he meant. Was it Xiehan''s fault?


    "Mmh?" Xiehan raised an eyebrow in question when he noticed her staring at him while holding her phone against her ear.


    "Don''t make things difficult for my boss. I was wondering why he wouldn''t give me any work, turns out it was because of your meddling." She glared at him strictly.


    "Isn''t it your fault?" He retaliated.


    "How is it my fault?"


    "You were working so hard that I had to employ some special means." He looked at her then his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Now that you mention it, I shouldn''t have contacted Lin Jian. I should have let you drain yourself to find myself an excuse to punish you."


    She was speechless at his ability to say such words while knowing that the phone call was still on. But then again, he had merely talked about punishing her. It was she who had let her mind run wild.


    "Uhm you know what? I''ll just get back to work." Lin Jian hung up to run away from the atmosphere that he guessed might start heating up any instant.


    She looked at him when the call ended, and he finished his sandwich nonchalantly before looking at her quizzically.


    "I will start working tomorrow. You cannot interfere." It was not a request.


    "There has to be rules for that." He countered seriously. "You cannot work for more than seven hours every day."


    "That''s¡­" She was speechless at the fact that he could even make such a suggestion. "What if there is a lot of work and I have to work overtime?"


    "Don''t work overtime. It''s not good for your health." He sternly reasoned out.


    However, that was impossible. "How about this? I will not work overtime unless it is really necessary and I will give an explanation if I have to."


    Their conversation was interrupted by a call from Wen Lin. He was about to ignore it but she signalled for him to answer it as it might be important.


    "Xiehan, I was planning to throw a banquet for Ruby." Wen Lin stated. "After all, she has been back for a while now and we are getting more comfortable around each other. I think it is the right time to introduce her to the world."


    Xiehan waited for her to finish her explanation before asking, "Do you think the world should know that Ruby is the real daughter of the Ji family? You should keep in mind that Ruby is not a long lost daughter or one who has just returned from studying abroad. She is a young woman that many people know about, but they know her as Neil Chan''s daughter. Are you ready to explain the truth to everyone who asks about it?"


    Wen Lin paused for a few seconds and seemed to think about it. "I have thought about it and your father and I have decided to let the public know the truth. It''s only right. My daughter cannot continue to live in hiding. She was already robbed of the life she deserves before. If she continues living with us without a proper title, people will make all sorts of wild speculations and if we keep her away from us, we will be robbing her of the parental love she has missed all these years.


    Once we tell everyone the truth, we will protect her and besides, Xia Hanchen is dead."


    " I have nothing against it." Xiehan approved of it. "However, I wouldn''t advise you to explain that someone deliberately swapped her for Ji Feifei."


    "Of course. We don''t want to directly alert the enemies. We will make it seem like a case of accidentally carrying the wrong baby home then years later coincidentally stumbling upon the truth."


    "When do you want to hold it?" Xiehan asked.


    "Let me discuss it with Ruby."


    On the other end, Ruby had just entered the house when Wen Lin hung up the call. Before she could call her over to discuss the banquet, Ji Huifen beat her to it.


    "Ruby, come here."


    She walked over and sat on the space that Ji Huifen had patted beside him.


    The man scanned her for a while then asked, "Why are you only close to your mother? I have yet to hear the word ''dad'' from you."


    He sounded aggrieved like he had been robbed of something valuable, making her lips curl upwards. It wasn''t that she had a particular preference when it came to her biological parents. She was trying to create a good relationship with both of them. It was just weird to call anyone else aside from Neil dad.


    However, she knew that she should; Ji Huifen wasn''t any less of her father than Neil was. She cleared her throat and bit out. "Dad."


    Ji Huifen''s heart melted into a puddle. "Good girl. Come here. I will show you to the grand library."


    She stood up since he had stood up, even though she was confused by his order. "But Xiehan said that it is forbidden for anyone to set foot there."


    "Yes. But my daughter isn''t just anyone. Would you like the free trip?" He held out a hand to her.


    She placed her palm on his. "Yes."


    Wen Lin watched the father-daughter Duo with a smile. Thinking about the wild turn of events, she couldn''t help wondering whether this was the heavens giving her another chance. She had not been a good mother to Ji Feifei and had learnt her lesson the hard way. Now that her biological daughter was home, she strived to be more attentive¡ªeven though Ruby was already an adult.


    ....


    At the same time, in the Old Jiang Mansion.


    Xinghe leaned against the railing of the balcony of the master bedroom, looking outside with a lost expression.


    "Dear, what''s wrong?" Jiang Xingren appeared beside her with a worried expression. It was rare to see his jovial wife looking so sad.


    "I''m just worried. Have you heard about Luna''s dad?" She turned around to face her husband. When he nodded, she frowned. "How can you be so nonchalant about it? He is a dangerous man and he had us all fooled! Heaven knows how many underlings he had that could go after Luna."


    Jiang Xingren thought about it but still didn''t find anything to be worried about. "Dear, what''s there to be worried about? He is dead, so our daughter-in-law is safe. Even if he had a hundred underlings, they would scatter in confusion since they no longer have a master to guide them. Even if they later start to work under someone else''s orders, Xingyu will be able to protect Luna."


    "You are right." She was confident in her son.


    "Come here, my wife.." He embraced her.

 Chapter 466 - The Luckiest

    It was only four days after Xia Hanchen''s demise that news of it was published. It was all Flynn''s idea; since the former was a renowned businessman, it would be questionable if he simply disappeared without a trace, with no explanation whatsoever.


    It was also his idea to state that he was involved in a fatal car accident and that he had died in the hospital while undergoing a surgery to remove a clot that was near his brain. Obviously, no one would go around asking every surgeon whether Xia Hanchen underwent the surgery in their hospital and even if they did, he had already arranged for a false schedule in a hospital.


    When Xingyu read the news which he knew to be fake at a single glance, he was in his room in the Jiang Mansion and Luna was brushing her hair at the vanity. He knew that there wasn''t anyone who would not be sad about their parents'' death. It must be even sadder for Luna, having to lie to the public when she knew fully well what the truth was.


    He placed the newspaper aside and wrapped his arms around her from behind.


    "Mmh?" She questioned his sudden move.


    "Don''t be sad." He placed his chin on her shoulder as he took the hair brush from her hand to help her brush her hair and soothe her at the same time.


    Contrary to his expectations, she frowned for a second then laughed when she finally understood what he was talking about. "I would not be sad over the demise of someone I hate so much."


    "Are you sure? Are you really not sad?" He knew that she often held back what she really felt and lied about being alright so she would not worry anyone.


    She nodded. "I''m telling you the truth. I''ve never been happier. In fact, we should be celebrating the fact that a villain has left our lives."


    Regarding the last part of her statement, he couldn''t disagree. It didn''t matter who the villain was and how close they were to the people they hurt, their death would be a joyful occasion to all the people they hurt.


    He pulled her off the vanity by her hand and she followed his lead, then she was confused when she saw that he was leading her to the bed.


    "Come, let''s celebrate." He pulled her into his arms with a meaningful grin then started fumbling with her clothes.


    "Don''t be such a pervert. You know that''s not what I meant." Her voice pitched. Even though she was blaming him and calling him a pervert, she did not move away nor did she do anything to make him stop touching her. A single touch by his finger was all it took for her mind to go blank and she wanted him to keep touching her.


    "This is what I meant." He smiled as his hand moved up at the side of her body. He found the hem of her pajama top and lifted it to come in contact with the skin on her waist. It was warm and as usual, soft to the touch. He let go and reached for the front part of it to unbutton it instead. She was not wearing a bra so when he slid the soft cotton top off her, the top half of her body was entirely exposed in his view.


    "Honey, the baby." She whispered gently to remind him when his hands circled around her half naked body.


    "I''ll be gentle. I won''t hurt you and our baby." As he promised, he raised her chin with his thumb and kissed her lips. Her hands reached for his shirt but she was too weak from his kisses to make a move. He paused and helped her by ripping the shirt off him to throw it at the side, then hugged her waist.


    Her toes curled as she felt his fingers run up her back, then slide into her pajama pants. He pushed them off in one move and they slid down her body as she held onto his shoulders, weak from his touch.


    "You are so beautiful, my love." He whispered coarsely then lifted her off the floor to place her on the bed.


    While he held her in his arms, she fumbled for his belt and unbluckled it then made to take his pants off. He placed his hands on hers and looked into her eyes, then led her right hand onto his manhood.


    "You are so hard¡­" She sounded surprised at the fact that he could get a boner so fast.


    "This is what you do to me." He croaked as he pressed her hand against his throbbing boner. She could feel it pulsing in her hand through his boxer briefs and she rubbed her hand over it in slow strokes.


    Shifting from her side, she positioned herself to hover over him and tugged his briefs down. He immediately knew what she wanted to do.


    "You don''t have to do this." He knew that not every woman was into oral sex. His fianc¨¦e, in particular, had never shown an interest in it.


    "I want to. I want to make you feel good." Without waiting for another word from him, she took him in her mouth. Although she had never done this before, she knew what to do from hearing other women talk about it. She caressed the base of his manhood, her head bobbing as she tried to take as much of him as she comfortably could.


    He threw his head back as he groaned in pleasure, motivating her to keep going.


    Since she was not used to it, it wasn''t long before he realized that she was starting to feel tired. He didn''t want her to be uncomfortable so he stopped her and made her lie on the bed, placing a pillow behind her.


    "You drive me crazy." He confessed as he gently entered her body, earning a moan from her. His movements were gentle and slow and her toes curled behind him from the pleasure that she felt. She felt a pool gathering in the pit of her stomach, making her hug him tightly and uncontrollably bite his shoulder.


    "Don''t hold back. Let it out." He said teasingly in her ear.


    "Xingyu," She moaned out as she reached her climax, then felt him come a few seconds later.


    He hugged her in his arms and kissed her forehead while she took deep breaths to calm down from the waves of pleasure.


    "What''s with that look?" He noticed her staring at him a few moments later.


    "Baby wants to say hi to his dad." Came her metaphoric reply and he took a few seconds to understand what she meant.


    Although he had just had a climax a few minutes ago, his manhood hardened once more at her words. A single touch of hers was able to elicit such a huge reaction from him. Sometimes he wondered how it was possible for other men to talk about finding their wives less attractive when they were pregnant. He found Luna more and more beautiful every day and the fact that they were about to become parents and get married to spend the rest of their lives together drove him crazy every time he thought about it.


    One kiss led to another and soon, they were drenched in sweat as they hugged each other.


    "I''ve been wanting you more than usual. Is this normal?" She asked, finding it strange how frequently they made love lately.


    "It''s normal." He kissed her lips. "When your fiance is as handsome as me, it goes without saying that you will keep wanting him and will never have enough of him." He explained his nonsense through a laugh.


    "How narcissistic." She rolled her eyes tiredly. "I get scared sometimes. What if our baby is a son and he turns out to be like you?"


    He laughed at her indirect diss. "Then you will be the luckiest mother on earth and I will be the luckiest dad. He will be the cutest baby in the entire universe." He scanned her with interest and she didn''t need to ask to know what he was thinking. He was trying to imagine what their child would look like if it was a daughter, by looking at her.


    "Now that I look at you, I think a girl would be adorable. I would name her Mina," He stated the name he had just come up with.


    "Why Mina?" She asked curiously.


    "I don''t know. It''s the name I just came up with." He laughed.


    "I think Xiaomu is a better choice. To make Jiang Xiaomu actually exist." She ignored his choice, and he thought she made sense. Besides, it was a name that her sister used before so it was meaningful. He had to admit that she had a greater choice for names.


    " What if it''s a handsome little Xingyu?" He asked.


    She looked at him with a gentle smile.. "I would name him Linhou."

 Chapter 467 - Good Boy

    The following day, Lanni received yet another call from Lin Jian.


    "Do you need any more time off? I just read the news?" He asked, wondering whether she needed more time to get over the roller coaster that had just happened in her life.


    "If you are worried about what happened to my dad, then your worries are unfounded." She responded. At this rate, she wondered whether she would ever actually get to work.


    Her nonchalance baffled Lin Jian but he could not retaliate since it was she who knew whether or not she needed time off, and she had claimed to be alright. "Then start working today. Come over to Lin Media Group and I will give you a task."


    She was overjoyed and quickly changed into official attire and prepared to go to Lin Media Group.


    ¡­


    The receptionist had already been informed of her arrival so she let her in as soon as she arrived. Lanni was shown to Lin Jian''s office.


    She arrived just in time to hear the man harshly scold a female employee for messing up her work. The young woman dashed out of Lin Jian''s office with tears in her eyes, rendering Lanni speechless. So Lin Jian could be serious at work too. What was more surprising was that he could also be strict with beautiful women. Thanks to his debauchery, everyone assumed that he was unnecessarily lenient with pretty girls that looked helpless, and they all wondered whether women would be the downfall of Lin Media Group.


    "Come in." He bellowed at the door since he had already seen Lanni, and when the latter walked in, his overly serious expression morphed back to normal. Even then, the so-called normal was only in comparison to the strictness he had exhibited earlier. There was still an air of authority around him.


    They were at work so Lanni did not mind, though she was shocked to realize that the man also had times when he could get serious and focus on work.


    "What''s my task?" She asked so as to not waste each other''s time.


    "Let me see." Lin Jian looked up from his work and read through a file before he explained the content to her. "There is a notorious woman that the police as well as the special forces are after. Her name is Li Xiyan."


    "Are you kidding me?" Lanni was puzzled.


    "You know her. I am aware of that" Lin Jian did not flinch. "Li Xiyan is a criminal who had been previously caught by the police but unfortunately, she ran away. She is suspected to be under an alias. Don''t only focus on this point, though. She could be under an alias, or she could be hiding away in her true form since everyone expects her to be under an alias. Your task is to find her and report where she is as well as where she had been."


    " What?" She was even more shocked when she heard everything he had to say. "My task is to find Li Xiyan? I didn''t know I was supposed to be an undercover journalist of sorts?" This was exactly what she had been at Galaxis and she wasn''t certain that she wanted anything to do with it.


    "One of our roles as journalists is to inform the public of what lurks in the shadows that they should be wary of. I expected you to have learnt this in Media School." He sounded so serious that she almost mistook him for an impostor.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to do it. I''m just shocked." Honestly, she didn''t think it was a coincidence that her first task just happened to be related to Li Xiyan.


    "Don''t worry. I am not asking you to go undercover or disguise yourself like you did when you exposed the Feng family. You can work as your true self. Of course, if you want to go under a disguise, I will not stop you from doing that either. As long as you get the result as you should." He said seriously, then realized that she was stil giving him a skeptical look. He knew without needing to ask what she was shocked about.


    " Is it surprising that I''m giving you something related to what you already wanted to find out?" He asked, and she nodded. He then let out a tiny chuckle and swung by his chair so he was facing her directly. "It''s a mere coincidence that we were going to investigate Li Xiyan either way, Since you happen to want to do that, I thought I may as well give the task to you. Call yourself lucky." Before she could actually celebrate her luck, he added, "Don''t be too happy yet. I will give you four days"


    "Four days?" The exclamation escaped her lips.


    "Is it too much? I think so too. Make that three." He spoke sternly, his eyes looking at her seriously as though he was threatening to decrease it to two days if she said anything about it.


    "I will do my best." She bowed her head and made her way out of his office. Her eyes blinked for a while before she shook her head in disbelief. Was that really Lin Jian?


    One second, the man was giving her calls and fondly addressing her as his friend-in-law, while cutely begging her to go over to Lin Media Group. The next second, he was trying to kill her by dumping on her head a heavy duty atomic bomb in form of a task and asking her to complete it within three days. Couldn''t he at least give a warning before such insane transformation?


    Thinking about it, Lanni shrugged as she left Lin Media Group. She was planning to take care of Li Xiyan after dealing with Xia Hanchen anyway. Take it as her taking advantage of work to sort out her personal matters. It would use less time.


    ...


    After an entire morning of working his butt off, Lin Jian finally had a moment to take a breather over lunch hour. He thought about whether or not he should spend that time working but shook his head in the end. While there was a lot of work to be completed in a short time, that didn''t mean he shouldn''t eat and rest. Ruby would be worried about him if he didn''t take good care of himself. Worse than that, she might start to let her imagination run wild and think he was in the company of another woman if he did not give her a call to check on her.


    Thinking of this, he took out his phone and dialled the contact number he had saved as [My Ruby].


    "Babe, how have you been?" He asked when the girl answered the call, which was almost as soon as he dialled it. Since she liked reading comics on her phone, he guessed that she must have been reading and had answered the call accidentally.


    "I''m alright." She ignored what she had heard him call her. Since she had given him a chance, it was expected that he would use pet names on her.


    He thought about what to tell her and realized that he had nothing in mind. All he had wanted was to check on her and he didn''t think about what he would say once she answered the call. He frowned as he went through his schedule on his large, black desk and it gave him an idea. "I heard about the banquet"


    "Yes." She was currently trying to draft up an invitation card before copies would be made of it. "Will you attend it?"


    Her question took him by surprise. He thought she had always wanted more than for him to stay far away from her, so he was taken aback when she asked about his plans. "I will attend it if you take me as your male companion."


    "Is there an end to your bullshit?" She rolled her eyes even though she knew that he would not see it. This man was so full of drama that sometimes it made her wonder whether he had chosen a wrong career path. Perhaps being an actor would suit him. If he acted the role of an insane drama king, he would not need any acting skills, he would simply need to bring out the real him.


    "Why would there be? I want to bullshit my way into your heart. Is this not allowed?" Came his crazy reply. "Let''s have lunch together."


    "I''m busy with schoolwork as well as preparing for the banquet." She dismissed him. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to dine with him, she was just too busy at the moment.


    "What a bummer, I''ll be all on my own." He complained.


    "Isn''t there a retinue of ladies waiting to dine with you?" She chimed, but he knew she was not suggesting for him to take another woman out for lunch. He had been with enough ladies to know when they don''t mean what they say.


    "How can I do that? I can only have lunch with you." He said, much to her relief.


    "Good boy." As expected, she was happier.. "Let''s have dinner together if you will be available."

 Chapter 468 - I Came To Say Hi

    After three nights of little sleep, Lanni finally had significant progress in her search so she gave Lin Jian a call.


    "I know where Li Xiyan is." She reported.


    "Do you have evidence that she is Li Xiyan?" Asked Lin Jian. His implication was that she could have followed the wrong lead or worse, Li Xiyan could have set her up to find the wrong person.


    "Yes. I''m sure of it." She would never mistake anyone else for the woman who harmed her best friend and almost ruined her sister''s life.


    He was satisfied by her response. "Let''s go and confirm it. Meanwhile, call the police."


    "Why are we involving the police?" Lanni asked. It wasn''t that she didn''t know, but she preferred to deal with Li Xiyan personally. The last time they involved the police in dealing with that woman, the woman was helped out of prison.


    Who knew, there might just be another Han Xichen to help her out a second time. However, she knew that saying this would not do anything to sway Lin Jian. Since three days ago, she had found out that he drew a significant line between work and personal matters. She could only do as she was told.


    "She lives in an apartment complex in the east outskirts of the city. Shall I send you the address?" She asked.


    "No need. We are going there together. Where are you? Come over to Lin Media Group." As he spoke, he called his assistant over the intercom and asked him to arrange for bodyguards.


    About twenty minutes later, Lanni arrived at the company building. When she saw the fleet of cars awaiting them and the bodyguards outside the cars, she shot a look at the man beside her. "What the heck? Do you think we are supposed to make a grand entrance like mafia bosses of some sort?"


    "You do not expect us to go unguarded, now do you? Li Xiyan is not your everyday thug." He countered.


    "Yes, it is exactly because she isn''t your everyday thug that we shouldn''t make such an appearance. What makes you think she will sit back and wait for us even while knowing that we are going there for her?" She frowned at her boss''s strange logic.


    "We can all hide and proceed carefully." He shrugged as he made his way to the third car on the queue. He opened the back passenger door and waited for her to get in.


    She got in reluctantly but still had something to say. "The more we are, the harder it is for us to hide. Li Xiyan''s late husband was a programmer and the nation''s proclaimed top hacker. Heaven knows the kind of security measures he put in place for her to avoid her getting caught."


    "Speaking of that, where is your sister?" Lin Jian asked as he instructed the chauffeur to start driving. All the bodyguards entered the cars and they drove off.


    "Nope. We are not going to involve my sister in this. She is pregnant." Lanni rejected the idea sternly. It was already bad enough that they had made Luna work so hard during this period. The more danger they involved her in, the higher the risk that she would be emotionally unstable.


    "Okay. We can still do without her." Lin Jian compromised, and Lanni guessed that he probably knew a talented hacker.


    When they were close to the apartment complex, the car stopped and Lin Jian instructed Lanni to get off. When they were out, she finally realized that they were the only ones who had arrived, and the other cars were nowhere in the vicinity.


    "What are you looking for? I told you my men are pros in hiding." He smiled with a tease.


    "Okay. Then let''s go." She knew there was no time to waste. Lin Jian had already contacted one of his friends who was a police officer, and he arrived soon after they did.


    The man greeted Lanni and shook her hand. "Did you say you knew where Li Xiyan is?"


    "Yes. I will show you to her unit." Lanni so badly wanted Lin Jian to change his mind but she knew that it would never happen so she gave up on the thought.


    "I''ve been wondering, why would Li Xiyan live in an apartment even while knowing that she is a wanted criminal?" Lin Jian wondered aloud.


    "Because she knows that no one would think of such a highly populated apartment when looking for her. She is rich and under the eye of the police, so anyone would imagine that she lives in a secluded villa or bungalow." Lanni answered him as they made their way up the stairs. They had avoided the elevator because of possible security measures that Xia Hanchen might have put in place for Li Xiyan.


    She lived on the eighth floor, so the three were out of breath by the time they made it up.


    They carefully walked towards the unit that Lanni had stated. To prevent her from running away, there were several policemen stationed on every floor, and they were in casual clothing so Li Xiyan would never guess their identity before she got caught.


    Lanni rang the doorbell under the guise of housekeeping staff. However, after waiting for a while, there was no movement on the other side, much less anyone to open the door. The policeman was preparing to break in when the door swung open on its own.


    He frowned and walked in, then searched all the rooms in the house and returned while shaking his head. "She is not here."


    "What? I am sure that this is where she lives. It couldn''t be wrong." Lanni was baffled by the outcome.


    "She lives here." The man took a picture from a side table and showed it to them. It was Li Xiyan''s picture without a disguise. "However, it is also possible that she rented this apartment to create confusion but lives somewhere else."


    "Can I look around?" Lanni asked.


    "Be careful. Never mind. Let me come with you." The man slid a pair of gloves on and gave her a pair so she would not leave any fingerprints behind.


    "Thank you." Lanni made her way towards the corridor.


    "Stay behind me." The man ordered. "Where do you want to check?"


    Lin Jian took out his phone to ask his men to check for any traces of Li Xiyan as Lanni walked around the house with the policeman.


    She entered the bathroom when he let her and checked around.


    "She was here recently." She pointed at a bottle of shampoo.


    The man looked at it and nodded when he realized that the shampoo had been used before. He then touched the faucet and found that it was still warm. "She was here a few minutes ago. She took a shower."


    Lanni was relieved that she had not gotten the information wrong.


    "She must have run away. Stay away from this place and let my colleagues and I handle it." He instructed, and Lanni left to go back to the living room where Lin Jian was waiting.


    "Did she run away?" Lin Jian guessed.


    Lanni was about to nod when she noticed a fallen vase along with a broken floor lamp near the window. Her eyes narrowed. "Looks like she was kidnapped."


    ...


    Lanni''s final guess was right because the next week, Lin Jian''s friend called him to report that Li Xiyan''s body had been found. From the modus operandi, the police concluded that the murderer was probably the same person who killed Ji Feifei.


    Lanni was in disbelief when she heard the news. She didn''t need to make a guess and directly made a call.


    "You did it, didn''t you?"


    "Don''t worry, no one can trace it back to me." Flynn chuckled on the other end. "I deliberately used Xia Hanchen''s method, and there is no way to prove that I was close to that psycho."


    "How funny it is for you to call anyone a psycho." Lanni berated him.


    "Now, now. I thought you would be happy about it. If it makes you feel better, I did not let her off easily. I tortured her for longer than I did with Xia Hanchen and by the time she died, she had spent two days begging me to kill her."


    Lanni was still speechless so he added, "Sis, I will get rid of everyone who has tried to hurt you in the past and is still alive. No matter who they are, I will drag them out and show them what happens to people who mess with my family."


    When Flynn hung up, he finally got down the car as he had arrived at his destination. In his mind, he thought back to his mother who had suffered for merely existing. ''Mother, I made them pay for it. Are you happy?''


    ¡­


    Li Yuming was about to leave the house when the doorbell rang. She opened it and almost fainted when she saw who the incomer was. "What are you doing here?"


    "I came to say hi.." The man smiled as he ran a hand through his hair down his brown ponytail."

 Chapter 469 - Perfect Match

    Li Yuming stared at the man before her in horrr. She had never met him before but from the description of her daughters and her late brother in the past, this should be Xia Hanchen''s son; the child he had with his German girlfriend¡ªFlynn.


    She didn''t need anyone to tell her that he must mean harm. After all, he must think that it was partially her fault that Xia Hanchen dumped his mother after using her. She also knew that whatever happened to Li Xiyan was his handiwork, so it was obvious that he was definitely not here to make friends.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked instinctively, and a second later decided that she didn''t need to know. "Please leave."


    "What was that? Aren''t you too hospitable? You are sending me away even without knowing why I''m here." Flynn''s lips curled into a smile.


    "I don''t have any business with you nor do I need your presence. If you don''t leave, I will call the police." Li Yuming threatened as she took out her phone to dial the emergency number for the police.


    The man grinned. "You don''t need to do that. I only came to say hi."


    He snatched the phone from her hand to confiscate it then entered the house much to Li Yuming''s horror. "Aren''t you going to offer your guest anything to eat? How hospitable you are."


    "Please leave." Li Yuming didn''t want to entertain him even for a second.


    "Why? I really only want to say hello to my sisters'' mother." Flynn looked up at her like she was heartless by sending him away.


    Lanni entered the house and was surprised by the gloomy atmosphere, then her gaze landed on Flynn who was making himself comfortable on the couch. Her first reaction was to rush to Li Yuming and check her all over. "Mom, are you alright?"


    Li Yuming nodded even though she was clearly uncomfortable, and Lanni glared at the man on the couch.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Flynn raised an eyebrow at her antics. "I see, my sister does not trust me."


    "We are uncomfortable about your presence. Just go." Lanni insisted, and Flynn had no choice but to stand up to leave.


    "What''s the commotion all about?" Asked Luna, who had just woken up from her nap. She then saw Flynn who was about to leave and shook her head. He knew fully well that his presence was still bound to make everyone nervous. Why the hell would he come without a notice?


    Flynn turned when he heard Luna''s voice, and smiled when he saw her make her way down the staircase. "Luna, your mother and sister don''t trust me. Can you tell them that I mean no harm?"


    Before Luna responded, Li Yuming jumped in the young man''s way. "Don''t look at my daughter. Luna, go back to your room and wait for me to tell you when to come out. Lanni, go up too."


    Flynn laughed, his gaze still on Luna since Li Yuming was shorter than him and did not manage to block his line of sight. "Do you think I''m dangerous? Surely, you don''t think so, right? After all, you trusted me with your sister''s life more than a year ago."


    Lanni frowned at Flynn''s insane words and pushed his back to lead him out.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll go. Tell me if you ever want me to pay a visit." He left willingly, but Lanni was still skeptical.


    "Are you really okay?" She asked Li Yuming. She also knew that there was no way Flynn would like a woman who was married to Xia Hanchen before.


    "He didn''t do anything." Li Yuming patted her chest in relief and sat down. She then looked at Luna who had made her way over. "What does he mean you trusted him with your sister''s life before?"


    "He is talking about that time when I asked him for drugs to make Lanni lose her memory." She confessed, making Li Yuming''s eyes widen. "I knew he cared about Lanni but I didn''t know why he did. I thought he liked her until I learnt who he truly is." She explained. In truth, she had questioned her conclusion many times in the past but didn''t have any evidence so she had let it slide.


    Thinking about what she did, she took Lanni''s hand. "I''m sorry Lanni. I shouldn''t have made you lose your memory without your permission."


    "It''s alright." She dismissed it. It was all in the past. Besides, perhaps she would have still forgotten what she had to even if Luna did not induce it.


    "I don''t think he means any harm." Luna stated. "Otherwise, he would not have come here. We all know what he is capable of."


    Lanni nodded in agreement. If he could sneak Li Xiyan out of her house under the watch of so many people and not be noticed by any of them, then he could have done the same for Li Yuming if he wanted to. "Even so, he is like a double-edged sword that can help us but once we do something he doesn''t like, he could harm us. It is still safe to stay as far away from him as possible."


    ...


    Ruby''s banquet was set to happen a few days later so it would coincide with her birthday.


    Because of this, the Ji family only invited close friends.


    The banquet was being held in the Old Ji Mansion and Ruby had called Lanni and Xiaoshi to help her dress up.


    "Lin Jian is here asking for you." Xiaoshi reported when she returned with drinks for them. Since they knew that the two of them were cousins, they had become closer so when she saw Ruby smile at the news, she didn''t hesitate to ask for gossip, "Are the two of you finally together?"


    "He''s on probation." Ruby joked and the girls laughed, even though Lin Jian really was on probation. He had been walking on eggshells lately and did not even dare to smile at any woman when greeting her.


    "I must say, if he has managed to last this long before getting kicked out by you, then he really does love you." Lanni commented.


    No one would find it comfortable to be super cautious especially if it involved avoiding something they liked doing. He must love Ruby to be willing to drop all his bad habits and avoid everything that Ruby could misunderstand at all costs.


    "Lanni is right." Said the deep voice of the man who had just walked in and happened to overhear what Lanni had said in his favor.


    Ruby peeked at him through the mirror. "Don''t take her words as a cue to revert back to your old self, do you understand?"


    "Why would I do that when I have the world''s most beautiful woman as my girlfriend?" He closed in on her and took the chance to kiss her cheek. "Babe, you look beautiful."


    "Thank you."


    Lanni and Xiaoshi slipped away so they would not interrupt the couple. As soon as they got downstairs, a hand appeared before them and dragged Xiaoshi to the side. Lanni was startled for a moment before she noticed that the incomer was Han Xichen. She waved at Xiaoshi with a smile. "You guys catch up, I will see you later."


    "About that, Xiehan is looking for you." Han Xichen spoke as he held Xiaoshi''s waist.


    "Stop it, there are people around." Xiaoshi was embarrassed that Han Xichen didn''t hold back and was acting as though they were on their own.


    "They are just arriving and have a lot of catching up to do. No one will care about us." He held her chin up so she would look up to meet his gaze. "I missed so much I almost became ill."


    "But I give you bentos every morning. You don''t even have the chance to miss me." She protested.


    "That, you do. But you send a maid to drop it off at my office. That is not the same as you bringing it." He countered.


    "I thought it was the food that mattered." She looked up at him quizzically.


    He nodded. "Of course it does. Not everyone is lucky enough to get a taste of your yummy delicacies everyday, so it matters a lot. However, the person who cooked it matters even more and I miss her every day."


    "You flatter me too much." Xiaoshi averted her gaze when she noticed the heads that had turned her way, and just happened to see Luna who was walking past them with Xingyu.


    "Hey, boss." She offered Luna a smile.


    "You can just call me Luna." The latter corrected yet again. "How have you been?"


    "I''m doing great." Before she could say anything else, Luna and Xingyu were swarmed with countless people who looked ready to tumble over each other just to say hi to each other.


    "Now that I look at them clearly, they are the perfect match." She said in a low tone, referring to Luna and Xingyu.


    "They are meant for each other." Han Xichen added, then took her hand. "And so are we.. But we are a more perfect match than them."

 Chapter 470 - Wrong Vs Right

    "Aren''t you going to accompany your sister?" Lanni asked Xiehan when she found him waiting for her.


    He gave her a once over. "And leave my girlfriend on her own so other men can drool at her? Not happening." He hooked her arm around his.


    She let out a smile as she tilted her head to look at him. "I don''t want my man to be drooled at either."


    "No one has the audacity to do that. They run the risk of having their heads chopped." He laughed, making her wonder whether she was scary in the eyes of other young women.


    "I mean, I will chop their heads off." He added, making her chuckle. "Don''t stain your hands."


    As they walked into the banquet hall , they ran into someone that Lanni would never expect to meet anywhere.


    "Ah Chen? Why are you here?" Lanni asked in surprise as she eyed the young man who was once her senior when she was in B City University.


    "I''m accompanying my mother. Long time no see." The young man had expected Lanni to attend the banquet as well¡ªbeing Xiehan''s girlfriend¡ªbut he didn''t think he would really bump into her.


    "I''ll let you guys catch up." Xiehan offered and went to continue welcoming the guests, making Lanni''s eyebrows raise in surprise. The jealous Xiehan was willingly leaving her in the same space as a man who was once crazily in pursuit of her? Was the sun rising from the west tomorrow?


    "How have you been? You disappeared on us ever since you went to Star Art International." Ah Chen asked to strike a conversation.


    "I went back to my origins." She answered mysteriously, not directly stating that she had decided to drop out of art school and had recently finished studying what she thought she was meant for. "What about you?"


    He found her words bizarre but he did not probe too much. "I graduated and found a job." as he spoke, he noticed his mother waving him over, probably to introduce him to some of her friends. He sucked in a breath. "Aw, bummer. Do you want to catch up over coffee sometime? This is my cell phone number." He gave Lanni a card.


    "Sure." Lanni took the card, though she was planning that she would only catch up with Ah Chen after confirming that Xiehan would not mind.


    She held the card and felt it between her fingers as she wondered whether or not her mother would come. She had been invited, but there was still a great deal of friction between her mother and Wen Lin even if they all pretended that there was no rivalry between them. If it was possible, Lanni hoped that there would be peace between her mother and her boyfriend''s mother.


    "He will be your text task once you finish the current one." A voice spoke beside her ear, almost spooking the hell out of her. She frowned when Lin Jian''s words sunk in.


    "Who, Ah Chen?"


    When the man nodded, Lanni was even more confused. "What do you suspect him of?"


    Lin Jian looked around and when he saw that there were many people around, he led her to the garden so they were far from everyone''s earshot. "Weapon smuggling."


    Lanni was shocked and she still had a frown on her face. "I am not close to him but I know that he would never be involved in any shady business."


    "No one is ever capable of being involved in shady business until you find evidence of their actions. It was the same with Xia Hanchen as well as Li Xiyan." Lin Jian countered. "And speaking of Li Xiyan, I have a very strong feeling that you know what happened to her even though you did not mention it."


    "What are you talking about?" She feigned innocence.


    Lin Jian scoffed at her perfect acting skills. "If you cannot tell the difference between work and personal business, what are you doing in this line of work? I''m talking about the fact that you are willing to uncover everything but you pretend to know nothing when it involves someone close to you."


    She blinked innocently but inwardly, she was in turmoil. Did he know that Flynn was the one who had kidnapped and murdered Li Xiyan?


    He must know, or he would not be saying such words. But whether or not she knew, what could she do about it? It wasn''t like she could hand Flynn over to the police. Even if she did, she did not have the evidence and she would create herself a new enemy.


    "You know what I''m talking about. Think about it, do you want to keep a snake by your side?" Lin Jian questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You must know better than to use work to execute your revenge, That aside, I hope you do not do anything of that sort with Ah Chen. The main target is his fianc¨¦e, but since you seem to have had a past acquaintance with him, it will be easier to investigate her through him."


    "Ah Chen is engaged?" She was surprised, then it dawned on her. No wonder Xiehan was willing to leave them to catch up while he went about his business. It turned out, he no longer thought of Ah Chen as a threat since the latter would no longer pursue Lanni while he was engaged.


    "Her name is Qiao Linyou. She is an actress." He explained.


    Lanni nodded, that was a name she had heard many times. The said woman was an international level actress who rose to fame when she was a teenager. More than that, if Lanni''s memory served her right, wasn''t that actress Lin Jian''s ex-girlfriend? She didn''t ask but she wondered whether that was how he knew about her weapon-smuggling business.


    Lin Jian explained the details of what she needed to do, then looked at her seriously. "About that guy who likes to style his hair in a curly ponytail, you know what''s the right thing to do." He then walked away.


    She let out a sigh. What should she do? Trap Flynn to reveal evidence of what he did to Li Xiyan?


    But he did it for her and Luna, so Li Xiyan would no longer hurt them in future. Scratch that. He was doing it out of his own selfishness and need for revenge too. But even so, it would be hard to trick him even if she tried-not that she wanted to.


    "What are you so lost thinking about?" Xiehan circled his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.


    "Flynn." She answered with a frown.


    Xiehan didn''t know what exactly she was worried about but since he had brushed past Lin Jian who must have been on his way from speaking to Lanni, he could pretty much guess the kind of discussion that had transpired between them.


    "Do what your heart feels is right, something that will not haunt you." He said to her, and she frowned.


    "Do you also think that I should hand him over to the police?" She asked helplessly. If she didn''t have to, she did not want to do it.


    "I''m not saying that the law is specifically right or wrong. It''s all up to you. If you think that by handing him over, you will help the nation get rid of a criminal and you will be proud of it, then do it. If you feel that everything will go wrong and many people will be in danger, and that by leaving Flynn free you will be saving innocent lives, then leave things as they are. Lin Jian will not force you to do anything."


    She wasn''t sure she could understand what he had said but he was not taking any specific sides so she felt she could talk to him freely. That, and the fact that he had always understood her. "It''s just¡­ I will be lying."


    "If you don''t want to lie, then don''t say anything." He suggested. Withholding information wasn''t right either, but he felt it was a lesser wrong than lying.


    She nodded and leaned against his chest. "Thank you my love."


    "You don''t need to thank me. Let''s go inside, the banquet is starting."


    She nodded and hooked her arm around his as they walked back into the banquet hall.


    The Ji family decided not to hold an announcement to state that Ruby was their daughter but instead, they walked around with her and introduced her as the Ji family''s young miss, then let the rumor spread to prepare everyone for the shocking twist that they would announce later into the banquet.


    Lanni did not completely relax and superficially held small talk with the guests, while trying to acquaint herself to those close to Ah Chen or whose brands had ever used Qiao Linyou as their ambassador. It would be easier to investigate her if she knew as much as possible about the actress, but she could not directly probe.. Instead, she found ways to make the other parties bring her up on their own.

 Chapter 471 - Qiao Linyou (1)

    She was currently speaking to Ah Chen''s mother, who looked jubilant when she recalled that the girl before her was Li Yuming''s daughter and that she was once in the same school as her son.


    "Is it true that he''s getting married?" She asked like any other girl would seek gossip. "I heard he is marrying a famous actress."


    The middle aged woman looked neither happy nor sad about it. "It is true indeed. Though I think he is young. But the kids have to be let to make their own choices, right?"


    "Yes." Lanni was glad that the woman trusted her to explain so much. Even though they no longer lingered on Ah Chen and soon moved on to another topic, it had still made a major point clear¡ªAh Chen was not getting married because he was under pressure from his parents.


    When they were in B City, the young man once mentioned that he was in no hurry to settle down and that if he found the right woman, he would want to date for at least five years before settling down.


    It was less than two years since she and Ah Chen last saw each other and the last time they did, he was still single. Which meant he was rushing into marriage. If it was not because his parents were pushing him, then what was the reason?


    Now that she thought about it, it was not very common for young actresses to get boyfriends, much less settle down in marriage. Most of them were scared that they would lose many fans if they settled down, so even if they did get into relationships, they hid it from the public. Why was Qiao Linyou getting married?


    She thought about the possibility of her being madly in love with Ah Chen but shook her head. That was not plausible. Could it be that it was a shotgun wedding and she was pregnant?


    She shook her head again at that thought. As an actress with her level of fame, Lanni was certain that she would have decided to abort the baby lest it get in the way of her career.


    The only reason left in her mind was that the wedding in itself was fishy. There really was something to hide. She walked ahead and saw Lin Jian so she made her way to him.


    "Do you have something to ask me?" Lin Jian guessed and made his way to her, then led her to an empty corridor.


    "How was Qian Linyou when you were in a relationship with her? Was she normal like any other young woman, or was there anything fishy about her?" Lanni asked, to which Lin Jian chuckled.


    "If there was nothing fishy, I would never have given you such a task. Though I have to say you are impressive for figuring out that she was my ex. Don''t tell Ruby." The last thing he wanted was for Ruby to compare herself to his exes and perhaps become insecure once again.


    "I won''t." She was not planning to yap about it anyway, so there was nothing hard about that.


    To ensure that there wouldn''t be anyone eavesdropping on their conversation, Lanni showed him to Xiehan''s study, whose door was soundproof.


    "She comes from a family that is not well off. Even so, she managed to bribe her way into signing with one of the most highly regarded agencies and paved her own path to success. When I first met her, she looked like a wealthy young miss when her first movie was not even popular and she couldn''t have earned anything more than peanuts."


    " Perhaps she had a sugar daddy? " Lanni speculated. While that was not decent either, it was not half as grave as engaging in smuggling business. Lin Jian furrowed his brows at the thought of it. "Do you think I would get close to a woman who belongs to another man?" If it was possible for him to do that, he would have long tried to be with Lanni or Luna, considering how beautiful they were and the fact that he was still a playboy when he met them.


    Lanni bit her lip and held back the scolding at the tip of her tongue. How easy it was for him to say such a thing when he was the city''s most infamous playboy. He could play around but his women belonged solely to him?


    It was not part of the main point so she asked, "Was she in contact with any fishy people?"


    He shrugged as he plucked a leaf from the potted plant on Xiehan''s desk. "None that I knew about. I was not with her for long enough to know who she associated with."


    "I see." Lanni nodded. The only way to go about it now was to befriend the girl through Ah Chen. She knew that it was not right to use anyone but she also knew that it was not time to tell Ah Chen about her suspicion yet. At least not until she knew why the two of them were engaged.


    Decisively, she saved Ah Chen''s number and the next time they bumped into each other in the banquet hall, she asked him out for a coffee on Sunday.


    "Is there something else?" He asked as he observed that she was still looking at him like she wanted to say something.


    "Could you bring your fiancee along? I''m her greatest fan and would be thrilled to meet her." She asked hopefully.


    "News does travel fast." Ah Chen chuckled, but she was paying a lot of attention to him so she noticed that he didn''t seem to be happy about it. Nonetheless, he nodded. "I will bring her with me."


    She thanked him and observed that he looked a little gloomy after talking about his fianc¨¦e. It was finally confirmed. He didn''t like Qiao Linyou. The banquet went on peacefully but all she was wondering was who else to speak to that might know about Qiao Linyou. While she looked around, she noticed Li Yuming walk in through the door in the company of Xiehan and a smile graced her lips. Her mother did come after all.


    ¡­


    "I''m sorry I''m late." Li Yuming apologized to Xiehan who had picked her up. "I had to settle matters with the National Art Union. I hope you don''t mind."


    "It''s alright. You don''t need to apologize, Aunty." Xiehan led her in, then had to go back to greet another late guest so she let her on her own.


    "It''s Li Yuming! It''s been long." A middle-aged woman hurried over to catch up with her and was awed when she took a clear look at Li Yuming. "Oh My, aren''t you growing younger each day?" Although it was a compliment, the other woman''s voice held a hint of jealousy. They were clearly the same age. In fact, Li Yuming could be slightly older because her daughters were already so old, while the other woman''s only son was still in his late teens. What did Li Yuming do to keep her skin so soft and her figure so beautiful?


    Li Yuming was wearing a floor length black dress with the intention of not stealing the limelight from the younger generation but because of her fair skin, it made her stand out all the more. She had a scarf around her shoulders and her hair was in an updo, and if the older women didn''t know her, they would have mistaken her for a young woman in her early thirties.


    "Thank you." Li Yuming accepted the compliment and started looking for Ruby to give her the present she had prepared. As she walked, someone bumped into her.


    "I''m so sorry. Milady, are you okay?" Neil apologized vehemently. Luckily, he had managed to steady the woman before she could trip.


    "It''s alright." Li Yuming adjusted her scarf and was ready to continue going her way.


    Neil was stunned when he heard her voice, and he took a good look to confirm it. "Li Yuming, it''s you! Oh my goodness, you look so beautiful that I almost couldn''t recognize you."


    "Uhm¡­ thanks."


    A few meters away, Ruby was about to go to meet Li Yuming when she heard what Neil had said. She stopped in her tracks, stunned at her foster father''s tone. ''Dad, are you sure that it'' s alright for a man your age to say such things?'' She thought and turned back to go somewhere else.


    When Li Yuming realized that this was Neil Chan, she decided to give the gift box to him. "Aren''t you Ruby''s¡­ dad? please give this to her. And this is for you."


    She held out what looked like a VIP card and he held it up with interest.


    "I get a gift too?"


    "Of course. It''s the least I can do to thank you for supporting my charity banquets." She had finally uncovered the identity of the mystery donor. Although all the money she got from the charity banquets were not meant for her pocket but would be sent to the national charity organization, she still appreciated his support. "Besides, bringing a daughter up is not a piece of cake."


    "Tell me about it." Neil laughed. "You must have had it worse. You have two of them and they are both settling down soon.. But at least you have a grandchild on the way."

 Chapter 472 - Flowers And Jewelry

    "Yes. I feel lucky." Li Yuming smiled brightly. The thought of a toddler running all over the house and calling her ''grandma'' brought joy into her heart. And to think that all because Xia Hanchen had convinced her daughter into the wrong side, she had almost missed out on the joy of being a mother and a grandmother.


    Neil couldn''t help feeling a little jealous when he saw how happy Li Yuming was. "You have a long streak of good luck coming your way. You must have done a lot of good deeds in your life. Perhaps it''s a blessing from the heavens for your kindness? My only baby was taken away from me."


    She couldn''t help feeling a little sympathetic when she recalled how the kids had explained Ruby''s past. Neil had brought her up all these years while knowing that she was not his and that some day, she might reunite with her biological family. "She is still yours. You brought her up and she loves you so much." she said in consolation.


    "I used to think that my Lanni would no longer love me when she got a boyfriend but she still loves me as much. Luna is getting more clingier by the day despite being engaged and expectant." When she realized that she had forgotten her manners and sounded like she was bragging about her daughters, she smiled the awkwardness away. "The point is, it''s evident that Ruby takes it as she has two fathers. When she gets married, she will have three fathers¡ªshe is very fortunate, since some people only have one or two, or none."


    "You are right." Neil was happier.


    Sighing in relief after having to offer solace to a grown man, Li Yuming decided to catch up with some acquaintances.


    "Li Yuming." Neil called before she could get two steps away.


    "Yes?"


    "Congratulations on your daughter''s achievements. I heard that the ban on Luna''s company was lifted." Neil spoke up when she turned to face him.


    She smiled in return. "The child likes to do everything on her own and play around here and there." Although her words were meant to be modest, she couldn''t hide how proud she was of her daughter.


    "My Ruby is still so useless. She still doesn''t know what she wants." Neil commented, but from his tone, he was not mad at her. Instead, it was evident that he was ready to indulge her until she found what she wanted and focused on it.


    "Haha. No she isn''t." Li Yuming laughed.


    ...


    "Babe, I need you to do me a favor." Lin Jian sought Ruby when the banquet ended and she went to the balcony to take a breather.


    She ignored his form of address since she was starting to get used to it. "What do you need?"


    "Could you be the cover model for Oracle Beauty magazine next month?"


    She frowned at his absurd request that came out of the blue. "I''m not a model." She reminded him.


    "I know. But Lanni recommended you." He responded as he looked at her pleadingly. "Besides. Not only professional models can grace the covers of magazines. You are a unique beauty and would look amazing no matter what magazine cover you took."


    "Enough brown nosing. I''ll think about it." She knew that if she said no, the man would pester her every day for at least a whole week. Since she was not ready to be bugged at every turn, she might as well give him a vague answer and buy herself some time to make a decision after thinking through everything that involved it. Of course, she also had to ensure that the shooting would not clash with her class schedule or else it would be a pain in her neck.


    "I knew you would not say no to your handsome, beloved boyfriend. Thank you, babe." He kissed her cheek excitedly.


    "Hold on." She took out her phone to give Lanni a call.


    "Lanni, you recommended me to be the cover model of Oracle Beauty magazine?" She wanted to know what the other woman was thinking.


    In Li Yuming''s villa, Lanni had just taken a bath and was sitting on the couch in comfortable cotton pajamas as she answered the call. Hearing Ruby''s question, she rolled the pen she was holding as she answered. "You had initially submitted your application for Tian Yu Media but I was yet to send you the contract when I was fired. Why not send it now on behalf of a subsidiary of Lin Media Group?"


    Ruby thought it made sense. "Then I''ll do it for you." that, and the fact that her boyfriend had specially requested it. She no longer had a reason to say no to it. "When will the photoshoot be held?"


    "I don''t know yet. I will confirm it with the photography team and let you know about it." She promised.


    "Lanni, why aren''t you sleeping yet?" Li Yuming asked as she glanced at Lanni disapprovingly from the staircase.


    "I will soon." She promised. She was trying to find as much information as she could about Qiao Linyou so it would be easier to befriend her.


    Li Yuming silently made her way into the kitchen, only to return a few minutes later with a glass of warm milk to give to her.


    "Thank you." Lanni''s heart melted as she took a sip, then she frowned slightly when she realized that her mother had added some sugar to the milk. "Mom, are you trying to make me sleepy?"


    "Drink up with your mouth shut. Don''t stay up for too long." Li Yuming reprimanded her with a stern glare and Lanni could only drink it through a laugh. It had been so long since Li Yuming used a strict tone on her and only after hearing it again did she realize that she had missed it.


    ¡­


    The following day.


    Perhaps because she had spent the night in her old room, Lanni slept so soundly that it was already 10am by the time she woke up and sleepily wobbled into the bathroom.


    She freshened up and checked the time, luckily she was not late for the meeting she had set up with Ah Chen and his fianc¨¦e.


    "Mom, I''m going somewhere." She kissed Li Yuming''s cheek as she grabbed an apple from the kitchen.


    "Breakfast is almost ready." The latter turned, wondering where Lanni had to rush so fast.


    "I''m sorry, I have to miss it. I''ll be back for dinner later." She suggested compensation and made her way out of the kitchen, in time to see the housekeeper heading towards them with a bouquet of flowers almost large enough to cover her face.


    "Who are those for?" Li Yuming was just as perplexed as Lanni. She knew that Xiehan would not send Lanni flowers since he knew that she did not like them. Did Xingyu send them to Luna?


    "Madam, it''s for you." The housekeeper struggled to hold the white roses that were still fresh, so Lanni stepped forward to take them from her hands.


    The housekeeper''s words finally sunk in. Did she just say that the flowers were for Li Yuming? Not only that, but she also handed over the small gift box that had been covered by the bouquet.


    Li Yuming was surprised too. Although it was common for her to receive gifts and flowers from her fans, they usually only sent them whenever she attended events since they did not know her address. Had her address been leaked? She curiously opened the box and found that it was a jade bangle along with a red gift card with instructions stating that she should redeem her gift from any store of a famous jewelry brand.


    "Uh mum,... Do you have an admirer?" Lanni asked at the side, she had been peeking as her mother opened the box.


    "You naughty child." Li Yuming frowned at her then realized that the signature on the card was accompanied by the name Neil Chan.


    "Flowers and jewelry¡­" Lanni''s voice trailed as she giggled.


    "Did you just say that mum has an admirer?" Luna, who had just entered the kitchen due to hunger, asked in shock when she overheard the astonishing piece of news.


    "Your sister is silly. It''s Ruby''s father. He is only thanking me for the gift I gave him." Li Yuming explained, then instructed the housekeeper to find a vase for the flowers, and resumed preparing breakfast when the timer chimed.


    "Aw, what a bummer." Luna sulked and yawned.


    It took a few seconds for Li Yuming to realize what she meant and when she did, she turned in shock and grabbed a spatula to hold it up threateningly. "You bad children. Get out of here."


    What did these two think about every day? It seemed like they were too idle lately.


    The girls laughed and rushed out of the kitchen, but that did not stop them from secretly sneaking glances at each other and thinking about how great it would be if their mother found love once again.

 Chapter 473 - Saving Face

    When Lanni arrived at the restaurant they had arranged, Ah Chen and his fianc¨¦e had already arrived. The girl was sitting beside him and appeared to be an obedient and sweet young woman¡ªthe exact image that everyone had of her after watching her movies. No one would guess that the very girl who looked innocent was also involved with suspicious activity.


    Lanni made her way to the table and apologized as she took a seat opposite them. "I''m sorry I''m late."


    "Were you late on purpose? I wouldn''t be surprised." Qiao Linyou asked with a hint of sarcasm in her tone, but Lanni had seen it coming. There was no way she would have expected a woman suspected of such activity to actually be kind. It was going to be a hectic task befriending her, Lanni thought. Even so, she had earned the trust of more impossible people before so this was nothing in comparison.


    She let out a chuckle. "How could that be? I''m always the first to purchase the ticket to watch your movie, it would be ironic if I were late to see you in real life."


    When the woman looked like her ego had been slightly stroked, Lanni added, "It''s just, I was too excited at the thought of meeting my idol. I couldn''t sleep last night no matter how many sheep I tried to count."


    Ah Chen was puzzled to see that Lanni was such an idolizer too. He smiled as he introduced her. "Meet Lanni. My former classmate and your biggest fan."


    Qiao Linyou was not interested to know the name of this crazy fan who wouldn''t shut her mouth, but she was puzzled when she heard the name clearly. "Does it happen to be Li Lanni, Ji Xiehan''s girlfriend and Xia Luna''s sister?"


    "Yes. That''s me. You know me?" Lanni was not surprised about being recognized by many people but it was indeed shocking that even a famous actress had paid attention to her.


    Qiao Linyou shrugged, almost indifferently. "You sure are popular. You clung to the right people."


    She was indirectly implying that Lanni had no popularity of her own, and that it was the people around her who were famous. It was not a lie, since she had always been known as Li Yuming''s daughter, then Xiehan''s girlfriend, and now it was Xia Luna''s sister¡ªNot that she minded. It would be troublesome for her to comfortably work if she had too much fame, so she liked it better this way.


    "You are so famous! I love all your movies. I drag my sister to watch them every time." She brown nosed the actress. After doing her research of her for the better part of the night, she knew that what the lady liked most was being complimented. It made her feel accomplished, and the easiest way to make her let her guard down was to make her happy.


    However, Qiao Linyou had heard so many of such antics that she already knew what people would say in order to pretend to be her die-hard fans while in reality, they probably didn''t even know what genre of movies she acted in. She put on a lovely smile. "Really? Which of my movies was your favorite?"


    She expected Lanni to start fuming for words or make excuses about not remembering the titles and start wildly guessing random roles but Lanni surprised her by actually mentioning a movie. "The Villainous consort."


    Not only was Qiao Linyou not pleased, but she furrowed her brows. There was no way Lanni had paid an ounce of attention to her. She had probably done a search and stated the first movie that popped up. She hid her sneer. "You watched that? I was merely an extra."


    "The third female lead. And you acted the role so perfectly. That''s when I became your fan." Lanni corrected. In truth, she had not watched any of Qiao Linyou''s movies. Not that she had the time to do so under such short notice. She merely looked her up and made sure to gather as much information as she could.


    "Oh." Qiao Linyou was definitely surprised. She was pleasantly shocked. The movie that Lanni had mentioned was like a thorn in her flesh, it was her first movie and she had even been dismissed from the female lead role for not being good enough for it. It was unbelievable that she had earned a fan from that.


    Lanni observed her slight change in expression. Of course, as an actress, she was able to handle her expressions flawlessly and Lanni only noticed the change because she was scrutinising her carefully.


    "So, am I supposed to give you an autograph or something?" Her arrogance came acting up again.


    "That will not be necessary." Lanni smiled sweetly.


    "Let''s order something to drink. Lanni must have skipped breakfast if she rushed over so fast." Ah Chen spoke up to break whatever awkwardness was about to erupt between the ladies.


    Ah Chen ordered first. "I''ll have a strawberry cupcake."


    Lanni wondered why Ah Chen''s order sounded like there was something wrong with it, but she wasn''t able to figure it out before she ordered herself a glass of juice.


    "I''ll have a cup of warm water." Qiao Linyou sounded like she was looking down on the duo who were filling their stomachs with what she thought of as worthless junk.


    As they waited for their orders to arrive and sought topics to talk about, Ah Chen''s phone rang. He answered it and a sweet female voice greeted gently with a "Hello."


    Qiao Lintou''s ears perked up, since the call volume was high and she and Lanni had overheard it.


    Ah Chen frantically lowered the volume and mouthed to the ladies that he would be back lately, then he stepped out of the restaurant to answer the call.


    Lanni observed the young actress whose gaze had followed Ah Chen and she looked disappointed. She knew that it was wrong to use Ah Chen, but she chuckled softly.


    "What''s so funny?" Qiao Linyou was already irritated and almost erupted when she heard Lanni''s laugh.


    "He is so obsessed with you." Lanni tilted her head as though she was saying something secretive, holding her face in her hands. "It''s almost as though he will stop breathing if he is away from you for a moment."


    "Why would you say that?" Qiao Linyou frowned. Although the words were out of the blue, she couldn''t deny that she had always wished she could hear such a thing about Ah Chen. Just now when he answered the call that was evidently from a woman, she had been so unsettled that she was surprised when she heard Lanni start to say such words.


    "We attended the same banquet and caught up on the latest news about each other. He couldn''t stop going on about you and how much he loves you." Before the actress could process the words, Lanni added, "Besides, when we were in B City University, he once mentioned that he would never be with any woman unless he was willing to spend the rest of his life with her¡ªSeeing as you are engaged, he was not bluffing to appear as a loyal guy."


    Qiao Linyou was baffled by Lanni''s words. She almost didn''t know what to say and after thinking for a while, she decided to speak her mind since there was nothing to lose. Besides, Lanni might know Ah Chen better than she did. "But he makes me think that he has someone else in mind."


    It had always been that way. If Lanni was not in a relationship with Xiehan, she would have started to think that Lanni was the other woman that Ah Chen was always thinking about.


    Lanni assessed her words and knowing that Ah Chen would probably be back soon, she raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he just doesn''t know how to express his feelings? Some men are just bad at romance but it doesn''t mean they''re not loyal or in love."


    "Well, you make a lot of sense. Thank you for telling me that." Although Qiao Linyou''s arrogance was still intact, it didn''t change the fact that she was truly relieved.


    "It''s nothing. It is just the truth." Lanni did not take too much credit and sweetly smiled. She knew that she had just helped clear the actress'' insecurity. Even though she knew that Ah Chen probably felt nothing for Qiao Linyou, it was best to make her think otherwise.


    Ah Chen returned and was expecting to hear a terrifying round of scolding for having stepped aside to answer a woman''s call. To his surprise, the scolding did not come and instead, the woman was looking at him with a bashful smile plastered on her face. He almost couldn''t recognize her. Was it because Lanni was here, so the latter was saving him face by not erupting in the presence of someone else?


    But that didn''t make sense.. She had always exploded when she wanted to, and that had nothing to do with where they were or who they were with.

 Chapter 474 - Unreliable

    "I have to go somewhere, so I will not stay for too long." Lanni made an excuse to leave since she had already done her part. "See you again, Youyou."


    Qiao Linyou didn''t mind the intimate form of address since it was what her fans were fond of calling her. "See you soon."


    "Your friend is so kind." She smiled when Lanni had left.


    Ah Chen was surprised that she was speaking kindly about any woman. he frowned slightly as she wondered what in the world was going on, but he didn''t ask about it. "I told you. She''s a great friend too."


    "Yes." She responded yet again, and Ah Chen was puzzled. She was not riled up?


    ...


    "What''s your progress?" Lin Jian asked when Lanni gave him a call later.


    "It''s just been a day. What can I have done in one meeting?"


    "I want to know how close you are to your goal." Retorted Lin Jian.


    "She might be starting to trust me. But then again, it''s only been a day." Lanni paused as she thought about how possible it was for Qiao Linyou to be putting on an act to deceive her. What if she thought that she was convincing Qiao Linyou when it was the other way round and she was walking into a trap? The former was an actress after all.


    In response to her words, Lin Jian snickered. "How lame. I cannot believe that you are relying on that."


    "It will work, trust me." Lanni stretched her limbs as she was tired after sitting up for too long. "Which makes me wonder just how it was possible for you to lose such a perfect hand of cards. You were her boyfriend after all, you could have used the chance to find out everything there is to find out about her."


    "What makes you think I would stay with a woman for longer than necessary just to investigate her?" Lin Jian snickered, and Lanni laughed at his tone.


    "Don''t let Ruby hear that."


    As soon as her words were out, she heard a knock on the door of her room. She was at Li Yuming''s villa, and she knew that not many people could come to her room. Her mother was out while Luna had gone to meet a wedding planning agent, so it was probably a maid. Even so, she decided to use the chance to poke fun of Lin Jian. "Someone''s here. Don''t tell me it''s Ruby. Speak of the devil and she appears?"


    "Don''t say anything you shouldn''t." Lin Jian said in panic.


    "Then you have to bribe me to keep my mouth shut." Lanni chuckled and hung up to open the door. She was pleasantly surprised to see the guest at the door and jumped right into his arms. "Xiehan!"


    "Did you miss me?" He wrapped his arms around her and entered the room with her.


    Pulling away, she peeked along the corridor to ensure no one was watching before she quickly shut the door, not that anyone would poke their nose if they saw them enter the same room secretively. They were a couple after all.


    "I''m so tired so I came over to rest." Xiehan explained his visit.


    "Okay¡­" Lanni blinked as she wondered whether there were no beds in his mansion.


    He sat on the bed and reclined onto a fluffy pillow. "come here, let me hug you to sleep."


    "I don''t want to sleep." She tried to ignore her incessantly ringing phone as she declined him and sat in front of the desk beside the window.


    "I want to sleep and you are my sleeping pill so come over." He insisted and held a hand out to her.


    "Sleep on your own." She ignored his antics.


    His brows furrowed when her phone rang the fourth time. It was beside him on the bed, and he looked down at it to see who it was that had the audacity to harrass his girlfriend. He was puzzled to see that it was Lin Jian, the blabber mouth.


    "Is it okay if I answer it?" He asked, and she nodded. He slid a thumb across the screen and was about to say something when a rumble interrupted him.


    "Lanni, my dearest friend-in-law, please don''t tell Ruby, okay? I will give you as many bonuses and days off as you want." He tried to coax her, even using one of the things that employees loved the most as bait.


    "Is that so?" Xiehan asked in his deep voice.


    The phone was on speaker so Lanni heard Lin Jian''s yell of surprise and she there her head back, laughing.


    "What shouldn''t she tell Ruby? Are you cheating on my sister?" Xiehan''s tone was as threatening as that of a protective brother. As they expected, he had turned into one of those brothers whose sisters no one could dare to mess with.


    "T-that''s not it. Future brother-in-law, Lanni and I were only talking about my past. I only love Ruby and will never think of cheating on her." Lin Jian frantically explained like a lamb trying to escape slaughter.


    "Is it true?" Xiehan asked Lanni, who nodded and resumed laughing.


    Xiehan hung up and chuckled. "Coward."


    "You were only messing with him." Lanni laughed as she understood why he sounded so sternly earlier.


    "Who told him to give my girlfriend so much work?" He explained.


    Lanni was speechless. It turned out, he was only doing this to revenge on her behalf?


    "Come here." He called, and when she went over, he hugged her like a fluffy pillow and closed his eyes to take a nap.


    ¡­.


    Since the supposed ban had been lifted, Moonlight Studios was soon back on track. In fact, the company had gained tremendous profit from the game Demons Vs gods in just a few days. It was all because the infringement case had made many people pay attention to the game and when it was resolved, there were floods of gamers downloading it to try it out.


    Hence, the new applications had a great audience. In the end, Moonlight Studios earned 20% more profit than in the previous month.


    Luna jubilantly held a meeting and when most matters had been talked about, she smiled in Cheng Yu''s direction. "You worked so hard, Xiao Yu. Take some days off to refresh yourself."


    Cheng Yu would have been glad to hear that she was being given some time off but she shook her head when she thought about how Luna was nearing her third trimester. "You will not be okay on your own."


    "I will. If I can''t do it, I will call you for help."


    Cheng Yu knew that she was only trying to convince her and would not truly call her for help. Never mind, she would have Luna''s assistant check on her often, and report how Luna was fairing. As long as she found it a little harder than she could handle, she would be back in a flash. "Thank you, Luna."


    Luna nodded then glanced at Cedric. "Cedric, take some days off too."


    Cedric was sitting next to Cheng Yu. When he heard what Luna said, he dipped his head to whisper to her, "We both know what the boss is suggesting, let''s not let her down."


    Cheng Yu silently smiled, and he knew that she understood it. "Let''s plan out a vacation then. Where do you want to go?"


    "An island¡­" She whispered and her voice trailed off when she felt Luna''s gaze on her.


    "Let''s simply contact a planning agency." Cedric suggested.


    "Silence." Luna said in the direction of the love birds. They did know that they were still in a meeting, right? She wouldn''t mind it if it was just the three of them, but it would be horrible if the other employees thought it was alright to chatter in a meeting.


    "We cannot all take time off work at the same time, so the rest of you will get bonuses and salary increments."


    "Thank you, Miss Xia." They chorused.


    "It''s not time to slack off since our competitors are going to work hard. Let''s work harder. The aim is to double the profit within the next quarter." She stated as she gazed at them.


    "That sounds impossible." Shouted one of the employees.


    Luna glanced at him. "No it isn''t. The fact that Moonlight Studios still exists is proof of that, is it not?"


    No one else said anything to oppose her words.


    "The meeting is adjourned." She announced and prepared to leave the conference room. The employees waited for her to leave first, and she had just reached the door when they began to chatter.


    "Does Boss have a baby brain?" She heard someone yell.


    She turned to the group of employees closest to the front door. "Who said that?"


    Her tone was so stern that the others reflexively looked at a young woman in a ponytail.


    Luna saw her trembling but did not flinch. "You are fired." She then turned to the others.. "I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting me."

 Chapter 475 - Dont Be Mad

    Having already fired the disrespectful employee despite ehr incessant begging, Luna let the matter slide and did not let it ruin the rest of her day. She called Xiaoshi to her office when she got back.


    "You can take a week off." She directly stated, realizing how uneasy the young woman looked in her presence. It was as though she was scared of being punished even though it was certain that she had not made any mistake.


    Xiaoshi raised her lowered head and looked at Luna in surprise. Not only was she not getting punished, but she was being rewarded as well?


    In the next second, she realized what must be happening and frowned slightly. "Boss, you don''t have to do this."


    "It''s not for any reason other than your hard work. I noticed how fast you completed all your tasks in the past month." Luna explained as she reclined in her seat. This was why she didn''t announce Xiaoshi''s day off in the conference as she did with the other employees¡ªshe knew that they would think too much and assume that she was doing it because of the bullet that Xiaoshi had taken in her stead.


    Hearing that it had nothing to do with personal matters, Xiaoshi was relieved. She was even happier to receive acknowledgment for her hard work. "I only did my duty as my employee. Thank you so much, boss."


    Luna nodded and let her go back to her office.


    ...


    In the evening, Xiaoshi dashed to Han Xichen''s condo to tell him the good news. He was not home so her eyes drooped in disappointment. However, she remembered that he was a doctor and his schedule could never be constant, so she decided to go back to her house and give him a call later.


    She was just about to leave when she noticed his car entering the complex. Her lips curled into an excited smile as she waited for him to park the car before rushing over to him.


    "Shishi, you could have given me a call. I would have come earlier." He pulled her into a hug, wondering whether she has waited for too long.


    "I just arrived. I know better than to wait without knowing when you will be home."


    "Good girl." He praised her with a pat on her head and a kiss on her forehead. "Come on. Let''s go up."


    Xiaoshi nodded and took his hand that he was holding out to her. As they approached his house, she couldn''t keep the news to herself anymore and smiled as she reported, "Guess what? I have a week off. It was a reward from my boss for my hard work in the last month. Are you very busy? If not, we could go out over the weekend."


    The man remained silent for a long while, and she looked up at him curiously then heard him finally speak up. "I''m sorry, Shishi."


    "What happened?" Her eyes drooped as she curiously asked.


    "An emergency happened at the border. They need as many doctors as possible and I have to rush over. The hospital president included me on the list." He explained.


    "I see." She let out a slow sigh at the bad news.


    "I''m so sorry. Please don''t be mad, okay?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he looked into her eyes. "I don''t know when it''s going to last but I''ll spend more time with you when I come back."


    "I''m not mad. You will give me a call when you have time, right? Or just a text message once every day to let me know that you''re alright." She asked. Although she was sad about not being able to be with him, she knew that it was not his fault so she did not blame him.


    "I can''t tell when I will call as I don''t know how grave the situation is but I will at every chance I get." He promised, and kissed her forehead.


    "I understand, Xichen. Be safe, okay?" She wrapped her arms around his waist.


    He hummed in response. "I will leave tomorrow in the morning. Would you like to stay over tonight?"


    "Yes." She didn''t want to miss out on the golden opportunity so she nodded. "Are you hungry? I will cook something."


    "Let''s go and cook together." He shrugged his coat off and wondered whether he should take a shower first. Picking up his coat, he headed towards the main bedroom. He pointed in a direction when he remembered that she didn''t know where the kitchen was. "The kitchen is at the end of that corridor. I''ll join you in a jiffy."


    "Okay." She didn''t look at him and disappeared into the kitchen, and he finally understood that she was shy about being in his house for a night. This was probably her first time sleeping over in a man''s house?


    He burst into chuckles. Why was she so cute?


    ¡­


    Xiaoshi tried to familiarise herself with the kitchen while trying not to blush too hard. She so badly wanted to pinch herself. Why did she agree to fast? How could she stay the night under the same roof as a man, on their own? It would have been alright if he was still her friend, since she knew he wouldn''t expect anything. But as her boyfriend, would he expect something to happen between them?


    While she tried to calm herself, her father called.


    "Father?" She was still flustered when she answered the call.


    "Are you doing great?" Asked the man in a gentle tone.


    "Yes. I''m okay." She responded, inwardly cursing when she remembered the only reason why her father called her lately.


    "How is Xingyu? Is he warming up to you?" Came the expected question, and she almost didn''t know how to answer it.


    "No." She bit her tongue.


    "Did you try?" He specifically asked, perhaps because he found it odd that Xingyu was yet to warm up to her after such a long time.


    She was not trying since she had a boyfriend but she didn''t know how to tell him this yet so she guiltily agreed. "Yes."


    A spell of silence followed before the man huffed on the other end. "It must be because that bitch is always around him. Just try harder. If worst comes to worst, I will take care of her."


    Her heart almost stopped beating when she realized what her father meant. He was not going to do anything to Luna, right? Before it could come to that, she decided to admit it. "Actually dad,..."


    "Okay, I''ll talk to you later. I have a meeting to rush to." He interrupted and hung up without giving her the chance to explain anything.


    She was still in a daze when Han Xichen returned. He held her as he asked, "Shishi, what happened?"


    She launched herself into his arms guiltily. "I''m afraid something may happen to Luna again. It''s all my fault for not telling the truth from the start and¡­"


    She was so flustered that her voice was incoherent. He patted her back as he led her to sit at the kitchen island. "Slow down and tell me, what happened?"


    She explained what her dad had told her on the call just now.


    His eyebrows furrowed as he continued to rub her back. "I''ll tell Xingyu about it. When I return, I will have a good word with Uncle."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Xingyu observed that Luna was not in her best mood.


    "Are you doing okay?" He asked as he sat beside her on the bed.


    "Yes. I''m just tired. I had a long day at work." She smiled, but looked forced like she was holding something back. "I''ll take a nap, okay?"


    He observed her for a while and was more convinced that she was hiding something, judging from her furrowed brows. "Honey, you know you can count on me."


    She opened her eyes and looked at him. "It''s alright. It''s just¡­ I don''t want you to worry about me."


    "But my love, if you don''t tell me what''s going on, I will be even more worried." He gently stated.


    She thought about it and realized that it was what would happen. The last time she tried to hide her feelings from him so she wouldn''t worry him, she ended up drifting away from him and wrecking their relationship.


    "Promise me you won''t worry too much?" She looked up at him.


    He didn''t promise that, since he would be worried if it was something too distressing.


    Still, she decided that it was probably best to tell him about it.


    "The thing is, I''ve been feeling some... Pains in the belly. It''s more than I have ever expected. I don''t know if it''s because I''m nearing the third trimester or something else. I already booked a gynecologist appointment."


    "My love, why didn''t you tell me about it earlier?" He asked with a frown, though he couldn''t bring himself to scold her.

 Chapter 476 - He Is Bullying Me

    "When is the gynecological appointment?" Xingyu asked when he had calmed down from his disappointment.


    "Tomorrow. I wanted to talk to mother about it before going." She explained.


    He nodded then looked at her seriously. "Don''t hide such important matters from me anymore, okay? Don''t suffer on your own just because you are afraid that you will worry me."


    "But if the matter is trivial¡­" She started, only to be interrupted by his glare.


    "Nothing regarding you is trivial. As long as it is anything, no matter how petty you think it is, tell me about it. Do you understand?" His tone was stern and solemn, not allowing for any room for her to argue or negotiate. She could only nod.


    "I''m sorry honey." She apologized for keeping things from him.


    His gloom faded away as he patted her back. "It''s okay. Do you want me to call her over, or will you speak to her in the living room?"


    She smiled when she realized what he was thinking. He thought she was talking about Xinghe. No wonder he looked overjoyed, he must have thought that she finally thought of him as her husband and of his parents as hers too. "I wasn''t referring to Aunt Xinghe. I was talking about my mother." She specified with a smile.


    He was not disappointed. Instead, he was even happier. He could finally confirm that this time, her relationship with Li Yuming had been fixed.


    "Do you want to give her a call?" He asked and she nodded.


    He was about to say something else when she suddenly raised her head and glared at him ferociously.


    "What did I do?" He was shocked by the sudden change of attitude from her.


    "Find something else to do and get lost." She growled, and he blinked.


    What just happened?


    He could not dare to ask in fear of being yelled at, so he left the room and softly closed the door behind him.


    ¡­


    When Xingyu left, Luna gave Li Yuming a call. "Mother¡­" She called softly when the woman picked the call.


    "Luna, are you alright? You sound weak." Li Yuming immediately observed. Although Luna had been spending more time at home, it was rare for her to give Li Yuming a call so the latter was surprised.


    "I''m fine. I just wanted to ask you about something." She stated, finally feeling relieved even though she was yet to know what was happening with her.


    "What is it? I''m listening." Li Yuming asked. Luna went ahead to explain what she had been feeling lately, and she listened attentively. When Luna was done speaking, she thought about it for a moment before explaining what she thought about it. "You are alright."


    "Am I?" Luna was surprised to hear what her mother had said.


    "Of course, it''s normal to feel that way. However, if it makes you feel anxious, then we can go to the hospital and have you checked."


    _


    Meanwhile, Xingyu walked around the corridors to buy time then decided to go to the kitchen to get Luna a snack. He wondered what was wrong with her. Why would she kick him out when he did nothing wrong? If all she wanted was privacy to speak to her mother, she could say so. He wouldn''t mind that.


    "You''re here." Xinghe beamed when she saw her son in the kitchen. She was preparing a plate of fruit salad and had just finished and placed it on a tray when Xingyu walked in. "I was going to give this to Luna. Give it to her on your way back. Do you need a snack too?"


    "No, I''m not hungry." Xingyu declined and reached for the plate of colourful fruits.


    "Are you okay, my dear?" Xinghe noticed his gloomy look and closed in to take a better look at him.


    "No. I''m just anxious." He confessed.


    "You can tell me anything." She raised a hand to worriedly take his temperature and was relieved that he didn''t have a fever.


    Xingyu pointed at the table at the end of the kitchen and went to sit in front of it, and Xinghe sat opposite him. "We have a gynecological appointment in the morning." He explained.


    "Is everything okay with Luna?" She asked worriedly. Otherwise, why would the gynecological appointment make him anxious?


    "I don''t know." He sighed.


    Xinghe patted his hand. "It''s okay to be anxious. You''re a dad for the first time. The second time, you will know that some signs only mean that your baby is doing alright."


    As she explained, she couldn''t restrain the smile that formed on her face. Never in her life would she have thought that she would soon be a grandmother and talk about her grandchild with her son. When she saw that he was still not reassured by his words, she frowned and looked at him suspiciously.


    "She suddenly kicked me out of the room. It''s weird that she''s mad at me out of the blue." He expressed his confusion.


    Xinghe raised an eyebrow at his words then burst into laughter.


    "What''s so funny?" Xingyu asked with a frown.


    "That only means she loves you." She threw her head back and laughed her heart out, imagining Luna''s glare when kicking her son out. She was probably one of the few mothers who found it funny that their sons were being bullied. He wondered how that was supposed to express her love for him.


    Seeing his confused look, she patted him as she explained, "A pregnant woman''s emotions may keep changing rapidly. It''s because of the changes in hormonal balance. Surely you should have realized this by now?"


    He had, but it still didn''t explain why she kept taking it out on him.


    "She is taking it out on the person she trusts the most. " She explained.


    Xingyu didn''t make much sense of it but it was great enough to know that Luna still loved him. "Thanks mother. That''s what I needed."


    Xinghe smiled as she rubbed her son''s hand. "You will make the best father, my son. I have this much confidence in you. But once your baby is born, you must never forget that Luna needs to be taken care of too. They both need your love. Only this way can you be both a good husband and father."


    "That I will be. I have the best parents to thank for teaching me how." He grinned, and he knew that she made a lot of sense. Luna had experienced such a hectic childhood, it was only fair for her to enjoy a happy marriage and he would do his best to make that possible


    "That''s one sweet tongue. You took after me." Xinghe praised. She was just about to shoo him off when she saw Luna at the door of the kitchen.


    "Oh, Luna. Come here." She beckoned her over.


    Luna took a glance at Xingyu and he seemed to bother her even though he was doing nothing but standing there. "Aunty, he bullied me." She complained while pointing at him.


    "What? When did I do that?" Xingyu was rendered speechless by the sudden accusation. He has been kicked out of the room. How could he manage to bully her when he was simply minding his own business?"


    "You scolded me." She went to Xinghe''s side and glared at him to complain to her future mother-in-law.


    Xingyu was flabbergasted. "Do you have amnesia? I didn''t do any such thing!"


    "I''m mad at you for existing. Is that enough?" Luna shrugged.


    Xinghe glared at her son before hugging Luna. "My dear, don''t mind him. It must be because he is so boring that you don''t want to be near him. I made you some fruits. Do you want to eat them now?"


    Xingyu was speechless at the preferential treatment.


    __


    In Xiehan''s mansion. Lanni had stayed over the night but while they both worked in the master bedroom, she suddenly let out a sigh.


    "The days are drawing closer.


    I''m no longer counting down how much time is left before I become an aunt. I mean, that too, but I''m majorly counting the days before you leave. And each countdown is making me feel empty inside."


    Xiehan raised an eyebrow as he looked over at her. "My love, when did you become poetic?"


    "I''m not poetic. I''m sad." Lanni looked up at him gloomily.


    He set aside his documents to pull her over. "Come here. Don''t be sad. On the bright side, you still have time to spend with me before I leave." He coaxed. He had been busier lately and they had been spending less time together, which is why he preferred for them to be in the same space even if they were each doing their own work.


    She leaned against his arm and because she was tired from all the research she was doing about Qiao Linyou, she fell into a deep sleep as soon as her head rested against him.

 Chapter 477 - Suspicion

    The following day.


    Luna went to the hospital in the company of Xinghe, Xingyu and Li Yuming. Lanni gave her a call in the morning to express her support, feeling bummed that she could not leave her job and rush over to accompany her.


    When they arrived at the hospital, not all of them could enter the gynecologist office so Li Yuming and Xinghe remained outside as Luna and XIngyu went in.


    The procedure was fast; the gynecologist ran a few tests on Luna after listening to her description. By the time the tests were done, Luna and Xingyu were on the verge of slipping from their seats from sitting on edge for too long.


    The gynecologist, a middle aged woman with a pixie haircut and rectangular-framed glasses, found their antics cute. From her experience, they were a young couple and judging from their ages, it was their first time being parents. No wonder they were so anxious.


    "Your babies are alright." She announced with a smile, and the duo simultaneously sighed in relief.


    "Thank goodness it was a false alarm." Luna ran a hand over her belly with a relieved smile on her face, while Xingyu froze a few seconds after hearing the good news.


    "Doctor, what did you say?"


    ''I said, your babies are alright. Are you happy now?" She smiled, then sat back on her desk as she wondered why the couple was suddenly exchanging such a shocked look. "You are approaching your final trimester so you should be more careful and¡­"


    "Doctor, did you say babies? Not ''baby''..." Luna emphasised on the word. "But babies?"


    The gynecologist finally understood what was going on and was puzzled. "You didn''t know you were expecting twins?"


    They exchanged a glance and shook their heads.


    "We didn''t know. We didn''t want to reveal the gender of our baby yet, so we only asked if our baby was alright." Luna explained with a stutter, still puzzled by what was going on.


    "In the last ultrasound, we didn''t notice that it was twins either." Xingyu added.


    The gynecologist beamed. "Sometimes, the other twin is not noticed as early as the first. But that doesn''t mean the other one is not healthy. They are both in good health. Double congratulations to the two of you. Do you want to see them?"


    Luna knew that she was talking about an ultrasound, and she immediately nodded.


    Since they booked their appointment, the gynecologist was prepared for the possibility of an ultrasound so it didn''t take long to prepare for it. In just a few minutes, Luna could once again hear the overwhelming sound of her baby''s heartbeat.


    This time, she listened carefully and indeed noticed that although the babies'' heartbeats were almost in perfect sync, they were clearly two of them. She shot her eyes to the screen and when she saw two little figures, she couldn''t stop her tears anymore. "Oh my god¡­"


    "They are so cute." Xingyu''s voice was hoarse too.


    This was unbelievable. The good news had come so suddenly that he almost couldn''t keep up. Not only was he about to be a father, but he would have twins too?


    "Xingyu, we will have twins." She emotionally held his hand and squeezed it.


    "They will be the loveliest pair of twins in the whole world." He was tempted to ask about their gender but dropped the thought when he remembered that they had agreed to wait for the baby to be born before learning its gender.


    The gynecologist watched their mushy interaction and smiled. How great it was to be young. One could freely fall in love and have a lovely pair of twins with the love of his or her life.


    ¡­


    Outside, Xinghe and Li Yuming were walking on needles as they wondered what was happening inside the gynecologist''s office.


    It wasn''t sure what Xinghe thought about, she turned to look at Li Yuming sternly. "Be honest with me. You are not going to break Luna''s heart again, are you?"


    Li Yuming frowned at the kind of question she was being asked. "She is my daughter."


    "I know. You know what I meant." Xinghe was not trying to start an argument, but it would be best if Luna was never agitated again.


    Li Yuming was uncomfortable but she shook her head. "I won''t. You also have to take good care of my baby. Don''t bully her like many mothers-in-law do to their daughters-in-law."


    Xinghe smiled at that. "Don''t worry. Even if one day Luna and I are no longer each other''s favorite, I will never bully her. She is a kind young woman and most importantly, my son''s only love. I cannot bear to do anything that would break her heart."


    "I''m reassured knowing that she would be in great hands." Li Yuming admitted. She hoped she could say the same about Lanni being in the same family as Wen Lin in future.


    "She will. Don''t worry about Wen Lin. She is long past the stage when she disliked Lanni for taking away her son''s attention." Xinghe said, as though reading her mind.


    "How did you know what I was thinking about?" Li Yuming''s eyebrow raised.


    "Let me tell you a secret." Xinghe leaned over. "I''m a psychic. Don''t tell anyone." She joked, then laughed. "It''s just that as a mother, one would think about the well-being of the other child once one of them is settled. It''s been that way for me since Xingyu got engaged, so I guessed it should be the same for you."


    Li Yuming looked at her in surprise. It was true, but she was shocked that Xinghe thought of Luna as her real daughter. She was happy that Wen Lin''s attitude had changed too.


    "Are Lanni and Xiehan planning to settle down any time soon?" Xinghe asked the question on the other woman''s mind.


    "They''re not in a hurry." Li Yuming replied, and she was not going to rush them. It was best for them to take their own pace.


    While they spoke, the door finally opened and out of it came the excited couple who were giggling and talking about names.


    "You are alright?" Li Yuming rushed to Luna''s side and hugged her. Just as she had guessed, her daughter was fine, or they would not be this happy.


    "It''s good news!" Luna excitedly announced.


    "What''s the news?" Xinghe couldn''t in her curiosity anymore.


    "We are expecting twins!" Xingyu excitedly spilled to his mother and future mother-in-law.


    "What? Really?" Li Yuming excitedly yelled, then remembered that they were in the hospital building and lowered her voice to a whisper. "really?"


    "Yes. I saw them, mother. They are so lovely." Luna explained, and they all went to talk about it somewhere more secretive to avoid making noise in the hospital.


    In the car, Xinghe and Li Yuming kept glancing at Luna''s belly, who didn''t stop smiling and rubbing it gently for a second either. Xingyu was no different. If he was not driving, he would jump to the backseat to continue holding Luna and smiling about the fact that he was going to be a dad twice at one go.


    "Lanni will be overjoyed. She has always wanted a little nephew or niece to play with, and she will have two of them." Li Yuming commented. She could not wait to share the news with her daughter.


    _


    Meanwhile, Lanni was thinking her brains off as she ticked off the list she had created. It was a list of everyone that Qiao Linyou met many times. She had initially only written down those she spent a lot of time with, but later realized that the ones she met briefly for just a few seconds were suspicious too. It was only after checking through their schedules several times that she noticed a trend among them when put together.


    They were all ordinary people when looked at individually, but after scanning their schedules alongside Qiao Linyou''s, she realized that she met up with one of them once every month. It had been happening for at least three years and it was on the third of every month, so it was too much to be a coincidence.


    "I guess she was a little careless." Lanni smiled to herself, glad that it was the case. She thought about not meeting the same person too frequently but she forgot about setting the same date. However, it could be understood. As an actress, she could not keep taking days off randomly since her schedule was packed. She could only set a specific day when she didn''t work every month.


    Her agent probably knew about it, but Lanni was certain that she couldn''t get information from him. If her agent were to betray her, he would have done so three years ago. The fact that they were still together could only mean two things.


    The agent was either too loyal or oblivious to the fact that her artist was involved in such dark business.. Of course, Lanni couldn''t rule out the possibility that the agent was also involved in the business.

 Chapter 478 - Compliant

    As Lanni thought about it, she stood up from her office chair and made her way to the CEO''s office.


    "I take it as you have made more progress?" Lin Jian asked when he saw her, since she rarely showed up unless he called her over.


    Lanni nodded but didn''t explain as it was not time yet. "Is it possible to get a team I can trust and rely on?"


    Lin Jian thought about her question and wondered what she was up to. "What do you want to do?"


    "To follow someone." She stated briefly, still keeping the explanation to herself as she had not yet been asked about it.


    Lin Jian ran the back of his black pen through his ruffled hair, looking at the woman before him with interest. "You do know that it is impossible to trust anyone completely, and that in this field of work, trust is the beginning of all disappointment, don''t you?" She didn''t answer him and he added, "Still, I must admit that I''m impressed. I''m glad you did not try to do everything on your own and decided to seek help."


    "That''s because if I follow someone for too long, the other party will be alarmed within a few minutes." She explained.


    "Alright. I will arrange a team and send them to you within an hour. How many people do you need?"


    Lanni thought about it with a scrunch of her brows. "As many as possible. As long as they can drive. I would like for everyone to follow the person for a maximum of seven minutes."


    "That sounds like a random number." Came the man''s laugh amid his curiosity as to what she was thinking.


    "Trust me, I wouldn''t do random things at such a time. Though I''m about to arrange the numbers in a way that they look random."


    "I''ll send ten." He raised an eyebrow to ask if it was alright. He didn''t believe that the person would need more than an hour to get anywhere. Unless they were leaving the city, in which case Lanni''s plan might not be successful.


    She nodded. "Thank you. I will go ahead to make the arrangements."


    ¡­


    Just as she left his office, Luna called.


    "Luna? How was the appointment?" She asked, her voice still holding the seriousness it did a while ago in Lin Jian''s office.


    "It''s alright. It''s good news¡­" Luna paused when she realized how solemn Lanni sounded when she spoke a moment ago. "My twin instincts are nagging me about you needing help."


    Lanni rolled her eyes. "There isn''t such a thing. That''s your psychic instinct and it''s wrong."


    "What was that? Are you afraid of asking for my help lately, or are you looking down on me and thinking that I can''t do much now?" Luna asked, pretending to be hurt about it.


    "No, no. That''s now what I meant!" Lanni urgently explained.


    Knowing that her sister would otherwise be worried, she could only sigh and explain. "It''s like this, I need someone''s schedule and I have a feeling that it''s stored in their laptop, phone or tablet."


    "I''ll retrieve it for you. Do you have the person''s number?" Luna sounded like she was ready to start working on it immediately.


    "Not yet. How about I try to get it today and send it over?" Lanni suggested, and when Luna agreed, she agreed and moved on to another subject. "What''s the good news that you were going to tell me?"


    "Ah, that!" Luna''s excitement returned in full swing. "Xingyu and I¡­ we are expecting twins!"


    "What?!! Oh My God, Luna!" Lanni was so excited that she didn''t know what to say. "I''m so happy for you, sis."


    "When will you pay your little nephews, nieces or nephew and niece a visit? Xingyu and I are writing down all the names we love for both boys and girls." Luna laughed through her words, it was apparent just how happy she was.


    "How about I tell you when I''m ready to come over?" She suggested, knowing that her schedule was not predictable at the moment. She didn''t want to make any promises that she might end up breaking.


    "That''s okay. We should also go shopping for the second baby. Ah, my poor baby. I didn'' t even know it exists until today." Luna''s tone was a mixture of excitement and guilt.


    "It''s not your fault. How would you have known if the doctors didn''t tell you?" Lanni coaxed as she settled in her office. "Luna, let''s talk after work, okay? I''ll give you a call."


    Luna remembered that her sister was still at work and quickly agreed. "Sure, sure. Send me the phone number when you can and I will get down to work."


    Lanni hung up and continued planning with a smile. It was almost too hard to focus as she thought about how adorable her nephews or nieces would be.


    "They wouldn''t want a lazy, procrastinating aunt." She muttered to herself and got back to work. Sure enough, Lin Jian sent the team over within the hour.


    "Are you all ready?" She asked the group, which was six men and four women. When she realized that the entire team was reporters who were popular,  she was thankful for Lin Jian''s thoughtfulness. When they nodded, she handed the sheets of paper she had prepared for them.


    "Tomorrow, we will follow this car. The first one of you will follow it for three minutes, and the next for five minutes, two minutes¡­" She described the order which seemed to be random with the way she had written it down.


    "The point is to not alert the other party in the slightest. let it seem like a random group  of cars going to different places. Don''t appear from the same place where the last car went. Not on the same side of the road either, keep a few seconds before the last disappearance to the next appearance. "


    As she gave the instructions, the team obediently noted everything down, regardless of the fact that she had joined the company later than all of them and was younger than most of them.


    "When should we begin to follow the person?" One of the young men asked.


    Lanni felt bummed that she could not give an immediate answer. "I''m sorry, I don''t know yet. Can I let you know once I find out? It might come on sudden notice."


    "It''s okay. We will be prepared just in case." An older woman with long hair responded, then wrote down her cell phone number.


    Lanni felt relieved even though she was yet to accomplish the mission. with such a compliant team, the chances of success were high. If it wasn''t because she had witnessed how strict Lin Jian was with his employees, she would have thought that it was too good to be true.


    When she was done making arrangements with them and taking their cell phone numbers, she gave Qiao Linyou a call and asked if they could meet up. After their previous meeting, they had exchanged contact details and talked over the phone a few times.


    "I''m finishing up my shoot in a few minutes. Let''s meet up in about an hour, come to my house okay? I''ll give you my address." She responded cheerfully, and Lanni was amazed at how fast the latter had started to trust her.  Wasn''t she scared that Lanni would leak her location to the paparazzi?


    Of course, she would not let go of such a brilliant opportunity. She went over to the address that Qiao Linyou sent, notifying Lin Jian of her current location in case anything went wrong. She couldn''t entirely trust the person she was investigating for such shady business.


    When she arrived, Qiao Linyou had also just arrived home from her shoot and had taken a shower. Her hair was wet and she was wiping it as she opened the door.


    "Lanni, come on in. I''ve been waiting for you." She beamed.


    "Hello." Lanni returned the smile and walked in. The villa was exceptionally large and really furnished. Just as Lin Jian said, it was too luxurious for an actress of her level, whose net worth was not much and who was not from an aristocratic background either.


    "Feel at home." The actress sat on one of the fluffy couches and ordered the servants to bring them drinks.


    "I wanted to ask you for a favor." Lanni went straight to the point, not wanting to stay for too long in this suspicious place.


    "What is it?" From Qiao Linyou''s sweet smile, one would mistake her for a sweet, innocent woman.


    "Do you mind being the model of a business magazine? I think your story would be quite inspiring to young women. You have worked so hard to get to where you are from scratch."  Lanni explained.


    "If you say so." She did not even think through it.. All she knew was that Lanni was surrounded by a bunch of influential people, so whatever she recommended would be good for her career.

 Chapter 479 - Trap

    Lanni studied the other woman for a while before deciding to play out the next step. "How will I be able to contact you? To send the contract and talk about everything regarding it."


    Qiao Linyou raised her eyebrows. "You have my cell phone number. If I''m unavailable, contact my agent. Here''s her cell phone number and email address." As she spoke, she set aside her glass and picked a pen and piece of paper from the drawer at the side of the table, then wrote down twelve digits and an email address gave it to Lanni.


    "Thank you." Lanni smiled, masking her sigh of relief about not having to beat around the bush to get her agent''s cell phone number.


    Qiao Linyou had no idea what trap she was getting herself into. She even returned a smile at Lanni''s words. "You''re the one I should thank. Most people only want to be my friends to use me, you know. It''s rare that there is someone who is thinking of mutual benefits and wants to help me out. You get where I''m coming from, right?"


    Lanni nodded. "I do. I get backstabbers all the time."


    "Then we have more in common than we would have expected." The actress laughed. The doorbell rang as they chatted, and she called a servant over to open it.


    "Oh, what a pleasant surprise. You''re here." The woman smiled as she saw her agent walk in, then her gaze shifted to Lanni who was opposite her.


    "Here is my agent. You haven''t met her yet. Her surname is Ming. Ming, this is Lanni, my friend. We were just talking about you."


    "Hello Ms. Ming." Lanni greeted the woman who looked to be in her late thirties, knowing that she should be wary of her.


    "Hey." The woman did not spare Lanni a glance and turned her arrogant eyes to her actress. "This is?"


    "Lanni. She''s my friend." Qiao Linyou repeated, knowing that her agent did not truly want to ask who Lanni was but was instead wondering what she was doing here. "You have probably seen rows and rows of news about her, I''m sure." She added.


    "I see. Yes I have." Ms. Ming narrowed her eyes at Lanni, her hostility so apparent that it made the latter uncomfortable.


    "Youyou, I need to get home now and get ready. I have dinner plans with my boyfriend." Lanni made an excuse since she knew that being here would only give Ms. Ming more reason to be skeptical of her.


    "Oh, don''t flaunt your love to me. I have a fiance too. Take care." Qiao Linyou laughed as she stood to see Lanni off.


    "I will. Take care too." At the door, the women exchanged flying kisses by the cheek as though they were long time friends but as soon as Lanni stepped out, the fake smile faded off her face.


    "Linyou, what is that woman doing here?" Ms. Ming started to interrogate the actress as soon as Lanni left.


    "Why can''t she be here?" The young woman slumped onto the couch with her legs crossed, sipping on her drink as though she was pleased about something.


    Ms. Ming couldn''t believe that her artist was being this careless. "She is suspicious in every manner. First, she is a journalist. An undercover one at that. Not to mention, she now works for Lin Media Group."


    "There isn''t anything against me being friends with someone in her profession. If anything, she can help me gain more publicity. About her being an employee of Lin Media Group, isnt that a guarantee? Lin Jian is her boyfriend''s friend." Qiao Linyou countered with an irritated tone since she didn''t like being told what to and not to do.


    " And of course, she might be useful when it comes to helping me get back together with Lin Jian." She added and took another cooling sip. The thought of it made her feel excited.


    However, Ms. Ming had to take a deep breath to stop herself from slapping the hell out of Qiao Linyou to wake her from the dream she was immersed in. " What makes you think you can get back together with him? That guy already dumped you."


    "Yes¡­ but before he did, I got popular because I was his girlfriend. Do you forget this?" The young woman stood up as she set her now empty glass aside, pacing towards the window in her pink bubble. "Not to mention, he left me because of his own pride. Just because I was still a budding actress and he was a player who had to keep up his reputation. But people grow up, Ming. He might have left me because of my status but I have the money now. I don''t need a family''s reputation to get me a good man. "


    Ms. Ming was helpless as she walked to Qiao Linyou''s side." There are many great men out there who are after you. Don''t get me started on the list. "


    " Please don''t start. " Qiao Linyou frowned as she turned, stubbornness written all over her face." My eyes are set on him. You know the reasons. He''s handsome, easy to settle and of course, he''s insanely good in bed. Don''t forget the wealth¡ªthere''s never too much of that. "


    "Linyou, you are getting yourself in¡­"


    Before she could complete her statement, Qiao Linyou snapped. "I am explaining what I think to you but that doesn''t give you the right to speak to me as you please. When was it your turn to control my decisions?"


    "I''m only giving my opinion." Ming responded.


    "And I do not need your opinion right now. I know what I''m doing, got it?"


    Ms. Ming was familiar with Qiao Linyou''s temper and knew that pushing the young woman''s buttons would do her no good. She could only sigh. "Okay, as you wish. But you cannot be close to people like Li Lanni. She is dangerous."


    "What part of that harmless fly is dangerous?" Qiao Linyou laughed and made to leave the room.


    "The part that she is Li Yuming''s daughter? The part that she is Ji Xiehan''s girlfriend? Which do you think is more scary?" Ms. Ming was at it again.


    Qiao Linyou had calmed down after yelling at her agent, but she felt her head start to hurt again when the latter resumed lecturing her.


    " Neither. She is just a little girl I can squash whenever I want. But I don''t need to do that because she is useful."


    "Keep away from her, I''m warning you." Ms. ming would have let the matter be but if Qiao Linyou got in trouble, so would she..


    The latter chuckled and crossed her arms leisurely. "Ming, do you know what happens to people who don''t keep their noses where they belong? You wouldn''t want to be the next one to be squashed, would you?"


    "I''m sorry, I''ll keep to myself." Ms. Ming said, even though she was not sorry in the slightest. She could only resign to her fate, knowing that she would need effort and a lot of time to convince the young woman.


    "Prepare yourself for tomorrow." Qiao Linyou reminded her after completely calming down.


    "I''m ready." Responded the agent, earning a smile of satisfaction from that face that looked innocent yet could calmly make a heartless order like it meant nothing.


    ¡­


    Lanni sent the agent''s cell phone number to Luna and when she received a call two minutes later, she became worried. "Did some emergency happen?"


    "Prepare yourself for tomorrow." Luna stated, having managed to get Qiao Linyou''s schedule from the agent''s tablet.


    "Tomorrow?" Lanni was slightly taken aback before she finally understood what must be going on.


    "Yes. At 11am, both the agent and the actress will leave B City. They are going to the outskirts." Luna explained all she knew. "However, there isn''t a specific location. I only managed to find out this much."


    "That''s already adequate. Thank you, sis." Lanni had not expected too much information, which is why she had prepared a team beforehand. "I will get to my team now. Thanks, sis."


    "Thank me by taking good care of yourself. And if you need anything¡­" Luna started.


    "I''ll bug the hell out of you. You won''t need to ask." Lanni chuckled, knowing that her sister was going to say that if she needed any help, she should not hesitate to contact her.


    When she hung up, she reviewed all the information she had and smiled to herself. She was even closer to her goal now.


    Keying in the cell phone number of one of the journalists, she gave him a call.


    "Lanni? Is the schedule out?" The man asked as though he had been waiting.


    "It''s tomorrow." Lanni stated. "I''m sorry that the notice came too soon."


    "It''s alright. We all expected it to be right now. Don''t worry, we can do it, and we will do our best." the man assured her, and Lanni could finally heave a sigh of relief.


    "Shall I inform the rest?" He suggested, and Lanni agreed.


    "Please do.. Thank you."

 Chapter 480 - Trap(2)

    In the Old Jiang Mansion, Xingyu reclined on the headboard of his bed as he spoke to Han Xichen, while Luna rested her head on his abdomen. She was not listening to his call but noticed that when he finished speaking, he looked distressed.


    "Honey, is something wrong?" She tilted her head to ask as she looked up at him.


    "Han Xichen asked me to be careful and especially put more security measures around you." Xingyu sounded confused as he explained.


    "Do you know what could be wrong?He was too busy to tell me." He explained, not being able to comprehend why his friend would suddenly alert him. Was there someone following Luna perhaps? He still couldn''t get over the fact that she was almost shot by the people hired by her father not too long ago.


    "Perhaps it has something to do with Xiaoshi." Luna couldn''t think of anything else. The people who were against her were already dead, and Xiaoshi''s father was the only remaining one who still disliked her for ''stealing away his precious daughter''s man.''


    When Xingyu heard her hypothesis, he frowned. "Why am I starting to feel that she is quite troublesome?"


    "She is not trying to come between us." Luna shrugged, though she couldn''t deny that Old Yun''s hatred did indeed start because of Xiaoshi''s feelings towards Xingyu. However, she also couldn''t neglect the fact that Xiaoshi knew her place and had been avoiding starting a scuffle with them.


    Xingyu knew this too, but he was still displeased. "Perhaps she isn''t trying to bother us but her father is. And that''s the worst kind of bother. We don''t need anyone meddling in our lives, do we?"


    "Actually, we don''t." She snuggled onto his chest as he slid his hand to rub over her belly.


    "I don''t want anyone disrupting our family. I will give him a piece of my mind the next time I see him."


    "But for now, we can only be careful." He added as he poked her belly as though trying to find out how the babies were doing.


    "Why do you look tense?" He asked when he realized that she was no longer reacting to his words and seemed to be lost in her own world.


    "It''s my sister." She sighed.


    "What about her?" Xingyu so badly wanted to beat Lanni up for making his fianc¨¦e worried again.


    "She is once again doing what she is best at¡ªputting her life in danger. She is following someone dangerous." Luna explained while looking up at him.


    "Now, that is dangerous. I bet Xiehan doesn''t know, or else he would never allow it." He stated conclusively, since he knew that his friend was too protective of his little beauty.


    "I bet Lin Jian gave her the task." Luna guessed, knowing that Lanni had stopped doing such dangerous things and would only do it if she was under someone else''s instructions.


    "He is asking for a good beating." Xingyu laughed, imagining how hard Xiehan would beat Lin Jian if he found out what his girlfriend was being instructed to do.


    ¡­


    Lin Jian was having dinner with Ruby when he sneezed thrice in a row. He frowned. "Someone''s cursing me."


    Ruby, who was sitting opposite him, rolled her eyes at him. "You believe that? Who would want to curse you? It''s such a waste of curses." She then went back to cutting her steak.


    "Do you have something against me?" Asked Lin Jian, realizing that Ruby had not been particularly happy this evening.


    As soon as he finished speaking, his heart sank as he suddenly thiught of a possibility. "Love, did I do something to upset you?"


    "No, you didn''t." She shook her head exhaustedly.


    He was relieved for a moment, but he couldn''t stand the thought that someone might have upset his girlfriend so he asked, "Then why are you so mad?"


    "I''m just mad at my brother." She explained with a frown as she looked up from her plate.


    "Trouble in paradise?" He asked with a tease then realized that something was wrong with his words. "Wait. That''s for couples. No. No one said trouble in marital or dating paradise. Trouble in sibling paradise?"


    Ruby rolled her eyes at his dramatics then massaged her forehead as she rested it on her left hand. "He will soon leave the country and go to Claudron Island for an awfully long time."


    Lin Jian realized what was happening and remembered that it was almost time for Xiehan to take over Feng Ji International. It was inevitable. "That''s okay." He took her hand and caressed it comfortingly. "He will be back in no time. Not just CEOs from the Ji family have to do that, it''s common for Jiang and Lin family''s CEOs too."


    She pulled her hand out of his in shock. "Wait. You don''t mean what I think you mean!"


    "Of course not." He laughed at her huge reaction and deep in his heart, he was happy that she was reluctant for him to leave. "Don''t worry, my love. I will be right here with you." He had already gone to Claudron Island when it was his turn, and there wasn''t any huge difference for him since he didn''t have a girlfriend at the time¡ªand there were female CEOs in training on the island. Of course he couldn''t breathe a word of his stay at the island or that would wreck his relationship with Ruby, which was only starting to bloom.


    "Thank you. At least you are not leaving." She breathed out an audible sigh. It would have been awful for both him and Xiehan to leave at the same time.


    ¡­


    The next day, the team gathered in Lanni''s office.


    "Are you ready?" Lanni asked them as she sighed away her nervousness.


    "Readier than ever." Stated the long-haired woman.


    Lanni ran her gaze over them and they looked ready for action. "Okay. Is it okay to change into casual attire? Because we¡­." She was in the middle of explaining her request when the long haired woman shrugged off her work coat to reveal a casual blouse, and the others followed suit. It was only then that Lanni noticed that they were wearing casual clothes and had only draped their work coats on.


    "Okay. You''re good to go." She readied herself and grabbed a wig to slide over her head after tying her hair up.


    "You already know what to do. After every switch, report your locations to the rest of us." She instructed.


    "You are going too?" Asked a young man.


    "Yes. I will be the last one to follow her." She explained as she gave them a sheet of paper each, with a picture and car plate number of the car they would be following.


    "If it is someone you know, I would advise you against that." A man with brown hair advised.


    "Don''t worry. There are different kinds of magic and one of them is this¡­" Lanni smiled as she took out her makeup tools. She then asked them to wait for her at the underground parking lot and went to the bathroom.


    When she joined them, one of the young women was doubtful. "You are Lanni?" If she had not known that Lanni was going to disguise herself, she would never have guessed that it was her.


    "Thanks for the compliment." Lanni smiled. The young lady''s remark only proved how proficient she was when doing her makeup.


    The young men were full of shock too. Was this voluptuous, seductive woman really Lanni?


    "What''s with the boobs?" Asked the long-haired woman. She was certain that Lanni''s boobs weren''t this big. Not to mention, she now had makeup on and her face looked a bit chubbier than it really was, her gray eyes were now blue and her bottom was also much bigger than it was a moment ago.


    "You are so good with disguises." She laughed.


    "Let''s go." Lanni smiled.


    "So, what are you?" Asked a young man as they entered their cars, because he saw Lanni sling a camera on.


    "A tourist." She slid a cap over her brown wig.


    "What if you disguised yourself as a paparazzi? That''s easier since you know how to act like one." He suggested, to which she shook her head.


    "It is, but they will look out for bugs."


    "You are so smart. Actually, I have always admired you." He confessed.


    "Thank you. I appreciate your hard work. Let''s go."


    ¡­


    "I took a detour into Dragon Road. They continued on to Falcon Road." The first person to follow Qiao Linyou reported into her phone that was connected to a conference call.


    "Is Qiao Linyou in the car?" Lanni asked and sent over a photo for comparison.


    "Yes she is." The young woman responded, much to Lanni''s relief.


    "Tang, catch up." Lanni instructed, and the man named Tang proceeded to Falcon Road while the others kept their distance and secretly followed using different routes.


    "I caught up." He announced within a few seconds, but about three minutes later, he cursed.


    "I lost them."


    "You did what?" Lanni''s heart sank.


    "I''m sorry boss. I think they suspected me.. They suddenly sped up and disappeared."

 Chapter 481 - Enjoy The Rest Of Our Stay

    "How can you almost get caught when you only followed them for three minutes?" Lanni did not understand.


    "Because I almost rear-ended them." Tang explained apologetically.


    Lanni felt bummed. How could they lose so soon? Even so, she was not ready to give up. "Try and catch up. Tang, you stay away." She instructed, since the young man would be even more suspicious if he joined the others in looking for Qiao Linyou''s car.


    "Starlight Road."  A female voice interrupted Lanni who was speaking, and the others were shocked that it sounded like Lanni was interrupting herself.


    Lanni stopped in surprise. "Luna?"


    "Don''t mind me. I''m just listening." Luna chuckled and Lanni was thankful to her.


    "She''s my sister, don''t mind her. Who''s closest to Starlight Road?" She asked, understanding Luna''s hint.


    "I caught up." A girl announced.


    "Good girl." Lanni praised in relief.


    "Don''t exit onto Moon Road. It''s under heavy traffic due to impromptu inspection." Luna instructed, not being able to keep silent anymore. "Take another route towards the West. I''ll keep track of them."


    The girl didn''t know whether or not she should follow Luna''s instructions and waited for Lanni to tell her to proceed.


    "Good idea¡­" Realization dawned on Lanni and she let out a small chuckle. "Did you cause the traffic on Moon Road, Luna?"


    "How would you know?" Luna laughed, feigning innocence.


    "How would you know?" Lanni returned the question. Unless Luna was monitoring the entire city, she wouldn''t know.


    "I didn''t do much. I just messed up the traffic surveillance cameras a little and made the drug detection system alert the authorities of the presence of drugs." Luna chuckled like it was something she did every other day.


    Lanni didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "Thank you for buying us time to get ahead of them and plan. But my dear sister, may I know what you''re thinking? You''re ruining everything by having them arrested before they reach their destination."


    Although the police were only alerted of drugs, weapon smugglers would not escape either. If the duo had the weapons in their car, it would be tragic.


    "They will not. Just go ahead and prepare for what you have to do." Luna instructed and did not exit the conference call she had sneakily joined.


    "Take the West route." Lanni instructed the others.


    "Lanni¡­" The long-haired woman frowned. Although she trusted Luna, the others didn''t and found the change of plans problematic and risky.


    "Do as I say." Lanni insisted, and they had no choice but follow the pop up plan.


    "Tang, Lin, stay close to me. The rest, get off the road." Lanni instructed, and the young man and woman closed in on her car. She raced towards the exit into the West outskirts and so did Tang and Lin, waiting for the next instructions.


    "Help me distract them." She said to the duo over the call that was still on.


    "Distract who?" Lin asked.


    "Qiao Linyou and her agent." As they spoke, they realized the car they had been following finally closing in. Lanni smiled in relief and once again thanked Luna, who then exited the call to attend a meeting. "Lin, stay ahead. Tang, let them overtake you."


    That was easy to do since the duo was in a rush, but they were shocked when  they heard the next instruction. "Lin, make them slow down and Tang, rear end them at the red light exiting the city."


    "Do what?" Tang was shocked.


    "Just a slight hit, which is why I want you to do it at a red light. Don''t damage the car too much."


    "You got it." Tang promised, and Lin continued wasting time until she was let off the road. By the time the duo arrived at the red light, there was only a few seconds left before the light turned green.


    Lanni neared them cautiously. "At the count of three. One, two, three."


    As soon as she said "three," Tang rear-ended Qian Linyou''s car just as the light turned amber.


    As expected, Ms. Meng exited the car fuming with rage, and Qiao Linyou stepped down to check whether her precious car was damaged.


    Lanni used the chance to throw a pair of magnetic bugs onto the front and back tires that were on her side. She then activated them on her laptop and sped off the road amid the hooting of the cars behind her.


    "Mission accomplished." She yelled in excitement. "It''s time to watch. Tang, I''ll call the insurance company to deal with the damages. Lin, let''s exit at the next U-turn."


    ¡­


    "If I may ask, why did we spend so much effort?" Lin asked when they were all back to Lin Media Group.


    "Yeah, we don''t even know where they were going." Added a young man.


    "We will know their location in a few minutes. Did you really think I was simply overtaking them? I planted a bug on the wheel of their car." Lanni slumped into the couch of the resting area and wanted to sleep after all the nervousness she had felt earlier.


    "No wonder you said not to damage the car. They would have taken it to be repaired." The realization finally dawned on Tang.


    "Yeah, but they were in a hurry. If it''s negligible damage, they will handle it later." Lanni was confident of this since they were in a hurry to begin with, and Luna wasted their time later with the traffic surveillance and inspection. She wondered how they escaped it and how Luna was certain that they would not be arrested. Was this one of her stunts?


    "Thank you guys." She smiled at them gratefully.


    "You''re welcome. It was exciting to work with you." Lin winked, and the others seconded her.


    ¡­


    "Was it successful?" Lin Jian asked when he sought her in the resting area.


    "Leave me alone. My stomach is in knots." Lanni didn''t even open her eyes.


    Lin Jian laughed but didn''t bother her when he imagined what would have happened if the girl found any of them suspicious. "Okay, I''ll leave you alone. Ask for any reward once you complete it."


    "Roger that." Lanni waved a finger lazily while using the time to think about what to do once she found out who those two were meeting.


    ¡­


    It wasn''t too long before the bugs recorded something. It was much safer than someone following them right into the dangerous zone, which is why she had chosen this route. When she got the recording on her laptop, she watched it a few times before going to show it to Lin Jian.


    "The cameras were too far, unfortunately. But I can confirm that the person they met is suspicious." She explained.


    "Black hair, a scar that looks like a faded bullet hole on his face, I have seen him on a wanted poster before." She added, but couldn''t recall the name of the man on the poster she had seen.


    "Good job. Can you find out who he is?" Lin Jian was satisfied by her progress.


    She chuckled. "The question is, can I find out who it is and still keep my life?"


    "Yes you can, I believe in you." He reassured her, and she left to go back to her office.


    He was just about to watch the video again when the door swung open and in came a raging man.


    "Shoot, Xiehan, what are you doing here?" Lin Jian almost fainted from shock.


    "I want to have a word with you." Xiehan smiled, but from how sinister he looked, he was not here to have a word. He looked more like someone who was here to reap someone''s soul.


    What was worse, Lin Jian didn''t dare to ask what this was about. Did he unknowingly upset Ruby? Or was it about Lanni?


    He finally understood. It must be because of Lanni.


    "I swear, I''m only giving Lanni difficult tasks to train her. She will need to scout for news later, she will need the skills." He frantically explained, wondering whether every boss had it this hard.


    "Putting my woman in danger, is that your so-called training?" Xiehan''s gaze narrowed at him like he was ready to beat him up.


    "I promise, she is not in danger." He raised both of his palms to swear.


    "She better not be." Xiehan''s tone was still full of threat.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Cedric and Cheng Yu were having the fun of their lives at a resort.


    "Yu, do you want to go for a swim?" He asked Cheng Yu, who was leaning against the balcony railing.


    "Nothing beats a good swim on a warm day." She smiled as she turned to look at him.


    "Then let''s go." He joyously took her hand to lead her back into their suite so she would get changed.


    As she wondered whether to wear the purple or blue swimsuit, she let out a sigh. "I can''t believe we only have a few days left before we have to go back."


    He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Good things don''t last that long.. But instead of thinking about it, let''s enjoy the rest of our stay here."

 Chapter 482 - I Love You

    "I have a bad feeling." Ming stated when she and Qiao Linyou were done with their business and were on their way back home.


    "Is this about Lanni again?" Qiao Linyou rolled her eyes with a scoff even before the latter could respond. "You are being too paranoid. I told you she is harmless."


    Ming tiredly sighed. She didn''t think so about Lanni. Otherwise, if people were supposed to be as harmless as they looked, Qiao Linyou would be innocent enough to be unable to swat a fly. But being the venomous snake that she was beneath her facade, it could only prove that looks were deceiving. "Wiat till she does something tragic, then you can tell me how innocent she truly is." she huffed in annoyance.


    ¡­


    Cedric led Cheng Yu into the swimming pool, where they swam for the better part of the afternoon.


    "I feel so drained." She flopped her backside onto the surface of the pool after competing three laps with him.


    "Don''t be a lazy bum. One more!" He urged, but she was too lazy to move a single finger.


    "I''m tired. Race against the water, I''ll cheer you!" She joked and burst into laughter when he gave her a dirty look.


    "What should I do with you?" He smiled dotingly, wondering why he loved this woman so much even though she enjoyed teasing him. Perhaps that was part of what he loved about her.


    "Do you want to go back to our suite?" He asked when he saw her recline listlessly against the tiled floor with her legs still dangling in the cold water.


    "I''m so tired." She whined with no intention to move an inch.


    "If you ask me nicely, I can carry you back." He grinned happily, waiting for her to ask him to carry her to the suite. When she raised her arms to signal him to carry her, his heart flooded with joy as he wrapped a towel around her and carried her.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck as she gazed at his side profile, finding him more handsome than before. She brushed her fingers up his neck gently, making his body stiffen.


    "Don''t do that. You run the risk of getting kissed." He warned, and before she could stop what she was doing, he pressed his lips against hers in a soft, gentle kiss. "See? I warned you."


    She smiled and buried her flushed face on his chest. When she heard a kick behind her followed by a gust of wind, she knew that they had arrived and the door had just been opened. He placed her on the bed gently and covered her with the towel that had started slipping off.


    "I''ll get changed instead." She suggested, not wanting to wet the bed with her soaking swimsuit.


    "Okay." He stepped away from the bed slightly to let her pass.


    She stood and dropped the towel, then tugged on the top of her swimsuit, before her face flushed furiously when she realized that he was still watching.


    "I don''t mind the audience but are you sure you can take it?" She asked with a tease, making his body go stiff.


    "Let me grab you a snack." He left the room as though his heels were on fire.


    When he returned, he had a bunch of snacks in his arms and placed it on the bed where she was sitting with her legs crossed.


    "Want some?" He dangled a bar of chocolate in her face, which she immediately grabbed.


    "That''s mine. I was yet to give it to you." He knitted his brows, but she merely laughed at him.


    Opening the wrapper, she broke off a piece and put it in her mouth. "How sweet. You can''t take it back now."


    She was still speaking when his lips landed on hers. Her eyes widened at the sudden kiss.


    "I can''t get the chocolate back. It''s only fair that I get the taste, right?"


    "She didn''t say anything against his words. Leaning forward, she pecked his lips and brought her hands around his neck, letting him kiss her before she pulled back and placed a piece of chocolate between her teeth.


    She did not bite it off completely, leaving half of it protruding from between her lips.


    He leaned in and but the remaining part of it, but after eating the chocolate, his lips lingered on hers, taking them in a deep kiss.


    "Cedric," She whispered when his hands gently grabbed her boobs.


    "Yu, I¡­" He was about to let go when she held his hand and pressed it against her chest so he wouldn''t stop touching her.


    "I''m just nervous¡­" She breathed. "I don''t dislike it."


    By the time she got through her last words, she was so embarrassed that her entire face had turned red.


    He looked into her eyes and kissed her neck, pressing his lips against on her soft skin, earning a soft moan from her. His hands slid up her thigh before grabbing her hip and placing it against his waist. He pushed her down against the bed before his body came down on hers.


    "Yu, I want you." He whispered, then waited for her reaction.


    "I¡­" She didn''t know what to say. She wasn''t sure that she was ready to take her relationship with him to the next step, but that was not the main point. The main point was, what was she supposed to say? Would she appear to be too forward with him?


    One thing was for sure, however¡ªshe liked the feeling of his hands on her skin.


    Slowing down in case she was uncomfortable, he stroked her skin gently, to which she arched her back and closed her eyes, gasps escaping her lips.


    ¡­


    The following morning.


    Cheng Yu woke up to the rays of sun seeping in through the curtains. When she tried to stretch her limbs, she found that she was too exhausted to move much.


    "Morning, sleepyhead." Cedric smiled from the side when he saw her stretching.


    "Good morning." She beamed and suddenly remembered what had happened the previous night, which made her blush and cover herself with the blanket all the way to her head.


    He sat on the bed next to her, dipping a hand into the blanket to stroke her hair. "I''m sorry I hurt you. I¡­" He paused and sighed. "I didn''t know it was your first time and¡­"


    "Stop talking about it." She was so embarrassed that she wanted him to shut up. Last night was her first time as well as his. Everything he did was out of instinct and even when he realized that he had hurt her, he didn''t know what to do and could only clumsily kiss her to try and ease the discomfort, and her hiss of pain had him almost jolting off the bed.


    He chuckled and agreed that it was indeed awkward to talk about it.


    Even so, she felt as though it had brought them even closer to each other. When she was less awkward regarding the entire thing, she peeked her head out of the blanket. "What was that anyway? Is it considered as having done the deed?"


    He tried to think but couldn''t figure out either. "Whatever it is, you belong to me now. You are not allowed to think about other men." He demanded.


    "Including my brother?" She asked with a tilt of her head.


    "Except your brother." The only man he could tolerate her around her was Cheng Ying, and this was majorly because the young man had nothing against him and would never be competition either.


    "You cannot look at other women." She likewise demanded.


    In response, he pulled her out of the blanket and into his arms. "Of course not. They are not even half as beautiful as you. What''s there for me to look at?"


    She knew that he was saying honeyed words but she subconsciously believed him. She truetsed that he would not mess around with other women behind her back. If he wanted to, he would have done so already. Since he hadn''t ever thought of it, it only meant that he was true to her.


    "Yu, I love you so much." He pressed his lips gently against her temples.


    She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest comfortably. "I love you too, Cedric."


    "While she leaned against him, her body pressed against a hardness she was quite familiar with, and she suddenly didn''t know what position to sit in. "Uh¡­"


    Noticing her discomfort, he chuckled lightly. "My little friend wasn''t satisfied last night so he''s poking you. You can ignore him until you''re ready to feed him."


    "Stop talking about it." She playfully slapped his shoulder and buried her face in his chest.


    _____


    Dear readers, I will be participating in Webnovel Spirity Awards 2021 with two new books:


    Reborn As The Daemon''s Wife.


    A Second Chance At First Love


    Please support me! <3

 Chapter 483 - The Culprit (1)

    "I have to follow this person." Lanni stuck a post-it on a board, along with a picture of a man whose face she circled. This was the person Qiao Linyou was dealing with, and she was suspicious of him in many ways. She then sat on her study desk to note down details like where to find him and what day and time she should go to look for him.


    When she realized that the only place she could find him was at a casino, she cursed. But what was she to expect? The idiot was a weapon dealer, of course he would go to such places as casinos.


    However, she knew that the worst thing she could do was go to such places on her own, without telling anyone else about it. What if the man discovered her and tried to hurt her?


    Hence, she planned it out and went along with a few journalists from the team that had accompanied her to stalk Qiao Linyou previously.


    "Let''s just go in like friends who have decided to spend the night out. I''m certain that guy will notice us, especially with you looking like this." The long-haired woman, Lin, suggested as they planned to go to the night club-cum-casino where Lanni had noted the place where the man would be tonight.


    Lanni was dressed up seductively in her voluptuous disguise, which was in line with the kind of women that had been seen next to the man in all the pictures they had gathered.


    "Let''s not do anything that might make it difficult for us to escape. It would be troublesome if the man tries to hold onto us and does not allow us to leave on our own." Lanni frowned when she thought of the possibility of that happening. She knew that it was not impossible for such a lecherous man to cling onto them, and the mere thought of it made her stomach turn. She did not want to imagine it actually happening.


    "Let''s just go in and try not to attract much attention to ourselves. You can help me out for a bit and I will disguise myself as a waitress." Lanni suggested, to which Lin nodded.


    Soon after they walked in, they pretended to have lost their way and went into a VIP room, following a waitress in.


    Lin grabbed the waitress before she could be noticed by the patron she was going to serve drinks and pulled her to the restroom next to the VIP room, where she took off her work coat and apron to give to Lanni.


    "Switch clothes with me." Lin demanded. "Willingly, or I will have no choice but to force you."


    "No." The waitress shook her head stubbornly, not because she found it humiliating but because she knew what this meant. The woman before her was going to enter the VIP room in her stead, and she would get to serve the billionaire inside, hence snatching her hard-earned chance to get the man''s attention.


    Lin sighed and simply knocked her out, and took off her clothes which she took to give to Lanni.


    "Thank you." Lanni got out of a cubicle where she was hiding and hurriedly changed into the clothes then made her way out. Because this was a large place, she could easily sneak around without being noticed by the manager as someone who was not part of the staff. Not to mention, there were new waitresses fired almost every other day and new ones to replace them, the manager couldn''t keep track of all of them.


    However, Lanni didn''t want to take too much risk so she grabbed some drinks at the pantry and hurriedly went to the VIP room where she should be.


    The man was sitting comfortably on the couch with two beauties at his sides while another danced on the table in front of him. She only slid off the table and joined the other two when Lanni arrived with the drinks, which she placed on the table.


    "Did you get what I asked for?" The man roared.


    Lanni recoiled to the side apologetically. "I''m sorry. What did you ask for? I forgot the order and brought a drink that is most popular among powerful men."


    Her words stroked his ego, hearing that she had referred to him as a wealthy man. His tone softened and he couldn''t help noticing that she was quite beautiful. She was even more beautiful than the three women accompanying him. Noticing that the skimpily-dressed trio was glaring at Lanni, he knew that his judgement was right. She was so beautiful that his companions were afraid that the waitress would snatch his attention from them.


    "Never mind. You can open the drinks." He instructed patiently, seeing as she was a beauty and she knew what to say to get herself out of a sticky situation.


    While she bent over to open the bottle, Lanni felt him place his hand on her butt. She was so repulsed that she wanted to slap the hell out of him and puke all over his face. Even though she was wearing padded underwear to make her butt look bigger and he wasn''t actually touching what was naturally hers, it still disgusted her.


    Contrary to how she felt, she opened the bottles and smiled as she poured some of it into a glass.


    "Enjoy your drinks." She smiled as she patted him on the chest, leaving behind a bug as she straightened up to leave.


    "Wait." He ordered, and she turned around nervously.


    "Is there something else?" Her face was full of indifference contrary to the nervousness she was feeling. Would the stupid pervert as her to stay and drink with him, or do other things that she was not willing to do? She hoped not, but the seconds felt torturous as she waited for him to continue speaking whatever he had in mind.


    "Pour yourself some drink too." Came the dreaded order.


    "I¡­ I don''t dare." She acted embarrassed about it.


    "Don''t worry. Your boss will have nothing to say about it. I can drink with whichever waitress I want over here. I can even fuck them if I want to, and no one would have a say about it."


    Lanni tried to hold back the bile in her stomach. No wonder the girls working in this place did not last long. She had always wondered whether the work description was too difficult, but now she understood it.


    The waitresses were regarded almost like prostitutes, and they probably didn''t have the chance to decide whether or not they wanted to engage in sexual activity with patrons. If many of the patrons were like this idiot, they probably ended up molesting the poor girls, and they were fired or decided to leave this god forsaken place. Heaven knew how they ended up. It was surprising that no one knew of the happenings inside this place.


    Lanni remained indifferent to the man''s perverted language, and she poured a drink but didn''t bring it to her mouth.


    "I have taken an order for another VIP room already. I heard the patron is CEO Jiang. I should probably serve him first, then I will be back to drink with you." She conveniently dropped Xingyu''s name, knowing that not many people would want to cross paths with him.


    "Jiang Xingyu?" The man confirmed as he pushed one of the beauties aside in shock.


    Lanni nodded as though she was just telling one of the things she had heard. "I heard he is here drinking with his friends."


    As expected, the man''s face was full of shock. Everyone knew that Jiang Xingyu''s close friends were Lin Jian, Xiehan and Han Xichen. If all four of them were here, then he might be able to make some connections. Though for some reason, he looked bummed.


    "Go and confirm it then return to me." He sent her. He would never have trusted her, but he knew that no waitress had the audacity to try and offend him.


    Lanni nodded and made her way out. As soon as she was out, she rolled her eyes. Damned man. Did he really think that she would return? Xingyu was not even here and neither were Xiehan, Lin Jian and Han Xichen.


    Looking around to ensure no one was watching, she slipped into the washroom that had an ''under maintenance'' sign outside it and switched her clothes back on, then rushed back to her car after taking away the maintenance sign.


    ¡­


    "Did you manage to do it?" Lin asked when Lanni returned to the car. She had been sitting on edge the entire time.


    "Yes, I did." Lanni let out a sigh of relief, then set her laptop to record footage of whatever the bug captured, hoping the man did not notice it or change his clothes before it recorded something helpful.


    ___


    My first book for Web Novel Spirity Awards 2021 has been published.. Please search Reborn As The Daemon''s Wife and add it to your library. <3

 Chapter 484 - Bugged

    "What are you aiming for?" Asked Lin, wondering if there was anything else she could do to help.


    "I want to know what exact weapons and who he is dealing with." Lanni responded and started the car to drive off before the man could realize that he had been tricked by her. The manager could simply claim that the woman he had seen before had made a mistake and was fired, since he didn''t know about her either.


    " Where are we going now?" Lin asked.


    Lanni thought about it and decided that it was too late to look for Lin Jian. "I''ll drop you off and look for my sister."


    Lin knew that Lanni would be insistent if she rejected the ride, knowing that the latter would not want her to go home on her own so late at night. She could only nod and give her address.


    When she arrived, she was flabbergasted to find a man at her doorstep.


    "What are you doing here?" She turned and was relieved to find that Lanni had left the place.


    Lin Jian waited for her to open the door and when she did, he entered the house like it belonged to him and welcomed himself onto a couch with a slight laugh. "You are less hospitable."


    Lin nervously stood by the door, ready to bolt out in case Lin Jian was up to something she was not ready for.


    Noticing her demeanor, he chuckled. "Don''t worry. I only want to ask you what Lanni has managed to accomplish. Sit down and tell me."


    Lin was unsure whether or not to trust him. What kind of man would appear in front of a woman''s house like he did, and still expect her to believe that he was not up to anything harmful to her?


    Lin Jian noticed her nervousness and aside from being funny, it irritated him to some level. "I already have a woman now. I want nothing to do with other women." He tried to rush her so he would leave as fast as possible and go home to sleep, and probably give Ruby a call since he missed her so much.


    "She put a bug on the man. I still do not know what his name is, but he is the same man that was captured in the same frame as Qiao Linyou the last time." Lin explained nervously, still not making any step into the house in fear.


    "I got it. Will you step away from the door now? I still need to leave." Lin Jian instructed and when the woman recoiled into the house, he chuckled and left.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Lanni went to the Jiang Mansion where Luna had called her.


    When she arrived, Luna went to greet her fondly. "Lanni, come in. We need to talk."


    "What do you need to talk about?" It wasn''t often that Luna used such words, so Lanni was curious about it.


    "I just wanted to see you." Luna hugged her emotionally. She was becoming more and more emotional by the day.


    Lanni hugged her back. "I missed you so much."


    The two women sat on the living room couches, and a maid brought them drinks; juice for Lanni and a glass of warm milk for Luna.


    "How have you been? You have changed so much." Lanni observed. It was not just about her belly, the aura around her had changed a lot too. She seemed more friendly and warmth radiated off her.


    Luna was aware of these changes too, and she smiled. "I guess it''s what happens when one becomes a mother. Many things change about you, it''s the beauty of motherhood."


    "I have no choice but to agree to that. You are so beautiful." Lanni commented. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like to be a mother but then again, she didn''t think she was ready for it yet. "How are Aunty and Uncle? They''re not home tonight?"


    "They went outstation." Luna smiled and took a sip of her warm milk. "Xingyu had to work overtime today but he will be home soon."


    "Is he treating you well?" She asked. It wasn''t because she didn''t trust Xingyu, but because she wanted to make sure that her sister was happy.


    "I couldn''t ever ask for anything else. He loves me so much. And our wedding day is approaching too¡­ I feel so happy."


    Lanni hugged her sister, who returned the hug and suddenly pulled away when the babies kicked again.


    "Ow! Your nephews or nieces seem to be having a lot of fun in here. Perhaps they know of their aunt''s visit and are overjoyed about it." She chuckled, and they both burst into laughter.


    "How is Xiehan treating you?" Luna asked. "Is he still as loving as he used to be?"


    "He is even more loving." Lanni sighed, her expression changing into a sad one.


    "Sis, what happened?" Luna asked in concern.


    "He is leaving soon. I feel like I miss him already." Lanni sipped on her juice and looked helpless.


    "The days will fly before you know it." Luna coaxed her using the words that she had been told by many people already.


    "Besides, I will be there for you. My babies and I will bug you so many times every day that you will not think of Xiehan for a single day." Luna laughed.


    Lanni chuckled when she thought about it. "If your babies are as naughty as you are, yup, I will not think about Xiehan and he will return before I know it."


    "Hey, who is naughty? You are the naughty one!" Luna slapped her playfully.


    "I have to go home now. I''m handling a case, see you tomorrow, Luna." Lanni stood to say her goodbyes.


    "Aw, what a bummer. But the babies wnat to stay with their aunty a little more." Luna felt bummed that Lanni had to leave.


    "I''m so sorry. I want to stay longer too." Lanni was so helpless that she almost decided to stay. If it wasn''t because she had to look out for whatever videos the bugs would record, she would have stayed the night.


    "Hey, how about you come with me to my apartment? You can stay over and we will have more time to spend together once I have finished up what I have to do." Lanni suggested, to which Luna sighed helplessly.


    "I wish I could do that. However, a certain someone will go crazy with wanting to say hello to his babies." She stated her reason, and Lanni blushed when she understood her double meaning.


    "What case are you talking about anyway?" She asked, ready to help if there was anything she could do to make it easier for Lanni.


    "Nope. You cannot take part in this. You have to stay peacefully at home and take care of yourself." Lanni said strictly with no room for negotiation, and Luna could only feel bummed.


    "But I want to help out too. I''m not as delicate as you think. Besides, I will do what I have to while sitting on my desk and won''t move around to do dangerous things." She tried to convince Lanni, but that only earned her a resounding no.


    "You meanie." She complained but could only bite her tongue and feel wronged.


    ___


    When Lanni returned to her apartment, she quickly took a bath before sitting in front of her desk to find out what the bugs had recorded. At first, it was only a few snippets of things that did not even make much sense, which Lanni so badly wanted to get off her screen. However, she knew that doing so might make her miss out on something important, so she could only continue watching the torturous video.


    Luckily, the idiot did not do anything obscene or x-rated. She thought, and as if on cue, one of the voluprous women who were with him slid a hand down his chest and grabbed his manhood through his trousers.


    "Urgh, I jinxed it." Lanni cursed, disgusted by their actions. But then again, it was she who had placed a bug on someone and captured the actions that they did in secret. They didn''t do it in public. Besides, the man was known for his debauchery, so she should have expected such a thing from him.


    However, the videos rolled out and the man didn''t do anything suspicious. It was getting on her nerves. Bugging him again would be much harder than it had been the first time as the man would be more wary of her the next time.


    Just as she wondered whether or not to give up and try to bug him again, someone else entered the VIP room.


    It was a man, and it made her eyes narrow. Wasn''t this Xia Yuguang, her uncle? What was he doing here?


    ___


    AN


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 Chapter 485 - Dont Poke Your Nose Where It Doesnt Belong

    What was he doing here? Lanni knew from a glance that he must be here for business. Though she wondered, what would the Xia family have to do with weapon smugglers? She had thought that they only dealt harmful and illegal medicines. As expected, that family was much darker than it appeared.


    There were many more dark secrets than one would ever expect, even though she had already anticipated it.


    In the video. Xia Yuguang sat down opposite the man whose fake name was James, and exchanged a few words over drinks.


    "Do you have the goods?" James asked as he lit a cigar, and Lanni turned on the recording function. It was here!


    "Yes." Xia Yuguang glanced around.


    "The room is safe." James let out a hollow laugh.


    Taking it as a cue, Xia Yuguang took out a small bottle from his pockets and placed it on the table, making Lanni''s eyes narrow. That had to be a drug. The Xia family was trading with James too?


    Xia Yuguang did not stay for long, he decided to leave soon after handing over the bottle and receiving a few gold bars in exchange. Lanni had recorded the main part, but she suddenly noticed that James was taking off his jacket.


    She cursed and the man suddenly looked at a spot on his jacket, his face enlarging on the screen of her laptop and eyes appearing to be looking straight into hers. "Naughty little Minx."


    Lanni trembled and almost thought he could see her, before she remembered that the bug was one way. She held her breath as the man continued, "Don''t poke your nose where it does not belong. I''m only warning you because you''re pretty. Otherwise, you would be six feet underground."


    She trembled from the compliment which made it sound like the end of her life was drawing close. Taking a deep breath, she saved the video she had recorded and sent it to Lin Jian before deleting her own copy. As for poking her nose where it did not belong, she was not about to give up now when she was about to uncover the truth. She would only tread more carefully.


    ¡­.


    Xiaoshi hugged her phone as she tried not to fall asleep. Han Xichen had promised to give her a call at least once every day. It had been five days since he left for the site where a dam had broken to destroy an entire town, and he had only called her once when he arrived. For the last four days, she waited while holding her phone, afraid that he would call as soon as she drifted asleep.


    She kept her eyes glued onto the screen of her television during news hour, hoping that she would get to hear news of the town where he was, and it would make her worry less. Alas, there was only news of it on the first day and after that, she could only keep guessing.


    However, she believed that no news was better than bad news, so she remained hopeful.


    Sliding off the bed, she went to the kitchen and brewed herself a cup of coffee, which she drank while stealing glances at her phone. A text message did arrive, but it was from her network provider.


    She closed her eyes and hugged her arms. Why did she pretend that it would be alright? This was too much torture. She should have insisted that she didn''t want to be on her own, and followed him. How much longer would she wait without the slightest strand of hope?


    Soon after finishing her coffee, she became too sleepy. It seemed like the caffeine had lost its effect on her. She could only drag her exhausted body to bed.


    However, it was barely a minute after she left when she heard a slight chime. Her eyes popped open when she heard it again. It was the doorbell!


    She shuffled out of bed and ran to the door, before scolding herself. How could she rush to open the door in the middle of the night? What if it was a burglar?


    Her feet went cold and she was just about to turn back to rush to her room when the doorbell rang again. This time, it was followed by a calm, deep voice. "Shishi, it''s me."


    "Xi¡­ Xichen?" She whispered the name out in disbelief.


    "Yes. Could you open the door for me, my love? I''m about to freeze to death." The man chuckled outside the door.


    "Xichen!" Her tone raised in disbelief, and she opened the door as tears freely rolled down her cheeks. She jumped into his arms and buried her head on his chest.


    "I''m sorry." He held her and ran his fingers through her hair.


    "I''m bad at you!" She hit his chest with her fists. How dare he make her worry for so long? She was going insane just thinking about him!


    "I''m sorry, it''s my bad. I shouldn''t have made you worry so much." He apologized, and she ignored him to enter the house on her own.


    He followed her in, closing the door behind him, then went to sit next to his sulking girlfriend. He knew that she had been worried after not hearing from him for so long.


    "Can you hear me out, my love?" He coaxed.


    "Go on." She looked up at him accusingly, wondering what he had to say for not saying a single word.


    "On the second day, I lost my phone. That small town is hectic. Not only is the governance so pathetic that amenities are poorly built, but there are thieves and robbers at every turn too. Our tents were searched and robbed while we went about our business trying to rescue the casualties. We didn''t have time to find new ones, not to mention, we had no money either." He explained.


    She would have found it ridiculous if anyone else gave such reasons, but she knew that he had no reason to lie to her. It finally made sense why he couldn''t contact her and could only go to her as soon as their work was finished.


    It was only now that she noticed how tired he looked. "You must be tired. Rest here tonight, you can leave in the morning."


    "I would love to, but are you sure you want that to happen?" He asked teasingly.


    In response, she disappeared from the living room for a while and just when he started wondering whether she had dropped on the floor somewhere and fallen asleep out of fatigue, she returned. "Use the guest room. I just changed the sheets."


    "Alright." He stood up, though he felt a little bummed. He hoped to be invited to her bed. "Show me there."


    She led the way and he followed. Once he climbed onto the bed, she turned off the lights and was about to leave when her hand was grabbed and tugged, making her fall onto the bed. Before she could process it, the man wrapped his arms around her tightly and fell into a deep sleep. Her struggles to leave were futile, and she could only give up.


    He was asleep anyway, he couldn''t do anything to her. She fell asleep too.


    Once he heard her soft, steady breathing, he checked her and chuckled at the trick he had used on her. Helping her onto a comfortable position, he fell asleep with her in his arms.


    ¡­


    It was the most peaceful sleep that Han Xichen had had in a week. The last few days had been spent bustling around and he barely had time to swallow his saliva. He had not slept for more than three hours every day, so with Xiaoshi in his arms, he slept through the remainder of the night and only woke up at noon.


    Xiaoshi was no longer on the bed. He was bummed when he realized that she was not in the room either. Did she leave when he fell asleep? He could swear that he had never slept that much in his life. He didn''t even feel it when she slipped away.


    Just when he wondered where to find her, the door opened to reveal a beautifully dressed Xiaoshi with a jovial smile on her face. "You''re awake. I was going to join you to continue sleeping."


    She had not been as busy as he was in the past week, but she had been kept up with nightmares and worry. Last night was her most peaceful too.


    He chuckled at her words and waved her over. "We can continue rolling in bed even without sleeping."


    She hopped over and lay in his arms, placing a hand on his chest.


    "You didn''t go to work?" He stroked her back as he asked.


    In response, she pinched his vibrating chest. "I have a week off. Have you forgotten? There is only one day left."


    "Then let''s spend your last day off, along with the weekend, together."

 Chapter 486 - What Xiaoshi Wants

    Xiaoshi hummed in agreement even though it was uncertain whether she had heard his suggestion. She was drifting off to sleep.


    He peeked at her and embraced her dotingly. "Go to sleep."


    When she was asleep, he pulled away while trying not to wake her up, sliding off the bed.


    "Xichen¡­" Her fingers clutched his shirt clingily as though worried that he was leaving.


    "I''ll be right back." He promised and kissed her forehead, then headed out of the room.


    When she woke up, she looked around and sat up with a jolt. "Xichen?"


    She didn''t get any response, so she rushed out of the room only to see him setting the dining table.


    "You scared me. I thought you had left for some emergency again." She clung to his back, making the apron around his waist loosen up.


    He turned around to hold her in his arms. "I promised to come back, didn''t I? I was going to wake you up in a moment." He explained to his girlfriend who looked like she was afraid of losing him.


    "I know I sound selfish but I wouldn''t want you to put your life in danger. But then again, you''re a doctor and will probably need to do so once in a while." She purred against his chest.


    He tousled her hair to coax her. "Do you want me to quit my career? I can do that if you ask me."


    She pulled back and jabbed his stomach at the insane suggestion. "Don''t be silly. I didn''t say you should quit your career for me. I only need you to take care of yourself when you have no choice but to go to dangerous places."


    "That, I can promise you. Can we have lunch now? I''m sure you are hungry." He led her to the table and pulled a chair for her. He guessed that she had not been eating healthily. There was a lot of food in her fridge and kitchen shelves, none of which looked like it had been touched. On the other hand, there was a box of instant noodles on one of the shelves as well as snacks.


    The sight and aroma of the food on the table made her mouth water and she sat down, digging in as soon as she served herself a portion of vegetable fried rice.


    She didn''t have a specific preference for vegetarian food but when she had a taste, she almost forgot her manners to gulp down the entire serving.


    He picked up a piece of wet fried chicken and placed it on her plate. "Eat some meat too?"


    "Mmh?" She looked up at him curiously.


    "Don''t only eat vegetables and rice." He explained and resumed eating his food, wondering why she was blinking in confusion.


    She had always assumed that doctors would be extra careful with what the people around them ate, and that they would not allow them to eat anything that was fried or that they considered too sugary.


    She quickly munched on it as though afraid that he would take it back, and he could only laugh at her antics.


    "Do you want to watch a movie later?" He asked as they ate. In truth, he knew little to nothing about dates. He was only guessing what to do based on what she liked.


    "Of course. Let''s go!" She jubilantly agreed, overjoyed by the fact that they would be going out on their first movie date.


    Hence, when she finished eating, she ordered clothes online which arrived later in the afternoon.


    "What are these for?" He curiously asked about the men''s jeans that were of the same color and type as the women''s shorts, as well as the black tshirts that had the same skull print but were of two different sizes. She wanted them to wear matching outfits? Not that he was complaining. He found the idea quite cute.


    "It''s for...the date." She looked down in embarrassment, realizing that she didn''t ask for his opinion before ordering the clothes. Thinking about it, a man like him had probably not worn such an outfit in his life. Was this overstepping her boundaries?


    He held the larger t-shirt up and shook his head in disapproval. "If you want me to wear this, you are going to have to convince me."


    "How?" She asked, relieved that he didn''t totally reject the idea and left her room for negotiation.


    "What do you think?" Came his nonchalant question, and she had to figure it out on her own.


    She held her chin in thought. "How about¡­ I will cook you a sumptuous meal tomorrow?" She suggested, to which he shook his head.


    "Not convincing enough. You would cook me whatever I want even if it is unrelated to the clothes."


    "That''s true¡­ Hey!" She complained when she realized that he had just tricked her into revealing her opinion.


    He burst into laughter at how easy she was to trick, then pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. He only paused when she was out of breath, then pulled her to the couch and sat next to her before resuming his kisses.


    Her body felt light and she leaned against him, his name leaving her lips in a mutter.


    His hand wove its way down her body to hold her waist as he lowered her to lie on the couch with him on top of her. Her eyes closed as she felt his hot breath against her neck.


    Her phone rang, interrupting the mood. She wanted to ignore it but he pulled away to allow her to answer the call. She could only grudgingly pick it up and almost exploded when she saw the mood pooper was her own father. Couldn''t he pick a better timing?


    "Dad?" She croaked into the call.


    "How are you doing?" The man asked, even though they both knew that it was not what he really wanted to know. What he wanted to know was whether his daughter had managed to charm Xingyu. He had wanted to get rid of Luna but it seemed as though the Jiangs were more careful, there wasn''t any chance no matter how hard he tried.


    However, it was only understandable. The little bitch was pregnant and the Jiangs wanted a grandchild. He didn''t think they would continue to be that protective of her after the baby is born.


    Xiaoshi wanted to postpone it but she knew that the longer she delayed, the harder it would be for her to tell her father the truth. She decided to come out with it. "Dad, I''m doing fine. Is there anything else? I''m about to go out with my boyfriend."


    "Xingyu? I knew you would manage to charm him. There isn''t any man who wouldn''t love my perfect daughter." He bragged amid joyous laughter.


    "No. It''s my boyfriend. Hann Xichen." She finally got it out of her mouth. "I really love him, dad. I don''t want to leave him to fight with Luna over her fianc¨¦e."


    Since she had explained the major part, the rest of it rolled out smoothly.


    "Do you even know what the hell you''re saying? Are you listening to yourself?" Her father growled in anger.


    "Yes, dad. I know you mean the best for me but¡­"


    "You have no fucking idea!" The man yelled, his fury rising by the second.


    Xiaoshi trembled. This was the first time her dad was raising his voice at her, and she could believe that it was all about who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Wasn''t it supposed to be up to her from the start?


    Well, it was up to her from the start. She liked Xingyu after all. But now that she no longer liked him and had fallen in love with someone else, why was he forcing her back to Xingyu?


    "Dad, I hope you can understand me. I¡­"


    "Shut up. Useless brat." The man hung up, leaving Xiaoshi confused and heartbroken. How could he say such harsh things to her?


    "He will come around." Han Xichen took her hand to comfort her, even though he knew that it would not be that easy. The man was probably specific about wanting Xingyu for his daughter for a reason. Maybe it was the wealth of the Jiang family¡­


    He frowned when that thought registered itself. The wealth of the Jiang family was incomparable to that of the Han Clan. If all Uncle Yun wanted was for his daughter to live a luxurious life in future, he could provide that too. He could ensure that Xiaoshi didn''t ever lack anything she wanted.


    If it was all about wanting to give his daughter what she wanted, she no longer wanted Xingyu..


    Hence, it didn''t make much sense. Just what did he want from the Jiang family?


    ¡­


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 Chapter 487 - Lets Get Married

    Song recommendation


    Stuck with you¡ªAriana Grande and Justin Bieber


    ~


    When the call ended, Xiaoshi didn''t know how to face her boyfriend.


    "I''m sorry¡­"


    "You don''t need to be. It''s not your fault." He took her in his arms, not blaming her for the fact that her father was not welcoming of him. It was thanks to his own vanity.


    "Let''s prepare for our movie." He urged her as he stood up.


    She was still gloomy, and her eyes suddenly widened when he pulled his shirt off and started fumbling with the sides of his pants. She looked aside with a flushed face.


    "Forgive my manners. I forgot that I was still in the living room and had audience with me. I''ll go change in the guest room." He didn''t look sorry in the slightest, and he turned to grin at her. "Of course, I don''t mind the audience. I can change right here if you don''t mind."


    "Get lost." She pushed him out of the living room with a red face, and only after he left did she realize that she had touched his bare skin. It felt so hot under her palms, tempting her immensely. How dare he tease her?


    She rushed to her room and took a shower. When she returned after changing into her shorts and black t-shirt, she quickly forgot about her dad as she wondered how to style her long hair. After thinking for a while, she parted some of her hair with a comb and tied half of it into a ponytail, then made a small braid at the side and let it fall on her shoulder.


    Satisfied with her look, she exited the room and wondered whether he was ready.


    "Here comes my beauty." Han Xichen, who was waiting on the living room couch, swallowed when he saw her decending the staircase. He had already seen her clothes but they looked much more beautiful on her.


    "What should I do? I''m scared all the men at the theater will have their eyes on you." He complained.


    "Don''t worry. They will be focused on the movie." She walked over to him more confidently and hooked hands with him.


    He chuckled at her response. Wasn''t she supposed to say that it didn''t matter who looked at her, because he was the only one in her eyes or something along the lines?


    "Let''s go. I''m so excited." She was almost bouncing as she pulled him out of the door, feeling as though he was too slow. She had never thought of wearing a couple outfit with anyone either. She had found the idea online when she searched about simple but fun date ideas that wouldn''t make her feel too pressured.


    However, she found that searching it and ordering the clothes was one thing but doing it was something else altogether. She was excited yet nervous, especially when he suggested taking a walk instead of driving to the theater, since it was not far away.


    "Try to ignore everyone else." He tapped her head, realizing that she was anxious about the look that everyone was giving them. They were obviously a young couple in the initial stages of their relationship in everyone''s eyes, which was not a bad thing except everyone had their different opinion of them. While some found them cute, there were some who found their interaction annoying and judged them for being mushy in public. Caring about all of their opinions was too draining.


    She nodded and held his hand, feeling more at ease when she felt the warmth of his palm against hers.


    ¡­


    After watching a movie, they happily went to eat supper at a popular restaurant.


    "You''ve been staring at me for half an hour." He observed with a chuckle, that her eyes had not left his face since they placed their orders. She had probably not realized that their food had been brought.


    "Where else should my gaze be? You are so handsome that everything else pales in comparison." She laughed, making his eyebrows rise.


    "That doesn''t sound like something you would say."


    She laughed at his slow brain. "Don''t you remember? You said it before. That I was so beautiful that everything else paled in comparison, which was why you were staring at me."


    "You still are." He affirmed, then pointed at the food so they could eat before it became cold.


    "I''ve never been this happy." She confessed yet again. Just when she thought that she couldn''t love him any more than she already did, her heart proved her wrong.


    "Then let''s get married." He joked.


    "Don''t make such jokes." She rolled her eyes.


    Of course, she didn''t know that he was only half-joking. He had long decided to spend the rest of his life with her and was only waiting to know whether she felt the same way.


    They were soon done eating, and when they left the restaurant, she was surprised to see his car parked outside. She was familiar with it since he was fond of driving it to work, and she had met him at the parking lot many times. Not too long ago, it was her major source of joy. She would be overjoyed every time she saw it driving into the hospital parking lot.


    "I figured you''d be tired so I had it brought over." He explained when he saw how confused yet pleasantly surprised she was.


    She smiled as he led her into the car and drove off. He was so thoughtful. He must have noticed her shift uncomfortably earlier.


    Before he started driving, she slid an arm onto his neck and kissed his neck. "I love you."


    Sliding his hand to hold her waist, he pressed his lips against hers in a deep kiss.


    "That''s enough." He pulled away even while knowing that she still wanted more. Seeing her complaining gaze even though she didn''t dare to tell him what she wanted, he grabbed her hand and pressed it against his crotch.


    "You¡­" She withdrew her hand like it had been scalded, admitting that it really was enough.


    ___


    Lanni felt lost after seeing the videos that seemed to lump her uncle and James in one category. She knew that no one in the Xia family was to be trusted but it still hurt her feelings that all her lifetime beliefs were unfounded, that she had been trusting in people who shouldn''t even be considered as human beings, but devils.


    She massaged her forehead and proceeded to check the information regarding Xia Yuguang, which she had searched online on the night that he saw the video.


    Her phone rang, interrupting her from her busy schedule.


    "Xiehan." She answered the call in a weak voice, feeling tired from all the work.


    "My love, how have you been? It''s been long since I last heard from you." He asked worriedly, taking note of how feeble she sounded.


    "I''m alright. There''s just so many things that are falling into place but they''re not good or fun things. I''m just¡­ in disbelief."


    "Do you want to come out for fun with me?" He suggested, knowing that what she needed the most right now was a break.


    She glanced at the stack of files on her desk and couldn''t bring herself to go out yet. "How about we go out tomorrow instead? I still have a lot of work to do."


    "What are you looking for?" He casually asked.


    "I want to know whether he really is involved with dirty deals with this man whose fake name is James¡­ if they have been in it for a long time or if it''s a new thing that''s just begun recently." She explained casually, trying to figure it out even though it was difficult to do so.


    "What makes you certain that they have been in some dirty deal together?" Xiehan asked.


    "I placed a bug on him." She briefly explained.


    "Mmh." He hummed. "How long did it take before you caught evidence of their dirty deal?"


    "About a few hours after I bugged him." She answered as she wondered what he was up to.


    "Then the answer is obvious, isn''t it? What are the odds of that being a coincidence¡ªthat you bugged him on the day that he just just happened to meet Xia Yuguang for the first time?"


    Lanni thought about it now that Xiehan mentioned it. Higher chances were that the deal had been going on for some time now. Especially with how naturally Xia Yuguang had entered the room and how friendly their interaction seemed to be.


    "You''re right. I really need a break." She shut the files on her desk. It was insane that she couldn''t figure out something that was so obvious. It could only prove that she was indeed exhausted.


    "Come down." He suddenly chuckled.


    "Down¡­You''re here?" It was only now that she realized that it seemed like he was driving a while ago. Was he coming over?


    "Yes. Don''t keep your boyfriend waiting.." He confirmed her words, and she shot up to hurry out of the door.

 Chapter 488 - Date

    Lanni dashed to the parking lot and when she saw Xiehan leaning against his car, she threw herself into his arms. "I missed you."


    "I almost got sick from not being able to see you the entire week." His words sounded like a complaint as he held her in his arms. They had both been so busy that they were unable to spend much time together.


    "Do you feel better now?" She looked up at him, her fingers running gently along the back of his neck.


    "Not yet." He leaned down to kiss her lips. "I feel better now."


    "Where are we going?" She asked as they entered the car, and he drove out of the apartment complex.


    In response, he merely smiled. "Why are you asking when there is a better way to find out?"


    "Watch and see where we land. Right." She chucked and let him continue driving, and he smiled after successfully putting her in suspense.


    About half an hour later, they stopped at a large garden with different kinds of colorful flowers. At the centre was a large fountain and close to the fountain, a large picnic mat had been set up.


    "It looks beautiful." She gushed, feeling like all her troubles had flown away thanks to the beauty in her line of sight.


    "You better have fun and forget about work for a while." He teased and followed her as she ran around the garden then slumped onto the cushioned mat that had a parasol above it.


    She caught a blue butterfly and placed it on her shoulder, then looked bummed when it flew away. "It''s been long since we had this kind of fun."


    "You are right, and we should do it more often." He cupped her face to press a soft kiss onto her lips. Hugging his shoulders, her eyes darted around the garden as though looking for something.


    "Do you miss your little butterfly that much?" He teased.


    "I''m looking around to see if we are alone." She whispered, making him hold his belly and laugh. Was she worried that the place wasn''t that private?


    "Don''t worry, it''s a private garden and no one else is here." He reassured her. Besides, the flowers around their picnic spot were too tall for anyone from the outside to see whatever was happening inside.


    Hearing his reassuring words, she kissed him deeply. She had so badly missed doing so and could only do it now.


    When she pulled away, she felt even happier as she looked forward to seeing what was in the cooler box beside them.


    "Are you up for some drinks?" He opened the box to reveal different flavors of juice and yoghurt. It looked more like a party than a picnic with the assortment of wine and beer below the yoghurt.


    "Nothing beats cold vanilla yoghurt on a hot day." She admitted when she took a sip.


    "I have to agree to that." He admitted after taking a sip of her yoghurt, then proceeded to pour himself wine.


    While she joyously drank her yoghurt, he took out the sandwiches he had prepared, along with snacks that made her eyes bulge in excitement.


    "Xiehan, are you trying to make me add weight?" She narrowed her eyes to jokingly interrogate him.


    In response, he chuckled. "I wouldn''t mind it if you were chubbier. You would look cuter that way."


    Although she knew that these were not new words and she had heard them before, she still smiled. "Such flattery."


    He laughed at her response then studied her face carefully, as though he did not want to miss a pore. "You are so beautiful." He whispered.


    No matter how many times he looked at her, he found her more beautiful every time he did, and the fact that she was his girlfriend filled him with the urge to keep her by his side forever.


    She looked up at him from her yoghurt and her face was filled with warmth. "I love you."


    __


    "Madam, there''s a call for you." Li Yuming''s housekeeper reported, handing the telephone over to her.


    "Who is it?" Li Yuming was a little surprised, but she answered the call before the housekeeper actually had the chance to state who the caller was.


    "Miss Li? It''s been long." Came a male voice which Li Yuming recognized as Neil''s.


    She was a little surprised that he would give her a telephone call. "I couldn''t agree more, Mr. Chan. Is there anything you need my help with?"


    "No. Actually, yes." Neil sounded confused. "I would like to invite you to lunch. Is that okay with you?"


    Li Yuming remained silent, so the man sounded uncertain. "It''s alright if you are too busy. We can go some other day."


    "It''s alright." It was just surprising to be invited by him. "I''ll get changed and join you."


    "Shall I pick you up?" He offered, and she agreed when she remembered that her favorite car had been sent for maintenance.


    ¡­


    Ruby had dropped by to visit Neil and as soon as she arrived, she was dragged to the dressing room to help him choose what to wear.


    "The blue suit¡­ let''s choose a tie." Ruby checked his ties and gave him a dotted one. "What''s the occasion?"


    "I''m going out for lunch." He responded briefly, then looked bummed when he remembered that Ruby had only just arrived. "I''ll be back soon, princess."


    She laughed at his antics. "It''s alright dad."


    Having known him for years, this was the first time she couldn''t comprehend his actions. Why was he acting like a man in love? Was he seeing someone? When he finished dressing up and dragged her to the mirror to tell him whether or not he looked handsome enough, her suspicion was confirmed. Her dad was in love! She wondered who the lucky woman was.


    ¡­


    "You look amazing." Neil opened the car door for Li Yuming, who looked so beautiful that he didn''t know what the right compliment should be. She was wearing a simple blue dress and a single diamond necklace but she could steal the heart of anyone who looked at her.


    She thanked him with a smile and entered his car, which he drove to a restaurant he had booked after asking her out.


    "How are your daughters?" He asked to strike a conversation.


    "They couldn''t be any better." Just as she answered him and was about to place her order, her phone rang.


    The frown on her face when she answered the call made her nervous, and he wondered whether she had to rush and leave. That would be a mega bummer, the kind that only happens once in a lifetime with the help of ten generations of bad luck.


    Just as he counted how much bad luck he could have possibly accumulated all his life, she placed the phone on the table and picked up the menu.


    "An emergency?" He asked, relieved that she was not leaving.


    "Nothing major. It''s the National Arts Union, inviting me to yet another exhibition." She answered and looked through for what she would like to eat.


    He was even more relieved since she had not mentioned anything about the exhibition happening too soon and having to go. "You don''t sound like you enjoy the NAU events anymore."


    She shook her head. "Honestly, I''m a little tired of it. It has always been painting, going for events, charity banquets and repeating the cycle. It''s a bit too monotonous."


    Although that was what she said, she knew deep down that it was more monotonous than it sounded. It had been years after all. At first, she still had Lanni to take care of and was less bored. However, her Lanni was now a grown up girl so she had less to do and more time to be bored.


    "Maybe you should retire and only paint for fun? You need some time to yourself after working hard for all these years." He felt the same way, which was why he would soon give up the position of CEO in his company and spend the rest of his time doing things that interested him more.


    She nodded to his suggestion. "What a coincidence that you think the same way. I plan to do so soon." Her aim was to accumulate enough properties for her daughters, so even if they ever needed her financial support in future, they would be able to enjoy a lifetime of luxury with their children.


    "We have more in common than we thought, don''t you think?" He smiled as he placed his order.


    "Maybe?" She returned a warm smile.


    "Are you very busy lately?" He asked when the food arrived.


    "That depends. Do you need help with something?" She asked kindly, to which he nodded.


    "A painting for my study. I prefer a landscape, and we can talk about the payment once you are done." He stated, picking up his cutlery.


    "I have one that would suit you." It was lucky that he had asked before anyone else saw it, otherwise he would have had to miss out.


    "That''s a heavenly streak of luck for me." He admitted. "Could you send it to my address later? Send me your account details along with it."


    She nodded, but when she sent the painting to him later in the afternoon, it had a note attached to the scroll.. [Consider it a gift.]

 Chapter 489 - Rolling Around In Bed—or On The Picnic Mat—all Afternoon

    Neil smiled and went ahead to open the scroll. The painting was much more beautiful than he had expected, he knew that it would be valued in the tens of millions if she sold it. Money didn''t matter to him, but the fact that Li Yuming had sent him a gift made him smile so much that Ruby noticed it and giggled secretly.


    "Dad, is that a gift? Who sent it to you?" She asked while feigning innocence, even though she had already set her eyes on the painting and knew from the pen name at the bottom left corner that it was Li Yuming''s.


    She wondered how magical the lucky woman was, that she would know her dad''s favorite artist.


    Neil turned around to find the best place to place it. "It''s not from anyone else. Li Yuming sent it to me."


    Ruby had a strange feeling about his words. "Okay¡­"


    Who did he go out for lunch with?


    Neil placed the painting on the table and took her hand, leading her to the couch. "Ruby, daddy has something to talk to you about."


    "What is it?" Her heart skipped a few beats as it raced in fear. The last time he used that kind of tone, he told her that she was not his daughter. What was he going to tell her this time?


    Neil sighed as he started, "Would you mind¡­"


    "Dad, what is it?" She probed when he hesitated, as though he was going to change his mind.


    "Would you mind it if you had a stepmother?" He finally asked, then looked at her nervously as though waiting for a life or death verdict. He had a woman in mind, but he had to seek his daughter''s opinion. If she would be uncomfortable with the idea of him remarrying and having another wife who was not the mother she had grown up with, then he would stop now before it was too late and he was too deep to break it off.


    Ruby listened to him and remained silent for a while before she burst into laughter. "I knew it! You are in love, dad. Tell me, do you need my help wooing her? I''m sure she will agree to be with you as soon as she sees what a cute and obedient step daughter I will be."


    "Get lost." Neil shooed her off. His little girl was so grown now that she was even starting to become a cupid for him.


    She laughed joyously and wanted to ask what kind of woman she was. She must be exceptionally beautiful if she attracted Neil''s attention. Moreover, he was even considering making her his wife so she really must be a stunning woman.


    "I need to send something." Neil jolted and made a call.


    _


    Meanwhile, Lanni took a nap after finishing her snacks and when she woke up, she was still in Xiehan''s arms with her head rested on his chest.


    "You''re finally awake." He kissed her forehead as she stretched.


    "What time is it?" She asked.


    "About 4pm." He answered, much to her chagrin. How could she sleep for so long? She had missed out on so much fun!


    "Why the long face? We still have a whole evening and night to spend together."


    "I still feel like I missed out." She snuggled in his arms comfortably. He wrapped his arm around her with his hands resting against her stomach. "Xiehan, I feel like all my problems come to an end as soon as I''m with" you." She confessed while playing with his long fingers.


    "I feel the same way, my love." He responded, his fingers intertwining with hers as he thought about how peaceful he had been since she became his girlfriend. They complimented each other and there wasn''t anything they couldn''t do together.


    He held their hands up to kiss her fingers gently. "Which is why, Lanni, I hope we can spend the rest of our lives together. Honey, will you marry me?"


    She smiled while shifting her head against his chest. "I hope so too¡­"


    As soon as she spoke, her eyes bulged and she pulled away as the second part of his words started to sink in. "Xiehan, what did you just say?"


    Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a velvet box and went down on one knee in front of her. "Lanni, will you marry me?"


    "Xiehan¡­" Her hand flew over her mouth in disbelief. "Yes! Yes I will."


    She threw herself into his arms in excitement, tears streaming down her face when he placed the blue ring on her finger.


    He cupped her face to wipe her tears and kiss her. "Thank you my love, I thought you were going to say no."


    "Don''t be silly. Why would I say no?" She jabbed him for his slow brain. Who would say no to marrying a handsome, kind and caring man who doted on them so much? Unless she had a bug in her brain, it had been a yes from the moment she decided to be with him. Now that she thought about it, the proposal wasn''t totally a surprise. With the way he had been acting since he picked her up, she should have expected it.


    She stared at her ring which was beautiful and valuable, and its meaning was even more valuable. She once again jumped into his arms. "I love you, Xiehan."


    In response, he held her tightly and kissed her, as his heart returned to its place. "I love you too, Lanni."


    ___


    "Mom, mom!" Lanni yelled in excitement as soon as she got to Li Yuming''s villa.


    "What happened?" Li Yuming was terrified when she heard her daughter''s shriek, and came running downstairs then realized that nothing had gone wrong. On the contrary, her Lanni looked excited.


    "He¡­" Lanni paused in excitement and jumped into Li Yuming''s arms. "He proposed!"


    The girl was so excited that her words almost sounded like gibberish, but Li Yuming understood her and her eyes went wide. "Oh My God! When did that happen?"


    "This afternoon." Lanni did not go into detail and showed off the engagement ring on her finger. "I''m so happy!"


    "I''m happy for you, honey." Li Yuming hugged her emotionally. Happiness came so suddenly that her eyes started to tear up in joy.


    "We have to celebrate. Where is Xi-, no. Where is your fiance, and my soon to be son-in-law now?" Li Yuming proudly changed her form of address and directly addressed Xiehan as her soon to be son-in-law.


    "My fiance went to have dinner with his parents. He will probably break the good news to them." Lanni smugly changed her form of address too. She had thought that the happiest day of her life was when she became Xiehan''s girlfriend, and when she found out that she was going to be an aunt. However, that was before she realized that there was an even happier day coming up-today, when Xiehan popped the M question.


    "I have to share the news with Luna!" She hurried upstairs before Li Yuming could suggest inviting Xiehan over the following day.


    "She''s so happy." Li Yuming was caught in between laughter and tears. Her baby had finally grown up.


    "Madam, shall I have the kitchen prepare Miss Lanni''s favorite dishes for dinner?" The housekeeper conveniently asked, having overheard the good news. She had smiles all over her face. After all, she had been Lanni''s nanny when she was young and although her position was changed later, she still viewed the young woman as a daughter.


    "Yes. I''ll help out." Li Yuming was so happy that she had to make an appearance in the kitchen.


    ¡­


    "Sis, guess what? I''m engaged now!" Lanni chirped to Luna over the phone.


    "Oh my God, what?" Luna squealed in excitement before suddenly calming down. "You better not be joking around. My babies almost came flying out from the surprise."


    "Oh no! Hold them back in so they wait for the right time. No need to rush out, their aunt will only get married when they are born." Lanni joked.


    "He really proposed! Congratulations, sis." Luna was so full of joy that she decided to go over to celebrate together.


    Lanni thought it was a good idea, so she urged her. "Come over. I''ll have the kitchen cook more food and if possible, I''ll even call the rest over."


    "Call Ruby. Shoot. Ruby must be at her home since her brother must be celebrating with the family." Luna recalled. "Just try to ask her out anyway. I''ll give Xiao Yu a call."


    Lanni chuckled. "I hope she''s not rolling in bed with Cedric."


    "You dirty minded pervert. I should be the one asking why you are not rolling in bed with your fianc¨¦." Luna rebutted, to which Lanni snickered.


    "We already did enough of that for the rest of the afternoon. Not on the bed, though. On a picnic mat. Go on, call Xiao Yu," Lanni hung up before she could be scolded.


    _____


    AN


    What was that, Lanni? Lol


    Congratulations Lanni and Xiehan.. Let''s celebrate them by sending more power stones to support the book.

 Chapter 490 - Dog Food For Dinner

    Xiehan was so excited when he went home that Wen Lin noticed him smile to himself once in a while.


    "What''s got you so happy?" She asked curiously, wanting to share her son''s happiness.


    "Come here, mother. I have good news." He pulled her over with a deep smile on his face, and Wen Lin sat down to listen. Even Ji Huifen, who was reading a magazine on the opposite side from them, peeked from the top of the large magazine and tried to listen in.


    Wen Lin looked at her son and tried to guess what could make him this happy. Was Lanni expecting a baby?


    If she learnt that she was going to be a grandma, heaven knew she would fly to the sky before coming down to brag about it to her circle of friends. Heaven knew that since Luna got engaged to Xingyu and everyone found out that they were expecting a baby, Xinghe had been walking on clouds.


    She had long stopped talking about it but the smile that was permanently plastered on her face proved just how elated she was.


    Wondering how it felt to actually be a grandma, Wen Lin''s lips curled into a small smile. Her son was handsome while Lanni was beautiful, her grandchild would be the cutest.


    "Lanni said yes." He finally announced, doing an internal happy dance.


    His voice pulled her back the present and her smile deepened. She stood up to pull him into a hug. "Finally! Wait. I hope it''s the kind of yes I''m thinking about?"


    "She agreed to be my wife." He clarified while wrapping his arms around his excited mother.


    "Punk. What took you so long?" Ji Huifen scolded his son, even though it was evident that he was overjoyed from how deep his grin was.


    Before Xiehan could answer him, Wen Lin came to his rescue by glaring at her husband. "What''s wrong with you? Our son finally proposed. Shouldn''t you be congratulating him?"


    "You''re right, dear." Ji Huifen was too happy to argue over anything. His boy was finally a mature man. Not only was he taking over the company soon, he had also successfully found himself a wife-to-be.


    "Let me show you something." Ji Huifen urged, and Xiehan followed him out of the living room while Wen Lin looked at them curiously. Deciding not to mind them, she did a happy dance and grabbed her telephone to brag to her friends, before she prepared to celebrate over dinner. She even went to her husband''s cellar to select the best wine.


    Meanwhile, Ji Huifen led Xiehan to the old library.


    "Father, why did you bring me here?" Xiehan asked. He had been to this place before, and he didn''t think there was anything that his father would want to show him. Perhaps he only wanted to talk in secret, he concluded.


    Ji Huifen pressed his palm against a wall and a section of it rolled away, revealing rolled pieces of paper that were so old that they looked like ancient parchment.


    Picking them up, Ji Huifen blew the dust away before untying the ribbon keeping them rolled up and unrolling it, under Xiehan''s surprised gaze. Such a thing existed? He thought he had combed through the entire library. It turned out, this library was more vast than it looked.


    "It''s your grandfather''s will along with property ownership documents." Ji Huifen explained. "This is the only place I could keep them safely, ensuring that none of my siblings ever found out about it. Your grandfather wanted my son to inherit all his secret estates, which are more vast than everything he left us."


    "Why?" Xiehan wondered.


    Ji Huifen shrugged. "Who knows? No one could understand his train of thought. The prerequisite was that you settle down, and being engaged counts as settling down. So, this belongs to you now."


    Xiehan flipped through the documents and realized that the properties were much more than he had thought. No wonder Ji Huifen would hide the documents here. Otherwise, they would cause too much controversy. Even if he received these documents as a pauper, he would become a billionaire overnight.


    Ji Huifen let him read whatever he wanted before taking out another file and giving it to him. "This is a share transfer document."


    Xiehan glanced at it in surprise. "Why would you transfer your shares to me?"


    "I want you to gain a strong foothold in the company. Having the highest shares is a major step at that. Initially, I wanted you to buy them from the Feng or Gu family but that''s no longer necessary thanks to your quick wit."


    Suddenly understanding something, he asked, "Is this why you were rushing me into marriage before?"


    Ji Huifen nodded and leaned against a firm, antique shelf. "I knew you would need a lot of money to buy the shares, but I was the CEO and couldn''t give all of mine to you."


    Xiehan finally comprehended his reason, and he didn''t blame his father. It was all for the company and he had not actually been forced into anything.


    " You will make a good CEO." Ji Huifen encouraged his son with a pat.


    Xiehan nodded. "I''ll do my best."


    By the time they got back downstairs after a long chat, Wen Lin was waiting for them and the food was ready.


    "There''s my son!" She hurried to meet him with a hug.


    "Mother¡­" He smiled at how doting she was of him today.


    As though she understood what she was wondering about, she patted him matter-of-factly. "You are my only son. We once shared a life and you have grown up so fast. Soon, you will not only be my son but someone else''s son too, as well as a husband and a father too. It''s so overwhelming."


    He smiled and hugged her. "I will not be any less of your son than I am now."


    "Thank you, son." She was relieved. It was every mother''s fear that their child would forget her once they got married, and hers had just been cleared. She urged him to the dining table. "I cooked your favorite foods. Why didn''t you invite Lanni?"


    "She went home." Xiehan answered as he made his way to the dining table. He was still lost in thought, wondering whether it really was happening. Did Lanni really say yes to his proposal, or was he dreaming about it?


    "Then call your friends over. You punk, don''t you know how to share your happiness?" Wen Lin urged him, so he took his phone and called Lin Jian and Xingyu. Luckily they were home so they immediately rushed over.


    "What''s the good news? I ran over as soon as I got your call." Lin Jian hurried to Wen Lin to ask about it.


    "He proposed to Lanni and she said yes." Xingyu, who was a little upset about his Luna leaving him all alone to rush home, broke the news before Xiehan had the chance to say it.


    "You did? She did?" Lin Jian did a happy dance as though he was the one who had proposed. "We have to drink to that! Let''s drink till we drop."


    "I''m sorry but I have to miss out. If I have time after dinner, I would like to ask my fianc¨¦e out instead." Xiehan smiled as he called a rain check.


    Lin Jian looked like his heart had been struck with an arrow. "You traitor. As soon as you propose, you start flaunting your love and ditching your bros. So it''s wives before bros to you, huh?"


    "What would a man like you know? Only engaged men can understand it." Xingyu added salt to Lin Jian''s injury.


    "Aunty, they are bullying me." Lin Jian complained to Wen Lin, who was too busy laughing at him. The kids were too cute. It felt surreal, seeing the troublemaking trio finally grown up and discussing engagement and wives.


    "Will the three of you bicker all day, or will you serve yourselves some food to eat before Huifen scarfs all of it down?" Wen Lin laughed as she glanced at her husband who was ''tasting'' large portions of the food.


    "Who is to blame? My wife cooks such delicious dishes." Ji Huifen sat down guiltily.


    "Dear, I only prepared the ingredients." Wen Lin laughed.


    "My wife prepares such amazing ingredients. As long as she sets foot in the kitchen, everything becomes delicious." Ji Huifen corrected himself and continued with his flattery.


    "Uh¡­ I feel full already." Lin Jian groaned. It was uncertain how much dog food they would be stuffed with before the actual meal.


    "Aren''t you used to it?" Xingyu laughed at him. Heaven knew what happened but since Ruby returned to the Ji family, Wen Lin and Ji Huifen had been lovey-dovey. They looked like an ordinary couple in the past but their love had never been obvious.. However, it seemed as though they had recently ignited a spark. Perhaps Ruby was their cupid?

 Chapter 491 - The Scum Of Society

    While the Ji family was full of jubilation, the situation was different when Lin Jian returned home.


    "Come here!" Lihua called him over as soon as he set foot through the door, looking like she was declaring war.


    "Mother, what happened?" Lin Jian so badly wanted to dash out but he knew that whatever it is, he couldn''t avoid it forever.


    "Where is your fianc¨¦e?" She glared at him.


    He was confused. "I''m not engaged. How can I have a fianc¨¦e?"


    In response, Lihua grabbed his ear to pinch him. "Why aren''t you engaged when your friends are already planning their weddings? Is it because of your playfulness that Ruby won''t agree to marry you?"


    "Mother!" Lin Jian saw his father coming downstairs and looked at him for help. "Father, help! Your wife is about to pull my ears away from my head."


    "Lihua, at this rate you will really pull his ear off." His father came to his rescue, trying to stop Lihua.


    In response, she glared at her husband furiously. "What are you saying? Don''t you want a daughter-in-law and a cute little grandchild?"


    "Nonsense, of course I do!"


    Lin Jian was betrayed mercilessly.


    But he couldn''t blame his parents. He was their only child and since he grew up, he had been spending little time with them. They must be lonely, so they hoped that having a daughter-in-law and grandchildren would make the house more active again.


    "You useless punk. It''s all because you were a womanizer. Your father is loyal and so am I. Who did you even take after?" Lihua reprimanded him for his past once again, rendering him speechless. Were they going to bug him about it until he got engaged to Ruby? But that was going to take ages! Ruby didn''t even trust him fully yet. If he proposed, not only would she say that she was not ready, but she would also think he was crazy.


    As soon as Lihua let go of him so she would think about what to do with her son, he dashed for his life. This was scary!


    _


    Meanwhile, Li Yuming and her daughters toasted to the triple happiness that they had gotten in just a short span of time. Not only was Luna engaged and expecting twins, Lanni was now engaged too! Li Yuming couldn''t be any happier.


    While Li Yuming toasted with wine, Luna raised her glass of milk. Feeling that it was unfair to be the only one drinking milk, she convinced Li Yuming to have Lanni drink milk too, so the other sulkily raised her glass of warm milk.


    Luna burst into laughter at her sister''s misfortune. "Don''t be so gloomy. Aren''t sisters supposed to share each other''s joys and sorrows?"


    "You''re the worst sister." Lanni ignored her.


    While they ate and cheerfully drank, a parcel arrived that was a gift for Li Yuming.


    "Did you notice that mom has been receiving more gifts lately?" Lanni peeked at the gift box as she whispered to Luna, who nodded in agreement.


    "At first, I thought it was her fans but what if it''s a secret admirer?" Luna whispered back, also checking out the gift that Li Yuming was unwrapping. The girls were definitely more curious than their mother.


    "What if the admirer isn''t that much of a secret?" Luna whispered as she glanced at the women''s watch that Li Yuming had pulled out of the box with a smile.


    "No way, Luna! Mom could be falling for someone. She''s so happy¡­ oh my God! This is exciting¡­" Lanni squealed under her breath.


    "What are you naughty girls whispering about?" Li Yuming didn''t need to ask to know that they must be cooking up some mischief.


    "Nothing!" They answered in unison, but that only made her more suspicious of them. Ignoring their gazes, she sent a thank you message to Neil Chan and resumed eating as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.


    "Have you and Xiehan planned anything out yet?" She asked Lanni, talking about their wedding.


    "No, isn''t it too early?" Lanni frowned slightly as it had not crossed her mind.


    "Don''t sweat it. Just do it at the pace you are comfortable with. I thought you would start planning since it''s only a few weeks left before Xiehan has to leave." She explained, referring to Xiehan''s departure to Cauldron Island. She thought that the kids would want to use marriage as a guarantee that Lanni would wait for him and he would not forget her either, since they would have rings on their fingers to help them feel less lonely about each other''s absence.


    "I didn''t think of that." Lanni confessed, and she was not ready to rush it. It was a good idea but it would be too stressful at the moment. On the contrary, she preferred using marriage as a way to celebrate Xiehan''s return.


    ___


    After refreshing her mind, Lanni found that it was much easier to complete her research and she submitted it to Lin Jian the following day.


    The man sulkily took the file containing the report, and Lanni found him strange. "Whoa, what happened?"


    "Don''t ask me what happened when it''s all your fault." He sulked. "Do you know how much I''ve been scolded simply because you said yes to Xiehan? Do you? Do you have any idea how much my ears have suffered physically and verbally?"


    "No, I don''t." Lanni laughed. "But you didn''t expect me to say no just to save you from the scolding did you? It''s after all your fault that you were a playboy. Aren''t you paying for breaking too many hearts now?" She laughed at him gloatingly instead of offering any word of consolation.


    " You and your Xiehan are the worst people on earth! " He complained.


    "Are you ready to listen to the detailed report? I''m sure that will make you feel better." She laughed, and he had no choice but to let her go ahead.


    "That man, James, was from the Qian family. Why did you tell me that Qiao Linyou was trafficking weapons? It turned out they were trading illegal medicines."


    "Aren''t those weapons? They use illegal medicines to maim and kill, after all." He shrugged. He did say that they were trafficking weapons. He just didn''t explain what kind of weapons he was talking about.


    Lanni couldn''t blame him. Or rather, she was too tired to do so.


    " Xiehan''s late grandfather already got rid of the entire Qian and Li families when he was alive. Li Xiyan, Xia Hanchen and James were the only ones left, and they were trying to revive the business. However, their plans were ruined by the death of the two major parties, Li Xiyan and Xia Hanchen. James is now trying to do it on his own but it''s more difficult without his two most capable partners.


    "In other words, he is finished?" Lin Jian.


    "Not exactly. But if we find a permanent way to get him off the business, he will be done for good." She explained, and hoped she would not hear something she didn''t want to.


    "Then I will hand this evidence over to the related authorities."


    "Lin Jian¡­" She tried to interrupt. This was the Qian family. They should not be letting them off this easily.


    However, Lin Jian did not flinch. "Lanni, as a journalist, the most basic thing you should learn is to not let your feelings control you. Whether you murderer out of psychotic addiction or the urge for revenge, it is murder nonetheless and you will be prosecuted for it the same way. I''m sure you have heard this before."


    She nodded slowly, recalling the last time she heard the exact words. As expected, Li Xiyan managed to escape from prison when they let the police handle her.


    "Don''t worry. They will not be sentenced to imprisonment. Because of the many lives they have ruined thanks to their dirty business, they will be sentenced to death by a firing squad, or hanged or beheaded." He reassured her, knowing how awful it would feel if someone they reported to have destroyed so many lives managed to slip through the hands of the police.


    She was relieved, and handed over another file. "These are case reports, regarding all the people I could find, who are victims of James'' illegal business. There is a girl who was paralized after being injected with poisonous medicine, as well as a young man who lost his sight thanks to the medicine that made his pupils inactive. Similarly, James sold the medicine to a woman who was having trouble conceiving. After paying millions for the pills she thought would make her conceive faster, she ended up having to undergo a surgery and remove her uterus because it was damaged¡ªthe whole thing was a scheme by her husband who was looking for an excuse to divorce her and bring his pregnant mistress home. Men are evil."


    Lin Jian was most disgusted by the final tale. "All of them will pay for their crimes. Leave it to me."


    Before handing the man over to the police, he would send his bodyguards to beat the jerk into a pulp.. Such men were the reason why women were afraid of opening up their hearts to men, in fear of getting their hearts broken.

 Chapter 492 - My Fiancé Doesnt Allow Laziness

    Cedric and Cheng Yu''s time off had been extended by Luna and when they finally returned, they were fully refreshed from all the fun they had. The first thing they heard upon their return was the news of Xiehan''s proposal, and Cheng Yu was so overjoyed that she asked Lanni out for dinner.


    "Congratulations! I was wondering when he was going to propose." She happily raised a glass to her friend.


    Lanni chuckled as they clinched glasses. With everyone congratulating her and expressing that she and Xiehan had been in a relationship for so long that they started wondering if he was ever going to propose, her heart finally calmed down. She had been afraid that they might be rushing it too fast.


    "What are you thinking about? Aren''t you happy?" Cheng Yu nudged her. If she were in her place, she would be dancing to her own heartbeat the entire time.


    "I''m just nervous. Will I be a good wife? What if I don''t meet his expectations?" Lanni wondered aloud, and Cheng Yu smacked her playfully.


    "The two of you have been in a relationship for so long already. If there was anything he didn''t like about you, you would have known it already. He wouldn''t have proposed if he was uncertain about wanting to spend the rest of his life with you. Besides, marriage isn''t about being perfect. No one is perfect, but you have to compliment each other anyway. I''ll not lie and say that it''s easy but you can make it work as long as both of you are willing to."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow when she heard the last part, which was identical to what Li Yuming had told her and Luna the previous day over dinner. "You know so much about marriage that you are about to become a love and marriage expert." She joked, to which Cheng Yu rolled her eyes.


    "Have you forgotten what my profession is?"


    Lanni chuckled. Indeed. As a comic artist, she had to include such topics in her comics since they were based on love and romance, but she couldn''t write gibberish and had to do a lot of research.


    "What about you and Cedric?" Lanni asked as she sipped her wine.


    "I was scared of nothing." She cracked her knuckles, her face slowly flushing.


    Lanni realized what was going on and lowered her voice to ask, "Did you¡­"


    Cheng Yu nodded timidly. "I always thought he would abandon me after doing it, but it''s as though something arose in him. He keeps showering me with affection instead. We are falling deeper in love with each other."


    "You''re finally a woman! Congratulations." Lanni chuckled and gave a toast to her friend, who was finally willing to give her heart to love. It was a huge step that Cheng Yu had managed to leave her past behind, so Lanni hoped that Cedric would never disappoint her friend.


    ___


    When Lanni went to work the following day, Lin Jian summoned her.


    "Good news. The police dealt with all of them. Their hearing is


    at the end of this month and I''m certain of the outcome because of all the evidence that we have submitted." The man looked jubilant as he reported. "You and the team have worked hard. Feel free to ask for whatever rewards you would like."


    "That''s indeed good news." Lanni celebrated, and didn''t need any other reward. The fact that she accomplished the mission was already enough of a reward for her. "Now that I think about it, why did you have me take care of my own personal matters?" She asked, realizing that her first task was to take down Li Xiyan, which she somewhat failed because Flynn was the one to take her down. Afterwards, her second mission started off as exposing Qiao Linyou, but in the end turned out to be about the Qian family.


    In response to her question, a smile formed on his lips. "Only by clearing up your personal matters will you be able to concentrate on your work. I hope it''s alright now."


    "Yes, it is." She had to agree. "I couldn''t ask for anything else. Thank you."


    He nodded in response. "Are you ready for your next task? It has nothing to do with your personal matters this time, and it will probably take years."


    "Yes, of course. I couldn''t be readier. I will be done as soon as possible." She was invigorated when she heard that there was going to be a next task. She even added, "My wigs and masks are ready too."


    He chuckled at her antics. "If you are thinking of going around with disguises then I have bad news for you, you will not go out this time. You are going to take over the position of Chief Editor. That''s your next task."


    She looked at him in shock when she processed his words. "Aw, what a bummer that I don''t get to use my new wigs. But I don''t qualify to be a Chief Editor yet."


    "I know you are more suited for the field." He admitted. It wasn''t that she didn''t qualify for the Chief Editor''s office, but she liked the field much more. In actual fact, he had thought that Qiao Linyou''s case would drag on for months because of its complexity but she had finished it within a few days, which proved just how much fun she was having while handling it. However, "I will never be at peace knowing you are out there doing risky things to get news. Your boyfriend, no, fianc¨¦ will kill me as soon as you get a scratch on your finger."


    Lanni couldn''t deny his words. Based on the number of times Xiehan kept bugging her to be careful, it was highly possible for him to give Lin Jian a good beating if she so much as sprained her ankle. She could only give in. "Then I won''t make life difficult for you, boss."


    "You naughty thing. Just who is the boss between you and I?" He lamented. It was almost as though Lanni was the ultimate boss, not that he minded it. She was his best friend''s treasure and it was his duty to take care of her.


    ¡­


    Lanni left Lin Jian''s office and headed towards her new office, only to be stopped by the yelp of a young journalist in glasses, who was part of her team while stalking Qiao Linyou.


    "Eh?Lanni¡­" She held a hand over her mouth.


    "Did something happen?" She was curious about the young woman''s gaze of adoration.


    "Congratulations! Is that an engagement ring? Who is the lucky man?" The young woman yelled in excitement, curious for the gossip at the same time.


    "Xiehan." She chuckled and answered her, knowing that the young journalist would find it out even if she ignored her question.


    As for who Xiehan was, they all knew. While the two spoke, Lin joined them and just happened to overhear the news that Lanni was now engaged to Xiehan.


    "Congratulations! How lucky! It''s such a bummer that I''m a woman. If I were a man and got to know you before he did, I would never let him get so lucky." Lin joked.


    "Thanks for the compliment, I guess." Lanni burst into laughter at her unique way of giving compliments.


    "Seriously, Lanni. I''m not flattering you. You are the best kind of woman one could ever have as a wife. Not only are you beautiful, you are hardworking, not to mention such a darling you are." Lin explained, wondering what galaxy Xiehan must have saved in his previous life to deserve Lanni in his current life.


    " Lin is right. Please don''t give up work when you get married. " The young woman in glasses whispered. It would be such a bummer if they lost Lanni from their team. Getting a teammate who was both a good leader and an excellent workmate wasn''t easy, and they hoped that she would stay for longer.


    The feeling was mutual. Previously at Tian Yu Media, there was a huge gap between her and the other journalists since she started off as a Chief Editor. Even those who were friendly to her maintained a high level of respect and couldn''t ever be considered as friends. It wasn''t easy to make friends which was one of the reasons why she felt bummed about leaving her department.


    "Why are you silent? I hope you weren''t planning to ditch us?" The journalist with spectacles looked like she was going to cry if Lanni affirmed her speculation.


    However, the latter laughed. "My fianc¨¦ does not take laziness lightly so don''t worry. I will continue to work even after our wedding."


    ___


    Wedding bells ringing soon!


    Can''t get enough of Avalorian''s romance books?


    Check out my other books which are newer, improved and feature sweeter and more passionate romance.


    Villainess 101: The President''s Wife is a vengeful devil


    The Tyrant''s Wife


    Reborn As The Daemon''s Wife (I need your support in this one, for Spirity 2021. Lots of love!)

 Chapter 493 - Flaunting Love

    "You are flaunting your love, jeez!" Lin and the journalist with spectacles felt stuffed with dog food. What a random way to flaunt their affection without prior warning!


    Although the duo made it sound like they were complaining, they were curious to know more about Xiehan''s relationship with Lanni. The two of them were after all, one of the city''s most famous power couples.


    "He is making you work?" Lin asked jokingly, even though she already knew the answer to that. Obviously, a man like Xiehan would prefer for his wife to stay at home and be in charge of looking beautiful while he takes care of everything else.


    The young woman looked curious too, as she adjusted her glasses on her face. "He is so wealthy that you can spend your whole life staying at home like a lazy potato and digging huge holes through his wallet. I wouldn''t work if I were you."


    Lanni was speechless. So, did they want her to continue working or not? Their speed of switching opinions was too fast! She knew that all they wanted was gossip so she humoured them nonetheless." He would support me if what I wanted was to stay at home. However, what I want is to continue working so he will fully support me throughout my career."


    "Oh my God! I want to get married too!" The young woman exclaimed, pressing a palm against the left side of her chest to imply that she had been struck by a cupid arrow. "I want a Xiehan in my life too!"


    Lin rolled her eyes at her and playfully smacked her arm. "Quit dreaming. There is only one Xiehan in the world and he is Lanni''s. Though I have to admit that I feel the same way you do. What can I do? I want to get married too!"


    "That''s enough chit-chat." Lanni chuckled at their exaggerated praise and admiration. "Let''s all get back to work. I need to get used to my new office too."


    At the mention of the new office, Lin suddenly came to a realization. "That is right! Lanni, are you the new Chief Editor?"


    When Lanni nodded, she looked even happier than she was when she learnt that Lanni would continue working despite being engaged. "Oh my God! We are totally in luck!"


    Lanni didn''t comprehend why her change of office equalled them having luck on their side, so she chuckled at their animated celebration as they did a happy dance.


    "Lanni, please don''t make us cry. The former Chief Editor found fault with everything we did, including breathing in too much air at a go." The young journalist complained, at the same time pleading for Lanni to be a little more lenient with them.


    "Don''t worry, as long as you are doing the right thing and you meet your deadlines, I don''t have any reason to make you cry." She promised amusedly.


    "All hail Lanni!" The young woman cheered, rendering Lanni speechless. Just how awful was her predecessor? She had heard tales about her and knew that the former Chief Editor often bullied the employees she thought to be below her, and she lacked professionalism, which was why she was fired not too long after being promoted to her position. However, she didn''t expect that the situation would be much worse than she had expected.


    Otherwise, it was impossible for the duo to be celebrating this much when she had just announced that she would be strict on them.


    While the duo cheered and blocked Lanni''s path to shower her with endless praise, the elevator doors opened and Lin Jian stepped out.


    "What''s the celebration all about? Am I invited?" He smiled at the jovial duo, spooking them out of their skins. Lin grabbed her colleague''s hand and they scurried away like scared rabbits.


    "They don''t want to share their joy with me." Lin Jian scratched his head as he glanced in the direction that the duo had disappeared in. Was he that scary?


    "I wouldn''t if I were them." Lanni shrugged. Lin Jian was so strict when at work that it was impossible for anyone to dare to befriend him, let alone want to share their joy with him. Who was he trying to blame for that?


    He frowned when he realized what she meant. "You meanie."


    Just as he lamented about being left out, he saw a life saver making her way through the corridor after leaving the elevator, and walking towards them.


    "Ruby!" He exclaimed excitedly and rushed to meet her, pulling her into his arms as soon as he was close enough.


    "Calm down, you are still at work." She chuckled at his overexcited demeanor. Before she came, she was afraid that he might find her to be bothersome, since she was seeking him when it was still within working hours. Luckily, she was wrong. He was happier to see her than she would ever expect.


    "I will get back to work. Please excuse me." Lanni stepped away to give them space to talk, after greeting Ruby and exchanging a short hug.


    "Alright, sister-in-law." Ruby jovially changed her form of address, expressing just how much she had longed to address Lanni as her sister-in-law and how happy she was to finally do it.


    "Let''s have a seat in my office for a while." He delayed the meeting he was just about to attend and led her into his office.


    Knowing that he must have things to do, she didn''t intend to take up too much of his time.


    "I wanted to bring you lunch but I will be busy later, so I brought it now. You can warm it up later." She gave the package she was carrying to him.


    "You did? Thank you!" His eyes shone in excitement. It was not the first time that a woman sent him lunch, he had received bentos in the past, which were mostly food that the women cooked themselves. Most of them were unbearable to look at, let alone taste, and he would often throw the food away before taking a look.


    However, now that Ruby had brought him lunch, his heart raced with anticipation to have a taste, and his mouth watered from the mere thought of Ruby''s specially prepared lunch.


    "I will get going now." She was relieved. It was her mother''s idea to send him lunch since he must be under a lot of pressure from his parents, now that both of the friends he had grown up with were engaged. Luckily, he didn''t despise the idea and even looked forward to eating it.


    "Wait. I have something to offer as thanks for the lunch." He stood up after her, holding her hand to make her halt.


    "Mmh?" She raised an eyebrow in surprise, and her eyes went wide when his lips landed on hers. So the thanks was a kiss. What a novel way of thanking someone for lunch, not that she was complaining.


    ¡­


    As soon as Lanni got to her office, she kept receiving a series of calls from an unknown number. She already knew who the caller was and kept ignoring them, but they were incessant so she answered it.


    "You bitch! I will make you pay for what you''ve done!" Qiao Linyou yelled as soon as Lanni answered the call.


    "Oh?" Lanni smirked indifferently. "You and what army, Youyou?"


    "Don''t call me that!" The actress was on the verge of tearing someone down. Unfortunately, her agent was right. Lanni was up to something all along, and it turned out that all she had wanted was to destroy her life. How dare she report her to the police? She had managed to escape charges by pinning all the blame on her agent, but she knew that time was ticking for her to be arrested too.


    Lanni chuckled. "I was going to ignore you, Qiao Linyou. But I guess it''s time for you to know that the worst thing you could ever do is provoke a reporter." She hung up, leaving the other party raging with fury.


    In the evening, Lanni was about to leave her new office when she received a call from Xiehan.


    "Love, are you done with work?" He asked enthusiastically, as though he had been waiting for her to be done.


    "Yes. Do you want me to pick you up?" She took her handbag and locked her desk drawers, then checked around for anything she might have forgotten.


    "I don''t think anyone would mind getting a ride from a beauty." Came his flirtatious reply, making her smile deeply.


    "That couldn''t be wrong. I''ll be there soon." She answered and took her car keys, preparing to go to Feng Ji International.


    Just as she left the company building, she caught sight of a masked woman sneakily making her way into the elevator. Needless to ask, she knew who that was.


    "I can''t believe she would be this stupid." She chuckled to herself, then rejoiced in the actress'' stupidity. Good for her.. The more stupid moves she made, the easier it was to destroy her.

 Chapter 494 - The Fall Of Qiao Linyou

    Lanni drove to Feng Ji International and by the time she arrived, he was already waiting for her.


    "Are you done with work?" She asked when she got into his office, to find him packing up and arranging his desk.


    "I was waiting for you." He paused what he was doing and pulled her into his arms. "I missed you so much, even though it''s only been a day."


    She rested her head against his chest, feeling the same way. "I couldn''t wait to finish work so I would get a chance to see you again."


    He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips gently. "Do you want to have dinner out, or at my place? We can watch a movie or two afterwards." He suggested.


    "Can we go to your place?" She preferred having a homemade meal today, not to mention that she had missed eating his specially cooked food.


    He immediately knew what she was thinking about, and he was willing to cook whatever she wanted. "Of course my love. We can get the ingredients on our way."


    "I want to cook for you tonight." She suggested, thinking about what she should cook for him.


    "That''s alright too. We can cook each other''s dinner." He thought it was a good idea, so he finished up packing and took her hand.


    ¡­


    While she drove, she noticed his gaze on her ring finger. She glanced up at him with a smile. "Doesn''t my hand look more beautiful now?"


    "It does." He took it up to plant a soft kiss on it, rejoicing when he remembered that she was his soon-to-be wife.


    She eyed her ring and finally understand why Luna could barely keep her eyes off her ring. It was so overwhelming that she couldn''t keep her eyes off hers either.


    Soon after they arrived home, they were about to enter the kitchen when she noticed the news on the television, which had been tuned to a celebrity gossip channel.


    "I didn''t know you were into celebrity gossip?" She asked him curiously, not paying attention to the headlines.


    "Ruby was here today." He explained, implying that it was Ruby who was interested in celebrities. He, on the other hand, only had his attention on his work, his family and most importantly, his Lanni.


    "What''s the breaking news? My phone is about to explode." He realized that he had been receiving too many notifications at the same time, so much that he almost couldn''t use his phone. They were all from Oracle Magazine''s website, which he had subscribed to as a way of supporting Lin Media Group for the sake of Lin Jian. If he knew that he was going to get so many notifications in a row, he would have definitely ignored it in the past.


    "It''s Qiao Linyou." Lanni explained with a slight chuckle as she led him to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. She would have been curious about what was going on but she wasn''t because she already knew the entire thing.


    "I''ll tell you all about it." She promised jovially, and he found aprons to wear while cooking. He helped her into one of them and wore the other himself, then opened the bags of ingredients that they had bought.


    "Honey, what would you like me to cook you?" He questioned as he sorted the ingredients.


    "Anything is fine." She smiled, looking forward to whatever he was going to cook. "I''m going to cook a random dish, but I''m sure that you will love it." She promised and rolled her sleeves to start working.


    "I look forward to it." He grinned and looked forward at her. She kept the main meal mysterious and merely washed and chopped the vegetables, keeping him guessing.


    ¡­


    While Lanni and Xiehan had fun in the kitchen, the world was turning upside down for Qiao Linyou. She was surrounded by reporters before she could notice it, and they kept firing questions at her even though she had stated that she was not ready for an interview.


    She had no way out, and it seemed like her bodyguards were tired of their job. They were slacking off! How could they not be here at such a moment, to shoo these dumb reporters off?!


    "Youyou, is it true that you were involved with James, a drug lord?" A young woman with spectacles asked, and to Qiao Linyou''s chagrin, she had the badge of Lin Media Group on her chest. How could Lin Jian''s underling treat her this way?


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." She denied the claim with a straight face while wondering when her bodyguards would be here.


    "How could that be? Your agent was caught and there was sufficient evidence. It has been proven that she had a deal with James, and James'' illegal business have been uncovered. What do you have to say about this?"


    Qiao Linyou saw this coming, so she gave the answer she had already prepared in case such a situation popped up. She was an actress after all, and she had to be on the lookout in case her career was suddenly at stake." It''s up to my agent to live her life as she pleases. I have no right to control her, but that doesn''t mean I advocate for such behaviour. She has already been fired and handed over to the police."


    Her response was precise and to the point, answering all their questions. Not only had she cleared her name of all claims of her involvement with the dark market, she had also thrown Ms. Ming under the bus.


    Her response was flawless, and her fans should have cheered her for being such a honest person. On the contrary, the reporters looked at her with disgust written all over their faces. Just as she wondered what was wrong with them, one of the older female reporters sneered at her.


    "You ungrateful woman! Is that how you treat your mother after all these years she took care of you, is this how your repay her? By having her pay for all your mistakes?"


    Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her mother. "I don''t know what you mean." At the same time, she tried to leave the crowd, only to be pushed back into the centre of it by the insane reporters.


    "It has been revealed that Ms. Ming is your biological mother. What do you have to say about this?" A young man asked pointedly, shoving his microphone almost to her mouth.


    She tried to remain calm. "First off, it''s my decision whether or not I would like to introduce my family members to the media. It''s up to them whether or not they would like to be in the limelight, and not up to you, reporters, who want nothing but gossip to talk about. Secondly, no she isn''t my mother."


    "What a heartless bitch!" The middle-aged female reporter found Qiao Linyou''s mother too pitiful. "Not only did she give in to your every whim and impulse, she also did everything to help you advance through your career. She even lowered herself to be your agent. How can you employ your own mother? How heartless!


    Not only did you disrespect her at many instances, you have also made her pay for too many of your crimes. What kind of role model are you trying to be to the younger generation that looks up to you?!"


    ¡­


    In the kitchen of Xiehan''s mansion, Xiehan and Lanni could overhear the chatter of the maids who were watching the broadcast and whispering to each other curiously. He couldn''t help wanting to know.


    " Is she really her mother?"


    Lanni nodded with a mischievous grin on her face.


    "I noticed their resemblance the last time I met both of them but I didn''t think too much of it. However, I later realized the peculiarity and pinned the pieces together." She explained.


    It didn''t make sense for Ms. Ming to be so close to Qiao Linyou that she was more loyal than a dog. Forget about the fact that Qiao Linyou was not respectful to her, she had also bullied her quite a number of times.


    At first, Lanni thought that Qiao Linyou might have a stain against Ms. Ming, which allowed her to control the older woman as she pleased and the latter had nothing to do about it.. However, the more she searched, the more she found it peculiar. There was no stain against Ms. Ming except¡­ the woman herself was Qiao Linyou''s stain.


    With Lin Jian''s help, she had uncovered that shockingly, the two of them were mother and daughter.


    "She brought this upon herself." She shrugged as she imagined what was going to happen to Qiao Linyou now. "I was going to let her off. She would at most be an ordinary actress with no more support. However, she just had to threaten me.. How could I let her off? I''m not going to free a snake so it bites me. Wouldn''t I be crazy if I did that?"

 Chapter 495 - Reward

    While she spoke, his lips suddenly landed on hers, and she blinked in confusion. Why was he suddenly kissing her? How unpredictable¡­


    "You did well." He praised, and she finally understood. Was that a reward? Then she should work much harder.


    While she thought about it, his arm snaked around her body to pull her to him. He held her chin up, pressing his lips against hers.


    "Honey, we''re still cooking." Although she sounded like she was reprimanding him, she placed her arms around his neck to hug him. He deepened the kiss and hugged her closer, her body pressed against his as his tongue swirled around hers.


    Her breath quickened and her body went limp, she could only hold onto him for support. He held her by her butt and lifted her with her to place her on the kitchen counter. He positioned himself between her legs and she wrapped her legs behind his back, with her hands still holding his neck.


    "I want you," He croaked through his parched throat, his fingers gently caressing the side of her face. She looked up to meet his eyes that were full of desire, which made her press her lips against his.


    She delicately undid the buttons of his shirt at the same time as he unzipped her dress, sliding it down her arms. She paused to let the dress fall to her waist before ripping the white shirt off and letting it drop onto the floor.


    He lowered his head while holding her back to support her, kissing the top of her boobs. His tongue licked down her cleavage to find the front hook of her bra, which he undid with his finger to set her boobs free. She gasped as he cupped them in his hands, squeezing them slightly as he kissed them.


    He pushed her back so she would lie on the kitchen counter and she shuddered from the cold, which she soon got used to thanks to the heat she was feeling in her body. When she was more comfortable, he pulled her dress down her hips, letting it fall along with her panty. His manhood hardened all the more as he looked down at her wet core.


    She felt embarrassed when he parted her legs and wanted to press her thighs together when she felt his gaze down her most intimate part, but the feeling soon morphed into pleasure when he slid a finger into her.


    A moan left her lips, making her immediately cover her mouth when she wondered whether the maids were still nearby.


    "Don''t be shy." He chuckled in his deep voice, his finger sliding in and out of her. Her toes curled behind him as she moaned in pleasure, sitting up to run her hands slowly down his bare chest.


    Her hand fumbled with his belt before she clicked it open, then reached into his pants to stroke his manhood through his boxer briefs. She was driving him crazy with need as she teased and touched him. He pulled her hand out and impatiently took off the rest of his clothes. Pulling her onto the edge of the kitchen counter, he supported her hips as she held onto his neck, sliding into her.


    She couldn''t stop herself from gasping and moaning as he made love to her hard and deeply. Just when she was close to reaching her climax, he got her down the kitchen counter. He turned her around so she was facing the wall and holding the kitchen counter, then picked up his pace and rode her to her climax, reaching his own climax a heartbeat later.


    Her legs shook from the waves of pleasure, and she slumped onto the counter with his hands still holding the sides of her waist.


    He slowly pulled out of her and gathered her weak body into his arms, kissing her face. "I love you."


    "I love you too, Xiehan." She bit out, then gasped when she felt her body floating.


    "Wait, there are maids." She reminded him when she realized that he was planning to take her upstairs. Surely, he was not planning to do a naked walk along the hallways, right?


    To her shock, he was. "They know better than to walk around after hearing what you think they heard."


    Her face flushed. "But our clothes¡­"


    "Don''t worry about them." He carried her to the master bedroom without a word more, making her bury her head in his chest and hope that no one left their room.


    As soon as she was placed on the soft bed, she so badly wanted to fall asleep from how drowsy she felt. As she drifted to sleep, she felt his lips on her body, kissing her comfortingly and she hummed in satisfaction as a warm blanket covered her.


    By the time he was done cleaning both of them up, Lanni was already deep in sleep so he went back to the kitchen. She would be hungry when she woke up, so he picked up from where they had left off and continued cooking.


    His phone rang as he sauteed the vegetables. It was Wen Lin calling, so he answered the call and put it on speaker then continued to cook as he spoke to her. "Mother?"


    "How have you been? Is work too tiresome?" Wen Lin asked worriedly.


    "No, it''s alright. I can handle it." He answered, and Wen observed that he did sound like he could handle it. His tone was jovial and energetic.


    "It''s your sister''s birthday soon. You have not forgotten, right?" Wen Lin gently reminded, to which Xiehan laughed.


    "How could I ever forget?" In the past, it used to be the worst day of his year every day. Despite his hatred for Ji Feifei, he would need to give her a call to wish her a happy birthday and even send a present even if he didn''t want to. If not, his parents would spend the rest of the week reprimanding him for being a bad brother.


    However, he liked his biological sister more and didn''t need to be forced into anything. He had already made plans for her birthday even before he was told about it.


    "Your father and I are planning to take her out on a trip. We plan to go to Olphire. Do you want to come along with us?" She asked, knowing that Xiehan might prefer to stay in B City and spend time with his fianc¨¦e instead. "You can bring Lanni along if she wants to come. We have never had a family vacation since Ruby returned."


    Xiehan thought about it and didn''t find it to be such a perfect idea. "You do know that you might end up spending most of your time with father while I might be with Lanni. What about Ruby?"


    Wen Lin felt bummed. It would be her daughter''s birthday, she didn''t want her to be lonely. She was about to cancel it when she got an idea. "We can bring Lin Jian along! He will definitely agree to go. Hold on, let me give him a call."


    He chuckled at his mother''s excited tone. Seeing Ruby in a relationship made her happier than she was when she first learnt that Xiehan was in love.


    ¡­


    When he was done cooking, he left the food on low heat so it would not go cold, and went to check whether Lanni was awake.


    "You are here." She woke up with a yawn when she heard the door open.


    "Did I wake you?" He asked apologetically, since he had not intended to wake her up if she was still asleep.


    She stretched her hands out. "Hug me."


    Since he could never say no to her request, he went over to hold her in his arms and when he did, her hand slid down his body and grabbed his crotch. She reached into his boxer briefs and held his manhood, which started to harden under her touch.


    "You¡­" He was yet to utter another word when she pressed her body onto his, rubbing her bare breasts against his arm.


    His body stiffened as his manhood throbbed. Unable to handle the seduction, he pushed her down the bed with his body hovering over hers. He stroked the sides of her thighs while she hugged his broad shoulders and kissed his lips passionately. She pulled his t-shirt off him and flipped him to pin him under her, to which he complied and let her have her way.


    She traced down his abs before her head lowered to kiss and stroke them, as her hand rubbed against his hard manhood.


    ____


    AN


    So passionate! They should have a baby already.


    If you haven''t yet, check out my first WSA entry, Reborn As The Daemon''s Wife.


    Check out my other books too.


    Villainess 101: The President''s Wife is a Vengeful Devil


    The Tyrant''s Wife


    My Beautiful Love


    Use the following link to join my discord server, follow me on Instagram or support me on Kofi.


    linktr.ee/Avalorian

 Chapter 496 - Making Up

    After a whole evening of lovemaking, Lanni and Xiehan ate dinner as he finally brought up what he had talked about with his mother. "Would you like to come with us to Ruby''s birthday vacation?"


    "I don''t mind. We can go together. However, I''m not certain whether Lin Jian will let me go." She contemplated as she wondered whether there was a lot of work to be done in her department.


    He frowned slightly. "I''ll have a word with him later."


    Recalling how Lin Jian had complained about Xiehan giving him a hard time, she chuckled. "Don''t fight with him, okay? If he doesn''t agree, then don''t force it."


    "Alright. I''ll book the plane tickets online later." He didn''t give any promises but he would try to negotiate without beating anyone up.


    "When are we leaving? I will carry some work with me." She suggested when she realized that Lin Jian might go on the trip too. If she left and didn''t work at all, he would have so much on his plate that he might not have for his girlfriend.


    "You can have your assistant handle work matters. It''s just two days." He said in disapproval. When did she become so workaholic?


    "If you say so." She chuckled at his tone.


    "I don''t think I got you tired enough. You still have time to mess around." He raised an eyebrow at her. Before she could react, he carried her off the seat and headed towards the bedroom, rendering her speechless.


    ___


    Li Yuming was all smiles as she baked Lanni''s favorite cupcakes.


    "Madam, you shouldn''t let Miss Lanni eat too much sweet food. It''s not good for her health." The housekeeper reminded Li Yuming, who was too overjoyed to realize that she had been baking pastries too often.


    "Now that you mention it." Li Yuming was still blooming with a smile. She wore a pair of mittens and took out the cupcakes that were now ready. When she was done, she looked troubled. "I can''t give them to Luna either, she shouldn''t eat too much sugar. Do you want them?"


    "Uhm...madam, I don''t have a sweet tooth." The housekeeper, who was older than Li Yuming, shook her head. Although Li Yuming had been kind all these years and treated the maids as though they were her siblings and daughters, they were not so free as to overstep their boundaries.


    Li Yuming knew this, and she chuckled. "It''s okay." She kept some of the cupcakes in a colorful pastry box, then left the rest to the housekeeper. "You can give these to your kids. If not, let the maids have them. Otherwise, we can only throw them away since I''m not a big fan of cupcakes." She only liked baking them but couldn''t bring herself to eat more than a bite or two


    "Thank you." She knew that Li Yuming would not take them back so she could only nod and say her thanks.


    ¡­


    Li Yuming was going to Lanni''s apartment to give her the few cupcakes she had set aside but before that, she decided to get her a necklace she had seen at the store near Lanni''s apartment complex. It would be even better if she could get two of them, one for Lanni and one for Luna.


    She entered the store and called a sales girl over. "Hello. Can I have a look at that¡­" Just as she spoke, another sales girl took the necklace she had noticed to show to someone else. She frowned slightly at her bad luck. "Is there another of the same model?"


    "I''m sorry. There were only two of this design and the first was sold yesterday." The sales girl apologized. "However, there are others that are of the same quality. Would you want to take a look?"


    Li Yuming sighed and was about to ask whether it had already been bought when she noticed the gentleman to whom the necklace had been given. "Neil?"


    "It''s you?" Neil was surprised to see Li Yuming. He stood from the couch where he was sitting and inspecting the necklace.


    "Are you here to buy jewelry too?" He asked even though it was obvious.


    "I wanted to buy a necklace for Lanni and Luna. What a bummer that the one I wanted is sold out." She sat on the couch and he sat down too.


    "What a bummer. Luckily, there are many others to choose from." He was unaware that the one he had picked was the very one that Li Yuming wanted. He glanced around and asked, "What do you think of this one? I wanted to buy it for Ruby but I don''t think it suits her that much. Do you think it would look good on your daughters?"


    Li Yuming raised an eyebrow an amusement. What a coincidence that he was showing her the very necklace she had chosen for Lanni. "It''s beautiful. Let me find one for Luna."


    "Do you mind helping me pick for Ruby too?" He requested, believing that women were better versed in matters of jewelry.


    "No problem." She placed her box of cupcakes on the couch and let the sales girls show her the necklaces on sale and their prices.


    She chose a teardrop one for Luna and one with a small crystal ball for Ruby, then returned to show it to Neil. "What do you think of this?"


    "It''s perfect." He wrote a cheque and gave it to the sales girl, who was surprised when she saw the amount. "Sir, you paid too much!"


    "I don''t think so. The three of them amount to that." He smiled, stunning Li Yuming.


    "I can pay for my own purchase." She didn''t understand why he wanted to help her pay.


    "I know. I have never given any gift to Lanni and Luna. Take this to congratulate them on their engagements." He insisted, leaving her with no chance to reject it.


    "Then, thank you." She could only smile and thank him.


    The necklaces were returned in their velvet boxes and packed separately. When Li Yuming received her package, she was so excited that she almost bolted out of the store, leaving behind her party box.


    "You forgot this¡­" Neil was just about to hand the box to her when it dropped. "I''m so sorry."


    It was certain that the cupcakes were disfigured, which disappointed Li Yuming. "It''s alright. It was an accident."


    "No, it''s not." He felt bad for ruining the cupcakes, which he was certain must be a surprise for her daughters. "Where did you buy them? I''ll help you get new ones."


    "I baked them." She smiled. "It''s really alright. I''ll bake her some more next time."


    Hearing that she had baked them, he felt even worse. "How about I bake some at my place? You can pick them up."


    He was impossible, she thought. Knowing that they would remain stuck on the topic for ages, she decided to agree. "I can come after giving this to Lanni." She motioned at the necklaces.


    "I''ll be waiting." He hurried to his car, making one wonder why exactly he was rushing. He seemed to be more excited than would be expected of someone who was trying to make up for a mistake.


    She chuckled and proceeded to Lanni''s apartment.


    The latter was not home. She was probably out with Xiehan, so Li Yuming left it at the reception as a parcel and went ahead to Neil''s residence.


    She was planning to help him out but when she arrived and a maid showed her to the kitchen, the situation was much worse than she would ever expect.


    "Have you ever been to a kitchen?" She tried not to laugh when she saw the man who had flour all over him, making one wonder whether he was trying to bake or swim on the jar of flour.


    Meanwhile, he was trying to stir eggs into the bowl of flour using a fork, and he didn''t seem to understand the role of the mixer on the kitchen counter. She shook her head and pulled the bowl from his hands. "This isn''t how you do it."


    "Wait! Don''t ruin your clothes." He rushed to bring an apron, then looked at her high heeled shoes and wondered whether she would be able to bake with them on. Besides, her hair looked too beautiful. What if she got flour in it?


    "You do realize that aprons exist." She scolded and tied it behind her waist, then proceeded to start preparing the batter while he watched.


    "So that''s how you do it." He nodded in understanding when he saw her position the mixer to mix the egg whites in the bowl.


    "Haven''t you ever baked before?" She wondered how he was planning to do it if it was something he had never done before.


    She shook his head. "Ruby''s mother would do it in the past. Once she left, Ruby hated desserts and everything she used to cook for her."


    "I''m sorry." She felt bad for reminding him of his past, recalling that he was divorced.


    "It''s alright. I''ve long forgotten about her. I have someone else in mind now."


    His words took her by surprise. "She must be a lucky woman."


    He looked at her meaningfully. "I''ll be the lucky one."


    _____


    Another ship!!


    Sail or no sail?

 Chapter 497 - I Didnt Realize I Needed A Wife Until I Met You

    Li Yuming paused her movements in surprise. She was not a young woman, she comprehended Neil''s hint and was quite surprised about his implication.


    "Yuming, can I ask you an audacious question?" He asked.


    "Go ahead." She didn''t want to jump into conclusions and hoped his question was not too personal.


    "Have you ever thought of remarrying?" He asked directly, knowing that beating around the bush wouldn''t work with Li Yuming.


    She let out a soft sigh as she mixed the ingredients in a large ceramic bowl. She didn''t want to talk about her past since it was nothing but a pain in the butt. However, she had already allowed him to ask so she could only answer him. "I would have done so twenty years ago if I wanted to. I don''t think relationships are worth my time anymore."


    "Not even if you get a man who loves you?" He gently asked, trying not to sound pushy.


    In response, she tilted to look at him, knowing why exactly he was asking but pretending not to know. "I would have done so if my babies really needed a father in their lives but they don''t anymore." Lanni had needed a father before but soon after reuniting with him, she found out just what kind of man she had been pining for. On the other hand, Luna was still devastated after finding out that the man she trusted the most was a murderer and a scumbag who was only using her and her sister. It was certain that she didn''t need a father either.


    Neil had heard bits and pieces about what had transpired, which made him uncertain what to say about it.


    A long spell of silence passed before he cleared his throat. "My daughter has already found her parents. She doesn''t need a mother since she already has one. However, I need a wife. I didn''t realize this until I met you."


    "Neil¡­" His words took her by surprise, and she looked up at him in shock.


    "We don''t have to talk about it." He knew what he was going to hear and he was not ready for it so he evaded the topic.


    Li Yuming looked down at the bowl instead, hoping they wouldn''t bring up the awkward topic anymore. She took a baking tray with heart-shaped slots. "Here. Once the batter is ready, pour it in the baking trays. The slots determine the shape. Don''t fill it." As she spoke, she carefully poured the batter into each of the slots, shaking it slightly to equalize it.


    "Why did you apply butter on the trays before pouring in the batter?" He asked curiously, even though he didn''t have a particular interest in baking.


    "For ease of taking it out later. But you don''t even need to learn it. Ruby won''t eat it." Li Yuming remembered how he had mentioned that his daughter no longer liked pastries and cakes.


    The oven had already preheated, so she put in the tray and set the timer.


    "We can wait in the living room." She said, tired from standing in her high heels.


    He noticed her shifting and was embarrassed. "Forgive my manners. I''ll get you a pair of indoor sandals."


    Before she could respond, he had already rushed away and returned with white slippers. "They are new and no one has worn them before."


    She couldn''t bring herself to reject his kind gesture. Not to mention, she was indeed tired so she changed into the sandals before heading to the living room.


    "But if we don''t watch the cupcakes." He pointed at the kitchen, afraid that the cupcakes would burn.


    "Don''t worry, I set the timer." Li Yuming chuckled. He had indeed never baked before. Heaven knew what he was going to bake on his own.


    The cupcakes were ready soon, and she let them cool before getting a pastry box with cookies and cakes drawn on it.


    "Can I have one?" He glanced at the inviting cupcakes that now had strawberry cream on them.


    "Of course, go ahead."


    Taking her permission, he took a bite of a cupcake and was puzzled. Why didn''t he ever realize that cupcakes could taste this delicious? He had always thought that sweet foods were for kids and that he had overgrown his love for them.


    Li Yuming sealed the box and took it in her hand. "I''ll drop these by Lanni''s apartment."


    "Okay¡­ I''ll see you out." He knew that she wouldn''t stay any longer even if he tried to convince her so he didn''t try and led her to the door instead.


    "Let''s have lunch together when you''re free." He boldly stated, hoping that she wouldn''t have anything against it.


    Before he could walk her to her car, another car pulled over and out of it walked Ruby.


    "Ruby?" He was pleasantly surprised.


    The young woman was more surprised. Why was Li Yuming leaving her father''s house?


    She kept her curiosity to herself and offered the older woman a smile. "Miss Li, hello."


    "Hello." She averted her gaze. "I''ll get going now."


    ¡­


    When she left, Ruby continued to give Neil curious looks.


    "If you have anything to ask, go ahead and ask." Neil chuckled at her obvious curiosity.


    They headed to the house and she sat opposite him, across the coffee table. "Uhm Dad, is she the woman you like?" She would never have had such a suspicion even if a woman left his house, but she had seen how excited he looked to be around her.


    Neil neither acknowledged nor denied it, reclining in his seat. "What do you think of her?"


    She took his response for a yes, and her eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? Her daughter is my sister-in-law! Wouldn''t that kind of relationship be incestuous?"


    "There isn''t any blood relationship, nor am I related to Lanni in marriage. It''s alright for me to court Li Yuming." He shrugged. It would have been wrong of him to marry Li Yuming if he was Xiehan''s biological father, which would have made him and Li Yuming relatives through Lanni and Xiehan''s marriage. However, the only link between him and the Ji family was Ruby, who was no longer his daughter since her family had taken her back.


    Ruby thought about it and although she didn''t think it was totally right, she didn''t find anything wrong with it either. "As long as the law allows it. The most important thing is your happiness, dad."


    He had been afraid that she would oppose it, so he was overjoyed and patted her head. "Thank you, princess."


    "Dad, I''m no longer a little girl." She laughed at how he still treated her like he did when she was a child, tousling her hair and kissing her forehead when she went to sleep. If she didn''t stop him, he might have continued reading her bedtime stories too!


    "What''s that awesome aroma?" She headed to the kitchen following the waft of the cupcakes, making his heart lurch.


    He followed her to stop her, but she had already seen the cupcakes that were still on the kitchen counter.


    "Ruby, that¡­"


    She stalked towards them and picked one, listlessly taking a bite because they looked too tempting. A few seconds after having a taste, she wolfed the whole thing down and he was overwhelmed.


    "You didn''t bake this. Of course, you can''t even boil water." She laughed as she exaggerated his lack of experience in the kitchen.


    He shook his head. "It was Yuming."


    He thought she would be mad at Li Yuming for bringing up unpleasant memories but instead, she picked up a second cupcake. "No wonder Lanni likes them so much."


    "I like them a lot too." He picked another cupcake and sat in front of the kitchen island to savor it.


    "Dad, you have to work hard. Should I help you out by bringing out my cute daughter skills?" She joked, even though she was serious about wanting to help him out.


    "I will do my best." He promised. He felt they were meant for each other after all, he only needed to make her realize this.


    ___


    Jiang Mansion.


    "Xingyu, I''m tired!" Luna complained as Xingyu made her do exercise for expectant women.


    He glanced at the timer and didn''t give in to her pleas. "Five more minutes."


    "Five! I will be dead before it''s over." She groaned lazily. "Tell me the truth. Is it because you are tired of me that you are trying to kill me indirectly?"


    He laughed at her theatrics. "No, my love. On the contrary, it''s because I love you that I''m making sure you don''t have too much trouble later."


    "Then let''s take a short break. Please." She leaned against him to plead with her puppy dog eyes, which he could hardly resist.


    "You''re becoming more and more of a lazy bum." He rubbed his palm against her protruding belly, and had no choice but help her back into their room.


    That night.


    Xingyu was just about to drift to sleep when he felt Luna shift uncomfortably beside him.


    "My love, what''s wrong?" He patted her to ask worriedly.


    She grabbed her arm and squeezed on it. "It hurts so much!"

 Chapter 498 - New Members Of The Jiang Family

    Xiehan''s mansion.


    "Honey, I need to go to work tomorrow." Lanni protested to Xiehan, who was once again running his fingers along her skin. At this rate, they would not be able to wake up on time the following day.


    "Just one more." He coaxed. He just couldn''t have enough of her.


    She shifted in slight discomfort "I''m sore¡­"


    He immediately stopped his actions, looking at her sternly. "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    She buried her head in his chest so she wouldn''t have to meet his gaze. "If you were in my shoes, would you say no to something that makes you feel so good?"


    "How naughty." He chuckled.


    "I''ll¡­" The ringing of her phone interrupted her, and she frowned when she saw who the caller was. "Why would Xingyu call me at this time of the night?"


    Her heart lurched to her throat as she thought of the only reason why Xingyu would contact her regardless of the time. Was Luna alright?


    "Brother-in-law?"


    She paused to hear what he had to say and when she did, her heart pounded. "Why is Luna at the hospital? And so late at night?"


    He grabbed the closest clothes he could find and wore them, while giving a dress to her. "Let''s go and find out. Dress up while I start the car."


    ¡­


    At the hospital.


    "What happened to Luna?" Lanni asked as soon as she saw Xingyu.


    Li Yuming was present too, she and Xinghe sat beside each other on a bench while Xingyu and his father anxiously paced the hallway.


    "I don''t know what''s happening either. She suddenly started having contractions." Xingyu explained worriedly. "She isn''t due until a month later. I don''t understand."


    "They are about to die from nervousness." Xinghe spoke to Li Yuming, referring to Xingyu and Xingren, and now Lanni and Xiehan too.


    The two of them were nervous too, but premature delivery was not unheard of so they weren''t as worried as the men were.


    "I''ll talk to Xingyu." Li Yuming couldn''t keep watching her future son-in-law break down, so she stood and went to him. She was yet to say a word when the door opened and the doctor stepped out.


    "Doctor, how is she?"


    "Doctor, is Luna alright? What about the babies?"


    Everyone rushed up to bombard the woman with questions, so much that they almost toppled her by bumping into her.


    She had them calm down and sit before focusing on Xingyu. "Are you her husband?"


    He nodded. He would be her husband soon anyway.


    "Don''t worry. The mother and the children are all in good health." She explained, her expression not shifting. Before they could let out their breaths, she continued, "However, she is restless and her condition may not stabilise. I suggest that we induce labor."


    "But the risks of inducing labor are too many." Xingyu protested when the words sunk in.


    "There are many women who gave birth to healthy babies despite all the risks. In fact, it''s rarer for the babies to have complications. On the other hand, they may keep putting their mother''s life in danger if they continue to the full term." The doctor explained seriously.


    He let them think about it, and Xingyu was conflicted.


    " I want to agree to induced labor, but I don''t know if Luna would be mad at me. Lanni, what should I do?" He decided to ask the closest person to Luna.


    "Let her decide." She couldn''t make the decision for her sister.


    "She would never agree." Xingyu guessed. Like any other mother, Luna cared about her babies more than she cared for herself. She would never agree to risk their health to save herself, even if the risk was slight.


    As expected, she adamantly shook her head to the idea." What if the babies aren''t alright? I don''t want to compromise them for my sake."


    "They will be alright, my love. The doctor said so." He held her hand and kissed it in an attempt to convince her.


    "I''m scared." She rested her head against his arm, not daring to imagine what she would do if anything went wrong.


    "Luna, you don''t need to be scared. It will be alright." Li Yuming went beside to coax her.


    "You think so?" She looked up at her mother, who tucked a strand of her sweaty hair behind her ear.


    "Yes. Look at you, you''re in so much pain that you''re sweating. If you continue being in this state, it''s going to be more dangerous for you and them."


    Hearing that her babies might be in danger if she didn''t agree to induce labor, she thought about it and nodded in the end.


    ¡­


    A large group waited outside the maternity ward, hugging each other tightly every time they heard Luna''s screams from inside.


    Xingyu had fire on his soles and butt, not allowing him to take a seat or stand still. Every time he sat, he would stand in the next second, then rush to the door and come back when he remembered that distraction might make it harder for Luna.


    "I''m suddenly scared of having kids." Xiaoshi muttered under her breath, imagining what kind of pain Luna must be going through. She had made sure not to say it aloud, but someone heard her and slotted himself next to her.


    "Don''t say such things when I''m thinking of having at least five babies with you in future." Grinned Han Xichen.


    "Don''t joke around!" She scolded him. This wasn''t the time to make such jokes.


    Lanni and Li Yuming shared each other''s nervousness and anticipation while Xinghe held her husband''s hand tightly. Cheng Yu was present too, and she was probably the most calm even though she almost couldn''t hide her anxiety.


    It had been hours already, and they started wondering how much longer it was going to take.


    Cheng Yu was about to say something but was interrupted by a shrill cry of a baby.


    "It''s the baby!" Xingyu jumped and almost fainted from the sudden rush of excitement. He was already at the door before it was even opened, and he rushed in before the doctor could say a word.


    "Luna!" He grabbed her hand and kissed it, before hugging her while trying not to exhaust her by moving her about too much.


    "Xingyu¡­" She burst into tears.


    "My love, you just brought the cutest pair of twins into this world. Why are you sad?" He didn''t understand why there were tears in her eyes, which were not tears of joy.


    "She¡­" She choked. "Our daughter might not be alive." She cried against his chest.


    "What do you mean?" He felt his soul leave his body.


    "She is yet to react to anything. She didn''t even cry. They took her away." She cried weakly.


    "Sir, your wife is distressed. The girl was taken away for her lungs to be checked." The nurse tried to explain to Xingyu, and was devastated when she found that Xingyu didn''t seem to understand either. They both thought that their daughter might be dead, and no one could blame them. Anyone would be in panic if their baby didn''t respond normally.


    At that moment, Lanni walked in carrying the little boy, with the others behind her. Luckily, the ward was big enough for them to stand or sit comfortably without imposing on Luna and Xingyu.


    "Luna," Li Yuming held her devastated daughter and didn''t know what to tell her.


    While they pondered over what to do, a nurse returned with a wailing baby.


    Luna shot to sit up. "My baby!"


    "She is alright. The world outside wasn''t very easy to adapt to, which is why this little princess was still in a daze." The nurse explained with a smile as she carefully placed the girl in Luna''s arms.


    Luna hugged her, feeling her soul finally return to her body as tears filled her face. She lowered her head to kiss the baby''s tiny face, and the latter groaned as though to acknowledge her mother.


    Xingyu joyously poked his daughter, leaning back to cradle her when Luna passed her over.


    "My son." Luna held her arms out for Lanni to return the boy to her.


    Earlier, she didn''t know whether to be happy or sad. Having two kids and losing one of them was probably the most painful experience she could ever imagine, and she didn''t know whether she would have lived with herself if her baby really died.


    "Have you thought of their names yet?" Li Yuming asked jovially at the side, bouncing in the joy of becoming a grandmother.


    Luna nodded as she kissed her son''s tiny arms. "Jiang Linhou."


    "Her name is Xiaomu. Jiang Xiaomu." Xingyu added as he joyously teased her little feet, and she groaned slightly.


    "She likes it too! The most beautiful name for the most adorable girl in the world."


    ___


    AN


    Congratulations Luna and Xingyu! They finally became parents.


    Welcome the cute pair of twins, Linhou and Xiaomu by showering them with gifts and power stones.

 Chapter 499 - Xiaomu And Linhou

    Linhou and Xiaomu were fully developed despite being born five weeks ahead of their time, so they did not need the incubator. The family of four returned home two days later and soon after, they started preparing for their full moon party.


    Because the party was held a few days before Luna and Xingyu''s wedding, it was a small party with only close family and friends present.


    Lanni couldn''t move her eyes away from the crib where the babies were. They wore the same adorable unisex outfit in pink and blue, with "cuter version of mummy" and "cuter version of daddy" printed on them respectively.


    She wiggled a toy in front of Xiaomu, who didn''t seem to notice her and was trying to grab her twin''s tiny hand.


    "They''re so cute! Xiaomu will definitely take after her mother." She felt her heart melt just watching them.


    "No, she will take after her grandma." Li Yuming laughed at the side, making Lanni speechless. What was the difference?


    Li Yuming teased the girl who now had her tiny arms flailing, probably seeking her mother''s attention. "She looks just like Luna when she was little. Luna was the most curious one too." Li Yuming smiled as she shifted her gaze between her grandchildren.


    Xinghe had just arrived, and she was holding the boy. "Linhou is an exact copy of Xingyu. When he was little, he was calmer than other babies but growing up, he would nibble on everything that came his way and that included toys and his own hands."


    "Aren''t all kids like that?" Xingyu laughed when everyone laughed at him.


    "Yours was a special case." Xinghe endlessly made fun of her son, talking about what a naughty little boy he was, that had probably been passed down to Linhou and Xiaomu.


    "Forget them, my love. Let''s go ahead with what we were doing." Xingyu pulled Luna away so she wouldn''t hear about his embarrassing past.


    "You are right. They''re impossible." Luna consoled him, even though she was curious to know more. She would find out from Xinghe later, so she decided to placate him for now.


    They were about to go and greet the guests who had started arriving, only to be interrupted by a shrill cry from Xiaomu who wanted her mother''s attention.


    Luna took her from Li Yuming with a laugh. "To think I was starting to imagine that she will be the calmer one."


    Meanwhile, Linhou, who had been the louder one at birth, was blabbering and giggling in Lanni''s arms. It was almost as though he could comprehend what the people around him were saying.


    Seeing as he hadn''t noticed her presence, she slipped away with Xingyu and Xiaomu.


    "You are here. I thought you wouldn''t make it." Luna was happy to see Xiaoshi and Han Xichen, who were in France when she told them about the full moon party.


    "We wouldn''t miss it for the world." Han Xichen focused his gaze on Xiaomu. "How cute. No wonder a certain someone has forgotten about his group of friends¡ªit must be because he is working hard to be the best father." with a daughter that cute, it was hard to not dote on her.


    "Luna, you look so beautiful." Xiaoshi gushed in admiration as they walked to the garden to join the others.


    After childbirth, Luna looked a bit more mature and much more beautiful than she was before she became pregnant.


    "Thank you. You look beautiful yourself. Is Han Xichen making you so happy?" She asked teasingly, having learnt about the relationship between these two.


    "Yes. He is so loving. We will get married soon." Xiaoshi smiled shyly.


    As expected, Luna was puzzled. "So soon?"


    The latter nodded and secretly patted her stomach. "We have to."


    Luna held back her shock and whispered, "You''re pregnant?"


    Xiaoshi nodded and kept her voice low as she explained, "That, and the fact that we don''t want to leave anyone or anything the chance to come between us."


    After thinking of ways to convince her father that they were meant to be together, they failed each time so they decided to take matters to a level where he couldn''t do anything to separate them.


    "Of course, I was ready to be with him so I agreed. The baby was just a much-needed bonus." The two of them burst into laughter.


    "Congratulations." Luna smiled.


    "Is it hard?" She asked, referring to everything that happened during pregnancy. How ironic that just a month ago, she was talking about being scared of having kids because it seemed to be painful¡ªnot knowing that she was already pregnant.


    "To be honest, it''s much harder than it can ever sound. The sleepless nights, the mood swings¡­ sometimes you would be sad without knowing why you are sad, and you might take it out on everyone who comes your way. Xingyu was so patient with me." Sometimes, she would be scared that he might have enough of her and leave. Luckily, he would always hug her when she needed it and give her space when she yelled at him to leave. Sometimes she would show him the door and cry or get mad at him when he left. The thought of it made her laugh at times.


    "However, the second you hear your baby cry, all those hectic days will be worth it."


    Xiaoshi felt her eyes sting. No wonder parents loved their children so much. Having them was never an easy journey.


    "Are you still keeping it a secret?" She asked, referring to the latter''s pregnancy.


    She shook her head. "Not exactly. I just didn''t want to steal the thunder."


    "Come on, what thunder is there to steal from a pair of month-olds?" Luna burst into laughter and so did Xiaoshi.


    The party went on for the entire afternoon, and the guests almost fought for turns to hold the cute darlings.


    In the evening when the babies were asleep, Luna and Xingyu joined her friends for a few drinks. Of course, she could only drink fruit juice while the others drowned themselves in beer.


    Xiaoshi was about to pick up a bottle of beer when it disappeared from her hands.


    "You can''t drink that. Join Luna in drinking natural fruit juice." Han Xichen gently reminded her, making the others raise their eyebrows.


    Han Xichen raised his bottle to toast. "We are going to be parents soon!"


    "Oh my God! congratulations!" Cheng Yu was the first to react, while Lin Jian looked at him like he was a god.


    "That was fast! I only started dating Ruby recently but the two of you are already soon to be parents!" He praised, then looked at Lanni and Xiehan meaningfully.


    "I don''t have a good feeling about that gaze." Lanni recoiled.


    "Why aren''t you two having a baby yet? You were the first to start dating!" Cheng Yu exclaimed before Lin Jian ncould say it.


    "At least we are engaged." She shrugged and raised her hand to flaunt her ring.


    "Being engaged is one thing. Xichen and Xiaoshi got to it before you, Jeez." Lin Jian teased.


    "That''s because they progressed so fast." Lanni explained. She and Xiehan were in no rush.


    Ruby glanced behind her and turned back to them. "You think that is fast? I think they are faster."


    Everyone secretly followed her gaze behind her to see Neil and Li Yuming happily chatting about something. Neil said something and Li Yuming burst into laughter.


    "I now know who has been sending flowers and gifts." Luna laughed, making fun of her mother.


    Lanni raised an eyebrow, caught in between curiosity and excitement. "I have never seen our mother this happy."


    "Neither have I." Luna had to admit. Li Yuming looked even happier than she did when she held her grandchildren. She then turned to Ruby curiously. "Does this mean we could become sisters soon?"


    "Your point of focus¡­" Ruby groaned, and everyone else burst into laughter.


    They couldn''t help recalling how much these two hated each other in the beginning, when they suspected Ruby of having romantic feelings for Xiehan.


    "You two should go shopping sometime, and familiarize yourselves with each other. In fact, you should all go together, The three of you." Cheng Yu suggested to Luna, Ruby and Lanni. "Of course, if you invite me, I will be happy to go along." She added mischievously.


    Xxiaoshi chuckled at the progress of things. "Isn''t your family growing so large all of a sudden?" SHe teasted Ruby. "Soon after you reunite with your real family, both of your families fuse. Your sister-in-law is now your foster sister as well, and you gained an adorable pair of nephew and niece. I''m jealous of you!"


    Lanni burst into laughter and joked, "What if we are the only ones overthinking things? It''s quite possible that they are merely two friends catching up while we have come up with a nonexistent relationship and fast-forwarded it to their marriage."


    "Don''t jinx it!" Luna jabbed her.


    ______


    AN


    Brace yourselves, a major time skip is coming up in a few chapters.

 Chapter 500 - Wedding Bells (1)

    Lanni drunkenly clung to Xiehan as they left the venue of the party. She sang songs that only she knew of, but it wasn''t necessary to have heard the song to know that she was singing it wrong.


    I have loved you carefully? What in the world was that?


    "Xiehan, I''m an aunt!" She flaunted against his neck as he carried her to his car.


    "That you are, and the cutest one at that." He put her inside the car. "And you will be the best mother in the world."


    She sat up as though she comprehended his words. "Mother? But I''m not pregnant."


    He looked down at her stomach meaningfully. "We can correct that when you are ready."


    Hearing this, she grabbed his car and pressed her lips against his face. "Let''s make one now. If we sleep for nine hours, we will wake up with a baby tomorrow."


    He chuckled. She really was drunk.


    Hearing his laugh, she looked up at him, his expression turning sadder. "Don''t you want to have a baby with me?"


    "I do. But we won''t have it in nine hours." He explained to the impossible drunk.


    "Then, when?" She asked.


    "Nine months if we start now." He stated, unsure whether she would understand.


    "You are right. It''s nine months." She sighed tiredly. "Then, let''s get to sleep. We can set an alarm for nine months later."


    Xiehan was speechless. Just when he was starting to think that she actually understood him¡­


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Luna teased and tickled the twins who were wide awake even though it was so late at night. She fed them one after another then put them back in their cribs. These two were alarm clocks, she had concluded after a series of sleepless nights. They would often cry at night and had her wake up to tend to them, not that she was complaining. She loved everything about them and their cries reminded her that she was a mother¡ªthe most beautiful word in her dictionary.


    Xingyu held her shoulders from behind as she rubbed Xiaomu''s small body to soothe her, since the latter must have realized that she was no longer in her mother''s arms and was making a fuss about it. She blabbered some incoherent soft sounds and fell asleep, and Luna pulled her tiny fist from her mouth with a soft chuckle. Her hands must be too delicious, they always somehow ended up in her toothless mouth.


    "Thank you, my love." He whispered as he watched the heartwarming mother-daughter interaction, the same words he had been saying every day for the past one month. "Thank you for making me the happiest man alive."


    "If you keep thanking me, I will grab the babies and leave you." She joked, pretending to be irritated. It was not fun to hear the same words every day at every turn. However, these words explained just how happy she was, so she didn''t want to dim his enthusiasm. Not to mention, she felt the same way. Not only was she about to marry the best man in the world, she was a mother!


    Xingyu laughed at her threat as he held her in his arms. "Love, do you have plans for tomorrow?"


    She nodded. "I''m going to try out the wedding dress."


    Before he could suggest going along, she pulled away. "You cannot see the wedding dress before the wedding."


    He looked deflated and helpless, hearing that he didn''t get to see her in her wedding dress. "But that''s only a series of traditions."


    "Maybe. But I still want to surprise you on our wedding day." She crossed her arms and chuckled at his disappointed demeanor. She couldn''t help tiptoeing to pat his head. "Look at it from the bright side. On our wedding night, you will get to take the wedding dress off."


    The thought got him excited but he shook his head soon after. "But we cannot make love until the babies are three months old."


    She shook her head. "The point of that is to let the mother fully recover, but I''m alright now. I can even jump around and wear high heels and most importantly¡­." She closed in on him to wrap her arms around his neck. "I need you."


    Taking her words as a cue, he carried her in his arms while softly kissing her lips, making his way back to their room.


    ___


    The following day.


    It was the weekend, so none of the girls had to go to work. They accompanied Luna to watch her try out her options for her wedding gown.


    "What do you think of this?" She walked out of the dressing cubicle in a strapless gown that must have several layers in its skirt. It was beautiful, but the girls shook their heads.


    "That''s so unlike you." Lanni teased with a chuckle. Luna didn''t look like the type to love a fairytale wedding with a large gown.


    The latter went back, to return in a gown whose train was long enough to remain at the entrance of the chapel even when she reached the end of the aisle. The women burst into laughter, not even commenting on it.


    Luna sighed tiredly. "I used to think that trying on a wedding gown was easy. You know, every wedding gown is beautiful, or so I thought.


    "You thought right." Cheng Yu stated. "Every wedding gown is beautiful, it''s just that there are different kinds of women. Of course, they are not going to all suit the same woman."


    "What are your options?" Lanni asked. Luna had not revealed her options before, because she wanted to give her friends a surprise.


    Since she was tired of trying them and seeing everyone shake their heads, she sat down and took out the wedding gown album for them to look at. Her options had red dots on them, which allowed for ease of navigation.


    Thinking about it, they requested for more tablets so that every one of the girls would have one of their own, then they selected all the gowns they thought would suit Luna. She then tried out the ones with the most number of dots.


    "You look amazing!" Lanni exclaimed then next time her sister left the dressing cubicle.


    "Oh my goodness Luna!" Cheng Yu wished she could take pictures to flaunt.


    "Xingyu will cry throughout the wedding. You look too beautiful." Ruby went over to touch the hem of the gown that all of them-including Luna-had selected. It looked much more beautiful on Luna than on the picture, and its texture was unique and regal.


    "Do you think we should let the readers know what the gown looks like?" Xiaoshi asked teasingly at the side, to which Lanni shook her head.


    "Nope. Let them wait along with Xingyu to see it on the wedding day."


    "Xingyu''s going to hide you in his pockets lest other men see you and try to steal you away from him." Cheng Yu laughed.


    "We still have a lot to do. Let''s pick a pair of shoes and jewelry to go with the gown." Lanni sat down and browsed through the tablet for shoes and jewelry in this, as well as other wedding clothes and accessories stores.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Xingyu tried on suit after suit with the help of Xiehan, Lin Jian, Han Xichen and Cedric.


    "Go for white. One that will compliment Luna''s white gown." Lin Jian suggested.


    However, Han Xichen shook his head. "Go for a color that goes with every possible color of wedding gowns."


    "He has a point." Xiehan seconded.


    "Considering that Luna is not a huge fan of white, it''s possible for her to pick other colors." Xingyu nodded.


    "How does this guy know so much about women?" Lin Jian was in disbelief that Han Xichen had pointed out such a detail and it ended up being valid. "Just how many women have you been with?"


    "I''m not a womanizer like you." Han Xichen ignored him.


    "hey! How dare you call me that?" Lin Jian conceded in defeat, glad that Ruby was not present. Otherwise, it would have needed a lot of coaxing to convince her that he was no longer a player. If he ever had a son, he would warn him against playing around too much.


    After thinking for a while, the men selected the suit they thought would be most fitting, one that would make him so handsome that Luna would fall in love all over again.


    "This for a watch isn''t bad." Xiehan pointed at a diamond watch, while Han Xichen showed Xingyu a brooch that just happened to be a great match with the watch.


    "Tie¡­" Lin Jian brought over a burgundy tie.


    "What the heck is that?" The other men didn''t spare another glance at the tie that made their eyes sting from the odd color.


    "Isn''t this an excellent color? It''s bright enough for a wedding." Lin Jian glanced at the tie again, finding nothing wrong with it.


    "Did you see the color of the suit we chose?" Han Xichen reprimanded him.


    "Ignore him. Let him wear that for his wedding.." Xingyu taunted, making the rest burst into a roar of deep laughter and make endless fun of Lin Jian.

 Chapter 501 - Wedding Bells(2)

    "You bunch of meanies! I will not help you get to the bridal chamber later." Lin Jian sulked, referring to the part after all the celebration, when the bride''s friends were fond of stalling the groom and having him pass tests before they could let him into the bridal chamber.


    Xingyu was deflated. "Didn''t we already do that?"


    "That was the engagement party. I''m certain those naughty girls plan to do it all over again since this is the wedding." Xiehan thought aloud.


    "And since it''s the wedding and their last chance to do it, the tests might be hellish." Cedric mumbled.


    "Urgh¡­ kill me already." Lin Jian groaned, but Xingyu suddenly smiled.


    "We have a secret weapon with us."


    "So you''re discarding me." Lin Jian harrumphed.


    "Don''t be mad. We''re all playing around." Xingyu laughed at his friend who was acting like an attention-seeking child.


    "Hmph." The latter crossed his arms.


    "Are you going to sulk all day? We still need to try on the groomsmen outfits." Xiehan dragged him to try on his clothes.


    "How sad that I have to." He couldn''t resist his friend''s pull. That, and the fact that he really had to.


    "Xiehan, when are you and Lanni planning to get married?" Han Xichen asked curiously.


    "When I return from Cauldron Island." He explained, suddenly wishing they could get married before his departure. However, he needed something to look forward to, and his upcoming wedding was the best thing to keep him on his toes throughout his stay at the island.


    ___


    The wedding was held in a large garden. There were only a handful of guests from the bride''s side, so the groom''s family had only invited close family and friends.


    The seats were arranged to face a small stream flowing through the colorful garden, providing a beautiful and romantic background for the bride and groom to exchange their vows.


    Li Yuming, who was wearing a beautiful purple gown, made her way to the bride''s room. "It''s almost time."


    "The bride is almost ready." Lanni and Cheng Yu finished up on Luna''s makeup and helped her with the accessories, while Xiaoshi and Ruby helped her straighten the layers of her dress.


    "You look so beautiful, Luna." Li Yuming felt emotional seeing her daughter in a wedding gown.


    "Thanks mom." Luna stood to hug her tightly.


    Before this, Li Yuming didn''t comprehend why mothers often cried on their daughters'' wedding day. It was a complex mix of emotions. Her baby had finally grown up, she had found her own happiness. More than that, she didn''t think she was losing her daughter. With a man like Xingyu, she believed that she was gaining a son instead.


    "Lanni, please take care of the naughty alarm clocks." Luna requested through a laugh. The twins had been dressed up to look like a mini bride and groom¡ªLinhou had a baby tuxedo onesie while Xiaomu wore a pink dress with a lacy skirt, and a pink bow in her soft hair.


    Lanni tickled them as their mother prepared to leave with their grandmother.


    "Of course. I would even if you didn''t ask."


    "Are you certain that they don''t mistake you for Luna?" Cheng Yu joked at the side.


    "Don''t say such scary things." Lanni, Ruby and Xiaoshi laughed, wondering if it was really possible. They hoped not, or else they would have a crisis to deal with later.


    ¡­


    The wedding finally began, with the bridesmaids walking down the aisle with the groomsmen.


    ''Such a coincidence that everyone ended up walking down the aisle with his girlfriend.'' Lin Jian thought with a soft chuckle.


    Xingyu was wearing a white tuxedo with black lapel, looking handsome and impatient as he waited for his bride beside Xiehan, the best man.


    Just when he thought he would die from waiting, the grand bell chimed and the priest instructed everyone to stand.


    Luna finally walked in through the gate, with her arm hooked around her mother''s. She was wearing a long-sleeved white dress that brought out the most beautiful version of her as she walked down the aisle with her arm hooked around her mother''s.


    Every step she took felt like she was taking steps towards his heart, and his eyes stung by the time they reached him. Li Yuming unhooked their arms with a gentle smile, letting him take her hand.


    "I love you so much. You are so beautiful, I can''t believe you are mine." He croaked in a low tone.


    "I love you too, Xingyu. Let''s get this done fast so I truly become yours." She smiled so she wouldn''t cry either. When she met Xingyu, she didn''t think she would ever want to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. However, he had shown her all there was to know about love, and made her feel everything a woman could ever dream of.


    He took her hand in his and walked to the priest. The proceedings were faster than she expected and before she realized it, she was being asked what she thought of as the magic question.


    "Xia Luna, do you take Jiang Xingyu as your husband?"


    All the tears she had been holding came gushing out. "I do."


    Xingyu smiled as he took out his handkerchief to dab at her eyes. "My love, don''t cry too much or the babies might think I''m bullying their mum and bite me to death."


    The venue roared in laughter, as the priest focused on Xingyu.


    "Jiang Xingyu, do you take Xia Luna as your lawfully wedded wife?"


    "Of course! I do." He had been waiting for this question ever since he proposed to her. As soon as he answered it, he took her hand and pressed a soft kiss on it then leaned to cup her face¡ªbefore it was time to kiss the bride.


    The venue once again roared in laughter at his impatience, as the priest tried to stop them. "You¡­"


    "Stop!" He was interrupted.


    Xingyu and Luna snapped their heads to see Old Master Yun, making his way towards them.


    She cursed in her heart while he wondered why no one was killing him yet.


    "I object! Why are you letting this man marry another woman when he got my daughter pregnant?" He roared at the priest.


    "What?" The guests were in an uproar at the sudden piece of shocking news. Jiang Xingyu had cheated on Luna? He even got another woman pregnant?


    Xiaoshi shot up from her seat. "Dad! What''s the meaning of this? You are¡­"


    "Shishi, stay out of this. I will get it right for you." He interrupted her.


    "Dad, stop embarrassing yourself and me." She pleaded as her father made her way to the couple who had stopped before they could kiss.


    "I''m not. I''m only making sure my daughter doesn''t have to suffer on her own while the man who destroyed her life has all the fun in his life and marries another woman." He glared at Jiang Xingyu like he was a traitor. "My daughter is pregnant. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "That''s none of my business." Xingyu felt his knuckles crack, itching for violence.


    "The girl said that you are lying." The priest tried to intervene.


    "Is that so?" Old Yun frowned at his daughter. "Tell everyone the truth. Are you pregnant or not? I''m sure there are doctors here and they can run a test."


    Xiaoshi knew that lying was not the wisest thing to do at this moment. "I am, but¡­"


    "See?" He interrupted before she could say that it had nothing to do with Jiang Xingyu.


    "I cannot believe this. For the sake of personal grudges, you could push your daughter to a married man? You even want him to leave his family for your granddaughter who is not his child?" Han Xichen chided as he stood up.


    "Stay out of this!" Old Yun roared.


    "Why should I? I am Xiaoshi''s boyfriend and my daughter is being taken away from me. How can I stay quiet?" He pulled out a document to present to the priest. "We did a DNA test before, for procedural purposes. Who would have thought that we would need it in such a setting?"


    The priest went through it and saw that Han Xichen was indeed the father of Xiaoshi''s unborn child, so he did not call off the wedding.


    "I''m sorry that my dad caused such an interruption. I have nothing to do with the groom. I''m so sorry!" Xiaoshi apologized.


    "You bitch!" Old Yun erupted, only to be taken down by the police officers who had been called by Xinghe, in case he became violent.


    She landed a slap on his cheek. "That''s for trying to frame my son."


    Yet another slap landed. "For trying to ruin the wedding."


    Unfortunately, the police took him away before she could teach him a good lesson.


    "Shall we continue?" She reminded the priest who seemed to be in a daze.


    What a dramatic wedding, he sighed. "Xia Luna, do you¡­"


    "We were about to kiss." Xingyu reminded, making the entire venue roar in laughter.


    "By the power granted to me, I declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.." Hearing the part he was waiting for, Xingyu held Luna''s waist and kissed her deeply.

 Chapter 502 - Lets Make A Baby

    By the time evening came, Luna was so tired that she wanted nothing but to kick her heels off and slump onto a random chair to take a nap. Noticing her discomfort, Xingyu stood up to leave the hall and when he returned, a pair of flat sandals appeared beside her feet.


    She impatiently took off her high heels and slid her feet into the sandals. "Thank you."


    "If you want to thank me, don''t make yourself suffer silently." He scolded her. She had been wearing high heels for the last four hours and if he wasn''t paying attention, she would have hid her discomfort.


    "I didn''t want to trouble you over trivial matters. Besides, it''s our wedding day." She explained, making his eyebrows knit closer.


    "It''s exactly because it''s our wedding day that you should be having more fun than anyone else¡ªnot suffering just to give the guests a show.


    "I''m sorry." She said softly, her fair fingers caressing the back of his hand. "Can you not frown at me like that? The guests will think there is trouble in paradise."


    He chuckled at her words and a soft smile remained on his lips.


    As they spoke, his mother made her way to them.


    "My dear, how are you doing?" Xinghe asked, and her question was obviously directed at Luna. Her own son had been totally forgotten.


    "I''m fine, mother." She smiled.


    The word melted Xinghe''s heart, so much that her eyes stung. "What did you call me? Can you say that again?"


    "Mother." Luna gently said the word.


    Xinghe pulled her into her arms tightly.


    "Are the two of you going on your honeymoon tonight?" She asked them. They were unable to decide before, and Xinghe knew that it was because of the kids. "Don''t worry about Xiaomu and Linhou. I will take care of the little darlings while you''re away." She promised, so they wouldn''t miss out on anything because of the twins.


    Luna was at a loss. "I would love to, but they are still too young. I will worry about them every second."


    Xingyu didn''t think they would be able to enjoy their time away either. Those two were such attention-seekers. They were only calm at the moment because they were sleeping. Else, they would be screaming their lungs out.


    "How about we take them with us?" He suggested.


    "That''s a better idea." Her heart softened when she thought about it.


    "It''s time for the opening dance." Xinghe reminded them softly.


    "We can''t do it." Xingyu rejected the idea because Luna was tired, and she pecked him on the cheek.


    "I can do it now that I''m more comfortable."


    "Okay." Since the wife had spoken, he could only comply and stand up to hold his hand out to her. She gently placed her palm on his, and he led her to the dance floor where the music had started playing.


    She was not very good at dancing but she followed his lead, letting herself enjoy the dance instead of giving a show to the guests.


    "You are doing well, my love." He whispered in her ear, which surprised her. Now that she focused on it, she realized that she had not missed a beat nor had she stepped on him at any point. "It must be the magic of love." She exaggerated, despite having realized that it was because she was no longer wearing the troublesome high heeled shoes.


    He chuckled as he let her spin before pulling her back against his body.


    "Did I tell you just how beautiful you look?" He whispered close to her ear. She had changed out of her wedding gown to a white dress with much fewer layers and was floor-length, which made it easier for her to move around and dance. The dress was fitting around her upper body, making him swallow and try to keep himself sane. Heaven knew how much he wanted to drag her away to elope and be on their own, especially after catching several male guests staring at her in desire.


    He pulled her closer to him, showing off his left hand as a way to shoo them off and remind them that she belonged to him.


    Xiehan pulled Lanni to the dance floor when it was time for the best mad and the maid of honor to do so.


    "You look so beautiful, my love. You almost stole the limelight from the bride." He complimented as he kissed her cheek, even though she would steal everyone''s limelight no matter where she went.


    "Luna would kill me." She joked and laughed, as guests started filling around them to dance.


    "I need to change out of these shoes." She left the dance floor and hurried down the corridor of the hotel.


    He followed her, and he was yet to tell her that they could step aside when they heard a stifled cry.


    "It''s Linhou, he''s awake!" She rushed to the next room where the babies were in their cribs, in the company of a nanny.


    The nanny was no longer in the room. Lanni stalked to the crib and poked the boy who then realized that there was someone in the room. He stopped crying as his bright eyes wandered around for a moment. She remained still, and he whimpered, flailing his tiny limbs and putting his fist in his mouth.


    "Our little nephew is hungry." Lanni chuckled and picked him up, then took a milk bottle from the shelf. Sitting on a comfortable chair, she fed him as she rocked him. Xiehan watched at the side gently, his heart melting. Why was he suddenly starting to imagine Lanni as a mother?


    Recalling that Xingyu had once complained about Luna having to wake up innumerable times during the same night because the twins fed almost a few minutes apart, he gently picked the sleeping Xiaomu and held her upright, making her wake up.


    Lanni watched as Xiehan picked up a pink bottle to feed the girl, and when she was full, he started teasing and playing with her to earn excited mumbles.


    What a loving father he would make, Lanni thought at the side. If they ever had a daughter, she was certain that Xiehan would spoil her to the heavens. She wondered how he would interact with their son if they had one.


    Pulling herself from her trance of thinking too far ahead, she put the sleepy Linhou back into the crib.


    "What are you thinking about?" He asked while gazing at her, and she shook her head. He raised an eyebrow, not believing that it was nothing. Especially not with the meaningful smile on her face.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" He teased her, moving to sit next to her with Xiaomu in his arms.


    "And what are you thinking?" She feigned ignorance.


    "That we would make an excellent pair of parents if we had a baby. Let''s make one." He proposed in all seriousness.


    "Don''t joke around." She pretended to ignore him and play with her niece, who suddenly grabbed a fistful of her hair and was leading it towards her small toothless mouth.


    "Didn''t you drink enough milk?!" Xiehan asked teasingly, trying to gently open her hand that was closed tightly.


    Lanni chuckled

 Chapter 503 - Adorable Accident

    "She''s so cute." Lanni laughed and gently opened the little girl''s hand, to take her hair out without hurting her delicate hand.


    Xiehan observed her as her hands clenched into tiny fists, then she started drifting to sleep. He had to agree that she indeed was adorable. "Mmh she is cute. But not as cute as our daughter."


    She raised an eyebrow at his absurd comparison. "We don''t have a daughter."


    He nodded and put the little princess to sleep before facing Lanni. "We will soon and who knows? Maybe we have one on the way." he glanced at her stomach meaningfully, giving her chills.


    "You joke around too much. I''ll go and get changed." She knew that it was impossible for her to be expecting a baby. They used protection every time they made love unless she was in her safe period, but that didn''t mean she wouldn''t appreciate it if an adorable accident happened and they ended up as parents.


    The nanny returned, who had just gone out to find some food to eat. Since she had taken over her duty of taking care of the babies, Lanni stood to go and change. "I''m coming with you." Xiehan announced as he followed her out.


    "Uhm¡­ okay." Lanni hoped the nanny wasn''t paying atttention to them. Why would anyone need company when going to get changed?


    _


    Two days later, in the city''s detention centre.


    "Yun, you have a visitor." The wadern announced, and Old Master Yun finally looked up. He had been silent since he got arrested and luckily, no one tried to bother him and let him keep to himself. It was already bad enough that a wealthy businessman of his callibre had been detained by the police. If anyone tried to poke trouble with him, he would have gorged their eyes out.


    He walked out of his room and the police cuffed his hands as a formality. He looked around when they reached the visitation area, and his eyes brightened when he saw Xiaoshi sitting on one of the benches.


    "I knew you would come to bail me out." He smiled happily as he sat opposite her.


    "That''s not why I''m here, father." She responded apologetically, knowing that he had expected her to bail him out.


    "Why are you here?" Came his baffled question, as expected.


    "I''m here to see you." She sighed softly as she looked at him, while trying to mask the sadness she felt. "I hope you have learnt your lesson, father. I appreciate that you were looking out for my happiness but that''s not how to do it." she scolded without sugar-coating it. It was not that she was not grateful, but she didn''t advocate for hurting innocent people for the sake of her happiness. "Besides, I''m happy now. He''s a good boyfriend."


    He looked at her scornfully, wanting nothing more than to scold her. How could she even choose to be with a man like Han Xichen? If he had a choice, he would have ripped the damned baby out of her womb to set her free, so he would help her find a better man. But he knew his daughter well enough and knew that talking ill of the father of her baby would only anger her into leaving. He tried to change his approach instead.


    "I did nothing wrong! Why won''t you bail me out?" He bellowed.


    "You didn''t do nothing wrong¡­ yet." She pulled her hands off the table. "The police found the bombs you had planted at the venue. Don''t you realize how many people you could have hurt?"


    "It was all for you!" He insisted, and she shook her head.


    "As I said, I appreciate it, but it doesn''t excuse the wrongs you did. I will try my best to help you get a lighter sentence. Aside from that, you have to pay for your crimes, father. I will wait. I hope you will revert to your true, kind self. Goodbye dad. " She stood and turned to leave, hoping that the next time she came to see him, he would have realized his mistakes.


    Han Xichen was waiting for her outside the detention centre. He would have gone inside with her but he knew that the man would go crazy if he saw him. Besides, he knew that he would never hurt his own daughter, so he allowed Xiaoshi to go on her own.


    She returned sad and dejected, it was not an easy feat to see her father in jail and not bail him out.


    "It''s okay." He pulled her into his arms.


    "Mmh." She nodded against his chest. She would have to get used to it.


    ___


    The next week on Friday morning, Lanni was the first to wake up.


    She had barely slept the previous night despite having slept over at Xiehan''s mansion. She gazed down at his bare chest with a smile as she ran her fingers down his skin. Pulling out of her trance, she double checked his luggage and went to the kitchen.


    She was almost done preparing breakfast when a pair of hands wrapped around her from behind.


    "I''m still cooking." She raised the spatula to show him, in case he had not seen.


    "Yes, you are. The eggs look as delicious as you." He rested his head on her shoulder as she resumed. She could only let him do as he pleased, or she would accidentally burn the sunny side ups.


    When she was almost done, she shooed him off to take a shower before they had their breakfast by the kitchen island.


    The clock ticked away the minutes faster than usual, making her wonder whether it had anything to do with the fact that she wished time would slow down.


    As though noticing what she was thinking, he patted her head. "It''s okay if time flies fast. It means I will be back sooner." He consoled. He was leaving in about an hour, and it wasn''t easy for him either.


    She nodded and finished her breakfast before they left for the Ji family''s private airstrip.


    Aside from her, his friends and family were also here to see him off. Because it was a private airstrip, Luna and Xingyu had taken the opportunity to give their babies a trip and let them see how beautiful the outside world was. They had returned from their honeymoon two days ago and still had love written all over their eyes, as though they were the only ones who existed in their beautiful world.


    It was the same with Lanni and Xiehan, only that they were hugging each other tightly, reluctantly to part. If only they could go together. If only the training could be done online.


    "I will miss you so much my love." She nuzzled against his chest, as the pilot prepared himself to leave in a few minutes.


    He kissed the top of her head longingly. "So will I. I will give you a call and write to you whenever I have the chance." He promised.


    She pulled away while still holding his shoulders. "You know the drill. Don''t forget about me, keep warm when the weather is cold¡­" She started a round of nagging, which she had been doing at least twice every day. She even started getting scared that Xiehan would find her too naggy and grow tired of her, but the man found it cute which was a relief.


    " And eat healthy?" He added the next item on her list with a laugh. "I will do all of that as well as think about you frequently."


    "That''s enough. We want to hug him too." Complained Lin Jian who was standing at the side with Ruby, with flowers in their hands. Lanni had pretty much said everything they would say.


    She chuckled and stepped aside for his friends to bid him as well. Wen Lin enveloped her son in a hug. "Your father did well and I believe that so will you. Do your best but don''t be too hard on yourself." She tried not to pull him back home, It was not easy for a mother to see her son leaving for long periods which happened frequently, but she didn''t have a choice.


    Ji Huifen hugged her comfortingly and stated a few words to their son, then they hugged Ruby who was already starting to miss her brother.


    "Don''t worry, we will take good care of Lanni. Take care." Xiaoshi whispered to him and hugged him.


    He smiled and thanked them for seeing him off, then held and poked the twins one last time. They would be much bigger and older by the time he returned, so he savored the moment before putting them back. With a last kiss from Lanni, he entered the plane which took off soon after.


    _______


    Hello darlings, I''m sorry for not updating much lately. I''ve been writing this book every day for the past 3 months, my brain needed to rest. I will be back to normal schedule starting on Monday. Take care and stay safe everyone! ??


    _


    Song recommendation: I''ll miss you¡ªKushal Chokshi

 Chapter 504 - Family (1)

    Li Yuming''s villa. Xiehan had just left a few hours ago and Lanni couldn''t sit still. She rested her head against the armrest of the sofa as she sighed softly.


    Li Yuming saw her and patted her head, tousling her hair. "Do you miss him already?" She asked.


    "Yes." Lanni nodded and confessed. She had started missing him from the moment he entered the plane and she didn''t know what to do to make time fly faster. Was there a way to convert two years into two months? If there was, she would prefer to directly convert all the time he had to be away into two hours so he would be back within the time she needed to take a nap.


    "He will be back soon." Li Yuming consoled her for the umpteenth time. "They say, distance only makes the heart fond, right?"


    Lanni smiled at how much everyone was trying to ensure she didn''t feel too lonely. She already knew that time would fly so fast that she would not realize it, she just felt empty inside.


    "Though I''m more interested in your love life." She added as she looked up at her mother.


    "What love life?" Li Yuming frowned as she asked. There was no such thing as her love life, at least none that she talked to Lanni about. What in the world was her daughter talking about?


    "You and Mr. Chan." Lanni chuckled mischievously. "Neil Chan, Ruby''s former father, the man who has been sending you lots of gifts lately."


    Li Yuming laughed and smacked her on the shoulder. "You and Luna have such a busy imagination. What made you think there was a love life between us?"


    Lanni knew that although her mother was not embarrassed, she was flustered at the mention of whatever was brewing between her and the man she had been spending a lot of time with lately, so she did not stop teasing. "Isn''t there?"


    "Well¡­" Li Yuming wasn''t sure what to say. Was it really alright to discuss her personal matters with her daughter? Why did it feel so wrong?


    Lanni took her silence for a blush, and it made her throw her head back and laugh. "You know, I''ve never seen you blushing all my life. I almost thought you were incapable of loving."


    "And you wouldn''t mind having a step dad?" She no longer knew what to do with her daughter, who was becoming naughtier by the day. She had to admit that she had always wanted to know what Lanni thought of it, whether she would be comfortable with the idea of having a step family or be saddened by it.


    "Why would I mind?" Lanni wondered aloud. She knew that step families were not everyone''s dream, but it was hers. If Li Yuming found love again, she would be happy and that was all that mattered. She chuckled as she added, "I might just end up being a real elder sister with cute babies waddling around me. It will be a breath of fresh air from Luna who is always teasing me about being her younger sister because she became a mother earlier."


    Li Yuming laughed when she recalled their silly banters, where both of them would fight over who was the elder of the two. They were impossible, but that was not the point right now. "Don''t be silly. I don''t want Luna''s kids to have an uncle or aunt much younger than them." Even if she were to conceive right away, her child would still end up at least a year younger than Linhou and Xiaomu. Would it really be alright?


    "It''s not illegal." Lanni retorted. It was up to her when she wanted to have her children, and there wasn''t any rule about age limits.


    "I just don''t want kids of my own." Li Yuming finally laughed. "You and Luna are enough. Besides, I have grandchildren already and probably more coming soon."


    "You''re not wrong¡­" Lanni chuckled when she thought about how she had been teased lately. What if she was pregnant? She would give Xiehan a huge surprise on his return.


    However, she did not want to obsess herself over the idea which she knew was merely her imagination. The odds of such a coincidence happening were way too slim, not that she wanted it any other way.


    _


    Meanwhile, Xiaoshi felt lonely too, but it was not about Xiehan''s departure. It took one glance for Han Xichen to realize that it had something to do with her father. She still missed him and wished he could come around as soon as possible but he didn''t, which made her sad.


    He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head to rest it against his shoulder. "Your dad will change his mind soon. With time, he will realize that he is merely making his own life difficult as well as yours. He will have no choice but to see the truth for what it is."


    She nodded. Even though she knew it would take some time, she would wait. She only hoped that it would not take the end of his life to realize his mistake. She also hoped that he would not be sentenced to a long time in prison, so he would regain his freedom sooner.


    He tousled her hair. It was not easy to report one''s own relative and testify against them, especially the most special person. However, she decided to stand for the truth even if it meant betraying her father who doted on her. He knew it would take a while for her to stop feeling guilty and be convinced that there was no other right choice she could have made. "Would you like me to introduce you to my family?" He asked.


    "Mmh." It was not the first time he was asking and she was finally ready for it so she nodded against his chest.


    "Let''s go later today, if that''s okay with you? You will certainly be busy tomorrow." He suggested.. He knew her schedule like the back of his hand.

 Chapter 505 - Family (2)

    "Today?" The thought of it being so soon made her have butterflies in her tummy. "What should I prepare? What kind of gifts should I bring, and what should I wear?"


    "Don''t worry. You don''t need to prepare anything, just be yourself and they will appreciate you this way." He urged. He knew that whether or not his relatives liked Xiaoshi, they knew that they had no right to give opinions about her and would keep their sentiments to themselves. It was only out of respect that he wanted them to know who he would be married to in a few months.


    Hearing his assurance, she rushed to her closet and picked out what to wear. She tried on several outfits, making him want to burst into laughter.


    "Don''t fuss too much. Just dress the way you want to." He assured her. "If you like, you can as well wear the emperor''s new robe. Though I would not like you to wear that in public because only I can enjoy the beautiful view."


    She paused in her tracks and looked at him with her mouth gaped. "When did the topic take such a dirty turn?"


    "What dirty turn? I only spoke the truth." He laughed, and she ignored him.


    She didn''t want to listen to his excuse that might just be something naughty, so she selected a simple and modest blue dress to change into.


    The A-line dress reached just on her knee, and she tried not to add too many accessories. Carrying a simple handbag and letting her hair down, she applied a tiny bit of lip gloss and went back to him.


    "You look beautiful. Let''s go before I change my mind and pull you into bed instead." He warned.


    She knew he might just do that, so she quickly took a pair of shoes to wear and rushed out, as he chuckled behind her.


    __


    The residence of The Han Clan was in a district of its own, which was secluded from the rest of the world and probably the most calm place she had ever been to.


    He drove to a grand estate with a few villas, which she guessed must all belong to members of the Han family. How luxurious.


    "You are finally back! We almost thought you were going through the formalities of disowning us." A beautiful woman hugged Han Xichen as soon as they left the car. Based on the similarities on their faces, she guessed that they had to be cousins.


    "Why would you think that?" Han Xichen asked her through a laugh with his arm hooked around Xiaoshi''s waist.


    "It''s been so long. Is this your wife? I can''t believe you got married without informing us." The woman scrutinized Xiaoshi. "Hello, sister-in-law. My name is Qianqian."


    "Hello." Xiaoshi wasn''t sure whether or not the woman was fond of her so she chose a meek greeting.


    "We are engaged." Han Xichen stated.


    "That''s great. She''s so beautiful, and she''s pregnant. We must throw a party to celebrate. "


    Xiaoshi widened her eyes at Han Xichen, who shrugged to imply that he hadn''t said anything to anyone. Xiaoshi blushed when she remembered that this was a family full of paramedics, they could probably guess such things in a flash.


    "Don''t make a fuss. Shishi likes everything simple." He said to stop his cousin from throwing a party to invite the entire country.


    "That''s okay." Qianqian walked beside Xiaoshi as she showed them in.


    "Xiaoshi, could you do me a favor? This imp often forgets that he has a family. When it slips his mind, could you kick his butt and send him home to us?"


    Han Xichen slapped his forehead. "Don''t embarrass me." How could she say such things for Xiaoshi to hear?


    His cousin harrumphed at his self-defense. "Then don''t disappear for ages and not care about us."


    "When did I ever neglect you?" Han Xichen retorted, and the topic shifted back to how he had disappeared for ages without saying a word.


    Xiaoshi burst into laughter. They were so much like she and Xiehan. They would often bicker endlessly about things that didn''t even matter, but they rarely ever talked about serious matters.


    Speaking of Xiehan, she had missed him so much. Even though they didn''t always stay together, it was always because they didn''t want to. They could visit each other whenever they wanted, but this time it was different. They wouldn''t see each other even if they wanted to.


    On the bright side, her cousin would gain all the experience he needed so she was no longer sad about it.


    Han Xichen''s family was more friendly than she would ever expect. They chatted with her and congratulated her for her pregnancy, which she still didn''t know how they found out. Perhaps in the midst of experienced medics, there really was no secret related to one''s body. However, she felt as though she had known them for years thanks to their friendliness, so she didn''t mind them knowing about it.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Xingyu''s new villa.


    "Luna?" Xingyu called out for his wife when he had just woken up from an afternoon nap. He checked the kitchen and music room, then the gym and didn''t find her. He scolded himself. Of course, there was only one place where she spent most of her time lately.


    "I knew I would find you here." He spoke with a smile when he opened the door to the nursery, to find her sitting beside the cribs and playing with the twins.


    She looked up with a smile, her hand still in Xiaomu''s crib. "They are so lovely, Xingyu. I still can''t believe I''m a mother. It feels like a dream."


    He walked over and hugged her in his arms. "I still can''t believe I''m a husband and a father at that."


    They were the two best things that had happened in his life, and he couldn''t help checking out the ring in his finger for the umpteenth time.


    __


    Hello darlings, I''m sorry that I cannot post all the mass release chapters before reset. I''ve been busy all day. I will have to post the last three an hour or two after reset. Please be patient.


    2/5

 Chapter 506 - Family(3)

    Luna poked her son''s cheek and he giggled, making her heart melt into a puddle. She stood to hug her husband. She wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek as she whispered, "I need to resume work soon, my love."


    Xingyu held her into his arms for a while and pressed pecks on her face. She looked more beautiful than ever, and she smelled even sweeter than ever now that her flowery scent was mixed with that of the babies. He couldn''t help pulling her into a deeper hug, as though he wanted them to mould into one. He was just about to kiss her when Xiaomu stirred and whined, and he paused in his movements and picked her up. She seemed to recognize her father because she stopped crying as soon as he held her and smiled at her, kissing her forehead.


    He cradled the little girl as he raised an eyebrow at her statement that he remembered long after she had said it. "It''s still too soon. You should stay at home and rest some more. Do not rush to overwork yourself."


    "I will not be overworking." She knew he was probably worried about what he had read in all the books and articles he had been reading to research on pregnancy and childbirth, about women needing to take a break and rest for long after having their babies. He was worried for nothing, because it had taken only a few days for her to be able to move around as usual. "It''s already been two months." She added.


    Her babies were growing fast and although she wanted to stay with them as much as possible, she knew that she couldn''t turn into a lazy bum and stay at home all day.


    "Nope." He retorted against her idea, thinking that she could stay at home as much as she wanted. "Honey, please take your time. I can provide for the family, and we can still live luxuriously. Don''t feel pressured to give me a hand because it has never been hard on me."


    She laughed at his response, enjoying the sight of him making funny faces at Xiaomu who blabbered in response. "Are you sure you don''t just want me home?"


    "I just want you in my bed. What will I do?" He teased her shamelessly.


    "Have me." She offered herself with a teasing smile, and her grin set his body ablaze. He gently placed Xiaomu back in her crib but just as he pulled away to hug Luna, Xiaomu let out a cry.


    "Aww our little princess is hungry." Luna quickly pulled away from him and picked the little girl up, certain that she was hungry. She sat on the nursing chair in the room to feed her while Xingyu watched with a smile.


    "I thought we were friends." He was speechless. How could she become hungry just when her parents were about to get busy? "Don''t you want to have siblings? Who will you play with when you grow up?"


    Luna laughed while Xiaomu concentrated on feeding, paying zero attention to her father''s tone of disappointment.


    "Linhou is enough for her." Luna laughed and poked the little girl''s face. Her skin was so soft that she couldn''t help poking her once more.


    Xingyu peeked over at his son who was playing and stretching once again. He would never have enough of this. The boy rubbed his eyes with his tightly clenched small fist and brought it to his mouth to take a toothless bite.


    "He is chewing his fists again." He chuckled. He was starting to wonder whether what his mother said at the twins'' full moon party was true. Did he really chew his fists when he was little?"


    "He does that when he is hungry." Luna smiled. "Could you bring him over?"


    "I''ll feed him." Xingyu took a pale blue bottle and sat near Luna to feed his son.


    Luna watched him, then her daughter who was full and smiling. She didn''t know it felt this nice to be a mum.


    "Do you think Lanni is doing well?" Xingyu asked at some point, when he remembered the twins'' aunt who liked playing with them and holding colorful toys above them.


    "I don''t know. She must miss Xiehan so much." Luna sighed, and she was right.


    ¡­


    At work, Lanni crossed out another day out of the calendar. She was counting the days left before she could see her fianc¨¦ again.


    "You have been working hard." Her assistant remarked when she arrived and saw that Lanni had returned to work.


    Lanni looked up with a gentle smile.


    "I''m preparing everything including myself. Once my fianc¨¦ is back, he will not have to worry about anything. We will get married soon after his return."


    The young woman smiled isnce Lanni''s smile was infectious, but then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "What if he gets another woman on the island?"


    Lanni''s eyes furrowed into a frown. Who says that kind of thing? She didn''t doubt Xiehan''s loyalty, but she didn''t appreciate anyone talking about such possibilities.


    "I''m only saying, men are rarely faithful." The young woman corrected her statement, only to make it sound much worse. She still meant that it was almost impossible for Xiehan to not be infatuated by another woman on the island while his fianc¨¦e was so far away.


    "Xiehan would never betray me." She answered resolutely, neither meekly nor rudely.


    As if on cue, her phone rang. Xiehan had finally called, and she answered it without minding the presence of her assistant.


    "My darling." He sweetly called.


    "I miss you so much." Although she had been holding back and trying not to do or say anything that would tempt him to rush back before completing his mission, she couldn''t help telling him how much she had missed him.


    "I miss you too, my love. I miss you so much." He couldn''t hold back anymore either. One year and nine months wasn''t too long, but it seemed like forever and just like her, he kept counting the days left for him to return.


    3/5

 Chapter 507 - Shameless(1)

    "How have you been?" He asked.


    "Lonely until you called." She confessed, and her assistant took it as a cue to leave so she would not keep witnessing this lovey dovey call.


    Xiehan let out a low laugh. "If you miss me, hug the pillow beside yours. I''m certain it still has my scent." He suggested in all seriousness.


    "I do that already." She responded with a smile, rolling her pen. "How is everything over there?"


    "I''m doing great." A man spoke on the other end of the line, and Lanni overheard him state that Xiehan had to go back to work. "i''m sorry my love. I have to go now. I''ll be sure to call you again as soon as I can."


    "It''s alright honey." She was no longer reluctant for him to leave, because she had realized just how fast time was flying. It wouldn''t be long before she could hear him speak for as long as she wanted, until she could hold him and kiss him to her heart''s content.


    _


    Meanwhile, Ruby dropped by Lin Jian''s office because the latter had asked her to come. She was done with school, so she went over and found the man buried in work and typing at an insane speed.


    "Jian, what are you up to?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Why would he call her over when he had so much work to do? It wasn''t like she could keep him company when he was so busy.


    He looked up at her and smiled brilliantly. "Could you please give me just one minute? I''m almost done."


    She finally comprehended what he was trying to do, which made her heart melt. He must have been rushing through his work to create time to spend with her. She smiled and let him finish up. "Don''t be too hard on yourself." She walked over to him to gently massage his shoulders.


    Placing a hand on hers, he smiled as he felt all his strength return. "I feel rejuvenated now."


    It was indeed the case, because thanks to Ruby''s magical hands, he finished his work much faster and stretched before pulling her into a hug. She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was getting more used to being this close to him, so she did not feel awkward when he kissed her neck.


    "Do you want to go swimming together?" He asked.


    She didn''t mind but, "I still don''t know how to swim." The last time they went to the beach together, he had attempted to teach her but she was yet to get over her fear of water before it sttarted raining and they had to stop. After that, she had never had the chance nor the interest to learn anymore.


    " I can teach you." he offered. "It will not take long and if you have me as your teacher, it will only be a few minutes until you are professional."


    "How narcissistic." She jabbed him with a laugh. Not that she doubted him. She knew that he could teach her in a short time, and she would be swimming laps witth no time.


    "So, will you come with me?" He asked with a smile as he slowly rocked his legs, making her sway and land on his chest with a smile.


    "I will." She promised, and a kiss landed on her cheek.


    _


    Meanwhile, cedric also asked Cheng Yu out after work.


    "Sweetie, let''s go for dinner together." He suggested as he stalked to her before she could leave, sucking up to her.


    She was yet to respond when she saw a woman walking towards them. It was none other than her mother.


    Her eyes narrowed as she watched the woman take quick steps towards them. Cedric followed her gaze and frowned when he saw the audacious woman.


    "What do you want?" Cheng Yu asked when the woman finally reached in front of her face, and she almost couldn''t resist her urge to send a slap right onto her arrogant visage.


    "Xiao Yu, you have to help us." The woman cried as soon as she arrived. "Your father owes a huge debt. We will be kicked out of our house if he cannot repay it."


    Cheng Yu held back a laugh. "And why is that my business?" Since when was it ever her business what happened to the Cheng family? Even though it had not been set in stone, there was no such thing as familial relationship between her and the family that had brought her up. It was only a surname they shared, because they had never acted like a family to her.


    Especially the woman in front of her, who had the audacity to make a disgusting claim matter-of-factly. "You are our daughter" She insisted, crying what Cheng Yu saw as a fake bout of tears.


    "No I''m not. I''m just a useless girl to you." she crossed her arms, not ready to believe this insanity.


    She had thought that the woman would leave, but she became even more shameless and even started yelling while pointing at Cheng Yu. "Watch out. This wretch refuses to help out her own family."


    Cheng Yu''s and Cedric''s mouths gaped as the employees leaving the building, looking over.


    "Do you see this? Ever since she started earning some money and gaining a little fame, she has forgotten her roots and sees her family as trash."


    Cheng Yu burst into laugher. "Are you really trying to make us fight about this in public? Since you so badly want that, I will gladly play along, mother."


    The last word was said sarcastically. She no longer cared about her mother, so she didn''t feel hurt by her behaviour.


    "This woman caused me mental trauma as a child." She dished out the same favor and pointed at the woman. "I''m not sure she wants me to spill everything."


    "Leave." Cedric shooed the middle aged woman off. He did not want to let Cheng Yu spill anything because it was part of her, and it might change the view that everyone had of her.


    4/5

 Chapter 508 - Shameless (2)

    "Xiao Yu is not that kind of woman." he scolded her.


    "You have tortured her for so many years and tried to snatch her dreams from her. Just because she is successful despite everything you did, you want her back? How shameless."


    "I''m her mother! So what if I claim her back when I want to?" The woman yelled, narrowing her eyes. "Besides, I did not make life difficult for her. I only taught her to be stronger. Look at her now. Isn''t she strong enough? She is even the COO of such a great company at her tender age. What does that have to say about my training?" She shamelessly took credit for thisngs that she did not do, changing the tale from torture to training.


    Not just Cheng Yu and Cedric, even the employees watching from the sidelines were baffled by her character.


    "I''ve been waiting for this day." Cheng Yu shook her head with crossed arms. "Wait for my parcel today. I will send the required documents to sever the ties between your family and I. That way, I will no longer be obliged to do anything for you, nor would you have to call a useless piece of garbage like me your daughter."


    She used her mother''s words against her, and smiled when she realized that she had struck a chord at her. The woman was now baffled, which was in line with what she wanted. "I would like you to let go of my brother too." She added. "I wouldn''t appreciate you taking out your anger on him, nor would it be great if you tried to use him against me."


    "He is not your son! He is mine." The woman threw her handbag at Cheng Yu in frustration, but it was caught by Cedric who then shoved it back at her.


    There were things that would seem disrespectful if Cheng Yu did them herself, but Cedric didn''t think he was obliged to respect a woman like the snake before them. Not that she deserved it in the slightest.


    Cheng Yu didn''t deny the fact that Cheng Ying was her son, but she grinned. "And he is not your brother, he is mine. Please leave before I call the police and have you arrested for basically everything you need to rot in jail for."


    The woman wanted to curse and yell, but she didn''t know her daughter anymore. She was no longer weak and pitiful, and it was indeed possible for her to call the police. She could only grit her teeth and leave after threatening to come back.


    "You did well." Cedric pulled Cheng Yu into his arms and rubbed her shoulders, proud of her for shutting her out.


    Cheng Yu smiled matter-of-factly. "I am not going to let her make life any more difficult for my brother and I. '''' They had already suffered enough. She had been unable to take her brother to a better school because her mother was still alive and the law would never allow her to take custody of her brother. However, she thought it was the right time to provide valid evidence in court that her mother and stepfather were dangerous people and should not be allowed to live with Cheng Ying.


    Cedric smiled, proud of her. "You have become stronger."


    "Thanks to Luna, Lanni and Aunt Yuming. And you." Cheng Yu smiled and kissed his cheek. "You all helped me slide out of my shell and become more confident in myself."


    "Then you have many people to thank." He grinned.


    She nodded in response. "Some people only need themselves to be successful, while others need an entire city of mentors and friends just so they could take the first step." It was the difference between her and Luna, and it made her appreciate their friendship even more.


    _


    Li Yuming''s villa.


    The doorbell rang while Li Yuming checked through her cookbook to decide what she would cook for Lanni. She was planning to call her over for dinner and if possible, she would call Xingyu and Luna over too. She had missed them a lot, especially the little darlings who were so cute that they could make one''s heart warm just by looking at them.


    The doorbell rang, and she let the housekeeper open the door while she looked over curiously.


    "Neil?" She was surprised when she saw the man being shown in. She stood up and went over to say hello.


    "I''m Sorry I dropped by without saying that I would." He apologized for his shamelessness.


    "No, it''s okay. You are always welcome." She showed him to the couch. "What would you like to eat? I was about to start preparing dinner."


    He thought about it but couldn''t come up with a definite answer. "I really don''t know how to choose. I feel like everything will taste yummy as long as you touch it."


    "Such flattery." She laughed, though she didn''t mind the compliment. No woman hated to be told that she was good in the kitchen, and the fact that she liked cooking only made the comment more meaningful.


    "I can get even more flirtatious." He winked playfully. It seemed like as long as he was within Li Yuming''s line of sight, he would cease being an adult his age and start acting like a teenager. Luckily, she didn''t mind it.


    "Then I''ll cook whatever I decide after seeing the ingredients. Is there anything you are allergic to?" She asked, to which he nodded.


    "Yes. There is one."


    "What is it?" She asked, ready to note it down so she would not mistakenly include it among her ingredients whenever he was to come over.


    "I''m allergic to¡­" He looked up at her with a smile. "Your absence."


    She laughed at his pick up line. "Where did you get such a cheesy pick up like?"


    "Didn''t I sound cool?" He grinned.


    ______


    What do you think of this pairing, Neil Chan and Li Yuming? Are they a potential match or not one of the favorites? Feel free to give your opinions!


    5/5. I finally completed the mass release and my brain''s about to fry.. The next chapter will be released in 24 hours.

 Chapter 509 - Keep Her Company

    "I don''t know about cool." Li Yuming laughed and went to cook.


    "Do you mind if I join you in the kitchen?" He followed her to ask. He would like to help out if there was anything she needed help with. She knew this so she allowed him, and gave him some vegetables to wash and chop.


    "What are you cooking?" He asked.


    "Fish. Do you like it?" She turned around to ask. If he didn''t like it, she would cook braised pork instead.


    However, his mouth seemed to water as soon as he heard about it. "I will love whatever you cook." He said yet again.


    She nodded and started cooking, chatting with him once in a while. She had to admit that despite having confessed his feelings for her out of the blue, he was a good man and easy to talk to.


    "Did you need to tell me something?" She asked about his sudden arrival as they ate.


    He shook his head. "I just wanted to see you. I had missed you."


    She didn''t know what to say to that so she simply nodded, making the atmosphere start to get awkward.


    "Didn''t you miss me, Yuming?" Neil asked with a smile, cunningly pressing for an answer, which made her laugh.


    "Are you trying to use some of those tricks that are used on little girls? I''m too old for that."


    He laughed despite having been caught red handed. "But you look so young. No one would doubt me if I claimed that you were Lanni''s sister. And you are so beautiful." He added.


    There wasn''t any woman who disliked compliments. Li Yuming smiled and added more food to his plate. "You need to eat more. Being so flirtatious must be exhausting too much of your energy."


    "Are you saying that I''m weak?" Neil raised an eyebrow and stood to close in on her.


    "What are you doing?" She wasn''t sure why he was suddenly beside her and dragging her chair back, until she felt herself floating in the air.


    "Hey, stop!" She ordered as her fork dropped on the table.


    However, he held her to his chest while carrying her in his arms. "While I may be weak in your terms, at least I am strong enough to do this."


    "Uh¡­ I''ll pretend I didn''t see anything." Said Lanni, who had just arrived.


    "Hey, Lanni." Li Yuming shuffled out of Neil''s arms and glared at him. How could he let her daughter witness such a scene?


    Lanni awkwardly averted her gaze, making Li Yuming internally scream. It is not what you think!


    "Why are you back so early?" She asked.


    Lanni still couldn''t bring herself to look at her mother. "There are documents I need, which are in my room. I didn''t know who to send. "Besides, they were in the vault that only she could access. "I''ll go and get them." She turned to leave.


    "Join us for lunch." Li Yuming said as she settled back down in her chair, and glared at Neil to make him sit too. "There is still a lot of food."


    Lanni nodded and went to get the file she needed. When she returned, she decided to only eat a few bites so she would be done fast and let her mother and Neil have some alone time. However, she realized that Neil was done and he made an excuse to leave.


    She stood up instead. "Bye mom. Mr. Chan, do you mind keeping my mum company for a while longer? She is so lonely on her own."


    "Lanni!" Li Yuming scolded her, and the latter dashed away before her ears could be pulled for her naughtiness.


    "I''ll be on my way. Adios!"


    Li Yuming shook her head as she watched the silhouette of her daughter disappear. She was naughty. She should indeed pull her ears later. She turned to Neil apologetically. "She jokes around too much. Please don''t mind her."


    "I don''t mind." He said with a smile, making Li Yuming raise an eyebrow in confusion. Did he mean that he didn''t mind Lanni''s naughtiness, or spending more time with her to keep her away from the loneliness that Lanni had mentioned?


    "We should go out more often, so Lanni will no longer have to worry about her mother being too lonely." He smiled in mischief.


    Great. Now Lanni had given him a perfect excuse. Luckily, she didn''t mind spending time with him or she would have kicked him out already.


    ___


    Cheng Yu later learnt that her mother had not lied about her stepfather owing a debt. They were kicked out of their house, which she didn''t care about because their business had nothing to do with her. All she wanted from them was her brother, and she sued them for being abusive. She knew it was not going to be easy to get him under her custody considering that she was only a few years older than the teenager and might be deemed too young to take care of a boy his age. However, she was willing to try her best and hire the best lawyer.


    Besides, her mother made it more difficult by claiming that she wanted to use her brother for her dirty deeds. She had to prove her innocence which took a while thanks to the gravity of the accusations.


    Luckily, she won in the end even though the case had dragged on for months.


    Cheng Ying moved in with her and since she had full custody of him, she transferred him to the best school she could find.


    The young man was so grateful that he was on the verge of tears as he thanked her. "Thank you, sis. I will not disappoint you."


    She flicked his forehead with a laugh. "Just do your best okay? I''m not talking about my best or anyone''s best. Don''t be hard on yourself just to please anyone."


    He was baffled. His mother would never say such words to him. She had always scolded him for not doing well enough, even when he had worked hard and was proud of himself for what he had achieved. Indeed, his sister understood him best.


    "I want to be a great man in future. I will surpass you and Sis Luna." He declared.


    "Challenge accepted." Cheng Yu chuckled. Who would have thought that she would one day be someone''s motivation? It meant a lot, especially knowing that she was not just her brother''s motivation. Countless young women looked up to her, and the employees at Moonlight Studios admired her and Luna all the more. She had finally achieved her dreams.


    ___


    After talking about her job with Xingyu, Luna decided to work from home for a while.


    She was still the CEO of Moonlight Studios. However, she stayed at home and did all her work at the comfort of her study, while taking care of the naughty twins. Although they had a nanny, she preferred to spend more time with them.


    "Linhou, don''t chew your socks." She said to the little boy who was sitting on the carpeted floor. He had just pulled his sock off his small foot and was about to take a toothless bite of it.


    The boy recognized his name so he looked up curiously.


    "Don''t eat that." She shook her index finger to signal that he was doing something he shouldn''t, then crouched in front of him and gently took the sock to place it back on his foot.


    In response, he grabbed her hair to eat instead. She was helpless. Linhou ate everything that came his way, and it didn''t matter if he was just done eating and was full, he would still find something to chew.


    Luna laughed and turned to find Xiaomu. "There you are my love." She hugged her and kissed her face. The little girl was growing prettier by the day, and had eyes identical to her paternal grandmother''s.


    She giggled in her mother''s arms when she was hugged, then immediately tried to wiggle. Unlike her brother who liked staying in the same spot, Xiaomu liked crawling away whenever she had the chance.


    "How is my beautiful family?" Xingyu arrived with a joyful smile as Luna tried to hold back her daughter.


    "Papa!" Linhou shouted the only word he could successfully pronounce. He stood to waddle to his father but ended up falling twice before arriving for a hug.


    "Good boy." Xingyu praised, proud of his son. He took his clueless daughter and hugged her as well, then gave them to the nannies and kissed his wife.


    "You are early today." She observed.


    "I came to spend more time with my family." He smiled from ear to ear. He was the happiest man in the world after his marriage.


    ___


    1. Brace yourselves, darlings. The time skip is on the next chapter.


    2. Do leave your comments and reviews if you like the book. Starting today, I will reward the most active commenters in all my books. The most active commenter of every week (Sunday to Saturday) receives a reward in form of coin vouchers, discord gifts, Kofi or supporting roles in the book. The most active commenter of the month gets an important character in the book they commented named after them. NOTE; Spam comments will not be counted.. More details to be given later because I have to keep the author''s note below 100 words.

 Chapter 510 - The Return Of Xiehan (1)

    Li Yuming''s villa.


    Lanni hummed as she tried on a few sets of clothes, then rushed downstairs to her mother and Luna who had come to visit. "How do I look?"


    The two women looked up almost simultaneously and were awed by Lanni who was in an ankle length red dress. She had become more beautiful in the last two years and looked amazing in the sleeveless dress.


    "You look perfect." Li Yuming commented, proud of her daughter.


    "You''re so stunning, sis." Luna seconded. Even the little boy habitually sitting by her feet seemed awed by her aunt.


    Lanni rushed back to her room and changed into another red dress, a shorter one with a sparkly chest area. She ran back to show them. "How about this?" She twirled.


    "It''s even more beautiful." Luna immediately clicked a photo of her.


    "Is Xiehan coming back soon? You are so happy!" Li Yuming made a guess when she saw how cheerful her daughter looked. It had been ages since Lanni was this happy, because she had been missing Xiehan the whole time.


    "He is coming back tomorrow." She cheered. She had just spoken to him over the phone. Since he finished his training, their phone calls were no longer restricted. He would give her a call as many times as he could, and she would always make time for them to video chat.


    "That''s good news!" Luna cheered along with her.


    "Good news!" Shouted the little girl who had just waddled through the door, in her adorable incoherent voice.


    "You think so too, mumu?" Lanni picked her up and kissed her forehead to earn a happy giggle from her. The toddler wiggled out of Lanni''s arms and rushed some distance away, indirectly asking to be hugged and kissed again. Lanni''s heart melted. Her niece was so adorable that she simply wanted to steal her.


    "Come on, come with Aunty. I will buy you snacks." She waved the girl over, and the toddler paused when she saw Luna.


    "I don''t think she sees you as her aunt." Luna chuckled at her daughter''s gaze. The kids had always mistaken the two of them and they probably didn''t even realize that they were two different women.


    Xiaomu looked at Lanni then at Luna and as usual, she tilted her head and seemed confused about why there were two of her mother. Running to Lanni, she opened out her short arms to be carried. "Momma!"


    "She sure doesn''t." Lanni laughed and picked up her niece who had never once called her "aunt."


    "We are going shopping. Do you want to come along?" Lanni asked her mother and sister.


    "I think I''ll pass. I''m still grieving the fact that my daughter has been stolen from me." Luna joked and when she tried to take Xiaomu back, the girl hugged Lanni tightly and hid on her chest for protection, making Li Yuming and Lanni burst into laughter.


    Hence, Lanni went to the mall with her niece in tow.


    "I would like to buy a few things." Lanni entered a store and started looking around.


    "Miss, what would you like? Would you like to buy a dress for your little darling?" A sales girl cheerfully asked Lanni as she waves at Xiaomu.


    "Dress!" Xiaomu went along in her cute voice, even though it was uncertain whether she knew what a dress was.


    "She''s so adorable! She takes after you." The sales girl had to hold back her urge to pinch the girl.


    Lanni chuckled and saw an adorable dress. "I''ll buy her this white dress. Do you have a matching pair of shoes?"


    "There is, and it''s absolutely cute." The sales girl rushed to bring the shoes along with the items that Lanni wanted to purchase.


    Xiaomu wanted to get down and waddle around the mall, but Lanni did not let her because there were too many people in the mall, which made her whine sadly.


    Feeling her heart ache from the toddler''s pitiful whine, she bought a pretty doll to placate her.


    However, the girl seemed to hold the grudge and as soon as they returned to Li Yuming''s Villa, she ran to Luna while hugging her new doll. "Momma!"


    Luna laughed and took her daughter up. "You finally recognized me. Can we go home now?"


    "Why don''t you stay a little longer? We can welcome Xiehan together. I''m sure Xingyu won''t mind." Li Yuming tried to convince her daughter to stay a little longer. It wasn''t everyday she came to visit.


    "I''ll call him over." Luna knew that Xingyu could not take it if she and the kids stayed away from him for another night.


    However, she didn''t have to make the call because he arrived before she did.


    "Papa!" Xiaomu rushed to him and so did Linhou.


    Xingyu lifted them up at the same time, then realized that they were becoming heavier. "You are growing up, my darlings."


    "Did you think I was going to steal your wife?" Li Yuming joked, pretending to be the jealous mother who was upset about her daughter being taken away.


    "Of course not." Xingyu laughed guiltily. "I only came because I knew Luna would want to stay over." Since he came over, Li Yuming would not miss her daughter and grandchildren nor would he miss his wife and children. Everyone would be happy.


    ____


    The following day.


    Lanni went to pick Xiehan up at the airport while her family stayed behind to make preparations to welcome him back. The Ji family knew about his return too, so they joined the Lis in preparing.


    Xiaomu once again followed her when she realized that the latter was going out, so Lanni brought her along.


    She arrived at the private airstrip just when Xiehan had landed, so it wasn''t long before he made his way to her.


    "Xiehan!" She jumped his arms and wrapped her arms around him.


    "Lanni, I missed you." He closed his eyes to take in her scent as he hugged her tightly. It had been two years and she was more beautiful than ever. He had missed her so much that if he stayed at the island for a day longer, he might have simply died.


    He pressed his lips against hers, savoring every moment of what he had missed the most. She caressed his face as she emotionally kissed him back, her heart racing as she felt her life return to her.


    Her eyes stung and her throat felt tight, and she smiled her tears away before they could fall. "Come, let''s go." She pulled his hand and dragged him towards her car.


    "You''re in a hurry." He laughed as he let her pull him away.


    "Of course." She chuckled. She had left Xiaomu in the car so she would not be affected by the noise, but it didn''t mean she was not afraid that the toddler would wail her lungs out upon realizing that she was on her own.


    "Xiehan? Why do you look shocked?" She realized that when they arrived, Xiehan did not move an inch and blankly stared at the toddler drifting to sleep in the toddler seat.


    "She¡­" Xiehan was even more confused as he stared at the little girl. "You¡­"


    Lanni wondered why he was suddenly stammering before it dawned on her. She slapped her forehead. "She''s two years old, Xiehan. She is not our child."


    "She is Xingyu''s daughter?" Xiehan''s brain finally returned in its place. It was because Xiaomu took after her mother and automatically resembled Lanni too that Xiehan had thought that she was Lanni''s daughter. He had even forgotten all about Xingyu and Luna having twins even though he had been looking forward to seeing them again.


    "Xingyu is so lucky, isn''t he?" Lanni smiled at the girl who was stirring awake.


    She rubbed her eyes and looked curiously at the man before her, who was looking down at her in adoration.


    "Hey Little princess. I''m your uncle, Xiehan." Xiehan introduced himself.


    "Uncle." The girl mimicked, perhaps because she found the term interesting.


    Xiehan chuckled and carried her in his arms, carefully securing her so she would be comfortable. "Yes. I missed you when I was away."


    ____


    AN


    This makes me imagine Xiehan''s reaction if he really came back to his and Lanni''s child.


    About comment rewards.


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 Chapter 511 - The Return Of Xiehan (2)

    Xiaomu clung onto Xiehan and hugged his neck, her eyes begging for kisses. He chuckled and pressed his lips against her soft face, which made her giggle happily and clumsily smack her lips against his face.


    "So your uncle is more popular now." Lanni pretended to be jealous as she looked at them while driving.


    "Don''t be jealous. It''s inevitable that the little angel would like me more. I''m very handsome, after all." Xiehan grinned happily.


    Xiaomu didn''t know a thing of what was going on around her, nor why the duo was laughing. When she set her eyes on Lanni, she excitedly held her small arms for a hug. "Momma!"


    Xiehan facepalmed. "This is why I thought she was our daughter." If his ears hadn''t failed him, he had heard the little girl mumble to Lanni while calling her her mother.


    "She will notice the difference when she is older." Lanni smiled and turned to ask, "Are you disappointed?"


    "Disappointed?" He did not understand.


    She nodded. "That she is not our daughter."


    Xiehan laughed. "What''s there to be disappointed about? We can just steal her away. I can''t swear that I didn''t have such a thought." How was it fair for Xingyu to have a child this adorable?


    Lanni laughed too, she loved Xiaomu and Linhou very much.


    "Where are we going?" He asked out of the blue.


    "Where do you want to go?" She threw a question back at him, as a way of evading the question since she did not want to ruin the surprise.


    "I don''t know. Anywhere you want to take me." He stated.


    She peeked at him teasingly. "Then sit back and wait for me to take you wherever I want."


    He was speechless, but she had a point. It didn''t matter whether she answered him or not, since he wouldn''t have anything against it anyway.


    Hence, she brought him to a grand Hotel, to a hall that had been decorated specially for him. His family and friends were all dressed up as they waited to welcome him back.


    "Welcome back!" They all cheered as soon as they saw him walking in through the door with Lanni and Xiaomu.


    "Xiehan!" Wen Lin was so emotional that she was about to burst into tears as she finally hugged her son again.


    "I''m back, mother." He patted her back before hugging his father.


    "I heard all about your hard work at the Island. You have been helping to keep the company on track too, despite being so busy. I''m proud of you, son." Ji Huifen proudly patted his son''s shoulder.


    "It''s because you, mother, Uncle and Aunt taught me well." He did not take all the praise to himself. Besides, it was true that he had recieved a lot of guidance from them.


    "That''s a sweet tongue. And you have become more handsome. No wonder Lanni is so smitten." Xinghe stepped forward to embrace him.


    "I''m not smitten." Lanni denied, but it only gave the others something to laugh at. They could clearly see it from her eyes just how happy she was to have him back. Her eyes could barely move away from him for a second.


    "Welcome back." Luna gave him a friendly hug with Linhou in her arms.


    Xiehan thanked her and picked Linhou up. "You have grown up. I almost missed your childhood."


    "You are not too late." Xingyu patted his back. The kids were only toddlers and were in their most active phase, which was the most thrilling.


    Xiehan kissed Linhou''s cheek, earning a scream from Xiaomu when she saw her favorite uncle kissing another baby. The adults burst into laughter while Xiehan carried Xiaomu. "I''ll kiss you too." He pressed his lips against her forehead.


    Placated, she pushed her brother away from Xiehan.


    "What a jealous child." Li Yuming chuckled at her cute granddaughter, and hugged her grandson so he wouldn''t be sad about his sister''s character.


    "Where is Xiaoshi?" Xiehan asked when he noticed his cousin''s absence. Han Xichen wasn''t present, and it made him question whether they had gotten married and gone on honeymoon together.


    He wouldn''t be surprised, since Xiaoshi was pregnant when he left.


    "She''s inside." Ruby led him in, where Xiaoshi was placating her baby who was about to go to sleep.


    "Shishi?" He was pleasantly surprised.


    Han Xichen greeted him while Xiaoshi turned with a smile. "Meet your niece, cousin. Her name is Yue." She was proud to say her daughter''s name. She and Han Xichen had registered their marriage before their daughter was born, and it was the happiest year of her life. Even though her father was still in jail and her mother was often in Australia and only came to visit her once in a while, she had found a family in the Han family.


    "Are you happy?" Xiehan asked her, not because he suspected that his cousin was unhappy, but he simply wanted to make sure.


    "I couldn''t be happier." She smiled and gently handed the baby to her cousin.


    Xiehan didn''t want to interrupt the girl''s sleep so he gently rocked her with a happy smile. The evening was already emotional even though it had only just begun.


    ___


    After partying all evening, Xiehan went back to his mansion with Lanni accompanying him.


    As soon as they entered the house, she wrapped her arms around him. "I couldn''t wait to be alone with you."


    He kissed her lips deeply. "What would you like us to do now that we are on our own?"


    "Everything." She whispered and pressed a kiss against his neck.


    She felt herself float as he carried her in his arms. "Aren''t you tired?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.


    "Not too tired for a ''welcome party''." He laughed.


    ______


    Who wants to see Xiehan''s and Lanni''s ''welcome party''? They may just make their own baby XD


    ¡­


    If you haven''t yet, join my discord server using my link tree, linktr..ee/Avalorian. Use the same link to follow me on instagram!

 Chapter 512 - The Return Of Xiehan (3)

    He kissed her lips gently, savoring the taste he had missed for so long. He kissed her jaw as he held her, gently running his hand down her back.


    Her fingers caressed the back of his neck, driving him on edge with impatience. Desire raged through his very being but he slowed down, worshipping her body instead.


    He lay her on the bed under him, while supporting himself on his elbow. He gently caressed the side of her face and neck, kissing her hair.


    "I missed you so much my love. I missed touching your skin like this." He whispered as he ran his finger along her shoulder.


    "I''m all yours now." She hugged his neck and closed her eyes as she felt him unbutton her dress one button at a time. He was driving her on edge with desire, but at the same time not giving in to what he knew she had missed.


    He peeled their clothes off torturously slowly as he kissed and caressed every inch of her skin.


    Her skin was on fire under his touch, which he cooled down temporarily with his kisses.


    Just when she thought she would burst into flames with need, he parted her legs and positioned himself between her thighs, gently claiming her amid her moans of pleasure.


    ¡­


    When Lanni woke up the following morning, Xiehan was scribbling down on a piece of paper. He seemed unsatisfied with what he had written, he tore the sheet of paper on which he had written off the stack and crushed it into a ball with a frown. He then started scribbling anew.


    "What are you doing?" She asked, chuckling with interest and whatever got him so serious.


    "Planning our wedding." As he spoke, he cancelled out what he had written and crushed it too.


    "What?" She was flabbergasted by what he had just said.


    He turned to pull her onto his lap, hugging her while pressing his lips against her neck. "Do you think it''s too soon to discuss it?"


    In response, she shook her head. "You caught me off guard but I''ve never been readier." She turned to hug him before looking at his list. "My love, we can simply hire a wedding planner. Doing it on our own can be distressing and we may forget some important details." She suggested.


    "Yes we will. But I''m writing a list of the things you write so the wedding planners have to consider them while organizing the wedding." He answered, and she glanced at the list to realize that they were indeed all the things she liked.


    "Are you a worm in my stomach? You know everything about me!" She exclaimed at the accuracy of the list.


    He tightened his arms around her. "We have been dating for so long. How useless would I be to not know what you like and don''t like?" He countered. If he didn''t know such a basic thing as her dislikes, he might have long made a mistake and lost her. Besides, he loved her so much that he loved the process of getting to know her.


    "Honey, it''s our wedding¡ªnot just mine." She remarked as she cancelled out the things he wasn''t particularly fond of from the list. While it was often said that a wedding was a woman''s great day and that everything should be perfect for her, she hoped that Xiehan would enjoy theirs just as much as she did.


    "Xiehan?" She realized that he seemed to be uncomfortable with his breathing hitching, so she turned to check on him.


    "I''m alright." He croaked. Before she could ask what was wrong, she felt the boner stiffening behind her back and poking her, making her eyes go wide.


    "You are sitting on my lap. Naked." He explained.


    Her cheeks burned as she realized just how relaxed she was to be naked around him. She would have hidden away in the past, but she now slipped off his lap and grabbed her nightdress. "I''ll get dressed."


    "It''s too late." He snatched the nightdress from her hand and threw it aside, and pinned her under him.


    _


    It was only much later that they resumed the wedding plans. They brought over a few wedding albums to get an idea of what they wanted.


    Xiehan saw a dress that made him smile and marked it. "This dress would¡­ what''s wrong my love?" When he looked up, he met her blank gaze, as though she was deep in thought.


    She smiled as she pulled herself out of her trance. "I''m so excited, Xiehan. I finally get to be your wife."


    "It''s about time it happens. Come here." He pulled her into his arms to continue looking through the album together.


    "Who do you want as a best man?" She asked curiously. Would he choose Xingyu? She wasn''t sure if it was possible to be each other''s best man.


    "That would be either Xingyu or Lin Jian." He answered. "Or Han Xichen. I have quite a few choices. You, on the other hand, should be more worried about your maid of honor." He teased her. Luna and Xiaoshi were both married.


    "Then it would automatically be Xiao Yu." She had already had this discussion with Cheng Yu. Besides, there was no written rule that the maid of honor had to be unmarried, was there?


    "Speaking of them, should we call them over? They can help us out with a few details." He suggested.


    It was almost as though their friends had been waiting to be summoned. As soon as Lanni called Luna gave her a call, she came rushing over along with her family and the rest of their friends.


    "You two are planning your wedding?" She asked when she arrived to find the couple sitting in the sitting room with wedding albums sprawled across the table.


    "Wedding!" Yelled Xiaomu, mimicking the interesting word that her mother had mentioned.


    Lanni stood to pinch her cheek gently. "Yes, my cutie. You will get to eat your favorite cake. Because your favorite is also your aunt''s favorite."


    Linhou, who was on his father''s lap, looked at Xiehan curiously.


    "Will they come too?" Xiehan asked as he picked the boy to hold him. He hoped this cute duo would be allowed to attend the wedding.


    "Of course they are coming." Luna decided when Xingyu let her decide. "They will love it and besides, their aunt will kill me if I hold them back."


    Lanni nodded in agreement. "Of course I would kill you. We will have little Mumu wear the same dress as mine and she will get to be my little flower girl as Linhou becomes the ring bearer."


    These were the words that Cheng Yu heard as soon as she arrived, and she was baffled.


    "Uhm¡­.a two-year old ring bearer?" She held back a laugh as she sat on the couch next to Lanni.


    "What''s wrong with my son''s age?" Luna complained, pretending to be offended.


    "Nothing. He''ll make an adorable ring bearer and his aunt will be proud of him." Lanni believed that the little boy was smart enough to know what he was supposed to do. Not to mention, they still had enough time before their wedding to teach the twins what to do.


    "Yes, if he does not eat the rings before the ceremony." Lin Jian joked.


    Cheng Yu tried not to laugh when she thought about it. That did sound like something Linhou would do.


    "That''s mean." Luna frowned.


    Lin Jian wanted to defend himself but when he received a glare from Jiang Xingyu, he conceded. "It was only a joke. I''m sorry."


    How could he forget that the wife-protecting devil was still here? Sheesh!


    "What were you saying about my son?" Luna took advantage of Xingyu''s doting to make things difficult for Lin Jian for a little bit.


    "He is absolutely intelligent and adorable! There is no little boy in this world that would make a better ring bearer than him."


    "Enough brown nosing." Luna had heard enough and her ears stung.


    "How do you think he would have managed to get together with Ruby if he wasn''t a brown noser?" Lanni teased him, making the others burst into laughter.


    _____


    AN


    The book will soon end, only one short volume left.


    Would you guys like to see a sneak peek of the love stories of the next generation? Those are going to be fun lol. I wanted to write a sequel to this book but decided to ask first, whether to create a sequel or just add another volume.

 Chapter 513 - Filling The Void

    "Congratulations on finally managing to get Ruby." Xingyu patted Lin Jian on the shoulder. "Did Xiehan give you the standard warning for brothers already? Do I need to say it on his behalf?" He teased Lin Jian.


    The latter frowned as though he had received a huge blow. "I know, I know. I will not dare to do anything to hurt Ruby and if I do, you will beat the hell out of me."


    "Don''t tease my future brother-in-law." Xiehan spoke up for Lin Jian.


    "You finally called me that! You finally acknowledged me." Lin Jian would have clung to Xiehan to hug him if the latter didn''t glare at him. Never mind. As long as there was no one opposing their relationship. Ruby placed her fair palm on the back of his hand, making his heart melt in joy. "Why don''t we grab some drinks to celebrate?"


    "Of course we should. But let''s do that after getting together the details of Xiehan''s wedding." Xingyu grabbed his tablet to continue ticking out whatever he thought Xiehan would like.


    "We should hire an agency." Cheng Yu suggested. It would be much easier than trying to work out all the details on their own.


    "Xiehan and I are already looking into wedding planners." Lanni smiled as she held Xiehan''s arm. She smiled gently when she saw a beautiful gown. It''s design was simple for the most part, aside from the diamonds embedded along its hem. She imagined herself wearing it and Xiehan''s reaction seeing her in it.


    "Hold on, Lanni. Are you choosing your gown with Xiehan beside you?" Cheng Yu widened her eyes when she recalled what she heard before. "Isn''t it bad luck for the groom to see the gown before the day of the wedding?"


    "Not necessarily." Luna shook her head with a shrug. "According to our wedding planner, the main point is to give the groom a beautiful surprise. Speaking of wedding planners, we should hook you up with some of the planners we found when planning our wedding." She suggested to Lanni.


    "If you think she did a perfect job at our wedding, we could simply give you the contact number of our wedding planner." Xingyu added.


    "Why don''t you simply connect us with your wedding planner?" Lanni decided after seeking Xiehan''s opinion.


    "Honey, do you still have her contact details?" Xingyu asked, and Luna nodded.


    "Yes. Here." She took out her phone and searched for the telephone number, which she gave to Lanni.


    "Why would you keep the contact details of your wedding planner after the wedding anyway?" Lin Jian mumbled with a chuckle to tease Luna yet again.


    "Because my sister is still unmarried, you idiot." She rolled her eyes at him.


    "Honey, she is scolding me again." Lin Jian looked at Ruby to complain.


    Ruby, who was too busy checking out venue design examples, rolled her eyes at him. "You deserve it."


    Everyone burst into laughter at Lin Jian''s expense.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in Li Yuming''s villa.


    Li Yuming hummed as she arranged fresh flowers in a pot. When she was done, she double checked whether the floor had enough padding to ensure no one got hurt if they fell. She checked the edges of furniture too, and when she was certain that it was all safe, she opened a bag she had brought and took out a myriad of toys which she arranged on the floor.


    She then brought snacks and placed them on the table, making sure to put more of them into the blue bowl for Linhou¡ªso he would be too full to snatch his sister''s snacks. She laughed just at the thought of it.


    The last time, the little boy had grabbed Xiaomu''s fair little hand and put it in his mouth, which ended in the girl screaming her lungs out.


    "You are happy." A voice came from behind her. She paused what she was doing and turned with a smile.


    "Neil. My grandchildren will come back soon. I''m making arrangements for them." She went over to meet him. "Have a seat. Are you hungry? I''ll bring you something to eat."


    "I would like a glass of chilled water." He requested with a smile, and she brought him the water in a flash then sat beside him.


    "Artificial sand?" He looked at one end of the living room, where there was a large tub full of what looked like sand but was whiter and looked finer.


    "Linhou likes playing with sand." She explained. "However, he gets his whole body dirty if we let him play with sand so we use this instead. It''s actually made of plastic and will not stick on his clothes."


    "That''s a smart option." He had to admit. If only he knew about it when Ruby was a child. He didn''t want to think about his daughter''s muddy face, hands and clothes, and the fact that she would always cry to get away with playing in the dirt.


    Li Yuming chuckled. "I think it gets more fun with each new child. You discover new tricks to counter their naughtiness. I don''t know if I''m being selfish, Neil. I still hope for Lanni''s and Xiehan''s children."


    He patted her shoulder when he heard her words. One might expect her to be satisfied since she already had an adorable pair of twin grandchildren but he didn''t think so. He patted her shoulder." You aren''t selfish. You should in fact hope for more children¡ªour children."


    She was taken aback by the sudden change of topic. "Neil, you know that I''m too old to have kids."


    "Who said that? Everyone would believe me if I told them that you are in your twenties." He checked her out with a wink.


    "You flatter me too much." She laughed.


    He smiled along, looking at her beautiful face. "Yuming, I wouldn''t like to steal Xiehan''s and Lanni''s thunder but¡­"


    "But what?" She probed when he stopped.


    "Would you like to go on a date with me, my love?" He asked


    "I''m preparing for my grandchildren." She would have loved to go but she wanted to receive the duo as soon as they returned with their parents.


    "We don''t have to go anywhere. We can have lunch on the patio." He suggested when he realized that he was also looking forward to playing with the duo. Xiaomu especially liked him and would always give him a bright, toothless smile that melted his heart.


    She liked the idea so she agreed. Since it was on short notice, he didn''t have enough time to prepare too much; he could only order flowers and cook. His cooking skills had improved tremendously in the past two years so when he finally laid the table at the patio, it was enough to make Li Yuming swallow her drool at the sight.


    "You are getting better in the kitchen." She complimented honestly when she had a taste.


    "In other aspects too." He joked.


    She chuckled and focused on his food, only to catch him staring at her wordlessly. She looked up questioningly.


    "I love you so much, Yuming." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.


    "I love you too." She confessed.


    He was taken aback by her words and it took a while for him to register them, then he smiled. "It''s the first time you said that despite all the months we have been seeing each other."


    "I wasn''t certain before." She explained truthfully. "I didn''t know whether I really wanted to leave the past behind and move on. I was still afraid but now I''m certain that I want to be with you, Neil."


    Neil gazed at her deeply. He felt as though the empty part in his heart had finally been completed. He pressed her palm against her cheek.


    _____


    This ship finally set sail. What do you think,


    A Yay!


    B They don''t suit each other.


    Any other opinion?


    I''m sorry darlings for not updating since the start of the month. I joined spirity and have more books now. Laziness caught up for a while and I''ve been slacking so much T_T I''m so sorry!


    I''ve had enough rest for this book so I''m ready to resume¡­ I can''t promise to update every day at the moment because I feel a little detached but I will keep the update rate at 5-7 chapters per week (at least). I will let you know when the update rate increases. Thanks for understanding <3

 Chapter 514 - Part Of Us

    Neil withdrew his hand and sighed helplessly.


    "Is there something wrong?" She asked, knowing that he must be thinking about something that made him restless.


    He shut his eyes when he thought about it. "I''m not certain what Lanni and Luna would think of me, having me as their step father." He confessed. She had told him about what happened to Xia Hanchen and how he turned out to be a traitor, so it was certain that Lanni and Luna would be wary of him. Not to mention, if Linhou and Xiaomu didn''t like him as their grandfather, it would be even harder to be with Li Yuming.


    She burst into laughter which confused him. "What is so funny?"


    "You are overthinking." She snickered. "Why would my daughters have opinions against who I decide to be with? Unless they think you will hurt me, they will have no reason to be against our relationship. Besides, Linhou and Xiaomu are the cutest."


    He nodded in reassurance. "Do you think we should tell them?"


    "Let it unfold naturally." She smiled. She didn''t want to steal the limelight from her daughter''s wedding.


    When they were done having lunch, they went back to the living room to finish up the arrangements for Linhou and Xiaomu''s visit.


    "Does she like dolls? It''s not too late to buy her some." Neil recalled when he noticed that there was no doll among the toys. "I can get her a long-haired one with pretty clothes. Most little girls like those."


    Li Yuming opened a box and took out a doll. "I will never be able to get her out of my hair if I don''t give her a pretty doll to play with." She laughed.


    "You thought of that." Neil nodded in approval. "How about cute ribbons?"


    "You prefer girls, don''t you?" Li Yuming observed. He was more keen on pleasing Xiaomu than he was with Linhou.


    He scratched his head after being exposed. "Not exactly. I just find them cute and besides, I know how to interact with little girls. I have never been close to a little boy before." He admitted.


    "Linhou is not hard to get along with. You only need to give him something to munch on." She patted him.


    "Grandma!" A cute voice filled the air.


    "Mumu is here!" Li Yuming rushed to the door excitedly and picked up Xiaomu who was in her mother''s arms. Xingyu came in after them, holding the sleeping Linhou.


    "Hello, mother." Luna hugged her and looked around in awe. Li Yuming had gone out of her way this time. She must love the twins the most.


    Xiaomu''s eyes brightened as soon as she saw all the toys in the living room. She wiggled out of her grandmother''s arms and grabbed a toy car, placing it in her mouth.


    "Mumu, that''s not food." Luna laughed and hurriedly took the toy car out of her little hand. "This is a toy car. Let me teach you how to play with it."


    "She sees her brother play with it. I''m sure she simply wants to tease him for wanting to eat her hand." Laughed Lanni, who had just arrived with Xiehan.


    "Xingyu''s kids are foodies." Xiehan laughed at his friend.


    The latter glared at him fiercely. "So what if my kids are foodies? I can give them all the food they want to eat."


    "The problem is that they don''t want food. They will simply eat anything they set their eyes on and that will soon include the walls of your house." Lanni teased along.


    "So what? We can buy another villa then. Right, my love?" Luna countered.


    Xingyu hummed in agreement. "We are yet to see your children. Who is to say that they will not eat you as soon as they are born?"


    Li Yuming''s sttomach almost hurt from laughing too much. The kids were too cute. "I''ll put Linhou to sleep." She took the boy from Xingyu and rocked him when he sttirred in her arms.


    "Uncle Neil, you are here too." Luna greeted the man who looked like he wanted to shrink into the couch and make himself invisible.


    "I dropped by to discuss something with Yuming." Neil explained awkwardly. Although Li Yuming had reassured him that Lanni and Luna would have nothing against him, he was still nervous to meet them. Luckily, they were all friendly to him and so were Xingyu and Xiehan.


    Li Yuming was quite lucky, he thought. She had two beautiful daughters, sons-in-law who loved her daughters and cared for her, as well as a pair of adorable grandchildren. However, he was even luckier to have her by his side.


    When Li Yuming returned, she served everyone snacks as Xiaomu played around.


    "I have something to tell all of you." She started. "Actually, Neil and I have something to tell you."


    "Is it good news?" Xingyu teased.


    "That depends on you." Li Yuming smiled. "The thing is, Neil and I are together now."


    "Congratulations, mom." Lanni was the first to hug her tightly and kiss her on the cheek.


    "I think you are a match made in heaven." Luna commented before congratulating Li Yuming as well.


    "... Lations." Xiaomu mumbled the word everyone was saying as she held a doll.


    Luna chuckled and pulled her over. "Congratulations. Tell Grandpa Neil Congratulations." She urged her towards Neil.


    The girl must have found the word too difficult to remember, she simply held her doll out to Neil. "Grandpa Neil."


    "My granddaughter is so smart." Li Yuming kissed the little girl''s face. When the girl went to play in the artificial sand, she asked, "When are the two of you holding your wedding?"


    "Next year in August." Lanni replied as she fondly held Xiehan''s hand.


    "We don''t want to rush it." Xiehan added as he held her waist. "We contacted a wedding planning agency earlier and besides, we want Linhou and Xiaomu to be old enough to make a cute appearance at their aunt and uncle''s wedding."


    "How about you register your marriage first?" Li Yuming suggested. "If you don''t want to, there is no rush for that either. You can register it on your wedding day."


    "We will think about it." Lanni smiled at the idea. "What about you? When are you holding your wedding?"


    "What are you talking about?" Li Yuming was baffled.


    "Aren''t you? The two of you look so cute together and I could be your maid of honor." Lanni laughed after successfully teasing her mother.


    "You naughty child. What will I do with you?" Li Yuming shook her head.


    "I''m not naughty. I just love you too much." Lanni laughed.


    "Lanni is right. How about we help you plan your wedding too, mother?" Luna asked seriously.


    "Or we could have a joint wedding." Xiehan suggested.


    "I''ve heard of joint weddings featuring siblings, cousins or friends¡­but a mother and her daughter?" Xingyu shook his head.


    "There isn''t a rule against it." Lanni shrugged.


    "While that is true, Neil and I haven''t discussed marriage yet." Li Yuming smiled.


    "You will be the first to know when she says yes to me." Neil teasingly added, making Li Yuming widen her eyes at him.


    "Can you not? I''ll go and check on Linhou." She disappeared after giving a random excuse.


    ¡­


    Neil left in the evening but Lanni, Luna, Xingyu and Xiehan stayed over for the night after Li Yuming''s persuasion.


    It had been long since Xiehan entered Lanni''s room, it felt surreal when Lanni dragged him upstairs.


    "What are you thinking about?" Lanni cocked her head at him curiously.


    He pulled her into a hug. "The first time I came here, you didn''t want to see me. You viewed me as a pervert you disliked."


    She frowned at the memory he had suddenly brought up, then her cheeks stained red. Hadn''t he forgetten about it? That was so long!


    As though reading her mind, he nibbled her ear with a gentle laugh. "How could I forget all the snarky comments you threw at me? Those are part of our beautiful memories."


    "Are you a masochist?" She regarded him in surprise. Who would think of slaps and snarky comments as beautiful memories?


    He smiled and stroked the side of her face. "What I mean is, my love, I cannot choose to remember the good times and forget all about the bad times. Because the tears and pain are what made us stronger."


    "Xiehan¡­" She could only kiss his lips. She had never thought of it this way.

 Chapter 515 - Marriage (1)

    "Honey, would you like to register our marriage?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.


    "What do you think of the idea?" She pushed the question back at him.


    "I''ve been ready since I met you." He kissed her lips. He had pursued her to be his girlfriend while knowing that she was the only one he wanted to take as his wife, it was only a matter of doing it sooner or later.


    "Then I''m ready." Her heart fluttered at the thought of it. Was she really going to become Mrs. Ji?


    "Then let''s go." He took her hand and led her through the door.


    She pulled back with a laugh. "Why are we rushing? Aren''t you going to let me have a bachelorette party at least?"


    His gaze narrowed. "And let your crazy friends invite strippers to perform a dance for you?" He was not going to let anyone seduce his wife-to-be. "Of course, if you really want a party, we can have one tonight. I will be your stripper and dance all night if you want me to."


    She tried not to imagine him performing a strip dance. "I''ll take that as a promise. Don''t go back on your word later."


    She sounded like she was having too much fun with this. Did he dig himself a pit? He smiled at her dotingly. As long as she was happy.


    Just like that, he drove to the civil affairs bureau. The process was much shorter than she expected, and she blinked.


    "So, I''m your wife now?" She held two small booklets and raised her eyebrow at them.


    In response, he grabbed her waist and kissed her deeply. "And I''m your husband. It''s too late to sneak away from me¡ªjust in case you were planning to do such a thing."


    "Luckily, I wasn''t planning that." She kissed him back and securely kept the red booklets. "You cannot sneak away either."


    The civil affairs building was full of kissing couples who had just gotten married. Xiehan held his wife''s hand and led her towards the car.


    "This isn''t your car." She was shocked when the white sports car was suddenly replaced by a ferrari.


    He reached into the car and took out a bouquet to give to her. "This is my present to you, Mrs. Ji."


    "Thank you, my love." She didn''t expect him to prepare it so soon. "You are already the biggest gift."


    "Is that how you thank your husband? Verbally?" He looked deflated.


    She shook her head helplessly. "You are still a swindler who takes advantage."


    "So, are you going to let me take advantage?" He gazed down at her.


    "You can take advantage as much as you want." She tiptoed and locked their lips. This was not their first kiss but she felt her body melt from the kiss. It was much sweeter and she couldn''t help craving for more. Was it because he was her husband now and she was certain that he was truly hers?


    "Damned that Luna." She harrumphed when she pulled away.


    "Why is it suddenly about Luna?" He did not understand.


    "She is so evil! If she told me that marriage felt this nice, we would have gotten married two years ago." She childishly complained.


    Xiehan chuckled at her twisted way of thinking. "It doesn''t matter. Aren''t we married now, wife?"


    She threw herself into his arms. "Can you call me that again?"


    "Wife." he whispered in her ears. "Wife, would you like to have dinner with your in-laws tomorrow? Mother will be overjoyed to see you."


    She nodded with a smile, before he drove back to Li Yuming''s villa.


    "Where did the two of you run off to?" Li Yuming asked when they returned.


    Lanni excitedly threw herself into her arms. "Mom, I''m so happy!"


    "Mother, we are back." Xiehan smiled happily.


    Li Yuming''s eyes widened when she finally caught their hint. "You got married!"


    "Congratulations!" Xingyu stood to pat his friend''s shoulder. "We have to drink some wine to celebrate."


    "Let''s drink till we drop!" Luna announced and hugged her sister to congratulate her.


    "You kids have fun. I will take care of my grandchildren." Li Yuming promised as she pulled Linhou and Xiaomu to her.


    "Sounds like a blast!" Luna winked and kissed her children''s foreheads. "My darlings, mommy and daddy are going to have fun. Stay with grandma, okay?"


    "Let''s call the others too." Lanni took her phone to invite her friends.


    Within an hour, they all gathered at Neon Bar. They had booked a private VIP room so no one would interrupt their fun.


    "You traitor. How could you get married in secret?" Cheng Yu jokingly reprimanded her when she arrived with Cedric.


    "Right? Now we can no longer steal their limelight by registering our marriage before them." Cedric complained.


    "You wanted to do that?" Lanni was amused, and Cheng Yu facepalmed.


    "Forget him. He is always thinking nonsense." She giggled and sat on the fluffy couch. "Congratulations. I had prepared this for your wedding." Cheng Yu handed over a gift box.


    "I prepared something for you too." Xiaoshi took out a small box just as she arrived, hand in hand with Han Xichen.


    "Thank you so much, Shishi." Lanni hugged her tightly and received the gift.


    "Congratulations on finally becoming Mrs. Ji. I''m sure Xiehan is on the verge of exploding in joy." Han Xichen gave Lanni a small box and teased Xiehan while at it. "If you want, I can secretly give you his silly childhood pictures."


    "I''m still your cousin-in-law." Xiehan threatened jokingly.


    "Lanni will still love my cousin after seeing them." Xiaoshi laughed.


    Lanni chuckled. She actually wanted to see the pictures. However, she would tease him later so she was looking forward to that instead.


    "Ruby and Lin Jian aren''t here yet." Xingyu observed.


    "And that''s supposed to be a new thing?" Luna rubbed her forehead.


    "Let''s wait for them. I will open my gifts while at it." Lanni reached for the boxes.


    "Uh¡­ wait¡­" Cheng Yu tried to stop her, but it was too late.


    Lanni had already unwrapped the box and it burst open, pouring all its contents¡­ innumerable small boxes of durex as well as a bottle of lubricant.


    "Xiao Yu''s gift...of course it would be this kind of thing." Her face reddened as she tried to force them back into their original box as everyone burst into laughter at her clumsiness.


    Lanni pulled Xiehan''s jacket off him, sending the others reeling in laughter.


    " Are you going to do it now? Then I should cover my boyfriend''s eyes." Cheng Yu teased and placed her hand over Cedric''s eyes.


    "Shut up." Lanni glared at her and took Xiehan''s jacket with the intention to shove all the condoms into the pockets. When she was finally done, she was suddenly skeptical about opening the other presents.


    "Open mine. I promise it is not that kind of thing." Xiaoshi muttered.


    "I don''t trust you." Lanni harrumphed.


    "But I''m so cute. I don''t make fun of people that way." Xiaoshi pretended to be sad about her distrust.


    "If it is¡­" Her words drowned when she opened Xiaoshi''s present. It was actually¡­ a red thong and a matching bra. She hid them away in disbelief. "Can I kill you?"


    "Why are you shy? It''s not like you don''t use that kind of thing." Xiaoshi burst into laughter after successfully pranking her.


    "You guys are lively." Lin Jian arrived with Ruby in tow, wearing a couples outfit and carrying identical gift boxes. "Are we late?"


    "Not at all. The fun has just begun." Luna tried to steady herself as she wiped her eyes which had welled up from laughing too hard.


    "We randomly grabbed this. Congratulations, brother and sister-in-law." Ruby presented hers and Lin Jian''s gifts to Lanni.


    Traumatized, Lanni accepted the gifts but quickly hid them away to open later. She didn''t dare to look at Xiehan after all the pranks.


    "Let''s play a game." Lin Jian suggested.


    "No! I don''t trust you." Lanni dreaded. Lin Jian was too naughty and the so-called game might just be his way to endlessly prank and tease her and Xiehan.


    "I will suggest a game then." Luna grabbed the chance. "How well do you know each other? We are all paired up tonight which is perfect. I will write a random set of questions then we will spin a bottle. Whoever the bottle faces has to answer a question about their partner. If they cannot answer it, they will do a dare or drink. "


    _____


    COngratulations Mr. And Mrs. Ji!


    The wedding chapter will come up soon.

 Chapter 516 - Wedding Night (1)

    Lanni looked at her sister skeptically. Although Luna wasn''t one to play dirty tricks, no one could be trusted tonight. They all seemed to have ganged up to make fun of her and Xiehan.


    "Don''t give me that look. You can spin the bottle." Luna waved her hands to signify that she was innocent. "If you want, I will not touch the bottle. Just in case you think I will deliberately target you."


    "I see. But I would like to change the rules. Whoever spins the bottle gets to ask the question. Whoever answers the question takes the next spin." She suggested.


    "As for the answers, to confirm their credibility, it has to be written down by whoever the question is about." She added after thinking about it.


    This was more fair and less likely to be rigged, so the others agreed. Lanni twisted the centre of the bottle against the table and let it spin, crossing her fingers.


    Luck was on her side because the mouth pointed at Luna.


    "I knew you would aim at me." Luna freaked out, making everyone laugh at her expense.


    "What is Xingyu''s favorite color?" Lanni asked with a laugh.


    "Seriously? You wasted a good chance!" Lin Jian lamented. What kind of absurd question was that?


    Luna thought hard about it. "Does he have a favorite color though? I don''t think he does¡­"


    "Are you going to answer the question or not?" Lanni pressed, knowing that Luna might get a clue if she delayed for long.


    "None." Luna answered.


    "What did Xingyu write?" Lanni looked forward to the answer.


    "I don''t have any particular preference." Xingyu raised the tablet where he had written a neat [None].


    Lanni sulked in defeat.


    "You asked a question that doesn''t apply to my husband. We pass." Luna winked and hugged Xingyu, then looked at Lanni meaningfully and spun the bottle.


    "That''s foul!" Lanni exclaimed when it pointed at her.


    "Whatever. What would make Xichen want to divorce you?" Luna asked with a chuckle.


    Was she seriously asking about divorce on their wedding night?


    Lanni glared at her and waited for Xiehan to write his response before answering, "Nothing."


    "Oh that was so obvious." Cheng Yu was awed at their sweetness when Xiehan presented his answer. Of course, if he wrote down that there was anything that could make him divorce Lanni, she would beat the crap out of him.


    This time, the bottle pointed at Ruby when Lanni spun it.


    "You''re my sister-in-law, right?" Ruby winked at Lanni, trying to earn an easier question.


    Lanni wasn''t planning to make things difficult for her. "Why did Lin Jian stop playing around?"


    "Because I will beat him up!"


    The room roared in laughter.


    It was Lanni''s turn again after a few more spins.


    "What part of Xiehan''s body turns him on the most?" Lin Jian asked.


    Lanni felt her mind explode. Lin! F*cking! Jian! "Why does everyone get mild questions while I get the most difficult?" She slumped onto Xiehan''s chest and pretended to faint.


    "You are married but you don''t know that?" Cheng Yu taunted her on purpose.


    "Right? I thought you would have explored each other''s body." Xiaoshi and Xichen joined them in making her blush.


    "Shut up, okay!" Lanni almost exploded in embarrassment.


    "What''s it gonna be?" Lin Jian supported his stomach from laughing too hard.


    "I''ll drink. That''s too explicit." She reached for the shot glass and downed in a gulp.


    "Aww bummer." The women groaned in disappointment, making Lanni speechless.


    It seemed as though luck was playing games with her. A few spins later, it was her turn yet again.


    "What''s your best position?" Xiaoshi daringly asked, making Lanni''s eyes bulge. Was she still the innocent Xiaoshi? She didn''t look like the kind to ask such a question.


    Sensing her gaze, the drunk Xiaoshi, who had downed many glasses from being unable to answer many of the questions, burst into laughter. "What''s with the look? If you can''t answer this, you can do a dare instead. The dare is to take off your bra. Either that or drink."


    Lanni speechlessly clung to Xiehan''s arm when she saw that everyone was actually looking forward to her answer. "Honey, they want me drunk." She complained coyly.


    "We''ll drink together." Xiehan picked the shot glass and downed it on her behalf.


    "Sheesh!" What a random display of affection. They were newlyweds, so everyone let them off.


    "Cedric, what hobby of yours annoys Xiao Yu the most?" A drunk Ruby asked when it was her turn¡ªeven though the bottle had only spun a little and pointed back at her. But they were too drunk to notice it so Cedric answered the question anyway.


    "Clinging to her. She pretends to be annoyed but she secretly loves it." After answering, Cedric downed the alcohol meant for forfeit.


    "Aww! We are so sweet!" Cheng Yu drunkenly drawled.


    Xiehan looked at the situation speechlessly. When he felt a slight weight on his shoulder, he looked to find that Lanni was drifting to sleep. "You guys go ahead. I will take my wife home." He stood and carried her in his arms.


    "Why do you need to go home when we are in a hotel? Here." Xingyu threw a card at him.


    Xiehan thanked him with a smile and carried Lanni out.


    "I''m going to be an aunt!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly, then her head landed on Lin Jian''s shoulder when he pulled her gently.


    "Why don''t you be a mom instead?" He lowered his voice to whisper to her. "If we start now, our baby might be older than Xiehan''s and he will be much cuter."


    "Really?" Ruby''s eyes brightened when she heard that she could have a baby cuter than Xiehan''s.


    Lin Jian scratched his head awkwardly. He was just kidding. It seemed like she really was drunk. He didn''t mind having babies with her, though. On the contrary, he would be overjoyed.


    ___


    Xiehan placed Lanni down and helped her stand when they reached the presidential wedding suite that Xingyu had prepared for them.


    Her legs felt light when she tried to make a step.


    "Don''t move." He swiped the card to open the door and carried her in.


    She wobbled to stand before him and when he supported her, she patted all over his chest and abdomen.


    "Honey, what are you looking for?" He chuckled at her drunk dramatics.


    "Your tie, so I can grab it." She slurred.


    He smiled dotingly and placed his tie in her small palm. Sure enough, she clumsily pulled at it to make him lean over.


    "I want you in my room...and in my bed." She looked up at him seductively.


    Her voice and eyes¡ªpaired with the fact that they were in a romantically decorated wedding suite¡ªset his body ablaze. However, he gently pushed her to sit on the bed and pulled away from her. "You are drunk."


    He shouldn''t take advantage of a drunk woman. Not even if it was his wife.


    "You are drunk too. And we are married." She circled her arms around his waist, blowing hot air onto his stomach.


    "Honey, being married does not¡­"


    "Mr. Ji, are you insane? A beautiful woman is sitting on your bed and she''s drunk. Aren''t you going to take advantage of her?" She lay on the bed and pulled him over, interrupting his words.


    Seeing as he was merely staring at her speechlessly with a conflicting gaze, she pushed him over and crawled onto him." Okay since you don''t want to take advantage of me, I will take advantage of you."


    He chuckled. Take advantage of him, she said?


    She shied away when he laughed. "Will you¡­ will you sue me?"


    He held the back of her head and kissed her lips softly. "Mmh. I will sentence you to a lifetime imprisonment in my life."


    "Then I better not waste this chance." She clumsily fumbled with his shirt and managed to open one button, then leaned down to kiss his chest.


    Seconds passed and she was yet to raise her head. She wasn''t doing anything either. He checked on her suspiciously, only to find that she had blacked out at some point and was now in deep sleep.


    He poked her face and pinched it gently. "You turned me on and fell asleep, leaving me no choice but to take a cold shower on our wedding night. I will punish you for this, my wife."

 Chapter 517 - Wedding Night (2)

    The next morning, Lanni woke up to Xiehan''s intense gaze on her.


    "Good morning, husband." She was already getting used to the word but she felt butterflies in her stomach just saying it out aloud. She could finally confirm that she was not dreaming. She was really married to Xiehan now. He really was her husband.


    He silently stared down at her, making her cock her head in curiosity. "Why are you giving me that look? And, husband, why do you look unhappy?"


    He finally leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I''m still trying to process this surreal dream."


    It turned out, he also felt like it was a dream. It was one thing to be in a relationship, they had been together for more than three years after all. Being engaged was no huge deal either¡ªat least not compared to this. And the fact that their marriage almost seemed to have dropped out of nowhere made it feel like an illusion.


    "Say that again." He whispered against her forehead as he kissed it.


    "Uhm¡­ what?" She didn''t know what he was talking about so she blinked and stared at him. She was so beautiful when she did that that it made him want to kiss her.


    "What did you call me just now?" He looked at her intensely. "Call me that again, wife."


    "Husband." She whispered. Her heart picked up its pace and she wrapped her arms around his body to rest against his chest. He pulled her to sit on his lap but tilted her body before she could rest her head on his chest.


    "You do know that I''m your husband, huh." He spanked her backside.


    "What was that for?" She looked up to complain even though it didn''t hurt. On the contrary, as crazy as it sounded, she enjoyed being spanked by him.


    His palm landed on her butt again. "My naughty wife left me¡­" He didn''t complete his statement and grabbed her hand instead, which he slid down his body to his crotch.


    His bulge felt harder than ever under his pajama pants. She swallowed and let out a silly chuckle when she recalled her drunken dramatics from the previous night. She really did tease him.


    What was worse, all he could find the previous night was a flimsy nightdress that did almost nothing to cover the parts of her body that needed to be covered¡ªand he had to watch her rolling around in bed in that and not touch her because she was asleep.


    "Is it funny?" His voice was hoarse as he guided her small palm to rub him.


    "Why didn''t you take advantage of me?" She asked through a smile as she gently stroked him. The shorts were not thick so she could feel the heat as his manhood twitched in his pants from her touch.


    He frowned, his eyes darkening at her question. These were the very words she had said the previous night, asking him to ''take advantage of her'' and later asking to take advantage of him instead when he turned her down for being drunk.


    He flipped her to lie on the bed and hovered over her while locking her thighs between his. "You will pay for teasing me."


    "I don''t think there is any rule against a wife teasing her husband, though." She gave him a sly smile from under him, her eyes passionate. It made him look forward to how they would look with him pounding into her. She was definitely driving him crazy.


    He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. "Teasing him, leaving him hard and falling asleep only to wake up and tease him again, that should be illegal." He looked down at her.


    "Sue me." She teasingly challenged him.


    "Trust me, I would do that¡ªif there wasn''t a much better way to deal with it."


    Tracing a finger down her face, he couldn''t tear his gaze away from her eyes. Something seemed to have changed in the way she looked at him. Aside from the obvious desire in her eyes, she loved him more than she did a day ago¡ªhe knew it because he felt the same way.


    She lifted her head and met his lips just as he lowered his head to kiss her. He tasted her lips softly before taking her lower lip between his. She felt a current in her stomach as he sucked on her lip in slow, torturous movements.


    A small moan escaped her lips when he pulled away to let her breathe. She was out of breath, her eyes glazed as her chest rapidly rose and fell.


    Lowering his head, he kissed the side of her neck. One hand held her wrists together as the other explored her body that immediately reacted to his fingers. She had missed his touch just as much as he had missed caressing her. Her skin was slightly reddened from the heat she felt underneath it. He stroked her through her nightdress but there wasn''t much difference between her wearing the flimsy lacy dress and wearing nothing. When she parted her legs, he caught sight of her lacy thong that had an embroidered rose at the centre. It was equally flimsy and the wet patch at the centre drove him crazy with want. Sliding down and holding her by the sides of her waist, he lifted her legs and buried his head between them.


    She moaned and grabbed a fistful of his hair when she felt him push her thong aside and his hot, wet tongue, flicked her core.


    Her toes curled as in pleasure from every flick of his tongue. She was on edge sooner than she expected and she threw her head back, not trying to fight back the climax that was rapidly building up.


    When he stopped and raised his head, she couldn''t help it.


    "Xiehan," She whispered his name.


    He kissed his way up her body as his hands caressed her hungrily. Pausing, he grabbed the edges of his pajama shirt and tugged it over his head to toss it away, before he undressed her.


    He was out of control and her thong ended up receiving the consequences of his wrath.


    "Wife," He called her softly.


    "Take me¡­" She pleaded in response, her breath hitched as her body trembled slightly.


    "Not just yet, Mrs. Ji." He pecked her lips before kissing her jaw. He licked and sucked his way down her body, teasing her stomach and making her moan in need. Just when she thought he was about to go down on her again, he paused.


    He was deliberately torturing her! Seeing the grin on his face, she knew that she was right.


    "What was that again?" He looked down at her teasingly. "About teasing your husband?"


    "Are you punishing me?" She asked through lustful eyes.


    His response was flipping her onto her stomach and spanking her backside. Her hand flew to her mouth in embarassment but it was too late to stop the moan that escaped her mouth. She didn''t dare to look at him. How could she be so shameless?


    He stroked the inner side of her thighs and slid a finger into her out of the blue. He knew she would be wet from her trembling legs but he didn''t think she would be this wet. He cursed as his own desire spiralled out of control. He thrust his finger into her faster, enjoying seeing the side of her face flush from the intense passion. Just as she neared her release, he stopped and peeled his boxer briefs off.


    She felt his hot body on hers and quivered. He reached to the night stand with one hand and took what she guessed must be a condom. She heard the soft tearing sound of a wrapper and soon after, she finally felt him entering her body.


    "Ah¡­ Xiehan!" The pleasure was almost too much for her to take. He kissed her neck and back and pinned down her wrists as he held her waist with one hand. He eased his length into her and pulled out halfway before slamming into her with more force. She gyrated her hips to meet his thrusts as she shut her eyes to feel every wave of pleasure.


    ____


    AN


    Please check the previous chapter''s comments for an extra long Author''s Note. I posted it as a reply to a comment.

 Chapter 518 - Wedding Night (3)

    After an intense climax, Lanni buried her head into Xiehan''s chest and didn''t want to move an inch. Their bodies were covered in a thin layer of sweat as they tried to still their breaths.


    He gently stroked her body. "Honey, what do you want to do today?"


    "Does lying in your arms and lazing around all day count?" She nestled further in his embrace, earning a doting smile.


    "Of course. I''ll order snacks, drinks and prepare movies for my little wife who wants to be a bed potato all day." Holding her with one arm, he reached for his phone so he would place the orders.


    "I want to be a bed potato every day." She kissed the side of his face before burying herself back in his arms.


    "You can." He returned the kiss to her temples.


    She shut her eyes for a second as though she was in pain, and his hands flew to her temples to massage them. "Does your head hurt? You drank quite a bit last night."


    "No, I''m perfectly fine. I''m just a little tired." She slurred.


    "That''s a relief." He held her closer to him so she would be more comfortable.


    "Can I go back to sleep?" She closed her eyes.


    "Of course." He kissed her forehead and went ahead to order the snacks.


    ___


    Meanwhile, in Xingyu''s villa.


    Luna paced for the umpteenth time, making Xingyu grab her midway. "Luna, what''s wrong?" He looked at her in concern.


    She let out a long sigh


    "I''ve been trying to make this software as a wedding gift for Lanni. It''s taking more than usual." She briefly explained.


    "Uh¡­ okay." He frowned. If the software was taking long, why wasn''t she in the study, but restlessly pacing the living room instead? He placed a hand behind her knee and another behind her back, lifting her off the ground without another word.


    "Huh? What are you doing?" She shrieked when she suddenly felt her body floating.


    "Carrying my wife to the bedroom so she remembers that rest should be part of her work." He headed for the bedroom, leaving her no room to argue about it.


    "Xingyu," She called his name while holding his neck.


    He ignored her and pushed open the bedroom door using his elbow.


    "Daddy?" Exiting the room, Xiaomu looked confused. Why was daddy carrying mommy?


    Xingyu entered the room and placed Luna on the bed before picking his daughter up. The little girl had no one to play with since Linhou had fallen asleep, so she sought her father to play with her. It took a while to pacify her and when he returned to Luna''s side, he let out a breath.


    "I still think we should hire a nanny."


    Luna looked stunned for a while. She opened her mouth and no syllable left her lips for a moment. It took about a minute to gather her words. "Xingyu, I can take care of our babies just fine. I''m not going to work anyway. We don''t need a nanny."


    His brows furrowed.


    "I''m telling you the truth. It was harder to take care of them when they were younger and needed more attention." She added in an attempt to convince him.


    His frown deepened. "When they were a few months old, all they needed was to be fed, put to sleep and kept clean. They would be sleeping most of the time and if they weren''t, they were pretty much calm as long as you were in the room."


    "Xingyu," She didn''t like where this was heading.


    "They were little angels. But they morphed into little devils as soon as they learned to crawl around and grab everything they could¡ªMumu tossing them around and Linhou putting them in his mouth."


    "Did you just call our kids devils?" She burst into laughter and soon realized that she was the only one laughing. He was dead serious.


    "Don''t change the topic. Come here, my love." He pulled her into his arms.


    She interrupted him. "It''s really okay. When I''m tired, I can send them off to her grandparents or Lanni''s. Your parents, my mother and Lanni love them very much. They would be excited to take care of them for a day or two."


    That was true. Li Yuming and Xinghe would often take turns bragging to each other about spending some bonding time with their grandchildren. Lanni loved them too, and she would often drop by with snacks and toys and bug Luna to let her take them away for a while.


    Even so, he still thought there was more to it.


    "Are you afraid of hiring a nanny?" He asked, hitting the nail on the head. She looked shocked, probably not having expected him to figure it out.


    He stroked her back. "Is there something I need to know?"


    "I''m just¡­ more comfortable taking care of my own babies. I can quit my job for a while and take care of them full time. When they are old enough, I will go back to work." She almost pleaded, even though she only spent a few hours working from home.


    "That has never been the point, Luna." His gaze on her intensified.


    When she didn''t say a word for some time, he stood up. "It''s alright. I will do my best to help you out." He promised, even though he was already doing his best. However, taking care of twins had never been easy, especially now that they were in their active phase. It was no wonder she was overwhelmed. Besides, she had insisted on handling all the household chores on her own as well in the name of having new hobbies and wanting to be a stay at home wife and mother. Did she want to fall into depression before she realized that it was taking a toll on her?


    Perhaps he should put his job on hold and stay at home too, at least until they started going to school.


    "Xingyu, you are mad at me." She slid off the bed and circled her arms around her so she wouldn''t leave.


    "No, I''m not." He insisted, but she knew him better than to believe him. She knew that she had been unfair to him¡­


    She sighed helplessly. "We had a nanny before, right? The one I fired soon after our wedding."


    "I had a feeling it was something to do with her." He turned to face her.


    Luna nodded guiltily. "I didn''t want to tell you because you would be worried but¡­" She let out a breath. "She tried to steal Linhou. I later learnt that she was obsessed with him because her son died soon before she came to work for us."


    "And you told me about it two years later after incessant probing." He looked at her sternly.


    "Xingyu, she was recommended to us by your mom. I knew that you would blame mother for it. I didn''t want to create unnecessary trouble." Her eyes drooped.


    His fists clenched. "Where is she? Where is that b*tch?!" He fumed.


    "I don''t know. I already fired her and sent a warning to her agency in case she tried to do that to another family but¡­" She shut her eyes. "I can''t trust nannies anymore. If anyone took my babies away, I would die."

 Chapter 519 - Wedding Night (4)

    "Where is she?" He once again asked, unwilling to let the matter go. How could he simply forget about a woman who tried to steal his son away?


    Luna patted his arm to calm him down. "It doesn''t matter anymore. I told her agency about her obsession so they would help her seek treatment."


    He frowned at her. How could she be so lenient?


    Knowing what he was thinking, she sighed. "We can''t blame her, Xingyu. It was wrong of her to want to steal a child but the cause of it was not her fault. She lost her child. Anyone would go crazy if that happened to them. Anyway, she will not do it anymore so let''s not waste our time on her, okay?"


    He could only nod and let the matter be. After all, nothing good could come out of him finding the woman anyway.


    She was relieved, but he cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes." I would prefer it if you told me something immediately. I''m pretty certain that mother would never deliberately hire a psycho for her grandchildren, which is why you should have told me. I wouldn''t pick a fight with her."


    "I''m sorry for not telling you sooner." She admitted that she was in the wrong. If he had guessed that something was bothering her long ago, then it meant that he had been worried for her all along. It was definitely not fair.


    Seeing her cling onto his arm and admit her mistake, he couldn''t bear to say anything mean. His heart softened as he rubbed her head. "What will I do with you?"


    ___


    Late in the afternoon, Xiehan beckoned Lanni over to the couch where he was sitting.


    "Come here, my love." He said. She slid off the bed and walked over, taking her place on his lap.


    "Are you bored?" She asked. It would not be a surprise, considering they had been lying around in bed all day. She had thought that they would go out for fun but they were too tired so they spent the whole day in the room, ordering food when they were hungry and watching movies when they wanted to.


    "We still have something exciting to talk about." He held her back.


    "What''s that?" She looked up curiously. Hadn''t they already talked about pretty much everything that needed to be mentioned?


    "Kids." He grinned.


    "What?" She was taken aback by the sudden topic.


    He smiled and nuzzled his head in the crook of her neck. "I mean, we are married now¡­ I was wondering if you would ever be interested in having babies." He paused, questioning himself when she remained silent for longer than it could possibly take to think about it.


    He had seen her interaction with kids in the past, and her overflowing love for Linhou, Xiaomu and Yue. He had thought that it was because she loved kids. Could he have misunderstood the situation? Was it only because they were the children of the people she cared about?


    Unaware of what her husband was thinking about, Lanni finally processed his words and was excited. "Yes! Is there anyone who doesn''t want little cuties? Uhm¡­ there are people who don''t want kids but anyway, I would love them. Of course, it depends on your opinion too."


    He was relieved as he kissed her. "I wouldn''t say no to an adorable little angel with our combined genes. It would be the epitome of beauty and cuteness."


    "Aren''t you narcissistic?" She playfully jabbed him. In response, he stuck his nose in the air.


    "Of course, I''m very awesome. If not, I would never be able to settle down with a woman this perfect."


    She smiled. She would never get enough of his flattery. "You flatter me too much."


    "You better get used to it because I''m amazed every time I see you." He kissed her yet again, then asked the other question in his mind. "How many kids would you want?"


    "Just one or two. The more kids we have, the harder it would be to give them equal attention." She explained, and he agreed with her.


    "What about pets?" She asked when he nodded.


    He thought about it. "I don''t dislike animals. If you love them, we can adopt some. Speaking of which, do you want to move in with me right away or after the wedding?"


    "Uhm¡­" She pondered with her finger on her chin and looked up at his side profile. "Is it shameless to move in right away?"


    he chuckled, once again delighting in the fact that they were thinking of the same thing. "Not in the slightest. You are my wife."


    She looked relieved. "Then I''ll need some time to cancel the lease on my apartment and get my things ready."


    He pinched her ears. Was she forgetting that she now had a husband and no longer needed to do everything on her own? "I had a word with your landlord. We will drop by to gather your belongings and we can go after paying my parents a visit."


    She chuckled at how fast he had handled it. It turned out, he had been certain from the word go that she would agree to move in with him soon. But when she heard the last part of his statement, she was surprised.


    "We are going to visit your parents right now?"


    "We should, because we got married before the wedding. It would make them overjoyed to find out that you became their daughter-in-law sooner that it was initially planned." He explained and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "But we can do that tomorrow. I''m busy right now."


    "Busy with what?" She looked up at him curiously. Hadn''t he taken time off work?


    In response, he pushed her to lie on the couch and kissed her tummy. "Busy making love to my wife."


    ______


    AN


    Drop your comments and votes to motivate the author! XO


    PS ~ Short chapter, I know. The next one will be up in a few hours

 Chapter 520 - Meeting The Family

    "I''m glad that you finally became part of our family." Wen Lin hugged Lanni tightly when the duo broke the news of their marriage over dinner the following day. They had asked their friends to not say a word of it to the Ji family so they wouldn''t ruin the surprise.


    Ji Huifen held an envelope to her. "Here''s a little token. Welcome to the family, daughter-in-law."


    "Thank you." Lanni smiled. Although Ji Huifen said that it was a little token, Lanni would later discover that the content was anything but. It was the ownership papers for a few properties owned by the Ji family, which had now been transferred into her possession¡ªand that was not even part of the hefty dowry that was waiting in store.


    Ji Huifen looked happier than usual. Not only was his biological daughter back, but he had a daughter-in-law now. He couldn''t help wanting to strike up conversations with Lanni. "When will the two of you have kids?"


    Xiehan facepalmed while Wen Lin glared at him. "You old man, our son just got married. Don''t make it sound like our daughter-in-law is a baby making machine of some sort.


    "I didn''t mean it that way." Ji Huifen caughed awkwardly. "I was wrong."


    Lanni chuckled. She was certain that he really didn''t mean for it to sound that way.


    Xiehan smiled at his parents'' little war. "Now that we are on the topic of kids, Lanni and I have something to tell you."


    Wen Lin looked over excitedly. "Are you expecting a baby? If yes, I''m going to dance for the rest of the evening."


    Although he did not voice it, Ji Huifen looked like he would be dancing the night away alongside his wife. Lanni nervously looked over at Xiehan, who placed a hand on her knee. He smiled to reassure her that it would be alright.


    "No, we are not expecting a baby yet." He grinned at his parents'' disappointed expressions at his words. "But when we do, we would like to give our first son or daughter the surname Li."


    Wen Lin and her husband felt as though they had been through a roller coaster, while Ruby felt bummed that she was not becoming an aunt any time soon. Lanni had been bragging about being an aunt endlessly ever since Luna found out that she was pregnant.


    "This is what you wanted to talk about?" Wen Lin asked when she calmed down.


    "Yes." Xiehan nodded while holding his wife''s left hand under the table.


    Ji Huifen studied their expressions to gauge whether they were serious about the bombshell they had just dropped.


    The couple exchanged glances before Wen Lin looked at her son and asked, "Why? Your surname is Ji. Why would you give your child a different surname?"


    A second after she asked, she caught sight of the nervousness in Lanni''s eyes and figured it out. "Is it because of Li Yuming?"


    "It was my idea." Xiehan took the blame when he realized that his parents were probably not going to welcome the idea, even though it was what Lanni wanted.


    Of course, Wen Lin figured out the truth pretty fast. "I don''t know why you would want to do that¡­"


    "In honour of Aunt Li. She deserves it." He interrupted his displeased mother.


    "Well, that or whatever other reasons you may have." With the way she was looking at Lanni, it was obvious that she knew what the real reason was. "Xiehan, your child will bear your family''s surname. Otherwise, how the hell are you going to explain in future that your child''s surname is Li when yours in Ji?" She expressed her disapproval.


    "Xiehan," Lanni shook her head at him so he would stop talking but he paid no heed.


    "That it''s his mother''s surname. What''s so strange about that? It''s a common thing these days." Xiehan countered.


    "Just because it is common doesn''t mean we have to do it. It''s complicated as hell! And do you know what''s even more complicated? It''s the fact that Li is not even his mother''s surname. I mean, logically, your wife''s surname is Xia." Wen Lin glared at him.


    "Mother!" He roared. That was Lanni''s sore spot. Xia Hanchen was long dead but it didn''t change the fact that Lanni had once wanted to change her surname to Xia, only to realize that she was part of a scheme. Saying it out loud was like poking at a scar that was yet to completely heal on the inside.


    "While I don''t like the idea of it, Lanni and Xiehan have every right to name their child as they please." Ji Huifen finally chimed in.


    "Yes." Wen Lin did not deny it. "But I''m not going to sit back and watch my grandchildren take another family''s surname."


    "It''s the blood that matters." Lanni finally spoke.


    "That''s the exact reason why you shouldn''t be worried that the Li family bloodline will go extinct. You are related to her after all. Xiaomu and Linhou are related to her and so will your child. If she is the only person left in the Li family, nothing will change even if she were to adopt a dozen sons and name them after her relatives."


    "Okay, that''s enough." Xiehan shut his mother and held his wife''s hand. He had been naive to think that his parents would agree.


    "I have an idea that everyone will be satisfied with." Wen Lin spoke again.


    Lanni had a bad feeling and although Wen Lin could feel her son''s warning eyes, she spoke anyway. "Why don''t you have your sister rename her kids to Li Xiaomu and Li Linhou?"


    Lanni remained silent but her hand had clenched into a tight fist under the table.


    "That was an awesome way to welcome your daughter-in-law home. My wife and I will take our leave now." He took her hand as he stood, the sarcasm in his voice apparent.


    "Please stay the night." Ji Huifen didn''t wish for the newlyweds to leave with such tension. It would be much better if they calmly discussed this matter and reached a peaceful conclusion.


    "My wife and I would like to be alone tonight." He placed a hand gently on the small of her back and led her out without saying goodbye.


    ¡­.


    "It''s okay, my love. We are the ones who get to decide on this, not them." He patted her back in the car.


    This was exactly what he had said when they discussed it earlier¡ªhe didn''t find it necessary for his parents to have a say about their future children''s names. She had only thought that it would be respectful if they sought their opinion. The result was ironic.


    "And to think she passionately welcomed me into the family a moment ago. I almost thought she really liked me." Lanni finally expressed her opinion. "If I liked someone, even if that person were to make a suggestion I found insane enough to qualify for the mental asylum, I would not be rude about my comments. She really didn''t have to drag Luna into this."


    She looked up at him, he was silently gazing at her. "I''m sorry. She''s your mother after all, and I don''t intend to have a feud with your family. Especially not this soon."


    He kissed her lips, interrupting her mid speech. "What did I just say, honey? Our kids'' names are totally up to us. Even if we have eight kids and name them after the planets, no one has a say in it."


    "That''s scary." She laughed.


    "Naming after planets?" He chuckled. "I don''t want to imagine having a son called Earth either."


    "Not the planets. Eight kids." She blushed just thinking about it. "Where would they all live?"


    He poked her flat tummy. "Right here. After that, they will live in our mansion. We can move to a bigger mansion if the space feels crumbled."


    She burst into laughter. He was not actually considering it, right?


    As if reading her next concern, he added, "We can have them in pairs. Four pairs isn''t impossible. Or trios. Triplets for the first two times and twins for the last. Actually, quadruplets is a thing too."


    "Xiehan!" She smacked his chest. "Those who didn''t know would think that I''m your enemy and you were trying to kill me!"


    _____


    AN


    Don''t forget to drop your comments!


    Quick question: How many kids would you want Lanni and Xiehan to have?

 Chapter 521 - Date With Linhou (1)

    Their conversation was interruptted by a call from Luna. She picked it up and glared at him to behave himself and not say anything he shoudn''t "Hey sis."


    "Are you alright, Lanni?" Luna detected from her sister''s tone that something must be wrong.


    "Yes, I''m okay." It was not a lie, since she was not going to let her sour conversation with Wen Lin ruin the rest of her night.


    Luna was not having it. "You don''t sound alright. You went to visit your in-laws. Did something bad happen over there?" She asked directly. From her tone, she was ready to drive over and battle it out with the Ji family if they did anything to hurt her.


    Lanni chuckled at her sister''s protectiveness, touched that she would not be on her own if things really went south. Of course, she knew that Xiehan would always be there for her too. "It''s really nothing, Luna. I''m just tired." She didn''t want to kick a fuss over something negligible.


    "If you say so." Luna didn''t sound convinced but had to take her sister''s word for it since the latter would not spill her guts anyway.


    "Did you have something to tell me?" Lanni asked. It was not usual for Luna to give her a call in the evenings, especially now that everyone assumed that she and Xiehan were in their honeymoon phase and wanted nothing but to cuddle each other with no distraction.


    "Well, are you busy tomorrow?" She asked, then expressed her uncertainty immediately as it had just dawned on her. "It''s not something important, actually."


    "Not exactly busy." Lanni responded. "My boss gave me time off for my marriage but Xiehan has to go to work. I''ll be on my own the whole day."


    Luna was relieved. "Can you accompany me to shop for the kids? I''m sure they would love their aunt to tag along."


    "I would love to!" There was no question about that. Hearing the cutte giggles in the background, she knew that the kids couldn''t wait to go with her either. "At what time will you go?"


    "About 10am. Is that okay with you?" She confirmed.


    "Yes. See you there." Lanni excitedly hung up, looking forward to the next day.


    He gave her a sidelong glance. "You have plans for tomorrow?" he had been worried that she would be bored once he had to leave for work.


    "A date with my nephew and niece. Of course I''m excited." She almost hugged her phone as though the hug could be sent over to her nephew and niece.


    Her joy was contagious, Xiehan smiled. "Have fun."


    "You too." She teased even while knowing that work was probably anything but fun.


    "There''s not a minute of fun without you by my side." His brows knitted.


    "But you need to work." She reminded him before he could think of cancelling.


    "Mmh. Such a bummer." He groaned.


    She thought about it and leaned over to kiss him. "On the bright side, I will be waiting for you in bed when you come back. Our bed."


    Her emphasis on the last two words made his manhood harden in his pants in excitement. He frowened slightly. ''Relax, will you? She is already ours.'' His heart raced from her kisses. "Can you not mention bed when you kiss me?" He complained.


    "Okay. I''ll mention it as I touch you." And she went on full husband-teasing mode.


    ___


    "You look bright. You have become more beautiful in just a couple of days." Luna commented when Lanni joined her and Cheng Yu at the children''s clothes and toys store.


    "That''s what marriage does to you." Lanni''s cheeks flushed as she sneakily jabbed at Cheng Yu who had decided to join them at the last minute.


    "I absolutely agree." Luna went along.


    As expected, Cheng Yu complained. "Are the two of you trying to show off to me?"


    "Sorry." Lanni chuckled.


    "You''re not sorry. Hmph. I''ll play with my godson instead. He is more fun than the two of you." Cheng Yu ignored them and picked up Linhou who was trying to leave the cart.


    "Don''t be mad, CEO Cheng." Luna laughed teasingly. "How are things going at work?"


    "Busier." Cheng Yu sighed. It was difficult to take a day off but she totally needed it. "But I will never let you down, Luna."


    "I never doubted that." Luna smiled gratefully. She knew that Moonlight Studios was not just her hard work but Cheng Yu''s too. The last thing Cheng Yu would do was let it go down the drain.


    "She is the CEO now?" Lanni blinked at the news.


    "It''s still unofficial but yeah." Luna answered.


    "Luna is giving up the position to me so she can save time for her softwares." Cheng Yu added.


    Lanni thought about it and nodded. "I don''t think it''s a bad choice. Actually I think you are much better off behind the computers than a large desk labelled CEO."


    Luna chuckled. "Yes. Except, I''m moving to a large desk labelled COO." It didn''t sound like there was much difference but Luna and Cheng Yu just how much busier the CEO was. Afer discussing it with Xingyu, they decided that Luna would continue working from home whenever she could but when she had to attend meetings, she would go to the office.


    On the other hand, Li Yuming helped them contact her old friend. The woman had been Lanni''s nanny throughout her childhood and had only left because Lanni was a grown up and no longer needed a nanny. If the woman had been trusted with Lanni for all those years, then it must mean that she was worth a try. Otherwise, she would have been fired long ago.


    After speaking to Xinghe about the matter, the latter had also sent over two of the servants who had worked for the Jiang family for the longest time and were the most trustworthy.


    The new nanny would arrive the following day and after that, Luna would no longer have too much work in her hands.


    When Lanni heard about the new arrangements, she was genuinely elated. "I''m happy for you, sis. And you too, Xiao Yu, you both deserve it."

 Chapter 522 - Date With Linhou (2)

    "Check this out, Lanni. I think it would look good on you." Cheng Yu exclaimed as though she had just won the jackpot.


    Lanni excitedly looked over at her. "Let me see." In the next second, she frowned. Cheng Yu was holding a little princess dress whose tag was labelled 2-2 and a half years. She shook her head. "You naughty thing."


    "You totally fell for it." Cheng Yu threw her head back, laughing so hard that Lanni wanted to punch her in the face. How could she have fallen for such a lousy trick? When Cheng Yu mentioned a dress that would look good on her, she had totally forgotten that they were in the children''s store.


    "I will take revenge for that. Just you wait." She threatened Cheng Yu.


    "I''ll be waiting, your majesty." Cheng Yu teased and was about to return the dress to its rack when a tiny hand tugged at it. "Do you like it, Mumu?" She looked in Xiaomu''s direction only to find that she was not the one holding it, but Linhou.


    "Luna, your son wants to wear a dress." She laughed teasingly.


    Luna chuckled as she watched Linhou grab the dress as though he liked it. In the next second, he looked towards Xiaomu and cumsily passed the dress to her.


    "How smart. He knows that Mumu wears dresses so he thinks all dresses belong to his sister and is returning it to her." Lanni observed with a smile.


    "How cute. He is looking out for his sister. I want a twin brother too." Cheng Yu''s eyes were filled with adoration.


    Luna smiled dotingly at her children and focused her gaze on Xiaomu. "Mumu, if someone gives you a gift, you thank them by saying ''thank you''. Go on, thank your brother."


    She tried to, but the words were difficult to pronounce so she simply flashed Linhou a smile that could melt hearts.


    "I swear, I''m going to ask my boyfriend to do me without protection next time. I hope I will have a child that cute." They overheard a young woman expressing her awe in the most unfiltered way.


    "Do you think they will be that cute? Those are Jiang Xingyu''s children." Another young woman gossiped while trying to lower her voice, clearly doing a horrible job at it. "Besides, look how beautiful their mother is. I would kill to have such a cute pair of twins but I simply can''t hold a candle to them! Why is life so unfair?"


    Several gasps of admiration followed them no matter which alley they took, and Luna caught a few teenagers trying to snap pictures of Linhou in the name of admiring the little Xingyu. It was hard enough just convincing them that they should delete the photos because Linhou was too young to be exposed to the media, without sounding rude. In the end, she decided to send the twins to the play area.


    There were many little kids in the play area and no one had the time to comb through the adorable mess of pink and blue just to look for Jiang Xingyu''s kids. They sat on the first floor, where they could see the play zone through the mezzanine. They were tired and needed refreshments.


    "The kids look happy." Cheng Yu observed as she sipped her juice. She couldn''t get her eyes off Xiaomu who was bouncing happily on what looked like a small deflatable castle. She even held hands with a little girl who was probably her new friend.


    "I''ve never seen my Mumu smile so happily." Luna felt her heart melt. Xiaomu had always been active, walking laps throughout the compound in search for heaven knows what. Yet, this was the first time that her adorable laugh was filled with so much joy. "Turns out it''s because she doesn''t have friends. I overlooked this."


    "But she has a brother at least." Lanni commented.


    Luna chuckled at the thought of it. "Brother, yes. They are like boiling oil and water. Whenever they are in the same frame, screams happen and the house falls into chaos."


    "Uh¡­ is that how twins usually are?" Cheng Yu didn''t want to imagine it.


    "It''s funny if you ask me. I had to ask their pediatrician if it''s alright. He said it was because they had some sense of competition against each other, probably regarding the people around them."


    It was almost unbelievable, especially since they were both so adorable. Everyone''s first reaction upon seeing them was usually to hold them on one arm each, or hug them one after the other. It was hard to not love either twin.


    "Xingyu and I strive to treat them fairly all the time. To be honest, I don''t have a preference between them either. I just love them both with all my heart. But in their little minds, they want to know who our favorite is." She ffound them amusing.


    "What if your favorite were Linhou and Xingyu''s favorite were Xiaomu?" Cheng Yu asked.


    "They would want to oust each other and want just one of them to be both parents'' favorite."


    "Uh¡­ that sounds complex for their age."


    "I know. But on the contrary, it is because they are little that they can think that way. When they are older, doc says that they will probably be so dependent on each other that Xingyu and I will feel like backdrops. Honestly, I wouldn''t mind. As long as they stop fighting."


    "Look, isn''t that Linhou? He is befriending a little girl." Lanni was awed. With their rivalry, she had almost thought that Linhou ignored Xiaomu sometimes because he had realized that they were different and he disliked little girls.


    "I didn''t know kids that young could be let into the play zone." Cheng Yu noticed that the little girl eating Linhou''s snack couldn''t be two years old yet. But it was not surprising. There were professionals looking after the kids so their age didn''t actually matter.


    "The point is, Linhou has a little girlfriend. " Cheng Yu cheered, earning a smack from Luna.


    "You are dirty minded! My son is just a toddler."


    "So protective, are we? He will have a girlfriend sooner or later." She teased.


    "Just shut up." Luna frowned. Although she knew that kids that age probably didn''t know the difference in gender, she looked over at her son who was laughing so hard that he fell onto the carpet along with the little girl. "Wait. Isn''t that girl Yue?"

 Chapter 523 - Trouble In Paradise? (1)

    "Huh? Yue?" Cheng Yu found the name familiar but no matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn''t remember. She inched closer to Lanni and asked, "Who is Yue?"


    "Han Xichen and Xiaoshi''s daughter. What a poor memory." Lanni called her out for having the memory of a goldfish but she could not be blamed. She had only met Han Yue once at Xiehan''s welcome party. How the hell was she supposed to remember her when she rarely heard anything regarding Han Xichen and Xiaoshi?


    But when she looked over at the adorable little girl, she had to admit that she looked like a tiny version of Xiaoshi. "Ah, yes she does look like Xiaoshi''s daughter. She even has her mother''s red hair."


    Red hair was becoming more common in the Ji family lately, Lanni started wondering what color her own children might have when she had them¡ªnot that she had a particular preference. Her own hair was no longer its natural color after all. It kept growing out too fast whenever she dyed it and would have conspicuous black roots within just a few days, so she opted to let it grow and dyed the tips silver. Her kids could simply do the same if they wanted to.


    Cheng Yu continued observing Linhou who had just received a toy from one of the professionals taking care of them. Instead of playing with the tiny car, he stuffed it into Yue''s little hand and smiled. "How adorable. Your kids found each other and became friends."


    Although the mothers were no longer awkward around each other since they were not pining for the same man anymore, they were not the closest of friends either. They would greet each other briefly when they had to and each mind their business afterwards. Apparently, they would probably not become friends any time soon.


    "Xiaoshi must be nearby. I''ll give her a call." Lanni pointed it out based on Yue''s presence.


    She dialled Xiaoshi''s number and sure enough, the latter was in the store. "Hey, Lanni. I was about to give you a call. I saw Xiaomu around and thought you must be here with her."


    "I came shopping with Luna and Xiao Yu." She informed the latter, so she would decide whether or not to come over even with Luna around.


    "Where are you guys? I will come and say hi." Xiaomu said, much to Lanni''s relief. She was still waiting for Lanni to describe her location when she heard a gasp. "Ah, I think I saw you. Wait for me."


    When the latter hung up, Lanni turned to her friends. "Shishi is coming to say hello." She especially looked at Luna.


    "Stop looking at me. I don''t mind being her friend if she wants to. I have nothing against her." Luna chuckled. Having nothing against her was an understatement. She respected Xiaoshi. If it were another woman, they would probably still be battling it out for Xingyu''s attention. Xiaoshi chose the high road by giving up and moving on, and the heavens must have rewarded her by giving her her own happy family.


    Xiaoshi arrived in a few minutes, out of breath from having used the staircase. She was holding a shopping bag with everything she had purchased.


    "How have you been? It'' s been long." Lanni embraced her.


    "Long? We saw each other on your wedding night." Xiaoshi laughed. "But I''m great."


    "Hey there, bosses." She still called Luna and Cheng Yu her bosses despite being more casual with each other. The women laughed at her form of address and hugged her. When Luna raised a cup to her arrival, she frowned. "You are drinking tea on such a hot afternoon?"


    "I can''t drink cold juice¡­" Luna cleared her throat and the other two women gave her suspicious glances too. She could only explain. "Uhm¡­ my period is late."


    "That''s not fair!" Lanni jokingly pouted.


    "Hey, it''s not for certain, okay?" Luna burst into laughter at her sister who sounded like she had been robbed of something. Well, seeing her sister have a third child before she had her first might make her a little jealous. She chuckled as she explained to the shocked women who looked like they were about to salute her. "I like to take precaution every time my period is late. Just in case."


    "You and Xingyu want another baby?" Cheng Yu asked in surprise, not because it was odd but because Luna had never mentioned it.


    "We are not specifically trying but we wouldn''t mind one more bundle of cuteness." She smiled. "Only, I think the twins are still little. We may start trying when they are older¡ªif we will want it."


    "I''m so jealous. I''m not even married yet." Cheng Yu pouted, painfully realizing that she was the only unmarried woman in the group.


    Lanni and Xiaoshi laughed at her expense while Luna asked, "When is Cedric going to pop the big WYMM question? I mean, he is planning to, right?" She hoped that Cedric was not holding her friend back because he was afraid of commitment or some other crappy reason.


    Cheng Yu took a sip of her iced apple juice. "I don''t know¡­I think it''s still too early for us."


    "You have been dating for two years. Your third anniversary is already knocking, hello." Lanni waved a hand in front of her as though to wake her. "And you are certainly not too young for marriage. He isn''t either."


    "Uhm...you are right. I just feel like there are things that need to be settled." She looked uneasy. "It''s not that I don''t want to spend the rest of my life with him but marriage is something else altogether. I''m not sure."


    It was probably crazy now that she thought about it. She was willing to be with him forever without the piece of paper but when she added the thought of said piece of paper to the mix, she became nervous.


    "It''s totally fine. Take your time, Yu." Luna rubbed her back.


    "As long as you explain your views to Cedric. Don''t let him misunderstand your hesitance." Lanni reminded her, then noticed that Xiaoshi looked off. She had blanked out at some point and looked sad.


    "You look unhappy. Trouble in paradise?" Lanni teased. She had merely said it as a joke because she knew that Xiaoshi and Xichen would never have trouble but when she saw the former''s eyes dim, she freaked out. "Oh no, I''m sorry. I¡­"


    1/10


    ____


    AN.


    I wanted to mass release before sleeping but unfortunately, I can barely keep my eyes open T_T


    Please be patient for a few hours, I will mass release at different hours of the day when I wake up.


    PS: I''m trying out the bold and italics features. Please let me know if the whole text from 1/10 is in bold italics, thanks! ??

 Chapter 524 - Trouble In Paradise(?) 2

    "It''s okay." Xiaoshi smiled, not thinking it was a big deal that Lanni had poked fun at her.


    Lanni was worried and still felt horrible. "Is everything alright?"


    "Yeah." She took a deep breath. It was obvious that she wanted to talk about it, she needed someone to speak to, but was probably afraid to open up.


    "It''s okay, Shishi. You can tell us anything." Cheng Yu urged, ready to listen and Luna nodded in agreement. Seeing that they were all ready to listen and probably help, she took a deep breath and let it out.


    "I just think¡­ Xichen is a bit detached lately."


    "What exactly do you mean?" Lanni probed.


    Since she had spilled it, she might as well go all the way. "He no longer has time for us. He is always busy with heaven knows what." It was unsure whether the words were for Lanni, Luna and Cheng Yu, to fill them in on her situation, or for herself to realize what exactly was happening with her husband.


    She looked defeated." I checked his schedule a few times and it was not necessary for him to take up the patients he had decided to be responsible for. It''s almost as if¡­ he is looking for something to keep him away from home." She almost laughed at herself when she said it.


    Lanni''s brows furrowed." Maybe you are overthinking it."


    "I would love to think so too." She let out a breath, not in the slightest bit convinced. She had also believed that she was overthinking things until they stayed under the same roof for a whole week without exchanging a single word. He would basically be long gone by the time she woke up and would return while she was asleep. She would feel him slip into bed but didn''t have the strength to talk to him either. What else was she to think other than that he was avoiding her?


    Luna guessed what she was thinking and chimed in, "Don''t be discouraged. What time does he get home?"


    "9pm, sometimes 10 or 11." She facepalmed. "By that time, Yue will be asleep. If he comes a bit earlier, he will spend a little time with her before turning in."


    His behaviour was certainly strange, she could see that the three women looked suspicious too. She shrugged and still tried not to pass a harsh verdict.


    "Sometimes I used to think that it''s because he doesn''t love Yue anymore. At least not as much as he did before she was born.


    Lanni didn''t think so. "Do you think there''s a specific reason why he could possibly be distant from her? One that he has not told you about?"


    "I know, right? Aren''t fathers supposed to be obsessed with their daughters?" Cheng Yu added, finding it more odd the more Xiaoshi spoke.


    "Maybe because she is a girl?" Xiaoshi spat the guess on her mind.


    "Don''t start thinking of it that way. I don''t think he has a preference. I mean, he doesn''t strike me as that kind." Lanni was certain from when he saw the man''s interaction with his daughter before. If he did have a preference, then he definitely loved daughters.


    "What about his interaction with you?" Luna asked.


    This was the part that made her want to pull her hair. "He is often tired after work. After kissing Yue goodnight or playing with her for a bit, he will come to our room and hold me to sleep. It''s strange."


    The women exchanged glances, which made Xiaoshi even more worried. "Are you thinking what I''m thinking¡ªthat he probably found another woman?"


    "I don''t know Dr. Han that well but I don''t think so." Cheng Yu expressed her opinion. "For one thing, you are so beautiful. What else would a man be looking for in a woman outside his marriage? Secondly, your description doesn''t make me think of a cheating scumbag. It makes me think of a man who is either stressed as hell or has his priorities jumbled into a mess."


    Xiaoshi scratched her chin as she tried to think. What kind of priorities would Han Xichen have aside from work and family? She suddenly realized that she no longer knew him. Two years ago, she would know when to find him at any random time and what he would be doing¡ªdown to the last detail. Now, she didn''t even know what his plans were. How ironic.


    The women fell into discussion for a while before Cheng Yu spoke up. "I think I know what you should do."


    "What''s that?" Not just Xiaoshi, Lanni and Luna were also curious to know what their love expert had in mind for this bizarre fix.


    Cheng Yu deliberately made them wait before she crossed her arms and slacked back in her seat. "First off, perhaps you need to understand that if he didn''t love Yue, that would have nothing to do with his interaction with you. He would still come home at the usual time and just spend all his time with you while avoiding her. He would probably be pressing you for another child without explaining why he wants it."


    "Well¡­" She thought it made a lot of sense. But if it had nothing to do with Yue, then what the hell was wrong with him? She had thought it had something to do with their daughter because they were alright before she was born.


    Cheng Yu looked straight at Xiaoshi. "Something is definitely lacking and I have a feeling it''s between the sheets. So, you should charm his boxer briefs off."


    "Xiao Yu!" Luna glared at her and Xiaoshi went red in embarrassment. It was a little awkward, she had to admit. It wasn''t every day she talked about such intimate things with a trio of friends.


    Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow and massaged the area between her eyes." Oh, I''m sorry if that sounded like a joke. I was not kidding. I seriously think you should charm the hell out of him. Let him know what he has been missing."


    ____


    2/10.


    Goodnight to those who are going to sleep soon and good day to the others!

 Chapter 525 - Trouble In Paradise (3)

    Xiaoshi''s face was still red when she lowered her voice to ask, "How am I supposed to do that?"


    "I''m glad you asked." Cheng Yu looked like she had snagged the opportunity to show off her heavenly skills.


    "The lingerie store is next door." She scratched her chin a little and whipped out her phone. "Luckily, they have a website. We can simply decide what to buy and pick it up on our way."


    Xiaoshi almost choked on her drink. "You want me to seduce him?"


    "Yes. Remind him that he has a hot wife at home." Cheng Yu did a naughty wiggle of her brows that made Xiaoshi almost want to bury herself in her cup. She winked. "Seduce him, make him crave for you but but don''t have sex with him. Just let him see what he has been missing. I''m certain you haven''t been doing it that often with him."


    "You are so dirty minded." Lanni wanted to hide away when she realized where this conversation was heading.


    Cheng Yu shot a glare at her. "Do you have a better suggestion?" Seeing as Lanni was about to shake her head, she shrugged. "See? Anyway, I''m sure of this method. Trust me. It will work no matter what jerk you are married to. Since Dr. Han doesn''t score much on the jerk spectrum, it is even more certain to work."


    After convincing them, she resumed her questions. "Have the two of you been active since he started acting that way?"


    "No." Xiaoshi shook her head amid her embarrassment.


    "That''s my point." Cheng Yu swiped through the selection of lingerie.


    "But¡­" Xiaoshi seemed hesitant when she saw the bright colored seductive bras and knickers.


    "Come on. Are you scared to seduce the man who sleeps next to you in bed every night? The one who has seen you naked so many times?" Cheng Yu raised an eyebrow and looked like she was going to scold her for being innocent.


    "No. It''s just¡­" She looked hesitant. "I won''t look good in lingerie. I''m not as attractive as I used to be before having Yue."


    It finally dawned on the three women, why Xiaoshi didn''t seem to have ever taken the initiative when Han Xichen slipped into bed. She was insecure about her body.


    Lanni patted her hand. "Of course you are not as attractive as you used to be before having Yue. You are a hundred times more attractive, okay?"


    She was not exaggerating.


    Luna nodded as she added, "Let''s face it, Xiaoshi. We are humans and we are women. When we get pregnant, our bellies will protrude. Whether or not they will fully return to normal later will depend on how much effort we put in. Our boobs will definitely not look the same after feeding our babies. Our bodies are undergoing hormonal changes, which means we are likely to add more weight someday. We will age with time. You can''t expect to look like a teenager at fifty. Even those women who look like supermodels in their forties and fifties don''t look like they did as maidens.


    But that doesn''t mean that our husbands will stop loving us. Sure, some blokes will run around looking for younger women but that doesn''t make us unattractive, okay? It only makes us normal humans¡ªjust like their c*cks will one day become flabby as hell."


    The women burst into laughter at her last statement. And to think they were about to applaud her from pointing out the facts that everyone needed to face.


    Lanni was still dying in laughter. "Luna is right. And what makes you think he would not be dying to have you when he sees those beauties in a sexy bra?"


    "Uhm¡­" Xiaoshi covered her chest that Lanni was staring at. These girls!


    Her face was red as she swiped through the selection of lingerie. She settled for a blue, conservative pair. "Okay. I''ll pick this."


    Cheng Yu rolled her eyes. "He will find it attractive but it is too modest. Go for this." She pointed at a black lacy pair that had a bunny ear headband and a curved devil tail.


    "I''ve never worn this kind." Xiaoshi was slightly hesitant, but the thought of Xichen''s reaction made her look forward to it.


    "Which is exactly why you should. Show him the seductive side of you." Cheng Yu''s words finalised the deal, earning approval from both Lanni and Luna.


    "Okay." Xiaoshi said decisively. She was doing this mainly to save her marriage so there was no time to hesitate.


    "So, first step, put Yue to bed." Cheng Yu ran through the steps.


    "Next step, take a nice, refreshing bath with essential oils and change into this. Then, throw a coat over."


    "Okay." Xiaoshi blushed all over again.


    "When that bloke comes home, welcome him with a peck on his cheek. Not a kiss. Leave as soon as you peck him so he can''t kiss you¡ªyou will be smelling so nice he wouldn''t want to miss the chance." She continued. "Next, go back to your room and wait for him. Once he is preparing to sleep, casually take off your coat and flaunt your body around the room. Don''t look in his direction. Let your body do the talking."


    "Oh my God, Xiao Yu." Lanni couldn''t hold her tongue anymore. How did Cheng Yu turn into such an expert? She was even teaching others how to do it!


    "I suddenly feel pity for Cedric." Luna rocked in laughter. If he messed up, he had trouble coming for him.


    Cheng Yu ignored them and continued telling Xiaoshi what to do. "If he tries to touch you, give him a random excuse and go to sleep¡ªin your lingerie if you can. Make him hard all night."


    "Poor Cedric." Lanni agreed with her sister.


    "This is about saving Xiaoshi''s marriage, okay? Cedric has nothing to do with it. "Cheng Yu suddenly felt embarrassed from the teasing.


    "I know what else to do!" Lanni gave a naughty wink.


    _____


    3/10.


    The next chapter will be up in a few minutes..

 Chapter 526 - Trouble In Paradise(4)

    "What is it?" Cheng Yu asked, stopping when she was about to conclude that Xiaoshi should use the chance to talk.


    Lanni naughtily cleared her throat.


    "When that bloke wakes up the next day, ask him to massage your neck and waist. Don''t let him touch you in other parts." She winked. "Make him hard all day. Let him think about what he could be having every night if he spent more time at home."


    "That will be torture but serves him right for making his wife so stressed out." Luna seconded.


    Cheng Yu thought it was brilliant too. "In the evening, you can tease the hell out of him with a new pair. Choose a red one this time and be a real devil, worse than on the first night. He probably wouldn''t be able to take it anymore."


    "Don''t say it, don''t say it." Xiaoshi didn''t think she would be able to handle the embarrassment if Cheng Yu stated the most intimate aloud. The women laughed at her expression.


    Cheng Yu resumed after a long pause to let her take it all in.


    "When you are done, nestle to him and talk about everything you wish he knew. Air out what he has been making you feel, your insecurities and if he lets you, tell him what you need. If he is really too busy, you can work out a routine that works for you both. As long as he spends more time with you."


    What was a happy conversation suddenly took a nervous turn.


    Xiaoshi played with her glass. "I''m afraid things will spiral out of control if I open my mouth. I mean, we have planned all of this out while assuming that he still loves me and our daughter deep down, right? But what if he doesn''t? What if my opening up makes him realize that he can no longer put up with me and he decides to let go?"


    Lanni''s eyes drooped. It hurt to see her friend so insecure. "Shishi, I think you are misunderstanding something. A man who no longer loves a woman will not want to be anywhere near her¡ªlet alone hold her to sleep."


    "Lanni is right. He would have been spending the night at the hospital. They have resting rooms after all. The fact that he still comes home no matter what time it is, even if he doesn''t touch you and doesn''t engage in conversations with you, means that he definitely still loves you.


    "And to think that the wife of a psychologist needs relationship advice." Xiaoshi laughed at herself.


    "He hangs out with Xingyu a few times lately. Not too often but once in a while. I will give him a piece of my mind when I see him." Luna promised.


    However, Cheng Yu shook her head in disapproval immediately. "Don''t do that yet. Let them solve their own matters first. If they can''t, then we can step in." If they were under pressure, they might have trouble communicating their sentiments.


    "I will be ready for a fist fight." Lanni declared.


    Cheng Yu looked at her suspiciously. "Why do I get the feeling that you are more excited about getting to beat someone up than you are about teaching a blockhead a lesson?"


    "Because she wants to try out the moves I have been teaching her." Luna exposed her sister mercilessly. Since she was allowed to exercise again after childbirth, she had been teaching Lanni some self defense moves. The latter was yet to use them and was probably itching for a fight.


    Lanni shrugged. "Two birds, one stone." The others burst into laughter.


    "Thank you." Was all Xiaoshi could say to them. She already felt better with the solution in her hands even though she was yet to try it. She was unsure whether or not it would work but after letting out her pent up emotions, she was relieved. More than anything, she was more convinced that Xichen was not cheating on her¡ªthanks to the reasons that the women had pointed out that made it unlikely.


    "You don''t need to thank us, Shishi." Lanni hugged her.


    "You need a makeover." Luna remembered in a flash.


    "A what?" Xiaoshi asked.


    Before she knew it, she had been dragged for a wax and her hair was in perfect waves that made her look bold and seductive. Her nails had been done too and they had shopped for new clothes¡ªnone of which was chosen by her. It was only after seeing the reflection of her new look that she realized that for a while, she had started neglecting her looks.


    "Good luck. Tell us how it goes." Cheng Yu winked.


    "I''ll help you take care of Mumu tomorrow." Lanni offered, which was needed since the adults would be too busy for her.


    "Thank you." Xiaoshi hugged her, then they went to pick the kids from the play zone of the women''s clothes store.


    ¡­


    All they saw was Linhou placing Yue''s hand in his mouth.


    "Linhou, that''s not food. Let go of Yue''s hand." Luna facepalmed at her foodie son, as the others roared in laughter.


    In the next second, Xiaomu hit Yue on the head.


    "Mumu!" Luna pulled her daughter away and reprimanded her, while Linhou tried to hit Xiaomu. Yue screamed on top of her lungs.


    "Okay this is a mess." Xiaoshi picked her daughter up to soothe her.


    "Excuse me, may I know what happened here?" Cheng Yu asked the attendant.


    "Kids fight all the time. It is nothing fatal." The woman answered.


    "Mumu, what happened? Could you tell mummy?" Luna asked gently, trying to understand why the usually calm Xiaomu would hit another kid.


    "Mommy¡­" She cried.


    "Mmh?"


    "Brother." He pointed at Linhou while drawling the syllables that were still hard to pronounce.


    Luna looked at Linhou in Lanni''s arms. "What did your brother do?"


    "Brother, mine." Xiaomu cried.


    Luna didn''t know whether to laugh or cry when she finally got it.


    Cheng Yu was at it again. "How cute. She is jealous that her brother is being taken away."


    Luna looked over at Xiaoshi. "Is Yue okay?"


    "Yes. It wasn''t a forceful hit." Xiaoshi responded, making Luna relieved.


    She put her daughter down to reprimand her. "Mumu, I understand that you love your brother but don''t hit other kids, okay?"


    Xiaomu nodded with teary eyes.


    "Mumu hit Yue, so Yue is sad. She will not want to play with you." She tried to explain in the simplest terms before nudging the girl, "Say sorry to Yue."


    "Yue, sorry." Xiaomu drawled.


    Luna felt relieved and brought Linhou over, to place their tiny hands together. "Look. He is still your brother. Your brother will always be your brother. No one can take him away, okay?"


    It wasn''t sure whether the girl understood.


    "Linhou." She took Linhou''s hand, placing it in Xiaomu''s. "Mumu''s brother."


    She then poked Xiaomu and looked at them. "Mumu, Linhou''s sister."


    They didn''t know what the terms "brother" and "sister" meant on their own, but they understood that it meant they could still play together. The two exchanged a clumsy, adorable hug.


    Cheng Yu almost cried watching them. "What happened to the rivalry?"


    _____


    4/10


    Next two chapters will be up in about 2 hours.

 Chapter 527 - Little Devil (1)

    That evening, Xiaoshi took a bath according to the plan. She knew that Han Xichen usually arrived at 9pm so she panicked slightly when she realized that it was already 9pm. After feeding and cleaning up Yue, the girl seemed to be part of the plan as she fell asleep. She only changed into the lingerie she had bought after putting the girl to sleep.


    The clock in the bedroom ticked away the minutes and she couldn''t help checking it a few times. It was half past nine, which was also within the time he usually came. She poured herself a drink to calm her nerves. Why was she feeling this way when it was her husband and not some monster she was waiting for?


    At a half past ten, her brows furrowed. Was he stuck in traffic? She knew that she was starting to make excuses for him¡ªlike she''d been doing for the past few times that he started being distant. There was no such thing as traffic at 10pm. That would be insane. Those were usually the hours when drivers were tempted to overspeed because the road was a little too clear.


    She nodded off on the couch and when she woke up, there was still no sign of him. Fear started to creep in. Could it be that he had finally decided to not come home? It was already midnight! Could something have happened to him?


    The thought jolted her. Why was she acting insecure when something could have happened to her husband? She picked up her phone with trembling hands and was about to make a call when she heard the front door open.


    In relief, she rushed downstairs. She was about to rush right into his arms when she remembered what the plan was.


    "Xichen, you are home." She pursed her red lipsticked lips and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek.


    "I''m sorry I''m late." His attention seemed drawn to her lips. She usually wore pink and nude, so this bold and bright shade was a novelty. He moved to pull her into his arms. "The project took longer than expected and I lost track of time."


    So he knew to apologize. She stopped herself from glaring at him and helped him take his jacket off, seeing how tired he was. For some reason, she felt guilty for blaming him.


    "Is Yue asleep?" He asked.


    "Yes. I''ll make you something to eat." She made a step towards the kitchen, only to be stopped by his words.


    "I had dinner at the hospital cafeteria."


    She froze. No, it was not happening.


    Her lips were clenched to a thin line and she didn''t turn when she asked, "So you don''t want anything to eat? Not even coffee to drink?"


    "I''m too tired to stay awake." He rubbed his temples when he detected displeasure in her tone when he mentioned having had dinner. "Tea will do."


    "Okay. Coming right up." She disappeared into the kitchen right when he was about to compliment her looks.


    She was wearing a beige jacket to cover whatever was underneath it but it seemed to drive him crazy already.


    She didn''t give him the chance to silently admire her, speaking as soon as she brought the tea.


    "What have you been busy with lately?"


    He sipped the tea. "A pharmaceutical project. I''m taking part in the research that my family started."


    "I see. No wonder you have been busy." She blinked, the guilt seeping in again. No wonder he had dark circles, he was probably not getting enough sleep.


    But then again, he deserved it. Why was he taking on so many random projects anyway?


    Her thoughts were interrupted by him taking her arm to pull her closer. "Come here."


    "I''ll run you a bath." She slipped away before he had the chance to hug her. He seemed surprised, because she had always loved hugs. They had been cuddling every night, so why was she avoiding it?


    He was still confused when he finished his bath.


    He left the bathroom only for his eyes to be filled with a tempting sight. The bra barely covered her boobs. Instead, it highlighted their fullness. She was shyly trying to cover up with her hand but that only made her look more seductive, move inviting. His manhood hardened as his eyes trailed down her body. Her small waist looked delicate with the lacy thong that had a tail behind it. If this was what the devil looked like, he was certain that he was ready to go to hell.


    He itched to touch her, to taste her delicious skin.


    But when he took a step to hold her, she slipped away.


    "Shishi¡­" His manhood throbbed with need.


    "Xichen, not tonight. I''m not in the mood." She walked around the room doing nothing in particular and finally climbed into bed. She wanted to glare at him.


    ''How can you not understand me?'' She thought painfully. What happened to the heavenly mind-reading abilities when she needed them? If he understood how lonely and insecure she felt by his distance, she would not have resorted to doing this kind of thing.


    And that Cheng Yu! Why did she not tell her that she was supposed to feel so turned on, feeling her husband''s lustful gaze on her? She almost couldn''t resist the urge to let him touch her.


    "Can I at least hold you?" He inched closer. She shrunk away and he was disappointed. "If you are uncomfortable with it¡­"


    "I would like to sleep on my own tonight." She covered herself. She would definitely give in if he hugged her.


    "Okay." He was well behaved. She almost believed that he managed to sleep until she heard running water in the bathroom a few times in the night. He sure wasn''t going to get enough sleep tonight. Thinking that it might make him sleep in, she didn''t think it was a bad thing after all. He needed to spend some real time with their daughter.


    She woke up before him and when he finally woke up, she hissed slightly as she rubbed her waist. "You are awake, Xichen. Good morning."


    "Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.


    She shook her head with a pout. "I think I slept in a poor posture. My waist hurts. Could you give me a massage?"


    ____


    5/10 (I hope..? I lost count)

 Chapter 528 - Little Devil (2)

    That was the most tempting thing he had ever had to do. He could only resign to his fate with his manhood fully awakened. He pressed the sides of her waist. "Here?"


    "No. At the centre. A little more to the left. Right there."


    He frowned when he felt the part she claimed to be in pain. Her muscles were alright. Why would she be in pain? He inspected further by rubbing circles around it and when she didn''t flinch even when he applied pressure, he finally figured it out. There was no pain. She was merely making him massage her.


    An evil grin formed on his face. She was seducing him! When his hands trailed to her back, she backed away with a start.


    "Xichen, no."


    He frowned. What was going on with her? Seducing him when she didn''t want him to touch her?


    Knowing that it would be hard to even breathe with her like this, he nodded. "Then I''ll get ready for work."


    "I''ll run your bath and get your clothes." She said, and did so while flaunting the curves around the room as she moved.


    "You are definitely trying to drive me crazy." He groaned when she was close to him and he couldn''t even touch her although her boobs were right before him.


    "What did I do?" She feigned innocence.


    He swallowed hard. "If you are going to ban sex, can you not walk around in lingerie?"


    "I''ll consider that." She chuckled.


    When he was about to leave for work, she called after him, "Xichen."


    He looked over at her.


    "Can you come home early tonight? We need to talk."


    "Okay." He nodded.


    He would have returned early anyway, because the thought of her was making it hard for him to concentrate. It wasn''t that he didn''t usually think of her while at work, but today it was purely her body he was thinking about. The way her waist looked this morning when she bent over to let him massage her. He made zero progress by evening so he simply stopped his work and drove back. That little devil was killing him.


    ¡­.


    Xiaoshi was prepared earlier today, and Lanni had already taken Yue away for the night. When he arrived, she once again pecked him. This time she was wearing a little red dress¡ªjust long enough to cover her butt. It made him hard as soon as he saw her.


    "Take a nap. I''ll make your dinner." She instructed and he could only do as he was told.


    "Thank you." He was tired anyway, so he fell asleep soon.


    Much later, he woke up to a warm pair of red lips wrapped around his manhood. "Shishi¡­" He groaned, his mind clearing up.


    "F*ck, I thought it was a dream."


    She smiled at his predicament and paused what she was doing. "Do you have such dreams often?"


    "Will you hate me if I said that I do?" He asked back.


    She shook her head and flicked the crown of his manhood with her tongue, once again taking him in her mouth. Her boobs were pressed against his thighs, and the red lingerie she was wearing made him almost lose his mind.


    She stopped and looked at him.


    "Why did you stop, honey?" He was aching with need.


    She gave a sly smile and reached behind her back. "I thought you would need a little more visual."


    With one swift move, her boobs bounced slightly after being released from the bra.


    "I want to touch them." He reached a hand for her.


    This time, she didn''t stop him. She inched closer and took his hand to place on them. "You can do that."


    He caressed her boobs gently like he was handling a treasure, before he pulled her down to him and kissed her. The kiss was passionate and lustful. He was about to move down to her neck when he felt a tear drop on his face.


    "Baby, what the¡­" He sat up, freaking out.


    "Why are you crying?"


    She couldn''t stop her tears from flooding her face. All the pent up emotions came gushing out. "Xichen, we need to talk.


    "Baby, what happened?" He reached to wipe her face, but she pushed his hands away.


    "Your negligence happened!" She didn''t expect to sound so angry but she couldn''t stop herself, glaring at him. "How long are you going to ignore me, ignore us?"


    He was taken aback by her sudden outburst. "What? I¡­"


    "How many hours do you spend at home lately?" She glared at him with chest heaving in anger. "You are always busy if you ask me and you could be saving the universe for all I care."


    She didn''t let him say a word before she angrily slipped out of bed and draped a jacket over herself, pushing him away when he tried to hold her. "I know that you are obliged to save lives but what about your family?"


    He shut his eyes as her words sunk in. Before he could say a word, she fled out of the room. "I''m sorry." He said as she ran after her. He didn''t realize that he had been hurting her, so much at that. "My love, let''s talk, okay?"


    She ignored him and ran all the way to the nursery, locking herself in.


    "Shishi¡­" He knocked gently, afraid that being loud would scare Yue, still unaware that the girl was not home.


    "Shishi, let''s talk, okay?" He leaned against the door. "Please, open the door."


    "Leave me alone." She yelled at him, breaking down.


    She crouched on the floor with her back pressed against the door. She didn''t want to see him. If he loved her, how could he bear to spend so many hours away from her? How could he be too busy for her? No matter how busy he was, a phone call or a simple text message could do too! He even worked the freaking weekends!


    And what about their daughter? Even if he believed that she would understand, surely he didn''t expect Yue to grow up without fatherly affection, did he?


    The fact that he needed to be yelled at to realize it was what infuriated her the most.


    _____


    6/10

 Chapter 529 - Little Devil (3)

    Xiaoshi did not return to the master bedroom even after a couple of hours. Han Xichen went to check on dinner and found that she had already cooked. Warming the food up, he severed some of it to a plate and was about to take it up for her when she entered the kitchen. He placed the plate on the kitchen counter with a sigh of relief. "Baby,"


    Under his nervous gaze, she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He let out the sigh he had been holding as he pulled her to his chest. He had been holding her every night so it was barely noticeable before but now that he held her waist, he realized that she had lost weight.


    He so badly wanted to slap himself. How could he make her so worried? She must have been under so much stress.


    He was about to speak when she spoke first, pulling out of his arms. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to explode on you like that."


    He held her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss it. "I''m glad you did. You let it off your chest."


    When he left the door where he had been knocking incessantly, fear had drowned her. She had been afraid that she went too far, that he would decide to give up on them. Seeing him in the kitchen was such a relief, and she was even more relieved when he held her.


    "I''m sorry, my love."


    He leaned in to kiss her but she turned away, slapping him instead. He was not shocked. He took her hand, hitting it against his face. "I definitely deserve that and much more."


    She frowned at him. Did he really think he could charm his way out of it?


    "Honey, I''ve been thinking about it." He placed her food on the kitchen island and pulled out a chair for her, sitting opposite her once she sat down.


    "The reason I was so busy was not because I don''t care about you and our baby. It''s the contrary." He looked into her eyes that looked at him in surprise, pondering his words.


    "I care about you. I love you so much. How could I stop loving you?"


    She found it ridiculous. "You have been detached because you love us?"


    "I''ve not been detached. I think about you every time I''m away from home and it keeps me going." He made it sound like she was his motivation for something, which confused her. What the heck?


    He placed his hand on hers that was on the kitchen island. "Honey, when we had Yue, I vowed to be the best father and not let her ever lack anything she needs. I wanted my wife to be able to live the kind of life she wants too."


    She finally understood him, and her eyes widened. "Wait. So you took on more projects because¡­"


    "Yes, I wanted to earn more money." He completed the statement, confirming her speculation.


    He looked down and wanted to punch himself in the gut. "I''m sorry. I got carried away and forgot that the one thing my wife and daughter need the most is me. I love you but I didn''t do enough to show it."


    Tears clouded her vision. So all this fuss was because he wanted to earn more money? "Fool." The tears dropped out of her eyes before she could stop them.


    He reached to wipe them off her face, and she held her hand that was against her cheek. "I''m sorry, I have been unreasonable. I even started to think¡­ that you had met someone else."


    "Who is the fool now, huh? Why would I ever fall for someone else when I have two of the most beautiful girls in the world right in my house? And I love them both so much." He wiped the remnants of her tears. "And no. You you haven''t been unreasonable. I''m glad you knocked me out of it." Now that he thought about it, he realized just how his actions seemed. Anyone would think that he was losing interest in her, and the fact that they spent the night together every night made him forget that holding her was not the only way to express it.


    They ate in silence, and when they were done, he finally had the courage to cautiously talk about her knock-out appearance. "You are so gorgeous, my love."


    "Thanks." She blushed, thinking that she had almost ruined the whole evening with her tears. On the contrary, she felt closer to him now that she understood his reason.


    "Where is Yue anyway?" He found it odd that she was still sleeping. His daughter could never sleep for that long without seeking attention by whining.


    "Lanni took her away so we could have some time alone." She dared not look at him.


    He felt his throat dry from her words. It seemed like his little wife had been preparing for this. He held her waist. "I owe her one. Because I want you so badly right now."


    "So insatiable." She playfully jabbed him.


    "Says the woman who wore lingerie and woke her husband in an ''extra-special'' way." He retorted. His lips crashed against hers in the next second. His hands were under her coat before she could process it. He kissed and sucked on her skin, pressing her against the wall as his hands hungrily explored her body. His manhood pressed against her and made her crave for him just as much as he wanted her.


    Their clothes were down in a mess in what felt like five seconds and they were out of breath as their hot, naked bodies rubbed against each other.


    "Xichen," She moaned against his shoulder as he parted her knees and positioned himself between her thighs. "Take me hard and rough."


    That was his cue to slam himself hard into her, earning an unrestrained moan as her nails dug into his back.


    ____


    7/10


    The next 3 chapters will be up shortly after reset

 Chapter 530 - Awful Timing

    Much later, the couple lay in bed with their arms wrapped around each other, still out of breath.


    Xiaoshi pushed him onto his back and crawled onto him, drawing circles on his firm chest. She couldn''t believe how long it had been since she did this. She smiled down at him.


    "Xichen, I want you to know that it doesn''t matter how rich or poor we are. Yue and I will still be grateful. Besides, you have already been doing enough before you went all crazy." She was not exaggerating. He must have felt unsure of his capability with the arrival of a new member in the family but in real sense, there wasn''t anything to complain about when it came to him taking care of the family.


    "Besides, I have a job too." She added after a short pause.


    He spoke for the first time. "I can''t use your money."


    He sounded so natural saying it that she wanted to roll her eyes at him. "Screw those stereotypes. What if I had a job but you didn''t? Would I let you starve just because of some outdated beliefs about the husband being the one responsible for the family''s financial needs?"


    Knowing that he would never be able to talk her out of it, he smiled. She was right, but he was not going to let her worry about him.


    "Don''t just smile." She pinched his cheek furiously. "You are not allowed to work yourself to death for the extra income. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, my wife." He hugged her.


    ___


    After playing with Yue all night, Lanni felt bummed when Han Xichen and Xiaoshi came to pick her up in the morning.


    "Aw, you should have let me stay with her a little longer. Spend some time with your husband." She whispered to Xiaoshi. Seeing their lovey dovey gazes for each other, the hickeys that Xiaoshi had hidden with the collar of her dress and the fact that they were here together, Lanni figured that Cheng Yu''s method had worked. She was happy for them, but she hoped to spend more time with the adorable girl.


    Xiaoshi hated to drop the bummer. "It wasn''t going to be long before she started throwing a tantrum and looking for me." She chuckled. It was why she didn''t work long hours.


    Lanni gave the girl to them, who immediately jumped onto Han Xichen like a clingy kitten. The heartwarming scene didn''t stop her from shooting a warning glare at Han Xichen.


    "I know. I will not be so stupid anymore." He smiled and muttered thanks.


    "What was that? Are you bullying my cousin?" Xiehan narrowed his gaze when he caught Han Xichen''s words.


    Xiaoshi chuckled at her husband''s predicament. "He wouldn''t dare. We talked about whatever it was."


    Since it was settled, Xiehan did not pry further. He invited them for breakfast after which the family of three left.


    As he and Lanni loaded the dishwasher, Xiehan asked, "When will you get back to work?"


    "In a few days, why?" She threw a question back at him.


    "Would you like to accompany me on my business trip?" He was practically pleading. "I will be gone for a week, I will miss you too much."


    She thought about it. "One week is a lot of time. I would like to go, but I will miss work if I follow you for a week." She felt bummed. She didn''t want to be late for work after being given a break even though it was not around the time of the wedding.


    "You can come back earlier." He pulled her into his arms to talk her into it. "We can go for three days and after that, I will send you back in time for work." That way, they would only miss each other for four days.


    "Let me think about it." She deliberately made him nervous.


    "Please, honey." He coaxed with his arms wrapped tightly around her.


    "Is there any way to say no to you?" She chuckled at his dramatics. Had her husband always been this clingy?


    "No there isn''t." He laughed along and kissed her neck, ready to tell her that she didn''t have to follow him if she thought it would be troublesome. After all, it was just a week and he had survived being away from her for two years with only a few minutes of communication every week. Seven days with daily communication was nothing in comparison. Well, that was him telling himself a blatant lie. He knew that a week would feel like forever whether or not he had been away for two years.


    Those two years had bordered on his limit and all he wanted now was to see her every day. This was torture.


    The doorbell buzzed.


    "Someone''s at the door." She pulled out of his arms and slid the straps of her dress back onto her shoulder, which had been slid down by his swift hands.


    "Who has such insane timing?" He groaned, making her chuckle.


    "Probably one of your friends, congratulating you once again.


    When she opened the door, the incomer was someone she would never expect.


    "Oh¡­ uh¡­" She felt awkward seeing Wen Lin at the door. What was she doing here?


    "Hey, Lanni." She greeted cordially as though they were best friends.


    _____


    The day before, in the old Ji Mansion.


    After dinner, Ji Huifen looked at his wife who was sipping on a cup of flowered tea. "We cannot put it off any longer."


    She placed the cup on the table. "Put what off?"


    "You know what I''m talking about." Ji Huifen hated that she was feigning innocence. "Your attitude towards Lanni. You know what you did."


    She shrugged and sipped on her tea, with her legs crossed as though she didn''t know what was wrong with that. "I merely told her the truth, Huifen. I don''t like the idea of my grandson being named after another family."


    ____


    8/10


    The next chapter will be up in 1-2 hours.

 Chapter 531 - Business Trip (1)

    Ji Huifen stared at her hard as though he wanted to say something but couldn''t say it. In the end, he simply let out a tired sigh. "Me either. I don''t like the idea and you know that better than anyone." He had struck a chord at her, and she continued before she could say a word. "But that doesn''t give us the right to force our decisions on them. The way you handled it was not just immature. It was absurd and rude and you ruined our relationship with our son and his wife for no good reason." He didn''t mince his words, and as expected Wen Lin looked like she was ready to detonate.


    "Now you are blaming me?" She squinted her eyes at him. Luckily, Ruby was asleep. It would be embarrassing for her to witness such a childish fight between her parents.


    Ji Huifen shrugged. "Yes. Aren''t you to blame?"


    Wen Lin laughed bitterly.


    "Look. I hate to be on bad terms with Lanni too. Especially now that she is my daughter-in-law. But I''m not going to pretend to approve of something I don''t like."


    Ji Huifen stood. "That''s up to you. The worst that could happen is Lanni leaving our son because his family is against her."


    "Don''t say such things." She roared.


    "Well, it''s the truth." He left and went upstairs.


    In the hours that followed, she thought about her tone when she expressed her disapproval. Had she been too much? Was Ji Huifen right, that it might cause trouble in Xiehan''s marriage?


    Her son''s happiness was important no matter what, and she didn''t want to risk ruining it.


    And when she replayed her conversation with Lanni, she realized that she had indeed gone too far. She could have been more gentle while expressing her opinion but she let her own rage overcome her.


    Hence, she bought presents and tonics the following day and here she was, at her son''s door¡ªunannounced and probably unwelcome too.


    "Hey Lanni." She greeted cheerfully in an attempt to mask the awkwardness.


    Lanni pursed her lips as though she didn''t know what to do. In the end, she stepped aside to make way. "Hello, come in."


    There was no hug, no friendly greeting. Just like one would welcome a stranger to their home only because their family knew the stranger.


    This felt like in the past when she was against Lanni being with Xiehan, before she got to know the young woman well enough. Only, it was much worse. It was gnawing at her entire being.


    "Lanni, I¡­"


    She was still speaking when Xiehan emerged from the kitchen.


    "Mother, what are you doing here?" He didn''t seem pleased to see her either. He must still be mad at her.


    "I''m here to visit the two of you. I brought fruits." She attempted to smile without seeming awkward and was clearly doing a bad job at it. Lanni looked like she would rather drown herself in the glass of water she was holding than sit here in the living room and force a conversation with her¡ªnot that the latter was any fun.


    She took the bag of fruits and presents but that was only because she could not reject a gift from her mother-in-law. The last thing she wanted was for Xiehan to have to choose between her and Wen Lin. No one deserved to have to make that choice, so she smiled and forced out a "Thank you."


    Wen Lin couldn''t handle the awkwardness either, she went to the point. "Lanni, I acted like an idiot that night. I''m sorry."


    Before Lanni could say a word, Xiehan interrupted. "Mother, I don''t want to dwell in the past. I just need you to do me one favor. Stay away from my wife if you are not going to treat her with respect. It''s for everyone''s good." It was much better for his mother and wife to not be close than it was for them to fight.


    Wen Lin was taken aback. "What are you saying? I respect her."


    The look in her son''s eyes was enough to prove that he didn''t believe a word she was saying. She could only sigh. "Can I have a word with Lanni, woman to woman?"


    Xiehan was about to protest when Lanni looked up at him sweetly. "Xiehan, please get us some drinks. Mother must be thirsty."


    He understood that she was comfortable having whatever conversation was brewing so he nodded. "Sure."


    He quickly brought drinks and disappeared up the stairs, muttering to Lanni that she should call him if she needed him.


    "Lanni," Wen Lin was about to speak when she was cut off.


    "I don''t understand why you hate my mother so much." Lanni spoke, her tone firm yet not rude. If she remembered correctly, Wen Lin''s hatred for her was purely based on the fact that she was Li Yuming''s daughter. Li Yuming, the woman who had supposedly charmed her son to love her more than he loved his own mother, and the woman who might as well have been Ji Huifen''s mistress. Even after the air was cleared about the misunderstandings, the women didn''t exactly become friends. It was more like tolerating each other because their children were together.


    They had never fought before, which made Lanni question why Wen Lin suddenly exploded at the mention of her name.


    "I don''t. Not anymore." Wen Lin explained.


    "Then why¡­" She wondered why Wen Lin was so much against the Li surname.


    "I was jealous." Wen Lin sighed, in relief after letting it out.


    "What?" As expected, Lanni was taken aback.


    Wen Lin took a deep breath and a gulp of her drink. "You must be wondering why it was I who reacted so negatively while Huifen didn''t even say a word."


    She pursed her lips. Yes, that had crossed her mind too and she couldn''t make sense of it.


    "Lanni, I don''t have parents anymore, nor do I have siblings. I''m the only one with the surname Wen." She started, and Lanni immediately knew where this was heading.


    ___


    9/10

 Chapter 532 - Business Trip (2)

    "When Xiehan was born, I wanted him to take my surname. Huifen and I fought over it so much that I gave up on it. I didn''t even suggest the same thing with Feifei." She let it out in one breath, which made Lanni want to scoff.


    "So you were jealous that my husband agreed to what I wanted when yours didn''t?" What kind of childish reason was that?


    "When you put it that way, it sounds so childish and embarrassing." Wen Lin looked down in her cup. "But basically yes. It''s because Yuming gets to have what I couldn''t."


    Lanni raised an eyebrow. Wow.


    She remained silent for a while trying to process it. "I can''t lie that it''s okay. It''s my child, mother-in-law. If I decide to give it to my mother to raise it, that''s up to Xiehan and me."


    "I understand that now,"Wen Lin admitted. "My thoughts were clouded. I hope our relationship doesn''t become strained because of this. But if you would like me to keep my distance for a while, I will respect that."


    Lanni shook her head. "I don''t want to be the reason for a mother to stay away from her son."


    "Don''t worry, we changed our minds. Our child will bear its father''s surname like every other kid." She added.


    "Lanni, don''t do that because of me." Wen Lin felt guilty and even she found herself strange. How ironic that when what she wanted to happen was happening, she didn''t feel happy about it.


    Lanni offered a smile. "Let''s not argue about this. It''s all good.#


    "Okay."


    The two continued to take their soft drinks, until Xiehan returned and shifted his gaze between them. "You''re all good?"


    "Perfectly, yes." Lanni smiled.


    Xiehan heaved a sigh of relief. He had been worried that they would no longer see eye to eye.


    "Mother, would you like to stay for lunch?" He invited.


    "If you don''t mind having me." She didn''t mind spending time with them.


    ¡­.


    While they ate much lunch later, Xiehan finally said, "Lanni and I will be away on a business trip."


    Wen Lin frowned at him. "You punk, why do you rush into work mode as soon as you get married? Spend more time with your wife."


    "That''s exactly why I''m taking her along." He reached to take her hand to tease it.


    Wen Lin didn''t think the idea of a workaholic honeymoon would be fun. "How about you leave the company to me and your father for a week or two?" She suggested, which Xiehan turned down.


    "It''s okay. I got this." He didn''t want to bother his father with the company when he had already taken over. Besides, it was nothing that he could not handle.


    Hence, the couple left for Italy the following day.


    ¡­


    "Italy is beautiful." Lanni couldn''t hold back her awe as they had a walk down the street, a few hours after their arrival. She had taken a short nap and couldn''t wait to explode Rome.


    "It''s calming as well." He seconded. "We can use this trip to check out possible destinations for our honeymoon. Of course, that''s not limited to Italy. We can go to France too, or Belgium¡­ anywhere you want to go."


    She thought about all the destinations in her mind and ended up shaking her head. They all seemed like a blast." I can''t seem to decide yet."


    "We have five months to figure it out." He kissed the top of her head and took her hand in his.


    "Is your meeting starting soon? And do I need to accompany you to the meeting?" She asked, looking up at him and almost bumping into a biker with her eyes away from the road.


    He smoothly pulled her closer to him. "Yes and yes. We are meeting in Ristorante Six for Brunch. Mr. Ricci is bringing his wife along so I don''t think he minds me bringing mine."


    "Okay."


    ¡­


    Just as he predicted, Mr. Ricci was thrilled to see Lanni¡ªbecause his wife could make a friend and would not be bored. She paid attention to their discussion but halfway, she had to go to the bathroom. She was just in time to bump into someone she would never have expected


    "It would be an understatement to say that you are everywhere." She shook her head.


    "Am I? I don''t think we have met for the past two years and a couple of months." Flynn grinned, crossing his arms.


    "What are you doing here anyway?" Lanni asked.


    "The same thing you are doing here. I''m on a business strip."


    "How do you know I''m on a business trip?"


    "You don''t randomly travel the world and if you were on your honeymoon, you would be in your room rolling in bed with your husband, not here in a restaurant." His unfiltered words made her uncomfortable. He chuckled and added, "Congratulations."


    "What?" She raised her eyebrows.


    "On your marriage. I mean, it''s quite natural for a brother to only find out that his sister is married from social media." He huffed sarcastically.


    "I''m sorry." She had really forgotten about him since they didn''t once communicate in the past couple of years.


    "It''s okay. I''m messing with you." He gave an odd smile. "Say hello to our niece, will you? And our nephew too. Make sure he doesn''t eat your hand when you pet him."


    She laughed. "You can go and say it yourself, you know."


    "I would, but I''m chasing a girl. If I step away for a second, the hungry wolves will steal her away." He winked.


    "Then she must be gone. Follow her, quick." She laughed at his antics. He was still crazy. That might never change.


    Just as she was about to enter the ladies room, she heard him call after her. "Lanni,"


    "Yeah?" She turned back to face him.


    He was silent for a long while and she was about to probe what he wanted to say when he spoke with what seemed like a forced smile. "Take care of yourself and of Luna, okay?"


    She nodded. "Take care of yourself too."


    "Will do." He smiled, and then he was gone.


    ____


    10/10

 Chapter 533 - Business Trip (3)

    Lanni stared off in the direction that Flynn had gone for a while. Something about his words felt odd. It was not just his words, but his face too. It was almost as though he was implying that she would not see him again. Was he going to permanently keep a distance? It would not be surprising since he had kept his distance in the last two years, and because she was Li Yuming''s daughter. It would be surprising if Li Yuming felt comfortable with him near her daughters.


    However, she would be lying if she said that it didn''t sadden her. He had been her trainer for a while after all, and he was her brother. She cared about him more than she thought. But it would be for the best if they didn''t keep close.


    She was lost in thought for a while. By the time she jolted out of it, she realized that she had taken quite some time. She hurried and returned to their table. As expected, Xiehan was relieved to see that she was back.


    "You took a while. I was starting to miss you." He pulled her back to her seat beside him with his arm on her shoulder.


    "Now that''s a side of you I never thought I would see before dying." Mr. Ricci stifled a chuckle when he saw Xiehan fawning all over his wife like she was a treasure.


    "The side that loves my wife?" He looked at the man across them with a raised eyebrow.


    "Not just love. The side that glared at any man who tried to take a second look at her." He made fun of him. While they were discussing, he still left a sliver of his attention to Lanni and stared off the men who were blatantly ogling her.


    "But I totally understand how you feel." While he spoke, he pulled his own wife to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.


    Watching them, Xiehan was glad he brought his wife along. Mr. Ricci didn''t say it out loud but one of the reasons why he chose to collaborate with Feng Ji International was because of his interaction with Lanni. Loyalty was one of the qualities he looked for in a business partner and he believed that a man who wholeheartedly loved and was loyal to his wife was the best choice.


    They were pretty much, and they only had a few details to go over. Ricci pecked his wife''s cheek. "Honey, you don''t have to sit in this meeting if it is boring. Do you want to take a walk?"


    Mrs. Ricci looked relieved. "I''d love to. Lanni, would you like to join me?"


    Understanding that there might be something personal that Mr. Ricci wanted to discuss with Xiehan, she nodded. "Sure."


    "Don''t wander too far." Xiehan urged her.


    The women walked out of the restaurant one after another, before Mrs. Ricci turned to face Lanni.


    "I''m Philomena, by the way. You can call me Mena."


    "I''m Lanni." She responded although Philomena had already heard her name earlier.


    Philomena was friendlier than expected, and they hit it off within a few minutes. Surprisingly, they found that they had a lot in common.


    "Would you like to hop for a quick pizza?" Philomena whispered like it was a secret between them.


    Lanni snuck a peek at the restaurant they had just left. "I''d love to! Xiehan doesn''t let me have any."


    "Urgh me too. Arnold says it''s unhealthy." She complained about Mr. Ricci.


    Lanni laughed and grabbed her hand. "Too much of it is unhealthy, yes. But grabbing it once when they are not looking is not going to hurt, right?"


    "I swear, we think alike." Philomena led Lanni to a pizza hut and they quickly decided on a flavour that they would both enjoy. They ordered a small one and devoured it as soon as it was brought to their table.


    "Are you alright?" Lanni looked worriedly at Philomena who looked uncomfortable.


    "I think my period has started." Philomena sighed sadly.


    "Does it hurt? I will get you painkillers and I have some¡­"


    "No, it''s alright." Philomena stopped her, but tears started to gather in her eyes which she refused to let fall.


    "Mena, are you okay?" Lanni placed her unfinished piece aside, going to Philomena''s side in panic.


    "Yeah¡­I''m sorry I got you worried." Philomena received the handkerchief that Lanni handed her and dabbed at her eyes. "I just think¡­ periods is not good news to a woman trying to conceive."


    Lanni paled. "I''m so sorry."


    Being patted on her back, the tears that Philomena had been holding back came flooding out. "We did several checks and we are both alright."


    Lanni patiently listened as the latter narrated their bumpy road to marriage and how after finally settling down four years ago, they couldn''t have a baby no matter how hard they tried.


    "Then maybe you need to loosen up? Perhaps you are so stressed." Lanni suggested. "Go on an adventure and have fun."


    Philomena wiped her eyes and smiled. "Maybe you are right. I''m ready to try anything right now."


    "Good luck." Lanni wished her. After waiting for the latter to wash her face and get changed in the bathroom, they returned to their husbands.


    ¡­.


    After shopping around, Lanni and Xiehan returned to their hotel room. He pulled her in his arms.


    "Something happened when you went out with Philomena and put you in a bad mood. Did she bully you?"


    "No, no. We just talked. She is a good friend, actually." Lanni forced a smile.


    "Is that why you snuck off and went eating pizza?"


    "Huh? How would you know?" She was shocked. There weren''t any bodyguards following her around when she checked.


    "Don''t I know my little wife best?" He pulled her onto his lap, facing down. "So, tell me. How do you want to be punished?"


    She knew what he was about to do but he made a dramatic turn and presented her lips to him. "With a kiss."


    "You have the nerve to ask for a reward?" He asked sternly.


    She chuckled and kissed him. "You will reward me anyways. Because you can''t bear to punish me. You love me too much."


    He laughed and tickled her. "What will I do with you?"


    "Xiehan, I¡­" She took a deep breath and wondered whether it was too soon to broach the subject.


    "Mmh?"


    On second thought, she smiled. "Do you have any meetings scheduled for tomorrow?"


    He did a mental check of his calendar. "No, but I will meet Mr. Ricci to sign the contract the day after. Will you accompany me?"


    She shook her head. "I think it''s better if I stay. I can pack up and when you return, we will have time for some more fun before I leave."


    "That makes sense." He kissed the top of her head. "But that''s not what you were about to tell me."


    Having been exposed, she knew that she would not be able to weasel her way out of it. She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I didn''t think about it before but, what if it''s not easy to have babies later?"

 Chapter 534 - Quite The Charmer

    Her question threw him off guard. Why was she suddenly asking this? He looked down to meet her gaze and she was dead serious about it. It was not a prank. He gathered his thoughts. "Then we adopt. Isn''t that obvious?"


    Relief washed over her face which confused him. "Honey, we haven''t even started trying yet. Why are you so tense about failing?"


    His wife fluttered her eyelids and looked like she was holding back something that must be difficult for her to bring up with him. He made a guess when she opened her mouth and closed it without saying a word.


    "Is this about Philomena?" He guessed, since she had been off since she and Philomena returned from their little pizza adventure.


    He had made it much easier for her, since she was uncertain whether it was alright to discuss another couple''s matters with her husband. She nodded and decided to not go into too much detail. "She made me realize that not everything comes by so easily."


    He patted her back. "Ours will be easy. With the way we screw like bunnies, it will be surprising if I don''t knock you up within two months."


    "You pervert." She attempted to jab him only for her elbow to be grabbed by him.


    He chuckled and kissed her ear. "Aren''t we, though? I''m getting aroused just talking about this."


    He teased her earlobe as he spoke. "If it makes you feel at ease, we can book an appointment with an obstetrician and go for some checks. I''m pretty sure everything will turn out to be normal."


    "Okay." She hooked her fingers around his. It did make her feel more peaceful about this whole situation.


    ____


    Li Yuming was cooking lunch when the doorbell rang. She turned off the stove and went to check, just in time to see the housekeeper leading someone in.


    "Neil?" She was pleasantly surprised to see him carrying a bouquet of pink roses as he walked towards her.


    "I figured you would be on your own. Lanni is on a business trip, and Luna and her husband have their hands full and cannot accompany you so I decided to stop by."


    "Thank you for stopping by." She smiled and received the roses from him. "Thank you."


    He took in her gentle smile and was once again mesmerised by her beauty. She looked much younger than she actually was. "I spent hours trying to find a flower as beautiful as you but in the end, I found none so I settled for this." He said, referring to the flowers.


    "Aren''t you quite the charmer." She took a sniff of the roses and found a vase to put them in.


    He watched her actions with a smile. "Does that mean you are charmed by me?"


    She cleared her throat. "Once Lanni is back, we will go to try out our outfits for her wedding. Do you want to come with us?" She invited him, then realized that the idea was stupid. "Actually, forget it. The men will go with Xiehan in about nine days. If you come with me, you will be sorrounded by a pool of women. Not even Linhou will tag along to keep you company."


    "It doesn''t matter. As long as I get your company once you are done trying out." He quickly grabbed the opportunity. He didn''t have many reasons to hang out with her and wasn''t going to let one pass right under his nose. "When is that? I''m sure I will be able to make some time for it."


    "Over the weekend so everyone is present." She responded.


    "Okay." He nodded before taking a long snuff in the air. "Whatever you are cooking smells delicious."


    "It actually is. It''ll be done soon." She stood when she remembered that she was cooking before he came in. "Do you want to keep me company in the kitchen?"


    "I''ll keep you company wherever you want." He stood to follow her and watched at the side as she cooked, occasionally helping when she needed it.


    ___


    Goldenwing Apartments.


    "How''s the most beautiful girl in the world?" Cedric pushed open the door to Cheng Yu''s room, which also doubled as her study. The she was sitting behind the desk with her hands intertwined under her chin and didn''t acknowledge Cedric when he came in.


    He stalked to her side and nudged her. "Why is she also the grumpiest?"


    She was not saying a word to him, which made him worried. He sat in the chaise longue and tried to get her to talk. "You should be happy, right? You finally managed to get full custody of Xiao Ying." It had been a long battle that took much longer than expected. It had taken two years and a couple of months for the court to prove that Cheng Ying''s biological mother was abusive and was not in the right mind to take care of her son. It had also taken Cheng Yu a lot of effort to prove that despite being so young herself, she was stable enough and capable of taking care of a teenager. They had almost sent him to a social home but luckily, he was living with her in the end.


    So, Cedric didn''t understand why she was sulking instead of doing a happy dance.


    She finally spoke. "I was just thinking about everything that he and I have been through and it threw me off the mood." She let out a sigh.


    Before he could probe further, she wheeled her chair back and stood. "Are you hungry? We can order something to eat."


    "I''m in the mood for Japanese." He knew that she would not talk about whatever was bothering her so he temporarily gave up. He would find ways to make her comfortable and willingly open up.


    "Okay. Give me a minute." She left the room and he was uncertain where she went.


    Her phone vibrated. He didn''t want to pry at first but he had a strong gut feeling that it had something to do with her bad mood. So he stood up and glanced over the lit up screen. The message was hidden since the phone had a password lock but the sender information was displayed on the screen. It was an unsaved contact number that he recognized better than anyone.


    His mother''s contact number.

 Chapter 535 - Wedding Jitters

    He frowned when he recognized the digits. Why was his mother contacting Cheng Yu? The two women had only met a few times and from their stiff interaction, he knew that they didn''t hit it off. In the entire family, Cheng Yu only got along with his sister Natalie. The rest seemed to dislike her for some strange reason and she was not comfortable around them either. So it made no sense for them to contact each other and send each other private messages. He thought back to her expression when he walked in.


    He couldn''t help questioning her reason. Was she really upset because she had suddenly thought about hers and Cheng Ying''s past? Was it because of another reason and was that reason related to his mother?


    Concluding that it must be because his mother had been contacting her and probably not telling her anything that was pleasant, he took out his phone. He was just about to give her a call when Cheng Yu returned.


    "I just checked the fridge. I was hoping that I had enough ingredients to cook instead of ordering food. Unfortunately, it looks like we have to order after all." She smiled as she teased him.


    It was not that he disliked food from restaurants, but he preferred her home cooked food even though she was not nearly as good in the kitchen as the chefs from those restaurants.


    He looked gloomy.


    She interpreted it as disappointment. Sitting on his lap, she tousled his hair. "Don''t worry. We can go grocery shopping later. I will definitely cook you a sumptuous dinner."


    Usually, he would tell her that it didn''t matter whether she cooked, ordered food or shoved him into the kitchen to cook unrecognizable meals for himself. As long as he ate it beside her, it would be delicious. Realizing that he didn''t say it or anything along the lines, she lowered her head to check on him.


    "Are you alright, honey? What''s wrong?"


    "Yu, why didn''t you tell me that my mother has been bothering you?" He asked, trying to maintain his calm even though he was on the verge of exploding. He was not mad at her. He was mad at his mother for secretly bullying her, but he was also disappointed that she didn''t think it was important enough to tell him what was going on.


    She glanced at her phone that she hadn''t realized was in his hand when she had left it on the desk.


    "Honey, you know that I would be upset if you checked through my phone." She said in a low voice, trying to change the topic.


    "I know." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know. I didn''t check through. I accidentally saw that she messaged you." He wrapped his arms around her. He knew that it was disrespectful to pry into her phone although she had nothing to hide. Except, she did have something to hide. He looked at her. "Don''t try to change the topic."


    She let out a breath. "It wasn''t anything serious. She couldn''t get through to you and contacted me to know that you are doing alright."


    "Is that really it?" He asked, glancing at her so sternly that she could no longer hide it.


    "She doesn''t like me. Trust me, the feeling is mutual so I didn''t think it was worth mentioning." She stated. If she complained about his mother''s dislike when she felt the same way or probably even worse, wouldn''t that be hypocritical?


    He didn''t buy it. "That''s understandable. It would have been alright if she stuck to her territory but why did she seek you? I only want to hear the truth."


    She knew that it might morph into an argument if she tried to brush it off so she sighed. "She made it her business to let me know that your family has an arranged marriage with some aristocratic family. Apparently, you will soon marry the mayor''s daughter and will no longer have anything to do with me."


    The frown on his face deepened. "That''s not for them to decide for me."


    "I know." She kissed the side of his face. "I know you will not give in even if they make the mayor''s daughter throw herself at you, which is another reason why I didn''t think it was worth mentioning. I would not be jealous of an arranged marriage that I know you have no intention of acknowledging. "


    His features softened into a smile. Unknowingly, she was no longer the skeptical young woman who was afraid of ending up with a broken heart if she fell in love. She had grown into a woman who was willing to give her whole heart to love her man, and she trusted him with her entire being. He could not let his family ruin that. Heaven knew how hard he had worked to gain her trust.


    He kissed her neck. "Leave it to me, okay? I will have a word with her."


    She smiled but shook her head. "I can handle her. If you get involved, our horrible relationship with each other will only become incorrigible."


    "But I can''t let her continue to bully my girlfriend." He frowned.


    "I will not give her the chance to bully me. Do you trust me?" When he nodded, she ran her fingers through his hair. "Let''s handle this as women who love the same man."


    He slid the fabric of her shirt down her shoulder and pressed a kiss on her boobs. Whenever they had arguments or talked about something unpleasant, they would always somehow end up in bed. This time was no different. He ripped their clothes off and pinned her down on the bed, his hand grasping hers together to secure them above her head as he took her hard.


    ___


    On Saturday, Lanni felt the butterflies fill her stomach as she led her friends to the wedding boutique that they had chosen. It was the same feeling she had when Xiehan proposed. Even though they were already married, the wedding had a different feel to it and she was both nervous and anxious.


    "Why are you lost in thought again?" Xiaoshi nudged her. She had not flipped a page of the bridal gown magazine that she had been holding for ages. She was merely staring at the cover as if the happy bride on it could help her decide what to choose for her own wedding.


    "I don''t know what I''m feeling." She confessed. "It''s just so mixed up. I''m ecstatic, so nervous and scared at the same time."


    "What are you scared of?" Probed Cheng Yu, who had just finished circling the numbers on the pages of gowns she thought would look good on Lanni.


    "I don''t know. You have definitely heard of runaway grooms, right?"


    Xiaoshi frowned at her. "Yes I have. But I have never heard of a married groom running away from his wedding. I mean, what is he running away from? If he is chickening out from getting married or is having an affair with someone else and is not ready to settle down, it would make sense but Xiehan is different. He is already your husband. He has no reason to chicken out when he didn''t before he married you."


    "And he loves you so much." Cheng Yu added.


    "Don''t get me started on how he has been filling our ears every time he calls home to check on us, telling us how eager he is for the wedding." Ruby added with a slight chuckle. "He almost makes me want to get married myself."


    Lanni knew this too, but that didn''t make her less anxious. "I''m sure you have also heard about wedding wardrobe malfunctions. A gown ripping apart at the altar, when walking down the aisle or during the reception¡­ or flying above the bride''s head because it is too windy."


    "Uhm¡­ honestly, I have never witnessed it." Xiaoshi had a frown.


    "Me neither." Ruby added.


    Cheng Yu placed a hand over her mouth and tittered. "I have heard of a few, seen none in real life but I wrote about one in one of my comic scenes. The villainess''s dressmaker decided that making her gown a bit breezier than desired was perfect punishment. She accidentally stepped on it while walking down the aisle and that was it. It snapped at the waist and gave everyone an awkward view." She laughed. "And I''m guessing Lanni read that comic which is why she is so worried."


    It made sense.


    Xiaoshi glared at Cheng Yu though she thought the villainess deserved it, since she had also read the said comic. "That must be it. But Lanni, wedding gowns are usually treated with so much care. Wardrobe malfunctions do happen but we will make sure it doesn''t happen to you."

 Chapter 536 - Little CEO Linhou

    Luna arrived about an hour later than the agreed time and she was greeted by this oddly tense scene as soon as she walked in through the door. "I''m sorry I''m late. I had to¡­" She stopped speaking and took in the women''s expressions. She shifted her gaze over them. "Did something go wrong?"


    Cheng Yu slapped her forehead. "Lanni is scared the wedding might go wrong." She explained Lanni''s comical fears even though it was nothing to laugh at.


    Luna sat down and made fun of her for a while before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Weddings never go exactly as planned. I thought you would know that from mine. But just because they don''t go as planned doesn''t mean you will not enjoy the day."


    "I know just what you need. Let''s go watch a movie later. For now, forget the wedding. Let''s tick off what looks pretty." She suggested and the others agreed. The latest gowns were all so beautiful that they ended up ticking almost everything on the magazines.


    "Where''s Mumu?" Lanni finally asked when she noticed the girl''s absence. Luna was carrying a tiny jacket with her which meant that she had come with Xiaomu but left her somewhere.


    "She clung to her grandma because she overheard her say that she was leaving to go somewhere." Luna chuckled at her daughter''s antics.


    "The girl does love adventure." Lanni laughed along. As long as one mentioned that they were going somewhere, Xiaomu would cling to them¡ªand that included making a trip to the bathroom. Xingyu would often joke about her growing into a constant traveller who will explore all the countries of the world.


    "Is mom coming?" Lanni asked.


    Luna nodded before adding, "With Neil."


    "Uh¡­" Ruby didn''t know what to say.


    Grabbing the chance, Luna pulled her into a sudden hug of exaggerated excitement. "We will be sisters soon!"


    Ruby chuckled as she pulled back. "Why do you seem too happy about this?"


    "Is there anything wrong with having two sisters?" Luna countered.


    "I wouldn''t complain either." Lanni added. She was just joking since she knew that she and Ruby could never treat each other as step sisters. They were not step sisters to begin with, and Ruby was her sister-in-law.


    Cheng Yu took a glance at them and turned to Xiaoshi." They''re flaunting their sisterly affection. Hey, do you want to ditch them and create our own family? I will be the elder sister and dote on you."


    Xiaoshi laughed at the suggestion. "Ultimately, they''re my in-laws."


    "Hey!" Cheng Yu complained and the others laughed at her in unison.


    "Sorry, Xiao Yu. We still love you." Luna hugged her exaggeratedly.


    "You are horrible people." She grumbled.


    "I''ll get you chocolates." Lanni attempted to bribe her.


    "Me two." Xiaoshi added.


    "Me three." Ruby raised three fingers.


    "I''ll get you a box full of lipsticks." Luna added.


    "Deal." Cheng Yu laughed and waited for them to bring what they promised.


    As they ticked through the bouquet arrangements that they liked, an adorable voice announced Li Yuming''s arrival.


    "Momma!" Mumu called out cutely.


    "Ah! My cute niece is finally here!" Lanni looked over in excitement.


    Hearing her voice, Xiaomu toddled over as Li Yuming called for her to be careful. She was just about to jump into Lanni''s arms when once again, she was confused when she saw Luna. Her gaze shifted between the two.


    "Poor thing. I''d be confused too. She''ll get used to it when she grows up and be able to tell the difference." Xiaoshi giggled at the cute scene. This time, she finally got her mother right and clung onto Luna''s legs.


    "Finally. I was starting to think that Linhou will laugh at you in future." Luna smiled. Linhou had never had trouble recognizing them; while he also seemed confused about them being so similar to each other, he had always known who his mother was and who his aunt was.


    "Sweetheart, I got candy especially for you. Come to Aunty Yu." Cheng Yu opened her hand to reveal a colorful candy.


    Xiaomu ran over in her small steps and flashed a cute smile. "Aunty Yu!" She called.


    "You''re so cute!" Her heart melted as she picked the toddler up.


    Ruby looked over to coax her. "Don''t you love Aunty Ruby anymore? Come, let''s play."


    "Come to Aunty Shishi. I''ll buy you toys." Xiaoshi added.


    Luna looked at her friends and sister fawning over Xiaomu and her heart melted. "Now I know why my daughter is so outgoing." It was expected with so many people showering her with love and presents.


    "Where is Linhou anyway?" Cheng Yu asked as she let Xiaomu play with her fingers.


    "He followed his dad to the company. Wait. I took a picture of him." Luna took out his phone to show them.


    "How cute! He looks like a little CEO." Lanni zoomed the picture to take


    a closer look at the little boy in a black suit similar to his dad''s. He would surely harvest the hearts of all the employees in Jiang Corporation.


    "Uhm, Luna, you may need to be prepared. In about twelve years, there will be countless teenage girls fawning over him. You may have to confiscate a hundred letters every day." Xiaoshi remarked.


    Luna shook her head with a slight laugh. "I''m more worried for the little boys his age. Xingyu is prepared to kick their butt when they start ogling at Mumu."


    The atmosphere brightened up when Xiaomu arrived, making Lanni less nervous than she was earlier. She finally chose a venue and narrowed her selection of dresses to five choices.


    ¡­.


    On Monday, she finally returned to work.


    "You could have a few more days off." Lin Jian spoke as soon as he saw her leaving the elevator.


    "Thanks boss, but my brain will stop functioning if I break for too long." She couldn''t help noting that he was in a good mood. He was especially generous with his days off. Things must be going well between him and Ruby.


    "I''m glad you said that. Because there is a task awaiting you." He scratched the back of his head.


    "Okay¡­?" She cocked her head to the side in curiosity. He led her to his office to discuss it.


    "The Oracle has been a bit slow lately. Our competitors managed to get this piece of news and publish it before we did." He showed her the headline on his tablet. It was about a rockstar who murdered his wife and newborn baby. Apparently, his wife had confronted him regarding his drug abuse and suggested that he go to rehab, which ended up in the fight that took hers and her baby''s lives.


    She frowned. What a scumbag. It was shocking, which was why Oracle Daily had been affected by the fact that their competitors released it before them. She rubbed her head. "That''s okay. I will scout for a more explosive piece as soon as I can."


    "I know you can do that but we should dwell on this first." Lin Jian tapped his desk.


    She didn''t understand. "If we publish it, we will be too late. We might even get criticism for copying other agencies."


    "I didn''t say we should publish it. Go and investigate it." He instructed.


    "Huh?" She was stunned before she understood it. "Wait. You don''t believe that what was published was the entire truth?"


    "If it turns out to be the entire truth, then I will have to count on you to find something that will drown this."


    She nodded but added, "If we drown it, what about the innocent wife and child? They will never get justice."


    Lin Jian raised an eyebrow at her. Was she seriously thinking along those lines? "Justice does not bring the dead back to life, Lanni. It is why I think it''s just a load of crap. Anyway, the police already know about this matter. If they didn''t before, they do now and are probably investigating it. You don''t need to worry about it anymore."


    She nodded. "Then I''ll get to work immediately."


    _______


    AN


    Hey lovies, I''m sorry for informing you late. I spilled coffee on my keyboard and some of the frequently used letters are no longer functional. It''s hard to type this way and my thumb hurts when I type using my phone for too long.


    I will try to update as often as I can but if the frequency fluctuates, I hope you can understand. To make up for this, the update rate will increase to 10 chapters per week once I fix my keyboard or buy a new one.

 Chapter 537 - Back To Work

    "I will give you as much help as you will need. Just tell me when you need it." He offered.


    She nodded and thought about it. "I will probably need a small team. I''ll go through the details and tell you who I need."


    He approved of it, so she got to her office and started reading all the articles she could find about the news. It was not too detailed but it explained that not only did the rockstar, Storm, traffic drugs, but that he also heavily abused them and often wrote songs under their influence.


    She scoffed when she read the criticism and insults he had faced when this detail was revealed. It was wrong of him to traffic drugs if he did do such a thing but what was wrong with writing under the influence of drugs? She was not saying that was right either but that didn''t erase the fact that his songs were still great nonetheless. It was hypocritical of the people who loved his songs and were almost obsessed with them to suddenly act like they hated them just because they were written when he was drunk or high.


    She noted down the details and read through them at least five times before she found a loophole. He had been married for two years and had supposedly been a drug addict for at least five years. Why did his wife marry a drug addict if she was so strongly against it?


    She looked the woman up. Annie Tian. She had died young¡ªshe would have turned twenty-five in two months. Her family information was not revealed but when Lanni investigated further, she found that Annie had grown up in an orphanage and had no family. Not even distant relatives¡ªat least none that she knew of. There was no information about her late parents either.


    When she saw what kind of case she was dealing with, she decided on her team. She called over Lin since she trusted her, a young man called Star who was one of the agency''s expert investigators and a young woman called Skylar. She printed the information she had written and gave them each a copy.


    "Let''s check the reports one at a time. Skylar, check for anything Storm did that makes him a scumbag or suggests that he was cheating on his wife." She instructed as she gave Skylar her copy of the articles.


    The latter was confused. "Why do we need to do that? There is already enough evidence. Didn''t you see the pictures that were taken of Storm and other women in compromising positions?"


    Lanni shut her eyes for a second. "How long have you worked here?"


    "Two years." Skylar responded in a tone that aimed to remind Lanni of her position. She had only worked in the agency for two years and was already ordering people around. She had only gotten her position because the CEO was best friends with her fianc¨¦. Who didn''t know about that?


    Lanni caught on the hidden meaning in her eyes and scoffed. She had only chosen Skylar because the latter was skilled. But this kind of attitude¡­ She looked at the woman sternly. "If you have worked in the media industry for that long, you should know that not everything that is reported is the truth."


    Skylar looked down.


    Lanni shrugged slightly. "If you are not willing to be part of the team, you can leave. But if you do not leave, I will expect you to collaborate with us as best as you can."


    Skylar thought about it for a while and sighed deeply. "I don''t like you but that doesn''t mean I will not do my job to the best of my ability. This is about Storm, not you."


    Lanni smiled. "Good. Then go ahead and investigate what I asked. Check how many of those pictures are real and tell me of any inconsistency no matter how tiny you think it is." She instructed, to which Skylar nodded.


    "Lin, investigate the part about his drug trafficking. Find out if there are any drug lords he is in association with, and his clients if you can." She handed another sheet to Lin.


    "Understood." Lin accepted the task without any qualms.


    "Star¡­"


    She was yet to speak when Star did so first.


    "Miss Li,"


    "Mrs. Ji." Lanni interrupted him politely. "I''m married. My husband may not like it if I continue to use my surname instead of his."


    Star nodded and corrected himself. "Mrs. Ji, I would like to know if you are planning to do this kind of investigation in collaboration with the police. They will definitely be onto this case as well since he has been arrested."


    Lanni nodded. It was a reasonable question. "We are not going to take matters into our own hands, definitely. We have legal permission to investigate. If we get any evidence that is relevant to the case, we are obliged to submit it to the police." She explained and handed him a sheet of paper. "Your role is to find all the motive he had to murder his wife and baby. You can start by investigating the baby''s paternity. Meanwhile, I will compile all the information in other aspects including his family, friends and competitors."


    When she was done discussing with them, Skylar and Star left but Lin remained.


    "Do you have something to say?" Lanni asked.


    "Do you think Skylar will be obedient? She might try to sabotage the investigation since she doesn''t like you."


    Lanni rapped her finger against the desk. "That''s a possibility but she is not stupid. If she were to be caught doing that, not only would she lose her job, but she may never be employed in any media agency in future. She will not risk that for a moment of satisfaction if she has a brain. But if I were to make her leave, she would form another team and try to compete with us." Ultimately, they were all competitors and the probability of that happening was quite high.


    Lin smiled. "I hope this goes smoothly."


    "It will." She stretched her arms. The intercom rang, it was her secretary.


    "Chief Editor, you have a call from HOH Hospital on line one."

 Chapter 538 - Call From The Hospital

    Lanni''s heart sank to the pits of her stomach. The last word she wanted to hear was ''hospital'' right now. Or ever. Her pulse picked up its pace as she asked to confirm that her secretary had gotten the right name and the hospital had asked for her. The worst kind of imaginations ran through her mind even though she tried to control them and by the time she received the call on line one, her palm was sweaty and her voice a frail mess.


    "Li Lanni speaking."


    "Hello, this is Dr. Su from HOH Hospital. I''m calling about the appointment made for Mrs. Ji. The meeting starts in a couple of hours and I wanted to confirm whether you are coming."


    Lanni''s brows dipped for a moment as she gathered her thoughts.. HOH Hospital?


    "Oh! It''s Dr. Su!" Her voice uncontrollably pitched when she finally comprehended it.


    When she accompanied Xiehan to Italy, a series of events including the heartbreak of Xiehan''s business partner''s wife had made her uncontrollably start to question whether they would have it easy having kids. Convinced that it might not be as easy as it was for some people, it had been impossible for Xiehan to convince her otherwise.


    So, he had set up an appointment with an obstetrician to have them both checked for any complications that might hinder or delay conception, and get advice on what to do to make it easier.


    Ultimately, Xiehan had left it up to her whether she wanted them to go through with the tests. She had wanted to, but she had been so busy thinking about the wedding when she got back that she forgot about it. No wonder their call gave her such a scare!


    "Mrs. Ji? Are you still there?" Dr. Su probed when she remained silent for too long.


    "Yes. Sorry." Lanni cleared her throat. "I''ll confirm my husband''s schedule and we will both be there if he doesn''t have anything on. If he does, I will come on my own."


    When the call ended, she tried to get back to her work but was much slower. Her mind would be filled with countless thoughts every few seconds. She would imagine herself heavily pregnant with Xiehan''s arms around her even though they wouldn''t be able to circle her. He would rub her belly, listen in on the sounds the baby made and talk to her belly¡­ do everything excited husbands did when they were about to become dads.


    Then the image in her mind would change to one of her, Xiehan and an adorable toddler between them. They''d be holding the toddler''s tiny hands and playing together as a happy family of three.


    Her smile must have been pretty obvious because Lin Jian commented on it when he caught her staring off into space with her lips curled into a happy smile.


    "Those must be valuable castles."He teased.


    "What castles?" She jolted out of her thoughts and tried to resume her work.


    "The ones you are building in the air." He pointed at the empty air before her. "I dropped by to let you know that you can leave whenever you are ready. Your husband helped you take the afternoon off in case you needed it."


    Her lips curled into a happier smile. She no longer needed to ask whether he would make it. If he had gone so far as to help her take the day off, then there was no way in hell that he was going to let her take a test that involved both of them on her own.


    She thanked him but continued to work. She was invigorated and made more progress in an hour than she had the whole day. When she was ready to leave, she carried a stack of documents with her and stuffed them into her oversized purse.


    She ran into Skylar on her way out.


    "I got something you might want to know." Skylar spoke. "But seeing as you are in a hurry, I will write it down in detail and send it to your private email."


    Lanni smiled. She was now certain that she had made the right choice regarding Skylar. The girl might be condescending and a b*tch at times but when it was required of her, she was good at what she did¡ªwhich was why Lanni had not chewed her off too much when she spewed nonsense earlier. She thanked her and headed for the elevator.


    ____


    Dr. Su was ready to meet Lanni as soon as the latter arrived. She was more than ten minutes early and Xiehan had arrived too, so the doctor thought it would be best to get the meeting done earlier instead of waiting around for ten minutes. Her last meeting had ended earlier too.


    She gave some brochures to Lanni and Xiehan and let them read through.


    "We will go through the details today. If you are ready to undergo the necessary tests, we can do that during our next appointment. I just want to make sure you know everything you should that will be relevant before, during and after your pregnancy."


    Lanni nodded to thank her for the brochure and looked through the summary of what looked like endless paragraphs of articles encouraging couples to not give up just because they couldn''t conceive and that there were several other ways to have kids, which had been listed. Not that she thought she needed it.


    "Are you on the pill, Mrs. Ji?" Dr. Su asked as she noted something down in her large notebook. When Lanni shook her head, she proceeded to ask, "When did you last use it?"


    "I didn''t ever use it." She responded. The doctor nodded and took down her response before asking several other questions including their diets and allergies. At the end of the session, Dr. Su gave Lanni a diet plan to follow for two days before coming to have the tests done after those two days.


    Lanni let out a sigh when they left the building. "I''m so nervous!"


    That makes two of us. He wanted to mumble but he held her instead.

 Chapter 539 - Appointment

    "What do you think of the idea of going for IVF right off the bat?" She asked when they entered his car. It wasn''t because she thought it was a better option than natural conception. She was just curious.


    "I don''t think it''s any different from doing it the natural way." He glanced at her. "Of course, there is a big difference that makes the latter better. I want to look at your curved belly months later and be able to remember how it felt like on the night when we conceived our baby."


    Her face heated up. "You are such a pervert." He somehow managed to make everything about sex and she must be a pervert too because it didn''t bother her. On the contrary, she felt a tingle down her spine and between her legs every time he made a dirty comment when the last thing on her mind was sex.


    He started the car and shifted his gaze back to her. "How am I a pervert? We are only talking about making babies. Making love is the most obvious part of the process."


    She blushed.


    He had been right about her feeling calm after a visit to the obstetrician. She felt more at ease even though they were yet to go through with the tests. The tests were scheduled for the following day. He would have his first and she would be next. It was a little more complicated for her with the checks that she didn''t understand but had been given information on, which she was supposed to go through but didn''t think she would because she had a lot of work to go through before sleeping.


    "What are your plans for the night?" He asked as he got the car on the road.


    She hated to spoil whatever plans he had in mind for them. "I''m investigating a case that involves a supposed serial killer and drug addict who just happened to be a superstar. I will probably have my hands full for a few nights. I''m sorry my love."


    "You don''t need to be. I was actually thinking we''d stay home tonight. I''ll cook dinner and you are in charge of looking pretty and warming the bed. We can save Netflix for next time."


    "Really?" She looked forward to it even though it was nothing but a night full of work.


    He nodded. "I have a conference meeting to attend later."


    Because they would both have work to do and might end up staying up too late, they unanimously agreed to only work for two hours after dinner and get to bed.


    It was only ten when she slid into the bed beside him. She felt she could definitely go for a while more but his gaze told her that he was not going to let her. He was right¡ªeven though he was yet to open his mouth. She needed time to think.


    "If you look at me like that, I''m going to have to pin you down so you can only look at me from under me." He warned.


    "How did I look at you?" She blinked. The look in his eyes told her that he was making things up. He probably only wanted an excuse to pin her down, and he did. But he was yet to do anything more than kiss her boobs when her phone rang.


    "Ignore it." He groaned.


    She wanted to, but she didn''t know anyone who would call her at ten. It had to be an emergency. She grabbed the phone off the nightstand and tried not to gasp when Xiehan bit her nipple through the fabric of her nightdress. She glared at him and he grinned in mischief. The pervert was enjoying it. He was definitely doing it on purpose.


    "Skylar?" She spoke when she realized who was calling.


    "I''m so sorry. I only realized what time it was after dialling your number. Hanging up after a ring or two would have been awkward so¡­" Skylar sounded uncertain what to do.


    "It''s okay. What''s up?" Lanni sat up and tried to ignore the man between her legs. He had pulled her nightdress up her waist and was currently blowing hot air onto her core through her panties. She sucked in a breath and coughed at the end of it so it didn''t come off as a moan. She glared at him and he smirked, then he buried his head between her legs.


    "I found some information on Storm." Skylar explained. "I only confirmed it now and was still riding on the shock of what I''d found out, which is why I called you in a frenzy."


    "It''s okay." She shifted her position to lean against her pillow.


    "I can report it to you in the morning in your office." Skylar stated.


    They had little time and she would be unable to sleep thanks to the anxiety so she interrupted before the latter hung up. "No, hold on. Please give me the gist of it."


    The man between her legs knew when to stop. He teased her a little and let her speak to Skylar peacefully though she was certain that he would be ready to jump her as soon as the call ended. He was definitely going crazy and she was running down the road of insanity along with him.


    A rustle of paper from the other end brought her back to her senses, followed by Skylar''s voice as she explained the events that had transpired before Storm supposedly murdered his wife.


    "Storm was once part of the band ''NV''. Did you know this?" Skylar asked.


    "Yes." She had done her homework.


    Skylar hummed. "There are many reasons why he left NV. The current members claim it was because his drug addiction surfaced and he couldn''t keep up with the team which made him leave, but I recently found out that it was because he had a feud with one of the members, Axel. I also found out that Storm has been to a rehab centre but he had been thrown there because someone pulled the strings. Tests showed that he had only had a single use of drugs. Hell knows that could have been forcefully injected in him. You may need to know that Axel''s family is quite influential in the capital."


    Lanni processed the words over the next minute. "That was fast. Thanks Skylar."


    When the call ended, Xiehan nipped her ear. "I don''t know much about the case you are handling but if the truth is unfolding too fast, you need to be careful.." He warned.

 Chapter 540 - Chemistry

    She thought about his words and had to agree with him. She was still dealing with Skylar after all, and the woman had already expressed her disdain right off the bat. She would not work with Lanni if she had a choice. While it was highly possible that she had stayed because she wanted to be part of the team that would uncover the biggest scoop, it was also possible that she wanted to wreck their progress while giving the real information to her real team if she was standing on two boats.


    This was not a competition and it didn''t matter who uncovered the truth. The only thing that was important was for the truth to be uncovered, but it was not certain that everyone had the same thoughts. Betrayal would hurt no matter what she thought.


    "You are right." She turned and cupped his face, kissing his cheek.


    "Be careful, okay? Tell me if you need any help." He pecked her lips


    "I will." She nodded even though she was not planning to. He already had a pile of work to deal with every day. She wanted to help him decrease his work and if she couldn''t do that¡ªbecause he definitely wouldn''t let her tire herself¡ªthe least she could do was not let him have to worry about her.


    "Don''t just say it." He spanked her backside out of the blue, earning a sudden gasp from her which prompted him to kiss her deeply.


    "Don''t make such sounds near me." He warned as he kissed her neck.


    "I didn''t do anything. You are just insatiable." She chuckled and hugged his shoulders.


    ¡­.


    The following day, the first thing Lanni did was check the credibility of the information that Skylar had given her. Surprisingly, it was true that Axel had pulled strings to kick Storm into rehab. No matter how she thought about it, she did not believe that it was necessary to use any under the table means to get a drug addict into rehab. All that was needed was to take them to the centre and everything else would proceed normally.


    The fact that Axel had to do anything aside from the required formalities made the whole situation suspicious. Storm was not a drug addict.


    She dared not think further than that. She needed to prove it first. Pulling strings to get him into rehab was not sufficient evidence on his own. There could have been other reasons.


    Besides, it was baseless. If they were to try and dispel the rumors using this sole piece of information, Axel could very well claim to have paid the rehabilitation centre to take care of Storm. He could even pretend to be the caring friend who was stabbed in the back for trying to do what was best for his friend. In the worst case scenario, he could sue them for invading his privacy.


    A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.


    "Come in." She said and looked over. Lin came in with Star in tow.


    "Did the two of you find something out?" She asked them. They looked like they were here to report the same thing, which they must have discussed. Her gaze was focused on Star so he spoke.


    "Storm has never been a drug addict. He is not a drug trafficker either."


    Her brows scrunched up. "That''s suspicious."


    "We found all the evidence we could." Lin explained. "We even tracked down one of the people who was supposed to have bought drugs from him and although he insisted that he and Storm had been doing the business for a while, we found it suspicious so we beat him into telling the truth. He doesn''t even know who Storm is."


    Lanni tapped her chin. That sounded possible. If any of those traffickers were to be found out and they found a chance to implicate someone else, they would grab it and it would have nothing to do with personal grudges. It was more about self-destructing with someone else.


    "Forget about him. He is not part of our case at the moment. Besides, if you seek him on your own again, he might hurt you." She warned.


    "We understand." They said in unison.


    She explained her suspicion. "Skylar told me the same thing you just said. I was worried for a moment that it might be a trap set by whoever is trying to frame Storm. Giving us a little information to bait us into his trap so he may get rid of us."


    Lin raised an eyebrow and glanced at Star. The two were on the same page. This time, Lin spoke for both of them. "Star and I will look into it a little more."


    She smiled at them. It looked like a much needed chemistry was brewing between them. It did a lot to lighten the mood.


    She shook her head. "Actually, you don''t need to. I found out who Storm''s lawyer is. I have contacted her and will meet up with her later."


    "That''s awesome. Do you need company? Lin and I will accompany you just in case." Star looked at Lin as he spoke for both of them.


    She once again smiled at the dog food they didn''t know they were shoving in her face. She knew that they were merely workmates and just happened to work well with each other but she needed a distraction to make work more interesting. Not that it was boring.


    They were looking at her and wondering why she was smiling so widely, so she cleared her throat. "Thanks for offering but I will be alright on my own."


    "But¡­" Lin was worried. "You know that many people don''t like reporters. Especially not people whose reputation has been tarnished by the media. What if his lawyer is waiting to attack you?" If anything were to happen to Lanni, they all knew that Xiehan would kill Lin Jian, and he would kill all of them before dying.


    "Relax." She chuckled.


    Letting them proceed with their tasks, Lanni went to meet with Storm''s lawyer.


    Xu Fangyang was much younger than Lanni thought, she looked to be in her early twenties. As expected, she was not happy to see Lanni after learning that she worked in the media industry. The two of them had met at a cafe and Xu Fangyang looked like she was ready to leave as soon as she learnt about Lanni''s occupation.


    "I''m not here to get you to say something that I will twist and publish for sales." She tried to convince the other. "I only want to know the truth."


    "Which you will publish at the end of it all." Xu Fangyang crossed her arms sarcastically.


    Lanni didn''t deny the claim. She ordered coffee when the waiter brought the menus. She took a sip when their drinks arrived, glad that the latter had not stormed off. "The thing is, I''m Storm''s fan. I know this has nothing to do with anything and might appear as baseless crap meant to convince you but have you taken a look at past records? There are many stars who were forced to retire from the entertainment industry for similar reasons. There would be a scandal about them and by the time it was discovered that they were innocent, the public would have long forgotten about them."


    Xu Fangyang flinched and Lanni grabbed the chance.


    "This is why you need the media on your side. Most of the media agencies don''t care about the truth. They only care about what sells best and lies are usually more dramatic which makes them sell better."


    She had stricken where it hurt most and Xu Fangyang looked displeased. "What''s your point?"


    "Lin Media group cares for the truth. And well, uncovering conspiracies sells better than lies do. We will make sure the truth is let out to the public before it''s too late for Storm and in return, we will get our explosive headline. It''s a win-win situation no matter how you think about it."


    Xu Fangyang took a small sip of her cappuccino before she looked at Lanni. "You are wasting your time. It''s not going to be easy. Your explosive headline might be outdated."


    Lanni smiled. That kind of statement meant she had caved. She slid a portfolio on the table to Xu Fangyang. "There are many private investigators who are affiliated with Lin Media Group. If you let us, we can help out and make it easier."


    Seeing that she was hesitant, Lanni added, "You love him, after all. Can''t you do him this favor?"


    _______


    AN


    My keyboard arrived, yay! Daily updates will resume immediately and I will update an extra chapter every other day to cover for the promised 10 chapters a week.

 Chapter 541 - White Lotus

    Xu Fangyang almost choked on her drink out of shock. She coughed for a while and Lanni panicked. Had she gone too far? When the latter stopped coughing, she offered the bottle of water that she had bought but was yet to drink from. "I''m so sorry. Are you alright?"


    Xu Fangyang nodded and drank a few sips before she managed to stop her cough. "Thank you." Her voice was still hoarse for a while.


    When she was alright, she glared at Lanni. "What nonsense are you insinuating? There is nothing between Storm and me! He has been married for years and that only ended a few days ago, and I''m nothing but his lawyer."


    Lanni made sure the latter was not about to drink her cappuccino, not ready to make her choke again. She looked indifferent about it. "The private investigators I just mentioned found it out. I''m sorry that he invaded your privacy but he didn''t mean to. He only wanted to find something that we could use to prove Storm''s innocence and accidentally stumbled upon the information." She bluffed and kept things vague.


    There was no freaking investigator who had uncovered anything. She had done so herself within the few minutes that she saw Xu Fangyang. The woman looked like she wanted to get away from what she felt was bullshit but at the same time, her eyes held a ray of hope that this media agency could really help her prove Storm''s innocence.


    She clearly didn''t trust anyone but was willing to try for him. Only a woman in love would act like that and have the kind of horrified expressions that Xu Fangyang did when Lanni talked about a star''s career potentially ending because the truth was found out too late.


    Her reaction to the news that her feelings had been found out was enough evidence to prove that Lanni was right, and it was too late to keep pretending.


    Luckily, the woman didn''t probe about the investigation. She might have given herself away, considering the latter was a lawyer.


    Xu Fangyang looked into her cup. "He doesn''t know."


    Lanni was relieved that she had only talked about feelings, not a relationship.


    "Do you prefer to talk about it somewhere else?" She offered.


    The latter shook her head. They had booked a private booth whose walls were sound proof and no one would come in unnecessarily.


    She sipped her drink. "Storm didn''t do any of the things that the media claims he did. But you know how slow the police are in our country. They keep promising to investigate further and although they do, they rarely ever find anything new. I couldn''t find a private investigator that I could trust."


    Lanni nodded, understanding that it was not because it was difficult to find one. Xu Fangyang was just more worried because this was a case that involved the man she loved.


    "It may be difficult for me to represent him in court if anyone found out about my feelings. Someone could use it against us so I hope you will keep it secret. Besides, it is not the right time for him to be involved with another woman." She said to Lanni, who understood and nodded.


    "It''s your secret to tell or keep."


    They went ahead to discuss the tidbits that Lin, Star and Skylar had found out, all of which Xu Fangyang knew. In fact, she knew everything about the case which was why Lanni had sought her in the first place.


    "I always found Anna suspicious." Xu Fangyang spoke, making Lanni relieved that she finally believed her. "She was too good to be true. No one is perfect but she was. I don''t believe that it''s possible for a woman to be beautiful, smart, innocent, kind and have a good temper."


    "What are you trying to say?" Lanni narrowed her eyes slightly. She had met a few women who could check all those boxes. Although it was rare, it was not impossible.


    Xu Fangyang slapped her forehead. "It''s not what you are thinking. There has to be a limit to kindness even for saints. No one is perfect, Lanni. There has to be a flaw no matter how slight it is. That woman was¡­" She looked infuriated as well as baffled. As if she could not find the right word to describe it, she sighed and changed her approach. "What would you do if you met a woman who loved your husband and spent more time with him than you did?"


    "I would¡­" Lanni felt furious just imagining the situation even though there was no such woman in hers and Xiehan''s lives. She decided to be truthful. "I''m not usually one to cause trouble. I would not confront her unless she is trying to seduce him or ruin our marriage but that doesn''t mean I will not be awfully jealous."


    "Exactly." Xu Fangyang almost raised her voice as though she had finally met someone with whom she was on the same page. "I was jealous of her even though she was the legal wife. I know of women who accepted their husbands'' mistresses just to save their marriages but that doesn''t mean those women were not jealous.


    But Anna¡­she was friendly to me in a way that was over the top. At first I was guilty and thought that she didn''t know how I felt but later, I was shocked out of my wits. One day, she told me that she would be happy for us if Storm were to reciprocate my feelings for him. She said that she would abort the baby she was carrying and divorce him, or give birth to the baby and give me its custody so we would be a complete family."


    "What?" Lanni was shocked. That was ridiculous. Was giving out one''s child part of being kind? It was suspicious.


    Xu Fangyang finished her drink with a smirk. "The next day, she put up a white lotus show and cried to Storm to tell him that I threatened to have her kicked out of her house and promised to replace her."


    Lanni had the urge to roll her eyes. "You said she was kind and I thought that she really was a real life angel. Why didn''t you mention that she was a white lotus?" She shook her head, and Xu Fangyang laughed.


    "That''s because I thought she was kind too." She looked like she was having fun after making Lanni go through an emotional roller coaster.


    "What happened? Did Storm believe her?" She asked.


    "That has been my point from the start. She was a woman who didn''t ever complain about anything. Even when Storm had to stay out late because of concerts that happened one after another or be away from home for weeks, she would always give him the perfect smile and wish him the best. The first time she ever complained about anything was on that day and she cried while at it."


    "That''s tragic." Lanni rapped her finger against the surface of the table. "Why does it sound like she had been planning to get you out of his life from the start?"


    "Bingo." Xu Fangyang was completely out of her professional mode as she explained the events that followed. "She was trying to get away everyone who knew Storm and could be helpful in preparation for the grand scheme. It was too late when I realized that she was Axel''s sister and her marriage to him had been part of Axel''s plan."


    It was Lanni''s turn to choke.


    "Are you okay?" Xu Fangyang looked concerned.


    "I''m not! Can you not drop such bombs without a warning?" She exaggerated even though she was indeed shocked out of her wits.


    Xu Fangyang laughed. "Did you know that the order in which events are presented in court may impact the verdict? It depends on which order is more convincing."


    "Now I do." Lanni had to agree. "Do you think it''s possible to meet him?"


    "If he agrees. I''ll need to talk to him first." The latter said.


    Lanni''s phone rang but she took one glance and ignored the call.


    "Do you need to pick that?" Xu Fangyang asked.


    "I''ll call them back later." She set her phone on silent mode and the two of them made their way to the detention centre.


    ____


    AN


    Don''t forget to leave a comment!


    The next chapter will be up in an hour.

 Chapter 542 - Set Up

    "All you want is a headline."


    It was not surprising that Storm''s reaction was identical to Xu Fangyang''s earlier when he learnt about Lanni and the reason why she had sought to visit him. He glared at Xu Fangyang who had been the one to convince the police that Lanni was here because she could help out with the case.


    Before it could escarlate into an argument, she cleared her throat with a smile. "Yes. I''m not going to deny wanting a headline but that''s part of my job. On a personal level, I just enjoy uncovering the truth behind conspiracies. That should be allowed, right?"


    Storm snorted. "Whatever."


    He no longer cared, probably because he had given up on any hope he previously had of proving his innocence.


    Lanni offered a smile. "I will not publish anything without evidence, if it makes you feel better."


    He didn''t say a word but she knew that it did make him feel better. The last thing he wanted was for crazy headlines that would further tarnish his reputation. When Xu Fangyang convinced him that she trusted Lin Media Group, he was finally willing to speak.


    "Do you know anything about Annie''s relationship with her brother?" She asked, because some of the details didn''t make sense.


    "A win-win relationship." He shrugged, playing with the cuffs around his wrists. "I would never let my sister marry my enemy if I loved her in the slightest. Those two were just using each other and it was unfortunate for them that I found out the truth."


    Lanni listened carefully. "What did you do?"


    "I didn''t kill her, if that''s what you are asking." He said, making her let out a sigh of relief even though they were not close. It would have all been useless because he would have been convicted nonetheless. He looked at her and pondered whether to tell her or not. In the end, he decided to say it in the simplest terms. "I confronted Axel about everything he had done to me. We ended up in a fight and when I returned home, Annie and the baby were both dead."


    The baby. Lanni took note of the term he had used. He had neither said ''our baby'' nor ''my baby''. When she glanced at Xu Fangyang, the latter nodded as though she was confirming what Lanni had just said.


    Annie''s child was not Storm''s. It was irrelevant in the case but it might be used alongside other tidbits to prove that Annie''s character was questionable and she could not be trusted. The only downside was that it might do the opposite by appearing to be a good reason for Storm to want them dead.


    "We have to prove that your marriage was a set up by Axel. I''m starting to think that he was also the one who had someone murder Annie to cover his tracks because you had found out the truth." She groaned.


    "Good luck trying to battle Axel. You should just save the world already."


    He was being sarcastic but she nodded like she was considering it. "Good idea."


    Her phone rang again and she was puzzled when she took a look. Why was Luna calling at such an odd hour? The call had ended before she could answer it and when she tried to call back, it went to voicemail.


    Hence, she waved at Storm and Xu Fangyang to bid them. "I have to go. I''ll be sure to let you know once I make any progress."


    Storm took her promise with a grain of salt and that served to pump her up. She would be sure to prove his innocence even if it would be to simply prove him wrong. Well, that and to get the headline she had promised Lin Jian.


    Once she was in her car, she checked the previous call that she had missed and called back. It turned out to be from the store where she had ordered a pair of shoes. They had run out of the color she wanted and forgot to update that on the shopping site, and wanted to know whether she would like to choose a different color or get a refund. Unable to think with her muddled state, she promised to call back once she decided and called Luna.


    She was relieved when the latter picked up.


    "You scared me! How could you call me during working hours then disappear?" She scolded as soon as she heard Luna''s voice.


    The latter laughed as though it was supposed to be funny. "I''m sorry. My phone went off as soon as I called you. I just connected it to the charger."


    Lanni rolled her eyes even though the latter couldn''t see it. Since her mind was finally at ease, she put the phone on hands free mode and drove off the parking lot. "Where is the fire?"


    "At my house! I just discovered a huge scoop and couldn''t hold it so I called you on a whim. Why don''t you drop by my place this evening? I''ll give you all the juicy details if you bring fried chicken with you."


    "Are you sure it''s not the fried chicken that you want?" She asked suspiciously. Everyone around Luna discouraged her from having too much fried food and lectured her about its effects on her health.


    Lanni wouldn''t put it past her to make up an excuse for her to bring it so it would look like she had no choice but to eat it because her sister brought it.


    "That''s not it!" Luna responded too fast, making it apparent that it was exactly what she was thinking about.


    When Lanni laughed, she grumbled. "Fine. Forget the fried chicken. Bring a serving of anything."


    Lanni chuckled and promised to get something delicious.


    Although she was anxious to hear the gossip, she managed to focus on work for most of the day. By the time she left her office, she had several incriminating call recordings in her hands. Star had managed to retrieve the recordings of the calls between Axel and Annie, which mostly involved the former telling the latter how to set traps for her husband. It might not be enough but it would help, so she saved them on her cloud storage and only sighed in relief when she was certain that there was no way she would lose them. Deciding to have someone prove their authenticity later, she grabbed her bag and made her way to Jiang Xingyu''s villa.


    Xiaomu was at the door as soon as Lanni arrived. "Aunty!"


    Her heart melted as she picked up the bundle of joy. "How cute! I missed you so much." She kissed her cheeks, and Linhou grudgingly ran over for kisses.


    When she put them down, Xiaomu grabbed the hem of her dress in anticipation.


    Luna came downstairs to the adorable scene and glanced at her daughter. "Aunty isn''t going anywhere. We will keep her here for as long as possible and if your uncle has anything to say about it, we will kidnap him too."


    Lanni laughed and shook her head. "Spill the gossip."


    "Hello to you too." Luna deliberately stalled. "Would you like something to drink?"


    Sensing Lanni''s glare, she chuckled and took a seat. "Well, here is the thing. I went to the hospital today and¡­" She deliberately let Lanni''s imagination run wild before she dropped it as her palm rubbed her flat stomach. "My babies are going to have a sibling."


    ______


    AN


    A certain couple has been doing a lot of "that" XD

 Chapter 546 - The Ship Finally Docks Home

    The following day, she found Storm and Xu Fangyang. The former was in cuffs and sat opposite them.


    "You look like you found something out." Storm was the first to remark, and he sounded surprised. He had not expected her to find anything.


    She didn''t waste a second because their visiting time was limited. "Axel doesn''t hate you. At least not in the kind of way we thought."


    "What makes you think that?" Storm asked.


    "I met him last night." She explained, even though it sounded crazy. "I made a few observations. One of them is that his edited pictures look a little like you. It must be because he didn''t want it to be obvious but you two could be thought of as brothers. Maybe that''s why fans used to joke about you being bros in the past."


    "That''s not related to anything." Storm dismissed her words but Xu Fangyang continued to listen.


    "His dressing style is similar to yours too. I checked his pictures from years ago before NV came to life and that wasn''t the case. His lyrics style mimics yours. Storm, he is trying to replace you. He is obsessed with you."


    Xu Fangyang dropped her face in her palm as if she had heard the worst news, which made Lanni blink in confusion.


    "You have no idea how many fugitives use mental disorders as a way to get away with a slap on their wrists. They are checked into mental asylums then show good recovery progress which is obviously fake, but they are allowed to leave within a year or six months. It''s heaven compared to the number of years they should have stayed in prison."


    Lanni tapped her chin. "I know it sounds like he has some psychological problems. If we prove that the urge to kill is not a symptom of whatever mental health issues he has, he will not get away."


    "You''re a lawyer, Fangyang." Storm grumbled to remind her of what she was good at.


    "I have never done this kind of case." She had always dealt with white collar crimes, so she was nervous.


    "It will be okay." Lanni patted her shoulder.


    "Right. Star found some chat records between Axel and Annie, as well as the large sums of money he had been sending her. There was also a transaction of a hefty sum that was sent to someone else, a man with a fake identity. We belive that was who was sent to finish off Annie. It might take a few days but as long as there is another suspect who has not been investigated, you will not be convicted. I have already submitted the records to the police."


    Storm and Xu Fangyang exchanged shocked glances before the latter hugged her. "Thank you, Lanni. Thank your investigator for me too."


    "It''s our job." She smiled.


    "At this point, you can publish your explosive headline." Storm added.


    Lanni''s eyes went wide like a kid who had just seen a mountain of candy. "Really?"


    "I owe you." He smiled. "I don''t care if other reporters start swarming around me like bees or if the rest of my life will be under scrutiny. It doesn''t matter anymore."


    "I don''t know what to say." She was conflicted after thinking about it. "Will it really be okay?"


    "It could have been worse." He smiled. "Actually, I was preparing to go into retirement before all tu his happened. I wanted to leave the music industry and take care of my wife and child but all that disappeared like a puff of smoke. So, I''ll just silently retire and spend the next several weeks or months courting my lawyer and when I finally entice her¡­"


    "What?" Xu Fangyang was so shocked that she almost broke into tears.


    "Are you going to pretend you don''t love me? I''ve been watching you." He laughed.


    "Then why didn''t you say a thing?" She would have smacked him if it wouldn''t be alarming.


    He chuckled then his expression turned serious. "I knew you loved me, Fangyang. But I was married to Annie. At the time I had already figured out her motives and hated her but I was still married to her. I couldn''t have feelings for another woman.


    Even now, I''m sure it seems too early for me to move on. So I''ll take it slow. I can''t promise to fall in love with you but I promise to respect you, to dote on you like you deserve and to be loyal to you for the rest of my life. I will give you my body and when my heart pieces itself back together, it''s all yours."


    "You said when." She tears spilled. He was certain that with time, he would be able to give her his heart. It was not a love confession but it felt like one.


    Lanni''s eyes almost watered as she watched them. This was the most heartwarming scene she had ever seen.


    ¡­.


    Lanni couldn''t wait to write the article so she did so on her phone on her way to Lin Media Group.


    When she got back to her office, Lin was waiting with news.


    "About Skylar¡­"


    "Oh no!" She slapped her forehead.


    Lin laughed and placed the files in her hands on Lanni''s desk. "It''s not what you think."


    Lanni heaved a sigh of relief. "What is it?"


    "She had to go home for a family emergency and may not be back soon. CEO Lin said to choose another teammate." Lin reported.


    "It''s okay. The three of us can handle what''s left. The difficult tasks are done. It''s mostly thanks to Star. Can you call him on your way?"


    "Sure." Lin still looked conflicted.


    "What is it?" Lanni had a bad feeling.


    As expected, Lin dropped a bummer. "Tian Yu Media found out about Storm''s case and posted an article about it. They don''t have as much details as we do but it will no longer be explosive."


    Lanni rubbed her forehead. "It wouldn''t make sense if we were the only ones who knew that the previous news was fake, right?"


    "Sadly, you''re right."


    She turned to glance at the article she had transferred to her computer. "On the bright side, we do have a piece of news that will be more explosive than the case in itself."


    "Tell me about it." Lin inched an ear.


    "No can do." Lanni chuckled. "Wait for the explosion."


    "You are so mean!" She complained. Curiosity was killing her.


    ¡­.


    Lanni was right. In fact, the turn up was much better than she thought. Fans cared about their idols'' love life more than they cared about crime.


    As soon as she posted the article titled [Storm X Fangyang ship finally docks home] and explained the roller-coaster they had undergone before finally finding their way to each other in the visitation room of the city detention centre, the views, likes and shares skyrocketed.


    Axel had been arrested while preparing to go into hiding but no one cared about that, all the attention having been grabbed by Storm and his lawyer who was now his girlfriend.


    The question on the fans'' minds was whether Storm would be proven innocent and leave the courtroom hand in hand with his lawyer or if he would be imprisoned and she would wait for years before they finally go home together. Either way, it would be a happy ending.


    With such a juicy piece as the icing of the cake, the article she had written about the case also gained millions of views and surpasses Tian Yu as well as all of Lin Media Group''s competitors.


    "Phew. Mission accomplished." She stretched her limbs in her office. Someone knocked on the door and she glanced over. "Come in."


    It turned out to be Lin Jian and he was carrying a humongous bouquet. "Great job. Everyone is talking about Lin Media Group. I don''t know how to reward you."


    She chuckled as she accepted the reward. "How about an hour to catch on some sleep?"


    "You can take the afternoon off. Cool off some steam before you get back to work."


    She glanced at the pile of files on her desk and shook her head. "I wish. A ton of articles need my verification. Some of them have to be posted on tomorrow''s issue of Oracle Daily. One hour is enough." She had postponed some of them and now she had to catch up.


    "You get one hour then.. I''ll help you tell your assistant not to let anyone in."

 Chapter 547 - Premonition (1)

    The rest of the day was a blur as Lanni finished up the work on her desk before starting to scout for another headline. There was no such thing as too soon for a new task in her dictionary and certainly not on her calendar.


    There was nothing much happening in the country at the moment. Most of the articles submitted on her desk these days were of celebrities catching their partners cheating, getting fans talking for days then later reporting that it was a misunderstanding and getting back together. That, or the artists that had most fans shipping them coupling up. That was as old as hell and most of it was scripted for publicity, which she knew from a diary she had once stumbled upon while searching for a new novel to read.


    It wasn''t that she wished for bad things to happen so she would get something to write about but it would be nice if there was more news¡ªboth good and bad.


    Hence, she wrote an email with a suggestion to Lin Jian.


    On Saturday, she woke up with a smile on her face. She was so excited for her cake tasting that the realization that her husband was not in bed or anywhere in the house didn''t dull her enthusiasm.


    She checked the time and frowned when she saw that it was almost midday. No wonder she was so hungry. She rubbed her empty stomach and strolled downstairs to make herself something to eat, only to find a covered tray on the kitchen island. Beside it was a note held in place by an empty coffee cup.


    She lifted the coffee cup and took the note, reading it with a smile.


    [Good afternoon, Sleepyhead. At least I think you won''t wake up until noon. Replace the second word with ''morning'' if you do wake up before noon.


    I set the coffee for 11:30 and brunch is on me. Now feed your lazy ass before the cake tasting. Remember to leave some space for the samples! Love, Xiehan.]


    She chuckled. Who the hell wrote ''feed your lazy ass'' on a sweet good morning note? But coming from him, it sent a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Her attraction for him hadn''t dulled in the slightest. She devoured her food before giving Luna a call.


    The latter picked up on the first ring.


    "Luna, are you coming for the cake tasting?" She asked.


    "I wouldn''t miss it for the world!" Luna was excited.


    She smiled. This was really happening. "I''ll send you the location. Meet you there in half an hour." She looked down at what she was wearing¡ªXiehan''s t-shirt and nothing underneath it. "Make that an hour."


    ¡­.


    She and Luna arrived at the bakery within minutes of each other and they wouldn''t stop chattering.


    "You are really preparing for your wedding!" Luna chirped. She was more excited than she was about her own wedding.


    "I am." Lanni couldn''t tame her excitement. "My dress is ready too. I should try it out after the cake tasting. Right. What about Xiehan''s suit? I should call to check."


    She didn''t need to call because Xiehan had arrived. He had overheard what she had just asked. "It will be ready for me to try in a few days." He said and pulled her to his side. Although they had spent the night in each other''s arms, he kissed her lips when he saw her.


    "Get a room, you two. You are blinding my baby." Luna grumbled at them.


    Lanni pulled away and laughed, wanting to tell her that her baby''s eyes hadn''t even developed yet, and even if they had, it couldn''t see from inside her womb.


    The three of them entered the bakery. It was a grand bakery with a large hall specifically meant for cake tasting. The manager had already been notified of their arrival so he showed them to the table that had been reserved for them. To avoid ridiculous situations of patrons taking hours trying to decide on their flavor and design and then ending up picking none, the bakery only allowed a maximum of three people, which is why they had not called their friends to help them decide.


    "There had to be a reason why this is the best bakery in town and now I know why." Luna hummed through a piece of straberry cake. It was exceptionally soft and the sweetness exploded in her mouth in a way that made her want to devour the entire sample. But, she had to save space to taste other flavors so she restrained herself.


    "Is it weird that I want all of them?" Lanni grumbled.


    "We can have all of them." Stated Xiehan and they both looked at him like he was out of his mind.


    "What? My wife wants all of them so why not?" He asked matter-of-factly.


    Lanni shook her head through a smile and gave up asking for his help choosing. He only had one solution for any options that were conflicting¡ªtake all of them.


    In the end, she chose a gold and burgundy themed cake, which would be the major colors at her wedding, and the three layers would be vanilla, lemon and mint flavored. She liked the taste of lemon and mint but something about the green color on the frosting just didn''t sit well with her. The bakery had warranted that she could change the flavors before the last week of her wedding. She wasn''t planning to change it but it made her feel at ease.


    When they left the bakery, she breathed out a sigh of relief every two seconds.


    "How are you feeling?" He asked her.


    "I could use a hug." She raised her arms as though she had been waiting for his question.


    He pulled her into his arms for a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. "Why are you so anxious anyway?"


    "I don''t know." She purred against his chest. "There''s just this gnawing feeling in me. I guess I''m just not used to being watched by everyone walking down the aisle in a wedding gown?"


    "No one is ever used to talking down the aisle in a wedding gown. It''s a new feeling no matter how many times you get married and it''s okay to be nervous." He comforted her.


    Luna was making a call, notifying the bridal gown store that they were ready for Lanni to try out her wedding gown and that they would be there in a few minutes.


    He rubbed her back and suggested, "how about we skip the live broadcast part of the wedding? It would ease the pressure and you will have fewer eyes on you."


    "Sounds perfect." She agreed. The live broadcast had been Lin Jian''s idea and the thought of many people watching it on their phones and televisions made her nervous.


    He nodded when he saw her significantly calm down. "I just received a message from the planners. The invitations are ready but they want us to take a look and approve of them before we send them out."


    _____


    AN


    What cake color and flavor did you/would you choose for your wedding?


    Let me know in the comments below!


    I''ll go first.


    I''d choose vanilla strawberry any day. Clich¨¦, I know, but it''s my best flavor of everything that mixes the two.. Color would be peach or white.

 Chapter 548 - Premonition (2)

    "It''s time. Let''s go and try out your gown." Luna chirped.


    Lanni pulled away from her husband. "Yeah. We should get going. I can''t wait to see it."


    "Me either." Xiehan added, wincing at the fact that he would not be allowed to see her in her gown before the wedding. He could only imagine how lovely his wife would look walking down the aisle for weeks!


    "Are you sure the rule about not seeing the wedding gown before the wedding was not put in place by women to torture men?" He asked, and the women burst out laughing.


    "See you later, my love." She pecked his lips to placate him and disappeared with Luna.


    The store had already been notified of their arrival so they were shown to their VIP section as soon as they went in.


    After scouring through all the magazines they could find and not finding anything that was perfect for her, Lanni decided to have a custom gown made. She had contacted the owner of the brand who was also the head designer. The latter had required her to fill in a form with her hobbies, likes and dislikes and pretty much everything she didn''t think had anything to do with the kind of gown she wanted. However, everyone said she was the best designer in the country so Lanni gave her the benefit of the doubt.


    When they arrived in the VIP section, she and Luna sat on the velvet couches and declined the drinks as they waited for their designer.


    "I''m sorry I''m late." They finally heard a female voice after a few minutes. They both turned to see a woman older than them. She was beautiful and was wearing a simple business outfit but paired with the matching shoes and jewelry on her body, it screamed ''fashionista''.


    "I''m wearing anything designed by her even if it''s crap." Luna muttered.


    Lanni chuckled under her breath. There was no way one could rock a simple outfit like that and design crap.


    "I''m Wan Jia." She extended a hand.


    Luan was the first to shake it. "Xia Luna."


    "Li Lanni." Lanni extended a hand too.


    Wan Jia looked at the two of them and made a guess, looking at Lanni. "You must be Mrs. Ji."


    Lanni looked surprised. She had only submitted a surname. "How did you know?"


    "Well, the who looks like she has wedding jitters." Wan Jia joked. "Just kidding. I had my assistant do some research. I hope you don''t mind. It''s the only way to know who really wants a wedding gown made and who is wasting time."


    "It''s alright." Lanni nodded.


    Wan Jia had her assistants bring in a mannequin with a gown for her to try.


    She frowned slightly. "This¡­"


    "Why don''t you try it before commenting?" Wan Jia urged. She nodded and entered the dressing room. Well, she would not be forced to take it if she didn''t like it so there was no harm in trying it out.


    When she looked at her reflection in the dressing room mirror, her eyes welled up. She was yet to zip it up and may need help with that but from what she could see, no wedding gown could suit her better than this. It was just impossible.


    It had a sweetheart neckline but the feathers on the left side of the chest covered her left shoulder and appeared like a false, short sleeve from the front. The material was soft and comfortable and hugged her curves before flowing out at her hip, like a mermaid.


    She opened the door of the dressing room. "Luna, could you help me with the zipper?"


    Luna looked up and gasped. "You look so beautiful!"


    "Thank you." Lanni''s eyes stung.


    "How is it? Do you like it?" Wan Jia asked from the couch.


    "I''m taking it." Lanni fought back her tears. She didn''t want to ruin the dress before the special day.


    Luna retreated into the dressing room with her.


    "Oh, I have something for you." She announced, then she scratched her head. "I''ll have it sent to your house later."


    "You did that on purpose." Lanni smacked her playfully.


    "Hey! Your nephew or niece is making me forgetful." She pouted.


    ¡­


    After trying out and paying for the wedding gown, they left it in the store so Wan Jia could finish up working on the final details. Lanni then went back home, where Xiehan was placing the invitations in envelopes with the corresponding names.


    She slumped beside him. "Why do we have to do this? Can''t we simply create a group of all our guests and send an ecard?" She groaned.


    "Some things have to be done traditionally." He swiftly placed the next card in its envelope.


    She took a card and looked for its envelope, shaking her head. Weddings were a lot of work. They had a planner but many things still had to be done by them.


    "These will be sent out tomorrow." He showed her the successfully sealed invites before holding up an envelope without an address. "I don''t know Flynn''s address."


    She thought about it and made a call to Luna, who picked on the second ring. "Luna, do you know Flynn''s address?" She asked.


    "No. I can hack it up for you. Hold on." She promised. Lanni waited and heard her turn on her laptop before the soft sounds of her tapping the keys filled the air. A few minutes later, Luna spoke again.


    "There is no permanent address. The last place he was seen was a hotel in Italy."


    Lanni frowned. "How can he not have a place to live?"


    "Are you meeting Flynn for the first time?" Luna chuckled. "Hold on. He came to B City after that. Give me a minute."


    She hung up and Lanni waited on edge. Luna called ten minutes later and sounded out of breath. "Lanni."


    "Did you find it?" She asked.


    "What are you doing right now?" Luna responded with a question of her own.


    "Uhm...waiting for your news?" She frowned. Was Luna high?


    "Do you mind taking a seat?" Luna asked.


    "Why?"


    "Just sit." The latter insisted.


    She could have pretended to sit but she had a nagging feeling that she needed it so she took her seat next to Xiehan. "Okay, you crazy woman. Can you tell me what''s going on?"


    "I found news about Flynn." Luna announced. "Before he came to B City, he was chatting with his girlfriend. He told her that he was coming to see his sisters."


    "Okay?" Lanni probed.


    "But soon after he arrived in B City, he passed out on his way to us. He was taken to hospital a week ago. He is yet to leave the hospital."


    "What?" Lanni muttered. Her heart thumped against her chest. Flynn had been in hospital for a week? How come no one contacted her or Luna? Didn''t he have any emergency contacts?


    She gasped, feeling suffocated when she recalled the last time they saw each other. She had followed Xiehan on a business trip after their marriage and bumped into him on her way to the bathroom.


    He had instructed her and Luna to take care of themselves, and that she should say hello to Linhou and Xiaomu. At the time, she had scoffed and told him to pay them a visit if he wanted to.


    But now that she thought about it, he had sounded like¡­ he was saying goodbye.

 Chapter 549 - Premonition (3)

    Lanni ran a hand through her hair. The hope she had left in her heart evaporated in a puff. "He must have known that he was unwell. Why didn''t he say a word of it?"


    "I don''t know, Lanni." Luna sounded exasperated. "I''m going to the hospital. Are you coming with me?"


    "Hell yes I am. I''m going to give him an earful of scolding for doing this to us." She grabbed a bag and made to leave even though she was only wearing his oversized t-shirt.


    He grabbed her and pulled her back to his side. "I''ll get you something to wear."


    She nodded and waited for him to bring her a pair of pants and a blouse to wear. She changed into them at record speed and grabbed her bag, at the same time as he took his car keys. She rushed into the car and fumbled with the safety belt before ignoring it and looking up at him so he would drive faster.


    ¡­


    When they arrived at the hospital, she jumped out of the car and rushed for the reception within the shortest time.


    Luna was already at the reception.


    "Where''s he?" She demanded impatiently. Luna grabbed her hand and led her down the hallways to Flynn''s ward.


    "Flynn?" She pushed the door open and rushed to his side. She covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes watered.


    It was unbelievable that the carefree man who couldn''t wait to make fun of her was currently lying helplessly on the bed, with his life hanging precariously on a thin thread.


    His eyes were open but they looked lifeless against his pale face. Now that she realized it, he looked haggard when they last met in Italy but it was much worse now; it was as if life had been sucked out of him.


    "Flynn." She whispered his name.


    "You asshole!" Luna wanted to punch the hell out of him and would have done it if she didn''t run the risk of sending him to heaven with one blow.


    "Look who''s here. Both of my sisters." He smiled as if the whole situation was anything to smile about. Lanni wanted nothing but to beat the crap out of him. She couldn''t hold her tears back anymore. "Why didn''t you tell me anything? Didn''t we agree not to keep things from each other anymore?"


    He looked away in shame. "I didn''t want to worry you."


    "Don''t give me that crap. I''m more worried. I don''t believe in any of that nonsense of keeping secrets about your health from your family to protect them from the truth." Lanni glared down at him and would have landed a slap across his face if she didn''t forcefully ball her hands into fists. "Do you know what hurts more? It''s thinking that someone you love is alright only for it to turn out that he has been feeding you a lie."


    Flynn smiled gently. However, it looked like he was using up so much strength just to smile. "Someone you love. You love me, sis? You never admitted that." He joked.


    "You idiot!" This time, she couldn''t stop herself from hitting him.


    Luna pulled her back. "Lanni, he''s still a patient."


    "And I still hate him." She rolled her eyes.


    "Oh please. I know you love me." He scoffed and laughed at her reaction.


    When he saw both of them staring at him like they actually wanted him dead, he sighed and stopped messing around. "I didn''t want you to spend your lives taking care of me. I wanted you to enjoy yours."


    "We''ve enjoyed it alright." Luna scoffed sarcastically.


    He forced a smile. "Don''t be like that."


    They both ignored him but sat by his side. Xiehan dropped by to check if everything was alright, then he went to find them something to eat.


    "I hope I can contact Veruschka. At least once before I die." Flynn spoke after what felt like hours of cold silence.


    "Who the hell is Veruschka?" Lanni asked about the unfamiliar name.


    "His girlfriend. The one he tried to dump when he realized that she was pregnant." Luna explained and turned to glare at Flynn for what he did.


    Lanni looked at him for confirmation and when he didn''t say anything to deny Luna''s claim, she gasped in shock.


    "What?"


    "How could you? If you didn''t want a child then why did you get her pregnant?" She stood up as if that would help her get the point across easily. "If you are not going to tell me that you dumped her because she had a child with another man, then you are the worst jerk on earth!" She snapped, not caring that he was unwell.


    "Don''t put it like that, sis." He chuckled at Luna before looking at Lanni. "Could you help me up?"


    She scoffed and wanted to ignore him but helped him up anyway. "Speak."


    "Why don''t I do that once you sit?" He pleaded and she had no choice but to sit.


    If he was going to say that the woman got herself pregnant by tricking him and he was not ready for a child when it happened, she would suggest adopting the baby once it was born. At least she was certain that she wanted a child.


    "Stop letting your mind run wild, jeez." He laughed. "I love her so much, Lanni." He looked at her then at Luna. "But you know what''s going on with me. I can''t live for even a week longer. I know that I''m going to die soon. How can I Iet her have a child who will end up as an orphan anyway? I don''t want her to have to bring the child up on her own, which is why I tried to talk her into having an abortion. At least that way, she will move on after my death. She will not have a baby to keep reminding her of the man who is no longer alive."


    Luna wiped the tears she didn''t know were rolling from her eyes.


    "Why didn''t you consider what she wanted? Do you realize that by suggesting what you told her to do, you hurt her feelings even more?


    What if she didn''t mind having your child in your absence?"


    "But I will not even be there when the child is born. What kind of father will that make me? She doesn''t have a family so who will take care of her?" He argued.


    Lanni held his hand. "That''s what you think. But maybe in her opinion, it''s much better to have this child who will be her only family. They will be there for each other. Besides, how can you be so certain that she will move on if she doesn''t have your child with her? It will be much worse. Not only will she have to move on from you leaving her, but she will also be grieving the loss of her baby. Are you implying that just because she hasn''t given birth yet, the baby isn''t important to her?"


    He looked away in shame. "I didn''t mean it that way."


    She continued patting her hand and swallowed past the lump in her throat. She had always thought that death was painful but that was until she thought about Flynn''s situation. How must it feel to live the rest of your life knowing that it was short? He must have felt life slipping out of him every day and couldn''t do anything about it. How painful must it have been?


    Wait. How could they be so certain that nothing could be done? She wanted to ask about the treatment he had been receiving since he came to the hospital.


    Before she could open her mouth, the door was pushed open in the slightest as though whoever was outside it was asking for permission to come in.


    "Come in." Luna called.


    Xiehan walked in with food flasks and arranged the food on the table. He also poured a glass of milk each for Lanni and Luna.


    "Can I not drink it?" Luna groaned.


    "If your husband says you can skip it." He deadpanned, knowing that Xingyu wouldn''t say yes to that.


    He then went to Lanni''s side and looked at Flynn. "Do you mind letting my friend check on you? He is a doctor."


    "There''s no need." Flynn dismissed and opened his mouth to eat the food that Lanni was feeding him.


    Lanni pursed her lips as her hand weakened. Was it a terminal illness?

 Chapter 550 - Premonition (4)

    Flynn looked at his sisters then at Xiehan who was wondering why he wouldn''t let Han Xichen check on him. "Can I have a word with my sisters?"


    "I''ll be outside." He nodded and pressed a reassuring kiss on Lanni''s cheek before leaving.


    "Are you okay, Luna?" Flynn asked. "It might be triggering to you."


    "Nothing is more triggering than you hiding such news from us." She glared at him.


    He reclined back on the pillows. "Han Xichen poisoned me." He sighed.


    "What?" Lanni muttered under her breath, finally understanding things she thought didn''t make sense in the past. Why would Flynn be so obedient to Han Xichen if he hated him so much?


    "He would give me an antidote every week to weaken the poison. He is the only one who had it so if I ever disobeyed him, he would let the poison take effect. It was agonising." He swallowed.


    She shut her eyes when she thought about it. "We should have killed him in a more painful way. Wait. You knew that if he died, you would die from the poison. Why did you agree to kill him?"


    "I met Veruschka." He smiled, his face not holding any regret. "She is a doctor. She spent months studying the poison in my body and managed to develop an antidote for me. It was in the final stage of development but she wasn''t certain about its effectiveness. Then I learnt of the things Han Xichen had done to the two of you in secret."


    Lanni facepalmed. "Why would you put your life on the line for our revenge?"


    Since he was in this state, it was obvious that the antidote had not been as effective as they hoped.


    "I had wanted him dead for too long. It didn''t matter if I died for killing him." He forced a smile. He never would have thought that not only would he and Veruschka fall in love, but he would also ruin her life by knocking her up.


    Luna stood and blinked away her tears. "I''m going to contact Veruschka."


    "You don''t need to."


    She didn''t hear him because she had already left the ward.


    Lanni stayed with him for a little longer until he fell asleep, then she joined Luna in her car.


    The latter had already found a way to contact Veruschka.


    "She agreed to meet up with us." Luna stretched out her limbs and reclined against the backrest.


    "Will she come over, or should we go to Germany?" Lanni asked.


    "She agreed to come over. She is four months along and can still travel around. On the other hand, Xingyu will not let me go overseas in his absence and I don''t want to make him leave his work for me."


    Lanni nodded. "I''m glad she is not mad at the whole family because of what Flynn told her to do."


    "She will take the first flight here. Poor girl, she didn''t even know that he was unwell. He didn''t leave her as an emergency contact and didn''t tell her when he woke up either. She almost fainted in shock when I told her."


    Lanni once again wanted to beat the crap out of Flynn. It was already bad enough that she had to watch the man she loved as he lived the final months of his life. If she fell in love with him even while knowing that he was his patient and she would probably lose him, it must be true love.


    ¡­


    Although Flynn had insisted that there was no cure to the poison, Xiehan still called Han Xichen over to check if there was anything that could be done. Unfortunately, it would take at least a month for Han Xichen to improve the antidote that Veruschka had developed and at least three to create a new one. Either way, there was no way to be certain that it would work.


    Although there was medication that could be used to slow down the symptoms, Flynn decided against taking them. He preferred not to prolong his life which would consequently increase his agony.


    ____


    Veruschka arrived two days later and she was nothing like Lanni and Luna thought. Unfortunately, she was too late to have a glimpse of Flynn before he breathed his last.


    "How could he do this to me?" She broke down in Lanni''s arms when the news was broken to her. "How could he leave us? How are we supposed to live without him?"


    Lanni hugged her and patted her back in solace. "It''s alright."


    Veruschka''s mood was constantly changing. She would be stable for a while and explain to her and Luna that Flynn was better off not feeling the pain he had to go through whenever the effects of the poison acted up. The next moment, she would break down and blame Flynn for not caring about her and their son by dying and leaving them on their own.


    "You''re a strong woman, Veruschka. You can¡­" Lanni stopped speaking when the woman pushed her away.


    "I''m tired of hearing that! Just because I''m strong, I''m expected to endure everything?"


    "That''s not what I meant." Lanni panicked when the latter caught the wrong meaning to her words.


    "When my father died, I was expected to be strong enough to move on. When my mother left me, of course, Veruschka is strong. And now when the love of my life is gone, can''t I cry for a bit?" She sniffled.


    "It''s okay to cry." Lanni wiped her own tears away. They were standing outside the hospital morgue. She was still in denial and part of her would cling to the thought that Flynn had been mistaken to be dead. Perhaps if she waited for long enough, she would see him flail his arms and help him up, then it would be revealed that he was in fact still alive. Every time she went back for confirmation, she would caress his face only to be met with icy coldness. In the end, the staff at the morgue had to drag her out and wouldn''t let her back in anymore.


    Veruschka and Luna couldn''t be allowed in and could only wait for the wake.


    Flynn had written a will which was yet to be read officially, but the attorney who had verified it had revealed that Flynn wanted to be laid to rest the same way his mother was laid to rest, but in his sister''s hometown.


    ____


    AN


    I''ll mass release in 5 days!

 Chapter 551 - Emptiness

    Flynn was laid to rest a few days later. There were only a handful of family members present and his friends weren''t many either.


    Lanni and Luna were still in disbelief when they gave their final respects. Who would have thought that the carefree man that liked to make fun of everything would perish so easily? It was unbelievable but they had no choice but to accept it.


    Veruschka spent the few days that followed in B City. Although they had only met recently, she hit it off with Luna and one would think they had known each other for ages. They had a lot in common and would chat for hours on end.


    Since Xingyu and Luna''s villa was spacious enough, they let her temporarily live with them instead of staying at the hotel on her own. She had no family to get back to in Germany and was in no rush to get back, so she waited until the day that Flynn''s will would be read.


    The executor was invited to Li Yuming''s villa where everyone had agreed to gather.


    Veruschka sat next to Luna and looked tense.


    Luna patted her back. "It will be alright."


    The latter nodded but didn''t stop the tears from gathering in her eyes. This was the final evidence that her man was dead. The tiny hope she held that he would be back¡ªdespite watching him being lowered into the ground¡ªhad snapped.


    She burst into tears as soon as she heard the representative read the declaration of Flynn''s identity on his will.


    Xingyu grabbed Luna''s hand before she could follow her and whispered in her ear, "let her calm down on her own."


    Luna nodded reluctantly.


    It turned out that Flynn had more estates than they could ever imagine. He had left all his properties in Germany for Veruschka and their unborn baby, while the estate he had gathered in B City was distributed among Lanni, Luna and Li Yuming.


    He had also left behind a letter for Li Yuming, stating that he had never held a grudge against her and that he regretted not reaching out to bury the hatchet that shouldn''t have existed in the first place.


    Li Yuming had tears in her eyes when the letter was read out.


    "I should have been the one to reach out. He was just a child with nothing to be blamed about." She sniffled. "We were both victims and shouldn''t have hated each other and played the blame game."


    "It''s not your fault either, mom." Lanni patted her shoulder.


    Li Yuming hugged her to comfort herself and went out to speak to Veruschka. She found her staring at the fountain as though the water made her feel calmer.


    "Hey," She whispered.


    Veruschka turned and offered a smile when she saw that it was Luna''s mother. "Hi. I''m sorry I couldn''t keep my emotions in control."


    "You can''t be blamed for that." Li Yuming consoled her and closed in on her. "I know we have only known each other for a short while but¡­ if you ever need anything, I''ll be here to help."


    Veruschka smiled gently. "I don''t want to impose on you. It''s already enough that Lanni and Luna have been so helpful to me."


    "You wouldn''t be imposing on us." Li Yuming reassured her. "It''s not safe to be on your own while pregnant. If you feel like moving to B City, we will be there for you."


    "How did you know I wanted to move to B City?" She stifled a laugh in embarrassment.


    "It''s nothing to be shy about." Li Yuming smiled. "But if you want to move, you should do so soon while you are still allowed to travel around."


    "I''ll take note of that." Veruschka offered her a hug and rubbed her stomach.


    Seeing her actions, Li Yuming vowed to help her through her pregnancy. It was the least she could do for Flynn.


    "I''ll go back to Germany in two days." She stated.


    "I''ll help you prepare for your departure if you don''t mind." She promised, and Veruschka nodded.


    ___


    Lanni got back to work the next day. It was hard to focus at first but she had a lot of work to do, so she had no choice but to try her best.


    Lin Jian kept checking on her every hour or two. He would bring random snacks and drinks to help her feel better, or a blanket and a pillow which made her wonder whether she was supposed to work or sleep in her office the entire time.


    "Sister-in-law, are you alright?" He asked when he poked his head into her office for the umpteenth time in the afternoon. He had dropped the friend-in-law honorific and switched to sister-in-law.


    She massaged her forehead in frustration.


    "Does your head hurt?" He asked worriedly and prepared to bring her painkillers or call a doctor.


    Lanni shot a glare at him. "I''m perfectly fine, okay? Don''t make it sound like I''m a toddler in your care."


    Lin Jian scratched his head. "If I don''t check on you often enough, Xiehan will kill me for not taking good care of his wife. Who am I to disobey?" He said in his defense.


    "It''s enough to check on me once. Don''t do it every few minutes like I''m on the verge of death!" She glared at him. How was she supposed to work with him buzzing around her like an annoying fly?


    The mention of death dimmed her mood yet again. It had taken her what felt like forever to take in the fact that her brother was no more. She had only known him for a few years, known that they were siblings two years ago and it had taken her too long to accept it. When she finally did, he was no more. She felt empty.


    "Are you alright?" Lin Jian asked, which resulted in her grabbing the pillow he had brought her to make her rest better and throwing it in his face. He laughed and caught it before it fell. "I''ll take that as a yes."


    She smiled bitterly and tears spilled out of her eyes.


    Lin Jian panicked. "Lanni, are you feeling unwell? You can take the rest of the day off."


    She shook her head and wiped her tears away, biting her lip tightly to stop another bout. "I''ll be alright."


    She had been saying the same thing every time she thought about her past with Flynn¡ªwhen she still thought he bullied her because he hated her¡ªand couldn''t stop herself from crying.


    Lin Jian closed in and sat on the chair opposite her desk. "It''s okay to cry. Only by recognizing your feelings will you be able to move on. And you are not in any rush to move on. Sometimes it might take a few days, sometimes even years. No one gets to tell you when you should or if it''s too soon."


    Lanni listened to his words and felt as though she was reading something from one of those articles written by shrinks. Why did shrinks even exist?


    Realizing that she was starting to be bitter about everything in life, she grabbed a file from her desk and showed it to Lin Jian.


    "Since you are here, we can discuss work-related matters." She suggested.


    "You don''t have to force yourself to work." He advised.


    "Then we can talk about your personal life. Why did you switch to calling me sister-in-law?" She asked. She knew that she was overthinking everything but at the moment, she could cling to anything as long as it helped her forget about the thing she didn''t want to think about anymore.


    He studied her like she was out of her mind. "Must I have a reason before I can call you that? Ruby and I are in a relationship and her brother is your husband." He explained.


    "I see." She slumped into the backrest of her chair.


    "Do you think you can have a word with Han Xichen?" He gently suggested. She had lost a lot of weight in just a few days and had dark circles around her eyes from lack of sleep.


    She frowned at his words. "Do you think we are close enough for you to tell me that I need to see a shrink?"


    He shrugged. "That makes sense, we aren''t. Actually, it was just a suggestion.. You can ignore it if you don''t want to."

 Chapter 552 - Moving On(1)

    "You are right. I do need a shrink even though I don''t want to admit it." She laughed out of the blue.


    He stared at her worriedly. Was it time for him to call Han Xichen? Or could it be that he was in fact late and should have done it ages ago? He took out his phone.


    She burst into tears and he was relieved. If she was willing to let it out, she would be alright. Even so, he sent Xiehan a text message to report her situation like a tattletale, just to be certain that she would not be left alone to fall into depression. He knew that was a stretch but he couldn''t help being worried about it.


    ¡­.


    When she finally left work, she felt as though her head was on the verge of exploding. She had worked like a robot with a mission and wasn''t certain that the articles she had approved were the best. If this continued, she would cause Lin Media Group losses so she gave Han Xichen a call as soon as she got out of the Lin Media Group building.


    He had already gone home so he asked her over, since he had to leave the country for a seminar the following day. Since she wouldn''t be long, she gave Xiehan a call to tell him that she would be slightly late.


    When she arrived at Han Xichen''s house, she was greeted by Little Yue who tried to run out on her short legs as soon as she got the chance.


    "I caught you!" Xiaoshi grabbed her and lifted her up, laughing when the little girl looked bummed. She gave Lanni a brief hug. "Hi Lanni. You don''t look well."


    Lanni smiled when the girl in Xiaoshi''s arms struggled to say "Aunt Lanni". She took her from Xiaoshi''s arms and kissed her cheek, playing with her as she responded to Xiaoshi''s words. "I feel much better after seeing this little cutie."


    She blew air onto the girl''s little tummy and the girl burst into a giggle. When Lanni stopped, she stretched her small arms to once again present her tummy for her to blow.


    Xiaoshi glanced at them and laughed. "She plays too much."


    "It''s perfect. Can you imagine how odd it would be for your toddler to be inactive and not play at all?"


    Xiaoshi stepped aside to welcome Lanni as she shook her head. "I mean, she gives me more of a headache than her dad does most of the time but I''ll choose her any day. If my baby were inactive, I''d think she was sick."


    The women laughed loudly when Yue buried her head into her own tummy to blow it and frowned when it didn''t tickle as much as it did when Lanni did it.


    "Who did you just say gives you a headache?" Teased Han Xichen who was sitting in the living area and reading a thick book. Yue got down from Lanni''s arms and bounced away to jump onto her father, nearly knocking the book out of his hands. As though he had always expected her to make such moves, he pulled the book out of her way and held her to support her.


    Xiaoshi laughed and looked at Lanni beside her. "The two headaches are each other''s sweetheart."


    After playing with the little girl who was more active and adventurous than Xiaomu, Lanni and Han Xichen talked in the living room as Xiaoshi took Yue away to play in her toy room.


    "How have you been feeling lately?" He asked as he sipped his cup of the tea that Xiaoshi had brought them. Knowing what had happened to her brother, he didn''t need to ask to know why she had sought him.


    She looked into her cup. "I don''t know. I feel sad sometimes. Sometimes I want to scream my lungs out and at other times I''m happier than I should be. I mean, I know it isn''t right to be happy so soon¡­"


    "Hold." He made a gesture for her to stop talking. "Who told you that you shouldn''t be happy?"


    She thought about it. "I don''t know. Logic?"


    He nodded and reached for the remote control to turn on the television, then switched to a kids channel. "What are they doing?"


    Lanni glanced at the little bundles of joy on the screen then at him. What was he getting at? "They''re¡­ dancing?"


    He switched to a different channel, where as if by coincidence, there was an alcoholic drink commercial that featured people dancing in a bar. "What about them?"


    "Uh¡­ dancing?"


    When he switched to a fashion channel she was finally confused. Still, he asked. "What about them?"


    "Walking down the runway." She blinked in confusion. Did he think she was a child?


    He turned off the television and placed down the remote control. "All I did was turn on the television and you saw that everyone is minding their business. Life still goes on, Lanni. You can''t mop forever."


    "It''s different for them. He is my brother." She sighed.


    "And that means you have to remain sad for the rest of your life? Do you think he would want you to feel that way?" He asked.


    She shook her head sadly. "I can''t help myself."


    "Why don''t you create a happy occasion and celebrate? You can push your birthday forward for a few months, for instance, or do something you have always wanted to do. If you kept postponing anything, this is the right time." He would have suggested that she hit the nightclub but that might just make her misunderstand and think that drowning in alcohol might make her problems easier to face. The last thing he wanted was to be the reason for her alcohol abuse.


    She thought about it. Was there anything she had been postponing? For a while, she couldn''t come up with anything.


    As if reading her mind, he smiled. "Don''t think about it right now. Go home and sleep on it. When you are certain of what you want to do, you can start making plans about it. No one''s rushing you."


    She nodded.. Actually, there was something she had wanted to do in the past and now that she thought about it, there was a way to make it even better.

 Chapter 553 - Moving On (2)

    Xiaoshi saw Lanni off when she was done discussing with Han Xichen. She was holding Yue in her arms and after hugging Lanni and kissing her cheek, she held up the little girl''s hand to help her wave goodbye to Lanni. "Thanks for dropping by. But why did you insist on not staying for dinner? I was preparing to bring out my best culinary skills." She asked. She had overheard Han Xichen ask her to stay for dinner, but her response was that she had to leave.


    Lanni was glad that they were willing to invite her so cordially and would have stayed if she could. "I promised Xiehan to make him his favorite meal. He will be unhappy if I don''t." She explained, and they giggled at how Xiehan would probably complain like a little boy if she didn''t make his dinner when he was expecting it.


    Lanni caught sight of Yue trying to blow her a kiss at the side. She couldn''t do it right so all she did was nibble at her hand and then blow out a puff of air. Her heart melted. "Do you want me to take her away for the night?" She asked, majorly because she could not resist the thought of a night with the jovial Yue.


    Xiaoshi thought about it and had to drop the bummer. "Xichen has to leave the city tomorrow so we decided to have a family sleepover tonight. Yue will sleep with us so she does not think that her daddy doesn''t love her anymore just because he is leaving."


    "That''s so adorable." She had to admit, even though she would no longer be able to take the little girl with her. She had also heard about Han Xichen''s need to leave so she thought it would be crazy to insist on taking their daughter away.


    Seeing her disappointment, Xiaoshi leaned over and lowered her voice, covering her daughter''s ears even though she was too young to understand whatever they were talking about. "I''ll definitely let you take her away in two days. I''ll need it." She winked.


    "What will happen in two days?" Lanni was confused.


    They had discussed such matters a gazillion times and Lanni would take their daughter away whenever she needed some time alone with Han Xichen, but it was still embarrassing to say it out aloud. She cleared her throat. "Xichen will come back."


    Lanni exaggeratedly mouthed an "Oh" to tease her, earning a smack. She laughed out aloud. "Leave it to me to get her off your hands."


    "Then I''ll have to thank you. Wait a second." Xiaoshi let her hold Yue and returned to the apartment, coming back with a plastic bag which she stuffed into Lanni''s arms.


    "What are these?" Lanni peeked into the bag and marvelled at the assortment of cookies.


    "I made these for Yue but her dad doesn''t allow her to eat many of them. Then I remembered that you love them so I didn''t dispose of them." She explained honestly.


    "That was so thoughtful. Thank you." Lanni hugged her. "I''ll be on my way then."


    ¡­.


    Xiehan arrived just as Lanni finished cooking and had covered the pot of stew. He snuck up behind his wife who was humming a tune that sounded familiar but whose source he couldn''t quite remember.


    He spanked her backside with a grin.


    She turned around and the expression on her face wasn''t quite the reaction he had expected. He knew that she liked being spanked and even enjoyed it, but when she laughed out aloud, he found it strange.


    "Honey, what are you cooking?" He pretended that everything was alright and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He knew that she hated being treated like anything different was happening and the last thing he wanted was to trigger her.


    "Your favorite. I don''t quite remember what that was because when did you ever have a favorite?" She glared at him for not specifying what to eat.


    He laughed into her neck. "How can you not know what your husband wants to eat the most, honey?"


    "I wouldn''t know if he does not tell me. Now would I?" She reprimanded him and felt something against her butt. "Wait. Is that your¡­" She was surprised. "We are talking about food. How can you get hard on the thought of food?" She asked, as if in disbelief that such a thing could even happen.


    "You can if what you want to eat is not the food, but your wife who is cooking it." He revealed, making her finally comprehend what his favorite meal was supposed to be.


    "What about your food preference?" She asked.


    "Anything you cook, with you as the dessert." He stated.


    Her cheeks flushed at his shamelessness. "You pervert." She remarked.


    He slowly let out a secret sigh of relief. His wife was finally back.


    ¡­.


    For the next two days, Lanni went to Lin Media Group and worked her brains out, making Lin Jian worried that she would be mentally drained. None of his warnings made her slow down. The more peculiar thing was that as soon as it was time to leave, she literally made a dash for the parking lot and drove off.


    It would have made sense if Xiehan had been leaving work early or if she was rushing to pick him up but neither was the case.


    On the second day, even Xiehan was too curious to stop himself from taking a peek at her. He searched all over the house and finally found her in one of the guest rooms. He saw that the door was slightly opened so he knocked gently. "Can I come in, my love?"


    "Of course." She beamed as he pushed the door open.


    He was awed. She had an easel in front of her, and a color pallet before her. She was painting in slow, gentle strokes with a smile on her face, proving just how happy she was to do what she was doing.


    On the wall before her was a large painting of him and her, riding bicycles. He was wearing jeans of the same color as her shorts, but he had no shirt on since his checkered shirt was tied around her waist that had been exposed by her tank top. She had her hair in a braid that rested on one shoulder and her smile was bright as she looked up at him. He was looking down at her dotingly and they looked like they were about to kiss.


    He certainly would never be able to see how he looked at her but when he saw his gaze in the painting, he was sure that was it. He was looking at her like she was the only treasure in the world. It was definitely accurate because that was how he felt. She was gazing up at him like he had the power to turn on the sun.


    "Do you like it?" She prompted beside him, reminding him that he was living in the real world. He had been lost in the painting.


    "It''s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." He stated honestly. Though he was curious. "Why did you decide to pick up the brush again?"


    "I realized that life doesn''t have to stop just because one person''s life stopped. And if the real world is too painful to live in, we can live in the imaginatory world a little." She smiled.


    His heart broke. If only there was a way to take away her pain.


    He looked down and realized that the painting she was currently working on included Flynn. It was of her, Luna, the twins and Flynn.


    He gazed at it in awe at her talent, then loving every character. But he noticed something odd with her image and compared it with the one on the wall.


    He frowned. "Do you paint from your imagination and memory?"


    She nodded. "I do, usually, but not on these recent ones. I wanted every detail recorded so I used pictures instead."


    He was even more confused. "Then why is there a slight bump on your tummy, on both paintings?"


    ____


    AN


    Hello darlings,


    I have decided to get rid of this book''s privilege because I don''t think I can keep up with updates. I have too much work in my hands and too little time, and the old books end up suffering the most (It''s not deliberate). I''m sorry that I can''t write for this book every single day. I can''t promise any number of chapters per week either.. I will try my best but please understand if I can''t update as often as you wish, until I finish some of my books.

 Chapter 554 - Pregnant (?)(1)

    She instinctively looked at both of the paintings for confirmation and the realization baffled her. It wasn''t that she had not noticed herself gaining the slight weight around her tummy area but she had thought it was because she had temporarily dropped her workout routine.


    "I did gain some weight¡­" The words felt wrong when she thought about it. Was there something else to it?


    He was looking at her meaningfully. Her phone buzzed before he could state what was on her mind. She signalled for him to wait a minute and answered. The call was from Xiaoshi.


    "Shishi!" She answered it jovially.


    "Hey Lanni." Xiaoshi sounded embarrassed of whatever she was about to say.


    Her tone reminded her. "How is Yue? I''ll pick her up in about two hours."


    "I could drop her off on my way to the airport. That''s what I was going to say." She suggested.


    It was a good idea so Lanni agreed. "See you soon, then."


    When the call ended, she took one glance at her husband and it reminded her what they were about to discuss before the call happened.


    "That¡­. Uh¡­" She rubbed her tummy and her eyes squinted. She didn''t remember when she last had her period and it was regular most of the time. She hadn''t even realized how late it had been. Her eyes widened and they met his.


    He belatedly tried to hide his excitement.


    She blinked and looked down at her belly for confirmation. "Honey, I think I might be pregnant."


    "We should confirm it in hospital or with a test before jumping into conclusions." He cleared his throat and acted calm, but he had barely completed his statement when he broke into an uncontrollable dance.


    "Woohoo!" He yelled and jumped, punching the air with his fists.


    She burst into laughter at his excited theatrics. At least she was not the only one who was a little too excited about the unconfirmed news. Xiehan looked like he was about to whip out a pink notebook to write down girl names and a blue one for boy names.


    "I''ll order a test kit online." She grabbed her phone, but he beat her to it.


    He had grabbed his car keys before she could process it and the next thing she knew, he was dashing out the door. She laughed and let him. Who could blame a man for being overjoyed at the possibility of a little one growing inside his wife''s belly?


    The only worry was that he might be too excited to follow traffic rules. The best outcome was getting tickets.


    Luckily, there was a pharmacy nearby so he was back in just a few minutes. He had also dropped by the convenience store so although he had gone to buy a pregnancy test kit, his arms were full of different colored bags, all containing fruits, vegetables and snacks. When she checked, she almost laughed at the assortment. He had gathered at least one of the foods that were said to be good for pregnant women.


    He was so adorable.


    "Thank you so much, hubby." She kissed his cheek only to burst his bubble. "But what if you brought all of these and it turned out that I merely gained weight? What if I''m not pregnant?"


    His face fell. "Can you not jinx it?" He joked, then turned serious when he cupped her face. "Honey, we are both excited about this and we know the news we are hoping for. But I need you to know that if it''s not the case, although something will change, it will not be my feelings for you. Nothing will ever make me love you less. I can only love you more."


    "You are so sweet." She hugged him emotionally, reassured because she knew that he meant it.


    He hugged her for longer than usual and let go reluctantly, taking out the box containing the test kit. Seeing the nervousness on her face, he hugged her again to reassure her.


    "You are not under any rush or pressure to take it. You can have the test when you are ready and if you are too uncomfortable to do so, you can leave it as well." He left the option to her.


    "You are spoiling me too much." She purred.


    His response was to smile and look at her as if trying to read what her choice would be.


    After an intense mental debate, she decided to take the test. It was easy to ignore it but that would only make her assume that there was a baby growing inside her and if it ever turned out that there was none, her heart would break yet again. She gripped the test kit in her hands and took a deep breath. "I''m going to do this."


    "Okay. I''ll be here if you need me." He braced himself and rubbed his palms together as if that was going to generate some confidence. He had never felt so nervous in his life. Not when he participated in the contest whose winning would make his parents let him make his own decision about his career, not when he waited for the results to be announced. Not even when he proposed to her and waited for her response that was either the most important word or the death sentence.


    He waited outside the bathroom door and it was barely a few seconds when he called her. "Honey, are you alright? Do you need anything?"


    "Yes, I need you to shut your mouth and stop making me anxious." She called back.


    He chuckled and stepped away, only to return after barely a minute. "Honey?"


    Lanni laughed at his antics. He was impatient. She was just as impatient so she knew how it felt, but she needed him to calm down so she would calm down too¡ªno matter how odd it sounded.


    "My love, could you run me a bath in the guest bathroom, please? I need to take a bath after all this." She gave him a task so he would leave.


    But before he did, the doorbell rang.


    She breathed a sigh of relief and exited the bathroom just as he went to open the door. Shishi was here. She just had five minutes left before she could find out whether she was becoming a mother or preparing to start trying again, but it felt like the difference between the two was like life and death. It probably was. She couldn''t bear the meaning of one strip.


    She skipped past Xiehan, who tried to grab her and slow her down.


    "Be careful." He called in a hoarse voice and surprisingly, he felt just as relieved by Xiaoshi''s arrival as Lanni did.


    As soon as the door opened, the little girl was the first to jump onto Xiehan. "Uncle!" She called adorably.


    "Hello princess." He held her up above his head for a while, making the girl giggle. Then he brought her back for a hug and adjusted her hair clip that was sliding down her forehead. He then proceeded to kiss her cheeks and only gave her to Lanni after Yue reciprocated the gesture.


    "You look so cute." Lanni complimented her outfit. She was wearing a purple princess dress and a matching hair clip that had a little star near her ear.


    She kissed Lanni''s cheek in response, and the latter melted.


    It was odd but she felt closer to Yue today. Maybe it was because it had been more than a day since they last saw, or because she had finally pinned the pieces of her life back in place? She had no idea but she hugged Yue tightly.


    "I guess I should take off? I''m sorry but I can''t stay for too long." She apologized, her face slightly flushing as she explained that Xichen would arrive soon.


    "Go ahead. Yue is in good hands." Lanni urged.


    "I never doubted that." Xiaoshi gave the overnight bag she had carried for Yue to Lanni, and waved at her daughter. Alas, the latter had already run off to play with her uncle and was too busy to see her mother. Xiaoshi smiled dotingly and left.


    It was only after Xiaoshi left and she settled down that she remembered her test kit. Her eyes bulged and she made a beeline for the bathroom.


    Xiehan knew she was finally ready to check. He had tried not to push her but now that she had remembered it on her own, he couldn''t help going after her.


    But when she left the bathroom in tears, he shut his eyes.

 Chapter 555 - Pregnant(?) (2)

    He stood still for a moment, trying to comprehend what her tears meant. Was she so happy that she was in tears, or was she disappointed? When she broke into a sob, he finally understood.


    "Oh, honey." He cupped her face and kissed her, then held her in a tight hug.


    She cried against his shoulder, her sobs echoing through the room. All he did was pat her back until she had gathered herself. Then he carried her back to their room and sat her on the bed.


    "I''ll make sure Yue is alright. I''ll be right back." He whispered over her lips. She nodded, and he kissed her before leaving the room.


    Yue was still playing with the toys he had set up for her but he carried her off the floor.


    "Uncle?" She whined in protest, not comprehending why he was taking her away from her game which had just gotten interesting. She would be distracted for a long time but there was no such thing as certainty with leaving a toddler on her own, so he relocated her play station to the guest room opposite the master bedroom.


    He was about to put her down when the girl turned her small body and hugged him, before kissing his cheek. Her eyes dropped when he didn''t react.


    He forced a smile and belatedly patted her head, but she probably knew that he was not truly happy.


    He didn''t know how he felt. Disappointed? If he was, it was with the outcome. Not with Lanni. He knew how awful she felt because he felt it too, and he hated that she was sad because of the false hope he had created in her heart.


    He had not intended to break her heart but now that he thought about it, the way he had questioned her recent paintings of herself was the beginning of the whole fiasco. If only he had shut his mouth¡­


    He wouldn''t get anywhere by dwelling on it so he put Yue down, gave her more toys than she could possibly play with and left both the guest room and master bedroom doors open.


    Lanni was still sitting on the bed when he returned.


    "Yue is settled." He reported.


    She nodded but continued sitting in the same spot, unmoving.


    "Honey, we still have so many years ahead of us. So many months. Heck, we were not even trying yet. There are so many chances."


    She shook her head and he stopped speaking, to listen to her.


    "It''s one strip." She raised her forefinger.


    It took a moment for her to realize what she meant.


    "You still don''t believe it."


    She shook her head. She had done a lot of that in the last few minutes.


    "Nope."


    He considered her words as he weighed the options. He saw it in her eyes so he gently asked, "Do you want to have another test, this time at the hospital?"


    She nodded then immediately shook her head. "Nope."


    The last thing she wanted was to let her hope rekindle and for her to believe that the results could be different even though she had already seen them. If the blood test turned out negative as well, it would break her much harder than it was already.


    He didn''t push. He let her lie down and pulled a light comforter over her so let her take a nap.


    When she woke up, Xiehan had been replaced by Yue on the bed and she was playing with her hair. She smiled and hugged the little girl. "Yue, you are so cute."


    She overheard Xiehan''s voice as he talked to someone downstairs so she got down from the bed and headed over. It turned out to be Li Yuming.


    "Sweetie, you''re awake." Li Yuming was happy to finally see her. "How are you?"


    Lanni responded by walking over and hugging her. While she was happy to see her mother, her eyes were swollen and Li Yuming was certain that it had nothing to do with being sleepy.


    She knew how much Xiehan loved her daughter and that he would never hurt her but her first reaction was to shoot a glare his way.


    "I promise, we are not fighting." He half-laughed.


    Lanni''s eyes widened when she realized what her mother must have thought, and she felt awkward.


    "I was hoping for something and didn''t get it. I''m just disappointed." She explained, hoping Li Yuming would not think she was making an excuse to save his skin.


    Li Yuming looked at her for a while and as if verifying the truth in her statement, she nodded and pulled her to sit beside her on the couch, and the latter adjusted Yue to sit on her lap.


    "I know just what you need. A day out with Luna." Li Yuming winked.


    "Huh?" She was taken aback by the sudden change of topic, which had taken her a while to process.


    "She wanted me to accompany her to the gynecologist''s tomorrow but I think you should go instead. You need the distraction, and besides, I have plans."


    Lanni''s hands trembled and she balled them into fists away from her mother''s eyes. Gynecologist. Sure, that was going to be an unlimited distraction.


    She wanted to snap at the thought but she couldn''t get a single word out.


    Gynecologist.


    The mere word was enough to set her mind ablaze. She wanted nothing to do with it but before she could get her response out, she thought about how hurt Luna would be if she knew what her reason was.


    Just because she had found out she was not becoming a mother didn''t mean she should punish her sister by being jealous of the fact that the latter was.


    "Okay." She bit the word out before she could stop it and it tasted bitter on her tongue.


    ____


    AN


    Hello darlings, I have dropped all the privilege tiers except the first one, but that''s just because the first tier is automatic and cannot be deleted. Henceforth you will only need to spend one coin to purchase privilege.. Changes will take effect on the first of December. (GMT+8)

 Chapter 556 - Pregnant (?) (3)

    The following day.


    Going back on her word after promising to accompany Luna was harder and worse than disagreeing right off the bat.


    She felt worse by the second but since she had already gotten herself into this, all she could do was go through with it. She took a few deep breaths and picked out clothes to wear. She ended up selecting dark colors and she didn''t mind them. They reflected her mood.


    She felt slightly better than she did the day before after seeing the results of her test. Slightly, but that was enough.


    Xiehan had already left for work so she fed Yue and dropped her off at Xiaoshi''s. She still wanted to play with the little girl but her parents had missed her, so she promised to pick her up for another sleepover as soon as they let her.


    She then had the chauffeur pick Luna up before the two went for the latter''s routine prenatal checkup.


    "I''m a little nervous." Luna confessed when they arrived at the gynecological hospital.


    "Why would you be?" Lanni raised an eyebrow. She had somehow managed to keep herself together.


    "I don''t know. My expectation, maybe? I can''t help but wonder whether or not I''m having twins again. I don''t know what to expect either." Luna confessed.


    "You want twins?" Lanni asked as they left the elevator.


    "I wouldn''t say no." Luna wanted to cover her face that she was certain must be flushed from how flustered she was. She had asked for the gynecologist to refrain from telling her the gender of her baby once it was discovered, but she did want to know whether she was expecting twins.


    The checkup was easier than she thought and it ended in a flash.


    "Your baby is in good health." The gynecologist, a middle-aged woman, reported.


    Luna''s eyes widened, her question hanging unasked. Baby. There was one.


    "Okay. Thanks, doc." She smiled. She was not sure what she had hoped for but she was not disappointed.


    They were about to leave when the gynecologist stopped Lanni in her tracks. The latter raised her eyebrows in quizzical suspicion.


    "I''m sorry if this sounds intrusive, but have you scheduled your first prenatal checkup yet?" Asked the gynecologist, shocking the crap out of the duo.


    "Huh? Me?" Lanni glanced at Luna then pointed at herself suspiciously.


    "Yes." The gynecologist replied, puzzled by their reaction.


    Lanni forced a smile, the words having dragged out the sorrow she had felt all night.


    "No. I''m¡­" She tried not to let her voice break. "I''m not pregnant."


    "You''re not? I thought you¡­" The gynecologist looked confused, but Lanni cut her off before she could say more.


    "No. I''m not."


    She must have caught the sadness in Lanni''s tone, and realized just how much damage she could have caused by bringing the word up.


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to intrude. I thought you came to the same hospital for your checkup and noticed that you didn''t seem to have any interest in having yours. That''s why I thought¡­"


    "It''s okay. It was not." Lanni picked her bag up and wanted to be out of here as soon as she could.


    But that was not nearly as she thought, especially when the gynecologist stopped her before she and Luna could step out.


    "Wait. Ma''am?" She called.


    "Is there anything else?" She turned almost sharply, and she had the urge to snap. Heaven knew she would if this went on for two minutes longer.


    "What kind of test did you take?" The gynecologist asked.


    "I''ve just gained weight, okay?" She snapped, a few seconds before she realized that it was not necessary to. Luna didn''t look shocked but that was not what it took for her to know that she had been rude.


    She shut her eyes for a second, her hand lingering on the door knob.


    "If it means anything, I tested it using a kit at home. It was negative."


    "Okay." The gynecologist didn''t look like she was done. "Though I need you to realize that those are not usually a hundred percent accurate. Especially if you have been drinking a lot of water."


    She nodded and took off before she could hear any more of it.


    "For goodness sake!" She slumped into the backseat in frustration as soon as they got to the car.


    Luna, who had finally realized what was going on, tugged her arm. "I''m sorry."


    "Do I have the word pregnant written on my forehead?" Lanni laughed, but it was not funny.


    Luna didn''t react to her question but she felt horrible. "I didn''t realize you¡­"


    "Don''t. I don''t need you to pity me, and don''t treat me differently." She urged. "If you were going to rant to me about how difficult it is to be pregnant, go right ahead and do it. This has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I let my hopes spiral out of control for no reason."


    Luna had uncountable words at the tip of her tongue but they all morphed to one. "Okay."


    Lanni''s frustration died down when they started discussing the kind of names Luna would select for her baby this time, but that was until the thoughts started to creep back in.


    Why the hell would the gynecologist act like she thought she was pregnant?


    She spent a hefty amount of time in front of the mirror that night, trying to draw the similarities and differences between the slight curve of her stomach from that of a pregnant woman. She couldn''t draw a line, which is why the following day, she went back to the hospital on her own.


    Next day.


    "I couldn''t sit still so I came for a test." She told the same gynecologist who they visited the previous day.


    She didn''t look surprised to see her. She must have dealt with millions of such cases, she merely got everything ready. "Sure. I''ll need to draw blood."


    Lanni braced herself and shut her eyes when her blood was drawn. What did she hope for? Of course she knew what the best outcome would be.. She hoped the test kit had been wrong. But was it?

 Chapter 557 - Pregnant (?) (4)

    She couldn''t sit still and had the urge to pace after just a few minutes. The only advantage was that Xiehan would not be there to receive the news with her. If it was bad news, he would not have to bear it.


    He had not said it out aloud but she knew he was disappointed just as she was, but while all she blamed was her life for not being fair, he was blaming himself for supposedly disappointing her. It was not even his fault.


    She sighed when she heard the gynecologist''s footsteps. She sat straight with her back like a rod as she looked in the direction of the door.


    "What are the results?" She asked impatiently.


    The gynecologist got back to her desk before she handed an envelope over with a smile.


    "Congratulations."


    "Oh my God! Are you serious?" She stood to grab the envelope before the gynecologist could finish her statement. She tore the envelope open in disbelief and opened the report just as the gynecologist managed to get a word in.


    "Yes. You are four weeks pregnant."


    She saw the test results and her eyes welled up with tears. She was actually pregnant!


    Whatever else the gynecologist said sounded like Greek. All she knew was that she should schedule a prenatal checkup but she was too excited to do that. Bolting out instead. She vaguely heard the gynecologist laugh and tell her that she needed to slow down, so she did.


    She grabbed her phone as soon as she got into the car, dialling Xiehan''s number. She spoke as soon as the call connected. "Xiehan!"


    "Is everything okay?" He sounded concerned.


    "Yes! Everything is okay. No. More than okay." She couldn''t control her tears anymore. She had to go silent for a few seconds to gather herself, but her voice was broken when she finally spoke. "I have news. I can''t wait to tell you."


    He was silent for a while, probably trying to guess what could have made her so overwhelmed. He started speaking unsuccessfully two times before he finally had the courage to guess. "Is it about the pregnancy tests?"


    "Yes." She held her mouth in disbelief.


    "I''m a dad, aren''t I?" Came his voice, hopeful yet full of dread.


    Her response was to break into laughter through her tears. "I wanted to tell you in person."


    "I''m a dad! I''m a dad!" He exclaimed on the other side, and she vaguely overheard his assistant ask if he was alright.


    She laughed. She couldn''t stop herself from feeling that way either.


    By the time she got home, Xiehan had just arrived and he jumped out of his car at the same time as she left the back seat of hers.


    "Xiehan?"


    "I couldn''t help myself." He pulled her into an emotional hug. "I had to confirm that I was not dreaming."


    "It''s really not a dream. I''m going to be a mother." She twined her arms behind his neck.


    "And you will be the best mother. I''ll do my best to be the best husband and father as well." He promised, meaning every word of it.


    It took a few hours and several glances and detailed checks of the test results for the couple to really believe that they were having a baby. Their first instinct was to want to announce it to the whole world but they decided to do it in person, so they called their friends and family over for dinner.


    It was short notice since they scheduled the dinner two days later, but everyone made it. By this time, Lanni had managed to keep her feelings in check and the news would probably be a pleasant surprise to everyone.


    Xiehan did all the cooking and although she was kicked out of the kitchen because there were many utensils that could hurt her, she laughed it off and welcomed the guests when they arrived.


    None of the guests knew that the other would be present so they found it surprising that it was a family dinner.


    "Okay, spill it. What''s the occasion?" Cheng Yu couldn''t keep still. The suspense was killing her.


    They had finished setting up the table, so Xiehan grabbed a bottle of champagne, standing beside her. He glanced at her, silently asking if she would like to break the news.


    They ended up speaking in unison. "We''re gonna have a baby!"


    "I''m so happy for you!" Luna hugged her as did Cheng Yu, Xiaoshi and Ruby.


    "Heaven knows how much you deserve it." Cheng Yu remarked, remarking on how badly Lanni had wanted to be a mother. It wasn''t like she had been trying for years but she deserved the happiness.


    The girls then joined the guys in congratulating Xiehan, at the same time as the guys switched to expressing their happiness to Lanni.


    "How far along are you?" Wen Lin asked, drawing attention.


    "I mean, you have the choice not to answer if it''s too personal. I just wanted to know when I''d actually meet my grandbaby. I can''t wait." She clarified, evading a misunderstanding.


    "Six weeks." Lanni answered before she sat down, ecstatic about it as well.


    "Six weeks." Ji Meiling repeated the words with a certain pitch in her tone. "At least something happy came out of the events from six weeks ago."


    The table fell silent.


    Realizing what she had just reminded Lanni, she slapped her forehead. "Uh, sorry."


    "I have someone to toast using milk with. Come on, join me." Luna teased Lanni, grabbing a glass of warm milk.


    "I hate you so much." Lanni laughed but accepted the milk nonetheless.


    "Oh, I know. You love me just as much as you hate me." Luna took her own glass as Xiehan poured everyone champagne in the flutes he had prepared.


    After the toast, everyone forgot about Ji Meiling''s thoughtless remark as they dove into the topic regarding the baby.


    "Have you thought of names yet?" Ruby asked.


    "I have no idea what I''ll name my baby yet. But we still have eight months, don''t we?" She giggled.


    "Technically, seven. But that''s still enough time to come up with the name you think is the most suitable. Don''t be in a hurry." Han Xichen advised.


    "You are right. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to drop them.." Xiehan announced, intending to let his family and friends be part of their most important journey.

 Chapter 558 - Pregnant (5)

    Song recommendation: Still falling for you¡ªEllie Goulding.


    ____


    Lanni grabbed Xiehan''s hand under the table. He understood her gesture and squeezed hers. "On second thought, it''s too early to think about names. We will do it at our own pace." He announced, so everyone went silent about the suggestions at the tip of their tongue.


    She was not trying to keep them out of it. It just felt uncomfortable and for some reason, it was as if not everyone was happy with the news of her pregnancy. Was she being paranoid? She didn''t know yet, but she couldn''t afford to take any risk.


    Wen Lin was friendlier, offering her more food every few minutes.


    "Would you like some salmon? It''s delicious." She offered, just a few minutes after letting her know that she had prepared too much chicken for Luna to finish on her own and that she should have some too.


    "I''ll eat it later. I''m too full." She politely declined it, knowing that Wen Lin was excited about the news that she would be a grandmother.


    "Then, would you like some mangoes? I bought fresh ones today. They are delicious." She offered a plate of juicy-looking mango pieces.


    Lanni immediately grabbed a piece and devoured it. Wen Lin''s response was to give her more mangoes, which she happily ate but stopped when she felt an ice cold glare on her.


    ¡­


    After dinner, Xiehan discussed with Ji Huifen over a game of chess while she stuck by Wen Lin''s side to talk about kids. Everyone else had left so it was just the two of them.


    "What was Xiehan like as a kid?" She asked. She had already heard a lot of it from her mother but she wanted to know more.


    Wen Lin burst into laughter. "If you are hoping for a boy, you should also be prepared. He was the naughtiest prankster on earth!"


    She covered her mouth and laughed. "It doesn''t sound like him."


    "That''s because no one ever wanted to talk about it. He was too smart for kids his age and would always make them cry at every turn. He was a little terror." She laughed.


    Lanni touched her belly and thought about it. She didn''t know whether she wanted a boy or a girl yet. While a boy would probably be the cutest version of Xiehan, she thought it would be awesome to see Xiehan wrapped around the tiny pinky finger of a little princess.


    As if reading her mind, Wen Lin patted her hand. "Just wait to find out when the baby is born. I''m sure you will love them regardless."


    "Yes." She smiled proudly. It still felt like a dream. She actually had a baby growing inside her. The feeling was so magical it brought her close to tears yet again. She gently patted the slight curve of her stomach which she had barely noticed before.


    Xiehan arrived as they talked and laughed about the kind of father he would be¡ªprobably an overprotective one who would start throwing teenage boys over the fence in about thirteen years if the baby turned out to be a girl, and teach his son to protect the woman they both cared about if it was a boy.


    "Hey, daddy''s here." She muttered and patted her belly when she saw Xiehan walking over.


    He must have heard her, because he looked happier as he rushed over and touched her belly. He went on one knee and kissed it. "Daddy can''t wait to meet you."


    "Congratulations, son." Wen Lin patted his back.


    "Thank you." He said and then looked spooked out of the blue.


    "What happened?" Lanni asked while Wen Lin seemed to understand what he was thinking about, which made her laugh at her son.


    "Honey?" She probed.


    "It''s nothing. Would you like to spend the night here?" He asked. She nodded, so he took her hand carefully.


    "I''m not that fragile." She laughed at his overly cautious actions. She had expected it but she still found it hilarious.


    "I''ll warm some milk in case Lanni has trouble sleeping. You can pick it up in the kitchen later." Wen Lin instructed Xiehan, who nodded and waited for the said milk to be warmed. He then carried it in his left hand and held Lanni with his right hand like she would break if she didn''t get help going upstairs. She ignored his antics and entered his room when he cautiously opened the door. He went ahead to change the sheets as if he was afraid that they would be dusty¡ªalthough they were usually changed even in his absence¡ªand replaced the blankets. Even so, he was not satisfied. He went ahead to check the entire room for dirt and only stopped when he didn''t find any. She shook her head at his dramatics. She was about to laugh when she realized that his hands were trembling.


    "Honey, what happened?" She asked.


    He paced restlessly and decided to come out with it. "I don''t know the primary thing about being a father. What if I can''t be good enough?"


    She stopped him from pacing another lap and hugged him. "I can''t believe that''s what''s got you looking like you are about to lose a billion dollar deal."


    "This is more important than a ten billion dollar deal." He retorted nervously.


    "I know." She pulled him down for a kiss. "But you are a great husband. How can you be anything but the best father? It will come so naturally that you will not even have to think about it."


    "Are you sure? You are not just trying to console me, right?" He was not convinced.


    He was cute. She chuckled. "Of course not. Think about it. I have never been a mother either. I know we can pull it off even without experience."


    "You are right." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.


    "Let''s just do our best, okay?" She patted his back. "If you are still nervous, we can join a parenting class. You will realize that most of the things they think parents should do are so easy that you would have thought of them sometime."


    "That will do." He was more relieved. She had meant for them to gradually find a class but he was too impatient to do so. He immediately grabbed his phone and signed up for an online parenting class with one sitting lesson. He asked her which day of the week she would be comfortable to attend the sitting lesson, while giving her the option to decline if she didn''t like the idea of if. A smile ghosted her lips. He was thinking about her even while his mind was a bundle of nerves. She had never been worried about the kind of husband or father he would make but seeing him putting in so much effort, she knew that in nine months, he would be the best father around.


    When she saw him exit the class booking window and launch youtube, she thought he was going to watch something fun. She burst into laughter when she saw him search for videos about how to change a diaper.


    "I can teach you how to change one. It''s even easier in real life." She promised.


    "You can? Wait. You know how to?" He asked frantically.


    "Of course I do. And you do, too." She rolled her eyes at how fast he had forgotten what he knew from taking care of Yue.


    "That''s a relief." He finally remembered, and his mind was finally settled.


    She crawled onto him, kissing his neck. Catching his tensed gaze, she was stumped. "I thought you were up for celebration tonight?"


    "I am. But I don''t want to hurt our baby." He held her waist, not making a move to touch her.


    She was in disbelief. "So you are going to be celibate for eight months because I''m pregnant." It was a question, one that was meant to tease him about his fears.


    "It''s not going to be easy." He admitted. "But I will try my best."


    She nipped his lip. "No one said it was going to hurt the baby if we did it. But if you want to stay celibate for that long, good luck." She winked, then proceeded to strip out of her clothes and lie in bed wearing nothing.


    ____


    AN


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 Chapter 559 - Sour

    "You are definitely trying to kill me." Xiehan complained.


    "If that''s how you want to think of it, yes." Lanni rubbed her knee against his thigh, driving him crazy.


    "Honey," He groaned. She was doing it on purpose.


    She hovered over his body, her hair falling on his chest. "I need you." She whispered.


    He couldn''t say no to that. He pulled her down on him and kissed her gently. He caressed the bare skin of her waist as he brushed his lips against her neck ever so gently.


    Unbuttoning his pajama shirt, she ran her finger down his chest.


    "Do you know, I''m the happiest woman on earth right now." She kissed his abs.


    "And I''m the happiest man." He hugged her to his chest, feeling content. His manhood throbbed almost painfully in his pants. The little tease was rubbing her body against his in a slow, torturous rythmn. She slid down his body and pulled down his pajama pants, licking her lips when his hard manhood came into view. She lowered her head and took him in her mouth.


    He groaned in pleasure as she licked his crown at the same time as she squeezed the base in her hand, with just enough pressure to drive him crazy without hurting him.


    "Baby, that feels like heaven." He sighed in a raspy voice.


    "I''m pretty sure this feels like heaven. She climbed onto him with her knees on each side of his lower body and positioned her core above his length, then she held it and gently lowered herself onto him.


    Her moan was almost in sync with his guttural groan. He held her waist on both sides and supported her as she rode him. Ecstasy filled the air as their bodies collided. It had always felt great before but tonight, it was as if something had changed between them. Something that made them unable to have enough of each other.


    He cupped her boob and squeezed it, controlling his urge to take her harder.


    "I''m not made of glass." She remarked at his cautious movements.


    Taking her words as a cue, he flipped her onto her back and held her leg on his shoulder, entering her as he caressed her leg. The bed creaked when he got a tiny bit intense and they both laughed.


    "They are going to hear us." She chuckled.


    He didn''t remember the bed being such a piece of crap, but he laughed along. "They definitely know how their grandchildren happen. They will keep their ears closed."


    Her next words were drowned out by her moan when he pounded into her. He definitely knew his way with her body. He brought her on edge with his thrusts, making her breathless.


    He pulled out just as she was about to reach her climax and before she could wrap her mind around it, he pulled her to the edge of the bed with her legs dangling off of it. He then knelt on the floor with his head between her thighs and went down on her.


    Her orgasm came down on her like an explosion and her thighs trembled from the force of it, all of which he devoured like a delicacy before pounding her to his own climax.


    Resting her head on his chest minutes later, she played with his fingers teasingly. "Are you still going to remain celibate for seven months?"


    "You know I can''t do that." He kissed her cheek as he ran his finger down her back.


    The following day, Lanni couldn''t help smiling every time she looked down at her stomach. It was still unbelievable that she had a little life growing inside her and of course, it was not hard for her colleagues to notice it. Even if they didn''t tell from her reaction, they would still know from the number of gifts Lin Jian sent to her office every few hours.


    He had started out by sending flowers with bizarre notes.


    [Here''s to new beginnings.]


    [You will make the best mother. Here''s something beautiful to cheer you on.]


    [Smelling beautiful scents is good for the baby.]


    He must have exhausted the flowers in the floral shop down the street, because he switched for fruits and had different reasons why she should eat each fruit. She was helpless.


    Of course, he made sure she left her office as soon as working hours were over, stating that she needed to get enough rest and leaving work early was the best way to do so. He was way too excited about it.


    She had planned to go baby clothes shopping with Luna, so she had not intended to wait around either. The latter was the first to arrive, this time bringing Xiaomu with her.


    "Hey, Mumu!" Lanni hugged her adorable niece who was becoming even prettier.


    "Aunty." Xiaomu drawled adorably with a lollipop in her hand which she licked as she looked around curiously.


    "How cute." Lanni picked her up and hugged her before she hugged her sister. "Is Xiaoshi here yet?" She asked.


    They had asked the latter to join them at the last minute. As if on cue, Xiaoshi arrived and joined them at the front of the clothes store.


    "I''m sorry I''m late. Did you wait for too long?" Xiaoshi asked.


    "We just arrived." The ladies answered in unison.


    Xiaoshi patted the little girl''s head, and noticed that she was looking behind her curiously. "What is Mumu looking for?" Xiaoshi asked.


    "She thought you would bring Yue along." Luna answered, understanding her daughter''s antics. After their previous fight which had started with Yue''s hand in Linhou''s mouth, the girls had gotten closer and were now friends.


    "It''s a bummer. Xichen had a day off today so he turned it into a father and daughter day." Xiaoshi answered. "I''ll bring her to play over the weekend."


    "Sounds like a deal."


    The women entered the store and started to look around. Lanni was still in disbelief as she picked up tiny onesies. She couldn''t decide which ones she wanted, and she turned to Xiaoshi. "I heard that shopping for clothes before the baby is born is a harbinger of bad luck." She asked. "Is it true?"


    "I don''t think so? Every woman I know has bought baby clothes as soon as she knew she was expecting. But then again, it''s all up to you."


    Luna had overheard their conversation so she pulled them over. "How about you help me choose? If you are not comfortable buying clothes before your due date, it''s okay to wait."


    For some weird reason, she was relieved that she didn''t have to buy clothes. But that didn''t mean she didn''t long to. It just didn''t sit well with her. However, she did select a variety of maternity dresses as well as a pregnancy pillow that Luna suggested, which would make it easier for her to sleep during her second and third trimester.


    "Oh, you girls are here too." A voice came from behind and they all turned.


    "Mother?" Xiaoshi was the first to react.


    "Aunt Meiling, you are here too." Lanni went over to greet her.


    "Why not? I came to look around and last I checked, that was allowed." She remarked.


    Lanni was puzzled, and Luna didn''t keep in her shock.


    "It was just a question, Mrs. Yun. You don''t have to be so sour about it." Luna pulled Lanni behind her to shield her.


    "Luna, it''s okay." Lanni placed a hand on her shoulder.


    "Well, the question sounded as though there is a limit to who can or cannot enter a children''s and maternity store." Ji Meiling shrugged. Xiaoshi felt awkward by the exchange.


    "Of course there isn''t. Is there anything that caught your eye, mother? We can help you choose." She tried to make the conversation mild. "If you don''t mind, of course. We just helped Luna choose some unisex body suits for her baby."


    "Thanks. But I think my eyes are enough." She sauntered away.


    "What''s wrong with her?" Xiaoshi was baffled.


    "Who am I to ask?" Lanni shrugged.


    Luna thought it would be awkward to say it, but Ji Meiling didn''t look comfortable with the idea of Lanni being pregnant. She had observed that before Lanni announced her pregnancy, the former had always liked her. It changed after the announcement¡ªhow odd.


    They were about to forget about it when Ji Meiling returned with a bag of the clothes she had bought, which she handed to Lanni. They were all baby boy clothes.


    "Uh¡­"


    "They are a gift.." Ji Meiling smiled.

 Chapter 560 - Sour (2)

    "Thank you." Lanni took the gift and tried not to show reluctance. Luckily, Ji Meiling didn''t seek trouble with her afterwards. She left the mall after saying goodbye to the women but they couldn''t help exchanging glances once she was gone.


    "Is there something wrong with her?" Asked Luna, finding her odd.


    "No idea. Let''s go somewhere for a snack." Lanni suggested. Her mood had been ruined but she didn''t want to ruin the whole day because of it.


    The other two agreed, so they went to a nearby caf¨¦. They ordered decaffeinated coffee and cake pieces, which they dug in hungrily.


    Xiaomu looked at her mother''s, and aunts'' coffee, then at her own milk bottle and frowned sadly.


    "Mumu, do you want to have a taste?" Lanni chuckled as she offered her niece a sip. When the latter nodded, Lanni leaned over to her and let her have some. The girl''s eyes brightened as she resumed drinking her milk and eating her cake. It was just a sip of coffee but Xiaomu was so much happier after having it.


    "You are going to spoil her to the end of the world." Luna smiled at their heartwarming interaction.


    "She''s just so cute." Lanni tapped the girl''s head and when the latter looked up innocently to ask what was wrong, she kissed her cheek which made her even happier.


    When the girl finished her milk, she stretched her arms out to Lanni. "Aunty," She cooed.


    "Come here." Lanni put her purse on the table to make space for her niece and picked the little girl up. Xiamu tugged at her little dress, prompting Lanni to stand.


    "We''ll be back shortly." She explained and dashed towards the restrooms.


    "Lanni, it''s really you." She heard someone call her name as she left the bathroom with Xiaomu in her arms.


    She turned to see a man waving at her, and squinted her eyes while trying to figure out who he was. He seemed familiar but she just couldn''t recall where they met.


    "Do we know each other?" She asked.


    "How could you forget me? My heart is broken." The young man sniffled dramatically, and Lanni finally remembered who he was. "Yu Guang?" She had not expected that they would ever meet again. He had been in B City University at the same time as she was and they had not seen each other since she left.


    "I knew you wouldn''t completely forget me." He rejoiced, his eyes falling on the toddler in her arms.


    The girl defensively grabbed onto Lanni''s clothes when she thought that the stranger was going to pick her up.


    "Is this your daughter?" Asked Yu Guang, feeling a sting of disappointment. The more he looked at the girl, the more he found that she took after Lanni and the more it dampened his hope.


    "Aunty," Xiaomu tugged at Lanni''s clothes to remind her that they should get going.


    Lanni patted her back as she answered to Yu Guang who was secretly relieved, "She''s my niece. We should get going."


    "Wait. Let''s contact each other later, shall we?" He dug into his pocket for a name card and gave it to her."


    "Okay." She took the card and as she withdrew her hand, he caught sight of a glitter at the back of it. He looked closer and his newly found hope drowned yet again. It was a ring. She was either engaged or married.


    "Well, I guess we could be friends then." He muttered to himself as he watched her leave, wondering if she had gotten married to Ah Chen. Remembering that she had repeatedly rejected Ah Chen, he speculated the possibility of her marrying the silver-haired man who kept trying to pick her up.


    ¡­


    When the ladies finished their snacks and were on their way out, he walked towards them.


    "Lanni," He called, closing in when the latter stopped and turned to look in his direction.


    "I''ll start the car." Luna pulled Xiaoshi away.


    "Is there anything wrong?" She questioned.


    "Actually, I think it''s a good thing that I bumped into you. I just looked you up and found out that you are now working for a media conglomerate."


    "That''s right." Lanni wondered what he was up to.


    "It''s a pleasant coincidence. I need help from the media and I wasn''t certain that I could trust reporters I don''t know." He stated.


    "What happened? Wait. Could you give me a minute to grab my notepad?" She guessed that it was probably something she would need to note down.


    "Actually, it''s a long story. Do you mind having dinner with me later? I''ll tell you all about it." He requested. "If you are not comfortable, I could come to your office too."


    "It''s okay. We can meet at a restaurant." She offered a smile, much to his relief.


    "Choose a venue and give me a call." He walked away when it was settled.


    She went back to the car and sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with the name card she had been given by Yu Guang earlier.


    "Are you okay?" Asked Luna, who quickly realized that her sister was deep in thought.


    Lanni explained the situation, making Luna skeptical.


    "Do you really believe that he needs help from the media?"


    A frown settled on Lanni''s face. "I thought I was reading too much into the situation. I''m relieved you think the same way." Her frown deepened. "Actually, I don''t think we met coincidentally and I''m starting to think that he didn''t find out that I work in a media agency by looking me up out of curiosity."


    Luna shot a look at her. "Yet, you are considering meeting him?"


    "Only to find out what he is up to. I''m not meeting him on my own." She revealed, knowing that Luna would definitely chew her out.


    As expected, soon came the reminder. "Lanni, you cannot forget that you are pregnant. You need to be more careful and not put yourself in situations that might require you to fight."


    "I''m taking bodyguards with me. He must have let me choose the restaurant I want so I wouldn''t suspect him."


    Xiaomu reached her tiny hand out to take the colorful card in her aunt''s hand out of curiosity, and Luna frowned when Lanni let her take it.


    "Did you give him your number?"


    "No."


    "You do realize that Mumu is going to lose or destroy the name card, right?" She reminded. As if it was the prompt that the toddler needed, she opened her mouth to take a bite of the card.


    Lanni chuckled as she took it away gently. "Mumu, this is not meant to be eaten." She then turned to her worried sister with a meaningful smile. "Don''t worry. He will give me a call."


    It took a few hours for Luna to know what her sister meant, and the latter had been right. Yu Guang somehow found Lanni''s number and called while the latter painted.


    She had called Luna over to help her brainstorm and the latter was busy finding all the information she could about Yu Guang.


    "This is crazy. The man erased everything about him in the last five years. It''s as if he blinked away five years in a second." She glanced at Lanni''s ringing phone. "I bet that''s him."


    "It is." Lanni answered the call feigning surprise. "Yu Guang?"


    "Hi Lanni. I''m sorry I sought your friend to ask for your contact number." He explained before he could be asked, as if that would prove his innocence.


    "That''s okay." Lanni exchanged glances with Luna. She had put the call on speaker which enabled the other to hear what Yu Guang had just said, and she scoffed. It was obvious that Yu Guang had Lanni''s number all along. Was he a stalker?


    "I forgot to ask what time you would like to meet up." He said, and the two women concluded that it was a lie to cover up for the fact that he wanted to make sure Lanni didn''t forget or ignore the meeting.


    "We can meet up at a half past six." She gave the response that Luna mouthed to her.


    The latter quickly wrote down the name of a suitable restaurant, which Lanni said out to Yu Guang.


    When the call ended, she raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Why Onyx?"


    "Because I know enough about their surveillance system." Luna responded. "Do you want to have Xiao Yu accompany you?"


    Understanding that her sister hoped it wouldn''t come off as a date and cause a misunderstanding with Xiehan, she shook her head. "I don''t know. It would be better if I took Xiehan along. No one would bring their husband to a date, but I''m not certain of how busy he will be in the evening."


    She knew he would certainly make time to go with her but she didn''t want to impose on him.


    Luna had an idea. "Didn''t he say he wanted help from the media? Bring Lin Jian along. You can let Yu Guang know that Lin Jian is your boss and you cannot hide work-related matters from him."


    "You''re a genius." Lanni patted her shoulder.


    Luckily, Lin Jian didn''t have plans for the evening so he made his way to Onyx, arriving a few minutes before Lanni. Yu Guang had already arrived and he didn''t look pleased to see Lin Jian.


    "I didn''t know you were bringing someone else." He wondered whether this was Lanni''s husband. He frowned at the thought. Wasn''t this B City''s infamous playboy?


    "This is my boss." Lanni explained, wondering how Yu Guang could have missed this when he looked her up.


    "I see. Well, I''m not talking in his presence.." He stated resolutely.

 Chapter 561 - Dramatic Affairs

    "Why the hell not?" Lanni did not understand.


    "I just don''t want to talk about my private matters in the presence of someone else." Yu Guang insisted stubbornly and before Lanni could speak, he added, "This is not up for negotiation."


    "Of course it''s not." Lanni rolled her eyes. "You want help from the media and my guess is that you will need to have something published. If you don''t want to have your matter found out by anyone, you may as well find help from a private investigator instead."


    "Is this how you talk to everyone who needs your help?" Yu Guang asked, to which Lanni scoffed.


    "Only those who make unreasonable demands." She turned to Lin Jian with a nod to let him know that they should leave.


    "Wait. I really need your help. I''ll talk." He grabbed her hand so she wouldn''t storm off. She pulled her hand out of his and sat back down.


    "We are going to record this conversation for convenience purposes. Is that okay with you?" She prompted, but it was also a warning for him not to try anything he shouldn''t.


    "That''s okay." He smiled to hide his reluctance.


    "Do you want something to drink?" Lin Jian offered to go and grab it.


    It was not a good idea to leave her alone with Yu Guang, so he ran a hand through his hair with a smile. "I''m not certain what they have to offer. Will you check it out?"


    "Sure." She stood, knowing that Lin Jian must have something to say to Yu Guang. "Do you guys want anything? I can bring some for you."


    "A lemonade is fine." He glanced at Yu Guang who didn''t look willing to drink anything.


    "I''ll order a drink when I feel the need." He looked at her, wondering what she and her so-called boss were up to. When Lanni walked over to the bar to order drinks and food, Yu Guang looked back at Lin Jian. "I need to use the restroom."


    "Go ahead and run for the hills." Lin Jian waved him off. He was definitely aware that he wanted to talk to him in private and the bathroom was probably his exit plan. Except, he didn''t go in the direction of the bathrooms. Lin Jian thought it was obvious until he realized that the man was headed in Lanni''s direction.


    "Shit!" He cursed and jolted out of his seat, making a beeline for the duo.


    "Lanni, be careful!" He yelled when he was close enough, only to be met with a sight that made his jaw drop. Yu Guang was kissing Lanni. The latter pushed him off her and slapped him ruthlessly.


    "I''m sorry." He apologized.


    "You knew that she was married." Lin Jian grabbed his collar and punched him in his back, a few seconds before the two were locked in a fighting mess on the floor.


    ¡­


    A few minutes ago.


    Lanni had taken her time deciding what she would order and went to the counter when she was certain. She didn''t want to eat yet so she ordered a bottle of distilled water.


    "Lanni, are you done?" Yu Guang spoke behind her.


    "Why did you follow me here?" She was taken aback. Something felt off. The sudden sensation of his lips on hers just proved that. Fury filled her entire being as well as disgust. She slapped him with enough force to make her palm sting and before she could let him have it for kissing a married woman, he was on the floor, getting a series of blows from Lin Jian.


    "Lin Jian, stop!" She ordered, not trying to stop them on her own. "Guards! Somebody!"


    The two men were separated by the restaurant''s security guards and asked to leave for causing a commotion. That was a relief, because the last thing Lanni wanted was to continue being here.


    "Are you okay?" Lin Jian asked as he helped her into the car. Xiehan would kill him!


    "I''m fine." She was enraged. She couldn''t believe Yu Guang had lied about needing the media''s help just so he could get a chance to do that. Now that she thought about it, he didn''t seem to have pure intentions from the word go. She should have known that it was about that. She could still remember his infuriating voice as he was shown the door.


    "Lanni, I really like you! I may not expressed it in the right way but my feelings for you are true!"


    Screw the true feelings, she thought.


    "Are you going to let Xiehan know?" Lin Jian asked, wondering how Lanni intended to handle the matter.


    "I probably should." Her voice was a mutter and she still felt repulsed. She should not have come. Luckily she had not come on her own, or she might have been unable to shake him off.


    She had come with a chauffeur but Lin Jian made sure she got home, ensuring she had entered the mansion before he left.


    Xiehan would be home soon, so she took a warm bath and wore a red set of sexy lingerie. It might soothe the blow if she told him what happened after giving him a perfect ''welcome''.


    She kept glancing at the bedroom door every few minutes as she waited for his return. He did, after what felt like forever.


    "You''re home." She shuffled out of bed joyously when the door opened, but the sight of him made her stop in her tracks. He looked upset.


    "Honey, is everything alright?" She asked gently.


    He ignored her question and shrugged his coat off, making his way to sit on the bed. This was so unlike him. No matter how tired he was, he would never ignore her. Something was probably wrong and it was possible that he didn''t even see her because he was deep in thought.


    She took his coat and placed it on the rack, then crawled up beside him and tapped his shoulder. "Xiehan,"


    "Do you have anything to tell me?" He asked out of the blue. It took a whole for her mind to process it and when it did, she shook her head instinctively.


    "About what?"


    "Anything that happened? Anything you did?" He tried not to lose his temper before hearing what she had to say about it.


    She shut her eyes, dreading the possibility that he had found out what happened in Onyx earlier.


    "Well, there are things that happened earlier but you would need to be calm." She started. "Can we talk about it after dinner?"


    He looked reluctant but he let her take his hand and lead him downstairs to the dining room. He wasn''t quite in the mood to eat and only ate a few bites before putting down his cutlery.


    "What happened?" He asked.


    Her hands trembled as she broached the subject. "I went shopping with Luna and Xiaoshi earlier today. I bumped into an old schoolmate from B City University."


    "Is that the man you kissed?" He demanded.


    "What did you say?" Her heart raced wildly as she realized that he had indeed found out the worst part of what happened. "No. I didn''t kiss him. It was he who kissed me without my consent and I slapped him for it."


    She explained frantically, her heart sinking when she met his frown. "Honey, I would never cheat on you. I promise, I didn''t ever meet him before today and¡­"


    She stopped speaking when he slid his phone over the table to her. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the headline on the screen.


    [Famous reporter Li Lanni''s extramarital affairs catch up to her.]


    She gasped at the headline. "This is ridiculous." She shook her head at the enlarged picture of her and Yu Guang kissing. They looked like they couldn''t keep their hands to themselves and no one would doubt their relationship.


    She took a deep breath and turned to her husband. "Honey, I can explain."


    His expression didn''t change so she told her side of the story nonetheless. "Yu Guang asked me to meet him up for dinner and claimed that he needed help from the media. I went there as a reporter and I knew that he was planning something so I had Lin Jian go with me as my boss."


    "You knew he was planning something and went to meet up with him either way?" He furrowed his brows.


    She grabbed his arm. "I only suspected that he was trying to chase me. I was certain that if that was the case, he wouldn''t attempt anything with Lin Jian present and if he really needed help, he would get it from us. I didn''t think he wanted to get dirt¡­" The news on the screen disgusted her more than the forceful kiss from Yu Guang.


    The article had dramatically told the story of her relationship with Yu Guang, stating that the two of them had loved each other and had to go separate ways when Lanni''s family made her marry Xiehan. However, they had not truly gone separate ways as they secretly met up with each other and had an affair.


    All had been going well until the city''s infamous playboy, Lin Jian, came into the picture. Apparently, Lin Jian couldn''t pass up the opportunity to be with a beauty like Lanni and they had been together right under Xiehan''s nose. The article even provided evidence in the form of the flowers Lin Jian had sent her recently, as well as realistic screenshots of her conversations with both men. The highlight of her affairs was the dramatic fight that had erupted when the two paramours supposedly bumped into each other in Onyx and each found out the other''s affair with the woman they both loved.


    She shook her head in disbelief. "Xiehan, this is fake."


    ____


    AN


    What do you think? Will he believe her?


    Would you believe her if you were in his shoes?

 Chapter 562 - Dramatic Affairs (2)

    "You have to believe me. This is fake!" Lanni insisted when she saw his blank expression. She knew it was hard to believe especially with the detailed screenshot that was supposed to prove that she had been chatting privately with Yu Guang and Lin Jian. She scrolled through the messages with a scoff. She had never sent such a message. Maybe Luna would have a way to prove that they were made up?


    Before she could ask him whether he could check it for credibility, she caught sight of a supposed picture that she had sent Lin Jian.


    "Uh¡­" She zoomed in the picture of the bare chest on the screenshot and showed it to him. "You know these are not mine, right?" She looked up at him hopefully, knowing he would know his wife''s body better than anyone.


    He didn''t even look down at the screen. "I know you have nothing to do with this. You would never cheat on me."


    She was relieved and confused at the same time. "But if you believe me, why are you making it sound like you don''t? You''ve been ignoring me."


    "I do. It''s just outrageous." He took his phone back from her and took her hand. "I''m just thinking about it. Why would such a rumor come up to begin with?"


    "I have no idea." She tried to think back into the past and shook her head. "I haven''t had this kind of issue before."


    This was the biggest problem, because the timing was just too odd.


    "Wait. It''s not a coincidence that I met Yu Guang, is it?" She spoke up when she remembered that it had all happened in the same day. He met her, then he called her for dinner and set her up by kissing her!


    "It''s definitely not. He had this planned all along." He confirmed her suspicion. "He has some nerve, putting his lips on my woman." He growled.


    So that was why he was angry, she observed. Xiehan was possessive and didn''t appreciate other men getting close to her, let alone one kissing her against her will. Yu Guang was going to be toast soon, not that she was worried for him. She was just worried that he might act in anger and destroy the only lead they had. "Honey, don''t confront him yet, okay? Let''s get all the information we need first. I''m afraid this matter is not so simple."


    He hummed in response. His phone rang and when he saw that it was Lin Jian calling, he hung up.


    Lanni frowned, puzzled. Why was he mad at Lin Jian?


    Apparently, the latter was also shocked, because it wasn''t long before he came stumbling in.


    "Look what the wind blew in." Xiehan cracked his knuckles as he headed for the door where Lin Jian had just walked in.


    "Xiehan, I swear. I would never betray you. No matter how beautiful Lanni is, I take her as my sister-in-law. I would never have that kind of feelings for her." Lin Jian vowed solemnly, almost dropping to his knees to prove his point.


    Xiehan''s gaze was narrowed at him. "Yet you sent her flowers."


    Lin Jian scratched his head, aware that his action had been used as ''evidence'' of their cheating. "She was in a terrible mood after what happened to her brother. I was only trying to comfort her platonically by sending her flowers. If you don''t believe me, you can check the cards on all the flowers I sent her." He swore, looking at Lanni to help him prove that he didn''t have any intentions behind the flowers.


    Xiehan''s expression darkened." Do I need to do that?"


    The latter raised his hands in surrender. "Of course not. You trust your wife enough not to care what other people say."


    Satisfied with the answer, a smile ghosted Xiehan''s lips. "It''s good that you are here, actually. Come here."


    Before Lin Jian could react, he was grabbed by the collar and dragged towards the staircase.


    "You can''t do that! If you kill me, Ruby would never forgive you!" The man defended himself vehemently.


    "Just shut your mouth." Xiehan continued to drag him away, worrying Lanni who had been watching the drama unfold.


    "Xiehan?" She called his name worriedly. Would he really kill his friend?


    "It''s okay." He reassured her. "I don''t want this matter to stress you out. Let me handle it, okay?"


    "Okay but¡­" She eyed Lin Jian who looked like he was about to scream for his life. "You will not do anything to Lin Jian, will you? He tried his best to protect me."


    "Do you think I''m that unreasonable? Don''t worry." He patted Lin Jian''s back, giving the man goosebumps. "After all, he did a good job beating that little bastard to a pulp. I can''t blame him anymore."


    Lanni was in relief hearing that. As long as Xiehan was not angry with Lin Jian, he wouldn''t be tempted to do anything he shouldn''t. "Okay. I''ll be in my studio then."


    The two men went to the study upstairs, one dragging the other, and as soon as they entered, Xiehan shut the door.


    "Xiehan¡­" Lin Jian wondered whether his friend was really going to kill him.


    "There is something terribly sketchy about that guy. Have you looked into his past?" Xiehan crossed his arms while leaning against the door. Lin Jian let out the breath he had been holding. So they were really here to discuss and nothing else.


    He sighed in relief at the fact that he had done some investigation on his way here. "It''s tricky. He had actual feelings for Lanni, which he had been harboring since they were schoolmates. He didn''t even get married nor did he get close to any woman every since he confessed to Lanni."


    He shut his mouth when he noticed his friend''s scary expression. How was he supposed to speak when he was being glared at for merely stating that another man had feelings for Lanni?


    " What are you saying?" Xiehan prompted him when he stopped speaking.


    Resigning to his fate, Lin Jian cleared his throat and continued stating his analysis. "That he probably has high standards for the type of woman he would want to date, but it just so happens that it was misunderstood. If anyone were to guess, they would probably think it''s because he is still hung up on Lanni."


    Of course the brat was hung up on Lanni, Xiehan thought. He remembered him as one of her ardent admirers who he had thought were capable of competing him for her in the past. After getting together with Lanni, he had not cared to continue looking into the young man since he knew that she solely belonged to him.


    "What has he been spending his time doing all these months?" He asked, to which Lin Jian answered,


    "He has a startup and has been spending most of his days working on making a name for himself in the business industry. He is an ambitious man."


    Xiehan responded with a grunt as he paced the room slowly.


    "It''s not odd that he didn''t get close to women." Lin Jian flopped onto the couch. "Think about it this way, if Lanni were to reject you, would you be able to get close to other women?"


    "Lin Jian, are you tired of living?" Xiehan growled.


    "No." He raised his hands in surrender. "I''m not implying that Lanni would ever leave you or anything, I know how much you two love each other. All I''m trying is to think about it from his perspective. Don''t they say that to catch a thief, you should think like a thief?"


    When he saw that Xiehan''s anger had calmed down, he asked, "As a man who loves Lanni, what is your reason to not find pleasure in other women? What makes her so unique?"


    "She is just¡­different. I never met anyone like her in my life. All the women I''ve met dull in comparison." He answered for the sake of understanding the situation better.


    "Cheesy but that''s the point." Lin Jian rubbed his chin. "Maybe Yu Guang is waiting for a second Lanni."


    "He is not getting her in this lifetime." Xiehan scoffed. There was no second Lanni. There was only one Lanni and she was his wife.


    The thought of the last word made a chill run down his spine. When he looked down at Lin Jian, the latter looked confused as to why he had that kind of chilling gaze.


    "Yu Guang will never be able to be with Lanni¡­ unless she and I are no longer together." He revealed his speculation.


    "Now you''re thinking." Lin Jian crossed his legs. "I can''t believe he would make himself wait for you two to divorce. There is no way he would guarantee that unless he is ready to make sure the two of you divorce."


    "That brat!" Xiehan gritted his teeth. He wanted to kill someone!


    "And whoever is backing him up." Lin Jian rested his elbows on his thighs. "I would believe him to be an ardent admirer who cannot give up on his love but he appeared out of the blue. I don''t think he had ever thought of disrupting her life. He would have done so ages ago. The fact that he thought of making a move now only means¡­ someone is backing him up."


    _____


    AN:


    Who do you think could be backing Yu Guang up and why?


    Don''t forget to support the book! I''m doing my best to stay in win-win despite being busy and your support will motivate me a lot.

 Chapter 563 - Confrontation

    When Lin Jian left, Xiehan went to the studio to check on Lanni. She was almost done with her painting and was humming softly as she stroked it with her brush. He had never seen her paint this happily.


    When she felt his presence, she turned to him with a smile. "How long have you been standing there?" She asked.


    "Long enough to enjoy the view." He teased, and she chuckled.


    "Come here. Did you finish discussing with Lin Jian? You didn''t kill him, did you?" The last part was a teasing joke, which made him laugh.


    "What if I did, mh?" He closed in on her. "Will you help me hide the body?"


    "Only if Ruby doesn''t kill me before I''m done."


    "That will not happen. Well, I refrained from killing him." He responded and took a seat on the couch.


    "Can you not make it sound like actual murder was about to happen?" She pinched him playfully.


    He grabbed her hand and kissed it, then pulled her over so she would sit on his lap. "Lin Jian and I think someone is behind Yu Guang."


    "Do you have a clue who it might be and what they aim to gain from doing this?" She asked, to which he shook his head.


    "We are going to investigate. Meanwhile, he promised to suppress the news as much as possible."


    "Thank you." She hugged him. While she was not certain whether or not the orchestrator had achieved what they had been aiming for, one thing was certain¡ªthat her reputation would be tarnished.


    Suppressing the news might erase it but who knew if they would try to put it up again? Besides, there might be people who thought she had really cheated on her husband and if they realized that the news had been suppressed, they might assume it was because Xiehan didn''t want anyone to know about his marital troubles. In the end, she would still need to find evidence that the screen shots were fabricated.


    "I need to get back to painting. I should finish this soon, because I promised Xiao Yu to give it to her when I''m done." She slid off his lap and sat in front of the easel.


    "What are you painting?" He leaned over to take a clearer look. He knew it was a landscape but for some reason, she was doing it upside down.


    "This is what the beach looks like at midnight." She pointed at the painting and grabbed the sides to hold it right side up.


    "Speaking of beaches, we had planned to visit Australia and kept putting it off." He spoke up, and noticed that her hand froze holding a paintbrush.


    "What''s wrong? Don''t you want to travel the world anymore?" He questioned.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to anymore, I just¡­" She took a deep breath. "Xiehan, would you believe me if I told you that Aunt Meiling has something against me? I don''t know what I did to deserve it but she suddenly hates me."


    He went silent and she didn''t know whether or not he believed her.


    "I was trying to find what reason she could have to hate you. I don''t think there is any, especially because she has always liked you." He was puzzled.


    "That''s before I became pregnant. It all started on the night we announced out pregnancy. If you realized it, she started making strange remarks on the same night and offering me food she knew are not specifically good for expectant women."


    He found it odd and frowned. "Even if she is going to make such an implication, she would not be stupid enough to hurt our child in the presence of so many people. Maybe you are over thinking it?"


    She shook her head. "I trust my gut. And my gut says she is onto something."


    "And I trust you." He responded. "Just in case she really is onto something, don''t get close to her, okay? And don''t go anywhere on your own. If I''m at work, take at least three bodyguards with you."


    "Okay." She was glad that he didn''t call her out for causing drama. If she was being honest, she would have loved to keep things neutral but after Ji Meiling gave her baby clothes as a gift earlier, she started wondering if she did it on purpose.


    Maybe she was overthinking it but she felt Ji Meiling overheard her and Luna talk about it and only bought her baby clothes because she stated her discomfort towards buying them in advance. Besides, who gifts baby clothes of a specific gender before the gender is revealed? If was as though Ji Meiling was implying that she hoped the baby was a boy.


    "Xiehan, do you want a girl or a boy?" She asked out of the blue when she realized it.


    He raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. "All I want is a baby. Whether it''s a girl or a boy, it doesn''t matter as much as the love I have for both of you." He kissed her forehead.


    "That''s a smooth way of avoiding the question." She rolled her eyes.


    He chuckled. "Maybe it is. Well, I don''t know whether I prefer a girl or a boy. I weighed the options before but they just kept coming at a draw."


    She smiled at his response. Most men wanted little girls they could spoil to the end of the world. She wanted that too, but it would also be great if she had a boy. He would play with Linhou and protect Xiaomu and Yue together.


    Her hand ran down her tummy as she wondered why the thought ran in her mind, while the same thought crreeped her out coming from Ji Meiling.


    ___


    Meanwhile, Lin Jian was getting the short end of the stick.


    He had asked Ruby out for a movie and had been horribly late thanks to Yu Guang, so he sent her a text to ask if they could still watch it. She didn''t respond and he was nearby so he drove to the Ji Mansion to check on her. Had she seen the rumors before they were deleted? If she had, then she might be mad at him thinking he had betrayed her. He needed to explain the truth to her.


    As soon as he rang the doorbell, it was opened and he was met with a fierce glare.


    "Aunty Lin?" He was startled when he met Wen Lin''s furious gaze. "Did something happen? Why do you look so angry? Anger doesn''t look good on your beautiful face."


    "Is that the cheesy pickup line you used to lure my daughter into your womanizing trap?" A slap assaulted his face and he knew that he was dead.


    He stopped messing around, taking the matter as seriously as it was. "Well, Aunty, we need to talk. I know you have seen the rumors about me."


    "All I know is that I have realized what a jerk you really are." Wen Lin pushed him into the living room. It was almost as though they had been waiting for him to stumble into the lion''s den. When he saw Ruby, Ji Huifen and Ji Meiling sitting and waiting, he knew that he was right.


    "It''s a good thing that you all are here. I need to explain what really happened." He sat down even though it felt as though the couch was made of fire with all the gazes directed at him. It was almost as though he had committed murder.


    "You better have a good explanation as to why you are playing with the hearts of both my daughted and my daughter-in-law." Wen Lin huffed and sat next to her husband.


    "I didn''t play with either of their hearts. I only love Ruby with all my heart. On the other hand, Lanni and I respect each other as not only boss and employee, but also brother-in-law and sister-in-law. There is nothing aside from this between us."


    "Yet you employed her, a girl who has no regard for commitments. She dropped out of school twice for hell knows what reason, has no qualifications in the media industry yet you still offered her a job as chief editor?" Ji Meiling expressed her shock at the facts.


    "Well, Lanni did indeed drop out of school." He admitted. "However, we at Lin Media Group don''t just focus on academic qualifications. We focus on nurturing talent and she had one. Don''t forget that before she came to Lin Media Group, she was already a chief editor."


    "For a company where Xiehan pulled strings for her." She rolled her eyes.


    "Chief editor nonetheless. And no one ever complained about her performance. No one has ever complained about her in Lin Media Group either. Not to mention, she obtained a diploma from studying online. She has all the qualifications that any agency would find suitable for a chief editor."


    Ji Meiling went silent with a huff and he thought it was over.


    Ji Huifen asked, "If the two of you have nothing wrong going on, what''s with the rumor?"


    "Someone orchestrated this to attack Lanni and Xiehan. I have no idea who it is yet but I will sniff them out."


    Wen Lin looked convinced and so did Ji Huifen and Ruby, but Ji Meiling looked skeptical. "Who is to say you are not covering something up? It may make sense for one rumor to be a lie but two at the same time?"


    Lin Jian furrowed his brows. Ji Meiling was not attacking him.. It was as if the main point was to prove that Lanni was hiding something. What was wrong with her?

 Chapter 564 - Evidence

    "I promise to get to the bottom of this. Whoever is trying to tarnish my reputation, whether they have a grudge against me or I just happened to be in the way while they targeted someone else, I will make them pay tenfold." He vowed, studying Ji Meiling''s expression. The woman didn''t flinch, but that didn''t prove that she was in the clear.


    "I hope you are not the thief claiming to be the victim. If I find out that you are cheating on my daughter, don''t blame me for being unfriendly." Ji Huifen warned.


    "I will do no such thing." He promised and stood to hold his hand out for Ruby. "Shall we?"


    "I don''t think you should be able to take her anywhere before you fully prove your innocence." Ji Meiling cut in, to which Wen Lin rolled her eyes.


    "This is about them. I have watched Lin Jian grow up and I know that he is being truthful right now. Besides, Ruby trusts him and that''s what matters."


    "Don''t cry about it if he turns out to be a cheating scumbag." retorted the woman, making Wen Lin and Ji Huifen exchange glances. At the same time, Lin Jian was more convinced by his hypothesis. The woman was up to something and it was highly likely that she was involved in the matter.


    Ruby placed her hand in Lin Juan''s and let him lead her out of the house, not saying a word to him the whole way.


    Guessing that she probably didn''t trust him, his expression dulled. "I promise, I didn''t do anything wrong. I can prove it but I''ll need a few days to get sufficient evidence."


    She shook her head. "It''s not about that. I know how much Lanni and my brother love each other and believe that you didn''t do anything this time. But why do you always end up as a target in this kind of matter? Why did it have to be you?"


    "Because I''ve spent some time working in the same building with Lanni as her boss, and it was easier to twist our relationship?" He made a guess, holding the door that he was in the middle of opening when Ruby popped the question.


    "No it''s not. It''s because you have been a womanizer for ages. No one would doubt it if you were accused of being someone''s lover. This is why they picked you, instead of any other man."


    He remained silent knowing how frustrated she must be, and she continued in disappointment. "To tarnish Lanni''s reputation, they could pick anyone. Heck, they could even frame Jiang Xingyu for falling in love with twins. It''s highly possible considering how identical they are to each other. But no, they skipped that part and went for a man who isn''t even close to her. All because of the number of women you have been with in the past!"


    She was not wrong, and the fact that it was true was killing him. He lowered his head apologetically. "If I knew that this would happen because of my dating history, I wouldn''t have played around with so many women."


    She looked at him and entered the car, her eyes drooping. She hadn''t meant to yell at him but she couldn''t stop herself when she thought of the kind of messages she had been receiving. Some "very kind" netizens were filling her inbox with encouragement and reasons why she should leave him. She didn''t intend to do so, but it was frustrating to be looked at with pity as everyone thought that her boyfriend was cheating on her.


    "Am I beautiful?" She asked out of the blue and he was flabbergasted.


    "What?" Her question had caught him off-guard, and she laughed it off.


    "Start driving."


    He entered the car and didn''t touch the steering wheel, deeming it more important to get this out of the way.


    "In the past, I wanted to be loyal to one woman. Xiehan, Xingyu and me had been spending a lot of time with Xingyu''s father and that was what he had always encouraged us to do."


    "Mmh." She hummed to let him know that she was listening, and he continued.


    "That was what we all believed. That a man should only fall in love with one woman and treasure her. The two didn''t fancy any girls growing up but it was different for me. I fell in love with a girl but she didn''t want to be in a serious relationship with me."


    " Why is that?" She asked.


    "For some reason, she assumed I would be a playboy. That was the reason she gave me. Then I dated another girl. I liked her very much but she broke up with me because she supposedly dreaded that I would get tired of her, replace her with another girl and ditch her, because I looked like a playboy."


    " That''s an awful assumption." She frowned.


    " It is. " He started the car. "It was the wrong move to take but when I learnt that most girls saw me as a potential playboy, I gave them what they were asking for."


    She frowned at his reasoning. "If a girl tells you that you look like a playboy, it probably means you are handsome. Either that, or you are too flirtatious."


    "I didn''t think of that. Maybe I just hoped for more acknowledgement than that." He focused on the road as he continued pouring his heart out. "I was probably being childish but I compared the responses of girls towards me to how they reacted in the presence of Xiehan and Xingyu. Everyone called them golden young men and expressed their curiosity regarding the women who would be able to get into their hearts, which were said to be harder to break into than Fort Knox."


    She burst into laughter. "I can''t believe that kind of comment got to you."


    When she stopped laughing, she placed her hand on hers. "I understand how you feel. It''s probably underrated but comparison causes more harm than it''s given credit for. I would also constantly compare myself to other students my age. I worked hard but never got the grades I thought I would if I worked as hard as I did.


    On the other hand, everyone thought of me as a spoilt daddy''s girl who gave zero thought to her grades. In the end, I just gave up."


    He gave her a side glance. "We have more in common than we thought."


    "Don''t grab every chance to flirt." She rolled her eyes, then frowned and shook her head at how insane people were. Why would they assume that just because a boy was friendly to girls, he was flirtatious? She had witnessed it herself, Lin Jian helping girls out when he knew they needed it but in the end, they would think he was hitting on them. They kept forgetting that it was not just girls he helped out but men, children and the elderly too. It was one of the things that drew her to him. He was so kind.


    "I don''t think your aunt is up to any good." He brought up the subject of Ji Meiling when he was certain that she had moved on from the rumor.


    "My goodness! I thought I was overthinking. When I pointed to dad just how many horrible comments she had made about Lanni in the past week, he thought I was letting trivial things get to my head."


    "Since very many people think she is plotting something evil, then she certainly is. And we need to stop her." as if he thought he needed to clarify, he added, "I am not going to let anyone create a mess out of my friend''s marriage. Not even if it is the aunt who brought him up."


    The thought of the culprit being the aunt who brought Xiehan up was even more terrifying. It was almost as if she was jealous of Lanni for being pregnant. He was probably overthinking it, so the next evening when he sent Xiehan a text message to explain what he had found out, he left out his conclusion.


    ___


    When Xiehan received the text message, he was curled in bed with Lanni. She was bundled up in front of him while he spooned her, and together they read a web novel on his phone.


    The text message was displayed on the top of the screen so they both saw it.


    "I was starting to believe that she is guilty." Xiehan revealed his thoughts.


    "I asked Luna to check out the source of the screenshot, hoping we could trace it back to whoever fabricated it." She responded, then frowned at the thought. "Do you think Aunt Meiling overlooked a very important detail while plotting her moves? She does know that you and Luna are programmers, right?"


    "She probably forgot." His lips twitched. His aunt had probably hired top notch programmers herself, because he had only managed to find the source of the pictures that Lanni supposedly sent Lin Jian. It couldn''t prove much, and he was waiting for Luna too, knowing that the latter was working on it. He didn''t want to face Xingyu''s wrath for snatching something that his wife was interested in. The thought made him chuckle. After battling with Luna over who should prove Lanni''s innocence, she had forcefully won.


    "I''ll give Luna a call and ask what she has managed to find." She dialled the number.


    "Let me ask you this first. How did Xiehan take the news?" Luna asked as soon as the call connected.


    "Uh, he trusts me?" Lanni didn''t understand what her sister was getting at.


    "Good.. Because I have the surveillance video of when Yu Guang kissed you."

 Chapter 565 - Speculation

    Lanni sat up. "That''s good news!"


    "No it isn''t. Well, at least not entirely." Said Luna, and Lanni knitted her brows in confusion.


    "What do you mean by that?" She asked.


    "All of this was orchestrated by Ji Meiling. I have no idea what she intended to do but she met up with Yu Guang a few days ago. According to the video I recovered of them, she gave him a cheque for something. It''s a surveillance video that didn''t support audio, so I can only speculate. I''m guessing she asked him to find you and have implicating pictures taken with you and him in compromising positions."


    Lanni was speechless even though she had started to have a feeling that Ji Meiling could be involved.


    " Thanks. I''ll just prove my innocence first."


    " I''ll deal with that woman for you." Luna promised before hanging up.


    On the other hand, Lanni gripped her phone tightly in disbelief. How could this be?


    "Luna found evidence that Aunt Meiling really did this. What does she have against me?" She didn''t understand, especially since the woman had liked her before. Was it all fake? Did she do something to provoke the woman?


    "Forget about her. I will handle this." He hugged her.


    "Don''t just get rid of her without knowing the truth. Maybe she did this for a good reason." She reminded him, because she knew that it would be better for everyone if it could be settled without violence. She was, after all, family.


    "I don''t care what her reason was. She had no right to attack you but she did so anyway, so she must face the consequences." His brows knitted.


    "Well, thank you for looking out for me." She hugged his arm. He was always protecting her, and didn''t care whether or not the person who attacked her was important as well. As long as she was safe, nothing else mattered to him. In return, she made a mental promise to be the best wife to him. He deserved it for being a better husband than she could ever deserve.


    Ji Meiling continued attacking, oblivious to the fact that she had already been sniffed out and Xiehan, Lanni, Luna and Lin Jian were all keeping an eye on her. When the screenshots were proven to be fake and Luna put up the video of Yu Guang forcefully kissing Lanni, the netizens'' reactions morphed from raging at her for being a promiscuous, disrespectful wife to crying out for her justice.


    "It is never alright to kiss a woman who doesn''t want it. This is abuse!"


    "Who the hell is this pervert? He must be arrested!"


    "Throw him into the ocean! We don''t want young women to be exposed to the dangers of having such men around."


    "The point is, Li Lanni is a married woman. Everyone knows this. She was even wearing a ring, in case the scumbag didn''t know, but from Lin Jian''s reaction, he knew. Why would he still forcefully kiss her?" Someone asked.


    "Obviously, because he was paid to tarnish her reputation." Another netizen hinted at the screenshots that had been proven fake, opening a can of worms.


    Many speculated that the culprit was Lanni''s romantic rival who couldn''t accept the fact that Lanni was married to her crush, while others guessed that it must be a business rival of Lin Media Group trying to get their competitors out of the way. Lanni was such a popular figure in the media industry, after all, and most people would be unaccepting of her if she were proven to be promiscuous and unrestrained.


    However, the ladies had a different opinion. Lanni gathered together with Luna, Ruby, and Cheng Yu to discuss it.


    Ruby was the one who had called them, so she looked at the three who were holding cups of their drinks in hand. "I did not call Xiaoshi because we are about to discuss her mother and this might be awkward for her."


    "That makes sense." Remarked Lanni, but Cheng Yu was confused.


    "The three of you think Ji Meiling is behind this? But she loves you and Xiehan, right?" Her question was directed at Lanni.


    "I don''t think she does anymore. And we don''t just think¡­we know she is behind this." Lanni answered, swallowing past a lump in her throat.


    "I did not see that coming. Yikes." Cheng Yu''s lips curled in disgust. Whatever reason Ji Meiling had, it would not be enough for her to do this to her nephew.


    "We already know that she is behind this and Luna discovered evidence. Lin Jian and I found something too," Ruby sipped her coffee. "She has been acting strange. She and my mother have always been at each other''s throat. But since the rumors started to erupt, she is unusually closer to mother."


    "That sounds to me like someone trying to hide their guilt." Luna crossed her arms.


    "Exactly. We thought so too." Ruby turned to Cheng Yu who was near her. "Xiao Yu, can I borrow your tablet?"


    "Sure¡­?" Cheng Yu didn''t understand why the latter needed it but she had always carried her tablet around so she gave it to her. Under their watch, Ruby drew squares and wrote in them Lanni''s name as well as her own and Xiehan''s.


    "Alright, Sherlock Ruby Holmes. What are you getting at?" Luna asked when the latter scribbled for an eternity without a word.


    "Look." Ruby pointed at the squares with arrows connecting them. "Let''s use Linhou as an example. If Linhou had a wife and she cheated on him, how would the three of you react?"


    "Use the chance to let the little girl and Linhou know that they should be studying instead of doing things they don''t understand." Luna''s brows knitted, making the others burst into laughter. She would definitely be strict with her children''s dating lives.


    "Linhou is an adult in this hypothetical situation." Cheng Yu calmed her down. "I would not want to ever see that girl again. If I do, I will destroy her."


    "You will not be able to because she will be destroyed in my hands. I will teach her a lesson she will never forget." Lanni remarked, hating the situation even though it was only hypothetical."


    Luna refused to answer the question, having so much hate for the hypothetical girl even though she didn''t exist.


    Ruby smiled. "What if the same girl were to snatch Xiaomu''s boyfriend?"


    Luna''s eyes flared when she got the point. "Is Ji Meiling trying to make it seem like Lanni broke the hearts of both siblings?"


    "Exactly." Ruby deleted the squares since they now understood her. "Aunt is not sure of Lanni''s relationship with mother, what with their hatred for each other in the past. She is trying to make use of the rumors to damage the relationship between them even further. Why she would do that, I cannot tell you."


    Cheng Yu rubbed her temples. "Was that so hard to explain that you had to use a hypothesis?"


    "For better understanding of how mother is feeling right now." Ruby shrugged.


    "My relationship with Lin Jian may not be damaged, and Lanni''s innocence has been proven, but that doesn''t mean mother is not uncomfortable."


    "Just great." Lanni huffed. "Is she trying to make us divorce by force? If she is, she can go to hell."


    "We have to stop her." Cheng Yu was enraged.


    "That, we do." Luna seconded. "Well, we didn''t involve Xiaoshi because we don''t want her to be uncomfortable but we might need her. She knows her mother better than all of us."


    "Why do we need her? Let''s not forget that an offspring will always take after its parents. If they were to side with each other, what would they do to Lanni?" Cheng Yu was against the idea.


    "Xiaoshi has never been a bad person to begin with." Lanni pointed out.


    "That doesn''t mean she can''t be one now." Cheng Yu was still uncomfortable.


    "Don''t worry. We don''t have to tell her anything. We just have to use her as the starting point while investigating Ji Meiling. When we get Ji Meiling''s darkest secret, she will have the options, to either stay out of Lanni''s and Xiehan''s lives or have her secret splattered across the Internet."


    "That''s a good enough solution, I think." Responded Lanni, who didn''t want to make family members estranged from each other unless it really had to happen.


    "I still think we should send her to hell." Ruby scrunched her face. She would never be able to get along with the woman who almost made her and Lin Jian break up.


    "We can send her to Australia instead. She likes it there and she will be away from Lanni and Xiehan. Double win." Cheng Yu countered, and they all agreed to the solution.


    When Ji Meiling realized that the trouble she had stirred was no longer useful, she was furious. It didn''t take long before a new one came up, accusing Lanni of having murdered someone just so she could ensure that she was the first one to report it. It happened just two days after an article she published related to a psychotic murder topped the search rankings.


    She even went so far as to have fake commenters blow up the matter. What she would never have expected, however, was that her fans would see through the move as soon as it was doled out. Lanni had already reminded them that reacting to a fake article would only give it publicity, so they ignored it altogether. In the end, it got drowned in tens of more interesting articles.


    ___


    AN: Mass release this Sunday.

 Chapter 566 - My Happiness Is You

    After reading the forums against Lanni which kept popping up despite being suppressed, Cheng Yu was in a bad mood when she went back to her apartment.


    It must be difficult for Lanni to deal with Ji Meiling since she was her husband''s aunt and for Luna, because she needed to take care of herself and not get involved in unnecessary trouble. On the other hand, she was an outsider and didn''t have to care about anything. Teaching the woman a lesson should be a piece of cake.


    She was still in deep thought when she opened the door to her apartment so she jumped when she saw a man on the living room couch.


    "Cedric, you scared the crap out of me!" She glared at him. He had not answered her calls all day and had suddenly appeared here to give her a fright.


    "I''m sorry. Are you okay?" He stood to check on her. "I sent you a text message to let you know that I would be busy all day but will wait for you here in the evening."


    "I must have missed it." She patted her chest. Her stomach growled in hunger.


    "Uh.. Have you had dinner?" She asked him.


    "I was waiting for you to cook together." He tailed her as she went to the kitchen. She grabbed the ingredients furiously, and he couldn''t help but notice that she was in a bad mood.


    He grabbed the knife out of her hand lest she cut herself while in a bad mood. "Did something happen?"


    "A heartless woman who just won''t leave Lanni alone!" She raged. "I don''t care what I have to do to make it possible but I want her to leave the country and go as far as she can. Lanni was much happier before she and her husband appeared and started making trouble for her."


    "I can help with that." He offered.


    "Thank you but no thanks. I will do it myself."


    He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You are still so stubborn. Your matter is my matter as well."


    She was quick to blush from his movements. "I know. I just don''t want to bother you unless it''s really necessary."


    "Nothing is a trivial matter if it bothers you." He nibbled her ear. His phone rang and interrupted the moment, bumming him.


    "Who has such horrible timing?" He complained as he dug for his phone in his pocket. It turned out to be his mother.


    "Hello mother?" He frowned, wondering why she was calling out of the blue.


    "How have you been? It''s been long¡­" She asked gently.


    "Get straight to the point, mother." He demanded, knowing that with their tense relationship in recent months, she wouldn''t call him just to catch up.


    "Fine. Here''s the thing. My friend invited me to have tea with her. I thought it would be great if you came along so I would introduce you to her." She explained eagerly.


    Cedric ran a hand down his face in frustration. "How old is this friend?"


    "Why are you asking this?" The woman was puzzled but answered him nonetheless. "She is in her late forties."


    "So she is not a young woman who you call your friend just to lure me to a meeting. Let me guess. Then this friend is going to bring her daughter or niece along, who is about my age so the two of us can get to know each other?"


    "How¡­" His mother was flustered after being called out.


    "What''s wrong with getting to know young women your age?"


    "I have a girlfriend. In case you didn''t get that all the times I told you." He hung up in anger. Cheng Yu was chopping vegetables with newly found frustration, and he held both of her hands after taking the knife from her.


    "Hey, I will not go to the blind date. Don''t be so angry, okay? It''s not good for your health." He coaxed.


    "Of course you won''t go. But I would prefer it if you did." She blinked.


    "Yu, are you so eager to give me away to other women?" He couldn''t believe her.


    "Of course not. I just¡­" She sighed. "I don''t want you to have a bad relationship with your family because of me. It''s already horrible as it is."


    He swiped some stray strands of hair away from her forehead, then cupped her face lovingly. "If I go to that blind date, mother will definitely want me to go out with the woman. Then what? Will I have to go on dates with her just to make sure we don''t have a stiff relationship? And after several dates, will I also have to kiss her for this? It grosses me out just thinking about it."


    She looked down to hide her expression but he knew how she felt without having to see it on her face.


    He went on. "Then, with her instructions, I will have to propose to this girl and marry her. After that happens, what about you and me?"


    She looked up at him helplessly. "But if they disown you¡­"


    "I will be the happiest man on earth." He pecked her lips. "Forgive me for being a selfish man but if I have to choose between their happiness and mine, I will choose mine. And my happiness is you."


    "Cedric," Her heart melted.


    "Are you still willing to give me away?"


    She threw herself into his arms. "I was never willing. I just wanted to solve a problem. But if caring for one''s happiness is a sign of selfishness, then I''m selfish too."


    He hugged her tightly, hoping that he would never see her sad again. It would probably happen once in a while but it broke his heart. "Where were we? We were thinking of ways to make the woman who framed Lanni disappear."


    "Not literally disappear." She corrected him, horrified that he would murder Ji Meiling.


    "Of course, not literally. Let''s pay her a visit tomorrow."


    ___


    The following day, Lanni slapped her forehead when she heard the rumors in the company. An important proposal had gone missing a few days ago, and this morning, it had been discovered that the proposal had been sold to a competitor. Of course, the matter had been blamed on Lanni.


    "Ji Meiling, what did I ever do to you?" Lanni muttered under her breath and replayed all her interactions with Ji Meiling in her mind. There didn''t seem to be anything she did to piss the woman off, but she probably didn''t remember all their interactions.


    The board of directors called for an emergency meeting with Lin Jian, and summoned her to the conference room. This was it. They were probably going to try and force her to resign. She clenched her fists at the thought of it. She had worked hard for this and she was not going to let anyone take it away from her.


    When she arrived at the conference room, all eyes were on her and they were not happy expressions. They all glared at her as though she had committed murder. She took the empty seat and greeted all of them before placing her elbows on the table.


    "You must have guessed why we called you here, Mrs. Ji." A middle-aged woman started.


    "Yes. I heard about the stolen proposal."


    "Good. Then I guess we don''t have to explain much. Submit your resignation in peace and this matter will be forgotten." She ordered.


    Lanni shook her head. She had seen this coming but it was still unbelievable. "May I know why I should do that?"


    "Because if you don''t, you will be fired." Responded an elderly man as if she was wasting their time by pretending to be dumb.


    "I did nothing wrong. I don''t understand why I have to get fired." She insisted stubbornly, unwilling to cave.


    "There is already sufficient evidence. Are you still going to feign innocence?" A middle-aged man surnamed Lu threw a bunch of photographs on the table.


    Lanni picked them up and inspected them, laughing out loud when she saw the content. They were all pictures of her handing over a file and then receiving money, but they were photoshopped.


    "This is unbelievable. You are going to fire me for this?" She slapped the pictures on the table amid their shocked expressions. "Let''s put aside the fact that they are photoshopped. How can you be certain that the file being handed over contains the proposal?"


    "Don''t try to talk your way out of this!" Roared Mr. Lu, but she didn''t shut her mouth.


    "It has not been labelled. It could be a private exchange for all I care. Of course it wasn''t because this is a photoshopped picture. You can prove this if you have it checked."


    That did not convince many of them so she added, "I am not in need of money."


    "That doesn''t mean you can''t do it for greed." Retorted another, and the others nodded.


    Lanni glanced at Lin Jian who couldn''t say a word because it would only make matters worse. She smiled at him reassuringly and swept her eyes across the marble conference table and asked.. "Let''s assume I am greedy or vengeful, or have some other motive. If I were to do such a thing as steal from the company and sell the documents to someone else, do you think I would do it in secret and erase traces of myself, or do the exchange in broad daylight, in public, and wait to be captured on camera?"

 Chapter 567 - Make The Old Hag Pay

    "She has a point. No matter how you look at it, this is a set up. I don''t know of anyone who would plan to do something secretly but end up doing it on the streets in broad daylight, while knowing that surveillance cameras are all over.


    On the other hand, if someone wants to set someone else up, they will focus on creating as much irrefutable evidence as possible and will often forget how unreasonable it turns out to be." Lin Jian remarked, earning gazes of ridicule.


    "So what if she was set up? She tarnished our company''s reputation and must go." Mr. Lu insisted.


    Lanni''s eyebrows knitted. Had this man been bribed?


    "If we are taking reputation so seriously, then I have something to talk about." She pulled up an old article from her phone, which she had seen weeks ago and it just happened to be convenient. "You were once entangled in a scandal that involved a married woman, Mr. Lu. This is a blow to the reputation of Lin Media Group, don''t you think?" She hinted meaningfully.


    "Don''t you pull that crap on me!" He roared.


    When he realized that everyone else was giving him glances that called him out for hypocrisy, he conceded. "Fine. She can stay. But only because she is a hard worker."


    "Thank you." Lanni took a slight bow and left the conference room. She didn''t have too much work lately. It was probably because Lin Jian made her subordinates filter out the unimportant documents before sending only the ones that mattered to her, to make her work easier.


    She would reward them later, she thought as she gathered the remaining work to take home with her.


    The chauffeur opened the back passenger door as soon as he saw her leaving the building and rushed to help her carry the files even though she didn''t think they were heavy.


    "Madam, are we going home?" He asked politely when she got in.


    "Let''s give Aunt Meiling a surprise visit first." She smiled, wondering how the woman would react to her sudden visit. It was still unbelievable how fast one could change, and even worse to think that Xiehan had offered her a place to stay. When she had just arrived with her husband, he had invited her to stay over at his mansion. Luckily, she had found herself an apartment when she decided to stay in the city for a few years.


    The thought of it made Lanni''s eyebrows knit. Ji Meiling loved Australia so much. At first, she had only wanted to watch over her daughter and leave once Xiaoshi was settled. What changed her mind? Why did she only leave for a month and come back to stay for a few years? It was easy to assume that it had something to do with her husband but Lanni knew it was not that simple. The woman might just have skeletons in her closet which she would be pleased to set free.


    They arrived at the apartment complex and Lanni couldn''t get in unless Ji Meiling allowed her, so she waited in the lobby. Minutes passed although Ji Meiling was home, but she neither let them in nor denied them entry.


    "Madam, maybe we should go back first and come some other time." The chauffeur suggested, worried that she was going to stand for too long.


    "Don''t worry about me." Lanni was determined to have a good chat with Ji Meiling today, and it didn''t matter how long it took to meet her.


    Half an hour later, Ji Meiling finally dropped the act and let her in.


    "Lanni! I''m so sorry to have kept you waiting. I was taking a nap and didn''t know you were here. Did you wait for too long?" She feigned happiness.


    Lanni flashed a meaningful smile. "Not at all. Thirty minutes isn''t a long time in a pregnant woman''s clock."


    Ji Meiling frowned and offered her a glass of juice. "I blended this naturally. It''s very nutritious."


    "Thank you." Lanni didn''t make a move to drink it even though she knew that Ji Meiling couldn''t dare to do anything to her directly.


    "I''ll cut the chase, aunt Meiling." She spoke up. "What exactly are you going to gain from breaking Xiehan and me apart?"


    The woman stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean?"


    "You know exactly what I mean. You are behind everything. The rumors about me and Lin Jian, the document I''ve been framed for stealing, the murder accusation, what do you gain from all of these?"


    "You are so na?ve, Lanni." She scoffed. "Do you have a camera on you? Are you intending to get words out of my mouth that will incriminate me?"


    "I wouldn''t be at my current level if I had to rely on those." She spoke with a hint of warning in her voice. "I am here to warn you. If you want to talk about it and come up with a solution that will save both of us trouble, you are welcome to discuss it with me. But if you are hell set on trying to destroy me, don''t blame me for being rude."


    "You and what army? Do you think you kids are a match for me?"


    Lanni raised an eyebrow at her words. If she wasn''t certain before, she now was. She looked at the woman over her shoulder. "You have been warned, Aunty."


    She hurried down the stairs and was surprised when she bumped into Cheng Yu who was coming up.


    "I don''t understand. Is it Halloween or something?" She scrutinized her friend, who was wearing a food delivery uniform and had a box in her hands.


    "What are you doing here, Lanni? Wait. I have to go up first."


    "No. Come with me." Lanni pulled her all the way out of the building with her.


    Cheng Yu was displeased. "Why did you do that? I had to pretend to be a food delivery girl so they would let me in. If I go back now, they will not let me in again!"


    "Were you going to find Ji Meiling?" Asked Lanni, as she shoved Cheng Yu into the backseat of the car with her.


    "Before you ruined my plan, yes. That old hag has to pay for what she did."


    "That was going to end up in chaos no matter how you think about it." Lanni instructed the chauffeur to drive off as she explained. "Think about it. I went to her house to give her a warning just now. If you appeared there too, what would happen? It would put us at a compromising spot. She could easily accuse us of threatening her life and the fact that you snuck in under the guise of delivery would prove that."


    "I was so angry that I didn''t think about it." Cheng Yu felt wronged. In actual sense, she would never have minded it if she got in trouble as long as she taught that woman a lesson. But she couldn''t risk pulling Lanni into trouble with her.


    "I''ll drop you off at work and¡­" Lanni rubbed her forehead when she remembered the latter''s get up. "Never mind. Get changed at my place first, then I''ll drop you off at work."


    "Thank you." Cheng Yu knew that she would be late for her next meeting if she went back to her apartment. She had planned to drop by a clothes store and get something to change into but this was easier.


    After dropping Cheng Yu off, Lanni worked from home and only realized how fast time had flown when the front door opened and she heard Xiehan''s footsteps. She left what she was doing and bashfully rushed down to welcome him home.


    "Hubby, you are home." She smiled.


    He changed out of his shoes into indoor flip flops and pinched her cheeks. "And you have done something wrong."


    "Something wrong? I didn''t do anything. I''ve been obedient all day." His tone flustered her. She could never get used to his charming voice.


    "That''s after paying a visit to aunt Meiling. What did I tell you about putting yourself in dangerous situations?"


    "Ow!" She winced when he spanked her backside. "It was not dangerous. She would never do anything to me directly. Besides, she suspected that I had a bug on me."


    "That doesn''t change anything. Who is to say that she wouldn''t turn animalistic and try to hurt you no matter the consequences?" He frowned in disapproval.


    "Well, I wasn''t on my own." Her voice lowered into a squeak when she realized that he was determined to punish her no matter how safe she was.


    "Let me handle her, okay? Don''t get yourself all worked up." He held her.


    There was something odd about how he said it. Nonetheless, she didn''t think much of it. She nodded and rested her head in his chest. His heart was racing faster than usual. It made her want to question what had him flustered. But then again, it was often racing when they were this close to each other. It didn''t have to mean much.


    But why did she have a bad feeling out of the blue?


    ____


    1.Mass release of 5-10 chapters tomorrow. It will be at different times of the day because I will post every chapter after writing it. Please be patient!


    2. I don''t have an editor for this book and I don''t often notice my own mistakes after writing.. Anyone willing to be an editor? If interested, dm me on Instagram (Author Avalorian) or Discord (Author Ava #3776) and we can discuss the terms.

 Chapter 568 - Nightmare

    "Lin Jian told me what happened at your workplace." He started as he walked to the kitchen with her tailing after him.


    "It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it." She assured him.


    He flicked her forehead at her words. "Are you implying that your reputation is not a big deal? It''s a huge deal, okay?"


    She chuckled. "It is alright. But how can I stop people from creating these rumors about me? Even if I shut Aunt Meiling up, there will always be an enemy or two waiting for an opportunity to strike me down. It can''t be helped."


    He patted her head. "Even if there will be others in future, I can still handle the current ones. You don''t need to worry about this. Just do as you like, okay?"


    "Okay." She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him. As though she had asked for it, he grabbed her by the waist and placed her on the kitchen counter.


    "Xiehan, we came here to cook." She subtly reminded him.


    "And I''m yet to teach you a lesson for the dangerous move you pulled off." He looked at her teasingly.


    "Wait. Don''t touch there¡­"


    He let go of her boob that he was groping and let his hand slide down. "Mmh. Then I''ll touch you here instead."


    Her words were swallowed into his mouth as he kissed her. He wasn''t any less shameless than he was in the past, not that she was complaining.


    That night, Lanni couldn''t get any sleep. She rolled in bed for the umpteenth time and made to slide off, only for her waist to be grabbed from behind.


    "Did I wake you up? I''m sorry." She turned to tousle his hair. He had been busy lately and needed enough rest, so she kissed him and let him go back to sleep. Alas, the man pinned her down and she was under him before she could process it.


    "Can''t sleep?" He teased her.


    "I''m not sleepy." She looked up at him like he was a predator.


    His response was to slide his hand under her nightdress. "I can make you more tired if you want. If not, how about we talk for a while?"


    He got off her and lay on his side, waiting for her to make up her mind.


    She blinked a few times trying not to let her eyes close. She was sleepy but just couldn''t bring herself to sleep, and it was torturing her. "I just feel uneasy. I''m scared even though I don''t know what I''m scared of. If that makes sense."


    He pulled her into his arms. "It makes sense. You are probably tired and worried. Just forget about it and sleep, okay?"


    She didn''t react, and he thought she had fallen asleep until he peeked down and met her drowsy eyes.


    "I''ll read you a book."


    She burst out laughing. "I''m not a little girl who listens to bedtime stories."


    "I don''t remember ever seeing an age limit to bedtime stories." He slid off the bed and ransacked the small bookshelf in the bedroom, looking for a book she would find boring. Most of the books here were the ones they had moved from the library for ease of access so it was only after checking all the books that he found one about aviation. They must have brought it accidentally because neither of them was interested in aviation but it worked like a charm. She was fast asleep before he could finish reading the foreword. He watched her sleeping face and leaned over to kiss her, before gently nudging her off his arm.


    He got off the bed to return the book to its original spot. Her phone rang on the bedside table, prompting him to look at it. He frowned. Who was calling her so late at night? It was already past midnight and definitely not a suitable time to give anyone a call.


    "Hello, who is this?" He answered the call nervously.


    "Hello, this is HM Hospital. Are you related to Xia Luna?"


    His nervousness intensified. "She is my sister-in-law. Is everything alright?"


    "She was brought to hospital after a fatal accident. We need a family member to sign a form of consent before we can go through with the operation. Do you have a way to contact her immediate family members?"


    "Luna?" Lanni was startled out of her sleep.


    "We will be right there." Xiehan hung up the call and cupped her face. She was trembling and had beads of sweat on her forehead. "Did I startle you?"


    "Who just called?" Her mind was disoriented. "I just had a nightmare. I dreamt that I had lost Luna." The mere mention of it was enough to make her eyes water.


    "Nothing will happen to Luna. She will be okay. Come here." He placed her head on his chest and suddenly didn''t know how to tell her what happened. If she had not woken up, he would have told the Jiangs first and let them hurry to the hospital as he slowly explained the situation to her, but he couldn''t waste any time now.


    "Let''s go to the hospital, okay? The doctor just confirmed that Luna will be alright after the surgery."


    She had no idea what he was talking about but she nodded and grabbed a jacket which she threw on. They were in the car within five minutes and he floored the accelerator. Luckily, the hospital was not too far away so they arrived in ten minutes.


    The first thing Lanni did was rush to her sister once she knew where her ward was. Alas, she was not allowed to go in.


    "Are you Miss Xia''s sister? Please sign this." A nurse handed over a sheet of paper and a pen, and she glanced at Xiehan in confusion. What was happening?


    "Miss, can you please hurry up? The patient''s life will be in danger if the operation is delayed any longer." Urged the nurse.


    She messily scribbled her signature and if Xiehan didn''t hold her, she might have fallen from how dizzy she suddenly was.


    "What happened to Luna?" She asked croakily.


    "She was attacked by someone." He held her shoulders soothingly. "She will be fine. You have to trust her to get out of this, okay?"


    She blinked, letting down the stinging tears from her eyes. "I don''t understand. How could anyone attack her so late at night? What was she doing out in the open at this time of the night? Where the hell was Jiang Xingyu when this happened?"


    As if on cue, Jiang Xingyu came rushing over with his parents in tow.


    "Xiehan! How is my wife? Where is she?" Xingyu asked anxiously, earning a slap from Lanni.


    "Sister-in-law?"


    "You had one role!" Lanni kicked and punched him aggressively, hurling curses. "You only had one role, to protect my sister. Is this how you protect her? By letting her get attacked?"


    "Lanni!" Xiehan pulled her away from Jiang Xingyu, who had been beaten and scratched by her.


    "Sister-in-law, you don''t understand. Luna has been missing for hours. I''ve been looking for her and trying to track her location to no avail."


    He broke down. This evening, Luna had told him that she wanted to spend the night at Li Yuming''s. She had insisted on going on her own because apparently, she had private matters to discuss with her mother.


    So he let her go. Half an hour later, the chauffeur had reported that he had dropped her off at her mother''s house. He didn''t think much of it until it started getting late and he was yet to receive a call from Luna. He tried calling her to no avail, and decided to go over and check on her. There was no such thing as too much caution. He was just going over because he missed her at first. However, an ominous premonition filled his gut. He set the car on autopilot mode and called incessantly until her phone went off. He didn''t need any more proof. Luna did not go to Li Yuming''s house.


    A phone call to Li Yuming confirmed his fear. He knew that she would not lie to him so there was only one possibility: that she was in danger.


    ...


    Lanni yelled at him for his carelessness at any chance he got and he couldn''t blame her. He blamed himself too. If only he had been more careful.


    He should have insisted on sending her to Li Yuming''s and dropped her off on his own. This was happening just because he had trusted his bodyguards and chauffeur more than he should.


    Hours passed before Luna was finally wheeled out of the operation room and everyone rushed over to check on her.


    "Doctor, how is she?"


    The doctor pulled down his surgical mask. "She is out of danger."


    Jiang Xingyu heaved a sigh of relief. As long as she was out of danger.


    "And the baby? What about the baby?" Asked Xingyu, anxiety bubbling in him yet again. If anything were to happen to the baby, Luna would not want to live anymore.


    "The baby is fine. We managed to save both mother and child."


    Everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief and let the doctors wheel Luna into the recovery ward.


    Lanni crept up beside her and held her hand. "Sis, do you know how scared I was? You can''t do that to me again!" She complained.


    During all those hours that the operation lasted, all she could think about was her dream, where she had lost Luna forever and was watching her being wheeled into the morgue. Her mind was finally at ease now that she was steady.


    She turned and glanced at Xingyu who was behind her. "How did this even happen?"

 Chapter 569 - Revenge

    "What exactly happened? Did you uncover anything?" She asked Jiang Xingyu. She had calmed down a lot now since Luna was out of danger.


    "My bodyguards betrayed us." He seethed in anger at the thought of it.


    "Why would that happen?" She didn''t understand.


    "I don''t know. Someone must have bribed them. I''m going to find them one by one and interrogate them. Then I will let them know what happens to people who mess with the Jiang family."


    Luna winced as they discussed. They both looked over at her.


    "Luna?"


    She forced her eyes open and glanced at Lanni who was looking down at her in a mixture of worry and excitement, then at Xingyu and her family.


    "Am I in heaven? Are you all angels?" She croaked.


    "Can you not talk about such things when in hospital?" Lanni pinched her arm.


    "Ow!"


    "Be easy on her. She is still a patient." Xingyu took his wife''s pinched arm and caressed it. "Baby, how are you? Does it hurt anywhere?"


    "Just my heart." She raised a hand to caress his face. "I don''t like seeing you looking so sad."


    Lanni rolled her eyes. "She is alright. She even has the strength to flirt with her husband. Is this the part where we all leave them alone?"


    "Wait." Luna called her over. "I don''t mean to startle you, but I think the guys who attacked me thought I was you."


    "What?"


    "How can that be? Wouldn''t they have bought over Xiehan''s bodyguards if they were aiming for Lanni?" Xingyu inquired. None of it made sense to him.


    "No. I don''t think so. They had been following me for a while. I thought they were indeed after me and made sure to take more precaution. However, they tailed us on the way to mother''s house and chose the moment to attack. I think they followed the wrong person from the word go."


    "That''s insane." Lanni didn''t want to think about it. "I''m sorry Luna. You suffered so much just for being my twin."


    "It''s not your fault." She hugged her sister before her body froze. In panic, her hand slid down her stomach to feel her bump.


    "Don''t worry, the baby''s fine." Lanni whispered, knowing what she was suddenly scared of.


    "Really? Don''t lie to me just because I''m still in the hospital." She demanded, looking over at her husband for any hint of sadness.


    "Sister-in-law is right. The doctors said that our baby is a strong cookie. It will be alright as long as you have enough rest and maintain a nutritious diet."


    She was relieved. She had been in panic when the henchmen attempted to stab her. Reflexively, she had protected her stomach at all costs. It ended in the knife slicing through her left arm but she didn''t care. As long as the baby was alright.


    She looked at Lanni when she recalled the horrifying details. "I got it wrong. They were not targeting you. They were targeting your baby."


    "What?" It was even more shocking, and she wanted to explode. "Ji Meiling! I will kill her!"


    "Lanni, what are you saying?" Asked Li Yuming. She had just rushed over after hearing the news of what had happened to Luna, only to overhear this disturbing conversation. "Why would Ji Meiling target my grandchild? Doesn''t she love Xiehan? Since she thinks of Xiehan as her son, then the baby you are carrying is her grandchild. Why would she¡­"


    "I don''t know, mom." She shut her eyes. "I wish I knew. She has been targeting me. She didn''t tell me why she was doing this when I confronted her."


    "Don''t worry. I will protect you." Xiehan hugged her shoulders. "Luna, we owe you a lot." He said to his sister-in-law, a shiver running down his spine at the thought of what would have happened if she lost her baby. Luckily, that didn''t happen.


    Since Luna was alright, Lanni couldn''t hold her head up anymore. She fell asleep in Xiehan''s arms while still standing, making Li Yuming chuckle. "She can really fall asleep anywhere."


    "I''ll take her home." He excused himself and placed an arm under her knees to carry her away.


    Once they were gone, Xinghe finally remarked on what Luna had mentioned. "Are you really sure that this attack was meant for Lanni?"


    "It''s a gut feeling. I don''t have any enemies but Lanni has one who is hell set on making her have a miscarriage." Luna responded, making Xinghe frown.


    "I thought Ji Meiling was a good person but now she has gone and done it." She cracked her knuckles. "I don''t care why she did this. I will make her disappear off the earth''s surface when I have the chance."


    "Mother, you can''t do that." Xingyu interrupted.


    "I can and I will! She almost killed my daughter-in-law! Do you have any idea what would have happened to Luna if she didn''t know self-defense?" Xinghe was convinced that Luna was unable to get away unscathed only because she was pregnant. It must have slowed her down, and it was already a miracle that the baby had remained safe. "I don''t care whether or not you want to seek justice for your wife but watch me get revenge on behalf of my daughter-in-law."


    "Mother, it''s okay." Luna patted her hand to calm her down. "Nothing happened in the end and she didn''t mean to attack me. On the other hand, doling out a vengeful move might just make her want to strike back."


    She had a point, but Xinghe hated being unable to do anything to that woman. "But it''s so unfair to Lanni. All she did was exist. Why do bad things keep happening to her?"


    "I will protect my daughter, Xinghe. You don''t need to gain enemies because of this." Li Yuming cut in, and Xinghe was not happy about it. The two women still had a stiff relationship between them.


    Xingyu cleared his throat to stop them from starting with their usual remarks that made both of them feel awkward.


    "Linhou and Xiaomu will be brought over later. Father said they have been looking for their mommy since they woke up."


    "Okay but they can''t stay for long. The hospital is not a safe place for kids." Li Yuming remarked.


    "Of course."


    Xingyu had to go for an important meeting that he couldn''t postpone so he let his mother and mother-in-law stay to take care of Luna.


    It didn''t take long before the kids were brought over. The first thing Linhou did was rush towards his mother, only to be stopped halfway.


    "Linhou, mommy is feeling unwell. You cannot jump onto her, okay?" Xinghe explained the situation.


    The boy was displeased but he nodded and slowly went over to Luna.


    "Mommy?" Xiaomu looked at everything curiously and wondered what had happened to her mother. Why was she covered in bandages?


    "Mommy got injured. I''ll be alright soon." She promised the little girl, who in turn pursed her lips and blew on the bandaged wound on Luna''s arm, mimicking what Luna would do when she fell.


    "Why are you so sweet? Are you blowing the pain away?"


    She nodded, smiling happily after being praised.


    "That''s my good girl. Today I will not go home with you, go with grandma, okay? I will come home later." She explained, giving her babies a kiss on each of their cheeks.


    Linhou blinked sadly since he wanted to stay by his mother''s side, while Xiaomu ran over to Li Yuming and held her hand.


    Luna had meant for them to go with Xinghe but staying with Li Yuming was a good idea too so she didn''t comment on it. However, Xinghe sweetly called the girl over.


    "Mumu, let''s go home, okay?"


    "I can take care of my grandchildren as well." Li Yuming rolled her eyes.


    "Of course you can. I just want to do it this time."


    "Uh¡­ can the two of you not start again?" Luna had had enough of their tension. They didn''t fight or hurl insults at each other but it was as though they were fighting for her affection. At this point, she almost didn''t know whether she had two or four kids.


    "Mom, since Mumu ran to you first, you can stay with her this time. Linhou will stay with mother-in-law."


    The two women were both satisfied by the arrangement, and she only shook her head. Were they unable to think of this on their own?


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Xiehan was going crazy. As soon as they got home, he had ordered his men to capture Ji Meiling and bring her back to his mansion. Lanni strongly disapproved of the idea.


    "Are you insane? You can''t just kidnap. No matter what your reason is, it''s illegal."


    "Trying to harm my wife and child and sending my sister-in-law to hospital is also illegal." He fired back and continued doling out instructions on the phone.


    "Lock her up in a dark room with no sound going in. Give her food and water but don''t let her have any sense of anything aside from taste." He ordered.


    "For how long, sir?" Asked the bodyguard on the other end.


    "Three days." He frowned when he realized that it would barely be a drop in the bucket compared to what she had done to Lanni. "One week."


    "What if someone looks for her?" She asked, worried of what would happen if his family knew that he was holding his aunt hostage.


    "No one would ask questions if they think she has traveled out of the country.." He bit out.

 Chapter 570 - Suspicion

    "You are not going to kill her, are you?" She asked worriedly. It would not matter why he did it. If he killed her, he would be in trouble and the last thing she wanted was for him to be imprisoned.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll just make her drown in despair."


    He sounded sly when he said it, rendering her speechless. If this incident didn''t happen, she might never know how evil her husband was. Not that she was complaining. Sometimes being too good was the easiest way to attract trouble.


    "I called Han Xichen over." He reported.


    She didn''t understand. "That doesn''t sound like a friendly invitation of any sort. Why does he need to come?"


    "You were shocked. He needs to ensure that you are fine." He explained, making her laugh.


    "I''m not a fragile piece of glass, okay?"


    "Actually, you are. Don''t worry. Han Xichen studied gynecology in passing and will know immediately if there is any concern. Besides, your psychological well being is very important."


    She didn''t think it was necessary but knowing that she would never be able to talk him out of it, she agreed. Also, "Did Han Xichen study every field of medicine?"


    "Just more fields than an average doctor studies." Even he thought Han Xichen was impressive, not that he was going to stroke the man''s ego by admitting it to him.


    He rushed over urgently and ran some tests, after which he asked the couple to take a seat.


    "Speak." Xiehan ordered impatiently.


    "You need to sit down for this."


    "Is my baby alright?" Lanni panicked.


    "Yes. Your baby is fine. But I need to ask you a question. Have you been sleeping a lot lately?"


    She thought back to the random naps she had to take every few hours even when at work. It was a blessing that Lin Jian was an understanding boss who was extra kind to expectant employees. She would have been kicked out for being too lazy if she were in another agency. "I have. I thought it was a result of the hormones but I think it''s too much even thinking about it from that perspective."


    "That''s because it''s not supposed to happen." He looked at the couple as he broke the news. "If you have not been taking sleeping pills, then someone has been adding them to your food or drinks."


    Her eyes went wide with shock at the same time as her hand flew to her stomach protectively. "Will it affect my baby?"


    "If taken in large quentities, yes. Fortunately, we discovered it in time." From their reactions, Lanni had not been willingly taking sleeping pills. He sighed at how heartless someone could be to want to harm an unborn baby. However, he had dealt with psychopaths before. This was nothing in comparison.


    "Be careful what you eat. I would also suggest installing surveillance cameras secretly if you don''t have them already." He added.


    "I want her dead." Xiehan declared as soon as Han Xichen left.


    "We don''t know if she is the one who added sleeping pills to my food. Even if we both think it''s her, we will need evidence before we can sue her." She reminded him.


    "Who talked about suing? I literally want her dead." He winced, his heart breaking when he imagined what would happen to his wife and baby if he had not insisted on calling Han Xichen to check on her.


    "Think about your father and Shishi. If they found evidence that you are the one who killed her, they would sue you. Xiehan, we have had this conversation already."


    She was acting different, he observed. She was right despite this so he nodded.


    "You have to promise me. Just torture her but don''t kill her." She demanded. He held both of her hands in his and promised her.


    It was not hard to trace the matter back to Ji Meiling. There was a hidden surveillance camera in the kitchen that Xiehan had installed without thinking much. It had finally come to use.


    He checked the monitor which revealed a maid sprinkling some powder of sorts into a glass of milk. She then placed the glass on a tray along with some of the heart-shaped cookies he had baked for her the day before. No wonder Han Xichen had been able to detect traces of the sleeping pills. She had ingested them not too long ago.


    He called the maid over to the living room.


    "Master, you called for me." She nervously spoke, taking note of Xiehan''s and Lanni''s furious expressions."


    "How long have you worked for me?" He demanded.


    "Five years." She answered with a shaky voice, wondering why she was being asked this out of the blue.


    "In these five years, did I ever harass you?" He held in his anger.


    "No, master."


    "Good. Because then there is no excuse for what you did. Honey, do you want to deal with her?" He asked his wife, who was glaring at the maid like she wanted to kill her.


    "I''d rather not. Just deal with her." She waved her hand dismissively.


    Hence, Xiehan called a bodyguard over. "Take her away. Make her spill everything."


    "Master, I''m sorry!" She dropped to her knees when she realized that feigning innocence would not help her out of this. "Ma''am, please forgive me. I didn''t have a choice. My life was at stake."


    "Go to hell. You might have a chance if you plead to the devil." Lanni stood to go back upstairs. She had the urge to chop the maid into pieces but she was better off not staining her hands with blood.


    Xiehan followed her and found her pacing their room restlessly. He grabbed her and hugged her. "If you want to hit her to vent, I can have them bring her back."


    She giggled at his offer. "I don''t want to hit her. As soon as she admits to what she did and reveals the person behind it, let''s sue Aunt Meiling."


    "Okay." His hands rested on her hips.


    "Hey, Xiehan, aren''t you sad about it? She is your aunt after all and you were so close to her." She probed.


    "People change depending on their circumstances. As long as a certain button is pushed, anyone can be a murderer."


    She pushed her hands against his chest lightly, pulling him out of his trance. "What do you mean by that?"


    "I mean, yes we should get evidence as soon as possible."


    That was definitely not what he meant, she thought. For a moment, he had sounded as though he was convinced that Ji Meiling had a good reason to turn into what she had become, and he knew what that reason was.


    ¡­.


    Xiehan had initially intended to let Ji Meiling get a week worth of torture before he could release her and hand her over to the police. However, her whereabouts were discovered within three days. He had booked a return ticket to Australia and told his parents that Ji Meiling had rushed over for an emergency and would be back in a week. It all went well until Xiaoshi started having suspicions. Every time she gave her mother a call, she would hang up and send a message instead, giving random excuses like being busy and unable to talk. It was so unlike her mother that Xiaoshi immediately realized that something was wrong.


    In the evening of the third day, she went over to Xiehan''s house to ask for his help.


    "Shishi, it''s good to see you." Lanni welcomed her jovially as she took the little girl in Xiaoshi''s arms. In turn, Yue kissed her cheek like clockwork.


    "Yue is so cute." She gushed.


    "Is my cousin home?" Xiaoshi asked nervously.


    "He is, but he is holding a conference call. Would you like to see him for an emergency?" She sat on the couch, a bad feeling rising in the pit of her stomach.


    "My mother might have been kidnapped."


    "What? But¡­ why would you think so?" Lanni forced herself to calm down when she realized that she sounded anxious. "Did they call you for a ransom?"


    "No. But that''s the problem. Someone is using her phone to send me messages. I''m certain that they are not from her and I hope he will help me find out who they are from."


    "I see. Would you like something to drink?" She offered stiffly. "You can have a snack or a drink while I call him over."


    "But the conference call¡­" Xiaoshi was reluctant to distract him.


    "Aunty''s safety is more important. I''ll go and call him." She went upstairs, her heart lurching to her throat. If Xiaoshi suspected anything, they would be toast. She peeked and saw Xiaoshi and Yue heading for the kitchen, then took the chance to send Xiehan a text message. She was already near the study but her brain was a jumbled mess.


    He opened the door just as she got to it.


    "Is she suspicious?" He asked.


    "No. But she might be soon if we don''t handle this carefully." She took a deep breath. "You have to pretend to help her."


    He hesitated but nodded. "Okay."


    She led the way back downstairs, where Xiaoshi was beside herself with worry.


    "Cousin, you have to help me." She pleaded as soon as she saw Xiehan.


    "Lanni filled me in on the situation." He maintained his cool.


    "Could you help me confirm that she is still in Canberra? It will ease my worry." She requested.


    He grabbed his laptop, typed in some codes under their watch before speaking up. "Her phone signal is still in Canberra."


    Xiaoshi looked at him in shock . "Are you the one who held her hostage?"

 Chapter 571 - Let Her Go

    "I''m not sure what you mean by that." Xiehan maintained his nonchalance as he denied her claim.


    "It has to be you!" She insisted. "I asked Luna to find her location and she found that she is still in B City. Are you saying that Luna is lying?"


    Lanni cursed inwardly while Xiehan clenched his fists. He would never have expected her to seek Luna''s help first before coming to him. She probably already suspected him, which is why she went to Luna first and was only trying to trap him.


    " Well, programmers can''t always be accurate." He cooked up an excuse that even he found ridiculous.


    "Just stop. Are you going to claim that since you are not as well versed in programming as Luna is, you cannot be as accurate as she is?" She laughed in ridicule. "Lies don''t look good on you, cousin. This is the part when you admit everything."


    He remained silent, which prompted her to push. "Is it because of the enmity between her and Lanni?"


    "Shishi," Lanni tried to calm her down only to be interrupted.


    "I''m not speaking to you right now, Lanni."


    "I can''t believe you would do this. I thought she was like a mother to you. Heck, I thought that no matter who was capable of hurting her, you would never do anything to harm her." She burst into tears.


    "There is a reason why I held her captive. But I can promise you that she will not be harmed. I only want to scare her into admitting what she did."


    "Admitting what she did?" Xiaoshi scoffed. "I can''t believe you would even have the guts to say such a thing. She is your aunt, cousin!"


    "And she tried to murder my child!" He raised his voice, which startled her. He didn''t usually raise his voice at her, having doted on her all her life. Her tears fell continuously. Seeing this, Yue climbed onto her lap and used her tiny hands to wipe her mother''s tears, mimicking the adults'' actions.


    Xiehan studied his niece and asked, "Shishi, if I were to threaten Yue''s life, what would you do to me?"


    "What do you mean by that?" She reflexively grabbed her daughter and held her protectively, glaring at Xiehan.


    "The literal meaning." He continued studying the little girl. "If I were to try and feed her food that will harm her and possibly cause her death, constantly aim to kill her and have someone attack the two of you with the goal of killing her, what would you do?"


    "Don''t you dare do anything to my daughter! If you have something against me, let''s talk it out as adults." Yue roared like an enraged tigress.


    Xiehan sat back down and watched her try to leave before he spoke. "I only made a hypothesis and you are so angry. How do you think I felt when aunty tried to kill my baby so many times in just a few days?"


    "What?" Xiaoshi stopped in her tracks.


    "I don''t know if you realized that Luna was injured. If you did, then you know what Lanni''s state would have been if the henchmen got the right person."


    Xiaoshi thought deeply about it. Luna had refused to tell her what happened to her and had brushed it off by going ahead to help her so she would stop asking. Who would have thought that the truth was so ugly?


    "Mother orchestrated that?" She asked.


    "It''s hard to believe that your mother did such a thing but she did it. She wanted my wife to lose the baby. Of course I would be furious."


    Xiaoshi broke down. "What she did was wrong."


    "If you are about to beg for my forgiveness on her behalf, save it." Xiehan stopped her before she could get back to him.


    That didn''t stop her. She let Yue down and dropped to her knees.


    "Cousin, I''m begging you. I will have her apologize to Lanni if you let her off. After that, I will convince her to go back to Australia and not bother the two of you ever again."


    She looked up to Lanni. "Please. My father is already in prison. I can''t stand the thought of both them being behind bars."


    Lanni was helpless. If it was up to her, she would settle this peacefully. Xiaoshi meant well, but who was to say that Ji Meiling would keep her word? She might just return and seek revenge for being held captive by Xiehan.


    "Shishi, there is a point of no return and aunty crossed it a long time ago. The most I can do is lighten her sentence."


    She got up from her knees in despair, but who would blame Xiehan and Lanni? It was not their fault that they had been targeted.


    "I understand." She picked up her daughter and left.


    "Do you think she will try to target us for not forgiving her mother?" Lanni asked. The possibility of that happening was exhausting her.


    "No. I don''t think so." He reassured her. "She is a fair person. It will be hard for her but once she thinks about it with a calm state of mind, she will acknowledge that her mother made a mistake and needs to pay for it."


    It was painful to think about it but Lanni was not a saint to be able to let go of the woman who tried to kill her baby. The thought of it still made her shiver.


    They thought all was going well until Xiehan received a call from the Ji family household. Ji Huifen wanted both of them to go over.


    "It seems like we thought too much of Xiaoshi." Xiehan''s gaze darkened.


    "I wouldn''t keep my mouth shut if my mother was being held captive so I can''t blame her." Lanni shrugged. She grabbed a cream colored dress and changed into it before they both went to the Ji mansion.


    Seeing Ji Huifen, Wen Lin, Ruby and Xiaoshi in the living room, it was not hard to guess what had happened.


    Xiehan shot a glare at his cousin, who shivered and turned to Ruby. "Why does he look like he wants to kill me?"


    "Because he probably does." Ruby shrugged.


    Xiaoshi frowned. But she didn''t do anything wrong! All she had done was give Ji Huifen a call to let him know that her mother was alright. Earlier when she was panicking about her mother''s possible disappearance, she had told him about it. So she thought it would be great if she let him know that his sister was not actually missing. Who would have thought that Ji Huifen already suspected the truth?


    "Xiehan, you have never been an unreasonable brat. Why did you kidnap your aunt?" Ji Huifen went straight to the point.


    "Since you investigated this matter and found where she is, then you should know why she is where she is as well." He retorted.


    Ji Huifen massaged his temples. "Misunderstandings happen all the time. We are family. Are you going to let the family fall apart just because of some misunderstandings?" He demanded.


    "Misunderstandings, you say?" Xiehan was displeased. "Well, these ''misunderstandings'' almost cost the lives of my wife and baby. I don''t take them lightly. And the fact that I have to explain this to you is enough to question whether you care for your grandchild."


    "How dare you insinuate such a thing? I care about my grandchild more than anything." Ji Huifen huffed. "But I care for my sister too. Why don''t you let her go? I will reprimand her and make sure she leaves the country and doesn''t bother you again."


    Lanni felt uncomfortable at the thought. If Xiehan was pressured into letting Ji Meiling go, it would be freeing a potential murderer. She would never feel safe with her lurking.


    Sensing her insecurity, he held her hand and leaned over to whisper, "Don''t worry, I will not do anything that will make you uncomfortable."


    She relaxed a little but knew that it was not entirely over.


    "Father, I value family as much as you do. After all, aunt Meiling and I have lived together for long enough. However, I also know that she will not back down. Once her mind is set on something, she does not back down no matter what." He gripped Lanni''s hand while looking at his father seriously. "And what she is set on this time is to destroy my family. So forgive me for wanting to protect my wife and child but I will not let her go."


    "You punk!" Ji Huifen roared.


    "Do you have any idea what she did? Did Shishi tell you?" He questioned.


    Ji Huifen didn''t respond, convincing Xiehan that he, in fact, knew what his sister had done. He just didn''t want her to face the consequences of his actions.


    "Father, I don''t blame you for wanting to protect your sister. I would do anything to ensure the safety of Ruby and Shishi as well. But that doesn''t mean I would let either of them escape unscathed if they do the wrong thing. I would let them face the consequences of their actions, which is what a law-abiding citizen would do."


    "Don''t give me that negotiation crap. She didn''t actually hurt anyone!" Ji Huifen was enraged.


    "Because she didn''t get the chance."


    "Xiehan has a point." Wen Lin supported her son and it had nothing to do with her dislike for Ji Meiling.


    Ji Huifen glared at both of them. "If you don''t give the order to release her, none of you is leaving today."


    Xiehan shrugged. "Great. Let''s call it a sleepover then."


    ____


    AN.


    If you were Xiehan, would you let her go?

 Chapter 572 - No Right To Have A Baby

    "You ungrateful punk!" Ji Huifen was enraged.


    In response to his words, Xiehan smirked. "Don''t misunderstand, father. I am very grateful to aunty for everything. If someone wanted to kill you, would you let them go ahead just because they once saved you?"


    "Your analogy is crap. Let go of your aunt right now! I said we would discuss the matter once she is here, didn''t I?"


    "Let''s just say I''m not satisfied by your attitude." He wrapped his arm around Lanni''s waist. "My wife and I need to go back and rest."


    They left the fuming Ji Huifen and headed for their car, but Lanni couldn''t stop thinking about it. She turned to glance at the mansion where she knew from the shattering of glass that Ji Huifen had lost his temper.


    "Do you think he will try to do something to force you to let Aunt Meiling go?"


    He helped her into the car. "He knows me better than that. But just in case he tries to ''invite'' you over, you can''t go anywhere on your own until she is behind bars."


    She nodded.  She was missing something, she was certain of it. There was no way Ji Meiling''s hatred could emanate from nowhere. Ji Huifen''s reaction somewhat proved it. There was no way he could be certain that his sister would agree to leave peacefully if this was something Ji Meiling had done before. Besides, Xiehan''s reaction the day before was suspicious too.


    "I want to talk to her." She spoke after a long spell of silence.


    He turned to glance at her. "You are kidding, right?"


    "No." She insisted. "I''m not going to meet up with her in person if that''s what you are worried about. Can I give her a video call?"


    "Of course. I''ll have someone bring her on the phone when we get home."


    "Okay." She closed her eyes for a nap. He studied her sleeping face for a few minutes and concluded that she was not actually sleepy. She was trying to get away from something, probably fear.


    "Are you scared?" He gently asked.


    "More or less."


    He held her in his arms. "Don''t be scared. I''m here."


    "I know. I just have a bad premonition. Maybe I''m not ready for what she has to say."


    "You don''t have to talk to her if you are not comfortable doing so." He kissed her forehead.


    "I have to." She insisted, so he didn''t say anything else about it. He offered a smile which she once again thought was nothing close to a real smile. Maybe he really knew something and was keeping it from her.


    Soon after they got into bed, Lanni received a call from Li Yuming. She frowned, puzzled at why her mother was calling her so late at night. Since she got married, Li Yuming rarely called her after 7p.m in fear of interrupting their alone time.


    "Mom?" She answered the call nervously.


    "Honey, were you already asleep? I hope I didn''t wake you." Li Yuming asked.


    "No, I was awake. Did anything happen?" She sat up, turning on the bedside lamp.


    "Nothing out of the ordinary. Tomorrow, I''m taking Linhou and Mumu to the amusement park. Would you like to join us?"


    "Sure. At what time?"


    "4pm. We will pick you up from work."


    She chuckled. "Mom, tomorrow is Saturday.. I''ll not go to work."


    "Right, that makes it easier. How about we go earlier? How does 11am sound? We can play and have lunch with the kids."


    "Okay. Can you pick me up?"


    "I''ll get the kids and pick you at 10." Li Yuming hung up before she could ask anything else and she believed it was on purpose.


    She placed her phone on the night stand and turned to Xiehan. "I think mother has something to say to me."


    Xiehan laughed. "I bet half of our retirement savings that it has something to do with aunt. Maybe father gave her a call and asked her to convince you."


    "That would be quite shameless of him." She was displeased.


    "He would really do anything for his sister. I wonder why that isn''t the case when it comes to his children." Xiehan huffed in ridicule. He hated to think about Ji Feifei but at times, he would wonder if Ji Feifei would have been different if Ji Huifen was a better father. Maybe they would have found Ruby earlier.


    Lanni knew what he was thinking and she placed a hand on his shoulder.  "If things were different, there is no guarantee that the results would have been better."


    "You are right. Will mother rob you away for the whole day?"


    She laughed at his way of putting it. "Mother is not robbing me away. I''ll be back before you realize that I''m gone."


    "Then you have to make up in advance for the time you will be away."


    ¡­


    The following day, Lanni found an adorable purple dress, which was the  color that Xiaomu liked the most. She draped on a white scarf to match Linhou''s preference, and took out the toys she had asked someone to deliver early in the morning.


    Xiehan was in the living room when she went downstairs.


    "You look lovely. Are you going on a date?" He asked teasingly as he grabbed her for a kiss.


    "Yes. I''m meeting a lovely little boy, his sister and their grandmother."


    "Mmh. I''m jealous of the little boy." He exaggerated.


    "You can''t be serious, right?" She was amused by his jealousy. How could he be jealous of a two-year-old boy? Not to mention, that boy was his godson as well as his nephew!


    "Of course I''m serious. You are mine." He claimed her.


    "Of course I am. No one''s trying to change that." Her phone rang and she pulled out of his arms. "Mother is here. Do you want to say hello to the kids?"


    He nodded and followed her out. The twins jumped onto Lanni as soon as they saw her and Li Yuming had to slow them down.


    "Kids, your aunt can''t take your naughtiness." She reprimanded, but they didn''t hear her as they were busy  kissing Lanni and asking for pats and praises. She let them be. When her gaze met Xiehan''s, she turned to look aside and he immediately knew that his hypothesis had been right. She had been coerced to talk to Lanni and wouldn''t say that aloud in his presence.


    He pretended not to have realized anything and let them leave after playing with the twins for a few minutes.


    Li Yuming was silent through the entire ride and only spoke for the first time when they arrived and she asked if Lanni wanted to try any rides.


    "I think I''ll just watch them." She didn''t want to go on any ride that might trigger nausea. This was one of the reasons why she had been certain that Li Yuming wanted to have a chat with her and the amusement park was an excuse. She knew that Lanni would not want to go on any fast ride in case they made her dizzy, and she must have only wanted to have a chance for them to talk. Not that she minded it.


    Hence, they helped the excited kids onto a train and fastened their seat belts, and watched the train take off. Lanni then looked at her mother questioningly. "Is there anything you would like to tell me?"


    "It was quite obvious, wasn''t it?" She caressed her face. "Here''s the thing. I know what''s happening in the Ji family lately."


    "And you want to convince me to talk Xiehan into letting aunty off?" She frowned.


    "You¡­" Li Yuming was slightly taken aback by the fact that she revealed what she knew right off the bat.


    "I know, mom. But you saw what they did to Luna. You know how scared everyone was to lose Luna. You were too, and you couldn''t get a wink of sleep knowing that your daughter was missing and something could have happened to her. Then the excruciatingly long surgery¡­"


    "Honey, I know. I just don''t want you to get hurt."


    "Did they threaten to hurt me if Xiehan didn''t let aunty go?" She asked directly.


    Li Yuming knew that her daughter would not drop it so she told the truth. "He made it a point to let me know that some of the servants in your marital house have worked for the Ji family for years. He was subtly threatening your life!"


    "Xiehan will not let him off." She sighed. She had not wanted this to happen. The Ji family was getting smaller and smaller and at this rate, it might soon be just her and Xiehan.


    "I know. But that would only cause you more trouble. I don''t want to risk your life." Li Yuming''s heart broke. She had wanted to suggest having Lanni return to her house until she had her baby but that would only cause more misunderstandings.


    "I''ll speak to aunty first." She promised. She had been too uncomfortable to do it the night before but when she got back home from the amusement park, the first thing she did was ask to speak to her.


    Xiehan had his men give Ji Meiling a tablet and soon enough, the two women were facing each other through the screen. Xiehan left the room to give them privacy.


    "Aunty, why do you keep doing this?" She asked, straight to the point. "I didn''t ever do anything to you."


    "You didn''t do anything?" Ji Meiling laughed like it was a ridiculous joke. "What right does that brat have to have a baby when he killed my child?"

 Chapter 573 - A Murderers Child (1)

    "What do you mean by that?" Lanni''s heart raced. Ji Meiling must be making up things to scare her, right?


    Alas, the woman''s expression was too realistic. She looked baffled by herself for letting out what she had just said and ended the call in a flash.


    Lanni was left shocked and confused. Why would Xiehan kill her child? Was it something that happened accidentally?


    She knew Xiehan well enough to be certain that he would never do such a thing on purpose but the point was, wasn''t Xiaoshi the only child of Ji Meiling? Since when did she have a child that Xiehan apparently killed?


    It was dramatic to imagine that someone probably messed with Xiehan and he ended their life, and they later turned out to be Ji Meiling''s estranged child. It was no use speculating wildly on her own, so she decided to go upstairs and ask him.


    The door of the study suddenly felt like it was made of thorns. She could ask him alright, but what would she do with the answer he gave her? If he really did kill Ji Meiling''s child, what would happen?


    She took deep breaths and considered the possibility. Maybe Ji Meiling was making up some random crap to force them into an argument.


    She softly knocked on the door and pushed it open slowly. Xiehan was behind his desk, fiddling with an almost empty wine glass and looking lost in thought. She walked over to him and pried the glass out of his hand. "Are you okay, honey?"


    "Yeah." He looked up at her. "Did she tell you anything?"


    She sat on his lap after placing the wineglass on the desk. "You look like you think there''s something specific she should tell me."


    He supported her back with his arm. "From your reaction, she did. Some secrets are meant to be kept forever, while some are merely waiting for a moment to erupt."


    She searched his eyes. "Tell me, did you really do it? Did you kill her child?"


    He froze slightly, as though he had not expected her to actually ask.


    Instead of giving her a yes or no answer, he forced a smile. "What would you do with the knowledge if I did? Would you hand me over to the police?"


    "Hell no." She ran a hand through his hair in soft, calming strokes. "I just want you to know that I''m here with you. No matter what difficulty you are facing, we can handle it together. I just don''t want you keeping it to yourself when you have such a heavy load over your shoulders."


    He hugged her and breathed in her scent. He had not known how she would take it. He had always assumed that she would take him for a creep if she ever knew about that incident, so he didn''t dare to bring it up. This time he knew it would be brought up by Ji Meiling. The woman probably didn''t explain everything, which was within his expectations. He had thought that Lanni would run for the hills once he knew about it yet here she was, comforting him.


    "Aren''t you scared to say that to a potential murderer?" He teased.


    "Don''t call yourself that. My husband is not a murderer." She rolled her eyes. "And so what if you were? It would not dim my love for you and I think that''s enough to keep us going."


    "You are right." He breathed into her neck.


    "Do you mind telling me what happened?" She asked, majorly because she wanted to help him let it out.


    "Do you want to get some popcorn?" He chuckled and started speaking when she pinched his ear.


    "It all happened when I was a little boy. Aunty had just taken me with her. The plan was for me to spend the holidays in Australia with her and she would take me back home once everything calmed down between my parents. It was soon after the argument broke out regarding how they were trying to bring me up."


    "Oh," She nodded. That should be around the time when Xiehan spent a lot of time with Li Yuming.


    "I was new in Australia and didn''t have any friends there. Of course, I wasn''t confident enough to approach the other kids and ask them to play with me. I would mostly play on my own unless my aunt or uncle were home." He recalled the past like it had happened a day ago.


    ___


    "Aunty, Aunty, come and play with me!" The young Xiehan demanded. He had mud all over his face and clothes from playing outside and was carrying his equally dirty ball at his side.


    "Why do you have mud all over you? Come on, I''ll help you take a bath." Ji Meiling called him over.


    "But Aunty, we will get dirt on us anyways. We are going to play ball." He protested.


    "I didn''t say I was going to play with you." Ji Meiling turned to head for his bedroom to run him a bath.


    "Pretty please...It''s only going to take a minute." He pleaded. As usual, Ji Meiling couldn''t stand his pleading puppy dog eyes. She smiled and rubbed his head of silver hair that was now coated in patches of mud.


    "Okay. Just one round of ball, then we come back and clean up for dinner."


    "Yay!" Xiehan excitedly ran all the way out with his ball as Ji Meiling barely kept up. One round morphed into a few rounds and before they knew it, the sun had set.


    "This is the last time." Ji Meiling held up one finger.


    Xiehan kicked his ball towards her but this time, she didn''t kick it back. Her face was contorted and her forehead sweaty.


    "Aunty? Is everything alright?" He ran over to her worriedly.


    "I''m fine. Let''s go back to the house."


    She barely managed to contain her pain as they went back to the house. As he was worried about her, he held her hand in an attempt to support her. Alas, they were barely at the doorstep when she noticed the small patch of blood at the front of her dress.


    "Aunty, you are bleeding!" He exclaimed.


    "Oh, uhm¡­ I''ll get a bandaid." She let go of his hand to rush away but couldn''t take another step. She dropped onto the floor writhing in pain.


    ___


    Lanni''s eyes widened in horror.


    "That was not her period, was it?"


    "No." He looked down to mask his emotions as he continued. "I panicked. All I could think of was to call my uncle. Before he returned, I tried to help her to her room in vain. She was crying and I thought it was due to pain, until she was taken to hospital and the doctors confirmed that she was pregnant and had lost her child."


    Lanni rubbed his shoulder. "It was not your fault. Even if you knew that she was pregnant, you were too young to know what to do with that information."


    "She didn''t ever blame me." He muttered. "She was worried that I would be traumatized so she made it a point to explain that it had happened because she had strained herself out and it had nothing to do with me, and that she was destined to lose that child."


    It was still a painful moment and a boy that young would never forget it. Lanni took his hand and stroked it comfortingly.


    "Does your family know?"


    He shook his head. "No one knew she was pregnant. Not even herself. They decided to keep it to themselves to avoid making the entire family sad."


    Her feelings were mixed. She would have said that they were kind to not blame a child for being part of the reason for the miscarriage, but at the same time, Ji Meiling was now using that incident as a reason to attack them for revenge. Why did she blame Xiehan? Besides, even if she blamed Xiehan, what had their unborn baby done wrong?


    "It still doesn''t make what she is doing right." She remarked.


    "I know. She probably didn''t think she would want to do this either." He grabbed her hand that was stroking his. "She didn''t intend to. At first. Because she didn''t ever have a reason to. When we announced that you are pregnant, her first reaction was to think that you had cheated on me."


    "What the heck?!" She was shocked by her assumption. Who would even think that?


    "The miscarriage affected her chances of having children greatly." He revealed. "Having Shishi was already a miracle. No matter how hard they tried later, they wouldn''t have any other child. I like to believe that it''s one of the reasons why she insisted on having me live with her permanently. I''m not complaining. She treated me exceptionally well, took me to the best schools and Shishi was like a sister to me."


    "There is a huge ''but'' at the end of it all." She looked into his eyes. "Isn''t there?"


    He nodded subtly. "When I was a teenager, I had a major injury in school and stayed in hospital for a few days. Aunty used the chance to bribe the doctors to perform a vasectomy on me."


    "What in the freaking hell?!" Her jaw dropped.


    "Luckily, the doctor didn''t want to stain his hands by having made a boy sterile without his consent. He secretly told me about it and didn''t go through with the procedure, but lied to her about completing it. All these years, Aunty thinks I can''t have a child.. That was why she was shocked when we announced pregnancy, and her first assumption was that you cheated on me.

 Chapter 574 - A Murderers Child (2)

    It was almost a ridiculous joke when Xiehan said it out aloud. "At first, her plan was to accuse you of sleeping around and getting yourself pregnant by another man. She would have achieved it and the posts about you and Lin Jian getting together behind my back would have proved her accusation right."


    She hummed in realization. So that was the main reason behind the posts. She had wondered why Ji Meiling would use up so much effort and go into so much detail with it. It turned out, it had to convince one man who would probably be too furious to try and check the authenticity.


    "She thought that if we had a DNA test, it would only prove that my baby is indeed not yours, right?" She guessed.


    "That''s right. When she realized that there is no way you would cheat on me and knew that I trust you more than anything, she switched tactics. She must have investigated and found that you were not unnecessarily close to any man around the time when you got pregnant, so she knew that it''s my baby and started plotting ways to make you have a miscarriage."


    She thought back to the day she had gone shopping with Luna and Xiaoshi, when she had revealed that she did not want to buy clothes before her baby was born as she was uncomfortable with the idea. Within five minutes, Ji Meiling came in and bought her baby boy clothes.


    It had seemed like an awful coincidence before but now she was convinced that Ji Meiling had done it to upset her.


    "But doing that will never bring her child back to life." She pointed out.


    "It wouldn''t." He sighed tiredly.


    "And it still wasn''t your fault. Even if you had hit her with the ball or anything, it would still be an accident. She did strenuous exercise on her own. I don''t believe for a second that a few rounds of ball was enough to make her have a miscarriage. She would have felt some pain but that would be it. The fact that it died so easily could only mean that she had been straining herself for a while or the baby had not been healthy enough to begin with."


    "Try telling her that. She is set on believing that it was my fault and I need to pay for my crime. No matter what happened, she will forever try to murder my child to get even for what I supposedly did."


    "That sucks." She hugged him. "I''m sorry."


    "Thank you."


    "I think you should hand her over to the police already. They can restrain her. If you continue keeping her, father can break her out and that will be the start of a bigger conflict."


    "Do you think handing her to the police would stop them? They would simply bail her out and later bribe the court to set her free." He dreaded.


    She was furious. If only everyone would put the same importance on justice. It was hard to think about it but if everyone let their family pay for their crimes, the crime rate might actually decrease. Many criminals had been in jail many times before and had either been helped to break out or had their ways with the court. It was hectic.


    "What will we do?" She was suddenly worried.


    "If father is going to bribe the police, I will do the same. Let''s see who is capable of giving more money in the end and who will be listened to."


    It was not a contest to be proud of having but she couldn''t blame him.


    ¡­


    In the end, Xiehan was right. They had enough evidence to make sure Ji Meiling was given a long sentence but even before she could appear in court, Ji Huifen tried to get her out while she was in police custody.


    Xiehan had specifically stated that she was vengeful and would try to harm Lanni if they let her out on bail, which infuriated Ji Huifen all the more.


    "She is your aunt!" The man yelled out the words that Xiehan had heard uncountable times in recent days.


    "And I''m your son!" Xiehan retorted.


    Ji Huifen had gone over to Feng Ji International and barged into the CEO''s office to demand an explanation from his son.


    Xiehan waited for him to calm down slightly. Of course that didn''t happen because the man was on the verge of flying off in fury, so Xiehan told him what he wanted to say nonetheless.


    "This is the last chance I''m giving you, father. In this matter, you have only sided with your sister and forgotten about your son who has been majorly affected by this matter, and your grandchild who was almost lost. So I''m giving you an ultimatum. Stop trying to influence this case or you will never see your grandchild."


    "How dare you threaten me?" Ji Huifen roared.


    "I dare alright. This is about my family and I think I have every right to protect them. So, if you don''t stop what you are doing, I will cut ties with you, move away with my wife and never let you see your grandchild. You will not lay your eyes on them even for a heartbeat. Don''t tempt me."


    Xiehan was only saying it to make his father back down but he had no idea just how true his words would turn out to be.


    ¡­


    Ji Huifen left the office fuming in anger. He was about to go home when he bumped into Lanni in the lobby. His eyes narrowed at her.


    "Father." Lanni greeted sweetly.


    "If you truly saw me as a father, you would not stand seeing me this sad." He walked away after throwing her the words that made her eyes droop.


    She could influence Xiehan''s decision if she wanted to. But what would happen after that? If she had to choose between having a good relationship with her in-laws and saving her baby, it didn''t take a genius to know what her choice would be.


    She watched Ji Huifen leave after yelling at the receptionists for heaven knew what, and proceeded to Xiehan''s office.


    "Hi."


    "Lanni? What are you doing here?" He was pleasantly surprised.


    "I brought you lunch." She held up the food bag. She had made his lunch and had decided to drop it off on her own.


    "His heart melted." Thank you. "But what about your work?"


    "It''s lunch break, blockhead. Lin Media group gives pregnant women two hours for lunch instead of the usual one hour for regular employees."


    Xiehan was pleasantly surprised. No wonder it was rare for anyone to complain about the staff treatment at Lin Media Group. There were so many benefits and since Lanni started working there, he realized that he just didn''t know if before. Most of the employees were given accommodation during their contract period and those who already had apartments of their own would have extra bonuses. It was a paradise for employees.


    "Well, did you rush back home to cook?" He asked, hoping that was not the case.


    "No. I packed it in the morning. I meant to have Lin Jian bring it over since he had a meeting with you earlier but in the end, I decided to just bring it."


    She opened the bag and set the food flask on the table.


    "I''ll get back to work now."


    Her words were barely out when she was pulled onto his lap. "What about dessert?"


    He kissed her ear as he ran his fingers down her body to let her know just the kind of dessert he was referring to.


    She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Be good. You can have dessert at home."


    "But¡­" He protested.


    "I''ll run out of time." She pulled out of his lap reluctantly. She wanted him too, but she didn''t want to be late. It was already bad enough that her workmates thought she was receiving special treatment from Lin Jian.


    She wasn''t actually receiving more special treatment than any other employee in her identical situation would receive but the fact that her husband was the CEO''s childhood friend highlighted her and made everything seem unfair.


    "I saw father in the lobby. Is everything okay?" She popped a quick question."


    "Yes. I settled him." He promised.


    "Now, get back to work, Mrs. Ji. Otherwise I will not be able to let you go."


    She chuckled and gave him a quick peck on his lips before hurrying away.


    Who would have thought that bringing lunch to her husband would be so calming? She had wanted to do it just because she had extra time in her hands and had not expected that all the distress she felt in the morning would disappear in a flash.


    She left the building and headed for the parking lot where the chauffeur was waiting for her. She was about to get to the car when she heard what sounded like the mention of her name. She wasn''t certain she had heard it right so she stopped, taking cover behind another car to listen in.


    "Ma''am went to sir''s office a moment ago. She should stay there for a while before going back to her office."


    She didn''t hear what the other party said on the other end but the chauffeur''s response baffled her.


    "We will take Seventeenth Street."


    Her eyes went wide and her jaw slacked. Who was he speaking to? More importantly, why was he telling her whereabouts to that person? Including the route they would take back to Lin Media Group?!

 Chapter 575 - A Murderers Child (3)

    Her first reaction was to want to rush back to Xiehan''s office and tell him about it but she stopped herself at the last moment. Something was not right. Why did he report her movements while outside the car when he could have done it inside? This was a very careful bodyguard from her memory of him and he couldn''t have made such a rookie mistake.


    Besides, he could have reported the movements via text. The fact that he spoke about it outside and on a phone call loud enough to be overheard was suspicious. Was it possible that he wanted her to overhear it in the first place? It was a wild assumption but more likely than him making a genuine mistake.


    It took a while for her to try and figure out whether he had overlooked the possibility of getting caught despite knowing that she was merely in the building and him tricking her. She couldn''t figure out a single thing that he would gain from making her believe that she had caught him, but that didn''t mean she would simply ignore her gut feeling. She grabbed her phone and made a call to Xiehan, knowing that the bodyguard would hear her.


    "Xiehan, I suddenly don''t feel like going back to Lin Media Group on my own. Could you accompany me?"


    She closely watched the chauffeur for his reaction. He didn''t have any, which proved that he either knew she was there all along or was good at hiding his reactions.


    "Okay." Xiehan answered. She walked to the car but only spoke to the chauffeur.


    "You can go home. Xiehan will take me to the company and you can pick me up later." She instructed.


    "But ma''am, sir is very busy." He protested.


    She forced a smile. "I know. But there is no such thing as a husband being too busy in a pregnant woman''s dictionary. What can I do about that?" She exaggerated, giving a remark that would definitely shut the other party up.


    Xiehan hurried down immediately and led her to his car.


    "Are you crazy?" He reprimanded her. "You knew something was wrong with him which I guess is why you called me, but you still stood that close to him? What if he kidnapped you?"


    "He wouldn''t do that right in front of Feng Ji International." She fastened her safety belt. "I think Xiao wanted to let me know that someone was trying to trace my movements."


    "Why would you defend him?" He frowned. She had explained the matter and he didn''t think there was anything right about what the chauffeur did. He had still revealed important information and it didn''t matter why he did it.


    "You don''t have to go to work. I will be worried about you all afternoon." He made no move to fasten his own seat belt or start the car.


    "I can''t simply miss an entire afternoon without permission."


    "I''ll help you get permission from Lin Jian." He offered, which she declined.


    "I can''t simply do that. It will be unfair to the other employees if they have to work extra hard in the afternoon just because I couldn''t go. But I''ll be careful, alright? You will not need to worry about me." She promised, caressing his cheek.


    "I''ll pick you up from work." He said and finally started the car.


    As soon as they were in the Lin Media Group, she kissed his cheek and rushed out of the car. "I have to go now, bye!"


    She sure ran fast. He chuckled, glancing at his outstretched arm. She must have known that he would grab her to make out before letting her go which is why she had defended herself by rushing away.


    He got back to Feng Ji International but the first thing he did was summon Xiao.


    The bodyguard cowered before him. "Sir¡­"


    "You know why I called you here. Do you want to save us both time and start talking on your own, or do you want to talk under different circumstances?"


    Without having to ask, the said different circumstances were definitely torture. If he didn''t state everything he knew on his own, he would be tormented into spilling everything.


    "Well, sir, Old Master contacted me earlier today.'''' He started, his voice trembling when he met Xiehan''s glare. "He kidnapped my wife and told me that the only way to get her back was to tell him Madam''s whereabouts. If I didn''t report all her movements and if I told you about it, he would kill my wife."


    Xiehan listened to the man as he continued, "But sir, I never intended to hurt madam. I knew it would put her life in danger if I revealed her whereabouts so I indirectly let her know. I had contemplated lying about everything she did but that would only raise suspicions because it would be too coincidental that everything changed after I reported it. So I deliberately said it out loud for her to hear and tell you."


    "Where is your wife now?" Xiehan asked.


    "She is still being held captive." He dropped to his knees. "Please forgive me, master. I should have reported this earlier. But please help me save my wife."


    Xiehan massaged his temples. "Your wife will be okay. Make sure you report to me anything else he asks you to do."


    "Thank you, master. I will."


    As soon as he left, Xiehan''s lips twitched. Who was Ji Huifen trying to fool? This man was the very one who would be used to kidnap Lanni once they let their guard down around him. He would not have been able to see through the man if he hadn''t run a thorough background check on him before hiring him. His wife had been dead for years and although he had a girlfriend now, he didn''t care for her enough for Ji Huifen to think it would get him to work for him if he kidnapped her. Besides, the man had a brand new diamond watch worth tens of thousands of dollars. His salary could not buy that. His savings might, but it was insane for anyone to save so much money just to buy a watch unless it was significant.


    "Sir, your 2pm appointment is here." His secretary reported.


    "Meet him on my behalf. Cancel my appointments for the rest of the afternoon." He stood to leave the office. He had some serious matters to deal with.


    When he arrived at the Ji Mansion, Wen Lin looked nervous.


    "Xiehan, you are home."


    "You sound like there is a reason why I should not be here." He directly pointed out her nervous reaction, which she brushed off.


    "What do you mean? Or course I want you to be here. This is your home." She probably realized she was talking too much because she changed the subject. "Didn''t Lanni come with you?"


    "She is at work." He dismissed.


    "Then why are you not at work?"


    "Are you sure you really don''t know why I came?" He chuckled at her feigning innocence. She was awkward but he didn''t stop.


    "I want to have a word with Father."


    "He is in the study but Xiehan, we need to talk." She intercepted before he could go upstairs to find Ji Huifen.


    "What do you want to say?" He asked.


    She insisted that he sit down, which he did, but he was impatient nonetheless.


    "Speak."


    "Honey, we care about you. Both your father and I. And well, he did something he probably shouldn''t have done out of impatience. But you have to understand him. He did it with good intentions and that''s definitely not the path he should have taken."


    "If you know that he did not do the right thing, why exactly are we having this conversation?" He challenged.


    She looked bummed.


    "The last thing I want is for you to have a falling out with your dad. He ordered for Lanni to have been kidnapped as you have probably found out, but we talked about it and he is remorseful. He has promised not to do that kind of thing anymore."


    He couldn''t comprehend why she was so nervous if that was the case. "Then I''ll talk to him." He stood and headed for the staircase, aware of how badly Wen Lin wanted to stop him.


    Ji Huifen was in the study just as Wen Lin had stated.


    "Father," Xiehan called when he opened the door to the study.


    The man was sitting behind a computer looking like the sky was falling. It was probably about to fall.


    "You must have found out." He guessed.


    Xiehan nodded. It was because the bodyguard he had suspected of trying to gain his trust had revealed that he had fallen for their trap.


    "Let his wife go." He demanded even while knowing there was no such thing that would happen.


    "Well, let my sister go." He countered.


    "And here mother was claiming that you are remorseful for what you tried to do." He was speechless.


    "We have gone through this discussion over and over and my answer will remain the same, Xiehan. I just want to save my sister." He insisted.


    "I see." Xiehan stood up. "Since everyone wants to save their family, then we cannot be the same family anymore."


    "What do you mean by that?" Ji Huifen stood abruptly, shocked by his declaration.


    "I came to let you know that your plot has loopholes. I know the truth about your plan and that''s not all. I also came to let you know that I''m cutting ties with the Ji family."


    He was speechless. "Because of a woman, Xiehan?"


    "No.. Because of a man who won''t spare his innocent, pregnant daughter-in-law, in the name of loving his sister."

 Chapter 576 - A New Home

    Song recommendation : All I ever need¡ªAustine Mahone


    ___


    "Did you really cut ties with your family?" Lanni asked when Xiehan picked her up from work. She had received countless calls from Wen Lin and when she called back, her mother-in-law expressed that she hoped she could convince her husband to go back home.


    "I did." He confirmed. She was not shocked that it had happened. She had known all along that if Ji Huifen continued to push the matter regarding Ji Meiling, Xiehan might just decide to cut them off altogether. Even so, she was not comfortable with the thought of it.


    "Is this the only way to solve things?" She placed a gentle hand on his back. "They did all the wrong things but isn''t there a peaceful way? I just don''t want you losing your family forever if it can be helped."


    "I don''t need a family who won''t know when to respect boundaries. If they don''t think my opinion matters even when they know where I''m coming from, then I really don''t need them."


    He didn''t say it out aloud but she could tell from his voice that it broke his heart to have to leave the way he did. It was never a good thing to have to choose between your family and your parents, who could potentially cause harm.


    She leaned over to kiss his face. "You have us."


    His smile was full of love when he traced a hand down her stomach. "And you are all I would ever need."


    She cupped his face and kissed him, using her lips to express her support. No matter what happened to his family, even if the world came crushing down on him, she would be by his side. On the other hand, it didn''t matter what became of him. Even if he lost everything because of the feud with his family, he would be happy and content as long as he had her and the baby.


    It was not a surprise that soon afterwards, Xiehan decided that it would be a good idea to move into a different house. He spent a ton of time searching online and it was only a fortnight later that he finally found one that ticked all the boxes. She thought he had too many requirements and didn''t expect him to actually find a house that suited his tastes so soon.


    "Why do you need so much detail anyway?" She asked as she looked at some of the pictures on his computer. He had shown it to her for her approval before they went to check it out physically.


    "Well, I need it to be perfect for our family. We are having a baby soon." He reponded.


    "That explains the outdoor swings and all the play areas, but how on earth do you explain two swimming pools?" She didn''t understand.


    "Of course, one where our child can swim with us when we decide to. The other is for the adults. Just for the two of us and we will decorate it to suit our tastes." He leaned over to her flirtatiously. "And I know how much you love doing it in the swimming pool so we can''t have our child getting the aftermath of that."


    "Xiehan!" She blushed and punched him playfully, and continued checking out the house.


    "These are pictures from three years ago. How can we trust that the house is still in the same condition?" She wondered aloud, recalling the first house they had checked out. They had not been careful with the date and when they arrived at the actual house, it was old, on the verge of collapse and nothing like what they had seen in the pictures. The owner all so righteously claimed that it was their fault to not check the date of the pictures and they should blame themselves for expecting a house to be perfect after a decade. That was definitely not what any house should look like even after a century as long as it was taken care of, but they had to be more careful this time.


    "I looked it up some more. The former owners are a respectable couple with five children and two pets. They only moved out two months ago so the house is still in perfect condition and since they had kids, the place was kept child-friendly." He sat on the bed. "Honey, will you look at the house all night, or will you look at me once?"


    She turned to glance at him over her shoulder. "Did I just hear you whining for attention?"


    "What if you did?"


    She slammed the laptop shut and went over to him, straddling him. "Then I''ll give you all the attention you want." She pressed her hands against his chest.


    "When do we go to see the house?" She asked out of the blue, laughing when he looked deflated. "Don''t get me wrong. I just remember that I saw so many places to get naughty in the pictures. The balconies, the terrace, the kitchen,"


    "The music room," He added.


    "Music room?"


    "The former owners had a grand piano. We get it as a bonus for buying the house and I''d very much love to bend you over the piano and have you play some music."


    They shared a laugh and she was embarrassed at the double meaning of his words. "You are naughty."


    "You should be used to it, Mrs. Ji. But you still blush every time I tease you. It''s so cute."


    "I can be bad as well." She teased.


    "Then I''d like to hear some "bad" music in advance." He pulled her up against his erection and groaned when she rubbed her core against it. She knew just what to do to drive him crazy.


    "What should I do to you tonight, Xiehan?" His name was a whisper leaving her lips in the most seductive tone. It was the same way she said it out when in the haze of her climax and he couldn''t have enough of it.


    "Call me that again. In that voice." He pleaded in her ear.


    "Ask me nicely." She pushed him to lie on the bed before climbing onto him. He held her head down and kissed her passionately.


    "Damn, Xiehan, I wanted to tease you a little longer but I can''t anymore. I need you."


    He chuckled as he helped her out of her clothes. "This doesn''t save you from having to pay for teasing me, little seductress."


    And he did make her pay for teasing.


    ___


    The following day, Lanni stretched her limbs when she woke up. She was in Xiehan''s embrace, and he woke up thanks to her movements.


    "Are you seducing me again?"


    "It would have been great but we have to go. We set the appointment at 10am and we only have two hours." She shuffled off the bed only to be pulled back by him.


    "That''s enough time to fool around a little." His lips landed on hers. "I can''t have enough of you. What should I do?"


    "Keep having me. That''s the only solution. There is no antidote to this addiction." She teased.


    "I don''t need an antidote. I only need you."


    Countless kisses later, they finally freshened up and went to the agreed location with a few minutes to spare.


    Peach Estate was in the outskirts of the city, a two and a half hour drive from the Ji Mansion. It was not too far from Feng Ji International but the Ji family couldn''t possibly have enough time to keep trying to get to them. It was not nearly as accessible to their current residence which was only half an hour away from the Ji family mansion.


    "This is a perfect distance away." She agreed. Lin Media Group was harder to get to, but that would not be much of a problem since she didn''t need to start work early anyway. In the evenings, Xiehan would pick her up. It was the perfect arrangement.


    "No one will ever bother us here." He kissed her happily as they looked around. The realtor arrived, apologising for being late, and offered to show them around.


    "Which room would you like to see first?" He asked.


    "The kitchen." He was quick to respond. He had initially thought that if he was going to cook delicious food for his wife, the kitchen would have to be perfect. But that was not what Lanni thought and she had to clear her throat to mask her embarrassment. Indeed, one would become a pervert if they stayed to close to one. Since when did she start having such dirty thoughts?


    Xiehan held her hand and squeezed it meaningfully as they went to the kitchen to check it out. It was just as big as it had been described online and pretty much similar to the pictures. The few differences were additions they didn''t mind. There was even a reading nook at one end and Xiehan thought it would be perfect to let her read or paint there while he cooked.


    They proceeded to check out the bedrooms and bathrooms and were discussing how to make the swimming pools child proof when the realtor''s assistant rushed over and whispered in his ear.


    He excused himself to leave. "Please excuse me. I have to handle something but I''ll be done in a jiffy."


    "Go ahead. We will look around meanwhile." Lanni offered a smile before turning to Xiehan.


    "It''s mother." He said.


    "Are you sure?" She was shocked, as they had only arrived a few minutes ago. How would Wen Lin know where to find them?


    "Ruby told her.. Do you want to hear what she has to say?" He asked.

 Chapter 577 - A New Home (2)

    "I think we should speak to her." She suggested. "If she went to such great lengths just to talk to us, it might be important."


    He didn''t think it was anything aside from Wen Lin wanting to talk her into changing her mind but he didn''t want to have any regrets so he agreed. "Let''s go."


    He was holding out his hand. She held it, letting her fingers slip in between his in a perfect fit as they went to the main entrance.


    Seeing them, the realtor panicked.


    "Sir, ma''am, I''m sorry. This lady showed up out of nowhere and claimed to be here for her son and daughter-in-law. I''ll send her away as soon as possible. I''m sorry she ruined your experience here." He apologized vehemently.


    "It''s alright. We are the people she is looking for." Xiehan intercepted.


    "Then, would you like us to let her in?" The realtor confirmed.


    "If it''s alright, we will have a quick drink by the swimming pool."


    The man was relieved that his potential buyers were not upset, so he effectively prepared their request. The pool area already had a round table with rattan chairs around it under a large parasol, and it was customary for them to offer customers drinks and snacks, so he led them to the pool area and took it as an opportunity to please the couple.


    "How have you been?" Wen Lin asked the two of them, focusing her gaze on Lanni. "Do you still feel nausea often?"


    "No. I generally don''t have any symptoms anymore." She knew the woman was stalling but she humored her. Obviously, Wen Lin was the first to know that she had not experienced much morning sickness. She had been worried about her and had made a point to tell her what to do to tone it down as much as she could. She was merely using the topic to buy herself time.


    "Mother, you can go straight to the point." Xiehan asked, not intending to take up too much time here.


    "I just wanted to see you. I miss you." Wen Lin ran a hand down the side of his face.


    The longing was clear in her eyes but he didn''t believe for a second that it was the only reason why she was here.


    "Did you go through all the trouble asking Ruby to secretly find out what we are up to, and use two hours to come here, just to tell me this?" He called her out.


    She sipped her juice nervously. "I do have something to ask of you."


    "If you want me to call out the suit, forget it." He dismissed, referring to Ji Meiling''s case. He had handed her over to the police after collecting enough evidence. Her court hearing was scheduled soon and they probably knew that there was no hope for her getting out of it. She was definitely going to jail where she belonged.


    "No. It''s not that." Wen Lin shook her head. "I know this is a lot to ask of you, but could you please let me be part of my grandchild''s life?"


    When Xiehan frowned, she was scared she would be kicked out so she pleaded.


    "Please. I know your father and I have not been the best parents. We are to blame for how things turned out but I promise, I don''t intend to harm the three of you in any way. I only want to be included in my grandchild''s life."


    Lanni stepped in. "Can you imagine how awkward it will probably be if we introduce the baby to their grandmother but leave their grandfather out? The two of you are one."


    The mention of grandmother gave Wen Lin a straw. "What about your mother, Lanni? She will be heartbroken to be so far away from you. And your sister too."


    "Stop trying to guilt trip my wife." Xiehan circled his arm around her shoulder protectively. "Once the child is born, I will naturally introduce you if I''m certain that you are not a threat. But if I feel for a second that you can potentially hurt my family, I will not recognize you."


    "That''s great." She was relieved by Xiehan''s fairness.


    "Also, if we end up living here, I hope you will not come over on your own. We will come to you if we feel comfortable enough to do so and if we don''t, you are not allowed to make the first move." He declared.


    Wen Lin was shocked but she nodded in agreement. "I understand."


    She was then led out, leaving behind Lanni and her husband. She placed her hand on his. It must be hard for him. First, her parents were too incompetent to raise him and had to rely on his aunt for that, then the aunt he loved turned out to be the villainess who wanted to destroy his family. He must feel betrayed in more ways than her presence could make up for.


    "Do you like it?" He asked.


    "Huh?" It took a while for her to process his meaning. "Ah, the pool. Yes, it''s beautiful." It was a square pool and from the constant color of the water, Lanni guessed that the pool didn''t have a deep end. Besides, she had learnt from the information online that there was a child-proof barrier that could be activated using a remote control.


    "I think it''s good enough." She studied the blue waters. "But, what if an adult were to forget to activate the barrier? We can''t risk anything."


    She was not being too cautious. Heck, there was no such thing as too much caution when children were involved. He thought about it and found a solution. "We can have them install a swimming-pool fence for double security."


    "That''s good enough." She looked around curiously. "What about the other pool?"


    "It should be at the end of the garden." He rubbed his chin. "By the way, if you don''t like it, there is an option. The other villa has a balcony swimming pool on the second floor."


    "Yeah, there''s no way I''m swimming while suspended in the air." She shuddered at the idea.


    He laughed. "Why not? I think it''s beautiful and they are very safe or they wouldn''t be a thing."


    "Yeah, but no thanks. That''s terrifying."


    They shared a laugh at her reaction. She wanted to ask how he was feeling but he seemed to have forgotten all about Wen Lin''s visit so she didn''t remind him.


    After finishing their drinks, they went to view the rest of the house which was everything they would ever want. Lanni gushed at the large painting studio which had been Xiehan''s biggest reason for picking the villa.


    "You have picked up the brush again, so you should have a beautiful place to explore that." He responsed to her gasp of surprise.


    "I don''t know how to thank you." She was excited like a fangirl when she looked outside through the window. The other swimming pool was in her view and heavens, it was lovely. It was circular with a more detailed design, including floor lamps which she imagined would emit beautiful led lights at night, and his guess was right. It was at the end of the garden, which was equally beautiful. She would love to paint it some day. To be fair, there wasn''t a single spot in this villa that she wouldn''t love to put down on canvas.


    The man had not thought it was enough for her to have a studio of her own. He had even made sure there was an office for her next to his own.


    "I hope this is the place where you will spend your least time." He smiled when he showed it to her.


    "It probably is. I''ll be spending more time in your bed." She winked.


    He playfully spanked her. The realtor had let tjem walk around on their own while noting down their opinion on every room.


    They only needed a few changes made and both loved the house. They discussed their requests with the realtor and were both ready to move in as soon as possible.


    "You know, I''d still want this villa even if we were not trying to move away from your family." She commented on their way to the parking lot.


    "Me too, my love." He seconded. The villa was worth every penny despite costing a fortune, and the icing on the cake was the security. No one would be able to come barging in unless they let them. Besides, the neighborhood was less populated than the heart of the city. It felt like a breath of fresh air.


    But of course, Luna was not happy to hear about their arrangement.


    "You are leaving me." She complained dramatically when Lanni told her the news over a cup of decaffeinated coffee that evening.


    "Oh come on Luna." She scoffed at her sister''s reaction. "You know I''ll let you visit me whenever you want. I''ll visit you too."


    "You have to promise me." Luna feigned a heartbroken sulk.


    "I promise." Lanni played along for a moment before she expressed her worry.


    "What''s going on with you? You don''t look alright." She pried.


    Luna''s hand reflexively rubbed her stomach. "We found out from the most recent checks that the incident with Ji Meiling affected my baby more than we thought."


    "Is the baby okay?" Lanni asked, scared of her own words.


    "Yeah." Luna''s eyes drooped. "It''s just¡­It''s highly likely that I''ll be having a premature baby."


    "Oh¡­" Lanni moved over to her side. "Everything will be okay. You have to trust yourself on this."


    "I know." She let her sister hug her, feeling the fear seep in all over again. What if her premature baby wasn''t strong enough for the outside world? What if he developed complications related to premature birth?

 Chapter 578 - A New Home(3)

    While Luna didn''t seem to dwell on the matter anymore, Lanni knew she was still worried.


    "Mumu and Linhou don''t have any complications." She reminded her that the twins weren''t any different.


    "That''s a good point." Luna let out a sigh, almost relieved. "Xingyu and I have decided not to have any more kids in future."


    "Why not?" Lanni asked. This was definitely not about three kids being enough.


    "There''s a chance we could have an autistic child." Luna rubbed at her temple. "We hope it doesn''t happen to any of our children but we can''t run the risk. Luckily, three kids is just as big as we wanted our family to be."


    "Are you okay?" Lanni swooped over to her, taking note of her discomfort.


    Luna shook her head, rubbing her temples. "My head hurts."


    Lanni massaged her head gently. "You need to rest."


    _


    Downstairs, Xingyu was anxious when he arrived, and he sighed in relief as soon as she saw Xiehan by the swimming pool. "Is my wife here yet?"


    "She''s on the balcony with Lanni." He gave him directions on how he would get there, and he dashed for the staircase as soon as he knew where it was.


    Luna was indeed with her sister, only sprawled out on the chaise longue, sleeping while Lanni gently massaged her head.


    Lanni looked up when she heard the footsteps. "Brother-in-law."


    He slowed down, letting out the breath he had been holding out of worry.


    "I''m sorry to bother you. She has been overthinking lately and stressing herself out over everything including whether Linhou will have a stomach upset from putting random things in his mouth." He stated, looking down at his wife who had barely been sleeping lately. She would sleep for a few hours at most and she seemed to be alright but it scared the crap out of him. How could a human function on such little sleep and be okay? It was worrisome, even if the said human was Luna who didn''t sleep much in the past.


    Lanni found his words baffling. "That''s what all kids do, right? You can''t be there every second to prevent them from eating whatever is in their reach." She had persuaded the kids to spit our far more alarming things than she could count.


    "That''s what I''ve been trying to tell her." He was relieved that there was someone on his side. "I''ll take her home with me."


    "It''s okay. Let her sleep for a while." She looked back down at her sister who looked peaceful in her sleep, contrary to her husband who was going crazy with worry.


    "Mother is worried about her." He countered.


    "I''m sure she will not want you to wake her up either. Why don''t you put her to bed in the guest room? The bedding are fresh and clean." She suggested. "You can also give Aunty Xinghe a video call and let her see that Luna is sleeping so soundly. She will certainly be relieved."


    She was right. When he had finally tucked her in without waking her, he let out a breath of relief and called his mother.


    "Did you find Luna?" Was the first thing she asked as soon as the call connected. He responded by tilting the phone for her to see her daughter-in-law, cradling a pillow in her arms.


    "She''s asleep. That''s great."


    ¡­.


    Later, Li Yuming dropped by to check on her daughter too. It turned out, everyone was worried about them moving so far away from home.


    But when Lanni gave her a tour of the place, she couldn''t help gushing in administration. "It''s a beautiful place and everything you have ever wanted."


    "Isn''t it?" Lanni grabbed her arm excitedly as they circled the fountain. The sound of water was more calming than any kind of music she had ever heard.


    She caught the worry on Li Yuming''s face and knew just what the latter was thinking.


    "I''ll visit you often." She promised.


    "I''ve never been worried about that." Li Yuming held her hands. "I''m happy for you. I''m just worried you might miss your old home. Since you are not really leaving it out your own will."


    "It will be okay. We would have moved even if aunt Meiling didn''t happen." She assured her. "We are calling our friends for dinner tomorrow. Would you like to join us? You can bring your boyfriend so he doesn''t miss you."


    "You naughty thing." Li Yuming playfully smacked her. "Sure. We will be there."


    Xiehan joined her to walk Li Yuming to the garage and after she left, he held her hand.


    "I still can''t believe this is our new home." She took in the grand, beautiful garage with enough room for way more cars than they owned. They didn''t have to worry about parking space for their guests when they came over, and when she learnt that there was an underground compartment, she was speechless. There was no way they could ever use all that space.


    As if he knew what she was thinking, he leaned in to give her ear a light bite. "We can make use of the space for other activities."


    Her cheeks flushed. Did he have to twist everything to take that direction?


    "I''m ignoring you. I''m going to take a nap." She left him and went back to the house, which she was starting to feel familiar with. Their things would be brought over the next day so they didn''t need to go back to B City, which was a relief because she didn''t want to.


    ____


    The following morning, Lanni woke up at 11am with a splitting headache. She had slept too much. She rubbed her temples as she headed downstairs for something to eat and was baffled when she saw the living room. Now that she thought about it, it was the whole house including the bedroom. She had not noticed it earlier. Everything was shock-proofed, the staircase lined with a fluffy mat and carpets covered most of the house. The tables had been replaced with ottomans and the large rectangular coffee table had been swapped for a round one.


    Her jaw was on the floor. When he finally returned later in the afternoon, she couldn''t help asking about it. "Did you have them add all these details? Practically everything looks fluffy."


    "We can''t take risks, can we?" He took off his jacket and sat on the fluffy couch, grabbing her onto his lap. "You can change the decoration as you please. It just has to be safe for you."


    Her heart warmed. She didn''t think she would be in any danger if the house wasn''t fluffed up, but he cared for her and that was more meaningful than any decoration. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you my love."


    He tickled her. "Is that really what you mean to say?"


    "I love you." She pecked his lips. His hands ventured into her clothes impatiently.


    "Our friends will be here soon." She reminded him.


    He glanced at the time on his watch. "There''s still about an hour before they arrive. That''s more than enough." He kissed her lips.. He had every intention to make use of that hour.

 Chapter 579 - Leaving (1)

    Xiehan cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her lips gently. He had meant to take it slow but when she slid her fingers into his hair as a moan escaped her lips, he couldn''t help himself. He ran his hands down her body and cupped her backside, carrying her off the ground like she weighed nothing.


    She swallowed down a moan and wrapped her arms around him for support as he made a beeline for the living room. He placed her on the couch and his body covered hers soon after, as he kissed her neck.


    He positioned himself between her legs, grinding against her core and she couldn''t help arching her back.


    "Honey, I need you." He spoke in a low, hoarse voice against her shoulder blade. "I can''t wait."


    "Then don''t." She pushed him off her slightly to strip off her clothes, down to her underwear. His clothes were off his body faster than she could ever imagine possible and he pushed her back down, yanking off her panties.


    "So impatient, huh?" Her tease morphed into a moan when he slid into her. He cupped her breast with one hand as the other held her waist. She wrapped her legs around his waist and as his thrusts quickened, she couldn''t help grinding her hips to his rhythm.


    He covered her mouth with his intense kisses as he slid in and out of her, riding them both to their climax. Her muscles clenched and she knew it was close, but then he slid out of her.


    "Xiehan?" She whimpered his name desperately. He responded by sliding to her legs and burying his head between them. His tongue was on her core as he held her thighs apart, flicking and sucking on her clit like his life depended on it. She cried out his name over and over as his tongue slid into her entrance, and it wasn''t long before her orgasm crashed down on her in waves of pleasure. Her toes curled over his shoulders as her eyes squeezed shut and her legs parted even farther.


    "I wanted to have a taste of you." He got back up and held her leg on his shoulder, chasing his own release. He pressed gentle kisses on her face and slipped off of her to hold her in his arms.


    She wanted nothing more than to bask in the moment. It would be great if they could drape a blanket over themselves and stay curled up against each other, watching a movie together or simply embracing each other. Alas, they had to get ready to meet their friends.


    ___


    One warm shower later, Xiehan dressed casually in jeans and a navy t-shirt while Lanni opted for denim shorts and a silk top.


    They finished dressing up just as the doorbell rang.


    "Take your time. I''ll get it." He kissed her cheek and left the room, but she tailed after him since she was done anyway.


    Luna was the first to arrive. She hugged Xiehan briefly and walked past him to her sister. "You look so beautiful! Are you sure you don''t have a secret I don''t know of?"


    "You want me to let you know, and watch you take the spotlight? Please." Lanni teased, and they both laughed.


    "Luna is the most beautiful goddess anyway." Xingyu remarked when he entered the house just to witness this bicker.


    Laughing at him, the sisters stood side by side to remind him that they were a copy of each other.


    Lanni ran a hand down Luna''s growing tummy. "Have you had enough rest?"


    "I slept nine hours straight. I don''t know why it was so hard before." She made way for Xingyu to say hello, then remembered that she had brought something.


    "Right. Xingyu, did you bring the gifts?"


    "Be right back!" He dashed off to get them.


    "You brought gifts? It''s already a big gift that I have you." Said Lanni, and Luna pulled her into a hug.


    "Don''t flatter me. I''m more used to bickering with you."


    The rest arrived at the same time, and Lanni couldn''t help teasing Cheng Yu. "Hey, I thought you wouldn''t find your way."


    "That''s what Google maps are for." Cheng Yu retorted and placed a scroll in her hand. Lanni knew that it was a painting without looking at it.


    "Thank you. You guys are so sweet." She hugged her emotionally and looked around suspiciously, noticing the missing guests.


    "You didn''t bring Mumu and Linhou?" She asked Xingyu who was carrying in a huge box.


    "The little devils preferred to stay with their grandmother. Ow!" He winced when Luna hit his head playfully.


    "Whose kids did you just say are devils?" She reprimanded him.


    "I don''t mean it literally. Ow! Hey, don''t pull my hair."


    "Are you sure Xingyu is not being abused?" Cheng Yu joked, and they all burst into laughter. Of course, they knew Luna was not inflicting actual pain on him and they were just playing around.


    When Han Xichen, Xiaoshi and Cedric entered the house, Lanni finally led everyone to the dining area.


    Li Yuming and Neil arrived just as they sat down. They had brought with them bottles of rare wine to celebrate, including one with Zero alcohol content for Lanni and Luna.


    "Let''s drink our hearts out!" Cedric yelled, and everyone else joined in to toast.


    Soon, the dinner turned into wedding business. Lanni slapped her forehead. "I almost forgot I have a wedding to plan."


    To be exact, the planning agency was doing most of the planning, but there were still details that needed her attention. Luna showed her the pictures that had been sent to her email, which showed how her top color choices would look on the venue.


    She approved of it and turned her attention to Cheng Yu. "You have been silent all night. Is everything alright?"


    "Yes." Cheng Yu placed her hand over hers. Lanni dropped it but it gnawed at her and she couldn''t keep still anymore. "Actually, I have something to tell you." She glanced over at Luna, letting her know that the matter was for her to hear too.


    "What is it?" Lanni probed.


    "Cedric and I have decided to leave the country."

 Chapter 580 - Leaving (2)

    "Why? Don''t you like it here?" Lanni asked, her tone dripping with worry. "Did somegnkng happen?"


    "No. Everything is alright. Cedric and I just want some adventure for a while." She hurried to explain.


    Luna rolled her eyes at her. "Right. My otaku Xiao Yu who would be happy to stay indoors for an entire week, doing nothing but drawing comics and watching movies suddenly wants to go out for some adventure. How believable."


    "It''s even more believable that her equally introverted boyfriend can''t wait to travel the world with her." Lanni hummed along, both of them eyeing Cheng Yu in a way that reminded her that they were not born last night.


    Since they had figured it out anyway, she decided to open up. "Fine. You caught me. But you have to promise that you will still love me, okay?"


    "Okay, drama queen." Lanni hugged her. "Spill it already."


    "Cedric''s family still hates me as much. They have been going out of their way to make my life a living hell." She started.


    "What do you mean?" Lanni''s brows furrowed.


    "Why didn''t you tell us?" Luna added, looking like she wanted to punch someone.


    "I couldn''t, okay? You guys are pregnant. You certainly don''t need to deal with any mother versus girlfriend drama." She was helpless. When they shot her a glare, she shrunk into her seat and recounted everything.


    ____


    Four days ago.


    Cheng Yu had just finished her part of the second volume. For the comic they wrote together, they did everything together at first. However, it had blown into popularity and they could no longer keep up with the demand of new chapters. With Luna''s suggestion, they split up the work so he would do one part and she would do another. It had been working perfectly.


    Since she had gone through it and was satisfied with everything, she grabbed her drawing tablet and went over to his apartment unit to check whether he was done. Besides, she missed her boyfriend.


    She let herself in with his spare key which he left at her place and called out to him.


    "Cedric?"


    There was no response, making her chuckle. Was he still asleep?


    She pushed open the bedroom door and froze when she got a clear view. Why was there a woman in his bed?


    Her eyes stung as she pondered whether to wake him up and let him know that she had caught him. However, she decided against it and stormed out, banging the front door shut on her way.


    Men were all players. She already knew this. To think she had believed that Cedric was different and even trusted him.


    The last thing she wanted was to see him. She flopped onto her bed when she got back to her apartment and cried her eyes out, before getting up and proceeding to the next chapter. It wouldn''t do her any good to cry over a cheating scumbag and the bills wouldn''t pay themselves.


    Alas, the man was a plague that could never be avoided. He knocked on her door frantically not even five hours later and when he realized that she was in but not opening the door, he resorted to blasting her phone with calls and text messages.


    Frustration got the better of her. She flung the door open. "What do you want?"


    "Whoa, easy there." He held his hands up in surrender. "I wanted to see if you are up for dinner. We could go to the new restaurant across the street and try it out. I heard their steak is to die for." He explained in one breath.


    She was about to lash out when she remembered that he didn''t know what she had found out. He still thought he had her where he wanted her¡ªslotted in his life like a fool.


    "See you in ten." She left him outside and returned to her room to change. There was no better way of dealing with a player than showing him who was better at the game. She chose a black dress that reached halfway down her thighs and let her hair down, then rubbed a pink lipstick on her lips. She didn''t look over the top sexy but it was bound to get heads turning.


    When she got back to him, he looked stunned. "You look amazing. But, did something happen?" He inched closer worriedly.


    "Does it seem to you like something happened?" She threw the question back at him with sarcasm dripping in her voice.


    "It does. First, you gave me that ''extra cordial'' welcome then you made me stand here and wait for you. And your eyes look puffy."


    She swatted his hand away before his fingers could reach her eyes. "If you think something''s wrong, then maybe something''s wrong."


    "Okay." knowing her, the worst mistake would be to pressure her into telling him about it now. He knew that she would open up once she was comfortable so he led the way to the restaurant. It was killing him to not pull her into his arms and kiss her but he was not ready to die yet.


    The restaurant was fairly busy but they managed to get a seat by the window, which she loved. The waiter came to take their orders, and she smiled at him.


    "What''s the most delicious meal on your menu?" She asked, bordering on flirtatious.


    The waiter looked nervous. "Well, miss, we all have different tastes."


    "Is that so? Then I would like a serving of your favorite dish. I believe one can''t be handsome and not have a good taste." She winked slightly.


    "Yu!" Cedric couldn''t take it anymore.


    Feeling the smell of gunpowder, the waiter made a quick dash and returned with the restaurant''s specialty, which he claimed most of the customers rated highly after giving it a try.


    "What a bummer. I wanted what you would rate highly." Flirted Cheng Yu. Cedric''s chair screeched against the floor a heartbeat before he shot up and circled to her side, and his lips were on hers before she could make fun of his jealousy.


    "Do I have to remind you that I''m right here?" He growled, nipping her lower lip as punishment.


    "Are you here though?" She rolled her eyes and turned to the awkward waiter. "I''m sorry. I just¡­ excuse me."


    Then she bolted to the bathroom.


    She washed her face and checked that she had not smudged her lipstick. A deep sigh escaped her. She had not meant to make it awkward for the poor waiter, she just couldn''t help angering Cedric. Maybe then he would realize that she knew his secret. She was going to torture him with jealousy and humiliation before letting him know what she saw.


    But when he kissed her possessively, all her resolve cracked. There was no way a man would cheat on a woman and kiss her with such passion. Besides, he didn''t just look jealous when she flirted with the waiter. He looked¡­hurt.


    But if he wasn''t cheating on her, how could he explain the woman in his bed earlier? That she was a friend who needed a place to crash last night and he somehow couldn''t offer her the guestroom? That would be bullshit, and if there was something wrong with the guest room, he could have let her have his bed and slept at his girlfriend''s apartment which wasn''t farther than a brief elevator ride away. Besides, if he didn''t trust her to leave her alone at his house, there was the option to let her stay at Cheng Yu''s as they were both women.


    "There''s a hotel down the street." She gritted her teeth when she thought of it. There was simply no excuse for what he did.


    So she flung the door open and sauntered back to their table to demand an explanation.


    "Who was the woman in your bed?"


    "The woman in my bed?" He looked shocked. "Yu, what are you talking about?"


    "Drop the act." She huffed. "I came to see you this morning. There was a woman beside you. Don''t even think of telling me it was a mannequin or whatever lie you could spin. She was a living human being. I saw her clearly and she had her arm wrapped around your torso."


    She took a deep breath. "And no. Don''t insult my feelings for you by claiming you were drunk and mistook her for me."


    When he continued staring at her blankly, she was frustrated. "Talk, will you?"

 Chapter 581 - Leaving (3)

    "Please tell me that part is a joke." Luna looked like she wanted to explode. She glared at Cedric who was having fun talking to the guys across the room and was a step away from bursting over with a weapon.


    "Luna." Lanni chuckled and grabbed her hand, then turned back to Cheng Yu.


    "Did he really not know what was happening, or was that his way of getting out of trouble? Pretend he knows nothing until you give up and drop it?" Lanni asked, equally mad at Cedric.


    She nearly couldn''t believe it either. "He was serious. He thought I was kidding. That was why he was looking at me like a deer caught in the headlights. He was waiting for me to burst into laughter and drop the prank. That didn''t happen, obviously, because it was not a prank."


    "What does he have to say for himself?" Luna cracked her knuckles, itching for violence.


    "If he admitted to cheating and you forgave him, then he is yet to see the last of me. I don''t care what you think, I''m going to break his teeth out." She swore.


    Cheng Yu burst into laughter. "Well, lucky him. That was not the case. He really didn''t know. He was almost convinced I was accusing him randomly or hallucinating. I had to retrieve the security footage. Luckily, she was caught on camera picking his lock. That was enough to prove to him that someone had been to his house and to me that she was not his girlfriend. He would have given her a key or opened the door if he knew her."


    The ladies let out a sigh of relief, but Lanni couldn''t help being concerned.


    "Are you sure that place is safe enough for you? Someone picked a lock and was caught on camera but was not found out until you and your boyfriend got into a fight? Yet nothing was done about her?"


    "It''s not safe enough, after all. Well, at least I''m certain of one thing. The girl only realized she had been caught on the surveillance camera much later. She tried to pay her way into having it deleted but it was retained in case Cedric had a complaint. I''d say that''s something." Cheng Yu shrugged. "And, you guessed it. She was sent there by his mother. Obviously, I was meant to see her. That''s why she snuck in at around the time when we usually meet up. I''m sure she would have found a way to pop out of the closet, naked, if he was awake."


    "That''s scandalous." Luna squeezed her eyes shut. Cedric would never have managed to explain that even if he had ten mouths.


    "Why didn''t he feel her presence? It''s not every day a woman climbs into your bed like that, right?" Lanni was creeped out at the thought.


    Cheng Yu slapped her forehead, making a mental note to install alarms at their next apartment. "He can sleep through the apocalypse. It''s only funny when you play pranks on him. Apparently, it''s not funny all the time."


    She let out a sigh, feeling better now that she had talked about it and got it off her chest. She wasn''t going to wait for Cedric''s psycho family to try to kill her before she could leave him. At the same time, she didn''t want to leave him. It was selfish but she couldn''t help wanting to do something for herself this once. He wanted the same thing so being selfish wasn''t all that bad, right?


    "What about your family?" Luna asked, concerned about her brother.


    "My mother, meh. I can forget I have one. The only thing she has ever done for me is ruin my life anyway." It still hurt her to say that about her own mother but there was no possible way of mending a relationship that had been broken too many times to find any of the pieces.


    "My brother will come with us. I spoke to him about it and asked if he wanted us to stay until he finished school or go with us and study online but to our surprise, he can''t wait to get out of here either."


    Lanni pulled her into a hug. "Hey, we will miss you so much."


    "I will miss you too." She wrapped one arm around Lanni and another around Luna, feeling the latter''s bump as she pulled away. "I will be back in time to meet him. Or her. There''s no way I''m going to miss the arrival of my godchild." She teased.


    "Then you have many trips to make." Lanni reminded her with a raise of her brow.


    "Right? And they will both be worth it." She remembered what they were discussing earlier and lowered her voice shyly. "Hey, you''re not mad at me, right? Can I still be your maid of honor?"


    "Are you kidding me? No way. I''m mad at you." She joked dramatically and laughed when Cheng Yu looked like the world was crumbling down on her. "Of course, silly. If you will stay for the wedding, that is."


    "We will leave a day after you two leave for your honeymoon. Oh, and Luna? Don''t worry about Moonlight Studios. I will continue to work online and if there is anything that requires my presence, I will be there." She explained. The three of them shared a last hug before they got back to wedding business.


    Meanwhile, Cedric was being teased mercilessly by the guys.


    "So, what country will you go to?" Han Xichen asked.


    "France. Yu has always wanted to live in Paris. Took me long enough to realize it."


    "She sure knows how to choose them." Han Xichen winked, before throwing a jab at him. "Are you sure you guys are not just eloping because you don''t want a wedding?"


    "We would have three weddings if Yu wanted them." He bit back, making them roar in laughter. He didn''t know what they were laughing at and they didn''t look like they were going to explain, so he gave up.


    "Why don''t the two of you stay the night? I''m sure Lanni wants her friend to accompany her for a while." Xiehan suggested.


    "That''s okay. She can stay and I''ll pick her up tomorrow."


    When the guys burst into laughter, Cedric was confused. What were they plotting?


    "I wouldn''t hear the end of it if I made Cheng Yu stay away from her boyfriend. It''s really alright to stay in one of the guestrooms and our room is far enough from. them."


    Cedric facepalmed. He would never have pegged Xiehan to be the kind to make fun of anyone.


    He grinned. "Since you are so eager to make the offer, I will accept it."


    But none of the laughing would have prepared him for the "parting gift" that they had prepared for him. This was definitely Lin Jian''s idea. There was no mistaking what the playboy was capable of.


    The room that Xiehan had shown him into was decorated with red roses and scented candles, and sheer curtains that fluttered slightly against the windows. The king sized bed was well spread with white and red bedding and a heart made of roses on it. When he caught sight of the small packages at the centre of the heart, a chuckle escaped his lips.


    "What''s wrong?" Cheng Yu asked behind him. She had followed him when Lanni hinted that he wanted to have a word in private.


    "Nothing. I think our friends just got more creative." He led the way in. Her mouth hung open when she saw the decorations that made it look like it was their wedding night.


    "They do realize that they don''t need to do this, right? We are in a relationship." She chuckled.


    When the door swung and shut them in, she was somewhat confused. This was¡­unexpected.


    "We are not going to waste their efforts, are we?" He spoke near her ear, making her body shiver with need.


    "I would like to take a shower first." She walked past him to the ensuite bathroom and he let her. When she opened the closet to pick out a nightgown she was certain Lanni would have prepared for her, she was baffled. The closet was occupied with a row of sexy lingerie and nothing else. She felt the silky material of a blue piece and chuckled. If this was their way of ensuring the guests were satisfied, they had won.. And there was no way she was wasting the chance to seduce the hell out of him.

 Chapter 582 - Parting Gift

    She changed into it and checked herself out in the mirror. The bra didn''t cover a lot more than her hardened nipples and the little triangular fabric at her crotch area may as well not be there. She was nearly naked except for the tiny pieces of silky fabric and her cheeks flushed. This was probably the most daring thing she had ever worn. There was no doubt what his reaction would be, seeing her like this. Lanni went all out this time.


    She threw on a bathrobe and made her way back to the room. Cedric was playing a game on his phone as he waited for her. She stood against the wall, in his line of sight and made sure he was looking at her before she slowly loosened the belt around her bathrobe and flirtatiously shrugged it off.


    He inhaled sharply and swallowed hard. His game was ditched in a heartbeat and he suddenly couldn''t get to her fast enough. When he wrapped an arm around her waist, she gently pulled it off.


    "Slow down, handsome." She smiled, his reaction turning her on all the more. Seeing him want her so badly made her want him even more. She turned him over and pushed him against the wall instead, running her fingers down the side of his face. She pulled away when he reached to hold her.


    "Don''t move." She whispered and continued to tease and touch him, eliciting a groan from him. He was already so hard that he throbbed in her palm when she grabbed him through his pants.


    "Yu," He pleaded through a throaty voice. He had tried his best to stay still and not move but she was not making it easy for him in the slightest. He treaded a finger down her neck and she couldn''t stop herself from moaning.


    He pressed her against his body and traced hers, cupping her boobs in his hands. Her skin was hot under his touch and so were her lips when he finally kissed them. He rubbed her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, squeezing ever so slightly. A gasp left her lips as a shudder went down her body.


    She had intended to tease and seduce him but she couldn''t stop her body from burning in need. Her core throbbed, begging to be touched by him. And when he did, she melted into his arms and let herself go. His lips crashed against hers again as her body floated. She closed her eyes and let her body respond to his touch. She barely registered him moving and felt herself sinking onto the soft mattress soon after. Rose petals caressed her skin as his hands moved along her body, touching her in places that craved his touch the most.


    He kissed and sucked her skin, each stroke of his tongue leaving her breathless and wanting more.


    He got rid of their clothes at a ridiculous speed and when he finally sunk into her, she moaned out his name in pleasure. He wasn''t gentle and she didn''t need him to be. Each hard thrust sent her closer and closer to the edge and all she could do was cling to his back. Her nails dug into his shoulder blades as she parted her legs as far as she could. When he suddenly slowed down, she opened her eyes to meet his panic-stricken face.


    "What''s wrong?" Worry flooded her entire being.


    "I forgot all about protection in the heat of the moment." He admitted.


    "Screw protection. I would never say no to a little Cedric." She hugged his shoulders and moved her hips invitingly, and he rewarded her with hard, deep thrusts until they both reached their climax.


    Her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist for a moment they wished could last forever. He pulled out after a while, kissing her the whole time, and lay on his side next to her. He stroked her bare skin, regretfully eyeing the red marks on her thighs. Had he been too rough?


    "It doesn''t hurt. I just scar too fast." She caressed his face, knowing what he was thinking.


    He was relieved. Hurting her was the last thing he ever wanted to do. "Do you think we will really be parents?" He asked, knowing how irregular her cycle was lately. Not that he would ever say no to having a baby with her but¡­


    She let the possibility play out on his face but not long enough for him to be misled, before wrapping her arm around him. "That''s not happening any time soon. I''m on birth control."


    "You are?" He frowned.


    "I didn''t have the chance to tell you." She drew circles on his skin. "I meant it when I said I wouldn''t mind having a child with you. Just¡­ not now. I would like to enjoy my life a little longer."


    "That''s alright. We are still young anyway." He agreed. "That, and I would like to pamper you for a while before all our attention is stolen away by a little cutie."


    She smiled and jabbed him. Maybe that was one of the reasons why they ended up dating despite being so different. They shared the same opinion on more things than they would have ever expected.


    He was yet to take a shower so he bribed her with kisses until she agreed to join him in the shower. When she took a glance at the lingerie she was wearing earlier, her jaw dropped.


    "You tore it. No, the point is, it''s made of silk, but you still managed to tear it?"


    "It was in the way." He slapped her bare butt playfully. Her face flushed as she disappeared into the shower before he followed her in.


    ___


    Meanwhile, Lanni went through the guest list for the umpteenth time. She kept having a feeling that she was forgetting an important guest even though she didn''t have many friends.


    In the end, she showed the list to Xiehan. "Honey, do you think we are forgetting something?"


    He eyed the list on her tablet and grunted in agreement. Sliding her stylus out of her hand, he crossed out Ji Huifen, Ji Meiling and Wen Lin and they were automatically deleted from the list.


    "Xiehan¡­" Her heart sank.


    "I have no desire to invite people who have no respect for my wife." He didn''t flinch, but she placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "I''m sorry. It shouldn''t have come to this." Having a wedding without one''s family was definitely heartbreaking. No one should have to choose between their spouse and their family.


    "It did. And you can make it up to me." He grabbed her teasingly.


    "I will use the rest of my life to make it up." She winked, but she was serious. If there was really no way for the Ji family to reunite, she would do her best to fill the void.


    "Oh, I remember now." She grabbed back the tablet and stylus and added a name. Veruschka would be glad to come to her wedding. She couldn''t help wondering how her nephew was doing. Luckily, she had delayed sending out the final batch of invitations or she would have left her out.


    Xiehan grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. "Is the wedding more attractive than your husband?"


    She wrapped her arms around him, letting the tablet fall onto the bed. "You mean, the day when the whole world gets to know that you are mine? Of course it''s attractive."


    "Then I''ll have to work harder." He fell back on the bed and pulled her along.


    His phone rang on the nightstand.


    "You should answer that." She pulled away to let him. It was not every day that he got calls late at night so it must be urgent.


    He thought about it and grabbed his phone from the nightstand, dreading all possibilities when he realized that the caller was Wen Lin.


    "Hello?" He answered, his body a bundle of nerves. Wen Lin''s sob made him sit up in fear. "Is Ruby home?"


    "Yes. Lin Jian dropped her off safely." She cried. "Xiehan, your father had a heart attack. The doctor said he might not make it."


    He gripped the phone tightly.


    "Hello, Xiehan? Are you there?"


    "Brother?" Ruby''s voice was the last thing he heard before the call ended.


    ____


    AN.


    The book is ending soon. I have finished plotting out the final arc.. If there is any side story you would like to read about, let me know so I include it among the side stories I''m planning out.

 Chapter 583 - Final Wish

    "I have to go." He cupped her face. "Stay here." He ordered before she could suggest tagging along.


    "But¡­"


    "Not now, Lanni."


    Realizing immediately that he sounded harsh, he kissed her lips briefly. "It''s late. Go to bed first, okay? I''ll brief you on the situation and you can come tomorrow."


    She rose onto her knees as he grabbed a coat in a rush. "Be careful, okay? Don''t drive on your own. Let the chauffeur drive you there." She insisted on the last part. Heaven knew he might just floor the accelerator and arrive in twenty minutes if he could. That would be dangerous.


    He nodded and left the room. She pressed a hand on her chest as she stared at the door. She could only hope that Ji Huifen would be alright, for the sake of Xiehan and Ruby.


    Her phone rang after what felt like forever. She shuffled to grab it and frowned at the unknown number. Who would call her so late at night? It was definitely not Xiehan since he had carried his phone with him. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered it, remaining silent for the other party to speak first.


    "Lanni?"


    She sighed in relief. "Ruby? I was scared out of my skin."


    Ruby sounded worried. "I''m sorry. My phone went off. Is my brother there?"


    "He left a while ago." She answered, moments before she heard Xiehan''s voice in the background as he called out. Ruby had heard it too, because she sighed.


    "Oh. He''s here."


    Lanni frowned when Ruby suddenly ended the call. That was weird.


    ___


    "Where''s he?" Xiehan asked worriedly as soon as he got home.


    "Sir was rushed to B City Hospital." The butler informed him, and he immediately made a beeline for the garage once again.


    "Brother, can I come?" Ruby asked behind him. He had noticed her tailing him but he let her into the car.


    "Of course. Why not?"


    He figured Wen Lin must have made her stay at home but he couldn''t understand why she would.


    When they got to the hospital, he was shown to the emergency room where Ji Huifen was, but no one was allowed to go in yet.


    "Mother?" He caught sight of Wen Lin waiting outside and rushed over to her. When he pulled her into his embrace, she pushed him away like he was a plague.


    "You finally know your way back. Are you trying to drive your father to the grave?"


    He ignored her accusation. "What happened?"


    "I already told you, he had a heart attack." She dabbed at her tearful eyes. "He''s had a lot to deal with lately, especially with you leaving the city like that."


    He was certain his leaving couldn''t cause such an impact on its own. However, it was not the time to play blame games and start pointing fingers at each other. He remained silent and let her cry it out.


    "Xiehan, your father may have done some awful things but he is still your father, ok?"


    "I know." He placed a hand on her shoulder. He didn''t want it to come to this either.


    It was only hours later that Ji Huifen was wheeled into the recovery ward and they were allowed to see him briefly. Before Xiehan could go in, Wen Lin grabbed his hand.


    "Don''t pick a fight with him." She warned.


    "I know better than to do that." He ran a hand down his face.


    She forced a smile before letting him go first.


    He walked into the ward, looking down at his bedridden father and suddenly not knowing what to say. He had an oxygen tube on his nose and while his eyes were open, he looked unfocused.


    "Father." He called out softly.


    A small smile crossed Ji Huifen''s lips as if he was relieved. "When I felt that stab of pain, I couldn''t stop myself from wondering whether you would be at my funeral."


    "Don''t say such things." His gaze trailed to the monitors.


    "Why not? It''s nothing but the truth." His chest rose and fell faster and Xiehan squinted his eyes in worry. It was only a while later that Ji Huifen softly spoke again. "At least the company will be in good hands. He sighed."


    "Nothing is going to happen to you." Xiehan balled his fists at the sides.


    "Yet." Ji Huifen interjected. "Did Lanni come with you?"


    "No."


    "Okay. I will talk to her later. For now, let''s talk about other things, okay?" He placed a shaky hand on Xiehan''s which had reached out to tuck him in.


    "I always wanted to see you settle down and have a family of your own." He started, making Xiehan''s brows furrow.


    "I''m married. And my wife is pregnant. If this is not considered as settling down, I don''t see what is." He countered, his face expressionless.


    "The wedding is a major part of it, right?" Ji Huifen looked deep in thought before asking, "Can I ask you for a favor, from a father to a son?"


    When Xiehan nodded, he continued, "If anything happens to me¡­" He paused and shut his eyes for moments. "If I don''t make it, could you let Meiling take my place at your wedding?"


    "And let her stab my wife at the altar? Not happening." He bit back without flinching.


    Before Ji Huifen could respond, he inched closer to his face. "Since you so badly hope for something to happen to you, I will help you with that."


    Then he pulled the oxygen tube off Ji Huifen''s nose.


    "Xiehan!" Wen Lin let out a shrill cry and burst into the room. The entire door was made of glass and she had been studying them. Panic washed all over her face.


    "Don''t you dare come closer." Xiehan shot her a warning glare.


    ___


    AN


    Why would Xiehan do that to his own father? To make sure he didn''t get Ji Meiling to go to the wedding? To protect Lanni? Out of hate? Make a guess below!