"Who told you your fairy tales when you were little?"
The man's deep voice was somewhat cold and unfamiliar.
"It was..." Xu Lin Yun was about to say a name, but it got stuck in her throat. She widened her eyes and met the man's gaze. Although she couldn't fathom his emotions, she wasn't foolish.
She knew exactly what his question implied and suddenly felt as if she understood something.
"Ting Yun, a little girl told me, but I don't remember her name. I'll tell you when I remember."
After Xu Lin Yun finished speaking, the man's furrowed brow finally relaxed a little. "It's getting late, go back to sleep."
"I'm scared alone at home. I can't go to the film crew now. Can you stay with me? I want to be with you..."
Xu Lin Yun wanted to enter the villa, to see with her own eyes if Su Qi was inside.
The man had his hand on the door, making no move to let her pass. "Go back and rest, I still have work to finish."
Without waiting for Xu Lin Yun to say anything more, Huo Ting Yun raised his hand and closed the door.
With a bang, the early winter wind and the sound of the door closing were cold and ruthless.
Xu Lin Yun almost lost her balance, her head felt dizzy, and she nearly fell. She grabbed the handrail to steady herself.
"Lin Yun." Behind her, Xu Lin Chuan's car stopped, and he immediately got out and hurried forward, placing a hand on Xu Lin Yun's shoulder. "The butler said you ran out alone. What's so urgent that you had to come out at night? Couldn't it wait until tomorrow, or be discussed over the phone?"
"Brother, Ting Yun replaced me. He's never been like this before. I..." Xu Lin Yun's mind was in chaos, and she began to speak incoherently. She even suspected that the man that night wasn't Huo Ting Yun at all. She was clearly pregnant, yet his attitude towards her was worsening.
"Don't overthink it, go home and rest first." Xu Lin Chuan, with mixed feelings, led Xu Lin Yun back to the car.
On the drive back, Xu Lin Chuan glanced at Xu Lin Yun in the passenger seat. Perhaps she was too tired, as Xu Lin Yun had fallen into a dazed sleep. Xu Lin Chuan sighed silently in his heart. When he discovered this matter, he had never told Huo Ting Yun.
He admitted that there was an element of revenge. Huo Ting Yun had concealed Su Qi's identity back then, and he had also chosen to conceal the truth from Huo Ting Yun. On one hand, it was for revenge, and on the other, he couldn't bear to see his own sister heartbroken.
However, it seemed that secrets couldn't be kept forever.
Huo Ting Yun was a man of exceptional intelligence. If he had even the slightest suspicion, he would follow the clues and investigate.
He hadn't expected Huo Ting Yun to notice.
Huo Ting Yun must have begun to suspect that Xu Lin Yun was not the little girl from back then.
Or he had already started investigating.
That was why his attitude towards Xu Lin Yun had changed by 180 degrees.
Xu Lin Chuan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
But given Huo Ting Yun's personality, even if he knew Xu Lin Yun wasn't that girl, he shouldn't have treated her this way. After all, Xu Lin Yun was pregnant with Huo Ting Yun's child. Why would he have this attitude?
Having been friends for many years, Xu Lin Chuan couldn't claim to know Huo Ting Yun intimately, but he was definitely one of the people who understood Huo Ting Yun best in the world.
Could it be...
Xu Lin Chuan slammed on the brakes, shocked by his own wild speculation.
The entire car jolted, and Xu Lin Yun slowly woke up. "Brother? Are we home?"
"No, go back to sleep. We'll be home soon."
Upon returning to the mansion, Xu Lin Yun was too drowsy to stand steadily. Xu Lin Chuan carried her to her room and put her to bed. He casually turned off the lights, walked out, and took out a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it. After smoking, Xu Lin Chuan went downstairs.
Xu Ru Yun had been in the hospital for the past few days. In the vast Xu family residence, there were only a few servants. Xu Lin Chuan sat on the sofa and thought for a long time before taking out his phone.
Although he didn't know how Xu Lin Yun got pregnant, based on the months, he could calculate the specific date. He could find out where Xu Lin Yun was that day and where Huo Ting Yun was. A little investigation would likely reveal the truth.
The next morning, when Su Qi woke up, Huo Ting Yun had already gone to the company. Her sole still ached a little, but it had healed somewhat and wasn't as severe as yesterday.
She put on her shoes and limped downstairs. Sister Wu had prepared breakfast. Seeing Su Qi come down, she ladled a bowl of snow fungus and lotus seed soup for her. "Madam, have you and the young master reconciled?" Reconciled?
Su Qi took the snow fungus and lotus seed soup, scooped some with a spoon, and took a sip. After swallowing, she said faintly, "I don't know, Sister Wu. I want to eat sweet and sour dishes for lunch." Su Qi changed the subject, and Sister Wu didn't press further, only agreeing to make sweet and sour dishes for her at noon.
Because her foot was a bit uncomfortable, Su Qi rested for half the day and went out in the afternoon. She was going to sign a lease agreement. While her car was still on its way, she suddenly received a call from the real estate agency. By the time Su Qi arrived at the office building, she saw quite a few people inside, and some were already renovating the floor.
"What's going on?!" Su Qi strode forward.
"Miss Su, I'm truly sorry. This lady forcibly increased the price and forced us to sign the contract with her. Shall I refund your payment..."
The agent looked as if he was about to cry.
Su Qi's heart sank. "Increased the price? Didn't I already pay yesterday?"
"Yes, but this lady came today and insisted on renting this place. We couldn't stop her. She threw the money at us and forced us to sign the contract. Would you be willing to pay a little more, or shall I refund you?"
Su Qi sneered. "Since I was little, I've never been cut in line before."
She walked forward and blocked the renovation workers. "This is my office building. What are you doing?"
"Who do you think you are?" The woman turned around. She had a surgically enhanced face, a sharp chin, double eyelids in the European style, and plumped lips. Seeing her in broad daylight was a bit frightening.
"I know, you must be the one the agent mentioned about renting the place. If you can't afford it, don't rent it. I've already spoken with the landlord, and I'm renting it directly. The contract has been signed. Excuse me!" The woman smiled, her smile clearly containing triumph and provocation.
"You..." Su Qi frowned and was about to argue when the agent pulled her back. "My dear sister, please don't. Be careful of your stomach, you're pregnant. Let's talk things through calmly."
Only then did Su Qi suppress her anger. Her phone vibrated at that moment, and it was Gu Tang Xue calling.
"Xiao Su, I heard you leased an office building in the Financial Center, and it's quite large! I'm coming over to take a look!"