The Elder: "We must come up with a plan, so they don't see through you."
I said: "I've already changed it once, wouldn't changing it again be inappropriate?"
The Elder: "Of course, you can't change it again. A major alteration would only make them more suspicious."
I said anxiously: "Then what should we do?"
The Elder: "Don't worry, let me think."
The Elder paced back and forth in the room. It seemed he too couldn't think of a good solution.
We had hoped Chen Liben would attend the meeting, but we never expected his arrival would actually trap us.
We had to find a way out quickly, otherwise, we would truly be stuck.
I decided to sit on the sofa and wait for him.
Usually, I had plenty of ideas, but this time, I was completely at a loss.
The Elder: "How about this? You find someone to fight, have the makeup artist make your face look swollen, and then wear a hat. Wouldn't that solve it?"
I said: "It's a good idea, but who should I fight?"
The Elder: "Who you fight isn't important, what's important is that they see it."
I: "Oh?"
The Elder: "Have Qian Fugui keep an eye on them. When they come out, you fight with me and my disciples, run while fighting, and then go directly for the makeup."
I said: "Who has the skill to make a face look so swollen?"
The Elder: "The person you're looking for is right here. However, I don't have the tools. I need to go out first, have Wen Siqiang take me to get things, and then I'll meet you at Jing Lei's."
I said okay, you go ahead. I'll seize the opportunity to start the fight.
The Elder went to another room to assign tasks and asked me to discuss the fight with his disciples. I called Wen Siqiang and told him to wait for the Elder downstairs.
After seeing the Elder off, I arranged a time with my Taoist brothers and hurried back to my room to see Xie Nana.
I had been out for so long; they would be getting anxious looking for me soon.
I pushed open the door. Xie Nana was indeed pacing in the room, holding her phone. She must have been struggling with whether to call me.
When she saw me enter, she threw herself into my arms, hooking her neck around mine, and gave me a passionate kiss.
I responded to her. Tomorrow, we would be on opposite sides. I would no longer be myself, while she would still be the one who loved Sheng Hao. In this final moment, I didn't want to make her sad or unhappy. I wanted to leave her my love as a final memory.
I don't know how much time passed. Xie Nana, while kissing me, retreated towards the bed, all the way to the edge. She then lay down.
I knew what she wanted. As I said, today I would be her groom for the last time, to leave her without any regrets.
However, after today, I knew how much pain she would feel. I didn't want this either. This relationship was wrong from the start. For this outcome, I truly felt helpless.
I had important things to do. After our sweet time together, I got out of bed, took a shower, kissed the exhausted Xie Nana while wrapped in a towel, told her to rest well, and that I had to go out and attend to some business and would return.
Xie Nana hummed in response, her eyes still closed, continuing to sleep.
I put on my clothes, returned to the Elder's room, and waited for Qian Fugui's message.
Around six-thirty, Qian Fugui called and said I could go downstairs.
I knew he must have seen someone of importance to them downstairs.
I told him to call me the moment he saw Brother Hui and Principal Sun.
I went out, knocked on my Taoist brothers' door, and started walking towards the elevator.
We had a plan: if I greeted them, they would then attack me.
I would run while fighting, and then go find the Elder.