In a spacious room devoid of any light, thick curtains blocked the gentle moonlight from outside, revealing the faint silhouette of a man.
The man lay on a soft sofa, wearing a bathrobe, with a cat cradled in his arms.
The cat, entirely black and lustrous, blended seamlessly with the dim surroundings.
The man's rough, calloused hand stroked it repeatedly with great seriousness.
"Meow~" The cat seemed unable to bear the rough hands and let out a displeased cry.
"Heh! You too, hate my hands? You truly are a pretentious cat!"
What about her? Would she hate them? He gazed at his angular, large hands in the darkness, lost in thought.
"Click~" The main door opened and then quickly closed, the room briefly illuminated before plunging back into darkness.
"Young Master, a few people just passed by outside. They were dealt with according to our prior arrangements."
"Mm." The man remained unfazed, continuing to pet the cat.
"Young Master, their investigation is intensifying. We might not be able to make any moves recently."
Ever since a group of people entered that night, the city's security had become extremely strict, making it difficult to act.
"It's good enough to eat and live well here."
That woman was a ticking time bomb. He just needed to find the right moment to add fuel to the fire, and then everything would be fine. Besides, that medicine…
Men shouldn't have weaknesses!
The man's petting motion paused. "Have you found that little girl yet?"
She's not a little girl anymore. The bodyguard still used the same words, "We are still looking, Young Master."
The man suddenly became furious. "Useless! Can't even find one person. I told you to search among politicians, entrepreneurs, and wealthy businessmen. How can you not find her!"
Seeing the trembling bodyguard remain silent, the man grabbed an ashtray and smashed it fiercely at him. Blood instantly dripped.
A moment later, the man calmed down again and looked at the restless cat in his arms.
"Go, take it out to find something to eat!"
The bodyguard cupped a soft, unbelievably yielding towel in his hands, forming a comfortable arc. Only when the cat curled up did he walk out with slow steps.
...
For the past few days, Xuan Mohan had not appeared before Lan Qianqian. He hoped they could both calm down. He was also afraid of hearing hurtful words from her again, words he couldn't control.
He worked and stayed overtime at the company frantically every day, causing Li An immense distress.
He, however, was unaware that the gloom in Lan Qianqian's eyes grew heavier, and she would often sit alone, staring out the window for a long time.
Perhaps it was Lan Qianqian's unusual calmness or her body's rapid regeneration, but inspiration kept pouring into her mind. During her days in the hospital, she had already conceptualized all her designs.
Seeing the empty hospital room, Lan Qianqian expressionlessly got up, preparing to return to her apartment to retrieve her unfinished drafts.
The occasional nurse who came in only asked routine questions before sitting aside to play on her phone.
"Miss Lan, where are you going?" The bodyguard at the door, seeing Lan Qianqian emerge, bowed and asked respectfully.
Lan Qianqian's eyes were tinged with darkness. Was she being treated like a prisoner? As soon as she stepped out, they would always ask where she was going and then call that man!
"I'm feeling a bit unwell and need to get some medicine from Dr. Yu. Please don't follow me, I'll go myself!"
The bodyguard initially intended to follow, but upon receiving Lan Qianqian's somewhat frightening gaze, he unconsciously stopped.
However, he still spoke, "Miss Lan, this is the President's instruction. Please don't make things difficult for us."
"Heh!"
Lan Qianqian sneered. "Tell Xuan Mohan to withdraw his guards, or I'll jump off the building."
Watching Lan Qianqian walk away, the bodyguard quickly called Xuan Mohan.
Sitting in his office, Xuan Mohan wasn't working. In fact, apart from work, he often stared at his phone, lost in thought.
On the phone screen was a photo he had secretly taken of them sleeping. In the picture, her sleeping face was sweet, and he… was watching her! The photo was as beautiful as a dream.
"Rumble rumble~" Seeing the call from the bodyguard, Xuan Mohan immediately answered. Anything related to her, he needed to know immediately!
"What has she been doing today?" Before the bodyguard could speak, Xuan Mohan asked first. He missed her dearly.
"President… Miss Lan asked us not to follow her, or she would jump."
The bodyguard didn't want to be scolded, but they were helpless.
What? Jump?
"Where is she now? Is she okay?" Xuan Mohan got up from his chair abruptly in his anxiety, chasing after the bodyguard's words.
"Miss Lan said she felt unwell and was going to see Dr. Yu for some medicine."
Unwell? Where did she feel unwell?
Ultimately, worry and longing outweighed everything. Xuan Mohan couldn't help but grab his coat and go out. This time, he had to control his emotions.
As Lan Qianqian stepped into the elevator, a slender hand reached out, and then a woman entered.
"Oh, finally decided to come out today! How does it feel to be kept by a rich man? Living a pampered life, aren't you?" the nurse said sarcastically.
At first, Lan Qianqian didn't notice who it was. Upon hearing the voice, she sneered, "You figured it out? Yes, it's quite good. It's a pity you can't experience it."
"You! Heh, what are you proud of? Your sugar daddy isn't even paying attention to you anymore. He's probably indulging in some tender affections somewhere, unable to get out. Do you think you can…"
"Slap~"
"My body hasn't fully recovered yet, my hands are a little itchy. Does it hurt?"
"You shameless…"
"Slap~"
"You…"
"Slap~"
This time, the nurse dared not speak again. Her head buzzed from the blows.
And this woman was too terrifying. How could she have such a dark gaze? She thought she was a timid rabbit, but in reality, she was a demon!
Seeing her fall silent, Lan Qianqian reached out and patted her face, chuckling softly, "Good girl~"
The nurse flinched backward in terror.
"Ding~" The elevator doors opened.
Lan Qianqian glanced at her contemptuously, then walked out. Although she wore flats, she exuded the presence of high heels!
Returning to the dilapidated neighborhood, the house was still empty. However, after not being lived in for a while, the room lacked a sense of warmth.
Hasn't she come back yet? Has it been a long time since she last saw her? She hadn't called her either. Did she forget about her?
Lan Qianqian felt that the time had passed by very slowly, and it was… agonizing.
She walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Inside were cans of beer she used for cooking.
Without hesitation, she pulled open the tab and gulped down the contents. Beer was so bitter.
But it was nowhere near as bitter as the pain in her heart.
Bottle after empty bottle was thrown onto the floor. Lan Qianqian shakily got up, picked up her drafts, stuffed them into her bag, and walked out.
Just as she opened the door, she heard soft murmurs from next door.
"See? This girl definitely ran off with someone. Haven't seen her for days."
"If I had a daughter like this, I'd be ashamed. Unwed pregnancy, abandoned child, and now fooling around with another man. What's wrong with girls nowadays, not cherishing themselves!"