"I'm not interested in how you are with other women, because you can help me repay my debts. You can do whatever you want to me." Lan Yu, ignoring the soreness all over her body, broke free from him and sat up, pretending to be extremely calm as she tidied her messy hair and clothes.
As she bent slightly to pick up the scattered cushions from the floor, she finally spotted the paper and pen on the shelf beneath the coffee table. She took them out and began to write an IOU on the coffee table.
Xiao Anjing's tender feelings were extinguished by her series of actions. He sat up, saw the mess on the sofa, and became inexplicably agitated again.
"Whether it's the four million check or the two hundred thousand, they were all to buy you. You don't need to repay them. Take it!" He picked up an envelope from the side and threw it at her.
He put on his pants and, grabbing the IOU she was still writing, tore it to shreds.
"Who was it that said they were willing to sell just now? If you're going to sell, why pretend to be so reserved!"
Lan Yu grabbed the envelope and stood up, saying defiantly, "Fine, you're right. Today's transaction is over. You can leave."
She walked to the door, opened it, and asked him to leave.
He couldn't help but feel heartache for her and instinctively reached out, wanting to pull her into his arms to comfort her.
But she quickly dodged him, and he only managed to grasp air, leaving him feeling empty.
His expression darkened. He walked past her, lifted his head, and regained his dashing and elegant demeanor, reminding her, "Remember to take the morning-after pill."
Then he left without looking back.
Lan Yu watched his departing figure, forcing a smile with difficulty, and firmly closed the door.
Leaning against the door, she truly wanted to tell him that his concern was unnecessary.
If she could have children, she wouldn't have been driven out of the Xie family. At least she could have fought with that mistress for a few rounds.
She let out a self-deprecating, desolate laugh, tilted her head to look at the ceiling, preventing her tears from falling.
Xiao Anjing didn't know how he got back to his car, but he angrily slammed his fist onto the steering wheel.
He forced himself not to think about his foolish behavior tonight, yet her image filled his mind.
When she was cold, when she was crying, when she was stubbornly holding back her sorrow…
He wished he could rush back to her right now and say a few comforting words. In truth, his intentions weren't what he had said.
But he restrained himself, fearing he would say the wrong thing if he saw her again. He immediately started the car and drove away.
Going back, staying away from her, perhaps then he could return to normal.
He had originally intended to invest in her and help her, never expecting any return.
But when she provoked him, his emotions always became uncontrollable. Transactions, buying her with money… these were things he had always disdained.
Yet today, he had done it all. He drove incredibly fast, experiencing a heartache he had never felt before.
Since he had spoken those words tonight, he would consider her bought. Perhaps only then would he have a chance to see her again.
…
These days, Susu had been lying in bed, unable to move at all.
Her C-section wound had ruptured during her escape from the fire. After being re-stitched, the doctor had strictly warned her not to move.
Initially, she was tormented by her longing for her two newborn children every day. It was only after seeing videos of the twins sent by Ya Nan that she felt a little better tonight.
Fortunately, when Xiao Anjing transferred her, Su Kangxi had found an excuse to send Ya Nan away. Otherwise, Ya Nan would have been injured accompanying her in the hospital.
Afterward, Su Kangxi knew he couldn't hide it from Ya Nan, so he told Ya Nan that Susu wasn't dead. He also said that Ya Nan was someone they could completely trust.
Now, Ya Nan was helping at the villa, taking care of her three children.
The twins, almost a month old, had been brought back from the hospital. With her, Chen Ma, and Xiao Mei taking care of the children, Susu was completely at ease.
However, with nothing to do in bed, whenever she thought about the fire and escape that day, she always felt like she had missed something important and someone important.
At that time, she was clinging to the edge of the windowsill. Who was it that caught her from below and helped her down the fire escape? Without that person's help, she might have fallen directly from the fifth floor.
When she arrived at the hospital here and regained consciousness, Xiao Anjing told her that it was a kind patient from the fourth floor who had helped her.
But when she asked who that person was, Xiao Anjing couldn't recall their name, only vaguely saying he would find this person later.
While unconscious, she seemed to vaguely hear that person talking to Xiao Anjing. They seemed to be arguing, but she couldn't hear the content of their dispute clearly and was also a little unsure if it was a dream or reality.
Sometimes she even felt that the person who saved her might have been Tianyi, and that Tianyi had returned.
Perhaps he was just hiding somewhere and couldn't see her for the time being, and Xiao Anjing was hiding something from her?
But since she had been admitted, Xiao Anjing hadn't visited again. Even the occasional messages were very cautious.
Therefore, now, apart from exchanging messages with Ya Nan and Xiao Anjing, she was almost isolated from the world. When she was quiet, she had a lot of time to reminisce about her past with Tianyi, finding it all sweet and beautiful, which only intensified her longing for him.
…
A month later, Lü Yuanhong's acquisition of Shu Group had reached its peak. With only five percent of the shares left, he could take over Shu Group and change its ownership.
Although Shu Zhongze had not appeared at his villa in the suburbs, he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, looking at the latest news sent daily by his trusted confidant in charge of finance at the group.
He called Xiao Anjing several times a day, either questioning what he was doing or asking when Susu would fully recover so she could present her Shu Group shares and take charge of the situation.
Xiao Anjing always gave the same answer: told him not to worry. As long as Lü Yuanhong's shares in Shu Group were not even one percent away from half, it was useless, let alone the current five percent.
"Shu Group has nothing to do with you, so of course you can say that. Do you know how dangerous a five percent difference is?" Shu Zhongze roared impatiently. "Hurry up and have Susu contact me. She should reveal her shares and show those hesitant shareholders who could tip either way that her support is needed at this time!"
"Mr. Shu, her health has not yet recovered, and it is not yet time for her to show herself. Please be patient and wait a little longer," Xiao Anjing said, intending to hang up.
Shu Zhongze had long suspected that the rumors outside were true, and he asked loudly, "What exactly is going on? Is she… is she really gone?"
"She is recuperating…"
"Xiao Anjing, you can deceive the shareholders within your group all day long, but why aren't you telling me the truth? I am her biological father, don't I have the right to know what happened to my daughter?" Shu Zhongze had completely lost his patience and didn't want to listen to his explanations or believe anything he said.
Xiao Anjing could only reiterate, "She is truly recuperating in an absolutely quiet place."