Xiao Ziyi almost fainted.She had not been expecting the reason for her suffering such a serious injury to be that Yi Jinli had wanted to vent Ling Yiran's anger for her.Why was it Ling Yiran?!In the past, Hao Meiyu had been a famous beauty! As for Ling Yiran... Well, even if Xiao Ziyi admitted that Ling Yiran was a good-looking woman, after three years of imprisonment, she was now a street sweeper. Without maintaining her looks at all in those years, how beautiful could she be?How could Yi Jinli, who had gotten used to beautiful women, be interested in Ling Yiran?!"So don't go and make trouble for Ling Yiran anymore," Xiao Ziqi warned his sister. "Also, you'd better bury what I said to you today in your heart. Don't say it to anyone. Not even your parents! Yi Jinli said that he doesn't want others to know about it. Me telling you this today is already a big mistake."Xiao Ziyi stopped talking. If it had been someone else, she could still have found a way to vent her anger. B
Thinking of this, Xiao Ziqi couldn't help but shiver. He looked at Hao Yimeng next to him.Now, the Xiao family and the Hao family were in the same boat. "Even if Yi Jinli was really interested in Ling Yiran, he wouldn't... take action against both families for a woman, right?"After all, Ling Yiran ending up in that state back then was all her own fault, right?Ling Yiran felt that she had been having a very long dream.In her dream, she felt like she had returned to prison. No matter how hard she tried to escape or plead for mercy, she could not escape the torture.Bone-chillingly cold, filthy water, punches and kicks rained down on her as the people said with mocking tones, "Look, she was a great lawyer, an intellectual. But now, she is just like us. Actually, she's not even better than me right now. She can't even fight back!"How long was she supposed to endure all this suffering? Why... Why did she have to suffer such pain when she hadn't done anything wrong?"Ling Yiran,
"But... you're wearing..."Only then did he realize that the outfit he was wearing was the same one that he had worn the day before for dinner with his grandfather."If I were the Jin she knows, I wouldn't be able to afford to wear things like this."However, after all that we went through last night, I don't wish to conceal my identity anymore. After all, I'll have to tell her who I really am sooner or later. If I do it now, it'll just be a bit sooner than originally planned."And once she knows my real identity, it'll be easier for me to take her under my wing.""Even if I'm dressed differently, I'm still Jin, right?" he asked with a faint smile as he looked at her.At that moment, even if Ling Yiran had been an idiot, she would have been able to sense that something was wrong. She realized that there were some things that were not as she had originally imagined."You're not a homeless person?""I'm not," he confessed."Then... why did you pretend to be a homeless person?" A
"People can't help but want to protect her at all costs."Too many people call me cruel and cold-blooded, and yet they would never expect that I want to protect her.""It's okay. The thing you feared would happen didn't happen last night. When I rushed over, it was just in time," Yi Jinli said."It really is him... who saved me!"Ling Yiran raised her head and dazedly stared at the face that was inches away from her. "But why did you go there to save me?" She thought to herself, "He didn't even come with me to town yesterday!""Sister, did you forget? You called me and I rescued you," he replied with a faint smile. "Luckily, I got there in time.""After only a phone call, he was able to travel more than a hundred kilometers just in time to save me?!"Ling Yiran felt an indescribable shock coursing through her heart.He spoke as he carried her to the bed and carefully tucked her under the covers. "Sister's hand was cut by the mirror shard. It'll probably take a few days for it t
Once he was done talking, he ended the call.Master Yi stared at the phone in his hand for some time before passing it to the attendant nurse."I shouldn't worry? It would be great if it were true and yet sometimes, his lack of self-awareness is the most terrifying thing. Just like my son all those years ago who promised me: 'Dad, I will never forgo the Yi family's responsibilities for a woman.'"And yet, ultimately, my son abandoned the Yi family for a woman. He didn't even want his life!""Look into it and find out who that woman is. I want to know every single detail about that woman," Master Yi ordered calmly."Yes," said a man wearing a black suit and gold-rimmed glasses who was sitting in the corner of the hospital room, his fingers rapidly flying across the laptop keyboard.Ling Yiran lay in the hospital bed, her mind still in a mess. After all, plenty of things had happened within the span of a day and she could not come to her senses.The doctor and nurse had just visit
She opened her bag and saw that all of her belongings were still inside.Her mobile phone had been discovered at the Feng residence and had been taken away from her. The phone had been turned off so Ling Yiran restarted it. She saw that her notifications were made up of a series of missed calls and text messages.Some were from her grandmother, a few were from Lianyi, and there were a couple of strange calls as well."I can more or less guess the reason for Grandma calling me, but Lianyi..." She looked at her notifications and realized that Lianyi had called her nearly twenty times.Ling Yiran quickly returned her call.Qin Lianyi hurriedly answered it. "Yiran, is that you?""Yes, my phone was... turned off yesterday. I only turned it on today and just saw your missed calls," Ling Yiran explained.Qin Lianyi let out a long sigh. "My goodness! I called you last night but it didn't go through. You said that you were going to your grandmother's house for New Year's Eve and I was wo
Just then, Grandpa Lu's urging tone rang out at the other end of the phone. "Why aren't you asking Yiran to rush to the police station to withdraw the case so that our eldest child and all of the rest can be released!?""Released? Why should they be released? They've committed such an evil act, they should be locked up for as long as they deserve!""They're your own children! Do you have to do this for a person who doesn't share our family name?""What are you talking about? She's my daughter's daughter! Her mother isn't here so this old woman must support her!""Are you doing this so no one will care for you when you're old? Or are you going to depend on your granddaughter who has been to prison to provide for you and attend your funeral?"The two old people continued their argument as if they had forgotten that the call was still connected. A moment passed before her grandmother realized that the phone was still on and said, "Yiran, are you still there?""I'm here," Ling Yiran
"Her tears always make me feel a sense of helplessness. It's as if I would be willing to do anything to make her stop crying."Ling Yiran cried out loud and suddenly leaped into Yi Jinli's embrace, bawling noisily.She could not explain why she had done such a thing at this time. And yet, when she hugged him with her face pressed to his chest, it was if she did not need to suppress herself and she could release all the hurt in her heart without fear.Yi Jinli lowered his head and studied the woman sobbing in his embrace. He hugged her gently, letting her cry her heart out.Ling Yiran didn't know how long she had been crying for and when it ended, it was as if there were no more tears for her to shed.Yi Jinli used a tissue to gently wipe the tears from her face. "Sister, can you tell me what really happened?""It's Grandma," she said as she sniffled."Did she come to you to beg for leniency?" he asked, his gaze darkening slightly."No, Grandma just asked if I was fine and told
He clenched his jaw and felt his teeth ache. 'Yeah, she’s broken up with me. She has every right to find a new boyfriend, but... the thought of her smiling at another man, and kissing and hugging him makes me uncomfortable.’ Gu Lichen could not help feeling irritated."You can't find one! Do you think you can find another man like me to love when you love me so much?" he said.Zhong Keke retorted with a slightly red face, "You... You're too confident. Who are you to say I can't find one? I love you now, but I can slowly get over you. Besides, I don't need to find a man like you in the future. I just need to find an ordinary man with a good personality who treats me well! I’ll give him all my heart, and he’ll do the same!"It was more like she was telling herself that.'Yes, I can move on from him. I can do it!'However, her words seemed to have provoked him as he turned the steering wheel sharply, slammed on the brakes, and pulled over at the roadside.She was thrown forward and
The fact Zhong Keke accepted was that she feared she would love him more and more!When Yi Jinli and Gu Lichen returned to the ward, Ling Yiran was still chatting with Zhong Keke about the children, not only the new baby but also the triplets."Alright, Lichen and I are going home first. Yiran, have a good rest. I'll visit you and the baby again next time," Zhong Keke said and got up after seeing the exhaustion on Ling Yiran's face.Ling Yiran replied, "Okay. I'll let you meet my triplets next time.""Sure."After Zhong Keke and Gu Lichen left, Yi Jinli lay on Ling Yiran's bed and said, "If you're sleepy, sleep first. The doctor said you need more rest."Ling Yiran said, "I'm a little sleepy, but I had a nice chat with Keke today. Jin, you know what? I think it's great that Lichen has fallen in love with Keke. Keke's a wonderful woman, and Lichen has finally found his happily ever after."She said as she slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.Looking at his wife's sleeping fac
"Thank you! It's a good painting, and I like it very much. I didn't expect you to draw my daughter like that.""I saw the baby when I came to the hospital that day, so I remembered," said Zhong Keke."I heard from Jin that you and Lichen both came to the hospital that day. I didn't scare you, did I?" said Ling Yiran.Zhong Keke smiled softly, "All that matters is that you're safe. Being alive is better than anything."The two women chatted while the two men looked at each other. Then, Yi Jinli said, "Lichen, let's go get some air."The two men got up and walked out of the ward.Zhong Keke looked uneasily at the ward door.Ling Yiran said, "They’ll be back soon. Don't worry. My Jin won't kidnap Lichen."Zhong Keke smiled, knowing that Yi Jinli probably had not told Ling Yiran about what happened that day."By the way, how are you and Lichen's relationship? Does he treat you well?" Ling Yiran asked."He treats me well." It was true. He treated her well. He would give her everyt
He and Song Qingyao were not even friends."You don't have to explain this to me," said Zhong Keke. They had broken up, and she did not need these explanations.Besides, she knew better than anyone that he had always been in love with Yiran.Thinking of Yiran, Zhong Keke said, "I want to go to the hospital to see Yiran. Can I?" The last time she visited Yiran, Yiran was still unconscious, so she wanted to check on her.Hesitation flashed across Gu Lichen's face."Don't worry. I won't say anything to trigger Yiran. I’ll still pretend to be your girlfriend in front of Yiran. If Yiran asks you, you can say we're doing quite well. When Yiran has recovered, I can make an excuse to say we've broken up. Of course, I can take all the blame. For example, I thought being with you attracted too much attention, or I couldn’t get used to being with you, or I had fallen for someone else—"Before she could finish speaking, she was suddenly pulled into a wide embrace.His hands held her tightly
Zhou Xinmian: [I said you were living with Gu Lichen now. Then they said nothing and left readily.]"..."Zhou Xinmian: [Did you block their phone numbers? They said you're not answering your phone.]Zhong Keke: [Yeah.]She should have blocked her uncle's family's phone numbers long ago. Even blocking them now was considered late!Zhou Xinmian: [Well done! But didn’t they try calling you using another phone number?]Zhong Keke: [They did. But as soon as they spoke and I heard their voices, I hung up and blocked their phone numbers.]In other words, she did not give them a chance to talk.She did not want to listen to what they had to say anyway. They had worn out the last of her affection.Zhou Xinmian: [Have you made up your mind this time?]Zhong Keke: [I’ll just consider that my grandparents only gave birth to my father!]In other words, she no longer considered her uncle and his family her family!Zhou Xinmian: [You should have done that long ago! They told me Gu Lichen
It was why he had said such things at the time to keep the woman from leaving!"Maybe I've liked you since then." It probably started earlier than he thought.Zhong Keke's eyes watered as tears were about to pour out. She raised her hands and covered her eyes, "Gu Lichen, stop telling me such things!"Such things would only make her waver when her resolution was hard-won. Did he know how much determination and perseverance it took her to ask for a break-up and keep her distance from him to stop loving him when she loved him so much?Though her hands shielded her eyes, they could not stop the tears.His fingers pulled her hands away. "Alright, I'll stop. I'll stop talking. Don't cry."Her tears had always left him flustered.He hugged her and coaxed her. The indifference in his phoenix eyes had become affection.Zhong Keke finally stopped crying, but she still sniffled occasionally.Holding a tissue, Gu Lichen carefully wiped the tears from her face. After a moment, he said,
"Do you care about me?" She smiled bitterly. "That word isn’t only something you say but..." She did not continue speaking after a pause.However, he already knew what she was going to say.Gu Lichen turned pale. He knew that the incident at the comic fiesta was something that bothered her.He was the one who caused it!"Also, I think we'd better talk about the possibility of me getting pregnant!" she said."Okay, go ahead," he said as he asked the others in the living room to leave."Will you insist that I have the baby if I get pregnant?" she asked, looking at him."If you’re pregnant, I don't want to lose the baby," he said. He had never longed for children even though his parents had always wanted grandchildren, even if it was out of wedlock.However, such ideas had never occurred to him.Now, he wanted to have the baby because they would be... his baby with Keke!"Even if I don't want the baby, are you still going to stop me from having an abortion?" she asked.He was s
Even though he did not love her, she still thought she was a better candidate than Zhong Keke.However, to her disappointment, the way Gu Lichen looked at her was still icy."I'm not interested in you. The Song family you're so proud of will no longer exist in Shen City a year later. Perhaps the Song family can keep some things if you start planning now. Otherwise, you'll have nothing left."With that said, Gu Lichen left the ward, leaving Song Qingyao standing where she was in a daze.Other than reluctance, resentment, and jealousy, there was more shock and fear on her face.'Does Lichen intend to eradicate the Song family within a year? Is... Is he going that far for Zhong Keke? He doesn't love Zhong Keke, right? Why is he doing it? Why?' Unfortunately, no one could give her the answer.Gu Lichen walked out of the hospital and got into the car. He slowly closed his eyes as Song Qingyao's last words flashed through his mind.'It doesn't matter... even if I don't love her?'Kek
Song Qingyao's heart sank. Sure enough, he could find out anything he wanted to."Why did you do it?" Gu Lichen said coldly.Song Qingyao suddenly laughed. "You're asking me why? Gu Lichen, I’ve loved you for so many years. What do you think?""I wouldn't love you even if Zhong Keke didn't exist. If I wanted to fall for you, I would have done so from the beginning," said Gu Lichen.Song Qingyao's mouth was full of bitterness. She knew that!However, knowing was one thing. Her being reluctant and unwilling to accept it was a different matter!She shouted, "Why did you choose Zhong Keke? You love Ling Yiran because Ling Yiran saved your life when you were a child. What about Zhong Keke? Why her?"She accepted losing to Ling Yiran because she had never saved Lichen's life.However, how could she accept losing to Zhong Keke? "Because she's the one who saved me from the messy relationship," replied Gu Lichen."What do you mean?" Song Qingyao was puzzled.Instead of explaining, he