Stealing Your Love [Complete] - 6

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter 50 Refusal

Amidst murmurs and gasps of surprise, Jingzhi raised her hand. The cold necklace around her neck felt heavy, like a burning hot iron.

All eyes, all the cameras, were on her!

Jingzhi knew she couldn't lose her composure. In this situation, all she could do was smile.

"Thank you for your generosity," Jingzhi smiled charmingly, "but this gift is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

Then, this beautiful woman, who had just been speculated to be You Shiqun's new mistress, removed the priceless necklace from her neck and handed it back to You Shiqun.

"What if I insist you accept it?" You Shiqun glanced at You Yang, who was parting the crowd and walking towards them. His tone suddenly became clear only to the two of them: "What if you don't accept this necklace, and you can't see your child?"

She had had enough of the threats. Jingzhi took a deep breath: "Perhaps you think giving me this necklace is an honor, but my answer is still no. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Their voices were low, and the curious crowd around them tried desperately to hear them, only to see Jingzhi take off the necklace, hand it to You Shiqun, and then turn and walk away.

You Shiqun smiled…

So this little girl had a temper too.

You Yang gritted his teeth, watching Jingzhi disappear into the crowd, and strode towards his father: "Why did you do this? Dad!"

"Why can't I?" You Shiqun smiled and handed him the necklace: "Take it."

The crowd's attention shifted from the female protagonist, and You Yang clutched the cold necklace tightly, slowly sitting down in the VIP seat next to You Shiqun.

"Why, Dad," he said, a hint of impatience in his voice, "why did you make such a big fuss? What are you planning?"

The auction continued, with bids rising and falling.

You Shiqun had intended to find an excuse to leave this boring auction, but You Yang's cold expression amused him. "Believe me, son," he said, "if a man wants to make a good impression on a woman he likes, a diamond necklace is more effective than handcuffs."

You Yang stared at the stage, remaining silent for a long while before finally speaking, "What do you think of Jingzhi now? Does she meet your standards for a daughter-in-law?"

"I think she's very cute," You Shiqun replied, "She's not the little girl she used to be."

You Yang slowly turned his head, looking at his father's cold profile. "Dad, you need to know she's not the little girl she used to be. She's a mature woman now."

"Yes!" You Shiqun sighed. "She's back, a completely new woman."

You Yang smiled bitterly. He knew all too well his father's tricks for pursuing women. He would go to great lengths for any woman he set his sights on, he would dazzle her with all sorts of expensive little gifts, he would take her to his seaside villa, and then trick her into bed.

Even if that woman was Jingzhi, he couldn't stop him! Because You Shiqun's charm has always been irresistible.

She would fall in love with him; any woman would fall in love with him!

And now, what should he do?

******************************************************

Jingzhi wanted to sleep. She tried her best to close her eyes, to erase from her mind the hurt and disappointment on You Yang's face when he saw her standing with You Shiqun.

The thin blanket made her feel oppressed, and the moonlight filtering through the thin curtains seemed like a large, silvery cocoon binding her.

Jingzhi suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. She grabbed her robe and put it on; perhaps she needed some water to ease her anxious mood.

She walked barefoot out of the room, heading straight for the kitchen on the other side of the living room.

In the bright moonlight, the refrigerator in the kitchen glowed faintly. She opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of juice, and then turned to reach for a glass.

The sudden light made her scream, and the glass slipped from her hand, shattering on the floor.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Xue Ran stood up from the darkened dining table, strode forward, put his arm around her waist, and rescued her from the mess of broken glass, lifting her onto the table.

"Don't move, these shards of glass can easily hurt someone."

Jingzhi wanted to object, but couldn't, so she just sat there watching Xue Ran deftly clean up the glass shards.

Xue Ran was still wearing the formal attire he wore to the banquet. When did he return? When Jingzhi ran away from the banquet, she had completely forgotten about leaving Xue Ran alone at the party.

Jingzhi felt ashamed, realizing that compared to Xue Ran's composure and shrewdness, she was perhaps more like an immature little girl. For example, right now, she was wearing a thin, cute Winnie the Pooh nightgown, her bare feet curled up shyly.

"I'm sorry, I just left you alone at the party." Jingzhi bit her lip. “I…”

“It’s alright, but I’m curious, how did you meet You Shiqun?” Xue Ran’s tone was seemingly casual. He cleaned up the broken glass, took a clean glass, and poured Jingzhi a large glass of juice.

His expression was too calm; alarm bells went off in Jingzhi’s brain when he handed her the juice…

She tried to sound lighthearted as she said, “Oh, we met many years ago, just once.”

“But now he seems to want to get to know you better.” Xue Ran poured a glass of beer, his gaze thoughtfully fixed on her over the rim of the glass.

“I don’t think so. He just wants to create a sensational story to promote his company,” Jingzhi said cautiously, choosing her words carefully.

"Maybe, maybe not..." Xue Ran raised his glass, a fleeting hint of vulnerability or uncertainty crossing his face. "What I'm trying to say is—the You Group doesn't need that kind of hype."

"Perhaps," Xue Ran replied slowly, "And also, have you thought through my suggestion from yesterday?"

Jingzhi felt a chill run through her body under Xue Ran's glare. "What? I... I can't. Xue Ran, you need to know..."

"Can't you even try treating me like an ordinary guy?" Xue Ran's gaze was intense. "We've been apart for so many years, and we're completely different now. To be honest, we're like strangers. Don't you have any feelings for me?"

Jingzhi stared at him. For a moment, she truly felt that the Xue Ran in front of her was a stranger, but then, she quickly regained her composure.

“No,” she said firmly, “You’re my brother. I’ve always thought so, and that’s true now and in the future.”

Xue Ran’s lips twitched, his eyebrows furrowing. “You really haven’t noticed? You’ve changed so much in the past five years, and so have I. Why won’t you admit it?”

Jingzhi didn’t look him in the eye. “Some things can never be changed.”

“I’ll watch you change,” a melancholy smile flashed across Xue Ran’s face. “I will make you change.”

Their eyes met in mid-air, then Jingzhi turned and quickly left the room, trying her best not to let him see her fear and confusion, even though she was barefoot.

The door opened, and Xue Ran turned on the light. After placing Jingzhi's juice on her bedside table, he turned to look at her. "I don't want to force you, sister. But I just want you to treat me like an ordinary man, not your brother."

Jingzhi shook her head. "I'm afraid that's impossible. In my heart, you are my brother."

"No!" Xue Ran suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. "Why don't you look at me properly?"

The undisguised savagery in his words startled Jingzhi.

Before she even noticed his movement, he lowered his head and kissed her lips with undisguised hunger.

Jingzhi could only hear a boom in her ears, as if all the blood in her veins rushed to her head.

She vaguely realized she was in trouble.

Xue Ran's kiss was neither gentle nor tender. To be precise, it was fierce and unstoppable.

Jingzhi could feel the determination in his kiss on her lips; she could feel Xue Ran's undisguised need to conquer her vulnerability with force.

“No…” Jingzhi’s weak resistance was ignored by him. He forcefully ripped her nightgown off her shoulders.

Jingzhi dared not cry out, afraid her mother would hear.

She struggled silently, but could not break free. She could feel his rough chin gently brushing against her soft skin, then eagerly sucking on her breasts.

Jingzhi felt his hands part her nightgown, exploring the mysterious place between her legs. As he got up to leave her to take off her clothes, Jingzhi sat up and pushed against his chest.

She choked out in a low voice, “Xue Ran… no… we can’t…” She struggled to find the right words: “I’m your sister, I…”

Xue Ran stopped: “Oh, I understand.” He took a deep breath. “You don’t love me…” He let out a small, hoarse laugh. “I love you madly, but you don’t love me.”

He slowly stood up: “I’m sorry, Jingzhi… I’m sorry.”

The door slammed shut behind him.

Chapter 51 Baby

You Yang parked the car in the villa's yard. It was the weekend, and he rarely had time to return to his suburban villa.

To be precise, the suburban villa was the residence of You Shiqun and their five-year-old son, "Squid," and You Yang rarely came back.

In the past five years, You Yang's visits home could be counted on one hand. Each time he returned, he was always in a rush, so before he knew it, his child was five years old, and he had hardly seen him at all.

Actually, this child was unusual from birth. First, he was premature, and then taking You Shiqun home to raise him was full of surprises.

Every time You Yang came home, Aunt Wu would follow behind him, telling him in a loving tone what funny things "Squid" had done!

That child had indeed given You Shiqun many surprises—cute, mischievous, funny, and full of witty remarks, making You Shiqun's retirement life constantly "surprising."

You Yang didn't want to hear it, but he was too embarrassed to disobey Wu Ma, who had taken care of him since he was a child. In short, even though he didn't want to hear it or see it, his room was still filled with photos of that child by Wu Ma.

Sometimes, You Yang would think of that child. When he saw adorable babies with adults in the sunny square, he would always imagine himself and Jingzhi leading those cute babies, each holding one of their little hands, taking a walk.

Today, this weekend, You Yang inexplicably returned to the villa in the suburbs. He wanted to secretly see that child, his and Jingzhi's flesh and blood, the child he had never really looked at closely, the only connection between him and Jingzhi.

When he asked to see "Squid," Wu Ma's eyes widened in disbelief, then she hurriedly led You Yang upstairs: "He's in the playroom. Sigh, to be honest, young master, you really should come back and see the young master more often!"

The playroom door was half-open. You Yang told Wu Ma to go about her business, and just as he was about to push the door open, he heard a clear, childish voice from inside:

"Hey everyone, my name is Squid, and I'm five years old! Everyone calls me Squid, that's my nickname. I won't tell you my real name.

To be honest, I'm not a good child. Grandpa said a good child should grow like a weed, so I'm a very strong child!

Grandpa and the servants at home love me very much! They buy me everything!

But I still like going to kindergarten because there are so many children there, and I play so well with them. The only downside is that they all have parents who pick them up every day, but I only have a driver who picks me up every day.

So frustrating, so frustrating, being a child… is really hard."

Being a child, really hard?

You Yang thought this child was about to launch into a long speech. But when he pushed open the door, the spacious playroom was empty except for one child…

It was a large, empty room with old wooden floors, and not much furniture.

You Yang remembered this room; it was in this playroom that he had spent a long childhood…

The bright morning sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the slender figure of the little boy standing in the center of the room.

You Yang walked in and stopped in front of the handsome little boy—a boy with a round face and slightly curly hair, as cute as a little angel who had stepped out of a Raphael painting.

The little boy quietly looked up at him, his large, dark eyes filled with curiosity, wariness, and resistance, along with a fleeting hint of helplessness and confusion.

Looking at this small, fragile face, a soft corner of his heart, long untouched, seemed to be suddenly pierced. He slowly squatted down, gazing into those eyes so similar to his own: “You’re Squid?”

“I am!” The little boy stared at him, hesitating for a moment: “I recognize you!”

“Who am I?” You Yang asked him.

"You are... Dad!" the little boy slowly uttered, then fluttered his long eyelashes. "I saw your picture in Grandpa's study. But... you seem very busy, you never come to see me."

You Yang was speechless for a moment. He looked at the face that resembled his own when he was a child—it was so similar!

"I've always been busy, and now... Dad doesn't come to see you anymore?"

"Hmm! Well then, I forgive you!" The little boy reached out and tugged at his clothes. "Look how great my playroom is!"

He looked around the spacious playroom and noticed that the wall by the window was covered with Winnie the Pooh wallpaper, another wall was covered with flashcards, and another corner was covered with children's childish drawings.

There was another wall that was simply a graffiti wall where children could scribble freely, the entire wall covered with abstract works that looked like postmodern paintings.

You Yang, holding Squid's hand, walked over and carefully looked at the graffiti. The wall was covered with overlapping drawings of parents holding hands, with a little baby in between.

“Dad,” the little boy looked up, his eyes filled with longing, “Grandpa told me yesterday that if you come, you won’t leave. Grandpa also said that Mom will come back. So, if I’m really good, you won’t abandon me in the future, right?”

You Yang squatted down and looked into the child’s longing eyes… He did indeed long to be loved by his parents.

"Grandpa really told you that? He told you your mom is back?"

"Yes!" Squid suddenly spun around excitedly. "That's why I'm practicing my speech! I'm going to have a party for my birthday! I'm going to invite all my friends over and tell them I have mom and dad too. They always complain to me that their parents are too controlling, but I really, really want them to be more controlling." "Why

? Don't you have Grandpa?" You Yang smiled. "Doesn't Grandpa care about you?"

"Yes!" Squid looked at him like he was an idiot, counting on his fingers with a precocious air. "Grandpa controls me. He doesn't let me eat candy, he doesn't let me play in the pool behind the house, he doesn't let me go out by myself, but he's busy too, he can't play with me all day."

"Hehe!" You Yang laughed, his eyes full of warm memories. "When I was little, he wouldn't let me go to the pool alone either..."

"Dad!" Squid tugged at his sleeve longingly. "Take me to find Mom! All the other kids have moms!"

"What did Grandpa say about your mom?"

"Grandpa didn't say much, he just said Mom will come back." Squid ran to the corner and brought back a huge pile of drawings: "Look, these are all my drawings of Mom."

One after another, crayon and watercolor drawings depicted an imaginary Mom with strangely shaped eyes and noses; some even showed Mom with three eyes…

You Yang smiled, then felt his eyes sting. What would Jingzhi think if she saw these drawings?

He suddenly stopped thinking. Jingzhi had told him she had a fiancé; sometimes he was just being delusional!

He looked down at Squid busily bringing him a huge pile of her treasures. Soon, all sorts of toys, picture cards, and books were scattered all over the floor…

Then she pulled You Yang to see her two favorite books, "My Dad," "My Mom," and "I Want Love."

You Yang slowly looked at these hand-drawn books. "My Dad" and "My Mom" were about what the best mom in the world was like, and what the best dad in the world was like! A simple picture book, told through a child's eyes, depicts the father and mother, describing them in the child's voice.

In the book, the father provides the child with such a sense of security; there's nothing he can't do. The mother is so loving, kind, and beautiful…

Then, Squid opens the book "I Want Love" and, in her sweet, childlike voice, tells Youyang the story of Jimmy the bear, whose mother died when he was very young, and whose father later left home. Jimmy, now an orphan, puts on his father's hat and begins his search for love…

Youyang listens silently as Squid tells him the story, unconsciously hugging the child tightly. What has happened to him all these years? Why has he punished an innocent child yearning for parental love because of his own mistakes?

Five years—he has lost five years of his life. From now on, he will never abandon this child again, and for this child's sake, he will win Jingzhi back; he will give Squid a complete family!

“Daddy, are you listening?” Squid turned her head and poked his chest with her finger, then nestled in her father's arms and giggled, “I want Mommy too! You have to find her for me too!”

“I promise!”

“Pinky promise!”

“Pinky promise!”

Chapter 52 Independence

“Looks like you’re in trouble,” Ding Lei gave Jingzhi a charming smile, sat down on a chair opposite her, and crossed her long legs, “You wanted to forget the past, but now you find it’s like a shadow following you?”

“The past…is it so easy to forget?” Jingzhi stared at her fingertips, “I really want to see that child.”

“That depends on how you think,” Ding Lei picked up her coffee and took a small sip, “You need to think it through. If you want to see that child, you will inevitably get involved with that man again. Is that what you want?”

“I don’t know, I don’t understand him, I…”

“Are you afraid of him?”

“No,” Jingzhi answered thoughtfully, “I’m not afraid of him, but he has…a reckless quality. He’s completely changed over the years.”

“Jingzhi,” Ding Lei reached across the table and grasped her hand, “Listen to me, don’t be misled. Ask yourself now, do you still have feelings for him? Or rather, what are his feelings for you—is it just a man liking a pretty woman, or is there a little bit of love?”

“I don’t know,” Jingzhi sighed in distress. She hadn’t told Ding Lei much about You Yang, only mentioning that she’d run into him by chance once. As for the little incident with You Shiqun and Xue Ran, she dared not tell Ding Lei.

So many years had passed. Ding Lei was doing quite well in the city, owning a sizable advertising company and a classic European-style wedding photography studio, making her a moderately successful member of the middle class.

When Jingzhi returned to China, the first thing she did was find Ding Lei. Five years felt like a lifetime.

The two women sipped coffee, lazily sitting there watching the afternoon crowds on the street.

They chatted about their lives since they last met, about their dreams and ambitions, laughing out loud at a joke from their student days or at an acquaintance.

“To be honest, if I were you,” Ding Lei’s gaze was dreamy, “I’d stay in Italy and never come back. It’s so nice there. You said you know a count with an ancient title?”

“Not really, Patrick is actually an archaeologist,” Jingzhi nodded. “When I met him, he was excavating the ruins in Pompeii…”

“Why does this never happen to me?” Ding Lei complained, pouring a little milk into her coffee cup. “If it were me, and I met such a handsome Italian count, I might even pursue him.” Jingzhi smiled

; Ding Lei’s complaint was too insincere. “Never mind, seeing how radiant you are, how could you lack handsome men by your side? Besides, Patrick is a devout Catholic.”

“So what if he’s Catholic? Are they all monks, and can’t they get married?” Ding Lei asked curiously.

“No, it’s just that Catholic doctrine has always opposed divorce. Although divorce is now possible, Catholic doctrine states that as long as the former spouse is alive, a believer cannot remarry before God. If I marry him, and then one day he falls in love with someone else, wouldn’t my life be in danger?”

“Really? There are such barbaric things?” Ding Lei was startled.

“Really? So Italian men usually have a wife and a mistress at the same time.” Jingzhi sighed softly. “So, Patrick is just my confidant.”

“Hey, I’m not like you!” Ding Lei shrugged. “If I met a man like that, I wouldn’t be able to resist touching him. Being a mistress is fine too, I’m not like you, Jingzhi. I live for the moment, and if there’s a handsome guy to date, I won’t let him get away.”

“I can see that,” Jingzhi covered her mouth and smiled. “Then, I’ll introduce you two later.”

“Okay!” Ding Lei took out a cigarette, lit it, but didn’t smoke it, just letting the wisps of smoke flow between her fingers. “Jingzhi, there aren’t many women with principles like you. But don’t you ever feel lonely? Haven’t you ever longed to sleep with a man all these years, never longed to be loved?”

“Of course I have.” Jingzhi admitted, closing her eyes and recalling the ten hours she spent with You Yang. “But I’m probably not good at handling the aftermath, so…”

Ding Lei looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and amusement: "Want me to introduce you to two suitable people?"

"No! I'd rather not!" Jing quickly refused: "Please, I'm asking you to help me find a place to live. I need to move out of my house. I also need a job."

"A job?" Ding Lei looked at Jing's elegant long dress: "You haven't touched much of your money over the years, have you? The stocks I recommended probably multiplied several times over. You don't need a job."

"No, I need a job," Jing corrected her: "I'm a volunteer with Patrick's archaeological team in Italy. Now, I can't be idle. Even being a librarian would be good."

"I don't understand your thinking." Ding Lei smiled: "I really don't know whether to envy or pity you. Archaeological team? Librarian?" She leaned forward, her eyes filled with curiosity: "Tell me... this elegant clothing and beautiful makeup, is it what you wore on your date with that count?"

"Of course not," Jing looked at her clothes: "Patrick's sister is the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine. We're good friends, and she taught me a lot."

“Tsk tsk,” Ding Lei shook her head, “A librarian can’t wear such fashionable and sexy clothes, otherwise who would read books?”

“Then what kind of job do you think I could do?” Jingzhi was amused by her.

“Consider my European Classic Wedding Dress Shop,” Ding Lei concluded, “My advertising company is very busy, I don’t even have time to manage that shop. If you think it’s good, I’ll sell it to you at a discount.”

“A wedding dress shop? I’ll consider it.” Jingzhi nodded, “But I’ve never done that before.”

“Oh, there’s a business manager, you just need to oversee things, besides, you’re back from Europe, you’ll get used to it gradually. But…”

“But what?”

“The people who go to wedding dress shops are usually married or soon-to-be-married men.” Ding Lei drank the coffee in her cup, “That’s why I don’t want to run one.”

Jingzhi was amused by her words, “Now that you mention it, I really should go and take a look at this wedding dress shop.”

After agreeing on a meeting time with Ding Lei for the next day, the first thing Jingzhi did after returning home was to pack her luggage. Xue Ran wasn’t home; her mother said he had gone to the construction site.

Jingzhi knew he was embarrassed to face her, and she was happy for both of them to calm down. Jingzhi explained to her mother that she was going to take over a bridal shop, so she had to move to the city center.

Although her mother was reluctant, she couldn't object anymore after Jingzhi kept promising to come home every week.

Next was finding a place to live. There was an apartment in the city center that You Shiqun had agreed to give Jingzhi, but Jingzhi would never live in that apartment, so finding a place became a big problem.

Fortunately, there were many rental ads in the newspaper. Jingzhi called the numbers on the ads and quickly arranged a time to view the apartment.

As long as you have money, everything is easy! She rented a small apartment not far from the bridal shop, moved her few belongings there, and after a simple unpacking, she arranged to meet Ding Lei to see the bridal shop.

To be honest, Ding Lei's bridal shop was in a good location, but the wedding dress styles were too outdated, and the photographer and makeup artist were both novices. To be precise, Ding Lei's heart wasn't in the bridal shop at all.

Ding Lei readily agreed, selling the bridal shop to her for a very low price. Before leaving, she teased her, "You'll have to give me a free VIP card when it opens!"

"Sure! Come take photos for free when you get married!" Jingzhi retorted, "Bring your brother-in-law along quickly!"

Soon, Jingzhi adapted to the busy new environment.

She hired a seasoned manager from Hong Kong at great expense, expanding the shop's business scope to include fresh and natural outdoor wedding photography, as well as the latest trendy travel wedding photography, including location shooting in Europe. She

also imported a batch of fashionable wedding dresses from Europe and made arrangements with some fashion designers to design and customize wedding gowns for couples.

In short, after so many years of contact with Patrick's sister, Jingzhi's understanding of fashion elements was at the forefront of the world. Moreover, she knew that for an industry to grow and thrive, it must have its own signature high-quality products.

And so, after half a month of intensive preparation, the brand-new European Classic Wedding Photography opened!

Sure enough, this series of reforms and the overwhelming advertisements in the newspapers, coupled with the peak wedding season in October, brought Jingzhi's bridal shop a great start.

Chapter 53: Scheming.

You Yang took advantage of the weekend to move most of the company's work, files, reports, and memos back to the large study of his suburban villa.

You Shiqun watched the moving company busily carrying You Yang's things back to his bedroom, feeling slightly surprised: "You're not working in the city anymore?"

"From now on, I'm working from home." You Yang directed the workers to carry things upstairs while smiling at You Shiqun: "Dad, could you help me with some of this work? I'll be very busy these days."

"Very busy?" You Shiqun looked at his son's rare smile with suspicion: "Busy with what?"

"Knowing my son," You Yang grabbed the squid that had sneaked up behind them and tossed it into the air. The squid giggled and hugged its father's head.

“Grandpa, Grandpa! Daddy said he’ll teach me to swim when he comes back,” Squid hugged his father’s head and playfully rode on You Yang’s shoulders.

You Shiqun stared in surprise at You Yang and the child’s affectionate entanglement: “When did you decide all this?”

“I discussed it with the child last week,” You Yang’s gaze met his father’s, his eyes filled with determination: “I want to move back, I want to get to know my son, I want him…”

“You want him?” You Shiqun raised an eyebrow: “You’ve ignored him for five years, how come you’ve suddenly changed your mind?”

You Yang hugged little Squid tighter: “Anyway, I will try to love him.”

“Okay, but…” You Shiqun said before turning to leave: “Don’t just have a five-minute burst of enthusiasm. If you love this child, you should love him forever, otherwise it’s better not to love him at all.”

“Grandpa!” Squid’s childish voice echoed in the hall: “Tonight before bed, I want Daddy to tell me a story.”

“Okay,” You Shiqun didn’t turn around, he strode quickly out of the hall, clenching his fists.

Jingzhi's bridal shop was just in the middle of the wedding season, and with the experienced manager she hired, things quickly got on track. She diligently arranged everything meticulously.

She converted a large room on the second floor facing the street into an office; the rest of the space was used as a small meeting room, and a desk was placed by the window.

The heavy workload kept her occupied, leaving her no time to think about anything else, including last week's charity ball.

However, the shop's junior photography assistants noticed that Jingzhi was the mysterious woman featured prominently in last week's newspaper at the charity auction. Her refusal of the diamond necklace offered by the wealthy You Shiqun further fueled the young women's curiosity.

These past few days, several assistants have been surrounding Jingzhi, trying to get some answers, but Jingzhi just smiles and doesn't answer. When pressed, she'll just say, "You've mistaken me for someone else, that's not me!"

Every morning, Jingzhi walks two blocks to the bridal shop, and then she's busy preparing for opening. Couples come one after another to take wedding photos, and some even bring their relatives' children to act as flower girls...

Jingzhi turned the corner and saw a small child squatting in front of her shop.

It was still early, and the pedestrian street was deserted. Where did this child come from?

Jingzhi walked over. The child, dressed in a clean Mickey Mouse outfit, was facing away from her, studying the paved pavement.

Jingzhi slowly squatted down behind the child and found him to be an angelic little boy with curly hair. He seemed to notice Jingzhi looking at him, but he didn't lift his head, his small head buried in his knees, his long eyelashes fluttering, glistening with tears.

"Little friend, what's wrong? Why are you squatting here all alone?" Jingzhi asked softly, trying to soften her tone.

The little boy didn't look at her, just sniffed, still not raising his head.

“Come on, be good, tell Auntie what’s wrong?” Jingzhi took the little boy’s chubby hand. “Let me see.” The

little boy finally looked up. Goodness, his face was dirty, like a little kitten’s, but you could still tell he was a very pretty child, with big eyes like black grapes.

“Waaah… Auntie, have you seen my dad?” His eyes were full of anxiety and sadness. “He said he’d bring me to take pictures, but he left me here to wait, and then he disappeared.”

Jingzhi stood up and looked around. There was no one there. She had no choice but to squat down and tell him regretfully, “I’m sorry, I haven’t seen him.”

“Oh!” The little boy stood up, looked at her regretfully, and then turned to walk away in disappointment.

Jingzhi impulsively grabbed him. “I’m going to run away! Come inside with Auntie and wait for your dad, okay?”

The little boy looked up, and the anxious and helpless look on his face made Jingzhi’s heart clench—from the little boy’s eyes, you could see he was very, very scared, but he was trying hard not to cry.

Jingzhi led him into the shop, fetched water for him to wash his face, and gave him some snacks.

"What's your name? Tell Auntie!"

"Grandpa calls me Squid," the little boy said, fluttering his long eyelashes, a small cake in his mouth. "That's my nickname."

"What's your full name? How old are you?" Jingzhi asked with a smile. What an adorable little boy, with rosy cheeks and such a well-behaved look; she wanted to pick him up and kiss him.

"Five years old," the little boy said, holding out his palm. "I won't tell you my full name, just call me Squid."

Jingzhi paused, stunned. Five years old… her baby… if she could see her baby, he would be five years old too.

The delicious little cakes and the various backdrops in the photo studio worked their magic, slowly replacing the little squid's melancholy with growing curiosity: "Wow~~~~~~, these pictures are so pretty!"

Squid couldn't sit still any longer and ran to a large photo of a beautiful pregnant woman in maternity clothes, his big eyes sparkling: "Why is this auntie's belly so bulging? She's eaten too much..."

"Oh, no," Jingzhi, unsure how to explain, smiled and squatted down in front of him: "Doesn't your mom have photos like this? This is a photo of a pregnant mother." "

Mommy?" Squid looked at Jingzhi, then at the photo, his eyelashes fluttering, his little mouth pouting, and he started sobbing: "I've never seen my mommy..."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Jingzhi saw that the child was really crying: "Don't cry, Squid, Auntie will take you to the indoor playground over there."

Jingzhi's photo studio had a indoor playground on the first floor, specially designed for customers with children, which was perfect for entertaining this little one.

But to her surprise, the moment Jingzhi picked the child up, he clung tightly to her neck like a little koala: "No, no, I don't want to play in the bouncy castle."

"Oh dear, then what will you play?" Jingzhi, embraced by the child, was instantly overcome with her deepest maternal instincts. The child's soft, warm body, and the sweet scent of milk…

"I don't want to play anymore, I want my daddy~~~~~~~" The child's crying was surprisingly powerful, and with snot and tears smearing Jingzhi's face, she wasn't annoyed at all. On the contrary, she adored the child in her arms.

"Good boy, don't cry, Auntie will take you to find your daddy…"

"No, I don't want him, I don't want my daddy~~~~~~"

"Huh? You don't want your daddy? Who do you want to find?" Jingzhi, carrying the child and sweating profusely, left the photo studio, looking around frantically, hoping to find the child's father.

"I want my mommy~~~~~~" Squid's crying was truly earth-shattering: "Mommy, I want my mommy~~~~~~~"

"Sweetie, you need to find your daddy first." Jingzhi held Squid, who looked like a koala in her arms, a thin layer of sweat already beading on her forehead.

Actually, she didn't need to hold her at all; Squid clung tightly to Jingzhi like a little koala.

"I don't want my daddy~~~~~~" Squid cried pitifully: "Bad daddy, you abandoned Squid, I want my mommy~~~~~~~"

"But where can you find your mommy?" Jingzhi patted the child soothingly: "Sweetie, Auntie will buy you something delicious, don't cry..." She was also sweating from the child's crying.

"No~~~~~~~" Squid firmly clung to her: "Then you'll be my mommy~~~~~"

"Huh?" How can you just randomly assume someone's mommy? Jingzhi was both amused and exasperated, but she didn't want to upset the child: "Alright, alright, then don't cry..."

"Huh? Daddy! Daddy!" The child in her arms suddenly wriggled and leaned towards Jingzhi's back. Jingzhi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned around...

Then, she saw You Yang with a dark expression. He opened his arms to the child in her arms: "Come here, Squid, let Daddy hold you."

Chapter 54 Bullying

"No!" Squid stubbornly clung to Jingzhi's neck: "I don't want you to hold me, I found my mommy, I want my mommy."

"Squid...be good!" You Yang's calm face showed no emotion: "Come to Daddy."

"Waaah..." Squid hugged Jingzhi's neck tightly...

Tears streamed down Jingzhi's cheeks...

Back then, when she went to the hospital to have her hymen ruptured to become a surrogate mother, she didn't cry;

back then, when he repeatedly and frantically violated her body in the darkness, she didn't cry;

back then, when she endured immense pain to allow the child to survive a few more days in the womb after her water broke prematurely, she didn't cry;

back then, when she risked a postpartum hemorrhage to give birth to her child prematurely, she didn't cry;

back then, when she signed the agreement to relinquish custody of her child with humiliation, she didn't cry;

but... when this child hugged her and called her "Mommy," she cried, cried uncontrollably.

Was this real? This child in her arms

? Was this the child she had risked her life to give birth to?

You Yang stared at Jingzhi's tear-streaked face, stepping forward step by step, while Jingzhi retreated step by step under his gaze, until she had nowhere left to retreat.

Jingzhi hugged the child tightly, while Youyang took another step forward. They were so close they could hear each other's heartbeats. Youyang stretched out his arms, trapping Jingzhi and the child between himself and the glass wall.

"You love this child," Youyang said calmly. "Don't deny it, I saw you cry..."

He raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Jingzhi's cheek: "In the past, because I was young and ignorant, I made many mistakes, but now, at this moment, I want to do one thing right."

"What is it?" Jingzhi stood there confused, her mind a mess under his glare.

"I'm inviting you to dinner!" You Yang smiled: "Of course, it's dinner, you can choose the place."

Jingzhi thought she had misheard.

She looked up at the man strangely. After her deliberate ignoring and forgetting, he had reappeared before her.

After their last chance encounter and the incident at the auction, the moment she saw You Yang, she even wished she could disappear into thin air...

However, she could only stand there blankly, with the child in her arms. She hugged the chubby little baby tightly. If it weren't for this child, she might have run away like a little white rabbit shot by an arrow the moment she saw him.

You Yang didn't hear her reply. He raised his eyebrows in confusion, and then, almost as if it were the first time, he carefully examined her appearance.

From their first meeting, he felt an inexplicable attraction to her. Her face was perfect, like that of a fairy untouched by worldly concerns—a perfectly full forehead, a small, slightly upturned nose, and alluring pale pink lips. What

impressed him most were her clear eyes—filled with a pure, gentle, and kind sadness.

"Believe me, this time I'll do everything right," she said after a long silence. You Yang lowered his gaze, the shadow of his eyelashes falling on the bridge of his nose: "I want to get to know you again through a normal process."

Jingzhi didn't know what he meant by this. She was startled by her own pounding heart: "I'm sorry, I'm busy, I'm sorry, I can't go."

"No," You Yang murmured, "You're not busy, you have to go."

"No!" Jingzhi almost screamed, hurriedly handing the child back to him: "I'm sorry."

"No~~~~~~" The squid clung to her: "No, I don't want Daddy!"

You Yang frowned, looking at the tears on her cheeks. He quickly took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her: "If you can't go, then you can't go."

He sighed, "Have a good day with the child, I'll pick him up tonight." He turned and strode away.

Jingzhi took the handkerchief and wiped away her tears, trying to control her emotions.

She wasn't sure how she had felt when she heard he wanted to go on a date with her...

instinctively a little scared, angry, sad... perhaps even a little happy?

She could finally stand face-to-face with him on the street, speak to him, look him in the eye, and refuse his invitation. Perhaps, this time, she truly stood opposite him as an equal, like a real woman.

Not as a plaything in the shadows, or a faceless surrogate mother…

In truth, this You Yang was no longer the You Yang of the past; he was a man she didn't want to be involved with.

And he was the same—he didn't really want to, because all these years, he had never tried to find her, and he had completely ignored her existence.

Was he really so confident that when they met again, he could simply beckon her with a flick of his finger and she would return to his arms?

Yes, although it seemed a bit awkward, in the ten hours she was held captive by him after seeing him again, she had already sensed the crux of their problem: nothing but desire…

“Mommy! Why did Daddy leave?” Squid wriggled impatiently in her arms.

“Why do you call me Mommy?” Jingzhi looked at the child in surprise.

“Because Daddy told me…” Squid chuckled, “Daddy said only I can bring Mommy back.”

“Squid, good boy, so you know I’m your mommy?” Jingzhi hugged the child, looking into his eyes…

“I didn’t know, but I know now.” Squid’s big eyes rolled around: “So you admit you’re my mommy?”

“Yes,” Jingzhi sighed. Kids these days are so clever, you can’t fool them about anything.

“Mommy!” Squid gave another big bear hug: “Then Mommy, I have a request.”

“What request?” Jingzhi looked at the child curiously.

“Come home with me, and live with Daddy.” The child was indeed a child, his thoughts simple and direct.

“Squid, you don’t understand. Mommy can’t go home with you, and I can’t live with your daddy.” Jingzhi sighed sadly. How could the child understand these things?

“Why, why not? Oh, I understand…”

“Understand what?” Jingzhi couldn’t understand the child’s thoughts.

"Daddy must have bullied you, just like Jiajia's parents. Jiajia said her dad bullied her mom, he pinned her down and wouldn't let her sleep. Does Daddy bully you like that too?" Jingzhi

was speechless.

She had truly experienced the innocence of a child's words.

She gently stroked the child's hair and hugged her tightly. What should she do? She was at a loss. She couldn't bear to part with the child, and You Yang was clearly trying to use the child to force her to comply. What

should she do?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the shop door, and the surprised voice of the shop assistant on the first floor carried all the way upstairs: "Sister Jingzhi, your flowers!"

Jingzhi, holding the child, peeked out from the stairs, then held her breath…

The entire first-floor lobby was slowly filled with long-stemmed white roses.

She walked downstairs in surprise. The person who delivered the flowers—You Yang—was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you flowers?" You Yang waited for her to approach, then lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against her cheek. "You just rejected me because you were afraid of me, right? Because you, like me, long for..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jingzhi said weakly, hugging Little Squid tightly as if it were a shield.

"Actually, you felt it from the first time we met... we both felt it, the attraction between us, irresistible..."

"No! I just want you to stay away from me," she said.

But when he snatched the child from her arms, threw Squid to the shop assistant beside him, and then swept her up in his arms, she gasped and struggled.

"You're still lying to me, Jingzhi." Ignoring her struggles, he carried her upstairs, his eyes burning with fiery passion, but his lips were pressed into a cold line.

"No!" Squid cried out behind them, "Bad Daddy, don't bully Mommy!"

Jingzhi trembled in his arms, confused, her body held tightly by him.

She could smell his musky, orchid-like masculine scent, his warm hands, his strong chest muscles, and his heavy breathing.

"Believe me," You Yang whispered in her ear, each word distinct, "I won't bully you... I will punish you!"

Chapter 55 Punishment

"I think you've misunderstood something. I don't belong to you, nor to anyone else." Jingzhi struggled to break free from his embrace, her steps faltering.

You Yang reached out to support her: "Jingzhi..."

“You and I are equals,” Jingzhi steadied herself, clenched her fists, and looked up. You Yang’s face was hidden in shadow, his expression dark and unfathomable.

Jingzhi tried to keep her tone steady: “What did you just say? That you should do things right? But what are you going to do next? With flowers? With money? With a child? Are you going to try each one to see which one can defeat me?”

“Don’t you like our child?” You Yang’s tone was gentle.

“I do,” Jingzhi answered slowly, feeling as if a part of herself had shattered because of those words: “But I won’t compromise for him. My answer is still—no!”

“Wait a minute.”

You Yang reached out to stop her from turning away, turning her to face him: “Jingzhi, aren’t you being a little awkward…”

He looked down at Jingzhi’s suddenly flushed face: “I admit I was immature before, even just now, my behavior was immature…”

“What are you trying to say?” Jingzhi took a deep breath and asked him slowly.

You Yang opened his arms wide. He had just tossed the squid to Jingzhi and rushed to the florist to order flowers. All the words he had prepared on his way back were now stuck in his throat.

What did he want to say? He wanted to convince her… that he wasn't actually the kind of man she saw.

He wanted to tell her that he was still the same naive young man who longed for Jingzhi, just like he was five years ago.

Why did his usually orderly life become so chaotic whenever he saw Jingzhi?

“I want to say, give me a chance…” He reached out and grasped a strand of her soft hair, gently stroking it with his fingers. Jingzhi

looked up at him without moving, as if she were instantly overwhelmed by the inexplicable lust in You Yang's eyes.

His hand cupped the back of her head through her cascading hair, and he could feel her body stiffen and resist his touch.

“Jingzhi…” His gaze became confused for a moment: “Don’t resist me. I don’t know why you resist me. Didn’t you have any feelings for me back then? Didn’t you…”

Jingzhi struggled, a weak protest came from her throat. She pushed against his chest, but he firmly pulled her closer slowly until their bodies were completely pressed together.

“Tell me, what do you want me to do?” You Yang murmured hoarsely, “Tell me a way to end this torment between us. Tell me!”

“No, this isn’t right. I hate that we always end up sleeping together the moment we meet, but it always seems to be like this between us. Aren’t you like this now?”

Jingzhi said softly, “What are you doing this for? If you want a mistress, go find someone else.”

“What did you say?” You Yang took a step back, stunned. “You said I want a mistress?”

“Isn’t that right?” Jingzhi’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to think about the past anymore, so please let go.”

“When did I say I wanted a mistress?” You Yang grabbed a strand of her hair, his expression becoming almost ferocious. “How did you know? I actually…”

“Ha,” Jingzhi laughed too. “Are you going to say you’ve been waiting for me all this time? Are you going to tell me you love me?”

“I…”

“From the very beginning, you wanted me,” Jingzhi grabbed his collar. “But was what you saw the real me? Did you really like the real me? You only liked this body!”

Jingzhi’s expression became inexplicably agitated. She pointed to her heart. “When you didn’t know I was carrying your child, you just pitied me. Now that you know, you’re using the child to blackmail me.”

You Yang slowly frowned. “Then what do you want me to do? Accept a child of unknown origin? I told you to wait for me to come back, and what did you do? You signed a document relinquishing custody of the child, took the money, and disappeared…”

“Haha!” Jingzhi sneered. “Yes, what else could I do? Your father orchestrated all of this. He pretended not to know anything and watched me sign that agreement. You can only say that he went to great lengths for your benefit.”

You Yang frowned. “Wait!” He grabbed her shoulders. “What did you say? My father…”

“Don’t say anymore,” Jingzhi slowly shook her head. “Don’t say anymore. In this transaction, I am the only weak party. I couldn’t choose back then, but I can choose now.”

"Choose what?" You Yang looked at her warily.

“I choose to stay far away from you!” Jingzhi choked back tears. “I don’t want to humiliate myself.”

“Why do you say that?” You Yang was shocked and angry. “I never intended to humiliate you. I came here with Squid because I wanted you to give me a chance, to give the child a chance. I just want the child to have a mother.”

“What kind of chance?” Jingzhi stared at him blankly. “You’re not going to tell me you’re going to marry me, are you?”

“Why not?” You Yang gritted his teeth. “Why are you so awkward? Why do you always think I’m going to hurt you? Have you even opened your eyes to look at me? You say you don’t want to humiliate yourself, but now I see that I’m the one humiliating myself!”

“I’m sorry,” Jingzhi stepped back. “I’m sorry for making you unhappy. If you haven’t experienced the humiliation, helplessness, and despair I’ve gone through, don’t presume to judge my caution, doubt, and hesitation. After all that, I cherish my precious freedom very, very much. I don’t want to become someone’s captive again.”

“I don’t care!” One step wasn’t enough. You Yang took several steps forward. At this moment, he didn’t care about anything except grabbing her…

He gripped her tightly, his teeth clenched. Couldn’t she see that he really wanted her?

When he woke up that year, he was told she was gone. How did he feel then? He wanted to hate her, he wanted to drag her back and lock her in the room, never letting her leave again, but…

in the end, all he could do was choose to forget…

Now, he was so close to her, so close to the truth he had resisted for so many years…

“What if, what if I just want you!” He grabbed her, pulled her into his arms, and tightened his grip, so tight that she trembled and let out a moan: “Don’t you want Squid? Don’t you want him? Then, let’s each get what we need, let me have you, and let Squid have Mom.”

He lowered his head and captured her lips, lingering and waiting for her response…

After resisting for a long time, Jingzhi finally opened her mouth as if surrendering. His lips and tongue eagerly invaded hers, and her hands, without her own will, wrapped around his neck, her fingers gently running through his hair.

In an instant, intoxicating pleasure surged through his body, overwhelming his fragile nerves and senses.

Jingzhi felt so sweet in his arms, the gentle curves of her breasts pressing softly against his chest. His large hands cupped her soft hips, pulling her close.

"No..." Jingzhi seemed to snap out of her daze for a moment, struggling to break free...

"Relax," he stopped his deep kiss.

Jingzhi trembled uncontrollably in his arms: "I really don't want to be controlled by you. I used to hate you so much."

She murmured weakly, "Let me go, I don't want this twisted relationship."

You Yang gazed at her face, his rough fingers gently stroking her soft cheek: "I never said I was a saint, Jingzhi. What makes you feel that our relationship is twisted?"

“Isn’t that right?” Jingzhi tried desperately to control her hysterical, cold laughter, but couldn’t stop. “Look, we have a child, but this child came about because of this contract. Every time we meet, every argument ends with sex. Do you think this kind of relationship is normal?”

Youyang also gave a desolate, cold laugh. “Yes, yes, this relationship was abnormal from the start. When I woke up five years ago, covered in casts and bandages, I lied to myself, saying, ‘I don’t fucking care!’”

“Then, don’t continue.” Jingzhi looked at him pleadingly. “Forget those things, forget those mistakes in the darkness and passion. I just want to live with dignity, that’s all.”

Youyang’s voice was hoarse. “But don’t think you’re the only victim of that contract. Over the years, you’ve tried your best to change your life, and so have I. You said I haven’t contacted you. Yes, it’s because I’m trying so hard to forget, but I really can’t forget!”

Youyang took her hand and gently kissed her palm. “How do you want to punish me? Just tell me, and I’ll do it.”

“I don’t want to punish anyone. I just want to protect myself.” Jingzhi shook her head.

Chapter 56

Unexpected Turn of Events As soon as the private investigator left, You Shiqun immediately removed the mask of feigned composure from his face.

Although he was always known for his calm and collected demeanor, the current outcome was truly unexpected.

How could this be?

He slowly stood up from his chair and walked to the French windows. He didn't even notice that he was tightly clutching a crystal wine glass in his hand until he heard the sound of the glass shattering in his palm.

"Damn it!"

The sudden ringing of the telephone broke the silence between You Yang and Jingzhi. You Yang looked away and took out his phone from his pocket.

"You Yang, come back." You Shiqun closed his eyes briefly: "No matter where you are, come back."

"Me???????" You Yang frowned. "I'm out there, I can't come back."

"Did you go to see Jingzhi?"

You Yang glanced at Jingzhi quickly: "Yes, so what?"

"Come back!" You Shiqun's tone became strangely odd and pained: "You can't be with her."

I won't tell you the reason, just ask her why her name is Jingzhi, and you'll understand.

Jingzhi could recognize the caller ID as You Shiqun's, but she couldn't hear

him. She watched warily as You Yang walked a short distance to answer the phone, his face turning pale. His gaze suddenly turned cold and desperate as he looked at her.

"No, I don't believe it!" Jingzhi heard You Yang murmur, then shout, "You're lying to me!"

He turned off the phone, strode towards Jingzhi, and grabbed her shoulders. "Your name!"

"My name?"

"Why are you called Jingzhi?"

"Because...?" Jingzhi asked, confused. "I have a piece of jade with a poem engraved on it. It contains the character 'Jing'."

"Let me see!" You Yang noticed a red string around her neck...

He no longer cared about Jingzhi's feelings, ripping open her collar. A damp jade disc lay quietly on her chest. You Yang's hands trembled as he picked up the white jade, still warm from Jingzhi's touch...

A line of poetry was engraved on it: "Movement and stillness are like the stars Shen and Shang."

"What's wrong?" Jingzhi grabbed the jade disc again. "Why did you ask my name?"

"Nothing???" You Yang stepped back, slowly closing his eyes. He definitely recognized the jade disc. Ironically, he hadn't noticed it during their few intimate moments.

"Nothing??? There will never be anything more." You Yang slowly lowered his head, remaining silent for a long while. "I'm sorry, Jingzhi. Forget what I just said. Forget me."

Jingzhi clutched the jade disc in confusion, watching him slowly turn and leave.

"Daddy!" Squid climbed the stairs. "Daddy, how did your talk with Mommy go?"

"Squid, let's go," You Yang picked him up, turning back to look at Jingzhi. "Maybe you're right, we know too little about each other."

Everything had changed so abruptly.

Jingzhi stared blankly as You Yang carried the child downstairs without looking back, out of the shop. A moment later, the sound of a car starting outside could be heard.

Jingzhi gripped the jade disc tightly in her hand, as if she had turned into a statue.

In the suburbs, at the You family mansion.

You Shiqun stood silently by the window, watching You Yang's car speed into the yard, come to a stop erratically, and then see You Yang get out of the car carrying a child, handing the child to Wu Ma who was waiting nearby.

He waited quietly, and sure enough, a moment later, the study door was forcefully pushed open by You Yang: "I need an explanation!"

You Shiqun didn't speak; he tried his best to hide his emotions, but the muscles on his expressionless face twitched slightly, inadvertently revealing the vulnerability he was trying so hard to conceal.

You Yang strode into the room, and You Shiqun watched him approach step by step. After these years of trials, You Yang's temperament had become more and more like his.

The father and son were remarkably similar in appearance; they had similar handsome faces, but You Shiqun's hair already had some silver strands, and his face was more somber than You Yang's.

Yu Yang, clearly a younger version of Yu Shiqun, now wore an angry expression, his resolute tone echoing in the empty study: "A jade disc is not enough to prove anything."

"Not enough to prove anything?" Yu Shiqun retorted. "Then what about the private investigators' reports?" He pointed to a thick stack of documents on the table: "All the evidence points to her being the girl from back then."

Yu Yang picked up the reports, opened them, then resolutely closed them again, his gaze falling on the table with his mother's portrait: "So, you've been suspicious all along?"

"Actually," Yu Shiqun paused for a long time, "I didn't doubt her identity, but when I reread this report, I discovered it said she was a nursemaid, and then the investigation results were...????"

"What are you going to do?" Yu Yang murmured in a tense voice, "Legally, she's more qualified than me to be the heir to the Yu family."

Yu Shiqun clenched his fists: "No, the heir to the Yu family is you. She was sent away at birth."

“You’re cold-blooded,” You Yang’s voice was icy. “Look at the consequences of your actions. It’s too late to undo the damage. I’ve fallen in love with her, and I’m going to marry her.”

“No.” You Shiqun turned his head, his gaze serious. “Now that I know her identity, you can’t marry her. She’s your sister.”

“She is…?” You Shiqun raised his right hand, wrapped in white gauze, to stop You Yang. “Back then, I only suspected, but now, now that I’ve seen her, I know she is indeed your mother’s daughter.”

“Why did you send that child away back then?”

You Yang watched You Shiqun walk to the window.

The view from the window was beautiful; through it, one could see a lush green garden and a swimming pool in the distance.

“Perhaps I was too impulsive back then,” You Shiqun murmured, his expression unfathomable. “Back then, when I returned from America, she told me she was pregnant. The doctor said she was three months along, but I spent four months in America on that business trip.”

After a moment of silence, You Yang said softly, "I remember you were very angry back then. Mom kept crying, begging for your forgiveness. She didn't want to abort the child."

"Yes," You Shiqun's gaze was melancholy, "She never explained to me who the father of the child was, and I couldn't force her. The agreement we reached was that she would stay at home for the entire pregnancy, and after giving birth, she would be sent away."

"Yes, I remember." You Yang's eyes were unfocused, "I was smaller than a squid back then, and Mom would let me touch the baby in her belly every day."

"You remember?"

"I remember." "

Then," You Shiqun closed his eyes, "never go looking for her again????"

You Yang froze, "I can't, I???? I've already decided to pursue her again, so what if I know she's the baby girl? Anyway, we???????"

"She's your mother's daughter, that alone is enough!" You Shiqun said decisively, "Don't say anything else."

"No!" You Yang gazed at the carp playing and running in the garden outside the window. "I've made up my mind. Even if she's the girl my mother gave birth to, I'll still marry her."

Chapter 57 The Mystery

Jingzhi clutched the jade disc in her hand. It was an ancient, moist piece of jade, one side carved with a meander pattern of scrolling grass, the other with ancient seal script inscriptions. She

had carried this jade with her since she could remember. Why did You Yang's attitude change so drastically after seeing it?

Could it be...?

No, she had to find out.

Jingzhi dialed her mother's number and arranged a time to go home. She had to ask her mother about the origin of this jade.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the city...

Zeng Lili leaned against a brocade-covered antique sofa, her black, satin-like hair alluringly draped over her half-naked shoulders.

When You Shiqun entered the room, she smiled slightly at him, a smile full of temptation.

"Shiqun, I have good news!" she said to him. "But first, let me show you my new dress."

She stood up gracefully and twirled lightly in place. She wore a sheer, almost transparent gold-threaded tulle dress.

"Look at me, darling! This dress is specially bought for your birthday, just for the two of us to see."

You Shiqun leaned against the door, his gaze deep as he watched her twirl gracefully like a ballerina. The sexy lingerie, like a sheer veil, almost reached her ankles, completely covering her perfect figure, yet the sheer material made it almost as if she were naked.

Only more hazy; through the thin fabric, her graceful body was faintly visible beneath the tulle.

Zeng Lili stared at him, her alluring, watery eyes fixed on him. Seeing no reaction from him, she stopped and slowly walked towards him.

"Shiqun, I missed you so much." She pressed against him, whispering, "You haven't come in so long, I've missed you so much lately."

You Shiqun let her soft, frail body press against him, but he didn't react to her alluring body at all. He lowered his head and looked at Zeng Lili expressionlessly: "What did you want to see me about? Get to the point."

"Shiqun, sit down first..." Zeng Lili looked at him affectionately: "I have good news."

You Shiqun looked at the woman in front of him who had been his mistress for five years, "I also have something to tell you."

He avoided her and gestured to a set of single sofas facing each other in the living room, "I want to have a good talk with you."

"Okay," she still clung to him, accompanying him to the sofa, and tried to sit down with him on the large single sofa.

But You Shiqun frowned, stood up, and sat on the opposite sofa: "What do you want to tell me? Not that you're telling me you're pregnant?"

Zeng Lili was stunned, her smile slowly fading: "How did you know?"

You Shiqun leaned back leisurely on the sofa, his gaze firm: "What's his name? The father of your child?"

"You're insulting me," Zeng Lili controlled her angry expression: "The child is yours, and I was on vacation with you at the beach when I was pregnant????"

"I know it wasn't me." You Shiqun turned to look out the window: "So, from now on, you can pack your things and leave."

"You're insulting me," Zeng Lili's pleasant expression slowly turned to anger and frustration: "I'm carrying your child."

"You must be mistaken????" You Shiqun interrupted her: "My only child is You Yang, there won't be anyone else. I believe I made that clear during our first conversation."

"I believe you," You Shiqun said calmly: "So our game is over."

"I've never played a game with you—"

"Is that so?" He interrupted with a cold laugh.

Zeng Lili trembled and backed away: "I don't believe it. All these years, I've been with you...?"

You Shiqun stared coldly at her: "We made things clear a long time ago. You need to understand the rules of the game."

"Are you a cold-blooded animal?" Zeng Lili choked back tears: "I'm carrying your child."

"I believe another lucky man will take on this responsibility." You Shiqun pursed his lips: "But it won't be me."

"You Shiqun, you're a devil!" Zeng Lili's face paled: "You actually wouldn't abandon your own flesh and blood."

"Whether I'm a devil or not isn't for you to decide."

"Why are you so certain that the child I'm carrying isn't yours?" Zeng Lili proudly raised her chin: "You know, even though you're 50, many men in their 60s and 70s still have children."

"I won't."

"What did you say??????"

You Shiqun twisted his lips into a mocking smile: "After giving birth to You Yang, I developed a disease?????? Although I have desires like a normal man, and quite good ones at that, my sperm motility is very low. Believe me, even if you stole my sperm for IVF, it wouldn't be successful."

"You Shiqun, I hate you!" Zeng Lili said slowly, each word distinct. "I never want to see you again! You?????? beast!" You

Shiqun smiled slightly: "Don't be angry. I'm sure your anger will have a bad effect on the baby in your belly. Of course, I also have something to tell you, but you should say it first."

He took out an envelope and pushed it towards her from the coffee table: "Let's part amicably. I came here today to give you this."

Zeng Lili looked at the envelope, knowing it was compensation from You Shiqun. Given his generous nature, the compensation must be substantial. She wanted to pick up the envelope and throw it in his face.

But... why should she make things difficult for herself?

You Shiqun smiled as he watched her put the envelope away: "That's right, no one would turn down money."

Chapter 58 Variables

When Jingzhi returned from her mother's place, it was already late. She sat in a taxi, sorting out her scattered thoughts.

Her mother didn't provide her with any particularly valuable clues, only telling her that a stranger had called her to ask when she had found Jingzhi.

Regarding Yu Jingzhi's past, besides the jade, there was also a small blanket wrapped around her—an ordinary little blanket, without any notes or anything else.

What exactly happened?

This jade disc is now the only clue to Jingzhi's past, but why did You Yang react so strangely when he saw it?

The mystery remains, and she has no idea what to expect.

The taxi stopped at the corner of her apartment building. Jingzhi got out. The bustling downtown area was crowded with people in the evening. She sighed; the little bit of food she had eaten with her mother at home seemed to have been completely digested.

She needed to replenish her energy. Just as she was about to find a fast-food restaurant for dinner, her arm was grabbed.

She turned around; it was You Yang.

They stared at each other blankly, letting the bustling crowd part them like pillars blocking their way.

After a moment of silence, You Yang calmly said, "I think I've messed everything up. Let's have dinner together. I'm just suggesting it; this dinner was originally my idea to treat you."

Jingzhi didn't argue further, silently letting him take her hand as they walked along the ancient pedestrian street to a century-old Western restaurant. It was a Russian-style restaurant, selling the most authentic rye bread, cabbage rolls, braised shrimp, and the finest sturgeon caviar. The

room was luxuriously decorated with wooden floors and exquisite original oil paintings. The lighting in the private room was dim, and a faint, melancholic Russian song drifted through the air—everything seemed like a scene from an old movie.

Jingzhi was really hungry. She took a spoonful of braised shrimp with a small spoon—delicious!

You Yang spread sturgeon caviar on the bread, then, with a slight press of the knife, spread a layer of butter on top, and handed it to her.

Jingzhi took a bite; it had a slightly fishy taste, but it was absolutely delicious. The rye bread had a slightly sour taste, quite different from Italian bread, but it had its own unique flavor.

The cabbage rolls were also good, made with roasted cabbage leaves wrapped around minced meat, and tasted delicious.

Jingzhi kept eating and eating and eating, while Youyang just watched quietly, his eyes sparkling: "Slow down, don't choke."

Jingzhi stopped, took a sip of coffee, it was very bitter, she put down the cup: "Thank you for dinner, it was delicious. But, I'm curious, why did you come back? I believe you already said it??????"

"I didn't say anything, damn it." Youyang's voice was calm and firm. "What I said to you this morning, I want you back, I want you to live with me and Squid, nothing has changed."

"I don't deny that the invitation was very attractive." Jingzhi gripped the cup in her hand tightly, until her knuckles turned white. “But I said I don’t want to be involved with you anymore. You can come to me when you’re happy, and leave without a word when you’re unhappy, just like this morning, when you received a call from your father and obediently left.”

You Yang took a deep breath, his dark pupils like deep, cold, smoky crystals, unfathomable and profound: “Jingzhi, is this really what you want? You’re like a hedgehog eager to protect itself. Fine, you win. I won’t ask you for anything more.”

Jingzhi pursed her lips, struggling to say, “I believe you’ll gradually realize this is for the best.”

The two of them looked at each other across the table, so close yet so far.

You swallowed hard. Jingzhi was so close to him; he could reach out a hand and find her. How he longed to touch her hair and hold her in his arms!

But the familiar yet unfamiliar woman before him didn’t seem to be Jingzhi. His Jingzhi, the Jingzhi he had always missed, was just an illusion living in his heart?

He couldn't help but grit his teeth, thinking—this woman before him was selfish and greedy. Why would he believe she would come back because of the child?

"What exactly do you want?" You Yang stared coldly at her. "Money? Jewelry? Or, marriage? I can give you anything except marriage."

Jingzhi silently looked at You Yang. What was he saying?

Actually, ever since he grabbed her arm, she had wanted him to hold her tightly in his arms, just like when they last met, to use his strong, warm body to dispel the shock, fear, and loneliness she seemed to have suffered.

How ridiculous! It was clearly desire at work, yet she couldn't stop herself from recalling their brief encounter that day. She longed for him to enter her body, to stay there forever. What did she want? She wanted more than just that.

Jingzhi silently glared at him. What else did she want? She didn't just want him to come to her because of desire or because of the child; she needed more—love?

Without love and respect, she would rather have nothing, nothing at all.

Sure enough, he hit the nail on the head. Jingzhi laughed hysterically: "You're not married anymore? Is this what you're saying? You love me?"

"Listen to me!" You Yang impatiently reached out and grabbed her: "There's more to this than meets the eye." "

More than meets the eye?" Jingzhi's eyes widened: "What more? Right, I remember now, you have a wife, isn't she the one who hired me to have your child? Is she alright now?"

You Yang slowly withdrew his hand: "She's not my wife."

"Because...?" You Yang gritted his teeth: "Don't talk about her, I just want to say—why can't you give me a chance? Why don't you look at the child? You...?"

"What about me?" Jingzhi stood up, knowing she was about to say the most heartless thing: "What I want is marriage, I want a husband to rely on. You said you'd marry me, and now you're backing out, but I don't care!"

You Yang also slowly stood up, his pitying gaze quietly watching her. She was saying she wanted marriage now? But he couldn't afford it anymore. How terrible, how utterly absurd.

"Why?" He reached out to grasp her shoulder, but withdrew his hand halfway. Jingzhi watched him slowly turn away, dejected, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

"If this is what you want???" He turned back. "If you think only marriage can prove my love for you? Then go find your Casanova fiancé!"

The door slammed shut behind him, and Jingzhi could hear his hurried footsteps thumping down the old wooden stairs.

She stood there, stunned, listening to his footsteps fade into the distance.

If this was what she wanted, she should be happy now, but why did she feel a pain in her heart, as if it were being ripped out by a knife?

She loosened her tightly clenched, aching hands, her palms marked with nail marks. She wanted to laugh, but in the end, tears streamed down her face.

You won, you finally conquered yourself! The mocking words echoed in her heart, only intensifying the desolation within.

She didn't know how she managed to shuffle back to her apartment. Once inside, she collapsed onto the bed and sobbed loudly, as if she had never cried so freely before.

What was wrong with her? She had clearly done the right thing, so why didn't she feel happy?

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but when she awoke from a deep, forbidden sleep, she found the sky already beginning to lighten. Her body was stiff and numb from her contorted sleeping position.

She struggled to turn over, removed the clothes that bound her body, and crawled under the sheets. Sleepiness quickly seized her fragile nerves once more, and bizarre, horrific nightmares followed her relentlessly.

She was heartbroken by a sudden, urgent phone call.

She struggled to pick up the receiver, afraid to hear You Yang's voice, yet also secretly hoping to hear it. The other person spoke; it was Ding Lei.

"Jingzhi, please help me." Ding Lei's tone was light and cheerful. "Is your passport okay? Can we process the paperwork to go abroad right away?"

"Oh, sure." Jingzhi felt a splitting headache. "Why are you asking this?"

"It's like this, my best friend has booked a whole tropical island in Myanmar for her wedding, but the wedding photography company she booked is fully booked. Can you take this job?" "

Myanmar? A tropical island?" Jingzhi didn't react for a moment. "That's very expensive."

"Money is no problem." Ding Lei's tone was cheerful. "Believe me, if you take this job, the profit will be enough for your shop to make half a year's income. My friend said not to try to save money for her husband; he has plenty of money."

Ding Lei continued, "They've already hired a famous local wedding photography company to take some sample photos. Your job is to send the sample photos back to Zhuangni so he can do the post-production for them in China."

Zhuangni was the shop manager from Hong Kong whom Jingzhi had hired; he was practically a top expert in wedding photography.

"Can't Johnny come with me?"

"Of course not. It's peak wedding season. If Johnny leaves the shop with you, the shop won't be able to stay afloat."

"Oh, that's great." Jingzhi hung up the phone and let out a long sigh of relief.

Perfect. She could use this time away from here to slowly forget You Yang's influence on her.

The plane tickets were booked smoothly, a flight in three days.

Jingzhi carefully packed her luggage, picking out some simple dresses, casual shorts and tops, and a few nicer dresses and sportswear.

Not much stuff, but quality.

Because the tropical island she was going to was very hot, she brought only summer clothes. She used the phone number Ding Lei gave her to contact the Myanmar side and booked a hotel. If nothing went wrong, it would only take a week to get everything settled.

The flight to Myanmar was slowly filling up with tour groups from China. Ding Lei told her that after getting off the plane and completing immigration and customs procedures, she must immediately go to the airport information desk, where her friend's driver was waiting for her.

As soon as she stepped off the plane, Jingzhi was taken aback by the tropical climate. It was only May, but the temperature was already over 30 degrees Celsius.

She wiped the sweat that was quickly forming on her forehead with a small handkerchief as she searched for the information desk.

Finally, behind a patch of tropical plants, she found the counter .

Because Myanmar is a Buddhist country, the girl at the information desk greeted her with her hands clasped together, then asked in fluent Mandarin, "Excuse me, can I help you?"

Jingzhi took out the business card Ding Lei had given her friend: "I'm waiting for a driver, may I ask...?"

The girl looked behind her. "This gentleman has been waiting for you for a long time." Jingzhi noticed that the girl's tone was surprisingly humble. It was strange to address a driver in such a tone. Are all people in this country so polite?

The driver behind her had already taken the simple luggage she was carrying.

Jingzhi turned around, only to be stunned and frozen in shock.

"Hello, Jingzhi." Wearing designer sunglasses, a sun hat, and a tropical summer outfit, You Shiqun looked like a fit male model straight out of a Hawaiian beach tourism advertisement. His smile was calm and composed. "Welcome to Myanmar."

Chapter 59 Jade

"You???" Jingzhi's eyes widened in surprise. She took a step back, still unable to accept that You Shiqun had come to pick her up. "How could it be you?"

"Because I booked you." You Shiqun smiled. "Please, the car is waiting for you outside."

"Me??????" Jingzhi could hardly speak. "Why should I listen to you? I want to go back immediately."

"Trust me," You Shiqun held out his hand. "You only have one choice: come with me."

"Why?"

"Because your passport, your money, and all your documents are in this suitcase I'm holding."

"I can do without these things." Jingzhi looked at him calmly. "I can go to the embassy for help and say my luggage is lost."

“Believe me, that would be very troublesome. And imagine, in this foreign country, what dangers would a beautiful young lady encounter alone on her way to the embassy?”

“Please don’t scare me!” Jingzhi looked around. “I don’t believe that if I shout for help in this airport, no one will stop me.”

“Believe me, it won’t work,” You Shiqun stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her close to him. “I just told the receptionist over there, and the security guards not far away, that my wife is an emotional person. She’s angry with me, and I’m going to give her a surprise.”

“What??????” Your wife? Jingzhi’s tone was momentarily uncoordinated. “When did I?”

“Hmph???” You Shiqun snorted lightly. “Even the Emperor can’t control this place. If I say you’re my wife, who would dare say otherwise?”

He pulled Jingzhi half-into his arms, lowered his head, and whispered in her ear with a smile, “Why don’t you just marry me?”

He was joking, and Jingzhi could feel that he was deliberately trying to scare her.

Jingzhi looked up: "What exactly do you want, Uncle?"

Uncle?

Jingzhi's words made You Shiqun frown.

"What did you say?"

"I said, Uncle!" Jingzhi broke free from him, her shoulder accidentally brushing against the bandage wrapped around his hand.

You Shiqun's brow furrowed: "Alright, stop fooling around, come with me!"

"I," Jingzhi stopped, covering her mouth, "Ding Lei asked me to come here, and you actually conspired with Ding Lei to lie to me?"

"Ding Lei didn't lie to you," You Shiqun smiled, "There really was such a wedding, and I really was going to take you to that island. Now, can we go?"

"Whose wedding?" Jingzhi took a step back, asking hesitantly.

"You'll find out when we get there."

"No, I'm not going." Jingzhi tried to snatch back the luggage he was carrying, but he frowned, seemingly annoyed: "Listen to me, you'll find out when we get there."

"I won't!" Jingzhi stubbornly persisted. She and You Shiqun glared angrily at each other in the waiting hall until You Shiqun smiled: "Alright, you don't have to go, but the jade you photographed, and your background, will forever remain a mystery."

He placed Jingzhi's suitcase on the ground, then turned and walked away with determined steps.

Jingzhi paused, picked up her suitcase, and followed him: "Wait, what did you say about my background?" Do you know?

"Yes, I know," You Shiqun nodded noncommittally: "The jade you photographed???"

"What about the jade?" Jingzhi, carrying the heavy luggage, struggled to keep up with him. "

Your background???????" You Shiqun turned back, "Have you thought it through? Do you want to know?"

"You really want to know?"

“Of course,” You Shiqun took the suitcase from her and strode out of the airport terminal. “Come with me, I can solve this mystery for you.”

A luxurious gold Rolls-Royce silently pulled up, and a Thai man in uniform jumped out and opened the car door for them. Jingzhi hesitated for a moment, then got in.

Myanmar is a Buddhist country and also a jade-producing country. It is world-renowned for its jadeite. As early as the Qing Dynasty, Burmese jadeite became one of the most beloved jade artifacts among the Chinese. The influx of Chinese tourists from Switzerland to Myanmar further drove up the price of Burmese jadeite.

You Shiqun didn’t seem to be in a hurry to take Jingzhi to their destination. Instead, he had the driver take them to see the world-famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

“Do you see that golden lotus pagoda?” You Shiqun pointed to the magnificent pagoda in the distance. “I’m taking you to see someone.” Yu

Shiqun led her to the temple attached to the Shwedagon Pagoda, but instead of taking her inside, she led her up an east-west staircase lined with shops selling traditional jade artifacts and tourist souvenirs.

Jingzhi followed Yu Shiqun through the bustling crowds of tourists, local monks, and devotees, as if the passage of time couldn't alter the appearance of this Buddhist country; the scenes of craftsmanship seemed to have stepped back into the last century or even earlier.

Yu Shiqun, as if familiar with the place, led Jingzhi into a small, cramped jade shop.

The shop was dimly lit, a typical handcrafted jade workshop.

This workshop specialized in making various jade bracelets and pendants. As soon as Jingzhi entered, a little girl who spoke Chinese approached her, bowing with her hands clasped together: "What would you like to buy?"

"I'm not buying anything," Yu Shiqun looked around, "I just want your master to look at a piece of jade." Then she held out her hand to Jingzhi: "Give me the jade." Jingzhi

was bewildered by his actions and could only take off the jade and hand it to him.

You Shiqun took the jade and slowly squatted down in the corner of the workshop, in front of the old master craftsman who was working diligently with his head down. "Master, please look at this jade."

The old master stopped his work, pressed the jade over, and examined it carefully under the light. "Hmm, I carved this. This piece is about 20 years old."

"Do you remember who ordered this from you?" You Shiqun asked with a smile.

The old man raised his cloudy eyes. "That was too long ago. I only remember the jade. As for who the owner of the jade was..."

His gaze suddenly turned and he saw Jingzhi. "Oh my, this little girl looks familiar... I remember now. Years ago, a young couple came to me to order a jade disc. It was originally a whole disc, but the two young people were quite trendy, so I split the perfectly good jade disc in half."

The old man stroked the semi-circular jade disc in his hand. "Half for each of us, that's what the man said back then. Even if we're separated, the disc is still proof." You

Shiqun nodded, took the jade disc, and then Jingzhi turned to leave.

Jingzhi remained silent for a long time, a thousand questions growing in her mind: "Why did you ask that jade craftsman these questions?"

You Shiqun had been intently gazing at the scenery outside the window, so focused that it took him a while to react after Jingzhi finished speaking: "Um, well, we'll talk about that later."

He reached out and placed the jade disc in the center of Jingzhi's palm. His fingers accidentally touched hers; his fingers were icy cold, but Jingzhi seemed to be electrocuted and quickly withdrew her hand.

"Don't be afraid," You Shiqun leaned back in his chair, the sudden weariness and vulnerability on his face momentarily captivating her: "I won't eat you, besides, I...?" He suddenly laughed. "

Alright, don't be nervous. I'll let you know the answer when we get to the island."

Jingzhi gripped the jade in her hand tightly. She was terrified, even though she didn't know why she was afraid. The inexplicable truth she was about to face, and her wariness and fear of the man before her, made her stomach ache like it was tied in knots.

The car had just stopped at the dock when You Shiqun got out before her. In the distance, a luxurious yacht was moored at the dock. After spotting their car, the yacht sounded its horn.

The Burmese sun was excessively bright. Jingzhi put on a sun hat and followed You Shiqun out of the car, while the driver helped her with her luggage.

Suddenly, a small figure appeared on the yacht in the distance.

"Mommy!" That loud, childlike voice was unmistakably—it was her Squid?

Jingzhi froze, her throat choked with emotion. Her child?

"Mommy, come quick! Grandpa is so good! He said he could find you if he could find you!"

You Shiqun nudged Jingzhi's shoulder: "Get on board, the child is waiting for you." Jingzhi

forgot her earlier fear and doubt; her heart was now filled with the adorable squid. She practically ran up the yacht's gangway and hugged the tiny, plump squid tightly.

Her child, her child…

Jingzhi choked back tears as she held the baby close. In that instant, she suddenly realized she never wanted to be separated from her child again. If You Yang were here, if he asked her to stay with her child again, she would agree without hesitation.

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