[Urban] Hidden Sin (Complete) - 7-9

Chapter Thirty-Four: Dealing with the Slippery

Road – The car was moving at a steady pace, still kicking up dust and gravel – it had just rained, making the road slippery and sticky, and the wheels kicked up many small stones and sand.

This pained Ding Bu greatly; his car was brand new, and this terrible road was making his beloved vehicle suffer. He cursed Xue Jin inwardly for his mischief.

The rain continued the journey, and when Ding Bu finally saw Xue Jin's car in the distance, the sky had cleared, and a rare seven-colored rainbow appeared in the sky.

Ding Bu stopped the car; Xue Jin was already waiting beside him.

"You… what happened to you?" Ding Bu slammed the car door shut, about to ask him something, but upon seeing his appearance, he froze, uttering only this question in a daze.

– The man had several scratches on his left cheek, covered with red scabs, indicating fresh injuries.

Seeing Ding Bu staring at his cheek, Xue Jin realized something, reached out and gently touched it; it did hurt a little.

"Damn, this little girl's hands are really sharp. If she brings this back, she'll have something to explain to Bai Sisi.

" "What happened to your face? You were perfectly fine yesterday!" Ding Bu stroked his thick chin, saying with interest.

Xue Jin glanced up at him: "I was grabbed by a woman. I didn't go home last night."

Both Ding Bu and Xue Jin were skilled at managing their households and were carefree in public. Ding Bu was ruthless, while Xue Jin was good at covering up, cunning, and shrewd.

Ding Bu sometimes despised his 'darkness,' but everyone has their own way of doing things. What was

going on? This seemingly perfect man hadn't come home all night? There must be something going on.

"What happened? Tell me, did you two have a fight?" Ding Bu's first thought was that Bai Sisi had done this to Xue Jin's face, that the two had a disagreement, leading to Xue Jin leaving home.

But then he thought again, leaving home? Where was he going this way?

“We didn’t argue, but it’ll be soon.” Saying this, Xue Jin reached for a cigarette from Ding Bu, lit it, and took a deep drag. “I’m afraid I’m in trouble this time, and I need your help.”

Xue Jin had already turned off his phone; he was afraid Bai Sisi would call him in the morning.

“What kind of help is it?” Ding Bu, seeing his serious expression, also became earnest.

“Here’s the thing: it rained heavily yesterday, and I drank too much. I was with a girl and couldn’t go home. I drove back early this morning, but my car ran out of gas and is stuck here.” After saying this, Xue Jin held the cigarette and took another drag.

“…” Ding Bu waited for him to continue.

“I didn’t answer Sisi’s calls last night; she might be suspicious.”

“What can I do?” Ding Bu thought for a moment.

“Give me some testimony. Yesterday, we drank too much with clients, then went to a bathhouse to rest. Unfortunately, my phone was stolen.”

“Uh…” Ding Bu asked uncertainly, “Will she believe me?”

Bai Sisi had always known that Xue Jin had some dealings with Ding Bu, but because she was busy and the man didn't have any bad records, she hadn't dug too deep into his network of relationships.

It didn't matter who he drank and ate with, as long as he didn't cause any trouble outside and came home on time.

“She will,” Xue Jin said confidently. Sometimes, even if a woman has suspicions, as long as there's no evidence and the man stubbornly refuses to speak, there's no problem.

“Okay, I'll listen to you,” Ding Bu agreed, then helped Xue Jin fill up the gas tank in his Jeep, thinking they could go home together.

But unexpectedly…

“You go first, I have something to do, thanks,” Xue Jin said.

"..." Ding Bu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "This kid, when he gets cunning, nobody knows what he's thinking or doing. Fine, if he won't say anything, then so be it.

" "Alright, I'll go first." Ding Bu nodded, the two waved to each other, and he got into the car and drove away.

Xue Jin carefully carried the little girl wrapped in a thin blanket in his arms, all the way to the jeep.

Lian Yu felt dizzy and cold all over. She knew the man was carrying her, but she had no strength to breathe, no strength to speak, let alone walk.

Xue Jin placed her on the back seat of the car, carefully tucked her in, and looked down at her face, reaching out to touch her forehead.

He pressed the back of his hand against the little girl's smooth forehead; it was very hot—she definitely had a fever.

"Xiao Yu, you're cold. Hang in there, we'll be home soon." Just as he finished speaking, the little girl weakly lifted her eyelids, looking at him with unfocused eyes.

"Uncle, I...I'm so cold, my stomach hurts a bit, and I want to sleep." Last night, Lian Yu's little body was mostly exposed to the cold outside. Although Xue Jin warmed her up, she still got sick.

At first, she didn't feel anything, but now it was getting worse.

"I...I know, I'm sorry, it's all Uncle's fault. Uncle will turn on the air conditioner for you later. If you want to sleep, go ahead and sleep. I'll wake you when we get there." Xue Jin saw that the little girl's face was flushed and she looked unwell, and he was very anxious—he had a lot on his plate, and now she was sick? What a mess of things, all happening at once.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Fever.

Xue Jin carefully carried the little girl, wrapped in a thin blanket, in his arms and walked to the jeep.

Lian Yu was dizzy and cold all over. She knew the man was carrying her, but she had no strength to breathe, let alone speak, let alone walk on her own.

Xue Jin settled her on the back seat of the car, carefully tucked her in, and looked down at her face, reaching out to touch her forehead.

He pressed the back of his hand against the little girl's smooth forehead; it was very hot—she definitely had a fever.

"Xiaoyu, you're cold. Hang in there, we'll be home soon." Just as he finished speaking, the little girl weakly lifted her eyelids, looking at him with unfocused eyes.

"Uncle, I...I'm so cold, my stomach hurts a little, and I want to sleep." Last night, Lian Yu's little body had been exposed to the cold most of the time, and although Xue Jin had warmed her up, she still hadn't gotten into trouble.

At first, he hadn't thought much of it, but now it was getting increasingly strange.

"I...I know, I'm sorry, it's all Uncle's fault. Uncle will turn on the air conditioning for you later. If you want to sleep, go ahead and sleep. I'll wake you when we get there." Seeing the little girl's flushed face and unnatural sickness, Xue Jin was also anxious—he had a whole mess to deal with, and now she was sick? What a chaotic mess, all happening at once.

Xue Jin gently stroked the little one's smooth face, then closed the car door, walked around to the front, and got into the driver's seat.

After starting the engine, Xue Jin turned on the air conditioning—the sun was out, and the temperature was rising steadily, with a perceived temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius, so Xue Jin didn't turn the air conditioning up too high.

He pressed the clutch, and the Jeep slowly glided along, quickly reaching 110 mph.

"Xiao Yu, how are you feeling?" Xue Jin saw in the rearview mirror that the little one had turned over restlessly, curling himself up even tighter.

"..." No response?! Was he asleep? Xue Jin wasn't sure.

The man also had children at home, and he was always extremely worried when his son had a headache or fever, especially that time when his son had a high fever that wouldn't break, convulsed, and fainted—it had terrified him.

When I went to the hospital for a diagnosis, the doctor said that I was lucky to have come in time, otherwise my brain would have been damaged. I spent a week in the ward before I recovered. You can't underestimate these common minor ailments, they can be dangerous if not handled properly.

Xue Jin panicked a little, pressing the accelerator harder—

forty minutes later, he bought a thermometer and fever reducer at the pharmacy and rushed back—the first thing he did upon entering was to take the little girl's temperature.

Pulling back the blanket, Lian Yu instinctively shivered, perhaps from the cold. When Xue Jin placed the thermometer under her armpit, the icy glass made her shiver.

"Don't move, it'll be done soon," Xue Jin quickly stopped her when he saw her trying to turn over uncomfortably, fearing the thermometer would fall and make the reading inaccurate.

Lian Yu felt her palms and soles burning, yet her body felt like it was in an icebox, her consciousness hazy, only vaguely aware that she was naked and the man was beside her.

After glancing at the instructions for the medicine, Xue Jin squeezed out two pills from a tray and went to the kitchen to get a thermos—luckily, it contained warm water, albeit left overnight, but it was better than freshly boiled water.

After pouring out a small half-cup, Xue Jin sat quietly on the edge of the bed—his mind was in turmoil. He hadn't been home all night, and it was already eight o'clock, yet he hadn't even called Bai Sisi back; things were definitely still turbulent there.

Five minutes later, feeling the time was about right, Xue Jin took the thermometer from under the little girl's arm—40 degrees Celsius.

Xue Jin was startled by the number, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.

He hurriedly and gently helped the little girl sit up, letting her lean against him: "Xiaoyu, wake up, it's time for your medicine."

Lian Yu squinted slightly; she wasn't asleep, she couldn't sleep even if she wanted to, she was just helplessly tormented between fire and water.

Blinking hard, tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, and she said weakly, "Uncle, am I...am I going to die? I feel so bad."

Hearing this, Xue Jin felt a lump in his throat. In his view, nothing in the world was difficult—it was all about human effort. If there was a problem, you should solve it. Sighing and complaining was definitely not his style.

“Xiaoyu, don’t talk nonsense. You just have a cold and fever, it’s not a serious illness. Saying things like ‘I’m going to die’ is so unlucky!” Xue Jin said, holding the pills to her lips.

“But…but I’ve had colds before, and I never felt like this. I got better without medicine. I’ve never felt this bad!” Lian Yu didn’t even look at the pills, staring straight into Xue Jin’s eyes, looking extremely aggrieved.

Her gaze was filled with resentment and hatred, as if saying, “It’s all your fault! If you hadn’t bullied me, I wouldn’t be like this!”

Seeing her like this, Xue Jin admitted that it was all his fault. He thought that while having affairs outside was exciting, it also required the right time, place, and people!

Regardless, getting her better was the most important thing, so the man softened his tone and said, “Xiaoyu, with Uncle taking care of you, you’ll be fine. Come on! Be good! Take the medicine, and you’ll feel better.”

He then pushed the pills forward further.

Lian Yu's eyelids drooped, her spirits were low. She half-opened her small mouth, bit into the pill, then took a few sips of water, tilted her head back, and swallowed it all at once.

"Alright, that's a good girl." Xue Jin helped her lie down carefully and continued, "Xiao Yu, it's okay, you'll be fine soon. You sleep for a while, I'll make you some porridge, you can eat it in a bit."

Chapter Thirty-Five After settling Lian Yu down

with a fever, Xue Jin started washing rice and cooking—he hadn't eaten either and was hungry, so he cooked extra rice. Then he simply washed some vegetables, added three eggs, and put them in the pot.

He turned on the gas and stared blankly at the flames for a while, during which he vaguely smelled a burnt smell—the rice was burning at the bottom of the pot.

The man quickly turned off the gas, lifted the lid, and thankfully, there was still water inside; it hadn't dried out.

He filled a large bowl and added a small porcelain bowl, which was just the right size. Xue Jin washed the pot and carried the two bowls of porridge into the bedroom, placing them on the bedside table.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the little girl—her eyes were closed, her face flushed, and her breathing rapid. He wondered if she was asleep.

Xue Jin hesitated for a moment, then decided not to disturb her and to eat first.

The vegetable porridge was simple and light. It was warm and comforting in his mouth. As he ate, Xue Jin thought: He usually made sure his breakfasts were convenient and nutritious, while his lunches and dinners were generally more substantial. But since he was with the little one, he hadn't been so particular. Noodles and vegetable porridge were fine too.

Before he knew it, the large bowl was empty. Xue Jin contentedly pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, then glanced at the little girl and turned to leave.

Xue Jin went to the nearest phone booth.

"Boss, I need to make a call!" Xue Jin greeted, picked up the phone, and his fingers deftly dialed a few numbers.

A moment later…

“Hello, Sisi? This is Xue Jin. I drank too much last night and spent the night at a bathhouse!” Xue Jin got straight to the point.

“Drunk? You drank too much and didn’t go home? You drank too much and turned off your phone?” Bai Sisi hadn’t slept well all night, suffering from insomnia until 3 a.m. before finally dozing off.

“I didn’t want to either. Ding Bu and I both got drunk and didn’t go home. To make matters worse, my phone was stolen.” Xue Jin sounded dejected.

“Ding Bu? Is that your classmate?” Bai Sisi’s heart pounded. This was the first time her man had stayed out all night, and she felt uneasy.

“Yes, it’s him. We were together all day yesterday. If you don’t believe me, you can call his phone to verify.” Xue Jin said sincerely.

He even gave her a phone number at the end.

Bai Sisi was skeptical of his words, but she knew perfectly well that since he dared to give her his number, he wasn’t afraid of her checking. If she called, she definitely wouldn’t find anything.

Hearing no response, Xue Jin continued to appeal to her emotions: "Sisi, you don't know, the client I was dealing with yesterday was from Northeast China, and he can really drink. As the client, it wouldn't be right for us not to entertain him."

"Hmph...who knows who you were entertaining?" Bai Sisi retorted irritably. Although she was angry, she didn't have any evidence and couldn't argue unnecessarily.

"You, look at what you're saying, what, do you think I had anyone else besides you?" Xue Jin seemed insulted, his tone extremely displeased.

"I didn't say that, you said it yourself." Hearing the signs of her husband getting angry, Bai Sisi said resentfully.

"Sisi, my good wife, we've been married for so many years, don't you know what I'm like? If I really had those kinds of things, you can say whatever you want, it's all baseless, why are you thinking such nonsense! You're really just bored." Xue Jin further indignantly declared his innocence.

"Stop! You're the one in the wrong, but it's my fault? Don't play games with me. Swear an oath, and I'll believe you." Bai Sisi didn't want to argue anymore, since she didn't have any evidence, and this was the first time the man had encountered such a situation.

Xue Jin rolled his eyes, thinking women were really naive, believing men's oaths.

"Okay, I swear, I didn't do anything to betray my wife Bai Sisi yesterday. If I'm lying, then I'll [illegible]."

Xue Jin made this oath decisively, without any psychological burden: because he felt that sleeping with women was his right, and Bai Sisi could cheat on him, yet he was expected to be faithful? That was wishful thinking. So, he hadn't wronged her in the slightest yesterday, and there was no question of breaking his oath.

Bai Sisi nodded, her heart finally calming down.

"Okay, I'll believe you this once, but you can't do it again next time."

Xue Jin smiled smugly, but when he got home that night, the injury on his face still aroused the woman's suspicion. Xue Jin explained that he was drunk and didn't know when or where he got the injury.

Clearly, this wasn't very convincing, and the man solved the problem with just one sentence: "If you don't believe me, I'll swear another oath."

There's a classic saying: "I'd rather believe in ghosts than trust a man's words."

Both of them were betraying each other, one in the open, the other in the shadows. How could a woman possibly win against a man?

Bai Sisi misjudged Xue Jin. He was adept at disguise, a wolf in sheep's clothing, not a lamb kept at home.

In Xue Jin's mind, all games had to be played according to his rules, and Bai Sisi, this promiscuous woman, had long since lost the right to his loyalty and trust.

After hanging up, Xue Jin tossed in a dollar and then bought drinks and milk.

As soon as he opened the door, he heard a little girl sobbing. Xue Jin was startled and rushed into the bedroom.

"Xiaoyu, what's wrong?" Xue Jin put the things he bought on the sofa and then sat on the edge of the bed.

"Where did you go? I'm so thirsty, and I can't move, waah...waah..." Lian Yu groggily murmured, but her body grew hotter and hotter, and she felt increasingly thirsty.

Xue Jin quickly opened a bag of milk for her.

The little one gulped it down in just a few mouthfuls, so Xue Jin had to hand her another bag.

"Slow down, slow down, don't choke." Xue Jin frowned as he looked at her anxious expression.

...After drinking four bags in total, Lian Yu finally let out a long breath, weakly lying back on the bed, and quietly closing her eyes.

"How are you feeling? Any better?" Xue Jin asked hopefully.

Lian Yu shook her head, then opened her eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Hot, very hot. Before, it was both cold and hot, but now it's very, very hot."

As she spoke, the little one offered her pink little hand.

Just now, he had only noticed that she was drinking milk and hadn't looked at her little hand. Now that he looked at it—it was abnormally red, and when he touched it, it was burning hot.

Xue Jin thought to himself, "The fever is still so high, with no sign of improvement. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let me touch her hand.

Could it be brain damage? "

Xue Jin suddenly stretched out his arm and pulled most of the blanket off the little girl.

"Ah, ah..." Lian Yu was caught off guard and cried out in fright, her little hands weakly trying to pull the blanket back up.

Xue Jin quickly glanced at her and then covered her with the blanket again: "I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, Uncle didn't mean to."

The man just wanted to see if her little body was as red as a shrimp, and sure enough, it seemed she was quite ill; he needed to be careful.

"Lie still, I'll go out for a bit and be right back." Xue Jin ignored her crying and hurriedly left.

He returned quickly, carrying a thick down comforter and some ginger. He first put the comforter on the little girl, then went to the kitchen and boiled the ginger with some brown sugar.

"What are you doing?" Xue Jin pushed open the door and saw the little girl with her arms and legs sticking out. They were white, tender, and slender, quite pleasing to the eye, but now was not the time to admire them.

"It's hot, it's so hot!" She was suffocating from the heat.

"Bear with it, you'll feel better after sweating it out. Do you want to go to the hospital for a shot?" Xue Jin was using a folk remedy, which should work. If it didn't work, they would find a doctor.

As he spoke, Xue Jin tucked the little arms and legs back under the covers.

"Waaah...no...I don't want to see anyone." Lian Yu was heartbroken. She was thinking of leaving and didn't want to have anything to do with him.

"It's alright, it'll be alright, don't cry." Xue Jin reached out his rough, calloused hand and gently wiped away the tears from the little girl's eyes.

"Uncle made you some brown sugar water with ginger in it. You'll feel better soon if you drink it, be good." Xue Jin comforted her softly, like a loving father.

The little girl sniffed, looking pitiful, and asked, "Is it hard to drink?"

Chapter Thirty-Six: An Encounter

Lian Yu lay listlessly in bed, watching Xue Jin bring in a small bowl of steaming hot sugar water. The smell was pungent even before she got close.

"Xiao Yu, come here." Xue Jin helped her sit up, supporting the bottom of the bowl and blowing on it.

"It smells awful." Looking at the reddish-brown liquid offered to her, Lian Yu turned her head away in disgust.

"Medicine is much more bitter than this, but you still took it, didn't you? Now it's just some ginger and sugar water, what's the big deal? Just close your eyes, and it'll go down." Xue Jin gently persuaded her.

Lian Yu turned to look at him, but didn't open her mouth, looking pitifully wronged.

"Drink it, you'll feel better after you finish. You have exams in a few days, you don't want to miss them, do you?" Xue Jin was very patient.

The little girl wrinkled her nose, leaned out, and took a sip from the rim of the bowl.

"Ugh... Ouch..." The brown sugar with ginger slices was both spicy and sweet, with an indescribable strange taste—it was absolutely awful.

Lian Yu forced herself to swallow it, refusing to take a second sip.

"Uncle, no more! It's too awful! What does this taste like?" Lian Yu squinted, feigning death.

Xue Jin wasn't good at administering medicine. His son was a boy, so he didn't have to worry about such things, but this little girl was much more delicate.

"Is it really that bad? People in ancient times used it to induce sweating when they had a headache or fever." Xue Jin smiled slightly, then brought the bowl to his lips and pursed his lips.

He then raised his head without changing his expression: "Little Yu, it's not that bad, it's sweet."

"You're lying!" Lian Yu rolled her eyes, closed her eyes and mouth, and ignored him.

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, licked his lips, and then looked up: "Xiaoyu, how can you get better if you don't drink? Can we drink a little?"

The little girl pouted and let out a weak sigh.

"You're so annoying, just a little bit..." Although Lian Yu was angry with him, she didn't want to hurt her body, so she just acted like a child.

Xue Jin smiled and nodded.

Lian Yu frowned and drank in small sips. After a while, she tried to push the bowl away, but unexpectedly, Xue Jin grabbed her arm.

Holding the bottom of the bowl, he slowly poured it into her mouth. The strange sweet and spicy taste overwhelmed the little girl's taste buds, almost burning her stomach lining.

"Ugh, ugh..." Lian Yu struggled a few times, but the man was too strong, and she had no chance to resist.

"Good girl, good girl, there's still a little bit left." Seeing that the bowl was almost empty, Xue Jin got excited and poured the last sip in a bit too quickly.

"Cough cough... Ooh, cough cough..." Lian Yu coughed so hard she could barely breathe, tears welling in her eyes, her eyelashes trembling before sliding down her cheeks.

Xue Jin knew he was in the wrong, so he gently patted her back to help her catch her breath.

Finally, Lian Yu calmed down. She was completely exhausted, and after all that commotion, she didn't even have the strength to speak.

"Xiao Yu, are you feeling better?"

"..." The little girl's gaze was reproachful: "You, how could you do this!"

After saying only one sentence, Lian Yu closed her eyes dejectedly. She was so weak that even if she wanted to get angry, she couldn't; she could only silently curse the man in her heart.

Xue Jin smiled slightly, took the bowl away, and returned a moment later.

Lian Yu was lying very restlessly. In the sweltering summer heat, she was covered with two blankets, one of which was down-filled—how could she feel comfortable? So her little arms and legs kept peeking out for some fresh air.

Xue Jin sat on the sofa, smoking and watching TV—to avoid disturbing the little girl, he kept the volume very low; you couldn't hear what he was saying unless you listened carefully.

Every now and then, Xue Jin would get up to cover the little girl with the blankets, 'moving his hands and feet'.

After a while, the man had smoked three cigarettes and finally couldn't help but say, "Xiao Yu, can't you just behave? It's only just getting warm, and you have to come out and cool off. When are you going to sweat?"

Lian Yu lifted her eyelids, gave him a disgruntled shove, and then turned over, her back to him.

Xue Jin was somewhat amused and exasperated. He stood up from the sofa, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to touch her soft hair—the texture wasn't very pleasant; it was a bit greasy.

The little thing immediately scooted further into the bed, and strands of hair slipped out of the man's palm.

Xue Jin chuckled dismissively, kicked off his slippers, got into bed, and lay down next to the little girl. He then pulled her into a tight embrace through the blanket.

Lian Yu protested, struggling frantically, "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Little Yu, be quiet. Uncle just wants to hold you for a little while, so you won't keep moving around." The more she struggled, the tighter Xue Jin held her, until the little girl couldn't breathe, her face turning red.

Lian Yu felt humiliated and powerless. She was so weak; she couldn't resist what a man wanted. She had to leave. Once she felt a little better, she had to go…

The man's domineering presence instilled fear in the little girl. Lian Yu had a bad feeling; if she stayed any longer, the man would definitely abuse her again.

Thinking this, the pain in her lower body intensified…

At this moment, Lian Yu felt frustrated. Why was she a girl? If she were a boy, she wouldn't be abused by her uncle.

She couldn't help but feel a pang of hatred for her own gender, and for the little flower in her lower body that had been violated. She felt cheap and dirty, and the little girl, filled with self-pity, also had a tendency towards self-harm.

Chapter Thirty-Six: An Accidental Encounter

In the man's arms, Lian Yu's range of movement was limited. At first, she tossed and turned uncomfortably, but gradually got used to it and eventually fell asleep.

As for Xue Jin? He had been busy for most of the night yesterday and hadn't rested today either. Now, as soon as his head hit the pillow, he quickly fell asleep. He didn't know how much time had passed before he slowly woke up.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he subconsciously turned his head to look at the little girl—her face was no longer flushed, but had returned to its normal whiteness. Her two long eyelashes were pressed tightly against her skin, dark and shiny, almost unreal if you didn't look closely.

Xue Jin reached under the covers again and touched the little girl's body. Feeling that she wasn't so hot anymore, he finally relaxed and let out a soft sigh of relief.

He woke up refreshed, propped his head up with one hand, and stared blankly at the sleeping little one for a while before getting up to heat up her food.

After he finished, Lian Yu woke up too, looking quite well.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?" Xue Jin poured in a basin of warm water and placed it on the bedside table.

"Hmm, much better," Lian Yu replied listlessly, then clutched the blanket tightly and looked up at him: "I need pajamas, can you get me one?"

"No problem," Xue Jin said, walking towards the wardrobe.

There were quite a few clothes inside, mostly bought for her by Xue Jin, including three sets of pajamas.

"Which one do you want to wear?" Xue Jin turned his head, holding out all three, and immediately saw the little girl's expression change.

Two of the pajamas Xue Jin had bought for her were semi-transparent—the necklines were very low, and they were made of white and pink silk.

"I don't want these, I want mine, mine," Lian Yu emphasized, her voice unsteady.

"Your own? These are all yours!" Xue Jin flicked his wrist, the silk fabric billowing in the wind, looking both cool and beautiful.

"No, no. I want the ones I brought from home." Lian Yu stammered, her words tinged with disbelief. Her pajamas were just a large t-shirt, hardly pajamas at all.

"..." Xue Jin crossed his arms, his face darkening.

"These are the three. You can choose one, or come find one yourself. Or you can go naked, I don't mind." Xue Jin's voice was low and hoarse, clearly displeased.

Lian Yu was both ashamed and angry. She struggled to sit up in bed, assessing her own mobility before finally giving up on getting out of bed in frustration.

"Then, then the yellow one will do." Lian Yu said reluctantly—the yellow one was cotton and looked much more conservative.

Xue Jin nodded, put the other two back in the wardrobe, then took a few steps forward and tossed the pajamas onto the blankets with a flourish.

"I've heated up some porridge. Call me when you're done." With that, the man turned and left without looking back, closing the bedroom door tightly behind him.

Lian Yu stared at the door, her eyes blazing with fury, wishing she could turn the entire house to ashes.

Three minutes later, when Xue Jin entered, he saw that the little one's face was moist, even whiter and more delicate, with several drops of water clinging to her bangs.

Xue Jin, holding the hot porridge, leaned over and, almost unconsciously, sniffed her cheek—a move completely unexpected by Lian Yu, who simply stared at him blankly.

"Put something on, it'll smell nice." He then handed her the porridge, which she instinctively took, staring at his tall back, utterly speechless.

When she came to her senses, Lian Yu felt a warmth in her face and heart—the man was bad, he had taken advantage of her, but he also had a good side; at least he took good care of her in daily life.

No matter what, she didn't want to give him her heart. She still had to leave. Thinking about leaving, the little girl's heart was filled with sorrow again.

The little house she had been in before wasn't safe, and she didn't want to go out again, but where could she go?

Right now, she was truly helpless. Even the place where she used to barely find shelter had become a den of iniquity. During this time, she thought of Cheng Chaoyang.

She hadn't been back these past few days. Brother Cheng must not know her situation and must be worried, right?

Thinking of her beloved, Lian Yu's heart felt heavy, a sour and painful ache. Before, she simply liked him, but now? She didn't even have the right to like him anymore.

Just as the little girl was feeling heartbroken, the door was pushed open from the outside. Lian Yu was startled and hurriedly wiped her eyes a few times.

Although the little thing was lying on her side with her back to the door, Xue Jin couldn't have missed such an obvious movement. A mocking look flashed across his face, quickly disappearing into a calm expression.

"Why aren't you eating? Isn't the porridge good?" Xue Jin glanced at the bowl on the cupboard.

Lian Yu hurriedly shook her head: "No, I just missed my brother."

Xue Jin squinted—missed her brother? Hadn't they just met? Then he understood.

"Your brother is recovering very well. He'll be fully recovered soon, so don't worry. But that Cheng Chaoyang…" Xue Jin casually mentioned it.

Lian Yu's heart skipped a beat, her face changed, and she asked in a panic, "Brother Cheng, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much. I'm just starting out at my new job, it's a bit tough, but I'll get used to it in a few days." Xue Jin's expression remained normal, but he was inwardly furious.

He's just a skinny guy, what's so great about him that he's so concerned?

Hearing this, Lian Yu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. She murmured somewhat nervously, "Brother Cheng, Brother Cheng, he

's very smart." "Hmm, not bad." Xue Jin's face was a little cold, but his tone was gentle.

"Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. Let's eat quickly. After eating, take a hot bath; it'll make you feel much better." Xue Jin said, glancing at his watch.

He was thinking that he would go home for dinner; he had caused trouble yesterday, and he had to appease Bai Sisi today.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Xue Jin quickly walked out of the stairwell and happened to run into an old neighbor. The neighbor recognized him immediately.

Xue Jin was about to bow his head and approach, but as he got closer, the neighbor called out to him,

"Isn't this Xue Jin?" The old man was very enthusiastic, always chatting about this and that.

"Uh...you are?" Xue Jin feigned surprise, looking him up and down before exclaiming with realization, "Are you Grandpa Lin?"

"Yes, it's me. This child hasn't changed at all!" The old man smiled kindly.

"Ah, you haven't changed much either, still as hale and hearty as ever." Xue Jin smiled back, exchanging pleasantries, but inwardly cursed his bad luck.

Of all people to run into, he had to run into this busybody neighbor. If nothing happened, great; but if something did, this was a potential problem.

"Hehe, not bad. You and Xiao Bai are doing well, aren't you? I heard you got promoted, quite successful." The old man said with a hint of envy. "Not

at all, not at all, I'm doing alright." Xue Jin didn't want to waste any more time, so he changed the subject: "Grandpa Lin, I have something to attend to, I'll take my leave now. I'll definitely come to see you another day when I have time."

"Ah...that's not necessary, too much trouble. If you have something to do, go ahead and do it." Grandpa Lin was honest; seeing how polite the young man was, he found him even more agreeable.

"No trouble at all, I'll definitely come another day. I'll be going now, sir, goodbye!" Xue Jin said with a smile, then strode towards his jeep.

"Ah, ah! Not bad, this kid, he's got talent..." The old man watched Xue Jin get into the jeep, still praising him.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Turn of Events

Two days later.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the sun was high in the sky. Xue Jin sat in his tidy office, enjoying the air conditioning, buried in a pile of documents—there were some special things to deal with in the prison, involving some interpersonal relationships.

Some people might not give you any gifts, but you have to be careful with their affairs. Even if someone comes over to flatter you, you have to know your limits.

For example, Chen Lin.

His brother was a ruthless character with connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and this younger brother was also brave and resourceful, but unfortunately, their organization capsized in the gutter—a woman by his brother's side turned out to be an undercover detective.

Over the years, the woman had gathered evidence of the organization's illegal activities, exposing the two brothers to the public. The police repeatedly came knocking, determined to uncover some leads.

Normally, this wouldn't have been too difficult; a little money would have been enough to bribe the right people, and the matter would have been settled. However, through some unknown channel, the media sensed something amiss.

The provincial radio station's legal program extensively reported on the anti-gang operation.

This made their lives very difficult; they suddenly became the focus of public attention. Under pressure, the higher-ups had to conduct a thorough investigation. Although Chen Lin's brother had powerful connections, this wasn't a matter for one or two people to decide; the power of public opinion was formidable.

After much consideration, Chen Lin volunteered to take all the blame, which led to his imprisonment—he was initially sentenced to 10 years, but after serving six months, and with the situation calming down, his sentence was reduced by eight years.

Just a few days ago, there was another hint from above—he was to be sent to a labor camp, and if he behaved well, his sentence could be reduced.

Xue Jin didn't say anything on the surface, but he knew perfectly well what was going on: another reduction? How much? Chen Lin was supposed to be released in a little over a year; if he got another seven or eight months off, that kid could go home for the Spring Festival this year.

A puff of smoke swirled between his fingers as Xue Jin wrote something, trying to decipher the superiors' intentions. These days, being an official depended on connections and brains. If

you didn't have connections, you had to be a diligent and clever lackey; you had to be able to guess what the superiors wanted and accurately grasp their intentions

to rise through the ranks. Between puffs of smoke, Xue Jin made the final stroke, nodded slightly in satisfaction, capped the pen, casually tossed the gleaming gold pen onto the table, and stood up from his chair.

He went to the window, gazing at the vast expanse before him, and stretched contentedly—having stayed here for several years, he seemed to have developed an attachment to it, even finding the tall, dark iron gate both magical and beautiful.

But despite this, this wasn't a place for him to stay; his ambitions lay elsewhere—either he'd join a high-ranking official position, or he'd make a name for himself in the business world.

Xue Jin was 34, almost 35, a time of awkwardness in life, and the time was right to start something new.

Just as he was brimming with ambition and envisioning the future, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. Turning around, Xue Jin glanced at the door, then sat back down at his desk.

"Come in!"

As soon as the words left his lips, Yan Tingting swayed gracefully into the room.

Xue Jin's eyes lit up—the girl was dressed very elegantly today, in a floral dress, a simple yet elegant low-cut style, especially the sparkling brooch on her chest.

"Chief..." Seeing him staring intently at her chest, the girl couldn't help but thrust her upper body forward, making her breasts appear even more ample.

Yan Tingting subconsciously admired Xue Jin, so she unconsciously wanted to display her beauty.

"What is it?" Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, looking up at her without a word—he had only been admiring her brooch earlier, and her actions had indeed made him both amused and exasperated.

"Um, the report you requested is finished." Yan Tingting was momentarily lost in thought under Xue Jin's handsome face, awkwardly handing him the folder.

Xue Jin held it, flipped through it, and finally placed it expressionlessly on the corner of the table.

"Alright, you can go now. I'll call you again if I need anything." Xue Jin's expression was very upright, his eyes devoid of any ulterior motives, which greatly disappointed the girl. "Okay,

Chief, I'll go now." Yan Tingting left reluctantly, feeling dejected. After the door closed, Xue Jin quickly picked up the landline, dialed a few numbers, and went offline.

A moment later, there was a response.

"Hello, who is this?" The voice on the other end was very formal.

"Hello, is this Secretary Guo? This is Xue Jin." Xue Jin introduced himself politely.

"Oh~ it's you, haha, is there something you need? I was just about to look for you too. Thank you for your help with my brother's matter last time." Guo Wen said sincerely.

"Not at all, not at all, it's nothing, just a small matter. As the secretary of the provincial party secretary, you're usually very busy. It's only right that I do a little something for you." Xue Jin cautiously spoke in an official tone.

This big fish was caught by Xue Jin unintentionally—who is Guo Wen? He is Lin Hao's secretary.

Originally, Xue Jin's report was to be submitted to his superior, but who knew that plans would change so quickly? Suddenly, good fortune came his way—the head of the political and legal system actually wanted to summon him in person to hear his report.

What does this mean? In layman's terms, it means that you might be promoted, and to a high position at that.

While overjoyed, Xue Jin was also nervous, as this was a major event. After much thought, he understood the reasons behind it all—he had never even met this so-called head of the political and legal system, so why had he suddenly taken a liking to him?

Ultimately, someone in the government had helped him. Who could it be? It was obvious that Lin Hao was someone he had some connection with. Of course, he couldn't go and thank him yet; he'd deal with that after things were settled.

For now, he needed to deal with this official obstacle, but since he didn't know the official well, he was worried about saying the wrong thing. At this moment, he thought of Guo Wen.

Guo Wen's older brother was a troublemaker who, despite lacking real ability, still managed to do well thanks to his younger brother's high position. However, recently he had offended many people, making his job at his original unit very unpleasant. Just as he was hesitating, Xue Jin received this news from a friend, who approached him and arranged a good logistics supervisor position for him.

This was a lucrative position; he was usually in charge of many purchases, and his annual kickbacks were at least 100,000 yuan. He had handled this matter brilliantly, and Guo Wen, being a shrewd and worldly man, naturally appreciated his kindness.

This man was now a crucial point of entry—he was familiar with connections in all aspects of society and knew a thing or two about everyone's temperament.

"Hehe, Brother Xue, you're too kind. Please feel free to tell me what you need today," Guo Wen said with a friendly smile.

"It's like this, I wanted to ask you, what's Old Li from the Political and Legal Affairs Bureau like? Is he easy to talk to?" Xue Jin carefully chose his words.

Guo Wen smiled knowingly. He knew what Xue Jin wanted to ask; the matter Xue Jin reported had been specifically mentioned by the Provincial Party Secretary.

He understood his superior's intentions—it seemed he wanted to promote this young man.

"He's a good person, quite upright, and a hard worker." Guo Wen was being factual, but then realized these words weren't very helpful, so he continued, "Don't overthink it. Since Old Li is willing to take the time to listen to your report, it proves he's very satisfied with your work."

Xue Jin couldn't contain his joy, but still asked cautiously, "Then what should I pay attention to in my report?"

Guo Wen thought for a moment, "The report should be factual, don't exaggerate, and definitely don't fabricate. Otherwise, it's all empty talk, and it'll give others something to hold against you. Since you've been selected as an outstanding young cadre, everything is perfectly logical."

Xue Jin felt reassured, and his voice became particularly cheerful, "Secretary Guo, thank you so much. Your words have been very helpful; I'll definitely think them through."

"That's good. I have high hopes for you. Okay, is there anything else?" As the secretary to the provincial party secretary, Guo Wen was naturally very busy.

"No, I just wanted to ask if you're free today? I'd like to invite you to a casual meal..." Before he could finish, Guo Wen quickly interrupted him.

"Stop, don't mention food. Your kind intentions are enough. I've had too many social engagements lately; mentioning food gives me a headache, haha!" Guo Wen shook his head with a wry smile.

"Well then..." Xue Jin racked his brains, trying to think of something else to say.

"Xue Jin, you don't need to bother with me. We'll have a lot of dealings in the future. Just leave any favors for now, and we can settle them later, okay?" Guo Wen glanced at his watch; a meeting was about to start.

"Okay, okay, then I'll leave it for now. You go ahead with your work; I'll definitely come to thank you in person another day." Xue Jin continued the polite conversation respectfully. A hearty laugh came from the other end, and after a few casual words, the call ended.

After hanging up, Xue Jin couldn't calm down for a long time. He wondered where his superiors would put him after this, and the more he thought about it, the more excited he became, secretly marveling at his good fortune this year.

A delicate pink peach blossom, the company is making great progress, and her career is about to reach new heights…

Xue Jin has been very busy these past few days, but no matter how busy he is, he always makes time to tutor Lian Yu. As for home, if he gets back late, he makes an excuse about business engagements.

Bai Sisi knows about the recent reports he's given, so she hasn't scolded him

much. The exam day is fast approaching. Xue Jin drives Lian Yu to the school gate. The little girl's injuries haven't fully healed, but at least she can walk, although her movements are still a bit unnatural upon closer inspection.

“Xiao Yu, good luck! Uncle is waiting for you outside,” Xue Jin encourages her with a smile.

“Yes, I will.” Lian Yu carries a brand-new Mickey Mouse bag, both pretty and cute.

The vibrant colors of her clothes frequently drew sidelong glances and envious looks from those around her. Several classmates were particularly astonished, their mouths agape – the once rustic country girl had undergone a complete transformation! Look at her clothes, her schoolbag; she looked every bit the city kid.

And it's true what they say, clothes make the man, and Lian Yu, already beautiful, exuded a fashionable aura with just a little effort. She was incredibly stylish.

Lian Yu felt embarrassed by their stares, a mixture of joy and shame.

Everyone admires beautiful things. Before, she could only envy them, and secretly at that. Now that she had them herself, she felt uneasy, as if it were a reward for her bad deeds.

A wave of self-loathing washed over her. She had never had it easy. Before meeting her uncle, she always hoped for a kind person to help her, but after that person appeared, everything changed.

As the crowd surged forward, Lian Yu entered the classroom. The moment she sat down, she forced herself to calm down: she needed to work twice as hard and get a good grade this time.

The morning passed quickly. Around noon, the bell rang, and students poured out of the exam hall, chattering in small groups.

Xue Jin sat in his car, watching the endless stream of people, overwhelmed with emotion. He thought back to his own school days, experiencing similar scenes countless times. He felt a deep connection to everything before him.

Going to school, leaving school, teachers, classmates, rankings, and even budding romance… Thinking of this, the man suddenly perked up, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Romantic feelings? His little one seemed to be hung up on a certain man.

Xue Jin felt inexplicably annoyed. He decided to find a way to make Lian Yu give up completely. What was so good about that man? No career, no family background, and as for looks? That guy couldn't compare to him.

Don't call him narcissistic; he's quite handsome, otherwise Bai Sisi wouldn't have married him, the clerk in the office wouldn't have a crush on him, and so many lonely women wouldn't have accepted him…

Amidst Xue Jin's narcissism, a sense of self-confidence arose: Just watch, in the end, the little girl will be his. This wasn't the first time he'd thought this, but each time it felt like a given. June 4th, Chapter Thirty-Eight: What's

Going On? Cheng Chaoyang had been working for a while now, exactly a month.

After breakfast that day, he took the bus to the company as usual, clocked in at the HR department, and then began processing the cases at hand.

Jinbu Company wasn't particularly large, but its office space was over 300 square meters, and it had quite a few employees—more than 30 permanent staff, and countless temporary workers—the turnover rate was very high.

Cheng Chaoyang himself had a background in architecture and was very familiar with the decoration industry. Having only recently joined the company, he worked diligently and was already quite adept at his job.

He was very satisfied—satisfied with the work environment, pleased with the upright and open-minded boss, and even more satisfied with the salary. A salesperson he was close to told him that their average salary was over 4,000 yuan.

This undoubtedly further fueled his enthusiasm for work. Even if the company didn't organize overtime, he would voluntarily stay to finish any unfinished tasks.

In just one month, he had gained confidence in the company and his own future, and today was a day to look forward to—the 3rd of each month, payday.

"Hey, Cheng, what are you thinking about?" A large hand suddenly pressed down on Cheng Chaoyang's shoulder, startling him. He snapped back to reality and saw Xiao Wang from the company plopped down on his desk.

"What are you thinking about? You're spacing out!" Xiao Wang held an ordinary mug filled with steaming coffee.

"Nothing." Cheng Chaoyang felt a little awkward—he had just been wondering if he'd get a bonus this month, or at least a perfect attendance bonus. If he got a lot, he planned to take Xiaoyu to the amusement park for a good time.

Most new interns had poor performance, but he was an exception; he had done several cases very well. He wanted to ask about the specific reward system, but ultimately felt too embarrassed to ask.

In most companies, the base salary was fixed, while bonuses were flexible.

Xiao Wang observed his expression discreetly, rolled his eyes, and then seemed to understand. He tentatively asked, "Are you thinking about your salary?"

On this day, the atmosphere in the company was always lively, as if the air itself smelled of money.

Having his secret exposed, Cheng Chaoyang's face flushed. He didn't know whether to nod or not, and was momentarily at a loss for words.

"It's nothing. I couldn't sit still for the first month either," Xiao Wang said with a smile, taking a sip of coffee. "But your performance is much better than mine back then, so your bonus is probably quite substantial."

Cheng Chaoyang instinctively took the bait: "How much?"

"Three percent of your sales," Xiao Wang replied with a grin, and Cheng Chaoyang's face lit up immediately.

"You've closed a lot of deals this month? A lot? You seem quite pleased." Xiao Wang had a good personality and got along well with his colleagues, his words carrying a childlike innocence.

"Well, not really." Cheng Chaoyang realized he'd overreacted. It wasn't the first time he'd received his salary, but he was more excited than ever: Xiaoyu, wait for your brother to take you out!

He secretly calculated his bonus; it would be at least a thousand yuan, enough to buy her some other things.

"Hehe, you're really funny. I'm not teasing you anymore, you're blushing." Xiao Wang stood up from the table: "The company has a dinner party every month on this night—it's split the bill, you must attend!"

"..." Cheng Chaoyang hesitated for a moment. Today was Thursday, and he planned to go see Lian Yu. These past few days

, he had been restless whenever he thought of the little girl, wondering if something had happened to her. "I'm sorry, I probably really can't go. I have something very important to do today." Cheng Chaoyang felt he couldn't wait another day. He should have gone to see her earlier, but as soon as he got to the company, the workload was heavy. He would have that thought during the workday, but by the time he got off work, he was exhausted and didn't want to move.

As for the weekend, he wasn't idle either. To give his boss a good impression, he had been working overtime and hadn't been able to find the time.

"Ah, really? It's very lively. Can't you postpone your business?"

"I'm really sorry, my business is really important. It won't make a difference this time. I'll definitely go next time." Cheng Chaoyang smiled helplessly, and then saw Xiao Wang nod, looking relieved.

"Alright, no pressure, but you definitely can't miss it next time. Have a few more drinks then, I'm ready to get you drunk." It seems like someone started this trend in the company, and new employees have to go through a round of enthusiastic drinking.

"You can't escape it." Xiao Wang deliberately lowered his voice, making it sound rather intimidating.

"Definitely, definitely, whatever you want, I'll be there." Cheng Chaoyang replied casually. In that kind of situation, he could only leave it to fate; he probably wouldn't be able to leave the restaurant, he'd basically be carried out.

Around noon, Ding Bu was about to go out for lunch when he suddenly received a call from Xue Jin.

"What's up? You have a lot of time today!" Ding Bu answered the phone as he went downstairs. He and Xue Jin were usually very busy, and they would usually get together on weekends, and sometimes go out for fun in the evenings.

He was genuinely surprised that his friend said his car was parked downstairs waiting for him to eat.

"Just passing by." The other person's attitude was lukewarm, making him grit his teeth. Couldn't he be a little more formal and enthusiastic? He usually paid for meals, and when it was his turn, it seemed like it was optional.

"What do you want to eat?" Ding Bu had a good appetite and wasn't picky, so Xue Jin usually decided what to eat. This time, he casually asked.

But to his surprise, the guy didn't stand on ceremony at all.

"Stone pot stewed fish, please," Xue Jin said, referring to a famous Sichuan dish.

Ding Bu sighed inwardly: in front of Xue Jin, he was just a follower. Oh well, a follower is fine, as long as he could make big money, he didn't care.

Don't let Xue Jin's unassuming demeanor fool you; when it came to crucial negotiations, his mind was like a computer, presenting data logically and balancing the interests of both sides perfectly. No one could refuse to cooperate with them.

However, he also had his moments of triumph—when he paid the bill after the meal. Every time, the waiters thought he was a big boss treating them, and they would usually hand him the bill.

Heh heh, he looked quite prosperous—thinking of this, he smiled wryly.

“Okay, that restaurant is close to my company, let’s go with that one.” Ding Bu thought about the spicy and fresh fish and didn’t have much of a problem.

After hanging up the phone, Ding Bu walked out of the building and immediately saw Xue Jin’s car parked by the roadside. He didn’t want to drive his flashy BMW from the parking lot, so he took a ride-sharing car.

After driving two blocks, they stopped in front of a restaurant with an ordinary-looking storefront. As soon as

they pushed open the door, two young girls, around eighteen or nineteen years old, came to greet them: “How many are in your party, sir?”

“Two, please have a private room.” Xue Jin said as he walked inside.

Huh? Two people want a private room? The girls sized them up: the thin one was very refined, while the fat one was a bit vulgar, somewhat like a gangster.

But regardless of their actual identities, since they owned a restaurant, their guests were their customers, and it wouldn’t be polite to offend them.

“Please come in~” The girl smiled and led the two to a private room inside, then pressed the light on the wall and was about to go outside to get the menu.

"Don't you have windows here? I had them last time!" Ding Bu, having eaten at many fancy restaurants, became picky about small eateries. He felt stifled without windows, which affected his appetite.

"Excuse me, sir, you're referring to the large private room. The small private room doesn't have windows." The young woman resisted rolling her eyes, but inwardly thought: Just two people, and a private room? And windows?

Xue Jin smiled and waved his hand, "It's alright, this room is nice. Go get the menu, we'll order."

Hearing this, the young woman immediately turned and left. She had a bad impression of that fat uncle; he seemed like a difficult person to please.

A moment later, she returned and handed the menu to Xue Jin.

"What's wrong? What did I do? Why are you only giving it to him? Am I not going to eat?" Ding Bu noticed the young woman seemed a little unhappy and wanted to tease her, his words carrying no malice.

The young woman acted as if she hadn't heard him—she knew he was teasing her, but she simply ignored him.

Men are all like that, they'll only pounce on you the more you ignore them—Ding Bu finally took a good look at the girl in front of him. She had

fair skin, almond-shaped eyes that were neither too big nor too small, but perfectly proportioned, with a touch of allure. Her pert little nose and rosy lips added a touch of innocence and romance.

The more Ding Bu looked at her, the more captivating she became—natural beauty and youth are the most beautiful things in a man's eyes. His eyes were fixed on the girl, even his full, upturned lips seemed to move with lustful desire.

"Little sister, how old are you? Where are you from? Do you have a family?" Ding Bu asked deliberately, his

tone deliberately audacious. The little girl lowered her eyes, continuing to pretend she hadn't heard.

"You're quite pretty. How about we become friends? I'm up ahead, I own a big company, and I really need a hardworking little sister like you. Think about it?"

Xue Jin felt a chill run down his spine. He thought of Ding Bu with two words: vulgar and cheap!

"Sir, is there anything else you'd like to order?" Seeing that Xue Jin was almost done, the little girl asked considerately. But before the customer in front of her could reply, the other person spoke up.

"Hey~ hey~ do you think your uncle is dead? I haven't even ordered yet!" Ding Bu pretended to be angry.

The little girl didn't even look at him, pushing the menu in front of him—the meaning was clear: you order.

Ding Bu pursed his lips, picked out two more expensive dishes, and then looked through the other dishes. Xue Jin couldn't help but think: I'm treating, and you're really not being polite.

"How big is your stomach? There are already five dishes. Are you going to pack them up?"

Ding Bu thought about it and realized he was right. Who was he arguing with? He wanted to show off his wealth, not because of these few dishes, but he was still a little resentful that he hadn't had his fill of showing off.

"Come here, help me see what this character means." Ding Bu poked at the menu with his short, stubby finger.

The girl cursed inwardly: You're illiterate, but she couldn't go against the customer's wishes, so she slowly looked over and leaned down to look: "This character..."

Before she could finish speaking, she felt a hairy hand touch her waist.

"Ah..." She quickly dodged to the side, glaring at Ding Bu with anger and humiliation, and then ran outside crying.

"Hehe, see, that's quite interesting." Ding Bu was just playing a prank. He was secretly delighted to see the girl leave in anger, and suddenly felt the air was incredibly fresh.

Xue Jin rolled his eyes at him: "You're having fun?"

"Not really, I can't afford to mess with people like this. I haven't been thinking of harming any innocent girls." Ding Bu said truthfully.

"You like it?" Xue Jin continued to ask.

Ding Bu smacked his lips, his face full of longing: "I like it, it feels good."

"Then go for it... I support you." Xue Jin fanned the flames from the side.

"Too young, looks like she's still a virgin, I don't want to ruin her." Ding Bu shook his head.

"Damn, you always seem so powerful in front of your wife, I didn't expect you to be so pathetic. So what if she's a virgin? She'll be deflowered sooner or later, what are you afraid of? You have money, you can just spend a little." Xue Jin's malicious thoughts were at play.

He needed to guide him on this aspect first, so that if he brought Xiao Lianyu over later, he wouldn't react too much.

Ding Bu touched his temple and thought for a moment: "Don't provoke me, I'm not afraid, I'm just not mentally prepared."

Xue Jin was quite dismissive: "An excuse, a complete excuse."

Ding Bu glanced at him, thinking he was really inexplicable. Why should he care who he wanted to date?

Ding Bu's commotion backfired, as the shop owner stormed in, furious. It turned out the girl was his sister, a poorly-educated woman currently unemployed, working odd jobs at his shop. She'd been harassed by a customer, but things had escalated.

Seeing the situation was getting out of hand, Xue Jin and Ding Bu quickly apologized, insisting it was all a joke. They said a lot of nice things, but were almost driven away.

They couldn't stay any longer; what if the customer secretly tampered with their food? They

paid quickly and slunk out. As they left, the girl rolled her eyes at them, her gaze filled with disgust and disdain.

The two men stood facing each other on the main street.

"You, you really..." Xue Jin struggled to find the right words, "You've really embarrassed yourself terribly, and you've dragged me down with you."

Ding Bu also looked sullen, his tone dark as he said, "This is the first time I've ever felt so pathetic. I can't swallow this, I have to do something about it."

Xue Jin sensed something was off: "What are you going to do?"

"Damn, didn't you see that brat's expression just now? She disgusted me like she was disgusted by a fly. I really wanted to go up and bite her, to teach her a lesson for being so arrogant." Ding Bu's lung capacity was now quite large.

Xue Jin glanced at him and said coldly, "She doesn't even like you, so just shut up."

After saying that, he leisurely walked towards the parking lot, and Ding Bu could only follow him, feeling sullen.

The two drove around the streets for a while, and finally found a reasonably clean restaurant to go into. They ordered three simple dishes and sat down to wait for the food to be served.

Xue Jin took a sip of tea and then began to speak: "Ding Bu, how's Cheng Chaoyang doing?"

Ding Bu was taken aback at first, his mind still preoccupied with the previous events, and the sudden question startled him. "Not bad, he's handled the tasks I assigned him quite well."

"Hmm, give him as much business as possible, the more the better," Xue Jin said expressionlessly.

"..." Ding Bu was somewhat confused. If Xue Jin intended to favor Cheng Chaoyang, this wasn't the way to do it—more work? That would be exhausting.

"By the way, preferably some difficult cases," Xue Jin added.

Ding Bu suddenly realized: "What do you mean? You want to sabotage him?"

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, saying nonchalantly, "You can't say that. More work means a higher salary, right? Young people these days need experience."

Ding Bu narrowed his eyes, looking unconvinced.

"Are there any nice girls in the company? Find one for him." Xue Jin ignored him and continued, "Something good."

The other man was even more confused: "You, you're going to find him a girlfriend?"

Xue Jin nodded: "I'm leaving this to you. Make sure you do it well. If he gets married, I'll reward you handsomely!"

Ding Bu, quite annoyed, touched his very short buzz cut, rolled his eyes, and asked suspiciously, "You, what are you up to?"

Xue Jin chuckled, very enigmatic, and said in a low voice, "Whatever you want to do, that's what I want to do!"

Chapter Thirty-Nine After

more than a week of rest and recuperation, Lian Yu's health had greatly improved.

She had just visited her brother in the hospital yesterday; he was in good spirits and would be discharged in a few days.

Lian Yu was filled with mixed emotions—she was happy that her brother was better, but she couldn't see him as easily anymore, which made her a little sad.

At the crack of dawn, Lian Yu couldn't stay in bed any longer! Lu got up and started packing her luggage. She didn't have much; she could easily fit it in a clothes bag.

Besides the clothes she had brought, she hadn't taken anything the man had bought for her.

Standing in the center of the bedroom, Lian Yu took one last look around the place she had lived in for almost a month, and felt a pang of reluctance—home, when would she ever have a place like this to stay?

With a soft sigh, the girl placed the key on the windowsill and turned to leave.

Lian Yu went out onto the street and looked at the bus stop sign—routes 135 and 271.

There were only these two buses, and neither went to Xuanhua. This made the girl frown: she usually took Xue Jin's car, and she really didn't know how to get back this time.

After hesitating for a moment, Lian Yu decided to ask a passerby.

"Hello, ma'am," Lian Yu hurried a few steps and stopped an elderly woman who was taking a walk.

"Is something wrong, child?" The old woman paused slightly, looked her up and down, and replied kindly.

"Excuse me, is there a direct bus to Xuanhua Road?"

"..." The old woman thought for a moment: "Xuanhua? It seems quite far from here. I'm not really sure. You can ask someone else."

"Okay, thank you." Lian Yu was a little disappointed. After the old woman left, she looked around again. The surrounding people were mostly young people, and of course, some middle-aged people around 40.

Lian Yu was very shy. She dared to approach the old woman, but the others... they all seemed very busy, almost never looking around.

Some hurried past, while others were looking for buses.

Lian Yu took a deep breath and tried asking a few more people, but none of them seemed to know.

These successive setbacks left her feeling lost. Watching the people around her come and go, only to be replaced by another group of newcomers, she felt increasingly irritated by this feeling of unfamiliarity and helplessness.

After much hesitation, Lian Yu decided to call Brother Cheng; he could tell her what to do.

Lian Yu took her phone out of her pocket and carefully inserted the SIM card—Xue Jin didn't know she was leaving today, and she didn't intend to let him know, so she had turned off her phone that morning, planning to throw the SIM card away.

That way, he couldn't call and bother her. But before she could throw it away, the SIM card came in handy again.

Lian Yu mentally recalled a number and dialed it with anticipation. A moment later, she heard a reply: "Hello, this is Cheng Chaoyang from Jinbu Company."

Salespeople always introduce themselves first.

"Hello, Brother Cheng, this is Xiao Yu." Hearing the man's voice, the little girl was excited.

The other party paused for a moment: "Xiao Yu? Is that you? What happened? I went to your house the day before yesterday, why was the door locked?"

"..." Lian Yu was silent for a moment. She felt both happy and sad; happy that Brother Cheng still remembered her, sad that many things were different.

"I... I stayed at a relative's house for a few days." Lian Yu took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Relatives?" Cheng Chaoyang was quite surprised. He remembered Lian Jun saying that they didn't have many relatives or friends here.

"Yeah, distant relatives." Lian Yu answered vaguely, then changed the subject: "Brother Cheng, how are you now? I mean, how's your work?"

"Not bad. I just got paid the day before yesterday, quite a lot. So I wanted to take you to the amusement park." Cheng Chaoyang hadn't seen her that day and was worried about the girl. Now that he understood the reason, he felt much more at ease.

"No, no need." Lian Yu quickly refused; she didn't want him to spend money.

"Xiao Yu, I'll have more money in the future. Don't be so polite with me. How about tomorrow? I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?" Cheng Chaoyang wanted to see her. He hadn't seen her for a month, and for some reason, he missed her.

"Ah...we'll talk about it later."

Hearing her try to refuse, the man grew impatient. "I said, tomorrow it is. Wait for me at home then."

"Oh, okay!" Lian Yu couldn't resist him, and coupled with her own admiration for him, she reluctantly agreed. She immediately mentioned her current situation: "Brother Cheng, I'm on xx Road now, and I don't know how to get home."

After more than an hour on the bus, changing stops several times, Lian Yu finally arrived home.

The sky was azure, the sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze rustled the willow branches in front of the red gate. Lian Yu let out a long sigh and smoothed her disheveled hair.

She was back after all!

She pushed open the small side door on the iron gate and went inside. She stopped in front of the small bungalow she rented, took out her key, and with a crisp click, the door opened.

The house had been uninhabited for a month, and there was no warmth or life in it. A chilling feeling crept into her heart without warning.

Lian Yu lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, placing her handbag and schoolbag on the table. She then plopped down on the edge of the bed, and instinctively recalled the scene from that night, jumping off the bed with

a start. The little girl, her face pale, didn't want to stay in the inner room for a moment longer. She rushed into the kitchen, intending to find some water, but upon picking up the thermos, she remembered she hadn't been home for a month, and the water inside was probably undrinkable.

Lian Yu put down the thermos, her heart pounding.

Although it was the height of summer outside, a chilling, eerie atmosphere permeated the house, clinging to her like a shadow—Lian Yu was terrified…

Last night, Xue Jin had spent an hour memorizing his 1000-word report.

Early on Saturday morning, after breakfast, he reviewed it again until he was certain there were no mistakes before driving to the mall.

The situation was this: the report was originally scheduled for Monday, but unexpectedly, Old Li from the Political and Legal Affairs Department called, telling him he was on official business on Monday and needed to come over over the weekend.

Over the weekend? Where to? To visit his home.

Haha, this is really strange. Such formal business can be conducted in such a private environment and on such a day. What does this mean? It means the leader cares about and trusts him. It seems his future looks bright.

Even though things are so clear, Xue Jin still dares not be negligent in the slightest.

He made thorough preparations himself and then went to the mall to buy some gifts for Old Li—cigarettes and alcohol are too vulgar, but tonics are good. People nearing 60 value health the most.

Xue Jin loaded ginseng, deer antler, sea cucumber, abalone, snow frog oil, etc., into the car, two of each, spending tens of thousands of yuan. This made the saleswoman very happy.

Xue Jin looked at the trunk full of high-end gifts and clapped his hands in satisfaction. Then he went back to the store to pay. Just as he was swiping his card, his eyes inadvertently caught sight of a beautiful jade bracelet.

"Sir, what do you like? I'll get it for you." The saleswoman came over and greeted him.

"..." Xue Jin pointed to the item in the display case.

The saleswoman quickly took out the bracelet, and Xue Jin examined it closely: the light green color (various shades of light green) was striking, pure and pleasing to the eye, and the color was consistent throughout.

Xue Jin was a layman, but he thought it was beautiful and liked it very much.

"Sir, you have a good eye. This is Lantian jade, of very good quality. Is it for your wife? Your girlfriend?" The saleswoman looked Xue Jin up and down, thinking that the man in front of her had good taste.

"..." Xue Jin smiled but didn't say anything, and flicked the bracelet with his finger—the sound of tapping the jade was crisp and metallic .

Not bad, very pleasant to the ear. Xue Jin finally looked up: "How much? Can you give me a discount?"

After several rounds of bargaining, Xue Jin spent 8,000 yuan to buy a piece of 'glass'. Although it was glass, women all like it.

He chose a small one, and the saleswoman casually remarked, "Is this for your daughter?"

Xue Jin smiled and shook his head—not for his daughter, but for someone even closer than a daughter, at least physically. Xue Jin didn't care much for small trinkets

; he bought them if he liked them. He wondered if Xiao Yu would be happy. Thinking about it, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

"Wrap it up, make it nice." Before leaving, he put the gift box containing the jade bracelet into his suit pocket. Xue Jin's report was undoubtedly a success. He was a little reserved at first, but then he became quite talkative, and even Old Li nodded in praise. "Not bad, young man, you did a good job." Old Li was a seasoned veteran in the network of connections; those with connections would come to you, and those without would also come to you—what could you do?

Some were indeed capable, while others were utterly hopeless. This one in front of them seemed promising, with the potential to become a high-ranking official.

What do officials do? Once they rise to a high position, all that's left is meetings and social engagements. Therefore, Xue Jin's eloquence undoubtedly earned him many points.

"It's almost noon, let's eat here today." Xue Jin had come in carrying a lot of things, haphazardly placing them in their house, and they couldn't stop him.

However, there was no need to obstruct him; after all, they were just tonics, not money. Even if they were money, it wouldn't be too difficult to give them if the intention was right.

Xue Jin looked flattered, exchanged a few simple polite words, and thus naturally stayed.

After lunch, Xue Jin played some chess with Old Li, first Chinese chess and then Go—Xue Jin had won third place in the provincial professional Chinese chess group when he was in school, and also had a ranking in Go.

He hadn't played much for many years and was a bit rusty, but overall he played quite well, and the two enjoyed the game immensely.

Xue Jin felt it was about time and didn't want to bother them any longer, so he got up to leave. As he was leaving, Old Li even put on his shoes to see him off, casually asking, "Interested in working for the Provincial Party Committee?"

Xue Jin felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him from the blue, and he smiled, "I'll follow the leader's arrangements."

Leaving Old Li's house, Xue Jin sped along, feeling like the car could fly. His life was about to change.

Parking the jeep downstairs, Xue Jin practically hummed a tune as he went upstairs. In his excitement, his manhood started itching again.

Reaching the bedroom door, Xue Jin was still smugly thinking that his little girl was waiting for him inside, when the thought of 'fucking' immediately crossed his mind.

He took out his keys, jingled a few times, and the door opened.

"Xiao Yu? I'm here," Xue Jin called out as he changed into his slippers, but there was no response from the bedroom.

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, took off his suit jacket, and walked inside. He pushed open the door and found the bedroom empty; not a soul in sight.

A slight disappointment washed over him. He pulled his phone from his pocket.

"..." After a moment, there was a reply: "Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable."

Xue Jin was even angrier now, but looking at the empty house, he was helpless. He muttered to himself: Where did she go? Why didn't she even turn on her phone?

Xue Jin stripped naked and went to the bathroom to take a shower—it was too hot, and he felt uncomfortable, especially after being so tense at Old Li's place. A shower would help him relax.

When he came out wearing only his underwear, the girl still hadn't returned. Xue Jin's anger intensified; the feeling of losing control made him incredibly irritable.

Xue Jin lay on the bed, turned on the TV, and decided to watch while waiting for her.

He didn't know when, but he actually fell asleep. He didn't know how much time had passed before he slowly woke up. When he opened his eyes, it was completely dark outside.

Xue Jin was startled—one! Lu scrambled to his feet, sensing something was wrong—it was so late, and he still hadn't returned? Could something have happened?

Thinking this, cold sweat beaded on Xue Jin's forehead, his heart pounding. However, his strong mental fortitude calmed him, and he seriously considered the matter.

Then, a thought urgently came to mind.

He quickly walked to the wardrobe. The space inside wasn't large, almost completely transparent—a pile of new clothes sat on the top shelf, while the bottom was empty; even Yu Lai's belongings were gone.

Xue Jin grimaced and opened the small door on the other side of the wardrobe: his schoolbag was gone too.

With a loud bang, the wardrobe door cracked, wobbled a few times, and hung there at an angle.

"Ran away?!" Xue Jin's eyes narrowed, a dark cloud gathering within them. Then, a glance at the keys on the windowsill confirmed his suspicions.

"He really ran away!" Xue Jin hastily dressed, strode out of the house, jumped into his car, and slammed on the gas, gritting his teeth, "Run? Where to?"

Chapter 40: Considering

Lian Yu had little summer homework, she didn't need to stay up late writing; the daytime was enough.

She made dinner early and went to bed as soon as it got dark, but due to her fear, she didn't fall asleep quickly—she was thinking about that night.

Although she didn't want to recall it, lying in this small house, she couldn't help but ponder it.

The window wasn't broken, the door was fine, how did he get in? Lian Yu was young, but she wasn't stupid. That night, it was a man who assaulted her, a living, warm body; there was no such thing as ghosts.

Humans don't possess supernatural powers, so the problem must lie with the door and window.

She checked during the day; the window glass was intact, the latch wasn't broken, and there was a main road right in front of the window, so it was unlikely he came in from there.

What about the door? It was a very simple lock.

Lian Yu wasn't quite sure; many locks were available, and this one was quite old, so she couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with it and it wasn't working properly.

Despite this, she wasn't entirely sure, but she had an idea—she'd buy a door hanger at the market tomorrow.

The little girl rolled over in bed, listening intently to the sounds outside: voices and car noises, which seemed to reassure her.

As time passed, Lian Yu drifted off to sleep, when suddenly she heard a rapid knocking at the door. The streets were quieter now, with only a few passersby on the road.

The little girl jumped out of bed, listening intently with a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Is Xiao Yu home?" Under the cover of darkness, Xue Jin pounded on the door recklessly, convinced the girl was inside—she didn't have any relatives, so where could she be?

"Open the door quickly, Uncle has something to tell you," Xue Jin said softly, his voice strained.

Lian Yu's head was buzzing. She carefully moved her body and curled up in the corner, her large, watery eyes fixed on a dark corner without blinking.

She was so scared. What was her uncle doing here? She had already left, why was he still looking for her? Then she remembered the day he had bullied her, and a chill ran down her spine.

No, she couldn't answer. She couldn't let him know she was home. Thinking this, the girl subconsciously slowed her breathing, almost wanting to disappear into the space.

Knocking on the door yielded no results, which infuriated Xue Jin—Damn it, she eats his food and lives in his house, and now she thinks hiding will solve everything? She's dreaming.

Xue Jin felt cheated. He had spent a lot of money on the little thing, and today he had even bought her a bracelet to please her, but he hadn't expected this result.

For a moment, Xue Jin found it hard to suppress his anger. He kicked the door violently and said in a low voice, "Lian Yu, Uncle is really angry. If you don't open the door

, you'll regret it." Xue Jin didn't dare to make a loud noise, fearing he would disturb the neighbors, but he controlled his voice perfectly so that Lian Yu could hear him clearly. However, the kick still caught the landlord's attention.

Aunt Zhang had only vaguely heard the knocking at first. Listening carefully inside, she didn't think there was much noise, but then a powerful 'loud bang' made her sigh, so she decided to go out and see.

"Who is it?" She peeked out from the half-open door, wearing a coat, and called out bravely into the dark yard.

Xue Jin also noticed something was wrong, so he adjusted his mindset from the beginning of the landlord's question: "It's me, Uncle Xiao Yu. You're still awake?"

Xue Jin's voice was calm and without any hint of unease.

"Oh, it's you. What are you doing there?" Aunt Zhang immediately relaxed and greeted him kindly.

"Sigh, don't mention it. The kids had a tiff. Is Xiaoyu back today?" Xue Jin deliberately sighed, sounding helpless.

"Yes, I saw her around dinner time." Hearing that it was about her uncle and niece, the landlady didn't understand the situation and didn't say anything.

"Really? I'm sorry to bother you. Please go back to your room and rest. I'll talk to her again." Xue Jin had a better idea of what was going on, but his anger was even greater.

At home? I've been calling her for so long, and she hasn't responded. She's really stubborn.

"If it really doesn't work, I'll talk to her. Kids are just temperamental, hehe. I'll go back to my room first. Call me if you need anything." Aunt Zhang said nonchalantly—it's normal for juniors and seniors to have some friction.

"Okay, thank you." After exchanging pleasantries, Xue Jin saw Aunt Zhang go back to the main room.

Lian Yu's heart pounded, and she bit her small fist to stifle a scream—her uncle was usually so kind, but today he seemed like a demon, his tone utterly thuggish.

And how dare he be so bold? Wasn't he afraid she'd scream? Now she had nowhere to run; he knew she was inside. What would he do next?

Lian Yu felt a chill run down her spine; her fear of the unknown was amplified countless times.

Xue Jin, as if he'd swallowed a ton of gunpowder, was furious, but his rationality remained. Despite his threats, he didn't resort to any actual violence.

He said a few more harsh words outside, but to no avail; the small house remained eerily silent, as if no one was there.

Finally, Xue Jin gave up. Even if he screamed until his throat was hoarse, the little thing wouldn't open the door. He narrowed his eyes, took a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.

After finishing the cigarette, Xue Jin gradually calmed down.

"Xiaoyu, what's wrong? Why did you leave? Do you know how sad and scared Uncle was when he found you were gone?" Xue Jin's voice was deep and soft, sounding very comforting.

"..." Lian Yu frowned, puzzled by the man's change.

"Tell Uncle what you did wrong. Why did you leave without a word? Uncle was really heartbroken." Xue Jin appealed to her emotions.

"Xiaoyu, do you not like Uncle?" Xue Jin asked tentatively.

Lian Yu bit her lip and remained silent: whether she liked him or not, what did it matter? In short, she didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

"Xiaoyu, Uncle doesn't have a daughter, and I like you the moment I see you. Tell me what you did wrong, and I'll change. Please don't ignore Uncle, okay?" Xue Jin lingered outside again.

Lian Yu was somewhat moved by his words, but she didn't change her mind.

"Please say something nice. If you ignore me, I won't leave." Xue Jin resorted to his shameless tactics.

Lian Yu still didn't respond—her uncle had a home, and if he didn't go home that night, his wife would come looking for him, so Lian Yu didn't take his words to heart.

Xue Jin's eyes blazed with fury. He'd gone this far, and she was still so indifferent. But even though a man was angry, he couldn't just break down the door.

Fine, can you hold out? Let's see how long you can last. You'd better not keep me waiting too long.

Xue Jin impatiently pulled another cigarette from the pack and silently smoked it, knocking on the door every two minutes or so to indicate he was still outside.

How long this went on, Xue Jin didn't know, but the cigarette pack was empty, and at his feet was a pile of burnt cigarette butts. Now he had exhausted even his last bit of patience.

His uncle was very angry, and the consequences would be severe—Xue Jin considered several ways to torment the girl.

Just then, there was movement inside. Xue Jin's sharp ears immediately caught the unusual sound: "Xiao Yu, is that you? You're finally talking to me?"

For a moment, Xue Jin was overjoyed, and his heart skipped a beat.

"..." Lian Yu didn't want to speak, but she had no choice. If she ignored him, he might really stay outside all day. She couldn't bear it, and she was also uneasy. "Uncle, please go back. Don't come looking for me again."

The slight smile on Xue Jin's lips vanished instantly.

"What's wrong?" Xue Jin had been waiting outside for several hours, and this was all he got in return.

"Nothing. I thank you for taking care of me in the past, but I don't want to see you anymore. We're not related, so let's not have any contact anymore, okay?" Lian Yu spoke her true feelings, at least the latter part was genuine.

"..." Xue Jin's lips twitched twice, his eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness.

"Xiao Yu, what are you saying? Aren't we doing well? I can't accept this sudden statement. Uncle was wrong. Uncle apologizes. Uncle will change, okay?" Xue Jin was practically begging.

"..." Lian Yu took a deep breath and said calmly, "Let bygones be bygones. You did nothing wrong. I really don't want to see you again."

The little girl paused, then mustered her courage and continued, "Please don't bother me anymore, okay?"

Lian Yu only wanted to get rid of him, so her words were exceptionally cold. However, her words deeply pierced Xue Jin's heart—his pride and self-esteem.

It was like a blow to the head: he had been dumped, dumped by a 14-year-old girl.

Xue Jin's breathing became labored, he gasped for breath, pacing wildly in front of the door, his large hands roughly tossing his hair.

"Uncle?" There was no response from outside, so Lian Yu asked tentatively.

Her words jolted Xue Jin out of his turmoil. He stopped, his voice devoid of warmth, and said, "I'm here."

Lian Yu sensed his displeasure, but her decision remained unchanged; in fact, it was even stronger. Since the relationship had been ruined, there was nothing more to say.

"Please let me go?" Lian Yu pleaded softly.

"Fine, I respect your decision, but don't regret it later." Xue Jin's expression was as gloomy as Satan in the night—who did he take him for? He hadn't even seen her, and she was already being dismissed? Not so easy.

Xue Jin was unwilling to give up, his mind racing, and continued, "I'll give you a day to think it over!"

After saying this, he didn't care about the other party's reaction and quickly walked away. Lian Yu let out a long sigh, her whole body sore that she could barely stand...

Chapter 41 High H in the Car

It was a little past nine o'clock, the busiest time for the shop.

Bai Sisi was wearing her work clothes and skillfully giving a haircut to a regular customer when her phone suddenly rang, making her subconsciously startle for a moment.

Anyone who could call her phone was an acquaintance, and at this time, it was most likely her lover.

Bai Sisi's parents usually went to bed early, and Xue Jin was busy taking care of their son at home, so they generally wouldn't call her unless there was a reason. Only her lovers would contact her after finishing their social engagements.

As for what they wanted to do? It was self-evident.

She smiled apologetically at the customer, "Excuse me, sir, I need to take this call."

In that short time, several people flashed through her mind. The others only lasted a few seconds, but a young male model she had recently met kept her on her toes.

So, she opened her phone with anticipation, and the number displayed on the screen surprised her slightly—it was Lao Song.

This guy hadn't contacted her in a long time; the favor she had asked him for last time was still up in the air, and now he dared to call her.

Bai Sisi hesitated for a moment, then looked up and smiled apologetically at the customer in front of her. "Please wait a moment, I'll be right back."

After the customer nodded in agreement, Bai Sisi politely asked the waiter to pour her a cup of coffee before turning and leaving the beauty salon.

There weren't many people on the street, but the neon-lit signs were particularly eye-catching.

Renmin Street was the most bustling street in City A, offering everything from food and drinks to entertainment, making it a favorite haunt for business owners and government officials.

Although it was already past nine o'clock, there were still many cars in front of every restaurant and nightclub, especially high-end Audi A6s, BMWs, and Mercedes-Benzes.

Bai Sisi looked around and finally walked to a large tree, leaning against it.

"Hey, Lao Song, you called me?" The woman's face was very pale, and in the dim light, she had a sickly beauty.

"Yeah, I called. I missed you." Lao Song, reeking of alcohol, sat in his car, his eyes shining as he stared straight ahead.

"Miss me? Who would believe that? You're the one avoiding me." Bai Sisi now felt his words were insincere. She'd called him countless times in the past month, but he just wouldn't answer.

Despite her anger, she hadn't done anything outrageous; after all, they were both married, and some things couldn't be taken seriously.

"Hehe, angry? I've been busy, haven't I? You don't know, my wife's been really fierce lately. I'm so damn annoyed." Old Song's wife was a tough nut to crack; you couldn't scold her or hit her. If even a whisper reached her ears, he wouldn't have a moment's peace.

So, they often had minor arguments, which they'd usually let go of afterward.

However, this time Old Song had gone too far. He'd started an office romance, and unfortunately, his wife found out. Chaos erupted, almost costing him his job. He finally managed to get rid of his mistress to barely quell the storm. So, Old Song had no time to deal with Bai Sisi.

But now that things were resolved satisfactorily, his insatiable heart began to stir again.

"Really? That's your business, I have no say in it." Bai Sisi was somewhat gloating, a mocking smile playing on her lips, as she held up a pretty, delicate hand to her eyes, examining it closely.

"Oh~ what are you saying? I've been spoiling you all this time, and you're making sarcastic remarks." Old Song knew that women could be petty sometimes.

He understood what she was angry about, but he didn't really care, though he still had to coax her.

"Spoiling me? I don't think so." Bai Sisi said sullenly.

"Oh~ my little darling, is it about the business license? I haven't forgotten. Do you have time to come out on Wednesday? How about I personally hand you the completed documents?" Old Song didn't want to tease her anymore.

"Really?" Bai Sisi couldn't hide her excitement, but immediately realized that she seemed to have lost her composure.

"Of course, I've been working on this for so many days, and I'm sorry to have worried you, little sister. I should at least treat you to a meal as an apology, right? Hehe." Old Song grinned mischievously.

"You think you can just treat me like that? I might be busy that day and not have time, who knows?" Bai Sisi finally felt relieved. She had been scolding Old Song quite a bit lately about the business license issue.

Now, she was calm and collected.

"Baby, isn't that shop yours? Even if you close for a day, you have to come over. I'll give you a surprise then." As he said this, Old Song's smile seemed strange, but it was full of lust.

"..." Bai Sisi rolled her eyes, wondering if he had some perverted thoughts: "Old Song, let me tell you, I don't do SM. Stop smiling so wickedly."

Old Song held a high-ranking position and usually spent lavishly on food and drink. He had tried almost every famous and renowned dish.

As for women, the variety is endless. At first, he liked innocent female students, then elegant young women, then respectable women, but eventually, he got bored and started fantasizing about young girls. Currently, his favorite is pregnant women.

In bed, men dare to say anything. A few times, Bai Sisi had discussed this with him, and it truly disgusted her. She secretly cursed that few men were good, and that Xue Jin was much more reliable.

Precisely because she had been exposed to so many bad men, Bai Sisi increasingly felt that Xue Jin was an upright, honest, and worthy person to cherish. However, she had already gone wild, and it seemed unlikely that she would settle down and only sleep with one man.

"Baby, you're overthinking it. SM? No way! I love you so much, how could I bear to hurt you!" Old Song said in a sickeningly sweet voice, but his expression became increasingly filthy and ferocious.

"Go away, stop trying to act all cute with me. Who do you think you are, you vain girl?" Bai Sisi scolded playfully, then said, "Fine, I'm not talking to you anymore. Wednesday it is, I'll definitely go. What about you? You better get things done quickly, or don't even think about me talking to you again."

Sometimes men are just like that; the more you scold them, the more they fawn over you like a lapdog.

"Okay, okay, definitely, definitely. If I don't do it well, you can do whatever you want with me. Even if you slap me a few times, I won't complain, my good sister." Old Song's eyes began to glaze over as he spoke...

It was already 11 PM when she stepped into the house. Bai Sisi rubbed her aching arms, listlessly tossed her bag onto the sofa, and then filled a glass with half a glass of mineral water.

She drank as she walked into the bedroom—the orange nightlight was on, and everything inside was peaceful and beautiful.

Xue Jin seemed to be asleep, his head turned inwards. Bai Sisi plopped down on the bed, put the cup on the table, then reached under the covers, slipped into the man's pajama bottoms, and grabbed his half-erect member.

After gently stroking it a few times, the beast hardened, and the pajama bottoms instantly became very tight. Bai Sisi loved Xue Jin's member, but at the same time, she felt a little regretful.

Her husband didn't seem enthusiastic about sex, only doing it once each time. Although she was satisfied, it never seemed enough, at least psychologically.

Xue Jin was sound asleep when he suddenly felt a heat in his lower body, a familiar warm current lingering in his abdomen. He immediately woke up, and the next moment he realized what had happened, feeling extremely disgusted.

Didn't the other man satisfy her? Why was she bothering him?

"Honey, you're awake, you're so hard." Bai Sisi touched the thick, long thing, now burning with desire. She lowered her head and gently licked the man's earlobe.

Xue Jin felt a chill seep into his pores and reflexively sat up.

"Sisi, what are you doing? I'm exhausted today, can we talk tomorrow?" The large tent in Xue Jin's crotch quickly disappeared.

Bai Sisi was startled by his sudden movement, and upon hearing his words, she was even more annoyed, but there was nothing she could do.

"Fine, I'm tired too." The woman, feeling somewhat embarrassed, coldly tossed out the words and turned to leave the room.

Seeing Bai Sisi leave, Xue Jin lay back down. He was in a very irritable mood today. What was it again? Right, his career was going well, but his love life was a disaster.

This little girl is young, but she's hard to handle. Her antics today were something he hadn't anticipated. However, it's not a big deal. Xue Jin has plenty of ways to control her; it all depends on her decision tomorrow… 06-04 Chapter 41 High H in the Car

During lunch and dinner, Lian Yu went out to look around several times, but each time she was slightly disappointed—Brother Cheng said he was coming today, why hasn't he arrived yet?

While anxious, Lian Yu thought of Xue Jin again.

Her uncle told her to think it over, but she didn't have much to think about. If she didn't want to see him, she

simply didn't want to see him, and what could he do? If he continued to bother her, she would call the police. The thought of calling the police brought back memories of the time he had assaulted her, and a wave of humiliation washed over her. If he provoked her again, she would bring up that incident as well.

Lian Yu was filled with remorse and regret. Everything in the past was a nightmare; ever since her brother went to prison, her life had never been normal or harmonious.

Lost in thought for a moment, she suddenly heard a bicycle bell outside. Lian Yu's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widened instantly, and she ran out with a smile

. "Brother Cheng!" Lian Yu opened the door and saw a tall, handsome man taking things out of his bicycle basket. Hearing her voice, he looked up with a smile.

"Come help me." Lian Yu's heart warmed, and she rushed to his side almost instantly.

"You bought so much stuff again." Lian Yu carried the plastic bags into the house, giving an embarrassed smile—her brother was still so kind, and his smile was still so handsome.

“These are all things you might need. This bag is newly harvested northern rice. My family bought several bags, and they taste really good, so I bought some for you too.” Cheng Chaoyang was carrying a 40-pound bag of rice, which wasn't easy for him, as he was a recent graduate and didn't have much strength.

“Brother Cheng, thank you. This stuff is too much. It must have cost a lot of money.” Lian Yu noticed that the man's bicycle tires were almost flattened; he had indeed bought too much.

“It didn't cost much. I just got my salary.” Cheng Chaoyang put the bag in a corner of the kitchen, dusted off his hands, and turned around. “Thanks to Director Xue. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have such a good job. I must treat him to a meal sometime to thank him properly.”

When Lian Yu heard him mention Xue Jin, her heart clenched, and her expression became quite unnatural.

“What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Cheng Chaoyang asked with concern when he saw the girl's pale face.

“No, no. Brother Cheng, have you finished moving everything?” Lian Yu lowered her eyes, changing the subject to cover up her discomfort.

"Oh~~~" The man looked at her thoughtfully. In the month since he'd last seen her, the little girl seemed to have grown quite beautiful, but a hint of melancholy had crept into her eyes.

"Brother Cheng, I'm asking you a question!" Lian Yu noticed he seemed lost in thought, and her anxiety intensified, her voice unconsciously becoming sharp.

"Xiao Yu, what a loud voice!" Cheng Chaoyang was startled by her shout.

"That's right, I'm very capable." Lian Yu smiled, a bitter smile on her face—Brother Cheng, I will become capable, I will protect myself, for you, for myself, and for…you.

After work, Xue Jin sped towards Xuanhua Road, but before he even reached the gate, he saw Cheng Chaoyang pushing his bicycle into the courtyard.

Xue Jin's face darkened considerably. He parked his jeep in a corner and silently stared at the small house not far away.

Five minutes later, the two walked out and quickly disappeared from his sight. Half an hour later, they leisurely strolled back.

Xue Jin guessed they must have gone to eat—it was already getting dark.

After a while, Cheng Chaoyang still hadn't come out. Xue Jin was getting impatient. What was he doing? Had they gotten together inside? The thought made Xue Jin's eyes practically spit fire, but he still didn't move, only glancing at his watch more and more frequently…

Time flew by, and when it was pitch black, Cheng Chaoyang finally pushed his bicycle out of the courtyard.

Lian Yu was extremely reluctant to let him go, but her brother Cheng had to leave. She was afraid, afraid of the night alone, and even more afraid of the dreadful darkness.

But she had no reason to keep him, so Lian Yu could only silently watch the man's figure gradually recede into the distance until it disappeared.

Lian Yu stood there dejectedly for a while before listlessly walking into her small room—it was dark, so she first locked the door, then went back inside and turned off the light.

Occasionally, she could hear footsteps and voices outside, which made her feel a little more at ease.

It was still early, but she wanted to hide herself in the darkness because she was afraid others would find her—if she turned off the light, no one outside could see anything.

The shadow of her first rape lingered in her mind... The little girl was conflicted and helpless.

Xue Jin, seeing the dwindling number of pedestrians outside, felt the time was ripe. He opened the car door, stepped out, and adjusted his black sunglasses.

He knew perfectly well that the little girl was too attached to Cheng Chaoyang; getting her to go with him willingly would be difficult. Kidnapping her?

Unrealistic; he didn't have that much time to watch over her. Right now, he was burning with anger and jealousy—he just wanted to teach her a lesson, to let her know whose goods she was.

Xue Jin was unusually calm at this moment. He walked to the door of the small storage room and gently knocked: "Lian Yu, Uncle Xue, open the door!"

His voice was neither loud nor soft, without much inflection, but to Lian Yu, it sounded like a death knell, making her both annoyed and frightened.

Wasn't he supposed to give her a day? It wasn't even tomorrow yet! Clearly, the little girl's "day" was not the same concept as Xue Jin's.

Lian Yu hesitated for a moment before getting out of bed and going to the outer room to turn on the kitchen light.

"Uncle, is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly, standing in front of the door.

"Yes, I wanted to know what you've decided," Xue Jin said gently.

"I...I want to be alone. I'll take care of myself," Lian Yu took a deep breath and finished speaking.

"Is that so?" Xue Jin wasn't surprised by this answer at all. "Alright, Uncle won't force you, but I want my things back."

Lian Yu was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood—her phone.

"Okay, I'll get it for you." Lian Yu subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, then turned and went to the inner room, returning shortly after.

"Uncle, can I pass it to you through the window?" Lian Yu was terrified, after all, the man had once assaulted her.

"The window? Are you that afraid of me? Is Uncle that scary?" Xue Jin feigned hurt, but his expression grew increasingly sinister.

Lian Yu's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of silence, she ultimately didn't open the door. "That's not what I meant. Using the window is also convenient."

Xue Jin squinted, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips—good, he's getting smarter and smarter.

"Alright, I'll go to the front." With that, Xue Jin strode towards the other side of the bungalow—the window was half-open, and a little girl was sticking an arm out, holding a cell phone.

Actually, Xue Jin didn't want that junk at all; it was all an excuse.

The man cautiously surveyed his surroundings. Seeing that no one was around, he relaxed considerably. He went to the window, looked at the phone, and then glanced at Lian Yu.

"Xiao Yu, are you really sure?" Xue Jin walked slowly forward, feigning weakness and sadness as he asked again.

"..." Lian Yu was confused. Did she and he have such a deep connection?

"Since you've thought it through, Uncle has nothing more to say." Xue Jin remained calm, quickening his pace. Then, he tilted his head, took a deep breath, and the cigarette in his mouth actually lit up.

Lian Yu watched this scene in astonishment...

Xue Jin walked to the window, blew out the cigarette butt he was holding with a "pfft," and then quickly changed to a ruthless expression before moving closer.

"Ah..." When Lian Yu realized the danger, she only had time to let out a small scream.

Xue Jin rushed forward and covered the little girl's mouth and nose, dragging her out of the half-open window—Lian Yu was in pain and struggling to breathe.

It all happened so suddenly that Lian Yu felt nothing but terror.

"Ugh...ugh..." Lian Yu felt herself being lifted by the man, struggling to breathe through his fingers. Her

mind was blank; as the man rushed away, she could only frantically grab at the large hand covering her mouth and nose—her lungs were pounding, she was almost suffocating.

Her head felt heavier and heavier, her consciousness fading. The little girl thought desperately: Am I going to die?

Xue Jin opened the car door, quickly threw her small body inside, and then slammed the door shut.

The man was tense, and also regretted his own madness—he was panting heavily, his eyes fixed on Lian Yu.

The little girl clung to the car window, coughing; the hollow sound and rapid breathing made his heart clench.

"Xiaoyu, what's wrong?" Xue Jin leaned forward and turned the little girl over—the girl's face was flushed, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"What are you doing? Are you going to kill me?" Lian Yu had finally caught her breath, and now she was both scared and angry—what was going on? She had been dragged out of the window.

The near-death experience had fueled her anger.

When Xue Jin saw that she still had the strength to yell at him, any pity he felt vanished instantly—his eyes were sinister, and his expression was colder than ever before.

"You, what do you want to do?" Lian Yu almost bit her tongue.

"What do I want to do? Of course, I want to do you." There was a streetlamp ahead, but the light was limited, barely enough to make out the little girl's features.

The man's breath was heavy and hot, spraying wetly on Lian Yu's cheek, and he pounced on the little girl.

"No, no, I don't want to... You have no right..." Lian Yu was overwhelmed with humiliation, but her frail body had nowhere to escape in the confined space.

"No right? I'll show you today whether I have any right or not." Xue Jin grabbed the little girl's hands and clasped them together, while with his other hand, he quickly pulled off his thin shoelace. The little girl bit, kicked, and screamed, but she couldn't stop the man's despicable act.

"No, help! Let me go! Help!" Lian Yu shouted towards the street a dozen steps away as she hit him.

Before she could finish speaking, a slap landed on the little girl's face, instantly making her dizzy. Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain on her wrist.

Xue Jin was a soldier, and he had a ruthless streak in his bones—he had genuinely been hurt by the little girl earlier, so now he showed no mercy. He tied a tight knot on the little girl's wrist, the thin shoelace digging deep into her flesh.

"This carriage is very soundproof. You can scream your lungs out and no one will come to save you." The man's cold voice shattered Lian Yu's hazy consciousness.

She felt so much pain—her wrist hurt, her cheek hurt, and her heart hurt even more.

Chapter 42 High H in the Car After the affair

was over, Xue Jin felt completely relaxed. He smiled and lit a cigarette, then pulled the limp little thing into his arms and examined her closely—the little girl had a pinkish-white face, her eyes were tightly closed, her long eyelashes were thick like a small forest, and her round red lips were half-open.

Xue Jin sighed with satisfaction—she was really beautiful.

After a moment of silence, Xue Jin opened the car window, letting the lewd atmosphere in the car dissipate, and also releasing smoke.

"You're really not human, I'm going to report you." Lian Yu struggled out of the vortex of desire, her lower body aching, her mind still unsettled—this was the second time her uncle had forced himself on her.

"What?" Xue Jin thought he had misheard. Report him?

"I said I'm going to the police station to report you." Lian Yu became increasingly angry as she spoke, and even started sobbing.

"Hmph!" Xue Jin snorted coldly, nonchalantly touching the little girl's delicate face: "Your face is still swollen. Go ahead and report me. After the medical examination, I'll go to jail."

"..." Lian Yu opened her eyes in surprise upon hearing this.

Xue Jin gently patted her little face: "Who am I? The warden! The prison is under my jurisdiction. Do you think you can win a case against me? If you fail, it won't just be you who suffers, but your brother too."

Lian Yu was still inexperienced in society, and she was stunned by his words.

"In prison, it's not uncommon for one or two people to die every day." Xue Jin said, exhaling a smoke ring and looking down at the little girl with contempt.

"Waaah... I, I... Please let me go, I don't want this." Lian Yu was desperate. Her brother was her family, and she was most afraid of losing him.

"Oh~ Uncle isn't good to you?" The mention of separation irritated Xue Jin. "I want to keep you as a mistress. Do you understand what 'keeping' means?"

Lian Yu looked at him blankly. Xue Jin explained further, "Being a mistress means being my concubine, like a husband and wife. You have to take care of me, not just me taking care of you. Of course, this care includes both practical and physical needs. Practical needs mean you have to do housework, cook for me, even do laundry, and be considerate. Physical needs mean sleeping with me."

Lian Yu was filled with shame and indignation. Did he have no shame? Two times wasn't enough; he clearly wanted to possess her.

"Impossible," Lian Yu refused firmly.

"I'll cover all your expenses and give you extra pocket money," Xue Jin continued.

"Impossible!" Lian Yu was furious.

"I'm serious. I'll give you several thousand yuan every month, you can spend it however you want." Xue Jin took a drag of his cigarette, his eyes fixed on her face.

"I don't care, don't you understand?" Lian Yu practically shouted.

Xue Jin's face darkened: "How much do you want? Or are there other conditions?"

The man's gaze sharpened, his eyes lingering on the little girl's naked, fair body, as if examining a commodity.

"Ah..." Lian Yu instinctively hugged herself tightly, uttering each word slowly and deliberately, "I don't... care."

Xue Jin's lips twitched, his eyes turning violent, and he slapped her across the face: "Shut up, don't be so shameless. What don't you care about? Money? Do you want to be wasted on by me and not get a single penny?"

The little girl was dizzy and pale from the slap, her eyes filled with resentment as she looked at him—she believed he was capable of such a thing.

Chapter 43: Making Things Clear

Xue Jin tidied the little girl's clothes slightly, then climbed in through the window, opened the door, and turned back to carry the little girl out of the car.

"Uncle, shoes..." The cool breeze blew on her bare feet, making Lian Yu shiver. Only then did she vaguely remember that her slippers were missing.

"..." Xue Jin turned around and immediately saw the two little girls near the window—about a meter apart, lying there haphazardly, clearly having struggled fiercely.

"Let's go inside first, we won't lose the shoes." Xue Jin said, then strode into the courtyard.

Lifting the curtain, Xue Jin gently placed the little girl on the bed, then carefully adjusted her pillow—it was filled with buckwheat hulls, with some small sharp edges, as the man was worried she wouldn't be comfortable.

"Come on, lie down now." Xue Jin felt it was about time before carefully helping Lian Yu lie flat.

"Xiaoyu, Uncle will boil some water for you. You should rest for a while." The two of them had just used tissues from Xue Jin's car to wipe themselves up, but it wasn't a thorough clean.

"..." Lian Yu pouted and nodded weakly.

Xue Jin smiled and tucked her in before turning and leaving.

Lian Yu watched his retreating figure, her heart filled with hatred—the red welts on her wrists, the sharp pain in her lower body, the swelling in her cheeks, and the strange taste in her mouth were all his doing.

She frowned, feeling both hatred and deep self-reproach: she hadn't protected herself; she had let herself down, let her brother down, and especially let Cheng-gege down.

In the little girl's heart, Cheng Chaoyang was a prince charming, worthy only of a pure princess, but now her affection had turned into nothing but self-loathing.

Xue Jin was busy in the kitchen when suddenly his stomach started pounding. He touched his flat belly in surprise and couldn't help but smile.

So engrossed in his enjoyment, he'd completely forgotten about food.

He bent down and peered into the cupboard, finding nothing but noodles. He then took one out and examined the packaging closely.

The thin, yellow paper was of poor quality, with only a few lines of text—a phone number and production date.

Xue Jin immediately recognized it as something from a local workshop; he'd eaten it before—the taste was mediocre, almost bland, barely enough to survive.

The man stood up, quite disappointed. Some things were enough after one meal. Just as he was considering ordering takeout, he suddenly remembered something.

Hadn't Cheng Chaoyang bought several bags of things for the little one? Where were they?

Xue Jin's gaze swept around the outer room, finally settling on a short vat in the corner—half a meter tall, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

Xue Jin walked over and looked down; it was full of several bags of things.

A sneer curled at the corner of the man's lips as he pulled out all the bags, opened them one by one, and inspected them. He actually found some 'good' stuff—eggs, canned fish, and a few small bags of pickled vegetables.

Xue Jin was pleased but also secretly mocked: that kid only earns a few bucks a month; it's only enough to buy this much.

He opened the large bag of rice, rinsed a small basin of it, and placed it aside. Then he added a few ladles of water to the pot, washed two eggs, put them in, and covered the pot.

Soon, the water boiled. He scooped out half a basin before putting the rice in the pot.

After finishing these tasks, Xue Jin carried the clear hot water to the inner room, moved a stool to the bedside, and placed the basin on it.

"Xiao Yu?" Xue Jin saw the little girl's eyes were closed and, unsure if she was asleep, tentatively asked.

"..." Lian Yu felt uncomfortable all over and was only pretending to sleep. Hearing his call, she opened her eyes: "Uncle?"

"Get up and wash up, then go back to sleep." Xue Jin was a man with a normal sex life and paid great attention to hygiene. He understood that even if you were careful, any contact between a man and a woman could easily lead to minor problems, so cleaning after sex was very important.

"..." With his help, Lian Yu weakly sat up.

"Come on, take off your clothes." Saying this, Xue Jin bent down and started to pull down the little girl's panties.

"...No,...don't...I can do it myself." Before his hand even touched her, Lian Yu screamed.

Xue Jin's face was very bad. He stood up straight and stared at her expressionlessly: "Shy? You're mine now, what's there to be afraid of?"

"...No...I'm not used to it yet, can I do it myself?" Lian Yu shrank her shoulders and looked at him fearfully—Uncle is so scary, will he hit me?

Xue Jin's gloomy face softened a bit. He knew she needed time to adapt to her new identity.

“Okay, do it yourself. Where’s the ointment?”

“It’s in the drawer,” Lian Yu said softly, without making any movement.

Xue Jin turned around, opened the drawer, took out several tubes of ointment, looked at them, and then, thinking the little one might need them, casually placed them on the bed.

“Wash yourself. Applying the ointment carefully will help it heal faster.” After saying that, Xue Jin went to the kitchen to watch over his pot of rice porridge.

Ten minutes later, Xue Jin came into the inner room carrying a large bowl of porridge in his right hand and eggs and canned food in his left. Lian Yu had already tidied herself up. She stared blankly at the things in his hands, her eyes wide with anger.

Xue Jin seemed to sense something, meeting her gaze without changing his expression.

“You, you found it in the jar?” Lian Yu’s voice was a little unsteady—it was what Brother Cheng bought for her, and she hadn’t even eaten it yet, but it was going to end up in the mouth of the bad uncle who had bullied her.

“Yes,” Xue Jin answered confidently, placing the things on the table next to the bed.

"..." Hearing his tone, Lian Yu's lips trembled slightly: "That was something someone bought for me."

Xue Jin seemed not to hear, quickly taking a sip of porridge, then leisurely peeling an egg. A moment later, the white egg white was revealed.

Lian Yu breathed heavily, her nostrils flaring, tears welling in her eyes, swirling around several times, threatening to fall.

Xue Jin lazily glanced at her, then opened his mouth wide and bit off most of the egg, the golden crumbs immediately staining the corner of his mouth.

Lian Yu's eyelids trembled, and tears streamed down

her face. A moment later, both eggs were gone, and then he calmly opened a can, stretching out his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish.

And so, Xue Jin ate with his head down, while Lian Yu silently shed tears, her sorrowful expression as if he were eating her heart and soul.

Finally, Xue Jin finished eating. He wiped his mouth contentedly before looking directly at the little girl's two walnut-shaped eyes.

"Why are you crying? It's just some food. I'll buy you more after you finish. Or are you upset not about the food itself, but about Cheng Chaoyang's feelings?" Xue Jin's words were calm at first, but then his tone changed, becoming much sharper.

"..." Lian Yu froze instantly—what did he mean?

Xue Jin stood up and slowly walked over, standing in front of her with his arms crossed—the little thing had really disappointed him.

A sour feeling welled up inside her.

"Lian Yu, listen to me carefully. Don't associate with Cheng Chaoyang anymore. He's not right for you, understand?"

The little girl's heart skipped a beat. She vaguely understood something, but she still tried to remain calm: "What do you mean? I don't understand!"

"Don't understand? I thought you understood a lot. You like Cheng Chaoyang, don't you?" Xue Jin leaned in, bringing his face close, forcing the little girl to keep dodging back.

Lian Yu was stunned by Xue Jin's words. She was shocked and angry at his bluntness, and terrified by his sensitivity—Uncle, he actually saw through it? And he still ruined himself?

"You, you're talking nonsense, I didn't, I didn't." Lian Yu shook her head repeatedly, loudly refuting him, looking exasperated.

"Oh~" Xue Jin sighed, "Am I talking nonsense?"

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his probing gaze piercing the little girl's heart, "Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you know best in your heart."

The man's gaze was very oppressive, and Lian Yu subconsciously turned her head away, still trying to defend herself, "I didn't, Brother Cheng and I are just ordinary friends, not like what you think."

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, not blaming her further, and feigned magnanimity, saying, "Xiao Yu, I can't control who you like right now, but before I get tired of you, you should have some self-respect." "

..." Lian Yu felt a chill run through her; she didn't want to answer.

"Can you have self-respect?" Xue Jin turned his head and asked in a low voice.

"..." Lian Yu simply didn't understand the adult world. To her, everything was bizarre and unbearable.

His possessiveness, his exposure of her little secrets, his defilement of her world.

"I'm asking you a question! What are you thinking?" Xue Jin was dissatisfied with her silence, so he grabbed her chin, forcing her pale face to show.

"Can you have self-respect?" Xue Jin repeated in a low voice.

"Uncle..." Lian Yu opened her mouth, but the two words were squeezed out dryly: "Let me go. I already have someone I like, and you're married. Don't treat me like that."

Xue Jin was stunned; he hadn't expected the little thing to still be so persistent.

“Xiaoyu, what did Uncle say in the car? I want to take care of you, Uncle likes you, Uncle will be very sad without you, Uncle likes obedient children, what will Uncle do if Xiaoyu is always disobedient?” Xue Jin’s eyes were unfathomable, containing enormous energy.

That energy seemed capable of destroying everything. At this moment, Lian Yu suddenly realized the man’s power and authority.

“No…” Lian Yu hugged herself tightly. The meaning behind the man’s words terrified her—he would rape her, rape her again and again.

Xue Jin’s eyes became hazy. The little girl’s panicked and terrified appearance made him feel hot all over.

“Xiaoyu…” Xue Jin breathed heavily, and his crotch began to stir again.

“No, no, don’t come any closer…” Lian Yu saw the man about to pounce on her and retreated in fear, but for every inch she retreated, the man advanced a foot.

In a short while, she had nowhere to retreat and was cornered against the wall by the man.

Lian Yu was filled with shame and indignation. The air around her was thick with her uncle's masculine scent, his hot, wet breaths omnipresent. The towering figure before her, like a wall, exuded terrifying power.

"Uncle, please let me go today! I... I'm in so much pain!" Lian Yu's body was weak. Xue Jin was an adult, and the young Lian Yu instinctively feared him. Coupled with the violent assault just moments before, the little girl's resistance was futile.

Before a powerful hunter, the little girl was undoubtedly a defenseless cub.

Tears streamed down her face, making her look incredibly pitiful. "Uncle, I'll agree to anything you want, please, don't touch me today."

"Agree to what?" Xue Jin's eyes were bloodshot, his bright eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"I'll let you keep me, make me your mistress." Her pink lips parted slightly, the words forced, but to Xue Jin's ears, every word was sweet.

"Anything else?"

"I...I'll never see Brother Cheng again." Lian Yu felt a pang of desolation, yet she refused to give up: the thought of Xue Jin clinging to her like a bear...

sent chills down the little girl's spine—she hated him, she loathed him.

Everything went as she wished. Xue Jin felt comfortable and at ease. Unable to contain his overwhelming joy, he opened his arms and pulled Lian Yu tightly into his embrace: "Good girl, call me husband."

Lian Yu stiffened, wanting to break free from the man's embrace—she had once again underestimated his shamelessness.

"Husband..."

The little girl's voice was weak and feeble, but Xue Jin heard it clearly—his grin remained unbroken for a long time.

Chapter Forty-Four: An Unexpected

Summer morning, the rising sun shone on the rooftops, the courtyard, and the cool streets; dewdrops sparkled on the flowers and grass; a cool breeze rustled the willows lining the streets, everything was peaceful and harmonious.

Lian Yu woke up from her sleep, but she didn't open her eyes. She simply listened silently: birds chirping, footsteps and laughter gradually filling the air outside.

A new day had begun; people were happily going about their work, each with their own lives.

And her? She turned over restlessly, then frowned slightly in discomfort—the light was too bright. She sighed and opened her eyes.

She was still alive, so she had to face reality.

After a night's rest, Lian Yu felt much better, but when she tried to get out of bed, a dull ache lingered between her legs, stirring her fragile and melancholic heart.

Would she have to endure this pain forever?

Lian Yu gritted her teeth, stiffly getting out of bed. She walked slowly to the window, drew back the curtains, and opened the window. A fragrant scent of herbs wafted out.

Turning her head, she saw that a nearby house had a flower bed in front of it, filled with many flowers and plants, beautiful butterflies fluttering among them, and a few bees keeping them company.

Lian Yu smiled unconsciously—the vibrant scenery before her reminded her of the simple farmhouse in her hometown.

Then she remembered her deceased grandmother and her brother in prison, and a warm current flowed from the depths of her heart, quickly coursing through her body.

Lian Yu closed her eyes, her smile deepening.

When she opened her eyes again, everything on the street was bathed in the soft morning light, fresh and elegant. A gentle morning breeze caressed her face, and suddenly, all the troubles in her heart vanished.

Perhaps it was the power of family, or perhaps it was this exceptionally beautiful morning, but hope rekindled in Lian Yu's heart.

Cheng Chaoyang had just finished breakfast and put down his chopsticks when the phone rang—he took out his phone and saw the unfamiliar number.

"Hello, this is Cheng Chaoyang from Jinbu Company," he habitually introduced himself—clients are troublesome; many like to ask you out on weekends.

Who knows if this call might be from a potential client?

"Brother Cheng, it's Lian Yu. Are you home?"

"Oh, Xiao Yu, I'm home. What's up? Is something the matter?" Cheng Chaoyang was delighted.

"Well, I need your help with something." Lian Yu was calling him from a grocery store not far from her home—her phone had fallen and broken during a struggle last night.

"Go ahead!" Cheng Chaoyang stood up from the table and went back to his room.

"I'd like to ask you to help me find a place near your house." Lian Yu was straightforward, since phone calls were charged by the hour.

"What? You're moving?" Cheng Chaoyang was taken aback. He remembered that Lian Yu and Lian Jun hadn't lived there long: "Is your lease expired?"

Lian Yu hesitated for a moment, then decisively lied: "It expired, so I'm looking for another place."

"The landlord doesn't want to rent to you anymore?" Cheng Chaoyang asked carefully, and the answer was affirmative.

"Xiao Yu, aren't there any suitable places nearby?" Considering the little girl's schooling, the man subconsciously asked—after all, it was very close to her school.

"I looked but couldn't find anything."

"Okay, let me think." Cheng Chaoyang always saw rental listings on the bulletin board in front of the building when he went to and from work, but he almost never paid attention to them.

"Brother Cheng, please help me." Lian Yu was very anxious and wanted to find a place as soon as possible, but the chances of finding one today were slim. Thinking that her uncle was coming to pick her up, she panicked for a moment.

"Okay, wait here, I'll go downstairs and check. I'll call you back in 10 minutes." Cheng Chaoyang hung up the phone, put on his shirt, and turned to leave.

"Chaoyang, where are you going?" Cheng's father also had to work this weekend; they had four days off a month, while Cheng's mother worked later, usually cleaning the market just before it closed.

She was clearing the dishes when she saw her son leaving on the weekend without a briefcase, and casually asked.

"Going downstairs to buy a pack of cigarettes," the man replied without turning around—he rarely smoked, but occasionally as a pastime.

"Oh, smoke less, it's bad for your health," Cheng's mother couldn't help but nag, but her son had already closed the door and left, completely oblivious.

The information board was a bit messy, with rental and sales listings, tutoring ads, job postings, and even some illegal advertisements.

Cheng Chaoyang didn't miss a single rental listing; he carefully examined them, mainly focusing on the rent—he was quite familiar with the little girl's financial situation.

In comparison, a very affordable listing caught his eye.

Cheng Chaoyang was startled. This apartment was on the same floor as theirs, in the same building. They were in room 207, right across from each other. Overjoyed, he wrote down the landlord's phone number and then ran upstairs.

Their neighborhood consisted of 20 old, tenement buildings, supposedly slated for demolition, but year after year, there was still no concrete progress.

Suddenly, even the residents with better financial means couldn't stay any longer; most bought apartments and moved out, while others sold or rented out their original homes.

Those who sold didn't get good prices, and those who rented were extremely cheap. Why? Because living in a tenement building was truly inconvenient—there was no kitchen, everyone cooked in the hallway, the water room was just a small room at the top of the floor with water available at fixed times each day, and the toilet was a shared space downstairs.

Cheng Chaoyang ran home in one breath and immediately asked, "Mom, do you know the residents of 204?"

Cheng's mother, having finished setting up the table and arranging the washed dishes in the cupboard, paused for a moment upon hearing his question. "Not really," she replied, "I think they're a couple."

Although everyone lived together and often saw each other while cooking, not everyone enjoyed gossiping or chatting during meals.

The younger generation especially disliked a noisy atmosphere. So, Cheng's mother had seen the couple before, but rarely spoke to them—they weren't from the same generation, there was a generation gap.

"Oh, really?" Cheng Chaoyang said, somewhat disappointed, and headed towards his room.

"What's wrong, Chaoyang? Why are you asking about their house?" Cheng's mother asked, puzzled.

"Nothing much, Lian Yu wants to rent a place, so I asked around. If you know them, we can negotiate the price!" Cheng Chaoyang said as he walked inside.

“Xiaoyu?” Cheng’s mother thought for a moment. “That child is so pitiful. Your dad told me he ran into her last time. Bring her home for dinner sometime!”

“Okay.” The man gave a perfunctory reply and then started making a phone call.

A moment later, there was a response: “Hello, are you renting out a house?”

“Yes.” A young woman’s voice came from the other end.

“I saw the ad. You’re my neighbor. Can you give me a discount?” Cheng Chaoyang went straight to the point.

“Oh, really? Where are you now?” The other person’s voice was warm. After all, they had lived together for several years and had some connection.

“I’m at home. What about you? If it’s convenient, could you come back? We can look at the house and then talk about the price!” Cheng Chaoyang’s words were reasonable.

“Okay, I’ll be right there.” The other person was also very agreeable.

Twenty minutes later, Cheng Chaoyang received a call from the woman. In the meantime, he also received a call from Lian Yu—the little girl was getting impatient, not knowing what had happened.

The man pushed open the door and went out, immediately seeing a woman in a blue floral dress standing in front of apartment 204. He strode over to her.

"Hello, I'm Cheng Chaoyang."

"Hello, I'm Li Lu. My apartment is nice." The woman unlocked the door, and the two went inside together.

The apartment was sunny and not bad, but it was incredibly small—just a single room with nothing but a bed, a desk, and a few chairs.

The cement floor was fairly smooth, and everything inside was clearly visible.

"How is it? How many people live here?" the landlady asked.

"One person, a relative of mine." Cheng Chaoyang's gaze quickly swept around the room before looking up at the woman.

"Really? Perfect for one person, and it's cheap too." The landlady smiled, seemingly satisfied—she had lived in this apartment for several years and had grown attached to it; it was small, but she and her husband lived very warmly. However,

now that she was pregnant, it was barely enough for two people, and too crowded for three, so they had taken out a mortgage on a new apartment. As for this one…? She was hoping for the property to appreciate in value after the demolition, so she was keeping it temporarily for rent.

"To be honest, my relative is from the countryside and isn't well-off. Could you lower the rent?" Cheng Chaoyang got to the point.

The landlord thought for a moment: "If you're serious about renting, I can give you a discount."

"If I'm serious, I might stay a while." Cheng Chaoyang was determined to rent the house, but despite her eagerness, she wasn't reckless.

"Okay, 550 per quarter."

"That's too little, lower the price a bit, 500, I'll take it at 500, I'll pay now." Cheng Chaoyang said, reaching for her wallet.

"500? That's a bit of a rip-off, add a little more." Everyone wanted to get a bigger share of the profits.

"Just one person, 500 is enough, let's settle on that." Cheng Chaoyang had already taken out her wallet and was counting the bills.

"This, this..." The landlord, seeing the pink bill already stuffed into her hand, couldn't refuse for a moment, feigning helplessness, and said, "Okay, alright, for the sake of being old neighbors, it'll be 500."

Then the landlord took out the rental agreement from her bag, which Cheng Chaoyang carefully examined before signing it.

With the matter settled, Cheng Chaoyang felt a surge of joy. He didn't have any girls he liked around him, and he was still a virgin, so he was feeling somewhat naive and impulsive, and his feelings for Lian Yu were complicated.

He thought she was very young, and had always treated her like a younger sister, but now that his work was going well and he had gained some social experience, he suddenly felt a stronger desire for family and the responsibilities of a man.

Therefore, he paid more attention to the girls around him, and this deliberate attention inevitably led to many romantic feelings.

He excitedly called Lian Yu: "Xiao Yu, Brother Cheng has found you a place. We'll live on the same floor, and the rent has already been paid. When are you moving in?"

Lian Yu was both surprised and delighted: "What? Really? So soon?" Then she became embarrassed: "Brother Cheng, thank you so much. How much was it?"

"What do you mean how much? I've paid for it. We can talk about the money later." Cheng Chaoyang was very generous.

"No way! Everything else is fine, but I have to pay for this myself. Otherwise, I won't move in." Lian Yu argued fiercely.

"Okay, then we'll talk about it later. When are you moving in?" Cheng Chaoyang didn't seem to care much.

"Today." Lian Yu didn't want to stay here for another second. She was leaving without saying goodbye again, which was obviously another foolish thing she had done.

"Today? Okay, I'll be there now." After hanging up the phone, Cheng Chaoyang originally wanted to ride his bicycle, but then he thought that this was to help the little one move, and what could a bicycle carry? So he took the bus instead.

Upon arriving, he was immediately taken aback—the little girl's face was swollen.

Lian Yu was wearing long clothes today, deliberately covering her wrists: "I accidentally fell, Brother Cheng. I went to the toilet at night, and it was too dark behind the house, so I bumped into it." Lian Yu

explained. Cheng Chaoyang knew there weren't many streetlights in this area at night, so he didn't suspect anything, but felt sorry for her.

"Little Yu, you'll be living closer to your brother from now on, and I'll take care of you."

The little girl felt a warmth in her heart. Her Brother Cheng was so good; he wouldn't bully her. Thinking about this, her eyes welled up, and tears gently slid down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, don't cry, why are you crying? Hehe, come on, let's move." Cheng Chaoyang couldn't bear to see her tears and quickly changed the subject.

The little girl didn't have many things, and there was no need to move the pots and pans; the landlord's leftovers were still usable. There were just a few more daily necessities.

After packing two simple bags, Cheng Chaoyang went out and hailed a taxi on the street, then hauled everything inside.

"Xiaoyu, the new house is very nice, I'm sure you'll like it." Cheng Chaoyang's young face was kind and full of vitality, and Lian Yu's little face flushed slightly, instantly captivated...

"Brother Cheng, you're so kind." She uttered these words almost as if in a dream.

Cheng Chaoyang felt very uncomfortable under her gaze, and he awkwardly curled the corners of his mouth again, then turned his head away, pretending to look at the scenery outside, but all he saw were blurry images, and his heart was in turmoil...

Chapter 45 Visiting

Lian Yu jumped out of the car and looked around at her surroundings.

There were three or four-story buildings all around, looking very old, with vines winding up them, the four corners of the bricks worn smooth, and the gray-yellow buildings looking very gloomy.

"We're here, Xiaoyu, second floor." Cheng Chaoyang walked ahead carrying a large bag, and Lian Yu followed behind him. The stairs were exposed outside the building.

The iron leather steps creaked and groaned, making her heart tremble.

"Be careful." Cheng Chaoyang heard the slow footsteps behind him and turned around to give him a concerned reminder.

"Okay, it's fine." Xiaoyu counted the steps one by one, and finally reached the landing on the second floor. She breathed a sigh of relief, but when she looked down, a wave of panic washed over her—the stairs were very steep.

The tenement building had living quarters on both sides, with a central corridor for cooking and a separate water room.

Although it was daytime, the dark corridor was only illuminated by a few red motion-activated lights, making it very dim. It was so dark when she first entered that she blinked several times before her eyes adjusted.

Each door had a stove next to it, along with cabinets, large vats, plastic buckets, and some other miscellaneous items. Due to the dim light, it was impossible to see anything clearly.

"Xiaoyu, this is the water room." After walking a few steps, Cheng Chaoyang suddenly turned a corner.

"Really?" Lian Yu followed along. The room had no door, and the humidity was high. A dozen faucets lined up, and the sink below was half-filled with water.

"Yes, the water supply is from 5 PM to 7 PM," Cheng Chaoyang said, then led the little girl forward, stopping in front of a wooden door.

"This is my home. I'll take you inside later; my mom's home." The door number read 207.

Lian Yu smiled and nodded. They walked a few steps to room 204. The man put down what he was carrying and took out his keys from his pocket.

The door opened with a click. Cheng Chaoyang picked up the large bag from the floor, stepped aside to make room, and said, "Xiao Yu, this is your new home. Come in and take a look."

Lian Yu was excited. She smiled and walked in, looking around the small space in the bright sunlight. The bed, table, and chairs were all incredibly simple.

But she was happy, her excitement overflowing from within—although it was simple and couldn't compare to her uncle's house, she felt at peace because it was so close to Brother Cheng.

"It's nice, I like it very much." Lian Yu walked around the small house, then looked at Cheng Chaoyang with a smile: "Thank you, Brother Cheng, how much is this house?"

"Not much, let's not talk about that now, let's unpack our things first." Cheng Chaoyang said, opening the bags on the ground one by one.

"No, Brother Cheng, we agreed." Lian Yu was unhappy that he seemed to be trying to brush it off; she didn't want to owe him anything, she wanted their relationship to be equal.

If she took advantage of him, Brother Cheng would definitely think she was a stingy girl.

"..." Cheng Chaoyang looked up at the little girl's serious expression and helplessly curled his lips: "Xiao Yu, can we pay her back later?"

"No, if you don't tell me, I won't stay." Lian Yu insisted.

"..." After a moment of silence, the man's smile remained warm: "300 per quarter, but I don't want you to pay me back now. I'll ask Lian Jun for it when he gets out, okay?"

Lian Jun secretly wanted to ease the burden on the two siblings.

"Really?" Despite being mentally prepared, she was still slightly startled by the amount—her brother had paid half a year's rent for the house Lian Yu used to live in, but they moved out before the lease expired. Fortunately, the landlord was reasonable.

But this amount wasn't even enough to pay a quarter's rent.

"Okay, I'll get you the money now." As she spoke, the little girl seemed not to have heard the man's last sentence and turned to rummage through her small bag.

The small bag was handmade by her grandmother, embroidered with several lotus flowers, very delicate and beautiful. Lian Yu always kept it carefully, and the things inside were very important. Besides money, there was a silver bracelet that her grandmother had passed down to her.

"No, Xiaoyu." Cheng Chaoyang panicked, rushing forward to grab the little girl's hand. "Don't do this. Let's wait until Lian Jun comes out, then we'll talk."

The man's palm stung, a warm current flowing from it, almost burning the back of the little girl's hand. Lian Yu's heart pounded wildly.

She froze, staring blankly at the large hand.

"..." Cheng Chaoyang belatedly realized what was happening, but finally came to his senses. As if bitten by a snake, he quickly withdrew his hand, then looked at the little girl nervously.

His gaze was intense yet awkward.

Lian Yu, too, sensed the unusual atmosphere. The little flower called love in her heart was beginning to bloom, experiencing the sweetness of first love for the first time.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. Finally, Cheng Chaoyang spoke first: "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu, I hope you can listen to me, okay?"

Lian Yu lowered her eyes, her face flushed with shy blush.

"It's nothing, I'll do whatever you say." Her voice was soft and gentle, still carrying a hint of childishness, a complete surrender. Cheng Chaoyang's heart skipped a beat. He looked at the 14-year-old girl.

Her face was pretty, but still very young, as if she hadn't fully grown. A pang of guilt struck him. What was he doing?

Xiaoyu was so young, yet he had developed strange feelings for her.

Cheng Chaoyang gently touched his forehead, trying to calm himself down. This was his best friend's sister, someone he had watched grow up. He couldn't take advantage of her vulnerability and force his love upon her when she was most fragile.

She had to grow up, develop a sound worldview and sense of right and wrong, before she could understand what love was. When they truly came together, it would be a natural progression.

Cheng Chaoyang discovered he liked little girls, but while liking them, he also became withdrawn and isolated. He was afraid—afraid his friends would scold him, and afraid that Lian Yu's infatuation was just temporary.

He had never been in love before; in his heart, love was pure, beautiful, and unique. So, once he set his sights on someone, there was no turning back.

Cheng Chaoyang was that kind of person. He understood himself well, so he was very cautious in relationships. It wasn't that no one pursued him, or that he hadn't thought about dating, but he was too rational and demanding—a kind of fastidiousness, perhaps.

He could endure loneliness and solitude, but he didn't want a fast-food relationship.

After a series of internal struggles, Cheng Chaoyang was a little dizzy from his own thoughts. Things weren't even close to happening, yet he was already thinking so far ahead. He couldn't help but secretly laugh at his own sentimentality.

Even if Lian Yu had feelings for him, they hadn't even started anything yet; he was simply creating trouble for himself.

He shook his head, clearing his mind of all thoughts, then squatted down and took everything out of the bag.

Lian Yu wrung her hands together, stealing a glance at the man—first he stared blankly, then acted as if nothing had happened, leaving her somewhat disappointed.

She liked it when Brother Cheng touched her hands.

The two of them busied themselves for half an hour, finally getting everything settled—a thin blanket was laid on the bed, and on the desk were some cups, a thermos, and various odds and ends like lotion.

A washbasin was placed on the chair, and some groceries were put in the cupboard by Cheng Chaoyang—the cupboard was large, and bowls, chopsticks, and plates were all neatly arranged.

Looking at the tidy little house, the two exchanged a glance and smiled simultaneously.

"Brother Cheng, thank you. Please sit down for a while. I'll get you some water; your hands are dirty, and your face isn't clean either," Lian Yu said softly, her words full of concern.

"Ah, no need, I'll wash them when I get home," Cheng Chaoyang didn't avoid her gaze. Now he just wanted to let things take their course. If Lian Yu truly fell in love with him, there was nothing he could do; what was meant to happen would happen. He even felt a faint sense of anticipation.

"No, you stay inside." Lian Yu had barely stepped out when the man remembered something—the residents of apartment 204 had moved out, at least a few days ago. Would the water tank still have water?

Sure enough, Lian Yu quickly returned.

"No water," Lian Yu said apologetically, pursing her lips.

Cheng Chaoyang smiled nonchalantly, "It's alright, you forgot? My house is right across the street." After a slight pause, the man continued, "The water won't be back until tonight. Come to my house for lunch; my mom's about to start cooking." Cheng Chaoyang

had originally planned to visit a client today, but he had changed his mind.

"That's not really appropriate," Lian Yu said, blushing and lowering her eyes, but secretly delighted. "It's not inappropriate at all.

My mom was talking about you today, saying she wanted to invite you to dinner. Now's the perfect time." With that, the man stood up from his chair.

Upon hearing this, Cheng's mother was overjoyed and came to room 204 to see the little girl. Seeing the injury on her face, she paused for a moment, then inquired with concern, showering Lian Yu with warm words, which deeply moved her.

Meanwhile, Cheng Chaoyang rode his bicycle to the market, buying a large carp, several pounds of pork, and some fresh vegetables. Because the man frequently brought his father meals, he was quite familiar with the market vendors, ensuring a good price.

Around eleven o'clock, activity gradually returned to the tenement building. Some residents started cooking, and after a while, those working nearby also rushed back to cook, making the corridor increasingly lively.

A symphony of pots and pans mingled with the crackling of woks, filling the building with a variety of aromas. If someone was missing garlic sauce, anyone could readily lend a hand.

While everyone was busy eating, the chefs from each household started chatting. They talked about the latest happenings in the neighborhood, who had a wedding or funeral, whose child was doing well in school, whose wife was cheating on them… In short, the news

spread like wildfire within the time it took to eat a meal. Lian Yu sat at home for a while, then felt it wasn't appropriate and went outside. She arrived at the Cheng family's door and saw Cheng's mother sitting there with a large ladle, the

shredded meat in the pot steaming. “Auntie, is there anything I can help you with?” The smoke and fumes in the hallway made Lian Yu want to sneeze.

“No, you go inside first, the food will be ready soon.” Cheng's mother turned around and shooed her away with a smile.

“Well, okay then.” Lian Yu was a little disappointed. She thought that if she were more diligent, she would be more popular; she would have to be more clever in the future.

Just as she turned around, a strong smell of chili peppers hit her in the face. Instantly, coughs filled the hallway, and Lian Yu couldn't help but sneeze loudly.

Cheng's mother turned to look at her and smiled, "Hurry up and go in, you're about to cry."

The little girl was embarrassed and quickly went inside. Just as the door closed, a harmonious, playful voice came from the corridor: "Whose chili peppers are these? They're so delicious, I want to try some too."

The biggest characteristic of the tenement building was its liveliness, especially when cooking. It was even more humane than back home in the countryside. This warm environment made Lian Yu feel comfortable, and she felt that her choice was right.

Although the door was made of wooden planks and not very sturdy, the houses were very close together. If she needed to call out, the neighbors could hear her clearly.

So she wasn't afraid. This place was safe and secure, with dozens of pairs of eyes watching. Therefore, bad people wouldn't choose to do evil here.

When Lian Yu entered the house, Cheng Chaoyang suddenly saw her, his heart skipped a beat, and then he said in a calm tone, "You've come over now? Are you hungry?"

The little girl shook her head shyly.

“Let’s put the table down, Auntie says it’s time to eat.”

Cheng Chaoyang nodded, standing up from his chair. His family’s large, heavy floor table was custom-made by his father.

The Cheng family’s house was 40 square meters, with two bedrooms and no living room.

The elderly couple lived in the outer room, about 30 square meters, which had been partitioned off to create a small space for the bed; the rest was used as the living room.

After the table was set up, Lian Yu went to the cupboard to look for bowls and chopsticks. Cheng Chaoyang was displeased.

“You’re a guest, you can just sit here, I’ll do the rest.” He said hurriedly as he watched Lian Yu open the cupboard door, not daring to approach her for fear of upsetting them both.

“I can do this little thing.” Lian Yu smiled as she found the bowls and chopsticks, about to set them on the table, when Cheng Chaoyang said, “Just take three sets, Dad’s eating out for lunch.”

“Really?” The little girl put another set of bowls and chopsticks back in the cupboard.

After everything was set up, Lian Yu felt awkward, unsure whether to stand or sit. It was someone else's house, after all, and she felt very uncomfortable. She secretly glanced at Brother Cheng; he seemed a little uncomfortable too.

"I'll go check if the food is ready!" Lian Yu's heart pounded as she hurriedly slipped out.

The meal was quite sumptuous: steamed carp, shredded pork with garlic sauce, stir-fried vegetables, and several salted duck eggs made at home. When the dishes were all on the table, Lian Yu almost drooled.

As a child, Lian Yu often went to the Cheng family's house to eat and drink for free. Now, she was about to taste her aunt's cooking again, and she was overjoyed. How many years had it been? She couldn't remember.

"Eat up, come on, Xiao Yu, don't be shy." Cheng's mother was very welcoming; older generations always loved children.

"Thank you." Lian Yu picked up her bowl and accepted the food. Then Cheng Chaoyang specially placed a piece of fish in her bowl. They looked at each other, saying nothing, but their hearts were overflowing with emotion.

The first bite of food was so familiar and comforting that it inexplicably moved Lian Yu—she tasted the flavor of family.

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