《No Matter How Long Time Passes, I Still Love You》


 Chapter 1 - Disastrous Morning

    Beads of perspiration trailed down her forehead as she placed her hand above her eyes to block the incoming sunlight. Her lips curved downwards when she felt the heavy migraine exploding like a volcano erupting with loads of lava bursting out of its hell hole.


    ''Ugh! What a great way to start my day with a stupid hangover! I have to go to work soon... I have to see him and her together... what luck. Sigh.. just five more minutes....'' she thought to herself as she pulled the blankets over her head.


    While rubbing her temples, she noticed a familiar cologne fragrance. ''Huh...? How come it smells like him? Am I still dreaming? I must be since my eyes are closed. Sigh... I guess I really need to wake up and get over him!''


    Her fingers patted against her porcelain skin lightly before her eyelids reluctantly lifted up. She grunted when her eyes met the sunlight outside of the blanket as if someone had purposely tried to murder her sight by flashing a flashlight into her eyes. Naturally, her instincts quickly took action and she squirmed back undercover, moving like a worm. Her eyebrows knitted together while she thought of endless excuses to give her boss about why she lived fifteen minutes away, yet she could still end up late for work.


    ''Oooo my stomach hurts... wait, I used this one before. Hmm... I got super drunk and crazy that I ended up playing the role of a clown last night at a strip club... wait, too fake... I...argh, forget it. I''ll just get up...''


    Just when her leg adjusted its position slightly, her toes knocked into a warm, hard, yet soft surface next to her. Swallowing her saliva loudly, her eyes wandered towards her right. Immediately, her face drained its colors as she saw six pack abs that obviously belonged to a man whom she had not figured out his identity yet because she was still under the blankets.


    As her breathing hastened, she slowly retreated from the unknown stranger, almost falling down from the edge of the king sized bed. She stumbled her way out of bed and found a clean towel to wrap around her body.


    Her heart was racing so fast that she thought she was being thrown off a cliff to play bungee jump, ''Yin Susu, you got this.. it''s alright... it''s alright...just don''t wake him up.. and see who he is...'' She patted her chest to soothe her mixed emotions.


    Gently, she pulled the blanket away from his face...


    "nnn..." The man shifted sideways.


    She reacted quickly as the man swung his arm towards her side of the bed, almost hitting her. "That cologne... and the..piercing on his ear... don''t tell me it''s Tian Yuo...but how?" Suddenly, the migraine that had subsided began to haunt her again as she tried to remember what happened the previous night.


    Before she could remember what exactly happened that led to her and Tian Yuo n.a.k.e.d on the same bed, Karen, Susu''s step sister opened the door in a frantic manner. With a shocked expression and almost instantaneously tear filled eyes reaction, she choked on her words, "S..sis! Tian Yuo! How could the two of you do this to me?!! Tian Yuo, we just got engaged last night and you slept with Susu!"


    The piercing agony shrilled in her voice as she wailed and repeated their names over and over made the situation worsen. Tian Yuo was awakened by her painful cries. He shook his head several times and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to recall the blurred pieces of memories from the previous night.


    He vaguely remembered a waiter saying that Susu wanted to congratulate him on his engagement with Karen, but couldn''t bear the pain so she had the waiter bring him a glass of wine. Everything blacked out after chugging down the wine. ''Damn that witch! And I thought she would finally give up on me!''


    "K...Karen.. it''s not like that!" Susu tried to explain, but she didn''t know what went wrong. Even she was confused herself as to why she was in the same bed as Tian Yuo and the things that happened last night.


    Tian Yuo gritted his teeth and sharply glared at Susu after looking around the room, "You bitch! How dare you drug me and made such a ridiculous move? Did you think stooping this low would gain my attention?! Karen, it was her. It was Yin Susu who drugged me. You need to trust me."


    Karen slammed the lamp on a nearby cabinet onto the floor, shattering it.


    "Shut up! I don''t want to hear anything anymore. I don''t want to listen to any of your excuses! You two slept together and that already became a fact. You''re no longer mine alone. I can''t share a man with another woman, especially when she is my step sister! We''re family!" Karen covered her tear stained face and rushed down the hall.


    Tian Yuo maintained his position on the bed with his elbow on his thigh and knuckle rubbing his temple on either side of his face. The blanket covered his bottom half of the body, revealing his well toned torso. The sun highlighted his furrowed brows and messy bed head.


    "Are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g done with staring at me? Everything went your way already! This went exactly the way you wished! Karen and I got engaged last night, and you had to come ruin us! Why? Just why do you have to be such a nuisance? You know, just because she is your step sister, it doesn''t give you any rights to interfere with her happiness!" His tone intensified and pupils dilated as his gaze landed on Susu''s trembling figure.


    She tried to deny the accusations once again, but was cut off by his hurtful words, " I won''t ever forgive you. You ruined my happiness, and I will return this thousands of folds. If anything happens to Karen, I won''t forgive you. Have you not done enough harm to her? How could you be so blinded by jealousy? Huh?!!"


    Her dried lips parted, but the words that she wished to spit out never got a chance to escape from her mouth. His large hands held her fragile neck tightly for the first few seconds before loosening its grip. He released his hand after noticing the blood stain on the bed from the corner of his eyes. ''Blood... so something did happen between us last night. To go this far.. Yin Susu..''


    "I''m not taking responsibility for whatever happens, so you better grab yourself the morning after pills. If you get pregnant for whatever happened last night, that child will be a bastard." His cold gaze and blaming words sounded like thousands of needle pricks stabbing her heart.


    Tears ran down her rosy cheeks and the sniffles that followed were her true feelings of all the heavy burdens that weighed on her heart. She had done nothing wrong! Yet every single time it was somehow her fault. The last residue of energy gave out and her body slumped to the floor.


    Her pitiful, raspy voice echoed the room, "Whether you believe it or not, it wasn''t me. No matter how much I love you, I already know that you don''t feel that way for me! I would never give my body to someone who doesn''t love me! Karen drugged my drink. It was her who handed me that wine!"


    "Watch your foul mouth. Keep your disgusting face out of my sight. I don''t want to see you ever again." He had already gotten dressed and quickly dialed on his phone to look for Karen. He slammed the door shut on his way out, making a few rose petals to fall by the vase.


    Her hand subconsciously rubbed her lower waist, "sss..." she hissed. A faint smile appeared on her pale face, "Hah.. silly me, why would I ever expect that he would take my side? I need to stop this hopeless dream." She wiped away the last drip of tears that escaped from her eyes before getting dressed.


    When she lifted her arms to wear her crossbody bag, a ring fell out of her pocket. Her eyes were filled with sorrow as another sigh left her mouth, "It seems like he never took his promise seriously. Everything was just my wishful thoughts, yet my heart aches so much when I see him. I''m hopeless." She wrapped the ring in the center of her palm and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 2 - Called you Thirty Million Times Last Night

    Susu took out her cell phone to order a cab since she was late for work and didn''t have time to go home and get changed. The moment her phone was switched on, her eyes couldn''t catch up with the number of unread messages from different apps and missed calls that popped up on her notification screen.


    Chen Mu:


    "Where are you..?"


    "Are you okay?"


    "Are you still at the party? Don''t drink too much."


    "Let me know if you need a ride home. I''ll come to pick you up no matter how late it is. Message me."


    "Yin Susu! I''ve called and messaged you like what? Thirty million times! When we meet, you need to treat me to a big meal!"


    "Okay, I''ll stop calling you dear for... an hour. Please answer back (Crying emoticon)"


    While scrolling from the very first message all the way to the... well.. no end because she never reached the end of the messages as it could match up to the length of the Great Wall of China. Her eyebrow raised seeing that the person who called her throughout the night was Chen Mu.


    Chen Mu was Tian Yuo''s childhood friend, who also came from a prestigious family, but had a flirty mouth. He always loved teasing her and annoying her, but somehow the long list of missed call logs and messages made her smile after a chaotic morning.


    Before she unlocked her phone screen, Chen Mu''s drooling, sleeping face appeared on her screen. She huffed out a small laugh, "Hello, young master Chen Mu."


    "Yin Susu! Do you know how many damn freaking times have I called you since last night??? Where the heck have you been? I even bombarded the phone companies to look for you, but they said you had your phone off!!!" He sounded like a father scolding his daughter coming home after sleeping over at a friend''s place without permission.


    "My phone was turned off because of Karen and Tian Yuo''s...engagement. I was told to entertain some guests while I was at the party and... well.. that''s about it." Her voice trailed off and faded after mentioning the party from yesterday.


    Sensing her changed tone, he coughed on his side of the call, "Uhm... Are you alright?"


    Quickly snapping out of her deep thoughts, she adjusted her voice, "Why would I not be okay? It''s just a man. If I wanted to, this Miss here could get all the men she wants lining them up all the way to the deep holes in space."


    "Pffft, yes, yes. Our Miss. Yin is the National Wife that everyone would be as lucky as winning the jackpot if they get you. By the way, aren''t you supposed to be at work today?" He sounded curious because she usually ignores all calls during her shifts.


    "Ack! Because of you, I totally forgot to call my cab!!!" She smacked her forehead and let out a deep sigh.


    "Hehe~ Someone seems to be in a hurry~ Where are you now? I''ll come to get you and help you out." He teased in a gentle tone.


    "I''m standing in front of the grand hall from yesterday." She accidentally spilled out the words that she didn''t want him to know. Usually, Chen Mu may seem to have a low IQ and EQ, but he always had the sharpest instinct when it comes to awkward situations.


    "Miss. Yin, don''t tell me that you spent your night at the grand hall? What? Did you get drunk and woke up next to a stranger in the guest room or something?" He jokingly spurts out his thoughts while driving to pick her up.


    Facing the silence that followed after his words, his tone became serious, "I''m right..? Then...who..."


    "Tian Yuo." Her voice trembled as she tried to control her long suppressed emotions back to its place.


    "I''ll be there in five minutes. We''ll talk then. Actually, no, be on the call with me so I know that you''re not going to hide somewhere and disappear on me." Her eyes were filled with tears, and her head was tilted facing towards the blue sky and white clouds from above. For some reason, her tears weren''t listening to her demands and kept attempting to escape from her eyes.


    She repeated to herself as she walked in circles, hoping her tears would be like snot and get sucked back into her body. ''Come on Yin Susu... what is there to cry about? Why are you such a crybaby? You need to be strong. You can''t let Chen Mu see this side of you. You never showed this side to anyone.''


    Exactly four minutes and fifty-nine seconds later, a BMW stopped right in front of her and the windows of the passenger seat rolled down. "Yo!" Chen Mu waved his hand and walked out of his car to greet her with a tight hug.


    His short styled hair, dazzling smile, and warm embrace comforted her deeply. His tidy suit and rarely used cologne hinted that he was heading back to his office for an important meeting. Even though she could already guess that he went out of his way just for her, she couldn''t resist his hugs. A hug was exactly what she wanted and wished for at the moment. She hid her face in his suit so that he wouldn''t notice her reddened eyes.


    They stood there for a whole three minutes before Chen Mu whispered, "Dear, I would love to hug you all day long, but the day is not getting any longer and your time is getting shorter. Shall we go?"


    Though he sounded calm, his head was filled with ideas on how he should comfort her or cheer her up. ''Hey, if a hug doesn''t do it, there are always belly dancing and Kisses (chocolate).''


    He handed her a bag with an office outfit inside with a charming smirk on his face, "Change into this outfit before going to work."


    She nodded, but curiously asked, "This is a female outfit. Why do you have one in your car?"


    He chuckled, "If I say I had a woman in this car.... hahaha, I''m kidding. That''s from my mom for you. She said she came across it while shopping and thought that it would be a perfect fit for you. So thank Madam Chen, not me."


    It took him less than fifteen minutes to reach her work place. She worked under one of the Chen Corporation''s main headquarters as an intern. Although she could''ve been placed in a higher position, she requested to start from an office assistant to gain more experience.


    The moment he stepped into the office, the manager greeted him politely. He explained that he had assigned a project related to the upcoming seasonal sale designs, which delayed her punctuality for the day. Quickly, she sat in her chair and waved him goodbye.


    He smiled in her direction until the elevator doors closed. His eyes darkened and fists clenched tightly revealing his white knuckles, "She was crying again. Not the first time she tried hiding it from me and wouldn''t be the last time either. I never forced her to express her emotions in front of me, but this time... What kind of bullshit did those two clowns do to her this time?"


    Bzzt! Bzzt!


    Seeing the caller ID on his cell phone screen, he casually picked up the call, hiding his anger, "What''s up? Okay. I''ll see you tonight then."


    After the phone call ended, Chen Mu''s expression looked calm, but as the saying goes... "The calmness before the storm.."

 Chapter 3 - Five Star Thai Cuisine

    -12:15 P.M. Chen Corporations- Conference Room A-


    Lunch time finally arrived as Chen Mu listened to the fifth financial plan proposal from the fifth financial advisor about the progress of recent investments. All the complicated business terms that could have been easily simplified to one line was stretched to a fifty-page proposal per person and the presentations were long and dull.


    Chen Mu could only curse in his head because he had to temporarily take over the company due to family issues. Even though he had no interest in taking over his family business, he was talented in discovering great opportunities. He knew that once he takes over temporarily, it would mean that he had stepped foot into the business field and escaping from his family''s plans would be something difficult.


    Since it reached lunch time, Chen Mu stopped the financial advisor from continuing his suggestions on the upcoming project, "Let''s take an hour lunch break."


    He took out his cell phone and texted Susu to remind her to eat lunch or take a break from work.


    Chen Mu: "Don''t forget to take a break and eat your lunch. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is very bad for your stomach, so you better eat something."


    Susu was about to get up to brew another cup of coffee when she received his text, "Damn! What timing... He must have some spy camera on me."


    She replied, "I''m not hungry."


    Chen Mu: " Even if you''re not hungry, you should eat something small."


    Susu: "No appetite."


    Chen Mu:" As your boss, I forbid you from working until you take a break."


    Susu: "Okay."


    Chen Mu: "And replying ''Okay'' is not enough. Make sure you eat something."


    Susu: "Kk"


    Chen Mu: "You''re not going to eat, huh? I request a selfie of yourself eating."


    Susu: " :( "


    Chen Mu smirked at her sad face emoticon. Taking out his wallet, he handed his credit card to his assistant, "Thank you everyone for your hard work. I want to treat all of you to the Five Star Thai Cuisine. Order as you wish, but when you order, please help me order a Soup Veggie (small), Papaya Salad, Black Sticky Rice Coconut Milk, Coconut Sticky Rice, and Chilean Sea Bass. Thanks."


    Everyone thought they had heard wrong because Chen Mu looked so bored and strict during the meeting that they were afraid he would flip out on their economic plans. They did not expect him to treat them to a fancy meal, especially the famous Five Star Thai Cuisine.


    "What?" Chen Mu looked up from his phone when he noticed the awkward silence that followed after he finished telling them the order that he wanted.


    His assistant instantly noted the orders that his boss wanted and hurriedly asked the other employees what they wanted. Within half an hour, the food was delivered to the conference room.


    Chen Mu''s assistant handed him the orders in a separate bag, "Mr. Chen, this is the order that you requested."


    "Oh! Thank you." Chen Mu smiled as he got up from his seat, fixed the wrinkles on his suit, and walked out with the food in his hands. Before he entered the elevator, he had sent a text to his assistant, "Tell everyone their official lunch break starts now, so take their time eating. No rush."


    His assistant was once again left speechless with his mouth dangled open, "Boss... must be in a good mood today. Does that mean I can finally go home and not work overtime today?"


    The elevator doors opened and Chen Mu quietly stepped into the empty office. He frowned when he noticed that everyone went to lunch except for Susu. She was still typing on her laptop trying to correct the tiniest detail of the upcoming seasonal poster.


    The bag of food was placed right by her laptop, startling her.


    "Chen Mu! Huh? What''s this?" Her long hair was tied in a messy bun and her eyes looked more energetic behind the glasses frame. The glossy soft lips of hers looked sweet like fresh cherries.


    With a smile on his face, he listed all the dishes that he had ordered exclusively to her taste, "All of these are your favorites that you have never turned down in the past. Work is important, but your health is my top priority. Let''s eat."


    Leaning against her chair lazily, she questioned, "Don''t tell me you purposely went to this place to grab delivery just so I would take a break and eat something."


    "Half bingo! I was at a meeting, and my employees wanted something from the Five Star Thai Cuisine. I only went along and ordered. It was a pure coincidence. Now, let''s eat before the food gets cold. I also have your favorite dessert."


    Seeing her tired figure slouching in her chair, he offered to roll her chair to the dining area. Even though she had her doubts, the long list of orders and the total cost eliminated her suspicions. "Hmmm... then thanks for the food and I could move on my own, so you don''t have to push my chair." She got up from her seat and walked to the dining table.


    While he set out the dishes, her stomach growled from the mouth watering fragrance coming from the food. She quickly grabbed two sets of dining utensils and joined him for lunch. No matter how little appetite she has, she could never resist this amazing Five Star Thai Cuisine. Even during rush hours, this place made their food fresh and top notch.


    Chen Mu was glad to see her enjoying her food and feeling more cheered up compared to this morning. ''This place always does the trick.''


    He sliced up the Chilean sea bass and carefully placed the pieces onto her plate as she devoured the other foods that he had already put on her plate.


    She noticed that he had barely eaten anything while she was almost full, "I can''t finish that much food! You need to eat too."


    "I''m fine." He was in a great mood seeing that she was fed properly.


    "Chen Mu.. you..." She sounded a bit shy, making him tease her.


    "What? Don''t tell me you want to marry me~~" He chuckled as he chewed on a piece of sea bass.


    "No, I was going to say that you remind me of my dad." She nodded while rubbing her chin.


    "Huh?....in what ways...?" He almost choked on the word ''dad''


    "The way you remembered my favorite dishes, sliced everything for me and placed it on my plate before serving yourself." She sounded a little disappointed when she said that line, but he didn''t understand why because her father doted on her from everything that she told him.


    After they had finished eating, Susu rubbed her tummy with a blissful smile on her face, "That was a great meal! Do you know what would make this even more perfect?"


    Seeing her sweet smile, he knew exactly what she wanted, "A warm cup of Passionfruit Jasmine Tea in mild level." She nodded, "Ahhh, that would make this lunch beyond perfection!"


    "Wait here." He rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the private pantry. After a few minutes later, he came out with two mugs filled with her favorite Passionfruit Jasmine Tea in Mild level. She blinked a few times before taking a sip, "Oh my!!! This is really good. When did you learn to make this?"


    "A while ago." He wasn''t lying when he said a while ago since he indeed took months of practice to perfect the tea taste. Of course, he would never let her know about this.


    In the middle of holding onto her warm mug, she brought up the courage to ask him a question that has been stuck in her mind, "Chen Mu, when you called me earlier, I already sensed that you wanted to ask a lot of questions. How come you never asked anything after seeing me?"


    "I don''t need to know things that you don''t want me to ask. If you wanted to tell me, you will eventually. I won''t force you to say anything you don''t want to talk about, but if you ever need to rant or complain about anything, I''ll always be there for you. Just one call and I''ll be there." He noticed that she was feeling slightly upset again.


    "If only he would listen to me even a millionth of the amount you do. I still don''t understand why he hates me so much." Her voice sounded a little shaky as she lowered her head.


    ''She''s trying to hide her emotions again..''


    He placed his mug onto the table, moved closer to her, and gently rubbed her back in a comforting manner, "If you ever feel like you really can''t handle the situation, never hesitate to ask me for help."


    "Chen Mu.."


    "Hmm?" The gentleness in his voice knocked down the last bit of control she had over her emotions. Her heartbroken voice trembled as she asked in a low volume, "W..what if one day something really bad happens, and you hear bad things about me? Would you leave me too?"


    He stopped rubbing her back and rotated her chair so that she was now facing him. His warm hands caressed her cheeks, lifted her face up, and looked at her straight in the eyes, "You have my word on this. No matter what happens in the present, future, or already took place in the past, I will choose to believe in the Yin Susu that I have known since young. Even if nobody else believes you, as long as you say it, I''ll believe it."


    Hot tears streamed down her face, wetting his fingers as he wiped the droplets using his thumb. The tears that she had held back since this morning fell from her eyes like a waterfall. Every tear that flowed down her face stained his suit, as well as his heart. He felt like someone clenched his heart together like mincing meat to sauce.


    No matter how difficult or frustrating things were in the past, she had never once cried in front of him. Hearing and seeing her cry like an abandoned child made him extremely anxious. All he could do now is to give her a tight hug and comfort her to lessen her stress.


    He stood by her side, wrapped her in his arms, and let her release her years of built up pain.


    ''Tian Yuo, you bastard.'' He silently cursed his childhood friend.

 Chapter 4 - Put It Under His Tab

    After sending Susu home and watching her enter her apartment, Chen Mu went back to his car where he stayed for an extra fifteen minutes to make sure she didn''t need anything. Seeing the lights from her apartment switched on and the shadow of her typing up her hair made him feel relieved.


    He was afraid that after leaving her alone by herself, she would break down like she did in the office today. The vibration from his phone disrupted his attention, "Hello?"


    "Chen Mu! Where are you?" Tian Yuo was already at the bar waiting for him.


    "I had to finish up some files. I''ll be there in twenty minutes." He replied in a neutral tone.


    He cut Tian Yuo off the line before he starts complaining about his tardiness, "Need to be punctual, my ass. If she didn''t cry in my arms today, I would ditch you a minute before our meet up time."


    Since their birth, Susu and Tian Yuo''s family had anticipated for their wedding. Therefore, Chen Mu knew his place as their childhood friend. He understood that there were certain boundaries that he should not cross. His feelings were also something that nobody should find out about.


    Across the street from the bar, Chen Mu remained seated after loosening his seat belt, "Sigh, I could still hear her cries from earlier. What if she cries again when she is alone? Even though I''ve already tried to be the best friend that I could be, I almost lost control today."


    His eyes fixated at the bar, "Tian Yuo, even though you''ve already been a stupid pig head, there is a limit to how far my advice could go. If it reaches the point where you are still blind enough to not realize how terrible you are treating her, I will go back on my own words."


    He closed his eyes and leaned backwards to calm his mixed emotions, "I once said to myself that as long as Susu is happy, I could do anything for her, including giving up these feelings that I have for her. But if she is going to use her tears to wash her face every day like today, then I won''t give one f.u.c.k about their engagement and our friendship."


    After releasing another deep sigh, he walked towards the entrance of the bar. From the front door, he immediately spotted Tian Yuo sitting by the bartender, emptying his fifth shot. Pretending that he didn''t know anything, Chen Mu walked passed the crowd and ordered a beer.


    "Put my drink on his tab." His voice alerted the half sober man next to him.


    "You''re late! It should be you treating me!" Tian Yuo''s face was flushed, and eyes were squinting as if he was having trouble recognizing who was sitting next to him.


    "That''s the advis.e.m.e.nt fee. Talk. What happened this time?" His voice sent chills down Tian Yuo''s spine as if someone had attacked him with pointy needles out of nowhere.


    "Yin Susu drugged me last night, and we slept together. This morning, Karen walked in on us and... I''m not sure what will happen to our engagement. Karen said that I no longer belonged only to her, so she needs time to think about our relationship." He tapped his fingers impatiently on the hard surface of the counter, waiting for his refill.


    Chen Mu''s hand gripped his beer mug slightly tighter, "You said Susu did it, but where is the evidence? Did she admit that she drugged you? Did you see her drug your drink? If not, then you can''t say it is her."


    "It''s obvious that she is overly jealous that Karen and I got engaged instead of her and me! She didn''t like the fact that I didn''t want to marry her and even went against our parents just to prove my point!" He banged his fist against the counter a few times, releasing his frustration.


    "Are you done?" Chen Mu drank two mouthfuls of beer.


    "What?"


    "I''m asking you if you are done throwing illogical senseless accusations against Susu. If you aren''t, I''ll help you order five more shots and wait for you to either die from alcohol poisoning or wake up tomorrow to talk. If you''re done, then get your common sense together and you''ll find many suspicious points in the situation."


    "What do you mean?" Tian Yuo made a disappointed face at him for not showing any empathy.


    "Dude, even though I call you stupid all the time, don''t actually define that word yourself. First of all, let''s break this down. Start with, how did you end up drugged to begin with?"


    "A waiter handed me a glass of wine saying Susu wanted to give Karen and me her blessings, but she couldn''t give me a toast without crying, so..."


    His voice became three degrees colder than before, "Don''t tell me you actually drank that..."


    Tian Yuo nodded.


    "You idiot! One of the first rules during any occasions is to never drink unattended drinks even if it is from the waiter! Even though that waiter mentioned Susu''s name, anyone could have instructed him to say it. Continue. Then what happened?" Chen Mu sounded impatient and agitated by Tian Yuo''s story.


    "That''s about it. I blacked out and the next morning, I woke up hearing Karen''s cries and then saw Susu wrapped in a towel by the bed."


    "And based on your super blurred memory from the previous night and the waiter''s words, you judged the situation and blamed everyone onto Susu. I''m surprised you got out of the room without a single scratch across your face." He stopped making eye contact with Tian Yuo and drank another mouthful of beer.


    "What..? This isn''t what you''re supposed to be saying to me!" His flushed face became even redder from fury.


    "Oh? Then which script did you want me to follow? I''m here to knock some sense into you, not please you." Chen Mu munched on salted edamame that Tian Yuo had ordered so that he wouldn''t accidentally give him a black eye.


    "Then how should I fix this?" His hairstyle was messed up by his rough scratches against his scalp.


    "Fix this? I don''t think you told me the entire story yet."


    "That was the whole situation!"


    Chen Mu sharpened his glare from the corner of his eyes to meet Tian Yuo''s eyes, "Knowing you, you must have said hurtful words to Susu afterwards right? All you ever cared for was Karen this and Karen that. Have you ever once listened to Susu''s pleas and explanations?"


    "What was there to listen to? Everything was pointing towards her drugging me! I saw the blood stain on the bed and told her to get the morning after pill. If she gets pregnant, I''m not taking responsibility for her." He swallowed another shot in one go.


    "You said what..?" Chen Mu''s breathing quickened and his tight grip left the beer mug after he finished drinking the last sip of beer.


    "I told her that if she ends up knocked up, that child would be a bastard. I wont admit that child since it isn''t my fault to begin with."


    Grabbing onto his shirt''s collar, Chen Mu pulled Tian Yuo away from his seat, "How could you say such disgusting words to her?! Did you really think that anyone would sacrifice their precious v.i.r.g.i.nity just to tie down a guy who doesn''t even love them back?! And you even spat out such nonsense about morning after pills and bastard children to her face?"


    "Chen Mu, are you crazy? Let me go! you''re choking me!" Tian Yuo felt suffocated by the pressure that Chen Mu was emitting.


    "Hitting you would dirty my fists, so I won''t hit you. What comes around goes around. You are blind today, but there is no room for regrets in the future. If Susu gets knocked up by you, I will take care of her and her child. I''ve warned you many times whenever you ranted or said negative things about Susu to pay attention to the person you thought of as close. I can''t believe you still got brainwashed to this terrible extent. Shame on you."


    Chen Mu left his share of the bill on the counter, "I''m paying for my beer and the edamame that I ate. If I put the food and drink on his tab, I''m afraid I would puke it out tonight. Thanks for your service. Get him a cab and charge everything else on his tab."


    Back in his car, Chen Mu''s fists were clenched tightly, "How the hell do I comfort her this time around?"

 Chapter 5 - The One and Only Reason

    Driving around the city with no destination in mind was not what Chen Mu had on his weekend schedule. He expected a chill, relaxing weekend with a peaceful slumber and big breakfast the following day. It was already 1 A.M. in the morning and he was still sitting in his car wondering what he could do for Susu.


    "Back then, the sly tricks that Karen used to get Tian Yuo''s attention was so obvious that I could puke out rainbows like the Skittles commercial. I thought that he would figure it out since her actions were damn shameless. She didn''t leave him any personal space whenever and wherever she saw him." He looked at the beautiful full moon that shone in the night sky with groups of stars twinkling around it.


    "I still can''t figure out why he would get attracted to her. She''s not even that pretty or that curvy. At least there were better looking girls out there, but why her? Sigh, men are probably animals who think with their lower portion than use their brains when facing females..." He snapped out of his daze and stepped out of his car to feel the breezy air by the beach.


    It was still rather early for anyone to be roaming around, so he didn''t think of the chances of encountering someone while taking a short walk on the boardwalk. "Hmmm? That familiar looking back... isn''t he...."


    Quickly, he dialed a number and placed the phone next to his ears. Seconds later, the man in front of him picked up a call with his same old, husky tone that could easily seduce any woman he wanted, "Hello?"


    "CEO Huang Zhi Hei, I never knew you were this romantic to take a walk by yourself." For a second, Chen Mu felt relieved to see him because he considered Zhi Hei as a close friend after some business interactions and socialite events.


    "You couldn''t have tapped my shoulder or called out my name like the daily habits that you almost did every time you greeted me at my company?" Out of every friend that Zhi Hei had, Chen Mu was the only one who could speak to him in such a carefree way. He respected Chen Mu''s intelligence when it comes to business tactics and fast resolutions to emergencies.


    "Che, so cold like always~ But that''s what I like about you~ Ahhh, you''re always this cold to me. This is why you don''t have a girlfriend yet. You gotta warm your tone or they''ll all hop away like bunnies. Keep your spikes to yourself, porcupine." He winked.


    Even though Tian Yuo was Chen Mu''s childhood friend and practically knew everything about him, Zhi Hei is actually closer to Chen Mu. In front of Zhi Hei, Chen Mu could rant his frustrations and emotional stress whenever he needed an outlet. Though he sounded more like a needy girlfriend, Zhi Hei would still make time to see him and they would exchange each other''s stories.


    Over time, the two began opening up to each other and would feel free to discuss anything that was bothering them, excluding their family business plans. Sometimes, they would hear news about the problems that each other''s company was facing and suggest possible resolutions.


    Zhi Hei grinned as he made eye contact with Chen Mu and pointed to his phone screen.


    Beep


    "Hey!!! I saw that!! You hung up on me!!" he stuffed his phone into his pocket and childishly stomped while walking towards Zhi Hei.


    "You reek of beer. It''s rare for you to drink and drive. Something wrong?" Zhi Hei asked in an indifferent tone.


    Chen Mu sighed and flipped both palms upside down with his hands spread out while looking helpless as he explained the situation to him. He already told him about Susu and basically every tiny thing about her. By the time he had finished telling him the whole situation that happened overnight, they were sitting in Chen Mu''s car with two Starbucks Black Coffee.


    "How should I comfort her now?" His hands clasped together looking as if he was trying to ask a master to accept him as a disciple.


    "Look for the waiter first and trace it back to the culprit. According to what you''ve just told me, you also haven''t heard Susu''s side of the story yet. Come up with an excuse and try to slip that question out without making it awkward. Find out what happened from both sides and your chances of digging out the mastermind would be higher." He frowned after tasting the bitterness of the coffee.


    Chen Mu quickly handed him two packs of sugar, "But...she just lost her first time to my bastard friend. I don''t think I should bring this up. She might be very sensitive to this topic right now."


    "What''s worse? Asking her with the chance of her feeling sad and awkward in front of you or for her name to remain unclear because nobody is smart enough to trace back to the waiter to dig for more information?"


    "You''re right. It''s like 2:30 A.M. now. Maybe I should go to pay her a visit in a few hours." Chen Mu pointed at his watch looking disappointed.


    "I''ve read some articles before about cases like this. Well, not exactly the case, but similar. The female loses her v.i.r.g.i.nity and commits suicide because she couldn''t stand feeling dirty and violated before marriage. Even though Susu was in love with that Tian something friend, his verbal insults are enough to trigger her emotions. You sure you want to wait till later?"


    "... You''re right. Sorry, but I''ll head over to Susu''s now. I''ll find an excuse and somehow accompany her for the night. Lord Hei! You''re always a life savior~ Feel free to talk to me about your love problems~~ I can give you the most romantic ideas for dates hohoho~~"


    Seeing Chen Mu''s restless face, he exited the car and watched him drive off before going to his own, "Sigh, at least this chipmunk has his chances. Mine is probably still with that man. I wonder if she remembers me.."


    -Susu''s apartment-


    Susu was turning left and right on her bed without a hint of fatigue in her eyes. She tried counting sheep and listening to soothing music, but nothing helped. Her brain was full of endless thoughts on what happened the previous night after she had drunk the drink.


    In the middle of mumbling, "...Karen handed me the drink, but why would she drug us if she likes Tian Yuo so much? It''s not making any sense..."


    Ding Dong


    Wrapping her body with her fuzzy robe, she turned on the lights and looked through her tiny peephole, "Chen Mu? What''s he doing here?"


    She opened the door, "Why so late?"


    "I have an emergency!! Only you can help me!" He acted very conflicted.


    "Huh? What is it? Sounds pretty important. Are you sure you don''t want to call your secretary?" She wondered if it had something to do with work. If so, his assistant would be a much better choice than her.


    "Remember one of the Japan facial sheet masks that you bought?" he casually walked passed the door and comfortably laid himself on the couch.


    "The cherry blossom one that you extremely loved?" After rubbing her chin countless times, she finally remembered that particular mask he complimented for an entire month.


    "Uh huuuh! That one!"


    "What about it?"


    "I ran out!!!" Though it sounds ridiculous, skin concerns were one of Susu''s weaknesses. She was the one who introduced him to facial masks and skin creams. Now, this one and only reason should work like a charm.


    Susu was rendered speechless by his midnight crisis...but still, she silently walked into her bedroom and came out with a box of the cherry blossom masks, "Here. Alllll for you~"


    The corner of his mouth twitched when he witnessed the mountainous stack of cherry blossom masks, "Ah..hhaaa... you''re very prepared!"


    "Anything else? If not.." Her hand reached for the door knob, but halted when he stood up and said in a calm, unwavering voice, "Wait."


    She turned around to find herself trapped between his arms and her back now leaned against the door, "Let''s...have some fluffy pancakes with strawberries on the side."


    ''If masks don''t work, then food will have to do. Who says we can''t eat at 3 A.M. in the morning? Pffft.''

 Chapter 6 - You Saw Tian Yuo?

    "Chen Mu, you''re acting weird." Susu crossed her arms and gazed fixedly at him as a child would when looking at something that fascinates them. Her eyes wandered from the box of masks, to the kitchen, and back to the nervous man whose arms were still cornering her.


    Hearing his slight gulp, her smile that didn''t reach her eyes remained consistent, "Well? Don''t tell me you''re actually here for the masks and fluffy pancakes."


    After a while of hesitating between more lies and a quick truth, he chose to be honest. "Okay, I''ll quit beating around the bush." His arms raised up in the air as if he was waving his white flag to surrender under her interrogative tone.


    He sighed and gently settled her onto the edge of her couch before kneeling down in front of her. "Before I go any further with this conversation, I want to tell you that I have absolute faith and truth in you. And just because I am asking you these things, doesn''t mean that you are obligated to tell me anything. I don''t need to know what you don''t want me to know."


    The awkward, yet sincere tone that he held when speaking already told her where this conversation was going. She closed her eyes, let out a huge sigh, and faced him again with a faint smile, "You saw Tian Yuo didn''t you?"


    "Yes." A straightforward answer is the best choice he has because there was literally no point carving circles to figure out her thoughts. He already told her that she can say whatever she wished and keep anything she didn''t want to disclose to herself.


    Her lips closed together, forming a horizontal line, "I''m guessing he told you about the whole drug thing and the accusation against me."


    "Yes." Once again, he answered without the slightest hesitation.


    "You trust that it wasn''t me who drugged Tian Yuo? Everyone knows how much I loved him and the many years I''ve devoted my effort into trying to make this work between us. Why didn''t you suspect me?"


    "Do I need any evidence to believe in you? I know you long and well enough that you aren''t this type of person. Even though you''re still hurting from having to give up on Tian Yuo, you wouldn''t do something pointless to tie him down. You know that with his personality, he would never show you even the tiniest bit of sympathy."


    He kept his eyes focused on her expression, not missing any seconds of it. He knew she had a habit of hiding her true feelings from everyone, including him. Therefore, he had to make sure his attention was 1000% fixated on every single action that she makes.


    Another heavy sigh left her mouth, "It seems like even though I knew the both of you around the same time, you know me better than he does. I admit that I couldn''t completely bless Karen and him together because a part of me still hoped that he would like me back. This part of me..." she pressed the tip of her fingers to her chest and closed her eyes to feel her beating heart.


    "This part, right here, hurt the most when he said that he wouldn''t ever marry me because he loved Karen. All this time, that I''ve tried my best to become the best me to match him, he was already set on Karen. At that moment, I felt like I was so close to finishing up construction of a building, but this wall tumbled over and I''m back to square one. Even worse, I felt like I didn''t even have square one to work on because the investor refused to give me a second chance."


    Her long eyelashes followed her eyelid and lifted upwards, revealing a pair of sorrow filled eyes, "I admit that I would be lying if I never hated Karen, but I realized that someone who never belonged to me would never be mine. So, instead of dwelling on a past love that is meant to be locked away or meant to be forgotten, I wanted to embrace this truth. This was one of the reasons why I attended the engagement party."


    Seeing her small figure tremble slightly and her fingers nervously rubbing against one another, he attempted to interrupt her to make sure she wasn''t pushing herself to say things that she wished to keep private. Noticing his parting lips, she smiled slightly and squeezed his top and bottom lips together with her fingers, "Let me continue."


    Feeling the coldness of her fingertips, he nodded slowly.


    "Regardless of the past years of efforts that I''ve spent trying to perfect myself to meet his standards for a girl, at the very end, he only grew more distant from me. I could tell that he felt pure disgust when looking at me with the cold glare from that morning. From his impulsively said words, even a stranger would be able to tell how wronged he felt."


    "Even without any evidence or witnesses, he pointed at me and accused me of things that I haven''t done. I didn''t even have the chance to explain or stand up for myself. It was the most unfair treatment someone could ever do to me. The words he said, the expression that was on his face and the tone he used when speaking to me... Everything aimed heartlessly at where it hurts the most."


    His warm hands rubbed her hands, "He never deserved you."


    The warmth of his palms was equivalent to a bright sun shining onto her body, transferring unlimited energy and encouragement to her. She laughed softly, "Aiya, look at you. Even though you''ve been close friends with him, somehow you seem to be more biased when it comes to me. Hahaha, one day I might even be able to persuade you to give me your piggy bank."


    "No need for persuasion. Just a word from you and it''ll be done." His eyes showed no signs of humor.


    "Mister Chen, if you did that, your parents will hunt me down. Anyways, I''m very happy that you chose to believe me, despite the lack of evidence and obvious slandering from Karen and Tian Yuo. Did you come to see me tonight thinking that I will be doing something stupid to harm myself?"


    "Yes and no. Except... not no. I also came here to see if you are okay with telling me what happened to you the night you got drugged. This is only if you want to tell me about it." He reminded her and didn''t rush her to say her part.


    "Mmm... from what I remember, Karen walked up to me and said that she was very sorry that Tian Yuo chose her at the end even though everyone knew how much I fancied him. She said they loved each other and wished that I could give them my utmost blessings. Of course, I faked a smile to avoid any conflicts on their engagement night, so I took the glass of wine that she handed me and toasted her."


    "So... you mean after drinking that wine, you..." He didn''t dare finish his sentence as he wasn''t sure if any wrong use of words would trigger a sensitive reaction from her.


    She nodded, "Like the thought you have on your mind. I felt dizzy and walked up for a rest. The room was oddly hot! It felt like it was 120 degrees fahrenheit in there, so I stripped n.a.k.e.d and went to bed. Then, I woke up in the morning with Tian Yuo next to me. And then everything else followed."


    Chen Mu got up and sat by her side, "Tian Yuo said a waiter delivered a glass of wine under your name, saying it was a toast that you wanted to give, but couldn''t face him yourself. Therefore, he chugged it down and soon blacked out. Don''t you think this is too much of a coincidence? Karen gives you a spiked drink, and Tian Yuo was also drugged?"


    "Actually, I suspected Karen before, but what motive would she have to make such a low move? It wouldn''t make sense to say that she drugged her fiance to put him in the same bed as her sister on their engagement night. That night was their special night and before that, they were clearly flaunting their lovely relationship in front of my family."


    Logically speaking, nobody would make such a bold, crazy move to ruin their own life. As both of them dazed out deeply in thought, her phone vibrated and her ringtone blasted from her speakers, scaring them.


    Seeing the called Id, she quickly picked it up, "H..hello?"


    Her palm supported her forehead as she mouthed "Shit," before immediately replying, "I''ll be back home in half an hour."


    After hanging up, he could see dark clouds above her head as if the world was coming to an end soon, "Was it.. your stepmother?"


    "Yeah. Sorry, you can stay here if you want to, but I need to rush back home." She grabbed her jacket, socks, and keys.


    "Wait, I''ll drive you there. In this situation, the more you rush, the higher risks of accidents. Besides..." He was about to give her a few more reasons, but she forced a bitter smile, "Okay."

 Chapter 7 - Maximum Endurance

    Within half an hour, Chen Mu safely brought Susu back to the Yin residence. The entire car ride was filled with nothing but silence. He didn''t dare interrupt her deep thoughts. Inside her head, she was thinking back to many similar situations where Tian Yuo would randomly lash out his anger on her and say nasty words.


    ''The weird part is that whenever he does that, he would include Karen''s name. Could it be that she made up nonexistent things to frame me? Hah, now that I think about it, I never understood a word that Tian Yuo has told me until now. Everything would add up, but why would she do something like this?''


    "We''re here," he announced with uncertainty in his voice as he looked at Susu''s visible eye bags from the lack of sleep. With her deep thoughts floating like clouds in her mind, her hands searched sloppily and finally found the button on top of the buckle. Although she knew that she would have to face her family sooner or later, her fingers still nervously ran up and down the seat belt strap. Finally, she snapped out of her thoughts and realized that they were in front of her house.


    She was in a daze while watching her home from across the street with a trace of solemnness in her eyes. Seeing the unwillingness from her body action, he unbuckled the seat belt for her, "Do you need me to go in with you? Or maybe drive around a little bit longer so that you could prepare yourself?"


    Susu turned her head around with a sweet smile on her face, catching him off guard. "This is something between my family and me. I think it''ll be best if I face it alone. If I stay here any longer, I won''t have the courage to even step out of this car. Since I need to do this sooner or later, I''d rather deal with this now."


    Before she reached to push the car door open, she turned around once again and gave Chen Mu a tight hug, "Thank you."


    For all these years looking after her and staying by her side, she never initiated a hug. Susu was not the type of girl who would open up to just anyone. Therefore, this hug really meant a lot. When her hands reached for the door handle, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Though the hug was short, the warmth lingered on her body, giving her the courage she needed to face the upcoming chaos.


    The tight grip of her palms against his arms slowly loosened as seconds ticked by slowly. Finally, she patted his hands gently, "I''m okay. Trust me, I can handle it."


    "Are you sure?" His concerned voice instantly filled her heart with warmth.


    "Yeah. Because I know that even if others don''t believe in me, at least two people have faith in me." She rested her face on his left arm for a little bit.


    "Two?"


    "You and myself. Since I never did anything wrong, there is no reason to hide from them. Whether they believe my words or not, that is their problem." She pulled his arms off her shoulders, exited the car, and took large steps towards the house.


    The keys to the house felt extremely heavy as her fingers turned the key to the right direction and pulled to unlock the entrance door. Not even three seconds stepping into the house, Susu sensed a high dangerous blow aiming at her direction.


    Instinctively, she moved away and used a nearby metal board to block the hit, "Owww!!!!! You jinx!! How dare you block my slap?!!!" The woman''s high pitched scream echoed in everyone''s ears.


    Susu looked at the pretty handprint that was engraved onto the metal board in her hands with amus.e.m.e.nt, "Wow! Stepmother. You must have used a lot of strength while aiming towards me without any warning. This pretty print here belongs to you. As much as I wanted a tattoo, I didn''t want one coming from your rough hands."


    "You! After doing such a despicable thing to your sister! How dare you talk back with such an attitude?! I''m your mother, so I have the right to teach you what is right from wrong! Stealing your sister''s fiance is a f.u.c.k.i.n.g nasty move!" Susu''s stepmother, Liang Yu Qing was huffing heavy breaths like an angry dragon that had been awakened from its nap.


    "First of all, I haven''t done shit to anyone, but myself. Playing nice for all these years are too tiring, so why can''t I stand up for myself for once? Second of all, what sister? She''s your daughter. At most, she is my step sister, whom I have full rights to suspect of being the one who drugged me that night. Third of all, you say stealing someone''s fiance is a nasty move, but you climbed onto my dad''s bed and got yourself pregnant many years ago. Which of these sound more shameless?"


    Susu crossed her arms as her eyes scanned the entire living room. She noticed that other than Karen and her stepmother, nobody else was present. This means that her father was most likely hidden in the dark about this meeting.


    Quickly, she adjusted her position, pretended to stretch her arms backwards, and skillfully unlocked her phone. After years of experience, she mastered texting while not looking at the screen with her hands from her behind.


    She texted Chen Mu, "Call my dad and tell him to come home quick. Texting backwards, so don''t reply."


    Upon receiving her text, he dialed Susu''s father, Yin Zin Leung''s number. When he got through he briefly summarized the situation to him and he asked Chen Mu to help him keep an eye from outside the house just in case a fight breaks out.


    Immediately after hanging up the phone call, Chen Mu rushed towards the house and watched from the window while listening to the conversation from the inside.


    Karen continued playing her weak role like always and shed tears, hoping to gain sympathy points from Susu, "Sis! I.. I really.. I don''t know what to say anymore! I told you clearly that Bro Yuo and I loved each other dearly. I wanted your full blessings and yet you... you betrayed my trust like that!"


    Liang Yu Qing patted her daughter''s back gently, comforting her, "It''s alright. Mommy won''t let this go easily. This bitch can rot in hell and be the public c.u.m dumpster after I beat the crap out of her pretty face. Being a s.l.u.t like that at such a young age is truly disgusting!"


    Susu glared at her with a scornful gaze, "It''s funny when you say that to me because it sounds super ironic coming out of your mouth. How about considering how you even became the mistress of this household in the first place before spitting out bullshit that nobody would agree to? As for you Karen, whether you are innocent or guilty for what you''ve done, that''s something you and I both know. I have nothing else to say to you."


    "How dare you falsely accuse Karen? It doesn''t even make shit sense! Why would she even drug you and Tian Yuo when they were getting engaged that night, huh?! Answer me! What kind of woman would destroy their happiness with their own hands like a game of Tic Tac Toe, three in a row? Hmmm? Can''t answer it? Because you are the person behind the drugging!"


    Liang Yu Qing was short of breath after screaming out all her frustration that her head started feeling dizzy. Just as she had done her job shouting like a hooligan, two familiar figures stood by the door in their business suits. Everyone shuts their mouths instantly as their eyes concentrated on Yin Zin Leung and Tian Yuo.

 Chapter 8 - Cannot be Undone

    Seeing Yin Zin Leung''s sudden appearance shocked Karen and Liang Yu Qing greatly because they knew he was on his way to a very important international business trip. Now that he is present, their plans are disrupted.


    "What are you doing here? I thought you had an important meeting and needed to catch a flight tonight?" Liang Yu Qing asked in a gentle tone. The explosive anger that she showed a few seconds ago was almost immediately controlled.


    "I postponed it. What''s going on here?" Yin Zin Leung stood by the door and waited for someone to respond.


    Before Susu could say anything, Karen ran to her father''s side as tears streamed down her face like an endless river, "Daddy! I.. I didn''t want to tell you about it until you came back from the business meeting, but I think what sister did was too much. She drugged Brother Yuo on our engagement night and slept with him."


    "Is that so?" Yin Zin Leung scanned the room quietly as if he was conducting an inspection. He frowned slightly when his gaze landed on Susu. The heavy thump of footsteps made her body tense up a little as Susu maintained eye contact with him without flinching.


    Karen and Liang Yu Qing watched with excitement as they witnessed Yin Zin Leung raising his arm against Susu. The happiness on their faces could barely be contained as they screamed in their minds, ''Slap her! Slap her! Slap her!''


    "You''ve lost weight. Have you been eating your meals regularly?" Yin Zin Leung''s warmth palms covered Susu''s soft cheeks. She subconsciously moved a step backwards and replied, "I didn''t have much appetite lately, thanks to some people, but you don''t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."


    Seeing her take a step backwards to avoid his touch, he frowned and retracted his hand, "Then you better take good care of yourself. No matter how busy you get, don''t starve yourself. Treat your body better."


    "Mmm." Her arms were still crossed, and attitude was indifferent.


    After witnessing the father and daughter reunite without the face slap that they had anticipated, Liang Yu Qing mocked and pointed towards Susu, "Zin Leung! Is that the daughter that you raised? She took Karen''s fiance and shamelessly threw herself at him while he was intoxicated! She''s so vicious that she should be removed from the family register."


    The gentleness in his eyes faded to be replaced by his usual cold, mighty expression, "No doubt Susu is my daughter. Even when facing such accusations that ruined her reputation, she remained calm and steady. Very well. Since the beginning, Tian Yuo had been Susu''s fiance. The engagement was supposed to be theirs. So, tell me, how did Susu become the third party and take Karen''s fiance?"


    "She.. The one that Tian Yuo said he wanted to marry was Karen! That is a fact that nobody can change!" Liang Yu Qing argued with her finger pointing back and forth between Tian Yuo and Karen.


    "D..daddy, I know that you never agreed with our engagement, but you can''t be this biased when it comes to sister! The engagement was set for us since we loved each other." Karen wiped her tears and hugged Tian Yuo''s arms tightly as if she was holding onto her life.


    Tian Yuo noticed the joyful expression on Karen''s face earlier when they saw Yin Zin Leung raising his arm against Susu. For some reason, he felt that that side of Karen was foreign to him. The weird feeling that he felt quickly diminished when he felt her tight grip against his arms.


    Tian Yuo decided to say something since he was mentioned, "Mister Yin, I understand that you had high hopes for me and Susu to fall in love and get married once we are mature enough to start our own family. I also respect that you considered everything for your daughter and even planned out her life. But I hope you respect my decision as well. I do not love Yin Susu. The person I love is Karen! You can''t force us together just because you want it to go your way."


    Yin Zin Leung smiled calmly, "Have I raised any opposing words against your engagement with Karen? All I said was that Susu and Tian Yuo originally had an engagement. Therefore, even if it is taking fiance, it would be Karen, who took him from Susu. Now, the term, taking, snatching, etc. should not be used. Strictly speaking, the engagement agreement was between Susu''s biological mother and Tian Yuo''s mother. So, answer me, when have I ever forced my opinion about Susu and Tian Yuo getting married onto any one of you?"


    Everyone remained silent as he continued speaking, "Besides, after hearing Tian Yuo''s side of what happened that night, there are too many suspicious points that hasn''t been addressed. How could any of you point your fingers at Susu and accuse her for drugging him when the culprit is still unknown?"


    "How could it not be her? She benefits the most out of this whole situation! If she sleeps with him, you will obviously have them get married to each other and leave Karen aside! I won''t agree to your nonsense. If she already lost her chastity, then send her overseas to marry some foreigner since they are more open minded about losing v.i.r.g.i.nities!" Liang Yu Qing was getting more anxious for Karen''s situation because they were taking the short end of the stick.


    "What evidence do you have to say it was Susu who did this? Why couldn''t she be tricked as well? Anyways, whether or not someone schemed against them, the fact that they''ve slept together cannot be undone. I''ve already informed Tian Yuo''s parents of what happened. On behalf of Susu and Tian Yuo, we''ve already agreed to have them marry in a month. He has to take responsibility for what he has done."


    Chen Mu slipped and fell backwards outside of the house when he heard Zin Leung''s words.


    Liang Yu Qing almost fainted from hearing his words and Karen dropped to the floor in tears. While sobbing and acting like she was a victim, everyone missed the smile behind her palms. Meanwhile, Tian Yuo''s fist clenched tightly as he stepped in front of Zin Leung wanting to oppose the decision.


    With a callous tone, Susu''s voice was loud and clear when she replied, "Dad, it''s not him who doesn''t want to marry me. It is I who don''t want to be his wife."

 Chapter 9 - Perfect Family?

    "Susu, now is not the time to act mischievously. You two already slept together. What if you get pregnant? A child cannot be without a father and should have a perfect family." Zin Leung frowned and tried to talk Susu into agreeing with the marriage.


    She looked him in the eye without a trace of sorrow, "Dad, if I end up having a child, then I''ll have one. Who says a child has to have a perfect family? Mom died since my birth and you tried to give me a perfect family. At the end, not only was this far from being perfect, I suffered from years of abuse. Having an image of a perfect family may not necessarily make it a happy one."


    Zin Leung sighed and reached for her shoulders, but was once again avoided by her, "Susu, it''s all father''s fault, but this is something that you shouldn''t joke around about. We are prestigious families and everyone already knows about it. You need to marry him or else it would be difficult to find you a better match."


    "Tian Yuo can marry Karen since everyone who received their invitation to their engagement already showed up to that party. As for me, I am not joking nor am I angry when I am saying this. I won''t marry Tian Yuo." She couldn''t remain relaxed as long as she was within this household. Even though she knew that Zin Leung didn''t mean harm, she was in defensive mode after what happened in the past.


    Zin Leung thought that Susu was the same as before when he saw her after entering the house, but she definitely changed in the past year. "Susu, there''s no rush in making this decision. Maybe you''ll change your mind later. Also, Tian Yuo, talking to me won''t change anything."


    He was tired and shook his head before heading upstairs. When his right foot stepped onto the first step of the staircase, Liang Yu Qing stomped her leg in his way, "What''s the meaning of this? Wasn''t it agreed that Karen marries Tian Yuo?"


    "There''s no meaning in this arrangement. Accidents happen and when it does, those who are responsible should suck it up like a man. What has happened cannot be reversed. Karen can find another man, but Susu...sigh, I''ll let her think about it." He stared at Susu from a distance, hoping she was just kidding when she rejected the marriage decision.


    Tian Yuo gritted his teeth, bent down and swiped a stray lock of hair that was covering Karen''s forehead, "Karen, listen to me. The wedding won''t happen. I won''t go. I will ever marry anyone other than you, especially someone as disgusting as her."


    Karen looked at him with tears in her eyes, tugging his heart strings tremendously, "Brother Yuo...but you and sister did sleep together. If that''s the case... maybe father is right. We aren''t meant to be together. You should marry sister instead. She''s really pitiful."


    "Karen, you can''t be so naive and silly. It is her fault that things turned out this way. I promised to marry you and love you, so I will do everything to make it happen. I won''t care about what my parents say and will only marry you. Wait for me, okay? I''ll come back for you." Tian Yuo kissed her forehead and ran out of the house.


    Before he left, he hadn''t forgotten to give Susu a disdainful look. Unlike her usual hurt expression, she stood with her back straight and emitted a confident aura that he had never seen before. ''she wasn''t kidding when she said she didn''t want to marry me. But wasn''t she always in love with me? She wouldn''t give up that easily...so could it be that she only wanted to ruin my relationship with Karen?''


    After Tian Yuo stomped out of the house, Susu followed, but instead of large steps, she took her time. Liang Yu Qing lost the strength to scream on top of her lungs when she saw Susu leaving. She lost all hope when she heard her husband announce that both families have decided to marry Susu and Tian Yuo together. ''It''s over! I wanted Karen to marry him to gain all the benefits and money. It''s all over if Susu marries him...''


    When Susu walked out of the house, she giggled at seeing Chen Mu sitting on the cold floor looking like he had just seen a ghost, "What are you doing?" She held out her hand to help him up.


    He looked at her as if his soul had wandered out of his body and she brought him back to life. His hands felt her warm palms and a goofy smile appeared on his face, "I... was definitely not eavesdropping...ahaha..."


    "Uh huuuuh, then young master Chen Mu, eavesdropping comes with a price." With their hands still interlocked, she dragged him towards his car.


    "Price?" His eyes and mind were focused on their connected hands. He could care less about any price that she lists out.


    "Mhmm... Let''s get some fluffy pancakes with Strawberries on top. Your treat~" Seeing her cheerful smile, he unlocked his car and chuckled, "Sure. Anything and anywhere you want."


    Back in Yin residence, Karen went back to her room feeling extremely satisfied with the results of tonight''s discussion. She prepared a vanilla scented bubble bath and blasted her favorite music on the speakers.


    She mumbled to herself as the loud lyrics covered her voice, "Just as planned. Yin Susu.. even if you marry Tian Yuo, his heart would never be yours. Heh, when I come back, I''ll still be Mrs. Tian and you would be a used rag that nobody would ever want to pick up. Your miserable life has just begun.''


    After her bath, Karen went online and booked tickets to Paris. She grinned evilly at her screen after the successful transaction notification popped up.


    Karen took out her rose stationery set and began writing a letter to Tian Yuo. After she was done writing, the empty suitcase by her bedside was the next thing on her to-do list. Quickly, she went through her walk-in closet, chose her favorite designer outfits, and stuffed it into the suitcase.

 Chapter 10 - Not Negotiable

    Tian Residence


    Bam!


    The door swung open violently. Upon entering the living room, Tian Yuo could smell the fresh fruit tea that his mother, Li Shen Wan has brewed for his father, Tian Guo Min. Without taking a glance at her son, she sat down as if the loud entrance that Tian Yuo made was nothing unusual, "Welcome home."


    Tian Yuo''s chest heaved up and down as he calmed his breathing, "Mom, dad, I am not going to marry Yin Susu! She planned this whole thing to get married to me. If I marry her, it will go exactly the way she wished!"


    "Don''t tell me you still want to marry that Karen girl after sleeping with Susu." Li Shen Wen calmly spoke as she sipped her fruit tea. The calmer she replies, the more unsettled Tian Yuo felt because he knew his mother''s temper too well. ''She definitely has something planned.''


    "I only love Karen. Other than her, nobody else deserves to be my wife." He sounded confident when saying these words, but there was a slight second where he had paused between his words.


    "It seems like you''re not too sure about it yourself, son. Honestly, you knew that I never liked that Karen girl, even though she was Susu''s step sister. Susu was your original fiance, but you forced that change to happen. Before, there still was a small room for negotiation, but now, there is none." Li Shen Wen added a teaspoon of sugar into her tea and stirred it well with her small spoon.


    "Just because I slept with her doesn''t make her any special. I''m the victim who got drugged, and it is unfair for you two to separate Karen and me. Even if I marry Yin Susu, I''ll never be happy." He attempted to argue his strong points, hoping his mother would soften her heart one more time.


    "No. Susu is a great young lady who spent her childhood focused on what you liked and disliked. You slept with her, so you should take responsibility. Besides, I believe that she isn''t the type of girl to drug another person." She remained headstrong with her decision.


    "Mom! No, dad! What''s the fuss anyway? So what if I did sleep with her? It''s her fault for climbing into my bed! I''m not marrying her." He begged them to take back their decision.


    "Tian Yuo, the money that your dad and I have saved up were meant for you and Susu, not you and that girl. Let''s set a deal. If you marry Susu, we will give you the freedom that you''ve always wanted. You can open your own company, and we won''t interfere with your business. If you insist on marrying Karen, we will strip your name from all assets and inheritance from the Tian family. Your choice."


    In the eyes of outsiders, everyone would think that Tian Guo Min makes all the decisions, but in this household, the person who makes the final say is Li Shen Wen. Tian Guo Min was a doting wife machine, so he would always agree with what she says unless it is something related to the company.


    Before Tian Yuo replied to her, she warned, "This is my final warning. If you do marry Karen, forget coming home and gaining our acceptance of her. She will never be my daughter-in-law. You may be young, but you have a brain. Don''t get hypnotized by that girl. She''s not as innocent as you see her."


    Tian Yuo glared at her angrily, "Mom, you''re threatening me with what I want the most. You''re being unfair and obviously biased!"


    "Tian Yuo, Mom only wants the best for you. There is no antidote for regret. Why not give this marriage a shot? I already made it easier for you to choose since you''ve been wanting freedom from the company. Nothing will always go your way in life."


    "Heh, but mom, you also overestimated Yin Susu''s tolerance. She just said to her father that she does not want to marry me and be my wife. What will you do about that, hmm? Even if I am willing, if she isn''t, then it will still not work out." He remembered Susu''s words and used it as a defense.


    "So you''re basically telling me that as long as we can persuade Susu, then you will agree to the marriage, right? If that''s the case, then you won''t have to worry about anything. This wedding will happen in a month."


    "Just so you know, I''m going to make the marriage a nightmare for her. I''ll torture her in every mental way possible and then dump her! I will never fall in love with her. My only love is Karen." Tian Yuo rushed out of the house and slammed the door shut.


    After getting back to his car, he called Karen, but the call went straight to her voicemail. "Karen, it''s me. Give me some time. I can break free from my family and have my own business. I can support us in the future. I will marry you and make you the happiest bride, but before that, I will have to marry Yin Susu. For our future, please endure anything you hear or see. I love you."


    Meanwhile, at a breakfast and dessert spot...


    Susu cupped her cheeks and closed her eyes while smiling happily, "Mmmmm!!! This place has the best pancakes and sweetest fruits!" She was enjoying her fluffy pancakes and let the taste melt inside her mouth.


    Chen Mu let out a soft laugh and wiped the corner of her lips, "Crumbs. Eat slowly, nobody is competing with you."


    "Uh huuuuh, but it tastes so good." She took another bite of the pancakes.


    "By the way, earlier... why did you reject your dad''s suggestion with marrying Tian Yuo?" He had been wondering about this for a while because he knew how much she loved him.


    She took a sip of the warm tea in front of her before replying, "I love him, but at the same time, a part of me is already very tired of repeatedly facing his accusations. Every time he sees Karen shed one tear, his rationality would be thrown off a train and into a bottomless pit. At the end, I''ll always end up as the culprit in his eyes."


    Letting out a soft sigh, she wrapped her fingers around the warm cup of tea, "I''m human and I get tired too. I don''t want to chase after someone who will never realize I''ve been there. I also don''t think that I''ll be able to stand another one of his insults. So, I''ve decided to give up on him. The feelings that I''ve had for him will slowly, but surely, stop."


    "You deserve better and definitely find someone who loves you more in the future. Who knows though, maybe that person is just right around the corner, waiting for you." He smiled and placed the fruits from his plate onto hers.


    "Hahaha, you mean the cashier over there? Pfft, he is pretty cute. Anyways, all jokes aside, I think I will spend some time gathering myself together before trying to love someone else again. I need to put myself first and treat myself better!"


    "Alright! Then let''s do a cheer using these two cups of tea for your new beginning!" he lifted his cup and did so with hers. When they bumped their cups together, the teddy bear designs on the cups kissed.

 Chapter 11 - Buy Him Time

    Tian Residence


    After Tian Yuo ran out of the house, Tian Guo Min and Li Shen Wen went back to their master bedroom.


    Tian Guo Min changed out of his pajamas and waited for Shen Wen to bring him his business suit. While she roamed through their closet, he said, "Wifey, if you put things the way you did just now, Tian Yuo would never understand you."


    "Guo Min, today isn''t the first day you''ve known your son. Even if I said every single word in the softest tone, he will never process it with his brain focused on Yin Karen. I can''t believe how naive he is to believe in her words. If I would''ve known that those stupid lies that she''s stacked up over the years would affect him this much, I would''ve prevented them from seeing each other."


    "But he is still young. Maybe if we explain it to him, he will understand." He buttoned his shirt while she chose the tie to match with his suit.


    "His brain works slower than a turkey, okay? Just from Karen''s one drip of tear could make him run all over the place acting like a psycho. Like mother, like daughter, they''re both such schemers! I''ve watched Susu since she was a kid and doted on her like she''s my own. I knew about all the things that went on in the Yin family and how much Susu had suffered. This child never complained or called me for help either!"


    Shen Wen frowned recalling the day when she found out about the abusive step mother and how Yin Zin Leung believed in Liang Yu Qing and Karen''s words, breaking Susu''s trust. "I know Susu''s temper and attitude the most. Her personality is just like her mother. Too kind by nature, but extremely stubborn once she comes to a decision. If she didn''t feel so wronged, she would never move out of that house."


    Guo Min sighed and stood still while she tied his tie, "Who knew that the tiny rants that Tian Yuo used to scream out and the words that we thought were kiddy fights would become such an obstacle today? He came home looking angry and repeatedly spoke bad about Susu. We thought that this was the teenage phase, so didn''t look into it that much."


    She shook her head, feeling guilty for not correcting her son''s opinion when it first began, "This son is too gullible. Actually, it''s Karen, who had a bad heart as a child. None of us would have thought that she was capable of making up such lies and slowly brainwash Tian Yuo to this extent. If she didn''t do that, maybe Tian Yuo would treat Susu better."


    "Like I said to Tian Yuo earlier that there is no cure for regret in this world. I just hope that he will grow up within this period of time and learn to separate good from bad. By setting a deal with him, this could buy him some time to think and perhaps redeem himself. I just hope things are not too late between them." She patted his chest and handed him his blazer.


    "I was surprised that you would threaten to take his name off all our assets and inheritance if he chose Karen as his partner. You dote on him the most since young anyways. Never thought that you''ll make this move." He double checked the doc.u.ments that were needed for the business meetings for the day and wore his socks.


    "Of course I had to make it clear to him! Karen is definitely not trustworthy with her questionable personality and not to mention, that mother of hers! We all know how that Liang Yu Qing made him take responsibility after taking advantage of him while he was drunk. And he was thinking that Susu needed a mother, so he married her for convenience. She got pregnant from that night and had Karen." Shen Wen sounded furious because she was close friends with Susu''s biological mother, Zi Lan.


    She knew how much Susu''s biological mother and father loved each other, but everything went downhill when she died shortly after labor. He didn''t know how to care for his newborn child and face the grief of losing his wife. Liang Yu Qing literally took this chance to marry into the rich family and grew greedier over the years.


    Shen Wen walked Guo Min downstairs and continued their conversation as they walked hand in hand, "It was an agreement between Zi Lan and I, so people should learn their places. Liang Yu Qing and Karen had purposely tried to interfere with Tian Yuo and Susu''s friendship. Why would I easily accept someone like her? I''m most satisfied with Susu, but even if it isn''t her, I would still be alright with it. Only that Karen girl is unacceptable."


    "If they get married, Tian Yuo will follow Karen''s nose around and listen to her words. I don''t need an extra name added to our assets and his inheritance. So, if he chooses her, then he will lose a lot. He will have to support himself on his own." Shen Wen would never let the hard work that she and her husband had built together end up in somebody else''s hands like that.


    "Alright. It''s time for me to go to work. I''m guessing that you are going to look for Susu next?" He kissed her cheeks and took the doc.u.ments from her hands.


    "Yep. Hubby knows me so well~ I know she wont turn me down. Also, have your lawyer type up a contract for Tian Yuo and me. Make sure to include that he needs to remain married for a minimum of one year to Susu in order to get his freedom. If he breaches the contract, he will lose the freedom that he wanted. Fair and square." She reminded her husband so that Tian Yuo could not divorce Susu right after marrying her.


    "Oh right, another condition to put on either the same contract or a different one would be that if he marries Karen, her and her mother''s name can never be added to any Tian family assets, properties and inheritance. Just in case our son marries her." She returned the kiss and watched Guo Min leave the house while waving goodbye.


    After he had left, she called Susu to meet up for afternoon tea. Susu was already prepared to face Tian Yuo''s mother, so she agreed to meet her.


    Meanwhile, on the airplane, Karen was finishing up her meal while reading the student orientation package for new admissions from Paris Fashion Institute. Flipping through pages of alumni''s works who became famous after graduating, she circled the outfits that she liked and swore that one day she would be well known for her designs.


    "By this time...Brother Yuo should have gotten my mail. Hehe, when I come back, I''ll be famous and have Brother Yuo by my side. With his family background, I can easily gain access to many connections and earn a lot of money. I''ll have everything I ever wanted. As for Susu, let''s see if you could still be compared on the same level as me."

 Chapter 12 - Your Mothers Last Wish

    At Oriental Tea Dessert Spot


    Susu arrived before Shen Wen and ordered for both of them. Ever since young, Susu treated her like her own mother and they would often hang out for some afternoon tea. Oriental Tea was one of their favorite spots to chill and talk about random topics.


    While waiting for both the tea, dessert, and Shen Wen to arrive, Susu checked her social media and frowned when she came across a post that Tian Yuo uploaded an hour ago. It was a letter from Karen. Even though her name was blurred out, she recognized the rose stationery that Karen stole from her.


    ''How could I not recognize my own design? I got so angry that time that I actually yelled at her for going through my laptop. Who knew that she took my design because it was pretty and made it a print for her exclusive stationery set.''


    Tian Yuo''s message: "I''m not sure if you are seeing or reading this post, but if you are, I just want to tell you that I love you and will forever wait for you."


    The picture that he uploaded showed Karen''s letter to him saying, "I''m sorry, but it is best for me to leave. I love you, and it is too difficult for me to stay here. If I do, I will only be your burden and stand in everybody''s way. One day, I will be back and hopefully ..."


    The letter was never finished and only trailed off with dots. Susu smirked while reading the letter, "So this time she is playing the fishing bait game. Interesting. Using a letter with just a few words as the bait and the hook ending to lure the fish. Hah. Very well played. Victim once again."


    "Susu~ You''re here earlier than expected!" Shen Wen sounded surprised when she called out to Susu.


    "How could I make a beautiful lady wait for me? Hehe, I haven''t seen you in a while~ How are you doing?" Susu got up from her seat and spread her arms wide to give Shen Wen a big, tight hug.


    "How could I be well when my favorite daughter haven''t hit me up? Tian Yuo almost made me puke blood when he said disrespectful things too! Geez, Honey, you''ve lost some weight. You need to eat more!" Shen Wen caressed Susu''s cheeks.


    Shortly after settling down, the waitress served the tea and dessert. Susu elegantly poured the freshly brewed fruit tea for Shen Wen and smiled, "Here auntie, I remember you always liked this tea from here. See if you need to add more teaspoons of sugar. I told them to add two teaspoons when making the tea already."


    "This child... you remember everything about my likes and dislikes. What about yourself? You ordered just this teapot of fruit tea and a platter of cakes. Is this enough for you?" Shen Wen observed the table of pastries and tea. Everything that was ordered was to her liking and not Susu''s favorites.


    "I''m fine. Lately, I don''t have much appetite, so I wanted to limit myself from tea and sweets." Susu stirred the fruit tea in her cup gently with a spoon.


    "Oh dear, could it be that you are..." Shen Wen was hoping for a grandchild, but never thought that the possibility of having one would be this high.


    As if understanding Shen wen''s thought, Susu shook her head and denied, "I''ve been feeling like this even before that night. I think it''s my sleeping habits and irregular meals, but I''m okay. Really. Anyways, Auntie, I know that you loved and doted on me like I''m your own daughter. I also treat you as if you''re my mother."


    Shen Wen held Susu''s hands and interrupted, "Wait, before you say anything further, I want you to see this and listen to me first."


    Shen Wen took out an old photo album and handed it to Susu. Inside the album were pictures of Zi Lan and Shen Wen during their pregnancies. Susu recognized her mother instantly as their facial features resembled each other greatly. She was like a mini version of her mother.


    "This... this is..." Susu mumbled.


    "That''s right. You see the woman smiling happily next to me as if she has gotten the whole world under her foot? She''s your mother, Zi Lan. These were the pictures that we took every step of our way until our labor. Your mother loved you dearly. Everything that she loved to eat had to be cut off from her diet because she said it could''ve affected your health if she continued eating it."


    "Here, look. Over here, she always hated hand crafts and crochets, but she said that you will be born in the middle of Winter and it will be cold. So even though she had zero talents in knitting, she spent weeks learning how to knit baby sweaters for you. As her stomach grew bigger, her smile was also brighter because she knew you were growing healthily inside of her."


    Susu touched the pictures through the protective covers and tears started falling. There were short descriptions of what they were doing when the pictures were taken and finally, when Susu reached the last page, she saw her father and mother hugging each other lovingly.


    There were multiple pictures of them. The first picture showed them looking into each other''s eyes with their hands on her mother''s tummy. The second picture showed a laughing smile that she has never seen her father had on his face. He looked younger with fewer wrinkles and had his head against the big belly. It was a blissful moment that the photographer managed to capture.


    The third picture showed her mother on the hospital bed, anticipating for Susu to arrive. She looked tired and pale, but extremely excited and happy while touching and staring at her belly. Her father was smiling by the bedside and looking at her belly as well.


    The last picture ever taken for this album was a heartbreaking one. It was a picture of Yin Zin Leung holding Susu in his arms and kissing his wife for the last time. After that kiss, Zi Lan never woke up again.


    Susu wiped the tears that were falling uncontrollably from her eyes with a tissue, "A..auntie, why did you show this to me?"


    "Child, I know for all these years, you''ve thought that if your mother never had you then she wouldn''t have died. The truth is that your parents loved you more than you could ever imagine. You saw their vibrant smiles in the pictures and how much they looked forward to your arrival. I showed you this album because one of these pictures had Zi Lan thumb stamping my thumb."


    "Sweetheart, your mother and I wanted you and Tian Yuo to marry each other even before you two were born. This was her last wish and I know that she would be happily cheering for you two if she was here right now. I know that Tian Yuo kept repeating how much he loves Karen, but he will figure it out sooner or later that he was tricked into everything."


    "Anyways, I just want to tell you that as someone who watched you grow up and doted on you like my own daughter, I can''t let Tian Yuo get away with taking responsibility for you. How will I tell your mom when I see her after I die? I won''t have the face to face her at all. Your mom gave birth to you, her precious princess and now, I must have Tian Yuo suck up responsibility like a man."


    Shen Wen held onto Susu''s hands tightly, "I promised your mother that I would take good care of you, but I couldn''t protect you well. Please give the marriage a try. If it doesn''t work out at the end, at least you''ve tried your best till the very end."


    Susu stared at the pictures and thought quietly for a while before replying, "Auntie, I''ll marry him, but it is not because I want him to return my feelings nor would I want to continue loving him. This is for my mom. I''ve done nothing for her, so this is the least I could do. Since it is a wedding that Tian Yuo and I both don''t want, can we just sign marriage papers and call it done?"


    "That... how about this? If you and Tian Yuo end up having mutual feelings, then we will have the wedding in the future as a make up. As for now, just signing papers would do."


    Susu let out a deep sigh, "Okay. I''ll let my dad know, and everything else will be up to you."

 Chapter 13 - Weeping Like a Child

    Susu kept the photo album with her so that she could make a copy of each photo. While flipping through the pages of the album and observing each photo carefully, her fingers gently brushed against the protective covers on her mother''s face.


    "Mom...you looked so happy when stamping your thumb with Auntie Shen Wen''s thumb. You probably wanted to see me end up with Tian Yuo, but I''m sorry. I''m sorry that I''m not marrying because I love him or that I want to work this relationship out."


    "I loved him, but I''ve already decided to give up on him. At the same time, I owe Auntie too much. She really treated me like I''m her daughter and after that night... I don''t have any more excuses to bring up. I want to do something for you and even if this marriage may result in a divorce, I''m willing to go through it."


    Ding Dong


    She wiped her tears quickly and checked through her peephole to make sure that she''s opening the door to someone safe. "Chen Mu?"


    She opened the doors and was stuffed with a box of her favorite pastries, "Tada~ Surprise!"


    "Huh...?" At the moment, her emotions were running on a rollercoaster ride. She didn''t know if she was feeling happy or sad. The moment she saw Chen Mu''s smiling face and arms spread when he said ''surprise!'' she pounced on him and hugged him tightly.


    He wasn''t expecting her to initiate a hug out of nowhere and such a rough one too! Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her so that he could balance her weight against his body. "Was it that surprising that you jumped on me? Hahaha" He joked around, but noticed the low sniffles that she''s trying to hold back.


    "W..what? What happened?" He tried loosening her arms, but she refused to let go. He noticed that her neighbors were starting to get nosy, so he acted naturally and said, "Oh honey! No need to get intimate this quick! Let''s go in first!"


    With her in his embrace, he slowly walked into her apartment and used his foot to close the door from behind. After locking the doors, he rubbed her back and asked, "What''s wrong hmm?"


    His 20/20 vision helped him spot the photo album on the couch. ''From what I remember, she said that there weren''t any photos of her family. So then... what''s with that photo album?'' He could feel the wetness from her tears staining his shoulders as he comforted her.


    "Shhh...shhh.. it''s alright. Everything will be okay...Here, let me take the pastries from you before they get crushed or get into any accidents." His curiosity went wild as she sobbed on his shoulders. After safely placing the box of pastries onto the table, he moved over to the couch where the photo album was wide open.


    Following his instincts, he decided to move closer to get a better view of the photo album. "Susu, I''m getting tired of standing. How about continuing after we get on the couch? You can cry for however long you want on my shoulders."


    Her raspy voice struck his heart heavily, "W..who''s crying? You''re crying! I''m just resting my .. my eyes. " Feeling her arms tighten around his neck, he laughed softly, "Yes, yes, I''m the one who is crying. Not you." Slowly, he brought her over to the couch and sat down.


    She bent her body with her arms still wrapped around his shoulders and buried her face in his chest, avoiding his face. From where they were sitting, Chen Mu could get a clearer view of the photos. He could tell that the woman in the pictures was her mother.


    After years of missing her mother, she finally cried it all out. All her frustration and all the words that she wanted to say but couldn''t; everything came pouring out through the tears. Chen Mu wasn''t sure what was wrong with her, but he kept whispering words to her ears and stroking her smooth hair.


    After half an hour later, her tears stopped, but she remained in the same hugging position. She hiccuped and buried her face into his neck so that he couldn''t see how she looked.


    "I..I got your shirt all wet." Her voice was as weak as a newborn kitten. His heart softened when he heard her voice, "It''s okay. It''s just a shirt. I could always wash it."


    "I..I messed up some of the pastries when I jumped to you." She sounded guilty for ruining a few pieces of pastry that was in the box.


    "It''s okay. Now we get to try two flavors in one pastry. Even better." As she spoke more, he found more excuses to dote on this childlike girl in his arms. His voice sounded like gentle waves to her ears, so soothing and calm.


    "Chen Mu, close your eyes." She requested.


    "Huh? Why?" The moment he loosened his arms around her back, his eyes were covered by her warm palms.


    "I look like a mess, so you''re not allowed to see my face right now." Though his eyes were covered, he could hear the nervousness from her voice. He smiled sweetly as his hands found its way to her cheeks and caressed it with care.


    "You crybaby. Your eyes are probably still puffy from crying. Your cheeks are probably rosy as well. Even if your face is a mess in your eyes, you look cute in mine. Remember, in front of me, you will never have to hide how you truly feel. If you want to cry, then you can wet as many shirts of mine as you want. If you are tired and need someone to support you, my shoulder is always available for you to lean on. Whether happy or sad, you can always share it with me."


    After a minute of silence, her palms unblocked his sight. He saw her flushed cheeks and slightly swollen eyes, "Hmm? See, it''s not even bad at all. Still the same Susu that I know. Cuter even."


    She laughed while sniffling as a few tears escaped the corner of her eyes. Feeling embarrassed, she threw playful punches against his chest and smiled, "You and your teases."


    "My pleasure." He caught her hands and laughed with her.


    "Ah right! You brought pastries. I''m going to wash my face and then eat them!" Taking the rubber band from her wrist, she tied it up into a messy bun on her way to the bathroom. During the few minutes that she was washing her face, he took the opportunity to look at the photo album.


    He whispered to the picture with her mom in it, "Greetings Mrs. Yin, we''ve never met, but I am Susu''s friend for now. I love and care for her more than any man I''ve came across. I hope you could give me your blessings and some good luck in chasing after your daughter. I promise you that I will always be by her side regardless of her reaction to my feelings. Thank you for giving birth to such a beautiful angel."


    "Chen Mu! I caught you!" Susu''s startled his poor heart.


    "W..wh..what?" he stuttered.


    "You were looking at my mom without my permission! But it''s okay since she is the prettiest woman I''ve ever seen. Isn''t she beautiful?" Susu walked over while applying moisturizer to her face.


    "Mmm.. very beautiful. You take after her a lot." He maintained his smile while looking at the woman in the picture.


    "Chen Mu.." She leaned her head on his shoulders, giving him another skipping heart beat moment.


    "mhmm?"


    "I..am getting married."

 Chapter 14 - Repay her Kindness

    "W..what?" He stared at her straight in the eyes and asked her to repeat it again.


    Without a hint of happiness on her face, a bitter smile appeared as she repeated, "I''m getting married with Tian Yuo."


    "Why? Didn''t you say that you were going to give up on him?" Chen Mu''s mind felt like the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy; a mess.


    "It was difficult making this decision, but..." She faced her mother''s photo album and hugged it to her chest.


    "But this was my mother''s last wish. She and Auntie Shen Wen agreed to Tian Yuo and my engagement. It''s been set before my mother''s death. Look at these pictures, she loves me so much that every single picture was all smiles. And Auntie Shen Wen treats me like her own daughter. I want to treat her like my own mother and be a filial daughter to her."


    "Even so, you could treat her like your mother without getting married to him! If your mother was here, she wouldn''t want to see you suffer like this. If you don''t want to marry him, then don''t. If you have to marry someone, then you can marry me instead! I''ll make you feel much happier!" He began spouting words without thinking.


    "Chen Mu, I''ve never told anyone how I''ve lived through my childhood. Every time I saw families laughing happily, I would stare for extra seconds wondering what life would''ve been like if my mom was still alive. I wish I could cook, clean, and spend time with her like every other family. I felt empty all these years, and I felt useless because there was nothing I could do for her."


    "When I saw Karen crying and her mother comforting her, I would always be envious because never will I ever get the chance to feel a mother''s hug. This is something that I can never get. So right now, I found out that she had a last wish and that was for me to marry Tian Yuo. Even if I am marrying him not out of love, I am willing to because it would fill this emptiness inside of me."


    "I don''t care if Tian Yuo treats me like his wife or loves whoever the heck he wants to love. All I know is that I want to treat the elders with care and respect like how my mom would treat them."


    Seeing her hug the photo album to herself made his chest feel tight. He felt heartache for her, her sufferings, and her loss. She always hid her feelings and never allowed anyone to find out how she really felt. The loneliness, self blame, and desires weighed heavily on her emotionally and psychologically.


    Everything that she wanted to do with her mother, she couldn''t. When she saw a happy family walking around, she would subconsciously stare for an extra few seconds. His temper slowly cooled down and in his gentle voice, he asked, "What if your marriage with him doesn''t work out?"


    "Then we can get a divorce. I''m not married yet, but I''m already prepared for that step. I only wanted to fulfill my mom''s last wish and repay Auntie Shen Wen''s kindness. I want to spend my time as her daughter-in-law and care for her, Uncle Guo Min and Tian Yuo''s grandparents. I could care less about what Tian Yuo does. I will do what a wife and daughter-in-law should do."


    Chen Mu sighed after hearing her explanation, "It seems like you''ve already decided to do this. Then I guess I can only hope the best for you. I can''t say anything supportive because I am against the fact that you''re forcing yourself to marry a guy whom you don''t love. But if you ever need me, I will still be there for you. I''ll listen to your rants, cries, smiles, or anything you need from me."


    "Thank you.." She felt a lump in her throat and her face beginning to heat up, so she lowered her head and turned away. Chen Mu noticed her reddened eyes and tried to cheer her up, "Ah, let''s taste the pastries that I brought over. These are new flavors, so dig in! You can put the rest in your fridge and eat them one at a time since you''ve had no appetite to eat lately."


    "Mmmm." She quickly wiped the corner of her eyes and grabbed a fork to eat the vibrant looking pastries in front of her. The pastries tasted delicious, but no matter how sweet each piece melted in her mouth, a lingering bitterness followed. Perhaps the mood does have something to do with tastebuds.


    Meanwhile, at Tian residence, Tian Yuo was told that Susu had agreed to the marriage and nearly exploded his anger. His room was flipped upside down and right side up until everything was touched at least twice and stomped to pieces.


    Shen Wen watched as he destroyed the items in his room, "Quit acting like a brat. We''ve come down to an agreement. Here, read the conditions and then sign if you are okay with everything else. You should act mature about this." She handed him the contract that the lawyer had created earlier today.


    His eyes were bloodshot red when he snatched the paper from his mother''s hands without reading it. He scribbled his signature on the lines that had the X marks highlighted. "There. Happy? You just ruined your son''s life! I wont acknowledge her as my wife and wont ever touch her. I''m divorcing her in a year!"


    Seeing his signature, Shen Wen breathed a sigh of relief, "Suit yourself. You''ll understand our efforts sooner or later. Until then, try to mature up. You''re too old to throw a tantrum like this."


    Shen Wen sent the doc.u.ment to the lawyer and had it processed overnight. A few days later, the marriage signing ceremony took place. Under the witness of close friends and family members, Susu and Tian Yuo signed and exchanged rings.


    "Congratulations, I now pronounce you two husbands and wives." Tian Yuo was supposed to kiss Susu, but he stormed out after their marriage was officially announced. Susu had already expected this reaction, so she faintly smiled and thanked the guests for coming.


    Shen Wen patted her back and apologized on his behalf. Susu smiled, "It''s fine. I already knew he didn''t want to marry me, so I won''t force him to do anything nor would I do anything to please him."

 Chapter 15 - Didnt Have the Courage

    After all guests had left, Chen Mu waited for Susu outside of her fitting room. Hearing familiar light heel sounds coming down the hall, his eyes focused on the girl in a simple white wedding dress with embroidered flower designs. Although simple, the elegance that she emitted was undeniably beautiful. Her hair was tied up and a veil could be seen on her hair; untouched.


    "Chen Mu, I thought you left already." She smiled sweetly. She had minimal makeup on her almost poreless, glowy skin. He noticed a strand of her hairstyle loosen on the side and reached out to help her fix it.


    Before his fingers touched the veil on her head, he had paused and asked, "May I? You have a strand of hair sticking out on the side. It kind of bothers me."


    "Sure. It''s not like anyone else will be uncovering the veil off my head anyways." She giggled lightly and stood still, waiting for him to fix the loose strand for her. Gently and slowly, his fingers lifted the veil and he leaned closer to her.


    "You look beautiful today." He whispered to her ears as his face remained a few inches from her face. In his heart, he felt suffocated watching her suffer and marry a man whom she did not want to marry. He also understood that this was something she wanted to do for her mother.


    "Thank you." The dazzling smile that she revealed while showing her teeth made her look like the blissful brides at the wedding hall. She was an angel with the most beautiful heart that he had never seen in anyone he met.


    Chen Mu saw the wedding ring on her finger and held onto that hand while rubbing the hard surface of the ancient looking ring, "This ring... suit you well. You know, there is a story behind the making of this ring. A famous designer wanted to create a ring for his fiance, but on the day that he had completed it, his fiance died in an accident. Shortly after her death, the designer lost his aspirations to continue making unique pieces. This pair of matching rings was his last work."


    "Chen Mu..." She sounded astonished when she heard the story.


    "Hmm?" His eyes gazed gently at the woman whom he loved dearly, but became somebody else''s bride today.


    "Did Tian Yuo tell you this story? Because I heard the exact same thing one time. It was during the first time I met him. I recognized the ring around his neck and after talking for a bit, he told me the story behind this ring." She sighed softly as she reminisced about the past when she first fell in love with him.


    Chen Mu smiled and poked her forehead, "You don''t need to know how I know about this story. Just focus on being the bride and main girl for the day. Hurry and go changed. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs."


    "Mm..." When she saw Chen Mu, her sullen heart felt slightly better. Now that he reminded her that everyone was waiting for her, it brought her back to reality that she is living with the Tian family now.


    She swallowed nervously as she set her hand on the door knob, preparing herself to change out of the wedding dress and follow her in-laws home. Sensing her anxiety, Chen Mu couldn''t help but wrap his arms around her to give her a hug of encouragement. He had been holding himself back from hugging her because he knew that he would have to fight his inner desires even stronger to not bring her away from this place.


    Her voice trembled slightly, "Thanks, I needed that." It was obvious that she didn''t want to go. If he had the choice and was in the right position to snatch her away, he would do it right now. He waited until she came out of the fitting room to say goodbye.


    Waving and smiling at her lonely back figure made him feel like an idiot. He watched her enter the elevator, press the floor button, and the elevator doors close. His legs lost its strength, and he slumped against the wall of the hallway.


    With his hands covering either side of his lowered head, tears began to trail down from his eyes to his jawline. He mumbled, "Chen Mu, you idiot. You had the chance to explain to her and tell her that the person she met to begin with was you! The person whom she thought was Tian Yuo was actually you! And the one whom she has fallen in love with since young... had been you. Why was it this hard to gather up courage to tell her the truth?"


    With his eyes closed, he tried calming his emotions by taking deep breaths. In his mind, flashbacks to their first meeting replayed over and over again...


    Tian Yuo (Age 6): "Come on! Let''s switch for the day. Sometimes even our mothers can''t figure us out because we swapped out clothes and accessories! Please...I''m going to tell my mom that I don''t want to marry her anyways."


    Chen Mu (Age 6): "I still don''t think it''s a good idea."


    Tian Yuo: "Didn''t you hate hanging out with Chu Yao? I''ll help you avoid her for this whole school semester if you switch with me."


    Chen Mu sighed, "Fine. Only this time."


    After swapping clothes, Tian Yuo snuck out of the house to play with his school friends while Chen Mu waited patiently by the garden for Susu to arrive. A girl''s laughter could be heard approaching from a distance. The moment Chen Mu turned around, he saw an adorable girl who is slightly shorter than him, wearing a light pink top and blue shorts.


    She had the most beautiful and cheerful smile that he had ever seen. Quickly, he shook his head and acted coldly, "What do you want?"


    "Hi! I''m Yin Susu. You must be Tian Yuo." She reached out and grabbed his hands with the same cheerful smile on her tiny face. Subconsciously, Chen Mu was slowly influenced by her bright attitude that he also started smiling.


    He never admitted or denied being Tian Yuo, but accompanied Susu for the whole afternoon. While resting on the grass, Susu took out the ring that she wore as a necklace and pointed at the matching ring on Chen Mu''s chest. "Look! We have matching rings!" Before he had left, Tian Yuo gave him the ring to make it harder to distinguish between the both of them.


    "Yup. Did you know that there was a tragic story behind this pair of rings?"


    "Story? Nopeee, tell me! I love stories!"


    "I heard that a famous designer originally created this for his fiance, but the day he completed the design, she died. Since then, he never found the inspirations to make more designs and retired. This is his last piece of work and also showed his love for her. Later, he engraved on the inside of the ring the letters ''CS'' on it. It represents the words Cherished Start. Since the beginning till the very end, he has cherished every moment they''ve been together and to him, it has been always only the start. Never the end."


    "Woahhhhhh, then that means whoever marries using this ring would be carrying deep meanings! Since we are holding these rings, then it means we will be friends together forever!" She held his hand and swung it back and forth.


    "Friends don''t last forever. Some comes and some goes. You''re too naive." He shook her hands off after reminding himself that he was playing Tian Yuo''s role.


    She blinked a few times before standing up and spreading her arms, "Then Susu will become your wife! Husbands and wives are always together even when one of them dies! I''ll be your company for the rest of our lives~ See? We have the rings too~ Hehehe"


    "Dummy." He mumbled and turned away, hiding the smile on his face. He cleared his throat and gave up trying to distant himself from her, "Which girl would propose to a guy like that? It''s supposed to be the guy who says it! So, it should be me who tells you that we will be together in the future. Okay?"


    She walked close to him and adjusted his fingers. After that, she hooked her pinky and stamped her thumb against his, "Pink swore, whoever backs out will be the turtle! You must propose to me with this ring when we get older! I''ll be waiting!"


    -Present-


    Chen Mu wiped the tears away and stood up, "Who is the turtle now?" From his pocket, he took out a ring that matched Susu''s. He looked at it and shook his head before stuffing it back into his pocket.


    "Actually, Tian Yuo and I had forgotten about the ring, and I brought it home. The Tian family thought that he lost the ring, so the one that they used today was an imitation. When I told him about the ring, he told me to toss it out because he wanted to avoid marrying her. Silly girl, the one I have is the real matching ring."

 Chapter 16 - Ground Rules

    -Tian Residence-


    Shen Wen showed Susu to her and Tian Yuo''s newlyweds room. The room was decorated to Susu''s liking. The walls were light lavender and the bed had rose petals sprinkled on top. The design of the room was similar to what she had in her apartment. Shen Wen prepared all this to make sure that Susu would adapt to the new environment better.


    "Susu, mother bought a dress for you. I think you would look extremely beautiful wearing it to tonight''s family dinner." Shen Wen smiled and exited the room.


    Susu could finally relax after Shen Wen left the room. She walked towards the closet and touched the semi casual dress. The length of the dress was slightly above her knees and the V cut was not deep, so it was acceptable.


    She quickly changed into the dress and walked downstairs for dinner. At the dining table, she could see that everyone was already settled and waiting for her arrival.


    "I''m sorry I took so long." She apologized immediately.


    Grandma Tian smiled and patted her hands, "Dear, sit down. We''re family. No need to apologize to us. In fact, we just sat down a minute ago." Since young, Grandma Tian had always loved Susu. Now that Susu was her granddaughter-in-law, how could she not dote on her even more?


    Grandpa Tian had long been famous for doting on his wife. Recent years, her health had been deteriorating and he would try his best to fulfill her desires. Basically, in the Tian household, the wives were the ones who decide the final say in everything. Husbands were decorative vases for outsiders to see.


    During dinner, Tian Yuo continuously drank alcohol nonstop as if he was trying to get himself drunk to forget about his wedding night. Guo Min took away all the alcohol and didn''t allow any alcohol drinks on the table for the night.


    Tian Yuo wanted to ditch dinner, but couldn''t because when he signed the contract with his mother, one of the conditions listed was to be present during the wedding night. After his drinks were taken away, his mood became even grumpier than before. Once in a while he would stare intensely at Susu with hatred in his eyes. If his eyes could operate like a fire machine, then electric lasers would''ve carved millions of holes on her body already.


    Susu maintained the faint smile that she has put on since the afternoon and finished dinner in peace. After dinner came the most difficult part of the night; sleepingin the same room with Tian Yuo. When she entered the room, he already had his arms folded, waiting for her.


    "I suppose that you wouldn''t be standing in the middle of the room to wait for your food to digest, right?" She was the first to break the silence. Her eyes stared blankly at his eyes without any traces of emotion.


    "Don''t act smart with words. I despise women like you who say one thing and do the opposite. Didn''t you say you didn''t want to become my wife? And wala! Wow! Not even a week later, what are we now? Married! I''m setting the damn ground rules here since this house belongs to the Tian family." he scoffed while eyeing her up and down.


    "Okay. Speak." She literally felt it was a waste of time listening to his nonsense.


    "Since you married me, as my wife, you are supposed to do what wives are great at. Cooking, cleaning the house and every chore there is. Starting tomorrow that will be your daily tasks."


    "Fine with me. Even if you don''t mention this, I would''ve done it anyways. I''m correcting you on one point, though, I married you, not because I want to be related to you in any way. You are free to date or love whoever you wish. I did this for myself and my mother. Anyways, continue."


    "Since you loved me so deeply and even drugged me to sleep with me, I''m going to make your life a torture. I won''t touch even a strand of your hair during this marriage. You are also not allowed to work because our family runs by traditions. Women stay at home while men go out to work. Also, don''t expect to spend a single penny from the Tian family. Make sure to spit the money you used back out since we aren''t charity."


    "We''ve dwelled on the same drug incident for so long that I''m not even going to bother saying anything anymore about it. You can continue grudging over it, but that is on you. I will quit my work at Chen Mu''s company and try my best to take care of your grandparents and parents. I won''t use a cent from your family, so don''t worry. I''ve earned my own money since I was fourteen. Never have I ever asked my family for a cent since then."


    Her straightforward answer somewhat hurt his ego because he had always depended on his family and only thought of opening his own company using his family''s money. She continued speaking, "Also, even if you want to touch me, I wouldn''t allow you to. I don''t want you to touch me, so this is a mutual point of view since we are disgusted by each other''s touch."


    He almost spat out blood when she said that because he thought the ground rules that he set would make her angry at the minimum. Not only was she unaffected, she was headstrong for it too.


    "You also can''t sleep on the bed or the couch. You can sleep on the floor. I''ll be nice enough to spare you a thin blanket." He almost laughed when he thought of her expression.


    "Okay. I won''t sleep on the bed or couch since it belongs to the Tian family. I''ll buy my own portable bes and make sure tat it won''t get in your way. Anything else?" She was totally agreeing to every word that he had said and made it so that everything would work her way.


    ''Did she really love me? Why the hell are her reactions, so cold and undisturbed?? Was I not hurtful enough?''


    "If there is nothing else, then I will wash up, grab a thin blanket for the night, and sleep." Her voice sounded indifferent, and eyes showed no signs of emotions. For some reason, he felt terrified deep inside when he saw her reaction. It was unsettling for him to see how calm and cold she was to him. It was very different from the past her, who would follow him around and smile to his each wants and need.

 Chapter 17 - Woke Up Alone

    Tian Yuo called it a night after not receiving a satisfied response from her. That night, she slept on the floor, and he had trouble sleeping. Blaming it on her presence, he ended up falling asleep while imagining her hurt expression for the rest of the plans he had for her.


    He woke up at 11 A.M. and walked downstairs after washing up. His plan was to wake up earlier than her and disrupt her slumber or scare her awake to make her do chores. Surprisingly, she had been long gone from the floor when he woke up and was serving the family her handmade breakfast.


    Without greeting anyone at the table, he sat down like an arrogant brat and started making selfish demands, "I want pancakes. The batch must be made from scratch or else I won''t eat it."


    Susu placed the freshly flipped pancakes onto a clean plate and served it with butter and syrup on separate containers on the side. After taking a bite out of it, he had to admit that it was the best pancakes that he''s ever had.


    He wasn''t satisfied with how perfect the pancakes tasted since he wanted to make a fuss to embarrass her, so he continued, "I want fresh soy milk. It must be made by soaking and grinding soy beans. Remember to filter it because I hate pulps. If I see even a tiny bit of leftover bean in the drink, I''m throwing it out."


    In the next second, a cup of soy milk was brought to his seat. Since young, he has been best at distinguishing between packaged soy milk and home grounded ones. With one sniff and a tiny sip, his eyes widened and looked up to meet her confident smile, "Is there anything else you want to have for breakfast?"


    "N..no.." He didn''t dare make another request for more food because pancakes and soy milk were the most difficult breakfast choices that he would give a pass to. Susu sat back in her seat and ate her share of the breakfast. All she had were scrambled eggs and a piece of sausage.


    Tian Yuo observed the situation at the table and realized that his grandparents had set diet meals that followed the doctors prescription. Everything seemed to have been made by hand. ''Tch. Who knows? Maybe the maid helped her out. She''s too tricky.''


    Susu maintained the same smile she had on the previous night throughout breakfast, "Tian Yuo, you''ve underestimated me. Ever since I''ve had feelings for you, I''ve learned all about your habits. Breakfast and chores are nothing difficult. If that''s all you''ve got, then you already lost.''


    After breakfast, Susu called Chen Mu privately to tell him that she is quitting her job. He expressed his concern for her over the phone because he knew how much she loved designing. For once after keeping the fake smile for an entire morning, she finally let out a genuine smile.


    "I''m alright. I''ll look for you if things are too difficult. For now, it is still manageable. I will resort to online part time that I could work on from home. I still have chores that I have to finish, so I''ll talk to you later."


    She felt more energetic after the phone call. As if she was a fully charged battery, she finished the chores around the house efficiently and took less time than when the maids worked together. From her luggage, she pulled out her laptop and started searching for staying at home jobs. She explored several web pages until she decided to choose a particular one where the employee lists their skills and made the charges negotiable based on the tasks.


    For the following two to three months, everything remained the same. Susu would wake up at 4:30 A.M. to make breakfast from scratch and think of different breakfast ideas to make it more appetizing for the grandparents to eat. She made sure to read recipe books and calculate the calories of the meals.


    After observing Tian Yuo''s grandparents and parents'' food preferences, she realized how different they liked their meals. For example, when drinking vegetable soup, the grandparents would prefer a lighter and more minty taste. On the other hand, Shen Wen and Guo Min liked theirs, less minty, heavier taste and thicker in texture.


    Therefore, whenever she cooked meals or created new recipes to match the calories and everyone''s taste, she had to make separate pots and portions to ensure that they would eat it pleasantly. At first, the maids in the household felt that Susu took their jobs and would isolate her or ignore her, but later, they noticed how caring Susu really was. Slowly, they started opening up to Susu and became friends with her.


    Susu also taught them cleaning and cooking tips to avoid any future conflicts. During these few months, everyone loved Susu more and more. The only person who still behaved childishly and didn''t acknowledge her efforts were Tian Yuo.


    Tian Yuo stopped coming home for lunch and dinner. He would ask the housekeeper to deliver him lunch and make sure that the meals that were made weren''t cooked by Susu. What he didn''t know was that Susu always made extra portions for him because she was still his wife by title. Whenever the housekeeper entered the kitchen, Susu would be scraping plates to make sure that it was sparkling clean.


    Susu would then politely smile and hand the lunch box and soup to the housekeeper, "Sorry for bothering you with delivering him food again! I saved some soup and meals for everyone else. If you guys are hungry later, you can eat it."


    "Ma''am, you don''t have to make our shares. We should be doing this for you instead." The housekeeper bowed and took the lunch box from her hand. As much as he and the rest of the staff enjoyed her delicious meals, they were getting paid for doing nothing.


    "Oh right! The vegetables that I planted months ago are ready for harvest. I''m a little busy later. Can you ask others to help me get them from the garden? Thank you!" Susu wiped her hands dry before walking upstairs.


    The maids whispered to the housekeeper, "I don''t understand why Ma''am would do everything herself. I mean, we can buy the vegetables from the organic section at the supermarket, but she insists on growing them with her own hands!"


    Housekeeper shook his head and answered, "You don''t understand how difficult growing plants are. Even when things are labeled ''Organic,'' fertilizers or other chemicals may be part of the process before it was manufactured here. By growing the plants herself, she really cares for everyone in the house."


    The maids gained a whole new level of respect for Susu after hearing the housekeeper''s response.


    Meanwhile, in Susu''s room, she was busy editing and creating designs for her customer. For the previous two to three months, there was a consistent customer who always sent her jobs after jobs and the commission for each job was a lot more than she had expected. Her account was up to six figures already.


    She was always cautious when doing her own work and would lock the doors to her room before working on something. Once in a while either she would call, or Chen Mu would initiate a call to her to talk about how she''s been doing in the Tian household. She told Chen Mu about how much she loved her side job and how great she felt when she earned the money from the same mysterious customer.


    "Haha, you can call him your Knight to the rescue."


    "Mhmm...But the customer could also be a she!"


    "Uh huh, true. True. I believe in your capabilities. That customer has a great eye to choose you out of everyone else on that web page."


    "Right?! It was so weird because other than this person, nobody else contacted me. It must be my good luck!"


    "Yup. Must be."


    "Ah! I have an incoming call. I''ll talk to you later! Byebye!"


    "Mm... Good luck. Let''s meet up sometime."


    "Okayyy"


    After the call ended, Chen Mu clicked into his email and smiled as he read, "Dear customer, I am extremely grateful to be at your service! You really saved me big time! Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss the specific details of your upcoming design projects. Big hugs."


    Meanwhile, back in Susu''s room, she picked up the phone call from Tian Yuo.


    Tian Yuo: "Let''s have lunch together at Dim Sum Garden at 1 P.M. right by my company."

 Chapter 18 - Meeting him for Lunch

    In the long silence that followed after Tian Yuo''s invitation to lunch, he impatiently stomped his foot on his office tiles and broke the silence, "Yin Susu, I''m asking you nicely to come out for lunch! At least give me an answer."


    "Why?" Her voice was full of suspicions. He didn''t even want to see her face for dinner that he had stopped coming home for dinner for almost three months. Something fishy was going on here, but she didn''t know what.


    "Even though I hate being your husband, my mother will nag me endlessly if I don''t celebrate your birthday with you. So come out and have lunch with me. As my wife, this is something normal right?" He purposely threw out the word "wife" to make sure she agrees to the invitation.


    "Okay." In Susu''s mind, it made sense for Shen Wen to make a bold move to pressure Tian Yuo to celebrate her birthday with her. This was the first birthday after their wedding after all. She didn''t want to see Shen Wen feel bad, so she accepted his invite.


    "Good. Remember, 1 P.M. at Dim Sum Garden. Bye." He hung up before she could take back her words. After hanging up, he stretched his legs and positioned them on his desk while chuckling, "Yin Susu, let''s see how well you can handle it this time. Tsk, tsk, tsk, did you really think I would celebrate your birthday with you?"


    Susu stared at the black screen on her phone and sighed, "Nobody remembers my birthday. Well, on the bright side, I can avoid seeing people I don''t like on my real birthday. Ahaha, I should really thank Karen for this."


    Susu got ready by 12:30 and left the house to meet up with Tian Yuo. When she arrived, the waiter brought her to the reserved table for two. On the table was a vase with one rose sticking out of it. The music in the restaurant created a romantic atmosphere.


    She sat down and waited for him to arrive. A minute before 1 P.M., Tian Yuo arrived. He smirked when he saw her already sitting at the table, eagerly anticipating for him.


    "Thanks for helping me save the seat, but you''re at the wrong table." His voice was loud, catching the attention of customers from nearby tables. Right beside him stood a popular front cover model from the monthly Sin Magazine with a pretty smile on her face. She was holding a bouquet of roses in her other arm.


    Seeing Susu''s presence, the model hooked her arm around Tian Yuo''s arm and acted intimately, "Brother Yuo, who is she? Why is she at our table?"


    "She''s a maid from my house. I told her to come to pick up and deliver your birthday gifts to you. See?" He took out a long list of items that ranged from the largest television in the market to the fanciest jewelries in the city. Purposely, he waved the long list before throwing it at Susu, "Hurry and get these items. You can take the driver, but you better make sure everything is in perfect condition when it gets to Lily''s place."


    Susu read the long list, cupped her right cheek, and let out a soft sigh, "Pffft, alright. Consider it done. Then Mister Tian Yuo, please give me your credit card for all these purchases. Since I work for your family, my salary is not enough to pay for these expenses." She held out her hand asking for his credit card.


    "Fine. Here, take it." He slapped his credit card onto the table and pointed to it.


    "Oh! I''m sorry, but this is the credit card that Ma''am had cut off after you spent a few billion dollars on Women lingerie." During the years of attempting to perfect herself to match his taste in girls, she knew all about him from his mother. ''Tian Yuo, if you think this is going to bring me down, you are wrong.''


    "What lingerie? All I bought were limited anime figurines! And that was long ago!" He slammed his palms flat on the wooden surface, gaining everyone''s attention.


    Susu smirked, "Just in case the transactions get denied, Mister Tian Yuo, I will take your black credit card and complete the task by midnight." She excused herself and straightened her back as she left the restaurant. While exiting the restaurant, she heard the chatters from several tables and the things that the people said were pleasant to her ears.


    Though it was already lunch time, Susu didn''t have much appetite like always, so she planned to get everything from the ridiculously long list first before heading home to make dinner. Taking another step forward, she felt chills coming from her back and a feverish sense of heat spread to her cheeks and forehead.


    Feeling faint, she quickly found the closest bench and supported her forehead with her palm. Her eyes shut tight to keep her vision focused. After ten minutes of resting on the bench, her lipstick had faded and the color of her pale lips became evident.


    ''I''m probably just tired from not getting enough sleep these days.''


    From afar, she heard a familiar voice calling out her name, instantly receiving all her attention. "Chen Mu?"


    She blinked a few times to make sure that she wasn''t seeing things. Seeing the handsome figure rush over to her side with a worried expression, she smiled.


    Chen Mu knelt down, brushed her palms away from her forehead, and felt her forehead using his hand, "What''s wrong? You don''t look good."


    "Nothing. I stood up too fast and felt a little dizzy. It''s just a lack of sleep." Her gaze remained on the worried man in front of her. The creases on his forehead deepened as he noticed her pale expression.


    "Didn''t you say that the Tian family treated you well? How come you''re out all alone in this weather? Did you eat properly? Let''s go to the doctor." He stacked question after question, not allowing her time to even respond. It''s as if these questions weren''t for her, but for himself.


    She chuckled, "It''s not serious. Really. Don''t worry too much."


    Her hands were ice cold, making him frown. "Don''t worry? Your hands are this cold and you''re still sitting on this freezing bench! Here, take my gloves and we''ll go somewhere warm first."


    "Ahem." A man''s deep hoarse voice startled Chen Mu and Susu.


    Chen Mu took off his gloves and slipped it onto Susu''s hands before turning around and scratching the back of his head, "Ahahahaha, Zhi Hei... Sorry I forgot that we were together!"


    Zhi Hei took a glance towards Susu and said, "Let''s go somewhere warm. She looks pretty cold."


    "Eh? You know who she is already?" Chen Mu helped her up from the bench and supported her until they''ve reached the restaurant. After settling down, Chen Mu cleaned the utensils for Susu while ordering without having to look at the menu. Everything he ordered was Susu''s favorite dim sums.


    Although Zhi Hei didn''t speak on their way to the restaurant, Chen Mu knew that the moment he rushed over to her anxiously, he already gave away her identity. Other than Susu and his mother, nobody could make him this nervous.


    Zhi Hei poured tea into Susu''s tea cup and gestured for her to drink the tea. She nodded, "Thank you. Um..Sorry for the late introduction, my name is Yin Susu." Even though she married Tian Yuo, she never changed her surname because she believed that the marriage would eventually come to an end with their complicated relationship.


    Zhi Hei shook her hands with a smile on his face, "I''m Huang Zhi Hei. Pleasure to meet you. I''ve heard quite a bit about you from Chen Mu."


    Susu shot stares at Chen Mu and wondered about the things that he might have said to his friends behind her back. Zhi Hei sipped his tea and then added, "Everything he said were compliments and positive stuff. My ears almost felt like it melted and didn''t belong to me after hearing the countless things that he said about you."


    Under the table, Chen Mu stomped onto Zhi Hei''s foot. He immediately changed the topic, "Oh, right. Were you running errands around here?"


    Susu gasped, "Oh yeah! I have a list of items that needs to be bought and sent to a model by midnight!"


    "Huh? Why?" Chen Mu questioned suspiciously. ''Susu''s previous position had nothing to do with models, so why would she have to deliver products to a model?''


    "Oh. Tian Yuo called me out to watch him have lunch with the model. After seeing me, he handed me this list of items that he prepared for the girl''s birthday."


    "What?!" Chen Mu furiously slammed his palm against the smooth surface of the table almost knocking over the tea.

 Chapter 19 - Teach Dogs a Lesson

    Susu sipped her tea peacefully, without a trace of anxiety that her husband was seeing a model. Chen Mu couldn''t hold his tongue and asked, "How could you be so calm?! That jerk could be cheating on you!"


    With a smile on her face, she complimented the quality of the tea, "Ah! This tea tastes delicious! Love the mild level. Heh~ Why shouldn''t I be calm about this? I already set ground rules with him on the wedding night and literally told him that he could freely love and date whoever he falls for. Of course, it would exclude me."


    "What?" Chen Mu stretched his hands to feel her forehead again. After touching her forehead, he felt his. He repeated this a few times until she grabbed his hand and said, "I''m not sick!"


    While they were busy chatting about her newlywed life, Zhi Hei scanned through the list of items and grinned as if he had a plan in his mind to teach cheating dogs a miserable lesson. Susu explained the situation that she and Tian Yuo never slept together in the same bed since the day they got married. There were times where he wasn''t even home.


    Hearing her carefree tone, Chen Mu felt that she really didn''t care about Tian Yuo''s matters now. If it was in the past, she would feel upset being treated this way. Now, he could tell that her confidence was coming from her heart and not just an act.


    Zhi Hei interrupted their conversation, "What are you planning to do with his credit card and this list?"


    Her eyes shone with excitement and her voice raised slightly, "Heh, with his credit card in hand, why would I not go along with his requests? He wants the largest television set in the market? I''ll help him strike down to bankruptcy in an hour."


    Zhi Hei and Chen Mu loved the sound of that idea because they despised men who cheat the most.


    Chen Mu: "Zhi Hei, how about considering this business? I heard you received some great products recently." He waved Tian Yuo''s card back and forth in front of Zhi Hei.


    "Which business man would deny such a great business deal? Since these products came from overseas and have the highest quality in the market, his credit card will max out. I''ll go easy on him and leave a dollar left for him to buy himself some candy to comfort his poor soul when facing the huge bill. What do you think?"


    Since Susu was the one who was supposed to handle the order, Zhi Hei made sure to ask her for her opinion on this. She smiled sweetly and swallowed the custard bun that she was chewing on, "He wanted to act cool in front of that model, so I''ll give him his moment. Moments till he sees the credit card statement at least. Oh, by the way, this credit card is linked to his parents. Feel free to use up the remaining dollar."


    Zhi Hei dialed his private secretary''s number and sent a picture of the list to him, "Gather every item on this list. Remember, it must be the most recent products that we have that other companies don''t have yet. I''ll send you the credit card information later. Be sure to max it out."


    Within half an hour, the listed items were charged to Tian Yuo''s credit card. During this time, Tian Yuo was gloomily drinking next to the model, who was sitting opposite of him. Lily smiled as she swirled the wine in her glass, "If you like her, then why don''t you just admit it?"


    "I have no idea what the heck you''re spouting out." Tian Yuo sounded annoyed by her random question.


    "You see, I''ve dated many men and seen many types of men out there. One type of men that women end up dumping and leaving are the ones who wouldn''t admit their feelings for the woman they fancied."


    "You''re thinking too much. I would never love that woman. I only love Karen."


    Lily sighed and walked over to him with the glass of wine in her hands, "But from the looks of it, you''re trying to get some reaction out of her. You want to see if she cared about you seeing other people. You''re pissed right now because she left you hanging without asking about us. Young Master Tian Yuo, grow up before you even mention the word love out of that mouth."


    Tian Yuo pulled her onto his lap and drank the wine from her glass, "I don''t love her and I can prove it to you right here, right now."


    "Okay. I dare you. You''ve always put that Karen girl''s name at the corner of your mouth, but have you realized that you''ve changed lately? You called me out to put on an act. You avoided going home and stayed over at my place, but were it really because you hated seeing her? Or would it be that you...." Her fingernail poked his chest where his heart was beating rapidly.


    "Would it be that you were afraid that you would be shot down if you tried making a move on her? Are you sure the love you have for Karen is really that strong and unwavering?" Lily didn''t go around in circles and went straight to the point of what she sees in this situation.


    "Nonsense! I only love Karen. It''s because of her that Karen left me! If Karen comes back, I will definitely dump and divorce Yin Susu!" He shouted and pushed her off his lap.


    "Tsk,tsk,tsk you probably grew up in an environment where people always comforted you and gave you chances repeatedly to redeem yourself. But let this sister here tell you something cruel about this world. There are some things where second chances do not exist in the dictionary. So, don''t wait till the last second to try winning her heart. Think carefully about what I said today."


    Lily placed the empty glass on the table and left him alone at the restaurant. When she arrived back home, she saw Susu standing with her arms crossed and a line that reached from her house gate to her parking lot. People held large and medium sized items in their hands while waiting for her.


    "We meet again." Lily greeted Susu.

 Chapter 20 - No Need To Clarify

    Lily was surprised that Susu managed to get every item on the long list within a few hours. Susu handed her the list in her hand respectfully, "Here''s the list of presents. Double check these gifts and report it back to Mister Tian Yuo."


    "You must be thirsty after running around in circles for the afternoon. How about a cup of tea before you leave?" She wanted to have a chat with Susu to test her reaction. This was the first time after meeting Tian Yuo that Lily had ever seen him act insecurely.


    The excitement in her eyes couldn''t be contained as she pulled Susu inside her house and gestured the staff to bring her gifts into the house, "Come on in!"


    Actually, after eating lunch with Chen Mu and Zhi Hei, she didn''t feel that great. She wanted to hurry and rush home to prepare dinner and get a good night''s sleep. Out of nowhere, she was now dragged into a stranger''s home to have tea.


    After double checking the items on the list and marking checks next to them, Lily touched the brand-new products with a satisfied smile across her face. Susu was rubbing her temples, hoping she could remain concentrated while having the conversation with her.


    Lily handed her a cup of herb tea, "Earlier was too awkward and your impression of me must have been bad. So, let me reintroduce myself. I am Lily Jiang."


    "I''m Yin Susu. Sorry, but I am not feeling well. Please speed up this conversation as I really want to go home and rest." She furrowed her brows as her headache intensified. She felt like her brain was cracking up like someone was mercilessly slamming a hammer to her skull.


    "It''s like this. I want to clarify my relationship with Tian Yuo." Lily sipped her tea while observing Susu''s expression. She thought that Susu was feeling uncomfortable being alone with her and was using the excuse of feeling ill as an excuse to leave. ''Hah, I''ve seen a lot of these concealing lip trick already.''


    Susu raised her palm to stop Lily from talking further, "It''s enough. If this is what you brought me here to talk about then you can stop there because it will be wasting our time. I have zero concerns about whom Tian Yuo hang out with and who he has relations to. I also have no interest in his privacy. Please excuse me."


    When she stood up, Lily pushed her back onto the couch. With her arms pressed on Susu''s shoulders, Susu could barely move her body. "Just listen to me."


    Susu sighed, "I really don''t feel well. If you want to talk, we can speak on the phone. Just not now." She could feel her head spinning and Lily''s voice fading away. When Lily realized that something was wrong, Susu already lost consciousness.


    Lily called her private doctor to come immediately. After giving her a basic checkup, the doctor prescribed her some over the counter medicine for fever relief. She walked her doctor out and thanked him for rushing to her right after her call.


    Susu woke up an hour later and saw Lily sitting across from her. "What happened?"


    Lily lectured her loudly with ehr hands on either side of her h.i.p.s, "You passed out from a fever. You''re already at what age? You couldn''t even tell when you have a fever or not?" She passed the pills and a cup of warm water to Susu.


    Susu double checked the medicine before taking it, "Thanks, but let me remind you that I have told you from the beginning that I was feeling ill. You ignored my words and pushed me down physically."


    "Ahem... let''s forget about that physical part hahaha. Sorry, I am the type of person who acts before thinking. I just wanted you to hear me out of what I think is going on between you and Tian Yuo." Lily seemed to be extremely interested in their relationship because she watched so many romance dramas and thought that they would be a great couple.


    Susu finished the cup of water and interrupted her once again, "Miss. Jiang."


    "Just call me Lily!"


    "Fine. Then, Lily, I have no interest in Tian Yuo. He may not have mentioned about my existence until you saw me today, but I know he definitely mentioned someone named Karen, right?"


    "Yes. He always put that Karen girl first, but I never saw her before." Lily listened attentively as if she could get some juicy news from Susu''s mouth.


    "Karen is my step sister. As for Tian Yuo and my relationship, we are nothing but mere acquaintances. We''re not even friends. Nothing will, and nothing could happen between us. What you saw today was just him trying to take revenge on me like a child. I will not spend my night here telling you about what happened between us, but please get your facts straight before poking your head into our business."


    "W..What? She''s your step sister? But... then... oh my goodness! Did I see it wrongly then? I even spurted the random bullshit to him too!!! No wonder he denied it earlier!!!" She smacked her forehead as if she had made an irreversible mistake.


    The doors creaked open from the entrance and Tian Yuo walked in while swinging his set of keys on his finger. He frowned when he saw Susu on the couch, "What are you doing here? Who allowed you in?"


    Susu quickly applied her lip balm to make herself look less dead before turning around, "Mister Tian Yuo, welcome back. I just came to personally drop off these items. Lily just finished double checking the list. So, I''ll take my leave now."


    Tian Yuo glared at her intensely as she walked towards the exit, "Lily, why would you let roaches come in? Make sure to tell the housekeeper mop the floor sparkling clean twice or else I''ll have this whole place renovated."


    Lily''s head almost exploded when she heard his harsh words to Susu, a person who was feeling ill and literally just woke up from fainting. She smacked his head and told him to shut up. With her arm hooked around Susu''s shoulder, she walked her out of the house.


    Susu thought that Lily would give her condition out, but who knew that Lily had her clever side?


    "Thanks for not giving out my body condition."


    "No worries, seeing that brat act so spoiled, I had to knock some damn sense to that pea sized brain of his. But you.. are you sure you''re alright? I''m very sorry about today. I kept you over even though you weren''t feeling well." Lily took out the bottle of fever relief pills and slipped it into Susu''s purse when Tian Yuo wasn''t looking.


    "I''m fine. I can get home myself. I called a cab already from my phone app." Susu smiled after noticing Lily''s careful action to avoid Tian Yuo''s suspicion.


    "Don''t forget to take your medicine. Once again, I''m very very very sorry that I got all my facts messed up! Get home safe and rest well." Lily whispered goodbye and watched Susu get in her cab before shutting the door.


    When she turned around, she met his angry expression, "Explain!"


    "What''s there to explain? You were rude to a girl!!! No wonder you are single, hmph! I''m tired, so I''m going to wash up and sleep. Don''t disturb me or else I''l lock your lonely ass out of my house in this cold night!"


    Shortly after Lily had run upstairs to her room, Tian Yuo received his bank statement notice that his credit card has maxed out... and there was one cent left to spare...

 Chapter 21 - Feverish Night

    Susu pretended that everything was alright when she got home. She quickly prepared dinner like always and ate a bit lesser than usual. After washing dishes, she went back to her room, took a hot shower, and set out her portable bed.


    Before she went to sleep, she had taken the medicine and replied to Chen Mu''s text. He was very worried about her after seeing her pale expression earlier. Perhaps he also noticed her discomfort after eating lunch, but didn''t expose her in front of Zhi Hei.


    Chen Mu: "Have you taken your medicine yet?"


    Susu: "Mmm.. just took it. The pill was so big that I almost choked."


    Chen Mu: "Cut it in half."


    Susu: "(Blergh emoticon) I don''t really know how to swallow pills without choking lol"


    Chen Mu: "Then you should get the liquid ones."


    Susu: "I hate its taste. I''m tired. Text you tomorrow?"


    Chen Mu: "Okiedokie. Sleep tight and have sweet dreams. Rest well and update me on how you''re feeling tomorrow. If you still feel ill, even if I have to move the entire Tian residence to the doctors, I will. (Evil grin emoticon)"


    Susu: "Haha.. Sweet dreams."


    In the middle of the night, Susu sweat excessively that her pajamas was glued to her body. Her hair was wet from the amount of perspiration that came from her body. Her fever subsided when morning came and she took a refreshing shower after a night of battling sweat.


    Feeling energetic like always, she washed her pajamas after her shower and went downstairs to prepare breakfast. She didn''t forget to text Chen Mu first thing to let him know that she was feeling much better already.


    After the lunch and the credit card incident, Susu didn''t hear from Tian Yuo for another few months. Although he was nowhere to be found, Lily dug through his phone and found Susu''s contact information. Over the course of these few months, they became good friends and would sometimes meet up for dessert.


    Susu noticed that Chen Mu became less responsive when she texted and it made her feel slightly troubled. She kept thinking that he might be facing a company problem or personal issue that was really hard to deal with, but when she questioned him, he said that everything was fine.


    "Hmmm... I guess if he says that everything is fine, then it''s okay." She replied with a smiley face and continued with her chores for the day.


    Meanwhile, in Chen Corporation, the area between Chen Mu''s eyebrows was pushed together, showing his wrinkles. He was leaving teeth marks on his pen cap while reading a thick medical textbook on his desk.


    "Urghh!!!! Why are these terms so damn long and have only one letter difference in spelling, but have totally different symptoms and descriptions?!! Holy shit, I might actually go crazy!!!" He scratched his head and messed up his favorite hair style. The stylist was on standby in Chen Mu''s office, ready to take care of his hair for whenever he messes it up. This was the eighth time today that the stylist had to fix Chen Mu''s hair.


    The stylist curiously asked, "CEO Chen, you''re already earning more than enough money from controlling this company''s operation. Why are you studying all these medical textbooks and forcing yourself to this extent?"


    "Do you have a wife?"


    "Nope."


    "Then do you have someone you love?"


    "Mmmm maybe? I have no idea."


    "Well, I am single, but I have someone I love dearly. She was sick a few months ago, and I was dying of anxiety when she told me she hated seeing doctors. She refused to visit the hospital or let those other humans who lives with her know that she was ill! She hated pills and liquid medicine. So, I am now studying my ass off so that I can enter the medical research labs and figure out some formula using herbs to make specialized tea for her to intake."


    "CEO Chen, with your pace, it will take you probably another five years to get a degree and gain access to the labs." The stylist brushed Chen Mu''s hair gently to untangle the naughty knots.


    "Shush! I didn''t tell this to anyone, but when I was in college, I studied some medical courses. After reading a few textbooks and memorizing most of the important pieces of information, I connected the dots and presented an alternative replacement for a certain ingredient in a drug, which turned out extremely effective. One of the famous professors and researcher in the medical field tried to recruit me to join his team, but I rejected because I wasn''t interested."


    "So...?"


    "So, he told me that if I ever wanted to step my foot into the medical field, I can skip the long process of four to six years of studies as long as I pass the damn exams. I''ll have access to the labs and every resource that he has access to." Chen Mu focused on reviewing the terms once again.


    "CEO Chen..."


    "What?"


    "You''re so amazing that if I was that girl who you like, I would throw myself at you and kiss your thigh. I''ll be falling for you every day. That girl is soooo lucky!!! Now I''m jealous."


    "..."


    "Whoops, I burned a tiny strand of your hair! Hahahaha, you should focus on your studies."


    "How could I do that if you just burned my precious hair?! Sigh, the medical field is so cruel to my brain... geez...." Chen Mu tried to concentrate on his studies and once in a while, he would text Susu back.


    Actually, Chen Mu only told the simplified version of his presentation. The professor who was also a researcher that Chen Mu mentioned was known as one of the medical miracles in the medical field. The man was so great at his job that he was recognized in most places around the world. The adjusted formula that Chen Mu spent a week to modify took that world famous professor more than ten years and he still couldn''t figure out a new formula.


    Although Chen Mu may seem to goof around all the time, his IQ and EQ is pretty high under regular circ.u.mstances. And now, he found a reason to step into the medical field.

 Chapter 22 - Financial Trouble

    During the few months of not hearing from Tian Yuo, he was in deep debt. Ever since his credit card had maxed out, his parents reviewed the transactions that were made and angrily lectured him for spending money like water.


    His lousy big mouth gave him out and exposed that the items were bought by Susu. "I wasn''t the one who spent this amount of money!!! I gave my card to Susu, and she''s the one who bought all that!"


    Shen Wen massaged her temples and raised her voice by a tad, "You say it is Susu, but where could she have kept all the damn stuff if she really bought it?! I do not recall seeing any new technologies or jewelries being sent to our residence!"


    "I asked her to buy everything from this list I wrote for a modeling friend! Susu maxed out my credit card on purpose!!! It''s really not me!"


    "Ohhoho~ So you bought all these for a chick who is not your wife? You even have the audacity to call her out just to slap your credit card and the damn list of items in her face and embarrass her?! And what now? You think you can use the company''s fundings or our personal savings to help you with this high debt? No way!"


    Shen Wen was fanning herself and walking around where Tian Yuo was sitting, "You have the best wife anyone could ever wish for at home, yet you still sneak out to cheat? A model friend? If she is just a friend, then why would you buy this much bullshit items for her? Poor Susu didn''t even get a penny out of you!"


    Tian Yuo gritted his teeth, "It''s your fault for making me marry that shopping devil! Besides, she was so naive to think that I wanted to have lunch with her for her birthday! Ahahaha, that was the best thing ever!"


    Shen Wen was too tired of face palming her own face, so she smacked her palm flat onto Tian Yuo''s face, "Susu''s birthday isn''t even here yet! How the hell do you even call yourself her husband?! The Yin family always celebrated around August! And that month already passed long ago!!! One day you are definitely going to give me a heart attack for making such stupid moves."


    Tian Yuo couldn''t hold in his foul words and stupidly challenged his mother who was cursing out flames at this point of the conversation. "So what?! Why should I remember her damn birthday? I only know Karen''s birthday, and that is all we need to know! Besides, they celebrate it together every year and since Karen is gone anyways, there is no point in celebrating Yin Susu''s!"


    Shen Wen felt extremely agitated that she beat him with Guo Min''s golf stick. "You!!! Ungrateful creature! Since you are so high and mighty, pay this huge debt on your own! We are not helping you pay even a penny of it! If these items were for Susu, then I would''ve overlooked it, but now that it is in some model''s house, you suck it up!"


    Just like that, Tian Yuo was not allowed to use any of the company funds and was kicked out of his position until he proves that he had cleared his bills up. Now, he truly regretted not saving up even a penny of his yearly spendings.


    "Aha! I can use all the credit cash back bonuses!" He logged into his bank account and realized that he barely saved enough bonuses to cover even the television that was bought. The products were all opened and taken out of the packages, which made returning the items impossible. Also, these items were all high quality products and has yet been released in the markets. Therefore, it was all one of a kind with shockingly high prices.


    Guo Min felt that it was a little too harsh to have him carry the huge debt on his own. "My dear, how about we help him pay just a little bit?"


    "No." She sipped her tea, trying to calm her anger.


    "But it is a very high amount of money and plus, Susu was the one who got it for him..." He tried to make it sound logical in his wife''s ears.


    "He never learned his lessons and even disrespected Susu when she''s done so much for our family! Which daughter-in-law could you find me if she decides to leave our family because our son is a god damn retarded jerk who cheats? Which wife could stand buying the list of gifts and sending it to the husband''s girlfriend''s house, huh? If I observed correctly, she looked pale and lacked energy when she came back! She didn''t even complain a word to me!"


    "Yes.. what he did was wrong, but..."


    "But what huh? Susu had such a great temper and tolerated all these bullshit. If I didn''t get a notification about this damn charge, I wouldn''t have known how WELL he claimed to have treated Susu! And Susu? She just takes it as he makes things hard for her. From our meals to washing clothes, it was all Susu. Now, tell me, which part of Susu doesn''t deserve our respect for her?"


    "Besides, Tian Yuo was spoiled since young. This will teach him a nice lesson. If I find out that you assist him in any way to repay his debt, you''re going to sleep in the living room until god knows how long. Do you still want to say stuff for him?"


    "N..no... you''re right. He should apologize, and the items should belong to Susu." He rubbed his wife''s back, trying to soothe her emotions.


    "Also, our one year contract is almost up. If I don''t force him to realize how great she really is, then when she leaves, I know he will regret it deeply." That''s right, they only have like three months left until the contract expires.

 Chapter 23 - The Beginning of a Catastrophic Storm

    Outside of the international airport, a slim figure with a leopard patterned jacket, five inches high heels and sunglasses walked out with her luggage. She tipped a few big bills to the porter who helped her carry five bags of luggage from the gates to the taxi. With a grin on her face, she reached the handle of the taxi door and entered the back seat, "I''m back, Brother Yuo."


    The taxi driver saw her tip the porter a generous number of tips. Immediately, his attitude to her changed greatly to one that is filled with respect. "Where would you like to go, miss?"


    "I want to go to Tian Corporations at 45 Luxuries Road." After getting in the taxi, she removed her sunglasses, put on her earphones, and replayed the last voicemail that Tian Yuo had sent her.


    "Karen.. I love you..." The man''s voice made her smile stretch wider than before. Within fifteen minutes, she arrived at Tian Corps. In the past, Tian Yuo told everyone in the company that if she was the one visiting, then she can enter the company at any time without any appointments or prior notice.


    Stepping out of the vehicle, the driver helped carry her luggage to the front desk of Tian Corps. Including the tips and trip cost, she paid him triple the amount that she needed to pay. The manager recognized Karen and asked the other staffs to help her with the luggage.


    "Thanks." She greeted them with an arrogant tone.


    Meanwhile in Tian Yuo''s office, the housekeeper just finished setting up Tian Yuo''s lunch on the dining table. As soon as Tian Yuo sat down and picked up his fork, the door to his office creaked open. Karen walked in and ran to his side, "Brother Yuo! I''m back!"


    Taken aback by her sudden appearance, he hugged her lightly and captured the girl''s heavy cotton candy fragrance. The scent was overly sweet but was not popular amongst consumers because of how heavy it smelled. Only Karen would like such a unique scent.


    As the fragrance filled his nostrils, reality hit him, "K..Karen? You''re really back!" he threw the fork away and looked at the face that he wished to dream of every night. The housekeeper frowned upon her entrance and ill-mannered behavior. Clearly, Tian Yuo was a married man, so she should be keeping her distance from him and watch her actions.


    Her presence around the company stirred the interests amongst the employees, and everyone wondered if she was the mistress of Tian Corps. The housekeeper coughed lightly, warning her to watch her actions.


    "Oh! Housekeeper Xu, I didn''t see you here. How are you doing?" Karen hugged Tian Yuo''s arm as she asked politely. It sounded polite, but her actions made him feel disturbed.


    "Miss. Karen, I''m doing well. It''s quite a surprise to see you back. I''ll leave you two alone. Young master Tian Yuo, when you''re finished with the food, leave the empty container on the table and I will come to retrieve it later." He didn''t want to stay even a second longer.


    "Oh... about that, since Karen is here, you can pack everything back home. I''ll have lunch with her at her favorite restaurant." Hearing Tian Yuo''s words made the housekeeper sigh inwardly, "Alright. I will clean the table for you."


    Tian Yuo told the employees to leave her luggage inside his office before he headed out to eat lunch with her. Housekeeper Xu immediately sent Shen Wen a message telling her about Karen''s sudden arrival.


    In all honesty, he never felt good vibes coming from Karen. Instead, he thought that Susu was the good mannered and respectful lady from the Yin family, whom he truly admired for the patience that she had for Tian Yuo.


    After packing the food back into its containers, he went back to Tian residence. The moment he entered the kitchen, he saw Susu scrubbing the edges of the stove, trying to remove cooking stains. "Ma''am, you don''t have to do this. We can easily remove the stains if you are bothered by it."


    Susu turned around and greeted him with a bright smile, "Ah! Uncle Xu, you''re back! I recently came up with a healthier home remedy for removing these stains without the use of harsh chemical products. I wanted to try it out. You guys do enough around the house already, so let me do something little for once."


    He sighed, "Ma''am, you are the mistress of the house. You shouldn''t be doing these heavy chores."


    "Heavy chores?! These? Just scrubbing, cleaning, and rinsing? You call this a heavy chore? Uncle Xu, you must have missed my story telling times lately. I worked since I was fourteen years old to earn my own money and supported my own expenses. Compared to those times, this is considered smaller than pea size the amount of an easy chore."


    She removed the kitchen gloves and looked at the spotless stove top satisfyingly, "You''re back quite early today. Didn''t you go to deliver lunch to Tian Yuo? Was he not in the office?" She saw the untouched lunch container in the housekeeper''s hands.


    "About that... uhm.. ma''am, I''m not sure if I should tell you this..." He hesitated in telling her that her step sister came back and was hugging her husband intimately.


    "What is it?" She poured herself a cup of warm water and listened closely.


    "Young Master Tian Yuo was going to eat his lunch, but it was suddenly interrupted...by..." he paused, not wanting to hurt Susu''s feelings. He had seen her caring efforts for the Tian family, so he didn''t have the heart to break it to her.


    "Uncle Xu, what''s wrong? You''re usually straightforward when talking. Who interrupted his lunch that he even asked you to pack the food back home?" She looked at him slightly worried.


    "It..It''s your stepsister, Karen. She came to his office without prior notice with her luggage.." Hearing his words, she stopped drinking the warm water and placed the cup onto the table.


    "Oh...alright. Thanks for letting me know." Susu''s heart skipped a few beats when she heard Karen''s name. She knew that there would be a day where Karen would come back, but never expected it to be this soon.


    Since she came back, then that means their marriage is most likely ending soon. That also means that her days of being a filial daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law is reaching an end as well.


    With a smile on her face, she rolled up her sleeves, "It''s time to prepare dinner. Uncle Xu, can you help me get some vegetables from the garden? I''m making a fresh salad with my secret recipe tonight!"


    Housekeeper Xu wanted to say more words, but stopped when she saw the forced smile on her face, "Alright."


    After he had left the kitchen area, Susu mumbled, "Karen, I hope you changed for the better this time around. Since you wanted to be his wife so badly, I would love to hand my current status to you. But if you scheme against me again, I wont hesitate to fight back."

 Chapter 24 - Divorce Her When A Year Is Up

    During lunch, Tian Yuo ordered Karen''s favorite dishes and soon, the table was covered by plates of mouthwatering sweet and sour entrees and appetizers.


    "Wahhhhh, I love these so much! I knew Brother Yuo would know me best! Mmmmmm, this taste so good!" Karen groaned as the taste of sweet and sour ribs melted in her mouth. She felt like she was tasting heaven.


    During her stay in Paris, she couldn''t find a good restaurant that served high-quality dishes like the ones in front of her right now. She missed her favorites dearly and wanted to pack some to go.


    Tian Yuo smiled seeing her eat comfortably without a sense of awkwardness, "Slow down. Nobody is competing with you. By the way, where did you go? You didn''t contact me ever since that night..."


    She swallowed a spoonful of rice and drank a few mouthfuls of soup before responding, "I was heartbroken when I thought of you and sister being together. I knew that under the pressure of your parents and my father, you would eventually give in and marry my sister. I really couldn''t go on with living if I had to witness your wedding, so I left. I decided to leave and try my best to start a new life."


    When she looked up to meet his eyes, her top notch acting began as tears filled her eyes. She purposely wiped it using a napkin and continued, "But it was so difficult. I just couldn''t find someone else to love because I only loved you. It''s so hard, Brother Yuo. You don''t understand how much I wanted to run back to your embrace when I heard your voicemail. You told me to give you time, and you''ll marry my sister for our future."


    His heart softened when he saw the tear stains on the napkin, "Karen... I''m sorry. Other than sorry, I really don''t know what else to say. It''s supposed to be us who got married a year ago, but it became Yin Susu..."


    "No, Brother Yuo. You don''t have to apologize to me. You were trying your best, but I was too weak to stand by your side. I couldn''t stand the sight of you and sister being together, so I left. While I was in Paris, I gained some recognition, so it wasn''t a bad trip. I randomly doodled while walking in a mall one day and one of the professors at Paris Fashion Institute saw my work."


    "Ah, that famous academy...."


    "Yep. I was personally invited by Professor Luo Xia to attend the school. For the past months, I''ve studied there, but because I missed you terribly, I ended up giving up the upcoming fashion event. Even though I love designing, I realized that nothing would matter if I don''t have you by my side to share the glory with me. So, I came back." Her words sounded sweet and pleasant to his ears.


    "Sigh, Karen, you''ve done so much for me. You even gave up your dreams to be with me. Whereas, I, I''m just here waiting for a year to be up. Don''t worry, as soon as I could divorce Yin Susu, I''ll marry you. I''ll give you the grandest wedding and a proper title. I promise that I won''t ever abandon you. I love you."


    He held her hands tightly and watched her eat for the remaining meal. ''It''s been so long since I''ve seen her eat so well. Don''t worry. A year''s time is almost up.''


    -Tian Residence-


    Shen Wen was trimming her plants when she received the text message from housekeeper Xu that Karen was back. When she read the message, the plant in front of her was instantly ruined. Her scissors cut too deep into the plant and ruined its figure.


    "That wench came back?! I swear if this stupid son of mine makes any kind of bold ass move, I won''t let him off. Su..susu! I hope she takes this well and not ditch Tian Yuo''s dumb ass after hearing about Karen...."


    Her mood was indefinitely ruined for the mean time, so she went back into the house to brew some tea for herself. To her surprise, Susu seemed to have read her mind or something because a fresh pot of fruit tea was prepared and already set on the living room table for her.


    Susu baked some sweets for Shen Wen to eat along with the tea, "Mother, welcome back from the garden. Here, I thought you''d be tired, so I made you some tea and baked goods."


    Shen Wen took a seat and smiled after sniffing the fresh from the oven snacks and brewed tea, "Susu, come over here." She patted the area next to her on the couch.


    "Hmm?" Susu sat down and turned towards Shen Wen.


    "Child... Mother really doesn''t know how to break this to you. So please be strong when you listen to my following words." Shen Wen didn''t really want to tell Susu that her good for nothing stepsister has made an appearance in front of Tian Yuo. Worst of all, she went straight to his office, a place where Susu never properly stepped into even though she was his legal wife.


    Susu''s gentle smile and voice interrupted her, "Mom, did you want to tell me that Karen came back and that Tian Yuo was having lunch with her?"


    "You... you already know?"


    "Mmm... I made Uncle Xu tell me, but it''s alright. It''s just lunch anyways. I already knew from the start that Tian Yuo doesn''t love me, so I never forced or hoped for anything out of this marriage. I only married him to take care of you, dad, grandpa, and grandma. If our marriage does reach an end, I hope that you will accept things as it will be."


    "What are you saying? Tian Yuo, that child is just confused. He will realize that you''re the good and best fit for him one day." She didn''t like the sound of where the conversation was going.


    "Mother, there are some things that shouldn''t be forced. It is a pointless marriage if two people don''t love each other because nobody is willing to move forward to try and make this relationship work out. I once loved him deeply, but I''ve already set my heart to giving him up because feelings are complicated matters that won''t easily change." Susu patted Shen Wen''s hand as if she was trying to comfort her.


    "So, if this marriage falls apart later, please don''t force him anymore. If he loves Karen, then time will tell. It is a special type of fate to bring two people together to form a family. As for us, our timings were never right. Don''t feel like you owe me anything, okay?"


    Shen Wen''s eyes and nose reddened as she hugged Susu and rubbed her back, "It is our Tian family that didn''t have the good fortune to have you as our daughter-in-law. If your marriage ends, mother promises to not meddle in his affairs anymore. At the same time, I will still treat you like I always did. You''ll always be my daughter. I''ll always be on your side."


    "Mmm.. Thank you, mother. I knew you would understand." Susu felt relieved when she heard Shen Wen''s words. Sooner or later, this topic must be mentioned. Since it was a conversation that was inevitable, Susu wanted to address things earlier to make it easier in the future when she leaves.


    That night, Tian Yuo went home after dinner and walked straight to his room. When he entered, Susu was in the shower. He took a few deep breaths and looked around the room, hoping to find some excuses to say that she broke their ground rules.


    While looking for evidence that she broke some rules, he realized that everything remained untouched since he left. Not only was things in the same position that he left it, there wasn''t even a tiny dust particle in the corners of the furnitures. She actually cleaned the room every day.


    After walking around and looking through stuff, he saw a slightly opened drawer and smirked, "Yin Susu, I knew you would have done something while I was gone." His hands dug into the drawer and took a few bottles of pills out. Seeing the pills, his brows knitted slightly. "Pain relievers? Fever relief? Why would she hide these things here?"


    Just as he wondered why these pills were hidden inside her drawer, the bathroom door opened and a light vanilla fragrance filled the room as Susu stepped out with her dripping wet hair and an oversized hoodie covering half way down her thighs.


    He gulped at the view of her dripping wet hair trailing down her pale neck. Her cheeks were still flushed from the hot shower and slim legs were oddly attractive. Actually, her figure was not bad at all. ''Why did I never notice how...cute.. she was..?''


    Susu gasped when she saw him standing with her pills in his hands, "Phew, haven''t seen you for a while. May I ask why you are roaming around the room? Digging through my stuff?"


    "Y..You... are you sick?" He didn''t understand why his first question was actually about her health.


    "What would my health have anything to do with you? If you''re finished inspecting my pills, will you be a doll and place it back in its original position where you found it?" She acted coldly and plugged in her hair dryer.


    "I was asking you a question! Why are you acting rudely for?" He scoffed when he heard her attitude towards him.


    "If what I said just now is considered rude, then I don''t know what we should call your behavior for the past years. Anyways, whether I tell you or not about my health, it is my choice. I have my own privacy. You also haven''t answered my question about why you were digging through my stuff." Her voice was sounded strained.


    "What? I can''t come back to my own room and look for something?"


    "Of course you can. You''re more than welcomed to stay too since it is the Tian residence." She mocked as she continued blow drying her hair.


    He rolled his eyes and went to take a hot shower. When he came out, Susu was already asleep in her portable bed. ''That bed looks so small and uncomfortable. How could she stand sleeping there? Is she stupid? When I wasn''t here, she could''ve slept on the bed and I probably wouldn''t even have noticed.''


    That night, he twisted and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. His mind focused on the pills that he had found earlier. He also noticed an emptied cup on her dresser. ''Is she ill? Did she take the pills? Why wouldn''t she tell me? Tch. Women are complicated creatures.''


    He closed his eyes and tried his best to fall asleep. A few minutes later, he heard some light pants and groans coming from the other side of the room. Annoyed by the noises that Susu was making, he switched the lamp by his bedside and shouted, "For the lord''s sake! It''s this late and you''re disturbing my-"


    His eyes widened when he saw perspiration dripping down her forehead. "Yo.. If this is an act, you better stop now before I become mad." He approached her pale figure and flicked her forehead.


    Her eyes opened half way and she supported herself up, "You can go back to sleep." She wiped her forehead and used the wall for support as she took fever relieving pills. Seeing her pale expression, he suggested calling for a doctor. A weak laugh came out of her mouth, "These pills were prescribed by a doctor. I''m fine. It''s not like this is the first night this happened."


    When she said these words, he felt an odd pain stabbing his chest as if he felt guilt towards her. ''Forget it. I''ll just go back to sleep.''

 Chapter 25 - Check the Pills For Me

    The next morning, Tian Yuo woke up once again finding the portable bed already folded and put away. Susu was also nowhere to be seen. He frowned when he didn''t see her anywhere in the room. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he went downstairs to eat breakfast.


    It''s been months since he sat down with his family and ate breakfast with them. Just like the first day as husband and wife, Susu was serving breakfast to his parents and grandparents. With a dazzling smile and energetic face, he couldn''t find any traces of discomfort from last night.


    He sat down like he used to and glared at her. She greeted him with a faint smile and asked, "What do you want for breakfast?"


    He said, "English tea and waffles with fresh fruits picked from a tree."


    She coughed lightly so that others wouldn''t hear her discomfort before saying, "Sure. The fruits were fresh picked since four in the morning. The English Tea is already brewing, so I''ll bring it to you. As for the waffles, give me fifteen minutes."


    Shen Wen stared fiercely at her son''s arrogant behavior, "How could you ask such ridiculous requests every single time you sit your butt down? Seriously, what saint have you saved in your previous life to get Susu as your wife? Mother would love to save the same or another fortunate saint to have Susu as my daughter for my next life."


    "Mom, it''s so early and you''ve already scolded me! What''s wrong with a husband asking his wife for breakfast?" he tried to play innocent.


    When he saw how energetic she looked, the first thing that popped up in his mind was that she pretended to be sick to get his attention last night. He also suspected that the pills she took in front of him were either replaced with vitamins or never swallowed to begin with. It was just a show to gain his sympathy, yet a part of his heart actually felt guilt towards her.


    "Here, your breakfast and tea." She placed the tray of food in front of him neatly. She didn''t know how many pieces of fruits he wanted to eat, so she separated the sliced fruits in one container and had another container of syrup for his waffles.


    "Who said to separate the fruits from the waffles? I said I wanted it with fruits on top. You couldn''t even compelte such a simple task well."


    "You said waffles with fresh fruits from a tree. You didn''t say fruits on top of it. Besides, I don''t know how many pieces of sliced fruits you would like to eat, so I separated it. Also, you have a habit of pouring syrup on the waffles anyways. Without the fruits in your way, you can soak the waffles in syrup better." She drank her orange juice and picked up her plates to the kitchen.


    Shen Wen frowned when she noticed Susu barely eating her breakfast, "Susu, are you done already? I barely saw you eat anything. You only ate like a few slices of fruits and a slice of toast."


    "Why care for someone like her? She looks more energetic than all of us combined. Just let her be. Maybe she''s doing this just to catch our attention." Tian Yuo poured syrup all over his waffles and placed fruits on top.


    "Am I talking to you? If not, why are you interrupting us?" Shen Wen''s hands turned to tight fists and her blue veins surfaced on her temple area.


    "Mom, I''m feeling fine. I just don''t feel like I have much appetite." Susu went into the kitchen and started scrubbing the dirty pans, pots and plates. Housekeeper Xu noticed a light layer of sweat on her forehead and suggested for her to take a rest, but she smiled and replied, "It''s alright. I can handle it. If I don''t do these chores, I will hear endless words from your young master."


    Tian Yuo rushed back to his room after finishing his meal while Susu was still cleaning dishes in the kitchen. He opened the drawer and read the prescription on the bottle, "Yin Susu...Intake three times a day after a meal."


    At this point, his trust in Susu was thinner than ice, so he poured out a pill and took a picture of it. Since these pills were prescribed, there is a quantity amount on the sticker. If even one pill goes missing, she would figure out that someone had stolen it.


    Therefore, he took a picture of the pill and described the size of it. Since it was a family related matter, he could not ask his private doctor because the doctor and his mother were great friends. He would definitely tell his mother that he asked this question.


    He ended up texting Karen for this favor.


    "Karen, can you do me a favor and check what type of pill this is? I saw Yin Susu taking it, but I think she is faking her illness to get sympathy from me."


    "Sure! I''ll ask a few pharmacies nearby to see if the give me the same answer. Once I get the answer, I''ll let you know. Is sister feeling alright?"


    "Yeah. She looked more energetic than a person who is on a bungee jump ride. No need to worry about her. You''re too nice."


    "Aight, I''ll get ready to go out now. Text me if you need anything else."


    Karen moved back to the Yin residence after coming back from Paris. She hummed her favorite tune from a drama as she applied layers of cosmetics to her face. "Heh, Yin Susu. Your trick will never work on Brother Yuo. With me here, I''ll never let him feel a single bit of sympathy for you. This pill will always be a vitamin to his eyes from now on."


    This was not the first time Karen had done something sneaky behind Susu''s back. She used to pinch herself to make bruises appear on her arms or visible places for Tian Yuo to see. Over time, it gave him the impression that she was being bullied in Yin residence. Obviously, her parents wouldn''t give her bruises like that, and it wouldn''t be the maids in the house. So, he assumed that it was all Susu.


    "Since you managed to make Brother Yuo waver a little, I must kill off that last bit of guilt he has for you. Let''s help you two officially split, shall we?"

 Chapter 26 - Easily Convinced

    Susu went back to her room after washing every used utensil from breakfast. When she walked in, she saw Tian Yuo sitting on the couch with his arms and legs crossed staring at the door. He was obviously displeased.


    She hid the discomfort sensation from her sore throat and forced herself to speak, "What is it?"


    "You lied."


    "About?" She walked to her drawer casually and took out a pill from the pain reliever bottle. With her mouth full of water, she lifted her head up slightly to take the pill.


    "Being sick." He reached for her wrist, almost making her choke on water. She coughed a few times and wiped her mouth with tissues.


    "W..what the f*ck?" she continued coughing as she felt pain coming from her throat.


    "Stop pretending. You are fine, so why fake it? Last night was a bait right? Don''t you dare lie to me either because if you do lie when I''m giving you this one chance to be honest with me, you''ll definitely regret it." He tightened the grip on her wrist as she struggled to break free from him.


    She forcibly cleared her throat and yelled at him for the first time ever, "Young master Tian Yuo, either you got high after taking some drugs or you need hearing aids. I''ve never said that I was sick. You assumed that I was sick. So, how did it become me lying?"


    Her eyes were red and she could taste the light iron taste of blood that probably came from her throat from choking earlier. His grip around her wrist loosened and soon released her. He pointed to her face a few times with an angry dog''s flaming glare as if he would bite her if he heard another word escape from her mouth.


    She remained calm while facing his beastly side. As soon as he exited the room, she started coughing and blowing her nose. ''This flu is getting on my nerves. Ugh.''


    Tian Yuo stormed out of his house and went to work. His fingers tapped nonstop on the hard surface of his office desk. He was waiting for Karen''s response to confirm his suspicions. When he saw Karen''s name on his phone screen as the caller ID, he quickly picked it up.


    "Hello? Karen?" From his voice, she could sense his urgent tone.


    "Hi Brother Yuo! I went to a few pharmacies already and the pharmacists all gave me the same answer. The first picture you sent to me was a picture of a strong birth control pill. The second picture was a multivitamin. But you told me that you never touched Susu and would never touch her right?"


    "...I never touched her and definitely won''t touch her." The urgency in his voice diminished, but his anger rose.


    She was smiling at her side of the call while sounding concerned, "Then that means that sister is cheating on you? You two are husband and wife by law. I don''t believe that sister is that type of woman either, but for her to take this type of pills...Brother Yuo, what if she gets pregnant and claims the child to be yours? Then your family would not let you divorce her!"


    "Impossible! She can''t do that!" He was so easily fooled that it almost made Karen lose her composure.


    She continued to add oil to the fire, "So, Brother Yuo, you need to reconsider your decision. You said you would divorce her after a year is up, but it seems like she has some tricks on her mind. You need to be careful. What if she drugs you again? I''m scared that she will plan something against us."


    Her voice trembled on the phone, making it extra convincing that what she said was true. He gnashed his teeth, "I''ll call you back. Don''t worry. Nothing will go wrong between us this time. I promise you that I will protect you from her wicked thoughts. Thank god I had these pills checked out by you. How embarrassing would it have been if I actually asked our family doctor? Just remember, the one I love is you."


    "Mmm... okay. I love you so much Brother Yuo. Stay calm, okay? Just talk to her gently, and she will leave the family." She tried to sound pleasing to his ears when she was grinning evilly at a spa.


    "She doesn''t deserve my gentleness. I only act that way towards you. Anyways, get home safe, and I''ll talk to you later." He hung up and quickly dialed his lawyer''s number.


    Meanwhile, Susu was having lunch with Chen Mu. He purposely researched online for hours to find a restaurant that makes great herbal soup used to help people recover from flus.


    "You''ve been sick for a while. Are you sure those pills actually help your condition?" He questioned the functions of the pills because she suffered from fevers recently.


    "Yep. I always wake up feeling better than before, but I guess this weather isn''t benefiting my health. The season is changing, so I get sick more often. Sometimes it is flower pollen that makes my nose feel stuffy. Sometimes it is a cold. I''m getting old." She pouted.


    "Haha, if you don''t want to be old, then you better freshen up with some herb soup. I spent hours calling different restaurants to ask them about the ingredients used in the soup to make sure it is beneficial to your condition. Here, drink the soup while it''s still hot."


    He carefully placed the hot bowl of soup in front of her and reminded her to be careful of burning her tongue. "Pffft, I''m not a child. You don''t have to remind me of burn-ahhh"


    "See? I told you the soup was hot! What were you trying to say just now? You''re not a child? Hah, who is the one who just burned her tongue carelessly, hmmm?" He teased and handed her a tissue.


    While she rested her tongue, he took the bowl of soup and blew on it carefully. By the time he gave it back to her, the soup is warm and ready for drinking. He watched her enjoy the herb soup and poured some soup from the pot into a clean bowl. Slowly, he blew the soup until it was the right temperature for her to drink.


    The waitresses watched in envy as they never saw a guy as attentive and caring as Chen Mu. Whenever she finished the soup in one bowl, he would take that empty bowl and hand her the soup filled bowl that he had finished cooling down.


    In the middle of drinking her fourth bowl of soup, she received a call from Karen.


    "Sis, it''s been a while. Let''s meet up and have a chat."


    "I have nothing I want to talk to you about."


    "Even if it''s about the incident from a year ago? The night that you and Brother Yuo slept together? Oh~ these pictures would surely be great to expose to reporters."


    "...Where are you?"


    "Meet me at the West dock in an hour. You must come alone or else I wont tell you anything you want to know."


    "Okay."


    After the call ended, Chen Mu noticed the change in her mood, "What''s wrong? Who was that?"


    "Karen. I need to meet up with her at the West dock in an hour. It''s something about the incident from a year ago."


    "Do you need me to come with you?"


    "She said I needed to go alone. Can you drive me there?" The incident from a year ago was a deep scar that never recovered in her heart. She really wanted to find out about what happened, especially when Karen mentioned something about pictures.


    "Sure. From here to the West dock takes twenty to twenty-five minutes. We have time, so eat first." He placed a few pieces of vegetables onto her plate. Knowing that she wasn''t having the best appetite, he ordered lighter dishes for her stomach to digest.


    "Thanks." She felt relieved to have him by her side during these moments.


    At the same time, Karen was already at the dock, waiting for Susu''s arrival. ''Yin Susu, let''s see how you''ll explain things this time."

 Chapter 27 - You Can Never Be Me

    After eating, Chen Mu drove her close to the West dock so that she wouldn''t have to walk too far to get to where they''re meeting. With red alerts all over his mind, Chen Mu pretended to drive off, but remained a close distance to make sure Susu was safe.


    When Karen saw Susu arrive, she sent a text to Tian Yuo, knowing that he was in his office. Estimating from his office to the dock would take around twenty minutes, there was more than enough time for her to do what she wanted to do. ''This would give me enough time. Heh.''


    Karen lured Susu closer to the waters to prove that what she was about to disclose were all true. When they were around ten years old, Karen drowned in front of everyone. Since then, everyone thought that she was scared of water. Nobody would have thought that a ten-year-old child would pretend to drown to avoid having to take swimming lessons. In fact, she was secretly, a great swimmer.


    Till today, Susu also has the same impression of her being afraid of large bodies of water. When they reached near the end of the dock, Karen started initiating the conversation.


    "Sis, it''s been a while. The last time I saw you, we were in our house when dad fought for your wedding. How is married life treating you? Good?" The mockery in her voice was evident. She was obviously pinpointing where it hurts the most.


    "Forget about the rest of the crap that you have to say. Just show me the pictures that you said you had and get straight to the point. What happened that night?" Susu asked without beating around the bushes.


    "Aiyo, what''s the rush? Would pacing up the speed help your lost chastity revive? Yin Susu, I hated you from the bottom of my heart. Did you know that?"


    "Why?"


    "Because of you, my mother could only be the second wife, and I will always be the child of daddy''s second wife. I''m the second child whom should''ve never been conceived. How great would it be for you to have died right at birth? Or a mishap?"


    Susu smirked, "So you''ve hated me illogically since young? Whose fault is it that you got conceived? Go home and cry to your dear wicked mother for why she climbed onto my father''s bed and took advantage of him when he was drunk and grieving for my dead mother!"


    "Did you know that while growing up, our relatives loved comparing us? From our looks to our academics and how bright our futures looked. Whenever I hear the needle piercing comments, I would have the urge to sew their lips together one by one to make a quilt. Not only were they always complimenting you over me, even when you wore the plainest outfits, you were the spotlight!"


    "Okay, so you were envious of the attention I received from other strangers and you were jealous that I came from my mother''s w.o.m.b. Alright, this makes so much sense. Cool story bro, continue." Susu rolled her eyes at her ridiculous words.


    "Since then, I''ve had the thought of taking every single thing away from you, especially precious ones. The money that daddy raged about going missing. It was me who framed you up. I wanted to prove to you that anyone can destroy relationsh.i.p.s with just a few words and cries. Of course, when daddy slapped you, I joyfully cheered inside my heart. I couldn''t believe how easy it was to get you kicked out of the house!"


    "So that was all your doing....you vicious wench." Susu''s hand formed two tight fists that her knuckles showed up.


    "Not only that. Snatching Tian Yuo from you and destroying your world. Everything went so smoothly that I wanted to give myself a round of applause. I even patted my shoulders after seeing how successful the incident ended up. Didn''t you want to know about that night? How did it feel to wake up losing your v.i.r.g.i.nity and sucking up that huge responsibility of drugging my fiance?"


    "You''re a f*cking psycho. All of this was done for not even revenge! This is pure jealousy! Your heart is so damn twisted that I can''t believe someone like you even exist!!!


    "Haha, humans always use each other to reach their own goals. If you believe in people this easily, then you are the fool. I''m teaching you a lesson right now, so you should be thanking me." Karen noticed Tian Yuo''s car driving from a close distance and started stepping backwards little by little.


    Susu glared at her scornfully, "Did you think that doing all this would make you happy? If you think that way, then you''re the most stupid person in this entire universe. When you committed all these things, you did it out of desperation. You wished you could have everything that I have, and that''s precisely why you tried to take them away from me."


    She coughed lightly and cleared her throat, "But instead of taking anything away from me, you made me realize how many irrelevant things that I don''t have to care for in my life. You wanted dad''s attention? Go ahead, because I ended up finding what I wanted to do with my life, my career. You might think that you took Tian Yuo from me, but to be honest, he never belonged to me."


    Karen worriedly screamed, "What do you mean?!!"


    "Why would I feel pain for someone who never loved me? I already gave him up. Only you would want this shoe that I''ve thrown away. Just like the flawed design with the roses that you stole from me. You only deserve getting my used things. Karen Yin, you''ll never be like me and can never be me because you''re missing the most important quality; confidence."


    As soon as she said that, Karen ran towards Susu and pulled her arm. From Tian Yuo''s angle, he didn''t see Karen initiating the pull. In his perspective, Karen was struggling to break away from Susu''s hands and looked extremely scared. After seeing their tug of war, he ran towards the dock to rescue Karen.


    Chen Mu rushed towards the dock when he saw Karen''s abnormal behavior. ''She was trying to pull Susu into the water!''


    Before any of them got to the dock, Karen and Susu both fell into the deep, cold water.

 Chapter 28 - You Dont Believe me either, do you?

    Chen Mu dived into the water to save Susu while Tian Yuo got Karen.


    Susu was barely breathing when Chen Mu carried her out of the water, while Karen had spat out mouthfuls of water. Tian Yuo hugged Karen close to his body and repeated, "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have been so late. It''s my fault. I won''t leave you again."


    Chen Mu shouted, "Quit those stupid talks! Call an ambulance!!!!" He adjusted Susu''s position and performs CPR on her. When her body didn''t respond, his eyes began to redden as fear crept up his spine and chills made his heart shiver at the thought of losing her.


    Tian Yuo was still hugging Karen close to his chest, not calling for an ambulance. It was a bystander who called for an ambulance for them.


    Fortunately, Susu coughed up some salted water and regained consciousness after Chen Mu''s CPR attempts. Seeing her open her eyes to look at him again made tears fall from his eyes, "T..Thank god I saved you. Thank goodness...What would I do without you..?" His rasped voice was filled with anxiety as if the girl in his arms would forever be lost if he had been one second slower.


    The ambulance arrived shortly and both Karen and Susu were sent to the hospital. Liang Yu Qing was on vacation with her friends, and her phone had no signal when the hospital tried to reach out to her. Therefore, the hospital contacted Yin Zin Leung instead. Shen Wen was also notified because Chen Mu knew that only she had the right to lecture Tian Yuo if anything gets out of hand.


    The doctors gave the girls some basic checkups and determined that they only drank a few mouthfuls of salt water. They would be fine after some rest. Tian Yuo stayed with Karen while Chen Mu stayed by Susu''s side.


    Karen woke up before Susu did and quickly held Tian Yuo''s hands, "Brother Yuo, I thought I''ll never be able to see you again...I was so cold and scared. I.. I was so.. so.. scared.." She cried and trembled as she whimpered on the hospital bed.


    "Shhh.. sh... it''s alright. I''m here. I saved you. I won''t let anyone hurt you ever again. Never, you hear me. I should have known that she was trying to play some tricks up her sleeves. This time, she actually wanted to kill you! If I wasn''t there, you might have been..." Hearing her cries made him extremely furious.


    He slammed the door to Susu''s room open and startled her awake, "Yin Susu! You knew that Karen was afraid of oceans and watery places! You purposely lured her out and pulled her into the water with you! If you wanted to die, you should die alone! Why did you drag her down with you, huh?!"


    Susu was too tired to even bother arguing back, "If you''re done barking nonsense, then leave. I don''t need to hear another word about Karen. Whether you choose to believe in her weak lily act and painful cries or you choose to believe that I harmed her on purpose, that is all on you. My life is more precious to me to spend it all in one go just to drag a bitch down the waters."


    "What did you just say?!" He raised his hand, attempting to slap Susu across the face. She closed her eyes and ignored him because she knew that Chen Mu was right by her side. Chen Mu twisted Tian Yuo''s arm to his back and put him in a headlock position.


    "I was with Susu the whole afternoon! It was Karen who called her out to the dock and initiating the pulling! It was Karen who wanted to drag Susu into the waters and not the other way around! Just when the f*ck will you open up your damn eyes to see who is right and wrong?!" Chen Mu tightened his grip, making Tian Yuo bend his knees.


    He bit his lips and continued shouting nonsense, "Murder!! You tried murdering Karen! You wench! You s.l.u.t! You disgraceful hooligan!!!"


    "Who are you calling a s.l.u.t, a disgraceful hooligan, and a wench?!" A huge slap sound echoed in Susu''s room, making Susu open her eyes instantly. It was Shen Wen. The strong slap landed on Tian Yuo''s face, making him feel dizzy.


    "M..Mother...and.. dad.." Susu called out to Shen Wen and Yin Zin Leung, who were standing outside her door.


    "No need to say anything, Susu. Mother believes that you aren''t the type of person to harm another person. You wont be stupid enough to do something like that and you also had the flu, so no reason to harm your health like that. Take care of yourself as I need to have a word with him." She twisted Tian Yuo''s ears until it turned red and dragged him out of the room.


    Meanwhile, Yin Zin Leung walked into the room and sat down by Susu''s bedside, "How are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine. I only drank some salted water and almost died from getting pulled into the ocean. Dad, do you believe me?" She smiled with lingering tears in her eyes that didn''t dare escape. The words that Karen said at the dock mixed with some people''s accusations against her, made her wonder if her dad would take her side this time.


    "Susu, just focus on recovering for now." He avoided her question.


    She sighed lowly and let out a few sniffles, "Dad, by avoiding the question, you already indirectly answered me. Even you think that I lured her out to the dock to drown her, didn''t you?"


    "Susu, don''t be like this." Zin Leung reached out to wipe the tears that were falling down her pale face.


    She slapped his hand away, "You chose to believe her because she drowned in front of everyone at a young age. But dad, have you ever asked me my side of the story? Even when I''m telling the truth about her calling me to the dock and trying to pull me into the waters? I was the one who almost died when she spat out some water and that was it!"


    Her tears were like an opened floodgate, once she started, it never ends. She cried as she held onto her dad''s sleeve, sometimes coughing in-between and sometimes holding her hand against her chest, "Just like the money that you thought I stole. Just like that time when Karen only had to say a few words and you immediately believed in her words! I''m also your daughter."


    "This and that situation are two different things. You can''t mix it together. That time, I wronged you and already apologized after finding out the truth."


    The words that have been trapped deep inside her heart finally exploded out of her mouth, "Truth? What truth? The so-called truth was stepmother''s way of covering up for Karen! Just like today''s incident, you would choose to believe in her because it sounds and looks unfavorable on my side. But have you ever believed in me? Ever believed in this daughter that you raised?"


    She bit her lips when she saw the hesitance in his eyes. Her fingers slowly let go of his sleeves as she cried and laughed hysterically, "Since you guys already judged by the covers. Fine. I did it. I purposely called her out of the blues and wanted to kill her. I was the vicious one who dragged her to the dock and wished to drown her. At the end, I ate my own karma and almost died! You hear me? Happy now? Leave. All of you leave. I don''t want to see any of your faces."


    Yin Zin Leung attempted to calm her down, "Susu, it''s not that I don''t believe you.. It''s just..." Words couldn''t find its way out of his mouth, so he ended up leaving the room while hearing her pitiful cries. Somewhere inside his heart, he believed that she didn''t do it, but all the evidence pointed towards her.


    Her face was flushed with anger, disappointment, and heartbreak. Chen Mu was the only one who stayed by her side after Yin Zin Leung left. This was the first time Chen Mu had seen her cry uncontrollably and scream so loud as if one could hear her heart shatter. Wrinkling his clothes, Susu cried in his embrace for a very long time.

 Chapter 29 - Divorce

    Susu cried out all of the hate and sufferings that she experienced from all these years and fell asleep in Chen Mu''s embrace. While Chen Mu was comforting Susu, Tian Yuo was lectured by Shen Wen in the waiting room under the eyes of many patients, doctors, and nurses.


    The brutal slap from earlier left a bruise mark on his cheek, making it an unsightly view.


    Shen Wen snarled and pointed at Tian Yuo, "How could your father and I be so smart, yet you turned out this amazingly imbecile?? Just a few tears and you believed in Karen over your wife? What are you doing to your marriage? Did we raise you up to be the sc.u.m of the society?"


    "Mother! I saw it myself! Karen sent me a text telling me Susu was emotional and going crazy. They were at the dock where Karen is most afraid of!" There seemed to be no way in knocking any sense to his mind. Shen Wen really questioned whether he was her son at the moment.


    "What did the vixen feed you to make you so trusting of her?! If Susu really planned all this, why the heck would she not just find someone else to do the dirty work? Or find a less obvious location to commit the crime? Talking to you makes me want to jump into the ocean myself! Maybe then, you will have a little common sense."


    "Mom, you''re being too biased."


    Shen Wen rolled her eyes and wanted to give him another slap across the face, but stopped and kicked a nearby chair with her heels. "Biased right? Alright. Since hitting you is useless, do whatever the shit you want. I won''t give a single damn or glance at you anymore until you realize it yourself. You can stay outside every day, afternoon and night. I''ll have housekeeper Xu pack your belongings to go. No need to even call me and tell me anything about yourself. I''m tired of your bullshit."


    She stormed out angrily, paid for Susu''s medical bills, and went to check up on her. When she pushed the door slightly opened, the creaking sound alerted him. Quickly he placed his finger to his lips and shook his head.


    Shen Wen saw the poor girl with a tear stained face sleeping with her arms wrapped around his waist and frowned before exiting the room. "I swear one of these days; I will adopt Chen Mu to our family. How could he and Tian Yuo look so alike when they were young, yet their IQ and EQ could differ so much after growing up? Sigh, forget it. I''ll just pretend that I don''t have a son anymore until he pick himself up this time.


    Chen Mu walked out shortly after tucking Susu in and intentionally spoke to Shen Wen, "Auntie Tian, I want to speak with you for a moment."


    "Sure..." She could sense the seriousness in his tone and immediately stepped aside.


    "Auntie Tian, I''ll be honest with you. Susu''s mental and physical health condition does not look great at all. She was forced into this marriage and literally did everything that a wife, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter-in-law, should''ve done. If not everything, then it would literally be the gold daughter that every fairy tale has. Are you really willing to just stand and watch her suffer? You keep saying you treated her like your daughter, but I don''t see that at all. All I see are your selfishness in trying to make your own fairy tale come true by forcing your son and her together."


    Shen Wen remained calm as she listened to Chen Mu''s words because he had never been this straightforward to her using such tone, "Auntie, if you really love Susu like your own daughter, you should let them get a divorce. This way, Karen could stop all her schemes, and Tian Yuo would stop attacking Susu. Susu will recover much faster. I''m not sure if you heard her cries earlier, but it was certainly heartbreaking to hear. Nurses had their eyes teared up just from passing by randomly."


    After saying what he wanted to say, he went back to Susu''s room and held her hand, making sure she wouldn''t feel lonely while resting. Susu was discharged under Shen Wen''s pressure to the hospital staff.


    When she brought Susu to her room, Susu refused to sleep on the bed, "Mother, it''s fine. I can''t sleep on that bed. I''ll sleep on the portable bed over there."


    "What?! Portable bed? Susu, what are you...?" Actually, this was the first time Shen Wen had stepped into Susu and Tian Yuo''s room after their marriage. After taking a careful look, her eyes watered as she saw the minimal items that Susu brought along and how Susu always put on a happy smile in front of her.


    Looking at the weak, fragile girl in front of her, she held her hands and sobbed, "I''m sorry, Susu. Mother was wrong. I made you suffer so much without noticing how much damage I''ve done to you. You silly child, how could you smile at the family and pretend everything was alright between you and Tian Yuo? How could I give birth to such a monster?"


    "Mom... I''m fine." Her rasped voice was weak but gentle. This made Shen Wen''s guilt increase by thousands of folds.


    "Mom, it''s late at night already. You should go to sleep and take a good rest. Everything will be fine." Susu insist that Shen Wen should leave the room so that she could rest as well. Shen Wen listened to her and went back to her room to sleep. It was a sleepless night as many memories floated up in Shen Wen''s mind when she thought of what happened during the past year.


    ''If I hadn''t forced her... she might be happily dating someone else..what have I done?''


    Two hours later, Tian Yuo quietly snuck back to Tian residence and walked into his room. Since each room in the house was sound proof, nobody heard the following conversation. Susu was still awake and sat on her portable bed as if she expected his arrival.


    The moment he entered and saw her sitting there, he threw the doc.u.ment that was in his hands onto her portable bed, "Sign it and get it over with. I can''t stand being with someone as disgusting and violent as you."


    "Does it look like I want to be with you to begin with?" She took the doc.u.ments and reviewed it. She already had a pen in her hand, ready to sign and make adjustments.


    Seeing her scribble on the doc.u.ment made him smirk, "What? The alimonies that I set for you wasn''t enough to satisfy you that you want to add more properties and monetary assets? You gold dig-"


    Before he could throw another insult to her face, she signed the doc.u.ment and threw the divorce papers back on his bed, "From here onwards, we have nothing to do with each other. Even when we come across accidentally or coincidentally, let''s pretend we never met. I''m done with your bullshit. By the way, you should also put a leash on Karen before she starts biting every other girl that you look at for over a second. That''s my last advice to you."


    He held the signed doc.u.ments and flipped through the pages where she scribbled on top of it. "You are all about the big talk, but you''re just another person after my money."


    As soon as the word money left his mouth; he regretted saying it. He continuously flipped through all the pages and reviewed every part that she made adjustments to. Instead of adding and asking for more properties like he thought she would, she crossed out every single section where the alimony was listed. The scribbling gesture from earlier was her personally stating that she did not want a single cent of the Tian family after their divorce. She also wrote that she had given her portable bed to him.


    When he looked up again, Susu was nowhere to be found. He quickly went through the closet where his mom had bought her many designer clothes and realized that Susu only packed the few pieces of clothing that belonged to her. The toothbrush in the bathroom was his. Everything else that was originally in the room was still in its place. Nothing less.


    "W..what?" His chest felt tightened when he reviewed the crossed out lines and her personal statement over and over again.


    The next morning, the maids, housekeeper Xu, Shen Wen, Guo Min, and the Tian grandparents woke up to letters stuck to their bedroom door. Susu prepared their favorite foods in the kitchen during the hours of peace that she had.


    Susu thanked each of them for their care and wrote reminders for their bad habits. The way she recognized and remembered each and every person''s habit in the household moved everyone deeply. During breakfast, everyone focused on the last meal that Susu prepared for them as they fought their urge to cry.


    Tian Yuo walked downstairs and found out that everyone in the family, but him, had received a letter from her. For some reason, there was an unexplainable emptiness inside of him at that moment.


    During breakfast, nobody spoke or served him breakfast. He became invisible to his family members. After finishing breakfast, he flipped everything in his room upside down to make sure that she didn''t leave a letter.


    The scene of her scribbling on the doc.u.ments and how she left without a goodbye lingered in his mind. She didn''t give him a chance to farewell.

 Chapter 30 - Stay Here With Me

    After signing the divorce papers, Susu got into the cab that she ordered and the first place she could think of on the top of her mind was Chen Mu''s place. Chen Mu moved out of his house long ago and settled on a condo that he bought using his own money.


    Arriving at his condo without prior notice, she rang the doorbell a few times. She thought that he might be resting, but the truth was that he ended up staying wide awake thinking about her, so he went to take a shower. When he stepped out of the shower, he heard the doorbell and immediately wrapped his body with a robe.


    "Susu?" He opened the door and was instantly hugged by her cold body. Without saying a word, he closed the door from behind and rubbed her back as if he understood what was going on in her mind. He remained quiet until she got tired of standing.


    Finally, after hours of fighting, crying, and feeling heart broken, Susu could rest properly. Feeling Chen Mu''s warmth made the last barriers of guard go down. Once again, in his embrace, she fell asleep comfortably.


    During her deep slumber, she could feel his gentle hands stroking her hair and patting her back to comfort her, making her feel safe. Chen Mu turned the heat a little higher and covered her with a blanket while her head rested on his lap. Once in a while, he would move her fringe aside so that it wouldn''t poke her eyelid. Sometimes she would twist and turn in her sleep, kicking away the blanket.


    He would then smile and covere the blanket over her body with care. ''Susu, everything will get better. Everything will be okay. I''ll always be here to support you if you need me.''


    When she appeared in front of his door, he already saw the luggage by her feet and that the ring on her ring finger was gone. He could already guess what had happened, so he didn''t ask or say anything. If she wanted a hug, he would give her a hug. If she wanted to sleep on his thighs, then who cares about numbed nerves and leg cramps? If this is what takes to make her happy again, it''ll all be worth it.


    Susu woke up at 11 and felt refreshed.


    "Good morning, dear." Chen Mu greeted her after seeing her wrap the blanket around her body like a cozy kitten.


    "Huh...?" She rubbed her eyes and looked up to see Chen Mu smiling at her.


    Gasp


    "Why are you here?" She blinked a few times, forgetting that she was in his place.


    "Hmm? Me? Dear, you''re sleeping on my lap and asking me why I''m in my condo~ Of course, I''ll be here." He teased her the moment she woke up looking much better than hours ago.


    She sat up too quick and felt her blood rush up her head, "Urghh..."


    "You should have gotten up slowly. Here, lie down." He patted his thigh and pulled her back down.


    "It''s your fault." She pursed her lips and whined with her eyes closed.


    "Yes, yes. All my fault. How are you feeling now?" He asked in concern.


    "Which part?" She answered his question with a question.


    "Huh? What do you mean which part?"


    "If you mean my head, then I still feel a little dizzy. If you mean my heart, then its shattered that I might need a doctor to help me recover. If.." She felt his cold fingertip poking her forehead and stopped talking.


    "I meant your stomach. It''s growling." He purposely reached her hip area and started tickling her, making her laugh continuously.


    "S..sstoppp.. ahahahaa... no... pffft.." She hugged her stomach and rolled up in a fetal position. Her hair was all over her face and her giggles continued to echo in his living room. She breathed a sigh of relief and sat up slowly. "That was the best laugh I had for the year."


    "Mmm.. I''m glad you''re feeling better then. What do you want to eat for breakfast or brunch..?" He stood up, but immediately fell backwards onto the couch. While he covered his face with one hand to hide his embarrassment, she crawled to his side with a playful grin.


    "What? Is young master Chen Mu having a leg cramp?~ Hmmm?" She teased as she poked his numb thighs where she slept for many hours.


    "Aha.a. ha..stop! Stop! I surrender, my queen! Don''t torture this peasant during the numb thigh session! Spare me!" He jumped every time she poked his thighs.


    "Okay, okay. Here, hold on." She knelt on his carpet and started massaging his thigh and leg to increase the circulation of his blood flow. Soon, the numbness and pain faded and his expression relaxed.


    "Phew, I thought I was going to cry for a second." He stood up and walked towards the kitchen.


    "What are you doing?" She peeked from behind.


    "Making your food. Tell me, what do you feel like having?" He tied the knot from behind and waited for her response. Noticing the silence between them, he turned around to see her rubbing her chin with a grin on her face.


    He gulped in response, "Y..yes..? Something wrong?"


    "Chen Mu, I never knew you could look that handsome in an apron. That apron brings out your ass. Mhmm, what a nice view." She stared at his bottoms for a bit before smiling enchantingly, "Let''s make the food together."


    "Okay. So what do you want to eat?" The moment he saw her cheerful smile, he couldn''t help but to accept her offer in making food with him. For once he was glad that he had a nice butt to catch her attention.


    "Mmmm...." She thought deeply about what she wanted to eat.


    "Ah! Scrambled eggs with sausage and a warm cup of milk tea."


    "Scrambled eggs with sausage and milk tea."


    Both of them said it at the same time and laughed at their similar thoughts. While she cooked the eggs, he cooked the sausage. They finished making their parts of the meal around the same time and proceeded to make the milk teas for each other.


    He handed her the milk tea that he made, "Here, extra sweetened milk tea with a cupid''s arrow shaped sprinkle of chocolate powder."


    She took the cup from his hands and handed him the milk tea that she made for him, "Here. Regular milk tea with tea level at mild. Exactly how you like it."


    After taking a sip of each other''s handmade milk tea, they smiled and enjoyed the rest of their meal. It was a simple, yet very heartwarming meal.


    "That was a good meal." She patted her tummy and wiped her lips.


    "So what''s your plan after this?" He took the dirty plates and forks to the sink.


    "I...I''m not sure. I don''t want to go back to my old home because Karen, my stepmother, and... my dad would be there. I already checked my previous apartment and apparently, it''s been rented out so I couldn''t go back there. I was debating on going to a hotel, but that could only be a short run plan."


    Hearing the uncertainty in her voice, he offered, "How about staying with me? I have an extra room that I use for storage, but it''s big enough to be a guest room. You can stay with me until you sort things out if you want."


    "But.." She didn''t want to become a burden for him.


    "Yin Susu, we''ve known each other for how long? More than a decade! If you still think you would burden me, then you are so wrong about that. I''m a single man who comes home to an empty apartment. What kind of burden could you be, huh? Besides, you have nowhere else to go."


    With his hands on either side of his h.i.p.s, he tried to convince her.


    "But what if you get a girlfriend later?"


    He almost spat out blood when she mentioned ''girlfriend''


    In his mind, he repeatedly said to himself, "The only girlfriend that I''ll ever have is you! And that is if you accept me! Geez, Chen Mu, your flirting skills needs to be sharper....sharper!"


    "Ahem, you don''t have to worry about that part." He cleared his throat and waited for her response.


    "Then...when can I move in?" She smiled sweetly with slightly blushing cheeks.


    "Huh? Oh! Ohhh! You can move in today. I''ll have everything cleared up, and we can shop for furniture later." He didn''t even try to conceal the happiness inside of him as he hummed while rinsing the dishes.

 Chapter 31 - Cleaning Duty

    Chen Mu brought her to the guest room where he stored a few cardboard boxes of old albums, used computers, suits that needed to be ironed and cleaning supplies. The room was spacious and cleaner than expected. All they had to do is do some simple dusting, sweeping, and mopping.


    A green plant was growing healthily under the warm sunlight shining through the window. They started by moving the cardboard boxes into the living room after dusting it out. Bit by bit, the room was emptied and cleaned until it was dust free.


    Looking at the great as new looking room, Susu leaned her elbow on Chen Mu''s shoulder, "We''re pretty good at being cleaning partners. Ever considered changing your career to being a cleaner with me?" She jokingly replied and giggled at her silly idea.


    "Sure. It''s tiring being a CEO sometimes. And trying to get myself into a certain field would require all my brain cells fried on a grill, so being a cleaner is much simpler." He nodded and held out his hand for a high five.


    Susu was barely five feet tall, and Chen Mu was five feet six inches tall. At first, his palm was held at a height where she could reach, but when she tried to aim for that high-five, he stretched his arm to a higher position. Her body leaned forward and instinctively hugged him around his waist when she felt like she was falling.


    She pouted and looked at him, "You tricked me!"


    "Ayee~ My dear, if you wanted to hug me so badly, then you should''ve told me~ Here, here, take all the hugs you want from me." He laughed lightly as he received her playful fist punches aiming at his chest.


    After hitting him a few times, her arms ended up around his waist again. This time, her face was buried in his embrace and his arms circled around her back. While rocking back and forth slowly like how a parent would hold their newborn child, he rubbed her back and whispered, "Listen to me, don''t ever cry for bitches and bastards who don''t deserve your attention. The less you care for them, the more you will realize how much happier you could be without these toxic monsters in your life. I''ll always be here for you."


    His words worked like Cinderella''s fairy godmother''s wand as the tears that were on the verge of falling stayed in her reddened eyes. He could feel his wrinkled shirt slowly loosen from her grip. Knowing that she must be acting strong again, he ruffled her hair affectionately, "That''s the Yin Susu that I know! Hahaha."


    "Hey! I took half an hour on this hairstyle!!! How dare you!! Heh, you ruined mine, so let''s give you a new haircut!" She raised two fingers and gestured cutting motions.


    "Nooo, not my hair!! Queen, spare me. I surrender! I''ll make your favorite steak with a lot of vegetables for dinner tonight! Spare my hair!!! I spent....actually, wait, nah, you can mess it up. I forgot that I spent the night on the couch watching a beauty sleep on my lap. I haven''t even styled my hair yet hoho~~ Forgetful me."


    "Oh ya? Then this queen here will make you go out with three pig tails!!! Don''t you dare move or I''ll superglue a 50''s hairstyle wig to your real hair!" She chased him around the living room with rubber bands in her hands.


    Chen Mu purposely let her catch up to him and obediently sat down as she tied his hair into three pig tails. "Tada! Look, you look so cute hahahahaha! You should go out like this! Pffft." She rubbed her tummy as she laughed and wiped the tears that were coming out of her eyes.


    Hearing her energetic laughter, he took the hand mirror that she was holding and cupped his cheeks, "Oh my! I do look very handsome and oddly cute in this hairstyle. Alright! Today will be three piggies hairstyle day! Let''s go order you some furniture!" He smiled, showing his white teeth and laughed with the girl who started to hug him and play with the pig tails on his head.


    ''As long as it makes you happy, forget my image. I can look like a sissy and I still won''t give a heck about it. Your smile is mine to protect.''


    After a while of laughing, Susu finally calmed down and drank some water. He watched her flushed cheeks turn from rose to peach color before saying, "Let''s go shopping for the things you need~"


    "Nnn...." She nodded and let out a few more giggles while wearing her shoes. Chen Mu touched her hands before they headed out and said, "You need a scarf and mittens! Hold on, I have a spare for both."


    She stood by the entrance and watched as he came out of his room with a pair of rose colored mittens and cream colored scarf with a flower pattern on the lower right. He wrapped the scarf around her neck carefully, "Is it too tight?"


    She shook her head and watched as he slipped the pair of mittens on each hand of hers. "Are you sure you are wearing enough? How about I lend you my winter jackets?"


    She smiled at him sweetly, "I''m already very warm." Her response had double meanings, but Chen Mu only took it literally. Inside of her mind, she was saying, ''How could I not feel warmth from the bottom of my heart with your caring nature?''


    "Alright! Then~ Let''s head to the mall~~" He held the door opened for her and locked it from behind. They got to the mall in fifteen minutes by car and started their shopping spree. Another thing that Chen Mu and Susu had in common other than the fact that they were born in prestigious families was that they loved crashing to sales and clearance sections!


    The way children stares at candy and chocolate muffins is how both of them look when they see the word, "Sale and Clearance." Even though they had the money for the fanciest items, they preferred saving money for future uses. Other than spending money on food and necessities, they would limit themselves from purchasing things that they didn''t need.

 Chapter 32 - Kept in the Drawer

    Inside of his office, Tian Yuo stared intensely at the sealed yellow envelope in front of him. While his secretary reported his schedule for the day, it was obvious that his attention was elsewhere. With his hands interlocked and chin resting on it, he looked troubled.


    In fact, his mind was concentrated on something that he had never imagined he would one day think about. This morning, after breakfast, he turned his room into a mess that looked even worse than a hurricane''s disastrous visit.


    After not seeing any notes or letters of farewell from her, he even missed a step to the edge of his bed and landed on his butt instead of the mattress. He stayed on the floor for half an hour before getting ready for work.


    The sealed envelope on his desk held the divorce papers that Susu had signed and adjusted. With the red marks and alimony sections all crossed out from his memory, he sighed deeply and closed his eyes.


    Hearing his awkward sigh, the secretary stopped speaking instantly. The man looked tired and confused at the moment. Over the years of accompanying Tian Yuo, she had never seen him show any emotions during work.


    After a few minutes of silence, she asked, "Mister Tian, would you like to have a cup of coffee? Or maybe I should come back later when you are in a better condition to discuss about work?" She couldn''t help but feel nervous while standing in front of his solemn, bankrupt looking expression.


    "You can come back in an hour. No need for coffee. I''ve already drank five cups of it this morning." He answered in an indifferent tone.


    The secretary bowed and quickly exited his office as if she finally found the exit to a difficult maze.


    After she had left, Tian Yuo''s phone screen flashed brightly, making him squint. It was Karen, who texted him.


    He sighed once again as if he had the power to read minds, "She is probably asking me if I sent the divorce papers to the lawyer yet." Normally, he would be happy to get a text from her that he would stop everything just to reply back. For some reason, a chill was creeping through his chest and a taste of slight sourness lingered in his throat.


    There was no one word that could describe how he was feeling and why he felt this way. Didn''t he always love Karen? Wasn''t Susu the obstacle all along? So why was it that he felt odd after seeing her sign the divorce papers without the tiniest bit of hesitation?


    Bzzt Bzzt


    His phone vibrated loudly against the solid surface of his desk, giving him a headache. Sighing, he picked up the call.


    "Karen?" He answered without his regular cheerful greetings. Sensing that his tone had changed, she started feeling uneasy. ''Could it be that the divorce had some kind of impact on him?'' She thought to herself and decided to lay out her chess pieces for her future checkmate move.


    "Brother Yuo...I feel very ill. My chest feels tight. My body is heated up, and nobody is at home right now." She whimpered like an abandoned kitten; so weak and needed protection.


    His tone became gentler, "how could nobody be home to take care of you? What happened to the maids?"


    Tian Yuo was distracted by her mother''s lecture and his embarrassing moment at the hospital that day that he did not hear a word that Yin Zin Leung had said to Susu. He also didn''t hear Susu''s cries. This gave Karen a chance to come between them again.


    She made her voice sound extremely pitiful and wronged, "D..daddy told them to go away because... he didn''t believe in me. Sis said something to him, and he believed her. Brother Yuo, what should I do? I''m losing dad... and I only have you left. My mother is on vacation. I feel like I''m going to die."


    Hearing her words made his heart pound rapidly, "I''m coming for you. Don''t worry, everything will be alright."


    She cried over the call, "Why is life so hard? I already decided to let you go, but sis wouldn''t let me off. Now, daddy doesn''t trust me and... and it would take a while before your divorce finalizes. I''m losing everything, and I just came back from Paris. Maybe I shouldn''t have come back after all."


    "Stop spouting nonsense. I''ve always only had you in my heart. Didn''t I ask for a divorce already? Now, we are just a few steps away from our goals. We can have our own family and settle down wherever you want." After saying what he had said, he facepalmed his forehead because he just randomly spat out words that he couldn''t guarantee.


    Her trembling voice from earlier sounded more settled now, "With your promise, I won''t lose hope. I knew you wouldn''t fail me. By the way, did you send the doc.u.ments to the lawyer yet? The faster you send it, the earlier you guys could get your divorce completed. You know... my mom has been pressuring me even back then to quickly get married and give her some grandchildren to play with."


    She sounded shy, but she was actually thinking of how she should flaunt his wealth to Susu''s face and use his business connections to form a strong build for her future clothing store. Tian Yuo avoided touching this topic, "I''ll come get you to go to the hospital for a checkup. Get dressed and be good. I''ll be there in like twenty minutes." He took another glance at the envelope and decided to stuff it in his drawer for now.


    "Mm.." After hanging up, she slapped on some makeup to cover up the healthy glow she had on her face. Tian Yuo arrived like he had estimated and they went to the hospital together. While she had her body examined, he was checking his emails on his laptop in the waiting area.


    After her blood was drawn, the nurse took her results to the lab to get an overall result of her health. Another nurse noticed the rare last name, Yin, and remembered that a patient was recently admitted after a drowning incident. "Right! Yin Susu. She left in a hurry that she didn''t get a chance to hear her report. Good, I was about to call her too. No need now."


    The surname, Yin, was quite rare and so far, only Susu and Karen''s name were on the records. After double checking the reports, the nurse found out that the patient came today for another body examination report, so she assumed that it was Susu since Karen already took her report last time.


    After taking a look at her watch, she realized that she only had two minutes to give this report to Yin Susu because it was almost her turn to swap shifts with another staff, so she hurriedly double checked the door that said, "Yin" on it before entering. "Good afternoon, Miss Yin, I was about to contact you about your report. According to our records, you have symptoms of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. We understand that this may be a difficult time for you to process the results, but please let us know as soon as you wish to be admitted and receive treatment. Have a good day."


    Karen''s face froze for a second when she heard that she was diagnosed with a possibly fatal illness, but the moment she saw Susu''s name on the report, an evil grin appeared on her face.


    Meanwhile, Susu and Chen Mu were shopping and enjoying their time looking for hats to put on each other. She found a bunny ears hat with a few holes that was perfectly aligned with his pig tails and pulled it down on his head, covering his eyes, "Hahahaha, so cute!"


    She flicked his pig tails a few times and watched it bounce up and down.


    "Hey! Here, wear this! Aha!" After pulling the hat slightly above his eyes, he placed the unicorn hat with a crazy monkey with drums that he found, onto her head. She spun around slowly with different poses every time she faced him, "Bruhhh, this queen looks superb! Fabulous right?"


    She raised her eyebrows continuously making him laugh while she hugged her own stomach and laughed.

 Chapter 33 - Meet Me

    Karen hid the report that she had just received from the nurse. Shortly after, the nurse who assisted her earlier came back with her perfectly healthy body report. After thanking the nurse, Karen excused herself to the restroom where she tossed Susu''s report into the trash.


    With a chilling grin on her face, she exited the bathroom. Inside the restroom, a woman spoke loudly to her manager, sounding irritated, "I told you that I''m quitting the agency! I want to retire and lead my own life. I am sick and tired of being followed whenever I have dates with my boyfriend!"


    She flushed the toilet and stomped out to wash her hands, "I don''t care if I am breaching the damn contract! This miss here, will do whatever she wishes. I am not accepting any more jobs and once I''m done with the last job on hand, I am announcing my retirement! That''s that, and I am not going to be easily sweet talked by you to go back to this hell hole again!"


    She hung up the call and aggressively ripped out a few paper towels in hand. She wiped her wet hands, tossed the used paper towel towards the trash and missed the shot by a few centimeters. "Tsk, everything isn''t going my way! Ugh!!!"


    The moment she stood up to throw the paper towel away, she saw the name, "Yin Susu?" Quickly, she ignored the dirty towels covering the report and took the stapled report out. Though some parts of the report were slightly wet from being stuffed with other trash, it was still legible.


    "Yin..Susu.. body report examination results... Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia??? What the f*ck is this doing here? No, wait, why is it here to begin with? Maybe it could be the wrong person. It can''t be Susu''s."


    The woman stormed out of the bathroom and rushed to a certain laboratory room with her access card in hand towards her boyfriend''s office, "Lin Que!!! I need you right now!"


    Lin Que turned around and pulled off his surgical gloves, "Oh my honey, Lily, it''s still daylight and you''re already this bold?"


    She didn''t have time to flirt with him. Sitting on his lap and facing him, she took out Susu''s report and asked, "Show me the security footage of when this patient ever admitted to the hospital! I need it urgent!!!"


    Lin Que took the report from her hands and recognized her name immediately, "Oh! It''s the pretty lady who almost drowned with her stepsister the other day. I know who she is, but how did you get this report? Did you go through the files in the database again for a friend? Hmmmm?"


    She crossed her arms and calmed her breathing, "Hmph! I know there are many treasures in this hospital, but never thought I would find this in the lady''s room''s trash!"


    "Of course, cause the most valuable treasure is in front of you. And that''s odd because I personally handed this file to the nurse and told her to give Yin Susu a call because she didn''t stay long enough to see her report. That''s very odd.... let me check if there is some misunderstanding going on."


    A dangerous glint flashed her eyes as he started dialing the nurse''s number on his cell phone, "Wait." She stopped his fingers from pressing the dial icon.


    "What?""\


    "You said Yin Susu and her stepsister was admitted the other day together. What''s her stepsister''s name?"


    "Kara? K.. Karen! That''s her name."


    Lily''s expression turned extremely ugly after checking the hospital footage and seeing the report in her hands. "This is a personal issue involving my friend. I know it is against the rules for me to ask you this, but can you tell me if Karen Yin visited the hospital today?"


    "As long as you promise not to disclose her private information to anyone else, I can check for you. But don''t act recklessly. It feels like you figured something out just now and it isn''t a good type of news." He spun his chair towards the computer screen with her still on his lap and typed in Karen''s name.


    "Yep. She came in today for a blood test. The nurse might have mistaken her for her stepsister, but why didn''t she say something if she received the wrong report? Anyways, let me ask the nurse to make sure that she didn''t lose the report or something." He reached out for his phone.


    "Okay." She got off him and waited patiently for an answer. As she had suspected, Karen was mistaken for Susu because of their surname. That means that the report was thrown out by Karen so that nobody would ever find out about Susu''s illness!


    "Thanks baby, I''ll reward you tonight. For now, I have something more important to do. I''m going to bring this report to the right owner and plan a nice present for Miss Karen." she waved the report in her hand as she walked out. The nurse was terminated after making such a critical amateur mistake.


    Susu had finished shopping with Chen Mu when Beethoven''s Fifth Symphony went off form her cell phone and gave her a scare, "I swear... every single time this angel calls... the ringtone is enough to give me a heart attack..."


    Chen Mu peeked from the side, "Ohh, it''s that popular front cover model! The friend who made us play truth or dare and ended up losing herself!"


    "Pfffft, wow, you sure have a deep impression of her." She chuckled and answered the call.


    Lily was in the middle of driving, "Darling, where are you right now? We need to have a talk. It''s very urgent."


    "Hmm? I''m at the lower parking lot of the Skylight Mall with Chen Mu. I''m so glad you called, Hun. I have so much that I wanted to tell you." Lily was the only girl friend that Susu had, whom she could comfortably address each other with nicknames. Over the many years of concentrating on Tian Yuo, Susu never had friends who genuinely wanted to be with her. Therefore, Susu treasured Lily and treated her as her own sister.


    "I need to speak with you alone. Can you have Chen Mu come back to pick you up later or go shop somewhere while we sit and talk?" The urgency in her tone worried Susu greatly as she never heard Lily''s stuttering voice before.


    "Okay. I''ll meet you on the second floor, in front of Mashushi restaurant. As for Chen Mu, I''ll ask him what he prefers. I''ll see you in a bit." She hung up the call, explained that something was wrong, and she needs some private time with Lily. Chen Mu understood and put the bags of products in the trunk of his car before patting her head, "Then I''ll leave first. Call me if you need anything."


    "Mmm..." She waved him goodbye and headed back to the mall.

 Chapter 34 - Ill Make a Joke Out of You 1

    After the call ended with Susu, the more Lily thought about it the angrier she felt. She started mumbling, "Seriously! Just how vicious can a bitch get? My Susu never did shit to her and she dares to make such a bold move? Taking other people''s report and purposely dumping it out. If I hadn''t picked it up by chance, Susu might end up...."


    "And that Tian Yuo! What the heck did she feed him? Crocodile shit? He actually loved that Karen? That scheming bitch? Arghhh, thank god they are married or else I would crack his head open to see what it''s made of." She cursed over and over as red lights kept interrupting her route to the mall.


    When she stopped at the third red light, her cell phone rang. Without looking at the caller, she picked it up, "Who is it?"


    "Yo! Lily. It''s me."


    "Nice timing, Tian Yuo. I was about to look for you too, but since you called me first I''ll let you go first." Even though she was angry, she tried to suppress her emotions because she didn''t want to release her anger on someone unrelated to the incident.


    "I have a favor that I wanted to ask you. I have a friend who is about to open her own fashion boutique, and I was wondering if you could be her model. Also, could you ask your father to sponsor her brand for the following season? I know you guys are considering which brand to work with right now." The desperation in his voice raised Lily''s suspicion for whom this request was for.


    "Brand name and designer." Her voice went five degrees colder.


    "Eros by Karen." He felt slightly uncomfortable with exposing Karen''s name to her, so he only mentioned her first name.


    Lily parked her car in the mall''s parking lot at and hurriedly went inside the mall as she ridiculed this stupid man on the phone, "Does she not have a surname? This is not the first day you''ve worked in the business field. How could you introduce someone with just her first name? Anyone on the street with the name Karen could be the designer then."


    "Karen... Yin." It took him a few seconds of hesitation before responding.


    "Oh~ So it''s that woman you fancy. Nice favor you''re asking me, but this miss is in a terrible mood. Don''t let me run into you, or I''ll whack you in the face and kick you in the nuts. You horrible monster." She scolded him over the phone and instantly hung up, cutting him off.


    "Arghh!! I''m so freaking mad!!! How does a husband not know that his wife is f.u.c.k.i.n.g sick and might be dying? How does a husband have the audacity to go behind the wife''s back and help the CRUSH that he had feelings for by asking the wife''s best friend to be the sponsor? Ridiculous psychopaths!!! One kick and I''ll knock the swimmers out of your pouch, ending your family line in one go!"


    As she stomped her way in and out of the elevator, she saw Susu from a distance. Susu was resting on a nearby bench in front of the Mashushi restaurant, looking a little worn out. Lily held onto the straps of her Crossbody bag tightly as she walked towards her.


    A crowd of teenagers blocked Lily''s way in the middle, making her roll her eyes while waiting for the annoying kids to pass. They were playing Pokemon Go on their devices and literally stopped midway for no reason.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the mall, Karen was hugging Tian Yuo''s arm and leaning her head against him, "Brother Yuo, what did your friend say? She agreed?" The greed in her eyes increased as she thought of the pile of money that she will earn if Lily Jiang agreed. Since she was a popular model and had a huge fan base, even if the pieces of clothing are crap, fans would still buy it.


    "Umm... that, I will try to talk to her later. We caught her in a bad timing." He didn''t want to disappoint Karen, so he didn''t let her know what happened over the phone. Karen was a bit shocked when she heard his response because she knew that Lily and Tian Yuo were pretty close friends.


    "Ohh... okay..Ah! Brother Yuo, I think I left my shopping bag from the candle store on the first floor. Without the scented candles, I wouldn''t be able to rest at night. Can you help me go to get it?"


    "Sure. Wait for me here." He smiled, turned around, and walked back to the first floor. Karen walked quickly towards the benches in front of Mashushi restaurant where she saw Susu sitting. ''Why would I let him see you and give him a chance to reconsider the marriage?''


    Stopping in front of Susu, who was resting her eyes, she mocked, "Aiyo, well isn''t it Yin Susu, the eldest daughter who just recently got a divorce with Tian Yuo? What a coincidence to find you here? What? Did you know that Tian Yuo and I would be coming here so you purposely waited for us? Hah, did you think that you could win him back just by doing this?"


    Susu''s brows knit together, "If you''re that scared of your man running off with another woman, then put a leash on him. Also, where''s your owner? I thought I already told him to lock you up in a cellar or tighten a collar around you so you won''t bark at innocent people randomly."


    Karen''s smile froze at Susu''s sharp words, "What did you just call me? A dog?"


    Susu stood up and shot her a merciless glare, "Oh, right. Sorry, calling you a dog is demeaning the poor dogs. You could only be the used sand from a cat''s litter box, but even then, you''d be the poorly produced products out there."


    "Y..You!" She raised her rough arms striking at Susu''s face.


    Slap!


    "Ahhhhh!"

 Chapter 35 - Ill Make a Joke Out of You 2

    Her body fell weakly on the floor as she covered her stinging cheeks with both hands, "Y..you two.. you dare hit me?!"


    - 30 seconds ago-


    Lily walked through the crowd and saw Karen''s raised arm against Susu. Seeing that arm made the ignited flame inside Lily''s soul burst as if gallons of oil had been poured into it. She rushed to Susu''s side to protect her.


    With one arm, Lily held Karen''s wrist in place. As for her other arm, Lily swung her palm striking it faster than the highest wind record on earth. Right after that slap landed on Karen''s right cheek, Susu didn''t let this opportunity go to waste.


    Karen tilted her face towards Susu, still trying to figure out what had just happened to her when Susu used the back of her right hand and gifted her another striking slap. Lily loosened her grip on Karen''s wrist, letting her drop to the floor like the weakling she always loved to pretend to be.


    - Present -


    Tears streamed down her face as she bit her rosy lips while rubbing her swollen cheeks. Lily and Susu clapped their numbed hands together and rubbed it as if they had been on a cleaning duty and is now cleaning the dust from their skin.


    Susu smiled at Lily, "Nice timing, goddess."


    "A great bitch slap. How could I have missed this?" Lily smirked and winked at Susu.


    "Hey! I''m talking here!" Karen screamed at the top of her lungs from the cold hard floor.


    Lily spreads Susu''s reddened hand, "My poor child, you should''ve let me do the heavy work. Who knew this thick skinned creature could be this harsh for your delicate skin? Tsk, tsk, we''ll apply some lotion on it later. I got it from France. It works so well!"


    Susu looked at Lily''s hands and took out a travel sized hand sanitizer, "You''re acting like that slap was fine for your hand. Look at your palm. Here, let''s sanitize our hands and then go for a hand spa. I heard the one that we enjoyed last time has a milk treatment now."


    Karen gnashed her teeth and stood up facing Lily and Susu at eye level, "Bitch! I was talking to you!! You and Yin Susu!! Why did you interfere for? Huh? How dare you hit me?"


    Lily rubbed her left ear and stared down at Karen, "Excuse me bitch, you were in my way. It was just a bump. Why be so petty? When you were causing a ruckus to my friend over here, I didn''t see you having any problems with your attitude. Also, hitting is different from slapping. If you really want to challenge me on that term, I can prove to you on the spot what the difference is."


    Karen''s bloodshot eyes glistened desperately for a fight as her blood boiled from within, "It''s been long since I''ve met a feisty one. What makes me slapping her have anything to do with you? I''ll poke those eyeballs out of you and have you feel regret for picking a fight with me." She rolled up her sleeves and tossed the bags in her hand onto the floor.


    "My pleasure to teach rats a lesson. I''ve heard of your name plentiful times, but the descriptions don''t even match up to a centimeter of which you really are, especially your looks. Those chunky eyelashes that look like c.o.c.kroach legs really send chills to my spine and definitely will be a turn off for guys. Your weak act only works on men, but certainly not for me." Lily was ready to take Karen one on one.


    Susu pulled Lily''s arm slightly and signaled her using their secret eye communication language that they came up with. Lily realized what Susu meant when she saw a man walked down towards their direction and nodded with a smile.


    "Karen, I suggest you to stop what you''re doing before you regret it. Do you even know who you''re dealing with?" Susu tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.


    "Hah! It''s she who doesn''t know who she is dealing with! I''m from the Yin family, and she''s a hopeless nobody who hangs out with a divorced gold digger loser! What? Tian Yuo is mine and you two are jealous of me? Want to ruin me? In your next life!"


    The second the last word came out of her mouth, the man who was walking towards them had stopped right behind her. His deep hoarse tone scared the wits out of Karen, "What''s going on here?" His normally gentle voice became solidified ice from a freezer room, sending shivers all over her body.


    "B..Bro..Brother Yuo... she.. it''s not what you think. They forced me to say it! This is not how I am!" She turned around and tried coaxing the man who had a brooding look in his eyes.


    From what Karen had said, Lily clearly heard the word, divorce. Looking at the situation, Lily got a glimpse of what was going on and walked towards Tian Yuo. The sound of her palm meeting his cheeks was as dominant as the roaring thunder from a violent storm.


    "I can''t believe what you gave up for a shattered pile of spiked dirt. Tian Yuo, I thought you were blind to begin with, but would eventually be clear of your position and duty. Over and over again, you only knew how to stab blades through Susu''s heart for this woman. Before your marriage took place, I had heard stories from your family. After you two had got married, she didn''t complain once about you. She always told me she was alright, but looking at how it is today, she must have suffered endless torture in this marriage!"


    Lily could no longer keep the words that she had wanted to spit out since long ago inside of herself any longer. She cursed and punched Tian Yuo while he stood there receiving each punch and slap that she aimed towards him. "Tian Yuo! As your friend, I really can''t see how great this Karen is to you and how she managed to grab a hold of your heart. In my eyes, you don''t even have a heart. Exactly because you don''t have one and that is why you have to kill off those who has one!"


    Karen pressed the security button on the wall and tried to stop her from hitting Tian Yuo, "Yin Susu! Do something about this wench!! She''s hurting Tian Yuo!" The man''s eyes were focused on Susu, whose expression did not look good.


    Susu approached Lily, who was fierce and persistent to every move she made on his body, trying to calm her down. Finally, Tian Yuo held her wrists and said, "Enough is enough. Lily, even though we are friends, you do not have the right to interfere with my love interests. As for whoever the birdie is who told you things or not told you things, that is up to you to make sense out of. The papers were signed and given to the lawyers already."


    He didn''t know what was wrong with him, but his eyes were glued to Susu as if he had anticipated a reaction from her. Unfortunately, Susu''s only focus now was on Lily, who was breathing fire breaths like a fierce dragon. Even after hearing the words that he had just said, she remained careless about it.


    Two security guards walked towards them and asked, "Excuse me, but someone pressed the emergency button. May I ask what''s going on here?"


    Karen was quick to spit out and point at Lily, "She! She is causing trouble for me and my boyfriend."


    Lily and Susu let out an amused laughter before making eye contact with Karen as if she was an idiot, "I believe I haven''t introduced myself yet. My name is Lily Jiang, the daughter of Jiang Corps'' CEO. Skylight mall is only one property that we own."


    Lily stepped in front of Karen and bent down slightly, "Did I sound like a joke to you earlier? Sorry, but I just made a joke out of you and you can''t do shit about it."

 Chapter 36 - Left Her Behind

    "W..what did you just..say?" Karen stuttered. This was one of the moments where she cursed herself for not paying one damn second of attention on magazine covers to recognize the models and their names. Naturally, she always hated seeing women who were more beautiful than her on those covers, so she joined conversations by spitting empty, meaningless compliments.


    "I think Miss Karen Yin here can forget about the request you just made to Tian Yuo to look for me for modeling. Also, forget about any collaboration or partnersh.i.p.s with Jiang Corps. You''ll be lucky if I didn''t throw you out of my sight right now for dirtying my mall. You seem to not recognize me, yet dared to ask me to be your model?" Lily humiliated Karen on purpose, showing her the clear difference of statuses between them.


    "Also, I choose my friends as I like it. Unfortunately, you''re only an eyesore to my sight. Now excuse us; we need to go cleanse our eyes. If I see you again, make sure you walk the opposite direction or I''ll have someone dump trash on you. If you understand my meaning, it''ll be great that you actually processed a word of human language. If you don''t, then I wouldn''t mind emptying the garbage container in the lady''s bathroom to clarify my point."


    Lily noticed Susu''s complexion looking slightly pale compared to before, so she quickly wrapped up the scene and dragged her away from chaos. Meanwhile, Tian Yuo''s focus had been on Susu. He also realized that something was off with her, but since he wasn''t in the position to ask, he continued observing her.


    Karen shook Tian Yuo''s arm, begging him to say a few good words for her, "Brother Yuo! It''s all Susu''s fault! She provoked me and then Lily came in. She misunderstood my intentions, and she''s saying all these bad things about me because of Susu. Brother Yuo, you must help me. I need her to model for me. Only she could be qualified enough for my designs."


    The frost level of iciness from his tone had not lower, as he said, "You didn''t forget anything in the candle store." After saying this sentence, he walked towards the exit to the parking lot, leaving Karen behind.


    Actually, Tian Yuo had seen Karen throwing her shopping bags onto the floor and rolling up her sleeves like a hooligan against Susu and Lily. The reason why he and Lily became great friends is that he knew her personality well and that she wasn''t someone greedy. Though she was rich, she never used her status to look down on others. She also hid her powerful background while modeling for her agency because she didn''t want to be treated differently because of her status.


    "Today was the first time I ever saw her say something harsh at somebody. She also used her power to prove this point." The words that Lily shouted as she slapped and punched him from earlier repeated in his mind. He knew that Lily would never associate herself with anyone she didn''t like. That was how straightforward she was.


    Karen grabbed her shopping bags and ran after Tian Yuo. She noticed that he was in the driver''s seat, staring out into space. She smirked, ''He didn''t really mean to leave me on the spot. He must be regretting it.''


    She walked towards the car and tried pulling the handle, but it was locked. "Brother Yuo! Look at my face. They slapped me, and there''s not even a scratch on them. I was the one suffering from them. They were bullying me. Why are you mad at me when you are supposed to comfort me?" Once again, she used her most effective weapon; tears.


    His ears clearly heard her pitiful voice from outside the car, but he didn''t want to tilt his head to look at her. He felt a bit tired of hearing her cries. Suddenly, he missed the peace and quiet that he once had.


    Seeing that he wasn''t the least affected by her crying, she wiped the tears off her face and continuously pulled on the handle of the car. If pulling and knocking on his car door didn''t work, then it would at least annoy him enough to turn facing her.


    After three minutes of continuous attempts of trying to break into Tian Yuo''s car, she started feeling tired. Her fake nails were scratched up and turned ugly. Her hair was messed up, and clothes were wrinkled. The shopping bags that were hanging from her arm earlier are now sitting sloppily onto the floor.


    Tian Yuo received a call from his father, saying that his mother collapsed and was sent to the hospital. He quickly started his car and drove off without looking back or stopping for Karen. She stood there and watched him drive away until his car was nowhere in sight. "Yin Susu!! It''s all your fault!! Since you''re dying regardless of whether I told you about it or not, then you can just die faster!"


    Back inside the mall, Susu used her last bit of strength to walk away from Tian Yuo and Karen''s sight. Even if she was to collapse, she would never allow them to see her at her lowest point. Lily hurriedly bought a bottle of water, loosen the cap and handed it to Susu who was sitting on the bench.


    Lily remained calm and said in a convincing voice, "Susu, we need to get you admitted to the hospital." Susu was taken aback by her words and faintly smiled, "No need."


    This is not the time to hide the truth from her, so Lily held onto her shoulders tight enough to get Susu''s concentration. "Susu! You have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. You need to get treated as soon as possible."


    Susu closed her eyes, breathed a deep sigh, and bitterly smiled, "I already knew about it. That''s why I don''t need to go to the hospital."

 Chapter 37 - Under Control

    "What? Y..you knew about this? Then why..." Lily really regretted believing Susu''s words when she told her that she had been fine living in Tian residence. When she had asked about their marriage and spicy bedroom stuff, Susu would always say that things were fine or change the topics.


    Lily always thought that Susu was being shy about it, but it seems like the marriage has been just a rotten pit hole with a poor actor in a soap opera. If only she had noticed the odd tones from her and tried digging more dirt from the previous conversations that they''ve had.


    "I''ve been taking the pills prescribed by the doctors to control my condition. I''m still in the early stages, so treatment isn''t required yet. The pills that I''ve been taking aren''t pain reliever and fever pills. I just used the bottles so that others won''t find out. Don''t worry too much, the doctor told me that it is progressing slowly and so far it hasn''t spread in my body." Susu''s palm reached for Lily''s saddened face.


    "I didn''t tell anyone about this not because I don''t love you. It''s because I really don''t want to be the reason why you''re frowning, crying, or feeling bad for me. I want to see everyone whom I care for smiling happily around me and looking lively. I only found out a few months ago when I realized that something was wrong with my health. I want to capture all your happy moments with me."


    Lily sniffled a few times and hopped into Susu''s embrace, "You silly goose! Who said I would be sad after hearing this? I''ll be there for you this whole way! If my fiance doesn''t cure you, then I won''t marry him! I want a healthy, lovely bridesmaid! You hear me? You better not hide from me anymore! You still need to watch my future children and your own children chase each other down playing with water guns!"


    Feeling the stickiness of her shirt starting to glue to her skin, Susu gently rubbed her head, "Mmm.. I''m sorry. I''ll tell you everything from now on. Aiya, our family''s, Lily, is a crybaby. Did you get that from me? Hahaha. Don''t cry. If you cry and your eyes get swollen, your fiance will come after me and you can say that to my future husband if I find one."


    "You.. Who is the crybaby? These are happy tears that I got to slap that shameless bitch and that asshole in front of you. You should be praising my performance." She wiped the tear drops off her face and continued, "You better tell me everything from day one of your damn wedding so I can jot down how many strikes and where I need to strike next time I see those two together!"


    "Sure, anything you want to know."


    Lily took off her jacket and wrapped it around Susu, "Before we talk, we need to switch to a different setting! The air conditioner is too cold in the mall, and you are still pale. Oh wait, does Chen Mu also know about this?"


    Susu shook her head, "I... haven''t told him yet. He is the one whom I feel the most worried to tell this to. Give me some time. I''ll definitely tell him. Actually, right now, only you know about it. I don''t plan on telling this to my family, so probably only you two would know about this."


    At Jasmine Tea House


    Lily ordered a warm pot of fruit tea and made sure Susu was warmed up before she started the thousands of questions that she had in her mind. With a small pad on the table and a pen in one hand, her eyes stared at Susu intensely, "Now talk."


    "What do you want to know?" Susu smiled, surrendering to her caring nature.


    "Did that bastard take advantage of you in bed?" First question was the ultimate decision between crushing his nuts, which was already somehow circled on the pad, or castrating him without anesthesia.


    "Hah, hun, that''s a huge no for that question. We had set our ground rules or well his ground rules for the wedding night." Susu couldn''t help but let out a laugh at how protective her friend was when it came to her.


    "Then where did he sleep? The floor? Couch? No way, right? Even when he stayed over at my place, he refused to sleep anywhere but a bed." She poked the pen cap against her chin several times.


    "He slept on the bed. I slept on the floor the first night. Then, I bought myself a portable and bendable bed, so he had nothing to say."


    "Say what?! That son of a gun dared to take over the bed and have you slept elsewhere?! Okay, that''s it." She placed a tally under the "give him a new nose" category.


    As they continued their conversation, Susu explained that everything was fine with his family members and she did everything that a wife, daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law should do. She also mentioned that Karen was the one who planned the engagement crisis from a year ago.


    In the middle of the conversation, Susu mentioned, "Honestly, when I found out that I had cancer in the middle of this horrible marriage, I really thought of it as a joke. I was wandering around by myself, wondering what I should do from there. When I looked back in all the years of the efforts in trying to perfect myself for him, I actually laughed. I spent my time on a person who wouldn''t bother giving me a minute of his time. Even though my feelings for him reduced day by day, the moment I knew that I''m on a time limit, these feelings just swam away."


    "I''ve spent enough time with and for the wrong person that I just want to use the years that I have left for those I truly love and care for. That''s why I didn''t bother fighting back and forth or retaliating verbally when accusations were thrown at me. Regardless of whether that recent water incident occurred or not, I would''ve left the Tian family anyways." Susu revealed a rosy, sweet smile as she faced Lily when saying these words.


    At the end of the two-hour conversation, Lily grabbed Susu''s hand while tears lingered the surface of her eyes, "If I were a guy, I would marry you on the damn spot. Woman, you''re gold and you should never have to suffer from his stupidity. If I were you, I would''ve broken down or would destroy his swimmers. But it''s good. Now, you''re divorced. You can find someone who loves you dearly and that you love him back."


    "Mmmm.." Susu wiped the drip of tears that escaped from Lily''s eyes.


    "And when you do find him... make sure he gets through my approval! He needs to get through my level to marry you, my honey! I''m not letting another jerk hurt you. Hmph!"


    At the same time, in Chen Mu''s condo, he sneezed twice and blew his nose, "Somebody must be talking behind my back."

 Chapter 38 - Snuck into his Office

    At the Imperial Hospital, Shen Wen''s face was ghastly pale with her eyes half opened, "Guo Min, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have forced Susu when she said that she didn''t want to marry Tian Yuo at the beginning. I told her it was her mother''s last wish and that made her push herself to go on with a loveless marriage."


    Guo min whispered softly, "Honey, you only wanted the best for Tian Yuo. We all thought that he would change for the better, but things didn''t turn out the way we want it. Don''t miss her too much and don''t pressure yourself either. The doctor said that you''re too stressed."


    "But hubby, it is my fault. Susu must have been heart broken. That Karen vixen sucked up all the advantages and benefits from this. Oh... my poor Susu.. how will I ever make it up to her?" Guo Min grabbed a few tissues and gently wiped away her tears.


    Tian Yuo stood outside the hospital room with a solemn expression. He gasped when he heard what his mom had said, ''Susu didn''t want to marry me since the beginning... but I''ve always treated her badly because I thought she was trying to get on my good side.''


    There was too much confusion going on in his head as he recalled Susu''s words. "She already said she didn''t want to be my wife. At first, she would still talk to me and try to explain herself. Slowly, I pushed her to her limit. And now, she doesn''t even bother exchanging a glance with me."


    Even though he still had doubts in the incident from a year ago, a part of him still blames everything that''s happened on Susu. Yet, for some reason, he couldn''t stop thinking about her. "What am I thinking? I love Karen. Right, Karen. Karen has been bullied since young and she needs me to protect her."


    -Tian Corps-


    Over the years of visiting Tian Yuo, at his company, he has given Karen the access passwords to the private elevator that leads to his office. She knew how private he is about this office, so nobody dared to install cameras in his office. Therefore, she safely avoided the cameras from the parking lot, entered the private elevator, and snuck into his office without anyone seeing her.


    Knowing his habits, she could guess where he would store important doc.u.ments. Even though he said that the divorce papers had been sent to the lawyers, a part of her didn''t believe in him. The expression that he made and how his eyes were glued to Susu made her feel like worms were crawling inside her intestines. It was extremely disturbing her.


    Her fingers wandered underneath his desk where a hidden button is located. After pressing it, a mini drawer ejected from the desk with a pair of keys inside of it. "Tian Yuo... you better not have lied to me." Using the pair of keys, she unlocked the drawer and pulled it open with her eyes concentrated on the content inside it.


    Her hands trembled as her teeth bit tightly onto the mini flashlight that she brought with her. Inside the yellow envelope were the divorce papers that he supposedly claimed that he had already sent to the lawyer. "D..divorce papers...with both signatures on them...Tian Yuo, do you love her? Why isn''t this already in the lawyer''s hands? There must be some ink stains or something... yes, that''s right."


    As she flipped through the pages of the divorce papers, she only saw red cross outs on the alimony sections and Susu writing that she didn''t want anything from the Tian family. "Impossible! this isn''t real...This is fake! No, I can''t let this happen. They must divorce. Calm down, Karen. Calm down and think of what to do."


    She looked around the room and saw the outgoing mailbox. The box was full of other doc.u.ments in yellow envelopes. The yellow envelope in her hand already had the lawyer''s address and name on it, so all she needed to do was slip this between the other doc.u.ments and pretend she never came.


    Carefully, she put the divorce papers back into the envelope and slid it between the stack of outgoing mail, "Heh. You two definitely need to divorce. Tian Yuo is mine. Susu, don''t you dare try to take him from me."


    She locked the drawers, put the keys back to its original position, and exited using his private elevator. The next morning, Tian Yuo''s assistant had been punctual as always and stepped foot with a cup of coffee in her hand at exactly 6 A.M. One of the first tasks that she needed to take care of every morning were the stack of doc.u.ments that needed to be mailed out.


    The outgoing mail from Tian Yuo''s room linked to another box where the assistant could retrieve the files by pressing a button from her desk. After collecting all mail, she personally delivered it to the mail room and distributed it to different department''s mailboxes.


    At 8 A.M., Tian Yuo walked in with a slanted tie and wrinkled suit. His assistant greeted him, but was met with silence. After less than half an hour, he screamed angrily inside his office, making her spill her coffee onto some doc.u.ments.


    Immediately, she knocked on his door and entered his office to see if he was alright. Meeting his blood thirsting eyes, he frustratedly roared questioning her if anyone had entered his office without his permission or while he was away. His aura made her body tremble, and knees weaken, "Nn..nno.. nobody.."


    "Then why is the doc.u.ment that I placed inside this drawer gone?!!! I had it locked up before I left my office yesterday. There is no way that the doc.u.ments would suddenly grow legs and escape from the drawer." The dark circle under his eyes only added on to how old he looked and his reaction nearly scared her to death just now.


    Before she could say another word, he pointed at the emptied outgoing mail with widened eyes and haggard appearance, "W..what did you do with those mails?!"


    "I...I just sent them to the mail room like two hours ago..."


    "F*ck!!!!!" he rushed downstairs and wished the elevator would drop down faster. His fingers were peeling each other''s cuticle skin off as he anxiously stared at the floors going down from floor to floor. Finally, he reached the 15th floor and ran towards the mailbox.


    When he saw that the empty mailbox for the legal department, he tried dialing the lawyer''s number, "Did you receive any doc.u.ments from me?"


    "Yes, I have the divorce papers that you and your wife had signed. I''ve already made the changes and began the divorce process. Is there something wrong?" The lawyer asked unknowing to how much his response made Tian Yuo''s last piece of hope shattered.


    "Nothing." He hung up and squatted down while rummaging through his hair, "Everything''s over.. Now, we have to get a divorce. Unless...."


    He dialed the lawyer''s number again and spoke demandingly, "Do something for me."

 Chapter 39 - A Way to Win Someones Heart

    - What happened the same night-


    After spending their afternoon at Jasmine Tea House, Lily forgot that she had a date with her fiance, so she had to reluctantly let Susu off for the night. Still, Lily insist on driving Susu home because she wasn''t feeling well earlier. Before they left, Susu had ordered Chen Mu''s favorite dessert to go.


    Lily made a soft noise, a hmmm, as she stared at how specific Susu was when she ordered the dessert. When Susu met her eyes, she blushed, "W..what?"


    "So~ Who is the lucky man getting all these goodies? Hmm? Even when you were infatuated by that jerk, you weren''t this caring to order food to go when we go out to eat~ And I know you would prefer Mango Sago over that dessert."


    Lily''s finger twist playfully on a strand of her fringe, "Well? My darling~"


    Susu took a deep breath and averted her gaze, "I forgot to tell you something."


    "Uh huuuuh!" Lily''s eyes sparked with interest as her palms laid flat on the table and her body leaned forward to listen to some explosive news. ''Was my goddess targeting another creature?! Is she finally opening up her wild side and chasing after some young meat?''


    "I had no place to stay, so I ended up moving in with...Chen Mu. Anndddd nothing else happened between us so keep those deep s.e.xy intimidating eye sights from me or I''ll kiss you and snap a selfie to your fiance~" Susu made a smooch lip motion and blew a flying kiss at Lily.


    Lily smiled, responded by doing a hand catch motion with her palms and patted it to her chest like her small heart needed it, "So, so? Don''t tell me you don''t feel the slightest eensy teeeeeeensy thing for him! I remember that he is a good-looking dude that could make females drool! So~ Does this little heart over here go bathump, bathump when you see him?" She had a talent for digging dirt out of Susu.


    Suddenly, the picture of Chen Mu in an apron and his smile appeared somewhere in her thoughts making her gasp and cover her cheeks, "Stop putting weird thoughts into my mind! My v.i.r.g.i.n mind!!!"


    "PFffft, Hahahahah, oh come on darling!!! You lost that V-card mindset the moment you saw Chen mu at his place! Sheeesh! Blame it on me~ Just blame it all you want on me~" Susu''s dessert order was wrapped and finished by the time her flushed cheeks had calmed down to her natural peachy blush color.


    Susu went back to Chen Mu''s place after Lily dropped her off. She took a deep breath and said, "I''m home!" The smile on her face matched the sweetness in her voice as she tiptoed to the kitchen where Chen Mu was concentrated on cooking, "Daa dunn~ Your favorite Ube soup with taro balls and glutinous rice balls~"


    She giggled when she finished giving him a surprise, "whatchu coooking?" Her accurately trained nose after many years of self-culinary sessions triggered mouth watering effects as she walked closer to the man in an apron, who seemed unaffected by her dessert special.


    He was staring at the sizzling steak, waiting for the right second to flip it, so he didn''t hear a word that she had said. The steak looked amazing as its juice flowed on the pan with the uniquely chopped vegetables shaped like hearts and stars already placed neatly on the plate by the kitchen counter.


    The fresh scent of marinated steak and the juice that laid perfectly on its surface made her imagine the melting sensation of a piece of that meat in her mouth. Even though she had eaten already, her stomach couldn''t help but growl at the sight of such deliciousness.


    "It''s done!" He smiled warmly as his eyes met the perfectly on point medium rare steak and carefully positioned it on the plate of vegetables. Seeing the juicy steak, he felt as if he could see the beautiful smile on her face as she enjoys the steak later.


    "That looks so good!!!! Any girl is as lucky as steak to have you as their partner!" Her voice almost made him lost his balance and his eyes slowly looked towards the right to find the girl''s hungry gaze.


    He let out a huge phew sound, put the cooking tools down and pinched her cheeks lightly, "Welcome back~~ But did you think that I would cook for just anyone? Sheesh, even my parents haven''t tasted my skills."


    She reached for his nose and pinched it between her index and middle finger, "Aiyo~~ Brag a little more and this nose will stretch out like a carrot!" They stared at each other and laughed for a while before sitting down at the dining table. While he enjoyed his dessert, she had her steak.


    Though she loved eating steak, she hated using knives and forks. Seeing her frown with the knife and fork in her hands, he smiled and took them out of her hands, "Here, I''ll cut it for you."


    Noticing that there was only one serving of the steak, she asked, "Did you eat already?" He nodded in response and smiled, "I know you wouldn''t have eaten much without me putting food to your plate. Let me guess." His eyes landed on the dessert that she brought home for him, "You only ate some sweets."


    "...How could you be this accurate every time?" She mumbled and focused on her food.


    She watched as he carefully sliced the steak in perfect bite sizes for her. His actions reminded her of the days when she did everything for Tian Yuo, and how he didn''t appreciate the smallest detailed step that she paid attention to about his habits. Now, someone else was helping her cut the steak. Not only that, he made food for her.


    "Chen Mu, you treat me so well. I''ll miss this if you ever get yourself a girlfriend." She sighed softly. The next second, a piece of steak was fed to her, making her forget about all the complicated stuff in her head. Cupping her cheeks, she closed her eyes and chewed, "Mmm.. Perfect!"


    Chen Mu smiled, "As long as you like it, I will always cook for you."


    "Why?" she looked up and met his warming smile.


    "Why what?"


    "Why are you so good to me?"


    "Because I believe that to capture someone''s heart, I need to first take over their stomach." The fork in his hand pointed downwards towards her tummy, making her blush.


    "Y..you are teasing me again! Sheesh, eat your dessert!" She looked away from his gaze.


    "Aye~ Look over here."


    "Hmph!"


    "Ohhh~ If you don''t turn your head over, then I guess I''ll have to eat your steak for you~Ahhh~" he opened his mouth slightly and slowly brought the piece of steak that was on his fork towards his mouth.


    "Nooo" She leaned over and ate the piece of steak, clueless that she was just two inches from his lips. After they maintained eye contact for a few minutes, he broke the silence as he could no longer control the heavy metal drummer from pounding on his heart, he teased and said, "Is my steak not enough to satisfy you that you want me for dessert?"


    Feeling her cheeks burn from embarrassment, she covered her eyes like a school girl would after kissing her first love for the first time. Seeing her reaction made him chuckle lowly, "Alright, here, here. I''ll eat my dessert, and you go on with the steak. I''ll save you some glutinous rice balls since you like eating them too for your dessert."


    The rest of their meal was all peace and smiles.

 Chapter 40 - Bottle of Pills

    Susu finished eating the last glutinous rice ball that he had left her and rubbed her tummy satisfyingly, "Deeeelicious"


    Chen Mu walked out with a pillow and blanket in his arms, heading to the couch. "What are you doing? She asked.


    "Setting up my bed for tonight." He placed the pillow on one end of the couch and unfolded the blanket.


    "Why?"


    "Because you''re sleeping in my room." He was spoiling her to the extent where he wouldn''t let her sleep on the couch because it would be bad for her back.


    "Wait, wait, it''s my bed that''s coming in two days. So even if it is sleeping on the couch, it should be me and not you." She didn''t want him to give her his bed while he sleeps on this hard, cold couch.


    "Too bad~ I called the couch, so you have to take the bed." He winked and stuck the tip of his tongue out like a cat.


    "but but~" She tried to find words to reject his offer.


    "No butts, spanks, or tuts. It''s getting late, so I''ll talk to you in the morning~ Be a goooood girl and sleep on my bed. I already changed the bed sheets and everything for you. night night~~" He gently pushed her to his room and closed the door from behind.


    She stood with her hands on her h.i.p.s and sighed, "Geez, would he think about himself before me?" Sitting on the edge of his bed, she smiled, "Oh wells... I''ll make him breakfast tomorrow and lunch for work as a thank you!"


    After changing into her pajamas, she washed up and got ready for bed.


    In the middle of the night, she found herself drenched in cold sweat again. She traced the wall and used it to support herself as she carried the bottle of pills with her to the kitchen. Good thing the water container was light enough for her to pour herself a glass of water to flush the pills down her throat.


    Chen Mu wasn''t actually asleep when she walked out to grab water. He was still thinking about how their interactions become more flirty and close every day that passes by. Happiness filled his tingling heart when he heard her light footsteps.


    At first, he thought that she wanted to minimize the noise that she makes to avoid waking him up, but slowly, he heard her pant heavily and decided to take a look. He switched on the lights and saw her sitting on the floor with a layer of sweat beads slowly dripping down her forehead.


    "Susu! What''s wrong? Are you in pain? Where? Is it your tummy?" He was worried that the steak may have been too oily for her to digest. She shook her head and gasped for breath while slowly deep breathing in and out.


    She was shivering and her face looked so pale that it was whiter than the grudge from the original horror movie. In one movement, he picked her up and carried her to the couch where he then covered her with the blanket that he had been using. While her breathing slowly went back to normal, he felt her forehead to make sure there was no fever.


    Her forehead was cold, but her body felt hot. After wiping the sweat off her forehead and pouring a warm cup of water for her to drink, she felt much better.


    "Susu, take a day off work. I''ll bring you to the hospital. The sweat, breathing problems, and feverish body are symptoms of more than just a flu. Plus, for the past few months you''ve had relapse of the flu for a few times already. It''s not normal. You need to get a full body check done."


    Susu contemplated whether she should tell him that she had cancer, but a part of her wasn''t ready to tell him that yet. There was an unexplained prickling heart ache when she thought of how much more worried and sad he would be when she tells him about it. She looked at the man with his wrinkled brows and frown on his face.


    ''Already, my heart is aching to see him like this. How could I tell him the truth?''


    At the end, she decided that it was not the right time to tell him it yet, so she caressed his face lightly, "I had a nightmare, so I woke up panicking. I felt better after seeing you though..."


    "Nightmare?" he held her hands tightly as if his body was telling her that he would protect her even in her dreams.


    "Mm.. it was a very long, cold, and dark road. I saw everyone that I loved and cared for in it, but no matter how many times I called out to you guys... you guys kept walking forward. No matter how much strength I used to try chasing after you guys, I couldn''t catch up. At the end, I was all alone."


    What she said was true. She did have such a nightmare before and woke up in fear, but after knowing that it was just a nightmare, she calmed down. A hint of sadness flashed through her eyes as the moonlight reflected in her eyes.


    Her trembling body from before had stopped, but even so, a pair of warm, comforting arms pulled her into a tight, protective embrace. He whispered, "I''ll never leave you alone. Never." It took her a few minutes to reciprocate the hug and for twenty minutes, they remained in the same position.


    Once again, his words had deeply moved her. Unconsciously, a tiny bud grew in her heart, a seed name Chen Mu. This was a secret that she would keep buried deep within even if she knew that the tiny bud would one day grow into a beautiful blossom.


    ''If only I didn''t have cancer, then maybe...we would have a chance together.''


    Chen Mu carried her back to his bed after she fell asleep while holding his hands. He brought the used glass over to the sink and noticed the bottle of pills that she had taken during her panic attack. He remembered hearing the sounds of rattling pills from a bottle and by the looks of the loosened cap, he assumed that she had taken it.


    He picked up the bottle and started reading the prescription on it....

 Chapter 41 - Vitamins

    The next morning, Chen Mu made breakfast to replenish her energy, starting with a healthy meal. He went to the market to buy fresh fruits and ingredients for her. When he got back, he started blending the fresh fruits to make her a smoothie and making an extra large portion of stacked waffles for her.


    She woke up earlier than usual to give him a surprise, but who knew that he would beat her to making breakfast this early in the morning? Furthermore, his eye bags were pretty obvious as well.


    "You didn''t sleep last night?"


    "A bit." He smiled and poured her a glass of smoothies.


    "Is there anything I could help you with?" She rolled up her sleeves, ready to get her hands working in teh kitchen.


    "Yep~ You can sit there and be the taster. Let me know if it''s too sweet." He cut a piece of waffle, blew on it a little, and fed it to her.


    "It tastes perfect. Just right." Seeing her smile made his tensed body relax slightly, but one thing still bothered him a lot and he didn''t know how he should ask her. He always respected her decisions and gave her time to tell him things that she wanted to share with him, but this time, he doesn''t think that he could treat her the same way.


    After eating breakfast, she continued drinking the freshly blended smoothie and he sat down across from her quietly. Finally, she decided to break the cold ice that normally isn''t there, "Ah~ What are you doing today?"


    He replied, "I have to do something at the company today. What about you?"


    "I got an email and voicemail from Lawyer Chen to stop by Tian Corps and re-sign the divorce papers. Apparently, my personal statement and marked cross outs weren''t allowed, so they needed my signature again." She explained, releasing a deep sigh because she clearly didn''t want to have the slightest thing to do with Tian Yuo.


    He rubbed her head gently after seeing her slight frown, "It''s alright. Do you need me to go with you?"


    She shook her head, "Nah, even if you come with me, they''ll make you sit outside the room. No point."


    "By the way..." his voice deepened slightly as he slid the bottle of pills across the table.


    "Ah!" She reacted exaggeratedly.


    "You left this on the kitchen counter. Why were you taking these pain reliever pills?" He sipped his coffee calmly. He looked calm, but mixed emotions stirred like a tornado in his mind once again as he waited for her response.


    "These are my vitamin pills. I thought it would be more convenient if I used the pain killer bottles and leave the bottle in my bag since I always forget to take them. Thanks for reminding me though! Almost forgot again." She tried to act naturally and hoped that he didn''t raise suspicions against her words.


    "Since it''s along the way, I''ll drop you off Tian Corps first, okay? This way you can avoid getting squashed like a sandwich on the bus by those teenagers who are twice your size. Heh." He was teasing her again.


    "Hey! I''m the perfect size, okay? Not too short or too tall! Guys like girls small like me! What? Do you not like tiny girls? Hmmm?" She childishly questioned.


    With his hand gently patting her head, he smiled, "I only have my eyes on one tiny looking girl and I''m in love with her too."


    For a second, her heart almost stopped beating, but the vibration of her cell phone broke off their conversation. "Hello?" She answered.


    Tian Yuo didn''t know where to begin, so he began with, "You got the email from Lawyer Chen?"


    "Yes." Her tone sounded as indifferent as the time that he had met her in the mall.


    "I''m heading to Tian corps, do you need a ride?" He wanted to see her, but didn''t have the guts to ask her out after all the tension and incidents that occurred between them.


    "No need to bother CEO Tian Yuo to run this extra mile. I already have someone who could drive me there." she almost laughed when she heard him offer her a seat in his car after all these years of his raging temper and neglectance.


    "Can''t we speak calmly? Is this how we have to talk to each other from now on?" Tian Yuo didn''t expect himself to talk to her with such a gentle tone.


    "I say, Mister Tian Yuo, what wind blew you over to me? Either you have a favor you want to ask me, or you banged your head against a pole or something because there is no way in hell you would talk to me like this." Her eyes narrowed as he continued talking on the other side of the line.


    Susu no longer had the soft part for him, ''Since the moment you decided to believe and stand on Karen''s side after all I''ve done for you, that little bit of feelings that I had for you already died.'' she thought to herself as she blocked out whatever he had to say.


    At the end of the call, she had no idea what he has been blabbing about, so she replied, "I have no idea what you''re trying to say. If future calls are about this type of nonsense, your number will go on my block list."


    "What did he call you for?"


    "Asked if I needed a ride to sign the divorce papers and unloaded a whole truck of crap that I didn''t understand." She was in a good mood until he ruined it.


    Chen Mu dropped Susu off by the entrance of Tian Corps and drove off. When Susu walked in, Tian Yuo was standing by the front desk, waiting for her with a smile. Susu put on her full alert as he guided her to the elevator.


    Meanwhile, Chen Mu had accessed the medical labs and brought one of the pills from the pain reliever bottle with him for experiment purposes. Since he passed the medical examinations all in one go, as promised, he was granted to every access he needed for research use.


    That night when he inspected the bottle of pills, he already recognized what the pill was, but he wanted to make sure that his assumptions were right. At least this time, he really wishes that his guesses were wrong. After wearing gloves, he started dissecting the pill to conduct the test himself.

 Chapter 42 - Reconciliation... My Ass!

    - Tian Corps -


    Right after the elevator doors closed, the receptionist at the front desk quickly placed the "Out of Order" sign in front of the perfectly functioning elevator. She knew Tian Yuo must have had some plans going on because he had never instructed her to do something like this with any female companion who visited the company. Though full of worries, she still did as she was told to do because she couldn''t afford to lose her job over this.


    Inside the elevator, the atmosphere was worse than slipping into a pigsty and swimming in pig feces. Nobody spoke, and Susu chose to stand in a corner that was furthest away from where Tian Yuo was standing. She remained on high alert as she texted on her phone.


    She noticed that as soon as the elevator door closed, the signal was cut off. While she focused on her phone and pretended to be busily occupied by what she''s reading on her screen, Tian Yuo looked at the camera and nodded.


    A graunching sound came from above, immediately catching her full attention. It''s almost as if she had sensed something would go wrong since receiving his "friendly" call from this morning.


    "What''s going on?" She asked and walked towards the elevator buttons. No matter how many times she tried to press the floors, the buttons did not light up. She tried pressing the emergency button to call for assistance, but same thing; no response.


    ''This is too odd of a coincidence.'' Her eyes wandered and caught the wicked grin on Tian Yuo''s face, "So, what the hell do you think you''re doing?" She finally broke the silence after concluding that he was the one who created the delay for the elevator.


    "I just want to have a chat with you." He smiled.


    "Oh? I never knew you had a thing for elevator kink when having conversations. Does it look like I want to be trapped in an isolated small space like this with you?" She walked back to the corner that she originally stood at to stay distant from him.


    He frowned seeing her movement, "Alright, then I''ll make this quick and straightforward. Let''s stay married. Forget about the signed papers and cancel the divorce."


    The space between her brows knitted together, "Excuse me? Did you drop your brain down the sewers on the way to work or did you get stabbed by porcupines through your skull and the penetration affected your brain? Did you hear what you just said?"


    In a serious manner, he straightened his back and continued, "I''m perfectly clearheaded. I want us to stay as husband and wife. You know how much my family loved you and treated you like their own flesh and blood."


    Susu let out a small laugh, "So, you''re asking me to forget about divorcing you because you have family members who dote on me? Your reasonings sound more and more twisted when you speak. Forget managing a company, go straight to the emergency room. You need serious help."


    He tried to approach her, but every time he stepped forward, he could see her body moving away, "I''m serious about this. My mother is in the hospital because she felt guilty for our failed marriage. You don''t want to see her like that, do you? So, the best way to her recovery would be to remain married."


    "Are you stupid? Even if I temporarily continue acting as your wife, it won''t change the fact that we are not interested in each other. Also, I believe the pressure that weighs heavily in her heart is not because of our failed marriage, but because she gave birth to someone like you. While we''re on this topic, I might as well be truthful and tell you that the only reason why I even married you is because of my mother''s last wish."


    "So if we will end up divorced sooner or later, ending everything now is better for everyone. Also, I could visit Auntie when I have time if she misses me. I don''t need to live at the Tian residence nor would I have to continue being your wife."


    She faced the other way, avoiding the annoying grin on his face. ''Susu, keep calm.. he is a pumpkin.. a rotted pumpkin with worms devouring it... you wouldn''t want to punch his asshole face, though he deserves it...''


    He blocked her view and tried bending down to her eye level so that she would look him in the eye. In the past, she always stared at him with warmth in her eyes, followed by a blossoming smile. For some reason, he really wanted to see her making the same expression again, but her current expression looked cute to him.


    When their eyes met, she narrowed her eyes and maintained a straight face, "What? Can''t think of anything else you want to say?"


    "Yes. Why didn''t you explain yourself to me and just let me continue thinking that it was you who pulled Karen into the waters?" He could tell that she was utterly uncomfortable with her personal space being so close to invasion, so he straightened his back and maintained the distance between them.


    A scornful laughter filled the elevators, "Then I''ll throw this back at you. Why would I explain to someone when I knew that the person would never believe me?"


    "Who said I wouldn''t?" His voice deepened a his fist clenched subconsciously into a rock shape.


    "Then tell me. For the past years, when have you ever listened to my side of the stories? You know, you have two ears: one on your left and the other to your right. But when it comes to me, you''ve always shut out one of the ears and refused to hear my words. Yet, the moment one drop of tear falls out of her puppy eyes, you automatically blame everything to the top of my head. By now, these accusations and blames could reach a mountain high."


    She crossed her arms and leaned backwards on the rail on the elevator side, waiting for his response. His mouth repeatedly opened and closed, trying to find any words to fight back her claim, but unfortunately, she was right. Thinking back on all these years, he had always been biased when it came to Karen. Never once did she need to provide any evidence to prove her innocence.


    "If we''re done chatting, then signal your employee to fix this damn elevator. You might have all day, but I don''t have to the time to waste, especially when it''s with you." She unlocked her phone screen and realized that they''ve been talking for at least twenty minutes already.


    Right when she opened her mouth to break the silence between them, he said, "You have a reason to stay in this marriage. We''ve already slept together. I marked you. So you''re mine." Slowly, he walked towards her, leaving her no corners to escape.

 Chapter 43 - Did You Think I Came Unprepared?

    Tian Yuo moved step by step, closer to where she was standing. Inch by inch, he approached the fragile looking girl whose hand gripped onto her Crossbody bag tightly. Though she was obviously nervous, her gaze remained fierce, without a trace of emotion attached.


    "Stop where you are. Take another step, and I''ll make sure you''ll regret it." Her eyes were dark and no longer transparent to read. With his gaze still on her body, eyeing her from head to toe, he said, "Why so formal? Didn''t you want me to be your husband before? If so, why would you avoid my touch?"


    "Hah! What husband? I''ve never treated you as my husband and you''ll never live to hear me call you that. You still have the chance to redeem a little, tiny bit of yourself." While distracting him, one of her hands slid down the Crossbody strap and found the lipstick sized object in it. She uncapped it and felt the tip of the product to make sure it is what she was looking for.


    A confident smile appeared on her face as she warned, "Have your employees fix this elevator now. That night was a mistake and I''ve already forgotten about it. Tian Yuo, there are some things that will never be the same ever again. Even if you realize what you''ve once had, it''s already too late."


    For the last time, she tried to slap some sense into his pea sized brain. He took another step forward, "As long as we remain as husband and wife, anything I do will be worth it."


    "What is the point of a loveless marriage? You have a big head, but a brain so small that it is barely visible on a CT scan. The papers were signed, and that will remain that way. Now, hurry and tell your staff to run this elevator." Her body shook from anger and her feet stomped twice.


    "If you keep stomping, I wouldn''t mind us dropping twenty floors down and end up dead." He took another step, which startled her further. When he tried to stretch his hand out, she swallowed in a wince and reacted quickly.


    sssssss


    "Arghh!!!!" Tian Yuo covered his entire face and rolled around the elevator floor in pain. Susu breathed heavily as she maintained the same position as before. Her arm was stretched out and her index finger was still on top of the pepper spray head. Out of desperation to get out of the situation, her body naturally reacted defensively and aimed aggressively at his eyeballs.


    Although she sprayed it away from herself, the spray was extremely strong as her eyes began to tear up and swell from the scent of it. She could almost imagine how painful it must have been to get that substance into one''s eyes. Quickly, she waved at the security camera in the elevator and shouted, "I know you guys are watching, but if you do not run this elevator, then he will turn blind and this whole company will collapse. Do you want to lose your jobs?"


    As if the security controllers behind the cameras really heard her, the elevator immediately started running again. The moment the elevator doors opened again, the medical staff was lined up with proper medical kits to assist him. While he was busy getting treated, she took this chance to sneak off and sign the divorce papers once again.


    This time, she reviewed every line of the divorce papers before signing it. The adjustments that she had previously made were correctly typed in the alimony section and with that, she satisfyingly signed. Afterwards, she used the other elevators to exit the company.


    When she walked out of the entrance, she noticed the awkward face on the receptionists'' expression and smiled meaningfully at her. The receptionist shivered and swore that Susu was not someone she should ever mess with.


    Meanwhile, Chen Mu sat outside of the laboratory after removing the gloves and surgeon mask from his face. He closed his eyes and faced up the ceiling as his hands wrinkled the report in his hands. The results of the pill were as he had correctly assumed, "Fludarabine...the pills that she was taking are for cancer. Early stage most likely. The cancer cells should still be slowly progressing at this point, but as of right now, it''s an incurable disease. Her best chance of surviving while still in the early stages is a bone marrow transplant."


    He didn''t dare open his eyes to face this cruel reality. His mind was filled with memories where he stood from a distance and watched her walk towards Tian Yuo. All he could remember were the many opportunities in the past that he could have held her hands, hugged her when he wanted to and wiped the tears that she had shed for her.


    Light footsteps approached him, but he could care less about it. After a while of awkward silence with a light familiar floral fragrance that filled his nostrils, his eyes opened to see Lily leaning on the counter with her arms crossed at him.


    He remembered Susu mentioning that Lily''s fiance is the head of the city''s leading hospital, so seeing her here wouldn''t be a surprise to him. Everyone knew that Lily''s fiance doted on her to the point that immortals would be jealous. Therefore, giving her a simple access key to all labs in the city is not something impossible.


    Around half an hour ago, Lily went to visit Lin Que and was told that someone had requested access to their top specialized experimental research lab. The person happened to be Chen Mu and his reason was that he had a pill that he wanted to further inspect.


    Lily began to conclude that the pill he had in hand was one of Susu''s medicine for chemotherapy use. She heard that Chen Mu was never interested in the medical field, but he managed to become the legendary genius who spent half a year or less to complete all the exams required to pass for a doctor''s degree. All the papers that he wrote received full marks from the medical professors.


    Without having to guess further, she already knew that he did it for Susu because Susu mentioned him brewing herb medicine for her flus after she said she hated pills and liquids. It didn''t take long for her to get to the lab where Chen Mu was and once she entered, she saw him holding a report with his eyes shut tight.


    ''I guess he found out by himself.''

 Chapter 44 - Why Speak of Regrets?

    "Chen mu, I am not going to spin around circles to ask you one question. If my assumptions are correct, the pill that you had in hand is from Susu''s bottle of pills. The reason why you came to the lab and performed the research experiment is that you''ve already recognized what pills she was taking, but wanted to make sure. Am I right?"


    Under her strong gaze, he felt like he was the subject to an X-ray scan where every thought of his became transparent in front of her. Without averting his gaze, he said, "I assume you''ve already known about her falling ill?"


    She nodded, "Yes, but she wasn''t the one who told me. I found out by accident, and it''s too long of a story to tell you what happened right now. Since you''ve already gone this far with diagnosing the pill that she is taking, as a legendary genius in the medical field, I believe you are more knowledgeable than me of her body condition."


    Slowly, his head lowered and eyes focused on the report in his hands, "I know. It''s Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, early stage. These pills are helping her body kill off cancer cells, but if her condition worsens after the treatment period, then that means she would require a stronger alternative."


    "So, we can only wait and see for the time being. Is there anything we could do to help her with the symptoms or pain? A diet plan? Anything?" She started asking more in depth questions because she was a medical maniac. Other than knowing what Susu was suffering from, she didn''t understand the complicated medical terms even when Lin Que explained it to her.


    "I''ll come up with the diet plan and make sure that she is getting the nutrients that her body needs to build a stronger immune system. I''ll also observe her condition. If I think that her condition has worsened, then I will bring her to the hospital." He stated with his head dug between his arms as his hands interlocked behind his head.


    Lily frowned and understood that at this moment, acceptance is difficult. At the same time, she couldn''t help herself and asked, "Chen Mu, do you have feelings for Susu?"


    Almost immediately after she had asked, he lifted his chin and faced her once again, but this time he looked shocked. Seeing his reaction confirmed her suspicions, "Uh huh, so my guess is right."


    "How did you..."


    "Well, Susu told me that she complained about not liking pills or liquids type of medicine. Then, you came out of nowhere and scored full marks on the medical exams and papers within half a year. After that, your only request was for full access to all laboratories whenever you request for it. You came up with an herb formula for flus, and she was drinking it without knowing the damn efforts you put in."


    She explained how and when her suspicions about his feelings for Susu began. After she was done, he clapped lightly, "Can''t believe I was that obvious that you saw through me. She doesn''t know it and wouldn''t need to know it either."


    "Are you feeling upset because she didn''t tell you about having cancer and probably lied to you about the pills?" Her instincts were blades sharp when it came to others'' emotions. Her logic and the way she could link from one thing to another was too impressive.


    ".... Should I be amazed by your intelligence in digging out my emotions or be scared that you could read my mind like an open book?"


    "Both. You see, imagine her actually telling you when you asked about the pills that she took. You would obviously be sad or show some signs of negativity. When I found out about it on my own, she explained that she did not want to be the reason for our unhappiness. Out of us, she said that breaking this shitty news to you was the most difficult."


    He listened attentively to what Lily was saying as she continued, "Did you know how strong this tiny woman was? While I was crying in her arms, she maintained a smile as if she had already expected the worst that could ever happen. She wasn''t scared of pain or this cancer that she''s been fighting alone. The thing that scared her the most was how to tell the two people whom she considered the closest to her and that is you and me."


    Lily wiped her wet eyes and controlled her tears from falling, "So, don''t feel upset because she didn''t tell you about it yet. She will eventually say it. Just give her some time."


    Chen Mu nodded, "I was a little upset that she didn''t tell me when I asked her straight up about it, but it was something else that made me feel ten times worse. You didn''t know how many times in the past where I could have had the opportunity to be the one standing beside her when she needed someone. All these times, I''ve watched from afar. I always thought that we always had next time or another day."


    A slight pause as his voice rasped and words choked, "I always thought that we had all the time in the world, but when I recognized that pill, I really wished that I would for once be wrong with my conclusions. Reading this report made me feel like my world shattered piece by piece. I''m afraid of losing her so much that I''d rather be the one fighting this."


    She couldn''t interrupt him as he continued speaking because every word that came out of his mouth sounded like his heart broke to a whole new level, ''I.. I can''t believe that the "someday" or "next time''s," that I''ve always used as an excuse to cover my low confidence would now become, "Not much time left"''


    Lily couldn''t stand listening any longer and grabbed the collar of his shirt, "Dude! Why are you talking about regrets when you still have the time to make up for the hours, minutes, and seconds that you''ve missed already?! The past is already gone, and none of these minutes will reverse in time for you to fill these holes of regret! You still have time to spend with her."


    She lifted him from his seat and used her fingernail to poke his chest, where his heart restlessly danced the Tango out of anxiety, "Don''t dwell in what''s already passed. Focus on what you can do for her now and in the future. Support her fully and care for her because we don''t know how fast these stupid cancer cells move. If you regretted something, then do it this time. Fill these empty spaces in your heart while you still can. Understand?"


    After seeing his slight nod, she released his collar and stuck a post-it to his forehead, "This sis is available anytime if you need help with Susu! This includes anything related to her health and anything related to pursuing her~" He ripped the post-it off his face and said, "No need to call. I need your help."

 Chapter 45 - Lets Stay Like This for a Bit

    Lily smiled mischievously, "I''ll gladly help you out if you need me. You have my contact number, so let me know anytime, but today I have an appointment so take a rain check on it. During this time being, you should sort out your feelings and figure out what you really want to do. Don''t act impulsively just in the heat of the moment."


    She turned around and took a step forward, "Ah! I forgot to tell you that when I said do whatever you haven''t done in the past, it doesn''t include pinning my Su down and being naughty. If I find out that you attempted that then my heels are always ready to serve your balls with a great show of balloon deflation."


    She winked and waved as she exited the laboratory.


    As much as Chen Mu would love to pin Susu down, he would only do things that she gives consent for and is comfortable with doing. After Lily had left, he followed the same exit out of the lab and started to laugh slightly, "Haha, you do have the most valuable friend. I''m glad you have someone like that to protect you, other than me."


    Chen Mu gathered himself together and went to the supermarket to grab the freshest ingredients that he sees. "Right, I still have to make her diet plan. I can''t sit here sloppily all day."


    He rushed home right after buying ingredients for tonight''s dinner because Susu told him that she would be home early. Upon entering his condo with three bags of groceries in his arms, he heard Susu''s humming sound coming from the kitchen. Without saying a word, he quietly walked to where she was.


    Standing by the dining table, he captured the lovely moment of her making food while singing with his apron clumsily tangled in dead knots. Even so, to him, this was the most heartwarming picture he had seen ever since moving into this place. At this moment, he felt like everything was perfect and complete.


    "Hehe~ It''s done~~" She scooped the stir fried vegetables with beef onto a clean plate and sniffed it. The fragrance of the dish was enough to make one''s mouth water. He gulped to the delicious smell coming from the food.


    Susu turned around with a huge smile with a pair of chopsticks in her hand and a piece of beef stuck between it. "Welcome back~ Were you thinking of scaring me? Hehe, I have great ears, so I knew you were back. Here, try this beef, say ahhhh" She walked towards Chen Mu and brought the food to him. While staring at her, he opened his mouth, allowing her to feed him.


    "Oh wait! It is still a little too hot. Hold on." He watched as the girl carefully blew the piece of meat before feeding it to him. Her eyes were filled with anticipation of praises that she almost looked like she was counting every single bite it took for him to eat it.


    "So?~ How is it? How is it?~" The minute she saw movement with his Adam''s apple, she knew he had swallowed it. He smiled at her and complimented, "Your cooking is extremely good. It makes me hungry and want to have more."


    Hearing his response made her blush slightly, "I made a lot! It''s enough for both of us! Hehe, go to wash your hands, and dinner will be ready!" She turned around and stepped forward a step before her body stopped midway and felt his touch. The bags of groceries dropped to the floor as his arms wrapped around her body and a familiar warmth spread throughout her body.


    His head was leaning to the side of her head. The warmth from his body enveloped her mind as she let her guards down completely and felt a layer of security surrounding her. It was as if he was shielding her from all harm. After a few minutes had passed, he showed no signs of letting go.


    Her hands reached for his arms and lightly patted, "Chen Mu? What''s wrong?" He whispered, "Susu.."


    "Mm.."


    "Susu.."


    "Yes, I''m listening.." The more he sounded like that, the more concerned she became. She tried to loosen his arms around her to look at his expression. After some attempts, he finally released her. Or so she thought.


    Once she turned around, she was once again trapped in his comforting embrace. This time, he whispered, "Let''s stay like this for a bit." Feeling the desires to get closer, she forgot her initial motive of loosening from his embrace. Eventually, her arms reciprocated the hug, making him tighten his arms slightly around her.


    Everything was so peaceful and quiet that they closed their eyes and enjoyed each other''s company. After the elevator incident from today, Susu had felt disgusted, but once she was in Chen Mu''s embracing, she felt significantly better. Only she knew how much she loved his scent and the comfort he provides.


    Finally, she rubbed his back and asked in the gentlest voice, "Are you alright?" He nodded and lowered his head onto her shoulders before letting go, "You must be hungry. Let''s eat. I bought a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat. If the dishes you made aren''t enough, we always have more varieties."


    Seeing his smile gave her a sense of relief, "Alrighty! Then you go to wash up while I set up the table for dinner~ Oh wait, before you go..." She took a standing stool and knelt on it. Instinctively, he placed his arms around her h.i.p.s to prevent her from falling.


    Her hands used his shoulders for support as she kissed his forehead, followed by ruffling his hair. "I''m not sure what was wrong with you earlier, but seeing your smile right now is great. If you ever need a hug or comfort, I''ll always be willing to be your hugger. For as long as you need me, I''ll be there for you. So, don''t keep things to yourself."


    Before she got off the stool, she stuck out the index finger from both hands and used the fingertips to lift the corners of his lips, making it into a smile. "See? That''s the handsome, confident Chen Mu that I know." She giggled before heading back to the kitchen to wash up and prepare for dinner.


    She didn''t know how hard it was for him to hold back and not hug her tightly again. She also didn''t realize that his eyes turned pink as he turned around and headed for the bathroom. In his head, he recited her words. After closing the door behind him, he placed his hand on his chest where his heart felt suffocated and bitter, "I''ll definitely find a cure for you. Definitely won''t let you go."

 Chapter 46 - It Takes Two People

    Inside a luxurious office, the curtains were closed, the lights were turned off and only a faint glow from the table lamp highlighted the man''s miserable expression. Tian Yuo sat lazily on the couch as he watched the wine in the glass swirl. He recalled the incident from earlier today and gripped the wine glass with immense strength that it cracked slightly.


    "If it was before and I made even a step towards her, she would smile like an innocent girl and let me do whatever to her. Even when I lied about the mountain having a certain herb that could help improve my immune system, she was gullible enough to actually hunt the herb for me. Whenever I say something, she would be the most attentive and actually remember everything that I said. But now..."


    His eyes deepened as he put down the wine and massaged his temples, "She pepper sprayed me? What went wrong? She loved me, so she should have been happy and hopped into my arms that I''m lifting a finger at her."


    He noticed the multiple flashes coming from his phone, but didn''t bother unlocking his phone to read the text messages. "Could it be that she is jealous because Karen is back? That would explain her actions with pulling Karen into the waters and refusing my request to remain married for my mom''s health''s sake... Plus, we slept together a year ago, what difference would it make if we do it again?"


    Approximately thirty-five messages later, his phone began to ring. At that point, he had already stopped drinking his wine and was coming up with excuses for Susu''s behavior. When the familiar ringtone caught his attention, his finger already accepted the call, "Hello?"


    Perhaps it was the red wine''s effect, his voice sounded extra enticing and hoarse compared to his regular self, making Karen shiver slightly, "H..hello.. Brother Yuo! Why didn''t you respond to any of my texts? You got me so worried!"


    He leaned back lazily and pinched his nose bridge slightly, "Sorry, I was busy so I didn''t check my cell phone. So, what''s up?"


    Karen sounded a bit disappointed by his excuse because he didn''t even try to sweet talk her or try to say things that would sound soothing to her ears anymore. She continued the conversation with a forced positive tone, "Brother Yuo~ Do you know what date is the upcoming Friday?"


    "The upcoming Friday? Sorry, I''m too busy these days that I didn''t keep track of what day today even is. Can you get to the point?" He impatiently furrowed his brows as if he was talking to an automated machine for an online service that takes forever to address his inquiries. He literally got tired of having to ask things step by step.


    She pouted as she let her childish temper slip for the rest of the conversation, "It''s my birthday! Every year we have a family dinner together, and you were always invited! How could you forget about your own girlfriend''s birthday? Don''t tell me this is one of those boyfriend surprises with present on the day of girlfriend''s birthday?"


    By hinting that she wanted a surprise, she was hoping that he would understand all the hints that she had purposely set out for him already. Since the water incident, she''s been placing wedding magazines on spots in his office that has been regularly exposed to him. She also tried texting him about friend''s weddings and how cute the wedding designs are for this year to make sure he is exposed to wedding stuff.


    The main reason for doing all these isn''t really to push him to marry her this early, but to hint how she wanted him to propose. Instead of waiting for a perfect opportunity, he could make a simple speech during the family celebration for Susu and her birthday. This would make her present extra delicate and special if it goes the way she wishes it to go.


    Tian Yuo didn''t hide any of his thoughts as he spoke, "Ah, right. Sorry, but this year I really forgot."


    "What?! You meanie!! How could you forget such an important date?" She shouted over the call making him bring the phone a few inches away from his ears. His response was a careless tone as he said, "You left without a word and nobody celebrated anything for last year. How do you expect me to remember every little detail about the family dinner, presents, and other things?"


    He continued, "Besides, I work every day and deal with business transactions. Those are huge responsibilities and even though your birthday is also important, you should understand the fact that while you were gone, things have changed. Even if a change is a slight one, it impacted my lifestyle."


    "B..brother Yuo... how could you..." She started putting on her favorite crying act.


    He sighed in response and said, "Karen, you''re an a.d.u.l.t now. You can''t always cry over spilled milk or certain little things. If you wanted a birthday present or simply dinner with me, you could have just told me since the first line of the call about the family dinner with the location and time. I would make space in my schedule to fit that dinner."


    "B..brother Yuo, are you tired of me now? Is that why? Are you blaming me for leaving you? Did you think everything was my fault?" She threw question after question, trying to drown him in guilt. Oddly, the guilt that he once had for her had dissipated. He didn''t realize it and continued saying what he wanted to say.


    "Karen, it takes two people''s efforts to make things work out. You can''t always depend or rely on the other half to respond to your needs. If you want something and it is reasonable then I will provide it. If it is something that is minor, yet you decide to cry over it for no logical reason, I won''t continue comforting you. I will start pointing it out."


    "If that''s all you needed, then just text me the time and location for the dinner. I need to go now. I have a lot of paperwork on my desk that needs to be dealt with." He ended the call before she could say anything else. He made it so clear to her that she couldn''t even fight back even once.


    Right after the call, he felt physically and mentally drained. He was exhausted and even thought that his old self was pretty impressive to have dealt with Karen''s crying. How did he have such patience and what made her so special that he doted on her in the past? The year that she left him without a goodbye, gave him a great opportunity to see things differently.


    What he didn''t know was that even though he started to see things differently, he had already lost someone who truly loved him and would soon regret his decision....

 Chapter 47 - Late Night Call

    After Tian Yuo hung up on Karen, her mood instantly turned into a devil''s wrath as her nails ripped all the cushions and pillows in her room. Feathers floated all over the place, creating a scattered carpet of light feathers. "Yin Susu, it''s all your fault! You seductress! I will make sure that you will learn your damn place at the family dinner! Just you wait as you see everyone dote on me and forget about you."


    Since this was an annual family dinner, Zin Leung attempted to reach out to Susu''s cell phone, but was sent to her automated voicemail. After leaving a message for her, he left her a text message to make sure that she received the time and location. He tried to keep his message short and on point to cover up the guilt he had in his heart since seeing her cry at the hospital.


    "Susu, it''s daddy. We''ve decided to have a family celebration for you and Karen''s birthday at Grandoise restaurant. The address is 140 Stroy Street and dinner begins at 6:30. We''re all hoping to see you there."


    When he called, Susu was in the living room watching a horror movie with Chen Mu next to her with the ligts all turned off. They were cuddled up in one blanket and every time a jump scare pops up on the screen, she would duck under the blanket while moving closer to him. She didn''t notice, but his arms had been around her and would rub her back when she gets scared.


    Chen Mu was never fond of any type of movies. The only time he would sit down to watch one is with Susu because she is a horror fan, but a scaredy-cat. Every time she jumped from her spot and hugged him closer, a smile and low chuckle would come from him.


    He found it extremely adorable when she would cover three-fourths of her face, leaving only her eyes out in the open to watch the movie and then bury her head to his chest when scary moments pop up. At one point, he definitely swore to himself that horror movies was the best choices for couples.


    Since they were watching a movie, their phones were put into vibration setting in case of emergencies if they set it to silent mode. In the middle of the climax scene of the movie where the ghost looks straight at the camera and screamed out, "I''m going to get you!," Zin Leung called and her phone vibrated on the couch; startling her greatly.


    "Oh my god!!!!" her arms wrapped around his shoulders and head hid in his neck. He was still facing the television, but she was now facing him while sitting on his lap with her legs on either side of his body. As her heart raced like it could jump out at any moment, her breathing also quickened. He could feel every breath that she was inhaling and slowly exhaling on his neck, sending tingle sensations all over his body.


    This time, he gulped and didn''t dare let out a chuckle. His arms were around her tiny waist with his fingers interlocked as he whispered, "It''s alright. Just a movie. I''m here... I''m here..." He started stroking the back of her head and pulling the blanket over her body, so she won''t feel cold.


    Since young, she had a habit of pulling the blankets above her head to hide from scary things. This time was not an exception as her left hand dragged the blanket and covered both of them. Not only was the movie now playing in the background with no audience watching it, the two were in their own little space on top of each other.


    Even after she calmed down, she remained in the same position. It was dark under the blankets and only they knew that they were smiling on their own faces. Susu''s slightest movements would make him move his body since they were wrapped together like a bun at the moment.


    She could feel his chin resting on her head and a part of her really wanted to see his expression. She wanted to see if he was feeling disturbed by her presence being this close and intimate to his body. Therefore, she decided to tilt her head up after finding his face using her fingers. When her cold fingertips touched his soft lips, back and forth, she could trace the shape of his widening smile.


    At the same time, her other hand was on his chest, feeling his heart beat quickening per second. Finally, he couldn''t take it anymore and parted his lips to playfully play tag with her fingertip. She giggled because she knew he would never bite her fingertips. He was embarrassed by her finger movement.


    She could feel her pulse rising and her head subconsciously tilting upwards with expectations of seeing his handsome face in the dark. When she looked up, he also tilted his head down to meet her eyes. Their lips happened to be a few centimeters away from each other, leaving each other breathless. Each inhales and exhales their bodies made could be felt by each other.


    The hand that playfully rubbed his lips just now slowly caressed his sharp jaw line in the dark. As if their visions were the one that belonged to cats, they could trace each other''s facial features and carefully observed each curve and soft lines on each other''s face.


    This was the first time that Susu had felt the urge to get closer and feel someone''s lips on hers. The soft lips that she felt using her fingertips lingered in her mind as she thought of how great it would feel against her rosy lips. Since her lips were chapped earlier, she had applied a great lip balm that helped recover the original soft texture of her fine lips.


    After a while of staring into each other''s gaze, he whispered, "I..I think we should.. mphhhh" His words were cut off as her lips smacked against his and her body made him lean onto the couch. His arms tightened around her body as he accepted her sloppy amateur kisses.


    Strictly speaking, this was their first kiss as a.d.u.l.ts. While the horror movie screams continued playing, they were too occupied with pecking each other''s lips slowly as if they were exploring their relationship to another level.

 Chapter 48 - Your Lips Were Chapped

    The blanket covering Chen Mu and Susu had fallen to the floor, but none of them noticed as they focused on their small kisses. He let her explore at her own pace as he returned the pecks. When her lips parted from him, he would bring her back with a following kiss. After one kiss, there was always another one and another one that followed.


    He kissed her back once, twice, allowing her to get a taste of him. Now that she''s tasted his sweet lips, she realized that it was not enough. Even after many of these mini kisses took place, somewhere in her soul told her that, "It is never enough. I want more, but not exactly sure what it is that I want more of."


    After ten minutes of pure pecks against each other''s lips, Susu panted lightly. His thumb found her bottom lips and parted it from her top lip. He whispered, "Here comes a real kiss." Her heart was beating uncontrollably fast and her mind already lost its senses.


    He started off with a tiny peck before kissing her a little more aggressive. His hand secured her head as it held onto the back of her neck gently. Though he kissed her harder than before, his kisses were still gentle and warm. She was a fast learner as she reciprocated the strength of his kisses and pushed her mouth onto his.


    Her parted lips gave his tongue full access to explore her mouth as his tongue slipped into her territory and marked it his. Their tongues tangled with one another and they enjoyed every bit of each other''s kiss. His soft hair brushed against her delicate face as their kisses grew more intense.


    Her arms went from grabbing his shoulders, caressing his cheeks to finally sliding around his neck. She couldn''t help but wanting to pull him in for a deeper and stronger kiss. The wetness and amazement at how one could mark the other person just like that, heightened her desires for more.


    She gasped as the kiss, coupled with the way his naughty fingers ran up and down her back was too much for her to intake. It felt too good. Too much. Too overwhelming for an beginner like her. ''He definitely showed me how a real kiss was meant to be,'' She silently thought to herself as she drowned in a whirlpool of pleasurable kisses.


    These kisses evoked a sensation coming from the deepest part of her that she never knew she was capable of feeling. She had never felt this way for Tian Yuo. Never has she ever wanted to lean forward, wrap her arms around him, and do what she''s doing with Chen Mu right now.


    As their kisses intensified, she clung onto his body and he pulled her in for deeper kisses. The taste of the ice cream that they ate earlier dissolved in each other''s mouth as their tongues continued dancing away from passing time.


    When their lips parted once again, they had kissed each other for another ten minutes. Both of them were out of breath again. With their foreheads leaning on each other, they took deep breaths to calm their passionate desires for more. The movie had long been finished, and Netflix was playing a comedy show.


    After breaking their kiss, Susu embarrassingly covered her face as she realized that she was sitting on his lap and they had just kissed. She quickly got off of him and wrapped the blanket around herself again. Seeing the wrapped burrito in front of him, he hugged her from behind and whispered, "Never knew you would have such a naughty side."


    Her face was flushed, and she could feel her cheeks burning. She struggled out of his embrace and said, "Your lips were chapped. I was just.. sharing my lip balm with you! Good nightttt" Like a bunny, she hopped to her room before he could do anything to her, which he wasn''t planning to anyways.


    Seeing her adorable response made him comb his hair backwards and laugh to himself with a blissful smile across his face, "So.. it was lip balm huh? We''ll see about that when I officially start pursuing you. Heh."


    He turned off the television and went back to his bedroom for the night. Both of them kept picturing how content they felt when they were kissing each other in their own rooms.


    After going back to their rooms, Susu twist and turned in bed; unable to fall asleep. After half an hour later, she gasped and gulped, "I need to use the bathroom! But.. what if the ghost comes to haunt me.." Though she was a hardcore fan of horror movies, she always would need company to the bathroom if someone watched the movie with her.


    She really couldn''t hold it in anymore and decided to knock on his bedroom door. When she knocked, the door creaked open by itself and she could see him with his eyes closed on the bed. For some reason, she walked towards him and traced his facial features using her finger.


    Once it reached his lips, she slowly retracted her finger, but it was too late. His hand grabbed onto hers and his charming eyes opened, "What were you thinking of?"


    She blushed and responded, "Y..You''re.. awake! N..nothing! I just needed to use the bathroom... but I was.. um.." Susu had a loss for words as the picture of them kissing blocked off her motive of wanting to use the toilet in her mind.


    Seeing her nervousness, he rubbed her head gently, "I''ll stay right outside the bathroom door. No ghosts would dare get to you with me there." She nodded and finally did her bathroom deed. Actually, he wasn''t even sleeping when she knocked. He wanted to see what she would do if he was asleep in front of her so he pretended to be asleep.


    When she stepped out of the bathroom, he leaned forward. Subconsciously, her eyes closed, anticipating a kiss to her lips. Another smile crossed his face as he planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "Nighty night. Sweet dreams."


    Once again, her cheeks flushed from his teasing. He knew she closed her eyes thinking it was another kiss. She let out a small laugh and thought it was quite cute as she touched the spot where he kissed her on the forehead and then brought the fingers to her lips. "Nighty night." She whispered and went back to her room.

 Chapter 49 - Needs a Plan

    The next morning, Chen Mu prepared a healthy and nutritional meal for Susu. They smiled and greeted each other normally without feeling awkward about the kiss from last night. Chen Mu didn''t question their relationship after the kiss because he already decided to take full responsibility for that kiss and officially pursue her. All he needs now is a plan.


    After eating breakfast, Susu checked her cell phone and saw a missed call, one new text message and voicemail from her father. Hearing the voicemail about dinner next Friday for Karen and her birthday, Susu could not help but frown slightly.


    "What''s wrong?" He placed the cup of Passionfruit tea in front of her.


    "Nothing. Just a family dinner." She took the cup in her hands and felt the steam warm up the tip of her nose.


    "If you don''t want to go, then don''t go. No need to force yourself to have dinner with people you don''t want to see." These words were straight to Karen and the stepmother who always mistreated Susu. He''s heard many stories and knew about every little thing that Karen did behind Susu''s back since childhood. Of course, only Tian Yuo would listen and believe in the blank lies that Karen had told.


    "It''s an annual birthday celebration for me and Karen..." she told him dispiritedly as she sipped the tea in silence.


    "Your birthday is not for another month. Whose birthday is this dinner even for?" He mocked as the idea of having a dinner celebration for two daughters sounded unfair. Karen''s birthday was earlier thab Susu''s by a month, yet they couldn''t have made separate dinner arrangements.


    "It''s alright. I''ve long acknowledged that she was the more outgoing and doted one. It''s only a dinner. I can deal with it." Though she forced a smile on her face, he could see the sorrow in her eyes.


    ''Seriously, which parent would forget their own child''s birthday? So one is a precious gem and the other he treats unfairly. No wonder she never talked much about her family.'' He thought to himself. Still, seeing her upset in front of her was something unbearable to him.


    He stood up and walked over to hug her, "It''s okay. You have Lily and me to make your birthday extra special. Even if nobody remembers your birthday, we will always have that in mind. It''s even better, since you will be spending your birthday with those who really cares about you and matter to you."


    Once again, the comfort and warmth of having him around her brightened up her mood greatly. She put down the cup of tea and leaned onto him with her hands touching his. He smiled when he saw that his ultimate hug trick worked on her. Every time she felt lost, confused, upset, stressed, happy, and many other emotions, his arms always welcomed her.


    She didn''t know when, but she also noticed it herself. The pain that she felt from all the distrust, betrayal, and heartbreaks began to subside because he was there for her. His arms and the little things that he had done for her slowly numbed the pain and made her forget about others who made her sad. She started to not care about Tian Yuo and Karen.


    ''Since when have I last thought of Tian Yuo that way? Meh, better to not remember so I won''t feel disgusted by his actions.'' For now, she just wanted to have a moment of peace and relax in Chen Mu''s hug.


    In a blink of an eye, five days passed and Friday came. Chen Mu had something to do that day, so he had to leave after eating breakfast with her. Before he left, he had handed her a large, light pink box with floral designs on it. She looked at him confusedly, "What''s this?"


    "You didn''t go shopping for tonight''s dinner, so I prepared an outfit for you. Since this is supposedly for your birthday, you should look the prettiest on the table. The accessories, shoes, dress, and sweater should be to your liking." He said as he retrieved his blazer and smiled at her with a wink.


    "Oh? Am I not the prettiest when I''m in plain clothes?" She smirked and put the box onto the table.


    "Of course not! You''re always beautiful even when you have a messy bun and nerdy reading glasses." As his body turned around to face her, he felt her soft body holding him close as her hands interlocked at the back of his waist. She looked up while giggling, "I know I''m pretty in your eyes. Pfft. Thanks for the gift."


    "As long as you know what I meant." he relaxed the tensed muscles in his body and pinched the tip of her nose between his index and middle finger. She smiled in response and said, "If Mr. Chen Mu has a few minutes to spare, would he like to see me in the new dress before he heads out?"


    His fingers brushed a few loosen strands of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. Feeling his finger traced her ear, she shivered while her eyes locked onto his eyes. Moving from her earlobe, he traced down her jaw line and stopped when he reached her chin. Her eyes widened as he lifted her chin up and watched him bend down inches from her ear, "My pleasure."


    He could feel her cheeks rising in temperature from his temptation, so he released her and let her escape to change in her room. A tiny chuckle left his mouth as he whispered, "Too adorable."


    Susu opened the box and felt the soft fabric of her new white off shoulder dress. Quickly, she slipped into the dress and combed her slightly waved hair. The white dress hugged her body and brought out her beautiful curves while illuminating her skin. Her glossy, moisturized, rose colored lips looked alluringly kissable and her big round eyes looked seducing.


    The door creaked open as she walked towards him in the living room. As she did, he saw the smile on her face as she grew closer to her. The dress fit her perfectly with simple flower embroidery on the layered ends of it. As she walked, she looked like an angel bringing him all the happiness that he could ever ask her. At the moment, she looked radiant and entrancing.


    "Well? How is it?" She blinked nervously as she looked at him, waiting for an answer. This girl has hypnotized him and yet she didn''t even know how powerful she really was with her looks. His lips quirked upwards into a joyous smile, "As I thought, this dress was made just for you. You look absolutely stunning."


    "Really?" her smile grew wider, and the nervousness she felt had disappeared.


    "But you''re missing one thing." His voice was extra doting to her ears.


    "Hmm?"


    "You put on the necklace, but forgot about the necklace. It''s a set, so wearing it together would look much better."


    "Oh! Hehe, here, you put it on for me." She took his hand, opened it, and placed the necklace in the center.


    "Uh huh, turned around." She obediently turned around and lifted up her hair for him to put the necklace on. Susu had a petite body size. Therefore, small, delicate designed accessories would heighten her elegance.


    "Done." He said as he fixed her hair and nodded at how perfect she looked in the outfit. Surely, before a war breaks out during dinner, she had already won the spotlight from Karen. ''It''s alright even if others don''t know how to treasure you and bitches want to climb on top of your head to step you down, I''ll always lift you back up and make those bitches learn their place.''

 Chapter 50 - What a Coincidence

    Chen Mu rushed out of his condo when he noticed the time was already 11 A.M. He had to run a few errands before meeting Lily for dinner tonight. Obviously, he would not let anything interrupt tonight''s dinner since she finally had a free time to meet and talk to him about how to confess to Susu. Therefore, he had to resolve a few annoying company problems to have a smooth dinner.


    Time flew by fast when a person has a busy work day. Chen Mu managed to quickly and efficiently settle the company problems within the few hours time frame before heading to dinner. On the other hand, Lily reached Grandoise restaurant at 6 P.M. sharp. She entered while taking off her sunglasses, "I have a reservation for two at 6 P.M. My friend will be here in ten minutes. Can you bring me to my table?"


    After confirming her reservation, the waiter politely guided her to the reserved seats. Soon after, Chen Mu arrived while panting heavily as if he had ran ten blocks nonstop. "I''m sorry for being late. There was traffic and and.."


    "Alrighty, I''m not your boss so you don''t have to explain to me why you''re late. I know you''re a busy man. Sit down and settle yourself first." She poured some tea into an empty tea cup and passed it to him.


    After a few minutes later, his breathing went back to normal and he said, "I''m good now. Let''s begin."


    She clapped her hands and smiled, "Good!! Now~ Before we continue, do you love her?"


    "Yes." he nodded.


    She took a deep breath, "Do you have confidence in yourself in winning her over? What if Tian Yuo decides to chase after Susu in the future?"


    "That...then I will let her decide who she wants to be with." He responded with a slight hesitation.


    Her fist slams onto the table slightly, "Wrong! If you love her then stop acting like a p.u.s.s.y, always hiding behind the rock that Patrick lives under. You need to take action! Initiate action!"


    "Patrick?"


    "Come on! Spongebob''s best friend that starfish buddy! Anywhooo, I''ve noticed exploding fireworks sparks between you two, but nobody made the damn moves. Knowing Susu, she would never be the first to make that move! And know you.. well, you''re a whole new special case, son. Let this sis teach you how to woo a woman, especially my goddess Susu."


    She took out a pen and a notepad where she had circled all over the page with ways to strike down Tian Yuo the next time that she sees him and a few holes stabbed under the heel tapping toes category. She flipped it to a clean page and started writing," Okay, so we need some handmade roses because Susu is allergic to flower pollen, but loves nature. We need her favorite chocolate, wine and sweets to make her sway. Ohhh, ohhh"


    "Umm..."


    "What?! Don''t tell me you aren''t in love with her and that type of bull crap because I will tie you to fireworks and send you to the moon with the pretty sparkly stars in the starry night sky just for Susu to enjoy!" She was overly excited that she hated being interrupted.


    "Actually, Susu did make a move. We''ve already kissed." he broke it out to her that they''ve made some progress since the last time they had seen Lily.


    "What?! Kissed?! Who kissed whom? You to her or her to you or both together?! How come nobody tells me the juicy news nowadays? Come on! Spill some beans for this grandmother who expected a future for you two children to the point where my hair turned gray!"


    "Well.. we were watching a horror movie and... it was dark. She got scared and jumped onto me. Then she kissed me and I kissed her back..." He felt kind of embarrassed telling her how they kissed that night, but couldn''t reject Lily after hearing her excitement.


    "Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!!!! My goddess made a winning move on you!!! That''s my sweetheart!! Dominant, yet a blossoming flower! Haha~!"


    As Lily''s voice heightened, Chen Mu heard a familiar voice next door. After a tiny peek, he froze and immediately covered Lily''s mouth. "Shhhh."


    "W..wsfbdhs?" She tried protesting with her mouth still covered. He removed his hand and whispered, "Susu is in the next room. We''re separated by the Japanese screen divider panels."


    "Wat? Waht a coincidence?! In that case, then you''re safe.. FOR NOW." She smiled as she slipped her note pad back into her purse and pretended that nothing had happened.


    In fact, Chen Mu didn''t set it up. He didn''t even know that Susu was meeting her family here for dinner tonight.


    - On the other side of the room divider -


    -5 minutes ago -


    In the order from left to right sat Liang Yu Qing, Yin Zin Leung, Tian Yuo, and Karen. Karen placed her new handbag on the empty seat next to her since Susu was nowhere to be seen and they''ve already ordered the dishes for dinner.


    "Daddy, don''t wait anymore. Sis wouldn''t come today. She hates seeing me." Karen put up the good daughter act as she poured tea for Zin Leung. Right after the last drop of tea landed in his cup, one of the waiter''s lead Susu to her table.


    Susu''s entrance left everyone stunned and attracted to her. The light makeup, natural wavy hair, light steps, and white dress caught everyone''s attention. Tian Yuo was the most intrigued in the change of fashion style. He had never seen her wear a dress like this before and his heart began to beat uncontrollably.


    Karen noticed Tian Yuo''s behavior and cleared her throat, "Sis, you''re here! Hurry, we''ve already ordered everything. How come you''re so late?" She took her new handbag off Susu''s seat and waved it in her face with a smirk that only Susu could see.


    With the same indifferent expression, Susu''s soft voice made it difficult for Zin Leung to get angry at her, "Sorry I''m late. There was a lot of traffic." She ignored Karen''s waving victory as she took her seat and unwrinkled her dress. Every move she made was elegant and natural. She didn''t seem to mind Tian Yuo and Karen sitting next to each other, which made Zin Leung''s worries go away.


    "It''s alright. Tonight is to celebrate yours and Karen''s birthday!" Zin Leung laughed heartily seeing how harmonious the family has gathered for the dinner. Tian Yuo took the initiative and grabbed the red wine to pour it into Susu''s empty glass.


    Since she was taking medication, alcohol is something she must avoid. She was never a drinker to begin with, so she did not plan on drinking for tonight. Also, ever since the incident from a year ago, she has learned her lesson, so she wouldn''t have drank the wine even if it was in front of her.


    Her palm raised and stopped him from lowering the wine in her glass, "It''s alright. Tea is fine. I don''t drink."


    "Oh...okay. Then, here''s some tea." He wiped the unused tea cup carefully before pouring tea into it and handing it to Susu.


    "Thanks." She nodded and took the tea cup from his hands. When their pinkies accidentally brushed against each other, Tian Yuo''s heart rate sped up and a smile appeared on his face.


    Karen''s plaster smile froze when she saw Tian Yuo''s actions and heard Susu''s response, ''Brother Yuo is pouring you wine, yet you reject him?! I''ve been waiting all night, and he hadn''t even poured me tea! I even pushed my empty glass to him, and he didn''t get the hint!''

 Chapter 51 - Comparisons can Kill

    Sitting next to Susu was a huge disadvantage for Karen because their tastes in clothing were extremely different. While Susu enjoyed the simple styles, Karen loved the overly exaggerated outfits. Just like today, her outfit was a sleeveless dress with the collar similar to a traditional Qipao and the rest of the dress designed with many shapes and patterns.


    Karen''s dress was royal blue colored and the shapes were flamboyantly outlined. In many people''s eyes, this design is considered outrageously ugly and would have never been made. Not only did it not accentuate one''s body, it flattened out one''s curves as well. Karen confidently stepped out of her house looking like that with a huge butterfly handbag that was the newest season of a famous France collection.


    When she waved the purse in Susu''s face, she expected Susu to show signs of jealousy or envy, but she was so calm that Karen felt like she had been neglected and ignored. Gritting her teeth, she looked at Tian Yuo who looked entranced by Susu''s beauty. Her plan not only didn''t work, it even backfired.


    She forced her lips to tilt upwards as she complimented Susu, "Sis, what a nice dress you''re wearing. Which brand is it from?" Karen knew that after moving out, Susu worked under some company and was probably too poor to afford luxuries.


    "Not sure. A friend gift it to me." Her answer was honest and straightforward. Of course, Karen wouldn''t back down just like that. Karen thought that Susu''s brand was extremely unknown that she had found her weakness. ''How could I let you slide just from responding that you don''t know?''


    She got up from her seat and lightly pulled Susu''s dress from behind, "Come on sis! I just wanted to know because I think it would look good on me as well. The brand wouldn''t be any lowly, poor one, right?"


    Susu didn''t fight it and only made sure that Karen did not take this chance to undress her in front of everyone. When Karen saw the tag, the smile on her face froze.


    "Well?" Susu mockingly asked.


    "C..Chuoyin...brand..." Karen said in a much lowered voice than before. The excitement in her voice had obviously dropped down. Susu smiled and fixed her dress neatly, "Now that you satisfied your curiosity, would you like to see the brand for my bag as well? Oh, and my accessories."


    Susu lifted her handbag and slowly showed it to Karen, leaving Karen in despair. Compared to Susu''s outfit, handbag and jewelries, Karen''s overalls were considered smaller than the cost of a potato. Earlier, Susu had felt the fabric of the dress and could already guess from how well the dress was produced that the price of this entire outfit combined is worth more than hundreds of millions.


    She purposely lured Karen out of her true shell and made her reveal her colorful arrogant nature. Liang Yu Qing quickly told Susu to put away her handbag in case it gets dirtied from the dishes that are about to arrive any minute. With a smile on her face, Susu asked the waiter to bring her another chair and placed the handbag onto it.


    Meanwhile, Karen stared at her new handbag that''s sitting on the cold floor. Karen couldn''t help the humiliation and needed to find something to brag. Though her outfit for tonight cost less compared to Susu''s, she was the designer of it. Therefore, it would be more special than a gift from Susu''s friend.


    Just when she opened her mouth, wanting to flaunt about her design, Susu tilted her head and commented, "By the way, Karen, your taste in clothing hasn''t changed at all. But it''s the same for other things as well. The design on your outfit was either poorly sketched or the person who produced it is an amateur. The colors do not match, and the designs make people feel dizzy. I suggest that you change this brand or else someone may mistake you for an elder. What''s this brand name called?"


    Karen gulped and remained silent when she heard such insults from her. This outfit took her three nights to sketch out and another month to sew together. She did it all by herself and was very proud of it. She even thought it looked perfectly beautiful on herself. "Sis! That''s rude to say."


    "Oh? Is it? Then is it not rude for you to lay your unwashed hands on my dress without my permission? But same thing back to you, my curiosity for which brand this dress belonged to, has heightened. I would put this brand ad designer to my blacklist for sure. So? You want to tell me or should I give you a hand?"


    Everyone sitting at the table remained quiet as tension rose. Zin Leung couldn''t take the silence and spoke, "Susu, Karen made this dress for her birthday. No need to be harsh on her."


    "Okay. If you say so, then I''ve been too harsh on her, but I hope she has learned that comparisons can kill." Susu''s voice didn''t reveal a pinch of sweetness nor warmth like her regular self. It felt as if she was talking to a table of strangers and fighting back when someone bites her.


    Everyone noticed the difference in her tone when she spoke, especially Zin Leung. Finally, dishes began to arrive. Susu watched as the waitresses placed plate after plate of extremely oily, spicy, somewhat raw, and salty varieties of foods onto the table.


    On the outside, nobody could tell what she was thinking, but Susu was planning on ordering a light vegetable dish for herself since she had to be on a strict diet while on medication. Karen didn''t give her a chance to order as she quickly placed a piece of sweet and sour rib onto Susu''s plate.


    Susu stared at the piece of meat and left it untouched on the plate while she looked for a waiter. Seconds later, annoying sobs could be heard from beside her. She rolled her eyes and turned around to see Karen shedding her historically famous tears, "S..sis . I knew it.. I knew that you didn''t like me. I knew that you didn''t like Brother Yuo and me together. But you didn''t have to make it that obvious to not touching the innocent piece of meat on your plate."


    Karen knew that Susu had cancer, so before dinner, she purposely researched the foods that patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia should not have. She ordered everything on the menu that Susu cannot eat too. ''At least today I can push you closer to death.''


    Zin Leung frowned when he saw Susu''s behavior, "Susu, today is for yours and Karen''s birthday. You shouldn''t make a scene out of personal grudges. Hurry and apologize to Karen. Eat the piece of meat on your plate that she placed." A moment of happiness spiked inside of Tian Yuo because he thought that Susu was playing hard to get. If that''s the case, then he can definitely get her to stay married to him.


    Susu faintly smiled and was about to get up to stuff the piece of meat into Karen''s mouth to cut her annoying voice off, but a deep, dangerous voice made her pause in her actions. She turned around to the familiar voice and a hint of warmth spread in her eyes.


    "With me here, I''ll see who dares force her to do what she doesn''t want to do." Chen Mu stood with his arms crossed and slowly walked to Susu''s side. Lily grabbed a bowl filled with food and stood at the best angle to watch this show unfold. ''Best juice of the year! Win her over with your manly nature! Ya! F.u.c.k flowers and those boring romantic overused stuff! This is way better!!''

 Chapter 52 - When is my Birthday?

    "Chen Mu?" Tian Yuo stood up and looked at his best friend who came out from the next room. Chen Mu ignored Tian Yuo''s questionable tone, took the plate with the sweet and sour rib and flipped it upside down onto Karen''s plate, "If you love it so bad, you eat it."


    Zin Leung tried to control his anger, "Chen Mu, do not you think it is basic manners to greet your uncle and to not disturb a family dinner?"


    "Uncle? All I see is a blind father who does not remember his own daughter''s birthday and forcing the daughter to eat something she''s always hated. I don''t recall having any uncle like that. Sorry, but with me here, I''d love to see who could bully Susu." He grabbed Susu''s handbag and helped her up.


    While standing in front of her in a protective manner, Chen Mu''s pitiless as steel, keen and frost gaze slowly threatened each of them at the table. Susu could feel his trembling tight grip on her wrist and knew that he was extremely angry. Looking at how thin these room dividers were, he must have heard everything.


    She looked admiringly with a smile on her face at his back view. Nobody had ever stood up for her like this. ''This feeling is extremely moving.'' Her fingers found his sleeves and she gently tugged on it.


    Chen Mu noticed her slightly pink cheeks and thought that she might be feeling sick. He had to finish with these chickens at the table and bring her out of here. Zin Leung slammed his fist against the table angrily, "Is that how you speak to a family friend? Business partner? Are you not afraid that I would terminate our contracts?!"


    Chen Mu let out a scornful chuckle, "Sure! You know your operations better than I do. Don''t think that just because I normally address you politely, you can climb on top of my head and order me around. You''re only using what you have to try to win over what I just claimed. If you ask yourself honestly, when is Susu''s birthday? Hmm? Can any of you whose and what''s answer me?"


    His eyes scanned fearlessly at everyone''s eyes. Now that everyone is silent, Chen Mu turned his attention concentrated on Karen, sending chills and goosebumps down her spine instantly. "You, the stepsister. I thought that you had learnt our lesson long ago when you tried seducing me and telling me to make you my fiance. I told you to shut it when you threw insults after insults about Susu. Since you never learned, let me teach you another life lesson."


    He loosened his grip on Susu''s wrist and interlocked their fingers, "Since you loved using your pitiful tears to make people surrender, let''s talk about how illogical everyone at this table is. First of all, why the hell should Susu eat whatever someone had placed to her plate? What if it was spiked like a year ago? Second of all, why the heck should she eat anything she always hated? That is her freedom."


    "You were crying because she wasn''t eating that one piece of meat that you placed on her plate. Which part of what you said was false then? Should she be loving and forgiving to you and Tian Yuo for the ruined marriage and schemes that were inevitably man-made? In this case, woman-made. Should she be like Buddha and happily entertain you guys just because you all say that you''re all family? Ridiculous."


    He continued in one breath with a deadly gaze scanning her from head to toe, "You only know how to put on a stupid act because you have such low esteem that you should pity yourself. For those whom you''ve lied to and will continue to lie towards, they are seriously blind and illogical. Senseless. Literally, this is the type of woman every man despises. For you to compare yourself to Susu? You''re not even worthy."


    Finally, he lifted his head and looked at Zin Leung and Tian Yuo, "You two have utterly disappointed Susu and me. The only reason why I would continue giving resources and completing projects for Yin Corporation is because of Susu. If one day she gets all tired and tells me that she does not want to have anything to do with you people, I will immediately terminate the contracts."


    His eyes landed on Tian Yuo, who was trying to look at Susu, "As for you, I thought of you as my childhood friend, but you never once listened to my warnings. You''ve been such a loser and has lost all my respect for you. Susu deserves much better than someone like you who falls for this vixen''s act every damn time. Come on, use your brain. Even if you regret it and beg Susu to come back, too bad, she will never do that. Reflect on yourself."


    Tian Yuo rushed towards Susu when he saw that Chen Mu was dragging her away. Chen Mu pulled Susu behind him before Tian Yuo could reach her, "What do you think you''re doing? Your new fiance-to-be is sitting right there looking at you. Aren''t you too overconfident and shameless?"


    "It''s Susu''s choice at the end! Susu, remain married to me. I''ve offered it before and this offer still stands." He shouted loud as a bell that Karen''s eyes widened in shock.


    Susu rubbed Chen Mu''s arm with her free hand and smiled, "Mr. Tian Yuo, then answer this question. When is my birthday?"


    "...." Tian Yuo was speechless.


    "...." So was Zin Leung.


    "What about you, dad? When is my birthday?" Zin Leung looked her with a puzzled expression. He spat out the first date that came up to his mind, "October 2nd." Tian Yuo followed along and nodded, "Yes, yes. That''s your birthday. I knew that."


    Chen Mu couldn''t help but laugh, "Idiots. That isn''t her birthday, but Karen''s."


    Susu shook her head with a bitter smile on her face, "See? None of you could say my birthday and always celebrated my birthday and hers together. Karen''s birthday is in October, but mine is next month. This prestigious family can''t afford to separate two celebrations? Or two simple dinners? This just showed how much you doted on one daughter and neglected on me. You guys can say whatever, but I am leaving with Chen Mu. As for this dinner, happy birthday, but only to one person, Karen."


    Before she turned around, she hadn''t forgotten to say, "Oh right, and this is the last time that I will ever join these pointless dinners. I also don''t need anyone to pretend that they care and send me presents for my birthday after this. Redemption chances have long expired since the hospital." Her indifferent eyes laid on Zin Leung, shaming him.


    Tian Yuo also didn''t have the guts to chase after them anymore. He could only lower his head and stare at the ground while Chen Mu and Susu left the restaurant. Lily, on the other hand, paid the bill and looked at the ruined dinner.


    "What a pity that such great foods had gone to waste. I am Susu''s best friend and for her, I really can''t hold it in anymore!" She stepped towards Karen, took the fresh plate of sweet and sour ribs that had turned cold already and slammed it into her face. As Karen struggled herself free from the dish, Lily made sure each drop of sauce is rubbed onto her face.


    After that, she whispered, "Enjoy. This is just one bust of a slap to your disgusting face for my Susu. Dare to bully her again, and it wouldn''t be just this."


    When she stepped away and clapped her hands, she hadn''t forgotten what she wrote on her notepad. As she passed by Tian Yuo, her heels "accidentally" slipped and jabbed both his feet multiple times in lightning speed.


    "Ahhrggghghhh!!!" he groaned and bent downwards. When he knelt down, her knees struck up, giving him a nosebleed. "This is what you deserve." She left with her heels intact and satisfyingly headed back home.

 Chapter 53 - Still Angry?

    After exiting the restaurant, Chen Mu remained silent as he drove and Susu sat in the passenger seat. Once in a while, he would noticed at the corner of his eyes that she would peek at him to study his expression.


    Finally, he pulled over when they reached the parking spot near the beach. "Let''s take a walk." He said while suppressing his emotions. She could feel his frustrations from how deep the space between his brows were curled up.


    He walked to the rails and sighed deeply, "Susu, just how did you live with those disgusting people? I thought that your father would be the most sensible and understanding person, but he was a foul! Did you hear how he sided with that Karen?! Ridiculous!" His hands gripped on either side of his h.i.p.s as he ranted more and more anger words out of his system.


    "And that Karen! Did she think her freaking tears could cover the whole world with salt? I''ll teach her what salt taste like when I rub it all over her damn face with those oily, spicy dishes that she had ordered! Hooligans! Corrupted individuals! Thank god none of them were cops or this world is truly over! Dead!" He started to raise his voice by a tad and faced the ocean as he spoke.


    "Not only that! She tried to compare herself to you. She should be glad that my hands didn''t slip from the other side of the room divider and accidentally spilled my bowl of soup onto her head! Seriously, her outfit looked like wicked yogurt balls with mixed expired berries and ants crawling all over it! Her handbag is expensive, but she doesn''t match the aura of the bag! What a disgrace to the designer!"


    "Pfft... hahahaha" She held her stomach and finally uncovered her mouth. She had to cover her mouth to not let the laughs come out. Seeing him get this angry for her made her feel extremely good for some reason.


    "Y..you! You were just bullied! How could you not be angry with those gangsters?!" He turned towards her and gently pinched her cheeks while hearing her giggle more. She looked up with her slightly stretched face and pinkish eyes, "Someone is being angry on my behalf, so shouldn''t I be laughing it out? I''m helping you balance!"


    She patted his shoulder and brushed some air off his shoulders, "Here, I''ll lift some weight off your shoulders for you! Hehehe." Facing her, he didn''t know if he should be glad or happy at how she is reacting. There he is, all grumpy and dissatisfied with thousands of words coming out of his mouth and she''s laughing like he was a comedian.


    He stopped pinching her cheeks and rubbed them delicately as if it were a priceless treasure. Each touch was as gentle and light as a feather''s weight. He continued to complain as she smiled and stared at him sweetly.


    "Geez! The one that got me mad the most was Tian Yuo!!! Every single damn year! I always reminded him of your birthday and even handed him presents! How the f.u.c.k did he forget? Were my words that hard to remember? Is he that brainless? Or am I just overestimating his intelligence if he had any to begin with? Wait, actually, he''s been pretty damn gullible. Ughh!!! This is sooo frustrating!!!!"


    She stood there with her lips slightly parted, "You did what?" Her mellow voice and the warm palms that reached for his face instantly made him quiet. He could hear cricket sounds and crows cawing while passing by like those anime scenes where awkward silences took place.


    His attempt in averting his gaze failed as her palms guided his eyes to meet hers, "What did you just say?"


    "W..wah.. what did I just say? I didn''t say anything." He stuttered as he focused on the gentleness in her voice. It sounded so soothing that he wanted to drown in it.


    "You said something about passing presents and reminding somebody about my birthday! So? Hmm? True or false? Random spurts outs or truth? Truth or the truth? Pick either one, it''ll still land on truth, right?" She pressed his cheeks inwards and made his lips form a fish lip shape.


    He lifted both arms and surrendered, "Yeesshh, troooffff....trooofff..." His pronunciations were so off, but she understood what he had said. Hearing the answer that she wanted to hear, she released his cheeks and playfully said, "What''s that you said? I didn''t understand~ Say it properly."


    Staring into her bright adoring eyes, he recognized the hint of mischievousness and played along, "I said, I was the one who handed him the presents to pass to you for your birthdays. I was the one who reminded him about your birthdays. It was all me." This time, his palms covered her face and caressed it.


    Her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked and listened to his husky voice, "Why? You know, if I never received any of those gifts, I might have ended things much earlier with him."


    "Because I was afraid...." his fingers brushed her cheeks and slid down her arms, capturing her hands in his. "I was afraid to see or think of you being sad on any day, especially your birthday. Even if I handed you the gift, you wouldn''t have been as happy as receiving a gift from him.


    "So.. for all these years, it was you who wrote those pretty birthday cards that had his name on the front of the envelope? It was you who picked out the smallest and biggest gifts that didn''t happen to be coincidentally exactly to my liking? You were the one who always looked after me even though you had to go out of your way to do all this?"


    "Mm... I did those all for you because your smile is the best gift anyone could ever give me." His thumbs nervously moved back and forth against the back of her hand. She could feel the wetness of his sweaty palms as she continued, "Why? Why did you do all that, but wouldn''t let me know about it? Why would you do it for all these years without asking for anything or telling me about it?"


    He tried to loosen his grip on her hands, but she didn''t allow it. Instead, she pulled him close to her body, and their chests were touching. She looked into his eyes deeply, searching for the answer she wanted to confirm.


    After a few minutes of staring into each other''s eyes, she frowned from his silence, "If you''re not going to tell me the answer, then it''s fine. Just leave me hanging. I''ll walk home myself while you stay here to eat some wind!"


    She separated from him, let his hands go and walked away from him in the opposite direction of where home was. He quickly chased after her and said, "Susu! Home is the other way!"


    "Hmph! Who cares? Obviously, my dad doesn''t care. I don''t care. So why would you care? Huh? You couldn''t even tell me the reason why you did all those for me. So tell me, why would you care? Why should you care? Why should I listen to you?!! Mphhhhhffsbjdf!!" Her lips were covered by his, immediately taming her as her arms circled around his neck.


    After giving her a passionate kiss for two minutes, he separated his lips from hers and said, "Because I love you. I have fallen in love with you since a long time ago. It was a small puppy love at first, but unconsciously, these feelings started to grow into a bond that is much stronger and greedier. I''ve always wanted to see this beautiful smile, but not for anyone else, only for me. That is why...I did all that."


    She lowered her head against this chest as her body trembled slightly, making him anxious. He thought that he might have forced the kiss and hurt her feelings. What he didn''t expect was that this little devil had been pretending to be angry and purposely stomped the opposite direction to make him spit out a confession.


    He raised his left brow and crossed his arms after hearing some giggles leaving her mouth, "Hoooooh, so somebody tricked me! Okay, now I''m mad." He pretended to be mad and loosen her arms around his neck, trying to scare her.


    In the next minute, she lifted her head and gave the most cheerful and blooming smile that he had ever seen. Once again, she had captured his heart and made him fall even deeper in love with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tiptoed, "Still angry? Hmm?" She blinked adorably just an inch away from his face.


    "Yes." He cleared his throat and acted like he was really mad to see what she would do.


    "Oh?" She returned the kiss from earlier and made it last three minutes. Though still sloppy, it has improved from last time. Nearly out of breath, she nibbled on his lower lip and tilted her head, "What about now?"


    "Still mad." The desires in his eyes were so evident, and his lie was exposed as well. Chuckling softly by his ears, she whispered, "Then, let me tell you a secret. I love you too."


    That smile, that kiss, and that loving voice that she used to confess to him almost gave him a heart attack. It took him by surprise. So surprising that he pinched his own cheeks to make sure it hurt. So surprising that he touched her face, watched and heard the girl''s mouth repeat, "Chen Mu. I love you too. Should we try dating?"


    Immediately after her question, he tremendously blushed, similar to cherries. He tried to look away and face elsewhere, but wherever he tried to hide, her face would follow. She took his hands apart to avoid him from hiding his expression from her as she teasingly asked and continued repeating, "Shall we date? Date? Yes? No? Maybe Yes? Absolutely yes!"


    His arms wrapped around her body tightly, "That''s a billion infinity times of absolutely yeses!"

 Chapter 54 - Its Been Settled

    After laughing and hugging for a while, Susu''s stomach growled, "I forgot I haven''t eaten..."


    Chen Mu dotingly rubbed her head, held her hand and headed back to the car, "Then let''s go fill your tummy up. What do you want to eat?"


    "Mmmmm~~ Lots of vegetables and little to no oil dishes!" She swung their hands back and forth as they walked back to the car.


    "Then let''s head to the supermarket and buy the freshest vegetables. I''ll make dinner for you since other places use a lot of oil to make foods." He opened the door with his free hand and helped her settle in the passenger seat like a gentleman.


    She smiled and nodded, "Okayyy, then I''ll also help out for dinner. We can cook together~"


    After going to the supermarket, they went back home and prepared for their meal. In the middle of stir frying vegetables, Chen Mu suddenly remembered Tian Yuo''s words of remaining married when they were at the restaurant earlier.


    "What did Tian Yuo mean by remaining married? Didn''t you two sign the divorce papers?" he asked, sounding confused.


    "I don''t know either. I already received the copy of the official divorced notice. We are already divorced? His brain has been functioning pretty weird lately, I didn''t understand a word that he was saying. He placed low tricks to try to prevent me from signing the divorce papers." She finally got to complain about his damn actions in the elevator. Luckily she had her pepper spray stick with her or else she might have been taken advantage of.


    "What do you mean by he tried to prevent you from signing the divorce papers? Didn''t I drop you off at Tian Corps the other time? What did he do?" The vegetables were perfectly done so he turned off the fire and poured the food into a clean plate before bringing it to the dinner table. At the same time, the meat dish that she was making also finished, so she followed after him to the dining table with the food in her hand.


    After helping each other with the rice and passing utensils, Susu responded, "He made the elevator stop midway and trapped me with him to try to talk me out of divorcing him. At one point, he tried to take advantage of me and cornered me..."


    "He did what?! Were you okay? Did that bastard do anything to you?!!" The chopsticks in his hand almost snapped in half.


    "Relax, relax. Everything was fine. I carried my pepper spray with me, and I attacked him out of defense. I snuck into the lawyer''s office and signed the new divorce papers the same day. Not long after, a copy of the processed divorce was delivered to me. I could even show you it." She placed a few pieces of meat on top of his rice.


    "I''ll take a look at it later." His heart was still racing rapidly from the news that she was almost assaulted in Tian Corps just because a jerk wanted to keep her as his wife for no reason.


    "You don''t trust me?" She frowned slightly.


    He put his chopsticks down, got up from his seat, and rubbed her cheeks in his palms, "It''s not that I don''t trust you. I don''t trust Tian Corps and Tian Yuo enough. What if the divorce papers that they sent over were fake, and you are actually still married to him? I don''t want any chances of sly tricks come across us in the future that could affect our relationship."


    Her lips curved upwards and revealed the same blossoming smile from before. His fingers subconsciously reached her lips and rubbed it in the motion of how one would apply lip balm to their lips. The way her eyelids fell nearly shut, and she subconsciously bit her bottom lip slightly aroused his desires to taste her lips.


    His body bent forward and her lips pursed when she felt him getting closer. The next second she heard chewing sounds and felt slight movements from the chopsticks that her hand was holding. She opened her eyes to see him enjoying the vegetables that were originally between her chopsticks, now in his mouth.


    "Mmmm... the food is good." he smiled.


    Her brow raised slightly as she stared at him with an Elvish smile, "Oh? Is the vegetable that good?"


    She placed the chopsticks on the table and stood up to wrap her arms around his neck. He gulped in response and looked down at the girl smiling seductively at him with her slightly parted glossy lips shimmering alluringly under the kitchen lights.


    Her fingers drew circles on the back of his neck, and she minimized the gap between them, leaving a small distance where his lips could feel her breathing, "Well?"


    Under her sweet temptation, he pulled her close by her waist and lowered his head to meet her lips. The softness of her lips and the fact that she belonged to him made the kiss extra special. The small pecks became aggressive as they yearned for more.


    The warmness of their tongues tangling and exploring the other''s territory heightened their affection for each other; as if they could become one from bonding through a kiss. Their kiss felt like it lasted for a long time, but it was merely four minutes. Their eyes remained eye contact as they panted breathlessly.


    Their foreheads bumped against each other lightly and small laughs escaped their mouths as they cuddled while standing. When they realized that they had forgotten about eating, it was when their stomachs growled as a warning. Fortunately, the food was still warm after their kisses and hugs.


    Meanwhile, Zin Leung was complaining on the phone to Chen Mu''s parents for his behavior during dinner. He was so angry that he threatened with terminating his contract and ending their long-term friendship. Karen was sobbing hysterically while the phone call took place, making the situation even more complicated.


    Chen Mu received a text from his parents, "Come home right away."

 Chapter 55 - Weakened Knees

    After receiving the text, Chen Mu could already guess what had happened to make his parents call him back home. It''s been a while since he''s seen them anyways. The last time he saw them they had just come back from Hawaii and was flaunting their love to his face and sprinkling fairy salt dust to make him find a partner.


    He put down his phone to see Susu struggling to untie the knot that she tied behind her apron. Her fingers were great at backwards texting, but definitely not for apron untying. He let out a quiet laugh, half-suppressing his smile as he walked over and skillfully loosened the knot. She obediently stayed in place with her hands on her sides.


    "Done." The apron loosened, and she quickly pulled it off, "Phew, I thought I would be stuck sleeping with this apron."


    He chuckled lowly by her ears and wrapped his arms around her from behind. His head rested on her shoulders as her light floral perfume filled his nostrils. With his eyes closed, he captured this amazing feeling of his longing dream since childhood becoming reality. At this moment, he felt that everything is completely in the right place.


    "Susu, I need to go to my parents for a bit. Are you going to be okay staying by yourself?" He asked while pulling her in for a tighter embrace, as if he wanted to bring her far away to a foreign place.


    "Uh huh, sure. I''ll be right here when you come back." Her hand reached backwards and ruffled through his hair. After a while, he grabbed his jacket and gave her a peck on the forehead before leaving to his parent''s house.


    - Chen residence -


    "I''m home." Chen Mu said as he walked to the living room where his parents would usually be enjoying their private time after a long day of work. He walked in and like the usual, his parents were sipping tea waiting for him patiently. The only thing that is different is their mood.


    It''s like he could see dark, thunderous clouds above their heads and his mother was obviously sulking.


    "Oh! My son is finally home!" Chen Xin Ya, Chen Mu''s mother said in a slightly upset manner. Still, she got up to give him a hug and patted him on the back before sitting back down next to her husband, Chen Ting.


    Chen Ting rubbed his ears and pointed at his cell phone, "Son, I''m getting old, but I don''t want to be deaf before turning eighty years old. Care to explain why my ear drums almost exploded right after your mother and I got off the airplane?"


    Chen Mu saw the unpacked luggage behind the couch and could tell that they were not pleased at the moment. Before he could say another word, Chen Xin Ya said, "Yin Zin Leung called. If you''re wondering what this is about."


    Chen Mu nodded as if he had expected it, "Who else would disrupt you guys like that? But mom.. and dad.. I did what I had to do. I couldn''t just stand back and watch Susu get hurt. You guys watched her since she was young too. You two knew how she was struggling throughout childhood in that family. I told you guys everything!"


    "Not everything, son. We know that Susu has suffered in that family, but this is within her family. Why did you interrupt and act the way you did? Was this how we taught you?" Xin Ya asked with an indifferent tone while stirring the lemon in her water.


    Chen Ting added, "In addition to that, Yin Zin Leung threatened to terminate the contracts with the company along with our friendship. He said that Susu''s family name was still Yin, so you had no rights to interfere their dinner. He requested for you to give them each an apology."


    "Mom, I have every right to do what I did. If I didn''t stand up for her, those people wouldn''t know what respect really means. If those crap that I have lectured from this afternoon is still considered as a family just because they have the same surname, then I can make her my family! I could go to the wedding halls tomorrow and marry her. There! Change her surname to Chen. I''ll take care of her if none of you accept her."


    He was furious at Zin Leung''s words, "If he says that because Susu still has his family name, then I''ll make her a Chen! There, I will have every damn right to interfere now while they can escort their asses out of our sight. They''ve tortured her enough, and I won''t allow anyone to make her shed another tear."


    His face flushed and blood boiled in his bloodstreams as he clenched his fists tightly. Suddenly, Xin Ya bursts out in laughter, "Pfft hahahahaha, I''m sorry! Sorry, hubby! I can''t pretend anymore! Hahahaha, this is too great!"


    Chen Ting looked at his wife and gave up in their acting, "Aiya! Always you. This is why he could see through our lies all the time!"


    "Mom..? Dad..? Y..you two aren''t angry?" The wrinkles on his forehead smoothed out as he heard and saw his parents laughing and patting each other''s back.


    Xin Ya wiped away a drip of tear from the corner of her eye and walked to him, "Geez, have some confidence in us. Do we look like the type who would get mad over a wrecked dinner? We''ve watched Susu since what? Since she was like five! I''ve long thought of her as my daughter and wanted to dote on her. I was a bit upset earlier at you, though."


    "At me..?" His head tilted slightly sideways, looking confused.


    "Yes! For once in your life, you got a girlfriend! Did you know how quiet I was while listening to the damn Zin Leung shout into our ears about you taking Susu away?! From all the things that he spat out, we just wanted to confirm the main point out of the whole situation!"


    "...and the main point...of your whole show... is..." Chen Mu felt flabbergasted at his parent''s playful super top notch acting.


    Xin Ya clapped her hands excitedly as her smile reached her eyes, "Of course it is for you to admit that you and her are together! You just declared your love for her in front of us! And for you to say all that with confidence, you must be dating her with marriage set as a goal~ Is mommy right?! Hmmm? Hmmm?"


    Chen Mu was speechless, "I..I need a chair. My legs are going weak. Here I was thinking how to explain to the both of you and try to extinguish the flames. Yet all along, I was being played? Arghhh, damn! You two must have gone on vacation for so long that you missed me dearly. What a hit to my heart!"


    He covered his chest like he had been shot. Chen Ting''s sly tone caught Chen Mu''s attention instantly, "Your mother and I aren''t those strict ass parents who value business. Business comes and goes. If the partner already shows the signs of disloyalty, then we might as well let them. Right?" His meaning was quite clear about what he wanted Chen Mu to do.


    "I thought you would value the friendship." He was quite shocked at his father''s straightforward decision to terminate the contract with Yin Corps.


    "Hah! Friendship and business do not mix. And plus, using friendship to gain advantages over business is not something I tolerate. Plus, they said some pretty petty things that got on my nerves. So, why not do them a favor and do as they say?" Chen Ting may seem friendly on the surface, but once angered; he could be as fierce as a dragon''s fire breath.


    "By the way.." Xin Ya patted Chen Mu''s shoulder.


    "Yes, mom?"


    "Just lecturing wasn''t enough! I heard Karen''s face was covered in sweet and sour ribs while Tian Yuo''s feet had tap danced holes in his shoes when they left! Sheesh, if there is a next time, don''t do things so half-assed! Your parents taught you better! You need to lecture them less and slam more dishes to their faces. Your words were barely enough! Thank goodness Lily finished it off for you."


    "Oh... okay...So that was what you meant when you asked earlier if that was how you raised me..."


    ''Never underestimate mothers...'' he repeated in his head.

 Chapter 56 - Huge Huggable Teddy Bear!

    Chen Xin Ya spoke too much that her throat became dry. Seeing his wife clearing her throat, Chen Ting brought the cup of tea to her to lessen her discomfort. After that, she continued in a curious tone, "My little Mu, I''ve heard quite a shocking thing from Lin Que recently. This is another reason why I made you come home. You''ve never been the slightest into being a doctor. What made you change your mind?"


    She was sharp with her instincts. Xin Ya knew that Chen Mu was not the type who would do things half heartedly. For him to suddenly, become the top of the legendary genius in the medical field worried her. Exactly because of his personality, if he suffered from any diseases, he would most likely hide it from them so that they wouldn''t be worried.


    As if he could read his mother''s mind, he answered, "Don''t worry, I''m not sick. I don''t want to tell you guys the reason for now and I hope you will respect my choice. I want to wait until everything is ready to be out in the open."


    Seeing the bitter smile on his face stopped their further questions, "Alright. It''s getting late. Are you going to stay overnight? It''s like one in the morning."


    He shook his head in response, "Susu''s waiting for me, so I need to go back home. She might be forcing herself to stay awake." The bitter smile from earlier was replaced with one filled with warmth and delight.


    Xin Ya blinked a few times with a smirk on her face, "So.. you only told us that you two were a thing now~ When were you planning on telling us that you two were living together? Hmmmm?~~~"


    "U..Um... That... Hahaha... Mom.. Look, it''s getting late. Time to go. It''s not safe for a girl to be home alone at this time of the day.. I mean night! Yeah, yeah, whatever questions you have, uhm, I''ll answer it another day! Bye bye~ Love you mom, dad! Sleep tight!!"


    He quickly waved his hand while running out of the house as if staying for another second would end up being a few hours. Chen Ting walked over to his wife who stood by the window, staring at Chen Mu skipping happily to his car.


    "Our son has grown up." he whispered.


    "Indeed. No wonder for all these years he had never been interested in even taking one look at the girls that I wanted to hook him up with. Oh wells, even better now. I can''t wait to see Susu as my future daughter-in-law the next time we meet!"


    She hugged Chen Ting''s waist and rested her head on his chest. Although they had stopped asking questions about why Chen Mu had suddenly became a doctor in such a short span of time, a part of them already knew it was not great news or else he wouldn''t look that way earlier.


    "For now, we can only wait until he tells us.." Chen Ting whispered lowly as Xin Ya slowly nodded. They watched until Chen Mu had driven off far out of their sight before heading to bed.


    When Chen Mu got back to his condo, he minimized every sound he made just in case she was already asleep. Seeing the faint glow coming from the living room, he assumed that Susu had forgotten to switch off the table lamp before going to sleep. He smiled and lightly stepped to the living room to turn it off.


    When his foot touched the furry carpet, he stopped and turned his attention over to the couch where he saw her cozily wrapped in a blanket with her bear ear hoodie covering her head. She was sleeping soundly as if the rest of the world had nothing to do with her.


    Bending his knees, he lowered to her eye level and brushed some strands of fringes away from poking her eyelids. She had a sweet smile on her face as he carried her gently in his arms back to her room. Every movement that he made was extremely careful, especially when he laid her in her bed.


    When she frowned, he would halt in his moves until she looked relaxed again. After putting her on the bed, he tried to retract his arm, but she was resting on it. If he slipped his arm away from her, she would surely wake up.


    This girl really knew how to play his heartstrings. Every time he moved slightly, she would either frown or wrinkle her brows. At the end, he gave up and decided to rest next to her with his arm as her pillow. Once in a while, she would throw a few kicks at him and tangle their legs together as if they were an octopus or something.


    Sometimes he would notice a slight frown on her face, which made him wonder if she was having a nightmare. She woke up twice with her droopy eyelids, but his warm forehead kisses put her back to sleep in his embrace. At one point, she whispered as she dozed off, "We..lcome home.."


    He smiled and covered her with the blanket while whispering, "I''m home." Perhaps she felt comfortably warm around him, her body snuggled closer to his body and arms used him as a huggable pillow.


    That night, both of them fell asleep in deep slumber. Without any chaos or drama, their minds were free and happy. The next morning, Susu woke up and cuddled up to the warmth she felt.


    "Ahhh! What a great dream! A huge huggable teddy bear that is warm and smells good!" Since her pajamas was furry, she didn''t feel the hardness of his chest against her face. She rubbed her face on his chest without opening her eyes until her hand accidentally groped one of his butt cheeks.


    He lowered his head to face the energetic girlfriend of his, "Morning dear, are you satisfied with my round butt that you''re groping?"


    "Hmmm?" She caressed his butt cheeks thrice and then looked up with the huge smile she had on her face. This time, her eyes were opened, and she just realized what she had just done. ''I''m dooooomed! He must think that I''m a pervert!''


    "U..U.mm. Good morning...hahaha...Y..you have a smooth butt!" She gasped and quickly hid under the blankets out of embarrassment, ''Oh my god! What did I just say???''


    "Pffft, ahahaha I never expected you to be so bold. Thanks for the compliment." It was their first day as an officially dating couple and it already started out fantastic!


    She peeked out of the covers and blinked, "How did I get back to my room?"


    "I carried you, but you looked uncomfortable when I tried removing my arm as your pillow so I gave you my first time (First sleepover with a girl). Take responsibility for this ass that you groped." He winked, making her wiggle back into the blanket.


    "Aiya~~ So our family''s Susu wouldn''t be responsible for me. I lost my-"


    She came out of the blanket once again and covered his mouth, "Noooo, don''t make it sound so naughty! I only slept with you last night! Hmph! I''ll take responsibility for your ass, but that''s it!"


    "PFfft, as long as you''re taking responsibility for me." He kissed her palm and pulled her close for a hug. Her heart was not ready at all for this morning strike of happiness. ''Who told these hands to not keep it to themselves and touched his tooshie? Oh wells, it was a nice treat.''

 Chapter 57 - Feverish

    One afternoon, Lily was in the middle of shopping when she received a call from Susu. Through the call, she could catch the nervousness in her voice.


    Susu sounded extremely glad when Lily picked up her call, "Lily! Thank god you picked up!"


    Lily smiled, "Hello my darling! What''s up? How are you two doing? Have you made a move yet? Last time I got some juicy news was about you pinning him down and kissing him~ I was so proud of you!"


    Susu covered her face with embarrassment when she heard how Lily described her actions with such carefreeness, "First of all! I jumped onto him on the couch in the middle of a horror movie! Second of all... well... there isn''t any because I did kiss him. Anyways, do you have time for some lunch or dessert?"


    Catching a glimpse of her bewildered tone, Lily decided to postpone her shopping plans and meet with her for lunch, "Sure. I''m free today. Where do you want to meet? Do you need me to pick you up?"


    Susu quickly replied, "Oh! Umm.. Memories Cafe in an hour? And you don''t have to pick me up. It''s a ten minute walk from the condo."


    "Sure thing, Hun. I''ll see you soon." The uncertainty in Susu''s tone worried Lily greatly.


    -Memories Cafe-


    Susu had already arrived and ordered a cup of Oolong tea with Cheese foam when Lily walked into the cafe. She smiled when she saw Susu lost in her thoughts and decided to give her a surprised hug from behind.


    "Surprise!!! Hun, it''s been so long since we''ve hung out! Last time I saw you were in that restaurant with your crappy family members! Don''t worry though, that ending with the lecturing was too dull, so I added some sparks for you guys at the end. You know, like exploding fireworks." She winked and told Susu how she smashed the plate of sweet and sour ribs in Karen''s face and then taught Tian Yuo a lesson.


    Susu laughed heartily when she heard Lily''s descriptive details of how she did it and how many times she had jabbed Tian Yuo''s toes before giving him a flat nose. "Hahahaha, sounds just like you, Honey bun. Anyways, I have something important that I want to ask you today!"


    Lily''s eyes sparkled with excitement as she saw the slight blush on Susu''s face, "Yes! At your service anytime! Talk to granny!"


    "So like... Recently, I''ve been feeling feverish..." She curled the tips of her hair using her finger.


    "Feverish? Are you feeling alright?" Lily frowned and quickly placed her palms on Susu''s forehead. Susu shook her head and said, "Not that kind of fever. I meant... I meant like for example, after Chen Mu came out of his shower, I watched the water droplets trace down his neck.."


    "Uh huh~ Come on, tell me more." Lily already knew what was wrong with Susu, but being a natural teaser, it would be against her ethics to let this cute bunny go without making her cheeks turn bright as an apples.


    Susu continued, "When we were watching movies together, I wanted to get close to him. Once I did get close enough to feel his warmth, I ended up staring at his lips instead of the damn movie! And my hands!"


    "What''s wrong with your hands? Why? Where did it touch?" Lily grew even more excited after hearing Susu''s slow confession and leaned forward with her hands by her ears to listen attentively to every word that she was about to say.


    "His tooshie!!! Yes! I know! His perfectly shaped round ass that I accidentally groped for at least three times!" She covered her face with both hands and shook her head.


    ".... M..my dear, y..you actually groped his ass? I expected it to be his hair or hand or thigh... am I too conservative now?" She was speechless when she heard what Susu did. This wasn''t an improvement! This was like a huge step from earth to heaven!


    "Yes!!! I know!!! And now my hands wouldn''t stop touching him and my body feels weird too! I swear I feel all heat up whenever I''m near him! What should I do?" She had never felt this way before even when she loved Tian Yuo for all these years.


    Lily patted Susu''s shoulder and in the most sincere tone, she said, "Sleep with that beauty and take responsibility! Hun, it''s a crime not to eat when you could devour great food. Since you''ve already claimed a part of his body, might as well eat the whole meal and take responibility for it. Don''t leave that dish hanging out too cold or another person will eat it."


    "Huh? Responsibility? I already took responsibility for his ass! And that sleeping together thing was a coincidence! I mean accident!"


    "You two already slept together?!!!" Lily''s palm laid flat on the table as she breathed heavily and inconsistently.


    Susu nodded with her face still covered.


    "So I become the person pulling your strings, and you two don''t even tell me anything anymore? SLEPT TOGETHER? What''s next? Elope to a secluded island, have some babies, and then come back to call me godmother? I''m not going to let any of that happen! I''ll have you guys married right here, right now."


    "Huh? We slept together on the same bed, but nothing else happened. What''s there to share?" Susu looked confused when Lily screamed out as if that was a big deal.


    "What? Phew, I thought you guys meant... oh nevermind... sigh... so now... what else does this grandma not know yet? Spill the beans before my h.i.p.s can bear no more cracks from suddenly jumping out of my seat." She drank a few sips of tea to calm her unsettling heart.


    "We''re dating."


    "Pooft" she spat out her small mouthful of tea when she heard that.


    "Dating?? When were you guys planning to announce that to me? Honey bunny, how did it happen? When? Where? Ohhh you must have been sooo happy." Once again, her calm heart almost burst like bubbles.


    After telling her the whole thing from beginning till now, Lily crossed her arms and asked, "Then I don''t even see the problem you have as a problem. If he''s yours, then you have all rights to touch not only one tooshie, but both butt cheeks. You can massage it while you''re at it to make it a fuller shape if you are the groper type."


    "But..."


    "Just grope the man''s damn ass! You can take all the advantages that you want when it comes to this man, mhmm, no problem." Lily held Susu''s hand and urged her to do whatever the heck she wishes to do to Chen Mu as if she was Chen Mu''s mother and is handing him over to Susu. If she was really his mother, he would have been quickly sold out to Susu in no time.

 Chapter 58 - Personal Invitation

    Susu realized that the more she spoke about touching Chen Mu''s butt cheeks, the more excited she felt. At the same time, Lily saw the lack of confidence inside of her and decided to give her a hand. While Susu poured herself another cup of tea, Lilt bent forward and whispered lowly into her right ear, "Darling, shall I teach you a few tricks?"


    Susu almost spilled the tea that she was pouring when Lily''s voice sent weird signals all over the place inside her body. She shivered and put down the teapot while rubbing her ears, "Lily!"


    "Heh, that trick works for both men and women. Darling, you''re not leaving me today without learning these tricks. I''m sure you would be very curious, and your hands would definitely cooperate with me." Her fingers teased the back of Susu''s hands, sending goosebumps all over her body.


    "A..alright! Now stop trying to seduce me or I would be grabbing your butt instead of Chen Mu''s!" She jokingly said as she finished her tea without further interruptions. Just as they were about to leave after paying the check, an unexpected guest showed up at their table with a friendly smile.


    "It''s been such a long time since I''ve last seen you, Susu." The middle age man extended his hand for a handshake, followed by a hug. Susu''s smile lit up like the blazing hot sun in the summer, so bright and shimmering, "Oh my! It''s been forever since I''ve seen you, Professor Luo Xia!"


    Lily cleared her throat, "Hun?"


    "Oh, right! Professor Luo Xia, this is Lily Jiang. Lily, this is Professor Luo Xia from the Paris Fashion Institute." Susu happily introduced the two of them to each other.


    "Isn''t that the famous Academy for designers with the acceptance rate lower than 15% per year? The students who attend there must be extremely talented to be chosen, and that is also after many rounds of competing with other applicants." Lily rubbed her chin a few times while trying to recall the details.


    "Yes, that is correct. He teaches there." Susu looked at Professor Luo Xia with admiration in her eyes.


    Professor Luo Xia sighed deeply, "It''s a pity that you weren''t able to submit your application on time that year. I personally invited you to join our Academy because of how talented you were when it came to designing clothes. The uniqueness and boldness in your designs capture the aspiration of many. At first look, it may seem like any simple piece, but once someone wears it, it brings out their dreams."


    He shook his head in regret, "Child, why didn''t you reapply afterwards? With your potentials, you could definitely be accepted. What happened?"


    "Mm.. It is a pity because I wanted to attend the Academy as well. There was a technology problem on my side the day before admissions closed and I missed my chance. Later, many personal problems arose, and I couldn''t find the time to concentrate on creating more designs." She remembered the months she spent on idealizing each and every sketch until the final product was done.


    "I see, well, my offer still stands. If you ever want to join the Academy, give me a call or email. I''ll gladly write another recommendation letter for you." He smiled and gave her another hug before going back to his table.


    Lily stared at his business card and complimented, "Wow! This looked like a damn credit card for a second. This is a free pass. With this, you can fulfill the dreams of designing. Isn''t Professor Luo Xia the man whose work you''ve truly loved?"


    Susu''s smile slowly curved downwards, "I wish I could do this, but I don''t have time to. If I have the time, I will rather spend it with you, Chen Mu, and whoever is important to me."


    Lily knew exactly what she was saying, but didn''t want the joyful mood to turn into something sad, so she pinched Susu''s cheeks and said, "We have all the time in this world, especially when it comes to groping your man''s ass properly~~" She pulled Susu out of the cafe and paid a visit to the hospital.


    When Lily barged into Lin Que''s laboratory, he wasn''t the slightest surprised as if he was already used to it, "Darling! I''m back!!!" Lily hopped on her fiance''s lap and gave him two cheek kisses, leaving her lipstick marks.


    She grinned and said, "Darling~ Spare me a few minutes, would you?"


    He put down his pen and took off his glasses, "My pleasure. What''s up?"


    Susu peeked her head into the laboratory when she heard Lily call her name, "Is it over?" She innocently peeked between her fingers.


    "Pffft, it just started!" Lily dragged her into the room and locked the doors from behind so that there would be no more interruptions.


    Lin Que was puzzled when he saw Susu dragged into the room, "Is your friend feeling alright?" He asked because he was the one who was in charge of her cancer progress. Recently, nothing has changed in her body. Everything was normal and her condition seemed better than before.


    "Don''t worry, she is here to learn from me. My tricks hehehehe" Lily teased while looking at Susu''s direction, making her blush and avert her gaze.


    "Lin Que, darling, I need to raise her confidence in touching tooshies and you are my model! Stand up!" She pulled his hands and had him stand up straight as she demonstrated to Susu the proper ways to grope a man.


    "Susu! Don''t cover your eyes! You need to learn your moves well by observing!" Lily separated Susu''s hands and made sure she was looking before starting the ultimate ass groping session.


    Lily leaned forward to capture Lin Que in her embrace as her b.r.e.a.s.t gently glided against his torso. Her hands guided his arms around her tiny waist as her palms slid up and down his arms. Her eyes revealed an unspeakable desire when she observed his ocean deep eyes, straight nose, and parted lips.


    As she tiptoed from her high heels to cover his lips with hers, her hands smoothly felt his hard chest before wrapping around his waist. The first peck was a small one, teasing the man greatly as he suppressed his desires to push her down at the moment. She closed her eyes halfway and slowly explored the man''s top and bottom lip through nibbling.


    When she stopped, the heels of her foot were touching the floor again. Then, he bent forward and captured her lips with his. There, and then, her hands smoothly felt his bottoms and rubbed its shape before giving it a few gentle squeezes.


    Susu had never watched p.o.r.n before, but this was certainly a very romantic part of some movie leading up to a good intimate scene. "Andddddd that is exactly how you slowly lead him on!" Lily stopped Lin Que''s kisses with her palm, leaving him hanging after getting him aroused. The man looked at her with darkened eyes as if he would devour her on the spot if Susu wasn''t there.


    She excitedly held Susu''s hands and said, "Do you get what to do now?~ You don''t have to do the exact of what I did, but it''s not a bad start. The main point is teasing! Tease the man! Then tame him!"


    Susu could only nod with her cheeks flushed from seeing their intimate level. Chen Mu called her a few times, but she didn''t know because it was on vibration and her bag was hanging on one of the hooks by the door. Finally hearing a bzzt sound, Susu ran to pick up the call, "H..hello?"


    "I..I''m at the hospital with Lily. Nope. Nothing is wrong. I was about to go home because Lily is getting busy soon. Okay, I''ll meet you outside then." Susu hung up, grabbed her belongings and hurriedly left to meet Chen Mu, "Thanks for the tips and good luck to you, Lily! Bye Dr. Lin Que! Don''t play with fire next time!" Susu hadn''t forgotten to lock the doors from the inside before shutting it from behind. After the doors to the lab had shut, the temperature slowly rose.


    Lily didn''t understand what Susu was talking about until she felt a pair of warm arms circle around her from behind and the heat of the man''s lips as he left marks on her neck, " For that, you deserve some punishment."


    "Mm...My future-hubby-to-be is quite impatient. See? That trick works out quite well, doesn''t it?" She proudly said as she enjoyed his hands roaming around her body skillfully to her sensitive spots. Soon, the lab was filled with m.o.a.ns, and it didn''t stop until a few hours later. It was a great thing that the hospital made the labs soundproof. Those soundproof walls protected many v.i.r.g.i.n ears.

 Chapter 59 - A Natural

    Susu''s cheeks were still red when she entered Chen Mu''s car, "I''m here!" She tried to hide the shyness in her voice, but got caught anyways.


    "Hello Sunshine, did something happen earlier?" She shook her head in response. He noticed that she had forgotten to buckle her seat belt, so he reached over to do so. With his face barely an inch from hers, she gulped and closed her eyes.


    Seeing her eyes shut tight, he smirked as he buckled the seat belt properly and made sure it wasn''t too tight on her. When she opened her eyes again, he leaned over and took possession of her mouth with his. Slowly, his lips moved over hers and devoured her lipstick as their lips met over and over again.


    "Satisfied?" He chuckled and wiped the smudged parts of her lipstick off the corners of her lips. Her panting breaths made him want to bully her even more, but that would happen when they get back home.


    "For now." She whispered after he had started to drive back home. She never answered his question from earlier and he had long forgotten about what he wanted to ask after tasting her delicious lips in the car.


    Like always, the couple cooked in the kitchen together and talked about their day with each other. Of course, Susu wouldn''t disclose the part with Lily''s teachings. ''Heh, would he like it if I did that to him?'' She thought as she munched on the vegetables.


    After dinner, Chen Mu decided to go take a shower first, while Susu tried to remember the steps that Lily had done in front of her, "Hmmm? How come it feels like I''m missing a part?" As she mumbled, the water in the bathroom had stopped running and soon, the freshly clean boyfriend of hers walked out while drying his hair with a towel.


    "Susu, your turn. The bathroom is warm. You should go to shower now." He said with his head lowered as he dried his hair, but received no response. When he looked up, he saw her arms stretched out in the air, "What are you doing? Learning how to play an instrument?"


    He walked closer to her to get her attention. Startled by his appearance, she patted her chest and said, "Nothing, just some random moves I was thinking about."


    "Like dance moves?" He raised his brow.


    "Yup! It''s a new dance that I saw online, but I forgot what the steps were. You''re done right? I''ll go shower now~" She couldn''t look at him for more than ten seconds or else she might jump on him again and kiss him non-stop until their lips turn numb. His hair was still wet and just seeing water droplets down his neck made her want to mark that part of his body.


    Quickly, she grabbed her clothes from her room and ran to the bathroom. Then, he tried imitating her hands and previous posture, but still couldn''t figure out what dance it was that she was trying to learn, "Oh wells, I''ll find out somehow."


    Susu clipped her hair up after twisting it up loosely. The bathroom was very warm, so she didn''t feel cold while undressing. She took a quick shower and got dressed. When she walked out of the bathroom, Chen Mu was holding the blow dryer in his hand and was about to use it. As the cord to the blow dryer untangled, he felt his emotions running all loose as his attention focused at the bathroom door that slowly creaked open.


    The steam from her hot shower escaped the room rapidly as she stepped out and set her smooth wavy hair free. As her hair smoothly fell down her back, the over sized sweater that she wore made her bare legs stand out temptingly.


    She turned around and saw his affectionate filled gaze watching her. Blinking innocently for a few times, she walked in front of him and waved, "Helllo? Anyone home? Home to Chen Mu~~"


    He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the girl with rosy cheeks, "Aren''t you cold? What happened to your long pants?"


    She awkwardly answered, "Ahaha... so the pajamas I had was very old and loose, so I donated them after washing it. I was supposed to go buy new ones today, but I totally forgot about it. Don''t worry, I''m pretty warm after taking that hot shower."


    He gulped in response and thought to himself, ''I''m more worried of my self control. Woman, get a hint already! Your boyfriend is also a man!'' Her eyes landed on the blow dryer in his hand and then at the water droplets that were spreading wet stains on the shoulder area of his shirt.


    "Hey! You always told me to take care of myself, but have you thought of yourself? It''s been like fifteen minutes and your hair isn''t even dried yet. Come, I''ll do it for you." She dragged him over to the couch and plugged the hair dryer into the outlet by the wall.


    Following her sweet voice, he already ignored all the words she had just said. He sat down on the couch as he watched her knees settle between his legs and she started the hair blow drying process. ''Damn it! Her bare legs! I really can''t look downwards. Okay, let''s just not...look...''


    With the blow dryer on her right hand, she ran her fingers from the left hand through the wet locks of his hair and combed it. When it was hard to reach certain areas of his head, she would move closer and her knee would accidentally rub against his crotch area. At this point, his mantras did not work at all. His mind was about to go crazy from her natural behaviors.


    She noticed the oddly quiet Chen Mu and turned off the blow dryer when she felt that his hair was at least 90% dried. "Done~" She announced with a wide smile, unplugged the cord and rolled it around the blow dryer. After putting it away, she went in front of him and grabbed the remote to see what shows are available to watch on Netflix.


    "Hmmm... this one? Nah, too boring...Ohh, how about a comedy?" She turned around to meet his eyes burning with the flames of his ignited passion. Seeing the enticing glimpse of her bare thighs with just an oversized sweater over her body, the last barriers to his self control broke.


    Pulling her backwards, he made her fall into his embrace as his left arm securely wrapped around her waist. Her eyes widened from surprise at his sudden boldness. She let out a gasp when his warm lips sent tingles down her spine trailing gentle kisses on her neck.


    Feeling his hot breath against her skin and moistening kisses, she let out soft m.o.a.ns and bit her lower lip to suppress them. As his kisses traced to her ear lobe, he huskily whispered, "Don''t hold back your voice or I will kiss you everywhere but your lips."


    She pouted and looked at him with eyes filled with tears as if she was wronged. Reluctantly, she stopped biting her lips and sighed softly as he continued marking her from behind. A strange, yet pleasurable warmth spread from her lower abdomen to the rest of her body. As if her legs weighed like feathers, her body relaxed and leaned closer to him.


    Her over sized sweater wrinkled and slanted off her right shoulder, showing off the pearl-like skin underneath the top. The untainted area that nobody has marked was now exposed in front of him. He kissed the tears that escaped her watery eyes. Starting from her forehead, he took his time planting kisses to her nose, cheeks, and finally, the luscious lips that had been waiting for his touch.


    Once his lips covered hers, her long eyelashes fluttered at a slower speed, eventually closing her eyes completely and letting the last sense of tension slip away as they shared a long, passionate kiss. Following her instincts, her palms felt the hard muscles on his chest and slid up making its way around his nape. Like their first kiss, she faced towards him and explored his mouth at her own pace.


    At the same time, he allowed her intrusion and leads her on according to her pace. As their tongue entangled and danced at their own flow, his hands roamed naughtily rubbing the side of her h.i.p.s. Their lips separated when she gasped for breath, but even then, their eyes maintained contact with each other.


    Staring deeply into each other''s eyes, joyous smiles broke into silly giggles as they observed each other''s facial features. With her right hand, she traced his hairline before combing the few strands of hair that were blocking his face away. Her lips parted slightly, looking extra inviting as her palm traced down to his chest feeling his heart dancing the Tango similar to hers.


    She leaned closer and licked his lips, paying the entrance fee before slipping pass the lips again. This time, her kisses were rough and intense, spiking the stimulation of their collision as she straddled him. Feeling her h.i.p.s teasing him in a back and forth motion, he rests on his haunches and enjoyed her daring spirit.

 Chapter 60 - These are Mine

    After a while of returning kisses back and forth, Susu got tired of sitting on him and groaned in discomfort. Hearing her slight complaints, he carefully laid her down on the couch with his body between her spread legs.


    Her disheveled hair spread on the couch as her teary eyes shimmer under the light and the visible kiss marks became a pleasurable treat to his eyes. His fingers traced the light hickeys where he had left his mark and claimed his territory.


    "You''re beautiful," he whispered as he nibbled her left ear, where she was most sensitive. "hhaaa...nnn.." She could feel his hands roam under her sweater, finding her perky n.i.p.p.l.e. "Found it," he showered her neck with affectionate kisses as he teased her b.r.e.a.s.t in one hand and felt her h.i.p.s using the other.


    As she m.o.a.ned, her legs subconsciously tried to close on him, but his body prevented her from doing that. A satisfied grin appeared on his face when he heard her soft voice become more aggressive as if she was screaming out for more.


    Soon, her top slipped off and her bare chest was exposed. With only mini shorts and panties on, she shyly covered her b.r.e.a.s.ts and turned to the side. He could feel the nervousness and slight tension from her. Even though seeing her reaction made him want to tease her even more, he stopped. He hugged her from behind and waited patiently for her to turn around herself.


    He pulled the neatly folded blanket over their bodies and smiled as he stayed in the same position without making any moves. After a few minutes, Susu rotated her body and faced him. Her flushed cheeks, cherry glossed lips, and eyes attracted him like a bee to a beautiful flower.


    "We won''t do anything you don''t want to do or feel uncomfortable doing, okay? Relax if you''re tired. I''ll be here." He could sense her nervousness and decided to stop and wait until she was ready to do the real deed with him.


    Under his caring gaze and warm embrace, she fell asleep after their exercise. A part of her wanted to give herself to him, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it until she told him the truth about her being sick. ''He has every right to know.'' she thought as she fell into deep slumber.


    After she fell asleep, he helped her get dressed and carried her to her bed. Laying beside the sleeping beauty, he gave her light warm kisses before hugging her to sleep. Ever since the first night of sleeping with her, cuddling became a habit.


    Without each other''s company, it would be hard to fall asleep for both of them. Chen Mu dotingly whispered, "Good night, my dear. I love you very much. When you chose me and asked me to date you, I swore that I would make you the happiest woman in the world. Whether if it''s your dreams or wishes, I''ll support you unconditionally."


    Actually, when she got in the car earlier, he noticed the Paris Fashion Institute business card at the back of her phone case. He didn''t mention anything, but if she really wanted to study, he would support her decision. Nowadays, he would secretly spend hours at the lab trying to do extensive research on medicine and herbs that may be used to strengthen the function of medical treatments for her cancer.


    The pills that Lin Que prescribed to her were his most updated formulas and he made sure to track her reactions to the pills to make proper adjustments.


    With his arms wrapped protectively around her body, he fell asleep with a smile on his face. The next morning, Susu woke up to his angelic beyond handsome face and blushed as she recalled their closeness from the previous night.


    She minimized the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. Seeing that he has not been woken up by her action, she got close enough to his face where the tip of their noses touched. She could feel her heart racing crazily through the small touch. Gently, she lifted his chin and kissed him, "Morning." She whispered.


    Suddenly, a naughty thought popped up in her mind. "I didn''t get to grope his butt cheeks yesterday! Hmph! This time, I''m groping both! Not just one side!" Since only one arm was long enough to reach his behinds, she used one hand and happily felt the squishy ass of his.


    The roundness and its firmness made it very enjoyable for her hand as she went back and forth from squeezing the left to the right butt cheek. Each cheek received equal gropes and love from her hands and fingers. ''Love sure comes in different shapes and sizes,'' she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and continued touching his tooshie to her desired amount.


    She giggled after groping them and started drawing random shapes on his butt cheeks using her fingers. Finally, after having some time of fun, she patted his ass and said,"These are mine."


    "Yep. They''re all yours. I''m yours too." The huge smile on her face froze, and she tilted her face up to meet his warm gaze. "M..morning..." she said.


    He smiled revealing his teeth, "morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?"


    "Mmm..." she rubbed her cheeks against his chest and hugged him tighter. He could feel his buddy below hardening from feeling her soft body against his so early in the morning. It seems like after what they did last night, they''ve become even closer than before.


    The couple stayed in bed together and cuddled for a while before getting up and ready to start their day again. When Chen Mu got off her bed, he didn''t forget to tease her and pointed at her neck area, "My dear~ Don''t forget to use some concealer and powder to cover my love marks on you." He winked and walked out while letting out a small laugh.


    It took her a few seconds to fully understand his meaning as she dived under the covers out of embarrassment. Once again, the images of what they did yesterday slowly popped up in her mind. Her fingers touched the dark reddish bluish marks on her neck as if she could feel the warmth of his lips all over her skin again. The gentle kisses and aggressive looking marks made her bit her lips subconsciously. ''I''ll get you back for this! Meanie! Bully! Hmph!''


    "I''ll tell him before we reach third base. Whether he still wants me afterwards, that''s his choice and I won''t regret it." She nodded and got out of bed.

 Chapter 61 - Ending Ties

    After the family dinner incident, Chen Corporations have announced that they will no longer collaborate with Yin Corporations after the current projects that they have in progress, completes. Hearing such news, Zin Leung felt devastated. Never in his dreams would he ever even think about ending business with the Chen family because they were one of the main investors that kept the company going. Without the Chen family''s support, Yin Corporation''s shares would drastically reduce.


    In Zin Leung''s perspective, the Chen family and Yin family went through waves and waves of obstacles in the past. Therefore, he always felt confident that the business relationship between both families would not end. He did not understand why asking for an apology and complaining to Chen Ting would end up this chaotic.


    When news broke out to the public, Yin Corporations took a huge hit in the stock market and many clients have changed their mind on signing the contracts for upcoming projects. Zin Leung spent the past days trying to look for Chen Ting, but with no luck. Chen Ting purposely avoided his calls, so that only left Zin Leung one choice; pay Chen Corporations a visit.


    While Yin Corps was facing a mess, Chen Mu was enjoying his homemade breakfast with Susu.


    "Mmm... You make the best Passionfruit tea." Susu took a sip of the tea and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet and sour flavor of the fruit.


    "And you make the best of everything." He smiled seeing her happiness over a simple cup of tea that he made for her.


    "What a smooth talker. Heh. Hurry and finish your food or you''ll be late for work." She reminded him that he had twenty minutes left for breakfast before he has to get ready for work.


    "About that... my parents have decided to terminate all contracts and business ties with Yin Corps." He knew he had to tell her sooner or later, so he took up his courage to tell her about it now.


    "Oh?" She continued sipping tea, seemingly unaffected by the news.


    "Oh? Are you feeling alright with this decision?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be alright with it? This is business we''re talking about. If Yin corps does not meet the standards to be Chen Corps'' partner then it is for the better to terminate the contracts. In addition to that, I kind of have a feeling since way back that my father had used the Chen family''s reputation as a way to step up in the business field. If I were you guys, I wouldn''t continue investing in Yin Corps."


    "Really, no hard feelings?" He had to ask twice because he cared a whole lot about her perspective on this topic.


    "Aiya, the company isn''t even mine. I have the same family name as them, but I''m not going to be biased because of that. Business is business. There is a risk to everything. In addition to that I think I already made it pretty clear that I want nothing to do with them. Whether if they face bankruptcy tomorrow or win the first place in the lottery, they will have to suck it up. It''s not like I could support them anyways."


    Susu finished the cup of tea and was ready to pour herself a second cup when Chen Mu''s hand held hers. She looked at him and smiled, "What? You thought I would be angry or something?"


    He shook his head, "I was afraid that you would be upset. Surprisingly, my girlfriend has quite an EQ and IQ."


    "Hah! You just noticed that? My EQ and IQ only lowers when I''m with you. Hahahahaha. Intoxicated by you." she giggled and interlocked their fingers while pulling him in for a kiss. He willingly took her mouth in his. A simple kiss became a passionate one as he slipped his tongue between her parted lips.


    His free arm wrapped around her waist and brought her closer as their kiss deepened. Her underlying desire made her body move subconsciously, bringing herself onto his lap as their lips connected over and over again. Their interlocked fingers were long separated, finding its way to each others nape.


    The longer they kissed, the rougher their lips smacked onto each other as if they were stranded in a desert and dying of thirst. Except, the thirst that they had for each other would never be enough to be filled. After a while of kissing, their lips became numb and breakfast time was up.


    He leaned his head on her shoulder as she strokes his hair, "You need to get ready for work." She whispered gently, sounding like the refreshing summer''s breeze that brought peace to his mind. "Mm... five more minutes.." he mumbled as his head tilted, giving his lips access to her neck.


    "Nnn.. hey... Your five minutes will become an hour like this!" She tried to protest, but couldn''t resist the tingle sensation that began to take over her body as his warm pecks worked its way to her right ear lobe. "You are my job." His hoarse, seductive voice whispered into her ears, making her legs lose strength.


    "Y..you might as well bring me to work then!" She didn''t want her to be the reason for his lateness, so she randomly spurted these words out. Once again, she underestimated the power of her words.


    "Okay. Let''s get ready then." He grinned, carried her in his arms, and walked to her room.


    After placing her down on the bed, he lifted her chin and gave it a small peck, "Get ready quick or I''ll be late." He winked and walked out of the room to get dressed for work. She sighed, "If only I knew how effective my words were before I said it..."


    Within half an hour, the couple walked into Chen Corps with their fingers interlocked. Every female who had a crush on Chen Mu felt like an abandoned widow as they heard and saw the couple walking around while holding hands. If Chen Mu had enough time, he would''ve gone through every floor of the corporation and branches in the city to introduce her to everyone.


    Susu could only shyly walk beside him and slowly get used to the attention every staff was giving her. Meanwhile, the devil beside her had no problem hugging her everywhere, sprinkling salt on everyone who is single in the company.

 Chapter 62 - Going to Chen Corps

    Chen Mu''s office was spacious with bullet proof glass windows and green plants by the window. One look and one could tell much he cared for the plants. He has his own office space, a relaxing area for lunch, private bathroom, and another room for him to rest in if he gets tired.


    Susu smiled upon entering his office. She could tell that he took good care of himself. When she looked around, she could imagine him sipping his drink while looking at the sunset and working while scratching his head from frustration.


    Small giggles escaped her mouth when she imagined little things that he might have done in his office. "Want to share your silly thoughts?" He locked the doors from behind and wrapped her up in his embrace.


    "How do you know I wasn''t thinking of somebody else? Hmmm?" She turned around and reciprocated the hug while letting out soft laughs. He bent down slightly and brushed his nose against hers a few times, "Because I''m the worm in your stomach. I know everything about you."


    "Uh huuuuh, get your butt to work. If I become a distraction to your work then I won''t come to visit after this." She playfully pinched his ears and moved his head to the left and right before giving him a kiss to encourage him to work.


    "Mmmm. I''ll get my ass to work and what about you? Do you want to use my laptop? Or would you like a drink?"


    "I''ll use your laptop, but no need for a drink. I''m feeling bloated from the Passionfruit tea already." She rubbed her tummy and walked to the couch. He walked over to her with his laptop and said, "Ah, right. I forgot to tell you that my Passionfruit tea does taste the best. Especially the one I made this morning." He licked his lips.


    "Huh? But you didn''t even drin-... You.. you go back to work!" She blushed, recalling that kiss from earlier. ''He didn''t drink the tea! It was from that kiss!''


    On the way to his desk, Chen Mu unlocked the door from the inside. For the next few hours, Susu worked on designing products and would once in a while take a few peeks at him. Chen Mu was busy dealing with important projects that he worked nonstop.


    As mouse clicks and keyboard typing sounds filled the room, the girl''s eyes started to weigh heavier and soon, she found herself a comfortable spot to take a nap. Although he had a lot of work in hand, he would still take a few glances between his work to make sure she didn''t need anything. When he looked up again, he saw the sleeping beauty on his couch.


    Quietly, he asked his assistant to bring him a blanket and stayed by her side while she slept soundly. To avoid any disturbances, he left the door opened slightly for his assistant to bring in the blanket. The moment he heard a creak coming from the door, he stood up and walked over to retrieve the blanket with a finger against his lips.


    Understanding his meaning, the assistant closed the door and went back to his seat without making any noises. Two female employees started whispering to each other as soon as they saw the assistant going back to his seat.


    Female employee 1: "Did you see that? The smile on his face! I''ve never seen him smile like that before! He always put on a straight face!"


    Female Employee 2: "That must have been his girlfriend! Wow! I saw her earlier and she looked so pretty! To make someone like our boss smile like that, she must be super special!"


    Chen Mu''s assistant cleared his throat and placed a finger on his lips. Instantly, the two female employees shut their mouths and continued their work. At this time, Chen Mu had already placed the blanket over Susu and went back to work.


    - Yin residence-


    Karen woke up to the horrible news about Chen Corps and Yin Corps. She knew how important Chen family''s support was to their family. Now that the support is gone, they might end up bankrupt! Quickly, she dialed Tian Yuo''s number and asked him for help.


    The second Tian Yuo picked up the call, Karen''s rasped voice played pitifully over the phone, "Brother Yuo... Please help! Help Yin corps! Chen Mu probably did this as revenge to us! For that dinner. It was all Susu''s fault, but you two are best friends right? If you put in a few good words maybe, maybe we could turn the situation around."


    Tian Yuo remained quiet on the other side of the call, making Karen feel unsettled, "Hello? Brother Yuo? Are you listening to me? I said for you to help us out and asking Chen Mu to take back his decision."


    Tian Yuo sighed in response, "Are you calling me because of this matter? If that''s it then sorry, I can''t help you. You should understand that the decisions made are between Chen and Yin Corps. I have no right to interfere with this. Even if it is between Tian and Yin Corps, if the cost exceeds the benefits, I would still terminate the contracts. Do you understand?"


    Karen bit her lips, "Brother Yuo! You don''t know if you don''t try. This could save my family. Please. Please just try it!"


    Tian Yuo shook his head, "If you don''t understand then I can''t do anything else. Look for me after you calm down and not for this. I have a lot fo work to do, so I''ll hang up now. Bye."


    Beep


    "Hello? Hello?!! Brother Yuo!!!" Karen looked at the black screen and gritted her teeth. "Susu! Susu! How come you are so lucky to get Chen Mu by your side? I''ve tried to get close to him, but he would only look at you. So I was more than determined to take Tian Yuo from you. Now that I did, you end up with Chen Mu! Argh!!! And now this family is a mess because of the Chen''s!!! Why do you always take everything that I want?!"


    Knock Knock


    Zin Leung said in an agitated voice, "Karen, get dressed. We''re going to Chen Corps. If we apologize, the Chen''s might take back their decision. You have fifteen minutes."

 Chapter 63 - Full Compensation Plus Interest

    Half an hour passed, and Chen Mu had just finished the last audit file that he had to review. Chen Mu raised his head as he stretched his arms and legs. His gaze landed upon the couch, where his sleeping beauty laid with her disheveled hair spread out like a fan against the leather material and her petite body tangled in the thick blanket. With one look, he was instantly captivated by her gorgeous light pink flush colored cheeks, reminding him of a certain rose. The light pink or pale pink rose that symbolized joy, happiness, and gentleness.


    As if she was a fragile yet sinfully beautiful flower herself, it lured him closer to her side; wishing he could protect her from all intruders. If he had one wish that would be guaranteed to come true, then it would be for her to always remain as peaceful and away from harm. His fingers brushed against her cheeks lightly, afraid that it would startle her awake.


    Perhaps it was his gentle gaze or warm fingers that touched her skin, her body suddenly moved and rotated towards him. Facing her sudden movement, his hand froze while a few beats from his beating heart could be heard wandering off tune from his heartstrings. "Nmnmm.." she mumbled quietly in her slumber in a half awakened state.


    He leaned forward where his lips remained two inches from her ears, "Psst, my dear, time for lunch." he whispered in a low chuckle, hoping to see her long eyelashes flutter and for her to see him first thing after her nap. Unfortunately, to her, his voice sounded like the aftermath of a rainstorm in a rain forest where small and gentle raindrops could be heard dripping from one leaf to the next. Slowly and soothingly, a sweet smile relaxed on her face as she fell back asleep.


    Seeing her sleeping so comfortably, he didn''t have the heart to wake her. Therefore, he decided to take his laptop and sit on the small empty space on the couch between the petite figure and the floor so that he could concentrate on two tasks. The first task was to keep his girlfriend from rolling off the couch because she was barely an inch from falling and any movements could wake her up. The second was to look for lunch options so that she would not starve when she wakes up.


    While roaming through different menus from the internet, the strength of his thighs that he used to support more than half his butt that was sticking out of the edge of the couch, began to weaken. His thighs were growing numb, but his girl was still sleeping harmlessly.


    He silently repeated the mantra, hoping it could help ease the pain and numbness that he was feeling. When that didn''t work, he put his laptop aside, closed his eyes, and said, "Pain is just an illusion. An illusion. If you don''t think about it, it doesn''t exist."


    Suddenly, his eyelids flipped upwards when somebody''s hand found its way to his waist and slid down his ass. He turned around to see the girl, still sleeping, but hands surely knew where to dig for the treasures. His mind split into two teams; Team Angel and Team Devil. The Angelic team cheered him on in maintaining the current position because he didn''t want to wake her up. Meanwhile, the Devil team pointed the red horns that were on their heads to making a move on her and waking her up.


    While he struggled to make an inner conflicted decision, he didn''t notice that she was already awake and was secretly peeking at him. She thought he looked too adorable, so she didn''t call out to him. Instead, she waited to find the perfect chance to play some tricks on him. When drawing swirls using her finger tips on his butt cheeks didn''t get his attention, she retracted her hands and laid on her back with her front body facing the ceiling.


    He breathed in relief when her hands had stopped teasing his butt. Because of the change in her body posture, he now had more room to sit on, making his butt a little happier than before. Still, he wished she would eat a full course meal first before continuing her nap.


    "Susu.." he whispered gently, bent his knees onto the couch and trapped her between his arms. Feeling his breath getting closer, she opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, making him topple over her.


    "Ehehehe hahahaha" She laughed and brushed through her messy hair joyfully. He raised his brow, "You..! You''re asking for punishment!!!" His fingers located her h.i.p.s and began roaming over her sensitive parts making her giggle and release ticklish laughs. He stopped after she had announced that she surrendered to his magical finger tickling moves.


    He leaned over and kissed the tears away from her eyes and said, "You slept well?"


    "Mmm.. How could I not when I have you around?" She guided his chin with her fingers to her lips as she slowly devoured his bottom lip and nibbled her way up his top lip. Her hands soon cupped his face and their tongues tangled together, dancing slowly to the rhythm of a slow romantic song.


    The touch of her fingers brushed against the whorls of his right ear, making him quiver in excitement as uncontrollable desires filled his eyes. His kisses trailed past her lips, going southward down her ear lobe. Soft m.o.a.ns filled his ears as she minimized the noises that came out of her mouth; conscious of where she was at.


    His hands continued to tease her sensual curves as he challenged her endurance level. The sensation was too much to hold in, but right when she was about to release a loud m.o.a.n, a knock interrupted their activity.


    "Mister Chen, CEO Yin and his daughter are here to see you. They don''t have an appointment, but rejected our reasoning. He said that he must meet with you today or else he won''t leave. Should I still send him away?"


    "Damn it! I was getting to the good part!" He grunted and was clearly displeased by the interruption. She patted his shoulders and fixed his suit, "We''ll continue after they leave." Hearing her invitation, his interest aroused as he kissed her again. "You said it. I better get full compensation for this."


    "Hehe. Full compensation plus interest. How about that?" He pulled her up into his embrace and she left a kiss mark on his neck. That spot felt hot, stingy, and enticing. "Can I kick their asses out, and we just continue?"


    "You heard what your assistant said. They refused to leave. What if they camp outside the company? Wouldn''t it be wasting more of our time?" She drew circles on his chest using her fingers, like the queen of temptation. Hugging her close, he sighed, "Fine. I''ll spare them a few minutes before I kick their asses out. While I do that, you wait for me in my private room over there."


    He leads her into the private room where he rested in when he was too tired to go home. After that, he gave her another kiss before closing the door and replied to his assistant, "You can send them in."


    He went back to his seat, interlocked his fingers and smiled, ''How dare you interrupt my precious intimate office make out with Susu. I''ll see what you guys are up to. One wrong word and you''ll be doomed for bankruptcy.''

 Chapter 64 - Repeat it, I Dare You

    Chen Mu''s assistant did what he was told and brought Yin Zin Leung and Karen to Chen Mu''s office. After they had entered, his assistant left quickly after sensing a strong tension lingering in the deadly atmosphere in the office. It was as if an extra inhalation in the room would spike through his organs and melt his blood in molten lava.


    Once the doors closed, Chen Mu flipped through his files impatiently, "Would CEO Yin get to the point? I am a busy man."


    Zin Leung bent his fingers making rock shaped fists, "Business is business. Private matters should remain as private matters. If you don''t know how to separate these two subjects, I will not press this against you as long as you reverse everything."


    "Oh? And what would CEO Yin mean by reversing the situation? You mean to announce that the termination of our future possible contracts and business relationsh.i.p.s were a mistake on our side? Or do you mean that we should shake hands and make up as business partners because you''re an old friend of the Chen family?" Chen Mu leaned back comfortably against his chair while maintaining eye contact with the father and daughter pair in front of him.


    "Of course as your family''s old friend, I would always let the past be the past. I''ll brush off your flaws like a joke as you are still young and naive to business. You could avoid apologizing to me for your inexcusable ill-mannered behavior from the other time. I will be the elder holding the big heart. So, now that we are over with this event. How about returning the business to normal?"


    Zin Leung didn''t dare speak in a loud tone. He believed that Chen Mu, who was always a filial son to his parents, would never take the step this far. As long as he stepped backwards a step to give him some space to step down from the stage with pride, then Chen Mu would take back the termination decision.


    Unfortunately, Zin Leung did not notice his faults and why he had infuriated the Chen''s greatly. Chen Mu almost laughed out the mockery filled words as he continued, "Excuse me, as you''ve already said. Private matters should be handled privately. Why would you come in during office hours to talk about private matters? What does that have to do with terminating the contracts with your company? CEO Yin, it seems like you are not too clear of your own points."


    While they were speaking back and forth, Karen''s eyes wandered around the huge spacious office. She compared his office to Tian Yuo''s small one. Even though Tian Yuo''s was big enough, it certainly was nothing compared to Chen Mu''s classy styled room. ''How great would it be if I were the mistress of the Chen family?'' she thought silently to herself until she felt a nudge on the elbow coming from her father''s side.


    The reason why Zin Leung brought Karen along was not that he thought she could seduce Chen Mu. He believed that even though she isn''t Chen Mu''s type of ideal girl to date, she was still Susu''s stepsister. Regardless of how bad the situation is, as long as Karen sheds a few tears, no men would be able to resist her. In addition to that, he still had Susu as his gold card. Therefore, he was quite confident in winning over Chen Mu.


    Karen walked up to Chen Mu''s desk and placed her fingers on the edge of his desk. "Brother Chen Mu... I was wrong the other night. I shouldn''t have treated sister that way. It''s just that I felt wronged, and you see, Brother Tian Yuo liked me. He didn''t love sis even though they''ve slept together many times already. He told me she was just a used rag."


    Her voice was already pitchy to begin with, but when she started blabbing about Susu in front of him, he reached his maximum tolerance to this family. He slammed his palms flat against the table, rolling the pens on his desk onto the floor, "First, I don''t have a sister. Second, I warn you to shut that disgusting mouth of yours. If you dare spit you one more word about Susu, then I guarantee your family a great future; bankruptcy."


    Karen bit her lips out of envy that a man as intelligent as him would stand up for Susu, so she challenged his patience and spoke, "What? What I just said was the truth! Just because Tian Yuo fell for me, doesn''t mean my family should suffer! Don''t forget Susu is also a part of the Yin family. If you destroy her family, she will end everything with you."


    She threatened with her sharp words aiming at his worst fear. Zin Leung smirked and stepped up, "Chen Mu, don''t blame Uncle Yin for being straightforward, but did you think that Susu would really not care about her family''s business? She''s already contacted me telling me that she will cut off ties with you if you destroy us. If your feelings for her are genuine, then this would be the time to prove it. Plus, you have no reasons to terminate business with us."


    None of the walls in Chen Mu''s office were soundproof, therefore, everything that was said had been heard and processed through Susu''s mind. Many words made her roll her eyes in annoyance and others were filled with heartache. How could her father use her as a chess piece like that? Ridiculous bullshit.


    The door creaked open, capturing everyone''s attention as Susu walked confidently with her arms crossed towards Chen Mu. She didn''t even lay one glance at her father and stepsister. "Sorry I''m late, darling. I was taking a nap until some maggots crawled in here and disrupted my peace."


    She naturally walked around the desk and sat on his lap with her arms wrapped around his shoulder. After settling herself in a comfortable position, she tilted her head to the two familiar figures in front of her. Like a dominant queen, her words sounded like commands to her fellow peasants, "Scram while you still can. Don''t beg when you lose this chance. My last warning."


    Her eyes stared icily through their souls as goosebumps spread on Zin Leung and Karen''s body. The intensive gaze coming from her made them feel like ants were crawling up their pants. They were feeling extremely unsettled.

 Chapter 65 - Definition of Failure

    Her sudden entrance melted the frost temperature around Chen Mu''s office. Traces of warmth lingered in his gaze as he watched his girl standing up for herself. Not only did she have the confidence to come out of her shell against her family, she claimed him as her man in front of them.


    Reciprocating her intimate action, he hugged her waist and pecked her cheeks, "Sorry, I thought I could deal with them before you woke up from your nap."


    "It''s fine. They included me in this interesting threat that they were making. I''ll give them a chance to continue what they were spitting out before." She narrowed her eyes and glared at the two stoned figures, "Well? I''m giving you a chance right now to talk. But talk at your own risk because for every word you speak, it''ll cost the Yin family a million dollars. How many millions would you be able to lose?"


    "What do you mean? How is this even a discussion?" Zin Leung gritted his teeth at the sight of his daughter sitting on the enemy''s lap and flirting without caring about his existence.


    "Fine. I''ll be logical then. Firstly, my darling only accepts appointments and you two barged in here like hooligans. Then, you refused to leave the company unless you get to speak with him today. After spitting out pointless things trying to save your business, you even pushed me out as the safe card? What is there to discuss to begin with if you were the only party who wanted to talk about this?"


    "You unfilial daughter!" his chest heaved up and down as if his blood had reached its boiling point.


    "Unfilial? Then we can talk about that too. When have I ever been unfilial? Hmm? When you decided to combine Karen and my birthday party together to save money even though you''re rich enough to hold ten centuries worth of grand balls? Or to the point where you always forgot about my birthday was a month after hers? Or shall we go back on the fact that you''ve received benefits from the Tian family after my marriage and lied to me about never receiving a cent from them?"


    Her points were strong and hard to counterargue as she continued speaking firmly, "When you kicked me out that year because you believed in Karen''s words about me stealing money from you and spending it, have you ever thought of me being a filial daughter? When you accused me at the hospital after all the efforts that I''ve given to this family and the prosperous business that is now going downslope, where did such a great dad go? During these times, how much of a dad were you?"


    "You''re right. I''ve in fact been too great of a daughter that I''ve endured such stupid family drama. I''ve suppressed my priorities and self importance. The filial daughter with the last ray of hope died the moment you lost the last bit of her trust and respect. These words reflect my feelings and thoughts from all these years. And now, this is the real me."


    He squinted his eyes in dismay that she remembered all the crucial events that happened in the past. Still, he refused to back down on saving the business, "Susu, father was wrong. I wanted the best for you."


    "Pfffft, the best for me? Seriously, who was it who just slapped my name onto the chess board and pushed me forward as a shield to protect his company? What call? When have I ever contacted you ever since that dinner? You even had the audacity to say that I would leave my man for this crap family? If that is the definition of being a father, then you are the definition of another term; failure."


    Feeling her slightly trembling body, Chen Mu held her close to his body and rubbed her hand in his as she settled scores with her family. Karen opened her mouth and was about to speak, but was immediately cut off by Susu''s tyrant murderous gaze, "And you. Stepsister my ass. You''ve done enough harm. Where did that arrogant part of you go? Oh wait, I forgot that your best bet is to act pitifully in front of men to gain their sympathy. Go on, try to win him over with your cries."


    She couldn''t utter a word or sound out of the cries she had earlier. Susu scoffed, "Yeah, that''s right. Cat''s got your tongue, didn''t it? If you''re that great in pleasing men, you should work at a bar or strip club. It''ll stack up for the debts that your family will soon be in. Remember, just because we are from the same family, you can never be me because you were born from the other woman''s w.o.m.b."


    "Oh, right. As for the looks and talent, let me slap some reality to your face to kill your overconfidence because you''ve got none. So save those tears for the landlords, loan sharks, and all other debt collectors that may give you a second to show your despair. Are we done here now? Or you guys have more you want to spit out? I''m free to swing my bat and hit those words back at you."


    She reached over for Chen Mu''s mug and drank some water after speaking for so long. After she had swallowed, he wiped her lips dotingly and smiled seeing her release her words fearlessly. Seeing this scene made Karen chew on her lips and act even more bitter. "I can''t believe it! You bitch! You slept with Tian Yuo, seduced him, and now you''ve got Chen Mu too! You vixen! You take everything away from me!! Just die!"


    Chen Mu glared at her with a grim reaper''s smile, "I haven''t collected any debt yet and you''re already spreading fire. Forget spilling the oil, I''ll go straight with bursting the flames. Shall we list every single thing that you''ve done? Oh, of course this also refers to Yin Corps."


    Hearing his words, Karen placed her hands to her h.i.p.s and raised her head high, "I''ve got nothing to be afraid of."


    "Oh really? What about the property you bought for your upcoming fashion boutique? That cost at least 500 million dollars. I suppose for someone as amateur as you, having that large sum of money wouldn''t be solely on your personal savings, right?"


    She gulped at his response because that money was the amount that she took from her father and blamed it on Susu. If he exposed her, then she would literally have to dig her own grave using her own hands.

 Chapter 66 - Because Youre a Yin

    Karen stuttered, "I.. I don''t know what you''re talking about. Those were my personal savings from overseas. I was working and earning my way up from a company. That''s right.."


    "Oh? 500 million dollars from a small company that could barely afford to hire twenty-five employees could offer you such a competitive salary within a year? That''s quite interesting. Shall we have a talk with the CEO from that company? I coincidentally have his number written down."


    Susu grabbed his phone and started dialing the numbers that he wrote down on a sticky note. Actually, the number that was on the sticky note were some random number codes for computer access use. They were simply playing a psychological trick on Karen''s mind to make her confess.


    Finally, under immense pressure, she gave in and her knees weakened, "No!!! It was me. I got the money...from the family. I needed it to achieve my dreams. I was the one who took the large sum of money and wired it to a foreign account and paid someone to hide the transaction so that nobody would be able to track it.


    Zin Leung looked at his second daughter in fiery, "You did what?!! My billions of dollars were used on your boutique and all along I was praising and bragging about you to everyone I knew?!"


    Susu fake yawned as she covered her mouth and fanned herself using her hand, "Wow, it took you this long to figure it out? Bravo, CEO Yin. Very intelligent for someone who managed billions of dollars worth of contracts. Did that slap just now burn?"


    Zin Leung''s face changed from red to purple to pale as he realized his gravely mistake. ''No wonder it didn''t made sense.'' He thought to himself.


    Of course, there was more to Karen''s weaknesses, but killing her off in one shot wasn''t thrilling enough. Susu wanted to do everything herself so when she faked dialed a number, she also typed a text that only he could read, "After this, leave Karen alone. I''ll deal with her myself in the near future."


    He rubbed her hand in response and would only sort out Yin Corporations case for today. Zin Leung slapped Karen across the face harshly, leaving five finger prints on both sides of her cheeks. He was even more infuriated when he remembered his wife''s doing. She had told him that she found the culprit and it was the same as Karen''s assumptions.


    The more he thought about it, the worst he felt when he thought of how much he had to lose to realize this truth. He lost the one daughter who was truly loyal to him and now, the business. He''s stuck with two sneaky rats, and his money is going down hills.


    He hesitated, but still asked, hoping he could gain a small amount of sympathy for Susu to help him, "Su...Susu.. Dad knows that he is wrong. Can you please come back to my side and help me with the company? Without the business, we''ll live off the streets and would have no other place to go. We''ll have to..."


    Susu cut him off, "Alright."


    He was so glad to hear her response, but she wasn''t finished, "One condition. If you could answer this question, then I will gladly throw in a few good words to see if my darling would listen to me."


    "Yes. Yes. Anything you ask." He nodded with his hands nervously rubbed against each other.


    "When''s my birthday?" She asked this question before and asked once again to see if he even cared to look up her birthday after the dinner incident.


    "T..That..."


    "It''s not a difficult question and you have under thirty seconds to respond. It was mentioned during our previous dinner, and I gave a huge hint like literally ten or fifteen minutes ago." She crossed her arms and leaned back on Chen Mu''s chest as she waited for his response.


    Chen Mu counted, "20...19...18....17...16..."


    "Noo!! Give me some time to think! Some time to think!" He looked at Karen, who was still laying on the floor like a celebrity after getting struck by a fan or something. When he looked at her direction for help, she shook her head. Susu also warned, "You can''t ask others for help or it counts as cheating."


    "Uh!! Karen''s birthday is October, so yours is November 2nd! A month after hers!" He said right in time for Chen Mu to reach 0 seconds.


    Susu clapped her hands and laughed joyfully. Hearing her laughing, Zin Leung thought he had guessed correctly and in the next second, Susu said, "Yeah, darling. You know what to do." He nodded and made a phone call, "Send all the legal doc.u.ments related to Yin Corporations breach of contract along with evidence of their yearly under the table revenue to the lawyers. We''re suing them for all losses and will leave it up to debt collectors to charge them interest."


    "But I guessed right!!!" Zin Leung''s heart pounded heavily as he heard Chen Mu''s cruel words.


    "Who said you had guessed correctly? Also, why would you need to guess? I''m asking for your daughter''s birthday, not a stranger''s birthday." Susu shook her head.


    "But you were laughing!"


    "What does laughing have to do with you being correct? I was laughing earlier because of how you still used Karen''s birthday to remind yourself of the month of my birthday. You even thought that we had our birthdays on the 2nd of two separate months. Isn''t it hilarious? Now that the joke is over, you can grab your trash and leave."


    She pointed over at Karen and clearly said it once again, "Scram."


    Zin Leung wished he could argue about the evidences that Chen Mu had in hand, but he wouldn''t dare because he knew that his company had survived this many years for one reason. That reason was due to the amount of money that he had his accountant hide when doing taxes and business transactions. The money he had slipped into his pocket was what made him this rich and prosperous today.


    Even though he had no words to fight against Chen Mu, he did have words for Susu, "You need to help me because you''re also a Yin. Regardless of how much you hate this household, you also poured time and effort into this company. You can''t watch it tumble to broken bricks."


    In response to that, Chen Mu smiled, "You''re right, she''s still a Yin, but soon, Yin Corps will no longer be called that. It will become Chen Corps. Oh, and this company will be my future bride''s dowry. If she doesn''t accept it as, dowry, then it''ll be my wedding gift for her. If she wants to play with it, build her own business, or destroy it using a bulldozer then that''s all on her. She can do whatever she wants with it. And by that time, she won''t be a Yin, but a Chen."


    Before Zin Leung pulled Karen up by her wrist, Chen Mu hadn''t forgotten to remind him, "Also, I need to correct you on another point. It is you guys who will be living off the streets and drowning in a pool of debt. It is you guys who are losing the company and all assets. Not Susu. She''s always been the winner."

 Chapter 67 - Privilege that only Belongs to Her

    Before Zin Leung pulled Karen up by her wrist, Chen Mu hadn''t forgotten to remind him, "Also, I need to correct you on another point. It is you guys who will be living off the streets and drowning in a pool of debt. It is you guys who are losing the company and all assets. Not Susu. She''s always been the winner."


    Hearing his words, Susu blinked slowly as her gaze concentrated on the man who had his arms wrapped around her tightly. Noticing her attention, he smiled and lowered his stare to meet hers. "Did I forget to mention anything else? My dear?"


    He loved the stunned expression she had on her face along with the infatuated pair of eyes that was fixated on him. Her mouth opened, but closed the next second. She didn''t utter a single word out, instead a smile and kiss to his lips was her response. Taken aback by her sudden shower of affection, his eyes widened, but body had long been tamed by her.


    "A kiss wouldn''t be enough." He whispered as her lips left his. With her thumb rubbing onto his bottom lips and eyes filled with joy, she whispered, "After they leave." The smile on her lips was enough to make him struggle to fight his inner desires to devour her on the spot. He really wished he had an escalator or a rope of some sort to kick these two clowns out through the window. Since he didn''t, he could only wait for them to leave the room.


    Seeing their cuddling scene, Karen could feel the lemons and vinegar jars that were being mixed together inside her soul. ''That man was supposed to be mine! He was supposed to love me! That is my seat on his lap! Those words were supposed to be doting me!''


    Anger rushed through her bloodstreams, affecting her rationality if she even had any to begin with. She stood up on her own and pointed at Susu, "She''s just playing you! What dowry? What wedding gift? How could you say that when she clearly knows that she wont be able to complete shit for you? Hah? What? Are you guys going to flaunt your love and the possible number of childrens that you are going to have? It''s impossible!"


    The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees fahrenheit. Even though the room was warm, it felt torturously cold to Karen as Susu tilted her head to face hers. Karen wanted to avert her gaze from Susu''s eyes, but couldn''t. As if her eyes had experienced the eighteen levels of hell and saw the burning and suffrage of evil doers, fear crept up her spine and sunk into her heart.


    Her mouth dangled opened as Susu got off Chen Mu''s lap and walked towards her with a venomous sneer that is more horrifying than seeing Satan. It was as if Karen had tried to seduce Satan and was caught by Satan''s mistress. "Well? What is impossible? Continue. I''d love to hear more."


    Her eyes had zero traces of morality in them. Her pressuring aura was enough to soak Karen''s outfit with her cold sweat. Susu always treated Karen''s childish play as a grain of sand, but this time, Karen has successfully provoked her.


    Chen Mu watched as his dominant queen circled around Karen as if she had found her prey with an amused smile on his face. Her displeased tone echoed in Karen''s ears, "Don''t think that just because I never retaliated in the past means that I am a weakling. You were not worthy enough to make me attack back then. You were just a pinch of salt, but now that you''ve angered me; I dare you to say what you were about to say."


    Karen gathered her courage and faced the mighty looking Susu that she had never seen before, "What? Are you trying to threaten me with your words? Did you think I would be afraid to say it? Huh?"


    "Oh! Then do tell the story as my ears would love to hear your loving words. Go on, why would it be impossible for my darling and me to have our own family? Hmm?" Lily already told Susu about the incident about the hospital body report that Karen purposely threw out. Therefore, in Karen''s eyes, Susu still doesn''t know about her illness.


    Susu purposely pressured Karen to see if she dared to expose her illness in front of everyone. If she does, then she can only suck up more responsibility as to how she learned about it. "Well? Go on. Why don''t you continue talking like your blabber mouth always loved to do? The number of lies that you spat out was enough to drown an island before. Why keep pausing?"


    "Y..You! You just wait! Anyways, you two won''t be able to last and everything will be a puddled mess! Yin Susu will never be able to have a family with you, and you''ll only be heartbroken. If that''s the case, then you should settle for someone who would obediently follow you and spend their lifetime with you!" Karen used all her strength to hold back her tongue.


    The pressuring weight on her shoulders had lifted after she spurted that out, but she would''ve never thought that Chen Mu would say the following words. "And I assume that the so called someone from your small speech just now is directed to yourself who always tried to climb up the social ladder, but failed miserably that your face hurt for the numerous slaps you''ve received from others."


    Karen bit her lips as Susu held in her giggle. Chen Mu got up from his seat and hugged Susu by her waist, "Anyways, however smooth or bumpy this road for our relationship will be, I wouldn''t mind to go through each and every step along the journey if the person by my side is Susu. Only her. I don''t care whether this relationship would end up being all happy go lucky or heartbroken. At least we are together now, and that''s all it matters to me."


    Susu hugged him back tightly as she listened to his sweet words, "Who would want an obedient woman to follow me around just to last a lifetime when I could go on adventurous thrill with the woman whom I love deeply? Besides, if I really wanted someone or something to accompany me, I would rather get a dog than have you, Karen Yin."


    Karen''s face flushed from anger, disappointment, and frustration as she really wished to spurt out that Susu was dying. ''Who the hell would want a dying woman? If I tell him that, he will surely regret it! I''ll make him feel more regret and beg me back later on. Just wait. I won''t let you guys live in peace.''


    Zin Leung shook his head from the unfavorable position they were in. After seeing the couple''s intimacy, he knew that there would be no way for the Chen''s to take back their words on the business matters. ''If only Karen actually had something worth of threat to them or Susu...but she isn''t the Chen family''s mistress anyways, so it wouldn''t have made much of a difference. Maybe if Karen hadn''t made them angry, everything would have been different now.''


    Chen Mu called his assistant to bring security guards to escort Zin Leung and Karen out of his room. On their way out, Chen Mu told his assistant, "Starting from now, even if the Yin''s kneel at the lobby or force their ways trying to see me or any top executive of the company, you could send them straight to the police. The only Yin who could freely walk in without any alerts or appointments is Yin Susu. Understand?"


    Chen Mu fixed Susu''s fringe and announced to the world about her existence. "This is a privilege that belongs only to her. Everyone must greet her properly and never rudely unless they want to hand in their resignation letters or get fired on the spot."


    "Yes. I will type up the memo and inform every employee about this new rule." Chen Mu''s assistant exited and closed the door from behind, leaving the couple by themselves once again.

 Chapter 68 - The Truth

    After hearing the click sound from the door, Susu hid her face in his chest, and he quietly caressed her back. He was afraid that she would feel hurt by her father''s words and action, but she managed to be strong enough to face them heads on. He could feel her fingers clenching nervously in a fist under his suit jacket; against his shirt.


    "Susu?"


    "..."


    "Sweetie?"


    "..."


    "My dear~ My dear~"


    Finally, she looked up to meet his gaze with watery eyes. He rubbed her head dotingly and said, "It''s alright to feel this way. You never have to hold back your tears. They were your family and your father was the closest to you. Even if you cry out or want to do something crazy, I would still watch over you. So you don''t have to hold back anymore."


    He felt her fingers loosen on his shirt. Her slightly trembling voice tug on his heartstrings, effectively taking over his heart, "I..don''t have to hold back?"


    "Mmm.. You can do whatever you want." He patted her back like he always did. The corners of her lips tilted upwards, forming a naughty smile on her face, but he couldn''t see it because she was hiding in his embrace. In fact, she was not upset by her family''s doing and words since she had long acknowledged the type of people they were. It''s something she could not change, so she''d rather focus on things that makes her happy.


    Since a while ago, she has been trying to hold back on attacking him after hearing his damn speech that made her heart fill up with butterflies and blossoms. Her watery eyes were the effects of his words and how great he treated her. She was overly excited and couldn''t find an outlet to release her emotions!


    Hearing his permission, she got out of his embrace and located her lips by his ears as she dangerously whispered, "You said it." Her seductive voice and the way she exhaled by his ears hinted her possessive nature. The feel of his hands against her small back, the heat of his body as she leaned herself close to his, the scent of the familiar cologne that she loved, were all so overwhelming that she felt addicted to him.


    Within seconds after her response, her lips captured his while her arms clung onto his nape. Her wet, soft kisses took him by surprise once again, but this time, neither of them were sitting. He pinned her body against the wall as his lips responded to hers. She wanted to feel his bare skin without the layers of clothing as her hands worked its way under his suit jacket and up to his shoulders; stripping the first layer off him.


    The taste of her sweet pecks and sloppy kisses was far from enough for him. He wanted to taste everything. He wanted to have her to himself. Everything. With his hand holding the back of her neck, he deepened their kiss as his tongue intruded her mouth. As their tongues twist in each other''s mouth, their hands were pulling the other even closer, despite the fact that there was already no gap to fill in between them.


    Their kisses were strangely addictive. From rough, possessive kisses to soft, nibbling pecks and the passionate tongue teasing ones; their desires only dived deeper. Once their lips separated, they leaned against each other and gasped for air. Her eyes were blurred, and the setting no longer mattered to her. Every reason and excuse that she had to stop herself from kissing this man had flown out the window.


    She hungrily bit her bottom lip as she waited for him to catch his breath to continue their lip smacking session. She could feel the warm puffs of air coming from him that were settling on her cheeks. As if he had read her naughty mind, his lips grazed hers with his tongue looking for access as it glided across her bottom lip.


    Her lips parted, permitting his intrusion once again as they continued making out in his office, ignoring the humans outside of his office. His hands dropped down to her waist, feeling her enticing curves. He caressed her ass and felt its firmness against his palms, making him crave to feel her bare skin against his body.


    Feeling his fingertips around her behinds made her heart pound faster. The area between her inner thighs started to feel hot as her lower abdomen tightened from the inside. As he enjoyed how her butt cheeks fit in his palms, she m.o.a.ned through their kisses.


    "Nnn...mmm..phhh.. n.. a.." she broke free from the kisses and m.o.a.ned pleasurably while taking deep breaths. He leaned forward to her ears, "Let''s move to the private room." His mouth nibbled on her earlobe, teasing her down to her collarbone. Her legs were losing strength as he targeted her sweet spots making it harder to resist his touch.


    She whispered, "Carry me."


    "As you wish." Immediately, he picked her up and circled her legs around his torso. Naturally, her arms wrapped around his shoulders to secure herself on him. Her heated breaths huffed onto his neck as she controlled her breathing. The lazy touches and playful strokes from his fingers sent signals to her body triggering soft m.o.a.ns as an immediate response.


    With his thumb, he unlocked the door and kicked it open using his foot, "Thank goodness I installed a fingerprint passcode with a regular passcode." Inside his private room, he gently laid her down on the bed. She stared at him with l.u.s.t filled eyes and desires written all over her face.


    He stood by the edge of the bed and observed her carefully. From her smooth, slightly messed up hair that were lazily spread on the bed, her round innocent pair of eyes, bruised looking lips that he had nibbled on not enough times, and all the way to her nervously closed thighs; perfection.


    She felt embarrassed being stared at for so long and covered her face with her palms. He chuckled seeing her act shyly as he crawled onto the bed after clumsily taking off both of their shoes. Sensing his warmth above her, she peeked between her fingers to make sure she was right. When she did, she met a charming smile that easily shooed away her shyness . Her hands moved away to give her a better view of the handsome figure on top of her as her fingers reached the collar of his shirt.


    "Not shy now, huh?" he teased. "Hehe, of course not." Her fingers went southwards after hearing his teasing and aimed for his ticklish spot. The couple rolled over the bed multiple times while tickling each other back and forth until they grew tired and cuddled. Every bit of tension that they had before was now gone.


    He sighed and brushed her soft cheeks, "So~ That was my compensation plus interest, hmmm?"


    "Hehehe.." she giggled and snuggled closer.


    "Hmm?" he combed her hair with his fingers.


    "Nope. This is." She toppled over him, put her forehead against his, and started unbuttoning his shirt. First button...second...third...


    Each pop sound that came from the loosened button made him impatient. When he reached to do it himself, she slapped his hands off lightly, "Nuh uh~ Your hands could do anything, but this is my job."


    "Oh? anything?" His hands traced up her skirt and fondled her thighs.


    "nnnn.. that''s cheating!" Soft m.o.a.ns escaped her mouth as he caressed her thighs up and down. He sat up with his knees bent upwards, so she wouldn''t slide backwards. With a smirk on his face, he started kissing her neck and marking it. On the other hand, her fingers reached the second to the last button and loosened it.


    "Mmm..nn... hey..that''s not fair!"


    "Hmmm? What''s not fair? Ah, because you stripped me and you''re still fully clothed? Heh, no worries." She felt the warmth of his mouth against her collarbones, leaving marks as he explored her body. She finally found her way to the last button of his dress shirt and clumsily unbuttoned it.


    "Haaa...finally...nnn.." she closed her eyes and groaned in relief as she concentrated on his hungry kisses and strokes around her body. While she was enjoying his kisses, one of his hands untied the ribbon knot from her off shoulder top and stripped it off her torso.


    When she realized it, her skirt was slipped off as well. He stroked his hand down her belly and below. Sensing the tightness around her lower abdomen, his hand teased further to her inner thighs; slowly relaxing her tensed body while showering her lips with gentle kisses.


    Just like their first kiss, he followed her pace and waited until she got used to it. Sometimes his touch would make her shiver and other times he could sense the excitement from her body''s shudder. He took his time and let her explore until she felt at ease and secured to continue. In between, he would whisper, "You''re beautiful," "I love you," and other sweet words that''ll make her smile as they kissed each other tenderly.

 Chapter 69 - The Truth 2

    "Nnn..haa..aaa.." she bit her bottom lips, attempting to hold back her m.o.a.ns as he sucked on her neck, leaving his own scent on her body. He marked her lips once again with his fingers tracing from one faded hickey to the next until it met her cleavage. Her tank top and undergarments were in the way, but he didn''t mind the obstacles.


    The tip of his fingers reacted naturally as if it had its own functional brain. It brushed against her thighs and felt her sensitive spots. Recognizing her held back groans, his body positioned between her legs, parting them. His fingers lifted her chin slightly as he continued marking her neck, specifically on the spots that made her m.o.a.ns escape fully from her mouth.


    Her lips unwillingly parted as another m.o.a.n came out. "M..Meanie..hsaaa.. ahhhh." As his fingers traced down to the new hickey he gave her, a satisfied smirk appeared on his face from her body''s response to his touches. "Hmmm? Dear, it''s my hobby to bully you like this. The doctor said I''ve been having low sugar lately, so I need more sweets. Your body fills that bar up."


    "Hahaha, your lines get lamer every day. Aiyo, so cheesy." She let out a soft laugh before getting cut off by his melting kisses to her lips. Only when he felt their lips were turning numb, did he stop and whisper to her ears, "Sweet like cotton candy."


    She continued to giggle as they continued kissing back and forth with random flirtatious lines.


    "Where do you get all these lines from? Hahahahaa" she laughed while rubbing her stomach.


    "What?~ I told you like fishes need bait to get hooked up from the waters. You''ve captured me and now you need to take responsibility and eat me!" his arms hugged her body closely.


    "Pfft, that''s like saying flowers need sunlight and I''m the energy you need to stay alive." Her fingers combed his hair as she joked.


    "Well, it is true. With you around, I have everything. So as long as I have you, I don''t need or want anything." He gave her a peck on the forehead before pulling the blanket over her.


    She snuggled closer and stayed quiet for a few minutes. Hearing his words made her heart ache because she knew she needed to tell him sooner or later that she was sick. Struggling between what words to use and how to say it, her eyes started to heat up with tears filling them.


    At first, Chen Mu thought that she fell asleep. It was when he pulled the blankets to cover her shoulders that he realized that her face was flushed, and the corner of her eyes was soaked. She was trying to control her breathing so that he wouldn''t notice her crying.


    "Susu? Don''t scare me, what''s wrong? Are you feeling pain somewhere?" Her slightly irritated eyes opened and looked at the nervous man in front of her. Her thumbs swept across his cheeks as her rasped voice broke out the torturous truth that she''s been wanting to hide and tell him at the same time. He waited patiently for the words she wanted to say.


    Slowly, tear drops dripped down her face, and her rosy lips parted, "C..Chen Mu, I..I''m sick. I have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, early stage. I..I''ve been taking treatment to control the cancer from spreading, but I don''t know when these bad cells will spread and conquer my health."


    "I know I''m selfish for accepting your love and hiding this the whole time. It''s just that when I see you smile at me and spend time with me, I couldn''t help but tell myself to wait just one more day. Even an extra second would be good enough because that was how happy I am when you''re with me. Then, day by day, I only get more attached. More unwilling to leave you."


    "From sleeping in separate beds to cuddling together at night.. From eating my breakfast alone with acquaintances to realizing how great it feels to eat with someone I love wholeheartedly.... Everything that I have never and ever thought of that would come true.. you made me believe in it. You made me fall in love and believe that I''m not alone."


    "...And I''m no longer alone because I have you. Sorry, this took me months to say it, and it could have taken longer. But I knew that if I continued pushing this reality away to keep something so precious, I would lose courage eventually. I originally planned to go on a date with you and tell you, but the plan obviously didn''t work out. I just hope that I wouldn''t become the reason why you''re upset or sad."


    She forced a bitter smile as tears rolled down her face, "If you don''t want to be with me, I''ll understand. But even so, I still want to tell you thank you. Thank you for staying by my side this entire time. These few months had been the greatest time of my life..."


    She tried to wiggle out of his embrace, but couldn''t. When her head tilted upwards, his warm mouth kissed her passionately and toppled over her. His face was similar to hers; flushed and wet from tears.


    "You silly girl! Did I ever say that I would let you go? Who cares about cancer? Would that be a reason for me to stop loving you? Stop caring for you? Stop worrying over every little, tiny thing that happens to you? Huh? I''ve loved you for the longest, and you''ve completed a part of me that could only be puzzled together in my dreams. Did you know how many years I''ve secretly loved you?"


    Cupping her wet cheeks in his palms, his sincere gaze fixated intently at her eyes, "Yin Susu, listen carefully to what I''m about to say. I, Chen Mu, would never give you up even to the grim reaper. As for the cancer cells in your body, I will use as long as it takes in research to find loopholes and methods to prolong your life. I will try my best to still be able to hold you close with our hands intertwined at eighty or older."


    Her mouth parted, but she waited for him to finish, "The moment you accepted my love and asked me to date you, you were cursed to have me stuck to you until our last breath. So until gray hair starts to grow on your head and until I lose all of mine, I''ll be the book worm in the lab. Believe in me. I will cure you or at least show you everything you''ve never seen before. I''ll teach you how it feels to be loved, comforted, protected, cared, and wrapped in someones hand as a precious treasure."


    Tears kept flowing out of their eyes as their palms soaked up each other''s salty tears. The more he wiped her face, the faster her tears seem to escape from her eyes. He said, "I love you so much. More than anyone could ever imagine. We''ll fight this cancer together and win those bastard cells. We''ll make mountains and mountains height of memories for our future kids, grandchildren, and great great grandchildren to see, okay?"


    "Chen Mu..."


    "Mmm?"


    "I love you.." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in for a kiss. He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her back. "I love you too," he whispered into her ears.


    "Chen Mu.."


    "Mmm?" he paused on his kisses.


    "How long have you known?"


    "Welp, no point in hiding it from you. I''ve been waiting for you to tell me this yourself. I''ve known even before we started dating."


    "That long?"


    "Mhmm.. I''ve known about it, but I didn''t once hesitate in loving you. It only made me want to spend more time with you. Cherish you more. Kiss and hug you whenever I can. If possible, I wish I could dote on you forever and have you depend on me more." He kissed her cheeks and bumped their foreheads together.

 Chapter 70 - Recognition

    Chen Mu stroked Susu''s hair as she rested in his arms. His comforting kisses and all the tears that she had shed drained her energy. Slowly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. A doting smile tilted up as he continued holding her.


    When his stomach growled hungrily, he checked his phone and realized that it was already 3 P.M. He looked at how comfortable she laid in his arms and decided to order a takeout. ''It will take approximately half an hour. That should be enough time for her to nap.''


    While the couple enjoyed their time together in bed, things were crashing downhill for the Yin family. When Zin Leung got home, his wife was in a panic as she grabbed every piece of expensive accessory that she had and stuffed it into her suitcase. She was going around the house to look for any valuable items that were worth some money.


    Zin Leung stopped her, "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Her eyes narrowed and she raised her voice with her wrist struggling to break free from his grip, "Is it not obvious enough? I''m packing my belongings and what I deserve. Your company is going down. Your assets are frozen. Eventually, those loan sharks will come knocking down our doors and forcing us out. I''m leaving before anyone touches my accessories. That is all I''m taking after being your wife for the past years."


    "So you are just going to leave your husband hanging? Because of my failed business? I''m telling you that everything is going to be alright. Believe in me, would you?" His grip tightened around her wrist, refusing to let her go.


    "Let go of me! What is the damn point of having a wife when you could barely afford to save yourself a penny right now? You''re going bankrupt, and I''m not willing to give up this type of luxurious living to beg off the streets for a single dime! If you want to beg, you go do it yourself. I''m leaving, and Karen is coming with me!" She shouted and attempted to kick him using her leg.


    He skillfully dodged her attacks and shoved her to the ground, "So this is how it really is, huh? When I had the money, you would be as cheap as to slip a drug to get in bed with me. When I lose everything, you toss me away as if I''m garbage from a hiking road! Good! Very well! Well played, I should applaud you for that genius in your mind. If you leave today, don''t come back to hug my thighs when I get rich again."


    "Hah! What a joke! You''re nearly 56 years old and you''re acting like you''re still 23 with dreams. Let me slap you some reality. At your age, you''ll be lucky to even land yourself onto a sanitary worker''s job! Don''t try to hold my daughter and me back when you failed yourself!" She grabbed the vase on the table and turned around to meet Karen''s furious expression.


    "Dad! Mom! What the hell do you two think you''re doing? Why would we split up as a family? Do you two think we don''t have enough problems already, so you''re adding more seasonings to it? Huh? To make this topic more spicy for the news reporters?! Calm down. Nobody is leaving, and this family will not go bankrupt with me around."


    Karen snatched the vase from her mother''s hand and said, "Mom, dad, there are many people who are looking forward to our clown act. If we don''t pull ourselves together, then our enemies would be laughing to our faces. Do you really want that?"


    Her parents remained silence as they listened to her words and calmed down. Karen continued, "We''re not doomed. Remember I told you guys about my fashion boutique? Everything is almost done. All I need is recognition. I already have everything planned. There is a grand event at the Golden Pina tonight and Tian Yuo received an invitation card. I could be his plus one guest and I''ll spread the word about my boutique."


    "Really? Would it really work?" Zin Leung doubted her idea slightly since he had never seen any of her designs before. Not only that, he knew that the Paris Academy that she spoke about has a minimum requirement of enrollment for three years before anyone could graduate and become a designer. Although Karen had said before that she managed to graduate early because of her extraordinary talents, a part of him was in doubt.


    Another reason why he had a lack of confidence in her was that she stole a great amount of money from him to succeed her dreams. If she had the talents for it, she could have asked him to invest money in her projects. Therefore, her abilities were quite questionable.


    "Of course! Karen is my daughter! Her talent came from me! I knew she is way better than that Susu who wouldn''t help the family. Hmph, you should''ve had her aborted if you knew how shameful and unfilial she would become. It''s obvious that she didn''t bother to help us with the way things are going right now."


    Liang Yu Qing hugged Karen tightly and smiled, "My daughter is the best. The smartest. You go along and choose your best looking design from your closet for tonight. Remember, we are all depending on you now."


    "Mmm! I''m going to call Tian Yuo and have him bring me along now. You two stop fighting each other. I don''t want to hear another word about leaving or divorcing or whatever splitting the family!" Karen handed the vase to Liang Yu Qing before heading upstairs.


    - Karen''s room-


    She nervously bit her fingernails as she went through her closet while calling Tian Yuo. When he picked up, he remained silent on the line.


    "Hello? Brother Yuo? I''m sorry for my earlier behavior. I''ve thought things through already. I know my request was unreasonable, and I''m calling to apologize for that."


    "That''s alright. I understand that it''s hard to face such difficult times. Let me know if you and your parents need a place to stay in. I have a few locations that are empty, so you three could live there for a bit before finding your own place." His tone was back to its original calmness.


    She relaxed after hearing his words, "Actually, Brother Yuo, I was wondering if you could bring me along to the event tonight at the Golden Pina. I know that it might seem awkward, but I really need the connections! In order to pay our debt and help my father with his company, I need people to buy my designs. Besides, my boutique is nearly done. All I have to do is find customers now! Please."


    She bit her lips anxiously, "This is my only chance to revive the Yin family. Susu already seduced Chen Mu and had him take her side. Nobody could help the family but me now! All you have to do is bring me along and I''ll pass out my business cards."


    "Okay." Tian Yuo was planning to ditch the event tonight because he didn''t want to entertain the socialites. He didn''t understand why he agreed to it after he had heard that Susu and Chen Mu were together. Once he heard that Susu ''seduced'' Chen Mu, his expression darkened.


    "Thank you! You''re the best! I knew I fell in love with you for a reason!" She cheerfully said before hanging up the call. After he had heard the beep from the ended call, Tian Yuo brushed the doc.u.ments in front of him off his desk and slammed his fist against the glass surface, "Let''s see how much of a s.l.u.t you really are! I didn''t see you approaching me when you claimed that you loved me for all these years! Let''s see how much you''ve changed."


    His fingers pressed the call icon, and the call was picked up immediately, "Yo! Chen Mu! It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other. I''ve been wanting to talk to you about the dinner incident. Are you free tonight? I know you must have received the invitation card to Golden Pina."


    Chen Mu was annoyed that his call almost woke Susu up from her nap. In order to end this call quicker, Chen Mu whispered, "I''ll see you there."


    "Okay then! I''ll see you tonight! By any chance, how is Susu doing?" He tried to suppress his anger, but the volume of his voice gave away his temper.


    Susu groaned from hearing a disruptive voice, "Nnn.. who is it? So loud!" She complained and pursed her lips. Chen Mu responded to Tian Yuo, "She''s doing very well. Maybe I''ll bring her to the event tonight. I''m busy at the moment. I''ll talk to you later."


    Before Tian Yuo could follow up with another question, he realized that the call had ended. He gritted his teeth, "That was definitely her! What were they doing together?! Did she really climb onto his bed and seduced him?! Arghhhh!"


    He tried calling Chen Mu for multiple times after that call, but ended up with no luck. Chen Mu rejected each call that came through and eventually left it on the silent mode. He was coaxing the beauty in his arms back to sleep.


    "Nmmm.. I''m awake now." She yawned.


    "Had a good nap?" He kissed her forehead.


    "Mmm.. comfy." She snuggled close to his body and groped his butt cheeks.


    "Hahaha, let''s eat lunch then. The food should be here soon. By the way, I have to attend a business event tonight, and I''m missing a partner. Would Miss. Yin like to join me?" He purposely moved closer for her to gain better access to his butt.


    "Mmm.. sure! But who is going to be there? What event is it? What will I wear?" She threw question after question at him.


    "Hmmm.. everyone that you don''t want to see would be there. At least Lily will also be there tonight so you wouldn''t be totally bored. As for your outfit, my stylist and designers are hired for a reason."


    "Mmm~ Okay~~ Let''s go eat then." She got out of bed and walked towards the door.


    "Umm.. I wouldn''t mind you wearing this outfit at home when I''m alone, but I mind if others get to see it." He smirked and teased her as he stared approvingly up and down her curvy body.


    "Huh?" She looked down and realized that she was only wearing undergarments and a tank top. Her cheeks flushed, and she threw a nearby pillow to Chen Mu''s direction. "Y..you pervert!!!"


    "Oh? Says the one who groped my butt like a few seconds ago." He chuckled and handed her her top and skirt. His palm covered her cheeks as he whispered, "You''re mine alone. I''m not sharing."


    "Mister Chen, I''m not sharing you and your tooshies with anyone either." She giggled and moved away from him as she got dressed.

 Chapter 71 - A Memorable Entrance

    - 7 P.M. Golden Pina -


    Tian Yuo and Karen stood by the entrance and waited for the event to begin. To be exact, Tian Yuo wanted to wait for Chen Mu to get there and show him how happy he is with Karen. Although he didn''t understand why he felt this way, a part of him really wanted to fake an act in front of Chen Mu.


    While he stared at the incoming limousines and fancy limited edition cars, Karen was trying to calm her excitement. She looked calm and composed, but in reality, she couldn''t wait to brag about tonight''s event to other people.


    If reporters captured her and Tian Yuo together, then that would be the ideal front cover for tomorrow''s headlines! She noticed that people were in their own social groups and were familiarized with each other already. If she grabbed this chance to get to know even one of the ladies from a prestigious family, she could gain many benefits in the future.


    When she thought of the number of orders, she would receive and the stashes of money she could earn after tonight, she almost drooled. tonight, Karen was wearing a semi casual, black sleeveless dress with a variety of bright colored overlapping shapes. The dress had a deep V cut that showed off her cleavage with a backless trim from behind.


    While her style stood out among the crowd and gained the center of attention between females who were attending the same event, her sense of fashion was extremely out of place. Male guests were eyeing their targets for the night or simply enjoying the view of many female guests who came without a companion. None of the guys had their eyes for Karen. Instead, they would deliberately skip her from the picture and look at other girls around her.


    Females were whispering to each other about Karen''s dress design and how it didn''t meet the standards of the current trends. Gossips and chatters heightened the liveliness of the crowd as two limousines stopped in front of the Golden Pina. Automatically, everyone looked forward to seeing the figures who were about to exit the vehicles.


    Once the door to the first limousine opened, the crowd toned down immediately. Similar to the girl''s personality, her bold, daring appearance in the red layered dress reflected her confidence and status. As she exited the vehicle, men couldn''t help but be attracted to the wild aura she emitted in that low cut, sleeveless design. It was almost as if the design and dress were created just for her.


    Like a rose, she stood out in the most attractive way as she looked to her right where the second limousine was parked; searching for someone. The guys to her right were either blushing or trying to show off their limited edition accessories to catch the beauty''s attention. None of them knew that her attention was focused on the limousine behind them and the one that she was eagerly waiting for was about to make her very first entrance.


    As the door to the other limousine opened, the girl in the red dress smiled charmingly with obvious excitement in her eyes. The crowd followed her gaze and was rendered speechless when they saw Chen Mu coming out of the vehicle! Chen Mu has been a well-known figure amongst the socialites group. Everyone knew about his low profile and how he never liked to join socializing events.


    He was one of the most popular bachelors who had the fame, status, family background, looks and basically the whole package that any woman would love to have in a man. Chen Mu stepped out, but turned around and held out his hand to help his companion out of the vehicle. At that moment, there was nothing but silence as everyone''s interest spiked up high in seeing who the lucky lady was.


    Once her hand reached his, her entrance was played in slow motion in the guests'' eyes. The natural soft curls and half updo matched preciously with her delicate minimal makeup face. Susu''s dress was the lightest pastel pink that anyone had ever seen before. The trimmed layers gave the illusion of an angel floating with feathers as she walked beside Chen Mu. The smile on her face was honey drop sweetened and it was enough to make the chilliest winter nights warm.


    The multiple thin layers of her dress would spread as she walked through the crowd. With layers of various simple flower embroidered designs underneath a top sheer layer; her entrance stirred everyone''s heartstrings. Both men and women were immediately captured by her beauty and presence.


    Everyone made way for the couple and watched the girl in red hug the fairy like girl in her embrace. "My Susu is always the most gorgeous!!! If I were a guy, I would marry you on the spot! How about date me for a change?" The girl in the flaming red dress was none other than Lily.


    Susu let out a soft laugh and reciprocated the hug, "Sheesh, you and your lines again! Hehe, you look stunning like always~"


    "How could I not when I know my Su is coming out to a private event like this? Gotta match the beauty well to stand next to her~" She teased and hugged Susu''s arm. Chen Mu let out a small cough, "Ahem, I''m still here."


    "Heh, well, boy, you''ve got competition tonight. It''s soooo obvious that other than me, everyone else seems to be quite interested in Susu." Her eyes wandered around the crowd and a provocative grin appeared on her face as she spotted two familiar faces.


    Chen Mu smiled, "Let''s go in. The event started already, but only appetizers are being served so people are hanging out here." Susu nodded and maintained a loving smile as the three of them entered without caring about the crowd. Groups of guests followed behind them and checked in with the front desk.


    Karen''s face was awfully ugly when she heard the compliments that Lily and Susu received compared to her zero mentioned figure. Tian Yuo''s expression was not any better than hers as he saw how beautiful Susu looked tonight and how she didn''t bother greeting him. A part of him started to feel regretful for signing the divorce papers and another part of him blamed her for never dressing up in front of him. ''If she looked like that in the beginning, I would treat her way nicer. Stupid woman.''


    Upon entering the event hall, Lily''s grin remained on her face as she thought to herself, ''Hah! My Susu and her Chen didn''t even make a move yet, and you two already have the loser faces. Drown in regret and shame. Let the fun begin. Heh.''

 Chapter 72 - Backfired

    Originally, Chen Mu was not planning to show up tonight. Unfortunately, his tongue slipped during the call with Tian Yuo, so now he needs to suck it up and have dull, lengthy conversations with other businessmen. In order to keep Susu away from boredom, he left her with Lily so that she could avoid listening to the lame jokes that business people make.


    As soon as he left them alone, crowds of people gathered around them. Some asked questions related to their outfits and makeup. Others questioned whether they were single and their relationship with Chen Mu. Facing a huge crowd all at once was overwhelming for Susu because she was not used to the attention.


    At that moment, she inwardly cursed Tian Yuo for making that phone call earlier. If not, she would still be napping at home or enjoying a nice movie while relaxing with Chen Mu on the couch.


    On the other hand, Lily was enjoying the questions about relationsh.i.p.s and status. While Susu answered politely and gave minimal words as responses, Lily explained her answers to everyone. Lily was holding onto Susu''s hand the entire time just in case she gets lost in the crowd.


    "I''ve never seen Chen Mu attend any of these social events! Do you know why he came today?" One of the females asked curiously. Due to the fact that Chen Mu had never showed up in social events or private ones, people always thought that he was generally disinterested. Now that he showed up to this event and even brought a companion, who would let this chance go?


    Susu was going to be honest with them, but Lily stopped her from spitting out the truth. Instead, she answered in Susu''s place, "Of course it is to show off his girlfriend to the public. What else could it be? Every guest who is here tonight is from prestigious families. He wanted to properly introduce her to people."


    "What? So they''re dating? Wow! No wonder he wanted to show off his girlfriend! She is so beautiful. Which family are you from? I don''t think we''ve met before." Another female asked to get some juicy gossip news.


    Once again, Lily answered for her, "Currently, she uses the surname, Yin. Soon, it will be a Chen. So you guys better be careful what you say." Lily warned as she smirked at the crowd for their questions.


    "Damn! Are you implying that they''re secretly engaged?! Wow, what great news! The single ladies will surely cry once he announces it to the world." The guys from the crowd stepped back from Susu because they clearly understood their place now. Compared to Chen Mu, they are small peanuts. If they wanted to have a decent living in the business field, they wouldn''t afford to offend the Chen''s.


    "What are you all discussing? Mind to share with us?" Tian Yuo passed through the crowd with Karen in his embrace. When he spotted them amongst the center of the crowd and heard the responses that Lily spat out, his heart felt pinching aches. It felt very uncomfortable hearing them talk like that.


    "Well, if it isn''t Yin Susu. What? You think you could grab my attention by coming here and dressing up like that? You couldn''t hug my thick thigh, so you climbed onto Chen Mu now? Seriously, don''t you know how to spell the word, shame? You social ladder climber." His humorous voice was so loud that it echoed in the room.


    Susu raised her brows, "Oh? Which eye of yours saw me walking to you? Which ear of yours heard me say that I''m here for you? Mister Tian. The fact that you chose Karen was something I''ve long acknowledged. I think you''ve mistaken me for someone else." Susu responded coldly.


    Lily wanted to fight back, but Susu squeezed her hand and shook her head slightly; signaling her to not make a move yet.


    Tian Yuo refused to back down, "Mistaken? You used to follow me around like a maid. How would I mistake you for someone else? Oh, and now you dress up like that to get Chen Mu, huh?"


    Karen was secretly cheering inside and hoped Tian Yuo would say more things to demean Susu in front of all these rich kids. Before Susu could respond to that, Chen Mu passed through the crowd and said in a much powerful and strict voice, "And who are you to say all these things about Susu?"


    Tian Yuo watched as Chen Mu walked to Susu, held her hand in his and protectively blocked him from her view, "Sorry dear, I''m late."


    Lily cracked her knuckles, "Finally!! Dont worry. You got the verbal part, and I got the physical part." She crossed her arms and was prepared to take actions anytime now.


    "Yo, Chen Mu, I was just asking Susu about her incredible skills in climbing from one bed to another so quickly. Seems like you two are getting along quite well. How does my old shoe taste like?" Tian Yuo provoked Susu and Chen Mu once again.


    With the same calm smile on his face, Chen Mu responded, "Huh? Old shoe? What old shoe? The one you are hugging right now? Ahhhh, I heard she abandoned you to go on an overseas adventure to be a designer? Came back recently and you two got back together. Must be her. It''s not nice to put your lady on the table. As for your question, I have much better taste, so you can keep Karen to yourself. I don''t share mine."


    Tian Yuo released his grip around Karen''s shoulder and gritted his teeth, "I meant Yin Susu!!" Since their wedding was done in private and they never had a proper ceremony, nobody knew about their wedding. Tian Yuo never announced publicly about Susu being his wife and she also never went to his company.


    "Oh? Then answer my question. In what position are you in and with what rights do you have to question my girlfriend with such rudeness? Who are you to her, hmm? Do you have any evidence of her ever going after you? If so, then say it. Entertain the crowd." Chen Mu would not let him off for trying to embarrass her like this.


    "I..I was... I am... I''m..." He choked on his words as he did not want to disclose their relationship as ex-husband and ex-wife.


    "Uh huh~ Well, go on. You said that she chased after you and followed you around before. Care to share with us all about what she may have done while being with you? Hmm?" Chen Mu was making him eat his own words and suck up the responsibility for saying all those nasty words.


    "She thinks that I didn''t know that she would secretly go to my mother and learn about my eating habits. She mastered every dish that I liked and made it for me to try to win over my stomach. She always smiled at me even when I throw unpleasant words at her to make her upset. I never care one bit for her birthdays and till today I still don''t know it. Instead, she always prepared meals for my birthday. She took care of my family. If all these things combined does not add up to the reason that she loves me, then I don''t know what it is."


    Tian Yuo avoided the relationship question, but spat out the main efforts that she had done in the past for him. Chen Mu smiled, "Oh? Then may I ask every person who is in this room right now, a question? For the ladies, would you ever go to that extent for your loved one? For the gentlemen, would you ever reject or feel unmoved by this girl if she took care of your every need, took her time to learn about your tiniest pet peeves, and accepted your family members as her own?"


    The females shook her head and Chen Mu asked a few to answer for the crowd.


    First female guest: "Personally, I would give some efforts to try to please that man to a certain extent, but I would not tolerate his attitude. If he doesn''t realize how great I treat him, then he''s definitely off my list for dating. And from that description, I suppose if it is all true words then she must have spent years on this jerk. I feel sorry for her, especially the birthday part."


    Second female guest: "I can''t even stand going into the kitchen to grab a drink when someone is cooking. The oil and steam are so bad for my skin. Not only that, I wouldn''t have the patience to take care of his family''s needs either. So, forget him. I think my love would never get that far for anyone to make me change. She''s very impressive."


    Third female guest: "I would at most get up to cooking his favorite dish, but I wouldn''t care enough to learn all about him unless he is my future husband or that I love him so deeply that I would forget about myself. Other than that, the guy would probably get a slap from me before I leave because he sounded very disrespectful. So if this is true, then Tian Yuo, you are definitely a disappointment and failure as a man."


    First male guest: "If a girl would fight cooking oil, learn about my habits, cook exclusively for me, and care for my family members...forget dating her. I''ll grab the biggest diamond from the jewelry store and propose to her on the spot. I would be more than honored to have her as my wife and would never reject her. As for birthdays, she would deserve the world!"


    Second male guest: "Seriously, if a girl did that for me, then I wouldn''t be a single dog right now. If that girl is being rejected by that man who is so blind to realize what a gem he is giving up, then I would definitely swoop in and take her from him. What kind of man would feel nothing from all these actions? I mean, come on! I would at least try it out with the girl, but never reject her without trying things out."


    Third male guest: "That man is blind and stupid to reject or even hurt the girl. If someone gives that much effort into an unclear relationship status like this, it''s obvious how much she loves that man. I would give up what I have now to find a girl like her. And what old shoe? What century are we in now? Everyone dates and breaks apart. Plus, if they never dated, she wouldn''t even be an old shoe. Even if she dated, so what? Her personality is too great to even care about her past."


    After these guests spoke their thoughts out, Chen Mu kissed Susu''s hand, "I ended up picking this gem up, and I don''t plan on giving her to anyone. So, Tian Yuo, you said she was your old shoe, but from how everyone present and I see it, you''ve only suffered a huge loss. Since you''ve rejected and hurt her, I''ll fill up those spaces with no rush at all. But regardless of your intention of trying to point out the past doings that Susu had done for you, I should thank you."


    "Thank me?" Tian Yuo''s voice was filled with disappointment and frustration. He felt like he had just slapped himself across the face.


    "Yep. If not, then my introduction of her being my girlfriend would be so dull and meaningless. With your words, I believe everyone is clear of how amazing this girl is. It is my luck possibly from ten lifetimes combined or even longer to have met her, fell in love with her, and wooed her with my sincerity. Everyone, I want to announce to you. This beautiful and pure hearted woman is Yin Susu; my one and only girlfriend. I''m expecting her to change her surname in the future, though, so the surname really doesn''t matter much for now."


    "Also, if she really climbed from one bed to another, then it wouldn''t have taken me years to get this woman to fall for me. It took me so much effort to seduce her that I''m not even joking. Therefore, watch your words when you spit out false accusations and make up harmful rumors. I am in a good mood today to not take legal actions. This is the only warning you''ll receive from me, Tian Yuo. If you say things like that in the future, I will end our friendship and have my lawyers at your door."


    The crowd congratulated the couple with envy written all over their faces. Though everyone was jealous that the couple matched each other perfectly, they knew that they would never be able to surpass the couple''s love for each other. Meanwhile, Karen''s face was darker than charcoal as she thought of the humiliation and still zero mentions about her outfit. A part of her regretted coming with Tian Yuo because his reputation was utterly ruined after this. Her business hasn''t even started yet and already, she could feel a huge loss.


    As for Lily, her mind was already set on avenging Susu in her own way. ''Nobody can bully my Susu in front of others. Heh, didn''t she want to brag about her outfit to others? Let your overconfidence be the reason for your fall today. As for Tian Yuo, her losing face only matches you better. Hmph.''

 Chapter 73 - Comparing Status?

    Soon after Chen Mu''s proper introduction of Susu, everyone found their seats and settled down as the host began his opening speech. In short, the host had recently opened up a new restaurant and catered tonight''s event to promote the main courses, desserts, and drinks. He made sure to keep it straightforward and avoided wordy business with the guests. When he finished giving the speech, everyone gathered around the food servers and eagerly waited for their turn to try out different dishes.


    Chen Mu was sucked into more business conversations, so Susu excused herself with Lily to get food for both of them. She was understanding and very welcoming when meeting his business partners and friends. This made many men feel envy towards Chen Mu for finding someone so special and unique.


    When Lily and Susu were in line for food, others started conversations with them and they quickly became friends. Meanwhile, Karen was biting her chapped lips and devouring the peeling dead skin with lipstick tint on it because nobody voluntarily spoke to her. Nobody pitied her for getting dragged into the previous conversation. Nobody praised her beauty and all her efforts that she had spent on dressing up. She wasn''t able to pass out a single business card tonight because her spotlight was taken by Lily and Susu.


    Seeing Lily and Susu''s smiling faces made her even more furious as she thought of herself as the joke of the event. To her, the outfit that she chose tonight was better than everyone else, yet everyone decided to ignore her because they wanted to kiss up to Chen Mu. She thought that the only reason why she didn''t receive any mentions was due to the fact that she was Tian Yuo''s girlfriend.


    The earlier conversation amongst the crowd already made him come off as a jerk. Therefore, in her mind, it made sense for people to avoid talking to her. At the same time, Tian Yuo was too engaged in talking to his other friends that he neglected her. She was alone and had chugged down the second glass of Hennessy.


    When she saw how happy Lily and Susu looked from a distance, her fingers clenched on the glass tightly. How could she end up this miserable while they took all the fun from her? ''No! I will ruin their day like they had ruined mine. The only thing is that Chen Mu is more powerful than Tian Yuo, so I can''t publicly go against Susu. On the other hand, that feisty woman, Lily, is only the daughter of another prestigious family.''


    She smirked and took a glass of red wine from the table, ''I''ll return the embarrassment thousands of folds this time... Pretty red dress, but let''s see how pretty it will look after this.." The moment Karen started walking towards them, Susu already caught the evil grin on her face. She whispered to Lily, "Watch out."


    Karen seemed to have noticed that she had been found out. Therefore, she quickened her pace and even tripped over her own foot while fast walking towards them. Though she was half tripping, a wide smile appeared on her face as the red wine from the glass messily escaped from the glass.


    When she fell, she thought that she could pull Lily down with her. Once again, she had miscalculated. Susu would never allow anyone to hurt or embarrass her precious friend. As soon as she saw what was coming, she warned Lily and moved her out of the way to avoid the spill.


    "Ahhhh!" Karen shrieked when she fell, scr.a.p.ed her limbs against the rough carpet and missed her target by a few inches. Her dress was barely long enough to cover her knees. When her body fell, the bottom half of her dress flipped upwards and was rolled up even further when her limbs scr.a.p.ed on the carpet; revealing her granny underpants.


    Normally, she wore s.e.xy lingerie underneath, but her period came and she didn''t want to risk dirtying her good quality pairs. Now, she really regretted her decision as she felt the cold air reach her inner thighs and heard murmurs about her tasteless panties. She quickly adjusted her dress as she stood up and hoped that none of it was caught on anyone''s camera.


    She gritted her teeth and tried pushing the blame on Susu for moving Lily away. "How could you move away when you saw someone falling? The decent thing to do is reach out and help them before they fall! Hah and Chen Mu actually complimented you in front of everyone. I don''t see how well you were brought up for having such ill manners!"


    Lily was already angered by the earlier conversation, but now, the volcanoes erupted inside of her. Lava was bursting like explosive fireworks in her brain as flames were shooting everywhere. Susu scoffed, "Excuse yourself, but we were raised by the same parents. Demeaning me would be stepping on yourself. Also, when I see my friend in danger, of course, I would move her out of the way. Why would I let her be in your way when you deliberately fell on your own?"


    In addition to Susu''s words, Lily added, "Also, the way you fell looked very abnormal to how a regular person would have fallen. Under such circ.u.mstances, it was quite obvious that you wanted to spill that glass of red wine onto my dress. What? Jealous that we look way better than your ragged fashion sense? Hah, and here I was wondering how low you would scoop to gain attention."


    Ever since Karen''s fall, everyone had focused their attention on them, so she wanted to get out of there as soon as she could. Since she could no longer find greater words to fight them, she could only excuse herself, "It must have been a misunderstanding then. You see, I lost my balance earlier. Besides, your dresses are alright now. I think my boyfriend is calling for me. Nice talking to you two."


    "Not so fast." Lily stopped her and grabbed two glasses of wine from the table.


    Karen gulped at the sight of the drinks in her hands, "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "Returning the favor. Why? Only you could do such despicable things and I can''t do it? You''ve underestimated your opponent once again." Lily swirled the drink in her hands and tilted the glass towards Karen''s direction.


    "You can''t lay a strand of my hair because Tian Yuo is still a powerful man in business. As his girlfriend, people need to give him some face! You''re only the daughter from the Jiang family. Could you compare to the Tian family? His status and power are higher than yours." Karen threw differences between their power and purposely said it loud for everyone to hear her words.


    After a few seconds of silence, Lily laughed heartily, "You see, it''s been a while since I''ve exercised. Haha, did you mention Tian Yuo having more power than me and that you''re his girlfriend so I can''t lay a finger on you? Well, goose, do some homework before making enemies with the wrong people. If you''re telling me that your boyfriend is powerful, so that I can''t make a move on you, then clearly, you don''t know who my fiance is."


    Karen''s arrogant expression froze after hearing her words.


    "Oh, and your words already meant that as long as the person holds more power, they can do whatever to those who are of lower status. Compared to your family, mine is wealthier and quite far from bankruptcy. As for your boyfriend, my man is comparable to the Chen family. Your boy is inferior. Ever heard of the Lin family? Ya, the only child of Lin family is my darling sugar bun. Tian Yuo is nothing compared to my fiance and Chen Mu. Any last words?"


    "W..What?" Karen stepped back slowly, trying to avoid the red wine in Lily''s hands. Suddenly, a male voice took everyone''s attention away from them, "Hold on."

 Chapter 74 - Apple of My Eye

    "Hold on," he said. Everyone''s attention turned to the man whose voice paved a path for him to get to Lily. The young man walked at his own pace with his back straightened and hair styled slightly waved. His eyes were fixated on Lily the entire time. When he came close enough, he took a glass of wine from her hand and whispered, "Honey, you''ve prepared a drink for me. Let''s make a toast like couples do for their weddings."


    Lily raised her eyebrow, but didn''t question the man''s intention, "If that''s what you wish for, darling. But it better be good." Their arms intertwined as the edge of their wine glass touched their own lips.


    Karen''s eyes were locked on the man''s mysterious, yet alluring aura. Her mouth parted and her arms wished to be Lily''s as she watched them do the newlyweds drinking toast. How she wished she could be next to such a good-looking man.


    "A great quality wine with a beautiful lady. What would make this any more perfect? Ah, crushing an enemy''s dream." His smirk was provocative and very teasing to the audience''s eye.


    "Oh? The apple of my eye is quite suggestive. So tell me, now that we''ve drunk the two glasses of red wine, what else is there to avenge me?" Though her blood boiled from anger, she gave Lin Que the chance to explain himself. She knew his personality extremely well, though. Therefore, she wasn''t the slightest worried that he would let Karen off easily for targeting her.


    Lin Que took the two empty glasses and handed it to the waiter behind him, "Thanks." The waiter nodded and quickly exited the crowd. Lily had her arms crossed as she waited for him to take some action. Minutes passed, and nothing was said or done. Karen was getting more and more hopeful that Lin Que would let her off without any harm.


    Another minute had passed and nobody said a word. Karen''s eyes laid on the man hungrily as he stood in front of Lily in a fearless manner. While everyone would be intimidated by Lily''s aura and attitude, he remained strong in front of her. His sharp features and the aura that he had made him very irresistible to many. In this case, Karen''s mind already flew to the land where the world evolves around her.


    The longer the silence, the more Karen became sure that Lin Que was on her side. Although she didn''t understand why he made his entrance by making the odd toast earlier, she focused on the fact that he didn''t explain himself to Lily when he could have done it from the start.


    ''Could I have been this attractive? Even such a handsome, powerful man would fall for me? Even though I don''t know who he is, but from how they made the toast, he must be the son of the Lin family! Of course! Why would the Lin family let a witch like her ruin their reputation? I''m in luck! I might be able to replace her as well!''


    Karen smiled at the thought of herself being the mistress of the Lin family and having the whole economy under her hands to play with. Her wishful thinking was broken in the following minute as the audience chattered nonstop at the sight of the waiter coming back with a tray of wine glasses filled with thick yellow substances in it.


    "Sir, I did as you instructed." The same waiter from before came back and respectfully bowed with the tray in his hand to Lin Que and Lily''s direction. "Great." Lin Que held Lily''s hands and said, "Honey, didn''t I tell you that my heart would ache if you personally handle rats on your own? Remember? The last time you slapped one and came to me to tell me about it? I applied the ointment on these soft palms. I''m not letting you do the hard work."


    His warm gaze instantly darkened; emitting a dangerous, murderous aura. He turned around and faced Karen''s greed filled expression with disgust written on his face. "So it was you who dared aimed for our family''s Lily. Did you expect yourself to get out of here all tidy like how you walked in? Heh."


    His hand grabbed one of the glasses from the tray, "Do you know what this is?" Karen''s face turned pale and the sweet thoughts in her mind turned gruesome. She shook her head and shivered when her eyes met his. She felt like she was trapped in a different dimension where he was a tyrant and she was the peasant. His words were commands and she had no way of escaping.


    He smiled, "This is lemongrass and mustard mixed together. For those who don''t know this, lemongrass and mustard stains are the worst nightmares since it is hardest to get out of clothes. Even though your dress tonight is ugly enough, the contrast of colors are too bright for human eyes. Let''s adjust it for you, shall we?"


    His hands tilted forty-five degrees and slowly watched the dark yellow mixture drip out of the glass and onto her dress. The sauce was warm, so it wouldn''t burn her skin even if it lands on her skin, but it will still stain it yellow and leave a lingering scent to it. Karen snapped out of her thoughts when she felt the warm gooey sauce weigh down on her dress, sliding onto her lap.


    "Gahhh!!!!!" She wiped the sauce off her lap and shrieked as she tried standing up. When Lin Que saw her reaction, he signaled the waiter to pour everything on her at once. Lin Que covered Lily and stepped backwards to make sure she wouldn''t get a single stain on her body. The crowd saw the nasty scene coming up, so they moved away to a distance where they wouldn''t get dirty.


    A few minutes ago, Chen Mu sieltnly made his way to Susu after hearing the commotion. When he saw the waiter''s actions, he blocked Susu from the sauce as well.


    "Whoops, looks like the waiter slipped." Lin Que mocked as he fixed Lily''s hair and straightened the wrinkles on her dress. After the waiter had finished his task, he bowed and walked away once again. The crowd looked at the mess on Karen and the carpet, "She chose the wrong enemy. Everyone knows that the Lin''s doted a lot of Lily Jiang even though she didn''t marry Lin Que yet. Tsk, tsk, this girl was seeking death to begin with."


    Lin Que took his credit card out and handed it to one of the waiters, "Put the charges for this event and the clean up fees on my tab. As an apology for causing a ruckus, I will compensate for everything that has been used, dirtied, and broken tonight. I hope everyone will continue enjoying themselves and avoid this area until it is cleaned up. To show our support for our friend''s new restaurant, the Lin family will buy the restaurant''s VIP coupons for everyone who is present."


    After that, he faced Lily once again and asked, "Satisfied with the results? Honey~"


    "Mhmm, that is much better than my red wine. You never let me down hahahaha." She kissed him on the cheeks.


    While Lin que and Lily had their moment, Chen Mu wrapped his arms around Susu''s waist, "Let''s give them some couple time. The dance is starting soon."


    "D..dance?" She gulped.


    "Uh huh~" He guided her to the center of the room as a familiar tune started to play in the background. Soon, other couples began to get in place for the dance.


    Meanwhile, bitterness was all Karen showed on her face as she looked at her soaked and ruined looking outfit. Tian Yuo saw her from a distance, but couldn''t bring himself to help her up because she was too dirty. Instead, his focus was on the girl who was in Chen Mu''s arms. His arms lifted slightly as if he wished that she was in his embrace.

 Chapter 75 - Dancing Freely

    As the music began to play, couples greeted their partners with a small tilt and bow.


    Chen Mu extended his hand out with his palms facing upwards, "May I?" Susu hesitated and warned, "I''m not one bit close to being a decent dancer." He chuckled and grabbed her hands, "All fine with me. Dance is not about how great you could do it, but who you''re dancing with. Let go of your nervousness and concentrate on feeling me. We can go as slow as you want to."


    She nodded as their arms circled around each other and went their own pace. Whenever Susu would try to fasten up their moves, Chen Mu would remind her, "No need to dance like others. Do it at your comfortable pace. We have all night."


    Every sense of nervousness diminished as she relaxed and followed the beat of the music better. With his eyes locked to hers, they exchanged a sweet smile with only each other in their eyes. As if this was a dream, it felt magical like a prince matching a princess in their own castle. Their steps matched each other''s pace. As they circled around the room, everyone''s attention was focused on them.


    "Chen Mu," Susu whispered, "Everyone''s watching us."


    His hand gave hers a gentle squeeze. He let out a soft chuckle, "Oh? I haven''t noticed."


    "You''re going to say that your eyes are filled with me, aren''t you?" She was quite used to his sweet lines to the point where she could predict the next.


    He spun her once and pulled her to his embrace as they continued dancing, "Oh? Seems like our hearts are connected, my dear. Don''t you think I deserve a kiss?"


    "Pfft, only you can say these things without being shy. Even if I say no, you will still get it your own way." She naturally moved along his pace and danced the way he guided her to.


    Meanwhile, Lin Que and Lily were dancing in their own way as well. "With this fierce flaming hot dress, it''s too soft to dance our regular ball dance, hmm? Don''t you think?" Lily said at the beginning of the dance.


    Lin Que pinched her chin and lifted her head slightly, "Then shall we go with the flow?"


    "Oh? Not going to try fighting me for a regular dance?" Lily asked as she took off her heels.


    "Heh, too late to discuss that now right? Since the first day that I''ve met you, the word, normal, never existed in your dictionary. It''s exactly because you''re like this that I fell in love with you. The difference made you unique and one of a kind. What more can I ask, wifey?"


    His voice held the same type of doting as it always did when speaking to her. "You..You always make me speechless hahaha, alright then. Shall we dance? I don''t have my ballet shoes, so I can''t do much."


    "Who says you don''t?" He snapped his fingers, and a waiter brought a chair over with a shoebox in his hands.


    "Sit down," Lin Que helped her sit on the chair and opened the shoe box to bring out a pair of ballet shoes that matched with her dress.


    "Y..You.." Lily was caught between her words as she watched him slip the shoes on her feet.


    "I could do it myself," She blushed slightly, but his hands refused to let go.


    "Nu uh, is our Lily feeling shy now? Not the first time this happened. Not everyone could wear this pair of shoes, but you definitiely can. Dance as you like, my queen." After putting her pair of heels into the shoe box, he stood up and held out his hand to invite her for a dance.


    "May I have the honor?" He smiled meaningfully at her, reminding her of how they first met. "Always." Her hand felt his as they got themselves in their position and waited for the waiter to bring the chair and shoe box away from them before they started to dance. While everyone danced professionally to the music being played, only Lin Que and Chen Mu went accords to what their partners wished.


    Karen gritted her teeth when she saw Tian Yuo''s eyes on Susu once again. This time, she saw how his arms were placed in mid-air, clearly in a dancing position. Her eyes teared up as she followed his gaze towards Chen Mu and Susu where they were smiling sweetly together and parted once in a while to talk.


    "Hate! I hate you all! Every single one of you!" Karen''s white knuckles surfaced the skin of her tight fist as she looked around and found kids playing with a bag of marbles. She snatched the bag of marbles impulsively and scattered it onto the dance floor, aiming at Susu and Lily''s direction.


    Since other couples grew tired of dancing or wanted to have chats with other guests, they only danced for the first few minutes and separated. Therefore, only Chen Mu and Lin Que were still dancing with their girls.


    "Let''s see how you''ll get out of this one." A grin appeared on her face as tears dripped down her face. Lily stepped onto a marble and lost her balance, but with years of ballet experience, she quickly adjusted her position and naturally wrapped her leg around Lin Que''s. Noticing a change in her movements, he reciprocated and matched hers perfectly. Her body was leaned against his as her arms circled backwards around his nape.


    Elegantly and boldly, her move convinced the audiences that it was an originally planned move. Meanwhile, Chen Mu was in the middle of giving Susu another spin when she slipped from the marbles on the floor. Smoothly, his arm slid onto her back and secured her position in his embrace. With his guide, she found her pace once again and completed the dance.


    At the end of the dance, both Lin Que and Chen Mu had leaned in and stole a kiss from their partners before they had to separate. Under the eyes of the audience, the couples were the ones acting the most carefree, winning everyone''s applauding.


    The four smiled and thanked everyone for their claps. As they exited the dance floor, Lily and Susu''s smile froze and turned to Lin Que and Chen Mu who had the same expressions. "Karen." With one look under Lily''s ballet shoes, lemongrass and mustard stains were visible.


    The four located Karen and cornered her out of everyone''s sight. Tian Yuo was the only one who noticed and decided to interfere since he brought Karen to the event. He couldn''t let her lose any more face than she already did.


    Tian Yuo stood in front of Karen after spotting the five of them together, "Hold on. You guys already avenged her by messing up her outfit. Give me some respect and let her off. This is a grand event after all."


    Lin Que and Chen Mu cracked their knuckles and stretched their neck, "We don''t hit women, but never said we won''t hit men." Both of them said at the same time without showing signs of backing up.


    "You guys are unreasonable. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. You''ve already avenged for the red wine, why insist on further action? Is that how it is, Yin Susu? You like bullying your stepsister like you always did since young?" Tian Yuo was so slow to catch on the ugly expression on Chen Mu''s face.


    Susu rolled her eyes, "You see, if you don''t have a brain, we''re not obligated to give you any guides. Think before you speak. If she didn''t provoke us, why would we bother giving her a millisecond of our attention? As for bullying, who bullied whom? Want to dig dirt from the past? I''m afraid Karen is the one who should be most afraid of talking about the past."


    Karen grabbed Tian Yuo''s suit and wrinkled it, "Brother Yuo! You must help me. They''re making things up and stirring up trouble. I''ve already got what I deserved, but they wouldn''t even let me off."


    Lin Que was quick to take action as he settled Lily on a chair and took off one of her ballet shoes. Chen Mu held out a handkerchief and showed a stained marble with strong mustard and lemongrass scent to it. "This is called not letting you off, huh? Got what you deserved? I don''t think so."


    "What is the meaning of this? What would that have anything to do with Karen?" Tian Yuo already guessed what she had done, but refused to acknowledge that as a fact.


    "This marble is just one out of many that are still scattered on the dance floor." The harshness in Chen Mu''s voice could not be contained even though he was trying to suppress his anger.


    "And this here, do you dare say it is not lemongrass and mustard on it? I can prove it to you." Lin Que had the shoe in his hand and maintained his calmness. Everyone knew that the calmer Lin Que looked, the angrier he was.


    "How do you prove it?" Tian Yuo didn''t believe they could do anything as long as Karen didn''t admit to anything.


    "Oh? This means that you''re standing up for her hmm? Alright. Prove it? Easy." Lin Que smacked the bottom of the ballet shoes on Tian Yuo''s new white suit, smudging yellow stains on it. The scent of the mustard and lemongrass disgusted him greatly as he stepped backwards and quickly looked for a napkin to wipe it off. The more he wiped, the worse the stain became.


    "Did you like your girlfriend''s gift to you? A footprint of lemongrass mustard. You should thank her and give her a nice kiss. This is just a warning since the marbles didn''t hurt Lily or Chen Mu''s Susu. If this marble harmed any of them, she wouldn''t be here talking, but behind bars. Don''t think that with the power of our families, we wouldn''t be able to get a hold of the security cameras here."


    Chen Mu continued, "Go home and discipline your woman. Or even better, put a leash on her so she wont go around biting others. She already attempted to bite Susu and Lily a few times today. If these marbles had hurt Susu or Lily, it wouldn''t just be jail time. Whichever hand touched the marbles would also be part of the price for doing what she did. Understand?"


    This was the first time Tian Yuo had seen Chen Mu like this and also the first time speaking to Lin Que. Everything felt so unfamiliar to him. He tried to reach out to Chen Mu, but failed as Chen Mu avoided his touch and went back to Susu''s side.


    Behind him, Karen was shivering and hugging her yellow stained arms. She was afraid that the Lin and Chen family would come after her. After hearing Chen Mu''s threat, she continued to deny her actions and hoped that Tian Yuo would believe her.


    Tian Yuo looked at her with distrust in his eyes, "Did you really not do it?"


    "B..Brother Yuo, don''t listen to them. I really didn''t do it. I swear..." Her voice was cut off by two crying children as they dragged their parents to Karen.


    "Mommy, daddy, it''s her. The nasty smelling woman who took our marbles from us! Make her give it back to us. Make her! It''s our marbles. wahhhh, she even slapped my hand when I refused to give it to her," the little girl and boy cried to their parents.


    Tian Yuo walked away the moment he heard the children''s cry and Karen was stuck with getting busted once again.

 Chapter 76 - Broken Lamp

    After fifteen minutes of straight lectures from the children''s parents, none of their words ever entered Karen''s ears. All she focused on were how Chen Mu supported Susu and never felt embarrassed by her even when she was an amateur at dancing. Her eyes then landed on Lin Que who accepted Lily''s arrogant attitude and mischievousness without a second thought to it. ''How could they be so lucky?''


    As her eyes swept across the empty space next to her, she thought of how Tian Yuo had left her by herself at such crucial moments. Whenever she needed or wanted him to stand up for her, he failed to do so. Even when he made a move, he was not powerful or strong enough to last to the very end.


    In the past, she thought that he was a great man who could help her achieve her goals and hurt Susu. Now, she is even farther away from bullying Susu. Now, even breathing one breath of air near Susu became suffocating for her to endure. Karen watched as Susu and Lily walked away with their lovers hugging them.


    She really envied them. If she had met Chen Mu or Lin Que first, maybe it would be her in their arms now. She could have gotten everything she had ever wanted, but she chose a broken lamp as a backup. What is the use of having a lamp that had a pretty package, but wouldn''t function well? Tian Yuo is no longer a safe chess to use, and she needs to figure out a plan to find an even more powerful man to support her.


    Maybe Lin Que is out of reach, but Chen Mu seemed easier to get. Since Susu could have him, she could too. There is no man who could accept their girlfriend cheating and she was great at these set ups. ''Just need to wait for the right time..hehe..''


    Meanwhile, at a certain bar, Tian Yuo drank multiple shots as bitterness spread deep inside of him when he saw loving couples acting intimate with each other. He managed to get home by himself, but he didn''t remember how. When he saw his mother on the couch, he curled up in a fetus position on the couch and hid his face in shame on her lap like he would as a child whenever he encountered something upsetting.


    "What''s wrong?" She asked as she patted his back. The alcohol scent was so strong that she almost wanted to send him upstairs to his room. Even though she said she wouldn''t care about what he does from then and on, he was still her child. Seeing him like this is not what she wanted.


    "Mom, did I make a mistake?" Though his face was away from her, she could feel the heat of his tears onto her pants. She rubbed his back and sighed, "Are you referring to Susu?"


    He could only let out a "Mmm," as a response as he felt a heavy lump in his throat. "Son, I''ve told you many times that she was a good girl and even tried countless ways to keep her back then. But you... you were too slow to realize how great she is. We all knew she was a good girl and very compatible with our family. What else can mother say now that you''ve already divorced?"


    "But I...mom, it really hurts." He sniffled and wiped his tears with his hands. "I know, but have you thought of how hurt she must have felt when you did all that? Think about it. You were her first man, first love, first everything, but you also broke her heart. If you didn''t do what you''ve done and listened to me way back, maybe there would still be a chance between you two."


    "Mom, what should I do? Would she ever come back?" he knew the answer already, but refused to accept it.


    "What do you expect me to say? I''m not going to lie to you. If you came home like this, it means you probably saw her with another guy. She''s probably very happy right now. Happier than she ever was when with you and you realized it. You want her back now, but ask yourself, do you really love her? Or just a part of you feels bad for losing something so special?"


    She continued, "Son, mom has thought a lot recently. I''ve forced my way to keep her in our house and even become our family. We''ve let her down over and over again. I didn''t even realize how badly we''ve hurt her until I''ve sat down and thought of how funny my words were. I said I treated her as my daughter, but I really used her to fulfill my selfishness. She was so great that I wished to keep her for only us and especially you. I never asked if that was what she wanted and never once thought of how she must have felt when I guilt trapped her."


    "But.." He tried to find ways to go against her words.


    "Let me ask you this. Did she look happier with that man? Much happier than the past?"


    He nodded.


    "Was she smiling for herself from pure joy and not just showing off a fake smile?"


    He nodded.


    "Then does that man make her happier than when she was with you?"


    He reluctantly nodded.


    "Sigh, you know...there is your answer right there. You could have had everything with her, but your time had been up. If time could be reversed, then people wouldn''t learn to cherish one another. Now that she is happier with someone else, who cherishes her and she loves him back, you need to learn to let go. If you realized these years ago, no, even a year ago, you would''ve had your own children with her by now."


    Her words were straightforward and aimed at his fragile heart, but it was the exact words that he needed. He needed someone to wake him up and stop his jealousy from spreading. He wanted to let her go like how she did to him when he acted with such arrogance. This was the closure that he needed for himself.


    "I can only look at her from afar..." he mumbled as he fell asleep on her lap.


    Finally, after a while of having mixed emotions, Tian Yuo figured out his feelings for Susu. Unfortunately, it was too late. Too late to mend any damages and already too late to even have the right to say that he loves her.

 Chapter 77 - A Christmas Wish

    It was an hour from midnight when the event ended. Lily and Lin Que parted from Chen Mu and Susu as they lived in opposite directions. Instead of riding the same limousine back home, Chen Mu had parked his regularly used car across from the event. Since Christmas was almost here, he had other plans in mind.


    Once they settled in the car, he took off his suit jacket, put it over Susu''s body, and made sure that her seatbelt was buckled properly before driving. "Aren''t we going home? This is not the right way." She asked after noticing that he made a right turn instead of a left.


    "Nope. I want to bring you to a place before we head home. It''ll take around half an hour. If you''re tired, take a nap. I''ll wake you up when we are there. Let me know if the heat is too low or high, okay?" He stopped in front of the red light and felt the temperature of her hands.


    "Mm.." Slowly, her eyes closed as he turned on soothing music for her to listen to. It''s been a long night, and the event was a tiring one with all the drama and chaos that headed her way. When they reached the place, it was around ten minutes before the second hand strikes twelve. Chen Mu woke her up and held her hand after they had got out of the car.


    "Let''s go." His warm hands rubbed against her slightly cold hands as they followed a pathway into a park. When they reached the center of the park, Chen Mu looked at his phone and smiled, "Look up there... 5...4...3...2...1"


    Susu listened to him and looked up while he did the countdown. Once he counted down to 1, lights lit up in front of them surrounding a huge Christmas tree with many ornaments and sparkling decorations. Her eyes instantly lit up as she watched the lights turn on, trailing up to the huge bright star on the top of the tree.


    The brightest star lit up, but that wasn''t the only surprise that caught her off guard. A Christmas Carol tune played in the background and towards the end of it, the star changed from a glowing yellow color to one with mixed pastel colors. Slowly, the colors seemed to reverse in trail and trace back down around the tree to the starting point, which was right in front of her.


    Her eyes followed the lights as its colors matched a fairytale theme. The moment the last LED light changed to the mixed colors, a pendant appeared in front of her. It was a pendant shaped like a pair of angelic wings with a tiny button inside of it. She looked up at Chen Mu with a curious smile as he placed the pendant in her palms and said, "Press the button."


    "Hmm?" Her fingertips pushed the button inside the pendant and instantly, a three dimensional Aurora Borealis lighting appeared in front of her. The smile on her face reached her eyes as she looked at the simply designed pendant and the secret it held from within. "This is amazing! How did you do this?"


    "Mmm.. not telling you. This is personally designed by me to you. If you look careful enough into the lights, you would see our names engraved in the Aurora lights." He hugged her by her waist and pointed to the lower left side of the lights.


    "Chen Mu hearts...Susu on an infinity symbol" She smiled at the sight of the small signature he marked on the side. He corrected her and whispered, "It says Chen Mu loves Susu forever and ever on the infinity loop."


    "What a great gift this is! I love it! Thank you," She wrapped her arms around his nape and continued looking at her Christmas gift from him.


    "You see~ Aurora means sunrise or dawn and Boreas means wind. Waking up every morning and sleeping by your side at night became my motivation for working hard. Just like the Aurora princess from Disney, you are my sleeping beauty and I will be the one to save you from harm at all times. I promise you."


    "Oh my.. with all these pick up lines you must have gotten a lot of girls in the past to get this good. Cheesy!" She giggled while resting her head on his shoulder as they tightened their hug.


    "Nope. You''re my first girlfriend. When have you ever seen me tease or flirt with another girl? Hmmm? It''s always been only you, my dear." He chuckled and rubbed her back to warm her up.


    "Hmmm? Talking about it...it is true... I almost thought you were gay back in school because you rarely hung out with other girls." She whispered and let out a soft laugh.


    "Is that a challenge?" he loosened the hug and looked her in the eye with flirting signals all over. Though it was cold out, she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She turned around and said, "Let''s go~ I''m getting cold. Geez, you and your hidden meanings!"


    Together, they walked hand in hand back to the car and headed back home. On the way back, Susu fell asleep once again, but this time, a sweet smile remained on her face as her palms held the wing shaped pendant tightly. After parking his car, he turned to the peaceful looking angel beside him and smiled.


    He whispered, "I forgot to mention. There was a myth that said if a couple showed up alone in front of the Christmas tree as midnight strikes and watched the lights turn on, then they will be able to accompany each other till old age. Even though I don''t believe in these things, as long as its one that gives us hope and happiness, I''ll believe in it."


    "Let''s see how accurate this myth is. Even without this myth, I''ve already determined to accompany you until the very last breath of ours. Whether I go first or you, I''ll only spend this lifetime with you. Aurora lights... may the Goddess of the Dawn allow us to share more sunrises and a miracle in the future."


    "My Christmas wish is for your fast recovery and for you to always smile like you did tonight. I love you." He brushed her fringe aside slightly and gave her a kiss on the lips. When she felt the familiar warmth so close to her face, she woke up and smiled, "That doesn''t count. This is a real kiss."


    She pulled him closer slightly and covered his mouth with hers. As their lips warmed up against each other, snowflakes danced down the cold night. It was a white Christmas indeed.

 Chapter 78 - Unexpected

    *****Author''s note: Merry Christmas to everyone once again! This chapter is the GIFT I''ve been saying that I would release. Have fun XD!!*****


    After a kiss that seemed to have lasted for ages, their lips separated. As they gasped for breath, Chen Mu whispered from a few centimeters gaps from her lips, "Let''s continue later." He successfully provoked her inner beast as his breath lingered on her numbing lips.


    While riding the elevator, she felt his fingertips against her back, sending thousands of signals to her body; electrifying her. As she counted the seconds that it took from one floor to the next, she subconsciously bit her lips in anticipation of what would happen once they reach their home.


    Once the elevator doors opened, a smile broke loose on her face as she took the lead and guided him to their condo. He watched her slip the key into the lock and walked in the condo. Recognizing the similar desires that they shared for each other, his last sense of rationality was blown away.


    Immediately upon locking the door from behind, his strong arms circled her waist and gently pushed her up against the wall where their eyes exchanged glances. As if she knew what would come next, she wrapped an arm around his nape and used her body to reverse their position.


    Meeting her gaze once again ignited a tangible heat that spread rapidly inside his body. His hand explored her h.i.p.s as the other slipped up her back. Her free hand loosened the hair tie that supported her half updo and her slightly tangled hair laid messily on top of the other layers of her hair.


    His hand slid further up and combed through her hair that fought the winter night''s breeze. For each stroke he made, he untangled parts of her hair without hurting her. She brought her body closer to his, but purposely left a gap that made her close enough to have him feel every breath of hers on his lips.


    Just like how he teased her in the car, she returned the favor and heightened the atmosphere even more. His hand supported the back of her head as he bent his head down to her ears, "You''re playing with fire..." he groaned.


    "Am I? Hmm?"


    "Oh? Is that a challenge?" He nibbled her ear lobes and showered small kisses down her exposed throat. A few m.o.a.ns escaped her mouth as his hands moved up and down her h.i.p.s. "W..wait.. nnn.." She groaned softly to his ears, spellbinding him.


    "Hmmm?" He continued trailing his kisses and warming her skin with his lips.


    "S..Shower first!" She suddenly felt self-conscious about how dirty she must be after staying outside the whole day. If they were to continue to the third base tonight, she would want it to be a good experience.


    "Uh huuh.." He sucked on one of her sensitive spots by her ears and left a hickey. His warm lips had devoured hers before he rubbed his thumb in a wiping motion on her bottom lips, "Then go now, before we make it into a duo shower."


    Her cheeks flushed from his teasing as she turned around and lifted her hair. Without having to be asked, he chuckled and unzipped her dress. Seeing her bare back made his fingers wander playfully on her body. She let him slide the dress off her body and onto the floor.


    Quickly after the dress dropped, she ran to her room and grabbed her bathing essentials to the bathroom. He laughed after seeing how innocent her response was. "Cute," he said as he collected his jacket and her dress from the floor.


    While he waited for her to finish her shower, he prepared his pajamas and towel. He also boiled some water in case she wants warm water later or some tea. When she was done, she walked out looking refreshed and more comfortable in her home clothes.


    "Haaaa, the shower was nice." She walked to the kitchen counter where he was standing and circled her arms around his waist. He reciprocated the hug and bent down for a kiss, "Good. I already boiled some water and prepared tea leaves if you want some tea."


    She blinked twice and watched as he left her in the living room without making any extra moves. "Hmmmmm? Hehe...We''ll see if you''ll be able to resist my temptation later." Chen Mu finished his shower and realized that Susu had already gone to bed.


    "Hmm? She''s probably tired. I''ll just get into bed with her." He turned off the lights to the hallway and entered her room where she slept while facing the wall. They had a habit of cuddling each other when they slept at night, so it was rare for her to be facing that way.


    Still, he slipped into bed without thinking about anything extra. After adjusting his position, his arms circled around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. That was when he felt it. He gulped and looked at the girl in his arms. His hands went slightly further South to confirm that he was right.


    ''She is only wearing her loose top and panties!'' he inwardly screamed. While he contemplated if he should make a move on her, she suddenly toppled him and placed his hands on either sides of her thighs. "Hehe...tricked you."


    Her loose top slid down one shoulder, revealing her soft skin. "Y..You.." He couldn''t get the words that he wanted to say out.


    "Me what? You wanted to ask me if I know what I''m doing?" She leaned forward until her chest pressed against his chest and palms rest on his shoulders. His hands circled around her body to make sure she was steady as he nodded in response, "Are you sure you know what you''re doing?"


    "I''m sure."


    "Wouldn''t you think it is a little fast?" Honestly speaking, which man wouldn''t want to sleep with his girlfriend? But still, he wanted to make sure that she was ready to reach that step. He considered her first time being a bad experience, so he was always cautious to never get himself too excited when making out with her.


    "Why would it be? I stopped you the other time because I didn''t tell you about my cancer. Now that you already know everything and don''t mind about it, what''s there to stop us from sleeping with each other?" She smiled and initiated a kiss.


    At first he was still a bit hesitant, but when she stopped the kiss to ask him, "You don''t want to?" He decided to go with the flow. If it reaches to the crucial moment and she decides to back out, then he will let it be. If not, then they will finally become one together.


    He toppled over her and kissed her lips intensely. After nibbling on her bottom lip, he lifted her chin with his fingers, "I''ll always want to." His lips traced down her neck and left marks all over. From faded marks to darker ones, he took his time exploring and enjoyed making her m.o.a.n as he continued.


    His hands slid up and down her waist before capturing her b.r.e.a.s.ts under her loose top. His thumbs found her hardened n.i.p.p.l.es and stroked them as he shared a deep kiss with her. Their tongues swirled and tangled each other passionately.


    Those beautiful lips of hers were on his; kissing him deeply. She tasted sweet and fruity like her favorite Passionfruit Tea. Her palms slid from his shoulders down to the edge of his shirt; pulling it up. She wanted to strip him and feel him skin to skin.


    He sat up, took off his top and so did she. They wanted to feel each other beyond the layer of clothes. Although the room was dark, they could still see each other''s body and feel the other''s heartbeat. Feeling his hard chest with her palms, she pulled him close where he remained on top of her.


    As he planted more kisses on her lips, cheeks, forehead, and back to her neck, her hands nervously held his body. She didn''t know where to place her hands, so she followed her instincts. Her eyes hazed with passion as her m.o.a.ns grew louder and more sensual as he reached further South.


    With his mouth sucking her left n.i.p.p.l.e and his right hand caressing her right b.r.e.a.s.t, his body parted her legs and prevented it from closing. Sensing her tensed body from her lower abdomen, he brought his lips back to hers. She shuddered as his fingers slid beneath the black, silky laced panties that she was wearing; making her body arch slightly.


    "Relax and focus on feeling my touch. Everything will be okay. We don''t have to go all the way if you don''t want to later, okay?" He whispered and nibbled on her ears. She nodded with her half closed eyes. Her body felt hot and tight; especially the area between her thighs. She was craving for his touch and knew that it was irresistible. Already, she knew she had no more restraints.


    He smiled when his fingers felt the moistness near her entrance, "You''re wet." His voice made her body feel tinglish all over. He didn''t penetrate her, instead, playfully teased her clit several times.


    "Nnn..ahhaa.." She slowly relaxed her body and focused on the tiny kisses trailing down her body. He went back and forth at a slow pace until he felt that she was ready to have the last piece of undergarment removed. His hands skimmed up her thighs until it reached the waistband of her panties.


    Her hand reached his when he tried to take off her panties. He looked up to make sure she wanted this. She pulled him in for a deep kiss before whispering, "You need to take off your boxers too."


    Hearing her words was enough for his already hardened buddy down there even more excited. Her knee bent up slightly and rubbed his hard erection that was hiding behind his pants. He drowned her lips in another deep kiss as their tongues explored the other''s mouth. "As you wish."


    Finally, nothing separated them. She could feel his erection against her thigh as they kissed. This was the first time she touched his p.e.n.i.s so closely and her insides were twitching when it felt how hard he was. Her fingers gently held the tip of his p.e.n.i.s, triggering a groan from him.


    She rolled him over and sat on top of him as her fingers played around with his boner. His husky voice aroused her interest to making him feel good. With minimal experience, her hands clumsily slid up and down his p.e.n.i.s. While allowing her to explore on her own, he would release a pleasurable groans when she stroked the right spots.


    Unable to resist his desires to taste her, he stopped her hands and adjusted their positions. With her wet entrance to his mouth and his p.e.n.i.s close to her mouth, he satisfyingly continued preparing her for his intrusion. M.o.a.ns echoed the room as she felt the tip of his tongue intruding her entrance. While m.o.a.ning, her tongue swirled around the tip of his hard rod; attempting to take his whole length in her mouth.


    Both of them m.o.a.ned in ecstasy as they felt the warmth of the other''s mouth devouring their own privates. His size was too large for her to take in, so she stroked his erection with her hands as the rest was serviced by her mouth. "Nmm...nn...haa..." she m.o.a.ned as she continued sucking him off.


    Feeling the wetness and twitching of her insides, he knew she was about to reach climax. With one thumb rubbing her clit, his other hand stroked up and down her sensitive thighs. Her m.o.a.ns grew louder as she grew closer to climaxing the first time.


    While feeling the great sense of pleasure that she had never felt before, her mouth and hands only grew more aggressive. As she reached her climax, he also came close to releasing. He groaned, "S..Susu.. I''m about to.. c.u.m.. Let go," he warned.


    Despite hearing his words, her actions only fastened and tongue swirled around his tip until she tasted the hot liquid that came out of him. This was his exclusive taste. "Nnn...haa.." She got off him and swallowed his s.p.e.r.m.


    He quickly reached for the box of tissues by the bedside, but she already swallowed it. Before an apology came out of his mouth, he heard a few giggles, "So this is how you taste like down there." His arms wrapped around her petite body and pulled the blanket on top of their n.a.k.e.d bodies, "And how did it taste?"


    "Mmm... a little sweet. Not too bad." She hugged him by the waist and received a kiss from him. They started making out after their breathing went back to normal. This time, there was no tension nor funny business. The couple took their time sharing a long, passionate kiss as they were ready to become one with each other.


    During their kiss, her hands stroked his p.e.n.i.s; triggering an instant reaction. They m.o.a.ned between their kisses and rubbed each other''s privates. After her first climax, she was wet enough for him to penetrate her.


    He held his p.e.n.i.s and brushed it against her drenched entrance. Feeling the heat coming from his d.i.c.k made her arch towards him. She bit her lips and looked at him l.u.s.tfully. Suddenly, he stopped and said, "I didn''t think we would do it this quick, so I didn''t buy condoms." As much as he wanted to do it, he wouldn''t want to risk getting her pregnant.


    She sat up and bit his ears gently, "My period should be here in a few days. I''m safe today." Her hands already traced its way to his erection and the moment she said these words, she felt his p.e.n.i.s grow even harder. "No point in stopping now, am I right?" She whispered seductively into his ears and playfully pushed him down while rubbing her entrance against his hard length.


    He toppled over her, "I want you so badly. I can''t wait anymore." He sucked on her neck as his fingers located the entrance of her v.a.g.i.n.a. He held her hands and asked, "Ready?"


    "Mm.. Ready." She replied reassuringly as their fingers intertwined. Slowly, his p.e.n.i.s spread her lips opened and entered her.


    "Haa...nn..m..Nn...!" She bit her lips, clenched her fingers against his, and shed a tear. Though the tip of his p.e.n.i.s had barely entered, he could feel the extreme tightness of her insides. The tightness felt great around him, but he stopped and kissed her cheeks. "It''s alright. Relax your body.. That''s right. Just focus on my kisses."


    He pecked her gently from her forehead, cheeks, earlobe, to her lips. As soon as he felt her body loosen its tension, he entered her entirely. Finally, they became one together and this feeling was something they''ve never felt before. The bond and closeness of their intercourse made them feel secured and completed.


    As he attempted to thrust slowly, she groaned in pain, "I..It hurts.. nnn. don''t move..yet.."


    He took his time and waited for her body to adjust to his size. Though his size was pretty big, she shouldn''t feel this much pain. Still, he whispered to her ears and caressed her to relax her body.


    He thrusted slowly a few times and groaned as he penetrated her over and over. Her insides were warm and wrapping around his p.e.n.i.s tightly. Soon, the pain went away, and she started m.o.a.ning in pleasure. His thrusts became more rapid and her m.o.a.ns aroused him even more. He slid in and out easier than before as she became wetter.


    "Ahhh..ha.a..n...right there...ha..." she m.o.a.ned out loud as he aimed at her G spot. He smirked and nibbled on her ears, "You like it there hmm?" Feeling her insides twitching against his p.e.n.i.s, he groaned and thrusted even faster. His arms held her legs as he felt himself coming close.


    He released her legs and kissed her deeply as she had her second climax. Sounds of flesh slapping flesh could be heard along with sensual m.o.a.ns as his p.e.n.i.s enlarged; getting ready to ejaculation.


    "I''m c.u.m.m.i.n.g..haa..nn...a..." he grunted by her ears. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him close, "C.u.m..c.u.m inside of me..haa..a.a..." Her bold words and actions increased the strength and speed of his thrusts. Once.. twice.. and the third thrust happened before he let his swimmers swim deep into her w.o.m.b.


    He stayed inside of her as they gasped for breath. "It felt so good inside of you," he whispered. "Mmnn.. and it felt really good for me.." she replied. They smiled joyfully and shared a kiss before he pulled out of her v.a.g.i.n.a. He wore his boxers, and switched on the lights to get her some water. When he turned around to ask if she needed a warm towel, he noticed the bedsheets were stained by blood.


    Quickly, he walked over to her to check if she felt any discomfort. After some inspection, he said, "Susu.. Umm..."


    "Hmm? What?"


    "I''m your first..man," He looked surprised and happy at the same time. Susu was shocked to hear the results of his inspection.

 Chapter 79 - Tracking Back

    "Huh?" Susu raised her brows and looked at the stained bedsheets.


    "Did you go to your obstetrician-gynecologist after the drugged incident with Tian Yuo?" Chen Mu sat beside her on the bed.


    She shook her head, "I felt some lower back ache and my legs were weak. Then, Tian Yuo mentioned something about taking my first time or us sleeping together. So I automatically assumed that it did happen."


    "When did your period come after that time? Since you track it, you should have saved it on your calendar or something." He reminded her to doublecheck the possibility of it being her period that arrived the same morning as the whole drama began.


    Quickly, she unlocked her cellphone and dated all the way back to over a year ago. "Ah!! I got my period the same day. Everything was too sudden, so I never thought that it was possible for it to be my period blood...ehe..."


    "How could you mistaken menstrual cramps and v.i.r.g.i.nity pain? Didn''t it feel even slightly different?" He questioned and poked her forehead for not instantly checking her body. She was too careless.


    "Hey! Who would be so attentive to go to see a doctor after losing their v.i.r.g.i.nity and facing the drama that came after? Plus! If Tian Yuo claimed that I slept with him, how would I know that even he, himself, had mistaken for what he did or didn''t do that night? Another plus! I''m still a girl, so obviously losing my chastity is different! How would I know it was menstrual cramps and that it was a different type of pain than cramps? You tell me!"


    Indeed, she was correct. Since she had never lost her v.i.r.g.i.nity until now, how would she have been able to distinguish the pain from menstrual cycle cramps?


    She pouted at his random questions and decided to go to wash up. The moment her feet touched the floor, her legs weakened and her back felt sore. "Ssss..." She hissed, and he quickly helped her settle back onto the bed.


    "Where does it hurt?" He asked the obvious.


    She looked at him with watery eyes, "Where do you think?!" She puffed a few breaths; melting his heart immediately. He knelt down and massaged her thighs, "Ahahaha, my beautiful dear~ Queen~~ It''s all my fault. Come, let''s help you clean up~~"


    "Hmph! You dare ask me how I couldn''t figure out cramps from this type of pain! This is coming from the man who just took my first time! Bleh! I''ll go wash myself. Hmph! You can sleep on your own bed tonight and feel the cold air against your old man''s back!" She averted her gaze and crossed her arms.


    "No~~ Ahahaha, I was just... just caring about you. You know. Like I unexpectedly took my childhood sweetheart''s v.i.r.g.i.nity and it was a shock~ I just wanted to... you know....clear up the misunderstandings~"


    The moment he heard that he would be banished to the cold palace away from his mistress'' chamber, he swore he would get that thought out of her mind. When she didn''t give in to his whining, he shamelessly made faces until she opened her eyes to look at him again.


    A loud laugh slipped out of her mouth as he pulled on his earlobes, stretched his lips the furthest it allowed him to and raised his left brow upwards. He held his breath and puffed his cheeks out while making a fish expression, "Pffft...hahahahahaha.. okay, fine. Fine. Stop your nonsense! Sheesh."


    She massaged his cheeks to minimize his wrinkles with a smile on her face, "Actually, I am quite happy to hear this."


    "Hmm? To hear what? Me whining for your attention or seeing me and making me your laughing buddy?" He purposely held his breath again and repeated the same expression.


    "Pffft! I''m serious. I''m glad nothing happened that night. Even if this was a mistake, it is a beautiful one. A very blissful mistake." She giggled and leaned forward; pecking him on the lips before bumping their foreheads against each other lightly.


    "Really? So wifey is all happy now?" His hands reached up to hold hers against his cheeks and a smile formed on both their faces.


    "Mhmm.. Very... because my first time was with the person whom I love dearly; wholeheartedly. The most important part is that my lover loves me back and cherishes my everything. Though it was painful and a sudden surprise, it made me feel extremely lucky. Lucky that you were my first for everything."


    "Oh..then I should tell you how grateful and thankful I feel as well for being your first. I was so ready to make all your bad experiences into good ones, but now, I''ve already accomplished it. Because you''re exclusively mine now. No matter when and how, you can''t ever get rid of me." He brought his lips closer to hers as he finished his words and finished up with a kiss.


    Her hands slid from his cheeks to his shoulders as she returned the gentle kisses and deepened it. Even though their eyes were closed during their passionate kiss, his thumb wiped away a few drips of tears from her face. He knew how much this had meant to her and he was truly glad that this mistake turned out this amazing.


    A drop of tears also fell secretly down his face, but quickly dried up as he laid her back on the bed and led her on. For countless times, their lips covered the others repeatedly; unwillingly to let it turn cold. His warm breaths hovered over her cheeks after their numbed lips had separated.


    Moving along towards the right, he whispered to her ears, "I love you. I''ve loved you since we''ve met. I promise to take responsibility for the pain I made you endure, and I swear to the heavens if it exists and to every living thing on earth, that I will always stay true to you. If there''s danger coming, I''ll be the first to ju-"


    She covered his mouth with her palms, "Shh! Don''t talk such bad words. Not allowed! Nuh uh."


    He smiled behind her palms and mumbled, "I love you for many many many years. Thank you for completing me and loving me back."


    "Mmm? What did you say? I didn''t hear you~" She chuckled mischievously after uncovering his mouth. She could''ve guessed his exact words, but wanted to hear him repeat them over and over. These were some of the most precious words someone has ever said to her and even if he says it to her every day, she would never get tired of it.


    "I said~ Wanna go for a few more rounds? Since you''re smiling, you''ve agreed~" he winked and covered her mouth once again. Between these mini pecks and adventurous kisses, the smile on their faces were obvious. From their one gaze, one could tell that it was filled with love and affection.


    His hands roamed to various parts of her sensitive body; making her body shudder. Her body had been deeply poisoned by his addictive touches as it responds immediately to every one of his fingertip contact to her skin.


    Similar to their first time, they took things slowly and enjoyed every tiny detail along way leading to their intercourse. His breath hovered on her forehead, cheeks, lips, earlobes, neck, b.r.e.a.s.ts, and further South. Each kiss he planted only made her cravings for their soon connection increase. The closer he was to her p.u.s.s.y, the wilder her m.o.a.n became.


    When he reached her wet entrance, he let his fingertips kiss her insides as it slid in and out of her. His mouth captured one n.i.p.p.l.e as the other hand groped her butt cheeks and pulled her body closer to his erection. Once his fingers found her G spot, it continuously teased her until her legs lost its strength.


    "Seems like somebody is ready for round two." He licked her lips and felt her spread her legs voluntarily wider for him to gain better access. She bit her lips and stared with anticipation in her eyes. The tip of his hard erection was already leaking prec.u.m. With her gazing at it like that, the beast inside of him nearly exploded.


    Slowly, his tip parted her lips, and she m.o.a.ned as she saw where they connected. When his full length was shoved in, she closed her eyes and focused on feeling his thrusts. This time, there was little to no pain, and she enjoyed it even more than before. She loved the heat that his p.e.n.i.s emitted inside of her as it grind her insides and enlarged after some time.


    His movements and breathing became irregular as he was close to ejaculating again. She bit her lips and reached for his shoulders as her m.o.a.ns followed his quick pounding movements. "Ahhh ..haaaa!! Mnnnnmmm nn... Ahhh.." She could feel her entrance getting wetter as she reached her climax. Her insides were twitching excitedly to welcome his second batch of swimmers to release deep inside of her.


    Finally, after a few rapid thrusts, he pulled out his p.e.n.i.s until only the tip was left in her tightness and shoved it in deeply. There, he once again marked her insides with his s.p.e.r.m; kissing her w.o.m.b. They kissed as their gasped for fresh air and continued doing it three more times.


    Susu was dead tired after the whole exercise and decided to let him wash her while she slept. Of course, Chen Mu gladly completed the task, replaced new bed sheets, and cuddled with her to deep slumber. "Sleep tight.." He kissed her on the forehead before falling asleep.

 Chapter 80 - Was It Really Just a Coincidence?

    The following morning, Chen Mu woke up, went out to buy some herbs from the market, and made contraceptive medicine that are harmless to the body. He had to adjust the formulas because Susu was also taking medicine, so the herbs he used cannot be ones that would clash with the ingredients used in her chemotherapy pills.


    He knew how much she hated drinking bitter herb tea, so he chose a sweet type of herb over the bitter one when he bought the ingredients. While she slept and took sufficient rest, he was happily making the perfect formula for her body. Sometimes he smiled and other times he giggled like a schoolgirl thinking about her crush. He didn''t even notice that she woke up and was observing his funny expressions from the hallway with her arms crossed.


    She smiled and decided to tiptoe to his side to see if he would notice her. As expected, he was too focused on whatever was on his mind that she managed to hug him from behind and give him a light scare. "Boo! Morning! Hahahhaahha" She hugged his waist as he patted his chest and took deep breaths.


    "Mm..Morning...Phewww, almost got a heart attack."


    "Oh? Oh? Let me listen to your heartbeat and see~" She turned him around and placed her ears flat against his chest to listen to his heart that was beating incredibly fast. She giggled, "Sounds nothing like last night''s heartbeat hehehehe. Last night, your heart was beating like bathump.. bathumpp..bathumpp"


    Her hands patted on his chest gently to demonstrate how fast his heart raced while they were doing the deed last night. With one arm hugging her close, the other hand of his reached for her chin, "You! Always so teasing. Are you not afraid that I make it so that you wouldn''t be able to get out of bed for the next few days? Hmmm?"


    "We''ll see if you dare do that to me! Hehehehee" Her feet left the floor as he lifted her up on the kitchen counter, next to the bowl of contraceptive medicine.


    "Is that another challenge hmm? I''ll gladly accept it if its from you, wifey." He fixed her bed hair and brushed it away from her face. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, "Who''s your wife? We aren''t even married yet!"


    "Oh? Shall I remind you how I made you call me hubby and how many times you''ve screamed it voluntarily yesterday night? Mmmmm?" He teased while hugging her waist and bringing his lips to hers.


    Her face flushed as she remembered how shameless he made her last night. She couldn''t hold back her desires and m.o.a.ns at the end. "Y..You..mm..nn.. beast!" She playfully fists punched his shoulders as she drowned in his passionate morning kiss. Her body relaxed and brought itself closer to his embrace. Even though all he did was kiss her, her body already lost its strength as she gave in willingly to his intimate touches.


    After sharing a long kiss, they settled down to make and eat breakfast together like always. He made sure she drank the contraceptive tea and had enough rest to run some errands later.


    "What are you doing today?" Chen Mu took the empty cup to the sink and washed it.


    "Mmmm.. I need to finish editing some designs for clients and then go out to buy some stuff with Lily."


    "Alright, make sure to rest your eyes once in a while. You know how concentrated you get once you start working on designs. It''s a bit chilly outside today, so don''t forget to wear a scarf when you go out." Before he headed to work, he left a scarf on top of her jacket so she wouldn''t forget to bundle up before going out.


    While walking him out, she double checked to make sure that he had everything, "Keys, wallet, work doc.u.ments!"


    "Got them."


    "Then you''re alllll set~" She handed him his bag with everything in it.


    "You forgot about something." He touched his lips with his index finger and bent forward.


    "Hahaha.. here, here! Mwahhhh, have a safe trip~ Don''t miss me too much~" She pecked his lips, cheeks and forehead before waving goodbye.


    He laughed heartily and left for work. She shook her head slightly with a silly smile on her face, "Aiya, still like a child."


    Susu had worked on her client''s requests and made proper adjustments to the designs before she headed out to meet up with Lily. Although she wore a scarf around her neck, the concealer she used to hide the hickeys on her neck was barely enough coverage to hide the redness.


    When Susu arrived at the mall, Lily was holding two hot milk teas and staring at it intently. The moment she caught Susu''s figure at the corner of her eye, she smiled happily and gave her a tight hug.


    "You''re here! Come, come. I ordered two drinks just now. You choose which one you want to drink! The one on the left is the Roasted Oolong milk tea and on the right is Taro milk tea." She pushed the two drinks and let Susu choose first.


    She smiled and looked at Lily, "You looked so serious a few minutes ago staring at these two drinks. You probably want to try both, but didn''t know which one to choose. Right?"


    Lily let out a soft laugh, "Can you not have such sharp eyes?"


    "Then how about this? We both share the drinks. Not like we never shared one before. This way, both of us get to try both flavors. How about it?"


    "Awwwww, my hun knows me so well!!! Then let''s walk as we drink! Hehehehe." Lily hugged Susu''s arm as they roamed around various cosmetic and clothing stores. She recommended certain concealer products to Susu after noticing some light pink marks on her neck that the scarf failed to cover up.


    Lily smirked and whispered to Susu, "Seems like Chen Mu is quite an artist huh?"


    "Huh? What do you m-...." Her cheeks turned pink after catching the meaning behind her words.


    "So so~ Did you do what I taught you? How did it happen?~ Gyaaa, so exciting! Geeez, should I recommend some ointment to you too? It''s very effective." She winked as they turned the corner to walk downstairs.


    Before the girls stepped their first step down the staircase, a man had interrupted, "What a coincidence to run into you."


    Susu turned around after recognizing the familiar voice and smiled politely, "Zhi Hei? It''s been a while."


    Lily squeezed Susu''s arm and whispered lowly, "By Zhi Hei, did you mean Huang Zhi Hei? The Huang Corps'' King of the economy?"


    "Huh...uhm yea.." Susu never knew that Zhi Hei had such a title.


    Zhi Hei smiled and introduced himself, "I apologize for my late introduction. My name is Huang Zhi Hei. I believe you are the daughter of Jiang Corps? Lily Jiang?"


    Lily nodded, "Impressive memory. I am Lily Jiang."


    "We''ve met during some business events. Though we''ve never officially talked to each other, Miss Jiang''s name is widely known amongst the socialite''s group." In a way, he complimented her and made her feel slightly proud of her achievements.


    His gaze shifted from Lily to Susu, "I was going to ask Chen Mu, but since I ran into you I might as well talk to you about it myself."


    "What is it?" Susu couldn''t think of anything that he would need from her.


    "Every year, our corporation holds an annual event in which people with creative talents in design could participate through sending us their application. We have the most famous professors and designers coming from different private institutions to judge the work." Zhi Hei took out an envelope with a rose stamp on it and handed it to Susu.


    "This is?" Susu looked at the unique stationery stamp on the envelope.


    "That is a personal invitation for you from Huang Corps to join as a participant in the upcoming event."


    "But why?" She never disclosed any information about her self-interest in design, so how did he know about it?


    "Initially, I asked Chen Mu about the secret designer who helped him out with the projects that needed done urgently. He told me that it was you who managed to do such a splendid job. I''ve seen your work and had been interested in collaborating with you." He explained to her.


    "Oh.. Well that would make more sense. At the same time, I doubt that this personal invitation was based solely on the few projects that I managed to complete in a short period of time for Chen Corps. Would you mind explaining why I was invited?"


    Her instincts told her that there was a much deeper meaning behind inviting her personally to join as a participant. Zhi Hei smiled, "You''re sharper than I expected. This year, our company settled on inviting several powerful and well known people in the design industry to be the judges. One of the judges said that the only way he would accept our invitation is if you, Yin Susu, agree to join the event."


    "One of the judges? Who?" She asked curiously with her gaze still on the familiar rose stamp imprinted on the envelope.


    "Professor Luo Xia from Paris Fashion Institute. He has multiple identities in the fashion design industry that it is rare to see him in events as a guest. As the CEO of Huang Corps, I officially invite you to attend the event if you are available and are interested."


    Susu was about to reject his offer, but was interrupted by his words. "Before you respond right away, why not think about it first? You have more than enough time to consider it."


    She sighed softly and nodded with a smile on her face, "Alright. I''ll let you know when I come to a decision. Thank you."


    "I should thank you instead for listening to me. Since I''ve already said everything that I wanted to say, I will take my leave. Before I do, do you have any questions for me?"


    Susu shook her head, "Nope. That''ll be all."


    "Alright. Then I look forward to seeing you." Zhi Hei bid them both goodbye and walked away.


    Lily wrapped her arm around Susu''s shoulder, "Hun, was it really a coincidence or did he purposely come to deliver this invitation to you? Which CEO will keep a private invitation with him at all times unless he knows that the person will show up at a certain place and time? Could the mighty devil king actually be a stalker?"


    Susu carefully slipped the invitation card into her purse, "Let''s go, little guesser. We will never understand what''s going on in a rich CEO''s mind. Maybe he coincidentally bumped into me by pure accident or maybe he really is stalking me. All I know is that he is Chen Mu''s close friend and someone I could trust. Therefore, don''t think too much into it."


    - Mall''s parking lot -


    Zhi Hei sat in the back seat of his limousine, next to Professor Luo Xia, "I did as you had requested. But may I ask why her?"


    Professor Luo Xia sipped his tea and smiled, "Just something I want to confirm."


    Zhi Hei nodded and didn''t ask for further details. He believed that there must be a reason behind this big shot''s request. At the same time, Professor Luo Xia had his eyes on the list of selected participants that he had reviewed.

 Chapter 81 - Rose Stamp

    After Zhi Hei left, Susu''s attention focused on her bag where the invitation was placed. Lily sighed, "Hun, if you want to look at that invitation, you could always take it out. You''re obviously interested in it. I wouldn''t mind even if you took out a magnifying glass to inspect every word of it in front of me."


    Susu smiled, "Thanks, but I''m not particularly interested in his offer. I am only interested in the rose stamp that his company used on the envelope."


    "The stamp? What''s so unique about it?" Lily asked as Susu took out the envelope and showed it to her.


    "The unique part lies here." Susu pointed at an extremely small leaf on the corner of the rose stamp that is barely noticeable.


    "If you hadn''t pointed it out, I wouldn''t have known that there was a leaf there. But still, what''s so special about this corner?" Lily repeated her question as she squinted on the small design.


    Susu took a picture of the stamp and opened it in one of the editing applications that she used to view images in a high resolution on her cell phone. She zoomed in and adjusted the settings until the stamp is visibly clear enough for Lily to see.


    Lily''s eyes widened as she blinked multiple times. She played around with the image and zoomed in and out of it to make sure her eyes weren''t making tricks. "This.. but how? Wait, no, but then.."


    "I''m the owner of the design. It isn''t a coincidence for that leaf to shape out my initials, and I have many other ways to prove that this design belongs to me. I am just curious as to how my design ended up in him hands." Susu clarified her reason for spacing out earlier.


    "Maybe your design leaked out accidentally? Where did you keep your files?" Lily handed the phone back to her and took a look at the envelope.


    "It is impossible for this design to leak because the original source had been destroyed. The laptop I used for this design was damaged, and none of the files were recoverable. This should have been destroyed years ago.. unless.."


    "Unless somebody took your designs before your laptop was damaged..." Lily finished the sentence for her.


    "Or..my laptop was never damaged to the point that my files were unrecoverable. Either way, I think I know who it was who could''ve done this. Forget this whole design thing for a second, how did Huang Corps get this design? Is it just a coincidence that they used it for my invitation for me to see?" Susu thought of countless possibilities and decided to talk about this with Chen Mu later.


    "Seems like we have a lot of questions and very little answers. What do you want to do now? Are you going to look for Mister Huang? Or are you going to wait for Chen Mu to come home and discuss this with him?" Lily could tell that Susu had a plan in her mind.


    Susu opened the invitation envelope and smiled, "No need to contact him after all. The person who could answer all my inquiries is Professor Luo Xia." She flipped the invitation card towards Lily.


    "Hmmm? When you see this message, you must have recognized the rose stamp on the envelope. If you want answers, attend the event. I look forward to seeing you there. Signed... Professor Luo Xia?!" Lily read the note on the invitation card and then looked confusedly at Susu.


    Susu nodded, "Seems like Professor Luo Xia has something for me to see. I guess I will have to attend the event after all."


    "But isn''t it weird? If we try to connect the dots, right? Think about it. Even if this invitation card is from Professor Luo Xia, how would he have known about your rose design? How did he get his hands on the rose print? It doesn''t really add up." Lily tried to set out the clues and hints that they have so far. No matter how she listed out the order of events, it didn''t make sense.


    "I guess we will have to see then. I still have a month until the event takes place. The theme for this year''s design is nature. Hmmm...I guess any design related to nature would do and it doesn''t have to specifically be for a certain category." Susu started brainstorming thoughts for her next design.


    "Hey! Are you going to start designing and neglect the fact that these clues don''t make sense?" Lily tried to raise Susu''s awareness on this matter, but failed.


    Susu smiled, "What can I do now? Even if I find out where Professor Luo Xia got the stamps and stuff, isn''t it going to be useless if I don''t catch the person red handed? Which is more fun? Watching an enemy struggle while slapping hard evidence to their faces or finding out everything behind the scenes and not being able to do anything about it?"


    Excitement sparked Lily''s eyes as she clapped her hands, "You''re right! How could I forget such an important point! Hehehe, no matter what you''ll get to the bottom of this, but trapping an enemy is something else~"


    "Hahaha if Professor Luo Xia really wanted to tell me about my design, why would he run around in circles just to give me this invitation? He must have something in mind. So, I should play along and see what he is trying to do. It wouldn''t hurt to join the event regardless of whether I get to the bottom of this. Plus, I have confidence that I will figure out everything."


    Lily nodded in agreement, "I see. Heh, well, all I know is that whoever it was who decided to take your design as theirs, that person is heading towards doomster. Pffft, if not, then at least you''ll find out how your design ended up being used. Who knows? Maybe you''ll get compensated for your design."


    Susu laughed, "I don''t count on that idea, but I think I already know who it is who took my designs. I just need to confirm it by attending that event. My invitation mentions that I could bring a few guests. Want to come along to see a good show?"


    "Of course!! Always! Anything for you~~ Hehehe, since our shopping is done~ Do you need any help brainstorming? I''ve got plentiful ideas that might inspire you to come up with something extra special for the event." Lily winked with a mischevious grin on her face.


    "Sure thing. I don''t mind all the lacey panties patterns and wild stripping husband thoughts of yours to give my designs some exciting sparkles." Susu teased as they walked to the parking lot. Lily cupped her cheeks, "Geez! Not just those, okay? There are also XXX and XXXX...."

 Chapter 82 - Bondage?

    For the rest of the afternoon, Lily helped Susu brainstorm for designs. Susu enjoyed her company as she tried to sketch different designs that are nature related. Rather than reusing or searching online for common ideas such as flowers and other things that are most likely going to clash with others, she decided to think in a reverse order.


    Lily brought up wild ideas that triggered Susu''s creative mind. Susu doodled randomly while Lily made adjustments to the sketches to present her thoughts.


    Lily asked, "Can I draw on top of this sketch?" Susu nodded while welcoming any thoughts that Lily had on her mind. She watched as Lily drew lines and simple shapes to promote her idea.


    "I know my sketches are chicken scratches since art has always been my weakest subject, but you get this sketch~ See! They said nature right? But roses with thorns don''t necessarily mean you need to use a rose. You can use substitutions!"


    Susu listened attentively, "hmm... substitutions..."


    "Yeah! Like thorns could be bandages or like ropes or wh.i.p.s to tie someone up! Those kind! But what I mean is that you don''t have to follow exactly as the original form of the object. You can use something that brings out that idea."


    "I understand what you mean, and I also had the same thought myself. I want to improvise on my own and create a design that is nature related once someone wears it. Also, these BDSM lines are pretty cool."


    Lily clapped excitedly with the red marker in her hand, "Right? Right?! I may not be able to guarantee anything about drawing and designing, but if you want any naughty ideas, I can definitely market it for you! No problem! Hehehehe other than bondage, there are also different exotic ways to make your work the main highlight."


    "Oh~ It seems like I should always look for you when it comes to bedroom play then. Hehe. Your ideas are very wild and does trigger the parts that I lack for my designs. Don''t worry, though, no matter what, I won''t steal any of these designs."


    Susu looked at the design with her eyes filled with passion. She could feel her hands itching to create her new design. It''s been a while since she''s felt this way and she was eager to try this new product out once it completes.


    Lily patted Susu''s shoulder, "My Su, you can have my body if you wanted and I still wouldn''t say no. Why would I even care if you decide to take my ideas? I''m sure you can make much better use of it than me with my chicken ragged shapes. The mama chickens from farms would probably die from puking out blood after seeing my designs."


    "Oh! You''re right."


    "Uh huh, even you say so right?" Lily cupped her cheeks with her eyes closed and shook her head exaggeratedly.


    "No, no. I don''t mean your drawings. Your sketches are like every other artist''s first drafts. I meant your body! Give your body to me!" Susu stood up from her chair and held Lily''s shoulder sounding extremely excited.


    "H..huh? Uhm uhm y...you really mean it? W...Well, if it is you, you can do anything you want." Lily blinked at her with shyness written all over her face.


    "Yes!! Your body is perfect for my design! Muahhhh, my dear! You just saved me so much time and effort! Haaaa, now, let''s take your body measurements!"


    "Ahahhaa! Oh my!!! Who could say no to you? Geez! You got my heart racing crazily just now!! You must be the queen in the bedroom! A feisty mighty one wooo!" She patted her chest and soothed her racing heart.


    "Awww honey, I love you soooo much!" Susu squealed in excitement and hugged Lily tightly.


    "C..can''t breathee" she patted her buddy on the back.


    "Oh.. ehehehe sorry, too excited for the new designs I have in my mind." Susu loosened her embrace while Lily laughed, "Aiyo~ I love this part of you even though your excitement almost squeezed me to death pffft. Haaa I love you soo much too honey bun."


    Their confessions were quite moving, but for those who were sitting around them, that was eye candy. Two pretty girls confessing their love to each other with tight hugs. Which guy wouldn''t fall for it?


    "Ahem." Two voices broke the girl''s warm moment. The girls turned their heads with their smiles frozen at the two men standing with their arms crossed.


    They parted from each other and quickly hopped like a bunny to Chen Mu and Lin Que.


    Susu placed her warms on Chen Mu''s face and pushed his cheeks together, making his lips form a fish shape. Seeing his girl laugh heartily, his arms wrapped around her slim waist, "Weady to guu hom?"


    She giggled at his silliness, "yep! And I have the perfect model and designs in mind!!! I''m super excited!!!! You''re coming with me right? To Huang Corps'' annual event as my companion."


    He smiled as she let go of his cheeks and placed her palms against his chest, "Of course. I would always support you."


    Susu had already explained everything to Chen Mu, and he was well informed about her decision to enter the event. With his resources, she will definitely make it in time with her completed designs to attend the event in a month.


    Meanwhile, Lily jumped into Lin Que''s arms. With his doting nature, how could he continue pretending to be the jealous fiance and in the rejecting hug pose? His arms spread to let her fall comfortably in his arms.


    As his arms covered her small body, she chuckled and looked up, "My Mister Lin, will you care to join Huang Corps'' annual event to support your little bunny who will act as a model that day?"


    Lin Que pinched the tip of his nose gently, "I''d love to accept your invitation. No man can see what I don''t see. Especially the things that only I could see, they will never be able to see. Plus, these wolves gotta learn their places that day. Shall we head home?"


    "Uh huh! Hehehe." She spread her arms and enjoyed the man''s cologne before holding his hand to bid goodbye to Susu and Chen Mu. The two pairs split as their parking spots were on opposite ways.


    Chen Mu and Susu also waved goodbye to them before holding each others hand and walked towards the exit of the mall.

 Chapter 83 - A Great Way to start the New Year

    * Author''s thank you note to all readers before getting on with the new chapter *


    To my dearest readers, before I get on with this chapter, I would like to thank all of you for reading my novels and hoping to write more goodies for everyone to read. There were many up and downs and low points for me in the year of 2019 and even before that, but I managed to knock down every obstacle along the way and continue fighting them as problems persist.


    Recently, I''ve been asked by a former classmate for why I strived to continue writing despite not earning any money from it. I''ve been somewhat wanting to tell my readers this part for a while, but wasn''t sure when would be a good time to talk about it. For those who want to skip the remaining part of my message, because the upcoming paragraphs will be a little bit about myself, you are allowed to do so. For other readers who continues reading the rest of this note, I''ll like to say thank you because it means a lot to me. Regardless, this author loves all of you dearly!


    *Ahem* A little story time. At first, I was one of the readers who enjoyed the content that this platform provided. From being a reader to writing my own novels today, it feels just like it was yesterday when I opened my laptop and started typing the first chapter of my first novel. Behind all these wild, romantic, gruesome, and whatever kind of tags my stories bring up, I do have a personal back story to share.


    I won''t get into specific details, but to sum it up, I once had a relationship that lasted almost three years and at that beginning. I thought it would last much longer. With all the funny and goofy parts to relationsh.i.p.s after the honeymoon phase, mine was rather the opposite. The beginning of the relationship was a good one, but as college life began and our busy schedules chipped out like half the amount of time we spent with each other; the relationship turned for the worst. My ex-boyfriend became abusive, which I wouldn''t drag on the details.


    I came to a realization that it was a toxic relationship and no longer how it used to be. When I finally had the courage to break things off with him around two years ago (trust me, much harder than it sounds.), I was in a miserable state. He would harass me through emails and every social media platform that he could contact me on. Literally, living became painful for me. I felt anxious, scared, and looked down on myself.


    I had close friends, but because I trapped myself inside the corner of my little world from the abusive two years (almost three) my mindset made me underestimate myself and the people around me. I became insecure and couldn''t bring myself to talk about why I was feeling such fear and pain.


    This might be a bit awkward or make some feel disturbed, but there was a point where I locked myself in the bathroom and kept hearing the vibrations to my cellphone; knowing that it was my ex who was sending me paragraphs of rage. I even had the message typed up of getting back together with him, but I was very proud that I backspaced it. From limiting myself to two options of either giving in to his rage by getting back together with him or harming myself; I gathered my courage and called a friend for help. I didn''t understand why but that one friend gave me a sense of security that I felt like I could depend on.


    I removed all my social media accounts that my ex knew of and slowly tried to face my fear. After nine months of struggling through emotionally and physically in finding reasons to be happy and out of fear, I finally came out of my comfort zone and told my close friend everything. There were no tears that I had expected myself to have. There were no awkwardnesses like I thought there would be. There was nothing, but a great listener and attentive close friend whom comforted me and talked to me in a way without judging me. There was still anxiety at that point, but I knew it was up to me to overcome that fear.


    Anyways, I started writing my novels because I wanted to find an outlet for my problems. Everything and every single word that I write out are based on people that I''ve met or just characters with personalities similar to those whom I''ve met. From writing my first few chapters to reaching my 200th chapter... to this third novel, it''s been a long way. From seeing one comment to many comments that followed and the many readers who added my novel to their libraries. I felt happy. It gave me support and something to look forward to.


    Though the past years had been a struggle for me and an internal fight, I could definitely pat my chest and say that it was a fight that I''ve won. For those who ever encountered or know that their friends or family members who have been through or is going through something similar, please let them know that they are not the only ones out there. It is okay to feel weak and helpless. It is okay to not to feel okay and cry out sometimes. It is alright to take your time and sort things out, but one thing that should never be a solution is harming yourself.


    Before I processed that the past relationship was an abusive one, my brain was only processing the words that he would say to me and undermine me as a human being. I had low esteem and confidence, but things went very much better. It was a difficult time to get through, but like an old saying goes, there is always a rainbow after a rainstorm. And the day will get brighter.


    As a writer on this platform, I really loved and enjoyed all my readers support. Thank very much for coming such a long way with me and the new readers who supports my novel. I''m sorry this half of the chapter is literally me blabbing about myself, but spare me as this is my New Years note for all of you. I love you all dearly and a lot. Your support means a lot to me, and you guys are my inspiration to writing more and more stories. My motivation also came from my close friend who endlessly supported me even though most would tell me that it is useless because I earn nothing from this. But to me, money is never the most important.


    I wish everyone a Happy New Years and may all your goals for this year come true. I wish everyone will live their year filled with smiles on their faces and the fullest of many years to come.


    My upcoming 2020 year will be a busy one as I will be job hunting and trying to figure out what I want to do in the future. I will try my best to give consistent updates and believe me, this author likes writing these novels to get away from stress even if it is temporarily.


    P.S. Lily and Susu''s friendship is actually like my close friend''s relationship with me. We get mushy enough to say those... lines or even worst.. HAHAHAHA Lily''s character inspiration came from her. Hehehe Thank you for reading my New Years note! And here''s the chapter that I''ve been keeping y''all from~


    CHAPTER BEGINS HERE XD !!!


    Upon entering their condo, Susu noticed the decorations in the living room. They stripped off their jackets and hung it up on the hooks by the wall. She walked into the open kitchen and saw a cake on the dining table.


    While she was out today, Chen Mu bought ingredients to make a New Years cake for her. He baked a mufti flavored layer cake with her favorite Chocolate, Red Velvet, and Vanilla flavors as individual layers and homemade Passionfruit Cream as a coat on top. On top of the cake was neatly cut strawberries creating a heart shape and a chocolate sign in the center with his script writing, "My 2020 vision is you."


    She giggled and covered her cheeks in surprise, "you are so cheesy!"


    His arms wrapped around her body, as he bent forward and whispered to her ears, "It''s true, though. With you by my side for the rest of every day, everything is perfect. 2020 perfections. Get it?"


    "Pfffft, geez. How did you have the time to prepare all these?" She leaned her head backwards and turned her head sideways; meeting his lips. Her eyes focused on his cold, slightly dry lips. His gaze traveled downwards, following her eyes, "when you least expect it."


    "Your lips are chapped." She looked at him with a naughty smile on her face.


    "and what are you going to do about it?" He asked with anticipation in his voice.


    "This." She opened her purse, applied lip balm on her own lips and pulled him close with her hand behind his neck. Her lips spread the moisturizing lip balm over his and slowly nourished it. She made sure to kiss him until his lips turned soft and smooth enough for her to part from.


    "There, all good," her thumb rubbed his lips back and forth while her smile was obvious on her face. He chuckled and hugged her close, "Do you remember our first kiss?"


    "Hmm? Of course I do." She looked up to meet him affectionate gaze.


    "Remember how you jumped up from getting scared of a jump scare scene from that horror movie and ended up on my lap. We were just inches apart or even just centimeters apart from each other; at least our lips were. You took the initiate and kissed me." His voice became gentler as she placed her head on his chest with her ears close enough to hear his heartbeat. She closed her eyes and answered, "mmm," once in a while.


    Sometimes she blushed and other times she snuggled closer as he talked about the littlest things that they''ve been through the past year. When he felt her snuggle closer to his body like a kitten, he chuckles and strokes her hair as he continued. Sometimes he would look down to meet her innocent pair of eyes. Other times, he would peck her tiny forehead.


    By the time he was finishing up with his sweet thoughts of the previous year and the down lows that they''ve been through, he separated their bodies and brushed her hair behind her ears while brushing the sides of her face with his fingers.


    "Thank you for always being there for me, supporting me endlessly and unconditionally. Thank you for coming into my life and giving me this chance to dote on you like this. Thank you for staying by my side and making my life much happier than it was than before. And finally, thank you for giving me your love, heart, body, and everything any man could ever ask for. I love you dearly and will always do."


    His confession was like moving rhythms to her ears as tears filled her eyes. He wiped away some tears before bending down once again to close their gap and kiss her. Her fingers stopped him midway as she took a deep breath and looked up to respond to him.


    "Thank you for making my year reach its fullest with joy and happiness. From everyday silliness to our cheesy lines, you''ve lifted my foot from a hellhole. Rather than thanking me for doing everything and giving me so much credit for all those times, it should be me saying all those back to you. You don''t know how much you really mean to me. Being able to give myself wholeheartedly and physically to you was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much and hope for even more for the future."


    After saying what she had said, his eyes teared up slightly and she let out a soft laugh before wiping his cheeks and closing the gap between them. This was the last kiss that they''ll share for this year, but many more kisses will come for the upcoming year. With the beginning of this rollercoaster twist and turned in the last year, the following year will be a better one with less drama but more love.


    Fireworks blasted and exploded in the glamorous night sky; coloring their vision. They hugged each other and enjoyed the view at the balcony as bright sparks painted everywhere. After a little while, she felt a little cold so they went back in and waited for the countdown to begin.


    Chen Mu insist on leaving the lights off as he had another surprise ready for her. The couple sat on the couch and turned on the television to watch the ball drop as they cuddled intimately on the couch.


    As the countdown began, the couple looked each other in the eye and smiled,


    "10..."


    "9..."


    "8..."


    "7..."


    "6..."


    "5..."


    "4..."


    "3..."


    "2..."


    "1..."


    "Happy New Years!" The mark of their New Years was a kiss filled with passion and sweetness. Chen Mu smiled, "Honey, look up to the ceiling for a bit."


    "Hmmm?" She looked up and LED lights turned on. "Hahahahaha, you!" she jumped on him as he laid her on the couch and hugged her close. Looking up at the ceiling, Chen Mu had turned on the LED lights that he taped to the ceiling. It was his Capricorn sign and her Taurus sign traced like mini stars on the ceiling with a cupid''s arrow crossing them.


    She lifted her left hand and told him to complete the other half of her heart with his right hand. Together, the heart that they created fit perfectly around the Led lights within their vision.


    "Perfect." She whispered and turned her head to meet his. Once again, their lips met and covered each others over and over.

 Chapter 84 - Crabs?

    One morning, Susu received a call from Lily asking her for a favor to teach her how to cook garlic and ginger stir fried crab. Lily knew that Susu was a good cook and compared to hiring chefs, she would rather learn everything by hand with personal guidance in a comfortable environment.


    "Happy New Years honey!!! Even though I''ve texted you that already~"


    "Happy New Years to you too. Now, what''s up? It''s rare for you to call so early in the morning."


    "Can you teach me how to make garlic and ginger stir fried crab? It''s Lin Que''s favorite dish."


    Susu chuckled on her side when she saw Chen Mu struggling with his own tie, so she walked to him. "Ummm.." Susu responded unsurely to her request.


    "Please, please, please~ I''ll buy every ingredient and learn from scratch. I really want to impress Lin Que with my first time cooking!"


    "Lily... remember what happened the last time we were making ramen noddles at your place?" Susu shivered when she thought of how little Lily knew about cooking that she almost burned her hand.


    "That was different! It''s a whole new year, and I''m a new me. I''ve improved..." She sounded unsure though it was words coming from her mouth.


    "I heard uncertainty in your voice. Are you sure you want to learn this dish? You will have to shop for live crabs and choose the fattest one with the most meat. You will have to kill it in your kitchen by yourself...You will.." Susu went through the basics with her to make sure she understood what she will be doing and her responsibilities as the chef.


    "No problem! I can even give them scrubbing shower!" She patted her chest reassuring herself that she could do it.


    "Well, that part too. You need to make sure the crab is thoroughly cleansed before killing it. Scrubbing them is not necessary, but washing them, yes." Hearing Susu''s words, Lily gulped nervously.


    "A..Alright. I''ll be over around twelve to pick you up. I never bought any of the ingredients before so you need to give me some pointers in choosing the best ones."


    "Sure. I''ll be good to go by then. By the way, why did you suddenly decide that you wanted to cook for him? Didn''t you hate oil splashes and preparing the dishes?" Susu wondered what could have changed her mind so quickly. Just the other day Susu was listening to her talk about hiring a chef or something.


    "Well...you see..wasn''t there a saying that in order to keep a man''s heart, you need to get a hold of his stomach? That''s exactly the route that I''m taking."


    "But you and Lin Que were all cuddly and over each other the other day we met. Does he need an ass spanking with a ruler? Is he looking at someone else? Do I need to get your secret whip collection and help you tie him up to interrogate his ass?"


    "No, no, no. Hun, did you think he would still be in one piece if he dared to cheat on me or look at others? It''s just that the other night, we had dinner over at a friend''s place and he commented that the hostess cooked very well. He looked pleased and even said that whoever could marry a great cook is very fortunate. Obviously that girl was pleased to hear it with her single status." Lily scoffed when she recalled the girl''s expression.


    "Uh huh, so our family''s Lily is a little jealous of a rival. Okay, good enough. Don''t worry, one session of cooking and I can guarantee that you can win his stomach over as long as you don''t skip a step or end up using ingredients that are not washed. He won''t have to visit his hospital as a patient, mhmm." Susu fixed Chen Mu''s tie as he held the cellphone to her ears.


    "Okayyyy. I''ll see you in a bit~ Mwahhh!" Lily hung up and hurriedly got ready while Susu took her sweet time fixing Chen Mu''s tie.


    "It''s rare for Lily to call you this early in the morning." Chen Mu said as he hugged her waist and watched her skillful fingers straighten up his tie.


    "Mhmm. Lin Que is extremely lucky to have her as his fiance. She''s willing to step foot in the kitchen and fight oil for him. Hehe, your tie is done~" She patted his tie and tiptoed for a kiss.


    "Uh huh, I''m a very lucky man too." He bent down slightly to meet her soft lips.


    "Hmm? You are? Hmm?" she chuckled and rested her head on his chest.


    "Of course!" He kissed her forehead.


    After Chen Mu had left for work, Susu got dressed and did some last minute edits to her sketches. She was almost done with her design with just a few details to touch up. Then she would have to convert the sketch on her most updated design system to see how it will look in real life.


    Lily arrived to pick her up at exactly twelve. After a whole supermarket and crab picking shopping session, they went back to Lily''s place to prepare the dish. The girls wore their aprons and washed their hands.


    "Okay. First thing is first. Wash all ingredients before pouring the crabs into the sink. Since the ginger, garlic, and other ingredients are not too much work to wash, we can start with those." Susu instructed and watched Lily on the side. Once in a while, Susu would give her some tips on what to peel off and how thin the slices should be for the ginger.


    When Lily looked confused, she would demonstrate or hold Lily''s hand while doing it and then let her try it on her own. Finally, after chopping everything to slices and pieces, they were ready to wash the fresh crabs. They had both live and dead crabs because Lily wanted to try killing the crab herself. If she ends up failing to kill the crab, then she would just steam the dead ones and mix some sauce to go with it.


    Regardless, she had the freshly killed crabs from the market to stir fry. After leaving the crabs in salt water for half an hour, the crabs were mostly cleaned. Since their claws are tied, Susu had no problem dissecting the crab in front of Lily. Each step that she made was slower than usual, and she would demonstrate at least twice before having Lily imitate it.


    It was a struggle at first, but Lily managed to dissect three crabs by herself and did a decent job. The most difficult part was over and now it was time to stir fry these crabs. Susu split the crabs and ingredients in half so that she could demonstrate once and have Lily try it out herself. Since Lily was scared of oil landing on her arm, Susu handed her a pair of gloves and started the stir frying process.


    When she was done, Lily''s mouth was watering from the fragrance of the dish. "You''re amazing!! Damn, Chen mu must have saved the planet his previous life to have you as his girlfriend! Wait, since he hasn''t proposed yet, I still have a chance. Just marry me and ditch him! I''ll give you my salary."


    "Pffft, hahahaha, I''m scared of Lin Que hunting me down with his surgery knives and ninja stars. Here, you try." Susu cleaned the utensils for her and watched as she tried it out on her own. Susu would give her a few tips or instructions when she looked like she wasn''t sure what she should do next. Finally, the dish was done.


    "Wow!!!! I did it!! I actually did it! Woooo!! I''ll see if he dares to say that I can''t cook anymore after this! Hmph!!" She proudly took pictures of it and sent it to her and Lin Que''s parents. Of course, she didn''t forget to tell them to keep it a secret from him.


    Susu pointed to the bag of dead crabs, "Oh right. As for these babies here, you can steam it which is extremely easy. You could wash them and decide how you would like it steamed. I have a special sauce mixture that goes perfectly well with any type of seafood! Let''s try making this dish once, so you will be more familiar with it."


    After spending two hours in the kitchen, the girls came out with four plates of crabs. Lily loved the taste of her own cooking since it was exactly the way Susu made it. The girls had their feast and saved some on the side for Susu to bring home for dinner since Lin Que can''t find out about the crabs until later.


    Lily brought Susu back home and waited until she received Susu''s text that she got back to her condo before leaving. When Susu got back to her apartment, she started to cough nonstop. Her throat had been itching, but she didn''t want to cough in front of Lily and make her worried.


    "Susu! What''s wrong?" Chen Mu heard her coughs from the kitchen and peeked to make sure it wasn''t just his ears playing tricks on him. He ran to her when he saw her coughing on the floor with her face flushed. Quickly, he lifted her up, brought her to the couch and poured her a cup of warm water. While soothing her back, his hands were checking her body through different pressure points and tracking her pulse.


    After she had calmed down, she obediently stayed at one spot and let him do a body check on her. His solemn expression remained throughout the entire check up. Finally, after checking everything twice, he came to the conclusion, "you have a throat infection. When did you start feeling discomfort? Did you eat anything earlier?"


    "I only coughed a few times this morning and felt a little sore throat. I didn''t think it would be an infection. Lily and I made some crabs and I ate a few." She confessed that she felt small symptoms and overlooked it.


    He sighed and rubbed her head, "No matter how little things are, we need to be careful. It''s better to be attentive than careless. Even if it is a small itch somewhere, it could lead to something dangerous. These are side effects to the chemotherapy and the cancer itself. I''ll make you some herb medicine to fight the infection since most pills in the pharmacy are too strong and would affect your current treatment."


    She nodded, "I''m sorry..."


    "It''s alright, but let me know when you feel any discomfort, alright? As for seafood, you need to wait until you recover before eating them."


    "Then the ones that I brought home.."


    "I''ll eat them. Be good and focus on resting for now. I''ll make you some food and brew the medicine for you." After a tight hug, he tucked her in with a blanket on the couch and made sure she rested while he brewed medicine for her. In case of emergencies, he researched all types herbs that would be useful to her in the past months and stocked up on it. Now, everything comes in handy for him.

 Chapter 85 - Obviously Biased

    "Impossible! I checked the names of the judges before entering the Huang Corporation''s annual event! How come his name is on there?" Karen stumbled in her boutique with her phone in her hand.


    "What''s wrong?" Liang Yu Qing quickly helped her up from the floor and brushed dust particles off her knees.


    "N..no nothing. I was just a bit overwhelmed by the upcoming event. Since I failed to get customers through the socialite event, I must gain popularity this time." Karen lied once again.


    "Oh dear, look at you. You''re working so hard for our family, yet somebody''s flesh and blood only knew how to cause us trouble." She glared at Yin Zin Leung''s direction as he blocked his face using a newspaper with red marks all over. He has been trying to look for a job to support the family for nearly a month, but received no responses.


    All along, Zin Leung and Yu Qing thought that he just had no luck in job hunting. Neither of them knew that the real reason why he failed to obtain a position in any of those companies was because of Karen.


    That night, Karen snatched a bag of marbles from some random kids. The angry parents who scolded and humiliated Karen in front of all guests happened to be the host and hostess of the socialite event. In the world and eyes of socialites, Karen''s actions must have come from some lousy, ill-mannered parents. Therefore, everyone was informed before midnight through all digital platforms to temporarily blacklist the Yin family from the business field.


    Of course, this was something that even Karen didn''t know. Even if Tian Yuo wanted to help Karen, he couldn''t have done much or anything because he was powerless. His family business depended on the host and hostess, so he wouldn''t dare risk it either.


    The same night after the event had ended, Karen was tired out by the humiliation that she brought upon herself. Not only did her plans to shame and make fun of Susu failed, her parents followed up with plentiful questions when she got back. Facing the pressuring questions and thinking about how useless Tian Yuo acted, she gritted her teeth and pushed everything onto Susu.


    Ever since the Yin family business went downhill, relatives avoided their calls; afraid that they were going to ask for some financial assistance. Since Tian Yuo offered them a temporary apartment to live in for the time being, Karen changed her mind and took up that offer before the socialite event occurred. Now, they are living in an apartment with two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and two bathrooms.


    Although the space was enough for them to live in, Yu Qing always mentioned how small the rooms were and that her old closet was bigger than the size of the master bedroom. Not only that, she also tried to persuade Karen to get some money from Tian Yuo.


    As much as Karen wished to get free money like that, she wanted to maintain her good girl personality in front of him. She reluctantly found a random reason to stop her mother''s nagging persuasion and focused on the upcoming Huang Corps event.


    One of the main reasons for why Karen decided to suddenly come back and quit the Paris Institution was because she wanted a fast way to gain popularity. She''s long been eyeing on the opportunity of participating as a contestant for the annual event at Huang Corporation. To be precise, in order to join this event, one must have to prove that they had some type of art skill. Therefore, Karen made up her mind a few years ago to admit into the famous Paris Institution because only that school would make other contestants look like losers.


    Before she signed up for the event, she had reviewed the judge list and made sure no familiar names were on there. After triple checking, she signed up for it and happily sent her design to the factory for production purposes. She wanted to read the policies for the event again to make sure everything was done properly, so she went to the contestant''s information page only to see a new updated judge list!


    She gasped in surprise and every bit of energy drained from her body when she saw Professor Luo Xia on that list. ''Just how could that be?!!!'' She bit her nails nervously and spit the bit parts to the floor as she went back to her room.


    Meanwhile, at an old restaurant located far from those luxurious, expensive places, Zhi Hei''s bodyguards were sitting on two tables, ordering food for hotpot. Zhi Hei and Professor Luo Xia were sitting by themselves in the middle table.


    Zhi Hei handed him another bottle of beer, "I''m surprised that you would prefer eating here than the high-class restaurants."


    "Hahahaha, young one. Before this old man got famous, I used to hang out with gangs on the streets! Not those with dragon tattoos or drug dealers, but those skinny bones. You know what I mean!" Professor Luo Xia raised his arm and ordered a few more toppings for his level five spiced hotpot.


    Zhi Hei chose the original soup base when he pictured his intestines melting from the inside if he eats the spicy one. Professor Luo Xia laughed heartily as he said, "it''s been so long since I''ve last visited this place. The boss already retired and now his son is managing this place. Such good old times."


    "If I remember correctly, the institution lets professors choose their own semesters to teach. If so, then wouldn''t you have time to come back once in a while?"


    "Yes, that is correct. In fact, I had the thought of coming back for many years, but...there were just too many things that held me back." Professor Luo Xia''a eyes hinted sorrow and his voice trailed off.


    Zhi Hei didn''t want to press on a subject that he did not want to talk about, so he changed it to the upcoming event. "By the way, Yin Susu agreed to attend the event. I remember that you were quite sure that she would accept the invite."


    "Ah, you probably wonder about the same question over and over, huh? Fine, fine. I believe in the girl''s skill. That''s why I wanted to pass an invitation to her." He smiled and gulped a few sips of beer down his throat.


    "It''s rare to hear these words come from your mouth. So you actually have the much confidence in that girl..."


    "Absolutely."


    "You seem biased when it comes to her." Zhi Hei said it as a joke, but the following response almost made him choke on his mouthful of beer.


    "I don''t ''seem'' biased. I am obviously biased, okay?" The waiter came at the right moment to distribute the toppings that they''ve ordered. Professor Luo Xia rubbed his palms together and started to dig in as he threw vegetables and different types of meat into his boiling soup.


    Zhi Hei had only realized that whenever he meets with this professor, he would never get any answers; only more questions. He shook his head and pretended that he never heard those words.

 Chapter 86 - Undeniably a Fresh Design

    The day of the Huang Corporation''s annual event finally arrived. Under Chen Mu and Lin Que''s attentive and protective supervision, the girls and Susu''s product arrived safely to the event. They made sure to not let anyone else touch the product and would have at least one person guarding the changing room just in case of any mysterious accidents.


    Karen got there right on time with her model as she planned a surprised for the audience and judges. Upon entering the event hall, she spotted Chen Mu standing by an empty table with his arms crossed. He seemed to be waiting for someone.


    She looked around and didn''t see Susu anywhere. When she saw this as an opportunity to talk to him, she smiled and smoothed out the wrinkles to her deep V collar dress with mini circle patterns all over it. The model followed closely behind her and struggled to keep up in the five-inch heels that Karen forced her to wear.


    "Well, hello, Chen Mu. It''s a coincidence to see you here." Karen stopped a few steps away from him. He continued looking at his watch and ignored her existence. If his behavior wasn''t obvious enough, his attitude sure gave her a straight up rejection.


    She awkwardly stood there with her lips twitching, "How could you people be so rude? It was just a simple greeting." Her loud voice alarmed many other people who were getting their models ready for the event.


    Chen Mu smiled and walked past her, "You''re finally here. I was getting worried for a second."


    Hearing his gentle voice, people''s eyes followed him and saw that the previous mute acted sweetly in front of Susu. People started to nod after understanding what was going on and resumed their preparations. Others were distracted by Karen''s ugly expression, but continued peeking from where they were standing because they thought she looked like a joke.


    Karen pointed at Susu and walked towards her. Before she could reach Susu, Chen Mu blocked her with his body, "you can speak from a reasonable distance. Get any closer and you can say goodbye to the design industry."


    Karen bit her lips as she retracted her arm, "Why the hell are you here?"


    "And why the hell can''t I be here? Hmm?" Susu waved the invitation card in Karen''s face.


    "You... Just you wait for your vulgar design to lose to mine. Nobody can beat my design today." Karen folded her arms and smirked at Susu as she showed off her model.


    "Oh, that''s nice. We''ll see about that. Now, excuse me. We don''t have time to watch your little entertainment. The show is about to begin." She ignored Karen''s provocative words and walked off to her own table.


    Lily whispered, "Why did you let her off so easily? I would have drowned her with my spit!"


    "Because her happy times are not going to last any longer once the contest begins. Let her feel the joy now, so she can watch it all crush down later." Susu replied and started doing touch ups to Lily''s makeup.


    The lights dimmed and stage lights focused to the center of the stage as Zhi Hei made the opening speech, "Welcome to Huang Corporation''s Annual Designing Event! I am the CEO of the company, Huang Zhi Hei. Firstly, I would like to thank all the judges and contestants for joining us here tonight. And secondly, I would like to say that for all of you who are standing here today, whether you end up receiving any of the top three places or not, you should be very proud of yourself. With this said, good luck and let''s begin."


    Since pamphlets were distributed to contestants and the judges were all well-known, the judges requested to skip introductions and get straight up to the designs.


    The lights brightened up like the excited chatters that echoed all over the room. Judges began to walk around the room and each contestant had two to three minutes to describe their work to them.


    Being a professional, each judge knew what they were looking for in each design; uniqueness. The theme of this contest is Nature. As easy as this theme sounded, it was actually one of the most difficult because many people would end up creating something similar.


    The judges shook their head many times as they scanned around the room; failing to find one that extinguishes itself from the crowd. The challenge with the nature theme is the overrated designs such as reusing flowers, animals, and whatever ideas that people have already seen in the past. This was why the design industry needed more creativity.


    One of the judges grew impatient as he heard the twentieth contestant talk about plants and whatever. He grunted in major disappointment and gave a harsh critique, "The design industry lacks originality. What makes your product differ from all the others, hmm? If we are choosing someone as the winner tonight, that person will never be a copy cat."


    In fact, this contestant had mashed up a few designs together, and the judge caught plagiarism by first sight. The contestant felt pale after seeing her name getting crossed out on the scoring list. When other judges took a closer look, they followed and crossed her name out.


    After an hour of giving low scores to designs, only a few were barely passable by mark.


    Only Susu and Karen were left, and the judges didn''t hold high hopes for them. Between these two girls, the judges wanted to look at Susu''s design first, but was stopped by Professor Luo Xia.


    "I heard that Yin, Karen was a student at Paris Institute of Design where I teach. Shall we take a look at her design first? Let''s see how impressive her final product is."


    The judges nodded and walked a bit further down to Karen''s design. Only Zhi Hei, Chen Mu, Lin Que, Susu and Lily caught that vexatious smirk on his face as Professor Luo Xia walked towards Karen''s design with his head lifted up proudly.


    Instant applauds spread in the room from the judges as they observed the beautiful petal like layered dress and the accessories that were made from the simplest materials. "As expected from a student who previously attended the famous Paris Academy for Design! Such an Original design!"


    Karen''s smile grew wider as she heard the judge''s description of her work. She didn''t even say a word and already, she received so many compliments. The gradient colored petals hinted water droplets on some areas of the dress. From a distance, the dress looked like a lively blossoming rose, fresh from the wilderness as the gradient colors faded in and out. The earrings looked like rose thorns and necklace had a simple tree branch design.


    The judges were extremely impressed by her design, but when they saw the out of place looking heels, they frowned sightly. "Miss. Yin, May I ask why you chose this pair of heels to combine with this elegant outfit?" The judge asked politely as wished to hear her explanation for her unique combination.


    Karen stood up straight and answered, "These heels were designed by me to match with the lively flowery dress. I believe that they matched perfectly and would bring nature out from the wild. With the heels, it makes the dress stand out even more."


    The judges excused themselves for a second and discussed from a distance about her response.


    "How could she say that with such confidence? That dress is indeed extremely elegant, but those heels make the rose look like it is about to wither. If she responded with something related to protecting the wild or preserving beauty then it would still be barely passable." One of the judges shook his head as he scribbled comments under the scoring box.


    Another judge checked off the scoring chart as he commented, "The accessories and detailed dress is indeed something very charming and catching. The heels... on the other hand, lack originality and even pulls the entire design down with it. It''s looks more like an incomplete puzzle and someone forcibly made a random puzzle piece fit in."


    Professor Luo Xia chuckled, "Shall we move on to Yin, Susu''s design?" When he said her surname, he purposely raised his voice by a tad to hint to the judges of an obvious connection between them.


    "Yin... are they sisters?" The judges questioned, but shrugged and continued with the event. They gathered in front of Susu''s table and felt anticipated to see her design.


    Susu greeted the judges politely and introduced her work, "before I reveal my product, I want to express my ideas fully. I''ve focused on my design based on the recent news of Australia''s fire. With the fierce flames killing different animals, I used a variety of colors and representation for the dying animals out there. The main idea for my designs has always concentrated on one idea, in which, this design today is for the hope of saving the wilderness."


    Lily walked out from behind the room separator that they had brought. Slowly, she stepped out elegantly and spread her loose designed trimmed layers repeatedly as she walked. The fiery red flames depicted the serious needs for assistance and alertness. The silver crafts that were designed with simple shapes around her waist line and reached the top part of the dress represented the dying wilderness.


    When the thin trimmed layers were spread and layered back on top one another, it felt like they were watching a mini film of wild fire with animals flying and running away. The small drips of silver that highlighted parts of the dress moved as Lily waved the layers and spun around in slow motion.


    The design was too intriguing that the judges were rendered speechless with their lips parted in surprise. Lily''s right hand had a golden branch designed bracelet that connected to the white ring on her middle finger. Her hairstyle was done in a half updo with two golden tree branches hairpins holding it up.


    Likewise, the dress was filled with different gradient colors of red and sometimes blue compared to Karen''s design. The top half of Susu''s design was a sleeveless one where it transitions from a starry night sky down to the flaming nature below. Everything looked perfect and fitting.


    When Lily finished showing off the dress, the judges continued to stare and forgot to even score. Professor Luo Xia was the first to break the silence as he asked, "why did you choose to design that tree branch ring connected bracelet? Isn''t it a little too simple?"


    Susu smiled and adjusted Lily''s arm position, "Because my design was lacking this last piece to make it complete. With this, my design is fully presentable."


    Lily''s arm slanted upwards across the dress with the ring reaching the starry night sky, specifically filling in an empty space between the twinkling star design. Once again, it took the judges breath away. The golden tree branch bracelet reflected on the silver drips and curvy shapes; similar to the rays of sunlight that presented hope and a brighter future.


    Areas of the dress glimmered with golden hints of color; bringing calmness against the flames. While the judges focused on Lily, Chen Mu backed away to give special instructions to the staff to adjust the angle of the lightings. Right after Lily adjusted her arm, the lighting shone on her; making the ring and sparkling stars become one, creating a full moon.


    Susu smiled with her eyes filled with joy, "And this is what I mean by complete."


    Once her design was fully displayed to every judge, Professor Luo Xia clapped loudly and announced, "I believe we don''t even need to check off the score to know who the winner is. Am I right?"


    The other five judges nodded alongside as their vision concentrated on the breathtaking dress in front of them. Susu smirked and crossed her arm, "Since I am the last contestant, may I ask how long will it take for the results to be announced?"


    The judges exchanged glances and smiled, "We are pleased to announce that the winner to this year''s Huang Corps'' event is Yin, Susu! The second place goes to Yin, Karen. As for the third, we will need to discuss further to come up with a proper winner, which will be announced later. Thank you very much for your patience and efforts to join us here today! We hope to see you all next year!"


    "That''s not fair!" Karen accidentally slipped her tongue and ruined everyone''s mood. Everybody turned their attention to her and her design.

 Chapter 87 - Prove It

    "That''s not fair!" Karen''s voice made everyone turn towards her, followed by silence filling the room. Professor Luo Xia asked as he could hardly contain his excitement, "in what ways was it unfair?"


    "That..That is.. she didn''t even go through any art related experiences! She should be disqualified!" Karen started raising her arm up and down while repeating the word, disqualify, to lead people to join her. Unfortunately, nobody voiced with her and she looked even more embarrassing than earlier when she got ignored by Chen Mu.


    Susu stepped out of the crowd and leaned lazily on one of the steady tables, "Indeed, I do not have a prestigious art school background and I didn''t apply for this annual event."


    "Aha! See? She admitted it, herself!" Karen pointed at Susu and acted full of herself.


    "But... I have several years of graphic designing experience through self taught methods. My online portfolio had been widely recognized by many companies from overseas, our current country, and along with many other places that even if I named them, you wouldn''t know of. Also, I didn''t plan on attending this event, but was invited by an old acquaintance to it. This is the invitation card signed and permitted by the CEO of Huang Corps."


    Susu waved the invitation card a few times before projecting it on the designer board using the projector that was provided by Huang Corps for each designer''s convenience when they presented their products. Everyone nodded and some searched for her name to look at her art portfolio.


    Karen gritted her teeth, "You''re lying! You had somebody design for you! You have no proof for that design! For the many years that we''ve lived together, you''ve never once created any works. You must have cheated! You just wanted to take this first place away from me!" Karen''s chest heaved up and down as she breathed inconsistently. Her pulse was spiking high as she faced the many pairs of eyes from the audience.


    Susu smiled, "Ah, indeed. You''ve never seen any of my designs, so it doesn''t exist. Just like how I never saw any bit of your so-called beauty, so it doesn''t exist as well. On the bright side, I do not have any words of wisdom nor did I prepare a motivational speech for people to hear me talk; I only have evidence that''ll stain your name and follow you for the rest of your life from here and onwards."


    "W..What do you mean?" Karen stuttered as she tried to avert her gaze from Susu''s intense glare.


    "Didn''t you just say that I was lying and that I hired somebody to do my works? Then how about we have a nice showdown in front of everyone today? I can prove that the product that I''ve presented today along with the rose set that you''ve claimed to be your design like twenty minutes ago, all belong to me. I am the original designer of it."


    The murmurs amongst the crowd heightened after hearing Susu''s declaration. One of the judges interrupted, "What?"


    Professor Luo Xia took one of the microphones from the table and handed it to Susu.


    After obtaining the microphone, Susu turned towards the crowd and said, "For those who thought that you''ve heard wrong or those who couldn''t hear me just now, I will repeat what I just said. I, Yin, Susu, can prove that my design for tonight is my own as well as this beautiful rose set that Yin, Karen had claimed to be her own."


    The contestants and judges let out a loud gasp at the same time while Karen refuted all accusations. She almost lost her balance when Susu said that she could prove that the design was all hers. "Faker! You''re just jealous that I could design something as beautiful as this!"


    "Oh? Then after I finish proving my own product, I''ll leave the rose products for you to prove as yours. If you can''t prove it, but I manage to do so, this would make you a thief; a disgrace to the designer world who will be sucking up all legal responsibilities to come. Well, let''s begin with my product for the event, shall we?" After she finished her last few words, Lily walked to her side and smiled meaningfully.


    Everyone thought that Susu would show them a personalized tag on the back of her design, but once again, they were mesmerized by Susu''s gift in design. Lily took off the ring-bracelet that she was wearing and signaled an "okay" sign in the air. Once Chen Mu received the signal, he instructed the staff to redirect specific lights towards Lily''s direction and dimmed down the rest of the room lights.


    Susu made sure that Lily wore sunglasses and had her eyes closed before the lights reached her eyes. With the light shining through the bracelet that Lily was holding up above her chest, the spaces in-between, allowed some lights to shine onto the starry night area of the dress where the twinkling stars slowly connected like dots. The initials, Y.S., became visible to everyone''s eyes on the dress.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Zhi Hei made special preparations for a wide screen that rolled down from behind and projected the initials for everyone to see. Professor Luo Xia lifted a thumb up hand gesture to Zhi Hei. In fact, this was his idea to begin with. When striking an enemy down, everyone must get a good show.


    Professor Luo Xia rubbed his eyes after taking off his thick prescription glasses and took over another microphone from one of the tables, "Finally this old man doesn''t need to use my million years old thick layered glasses to see the initials! Yin, Susu clearly proved her work and potentials. No offense to everyone present, but which one of you could come up with this design or an even better one? Since the doubts from Miss. Karen made Miss. Susu prove her work; it can only be fair for Miss. Karen to prove her own work in front of everyone."


    "But-" Karen tried to get out of this one, but Professor Luo Xia was not Buddha. Why would he let this chance to expose the tails of a copy cat out? Why would he tolerate someone as thick-skinned as Karen?


    "But what? Are you afraid that you can''t show the audience the proof? Or does the design not belong to you and was actually stolen from Yin, Susu?" his words stirred a thick layer of fear in her as she gulped it back down and pretended to be alright.


    "Fine. You want the proof? I''ll prove it." She pulled her model over and showed everyone the brand tag from the back of the dress that clearly had her name on it. Seeing that tag made many disappointed because such a tag could be easily added on after stealing someone''s design. It proved nothing.


    Seeing her unfavorable situation and the doubts on everyone''s face, she bit her lips and said, "I could provide the sketches! I have notes and everything with the details related to the dress!"


    Professor Luo Xia spoke into the microphone, "Anyone can take that stolen work and keep the sketches and then add on a tag. Can you present anything physically related to the design like Yin, Susu showed us for hers? Every designer has their own ways to engrave their initials or signature to their designs. Why don''t you show us yours? Unless you want to say that the Paris Academy only taught you so much."


    "I...I only attended the school for like eight months...I don''t know much about advertising my product. But this product is definitely mine! I have the tag as proof! Please trust me!" She nervously clenched on the corner of the table and looked everywhere for someone to say that they believed in her design.


    Her eyes swept across the audience and spotted Tian Yuo somewhere in the crowd. She smiled and stared straight at him, but he turned his head sideways; pretending he didn''t see her pleading eyes.


    "Well? Prove it or leave it, but let me give you an advice. No matter how much effort you put into cheating these designs, I''ll always have a way to claim it back. Just like what is about to happen now." Susu said confidently while stretching her fingers.

 Chapter 88 - Prove It 2

    Susu wiggled her fingers and massaged them, "Just in case Miss. Karen claims it to be unfair again. Let''s give her one last chance to prove that the rose design is hers. Other than the brand tag that anyone could forge or add on to the design and the sketches that anyone could steal, what other evidence can you show us?"


    Karen''s fist trembled as she smashed it against the table surface behind her, "I only have those two. So what? Let''s see how well you can prove it!"


    "Since Miss. Karen has spoken that she has no other methods of proving this rose design as her own, then it is now my turn to prove that I am the original designer. And the stealer and copy cat here would only be Miss. Karen once I present visible evidence. Do you all agree with me?" Susu asked the audience with most of them nodding and shouting out yes.


    Once she said those words, the judges stepped forward and decided to be the witnesses for her. Lin Que walked out of the crowd with a shoe box in his hand. Everyone''s eyes focused on him as Susu opened the box and brought out a pair of pastel pink slip ons with petals like strings dangling loosely.


    Karen scoffed, "This is your so-called evidence?"


    "Did I say that I was finish with explaining? As everyone could see, the model is wearing a beautiful dress with matching accessories. The only thing that does not match up is the pair of several inch heels that Miss. Karen claimed to have designed because she thought that it went well with the outfit. Now, what if we have the model try on the adjustable slip ons that I designed?"


    Lin Que took an empty chair from the side for the model to sit down while Susu helped her change into the pastel pink colored slip ons. Susu explained as she helped adjust the shoes and tied the strings to fit the model''s leg shape, "When I first designed this rose set, I never saved the designs for the shoes to my laptop, in which, was later too damaged for file recovery because Miss. Karen had an accident with it. By the way, for those who doesn''t know, she''s my stepsister whom I previously lived with."


    "Anyways, I worked on designing the shoes separately from the programs as it failed to live up to my expectations, so I did everything hands on. Every single design that I made is uniquely marked with my initials, which I''ve already proved using today''s product. Of course, I also understand that having a pair of shoes that matches with the outfit would not help prove much, but I wanted to take things slowly."


    The strings looked like rose stems that hugged the model''s leg perfectly. The judges nodded in agreement as they looked at the model from top to shoes. Karen crackled her knuckles, "That''s not enough to prove anything!!"


    "Did I not just say that I knew it''s not enough? I just wanted to see the complete set before proving everything to your face. First off, I would like the model to turn around for me."


    After the model did as instructed, Susu took the petal that stuck out slightly more than the rest right below her waistline and flipped it up. Then she started layer by layer, choosing different petals and folding it upwards. The petals were designed to stay tilted upwards when folded at the right angle.


    Finally, the last petal was pointed upwards, and Susu rubbed her fingers together, "I wanted my design to be one of a kind so I made this dress one that the petals could bend and form a three dimensional flower. It is perfect for flower festivals and different occasions. The theme for this design was mythical. And I named this flower fairy."


    "Hah! How is this a fairy? At most it is just a girl popping out of a rose! Lies!" Karen tried to sway the crowd''s opinion.


    "Wow, you really try hard to make yourself look even worse. Impressive. Well, I''m sure everyone else has that question and I''m not afraid to answer it." Susu took the microphone and said, "Darling, dim the lights and use the special lighting that we talked about."


    The lights in the room dimmed more than before and the special lights shone onto the model with the rose. Susu instructed the model to walk around and spin slowly like a real modeling show. Everyone''s eyes widened when they saw the model''s shadow. The rose petals sparkled under the lighting, but when the model moved around, fairy like wings formed as part of her shadow.


    At first, the petal''s shadow was shaped like regular petals, but as the model moved along the areas with the special light, the sizes of the petals changed and wings formed through different angles. The wings grew slowly, spread, and even flapped as she moved.


    Lin Que walked away from the crowd and took a basket with him. While the staff controlled the lighting so that it''ll follow the model around, Chen Mu found a fan to help with the following surprise for the audiences.


    When Susu looked up and saw Chen Mu''s okay hand gesture, she smiled and announced, "And.. the last surprise that I have for everyone is...a spring''s breeze." Flower petals sprinkled down, adding effects to the model''s walk. Lin Que and Chen Mu were spreading and throwing petals to the fan from above, making a spring scenery.


    It was sweet and beautiful as many whispered, "woah..." and "wow..." The model''s hand reached out for a few petals that landed on her palms. She stopped and sniffed the petals from her hands before tossing it in the air. The judges were amazed by such an impressive scene. It''s been a while since they''ve seen a design as different as this one. The earrings that the model wore made the shadows of her ears appear a little sharper; like a mythical creature.


    Not only that, the shadows of the wings had the initials, Y.S., on the tip of the wings. When they ran out of petals, the lights slowly returned to its original brightness. Everyone applauded her work and judges were shouting, "Splendid!"


    Susu crossed her arms and looked at Karen, "Did you see it clearly or would I have to replay the whole catwalk show for you? Hmm? My initials were engraved in my designs and at places that you would never notice. Therefore, you would never be able to remove my initials. You aren''t so smart like you claimed yourself to be now, huh?"


    "Y..You.."


    "I, what? did you want to say that I cheated again? Sorry, but you''re the one who chose the model, not me. No matter how it turns out, I wouldn''t be able to cheat. Plus, if you were the original designer then you would''ve known about the shadows and wings. Unfortunately, you didn''t show that part off and didn''t know even a bit about the product. Copy cats will always just be a counterfeiter."


    Professor Luo Xia smiled and interrupted Susu, "now that we''re here right now, I suddenly remember something very important as well."

 Chapter 89 - I Have My Reasons

    "I just remembered something important." Professor Luo Xia interrupted, and everyone turned their attention to the old man.


    Karen''s graven expression darkened, and she subconsciously shook her head slowly. He smiled and reached out to Susu with his right palm facing up, " May I borrow the invitation card for a minute?"


    "Sure." Susu handed the invitation card over to him and watched as he placed the invitation card to the projector. "Zoom." he raised his arm and waved his index and middle finger in the air at the same time.


    "I would deeply appreciate it if everyone could take a look at the zoomed-in invitation card." His voice worked like a mantra as everyone''s head followed to the projector slide and focused on the enlarged stamp on the invitation.


    Borrowing a cane from one of the judges, Professor Luo Xia pointed to the tiny leaf corner of the rose stamp and pointed out Susu''s initials. "Just like the other designs, this stamp was designed by Yin, Susu."


    The crowd murmured as they wondered what this stamp had anything to do with this whole event and proving Karen''s wrong doings. "As everyone could see, this design goes quite well with today''s rose outfit display, don''t you all think that?"


    After taking a close look, everyone followed along and nodded to each other. Professor Luo Xia smiled and turned to Susu, "I believe that you must have another way of proving this design as your own. Just like the dress. Am I correct?"


    Susu revealed a rare smile, "Of course." She stepped up and removed the invitation from the projector. With the use of her skillful fingers, she poked a few mini holes on some angles of the rose stamp. After that, she folded tiny corners of the design to reach the other corner. When she was done, the invitation card was trimmed down to only the rose stamp and the rose was no longer visible.


    Now, the rose was folded and curved into a rosebud with the tip opened to reveal the mini holes that she had pecked earlier with a pen. She smiled and said to the microphone once again, "Dear, will you turn on the special light again? The projector can remain on, but I will adjust the angle of it so that it wouldn''t blind anyone''s eye."


    "Alright." Chen Mu''s voice rung the ears of the audience as they heard hurried footsteps from somewhere above. It was too dark to see anything or anyone. Once the special lighting were turned on and the room darkened to give the highest-quality effect, Susu held the rose bud and let it do its trick for the audience.


    Under the projector''s view, everyone saw the mini leaf that had her initials dangling as the rosebud''s stem. She pulled it slowly and the petals slowly spread into a rose. Once the rose became fully blossomed, everyone saw the colored edges of the petals from earlier reveal her initials at its center. It was magical.


    If one didn''t believe that this was a design event, then it would definitely be an a.d.u.l.t''s fairytale land for the day with free admission tickets. Everyone clapped once again, but Professor Luo Xia didn''t plan to stop just there.


    "Miss. Susu, would you explain to me what happened to your designs from years ago and how long has it been since you''ve designed these amazing, creative works?"


    "It was several years ago, and that was during the time when I planned on submitting my work for Paris Institute of Design. Unfortunately, two days before the deadline, Miss. Karen came into my room with a sizzling plate of beef and some drinks that she ended up spilling all over my laptop. While I ran to the restroom to clean myself up, she took my laptop and refused to give it back saying she wanted to bring it to the repair shop."


    Susu crossed her arms and stared straight at Karen''s guilty expression, "And then she came back to tell me that none of the files on my laptop were recoverable. I tried bringing it to a repair store after that, but even then, my files were all damaged."


    Professor Luo Xia closed his eyes as he listened to her part of the story and nodded, "I completely and thoroughly understand now. Would you do me another favor?" He snapped his fingers and extended his hand towards his assistant. Quickly, an art portfolio with Karen''s name was placed on his opened palm.


    "Would you please go through each and every page of these designs for me? If any of these belong to you, please prove the design with your initials. If you recognize any designers from any resources that you''ve used for your research in any designs, please point it out as well. I believe everyone here is as interested as I am with what this portfolio holds."


    His assistant brought him and Susu a chair while Karen remained standing. Susu recognized the front page of the portfolio instantly and flipped through the pages while accurately pointing at where her initials laid hidden behind the designs. While roaming through different designs, she also pointed out the different resources she''s used or seen before and pulled it up on her phone.


    After half an hour, Professor Luo Xia thanked her for her descriptive explanations. Karen almost urinated herself from the extreme pressure that she was facing from the audience. She only dared to move the slightest of her body when she got tired of standing because everyone would roll their eyeballs to her side once she makes the tiniest moves.


    Although stealing someone''s work is a crime, she always thought that as long as she takes the work and claims it first then she is the winner. Of course, it doesn''t work that way and the road to her wishful thoughts of gaining popularity was about to come true. Except, not the type of popularity she would enjoy.


    Everyone''s eyes were sharp and scanning every inch of her body as Professor Luo Xia handed the portfolio back to his assistant. "I think everyone would love to know how I got my hands on her art portfolio. Not only were these designs on her self promoted webpage, she used these designs to pass the admissions exam for Paris Institute. I first noticed the odd initials on these designs after zooming in and out of them for so many times."


    "For those of you who don''t recognize me, I am a professor at the art institute. Plagiarism is a very serious breach of academic integrity and a shame to every field in every career. At first, I was eager to see her designs from projects as she held one of the most impressive admission art design [portfolios. My suspicions grew as she failed to perform any talents during the basic introductory courses. Her drawings and sketches were atrocious nonsense."


    "Oh, my apologies for forgetting the most important point. Her fashion sense was close to nonexistent because of her awful choices. Definitely, those designs were not her own creation and that made me look into her admission files carefully. To be fair, I reviewed and observed her works after admissions for a few months and compared it to the portfolio that she used for admission. Totally a different feel to the designs."


    "I caught her redhanded during a contest that we held to celebrate the institute''s anniversary and she was banned from all design schools after we found out that she actually did extensive plagiarism using pieces of famous works. Of course, she was also expelled from the institute. Anyways, now that her art portfolio is confirmed to be another fake, I announce that Yin, Karen will not be able to step foot into any design careers ever again."


    Reporters took pictures and wrote down these strong lines for the next headline. Professor Luo Xia continued, "I almost forgot to mention that Miss. Susu could feel free to sue for copyrights and plagiarism for monetary purposes. Obviously there are many more to what miss. Karen had done, but that would be solely up to Miss. Susu to decide."


    Susu faced the audience and looked at Professor Luo Xia, "Thank you very much for clarifying everything and even helped me point out this copycat in public. I would definitely pursue legal actions against Miss. Karen. Although we are stepsisters, she has done many disgusting things in the past. At least for this one, I can hold it against her and publicize it."


    "My pleasure. Now, let''s get back to announcing the winners for the contest. First place goes to Yin, Susu. As for the second and third place, we will have to discuss further to give out the names. Congratulations and let''s all give a round of applause to Miss. Susu''s amazing work!" The crowd followed Professor Luo Xia''s lead and cheered for Susu''s wonderful presentation. Everyone thought that her designs would definitely be worth more in value than the prize of this event.


    After the event ended and contestants had left, Susu waited for Professor Luo Xia by the entrance of the event hall.


    "Professor Luo Xia, please give me a few minutes of your time." Her sweet, gentle voice made him stop in his steps. He turned around, hiding a hint of sadness and showed her a smile.


    "Yes?" he answered.


    "I want to thank you once again for clearing my name and helping me gain justice. I really appreciate it." She thanked him once again because she thought that thanking someone should be done privately in terms of manners.


    "No biggie. I would''ve done it for anyone else if I caught such a huge rat snooping around and thinking about being a big shot by copying somebody''s work. If that''s all..." his words were then cut off by hers.


    "I really want to know how you found me." she bit her lips and spat out the first question that she could think of. Her mind was in a small mess where she couldn''t really figure out how he managed to trace from just the initials of the artwork to her.


    "What do you mean?"


    "My initials are common out there. It could mean a lot of things, and the designer may not be me. How come you were so sure that the rose stamp belonged to me and that I had another method of proving myself? How come you were so confident in my designs? how come-"


    This time, he cut her off. "I''m sure you have a lot of questions, but all I can tell you for now is that I have confidence in you and your talents. I''ve seen your work before, and it is rare for someone to be as talented as you. Besides, it runs in your blood..." His voice trailed off, and she missed the last few words that he said.


    "I''m sorry, but could you repeat the last few words that you just said?" She blinked and had more question ready for him.


    He shook his head and smiled, "nothing. I was just mumbling to myself. I said with such great talent; it is difficult for anyone to imitate your work. I recognized your unique style and am extremely proud to see your unlimited potential in the future. I have an appointment to attend to, so I will meet you perhaps next time."


    Susu held her tongue and nodded, "alright. Then next time you must answer my questions. I still have a lot of inquiries about design that I need your opinion and guidance.


    After they separated, Professor Luo Xia met up with Zhi Hei in the parking lot where Zhi Hei brought out an envelope and handed it to him. "Thank you," Professor Luo xia took the envelope and carefully opened it after getting into the car. It was the rosebud stamp that Susu had folded during the event.


    His eyes turned slightly watery when he pulled the initials that acted like the stem carefully and watched the rose blossom and close. "She''s definitely your daughter...Zi Lan. She''s just like you."


    Zhi Hei looked at him and asked, "Why did you want me to collect the stamp design for you? I don''t think you need it for any academic works."


    "I have my reasons." Professor Luo Xia put the rosebud back in the envelope and continued the conversation with Zhi Hei about his upcoming plans.

 Chapter 90 - Very Weird

    Susu continuously stirred her Strawberry Pink drink while Lily, Chen Mu and Lin Que stared at her silently. Lily whispered to Chen Mu, "Do you know what''s wrong with her?"


    He shook his head and decided to wave his hands in her face to get her attention. "Susu! Susu!"


    "Huh? What''s wrong?" she moved backwards instinctively.


    "This should be the question that we ask you. What were you thinking about just now? You looked so out of earth just now. Are you feeling alright?" Chen Mu asked.


    "Huh? Yeah... I''m alright. I was just thinking about the whole invitation card to the design event thing. It doesn''t add up anymore." Susu sipped her drink.


    "What doesn''t add up?" Lily asked.


    "So like when he had Zhi Hei deliver the invitation card to me, he used the rose stamp on purpose to catch my attention and lure me to the event, right? But before that, nobody had ever seen my sketches or design. Therefore, with just his attentive nature, he could only have suspected Karen for plagiarizing and stealing. No matter how I think about it, it still wouldn''t link to me."


    "Weren''t your initials on it?" Lin Que replied.


    "Yes, but anyone could have had the same initials or purposely added these designs as their company logo. How did he trace back to me? And let''s just say that he may have known about Karen being my stepsister, but who would go in depth to help me prove my design? And how did he know that I didn''t give it to Karen so that she could get into the school?"


    The more they talked, the more questions filled their heads. At first, only Susu had questions. Now, all four of them were thinking about the endless possibilities of how Professor Luo Xia figured things out in his own way.


    "It''s a wonder, but could it be a designer''s instinct? Besides, he''s been in this field for so long that he probably had plentiful experience with copycats like that woman." Lily stabbed her salad a few times when she mentioned Karen.


    "Okay, so I''ll even give the hypothetical situation where he actually knew all those. Then how would we explain the fact that he knew I had another method to proving my work? I mean, the initials were right there, right? How could he have known that I had another trick up my sleeves for that rose stamp?"


    "Maybe he took an educative patterned guess? Since you proved your designed dresses in such a unique way, he probably expected it from the stamp as well." Chen Mu thought about it logically before responding to her question.


    "It''s impossible for him to have guessed that. There are two reasons. One, this could be a regular stamp with initials on it. Meaning, it is just a piece of paper with a rose print on top. Who would have thought that I would fold up the corners, poke a few holes and manage to craft it to a blossoming rose?"


    "That is true...normally, people would think that it is just a regular stamp. When he asked if you could prove it using another method, his tone seemed quite confident as well. It was as if he already knew you would say yes to his question." Lily recalled the way Professor Luo Xia spoke to Susu and remembered that she always had an odd feeling about his attitude.


    Whenever he spoke to Susu, his voice was at least a bit gentler and soothing to one''s ears compared to talking to others. With other people, he always put up a straight face or a sense of seniority as he is famous amongst the design field.


    Lily supported her head with her palm before pointing it out, "You know, I''m not sure if it is a female''s sixth sense or whatsoever, but I always felt that Professor Luo Xia is quite friendly with our Su. Friendly as in like having a soft spot for her kind of way. I don''t know how to describe it to anyone, though."


    Lin Que joked around and said, "could he be Chen Mu''s new rival?"


    Poooffttt


    Susu spat out her Strawberry drink and started coughing while Chen Mu soothed her back.


    Lin Que quickly handed them tissues and raised his arms, "I''m just joking! Joking! He wouldn''t have interest in such a young woman." Lily shot him a meaningful glare as she wiped the table clean and patted Susu''s back. He gulped in response and hoped that the lords in heaven would pity him. ''Please let my queen spare me tonight. Spare me from the cuffs...'' He inwardly repeated.


    After Susu calmed down, she took a deep breath and continued her explanation from earlier, "The second reason for why he wouldn''t have been able to figure out that rose stamp is because this was something my mother taught me when I was young. My mother and I worked on this design together, and I kept it to myself for the longest. I haven''t shown it to anyone."


    "Then could he have known your mother when she was alive? Maybe he was familiar with what your mother liked so when he saw the design and knew about your relations with the Yin family, he may have been able to guess?" Lin Que rubbed his chin.


    Susu shrugged, "I have no idea."


    "Hmmm, you might not know, but somebody else might." Lily sounded as if she had something figured out.


    "Who?"


    "Tian Yuo''s mother, Shen Wen. I remember you telling me that Tian Yuo''s mother and your mother were best friends. Even though you don''t know anything about your mother''s friends, she might. But the thing is, I''m not sure how willing you are in meeting her after what she did to you." Lily observed Susu''s expression to make sure she didn''t say anything that would offend her or make Susu feel awkward.


    "No, it''s fine. It''s been a while and plus, nothing happened between Tian Yuo and me. Whether she interfered or not, we wouldn''t have ended up together. I''ll just call her and ask her to meet me one of these days. I guess we can only start from there and go on with whatever information we find out."

 Chapter 91 - Dont Know What to Say

    While the four were enjoying their lunch and having excited chatters here and there, they didn''t notice Tian Yuo watching them from upstairs. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Susu''s every movement. The hot cup of coffee that he bought was already cold and he didn''t know how long he had been standing there.


    He asked himself, "Did I start watching them when they first got their seats? Or was it when they were looking at different menus? Or was it way before that?" Nobody could tell what he was thinking at the moment. He wasn''t sure either. It was as if he was waiting for any one of those four to notice him or something.


    Seeing Chen Mu and Susu together felt like needles prickling through his heart. Something was aching and he didn''t want to acknowledge what he had lost. When he saw how Chen M''s arms were wrapped intimately around her waist and the sides of their heads bumped against each other as they laughed, it reminded him of the past when she was still by his side.


    A small curve tilted on his lips, but more sighs followed as he shook his head. "Why am I here watching them like a stalker for? When I had her, I didn''t treat her right. When she was caring for me, I pushed her away and hurt her repeatedly for years. Even if I go to her now and tell her that I finally realize that I love her, miss her, and want her back in my life...It seems to be too late already."


    As he mumbled to himself, Karen read his lips from a distance and walked over. She interrupted his conversation to himself, "Of course it is too late. It''s been so late because you only have liked me since the beginning. I am the one whom you''re supposed to be missing and loving. Didn''t you always hate her for what she''s ever done to me? My childhood?"


    Tian Yuo''s eyes continued watching the silly, innocent girl who was slurping her pink drink from the lower level. "You''re right. Since the beginning I''ve looked at you, and that is precisely why I''m regretting right now. I wonder if I never did what I had done for these years then how happy would I be now? What if I''ve focused only on her while she reciprocated the same feelings or even more? Would our ending be different than right now?"


    "Tian Yuo! There are no hypothetical situations like these! Don''t forget that you must take responsibility for me. You can''t be thinking about somebody else like that! Remember us? All those happy times? I''m the only one who stood by your side and made you feel secured. I am the woman who loves you the most in this world and is standing in front of your eyes!"


    "And what if I tell you that those feelings were just built from lies and actually similar to wafer thin ice? I never forgot the promises that I''ve once said to you. I''ve always supported you even when you were a bit spoiled at times. I thought that I could be the one to provide you what you were missing. Relationsh.i.p.s can never live on lies because lies will only be covered up with the next lie from your mouth. Do you understand?"


    After holding onto the cup of coffee for some time now, he finally took his first sip. He felt drained of energy once he heard Karen''s voice. It felt so tiring that he needed some energy booster to make this conversation last because he knew it is an important talk that they need.


    "You''re saying all these bullshit responses just because you are temporarily feeling lost after seeing her win the competition!If it was me who won, then -" his body was in the same posture, but his eyes were now staring at her sharply.


    "You just said no hypothetical questions. Besides, even if you won today, those designs didn''t belong to you. Even if you gained recognition from this, customers will detect the differences between your contest designs and boutique ones. Sooner or later, you would end up with no customers. It''s even better this way that she won. It saves you a lot more time to improve your skills."


    His words were straightforward; not providing her the comfort that she expected. "So between her and me, you chose her, huh?!"


    "It''s not about who I choose or didn''t choose. Everyone has to take responsibility for what they''ve done. This is something that people learn in their lives. You wouldn''t be an exception either. If I wasn''t so blinded by your words since young... If I even took a few minutes of my past years to look at Susu... Perhaps we would be together right now. Perhaps it would be me wiping her lips for her and making her laugh."


    He sighed and turned his body towards Karen, "I''m responsible for all these things that happened in the past including spoiling you and supporting you. I realized that the reason why you get more arrogant is because you know that I will always be there for you. But after today, I will not tolerate your childishness anymore. I will also not provide for you like I did in the past because only this way, you will learn to grow up."


    Her eyes teared up instantly and she grabbed his hand, "Please, no! You can''t do this to me! My parents and I need you! I can''t lose you to Susu! I can''t. I lost too much already. There is still a way around this. Didn''t you want to marry and have your own family? I can... I can do that. I can marry you and have our child. I can give everything up!"


    He shook her hands off, "I did want all of those things, but the one whom I want to have all those things with is no longer you. You didn''t lose to Susu because I am not an object. I''m not a ball that you can hold when you want to play with me and then toss away when you''re finished. The ball may roll off and never come back. You and your parents can continue living in that apartment until you find a job to support them. This is all I could do for you, sorry."


    She shook her head and couldn''t believe that her tears didn''t work on him. "You can''t do this to me! You promised that you would always wait for me to be ready! Wait for me to be your wife!" She hugged him from behind; hoping he would reconsider the promises.


    His fingers loosened her fingers one by one and pulled her away from him, "Then answer me. Since I''ve always supported you, why couldn''t you tell me that you wanted to study abroad? Did I ever interfere with you and your dreams? Did I not always tell you that I''ll be by your side?!"


    "I... I..." Her voice stuttered as she failed to respond.


    "Why did you have to set Susu up and ruin her innocence? Was it fun for you to drug us and watch us enter the same room or something? I lost someone so precious because of my blindness and immaturity. If I was rational enough to calm down, I would have figured it out long ago and not have to wait till today for the huge unmasking by Professor Luo Xia."


    "W..What?"


    "I had already spoken to him before the event ended. I asked him the date of your submitted portfolio for admissions and when you started taking classes. The registered date was way before the drugged incident. The date that you left and day that you started taking classes corresponded with the whole incident. Even if you refute it and say that it is all an odd coincidence, I already don''t believe in your words."


    "But I-"


    "You what? Your designs were stolen from Susu. Your admission and application dates correspond with the events that led up to my failed marriage. Every word that you''ve said to me since young were all questionable because nothing added up to Susu''s personality. So for this reason, it is best for us to walk separate paths. I don''t want to tire myself out in always putting up my guards and thinking about which words I could believe in."


    Seeing that the four of them were getting up from their seats, Tian Yuo decided to leave as well. He walked away after saying everything that he wanted to say. Everything seemed much easier than he had expected. At first, he felt guilty for doing this to Karen, but after the event everything seemed much clearer.


    When Karen saw his figure disappear in front of her, she panicked and started crying for real. She never thought that he would leave her like that. She always believed that she had many choices out there so she didn''t need to focus her attention on one guy. Now, she regretted it. She had nothing left, and tomorrow''s headline will have her face all over it. She will lose her reptation, wealth, dreams, and the guy who loved her for all these years.

 Chapter 92 - The Text From Long Ago

    Seeing Susu and Chen Mu leave happily from the lower level, Karen bit her lips while her tears ruined her eye makeup. Her mascara and eyeliner made lines across her face as she wiped her tears sideways using her sleeves. She kept whispering Susu''s name while gnashing her teeth against each other.


    "A soon to be dead person like you should just die faster. Why are you walking around faking smiles and ruining others'' lives? Huh? You want to compete with me? You don''t even stand a chance." She breathed heavily as she heard notifications from her phone.


    When she unlocked her phone, she saw many messages from her parents asking how the competition went. Pictures and voices from the event started haunting her once again. Her fingers shook as her vision blurred.


    She saw Tian Yuo''s name and went through the texts that they''ve sent to each other. While scrolling through the conversations, she saw the pictures of the pills that he took from long ago. She remembered telling him that those were birth control pills, but never really looked into what these pills were for. A part of her became suspicious as she recalled Susu hating any form of medicine.


    "What if these pills.. weren''t just regular medicine... but for her ...cancer?" She mumbled and quickly wiped her tears away. Quickly, she left the building and went to a few nearby pharmacies to confirm her suspicions.


    Meanwhile, Susu, Lily, Lin Que and Chen Mu decided to do some shopping for tonight''s dinner. Earlier, Chen Mu and Lily set out different reasons for why Susu should eat homemade food for dinner. Ever since her recent throat infection recovery, Lily and Chen Mu always checked up on her.


    Chen Mu would ask her about how she felt every day and made sure that she was alright. Lily would send herb deliveries to their condo to make sure that everything is stocked up and convenient for Chen Mu to use.


    Susu mentioned that she wanted to eat out for the night, and Chen Mu reminded her that her monthly body check was coming up. "Don''t forget that you just recovered from a throat infection. Outside food has a lot of oil and we''ll never know whose hand touched what while the dishes are made. How about you tell me what you want to eat and I''ll make it for you?"


    "Mm..." She understood his concerns and started thinking about different dishes that she wanted to eat.


    "How about we eat something light? We can have chicken congee for tonight with a few vegetable dishes on the side." Lily understood that Susu was thinking about everyone else and their preferences so she made this suggestion for her.


    Susu asked, "But are you sure you guys are fine with all these simple dishes? I don''t want you guys to feel hungry after this dinner."


    Lin Que smiled, "Lily and I have eaten too much fried food lately. We need to balance our diets. We aren''t picky eaters so as long as Chen Mu''s cooking is edible, it will do."


    Susu looked at Lily again to confirm that it was really alright to keep it simple. Lily nodded in response and hugged her arm, "So~~~ While you guys are going to shop for tonight''s dinner ingredients, we will be walking around for entertainment for tonight''s celebration."


    Right after she said that, she pulled Susu towards the mall direction and left the guys by themselves. Lin Que patted Chen Mu on the back, "So, it''s only us now. Knowing Lily''s personality, she must have something in her mind. Hah, let''s hurry and shop for our girlfriend''s stomach."


    "Yeah....Let''s just cross our fingers and hope that whatever entertainment that they end up choosing are normal..." Chen Mu shivered at the thought of Lily''s creative capabilities. Ever since they''ve started dating, he realized that many naughty ideas that Susu wanted to try out were all inspired by Lily''s words. As much as he enjoyed those bedroom stuff, he can''t imagine how extreme Lily would get when it comes to being in charge of a double date night.


    After splitting up, Chen Mu and Lin Que gathered everything that they needed within half an hour. Since they worked together and always kept in touch about Susu''s condition, they knew which ingredients would provide the best nutrients for her. Lin Que didn''t forget to grab a few golden dragonfruits and strawberries because those were Lily''s favorites.


    Lily and Susu had smiles on their faces when they exited the mall and met up with the guys. Seeing the curves on their girlfriend''s lips, Chen Mu and Lin Que exchanged glances as they prepared their hearts for the upcoming entertainment activities. Just like that, the four of them went back to Chen Mu''s condo and started to party.


    Since it was still early, Chen Mu washed the vegetables and seasoned the chicken for the congee before joining the three of them at the couch area. The first game that Lily took out was Monopoly Deals. It was a simple deck of cards mixed with money cards, action cards and property cards. The first person to stack the required colors and show three properties on the table will be the winner.


    This was Susu''s first time playing this game since she was never too much of a board game fan. Since she was a beginner at it, she lost a few times and learned some new tricks. Even though she lost, Lily quickly shuffled the cards and distributed them again.


    "it''s okay! This is your first time playing it. It''s all good. You''ll get the hang of it. Here, let''s play another round." Lily comforted her and was obviously biased towards her. She gave Lin Que a few looks when he attacked Susu multiple times and took all of her properties. Since Lin Que dared to bully Susu, Lily didn''t leave room for him to survive in the game either.


    Lily started throwing down action cards to attack Lin Que and ended up winning the last few games. Susu couldn''t help but laugh at this lovable couple in front of her. Chen Mu joined after they had started another round. He sat next to Susu and said, "Don''t worry, with me here, you wont lose."


    Chen Mu helped Susu throughout the entire round and left the other couple speechless. He waited until the useful action cards were used up by Lily and Lin Que before making a move. Lin Que was so close to winning and Susu had two properties with a thick stash of cash on the side.


    "Draw your cards," Chen Mu calmly whispered to her ears. She nodded and showed him the two property cards that she drew. He smiled, "Perfect."


    With the two gold property cards that were stacked together from Susu''s pile, Chen Mu placed the third gold card, which made it a set and then a rent card on top. "Are you going to stop this action card?"


    Lin Que gulped, "I can''t." Lily patted his back, "It''s okay. After this, you can still win with the properties that you have left."


    "Not if I do this." Chen Mu placed the Double Rent card on top of the Rent card.


    "Damn!!! You sucked me dry! I was this close to winning!" Lin Que stared at his collection of properties and watched everything of his go towards Susu''s side.


    "Pfffft! Aiyo, seems like my Susu is the winner for this round! Wooooo! That was such a ending move!! Damn!" Lily laughed and rubbed Lin Que''s hair to comfort him.


    After playing a few more rounds, Chen Mu and Lin Que went to prepare dinner for their girls. While they were cooking, Lily and Susu giggled and whispered secretly to each other. The guys pretended to not hear their tiny voices, but they''ve already prepared their hearts for the next activities to come.


    Of course, before continuing their gaming sessions, food is more important. Even if the girls don''t need the energy, they definitely need it to entertain their queens for tonight. Besides, Susu had to take her medicine so she needs to eat something first.

 Chapter 93 - Worries

    After a delicious dinner, Susu went into her room and came out with a handful of lipsticks. Lily, on the other hand, brought out their next activity.


    "Tada! Let''s play an advanced game of Twister~" Lily tossed the instruction sheet away and took out handmade index cards. Seeing Susu''s colorful lipsticks and Lily wave the index cards with such a curved grin, the guys knew that they were rolling downhill for the night.


    In the next minutes, Chen Mu and Lin Que stood opposite of the other while their girls sat relaxingly on the couch. Lily cleared her throat, "I will assign each of you an individual movement to complete. If you fail, Susu will draw on your face."


    Lin Que rubbed his forehead, "And may I ask whose idea this was?"


    "Mine~" Lily smiled dazzlingly with her pretty white teeth revealed. How could he reject or surrender when his girl is smiling with such joy? He cracked his knuckles and did last second stretches before they began. Chen Mu also stretched his body to relax his muscles for the upcoming challenges.


    "Chen Mu! You''re first! Are you ready?" Lily gave him a second to prepare himself.


    "Come at me," His voice was calm, but his heart was scared of what twisting body tricks she wrote on those index cards.


    "Aheemmm, Move your left foot two steps up on the Yellow."


    "Huh? That''s it?" Chen Mu thought that this was too simple to be true.


    "Yep. That''s all for now. Don''t worry, these are warm ups. Wait till we get to the challenging ones, heh." Her voice was filled with excitement, which would only mean one word for the guys; disaster.


    "Darling, your first move is having your right palm flat on the third blue circle." She giggled when she placed the front card to the back. Lin Que did what he was told to do.


    "Chen Mu, move your right palm to the blue circle that my darling is on." Her giggles became more obvious as the game proceeded. After Chen Mu had completed the action, the guys realized that their faces were much closer than they thought it was.


    "Darling, your left palm needs to move to the second green circle." Lin Que''s grin tilted upwards as he realized what the girls wanted to see. He sighed as he made his next move while shaking his head sideways. He knew that from his angle, scoring a kiss with Chen Mu was definitely going to happen.


    Chen Mu mumbled, "Your girlfriend is really something, huh? So, buddy? Ready to lose your first kiss to a man?"


    "Hah, sorry, but it''s been lost to my dad," Lin Que laughed shamelessly.


    "Unfortunately, you''re my first kiss then...with a man at least," Chen Mu was ready to tilt his face up to meet his fated partner''s face but his hand slipped the next second after hearing Lin Que''s words.


    "Aww, I forgot to put on lip balm. Let me lick it moist for your full packaged experience. Don''t worry, I''ll give you the most memorable losing viriginity kiss. Don''t get greedy and use your tongue, though." Lin Que licked his lips just to scare Chen Mu off.


    As expected, Chen Mu''s hand slipped, and he tumbled down on the mat. Chen Mu''s lip twitched as he stepped up to Susu for his punishment. Lin Que whispered, "you may be the king of card games, but I am the king of mat ones. Heh."


    "We''ll see about that." Chen Mu closed his eyes as Susu chose her vibrant pink colored lipstick and drew a unibrow for him. "Pffft, hahahaha, awww so cute!" Susu couldn''t help but let out a few laughs when she saw his face.


    As the game proceeded, the guys technically cheated and made the other lose balance. Since this was the advanced version that the girls made up, there weren''t any ground rules. At the end of the game, Lin Que had a squiggly purple mustache, two deep blue saggy shaded eye bags, two tic tac toe games on either sides of his cheeks and a huge whale on his forehead.


    Meanwhile, Chen Mu had a bright pink unibrow, a golden unicorn horn on his forehead, some glittery bright colored zebra patterns and deep contours on the corners of his face. Of course, both of them had their lips covered by a vibrant red lip gloss.


    Lily was in charge of drawing on Lin Que''s face while Chen Mu was in Susu''s hands. After a few hours into the game, the guys started to enjoy themselves and relaxed because they saw how happy their girlfriends looked whenever they messed up. This was the type of mess and mistake that they would be more than willing to make.


    Finally, after their faces had run out of space for their girls to draw on, the game came to an end. The girls were laughing nonstop while taking off the large amount of lipstick on their faces. The guys had two huge bows clipped on their head so that their hair wouldn''t get in the way. The Twister game was now a makeover game where the girls acted as the stylist.


    Instead of wiping off the makeup, the girls ended up bringing out more makeup and gave the guys a total makeover. The more they drew on their face, the funnier they looked. When the guys took a look at each other, they rolled around the floor and joined the girls in laughing.


    The winged eyeliner, thick eyebrows, super vibrant eye shadows and the highlights on their faces were quite obvious. Lily and Susu were still laughing and hugging their stomachs even after the guys calmed down. The guys nodded at each other and went even closer to their girlfriends with a duck face. They pursed their lips and blinked multiple times while asking for kisses.


    After all the laughter and jokes were done, Lily and Lin Que helped them clean up the condo before bidding good bye. The girls properly removed their makeup and by the time they were done with everything, It was nearly midnight. The first thing Lily did when she got to the car was text Susu, "Don''t worry too much! Everything will be fine. I hope you enjoyed tonight''s activities. Mwahhhh~ Sweet dreams, honey bun <3 "


    Lin Que asked, "Alright darling, time to tell me why you chose tonight''s activities."


    "Ahhhh, geez. Seems like I wasn''t able to get away after all. Blehhh, not fun at all. I was having a chat with Susu earlier and she told me that she had somewhat bad dreams lately. In order to soothe the tension and have her relax for the upcoming monthly body check, I planned tonight''s entertainment. Didn''t I do a goooood job?"


    Lily leaned over to the driver''s seat and left a kiss mark on his cheeks, "Aigooo, my darling, you''ve worked hard~ Here, a kiss for you as a reward~"


    "Hah! Did you think that one kiss could bribe me?"


    "Fine. Two kisses!" She leaned over to him and was prepared to give him some kisses. His head turned last second and his lips ended up covering hers for god knows how long. All she knew was that by the time they finished making out in the car, it was at least half an hour later. That was when he felt satisfied enough to stop and help her buckle her seat belt before heading back home.


    She even missed Susu''s reply because of his naughtiness. She cupped her cheeks and said, "Goshhhh, all your fault! Let me reply to her and tell her that we are on our way home!"


    Back in Chen Mu''s condo, Susu received Lily''s text and patted her chest, "Phew At least I know that they are alright." Chen Mu hugged her from behind and led her back to the living room where he set the mat for Twister down.


    "Hmmm? Didn''t we put this away already?" She asked with her arms circled around his neck.


    "Yep. But I wanted us to play this game together. Come on." He guided her to the mat and whispered to her ears what the instructions were. Her face flushed with his face so closed to her ears, where she is most sensitive. He could feel her body shiver as he whispered closely into her ears. After she finishes completing her turn, he would take his turn.


    It didn''t take long for her limbs to give in, and she laid on her back on the mat. "You lost," he said.


    "And you''re coming down with me." She giggled and pulled him down.


    "But you lost first, so it''s time for punishment." He nibbled on her ear and gently pecked mini kisses down to her neck. For every kiss that was planted on her skin, his lips lightly sucked on every spot along the way down to her chest. He stopped midway to kiss her lips and asked, "is there anything you want to talk to me about?"


    She knew that she wouldn''t have been able to trick him with her smiling face. He rubbed her cheeks and waited for her response, "What''s bothering you?"


    She covered his hands with hers and closed her eyes, "I''ve been having some bad dreams lately and it was all related to the cancer. Even though I recovered from the throat infection, I still feel scared about the upcoming body check. What if the results aren''t as good as last time? What if-"


    "Shh, shh. Listen, everything was a dream. You''ve been all healthy and even after the throat infection too. You were a good girl and listened to your doctors. You took your medicine on time, and your results will be okay. Alright? With a positive and hopeful mindset, you will recover. Even if you don''t trust medication, you trust me right?"


    She nodded and looked at him sincerely. "Good, princess. I''ll make you a cup of warm milk before bed and let those bad dreams shoo away. With me here, those bad dreams will be swept off to a different planet. Okay?"


    "Mmm..with you around, there is nothing to be afraid of." She hugged him close and enjoyed their alone time. Since her body check was in a week, she needed to get plenty of rest to receive the most accurate results. Susu''s health had been his top priority, and he was determined to do whatever it takes to maintain her current healthy status until he finds a cure.


    That night, Susu couldn''t fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. Chen Mu was sleeping soundly, and she couldn''t bring herself to wake him up either. If she made any movements while getting out of bed, it would wake him up.


    She turned sideways, facing him and observed his facial features. Even though she said that she wasn''t scared of the cancer, a part of her couldn''t help but think that her life was on the clock. It made her realize that every millisecond by his side was extremely precious. Her eyes watered when she thought of a fairy tale story without a complete ending.


    His laughing face from earlier floated in her mind and she wanted to keep every piece of memory that she had with him. She took out her phone that was on her side of the bed and opened the sketch program.


    Quietly, she opened a folder where plenty of other sketches and colorful works could be found. She never missed a day of sketches ever since they''ve started dating.


    As for today''s design, she decided to create a unicorn pajamas set with exclusive kitten slippers. It was vibrant just like the makeup she put on him earlier. Actually, almost all of the sketches she created on her phone were all skyrocket colors making the clothes look flamboyant and cheerful.


    Like how he made her smile and brought her so much joy, the sketches reflected all her feelings for him. There was never a day where the designs were any less colorful. When she finished with the sketch, she closed her eyes and snuggled close to his embrace.

 Chapter 94 - Have You Met Her?

    Ding Dong (x 5)


    "Who is it?! Do you know what time it is to disrupt this old man''s slumber? Geez, who?!" Professor Luo Xia tied his robe and answered the door. An impatient middle aged woman stood by the door with her finger still pressing on his doorbell.


    She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, "I heard you had spare ribs for dinner. Was it yummy?"


    Professor Luo Xia gulped at her question, "Ahahaha, Zi Yan! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!"


    "It''s obviously not a coincidence for me to show up in front of you, dad. So, from the guilty tone of yours, you must have eaten the juicy meat for dinner, huh? Shall I remind you that you had an open heart surgery a few years ago? At your age, did you think such oily and greasy food was suitable for your body?" With her hands on her h.i.p.s, she stomped into his luxurious hotel room.


    "Didn''t the doctor already give me a thorough body check? I had great results, and he said that I had already recovered. I could eat meat somewhat once in a while." He tried to find a proper argument to refute hers.


    "Dad! The reason why mom left you long ago and gave birth to sister and me secretly is because of your diet! She threatened you to quit all your bad habits because she was afraid that you would die early. At the end, what happened? You should know the rest of the story!" Zi Yan threw her purse onto the couch and poured herself a cup of tea.


    "I know. I know. That is why I''ve been trying my best to keep my diet limited to mostly vegetables. It is only because I am on this trip that I crossed the borderline a bit." He whined like a child who had his lollipop taken away from his mother.


    "I''m only nagging you this much because I love you, care about you and want you to live long. My words may be harsh, but it is definitely for your own good. I already called the doctor to come over to check your body condition. Before he gets here, there are some things that I must clarify." Her voice was trembling with mixed emotions flying everywhere.


    When she mentioned that she wanted to talk about something else, the atmosphere tensed up. He already saw this coming when she made her appearance this late at night. "Fine, fine. I can''t believe you dragged the doctor along on your private jet just to keep my ass in shape. I''m guessing that you came here not only for the spare ribs that I ate earlier but also for her."


    "Well, of course I am here for you, at first at least. Let me take a conclusive guess from what I''ve heard from my birdies. From their description, you''ve helped a girl named Yin, Susu gain justice from her spiteful step sister. Correct?"


    "Mhmm. Accurate chirping birdie you have there." She wiped another tea cup with a tissue before pouring tea into it for him.


    "Meaning, you''ve seen her already. The last time I''ve seen her was when she was like what? Five years old? Hah, kind of stupid now that I think about what I''ve done in the past." She held the teacup using both hands to keep her right arm from shaking. Slowly, she sipped her tea.


    "I''ve not only seen her, but met her long ago. I should have known back then when she gave me a feeling of familiarity. If I would have known about her, I would have registered her to Paris Institute at all costs." Regret and guilt crept through his heart.


    "It''s not your fault that you didn''t recognize her. You only saw her in the baby picture that I showed to you. Who knew that she would grow up to look so much like Zi Lan? This child had it the hard way, but with us here now, nobody can harm her anymore. Those who do will have to get through me first."


    She chugged down the cup of tea and placed the cup back on the table as her shaking right hand felt her racing heart. Her fingers gripped the shirt with all its strength, but the shirt barely wrinkled. Her eyes were similar to blazing fires where endless explosives sparked like fireworks.


    "I heard Yin Zin Leung went bankrupt, and nobody dared to hire him because his other daughter caused a ruckus at a socialite event. Of course, he doesn''t know that... yet. Susu is dating Chen Corporations, CEO. He is a very good boy and has great potential."


    "I''m quite surprised that the Yin bastard lasted this long with his ridiculous personality. Even dogs know how to be loyal to their owners. This guy? Forget it. He would take your share of your bowl of noodles and then flip the bowl upside down."


    "Also, it sounds like Chen boy passed your test, but it doesn''t mean that he will pass mine. We will see whether he passes my exam. Men are full of sweet words, but how many of them actually meant it? Just like wedding vows. Everyone says it and no matter how pleasing it is to ones ears, who could guarantee that they wont break apart in the future? I''d love to meet him."


    She cracked her knuckles and neck when she mentioned Yin Zin Leung. Professor Luo Xia nodded, "Bankruptcy is only the beginning for him. I''ll treat him to a free taste test called misery, very soon. Also, it''s always good to be more cautious. We''ve already missed her entire childhood. We can''t trust anyone that easily."


    "I wanted to find the perfect opportunity to meet up with Susu, but you beat me to the first move. She must be suspicious about your identity now. I wanted to finish some business with those parasites before seeing her, but I guess we could make things sooner than expected." A smile appeared on her natural healthy skin.


    "To be honest, I''m quite scared to face her. What if she doesn''t accept us? I mean we technically abandoned her in a way." He leaned back on the couch and rubbed his temples with his eyes closed.


    "We had no choice. She has the right to learn about the truth. She also has the right to be angry at us. It was our fault back then, but we can make it up to her however she wants us to. We owe it to her." Zi Yan breathed deeply and exhaled with a trembling chest as she relaxed. The doorbell rang at the perfect timing and Zi Yan went to let the doctor enter the hotel room.


    "Doctor Chen Nan, how are you doing?" Professor Luo Xia got up from his seat to give the middle aged man a hug.


    "Grandfather Xia, I''ve been well. If the second miss didn''t interrupt my honeymoon with my wife, it would have been even better. But, the main culprit was you. So~ Let''s take a look at your body condition. I still have to report back to my wife after making sure everything is fine with you."


    Professor Luo Xia looked like a wronged child as he obediently listened to Chen Nan''s instructions. After a full body check, only a blood test needed to be done. The results came back within the same day, and everything was normal. Zi Yan could heave a sigh of relief and apologized for taking him from his wife during their honeymoon.


    Obviously his wife would be unhappy being kidnapped midway from a beautiful honeymoon destination to China with her husband. When Zi Yan told her secret team to locate Chen Nan and bring him and his wife to her, she forgot to tell them to do it politely. Therefore, her secret team ended up tying them up, wrapping them in garbage bags and carrying them from the airport to Zi Yan''s private jet.


    Although the members from the special team apologized to them, it still scared the wits out of Chen Nan''s wife, Ariana Xu. She could only blame her husband for being the private family doctor for the Zi family.


    Zi Yan offered to compensate gifts to Chen Nan and Adriana, but he refused.


    "Are you sure your wife would be alright with you going back to the room empty-handed?"


    "My wife is used to it. Or else she wouldn''t have fled with me back then when I was still a nobody. Hahaha, don''t worry. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen my brother as well. It''s time to pay them a visit, so I''ll treat this as your wedding gift for me." He waved his hand and walked down the hall with the hotel pass card in his hand.


    Zi Yan shook her head and showed a small smile on her face, "This man is still the same as ever." She made sure to send hidden bodyguards to protect Chen Nana and Adriana while they stayed in China. After making a call, she went back into Professor Luo Xia''s room.

 Chapter 95 - Blackmailed

    Outside the luxurious honeymoon suite that Zi Yan had prepared for the newlyweds, Chen Nan prepared himself for flying pillows and washboards with durian shells on top waiting for him. He took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the door. His palms clasped flat against each other as he lowered his head to apologize to Ariana only to find an untouched room.


    The bed was still perfectly made with no signs of wrinkles on top. The bathroom door was open, and the lights were switched off. Their luggage was untouched and everything looked as if nobody had ever been here.


    Fear filled his heart as he wandered around the grand suite and called out her name a few times. Finally, he took out his phone to call her and yelled out her name once again, "Ariana! Honey, where are you?"


    "Stop fussing. I''m at the balcony." Hearing her voice, his whole body relaxed. His first reaction wasn''t to start an argument or question about why she didn''t respond to his previous shoutouts. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her slightly cold body from behind and whispered, "I''m sorry for leaving you all alone on our honeymoon."


    "Just our honeymoon?" Her left brow curved up as she heard his words. She really wished that she didn''t have a soft spot for his apologetic voice and for once throw a tantrum at him for leaving her for the nth time due to work related reasons.


    "You don''t know how much I always wish to stay by your side. Every second seemed like forever when you''re not around me, but this is my job." He bent down and used her shoulders to support his forehead.


    She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair with some tangles interrupting her finger''s path, "Forget it, I''m not mad."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Do you want me to be mad?" she reversed the question back to him.


    He shook his head and buried his head deeper into her shoulder.


    "Who told me to choose Doctor Chen Nan as my husband? If it was anyone else, you would do the same because the Chen Nan that I fell in love with is someone who could never neglect his patients. Besides, if it weren''t for Grandpa Xia, we wouldn''t be together right now. We owe him big time."


    Her words meant more than thousands of his apologies. Almost instantly, most of the heaviness in his chest had lifted.


    "You''re right because without him, we would have been starved to death. Even though things were so difficult back then, he was the one who provided us with food and shelter. He risked his life to save us and supported me all the way."


    Ariana turned around and rested her head against his chest, "Therefore, it is our turn to repay what he has given to us. Geez, we''ve gone through this like a million times already. If I had to calculate the number of times that you''ve ditched me, cancelled or made last second changes to our dates, then it would be too tiring for me to handle."


    She pinched his nose and held it for ten seconds before he started breathing through his mouth. "Hehehe, I haven''t eaten anything the entire day because I was waiting for you to come back. Let''s go eat." Her fingers separated from his nose as she dragged him across the huge room and towards the cafeteria.


    ''I''ll definitely make this honeymoon up to you,'' he thought to himself as he focused on his adorable wife who held a handful of menus. She was staring at the pictures on the menu with the tip of her tongue moistening her lips. He joined her and went through the menus in her possession.


    - Karen''s Boutique -


    After travelling to various locations and visiting pharmacies that were ranged from least known to famous, Karen received countless responses. Due to the minimal information that Karen provided, pharmacists could not make any accurate assumptions about the pill. Even if the pill pictures looked very similar to the ones for cancer patients, they were not allowed to disclose information that would mislead customers.


    Therefore, many of them would respond with a request for her to bring the pill to the pharmacy if she really wanted to test the functions of the pill. Karen walked out with deep creases on her forehead. As she walked absentmindedly around the neighborhood, she didn''t pay attention to the lights and attempted to cross the street when it was red light for humans.


    "Watch out!" A familiar voice called out as the girl pulled Karen back onto the street.


    "Oh my goodness. Thank you!" Karen realized that she almost got ran over by cars if she stepped another step forward down the road. When she turned around to thank the girl, she realized that it was her old classmate who used to be ranked first in exams for every semester.


    "Kitty! It''s been a long time!" Karen pretended to be friendly with her when she recognized the logo on the nurse uniform that she was wearing.


    "How have you been? Look at you! How could you cross the street without looking at the streetlights?" Kitty smiled and lectured Karen for her carelessness. Honestly, Kitty disliked Karen during the school days because Karen always made fun of her behind her back.


    "I''ve been well. It looks like you are quite successful now. Hmmm? Nurse Kitty?" Karen teased on purpose to gather more information from Kitty.


    "Ah, yes! I''ve been working as a nurse at the hospital near by. It''s managed by the Lin family, and the pay is much higher than other hospitals." Kitty didn''t want to talk much with Karen, but she wanted to brag about her accomplishments since they were already on that topic. Therefore, she ended up having lunch with Karen.


    During their lunch, Karen mentioned the drowning incident and purposely brought up the topic of the medical charts. "Right? I couldn''t believe my step sister would be this evil! But still, Yin, Susu is still my step sister! Later on, I found out that she was diagnosed with cancer, and I''ve decided to be the one with a bigger heart. So, I forgave her."


    "Wow...that''s crazy! I wonder how crazy these chicks could be to plan a murder plan just because her man fell in love with you and she couldn''t get his love. But Karma is a bitch. She got cancer at the end. I don''t think I would ever be able to bring myself to forgive someone as vicious as her."


    "Don''t say that... I pity her. After that incident, I''ve tried contacting her to check up on her, but she moved and refused to answer me. My parents are really worried for her condition. Also, I have a picture of this pill that she was taking like almost a year ago when that incident happened. Here, I''ll show you."


    Karen showed the pictures of the pills to Kitty. "Oh! I recognize this pill! It''s a pill that we prescribe to patients with early stages of cancer."


    "Really?! But how are you so sure?"


    "Of course! The head of our hospital is very strict when it comes to medicine. Every week, nurses are required to participate in medical sessions sponsored by the hospital that goes over the newest products launched in the markets and the ones that we are going to stock up in the inventory. This pill is a new product that no other hospitals would have in their inventory. Only we have it."


    "Oh.. it''s good that my step sister is receiving treatment then." Karen''s hands clenched onto her thighs as she heard that Susu''s life may be prolonged with this treatment.


    "Yes, but from what I remember, we have very few of these pills. It is extremely expensive and limited in quantity, so we usually don''t prescribe it to patients. I heard this pill was also very effective to some patients from overseas."


    Kitty tried to impress Karen with her medical knowledge, but didn''t realize that she was digging a deeper grave for herself to bury in. Karen listened attentively and asked related inquiries. When she was finally done with her questions, her face changed completely.


    "So it''s like that. You have such high seniority in the hospital and have access to the pills. Since Susu is still a patient at the hospital, would you be a sweetheart and do something for me?" Karen roamed through files on her cellphone and pulled up an old one. She tapped her finger against the table and Kitty''s face ashen like a corpse when she saw the screen.


    "Y..You..." Kitty stuttered as her hand failed to snatch Karen''s phone.


    "I have copies of this in another hard drive. Of course, if you would listen to my request and comply to it, I would erase this evidence of your plagiarized paper and bribery to the professor in the classroom. What do you say?" Karen smirked and felt smart for never cleaning out useless junk from her phone.


    Back then, Karen caught Kitty combining multiple academic papers into one for her final paper. She was the one who reported Kitty''s doings to her professor. Karen wanted to ruin Kitty''s reputation by recording a video on how the professor confronts and expels her after school. Who knew that the professor would be a pervert and make such a disgusting deal with her?


    Apparently, the professor had long fantasized a classroom play with her and wanted to take advantage of her mistake. Not only did he set conditions of having raw intercourse with her, he also threatened her for the whole year with her plagiarized paper.


    Anyways, the video was filmed but never leaked because Karen thought that if she exposed them to the school, Kitty would be sympathized by everyone. That was the opposite effect of what she wished to see.


    She kept the pictures and videos on her phone just to bribe the professor to give her an A for the class. Even though she clearly knew that Kitty was suffering, she could care less about her as long as she received some benefits out of it,


    Being a mastermind by nature, how could Karen let such an opportunity go? After getting an A grade for the class, she faked to have deleted the file, but had already sent it to her email. She saved that file on her hard drives, flash drives, and in another hidden file on her cell phone.


    She couldn''t believe that she could make use of this material so many years later. Kitty''s eyes reddened and her body was shivering from anxiety, "W..What do you want me to do...?"

 Chapter 96 - Blackmailed 2

    "Easy as a pea. All you have to do is to dig into the medical records and tell me everything about Susu''s history at the hospital. It shouldn''t be hard for you to find her since our surnames are quite difficult to find in this city. Even if some patients have the same surname, they won''t have the same first name and cancer as her."


    Karen sipped her Coca Cola and tapped on her black phone screen, "Remember of what I have in my hands. Do you want this information to leak? I can send an anonymous email to the principal from our university and have him decide what to do with such despicable actions."


    "Okay! Okay... alright. I''ll do it. But only if you promise to delete that video!" Kitty took a few deep breaths and chugged down her orange juice.


    Karen waved her phone in the air, "Of course I will. Why would I keep such disgusting stuff on my phone? I just happen to hate cleaning up and somehow remember having this on my files."


    "Fine. Bye."


    "Wait." Karen stopped her from leaving the table.


    "What else do you want from me?" Kitty asked with an impatient tone.


    "First, pay for the meal for both of us. Second, give me your cellphone number so I can speak to you without having to meet up." Karen snatched Kitty''s phone from her pocket and inserted her own number into the contacts list. After that, she called herself using Kitty''s phone to make sure that the number is correct.


    "Done." Kitty slammed a few big bills on the table and took her phone from Karen. She left immediately afterwards because she had to rush back to her shift and take over for the other staff. She couldn''t believe that an unplanned lunch walk became such a ridiculous issue for her.


    Kitty clocked back into the system right on time for her shift and showed a pretentious smile to her coworkers. She heard familiar footsteps approaching from down the hallway and quickly adjusted her hair and reapplied her lipstick.


    "Good afternoon, Doctor Lin Que!" She greeted him with a bright smile as usual and he said the same old line back to her. Even though he never looked more than a few seconds at her, she felt that it was more than enough because seconds will eventually become minutes, hours, days, and then a lifetime.


    Kitty worked at the hospital for almost a year, but her lack of experience and effort held her back in terms of skills. She used to be the one who ran simple errands for everyone else at the hospital because she was clueless of everything around this hospital. Her parents used a lot of money to bribe their distant relative''s daughter who worked as the head nurse to give her an opportunity at this location.


    After successfully getting into this hospital with the distant relative''s daughter''s help, they changed some records on Kitty''s file so that nobody would be able to find out that she got the job without getting interviewed.


    Later, the relative''s daughter regretted her decision because Kitty was more brainless than an ant. At least ants could work together and pick up large objects. Kitty wasn''t used to working independently and as a team.


    After a while of working and making countless mistakes, she was arrogant enough to show superiority in front of new potential interns. Even entering basic data entry records for patients was difficult for her to complete. Since the hospital had many visitors and patients entering and exiting daily, she would use other nurse''s initials to avoid trouble if she was unsure of whether she did something correctly.


    She was caught by an intern, but she brushed it off saying that she was too tired after working double shifts. Later, she accidentally swapped the medical reports for two patients, and the wrong prescriptions were given to the patients. Lin Que had to personally apologize to the patients and provide free hospital visits to settle the patient''s fury.


    Since that same intern who caught her faults was on shift with her during that time, she managed to push the blame onto the newbie. Lin Que let the head nurse handle the situation since he was in a rush that day to attend an overseas conference meeting.


    Ever since that time, Kitty had fallen for Lin Que''s gentlemen manners and have tried countless ways to gain his attention. Not sure if it is her luck or misfortune, but her shifts never collided with the times when Lily visited Lin Que. Even when Lily visited the hospital, she always used the private elevator that few people knew about to access Lin Que''s office. Therefore, she never knew about Lily''s existence.


    The other staffs don''t like associating themselves with Kitty because of her princess syndrome. They also figured out her schemes against other people when things didn''t add up, so they limited their time with her.


    One of the nurses recalled a situation where three patients were requested to pay for their hospital bills, but they claimed that they''ve paid the full fee already. Records revealed that two of them paid, but not the full amount. Meanwhile, one patient paid but the hospital owed him money instead.


    After a deep investigation by the head nurse, she found out that Kitty was the one who was responsible for this mess. Since the patient''s names had literally one letter difference from each other, she found a way to get away from the circ.u.mstances.


    She even dared to argue that patients are stupid for not having savings to pay up their debt. Her exact words were, "those who doesn''t have savings accounts are extremely dumb. How could they not prepare themselves for emergencies? Sheesh, so stupid."


    Nurses started to isolate themselves from her idiotic pea sized brain because all of them understood that they needed to be a professional. Kitty only knew how to gossip and talk about nonsense. She also loves to act two faced to lower people''s guard and back stab them using the information she gets from the other.


    At the same time, Kitty also wished to obtain a full-time position at the hospital because she''s been working as a part timer. With her lacking capabilities and over confidence, the relative''s daughter refused to promote her. It is difficult to get rid of Kitty from the system since she was already hired through connections, but easy to prevent her from getting a promotion.


    "You were late by two minutes." The head nurse sounded annoyed with charts in her hands.


    "I apologize for my tardiness, but I went to lunch ten minutes later than my original time. Therefore, I''m not considered late. I''m actually right on time." Kitty showed her clocking out time and the head nurse rolled her eyes at her excuses.


    After that, Kitty resumed her receptionist job. Nobody dared to give her any tasks since she always made mistakes and faked innocence. She sat on the chair and waited for everyone to leave their spot.


    When one of the senior nurses got up to check on her patients, she had to leave her account logged in on the system in case visitors and new patients arrive. Once she was gone, Kitty used the senior''s account to search for Susu''s medical records. There were monthly visit records, diagnoses and prescriptions that were uploaded onto the system.


    After retrieving the information, she snapped pictures of the records and sent it to Karen through text message. Once the messages were received on Karen''s end, she deleted the conversation so that nobody would be able to find out about it.


    Karen texted, "What about her upcoming appointments? She''s been visiting the hospital for the past months."


    Kitty sighed and looked around before checking for upcoming appointments. When she found Susu''s name, she texted the information to Karen and once again cleared her messages before anyone found out. By the time the senior came back to her seat, Kitty had already retrieved everything she needed to do.


    Her phone vibrated once again, "Such time effective actions. I''m impressed. Your coworkers must love you so much to allow you to take pictures."


    "Of course, everybody at my job loves me and are in good terms with me. I could have access to anything as long as I ask. Now that we are done with this, I better see that file removed from your phone in person. No, I need to delete it myself." Kitty formed goosebumps at the thought of the video and pictures getting leaked.


    "Sure. I''ll meet you after your work." Karen easily agreed, but Kitty felt that something was off. ''Would she really let me off just like that?''

 Chapter 97 - A Narcissist By Nature

    Kitty packed her bags a minute before 7 p.m. and stared at her watch until it was time for her to leave. Since she was in a hurry, she accidentally left her wallet. One of the interns saw her wallet and chased after her to stop her from leaving.


    He called out her name a few times, which ended up annoying her. She rolled her eyes and vented out her annoyance, "Look, I know you like me, but I''m not interested in you. So keep your distance away from me."


    His lips twitched as he heard her nonsense. She turned around to continue walking, but was once again stopped by him. He said, "If I gave you the wrong signals in any way, I would apologize for that. I only wanted to give you your wallet because you left it on the counter. Here."


    Kitty bit her lips, "Thanks, but I didn''t mistaken any wrong signals. Obviously, you have feelings for me, but wanted to give yourself a way to avoid embarrassment from getting rejected by me."


    She walked passed him and he moved aside with his arms up in the air. With his hands raised, he shrugged his shoulders to everyone who was staring at them. A few nurses who were on friendly terms with him asked, "What was she blabbing about? Damn. We''ve seen you greet her with basic greetings. Other than that, you don''t even have her contact number."


    He scratched his head and nodded, "I only said a few morning greetings and asked how she was doing during her shift. I talk the same way with everyone else. Did I give you guys the wrong vibes?"


    "Nah, it''s just her being a narcissist by nature. She literally believes that she is prettier than all of us just because her skin looks a little more flawless than ours. Tsk, tsk, tsk. A few greetings and it makes her think that a guy likes her. What delusional mind does she have?" One of the nurses shook her head and heaved a huge sigh.


    Another nurse joined their conversation and exposed Kitty''s self-loving nature, "just the other time, I caught her staring into her phone screen and saying to herself that she is so beautiful. And then out of nowhere she commented while I was shopping on my phone that I had good taste because my taste is just like hers. She really has no sense of personal space at all."


    "Oh my goodness! I saw that too. I almost had to rinse my eyes with salt because she kept brushing her hair and smiling with such high confidence about herself. I had a fight with my boyfriend once and was talking to my friends who were on shift. She invited herself and joined our talk. Then she was teaching us that girls need to make guys wait and stuff like making guys wait for two weeks minimum after the first date before guys could hold our hands."


    "That''s so ridiculously disgusting! She doesn''t make sense. I feel so bad for her future boyfriend and spouse if she gets any." One of the nurses commented and texted what she heard to a group chat with other nurses in the hospital.


    Meanwhile, Kitty met up with Karen at a nearby restaurant. When she arrived, Karen made her stay to order some food. In the middle of eating, Karen ordered more food to take home. At first, Kitty was still patient with her and ate her share of the food.


    Whenever she asked about the video, Karen would find different excuses to talk about something else. Finally, she couldn''t take it anymore, "Enough is enough! I''ve done what you wanted me to do! Now, do as you promised and delete it!"


    The table shook from Kitty''s fist punch against its surface. Everyone around them observed their table and murmurs heightened as they grew nosier. "Sit down, or I will send this video on every social media platform at this moment along with emails to our old classmates."


    Kitty breathed heavily, let out a hmph and sat back down. After that, Karen unlocked her phone and gave it to her. "Here, delete the video yourself."


    Seeing the video with her and the disgusting professor, she almost vomited the food she just ate onto the table. Her fingers worked quick as lightning in deleting all the content. When she finished and swiped to the left and right to make sure that no other evidences were left for blackmail use, she could finally let out a sigh of relief.


    "Since we are done here, let''s never meet again." She got up to leave, but Karen smirked and stopped her like she did before.


    "Why rush home when I didn''t finish eating yet? I have dessert for you. It is my treat." Kitty turned around and was ready to reject her offer.


    In the next minute, she saw Karen take out a flash drive and laptop. The flash drive was inserted and a file popped up with Kitty''s name on it. The video and images were all contained in the file.


    She broke down nervously in tears and almost lost her balance. Her heart sped up like a racing cheetah, "w..hy? What do you want from me?"


    "First, pay for this meal. Second, I have something I want you to do for me. After this, the flash drive is yours. I only have this flash drive that saved the content. Whether you believe in me or not, that''s on you."


    Kitty''s warm tears dripped down her face, "I was the victim years ago. As a girl, you should be sympathizing with me and not using it as a threat for me to do illegal things for you. How could you be this inhumane?"


    "Hah, inhumane? If I was that bad, this video along with pictures would have leaked long ago. Consider it your luck."


    "Did you forget that I saved you from getting run over by cars? How could you do this to me?" Kitty squinted as tears irritated her eyes and her nose turned red.


    "You''re right, but I''ve already repaid you by deleting the content from my hard drives. So we are now even. As for yourself being the victim, maybe you should learn to depend on your own literal skills and not take other people''s words as your own. Well? Are you going to pay for this meal?"


    Kitty covered her head with her hands and took out her wallet, "This is the last time. Last time! All the video and pictures needs to be erased. Erased for good."


    "Sure. As long as you follow my instructions, I could even make you a personalized disc as a gift for you." Karen sipped her tea and relaxed on the seat as she raised her hand for the waistress to come with the receipt.

 Chapter 98 - Cold Feet

    A few nights before her medical examination, Susu couldn''t fall asleep no matter how long she forced her eyes shut. Her mind wandered off to thinking about Professor Luo Xia and what connections he has with her.


    She briefly remembered meeting him many years ago, but the number of times that they''ve met was countable using her five fingers. Although she wanted to figure everything out, there were too many knots and inquiries that pops up everytime she thought that she was going somewhere.


    Finally, she couldn''t take it anymore. She had questions and needed answers. Chen Mu noticed her twist and turns on the couch as he washed dishes. He opened the fridge and took out the carton of milk to warm it up for her.


    After heating up the milk, he poured it in her favorite pink mug and brought it over to her. She was in the middle of a phone call with Shen Wen when he settled the cup on the table in front of her. Seeing that she was busy, he remained quiet and sat on the other side of the couch.


    She smiled and made a flying smooch face towards him. He couldn''t hold back the lovely smile on his face and sent two flying kisses back to her direction with his hands forming half a heart. After she used her free hand to complete the other half of the heart, he pointed to the mug and indicated using mouth actions for her to be careful because the mug is hot.


    She bent her index finger and thumb to form an oval shape. With her other three fingers standing, she sent an "okay" signal back to him. Shen Wen picked up the call after missing the first call due to poor connection.


    "Susu! It''s been a while. I''m surprised that you are calling. How are you doing?" Shen Wen sounded very cheerful when she saw Susu as the caller ID on her phone screen. She stared at her phone where she used a picture that had her and Susu in it for the caller picture.


    "I''m doing fine. Actually, I have a few questions that I believe you could help me with. It''s something that I would like to meet with you to talk about. Are you available to meet me any of the upcoming days?" Susu tried not to sound too close to her and spoke with a bit of awkwardness since she knew that there should be a borderline between them.


    "Ah, no problem. Dear, you don''t have to act like a stranger coming to me for a favor. We can act like before." Shen Wen was taken aback by Susu''s formal tone. At the same time, Tian Yuo came back home and was about to call out to her. Quickly, she placed her index finger against her lips and shook her head.


    He nodded and walked towards the living room when he saw her waving her hand asking him to go over to her. Purposely, she said, "Susu, if there is anything that auntie could help you with, then do say so. I''ll answer everything as long as it doesn''t involve any confidential information, okay?"


    "Thank you, auntie. I really appreciate it. It''s getting late, so I will stop bothering you for now. Since you sound unsure about your upcoming schedule, you can message or call me back because I am free for the next few days. Thank you once again. Have a good night and sweet dreams. Bye." Susu hung up the call and turned towards Chen Mu.


    In the middle of the call, he finished reviewing all the emails that he had received today. Since she was still on the phone, he reached for the mug and started blowing on her milk so that it would be cooled down enough for her to drink.


    "Hehe, thank you my dear. Mwahhhh" She leaned her head on his shoulder while he continued testing the temperature of her milk. When it was warm enough for her to drink, he handed it to her.


    "Everything went well?" he asked as he grabbed the blanket from behind and covered her up. Her hands were a bit cold when he gave her the mug. It''s always better to play safe than be sorry, especially with her body condition.


    "Mmm, she sounded like how she always treated me. Instead, I was the one who sounded too formal around her, but I doubt I could act the same way after everything that has happened." He rubbed her back and watched her snuggle up against his chest.


    Understanding what she wanted from him, he gladly complied and pulled her in his embrace. "Well, she can''t expect everything to be the same after everything that happened between you and Tian Yuo, right? Plus, standing in a third person''s perspective, she was saying contradictive words. On one end she was saying how much she loves you. On the other end, she was keeping you selfishly by using your mother''s last wish as a coerce tool for you to stay."


    "That''s true too. It''s alright, though, because nothing happened between him and me. Now, we are happily together. So, I feel super super blessed to have you around me." After drinking half the cup of milk, she felt bloated and couldn''t finish it.


    "Well, at least something good came out of this." He saw that she had stopped drinking. Since she hated to waste food, he could tell that she was starting to force it down her throat. He held out his hand and wiggled his hands.


    "What?" She blinked and tilted her head backwards.


    "Cup. I''m thirsty." She smiled, separated herself from his embrace and let him drink the cup of milk. Since she was sitting on the other side of the couch, her ties were sticking out and facing him. He could tell that her toes were cold even though she was already wrapped like a bun.


    After washing the cup, he carried his big bun and tucked her in bed. Instead of joining her, he sat by her feet and started warming them up with his hands before massaging them little by little. He knew certain acupuncture points that could help with relaxing the body and making it more comfortable for people to sleep.


    She started to giggle as he rubbed parts of her feet, "Ahahahaheheheee..pffft..it tickles!"


    "It tickles, huh? Then how about this?" He slid his finger up and down her feet, sending millions of tingles to her body.


    "Oh! That feels nice. Continue~" He couldn''t believe that she would feel ticklish for his foot rubs, but felt nice when he actually tried tickling her!


    "Oh? Ho! Did you mean this?" He started rubbing her feet again, and she started twisting to either side of the bed. After a while of rubbing her feet, she finally calmed herself and relaxed.


    "Phew! You definitely had your fun! You knew which moves made me comfy, but you purposely chose the ticklish ones!"


    "Ohh~ I have no idea what you''re talking about~"


    "Oh, really? Then should I demonstrate? Hehehe~" She cracked her knuckles and sat on top of him while he struggled to get away. Her fingers reached under his shirt and started sliding around his stomach; making him laugh uncontrollably.


    "I..I..I surrender! Gahahaha, s..stopppffftttt" She didn''t accept his surrender this time and continued tickling him as she captured his beautiful smile.


    "Whhattt? You say you want more? Okay~ no problem, I am a professional at massaging you. Hehehe"


    He couldn''t take it anymore and grabbed her wrist to pin her down. Now, she was the one on the bottom, and he was on top. They laughed and smiled while staring at each other.


    After all the goofy business, they shared a deep, passionate kiss. Like always, they took their time with small pecks and gradually built up to sharing an intimate kiss. At that point, their fingers intertwined and eyes were closed to enjoy every second of each other''s taste.


    The kisses that followed stirred their strongest feelings for each other as each touch of his brought her to a higher level of pleasure. Although they were making out in bed in the same condo just like all the other times, their excitement and the ignited flames from their insides made it feel like they were at a foreign country having their own adventure.


    With the last piece of clothing on their bodies disposed, Chen Mu lifted her chin and kissed her soft, marshmallow-like lips. The sweet kisses became l.u.s.tful ones as he teasingly nibbled on her ear lobe while massaging her b.r.e.a.s.ts. Her lips parted and a silent m.o.a.n escaped from her throat.


    Feeling her hardened nips, his fingertips teased it in circles and pinched it. His kisses left trails of marks behind and stopped when he reached her collarbones. Sitting up, he watched her bite down on her lips, stare at him with desire in her eyes, and legs spread slowly for him to position himself between them.


    The tips on her chest swelled up from his playful finger teases and his mouth serviced her other n.i.p.p.l.e. He sucked and flicked her nip with his tongue until her body arched upwards. She rocked her h.i.p.s against his body; slowly taking down every bit of his self control.


    With a low m.o.a.n, her fingers combed through his hair. His white teeth naughtily pinched her n.i.p.p.l.e and his actions became rougher. His other hand slid below her belly button and searched for her clit.


    The moment his finger touched it, she gasped and held onto his shoulders tightly. Waves of electrical sensation along with tingles spread to her limbs as his finger rubbed her clit and felt the wetness of her entrance. Hungrily, his mouth released one n.i.p.p.l.e and started sucking the other.


    She started grinding against him as the fiery heat built up. The strives to get rid of this heat strengthened. She knew what she wanted and decided to make him want her faster. Her hands stopped his hand from rubbing her clit. With her hands on his, she folded three of his fingers and helped him insert it into her entrance.


    "Hahhh.. ahhhhh.nnn..." She moved her body for his fingers to slide in and out of her tightness. Seeing her thrust her h.i.p.s against his tightly wrapped fingers and watching it penetrate her v.a.g.i.n.a made his erection even harder.


    As one hand directed his fingers, her other stroked his p.e.n.i.s. She felt the mushroom shaped head of its tip and teased him as he groaned. When she felt the tip of his p.e.n.i.s moisten, she knew he was ready to feel her insides and share his warmth with her. His mouth covered hers once again and whispered to her ear, "ready?"


    "Always..haaaa" Her words were interrupted by his unwarned intrusion as his p.e.n.i.s kissed her w.o.m.b in one deep thrust. Her insides tightened around his d.i.c.k each time he slid in and out of her wetness. She m.o.a.ned loudly and let her voice relax as she enjoyed the bonding connection between them.


    She positioned her legs on either side of his shoulders as his hands settled on her h.i.p.s. Each thrust made her wetter and wilder. Her breathing was heavier and pants escaped through her high pitched m.o.a.ns. Her insides were twitching, and he was getting close to ejaculation.


    His speed increased and sounds of flesh against flesh filled up the room. The moonlight highlighted the sweat beads on their foreheads as they reached climax. With a few more thrusts, he pumped his swimmers inside of her w.o.m.b. Her legs tightened its wrap around his waist as she felt his enlarged p.e.n.i.s unloading his first group of candidates inside of her.


    Without words, they shared another deep kiss. This special, meaningful bond was beyond what the satisfaction of s.e.x could bring. It takes two people who love each other deeply to fully define, "making love."


    "I love you so much." Susu looked at him and whispered as she rested her forehead against his forehead. He closed his eyes and savored the moment before responding, "I love you so much too. So much more than I could ever imagine loving someone."


    That night, after nth nights of not being able to sleep well, she fell asleep in his embrace. Without fears and worries, she had a long, sweet dream where she saw Chen Mu and herself with gray hair holding each other''s hands and smiling sillily at each other. He smiled along with her as he cleaned her body, dressed her, and fell asleep with her safely in his arms.

 Chapter 99 - Meeting Shen Wen 1

    - Let''s rewind back to before our sweet coupe''s cannoodling time~ -


    Susu hung up on her end and all Shen Wen could hear was a beep before her phone screen turned black.


    "What did she say?" Tian Yuo asked immediately after seeing her phone leave the side of her ears.


    "She wanted to meet me and ask me some questions. I told her that I wasn''t too sure of my schedule for the next few days and she told me to let her know whenever I''m free. I wonder what she wants to ask me." Shen Wen couldn''t think of anything that Susu would want to know from her.


    Tian Yuo looked a bit disappointed and said, "Oh... then it probably has nothing to do with me. I wonder how she is doing, though. I really regret my decision back then and there isn''t anything that I could do for her at this time."


    "Not quite. We don''t know what questions she is going to ask just yet. What if it is a finance type of favor? She did mention that it was something she can''t ask over the phone. If it is a finance type of question, then I can always pull you into it since you are in charge of Tian Corps right now."


    It sounded reasonable, but Tian Yuo doubted that thought because he knew that in terms of wealth, the Chen family is one of the wealthiest families in the business field. Since Chen Mu is wealthier, it is a given that his family''s power and status is also above the Tian family.


    Shen Wen knew what her son was thinking and sighed, "Unfortunately, we do not have a time machine to go back to a year ago or so. No, perhaps if we had a machine to travel back to when you were young and you changed yourself for her. It is our family''s misfortune to not have such as wonderful girl as our in-law."


    Her words squeezed his heart terribly. He felt like his heart was squished like a pile of slime, "I learned from my mistakes and broke it off with Karen. I forgot to tell you that I saw Susu, Chen Mu, and their friends at the Huang Corps'' annual design event."


    "You mean the one that Karen sent an invitation for our family to attend? Why would you go to that event to support her? Didn''t you say you had a business meeting?" Shen Wen frowned at the thought of him lying to her.


    "I only showed up because the Mr. Huang Zhi Hei is the host and we have an upcoming project with his company. I didn''t interact with Karen, but I''m sure she saw me when she got exposed by a famous professor in the field for plagiarizing Susu''s design." He clarified the main reason why he attended the event, and Shen Wen squinted her eyes at him to make sure he wasn''t lying.


    When she heard that Karen plagiarized Susu''s design, Tian Yuo described the whole scenario to her. "See? I told you that girl was no good business! You missed the diamond for a particle of dust like her! Everything she''s been spouting out of her mouth since childhood was lies, lies and only more lies! You, silly boy didn''t believe in your mother''s words."


    She sounded proud that something could finally prove her point to him. He lowered his head and leaned on the edge of the table as they continued their conversation. "How many things has she told me were actual lies? We were like 6 or 7 years old, so I naturally thought that a kid wouldn''t lie about getting abused by their step siblings. I never thought that it would be the other way around."


    "Silly child. Whenever you told me the things that Karen told you, I''ve always reminded you to be careful with who you hang out with. Even though you two were children, Karen''s mother was not any good person. I''m not trying to say that she is like her mother, but I can definitely guarantee you that Susu isn''t the type of person to bully another."


    Shen Wen was tired of repeating the same words over and over again. She talked to him about all the times when Susu was suffering in the Yin family and how her father was a weak man against the mother and daughter. She spoke about the times when Susu was clearly enduring, but didn''t dare shed a drip of tear in front of her to get her sympathy.


    While she was talking about Susu, Shen Wen also mentioned the smallest details that Susu had noticed about their family and adjusted every meal for their convenience. From the tiniest bits of her actions, it was obvious that Susu loved him and his family to treat them so well.


    After hearing his mother''s words and having a long talk with her, he dragged his heavy body upstairs. He held onto the cold knob to his room and thought of the year that Susu was married to him by status. He remembered his ridiculous ground rules and how he purposely made things difficult for her, yet all she did was go along with it.


    How many times did he sleep in his bed ever since they married each other? How many times has she told him that she didn''t do anything and that she had finally lost hope in him? And how many times have he neglected her pleas and explanations to the point where she grew tired of even speaking to him?


    He took a deep breath and entered his room where her portable bed was still by his bed. He didn''t move it from where she had left it. Instead, he started sleeping on it to get a feeling of how hard and cold she must have felt back then.


    The image of her covered in cold sweat looking gravely pale was deeply imprinted on his mind. Even then, she didn''t once ask him to let her sleep on his bed where it is obviously more comfortable than her portable one. He wasn''t home for most days, so she could have slept on his bed or messed around with his room to vent out her anger.


    Perhaps if she had done even one thing to express her anger, he wouldn''t have been as guilty right now. He twists and turned on the portable bed where each move of his had to be limited because it was smaller than a single sized bed. After some great difficulty, he fell asleep.


    The next morning, Shen Wen informed him that she will be meeting with Susu at Memories Cafe during lunch time. She told him to get there before their scheduled meeting time and take the seat behind a certain table. Even though she had no idea what Susu may ask, she wanted her son to have a chance to make up for what he had done to her. It was another selfish thought of hers, but she wished for them to at least be friends in the future.

 Chapter 100 - Meeting Shen Wen 2

    Chen Mu gave Susu a call to remind her about bringing her medicine, wallet, keys, and other essentials before heading out to meet Shen Wen. Like always, Susu felt warmth from inside and out because of how caring he was.


    "Yes, yes~ I got it. I have everything. Mwahhh. Now, go back to work~" she reassured him that she is going to be fine and that she has everything that she needs all in her bag.


    When she arrived at Memories Cafe, the waitress recognized her immediately and directed her to the reserved table where Shen Wen was already seated.


    Susu gave her a hug before settling down across from her. Tian Yuo was observing them from where he was sitting and listening attentively to their conversation.


    After ordering the usual flavored tea and pastries, Susu showed Professor Luo Xia''s picture to her, "Auntie Shen Wen, do you recognize him?"


    Shen Wen looked at the man in the picture and wrinkled the area between her brows with unfamiliarity, "no, dear. I don''t remember him."


    "Then can you tell me more about my mom?"


    "You mean anything in general or particularly a specific piece of information? You seem to have a lot of questions, so I want to make sure that I am telling you something you want to know about."


    Susu smiled, "I want to know about my mother and father''s story. From how they''ve met and if my mother had other family members. I want to know many things, but we can use this as the starting point."


    Shen Wen was taken aback by her sudden interest in her mother''s story because she had never asked about the details. She nodded and responded, "Alright, I''ll tell you everything that I know between your mother and father. I''ve been friends with your mother, Zi Lan throughout our school years. Even though we were close friends, I never met any of her family. She also rarely spoke about them."


    "Your mother and father met during their university days. She was one of the most enthusiastic and bright students with out of the earth type of creativity that could bring people a lot of surprises and joy. Your mother didn''t speak much about her relationship with your father, but I could tell that they were on fantastic terms. They got married almost right after their graduation too."


    Susu listened attentively to every word that Shen Wen had said, but something wasn''t quite right. "You said that my mother was a talented designer. Then why didn''t she continue her career after graduation? Was it because of her marriage?"


    "Actually, it was none of those reasons. Not long after their marriage, Zi Lan was diagnosed with cancer and her health deteriorated within two years. She managed to conceive and used her last strength to give birth to you. I remember visiting her the day she gave birth to you and then getting the news that she passed away the same day. During her pregnancy, I saw her probably like once every other month and talked to each other. She seemed like a regular, healthy mother during those times."


    "And that was the time that you took this picture with her while she was pregnant with me?" Susu took out the picture from her purse and asked Shen Wen.


    "Yes."


    "I understood everything that you''ve told me, but something doesn''t add up. From what I was told, my mother died after my birth, but I have memories of spending time with her on designs when I was little. How could she have died if she was the one who taught me so much stuff?"


    Susu was happy to finally have gotten somewhere with her questions, but now, another obstacle blocked her way.


    "Dear, are you sure about that? Maybe you were dreaming about your mother after seeing pictures of her or something. There is no way for her to be alive because I''ve seen her body at her funeral. She definitely died the same day she gave birth to you."


    "I wasn''t dreaming about it because it wasn''t recent. I was probably five years old or something back then when she taught me about a rose design. We worked on it together and then she disappeared on me one day." Susu''s eyes swelled up as a layer of mist formed in her eyes.


    She took deep breaths to calm herself down. Shen Wen passed her a cup of tea and said, "I''m sorry, dear. But that is all I know and that''s the truth. I saw her with my own eyes. I''m not lying to you. Whoever you saw wasn''t your mother or if you want to believe in spirits, then it could be your mother''s soul coming back to visit you."


    Susu shook her head and wanted to argue that it was her mother who visited her. It wasn''t a dream and it wasn''t her spirit because she felt her warmth. Just as she was about to say something back, her alarm went off and she excused herself.


    Without saying another word, she wiped the drips of tears that escaped her eyes and took her medicine. Shen Wen worriedly inquired about her condition, "Susu, why are you taking pills? Are you feeling alright? Are you sick?"


    "Nothing. These are just vitamins that I have to take. I''m fine. Really." She quickly took the medicine container and shoved it back in her bag before Shen Wen could take a look at it.


    "Then, do you have any more questions for me?"


    Susu''s head was a mess after talking with her that she needed time to process everything. "No, that is all for today. I need some time to process some information, but if I want to ask more questions in the future, can I ask you to come out again?"


    "Of course! You don''t have to be so formal between us."


    "Thank you. I''ll pay for today''s lunch since I was the one who asked you out. If you have stuff to do, I won''t hold you back from it. You can leave whenever you are ready." Susu waved for the waitress to give her the receipt.


    "Actually, now that we are done with your questions, I do have a request."


    Susu let out a soft sigh, "Before you say anything, have Tian Yuo come from the other table first. In fact, I''ve noticed him since I walked in. I just didn''t say anything."


    Tian Yuo heard her invitation to the table and got off his seat, "It''s been a while."


    "Yes it has. Auntie Shen Wen, what''s your request? Since I have asked you for a favor, I''ll treat this request as returning the favor."


    "Susu, Auntie just wants you two to be friends. I don''t mean much. He was naive and trusted the wrong person. Every person deserves a second chance, don''t you think? Besides, your mother wouldn''t want to see you like this." Shen Wen tried to use Susu''s weakness against her and thought that it would work out the same way as the past.


    Susu maintained a formal smile, "Auntie Shen Wen, I still address you as my Auntie because of respect for my late mother. I told myself when I made that choice to marry Tian Yuo that I will never let this same reason rule over my rationality and choices again. If your request is for me to be friends with him, then I''m sorry. I can''t do it."


    "But Susu-" Shen Wen tried to argue back, but was cut off by Susu.


    "Auntie Shen Wen, if uncle chose to believe another woman over you and had countlessly accused you for things that you''ve never done before to the point where your heart died already, do you think the word, forgive, will be in your dictionary? Betrayal, distrust, accusation and every other harmful word that I could use from the dictionary to describe what your son had done to me are the reasons why I changed to who I am now."


    "Therefore, I am sorry, but I cannot accept your request. You can choose another one that is not as complicated as this one." Susu took a sip of tea while Tian Yuo sat next to Shen Wen from across of the table.


    He wanted to say something, but couldn''t mumble anything out. Shen Wen sighed, "Then can you please have a peaceful talk with him at least? Hear him out and see what he has to say for his actions? Can you put down your biases against him for this conversation?"


    Susu smiled, "Has he ever put down his biases and actually listened to me when I pleaded for him to hear me out? I can hear him out and have a talk with him, but I can''t leave all his faults out of my mind just because you want me to."


    "That''s okay. As long as you''re willing to talk to him, then it is fine." Shen Wen bit her lips as she never thought that Susu would retaliate her words with such force.


    "Alright, then let''s change to a different location. Let''s go to the dock." Susu handed her credit card to the waitress and then signed her signature.

 Chapter 101 - Remember Here?

    Shen Wen left the two alone and went home by herself after getting out of Memories Cafe. Since the Cafe was walking distance from the condo and Susu didn''t plan on going anywhere else after meeting Shen Wen, she didn''t drive her car. ''This was one of the worst days to not have a car,'' she thought to herself silently.


    She unlocked her phone and was about to order an Uber to the dock. "I don''t think you brought your car today. Since we are going to the dock anyways, I''ll drive." Tian Yuo offered.


    Susu nodded and followed him to the car, "Thinking about it this is the first time I ever rode in your car." He opened the door to the passenger seat, and she politely thanked him.


    "Oh.." it never came across his mind that she had never ridden in his car before. He was very much used to driving Karen everywhere she wished to go to, so he didn''t realize that had never driven Susu anywhere.


    After parking at an empty spot, Susu walked over to the rails and breathed in the fresh breeze of the salty water in front of her. The wind was caressing her face, running through her hair as if it was combing it. His eyes focused on the girl in front of him who had her eyes closed. The sweet smile on her face, small dimple on her left cheek, and simple curls on the tips of her hair that followed the wind''s breeze; everything was perfect.


    Her eyelashes fluttered lightly as she opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright, what is it that you have to say to me?" She turned her body to face him and looked at him straight up in the eyes,


    "I.. I just.." he stuttered, not knowing exactly what to say other than giving her an apology.


    Her thumbs rubbed against each other as she waited patiently. After a while of standing there and hearing nothing but seagulls in the air, she decided to intiate the talk. "It seems to be very difficult for you to speak, but that''s fine. I''ll talk first. I''m not sure what''s gotten into you for you to suddenly want to communicate with me because you never once wanted to in the past. Whether it waswhen I was a nobody to you back then or wife by status, I''ve learned my place."


    "After countless times of accusations and facing your temper, I realized that this was not a place for me. Perhaps it began when we first met and Auntie Shen Wen put the thought of us getting married into my mind since that time...I always questioned what I had done wrong or things that I am doing wrong that made you react the way you did."


    She sighed and looked towards the water, "Then, I finally realized that it doesn''t matter how I change or how perfect I make myself to fit your ideal type because when someone doesn''t have you in their heart, that person will never be able to see what the other does for them. I learned it the long and quite brutal way."


    "That''s not true. It was a misunderstanding! Karen was the one who told me all the lies and made me think of you wrongly. It wasn''t me. I mean it was my fault for treating you the way I did before, but I''m different now. I''m sorry for the past things that I have done. I really am." He raised both arms trying to reach for her shoulders, but she ducked and moved back a few steps.


    "Let''s remain our distance. I believe that you might have figured out Karen''s lies and that you are feeling sorry for what you''ve done to me, but here''s a question for you. If you never found out about her lies, would you consider apologizing to me? Would you come to ask me about everything that has ever happened between us? Or would you continue your biases for her and trust her unconditionally?"


    His hands slowly formed a fist as she continued speaking. She paused in-between her words to see if he had anything to say, but as she expected, he didn''t say anything. "Remember here?" She pointed to the waters, the dock section, and then the ground below where the water incident occurred.


    "Yes." He would never forget that day.


    "Good because this was the place where I almost lost my life from Karen''s scheme. When you saw us fall into the waters, you dived in to save her first because she held an important place in your heart. When we were at the hospital, you instantly assumed that it was I, who wanted to harm Karen and even screamed on top of your lungs at me."


    "Again, very sorry. But Karen doesn''t know how to swim, so in that situation-"


    "In that situation, it is even more reasonable to leave everything under investigation and not base it off of assumptions. If you would have given me the teeniest bit of respect that I deserve as a human being, you would have asked me for my part of the story. This is only one of the examples. I have many more that I could list out." She interrupted his sentence and left him speechless once again.


    Another sigh left her mouth, "Honestly, I don''t have any regrets in liking you because I''ve learned to treasure myself more than before. Also, I found someone who would love me for me and appreciate everything that I do."


    "Is that person, Chen Mu?" Tian Yuo looked at her softened expression when she spoke about him.


    "Yes." She smiled blissfully and relaxed her tensed body.


    "If I didn''t do all those things that hurt you, maybe I would be the one to make you smile like now. If that happened, do you think that we would have.." he couldn''t bring himself to finish the question because he already saw her shaking her head.


    "No, we wouldn''t because there are no hypothetical questions for something that already happened or will happen in the future. Nobody knows the answer to that, and I do not want you to dwell on this either. The if''s and what''s doesn''t matter between us because we will never be anything in the future. I hope the best for your future and for you to find someone you truly love and loves you back."


    "I..I just want to ask you one more question. Are you happy with him?"


    "Extremely happy. I have never been happier. "


    "I understand, but I still don''t want to give up so what can I do? I love you. I could make you as happy, no even happier than how he makes you. I''ll start caring and doting on you. My family loves you." He refused to give up the slightest hope of being with her.


    "You had your chances for many years; it''s already too late. Also, you will never be able to do what he does for me. What he did and does for me is beyond what any man could do for even their own wife. The only reason why you don''t want to give up right now isn''t because you love me or that you''re guilty."


    "You''re standing here apologizing to me today because you realized you were wrong for many reasons. You also realized that you could have had me by your side, but you lost that chance. You feel like I belong to you and should be with you instead. All the questions that you''ve asked so far, none of them were to clear up the misunderstandings or ask about the incidents that had happened."


    "Think about it for a while or even better, don''t think of it at all. The apology that you owed me, I already got it. I don''t need anything from you. Just let me live our lives separate from each other from now on. Eventually, you''ll understand that I''m not truly who you love. As for whoever you meet later on, I hope would be someone you will be able to walk with for your entire lifetime...someone you will never abandon."


    "Then marry me. The person I want to be with is you. You''re the one who doesn''t understand me. You''re not forgiving the things that I''ve done and are still angry with me. You can hit me or rage at me. Don''t act so calm. You love me too. I''ll give us a family like how it was supposed to have played out since the beginning if we never divorced." he started approaching her, and she backed away to avoid him.


    "Tian Yuo, just what did you not understand? I literally just told you that I don''t want to have anything to do with you." She rummaged in her bag to get her pepper spray and cell phone. He noticed what she was trying to do and hurried grabbed onto her bag. Through the tug and wars fight, everything from her bag dropped out.


    He kicked the pepper spray towards the waters and snatched her cellphone so that she couldn''t call for help. "Do you know that even if you and Chen Mu end up together there will always be a splinter in his heart? Because I will always be your first man, the one who took your v.i.r.g.i.nity. So, rather than wasting time and ending up crying back to me... you might as well come back to me now."


    She moved back until her back felt the coldness of the pole. As he moved a few steps closer, a loud door slam distracted them. Not even a few seconds later, ten bodyguards with sunglasses and a royal badge on their suit surrounded Susu and separated her from Tian Yuo.


    "Get your disgusting body away from her."

 Chapter 102 - Spoiled Duck

    Three people stepped out of the vehicle and walked casually towards Susu. She was shaken up by the sudden twist of events and stared at the familiar figure who was approaching her. Chen Mu hurried to Susu''s side and hugged her tightly, "are you alright?"


    She nodded and opened her mouth to ask why he was here, but Tian Yuo started spitting out nonsense again. He said, "Hah! Well if isn''t my best friend, Chen Mu, the one who snatched my ex-wife from me. What? You think because you have these well built bodyguards and I''ll be scared of you? If you''re a man, take me one on one. Come on!"


    Chen Mu took off his jacket, wrapped it around her shoulders and felt her hands. "Didn''t I tell you that it''ll be chilly today? You wore too little. What if you get a cold? You had a few coughs the other day." He totally ignored Tian Yuo''s existence and his words. All he cared about was Susu''s well-being.


    Susu smiled as he rubbed her hands in his, "I''m alright. I don''t feel cold. My arms and legs are always cold."


    "That is because your blood regulation is poor. You should listen to your potential hubby slave before he makes everyone bring a portable heater with him wherever he goes." Chen Nan interrupted their couple''s time.


    Ariana coughed and elbowed her husband lightly in the stomach, "sorry for his interruption. Chen Nan always sucks at reading the atmosphere, but at times like this, it is warmer inside the car."


    Susu blinked and looked at the couple, "Umm, excuse me, but you guys are?"


    "Oh right! How could I forget about them." Chen Mu facepalmed his forehead and guided her towards them.


    "Squirt! How could you see your pretty wife and forget your cousin and cousin-in-law who were with you since this morning?! Sheesh, men these days sure chooses girls over buddies." Chen Nan teased Chen Mu for his forgetfulness.


    Ariana stared at him and pinched his chin, "Oh, dear? Are you not a wife slave? You sounded quite proud just now."


    Quickly, Chen Nan pinched his ear lobes with both hands and said, "I''m sorry, wife! I was just teasing him! It runs in the Chen family! We''re both wife slaves obviously, but I''m the biggest one!"


    "Okay. Okay, already. Sorry for the late introduction. This goofy looking guy, who is somehow related to me, is my cousin, Chen Nan. The pretty lady beside him whom I have no idea how he managed to woo and get her as his wife is Ariana. They are a few years our senior and recently came back from abroad. They tricked me into believing that I had a scheduled meeting with a client this morning."


    "Ahhh, I see. Nice to meet you, I am Yin, Susu." She smiled and greeted them.


    "Hehe, Chen Mu''s description of you is definitely not even within a thousand-miles range of how adorable you are! Hah, come, come, let''s get in the car. It''s cold and a bit windy. We should get in the car." Ariana gave Susu a hug and dragged her to the car.


    Other than Lily, no girls had ever acted this close to her, so Susu was a little shocked to see how amiable Ariana acted. Chen Nan chuckled and shouted, "Don''t mind her, she''s always like that to family. Since she doesn''t have any friends here, why don''t the two of you have a talk inside the car? Get to know each other more, while we deal with some leftover business."


    Ariana turned back, winked and gave the two of them a victory sign. Seeing her hand gesture, Susu wondered what they were signaling each other about. Ariana let out a soft laugh and rearranged Susu''s fingers where her thumb and index finger made a gun shape. Then, she directed Susu''s finger towards Chen Mu.


    Chen Mu sent a flying kiss back towards Susu and said, "I''ll make it quick."


    Ariana whispered, "This is our secret symbol that we made up. What you just did meant to come back quickly; I''m waiting for you."


    "Oh..." Susu wasn''t used to these weird symbols, but went along with it. While waiting in the car, Susu couldn''t help but get distracted from their conversation. Ariana also knew that it would be hard to focus on one topic when the other half is in a fight.


    "How about we just watch those two deal with that man. What''s his name again?"


    "Tian Yuo."


    "Ahhh, that kid used to be cuter. Puberty probably happened to him. Rotten families do hatch spoiled ducks." Although she was mumbling, Susu still heard her.


    "Did you know him?"


    "Know him?! Not only do I know him, I- nevermind, sorry. My emotions got out of hand. You just have to remember one thing, though. Stay away from the Tian''s. They aren''t good people. Just a bunch of ugly wolves in sheep''s clothing with infinity type of masks. Masks that they wear every day to different people, trying to suck the life''s force out of you." Ariana sounded extremely serious that Susu nodded in response.


    "Well~ Let''s watch our men beat the crap out of that guy. How dare he not respect people? Everyone has their personal space, for lord''s sake. Sometimes, a man needs a good beat to learn his mistakes. Sorry, I''ve misspoken, I meant lowlife, not man." Ariana stared at the window and Susu followed.


    Meanwhile, the bodyguards moved aside when they saw Chen Mu and Chen Nan folding up their sleeves. They cracked their knuckles and approached Tian Yuo who randomly waved his arms towards them. He tripped over his own foot and fell on his butt, "What the heck do you guys want?"


    "Don''t worry, we are only here to take back what belongs to Susu." Chen Mu bent forward and snatched the cellphone from his hand. After wiping it clean with a wet wipe, Chen Mu smiled, "Thank you for handing this back. Now, for the real business."


    "Y..you just said that you were taking back what belongs to her. What real business are you talking about?"


    "Didn''t you provoke me and said to fight you one on one? Here, I''m giving you a chance to speak up. What do you want to say?" Chen Nan saw Susu''s bag on the floor and some items on the street. He looked around for important items and collected them. Items such as lipsticks and pens could be replaced, so those he didn''t take because he didn''t know whether it belonged to her.


    Tian Yuo supported himself up using the pole and said, "Hah, you''re standing up for her for no reason. What I said were all true. I am her first man so even if you guys marry or f.u.c.k each other like bunnies, I''ll still be the one who took her v.i.r.g.i.nity! That will be a splinter in your f.u.c.k.i.n.g big ass donkey heart!"


    "So, all I did was give her an offer to marry me. If she does, she will save her damn alligator tears and everybody''s time. What? What are you going to say to me, huh? That you''re a kindhearted man who doesn''t l.u.s.t over your woman? Bullshit!"


    Chen Mu took a deep breath and cracked his neck, "you''re finished talking right?"


    "Yeah, I am. So what?"


    "Then it''s my turn." Chen Mu''s move was as quick as a lightning as his knee knocked right into Tian Yuo''s crotch followed by several punches straight to his stomach. The attacks were sharp and would have been fatal if the punches were aimed at his organs. Internal bleeding would have been his death if that were the case.


    "Phew, I had to get this out of my system. These punches and that one kick were all for Susu''s suffering. I held back before because I needed to get information from you about her. For all the things and tears that you''ve made her shed, this is your retribution. She''s too kind to hit you, but my fist is rough as steel."


    Tian Yuo coughed on the ground in a fetus position as Chen Mu bent down and said, "By the way, you were not her first man. I was. To make sure you don''t make up rumors about her, we got together after you guys divorced. Go near her again and I''ll castrate you with my surgeon knife. Mark my words."


    "Also, think before you speak next time. One on one? Look at yourself and think of your wobbly limbs. You''re lucky that I was your opponent, and I let you off easy. If it was a gang, you wouldn''t even stand a chance of keeping your limbs. If you''re looking for trouble, come for me. Be a man, not a critter. Sneaky and snooping around for other people''s food."


    Chen Nan patted Chen Mu''s shoulder and said to Tian Yuo, "bring your father a message for me. Tell him to enjoy while he lasts. What he took from years ago and tried to obtain years later will be taken from him by more than hundreds of folds.


    After saying what needed to be said, Chen Mu took Susu''s bag from Chen Nan and walked back to the car. The bodyguards waited until everyone settled inside the car before going back to their vehicles and following closely behind.

 Chapter 103 - A Stomp on the foot, a Pinch on the Thigh

    Susu frowned slightly when she saw Tian Yuo coughing in pain. Ariana stopped her from getting out of the car by convincing her that if she went to his side now, he will definitely think that he holds a chance to be with her. Trouble will be coming after her if she gets out now to help him.


    Susu nodded and obediently waited for Chen Mu to head back to the car. The first thing that Chen Mu did when he got back to the car was to hold Susu''s hands and see if they were warmer than before.


    "Good, your hands are warm now." Chen Mu hugged her close while Susu stared intently at his hands.


    "How come I never knew that you knew how to fight? And how come you hit Tian Yuo so hard that he is dropped dead weeping on the floor, yet your knuckles are okay?" She checked each finger of his on both hands to make sure there weren''t any broken bones or skin.


    "Pffft, first of all, it is called self-defense. He provoked me and swung his arms at me. He missed, but my knuckles didn''t miss at all. Ah, as for why my knuckles are fine and he is squirming on the floor~"


    Chen Mu took out a glove with spiked knuckle rings. "Don''t worry, he wont die from these plastics made spikes. All he needs are painkillers and some bruise ointments."


    "Phew, I was about to say to call an ambulance for him if those were legit spikes." Susu patted her chest and could finally relax.


    "Wait! How did you guys know that I was here?"


    Ariana raised her hand, "it was me. I did it. These two guys were questioning my hacking skills, so I demonstrated using Chen Mu''s phone. Since you were the last person he called and messaged, your GPS location popped right up on the screen."


    "But how did you guys know that I might be in danger? And that I am not just going out for a drive?"


    Ariana laughed softly, "Ahahaha, that is also on me. Since I started hacking, I couldn''t be a half-ass and stop midway. So I checked the cameras at the condo building to have Chen Mu see if you took the car. He said you only mentioned going to a nearby cafe which was within walking distance."


    Ariana gulped loudly as if she had done something wrong, "and ..also because the GPS location that I hacked on his phone showed everyone on his contacts list..that duck from earlier was on there too."


    "So you saw Tian Yuo with me and decided to come?" Susu finished for Ariana. Chen Mu said, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to invade your privacy. I have trust in you, but never with Tian Yuo. So I-"


    Susu stopped him from explaining, "pffft, I know you trust me more than enough ahahhahaa. What? You surprised me and I cant do it back to you guys? I''m glad you guys were here and made it just in time to save me."


    "Oh right, your bag. Check and see if you have any important item missing. If not, we can go back and look again." Chen Nan reminded her to double check everything just in case there was something that he had overlooked earlier.


    After checking thoroughly through her stuff, she realized that her medicine container was missing. "My medicine might have dropped earlier."


    "That''s odd, I didn''t see any type of medicine container." Chen Nan closed his eyes and recalled everything that he saw when he gathered her stuff. He opened his eyes after a few minutes and shook his head, "Nope. No medicine bottle. I triple checked."


    "Huh...? How are you so sure?" Susu blinked confusedly at him.


    "Ahahaha, sorry to startle you, Susu! You see, Chen Nan has photographic memory, so he can easily dig back to whatever he saw and remembers every detail of it." Ariana slapped Chen Nan''s lap a few times, slid her hand between his legs and pinched him viciously hard.


    He forced a smile and held back his tears as Chen Mu joined the fun and stretched his foot forward. A flattering stomp squashed his feet and Chen Nan turned towards Chen Mu with a meaningful glare, ''I will get back on you for this!!''


    "Hmmm? Ariana, since you''re a skillful hacker, what work do you do? Chen Nan too. You two have great talents. Whatever you guys do must be very awesome!" Susu sounded excited and very interested in their occupations.


    "Actually, I''m just a regular doctor...and she''s a regular house wife." Chen Nan scratched his head and didn''t know how many Durian shells he will have to kneel tonight if Susu continues questioning about their background.


    Susu observed their obviously nervous reactions as if another question would bring them to their deaths, so she decided to not ask any further. She smiled and said, "Ohh, then are you guys planning to stay here for a while?"


    "Hmmm, that depends on my patient because wherever I am at, I will get hunted down by his daughter and then dragged across the globe to wherever the heck they are staying at. So, it is hard to say when we''re leaving and how long we are staying." Chen Nan thought of the simplest way in describing his hands tied situation with Professor Luo Xia.


    "Ehhh, that patient sounds a bit too much. You''re responsible for the patient, but there should be a borderline between a patient, patient''s family and doctors. There should be no reason for doctors to sacrifice their time unless it is some huge disastrous emergency and help is needed with lack of assistance. Aren''t there other doctors?"


    "Uh huh, I totally agree! And you know what''s worse about this dragging us from the airport to all the way to here? This was for our honeymoon! Sheesh, a girl''s dream is crushed. Although I understand that on a doctors ethics point of view, patient''s lives is a priority, but sometimes I can''t help but feel sad for the time that is lost. But who told me to choose a doctor?"


    Ariana pointed at Chen Nan and shrugged. Susu took Ariana''s hands into hers and said, "awww, you''re too sweet. It''s okay if you want to rant sometimes. You can call me and we can rant together."


    "Yes! We should. Since my honeymoon is wrecked and my husband became somebody else''s prisoner for the time being, we could hang out more!" Ariana and Susu chattered excitedly while the guys felt a tornado level migraine coming to visit. If one girlfriend and one wife was a handful, just imagine them being as close as sisters.


    "No!" Both guys yelled out and ruined their conversation.


    The girls looked at them with innocent, bright eyes. "No?" they pursed their lips and stared at their man''s eyes. The strict tone instantly melted to a soft one.


    "But I will be bored to death when you keep me at home during bad weather times. I''ll be stuck indoors with just a few coughs because it is windy. So, I can''t have a friend to talk to while you''ve gone to work?" Susu sounded so sad that Chen Mu could imagine drooping bunny ears form on her head.


    Meanwhile, Ariana whined, "No? While you are attending your patient and entertaining him, I am left alone in our honeymoon suite. I am not allowed to wander off anywhere because you say it is dangerous for a girl to walk off alone here. And now, you''re saying that I can''t even make one friend to talk to?"


    Chen Mu and Chen Nan exchanged eye contacts and sighed, "No...you can..."


    The girls gave each other a double high five and started chit chatting as if every light bulb connection between them had been electrified and lit up. They spoke nonstop until they''ve reached Chen residence. As for the guys? They could only blame their soft spot for their girls.

 Chapter 104 - Were Back

    Chen Mu''s parents were having their gardening routine when Chen Mu brought everyone else home. He whispered, "Shhhh, give them a surprise."


    Chen Nan, Susu and Ariana nodded and followed closely from behind as they snuck to the garden area. They covered their eyes as they prepared their hearts for the fluffs that they were about to witness.


    Except, it was much quieter than expected. Chen Mu was the first to uncover his eyes to see what was going on. When he did, he saw his mother staring intently at a Chinese chess board game while his father sipped his tea calmly.


    Chen Ting laughed, "Your turn."


    "I know that! Give me another minute! It wont make you lose a strand of hair by waiting!" She observed every chess piece that she had and then at his. Back and forth, her minute became another five minutes.


    "You see, I wouldn''t lose a strand of hair... I''ll lose every strand of hair by the time you make a move at this rate." He teased and purposely supported his chin using his palm as he watched his wife think of which move to play.


    "If you keep distracting me, then I guarantee you that I''ll shave you bald." She responded jokingly. Very quickly, his hands reached for his hair and covered it, "spare my already slow growing hair."


    "Wow! Uncle is very evil." Susu made silent "tsk" sounds and shook her head. Ariana squinted from where Susu was standing and instantly agreed after getting a clearer view of the game, "very scheming, indeed."


    "Huh?" Chen Mu and Chen Nan looked at the girls with such confused faces. They didn''t see anything wrong with the chess match.


    "No matter what moves that Auntie makes, she will end up losing because he already trapped her." Susu explained.


    "Yep. It''s like fatal at every corner. Uncle must enjoy setting this trap..." Ariana continued watching the old couple to see how the game would end even though the results are predictable.


    "Xin Ya, how about we-" Chen Ting was about to suggest restarting the whole game over, but she made a move. Her finger pressed roughly against one of her pieces and she grinned as she moved it sideways, "I win!"


    "Pfffft, what do you think this is? The beach where crabs walk sideways? Since when do horses run sideways? This move doesn''t count!" Chen Ting laughed heartily at his wife''s way of cheating.


    "Who says horses can''t go sideways? Hm? Tell me!" Xin Ya has caught his sly trick since the first game, but managed to fall into his tricks all the time. Since he used his psychological strategies to win, she could make direct attacks too!


    "Uhmm.. I.. Uh...." Chen Ting reached for his tea and coughed lightly when he couldn''t find words to talk back to his wife.


    "Exactly~ And, who makes the rules in this house?" She crossed her arms and smiled at him.


    "You..."


    "Good, good. So when I say horses could go sideways, is it possible?" She asked him once again.


    "Of course! Not just sideways. Even if you say horses could fly and throw up birds and rainbows, it will all be possible!" He could only blame himself for being a doting wife slave. ''Who told me to vow to always dote on her and let her win?'' he silently reviewed the words in his mind that slapped him across his face.


    "So that makes it... me, 10 points and you 0 points~~" She cheerfully hummed as she drew a tally mark on the chalkboard on the side.


    "Pffft, oh my! Auntie and uncle are sweet as always! So adorable!" Susu and Ariana giggled while exchanging their thoughts.


    "Who is it?" Chen Ting heard their tiny giggles from behind and turned around. Chen Mu walked out first while holding Susu''s hands. Chen Nan and Ariana followed.


    "Mom, dad, look who I brought home~ Surprise~~" Chen Mu held Susu''s shoulder and pushed her to his parents who already had their arms opened for a welcome hug.


    "Oh my!! My beautiful, beautiful Susu!!! Auntie missed you sooo much. Let me take a look at you. Has this squirt been feeding you properly? You look like you''ve lost a few pounds since I''ve seen you. What a pleasant surprise! Chen Mu finally decided to share his girlfriend with us. Sheesh, the last time I tried to convince him to bring you over, he sounded as if I was pulling his wisdom tooth out or something."


    Xin Ya touched Susu''s cheeks, shoulders and hands as she welcomed her. Meanwhile, Chen Ting gave Susu a light hug and said, "it''s good to visit these old bones. Uncle missed playing chess with you. We need to catch up and see if your skills got better."


    Chen Mu cleared his throat, and moved aside, "Ahem! We have two extremely special guests today as well. See if you could recognize them."


    Xin Ya''s smile froze, and her eyes were instantly filled up with tears, "Oh..Oh my.." Her eyes swelled up and hot tears escaped her eyes. Ariana and Chen Nan quickly comforted her and patted her back, "We''re back. We''re home. We''re safe."


    Ariana teared up and couldn''t help but let out her tears while embracing her. Chen Nan hugged Chen Ting and said, "We''re back...finally back.."


    "It''s good. Very good. Welcome...Welcome back. Uncle and Auntie have missed you two so much. How have you guys been? We lost contact back then and even investigated about your whereabouts, but nothing came up." Chen Ting wiped the corner of his eyes and patted the well-built man in front of him. He noticed that Ariana had grown up healthily as well.


    Susu couldn''t help but cover half her face with her hands as she felt the heartwarming, affectionate reunion in front of her. Chen Mu rubbed her back, "Aiya, my family are all crybabies. Let''s go in and talk. It''s windy out here."


    Everyone were filled with smiles and joy as they walked back into the house in pairs.


    - Tian Residence -


    Tian Yuo coughed his way back home and went straight to the living room where Shen Wen circled around nonstop. Her lips were dry and chapped from her continuous teeth biting lip habit. Finally, she heard footsteps coming from the entrance.


    Seeing her son limp while hugging his stomach startled her greatly. She immediately dialed for their family doctor to come to the residence. On the other hand, she helped him sit on the couch and anxiously asked, "How are you feeling? Where does it hurt?"


    "Ughhh, I got hit in the stomach a few times, but I''m alright. It''s just bruises. Here, it''s the pill that you wanted me to take from Susu." Tian Yuo took out the medicine container from his pocket and handed it to her.


    She sighed in relief, "Thank you, son. You did a great job! You''ve helped mom and dad a lot."


    "But mom, why did you want me to bring her pills to you? Those are just birth control pills that she took while we were married. She says that it is vitamins, but Karen already checked it and told me that those were birth control pills."


    "Son, why would you still believe in Karen''s words? If these were regular vitamins, why would anyone set an alarm to take it? These pills shouldn''t be birth control pills either since she doesn''t have any chances of cheating on you while you two were married. Obviously, you didn''t touch her like I told you to either. So those two options are definitely not it."


    "But then, why would you want to know about it? It''s her privacy."


    "Son, it''s for her own good. What if she''s on drugs? Be a good boy. Let mom take care of this. You wait for the family doctor, okay? I have to get this to the lab." She kissed Tian Yuo on the forehead and pretended to walk upstairs to grab her bag. Immediately upon entering her room, she shut the door and locked it.


    She poured everything out of the medicine container and checked for any differences between the pills. "Nothing..it''s impossible. There must be something related to her somewhere...I''ve observed her for this long now. No way that I can''t find it. No way.."


    She took a picture of the pill and put a few pills in a clean lock bag for the labs. "What could these pills be? I''ve never seen such weird colored designed pills.." Whether she used magnifying glasses, fire to melt the pills or candles to see if the pills had any hidden messages, she couldn''t find what she was looking for. At the end, she gave up and made a call to her husband and the lab assistant.

 Chapter 105 - Pills

    Tian Guo Min was in the middle of an executive meeting when Shen Wen called, so his assistant picked up on his behalf. Shen Wen frowned when she didn''t reach her husband. She knew that he was holding an important meeting, but she was only asking for one minute to spare. Since he was busy, she didn''t drag on the topic. Instead, she excused herself and hung up.


    Before visiting the lab, Shen Wen made a call to a relative''s son who works as a lab assistant to make sure that he was available to help her identify the pill. After confirming his availability, she rushed over to the hospital, where he took the zip lock bag from her and placed a label on it. Since it was a personal favor, he decided to inspect the pill right away.


    While she waited outside in the waiting area, she watched as doctors and nurses walked in and out of the lab. For some reason, her heart was pounding loudly as if she had done something wrong and was about to get caught for it. She took out the empty medicine container and read the vitamin label on the sticker.


    Coincidentally, Lily had just finished her business nearby and decided to drop by the hospital to give Lin Que a surprise. Since she told him that she was running errands around the area, he didn''t expect her to finish before lunch time. She giggled and wore a face mask after exiting the elevator.


    In the middle of texting, Lily recognized the familiar figure sitting in the seating area. In a split second, her eyes focused to her right as she casually walked pass the waiting room. ''That was definitely Tian Yuo''s mother, Shen Wen. She was holding some receipt looking paper and a medicine container? ...hmm... If I don''t look into this, my last name will be spelled backwards from now on!''


    Using her special access card, she entered the lab and made a few turns to the security room where she asked the security to show her the footage for the past hour. ''She must be waiting for something, but what?''


    When she saw Shen Wen and the lab assistant together, she asked the security to zoom in on the camera, "thanks." She snapped a quick picture and sent it to Lin Que. Right after her text was delivered to his side, she called him and asked him for the assistant''s information. She knew that in order for anyone to work in the labs for Lin Que, they would have to pass through his interview. Therefore, he must remember even a little bit about this man.


    Lin Que immediately gave her a name, "That''s Alan, the new lab assistant."


    "Thanks, babe. Where should he be right now?"


    "I assigned him to lab number 3. Why?"


    "Your cat is out of the box. Give you two minutes to get him out of there and stall his time for me.""


    "How long?" Without any questions, he chuckled and asked how much time she needed him to delay Alan.


    "15 minutes?" She sounded unsure how long it would take her.


    "I''ll make it half an hour." He said and hung up.


    She smiled and waited for Alan to get out of the lab so that she could sneak in without anyone finding out. Two minutes later, Alan rushed out of the lab towards the other side of the hall.


    "Hehe, good job, darling." She licked her lips and hurriedly entered the lab. The room had many files and tubes with chemicals in it. Lily was careful to not touch or knock anything over while being in there.


    Quickly, she set a timer for 25 minutes to make sure that she doesn''t lose track of time. While walking around the lab and looking through different files, she couldn''t find anything related to Shen Wen. "That''s odd..wait. She''s still outside right now, so that means either she is waiting for a report...or she''s waiting for someone to write up a report. She had that container in her hand..hmmm"


    She rubbed her chin and stepped back and forth between stations. Suddenly, something caught her attention. Her body moved backwards a few steps as her eyes laid on the zip lock bag that was on the desk. There were a few pills inside the slightly opened zip lock bag. Judging by the wrinkles on the bag, opening of the bag and how disorganized it looked compared to everything else, Lily whispered, "bingo."


    She took a new pair of transparent gloves and picked up the bag before inspecting the pills. "I''ve seen a lot of different medicines before, but this pill is a first. The color and shape of it is a little different...Hmmm? Madam..Shen Wen..."


    A small smile curved behind her masked face, "as I had suspected. This does belong to her. Good thing that Alan dude still knows how to label his shit despite randomly tossing such important subjects everywhere."


    She took out her phone and dialed Susu''s number. At first, she debated reaching out to Chen Mu, but she didn''t know whether he would pick up her calls if he was busy. Therefore, she ended up calling Susu because only her calls would always get through to him and she wouldn''t ever not pick up her calls. Within the first two rings, Susu picked up the call, "Lily?"


    "Susu! Where are you? Is Chen Mu around you right now?" Lily looked at her timer and realized that she had a little less than 10 minutes left to spare.


    Sensing her urgency, Susu answered, "He''s right next to me, hold on."


    Chen Mu answered, "What''s up?"


    "Listen, I have a very short amount of time so I will not explain anything more. I''m sending a picture to Susu''s phone, and I want you to tell me if you know what kind of pill this is. Lin Que is occupied right now, so I really need you to help me with it."


    Lily bit her lips, snapped a picture and tapped her heels impatiently for the message to be delivered. "Got it." Chen Mu put the call on speakers and checked the message. When he saw the pills in her hand, his eyes widened. His eyes dimmed as he recognized his own product in her hands.


    Instantly, he turned the phone off the speaker and said, "those are Susu''s medicine pills. She lost it earlier. Where are you? Where did you find them?"


    Lily nervously replied, "Lin Que''s laboratory room, number three. I saw Shen Wen outside the lab, and this was what she submitted. It''s most likely for pill identification. I have 5 minutes left before I have to make a run for it. What should I do with the pills? I can''t leave with the bag because the assistant will notice."


    "Listen, from the door entrance, walk straight and make a left. On the top, you see all those blue cabinets? With your access card, unlock the second to last one and there should be a container with pills very similar to the ones in your hand. Replace them."


    Lily''s legs and arms were quick in action. Within a minute, she switched out the pills and safely wrapped Susu''s medicine in a new container before stuffing it to her bag. She made sure to leave the zip lock bag slightly opened after stuffing the replaced pills inside. "Done. I''ll talk to you later. Everything is weird right now. I need to leave. I''ll call again."


    After the call ended, Chen Mu''s heart was pounding heavily as he interrupted the lively conversation between his parents, Chen Nan, Ariana and Susu. He faced them with a worried expression, "They made a move."


    Everyone paused and focused their attention to him, "Who?" Susu wrinkled the areas between her brows with a confused look on her face.


    "The Tian family" His voice was cold and hands held onto Susu''s hands tightly.

 Chapter 106 - The Rose Again

    Right after she hung up the call, Lily''s alarm rang and alerted her. When she was about to get out of the room, she heard footsteps approaching the lab. She found it weird to hear Lin Que''s voice coming from down the hall because he always spoke in a low volume. Her phone vibrated and a text notification from Lin Que popped up saying, "hide."


    "F.u.c.k! Hide where? There''s nowhere to hide...." Lily could only hide behind one of the stations, but it was definitely not a safe place to be in. Just in case her phone makes any noises, she set it on silent mode and covered her mouth.


    Lin Que and Alan stepped into the lab looking for something. Alan was distracted by the stacked reports on his desk as he searched for the one file that he needed to scan to a patient. Purposely, Lin Que left the door opened and looked around to see where Lily was hiding.


    When he spotted her shadow from one of the stations, Lin Que pointed towards a different stack of files from across the lab, "maybe the file is over there." Listening to his advice, Alan nodded and walked across the room. While Alan had his back towards the door, Lin Que signaled her to leave by pointing towards the exit.


    Lily used this opportunity to get out of there and ran as fast as she could to Lin Que''s office. She inhaled and exhaled heavily with her arms on her h.i.p.s as she coughed dry air out of her throat. "Geez, almost died in there from a heart attack. So this is what being a spy feels like. Thank god I have no talent in that area."


    After 15 minutes later, Lin Que came back to his office to find a lipstick stain on his mug and the content inside of it gone. A sticky note was stuck to his computer screen, "Thank you for the water and everything else, Mwah!" She left her lip signature on the note before she had left his office.


    He sighed, "this girl always makes me worried. Let''s see...hmmm?" His phone vibrated, and dozens of voice messages were sent from her side. She explained to him everything that happened while she rushed to where Susu and Chen Mu were located.


    Lin Que''s response to her mountain stacked messages was a simple one, "turn your GPS location on." If she stayed and waited for him, he would drive her on his own. Actually, he had already expected her to be gone by the time he got back because that was how her personality was.


    She shared her location with him indefinitely and told him to keep his eyes on Alan. Lin Que already knew what she would want him to do when that report comes out, so he prepared a surprise visit to the lab for a second time.


    Meanwhile, Lily drove her car and dialed Susu''s number again. Chen Mu picked up immediately and gave her their address since they weren''t sure how safe she currently is and they needed to double check the pills to make sure that it was really Susu''s medicine. Within half an hour, Lily arrived at Chen residence.


    When she walked in, she saw Susu looking overwhelmed and trembling slightly on the couch. Although Chen Mu and everyone else had tried to distract her, but nothing helped. Lily pulled Susu in her embrace and whispered, "don''t worry, nobody can harm you. We won''t let anybody do anything to you."


    Susu couldn''t think of any reasons about why Shen Wen and Tian Yuo would steal her medicine. No matter how she thought about it, things only grew creepier. During the time that they were waiting for Lily''s arrival, they asked Susu to think carefully about her relationship with the Tian family. The more she thought about it, the more her head started to hurt.


    Susu had her eyes closed while Lily comforted her. Suddenly, her eyes widened, "Repeat what you just said." She looked up, and Lily slowly repeated her words again.


    "Again." Susu shut her eyes as she focused on the warm tone that Lily used. After Lily repeated for her words for the third time, Susu gasped, "I remember where I heard that from. I remember now!"


    Ariana scratched her head, "we all remember too because she just repeated the same words like five times."


    "No, no , no. I meant that I remembered when I was little, my mother whispered that to me. She always said that she would protect me and won''t let anyone hurt me. That was before she disappeared. My mother was never around during the day and always visited me secretly at night. She said my dad didn''t like her going outside, so she stays at a place where he couldn''t find her. It was our secret!"


    Susu covered her ears with her sleeves and shut her eyes, forcing herself to recall more memories. Unfortunately, she only remembered that much. Chen Mu rubbed her back, "Don''t force yourself. You were still young back then, so it is normal to not remember things. How about we listen to Lily''s story first?"


    "Oh right!!" Lily took out the medicine that she had swapped and walked them through what had happened at the hospital. Chen Mu listened as he double checked the pills to make sure it was really Susu''s medicine. After Lily had finished speaking, Chen Mu confirmed that the pills were Susu''s medicine.


    Xin Ya was the first to break the silence, "what would the Tian family want from Susu? I mean, Susu is sick, but even if they found out about it, would they have helped?"


    "Them? Help? That would have been the best sarcastic joke I''ve heard so far. Whatever they are planning, it isn''t something good." Ariana''s emotions started conquering her rationality and she started to breakdown in tears as her heart flooded in pain. Chen Nan soothed her back and made her take deep breaths to settle her feelings.


    Although Xin Ya and Chen Ting didn''t know what happened between the Tian family, Ariana and Chen Nan, it was definitely something deeper than flying abroad. Chen Mu''s expression grew uglier by the minute as his hands gripped his phone tightly. ''Ariana''s family, Chen Nan''s parents...and Susu''s mother...''


    Susu mumbled, "Now that I think about it...ever since I was young, Auntie Shen Wen always asked me if my mother left me anything. I always told her I didn''t have anything from my mother because my father didn''t want me to miss my mother so he threw everything of hers away...But she never stopped asking me. She just twisted the words when she asked me indirectly every time."


    "Then could it be that you have something that she wants or has been looking for? If you think about it carefully, if she claims that your mom passed away soon after you were born, then why would she ask you about your mother''s belongings?" Chen Nan said as he remembered the details that Chen Mu and Susu had said about her background.


    The more they thought about it, the more suspicious everything sounded. "it''s true...who would ask a child if their mother left them anything like that? It''s like she wanted to look for something and she knew that children at your age at that time wouldn''t be able to lie about it." Ariana''s rasped voice stuttered as she tried to calm herself down.


    A sudden thought came across Chen Mu''s mind. He turned towards Susu and asked, " Sweetie, try your best to relax your tensed body. Focus on breathing. Good. Good...Now, try and think of the times with your mother. Other than saying that she would protect you, did she give you anything to hold onto? Anything to keep away from other people?"


    Hearing his words, Chen Nan comforted Ariana while whispering, "With us here, we won''t let history repeat itself, okay? It''s alright. I''m here. We can stop them."


    She nodded as she wiped her tears away and looked at Susu, hoping she would remember something. Susu grabbed Chen Mu''s hands, "The rose design. The rose. That was the last thing she taught me and she told me to always keep it safe wherever I go."


    "Do you still have it?" Chen Mu asked.


    She nodded, "I have it. When she made it, she used a type of material that would maintain the rose color. She told me that as long as I had this in my hands and didn''t tell anyone about it, then I''ll be safe. That''s where I got the inspiration of creating the....."


    Chen Mu''s eyes widened along with hers as they figured out the connection. "The rose design..that Karen plagiarized...the layout is very similar to the one that my mom taught me. Could it be that what Shen Wen was looking for been..."


    "Very likely that there is something either related or in the rose that your mother gave you." Lily completed the sentence for them. Although there were many missing information in between, they somewhat found a connection between the series of events.

 Chapter 107 - Sooner than Expected 1

    While the group made progress on their side, Lin Que found some old files as an excuse to revisit the lab room. As he had expected, he came right on time to see Alan fixing up the report and doing his last step in pill identification for Shen Wen. When Alan saw Lin Que, he tried to hide the pills and the report that he was working on, but was obviously too late for that.


    "What''s this?" Lin Que placed the old files in his arms on the desk and picked up the zip lock bag. His eyes glared sharply at Alan, making him shiver in response. "I don''t remember receiving or permitting a pill identification exam request for this type of pill. So, exactly what is this for?"


    "Uhh..Uhmm.. I''m sorry for not informing you earlier and asking you for permission before making this decision. It was an urgent matter, so I decided almost immediately upon receiving the pill to do a report for a patient." Alan tried his best to sound logical and not stutter.


    "Oh? Which patient? Which department does the patient belong to? Who is in charge of the patient and what''s the patient''s illness? I don''t recall stocking up on this pill in our inventory either, so explain yourself." Lin Que''s strict tone almost froze all Alan''s brain cells. Everyone in the hospital knew how serious Lin Que was when it came to conducting lab experiments and tests.


    "Umm..I..." Alan moved back two steps as Lin Que took a look at the typed report and examined the pill on the spot. After a few minutes, Lin Que crossed his arms and waited for an explanation. Finally, Alan gave up to Lin Que''s mighty aura and confessed that it was a favor for a relative named Shen Wen.


    After a thorough explanation, Lin Que looked displeased as he said, "since I''ve tested the drug myself and the results of it came out to be vitamins, I''ll let you off just this once. If I find out a second time, forget about obtaining your license and years of hard work. This is my first and final warning. Understand?"


    "Yes, sir." Alan bowed in respect and gratitude. He waited for Lin Que to exit the lab before finishing up with the report. Since he already took more than three hours on this report, he decided to type vitamins on the report as the final conclusion since Lin Que had just revealed the answer that he was looking for.


    He quickly printed two copies, one for Shen Wen to keep and the other for his own records. When he walked out, he handed the papers to her hands and explained to her the different ingredients that were found and then the conclusion that he came to.


    "Are you sure?" Shen Wen sounded doubtful as she recalled the shape and colors of the pills being abnormal.


    "Yes. These vitamins were probably produced elsewhere and customized specifically for a certain person." Alan politely answered each inquiry that she had on her mind. At last, she was convinced by his words and responses after thirty minutes of questions.


    "Thank you, Alan. Auntie will treat you to a meal later on. Thank you for your help." Shen Wen said her thanks and turned around to leave the hospital. On her way home, she tried calling Tian Guo Min again, but his assistant picked up again. She sighed, "Forget it."


    Once she got home, she shredded the report to pieces since it was another piece of useless information. She already followed up on Tian Yuo''s body condition and heard from the doctor that everything was fine with him.


    The minute she stepped into her house, she dragged herself upstairs to the master bedroom and locked the doors from behind. She took off her accessories and removed her makeup in front of her dresser where a huge mirror reflected her aged face.


    She became frustrated with the results of the report and started to scrub her face using makeup wipes very harshly. Her skin turned red and irritated by her roughness, but she didn''t care. She took her favorite cosmetics and started reapplying her makeup. The heavier her makeup, the better she felt. At the end, she chose a bright red lipstick and drew thick plumped lips on her face.


    Out of madness, she wiped off the heavy makeup using wipes again. Every wipe that she finished using was then used as an object to slap against the mirror. Her body trembled and eyes turned red, "It''s been so many f.u.c.k.i.n.g years! Where the f.u.c.k did you put it? Huh? Zi Lan? Didn''t you say that if you had a child with that loser, then you will give everything to your child?! If you can give that man everything he wanted, then where is that f.u.c.k.i.n.g thing I want?! Where did you hide it?"


    She took off her heels clumsily and swung them everywhere across the room for several times until the heels broke off. She mumbled while catching her breath, "it''s either your daughter had been lying and faking in front of me since young... or you''re just a liar as well. Hah, what''s that you said about us being good friends? You won''t report my husband and me? Bullshit! Where is that damn thing?! Your daughter definitely has it, doesn''t she?"


    Soon, her anger turned to laughter and her disheveled hair could match up to beggars on the streets. Her rage grew worse as she cried in the soundproof bedroom, "Your daughter must have it. How come she tells me that you didn''t leave her anything? Or was it that bastard who took it and just didn''t realize? Which one is it? Or both of them? No, no, I covered my shit so well that the silly child thinks of me as her auntie! She wouldn''t have lied..."


    After almost two hours of throwing accessories and clothes around the room, she gathered herself together and went to take a relaxing shower. When she came out, she cleaned up the mess. Tian Guo Min came home an hour later and asked her about her calls. She shook her head and smiled, "nothing much. I just fell earlier and kind of pulled a muscle."


    "Oh. If it wasn''t anything that important, don''t call me to interrupt my business. I''m so tired today, so I''ll head straight to bed. I''ll skip dinner." He walked up to the master bedroom and didn''t detect the slightest change in his wife''s mood.


    -Chen Residence -


    Susu took off her wristlet and used her fingertips to press on the sides of it in a specific order. After doing so, the oval shaped design on the base of the wristlet opened and pushed out a beautiful rose. Everyone didn''t dare to blink as this magical moment took place in front of them. Who would have known that a wristlet could have such a function?


    "You guys look so shocked? What is it?" Susu raised her left brow and looked around to meet everyone''s curious eyes.


    "Susu, you designed that?" Ariana asked to double check.


    "Yeah, I figured that if it''s something important then I shouldn''t keep it in my bag. Since this wristlet is a simple accessory and wouldn''t raise much of anyone''s attention, I restructured it and made a customized version." Susu made it sound so easy, but to everyone else, it was like an alien language.


    Susu carefully lifted the rose in her palms and slowly played around with it. No matter which petal she touched or pressed using her fingertips, the rose remained a rose. There was nothing special about it. Everyone took turns touching the rose and even used special light effects to see if there were any written messages on it, but turned out with no luck.


    "Hmmm...then could it be that this isn''t what Shen Wen was looking for?" Chen Nan rubbed his chin as he passed the rose onto the next person''s palm.


    "Theres no secret opening to it either. I tried everything already since young, but never found anything abnormal with this rose." Susu explained that it was due to this rose that inspired her to create the rose themed outfit.


    "There must be something about this thing, though." Ariana looked at it carefully to make sure she didn''t miss any possible openings.


    At the end of the day, everyone went home after dinner because they couldn''t figure out what the rose represented. When Chen Nan and Ariana got back to the hotel, it didn''t take long for Professor Luo Xia to ask them to join him for dinner. Since Zi Yan personally waited for them in front of their suite, they had no reasons to refuse.

 Chapter 108 - Sooner than Expected 2

    Professor Luo Xia was already seated in the private dining room with a menu in his hands. Chen Nan heard his dish orders and shook his head, "Hold it on those orders."


    After taking a quick skim through the menu, he decided on a few vegetable dishes and switched out the greasy meat ones. Professor Luo Xia frowned on the altered order while Chen Nan ignored his displeased expression and settled on the seat next to Ariana.


    While waiting for the food, Chen Nan lectured Professor Luo Xia about his meal choices and ideal diet list. "Grandpa Xia, you should know better than anyone about your health and body condition. If I wasn''t here to stop those dishes from being served, you would''ve ate all that grease and oil. Your open heart surgery was considered a miracle and your rate of recovery was impressive. Even then, you should hold back on those foods.


    Being a doctor, Chen Nan had encountered countless patients who lied about their diets. There were many who were discharged in a decent condition and came back either too late or with their lives hanging on the line. When he first performed the surgery on Professor Luo Xia, he only had fifty percent confidence in saving his life. It took a long time, but he recovered up to this point.


    Chan Nan continued explaining medical terms and complicated circ.u.mstances if Professor Luo Xia doesn''t cut off his sneaky habits of eating behind everyone''s back. After he said what he wanted to say all in one breath, he exhaled and chugged down the cup of tea that Ariana had poured for him.


    Professor Luo Xia remained quiet the entire time, which made Ariana and Zi Yan think that he was angry at Chen Nan''s words. Ariana even elbowed Chen Nan a few times, but nothing stopped him from lecturing the elder man. Finally, Professor Luo Xia''s lips parted, and everyone was ready to hear his nonsense responses.


    "Pfffft, Aahahahahahahaha!! That''s why I treated you like my family! Hahahaa, that was just a test that I purposely set up to see if you were still the same, honest you from years ago. You haven''t changed one bit." Professor Luo Xia laughed heartily and sipped his tea.


    "Huhh....." Chen Nan and Ariana stared at the old man who finished up his tea.


    "Now, for the real business. What did you two do today? Where did you go?" He already heard some information from the bodyguards, but they were kept outside the Chen residence and stayed in a different vehicle so they couldn''t provide specific details.


    "Ahhh, well, we went to Chen Corporations to meet my cousin, Chen Mu. After catching up with him about the recent years, we were going to head out for some lunch. Coincidentally, we ended up meeting Chen Mu''s girlfriend, Yin Susu who was attacked by some dude from the Tian family. And a lot of things happened again, but Susu''s best friend, what''s her name? Lily? Yeah, she joined us at Chen residence after finding out something was wrong between the Tian family and Susu."


    "What about the Tian family and Susu?" Zi Yan''s body leaned forward and palms laid flat against the table.


    "Well.. uh.. from what we understood, the Tian family''s heir tried to attack Susu by the dock and we saved her just in time. She realized that her medicine container was gone, but I was sure that there weren''t any containers when I gathered the stuff that were spilled out of her bag during the attack. Later, her friend, Lily, found out that Shen Wen, the mistress of Tian family was at the hospital''s lab."


    Chen Nan paused to swallow his saliva and inhaled another deep breath before continuing the story. "Then, Lily found Susu''s medicine container at the lab in the hospital, contacted Chen Mu and successfully switched the pills. And we gathered altogether to figure out what was going on. At the end, we came to the conclusion that the Tian family wanted something from Susu and thought that she had it in her medicine or something."


    "You mentioned medicine container...what is she..what does she have exactly? How come it didn''t show on the investigation report?!" Zi Yan asked anxiously. Ariana was extra observant towards Zi Yan''s reaction because she has never seen Zi Yan act so nervous before. Even when she waited for Professor Luo Xia''s surgery to finish, she remained her composure.


    "She has Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia." Ariana responded and made direct eye contact with Zi Yan.


    "What stage?" Professor Luo Xia appeared to be calm, but his knuckles were already white and his nails were digging deeply into his palms.


    "Most likely still in the early stage, but she had it for a while from what we heard from Chen Mu. She might be transitioning to the next stage," Chen Nan answered with his attention focused entirely on the elder man. He could tell that Professor Luo Xia''s breathing was inconsistent after hearing about their day.


    "What about a donor? I heard that bone marrow transplant is one of the ways to treat that cancer." Zi Yan''s chest heaved heavily as she learned more about Susu that was somehow not mentioned in the investigation report.


    Chen Nan shook his head, "She has the second to the rarest blood type, AB negative. As of right now, she is still in the pool of finding a match for a bone marrow. Her case is a bit special, but Chen Mu''s medicine has worked effectively in stablizing her condition We just hope that a donor matches her soon."


    Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan frowned slightly with visible creases on their foreheads. After a few minutes, Ariana broke the silence and asked, "What relations do you two have with Susu?" She put her elbows on the table, folded her hands and leaned forward. Both of them revealed a surprised expression when they heard her question.


    "Wh..Why would you think we are related to her?" Zi Yan asked.


    "Well, the entire story was about Susu, and you guys are extremely concerned about her." Ariana''s eyes wandered slowly from left to right repeatedly.


    Sigh


    Professor Luo Xia waved his fingers and said, "remember I talked about having a granddaughter whom I''ve never had the chance to meet? I only had a picture of her."


    "Don''t tell me, Yin, Susu is your granddaughter?!" Chen Nan started to suspect Susu''s identity since the whole conversation revolved about her. Ariana''s heart almost skipped some beats when she saw Professor Luo Xia''s confirmation nod.


    "Then.. Ms. Zi Yan, you are her aunt? Then the first miss who died young...was Susu''s mother." Ariana gasped and connected the missing dots that they were all confused about.


    Zi Yan sighed and nodded, "you could put it that way."


    Throughout the entire meal, Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan asked many questions about Susu, but many of them couldn''t be answered because the couple had just met her so they didn''t know too much. All they could tell them was how much Chen Mu did for Susu and how happy they looked together. The couple had many questions, but they knew that those were too personal to ask so they only focused on answering questions.


    After a long dinner conversation, everyone went back to their suites. Zi Yan''s chest felt heavy as if there was a thousand-pound dumbbell on top of it. Her eyes reddened followed by a few tears, "I definitely wont let that bastard off. I''m sorry."


    She walked towards her luggage and took out a jewelry box. A small smile curved on her face as she hugged the box to her chest. "This was our promise and I came late. I''m sorry. If I tell you everything, would you be able to forgive me for leaving you with those monsters for all these years?"


    Knock Knock


    "Coming!" She quickly wiped her tears and hid the box. Professor Luo Xia entered her room and said, "You comfort me with your words and here you are just as scared as I am in meeting Susu."


    "Dad, why aren''t you resting? It''s already midnight." She tried to change the topic.


    "I''m here because of the investigation report we hired someone to do on Susu. Every single thing about her was mentioned, but her illness. Someone is trying to hide her illness from us, but I''m not sure who it is. I already have the person''s name in my mind. I came here to see if you and I have the same idea."


    She nodded, "only him. We''ll greet him sooner than we expect."

 Chapter 109 - Unknown Content

    Late at night, Karen waited at Seven-Eleven for Kitty''s arrival.


    "I''m sorry! There was a patient and I had to-" Kitty was out of breath with her hands placed on her bent knees. She breathed heavily and explained in broken sentences.


    "Whatever! Just take this and use it on her tomorrow." Karen shoved the mini party bag to Kitty and looked around to make sure nobody saw her face.


    "Wait! What is this?" Kitty curiously opened the bag and saw a small container that looked like contact lense solution or something similar to vaccines.


    "Don''t take it out of the bag. It''s nothing that will kill her. Don''t worry about it." Karen crossed her arms and rolled her eyes as she stood impatiently. She tapped her fingers against her sleeve as she continued being cautious about the group of teenagers who just entered the store.


    "I''m not doing it if you don''t tell me what it is. What if she dies? What if she-" Kitty only promised to dig up information about Susu. As a regular human being, she did not want to harm other citizens just because a random psycho wanted her to.


    "It''s just vitamin drips for her. She''ll suffer from a little dizziness and numbness. That''s all. Do it or that video of yours get spread on all the p.o.r.n sites. I have your address and everything related to you. I could make a higher-quality orgy p.o.r.n video for you if that''s what you''re asking for." Karen showed on her screen the list of private accurate information about Kitty''s most recent activities.


    Kitty gasped and squinted, "You investigated me!"


    "Obviously I had to do it to that extent to ensure a guaranteed service from you. I will do as I say and delete the content. So, all you have to do tomorrow is wear a mask when you enter the room and let the content inside the bottle follow the drip into her body." Karen slid her phone back into her pocket and turned around to leave.


    "Aren''t you afraid of karma for doing this? Blackmailing, plagiarizing and scheming other people who didn''t do anything to you! Yeah, what? I did some research on you as well. Your name pops up everywhere online. One day, your jealousy will kill you." Kitty stuffed the party bag into her bookbag and bumped into Karen''s shoulder as she exited the store.


    Karen smiled and whispered, "And stupidity will be the cause of your death. Hah." She got back to her car, unlocked her cellphone and made several accounts on top twenty p.o.r.n sites. After creating the twentieth account, she made sure each site collaborated with other X-rated social medias and companies.


    The next morning, Chen Mu did a basic body check on Susu before they headed to her appointment at the hospital. Seeing the smile on his face, her legs wrapped around his legs and her arms rubbed his cheeks, "Everythingggg goood? Doctor. Chen Mu~"


    She giggled as she pushed his cheeks inwards and pursed his lips out to make the duck face. Taking her hands in his, he kissed them and said, "Looking extremely well. No itch, pain or any type of discomfort. Your results should look very good today. Your body is in perfect condition to receive the scheduled infusions. Are you ready?"


    Susu tapped her lips, "I''m missing two things. One is this, understand?"


    He pinched her small chin and leaned forward, "I''ll give you a long, satisfying one for now and as many as you want after your treatment." His hand reached the back of her head and steadied her lips in place for him to devour. Their lips refused to part from the other as their tongues tangled playfully.


    Her lips were moist and wet from his rough kisses. A few m.o.a.ns left her mouth as she enjoyingly accepted every second of his lip service. The softness and tingle sensation drove them even crazier for each other as they kept the wildness running through the kisses. Although they haven''t had breakfast yet, their kiss was enough to satisfy their hunger in a different way.


    As he moved closer, her hands explored his hard chest and reached to his butt cheeks. With her eyes still closed, a small smile interrupted their kiss slightly as she found her hand''s favorite spot to grope.


    After a few gropes, he paused their kiss and laughed from her ticklish touches, "pffftt, hahahaha, oh my...you knew that was where I was ticklish! Ayeee, now my butt is itching!"


    "Then I''ll spank it for you! Come, come. I''ll always be ready to service your ass cheeks! I''ll help you recycle them if you don''t want those s.e.xy curves any day, anytime. I''ll be at your service 24/7 hahahaha" She chased after him with her hands shaped like claws. He took two cushions from the couch and covered up his ass.


    "I wouldn''t recycle these babies since they keep you busy when I''m busy, Blehhh~" he stuck his tongue out childishly and slapped his butt lightly with the cushions to tease her.


    "Did you think that those two cushions would help keep me away? Heh, too underestimating my abilities! Haiyaaa!" She took one of the cushions and swung it to the floor. With another tug, the second cushion landed on the couch.


    In order to protect his tooshie, he fell backwards onto the couch and pulled her in his embrace. After a few rounds of cuddling and trying to attack each other''s sweet spots, they smiled and looked at the time. "Ready to go?" Chen Mu asked.


    She smiled and bit her lips, "Absolutely, handsome doctor."


    Before leaving, he made sure that she had everything she needed for the appointment. He brought her IPad, two charging wires, portable charger, wallet, keys, prescriptions, glasses and anything he could ever think of that she might need.


    "Oh right, almost forgot!" He went into their room and retrieved the pepper spray on his desk.


    "Huh? When did you..?"


    "I''ve noticed it since you mentioned your missing medicine in my cousin''s car. I have my connections and got this within a day. Here, better to be safe than sorry. Time to go~" he carried her bag and she locked the doors from behind. After making sure that everything was in order, they held each other''s hand and headed to the hospital. It''ll be a long day ahead, so Chen Mu prepared everything that would keep her away from boredom.

 Chapter 110 - A Girls Date at the Hospital

    At the hospital''s parking lot, two figures yelled out Susu''s name from two separate directions and rushed over to wrap her in their embrace. Lily and Ariana looked at each other for a few seconds to observe each other similar to how animals familiarize themselves with other species.


    After eyeing each other from head to toe, they smiled and introduced themselves. Susu''s knees almost weakened by their level of adaptability. After exchanging formal greetings, Susu introduced them to each other once again and talked about how she met the other.


    The girls nodded and relaxed their tensed bodies. "Oh, yeah. What are you two doing here? Lily, aren''t you supposed to attend some boat event with your parents? And you, Ariana, aren''t you supposed to be exploring different places in the city? Why are the both of you here?"


    Both of them reacted at the same time by pointing behind their own backs. Susu followed their fingers one after the other and saw Lin Que and Chen Nan leaning on their vehicles. "You see..if nobody ever told me, I would definitely and strongly believe that the two of you are fraternal twins or something. Your actions are too alike."


    "It would be great if I had a sister to play with! Geez, too bad because if I did, both of us could be your potential husbands-to-be!" Lily jokingly said.


    "Yeah, if I had a sister, then we could be accompanying you everywhere~" Ariana giggled as each other them held onto Susu''s arm.


    "Yeah, yeah. Joke it up. Your fiance and your husband would kill me if I took any of you away." Susu smiled happily from their affability.


    "Jokes aside, I came today because Chen Mu mentioned your medical appointment at this hospital." Ariana explained her appearance while Chen Nan walked over to her side.


    "Same here. Lin Que said it once, and I marked it on my calendar. It''ll be bored if you''re alone in the hospital room~ If you feel any pain, at least I''ll distract you from it." Lily patted her chest and rubbed her head against Susu''s shoulder.


    "Hehe, you two are the best. Let''s go." The three girls walked with their arms circled in a row. Meanwhile, they''ve already forgotten their partners who were left in the parking lot. Chen Mu, Chen Nan and Lin Que pointed at each other and laughed, "pffft, you''re carrying her bag for your girls!"


    "So are you." Chen Nan and Chen Mu repeated as they pointed at Lily''s hot pink bag.


    "What? It can''t be today''s fashion? Look at how stylish I look." Lin Que attempted a catwalk. Before today''s appointment, Chen Mu had already FaceTimed with Chen Nan and Lin Que to discuss about possible solutions for Susu''s cancer. Therefore, they got along quite well.


    After checking Susu in at the register, Chen Mu, Chen Nan and Lin Que waited until a private room was available for her to settle into. It didn''t take long for nurses to clean a private room for Susu''s appointment. Since Susu had to run various examinations, everyone else but Chen Mu, Chen Nan and Lin Que had to wait outside.


    Finally, after half an hour of seeing needles, tubes, weird shaped tools and getting her body inspected by three doctors, the results came out with sky rocket colors. She was in a great condition, and it proved that the medicine that Chen Mu created for her increased her immune system as well as fought the cancerous cells effectively.


    Lin Que went through each treatment and IV infusions that Susu was required to have for today''s chemotherapy treatment. Since Lily and Ariana were eagerly waiting for them to get out of the room so that they could accompany Susu during the treatment, the guys decided to let the girls have their time alone.


    After watching one of the nurses complete the IV infusion process correctly, the guys left the room to visit the lab. Chen Nan and Lin Que were very interested in Chen Mu''s products using herbs that they''ve never heard of. Meanwhile, the girls were having their own conversations.


    Susu asked, "Hehe, here''s a question for the two of you. Which part of your fiance/husband do you love touching the most?"


    Ariana and Lily both giggled and answered, "His abs!" Both of them high-fived each other as if they''ve known each other for many years and had perfect chemistry. Without a word or even a second to think before reacting, they raised their hands and high-fived. Susu looked at them with great interest, so she observed them carefully.


    Looking at them carefully, both of them looked a little similar with their light, hazel eyes and smiling curved eyes. "Hmmm? Then what about you, Susu? What do you like about Chen Mu?" Ariana asked after seeing Susu space out.


    "His firm tooshie!! No! I mean, tooshies!!" She corrected herself after realizing that her first tooshie response left out one side of his curvy butt cheeks. She said it so proudly and smiled right after yelling it out.


    "Damn! And I thought I was shameless enough to say abs!" Lily clapped her hands in excitement.


    Susu replied, "Pffft, who needs to hold back on being shameless these days? You only live once, so better go for it and show your loved ones how much you love them!"


    "Hahahaha, that''s true! What''s there to shame about anyways? You''re only expressing your love in a more expressive way! I definitely love that wild thought of yours! Go team tooshies!!" Ariana laughed along with them.


    Normally, chemotherapy sessions felt like forever for Susu, but today, it went by quickly. Soon, another nurse walked in to change the IV infusion for Susu''s treatment. While the girls relaxed their stomach from all the laughter and jokes that they''ve said to each other, Susu noticed something different.


    She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked, "Nurse, I thought that this infusion was supposed to take longer. Isn''t it too early for the next part?"


    "Actually, this infusion is done already. It''s already time for the next infusion. You must have had a great time with your friends, so time passed by fast for you." Kitty''s hands shook slightly when she heard Susu''s inquiries.


    "Really? But it''s been only fifteen minutes?" Susu checked her phone to see if time actually passed that quick.


    "Ah, then the other nurse must have given you the other infusion treatment first. These treatments don''t need to go in order, so we just have to make sure that it is the correct prescription for the patients before providing the treatment." Kitty fastened her movements and made it look like she was a professional even though she was an amateur at this.


    After inserting the needle into Susu''s arm, Kitty excused herself and walked out. The girls continued having their conversations after she had left the room. Twenty minutes after the infusion drips, Susu started to squint as her free hand reached for her right arm.


    "What''s wrong?" Lily noticed her odd behavior.


    "S..something isn''t right. It hurts and itches." Ariana held onto Susu''s left hand to prevent her from scratching or pulling the needle out.


    "Don''t rub." Lily and Ariana took out their phones and called the guys to inform them about her condition and pushed the emergency button. While they were on the phone, Ariana noticed Kitty peeking from outside and shouted, "Hey! What are you looking at?! Aren''t you that nurse who gave her the infusion?!!" Every nurse looked the same with similar uniforms, but only Kitty had pointed stud earrings. Ariana recognized her on the spot and was prepared to drag her into the room for an explanation.


    Meanwhile, Kitty knew that she had been recognized and couldn''t stay or else her cover will be blown away. Therefore, when Ariana shouted at her direction, she started to run off. Ariana urgently told Lily to stay with Susu as she stormed out of the room to chase after Kitty.

 Chapter 111 - For Every Hour That Passes, I Break One Bone 1

    (Let''s rewind a little bit to right before the girl''s call for help)


    Chen Nan, Chen Mu and Lin Que were reviewing Susu''s chemotherapy results from the past year. Her body examinations showed positive signs of her cancer being under controlled after taking Chen Mu''s medicine. Observing how well her body absorbed the medicine, she should be able to last until a matching donor appears or buy enough time for Chen Mu to figure out a cure for her condition.


    Chen Mu held his most recent production in his hand and smiled proudly, "I''ll definitely save her." Seeing his wide smile, Chen Nan wrapped his arm around Chen Mu and said, "Don''t worry, with her flying rainbow results this time, it''ll definitely work out at the end."


    "He''s right. Everything looks very good, and her cancer cells decreased too." Lin Que and Chen Nan complimented Chen Mu''s efforts and patience in producing effective medicine for her. Just as they were discussing further about the next steps to take for Susu''s treatments, their phones rang.


    Immediately upon accepting the calls, they heard alarming screams for help. The situation did not sound good over the call and the guys rushed out of the lab to Susu''s room. From the end of the hall, the guys witnessed Ariana shouting, pointing and chasing after a nurse. Chen Nan quickly said, "I''ll chase after my wife. You two go check on Susu first."


    Lin Que replied, "Run back to the other end of the hall and you might catch whoever your wife is trying to capture because the hospital is in a square shape. All the stairways and elevators are locked right now for sanitizing purposes. You''ll be able to catch up to her quicker."


    "Got it." Chen Nan patted Chen Mu''s back before heading the opposite direction; hoping to assist Ariana in capturing that nurse. He took out his phone as he ran down the hall and called Zi Yan to inform her about Susu''s condition. Since it was unclear about how bad the situation was, he panted out of breath and chokingly said, "Susu.. emergency. Lin Hospital. Now." He kept it short and on point, but his words were enough to trigger a heart attack if it was Professor Luo Xia who picked up.


    ( Back to Chen Mu and Lin Que )


    Chen Mu''s hand gripped the new medicine container tightly in his palms as he reached Susu''s room. His heart was racing abnormally fast as if someone had hammered and pounded on his chest heavily. The smell of antiseptics had never clogged up his nostrils as strongly as it did now. His legs were numb, but it continued moving until he saw Susu gasping for air through her mouth. The medicine container dropped from his hand as he rushed to her side.


    Lily was trembling by her side; broken down in tears. Chen Mu shouted, "Get the ventilator!!! She can''t breathe!!" Lin Que ran out, demanded for assistance and alerted two professional nurses as a standby. The nurses reacted fast and pushed trays of necessary tools into the room.


    Chen Mu continued talking to Susu to make sure she understood and does what he instructs, "Listen to me. It''ll be okay. Everything will be fine. Follow what I say." She nodded and caught on with his instructions. Soon, her breathing became more constant with the help of a ventilator.


    Although Lily was trembling vigorously under immense pressure in the room, she explained what had happened to them during the time that the guys were gone from the room. Lin Que rubbed his temples, "She wasn''t supposed to get another infusion until at least half an hour from now. I had already told the nurse to change it in an hour five times before I went into the lab! How''s her condition?"


    "It''s an allergy reaction. Lin Que, check the drips and see what type of drugs was injected. We need to figure out which drug it is and clear it from her system. How long has this infusion been going on?" Chen Mu extracted everything that was attached to Susu''s arm. Redness, rashes and blisters were starting to form on areas of her arm.


    "A little over twenty minutes." Lily checked her watch and crumbled the pages of the magazine that was on the table. She blamed herself for not asking more questions and being more attentive to details. Perhaps symptoms had already shown since the beginning, but they were too concentrated on their conversations that they took Susu''s behaviors lightly.


    Lin Que and one of the nurses walked out to check the trays and realized that no drugs were missing from Susu''s treatment. The first drug was the only one missing. He triple-checked every bottle to make sure that the containers belonged to Susu and the titles of the medicine corresponded with his original commands.


    "F.u.c.k." He ran back into the room and took the remaining portion of the drug to the lab. As he entered and exited the room like a winter''s breeze, he said, "nothing was missing from the trays." Chen Mu''s eyes widened with his hands slowly closing into a tight fist. He double checked Susu''s body to make sure she wasn''t suffering from more symptoms that wasn''t visually detectable.


    "Susu, I will press on different areas of your body. Move your hand or even a finger is fine if it hurts, okay?" She lifted her index finger, and he relaxed a little, "Good girl. I''m going to begin now." She lifted her finger once again. When his fingers pressed on her chest gently, she listed her finger and squinted.


    "Does it hurt because I''m pressing on it? If yes, lift one finger. If no, two fingers." She lifted two fingers up with her palms against her chest. As anxious and nervous as he was, he needed to be maintain his composure because only calmness could help him find a solution for her.


    "Did it hurt when your breathing difficulties started to occur?" She lifted one finger up, and he nodded, "okay. Okay. It''ll be alright. I''ll figure it out." Since Lin Que was in the lab, all Chen Mu could do was wait and check on Susu every few minutes to make sure no new symptoms arise. He could see sweat beads form on her forehead. All he and Lily could do is wait and stay by her side.


    Chen Mu asked Lily to repeat everything that had happened in the room after they had stepped out to the lab. He listened attentively to make sure he didn''t misheard anything. When they were finished, they realized that something was wrong with Susu. Her eyes were slowly closing and no matter how they called her name, she wasn''t responding. The good news was that her vital signs were normal for the time being.

 Chapter 112 - For Every Hour That Passes, I Break One Bone 2

    It''s been a while since Ariana had been chasing after Kitty. Just like a cat, Kitty snuck and hid in different rooms using the benefits of crowded hallways and similar nurse uniforms. Even though Kitty thought that she was smart, Ariana was even more intelligent.


    Ariana had experience of chasing after people like her, so she already attached a tracking device on Kitty without her noticing. The tracker was stuck to her back, so wherever she hid, Ariana would be able to find her almost immediately.


    Since Kitty had worked at the hospital for quite some time now, she knew perfectly well where tools were located. Purposely, she took needles, syringes, vaccines and anything related to other patients as she passed by the hallway to attack Ariana who was catching up to her.


    Ariana skillfully dodged the items, collected everything that was thrown towards her and stuffed it inside her pockets. As Kitty rushed through crowds of nurses, the rubber band that held her messy bun together loosened its grip and released her long hair.


    "Perfect chance!" Ariana smiled. She stretched her arms out and jumped onto Kitty''s back while tugging her hair from behind. "You want to play chase the f.u.c.k.i.n.g cat game? I''ll show you the prize for catching your f.u.c.k.i.n.g ass! Did you enjoy throwing all those tools? Well, say goodbye to your pretty hair and what you have now before I use every tool you threw at me on you! You also better pray for my friend to be alright because if anything happens to her, a hell hole awaits for you."


    Chen Nan came right in time to help Ariana put Kitty in a headlock. He stepped forward with his suffocating grip around Kitty''s wrist. "Let''s go," he said after making sure that Ariana wasn''t hurt.


    She smirked, "I have an even more exciting way of teaching her the lesson for messing with my friends. I''ll show her a nice, long route to the everlasting hell that exists on earth." With one hand, she grabbed Kitty''s long, thin hair similar to how owners pull on dog leashes when their dog misbehaves during its walk and dragged her across the hall. Chen Nan followed closely from behind to make sure Kitty had no rooms to escape.


    In the middle of walking, Kitty tried to slip away from Ariana''s hands, but failed miserably as she ended up tripping and falling on her small ass. Ariana glared at her disobedient action and decided to help the cleaners wipe the floor by making Kitty into a human mop.


    Before Kitty could get up and balance herself, Ariana began tugging her hair and walking hurriedly to Susu''s room. Everyone watched as Kitty screamed and hugged her scalp using her hands while her body slid down the hallway. Nurses were impressed by Ariana''s strength as she made it look so easy to drag an a.d.u.l.t''s body by their hair without stopping once to rest.


    Those who wanted to help couldn''t because Chen Nan revealed the Zi family''s badge as they walked around the hospital. Zi family''s badge was widely known for top missions and even if government officials were present, they would have to step aside. Finally, they reached Susu''s room.


    Before entering the room, Ariana violently ripped off a third of Kitty''s hair out of her scalp as punishment for trying to escape earlier. "Now, get your stretched ass pucker face in there. You aren''t getting away with what you did, and whoever is behind this will be tumbling down the sewers with you."


    Ariana threw Kitty across Susu''s room and followed up with Susu''s present condition. After hearing and seeing Susu''s unconscious body laying on the bed, she took out a scalpel knife and slashed deeply across Kitty''s left cheek. Afraid that her screams and disgusting voice would interrupt Susu''s rest, Chen Mu reminded Ariana, "do whatever the heck you want with her, but don''t kill her. Also, cover her mouth. She''s disturbing Susu."


    "Thanks for the reminder," Ariana wore a clean pair of gloves, took out a dirty cloth filled with pus that Kitty had previously thrown at her and stuffed it in her mouth to prevent her from screaming.


    She pulled off Kitty''s name tag, "Kitty, huh? Your parents must regret giving birth to a sneaky butthole like you. People say, a parent''s worst fear is giving their children the wrong name. This phrase fits perfectly on your ugly nacho nose. Cat." The name tag was used as a slapping tool against Kitty''s bloody face.


    "Listen to me carefully, for every hour that passes that Susu remains like this, I will break every tiny, little bone in your body. There are approximately 206 bones in an a.d.u.l.t''s body, and I will start with your smallest bone. If she dies, you will not die easily. I won''t give you a quick death. Even if Susu survives, you''re not getting away from any of us." Chen Mu''s chilling tone was similar to the touch of a sharp cold blade''s tip against the back of one''s neck, making every strand of hair on her body stand up uncomfortably.


    Ariana turned around and looked up at the ceiling to control the mist layer in her eyes. She gathered herself together and tied Kitty''s limbs up before going out of the room. Flashbacks appeared in her mind and hot tears rushed out of her eyes. Chen Nan comforted her in his arms while whispering, "It''s okay.. Shhh. Shh. With us here, she will be fine."


    "No. It''s not fine. Once again, I failed to protect someone close to me. Even though we''ve met not too long ago, I''ve decided to treat her like my own sister. I was right there, yet I didn''t find anything wrong with that infusion. Susu even mentioned the timing being off, but we trusted that bitch! What should I do? What if she never wakes up?"Tears streamed heavily down her cheeks as she blamed herself for what had happened.


    Hearing Ariana''s words, fear crept into the heavy souls of the elder man and middle aged woman who just arrived. "What''s wrong with her? Is it Susu? What happened? Why are you crying?!" Zi Yan grabbed Ariana''s shoulder and turned her around. She didn''t even have a second to settle her breath as she shook Ariana for an explanation.


    Zi Yan''s arms trembled along with the rest of her body. She stuttered as she failed to get a response out of Ariana. Chen Nan tried to take his wife away from her, "We tried our best already." He didn''t know what else to say at the moment, except for the fact that they''ve looked after Susu using their best efforts.


    Preparing for the worst, Professor Luo Xia held back his tears and asked, "Can we see her?"


    "No! It can''t be true! It can''t be. I haven''t even met her yet. I didn''t even have a chance to talk to her, hug her, eat with her and do everything a mother should have done for her daughter! Didn''t you guys mention about matching donors?! I''m a donor. I''ll give you any of my organs. I''m healthy. I''m her mother! I''m her mother! I''m the one who gave birth to her, not Zi Lan! Test me. Take whatever you need to save her! Please!"


    Professor Luo Xia hugged Zi Yan tightly as he let go of his last bit of self control and released the waves of tears that he was holding back. He whispered, "it''s grandpa''s fault. Grandpa wasn''t able to protect you, my dear. And now, I don''t even have the chance..." The two of them sobbed hysterically; catching Chen Mu''s attention from inside the room.


    He walked out and helped them up, "Professor Luo Xia, you''re Susu''s grandfather? And you...you said that you''re Susu''s mother?"


    They nodded and wiped their tears away with tissues that Chen Mu provided. "Susu''s still alive, but her condition is not too well. She fell unconscious, so it''s best for you two to visit her quietly. She shouldn''t go through any emotional moments for now. It''s not my place to ask any questions right now, but I''m sure she would love to hear your stories whenever she wakes up."


    "Thank you. Thank you so much." Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia gave Chen Mu a tight hand squeeze before entering Susu''s room quietly. Chen Mu didn''t question the credibility of their words as he remembered Susu''s mother''s face from her photo album. If what they said just now were all true, then everything would make more sense than before.


    Since there were more than enough people to stay with her and Chen Nan was in the room to monitor Susu''s condition, Chen Mu could finally join Lin Que at the lab to quicken the process of identifying the infusion from earlier.


    Inside the room, Lily wasn''t sure how she should react after hearing about their identities. She greeted them politely and apologized for what had happened. Zi Yan comforted her as she observed Susu''s condition, "we don''t blame you. It''s the cancer that''s killing her."


    "No, it isn''t. That bitch in the back of the room did this to her by giving Susu some unknown drug in the middle of her chemotherapy treatment." Lily explained to them about what had happened while Kitty shivered in fear. She shook her head and tried to explain herself, but a ribbon was tied from her mouth to the back of her head to prevent the cloth from being spat out.


    The room dropped in temperature as Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan''s desire for a bloody avenge heightened. Their bodies turned around and eyes glared murderously at Kitty.


    "Dad, leave this f.u.c.ktard to me. How dare she do this to my Susu?" She stood up from her seat and slowly approached Kitty. Professor Luo Xia stopped her, "not now. Susu''s condition isn''t clear yet. There must be someone behind this, but we can''t act recklessly at this time. Let''s wait for Susu to get better before dealing with her."


    Zi Yan went back to her seat and rubbed Susu''s hand."You''re right. My daughter is the most important right now. Even though my egg wasn''t the one that created you, I still love you more than myself. Carrying you for nine months was the best thing that has ever happened to me. You''re my most precious treasure. Sweetheart, your mom is back. I came back very late. I''m so sorry. Mom has so..so much to tell you. So please, give me a chance to make it up to you. I am willing to trade anything including my own life to save yours."

 Chapter 113 - Its Only a Matter of Time

    Lily and Ariana sat on the couch in Susu''s room with their feet stomped on Kitty''s back to keep her disfigured cheek lay flat against the cold floor. Kitty''s nose and neck was sore to the point where it hurts to move at the slightest angle. In the middle of waiting for Chen Mu and Lin Que to come back, somebody''s phone vibrated multiple times.


    "Whose phone is that? Can you please pick up the call, message or whatever outside? It''s distracting us." Zi Yan spoke in a soft voice while wiping Susu''s forehead with a wet cloth. Professor Luo Xia remained silent, but the frown on his face was evident.


    Lily, Ariana and Chen Nan shook their heads, "the vibration isn''t from any of our phones." Another vibration occurred, and Lily followed the sounds to Kitty''s back pocket.


    "Nevermind. I know where it''s coming from. Let me turn it off." Lily got up from her seat, bent down and took Kitty''s phone. She flipped the phone around, squinted at the caller ID on the screen and said, "guys, I think I found Mama Cat behind this cat''s chase. Look."


    "Karen? As in...Karen.. Yin? Susu''s stepsister?" Professor Luo Xia asked in a questioning tone.


    "Let''s confirm it," Lily accepted the call and muted it the second the call connected.


    Karen shouted loud into the phone, "Finally picking up the damn call?! Did you do as I instruct? Huh? Say something? Why so quiet? Did you give the medicine to Susu yet?! Hello?? Are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g deaf??"


    Lily cut off the call and bent down once again, "So, Kitty cat, did you have fun teaming up with Karen Yin against my Susu? Answer my question!" She lifted Kitty''s face and met her tired eyes.


    "She blackmailed me. I had to do it. I didn''t want to. I''m also a victim." Kitty bit down on her lips and crossed her fingers for everyone in the room to understand her situation.


    "You said that you''re a victim? Did she point a gun to your head or did she hold your hands to change the drugs for Susu''s chemotherapy treatment? Hmm?" Ariana pressed her entire weight on Kitty''s ankle using her foot as she failed to suppress her anger.


    "Ahhh!! My ankle!! You''re breaking it!! It hurts!! Stop it!" Kitty screamed in agony as tears mixed with her blood and lightened its color on her pale skin.


    "Pain? Then what about our Susu''s pain? Did you think meals come with free fruits? You did something like this, so you should have expected a price. Handing you to the police is too unsatisfying, so I''ll help send you to hell instead." Lily rolled up her sleeves and prepared for a nice round of skinning a bitchy face using a mini blade.


    "Stop for a second," Chen Mu walked in with a gloomy expression as he walked towards Kitty. Ariana lifted her foot and Kitty sighed in relief that at least one person understood her situation. When he bent down and reached for her wrist, she thought that he came over to help her. She was about to thank him, but was interrupted by the immense pain in her wrist.


    She shrieked in pain as he calmly stared down at her, "I told you that I would break your bones one by one for every hour that Susu remains like this. I started with your right wrist. Did that hurt? Too bad. You are screaming in pain and calling out for mercy, but when have you ever given Susu mercy when you gave her an unknown drug? She couldn''t even scream out her pain, so you have no right to do so. You only thought of yourself and nothing about others well being. You''re nothing but a selfish bitch."


    He wiped his hands with sanitizing wipes and stood up, "You''re lucky that I didn''t use a hammer or other tools to smash your bones into fragments. You may have suffered a small broken bone from your body that could be fixed, but Susu will suffer in the long term if we don''t find out the drug''s name. I''ll give you one chance to redeem yourself. Give me the name of the drug."


    Kitty cried, "I don''t know anything! I just got the drug from Karen, and she told me that Susu wouldn''t die! She told me those were vitamins to make Susu overdose or something. I never thought that it would get this bad! I never-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Chen Mu broke a small bone in her left wrist. His hands were trembling from anger as he thought of how clueless this nurse could be. He cursed at her continuously, "how are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g qualified to be a nurse in the first place? You didn''t know what? Excuses and all these bullshit. Even a kid would know the importance of medical treatments especially one for cancer patients! You injected an unknown drug thinking its just vitamins when it could''ve been poison!"


    Chen Nan held onto Chen Mu as he witnessed Chen Mu going out of control. "Chen Mu! Stay calm. Only we can save her now. How much longer do you think we need to wait?" Chen Nan blocked his way and purposely brought up Susu''s condition as a reason for him to stay calm.


    "A few hours." Chen Mu took deep breaths with his arms on his h.i.p.s. He looked like he had aged ten years after staying an hour in the lab. After taking a quick look at Susu, Chen Mu decided to go back to the lab so he wouldn''t end up murdering somebody and staining the walls of the hospital room.


    Before he walked out, he had turned around and said to Kitty, "just letting you know. Susu had always been a fighter. Even when she knew she was diagnosed with an incurable disease, she cared for everyone around her."


    "When you made that stupid decision instead of looking for professional or logical help, you''ve taken away someone''s hope to recover along with many people''s hearts. She was doing extremely well. After today''s treatment, she could have lived at least a few years and wait for a cure or donor. And now..."


    His eyes wandered and reddened as it landed on Susu, "now, everything might change for the worst. So before you ask for forgiveness or even dare complain about the pain that you are receiving, look at the innocent person whom you''ve ruined. I''m a doctor and my job is to help patients recover, but there is a type of illness that I can never treat; stupidity."


    "While I''m talking about this, let me give you a heads up. She was my sunshine for however long I''ve been in love with her. When someone takes away the sun, what remains is darkness. You could have done anything to prevent this from happening such as asking for assistance, yet you chose the worst method to deal with Karen''s blackmail. So, suck up your responsibility."


    Kitty wailed and shouted, "It''s unfair! I was the victim who got blackmailed. Why wouldn''t anyone try to understand me? Why are you all ganging up against me when it is Karen who was behind all of this?"


    Lily didn''t want another word from her and stuffed Kitty''s slippers into her mouth, "shut the f.u.c.k up before I stuff my heels up your nostrils and stir your brain into juice. Victim, my ass. Maybe if you were honest to the police or us before you did harm to Susu, then you would be considered as a victim. Right now, you''re just as vicious as Karen. Look over there."


    Ariana angled Kitty''s face towards Susu''s bed with her sneakers as Lily continued, "she was laughing, smiling and talking with us about the future a little over three hours ago. She is the most wonderful girl I''ve ever known and because of her, her boyfriend dedicated his time to being a doctor just to cure her. Just when they were so close to the finish line, you came in and wrecked it. Now, we can''t even see a finish line. Do you really have the right to call yourself a victim?"


    Ariana really wished she could crush Kitty to minced meat, but now was not the right time. "Because of your selfishness and closed-minded peac.o.c.k brain, you''ve put someone''s life in jeopardy. Not just hers, but everyone else who cares and loves her dearly. Even though you were blackmailed, you had so many opportunities and methods to escape Karen''s wrath. You chose the dumbest path, so you pay for it."


    Seeing only guilt on Kitty''s face, Chen Nan decided to pour oil to the flames and ignite the fear within her soul. He said, "you''re lucky that there is still a lab report waiting for Chen Mu. If it weren''t for me, you would have gotten at least five broken bones by now. Chen Mu and Susu came a long way, and their story is too long to even tell. But one thing I am 1000% sure about is that he would never allow anyone who dared lay a strand of Susu''s hair to get out of his sight, alive."


    "Oh, and by death, I was referring to long, torturous methods. Such as breaking every single bone in your body and leaving the most important ones last so you will feel every bit of pain you deserve. Since he is a doctor, he could always break your bone or dislocate something and then fix it just to break it again. Perhaps, you will end up 90% dead and still live for another few years before actually dying."


    Chen Nan checked Susu''s vital signs once again after scaring Kitty the way he planned to. Kitty kept mumbling repeatedly, "I don''t want to die. I don''t want to.. it''s not my fault. It''s Karen. Karen, that bitch. I''ll kill you if I get the chance."

 Chapter 114 - Its a Matter of Time 2

    It''s been an hour and a half since Chen Mu had last step foot into Susu''s room. Currently, everyone was dead quiet while looking after Susu. Whenever the machines beeped, they would stand up and focus on her to make sure she was alright. There were many false alarms that occurred, but never once did anyone take it lightly.


    Beep Beep


    Once again, the machine released the weird chiming sound that scared the crap out of everyone in the room. As their eyes followed the pattern of her heart rate to her unconscious body, they noticed a slight movement from her fingers. Zi Yan was the first to detect this movement since she was holding onto her hand.


    "Susu? Susu?" She called and leaned forward with a hopeful smile. Chen Nan heard the anticipation in her voice and made everyone spread out to give Susu space. When he saw her eyes rolling behind her eyelids and her eyelashes fluttering slowly, he shouted, "call them and tell them to come. She''s waking up!"


    Quickly, Lily and Ariana dialed their phones to reach the guys who were finishing up with the lab. Chen Nan started chanting Susu''s name and took out his medical pen flashlight to give her some basic body checks. When her eyelids lifted up, it took her multiple blinks to adapt to the room lightings. Everyone could finally breathe and settle the heavy weights on their chest.


    At the same time, Chen Mu raced out of the lab and rushed to see Susu when he heard from Ariana that she was awake. Lin Que decided to stay in the lab to wait for the drug results. Normally, the results don''t take that long, but this drug was more complicated than they thought. The drug consists of many substances that shouldn''t be combined together, and many of these mixtures would cause serious threats to a patient''s life.


    In order to ensure the accuracy of the drug results, they''ve spent the past hours conducting different experiments with what they have access to. When Ariana called his phone, Chen Mu had finished reviewing the results of a few identification reports that did not look optimistic. The moment he heard that Susu was awake, he felt so relieved that his eyes turned instantly red.


    He kept pulling and pushing the door to get out of the lab. Lin Que sighed and reminded him, "Chen Mu, password."


    "Oh.. right! P..password!" Since this was one of the specialized labs that not many people could gain access to, the doors required passwords to enter and exit the lab. Chen Mu wiped away his tears as he felt his lively heart beating again. The stabbing pain in his chest slowly faded as his legs brought him closer to Susu.


    He entered the room and met his girl''s gaze. Finally, he felt that his world was filled with light again. He smiled and joined Chen Nan in performing body examinations on her. Everyone else had to leave the room as they checked her condition.


    After going through some basics, Chen Mu closed his eyes and placed his forehead onto hers, "thank goodness you''re awake. Thank goodness, you''re alright now. I was so scared to lose you for these few hours. I love you so much."


    Although she felt like she only took a short nap, she knew that she had a ventilator to keep her breathing steady. She observed his worried expression and the small traces of tears on his eyelashes.


    Chen Nan patted Chen Mu''s back, "let''s get her off the ventilator. She''s steady now, and we should check to make sure she is alright with other follow up exams."


    Chen Mu nodded and kissed her forehead, "everything will be okay. I promise."


    She nodded and obediently laid in bed while the guys did what they needed to do for her. They carefully removed the ventilator and made sure she could breathe regularly on her own before putting it away.


    "Susu, are you doing alright without the ventilator?" Chen Mu asked to triple check even though it was obvious that she was doing fine without the machine. She nodded.


    "Is there anywhere that feels bad? Pain? Numb?" he asked.


    Her left hand pointed to her throat and then the water filled pitcher. "You want water?" Chen Mu grabbed a clean cup and rinsed it before pouring her a warm cup of water. Chen Nan adjusted her bed to make it more comfortable for her to drink water without choking.


    As she chugged down the water, Chen Mu brought the pitcher over to refill the cup for her. Her throat was very dry, and she felt like she hadn''t had any fluids or food for days. Finally, she stopped holding out the empty cup for water after the finishing her fifth round. She coughed a little while Chen Mu soothed her back for her.


    Chen Nan waited for her to take a few deep breaths before asking, "other than feeling thirsty, are there any other discomforts?"


    "My right arm...is numb. I can''t move it." Her voice was lower than usual and sounded fragile as if one winter breeze could cut her voice off.


    "Here, let me see." Chen Mu took her pulse and pressed on different acupuncture points to see if there were any blood flow irregularities going on in her body. He asked her to try lifting her arm and moving her fingers, but her body wasn''t responding to her commands.


    He took out a push pin and said, "sweetie, I want you to look at Chen Nan and tell me what you feel when I ask you okay? Either tell me, flat or sharp. Can you do that for me? It''ll feel something like this." He reached for her left had and poked her skin slightly using the pin in his hand.


    Immediately, he noticed that the nerves on her left hand were fine compared to her right arm. "Okay." She said as she looked towards the other side of the room where Chen Nan waved his fingers in the air at her.


    Chen Mu took a deep breath and placed the flat size of the pin against her hand, "what do you feel now?"


    "Nothing." She said.


    He tightened his grip and gently poked her using the sharp tip, "now?"


    "Nothing.." she started getting worried as her voice stuttered.


    He repeated this test a few times on different areas of her arm to make sure it wasn''t a mistake. After he had finished, she turned her head to look at him, "what''s wrong with my right arm?" she nervously bit on her lower lip as she reached for his sleeves using her left hand. He said, "It''s alright. We''ll do more tests on you. Maybe you just woke up, and you''ll get your senses back soon. Okay? Baby, it''s alright."


    He hugged her close and rubbed her head while whispering comfort words that wouldn''t even be convincing to him if someone said it. A part of him was burning inside when he thought of the possibility of her arm staying numb like this. She grew tired of physical exams and her energy drained within half an hour of staying awake.


    Soon, she closed her eyes to rest, and they exited the room to discuss about her condition. Everyone surrounded her when they stepped out. Chen Mu sighed, "that unknown drug that Lin Que and I are trying to figure out may have damaged her nerves when she had the allergy reaction earlier. If that''s the case, there is a chance that her arm may never function the way it did before. I''m going to head back to the lab and identify the damn drug to see what I could do."


    It took a while for everyone to digest his words, but at least for now, she is considered in a stable condition. Chen Mu took a few steps forward to head towards the lab when the doors swung opened and Lin Que rushed out anxiously. "Chen Mu, I need you in the lab now. It''s worse than we assumed."

 Chapter 115 - Its Only a Matter of Time 3

    Chen Nan stepped up and gave Chen Mu a shove from behind, "we''ll keep an eye on her while you''re in there. Go." As his legs went forward a few steps, he found strength to follow Lin Que back to the laboratory where a stack of drug identification reports were waiting for him to review. He could feel the stares of Susu''s loved ones as his heavy steps made its way into the labs.


    Lin Que stopped in front of the lab room, clenched onto his lab coat before reaching out to Chen Mu''s shoulders. He sighed, "before we head in there, and discuss about the drug that was injected into her body, I need you to prepare yourself. Alright?"


    "I''m fine. Let''s go in. I''ll beat the drug with my medicine and make sure her condition maintains stabilized." Noticing the tensed grip of his fists, Lin Que squeezed his shoulders to help him relax.


    "Listen to me. Maybe the medicine that you''ve studied and all the herb mixtures brought you closer to curing her cancer, but this time it is different. You need to acknowledge that there are otherwise in medical treatments, especially when you are dealing with complicated substances. I know it is difficult for you to process this because of how much she means to you, but at this time, you need to prepare yourself for the worst or you won''t be able to live through it."


    Lin Que had seen Chen Mu''s talents and capabilities in researching cures for Susu. Never had he ever thought that he would be saying these words to Chen Mu because he was a believer. He believed that Chen Mu would be able to cure her, and examinations results were the best proof. Except, this time...


    "Just let me go read the results. This isn''t what I need right now. I just.. I just need to figure out what it is that affected her system to come up with a cure against it. Just like that throat infection and when she was diagnosed with cancer, I fought with her. Nothing would be different this time. Nothing, because I will save her."


    When Chen Mu received the call about Susu regaining consciousness, he nurtured the thought the hope of her recovering. From days, weeks and finally months, they''ve already been through so many hardsh.i.p.s. There was no way he would ever give up on her. As long as she''s breathing, he would do anything to keep her alive.


    Lin Que nodded, entered the password and pointed towards the desk where a thick pile of reports were stacked up waiting for Chen Mu. Following his finger, Chen Mu took the reports and skimmed through it as Lin Que summarized the results for him.


    He folded his hands loosely as he observed Chen Mu''s reaction, "All these reports identified different immunosuppressants drugs, in which, one of them being Tysabri or Natalizumab. This is just one of the many examples of how deadly the interactions between this drug and the Fludarabine that was used on Susu for chemotherapy are. I''ve highlighted the drug names for you."


    Chen Mu didn''t blink his eyes even once on the reports that he was skimming through. Even when his eyes turned red and watery, he continued reviewing each drug carefully; hoping to figure out a loophole somewhere. His hands were shaking when he saw how many of these drugs functioned to wreck Susu''s immune system.


    Lin Que could tell how broken he was at this moment, but there''s no other way around this situation. He opened his mouth to continue his summary, but Chen Mu beat him to it. "I know what you are going to say next. You''re going to say that the injection is already affecting her body because the drips lasted for twenty minutes or even longer. It doesn''t matter whether we win over the cancer because even if this harmful drug doesn''t kill her from wrecking her brain, it would lower her body''s immune system to the lowest point."


    His rasped voice choked as he chewed on his gums a few times. "Eventually, her body would shut down, and we have no way of cleansing this drug out of her system. The allergy attack saved her life and will let her live for god knows how many more days? Months? I can''t even say years because I don''t know when an infection or a cold could cause her death. Infections and common diseases could easily be fatal to her."


    Lin Que stood by his side as Chen Mu shed tears and threw fists at his own chest. "She''s a designer and she already lost the ability to design clothes. And now I have to tell her this?"


    He sniffed and pointed at his heart, "I feel like someone just gave me everything that I have ever asked for in my life. Like I have finally accomplished something that is worth my lifetime and then ..everything made the wrong turn on me. Everything shattered right in front of me."


    "Chen Mu, I know it''s hard for you right now, but she also needs your strength. Like I''ve already said to you that you need to be able to face reality and accept it or else however the amount of time that you two have left with each other would only make you suffocate."


    Chen Mu looked at the reports that he left scattered on the floor and let out a scoff. "I''ll get my shit together. I''ll definitely continue making medicine for her cancer. If one cup of herb tea isn''t enough to get rid of a stupid cold, then I''ll make a pot of herb soup for her. If that doesn''t work then, I will figure ways out. I won''t give up hope."


    "As a doctor, you should already know that from a medical point of view..."


    Chen Mu gathered the reports from the floor, stood up and shoved the papers to Lin Que. He wiped away his tears and slapped his sorrow away, "don''t mention anything from a medical point of view. What are doctors for if they give up before even trying. Even if those papers tell me negative results, I wont give up on her. I''ll fight with her till the very end. Papers are dead, but living is hope."


    "But she.." Lin Que tried to say something, but Chen Mu didn''t give him a chance to say it.


    "She''s still breathing, isn''t she? Being alive is already a miracle. I''ve been at the lowest point, and being helpless is not my solution. How did you think I came up with all these pills for Susu? Did you think that it was an overnight thing? No. I failed, slapped myself awake from disappointment and tried again. No matter how unsightly the situation is, I will still try with the smallest glimpse of hope that I have."


    "She''s human and a fighter. I''m done with these tears and spitting out how wrecked I am because I know that my girl needs me right now. Even if it''s only a matter of time before some infection gets to her, as long as she''s here, I''ll get my shit together. She needs me to be there for her and only the energetic me could give her courage to fight whatever there is that is coming for her. Thanks for your advice and I understood the things that you''ve said to me, but let me ask you something."


    Lin Que stuffed his hands in his lab coat, "Go on."


    "God forbid, but if the same thing that happened today with Susu occurred on Lily, would you give up on her so easily without even trying?" Chen Mu pointed at the stack of reports that Lin Que had placed on the desk.


    "Never." He answered without any hesitation.


    "And that is exactly how I''m feeling right now. I finished venting out my anger and sadness, so it is time to do more research. Also, even if that situation were to ever happen, and you end up in your lowest point, I would give you a beating and lecture like what Lily did to me when I found out about Susu''s cancer." Chen Mu reached for the knob.


    "Chen Mu, let me know if you need anything. I''ll provide everything you need as long as you name it. I believe that she will get better under our strict watch. I''ll stand by your side and so will everyone else. You''re not alone. If you ever need to release your negative emotions or just talk it out, I''ll be here."


    Lin Que gently fistbumped his chest, and Chen Mu did the same from a distance. This time, he remembered to enter the passcode to exit the lab. Lin Que quickly followed from behind, "two mouths is better than one sometimes. Let''s tell them together."

 Chapter 116 - I Trust Him

    Chen Mu did a countdown in his head as he passed by the labs and patient rooms. Nurses walked hurriedly up and down the hall with charts in their hands to attend to other patients. Out of all the times that he''s spent his days visiting the labs, never had he ever realized how fast people moved. It was as if time was passing by way too quick.


    When they reached Susu''s room, Chen Mu stopped and stood by the door. Through the rectangular window on the door, he could see how worried everyone seemed. He halted, and his legs tried to escape a few steps backwards.


    Lin Que held his shoulders and whispered, "the only thing I can do for you is push you forward. You need to tell them sooner or later. Her condition can''t wait much longer."


    "I know. just..give me a moment." With his hands on his h.i.p.s, he lowered his head and took several deep breaths before gathering his courage to push open the door to Susu''s room. Everyone inside the room could tell that it wasn''t good news from the looks on his face. They patiently waited for them to tell them about Susu''s condition.


    Once Chen Mu had finished speaking to the crowd outside Susu''s room, everyone looked gravely pale. "How could this be?" Lily mumbled several times while Ariana spat out curses at Kitty. After a few minutes, Lily, Ariana and Chen Nan went back to look after Susu. Meanwhile, Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan spaced out in the waiting area, slowly processing what they''ve just heard.


    Chen Mu spoke with them privately and answered every inquiry that they have about Susu''s condition. After covering the basics and telling them what they should be cautious about when they visit Susu, Chen Mu stood up to return to Susu''s room.


    "Hold on." Zi Yan stopped him.


    "Yes?" he turned around to meet her worried expression.


    "She...is she in good shape to hear us out? As a mother, I never took care of her, but I really want to make up for it. I really want to tell her what happened." She didn''t dare raise her head when speaking about Susu. She felt ashamed of herself and guilty for abandoning Susu like that.


    He sighed, "actually, I''m glad you asked me because we still need to run some exams on her when she wakes up. I wouldn''t recommend telling her anything that would make her feel emotionally conflicted for the time being. "


    "But we don''t even know how much time she has left! What if she doesn''t even get to know that she has a mother, and grandfather before her health deteriorates?" She bit her lips roughly and peeled off a piece of dry skin from it.


    "I understand your frustration and eagerness in wanting to tell her the truth, but you also need to think of how she would react after hearing it. Yes, her health is in jeopardy right now. Maybe you are rushing because you think she might not have enough time to spend it with you as a family. But at the end of the day, she''s just a regular human who is trying to survive."


    Zi Lan chewed on her lips as she listened to him. Professor Luo Xia placed his hands over hers to make sure she doesn''t act recklessly as Chen Mu continued speaking.


    "She still doesn''t know about her health and as much as I wish that I could lie about it, I can''t. She is a very strong woman, but that''s just how she packages herself. Do you think she would cry about her deteriorating health in front of others? Or accept you immediately with an open hug? No. Everything will only crush her bit by bit on the inside."


    Zi Lan scoffed after hearing up to this point, "Hah, so you mean that I should keep everything to myself and not tell her anything? You think that''s what she would want? Let me tell you that if I''m dying and I am alone, I would wish to have a family to support me during those times!"


    "Then let me ask you this. Why would it matter whether you take care of her as a mother or social worker or anyone at this point? Why would status matter if you only wanted to convey your love to her and take care of her? It may be very important to you, but to her, she probably only wants some peace and quiet for a while. The final decision is on you, but I don''t recommend telling her anything until further notice."


    He stuffed his hands in his lab coat pocket and stood up straghter than before.


    "You! How could you talk to me in such a disrespectful way? I''m her mother!" She raised her voice by a tad.


    "Then as her mother, act like one. You''ve missed most of her life and now, you''re asking to jump right back in when she''s facing possible death? You may not have had the choice back then to consider her feelings when she was a kid, but you definitely can do it right now. Nobody could prepare themselves for death and now you''re basically putting her on another looping rollercoaster."


    Chen Mu wanted to get out of this conversation and go back to check up on Susu quickly, but Zi Yan kept interrupting him.


    "Who are you to say all this, huh? Could you love her more than her own mother? How come you get to choose the decisions for her and keep her to yourself like that? What if she wants this mother? This grandfather? Have you ever thought of that?" Zi Yan stacked up difficult questions to challenge Chen Mu''s patience.


    "I respect you and am here explaining every step of the way to you because of her. I can proudly tell you and swear on my life that out of everyone here, I am the one who cares for her the most. I am the only one who took care of her during her birthdays, holidays, education and many more occasions to list. You can say anything you want and doubt my words to any extent you wish, but you cannot judge my integrity based on your stubborn opinions."


    "Sure, you are her mother, but it doesn''t mean what you do is the best for her. What she needs isn''t a rich heiress status or a castle filled with gold. All she ever needed and wanted was a simple family that nobody gave to her. If there is anything that I can trade in this world for her life and joy, I would do it for her. That''s how much I love and care about her."


    "Once again, the decision is on you whether you want to tell her about your family background. I just hope that you would consider her first and wait a little bit before telling her. How would you feel if the doctor tells you that your life is on the line and then you suddenly find out that you have a mother and grandfather? Would you really be able to process all these news at the same time?"


    Chen Mu took a deep breath and walked away from her. Professor Luo Xia stood up from his chair and said, "I trust him. He''s right that we shouldn''t rush to explain everything to Susu. We might as well deal with those bastards first before telling her to make everything much simpler. She needs time to rest."


    "I agree with you that he is trustworthy. Seems like I can''t find any reason to disapprove him now, can I?" Zi Yan wrapped her arm around Professor Luo Xia and pulled him back to Susu''s room.


    All along, she only wanted to see if Chen Mu was as fierce and caring when it comes to Susu as everyone had described him to be. Now, she can relax and leave her in his hands while dealing with old debts.

 Chapter 117 - When Can We Go Home?

    When Chen Mu entered Susu''s room, he saw that she was awake. Her eyes looked tired and droopy as if she would fall back asleep any moment.


    Her small lips broke into a sweet smile, "Chen Mu." Although her voice was low, his ears caught her words. He smiled, walked over to her bedside and held her slightly cold hand. "Hi sweetie, how was your nap?"


    As usual, he rubbed her hands in his to warm them up. He kissed her forehead to make her feel less overwhelmed with seeing a crowd in her room.


    "Mm... I feel so drained. When can we go home?" Since she woke up a few minutes before Chen Mu walked in, everyone didn''t have the chance to say much to her. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she smelled was the strong scent of disinfectants in the room. Everything felt cold and odd to her that she wanted to get out of the hospital.


    Her question left his lips parted with no sound coming out. He knew that he had to spit out these words eventually, but when the moment came, he couldn''t do it. The words formed an enormous rock in his throat; suffocating him slowly. His eyes gazed gently at her optimistic face, yet his heart ached painfully; trying to squeeze the truth out of his mouth.


    How could he tell her that she wouldn''t be going home anytime soon? How could he look at her and tell her that she would only feel more tired as days go by? He couldn''t, at least not at the moment.


    She looked up and blinked a few times before Lin Que cleared his throat and interrupted their conversation. "Ahhh, Susu. Let''s give you a body check again to make sure everything is fine, alright?"


    Susu frowned at the thought of being wheeled out of the room and taking many examinations that would take up another half a day. Her left hand tugged Chen Mu''s sleeve to get his attention. "Do I have to go?"


    He forced a bitter smile even though he was sure that she could see through his fake curved lips. "It''s best to make sure that everything else is fine with your body. Be good and go with Lin Que. We have to do some scans for your right arm too."


    Even though she disliked the fact that these exams mean needles and super long titled machines that would make her dizzy, she said, "okay. Promise that you''ll be here after I finish?" She lifted her left arm and stuck out her pinky. He felt a whole weight leave his body as he crossed his pinky with hers and stamped their thumbs together.


    Actually, she already noticed that something was off with the heavy atmosphere in the room. Ariana and Lily were way less lively and cheerful compared to their usual selves. When Chen Mu failed to answer her question and faked a smile to hide his sorrow, she confirmed her suspicions. She pretended that everything was alright just to buy some private time with him.


    "Ready, princess?" Lin Que asked with his arms placed on the wheelchair handles.


    "Wait. Hold on a minute." she faced Chen Mu and stretched out her arm to caress his cheeks, "carry me?"


    "Anything you want." He carefully picked her up and hugged her close. Zi Yan noticed that Susu''s arm was in an uncomfortable position, so she reached out to help. Susu avoided Zi Yan''s touch and asked Lily to position her arms instead. Lily nodded and quickly adjusted Susu''s right arm to around Chen Mu''s shoulder while her left arm was already set on his other shoulder.


    Subconsciously, Susu formed a fist using her left hand and only Lily had noticed it. Susu whispered, "thanks, but my friends could help me." Zi Yan could only step back to the side and watch as Chen Mu exited the room with her in his arms.


    Lin Que pushed the wheelchair and followed them from behind just in case Chen Mu gets tired along the way to the examination room. Susu whispered, "I really hate the hospital smell."


    "Mmm.." He replied.


    "I really hate sleeping in a foreign bed where it is always cold and uncomfortable for my back." She continued her complaints.


    "Mm..I know.." He felt that it became more and more difficult to talk as she continued mentioning things that she disliked about his place. If he had a choice, he would bring her back home.


    "I hate the hospital meals and the number of times that nurses have to take my blood." She leaned her cheeks against his warm chest.


    "I know.." The heavy lump that lingered in his throat followed his saliva and gulped down to his stomach. He knew how much she hated the sensation of needles entering her vein and feeling dizzy after treatments.


    "But even though I hate all these things, I...have to stay here. Am I right?"


    He paused his steps and said, "only for a little bit. I promise that I will bring you home." As he moved his left leg forward, she asked, "Chen Mu, you''ve always been honest with me. This time wouldn''t be an exception. Was my-"


    His hands tightened around her body and pulled her closer to his embrace, "shhh, let me carry you to the examination room first, okay?" his voice weakened as she nodded in response. Petrified by the fearful thought of losing her, his mind turned blank as he made his way to the examination room where he placed her on a sanitized chair.


    He didn''t know what he would say to her and how to explain it either. Lin Que gave the couple some time alone and turned around to return the wheelchair after making sure that Chen Mu had enough strength to carry her all the way down the halls.


    On the way to this room, Susu sniffed a few times and closed her eyes to trap her tears from forming. At the end, her tears still floated to the surface of her eyes; irritating it. He bent down when he noticed that her cheeks and nose turned pink, "what''s wrong? Does it hurt somewhere?"


    Closing her eyes, she caressed his cheeks with her functional arm. She felt a tight knot in her chest and a heavy weighing lump in her throat as she opened her eyes once again to meet his stare. She asked, "am I dying?"


    At that moment, time seemed to have stopped for the both of them. The last barrier that held back his tears gave away. His breathing quickened as he took deep breaths and took her cheeks in his hands, "everyone will die eventually, but I won''t let it happen to you anytime soon. I''ll try my hardest and if that doesn''t work, I''ll work even harder. Your body reports came out very well today, but it''s my fault. If I didn''t leave you alone, Karen wouldn''t have been able to have someone switch the drug for your treatment."


    "If herbs don''t work, I''ll come up with a different medicine. I''ll make you better. I''m not ready to give you up yet. I''ll-" His tears flowed out of his eyes and his voice started to stutter. He wanted to remain hopeful and act strong in front of her, but he couldn''t. It hurt so much inside of him as he wiped his tears and covered his mouth using the back of his hand.


    Her tears fell the moment his heart broken voice rung her ears. She forced a smile and wiped away his tears using her finger, "promise me one thing okay? No matter what happens to me, never blame yourself. You''ve already tried your best and given me the best times of my life. I will always want to see your joyful smile. So, just for me. Okay?"


    Her hand continued wiping his tears away as he broke down in front of her. "Okay?" she whispered to him and let her tears escape her eyes. His hands held onto hers as he kissed her palms with his eyes closed. Finally, he nodded and replied, "I promise."


    After several body exams were completed, Susu was carried back to her room where everyone waited with heavy hearts for them to come back. Once they saw the couple entering the room, Lily and Ariana were the first to rush over and give her a tight hug. Chen Mu supported Susu from behind as the girls shed tears on either side of her shoulders.


    Unfortunately, only her left arm was functional to comfort them. Susu''s eyes reddened from the warmth of their hugs, "it''s okay. Everything will be alright. I will be strong and fight everything that comes my way. I love you all so much."


    Chen Nan and Lin Que looked up to the ceiling to control their tears while the girls cried. Of all the hugs that the girls shared, this was one that they would never break or interrupt.

 Chapter 118 - I Know Who You Are...

    The results to her body examinations turned out decent with some good signs that her body was still functioning properly. Chen Mu moved on to the scans for her right arm and discussed with Chen Nan and Lin Que, who were more familiar with damaged nerves. The scans didn''t show anything abnormal in her arms, which was expected since the drug was injected through her veins.


    "This part is a bit weird." Lin Que pointed to the scans where he noticed that other than her right arm, no other parts of her body had been affected. Reviewing and comparing multiple reports at once, they noticed that only her right arm wasn''t performing regularly.


    "Hmmm..you''re right. If we take a look at other scans that we did on her, the rest of the body seems fine. It seems like only from the starting point of where the needle was injected to her fingers aren''t working properly. Maybe the injection affected the upper area on her arm, but that should be the max damage it has caused." Chen Mu examined several reports and stuck it on the board using some magnets.


    Chen Nan rubbed his chin and squinted at the scans, "why does this sound so familiar? I remember this from somewhere..."


    "What do you mean?" Chen Mu and Lin Que''s eyes followed his trail as he reached for the scans with a sense of familiarity on his face.


    "I remember! The second miss had this situation before. She was attacked by an enemy years ago and a lethal drug was injected into one of her arms. I''m not sure which one, but just when we were all having second guesses and preparing for the worst scenario, she asked Ariana to follow her instructions and operate on her!"


    Chen Nan couldn''t give a detailed explanation because he wasn''t present during the operation. All he knew was that Ariana didn''t speak about it to anyone afterwards and could only say that it was a promise with Zi Yan. After that, Zi Yan recovered from the drug as well.


    "If what you''re saying is true, then would this drug be extractable from Susu''s arm? But if this is the case, as her mother, why didn''t she mention it?" Chen Mu couldn''t understand what was happening because from what Zi Yan had said to him earlier, she acted very concerned about her. Then why didn''t she mention anything?


    "We need to ask her in private about this. If we could extract the drug from her body, chances of saving her life will be much higher than our current estimate!" Lin Que dragged them both out of the conference room and rushed to stop Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia from leaving.


    When they reached Susu''s room, they were all out of breath. Lin Que''s arms were so tired that he felt like he did ten years worth of exercise from dragging the other two with his arms. Susu turned her head towards the door, "what happened?"


    Ariana had a fork in one hand while Lily had a knife in hers. Lily was challenged to peel an apple without breaking the skin, but when the guys interrupted the peace in the room, the skin broke. She had a smirk on her face and glared at the door, "This better be good, my three musketeers. I was so close to completing this challenge! How many more apples do I need to sacrifice to get this far, huh?!"


    In the next minute, the apple was sliced to pieces, placed onto a plate and Ariana started to feed Susu. Even though Susu had already said that she could use her left arm, the girls refused to let her move. The adjustable table was brought close to Susu for convenience as Ariana slowly fed her.


    "Where''s Professor Luo Xia and the second miss?" Lin Que coughed from the dry air that was stuck in the back of his mouth. Tears started falling as he caught his breath and calmed himself.


    "Oh. Well...this is what happened while you guys were away." Lily wiped the knife as she updated the guys on what happened in the past half an hour.


    [Rewind to half an hour ago]


    The guys walked out of the room and instructed everyone else to remain on high alert. After they had left, Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia walked up to Susu''s bedside. Before they could say anything, Susu made eye contact with Zi Yan and said, "you''re extremely late."


    "Y..You remember me?" A part of her felt very relieved, yet many knots tightened in her chest as she made an attempt in creating a conversation with Susu.


    "How could I forget you? You gave me hope and disappeared on me. Many many nights... I''ve stared at the same door while being in bed with the same question of whether you would come that night. After a few years, it would be sad if I continued having that wishful thought." Susu let out a mockery laugh at herself.


    "Susu, it''s mother''s fault. I know I shouldn''t have abandoned you that time. I did that to protect you. If I brought you along, you might encounter danger." Zi Yan didn''t know what to say with the sudden confrontation.


    "Protect? Then have you ever thought of taking me with you because I was surrounded by wolves in a den? Have you ever thought of how my life would turn out when you left me unattended in that household?" Susu sounded tired of all the drama in her life and questioned how different her life would''ve been like if she hadn''t stayed in the Zin household for years.


    "I..I figured that it was the best option I had. I planned to meet up with your grandfather and then come back to get you." All the words that Zi Yan prepared to say were washed away by waves in her mind. She only wanted to make it up to Susu right now.


    "And somehow days became weeks, months and now, years. I''m surprised that you remembered that you had a daughter here. Did you have any idea how much I''ve gone through because of the a.d.u.l.ts around me? Have you ever asked me for my opinion before you left after teaching me the rose design? I was a kid, but it doesn''t mean that I don''t feel as much as a.d.u.l.ts do. It still hurts to get abandoned by a loved one."


    Susu looked strictly into her eyes with anger. No matter how many apologies or explanations Zi Yan had on her mind, she was persuaded that it would be useless against Susu''s words. The last thing she would ever want is for their first conversation to end up in an argument. Therefore, she listened to what Susu had to say before responding little by little.


    More importantly, Susu''s condition was their top priority, so no matter how bad the conversation goes, Zi Yan would never stubbornly argue with her. Throughout their conversation, Susu let out many thoughts that she couldn''t say to anyone about her childhood. Some were faded scars on her body and others were incidents that led to her now stoned heart for the Zin''s.


    Professor Luo Xia stood silently as he listened to how Susu''s life had been since young. Every tear that dripped down her face made his heart turn sour and a bitter taste spread to his mouth. It was also his fault for not coming for her sooner. Even though they had enemies out there, no reason is good enough to cover their mistakes.


    They could have come sooner, but whenever they prepared the plane tickets, something else would interrupt their plans. Professor Luo Xia held Zi Yan''s arm and would squeeze lightly at certain points of the conversation to make sure she doesn''t mention anything yet. With Susu''s condition, there will be no way for her to understand and carry the same burden as they have for the past years.


    The conversation between Susu, Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia ended in fair terms as Susu acknowledged the fact that she had family outside of the Zin''s household. She understood that there were many unspeakable reasons and she wouldn''t question it if they didn''t want to mention it. Even so, Susu couldn''t accept the fact that there should be any reason for her them to not come for her earlier.


    Perhaps they may be closer in the future, but right now, she only wanted to rest in peace with no chaos for a while. After waking up, all she heard were negative news that she could barely process. Professor Luo Xia spoke for the first time in their conversation, "take good care of yourself. We''ll be here with you if you need us. Don''t feel pressured by our sudden appearance. Everything will go at your pace, alright?"


    Kitty regained consciousness at the perfect timing when their conversation was wrapping up. She had fallen unconscious after Ariana took mirrors and forced her to take a look at the nasty scar across her cheeks. Lily didn''t leave Kitty any time to relax as she took alcohol pads and slapped it on the deep wound.


    The pain and disfigured face of hers knocked her out almost instantly. The girls had more in their minds, but thought that it would only be appropriate for Susu to decide what punishment she deserves for being a dumbass.


    This time, Kitty saw Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan standing with their backs towards her. She tried to scream through the cloth around her mouth and call for help.


    "NNghghghpphh!!" Kitty interrupted their conversation and slammed her tied legs and arms to everything around her. When all eyes were concentrated on her, she realized that she made another naive move.


    Zi Yan stared at her hatefully, "you''re the bitch who switched my daughter''s medicine. We haven''t gotten up to you yet, and you''re already looking forward to meeting Karma, huh? How dare you interrupt us?"


    Professor Luo Xia looked friendly on the outside, but when he opened his mouth to speak, Kitty''s last hope diminished. He calmly made a suggestion, "Susu, you should get some rest. Let us take care of her for you, okay?"


    "What are you planning to do?" Susu didn''t bother looking at Kitty for an extra second. She never liked violence to being with, but this time, she wouldn''t interfere with their decisions because it involved her health.


    "Do you have any preferences?" he asked her with a soft tone.


    "She maimed my arm." Susu''s left hand subconsciously squeezed her right hand as her eyes darkened.


    "Got it." Zi Yan walked over and grabbed a chunk of Kitty''s seaweed hair.


    Ariana said, "the room next to this one is empty. There are trays of used tools that needs to be taken care of by the garbage truck. It would be a pity if we let it go to waste, don''t you think?"


    "Obviously, it would be a pity to not reuse them. Let''s go." Zi Yan dragged Kitty across the room while Professor Luo Xia took out Zi family''s badge and followed from behind. The way she was taken out of the room was exactly how Ariana treated Kitty in the hallways earlier.


    Lily shouted, "no use in struggling. You reaped what you sow. The more you move, the worse Karma is going to bite your disfigured ass."

 Chapter 119 - Killer Move

    [Present]


    Lily finished peeling an orange and placed the slices onto the empty plate, "and that''s all. So, if you''re looking for the second miss then she should be next door. I''m not sure what bloody gore you''ll see when you open that door, though."


    Ariana nodded as she fed a slice of orange to Susu, "Last time I went to check, I couldn''t even open the door. I heard that Kitty''s scream and it sent cold air down my damn spine. My goosebumps had lasted a few minutes before it went away. Good luck."


    Chen Mu stared at Ariana and asked, "actually, you could answer in her place since only you two know the answer. If you tell me the truth, then I wouldn''t need to bother them next door. Though I am super curious as to what punishment that son of a gun is receiving, it would be quicker if I asked you."


    Ariana looked at Chen Nan and right away she let out a soft sigh, "I know what you guys are after, but I''m very sorry. I swore that I would bring this secret to my graveyard unless the second miss allows me to talk about it. Or else, I can''t."


    "But this involves Susu''s life and death! How could you hide the truth at this crucial moment?" Lin Que tried to coerce her into spitting out the incident from years ago.


    Ariana put the slice of fruit in Susu''s left hand and stood up, "I know, but even if it is related to her life and death, I can''t go back on my words. This secret is too big, and I can''t say it. You can ask the second miss since it is her business."


    Chen Mu stopped Lin Que from pressuring her, "I appreciate your integrity in keeping the promise. I''ll ask her myself, so you girls stay here with Susu. Thanks." Ariana nodded slightly and sat back down. Susu stuffed the slice of fruit into her mouth and reached for Ariana''s hand.


    "Hmm?" Ariana let out a bitter smile as she lifted her head to face her. Feeling Susu''s comforting pats on her hand, Ariana felt extremely warm beside her. She apologized once again, "I''m very sorry that I can''t say anything about it. I-"


    Susu shook her head and smiled, "it''s alright. You have your reasons and I believe in him. I also believe in fate. If my life was meant to end a year ago, then I wouldn''t be here right now. Since I''m here, I won''t lose my determination in surviving the cancer and the low immune system bullshit."


    "You''ll definitely get better." Lily and Ariana whispered at the same time, making Susu laugh softly. As the girls continued enjoying the fruits and having their same old relax talk, the guys went next door to look for Zi Yan.


    Currently, the three of them stood in front of the supposedly empty room and already, they could hear faint cries coming from the other side of the door. Lin Que passed a new pair of gloves to them just in case behind that door is a gruesome mutilation scene.


    After they had taken some deep breaths, Chen Mu bravely reached for the door knob and rotated it. The creak from the door caught the attention of the people who were inside the room. Once entered, a rich bloody iron scent stormed up their nostrils, making them cover their mouths immediately. They nearly gagged.


    Inside the room, multiple bags of used tools were scattered on the floor. Zi Yan held a few needles between three of her fingers on both hands. She turned around to meet their shocked faces, "Oh. Welcome to the party, but I''m not done yet."


    "P..Please help.. me..." Kitty begged on the floor with her shiny bald head and sharpie marks on her scalp. Her right shoulder was brutally dislocated that her bone popped out and blood soaked through her uniform.


    "Which part of staying still did you not understand? Fine, forget numbing your nerves. You''ll take each scalpel cut as it comes." Accurately, Zi Yan operated on the tied up right arm like a professional surgeon.


    Other than the fact that her methods were similar to how people worked in black markets and illegal services, everything else was too impressive. Her accuracy on how deep each cut had to be to disable Kitty''s arm made the three doctors mesmerized for a moment.


    "Even surgeons would need hell amount of practice to get half as good as her." Chen Nan whispered as the other two guys nodded without blinking.


    This was like a low budget cut movie with one splendid torturous scene where the raged at bitch finally receives her Karma in the harshest ways. Kitty felt each stab and cut as Zi Yan moved efficiently from one spot to the next.


    While Kitty mumbled how she would bleed to death, Zi Yan had the perfect crime smile on her face where she used the available tools to suck up the blood that Kitty had lost and will lose to flow back into her body through a blood bag and tube.


    "Don''t worry, this amount of pain won''t kill you. I''ll teach you what pain is and after this lesson, you will never make such stupid choices ever again. You hear me?" Zi Yan bandaged her wounds after confirming that her arm is totally useless. Even if she could fix that shoulder, her arm would be unrecoverable.


    Kitty cried as she thought of an uneven shoulder and maimed arm in the future. Her face was a mess and the tools that were used weren''t clean, so she could have a high risk of being exposed to bacteria and other contagious deceases that is passable through body fluids.


    After the bandaging was completed, Zi Yan threw away her pair of gloves and sanitized her bare hands before reaching into her pocket for her phone.


    A few minutes later, she bent down and said, "You said you were a victim to blackmail and that you could save yourself after switching the damn drug, right? Then look over here. Just searching your name up alone pops out twenty p.o.r.n websites. Your name, address, age and education has been exposed online. I can see the account description and video descriptions. Amazing, isn''t it?"


    Kitty''s eyes widened in shock as she heard her own m.o.a.ns and saw the video that was spread online. The username was her real name with her social media selfie as the use image. Every video that had been uploaded in twenty different websites didn''t have any blurred squares, so her face was exposed.


    There were at least thirty original videos and each of them showed the professor''s disgusting act towards her. her head started spinning and eyes started heating up as she thought of twenty multiplied by thirty would mean six hundred videos on the internet. Her private social media usernames, personal data and many secrets were thrown onto the internet for horny bastards to use.


    The caption for the videos and titles conflicted with the s.e.x.u.a.l assault issue. She couldn''t even sue because the videos only recorded her m.o.a.ns and flash pounding sounds. Now, there were no evidences against that professor for every wrong thing he did. Not only that, she can''t even clear her own name as she stood between admitting her plagiarized work and getting f.u.c.k.i.e.d by her professor as blackmail.


    Her heart pounded in fear. She lost everything that she wanted to protect all along. She wanted to marry someone rich and handsome, so that she didn''t need to work in the future. Her figure was everything, but now it''s ruined. If anyone dared to search her name up, they will figure instantly that it was her in the high-quality angles.


    She gritted her teeth and screamed, "Yin, Karen!! I''m going to kill you~! I''m going to slice you into pieces and feed it to hungry dogs! Bitch!!! You promised!!! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g promised!"


    Professor Luo Xia made his killer move and said, "No medicine treats stupidity. She tricked you once, yet you chose to believe her again. You are at fault for what happened. Now, everything is too late. We''re about to be done with punishing your not-so-sorry-ass. People feel fear all the time, but letting fear control you is a whole different thing. Since your mistake almost cost the life of our Susu, I''ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. What do you say?"


    "Why should I trust your words?" Kitty spat out some blood that flowed into her mouth from her scarred face.


    "Because you have no choice. Behind these doors, my daughter could use the same scalpel and slice each tendon, muscle, veins and other parts that wouldn''t kill you instantly. By the time you regret your choice, you would be either hurting like hell as you feel each fresh cut cutting you to sashimi layers or crying to change your decision. Karen tricked you twice, but we didn''t. I''m offering you a chance for revenge. What do you say?"


    Kitty considered to agreeing to his offer first and then running away to the police to get them all arrested. As she opened her mouth to tell her response, Professor Luo Xia reminded her, "don''t think of ditching us after we let you go. We aren''t stupid like you. If you run, we will have millions of other ways to skin you alive. Think carefully before you respond."


    "F..Fine. I''ll do it.." Kitty stuttered as she eliminated her final thoughts of escaping his wrath. When she said that, she also missed the mischevious smirk from the elder man''s face.

 Chapter 120 - Killer Move 2

    Zi Yan chuckled as she watched Kitty leave the hospital from the second floor. "Dad, you''re as sly as always."


    Professor Luo Xia responded with a smile, "She''s only paying for what she''s done. I only used fear to mislead her."


    "Haha, we never kill our enemies. We only destroy their mentality and drive them to coo-coo land. Were you satisfied that your creepy smile convinced her about the slicing to sashimi crap? You knew that I was only an expert with arms." She sighed, but didn''t feel a second of pity for Kitty and Karen.


    "Well, if she chose the other decision, I would knock her out and just crack a few extra bones before sending her overseas to a third world country. I wasn''t planning to kill her to begin with. She''s only a chess piece, not the checkmate that I want."


    He stomped his cane twice before turning around to meet Chen Mu, Chen Nan and Lin Que''s suspicious stares. "Gentlemen, you''ve waited for your turns."


    Chen Mu stepped up and said, "It was impressive how you two tricked her into believing that her life was on the line by rubbing itch powder on her arm and wounds. Not only that, you faked an injection to make her believe that it was a lethal drug causing that reaction. This way, she would obediently do as you instructed and come back for the so-called antidote."


    Chen Nan nodded and clapped, "She was so easily fooled. Even though I''ve known and worked with you two for many years, this was the first time I had seen such sneaky moves. Your tricks never fail to broaden my eyes."


    Zi Yan crossed her arms and turned around, "What are you guys here for? Pretty sure you guys didn''t come all the way next door to compliment our methods in dealing with bitches."


    Chen Nan''s face became serious, "All compliments aside, then. Years ago, you had a similar situation where a lethal drug was injected into your arm by an enemy. Ariana helped you operate under your instructions. Can you tell us what happened and if the same application could be used on Susu''s arm?"


    She took a deep breath and frowned, "Do I look like the type of mother who would let her daughter die in front of her eyes and do nothing about it? The operation that was done on me is not suited for her current situation. I''ve already taken her pulse while she was unconscious. The drug is currently trapped in her right arm, but if I use the same method from years ago on her, it could be fatal."


    " Is there a way to reduce the amount of drug in her arm to fix her hand? Even though she may not have strength to lift or move her arm in the future, at least she could still sketch." Chen Mu would never risk her life that way. Once he heard the word, fatal, he chose to back down from the thought of removing the drug entirely from her body.


    "I have a way to save her fingers. It would take time for her fingers to recover and a lot of effort. At the end, it would depend on how well her body adapts to the surgery, but you guys must follow my orders and take care of her exactly the way I instruct you to."


    "I''ll do anything as long as her fingers have the chance of moving again." Chen Mu stared at her eye to eye with no signs hesitation.


    "Oh? Then what if what I need from you are your precious fingers?" She walked over and grabbed his right hand. Her fingers brushed lightly against his fingertips as she smiled meaningfully.


    "Then you can have them." Chen Mu said as he took out a new scalpel from the counter.


    "Chen Mu! Are you crazy?! Without that hand, how are you going to research medicine for her and take care of her?!" Lin Que tried to snatch the scalpel from his hand, but Chen Mu avoided his grabbing motion.


    "Then I will use my left hand. If my fingers could trade for her happiness, it will be worth it. I don''t make false promises." Chen Mu handed the scalpel to her and closed his eyes with his hand flat against the counter.


    "No! You think Susu will be happy if you give her your fingers?! You getting hurt is the last thing she would ever want to see! You idiot!!" Lin Que screamed as Chen Nan tried to grab the scalpel from Zi Yan.


    She smiled as she walked closer to Chen Mu. His eyes were closed, but clearly nervous as she approached him. "You should hurry while I could still handle the pain."


    "I don''t need your fingers. Even if I did need some fingers, it would be chicken fingers with a biscuit on the side. Oh, don''t forget the ranch." She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.


    "Huhh?" he opened his eyes and realized that the scalpel was thrown to the floor. She was hugging him tightly to the point where he was short of breath.


    She released him and looked at him with reddened eyes, "Thank you for loving my daughter wholeheartedly. I didn''t mean it when I asked you for your fingers. It was my test to see how much you valued her. As a doctor, you must treasure these pair of hands. Her operation doesn''t require any transplants. I just have to prepare for it myself."


    Professor Luo Xia nodded proudly, "You and your tests give my old heart a scare every damn time. Did you forget that this old man had an open heart surgery? Sheesh, what if he actually chopped those fingers off?"


    "Heh, you are saying that now, but I''m pretty sure you were satisfied with his response. Since everything is considered settled, for now, my job here is almost done. Just waiting for the Cat to drag the Rat into the sticky trap."


    She held onto her father as they walked passed the three doctors who were as still as a statue. "Ah, right. Your hands are used to save lives. No matter what happens, you should never give them up. I''m sure Susu would end up hating herself if you lost even a small piece of skin for her. So, take care of yourself, understand? Don''t let my daughter worry."


    Chen Nan mumbled, "That''s if you would stop scaring our little hearts and throwing random tests like that. Almost made me jump you for that scalpel."


    "What did you just say? Hoh~ Maybe I should tell your wife about that time when you saw that spider on the ceiling and thought that it was a roach and-" Zi Yan smirked as she blabbed out Chen Nan''s secrets.


    "My lord!!! Don''t you guys have somewhere to be at? I mean uh rest? Like back at the hotel? It''s getting late~ Oh! Or do you want food? What did you say you wanted? Chicken fingers with a biscuit on the side and ranch! Hahahaha, I''ll go get it for you, right this moment!" Chen Nan escorted them back to Susu''s room before hurrying out of the hospital.


    Chen Mu and Lin Que stared at each other with their faces super close. That''s when they realized that Lin Que was still hugging Chen Mu by the waist and Chen Mu was leaning over the counter. Lily walked out to rinse her knife and was looking at the group pictures that she just took with Ariana and Susu.


    When she looked up, she lifted her camera app up and targeted the fabulous handsome men in front of her.


    The guys saw from the corner of their eyes that she bent down on one knee and snapped a photo of them together. She gave a very naughty smile and giggled before walking back into Susu''s room with her unwashed knife. After that, everyone else popped their heads out to peek and took more pictures.


    At the end, Lin Que and Chen Mu didn''t understand why they were still stuck together like two peanuts in one shell, but they did receive many spams in group chats with their pictures as the thumbnail.

 Chapter 121 - Dark Secret

    While Lin Que and Chen Mu were bombarded by messages from different group chats, their hands were occupied with massaging Susu''s arm. To be exact, Chen Mu was massaging her arm, and Lin Que was working with his fingers.


    This was one of the instructions that Zi Yan left them before she had gone back to the hotel with Professor Luo Xia. Susu was texting with her left hand and the other two gals were busy editing the photos to make it appear more flirtatious.


    Susu giggled and showed Chen Mu the group chat she had with his parents. He buried his head on her shoulder, "how did buying fruits get this... this curved??"


    "You see.. your mom was shopping earlier, and she saw a huge melon. So she said the melon wasn''t as firm looking as your ass in the picture. That''s how it all started."


    "At least yours is about your butt cheeks, Lily posted the photoshopped photo of me having a wolf tail and some paws on your h.i.p.s."


    "WAIT! Then... if you are a wolf then what am I?"


    "A bunny!" Susu raised her left hand and showed her excellent skills in photoshopping.


    "Bunny ears and a heart to seal the gap between your lips," she said and nodded.


    Chen Mu gasped, "I am so much more masculine than this skinny stick is! How could I be the prey???"


    Lin Que smirked and posed with his fingers making a check symbol against his pointy chin, "because I''m much cooler. You can only be bottom ahahahhahaa."


    "Who says, huh? I can top you, however much I like!" Chen Mu raised his left brow.


    "Buddy, it''s good to have dreams." Lin Que mocked as he patted Chen Mu''s back and sighed.


    "Oh hell no! What''s there to dream if it''s already the reality?" Chen Mu lifted his head proudly as he rubbed Susu''s arm.


    "Look at me, guys~Say Yessssss" Everyone looked towards Lily''s direction to realize that they were caught on camera again. This time, it was a video.


    Lin Que was too familiar with his fiance''s personality, so he made a victory sign towards the camera and smiled while his free hand forced Chen Mu''s mouth to curve into a smile. The girls joked around and edited different versions of the video. Lily learned quite a bit from Susu when they hung out and worked on Susu''s design.


    This time, the video became a "He said Yes! Taking his hand for marriage" caption. Chen Mu''s parents sent a huge laughing emoji and commented, "Looks like we have a new son. Welcome, my son in law!"


    Ariana sent the cool emoji with the sunglasses and commented, "Am I invited to this wedding? Ho~ So our Susu is back to single? Wow! The market is opened again~"


    Meanwhile, Chen Mu''s lip twitched as he responded, "Hey!!! She''s mine and where the heck did those flying heart balloons come from in that video? Who autotuned it?"


    Lin Que played along and sent a follow up reply to Chen Mu''s comment, "Oh baby~ Don''t be so shy~ You just said Yes to me. Geez, are you shy now? Should we head back out to the counter?" Chen Mu sent a huge text of gagging emoji to that response as they continued teasing each other.


    While the crowd laughed happily and slapped the other''s back for fun, somebody is weeping in a dark alleyway with bandages all over her body. She still hadn''t noticed the guards who were secretly following her.


    After exiting the hospital with great difficulties, Kitty gasped for fresh air with her hand clenching her chest, "Haa.. Fooo... the drug is so toxic that I could barely move. Argh, it hurts so bad and so f.u.c.k.i.n.g itchy. Yin, Karen, I''m coming for you. I''ll make sure you get your Karma!"


    The guards found it hilarious how exaggerated she reacted when there was no drug in her system. For every ten snail steps that she took, the guards walked one step forward. Normally, it would take people around twenty minutes to reach the city center. At this rate, it would take her five hours to get there.


    After a few more steps, Kitty used the wall for support and almost crawled her way to get to an alleyway that leads to an unlocked door to a storage locker. Using the key that was given to her by Zi Yan, she finds number 444 and opens it. A yellow package with unknown content was sitting there, and Kitty carefully stuffed it under her shirt.


    She turned her head to her left and right to make sure nobody spotted her before locking the locker again. Once she successfully retrieved the package, the two guards reported back to Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia about her progress.


    "Took her that long? Damn, even that traitor limped faster than her and he was using crutches! Well, okay. Just continue watching her and make sure that she isn''t running off." She instructed and hung up.


    Professor Luo Xia sipped his tea, "we''re giving Yin Zin Leung an early present. Although I wanted to do this later, his daughter dared to lay her dirty fingers on our Susu. So, consider this a slap to his pig head face."


    "Haha, his daughter. Funny part is that he doted on the wrong person for all these years. Ah! I can''t wait to see his reaction when he realizes that he''s been played his entire life. I''ll make him spit out Xiao Ling''s whereabouts. His greedy ass can die in hell''s fire for all I care about, but before anything happens to him, he better give me the information I want."


    Zi Yan tapped her fingers against the clear glass that she had finished using. With a light squint in her eyes, the glass shattered to pieces in front of her. "Zi Yan, don''t forget to hide your identity even if we are alone."


    He reminded her not to act recklessly as people could be eavesdropping from anywhere nowadays. "Oh? But with your ability, dad, those devices would''ve been-"


    BAM


    The picture frame from the wall fell down from the wall. "Like this? Of course, but impatience is a flaw in this game. It''s just a matter of time, so why not wait for the preys to show themselves? Shall we?"


    "Heh. You''re right."


    "Oh, about Susu''s surgery. Are you going to tell her?" He asked her while looking concerned.


    "I don''t think she realized it yet, but soon she will. Once we are behind doors, it''ll be much easier to do what I need to do." Zi Yan folded her arms and sat on the couch.


    At the same time, her phone vibrated and a video file was sent to her from an unknown number. She smiled and opened it.


    Text message: "After the package was placed in front of the door and she rang the bell."


    When she clicked into the next file, she was directed to a hidden camera that was set by one of her secret guards from a few days ago. The video loaded, and she linked the live view to their huge screen in the hotel room.


    Currently, in the apartment that Tian Yuo prepared for Karen and her parents, Zin Leung answered the door and saw a package on the floor. He picked it up, went inside, and found various reports from famous hospitals with pictures and other doc.u.ments in there.


    Curious, he went through the first few reports. His eyes widened to the point where his eyeballs nearly popped out of his face as he reviewed the reports with shaking hands. At first, he was shocked to see DNA reports showing up at his door. Then, he figured that it might be for the wrong person. Since the package didn''t have a name and he was a nosy person by nature, he opened it.


    Perhaps it would have been better for him if he hadn''t been that nosy because the reports revealed that Karen Yin and Yin Zin Leung''s DNA''s result do not match. They were not daughter and father! His heart raced as he shuffled through the reports from various hospitals and every lab test came out with the same conclusion.


    "I''m not... the father?!!!!" He slammed the pile of reports on the wooden table and looked through the rest of the package content. Not only was she not his daughter, pictures of his wife''s affair that is still going on today were delivered to him!


    He slammed his fist against the wall, startling Liang Yu Qing, who was taking a nap. "What''s with the damn fuss? I do all this work and cleaned for people during my day shifts just to get this type of treatment?!" She screamed and got out of bed to find papers scattered all over the place.


    "What the f.u.c.k is wrong with your f.u.c.k.i.n.g mind? How dare you make this mess?" Her voice was similar to oil touching fire. His face turned red, and hands formed a fist. "Explain this! What is this?"


    He slapped the evidence of her affair to her face. When she saw the familiar faces in the photos, she snapped and shouted, "you checked up on me?! How much money do you have in your account, huh? You say that you''re broke, but here you have these high ass quality pictures from private investigators?! Yeah, I wasn''t satisfied with your f.u.c.k.i.n.g d.i.c.khead because your teeny weeny mushroom doesn''t feel like shit even when erected! I love large c.o.c.ks!"


    "What? You want to hit me? Great! I''ll claim domestic violence and file a divorce. Split your damn savings in another half of a half with the money I get from all the men I go out with!"


    His arms stretched and hands clenched her thin neck within his palms. He tightened around it as if he could break her neck any second, "Tell me the truth. Is she my daughter?! Or some f.u.c.k.i.n.g bastards?!!!"


    "Hahaha, what? Can''t deal with doting on someone else''s s.p.e.r.m creation? You don''t have the guts to kill me. If you kill me, then you''ll never figure out shit about THAT project. You think I know nothing, but I have known from the start. Did you think I would marry you without calculating the pros and cons? Well, this is the pro when your anger outbreaks like a hooligan."


    She coughed tremendously as his fingers wrapped even tighter around her neck, blocking air from entering her body. Her feet left the cold floor and slippers laid sloppily across the room as her legs swung in every direction during the struggle. Just when she was about to black out, Karen arrived home and witnessed the craziness.


    Liang Yu Qing used her last strengths to say, "Go! Run! He found out." Zin Leung let her go after she fainted and decided to deal with Karen, himself. Petrified by his murderous aura, she threw her bag at him to buy herself at least an extra minute to escape the building. She forgot to take her phone from the bag before throwing it, so she had nothing with her when she left the building.


    It was a cold night and her breaths were leaving clouded forms as she exhaled heavily. She kept turning back to make sure he wasn''t following her while quickening her pace. She didn''t know how long she had ran, but she knew where she was headed to. Her boutique.


    If she would have known that she was bringing herself to the grim reaper, she probably would have chosen a different route. Even then, she wouldn''t have been able to escape.

 Chapter 122 - Wont Kill You Yet

    Karen walked towards the door to her boutique with the dangling keys in her hand. The metal sounds of keys shoving the other as she walked, annoyed her greatly. She could feel her perspiration dewing her skin from her forehead to any parts of skin that was showing. The cold sweat from her body soaked through her shirt, making her shiver even more than the breezy night.


    As her fingers tightened around the knob and rotated it, she noticed something abnormal. Just a gentle push on the door and already, an acrid smell worked up her nostrils; almost making her vomit on the spot. She slowly stepped backwards and minimized her movements. Perhaps, she still had enough time to make a run for it, or so she thought she did.


    When the door creaked slightly opened and nobody entered the following seconds, one of the guards already climbed out of the window and blocked off the entrance. There was only one entrance and exit, so if she were to escape, she would be caught.


    Sweat dripped down her ghastly pale skin. Her eyes widened as she took deep breaths slowly. On the count to three in her mind, she turned away and ran for the steps. Unfortunately, the guard inside the room would never let her get out of the building.


    Using an umbrella''s hook handle, the guard stepped out of the boutique and tripped her ankle with just the right amount of strength. She rolled down the stairs and bumped her head against the stone wall with great force. "Sss...," she touched the back of her head and noticed the tall figure approaching her.


    His face was masked and clearly, his intentions were bad. Quickly, she crawled as she failed to balance herself to run again. She could only blame herself for slacking off in exercising normally. Her palms slipped on the first step of the stairs and her body slid down again.


    "fucck..," she cursed. Tired of chasing after her, the guard prevented her from crawling any further. The moment she moved again, the umbrella hook handle was already around her neck. If she moved even an extra step, her neck would be snapped.


    "Move and you die instantly." Since she was taken hostage by her own umbrella handle, she could only surrender for the time being. While waiting for further instructions from Zi Yan, Karen randomly spurted out words to bribe him. From giving him a huge ransom to trying to seduce him, she had failed miserably.


    He tied her up using cable wires and shoved her to the cold floor. With the lights and heat off, Karen could only risk saving herself by screaming. Of course, she had been warned beforehand by the guards that if she makes any more attempts on escaping or hinting other people about her situation, then she will be meeting her end much sooner.


    With her IQ and EQ being a negative, she decided to scream, "help!!!!! ****!!!! Kidnap!!!" Immediately upon her shout, a cold sharp tip slashed across her face. One slash wasn''t enough that Kitty took the sharp object in her left arm and slashed the other side of Karen''s cheeks deeply.


    The crimson liquid flowed down on both sides of her cheeks. It wasn''t until the stench reached her nose and liquid had flowed to her neck did she realize that she was disfigured. Her eyes rolled upwards to meet a pair of fearless eyes.


    "K..Kitty...?? You set me up??!!" Karen struggled to break free from the cables, but the specially tied knot could only be untied by the guard.


    "Set you up? You''re making yourself sound like a victim. You f.u.c.k.i.e.d up my life and flipped it upside down. You''re only asking for Karma to get to you sooner. I''m playing fair. What they did to me, I''m only returning it twice the folds to you. It''s okay if I only have one arm to break your two arms."


    Karen shook her head with tears streaming down her unevenly split scar; stinging the wound. "Did you know that I did everything just to lure you out and here I thought, wow! I could get away from them. I''m being poisoned and these two men dragged me into your boutique. They said I could take revenge for myself before heading back to that lady, who tortured me. The main culprit was you for trying to scheme against someone you have no knowledge of harming!"


    Before Karen could scream on top of her lungs, Kitty took a claw hammer from Karen''s supplies box that the guard had discovered earlier. Zi Yan already instructed Kitty to extract Karen''s teeth using the claw side of the hammer and break her arms for revenge.


    Zi Yan was playing it fair and square. Whoever laid their fingers on Susu will sacrifice their arms and lose something precious. Since Kitty had her punishment, Zi Yan wrapped her wounds up and gave her some pain killers to act out the remaining of the Cat and Rat game.


    The slicing face part wasn''t part of the instructions. Kitty was not someone who would take her enemies lightly, especially one who is tied up and can''t fight back. The guards found duct tape and other tools to keep Karen''s head in place with her mouth opened wide.


    "Have you ever heard of the saying that liars will lose all their teeth? Well, I''ll teach you a nice lesson for lying to me and breaking your damn promise!" Using the claw side of the hammer, she started with Karen''s front teeth and brutally removed it. Afraid that the bloody gums would choke her to death, the guards stuffed a towel to soak up the blood as the process continued.


    Without any painkillers, Karen felt the cold tool against the back of her teeth, heard the small cracks as each tooth separated from her gums and tasted the heavy splashing iron flavored liquid that she used to enjoy while eating steak. When Kitty was finished with the extraction, Karen only had a few tooth''s left inside her mouth. The only reason why some weren''t removed was because those were bigger in size and the bleeding would be too much for Karen to handle.


    She might even die from bleeding if the rest were extracted. The originally white towel was now red, stinky and mushy with pieces of mouth gum stuck to it. Once that part was completed, Kitty smudged the blood from the claw side onto Karen''s clothing.


    The guards were told to assist Kitty in the process of torturing Karen, but must make sure she remains alive. After the bloodiness was wiped away, Kitty smirked and walked in circles with the hammer in her hands.


    "Which hand was it that selected all my videos, pictures and evidence of my past? Was it your left hand that registered the accounts on the top p.o.r.n websites? Or...your right that uploaded everything for the world to see?!" She smashed the large cylindrical striking head with a flat surface of the hammer on her fist; breaking Karen''s wrist.


    "Mgghhhphhh!!!" Karen closed her eyes as her eyes dried up from dehydration.


    "What? Painful? Then you should think of circ.u.mstances before committing cruel acts. Your fingers did me wrong and your mouth were full of lies. After your teeth, come your fingers. Aren''t you a designer? Did you think you could design my life like that? Huh?! I''ll let you know what you''ll have without these f.u.c.k.i.n.g fingers!"


    The guards spread Karen''s fingers and paid her palms flat on the floor for Kitty to smash each bone she could crack with that hammer. After the right hand was crushed with visible bleeding nails, cracked skin and discolored bruising, it was time to work on her left hand.


    Karen blacked out towards the end when her left pinky got smashed. Everything felt numb to her at that point as her body was in a mixed confused state of where the pain was coming from. After the task had been done, the guards took them back to meet Zi Yan, who had other plans for them.

 Chapter 123 - The Missing Stem 1

    It was fifteen minutes passed midnight and Professor Luo Xia has been forcing his eyes shut since 11:30. He had been adjusting his body for the past half an hour, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Unfortunately, his body tossed and turned profusely.


    "Ugh! Can''t sleep. Zi Yan is dealing with those two witches. How come I get treated like a child all the time? Sheesh, just because an old man is the survivor of an open heart surgery, he gets taken away from all the bloody gore mess?"


    He got out of bed and texted Chen Nan to check on Susu''s condition. Within a few seconds of reading the message, Chen Nan replied, "Grandpa, what are you doing up this late? And Susu is doing well. She''s got two servants who are giving her arm massages."


    "Well, at least she''s doing well. I wonder when we can tell her everything. Would it be too soon to tell her all this complicated mess? If only I knew years ago, then this wouldn''t have happened. That''s exactly why I''m a lonely soul with a runaway wife for half my life, huh?" He sighed and texted back a smirk emoji followed by a sleeping panda on a pillow gif.


    For some reason, he missed his wife more than usual tonight and decided to take out an old album of their younger times. The pages to the album were old and a little wrinkled from the number of times that he had flipped them over these years.


    His fingertips touched her smiling face on the photo of when they got married. Soon enough, he brought the album with him back to the cold, uncomfortable bed and continued flipping through the same old memories of them. Three-fourths into the album, he stopped flipping to the next page because he knew that there were no more photos after this page.


    He hugged the album close to his chest and closed his eyes as he hummed a familiar lullaby that she used to sing when she was alive. "don''t say goodbye..when you don''t have to go..." he sang the chorus as he fell into deep slumber.


    That night, he dreamt of the younger version of himself holding a bouquet of flowers and a ring in his hands. He smiled nervously to check for any leftover foods that may be stuck in-between his teeth and wiped off his sweaty forehead as he rung the doorbell to her house.


    She was in a white dress matched with a single braid to the side of her shoulder. His eyes smiled with his curved lips as he gave her the flowers and took one out to form a hair accessory. Although everything was simple, their hearts felt complete.


    Her every smile, whether big or small and the number of times she had brushed her hair had been deeply engraved in his mind. The light breeze that blew against her fluttery dress and the random moment when he knelt down by the boardwalk to ask her for her hands in marriage; everything was part of his sweetest memories with her. Though it was awkward and he stuttered a lot, she smiled with patience without caring about everybody else who were staring.


    Finally, he finished what he felt like was forever speech and held out the ring to see her dazzling smile. Without a second of hesitation, she nodded and said, "I''m willing." Back then, they had less money and performed a very private ceremony for their wedding. Every anniversary, they would dance to the same song and she would always ask for more than one dance everytime.


    This was a song that he had never heard before, but everytime he asked, she would respond, "from the future. You''ll understand eventually." Every time she responded with the same words; he would shrug and hug her from behind as they watched the sunset. These were blissful days that soon shattered.


    One day, he came back to an empty house, without her presence. No matter where he searched or how long he had waited, she never walked through that door again. All she had left him was a note saying to go to a destination on two specific dates to retrieve something important and that was the last request she ever asked. He could see some smudged words that were still legible on that note. She cried while writing this, but there was no explanation from her.


    He tried everything that he could do to look for her across the globe and where they lived, but nothing was found. It was as if she had never existed. Money was running low, and he decided to focus on his career so that he could reunite with her one day. She must have had her reasons and hid her traces extremely well.


    After years of effort, his works were recognized, and his name was spread throughout the world. When the first date on the note came, he went to the destination at the specified time, anticipating for her arrival. That was the day that he met Zi Yan. With one look, he knew that she was their child.


    She had nothing with her but a purse with relevant doc.u.mentaries, a stem-like object and a diary. Once he read the diary that his wife had written, he pieced the information together and brought Zi Yan back home with him. It was awkward at first because they were equivalent to being strangers. It took time, but eventually, they opened up to each other and grew much closer. Only when she fully believed in him that she told him everything that had happened after the diary ended.


    Soon after, the second date arrived and again, he traveled to the same spot. This time, he found Chen Nan and Ariana. He brought them home and took care of them with his best efforts. Both of them had been through a lot and through his years of nurture, they became successful in their own ways.


    Who would have known that there was such a huge conspiracy behind the rich people? Everyone that Zi Yan had mentioned became a part of their avenge plan for breaking up this family. The names of the people involved were: Yin Zin Leung; Liang Yu Qing''s father, Liang Yang Guo; Li Shen Wen, Tian Guo Min and possible others. Their greed costed many lives and family separations. And now, their Karma will come back to haunt them.


    Professor Luo Xia woke up drenched in sweat and took his medicine. He looked at the time and realized it was already six in the morning. He got up and put away his diary. Staring at the blue sky and energetic birds flying around, he said, "until I witness those bastards death, I promise I won''t let anything happen to me. These old bones will last till that day. Until it''s time for us to meet again."

 Chapter 124 - The Missing Stem 2

    While Professor Luo Xia took his time getting ready in the restroom, Kitty and Karen were trapped in an underground cell. To be exact, Kitty was in a different cell where she witnessed Karen''s torturous adventure from a double-sided mirror. Of course, Karen''s side could not see Kitty, but Kitty''s side was similar to a transparent wall between the cells.


    When Kitty was brought down by one of the guards, Zi Yan gave her an allergy shot and told her that they need to keep her for a few hours to make certain that the poison was totally cured. The placebo effect worked extremely well.


    Zi Yan had her own thoughts in mind as she didn''t like wasting her energy in making humans disappear. She detested the fact that such vicious people exist, but she could only punish them for what they''ve done to either her or her family. It''s been a long time since she last made a move on someone.


    This time, she was willing to give Kitty a second chance because she was tricked by Karen into doing this. Even so, she deserved to lose her beauty and that arm because she didn''t consider the many other possible answers to the blackmailing. In order to teach her a deep lesson and attempt to make her a better person after this, Zi Yan decided to use Karen as an example.


    After giving her the allergy shot, the guards shoved her into the cell and one of them stayed inside of it with her. Zi Yan said, "little girl, you''ve yet to see this world full of ugly beings and worthless scrap. Let auntie teach you a lesson today that would broaden your eyes. Remember to hold your eyes opened for the entire time or else I would have that brother behind you to use force on you." Kitty hugged her injured arm and nodded.


    "Good," Zi Yan walked into Karen''s cell and signaled the other guard to bring the buckets of warm salt water and first aid kits. Then, the guard brought a chair for her to sit on while Karen remained chained against the stone wall.


    Minutes ticked by and she had no signs of waking up anytime soon. As Zi Yan checked her watch impatiently, she ordered, "splash her face." The guard took the sanitized ladle and scooped a spoonful of salt water. His actions were quick and hence were the salt water that stung the shit out of Karen''s wound.


    Her eyes popped open and her mouth could only groan because of the lack of teeth. "Whoops, did I wake you up from your sweet candy land dreams? Too bad you can''t even suck on a lollipop." Zi Yan looked at her long fingernails before peeling cold oranges. The oranges were icy cold, yet her nails were sharp enough to penetrate the thin layer. Before long, a fresh orange appeared and she ate it slice by slice.


    "So, Karen Yin, do you have any idea why you''re here? Ah, silly me, you can''t even talk right now because your mouth hurts right? Oh wells, I''ll cut it short and tell you that it is due to your stupidity and jealous heart. No matter how pretty a person''s face could appear, beauty is about the inside not outside. But then again, you never had a pretty face, so your only option was to be the best you and obviously, you''ve failed beyond miserable." She continued chewing on the orange slices slowly and made delicious m.o.a.ns when she ate them.


    "Blackmailing someone is one of the lowest and most despicable actions anyone can execute. Not only did you use someone''s weakness to set out what you wanted, you also used it to harm someone you disliked. What made this even more of a joke is the fact that the person did nothing wrong to you in her entire life and you were purely jealous of her."


    "Now that Kitty eliminated the reason for your low esteem or high confidence whatever the heck you want to call it, why don''t you take a look at those horrifying cuts on your cheeks? Actually, this wasn''t part of my plan, but your great friend decided to make you join her in the world of disfigured models. So, there you go. Those fresh, fancy cuts."


    The guard brought over a new mirror that has an enlarge effect. Karen tried to close her eyes and look away, but the guard forced her to face the mirror.


    When she continued to have her eyes closed, Zi Yan said, "Well, it''s alright if you choose to see or not because I''ve decided to do you a favor and sew your eyes closed with some used needles that I found in the hospital." She walked over to Karen and sanitized the blood-stained string and used needles.


    "Don''t worry. Since your mind has already been blinded by your ridiculous jealousy, you won''t need these eyes anyways. People like you won''t change. Since you''re the production of Liang Yu Qing, you are one brainless seed just like her empty celled brain. Ah, right, I forgot to introduce myself. I''m Susu''s mother."


    "Oh! If you ever question why you deserved all this, you may want to ask your mother if you have the luck of meeting her again after this. Chances are less than 0.05%, but it''s worth a shot." Karen opened her eyes and stared at Zi Yan confusedly.


    She didn''t realize what was going on until Zi Yan mentioned Liang Yu Qing''s name. Long ago, Liang Yu Qing mentioned that there were missing people from an important research that had something to do with supernatural skills. She thought that it was a joke and laughed it off.


    Liang Yu Qing apparently had a one-night stand and got pregnant from a stranger. Her father had forced to her marry Yin Zin Leung to learn more about the projects, but nobody found new evidence to support some weird theory.


    Although Liang Yu Qing had never explained what the project was about, Karen knew that it was some crazy idea that other people were researching about. She also knew that Susu held the status of being the eldest daughter in the Yin family, but her mother was someone special.


    Zi Yan''s lip curved to a smirk and parted as she whispered, "exactly what you''re thinking. At least you found out for yourself at the end. Oh, right. I forgot to ask you. Where did you get that medicine? And who gave it to you?"


    Karen immediately thought of her mother because she was the one who retrieved the medicine from the black market. Everything was done in secret, so nobody would''ve suspected the origin of the medicine. "Thanks for giving me such useful material. As a gift, let''s get on with sewing those eyes," Zi Yan smirked. The guard walked over and held Karen''s head in place as Zi Yan proceeded with sewing her eye lids to her undereye area.


    Karen struggled and forced her eyelids open. She refused to let the sewing process happen, but it was useless. At the end, she had two bloody eyes and sewed closed eyelids. To prevent her from forcing the eyelids up, the guard stapled the areas that were sewn; avoiding her eyeballs that were rolling around.


    Kitty was released after she was scared out of her wits from seeing Karen''s ending. She patted her chest and relaxed as she saw light coming from the top of the steps. Before she had left, Zi Yan reminded her to be a better person from now on or else she would be captured back to this cell and stay here till old.


    Kitty nodded in response and took a quick glance at Karen before running out of the underground cell. She was blindfolded by the guard from the top of the staircase until they''ve reached the city center. When she turned around again, the guards were already gone.


    She rushed back home and swore that she would only help people in the future. That night, she cleaned herself up and sanitized her wounds before getting a good night sleep. While she rested in her bed, Zi Yan went back to the hotel to wash up before heading to the hospital to visit Susu.


    Professor Luo Xia already ordered breakfast for two and was waiting for the room service. When Zi Yan got out of the shower, she joined him for the meal.


    "Are you ready to explain to Susu about everything?" He asked as he added three teaspoons of sugar into her tea and stirred it.


    "Nope. That''s why I told them to give me three days for the operation. She just realized that she had family members outside of the Yin family. Who could digest these thoughts so quick? Even I wouldn''t be able to do that. I have a helper in that group to persuade her though. Hopefully, it''ll be good news soon." She blew on the cup of tea and continued the stirring process.


    Ding


    A notification popped up on her screen and a small smile formed as she cut her omelet. "This kiddo impresses me. At this rate, the surgery in three days should run smoothly."


    Profesoor Luo Xia curiously peeked at her phone and saw the message from Chen Mu. Another smile appeared at the table and he mumbled, "impressive grandson-in-law."

 Chapter 125 - The Missing Stem 3

    While the previous chaotic night flew by quickly for Zi Yan, things were rather slow at the hospital where Chen Mu spent the night massaging Susu''s arm nonstop. His heavy eye bags looked like a girls'' mascara nightmare.


    In the middle of the night, Susu opened her eyes to meet a tired pair of eyes. He smiled and asked in a low voice after pointing around the room where four people were sleeping on top of another with weird poses that could be part of a paparazzi''s front cover. "Did you sleep well?"


    She nodded, "my arm doesn''t feel as numb and it doesn''t hurt either. But on the other hand, you should seriously get some rest. Look at those dark circles." She frowned as she traced the grayish shadows underneath his eyes with her thumb.


    "I will when they wake up to watch over you. Are you hungry or anything? I''ll go to get you something to drink." He stood up slowly but was held back by her warm hand.


    "Stay here. I don''t need anything but for you to take some rest. I''ll be right beside you too." She insists with a serious expression that he could not turn down.


    He yawned silently and whispered, "you have surgery in three days. I must get you prepared."


    "Whether the surgery successes, I''ve already prepared myself for the worst, so don''t worry." She said as she moved her body to one position and patted the empty space for him to get in bed with her.


    "Actually, there are some things that you may not like to hear, but I still want to address it. But don''t get mad at me for meddling in your business, okay?" He hopped into bed and leaned on one side of his body to face her eye to eye.


    "Mmm. When have I ever gotten mad at you? You can say anything that''s on your mind." He pulled the blanket to cover her shoulders before going on to the touchy subject about her family.


    "I know how much you''ve gone through since young and the struggles you had, but I do believe that your grandfather and mother deserve a chance to explain what happened during these years. No mother would want to leave their child in a wolf''s den and from their concerned tone from earlier, I am certain that they have a good reason."


    "Whether or not you accept their explanation would be your choice and nobody will pressure you to acknowledge them. But if you think about it, for all the times you''ve wanted a family with someone who would dote on you, you finally have it now. You have a mother who would cry when she realized that you found a man who treasures you dearly. Also, a grandpa who respects your decisions and is willing to wait until you''re ready to hear them out."


    "Nevertheless, he came all the way across the globe and found you after these years. He had an open-heart surgery at such an old age and managed to get this far. That''s a miracle. How many years will he live? It''s hard to say. I think they deserve the chances so hear them out if you can."


    "Then why.." she muttered in a sulking tone. Seeing the lines on her forehead made him rub that area with his thumb and plant a kiss there.


    "Then why don''t you ask them these questions that only they could answer? I''m sure you have plenty of these ''why and ''what''s.'' Just like our relationship, communication is the key. If you don''t reach out, then they won''t ever know how you feel."


    "I understand. I''ll hear them out." She snuggled closer to him and eventually shut her eyes. After speaking to him, she felt like a wall had disappeared between what''s holding her back and her family.


    ''He''s right...I should give them a chance and then decide if I should accept them back. Maybe they did have a very very very serious situation that delayed them for years.'' She thought to herself as she fell back asleep.


    He whispered words to ease her unsettled heart until she fell asleep. It was only after she had fallen asleep did he send that text to Zi Yan.


    Text Message: "She''s willing to hear your story. She just fell back asleep, so maybe you and grandpa should visit around the afternoon."


    After that, he received a sticker with a bunny smooching a heart with the word, "okay," inside of it. He can now rest peacefully with her in his arms.


    By the time everyone woke up, Susu and Chen Mu were still asleep. Lily stayed behind as Chen Nan and Ariana went out to grab some breakfast. Meanwhile, Lin Que went back to the lab to see if he could find more information about the drug.


    Even though the reports came out with different types of immunosuppressant results, a part of him felt that something was off. Although he didn''t understand what''s not connecting about these reports, he still wanted to triple check just in case something was overlooked.


    While he did that, Lily folded the blankets and stacked the pillows that they used last night. Lily took out her cellphone to edit some pictures and videos from last night, but noticed something unusual on Susu''s right side between her neck and the collar that blocked off her shoulders.


    The video only showed it for a few seconds, but there was clearly a mini shadow that appeared and then went away. She walked up to Susu and checked her right shoulder to make sure nothing was there.


    "That''s weird...I swear I saw something from this video." She scratched her head and rewatched her video.


    As she swiped left and right to decide on which edits to use on the video to see the shadow clearer, Susu started frowning in her rest. Lily quickly woke Chen Mu up to check up on her while calling Chen Nan and Lin Que''s phone.


    Susu was in deep slumber and the more they tried to wake her up, the more she struggled with strong fists clenching on her blanket.


    In her dream, she heard multiple voices calling her name. She wandered and followed the voices, but discovered nothing but darkness. A path appeared, and she decided to walk in the direction where steps started to form.


    As she walked a step forward, the previous steps would disappear. She started seeing bits of memories as she continued up the steps. The memories reflected the times that she spent with her mother when she was young. She smiled as she recollected how her mother had taught her how to make the rose design.


    Towards the end of these memory pieces, the steps also stopped developing. She progressed to the last step where the last pieces of memory floated around her.


    Her mother''s voice repeated, "remember. This rose will only be complete with the stem. Mommy will keep the stem, and you protect the flower. When we meet again, we''ll put this design to make it one piece. When that time comes, mommy will tell you everything."


    "rose?" She watched her mother place the blossomed rose in her hand and put the stem in a separate box. Her mother patted her on her right shoulder, and she felt a little sting. It was a light pinch to her, but she could see the bitterness in her mother''s eyes when that took place.


    Her eyes concentrated on her mother''s lips as it mouthed, "go to sleep." Just when she wanted to take a step further, she realized that there were no more steps left. Not only that, the current step that she was standing on was about to disappear as well.


    She could sense her body dropping from a high distance into a bottomless pit. A hypnic jerk startled her awake as she gasped and sat up after opening her eyes.


    "Susu! You''re finally awake. We were so worried about you!" Susu turned her sweaty forehead towards the source of the voice, "Lily? Chen Mu?"


    "How are you feeling?" Chen Mu gave her a quick check up and asked followed up questions. Lin Que had prepared all machines and examination rooms for Susu after hearing about her deep slumber problem. Chen Nan and Ariana also rushed back from the bakery.


    Susu''s eyes widened and grabbed Chen Mu''s arm, "rose! The rose!"

 Chapter 126 - The Shadow Reappeared 1

    Susu''s hair laid messily over her shoulders as her body trembled uncontrollably. Her eyes squinted and left hand blocked an area of her right shoulder as she asked for her wristlet. Lily rubbed her back, hoping to calm her down as Chen Mu searched his pockets for the wristlet. "Dear, breathe. Follow me. Inhale. Exhale. He will bring you the wristlet, okay?"


    She bit her lips harshly as her heart rate spiked up. She could feel her stomach lurching when Chen Mu started looking for her wristlet. Her insides tangled into a tight knot as she waited. She could clearly hear Lily''s words, but none of it was processing to her mind.


    While hugging Susu, Lily felt her icily temperature hands, "why are your hands so cold? Are you feeling cold?" Immediately, she took the blanket that fell off the bed and covered her up. She took Susu''s hands in her own and started rubbing it to warm them up. That was when she noticed that she was covering her right shoulder; the place that she had peeked at earlier.


    "Dear, let me warm your left hand up. Let go of your shoulders for a little bit, alright? We''ll use the blanket to cover that spot if you''re feeling cold." Susu was reluctant to let go of her own shoulder even when Lily tried to persuade her.


    "Found it," Chen Mu announced as he brought the wristlet to Susu. She closed her eyes and released a shaky breath. Finally, her left arm reached out for the wristlet. Seizing the opportunity, Lily adjusted Susu''s button down shirt once again to find a rose shadow engraved on her skin that was not there before.


    As Susu focused on the wristlet, Lily brushed away strands of her hair and took a closer look at the spot. The surface of the rose shaped print didn''t feel like a tattoo and even if it did, it wouldn''t have explained why she couldn''t see it before. So many questions stacked up in her head but she didn''t know where to start asking.


    Susu inspected her wristlet once again. As she concentrated her attention on the rose design, Lily waved Chen Mu over and whispered, "there is a weird rose shadow that appeared on her right shoulder. Take a look at it."


    "Rose shadow? She never had any..." His mouth dangle opened as she showed him the rose shade that only showed the petals part of the rose. From all the times that he had been intimate with her, Chen Mu has never seen any marks on her body. She had no birth marks and definitely had no interest in getting any tattoos.


    Lily pointed to the mark with a raise brow. He tried rubbing the rose to see if it may be some art stuff that accidentally stained her skin, but came out to nothing. After finding no clues of any smudges or art supplies near her, he felt the fabric of her top and checked it thoroughly to make sure it wasn''t stained.


    "Susu, when did you get this mark?" he asked and felt her pulse. Her left hand touched the petals of the rose design as she replied, "I have no idea. I only remember having a nightmare or dream about my mom leaving me. Before she left, she had touched my shoulder and I felt a stingy sensation. I also felt it when I woke up earlier, so I covered it with my palm."


    He frowned on her words, "you should always tell me when something bothers you. You are my top priority and your health is very important. Don''t delay telling me these things from now on, okay?"


    "Okay..Say, doesn''t this rose design look awfully familiar with this shadow on my shoulder?" While he was talking, she took out her phone and took a picture of the rose mark on her shoulder. After a few more looks, Lily and Chen Mu confirmed her thoughts.


    She leaned back on her pillows after a while and said, "in that dream...my mother invented a stem part of the rose. She told me that the stem and rose is one product. They need to be together in order for it to be complete. And when we reunite... that''s when she will tell me everything."


    "Auntie and grandpa are almost here. I informed Ariana and Chen Nan about your deep slumber situation earlier. One of them told your mom and grandpa. While we wait for them, how about we conduct some exams on your body to make sure everything is alright?"


    His voice was as soothing as ever like the water flowing in a river. "Do I have to?" she asked with a concerned tone. Finally, she diverted her attention from the rose design to Chen Mu.


    He sat beside her and held her right hand, "we need to make sure everything is fine with you so that nothing would interfere with the upcoming surgery."


    "Oh? But I want to hear their story first about why they abandoned me and their reasons for being missing from my life. I am particularly interested in this rose and the missing stem. Can the tests wait until after they come? I''ll be too tired and end up falling asleep after the exams."


    He sighed and rubbed her forehead with his thumb, "fine. But right after that, you need to get your body checked and no more naughty business or excuses, okay?"


    "I promise." She smiled and continued looking at the rose.


    Lin Que barged into the room with one hand on his hip and the other hand holding the drug diagnosis reports. After some coughs, he excitedly said, "I knew it. We missed something. All these immunosuppressants would lower her immune system, but I always suspected that there was more to this. Why would anyone need to use over ten drugs from the same category when two is enough to perform the same effect?"


    Chen Mu''s eyes rolled towards Susu''s direction, "they''re trying to hide the real effect of the drug by using common diagnosed ones to make doctors confused..."


    "That and also the fact that they are trying to confirm something. After reviewing all these immunosuppressants, I found a very minimal amount of DNA. To be exact, animal DNA."


    "...You mean that someone wanted to infuse animal''s DNA into Susu? What the hell? What for?" Chen Mu couldn''t believe what he had just heard. Susu couldn''t accept it either as her fingers wrapped around the rose on her palm.


    "I can answer those questions, but before that I need to check on my daughter. Would all of you please excuse yourselves and exit this room? I need to speak to her privately." Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia arrived just in time to hear the most updated information about the infused drug. She held her bag in an extremely cautious manner and tightened her grip around the straps when everyone focused their attention on her.


    Lin Que nodded and dragged Lily, who was as still as a statue, with him as he exited. Meanwhile, Chen Mu was about to ask if he could be included and stay with Susu, but before he could say anything, Susu patted his hand. "I''m fine alone. I want to hear them out before they tell everyone else their parts. I''m sure that there are some things that they would like only for me to hear. Can you wait for me outside?"


    Okay, let me know if any of you need anything." With that being said, he closed the door behind him after exiting. Susu''s smile froze and her eyes were covered in frost as her tone turned neutral. "I have a lot of questions, but you two can tell me your story first."

 Chapter 127 - The Shadow Reappeared 2

    Susu sat up straight with the rose in her left hand, waiting for Zi Yan''s explanation. After a few minutes of silence, she looked up to meet Zi Yan''s worried expression.


    "What are you staring at?" Susu asked as the area between her brows wrinkled.


    "You...something is different. You weren''t like this when I left earlier. Your aura changed. Don''t move." Zi Yan''s palm reached close to Susu''s forehead, but didn''t touch her. She shut her eyes and concentrated fully on Susu.


    Slowly, Susu''s body relaxed and felt a warmth, energy wrap around her. The sense of security is similar to a baby in a mother''s w.o.m.b. So warm. So comfortable that she nearly fell asleep.


    After a few minutes, Zi Yan opened her eyes with a light layer of perspiration on her forehead. "How are you feeling?" She felt Susu''s hands and let out a sigh of relief when her hands were room temperature.


    "More calm and warm compared to before. No more tightness in my chest. What did you just do?" Susu blinked and subconsciously held onto Zi Yan''s hand.


    "Even if I tell you this now, you may not believe it. I need to show you something first. Hold out your hand." Susu opened her palm and exposed the rose that was in her left hand. Zi Yan reached into her bag and brought out a box. From the box, she took out a green stem with a tiny leaf on it.


    "That is..." Susu recognized the stem right away from her dream.


    "Here, put them together." Susu took the stem carefully and naturally knew the correct placement and where to stick the stem into the rose. Her eyes widened as she watched the rose blossom and petals soften like a real rose. She blinked at how beautiful this design worked out. It was similar to the outfit that she designed with the bendable petals, except this was like a magic trick.


    "H..how?" She turned towards Zi Yan and showed a question filled face. Zi Yan maintained her smile and looked straight at Susu. Even though she wasn''t saying anything, somehow Susu could read what was going on in her mind.


    "Susu, can you hear me?" Zi Yan''s lips didn''t move, but Susu knew what she was thinking about. Naturally, she replied, "Of course, I could hear you. I''m not deaf."


    "That means you''ve progressed to a breakthrough and opened yourself to your innate abilities." Zi Yan''s lip curved into a small smile while Susu remained confused.


    "What do you mean by breakthrough? I didn''t break anything?" She tilted her head sideways and frowned. Zi Yan opened her mouth and spoke, "you, my dear, aren''t a regular human being. Just now, you read my mind even though I wasn''t saying anything out loud."


    "What do you mean? You were just say-" Susu''s lips stayed parted when she thought back to the way she communicated with Zi Yan just now. It was true that her lips didn''t move a bit and mouth haven''t opened once. All this time, she had been hearing Zi Yan''s inner mind.


    "Susu, check the rose shadow on your right shoulder now. It should possess a more definite form and darker color." Following Zi Yan''s instructions, Susu pulled the right side of her top off her shoulders slightly and saw the rose. Not only was the rose more colorful than before, there was also a stem that appeared!


    "T..this.. When did this get here?" She stuttered in shock. "That was the seal that your mother had left you. The last thing she could have done for you was to seal away your psychic abilities so that you would live a normal childhood. Before we move on with this long ass story to come, I need you to believe that such ability exists. This is not a reality show nor is it some novel that the author decided to randomly pop in to get more people to join the fun. This is real."


    Susu was in a daze as everything came too sudden. On the spur of the moment, she could hear Professor Luo Xia''s voice. He was worried and hoping that she could accept the rest of the adventures to come.


    Looking back and forth from her mother to grandfather, she finally nodded, "I''ll try my best to believe in these supernatural types of things. I can''t guarantee whether I''ll think that I''m crazy at the end though, so just a heads up on that."


    "That''s okay. As long as you understand this point, it''s all that I need for now. Your belief. If not, then I can show you this as well." Zi Yan lifted her right arm and opened her hand facing towards the glass on the table. Eventually, the glass moved from the edge of the table to across the flat surface onto where a circle shaped print for cups were imprinted.


    Susu felt overwhelmed by what she had just witnessed. She rubbed her eyes and even slapped her face to see if she was dreaming. If reading someone else''s mind couldn''t be confirmed, then a moving glass could definitely be proof. Zi Yan turned around and invited Professor Luo Xia to join them, "dad, it''s your turn."


    He cleared his throat and was pretty nervous to speak to Susu. With a pat against his wrinkled hand, Susu cheered him up, "don''t worry, I will try my best to understand."


    After taking a seat by her bedside, Professor Luo Xia said, "Actually, this started with your great grandmother''s generation. Maybe even way before that generation. I''ll start with how I met your grandmother first. She was always alone and everyone seemed to be afraid of her, but I found her special. She was a really humorous and big-hearted person. Very beautiful, just like an angel."


    "We lived in a small village where everyone knew each other. I was young and arrogant, so I didn''t understand that my temper was the reason why I was isolated by those bumpkins. Everyone saw me as the rich kid who acted spoiled, but they never tried giving me a chance to prove them wrong. Of course, this only says that much about kids, huh?"


    "Anyways, I ended up with the thought that if they won''t involve me, then I will play by myself. Of course, that is just my way of acting strong. Who wouldn''t want friends to run around with and laugh about silly little things when they were at that age? Well, then, there was me and my secret garden with plants that I failed to take care of."


    He chuckled as he closed his eyes and visualized everything that had happened as if it was just yesterday.

 Chapter 128 - There Was No Ending

    Professor Luo Xia paused in-between his words and sometimes let out sighs as he brought himself back to those sweet old times. "Your grandmother was a very mysterious lady who looked small but was very audacious. When we first met, she stopped me from tossing out a withered plant. She hugged the clay flowerpot with the plant in it and scolded me."


    He chuckled, "I still remember how I stood still like I was waiting for the emperor''s command. She was feisty, but I could tell that she was very passionate about plants. It was weird because people were always cautious about her. Instead of the scary rumors that circulated in this small place, I only saw a very bright and pretty lady."


    Susu subconsciously relaxed her originally tensed body as she observed her grandfather speak with such a loving expression on his face. She didn''t interrupt him and kept the questions that she had for him in her mind.


    Zi Yan smiled when she saw that Susu started to lower her guard around them. On the other hand, Professor Luo Xia didn''t notice the smiles on their faces as he blabbed about his old story. Sometimes he laughed and mentioned the silly moments between him and his wife. Other times, he would sigh at her stubbornness and how much he missed her dearly.


    "When I pursued her, she gave me the task to make some seeds blossom. She told me that if these seeds grow into beautiful roses, then she would date me. With the weather conditions at that time, I knew she was just picking cabbages and throwing it at me. Even so, I didn''t give up. It was a miracle when I saw signs of the plant growing."


    He shrugged and touched his hair, "I thought that the lords in heaven pitied this handsome man, so they gave me a miraculous chance to be with her. Even she was shocked and inspected the flower to make sure it was the same seeds that she gave me. At the end, she gave a soft laugh and told me that she liked me too. Apparently, even if those seeds wouldn''t grow, she would have accepted me anyways."


    Susu hugged her knees and rested her head on her kneecaps, "you must have been very happy."


    His smile showed his shiny teeth, "Of course! I finally got to date the woman I loved. Everything went smooth and eventually I asked her hands in marriage. It was a sloppy one since I was nervous and all giggly like most men would. I watched too many television shows with those guys acting all calm when they knelt down on one knee, so I thought it would be an easy thing."


    "Pffft, dad, you must have been so nervous and shaky! Hahahaha" Zi Yan slapped his back and teased him.


    "Laugh it all you want. If it wasn''t for me, you wouldn''t be born~ Anyways, your mother, Yuan Yuan, was always kind of weird. Not in a bad way. She always seemed to know what was going to happen and would warn me about things. I never kept it to heart because I thought those were pure coincidences. Even her favorite song was like some unknown tune that nobody had ever heard of."


    The smile of his face froze as his lips slowly became a small frown, "unfortunately, I didn''t realize that our days were that short. If I knew, I wouldn''t mention the future plans and would have done everything with her. Except, that day when I came home to an emptied house, it was already all too late. She was already gone and left me a note with some dates on it."


    "What happened to her?" Susu frowned when she heard the disappointment in his voice.


    "I didn''t understand at first and even now, it still feels like a dream. Later, a granny walked up to me and left me a diary without saying anything. Before I could ask anything, she already disappeared as if she was never in front of me. It was Yuan Yuan''s diary."


    He inhaled and let out a deep sigh, "In the diary, she included details about her innate ability to reading minds and seeing the future. She could see people''s life span and knew that everything is inevitable even if she interfered. Everything she once said as a child scared off all the neighbors because of the damn accuracy. They called her the grim reaper and spread nasty rumors of her."


    "In one of the pages, she mentioned that her mother told her that in the near future, she would meet a man. When that time comes, she would know which man it is because she wouldn''t be able to read his future. From there, she would have to choose her path."


    "And...you were the man..am I right? Then what does it mean by choosing her path?" Susu asked.


    He nodded with a bitter smile, " I''m the man who interrupted her predictions for the future. She never told me any of her worries and always acted calm in front of me. Even when she counted down the days that we had left, she always smiled. I am the man whom she was destined to meet and fall in love with. At the same time, we won''t have a future."


    "If she chose to be with me, then the future would become a mess and everything may change. Even if she doesn''t choose me, she knew that there would be a day when she has to leave this place. Apparently, the seeds that she gave me weren''t supposed to grow. That''s why when she saw the roses, she was shocked as well."


    "During the time that I spent growing the roses, she had a talk with her mother. Her life had been determined since the day she was born. When she reaches a certain age, her unique ability would be found out by some rich people and they would hunt for her. Eventually, she wouldn''t be able to escape her fate."


    "Then...that means grandmother already knew that she wouldn''t be able to be with you.." Susu mumbled.


    "Yep. Since the very beginning, but she still chose to spend the rest of the time that she had left with me. After getting married, her future changed." His eyes gazed at Zi Yan whose eyes were already reddened by this story. She never knew that her mother made such sacrifices.


    He handed her his handkerchief and continued, "because of our life choices and the unexpected arrivals of Zi Yan and Zi Lan, she had to leave earlier. She went to her mother for another prediction before deciding to leave. Her mother told her that if she continued staying here and waited for her children to be born, everyone would end up killed by the greedy assholes."


    "What? So she left without telling you anything because of this?" Zi Yan interrupted and felt bad for her father.


    He shook his head and patted her shoulder, "It''s not her fault. If she told me everything, I would follow her everywhere. I wouldn''t be able to save you, Ariana and Chen Nan. We would''ve been in a much worse situation. Luckily, she left the diary to the granny for me. "


    "What did those greedy people want from great-grandmother, though? Her predictions?" Susu bit her lips from their heart breaking story.


    "They didn''t want her abilities. What they wanted was for her to be a part of their experiment. To create more babies with her unique DNA cells and to figure out how regular humans could have psychic abilities." He clenched his fists against the bed sheets and gritted his teeth.


    "What the f.u.c.k? What kind of sicko would do this to others? No matter how greedy people get, this is absolutely inhumane and illegal!" Susu sat up and punched the bed.


    "You''ll be surprised how disgusting these pigs are when they see people as monetary values." He sighed.


    The lipstick on Zi Yan''s lips had been long gone, "This is outrageous. Even though I knew about the experiment part because I was involved in that bullshit, I still can''t believe people could get up to this extent for money! I was young, but I wasn''t stupid enough to believe in their shit words about taking my blood test."


    "You were part of that..experiment?" Susu turned to face her with a shocked expression.


    Zi Yan nodded and said, "your mother died because of cancer, but it was also because they did some weird lab thing on her. I''m not sure if they found some scientist or not, but she appeared to have given them good results? Hah, that Yin Zin Leung took her as his wife because he wanted their child to have psychic powers like she did."


    "When they found out that her cancer was incurable, they decided to take her egg and his s.p.e.r.m. Instead of finding a surrogate mother, they said that because I came from the same w.o.m.b as Zi Lan, I would be the best candidate as a surrogate mother. Even though everything was forced, you turned out to be the best miracle to us. She gripped Susu''s hands tightly.


    "So..I was...an experiment...?" Susu muttered.


    Zi Yan sighed, "Darling, even though you came to this world because of this chaotic drama, you only need to know one thing. You have two mothers who love you dearly. Zi Lan gave birth to you and loved you so much that she used her remaining amount of strength to seal your abilities. She knew that if they find out that you have the abilities like we do, then you would be dragged into this."


    Susu''s lips parted and her rasped voice asked, "Then why...why did you guys leave me? What did those assholes do to you guys?" her body trembled and objects floated in the air as her anger heightened.


    "Susu, calm down first. Calm down! It''s bad for your current condition!" Zi Yan pulled her for a tight hug and whispered words into her ears.


    "How do you expect me to calm down when my whole life had been ruined by some person''s greedy ass experiment?! What about Shen Wen? That monster I called dad throughout my entire life? The stepmother? Who are the liars and which bastard destroyed my family?!" She screamed out her frustration and started crying while clenching her mother''s shirt.

 Chapter 129 - Ch.i.p.s

    "Listen to me. You just managed to release that seal. If they find out through these walls that you were a success from the experiment, you will be their next target. You hear me? Even if you can''t be calm, you need to control your emotions. Your abilities are stronger than Zi Lan''s and mines combined because you also absorbed my energy in my w.o.m.b." Zi Yan squeezed her shoulders as Chen Mu knocked on the other side of the door.


    He heard Susu''s screams and tried to enter the room, but it was locked. Professor Luo Xia reassured him from the inside of the room that everything was fine and that they needed more time alone with her. He guaranteed that she was alright. She only needed to process some parts of the story.


    Chen Mu really wanted to barge in on them, but he knew that this was their private matter. Hence, he went back to his seat and stared at the closed door with his fingers intertwined.


    After several minutes of persuasion, Susu followed Zi Yan''s instructions and controlled herself. The objects in the room settled back to where it came from. Finally, she took another deep breath and said, "I''m ready for the rest of the story."


    "Are you sure? We can continue another day if you need some time to rest." Professor Luo Xia''s heart ached as he witnessed her sweat filled forehead. It took her a lot of effort and energy to calm down.


    She shook her head, "how could I be a weakling and stop here? I can continue from where we left off. What did those bastards do? What else have they hidden from me?"


    They were impressed by her courageous strength. Many people would have gone on a massive killer mode or went in shock from learning about this. Susu mumbled, "I''ll hunt each of them down."


    Zi Yan sighed and said, "where were we up to? Ah, right. There was actually more to the experiment. I didn''t know what happened between grandma and them except for the fact that Zi Lan and I were captured for the experiment. She couldn''t escape their claws either and was held captive too. I only knew that these monsters grew hungrier for money as time passed. They used nasty methods to research and trick other people into their labs."


    "Ariana and Chen Nan were the youngest in that lab. As for what happened to them, they never mentioned much about it. We also never asked. Other people either died or were killed by those scientists after they found out that they were useless material to the research."


    "The original partners who came up with this damn idea already died, but their sons and daughters took over their spot. Tian Guo Min, Shen Wen, Lin Zin Leung, Liang Yu Qing and their parents were involved in the experiment. Lin Zin Leung was the worst beast who came up with the idea of injecting animal''s DNA during the safe stage of the pregnancy."


    "Animal''s DNA?? What for? To make me look like a human with pig''s head?" Susu shoved the blanket away from her and reacted impulsively as her feet reached the cold floor.


    "He wanted his child to have psychic abilities and an animal''s unique ability. For instance, if he uses Cheetah, then he would expect the child to have lightning speed running because that''s the animal''s innate skill." She shook her head and caressed Susu''s cheeks to prevent her from doing anything reckless.


    "Hah, that bastard doesn''t want a child! He wants to make a damn monster human baby to brag about. What if the child ended up brainless with a leopard''s head and human limbs? What will he do? Kill the child? Or display that body in a museum? Dissect me for more research?" Susu scoffed and hit her chest to ease the chest pain.


    "Zi Lan sealed your abilities so that they wouldn''t find out and use you as their subject. Only this way, it would be the safest for you. Thankfully, when they couldn''t test your abilities, they decided to observe you as you grow older. Your grandmother helped me escape later on, and I managed to meet up with your grandfather. Then, Chen Nan and Ariana met up with us on another date. We couldn''t bring you along because if we get caught then we would end up dead."


    "Also, those people were already killing even before our escape plan pieced together." Zi Yan wanted to say some more words, but couldn''t bring herself to say it in front of her father.


    Susu asked, "then what about grandma? Didn''t she go with you guys? Why didn''t she escape as well?"


    Professor Luo Xia looked at Zi Yan''s sorry expression, "Don''t worry about me. You can say it. No point in hiding anything or holding words in your throat."


    Zi Yan nodded and wiped the corner of her eyes, "Your grandma helped me escape, but she also said that she couldn''t go with me. She said that her days was almost up, and all she could do is help whoever she could while she still can. Her last words to me were to tell you, dad, that she loves you a lot."


    "...did they kill her?" Susu squeezed her left hand to a tight fist when she asked this question.


    "I don''t know because that was the last time I''ve seen her. I also tried to ask Chen Nan and Ariana, but they said that they were brought halfway through a separately planned route before parting from her. We settled everything and have been planning since years ago to come back for you. Unfortunately, there were movements about the experiment and everything delayed."


    "Then..what about the rose? Why did you tell me that as long as I kept the rose with me and not hand it over to them, I would be safe? What does this have anything to do with the rose? Was it to unseal my abilities?" She questioned and looked at the rose that had fallen from her hand to her bed.


    "Partially because of that. Another reason is that when your mother sealed your abilities, she also told me to leave a chip with you. Those rich bastards wanted to find out about our family''s weaknesses because we held the key to billions of underground connections to businesses. Those people didn''t know much about it, so they''ve been looking for an object that they had no idea about." Zi Yan took out a small piece of chip that was sitting inside a small plastic container.


    "What''s this? The key?" Susu squinted at the small object while taking some deep breaths slowly.


    "Other than the abilities that they wanted from our DNA cells and whatever cells they wanted to experiment with, they wanted these ch.i.p.s. Since the words spread saying these were keys, they assumed it would be in a key form. Zi Lan purposely said before she passed away to me just for them to hear that she would give everything that belonged to her to you. That''s why as long as they fail to find the key, they wouldn''t lay a finger on you. There is a total of two pieces. One of it is here, and the other is in this rose."


    "In here?" Susu looked at the rose. Zi Yan took the rose and folded certain petals inwards and bent a few petals outwards. The center of the rose opened up and a chip was trapped inside of it.


    "I was that close all along? How could I not have noticed?" she took the chip from the center of the rose and inspected the tiny piece sim card looking chip.


    "Actually, you were quite close. Your grandpa already showed me the footage of your rose dress design. You only had the petals folded incorrectly or else you would''ve found out about it. I''m very proud of you." She gave Susu a quick hand squeeze and smiled.


    "This all feels so weird." Susu mumbled lowly.


    "Hmm?" Zi Yan stroked Susu''s hair as she listened to her words. Professor Luo Xia also covered Susu with the blanket that she had previously shoved aside.


    "For all these years, everyone that I thought of who were close to me were wolves trying to skin me alive. Once I held little to no value to them, they tossed me aside. The scariest thought of all wasn''t that I was alone, but that I had family members who were in danger because of these bastards. My family was ruined, and my life was an experiment. I just found out about having a mother and grandfather. Now, I have some magic skills that I always thought reality shows faked about."


    She said it all in one breath and inhaled deeply before continuing her thoughts. "Forget what I used to think about because that family existed through illusional fakers. My mothers suffered, and my entire ancestry line is basically separated. I''m feeling so overwhelmed that I could barely breath correctly."


    They soothed her back as she let out her frustrations and concerns. "You two didn''t hate me for being born and still came for me. You left this important chip looking thing with me and even put my safety as your top priorities. And now..I...I..."


    She felt her cheeks heat up and her nose getting stuffy. She vented out her anger and all there''s left were emotions that she didn''t know how to settle. As her tears flowed, all she felt were comforting rubs on her back and warmth of a real family.


    After she had calmed her emotions, she took Professor Luo Xia''s hand and placed it on Zi Yan''s hand. With a small smile, she patted both hands at once and said, "Nice to meet you two. Mom. Grandpa."

 Chapter 130 - Will You Still Love Me?

    Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia''s eyes swelled up the moment they heard her introduction. She had accepted them officially and seemed to have understood the situation better than they had expected. Susu was quickly wrapped in their embrace like the ingredients between the bread of a sandwich. She smiled and patted the two a.d.u.l.ts who were trying to squash her.


    She waited patiently and endured the strangling sensation until she really couldn''t breathe anymore from the small gap that they left for her to between their hug. They let her go almost immediately after her comment about trouble with breathing. Seeing how worried they looked, Susu couldn''t hold back her genuine smile.


    During the remaining time in the room, Zi Yan focused on healing Susu''s arm halfway. That was her extent in helping Susu recover her right hand. Zi Lan already knew that Susu would encounter a misfortune around this age, so her seal also formed a protective charm. This charm could only work temporarily and be used once.


    Since the injection went through her right arm, the seal has delayed the drug from entering her body system and trapped it in her right arm. The most Zi Yan could do was remove half the drug from her arm. As much as she wished to remove the drug entirely from her body, she couldn''t. There was an extent to her ability.


    Zi Yan explained before proceeding with the removal procedure to make sure Susu understood the risk that she would have to face.


    As her hands warmed up Susu''s arm, she said, "the animal cell that Lin Que had shouted about just now isn''t exactly accurate. The results may have shown animal cells, but if I''m correct about it, it was one of the drugs that vets use to kill animals. Back then, they created animal cells and drugs to destroy the cells for failed experiments. The evidence to support my suspicions is your numbed arm that isn''t functioning after that injection."


    Professor Luo Xia hmphed and stomped his cane twice against the floor; cracking the surface of the floor. "They thought that you were a failed experiment and wanted to get rid of you. Grandpa will dig the culprits up and blend them to bone juice to feed dogs."


    "You said you could only remove half the drug from my arm. Then when the protective charm expires, will I die?" She stuttered.


    "I could only remove half at max, but there is someone else who could help you. Her name is Qian Ling and like us, she also holds healing and other abilities. Everyone calls her Xiao Ling when we were trapped in that experiment lab. We have been searching for her whereabouts for years. This time, we will definitely destroy those labs and get her out of there. I''m not sure if she managed to escape by now, but surely, we''ll figure it out."


    Even though Zi Yan didn''t fully answer her question, Susu understood that she had some hope in surviving. She remained silent as the healing process began and the familiar warmth from earlier surrounded her body once again. Her eyes were shut as her consciousness faded.


    Soon, the healing was completed and the numbness in her arm had reduced. Now, she could move her fingers as her blood circulation increased.


    Zi Yan massaged Susu''s arm and checked her pulse again, "dear, you should be able to move your arm little by little. Right now, you should be able to feel your fingers. In a few hours, your arm would be good as new. The only thing your arm can''t do is carry heavy items."


    "Mm.. thank you, mom. I''m feeling a little tired right now. You and grandpa should go back for some rest. Chen Mu and everyone else is here if I need anything." Susu smiled and reminded them to focus on things that they needed to do other than taking care of her.


    They were hesitant at first, but eventually gave in to her idea. "Alright. We''ll come back to visit you later. Rest well, sweetie." Zi Yan patted Susu''s hand while Susu gave her a tight squeeze.


    "Rest well. If you need anything, just tell Chen Mu to give us a call or message." Professor Luo Xia said after giving her another glance.


    "Okay. Let me know when you two get back to the hotel, so I know you''re safe."


    "We will." Zi Yan stood up from her seat and walked towards the exit where Professor Luo Xia was waiting for her.


    The moment the door creaked open, everyone surrounded the old man and middle-aged woman with glittering eyes.


    "We told her everything we wanted to for now. She''s still trying to process what we told her. You guys could take a look at her, but give her some time and space. There''s a lot on her shoulders right now." Zi Yan relaxingly yawned and patted Chen Mu''s back as if she was giving him a signal.


    Professor Luo Xia also mentioned to the group that they should get some rest while Susu took her rest. Chen Mu thanked everyone for their help in watching over Susu. After that, he urged them to eat and perform their regular routines.


    Lily took Ariana to a private shower in Lin Que''s office and talked about sharing her skin products with her. Meanwhile, Chen Nan followed Lin Que to another room to take a quick shower and finish their meals.


    Chen Mu waited and watched them head to do whatever they needed to do before knocking on Susu''s door.


    "Susu, it''s me. Can I come in?" He asked.


    "Yeah. Come in." She sounded tired from the other side of the door.


    After walking in, she reminded him to lock the doors. She wanted to have a private talk with him. Her body was shaking a little bit, and he could tell that she was tensed around him. He didn''t understand what was making her concerned to this extent.


    "Susu? What''s wrong? Are you feeling sick or pain somewhere?" He frowned and placed his forehead against hers to make sure she didn''t have a fever.


    "I''m fine. Sit. I have something I want to talk to you about." She patted the area to her left and moved towards the right side of the bed.


    "Okay," he took off his shoes and removed his outside clothes before getting into bed with her.


    She leaned against his arm and closed her eyes for a little bit. Sensing something was off with her, he didn''t make a sound after getting into bed. He waited patiently for her to speak out her worries.


    After ten minutes of resting her eyes, she opened them. Looking up, she met his gentle gaze. She asked, "If I am not who you think I was, will you still love me?"


    Her question reflected her insecurities about her background. Even when she heard about how she was born into this world, she felt overwhelmed about it. It was like an unimaginable and unbelievable situation that only occurs in dramas and novels. How could she not doubt herself and the way others would react when she becomes honest with them?


    In fact, she didn''t even know how she would come out to telling them about herself. She looked at him with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. He could see the fear and insecurity through their eye contact.


    He pulled her into his embrace and placed her ears to his chest where she could hear his heart beating. "Susu, do you hear my heart beat?"


    Her eyes shut as she relaxed her body to the rhythm of his racing heart. As if their hearts were connected, her heart started to skip at his pace. "Mmm.."


    "Good. I''m not sure what you talked about for the past hour and a half with your family, but you don''t have to tell me about it. If you don''t feel comfortable, then take everything at your own pace. You don''t have to feel like you''re covering up something or being dishonest with me either. I understand that there will be things that are hard to tell anyone."


    His fingers stroked her hair gently and loosened any tangles along the way. "Sometimes, it takes a while for ourselves to adapt to changes too. So, take everything slowly. Like my heart beating at its natural rate. Let yourself work it out and if you ever want someone to listen to you, I''ll be right here."


    "So, you won''t mind even if I''m irregular? Like I''m abnormal..." He shushed her for a second after she let her words slip.


    "Shh..everyone has their own stories. There are many people with the weirdest lives that we don''t know of. If being normal means to get a plain job and live the rest of my life at ease, then I''d rather choose to go a different way. If being normal means that I can''t be with you and take care of you then I''ll choose to be the weird one. Nothing in life is a guarantee."


    "Therefore, whatever comes our way, I''ll always knock down those obstacles with you. Always be by your side and face it with you. You can lean on me when you feel tired even without explaining anything to me. If you ever encounter any difficulties, I''ll always be the man to support you behind the scenes."


    His shirt was sticking to his chest as her tears stained it. Her head was lowered and her left arm clenched the back of his shirt. He continued his response, "I love you for who you are. Other factors are like accessories to me. It doesn''t matter where you came from or what you''ve done in the past because you will always be the Yin, Susu that I fell in love with. Even if you ask me the same silly question, I''ll answer you with different words but same answer."


    Hearing his words made her feel really relieved. Her left arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him down to face her. She looked deeply into his eyes and faced his smiling face. "You crybaby," he wiped the wet tear stains from her cheeks and chuckled.


    "Chen Mu.." she whispered as she looked at him without blinking.


    "Hmm?" He fixed a few strands of her fringe.


    "Chen Mu.." she called his name again. As she chanted his name repeatedly, she leaned closer to his face.


    "Yes, sweetie?" He noticed her movements and hugged her closer to his body.


    "Let''s have a baby." Before he had the chance to withdraw his hand around her waist, she had taken his lips with hers. It was so sudden that he didn''t have time to prepare for her attack. Still, he managed to catch on with her pace and kissed her back sloppily.


    Her kisses were rougher and more intense compared to every other kiss that she had ever taken initiative for. Using her thumb, she parted his lips and slipped her tongue to greet his. At first, her tongue clumsily poked the tip of his tongue because of the awkward angle they were kissing in. She laid her back against the bed and circled her arms around his nape.


    Naturally, he toppled over her as their tongues intruded each other''s mouths over and over again. His fingertips reached the back of her nape; making her shiver at his every touch. She tilted her chin up for his tongue to gain better access to her hot tongue. Her lips parted wider as their kisses grew wetter. Chills visited down her spine and send tingles throughout her body as they made out under the blanket.


    Although the sun was still out and birds were chirping loudly, the couple spent their time under the blanket as if it was a silent night. It''s been a while since they''ve kissed so intensely without disturbance and worries. They''ve already forgotten the time and location. All they cared for was having each other in their arms and reciprocating the other''s movement.


    She felt a rush of helplessness as her body ground against his body. Her h.i.p.s moved in thrusting movements while colliding with his erection. Her knee raised slightly to service his buddy who was trapped underneath his pants and boxers.


    He paused between their kisses, but she didn''t allow him to. Her hands brought his luscious lips back to her soft, numb ones as she teased him the way she enjoyed it. Once in a while, she''d release a few m.o.a.ns deep into his ears; tempting him into losing his mind further. Her teeth would meet his ear lobe and gently nibble on them.


    Her left hand reached for her favorite tooshie and squeezed those butt cheeks the way she liked it. His mouth stopped as her pumped lips formed a smirk from her mischievous tease. He pinched her small chin and said, "well, well, well, did the Queen awaken her interest in her fellow King? Hmm? Or shall I say, King''s bottom cheeks?"


    "Hehehe. I''ve always been interested in them. They get special attention from me." She chuckled and wrapped her left arm around his waist; pinning him closer to her body. As she lifted her head from the pillow for another round of kisses, he interrupted with his hands. "No more until after your surgery. Also, babies too."


    "But I feel fine. Don''t you want to have a little darling you or mini version me?" She pouted and gave him a miserable look.


    "Nope. If we get any further, it wouldn''t just be the tooshie smooching your palms. It''ll be lips to lips and me thrusting in and out of your deepest insides. Our little princesses and princes could come after, and we can have a house full of them if you want to. These swimmers are strong ones with shields. You''ll get pregnant in no time if I tried." He rejected and tried to get away.


    "So, you mean that if I could recover, then we can continue?" She asked him a challenging question that she was sure he would fall for.


    As expected, his response went along with her plans, "Yep. Your health is my top priority."


    "Good. Very well. Then, shall I show you the power of my tooshies clawing skills?" She smirked and used her right hand to massage his right butt cheeks; startling him with her sudden movement. Her right hand was cold compared to her left, but was functioning and much warmer than the last time he had checked it.


    "What the..." He shivered from the surprise gropes.


    "I can''t really explain to you what happened, but my hand works-ish now. But darling, I really want to have a child with you. Really really really really really want one. No, not just one. I want as many little ones as we could have, but one is good for now." Tears formed in her eyes as she confessed her inner desire to have a sweet family with this man in her arms.


    "Susu, you don''t know how happy these words make me feel." He kissed her forehead and brushed away the tears that escaped her eyes.


    "Then can''t we have one?" She asked in a pleading tone.


    "We can, but not until.."


    "I know. Until I recover. So..I''ll definitely get well. When that time comes, we better make lots and lots of babies." she sniffled and gave him a peck on the cheeks. He smiled and whispered, "as many as you want. But before that time comes, I can still satisfy our Queen with this."


    He stuck out his tongue and crawled down to her crotch where her pants and panties had already been taken off from their earlier activity. She gasped as his fingers massaged her clit. "Nnn..ahhhh.." she bit her lips and moved her h.i.p.s as his wet tongue traced her lower lips.


    Her insides twitched as she reached her climax. He inserted his fingers, curving it into a hook shape as he thrusted roughly in and out of her wet v.a.g.i.n.a. For every thrust he did, her juices would make flesh pounding sounds; reminding him of how wet her insides felt when his p.e.n.i.s entered her continuously. She held in her m.o.a.ns and combed through his hair as her h.i.p.s lifted during her climax.


    She let out a long m.o.a.n and breathed heavily as she settled down. "You said we can''t have a baby right now, but never said we can''t do it." She licked her lips and looked at him hungrily for more. Seeing that he was still trying to control himself, she found it even more pleasing to tease.


    Her fingers unbuttoned the first few buttons of the top to reveal her slight cleavage. After that, she crawled to him and pushed him down. She unzipped his pants and started off by licking his hardened p.e.n.i.s. From the tip of his mushroom shaped top, she sucked it gently as if she was eating ice cream. Before taking his whole length in her mouth, she let her saliva flow from his d.i.c.k and spread it using her hands. With thrusting motions, her hands moved up and down while her mouth sucked on the tip.


    She let out m.o.a.ns as she took his length deep into her throat. As she sucked faster and twirled her tongue around his enlarged c.o.c.k, his hands guided her head, His h.i.p.s thrusted as he groaned and ejaculated inside her mouth. She swallowed every drop of s.e.m.e.n he let out inside of her and licked her lips clean.


    He could see her aroused n.i.p.p.l.es from the way she crawled over to kiss his lips. With her legs apart on either side of his body, her body started grinding ger bare p.u.s.s.y to his p.e.n.i.s; slowly teasing him. Her juices were overflowing from her entrance after she had her first climax and the heat of her insides teased his tip every time she reached it.


    Her b.r.e.a.s.ts rubbed against his thin shirt while her sweet kisses tasted like honey. She whispered and let out a light m.o.a.n to his ear, "I want you to slide right in here. Haa..nnmm.." While she said these words, her hands stroked his d.i.c.k and positioned its tip at her entrance. Her fingers wrapped around his already hardened c.o.c.k and traced her wet lips.


    "Just like this.." she sat up and put the tip of his p.e.n.i.s into her p.u.s.s.y; spreading it to his size. Her tight hole stretched slowly as her h.i.p.s moved against his p.e.n.i.s. She m.o.a.ned as she slid his tip in and out of her.


    "Damn it! Prepare for weak legs and ointment session." His hands held her in place as he thrusted his whole p.e.n.i.s into her insides and felt her tightened warmth.


    "So tight..." he groaned.


    "Nmmmm... so deep.. haa..." She sucked on his lips to control the level of her voice as he messed up her insides repeatedly. The sounds of flesh pounding against flesh filled the room as their private parts collided. Soon, they reached their second climax while staying connected. She felt his warm fluids fill her w.o.m.b, and he felt the warmth of her deepest inside.


    He let her rest on top of him until she was ready for another round or few more rounds of fun. Since she opened the gates to the devil''s chamber, she needs to take responsibility for it. In the meantime, the couple wasn''t as low key as they thought they were because the other two pairs had stopped by earlier and left when they figured out what they were doing behind the locked door.


    The two pairs decided to spend their time having a round of dessert and perhaps maybe dinner to give the sweet couple some alone time.

 Chapter 131 - Three to Five Years

    Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia arrived safely at the hotel. After settling down in their suite, Zi Yan sent a text to Susu to let her know that they were safe. Shortly after the text was received and left on seen, Susu responded with a bunny sticker raising its thumbs.


    Seeing the response made her smile subconsciously. She forgot when the last time was when she smiled like this. The heaviness in her chest also lightened after Susu accepted her and her grandfather.


    Knock Knock


    "Coming!" She shouted and rushed to peek at the tiny door hole.


    "Dad? Didn''t you say that you would get some rest?" She frowned slightly at the thought of his health being her top priority. His solemn expression made her lips stick together as he walked into her room.


    "I was going to take some rest, but something started to bother me after we separated. I wondered for a while before figuring out what it was that made me feel unease." He spoke with such a serious tone that she couldn''t help but straighten her slightly hunched back.


    She crossed her arms, poured filtered water into the water kettle boiler and took a seat across from him. Her eyes stared straight into his.


    "There''s no need in trying to read my mind. You should know by now that your abilities are limited to certain people. You can''t read Susu''s or mines. Unless we choose to communicate with you through that way or else you can''t spy on my thoughts. That''s how Susu figured out your thoughts and mine while we were there." He smiled and reminded her of her limited capabilities.


    Hearing his words made her heave a huge sigh, "Alright, I give up. What is it that you are worried about?"


    "Tell me the truth. What''s Susu''s condition?" The creases on his forehead deepened as his worries showed on his face.


    "Like I said already. We need to find Qian Ling because she can heal the remainder of the drug in her body." The sound of water bubbling in the kettle intensified the atmosphere in the room.


    "Of course, I already know that part of the truth. I''ll be straightforward and ask you directly then. How much time do we have left to find Qian Ling before that drug releases into Susu''s system? And what information do we have about Qian Ling to track down her whereabouts?"


    When she tried avoiding the questions, she stood up from her seat and bent over to reach from the teapot. He interrupted her and moved the teapot away. "I don''t have much time left. With my current condition, I can at most last a few more years. Within these years, I want to make sure my granddaughter is safe and healthy. I''m not sure why you''re hiding this part, but we definitely have limited time."


    She retracted her arm and clenched her hands to a fist. Without a word, she walked over to the water kettle and disconnected the power cord from the outlet. He continued to press on the subject; not giving her a chance to switch topics.


    "You already know that I was supposed to die on that surgery table a few years ago. I was midway into walking through the dark road in my death bed, but somehow woke up back in the hospital. Since then, I''ve obtained the same abilities like yours and your abilities have deteriorated. Did you think that I wouldn''t have noticed? I only kept quiet about it."


    The hand on his cane tightened its grip as he dug the truth from her. He knew that she must have done something or else he would have been dead. She sucked on her lips for a few minutes before opening her mouth to speak.


    "Fine. I''ll tell you. We only have at most five years to find Qian Ling if she''s still alive, that is. From what I know, she had a family and was brutally taken away from them out of nowhere. At first, she thought it was a kidnap, but later realized that a dead body was found at the car explosion that she was involved in. Those bastards wanted to keep her there alive for research."


    She took a heavy deep breath before saying everything at once. "I have the least percentage of confidence in finding her because the labs could have been moved to different locations. If so, we would have to find a way to figure out all places to run searches in. In order to do that, we...need to send someone in there without raising their suspicions of that person being a spy."


    "As for this plan, it''s not at all coming together. Susu can at most last from a range of three to five years. If her cancer is properly under control, then that would be the best estimate I have for her. God forbid, but if something does happen to her again, I won''t have the ability to heal her anymore."


    His eyes shut tight as he listened to her explanation and plans towards saving Qian Ling. When she had finished that part of the story, he had two questions left for her. "Two more questions. Why didn''t you tell us all these essential informations? And, is your deteriorated abilities because of me?"


    "I was planning to have everything sorted out first before sharing it to anyone. If you hadn''t force it out of me, then I would have kept it until everything was prepared. I know you''ve been wondering about your surgery from years ago for a while now, so I''ll also be truthful to you. Yes, my abilities have deteriorated over these years, and it was me who saved you."


    "I once swore that I would never let anyone close die before we destroy those bastards. Everyone must be there to witness this. When you were breathing your last breath on your death bed, I made a trade. I learned from mother that we have the ability to transfer our life force to another person to prolong their life. While transferring the life force, I''ve overused my ability."


    She placed the kettle down and reached for the teapot. With a smile on her face, she poured the boiled water into the pot.


    "You shouldn''t have done that." He said after a while of silence.


    "Even if you gave me a million more chance to rechoose, I would have done the same. I won''t forgive those disgusting jerks for messing up our family. You''ve suffered too much and haven''t avenged for mother with your hands. If I didn''t do anything, I would be full of regrets. Aren''t we fine and healthy now?"


    She wiped the tea cups with a clean cloth before putting it back on the table. "But if you didn''t do that, then you could have helped Susu. She could have had longer time and less risk if you spent that life force on her instead."


    "Dad, no matter what had happened before and will happen in the future, we won''t be able to change it. I only know that at that moment, my decision was to save you. Besides, I really can''t do more than removing half the drug from her body regardless of whether I had my full life force or not. Only Qian Ling could do it. That''s what mother told me before we separated. She and Zi Lan both saw through Susu''s future."


    "What did they say about her?"


    "They couldn''t see her future after this incident. That''s why Zi Lan sealed her abilities as well as formed a protection charm for her. The charm would delay whatever is killing her body, but once it expires, only one person could save her. Mother told me right before we separated that her last prediction showed that Susu had hope. The person who could change her life around was Qian Ling."


    "I see." He wrinkled his brows as his determination to win the battle against those rotten bastards increased.


    She pushed the cup of brewed tea towards him and smiled reassuringly, "don''t worry too much for now. Luck is on our side this time. Since we already sent a nice gift to Yin Zin Leung, why don''t we send off some gifts to his partner in greed?"

 Chapter 132 - I Know For Myself

    A few days had passed since Susu had been admitted to the hospital. Under everyone''s strict supervision and their perfect teamwork in switching shifts to look after Susu, her condition has greatly improved. She could now swing her arms and function like she used to. The only thing she couldn''t do was carry anything heavy with that arm.


    As instructed by Zi Yan, everyone became more cautious and would always be on guard wherever they went. Susu was not left alone for even a minute ever since the drug incident. Although she felt relieved, she also felt like she became everyone''s burden.


    Her heart ached when she saw the eye bags under their eyes. She tried persuading them to sleep for more hours, but they insist on staying awake as she rested. Even though her arm has gotten better, her worries did not reduce. Instead, as each day passes, her fear increased.


    She was afraid of death and leaving her loved ones alone; especially Chen Mu. She didn''t dare share her thoughts with anyone yet. One afternoon, while Chen Mu, Chen Nan and Lin Que worked in the laboratory for a new medicine to treat her cancer, she made a request to the girls.


    "We can''t let you out of the hospital." Ariana repeatedly shook her head.


    "But I want to get something really important to me." Susu clapped her palms together in a pleading manner.


    "Then we can get it for you." Lily''s hands stayed put on either side of her h.i.p.s as she suggested a different solution.


    "You guys can only get the key for me from my condo. The rest is between Chen Mu and me. Nobody else can interfere." She pursed her bottom lip forward and stubbornly fought their reasonings.


    "Dear, with your condition, you shouldn''t run around like that. We don''t know who else might be planning a scheme to harm you. So, before that-" Lily tried to persuade her once again by sitting beside her and tucking her in.


    Susu stretched her hands out to touch theirs and said, "my life is at a limit. I don''t know what might happen tomorrow and when my sleep could be my last. There are too many complications to explain, so I''ll keep it short. In this arm, I still have half of the drug injection flowing through it. Currently, it is under control with some procedure, but there is an expiration date to that."


    She turned her head from Lily''s direction to Ariana as she spoke in the simplest terms about her condition. "I don''t know how much time I have left and my mother didn''t mention it for a reason. I know my own body better than the diagnosis. Even though I could move my fingers, I can''t hold a pencil properly nor sketch like I used to. Yes, I can move my arm, but the hope of us finding the doctor to get rid of the rest of the drug is quite difficult."


    "Which doctor is your mom looking for? Maybe we could help you. Lin Que knows many famous doctors." Lily frowned at her negative words.


    Susu shook her head and revealed a straight hopeless smile. "She isn''t someone anyone could easily look for. I am only calling her a doctor because I''m not sure what else I can address her as. Anyways, once the procedure that is holding the drug back expires, the drug will enter my system. Not sure of the survival rate once hell breaks loose."


    "But you''re all healthy now. How could it be possible for this drug to be that toxic? I''m sure there is a cure somewhere!" Lily refused to accept such possibility.


    "I don''t think anyone could accept it even though that''s the truth. Even I can''t process some of the things, but what else can I say? I''m stuck in this situation, and either the cancer beats me first or the drug comes to me. So, before that day comes, I really want to do what my heart is telling me to. There''s something I must show Chen Mu personally."


    Susu pulled their hands to the center where she squeezed them while smiling. Suddenly, the girls realized that this same smile, that she''s been showing them had hid all her negative thoughts. They looked at each other and nodded, "Let me know where you put the key in your condo and I''ll go fetch it."


    "Thank you. I also have another favor I want to ask." She relaxed her body.


    "Anything you want. Just name it." Ariana agreed immediately.


    "Can you two help me pick out a cute outfit and give me a makeover? I only want him to remember the most beautiful me when I bring him to that place."


    "No problem. We''ll prepare everything for you. But hun, have you told Chen Mu yet?" Lily asked with a soft tone as if she was afraid that she would wake a child up from a nap.


    "I''m...planning to tell him when I show him that place. I just never thought that I would bring him there already." Her eyes swelled up slightly as she curved the corner of her lips to a smile.


    The tears that Lily held back lost its control as droplets slid out of her eyes. It was too late to turn around and look up at the ceiling. Instead, Lily and Ariana wrapped Susu in their embrace as they formed a group hug. Ariana had her eyes closed the entire time to trap her tears. Still, trails of tear stains were evident on her delicate face.


    Lily took care of everything from fetching the key from the condo to picking up the cosmetic sets that she asked her makeup artists to prepare within the hour. Meanwhile, Ariana showed Susu different outfits and chose a few decent looking dresses with matching jackets and shoes. Soon, supplies were delivered to the room and the girls began their makeover session.


    By the time the guys had finished their research and wrapped up for the day, Susu was already ready. Lily whispered, "they''re coming."


    Ariana nodded and walked out of the room with Lily to block Lin Que and Chen Nan''s way.


    "Don''t let the beauty wait too long, or we''ll eat her up." Lily winked and pushed the clueless Chen Mu inside the room.


    The guys shrugged as they watched Chen Mu enter the room.


    "Darling!" Susu smiled energetically with her arms spread as she dashed towards his direction and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her soft, warm body and kissed her forehead, "Aiggooo, out family''s goddess sure is feeling much better today. You even dressed up so beautifully~"


    He praised at her long-sleeved off shoulder V neck white dress that reached midway of her thighs with trimmed layers with embroidered flowers. Pale pink laced flowers freshened up the edges of her dress and around her slim waist line. The tip of her hair was slightly curled with a small updo; exactly the way she loved it.


    Her porcelain skin glowed naturally after she applied moisturizer. The shimmery pink eyeshadow with extended brown eyeliner made her eyes look rounder and softer than usual. Ariana was a professional when it comes to bringing out a girl''s feminine features with cosmetics, so Susu''s makeover looked natural. Minimal products were used, and a few touchups brought out her beauty.


    "So you''re saying that I''m not pretty other days? Hmmm?" She pinched his cheeks and teased his word choices.


    "Ayeee, no noo, you aree the most bootifull." She giggled at his response and squished his cheeks together to massage the pinched area. Like usual, they kept their arms around each other and made a few jokes.


    With his index finger and thumb, he lightly clipped her nose and let go, "So, what''s the occasion today? Is it a candlelit dinner in this room? A special date with just us?"


    She smiled sweetly while hugging him, "I''ll bring you somewhere special. It''s still too early for dinner. I already asked my mom and she told me that I could go out for a little bit as long as we''re careful. The whole group is coming with us too, but they won''t be following us all the way."


    "Oh? ~ A mini date with you. I''ll go across the globe if I had to. Shall we go?" He loosened his arms around her and grabbed the jacket on the bed.


    "Mmm.. let''s go." She watched him spread the jacket open and walk towards her. With a small smile, she slid her arms into the jacket, and he helped her bundle up.


    "Okay! We''re all set to go!" He announced and grabbed her hand in his as they exited the room to meet familiar faces with sneaky smiles.


    Although they had guilty expressions on their faces from trying to eavesdrop, Chen Mu decided to let them off. "Let''s go on a small trip then." He walked away from the crowd with Susu.


    "Pheww, lucky he didn''t notice," Lily whispered to Lin Que.


    "Yeah, lucky he is slow to realize that we had our ears against the door," said Lin Que.


    Ariana''s lips twitched, "he will probably do something super mushy to play us later. We better watch out. We were way too obvious. Our cover was definitely blown."


    Chen Nan hugged her close, "Then baby, shall we head after them and beat their mushiness? Your hubby, me, is pretty good at saying the most shameless lines. Heh. Let''s mush Lily and Lin Que to death."


    "Hah! You think you can achieve your goal? We are unbeatable!" Lin Que said proudly with his hands on his h.i.p.s.


    Lily and Ariana exchanged glances and nodded. They stretched their arms out and pinched their man''s ear. "Let''s go." Just like that, the guys were dragged to the parking lot.

 Chapter 133 - Fateful Night

    Susu entered the address that she wanted to go to on his GPS app. After Lily, Lin Que, Ariana and Chen Nan had settled in one car, Chen Mu began to drive. Along the way, Susu played the music playlist from her phone.


    The first song that played was Don''t Say Goodbye by Laura Oakes. This song was the same one that her grandpa had said her grandma used to love back in their good old days. During these few days, she asked and learned a lot about her grandparents.


    She saw photos of her grandparents when they were younger and heard the sweet little stories between the old couple. Whenever she asked about her grandma, he would show a wide smile and tell her more.


    Once she got her hands on that song, she replayed it over and over. At this moment with Chen Mu in the car with her, the lyrics seem to breathe and live on its own as her eyes closed to feel the emotions from the song. Subconsciously, she sang along until they''ve arrived at the destination.


    When the song finished playing for the 5th time, her eyes opened and her lips curved up, "we''re here. Let''s go." She exited the car after he had parked it and guided him into a newly built condo building.


    Across the street from that building, Lily and Ariana stared out of the window as they watched them walk in. Chen Nan and Lin Que suggested to follow them. Of course, that thought was rejected right away as the girls finally explained what they heard from Susu to them.


    While the guys frowned, Ariana''s phone went off. The sudden blast of bombing sound effects alarmed the crowd. Everyone jumped from their seats and almost ran out of the car.


    "Relax. It''s just Grandpa Xia." Ariana waved her hand as if they were overreacting. Everyone patted their chest and heaved a sigh.


    She swiped to pick up the call, "hello, Grandpa? Ah..right! Yea, I remember. I was too concentrated on Susu recently that I forgot to tell you that I''ve found the people already. Mhmm...mhmm. Uh huh, okay. Alright. I''ll send you their information right away and track down their location. No problem. Bye bye."


    A second after that call ended, she took out her laptop from her bag and began to type random coding logs on her screen. Lin Que and Chen Nan watched from the front seats with a stunned expression. Even though only Lily got to view the screen, the guys could tell by her lightning hand movements that she was a professional in whatever she was doing.


    Lily''s mouth formed an oval shape as her eyes blurred from the codes on the blackened screen. "W..what the.."


    In a matter of minutes, Ariana finished her task and pressed enter to reveal several locations with red dots on the map. Not only that, the people whom she was looking for showed up almost instantly. She had their profiles and personal data gathered and sent to an email.


    After that, she gave him a follow up call, "Hi, Grandpa Xia. Yes, everything is sent already. I''ve already distributed the targets to the secret base team. They should be on their way. You can contact Mr. Huang and let him know that we figured out the list he wanted. Yup. Alright, goodnight."


    The moment she lifted her head, she met three pair of eyes staring right at her. "W..what?" she asked nervously and looked uncomfortable with the sudden attention.


    Chen Nan answered, "you''re impressive. Which company did you hack into this time?"


    "Che! I only helped Huang Corps dig out the spies who has been recently releasing their private market plans and future projects to the marketplace. Mr. Huang had asked Grandpa Xia for this favor." She rubbed the tip of her nose as if she was proud that she wasn''t cheating out companies anymore.


    "Oh! You mean the guy with the thickest thigh in the capital, that Huang Zhi Hei? The guy who could turn every straight man gay and lesbian to being straight with his questionable preferences?" Lily claaped her hands together with adoring eyes.


    "Yup. That''s the man."


    "Oh my!!! Years ago, I was lucky enough to see him at a socialite event! He was so gentlemen and danced with the lucky lady! i remember how she seemed to have been humiliated by some girl and her partner, so Mr. Huang stepped in! Gosh, he looked like a real life carved out statue!" Lily smiled and cupped her cheeks that were warming up.


    Lin Que tilted his brow and handed her a handkerchief. Lily blinked and asked, "what?"


    "You should wipe your saliva." He hmphed at her mesmerized expression.


    "I don''t need a handkerchief!" She rejected his offer and pushed his hand away.


    "Ah, you''re right! I should use my hands as a bowl before I buy you a bowl because your saliva will fill it up in no time. Did you forget you had a fiance, here? Hmmmm?" He crossed his arms and took back the handkerchief.


    Ariana''s lips twitched at how amazing this fiance could get when jealous corrupts his mind. He reminds her of Chen Nan acting like a comet had destroyed a portion of the earth that time when she looked at another man with a good body physique.


    She patted Lily''s shoulder, "he''s clearly jealous of the gorgeous man."


    "Right? Che, I only complimented his unique beauty. It''s not like I would marry him or throw myself on him to make him mine. He''s too beautiful to touch, and I''m not interested in anyone else but Mister Lin." She scoffed as she faced sideways towards the window.


    Through the side mirror, she could see somebody''s ear wiggling from joy. She smirked and thought, ''Hah, my darling is still as cute as always. So fun teasing.''


    Meanwhile, at the hotel suite, Professor Luo Xia dialed Zhi Hei''s number. After the first ring, Zhi Hei picked up the call, "Hello, Professor Luo Xia."


    "Zhi Hei, I like to hear Grandpa Xia more. Anyways, I''ve sent you a list of names with confidential information about each of them. My secret team will send you everyone listed, and you can interrogate them however much you want."


    "Oh! Thank you for helping me dig up the spies. I''ll find out who is behind this."


    "I''ve already got a name for you. Tian Guo Min." Professor Luo Xia''s lips smirked evilly.


    "I believe you, but I still need to have some fun torturing these fishes. Can you have your secret team send them to my private cruise by the dock? Thanks. I owe you big time." Zhi Hei responded before he hung up the call to prepare for a busy night.

 Chapter 134 - Gifts

    Professor Luo Xia grinned as Zi Yan sanitized blades of various sizes. "Tian Guo Min will receive our first gift soon. Heh. Even though this is nothing compared to what he''s done to our family, it still gives me a second of satisfaction that Karma is coming to bite his ass soon."


    "Killing them is too easy. Making them lose their precious and most prioritized things makes it more exciting. We don''t kill, but we never said that we didn''t play psychological games." He smiled as he finished his cup of tea.


    In the meantime, Susu brought Chen mu into one of the luxurious condos in the newly built building. Upon their entrance, the fresh scent of clothes took over his senses. He blinked and blinked again when he saw a spacious living room filled with racks of clothes.


    "Uhm.. Susu... are you planning to open a boutique? Or did you plan on telling me that you were secretly some buyer in the underground marketplace? I''ve never seen any of these designs before. Never in your closet..." His head turned left and right as he observed the vibrant colored clothes hanging off of hangers.


    "No, silly. These are all my designs that I''ve never shown to anyone before. I''m not planning to sell any of these babies. Instead, these are my gifts to you." She spun around the room slowly as her fingers brushed against the outfits.


    "Oh! Wait.. wahh?" He scratched his head in confusion.


    She skipped over to him and circled her arms around his right arm, "come, come! There''s more. Let me show you around." Before explaining anything to him, she wanted to explore the entire condo from the living room to the three bedrooms. Of course, she didn''t need to show him where the kitchen and bathroom is since the main point was her designs.


    After stepping into the third room, his eyes were spinning from seeing so many rainbow colors at once. She hugged his waist and giggled, "Darling~ Do you like them? They''re all one of a kind and one size. All made for you."


    "T..They''re unique. Kind of different from your regular style, though. Is there any reason for this?" Rendered speechless by her surprise, he tried to find words to describe what he''s feeling at this moment.


    "Actually, I was thinking of bringing you here way later on, but I...I''m not sure if I''ll get that chance. For all my life, you''ve known about the designer dream that I had aimed to achieve. No matter what designs I make, I''ll always make it suitable for other people''s taste. Eventually, I also grew a bit tired of chasing after my dream because in a way...when a hobby becomes something you do for a living, it becomes an obligation."


    Taking a deep breath, she wandered around the condo with her fingers brushing against one piece of clothing to the next as he followed along. "Then one day, a silly man popped into my world and shone a bright light on me. When I was feeling the most helpless, negative, hopeful, joyful and different kinds of emotions, he stayed by my side like a potato. Just like the magical fairies and Prince Charming''s from fairytales, he made me believe in a better tomorrow."


    "Compared to Cinderella, my midnight clock had time out ever since I''ve met you. Every second that I spent with you felt like it would last forever and this happiness as well. I became greedy; wanting for more. I know that you would say that I deserve it, and it''s fine to want more. Still, nothing could escape fate."


    She halted when she found the outfit that she had been looking for and smiled. Carefully taking the pajamas set out, she showed the pajamas with unicorn design paired with kitten slippers. She matched the size of the pajamas to his broad shoulders, "it''s a perfect fit."


    Sensing something was wrong, he frowned slightly and lifted her chin, "Susu, what''s wrong? Why are you showing me all these?"


    A layer of mist blurred her vision as she fought the stubborn tears that wanted to escape her eyes. "You see, ahem, this pajama design was sketched and sent to the manufacture shop the night we hung out with Lily and Lin Que. Remember? We used cosmetics and drew all over your faces. I was very happy that night and the vibrant colors that I used on you reminded me of unicorns and homey kittens. So, I made this."


    She choked on her words as her hands reached to the side for other clothes. "This one is fuchsia colored with soft spikes on the back and a bunny tail. This was the day that I had a fever and mad migraines. You hopped in and out of the room just like a bunny. The fuchsia color was chosen because of how loved I felt."


    "All of these were inspired by the days that we''ve spent together..."


    "Stop where this is going to. If you''re going for the idea of breaking up with me, then don''t say anything and listen to me instead." The pajamas fell to the floor as he wrapped her in his embrace. Even though his voice sounded strict, his arms were trembling slightly.


    She reciprocated the hug and rubbed his back, "What are you talking about? Who wants to break up? I was just about to tell you about my background and what''s really been going on with me."


    "Really?" His grip tightened as if letting her loosen from the hug for even a second would mean losing her forever.


    "Really." She patted his back lightly and chuckled at his protectiveness.


    "Well then, you can say it while we are hugging." He refused to let go of her. She buried her head in his chest as she slowed down the pats on his back.


    "For my whole life, I''ve been lied to. I wasn''t my mother and father''s daughter and I didn''t have the family that I thought I had. The things that I used to prioritize first and thought was meaningful are just based on huge lies. My grandparents were separated because of the Yin, Tian, Li and Liang family. Exactly as it sounded, Yin Zin Leung, Liang Yu Qing, Li Shen Wen and Tian Guo min. Everyone whom I''ve trusted and treated dearly were all the culprits to my broken-up family."


    His eyes widened in shock as he had not expected such a twist in things. "What?" He finally loosened his embrace and looked her in the eyes. It was a very long story and even now, it still feels like a nightmare to her. After shortening many details, she explained it in the best possible way she could have.


    By the time she was finished with her story, they somehow had ended up on the couch, hugging each other. He kept quiet as she told what seemed like a super plot twisting soap opera script.


    Sometimes her voice would turn raspy and sorrowful when she mentioned her biological family. Other times, she would mention about the bastards and how much she wished she could curse them out for generations.


    At the end of the story, she took a few deep breaths and gathered her courage to tell him about the drug in her arm.


    "Even though I can move my arm, the remainder of the drug is still there. My life is like having a bomb attached to my body. It could explode at anytime, and that''ll be it. I pressured my mom to tell me the truth and in reality, if my condition is good then at max I will have three to five years before this ticking bomb would go off on me."


    "Is there another way to save you other than looking for the Xiao Ling they spoke about? Maybe your future changed, and we just need to get it checked again." He tried thinking of ways to avoid the limited time thought. ''Three to five years...three to five years...'' was all he repeated in his mind.


    "If there was another way, I''m sure we would''ve discussed it already. My best bet is to have the cancer under control and if luck is on my side, then finding the auntie Xiao Ling would save me." Susu leaned on his shoulders, feeling a bit tired from all the talking.


    "I''ll make sure to create the most compatible medicine for your condition. You''ll definitely beat those cancerous cells. I''ll help in any way to find Xiao Ling. As for those people who hurt you, I won''t let them off easily. I''ll make them pay. You also need to promise me that you won''t give up on yourself. You need to believe that you''ll recover and stay positive!"


    A small smile curved on her face as she replied, "mm...so can you do me a favor to motivate me?"


    "Whatever it takes." He kissed her forehead.


    "I''ve designed enough clothes to last a while...so..."she pulled the unicorn pajamas from the couch and placed it on his lap.


    He blinked twice before asking, "you want me to wear these clothes?"


    "Uh huh~ What? Is there a problem with that?" She smiled sweetly as she handed it to him.


    "Hoho! No problem at all~ It''s your precious designs for me. Let''s try it out and see how handsome I''ll look in this~~" Taking the pajamas and kitten slippers from her hands, he went into one of the rooms to change into them. When he had finished, he jumped out excited and posed like an ice skater, "Aren''t I cute? You want to adopt me, don''t you? Huuuuh~~"


    He pursed his lips forward to make a smooch expression while she laughed at his appearance. The more she laughed, the closer he got. Hearing her loud laughter brought him more joy as he spun around in circles. Eventually, he grabbed her hands and made her join him.


    Just like that, this goofy couple hugged and danced around in the hallway over and over again.


    At the same time, same city and a different area, a young lady panted breathlessly as she ran for her life from an assassinator. She wasn''t sure how far or how long she had been running, but when she had stopped, she was near the ocean. Her rest was soon interrupted by the creepy assassin.

 Chapter 135 - Scooped Up a Corpse?

    (Continuation of assassination scene from the end of previous chapter. This is a little recap for those of you who read my first novel ;)~ I shortened the details too hahahahaha since it''s a novel for Susu and Chen Mu, let''s give em the spotlight they deserve :3)


    The high-pitched whistling and cringe alerting voice sent chills down the young lady''s spine. The assassin approached step by step towards her hiding spot.


    BAM!


    "Game over, little kitten. Come out now if you want a less painful death!" The murderous vibe that he emitted was sickening. His deep yellow teeth with obvious layers of gross leftover food from years of poor hygiene were revealed as he creepily spread his lips; forming a smile. The breaths that he huffed from his mouth contaminated the air in the feces scented bathroom.


    She clung on to the metal pipes that were located close to the ceiling. Her petite body had fit in the space between the metal bar pipes and ceiling, securing her hiding position. As the assassin swung his metallic bat sideways, his bloodshot red eyes wandered left and right to make sure that there was no room for her to escape.


    One by one, the restroom stalls were kicked opened using his foot. His craving for a rotting iron stench and an atrocious splatter of red liquid walls increased as he narrowed it down to the last stall.


    Before smashing down the last door to that stall, he said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Let''s see. Shall I give you a free plastic surgery when I see you? Perhaps, skinning you alive and making your smooth skin into a hat? Then chopping your fingers and toes to form a necklace. Then stab your eyes and sew those lips shut!"


    After a countdown, he knocked down the last door to find nothing but a clogged toilet with many spiders and roaches floated in it. He had cursed out loud before he headed for the door. Suddenly, a thought popped up in his mind as he turned around and stared up at the ceiling.


    "Found you, kitten." He licked the corner of his lips. Her blood froze and mind went blank when her eyes met his.


    - Middle of the ocean -


    Under the starry night, Zhi Hei stood still with an expressionless face as he watched his personal assistant, Shen Qi, torture the spies that were sent by Professor Luo Xia''s secret group. After managing Huang Corps for a long enough time, he has taken out many opponents legally and fairly.


    He despised those who had arms and legs, yet uses sly methods to win projects and disclose corporate confidential information. Since months ago, he had been trying to track down the suspicious activities that went on in his company.


    Normally, he would ignore how others perform business as long as they didn''t involve Huang Corps in it. Unfortunately, they chose the wrong person to mess with. Since a few months ago, companies had somehow retrieved information about the upcoming partnership projects and bidding prices that Huang Corps had decided on.


    During that time, he was away on a business trip and happened to bump into Professor Luo Xia. In the past, the elderly man gave him professional advice and had helped improve his management approach for his company. His advices always resulted in positive outcomes and the elderly man had never accepted any type of compensation.


    After seeing his rather distressed expression, Professor Luo Xia asked him about his worries, and he didn''t hesitate in telling him about the leaked information.


    Professor Luo Xia suggested him to pause on all projects and deal with the most important ones secretly. While dealing with the projects secretly, Zhi Hei also allowed Ariana, the expert acquaintance that Professor Luo Xia had recommended to access every connection to Huang Corps'' technology.


    Ariana may look like a simple housewife on the outside, but she was an expert in coding programs and completing impossible tasks from the shady side of the underground market.


    Although she performed and completed her tasks on time, she chose the ones that she believed was right. Never had she harmed anyone who didn''t deserve the Karma. Since she was one of the best candidates for jobs in the underground market, everyone respected her wherever she went.


    Since she had received Professor Luo Xia''s request, she created a program specifically for Huang Corps. In order to make sure she traced down the right people, she ran multiple tests in these months. Finally, she could finalize the list of spies and hand it over.


    Amongst the few spies, only two survived this far to meet Zhi Hei and face their final judgements. Being confronted on the spot, the two spies trembled vigorously while kneeling on the floor. One of them already soiled his pants and the real torture hadn''t even begun yet.


    Meanwhile, the other had an arrogant mouth that ignited everyone''s anger. They took the wrong turn when they schemed against Huang Corps and attempted in kidnapping Zhi Hei''s sister, Huang Hui Yan. Luckily, she was not hurt in the process or else these spies would have had their necks broken already.


    Since the spies refused to spit out the leader who hired them, they ended up being tortured using modified wh.i.p.s, spikes and other weapons that were customized for leaving opponents begging to have their lives ended.


    At the end of the confrontation, Zhi Hei didn''t get the answer he wished to find out. Like always, he was prepared for this result. Therefore, while he was torturing these two fish baits, his own team was already running searches to figure out the real boss.


    "Throw him in the ocean to feed the fishes. The salt water and fish bites should be enough to kill him off painfully." He said as he crossed his legs while leaning on his chair like a mighty emperor. Everyone else obeyed his words and shivered as they threw the nearly dead spy in a net and tossed him into the cold, dark waves.


    After minutes of torture, Shen Qi pulled the net back up from the ocean. "Damn! Why is he so f.u.c.k.i.n.g heavy? What is this? Did we catch a huge tuna fish or something? Arghh!! How come this guy feels like he got much heavier when he''s dead than alive?"


    The moment Shen Qi saw the net with a human body clinging to it; everyone concentrated on the lifeless looking body. Suddenly, Zhi Hei stood up from his chair and his frost-like eyes melted as he recognized the corpse looking figure. Once he approached her and confirmed her identity, his urgent tone rushed everyone on the cruise to get their asses moving.


    "Call Chen Mu and have him meet us at the dock! No, at the cruise! What are you all staring and standing still for?!!" He covered her body with his jacket and carried her to his room where she could warm up.


    Her fragile voice whispered his name before she fell unconscious. For once, his subordinates saw the gentle side of their boss when facing a female and coming in close contact with one too! As they worked their asses to the max speed, many mumbled, "and I thought our boss was gay! Damn, my heart feels so broken...man, he was a legend..and now...no more hope in his single status!"


    Shen Qi listened to everyone''s comments and sighed, "Boss... oh boss. Although we''re friends and all that, could you not be so brutal to these poor souls? Well, no... even if you want to suddenly act straight, at least do it when I''m not here! I will get hunted down tonight by all these people...forget it..I''m the poor soul."


    It was already passed midnight when Chen Mu received Shen Qi''s call. He stepped out to answer the call while yawning, "My beauty sleep!!!!! Huang Zhi Hei, this better be good! I''ll only accept two explanations for this! Either you''re getting married or you''re pregnant with my child!"


    Shen Qi coughed and cleared his throat, "Chen Mu, it''s me. The boss is indeed sick, well, I mean uh... not quite him but everyone... FORGET IT! Forget him, just we need you here. It''s an emergency! If you don''t come then, everyone will die on this cruise within the matter of hours!"


    "...what? What''s wrong? Where are you guys? I''ll head there right away. Is Zhi Hei hurt??" Chen Mu quickly grabbed his car keys and informed Lin Que about him leaving.


    "We...will dock in half an hour. Long story short, we scooped up a seaweed covered looking corpse and it turned out to be a girl. Zhi Hei just tossed everyone''s hearts down the ocean and marinated them as he held the girl in his arms and headed back to his room. Clarification, I am not part of those broken hearts, but your patient may be his future mistress. Just saying."


    "What??? Impossible!!! This guy never touched or smelled a girl''s strand of hair!! I remember asking if he was gay and even tried to test it out!!" Chen Mu spat out random words as he raced down to the parking lot.


    "...You..did what to our bos.s..? Test what out? How?" Shen Qi stuttered as he remained on the phone for convenience purposes.


    Within fifteen minutes, Chen Mu appeared by the dock and rushed onto the cruise.


    As he fast paced through the halls to reach Zhi Hei''s room, he complained with his wagging unicorn tail and kitten slippers that had gotten dirtied from rushing, "Geez, he got a wife and cheated on me! And what''s with these long ass hallways? Just cause you, have long legs, doesn''t mean I do. My short leg problems, man. If only I''m actually a unicorn and had wings to fly .. or was that a magical pony.?"


    "Yes!! I''m finally here!! Finally, out of the maze!!" he rushed into the room to see the cold, ruthless rumored CEO of Huang Corps servicing a pale, fragile lady in bed with such warmth in his eyes. Chen Mu gasped with his palms against his cheeks, "Oh my!!! It''s true!!!!!"


    Zhi Hei silenced him with a finger, pointed to the gravely pale girl on the bed and said, "now."


    Chen Mu''s expression turned solemn with all jokes aside and diagnosed the girl''s condition. While he checked the girl for injuries, Zhi Hei eyed him secretly from head to toe. ''What''s with this...rainbow vibrant looking creature with a tail and kitten slippers? Is this his at-home taste? So, he refuses to wear a red tux and says that it is too girly, but he could wear this...''

 Chapter 136 - Not Just Tian Guo Min

    After double checking her wounds, Chen Mu reported back to Zhi Hei about her severe condition. It was a miracle for her to be alive right now after suffering from a mild concussion, blood loss and fractured bones.


    Hearing his diagnosis made Zhi Hei extremely infuriated that he called Shen Q to the room. "Within three days, have our top private investigators find out all about Shi Xue starting from a few years back till now. I need to know everything including the culprit behind her attack. Also, provide Chen Mu everything that he requires for her treatment."


    His eyes never left the unconscious girl in bed. Shen Qi rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn''t hallucinating when he saw Zhi Hei show such a gentle side towards a female. Shen Qi only responded with a nod and said, "yes."


    Before Chen Mu followed Shen Qi out of the room, Zhi Hei asked for him to stay until Shi Xue''s condition had been settled and Chen Mu agreed. Right after they had exited the room, Chen Mu passed him a list of herbs that were necessary for her treatment.


    "Thanks. I''ll let you know once I have everything from this list delivered. By the way...are you sure you weren''t robbed on your way here? This style.." Shen Qi covered his mouth, trying to not laugh in front of him for his taste.


    Chen Mu smirked and crossed his arms, "What? Jealous that my girlfriend has such good taste? Ah! Or ~ Are you just worried about your boss eating the little bunny up in there and trying to distract yourself with my pajamas, hmm? No worries. Nothing bad will happen in there. Relax, relax, but don''t delay the herb collecting process. You have half an hour to get all those herbs I listed."


    Shen Qi shook his head and nodded once again as he sent multiple messages consistently in front of Chen Mu. He was rendered speechless by this shameless man''s words. Within ten minutes, he finished what he was told to do and had finished gathering the herbs for Chen Mu.


    During the ten minutes of wait, Chen Mu gave Susu a call to let her know what he was up to. When he called, she was eating a small bowl of fruits and promised that she would take her medicine while he works.


    Shen Qi caught the smile on his face and shivered, "My goosebumps are alll out. How come I didn''t know that you and boss both have such a side to girls? I definitely need a vacation after this."


    Chen Mu''s smile, showing his teeth and teased, "we''ll see how well you hold your smile when you see Hui Yan~ oh~~ Zhi Hei''s little sister recently went on vacation, so you must have been very lonely~ hoho~" He elbowed Shen Qi gave him a few winks.


    Susu almost choked on the slice of orange that she was eating when she heard how Chen Mu teased the poor assistant. Hearing her coughs redirected his attention to her immediately, "what''s wrong? Are you feeling alright? Do you have a sore throat?"


    "I ..almost choked to death because of what you said to him." She waved her hand to the front camera of her phone and handed it over to Lily. Ariana could be seen putting down her laptop, patting Susu''s back followed by Lily''s bye bye wave to him before hanging up.


    Chen Mu sighed as he settled his racing heart. They went back to serious business after putting all jokes to the side. While Chen Mu boiled herb medicines in the kitchen, Shen Qi received some juicy information regarding the spies.


    He forwarded the confidential information to Zhi Hei and checked up on Chen Mu to make sure everything was going smoothly. Zhi Hei was worried sick by Shi Xue''s bedside when his phone buzzed.


    Though he didn''t want to, he still ended up checking the notification that he had received. After skimming through the report, he squinted at the name, Tian Guo Min, who was the owner of the private account that wired money to the spies.


    Fortunately, for Tian Guo Min, Chen Mu finished preparing the first round of herb medicine and delivered it to the room. The scent of the extremely bitter medicine made his mouth turn sour immediately.


    -Hospital room-


    Ariana handed Susu a cup of warm water before typing on her laptop again. She looked up while her fingers continued typing on the keyboard, "oh right, what did Chen Mu say just now? Who was the girl who got attacked? Severely injured?"


    "Shi Xue is the girl''s name." Susu replied.


    "Oh? Shi Xue''s name rings the bell over here as well. What an odd coincidence we have here. Look." Ariana turned her laptop towards the girls where a screen of codes dissolved and security footages appeared. Apparently, someone had tried to erase all security footages of one of the top assassins from the underground market making a move during his job. Inside the footage clearly showed how Shi Xue was wounded and the face of the assassin.


    With a smirk, Ariana said, "Let your hubby know that I sent him some useful resources that his friend might be very interested to see."


    Susu nodded and texted Chen Mu to take a look at his email. Since it was a text from Susu, he immediately read and followed up on the email. Ariana made a quick phone call to Professor Luo Xia to inform him about her finding.


    "Hello? Grandpa Xia, not just Tian Guo Min. We have a present for Li Shen Wen as well. Her brother was the one who built a connection between a man named Yang Ku Ze and one of the top assassins to go after a young lady''s life. That young lady happened to be someone whom Mister Huang Zhi Hei fancies. I sent the information to them and forwarded a copy to you through email."


    Her fingers continued typing as she spoke using her Bluetooth headphones. "Well done, we don''t even need to make a move on our own since it involves Zhi Hei."


    "Uh huh. Seems like you have a lot of confidence in him. What if he doesn''t torture these donkeys the way you would feel satisfied with?" She smiled as she sent another email as a response to the footage email that she sent to Chen Mu. In the subject line, she purposely captioned it, "For Mister Huang Zhi Hei."


    "Don''t worry. Other people, I might hesitate, but not Zhi Hei. He''s the most creative when it comes torturing enemies. Ruthless. Haha, let''s sit and enjoy the show." He said and hung up the call.


    Meanwhile, the medicine was fed to Shi Xue and Zhi Hei was wiping her lips. Chen Mu had already played the footages that he had received through the emails from Ariana. At first, the footages made him squint to figure out what was going on. When he saw a weird man chasing after a young lady, he started to zoom in on the young lady''s face.


    "Isn''t she..." his lips parted and his sentence was never completed. After he had watched the footage and observed the exact movements of the attacks, he confirmed that the girl inside these videos was Shi Xue. Quickly, he showed Zhi Hei the footages.


    The timing was perfect as Ariana''s email for Zhi Hei arrived right after the videos finished playing. At this point, Zhi Hei''s fists already clenched to rock form. His knuckles were ready to paint itself red as he skimmed through the documents that were provided in the other emails.


    "Who sent you all these?" His deep voice sent chills to their spine as he stood up to roll up his sleeves. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck.


    "Ariana Xu." Chen Mu was about to explain further about who she was, but Zhi Hei had already called his team to find Li Shen Wen''s brother, Li Teng.


    "Got it. Help me tell her, thank you. I owe her a huge favor. I''ll be back very soon." His murderous aura lingered in the room even after he had exited.

 Chapter 137 - Looking for the Chip

    In a dark, cold underground dungeon, a man spat out a mouthful of blood along with one of his teeth. He grunted and glared at Zhi Hei with a confused expression, "why did you bring me here?! You must have captured the wrong person!"


    "No, we didn''t mistaken you for anyone," Zhi Hei stretched his fingers as he loosened the brass knuckles he wore. His previous fist made a print on his skin, but that did not stop him from interrogating Li Teng.


    Soon, guards dragged an unconscious man across the cell gate to give Li Teng a good look at who was joining him.


    "Brother in law?! You! Who are you?! Don''t you know who we are? If it is money, we can give you any amounts you request! Release us or you''ll receive nothing." Li Teng threatened while gritting his teeth.


    "If I rejected to do business with Tian Corps, why would you think that I am after your dirty money? Perhaps you should take a good look at who I am first before spitting out nonsense." Zhi Hei replaced the brass knuckle with another one that came with spikes on it.


    "Then what do you want from us??" Li Teng subconsciously paced backwards until his back felt the hardness of the brick wall behind him.


    "A scum like you has nothing precious enough for me to take, but I do want to take your life." Zhi Hei coldly responded as he approached his target slowly and steadily. Each step he took sounded like the grim reaper''s arrival.


    Shen Qi maintained his composure with a straight face while Li Teng widened his eyes in a horrific manner. He shook his head left and right as his arms crossed to block off any incoming attacks. He chanted, "You''ve got the wrong person! I haven''t done anything to offend you!"


    "Oh? So, who was the one who persuaded the man named Yang Ku Ze to hire an assassin from the underground market?"


    Li Teng mumbled and gasped as the questions became clearer to him, "me."


    "Good. So, who suggested to Mr. Yang that it would be a great idea to kill Shi family''s young miss, Shi Xue? Hmmm?" Zhi Hei''s fierce glare alone was enough to shake up Li Teng''s confidence. With his voice as a stimulation, Li Teng did not dare to lie.


    He continued answering the questions as his shoulder weighed his body downwards, "me."


    "Very well. You''ve never met her before, yet you gave such a stupid advice to an idiotic man with brain cells small enough that it''s nonexistent. So speak, why did you give him that idea?" Zhi Hei walked to the table that Shen Qi had previously set up with various knives and sharp blades on it.


    He picked up the sharpest blade available and wiped it slowly with a cloth to intensify the atmosphere in the cell. Watching the steadiness of his fingers as it swept the cloth on the blade and wiped it sparkling clean forced words out of Li Teng''s throat.


    "I..I.. was searching for something that she might have in hand." He muttered as his feet pushed his body backwards against the icy, solid wall.


    "What were you looking for?" Zhi Hei spun the blade in his hand as if it was a kid''s toy. From how quick and calm he looked when playing with that blade, Li Teng knew that he was in deep trouble this time.


    "A..A chip. It''s not just me either. Eventually, someone would find out that she might hold the chip that they want and do the same as I did. Besides, all I did was say a few words. The main culprit who listed that job in the underground market was Yang Ku Ze. Why don''t you look for him instead? He paid the assassin, not me."


    His voice trembled as he stuttered while trying to argue his perspective of the situation. Zhi Hei tapped his index finger onto the surface of the blade impatiently, "Did you think that any of them would get out of this freely? You were killing an innocent citizen because of your greed by persuading another person to make the move for you. How are your hands clean from blood? It''s just as dirty as the assassin''s hands."


    "But I... I.."


    "You what? If you wanted an item that never belonged to you in the first place, then you could have had many legal ways in dealing with it. At the end, you decided to conduct in a murder scheme because of your ignorance and rapacity for a chip. And shall I remind you that the chip might not even be in her possession?"


    "If I told you this secret, you would desire for this chip as well! Why act as if you are all that mighty? You''re just the same as me and everyone else who are looking for the chip! Once you know what''s in that chip, you will not be standing here, but running off to find that girl!"


    "Only dogs like you could whine such bitter sounds from lacking repentance. I don''t care if you''re looking for a chip or a piece of bubblegum from her, but I can guarantee that you''ll receive nothing at the end. I''m not a bit interested in the chip that you''re after. Rather, I am more fascinated by how many times a human could handle blade cuts with flesh eating parasites."


    He snapped his fingers, and Shen Qi brought a bucket of contaminated water. "What.. are you planning to do to me?" Li Teng shivered when his eyes met his merciless gaze.


    "Since I''ve beaten you enough that my hands became tired. I''ll give you some more cuts and then treat those wounds with contaminated water . Like I had mentioned, flesh eating parasites. Let''s start with leaving cuts to your ankles, wrist and then your face. Don''t worry, it''ll definitely hurt less than what you''ve done to Shi Xue."


    Two guards entered the cell and pinned him down as he shouted, "Why are you doing all this?!! Just because of some girl?!"


    "She''s not just some girl. She is going to be my wife, the future mistress of Huang family. By the way, the spikes could be used like this as well." At this moment, Li Teng realized his fatal mistake. As Zhi Hei disabled his ankle and wrist followed by leaving fresh light cuts to specific areas of his body, Shen Qi covered those wounds with infected water.


    Tian Guo Min was awakened by his shrieks and ear piercing screams. Startled consciously, he looked around to find himself trapped behind bars and witnessed Li Teng being tortured. Witnessing the bloody scene unfolds, he squinted in disturbance and hissed when he heard Li Teng''s screams.


    In the middle of screaming, he spat out information about the chip thinking that it would benefit his current situation. Zhi Hei paused and handed the sharp blade to another guard who was standing at the corner of the cell.


    "Oh? It''s great to know how informative the chips are and how essential it is to greedy pigs like you. But this information could be easily figured out after some in depth research. Now that I''ve done my part with you, my guards will finish you off and send you back to the Li family as a warning."


    Zhi Hei left a small pause between his words and said, "By the way, thanks for snitching the other people who are looking for the chip. Now I know who to be cautious of."


    Shen Qi passed a sanitizing wipe to him and whispered, "Chen Mu said that Miss. Shi Xue is showing signs of wak-"


    Before he could finish his sentence, the man had already run out of the cell and up the staircase. As soon as he heard Shi Xue''s name, all rationality flew out of the window. Once again, Shen Qi witnessed his boss'' crazy side.


    He thought inwardly, ''Boss, your level of shamelessness has reached a whole new level for calling Miss. Shi Xue your future wife. Since when was she even your girlfriend? Jumping steps like that tsk tsk tsk...but then again...this is probably why I made zero progress....should I get more shameless too with Hui Yan?''


    His mouth slipped and he mumbled, "Ah! I should go visit Hui Yan soon. Next vacation destination! Overseas, here I come~ Ahem..." After he had realized that there were still guards and their captured targets in the same cell. he cleared his throat and said, "Finish him. Leave Tian Guo Min alone for now."

 Chapter 138 - Cannot be Disclosed

    Since Zhi Hei didn''t listen to Shen Qi''s full sentence, he thought something bad may have happened to Shi Xue. When he reached her room, he was panting out breath and shaking Chen Mu''s shoulder, "h..h.how is she? Wha..what''s wrong?"


    Chen Mu was confused as to why he was thinking that something urgent happened. He questioned, "Didn''t Shen Qi tell you that the medicine shows improvement to her condition? She''s more stabled now and shows signs of waking up too. Except, I can''t estimate when she would wake up. You should talk to her more to trigger her reactions."


    He had soothed the anxious man''s back before his spotlight was once again taken by the girl in bed. Chen Mu let out a sigh in a joking manner and said, "see? Wives over bros~ It''s a cruel reality, sniff. My baby is now all grown up."


    He turned towards Shen Qi and patted his shoulder, "As a mother, I know it''ll be hard for you to face it. Don''t worry, wife, you still have me." Shen Qi raised his hand and pinched the back of the hand that was on his shoulder, "why the hell am I the bottom- no, I mean, woman in this relationship?"


    "Oh! So, you want to be the top. Sure~ we can be in any position that you like." Chen Mu laughed and rubbed the pinkish area where he was pinched.


    "I''ll tell your Susu about what you said!"


    "My Susu will be so open minded about it."


    "Oh yeah? Then let''s see about it~ Hand over your phone." Shen Qi tried to grab his cellphone, but failed. Zhi Hei took the phone from their hands and said, "back to serious business. You two are too old for this. How will you teach your children in the future?"


    "Well... we aren''t married yet...." The two of them looked at Zhi Hei with pitiful eyes.


    "I''ll talk to Hui Han about what happened just now." Instead of falling for their beauty tricks, he used Shen Qi''s weakness.


    Hearing his threat, Shen Qi raised his arms up, "Yeah, Chen Mu! How old are you? Such childishness, sheesh."


    Chen Mu went speechless towards these two guys. After a moment of silence, Zhi Hei was about to hand the phone back to Chen Mu when he remembered what Li Teng had said in the dungeon.


    "Chen Mu, since Ariana could find the erased footages and other information that may take up days to dig up, could she help me with another favor?"


    Zhi Hei needed to know what the chip was and why those people wanted to obtain it. If it is according to what Li Teng had described earlier, this chip could make everyone come after Shi Xue. Therefore, he must destroy it before anyone finds traces leading to her.


    Chen Mu nodded, "I could try." He pressed the call icon on his phone next to Shi Xue''s name.


    Once the call went through on Susu''s side, Ariana took over while Chen Mu put Zhi Hei on the phone.


    "Hello, Miss Xu. This is Huang Zhi Hei, and I wanted to personally thank you for sharing such useful documents."


    "No problem. I believe this is not the only reason why Mister Huang wanted to contact me about." A small smile curved on his face as he had expected such straightforward response from her.


    "Smart. Thanks to your valuable information, I have captured Li Teng and made him pay for his deeds. As for Tian Guo Min, he is also being held captive and will be facing his doom soon. The assassin is on the run, but my guards should catch him eventually. While I was dealing with Li Teng, he mentioned a chip that a group of people were searching for. Perhaps you may be able to answer some questions that I have."


    Hearing his curious tone, she leaned back against her chair and paused from typing her coding system, "I would love to assist in any possible methods that is within my capabilities. Unfortunately, anything regarding this chip is not within the subject that I can disclose about. I could only ask Mister Huang to be careful of the group of people."


    "I appreciate your honesty in this matter. I''ll keep in mind of the people that Li Teng had named before he had met his fate. I understand that you have your own difficulties, but my friend was injured partly because of this chip. In order to keep her safe, it is necessary for me to obtain more details about this chip."


    Since he finally reunited with Shi Xue, he wasn''t going to easily back down from finding out anything that may be related to her attack.


    A soft sigh could be heard over the phone. Ariana tapped her fingers on the keyboard, "As expected from the CEO of Huang Corps. Since you are interested in the chip, then I can only refer you to back to Grandpa Xia. Without his word, I will not disclose any further information associated with the chip that you''re talking about."


    Tossing the ball back to Grandpa Xia was one of her fortes. Over the years, she learned to let him take care of complicated explanations. Of course, these were very rare cases. Zhi Hei was someone who Professor Luo Xia had met and helped before. Since this chip is related to his privacy, she could only throw the man back at the elderly man.


    "Alright. Thank you for your advice. I''ll pass the phone back to Chen Mu." Zhi Hei understood the importance behind the chip for her to reject him. Since she already said it clearly that he must gain Professor Luo Xia''s permission, there was nothing he could do.


    "No problem and good luck with your hunt down. Let me know if you can''t trace the assassin." Ariana handed the phone back to Susu and resumed her typing on the laptop. Lily and Susu shrugged when they exchanged glances at each other. For the remainder of the call, Chen Mu was reminding Susu about things that she would normally forget. Near the end of the call, he told Susu that he would be back the next day to check up on her.


    Since Shi Xue''s condition was considered stabled, he decided to spend some time in the lab to continue researching for a better formula for Susu''s medicine. Zhi Hei also agreed and said he would call him if there are any changes to Shi Xue.

 Chapter 139 - Why Were They After Her?

    Susu twist and turned in bed; feeling unease. Ariana looked up from her laptop and stopped what she was doing to make sure that everything was alright with her.


    "Dear? Why aren''t you resting yet? Are you feeling unwell?" She set her laptop on the nearby table and reached to feel the temperature of Susu''s forehead.


    "No, I just feel uneasy after hearing the conversation between you and Zhi Hei." Susu sat up and leaned back on her pillow to face Ariana.


    "What''s making you feel anxious?" She sat down beside her to hear her out.


    "He said that his friend was injured partly because of the chip. It makes me feel uncomfortable and disturbed knowing that my mom and I have the chip. It''s because of us that his friend got hurt." Susu lowered her head as her fingers rubbed against each other roughly.


    "Silly, even without the chip being in your possession, those greedy bastards would have attacked that girl out of the suspicion that she has the chips. You shouldn''t feel guilty for this and put such a heavy weight on your chest. It''s bad for your health to stress from this." Ariana spoke her opinion and tried to provide her some comfort.


    "Now that you mentioned it, I have another question. Out of all those people out there, why would they aim for her?" Susu thought deeply about this question, but didn''t seem to understand the connection between the chip and Shi Xue.


    "What do you mean? She was targeted because Li Shen Wen''s brother thought that she held the chips in hand. The main reason why she almost died was that her fiance cheated on her and wanted to obtain her inheritance. Her family is filled with greedy pigs."


    Ariana let out a sigh and caressed Susu''s cheek, "So, you don''t have to feel that you indirectly caused her injury. Besides, she''s in a stabled condition right now. Don''t think too much into it. Chen Mu will be back to spend some time with you tomorrow."


    "No, you got it wrong. My question isn''t why she was attacked. Instead, I''m wondering why they would think that she was the one who held the chips. What''s her identity?" Susu''s instinct told her that there was something deeper to her identity than Shi Corps'' president''s daughter.


    Facing such a stubborn patient, Ariana almost raised both arms to surrender, "I''m looking into it, but I have a hypothetical thought that may be able to answer your frustration. From the limited information that I was given to research about Qian Ling over the years, I''ve only been able to use the story that Auntie had told me. Qian Ling had had a family before she was kidnapped. She had a daughter who was pretty young at that time and a husband."


    Susu blinked twice as her thoughts followed Ariana''s words. "So, let''s insert the hypothetical situation that I had pieced together. If Qian Ling''s husband was Shi Corps'' president, then Shi Xue would be their daughter. If she is their daughter, then those greedy pigs might think that the chip is in her possession."


    "But that doesn''t add up. Doesn''t the chip belong to our family? If so, then why would they look for Auntie Xiao Ling''s family? Shouldn''t they focus on us instead?" Susu furrowed her brows as she got more confused.


    "Yes, but if your mothers were trapped in the same lab as Qian Ling and after years of searching came down to no progress..." Ariana led Susu on with an extended sounding voice.


    Susu gasped, "then they would assume that we don''t have it! Maybe they thought that my mothers gave the chips to Auntie Xiao Ling, and she had it."


    "Mhmm... and the reason why they went after Shi Xue is because Qian Ling might have escaped years ago and they had no idea where she could have gone. If she had a family, then.."


    "Then they would suspect that Qian Ling went back to look for her family..." Susu connected the dots as their conversation continued.


    "Now, don''t forget that this is just a guess. It''s like a hypothesis and further observation needs to be done to determine whether this hypothesis is acceptable. So, you should sleep soon and not think too much about it. Even if the sky falls down, we will be here for you."


    Ariana tucked her in and waited until she fell asleep before resuming her work. Once she woke her laptop up from sleep mode, she bent her fingers and stretched them out. She mumbled, "and to confirm all my suspicions...I just need a little bit more time to break through this code."


    After some time later, movements could be heard from the hallway. Ariana''s ears moved when she sensed another person''s presence getting closer. She couldn''t tell whether the person was a friend or a foe.


    Quickly, she switched on the surveillance cameras onto her laptop screen to see if she could track who the person was, "tsk. It''s been tampered with." She locked all of her files and placed her computer under locked mode. This means that if anyone other than herself tries to enter the system, her laptop will wipe the entire system clean.


    Therefore, if anything happens to her, nobody will be able to figure out what she had researched nor figured out through the research. She sent an emergency alert to Chen Nan, Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan through her phone.


    Once received on their end, the message disappeared from her phone. Chen Nan was on a mission that he had previous accepted, so it would take some time before he could get here. Ariana bit her lips as she saw Lily and Susu in deep slumber.


    It was too late to call Lin Que to the room. If the person is here to cause trouble, then the chances for them to survive may only be half and half.


    Ariana woke Lily up, covered her mouth and whispered, "We have an uninvited guest. I''m going to go out there. No matter what happens, do not open this door. If.. and I say if you sense something is wrong and someone else but me opens that door, throw this towards the entrance, then escape through the window with Susu."


    Lily nodded, held onto the circular item that was stuffed into her palms and went to wake Susu up. The footsteps grew nearer, but Ariana didn''t let it get any closer to the door. She opened the door, turned the lock from the inside and shut it tight. From inside the room, Susu and Lily could both hear some twists on the knob.


    They knew it was Ariana making sure that the door was locked. Right after she had exited the room, Lily whispered, "come. We need to be at the window just in case."


    "What about Ariana?"


    "She has her own plan. We need to do as she says. I''ve already texted Lin Que to get out through the private elevator and stay put outside the building to catch us if we need to jump later."


    Susu nodded and followed Lily to the window where they waited for Ariana to come back. They could hear distinct voices from the hallways and some type of fist fight. Lily''s grip tightened around the circular item in her hand as she repeated to herself, "please be alright."


    Meanwhile, outside the hospital room, Ariana turned her head towards the right side of the hallway. "So, it''s you."

 Chapter 140 - Who Sent You?

    Ariana raised her brow as she positioned herself in a fighting posture. With her brass knuckles on her right hand and a sharp blade in the other, she was prepared for the upcoming war. The straight face that the man in front of her had had broke into laughter as he waved his palm for a pause.


    "Ahahahaha, long time no see, Ariana. Can''t believe you''re still this fierce. Didn''t I give you the advice to quit being as fierce as a tiger when you two got married? I gave you the most memorable wedding gift." The man took out a hand mirror and fixed his fringe.


    "Hah, Alexander Enu, I''m surprised that your leader didn''t slice that tongue of yours and drink your blood already. If locking my husband up on our wedding day and almost making him your leader''s dinner is equivalent to a gift, then perhaps your dry corpse would be one to your boss."


    She squinted as hatred filled her eyes, "talk. Who sent you here?"


    "What? Can''t this old friend visit you? You''re as cruel as you always were. I was just dropping by." He cracked both sides of his neck as he stepped closer to her. Instinctively, she stepped backwards.


    "Hah? Who''s your friend? Don''t say that it''s a pure coincidence for you to appear at a hospital and somehow found this room. Visit? Drop by? Bullshit." She looked around to search for any shelves or objects that she could move to block the door.


    Her inner thoughts were all red alerts. ''Shit. Even if Chen Nan is here with me, we could still lose to this asshole! What to do...'' As her eyes wandered around the dark hallway, she noticed some trays on a nearby cart. Although it was dark, she could still see the name on the anesthesia container label using the light that shone through the windows.


    ''Susu''s...right. I remember there were some unused ones prepared for emergency use. The nurse must have forgotten about it or something...if I could use that...'' She quickly concentrated back on him.


    Even though he had a decent face, his narcissism was way too much. He raised his palm once again to doublecheck his hair and then his lips to make sure everything was moisturized and neat. Ariana rolled her eyes as she grew closer to the cart.


    "Why think of using the anesthesia for? You know that wouldn''t work on me. Did you think that I would miss the obvious expression on your face and the way you were staring at that cart? It''s useless, so hand the girl over."


    "Over my dead body." She replied and threw sharp blades aiming at his eyes. His fingers clipped the blades and avoided the attack. After tossing the blades to the floor, he rubbed his cheeks, "so brutal! What if those blades cut my beautiful face?"


    "Shameless!" she rushed towards him with her metallic spike designed brass knuckles. Once she reached close enough, the edge of the spikes flicked out and targeted his arm.


    "Woahh~ Sharp weapons are not for kids to play with. Especially the spikes that you have modified on. It might cut yourself instead. Did you already forget who taught you this trick? Haha" She could feel every strand of her hair raise in alert mode as she backed away from him. It was then that she realized the blades and spikes on her brass knuckles have been removed.


    "You-..."


    "Looking for these?" He spread the blades out like a fan and gave himself a manicure with it.


    A smirk formed on her face as she watched him use the blades like a professional. ''Heh...he took the bait.'' she thought to herself as she blocked the entrance to Susu''s room.


    "So? Where is she? Behind that door?" His voice echoed wickedly in the hall and triggered her inner fears. Her body trembled at the sight of him approaching.


    "Who sent you? I asked you first." She tried to hide her uneasiness as she took out another blade.


    "This isn''t the first time you''ve been on a mission. You know the rules and this mouth is zipped tight. I just know whoever offered to pay me the highest amount would get whatever he or she wants."


    She counted his steps and crossed her fingers for her plan to have worked. Suddenly, he paused in his steps and coughed. Her eyes sparked from excitement and a smile appeared on her beautiful face.


    "Y..you..." he pointed at her and then at his bruised fingers. He started scratching his jawline as red bumps formed.


    "That''s right. It''s exactly what you have in mind. While you were busy being a narcissist and blabbing about how pretty you looked, I took a wet cloth that had nail polish content on it. It was not too wet, so I was here worrying that it might not have worked on you. Thank goodness it did, though." She glared at him sharply.


    "That''s cheating." His hands reached into his back pocket to take something out, but were interrupted by her words.


    "Says the man who cheated on his exams back in middle school and still got a zero as a grade because he wrote his neighbor''s name on the test! I don''t care what you do now, but it better not involve anyone I know or else I''ll make you a eunuch."


    Taking the leftover needles from the cart, she played flying darts with it once again. This time, two needles scratched either side of his cheeks lightly and the rest pinned his posture on the floor. She turned around and said, "You saved my life once. Consider this debt, paid. From now on, don''t accept any jobs related to this girl and her family."


    "And if there is a next time?" his tone was no longer playful like before.


    "Then I wont hesitate in killing you," She replied.


    "Heh, sounds like you. Alright, consider this mission a failure. I won''t accept the jobs from him anymore, but I still can''t tell you who are after that girl. My advice to you is to stay away from this girl and her family." He realized that after getting the cuts on his face, his throat didn''t feel as swollen.


    He thought to himself, ''Just like how I never meant to harm her; this girl never wanted to hurt me either. Guess she realized that I was avoiding her attacks and didn''t try to attack. Seems like she''s still the same old her. Never hurting anyone who doesn''t deserve it.''


    He stood up and turn around to leave, but halted when she said, "My advice to you is to stay away from me, my husband and the rest of those whom I swore on my life that I would protect. Unless I die, or else this remains the same. I''ll be cautious about my surroundings and have my guards up at all times after this."


    A relief smile formed on his face; an expression he would never show her. "Then I can certainly say that you were glad that it was me who came tonight. I''ll see you soon."


    "Hold on. I know you lost to me on purpose. You could have returned the attacks plentiful times, but didn''t. You came tonight to give me a warning. So, thanks."


    She tightened her fists as she watched him wave the back of his hands. Before he had left, he whispered, "you''re welcome." Conflicted by the mixed feelings that he gave off, she felt a headache coming up. "Why the heck is he so weird? Ugh."


    What she didn''t realize was that Alexander hid after turning the corner of the hall. Once she returned to the room, he covered his mouth and coughed up blood. "ah... the wound must have opened. Stupid, you knew you were going to fail but still took the mission. Oh wells, as long as she''s alright."

 Chapter 141 - Lied

    Alexander caught a glimpse of a black van with tinted windows on his way out of the hospital. He recognized the license plate and was glad that he stabbed himself earlier in the hallway. He limped to the van and the window rolled down.


    A man around sixty years old sat by the window that rolled down and said, "Where is she?"


    "She escaped." He lied to the man''s face while hiding the nervousness inside of him. Alexander could feel a tinglish sensation similar to ants crawling up his legs and biting him along the way as he made eye contact with him.


    "Are you sure she''s not in there? If I send my men in there, are you sure that they won''t find traces of her anywhere?" The old man showed doubt in Alexander''s response.


    "I''m sure. Even if you send your guards up there, there will be nothing but an emptied room." His voice was filled with certainty, but truthfully speaking, his hands were trembling. He had to squeeze his wound to speak with such assurance.


    "Very well. Accept your punishment when we get back for failing this mission." The old man turned his head and rolled up the window. Before the window had closed entirely, Alexander heard another man''s voice from the back of the car. His sharp sight caught the man''s face, ''Yin Zin Leung..''


    After the van had left, Alexander decided to personally investigate Yin Zin Leung and his motives. "How did he manage to connect with Leader Rong?" On the spot, he typed in his notes app on his phone:


    Date: 2/27/2020


    Progress: Yin Zin Leung is also a suspect. What is his relation to Leader Rong? Why were they together? What was that Project from many years ago and why does Leader Rong want to find Yin, Susu? Were those weird underground tunnels the current location for the laboratories? Related to Xu family''s disappearance over night?


    After typing his inquiries and findings, he called it a night and locked up the notes. Once he clicked save, the notes disappeared and was delivered to his hidden app. Over the years, nobody had figured out his notes.


    Although he was still afraid of heading back to the headquarters to accept his fifty whips as punishment for letting Ariana go, it was inevitable. He could only hope that Ariana is lucky enough next time to knock down her opponent because after this failed mission, it would be unlikely that he would be chosen again for the next task.


    - Susu''s Hospital room-


    The girls sighed in relief when they saw Ariana. They heard some lock picking noises and was prepared for their jump.


    "Ariana! Are you alright?!" The girls ran over to inspect her from head to toe. She giggled and hugged them both, "I''m fine. The person is gone."


    "Who was it? Did you fight? We heard some noises, but you told us not to peek so we didn''t dare go near that door." Lily squeezed Ariana''s hand.


    Giving her a tight squeeze back, Ariana said, "He was a passerby. No biggie. We need to be more careful from now on, though."


    Suddenly, the door was barged open by Lin Que, Zi Yan and Professor Luo Xia. They were on top of one another; forming a straight line.


    "A..Are you girls..okay?" They asked at the same time.


    The girls helped each of them settle down first before hearing Ariana''s explanation of what had happened.


    "it seems like Susu''s identity has been exposed. The person who came by was Alexander. Even though he took this mission, he didn''t come to fight with me. Instead, he came to give me a warning to be careful. The hospital is not a good place for us to stay in." Ariana shortened the lengthy explanation to a few sentences.


    Professor Luo Xia let out a grunt of displeasure, "Hmph! Over my dead body. If they are after my Susu, then have them ask me first!"


    Chen Mu came right after everyone else arrived, "Su...Susu.. are you alright? I rushed here right after I got your emergency code."


    Seeing the concerned faces and frowns on everyone''s face, his expression darkened. "What''s wrong?"


    Ariana crossed her arm, "Susu is being targeted. This also applies to the whole Zi family and anyone closely related to her. You guys need to be cautious and high alert at all times from now on."


    Chen Mu was at a loss for words as he muttered, "What? Where''s that person? Who hired him?"


    Ariana sighed, "the man who came tonight didn''t mean to fight me physically. He already left. We used to be on the same team when accepting and performing missions. Suddenly, he decided to leave us and follow some old baldy. I don''t know what was with him, but he left just like that and wouldn''t tell me anything when I asked."


    Professor Luo Xia coughed and interrupted, "in any case; we need to find a place that is secure enough for us to stay in. While we look for Qian Ling and make sure that Susu receives proper rest, we need to step up our game."


    Ariana typed on her laptop and showed multiple videos where small groups of people were carried into an underground tunnel around the location where the old laboratories used to be. "I discovered the blocked data today and found it very suspicious. It''s worth a chance to explore these areas, except it would be extremely dangerous."


    Everyone focused their attention on her laptop as she pointed out the entrances and exits that she had found. She managed to map out different routes that would lead to the tunnel. After giving them a basic walk through of how to get there, she took a deep breath.


    "The only thing left is to send somebody there to experiment with the routes. After entering the tunnel, there may be no connection or signal to the outside world. Whoever goes in must make a quick trip or the chances of getting caught will heighten. Once caught, you may be used as a test rat or might be killed instantly."


    She bent down and placed her laptop aside, "Grandpa Xia, I..."


    "I know what you''re about to ask, but no. I won''t let you go to that hell hole." Professor Luo Xia gripped the curved handle part of his cane and stomped on the floor.


    "None of them are experienced enough to get in and out of there as quick as me. Maybe-"


    Once again her words were cut off, "I said no and that is final. You''ve done too much for our family already. I don''t want to see you go. I''ve treated you as my granddaughter since the day we met. If I see you go, it''s equal to watching you disappear on me. I won''t allow that."


    "Grandpa Xia, if it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have a family. I wouldn''t have had a home to go home to. Even if it''s not for looking for Qian Ling, I would still have volunteered to go because those bastards killed my family. I need to avenge them with my own hands and protect the ones who are important to me. So, please."


    Her eyes reddened as she tried to persuade him.


    "Child, I understand how difficult it must have been for you to overcome all your weaknesses to fight those dirty pigs. But what if something happens to you? You and Chen Nan just got married. You two have a long road ahead. I can''t let you go. I''m sorry."


    Ariana was about to give up that idea, but Chen Nan walked in just in time to support her decision. He knelt down next to Ariana and grabbed Grandpa Xia''s hands, "Grandpa Xia, I support my wife''s decision. If she wants to go, then I''ll go with her. We''ll look out and be careful. Please give us permission to go."

 Chapter 142 - Past that was Never Mentioned

    After a few minutes of consideration, Professor Luo Xia observed Ariana and Chen Nan''s serious expressions. He frowned when he saw them kneel because the first time they did was when they got married. On that day, He made them swear that unless it is at a life and death situation; they were not allowed to kneel.


    Since the couple didn''t have biological parents at the wedding, he was the person who performed the role of an elder. He remembered how he stacked their hands together and the bright smiles that they had on their faces.


    Now, they were kneeling in front of him; trying to plead for permission to seek death. After a while, his lips parted, and voice rung the ears of those in the room. "Get up. Do you two remember what you''ve promised me on your wedding day? I''m not dying nor dead yet. I don''t need you two to kneel to me."


    The couple intertwined their fingers tightly to form their own fist and shook their heads.


    Ariana replied, "we remember our promise, but this is exactly why we are kneeling. If we go, we are clear about the possibility of never coming back. You already know that we wouldn''t go without your permission."


    Chen Nan added to her words, "Grandpa Xia, likewise, we also treated you as our family. If it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t be here today. We wouldn''t have gotten married, but grandpa...we''ve experienced similar pain as well."


    Hearing his words, the elderly man cleared his throat indicating for them to continue talking. Although Ariana and Chen Nan were both saved many years ago, they never spoke about their past. It was a wound that had never been stitched or closed. Ever since the day that they''ve successfully escaped, they have worked their hardest to maximize their potentials for their future avengence.


    This day has finally arrived. They were this close to hunting down the main culprit behind the labs; how could they give up now? Ariana gripped Chen Nan''s hand tightly as she recalled the night that she never wished to talk about.


    She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths and sucked on her lips nervously. Inhaling a deep breath, her eyes opened and her eyes found the courage to meet the elderly man''s mindful gaze. Her voice rasped up, sounding as if she had just choked from eating and was recovering from it.


    "Haa..Grandpa Xia, I..I had never dared to mention what had happened to me before I was kidnapped and placed as a test experiment. Over these years, you''ve never mentioned much about your wife and only recently, you shared the whole story with us. Grandma Xia left when she was still alive and there is a chance that she may be breathing the same air as us right now."


    Her eyes maintained eye contact with him as it gradually turned pink. "There is a chance that you could still reunite with her, but this..this reunion can never happen to me. When I close my eyes, I bring myself back to that night when I witnessed the cold blooded murder of my loved ones. The images are so vivid and real that it felt like those old screen movies in black and white with only their blood painted in color."


    "But no matter how far my arms could stretch out, I can never help them nor bring them back to my life. Do you know why I never celebrated my birthday every year? Why don''t I eat any cakes? Because my birthday was the day that my parents were slaughtered in front of me. They bought a cake for me, and I was about to blow out the windows when two men barged into my house."


    "My mom and dad shouted for me to run away while they blocked the two men. I tried to run, but there were more people waiting for me outside that door. They captured me and brought me into the house where their men tortured my parents in front of me. Was it five stabs? Six? Or seven? I''ve already lost count."


    Sweat formed on her forehead as she shut her eyes tight and wrinkled her brows. Her tears flowed out uncontrollably as her left hand clenched on her chest painfully. "I watched them disable my dad''s limbs and then my mother''s too. They were alive at that time and stared at the door, hoping to not see me there. But I was."


    "It was as if they were trying to say for them to let me off. I begged them to stop, and I even said I would leave with them. One of their men whispered to me, ''they will bleed to death. I''ll make you watch.'' Another man forced my face to rotate towards where my parents laid as their people stomped on my dad''s body until blood was spitting out of his mouth..."


    "He coughed a few times before they slit his throat in slow motion. My mom was sexually assaulted as he was bleeding to death. One man twisted his head facing her as she was being violated. She was whimpering in pain, in tears and looking away in shame. I knew he was dead with the amount of blood that surrounded him."


    "At the end, my mom was faced towards me as her hands were chopped off. Very soon, she also died. Their bodies were burned down with that house. And I wasn''t able to do anything. I was in shock and brought to a very dark, cold place where I was chained. They forced food down my throat, and I frantically remembered searching for a way out."


    "Banging on the stone walls, biting on the metal chain and attacking the person who delivered my meals...everything was useless. Then, day by day, different people would take my blood, hair and anything they thought were necessary for the experiment. I was trapped and prepared for death once I become useless to them. Hah..but I was given a second chance to live."


    "Till now, my worst fear is when night sets because that is when I would dream. And what would dreams bring me? A replay of everything that had happened in front of my eyes from that day. I lived with hatred and I swore that I wont let those people get away with what they''ve done to me. My family."


    Her body was shaking vigorously. Similar to someone who is low on sugar, her legs gave away its strength, making her tumble to the floor. Chen Nan supported her as she leaned against his chest and cried. Chen Mu subconsciously squeezed Susu''s shoulder while hearing her tragic past. ''How could a child withstand all this on her own? How could anyone be this cruel?''


    Susu and Lily couldn''t process the words that they''ve just heard. They were shocked and stood still as a statue by the bed as Ariana cried out the pain that she''s been holding back all these years. Lin Que had his arms crossed with obvious tight fists hiding between his arms. Chen Nan''s voice was steady until he started telling his story.


    "Grandpa Xia...my parents died in their hands as well. I stood there as those bastards tortured them. They were stabbed so many times that I couldn''t count. I still remember the way they screamed for help, but nobody came. Their screams went from strong to medium level and eventually to no voice at all. Blood splurted everywhere, but they knew where to injure them with that knife."


    He sniffed as his lips trembled and hand held her free hands tightly, "They purposely aimed for their organs and twisted each stab. The last strike was on their chest was where their hearts stopped working instantly. They were holding hands until their last seconds, but those men kicked their linked hands away from each other. Separated them."


    "Their bodies were burned, and that was how I ended up kidnapped. It was the same day that Ariana got kidnapped too...and placed in the same cell looking place." He didn''t bring up as many details as his heart ached to share the traumatic experience. His arms rubbed Ariana''s hands as he tried to comfort her while calming his emotions.


    Ariana reached for Professor Luo Xia''s wrinkly hand and her eyes met his crying ones, "this is the day that we''ve anticipated for. I''m this close to finding out who did this to my family and broke my happiness. Please, if you treat me as your granddaughter, permit us this one time to disobey your wish. I won''t be able to live through my life no matter how perfect my family would be if I don''t investigate this out."


    Chen Nan also followed her actions and spoke with sorrow filled eyes. "This past has haunted us and will continue to do so until we find that culprit and kill him with our own hands. We trained physically for a reason and learned all the things we did for this reason. No matter what.."


    Before they said any more, Professor Luo Xia covered his eyes and squeezed their hands. Once again, like their wedding ceremony, he placed her hand in Chen Nan''s and patted the stacked hands. "Go and come back safely. Don''t make this old man wait too long. I''ll have the brewed hot tea ready. Go."


    "Thank you.." they whispered and performed a formal gratitude kneeling bow towards him. He couldn''t bare to watch them leave, but once they did, his tears rolled down his face. He asked Zi Yan, Lin Que and Chen Mu to assist them in packing their belongings. While he shed silent tears for them, Susu and Lily hugged the elderly man in a heavy mood.


    It was an upcoming war....that they have no idea what their chances of winning is. The only thought they all had in mind was to win and eliminate the mysterious enemy who was still hidden in the dark. All along, the people that they thought were the main initiators and investors to this experiment were just chess pieces. Behind the Liang family, Tian family, Li family and Yin family were someone who has been playing the role of the main controller.


    Meanwhile, in a dark, creepy chamber where containers of human organs were maintained, violent whips could be heard splitting human flesh apart. Alexander could be seen biting onto his shirt that was covered in his gum blood as the final whip split his nasty wound.


    "Sorry, Alexander. I''ve already lessened the whips by half. If I continued to fifty, you would be dead." A man whispered apologetically as he yelled, "fifty!" out loud.


    He waved the nurse to help bandage him up and sanitize the horrible wounds. Alexander''s sweat already soaked to his wounds; stinging the bloody whip marks. While his wounds were being treated, Leader Rong entered and everyone greeted him respectfully.


    "How is he doing?" The elderly man had his arms behind his back and squinted at the deep whipped wounds.

 Chapter 143 - Middle-aged Nurse

    The middle-aged nurse didn''t respond to Leader Rong''s question. Instead, she reached into her kit and took out a new pair of surgical gloves. After she inspected the whip slashes on his back, she covered the deep wounds with swabs of alcohol. The scent of disinfectant mixed with the iron taste in the room as she sanitized his opened wounds.


    Sweat beads formed on his forehead and soaked his fringe as the nurse disinfected one area at a time and treated it. His body trembled and toes curled as he thought of the sound of sizzling stone pots with boiled content inside of it. Just like the sizzling plate dishes that he loved to devour, his back felt like a hot iron was burning into his flesh.


    The guards standing by his side shivered even though they had their eyes and back straightened up in front of Leader Rong. Although Alexander hadn''t hissed a sound and endured the punishment by himself, each of them knew how harsh Leader Rong was when it came to failing missions.


    At last, his wounds were completely taken care of and the nurse had half a garbage bin filled with bloody gauzes. She shook her head and threw away the used gloves. Her eyes remained cold, but her voice was filled with concern.


    "If you are going to ask about his condition every time after punishing him, then you might as well not punish him anymore. My hands are used to save people, not perform magic on people. He can''t withstand any more whips or else you''ll have to call somebody else next time. Not me."


    Leader Rong frowned at her words, "who?"


    "The staff who works at a crematorium. I could give you the business card to you. You''ll get 10 percent off if you tell them that you were referred by me." She packed her kit and stood up to leave the room without giving him a single glance.


    "Do you think of me as a joke?" Leader Rong raised his voice by a tad, but his voice didn''t reveal any aggressive attitude towards her.


    She turned around with a smile, "who would dare? I''m just stating a mere fact. He is my patient and I''m only reporting my professional view of his current state. If you are going to insist on forcing him further, his bones will snap in half and you''ll be the one at a loss. I''ll bring medicine to his room later. Get a few of your men to carry him back using a stretcher."


    After saying what she had to say, she resumed her walk and stepped casually out of the room; leaving everyone on high alert. Nobody had ever dared to talk to Leader Rong the way she did. Naturally, everyone''s body hair stood up and felt chills to their back as the tapping sounds of her heels faded.


    Surprisingly, their worries seemed to be their own ways of overthinking. Upon the huge slam of the door that the nurse had used to exit the room, Leader Rong waved his right hand; signaling everyone to leave the room.


    Of course, since the leader has given his command, nobody would stay an extra millisecond. They crossed their fingers and prayed for Alexander''s wellbeing.


    It was only Leader Rong and Alexander left now. Both of them remained silent as if they were playing a silent game and whoever speaks first would lose. A soft sigh left the elderly man''s mouth and a huff of breath vanished in the cold air.


    "Are you not going to say anything to me?" His tone softened slightly as he took a seat in front of Alexander. The poor young man laid on his chest while shivering from the low temperature of the room and his sweaty body.


    He lifted his head and replied with an energy lacking voice, "Leader Rong, I wouldn''t dare ignore your mighty presence. What would you like me to say?"


    Another sigh left the elderly man''s mouth, but his tone sounded even more soothing than before. "You know that grandpa only wants the best for you. In front of others, you have to call me Leader Rong. But right now, we are alone. You must be angry at me for punishing you, but think about it carefully. Did I ever reveal your lies in front of others?"


    Alexander fiercely glared at him and squinted his eyes as his grandpa continued to speak. "Did you think that I didn''t know about how biased you are when it came to that Ariana girl? I''ve told you and warned you clearly in the past to stay away from her. How many times have you failed a mission because of her?"


    "That''s none of your concern. I did what I had to do and took responsibility for my actions. Even if you give me a chance to repeat the missions in the past, I would have made the same choices." His lips curved to a small smile; looking proud of his past accomplishments.


    "Hmph! That is exactly why you have all those unnecessary scars on your body. If you told her about what you''ve done for her, do you think that she would come to your arms and thank you? No, she would look down and sympathize with you! I''ve given you many chances, yet you''ve never eliminated her. Don''t force me to get other people to go after her. Trust me, the success rate is 100% if I tried."


    Elder Rong was starting to show his aggressive temper after Alexander fought him once again for Ariana! He inhaled and exhaled deeply as he stared at his grandson''s bloody back.


    Sensing the elder''s anger, Alexander smirked and said, "If you lay a strand of her hair, I will kill myself in front of you. You will not have any heirs left since I''m your daughter''s only child. Grandpa, if you want me to respect you as an elder, then maybe you should be more honest with me."


    "I told you plentiful times already that I have no idea what you''re talking about. You probably had a nightmare and thought it was reality. Why won''t you let this project bullshit go already?" Leader Rong''s hands shook as his emotions exploded and he shouted at his grandson.


    "Then why were you afraid that I would be able to figure things out? I only mentioned the underground tunnel once, and you immediately emptied out the place. The guards stopped showing up there and there were obvious evidence of something being kept inside those vacant rooms. Why did you move everything around? Because you''re guilty or were you afraid that your evil doings would be exposed to the world once I find out?"


    Alexander chuckled and spat out a small amount of blood from his mouth, "What''s with the silence? Didn''t you want me to talk to you? What? Cats got your tongue?"


    "Nonsense! When will you ever stop talking to your elders this way? Did you really think that I wouldn''t punish you because you''re my kin? If you don''t change that attitude, I will make a move on that Ariana girl''s close friends and family. This is my final warning."


    "Haha...what a joke. What are these scars and the bloody flesh of my back doing on my body if you didn''t want to punish me?" Alexander mumbled as his vision blurred.


    Seeing that he was on the verge of collapsing, Leader Rong cleared his throat and ordered two men to carry Alexander back to his own room using a stretcher. Only after every person had left that the old man sat down and frowned, "one day you''ll understand that I''m doing this all for you."


    When Alexander woke up, he was in his room. The nurse had her arms crossed and looked as if she loosened up her tensed body when she caught his eyelashes fluttering rapidly. She walked to the tray of medicine where pills were placed in a plastic container, and a thermos was next to it.


    She poured the hot water from the thermos into a mug and mixed it with some lukewarm water to lower the temperature of the liquid. Once the water seemed fine for drinking, she brought the mug and plastic container of pills to him. "Medicine."


    Even though her tone seemed indifferent, he knew that she had a soft spot for her patients. She adjusted his posture to make taking medicine easier. Seeing the pills in the container, he didn''t ask at all about what it is and swallowed it in ease.


    "You aren''t interested in what the medicine is?" She maintained her composure and walked back to the tray with his empty mug and medicine container.


    "If you wanted to kill me, you would do that years ago. Aunty Ling, behind closed doors, you don''t need to be this stiff. I''ve always treated you as if you were my mother." He didn''t mind her coldness because he understood that she had her own difficulties to deal with.


    "Sorry, I don''t have a son. Your grandfather already took away my family, so all I have left is a stone heart and toxic hatred in me." Her hands froze in midair after hearing his words because it reminded her of her daughter. Every time she treated Alexander''s wounds; she couldn''t help but wonder how her husband and daughter have been doing.


    "It''s okay if you hate him. I will repay you for what he''s done. I know it won''t be enough, but I appreciate your professionalism in helping your enemy''s grandson. You could have killed me many times, but never did. I know you''re a good person."


    She frowned, " Of course it won''t ever be enough, but I''m a fair person. You are you. That old man is that old man. You two are two separate bodies and different people. You''re innocent, so I naturally won''t have a reason to harm you. I still have work to do in the lab, so I''ll go first."


    "Aunty Ling! I know that there is nothing else to say because everything already happened and I can''t fix the past. I took on a few missions, and one of them was to look for a girl name Shi Xue. She''s your daughter, am I right?"


    Her hands almost slipped, but luckily the mug leaned towards her chest so nothing fell to the floor. "S..She''s my daughter. Did something happen to her?"


    Alexander shook his head, "I covered up her tracks, so nobody would be able to find her. She''s in a safe place right now, and someone is taking good care of her. You can relax. I''ve already looked into her recently."


    "Oh..thank god. Then what about her father? Is he doing well? Did he remarry?" Hearing that there was news about her family, she felt incredibly joyful. Unfortunately, the next piece of news sent wiped out her happiness like a burned-out candle.


    "He... died from cancer. I''m very sorry." His words dug a hole through her heart. After many years of not seeing her family, she finally got to hear about them. She felt astonished by the news of her late husband, and her legs gave out on the spot.


    Alexander wanted to help her up, but his injury limited large movements. Therefore, he could only watch as she shed silent tears on the floor. He could hear her mumbling, "No...it''s impossible.."

 Chapter 144 - What Are You Planning to do?

    After leaving the hospital, Chen Mu, Lin Que and Zi Yan followed Ariana and Chen Nan back to their hotel suite to pack the necessities for their dangerous mission. They didn''t pack any clothes. Instead, they dug through their luggage to look for weapons that are small enough to hide in their regular outfits and are easy to carry around.


    For this day, they''ve practiced and modified many weapons. For instance, Ariana''s sharp spike designed brass knuckle was modified so that blades were hidden from the opponent''s view. From the outside, an accessory as simple as her earring could be used as a deadly tool.


    Zi Yan went to her room and came back with a pair of rings. "Take off your rings and put this on instead. If there is an emergency, then throw this ring towards your opponent to delay their steps. This will buy you guys at least fifteen seconds extra to escape."


    Chen Nan looked at the rings and said, "Wouldn''t this ring be a little too big for her?"


    Zi Yan replied, "This ring is designed to automatically adjust to the user''s finger size."


    He nodded and thanked her, "Here wifey, give me your hand." His right palm reached out and faced upwards.


    Ariana smiled and placed her left hand on his palm where he planted a kiss on top of their wedding ring before taking it off for her. It seemed that he had been prepared for a day like this to come so he had two necklace chains with him.


    "Till death does us part. I promised that I would continue holding your hand until I can''t anymore. This wedding ring..I hope I will be able to put it back on this finger later. For now, I''ll secure it around your neck. This chain is customized to only unlock with a passcode. Our wedding anniversary."


    Seeing him slide the new ring to her wedding finger, her chest tightened up as if she had a bad feeling about this trip. A sense of hesitation conquered her courage; allowing fear spread to her heart. She thought for a moment and wanted to suggest for her to go alone.


    As if her thoughts were said out loud, he covered her lips with his to prevent words from coming out of her mouth. He smiled and whispered, "don''t think about anything else but my vow to you. I made an eternal promise with you that I will stand by you and fight. I won''t allow you to do anything dangerous alone."


    The warmth of his hands wrapping around her small fist reminded her of their mutual vow. "Give me your hand." Her voice was soft and gentle similarly to the day of their wedding.


    He obediently lifted his hand with a joyful smile as if he had the whole world under his feet. "Yes, madam."


    Slowly, she took off their wedding ring and took the other chain that he had in his hand and made the ring into a necklace. A few minutes later, the couple had their wedding ring necklaces around their neck and a new set of matching rings. With their arms wrapped around each other, they closed their eyes to capture every moment that they had before their parting time arrives.


    Zi Yan''s voice choked a little when she opened her mouth to interrupt their loving moment. "Is there anything we could do while you two are gone? Like a tracking device or something?"


    Ariana responded with a smile, "take good care of Susu and Grandpa Xia. Of course, this includes you and everybody else. We will probably not have signal once we get into the tunnel, so no need for tracking devices. We will use another tracking method to leave traces of the routes behind. I''ve already prepared multiple maps and invisible ink pens."


    "But what if there is signal? Then we could know where to find you guys if -" Chen Mu insist that they should bring some location GPS device with them.


    "No. We''ve gone to several possible entrances and mapped out the routes. Once we got close to the gate, our device stopped working completely. No signals." Chen Nan shook his head.


    "Then how would we know when we should go get you? How are you guys going to get back?" Zi Yan questioned in concern.


    "We''ll come back whenever we get out. We might come back separately depending on the situation inside the underground space. Considering the few routes that we managed to narrow down on, the most efficient way is investigating on our own." Ariana subconsciously gave Chen Nan''s hand a squeeze when she mentioned separation.


    Likewise, he reciprocated and tightened his grip on her hand. The couple wished to spend a bit of alone time together and requested for the three of them to give them some private time. After Lin Que and Chen Mu each had handed them a portable mini medical kit with basic necessities in it, they hugged the couple.


    On their way out of the suite, Chen Mu and Lin Que lightly punched their chest twice and pointed at the couple. Ariana and Chen Nan smiled and patted their chest as if they have received the silent message. Zi Yan held the couple''s hands and stacked their hands like how Professor Luo Xia did at the hospital. "Thank you. Please come back safe and sound."


    "We will," They said at the same pace and walked Zi Yan out. Once they were alone, the two of them didn''t speak for a while.


    "May I?" He raised his palm like earlier and waited for hers to touch his. Though her eyes blurred from the layer of tears that stung, she smiled gorgeously just like their wedding night. Adjusting their hands and feet position, the two of them didn''t say anything.


    "Always." Her voice echoed sweetly in his ears.


    A simple body contact, simple hug and simple moment together were enough for them to feel the bond they had. After today, they won''t know when they''ll be able to see each other again. All they thought of at this second were their vows to each other and their motivation to win the upcoming fight.


    They cannot fail. No, they will not fail.


    ''We''ll definitely dig the main leader out behind the families!'' They whispered this thought to themselves as they completed their dance. As the dance came to an end, their foreheads met and eyes also shut tight to remember each other''s warmth.

 Chapter 145 - Time to Part

    Although the couple insisted that the three didn''t have to send them to the underground tunnel location, Chen Mu made it difficult for them to refuse their offer. The couple could only shrug at the end and surrender to them.


    "We''re here." In addition to the tensed atmosphere in the car, the dropped dead silence after they had arrived made it extremely difficult to part. The doors were still locked, and it took the couple a few minutes to bid them goodbye. Chen Mu waited until the last second to unlock the doors.


    Everyone watched as the two figures held each other''s hand and walked towards the foggy area ahead. Seeing the couple''s back slowly disappear in front of them, heaviness drowned their hearts. Even after their shadows were lost in the fog, none of them looked away from the direction.


    Perhaps a part of them really hoped for them to change their minds last second and run back to the car. Eventually, Chen Mu started his car before anyone comes across the vehicle and raises suspicions.


    It took Ariana and Chen Nan a lot of courage to keep walking and not turn around. They knew that Chen Mu wouldn''t leave them alone until he was sure that they were gone. Therefore, the couple continued walking forward. For each step they took, they reminded themselves that this was to save Susu and avenge their family.


    Countless steps were taken until they reached the short staircases that leads up to the gate. Chen Nan whispered, "ready?"


    "Mm." She grabbed the keys that she had custom made for the lock that they found last time. Taking a deep breath, she carefully stuck the key into the keyhole and turned it sideways. At first, they were very nervous that the key would fail to help them get past the gate. Then, they heard the tiny "click" sound that the lock made when she turned the key sideways.


    Instantly, they breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Ariana smiled and whispered as she stuffed the another set of keys into his hand, "let''s part here. The other entrance should be around the corner. Ten steps away."


    He gave her a small peck on the forehead, "Be careful. We still need to make a little Ariana or little Nan to play with after this."


    "You too. Be careful. We can have more than one little Ariana and little Nan Nan. As many as you want. The locks are all the same, so keys should work fine too. If anything, you can come back to this route to meet with me. Go as we had planned." She whispered and took the initiative to leave his side.


    Since they observed the entrances for a while before mapping out the few openings to the underground tunnel, they knew that they had a few hours to sneak inside without anyone finding out. There were also no surveillance cameras outside, which made everything less complicated. After passing through the gate, she closed the lock and put away her key.


    She could feel his stare from behind. He was rooting for her as she carefully made her first turn around the corner. Feeling slightly relaxed that she has successfully gotten through the first challenging part of the mission, he could rest assure and officially part ways with her.


    Although he was pretty sure that there were no guards at this time, he still kept his guards up before making a move. Finally, he reached one of the planned entrances and also successfully unlocked the gate.


    He was very glad for the invention of gloves because the inside of the tunnel was very dusty. ''Thank goodness I also gave her a pair of gloves. So, this is how it feels like to be a prisoner in a creepy broken down place like this. I should give those actors more credit when they film horror movies...''


    In the meantime, Qian Ling, the nurse Ling who attended Alexander''s wounds was in the same devastated state as she has been in since several hours ago. Alexander tried his best to comfort her, but nothing seemed to have worked. Everything that he had said was like a wall that bounced the words back to him.


    "My family..I..I need to get out of here quick. Need to kill that old bastard!" She mumbled as her fists slammed against the solid tiles on the floor. She said these words out loud that it alerted him right away. Quickly, he crawled out of bed to cover her mouth and watch the door to make sure nobody was eavesdropping on them.


    "Shh. Are you asking for death? He could have had a spy out there!" He whispered as he squinted from the pain of the wounds on his back.


    She realized that she lost her rationality for a split second and exposed her inner thoughts too recklessly. Seeing that he had left his bed to cover her mouth like that made her feel that she made the right choice to save him back then.


    "You''re not supposed to get out of bed. I''ll help you." Once he heard the tone that she would normally use to speak to others with, his body loosened up. He could finally take a deep breath and relax now that she''s back to normal.


    "Thank you, Aunty Ling." He smiled charmingly while showing his teeth.


    "By the way, what did you do this time to make that ancient man mad? Fifty slashes are more than enough to turn you into twenty meals." She asked curiously because his punishments were normally less severe.


    "Haha, you finally started to take interest in me! Not bad, not bad. This wound was quite worth it." He joked around carelessly and overlooked her seriousness.


    "If you don''t want to say it, then it''s fine too. I need to get back to the lab." She turned her eyes away from him and stood up to leave.


    "I''ll say it. I''ll tell you everything." He sighed as he thought about how weak he was against women. Since his parents died during a mission, he had longed to speak to someone about his personal matters. It took him a while to figure out who was truly loyal to him and who was a snitching dog behind his back.


    After all, his grandfather had plentiful tricks up his sleeves. His fingers tugged the edge of her white lab coat to get her attention.


    "I was protecting a girl from Leader Rong. He got mad and decided to punish me for it. But knowing me, this wouldn''t be the last time that I take another hit for her." He smiled, looking as if getting whipped was equivalent to eating his daily meals.


    She rubbed her forehead lightly and said, "I''m guessing that she isn''t just any girl you came across. You must have some feelings for her, am I right?"


    "Bullseye! You could say that she''s the only weakness that I have. It''s already been almost 11 years already... since we first met." He looked very chirpy at the moment as he revealed his joyful smile in front of her.


    "Does she know about how you feel?" She couldn''t help but lower her guards around him. He reminded her too much of her young love back then.


    "No, and I don''t plan on telling her either." His voice lowered slightly as he mentioned about Ariana.


    "Then, does she at least know that you''re risking your life for her? Is it worth all these wounds and scarring for her?" She bent down to his eye level and listened to his heart felt emotions.


    "Nope. Stupid, isn''t it? I''m doing all this on my own, despite the fact that she probably thinks of me as her enemy. But it feels very weird. My heart would ache very badly when I see her upset or hurt. I think that pain is a thousand times worse than the pain I receive from fifty back whips. Therefore, I''m not afraid of the punishments as long as it is for her."


    He maintained a smile as he said these words. Perhaps it was a rare sight to see him dispirited with a bitter smile on his face; she subconsciously brushed through his hair. "You''re not stupid at all. I''m very proud that you didn''t turn out like your grandfather and went out of your way for her."


    "Pfft, if I ended up like him, I wouldn''t have this much hair right now! I''ll be bald. By the way, since I shared my story with you, would you consider telling me a bit about your story? Like~ how you and your husband met~"


    Since it was his first time talking about his feelings to someone, he felt somewhat embarrassed. The random words that he spat out at the heat of the moment unexpectedly received a positive response.


    "Sure, it''s actually been a while since I''ve talked about it with someone." She leaned against the side of the bed and began reminiscing the past.


    "It''s pretty old fashion to call it fate, but our families were opponents in the same industry. From the day we met to the day we went out on our first date to getting married and having a wonderful family, we knew that it would be a rough journey. When we gave up our family''s inheritance to explore on our own and build our own business, many people called it stupid."


    She smiled blissfully as memories flowed through her mind, "regardless of what people had said, we ignored it. We were happy and feeling good at where we were standing in life. There was a lot of drama from both sides of our family, but we made it on our own."


    "Those years must have been very joyful." He commented as he caught the sweet smile on her face that didn''t match with the lingering sorrow in her eyes.


    "Very. Extremely grateful that I met him. His family members were like leeches, but he never complained once." She wished that there were more she could complain about, but nothing mattered at this point because he was already gone.


    "Ahh, family drama is always so tangled."


    "Yeah, but he was very optimistic. No matter what obstacles we had to face, he would smile and find the positive perspective out of everything. That was up until your grandfather imprisoned me and separated my family and me."


    "I''m really sorry." He said guiltily as he saw through her heartbroken expression.


    She sighed, "again, you can''t repay what your grandfather has done. I could tell that you are a good boy. You should leave this place and leave your grandfather one day because it is too toxic here."


    "I will figure out a way to help you escape." He patted his chest and promised her.


    "After many attempts to escape this place, your grandfather threatened me with my family''s lives. I have to protect my daughter. So, unless your grandfather dies, I doubt there is another way out of this shit hole." She looked at him when she said these words to vent out some negativity.


    "But why would he want to keep you here at all costs? Just for some lab research? That''s absurd." Alexander didn''t understand this point at all and decided to ask her about it.


    "His greed." She shortened her response as she knew that she could not disclose anything more related to the lab to him. Too many people had been and are still implicated. The less someone knows, the safer it is.


    Hearing her response, he held back his inquiries because he also understood that there were boundaries that he could not force through. He believed that he could figure things out in his own way.

 Chapter 146 - Interrupted

    Sizzz


    A thick and rich nauseating scent filled the room as the branding iron with smoke evaporating in the air pressed against the assassin''s bare flesh. The excruciating pain was too heavy and cruel for him to endure that his voice whimpered like a newborn puppy. Tears squeezed out of his tightly squinted eyes as his sweat reflected on his bloody, topless eight pack.


    The guard didn''t blink once when he removed the branding iron slowly from the injured body. Zhi Hei stood by the door with his arms crossed, "Well? Want to talk yet?"


    The assassin bit his lips and refused to mutter a word out. His lips tilted up, forming a smirk. The smell of burnt rotten meat polluted the air in the room as the branding iron was placed back into the fire.


    "You have an impressive high tolerance against pain, but your brain is much slower than I had expected. Pretty understandable since you are one of the top assassins in the underground market. I already know that Li Teng was the one who persuaded your client to look for you to do the dirty business. So, why don''t you spit out what I want to know?"


    Zhi Hei didn''t bother wasting a second of his time since Shi Xue had recently awakened and had lost her memories. Even though he had maids in the house, he''d rather be the one taking care of her. His mood has been pretty great lately because she became more comfortable around him.


    Actually, he purposely snuck out of the house after she had drunk the awful herb fragrance medicine that Chen Mu had prescribed. As much as he wished to fasten up this torturing process, he didn''t want to let the assassin off easily. Thinking about how severe Shi Xue''s injuries were when he had found her made him extremely infuriated.


    The assassin showed an ugly mocking grin before spitting towards Zhi Hei''s direction. "Kill me. I won''t tell you anything you want to know, but I had a lot of fun beating that Shi girl up. Tsk, Tsk, she must have never been beaten black and blue before. I only had to swing the metal bat a few times to make her jump from her spot."


    Hearing his disgusting voice describe how he punched, kicked and tossed her into the ocean to feed hungry fishes heightened the murderous atmosphere in the room. The temperature remained the same, if not, even warmer because of the burning fire. Though the room was warm, the guard felt shivers from behind and didn''t dare to make eye contact with Zhi Hei.


    Those who works or worked for Zhi Hei would know that once angered, he could have the most gruesome ways in torturing the target. Once, somebody aimed to harm his family members. Before that person raises his arm with the knife in his possession, his balls were stabbed by a flying pair of chopsticks that Zhi Hei was using.


    That man was then dragged to the dungeon where he was tortured for ten days before he died. Now, this assassin challenged Zhi Hei''s patience. The guard gulped loud enough for himself to hear and slowly moved aside.


    "From the way you described it, you seem quite proud. So how many times have you injured her before tossing her to the waters?" The calmer he reacted, the more chills the guard received. ''Doomed! The boss is very angry this time!'' He wished that he could shut his eyes, but a part of his job was to witness the unique ways in killing enemies to make them die in regret.


    "Hah! Twenty-seven? I lost count. Possibly more." The assassin showed his yellow gooey teeth and laughed.


    "Oh.. is that so?" Zhi Hei held the branding iron in his hand and pressed it right on the assassin''s crotch area.


    Sizz


    This time, the assassin couldn''t hold back his voice and screamed in pain. He thought that Zhi Hei would never kill him as long as he didn''t give him the information that he had asked for. Unfortunately, his mindset was wrong.


    Zhi Hei tossed the branding iron away and sanitized his hands. Then, he threw a pair of new gloves towards the guard and instructed, "Heat up the oil and pour it down his crotch. It''s a valuable lesson. I''ll be back."


    If it weren''t for the vibration coming from his cellphone, he wouldn''t stop midway. The guard nodded as he watched Zhi Hei walk away with his phone against his ear.


    "Chen Mu, what is it?" Other than his family and Shi Xue, Chen Mu was the only one who could make him stop what he''s working on to see what he needs.


    "I need a favor from you, but I can''t speak much about what is going on." From his tone, Zhi Hei could tell that this situation is serious. Without a second thought, he replied, "go on."


    "Long story short, Susu and her family needs a secretive place to stay for a while. I''m not sure how long they need to stay hidden, but-"


    "No problem. I''ll send you the address for one of the private properties with the highest level security. I''ll have it cleaned by the afternoon." While speaking to him, Zhi Hei sent a text to Shen Qi about cleaning the private property and making several copies of the keys. After everything was set, he messages Chen Mu the address of the place.


    "Thanks. I got your text. Appreciate it." Chen Mu would have used one of Chen family''s properties, but he weighed the risks of getting discovered between using his own place versus a trustworthy friend''s place and decided that his properties were not the safest.


    Therefore, he chose to play it safe than be sorry later.


    "Don''t stress it. Let me know if you need anything else. I haven''t thanked you for saving Shi Xue and moving back and forth, despite your heavy schedule. I''m glad to help." Zhi Hei smiled over the call when he heard a sigh of relief from Chen Mu''s side.


    The call ended, but the assassin''s adventurous journey to death had not ended yet. It was only the beginning. As Zhi Hei walked past a few cells, he glanced at Tian Guo Min''s horrified expression for two seconds before heading back to where the petrifying cries were coming from. His fingers slowly clenched into a fist, ''you''re next.''

 Chapter 147 - Tripped over a Rock...

    When Chen Mu made that phone call, he was in one of the empty private conference rooms at the hospital. After dropping off Ariana and Chen Nan, he drove back to the hospital where Zi Yan and Lin Que followed up with what they needed to do.


    Lin Que had to attend to a few patients, while Zi Yan had to gather Susu''s belongings. There was also luggage at the hotel that they have to retrieve later on. Lily accompanied Susu''s side as Chen Mu requested for her to undergo another full body checkup.


    Not allowing any risks or chances of her body condition to have deteriorated under his supervision, Susu had to go through multiple examinations before discharging from the hospital. Even though the chances were slim, he still wanted to make sure that she was in a good condition to leave the hospital.


    His worries were reasonable since her body has gone through too much lately with the drug and new cancer medicine. Lin Que also compromised and said that he would personally visit them during her appointment dates.


    Although it was more work, but it was all worth his time. When Chen Mu thanked him and apologized for the inconvenience, Lin Que made him pause his words and said, "Stop, what bother? You guys or never a bother. I''m a doctor and she''s my patient. It''s only natural that I need to do what a doctor needs to do. Besides, this is far from what Ariana and Chen Nan are doing."


    "Thank you.." Chen Mu hugged this cheesy doctor and patted his back.


    "Hey, hey. Hugging is fine, but watch where you''re touching."


    "but I''m too moved by your words~ Come on~ don''t be shy~ it''s not like we haven''t seen each other''s nude bodies before." Chen Mu naturally hugged Lin Que around his shoulders and laughed off his own joke.


    From a distance, their girlfriends had been observing the guy''s interactions and whispering their thoughts to each other.


    "You are thinking what I''m thinking?" Lily smiled and took out her phone.


    "The same as what you''re thinking." Susu reached out her palm for Lily to give her her cellphone. Earlier, she had to run some tests, so she put Lily in charge of her phone. With a similar naughty smile on their faces, they snapped a few pictures using their high-quality camera from their phones and shared it to the family group chat.


    "Wow! Nice angle!" Lily bent down to review the photos that Susu had taken.


    "Yours have very nice lighting!" Susu complimented Lily''s photos as well. Because she had to run multiple examinations, Susu had to sit in a wheelchair in case she gets tired. Lily has been wheeling her to different rooms without a single complaint. They were talking about various topics that would help Susu feel more relieved when they came across their boyfriend''s mini moment.


    Since the group chat was muted on Chen Mu''s phone, he didn''t know about the picture. Once everything was all set at the hospital, they all headed to the hotel to pack Professor Luo Xia and Zi Yan''s luggage. By the time they had finished, Chen Mu gave Zhi Hei to inform him of their estimated arrival time. Zhi Hei also confirmed that everything was ready for them to move in.


    It took them a little after 1 PM to reach the private residence. When they arrived, Zhi Hei was standing by the gates with a gentleman smile. It was a relief to see them arrive safely.


    "Welcome." As each of them stepped out of the vehicle to gather around Zhi Hei, one of the butlers walked over to the driver''s seat and asked for the car key. Chen Mu wanted to refuse his offer, but Zhi Hei interrupted.


    "You can let Uncle Tom take your car. I want to help you guys familiarize yourselves with this private place. It''s along the way to the main entrance, so it''s not too far from where we are standing."


    Chen Mu turned to the middle-aged man, who maintained the same smile as before to confirm that it was no trouble for him to drive the car to the house. After seeing no signs of inconvenience, he handed his car keys to Uncle Tom.


    Soon, the crowd followed Zhi Hei''s lead and started exploring around the area.


    - Underground Tunnel-


    It''s been less than twenty-four hours and Ariana realized that she''s been going around in circles. Since she marked her tracks as she went deeper into the tunnel, she could tell where she was headed towards. After walking nonstop, she stopped to take a rest.


    "What am I doing wrong? Why am I going around in circles? Unless there are some weird secret pathways that I missed? But there are various entrances...But same lock? Maybe I should start playing with the walls as I walk."


    After ten minutes of rest, she decided that it was time to try again. She stumbled over a rock that bounced off the wall and rolled to her side. Feeling frustrated by the current situation and the sudden scare from the fall, she picked up the rock and threw it against the wall. The rock ended up rolling back her way, but this time, she noticed something odd.


    She squinted and compared the wall in front of her to other parts of the same wall. After knocking several times, she curiously smiled, "So, there is a pathway and it was here all along. How many times did I have to pass through this route to find you, hmm? Let''s see..."


    Observing the area around her, she quickly realized that there were many visible cracks on areas of the wall, except for the area in front of her. Moving from one spot to the next, she knocked continuously and traced the pathway''s opening using her eyes. Finally, a smirk appeared when she figured it out.


    "There is only one crack within this opening. I suppose it isn''t just here for decorations, huh?" She carefully inspected the crack and recognized the similar size between this hole and the rock that''s on the floor. With the same rock in her hand, she tossed it onto the floor and watched it roll away.


    "As expected, the key to this door is you. If it was a regular rock, at least some fragments of it would have fallen from the original piece when it landed on the floor. This is still the same shape as before."


    Taking the rock in her hand once again, she rotated it and stuffed it to fit into the crack on the wall. Once the rock was pushed into it, the wall slowly slid open. "Well, adventures mean staircases and more work."


    She glanced one last time towards the entrance before walking into the pathway. Right after she had entered, the wall closed and she could hear the key to the wall fall back onto the floor. Because it was pretty dim near the staircase, she had to turn on her mini flashlight.


    Using the flashlight, she looked around to see if there were any levers, buttons or anything that could open the same door in case she needed to flee later. Unfortunately, there were none. That wall could only be opened from the outside. After a short sigh, she continued walking forward and raised her guards up as she grew closer to the next exit in front of her.


    ---END OF CHAPTER: THE FOLLOWING IS THE SYNOPSIS FOR LILY AND LIN QUE''S NOVEL--


    THE NOVEL IS NOT POSTED YET. This synopsis may be updated later on and it''s to see my reader''s opinion of whether they would like to read this novel hahahaha. I will try to make this a regular romance with less drama....We''ll see where it goes ;) As for her profession, it''s a mystery~


    The first time they''ve passed by each other:


    Lin Que: "Years ago, I met her during an Anime Convention. Well...that''s if the one second eye contact actually counted... She was dressed as Usagi Tsukino from the anime, Sailor Moon. And I was forced to be there that day...dressed as Tuxedo Mask to support my friend''s anime meet and greet event."


    "Our eyes met for a second before she smiled brightly and ran over. I raised my hand to take off my mask, thinking that she was coming towards me. My tongue slipped, and I said Hi to her...only to see her running past me. It was so awkward that I patted my friends back and twisted my greetings from Hi to Hitman Reborn; another anime that I''ve heard about."


    "Her eyes wandered to her left to meet my gaze when she ran past me before her attention was back to the other guy in the same Tuxedo Mask outfit . That smile she had on her face made my heart go crazy and from the looks of it, he seemed to be her boyfriend. Oh wells, guess this Tuxedo Mask could have better luck next time. It''s rare to find a girl who catches my attention like that, but I''ll forget about her."


    Second coincidence encounter:


    - Two months later -


    Lin Que''s brother, Lucas, hugged him so tight that he could hardly breathe.


    "Bro! I''m so glad I got off in time to rush over for your graduation! Congratulations!!!!"


    "Lucas! Thank you for coming! How are you doing overseas? You chose to follow mom and dad during their trip to study abroad. I was surprised that you stayed there for almost a year now." Lin Que patted his younger brother''s back as they separated from the hug.


    "Pffft, bro! Who do you think I am? Hmm? What could ever stop your brother from doing anything? Besides, I argued with a great cause! Mom and dad wouldn''t stop me." Lucas stuffed the bouquet of flowers that he brought to his arms and said, "from mom and dad."


    "Ahhh, I heard they were stuck with a client''s contract breach situation. Must be tough."


    "Yes! Oh, my goodness, but since today is a great day~ Let''s ignore work talk. Come on~ Mom and dad said that I must show proof that I came! Say cheese!"


    Lin Que was forced to make a victory sign while smiling to the camera. After taking countless number of pictures, Lin Que took some group photos with his friends before bidding goodbye. Inside a black Mercedes car, Lucas showed Lin Que several pictures that they''ve taken together.


    "Bro! Bro! What about this one? You look so handsome in it!" Lucas handed his phone over to him. His original plain response was swallowed back down his throat when he saw the girl who was passing by in the background.


    ''That''s her....No way!!!!''


    And finally, the third time that they''ve met, before their fate started its work..


    After realizing that he had forgotten to do some grocery shopping, Lin Que decided to eat at a newly opened Szechuan spicy bowl location. His stomach growled and warned him for the third time when he reached the place.


    The place was packed, and he doubted that there were any seats for him. At this odd time, he would expect fewer people to even be there. Unfortunately, luck wasn''t on his side tonight. He turned around to leave, but the waiter stopped him and asked if he minded sharing a table.


    "Sure." He replied since he couldn''t wait any longer for food.


    Following the waiter, he reached the table where he was then given the menu. He mostly chose vegetables and a few meat selections before handing the menu back to the waiter. Since he interrupted the girl''s solo time, he thought that it would only be polite to thank her for willing to share the spot with him. The food seemed to be quite tasty with the way she had her head faced down as she ate it in a fast pace.


    "Uhm, excuse me. I just want to thank you for sharing you table with me. If not, I would have had to eat cup noodles for the-" His eyes widened as he recognized the girl in front of him. The food was too spicy that she needed to blow her nose with a napkin. Even though she was blowing her snot and was perspiring greatly from eating the Beyond Human level spicy bowl, he knew it was her.


    Though the peppers were strong enough to make his eyes water from a distance, she managed to meet his gaze and said, "it''s no disturbance. I''m almost done anyways." He was checking his phone for messages, but would once in a while look up to the girl whose lips had turned red from eating spicy food.


    Subconsciously, his lips curved to a smile, thinking how adorable she looked. Perhaps she felt tired from eating the spicy food; she slowed down and stopped her chopsticks movements. He looked up when he didn''t hear chewing noises to see her reddened face.


    She pressed the napkin on her face, especially on her eyes as water stains soaked through the layer. At first, he thought that she was teary from the spices. Then, he realized that she had already eaten the ghost peppers in her bowl. All there''s left was some soup, some small pieces of meat and vegetables.


    He remained quiet for a few minutes until he couldn''t take it anymore. Taking a few napkins, he offered her the clean ones to her and asked, "are you alright?"


    "I''m fine." She responded a few seconds of silence and took the napkins from his hand. Without looking at him, she asked for the check and paid with cash. When she took out her wallet to pay, she dropped her newly printed business cards on the table and didn''t notice.


    After she had left, he realized that she left her case of business cards. She was already gone when he ran out. He took one card out and smiled, "Lily Jiang...."


    Later, they meet again.... at the hospital where he played the role of a doctor and she as the patient. His lip twitched when he examined her condition, "We meet again, Miss.Jiang. I am the doctor who is in charge of your case. How may I help you today?"


    "Can I see another doctor?"


    "Sorry, other doctors who are currently on shift are attending other patients." He replied.


    A contemporary romance filled with fluff~

 Chapter 148 - Horrendous Discovery

    Finally, Ariana reached the square looking exit at the end of the stairs. Holding onto the handle to the exit, she paused and listened for any movements from the other side. After making sure that there weren''t any sounds, she pushed the square shaped door outwards.


    She didn''t think about anything, but her own safety as a priority. Being cautious by nature, she didn''t step out immediately in case of sudden attacks from above. Slowly, she tested the waters to make sure nobody was there to ambush her. Once she had gotten out safely, a heavy rotten iron stench filled her nose that made her gag.


    Covering her mouth with her palm, she tried her best not to vomit. At the same time, she felt suffocated by the putrid scent that would make anyone''s stomach turn upside down and right side up. Still, she focused her attention on details around the room.


    Her eyes wandered around the dimmed, blood splattered room. The walls had fairly new half dried red fluids and old brown stains of blood in an explosive, messy manner. She traced the blood stains to an old and rusty looking shower curtain with unevenly ripped edges.


    "This is where the blood stains are blocked off. So, these random ovals or slashes of red marks must have been from whatever was killed here..." Since the curtains were layered unevenly, it exposed the legs of a bathtub behind it.


    The dimmed lights flickered, heightening the tension in the room. She gulped and pulled the curtains to the side to discover a bathtub full of blood and layers of stitched patches of human skin soaked in the liquid.


    Jars and containers that held body organs in transparent fluid could be seen arranged in the order from smallest to largest on a table behind the tub.


    A pair of slender, neatly chopped, skinned body thighs and knees were hanging separated in a row from the ceiling using a hook. The teeth marks on the thighs matched the small amount of flesh that was floating in the tub. It looked like someone had teared out the victim''s flesh to drain their blood out slowly in the most brutal way possible.


    From the looks of it, the dangling half body in front of her had already been boiled or cooked by oil after the blood was completely drained. A huge freezer with a transparent door was located next to the bloody dissected parts.


    She gulped silently and took a deep breath before gathering enough courage to see what was in that freezer. At this point, the pungent smell was not the main point anymore, and she had loosened her palms from her face.


    Her body froze on the spot as she felt the chilliness from the icy insides of the functioning freezer. Through the transparent door, she saw bags of ice with some kind of bloody parts that belonged to animals and humans.


    Some bags held smaller sized parts which seemed to look like it belonged to infants, children and wild animals. Other parts were too far from her vision as it was stacked between other bags. She was ready to find human heads from the fridge, but had not expect to see more parts preserved in there.


    This was incredibly bad news and she had to get out of here as quick as she could. If she stayed any longer, she might join the tub of victim''s blood and containers of organs. She definitely needed to escape from here and calm her thoughts before continuing this mission.


    Turning towards her right, she saw a white colored door with a golden knob. Right when she reached for the knob, she paused and looked for a piece of tissue to avoid leaving her fingerprints behind.


    She thought that she was already smart to use tissue, but somebody was even sneakier than she was. When she pulled the door opened, a string of bells started chiming nonstop from the other side of the door.


    Apparently, she had triggered an automatic alarm that would go off once the knob was turned by an unknown identity. By turning that knob without leaving fingerprints, the alarm was set to ring in alert mode once the door pushes open. This was a warning of an intrusion.


    "Fuck!" She decided that if she was going to die here anyways, she might as well take her chances and run around the halls. Perhaps she could figure out a way to hide from whoever the heck would be after her.


    She risked her chances and closed the door shut. Hearing heavy footsteps approaching from the left, so she ran towards the right direction as fast as she could. As she ran, she rubbed the ring on her finger and hoped that she wouldn''t need to use this weapon to delay her enemies this early in the mission.


    When she realized something was wrong, her feet had stopped running to let her ears listen carefully. ''There''s someone coming from this side too?! What the hell is wrong with my luck? Shit! Shit! No, calm down. I won''t die here. Not until I find the culprit. I''ll have to fight whoever it is in front of me.'' She determined her final decision and went into a fighting position.


    Since there was only one corner in front of her that allowed her to continue running further forward in this maze looking tunnel, she only had this chance. With her fists tightened and spike brass knucklers in place, she bit down on her lip.


    The footsteps grew closer towards her direction and faster as if the person had detected her presence. Once she saw the shadow of the person turning, she closed her eyes shut to focus on her senses and raised her foot against her opponent. Unfortunately, the person had seen through her move and captured her right ankle in place.


    "You missed." The deep voice sent chills down her spine as she heard hastened footsteps approaching from behind. A strong killing urge could be sensed from the other end getting closer, and she has no way of retaliating on this opponent.


    She didn''t dare take a look at her enemy as she threw random punches, hoping to aim at the person''s fatal spot. That person seemed to be familiar to her moves as he managed to dodge her attacks a second before it landed on him.


    It was then that she felt that something didn''t add up and looked up to meet his gaze.

 Chapter 149 - Save You

    Ariana blinked twice and squinted before putting away her fists, "Alexander? What are you doing here?"


    "To save you." Without another word, he grabbed her arm and dragged her around the corner as the heavy footsteps grew closer. His ears had always been accurate. From the sound of those steps, that man was midway down the other hallway. If they didn''t leave now, she would get caught.


    She followed his pace as she had complete trust in him. Once they have turned another corner, he halted his steps and remembered that there was another way to escape from that man. He counted from the last brick from his right and stopped at the tenth brick.


    Using his thumb, he pressed against it to unlock a hidden passageway that he had used when he was young. Nobody knew about this path other than him and his parents. Within seconds, the bricks shifted and a new path appeared.


    Ariana looked at him and then back towards the dark road ahead. He whispered, "hurry.." His hand was holding hers as he leads the way into the darkness. The moment they walked in, he pressed his thumb to a specific brick to his left side and let the entrance close up.


    "What are-" His palms covered her mouth as he took deep breaths. That''s when she realized that his hand was wet. ''Is he nervous? His hand is soaked,'' she thought to herself as she remained quiet.


    Her attention focused entirely towards where the entrance was as she heard the familiar footsteps rushing past their location. Her heart rate sped up when she heard an old man''s voice chanting, "I don''t want to die."


    Alexander didn''t let go of her mouth until he knew for certain that the man was really gone. He whispered, "Are you alright?" His tone sounded weaker than his usual whispering voice.


    She answered, "Yeah, I''m fine. Why are you here? A mission?"


    He said, "Really. It''s to save you."


    "How did you know that I was here?" The cease between her brows deepened as his voice sounded a bit faint even though he was standing beside her.


    "You''ll understand when we get back to my room." He continued holding onto her hands as they walked further into the dark. With her mini flashlight, she avoided slippery rocks that were on the floor. She was quite amazed by his calmness as he walked through the dark without any assistance.


    It felt as if he could walk in and out of this path with his eyes blindfolded. They remained quiet until they got out of the shortcut path that led them to his bedroom. When they exited, she saw a familiar face.


    She immediately let go of his hands when she saw the unconscious Chen Nan laying on the bed. Quickly, she rushed to check up on his condition. Fortunately, once Chen Nan had heard her voice, his eyes rolled underneath his eyelids and opened slowly to meet her worried gaze.


    "You''re awake! Does it hurt anywhere?" She gently touched his arms to see if he was injured.


    He sat up slowly and shook his head a few times. His vision improved after shutting his eyes for a few seconds and opening it again. "Ariana? Why are you here? Where is this place?"


    His words reminded her that Alexander hadn''t explained anything to her. When she turned around, she saw how pale Alexander looked with sweat dripping down the sides of his face. Now that Chen Nan had woken up, she concentrated on him and observed his odd behavior.


    "What''s wrong with you? Are you injured somewhere?" She walked to his side and reached up to feel his forehead. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw blood on her palm. She gasped in response and turned her head back and forth when she realized that she had made bloody handprints on Chen Nan''s sleeves.


    In other words, the blood belonged to Alexander!


    Seeing Ariana''s expression, he still settled his mood to comfort her, "I''m alright. This kind of wound won''t kill me."


    "You dare say that when you''re bleeding this much?! Look at your arm! So much blood is leaking from your back!" She didn''t know what she should do since she didn''t know where she could or couldn''t touch.


    Chen Nan got off the bed and went to help Alexander settle onto the bed. With the medical kit that he had found in the room, Chen Nan cut the back of his bloody shirt with a pair of scissors to inspect the wounds. Meanwhile, she stepped aside to organize the necessary tools such as alcohol, cotton swabs and whichever supplies were accessible from the kit.


    Once in a while, she would lower her gaze to peek at his condition. Since blood came from his back, they laid him down on his chest. From the mirror''s reflection in his room, Alexander could see how she reacted to his whip marks. This was the first time he had ever revealed the nasty scars and wounds on his body to her.


    Before he started treating the opened wounds, he had sanitized his hands thoroughly and wore a clean pair of surgical gloves. Chen Nan instructed what he needed, and Ariana would place the tools to his hands. With their chemistry, he successfully closed up the wounds and redid the stitches.


    "He should be fine as long as he doesn''t get out of bed for at least a week. His wounds are quite deep, and I have no idea how he endured the pain. Whoever caused these wounds must have wanted to take his life or something." Chen Nan tried to speak as low as possible, but his words were still heard.


    Ariana''s fists appeared once again. She bent down and asked, "Who?" Her eyes were full of fiery and Alexander recognized the ignited flames in her eyes. He smiled lightly, "You don''t need to know. You two should get out of here when you get the chance. I''ll show you the way out."


    "No. We''re on a mission, and we aren''t going to leave just like this." Ariana refuted and was not satisfied by his response to her previous question. He was avoiding her, and she didn''t know who he was trying to protect.


    With her arms crossed, she stood steadily and looked at him, "Was it your leader? Boss? Who beat you to this extent? Why didn''t you retaliate? Aren''t you always on high alert?"


    Her questions stacked one after another, making it difficult for him to answer even once. Chen Nan patted her shoulders lightly, indicating that she should stop at where she was right now.


    Alexander knew her personality very well. Once she has determined to find something out or do anything she thought was right, she will not give up. He was ready to tell her what had happened and thought that she wouldn''t listen to Chen Nan''s hint at all.


    When his lips parted, she also shut her lips and swallowed back the words that she wanted to say. This was the first time someone managed to control her and make her take a step back.


    A thought lingered and processed to his mind... ''Right, she''s already his wife. That''s why she has changed.''


    Chen Nan noticed the few seconds of disappointment from Alexander''s expression that quickly went away. ''This guy...he...''

 Chapter 150 - Why are you here?

    Although Ariana mentioned about Alexander in the past, Chen Nan has never officially met him. Either the timing was not right, or there would be a mission that interrupted their plan. Out of all the scenarios that they could''ve met, Chen Nan never thought that it would be like this.


    After bandaging Alexander''s wounds, he pulled the blanket over his half-naked body. In his condition, Chen Nan does not advise him to make any large movements. Ariana chewed on her lips several times when she tried to dig information out of him.


    Unfortunately, Alexander kept his mouth shut and kept avoiding her questions. Eventually, Chen Nan managed to stop her from pestering him. He knew her extremely well that she is always protective over everyone she knew.


    When his eyes landed on Alexander earlier, he already noticed that the way he looked at Ariana was a bit different. As a man, he could tell that he definitely has feelings for her. From the way she was acting around him, Chen Nan could tell that she was clueless about his feelings. That is probably why they were this close.


    Chen Nan interrupted Ariana and said, "I forgot to introduce myself. I''m Chen Nan, Ariana''s husband. Thank you for saving me earlier."


    Alexander chuckled and coughed lightly. He replied, "Nice meeting you. I''m Alexander, your crazy wife''s... friend. No need to shower me with thanks. I only passed by at the right timing."


    She tilted her head in confusion and crossed her arms, "What happened? I forgot to ask why Chen Nan was in your room."


    "Let me tell you my part of the story after we had separated earlier. I successfully got past the gates and started to explore the tunnel. For some reason that tunnel split into three paths and I randomly chose one. I''m not exactly sure if my luck was that great, but the route I chose led me to a disgusting room."


    He covered his mouth as if he could still smell the blood from the room. "The exit was a rectangular, shaped door. Little did I know that I was actually on the damn ceiling of the room. When I looked down, I saw many chopped up pieces of body parts. I''m sure some belonged to humans and others were animal remains."


    She gasped as she listened attentively to his description. Once he mentioned the details that he saw, she confirmed that it was the same room that she was in. When they shared the explicit information, they started to wonder why anyone would create more than one exits or entrances in such a horrific room.


    Then, he mentioned how he tried to figure out if this was a psychopathic brutal murder experiment room or for another objective. He continued stating what he remembered before losing consciousness.


    "While examining the room, somebody tried to enter the room. The knob turned, and I squatted down behind one of the cabinets. It was a skinny old man who looked probably around eight-five years old. His skin almost shaped every bone in his body."


    "I saw him strip off his clothes and stepped into the blood-filled bathtub. Not only that, the stitched skin that was floating in the tub was used as a body scrub too. It was very disgusting. His voice sounded like those sick patients in their death beds."


    Subconsciously, she started rubbing her arms to get rid of the goosebumps on her body. Her eyelashes fluttered as she felt extremely disturbed, "D..did he say anything?"


    Chen Nan nodded and said, "I don''t want to die. After hearing his words and seeing that his back was towards me, I wanted to sneak out of there. Luck was obviously not on my side because when I turned the knob and pulled the door open, it triggered an alarm. That old man instantly turned around..."


    Her body trembled as she attempted to maintain her composure. "But he''s an old man...so, you should be able to outrun him..."


    "That''s what I thought too, but that wasn''t the case at all. He was fast enough to grab a hold of my shirt and I was running using all my strength already. Not only that, the old man had weird eyes. His eyes were deep red. And the rest, I will leave it to Alexander."


    Alexander let out a sigh and said, "I''m not going to tell you guys why I went there, but the room that both of you were in was a danger zone. It was a forbidden area in this place. I have no idea how you guys snuck in, but I could only say that you two need to get out of here as soon as possible."


    "Anyways, when you peeked at the old man''s bathing session, he already knew that you were in the room. You might not have noticed it, but he slowly hypnotized you without your knowledge. Luckily, you managed to get away from him and ran into me."


    "When he lost consciousness, I carried him back to my room before the old man caught up. In the middle of dragging his body, he mumbled your name. So that was why I went back after tossing him on my bed."


    She pinched her chin as she listened to his part of the story. For some reason, she felt that it was odd. As always, she straightforwardly exposed her thoughts and asked, "Why did he faint? How did you know I would be back? What if he was just saying my name because he was hypnotized?"


    As if he had already expected this reaction from her, he immediately responded, "Once the hypnotism fails, the target would lose consciousness. We used to pair up when it comes to dangerous missions. If he could say your name before falling unconscious, then it wouldn''t hurt to go back there to see if you happen to be there too."


    "If we talk about the routes in this place, then I am more confident in getting in and out of here with no problem. If it''s about what''s in here and where different rooms are located, then I would also have more information than you guys. Since I''ve answered your concerns, how about you answer my questions? Why were you two here?"

 Chapter 151 - Cant Answer Me?

    Chen Nan made a slight movement towards Ariana after hearing Alexander''s question. He could tell that she was contemplating whether she should tell him the truth. When Chen Nan reached to hold her hand, she gave him a small squeeze as if she was telling him that she knew what she was doing.


    The room was so quiet that even the form of a wrinkle on a shirt could be heard. It took her a few minutes to decide what to respond to him. The corners of her lip curved up, "As always, you know how the rule works. We can''t disclose our client''s information nor the goals of our mission. Only our partners would know about it."


    Alexander coughed to clear the iron taste in his mouth. Earlier, he forcibly swallowed the mouthful of blood that had rushed up his throat to hide his injured condition. Before they could see the coughed up red droplets in his palm, he hid it from their view.


    Her response didn''t surprise him at all because he understood her professionalism very well. His eyes started to burn and water, so he closed them. Soon, his voice became hoarse and a forced smile appeared on his pale face, "You''re the same as before. Haven''t changed a bit."


    "What do you mean?" She knelt down beside him so that she could look at him at eye level.


    "Not cute at all. You used to follow me around and stuck to me from missions to mission. Now, your stubbornness didn''t change one bit, but the cuteness is all washed away." When he said the last part, his eyes glanced towards Chen Nan. Of course, Chen Nan hadn''t missed the regretful gaze of his that lasted for a few seconds before it disappeared.


    Ariana sighed, "You still have time to joke when you''re this injured. Do you not want to live anymore? You''re clearly not fine and could barely get through one conversation. Just close your eyes and take a nap if you''re tired."


    Alexander mumbled, "Why? Because once I go to sleep, you guys could escape from my room and risk your lives again? Don''t forget who saved your asses just now. As your life saver, I demand you guys to stop whatever you''re doing and go home."


    "Why are you stopping us from investigating this place? We never told you our reason for being here." Chen Nan lifted the blanket to check his wounds after he had caught the abnormal change in Alexander''s expression. His eyes widened and lips twitched. He sent Ariana a meaningful stare, and she processed that thought immediately.


    She snapped her fingers by Alexander''s ears to keep him awake. "We''re not done talking yet. Like you just said, if you go to sleep then we will definitely sneak out to explore this place. Whether we are coming back alive is very questionable."


    "Heh, and even so, you''re still risking it." He chuckled lowly as if his body would give in anytime. Meanwhile, Chen Nan cut the wrapped bandages carefully using scissors from the medical kit because he realized that Alexander''s wounds hadn''t stopped bleeding.


    ''I''m pretty sure I stopped the bleeding and stitched the wounds together. Why is he still bleeding?'' Chen Nan took another pair of clean gloves to inspect Alexander''s wounds. That was when he had realized that something was wrong with the bandages.


    "Ariana! Quick, loosen these bandages and get it away from his wounds!" He tossed a pair of gloves to her, and she took another pair of scissors to strip away the bandages on his back.


    While they were carefully peeling the bandages away from his wounds, Chen Nan lectured him, "Don''t tell me you endured this pain the entire time? If something didn''t feel right, then you should''ve said something since the beginning. You knew something was wrong, yet you didn''t speak up. Do you not care for your life?"


    Once they got every layer of bandages off, his bloody wound was infected. Ariana handed the tools that Chen Nan would need to disinfect the areas and worked next to him as they cleaned his wounds again. Alexander had lost his strength to even speak another word as his vision blurred.


    By the time they were finished treating his wounds, Chen Nan doubled checked the bandages in his medical kit. "We can''t use any of these. Someone laid their hands on it. If we use these, his wounds will rot within a day and his life will hang on the line."


    "Then what can we do? We don''t have anything here, and he is unconscious." Ariana bit down on her lips worriedly as her gaze landed on the man whose face looked as pale as snow.


    Chen Nan grabbed Alexander''s wrist to look at the current time. "In half an hour, the routes should be cleared up. We need to get him to the hospital. I''ll carry him, and you look out for anyone."


    "But which way should we get out from? The routes that we came from are too dangerous. My way is blocked off when I came in and yours is up that ceiling. Even if we could stuff him up that ceiling, we might not be able to get away in time." She couldn''t figure out what to do.


    Right when they were about to crack their heads opened, Alexander opened his eyes slightly and said, "I can help you guys escape. Help me up. I know the way."


    Even though his mind was nearly blanked out and he didn''t hear their conversation about saving him, his desire to bring them out of this underground hell hole forced his body awake. Hearing his words, the couple nodded and adjusted his position on Chen Nan''s back.


    "Okay, let''s go." He said after making sure that Alexander is comfortable in the position he was in. Stretching out his fingers, Alexander pointed to the painting in his room and the couple stepped closer towards that direction.


    "Behind the painting...put my thumb at the mark." He tried his best to explain it to them with minimal words. Ariana took the painting down to see a darkened print that was similar to a thumb. Recalling his words, she asked Chen Nan to get closer to the wall as she fit his thumb onto the space.


    Once the prints matched, a passageway opened up and they rushed through the available route.


    "Wait..wait." Alexander stopped them.


    "What is it? Do you feel very sick? We could slow down." Chen Nan said.


    "Run. Leave me. He''s coming." Alexander''s ears moved as he had always been quite sensitive towards any movements in his surroundings.


    Ariana looked around and shook her head, "I don''t hear anything. We can run, but we are leaving with you. Let''s rush. The exit should be close by."


    "No. Let me off. They won''t do anything to me, but you guys need to go." He chanted once again.


    Chen Nan decided to trust Alexander''s words even if they didn''t hear any sounds and whispered, "Let''s run for it."

 Chapter 152 - Ten Seconds

    With Alexander on his back, Chen Nan ran out of breath after running nonstop for ten minutes. Seeing him pant heavily, Ariana noticed that there was indeed someone behind them and that person was getting closer.


    She took a few steps forward and saw the exit not too far from where they were resting. After staring at the two men, one unconscious and the other panting with great difficulty, she decided to make a sacrifice.


    Seeing Alexander''s deteriorating condition, she knew that he needed emergency care. Even if she trusts Chen Nan''s stamina and ability to run, she knew that he wouldn''t be able to escape in time with a full-grown man on his back. If Alexander was conscious, then there might be a chance, but his full weight is slouched on Chen Nan''s body.


    She thought to herself, ''Two out of three people escaping is better than one.'' When she took a peek at the exit earlier, she realized that the exit had a similar design to the first secret path that led her to the bloody room.


    Crossing her fingers, she hoped that luck was on her side for once.


    She saw the rock around the corner of the route and a small crack that seemed to fit the rock''s shape. If she was correct about this, then once the rock is stuffed into the crack, the exit should close right away.


    "Are you alright?" She whispered and rubbed Chen Nan''s chest.


    He nodded and said, "Is the exit far?"


    A tiny smile curved on her face, "No. It''s around this corner. Listen, there is someone behind us. I''m going to count to ten, and we both run. We can''t look back because if we do, we might get caught. Okay?"


    Taking a few seconds, she observed his sharp features and smiled, "We need to go." Following her words, Chen Nan waited for her to count down. She counted rather quickly and once the number ten was released from her mouth, he rushed towards the exit like the world was going to end if he didn''t.


    He didn''t notice that in the middle of running, she had slowed down and picked up the rock from the side. Once she was certain that they had gotten out safely, she stuffed the rock into the crack and watched the exit close.


    She could finally settle her heart as she knew that they were able to escape. The second she picked up that rock, she felt a chilling breeze coming towards her direction. Once the exit closed, an old man appeared in front of her and grabbed her by the neck. It was only a difference by seconds like she had calculated.


    Before she could even retaliate or protect herself, his hand already held onto her neck and slowly increased its power.


    The man''s breath stunk from a bloody stench. His body was skinny to the point that the outfit he worse looked like it was on a skeleton. His eyes were sharp and dark as if he had no soul. The color of his outfit ranged from red to brown.


    At the moment, she figured out that this man must have been the same person from Chen Nan''s description. The old man whispered and mumbled lowly as if he was chanting a spell, "I don''t want to die."


    His voice gradually became louder as his eyes widened. The grip around her neck also tightened. She could feel his enormous strength trying to lift her up. If he were to continue his actions, her neck would definitely snap and she would join the bloody tub in no time.


    While gritting her teeth and holding her breath, she bent her leg and swung it between the old man''s legs; his crotch was her target. Since he was distracted, she managed to attack him a few times.


    "Oooarghhhh" His grip loosened, and she took this opportunity to run back to Alexander''s room; hoping to close the route and trap the man inside. Unfortunately, in the middle of running, she realized that Alexander''s fingerprint was the key to opening and closing this route.


    She cursed inwardly and decided to run out of Alexander''s room once she gets out of this route. Her legs were burning from running so fast that she almost forgot to breathe. She felt a sharp pain on her lower right abdomen because she was running too quickly and not getting enough oxygen into her body.


    It was painful, but even if she had to limp, she would limp her way out of this mess. Finally, she reached Alexander''s room and pulled his door open to exit. That was when she realized that outside of his room was another complicated intersection hallway.


    She thought that she only needed to choose between three routes, but no, she was wrong. At the end of the three paths, there were three separate routes for her to choose again. Her eyes wandered quickly to see if she could use anything as a guide for an escape before the old man catches up.


    Her chin lifted up and her lips parted, "So..it''s like this."


    While she was running away from the old man, Chen Nan was outside of the exit; attempting to pry open the closed door with one of his tools. It was useless because this door was operated by a system.


    "Ariana! You said ten seconds! Why didn''t you run? Why?!" He banged against the cold surface with tears streaming down his face. When he realized that the exit was closing, he tried to stop it. But no matter how hard he tried to lift the door; it didn''t work.


    As he lost control of his emotions, Alexander let out a small groan. His pained voice cleared up Chen Nan''s confused mind. No matter how much he wanted to rush back to get her, he understood why she had done what she did.


    He lowered his gaze to wipe away his tears and sweat. Under the dim light from the area, his ring reflected the light to his eyes. His fingers gripped the ring tightly and he whispered, "I''ll definitely be back for you. Wait for me."


    His heart ached, but there was no time for self-blame. He quickly picked up Alexander on his back and took advantage of the time to get him out of here. Luckily, after fifteen minutes later, he managed to get out of the misty area.


    Recalling their plan, Chen Nan walked behind a marked tree with a red ribbon on it. Between the branches was a camouflage bag. Inside, he retrieved his cellphone and dialed for assistance. Chen Mu and Lin Que received his urgent call and went to pick him up.


    He filled them in on important details while they were driving to him. They soon arrived to his location.


    When he made sure that Alexander was in good hands, Chen Nan rushed to go back for Ariana only to be stopped by his friends.


    "Let go." Chen Nan struggled to get out of their grip.


    "No. What can you do if you go back there? Ariana sacrificed herself and risked her life to exchange for both of you. If you go back now, where will you go to find her? Do you know about her whereabouts? Are you familiar with the routes?" Chen Mu argued logically.


    Lin Que also said, "We know that you want to save her, but the person who could definitely help you is in the backseat of the car. If you want to help her, you need to remain calm and wait for him to wake up. From what you told us over the phone, he should be more familiar than anyone with the shortcuts to that place."


    Chen Nan slowly stopped his struggles. Chen Mu continued persuading him, "Since you said that this Alex guy knows Ariana and she saved you two, he will help. If he doesn''t, then we come back for her. God forbid, but if something does happen to her, at least you could avenge her. If you go now and something happens, nobody could do anything for any of you."


    He frowned and didn''t fight them anymore. He obediently walked to the car with his friends on either side of him as his head continued turning back at the tunnel entrances. During their ride to the hospital, Chen Nan made sure Alexander was breathing fine and kept repeating, "You must make it. Ariana''s life is in your hands."


    Chen Nan was like a broken doll that repeats the same lyrics to a song over and over again. Alexander was his ray of hope in saving Ariana. Seeing him like this made Lin Que speed up his car. Chen Mu also called the hospital to have them prepare everything they needed to perform surgery on Alexander.

 Chapter 153 - Questioning Li Shen Wen

    The light to the emergency room lit up and everyone gathered in the waiting area; all waiting anxiously for the results. Chen Mu and Lin Que were in charge of the operation while Chen Nan was taken by the others to get some rest. All along, his body trembled as he insisted on participating in the surgery.


    Seeing his unsettled situation, he was held back by Lily, Susu and Zi Yan. Finally, he was willing to sit and wait for the results. His body slouched forward onto his clasped hands. He kept silent as everything replayed before they separated from Ariana.


    The three of them didn''t interrupt his personal space and allowed him some time to clear up his mind. After half an hour had passed, he rubbed his blurred eyes and let the mist layer release. A few quiet sniffles echoed to everyone''s ears.


    It didn''t take long for him to dry his tears and gather himself together. He lifted his face and realized that Professor Luo Xia was missing from the crowd. "Where''s Grandpa Xia?"


    Susu relaxed and answered, "When we received Chen Mu''s call earlier, we were with Grandpa. After hearing about what had happened to you, he said it was time to have a talk with Li Shen Wen. He should be with Huang Zhi Hei right now."


    "Li Shen Wen? Tian Guo Min''s wife..." He muttered as he recalled who she was.


    Zi Yan reminded him after seeing the confused look on his face,"Tian Guo Min made a fatal mistake when he planned against my family and targeted the Huang family. Her brother, Li Teng''s body should''ve been dismembered and delivered to her by express package. As for Tian Guo Min, he still has some use. Of course, this means that his wife is also useful for the time being."


    "I see, but what does talking to her have anything to do with this situation?" Chen Nan didn''t see any links between the current situation and Li Shen Wen.


    Susu let out a sigh, "Because Li Shen Wen''s family was involved with that Project probably since it first begun. She wouldn''t know any less than what Tian Guo Min and the rest who are involved would know. They were all after the chips in my hand and that experiment definitely has a leader to it. They were just the dumplings following instructions."


    "I see. So that means if we get information out of Li Shen Wen and Tian Guo Min, then we might be able to figure out who the main boss is behind this whole shit. And when we do, we might be able to get to Ariana even quicker." Chen Nan stood up excitedly.


    Zi Yan nodded, "Yes. We were going to take things a bit slower and wait for you guys to come back safely before making a move. This was a precaution so that they wouldn''t be able to hold anyone as a hostage, but now, we need to make this move."


    Chen Nan could feel his racing heart and his blood flowing rapidly through his bloodstreams. "Can we go look for Grandpa Xia now? I want to help."


    "It''s best if we stay together. Maybe after this Alexander guy wakes up, we will get what we need to save Ariana even faster. Let''s see what Grandpa Xia says first. He told us to look after you and not let you act recklessly." Zi Yan stood by the doorway and prevented him from getting out.


    - Huang Underground Dungeon Cell -


    Li Shen Wen, who was blindfolded, screamed on top of her lungs as she was forced into the cell next to where Tian Guo Min was locked up in. Reuniting with his wife in this cold, dark chamber was not what he expected. Out of the many cells in this place, Zhi Hei chose the neighboring cells that were not soundproof.


    Hearing her voice in such high pitch made him squint his eyes tight. His wrinkles appeared much deeper than usual as his ears hurt from her piercing screams. He almost wanted to tell her to shut up or have someone tape her mouth. Too bad for him as his arms and legs were tied up, so he couldn''t cover up his ears.


    Meanwhile, Li Shen Wen''s hands were tied to her back, and only her ankles were free to move around. When she was pushed into the cell, she tripped on her own feet and landed heads first to the icy ground. Her forehead scraped against the rough surface when she fell, causing her wound to bruise.


    "Tsss..." she hissed painfully.


    Professor Luo Xia walked in and took off the ear plugs in his ears, "Finally, your loud mouth is closed. If I knew that would make you, shut the hell up; I would''ve just knocked you out. But then again, if I did, then I wouldn''t be ensured that you would be conscious enough to have this conversation with me."


    Zhi Hei stood by the elder man''s side and signaled the guards to bring a chair in for him to sit in. Followed by a chair were tables and a teapot filled with hot tea. Everything settled down within the next minutes and Professor Luo Xia took his time sniffing his top-quality tea before sipping it.


    "Who the fuck are you? If you want money, I have plenty! Let me go this instant or you''ll get nothing!" Her head turned towards the direction where the source of sound was coming from.


    "My cup of tea is worth more than what you have. Besides, who would want your dirty money? You want to live? Then answer properly and I''ll consider whether you deserve this chance." Professor Luo Xia put his teacup down carefully and grinned at her.


    Hearing his words, Zhi Hei ordered his guards to untie the cloth that is blocking her eyes. She blinked multiple times to adapt to the lighting. Once she saw them, her originally scared expression calmed down as if it was the aftermath of a storm.


    "Oh, it''s you." She almost laughed when she recognized the faces in front of her.


    "I''m not surprised that you know who I am, but I do want to give you a warning. Don''t expect yourself to get out of here alive just because you have things that I might be interested in. Your reaction gave your arrogance away. Too unfortunate, but that type of confidence should be used elsewhere instead."


    Professor Luo Xia answered indifferently after seeing her steady emotions. On the other hand, her confidence wavered when she heard his words because his words were exactly what she had on her mind.


    She expected him to be affected at least a little bit by her calmness, but her plan backfired. Instead, she''s the one caught in a tornado mess in her mind. Should she tell the truth if they ask for information? Or should she lie?


    "Oh, and don''t think about lying to me. I have many ways of detecting truth from lies. I also have many ways of testing what you give me. If anything that you spit out doesn''t match up to what I have on records, then you''ll be trash. Useless to me." Professor Luo Xia warned as he retrieved the iPad from Zhi Hei''s hands.


    "I''m not ready to answer anything." She nervously stuttered.


    "This isn''t the police station nor is it a place where you have any rights to call a lawyer. Know your place and answer these inquiries well to win a prize. If not, suck up the punishments. I''m not waiting for even a second. Let''s start."


    Zhi Hei nodded to his guards and they started attaching wires to her body. Once everything was stuck to parts of her body and in place, she had nowhere to run or look at. She bit her lips as if she was ready to not talk at all.


    Zhi Hei leaned back carelessly and stretched, "Oh, I forgot to tell you that the machine is not just a lie detector. Once you lie, you get zapped by electricity. So, watch what you say. Good luck, Mrs. Li"


    Her blood reversed as her face drained from color. Not only did her limbs turn cold from fear; her teeth also peeled the chapped skin on her lips. That was when she saw her husband who was tied in another cell.


    He clearly saw her, but didn''t say anything this entire time. He only watched from where he was located. All he did was shake his head continuously at her direction and squinted at her as a warning. Since his mouth wasn''t stuffed nor were his lips sealed by duct tape, there was no reason for him to keep quiet.


    Meeting his gaze, her eyes swelled up. Instantly, her voice rasped, "Hubby, why are you shaking your head? You heard them. Yet you...you.."


    Cutting her off, Professor Luo Xia started with the interrogation process, "First question, are you part of that inhumane project that involves kidnapping people with psychic abilities? Yes or no."


    She held in her tears and swallowed her saliva, "No." Hearing her response made Tian Guo Min smile and relax his tensed body. As for her, she was instantly electrified for a few seconds.


    "Lied. There you go, a few seconds wasted on something this minor. Woman, testing the waters isn''t played this way. If you are smart enough to think for yourself, you will tell the truth. By the way, your husband''s type of men is the least trustworthy in terms of loyalty. Therefore, before you answer, think about whether he wouldbe willing to do the same if he was in your position. Of course, consider the other way around as well." Professor Luo Xia maintained his smile as he watched her anxiety increase.


    Li Shen Wen looked at the elderly man in front of her and then at her husband, who was still shaking his head. This time he even mouthed, "Don''t do it." Though she wavered for a second from his words, she persist her choice and faced him directly.


    "Don''t waste my time. Hurry and ask the rest of those questions." She closed her eyes as if she was ready to accept her fate. If her fate was to meet death, then she would suck it up honorably.


    *BOOK TITLE FOR LILY AND LIN QUE''S NOVEL IS BELOW*


    Novel title: Love at First Gaze

 Chapter 154 - Questioning Li Shen Wen 2

    After a few more questions, Li Shen Wen plopped to the floor and breathed heavily as if another round of electrifying her would drag her down to the depths of hell.


    "What a loyal dog you are to your husband, but I wonder if he would do the same? Other than kidnapping and destroying families, he''s been stealing money from your family''s business. But it''s no surprise if you knew about this since you love him enough to suffer this much." Professor Luo Xia sat in the same spot and spoke with the same voice as before.


    He sounded as strict and if anything, even more ruthless than before. Similar to a filled jar of seasonal sauce, he continued adding salt and vinegar until it the sauce overflowed from the jar. In order to break that jar, a lot of pressure is needed.


    Same thing with the current situation. To get her to talk, the main point shouldn''t be focused on her, but the people she cares for. For instance, if they used her son as bait, she would go crazy. Too much sauce would crack the jar eventually.


    "Well, since your husband couldn''t make you talk, then what about your son? Tian Yuo. He''s fairly young and pretty much a piece of garbage with the way he manages the company. What if I take him as hostage instead? Would that make you talk? Ah, right. You don''t believe in my words. Only my actions."


    Professor Luo Xia started to play his psychological game and listed several torturous methods that he had already prepared on the side. From hammering his fingers flat one by one to experimenting with his nerves by plucking them out without anesthesia; many methods were brutally described to make one''s heart shiver.


    Zhi Hei played his role smoothly and opened his mouth for once, "You guys heard what Grandpa Xia said. Locate Tian Yuo and get him here to join his parents."


    Watching the back of the guards getting farther away, her eyes narrowed in disgust and fear.


    "No!! Not my son! Not him. I''ll talk. I''ll tell you whatever you want. Whatever you need, I swear. This is something between us, so please don''t drag my son into this."


    She begged on the floor and forced her body in a kneeling position towards them. At one point, she started bowing down and slamming her forehead to the floor when she saw the guards pause by the exit.


    Professor Luo Xia smirked at her contradicting words, ''Hah, between us? Then what about the times when you laid your hands on my family? Bull shit.''


    Seeing her bleeding forehead, Professor Luo Xia ordered the guards to come back. He needed to ensure the accuracy of her responses, so she can''t knock herself unconscious by banging her head like that. That''ll be too easy for her to delay time. With his legs crossed, he asked, "Talk. Where are the underground laboratories located?"


    Since her credibility was pretty low, he must test her by choosing different questions that he had the answers to and asking it in between other questions. She stopped turning her head to look at her husband. Instead, she started telling them the truth little by little.


    "You idiot!" Tian Guo Min shouted from the other stall as he heard her responses.


    "Shut the fuck up! He''s our son, and I won''t let anything happen to him. His life is worth more than our lives combined! I can sacrifice myself, but I won''t let anything happen to him! You were only in charge of giving the sperm. I am the one who carried him nine months in my uterus!" She scolded him as she heard his rude remarks towards her answers.


    "Who is behind the entire project?" Professor Luo Xia moved on to the next question that he had since she showed an accurate consistency in her responses.


    "I don''t..I don''t know who the leader is, but I know that the person is part of the Shi family. We received orders to get rid of that Shi girl..right, her name is Shi Xue. I don''t know anything else about the leader." She stuttered as she explained everything she knew to them. Zhi Hei''s expression darkened when he heard Shi Xue''s name.


    He stood up from his seat and asked, "Is that why you guys went after her and hired that assassin? How dare you do this to a harmless young lady?! Your younger brother influenced another person to get involved with the assassination."


    His sudden scream rushed blood to her brain as it startled her greatly. "I..We .. We were given the orders to get rid of that girl without anyone knowing. The leader had said that she was an eyesore and without her, the project would run more smoothly. It was something to do with collecting funds to generate monetary assets to support the project."


    Hearing her words boiled the blood inside of his body. If Professor Luo Xia wasn''t there, she would''ve been dead for ages already. Cold sweat perspired from her body as she continued giving out information, "That Shi Xue didn''t have what the leader was searching for. She was a useless chess that the leader didn''t need, so she had to be taken care of. We were only following orders."


    Professor Luo Xia held Zhi Hei back from doing anything reckless, "She still has use." Zhi Hei nodded and sat back down in his seat. His fists could be seen tightened up as if he couldn''t wait to beat the crap out of these people. At that moment, he decided to make sure each and every one of these people will get their bad endings once this is all over.


    "Is there a map for the underground laboratories?"


    She took a while to answer and when she parted her lips to talk, Professor Luo Xia glared at her. His eyes were dark as if he could see through her thoughts. A wicked grin curved on his face as he said, "Remember, Tian Yuo could land in our hands with just one command from me."


    "We do. It''s not a map, but there are hints in the place. It''s hidden in the walls and there are different pathways. When you are there, you need to find similar patterns to find your way to wherever it is that you are looking for." She closed her eyes and lowered her head in shame.


    "Very well. List out the symbols and draw them out. If any of the information is false, your son will be shred to pieces in front of you." This time, the guards came prepared and didn''t need anyone to tell them to make a move.


    One guard untied her while the other guard brought her a pen and sketchbook of paper. She had no excuses and could only obey them.


    "Don''t forget to write the names of the rooms for each symbol. Missing any information and you''ll know what happens to you." Zhi Hei warned as he stepped out of the cell.


    * UPDATE~*


    My new novel for Lily and Lin Que''s is updated and uploaded~ In case I didn''t make it clear enough hehehe~ Hope you enjoy


    New Novel''s title: Love At First Gaze

 Chapter 155 - So Many Symbols...

    Staring at the doodles on each page of the sketchbook, Professor Luo Xia grunted in displease. "Why are there so many symbols? Are you sure there are that many rooms in this underground tunnel? Where do they usually keep prisoners or intruders?"


    If Ariana had been caught, then she must be captured and brought to a room for intruders. With the many pages of symbols, Li Shen Wen flipped through the sketches with her trembling hands. She was scared that if she made the wrong move, it would implicate Tian Yuo into this mess.


    After a few more pages of skimming, she pointed towards a cracked eggshell symbol. "It should be this room, here. Those who get caught by the guards would be sent to this room to wait for their punishment for trespassing."


    "What do you mean by punishment?" His voice deepened to contain his anger.


    "It depends on who catches the intruder. There, the guards have the right to do anything to people that they trap. In order to become a guard for that place, those men must have committed a crime that was bad enough for them to be sentenced for a long time. Most of them were either released from prison or was dismissed from court because insufficient evidence."


    She didn''t dare to leave out any details or information that she knew about. At the moment, she could only spit out everything that she could remember and deal with the consequences later. Facing the silence that followed, she lifted her head and parted her dehydrated lips, "I''ve already told you everything that I know. Please, let me go. Don''t touch my son. I promise that I''ll leave with him and never come back."


    Professor Luo Xia circled the symbol that she pointed to earlier and asked, "Are there other symbols that are used for prisoners? Punishments?"


    "No, only the one that I pointed out earlier. The rest are used for the laboratory tests." Her legs gave away the last strengths she had and weighed onto her ankles. The hopelessness in her dull eyes was evident in front of them.


    "You better have told the truth. We''ll confirm whether everything you told us was true. If there were any lies, I''ll have you buried alive in cement as you witness your son and husband''s death. Mark my words. Last chance for you to make changes to whatever you provided. Do you have anything else to say?" His hands leaned on the cane and used it as support for him to get up from his seat.


    Biting on her lower lip, tears continued to stream down her face as she shook her head. Zhi Hei followed Professor Luo Xia out of the cell while the guards locked the gates to the cell. Once they got out of the underground dungeon, Zhi Hei opened his mouth to ask about his request.


    Before he said a word, Professor Luo Xia had paused his steps and turned towards him. With a smile, he said, "Once Ariana comes back safely and we find the culprit behind our suffering, you can do whatever you have in mind with them. Since they laid their hands on someone that you are fond of, I wouldn''t mind leaving them in your hands."


    Zhi Hei nodded and thanked him for understanding his thoughts. If it were other people, they would probably want to avenge using their own hands. They continued walking and Professor Luo Xia grinned, "I only let you have them because I know you never allow your enemies off easily. You might be more ruthless than I am. I know they''ll be in great hands."


    "You have that much confidence in my methods?" Zhi Hei opened the door to the car for the elder man to get in first.


    "Very confident." He said as he got into the car and snapped pictures of the sketchbook. Once the photo album was created, he uploaded it to one of the group chats with everyone in it. He messaged the chat afterwards, saying, "Check out these pictures and we''ll discuss our plans. Let me know if there are any updates on that Alexander person."


    His messages were left on seen, but it didn''t bother him at all because he knew that they were all focusing on the symbol sketches. It took less than half an hour for him to arrive at the hospital.


    At the hospital, Alexander''s operation was finished later than expected. His condition was stabilized, but he was not recommended to move for a while until his wounds are healed.


    Chen Nan relaxed in the waiting area as he continued looking through the symbols from the group chat. "At least he is alive and well. I''m sure Ariana would be glad to hear this. When will he wake up?"


    Chen Mu answered, "We didn''t use a lot of anesthesia on him, so most likely within the next few hours. He should have a clear mind of what had happened and be able to talk."


    "Good. Thank you." Chen Nan swiped on his phone screen and concentrated on the detailed drawings. Professor Luo Xia also stepped into the room and announced, "Since Alexander is alright, we need to sort out a plan. Everyone should have seen the photos that I sent in that chat, correct?"


    Susu and Lily showed their phones to Chen Mu and Lin Que to keep them updated about what happened. Professor Luo Xia waited for everyone to have reviewed the symbols for at least once before continuing the conversation.


    "What are these symbols? Why do they look like chicken scratch?" Zi Yan asked as she zoomed in on the sketches.


    Professor Luo Xia answered, "These are the symbols that are in the underground tunnel. If we want to save Ariana, then we need to wait for Alexander to wake up and confirm the accuracy of these symbols. If he agrees with what we have, then that means Ariana could be found in one of these rooms."


    "There are so many rooms, though." Susu frowned at the forty plus photos in the shared album.


    "According to what I got from interrogating Li Shen Wen, the symbol that has a circle around it should be where they keep intruders. If she got caught, then she should be there. Therefore, the first place to look for is this one. There should be similar symbols on the walls or something that guides you to the room."


    "So, all that''s left is for Alexander to wake up before we make a move again?" Chen Nan stood up excitedly as if he could already see Ariana in front of him.


    "Yes. So, all is on him now. While he is unconscious, Zi Yan, prepare everything Chen Nan would need. Prepare two sets just in case he wakes up and stubbornly discharges himself from the hospital." From the past interactions with Alexander, Professor Luo Xia could tell that he wouldn''t ever let Ariana risk her life. When she accepted any difficult tasks, he would always shadow her without her knowledge.


    Therefore, he wouldn''t be surprised if Alexander would force himself out of bed for her.


    On the other hand, Ariana recognized similar symbols on the wall and used it as a guide to lead her way through the random routes along the way. She moved quickly and made sure that she wasn''t being followed by the old fellow. When she reached the last symbol and turned the corner, she found a wooden door with the same symbol engraved on it.


    "This is the same symbol..? What''s behind this door..?" Currently, she was at a dead-end. On her way to this room, there were no other doors. While this place is filthy with layers of dust and spider webs almost everywhere she had explored, only this door appeared clean.


    She reached for the door handle, attempting to get into the room.


    Her heart raced as her fingertips felt the cold handle. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to gather her courage. Just as she was about to push the door open, a pair of hands held onto her wrist tightly.


    "What are you doing here?"


    -----------


    Sorry for repeating the same notes from the previous chapters~ This will be the last note I write about the new novel. If you haven''t already and are interested in Lily and Lin Que''s novel, then please search the following novel title and check it out~ It''s been uploaded :)


    Novel Title: Love at First Gaze


    Thanks for your support <3

 Chapter 156 - If You Want to Live, Then Be Quiet

    "What are you doing here?" said Qian Ling, who happened to catch Ariana''s shadow when she turned the corner.


    "Who are you?" Ariana grunted as she continued to struggle, trying to free her wrist from Qian Ling''s grasp. When her right hand couldn''t break free from Qian Ling''s grip, she violently aimed for her legs.


    Predicting her next moves, Qian Ling skillfully dodged all incoming attacks and ended up holding Ariana in a headlock. "Answer me first. How did you get in here? You don''t look like you were any of the subjects for the experiment." Qian Ling''s eyes narrowed as she questioned with an interrogative tone.


    "Argh!! You are with the dirty assholes!! What? If you could commit those sinful kidnaps and murders, then you should know that there will be a day when people would figure out ways to get in here!" Ariana angrily gnashed her teeth in dismay as she failed to escape.


    "So, you came here to investigate the labs." Qian Ling''s voice softened slightly as she noticed Ariana''s wrist already showed signs of bruising from her twisting motions to free herself.


    "And? What? You want to kill me? Then go ahead! It''s either you would torture me with however disgusting methods you could list to make me talk or make me a subject anyways! Do it! Make your move!" Ariana shouted as her fingers folded into a rock shaped fist. Her white colored knuckles and popping veins showed how much strength she was wasting.


    "Relax, I won''t hurt you. Although I am a nobody in this place, I do know the way out. So, follow me before you get caught by anyone." Qian Ling released her and sanitized her hands from touching the dust on her clothes.


    "Tsss...Who are you? Why should I trust you? If you were a nobody, then how come you know so much about this place? How-" Ariana glared at the woman who was cracking her knuckles and twisting her wrists carefreely.


    Qian Ling covered her Ariana''s mouth almost immediately and whispered, "If you want to live, then be quiet. Or else even if the heaven''s lord comes down to help, you would be minced meat for their dinner. I''m going to let your mouth go right now and unlock the door behind us. If you make a single sound, then I can only hand you over to them. Understand?"


    Ariana couldn''t completely put her trust in this weird lady who had literally just beaten her, but she did hear some footsteps coming to this direction. She decided to obediently play along and nod in agreement. Slowly, Qian Ling''s hand left her mouth, and she took out a key to unlock the wooden door.


    Once it opened, she let Ariana go in first and followed after her steps. Before Ariana could open her mouth in the pitch-dark room that smelled like rotten, molded fish, Qian Ling reached out to tug her wrist. "Shh.." Her low, warning voice made Ariana close her mouth.


    Within minutes later, heavy footsteps charged past the door. From the inside of the room, Ariana tensed up and subconsciously held onto Qian Ling''s sleeves as she saw shadows appear from the small gap beneath the door. Sensing her anxiety, Qian Ling rubbed the back of Ariana''s hand to reassure her that everything would be alright.


    A while later, nothing seemed to be out of place, so the shadows and footsteps went the opposite way. Only when Qian Ling had whispered, "They''re gone, but let''s stay here for a little bit just in case."


    Ariana nodded and let go of her hands, "Thanks. Who were they?"


    "Guards." Qian Ling answered as she squatted down on the floor, looking for something that she had dropped earlier.


    "With your skills, you could have easily beaten them to pulps and escape from here. Why did you choose to save me and hide in this stinky room?" She curiously asked.


    "Personal reason. Another reason is that if they caught you, they will not spare your life. Those guards were specially chosen. They were all criminals who once committed ruthless crimes. If they find any intruders, then will literally torture you until they could boil your bones and use it to play fetch with dogs." Qian Ling smiled when she found the match that she had dropped.


    Lighting the match, she brought out a hand held candle. When the candle was lit, Ariana realized where the vulgar scent was coming from. There was a grinder behind them where dried up blood and left-over human skin could be found. It looked as if someone had slaughtered a person''s body and shred it here.


    Just imagining the graphic content in her mind made her shiver. "See this? This is where they drag victims to and skin them alive. If that didn''t make them, talk, then they would slowly grind their limbs until they spoke. Even then, those victims would never make it out alive. That''s why I had to hide you from them."


    "But wouldn''t you also be at risk?" Ariana gulped and covered her nose to reduce the amount of filthy air that she was inhaling into her body.


    "Yes and no. In other words, you could also say that they need me, so I''m still useful to them. At the same time, I am replaceable once they figure out that another person could do what I am capable of doing. If that time comes, then they can easily destroy me and use the replacement. Either way, it should be safe to leave now. Let''s go."


    Qian Ling acted calm upon seeing the sliced organs and corpse in this room. It was incredible, but at the same time, it made Ariana think to herself, ''How much can a person suffer to reach this level? She ignored the smell and also this disgusting meat sauce...''


    The door creaked open and Qian Ling signaled Ariana to stay where she was. After making sure that the coast was clear, she waved her fingers to have Ariana come out of that room. "Let''s go. I''ll show you the way out of here. It''s very dangerous."


    Ariana remained where she stood, "No, I''m not leaving this place until I find out the culprit leader behind the experiment!"


    "You''re playing with burning flames right now. Listen to me and leave. It''s for your own good." Qian Ling checked her watch and started to lose her calm.


    "No. Not until I get to the bottom of this." She squinted with hatred filled eyes.


    Checking the watch once again, Qian Ling released a deep sigh, "You can say all whatever to me later. We need to go. For now, I''ll allow you to stay, but you need to listen to my instructions. You hear me?"


    Ariana had hesitated a bit before she decided to trust Qian Ling. Following closely behind her, Ariana noticed that Qian Ling was getting paler by each minute that passes. Still, Qian Ling continued walking until they reached her room and safely entered.


    The moment she locked the door from the inside, Qian Ling''s energy drained like a deflated balloon and her body slumped to the floor. Her breathing quickened and cold sweat soaked her body. The healthy colored lips from earlier changed from nude pink to purple.


    Seeing her condition, Ariana quickly helped her to the bed and asked if she was on any type of medication. Qian Ling pointed at her drawer where Ariana discovered a container with white, circular pills in it. There were less than half left inside the bottle. Without a second thought, she fed the pill to Qian Ling''s purple colored lips.

 Chapter 157 - Hide!

    Not used to being taken care of by someone, Qian Ling observed Ariana''s movement carefully.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t poison you. I don''t want to owe you a favor for saving me earlier, so I''m returning the favor. How are you feeling?" Ariana tucked her in bed as her anxiety swam away. Seeing her lips return to its rosy color, Ariana could finally breathe properly.


    Picking up the white container with the pills in it, she inspected the medicine to try to figure out what it is. There was no label sticker on the container and the scent that the pill emitted was definitely one of the worst that she had ever came across.


    "By the way, what are these pills? Are you suffering from an illness?" She didn''t have time to run around in circles to strip down layers of her secrets. Forget talking about listening to her personal issues, Ariana just wanted to get the hell out of here once she figures out the whole conspiracy behind this project.


    "Curious? Then you need to promise to leave after I tell you. It''s very dangerous here."


    "Then don''t tell me about it because I''m not leaving anytime soon. If you want someone to hear you, out, then I can be your ears at no charge. If not, then I can care less because I''m not that curious after all." Tossing the pills back into the container and leaving it at the table, she walked towards the door to leave.


    "I locked the door when I came in, so you won''t be able to leave here."


    "Did you really think that I was so weak to knock down this door?" Ariana''s lip twitched as she turned around to meet Qian Ling''s signal to be quiet. Seeing the index finger on her lips, Ariana didn''t make another sound. After a minute or two later, her expression darkened.


    "Hide! Quickly!" Qian Ling''s eyes widened in surprise and quickly hopped out of bed. Taking Ariana''s arm, she dragged her to the closet and covered her with a stack of clothes.


    Whispering, she said. "Do not come out even if someone opens this door. Understand? Unless I am the one who opens it and takes the pile of clothes from you. Or else, do not budge. If anyone other than me does open this door, hold a deep breath and only release it after the person is gone."


    Ariana covered her nose and mouth. "Good." Qian Ling smiled and closed the door. Some minutes had passed, and no sounds were made in the room. For a second, Ariana actually thought that she was being played and everything was a lie to trap her inside the closet. Just when she was about to move from where she was sitting, loud bangs slammed against the door. The strength was so great that she could feel her butt vibrating in the closet.


    Qian Ling wrapped her bath robe around her body and opened the door, "What is it?"


    "Did you see a human girl sneak in?" A deep, wicked voice echoed in the room.


    "No. I''ve been in my room the entire time." Obviously, she was lying and trying to help her by spitting out another lie. The man didn''t seem to have believed in her words as the door was slammed open entirely and Qian Ling started to scream furiously at him.


    "What kind of manners do you have?! You''re charging in to a woman''s room and acting all righteous. Get the hell out of my sight!" She shouted coldly at the strange man in her room. Suddenly, the voices grew closer to the closet, and the door was violently slammed open. Seeing that the closet was filled with clothes and no space for even a child to hide in, the man grinned and exited the room.


    Minutes later, Qian Ling helped Ariana out of the pile of clothes, "That was very close. It seems like they are looking for you. You need to leave. I don''t need to have an extra person to save later, understand?"


    "But once I get out of here, I won''t be able to get back in as easily!"


    "Trust me. Once the guards finish with their daily room checks and end up finding no one, they will naturally scavenger hunt and shut this whole place down. By that time, it''ll be even more difficult to leave. You can''t risk it."


    "But I.. I can''t. I am this close to finding that person out!" Ariana was reluctant to leave.


    Releasing a heavy sigh, she rubbed her temples and held onto her wrist, "Listen carefully, the person you are looking for is part of the Shi family. Check the Shi family''s recent activities and see who will be receiving the most benefits. You''ll figure out who is the culprit behind the whole thing."


    Ariana bit her lips and lowered her gaze to the tight grip on her skin, "Who are you? Why do you know this much?" Qian Ling didn''t want to expose too much information because the more she knew; the more danger would come her way.


    "My name is Qian Ling. As for how I know who you are, thank Alexander for telling me about you. I''ve taken care of him as his nurse. He probably wouldn''t talk about it to you. Go. The only way to get revenge is by staying alive. At this rate, you''ll be the next corpse in that meat grinder from earlier."


    "You''re Qian Ling?!!"


    "Yes."


    "Great! I can leave, but you must come with me." She smiled as she thought that Susu could finally be saved. But the following response was not what she wanted to hear.


    "Sorry, but only you can leave this place. I can only show you the route and help you escape. If I leave with you, not only will we not be able to leave; both of us will get caught and punished. They will torture you." Qian Ling''s resentful eyes revealed a sense of hopelessness.


    "What do you mean?"


    "See this?" Loosening her grip, Qian Ling reached to the bottom of her pants and lifted it up to reveal the mark on her right ankle.


    "A barcode?"


    "This barcode is not a tattoo. It is an alarm that was specially set on my body. I''ve tried escaping plentiful times in the past and realized later that they could track me easily because of this barcode and some tracker device inside my body. That''s why I can''t leave with you." She explained.


    "That''s absurd! Why are they keeping you here?" As her anxiety level heightened, Ariana''s voice also stuttered as she spoke.


    Qian Ling patted the back of her hands, "Because I am the only one who has made progress with the development of their experiment. Over the years, I''ve been releasing victims and replacing human organs with cloned ones. So, no matter what, you must leave. It''ll be too late when the guards come back here."


    "But what''s their point? What are they trying to get from this experiment?" Ariana had so many questions that everything was becoming blurry to her.


    "Afterlife." Qian Ling replied.


    As she heard that response, Ariana staggered to her feet, swaying a little. Luckily, Qian Ling held onto her or else she might have fallen to the floor. She shook her head from the few seconds of black out as Qian Ling helped her to the bed.


    "Stretch out your hand. I''ll take your pulse." Ariana obediently stretched out her right arm towards her direction and closed her eyes to reduce the dizzy feeling.

 Chapter 158 - A Map

    "Stretch out your hand. I''ll take your pulse." Ariana obediently stretched out her right arm towards her direction and closed her eyes to reduce the dizzy feeling. Feeling the cold fingertips against her fair skin, Ariana subconsciously retracted her arm slightly.


    Since she was always on high alert around strangers, her body was not used to a stranger''s touch. Even though Qian Ling saved her earlier, it didn''t mean that Ariana''s body was fine with her touches. She apologized for the sudden retraction, "I''m sorry.."


    "It''s alright. You''re too tensed. How about this? Let me rearrange the pillows to put you in a slightly more comfortable posture? This way, you could relax for a little bit, and I can get a better diagnosis conclusion." Qian Ling''s voice revealed no signs of irritation. Instead, it sounded very soothing to ones ear.


    With her eyes still shut, she nodded in response. For some reason, she wasn''t suspicious of Qian Ling''s identity and had slowly started to accept her. She found Qian Ling very mother-like and couldn''t find any reasons to go against her words.


    Hearing the sounds of the wrinkles on the pillows getting smoothed out by her palms, Ariana curved her lips upwards. Following Qian Ling''s guidance, she found a more comfortable position to sit and lean back against while her pulse was being taken.


    Holding out her arm once more, she relaxed and let Qian Ling do what she needed to do. Though her eyes were closed, her five senses were working fine. Feeling the cold fingertips pinning lightly into her wrist area, an odd sensation spread chills to her spine.


    "Don''t move," Qian Ling warned as she concentrated on taking her pulse.


    "Oh.." Ariana obediently followed her words and stayed in the same position. Even though she had a bad itch on the tip of her nose, she didn''t budge one bit.


    Finally, Qian Ling lifted her fingers from Ariana''s wrist, "You''re pregnant. It''s still very early, so you don''t feel anything just yet. I''ve suspected that since earlier when I grabbed onto your forcibly. I couldn''t confirm it, but that''s why I''ve been quite gentle with you."


    "Wh..at? I''m pregnant?" She looked down at her flat as a wall-like stomach. Her warm palms felt numb at the moment and carefully covered her lower abdomen. Staying quiet for a few minutes, she looked up again to ask if she really had a child inside of her.


    Before she muttered another word, Qian Ling had smiled, "This is the only time where I would repeat myself twice. Yes, there is a tiny living person inside of you even though he or she is not fully developed yet. Amazing isn''t it?"


    "But I didn''t feel anything." She said as her thumbs gently caressed the surface of her belly over the layers of clothes.


    "Like I said, it''s still early. If you want your child to come greet you in a little less than nine months, then you need to listen to me and get out of here as soon as possible. Your current condition is not suited to live in such musty environments. Also, the food here isn''t nutritious enough for you. So, hurry and go."


    Watching Qian Ling walk towards the closet, Ariana stayed in bed and didn''t dare make any large movements. She didn''t know how she was feeling at the moment. Having a child is a very fortunate event and it naturally made her feel joy. At the same time, she can''t just leave this place when she has already gotten this far.


    As if her thoughts were written across her face, Qian Ling held a rolled up map in her hand and put it in Ariana''s hands. "Don''t worry about me. I know you must have your reasons to stay here, but you might end up having more loss than win. You must know when it is time to retreat for further progress. I''ve already given you the biggest hint. Shi family."


    She patted Ariana''s hands and continued, "As a gift for your pregnancy, here''s a map that I personally made. It''s for the underground tunnel. I don''t want you to think that you are leaving me behind when you could have saved me. If you want to save me, then you must stay alive and be well with your allies. Understand?"


    "Why are you giving me this?" She wrinkled the map in her hands with her tight grip.


    "Because you are one stubborn pregnant lady. How could I win against you when you are two people? You can say that I have a soft spot. Anyways, your starting point is great. Just that this is more complicated than escaping."


    Picking up the half filled container with those pills that she had taken earlier, she revealed a helpless smile. "Even without the tracking device and barcode on me, I won''t have many days left to live. You asked me earlier about these pills. Let me answer you now. These are pills used to slow down the poison in my body."


    "I''ve been under their control because I must keep myself alive. They''re the ones who created the pill to make sure I remain obedient under their supervision. I''ve tried countless times to figure out what the pill was made of. Maybe I just never had any luck; I never found the formula for it. I don''t know what poison it is and I couldn''t come up with an antidote."


    "If I escape with you, they will find you and your allies. Even if I leave this place successfully, the poison would eventually kill me. The only thing that I could do is stay and help whoever I can with escaping from this hellhole until I die. As for you, you still have the opportunity to leave."


    Ariana was taken aback by her sudden confrontation and confession. There is definitely more to her story and this whole project, but it didn''t seem like Qian Ling figured everything out yet. Pitying her experience, Ariana finally made the decision to leave for now.


    "I''ll definitely come back for you. My allies and I will cure the poison too! I''m going to take one of these pills to my friends so that they can find out what poison it is."


    Qian Ling let out a relieved smile, "I''ll be waiting."

 Chapter 159 - Leaving

    "Are you ready?" Qian Ling asked Ariana to make sure she was feeling fine to travel.


    "Yes," Ariana responded as she tightened the knot that attached the map to her arm.


    "It''s around fifteen minutes'' walk to the exit. I''ll guide you to the exit and let you know when it is safe to sneak out." She said as she checked the time. Around this time, there should be one guard or none around this area.


    Raising her hand to her left ear, she took off her earrings. Holding the flower designed earrings, she pushed it into a blackened spot on the landscape wall painting and twisted it. Sounds of rotating parts could be heard behind the wall as she continued turning the flower earring.


    Once the sounds had stopped, Qian Ling smiled and said, "Let''s go."


    "Huh? Go where? I don''t see any doors." Ariana looked at her confusedly as if she was suggesting a crazy idea.


    "Through the walls, silly." Qian Ling walked straight ahead towards the plain wall. Ariana reached out to prevent her from hurting herself, but saw Qian Ling walking into the wall with no problem at all. It was a shocking discovery as she used her hand to touch the wall in front of her.


    Her hand literally passes through the wall with no interruption. Feeling that it was safe to continue, she closed her eyes and walked right through it. Her tightly squeezed eyes opened to see a dim, narrow path in front.


    Qian Ling smiled, "Let''s go."


    Looking back and forth from where she came from to where she was heading; her mind was getting all mixed up already. She whispered lowly as she didn''t know whether the walls were soundproof or not. "What happened just now?"


    "Oh, that. It was one of the successful coding researches that I''ve completed. I accidentally created it and after some modification, I managed to make an illusional wall. Of course, you need my flower earrings as the key to open the passageway. Without my earring, it would have been a plain wall." She explained to Ariana as they strolled deeper into the route.


    This route was not like the ones that she had encountered before. It was definitely cleaner and easier to walk through. After walking for a while, Qian Ling stopped and asked if she could continue walking.


    Ariana nodded in response and wiped off the sweat on her forehead. Finally, they''ve successfully reached the exit, and it was time for them to separate.


    "I can only walk you till here. Be careful on your way out. If you sneak out towards the left direction, it will bring you back to the main road. Find a way to contact your husband and take care of your child. Don''t act recklessly. Remember to put your child as your top priority." She reminded Ariana one last time.


    "Thank you. I''ll remember your words and come back for you. I''ll definitely save you." Ariana gave her a tight hug before leaving. Without turning back, she listened to Qian Ling''s words and ran towards the left.


    "Left... and then, aha, the main road is right there." She smiled and made sure that nobody else was guarding that area before running to the trees. Quickly, she found the tree that she and Chen Nan had marked.


    Seeing that the other bag was missing, she knew that he must have escaped safely. Searching through her bag, she found her cellphone and immediately called Chen Nan. When she called using her cellphone, he was packing the necessities for his second trip to the tunnel.


    Ringtone~


    "Ariana..??" He said loudly, gaining everyone''s attention. Swiping his finger on the screen, he picked up the call and said, "Hello?"


    "Chen Nan! I just escaped from the tunnel. Can you have someone drive over to the marked tree?" Hearing her nervous whisper, he quickly rushed out with Chen Mu and Lin Que to get her. He had her stay on the call just in case something happens to her.


    Within twenty minutes, they managed to arrive at the marked tree and turned off their car lights. "Pssst, Ariana..Come out." The trio left the vehicle to look for her. Crawling out from the bushes, she wrapped her arms around Chen Nan tightly. "I''m here. I''m back."


    "Oh, my god. You''re safe. You''re safe." He repeated to her ears and kissed her cheeks. During the time that she was gone, he acted like a lost soul. Now that she was back in his arms, safe and sound, he could feel himself breathing again.


    "Alright. Let''s go before someone finds us." Lin Que went back to the driver''s seat while Chen Mu sat in the passenger''s seat. Opening the door, Chen Nan made sure she got in first before he did. The moment he also settled in the car, Lin Que locked all doors and announced their next destination.


    "Back to the hospital we go!"


    Chen Nan had his arms around Ariana the entire way as if she would disappear before him again if he let her go. Leaning into his embrace, she whispered, "There''s so much that I have to tell you."


    "I know, but the most important thing is that you''re safe."


    "Not just me. Our child is also safe." She lifted her head, smiled and shared the great news to him.


    "W..what?"


    "I said, our child is safe in my belly. You''re about to become a father." Her eyes teared up as she broke the good news to him. He was so happy that he asked Chen Mu and Lin Que if his ears were functioning correctly.


    Chen Mu smiled and laughed, "You''re not dreaming nor hearing wrong. You''re going to be a dad soon. Congratulations!!!"


    Lin Que also laughed at his childish reaction, "You''re going to be a father. You didn''t hear wrong and she said it twice. Congratulations!"


    "I''m going to be a father? Dad? Oh my goodness!!! How did you know? If you told me earlier, I wouldn''t have let you risk it!!! You need to eat four meals a day! No, no. You need a thorough body check when we get to the hospital! What do you want to eat? I''ll go to buy it for you." He chattered nonstop and gently fondled her flat tummy to see if he could feel the baby move.


    "You need to calm down! Hahaha, it''s still early. You won''t be able to feel the baby''s movements until later." She covered his warm palms with hers and smiled blissfully.


    "Doesn''t matter! You need to be careful from now on. You can''t go back there either!"


    "Sorry, hubby. But I must go back there." The sweet smile on her face turned into a small smile when she said it.


    "Why? Our child comes first!" He objected her idea and thought that she just wanted to continue investigating her family''s death.


    "Because I found Qian Ling, but she is trapped in there. We also have to investigate the Shi family. Qian Ling told me that the main leader of the whole experiment is from the Shi family. " Her determined voice rung everyone''s ear in the car.


    Right after she mentioned Qian Ling''s name, Chen Mu almost hopped to the backseat to ask her for more information. Only when she placed a finger on her lip, did he understand her meaning that this was not the safest place to discuss it.

 Chapter 160 - I Met Qian Ling

    Upon entering the conference room at the hospital, everyone gathered around Ariana. Susu and Lily ran to give her a tight hug, but blocked by Chen Nan.


    Susu''s lip twitched, "Don''t tell me you are getting jelly over a hug?"


    Lily smiled, "It''s not like we are going to eat her up."


    Ariana also pouted when their reunion hug was interrupted. Chen Nan cleared his name by circling his arms around his wife and said, "I''m not jelly of anyone, but you guys almost squashed my child. Of course I have to stop you!"


    "Child?" Everyone blinked and stared at his victory smile as if he had won the jackpot. Ariana nodded and fondled her stomach, "It''s still very early, but we''re going to be parents."


    "Wow!!! Congratulations!!" Before Chen Nan could thank their blessing words, he was pushed aside. Everyone helped her to an empty chair and made sure she wasn''t feeling tired from all the work she''s done.


    Lin Que and Chen Mu leaned on either side of Chen Nan''s shoulders, "Buddy, this is how it feels like to have a kid."


    "Well...them doting on my wife and child is the same as doting on me." He tried his best to think positively.


    Ariana felt extremely moved with the way everyone looked after her. Suddenly, she sat up and said, "No time for this! I have very important news to tell you guys. I met Qian Ling!"


    Everyone shut up at that moment and found a seat to settle in. Their solemn expressions almost scared the pregnant lady. Without needing anyone to urge her to talk, she said, "I met Qian Ling by chance. She was the one who saved me from the guards and helped me escape. I wanted to bring her out of that hell hole, but she couldn''t leave."


    Spreading the map on the table, she explained, "She said the enemy had a tracking device somewhere in her body. She was also poisoned and her time is limited. She gave me this map saying it was her personal sketch. It''s amazingly detailed, and we can definitely figure things out with this map in hand."


    Rummaging through her small waist bag, she took out the pill she took from Qian Ling''s container. "Here, this is the pill that delays the poison from her body. This is for you three to figure out. We need to save her life quick because she has less than half a container of these pills left."


    Slapping the wrapped pill on the table, she pushed it towards Chen Mu, Lin Que and Chen Nan''s direction.


    "Also, she told me that the leader of the whole experiment is from the Shi family. We need to thoroughly investigate on this matter and dig for the main reason why they created the damn labs!"


    After saying all that in one breath, she calmed down and regulated her breathing again. Chen Mu took the white pill and examined it with Lin Que on the spot. Since there weren''t any prescriptions, it could take them weeks to figure out what the pill was made up of.


    Susu asked, "Did you get a chance to see if there were other people in the labs?"


    Ariana shook her head, "No. I only managed to get into one bloody as hell room with a meat grinding machine. There were left over human organs. Qian Ling told me it was what guards used to torture intruders. From our conversations, she told me how she helped victims escape."


    Reading the map in hand, they started comparing the symbols that Li Shen Wen had drawn to the map. After matching most of them to the map, Zi Yan said, " Li Shen Wen didn''t lie to us. For now, let''s get Ariana settled for a body examination to make sure everything is fine with her and her child. Get the pill to the lab and work on it immediately."


    "We need to work on finding an antidote for Qian Ling and a way to get to her again. That tracker in her body is another issue we need to address. Either we defeat the enemy and save her or get to her first, then destroy the enemy. Anyways, that''s all we could do for now."


    Chen Nan helped Ariana get up from her seat to the examination room. As she stood up, she asked, "Where''s Alexander?" Nobody mentioned anything about him to her. Frowning, she looked around the room to see no traces of him anywhere.


    "He should be awake by now. We operated on him and the anesthesia wasn''t completely gone yet." Chen Mu answered.


    "Can I see him before I do my body exam?" She looked at Chen Nan with pleading eyes as if she would worry to death if she didn''t see him with her own eyes.


    "Okay, but you can''t act recklessly when you see him. His back was injured severely, so they had to wrap thick layers of bandages around his torso." She nodded and followed Chen Nan to Alexander''s room.


    From the entrance of his room, she could see him sleeping on his side with a layer of sweat on his forehead. Her arms trembled seeing his injuries and didn''t dare touch him anywhere.


    "Alexander?" she whispered gently as if she was afraid to startle him awake.


    "Ariana?" Alexander opened his eyes to meet her beautiful worried eyes.


    Smiling, he said, "I''m glad to see you safe."


    Chen Nan rubbed her arms as she controlled her tears, "mmm. I''m glad you''re alive too. You need to get better so that we could go back to the underground tunnel together."


    Hearing her words, an unexplainably complex expression appeared on his face. "You guys can''t go back there. You''re lucky to escape this time. You might end up dead next time."


    She tried persuading him to guide them since he was more familiar with that place than they are. Stubbornly refusing her request, he closed his eyes tight and said, "I want to rest. Please leave."


    Chen Nan could tell that Alexander was looking out for them and really didn''t want them to encounter any danger. Therefore, he convinced Ariana to do her body checkup first, leaving Alexander alone.


    On their way out of the room, Alexander mouthed, "I''m sorry, but I can''t let you find him."

 Chapter 161 - Gone

    Under everyone''s supervision, Ariana obediently sat through the entire checkup without budging unless told to. As everyone focused on her and the tasks they had on hand, they neglected a person.


    Considering Alexander''s severe injuries, it would be a medical miracle for him to move on his own without assistance. Therefore, to them, he was one of the least of their concerns. Unfortunately, Alexander isn''t any regular human being.


    They forgot his high tolerance and strength. In other words, their equation would be correct if it was on a normal patient. But to Alexander, these injuries were considered small.


    As soon as Ariana finished her body exam, she asked, "Why are you all here? Who is watching after Alexander?"


    "Relax, his injuries will make him stuck in bed for at least half a month." Chen Mu said confidently.


    "No, no! So, you mean nobody is looking after him??" Her reaction was quite big as she almost stood up from the wheelchair. Chen Nan sat her down and said, "Wifey, you''re worrying too much about him. He''s fine now. All bandaged up like a mummy."


    "That''s not what I''m worrying about! He''s not a regular person! When he was eight, he broke his leg and fixed it with a few twists. Even after someone re-attached their joints or whatever, it''ll take them a while to recover...but he could walk without crutches within a few hours afterwards." She wished she was exaggerating it, but it happened in front of her.


    Her expression turned dead serious as she mentioned the number of times he had gotten hurt from serious injuries yet recovered in miraculous speed. Everyone''s eyes widened more as she continued talking about his past injuries.


    "Shit! Let''s check on him then!" Lin Que, Chen Mu and Chen Nan rushed out the door while everyone stayed behind with Ariana. When they reached his room, the door was opened and nobody was inside. The window was also left opened and traced of blood could be seen on the bed sheets.


    The IV drips and other injections laid tangled on the bed.


    "Holy... what is that man? Some legendary unbeatable beast? Let''s look around. He couldn''t have gone that far with those back injuries. I''ll go around the halls and shut off the exits. You two check the outside." Lin Que ordered as they split up.


    Fifteen minutes ago, while Ariana was still having her checkup, Alexander received a phone call. Hearing the grumpy, raging tone on the other end, he answered, "I understand. I''ll be back soon."


    Pulling the injections out of his arm without caring about the pain it would cause, he changed back to his own clothes. Looking at the cellphone in his hands, a helpless frown appeared, "You guys shouldn''t have given my phone back to me or the clothes."


    Turning his head once again, he imagined Ariana coming into the room like she did before. His head shook sideways in slow motion as he lifted the window and climbed out from the third floor. Just like that, he left the hospital without anyone noticing.


    Reacting as if he was reluctant to leave, his head looked up to the third-floor window where he had jumped down from. "I''m sorry. I hope we don''t see each other again." Slightly emotional from his one-sided farewell, he rushed out of the hospital area and into the city''s crowd.


    -Present-


    Sweat formed on their faces as they failed to see Alexander anywhere within the hospital.


    "Forget it. He most likely left already. Look." Chen Mu pointed at the flattened grass by the building where it showed hints of his escape route. The blood stain on the grass and walls proved he was here not too long ago.


    Following the small tracks of blood before it disappeared, it leads them to the streets.


    - Conference room in hospital -


    "He''s gone?!" Everyone''s mouth was left dangled open when they told them that Alexander has escaped. The only person who remained rather calmly was Ariana. The sullen expression on her face was truly ugly.


    Gripping on her phone tightly, her nail scratched against her phone case. "At the end, you betrayed my trust."


    "Ariana, calm down. It''s bad for the child if you put so much pressure on yourself." Chen Nan tried loosening her tensed shoulders.


    "Who said I''m not calm?" She looked up at him with darkened eyes filled with disappointment.


    Everyone kept quiet as they didn''t know how to respond to her. Observing the faces around the room, she sighed and pressed a few buttons on her phone. "Here, it looks like he is on his way back to the underground tunnel."


    "What?" Their eyes focused on the blinking green dot on her phone screen.


    "When did you put a tracker on him?" Chen Nan wanted to praise his wife for her intelligence.


    "When I went to visit him. Nobody, including him, found out my fast hand movement. I hid the tracker on his clothes."


    "Ah...and I thought you really stumbled on your way out of the room." Chen Nan recalled how she tripped slightly with her hand slapping flat on the clothes.


    "It''s a mini pin that matches the color of the clothes. He probably wouldn''t realize it." She said as she watched the green dot on her phone move.


    "But if he doesn''t change into the clothes, then your efforts would''ve gone to waste." Grandpa Xia said as he worriedly stared at her.


    "Nope. Knowing him, he would only trust his own clothes. I have a request." She stood up and bowed.


    "If it is a request to go back there, then I object. You''re with child right now. That isn''t a suitable place to be in." Grandpa Xia strictly rejected.


    "I can''t let Chen Nan fight alone. I know this is a selfish request, but I have to. I could wait for the results for the pill to come out. I could wait for the antidote for Qian Ling. I really want to know who is behind my family''s torture and my wrecked childhood. I really want to know why Alexander would betray my trust and once again go back to that dog hole!" Her palms slammed on the wooden surface.


    Chen Nan felt the negativity she was emitting and rubbed her arms to control her temper. "Shh, shhh. Calm down. Calm down."


    Grandpa Xia sighed, "Even if you don''t think about yourself, then what about your child? You can''t risk it."


    Facing another rejection, her head lowered to her tummy. Caressing her barely noticeable bump, she said, "Even if I stay here the amount of pressure won''t reduce. It''ll still be bad for the baby. If either way I''ll get stressed out, then I''d rather choose a more meaningful way to stress myself out. At least I can be with my husband through life and death."


    Chen Nan sighed deeply and looked around at the disapproving looks, "Ariana, are you sure about this?"


    "Absolutely." Her eyes locked onto his with no signs of hesitation.


    "Okay. I''ll let her come with me and protect her with my life if I have to. She''s right. If stress is bad for her pregnancy anyways, then she would probably feel more at ease by my side. This time, you must listen to my words and not repeat what you did last time. Understand?"


    Processing his words in a serious tone, her shoulders finally relaxed. She smiled, "Yes."


    Chen Mu reminded them that it would be a while before they could figure out what''s in the pill. In other words, they still have some time to provide her enough nutrients to replenish her energy. they would also prepare supplement pills for her. Hearing their decision, Grandpa Xia couldn''t help but turn a blind eye to it.

 Chapter 162 - Know Your Place

    Leaning against the stone wall, Alexander panted heavily as he reached his room. When he had entered, a huge slap flew across his face, leaving five red fingerprints on his originally clear skin.


    "Imbecile. Did I save you many years ago for nothing? How dare you help them escape?" The old man angrily growled at him. His room had been flipped upside down. With clothes dangling everywhere, including from the fan on the ceiling; it was clear the old man had gone on a rampage.


    "Insolent! Is this how you treat me? Huh?" His nasty breath had a mixture of garlic, blood and pepper. Even Alexander had to hold his breath as he listened to the skinny bone man in front of him rant.


    Parting his lips, he said, "Yes. You saved me many years ago, but I''ve returned it all to you. If these years of performing secret missions for you doesn''t count, then here." He took out a blade from the drawer and handed it to the old man. With the sharp blade pointed towards his chest, he gripped it strongly.


    "Aim right here. End my torture, and we will call it a day." His unwavering eyes maintained on the old man''s weakening ones. The strong grip he had on that handle indicated how serious he was with slaying him with the sharp weapon.


    "Hah. Did you think this was enough for what you owe me? Did you think I wouldn''t have killed you because we are blood related? You better not have any sneakier moves. I''m warning you. Even though you changed your name to Alexander, don''t forget your roots. Your real name is Shi Ku Rou. You''re a Shi."


    "Even if you don''t want to admit it, there''s nothing you could change about it. Treat me like an enemy or your debt collector, whichever you prefer. I''m not stopping my plans, and you won''t make a difference for my choices. You hear me? So, don''t do any funny businesses. Those rats won''t be so lucky next time."


    The old man had said what he wanted and left without turning back. Alexander dropped the blade and ridiculed himself for his weakness. Combing his hair with his fingers, he lowered his head and staggered backwards to the floor. Chuckling lowlily, his neck arched where his head hid between his slightly parted knees.


    "Argghh!!!!!" His paralyzing scream shook all insects and humans. After a while, Qian Ling knocked on his door and knelt down, "Let me take a look at your wounds. It''ll be bad if your wound reopens."


    He yanked his arm away from her touch as tears streamed down his face; dripping from his chin to the floor. His teeth gnashed together and bit his lip to hold in his cries. It was painful. It was burning him alive. It was killing him every day.


    His muscles tensed up as fingers formed rock hard fists. "You should understand this already. No matter what you do, he won''t change. He can''t change. And nothing you do would affect him. So, why hurt yourself at all? Leave while you can. Listen to me."


    "Then what about you? And all the others? I won''t leave without everyone released. I won''t leave unless you do." He grabbed her arm while she patted his head in her embrace. She wasn''t good at comforting others, so this was all she could do for him.


    "You know it''s already impossible for me to leave. Let it all out. Don''t keep it in. You''re safe in my arms. He''s in the shadows, while we are in the light. Nobody knows who he is, but the fact of him being a Shi." She whispered as her eyes concentrated at the door. Seconds later, the door slammed shut loudly.


    After he had calmed down, he took off his shirt to show his newly bandaged wounds. With one look, she already knew those were not the same ones she bandaged earlier.


    "Who did this for you? This is not my doing." Feeling relieved that he found better treatment, she checked for signs of bleeding.


    "A friend brought me to the hospital and did it for me. I was unconscious at that time and woke up to the way I am now."


    "I saw the girl you liked while you were gone. Ariana was her name, right?" Covering the blanket on his wounds, she started picking up the scattered clothes on the floor.


    "You saw her?!" He almost got up impulsively again, but was forced back down by her hands.


    "Yes. She''s a good girl. I was the one who helped her escape from here. If not, did you think she could outsmart those guards?" She folded the clothes on her lap and placed them neatly by the empty side of his bed.


    "Thanks. My taste is not bad, huh?" He chuckled and coughed a few times.


    "Yes, but she is married. She also has a child in her tummy. Did you know that?" She continued picking up clothes and fixing up his torn apart room.


    "She''s pregnant? I didn''t know that!"


    "Well, now you know. She is one heck of a brave girl. She said she was looking for me and would come back to save me from here. Do you think it is possible?" With a tiny hope in her eyes, Alexander smiled.


    "Of course. It''s definitely possible because she''s Ariana. She could make the impossible thing a miracle." He praised her ability to melt the normal stone-faced Qian Ling into a warmer person.


    "If you say so. I hope so as well. Anyways, are you planning to keep offending that old man? You know he won''t ever tell you the whole truth, right?" All jokes aside, she looked at him with a solemn face.


    "Heh. Even if I die, I will risk my all to dig up this whole thing. Why would he kidnap you and force you to perform experiments? Why is he keeping all those people here? I don''t get it. Is it really for money? It''s no longer clear." His laughter was filled with mockery.


    "I''m done cleaning your room. You should avoid water getting on your back. Let me know if you need my help wiping your body." She said as she exited with her medical kit.


    "Hold on. Thank you for saving me many years ago. I''m really glad you did. Even though I don''t like where and how my life ended up, I never once thought that you saving me was a waste. So, thank you." He chanted to her back view.


    "Good." She replied as she walked out and closed the door from behind.


    Meanwhile, Ariana''s finger typed nonstop on the laptop keyboard to dig up important news dating from when Shi Corporation was first created and the founder of it. Waiting for the codes in front of her to complete, she sipped the warm milk from a straw as Chen Nan held the cup next to her.

 Chapter 163 - Founder of Shi Corps

    "I found it!" Ariana claimed proudly as she finished her second glass of milk.


    "What did you find?" Grandpa Xia, Zi Yan, Susu and Lily walked over to her side.


    "There were two Shi Corporations in the past. The founder of the first Shi Corps was Shi Kow Wan, who suddenly announced his retirement after the company got on the right tracks. He left one of his sons in charge of managing his company. That son is named Shi Huang Jie. He had poor talent when it comes to generating profit for the company, so it led to bankruptcy."


    "Not long after the bankruptcy happened, Shi Kow Wan''s other son, Shi Zhuang Guo and his wife Qian Ling created the Shi Corps that we see now. They had a daughter named Shi Xue. Not long after Shi Xue had been born, Qian Ling died in a car explosion, which deemed to be an accident. Shi Zhuang Guo died from cancer at a fairly young age."


    "So.. Shi Xue inherited every asset her dad had left her, including Shi Corps. But she''s also the girl I researched for Huang Zhi Hei. She was plotted against by her own fianc¨¦. That links the fianc¨¦ to Li Teng and Tian Guo Min. But it doesn''t make much sense up to here?" She started scratching the back of her head as she tried linking everyone together.


    Susu took an erasable marker and listed out the names that were mentioned. Looking at them, she made a huge assumption.


    "Let''s assume it this way. Shi Kow Wan retired and his son Shi Huang Jie ruined his company after taking over his spot. His other son became successful and opened a new Shi Corps. The Shi''s were bankrupt and desperately needed money. Therefore, they started sticking to Qian Ling and Shi Zhuang Guo. If Qian Ling died, then all there''s left would be Shi Zhuang Guo."


    "And if Shi Zhuang Guo also died, then they are the blood related family members who could claim the property and assets. But there was Shi Xue in their way. So, they wanted to get rid of her."


    "Li Teng is Li Shen Wen''s younger brother, a spoiled brat. He was the one who convinced Shi Xue''s fianc¨¦ with the assassination plan. Tian Guo Min is Li Shen Wen''s husband. If the Li and Tian family have something to do with that Project, then it would somewhat make sense."


    "Since Qian Ling used to be part of the Project and she gave birth to Shi Xue; their first target would be Qian Ling. When Qian Ling fails their expectations, then they would want to kill her. If they think that Shi Xue has the two chips that''s currently in our hands, and then realize that she didn''t...."


    Ariana snapped her fingers, "Then they would get rid of her. The leader of the Project is someone from the Shi family. By getting rid of Shi Xue, the person would gain the most control over money! So, the Li family, Tian family, Liang family and Yin family were just small potatoes. The real hidden wicked leader is in the Shi family!"


    Grandpa Xia paused them really quick, "So you mean the brutal murderer is someone from Shi family and that person is in charge of the Project. They killed those who were in their way using other people''s hands to make it less suspicious on their end. In the end, the person who would benefit the most of this would be... Shi Huang Jie?"


    Zi Yan shook her head, "That''s impossible. Think about it carefully. If Shi Huang Jie is so useless in managing the first company, then how come Shi Corps is running fine right now? I think on the outside; he might look like the person who benefits the most from this. The leader is someone who is controlling everything behind the scene."


    Susu nodded, "I agree with mom''s thoughts as well. His wife, Shi Shan Shan is another idiot who only shops and spends money like water. I doubt it is Shi Xue''s fianc¨¦''s family. What about Shi Kow Wan? What happened to him after he retired?"


    Ariana typed on her keyboard and shook her head, "No news about him. After he retired, nobody had seen him."


    Zi Yan smiled, "Then let''s start with Shi Kow Wan first. He might be the most suspicious of all since he left his well managed company out of nowhere and disappeared. If he is the leader of the whole thing, then we just need to dig up his ass and screw it."


    Ariana started typing all over again, "Working on it. Someone go check on Chen Mu and Lin Que, please."


    Everyone felt more motivated as things grew more interesting. Susu, on the other hand, had a question that wasn''t answered. She mumbled, "But Qian Ling is still alive, so that means they still found her useful. If they wanted to kill her, then they could have left her at the explosion. How come they kept her captive for all these years? Just for experiment?"


    Ariana''s ears moved slightly as she heard Susu''s inquiry, "I have the same question that you have. Qian Ling must have some qualities that we haven''t figured out yet. If she could make an illusional wall to trick those bastards, think of her unlimited potential. Also, she mentioned the Project was for afterlife or something like that."


    Susu started scribbling on the board, trying to figure out what Qian Ling could have meant by afterlife. Meanwhile, Chen Nan was sent to the laboratory room to see Chen Mu and Lin Que''s progress. Upon entering the room, he could see the two of them with ghastly pale complexions.


    Waving in their faces, he asked, "What''s wrong? You two look like you''ve seen a ghost or something."


    They held the stack of papers in their hands and wrinkled it, "It''s worse than seeing a ghost."


    They passed the papers to him and frowned deeply. Chen Nan flipped through the pages with furrowed brows before slamming the pile to the table.


    "What the fuck is this?!"


    On top of the table laid the pile of repeatedly tested results of the pill from Qian Ling''s container...


    Each page was filled with the same keyboard character symbols...


    Solution to the report: Error


    The pill was unidentifiable.

 Chapter 164 - Time is Running Out

    After Qian Ling had tidied up his room, he laid like a lifeless corpse in bed. Being wrapped in thick bandages in addition to his unwillingness to change his current position made him look like a huge piece of rotting meat. If there was a zombie apocalypse, he would be the first to be volunteered to the front line.


    It was a sleepless night for him as she felt a painful itch coming from his healing wound. The medicine that Qian Ling had applied on the thick layer of bandages soaked through into his wounds. It was a new formula she created to heal wounds seven times quicker than the usual human recovery pace.


    "Argh! Can''t sleep." He slowly sat up and got off his bed with great difficulty.


    "If I knew how painful it would feel right now, I wouldn''t have rushed back to argue with that old boney man. Sigh, the next person I have to speak to is grandpa. He''s probably going to burst out at me again. Well, I''m used to it. Whatever comes will have to come."


    Since he has to face his grandpa anyways, he might as well pay him a visit. Upon reaching his grandpa''s room, he heard a loud smash sound coming from the inside of his room. He rushed in immediately, "Leader Rong! Are you alright?"


    It was a habit for him to address his grandpa as Leader Rong under certain circumstances. When he entered, he saw Yin Zin Leung laying unconsciously on the floor with a pool of blood surrounding him.


    Bending down, Alexander extended his hand to take his pulse. "No pulse. He''s dead."


    Leader Rong growled angrily and shoved items off his shelf, "Guards!!"


    "Yes, Leader Rong!" Two guards hurriedly paced into the room. With an indifferent expression on their faces, they followed Leader Rong''s command to drain the corpse into the bloody bath until the body becomes white and dry of liquid. After that, the body needs to be ground and cooked to meat balls for dogs.


    A blood trial was left as Yin Zin Leung''s body was dragged across the hall by the guards. In this place, killing was treated as a common routine. Everyone had gotten used to it.


    "Why did you come to see me? Hurry and rest those wounds." Leader Rong said as he gestured Alexander to leave him alone.


    "I want to join the Project investigation team. I''ve thought it through. Let me assist you with the progress of the experiment under one condition." He said while standing firmly and looking straight at Leader Rong''s eyes.


    "You? Hah! What condition?" Leader Rong smirked as his interest had been ignited by his grandson''s proposal.


    "You must not harm Ariana and her friends." His voice rung loud and clear to his grandpa''s ears, but it didn''t seem to have processed completely to his mind.


    "What?" That calm smile was scarier than witnessing a parking lot filled with witchcraft crows. It was so chilling that Alexander wanted to dig up a hole to hide in.


    "I said, I can join the team under one condition. You cannot hurt Ariana and people related to her." He repeated once again.


    "Nonsense! You know she is very important to this Project! How could I not lay my fingers on her? I''m telling you right now. If I see her or hear her stepping into our territory, I won''t hesitate to kill her. You shouldn''t be having any feelings towards her either. You know very well yourself, and I don''t think you need any types of reminder." Leader Rong felt blood rushing up his brain as anger boiled his bloodstreams.


    "Grandfather, I don''t need your reminder. I know she is important and the key to the Project. But how high are the chances for the Project to succeed? What if you are killing off innocent lives for the sake of something that won''t exist?" He tried persuading his grandfather to absorb his opinion.


    "No. Whatever conditions you set could be negotiated, but not anything related to her. I''m definitely going to find her and use her. You can''t stop my decision. If it weren''t for you, she would be dead already. And now you want her to escape from my wrath? No way." Leader Rong''s voice raised by a tad.


    "Like I said, you''ve slaughtered many over these years. You''ve murdered her entire family! Did you think I didn''t know that it was you after I had investigated for years after her family''s tragedy?Why can''t you let her off?" He continued arguing with no signs of stopping.


    "You know that I''m doing all this for you. Time is running out, and you won''t last long." Leader Rong sighed deeply as he looked at Alexander with resentful eyes.


    "And I never requested for any of this to happen. Aren''t I safe? Am I not standing here talking to you? Why is it so hard for you to understand my point? Killing people for something so absurd. Is it worth it? No. If you dare to harm Ariana and her loved ones, then don''t expect to see me anymore. Since you haven''t taken the easy way in, I won''t give you an easy way out either." Alexander stared at the restless man in front of him for a while before stomping out of his room.


    "You! You!! I''m doing all this to keep you alive, yet you treat me like an outsider. You''ve learned well! Very well! I''ll definitely get that girl! That vixen! Between life and death, I''ll see what you choose by then." Leader Rong smashed everything in his room that could be broken and shredded.


    Meanwhile, Alexander walked back to his room where he opened a hidden drawer from the wall. Inside the mini drawer was a fur ball accessory that he had kept since young. Closing his fingers on the fur ball, he closed his eyes and whispered, "Consider it as my final gift to you. I will fight everything alone. I won''t let you get pulled into this anymore. Let everything come to an end soon."


    As he sat down feeling extremely fatigue, he felt a heat rush up his throat; an iron stench filled the room as he wiped away the red liquid dripping from his mouth. He hurriedly checked using his clean hand to make sure the fur ball was untainted. Seeing the clean fur, he smiled, "Good."

 Chapter 165 - Thirst for Blood

    "I need to step up my game." He whispered as the sound of running water from the sink cleared his mind.


    Alexander cleaned his hands with soap and gurgled his mouth with mouthwash to remove the blood taste. After rinsing and drying his fingers carefully, he sniffed his hands again to make sure no traces of the iron stench were left behind. Satisfied with the strawberry fragrance soap, he exited the bathroom to find an unexpected guest holding on the fur ball.


    He frowned seeing the elder man with bones as thin as a stick figure standing there like a living skeleton. His dirty, rotten fingers were curiously rolling the fur ball in his palms with great interest. Hearing the door creak open, he shifted his attention on Alexander.


    "This belongs to that girl?" His voice was low but still loud enough for him to hear.


    "Why did you come into my room again? Was it not enough to cause havoc once that you want to do it a second time?" Alexander avoided the man''s question and walked casually to retrieve the fur ball.


    Before he could grab a hold of the fur ball, the old man''s stinky fingers gripped on it tightly; he did not plan on letting go.


    "Let go." Alexander warned as his narrowed, sharp gaze filled with annoyance struck the old man''s calmness.


    "You''ve never dared to disobey my words. Have you forgotten who saved you? How dare you act in such ungrateful behavior to an elderly? Have I not taught you manners?" The man''s crimson veins almost burst as his eyes widened in shock. He had no expect Alexander to reveal such murderous stares at him.


    Smiling calmly, Alexander fixed his sleeves, "I may have been weak and lowered my guard when you slapped me earlier. If I didn''t, then it would be less believable to others'' eyes that I was vulnerable in front of you. Did you really think an old hag like you did anything for me? Perhaps you ordered grandpa to hold Qian Ling as hostage just to find a cure for me, but you weren''t the one who saved me. It was Qian Ling. Therefore, stop discrediting others and sucking up more credits than you could receive."


    Seeing the elder man gnash his teeth, Alexander paid no attention as his hand already twisted the angular wrist bone that holds the fur ball and forced his fingers to spread. "Besides, what kind of manners was I taught? I was raised to kill and repay your so-called kindness. If I wasn''t wounded earlier, would you think you could lay even a finger on me? Right, only my grandpa could demand from me. As for you?"


    He paused and lifted his middle finger after retrieving the fur ball. He mouthed, "F*ck you and your blood fetish. That''s exactly how you get such loose skin."


    "You..You! I''ll go to your grandfather and ask how he raised such an irresponsible, discourteous grandson! Very well. You can call him grandfather, but can''t call me great grandfather? Don''t forget your roots. You''re a Shi. I originally planned to speak to you about some matters, but now? I''ve decided to not want any other corpse blood."


    "As for saving you, heh...Did you naively think that Qian Ling would obediently stay here? If it weren''t for me, who came up with the perfect plan to force that pill down her system, you would have died already! So, your next task is to kill that girl you favor. If you don''t then my men won''t hesitate to." The smile on the man''s face curled to an ignorant bastard looking smirk that anyone would punch.


    He licked his chapped, wrinkly lips that is barely visible from the drooping skin on his face. "I will take that girl''s blood and kill her in front of you. I''ll make you watch as every drop of her blood drips into my bath tub. I won''t let my prey off."


    "Sure. Do it. Let''s see you try. Since you guys are pushing it past my bottom line, then I should return the favor and burn down this whole place. I''ll have your research and all these laboratory work go down the drain. Ah, and I''ll make sure to kill you off first as compensation for her life. Old man." Alexander rolled his eyes and went back to the bathroom to give the furball a bath.


    Hearing the threat from Alexander''s firm tone as if he could literally kill him on the spot, the elderly man stepped back a few steps. Being struck at his worst fear, his boney hands formed a hard fist.


    Alexander always minded his own business since young. He knew how his life was saved by Qian Ling, but never knew she had suffered this much under their threat. Finding out the truth behind her stay, he clenched his fist roughly as he cleansed the fur ball. ''A pill? We''ll see about that.''


    If saving Ariana from their blood-stained hands was the first thing he planned to do, then looking for a cure to whatever pill Qian Ling was forcibly fed would be the final mission of his. Except, in this case, looking into the pill would be his priority since Ariana is still far from this underground place.


    Looking down at the wet, soapy ball in his hand, his eyes softened. His fingers rubbed it gently until it was as clean as it were before that man had touched it. He blow dried the fur and smiled when it was as good as new in his palms.


    "Now that you are clean...It''s time for me to visit the labs." He felt the soft fur once more before putting it back in his secret drawer.


    Meanwhile, Lin Que, Chen Nan and Chen Mu stared at the white pill with crossed arms. They leaned on the counter and observed the pill to make sure nothing was missed. After repeatedly conducting the same pill for the nth time with the same results slapped to their bruised cheeks, they started to question their doctors license.


    Three famous doctors from both the underground side and legal side were scratching their heads on this one unidentifiable pill. Chen Mu mumbled, "What if this isn''t actually a pill and that''s why we can''t detect anything from it?"


    Two pairs of eyes landed on this gentleman''s remark. Chen Nan picked up the pill and squinted, "That''s not impossible, but the thing is that we only have one pill. If we use it in the lab using acids and other chemicals, we might lose our last evidence to save Qian Ling."


    Lin Que nodded, "Yes, I agree. But if this is not a pill, then what could it be? I''ve never seen anything like this before even though I''ve practically read the entire university collection on medical books."


    Chen Mu held out his palm and said, "Let me see that again?" This time, he took a magnifying glass to see if anything was overlooked by them. Unfortunately, nothing special was found even under the magnifying glass.

 Chapter 166 - Deadend?

    After a while of staring at the bright laptop screen, Ariana''s eyes started to water up. Seeing that her eyes were showing signs of irritation, Susu forced her to rest. She was reluctant at first, but her sleepiness kicked in.


    "Wait! Just let me press the enter key first. Let the code load by itself. I''ll rest for the time being." Ariana said as she hugged her laptop, refusing to let anyone touch it.


    Susu sighed, "Fine! But only a few more minutes."


    As promised, Ariana ran the program she had coded and put her laptop aside. While they rested, the guys came into the room to announce their research results.


    Chen Nan gave Ariana a peck on the forehead before telling them the results. The expressions they showed already summed up what they were about to say to them.


    Chen Mu frowned and shook his head, "We''ve repeated the same procedures for research on all machines, and it came out to an error code. Something is weird about this pill, but we can''t risk it because we only have one. If we make the wrong guess, then this pill will be destroyed."


    Beep


    Ariana picked up her laptop and started scrolling through the information that popped up on her screen. "Tsk, some bastard cleared Shi Kow Wan''s data. The data only shows that he was the founder of Shi Corps and his retirement date. Nothing else. Interesting. If we go back there, we better get ready for a war because there''s literally little to no information for us to use as an advantage."


    "I''ll dig up information about the rest of the Shi family like Shi Huang Jie, Shi Shan Shan and whoever else could benefit from the company. While I''m at it, I might as well search their most visited places to see if there is anything suspicious." Clicking her tongue, she started typing again.


    At the same time, Susu''s hands slowly reached to her lower abdomen. After a few minutes of enduring the throbbing pain in her stomach, she bit her lip and pressed hard onto her tummy. Noticing the faint and fatigue feeling from her body, she lost her balance and fell onto Chen Mu.


    "Susu? What''s wrong?" Chen Mu picked her up and rest her on the empty bed next to Ariana''s bed. Her clothes were drenched in her cold sweat with visible perspiration droplets forming on her forehead and neck.


    "My tummy hurts.." Susu whispered as her heavy eyelids barely had the strength to lift up. Her hand clenched onto her lower abdomen area with the minimal energy she had left.


    Grabbing the medical kit, he had previously prepared for Ariana; Chen Mu took out the glucose test device. Taking a strip and new needle, he took a drip of blood from her finger. Checking the results from the device, his eyes widened in shock and demanded someone to bring something sweet for her.


    "This is impossible! She just ate less than an hour ago, but her body has an abnormally low glucose level! It''s so low that it is close to having barely any! Quick! Lollipop! There are lollipops at the main counter. Anything is fine as long as it is sweet!"


    Lin Que rushed out and came back with a bowl of lollipops. Unwrapping one lollipop, he stuffed it into Susu''s mouth. Meanwhile, Chen Nan poured a cup of water and mixed sugar packets into it.


    "Take out the lollipop and have her drink this first. She''s dehydrated. Have her drink some fluids before sucking on the lollipop." Chen Mu took the cup of sugar water and fed it slowly to Susu''s mouth. She mumbled, "Bathroom.."


    "You need to use the bathroom? Hold on, I''ll bring you to it." He put down the empty cup and carried her to the private bathroom. Zi Yan and Lily followed along since they were female. It is more convenient for them to help Susu than Chen Mu in this situation.


    Every few minutes, Chen Mu would ask them about Susu''s condition. After half an hour had passed, Zi Yan and Lily helped carry Susu out. While helping her settle under covers, Chen Mu felt her forehead. "Her forehead is cold."


    She shivered and chanted, "Cold..Cold.." Her body trembled in bed as they added two more blankets to warm her body up. When Chen Mu felt her neck, hands and feet, he also found them cold. "Lin Que, get the heat packs from my office. It''s in the second drawer of my desk. Hurry. Her body temperature is very low."


    Chen Nan took the thermometer from the medical kit and inserted the tip to her ear. Less than a minute later, the thermometer beeped. "85 degrees Fahrenheit?!! The average normal body temperature is around 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit. It''s not even winter right now, and she was in the hospital the entire time! There''s no way her body could drop to this low!"


    Lin Que brought the heat packs to the room and started ripping the paper off of it. With Lin Que, Chen Nan and Chen Mu''s rapidness, heat packs were successfully attached to her body within the next minutes. After waiting for another fifteen minutes, they checked her temperature again, but nothing changed. Her temperature remained at 85 degrees Fahrenheit.


    "What''s wrong with Susu?" Grandpa Xia finally opened his mouth and asked when he saw them observing her condition with such solemn expressions. Fear crept into his heart as he watched Susu''s complexion remain pale. She was unconscious.


    Chen Mu rubbed her hands in his palms as he explained the current situation to everyone in the room.


    "Her body suddenly went through high metabolism and absorbed most of the sugar in her system. After feeding her something sugary, she should be fine. But right now, she is still unconscious and her body temperature is abnormally low. If her temperature drops or remains at 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it may bring damage to her organs."


    "When body temperature drops like this, the blood vessels would narrow. This means the body would try to keep the blood circulating inside the body warm to keep organs warm. If her temperature drops too low or maintains this way, she may face serious consequences. Her organs may be damaged and..."


    "And there is a risk of death." He gritted his teeth when he said this part. Hearing her sudden deteriorated condition, Grandpa Xia fell back to his seat. Zi Yan took Susu''s other hand and started rubbing it between her hands.


    "I don''t believe this! She will get better. My daughter won''t die suddenly from this. I won''t let this happen. Susu, you could hear mom, right? Wake up! Don''t fall asleep. Fight the tiredness no matter what. You need to wake up. Do you hear me?!" She almost screamed when she said it. Her eyes were reddened by fury and panic as she looked at Susu''s closed eyes.


    Chen Nan and Lin Que went to set up the ventilator on Susu in case she encounters breathing problems.


    Ariana looked back and forth from her laptop screen to Susu multiple times. Skimming through the newest information on her laptop, her pupils dilated. She got off her bed and said, "Chen Nan, we''re going back. No need to wait for the pill. There''s no time. We need to get Qian Ling as soon as possible."


    "But we don''t have anything about our enemies. How are we supposed to bring Qian Ling out of there?"


    "I know we can''t act recklessly, but Susu needs help as soon as possible! Even if I have to bomb the entire place down, I will do it just to help her escape. We can look at the map again and determine which routes to take. Time is running out."


    Grandpa Xia wished there was a faster method to save Susu, but he couldn''t risk their lives like pouring water down the streets. "You can''t go empty handed! You''ll lose to the enemy if you walk into a war with them in the hidden, but you in the spotlight."


    "Grandpa. I know one person who could and will definitely help us. Alexander. He owes me it." She clenched her fist as she mentioned his name.


    "How do you know he could help us?" Chen Nan questioned as she hadn''t mention about him being able to help before.


    "Because he saved us once from that horrible place. And...from my most updated research about the Shi family, Alexander...is a Shi member as well." Everyone''s eyes landed on her and silence dropped in the room as the crowd was shocked by the news.


    She was the first to break the silence in the room as she announced her final decision, "We''re going. We need to pack immediately and plan our routes."


    Chen Nan nodded, "Okay. But first, take these supplements. Chen Mu, you''ve prepared the supplements for her to carry, so that should be fine for our child. Continue taking care of Susu while we decide the routes to take. We''ll leave by evening."


    Chen Mu looked up at the couple and squeezed Susu''s hand, "Thank you."

 Chapter 167 - Seeing Them Off Again

    Before leaving the hospital, Ariana sent an attachment to Chen Mu''s phone. She said, "This is an ancient acupuncture book that many people want to lay their hands on. I managed to find loopholes around it. See if you could understand the instructions for the chapter two hundred and five. That chapter teaches which acupuncture points could warm human bodies up and keep it at that temperature."


    "Although it may not be much help, but at least it''s worth a try. If this is the drug in her body, then this may delay its effects. As long as her temperature is kept constant or even warmer, her organs would suffer less damage. Hopefully, we can get back in time."


    Chen Mu quickly checked his phone and opened the file she had sent him. He nodded along and gave the couple a tight hug, "You guys must come back safe and sound. If..If you guys can''t bring Qian Ling along, it is fine. Your safety comes first, especially when Ariana is carrying a little one inside of her. Remember to take the supplements.


    "I prepared a few months amounts because I''m not sure how long you guys will be gone for." After giving them advises and explaining the medical kit he had packed for them, Chen Mu started to review the file.


    This time, only Lin Que dropped the couple off. Everyone gave them a farewell hug before letting go. Ariana and Chen Nan walked towards Susu''s bedside. Ariana squeezed Susu''s hand and whispered, "You must fight and stay alive. We''ll figure out a way to help you. We will try our best to come back as soon as we could with Qian Ling. So, please hang on."


    Meanwhile, in one of the rooms of the underground tunnel laboratories, Alexander snuck behind the counters to look for any suspicious containers with pills in them while holding a mini flashlight with his mouth. Since these laboratories were research based, almost all of the products would be liquid.


    ''That disgusting old man mentioned pills. There must be pills somewhere around here.'' He thought as he made minimal noises while moving containers aside. Suddenly, the lights to the lab switched on; startling him greatly.


    "What are you doing here?" Qian Ling asked as she stood by the door. Alexander shushed her, turned off the lights and closed the door before anyone else realizes he was there.


    Whispering in a low volume, he told her about looking for the pill to cure her. She sighed, "If the pills were in these labs, then I would be the first to find it. The white pills they give to me are distributed by random amounts. Out of nowhere, my body would feel the effects of the poison. I''ve tried not taking the pills during the painful moments, but ended up spatting blood."


    "I didn''t dare risk it anymore and continued taking the pills they give to me." She appreciated his thoughtfulness, but she was certain about the pills not being in the labs. If they placed it in the labs and she finds it, then they would have nothing to threaten her with.


    Rubbing his chin with an obvious displeasing frown on his face, he agreed with her words. "You''re right. Can I take a look at the pills?"


    She nodded and brought him back to her room where she poured a pill from the container and handed it to him. With one look, he immediately recognized the small round ball that is rolling smoothly in his palm. He smirked, "So that''s what they had planned. Hah, retards really do a cruel load of bullshit."


    "What? Do you know the cure to this?" Her voice lost its calm as it stuttered nervously. It''s been years since her suffer from their demonic wrath. She couldn''t figure out anything from the labs and was giving up her hope in this.


    He nodded and smiled, "This is easier than I thought. Pour me half a cup of water first. I''ll show you something."


    She quickly did as he instructed and brought the glass of water to him. In the next minute, he dropped the pill into the water and sliced a small cut on the tip of his finger. Squeezing a drop of blood into the water, he swirled the glass for the blood to mix with the pill.


    Within another minute or two, Qian Ling''s eyes widened in shock as the pill exploded in the water, turning the water pink. "This..What is this?" She pointed at the water as he placed the cup down.


    "The so-called poison they''ve fed you from years ago was our ancestor''s generation spell. When they forced the first pill down your throat, it wasn''t the same as these. That pill contained our Shi family''s blood and a living parasite. The reason why they gave you these mini pills was that the parasite needs food."


    "These mini pills are white on the outside and inside, but it''s made out of a Shi member''s blood. The blood calms the living parasite. Therefore, once you stopped taking the pills, the parasite went on a hunger rage. Good news is there is only one parasite and it doesn''t reproduce, so it is easier to get rid of."


    Qian Ling smashed her fist against the counter, "Those mad dogs!!! Disgusting!!! How do I kill the parasite?"


    "For a straight month, I''ll provide three drops of my blood every day. Mix it with water after having your meal. You will feel some stomach cramps afterwards, but it will shorten as time passes by. My blood could kill the parasite, and it will naturally get out of your system." He said as he felt relieved about helping her.


    At least one out of two tasks is somewhat completed. Since the treatment required three drops a day, he decided to start giving her his blood the following day. He would offer a bucket of blood to her, but his body condition was at its limit. If he gave her that amount of blood, then he would be in trouble. After figuring out the solution, he walked back to his room for a nap.


    In the middle of roaming through the hallway, he heard some whispers coming from the bloody room. Out of curiosity, he decided to take a look since he knew the old man didn''t take his baths every day to preserve blood.

 Chapter 168 - What Are You Guys Doing Here?

    Peeking into the room through the small gap of the door, Alexander could only hear movements coming from inside the room. From the dirty, blurry mirror''s reflection from the left side of the room, his eyes squinted at the shadow figures coming down from the ceiling.


    At first, he thought he was seeing things and rubbed his eyes to get a better view. Then, he thought those were the shadows of haunted spirits coming to kill the old man. On second thought, it was more than likely impossible, so he brushed off that idea.


    With his ears moving slightly from noise sensitivity, he immediately recognized the voices. Though they were whispering, he could still distinguish their voices. Using his fingerprint, he removed the tracking alarm from the door and opened it.


    Covering his mouth from the disgusting flesh rotting scent, he closed the door from behind. He could see legs dangling from the ceiling and trying to find a way to the floor without causing a huge sound.


    Chen Nan: "The floor looked much closer when we looked down than when I''m actually hanging here." He swung his legs in all directions to see if he could step onto something steady.


    Ariana whispered, "See? I told you we should have gone the other way."


    Chen Nan replied, "But you''re pregnant. I can''t let you crawl through small spaces like that."


    Ariana almost pinched his hand for being so cautious over crawling for five minutes. She said, "And climbing down from the ceiling won''t be harmful to our child?"


    "At least I can be the scapegoat and jump down first. Then, I can catch you from below." He said as he continued paddling his legs as if he was swimming in air.


    Alexander facepalmed at this couple''s stubbornness as he hugged the floating legs. "Let go. I''ll catch you."


    Chen Nan was speechless when he heard his voice. "...Alexander? When did you get here?"


    Alexander smirked, "When you were paddling in midair and talking about the best way to come in. Hurry and get down. Someone could come in anytime."


    Ariana slowly let Chen Nan''s hand go and watched him slowly reach the floor with Alexander''s help. "Okay, one down. One more to go. Don''t worry, we''ll catch you. Come down slowly."


    Spreading their arms and stretching upwards, they waited until they got a hold of her legs. Under their careful instructions, she slowly got down and safely landed. Patting her chest in relief, she said, "Why did you leave the hospital?"


    Alexander crossed his arms, "Since you guys are intruding in my territory, shouldn''t I be asking why you two are here again? Didn''t I already warn you for your lives?"


    Ariana placed her hands on her hips, "Who said the intruders can''t ask first? Besides, it''s you who left us hanging first. Even if it is our wrong for sneaking in, you aren''t guilt-free either. So? I asked first. Answer me."


    Facing such a headstrong Ariana, Alexander gave in at the end and raised his arms. With his palms facing the couple, he said, "I had to come back. It was an order. You guys need to leave. I''ll bring you guys out before anyone finds out."


    "We''re not leaving until we figure out everything we need to discover. I''m not afraid of telling you the truth. We are here to bring Qian Ling back with us and we won''t leave until we do. Are you going to help those people and be my enemy? Or are you going to help us?"


    Pausing his steps by the door, Alexander tilted his face slightly towards her direction. "Is there a difference?"


    "Of course there is a difference. If you choose to help those suckers, then we don''t need your help. If you stand on our side, then I will accept your kindness. Still, I will complete this mission as it is a life and death situation." Ariana''s sharp tongue didn''t get any smoother even when he had backed down.


    Sighing, he replied, "You have my word." Taking out a token from his pocket, he flicked it towards her. The token landed flat on her palm. Her thumb glided across the token as she lifted up her head.


    "Alright. I''ll trust you." She said as she stuffed the token into her pocket and pulled Chen Nan along with her. The three of them got out with no problem and took the shortcut back to Alexander''s room.


    "Wait here. I''ll get Qian Ling over. If anyone knocks or you hear any sounds, go hide somewhere in my room. I''ll lock my door as well. Don''t wander around." He waited until they nodded before leaving them alone in his room.


    Chen Nan took the opportunity to ask, "You really believe him?"


    She nodded, "He won''t lie to me, especially when he gave me his token. This is a promise between us."


    On his way to Qian Ling''s room, Alexander overheard a conversation between his grandfather and the skinny old man.


    Grandfather: "Father, don''t worry. I already sent out my specialized trainees to get other people who have the psychic abilities. We''ll use them as lab rats. If they disappoint us, then we''ll just drain them to fill your bath tub."


    Skinny old Man: "You better work on it. We''ve been researching this for years. I''ve secretly guided you for all these years only to see Shi Corps fail the first time. Luckily, you had a son who was capable of earning money. It was a pity for him to be born with such intelligence, yet stubbornness. He wouldn''t follow our plans."


    Grandfather: "That''s why I had Huang Jie lead the company now. He may not have the talent to run the company, but he is easy to control. If I tell him to go North, he won''t dare to go East. Nobody will find out about this even if they dig up the Shi family''s information."


    Skinny Old Man: "Hmph! You say that, but what about Alexander? He was so rude to me earlier. Even a dog knows how to be loyal to their owner. He only knows how to help outsiders destroy us. His life is on the line, yet he doesn''t seem to give a bit of a care. If this research comes out right, he could extend his life."


    Grandfather: "I''ll talk to him about it later. He''ll understand our goodness sooner or later. He''s bewitched by that vixen. Anyways, he has potential so we just focus on our research for now."


    Alexander''s fist tightened as he found out more about the Shi family. Nobody knew he exist in this family, so he only heard of names. A part of him wondered how these researches continued with the limited resources, but now he understood. The funds came from Shi Corps and the controller of everything isn''t Shi Huang Jie. The real boss was his grandfather, Shi Kow Wan.


    ''Grandfather, I won''t let your plans succeed. I''ll interrupt in my own ways. I''ll make this come to an end.''

 Chapter 169 - Questions 1

    Alexander successfully brought Qian Ling back to his room. Once she saw Ariana''s face, Qian Ling was shocked to see her in such short time. Alexander quickly locked the door from behind and said, "Here. You guys can talk, but minimize your voices."


    Qian Ling was stunned as she blinked, "You''re actually here?"


    "Didn''t I already promise to come back and get you? How''s the poison in your body? Did it take effect?" Ariana asked to make sure her body as feeling alright.


    "That''s right, but I didn''t think it would be this quick in meeting you again. You''re pregnant, so you should be very careful in the first three months. No need to mind about the poison in my body anymore. Alexander could cure it for me." Qian Ling said as she gratefully nodded at Alexander for his help.


    "Huh? What kind of poison is it? We flipped the laboratories upside down because we couldn''t figure out what''s in that white pill." Chen Nan interrupted their conversation.


    "The white pill was not made from any medicine ingredients. No matter how many times you run tests on it, the results would come out as error." Alexander responded as he poured himself a cup of water.


    "No wonder! Then what about now? How long does it take to cure her?" Chen Nan looked at Alexander with hope sparkling in his eyes.


    "One month. She needs my blood to kill the parasite in her body." Alexander said as he chugged down the rest of the water from his mug.


    "So, that leaves only one issue left. Within a month, we need to figure out how to get rid of the tracking device in her body. We don''t know how they are able to track her either. That''s the most difficult part." Ariana rubbed her chin as she thought of something.


    "Oh, right. Who is this young man? I forgot to ask earlier." Qian Ling asked as she found the opportunity to cut into the conversation.


    "Oh! Sorry. Sorry. This young man is my husband. His name is Chen Nan. And she is Qian Ling, the woman we have been searching for." She introduced them to each other.


    Suddenly Ariana had an idea and suggested, "I have an idea! Is there high voltage in the laboratories here? If there is, can you bring me there?"


    Qian Ling nodded, "There is high voltage at one of the labs where I work at. I can bring you there in about an hour. Right now, the guards are still roaming around the halls, and it''ll be too risky. How about we stay here for a bit and then head over?"


    "Sure. I have some questions about the Shi family and was hoping maybe you two would have some information to provide me." Ariana said as she sat on the edge of the bed.


    "What question do you have? I''ll try my best to tell you what I know." Qian Ling nodded and Alexander followed as he leaned onto the door.


    "My first question is who is the real boss behind Shi Corps? Is it really Shi Huang Jie? Or is there someone else behind his useless brain? I''ll be quite amazed if he had the IQ to run such a large business." Ariana mocked as she recalled the information she skimmed about Shi Huang Jie and his wife, Shi Shan Shan.


    Alexander replied, "I think Shi Huang Jie is only the scapegoat to suck up responsibility if a bankruptcy occurs. The real boss behind this company should be Shi Kow Wan."


    "As I had expected. Alexander, you are a part of the Shi family as well. How come they never mentioned about you? If I hadn''t retrieved information, I wouldn''t have known you were Shi Kow Wan''s grandson."


    "I don''t know who my parents are because I''ve been raised by my grandfather, Shi Kow Wan. Since young, I''ve lived in the underground tunnels created for laboratory research purposes. They never allowed me to ask about my parents nor would I have the chance to look for my biological parents either." He answered honestly as he had promised to be on her side.


    "I see. I somehow found information about you, but not your parents. Sorry if I''m being too blunt, but I really want to solve the whole ridiculous slaughtering lab situation." She bit her fingernail as she couldn''t link Alexander to anyone from Shi family''s connection.


    ''He wasn''t born from a rock. There must be a reason why I couldn''t find his parents. Sigh, guess we need to move on to the next question.'' She lifted her head and faced Qian Ling.


    "Auntie Ling, I want to ask for you to tell me your identity in Shi family. How did you end up here?" Although she already read about Qian Ling, she still wanted to fill in the details.


    Her fingernails dug into her palms as she formed trembling fists. "My husband was Shi Zhuang Guo, the founder of the current Shi Corps. I was involved in a planned car accident where an explosion occurred. When I woke up, I found myself locked up and chained. I''ve been here for a very long time already."


    "Who do you suspect as the person behind your fake death?" Ariana tried narrowing down the suspects in her mind.


    "I think Shi Shan Shan would be the likeliest person to make that move on me. There is also Shi Kow Wan because he was the one who trapped me here." Qian Ling lowered her head as she recalled the accident in her mind.


    "They kept you as a prisoner because you have use to them. What did they make you do in this underground lab?" Ariana clenched her fist as she got closer to the truth.


    "Because they found out I have potential in creating coding programs. They wanted me to examine humans, especially those with psychic abilities. You should know my ability after I helped you last time. They wanted to use me for research and make me help them with prolonging lives. My first task was to save Alexander."


    Qian Ling looked towards Alexander and saw him shaking his head slightly. She lifted her head and said, "After saving him, they thought I could help them with the research or whatever they had in mind. I''ve learned to cheat them over these years where I would create clones of human cells. I helped victims escape secretly and they never found out about it. I guess that''s the use they need me for."

 Chapter 170 - Questions 2

    Continuing the questioning process, Ariana waited for Qian Ling to finish speaking. As she listened attentively to each word, she was saying, Chen Nan memorized her responses.


    Ariana asked, "But what do they exactly want to find out?"


    Rubbing her chin with deepened creases on her forehead, Qian Ling took a step forward. "Actually, they imprisoned me to find a way to recreate humans. They found ways to kidnap teenagers and children with special abilities. I''ve helped many escape by creating clones using their genes. Though I''ve dragged on this project, I''ve also wondered whether this is all for money."


    "Besides, they used human blood to soak that old man''s body. This shouldn''t have anything to do with research. Who the hell would squeeze human flesh and rip their skin to juice out blood for a bath? There is definitely a whole lot more to this." She said as she thought of possible solutions.


    Once in a while, her eyes would wander onto Alexander and then elsewhere. Ariana remembered the old man''s words when he chased after them. "That old man chased after us before. I''ve been attacked by him. His grip is abnormally strong for a man his age. He''s even stronger than me. I remember he repeated some words a few times."


    Her eyes brightened as she recalled his words. At the same time, Chen Nan also opened his mouth and said, ''I don''t want to die.''


    Qian Ling nodded, "That''s what he always says for some reason. Did he think murdering those people and drowning himself in their blood would prolong his life?"


    Alexander shivered with goosebumps over his body as he joined the conversation. "I''ve been trying to figure it out too. I know the old man really wants to live long, but I''m not sure if researching in recreating humans would help him in any way to achieve that goal."


    Qian Ling cut him off and said, "Unless they wanted me to successfully figure out a way in recreating human cells and injecting it to his body. Maybe they think human cells taken from people with psychic abilities could increase life span? I''m not sure why he soaks himself in disgusting blood baths and keep those organs in jars, though. He might even be a psychopath."


    Ariana nodded, "If your first task was to save Alexander''s life, then the task was completed. Maybe they were looking for someone who could save him to test the person''s capabilities. If that''s the case, then what happened to Alexander when he was younger? How did you save him?"


    Hearing her question, Qian Ling and Alexander''s expressions froze. While waiting for her response, Ariana fixated her attention on their reaction to her inquiry. She saw Qian Ling hesitantly parting her lips, but closed them witin a few seconds repeatedly.


    "Don''t tell me you forgot." Ariana said as she sensed something off.


    Qian Ling swore to herself that Ariana had the strongest instinct anyone ever could imagine having. She was literally thinking about an excuse and decided to choose the lamest one. Just as she was about to say it in front of everyone, Ariana gave her a warning, making her halt her words.


    She knew Ariana was staring straight at her face, so she couldn''t even roll her eyes to Alexander. At this moment, she felt like her life was meeting one of the biggest tests in her life. Previously, she already promised Alexander that she would not disclose his privacy to her. Now, she''s cracking her brains away to find an excuse.


    Cursing inwardly to herself, she screamed, ''How the heck do I find another way of explaining chip implantation and genetic modification to his body to prolong his life? It''s impossible! I can''t tell her his time is almost up!''


    She pondered a few minutes before opening her mouth again. This time, she found a way to indirectly speak the truth. "When I first saw Alexander in his bed, he was nearly lifeless. I heard he slipped in the middle of hiking and injured himself. Many doctors were hired to treat his condition, but nobody had the confidence to treat him."


    "I remember helping him bandage the cuts and bruises on his body. After that, I prescribed some rare herbs to make his blood circulation improve. This helped his health better and prepared him for operation. He woke up after a few days."


    She made sure to be detailed, but being unspecific about certain things. Alexander subconsciously made a deep breath as he heard her response. He was glad she could respond in such little time. If the silence dragged on any longer, Ariana and Chen Nan might suspect her credibility.


    Ariana continued her stares even after Qian Ling had finished speaking. "Okay. That does sound reasonable. Why did you hesitate before?"


    "I needed time to think about what I did in the order that I''ve done it. It''s been a decade since this occurred, so my memory is a bit fuzzy already." Qian Ling crossed her arms and took a look at the time.


    Alexander also checked the time and said, "It''s almost an hour. I''ll go out first to check for guards. If they''re gone, then we can go to the labs." Although he wanted to send this couple out of here, he knew they wouldn''t listen to him. If they continue asking these questions, he might get exposed. Therefore, he can only fulfill their needs and assist them.


    As long as he was around them, he swore he wouldn''t let anyone hurt them. ''I need to hurry and make everything come clear.'' He unlocked the door and left the room. After he had walked out, Qian Ling guarded the entrance in case anyone tries to barge into the room.


    "Any other questions?" Qian Ling forced a smile towards the couple.


    "Not for now." Ariana replied after exchanging glances with Chen Nan. Chen Nan was oddly quiet as he stared at Qian Ling. He repeated what Qian Ling had said in his mind and felt something was weird with her explanation. He didn''t know why, but he felt like she was hiding something important from them.


    After five minutes, Alexander came back to the room and whispered, "The hallways are clear." Sneaking through the hallways, they ended up at one of the laboratories safely.

 Chapter 171 - Theres Nothing

    Roaming around the room, Ariana found what she wanted to look for. Previously, she remembered Qian Ling and Alexander mentioning how the labs contained everything research labs had. When she asked about high-voltage power supply earlier, she assumed an X-ray scanner could be found in the labs.


    "Does the X-ray scanner still work?" Ariana pointed to the machine.


    Qian Ling revealed a hopeless smile, "Child, I should have already guessed what you had in mind. I''ve done a test on myself already. There''s nothing in my body."


    "What?" Ariana''s arm fell to the side of her torso.


    Qian Ling nodded, "After my failed attempt in escaping, I''ve already done many exams on myself. Things that you could think of were already done with no results. I don''t understand how they kept track of me, but somehow they did."


    "That''s impossible. How could they track you without anything in your body? It should show up when tests were performed!" Ariana was getting irritated by this whole situation. Susu was unconscious when they had left, and they couldn''t contact anyone outside of this place. Nobody knows how she is hanging on to her life.


    Every second was precious and this tracking device decides to hide from them. Ariana lifted her head and looked at Qian Ling, "You mentioned a tracker device in your body before. If it''s in your body, then why isn''t it showing on any examinations? That barcode you showed me before too. Could that be the tracker?"


    Even though the barcode was shown on her skin, there could be some amazing discoveries where technology picks up human skin. If humans could create technology for face recognition, then a tracker picking up a barcode on human skin isn''t impossible!


    Chen Nan asked, "Barcode?"


    Lifting the end of her pants, she revealed the barcode on her ankle. Linking the weird shaped barcode on her ankle to previous events, Alexander had an idea of what it was. "This isn''t a barcode. It looks like one, but it''s a mark from the poison in her body. It''ll fade as I give her my blood over time. To confirm my words, we can wait a few days for the effects to take place. If I''m correct, then the barcode will become a little lighter."


    "If that''s the case, then the tracked might be the parasite in her body. Only time could tell the answer." Alexander said as he rubbed his chin and stared at Qian Ling''s ankle.


    "What the heck is wrong with the Shi family? Where does this all come from? How does a parasite survive by their blood? We can create a script for a drama, and this will receive the highest hits. We can reenact the whole thing. Seriously, how sick are those men?" Ariana was getting more upset as she thought of how disgusting those men were to use such despicable methods on innocent citizens.


    "I can''t answer that. I''ve already told you guys what I know for now. Let''s head back to my room before anyone barges in here." Alexander shrugged awkwardly and looked outside the hall. The hallways were oddly quiet; it was suspicious. Checking the time on his watch, Alexander whispered. "Normally, at least one guard would be walking past this area. There''s nobody right now."


    Qian Ling also checked the timing and nodded in agreement. "It''s too quiet. There are no footsteps. If I''m right about this, then we are trapped. This lab doesn''t have any shortcuts like the other ones."


    "But there is also a chance that it isn''t a trap right?" Chen Nan asked as he held Ariana''s hands tightly.


    "That''s right. If I walk out alone, there will probably be no movements. It''s a risk to test it out. We can go in pairs. If this is a trap, then they will surround us in no time to find the intruder. At the same time, it could be us overthinking." Alexander whispered as if there are ears glued to the walls, eavesdropping on their conversation.


    Chen Nan rubbed Ariana''s hand, "I''ll go with you first. Ariana, stay with Qian Ling."


    "No. You can''t leave me alone. I won''t let you." She shook her head.


    "Listen, there is no other choice. If we walk out and it is actually a trap, then all of us would be in deep trouble. Even if I get caught, at least I can protect myself. You''re pregnant with our child. I won''t allow you to risk it. I promise, I won''t let anything happen to myself." He tried comforting her as he sensed her tension.


    She kept shaking her head and pulling his arm towards her body. As if super glue was applied to their skin, she stuck close to him. Holding her cheeks in his warm palms, he placed his forehead against hers. Slowly, her head stopped shaking sideways and calmed down.


    Her breathing became consistent again. He whispered as one of his hands reached to her lower abdomen. "Our child needs us to protect him or her. This is a fifty-fifty risk. Have I ever lied to you when we went on missions?"


    "No." She bitterly responded as she knew where he was going with the conversation.


    "Be good. This time won''t be different than other times. I''ll be careful. If it''s a trap, then you guys could follow the crowd and dig deeper in the investigation. You have so many ideas that you''ll definitely come to save me if they imprison me. Right?"


    Looking into his eyes, her tears started rushing out. "I..I''ll always come for you, but I don''t want to see you risk.."


    "Shh..We''ve agreed for you to listen to me before coming here. Now, it is the time for you to do as you promised. It''ll be a few minutes. I''ll walk out with Alexander and see if the situation is clear. Maybe everything will be alright. Meanwhile, you and Qian Ling should stick together."


    Whispering softly, he pecked her cheeks. "There should be a large enough space in the lab to fit you in it. You have the map with you. Since they kidnapped you when you were young, you might be beneficial to them. I need you to hide, okay?"


    After sniffling for a few minutes, she suppressed her emotions and followed Qian Ling to one of the hidden counters. Over the years, nobody but Qian Ling knew about the empty space. Giving her one last kiss on the lips, he said, "Everything will be okay."


    Qian Ling held various chemicals in hand and placed it on the counter. In case it was a trap, she had to prepare evidence to clear her suspicions. Finally, Alexander and Chen Nan exchanged glances and stepped out of the lab.


    As they stepped out to the intersection of the hallway, they continued walking relaxingly with no sense of guard. Without turning back, they reached the end of one hall and prepared to turn the corner. Suddenly, guards surrounded them in all directions, leaving no gaps for them to escape.


    "Well, well, well. Alexander, who is this man to your side? An intruder?" Shi Kow Wan appeared. After spying them from a concealed position, they only saw him and Alexander together. Therefore, they made a move when they were about to turn the corner.


    Earlier, one of the guards reported seeing Alexander with someone he didn''t recognize. Fortunately, he only saw them two.


    "Grandfather, he''s my friend. I brought him here."


    Smack


    A loud flesh to flesh sound echoed through the halls after he answered. "I''ll give you a second chance to tell the truth."


    Spitting a mouthful of blood, Alexander stood in front of Chen Nan and blocked him from Shi Kow Wan. With bleeding gums, he answered, "He''s my friend. I''ll bring him out of here." Within milliseconds of his response, a punch slammed into his stomach, making him kneel to the ground. Chen Nan quickly caught him in his arms.


    Hugging his stomach with one arm, he squeezed Chen Nan''s palm to signal him to not make a sound. Forcing his body back up, he looked his grandfather in the eye again. "That''s my final response. It won''t change."


    "Drag them to the cell. Chain them. Without my permission, nobody can give them food." The guards separated them and held onto their limbs as they walked to the cell.


    Meanwhile, Qian Ling saw everything from the small gap between the lab entrance. She heard a loud noise and decided to take a look. After hearing where the guards would take them, she sighed in relief. ''The cell is better than the punishment room. I need to get them out as soon as possible.''


    After seeing everyone going away, Qian Ling helped Ariana out of the hiding spot. "We need to get out of here fast. Both of them were caught and are being sent to the cell. Let''s go back to my room first and come up with a plan."


    Ariana''s face had turned pale. Under her careful movements, Qian Ling brought Ariana back to her room where they discussed their upcoming actions.

 Chapter 172 - Chained

    Locked up and chained to the wall, Chen Nan realized the guards had brought them to the cells already. Alexander was in a different cell, and his wounds were open again. His bloody back had stained his shirt and the layer of forehead sweat could not go unnoticed. If his wounds don''t get treated, he may lose his life.


    "Alexander is in danger right now! His wounds reopened. Let me go! I''ll treat his wounds first and stop the bleeding. You guys can lock me back up after I''m done!" Chen Nan''s voice echoed loudly, catching the guard''s attention.


    Since Alexander had lived with most of these guards, they knew his stubborn nature. One of the guards checked Alexander''s wounds and saw his shirt sticking to his wounds. "He''s right. Alexander is bleeding badly. His complexion is very bad! Someone get the nurse!"


    A guard rushed out of the cell to look for Qian Ling. Meanwhile, Chen Nan was persuading them to trust him. "Alexander is my friend! I am a doctor and can help him. By the time you guys get the nurse here, he might have already lost too much blood. By then, even an immortal can''t revive him!"


    "Nonsense! The nurse is the best medical staff we have! She can definitely-" The guard''s words were cut off by Chen Nan.


    "At least let me stop his bleeding while someone is on their way to get her! Look at his soaked shirt. When he dodged those attacks earlier, his wound had reopened. Those stupid guards didn''t care about his limbs when they carried him. I know you guys are just doing your job, but I''m really trying to save him."


    After two minutes of long speeches, the guard unlocked Chen Nan''s chain and brought him to the neighboring cell where Alexander''s eyes squinted shut. Calling his name, Chen Nan used the tools he had with him to sanitize his wounds and slower the bleeding.


    In the middle of wrapping up his wounds, Alexander spat out mouthfuls of blood. "Alexander! Are you alright? We need to send you to the hospital." He barely had enough oxygen circulation to his body after spitting out the iron taste liquid.


    Chen Nan lowered his ears to Alexander''s lips, "Take my blood and fill it in some containers for Qian Ling. Afterwards, find a chance to sneak out. I''ll deal with the guards."


    Whispering in a determined voice, Chen Nan said, "I never leave my ally and friend alone in an enemy''s den. If I leave, you''re coming with me."


    "If you think I can run away with you in this condition, then you''re an idiot. Can''t you see? Between us, only one of us could survive. Right now, the elders aren''t here. Once they decide to come down here, they will start torturing you. You''ll definitely die here if they make a move. You still need to stay alive for Ariana and your child."


    Chen Nan adjusted Alexander''s posture as it was too difficult for him to inhale and exhale while lying on his chest. "Don''t speak nonsense. We''ll get out of here alive together. Let''s focus on your wound first. Someone went to get Qian Ling already."


    Taking a pocket knife from his back pocket, Alexander made a cut on his arm. "Take my blood. Hurry or it''ll be a waste. If you don''t, then I''ll make a larger wound."


    Chen Nan quickly took small empty containers and filled it with Alexander''s blood. He didn''t know what to do with this risk-taking patient. "You''ve lost so much blood, yet you''re not even scared. I could only temporarily stop the bleeding for now. Are you going to make holes in your body next? I told you to not act recklessly, and you won''t listen to a professional''s words."


    "Heh, if I listened to you, then I''ll be the idiot. I know my body condition better than anymore else. Don''t think I''m doing this for you. I''m only doing it for Ariana. I don''t want her to become a widow and single mother. So, you better get out of here alive." Alexander dry coughed and grunted painfully.


    "Don''t talk anymore. Keep still and rest. Qian Ling should be here soon." Chen Nan had to rip off his shirt earlier to treat his wounds since it started sticking to his wounds. He saw the dark bruises on his front torso. The attacks he had suffered from his grandfather earlier was too much. There was a nasty, dark bruise near his stomach. It could have been fatal if the attack was aimed slightly off.


    Very soon, rapid footsteps approached the cell. Qian Ling panted as she rushed to the cell with the guard''s guidance. "How is he? His wounds reopened."


    "I''ve already sanitized his wounds and wrapped the wounds with a clean cloth provided by the guard. The bleeding hadn''t stopped entirely, but most of it did. He suffered a few hits earlier and there are a few bruises on his body. Be careful." Chen Nan updated her on the procedures done on him.


    Closing her eyes, she started taking his pulse and focusing her energy on him. Startled by her discovery, she repeated her actions twice to confirm her diagnosis. ''This idiot!''


    "What are you planning to do? Self-destruct yourself?" Qian Ling spoke low in a warning tone. Only Alexander could hear her words. Revealing a smirk, he said, "It''s the only way." She sighed after understanding his meaning.


    "How is he?" Chen Nan frowned when he saw them whispering secretly in front of him.


    "I''ll treat his wounds first. Help me hold him while I apply herb ointment." Chen Nan nodded and immediately stabilized Alexander in his arms.


    "Chen Nan, let''s have a small chat while she''s dealing with my wounds. It hurts." Alexander purposely distracted his attention, allowing Qian Ling some private time.


    "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"


    "I''m extremely jealous and envious of you because you have something I can never obtain. No matter how hard I try, I can never catch up. Therefore, I really dislike your guts, but I have to admit you''re a good man." Alexander''s eyes closed halfway as he spoke his thoughts.


    "Did you lose too much blood? Or did the attacks earlier fry your brain cells? There''s nothing to be jealous nor envious about being me." Chen Nan couldn''t comprehend what was going on in his mind.


    "Because it has to be you." Alexander felt a warm sensation coming from his back. With a smile, he closed his eyes and thought to himself. ''Because she belongs only to you. Because you''re the only one I approve to stand by her side.''


    As they continued having their small chat, Qian Ling had slowly transferred energy into Alexander''s body without Chen Nan noticing. One of Qian Ling''s capabilities was her ability to heal, but only Alexander knew about it.


    Meanwhile, Ariana was waiting for Qian Ling''s signal to make her move from outside the cell. Earlier, they had quickly formed a plan to help Chen Nan and Alexander escape. As she waited at the top corner of the ceiling by the stairway that leads to the underground cell, she heard a snake''s hiss from behind.


    Cautiously turning around to lower her gaze, she met Shi Kow Wan with his western brown snake in a cage. Tapping the transparent ox in his hand, he demanded, "Did you think your plans would work? Get down or I won''t guarantee your safety. I haven''t trained my pet for a while, and it''s craving for blood."

 Chapter 173 - A Life For A Life

    Climbing down from a distance, Ariana crossed her arms and put up her guard. "So, you''ve known from the start that I was here."


    "Hah, did you guys take me as a blind man? Just because that guy came out with Alexander, it doesn''t mean I believed your tricks. You and Qian Ling came out of the lab shortly after we had left as a group. My guard reported everything back to me." Shi Kow Wan petted his tamed snake as he saw Ariana as a threat.


    "Lowlife. If you are a man, then leave the snake aside. Challenge me one on one." Ariana cursed as she recognized the venomous snake in his cage. If she gets bitten by it, then she would become a burden and easy hostage. Not only that, she and her child''s life will be at risk if she doesn''t receive an antidote for the venom. Knowing Alexander and Chen Nan''s personality, they would definitely obey this old man''s words.


    "Your words aren''t convincing at all. Since it''s like this, I might as well give you a quick one." Lifting the cover to the cage, the snake hissed in alert as it moved in a wavy motion out of its cage. Trained to be a weapon, the snake listened to its owner and approached the intruder in front.


    Slowly backing away from the snake, Ariana was trying to figure out a method to stay unharmed. The snake''s pace is faster than hers, so running away is not the best solution. If she lured the snake downstairs, the guards could catch her and nobody would be able to escape.


    Every time the snake stretches in battle mode, she would quickly avoid it. While she faced danger, the trio were still in the same cell together.


    After his wounds were bandaged, Chen Nan noticed Alexander''s complexion looking significantly better than before. Relieved, he carefully leaned Alexander''s body against his own to let him rest for the time being. While the guards were having their meal, Chen Nan whispered, "Where''s Ariana?"


    "She''s waiting for my signal to go on with my plan. If everything goes within our plans..."


    "Ahhh!!!" Ariana''s sharp scream alarmed the three in the cell. Their heads shifted towards the direction of the staircase.


    "Oh no, she might have encountered trouble. I''ll go to her now. You two can''t get out of here yet." Qian Ling ran towards the stairs. Watching her figure step up a step, Chen Nan and Alexander caught something out of order. They saw her retract the original step and slowly backed up as if someone was blocking her path.


    Two guards strode down the steps while carrying Ariana between them. Shi Kow Wan followed from behind as he held his snake and its cage.


    "Ariana!" Chen Nan shouted as he supported Alexander up. Seeing the snake in Shi Kow Wan''s cage and Ariana''s pained expression, they were certain she had been bitten. Shi Kow Wan relaxingly took a seat and crossed his legs.


    "It''s been a while since we''ve had a party. What do you guys think of this gift I brought over?" He shot a glance at them. Qian Ling''s sight laid on the rebellious, hissing snake in the cage as she recognized the species.


    Qian Ling had long determined to protect Ariana at all costs. Therefore, they only needed to focus on saving Ariana and escaping right now.


    "What do you want from us?" Qian Ling opened her mouth as she hated being threatened.


    "Easy. Complete the project, and I''ll consider letting you all go. If not, my snake will get a new chew toy after she dies. Probably two more after she turns to bones."


    "Don''t mind me! Leave on your own. Don''t let this bastard get his way." Ariana panted as her body started feeling the venom effects.


    "Let''s see if you want to reconsider your decisions." Taking out her phone, Qian Ling played a video in front of him. In the video, it showed the boney old man tied up in a dark place that didn''t look like any rooms in the underground tunnel.


    "You! You dare threaten me?" Shi Kow Wan smashed his fists to the table, causing cups to scatter against the ground.


    "I''m only giving you a taste of your own medicine. Release Ariana and I''ll let the boney man go. If not, then he will meet hell sooner than he would expect. All I need to do is click a button." Qian Ling glared as she shoved the screen to his face.


    "Did you think you guys would be able to get out of here unhurt after this?"


    "And did you think you could stop us from leaving?" Qian Ling emitted a fearless aura as her eyes revealed her confidence in making him surrender to the threat.


    After minutes of hesitation, Shi Kow Wan resentfully released Ariana. Catching Ariana in her arms, Qian Ling laid her down in the cell while Chen Nan and Alexander guarded the entrance. Taking out her medical kit, she took bandages, alcohol and needles for show. As her back faced Shi Kow Wan and his guards'' direction, Qian Ling used her healing abilities to suck out the venom from her.


    Reversing the flow of the venom in Ariana''s body into the needle, Qian Ling pushed her limits to the max. Even though she could heal people, it would exert her body and drain away her energy. Since her energy had reached its limit, she made a risky move and transferred the small amount of venom left in Ariana''s body to her own.


    The amount of energy she has was sufficient enough to get rid of the venom, but not transfer it to the needle. If any bits of venom remain in Ariana''s body, it may harm the child''s life. With her current healing ability, she can''t use the needle transfer method anymore. If she did, then there''s a chance the venom would flow through Ariana''s bloodstream faster. Therefore, she decided to use her own body as she could slowly heal herself.


    "She should be fine now." Qian Ling wrapped Ariana''s leg and wiped off the layer of sweat on her forehead. Securing the needle in the hidden pocket of her sleeves, she massaged the acupuncture point for consciousness on Ariana''s body.


    Narrowing his eyes, Shi Kow Wan saw Ariana''s complexion getting better each minute that passes. "When are you going to release him?"


    Qian Ling supported Ariana''s body and gestured Chen Nan to bring Alexander up first. Since she knew how disgusting Shi Kow Wan is when it comes to playing tricks, she cannot risk anyone else getting harmed.


    "I''ll let him go once we reach safety. If you play any games, then forget wanting to see him alive." Since Ariana had gained consciousness, it was easier to help her up the stairs. Slowly they made their way down the hallways with Shi Kow Wan and his guards following from behind.


    CHAPTER ENDS HERE! AFTER THIS ARE TWO SYNOPSES (Let me know in the comments whether you would be interested in the following.)


    1. I like your smile, but love it when it''s for me (Might change to a diff title since it''s kind of long. Would the title: Timeless Love, be better than the long one? )


    A promised eternity and meaningful vows linked Eros, the Greek god of love and Psyche, a mortal to lifetimes of relationships. Two drips of blood stained one rock as the proof of their devotion for each other. Before Eros could kiss his bride, she collapsed to deep slumber in his arms. The first and last kiss he ever laid on her forehead was a heart wrenching one that moved clouds to tears, stopped birds from singing and darkened the sky.


    At the peak of his heart ache, he glared at his mother, Aphrodite, resentfully for her lies, schemes and jealousy.


    "The moment you decided to hurt Psyche, you should have expected losing me as your son." Eros eyes laid on his wife whose body withered to ashes and flowed to the underworld.


    "Let her live, and I''ll be her replacement." Once again, he watched her soul reach safety to the Oracle''s hands.


    Aphrodite stripped away his power and threw him to the dungeon of suffering and torment, expecting him to give up his stubbornness after a few days. His love for her only deepened, and the desire for power heightened. Eventually, he became the Devil.


    Oracle: "Her soul has been sent to the reincarnation portal, but I can''t say when it would be her turn."


    "I''ll wait for that day to come." Eros sipped his wine in his chamber as he stayed away from heavens.


    Thousands of years later.....


    "Master! Master! The human world is very exciting! There are books about Master''s love story there too! I wonder how humans learn about these stories." The teenage crow demon, Sean, flapped his wings excitedly as he chanted about his findings.


    "Oh? Then bring me that book as souvenir next time." Eros chuckled at his underling.


    -------------------


    Sean disguised himself as a teenager and wandered around in a bookstore.


    "Tsss.. paper cut!" The girl with thick makeup accidentally cuts her finger when she flipped to the last page of the Greek mythology tales'' book at the counter.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Yes, but the book..."


    "It''s fine. I''ll still take it." Sean said as he didn''t mind the drip of blood that stained the words, happy ending, on the last page of the book.


    ---------------


    The book burned to flames and was tossed to the floor for demons to make a bonfire. "Ridiculous! Happy ending? Don''t let me see that ever again!" Eros'' rare anger filled voice echoed piercingly in other demon''s ears.


    Sean: "Master! Look!"


    Eros'' attention landed on the pile of ashes on the floor. With widened eyes, he approached the pile of ashes and picked up the unburned piece. "Happy ending.."


    Oracle: "Eros, she''s back."


    --------------


    - A certain high school -


    "Ugly trash! Leave!" Classmate voices echoed in the girl''s ear. She found her gymnastic sneakers filled with pin tacks, gym uniform soaked in pungent scented liquid and scribbled curses all over her desk.


    Facing the insults five days a week, she had gotten used to it. Still, it hurt to see people judging by her appearance. As tears clouded over her face, the mixture of cosmetics melted.


    "Here, wipe your tears. Don''t let their words get to you." The popular classmate smiled and handed her a pack of tissues, instantly winning her heart as nobody had shown her an inch of respect in school.


    Rinsing her cosmetic filled face at home, the water dyed grey along with other muddy colors. "I found you, my prince."


    Too bad, the prince was just a jerk who wanted to gain popularity. Luckily, she realized it early.


    ------------------


    One night, she saved a kitten from getting run over by a car. The driver stepped out and asked if she was alright. Seeing how the man was wrapped up from head to toe, she handed the kitten to him. "I''m fine. Here, take the kitten to the hospital."


    "Miss, I think you need the hospital more than the kitten." His voice sounded magnetic to her ears.


    "I''m really fine. Bye." Her gorgeous smile greeted the man warmly.


    "Interesting. She didn''t scam me." Eros stared at the direction where she had run away.


    -------------


    SECOND SYNOPSIS


    2. Just to Meet You


    "If you don''t believe me, then follow the family rules." Her eyes closed as she faced her fianc¨¦''s accusations and distrust. She inwardly convinced herself. ''This is the last time I''m giving my heart to you, Peter. If you choose her, then we are over.''


    With a blade in his hand, he charged forward. He watched as the sharp tip of the weapon meets her soft, porcelain chest. Shocked by her unmoving body, he pulled the blade away from the broken skin. Her white top was dyed scarlet while the blade had already dropped to the floor, making a "clang" sound.


    "Why didn''t you dodge?!" Peter Sin attempted few steps forward to apply pressure on her wound. It hurt, but she held in her cries. Blood squirted to his sleeve and shirt when he forced the blade out of her wound. Holding the bloody mess near her heart, a broken smile cracked on her face as she retreated away from the man in front of her.


    "At the end, you still chose her words over mine. You''ve never believed in me, but it doesn''t matter anymore. Let''s break up. Even if we pass by each other in the future, we''ll be nothing but strangers."


    He tried approaching her again, but failed as she strode backwards in larger steps than before. "Mister Sin, goodbye."


    "Selina!" He screamed, but held back from chasing after her lonesome figure. His heart was a mess as he fell onto the ground and stared at the blood stain on his clothes.


    __________________


    Selina Gu drove straight home where she had prepared herself to announce her failed engagement to her mother, Katrina Gu. Pressing her wound, she slowly leaned against the wall to bring herself to the living room where her mom''s voice echoed loudly.


    Selina: "So, all my life..I''ve been nothing but a chess piece. Are you done with your game?"


    Katrina: "...Daughter."


    Selina: "Daughter? Do you know how many years and efforts I''ve wanted to hear you call me daughter? But all this is fake. Just an act. I''ve always convinced myself I''m the one who could do better because I wanted to hear a compliment from you. But you? You''ve forced me to the edge and suffocated me!"


    _____________________


    Katrina: "It''s mother''s fault! Don''t jump. I''m begging you!"


    Bryan (Selina''s brother): "Did you get bullied? Brother will protect you. Please, come back down! It''s dangerous to stand at the edge! You don''t know how to swim!"


    "I don''t want to play this game anymore. I''m tired of my life. Didn''t you want revenge? I''ll complete it for you. Sorry, brother." Selina fell forward with her eyes closed. She didn''t struggle as she desired to forget everything.


    ___________________


    Assistant: "Mister Hui, after multiple investigations, we have confirmed that the girl you have been searching for is Selina Gu."


    _________________


    Awakening from her coma after a few months later, Selina woke up hearing a familiar voice by her side. Although she couldn''t recognize him, her instincts told her he wasn''t going to harm her.


    "Selina! You''re awake!" Jason Hui tossed his laptop to the table, ditching the video meeting he was in and hugged her.


    "Does it hurt anywhere? Are you thirsty? Hungry? I''ll go get a doctor!" He spat out countless questions, confusing her greatly.


    ________________


    Jason held her hands, "It''s okay if you don''t remember me. As long as I remember our promise, that''s all it matters. I won''t let anyone hurt you anymore."


    _________________


    "Jason Hui!"


    "Wife, if you''re not happy about something you just have to say it. No need to shout. You''ll get a sore throat."


    Selina pointed to the rubber band on the counter, "I forgot to tie my hair, but my hands are dirty from marinating meat. Do you know how to tie girl''s hair?"


    A minute later, a messy ponytail was created and Selina looked at him with a speechless expression. Noting to himself on his calendar, he typed, "Learn how to do wife''s hair."

 Chapter 174 - Only Two Of You

Originally, Qian Ling wanted to bring them to her room where she could use the same route she had shown Ariana last time. Unfortunately, with the crowd chasing after them, it would be impossible for them to escape without getting caught. At the same time, she had to consider Ariana''s condition.

 Chapter 175 - Three Pills

"No! If we''re going to leave, then we are leaving together. Alexander still needs to attend his wounds, and we need to bring you to treat our friend. We need to make it out of here alive!" Chen Nan refused as he looked back at Qian Ling.

 Chapter 176 - Alexanders Background

Tightening their fists, they prepared their courage to step out. Before they made their move, they had heard someone else''s voice from the hall and halted their steps. Listening carefully, they realized it was just a guard reporting back to Shi Kow Wan.

 Chapter 177 - Alexanders Avenge

"Where are they?!" Shi Kow Wan screamed on top of his lungs as he only found Alexander. His gut feeling instinctively sensed that the others were no longer within range.

 Chapter 178 - Awake

Minutes after hearing nothing from Alexander''s side, Qian Ling made her way out of the other end of the route. Before leaving, she whispered to Alexander. "Don''t worry, I won''t let her know. I''ll make sure her smile continues. It''s time for you to rest."

 Chapter 179 - Baby Came Early

"Susu, are you tired? Do you want to sit?" Chen Mu held her hand as they walked through the garden behind the hospital. Susu inhaled a deep breath of fresh air as a gentle breeze caressed her ponytail. She nodded and smiled at him as they made their way to an empty bench.

 Chapter 180 - Everlasting Rose

The news of Ariana''s safe delivery spread like hot potatoes as pictures of the newborn was quickly shared to the group chat. Everyone reacted positively and joyfully to the new member of the family. Ariana looked drained and aged after giving birth to Alexia.

 Chapter 181 - Ill Wait

"We''ve come a long way. I''ve long decided on proposing to you. I love you more than I can ever imagine. Yin, Susu..Will you marry me?" Chen Mu asked after revising his line a bit. Seeing the girl''s surprised expression, he nervously waited for her response.

 Chapter 182 - Let Me Rest On Your Shoulder

Nth months passed...

 Chapter 183 - Starting Treatment

    Currently, everyone sat around the circular conference table with a solemn expression. Their eyes aimed towards one person; Qian Ling. While everyone was scratching their thighs in anticipation to Qian Ling''s story, she was taking her sweet time tasting tea.


    Finally, Ariana couldn''t take the silence in the room. "Auntie Qian Ling, what happened during the past year? We tried looking for you, but couldn''t."


    Qian Ling smiled as she placed the cup of tea down. "You couldn''t have found me because I was purposely hiding from everyone. My body needed time to recuperate from the injuries and venom in my blood. To avoid enemies from finding me, I could only hide."


    Before Qian Ling had step foot into the hospital, she swore she wouldn''t talk about anything that wasn''t asked. The main reason for this is that she wanted to avoid talking about Alexander.


    Grandpa Xia nodded since it made sense for her to hide from those bastards out there. "I heard from Zhi Hei about your successful revenge plan against the Shi family members. Now, your daughter is in charge of Shi Corps. Congratulations."


    Raising the corners of her lips, she replied, "Thank you. I finally avenged and returned the sufferings I''ve had for all these years to them. I''m glad Shi Xue didn''t end up like any of them."


    Zi Yan could care less about the details. All she wanted to know was Susu''s condition and when she could start treatment. As she opened her mouth to ask this question, Qian Ling answered.


    "Susu''s condition is good, so I will start treatment soon. When I give her treatment, I need to be alone with her in the room. The treatment''s duration would be approximately half a year. During this time period, her immune system will function like a newborn''s body. Meaning, she could get sick much easier than before."


    "The weather is becoming colder. It''s ideal for her to stay in a room where heat is turned on daily. She will also need to consume more vegetables and fruits to replenish necessary vitamins. Her meals will be based on the meal plans I write for her. After treatments, she would need sufficient rest. There may be side effects and her appetite would worsen."


    "As her family and friends, please endure her random mood swings and emotional moments. This is a normal part of the process and sometimes, she might be too tired to even talk. Allow her to take the rest when she needs it. Try accommodating to her needs since her body would be going through hormonal changes and immense pain."


    Qian Ling described the stages of her treatment. Nobody would be able to understand Susu''s pain because they aren''t the ones accepting treatment. Even though she could make her get a full recovery, the pain from this treatment would be unbearable.


    The way she had described it made it sound like eighteen levels of hell. Her words made everyone around the room gulp and worried for Susu. "Are there any ways to reduce the pain? Like painkillers?" Zi Yan couldn''t imagine seeing her daughter go through the pain. Even if it''s a little, she would like to find a way to lessen the pain.


    Qian Ling shook her head in response. "The drug injected to her body plus cancerous cells had made the situation complex enough. I''m performing treatment on her to get rid of both of these at once. It is extremely painful, but she needs to endure it. Even if she groans in pain, painkillers are not allowed at all times."


    Sighing, Qian Ling begins explaining another major change to her body. "Since this treatment is equivalent to renewing her body, she would lose her current psychic abilities. The power in her body will be drained. That is also one of the reasons why this treatment would cause such pain. I will give you guys a list of herbs that must be gathered for her baths."


    "The herbs used will strengthen her poor immune system during the treatments. Right, she must stay in a room where there is a bathtub she could use. The herbs collected must be up to a year''s amount. You can gather more than a year''s amount, but definitely not less. Understand?"


    Her instructions were clear and precise. The strictness in her tone showed no rooms for negotiation. If the herbs are not gathered completely, the treatment will not begin. Therefore, once the list of herbs was passed out to them, everyone started looking for it.


    Ariana found an opportunity to ask about Alexander''s whereabout. When she asked, Qian Ling replied, "We''ll talk after Susu recovers. She''s the most important at the moment."


    During the following month, Susu had to drink bitter tea after every meal. Qian Ling would drop by and check on her condition to make sure her body was improving. Finally, the day of the first treatment came.


    Everyone sat outside the private VIP room while waiting for the treatment to complete. The first session took three hours. When Qian Ling walked out of the room, her face was slightly pale. After taking some rest, she instructed Zi Yan, Lily and Ariana to fill the bathtub with boiled water.


    Herbs were then scattered into the water. After the water changed to a light green color, they helped Susu remove her clothes and placed her in the bath. The water would be cooled down enough to not burn her skin when she bathes in it. Qian Ling stayed in the bathroom and continuously checked on her pulse during the bath session. Around half an hour passed when Ariana, Lily and Zi Yan were told to help Susu out of the bath.


    When they entered, the earthy herb fragrance had been replaced by a weird smell. With one look at the tub of water, the herbs had turned slightly muddy. Fortunately, none of the thickened content were stuck to Susu''s body. After wiping her body, they carried her weakened body to bed.


    Susu was too fatigue to say a word after the first session. The moment she reached the bed, she fell asleep. Even during her bath, her eyes had remained close. When she woke up, dizziness hit her badly that she ended up sniffling. Her body had no energy to even lift a finger.


    There were times where Chen Mu asked yes or no questions and she couldn''t answer. According to the planned meals, everything was in liquid form for her to consume. Chen Mu would support her with his body while someone else would slowly feed her the meal.


    It was difficult for her to eat at first because of severe nausea. Even when that happened, she still had to finish her meals. If she didn''t, Qian Ling would take over to eventually make her finish the food. The cycle repeated for the following months.

 Chapter 184 - Half a Year Longer

    Six months passed by quickly, but Susu could not be discharged from the hospital yet. According to Qian Ling''s diagnosis, Susu''s body was inconsistent with absorbing the herbs. Many times, after drinking herb tea and taking the baths, Susu would end up vomiting the content out. There were times where the toxins from her body wouldn''t seep out through her pores.


    To ensure a successful recovery, Qian Ling decided to extend her treatment for another few months. If anything, the treatment may go beyond a year''s mark. It''s already been half a year since they''ve begun the herb treatment.


    Being an experienced healer, it was rare for her calculations to be wrong. In some extent, Qian Ling started feeling unease at Susu''s condition. There is a chance that her body was starting to reject this type of treatment. Therefore, she must observe her improvements for the following month. If no changes or slowed improvements are noticed, then she will have to change the methods.


    Qian Ling walked back into the room after speaking to Grandpa Xia and Zi Yan about Susu''s recovery progress. She also contacted them to ask them for additional supplies of herbs. When she entered the room, she saw Susu sitting on a chair facing the window.


    Her voice sounded weak in contrast to the vibrant nature outside the hospital. The sky was clear and blue; perfect for a picnic at the park. Birds chased after each other and flew between trees to look for nest destinations.


    From where she was standing, Qian Ling could see Susu''s straight hair reaching waist length. It''s been a while since she had a haircut, yet no complaints came out of her mouth about the bothersome split ends. Sitting next to her was Chen Mu, who held a pair of scissors in one hand and strands of hair in the other. He was looking for split ends to trim away.


    Perhaps they''ve been sitting by the window for too long, he reached out to touch her hands. "Your hands are cold."


    "I don''t feel cold." Like an awakening kitten''s soft yawn, her low volume voice didn''t sound convincing. He stood up and removed his cardigan before wrapping it around her.


    "I''m feeling a bit warm, but don''t want the cardigan to lose its warmth. Help me keep it warm." His excuse was obviously another way of coaxing her to wear an extra layer. She didn''t respond, but let the cardigan sit on her shoulders as he continued sitting by her side.


    "The flowers are pretty." Her body leaned into his embrace as he adjusted his sitting position.


    "Mm. When you get better, I''ll bring you to all the gardens you want."


    Qian Ling silently stood by the wall as she watched the couple''s interactions. She too hopes for Susu to get better quicker. ''I need to figure out another method to release the toxins or else the delay will affect her body badly.''


    Snapping out of her thoughts, Qian Ling broke the silence in the room. "It''s time for me to take your pulse." She said as she strolled across the room and bent down to observe Susu''s complexion. Although her face showed barely any shades of color besides the pastel pink on her lips, she looked better compared to other days.


    Folding up Susu''s sleeve, she began taking her pulse. After taking her pulse three times, she fixed Susu''s sleeve and said, "Your condition is the same as before. Susu, we might need to make some changes to your treatment. The treatment process will also need to extend."


    "How much longer?" She asked as her eyelids became heavier; slowly closing.


    "I''ll say another half a year for now. We''ll have to see how your body reacts to the rest of the treatment." Seeing the girl''s worn out expression, Qian Ling''s tone became gentler. As if her voice would disturb her rest, Qian Ling looked at Chen Mu and nodded. Susu had fallen asleep.


    She reached out to help balance Susu''s body while Chen Mu got up to carry her in his arms. After moving the blanket and lowering the bed''s height, he carefully tucked her in bed. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he gave Susu a quick peck on the forehead before leaving with Qian Ling.


    Outside the room, Qian Ling straightforwardly stated, "The treatment''s effectiveness is slowing down. I''m continuing the same routine for the rest of the week to see the results. If her body doesn''t show signs of improvement, I will have to take further measures to cure her."


    "Will she receive more pain than she already does if you change the treatment method?" From the past months, he has seen how much she suffered from the treatment''s side effects.


    "The pain won''t increase, but won''t reduce either. I need to get rid of the toxins in her body quickly. In an hour, we need to give her another herb bath. I''ll get the water ready. You can help me watch her for the time being." Qian Ling patted his shoulder as comfort.


    Even though she was the patient and also the one suffering; it takes a lot of courage to stay by the patient''s side during these moments. Many family members would stress out and breakdown in many cases like this one. Chen Mu turned out having the most patience when caring for her.


    He didn''t rush her when she ate and used his body to make her feel more comfortable when taking medicine. When she threw tantrums or cried, he would coax and calm her down. During her bad days, he would stay until she had fallen asleep to accompany her. Never had he ever spoke a single complaint or rant.


    Instead, he apologized on her behalf when nurses get pissed off or offended. He would tell others she didn''t mean any of the words she had said. It was all from the pain she was dealing with. No matter what she said to him, he wouldn''t leave her alone. This was something everyone saw using their eyes and heard with their ears.


    Qian Ling whispered, "You love her a lot."


    He replied with a smile, "She''s my life."


    "I''ll definitely save her." She said before walking down the hallway.

 Chapter 185 - Only His Touch

    After another week of observation, a new symptom arose from Susu''s condition. For some odd reason, after her herb baths started losing its effectiveness, Susu''s skin became incredibly sensitive. Other than Qian Ling, everyone else who had helped wipe her body could not touch her without leaving burn marks on her body.


    Whenever someone comes in contact with her bare skin, she would groan in pain. At first, Qian Ling thought it was the effects of the herbs that made her skin sensitive to touch. Later, she realized that it only applied to certain people''s touches.


    This afternoon, Qian Ling took her pulse as always. Again, there were no improvements. Chen Mu adjusted her leaning position against his chest while Qian Ling fed her the bowl of herb medicine. A spoonful of medicine went down the wrong pipe as she swallowed, making her choke painfully.


    Chen Mu quickly patted her back, but this action confirmed Qian Ling''s suspicion. Susu continued drinking the medicine until it was all gone from the bowl. She whispered, "I''m cold."


    "Cold?" Chen Mu pulled the blanket over her shoulders and started rubbed her arms to warm her up. With his body hugging her from behind, she should feel slightly better than before. As he repeatedly rubbed her arms, Qian Ling made a suggestion.


    "Rub her hands too."


    Chen Mu nodded as his chin rested on her bare neck while he brought their hands to his lips. As he rubbed the back of her hands together, he huffed soft breaths to increase her blood circulation. "Are you feeling better?"


    "Mm.. warmer now." Listening to her drained voice, his heart softened.


    He whispered, "Good. I''ll hug you until you fall asleep, so you''ll continue feeling warm."


    It didn''t take long before she fell into slumber. Qian Ling closed the windows in the room and waited her him to tuck her into bed. Gesturing with her finger, she signaled for him to follow her out.


    After that, she leads him to the next room where everyone was already sitting. She had previously messaged everyone for a quick meeting today. She needed to announce some changes to her original treatment plan.


    Qian Ling jumped straight to the topic. "I''ve confirmed that the herb treatment has stopped working on Susu. I also came up with a new treatment plan. I need everyone''s cooperation this time, and nobody can object to it. Understand?"


    Looking around the room for everyone''s acceptance, she continued. "When the herb bath began to lose its effectiveness, I''ve noticed minor changes to her body. Zi Yan, Ariana and Lily are familiar with what I''m about to say. When you touch her body, she ends up groaning in pain. Her body also showed marks."


    The trio nodded their heads as they recalled seeing the irritation on Susu''s skin.


    "The only person in this room who could touch Susu''s body without irritating her skin is Chen Mu. The new treatment plan I''ve came up with will involve him during the baths. Instead of taking an herb bath on a daily basis, I''m going to strengthen the herbs and have her bath in herbs once every three days."


    Chen Mu listened attentively and had no objections to her plans. "What do I have to do?"


    "During the herb baths, she will suffer immense pain. The herbs I am going to use this time are much stronger and will force the toxins out of her body. Your job is to sit in the bath with her and hold her. She might attempt getting out of the tub, so you need to make sure she sits for the two-hour bath."


    "Two hours?" Chen Mu''s eyes widened slightly when he heard the duration of the bath treatment.


    Nodding to his question, she confirmed it once again. "Two hours. She needs to take this bath once every three days because of the strengthened herbs. Don''t worry about your bodies losing moisture. One type of herbs in the bath will maintain your skin condition. So, your bodies won''t wrinkle from a two-hour bath."


    "Okay." Chen Mu immediately agreed.


    Everyone else also silently nodded their heads. Since this is for the sake of saving her life, Zi Yan and Grandpa Xia could only agree to the condition. Qian Ling also reminded, "During the bath treatment, nobody can go in and interrupt. I will be sitting outside the bathroom. Also.."


    She turned towards Chen Mu. "No matter what screams or pleads you hear from her, you can''t soften up. You can''t let her leave the tub or every effort will be wasted. Once she steps in, she can''t get out until two hours later. The bath water should turn a bit muddy. I''ll be instructing you if anything happens."


    "Okay. When can she start the treatment?" Chen Mu asked.


    "Three days. You should go home and pack some necessities. Since you''re the only one who could touch her, you''ll be needed most of the time. Let her rest for the time being while you go home. After finishing the herb medicine just now, she should sleep through the entire night with no problem."


    Once again, everyone nodded to her words. Before everyone went their separate ways, Grandpa Xia had asked, "Will she recover after this?"


    "If the new treatment shows effective signs, then she will be fine."


    "If not?" Zi Yan bit her lips as she questioned the consequences that may follow.


    "Then I''ll come up with a new plan. Healing takes time and everyone is different. Just like how some of us could stand the exotic Durian fruit scent while others would puke. It''s complicated, and I can''t explain why certain treatments are the way it is because it works. I''m also not sure why her body is fine with Chen Mu''s touch, but it works out."


    After saying everything she had in mind, she exited the room and went back to look after Susu. Chen Mu also excused himself to make a trip back to his condo.

 Chapter 186 - Everything Will Be Alright

    "The bath is ready." Qian Ling walked out while wiping her hands on the clean cloth. Susu was told about the new treatment and another wave of pain she needs to endure. Even though she hated it, she knew she had to get through it to get well.


    Leaning onto Chen Mu''s chest, her body relaxed as he carried her to the bathroom. There was a chair prepared for him to assist her. Since her body was weak, he had to help her strip. Holding her naked body in his embrace, he stepped foot in the tub and slowly sat down. The second her body soaked entirely in the tub, she whimpered in pain.


    Her legs bent and straightened rapidly in the bath as if she was drowning. Hugging her close to his chest, his strong arms kept her from climbing out of the tub. He closed his eyes as water splattered to their faces. Although he didn''t feel a pinch of pain like she did, his heart felt it from her screams. All he could do was whisper to her ears that the pain would go away once the toxins are released.


    Of course, this was only his way of interpreting it. Her sniffles and clenched fists were tough to ignore. If he had the choice, he would rather suffer in her place. Even if he wanted to release his grip around her and let her go, he knew he couldn''t. This was the most difficult task in his life.


    Her struggles reduced in strength as her body weakened from struggling so much. An hour into the bath, she asked, "Can you talk about something to distract me from this?"


    "Okay. How about I tell you a story about a five-year-old girl and six-year-old boy''s first encounter?" His eyed reddened as lips quivered slightly. With his arms around her body, he began telling her the story of when they first met.


    He wanted to tell her this since long ago, but never had the right opportunity to do so. Now was probably not the best time, but he didn''t want to wait any longer. "Once, there was a six-year-old boy named C and his friend was named T. Like every other day, C went over to T''s house to play with him. As they were having fun running around in his garden, T overheard his parents talking."


    "Apparently, T''s family had invited T''s fianc¨¦e over to play. Both sides of the family would be present as well. After hearing about this, T asked C to do him a favor and switch identities with him. Although C refused at first, he ended up agreeing."


    Susu asked, "But don''t they look different? T''s parents would find out, wouldn''t they?"


    Chen Mu chuckled and shook his head, " T and C looked very alike when they were young. Sometimes, people actually mistaken one for the other. Plus, T''s parents had to leave for something important at the end, so they never found out about the swap incident."


    Susu leaned onto his chest, "oh.."


    "Anyways, T and C changed clothes. After that, T snuck out of the house to play with his friends while C met his fianc¨¦e for him. At first, C wanted to ignore the little girl, but she was too adorable. This girl was sensitive to others'' emotions. She could tell that C didn''t want to interact much. Still, she initiated conversations with him."


    "By the end of the day, C and T''s fianc¨¦e became friends. She had been innocent and didn''t understand that she had proposed to C before she left. She took out the ring around her neck and pointed to the matching one on C''s neck. That necklace belonged to T, but she didn''t know."


    Susu''s droopy eyelids suddenly opened lifted slightly when she heard about the necklace. "What color were their rings?"


    "Both silvers, but hers had a reddish tone while his was blue. Shhh, let me continue." His cheeks leaned against her temple as he resumed.


    "The little girl told the boy that when they grow up, they will become a family. She even made the boy promise her to wait until she grows up to be a good wife for him. This girl''s words were like a spell in C''s mind. Since that day, C had never stopped thinking about her and the promise he has made even though she mistook him for the wrong person."


    His eyes swelled and voice stuttered, "C also kept the ring from many years ago. It was a ring that T never cared about and wanted to toss away. Many years later, the girl grew up into being a fine lady. She chased after T and ended up getting hurt over and over. Meanwhile, C would do many things behind her back for her, but she didn''t know."


    "You.." Susu pressed her lips together as her eyes started to sting. This time, it wasn''t tears from the pain she received from the herb bath. It was a realization that Chen Mu has been the one for her since the start. After running through circles from all these years, it''s always been him.


    As he continued telling her the story, flashbacks came to her mind. Why was she so silly back then? ''For all these years, it''s been him looking after me. When I was at my lowest, he made me laugh. When I was tired, he was always there to carry me physically and emotionally. He did so many things, yet I never knew...I didn''t know even after we started dating. I only knew how great he treated me, but none about the past.''


    At the end of his story, he whispered, "Right now, C is holding the girl he always dreamt about since childhood. So, you silly girl. You must stay strong. I''ll be with you to face this pain. I''ll do anything for you. You can bite, pinch, punch and do whatever you want to me as long as you don''t give up. We''ve walked a long way, and I''ve finally got you in my arms. I''m very close to holding these hands down the aisle."


    "I''m very close to taking you as my wife. There are many things we haven''t done yet. So, please endure for the time being. I love you so much." Although he was hugging her from behind, she could hear the unsteadiness in his voice. He was afraid of losing her.


    She let out a soft sniffle, "Okay. I won''t ever give up. I''ll get better and take responsibility for my words."


    "You promised." He smiled.


    "Mm. Promise."

 Chapter 187 - Major Recovery

    After taking the herb bath, the content in the tub was no longer similar to its original state. It was gooey like mud and darkened in color. Surprisingly, none of the content stuck to their skin as they exited the tub. Chen Mu quickly dried her body and dressed her up. After getting ready himself, he carried her out of the bathroom.


    When Qian Ling saw Susu, she smiled and entered the bathroom. Checking the thickness of the herb bath, she nodded satisfyingly. "This treatment is working better than I expect it would." While Susu was in the tub for two hours, Lin Que and Chen Nan were brewing her medicine with pins clipped on their noses.


    The herbs had an unpleasant fragrance to it, making them nauseous. If they couldn''t stand smelling it, they could never comprehend how Susu dealt with drinking it. Just a sniff from the medicine and their mouths turned sour. The bitterness color and scent the medicine emitted had sent shivers down their spine.


    "The medicine is ready." Taking the bowl into Susu''s room, Chen Nan handed it to Qian Ling. Smiling, Chen Nan said, "Your complexion looks much better than before."


    Susu smiled back at his comment while Chen Mu helped her to a more comfortable position to take her medicine. The second the medicine slid through her lips; bitterness covered her mouth. She wasn''t prepared for the bitter level and choked accidentally.


    Qian Ling stopped her feeding actions and said, "I changed the herbs for the regular medicine too. It''s strengthened, so it''s more bitter compared to the past bowls you drank."


    Chen Mu soothed Susu''s back until she was ready to drink her medicine again. Chen Nan gulped when he saw how courageous Susu was. She finished the entire bowl within ten minutes. Chen Nan couldn''t help but give her a thumbs up.


    "Are you sleepy?" Chen Mu asked after wiping her lips.


    She shook her head slightly, "No. I want to sit for a bit."


    "Okay. I''ll-" Before he could complete his sentence, Susu''s back left his chest and bent forward. Her body trembled while her hand formed a fist, wrinkling her top. Whimpers escaped her mouth as low groans and tears warmed up her cheeks.


    A tight wave of heat raged up from her stomach, wanting to escape her body. Her chest ached as she failed to force the content out of her body. She felt like she was seasick and the lingering dizziness kept hitting her repeatedly. Her lips parted as her throat felt like it was burnt on fire while attempting to get rid of something her body was allergic to.


    Qian Ling shouted, "Hold onto her! I need to take her pulse." Holding her close to his chest, he heard her whisper, "D..don''t .." Quickly pulling out her wrist, Qian Ling concentrated on her pulse.


    "Get a bucket. Go grab a bucket anywhere and bring it over!" Qian Ling alerted Chen Nan. As soon as he heard her instructions, he ran out to the hallway and came back with an empty bucket. Bending Susu over, Qian Ling started patting her back harshly.


    When patting once didn''t work, she patted with more strength the following times. "Hold onto her while I massage her acupuncture point. Chen Nan, hold onto the bucket until she throws everything up."


    Locating her acupuncture point, Qian Ling pressed onto the spot. After a minute or two, Susu started gagging and throwing up.


    "Keep pressing on this spot." She said to Chen Mu as she took Susu''s pulse once again. After vomiting for five minutes straight, Susu felt much better. Carefully adjusting her position onto Chen Mu''s body, Qian Ling started massaging a different acupuncture point to reduce the pain she was feeling.


    "How are you feeling now?" Qian Ling asked after Susu calmed down. Wetting the corner of a clean cloth, she helped Susu wipe her lips.


    "Better.." Susu replied. Her breathing was back to being consistent.


    "Good. Congratulations, you don''t need to take any more herb baths. You''ve gotten rid of the toxins in your body. All the blood you''ve thrown up just now was the clots in your body. The drug in your system is all out. All you need to do is drink medicine from now on." Qian Ling smiled and patted Susu''s hands.


    "You mean...I''ve recovered?" She asked weakly.


    Nodding, Qian Ling repeated the good news to her with a smile. "We''ve successfully forced the remaining toxins from your system."


    "That''s great! That''s such good news. You''re healthy. All healthy now..." Chen Mu hugged Susu with trembling arms.


    Meanwhile, Chen Nan was still holding the heavy bucket in his hands. His face was pale in comparison to Chen Mu and Qian Ling''s because he saw the bloody liquid Susu had vomited into the bucket. Since the trio seemed to have forgotten about his existence, he stretched his face away from the bucket.


    "C..Can I stop holding this? Or pour it out first?" He looked at Qian Ling with the helpless expression. That was when everyone turned their attention to the dark liquid in the bucket. Qian Ling quickly nodded, "You could leave it aside or dump it out if you could. If not, I''ll do it. If you''re going out, help us spread the good news in the group chat. I have to take her pulse again later to make sure she''s alright."


    Chen Nan almost jumped in excitement when he heard he could get rid of the bucket in his hands. Before his jump could take place, he remembered the liquid in the bucket. "I''m getting rid of this pile first...Congratulations, Susu and Chen Mu!"


    Susu no longer felt drowsy nor pain. The rosiness on her lips and cheeks tinted naturally after a few hours of rest. While she stayed awake, Chen Mu and everyone else accompanied her to keep her busy. Laughter and cries echoed cheerfully in her room.

 Chapter 188 - Handsome! 1

    Staring outside the closed window, Susu huffed a few hot breaths of air against the cold glass. A small smiley face was then drawn on the fogged area using her fingertips.


    "It''s cold by the window. Wear this." A thick cardigan wrapped around her shoulders in the next second followed by strong arms from behind. With his chin resting on her shoulders, he stretched his right arm to feel her right hand. While holding onto her hand, a smile formed on his face.


    "Drawing on the window again? You should give this head a body too you know?" Capturing her finger with his, he slowly added five strokes below the smiley face she traced out. His kindergarten level stick man never fails to impress her every time.


    Giggling, she turned around and circled her arms carefreely on his shoulders. Her round, energetic eyes showed curves as her smile blossomed. "Your drawing needs some lessons. How about I teach you?"


    His arms slid around her waist, minimizing the gap between them. Bumping his forehead against hers, he wiggled their noses against each other. "I''ll listen to teacher Susu''s words. If this student does not have any talent, I''ll need encouragements to do better."


    "Oh? What kind of encouragement?" Hearing his hinting words made her smile widen. Twisting his neck to the left, he let out a "mm" sound while showing off his cheek to her.


    "Huh? I don''t get it." Her playful smile was obviously teasing this big child in her arms. Pursing both lips outwards, he made a goldfish looking face and pointed on his cheek.


    "Oh~ I still don''t get it. Hehe. Perhaps, you would like demonstrating?" Following his movements, she turned her head towards the same direction he did.


    "Sure. Then, teacher Susu must do it well." He whispered into her ears as he gave her a small peck on the cheek.


    "Mm, I did it. Your turn." The moment Susu turned her head back to its original position and tip toed to return the kiss, he captured her lips with his. His fingers combed through her hair, settling on the back of her head.


    Her small complaints were soon busily conquered by his deepened kisses. Smoothly devouring the sweetness between the kisses, both of them let their tongues tangle in each other''s territory. It wasn''t until their lips turned numb did they separate.


    Out of breath, Susu finally found the strength to complain. "Y..You cheated!"


    "Oh? What does teacher Susu mean? How come I don''t understand? Hmmm?" Smiling, he rubbed her rosy cheeks and nuzzled his face in her neck. Pressing her cheeks against his chest, her eyes slowly closed to listen to his fast heartbeats. No matter how times they''ve kissed or will kiss, his heart will always race for her. Such a soothing sound...


    "Ahem." Qian Ling placed the bowl of medicine on the table.


    Peeking her head from the side, she caught Qian Ling''s naughty smile. With flushed cheeks, she greeted her. "Auntie Qian Ling..."


    As if he was already used to her interruptions, Chen Mu turned around. "Auntie Qian Ling, is that for Susu?"


    "It''s time for her to drink medicine. I thought the medicine was too bitter for her, so I purposely bought some sweet candied plums that she could start eating from now on. Seems like my worries could be tossed out the window. How could she taste bitter when someone here gives her all the sugar in the world? Let me just take this...."


    Stretching out for the bag of candied plums, she teased the couple joyfully. It has become a habit for her already. It''s been over a year and a half since Susu had gotten rid of the toxins from her body. Susu could run around with no problem and stay up like she always did in the past. The hospital became this couple''s dating destination.


    "Hahahaha, Auntie Qian Ling sure knows how to joke. The medicine is extremely bitter! Without those candied plums, I would puke. Spare my life please~" Susu pleaded as she walked over to hold Qian Ling''s hand. Swinging her arm to and fro gently, she hugged Qian Ling''s arm and looked at her with innocent eyes.


    "Okay. Okay. I surrender. Sheesh, use those puppy eyes on Chen Mu. Don''t cast spells on this old lady. The candied plums were for you, so take it. Remember, only one candied plum after one bowl of medicine. No more. No less." She spoke strictly as usual and waited for Susu to nod obediently.


    Knock Knock


    Ariana stepped into the room with Chen Nan and Alexia. "Am I interrupting something?" She reached out and gave Susu a tight hug.


    "Nope. I was about to drink my medicine. What''s up?" Susu hugged her back and wondered why she was visiting without telling her first.


    "Oh, I''m here for Auntie Qian Ling. She told me to come with Alexia and my hubby. So, I''m here." Alexia was already three and a half years old. With her small arms patting against Chen Nan''s chest, Alexia said, "I want Auntie Susu..hug."


    Hearing the sweet princess'' request, how could anyone reject? Susu quickly walked a few steps forward and carefully took Alexia in her arms. "Aiyaaa, how is our sweet little Alexia today? Hmm? Is daddy and mommy bringing you out? You are dressed so prettily!" After giving Alexia a few pecks on her cheeks, Susu noticed Chen Mu''s envy gaze.


    She laughed, "Sweetheart, your Uncle Chen Mu looks like he wants your kisses. Do you want Uncle Chen Mu to hold you?"


    "Un.. Un.. Hug! Hehehee" Alexia stretched her tiny arms out as Chen Mu smiled charmingly at her. Once Alexia got close enough to Chen Mu''s face, she gave him a small peck on his cheeks.


    "Awww, why are you this cute? Uncle Chen Mu will buy you lots of presents. What do you want? I''ll buy you every snack you want! Should we go shopping together? Hmm? Maybe a teddy bear?" Chen Mu''s heart was quickly melted by her tiny pecks. His smile acted like a pair of flapping wings that lifted him to the sky.


    "Sorry, Chen Mu. Ariana and I have to bring Alexia somewhere today. We''re here to pick up Auntie Qian Ling. Besides, you''ve bought her too many gifts that her whole room is almost stacked up!" Chen Nan crossed his arms and laughed when he shook his head.


    "Hahaha, Chen Mu does this every time he sees our little girl. I say, if you two like my family''s little darling, then why don''t you two give yourselves a few to keep you busy? Of course, that''s going to be your plan after Susu totally recovers." Ariana teased the couple while stroking Alexia''s head.


    "Hah, I''ll definitely want a daughter!" Chen Mu looked at the princess in his arms and imagined having his own child to play with.


    "What if we have a son?" Susu held Alexia''s tiny hands and played with her fingers.


    "Hahah, son is also good. As long as it''s with you, any gender is fine with me." After a while of chatting, Qian Ling left Ariana and her family without telling them where she was driving them. Even though the weather is still chilly outside, Spring was already here.


    From the hospital to the destination, it took almost two hours.


    "We''re here."


    After getting out of the car, Ariana looked at their surrounding and frowned slightly. "Why did you bring us to a meadow?"


    "Follow me."


    After walking a short distance, they reached a small restaurant. It looked like it was a family owned business. Still, Ariana didn''t have any clues for why Qian Ling would bring them there. On the outside, the restaurant looked like it was decently renovated. When they walked in, many seats were filled except for one reserved table.


    The owner of the restaurant recognized Qian Ling right away and approached them as soon as the four of them took their seats at the reserved spot.


    "You''re here." The owner said as he greeted them.

 Chapter 189 - Handsome! 2

    Hearing the familiar voice coming from the opposite side, Ariana and Chen Nan raised their heads. Their eyes widened as they saw Alexander standing in front of them with a smile on his face. Before the couple could reach out to ask him some questions, Qian Ling interrupted.


    "We''ll start with three glasses of lemon water. Bring us a small cup and a baby high chair. Thanks." She said as she took a look at the menu.


    "Sure. Thank you for stopping by on our grand opening day. I appreciate it." Alexander walked away as if he hadn''t seen the couple sitting by Qian Ling''s side. On his way to the back of the restaurant, he informed his partner about Qian Ling''s arrival and order.


    "Auntie Qian Ling, that was Alexander! But why did he act like he didn''t know us?" Ariana asked as her eyes concentrated at the back of the restaurant.


    Qian Ling skimmed through the menu. "I''m only telling you my part of the story and nothing about what Alexander wouldn''t want you guys to know about. After separating from you guys at the underground tunnel, we overheard about his family background. He defeated the boney man and Shi Kow Wan after a while of fighting. When I got out of the hiding spot, I wanted to bury his corpse."


    "It was fortunate that I decided to go back in there for him because he was still breathing. With my strength, I could only get him back to the lab. That was when I realized saving him was possible. Anyways, during the year and a half that I was gone, I spent half of that time to help him recuperate."


    "Maybe this was the best ending for him because he lost all memories from the past. Instead of bringing him to you guys, I''d rather him start his life anew. His life right now is much simpler with no recollection of his slaughtered family and unrequited love. I''m sure you guys understand what I''m saying, and it''s no surprise to hear these words."


    Qian Ling''s last few words were hinted meaningfully. After going through many life and death situations, Ariana already figured out Alexander''s feelings for her. She never addressed it as she didn''t know how to face him. At the same time, she didn''t want to destroy their friendship either.


    Hearing Qian Ling''s confrontation, the couple nodded.


    "There was a room full of money in the underground tunnel, so I took them. I made an account and put all the money inside of it under Alexander''s name. After he had woken up, I took care of him until he was fully recovered. In the past two years and a half, he has been living happily in peace."


    Before she could continue talking, Alexander came out with the high chair she requested. When he placed the chair down, Alexia stretched out her arms and started speaking. "Handsome uncle! Hug, hug!"


    Chuckling at the little girl''s gesture for a hug, Alexander turned to Ariana and Chen Nan for their permission. "May I?"


    "Of course." Ariana smiled.


    Picking Alexia up in his arms, he lifted her up in the air and back down a few times; earning her joyful laughter. "Wahhhh, high. High! I''m a birdie! Handsome uncle, higher!!"


    "Hahaha, little princess, what''s your name?" Alexander held Alexia in his embrace as he played with her.


    "Alexia! I''m three and a half years old!" She counted her small fingers before showing three fingers on one side and four fingers on the other. Since she was almost four years old, she was confused about lifting the number of fingers.


    "Hahaha, how adorable. Uncle''s name is Alexander. Your name takes half of uncle''s name. Tell uncle what you like to eat and uncle will treat you." Alexander smiled tenderly at Alexia as if he was looking at his own child.


    "Ice cream! Cake!" Since someone asked her for her opinion, she wasn''t afraid to let the world know about her favorite desserts!


    "Alexia, eat your proper meal first. Mommy will buy you dessert afterwards. Don''t bother uncle." Ariana was a bit emotional when she saw how attached they were. ''Maybe this is the best for all of us.''


    "She''s no bother. She''s very cute and energetic. Let me know when you guys are ready to order. I''ll treat for dessert." Alexander helped Alexia sit in the high chair before recommending some popular dishes. He made sure to go over the ingredients in case they have any allergies to any of the dishes.


    After jotting down their order, Alexander excused himself to the kitchen. Ariana shot a glance at her daughter, "Alexia, you can''t learn to flirt at such an early age! Just because you see good-looking uncles doesn''t mean you should wave your arms out for hugs. Who did you learn it from? Sheesh."


    Alexia blinked at Ariana innocently as if she didn''t understand a word she had just said. Sighing, Ariana let her off this time. "Forget it. Forget it. But no next time. Anyways, I''m glad he''s healthy and living well."


    Qian Ling smiled, "I''m glad you think this way. Let''s enjoy this meal."


    Around fifteen minutes later, Alexander came back to the table and served various dishes. He left a pair of scissors and table utensils for them to cut smaller pieces for Alexia. After setting the table for them, another lady walked over and circled her arms around Alexander''s arm.


    "Is she the doctor who saved you?" The young lady smiled as she nodded politely at them.


    "Yes, let me introduce you. This is Qian Ling, the person who saved my life and took care of me until I recovered. This is Eliza, my fianc¨¦e."


    "Wow, what a pleasant surprise! Don''t forget to send me the invitation for your wedding!" Qian Ling smiled at the loving couple in front of her.


    Eliza blushed and said, "Of course! I''ve always wanted to meet you. Thank you for saving Alexander. If not, we wouldn''t have been able to meet and get to where we are now."


    "Pretty sister! Pretty sister!" Alexia waved her hands in the air for the grown-ups attention.


    "Hmm? Are you calling me?" Eliza smiled and walked towards her.


    "Yes! Alexia gives flowers to you and handsome uncle!" Taking some flowers from her small bag, she handed it to Eliza. Although the flowers were a little crushed, Eliza smiled sweetly and accepted the gift.


    "Thank you, Alexia. The flowers are lovely." Alexander placed his arm around Eliza and smiled at Alexia.


    "Thank you Alexia. After you finish your food, uncle will bring you some dessert, okay? Ice cream and chocolate cake?"


    When Alexia heard that she had desserts coming up, she quickly held out her hands. "Mommy, food!"


    Seeing the little devil''s behavior made everyone laugh.


    After an hour later, Alexander and Eliza walked the four of them out. Before leaving, Alexia gave the couple small pecks on their faces, making them smile cheerfully.


    "Come again next time. Uncle will treat you to other sweets." Alexander said as he waved at Alexia. The couple watched as the four of them settled in their car before separating from them. As Alexander held onto his fianc¨¦e''s hands, Ariana also turned her head back to take a good look at him.


    She wanted to call out to him, but stopped when she heard the couple''s conversation.


    Eliza: "You look like you like Alexia alot. Since you like daughters so much, how about we have one too?"


    Alexander: "Oh? Just one? I want at least two little Eliza''s running to wake me up in the morning. Maybe a son first to protect his younger sisters."


    Eliza: "Hmm? Then you need to work harder at night."


    Alexander laughed and pulled her closer by her waist, "Then we should start thinking about our wedding plans. I''m making you the most beautiful bride and happiest wife on earth first before thinking of children."


    Smiling, Ariana shook her head and sat back in the car. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 190 - A Promise Ring

    "One.. Two... Three!!!" Shi Xue said loudly as she raised her arms and tossed the bouquet in her hands for the next lucky bride. This was the second time she had tossed the flower bouquet since the first time didn''t count. The first time she threw the bouquet; a baby girl caught it.


    After the bouquet had been back up in the air, every single lady at the wedding fought on top of one another to receive it. As if the goddess of love has played another trick, the bouquet landed in Susu''s hands.


    Staring blankly at the bouquet in her hands, her lips twitched. "Ah, I caught it again.." This time nobody could murmur any objections! Seeing the bride walking towards Susu''s direction, everyone paved a path for Shi Xue.


    Holding Susu''s hands, Shi Xue smiled, "Congratulations! I hope you''ll become the happiest bride when you and your family''s Chen Mu are ready to move on to the next step. I''m glad to see you all healthy and well."


    "Thank you. You look very beautiful today. I hope you and Zhi Hei happiness overflow every day. Also, have lots and lots of little ones hehehehee." Susu gave her a tight hug before sharing a toast with the newlyweds.


    In the middle of the wedding, Chen Mu led Susu away from the crowd where he didn''t need to scream on top of his lungs for her to hear him. He held her hands, looking nervous compared to his usual self. Right when she wanted to ask him if everything was alright, he started speaking.


    "Susu, we''ve known each other since young. Even though I''ve known you through a different identity, I''m still calculating that time when we made our promise to each other. I know what you''ve had on your mind and also understand what you''re worrying about...but...."


    "After going through life and death with you, I realized life was not a guarantee. I''ve watched you chase after Tian Yuo and end up hurting yourself. I''ve cheered you on and cheered you up many times, but I will not do anything behind your back anymore. I will show you with my actions of how much I love and cherish you."


    "Whether it was the me who stayed by your side as a close friend for years or the me, whom you''ve been dating; I''ll always support your decisions. I''ll carry your worries and burdens with you. From the first time we''ve held hands to our many first times, I''ve always treated these moments preciously. From a teenager who went from puppy love to experiencing many times where I''ve almost lost you... I, Chen Mu, do not want to waste another second on holding back."


    Kneeling down on one knee, he confessed, "Susu, I love you. I want to give you an official status as my other half. I originally wanted to say the same old vows, but I figured that''s a bit dull. Instead, I''ve already came up with a check list. Through poverty and wealth, we''ve been through this together. Through sickness and in health, we''ve taken care of one another."


    "The only part of the vow that we haven''t done yet is spend the rest of our lives together. And this part, I will show you using the number of years we have from now till one of us leaves first." Taking out a ring box from his dress pants, he opened it.


    "I understand your concerns about your health, but I can assure you I have no trouble waiting for you to be ready. This ring is a promise ring. Not an engagement nor a wedding ring. This is a promise I''m making to you. Susu, will you accept my promise to care, love and cherish you while I am still capable of doing so?"


    With tears rushing to escape her eyes, she nodded with a few sniffles. Extending her left hand, she let him place the promise ring on her index finger. Wiggling her fingers with the back of her hands facing him, she said, "I''ll be waiting for the engagement and wedding ring."


    "And I''ll be waiting for the day when you could accept the rings with a straight up yes. When that time comes, it''ll be a yes without any hesitation nor burdens." After standing up and stretching his legs, he immediately wrapped his arms around her. He gave her a peck on her forehead with a victorious smile.


    As they walked back to join their friends, Chen Mu extended out his arm. With two fingers raised, it formed a victory sign. The gold smile on their faces already gave away her acceptance. It was an extra special addition to the joyous occasion.


    After going through many ups and downs, the couple finally reached closer to their childhood promise. Another two and a half years later, invitations were delivered to close friends and family. Inside the invitation was a collage of Chen Mu and Susu''s pictures.


    Soon, under the witness of all their loved ones, Susu walked down the aisle with Chen Mu on the other end. Holding each other''s hands and staring affectionately at one another, they exchanged the words: "I do."


    Flashback to their first meeting:


    Susu: " Your ring matches mine. When we grow up, I''ll be your bride!"


    Chen Mu smiled, "Okay."


    Susu: "Let''s pinky swear with the rings on our fingers!"


    Sliding their fingers through the ring, they exchanged promises to grow old together.


    -Present-


    Sliding the same rings they''ve used as a promise from many years ago, they completed their commitment to each other. Since the very beginning to the end, it''s always been him and her.


    Whispering to her ears, he said, "I love you."


    "I love you too." She returned the sweet words before closing the gap between their lips.


    "Ahem, you may kiss the bride." The minister said even though the couple already did the deed under everyone''s witness.


    "Wooooo!!! Keep your smooches for your wedding night!!!" Whistles and cheers added to the celebration for the special occasion.


    --------------------------


    Novel: Just To Meet You has been released!!


    Since this author is still trying to find a book cover for the other novel (Timeless Love), it will be released later on. For now, enjoy the first chapter of Just To Meet You and look forward to this novel''s ending!! XDDD


    It''s come a long way with our sweet couple~ Kind of sad to write the next few chapters...but new couples will come :3


    https://discord.gg/DgQ8DsN


    Come join my discord server if you wish to talk about my novels or drop any random notes to me :)


    Thanks for reading~

 Chapter 191 - First Night is a War!

    A week before Chen Mu and Susu''s wedding took place; the girls catered a bachelorette party for Susu. Instead of having posters of congratulatory messages, Lily, Ariana and Shi Xue made Susu sit down in the middle of her living room.


    "Although we are happy that you can graduate from being single officially... there are some ground rules you must follow! The first rules is...to win your husband on the first night together!" Ariana flipped their first ever newlyweds pamphlet open!


    "Huh?" Susu stared dumbfoundedly while blinking.


    "It means whoever topples the other would be the ruler of the household. You see, the first night will show off who is dominant. So, you must be on the top! It''s a tradition." Shi Xue slid her arm around Susu''s shoulder and winked.


    Lily took out shopping bags and let it dangle on both hands. "Da da da dang~~~ These are our gifts for you~ Of course, we have prepared something else for your wedding present. This is only us showing you our sister power!"


    "Pffft, seriously? The first night and it''s already a war? Then what about the rest of my honeymoon? Bunny paradise? Hawaii seaweed dance? Or a jacuzzi massage?" Susu laughed at her girlfriends for making such silly suggestions.


    Ariana pinched Susu''s nose, "You! You''re going to become his wife. If you don''t show him what you''ve got the first night, you''ll lose out! You gotta tie him to the bed and go commando!"


    "Hahaha, I never knew you are this kinky! But I like that idea. What if I''m the one who ends up tied up? Hmm?" Susu rested her chin on her palm and flipped her hair.


    "Sisters, she''s right. Look at her figure versus her hubby''s strong packs. Yeah, only we could successfully tie our boys to bed. Then, next idea! Dimming lights while wearing a transparent lingerie. Oooof, this will get him excited straight away!" Lily said as she took swung the shopping bags in her hands. Though she isn''t married yet, she has plentiful bedroom experience.


    Each of them took a bag from Lily''s hands and stood up to give Susu a live show. Rolling her fingers into a loose fist, Lily lifted it to her lips and used it as a microphone.


    "Ladies and...ladies~ Let''s welcome our first contestant, Shi Xue! The smoking two piece in her hands are designed to accentuate a woman''s body. Look at the black colored bra top where it''s transparent on the nipples and laced from the back. Most importantly, it looks wild, sexy and could be unclipped from the front!"


    "With the garter belt on the bottom, the crotchless panties are such a tease! No men whether drunk or sober could resist this sweet temptation. Wooooo!!!" Lily clapped as Shi Xue held the pieces using her hands and spun around before tossing the pieces to Susu.


    Lily wiggled her arms and pointed to Ariana''s direction. "Our next contestant is Ariana!!! If the previous one isn''t enough to make your little heart go ba-thump ba-thump, that''s okay! Because this one piece here will fulfill all your wonderous desires. On the first night as newlyweds, which husband could hold back on this?"


    "It may look like any one-piece lingerie out there, but this white laced dreamy looking design will make him drool before he even sleeps. Reaching barely past the crotch area, it comes with a g-string underneath. No matter what size, your toosh is, it could be adjusted. If you join his bath, this piece will stick close to your porcelain skin; hooking his soul to yours."


    Taking over Lily''s spot, Ariana and Shi Xue wildly chanted, "Last but not least!!!!!! Our Lily''s fantastic devilish styled!! This delicate red piece comes with two pieces. The crop top pushes your delicious breasts together. The super mini skirt leaves the crotch area open for exploration~ Oo la la~"


    "This youthful piece makes your fair skin appear more flavorful and tastier. Like cotton candy with fruits on the side. Like strawberry jam spread on bread...You can ride him all night and still find him hard all over!!" Shi Xue completed the second half of the introduction.


    At first, Susu wanted to take a sip of water from her mug, but seeing this scene almost made her choke on the spot. "Y..You guys... are pretty damn serious about this!!! Those are such embarrassing outfits, though."


    Lifting Susu''s chin upwards, Lily smiled. "My dear, choose the first outfit then. It''s cute, smoky and lusciously captivating! Imagine his hands roaming up your smooth thighs to remove your crotchless panties. Imagine the lace itching against your skin as he tastes your peach..."


    Ariana slammed her palm onto the table as she leaned over the small table. "We can teach you some nice moves too. Try it out and see which one you like best. They''re all for you, but we will help you choose the most exotic looking one!"


    Pushing her into her room, the girls stuffed all three lingerie into her arms and waited patiently. When Susu finished dressing herself in the first lingerie, she walked out shyly. "I..I''m ready..."


    Gasp!


    "Susu, you can forget the other two outfits. This one already won. Come here! Look at this! Your curves are so beautifully crafted by this lingerie! Damn, we have some good eyes! You can save the other two for whenever you want to have fun, but this one is definitely the best one!!!" Lily hopped up and dragged Susu to sit on the soft carpet.


    Shi Xue agreed and said, "Now, time for our main course! Demonstration course! Here, I''ll pretend to be Chen Mu and Lily will tell you what to do."


    Lily cleared her throat once again. "First, you come out of the shower with your bath robe. Of course, the lingerie is underneath. Your hair will be dripping wet or slightly curled after you''ve clipped it up for your shower... When you walk out and see him sitting anywhere, rush to his side. Leaning forward, you place your knee between his legs and set your palms on his kneecap. Slowly, slide your palms up his thighs and steal some kisses from his lips."


    "His arms might circle your waist. Naturally, wrap your legs around him and continue showering him kisses to distract him. Once you get to the bed or whatever setting you guys wish to do it in, you flip him around and untie the knot on your robe. Let it fall down your shoulders and lick your lips seductively while straddling him."


    "And then you..." The girls continued giving Susu pointers and Susu didn''t know when she had become brainwashed. She totally forgot this was her bachelorette party and learned some good tricks to tease her hubby-to-be.

 Chapter 192 - Bachelor Party Gathering~ (REPUBLISHED)

    The same night Susu had her bachelorettes party, Chen Mu was celebrating with Zhi Hei, Chen Nan and Lin Que. Although they called it celebration, it was leaning more towards a conference of how to give a good performance during the honeymoon.


    Zhi Hei stared at the scattered papers in front of him with his fingers intertwined. Raising his left brow, he eyed the rest of the group as if he was making a life and death decision with his business. "What''s all this?"


    Staring at him with admiration in their eyes, sparkles could almost be seen floating out of their eyes. Lin Que answered with a solemn expression on his face. "Zhi Hei, you and Chen Nan were the first ones married in our circle. We''ve asked Chen Nan, and he was no help at all. So, only you can help us decide!"


    Pointing to the pile of papers on the table, sex topics appeared on the subject line of each paper. "Which position gives the most pleasure? If you want a daughter, do it in this position. If you want a son, then follow the following positions."


    Shoving the papers away on the table, Zhi Hei flipped everything upside down and poured himself a glass of wine. "None."


    "Why?! These were the most popular online! You have both daughter and son! You must have some tricks up your sleeves." Chen Mu stood up and took the wine bottle out of his hand.


    A chuckle escaped Zhi Hei''s mouth, "My daughter and son are twins. Meaning, my swimmers are strong. It''s genetics. Positions don''t determine anything since I''ve tried many positions and settings already. But if you want excitement, I can tell you where to not do it."


    Chen Mu placed the bottle down and opened a bottle of champagne. "You see. I''ve waited more than five years for this moment. During the five years she received treatment, I didn''t want to take any risks. I ended up being a monk for all these years. I do want a memorable experience with her and not just a regular trip."


    Zhi Hei smiled, "Well, that would explain how important the first night as newlyweds is. Make sure to have the right mood atmosphere. You should be pretty strong down there. Do you plan on having children right after marriage?"


    Chen Mu nodded, "Actually, I''ve talked about this with Susu and she wants to start trying for our first child. This thought has been on our mind, but the timing was never right. Since it''s honeymoon time, we do want to try conceiving."


    Lin Que turned around in his seat, "Really? You two don''t want to have some private time? Besides, you two did go through so much to get together. After having a child, you''ll have less time for each other."


    Chen Nan chuckled, "Lin Que, I had the same thought as you until I saw my daughter for the first time. Even though it took eight to nine months to see her, it was all worth it. The moment I heard my daughter''s first cry and how tiny she was, I finally felt the responsibility of being a father. You''ll understand once you get your own child. It''s hard to describe the amazing feeling."


    Lin Que nodded, "Ah, true. I still want to have everything planned before having a child, though."


    Zhi Hei leaned against his chair, "There''s no preparation. Nobody is ever ready to have a child until the child comes to this world. You''ll be experiencing everything new and watching how this little creature grows. Every step along the way, you''ll literally feel every kind of emotions. At the end of the day, you''ll feel worth it seeing this little life learn with you."


    Chen Mu smiled, "Aye! So deep! This is supposed to be my bachelor party! Not a convincing us to head home to make a child lecture! You''re making me want to make a child tonight hahahaha. Forget the wedding rules of not meeting the bride for a week before our wedding."


    After listening to Zhi Hei''s words, Lin Que started thinking about having children with Lily. Since she suggested having one and it''s not like they couldn''t support the child financially; there was no reason to delay it. Quickly, he sent a text to his parents regarding wedding venue preparations. Everyone bombarded the group chat when they saw his text about getting married!


    Sneaking peeks on the side, Chen Mu wrapped his arm around Lin Que. "Would you like to have a double wedding? Hahahahaha. You work so fast, but I can fulfill your plans easily!"


    Lin Que looked up at him, "I don''t want to die in my parent''s hands. I haven''t even proposed yet for marriage. Do you think those elders would let me off if I head straight for the finish line without proposing? Women can be super scary creatures. Especially when it comes to these...special occasions. They go ..crazy."


    Zhi Hei nodded, "He''s right. I had to come up with a totally fresh proposal idea because my mother-in-law banned most of my ideas. My mother also banned the rest of my other ideas. So, at the end...I literally emptied out my brain cells to come up with the planetarium proposal."


    Chen Mu grinned as he tapped his fingers in consecutive order. "I remember the many nights you kept us awake. You banned everything Shen Qi and I suggested. Geez, anyways! I don''t need pointers in the positions, but any tips to keep an eye on during my honeymoon?"


    After pondering for a while, Zhi Hei broke the silence in the room. "Your wedding present from me and Shi Xue is a whole honeymoon package. At our private island, the course meals and resort are all specially prepared for you. You won''t have to worry about the atmosphere. I''m sure there is plenty of rooms for you two to choose from."


    Lin Que clapped his hands together. "Ah! No matter where you decide to make a move, don''t do anything outside. This is the mosquito and insect season. The sun is so hot it will fry you guys alive."


    Chen Nan rubbed his chin and finally gave his thoughts on tips. "Don''t act too nervously. Let everything flow naturally. If you care too much about things, it might annoy your wife. This is coming from someone whose wife is fierce like a tiger. Don''t tell her I said that."


    As this bachelor party continued, it slowly became a wife and marriage life discussion. There were no balloons nor cheerful laughter. Just a group of...married and almost marrying men...sharing their thoughts on pleasing their other half...

 Chapter 193 - Honeymoon!

    After Chen Mu and Susu''s wedding came to an end, they took their luggage and headed for Zhi Hei''s private jet. After a whole day of walking, talking, crying and doing many other tasks; the couple could finally rest.


    Once the couple entered their private space, Chen Mu made Susu lay down on the bed. Susu blushed when she got pushed down. "What are you doing?" She asked while trying to hold in her smile.


    "Doing what a husband should do to his new wife." His lips covered hers in the next minute before she could ask what he was planning to do. She didn''t want to have their first time in five years on the jet! Too embarrassing!


    The kiss didn''t last as long as she had expected. When their lips parted, their breathing were still as calm as the waves in the ocean. Seeing the way, she was blinking innocently at him; he gave her nose a tiny pinch.


    Sitting up, he helped her remove her sneakers where blisters and irritated redness could be seen. Earlier, he had noticed how she forced herself to walk around in high heels. For someone who doesn''t normally wear heels, it would be extremely painful to adapt to such height. He had tried his best to stay on her weaker balanced side and hug her as they walked around to chat with guests.


    Still, it didn''t help her feet from getting scrapes and irritation. After removing her socks, he could see her rosy tinted toes and small cuts on the back of her feet. Blowing gently on the small injuries, he asked, "Does it hurt?"


    She sat up and looked at her feet. "This? No. Not really. I got used to it."


    "You should have taken a seat if you couldn''t walk anymore. You''re the bride today. I wanted you to be comfortable, not forcing yourself to please other people. Even if those guests are my relatives, I''d rather have you free from pain."


    "But they are still our guests..." She mumbled.


    "And you are my bride; my wife. You''re more important than those manners and rules."


    He frowned at the sight of her broken skin. "Sit still. I''m getting the ointment from my luggage." Adjusting her leg posture on the bed, he rummaged through his clothes and took out the ointment he prepared.


    Taking the medical kit he found in the small cabinet, he took out alcohol pads and cotton swabs. With her legs straightened on his lap, he gently sanitized her wounds first before applying the cream on it. When she flinched and hissed, he would blow onto the area and make the application process much gentler.


    After everything was done, her feet had many Band-Aids to it that she shook her head. "Such a waste of Band-Aids. It''ll recover soon."


    "Who was it that made hissing sounds just now? Do you know how infections come to be? It''s when wounds are carelessly treated and bacteria enters from that small, tiny cut." Chen Mu continued giving her lectures as she laid on the bed with her legs on his lap.


    "We''re on our way to our honeymoon. Are you sure you want to lecture me on that? Hmmm?" She gave him a hinting smile before taking the pillow into her arms.


    He sighed helplessly against his wife''s comeback. "Are your legs tired from walking around all day?"


    "Mmmm.. a little sore. Still okay, though!" After she responded, she felt a pair of warm hands rubbing against her calves. Lifting her head to take a peek, she realized he was massaging her with an obvious smile on his face.


    "Ahhh, so these are the perks of getting married to you~" She laughed softly.


    "Aren''t you glad you made me your husband today?" His fingers purposely teased her ticklish spots and earned satisfying laughs from her.


    "Ahhh! Hahahehehehee. S..S.. Stopp... I.. I surrender! Yes, yes. I''m very happy to have claimed you as my husband. Now, the girls out there will have one less man to worry about. Hhahahahahaa, they couldn''t have you even if they tried." While recovering her breaths from laughing, she blew her hair out of her face. Her arms were occupied with the pillow in her embrace.


    Gently placing his wife''s legs back on the bed, he decided to lean on his elbow as he watched his wife giggle sillily. With his body leaning on the side, he saw her disheveled hair blowing up into the air and falling back down on her face. Still, this silly woman continued giggling without any plans on using her hands to fix her hair.


    Reaching out, his fingers brushed against her apricot cheeks. Strands of her hair were scattered away from her face. The sounds of her giggle faded over time and the room turned quiet. The couple stared at each other for a long time.


    Without speaking a word, they gazed deeply in each other''s eyes. Sometimes, their lips would curve to a small smile and other times wide enough to show their healthy teeth. From the beginning till this moment, the journey had been rough and long. Facing numerous obstacles, they never gave up on one another.


    Gently caressing her cheeks with his thumb, he whispered. "I love you so much, wife."


    "I love you too. Hubby." Her eyes swelled as memories of their many first times floated in her head. They''re finally together as husband and wife.


    From now and until the day of their last breath, they''ll continue holding and loving each other.


    After a few hours later, they arrived at their destination. Upon getting off the jet, the manager of the resort came to pick them up. On their way to the resort, the manager answered many inquiries about the island and brought the couple on a small tour. Since Susu loved being around nature, this island was perfect for her to explore.


    Along the way, she found many interesting and beautiful places she would love to take visit. Every few minutes, she would spot something and point towards it for Chen mu to see. Seeing how much she loved this place; he could finally feel relieved about his worries.


    The manager handed the couple their room keys and lead them to their room.


    "This is your room. I hope you have a wonderful stay. Let me know if you have any requests for room changes or other services you may need." He politely bowed and walked away; leaving the couple to themselves.


    The moment they pulled open the door after scanning the key card, their faces turned red. Covering their lips and secretly stealing glances at one another, they stepped into their honeymoon suite.


    Zhi Hei''s words recited in Chen Mu''s mind, ''all specially prepared for you.''

 Chapter 194 - Honeymoon! 2

    "Uhmm... I could explain." Chen Mu nervously laughed as he looked around the romantic-kinky designed room and caught his wife''s twitching lips.


    "Uh huh. Are you blaming it on Zhi Hei just because this is the Huang family''s private island?" Gathering her hair up to a ponytail, she fanned herself with her hands. Leaving her luggage on the side, she started wandering around the rooms in the honeymoon suite.


    The walls of the suite were mixed pastel pink and creamy white colored. Mirrored ceilings covered the top ceiling and certain walls of different rooms. Several light switches were stuck on the wall for multiple atmosphere settings. As the couple took a closer look of the interior design, numerous naughty displays heated their cheeks red.


    On the left ride of the room, there was a gray camel-style back sofa with shelter arms and two toss pillows. Its metal legs were hourglasses shaped, perfectly accompanying the product''s frame. A round coffee table with storage lift-top and rotatable drawers was placed right beside it.


    As Susu walked closer to take a look at the spread drawers, her smile grew wider and body stiffened. Sexual toys of different sizes and types filled the drawers. From beads, vibrators to tools used for bondage; it looked like a complete set. She turned around, wanting to ask him about some of the interesting ones she found when her eyes caught something more enticing.


    In the center of the room, a velvet round, tufted ottoman with storage supported a penis shaped container on top of it. A piece of sticky note that said, "Lift this cover for your surprise" was stuck on the empty container. Moving the object to the floor, Susu pulled open the cover and let out a small laugh.


    "Hoho. Hubby, I never knew you had this type of fetish." Taking the whip out of the rest of the bedroom play toys from the hidden storage, she observed it with a smirk on her face.


    Chen Mu''s gulp was so loud that it almost echoed in the room. "Hahaha, it really wasn''t me. This is... This is all Zhi Hei''s preparations. I wouldn''t ever use that whip on you. I''ll at most spank you with my hands, but never with a whip."


    "Oh? So, you''ll use this feather to tickle me then?" Picking up the long, smooth feather she saw from the pile of soft and thick tools, she circled around him. The ends of the feather teased his sensitive neck and ears, sending shivers down his spine. He trembled slightly as he answered her inquiries one by one.


    "Of..Of course not! I didn''t plan any of these. Didn''t you say you were tired? How about a nap?" He tried avoiding the questions as he explored the spacious suite with many surprises coming his way.


    "How could I be tired when there are such interesting toys around. Who knows? If I take a nap, I might end up tied to the bed. Heh." Raising her brows up and down a few times, she gave him a questioning gaze.


    Speaking about the bed, it was a canopy bed with sheer curtains around it. When let down, the mirror on the ceiling leaves the couple in their own fantasy world. Susu imagined stepping out of a hot shower into a dimmed setting where Chen Mu''s half naked body laid on the bed; waiting for her. The sheer fabric draped softly on the floor as a fresh breeze stopped by the room; bringing a floral fragrance to their nostrils.


    Snapping out of her thoughts, she spotted the red spots on the bed. There were various sized hearts shaped petals forming a larger heart in the middle of the bed. As if she could imagine seeing a starry view outside at the moment; she felt steam spreading in her body.


    Unfortunately, it was still too early to talk about this. There were other rooms connected to this suite. One of the rooms was a bathroom consisting of a round marble tub, toilet, sink and jacuzzi. The tub was placed by long curtains. Peeking from the inside, a clear view of nature could be seen for those who want to take a morning wash while feeling close to mother nature.


    "Oh! Not bad. The view is very nice! Isn''t it beautiful?" Susu smiled as she pulled open the curtains for him to get a picture of how beautiful the weather was.


    "Mm. Very beautiful." He walked over and circled his arms around her from behind. With his chin resting on her shoulders, they looked out at the lively birds and healthy green trees. His lips dug deeper to the side of her neck and started trailing pecks on her sensitive spots.


    "Nn.. it''s still early! You need to wait till tonight!" She turned around and wrapped her arms around his shoulders with a pout.


    "Who says I''m not waiting until tonight? I''m just testing the interior designs." He picked her up and placed her on the supportive counter next to the sink. The height of the furnitures was just right to fit her on top while they make out. Whether it was the jacuzzi or the tub, everything was prepared for their height difference.


    The ottoman designs and sofa were perfect for her small frame to flex in various positions. The room next to the bathroom was a game room with many couple board games. Some were puzzles and others were daredevils. From naughty dice rolling games to adult entertainments; everything was prepared for the couple''s steamy honeymoon stay.


    Although her kissing had improved compared to six years ago, his intensive kissing skills still shorten her breath after minutes of tongue exercises. While she gasped for air, his lips hungrily yearned for another prey; her ears. He lightly pecked her forehead, nose, cheeks and then ears.


    Slowly, he tasted the outline of her ears, reaching down to her ear lobes. Nibbles and licks sounded the room as his breathing clouded to her ears; making her moan in response. It''s been quite a long since they''ve done something intimate. Now, he is taking every advantage to tempt and test her tolerance.


    Just as her fingers started clenching onto his shirt, he stopped his kisses and whispered. "Nu uh ah~ You need to wait for tonight, wifey."

 Chapter 195 - Honeymoon! 3

    *WARNING! This chapter contains mature content. If you don''t feel comfortable reading the mature content, then skip this chapter! You''ve been warned!*


    After taking an exciting tour around the honeymoon suite, the newlyweds decided to take their time exploring the area. Earlier, Susu had spotted a beach near the resort. Walking hand in hand while swinging their hands lightly, the couple took their time looking around and telling jokes to each other.


    As they walked on the boardwalk, seagulls accompanied them in scattered groups. The blue-green water of the ocean diversified with the red and orange hues of the incoming sunset. Pointing towards the pretty pinks and the fluffy clouds above, Susu bit her lips in excitement.


    "It''s so pretty!"


    Pinching the tip of her nose lightly, he chuckled at her reaction. "Would it be more beautiful if there were stars?"


    Blinking, she nodded. "Yes! It''ll be better if I could touch the stars haha. But it''s impossible."


    "It''s possible. Look carefully." With his arms sitting on her shoulders, he leaned close to her ears and directed his fingers around the beach.


    The wet sand at the shoreline glimmered like mini diamonds; a river of stars. Her eyes widened as the scenery looked better than any starry nights she''s seen before. Holding her hands, he guided her to the sand. They stopped walking eventually.


    "Hmm?" She wondered what was going on in his mind as he bent down and took a handful of sand. Bringing the sand to her, he said, "Take a careful squint at it."


    At first, she thought it was one of his pranks where he would stuff the sand into her face and then run off. Then, she realized she was overthinking. Her eyes skimmed through the pile of sand in his hands. It took her a minute or two to understand his meaning. When she spotted the five pointy corners and shaped out each sand particle in his hands; she covered her mouth.


    "It''s so beautiful!!" The sand was star shaped just like how she had requested! She wanted to touch stars! Susu gazed at the sunset view and the star shaped sand in awe. Her lips could not close as her smile stretched in blasted happiness.


    Laying down on the glittering sand, both of them relaxed as they viewed the dimming sky. Clouds were slowly blending with the darkness. Still, they managed to distinguish a few funny looking shaped ones. While pointing to the sky, Susu giggled, "Doesn''t that one look like a dinosaur being chased by a bunny?"


    "Haha, it also looks a dog chasing after a cat, though. Look. Those are their heads and then over there is their tails." He took her raised finger and traced over random corners of the clouds.


    "Ah! You''re right! Pffft, hehe. Then.. what about-" Her words halted as she felt a few droplets fall from the sky. The cold raindrops increased in size and soon, a rainstorm interrupted their peaceful evening.


    "Ahh!! Let''s go back to the resort." They got up from the sand and ran back to the resort. Actually, on their way to the beach, there weren''t any places where they could take cover from this storm. Therefore, they could only run all the way back.


    - Honeymoon Suite-


    Though they were soaked from the rain, both of them couldn''t help but laugh at the mess they''ve become. As they panted for breath, Susu noticed her white top was stuck to her skin, revealing her pink lace bra. Her hair was also dripping wet and disheveled from the raging wind fight just now.


    Combing her hair backwards, she said, "We should take a hot shower before we catch a cold."


    Seeing the smile on her face made an indescribable warmth spread in his body. Her outfit was oddly luring him to get closer and devour her body. "Are you cold?"


    "A little." She didn''t get the hint he was giving to her.


    "Then..how about I warm you up.." Hugging her from behind, his arms crossed around her waist as he bent down and whispered hot breaths into her ears. Although it''s been years since they''ve last done the deed, he remembered every single sensitive spot she had a soft spot for.


    His deep, coarse voice echoed into her most sensitive right ear slowly, "in my own way." His finger tips ran up her shoulders to the back of her neck; teasing her relentlessly. Quivering from his touch, her legs began weakening under his naughty play.


    Curving a coy smile on her face, she turned around and reciprocated the way his fingers danced naughtily against her bare skin. Pushing his back to the wall, she tiptoed to place a peck on his lips. Then, she left a small gap between them where she slipped her finger onto his lips; cutting off his kisses.


    "Sounds like it''s you who want some warm ups before dinner. Are you sure your stomach could handle dinner after having dessert first?" Her wet eyelashes fluttered seductively as if it was inviting him in for a suggestive act that he''s been anticipating for the longest time.


    His breathing quickened as his lips pressed against her finger and kissed it roughly. Bending her leg upwards to his hardening member, it started moving to and fro. As if she was circulating blood flow for that area, she whispered, "I take that as a yes..?"


    "Susu, you.. you''re playing with fire." His arms pulled her in for a tight embrace as he turned the tables around. Now, her wrists were caught in his hands, and their lips were connected. Their kisses were wet and sloppy as their tongue entangled through exploring the other''s mouth. As he tasted the sweetness of her kisses, his hands slipped under her top and found its way upwards.


    Taking a small break from kissing, his hoarse breathy tone sounded into her ears. His lips pursed as it had planted pecks to her ears before it parted and let the tip of his tongue escape. Slowly, it traced the shape of her ears; earning moans as a reward. "Don''t you think the clothes are in the way?"


    "Hmm..nn..aa.." She lifted her head subconsciously as his kisses trailed down to her neck. Sometimes he sucked on her porcelain skin; wiping away the raindrop stains. Other times, he teased her until her legs trembled.


    By the time they made their way into the bathroom, pieces of their clothing had been scattered over the floor. He picked her up and placed her on the counter just like earlier. This time, their kisses were hotter; more enticing. Her hands cupped his cheeks as she refused to let him turn on the hot water for their bath.


    Her legs wrapped around his waist as if she wanted to merge them into one body. Pinching his chin, her tongue ran over his lips; moistening it once again. He whispered, "Let me draw our bath."


    "Bribe me." Her smile was evidently sabotaging his last form of self-control. From her smile, he could tell she was having fun avenging for before. Sliding his hands up her arms, neck to the back of her head, he closed the gap between their lips. This time, it was a deep, whirlpool sensation sucking her in with his desires and suspense.


    She let out a small laugh as her tongue licked the corner of her lips. "Don''t make me wait too long." Her legs released his torso, allowing him to make their bubble bath.


    Once the bath was ready, he carried her in princess style and placed her in the tub. As soon as they got into the warm bath, he was caught between her arms at the edge of the tub. With her arms around his neck, she initiated an openmouthed kiss where she pried open his lips and intruded his mouth.


    As he sat down in the tub, her legs were spread while she faced towards him. The sound of her sighs filled the room as he planted more kisses from her neck to her collarbone. His palms caressed her smooth skin in the water, sending tingles to her hips. She could feel her entrance below getting wet, and an unbearable heat drowned her in ecstasy.


    His fingers brushed up and down her thighs; each time getting closer to her weak spot. Finally, his fingers reached between her legs; hunting for her entrance. Swirling around her wet vaginal lips, he purposely teased around before penetrating a finger inside.


    "Haa..ahhh..mm.." She groaned pleasurably into his ears as her hands held onto his back.


    "You''re tight inside.." He whispered as his kisses began exploring her ears.


    "Nnn..not here..let''s clean ourselves first." She said as she bit her lips and raised her hips above water level. Taking the shower head from the side, she turned on the warm water and sprayed it on his body. For the rest of their shower session, the couple snuck sensual glances at each other.


    With a towel around his waist and a towel covering her torso, they exited the bathroom. Instead of going towards the bed, Susu led him to the camel-style back sofa where he was then pushed down. Her knees pressed between his legs as she bent down to cover his lips over again. His arms rubbed her back during their make out section.


    Gradually, his fingers traced up her thighs and found its way to her peach. Sensing the wetness between her knees, eagerness filled his eyes as he wished to thrust inside and feel every inch of his penis inside her tight walls. He missed the heat of her climaxes and wanted to penetrate her badly. Seeing the way, he started biting his lips, she smiled. "Do you want to be inside of me?"


    Lifting his chin with a finger, she missed the tricky smirk on his face. "Do you think I need to ask?" Suddenly, she felt an intruder entering her. Without her noticing, he had removed his towel and located her pussy entrance close to his penis.


    "Ahhh.." Both of them groaned as they felt the connection of becoming one again. Her walls clenched onto him tightly as he started thrusting using his hips. His hands guided her to move her body on her own. Melodious sounds of flesh pounding against flesh could be heard throughout the suite.


    For every thrust he shoved, he made sure it reached the deepest of her womb where her high-pitched moans would become louder. As they grew closer to their climax, they switched positions where she sat on the shelter arms of the sofa. Her legs crossed around his hips as he plunged his penis back inside of her.


    Each thrust kissed her womb, showering her insides with pecks and precum. As they reached their first climax, her arms tightened around his neck and lips met his. Their breaths quickened and his words shortened to raspy whispers. "Ahh.. You''re squeezing me so tight..I''m.. cumming.."


    "Cum... Cum deep inside of me..Mmm...fill me up with your semen. Ahhhh.." Her groan released as she felt hotness flowing inside of her; warming up her insides. His thrusts slowed, but he continued pushing his swimmers inside to trap them from leaking down her legs.


    After they had caught their breaths, they placed their foreheads against each other and met the other''s gaze. Smiling, they whispered a sweet confession.


    "I love you, hubby."


    "I love you, wife."


    They cleaned themselves up after their intensive exercise and realized they were late for their dinner reservation. Slipping the tip of her tongue between her lips, she said, "Whoops. Oh wells. We''re newlyweds after all."


    "Hahaha, that''s right. Now, let''s go eat our dinner and come back for more dessert."


    "Ehh? You sure you could still have more dessert?" She teased.


    Holding her hand to his lips, he gave it a small peck. "I can last a whole night if you want to challenge me."

 Chapter 196 - Honeymoon 4: A Wild Night

    During dinner, various seafood platters settled on the table, releasing temptation vibes for it to be eaten. Before starting their meal, the newlyweds clanged their wine glasses together and tasted the sweet fruit champagne.


    The dinner was definitely different from what Susu had in mind. She thought it would be like those high-class restaurants with steaks, salads, and romantic music played in the background. On the contrary, this was a simply designed restaurant with fresh seafood!


    One of Chen Mu and Susu''s favorite foods were seafood. Staring at the platters of snow crabs, lobsters, fresh oysters, octopus, squid and many more to come; saliva drenched the insides of her mouth.


    Chen Mu chuckled when he noticed his wife''s hungry eyes scanning through the kinds of seafood she loved the most. He reached out his hands and rolled her sleeves for her. "You''ll get your sleeves dirtied if you don''t roll them up."


    She totally ignored his comments, took a fresh oyster, mixed sauce on top, and fed it to his mouth. "Try it! It is really fresh and juicy!"


    After swallowing the oyster, she stuffed into his mouth, he smiled. "It tastes very good. I''ll help you take out the crab meat while you try other foods. Ah, leave the lobster shells to me too."


    While he worked on removing the shells to make it easier for her to eat, she mixed various sauces that he loved using. The couple worked together and enjoyed the rest of their dinner.


    Satisfied with everything prepared for dinner, the newlyweds decided to walk around and look at the starry sky with stars crossing their vision. The sound of waves crashing against rocks and the smell of nature surrounding them helped relax every single muscle in their body. As Susu connected stars in the sky and spoke about horoscope signs, he enjoyed hearing her random comments.


    Once they''ve grown tired of feeding mosquitoes and observing the starry sky view, they went back to their suite where their wild night began. The food they ate earlier has digested and they were now ready for some exercises.


    Wrapping her arms around his neck, she closed the gap between them and teased him with a peck. When he leaned forward for a second kiss, she stopped him with her index finger. "If you want a kiss, then follow me." She whispered seductively to his ears.


    Following her lead, they entered the forbidden room in the suite, which was created for adults to play. Every game in the room ranging from dices to board games were all rated R. She hummed her favorite tune as her hands specifically chose two games. Taking them out, she dragged him back to the living room area.


    "I have two games in my hands. One is a dice game and the other is a dare game. We will roll the dices and choose a card from the deck. Whatever it says to do, we do it." She made her instructions as short and clear as possible.


    Earlier, she took a peek inside the room when he wasn''t looking and was very interested in these two activities. Since it sparked her interest in playing both games and she couldn''t decide which to play first; both games it is.


    Chen Mu smirked and tapped his lips as if he was reminding her to fulfill her promise. Chuckling, she pushed him onto the Ottoman and sat facing towards him. With her hands on the back of his neck, she dives in for a deep, sensual kiss. His hands wandered down her back and slid under her skirt.


    Feeling his naughty hands roaming her private area, she stopped the kissing. "Nuh uh ah~ Game first."


    "But this is also a game. The straddling game." He tried counterarguing but failed as she hopped out of his arms. Glaring at the games on the carpet, he mumbled, "This better be good."


    In the first round, Susu took a dice and rolled it. Then, she read the card she chose out from the deck. "Uhm...for ten minutes, straddle on your partner''s private parts without entering into the vaginal area."


    Looking up, she saw the dark clouds in his eyes hazing up his vision. His erection was already ready to burst, yet this game decided to tease his tolerance. His glare intensified as if he wanted to toss the game out the window and pretend he never saw it.


    Giving the dice one last look, she walked over to Chen Mu''s side. Pushing him down on the carpet, she lifted up her skirt, removed her panties, and started the timer. Feeling his hot rod against her bare pussy entrance, she moved to and fro; stroking his length all the way to his tips and back.


    According to the dice position, he has to lay on his back while she rides him in cowboy style. Her cheeks reddened from sweating as she moaned every time his tip massaged her clit. "Mmm..n... ahhh..ha..." She started rubbing rougher as her wetness leaked onto his penis.


    As she rubbed to his tip, she let it kiss her hole but not let it enter. This was pure torture to the raging monster in his sex drive, eagerly waiting to shove his rod deep inside her wound and release his swimmers there. Finally, the alarm rang and she got off him.


    This time, it was his turn. He rolled the dice and picked out a card. Staring at her with a smirk on his face, he walked to the ottoman with storage and pulled out a rope. Reading the card out loud, he said. "Tie your partner''s wrist together and penetrate her for five minutes without ejaculation."


    Taking the dice that he rolled in his hand, he wiggled his finger for her to come over to him. That look on his face was obviously saying he wouldn''t go easy on her. The dice showed a sex position with the girl bending over a chair and the guy penetrating from behind. He tied a knot around her wrists and made sure it wasn''t tight enough to leave a mark.


    As soon as she bent over, she felt the tip of his penis leaking pre-cum. Instead of shoving his entire length in all at once, he teased her like the way she had played him earlier. He let his penis circle around her bruised wet entrance and spread her wetness around her pussy. When she least suspected his penetration, he entered all the way inside of her.


    His cum from the first ejaculation was still warming up her womb; making her insides slippery and tight. "Ahh.." He groaned as he shoved his length in and out of her entrance. Pulling his erection out of her almost entirely, he pushed it all the way back in. Each thrust was rougher than the last. In the middle of penetration, his hips increased in speed, and his penis grew hotter inside of her.


    "Ahh..Nnn... The game says you can''t cum inside." She bit her lips as her eyes shut tight and enjoyed his swimmers exploding into her womb. He continued thrusting deep inside of her as his sperm filled her insides. While his penis was still inside of her, he untied the knot around her wrists.


    When he was ready for another round, she crossed her arms and stood up with his semen leaking down her thighs. She squeezed her thighs together and looked grumpy. "You didn''t set the timer, did you?"


    "Ahaha...Whoops..I forgot." He scratched the side of the temples. Obviously, he didn''t forget about it. As soon as he read how he couldn''t ejaculate inside of her, his tolerance became nonexistent. How could they try conceiving in the golden ovulation period if he can''t let it all out inside of her?


    "Hmph. As punishment, you need to be blindfolded and handcuffed next. And this time, you cannot object nor cheat!" Seeing her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel, he raised the invisible white flag in the air and surrendered.


    With his wrists handcuffed and eyes blindfolded, she laid his back in bed. She stripped off her clothes and changed into the sexy lingerie she had prepared for tonight. The black lace top was transparent on the nipples, showing off her delicate cleavage. The garter belt on the bottom with crotchless panties really nailed the entire look.


    After changing into her lingerie, she went to the mini-fridge and took out some ice cubes. Putting one in her mouth, she proceeded to the bed. She crawled on top of him where his hardness was waiting for her insides to squeeze him tightly. Before that could happen, she made sure the ice cube was moist in her mouth first.


    Slowly, she let the coldness glide across his sensitive areas. From his neck to his chest, she let the ice melt against his body. As the moonlight shone through the window, the trails of ice water shimmered in her eyes. He groaned in pleasure as he couldn''t predict her next moves.


    Once the ice had melted, she leaned close to his ears and licked the shape of it with her slightly cool tongue. "Do you want me to put your penis inside me?"


    He bit his lips, refusing to answer. With her teasing fingers, she twirled circles around his right nipple. Her moist lips left marks on his neck as she sucked his skin wherever she kissed. "No response? Then...I''ll just use another way to make you tell me."


    Lifting the cover of the ottoman at the end of the bed, she took out the long feather she had played with earlier. As she sat on top of him once again, she started brushing the feather softly against his cheeks, ears, chest, and thighs. Hearing some moans escape his mouth, her lips curved upwards.


    Rubbing his inner thighs with her palms, she started stroking his length with her hands. Without any warning, she deep throated his entire length and sucked it in her mouth. As he reached his climax, she suddenly stopped and asked while tormenting him with slow strokes. "Well? Do you want to cum inside me? Hmmm?"


    "Ah...Damn it! Yes, I do!"


    "Good answer." She said as she released his blindfold and let him see her sexy lingerie. His eyes widened and a smirk appeared on his face. Seeing the expression on his face, she soon realized he had unlocked himself from the handcuffs just now.


    The table was turned as he showered kisses until she ran out of breath. His hands explored her curves as his pecks marked all over her skin. He whispered closely into her ears, "Do you want me to cum inside you? Hmm?" He nibbled on her earlobe as his breathing quickened.


    He shoved his rod inside her softened walls and kept thrusting into her G spot. She moaned louder and louder as her nails wrinkled the pillows on the bed. When he was about to climax, he slowed and looked at her; waiting for her answer.


    "Cum deep inside me...Ahhhh." She moaned in ecstasy and he suddenly hastened his moves. With a few more thrusts, his hot liquid spilled into her fertile womb once again, staining her walls. With his penis still inside of her, he kissed her lips and enjoyed the view of being on top.


    Seeing her crotchless panties and sheer fabric bra, his erection came back in no time. While sitting up, he positioned her on top of him. Letting his hard cock stick deep inside her again, he thrust his hips and kissed her neck.


    Their pleasurable voices echoed the room until dawn. When sunlight hit the room, the couple laid next to each other with worn-out expressions. Still, their hands were intertwined under the blankets, and smiles were evident on their faces.


    When they woke up in the afternoon, the first thing they did was greet each other.


    "Wife, good afternoon."


    "Good afternoon to you too. Hubby."


    The couple giggled and rolled around in bed until they were ready to head out for their first meal.

 Chapter 197 - Promoted!

    Months passed since their wonderous honeymoon at the private islands. Chen Mu was stuck between hospital shifts and his company right after they came back from vacation. Meanwhile, Susu gained recognition for her designs and won many international fashion awards. She joined education conferences as a guest and provided students vast insights about her works.


    She shared stories about herself that brought inspiration to those who are lost in their career paths. On her free time, she visited orphanages and brought children gifts to play with. A generous portion of profits earned from her designs were donated anonymously to those who really needs it.


    This afternoon, she decided to pay a visit and bring some gifts along for the kids. At the same time, she could ask about how the children were doing and whether the amount she donated was enough to cover their education costs.


    In the middle of speaking with the director, Susu heard a distant voice from the building. She looked up and spotted a glimpse of a small shadow, brushing against the window curtains.


    Minutes later, a little girl with two braids rushed to greet her at the entrance. Similar to how she always welcomed other children, Susu bent forward with open arms to accept the little girl''s embrace.


    "Susu! What are you doing?" Chen Mu called out from behind with bags of toys and clothes dangling on both arms. He caught her red handed this time, trying to bend down while he wasn''t looking like a sneaky bunny stealing bites of its carrot.


    She stuck out the tip of her tongue and let out a compressed sigh. "Here we go again."


    His voice startled the little girl to a pause on her steps. Cautiously, she panted out of breath and walked up to Susu. With her tiny hands reaching up, she tugged on Susu''s pinky lightly. She whispered, "Big sis, why is big brother mad?"


    Susu could imagine the wrinkles on his face if she turned around this second to face him. She smiled and rubbed the little girl''s hair. "Because there is a little brother or sister in my tummy. Big brother isn''t angry. He was only worried something may hurt the baby in my tummy."


    "Oh! Little baby is inside your tummy. The baby will be very pretty like big sis!" The little girl stretched her neck as her tiny hands tried reaching to touch the questionably flat area on Susu''s body. Susu pulled out a piece of tissue from her purse and wiped the girl''s sweaty forehead.


    Chen Mu handed all the presents to the staffs at the orphanage. As soon as he was done with his task, he hurried over to his misbehaving wife''s side. Earlier, he caught her bending and reaching out to hug one of the little girls.


    She was in her first trimester, so everything must be taken cautiously, especially when they are running errands outside. Whenever he drove, he made sure the speed was on the minimum speed he could possibly drive to prevent any accidents from occurring. Many times, he heard her rants about how slow they were going. Most of the time, her voice was overpowered by the beeps from the cars behind them.


    Still, he refused to let others affect his protective method for his wife and the baby inside of her. Ever since they''ve received positive pregnancy results, he has been detailed about everything. When it came to her appetite, he had no control over what she eats because her cravings came at random times. If she craved for chicken five days straight, he would obediently make variety of dishes at home to entertain her taste buds.


    Sometimes, she could see a random advertisement with vibrant colors that reminded her of certain food products. When that happens, they could stop seven times on their way to the supermarket for items she asks for. Still, a smile remains on his face as he willingly doted on his unborn child and hungry wife.


    Susu turned around, ready to walk towards him. Before the first step was taken, he had already run over to her side and held her waist from behind. "Where do you want to walk to? Here, I''ll support your back. There are a lot of small pebbles and stones. Let me know if your feet hurt. You''re wearing flats today, so it might hurt to walk over them. If you''re tired, we can sit or I could carry you."


    Lifting out both hands, she spread her fingers and started counting in front of him. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven; we have this many month to go before our baby comes. So, how likely are you to be like this for the next seven months?"


    "Wife, you miscalculated. It is exactly seven months and twenty days until the due date. Also, the due date is only an estimate. You''ve been easily fatigue after you conceived. Just yesterday, you were falling asleep on the couch with a peeled orange in your hands. You didn''t even know you fell asleep."


    He wished he could bring her to work with him, but he couldn''t. Hence, he could only do what he can when he spends time with her. News of her pregnancy spread to everyone in their family and friends circle. Almost every other day, he would receive packages delivered to their doors for Susu.


    Susu''s room was redecorated and filled with boxes of baby items; mostly presents from the godmothers. Lily, Ariana and Shi Xue kept his wife occupied and distracted from work while he was at the office. He was glad she wasn''t feeling neglected or bored staying at home for months.


    Her work was going smoothly and her designs were submitted before the deadlines arrived. Everything seemed right, the way they are now. Soon, there will be a sweet angel coming into their lives, completing the perfect family picture they could ever ask for.


    Looking back in all these years, his effort and never giving up spirit has blossomed. Not only did he date, marry and created a family with his wife; she was his one and only since the day they met. Her smile and happiness were his to protect. From the moment he met her till the day they''ve exchanged vows in front of everyone they loved; he has determined to walk with her hand in hand, until his last breaths.


    And now, his goal had a little change to it because it is no longer just the two of them. He has been promoted with an additional title. He is now a husband and a father.

 Chapter 198 - Her Name is Anna

    The morning before Susu''s next appointment, Chen Mu happily hummed a kid''s tune as he checked off another appointment on his exclusive pregnancy calendar. He started marking important notes about certain dates and purposely left those dates cleared to accompany Susu to her hospital visits ever since she got pregnant.


    From previous appointments, he has demonstrated the definition of being a good husband and father. This time wasn''t any different compared to the last. After breakfast, he drove to the hospital with her. Once the car was parked, he helped her unbuckle the safety belt and carefully helped her out of the vehicle.


    Arriving at the check-in counter, he held her identification card and appointment card in his hand. Politely, he handed both documents to the staffs while wrapping his arm protectively around her as others exited the clinic.


    Susu looked around and realized not many pregnant women had their husbands present during their checkup. There were plentiful seats in the waiting area, but only a few were emptied. Not many were sitting patiently and comfortably while waiting for their names to be called by the nurse.


    One of the pregnant ladies was walking around with her arms kneading her waist, waiting for her water to break. Sweat drenched her irritated expression as she stared at her belly like she wanted to flatten it with her hands. Her lips were chewed upon by her sharp teeth, enduring the contraction pain.


    Anticipation reflected in her eyes as her eyes teared up, yet her palms covered her round belly; rubbing it in circular motions. Susu looked down to her five-months-old belly and caressed it in her palms. She leaned her head against Chen Mu''s torso, feeling extremely fortunate to have someone to be there for her every step of the way.


    Soon, it was her turn. Chen Mu carried her bag and carefully took small steps with her towards the appointed room. After speaking to the doctor about their diets, sleeping cycles and other related inquiries, they proceeded to doing an ultrasound.


    During the ultrasound scan, the baby could be seen resting comfortably from the screen. The doctor handed a box of tissue to Chen Mu as emotions rushed up his eyes. Though this wasn''t the first time he saw the miracles of life develop in front of him; it was an entirely different feeling when the child was his.


    The small pea-sized picture of the baby''s first ultrasound was safely kept in the pregnancy diary they created. He still remembered the first time seeing his baby on the screen, blinking like the twinkling stars in a starry sky - vibrant and lively. His tears curved like his smile as he complimented their baby''s cuteness when the baby was the size of a pea.


    He sat in the living room later that day and added the picture of the scan to the diary. Every time he sees their fetal development; he couldn''t control his emotions.


    Currently, Susu was patting his back to soothe his emotions.


    Smiling, the doctor scribbled comments and checked off boxes as they continued with the checkup. Rotating the chair towards the lovely couple, the doctor asked whether they wished to know the gender of their child. With the pictures of the ultrasound scans in her hand, she saw the glittering sparkles in the couple''s eyes. They nodded.


    "It''s a baby girl. Everything looks good from inside to the questions you''ve answered. If there are no inquiries from any of you, then we''re done with the appointment and I''ll look forward to our next meeting." The doctor nearly piled Susu''s file into the folder and left the room with it in her hands.


    Chen Mu covered his mouth with his hands. He helped her up from the bed and hugged her tightly. "Did you hear that? We''re having a daughter! A daughter! We can use the name we came up with now! Anna Chen! We''re having a daughter!"


    "Yes. Yes. I heard it. We are having a daughter!" She giggled in his embrace and hugged her belly tenderly.


    - Approximately four months later -


    Susu went into labor in the middle of the night. Inside the delivery room, she held onto the arms of the chair, breathing inconsistently. Every few seconds, she would breathe in and rush to exhale the air out of her system. She heard many voices speaking at once, but all she wanted to do was get rid of the aching, explosive pain from below and bring her baby home.


    She turned to the side where Chen Mu was sweating as much as she was. He offered his hand, and she took it while shedding tears of agonizing pain. Taking in a deep breath, she screamed in her next seconds of exhaling. The amount of sweat on her forehead, mixed along her tears, drenching down her cheeks.


    The louder she screamed, the closer she was in pushing her daughter out.


    "Wahhhhh," finally, a loud crying voice came from a small baby girl. Chen Mu kissed Susu''s forehead and held her strengthless hand strongly.


    "You did it! You''re amazing! She''s born! Our daughter, Anna is here. I''m so proud of you. Thank you..Thank you for giving me such a wonderful gift." The couple gazed deeply into each other''s eyes as they shared a congratulatory kiss.


    "Congratulations, daddy Chen." She whispered.


    "Congratulations, mommy Chen." He chuckled as his eyes swelled.


    Before the nurses carried Anna away, the couple had held her in their arms. Seeing their daughter for the first time, they shed a few tears while introducing themselves. "Hi, Anna. I''m your mommy. And he is your daddy. We''re very very happy to meet you. It''s been a long way, but we will try our best to provide the best for you. We can''t wait to bring you home."


    Wiping away the tears on her face, Chen Mu smiled at his little angel. "Hi Anna. You might hear daddy nagging and worrying all the time while you grow, but it''s alright, because that''s exactly what a dad would do. With your mommy, we will learn many lessons together. We love you so much...so much more than we could ever imagine. Welcome to our family."

 Chapter 199 - When Impossible Becomes Possible

    Time flew by in a blink of an eye. It''s been a year and a half since Anna was born. Closing the door from Anna''s room, Chen Mu walked to the living room where Susu was sitting with her legs crossed on the couch. He walked over, catching her attention immediately.


    Looking up from the bright screen of her laptop, she sat up to give him a peck on the lips. He wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and settled on the seat next to her. With his chin resting on her shoulders, he whispered. "What are you looking at?"


    "I asked your daughter what she wanted for her birthday. She said she wanted dinosaur fossils. I told her it was impossible, so she said a teddy bear as large as our condo. I told her it was impossible. At the end, we came to no answer at all because the things she told me were either extinct or don''t exist in my dictionary." Susu leaned on her husband''s chest as he chuckled at their daughter''s creativity.


    "Well, she''s definitely our daughter for sure. Either a scientific answer or an artistically impossible answer. Sometimes, I wonder if she''s growing too fast. Just the other day, she picked out her own clothes and brought it to me." He sighed and scrolled down on the list of items in the shopping cart for birthday gifts.


    "How about we bring her to the arcade? She could play different games and pick out her own present. After that, we can bring her to the amusement park or something. At least, we wouldn''t be clueless." Susu really wondered how her little girl had the face of an angel, but brain of an evil mind cracker.


    "The arcade should be fun for her." He gave her a kiss on her head before turning off the laptop.


    "But now, it is getting late. Our little princess is asleep, but she''s not the only one who needs rest. So, up we go." Sliding one arm under her legs and another around her back, he carried her in princess style back to their bedroom. Giggling, she wrapped her arm around his neck and leaned on his chest.


    After laying his wife on the bed, he trapped her between his arms and switched off the lamp by the bedside. Whispering into her ears, he said. "I can''t believe our angel is already turning two. It feels just like yesterday when we brought her home."


    Circling her arms around his nape, she smiled. "Time passes by too fast sometimes. Soon, she''ll be running around and playing tag with us. She''ll learn how to fight back during arguments and pick out the carrots she hates the most. Ahhh makes me miss her being a baby. But seeing her healthy is the most important after all."


    Nibbling on her ears, he planted pecks on her neck. He huskily seduced her with his voice as he went back to whisper to her ear. "Then...how about we have a second one? We''re used to taking care of one now. So, a second one should keep this little one busy. Plus, I don''t want her to have too big of an age gap with her sibling."


    "Hmm? Nn.. It seems like you''re already trying. Your hands are very naughty. Hehe. I''m fine with having another child, but we''ll have to find a much larger place." She whispered, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the pleasure of his hands fondling her breast under her pajamas.


    Before she knew it, her pajamas were taken off and pants were tossed to the floor. Taking advantage of being on top, he covered her lips with his; ruffling her moans as he pinched her nips. As he played with her breasts, his tongue slipped into her mouth, entangling their soaked tongue.


    His kisses were warm, gentle and possessive as he shifted his kisses southward. His fingers danced along her waist as he reached her panties. Smoothly, he removed the last piece of garment separating his erection from her entrance. Taking one nipple in his mouth, he sucked and flicked it with his tongue. While he serviced one of her breasts, his other hand pinched her nipple, making her cover her mouth.


    As she arched her body upwards, he entered a finger into her wet entrance below. Feeling the wetness of her insides, his erection hardened in response. Before he could stick another finger into her vagina, she pleaded for him to hurry up. It''s been a while since they''ve done the deed without any interruptions.


    Still, he wanted to take his sweet time, tasting every bit of sweetness from her luscious curves. His kisses continued trailing downwards until it reached her opening. Shoving the second finger into her hole, he licked her clit under the blanket. Her legs spread wider, giving him more access to her privates.


    Her toes curled as his tongue explored her boiling insides. He knew what she wanted as desire surfaced in her eyes. She combed her fingers through his hair, moaning as her body reacted to his tongue teasing.


    Moving her hips in thrusting movements, she tightened her insides; giving his tongue a squeeze. Taking his tongue out, he shoved his fingers back in until her moan sounded lengthier than before. Taking her mouth in his once again, he felt her insides pulsating against his fingers. She reached her first climax.


    Putting his fingers in his mouth, he tasted her sweet juice. While she panted breathlessly, he entered her mercilessly with his entire length; kissing her womb deeply. Her body was extremely sensitive to touch right after her climax.


    "Ah..You''re so wet inside. We already have a daughter, but you''re still wrapping around me tightly. The yoga sessions you did at home really tightened your bottom very well." He complimented as he lifted her legs onto his shoulders.


    Thrusting to and fro, each time aiming at her G-spot; she groaned uncontrollably. Sliding his penis out up to his tip, he shoved his length all the way back in. Kissing her roughly on the lips, his thrusts became more rapid as her womb waited for his sperm to fill her insides up.


    As he reached his climax, she crossed her legs around his waist, ready to take every spurt of sperm inside her womb. With a few more strong thrusts, he ejaculated inside of her unprotected womb; letting his swimmers find its way to meet their mate.


    Kissing his wife tenderly on the lips, he chuckled. "Ready for the second round?"


    She smiled, "Of course. But...let''s do it against the wall."


    "Oh? Seems like you liked our quickie from last time very much. Then wall it is." He said. The couple got off the bed. Susu leaned against the wall, with her back facing her husband. Sticking her butt cheeks out, she bit her lips; waiting for his hungry erection to take her over and over again.


    Without wasting any more time, he entered her territory again where he had just squeezed out his swimmers. Holding her hips in place, he slammed his penis inside of her, rougher than the previous times. His sperm leaked as he thrusted and released inside her womb.


    Their next rounds of intimacy lasted longer than the first two as they did it in various positions. From leaning her back to the wall, sitting on her dresser, straddling him on top to any possible idea, they could think of inside their bedroom; their interaction lasted until two in the morning.


    By the time they''ve finished having their nth climax, they were too tired to get out of bed. Luckily, it was a Saturday, so they could sleep in. As the couple fell into deep slumber, they shared a similar dream.


    Inside their dream, they saw Anna sitting on a colossal teddy bear with an oversized white coat. She looked like she was playing doctor. Meanwhile, a small baby was crawling towards them. They picked the baby up and walked towards Anna, to join her on the large bear ride.


    On the week of Anna''s birthday, they brought her to the arcade where they won many prized and tickets to exchange for larger prizes. Once Anna got to the counter to exchange her tickets, she spotted a colossal bear - large enough to be her bed.


    Coincidentally, the tickets she had in her hands were the exact number of tickets needed to bring the teddy bear home. At the end, Susu could only let her princess keep the bear in the living room, where it became her favorite place to take her afternoon naps.


    For her birthday, not everyone was free to pay her a visit. Therefore, it became a simple family dinner with Chen Mu''s parents, Chen Nan, Ariana, Lily, Lin Que, Chen Mu and her. Shi Xue and Zhi Hei couldn''t make it, but their gifts were enough to make little anna the happiest on earth.


    Opening the package with twitching lips, Susu spotted a dinosaur fossil under the discoverer name, Anna. She gave the couple a phone call later asking whether it was a real fossil. Turns out, it was a real one. Luckily, they delivered a small fossil and not a large one. When Zhi Hei asked if the fossil was too small, she quickly told him it was more than big enough.


    That evening, after Anna went to bed; she found Chen Mu lying comfortably in bed. With her hands hid behind her back, she stood in front of him with a sweet smile. "Hubby.."


    "Hmm?" Hearing her sweet voice calling her hubby, he quickly looked up from his phone.


    "I think it''s time we move to a much larger place." She handed him two pregnancy tests with positive results on it. He wrapped her in his arms as he smiled like a child. He asked over and over while examining the results to make sure he didn''t read it wrong.


    They confirmed it the following day that she was indeed conceived. When they sat down to tell Anna how she will have a baby brother or sister in less than nine months, she replied indifferently. "Baby brother."

 Chapter 200 - Chen Xiaos Birthday

    The sun shone brightly into a spacious living room, where two kids could be seen scribbling on their notebooks. On the far right of the room, Susu was humming and slicing up fruits for Anna and her little brother, Chen Xiao. While she was fully concentrated on placing fruits on an empty platter, her kids were sneaking glances at each other, secretly.


    Chen Xiao slipped a note across the table when Susu had her back towards them. Reading the note, Anna nodded with an instantly curved smile. Both of them turned their heads towards the kitchen and slowly, swapped the notebooks in their hands.


    Anna was in fifth grade and her brother was in third grade. Although they were at a young age, they''ve won recognition in their grades for their intelligence in specific subjects. Anna had won a golden metal for her scientific creation on the last science fair project. She represented the school and entered a national contest, obtaining second place.


    The prize she received was a huge contribution towards the science resources the school could now use, for laboratories and further studies. As for Chen Xiao, he was widely popular in school for his talented art.


    Currently, the sibling pair were facing an extremely difficult problem; their homework! Though Anna was a genius when it comes to science, her art skills were worse than a kindergartener''s family portrait. Meanwhile, Chen Xiao was the complete opposite of her. He was excellent in art, but terrible at science.


    Just now, Chen Xiao asked her if she wanted to trade homework. This was not the first time they''ve assisted each other in homework assignments. They knew each other''s skills and handwriting, making it easier to trick the teacher''s eyes.


    Smiling, they scribbled on each other''s notebooks as if they comprehended the instructions before reading it. Within fifteen minutes, they completed their assignments through team effort. When Susu brought fruits and snacks to them, she saw how quick they worked.


    She took a look at their homework with a frozen smile on her face. Sighing, she placed the notebooks down and tapped her fingers on the paper surface."You two did it again, didn''t you?"


    Blinking innocently, the sibling pair looked at her with no guilt. She crossed her arms and stared at them. "You know, we''ve had this talk before. You two shouldn''t trade homework once you come across a difficult one. Assignments are meant to improve your skills in particular areas. If you don''t practice, you''ll never get better at it."


    Anna smiled. "Mom, we do improve when we trade our works. We''ve gotten better in teamwork. Who told us to inherit only one parent''s genes? Chen Xiao got your artistic skills. I have dad''s scientific skill. We''re helping each other out. I''m decent at drawing things related to science and not other things."


    "Well, then you can master other things by drawing it more. I mean, how hard is it to draw a chair?" Susu moved the notebook closer to Anna, hoping she would attempt to draw a chair.


    Staring at the empty page in front of her, Anna picked up the pencil and scribbled. Seconds later, three pencil strokes formed a stick chair. Raising her left brow at the stick chair on the page, Susu laughed. "Anna, all you have to do is add some details to it. Here, like this.."


    She took the pencil out of Anna''s hand and scribbled on top of the sketch she drew. Another minute passed and the stick sketch from earlier was gone - replaced by a detailed chair. Looking at the chair that was vividly recognizable, Anna smiled. "Thanks, mom. I''m done with the last part of my assignment!"


    Suddenly, Susu felt outsmarted by her daughter. Rubbing her forehead, she reviewed Chen Xiao''s answers and closed the book. "Let''s wait for your father to come home and check it. Science is out of my knowledge."


    Under the table, the siblings gave each other a fist bump and low-key high-five for their successful plan. Later that night, Chen Mu came home with bags of groceries in his arms. After settling everything on the kitchen counter, he walked over to give his kids a peck on the forehead.


    Susu took this opportunity to have him double check the answers. "Oh! My boy is getting better at science! These are all correct. Daddy is so proud of you!!"Chen Mu praised his son followed by giving rubs to his back.


    "Your daughter did it." Susu nodded as she pointed at Anna, who was quietly reading her science textbook. Anna looked up from her book with a cheery smile, one that melted Chen Mu''s heart.


    "Oh!!! My beautiful angel helped her little brother with his science homework!! How adorable could you two get? Geez, did you explain the answers to him afterward?" He pulled both his children into his arms for a tight hug as they giggled sillily.


    "No. I was waiting for daddy to do it. Daddy explains it simpler!" Anna laughed as she reciprocated the hug.


    Susu facepalmed when she saw the already expected outcome happen in front of her. Shrugging, she said. "Oh, wells. Before that, we need to do something more important!"


    Chen Mu stood up from the furry carpet and followed her to the kitchen. When everything was all set up, Chen Mu dimmed the lights and started singing the happy birthday song. Anna and Chen Mu clapped as the trio sang the birthday song to Chen Xiao.


    Susu placed the chocolate lava cake on the table and urged Chen Xiao to make a wish. He was shocked by the cake''s appearance because he forgot his own birthday. Folding his hands together, he wished for Anna to stop scooping her carrots into his dishes.


    He blew out the candles and clapped cheerfully. "Happy eighth birthday, Chen Xiao!!! Did you think we would forget about your birthday?"


    Scratching the back of his head, he let out an embarrassed laugh. "I forgot..."


    "Pffft!! Birthday boy gets cake in his face!" Anna said as she dipped her finger on the side of the cake and wiped whip cream on his nose.


    "Big sis!!! Not fair!!!" He stood up, dipped his finger on a random spot on the cake and chased after her around the living room. Chen Mu and Susu let out a helpless sigh as the two of them chased after another.


    Susu said, "His presents could wait. Hahaha, let them have some fun."


    Chen Mu nodded, "So, what do you think about a third child? We have Anna taking after me. Chen Xiao takes after you. Shall we have another one to see if we''ll be as lucky to conceive one with both our talents?"


    "Hahahaha, two is a handful already. Nice try, though." She winked at her husband as she leaned into his embrace. The couple chuckled as they watched their kids skip happily around the room.

 Chapter 201 - New Novel Is Up!

    I Like Your Smile, But Love It When It''s For Me WAS the first title I came up with. After contemplating for a while, I wanted to change it to Timeless Love. Unfortunately, it was taken, so now my new novel title is called:


    Our Love Repeats At Zero


    It''s my first time writing fantasy? Ish (minimal amounts of it but meh) It will still be contemporary romance. I am not quite sure whether this novel would be one that I am confident with in writing, so I am putting this novel on trial writing.


    Honestly, this novel is a bit of struggle for me since I suck at descriptions. Anyway, if you are interested, you can check it out.


    If anyone needs the link : https://www.webnovel.com/book/16782858205220105/Our-Love-Repeats-At-Zero


    SECOND GOOD NEWS IS:


    Since I''m not quite sure whether this novel will turn out good. I have three synopses prepared for my dear readers and as always, comment if you find it interesting or something you would like to read.


    1. ER Romance


    At the age of 25, Roxanne Zeng became one of the top surgeons in Leng City. She has never wavered in choosing patients over any choices in her life. As a workaholic, she often ends up arguing with her husband and in-laws about their wish for a child. Five years into their marriage, she focused on saving lives than making babies with her husband.


    Plentiful arguments rose with repetitive words about having a child before her husband, Chris Chu, turns thirty years old.


    One night, in the middle of their baby-making deed, she received an urgent call about a huge accident involving twenty-five patients. She rushed to the hospital, ignoring her husband''s physical need. Out of anger, Chris filed for divorce and slapped it to her desk.


    With his parents'' words stuck to his mind, he chose to use divorce papers to threaten her to conceive a child for the family. Unexpectedly, she signed it without signs of hesitance. She even made copies of the document in her office and handed it back to him.


    Though she didn''t express her emotions, she felt that their marriage had been falling apart. If her husband didn''t support her or respected her, why should she coax him every time? He wasn''t a five year old wanting a lollipop. A child was a huge responsibility and she wasn''t ready to have one.


    During one of her night shifts, she noticed a patient whose wrist was bleeding. The nurses were busily roaming around the hallways, doing what they shouldn''t be doing. Annoyed by their neglect, she brings the man to her office and disinfected his wounds.


    When asked about how he received the wound, he said. "My ex-fiancee dumped me."


    "Coincidence, my husband also divorced me." She let out a pitiful laugh, but she saw it coming. While filling out the registration forms, he left her his business card.


    The first time they met, she was his doctor and he was her patient.


    The second time they met, she was the defendant and he happened to be the prosecutor of her divorce case!


    SECOND SYNOPSIS: CURRENTLY UNTITLED


    Standing at the edge of a cliff, the Susanna Yan''s heavy eyebags showed the distress she was suffering -many sleepless nights where she heard her baby crying for her. She''s been crying every day of the past week. Images of her child''s first ultrasound scan were crumbled in her hand. Some colors faded from the number of times her tears dripped onto it and the countless times she roughly wiped it off. She had begged...begged them to not harm her child, but they didn''t listen. Her child was taken from her, forever gone.


    Her child didn''t even get a chance to see this beautiful world nor voice a cry with his/her tiny voice. She never had the chance to hold her child in her arms and tell him/her how much she loved him/her. Just like that, her baby came out in a bloody pool. Only she was left in this world.


    "If you think jumping down that cliff could make everything end, then do it. If you jump, you''re only escaping reality. Escaping the fact that your husband was the cause of your baby''s death. All you are doing is dodging from reality."


    Her friend, Gren Lu yelled from behind, making her take a step backwards.


    "Escape? My poor child is calling for me..."


    "And I''m also calling out for you! I''m a living human asking for your help." He shouted.


    "You''re asking me to help you?"


    "Yes! I''m asking for you to help me by letting me help you recover. Your body is weak. Let me walk with you through this path. We''ll go somewhere else. We''ll leave this place. I''ll do anything to help you as long as you''re willing to accept my advice."


    A drip of tears left her eyes, and many followed down her cheeks. She looked down at the crashing waves and then at the ultrasound scans. Crumbling the scans, she turned around. "I want revenge."


    "Then I''ll help you. I''ll help you avenge for your child. Avenge for you. I''ll be your support." He said with a relieved smile.


    - 2 years later -


    "A famous skincare brand exploded in popularity from overseas," the reporter said to the camera.


    At the airport, Susanna Yan took off her sunglasses and smiled at the news. "Oh? Our brand is promoted here."


    Holding her hand in his, Gren smirked. "Of course. This is only our first step." She said. "Let''s go."


    --------------------------


    In a spacious office, Susanna Yan walked leisurely around the office, thinking which painting to choose for her office. When she turned around, she found herself caught between Gren''s arms.


    Gazing at him, she asked. "What do you think?"


    Whispering into her ears, he said. "I think you''re the prettiest in this room. Nobody will notice the painting."


    THIRD SYNOPSIS: Melting You Like Caramel


    Christina Wan''s eyes wandered on her Rolex watch. It was a quarter after nine. She''s been waiting for two hours for her husband - correction, contracted lover, Lewis Clone. Leaning her chin on her folded hands, she looked at the crashing waves, reminding herself about the feeling of being stood up once again.


    This wasn''t the first time he didn''t show up to his promised dates. Soon, the waiter approaches the table, telling her that it was near closing time. She looked at the time again; it was almost midnight. Checking her phone, there were no messages...no calls and her calls were purposely cut off on his end.


    She pays for the bill and goes home to find it empty. Walking to the refrigerator, she takes out a cake and brings it to the living room. It was a birthday cake for her. Lighting candle by candle, she sang happy birthday to herself. Her wish was simple. ''Stop hoping for him to look your way.''


    It was past midnight; her birthday was over. Walking up to her room, she rummaged through her drawer and pulled out their contract. The last line was already highlighted: The contract terminates once a year is up.


    A drip of tears landed on the first page as her thumb wrinkles a small part of the contract. Wiping her tears, she went back to the living room, used the pen he gift to her and signed her name.


    -----------------


    Lewis replied in frustration: "What right do you have to know where I was at? We are nobody''s to each other."


    Christina smiled, " You were probably with her again."


    Lewis replied: "That''s right. I was with her because she was drunk and was upset with her boyfriend. Talking about them -" He wanted to rant about it to her, but she refused to listen this time.


    Christina stopped his rants and said, " You''re right. Other than the titles of being husband and wife, we are nobody''s to each other. I''ve already signed. All you need is to stamp your signature. My things are packed. I''ll leave as soon as we both have a copy of this."


    ------------------


    Walking along the boardwalk once again, she hears someone calling out her name. She turned around and recognizes his face right away. He was Carson Ku, the owner of the French restaurant.


    She refused his invitation at first, but decides to follow him to his restaurant where she was ditched five times. Each time, the owner was the one who kindly notified her that the restaurant was closing.


    This time, she came alone. This time, she finally gets to taste his specialty dishes.


    Apparently, the restaurant was closed today. She was his only customer. Alas, she finished the course dishes. When she was ready to pay for the bill, he stops her and brings out a fruit pastry as dessert.


    Before she gave it a bite, she was stopped again. There was a fruit barrier surrounding the tart from the outside. He takes his special mixed fruit dressing and poured it in a swirling movement. Slowly, the barrier melted, showing diamond shaped fruits with a glossy surface.


    On the side, there was a smiley face message for her. "Happy belated birthday"


    She looked up in surprise. "How did you know?"


    "Your birthday was listed on the reservation information for VIP guests." Carson let out a polite smile.


    She smiled, "Thanks. You''re the first person to celebrate my birthday with me."


    "That''s my pleasure." Tasting the sweet and sour tart blasting in her mouth, a sweet smile showed on her face.


    "Delicious. Did you always have this on the menu?"


    "This is actually not for sale."


    "Huh?"


    "This was exclusively created for you. Miss. Fruit Champagne."


    Blinking, she took a closer look at him. "Ah! You''re-!"


    "Yep, me."


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