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nSu Jianan curled up on the bed hugging her legs to herself. Her mobile rang beside her without stopping.

nThe three words “Lu Boyan” used to make her forget to breathe and her heart rate increase when she saw them.

nBut now, the three words only brought her endless doubt.

nShe knew that Uncle Xu called Lu Boyan the moment Su Hongyuan came. Was he looking for her because she was worried about her?

nDidn’t he say that he was tired of pretending to be in love?

nNow that he was abroad, he could pretend not to know what was happening at home. He had an excuse to ignore her. Why would he have to look for her?

nIn the end, Su Jianan still picked up the call.

n“What did Su Hongyuan say to you?” Lu Boyan asked.

n“Nothing.” Su Jianan tried her best to maintain her regular tone and not let Lu Boyan hear that she had been crying. “We talked about our family matters.”

nLu Boyan still sensed something from her slightly nasal tones and he asked, “Did he mention your mother?”

nLu Boyan understood Su Jianan too well. Her tears were related to her mother. She would only cry when her mother was brought up.

n“…”

nSu Jianan closed her eyes but tears still flowed from the corners of her eyes.

nShe tried hard to hold it back, but she still sobbed out loud.

n“Jianan.” This was the first time he was calling her name with such familiarity even when no one was around. “It’s been nine years.”

nThat opened the floodgates and Su Jianan’s tears started to flow freely. “He did it intentionally. He knew that my mother cannot be aggravated, so he let Su Yuanyuan and Jiang Xueli appear before her at that time. He killed my mother intentionally. I…”

nThe hatred in Su Jianan’s chest had never filled her up completely. She hated Su Hongyuan but she hated her incompetence even more.

nNot only did she not have the strength to fight Su Hongyuan, but she was also afraid of him kidnapping her. She could only be a burden to Lu Boyan.

n“Jianan, listen. You have your brother and me. Su Hongyuan cannot hurt you.”

nLu Boyan’s voice traveled across the ocean from the other end of the world to her ears. Su Jianan’s tears slowly stopped.

nNo matter what, Lu Boyan had already become the only other person apart from Su Yicheng who could make her feel at ease.

nEven if this was just for show, she was willing to trust Lu Boyan deeply. Because…this show could only be filmed for two years.

n“Are you done? We’ve already waited a long time.” Shen Yuechuan’s voice could be heard vaguely. “We have to end the meeting before Luis arrives.”

nSu Jianan only recalled then that it was day time where Lu Boyan was. It was working hours and she…had taken up a lot of his time.

n“Go and work. I’m fine now.”

n“Hold on.” Lu Boyan seemed to know as if she was going to hang up. “I have something for you when I get back.”

nSu Jianan paused and asked, “What is it?”

nLu Boyan only smiled secretively and then hung up. Su Jianan was confused and was too lazy to think. So she went to wash her face.

nSomeone suddenly knocked on her door at almost 11. The voice asked carefully, “Jianan? Are you asleep?”

n“Luo Xiaoxi?” Su Jianan opened the door and looked in surprise at the person who had just a few hours ago, been on television. “Why did you come over so late at night?”

n“I came on orders of your Boss Lu!”

nSu Jianan was confused, “Lu Boyan?”

n“Yep,” Luo Xiaoxi snuggled into the blankets. “Your Boss Lu called me and asked if I had time and if I did, come and accompany you.” Her tone suddenly turned angry. “Su Hongyuan is really a true bastard!”

nSu Jianan had not imagined that Lu Boyan would ask Luo Xiaoxi to come and accompany her.

nHer heart felt as if someone had soaked it in a honey pot. Su Jianan felt almost addicted to the feeling.

n“Actually, I did not have time.” Luo Xiaoxi said. “But your Boss Lu’s voice is practically like magic. It’s forceful, yet gentlemanly and makes one extremely comfortable. I really could not refuse.”

nSu Jianan had not understood Luo Xiaoxi’s key point. “So?”

n“So-” Luo Xiaoxi sat up. “You’ve stayed with him under one roof for so long, how can you resist not throwing yourself at him!”

nSu Jianan switched off the lights. “Good night.”

nThe time in which she slept the most deeply was when Lu Boyan was the busiest in New York.

nLu Boyan suddenly pushed all his business forward and did not give himself a minute of rest. All his subordinates felt that it was odd. He had only said that he was going to compress his schedule and bring forward his return date.

nOnly Shen Yuechuan knew that he was worried about a certain someone at home.

nShen Yuechuan laughed, “Boss Lu, don’t blame me for not reminding you. You’re getting more and more into your role. Is that good? Won’t she suspect anything?”

nLu Boyan continued dealing with his documents as if he had not heard that.

nShen Yuechuan did not mind and continued his soliloquy, “Oh, I forgot. What acting. Bull**!”

nLu Boyan looked up and said, “Assistant Shen. You can go straight to Vietnam once you’re done here.”

nHe was being sent on assignment to some secluded place again. Shen Yuechuan had, with great difficulty, made it back to an international city. His expression changed when he heard that and he ran off hugging the documents.

nIt was already past ten when Lu Boyan was done with work. His investigation had finally borne results.

nHis subordinate told him “We discovered that Han Ruoxi contacted Su Hongyuan a few days ago. They do not know each other at all and the two had not had previous contact. We suspect that Han Ruoxi might have told Su Hongyuan something.”

nHe did not think that Su Hongyuan would suddenly look for Su Jianan. He had not expected that the oddity in it was Han Ruoxi.

nLu Boyan frowned slightly. Just then, the mobile phone he placed on the table rang. Han Ruoxi’s name was displayed on it.

n“Are you done with work?” Han Ruoxi asked. “Let’s have dinner together? At the hotel we are staying at. Oh, you didn’t know, did you? We are staying in the same hotel. I stay on the floor below yours.”

n“I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

nLu Boyan hung up, put on his jacket and left the office.

nNo matter what Han Ruoxi told Su Hongyuan, there are some things that he had to make clear to Han Ruoxi.

nIn the hotel.

nHan Ruoxi knew that Lu Boyan would definitely come. She was already in the restaurant when she called Lu Boyan. She opened a bottle of red wine and drank it while waiting for Lu Boyan. The bottle of wine was emptied before long.

nThe clear red liquid was poured into an expensive wine glass. It did not have to be completely filled, and a quarter of the glass was just right. She twirled the glass and watched the liquid in the glass swirling. She brought the glass close to her and breathed deeply the scent of alcohol that permeated slowly in the air and made an expression of enjoyment. She knew how mesmerizing she was at that moment.

nAfter rejecting several attempts at flirting from men, Lu Boyan finally arrived.

nHan Ruoxi called the waiter and ordered for Lu Boyan.

nLu Boyan only ordered a cup of espresso.

n“You’re still drinking such strong coffee so late at night?” Han Ruoxi smiled elegantly, with a hint of the sexiness of a mature woman. “Will you still be able to sleep tonight?”

n“I still have work.”

n“You’re so busy?” Han Ruoxi leaned against the back of the chair and swirled the red wine in her glass. “Your schedule wasn’t so tight when I heard about it. You’re in such a rush to return…is it because you’re worried about your lovely new bride?”

nA trace of annoyance finally appeared in Lu Boyan’s emotionless voice. “She’s alone at home and I’m indeed a little worried.”

nHan Ruoxi’s expression froze. “Do you really like her?”

n“Ruoxi, this has nothing to do with you.” Lu Boyan said lightly with a warning tone.

n“Do you think I’m being nosy?” Han Ruoxi tilted her head back and finished the red wine in her glass. “Nothing to do with me? Heh-. You know that I love you and I’ve loved you for so many years. You promised me that you’ll divorce her in two years and gave me home. Now you’re telling me it has nothing to do with me?”

n“You’re mistaken. I was telling you my decision to divorce her in two years. It was not a promise to you.”

nHan Ruoxi froze. She suddenly understood that her love was unrequited.

nHer love had always been unrequited since she started liking Lu Boyan.

nBut, that was right. He was Lu Boyan and he could do anything. Even if there was something that he could not get, he would still take it by force. Why would he need to make a promise to someone else?

n“It’s been so many years, have you not like me a single bit, not even a second?” Han Ruoxi clutched on to the last tendrils of home like a person who had lost all hope. “Tell me, have you?”

n“No.” Lu Boyan said, “I apologize if I have made you misunderstand.”

n“Then why did you not come clean even though we had so many rumors together? You won’t even let the news appear when other female celebrities try with you. But why did you not come clean regarding our rumors together?”

nLu Boyan’s gaze was dark. “In the beginning, it was to promote you. Didn’t you understand then?”

nHan Ruoxi suddenly laughed self-mockingly.

nIndeed, when she and Lu Boyan started to have rumors together, it was to promote her. Back then, her manager had told her that Lu Boyan had never agreed to be in rumors with other female celebrities. Perhaps he liked her.

nShe had felt pleased and tried her best to occasionally create rumors with Lu Boyan. Together with her hard work and these rumors, she became the main star of Lu Enterprises’ media company in a few short years.

nAfter that, as long as she and Lu Boyan appeared together, their rumors would plaster the headlines. To those not in the know, she and Lu Boyan had long become a couple.

nLu Boyan had also never once frowned. She thought that Lu Boyan admired and liked her. She thought that they would end up together as long as she was patient.

nBut he suddenly got married and his bride was not a socialite from a large conglomerate but just a female medical examiner.

nAt first, she had not felt threatened. She thought that she could wait for two years.

nBut after seeing Su Jianan and seeing her together with Lu Boyan, she suddenly felt afraid. She felt that Lu Boyan was straying further and further away from her.

nIndeed, he had made things clear with her today.

n“Ruoxi, I advice you not to have any further contact with Su Hongyuan. Lu Boyan looked at her. “You’ve already successfully entered Hollywood and have a great future. Don’t let it be ruined by Su Hongyuan.”

nHe got up and called for the bill before leaving the restaurant.

nHan Ruoxi thought of his last statement and felt resentful. She almost crushed the wine glass in her hand.

nLu Boyan was warning her.

nHe was threatening her with her future because of Su Jianan. He was warning her to stay away from Su Hongyuan.

nSince he was so protective of Su Jianan. Then…she’ll make a bigger fuss.

nAnyway, Lu Boyan won’t be hers in the short term. She wanted Su Jianan to have a taste of the pain she felt right now.

nHan Ruoxi put on her shades and got up as she thought. Then, she called the hotel to send a few bottles of spirits to her room…

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