Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“I’m in good health and can still have children.”

When Yan Wangchuan said this, Qiao Aiyun was dumbfounded and was at a loss for what to do. Her seatbelt instantly sprung back into place.

The atmosphere in the car instantly became stagnant and awkward.

Her facial nerves started twitching violently.

Her ears felt a little hot. What kind of nonsense is this person spouting? Did I ask him about this?

Moreover, he said it so bluntly?

Despite her age, Qiao Aiyun’s face still flushed red in embarrassment.

Yan Wangchuan suddenly leaned over, scaring her so much that she pressed her back against the seat and didn’t dare to move. He reached out with his long arm and grabbed the seatbelt diagonally behind her, leaning over with half of his body.

But he had always been an upright person. Even though he was so close to her, he was still polite and distant, maintaining the gentlemanly demeanor he should have. Besides the rubbing of their clothes, he didn’t exceed the boundaries a bit.

He pulled the seatbelt over and helped her fasten it.

“Do you not want a child?” he asked seriously, his expression focused.

“I haven’t considered this yet.” Qiao Aiyun told the truth.

Too many things had happened recently, and she only wanted to take good care of Song Fengwan now. This period of time for a senior high school student was too important. Although she was also considering her relationship with Yan Wangchuan, she had truly never thought about having a child.

Yan Wangchuan nodded, returned to his seat, and drove straight to the Qiao residence.

Qiao Aiyun glanced at him. His face was cold and solemn. He was expressionless, with his lips pursed and his whole body tense. His fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened slowly, and the veins on the back of his hands popped up.

He was obviously angry.

“Senior Brother?” she called out tentatively.

“Yes,” he answered indifferently with a lack of expression.

“Are you angry?”

“No.” Although his tone was as aloof as usual, Qiao Aiyun could hear a hint of grievance in it.

He’s obviously angry.

Can this person not be so stifling? Why is he still holding back his anger at this point?

“Senior Brother, we haven’t confirmed our relationship yet…” She wanted to tell him what was on her mind. Although she dared to broach the conversation, she was stopped by a certain someone’s words.

“Are you breaking our engagement again?” Yan Wangchuan’s expression was grave as his sharp eyes shot over like a hawk’s.

Qiao Aiyun’s breathing halted, and then he added another sentence.

“You’re going to abandon me again.”

She was caught between laughter and tears. What does he mean by ‘going to abandon me again’? He makes me seem like a fickle, heartless woman. Moreover, his tone is inexplicably aggrieved and accusatory.

“Senior Brother, actually, I think our relationship hasn’t stabilized yet, and it’s too early to talk about having a child.”

Qiao Aiyun’s tone softened, as she wanted to communicate with him properly.

“Besides, at my age, I can’t have a child just because I want to. Do you know how dangerous it is for older women to have a child? If not handled carefully, I could really…”

Yan Wangchuan slammed down on the brakes. The car almost touched the curb, letting out an ear-piercing screech as it stopped steadily.

“Wanwan is still taking her college entrance exams over the next half a year. I really don’t have the mood for other things. Even if I want a child, I have to consider it at length. Don’t you think so?”

The other party didn’t speak.

Qiao Aiyun sighed.

Yan Wangchuan had one hand placed on the hand brake and suddenly felt a warm hand slowly cover the back of his hand. It was soft and warm and seemed to be carrying a unique fragrance. It slowly tightened its grasp on his hand. “Senior Brother, am I right?”

His body was tense, and he couldn’t snap out of it.

She…

… held my hand?

Seeing his tense face, Qiao Aiyun thought that he was still angry. She sighed and retracted her hand awkwardly. But someone instead grabbed her hand even faster.

“You’re right.” Yan Wangchuan’s gaze was fixed on their clasped hands. His breathing was a little heavy, seemingly out of breath.

The back of his hand was broad, and there was a thin layer of calluses on his fingers, but they were abnormally hot. His palms were all sweaty from nervousness, but he held onto her and refused to let go.

Qiao Aiyun struggled but to no avail. She could only let him hold her hand. Her face was burning a little, and her heart was beating a little fast.

“Senior Brother? Go ahead and drive.”

Only then did Yan Wangchuan let go reluctantly and continue driving. Qiao Aiyun tilted her head and looked at him.

The ears of a certain person who was always lacking in expression and was taciturn were red. They didn’t match his aloof face at all.

Is he shy? Qiao Aiyun let out a laugh, and Yan Wangchuan felt his ears grow even hotter.

***

When the car was about to arrive at the villa community, they saw a large number of reporters gathered outside. The community’s security guards were guarding the entrance, trying their best to leave room for cars to pass.

Qiao Aiyun sat up straight and looked outside. “What happened?”

Yan Wangchuan pursed his lips and didn’t speak. Although his car had a local license plate, the reporters hadn’t seen it before. They thought he was an ordinary resident in the community, so they didn’t care and let the car slowly pass through.

When the two reached home, Qiao Wangbei immediately went up to them.

“Did you meet reporters?”

“There are many reporters outside the community.” Qiao Aiyun stood in the entryway and bent down to remove her shoes. “What happened?”

“The bank announced that it wants to liquidate the Song Group’s assets.” Qiao Wangbei raised his eyebrows.

Qiao Aiyun’s fingers stiffened slightly. She had witnessed this company grow from a small studio to a leading enterprise in Yuncheng with her own eyes. Now that the large building had collapsed in just a few days, how could it not make her sigh?

When she walked into the living room, she saw the broadcast of the Song Group’s situation on a local Yuncheng channel.

A large number of reporters had set up their equipment and were blocking the company’s entrance. There were many debt collectors holding black and white banners, and most of them had the words ‘Song Jingren, pay me back my hard-earned money’ on them. A large number of people were gathered at the company’s entrance to press it for payment.

“According to the news, the Song Group owes quite a lot of money and can’t pay off its bank loans. Also, the previous business partners are all small businesses. They produced the goods, but the balances remain unsettled. Now that the Song Group has fallen, these people’s money has gone down the drain.” Qiao Wangbei was speechless.

Qiao Aiyun took a look at the television. “He owes a lot of money?”

“All the suppliers of the Song Group have turned against him. Since it can’t collect payment for the goods, it naturally doesn’t have the money to pay the suppliers. Neither can it pay off the bank loans. It’s a vicious cycle. The deficit is too great, and the gap can’t be plugged up,” Yan Wangchuan explained. “Now, no one dares to lend him money, even loan sharks.”

“He brought this upon himself! Serves him right!” Qiao Wangbei snorted coldly. He picked up the remote control and turned off the TV.

“Where is he?” Qiao Aiyun asked.

“He must have found a place to hide. Countless people in the city are looking for him now. As long as he shows his face, the suppliers will definitely eat him up. This kind of coward definitely doesn’t dare to appear.” Qiao Wangbei’s tone was disdainful.

“Because they couldn’t find him, the reporters came to block your place. They probably want to ask you about the situation. Don’t go out recently.”

“I’ll pick Wanwan up at the atelier tonight, lest she gets implicated.”

Qiao Aiyun nodded. “Where’s Huai Sheng?”

“He went to bed.”

When Qiao Wangbei thought of this little monk, his head hurt. He didn’t know how to coax children at all. He had told him nicely that he shouldn’t cry, but this little guy had cried even harder.

Had it been his own son, he would have smacked him long ago. In the end, he simply got tired from crying and went back to his room to sleep.

“Then I’ll help him pack.” Qiao Aiyun walked upstairs.

After the Song Group went bankrupt, Song Jingren’s situation was imaginable. He had nothing left and even had to shoulder enormous debts. It inevitably made people sigh in pity.

***

Jiang Fengya also saw the news of the Song Group’s imminent bankruptcy online and hurried to the apartment Song Jingren was currently renting.

As soon as she opened the door, she was assailed by the pungent and choking smell of alcohol and smoke. She coughed uncontrollably. Amid the smoke swirling around, she could finally see the man sitting on the sofa.

The TV was broadcasting the news about the Song Group. There were all kinds of documents, crushed newspapers, and bottles of alcohol scattered on the floor. The ashtray on the coffee table was full of cigarette butts, and there was nowhere to put her feet down in the entire apartment.

Jiang Fengya groped around for a long time before turning on the lights. “Dad?”

Wherever the light shone, there was complete disorder.

Song Jingren lifted his eyelids with difficulty and looked up at her. “You’re here?”

Jiang Fengya walked toward him while tidying up the trash on the floor. “Even if the company is gone, as long as you work hard, everything will still be there.”

“Heh…” Song Jingren had drunk a lot. His fingers holding a butt cigarette were trembling slightly as he brought the cigarette to his mouth. “It’s not that easy.”

“The company is in liquidation, and there’s still a lot of stuff. After the bank auctions them off, it shouldn’t be a problem to pay off the debts. There will definitely be a chance to start over.”

Jiang Fengya had long ago understood that the Song Group owned many machines, including the Song Group building. When the bank auctioned them to pay off the debts, there might still be a large sum of money left.

Even if it was only a few hundred thousand, it wasn’t a small amount of money to her.

She had lost her grant, and Fu Yuxiu was about to leave the country. Perhaps Song Jingren might be able to get some money back.

“… I didn’t expect you to be the last person to stay by my side.” Song Jingren smiled bitterly and took a deep puff of smoke.

“Those people even said that you were just greedy for my money and wanted to climb up the social ladder. That’s all bull**! You’re my biological daughter, unlike that damn girl Song Fengwan! She has no conscience!”

Jiang Fengya’s expression was a little unnatural. Unfortunately, Song Jingren was so immersed in his own emotions that he didn’t notice her abnormality in that split second at all.

“I doted on her for so many years in vain. Now, she actually dares to call someone else her father. I think she’ll change her last name to Yan soon! I just knew that Qiao Aiyun had a f*cking affair with that man!

“How dare they keep claiming to be innocent? They must have rolled into bed together behind my back a long time ago! That slut!”

The more Song Jingren thought about it, the more infuriated he became.

“Didn’t Aunt know that Mr. Yan long ago? If she doesn’t have feelings for him, why would they have gotten engaged?” Jiang Fengya muttered softly.

“Yes. If they don’t have any feelings for each other, why would they have gotten engaged? That adulterous couple! They even f*cking slandered me at the press conference and threw dirty water onto me! They must have hooked up long ago. They aren’t innocent.”

When Song Jingren remembered how they had lunch at noon, he was instantly enraged.

“It’s actually normal for Little Sister to be on good terms with him. Isn’t he very rich? He must be nice to her too.”

Upon hearing this, Song Jingren raised his hand and knocked a few beer bottles on the table to the floor. “That damn girl is most likely not my child! If she’s not his daughter, why should the Yan family treat her well?!”

At the thought that he might have raised someone else’s daughter for nearly two decades, he felt even more humiliated.

The man’s pride seemed to be crushed and ruthlessly ground under someone’s feet.

The fear of being dominated by Yan Wangchuan rose from the bottom of his heart again.

Jiang Fengya bit her lip. “Dad, don’t be angry. You’re already divorced. It’s useless to be conflicted about this now.”

“Damn it! They must have set a trap for me to jump into early on. The company shares were so valuable, yet they didn’t want them. They obviously schemed against me from the start.”

Song Jingren recalled the past at this point. Qiao Wangbei had been so decisive, and he hadn’t wanted anything valuable and only wanted some houses and stores. They had only wanted a divorce and to cut ties with him.

Upon careful thought, it was obviously premeditated.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He wanted to rush to their house and kill them all.

At this thought, Song Jingren directly walked out of the door. He was going to find that slut to settle the score.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw an unknown middle-aged man. Their gazes met, and Song Jingren frowned. “Who are you?”

On the other hand, Jiang Zhiqiang smiled. “Oh my, I finally found you…”

The moment Jiang Fengya heard his voice, her body trembled in fear. Endless terror grew within her heart. Why is he here again?

***

Yuncheng, Fu residence…

The butler was directing the servants to pack up. They would be leaving the country in three days, and time was tight.

Sun Qionghua, on the other hand, went out to buy gifts. She had to go to the Qiao family to apologize later, so she couldn’t visit empty-handed.

Fu Chen was in his room, reading Buddhist scriptures with his head lowered.

Qian Jiang knocked on the door. “Third Master.”

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s a situation.”

“Mhm?” Fu Chen raised his eyebrows.

“Jiang Fengya’s foster father found Song Jingren. I’m afraid something might happen.”

Fu Chen lifted his eyes and looked at Qian Jiang. “Keep a close eye on that side and inform Yan Wangchuan to be careful. Song Jingren is at his wit’s end now. I’m afraid he’ll do something if he’s forced into a corner.”

“Yes,” Qian Jiang answered and walked out.

Fu Chen lowered his head and rubbed the title page of the Buddhist scripture, feeling a little uneasy..