Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The next moment, Qiao Lian abandoned this thought.

Song Yuanxi had no need to lie to her, because such a lie would be too easy to bust. All she needed to do was ask Shen Liangchuan and the truth would be out.

And Xia Yehua had even said so…

At that time, Shen Liangchuan had gone out to meet up with his girlfriend. He had left the house in high spirits, but had come home all dejected with Song Yuanxi in tow.

His first love had died trying to save him. For that reason he felt he owed her his life, and therefore looked after her sister Song Yuanxi as though she was his own sister.

Then she recalled how, after he had visited Song Yuanxi at the filming location, he had spent all night in the room on the third floor.

Was it because he had felt guilt-stricken that day?

Qiao Lian laughed bitterly to herself.

She had never felt this lost.

Perhaps everyone had a life story that couldn’t be erased.

She was no exception. Eight years ago, she and Zi Chuan had been each other’s first love and she would never forget that.

She couldn’t possibly blame Shen Liangchuan.

Besides, did he really have a first love? She didn’t know it for a fact.

But what was this nagging feeling inside her?

As she walked out of the hotel’s main entrance, a gust of icy wind rushed at her, causing her to sneeze once.

At this point, she heard a voice coming from behind her. “Qiao Lian.”

She turned around. It was Sun Linan. She paused as she noticed the care and concern on his expression.

She gave a crooked smile as she acknowledged him, “Sun Tzi.” All at once, she felt loneliness and exhaustion descend upon her.

Sun Linan watched the girl before him—a pale and forlorn Qiao Lian.

The flash of distress in his eyes did not escape her.

He was silent for a brief moment before he spoke, “Qiao Lian, You can talk to me about your problems. I will help you unconditionally…”

One time, he had trailed her to a luxurious villa district.

On her own with a little brother in tow, it was impressive enough that she had manged to survive. There was no way she could afford that sort of property… unless… she had married a rich man.

And today, she was not acting like her normal self.

The way she had dashed up to the 12th floor a moment ago… could she have been trying to bust an illicit affair?

All of a sudden, he felt a dull ache in his heart, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it.

His Qiao Lian had always been determined and careless.

Never in his life had he seen her looking this helpless.

He wanted to help her and yearned to bring her happiness. Even if it was just to make her smile for a moment, it was good enough for him.

And surely this simple offer of his now would finally move her.

She looked at him and after a moment of hesitation, she said, “Thank you.”

Without another word, she stepped onto the sidewalk and hailed a cab.

This time, he did not try to stop her.

–

After driving away and leaving the hotel, Shen Liangchuan’s car halted at a red traffic light along a street.

His expression was complex as he looked straight ahead at the red light. His mind was still replaying the heated argument in the hotel room.

Never in his life would he have expected Song Yuanxi to find out about Qiao Lian’s identity and cause so much trouble.

Her repeated attempts to set Qiao Lian up made him want to kill Song Yuanxi.

But alas, Song Yuanxi was right about one thing.

The marriage between him and Qiao Lian… had started off with the intention to take revenge on her, to torture her to the brink of death.

But in the process, things had gradually changed.

He found out that he couldn’t bear to see her get hurt even for a bit.

Without realizing it himself, he had fallen so deeply in love with her.