My Evil Genius Wife
Author: Kamlyn
Date: 2022-11-29T19:20:29.252000+00:00

Chapter 215 - Snakey Father!!

After apologizing half-heartedly, Wang Meili didn't go to her office as she was doing earlier, instead, she left the building, leaving everyone to stare at her back in bewilderment.

Xu Nuan looked at Song Ai and the other girls and waved her hand to not bother what just happened. The conflict is between her and Wang Meili, others have nothing to do with it. She doesn't want them to keep thinking about it.

-

After Wang Meili, Xu Nuan also left the building and went to the cafe opposite the office as she was planning to do earlier. The headache due to the hangover has now become worse because of the argument with Wang Meili.

'There is not a single day when I can relax peacefully.' she groaned while rubbing her temples as found a seat for her in the corner, near the large glass window from where she can watch people going on and off.

The weather was beautiful and to welcome the spring, the flowers were blooming, bidding goodbye to the chilly winters. Even in this beautiful-romantic weather, here she was sitting in the corner, alone, dealing with her hangover. How romantic!

She pulled out her phone and was browsing through her emails to see if she had missed any important mail while waiting for her order. She had ordered a refreshing sweet iced latte with a piece of cheesecake. She needed a pump of sugar to get on track.

" I can't believe I went easy on Wang Meili. Seems like Xu Nuan's nice personality is affecting me." she shook her head disappointingly remembering how she allowed her to just apologize and let her go her way.

She used to be quite hot-headed and doesn't really care about others' thoughts while saying her part.

It was because of her hot-headed personality that every reality show wanted to invite her as a guest, it gave them hot gossip but trouble to the PR management department of her company.

However, seeing the way she lazily dealt with Wang Meili, she felt she was not being herself. Since she is in Xu Nuan's body, the fiery attitude has been suppressed to some extent. Seems like she is getting too comfortable in Xu Nuan's skin.

"Why do I feel like I am losing my character?" she sighed tiredly while feeling confused about her identity. It is mainly because of this reason that she feels hesitant to confess to Han Zihao, she is not sure who she is herself.

This identity crisis was messing with her head.

She lazily scrolled down the unread emails and was about to switch to the Weibo account when her phone started ringing, interrupting her. However, rather than the sudden phone call, she was more surprised to see the name of the person who was calling.

" Snakey Father."

Yes. That was the name showing on the screen. It was the nickname she had given to Xu Nuan's father, Gu Zhang. She has a habit of giving weird nicknames to people while saving their names and this one seems to be the most appropriate for his snakey personality.

There were other nicknames as well. However, she chose this to tone down her rudeness, after all, he is an elder to her. She has to give some respect to him, and choosing this nickname was the biggest respect she has shown to him.

-

She pursed her lips and wondered why he was calling her. Is he going to talk about the shareholder's meeting again? She sighed exasperatedly. She was tired from all the drama already.

She didn't pick up the call and waited for some time to let it over while enjoying the jazz music in the cafe.

After missing two of his calls, she got irritated seeing his persistence and finally picked up the call while fidgeting with the coffee that had arrived a few minutes ago with the cheesecake she had ordered.

As soon as she picked up the call, Gu Zhang's annoyed voice could be heard from the other side, " Why didn't you pick up my call earlier? Do you know how many times I have called you already?" He scolded her, feeling annoyed at the fact that she ignored his calls.

He was sure that she was ignoring him on purpose because she generally picks his father's (Grandfather Gu) call under 2-3 rings while she missed two of his calls.

It shows how much she respects him.

Xu Nuan lazily sighed before speaking, " Two times. Now if you don't have something important to say to me, can I hang up? I am already so tired you know." she said nonchalantly while picking up the glass to take a sip of her coffee.

Gu Zhang, on the other hand, grew annoyed upon hearing her indifferent tone. He called her despite her rude attitude towards him yet she was acting as if they're strangers. He is her father, how can she treat him with disrespect?

He glanced at Xingren who was sitting beside him and was looking at him curiously, listening to their conversation as the phone was on speaker.

She also wanted to talk to Xu Nuan just like him, after the result announcement, Xu Nuan didn't even call to tell them about the news and he had to call her himself to congratulate her. How can she hide such big news from him? They're family after all.

He cleared his throat and decided to let go of the bratty attitude of hers since she emerged first in the scholarship exam.

" Ahem, I called you...because...I wanted to congratulate you. Although you didn't tell us anything, Mr. Wen told us that you got the full-term scholarship from Xin Liu university." He said while the corner of his lips was curling up with proudness in his eyes. Her tone also softened, remembering the praises that Mr. Wen has said about her greatness and talent.

After all, she is his daughter.

Her success is directly connected to him, the scholarship in the end came to their family. However, Xingren who was sitting beside him, her expressions grew dark seeing his gleeful expressions. How can he be happy about it? What is the big deal about getting the scholarship?

Xu Nuan paused in her actions as she couldn't process his words. Congratulate her? What a surprise!! Did the sunrise from the opposite direction today? Shouldn't he be bashing her for taking his dear daughter's spot?

" Yeah, I heard from Grandpa that you all know," she said in a low voice, not interested to continue chatting with him. Did he think that a few happy words from him will make her happy and she will forget the times he treated her like an extra?

Even though she is not the real Xu Nuan, she could feel the frustration and emotions that the girl has faced in the past. However, due to her soft personality, she didn't even fight with them and silently bore all the accusations Xingren threw at her while Lin Ran and Gu Zhang favored her.

Gu Zhang pursed his lips seeing the lack of enthusiasm from her side while talking to him. This brat!!

Although he was annoyed by her attitude, the thought that she got the scholarship and has proven her worth as the child of the Gu family made him relax. She can finally be introduced to others as the daughter of the Gu family.

Grandfather Gu has also given her some shares in the company as well. If she continues her hardworking attitude and listens to his advice, she can become an elegant and lovable lady, just like Xingren.

Initially, he was worried about her when she first came to the Gu family. He was afraid to claim the child who came from the orphanage with no good education background, her manners were not up to the standards of the elite gatherings and there was no emotional attachment with her, the only connection was the blood that they shared.

That's why he favored Xingren who has been groomed by his wife and him, she received the perfect education and etiquettes of high society and was lovable since young. How can he abandon her and announce someone who doesn't even know about the table manners as the heiress of the Gu family?

Xingren might not be the blood of the Gu family, but she had been brought up as the successor of the Gu enterprises. Xu Nuan can never achieve that level of intelligence and smartness even if she excels in some exams. Running a business doesn't only need experience and patience but years of business knowledge to understand how the market works. Also, communication and leadership qualities come in handy when engaging in such works.

And Xingren has been working and learning that by his side since she was in high school, as she visits his office and tries to learn about his work and office culture by mingling with other employees who were fond of her dearly as well.

She is the perfect candidate to take over the Gu enterprises after him. The true heiress indeed!

Chapter 216 - Sisters bond

Gu Zhang took a deep breath to calm his nerves before saying, " Since you're going to join the college soon, buy some wearable clothes for yourself and don't wear those low-class dresses of yours anymore. In college, you will encounter many students who belong to the elite families, don't act like a brat, and make some friends with them who will come resourceful in the future."

" Also, leave your cheap entertainment company soon. As the daughter of the Gu family, it doesn't suit you to work as the artist manager in a cheap company. Don't shame the name of the Gu family because of your stubbornness."

It's embarrassing to tell anyone that his daughter works in an entertainment company. She got the scholarship in the topmost college in the country, so she should do the work suitable for that status.

The entertainment industry is not only dirty but full of scandals and lies. How can she be able to marry into a reputed family, if she continued to work in that cheap entertainment company?

" I will send you my card so get yourself some pretty dresses. Since your dressing sense is poor, I will ask Xingren to help you. You two sisters should spend some time together and form a bond." He said like a responsible father, wanting his daughters to mingle together and became friends with each other.

Xu Nuan was already annoyed by his words. He doesn't know anything about her work yet he shamelessly calls the entertainment industry cheap and dirty. Does he want her to recall the dirty side of the business circle?

Both are equally messed up but the difference is, the entertainment industry comes in the spotlight more while the business scandals get covered under the corruption and underhanded deals.

In a true sense, the bigger business companies are hiding more rubbish than any entertainment company.

Not only that, he wants her to go shopping with Xingren?  She couldn't help but scoff at his choice of words. Sisters bond? With Xingren?

" Shopping with Xingren? Hah, do you want me to get into an accident again?" she asked stoney heartedly, reminding him what Xingren did to her when they went shopping together in the past.

He can forget all the things Xingren did to her but how can she?

That was the accident that changed her life. If Xu Nuan wouldn't have gotten into an accident, she might have just died as Jiang Yue or would have taken over someone else's body, if possible.

Gu Zhang's expressions turned solemn upon hearing Xu Nuan's straightforward words. He glanced at Xingren's whose expressions turned gloomy as well upon hearing Xu Nuan bringing up the past.

He got fl.u.s.tered seeing the nervousness on Xingren's face and looked around to see if anyone else was there, " Xu Nuan!! Why are you talking about that incident again? Didn't we settle that already? Also, it was just a mistake. Do you have to bring that topic every time we talk? I called you because I wanted to mend our broken relationship."

" You can forget us, but I am your father. How can a father be heartless enough to ignore his child?" His voice turned louder and annoyed. He was angry at her attitude but was also trying to suppress the anger for the sake of their relationship, however, she keeps crossing her lines.

Xu Nuan couldn't help but stare at the phone in wonder, is he drunk or what? How can he be shameless enough to call her and claim himself as a father after treating her like shit all these years?

No doubt Xingren turned out like this. Other than blood relationsh.i.p.s, there is a thing called parenting. And what kind of parenting Xingren has received, it's clear from her character. Like father, like daughter.

Her lips curled into a cold smirk as she scoffed before saying, " Seems like you forgot your words, but when you were giving me the condominium that you bought for Xingren, you said that you will never accept an insect like me as your daughter. Now just because I surpassed your baby princess in the exam, I became your daughter? Hah, Mr. Gu, thanks for calling but don't call me next time if there is nothing important."

" I am living well alone, without any family. And I prefer to stay like this in the future as well. I have no intentions to share my achievements with you guys when you haven't contributed a cent to my growth. If you had shown some affection in the past, I wouldn't have acted like this, however, I remember how cold and harsh you were when I woke up after the operation."

" I love to hold grudges, Mr. Gu. I will never forget the way you treated me and sided with Xingren after knowing her criminal deeds and even at the Banquet as well, you let that old hag harass me to not ruin the business relations with him for the sake of Xingren. And after all of this, don't you feel shame calling yourself my father? Because I do." Gu Zhang was stunned upon hearing her harsh words.

'What...what happened to this girl? Despite him trying to be nice, she was pushing him away?'

" Thank you for going against your will to congratulate me. It was surprising indeed. However, I don't need your good wishes because I know that rather than being happy about me, you're feeling proud about the honor coming with the scholarship." she said, revealing Gu Zhang's true feelings on his face.

Gu Zhang stared at the phone in shock upon hearing her words. He never had imagined in his wild dreams that one day he will get to hear such sharp words from Xu Nuan. Although these days she is speaking quite too much, this was still out of his imagination. How can she be so distant and indifferent to her father?

Mr. Gu? Not even father or dad?

Does she even think of him as her father?

Chapter 217 - Cheating? Xu Nuan?

Xingren's lips curled up in a smirk seeing Gu Zhang's shocked and dazed expressions after hearing Xu Nuan's icy cold words. She doesn't even need to do anything, Xu Nuan is doing all the work.

She took the opportunity and snatched the phone from his hand that was on the speaker and threw the set of questions at her, " Xu Nuan, be honest, how did you top the exam? You didn't even finish your exam and left the examination hall in the middle. How can that be possible?"

"Did Han Zihao help you? Did he bribe the dean to forge the results or bought the question paper for you? Tell me the truth. There is no way you can top the exam with your abilities. If you come clean now, father and I can help you to solve this problem. We're family after all," she said while clutching the phone tight in her hands, wearing worried expressions on her face.

She was wanting to ask this question since the result has been out but didn't get the chance to do so. Today when she heard that Gu Zhang is planning to call Xu Nuan, she approached him and made him put the phone on speaker, wanting to hear what they're gonna talk about.

After getting the chance, she was planning to face Xu Nuan and show the truth to Gu Zhang and everyone. However, rather than getting fl.u.s.tered and responding to her question, she only heard a beep sound because rather than arguing with her, Xu Nuan hung up the phone.

"....."

Huh? Did she hang up the phone? Ho...How dare she!!

Her face turned crimson upon seeing the way Xu Nuan humiliated her by not responding to her questions. This girl...she has become quite bold. Who would have thought that the girl from the orphanage who was quiet to the point that no one can tell her presence at the home can speak to this point?

She speaks as if she is someone different. She pursed her lips, feeling strange about Xu Nuan's attitude.

" Xingren, what do you mean by that? Cheating? Do you think Xu Nuan cheated to top the exam? But how can she…." Gu Zhang asked in confusion, wondering why Xinregn is claiming something like that.

Xingren pursed her lips and her eyes turned soft before she spoke, " Dad, do you remember Xu Nuan's scorecard in high school? She barely managed to graduate from school. She is not only bad at English but Maths, science, everything. And in the scholarship exam, it has questions from all fields and the level of complexity was the topmost."

" How can she top the exam without using shady means? And don't you remember how Han Zihao claimed her to be his girlfriend? I am sure he must have used his ways to get her that position." She said, making Gu Zhang's expressions turn complicated.

Cheating? He didn't think about it before, but now think about it, Xu Nuan can't score this much without using anything shady considering her record. Did she cheat in the exam as Xingren is saying?

Xingren was content to see Gu Zhang's chaotic state. Xu Nuan might have achieved the topmost position, but how can she get away after snatching her position? She was the one who worked hard to get the scholarship yet she took that position from her, using her cheap tricks.

"Dad, I am just worried about Xu Nuan. She is of the same age as me, but she is going astray. How can she think of cheating in an exam? If this gets out, the name of the Gu family will be ruined. After all, Xin Lin University is the country's most popular and respected institution."

Xingren's words were putting Gu Zhang in deep thought. She was right. If this gets out, the consequences will be severe and harmful for the Gu enterprises too.

" I can't believe she can do something like this. How can she be involved with Han Zihao and do such a shady thing? Dad, do you think...she...she is in that kind of relationship with Han Zihao? What if he is just playing with her and will throw her away after getting his ways with her?" She said while looking at Gu Zhang in worry.

Her words made Gu Zhang's expressions turn dark and gloomy. Now that he thinks about it, it's possible for Han Zihao to treat Xu Nuan as just a playtoy and not a potential partner, after all, what qualities does she bear to be the future, Mrs. Han?

The situation is quite worrisome indeed.

" Xingren, you're such a nice girl. After listening to that brat's harsh words, you're still worried about her. You're right. There is no way she can get to this position on her own. She wasn't even focusing on her studies in the last few months after all. How can she do that while working?" He said while pondering about how to address this situation.

This is a serious matter after all.

-

After hanging up the phone, Xu Nuan sighed deeply and rubbed her temples that were now throbbing due to the headache.

'Why is everyone trying to increase her blood pressure today? Can't she have a peaceful moment?'

Annoyed at what just happened, she put her phone on the table and took a sip of her coffee whose ice has now melted.

" Damn it. I will not forget Gu's for ruining my coffee." She cursed under her breath while drinking the watery coffee with a gloomy face. After so many things happened and openly going against her during the meeting, Gu Zhang has the guts to act like her father? Shameless.

Before hanging up the phone, she heard Xingren's voice, however, she couldn't be bothered to listen to what she was saying, so she hung up the phone. Who has time to listen to her petty words?

As she was trying to enjoy her ice-watery coffee, her phone rang again. A few creases appeared on her forehead and her lips pursed in a thin line as she stared at her ringing phone.

Is it Gu Zhang again? Or Xingren?

" I will not show them politeness if they tried to pick a fight with me again," she mumbled before picking up the phone and said without looking at the screen irritatedly, " Now what? You should know that our relationship is not the same as before. Do you think it's inappropriate for you to keep bothering me with your so-called care that I don't need?" she asked harshly.

She knows her words might sound harsh to him but she wasn't in the mood to play a good daughter card a bit. Unlike Xingren, she was least interested in the petty wealth of Gu's. She is Jiang Yue, she will build her empire. It can take some time but she doesn't need their petty wealth to satisfy her desires.

She was expecting a perplexed and annoyed voice of Gu Zhang, but to her surprise,  she heard a low-stiff voice from the other side, " Is someone bothering you? Who is it, is it that boy Yuhan?"

"....."

Chapter 218 - I am still waiting!!

Xu Nuan was speechless upon hearing the very-much familiar voice. She looked at her phone and gulped in nervousness upon realizing that she had picked up Han Zihao's call and was shouting at him, rather than Gu Zhang.

'How come he always appears at such timings?' she wondered. When she attended the banquet of Grandfather Gu's anniversary, he surprisingly appeared at the right moment and took her to the hospital when she was unconscious.

His timings have been incredible, how come he always finds her in her worse? Every time, she is either drunk or in a fight with someone, very well.

She took a deep breath before speaking, " Mr. Han,  Erm...sorry for not recognizing you earlier. I picked the call without checking the caller. Haha" she laughed stiffly while scratching the back of her head awkwardly.

Han Zihao pursed his lips upon hearing her stiff response and asked again, " Who was it that got you so annoyed?" This time he didn't name Yuhan but his face was flashing in his eyes. That man is quite problematic.

Even though he is engaged to Xingren, anyone could tell that he is not interested in her. Moreover, now he even knows Xu Nuan's real identity since Grandfather Gu has announced it in the board of directors meeting. By now, he must be aware that he was supposed to be engaged with Xu Nuan and not Xingren, who was exchanged at Xu Nuan's place.

Xu Nuan didn't pay attention to him asking about Yuhan and responded to his question simply, " Ah, that's nothing. It was just Xingren and Mr. Gu. They called earlier to talk about something. And you called for...?" she trailed off as she asked in hesitation, wondering why he was suddenly calling her.

She was not in her right mind to talk to him. The memories of last night were still haunting her, reminding her of the embarrassing position in which she was in last night.

Han Zihao was relieved upon hearing her response. As long as it was not Yuhan. Changing the topic, he said, " Aren't you hungry? Let's go out for lunch."

" HUH? Lunch? Suddenly?"

Han Zihao didn't wait for long and checked his watch before getting off his chair. He picked up his coat from the chair and walked towards the door with the phone in his hands, " I haven't had my lunch yet. Also, Isn't it lunchtime for you too? Let's eat together."

"Mr. Han, I am not feeling well so I don't-

" I am reaching in fifteen minutes, so wait for me in front of the building," he said and hung up on her, leaving her stunned.

"....."

What just happened? She was trying to avoid meeting him now, but he was coming to her with such a strong force.

She stared at her phone in a daze and covered her mouth in shock, " Damn, since when this stiff man became so smooth?" she murmured in distress while pulling her hair. He didn't even give her time to deny his lunch offer.

She isn't ready to face him. Not Yet!!

-

Leaving his office, Han Zihao walked past the secretarial desk, startling Feng Sheng who was in the middle of ordering a lunch box for him.

"Sir, are you going somewhere? I was ordering your lunch-

" I am going out to eat. You can have that." He said while waving at him to not follow him.

Feng Sheng blinked and glanced at his assistant who was also shocked seeing the overly excited Han Zihao. Since the morning, the President who always wears a stoic expression to work was shining like a bright star.

" Secretary Feng, why do you think Sir is acting this way?" The girl asked in confusion, wondering if there is some good news.

Feng Sheng snickered and glanced at her, " It's all because of Love. Love!!" He said dreamily, feeling relaxed that he finally can get some time since Mr. Han will get busy dating.

His face is glowing since he came to the office in the morning, wonder what would have happened yesterday to make him blush like that.

'Something exciting must have happened yesterday to make him glow to this extent.' Thinking about this, he couldn't help but giggle, 'It's gonna be exciting.'

-

"Erm...Mr. Han, didn't you say we're going for lunch? Why did you stop the car here?" Xu Nuan asked stiffly while looking around. Rather than going to a restaurant, he stopped the car in front of the park which is near to her office.

Shouldn't they go to a restaurant to eat? What can they get to eat here?

Han Zihao glanced at her and saw her puzzled expressions. He smiled as he unbuckled his seatbelt and said, " We're here for lunch. Let's get out first."

" Oh." Xu Nuan also unbuckled her seatbelt and followed him out.

….

There weren't many people at this time since it was daytime and most of the people were at work. A few people could be seen taking a stroll and some were just sitting around, chit-chatting.

Han Zihao, who was matching her slow pace, noticed her pale and haggard complexion. His lips twitched seeing at how well she takes care of herself. He sighed and led her to a nearby bench, " Let's just sit here."

After settling down, Xu Nuan watched as he pulled out a thermos from the small basket that he was carrying. She assumed that it must be either some snacks or something to eat since they didn't go to the restaurant.

Did he bring her here for a picnic? He could have said so if he wanted to go on one? Well… the weather isn't too hot for that either.

" Here, your lunch." He handed her a bowl in which he poured the congee from the thermos and put the two small-square-shaped transparent containers on the bench which had the stir-fried veggies and pickle to go with it.

Xu Nuan stared at the congee and the veggies in a daze and frowned, " Cognee? Aren't we on a picnic? Who eats congee on a picnic?"

She wasn't even sick, why would she eat such bland food?

Han Zihao raised his brows upon hearing her words. He chortled, " You want to go on a picnic that bad? In this condition?"

"What's wrong with me? I am perfectly fine. Also, aren't we here for a picnic?" She asked in confusion, if not for a picnic then why are we here?

He sighed seeing her acting as if she is fine, " We're here to eat. And congee is the only way to relive the hangover. Have you seen your condition? Your face is pale and colorless. If you don't want to end up in the hospital, then eat this."

" How can you not know how to take care of yourself? How can you drink to get yourself in this condition?" He nagged her while putting the spoon in her hand and gestured to her to eat.

"....."

She pursed her lips and was hoping that he doesn't bring out the other topic that was related to the drinking.

She watched him as he continued to nag her. A warm feeling rushed in her seeing that someone is there to nag her and take care of her. After waking up as Xu Nuan, she was all alone and lonely, however, now there is someone to take care of her.

There is someone who will nag her and worry about her. She is not alone anymore.

She was eating the congee he bought for her while being lost in her thoughts when she heard him say, " Xu Nuan…"

"Hmm?"

Han Zihao looked up and stared into her eyes, " I am still waiting!"

Chapter 219 - Communication is not forced but willing.

Xu Nuan was eating the porridge made by him and was lost in her thoughts when she heard him say something, " Hmm? You said something?"

However, after asking this question, she was caught off guard to see the serious gaze in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat wondering why he was suddenly staring at her with such an intense gaze.

Han Zihao stared at her and pursed his lips before saying, " Xu Nuan, I am still waiting for you."

" Huh?" Her mind went blank upon hearing his words. She knew that there will be a day that she needs to face this, but wasn't expecting him to ask this question this way.

The look on his face made it even harder for her to say anything. What can she possibly answer? The truth that she has been running away, it's complicated for herself too.

He saw her being silent and continued, " The other day when I confessed to you, you let it away since it wasn't prepared by me and acted as if nothing happened. However, you're ignoring me after that, I don't understand why."

" Is it because it's too much for you? Do you think you aren't ready for a relationship? Or...you don't like me anymore?" He asked while looking at her seriously, waiting for her answer.

Upon hearing his questions, her heart leaped. She vigorously shook her head in denial and said firmly, " NO! That's not it. I...I just...I am afraid." She whispered while looking down at the bowl in her hands.

" I was happy when you confessed your feeling to me. However, I am just afraid that everything is too good to be true, you know. In my life, whenever something good happened, the misfortune always followed me like a dark shadow. I am afraid that...all these things will go away as well." she didn't raise her head as she doesn't want to see his expressions at this moment.

She hated being weak. However, the insecurities that were eating her up were making him feel insecure too. She doesn't want him to think that she was ignoring him because she dislikes him. How can she dislike him when she knows that no one can love her more than this man?

But for those who have experienced hardsh.i.p.s since young, it's difficult for them to accept happiness easily. Because happiness always brings insecurity, the fear of losing that happiness. And the pain of losing happiness is more than the emptiness in one's life.

They prefer to stay alone in their shell, rather than letting someone in their space. Staying alone is more convenient than worrying about being loved by the other person.

Han Zihao saw her dimmed eyes with sorrow and took her hand that was on her knees and leaned forward while looking at her seriously, " Feeling insecure due to the changes is normal. However, running away from the situation because of fear and insecurity is not a solution. You need to face the problem someday. You can't keep running your whole life, right?"

" Being in a relationship is the same as well. There will be changes, committing to a person and a relationship is not easy after all. In a relationship, there will be fights, arguments, insecurities, and fear…..however, if there is love and trust then any problem can be overcome. And to overcome those problems, you need to communicate." He said in a low-gentle voice while caressing the back of her hand gently.

She rarely shows her vulnerable condition, but seeing her like this, he could see how broken she is from inside. Those people who don't show their issues much and keep spreading positivity are the most vulnerable from the inside.

" Avoiding the problem won't get us away anywhere. It will only create more problems and misunderstandings. Now it's up to you if you want to find a solution or keep running away from it. I have already expressed my feelings to you, now it's up to you whether you want to define our relationship or not." He said seriously, giving her a choice to make her decision.

He could have insisted on starting being together right away without wanting to talk about it. However, knowing where she is coming from, he wanted to make her decision herself. Communication is the key in any relationship and since he has seen how his parents part ways, he knows this very well.

If she is reluctant to talk about something, then he will wait for her and give her space. However, it was her who needed to gather the courage and talk to him.

Communication should not be forced but willing.

He had almost lost her once, but when he knows that she is back, he will give his everything to cherish her, love her and pamper her. After all, who will know the value of love more than him? He had lost her ones, but will never let that happen again. Because this time, he will be by her side.

-

Xu Nuan was stunned upon hearing his words. It was his first time talking about love and relationsh.i.p.s this much, otherwise, in the past, it was only her who was taking initiatives. Since when Mr. Sloth became a smooth talker?

A warmth rushed inside her seeing this hidden side of him. She never knew he could talk this much as well.

She took a deep breath to stable her emotions before saying, " Mr. Han, do you have time next weekend?"

He stared at her observing her emotions. He could see that she was in a complicated state and was dealing with the storm of emotions inside her, however, she was smiling despite all that.

That kind of girl she is.

" I have to see. I might have some important meetings. I am not a regular employee you know, I am the President of Han Corporations." He said proudly, trying to change the atmosphere.

Xu Nuan stared at him and chuckled seeing his arrogant response, " Really? If you're busy, then...should I ask Yuhan to go with me?" She asked, making his smirk falter.

Did he think only he can play with her? He sometimes forgets with whom he is dealing.

Upon hearing Yuhan's name, the smirk on his face disappeared and his expressions became dark and gloomy. Did she have to break the moment by calling that stupid's name?

He clears his throat and answers, "I….I think I am free. And if not, I can just shift those meetings to another day. But...where do you want to go? "

" There is somewhere I want to take you to. So...even if you're busy next Saturday, you're coming with me. Otherwise, I am taking Yuhan with me." she added the last sentence, souring his mood.

She chuckled seeing his gloomy expressions and ate the congee, " Hmm, it's delicious."

" It's barely seasoned." He stated indifferently. It was bland and won't be delicious since he made it according to her condition, to soothe her upset stomach, how can it be delicious?

She chuckled and said suggestively, " Seems like I am getting used to boring and bland things."

"....."

'Wait a minute…'

He stared at her, wondering if she was talking about the congee or him. Did she just call him boring and plain?

Chapter 220 - I will not let you get hurt again.

A few days later,

Xu Nuan was sitting in her living room with the laptop in her lap. The sounds of hitting the keyboard were the only noise in the quiet-dim lighted room.

Her eyes were focused on the screen as she was immersed in the work. This time, she wasn't working on the company's work nor was it related to The Knights, instead, she was working on her project.

The one that's going to change her future!!

The aim of working at the shining bright was to gain some experience and enough money to manage her living expenses. She wanted to build her company but after talking to Han Zihao, she realized she needed money and experience for that.

She can't be too hasty in such big decisions.

Although, she doesn't have any investment at this time either, but...she has an idea. The idea can help her to obtain enough money to build her company.

Her eyes gleamed with light as she worked on her design. She has been working on it for a few days but she was stuck at a point that was making her frustrated. However, today she finally had a breakthrough and everything seems to be going smooth now.

After pressing the enter button and saving the file, she stretched her fingers to relax, " Nice!!  Since I am done with the design, the only thing that I need is to execute it. However, I still need money to get a good system, I can't possibly work on this project on a laptop."  she pursed her lips and rested her head against the couch, thinking about how much it will cost her to work on this project.

'This is so unfair!! Why is everything so expensive?' she groaned in annoyance, thinking how the night changes.

She was one of the richest superstars in the world. Now she has to worry about every single thing, even the daily expenses seem to be too much sometimes.

As she was thinking about how to arrange the money to work on this 'project', her phone that was on the table, vibrated.

She looked over and picked up the call without checking the screen as she knew who was calling her at this time, " Come over. Dinner is ready." As soon as she picked up the call, she heard Han Zihao's voice from the other side.

" Yes, Boss!!" She responded energetically and hung up the phone quickly to run over to his house.

Work can wait, but food can't.

-

Han Zihao was setting the table with the dishes he made when he heard the sounds of someone putting the password on the door.

He shook his head helplessly seeing how casual she had gotten with him. She doesn't even bother to knock or ring the doorbell for once before entering.

She has taken the words, 'feel at home', too seriously.

" What is in dinner today? See, I bought some ice cream to eat after dinner as well," she showed him the ice-cream tub that she was carrying while changing into the indoor slippers.

" I am putting it in the fridge. Do you have some coke to drink? I am thirsty." Without waiting for his response, she walked towards his refrigerator and started to look for the coke after putting the ice cream in the freezer.

Han Zihao, who was standing near the dining table looked at her in disbelief. After their heart-to-heart conversation the other day, she stopped being awkward around him.

She was now back to her usual self, carefree and unbothered.

However, this was the side that charms him the most. She makes him feel comfortable and he can be himself in front of her.

He shook his head and said, " There is no coke in the fridge. If you want, you can drink citrus tea. It's on the upper shelf in the kitchen."

She glared at him and frowned, " You drink tea! I will get a coke from my place. How can you not have coke at home?" She murmured while coming back to the dining table.

Han Zihao was speechless seeing her getting annoyed for not having coke. " Look who's talking? You don't even have basic utensils for cooking," he murmured under his breath while looking away.

" What did you say?" She asked while pulling her chair to sit.

" Nothing. Dig in." He shook his head and gestured to her to eat. It's good that she didn't hear, otherwise, she would have kicked him out of his own house.

Others can't do this to him, but she can do that. And he doesn't doubt that possibility either. She is not normal after all.

-

" Ummm….Eating ice cream after dinner tastes the best. We should have this daily." she said while filling her mouth with the ice cream and relishing its sweetness.

Han Zihao, who was sitting next to her on the couch glanced at her and said stoically, " Yes. You can have it daily if you want to go to the hospital."

"....."

" Can you not mention hospitals for once? I am not sick, why do you nag so much as if I am a child?" she mumbled unhappily.

He scoffed upon seeing how unhappy she sounds, " Hah! Have you ever counted the times you went to the emergency room? All the doctors and nurses must have remembered your name by now. You're a regular visitor after all."

She pursed her lips seeing him making a sarcastic comment. This….This man….how can he?

" It was because I had the operation. Did you know how long it took for those marks on my forehead to heal? If you look carefully, you can see the fading mark in the corner. See." she turned to him to show the scar on her forehead.

She was sick at that time. Visiting the hospital is...normal. How can he make fun of it?

Han Zihao, who was enjoying her amusing expressions earlier, stopped smiling seeing her scar. He pursed his lips and touched the fading scar on her forehead.

This scar…..It was him who gave her this scar. She got into an accident with his car, although he wasn't driving, he was at the fault too.

How can he hurt her?

Seeing the mark from close, the guilt started to make him feel like a bad person.

" It must have hurt…." he whispered while caressing her forehead, surprising her.

Xu Nuan was teasing him only and was showing it for him to know that going through an operation was not a joke. But she wasn't expecting him to get serious all of a sudden.

She looked at him and blinked in a daze. The gaze in his eyes was different. The worry and guilt in those almond-shaped eyes were obvious.

" Mr. Han…" she murmured while looking into his deep eyes. His face was close….too close.

Before she could react, she felt a pair of lips falling on her forehead, kissing the scar. The soothing peck on the scar made her freeze in her actions.

After parting away, he caressed the scarred area with his rough fingers gently and said, " Don't worry. I will not let you get hurt again."

His caring words made her feel secure. Many people said that they will make her happy but ' I will not let you hurt again' made her feel at ease.

She felt secured!

She stared into his sparkling eyes and smiled, "You better not. Otherwise, I will make you buy the hospital rather than paying for the VVIP room." she chuckled and hit his chest to push him away teasingly, to change the mood.

" Then whose hospital do you think it was?" He asked casually, making her stop laughing.

She stared at him in shock and blinked in a daze, " Wait a minute….So..that hospital where I stayed, it was owned by Han Corporations?"

He nodded, which made her eyes widen. This man….she can't even joke with him anymore.

She doesn't even know how many properties he owns. No doubt everyone becomes dull in front of him, this man shines even if he stands among the crowd.

No one can compare to his mighty power!

Chapter 221 - Humans can cuddle too!

" Ah, I am so sleepy." Xu Nuan leaned against the hand rest of the couch after finishing a tub of ice cream. She was planning to eat a 'little' at first but ended up finishing the whole tub of ice cream herself after giving Han Zihao a scoop in a cup.

Han Zihao sighed and shook his head helplessly seeing her half-lying on the couch lazily.

'She sure eats like a bird.'

He picked up the ice cream tub from the table and was about to take it to the kitchen when his eyes fell on the white envelope on the table.

He picked up the envelope and turned to Xu Nuan who had her eyes closed and was about to fall asleep on the couch," This envelope...Is this yours?"

Xu Nuan, who was struggling with the drowsiness, yawned and lazily looked over upon hearing his words.

She squinted her eyes to see what he was holding in his hands and said, " Ah, this. I bought this to get your signature on it. Good, you saw it. Otherwise, I would have forgotten about it."

Han Zihao looked at the envelope in his hand and asked in confusion, " My signature? What is it that you need my signature?"

" Permission letter!!"

Han Zihao frowned and sat beside her again to open the envelope while asking her, " Permission Letter? Permission for what?"

" To allow me flexible hours to work," she said while sitting up straight and stretching her body lazily.

Han Zihao was confused upon hearing her words. Flexible hours to work? Why?

"Huh? And why do you need that?"

She turned to him and said casually, " Because college is starting from tomorrow. Since I am a scholarship student, Unfortunately, I need to attend the classes to get a certain number of attendance and marks."

" And that can be only possible if I have flexible hours to work. Don't worry I can handle the things related to the girls and their schedules remotely as well," she assured him.

Although the girls have recently made their debut, they're doing better than any other artists. That's why she dared to ask for flexible hours to work to the CEO Tang of shining bright.

However, since she was recommended by Han Zihao for this position, she needed to get his signature on the permission letter to work remotely and it won't affect her work in any way.

-

Han Zihao stared at her in bewilderment. However, the more she speaks, the more his frown deepened.

After she stopped speaking and waited for his response, he couldn't help but chuckle in speechlessness. " Hah, College? Scholarship? And...when did all of this happen?" He asked in disbelief.

She is starting college tomorrow, and he is finding all of this a day before. Wow!!

"..."

Xu Nuan suddenly felt struck by thunder. Crap!! How can she forget to tell him about this news? When she found out about the news, she was busy avoiding him and when she stopped avoiding him, she forgot about the news.

But seeing his grim expressions, she knew she was done for.

Panicked, she itched the back of her head awkwardly and laughed, " Haha, I didn't tell you before? I think I did, No?" she bit her lower lip while looking at him guiltily.

Han Zihao pursed his lips seeing her making a puppy face. Hah! Does she think she can get away from this by acting cute and laughing as if she doesn't know anything? In her dreams!

" It's not that I was not planning to tell you, it just….it slipped off my mind. Aren't I telling you now?" She tried to explain her position, but the words didn't help. Instead, it made his mood even worse.

Very Good. She forgot that in her case, staying silent would be a much better solution.

" How did you get the admission? As far as I know, it's not the admission time." He took a deep breath and finally asked the question, giving her a sigh of relief.

-

" So you not only managed to get admission in the Xin Lin university but also topped the scholarship exam?" he asked again to confirm after hearing the whole story from her.

Xu Nuan calmly nodded.

He chuckled in speechlessness. Remembering when she told Grandmother Han and Chen Zixing (Han Zihao's stepmother) about continuing her studies and taking admission to Xin Lin university, he realized that she wasn't bluffing at that time.

She not only managed to get into Xin Lin but also got the scholarship as well. She is truly unexpected, even though he doesn't know what will she do next.

-

Xu Nuan stared at him and waited for the series of questions. After all, gaming and topping the exam like this for someone like her is not normal.

However, when he opened his mouth, it left her in bewilder, "So...why are you telling me this now? You should have told me about this after graduating." He said sarcastically.

"Ah?"

She blinked as his words were a little unexpected. So he believed all of it? Without any questions?

Even Grandfather Gu asked her a bunch of questions to her as he was not sure that she really got the scholarship. Considering her level, it was normal to be shocked after hearing the news, however, he was still stuck at her for not telling him about it earlier?

His reaction amused her.

She chuckled seeing him being sulky and poked his arm teasingly, "Aiyo, I never knew Mr. Han can get sulky over this matter. How Cute!" she pinched him after poking him on the shoulder.

Han Zihao's frown deepened seeing her shamelessly evading his words, " Hah!! Cute? Am I a puppy or what? Cute, my foot!"

Xu Nuan raised her brows upon hearing his words and sighed, "It would have been better if you were a puppy, we could have cuddled to sleep at the least." She murmured under her breath.

Although she murmured under her breath, her words didn't go unnoticed by him. He looked over at her in shock, wondering how little worth he has.

Even a dog has more importance than him. That too when she doesn't even have a pet. Thank goodness she doesn't have a dog, otherwise, he would be feeling jealous of a dog.

Sulkily, he murmured in a low voice, "Well, humans can cuddle too. There is no need to be a puppy for that."

Xu Nuan turned to him and asked, "Huh? You said something?"

Embarrassed, he changed the topic and picked the pen from the table to sign the letter, "Ah? I asked where do I need to sign? Here, right? Done."

"But from next time, come to the office for such official work. I can't do these things at home. You're still my employee after all." He said reminding her that he is still the President of the company.

Not everyone has the privilege to get such permission letters signed from him like this. She should be aware that he made an exception for her.

Xu Nuan, who was checking the SNS account nodded and said in passing, "Yes, Yes. Don't worry. I won't be for long."

Upon hearing her strange words, he turned to her in confusion, "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Realizing what she had just said, her eyes widened in startle. She looked at him and laughed before saying, "Haha, Nothing. Since you've signed the letter, I am leaving."

"I need to wake up early. I can't believe I am going to college, again," she murmured tiredly while picking up the letter from the table and left his house without any delay.

Chapter 222 - New Face!!

The next day-

In the large classroom of the business department of Xin Lin university, most of the students were already seated and were waiting for the professor to start the first class of the day while some were still on the way.

It was 8:30 in the morning and everyone was already exhausted thinking about the number of the classes that they have to attend after this one.

Xingren, who was carrying the books in one hand and had her bag on the other shoulder entered the class with two of her friends and found a seat in the first row. The classes were resuming after two weeks of a break since the examination and it was not easy for her to come and face everyone since she failed to secure the top place.

" Xingren, you must be disappointed, right? You studied so much for the exam and yet…" Her friend who was sitting beside her, glanced at her and asked in a worry.

A frown appeared on Xingren's forehead upon hearing about the exam. She pursed her lips and let out a deep breath before turning up to her and smiled, " Who said I am disappointed? It was just an exam, moreover, I earned my scores, unlike someone else."

Her friend, Lai Zi stared at her in confusion, wondering what did she mean by unlike someone else?

Before she could try to decipher the purpose behind her words, a familiar-handsome face walked in to brighten their already exhausting day.

Xingren raised her brows seeing Aurora walking in while holding the books in one hand. He was in their department but their senior. So, it was a bit surprising that he was attending the first-year class of the business department rather than taking his own classes.

" Brother Ye Yijun, how come you're here?" Xingren asked while using his name rather than using his pseudonym Aurora.

….

Ye Yijun, who just entered the class glanced at Xingren and took a seat behind her before answering her, " Ah, I couldn't take Professor Jie's classes last semester. So I especially got her permission to sit for her classes." He responded with a polite yet distancing smile.

He knows Xingren since she was the campus belle of the Business department and was popular for her innocent and pure looks. Although he doesn't know her personally, she has talked to him a few times and he always responds since he doesn't want to come out as rude.

In this way, he can say that he somewhat knows her.

They're in the same department afterall. However, her calling him by his name was a little strange, they were not close enough for her to call him by his name but he didn't say anything and just smiled awkwardly.

….

Xingren glanced at the other girls in the class who were looking at her in envy for calling Aurora by his name and smirked mildly, feeling gleeful seeing their reactions. He was the college's crown prince who rules every girl's hearts with his refreshing and charming looks while his gentle and sweet demeanor despite his heavenly looks makes him unique from the other men in the department.

Aurora pursed his lips seeing Xingren who turned around and was looking at him, waiting for him to say something else. " Well….Congratulations. I heard you got second place in the exam."

"...."

Xingren's smile dimmed when he brought out the topic of exams. She laughed awkwardly and said, " Thanks."

Lai Zi looked at Aurora and asked curiously, " Senior, do you know anything about the girl who topped the exam? What was her name...Ah, Xu Nuan. I heard she is also from the business department."

" Really?" He asked in wonder, " I never heard this name before. Are you sure the girl belongs to our department?"

" Yes. I was in the staff room a while ago and heard from one of the teachers sitting there. They said that the girl belongs to the Business department and not only she topped the exam, but she almost got the full marks."

"Almost full score? What do you mean?" He asked in curiosity.

" The girl would have gotten the full marks if she has marked the answers properly. However, the teacher has to cut 2 marks because she didn't mark the circle properly and it couldn't be counted, otherwise, she would have gotten full marks." she told him with widen eyes.

Xingren, who was sitting beside her, stiffened upon hearing her words. Xu Nuan...Xu Nuan. Business department? How can she choose the same department as her? Does she have no shame and conscience? After taking her position, how dare she take admission to her department.

' We might not have the same classes….' she took a deep breath and calmed her heart thinking about the same.

As they were talking, a woman who was in her mid-30s entered the class and stood on the podium, and placed the books on the table. Seeing that the professor has arrived, Lai Zu also turned around and glanced at Xingren whose complexion didn't look good.

" Xingren, what's wrong? Do you feel sick?" she leaned in and whispered.

Xingren shook her head and said, " It's nothing."

-

The professor glanced at students and smiled, " So...do we have full strength today? Or someone is on leave?" she asked with a smile while opening her register to take everyone's attendance.

Before calling out everyone's names, she glanced at the door and frowned, " Why are you standing there? Come in and sit."

Everyone glanced towards the door in curiosity and wondered to whom Ms. Jie was talking. However, everyone's eyes widened to see a new girl walking in through the door while holding the books in one hand while carrying the tote bag on the other shoulder.

The girl was wearing a black cardigan crop top, paired with baggy blue jeans and sneakers. Her hair was left loose and she was wearing a mild cherry tinted lipstick and a liner that was highlighting her eyes.

Her casual and neat dressing style left the guys looking at her in a daze, while the girls were envious of her since she was looking heavenly beautiful even with barely any makeup. Her fair-milky skin was glowing against the black cardigan top that she was wearing.

While the new face piqued everyone's interest, Xingren who was sitting in the first row, her body stiffened seeing the person who was standing at the entrance and was observing everyone carefully.

" Xu Nuan…?" Xingren whispered in shock seeing the person whom she despises the most was standing in front of her while getting everyone's attention.

Chapter 223 - Superstar in the class!!

Xu Nuan, who followed Professor Jie to the class stopped to tie her sneaker laces when they came loose. As she squatted down to tie her laces, Professor Jie walked first and entered the class. When she caught up to her, she was already inside.

She awkwardly stood at the entrance of the class, feeling a little out of the place. She never attended her classes in the university since she was given special permission due to her tight working schedule.

It was her first time taking classes.

This awkward and uncomfortable feeling dissipated to see Xingren, who was sitting on the first desk of the center row. So they're in the same class?

She was rendered speechless at this absurd coincidence.

Since she got the scholarship, she was allowed to choose any subject as her major. As she has planned, she took the business like before, this degree will help her to set up her own company and will give her some credibility while pitching for investments in the future.

But meeting Xingren was a forced coincidence, planned by her fate.

-

" Why are you standing there? Come and take a seat." Professor Jie ushered Xu Nuan to hurry.

" Ah, Yes." Xu Nuan held her books closer to her and walked inside. She pursed her lips to hide her blossoming smile seeing Xingren's pale expressions.

She looked around the class, ignoring everyone's curious gazes to find a seat for her. However, almost all the seats were already taken.

What is this? Why is everyone so diligent?

She was awed by students, seeing the almost full strength for the morning class.

However, her eyes fell on an empty seat on the second desk of the center row, behind Xingren. To Xingren's horror, Xu Nuan walked over and took the empty seat behind her.

Xingren clenched her teeth as she tried to keep her cool, feeling Xu Nuan's sneering gaze on her back.

This bi^ch!!

Why is she here?  Was that her plan all along? To annoy her? To show how amazing she is?

" Xingren, you okay? You don't look well." Lai Zu beside her was worried upon seeing her friend acting strange and quiet. Was the shock to not get the scholarship too much?

-

Xu Nuan smirked seeing Xingren's pale face and shook her face to not laugh. After making herself comfortable, she looked to her side and smiled at Ye Yijun (Aurora) who was startled by the familiar stranger who came to sit beside him.

He has seen her for the first time but she gives the feeling that it was not their first.

Hm? Why is she grinning like this?

" Yo, Mr. Gamer!! Long time no see." she greeted him with a grin, confusing him even more with her strangely informal tone at their first meeting.

" Ha..ah, Hello!" he awkwardly greeted her back, trying to figure out who this girl is. Have they met before, but...where-

To save everyone from wrecking their minds to figure out the identity of the new mysterious girl, Professor Jie came to the rescue.

" Let me introduce a new student to our class. This is Xu Nuan, she is new to Xin Lin, so don't be mean and help her to adjust. Also, since she is joining the semester in the middle, help her to understand the topics and share your notes."

Upon hearing her words, everyone was puzzled. Did she transfer here? Because that was the only way to get admission into Xin Lin in the middle of the year.

" Ah, Xu Nuan? Isn't that the name of the girl who topped the exam? Is that her?" Lai Zu squealed upon hearing her name. She turned to the girl and stared at her pearl-like white skin and doe-shaped eyes curiously. She was wearing casual wear and they didn't seem to be of expensive brands. But for some reason, they looked expensive and precious on her.

" Oh, Yes. Xu Nuan. Is this the same girl?"

" Is she in our department? Holy shit!!"

"Damn!! She is hotter than Xingren. Seems like someone is going to snatch the title of campus belle."

" Sshh!! Xingren will hear you. But this girl does look better. She even got the scholarship beating Xingren to the second position. I can smell a catfight."

Xingren bit her lower lip upon hearing whispers that were floating in the class, coming to her ears making it harder for her to bear it anymore.

" As you all know now, she is the one who topped the scholarship exam and is part of our college now. So take care of her. Now stop talking...let me take everyone's attendance first." Professor Jie tried to put halt to everyone's interest and started the class.

Ye Yijin stared at the girl in shock and was surprised to find that she is the topper girl. She doesn't look like so….

Seeing the way she was looking around in a daze and was smiling at people randomly, was giving him a feeling that she has never attended the college before. But...how can she take admission in the middle without going to one before?

-

When the class ended, Xingren left the class before Xu Nuan could say anything. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not even her friend who was admiring Xu Nuan all the time.

She needed to find a way with this insect!

On the other hand, Xu Nuan was swarmed by the boys who came to look to get her number, and girls were busy giving her side-glances, seeing the way everyone was giving her attention.

" Tch, it's her first day and she is already acting like she owns the world." one of the girls commented seeing the boys going crazy over her.

" Here. Scan my code and add it on WeChat. I can help you with the notes."

" Yah!! Have you ever made notes in the class? Here, scan mine. I can not only help with notes but will help you with administration stuff as well."

" Did you forget about your girlfriend, you as$hole? Don't listen to him, scan mine. I am single!"

Xu Nuan was speechless seeing the boys who were fighting to get her to scan their numbers. She just stared at them in disbelief while Ye Yijun prepared to leave the class as well.

" Hey, where are you going?" she held onto his arm seeing him leaving her alone in this situation.

Ye Yijun was startled and stared at the girl in confusion, " Didn't class end? Do I have any reason to stay here anymore?"

Xu Nuan smiled and clapped, " What a coincidence! I wanna leave too. Let's go together." she picked up her stuff and ushered him to walk fast so that they could leave.

Once at the entrance, she turned to see the boys staring at her back in trouble and said, " Thank you all for your concern. But I can ask him for notes if I need, you don't need to fight over it." she waved at them with a smile and left.

"....."

The boys were rendered speechless upon seeing the way the girl left after putting them in an awkward position. Even the girls were shocked and couldn't help but chuckle seeing her attitude, " What is this girl? Does she think she is some kind of superstar or what? She was acting as if they were asking for her autographs."

-

Ye Yijun stared at the girl, who forcefully tagged along, said, " What was that? You know, you could have simply rejected them. Your response puts everyone in the awkward position."

Xu Nuan yawned tiredly and covered her mouth before speaking, " How can I reject them? They looked like those excited fanboys. I have a soft corner for my fans you know." she said with a sigh. Seeing the way they swarmed around her, she was reminded of the days when people used to ask for her autographs and those happy times during the fan signs.

It was tiring but those were some of the happiest moments of her life. She was alive and together with everyone.

As she was thinking about her golden days, Ye Yijun stared at her, thinking how strange of a girl she is, " Ha! Fans? Seems like you're quite used to this kind of attention." He commented under his breath, feeling how strange she is.

Xu Nuan raised her brows and smirked, " Of course I am. Haven't you seen my face? Do you think I am inexperienced like you?"

Ye Yijun was speechless seeing how bold this girl is. He is the most handsome guy in the college and this girl was treating him as if he is someone insignificant.

His lips curled into a smirk as he stopped in his steps after being triggered at her words. He turns to her and grabs her wrist and pushes her against the wall. Leaning closer, he stares into her widened eyes and whispers with a smirk, " Do you still think I am experienced? Hmm?"

Chapter 224 - Pretty Noona will buy something good to eat!!

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in surprise when Aurora suddenly slammed her back against the wall. He held onto her wrists, and leaned in, " Do you still think I am inexperienced? Hmm?"

She stared into his dark orbit eyes and bit her lower lip, realizing his sharp features and almond-shaped eyes. ' No doubt girls swoon over him. He should be an idol than a gamer.' she wondered while admiring his looks.

" You really have long and dark eyelashes, huh. What a flex," she commented, envious of his long and dark eyelashes. He doesn't even need mascara to define his eyelashes. What a beautiful blessing it is.

"..."

Wait...What?

He stared at her in confusion, trying to figure out how she could think of eyelashes at this moment? Are his eyelashes more attractive than his face or physique?

" You….are you trying to change the topic? Do you think you can get away-

" What are you doing here?"

Xingren, who was going to the administration black was caught off guard to see Xu Nuan and Ye Yijun standing close, staring into each other's eyes. She was already on the verge of losing it and seeing them together like this made her remember how he always avoids her and creates distance between them.

She always thought that he is a conservative type, now he is standing close to Xu Nuan, intimately. This bi*ch….she never fails to seduce men around her. First, it was Yuhan, Han Zihao, and now him.

-

Xu Nuan was teasing Aurora when she heard Xingren's cold words. She glanced at Aurora before turning to Xingren.

" What am I doing? I am going to the cafeteria, do you want to join us too?" she asked casually.

Ye Yijun stared at Xu Nuan and then looked at Xingren, wondering if they knew each other. However, seeing Xingren's expressions, it doesn't look like they're friends.

Xingren pursed her lips and tried to control her temper in front of Ye Yijun. She doesn't want him to take badly of her, she can't let her reputation come out as rude because of Xu Nuan.

She took a deep breath before saying, " Xu Nuan, You should have informed me beforehand that you're choosing the same major as me. I was startled when I saw you in the class." she said in a gentle tone.

Xu Nuan was not even surprised to see Xingren's changing tone. She was known for her changing personality after all.

" Ah, I don't remember us being close enough to share such stuff. But...since we're classmates now, I hope you can share your notes with me, my dear sister." Xu Nuan said, forcing a smile too. Since she was in a good mood, there was no harm in playing along with it.

"You guys are sisters? Like the real one?" Ye Yijun asked in shock.

" Yes!"

"No!"

Xingren glared at Xu Nuan for blatantly denying their relationship after calling her sister. Her palms turned sweaty, afraid that she will reveal that Xingren is not a real Gu.

This girl is living on clouds nine after Grandfather Gu has announced her as the real Gu in the meeting, what if she says something stupid here too?

Panicked, she tried to clarify things to him, " Xu Nuan, what are you saying? We're sisters, no matter how much you deny our relationship, it won't change anything. Brother Ye, actually Xu Nuan is quite reluctant to reveal this. But she came to our family when she was 15, that's why she still behaves aloof towards me."

" Don't mind her rude attitude. She still needs to learn so many things." She tried to be nice but her words were showing what kind of a person she is.

Xu Nuan raised her words, seeing how well Xingren was trying to say that she was adopted. She could have said this directly, why go to such lengths?

Upon hearing her words, Ye Yijun glanced at Xu Nuan who was smirking, not affected by Xingren's words. Although he wasn't the party involved in this, this made him a little uncomfortable. There was no need to tell him this though.

" Ah, So you're Xingren's sister. As expected of the Gu sisters. You guys talk, I'll take my leave." he commented and tried to leave them alone, not feeling comfortable enough to interfere in their familial matters.

However, before he could slide off, Xu Nuan held onto his arm and complained, " Where are you going? Lead me to the cafeteria. I am hungry."

"Eh? Why would I?"

" Because you're the only person I know well here. Now don't be shy and lead the way. Noona will buy you something good to eat." she said with a grin while nudging him to walk ahead.

Since she has beaten him in the game once, she felt closer to him than anyone in this college. Also, she still feels bad beating him in the final match in less than a minute. She should at least treat him to something good.

" What...Noona? I am sure you must be younger than me." He complained while being pushed by her. She must have watched too many dramas to act as an older sister in dramas. What a nut case she is.

Xingren chuckled bitterly seeing Xu Nuan shamelessly seducing Ye Yijun. So now her target is him? What a shameless girl!

" Xu Nuan, you just wait. I will reveal your shameless actions to everyone. You will soon regret your decision to come to Xin Lin." she muttered under her breath, while glaring daggers at Xu Nuan and Ye Yijun who were laughing and being playful as their figures disappeared from her vision.

-

Han Corporations.

" Sir, this is the minute report of the meeting with department heads." Feng Sheng said while holding a file, waiting for Han Zihao to take it from him.

He pursed his lips seeing Han Zihao staring at his phone in a daze as if waiting for someone's call.

"Ermmm...Sir, are you waiting for someone's call?" He asked cautiously.

Han Zihao looked up and stared at him with a frown before asking, " Are there handsome boys in the colleges these days? I mean....do girls prefer young and handsome boys over extremely handsome and mature men?"

" Eh?" Feng Sheng blinked in confusion, wondering what kind of test this is.

" I think young and handsome boys?" He said with uncertainty. " Mature men are good but young boys can make girls feel loved and young. Older men can become boring after a while," he said nonchalantly, giving his honest opinion.

'Boring', Han Zihao repeated under his breath, trying to swallow this on his pride.

Thinking about how it is her first day at college and there she will encounter numerous handsome and young boys, he was already feeling the immense pressure.

Yuhan and Lin Hao were already enough to keep him on edge that he will have to be wary of young boys now too. Since Lin Hui was out of town and was not in the country for a month so he has gotten relaxed about him.

But Yuhan is still bugging him. He seems to be silent after the meeting but something feels off.

I hope she won't attract any more bees around her. He sighed, feeling worried that someone might take her away before they could get into action.

He was deep into his thoughts when he was interrupted by Feng Sheng, " Sir, Did you like my answer? Was it helpful?" he asked, hoping to be praised for his evaluation. He must have asked this question to get his opinion on girls' choice, maybe he was thinking about whom to choose for the new product ambassador.

Han Zihao looked at him and frowned, " I think you're too free to think about useless things. Go and check the on-site progress of the new mall project. Also, give me a report on it by tonight. Now leave." After saying this, he waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

Feng Sheng: "-_-"

'What just...happened? Why was he being punished with more work than a reward?'

Chapter 225 - Making a Breakfast - Deadly War.

Gu Zhang was in the office when his phone buzzed. He picked up the phone and before he could say anything, he heard Xingren's sobbing voice from the other side.

" Xin Xin, what happened? Why are you crying like this? Did someone said anything to you?" He asked, worried at her calling him while crying.

Xingren sniffled and said, " Dad, I...can't take this anymore. Xu Nuan...she-

" Xu Nuan? What did she do this time?" He asked with an exasperated sigh.

" She has chosen my department as her major. I don't understand why can't she leave me alone? Despite my several attempts, she continues to hate me and now she has even come to my college."

" She even talked to me rudely in front of my friend. She didn't even acknowledge me as her sister, what can I expect from her? I am afraid that just like Grandfather, she will do the same. Dad, if everyone finds out that I am not a Gu and just an orphan, I won't be able to attend this college." she sniffled while explaining to him all this.

" I don't want to be humiliated for something that I didn't even do. Was it my fault that we got exchanged? It's not like I wanted all of this to happen?" She said with a weak voice.

She was indeed innocent. When this has already happened, what is the need for all of this to be fixed? Can't they just live as they were living till now? Everything was fine and happy.

Gu Zhang felt guilty upon hearing her words. It was not her fault yet she was being blamed by the Old Gu for something like this.

" Xingren, what can I do? You know that girl, she isn't even listening to her grandmother or mother, let alone me. Didn't you see how she behaved a few days ago when we talked?" he sighed while removing his round metal, thin-framed golden glasses from his nose.

" Dad, so are you not gonna do anything about how she entered college? If someone finds out that the daughter of the Gu family cheated to take the scholarship, people will loathe you for not looking after her and teaching her anything."

" She came from an orphanage, there was no one to teach her right or wrong. You can't give up on her like this," she said while waiting for his response.

Gu Zhang went silent. Thinking about her words, it does seem to be right. It will be only him who will be blamed in the end and not Xu Nuan.

" Okay, I'll see what I can do. For now, don't worry and study hard. Don't think about all that stuff."

Xingren nodded and hung up the phone. She looked at her phone and smiled, " Xu Nuan, do you think you deserve to be in the same space as me? I lost my apartment to you, but I won't lose this scholarship. It was mine, I worked hard for it. I won't let you get away with it so easily."

-

After the class ended, Xu Nuan went to the office since she still needs to earn her living. The music video was bombing the internet and the girls were going higher and higher on the charts.

Not only that, because of their sudden success, the number of reality shows offered has skyrocketed. Thanks to this, she was barely getting any spare time for herself.

" I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing for me that they're doing this well," she muttered and sighed while going through the offers and short-listing them for the girls to see.

Unlike other managers, she likes to give a certain amount of freedom to her artists. She doesn't want to make their debut period a hell but wants them to work hard and enjoy this feeling, the feeling to be loved.

She doesn't want them to turn into another Queens, she doesn't want them to be destroyed the way they got.

-

A week passed in a blink as she juggled between college and office work. After the first day, Xingren didn't talk with her, and both parted ways after their classes.

Xu Nuan also didn't get any time to mingle with others as she needed to take calls from the directors or their assistants to discuss the work.

It was finally the day she was thinking hard about. Saturday, the day she promised Han Zihao to take him somewhere with her.

~Ring, Rinngggg~

" Arghh, why is it morning already?" she groaned when her alarm went off. Annoyed, she put it off and checked the time. It was five in the morning.

She stared at the white ceiling above her in a daze, remembering what day it was.

She stayed silent for a while, staring at nowhere. This was the most hateful day of her life, or say...most regrettable day.

And the most arduous task is to smile on this day because she doesn't want to make it depressing for everyone. She is not allowed to do so.

" Let's go Xu Nuan, you have things to do." she sighed and pulled herself off the bed to get on work.

After brushing her teeth, she went straight to the kitchen. Yes, Kitchen.

Today she was going to attempt something she has never done. Make breakfast.

She looked around and realized how empty and spotlessly clean her kitchen is. It was because she has never made anything. She always used the microwave to heat the delivery food or made instant noodles, that was all.

Although she bought some utensils and stuff to cook some time ago, she never used them. They were as useless as her single earring, whose other one has been lost and still keeping it safe, hoping to find it soon enough.

" Let's do this Xu Nuan, you can do this. Since I am now in Xu Nuan's body, this body must have remembered her cooking skills, right?" she muttered and opened her fridge to bring out bread, mayonnaise, and some vegetables. Thankfully she bought all the ingredients she needed yesterday to do the cooking.

Now she only needs to cook. Simple.

-

"Let's go safe and make a sandwich."

" Should I make some fried eggs to go with as well? Or egg fried rice?" she wondered.

Without wasting any time, she put the pan on the stove and put some oil on it. " Now I just have to carefully crack it and dump it in the middle, that's it." She clasped her hands and picked up the egg to make a fried egg.

Everything was well planned…..However.

" Why is this happening to me?" she cried in dismay seeing two of her eggs who lost their lives before they could make it to the center of the pan. She cracked them 'carefully' against the edge of the pan but every time they got severely wounded and couldn't make it to the destination.

Looking at her messy kitchen, that too when she didn't even make anything, she sighed and facepalmed herself, " Jiang Yue, you're worse than anyone. Even Xu Nuan's body can't help you in cooking." she sighed deeply, thinking what to do next.

She sighed thankfully that she didn't try to make egg-fried rice. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened.

Chapter 226 - Cactus!!

After preparing breakfast, Xu Nuan dressed up and hurriedly left the house while carrying a big basket.

As she walked out of the building, she saw Han Zihao waiting for her in the car that was parked right across the road. He wanted to go with her but she insisted and asked him to wait for her.

She watched him peeping out of the window and getting out of the car upon spotting her. She pursed her lips and her grip onto the handle of the basket tightened.

" It's okay Jiang Yue. It will be fine. Truth cannot stay hidden anyway." Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for the turbulence that's coming her way.

-

Han Zihao crossed the road upon seeing her and walked to her side. He looked at the basket in her hand and took it from her hand, while walking back to the car he asked, " What is this? Why is it so heavy?"

She blushed, feeling embarrassed about it, and said, " It's breakfast. You didn't eat anything, right?"

He looked up at her in surprise and blinked a few times before shaking his head, " Ah, No!! I didn't. You made it yourself?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Ohh…" he pursed his lips and looked down at the basket hesitantly. She cooked….What a surprise!!

He was surprised but his eyes were dull, feeling worried about how it's gonna taste. It must be delicious, yeah, Delicious.

-

" So where are we going today?" He asked while opening the door of the passenger seat for her.

However, she didn't get in and extended her hand.

He stared at her in confusion and asked, " What?" Not understanding what she meant, he placed his hand in hers, making her chuckle.

" Are you a dog? Why are you giving me your hand?" she laughed seeing how innocent he is.

"....."

Why does she keep comparing him with dogs or puppies? Does she like them that much?

" Give me the car keys," she said.

" You want what? What will you do with them? You don't even know how to drive."

" Who said I don't know how to drive? I got a driving license a few days ago," she said while waving her hand in front of him, still waiting for the keys.

She already knows how to drive, the only thing that was stopping her was the license from driving. She was too busy and lazy to go and get one. However, a few days ago, she got some time and applied for one.

She knows driving, it will be a waste of her skills to not get a license and show off her driving skills.

-

He stared at her in a daze and was surprised at how casually she said this. She wasn't even explaining when she learned driving since Xu Nuan doesn't know how to do cycling, leave alone driving.

She was expecting him to ask such questions, but to her surprise, he didn't ask anything further and placed the keys on her palm, " Then...please take care of me." He smiled formally, making her giggle. " Yeah, sure. I will take you to the destination, alive."

-

As soon as they got into the car, she took out the sandwiches she made from the basket, " Here. Eat this for now."

" Sandwiches? You make them? Wow, they look delicious." He exclaimed in surprise seeing decent-looking sandwiches.

Her lips curled in a proud smile. Of course, they are delicious. Who made them?

Han Zihao also nodded as he took a bite of it. It was indeed good. " I think you can learn cooking if you try. They're really good." He complimented, making her blush.

However, she felt bad taking that compliment, " Well, I can't cook that well. It just...sandwiches don't have anything to do with fire." she laughs awkwardly, making him stare at her in confusion.

" Eat, eat. It's all yours," she said, ushering him to finish it all.

-

During the whole ride, she didn't say anything. She was holding onto the steering wheel nervously and was looking somewhat distracted.

He pursed his lips and wondered what could be the reason for her strange mood but didn't say anything. He was curious too where she was taking him.

After driving for more than two hours, they were out of the city and reached a mountainous area, isolated and there were barely any houses or shops nearby. It was surrounded by trees and greenery, the air was fresher and cleaner than the city.

The roads were wet and it seemed to be raining here last night. He frowned as he watched her driving on the awfully familiar road," Xu Nuan, are you sure we're going the right way? There is nothing in this area."

She let out a breath and smiled at him, " We're almost there."

He stared at her for a moment and nodded. His hands were sweating as he was hoping she would not take him there. Just not there.

After a few minutes, she stopped the car and parked it on the side. " We're here. Let's get out," she said.

Upon getting out of the car, Han Zihao looked around and pursed his lips. This….was the same place.

The place was surrounded by trees and greenery. It was a protected area with a fence, it was the cemetery. The place where Jiang Yue was rested after her death.

He was familiar with this place since he has visited here once in the past. However, coming here with her is the worst thing he can imagine.

He glanced at her and saw her standing there, awfully calm while looking around the place. However, the sadness in those dark eyes didn't go missing from him.

'Yue Yue'. He called her inwardly, wanting to hug her. His hand moved towards her side, wanting to hold her hand.

However, she moved her hand and walked towards the back seat of the car to pull out the basket. He stared at her in confusion, wondering what she was doing. However, his eyes widened in shock when she pulled out a small cactus plant from the basket.

A cactus?

He stared at the small plant in her hands in confusion when she interrupted the train of his thoughts and said, " Let's go." Without waiting for him, she walked ahead and led the way.

-

Han Zihao pursed his lips as he stared at Jiang Yue's grave in front of him. Her grave was covered with colorful flowers and letters, spread across the grey mound. Most of them seem to be from her fans who came to visit her.

He turned to Xu Nuan and saw her staring at the grave as well.

She wasn't smiling now. She was standing there still, trying to deal with the emotional turbulence inside her.

" Xu Nuan, we should go from here. This is not the place-

He doesn't want her to stay back and watch her own grave. How cruel it is.

He wanted her to tell him the truth but not like this. If this is how she is going to react, then he would prefer her to not tell him anything forever. He is fine with it, but making it difficult for her by watching her own grave and torment herself like this, he doesn't want that.

" It's so colorful," she commented, with a slight smile on her lips.

" Huh?"

Chapter 227 - I know!!

****

Han Zihao huffed in exasperation as he watched the girl falling into the realms of dreams after pulling him into a kiss. She was dead drunk and after teasing him with a kiss, she fell asleep on his couch.

She was sleeping with no worries as if it's her house. How can she be so careless and sleep in a man's house? She is testing his limits now.

Remembering how she drank with the director and the staff after filming the debut single of The Knights to the point of not even remembering her house's password, he couldn't help but worry. What would have happened if he hadn't reached on time and Lin Hui had taken her to his place? Would she have acted the same way too?

He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, " Xu Nuan, you better not drink alcohol next time. Otherwise, no food for you next time." before leaning down to pick her up and take her to his room.

He would have taken her to her house but she was too drunk to tell him her password. With no choice, he brought her to his place.

"Chi...Chi…#%^*" When he leaned in to pick her, she stirred in her sleep and was muttering rubbish in her drunken state.

" You don't want to vomit, do you? Don't you dare to ruin my carpet?" He warned her, but she couldn't care less.

She opened her eyes lazily, looking at her with a grin. In her half-conscious state, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, " Chi...Chin Chin's Papa. Where is my baby? He must be hungry. You should cook for him." she hiccuped and closed her eyes, leaving him stunned.

"...."

Upon hearing her words, Han Zihao, who was about to carry her, froze in his actions. Did he hear something wrong?

Chi...Chin Chin's Papa?

He stared at her crimson face and tried to process her words. This name....when he was young, Jiang Yue used to call him by this name when they played with her teddy bear which she used to call Chin Chin.

He used to pose as the dad and she was the mom and played as a happy family.

It was not just a mere nickname, it was part of his memories with Jiang Yue, his first love.

However, hearing the same name from this girl, who invaded his life out of nowhere and was adamant to shake his emotions made him wonder about several things. The things he was once suspicious about but shake it off because it was not realistic, everything seems like a puzzle now.

But...how does she know this name? Why did she call him by this name? Since she is drunk, it can't be a lie and it was far away to be called drunken talk.

Pursing his thin lips, he stared at the sleeping girl and sighed while dealing with his complicated emotions, " Xu Nuan, who are you exactly?"

****

Present.

Han Zihao stared at the girl who was standing by his side, watching her own grave with solemn expressions. The young girl who used to laugh and hop around everywhere while holding her teddy bear, infecting everyone with her contagious laugh was standing next to him, smiling bitterly.

It was a smile full of sadness and pain.

He sighed and tried to convince her to leave from here as he couldn't see her looking like this, " Xu Nuan, we should go from here. This is not the place-

" It's so colorful," Interrupting him, she finally spoke.

She was holding a small cactus plant in her hands as she stared at her grave, which was now covered with dry and withered flower bouquets, the fan letters had covered the mound to the extent that even her name was barely visible.

It was a strange feeling to watch her own grave. The memories she has left behind, the people she was trying to ignore, everything was coming to her like a movie.

Am I the first person to witness their own grave, alive? She wondered, thinking if there are other people too who have gotten the chance to live again, or is she the only one?

At first, she was nervous and afraid of how she was going to deal with her emotions but after coming here, the emotional turbulence inside her seems to have gone numb. It was calm and tranquil.

She took a deep breath and turned to Han Zihao who was staring at her worriedly. " Mr. Han, do you know why I brought you here?"

Upon hearing her calm voice, his heart tightened. He didn't say anything and just stared at her, trying to read her thoughts.

" Mr. Han, I might seem like a flirt and treat everything like a joke, but I don't treat others' feelings as a joke. For me, in a relationship, trust and honesty are more important than anything. Because we can love again, but trust is like a broken glass that can be fixed with glue but it will not be the same as before. There will be dents to remind the wounds of the broken heart."

" That's why before getting into a relationship, I wanted to be honest and show my real self to you. I always followed the path of honesty you know. Even if it's a hard and bitter truth, I will still prefer it over a fake-consoling lie. Because facing the truth makes the person strong."

" However, it was my first time running away from a situation rather than facing it boldly and it's embarrassing, to be honest." she chuckled, feeling embarrassed at how she avoided him all those time after his confession.

He watched her going through multiple emotions as she stood in front of her, exposing her feelings to him.

"So...what is your true self?" He asked in a composed manner, making her stare at him in silence.

After a moment, she took a sharp breath and breathed out before saying, " This is my true self, here." she stretched her hand, pointing towards her grave at the side.

" This is the real me. Jiang Yue."

She was expecting him to waver or show some reaction but pursed her lips to see his indifferent and composed reaction. Did he not get what I meant? Ah, wait...how stupid of me. How can he get what I mean? It's not a daily occurrence to be reborn after all.

She scolded herself for using vague words inwardly and tried again, " I mean….I am not Xu Nuan. Although I am in this body, it's still not me." she frowned as she got confused at her explanation herself.

What kind of stupid drama plot is this? She swallowed her pride and smiled awkwardly before continuing.

" I am not joking. I am Jiang Yue. I died in an accident while shooting the MV but miraculously woke up in this girl's body. Do you remember the day when you visited me at the hospital to compensate me for the accident? That was the day I woke up as Xu Nuan." she explained looking at him expectantly.

She wanted him to believe her words but from her lousy explanation, she sounded like a con artist herself. How can she expect him to believe her?

It was clear from the amused expressions that he wasn't buying her story. She will not believe it either.

However, this time she has prepared herself well. She was about to count all the things she remembered from their childhood when she heard him say, " I know."

"....."

" I know it sounds ridiculous but it's true. Sometimes I also feel that everything is a dream and it's all….Wait...what?"

Chapter 228 - Thank you for being alive.

Xu Nuan stared at him with her mouth agape in shock. She squinted her eyes in bewilderment as she tried to process his words. Wait….what?

He knows?

She stared at him without saying anything for a few minutes, trying to read his expressions. Is he pulling her leg? Or giving her fake consolation, 'Yeah, I know, I know' types? Because there is no way he will know that she is Jiang Yue, there is no reason for him to know.

When she didn't tell him the truth, how can he find out about it? This is not some melodramatic story that he can assume but a supernatural-fantasy story. No one can assume anything. Coming back to life is not a normal phenomenon afterall.

" You...You're saying it to make me feel better, right? What do you know and how do you know?  Do you also think that I am being ridiculous? I am not drunk, I haven't even sipped alcohol since last night." her eyes turned teary, thinking that he was not believing her words and making fun of her.

Otherwise, how can he be so calm after knowing it? Even Lin Hui was shocked, but he is just looking at her and smiling like a fool.

There is no way he understood what she meant. However, for some reason, she was at a loss for words as well. She didn't know what to say to make him believe her. It's like her lips were sealed in front of him when it comes to speaking. Only rubbish words come out, ruining the whole mood.

As she was struggling on her own, he stepped forward and took the plant from her hands. "What are you-

Before she could react, he hugged her, holding the small plant behind her back. He was holding the plant with one hand and the other was on her back, c.a.r.e.s.sing her gently, " Shhh!! You don't need to explain anything to me. I don't need any evidence to know that it's you. Because I know that you're my Jiang Yue."

"Evidence can be wrong but feelings can't." His soothing voice calmed the storm inside her a little, causing her to stand still in his arms.

Remembering what he said to her on the Ferris wheel ride when they went on date, she started to understand what he meant back then. 'I will not let you die again.' So this was it.

Tears welled up in her eyes when she heard his words. She was struggling to tell him the truth for a few days as she doesn't want to lie to him when they're in a relationship.

However, if she had known that this would be his reaction, she wouldn't have avoided him for so long.

" I am just happy that you're alive and with me. Jiang Yue, Thank you for not giving up on life and coming back to life. I can't express how happy and surprised I was that it's you." She listened to his words seriously, while trying to not burst into bawling and ruin the moment.

" I am glad that you showed courage to tell me the truth. It must have been hard for you all this time, isn't it?" He asked in a low voice. However, upon hearing this question, she lost her cool.

" You...You...You're so bad. I hate you, hate you so much." she bawled like a baby in his embrace while hitting him on his back with her small fists.

He chuckled and let her hit him as her small hits weren't even hurting him. She was saying she hates him but her tears were selling her feelings out.

-

He didn't say anything but deep inside he knew that he was done for. He should've pretended to be shocked at least. This way he wouldn't be the one getting hit like this.

She turned to her grave and started picking up the letters on the mound. Although they were slightly wet and messy because of the rain last night, she can just dry them with a dryer later.

" What are you doing? Why are you picking them?"

" Because they're mine," she said matter of factly while shoving them in a tote bag that she brought from the basket.

That's right. Her appearance might have been changed, but she is still Jiang Yue and these are the letters from her fans. She might not be able to reciprocate those feelings again, but it will give her the support that she needed to keep thriving for a good life.

" Oh. And what about this cactus? I didn't know you liked this plant." Han Zihao looked at the small plant in his hands in wonder. He was aware that she likes flowers that have good fragrances, she isn't biased to one flower, all kinds are beautiful and are enough to make her happy.

But...Cactus? He didn't know that she liked it.

She didn't reply to his question but asked, " Do you think I brought you here to see my grave? Although, I did bring you for that, however, that's not the only reason."

" Huh? Is there any other reason? Here?" He looked around, but there was nothing special. It was just a cemetery, situated in the mountainous area. The area was calm and tranquil, the peaceful silence and greenery were making it different from the bustling city life.

" Who? Do they live nearby?" He asked in confusion. This area is not only isolated but there were no shops either. The people who live nearby must go downtown to buy the essentials.

She shrugged her shoulders, giving him a suggestive smile.

-

Chapter 229 - Please give us your blessings.

" Didn't I say that I want you to meet someone? Let me introduce you to the craziest and cheesiest couple I've ever seen, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang, my mom and dad." Xu Nuan beamed and dramatically introduced him to her parents.

" Mom, Dad, do you remember that arrogant-looking handsome boy? The same boy who met me at the foundation and we used to play all the time? That small boy has grown into a m.a.t.u.r.e man now, time flies fast, isn't it?" she said.

Han Zihao, who was standing beside her, was dazed when she introduced him to her parents. He stared at her baffled, not knowing how to react. He was confused when she said that she wanted him to meet someone, but wasn't expecting her to bring him to her parents.

He stared at the two graves in front of him and glanced at her, pursing his lips. Behind the graves, few small cactus plants could be seen. As soon as they came here, Xu Nuan put the cactus in her hand beside the other plants carefully, behind the graves.

He has seen people bringing flowers but it was his first time seeing someone bringing cactus. There wasn't just one but a row of cactus was decorated behind the tombs.

-

He pursed his lips seeing her smiling widely but the pain in her eyes was evident to him. She was beaming and was feigning happiness but the longing for her parents was clear.

The last impression he had of Mr. and Mrs. Jiang was that they adored and cherished Jiang Yue the most. She was the apple of their eyes, they tend to panic if she gets a simple cut on her finger. They loved her that much.

Sometimes, he used to feel envious of their relationship. Mr. and Mrs. Jiang loved each other deeply, they used to bicker but it was different from his parents. Their love and affection for each other subdue their anger and after a while, everything becomes normal.

Jiang Yue was their utmost priority. Seeing how much she was loved by her parents, it must have been hard for her to deal with the emptiness in her life after they left.

His heart aches to see the way she was smiling and trying to hide her pain. Why can't she just cry and let it all out? He cannot understand why she always tries to hide her hardsh.i.p.s and laugh them off as if nothing happened.

-

"Mom, Dad. You miss me, right? I am sorry for not visiting you earlier." She said in a low voice, trying to keep her emotions in check. Seeing the names of her parents carved on two graves, the same strange feeling started to bother her from inside, again.

She still wasn't used to seeing their names on the graves.

Although she visits her parents every year on this day, it has never been easy for her. Because it was the day when she lost her parents to that unfortunate accident. It's been years since that accident happened and the memories of that day still haunt her.

She can't get used to this drastic change in her life. The fairy tale life in which she was living, suddenly became a tragic story when she lost her parents to that accident.

Thinking about it, the guilt and regret overwhelm her. Only if she could go back in time and turn things around. However since she can't do that, that's the only regret in her life.

She let out a deep breath and raised her head to look at the sky. She sniffled and shook her head to prevent the tears from falling. She doesn't want to be sad in front of her parents, they won't be happy to see her cry.

Even though they're not here, they're still watching her from somewhere.

Han Zihao watched her holding back her tears and was trying to put on a smile. Without saying anything, he grasped her hand, intertwining their fingers.

Xu Nuan was caught off guard by his sudden action and stared at him in a daze, " What-

" Didn't you say that you brought me here to introduce to them? Then let me."

"Hmm?"

Before she could react, he turned to the graves and said, " Aunty, Uncle, I am not sure if you still remember me but I remember you. I remember the way you used to take me to your home and cook delicious homemade food for me. I can never forget the taste of your dishes." His voice turned soft and gentle as he reminiscent about the past.

" Aunty, Although I don't cook that well, I will make sure that your daughter will be well-fed. Just like how you used to cherish her, I will do the same."

He glanced at Xu Nuan, who was surprised at his words, and smiled, " I can never take your place in her life but I will make sure to reduce the emptiness in it. I will never...ever get her hurt again. Please give us your blessings."

Xu Nuan gaped at him with widened eyes and was shocked at how smoothly he won over her parents. Although they can't say anything, she knows that her parents wouldn't be able to resist his overflowing charm as well, just like her.

-

The old man inside the car glanced at the cemetery from the car's window and let out a tired sigh. He closed his eyes for a moment before walking towards the graves of his eldest son and daughter-in-law while his personal assistant supported him.

After the death of Jiang Yue, the old man who was trying to hold the Jiang Corporations and his family together became weaker by the time. The effect of losing his young granddaughter was worse than losing his son and daughter-in-law.

At that time, he had Jiang Yue, who needed him and his responsibility towards her, allowed him to stay strong. However, after finding Jiang Yue's news, his heart couldn't take it anymore.

Although she was angry at him and there were some disagreements between them, she was alive and well at least. He could see her through television and be content that she was happy.

Now he can't even do that. His little Jiang Yue will never return to him.

With a regret-filled heart, stood in front of his son's grave and said with a quivering voice, " Zan Zan, your father is here to see you. I hope you're happy wherever you are and together with my daughter-in-law." He smiled bitterly at his daughter-in-law's grave, who has always respected him and treated him like her father.

" Yewan, Since Jiang Yue can't come anymore, I brought your favorite Cactus plant in her stead." His wrinkled hands trembled that were holding the small plant. It was the tradition that Jiang Yue started and always visited her parents with a small cactus on this day.

Cactus is the symbol of endurance which can bear the hardsh.i.p.s and not waver against them. Jiang Yewan, Jiang Yue's mother used to love it and always decorates the house with it. Normally, people don't keep cactus in the house as it is believed that it brings negative energy and misfortune with it,

However, her mother used to think differently. She believes that it would give them the energy to fight against any hardsh.i.p.s and its other meaning, 'unconditional maternal love' will remind Jiang Yue of her love and care, even when she is not there.

" Who...brought that here? Other than Jiang Yue, who else can come here? It was not here when I visited them last time." The Old Man was bewildered, wondering who could be the one who brought the Cactus, that too on this day.

" Gu De, check if someone else also visited here other than us today. Who can come here to continue Jiang Yue's tradition?"

" Yes. Sir. I will ask around."

" It can't be...can't be what I am thinking, right?" The Old Man stammered under his breath, feeling anxious. He was having ridiculous thoughts but even if it's ridiculous, they were giving him some hope.

Chapter 230 - She looked different!!

" We're here." Han Zihao halted the car in front of the Global Building's entrance and glanced at Xu Nuan, who was dozing off beside him. Her c.h.e.s.tnut brown hair was partially covering her face, revealing her l.u.s.trous pinkish lips.

He pursed his lips remembering when she kissed him passionately in her drunken state and left him burning in the middle. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, thinking about her torture.

She has her eyes closed with her head resting against the closed windows. Earphones were stuffed into her ears as she was listening to music before she fell into the world of dreams.

Since they left the cemetery, she didn't say a single word to him. She was ignoring him as if he didn't exist. She was looking out of the window and was pouting during the whole ride back home.

It wasn't even a mystery to him why she was angry. She has shown her disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to him, a while ago quite evidently.

" Erm...It's quite late. You go up and freshen up while I prepare the dinner." He said, trying to make her talk to him. However, she didn't even glance at him before opening the car door and entering the building, leaving him stunned.

' Seems like the situation is more serious than I had thought.' He pursed his lips, seeing how cold and angry she looked.

He thought that it would be better for her to tell him the truth first. Well, he would be lying if he says that he wasn't enjoying her panicked, troubling state.

He was shocked at first upon knowing that she was Jiang Yue and was alive. But after he got adjusted to this truth, her excuses seemed funny and enjoyable to him. He wasn't expecting her to get this angry though, what's there to be angry after all?

He was confused.

" Sir," As he was trying to understand her actions, someone knocked on the car window. He looked up and saw the guard knocking on it.

" Sir, you can't park the car here. This is the entrance of the building." The guard said hesitantly, worried that he might snap back at him. Rich people generally do that, they treat the staff working under them as their servants, forgetting the basic respect for others.

He sighed and nodded before starting the car engine again to park the car in the parking lot.

--

" Hah!" Xu Nuan shut the door behind her and stood against it, exhausted. Her body was feeling weak and her legs were wobbly.

She stood there with her back against the door and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in embarrassment thinking about the lame excuses that she made in the past. Despite knowing the truth, he watched her from afar and played with her.

Although she doesn't know how he finds out the truth, she was angry. She was annoyed at the fact that he hid it from her for a long time. Knowing everything, he still asked the questions that put her in a tight spot.

Wait….Did he start liking me because of that? She pursed her lips as she couldn't help but wonder about this question. She didn't tell him the truth in the first place because she wanted to charm him as a woman first, not Jiang Yue.

Because Jiang Yue in his memories holds a certain image and personality. In years they were apart, she changed, her choices changed and her circ.u.mstances changed. That's why she wanted him to love Xu Nuan first so that she can reveal the truth to him later.

" Ah, Xu Nuan, STOP it. Stop overthinking for god's sake." She shook her head violently to remove those negative thoughts from it.

-

" It's good that the truth has been revealed. Now I don't need to pretend to be good anymore." she sighed in relief, patting her c.h.e.s.t with a fist.

Although she was living her life, sometimes she has to ignore things as she doesn't want to be caught by others, otherwise, would Xingren be unharmed till now even after messing with her numerous times?

She took a deep breath to calm herself. However, upon remembering his indifferent expressions earlier when she was struggling to tell him the truth, the embarrassment caught her again.

She took a sharp breath and scoffed, " Han Zihao, you think this is all fun right? Since I was displaying my moral side to you, you must have taken me for granted."

" But seems like you don't know that Jiang Yue is not a good girl, she was known for her bitchy personality too," she smirked evilly, receiving a silent response from the walls.

Since Han Zihao is aware of her real self now, she will introduce herself to him properly now. He needs to know the real Jiang Yue too.

It's her turn to have fun now.

Since he had fun watching her from the sidelines all along, it's her time to have fun now.

" Let the real game begin!!" she smirked and flipped her hair back coolly before walking to the bedroom in Jiang Yue's Queen style

.

--

Han Zihao looked at the time and frowned. Since it was quite late by the time they returned, he decided to order the food for the dinner. To please her, he especially ordered Feng Sheng to bring food from her favorite hotel, The Jade.

He already plated the dishes prettily on the table and messaged her to come over for dinner, but it's been 20 minutes since then and she hasn't arrived yet.

"Is she still angry about it? But it wasn't something to be furious over."  He mumbled, thinking how she was being unreasonable.

She was planning to tell him the truth anyway. What's the difference if he found out himself or she told him? It's not like he wanted to anyway, it was all a coincidence.

~Ding~

As he was fretting over the food that was getting cold, the doorbell rang.

" Ah, Is she at the door? Why is she ringing the bell rather than punching the password, like she  usually does?" He walked towards the door while trying to relax his facial muscles.

He just needs to act normal. Then everything will be fine.

" Why were you ringing the doorbell? Is the device not working? You could have just-

As soon as he opened the door, his words were forced to swallow when he saw her standing outside his door. His mouth was left agape seeing her appearance as he stared at her in pure shock.

She...she looked different!

Chapter 231 - Let&#039;s break up

Han Zihao was forced to swallow his words when he saw Xu Nuan standing there as soon as he pushed open the door.

She was wearing a cartoon print long t-shirt dress that barely covered her t.h.i.g.hs. Although she was wearing black shorts underneath, it was barely invisible to his eyes and her dress was revealing too much of her skin making his eyes wander.

She let her damp hair loose and didn't even comb them. Her tousled hair was making her look more alluring than ever.

Seeing her dressed like this, he was reminded of the day when he went to her place for the first time to cook for her. Thinking about that, heat rushed to him, turning his earlobes crimson.

Xu Nuan's lips curled into a smirk seeing his reaction. Just as she had expected, Han Zihao was stupefied seeing her casual yet s.e.xy look. Usually, she wears the panda pajamas that are comfortable and cover her well, However, to ruin his good night's sleep, she needed to do something extra.

What can be better than a long t-shirt dress? S.e.xy and casual!!

'This is just a start, Mr. Han. The game has just begun.'

Before Han Zihao could wake up from his trance, she pushed him slightly and entered the house, " Dinner is ready, right? Let's eat. I am starving like a hyena." she said while walking to the dining table.

Han Zihao was confused seeing her excited like this. She wasn't even talking to him a while ago, what has happened in such a short time that she was grinning like this?

-

Han Zihao pursed his lips as he watched her gobbling all the dishes one by one. To uplift her mood, he has ordered all her favorite dishes from the hotel. There were marinated crabs, lobster, spicy noodles, and dumplings too.

He was thinking that she will still be angry and will not talk to him well but instead, she was smiling and eating without a break. However, her not getting angry was bothering him even more.

Something is fishy!!

-

" Ah, it was a good meal." she g.r.o.a.n.e.d in satisfaction as she leaned back against the chair, c.a.r.e.s.sing her abdomen after eating almost everything herself.

He didn't say anything and stared at her suspiciously.

There was a long silence in the room. No one spoke.

After a few moments, He spoke, " You….aren't you curious about how I found out the truth?" He asked hesitantly, observing her expressions.

It was strange for her to not ask him anything and pretend as if everything is normal. She should be curious at least, shouldn't she?

Xu Nuan slowly opened her closed eyes and looked at him, " Why should I be curious? You know the truth, that's it then. What is there to talk about anymore?" She smirked after saying those words.

"....."

'She is definitely up to something!'

--

She gathered her hair to one side, revealing her slender neck, and thought about something before saying, " Mr. Han, should we just...stay as friends? I don't think that we're compatible as a couple."

Han Zihao was stunned when he heard her words. His eyes widened in shock as she stared at her in pure shock, " Wait...what? You...want to end our relationship?"

"What do you mean? I don't understand what happened so suddenly. Is it because of what happened at the cemetery earlier?"

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and shook her head, " Oh, No! It's not because of that. I realized we're not compatible. Our personalities are too different. Moreover, there is no excitement in the relationship."

" All this time I was the one pushing you, chasing after you. And it's weird that you suddenly accepted my feelings just because you found out that I am Jiang Yue. It means you like that little girl who used to play with you, but that girl has grown into a woman now."

" I am not the same girl you used to know anymore, Mr. Han. As you can see, I am not an innocent type, I can be bitchy sometimes."

"Also, we have a huge age difference, you're 29 and I am 21 now. I don't think it's the right thing to do," she said seriously, making him frown.

Han Zihao was perplexed upon hearing her words. What is she saying….?

" What nonsense!! You aren't even Xu Nuan, so technically there isn't any age difference. Also, don't lie to me, you're doing this to get back at me, aren't you? You're angry for not telling you the truth, right?" He asked while panicking.

However, she didn't say anything and just smiled at him, helplessly.

" Mr. Han, I am not that petty. I don't hold grudges over small things." She waved her hand and shook her head in denial.

How can she be so petty to play with him?

Very well!!

He smirked but smoothened his expressions soon enough. He let out a breath before saying, " I think you're right. We aren't compatible at all. We can't be together."

"Eh?" Xu Nuan, who was playing with the glass, was startled to hear his words. This wasn't what she was expecting.

" I am a President of Han Corporation afterall, I should marry a girl who would be par to my status and help the company to grow too. I think Zhu Ai would be perfect for that. I should call Feng Sheng to get Ms. Zhu Ai's number and set a date for tomorrow." he said while picking up his phone.

Her expressions turned dark seeing him talking about Zhu Ai in front of him. How can his feelings change in an instant?

" You want to talk to Zhu Ai? Why? Didn't you reject her already?"

" But she isn't even that bad. She is beautiful, educated, and don't you want to end whatever we have between us? I think I should let you go and find someone else from the same business industry."

Xu Nuan was left bewildered seeing his sudden change in attitude.

" Feng Sheng, you have Ms. Zhu Ai's number right? Send it to me. Also, the proposal we have from her company, give it a pass as well. Becoming business partners will stamp our relationship, unlike someone else's." He said, glancing at Xu Nuan, whose expressions have turned grim already.

" Yes, send it fast. Also, reserve a five-star hotel for tomorrow evening too, I want to-

Before he could complete his words, Xu Nuan acted fast and jumped off the chair. She snatched the phone from him and shouted, " MR. SECRETARY!! Don't do that. You don't need to send him her number or book any table. Otherwise, I will not let you live peacefully." she shouted on the phone.

However, her expressions turned red when she realized that he wasn't calling anyone. She glanced at him and saw him chuckling while looking at her amusingly.

" So...are you done with your prank? Or do you want to go on with this drama?"

She laughed embarrassedly and raised her brows," Ah? What prank? I wasn't pranking anyone. I was just angry. Even though we were breaking up, how can you talk about going back to Zhu Ai?" she complained while pouting.

" Of course I can. We aren't dating as you said, so there is no need for me to stay single and wait for you." He said, provoking her even more.

'This sly Mr. Han.' she gritted her teeth inwardly seeing him smirk.

" You...You're recording it, right?"

Chapter 232 - Why is he coming so close?

Xu Nuan's body turned into ice when she heard his words. She jumped back and tried to hide her phone behind her back, " No!! Why would I record you? How can you even think about such a ridiculous idea? Ha…Ha...Ha…", she laughed nervously, avoiding his observing gaze.

She was still not over how he didn't say anything despite knowing the truth about her not being Xu Nuan but Jiang Yue. All this time she was avoiding him and was struggling alone to tell him the truth yet he just watched her making a joke of herself in front of him since he was aware of everything.

In the past few days, she couldn't sleep properly as she was worried about how he would react after knowing the truth. Although she was expecting him to be glad that she is alive, there was a chance that he would be heartbroken since she didn't say anything when she found out about his feelings for her (Jiang Yue).

She wasn't exactly angry now after thinking it through since it made lots of things easier for her. However, she just wanted to prank him and make his video by bombing him with breakup news.

She wanted to record his reaction and wanted to tease him later on, playing the video and laughing at his expressions.

It would be so satisfying.

She was allowed to do this much to make herself feel better. She was not being childish and petty while doing this small prank.

She is not being imm.a.t.u.r.e. Not at all!! It's just a small...friendly prank.

But how did he catch on to it? She was sure that she wasn't laughing when she said those words. She has a habit of laughing at the wrong times, but she didn't laugh this time.

She was sure of it.

-

Han Zihao chuckled seeing her denying it outrightly and raised his eyebrows, looking at the phone that she was hiding behind her back," Has anyone ever told you that you can't act? You were making your phone obvious while recording and you were too stiff while lying."

" It was a good thing that you didn't get into acting, otherwise you would have embarrassed yourself even further," he commented, making her breathe heavily in anger. How...how can he say that to her face?

She knows that she can't act but there was no reason for him to say this on her face.

" Han Zihao!! You...you're such an...!!"

" What?"

"Asshole".

" Did you forget that I am older than you? Is that how you talk to people older than you?"

" Hah! Older my ass!! You might be older than Xu Nuan but there isn't much difference between you and me. You're just 4 years older than me." she spatted at him in anger.

Since he already knows that she is Jiang Yue, is there any need for her to not be herself and pretend like Xu Nuan? Polite and gentle. Well, she was not being gentle before too, but at least she was trying to control her original self….to some extent.

" 4 years older is still old I think."

She rolled her eyes at him and huffed in frustration, " So what? What do you want me to call you? Grandpa or Uncle? Well, I guess Uncle will suit you better since Xu Nuan is 8 years younger than you." she showed him the tongue, making his expressions turn dark.

He breathes out heavily, " Continue to act like this and forget about finding out how I find out the truth. You don't seem curious anyway." he said, threatening her.

Saying this, he walked towards the couch while Xu Nuan stared at his back, in a daze.

Since when did this sloth become a bitchy fox?

She was curious as hell.

She wants to know how he knows that she is not Xu Nuan but Jiang Yue. Because she never told him the truth, nor has she told anyone else about it other than Lin Hui.

Then how?

She took a sharp breath and walked towards the couch, " Hoho!! Mr. Han, you're taking me wrong. I came here to do a truce treaty. Let's just stop fighting and restore the peace." She said, stretching her hand for a handshake.

He stares at her hand and then at her face, " We were fighting?"

"We were not?" She frowned.

" You were the one who stopped talking to me and ignored me. So it wasn't a fight, not from my side at the least."

Seeing his serious expressions, she was speechless. Does he have to spit facts here? Can't he just accept it just like this?

She smiled awkwardly and was about to take back her hand when he held her hand and shook hands with her, holding onto it tightly.

She raised her brows and stared at his hands that were holding onto her hand tightly.

"If you want peace, then peace it is. Let's sit here. We have lots of things to discuss." He sits on the couch while pulling her to sit beside him.

She blinked as she suddenly found herself sitting beside him close." So...how did you find out that it's me? Like….I don't think it was that obvious that I am not Xu Nuan but Jiang Yue." She asked, looking at him in confusion.

Even Xu Nuan's family couldn't realize that she is not Xu Nuan, then how can he? Moreover, it was not something that anyone can guess easily. At most, they will think that she has gone crazy after the accident or was hiding her true self before. But coming to this conclusion was something unusual.

He chuckled, " Oh, if you think you have hidden yourself well, then you're so wrong."

" Your actions and way of talking are nowhere near to Xu Nuan's."

"..."

She was speechless at his cheekiness. Wasn't he being too direct with his comments? " Oh really? And you know Xu Nuan personally? How do you know that she wouldn't have acted as I did?"

" Even Xu Nuan's family didn't realize that I was not Xu Nuan but someone else. Then how can you say that with sureness? Hmph!!"

" Do you think her family knows her well enough to care about such things?" He scoffed, feeling a little strange to talk about Xu Nuan like this.

The girl in front of him was Jiang Yue but she looks like Xu Nuan. This is some high-level delusion.

Upon hearing his reasoning, she frowned and nodded. The Gu family doesn't seem to care about Xu Nuan. When they can leave their daughter who just had an operation after the accident at the hospital alone, then what else can she expect from them?

When she realized what was happening, she glared at him, " I acted well or not, that's not the point. The point is, how did you find out the truth? Just say it I will-

He smirks and leans in, surprising her, " Or you what?"

She held her breath and blinked nervously, ' Why is he coming so close?'

" You...You..talk from there. Don't try to use your handsome face to get away from the situation."

" So I can get away from it using my 'handsome' face?" He raises his brows, seeing her crimson face.

-

Chapter 233 - Picture!!

A teasing smirk appeared on his lips seeing her getting red under him. Unlike usual, he didn't back out and leaned in close, reducing the distance between them.

She swallowed her saliva, feeling trapped between him and the couch. She was almost lying on the couch while he was hovering over her, staring into her dark orbit eyes.

'Oh My, Is he going to kiss me?' her eyes widened at this thought. When they kissed last time, she was dead drunk and didn't remember how it felt. But it would be different if they did now.

She is wide-awake at the moment.

She nervously closed her eyes and could feel his hot breath on her face. Her hands curled into small fists as she nervously waited for the kiss.

Her lips puckered unknowingly as she prepared herself for the kiss.

Han Zihao stared at her closed eyes and puckered lips and couldn't help but snicker at her actions. He leaned in close and blew air in her ears, making her shudder at his burning breath over her skin.

Xu Nuan was curled up under him and was impatiently waiting for the kiss which never came. With a crease on her forehead, she opened her eyes and found him staring at her with a teasing smile.

"..."

" What are you doing?" he asked.

" Ah?"

" I asked, what are you doing? Didn't you want to know the truth?" He asked seriously, making her face turn crimson.

She gritted her teeth as she could see him hiding his playful smile. 'This sly bitch.' she cursed inwardly.

" Ah..Ahem." She cleared her throat as she sat on the couch and straightened her T-shirt dress which had rolled up, reaching to her t.h.i.g.hs. She glanced at him and saw him looking away, seeing her fixing her clothes.

'Hah, acting like a gentleman after making fun of me? Tsk!', she shook her head and said, " Say what you have to say. I don't have time for all of this. I have classes tomorrow." she tried to be nonchalant but her attention was on him, all the time.

He glanced at her and took a deep breath before saying, " Before I tell you anything, you have to promise me one thing."

" Now what?" she turned to him, irritatingly. She should be the angry one here yet he keeps putting conditions here. Are they signing some contract or what?

" Promise me that you won't get angry with me."

She stared at him, speechlessly, "You...What did you do this time? I let you go last time when you called me monke...Argh...Okay. Fine. I'll try not to get angry. So..go on." she waved her hands seeing his serious face.

She can decide if she should get angry or not later. They didn't sign any contract anyway.

" You can't get back on your words."

" I'll try, No. I will not get angry. I promise. Now go on." she assured him while hiding her crossed fingers behind her back.

Seeing her cool attitude, he let out a breath and said, " You...Do you remember when you got into the scandal with Han Liang and stayed at my mansion?"

" When I was attacked by his crazy fan? What about it?" she asked in confusion. She was sure that she didn't do anything suspicious at that time, then how did he find out the truth.

He nodded seeing that she remembered about that time. She thinks that she knows everything but there were things that she failed to see.

****

Han Zihao sighed seeing the condition of Xu Nuan's condo. The trash of cup noodles was still on the table intact, the empty-used coffee mug was also placed there as a decoration.

" She does have a talent to turn anything classy and luxurious into trash." He shakes his head helplessly looking at the condition of her condo.

Since she was staying at his place due to the scandal, he came to her place to get the things that she had asked for.

Although he was planning to send Feng Sheng to bring her stuff from her condo at first. However, after hearing the items that she had asked for, he came himself. How can he bother Feng Sheng with such trivial things?

He will rather let him do some important work.

He pulled out his phone and went through the memo he had made of the things that she had asked for, " Panda print pajamas, Linger-" He stopped reading it aloud and cleared his throat before making his way to her bedroom.

" I can't believe that the President of Han Corporation came all the way to pack a girl's personal stuff for her." He grumbled as he awkwardly made his way to her bedroom.

It was his first time entering someone else's bedroom, leave alone a girl's bedroom. He raised a brow when he looked around, the walls were painted off-white and were rather plain, contrasting her colorful personality.

However, the messy vanity table and crumpled bed sheet and blanket were enough to prove that it was her room. Who can maintain such a lavish yet classy condo in such a messy way?

He opened her wardrobe and took a sharp breath seeing how unorganized and messy her cupboard was. How can she not organize her stuff even for once?

" This girl…Is she really a girl?" He frowned seeing the way her clothes were falling out when he opened the cupboard. The clothes were shoved in ruthlessly and were begging for fresh air.

She is the messiest person he has ever seen.

" At least hang them on the hanger for god's sake." He huffed in exasperation.

" Forget it. Just pack the stuff and leave." he shakes his head and starts taking out the things that he needed to pack.

After packing her pajamas, he pursed his lips as he opened the drawer to take out her… 'u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r'. He awkwardly stared at the bra and p.a.n.t.i.e.s that were carefully folded up in the drawer.

He was surprised to see how carefully she had folded her u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r. " Are they so expensive that she has folded them with such care? What a strange girl." He shakes his head and carefully puts her u.n.d.e.r.g.a.r.m.e.n.ts in the bag as well with trembling hands.

After packing all the things that she had asked for when he was about to shove the clothes that fell earlier, something hard fell out of the cupboard, hitting his shoe.

" Argh, now what?" He g.r.o.a.n.e.d seeing something new falling out.

He picked up the diary which fell and stared at the pastel-colored journal. He stared at the funny note on the bottom of the diary, [ TRY TO READ MY DIARY AND FACE THE DOOM OF THE THUNDER]

He was speechless at her childish note. " Does she still does these kinds of stupid things?" He chuckled as he stared at her handwriting. It was cursive and beautifully written.

'Why does it feel so familiar?'

He was tempted to read her diary. Something was pulling him to read it but his morals didn't allow him to go so low to read someone else's diary.

In the end, he went against his temptation and was about to place the diary inside when a photo fell out of the diary.

" I am doing all sorts of things today." He g.r.o.a.n.e.d as he once again bent down to take the picture. However, his hands froze in action when he saw the familiar faces in the picture.

His hands trembled as he stared at the picture in his hands. " This….this...what is this picture doing here?" He mumbled in disbelief seeing the picture that he took with Jiang Yue at the foundation when they were young.

This same picture, he also has at his place. But...what was this doing here?

Chapter 234 - Shameless little creature!!

In the picture, the little girl was wearing a white dress with red polka dots and had her hair tied in a small ponytail with a panda-shaped tie. She was smiling brightly while holding onto the arm of the boy who was standing next to her.

Unlike her, the boy looked indifferent and had one hand in his trousers pocket while the other was grasped by the girl, firmly. He looked sullen and annoyed as if he was forced to pose for a picture with the girl.

Looking at the picture now, the images of their childhood flashed to Han Zihao. This picture goes back to the day when he first met Jiang Yue at the Life foundation when he went there with his father while she came together with her parents.

Because of the problems between his parents, he didn't like to talk to people and started to stay alone, without mingling with other children of his age. However, that day, as he was waiting for his father to come from the dean's office, a strange girl came up to him and started talking to him.

" Why are you sitting here alone? Where are your parents?" The little girl asked while sipping on her strawberry-flavored yogurt.

The boy stared at her and was baffled at how the girl, who looked younger than him, was asking about his parents while there was no one beside her.

He let out a sigh and said, " You should worry about yourself. Little girl, go to your parents if you don't want to get lost. I have no interest in talking to you."

He was expecting the girl to start crying like the other girls of her age, seeing his cold attitude, but she said something unexpected." I am not a little girl. I am five years old, FIVE!!" The girl showed him her palm, emphasizing her five fingers.

" OH, Then...Hello aunty! But I am still not interested in playing with you. " He said with a straight face, making the girl stare at him in disbelief.

She looked at him, horrified, and scowled, " Are you blind? Do I look like an aunty to you? I am not even married yet."

" Didn't you say to not call you a little girl? And, what does it have to do with you being married?"

The girl flipped her small ponytail back and explained to him with a proud smile on her lips, " My mom says that we should not call unmarried girls aunty. It's rude. So you can't call me aunty unless I am married." She was overjoyed that she was teaching something to a boy older than her.

Little Han Zihao rolled eyes at her and shook his head. He prepared to get up and walk away when the girl held his hand.

" What are you doing?"

" Since you don't have any friends, I'll allow you to play with me. You're new here right, let me show you around."

Han Zihao stared at her and wondered what made her think that it was his first time here. The foundation was under Han Corporations and she was saying that she wanted to show him around.

" No need. I don't want to be friends-

" Let's go to the playground. I want to play on the swing." she started pulling on his arm without waiting for his response.

Han Zihao was shocked to see the girl, who wasn't even listening to him and was doing whatever she wanted. He has girls in the school, who always try to play with him and bring chocolates and gifts for him, but after he rejects them curtly, they start to cry and run away.

He tried to reject this girl, but rather than noticing his irritated tone, she was immersed in her fantasy world. What kind of shameless creature is this? He wondered.

…..

In the photo, Han Zihao not only looked forced but he was indeed forced to take a picture with her. The girl introduced him to her parents as her new friend and they urged them to take a photo of them together, in the memory of their first encounter.

He couldn't understand why this girl wants to be friends with him despite being rejected by him multiple times. However, after that day he started to visit the foundation frequently. He doesn't know when, but he started to wait for her to come and annoy him to play with her.

…..

His hands trembled as held the photo in his hands weakly and stared at the picture in disbelief, " This picture...what is this photo doing here?"

What was the photo of him and Jiang Yue doing at Xu Nuan's house, inside the diary? Even though Jiang Yue was an idol and people can get pictures of her from the internet, there is no way that this picture can be found on the internet.

Distressed, he flipped the photo to see if he could get an idea of where this picture came from when he found something scribbled on it. " I am back!! Nice to meet you, Chin Chin's Papa." was written on the photo's back with a black marker.

There was a date under the scribble but it was too small for him to read. He squinted his eyes and carefully tried to read it.

" 4 June of last year? What is the mean-

His eyes widened in shock when he remembered that it was around this time when Xu Nuan got into an accident with his car and they met for the first time at the hospital.

" But...why did she write this date here? And these words…" He was confused. What is the meaning of these words? I am back? Who is back? From where?

Strange thoughts were invading his mind and were making him crazy. Her calling him Chin Chin's Papa in her drunken state, the picture in her cupboard, this date and scribble, and her mushroom allergy.

What is the meaning of all this?

" Is she Jian….Ridiculous! I must be crazy to think something as ridiculous as this." He shook his head and took a deep breath.

" I should ask Xu Nuan about what this photo was doing in her diary. Only she can answer my questions.``He prepared to put the diary inside and close the cupboard when his eyes fell on the diary in his hands.

" This...diary!" He gulped as the temptation to read her diary heightened. The photo was found inside her diary, there must be something inside that can answer all of his questions.

He doesn't want to assume anything but with all the evidence in his hands, he can't help but think that Xu Nuan is not what she is posing as. After her accident, she was acting strange and was different from what he had heard about Xu Nuan from Feng Sheng.

She was not a bit of an introvert or shy around strangers. Unlike Xu Nuan, She can't cook nor was she good at cleaning or house maintenance. There was something about her that was familiar and always pulled him towards her.

And Mushroom allergy. How come she and Jiang Yue have the same kind of allergy? Everything is so complicated.

Chapter 235 - I like you, because it&#039;s you!!

~Present~

Han Zihao stopped talking and glanced at Xu Nuan, who was resting her head against the couch and was sighing deeply.

He wondered what made her sigh so dramatically.

" What are you doing?"

She glanced at him and said with a regretting sigh, " I don't know at whom to get angry anymore. At you for not telling me the truth all along, or at my stupidity for keeping that photo in my diary and sending you to my place to get my stuff."

He pursed his lips and chose to not comment on this topic.

After a pause, she turned to him, " So...did you read the diary?"

Seeing her lazy yet curious gaze, he clears his throat and nods, making her jaw tighten a bit.

He could see that she was getting worked up but because of her promise earlier to not get mad, she was holding it in.

" Ah, I shouldn't have kept a diary. It's so bothersome." She sighed and threw her hands on the sofa, making a loud noise.

She isn't the type to keep a diary but after becoming Xu Nuan, she was all alone. She didn't have someone with whom she could share her feelings and problems.

To not keep everything inside and die out of suffocation, she started to write a diary every day, since the day she was discharged from the hospital.

Although she didn't write much after she started working, there are still so many things that she has written in that diary, how can he read that without her permission?

Han Zihao stared at her and frowned, not getting why she was feeling wronged.

" Why are you acting as if I read something personal? There wasn't anything to read in that diary anyway." He scoffed, making her frown deepen.

" What do you mean there wasn't anything to read? It has all of my feelings and emotions. How can you disregard my feelings like this?"

Upon hearing her claims, he couldn't help but scoff, " If you're thinking that your diary helped me to clear my doubts and I found something new in that diary, then you're completely wrong."

" When I opened the diary, it had nothing but just some foolish scribbles and mindless drawings. For a moment, I thought it was a drawing book of an elementary student."

He was hoping to find something useful in the diary but when he opened it, there was nothing but mindless scribbles and drawings.

For a moment, he was confused if it was her diary or not.

Xu Nuan was speechless at his words. Mindless drawings? Hah, Woah!! She never knew that there will be a day when he will call her 'art', mindless scribbles and drawings.

" Mindless drawings? Hah, you have zero sense of art, Mr. Han. It was the drawings that I made with much thought and put my emotions in it."

" Every drawing represented the storm of emotions inside me. Those 'mindless' scribbles are part of those drawings, explaining the scene."

" It's called art, Mr. Han. And you're calling them mindless drawings? Ridiculous!" She scoffed, making him stare at her in a daze.

Since she was too lazy to write a diary, she decided to go her own way and did some scribbling to show her emotions rather than writing a whole thing and leaving evidence for the thief who will open her cupboard and check her diary.

Because a thief reading her diary would be more believable than her showing her diary to someone else.

However, she never thought that the first person to open the diary would not be a thief but Mr. Han.

Han Zihao took a deep breath and shook his head, " Yeah, right. It was art and I am art blind. Happy?"

"...""

Xu Nuan humphed and looked away. For some reason, his acceptance made her even more annoyed.

…..

Upon thinking of it, the questions that she had all along, started to make her uncomfortable again.

'Should I ask him or not? What if his answer made me even more moody? Argh….what to do?' she was debating inwardly and glanced at him, looking away from her.

She took a deep breath and lowered her pride a little, she asked, " So….you knew about the truth even before our first date?"

'Shit...Shit...Shit!! He looked at me. Will he think that I am being too dramatic?' she bit her lower lip and tried to read his expressions.

Han Zihao was caught off guard with her sudden question and seeing that she was genuinely asking a question, he nodded and smiled at her, waiting for her to say something.

However, she didn't return him a smile and asked indifferently again, " Did you...did you agree to go out with me because you found out the truth that I am Jiang Yue? Or you would have still gone with me, even if you wouldn't have known that it's me?"

" Mr. Han, do you like me, or you like me just because I am Jiang Yue?" She asked, surprising him with her complicated question.

She was trying to maintain an indifferent face but inwardly, her heart was beating wildly. She was scared.

This question might seem like nothing to others but to her, it meant so much. She doesn't want to be loved just because she is Jiang Yue, because now she is not the same Jiang Yue he used to know.

There is a huge difference between the Jiang Yue he knows and the girl she is now. Her identity crisis was not confusing to others but for her as well.

She doesn't know what kind of answer she wants to hear from him. Is she being too dramatic for putting him in such a dilemma?

She didn't look away and stared into his eyes, waiting for his response eagerly.

Han Zihao noticed her expressions changing, becoming serious with every breath she took.

He stared into her eyes, maintaining eye contact, he leaned closer and whispered, " I like you!"

Xu Nuan was caught off guard by his ambitious answer and held her breath. Facing his proximity, she didn't know how to react, "Ah?"

He held her chin with his fingers and made her look into his eyes,  " I like you, not because you're Jiang Yue or Xu Nuan. It's because it's you."

Her eyes wavered when she heard his words. How can he say those words with a straight face?

Her cheeks turned crimson upon hearing his words.

" I would have gone on a date with you even if I hadn't found out the truth. Because I like you, the girl who acts crazy and speaks without thinking. I like the girl, who shamelessly ordered my secretary when she met me for the first time."

" I like the girl, who has the courage to barge into my office and demand that I treat her to lunch. The reason I like you, because it's you, not because you're Jiang Yue or Xu Nuan."

" How you look or whatever name you have now, doesn't matter to me. In the end, you will be the same, be it Jiang Yue or Xu Nuan. Does that answer your question now?" He asks, staring into her dark eyes.

He noticed her eyes widening and realized that she was shivering under his touch.

Did his answer surprise her?

Feeling a little hesitant, he was about to pull back when she leaned closer and held onto his arm, catching him off guard.

She stared into his eyes and before he could react, she moved closer and placed her rose petals like soft lips on his, making his body freeze.

He was surprised when she kissed him out of nowhere. He looked at her wide-eyed, wondering if she was drunk.

However, she didn't drink anything tonight. So, she was actually kissing him? While being wide-awake?

Chapter 236 - Kissing...can&#039;t let it get boring!!

Xu Nuan was taken aback by his response. The insecurities that she was holding onto all along seem to be melting away by his simple words.

The chaos in her mind started to calm down as she stared into his eyes. How can he make everything sound so simple?

'I like you because it's you.' Those words kept on ringing in her ears on repeat.

She was looking into his ocean-like deep and clear eyes and found herself falling for him deeper and deeper. Her hands acted on their own as she held onto his arms, stopping him from backing away.

She stared into his eyes, making him look straight into her dark eyes. No one spoke. There was a deep silence in the room, the silence that was not awkward but comforting.

They both were waiting for this moment, the moment where they can be truthful to each other. Both were aware of each other's secrets yet no one said anything.

Now when they have revealed their true sides to each other, is there any need to run away from the situation?

Looking into his eyes, the question he had asked her that day when he proposed to her, kept playing in her head on repeat.

'Xu Nuan, will you accept me as your boyfriend?'

Now it's her time to give him the answer.

However, rather than words, she used her actions to answer his question. Yes! Hell, Yess!!

She stared at him and looked at his lips, making him confused.

" What are you-

Before he could say anything, she squeezed his arm and leaned closer, and placed her lips on his slightly cold lips. She could feel his body becoming stiff because of her sudden move, which caused her to have butterflies in her stomach.

This man never fails to charm her with his ethereal looks and cuteness.

The day she had first seen him at the hospital, she found herself losing her sanity. At first, it was his good looks that pulled him towards him, however, slowly and steadily, she found herself deeply falling for him.

Despite being a stranger at that time, he didn't feel unfamiliar. Instead, she was too comfortable with him, more than she has ever been with anyone in the first meeting.

No one can make her feel special and precious the way this man does. The warmth and love she has gotten from her family, her father, this man gives the same warmth to her. To her, he is already a part of her family. No, at this point, he is her only family.

….

Han Zihao was caught off guard by her sudden kiss and before he could register what's happening in his mind, she held his face between her slightly cold palms and started s.u.c.k.i.n.g on his lips softly and gently, deepening the kiss.

Unlike the other two times, she was wide awake and the kiss wasn't as clumsy as before. She skillfully deepened the kiss, yet kept the slow pace.

She was teasing him. Testing his patience.

Along with her soft lips, her hands were c.a.r.e.s.sing her face gently, making the hairs on his body stand up. Her tongue was sometimes playfully sticking out, l.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips, making his mind go crazy.

He clenched his fists as he fought the urge to pull her in a deeper kiss because he wanted this moment to be special and wanted her to take the lead. It's one of the rare moments where she is not dead drunk and was sober. He wanted to enjoy this moment to the fullest and promote their relationship from supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend to an official couple.

However, her provocative actions were experimenting with his patience.

Xu Nuan's lips curled in a smirk when she felt him fidgeting under her touch. He was burning down there, she could feel his body's temperature rising.

At first, she kissed him in response, but seeing his reaction, she couldn't help but tease him. To fire up things a bit more, she wrapped her hands around his neck and shifted closer to him, almost sitting on his l.a.p.

She could feel his hands making their way to her waist and holding her steady in his embrace. His lips were not dominating but were matching her pace.

At this moment, she remembered something. 'Isn't things going too smoothly?' The devil in her mind popped up, making her open her eyes.

Hmmm….she can't let things get too boring. She is an evil queen for a reason, she can't let her nickname go to waste like this.

-

As Han Zihao was getting into the kiss and was trying to pull her into his embrace, making her sit on his l.a.p, she suddenly stopped midway.

She stopped kissing and pulled away from him. His eyes snapped open as he stared at her in confusion. What happened? Did he do something?

" What happened? Why did you suddenly stood up"

Xu Nuan got off him and stood in front of him. She casually fixed her dress and said while tying her hair in a bun, " We can't go on like this."

" Hmm? What..what do you mean? Didn't I tell you everything already? "

She raised brows at him and smirked, " Yes, you did. But I can't let you go away for what you did. Didn't I tell you that I will not let you go so easily for playing with me all this long? You do deserve a punishment."

He stared at her in disbelief. Where does that come from? That too between the things that they were doing, " Punishment? What punishment? And do you really need to continue with that punishment of yours now?" He said exasperatingly.

" Of course. If not now then when? After getting old?" she said, turning around, leaving him on the couch, alone.

"..."

" You...You...where are you going? We aren't done yet!" He shouted, staring at her in horror seeing her walking towards the door.

She turned around and smiled at him, " We're done, at least for me. That's your punishment. You can't kiss me for a week. And don't you dare try to break your punishment, otherwise, it will be extended for long. You're free to test to see if I am joking with you or not." She said, making his expressions fall in distress.

Han Zihao stared at her speechless, not understanding what kind of cruel punishment this is. They were just getting along and it was her first time properly kissing her being sober and yet she left him in the middle after igniting the fire inside him.

" Xu Nuan, this is not something to play with. You can't do that."

" What kind of ridiculous punishment is this? If you want, I can give you my card. You can go and shop all you want." He shouted, making her stop in her steps as she was about to open the door to leave.

A glad smile appeared on his lips seeing her halting in her steps. Seems like she was somewhat convinced by his statement.

'Good, good! As long as it was not this punishment, he was ready to give her as many cards as she wanted.'

Xu Nuan looked at him and pouted, considering his tempting offer. Shopping!! Unlimited card….Hmm….she does need to buy new clothes and shoes.

It's been so long since she has gone shopping without worrying about money and the budget. The girl who used to carry millions of dollars bags for daily use was worrying about how much to spend in a month to not go fully broke.

" Okay! I will take that offer of yours. Since you're requesting so earnestly, I will go shopping with you." she said, making him grin widely.

" That's right. You can shop all you want. Now we should-

He walked towards her hurriedly, wanting to pull her back but she raised her hand, stopping him from coming towards her, " But this doesn't mean that the kissing ban has been lifted."

" Heh? Didn't you say that you will go shopping? Then why?"

" But I never said that I am lifting your kissing ban, did I? The kissing ban is your punishment, while the unlimited card for shopping is the compensation for the emotional stress that you have given me in the last few weeks."

" Did you know I lost a few kilos because of it? I even got dark circles under my eyes," she complained to him while showing him her pale complexion.

He stared at her in shock. Not believing how cunning she is. She not only stopped him from kissing her but made a deal with him as well, without lifting the kissing ban.

Now he understands why she wanted to open her company in the first place, she knows how to turn the situation in her favor. She will be the best-sly businesswoman he knows in the future.

" Mr. Han, Good night and dream of me. Muuaahh!!" She blew him a flying kiss and winked at him before running out of his unit, leaving him standing in the living room in a daze.

Han Ziaho laughed in amazement and was still trying to register what just happened. Things were going smoothly and he thought that they might have gotten closer this time, but she knows how to put a brake on him.

He ran his fingers through his hair and g.r.o.a.n.e.d, " This girl….Argh….she is crazy." He g.r.o.a.n.e.d painfully as his eyes went to the standing member in his trousers.

He took a sharp breath and nodded, 'Kissing ban….One week right?'

" Xu Nuan, you have underestimated me too much. I have always let you go for your teasing because you were drunk."

" But not anymore. Do you think only you can strike a deal? If you know how to strike a deal, then I need to find ways to break that deal." He murmured while looking at the closed door of his unit.

It's time to show her, who is the real businessman here.

Chapter 237 - Boyfriend&#039;s responsibility.

~Ring~Ring~

" Argh…" Xu Nuan g.r.o.a.n.e.d in her sleepy state as she extended her hand to look for her phone that kept ringing. She hated waking up early but unfortunately, the morning classes are the most important ones and can't be missed.

Although she is studying all over again, everything seems to be new and different. The experience of attending college is new to her itself. In the past, she never went to college and studied by herself since she was busy with her showbiz career. She was studying only to satisfy the wishes of her grandfather, who might not care but put a condition in front of her to work in showbiz.

She might fight with him and hated that he never understood her, she still respected him. It was out of the respect for him and her parent's wishes that she enrolled in the university.

She was allowed to sit for exams without attending the classes since she was chaotically busy with her performances and overseas concerts.

Since she isn't a special case like before, she doesn't have any special advantages either. She is a scholarship student now, who has to study her a.s.s off and juggle with her work at the same time.

After stopping her alarm, she sits up on the bed and throws her phone on the bed casually.

After sitting quietly for some time, when she finally managed to open her eyes, a wide grin appeared on her face. The flashbacks of last night started to make her smile for no reason.

Even last night, she couldn't even sleep properly as she kept thinking about how everything went right. She was fl.u.s.tered to know that Han Zihao already knew the truth, but it did decrease her anxiety and nervousness.

He wasn't angry even after knowing everything as she had thought. He was just..happy. The words he said to her at the cemetery, ' I am so happy that you're alive' were the words that comforted her the most.

She never thought that she would reveal the truth to him this early but it felt so much better than hiding and pretending to be Xu Nuan. Because even if she was the same person now, she was trying to be someone else for him. She doesn't want to start her relationship with that kind of lie.

Now that he knows everything, there is no need for her to pretend to be Xu Nuan, at least not in front of him. She now has one person as her confidant with whom she can share anything, even the things that she couldn't do to others because of her mysterious secret.

Realizing that she was smiling and staring at nowhere for more than 15 minutes, she jerked up and lightly slapped her face, " Wake up, Xu Nuan. You have the whole day in front of you, stop procrastinating."

…...

She dressed in skinny black jeans and a casual yellow shirt, slightly oversized, completing her casual look. She might not have many clothes in her wardrobe like in the past, but she cares about how to dress up even with minimal wardrobe options.

Some habits are hard to leave, dressing up well is one of those things.

She lightly brushed her hair and let them loose. Putting a black hair tie on her wrist, she fixed her hair for the last time before she left the house, picking up her brown handbag from the side cabinet in the corridor on the way.

As soon as she stepped out of the house and looked up, she let out a startled squeal to see the bodyguard standing in front of her house, "  HAAh...What the hell? You scared me." she took a deep breath as she patted her c.h.e.s.t, trying to calm down from her initial shock.

Han Zihao, who was standing there in his signature dark grey checked formal suit, with neatly set hair, asked in confusion, " Why are you so startled? It's not like you're seeing me for the first time."

" But why are you standing right outside my house? I was startled to see you standing 'right' outside my door, staring at me like a freak." She said while pointing at him where he was standing and was staring at her, with his stoney face, that too in the morning.

He frowned at her strange description. She could have worded it better, but anyway. It's not like she's gonna say anything better next time if he said so.

" So...what are you doing here at this time? I thought you have an hour or two to leave for work," she said while checking her wristwatch. How come he is set to leave so early?

He casually fixed his coat and said, " It is. But I have some work to do, so I am leaving early."

" Oh!" She didn't say it out but she felt a little disappointed because she was thinking that he was waiting for her to give her a ride to the college. But it seems like she was mistaken. He has some work, seems like their encounter was just an accident and he wasn't exactly waiting for her.

She nodded, trying to play cool it off, and said, " Cool! Have a good day. I need to run since I am getting late." she walked towards the elevator and he followed her as well.

She glanced at her and realized that unlike her, he looked too chill and cool. He didn't forget about the things from last night, did he? Because he doesn't look affected at all, shouldn't things be different between them now?

Why does it feel more awkward?

'Did I overdo last night with the punishment?' she wondered, remembering how she stopped him in the middle of their ki...ss.

~Ding~

Getting off the elevator, she looked back at him and said" Then...see you later." she nodded at him and was about to leave when she heard him say, " Where are you going?"

" Hmm? To college." She was confused why he was asking the obvious. Where would she go dressed like this and that too in the morning?

" Oh, then let's go. I am going in the same direction too. I'll drop you off." He said and walked past her, leaving her standing there, confused.

" Oh, okay," she said loudly as he kept walking away to get the car.

-

" Just stop here. Don't take it to the main gate." She asked him to stop a bit away from the college because she doesn't want to get out of his 'extravagant' and 'expensive' car which is the most casual one for him.

Although she doesn't give a damn about others and wasn't a fan of secret dating since she is an a.d.u.l.t, 21 from outside, 25 from inside, but she still doesn't want to give birth to more troubles for herself.

She is too tired to deal with such needless stuff since she was always in the limelight in her last life. She knows that even if it's not their business, people will talk about someone as if they're close and will spread rumors as if it's a fact.

He glanced at her but stopped it a little away from the college. Parking on the side, she was about to get off when he asked, " You..remember everything from last night, right?"

She stared at him and blinked in confusion, " Well...I guess yes. But why do you ask?"

" Ah, I was just making sure since you have a history of forgetting the events of last night in the morning." He said casually, making her stare at his bluntness.

She scoffed and nodded, " Yes. I remember everything very well. You also write it down, one week-kiss ban."

" By the way, where are you going? Aren't you late for your work?" She asked, realizing that he needed to do some important work before going to the office.

" I am going to the office. Don't worry, I am right on time." He said casually, making her raise her brows in confusion.

" But your office is in the opposite direction. Didn't you say you have some work and are going in the same direction?"

" Yes. But I already did my work."

" WHat work? You were just driving, you didn't do anything." she was confused. She didn't see him doing anything, other than driving her to the college.

Han Zihao placed a hand on the steering wheel and looked into her eyes that were looking at him in bewilderment.

He smiled and said, " Dropping you to the college, that was my work. Isn't it the boyfriend's responsibility to pick up and drop their girlfriends from work or office? Hmm?"

"..."

Is this even allowed?

Was he always so flirtatious?

How come she never saw him being so cheesy?

"You….You...read some strange article again, right? You shouldn't read those things. They will corrupt your mind." she said while stuttering in shock and hurriedly got out of the car, afraid that she would be the one getting weak and would break the kiss ban.

Han Zihao was speechless to see her scurrying off like a thief and couldn't help but chuckle. He adjusted the rear mirror of the car and shook his head, " I will also see till when you can control yourself, Ms. Xu, or should I say, Ms. Jiang."

After seeing her off, he also started the engine and left the campus area.

However, he didn't notice the black car that was parked across the street. Xingren, who was inside the car, was frowning after seeing Han Zihao, who was driving off after dropping Xu Nuan at the college.

She held the steering wheel tightly in her hands and felt a strong urge to break something, " This...bitch!! Since she knows that she can't get Yuhan, she is now aiming for Han Zihao? So she wasn't pretending that they were together?"

" Hah, I am sure Han Zihao must be using her for his gains, otherwise who wants a girl like her?"

Chapter 238 - Fine Bitch!!

After the classes, Xu Nuan looked at the time and sighed deeply, " I don't want to go to work." she cried out. After the classes, she needs to go to the company as well to clear the schedule for the girls.

Although their promotion ended some time ago, she needs to schedule other work for them to keep them busy until their next release. For that, she needs to visit the office and sort out the things.

The classes ended in the afternoon, the sun was high up in the sky making the weather hotter and days difficult for everyone.

She glanced at Xingren who was also packing up her stuff to leave since it was their last class of the day. Without looking back at her, she picked up her stuff and left the classroom with her two loyal followers.

" Seems like she is doing yoga these days. She is too calm for her to be true.`` She watched her leaving the class and stood up to leave as well, picking up her bag and books.

--

As soon as she walked out of the college building, she was surprised to see Yuhan standing on the side, against the pillar waiting for someone.

Seeing him, she remembered the last time she met him. After the conference meeting, it was her first time seeing him. She remembered seeing him leaving the building in a foul mood.

She walked to him and waved a hand in front of him, " Boo!! What are you doing here?" she asked.

Yuhan was looking at his phone when he heard Xu Nuan's voice. He didn't say anything but his gaze was telling her that he was not in a mood to reply to her cheerfully.

She could see his unfriendly gaze and raised brows, " Seems like someone is in a foul mood."

" Do you think you would be in a good mood if you were me?" He asked, making her zip her lips.

Is she crazy that she will date Xinregn? Even if she was a boy, she would never get in touch with such a crazy person.

She looked around and said with a hidden sharp tone, " Are you looking for your fiance? She must be in the cafeteria."

He stared at her and could see how she was glowing even though she was wearing plain clothes. Before she used to follow Xingren around and would use to do whatever she was told to, however, after the accident, she changed.

She is not Xingren's follower anymore or looks like she was being controlled by her. She is confident and does her own thing. Confidence does make a difference. She is the same person but her confidence made her even more bright and outstanding among everyone.

'Was she the same Xu Nuan I met before? She seems like a different person.' He wondered, thinking about the girl, who always shies away upon seeing him and acts awkwardly around him.

" I am here to see you," he said.

" To meet me? Why?" She genuinely thought that he came to see Xingren because she never told him about her taking admission in Xin Lin. Her results also came after the conference meeting and it was her first time seeing him after that encounter.

But it seems like he already found about it from someone else.

" Let's go somewhere first. My car is over there." He said as he started to walk towards his car, leaving no choice for her but to follow him.

" But make it quick. I need to go to the office afterward," she said, hurriedly hopping inside the car.

Xingren, who was walking out of the building with her friends, saw Yuhan's car leaving the campus. Her grip tightened around her books when she saw Xu Nuan sitting in the passenger seat.

" Oh, Xingren. Isn't he, your boyfriend? Why is he leaving without seeing you?" Her friend looked at her in confusion.

Her jaw tightened upon hearing her words that were like rubbing salt on her wounds, " You must be mistaken. He is not the same person." she said coldly and left, leaving them bewildered.

'Did they say anything wrong?'

***

Yuhan stopped the car in front of the Moon River cafe and turned to Xu Nuan, " We could have gone to any cafe near your university. Why here?"

" Because I wanted to come here. The owner of this cafe is someone I know," she said and got out of the car.

He nodded as he didn't mind the place as long as they got to talk. He was trying to approach her for a few days but couldn't understand what to say. The situation was so complicated and confusing.

Even if they were switched when they were young, why didn't the Gu's say anything after they found out about Xu Nuan? Shouldn't they be happy that they found out their real daughter? But no matter how he looks at it, they still treat Xu Nuan as if she is some outsider and pamper Xingren like she is their daughter.

How can one do this to their own daughter? Not only that, they also kept their family in the dark too. They should have at least told him the truth.

***

In the cafe, Jia Fei was talking to the receptionist when she saw Xu Nuan entering the cafe. She frowned as she remembered that she was the same annoying girl who protected Luo Dan from the pervert who was taking her underskirt pictures.

Although she is annoying and boastful, she was still glad that she protected her friend. She will give her a pass for that.

" Woah, look who's here today. Why are you here?" Jia Fei asked coldly as she walked towards Xu Nuan in her high heels and had her hands folded in front of her c.h.e.s.t.

The receptionist who was working on the counter was surprised to see Jia Fei talking to a customer like this. She pursed her lips and prayed that she will not do anything today that can lead to their cafe's shutdown.

Her temper is no joke.

-

Xu Nuan wasn't even surprised seeing her attitude towards her. She has always been like this, a sharp tongue and bitchy attitude with a strangely warm heart.

People who meet her for the first time tend to put her in the bitch category. But once she started to get along with them, she was the type to not fear to fight for her friends. That's why she wasn't even surprised when she slapped Hao Mei during the Press conference upon finding out what she did to her.

She is a fine bitch!!

-

Yuhan, who just entered the cafe, was caught off guard to see a girl approaching Xu Nuan and asking such an obvious question. Why would they come here? For a coffee of course.

What an arrogant girl!

Jia Fei glanced at the pretty boy standing behind Xu Nuan and shifted her focus on Xu Nuan again, waiting for her response.

Xu Nuan scoffed and walked to a table on the right, ignoring her. She passed by her and pulled a chair to sit on it, " Do I need your permission to come here? I don't think so. Ah, one cold sweet latte please, with lots of whipped cream and caramel syrup." she smiled at her, making Jia Fei even more annoyed.

" We don't take orders here like this. Go and order on the counter." Jia Fei pointed towards the counter and gritted through her teeth. There was something about this girl that irks her.

She can't help but fight with her. She is annoying. Her mysterious smile is even more irritating.

She talks very gently to Luo Dan, as if she has some ulterior motive. Sometimes she wonders if she is some stalker fan, who keeps lurking around them. Otherwise, why is she being extra sweet and acts as if they're familiar with each other?

Yuhan looked at the interaction of the two and wondered if Xu Nuan really knew the owner here. Because the attitude of the girl doesn't seem like they're on good terms.

" Erm….one americano please." He said in a low voice as he tried to walk past Jia Fei.

However, upon hearing his words, Jia Fei's face turned red in anger, " Didn't you hear me? I said, go and order on the counter. I am not serving you two." she roared at him, startling him. She glared at him and then at Xu Nuan before going inside the kitchen area.

Yuhan stayed fixated on the same place as he tried to register the situation here. Why was he being pulled into their argument? She could have said this gently too, why get so angry?

Chapter 239 - Like or Love?

Xu Nuan took another sip of her sweet chilled latte and glanced at Yuhan who was sitting in front of her, without saying a word. It's been a while since they came here. They ordered their coffee and their order had even arrived, yet he didn't open his mouth to say anything.

Irritated, she folded her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t and asked, " Are you going to be sullen like this forever? Just say what is in your mind already."

He looked up at her with a frown, evidently upset with her. After taking a deep breath, he said, " You really...why didn't you say anything before? How can you hide such a big thing from me?"

" Hmm? What should I have said?" she asked, confusingly.

He took a sharp breath before saying, " I thought we were good friends. Yet you didn't tell me anything about you and Xingren. How can you all hide such a big thing from me for such a long time?"

He was hurt. He thought that she treated him as a friend yet she hid such a big thing from him. Not only that, she was being so nonchalant about it as it doesn't matter to her. After knowing the truth, even he was shocked and couldn't believe that she was the real heiress of the Gu family.

Xu Nuan came into the Gu family when she was 15 years old and at that time Gu family introduced her to the world as their adopted daughter. Everyone thought that Gu's were trying to do a good deed by adopting someone from the orphanage when they already have a daughter, Xingren.

This was taken as one of their good deeds and they were appreciated for it too.

Yuhan has seen her Xu Nuan since the time she came to the Gu family. He didn't have much impression of her at that time, other than that she is a quiet person and introvert.

Xingren always complained to him about how Xu Nuan is trying to be good in front of others and bullies her when they're alone. She even told him that Xu Nuan threatens her and says that she will take her place and will throw her out of the family.

He never talked to Xu Nuan but he was muddled. The girl who can barely make eye contact with him, can she act in a way, the way Xingren always describes her?

Because of this reason, he started to get estranged from Xingren. Her personality took a 180-degree change upon the coming of Xu Nuan. Unlike the pampered princess of the Gu family, she started to appear somewhat desperate.

He thought it was because Xu Nuan recently joined their family but her actions started to become stranger as time went by.

But not only Xingren, but Xu Nuan's personality also took a different path after the accident. The Xu Nuan he saw was the exact opposite of what he had seen before. She was bold, daring, and confident, unlike her previous self. Her presence sometimes can be so overpowering that even he felt intimidated by her.

How can she change this much? And even if she changed, why didn't she say anything? Why did she stay quiet and listen to everyone's insults?

Aunty Lin Ran and Grandmother Gu insulted her at the banquet anniversary, the guests bashed her for being rude to Gu's since they adopted her and gave her a lavish lifestyle. Despite being the heiress of the Gu family, she was treated as an outsider and was humiliated for whatever she did.

Yet How can she not say anything? More than that, how can she not say anything to him? Weren't they close friends? At least he thinks so.

Xu Nuan, who had almost finished her drink, swirled her remaining drink, mostly ice with the straw, and stared at him, noticing his troubled expressions, she said " Don't think about it. Those things, no one could have done anything. It wasn't anyone's fault."

" You don't have to worry about it. It's our family matter, we can manage it ourselves." She said nonchalantly. She doesn't want him to think about such things. Those things cannot be returned to the same, but she can do things her way from now on.

She is not Xu Nuan, who will listen to Xingren and Gu's obediently and let them take her advantage.

Upon hearing her half-hearted response, his expressions fell, " Your family matter? Do you know that I am also a part of your family? Technically, you and I were supposed to be engaged. My mom and Aunty Lin Ran made a promise to make us marry each other when we grow up and that's how they fixed our marriage when you were in her w.o.m.b."

"....."

Xu Nuan raised her brows upon hearing his words. She took a deep breath and said, " It doesn't matter anymore. You're engaged with Xingren. If you hadn't found out the truth, you would have married her, didn't you?"

" But she isn't the same…."

Xu Nuan shakes her head and cuts him off, " Yuhan, I know that you don't care about her being the heiress of the Gu family. I also know for the fact that the engagement was something that you were going along with, because of your family."

" But let me tell you something, marriage is not a child's play. It is a promise for life. Getting married to someone because of a so-called promise is not ideal. You were children at that time for god's sake."

" Now you're an a.d.u.l.t. If I say, going along with a marriage arrangement that was done by your parents when you both were children is ridiculous. If it would have been me and not Xingren, I wouldn't have gone along with this arrangement, unless we liked each other."

Her words are like a morning call for him, trying to wake him up from his hibernation.

" As your friend, I will suggest one thing. Think about this marriage carefully. Don't even think about canceling it just because she is not the heiress of Gu Corporation. However, think about the reason why you're marrying her. Or do you really want to marry her and spend your life with her?"

Upon hearing his words, he held his head down and clenched his palms together. Her words hit him like a dagger in his heart. Does he want to marry Xingren? He has asked this question to himself many times and the answer every time is….a no.

All this time, he has never thought of her more than a good friend. Despite him trying to understand Xingren, there was something that was pulling him away from her.

He thought that if he tried, they could get along, and then no one would feel sad. His mom, Xingren, and her family. Everyone will be happy, even if he doesn't.

But is it the right way to do things?

He took a deep breath and asked, " So….are you saying you don't like me? Is that a rejection?"

She chuckled and asked him in response, " Are you seriously asking me this question? Let me ask you another question, do you genuinely love me or you're just...attracted to me? Yuhan, it's normal to get attracted to the other person seeing their different side, sudden change."

" However, have you ever had a moment where you thought, ' Ah, this is the person I want to spend my whole life with. Or How amazing it would be if we lived in the same house and grew old together?'. Have you ever had that kind of moment?"

She smirked, " No, right? Then...have you ever thought of kissing me? Like, how would it feel if you kiss me, or for instance, what will happen if we make out? Hmm?"

His eyes widened upon hearing her words. " Are you crazy? Why would I think of such perverted stuff?"

" That's not perverted stuff, you stupid. This is a part of a relationship, if you can't think of expressing love to your other half, then are you really in love or just...attracted to that person? Before asking out someone like this, think about these questions, and if the answer is 'Yes, then go ahead."

" After you find your answer, you can come to me anytime. I will free my time to have a drink with you, okay?" She tapped on the table to wake him up from his daze and packed her bag to leave.

He pursed his lips and nodded. Although this conversation didn't go as he imagined, her words did make an impact on him.

Since when she started to talk sensibly?

He closed his eyes and rested his head back. Her questions kept running in his mind. Does he like her what…

Why is it so difficult to answer the questions related to the heart?

How do people differentiate between the feeling of like and love?

-

Jia Fei, who was watching him from afar frowned seeing him sitting still, with his head hanging back and eyes closed.

" Tsk, Tsk. Who would have thought that I would get to witness someone's rejection today?"

Her eyes widened seeing that he didn't move for a while, " He isn't dead, is he?"

However, after a moment, he suddenly stood up and left the cafe. " What? I thought I would get to watch more of this melodrama. It ended so soon?" she pouted and glanced at the receptionist, who was looking at her in confusion.

"What? Is something on my face?"

The girl got scared and shook her head, " Ah, No. I...let me hand this over to the kitchen." she said and picked up the jar from the counter and ran inside the kitchen.

" What? Am I a monster or what? Why was she so scared of me?"

Chapter 240 - A Cheater!!

The next day,

" Ah, why is this campus so vast? I am already tired." Xu Nuan panted as she tried to walk faster towards the classroom.

She was already 15 minutes late for her morning class and walking up to the classroom will take at least 10 minutes if she tries to walk fast.

Upon reaching her destination, she took a deep breath to calm down her racing heart. After catching her breath, she apologized to the professor and entered the classroom.

She raised her brows upon noticing the way everyone was staring at her. Maybe it was because she topped the exams, she still garners the attention from everyone and they all seem to quiet down whenever she passes through.

'Why are they glaring at me as if I killed someone? I was just a bit late?' she frowned, feeling bothered by their constant stare.

It was as if they were like her 24/7 CCTV cameras, their eyes were not leaving her alone even for a moment.

She is someone who has experienced immense attention in her past life. From the paparazzi to her fans to an anti, everyone was interested in her life and lectured her on every small mistake as if they were her parents.

Being famous is not a child's play. The fans who loved you with all their hearts, are potentially capable of becoming your number one hater.

Even though she was trying to focus on her books, she could feel people glancing towards her and was whispering something between them.

She looked at Xingren, who was sitting at the desk in front of her and was focusing on the lecture.

' Am I thinking too much?' she wondered.

Ye Yijun ( Aurora), who was sitting next to her, pursed his lips seeing her looking around, leaned in and whispered in her ears,  " You...why didn't you come to the college yesterday?"

She turned to him and said in a low voice, " Ah, I had some important work. Why? Did the Professor say something? Or….by any chance...did you miss me?" She teased him, however like usual, he didn't look fl.u.s.tered and stared at her indifferently.

Why isn't he responding to her jokes? How boring!

As she turned to look at the board, she heard him say in a low voice, " Did you see that post on-

" Who's talking in the class? Is this a class or a garden?" However, before he could complete his words, the Professor turned around and slammed the duster on the table, making them shut their mouths.

-

" The last date of the submission of the assignment is in two weeks. Don't be late otherwise-"

The professor left the class after giving them a warning to everyone to submit their assignments on time. Xu Nuan sighed heavily as the hour-long class which felt like ages finally came to an end.

Assignments and exams are like a never ending saga for a student.

She closed her books and turned to Ye Yijun with a gleeful smile and asked, " So, what were you saying earlier? What post?"

However, before he could say anything, a girl walked to her. " You, so you're the one who topped the scholarship exam?"

Xu Nuan turned back and looked at the girl, who came out of nowhere to seek attention from her.

The girl was wearing a sleeveless black LBD dress and was wearing her slightly curled hair down and looked at her from head to toe, as if checking her out.

The girl scoffed at Xu Nuan's poor dressing sense. She was wearing baggy blue pants with a casual, loose navy blue t shirt, tucked into the pants.

…

" Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me that you don't know me? Because I am sure, there is no one in the class that doesn't know who I am?" the girl said with a proud smirk.

Xu Nuan noticed the way the girl was checking her out and could sense the hostility from her.

" Shouldn't you introduce yourself if you come to talk to me? Why do you think that I might know you already?" She asked with a straight face, making the girl frown.

" You…" The girl gritted her teeth in anger but soon chuckled looking at her face, "Hah, You have some guts, huh? Do you think you're popular just because you passed the scholarship exam?"

The girl folded her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t and said, "How can I forget that? Of course, you have some guts. Otherwise, you wouldn't have cheated in the exam."  She said, emphasising the last word.

" You feel happy after getting the scholarship, right? But...what to do? This happiness will not stay for long. Because we won't let a cheater like you stay in our college and destroy the reputation of Xin Liu."

Xu Nuan looked at the girl in puzzlement, not understanding what her problem was. No one said anything to her when she came to the college, then what happened suddenly.

" Xia Ah, Stop it. Don't talk nonsense." Ye Yijun glanced at Xu Nuan and seeing her clueless, he interjected.

The girl looked at him and said, " Aurora, why are you taking a cheater's side? Didn't you see how she made her way into college?"

" This was the same girl who beat you in the game, using her cheap tricks."

" Hah, she couldn't play fair in the game, what can we expect her to do in the exam?" The girl scoffed.

The people gathered around them and everyone was staring at Xu Nuan and were nodding at the girl's words.

Xu Nuan, who was trying to register what's going on, noticed that Xingren has't left the class yet and was sitting on her seat, listening to everything.

Since she didn't turn around Xu Nuan couldn't see her expressions, but she could feel that something was not right.

~SLAM~

Xu Nuan couldn't bother to listen to any more nonsense and stood up from the seat, slamming the desk loudly.

The girl was startled seeing Xu Nuan's cold expressions and stepped back unconsciously.

" What? What? Do you think we're afraid of you?"

Xu Nuan chuckled and walked closer to the girl, who was trying to move back but couldn't move because of the people standing behind her.

She looked into the girl's eyes, making her look at her nervously and asked coldly, " If you're coming to pick a fight with me, then at least speak clearly."

" Why do you think I cheated in the exam? Huh? Because of that game? I never thought that students, who have high grades have such a low sense of rationality."

The girl frowned, but before she could say anything, the other girl jumped in, " Everyone knows that you're a cheater. You even left the examination hall way early before the exam could end. How can that be possible if you didn't know the questions earlier or you know that even if you leave the paper blank, you will get the scholarship."

The other people also started commenting. " Everyone knows that you're supported by a sugar daddy. Hah, what can we expect from a girl who cheated in the exam and stole her sister's well-earned position?"

" Disgusting!! Xingren was supposed to win the scholarship, but unlike a hardworking student like her, this cheater got it by using her cheap tricks. I feel ashamed to claim her as the student of Xin Liu."

" I can't imagine how heartbroken Xingren would be. Her family gave shelter and clothing to this snake and she stabbed her in the back. No doubt, she doesn't socialize with everyone like before."

"Ah, I feel so bad for Xingren. She is such a nice girl, even despite that, she never said anything to anyone."

One by one, everyone started to speak trash about Xu Nuan aloud. They looked at Xu Nuan with a hateful and disgusted gaze.

Xu Nuan frowned and glanced at Xingren. Seeing how she isn't even moving, she was sure that it was her behind this whole drama.

Ye Yijun gritted his teeth and said, " You guys are being ridiculous. On the basis of one post, you're jumping onto the conclusions. There wasn't any strong evidence. How can you say she cheated in the exam?"

The students paused and were surprised at Ye Yijun supporting the girl. She was the most popular one in the class and him supporting her, was making them waver a bit.

However, him supporting her doesn't mean that she is innocent.

The post was itself evidence for them.

Xu Nuan, who was listening to all of it, turned to him and said, " You were talking about some post, right? What is it?"

He hesitated but pulled out his phone to show her the post that he was talking about.

He opened the college forum and showed her the anonymous post which had been posted on the forum yesterday.

Since she didn't come to the college yesterday and couldn't clear the post, the rumors spread in the campus like a wildfire. Even, he didn't come to the college yesterday, when he found out about all of this this morning, he was surprised too and didn't know how to react to this.

Xu Nuan took a deep breath before taking his phone. There was an anonymous post on the college forum and she could tell at one glance that it was about her.

After all, the title of the post was, ' Xin Liu's Scholarship Exam Topper, is a Cheater?'

Chapter 241 - I deserve better!!

Xu Nuan clicked on the post and started to read its contents which said-

[ Scholarship Exam Topper of Xin Liu, does she deserve this number one position or is a thief, who has stolen another student's well-deserved reward?

Here are some evidences that can answer this question-

Xin Liu, the well-known and esteemed university in the country, can anyone get into the college without the entrance exam using their powerful connections? The university that allows the students from high-elite societies and outstanding talents to study in the college, can anyone take admission here now?

Is it possible to excel in the scholarship exam in just half of the time like the topper of Xin Liu did?

The answer is no!

However, it can be possible if you use your connections to climb the steps rather than using your hard work.  Topper of Xin Liu university is being kept by a sugar daddy? It never happened in Xin Liu before, but now, this record has been broken too.

The words can be misleading but what about the evidence? The high-school report card of the topper Xu Nuan, which has the remarks of her cheating in the school exam and constant conflict with her classmates, can it all be fake?

The list doesn't end here. Xu Nuan is not only being maintained by a sugar daddy, who helped her to get into college but she also has a tendency to steal other people's men too. She not only stole Xingren's number one position but also her fiance as well.

Shocking? It's not even that surprising yet.

The truth is, Xingren and Xu Nuan are sisters. Both are the daughters of the Gu family, however, the morals and upbringing of the two can be distinguished undoubtedly. While Xingren is the real daughter of the Gu family, Xu Nuan, on the other hand is the adopted daughter of the Gu's.

But is this a way to repay someone for their generosity by stabbing them in the back like this?

Don't believe me? Look at the evidence attached to the post to verify my words. Look at them before calling this post fake.

Does Xin Liu need a topper like her? Fake and a Cheater? I don't think so.

As a student of Xin Liu, I call to seek justice for Xingren. She got the second position just because of this cheater. If not for this cheater, she would have been the number one student of Xin Liu.

We can't let genuine students be taken advantage of like this by some cheap outsiders.

Xin Liu doesn't need cheaters like her!! ]

****

Xu Nuan's lips curled up in a smirk in amazement upon seeing the post. No doubt the girl was calling her a cheater.

She glanced at Xingren, who was still sitting there but now a few girls were gathered around her as if they were comforting her.

'Hah! As expected.'

-

She swiped down the post and looked at the pictures that were attached to the post. There were four images attached to the post.

In one picture, Han Zihao can be seen dropping her off near the college, the other day. Although his face cannot be seen since he was inside the car and the windows were down, Xu Nuan was captured while getting out of his black extravagant car.

She wasn't lying when she said that his 'simple' car attracts too much unnecessary attention.

Not only that, in the other picture she could be seen talking to Ye Yijun 'Aurora' while grinning happily. They were sitting together in the cafe and she was laughing while he was looking at her with his disappointed, poker face.

In the picture, it looked like she was clinging to him but in reality, it was his resting face. He shows that he doesn't like her but he never pushes her away. How come he sits beside her every time in the class? It's not like she was forcing him to sit with her.

Why can't people let girls and boys be friends? Does she really have to go this far?

In the other picture, she could be seen in Yuhan's car, the picture was blurred as it was taken from far, but since it was zoomed, her face can be seen through the rolled-down car window.

And the last attachment was Xu Nuan's high school report in which her marks could be seen that were on the border passing line. Along with that, the remarks that were written with a red pen can be seen at the bottom..

[ Hot-tempered. In constant conflicts with her classmates.]

[ Doesn't focus on her studies. Poor marks. Doesn't follow the teacher's instructions and ignores them when says anything to her.]

On her mark sheet, there wasn't a single remark that was positive and this was enough to tell how much Xu Nuan must have suffered in her school days.

How can a girl like her be described as hot-tempered? Since all comments are like this, there must be something that was not right.

However, why would others think about it when they have evidence in front of them to accuse her of something outrageous.

-

Xu Nuan was speechless after reading the post. She glanced at Xingren, who had her back to her and was still not looking at her. She was conscious of Xu Nuan's gaze and was avoiding her while gaining sympathy from others.

Xu Nuan couldn't understand what Xingren wanted. Wasn't she the one who said that she doesn't want to reveal their relationship? Yet she goes on writing something as stupid as this.

Unlike others, she doesn't need evidence to know who posted this. Because, from the way it was written, she was getting Xingren's sour scent.

The girl, who faced Xu Nuan earlier, scoffed seeing her dazed expressions, and said, " What? Are you scared now? Weren't you acting strong a while ago, what happened now?"

" You know, girls like you don't deserve to be a part of Xin Liu. Only children from respected and highly elite families can study here, people like you don't deserve all of this attention." She commented while looking at Xu Nuan's distasteful fashion sense.

How can a girl like her studies in the same classroom as her? She is the daughter of one of the trustees of the college, afterall. She can't let a girl like her study at this college.

The other students also nodded at her words in acknowledgment.

Xu Nuan passed the phone to Ye Yijun, who looked at her worriedly. However, before he could say anything, she turned to the girl who was trying to provoke her.

She looked at the girl with a mocking smirk and folded her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t and said while checking her out from head to toe, " You're right. Girls like me doesn't deserve to study at Xin Liu."

The girl thought that Xu Nuan finally understood the situation and was ready to accept her defeat when she heard her say, " Because there are people like you, who also study here. Beauty with no brains and….zero fashion sense." she commented indifferently.

The girl's face turned red in anger and embarrassment. How dare she!!

The girl looked at her with her wide eyes and snapped at her, " What do you know about fashion sense? Huh? You're wearing cheap-baggy clothes and look hideous. How can a girl like you dare to question my fashion sense? Ridiculous."

" Do you even know how much this dress costs? Forget about the dress, do you know how much these boots cost? It's 30 thousand dollars, 30 thousand." She exclaimed proudly, " A girl like you doesn't even deserve to see these boots in reality, forget about putting them on."

Xu Nuan stared at the girl and smiled. She nodded calmly and said, " You're right. This dress...it doesn't deserve to be worn by me. I deserve better."

"..."

Ye Yijun who was standing behind her was surprised to hear her words. This girl...her confidence level is at another level.

Similarly, other students were also surprised and looked at Xu Nuan with a loathing gaze, wondering how can someone be so shameless.

" You...You...Do you know what you are talking about? I said that these boots are more expensive than your life. You can never wear expensive boots like this in your whole life."

" You're not even a Gu, why are you so c.o.c.ky?" The girl said frustratingly.

The whispers could be heard upon hearing Xu Nuan's comments. However, Xu Nuan didn't heed to their comments or the girl's shocked expressions. She glanced at Xingren, who also turned around to see her upon hearing her shameless comment.

Xu Nuan scoffed and looked at the girl with a smirk and said," Because I can. Can you stop me from being like this? No, you can't. "

The girl glared at her but before she could say anything-

~Splash~

Chapter 242 - Ghost in the house!!

The girl stared at Xu Nuan because she wasn't expecting her to be this shameless after being confronted openly in front of everyone.

She is the real definition of being thick-skinned.

How can a tacky girl like her say that her limited edition, branded boots are not good enough for her?

" Hah, I know that you're trying to hide your inner feelings by bluffing like this. But you won't be able to fool me like others."

" I have seen many cheap bitches like….Ahhhh...what the hell???" The girl screamed in horror when a bottle of water was emptied on her head.

-

Xu Nuan, who was getting irritated by the girl's high-pitched voice and the show-off of her wealth, which wasn't even hers. How can she be so proud of her family's wealth?

It's not like she has earned all of that.

While the girl was busy spitting nonsense, she glanced at her water bottle that was on the desk.

An evil smile appeared on her lips when an evil idea popped into her mind.

' The weather is too hot, isn't it?'

-

" What the hell? Are you crazy?" The girl shrieked when Xu Nuan emptied the contents of the bottle over her head, drenching her from head to toe.

Everyone around her gasped in horror and stepped back, trying to stay away from her, preventing themselves from getting wet along with her. They don't want to ruin their clothes.

" My...my boots!! My shoes got ruined because of you. You...you, I won't let you go away like this."

" I will kill you- the girl hysterically shouted and lunged at her to grab her hair.

However, before she could touch a strand of Xu Nuan's hair, she heard her say, " Touch me and I will show you the worst of me. The choice is yours."

"....."

The girl's complexion turned pale upon hearing her warning. Xu Nuan's cold expressions made her words appear even more cold and cruel.

'She wasn't joking.'

Seeing her stopping midway, Xu Nuan smiled and said, " Ah, you said your boots were branded, right? Hmm...we can't let your shoes be ruined like this." She said while pondering about something.

She looked at her and said, " Don't worry. I won't let you be at a disadvantage. After all, you're not the one who made this post, right?"

She glanced at Xingren, who avoided her eye contact and said with a chuckle, " Message me your account details later. I will compensate you for your shoes."

"And for my phone number...search it yourself. You're capable of doing that, aren't you? See ya!" After saying that, she picked up her bag from the chair and prepared to leave.

Everyone was surprised at her leaving like this without clearing or explaining about the post. Weren't they talking to her about the post, how come she didn't say anything about that?

While walking out of the class, Xu Nuan glanced at Xingren and smirked before mouthing to her, " You're doomed!"

Although no one could hear what she said, Xingren saw her lips moving and shivered upon realizing what Xu Nuan had said to her.

She took a deep breath and patted her c.h.e.s.t, ' She can't do anything to me. There is no way she will know that I posted it.' She kept reminding herself inwardly and eventually calmed down.

She did the right thing. Xu Nuan needed to be thrown out of the college for her to snatch that number one position from her.

...

Xu Nuan was sitting in her living room with her laptop on her l.a.p and her hair was tied into a messy bun. A few strands of hair were on her face, making her look cute in cartoon-printed pajamas.

However, unlike her cute appearance, she looked serious and lethal as she worked on her laptop. Similar to her dark expressions, the entire living room was also in the dark as she didn't turn the lights on.

The only light that could be seen in the room was coming from her laptop. The room was deadly silent and the only sound that can be heard in the room was the sound of her typing on the laptop.

-

" Hah, Xingren is quite dumb than I had expected." she chuckled as she looked at her laptop screen.

To find out the real owner of that post, she checked the IP address of the person who made the post and she wasn't even surprised to find out that the location was the Gu Mansion.

If Xingren was going to do something stupid, then she should have done it properly. How can she do it from her laptop? It was too easy for her to find out the truth.

Well, it wasn't even a mystery to her because she already assumed this from her suspicious behavior earlier.

She yawned and stretched her hands after putting down the laptop on the table. She looked at the time and realized that it was already past 9 pm.

" Is he back or not?" She wondered if he's home or not and checked her phone to see any message from him but there were no notifications.

Unlike the other day, he couldn't drop her at the school today because he had an important meeting and left for work in the morning, earlier than her.

" I think I should take a shower." To not waste time, she decided to take a refreshing shower and then go over to his house.

-

After taking a long shower, Xu Nuan wrapped a long white towel around her and walked out of the bathroom. Her hair was also wrapped by a small towel as she doesn't want the water droplets to be all around the place.

Living alone is the best. She can walk around the house in a towel and no one can object to that.

She applied the lotion on her arms as well and was surprised to see the condition of her skin, " Why is it so tanned? I am not even wearing sleeveless dresses that much these days." she pouted in disappointment and c.a.r.e.s.sed her slightly rough and tanned skin.

" Seems like I am working too hard these days." She shook her head as she realized that she doesn't get to sleep properly these days because of her classes and work. On top of that, she was also working on her project as well.

She doesn't want to stay as a manager all her life. It would be a waste of her talent and experience. Her goal...was to build her own entertainment company, and she will fulfill that dream of hers.

~Thump~

As she was busy pampering herself, she heard a loud noise coming from the living room. Her eyes widened as she looked towards the door in wariness.

She was alone at home.

She was in the bedroom, then who can be in the living room?

She pursed her lips and looked for her phone, but it was in the living room. Taking a deep breath, she picked up a flower vase from the side drawer cabinet and walked towards the living room without making a sound.

She slowly opened the door and peeked outside. Since the lights were off, the living room was in darkness and she couldn't see anything.

Gathering the courage, she stepped out of the bedroom and wanted to turn on the lights, hoping the sound to be her illusion only.

'Illusion? What if there is a ghost in this house?' Her eyes widened when this thought appeared in her mind.

' I did hear the security guard saying that there used to be a cemetery at this place before.' Her heart clenched as she could hear another voice in her head that was telling her to not be brave and go and hide under her duvet.

After all, all the horror movies start with the leads being brave and looking for the source of the sound.

~Whoosh~

She halted in her steps when she felt a gush of wind and felt someone passing by behind her. She froze in the place as she was too scared to turn around and face her fear.

'Is it too late to go and hide now?' she cried inwardly, feeling her legs wobbling due to the fear.

' I shouldn't have watched the horror movie yesterday.' She regretted her decision and on top of that, she regretted turning off the lights of the living room when she stays alone in this house.

Her body stiffened when she felt a hand tapping on her shoulder. Her hands that were holding the vase trembled and she tried to tighten her grip over it.

She swallowed her saliva and took a deep breath before turning around, " Ahhhh, Die. Die. Die." she shouted over her lungs as she swung the vase in the air, trying to hit the person or ghost, whatever it is.

"Wooo...Are you trying to kill me?"

Chapter 243 - Handsome Ghost!!

"Argh...Die, Die, Die. You bloody ghost, I will kill you today!!" Xu Nuan screamed over her lungs while swinging the vase in the air to hit the target with her closed eyes.

She was scared. She can keep her calm in front of humans but ghosts are out of her league.

Although she can also be classified as one of those supernatural beings since she died and woke up in someone else's body, she still doesn't want to be part of a ghostly family.

As she was trying to fight her fear, she heard a familiar defensive voice, " Woo...Are you planning to kill me with this vase?" The man grabbed her wrist to prevent her from hitting him hard on his head.

She stopped struggling and snapped open her eyes. Since the lights were not turned on, the room was pitch black and she couldn't see anything. However, she could still form a familiar figure standing in front of her when her eyes got adjusted to the darkness.

" Mr….Mr. Han?" She asked in a low voice, breathlessly. She wanted to confirm if she was hallucinating or he was actually standing there.

But how can he be there, wasn't the main door locked?

Her hand was still in the air, ready to hit him with the vase.

Han Zihao, who was startled by Xu Nuan's sudden attack, was relieved seeing her finally recognizing him.

He let out a breath, " Yes. It's me. But let's talk after putting it down." He said before pulling out the flower vase from her hand that was about to hit him earlier.

" What...what are you doing here? How can you come inside? Wasn't the door locked?" She asked in shock. Did he come to look for her after hearing the strange voice?

Han Zihao didn't answer her questions and searched for a switch to turn on the lights. " I will tell you everything but let's turn on the lights first. Why is it so dark here anyway?"

It was nighttime, the world outside was already dark. Turning off the lights in the house give dark vibes only. If she is that scared of ghosts, how can she keep her lights off till now?

The towel that was wrapped around her body was reaching to her t.h.i.g.hs and was revealing her n.a.k.e.d smooth legs. Not only that, the small towel that was wrapped around her hair had also fallen on the ground earlier when she was trying to hit him with the vase.

Her dripping wet hair became loose and the water was seeping through them, sliding to her nape and the c.h.e.s.t.

His ears turned crimson seeing her b.a.r.e shoulders were glistening due to the water coming from her hair and the moisturizer cream.

Her wet hair was sticking to her milky-white nape and b.a.r.e shoulders, making him forget the reason why he came here.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips seeing him staring at her in a daze. She followed his gaze and looked down at herself. " Arghhhhh!!!!" Realizing that she was almost n.a.k.e.d under the towel, she immediately covered herself with her hands.

She shrieked in horror and picked up the small towel from the ground and threw it at his face in reflex, " STOP LOOKING AT ME!! TURN AROUND!"

Han Zihao was also fl.u.s.tered upon realizing what he was doing just now. He immediately turned around and covered his reddened face with his palm in embarrassment and said,  " I...I am not looking. Not looking."

His voice was quivering as he was shocked to see her in this attire. He has seen her in many clothes that always tested his patience, but this time he almost lost his cool.

Those alluring dresses and pajamas were nothing in comparison to her wearing a towel. And on top of that, their relationship has also changed a lot from the other times.

At that time they were just neighbors or were trying to get to know each other, but now they're official. They're the real deal and this made this situation even more awkward and difficult for them than before.

Xu Nuan felt like crying as she was only wearing a towel and it had also gotten loose because of her earlier wild movements. If she had not held on to it tightly just now, it would have fallen off her body, leaving her embarrassed in front of him.

"Close your eyes and walk to your right side." She instructed him and seeing that the path was clear, she dashed inside her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

~Thud~

Upon hearing the sound of the door closing, he waited a minute before opening his eyes. He glanced towards his door that was close and took a deep breath.

" Ah, it was so suffocating. Why is it so hot here?" He fanned his flushed face that was burning from the scene he had witnessed earlier.

'This girl is too dangerous for his self-control. Too dangerous.!'

-

After a few minutes, Xu Nuan walked out of the bedroom, wearing a casual and decent set of pajamas. The full-sleeve pajama and long bottom covered her perfectly from head to toe.

She generally doesn't wear this kind of pajamas and had bought one in just a case, but she never thought that this would be the case for her to try this pajama on.

Xu Nuan glanced at him but didn't say anything. She awkwardly walked to the couch and took a seat on the other side, creating a distance between them.

The suffocation in the atmosphere grew when no one said anything and waited for the other person to initiate the conversation.

After some time, she finally spoke, " You...how did you come inside? I am sure the door was locked."

He glanced at her and cleared his throat before saying, " Ermm...Just like you used to enter my house. By punching the password."

She squinted eyes at him and asked, " And...how do you know my password?"

" Didn't I come to your house to pick up your luggage when you stayed at my place? I just remembered it."

Upon hearing his casual response, she was speechless at how to respond to it. She wanted to scold him for entering her house without noticing her and causing this awkward situation.

But since she has done the same before and has entered his unit without his permission, she couldn't even bring herself to say anything.

" You...You should at least message me before coming to my house like this. Do you know how scared I was earlier? I thought that someone had broken into my house."

Upon hearing her words, his jaw tightened, " So...you would have gone out to deal with an attacker like that? In a towel?"

After he said those words, both of their faces turned scarlet. The awkwardness that had subsided, it  hit them again, this time with more force.

" So.,..what should I have done? Waited to be killed? Or jump off the window and die? What kind of ridiculous question is this." she murmured nervously, trying to justify her actions.

" Moreover, it was your fault to barge into my house like a thief. What if I have hit you with the vase and killed you? You should be thankful that you didn't get hit."

" Otherwise, I would have been the first woman to kill her boyfriend by mistake," she grumbled while playing with a strand of her hair.

He chuckled upon hearing her words and shook his head. Does she even know how adorable she looks whenever she mindlessly grumbles like this and pouts?

" Ah, by the way, why did you come to my house? Weren't we going to have dinner at your place?" she turned to him when she remembered that she was planning to go over to his house to eat earlier.

What can be found at her house, anyway?

-

Finally! She asked this.

Han Zihao pointed towards the shopping bag that was placed under the glass table and said, " I brought the ingredients to cook dinner. Today, we're going to eat at your place."

" I realized that we mostly eat at my place. You have a good place too, we should make use of it sometimes." He said while looking around.

'Surprisingly, it wasn't that dirty like usual and doesn't have trash lying around like before. Did she start cleaning now?

Noticing his gaze, she scratched the back of her head awkwardly and said, " Ermm...I cleaned it a bit in the evening. I did a good thing, right?" she asked with her glistening eyes. She was waiting for his compliment just like a child who was working hard to earn an excellent stamp from the teacher.

He smiled seeing her brimming smile and shifted closer to her and patted her head, " You did well."

Xu Nuan's heart stopped beating for a moment when she felt his hand on her head. Her cheeks turned red and could hear her heart beating against her c.h.e.s.t crazily.

Has he always been like this, or after becoming official he has started to express himself more? She wondered seeing him smiling at her and patting her head gently.

Chapter 244 - Trouble is here!!

After the sumptuous dinner, Xu Nuan stretched her hands lazily and plopped on the couch. She took a cushion and put it on her l.a.p before turning on the television.

Han Zihao, who walked into the living room after washing his hands in the bathroom, saw her watching the television intriguingly.  She was leaning forward and had her eyes stick to the screen.

He took a seat beside her and asked, " What are you watching with such interest?"

" Ah, it's a drama about childhood sweethearts getting married later," she said nonchalantly without even giving him a look.

Upon hearing her words, his lips curled in a smile as he said," Oh, So it's just like us."

Rather than feeling giddy, she shot him a glare and asked in confusion, " Ah?"

Seeing her puzzled look, he was a little disappointed. Was it that surprising?

" In a sense, aren't we childhood sweethearts too? Then it's a story similar to ours." He said, watching her expressions carefully. Does she doesn't want to see her future with him? Or is it...too early to think about those things?

Is he the only one, who is thinking about this relationship seriously with the future in mind? Or...is it because he is older than her that he can't help but think about those things?

However, her next words put a halt to his flying assumptions," Do you seriously want to compare us to this drama? Because it's a mystery and thriller drama. After getting married, the man cheats on his wife and has an affair with his secretary. Not only that, but after his wife finds out the truth, he murders her too. This drama is based on the murder mystery of his wife." she said nonchalantly while looking at him with a questionable gaze.

Does he still want to compare them to this drama?

He pursed his lips as he was speechless of what to say. What kind of plot is this? And why didn't she tell him the main plot before?

He cleared his throat and laughed nervously, " Haha, what a strange plot. Who watches these kinds of dramas these days?"

" It's the most popular drama these days. It was the second season of this drama in which they're going to reveal that the wife isn't dead. She survived and will return to take her revenge." She said with a bright glint in her eyes, which was making him uncomfortable.

"....."

" Ha..Ha...what an..interesting plot." He said half-heartedly. Why is she so into crime-thriller dramas these days?

Shouldn't people watch more romance and light-hearted dramas and movies when they're dating? It's so scary to think about cheating and murder when they just started dating.

What if she started thinking wrong of him because of the influence of these dramas?

"Well, then it's not similar to us. I..can't cheat on you with my secretary because I have a male secretary you know." He laughed, telling her to not worry about him.

However, rather than looking relieved, she looked at him with a straight face and said, " So what? Cheating with a male secretary is also considered cheating. I don't judge people for their choices."

"....."

He was confused. What is the meaning of her words?

However, before he could say anything, she waved her hand and turned to watch the drama, " We're not similar to this plot indeed."

A smile appeared on his lips upon hearing her reassuring words, however, the next words of her leaves him speechless.

"You can't cheat on me. Becuase if you do, before you try to murder me, I will kill you and that bitch together. I am good at ruining people, you know." she glanced at him and winked at him.

"..."

However, unlike her, he wasn't in the mood to smile. Why do those words sound too scary? He hasn't even done anything yet.

Seeing his stunned expressions, Xu Nuan pursed her lips and tried to control her laugh. How can he be so cute?

She shakes her head and focuses on the drama. He can wait but she can't miss the next scene.

-

The next day, Xu Nuan didn't leave for the college early in the morning, since she doesn't have classes in the morning.

-

Gu Mansion-

Grandmother Gu, who was sitting in the living room and was sipping on her tea looked up at the servant, who came running to inform her about Xu Nuan's arrival.

" What? Why is she here, again? Can't she just let us live in peace?" She frowned. Lin Ran, who was also sitting on the adjacent couch to her, got worried about thinking what new trouble this girl brought for them.

Even after leaving the Gu Mansion, she doesn't let them stay in peace. Be it in any familial banquet or gathering, she keeps stirring troubles for them.

Gu Zhang, who just entered the living room, also heard the servant's words and his expressions turned gloomy thinking about why she is here. Didn't she say that she doesn't want to have any relationship with them?

The last time when he called her to congratulate her on her admission to the Xin Liu university, she disregarded his good wishes and told him to not call her again. Then, why is she here?

-

When Xu Nuan entered the Gu Mansion, she noticed that everyone was waiting for her in the living room. Even Xingren was also sitting beside Grandmother Gu and was holding onto her arm.

She scoffed at seeing her hiding behind Grandmother Gu after causing trouble. Does she think that they all can protect her?

Hah! In her dreams.

" Xu Nuan, Why are you standing there? Come inside. Did you have breakfast? What do you want to eat?" Grandfather Gu asks as he urges her to come inside and sit close to him.

Seeing him giving attention to her like this, other family members were not pleased. Xu Nuan didn't even greet them and acknowledged their presence. How can she disrespect her elders like this?

" This old man, I can't seem to understand why he gives her so much attention. This brat doesn't deserve this at all." Grandmother Gu grumbled under her breath, upon seeing how Xu Nuan ignored her and went to the old man.

This girl doesn't deserve all this love and care.

Grandfather Gu heard his wife's grumbling words and shot her a glare which shut her mouth. However, she was still sullen at the fact that Xu Nuan is more important to him than her.

-

" Xu Nuan, did something happen? How come you're here early in the morning?" Old Man asked while passing her a glass of fresh orange juice. Since she denied having anything, he asked the kitchen staff to prepare fresh juice for her to drink.

Xu Nuan glanced at Xingren, who hid her face behind Grandmother Gu and said, " I have something to discuss with Mr. Gu. Is that be fine with you, Mr. Gu?"

Lin Ran frowned seeing her addressing Gu Zhang like this and nagged her, " Xu Nuan, what kind of behavior is this? He is your father, how can you address him like this?"

" Lin Ran, leave it. What can you expect from a girl, who has grown up in an orphanage? She doesn't even consider us as her family. It's better this way. We don't want to have any relationship with her either." Grandmother Gu added.

She can't acknowledge a girl as her granddaughter, who insults her and talks back to her.

Xu Nuan smiled and said, " Grandmother Gu is right. Since I grew up in the orphanage for half of my life, how can I acknowledge strangers as my family? Even though it wasn't my fault and the blood running in my body is from Gu's, how does that even matter?"

" You will believe what you want and I know, you will never acknowledge me as your family. So why do I have to address you with such meaningless titles?"

" Xu Nuan…" Grandfather Gu pursed his lips upon hearing words. Her words were like a dagger on his heart. He can't believe that Xu Nuan thinks like this and the sad part was...he can't even refute her words.

His family is so disillusioned, that they're throwing away a part of their family and embracing the stranger. After seeing Xingen's shady colors, he can't seem to feel any affection for her like he used to have back then.

But his family is still living in a world full of lies.

Xingren, who was quiet all along, got anxious about what she was going to say to Gu Zhang and jumped in, " Sister, what do you want to say to father? Just say it here. We're family after all."

If Xu Nuan says anything against her in front of Grandmother Gu, she will deal with it and will scold Xu Nuan in return.

Xingren's smile bothered Xu Nuan and she couldn't hide her frown. Her smile was innocent and she looked like a nervous kid in front of her. However, the real Xingren, only she knows. She is not innocent as a child but as crazy as a psychopath.

Xu Nuan smiled and stared at her with incomprehensible expressions, " You...sure want me to talk here?"

Chapter 245 - Trouble is here II

Xingren's lips slightly trembled upon seeing Xu Nuan's cold demeanor. Is she seriously here to talk about that post?

So what if she is here to talk about that?

She doesn't even have any evidence against her. She can't prove that she is the one who posted it.

Gaining her confidence back, she put on a smile on her face and said, " Why are you asking me that? Of course, you can talk here. It's your family after all. I am the one stranger here."

" Xingren…." Her words bothered Lin Ran as she doesn't want Xingren to think that she doesn't belong to their family. She has grown up in the family and has been living as their daughter for all of her life, how can everything be changed in a moment?

Xingren looked at Lin Ran and shook her head, signaling her to not think much about it. Even though, she was trying to be humble and was telling Xu Nuan that it was her family, inwardly she couldn't help but sneer at her.

' Xu Nuan, are you seeing this? This is your family, yet they care about me more than you. This is the difference between me and you.'

' You can never take my position. Be it here, or in college.'

Xingren turned to Xu Nuan and said, " Sister, I was just trying to say that we're all family. You don't need to hide anything from them."

" But….if you want, you can talk to the father alone. I am sure it must be hard for you to talk about it in front of everyone." she said, looking at her with a meaningful gaze.

Gu Zhang shot a glance at Xu Nuan before turning to Xingren, " Ren Ren, did something happen? Did she do anything in college?"

Xu Nuan didn't say anything and watched Xingren playing her innocent card.

Go Ahead! She also wants to see what she can do today.

-

Upon hearing Gu Zhang's words, Xingren turned to him and looked at Xu Nuan hesitantly before saying, " Sister, I am sorry. I didn't mean to…"

" Xingren, something happened, right? Don't be afraid. Tell me, what did she do now?" Grandmother Gu patted the back of her hand while staring at Xu Nuan sternly.

'This girl never stops stirring trouble for them.'

Xu Nuan scoffed seeing Xingren's drama and their reactions upon hearing her words. Well, it was an expected reaction from them. After all, she is their...baby princess.

She crossed one leg over another and asked nonchalantly, " Why are you asking her? Aren't I here to talk about the same?"

" Wait. Let me show you something." As said, she unlocked her phone and passed it to Gu Zhang to see the post, " This post was made on the college forum two days ago. I am sure your princess must want to talk about the same."

Gu Zhang shot her glare at the way she called Xingren, 'Princess'. However, that was not important here.

He glanced at Xingren, who looked still hesitant, and took a deep breath before reading the contents of the post.

" What...what is this?" His eyes widened in shock upon reading the contents of the post.

His lips parted in shock as he couldn't believe that such rumors about Xu Nuan were spreading in the college.

It was an honorable achievement to get Xin Liu's scholarship and...if this post is true, then everything will be ruined. His reputation and the values that the Gu family holds, everything will turn into a joke.

Grandmother Gu saw her son's pale complexion and snatched the phone from him, " Give it to me."

After reading the post, she was equally shocked. What in the world….

She looked up at Xu Nuan and was speechless at how shameful she can become." You...You...How can you do such a shameful thing? You're telling us that this post is all over the college forum? You mean, everyone read this and found out about your cheap actions?"

This time Xingren interjected, " Yes, Grandma. Because of this, sister also fought with a girl yesterday and ruined her clothes and branded shoes."

" Hah! Ayo, Ayo, my head. This...This girl….How low can you go, huh?" Grandmother Gu held her head, while Xingren held onto her to support her.

" What are you talking about? What did Xu Nuan do wrong?" Grandfather Gu questioned his wife, who in return passed him the phone to read it himself.

" See it for yourself. You should know what wonders your dear granddaughter is doing."

-

Upon reading the post, Grandfather Gu's hands trembled in shock. This...who wrote such nonsense about Xu Nuan?

It's all a lie. She can't do such shameful things, he was sure of it. Cheating, sugar daddy...it was all just a rumor. Empty rumor.

However, unlike him, other family members weren't thinking the same about Xu Nuan. Just like Grandmother Gu, Gu Zhang was also shocked.

He didn't say anything for a while but he remembered Xingren's words. She has once told him that she is suspicious of Xu Nuan that she has cheated in the exams. So...is this post true? Otherwise, how can she get such high marks when she barely passed her high school exams?

His jaw tightened as he glared at Xu Nuan, " What is all this? Is this all true? Did you cheat on the exam? Huh?"

" And what about Yuhan? Why is there a mention of Yuhan?" After saying this, he glanced at Xingren and saw her saddened expressions. She must feel betrayed since her sister's name was being used with her fiance`.

He sighed deeply, " I thought that you've changed but No. I was wrong. A girl like you can never change. You know you were a little likable when you used to be obedient. But now….Hah, I feel ashamed to call you my blood."

" GU ZHANG!!" Grandfather Gu scowled at his son, but the latter didn't listen to him.

"Do you know how much this news is gonna affect our family's reputation?  Look at Xingren. She studies hard and excels in every exam with her hard work. Is it so hard to be like her? Can't you do the same? Huh?" This time, he couldn't hide his disappointment.

For a moment, he thought that his father was right and it might not be a bad idea to announce that Xu Nuan is the daughter of the Gu family. But No. She doesn't deserve that.

Lin Ran glared at Xu Nuan and passed a glass of water to Gu Zhang, " Drink water first. You shouldn't get stressed because of this brat."

Xu Nuan didn't say a word and watched them quietly. How interesting!

They were the same people, who never believed that Xingren can never push her on the road or do harm to her, but they all believed in an anonymous post and started accusing her of cheating and having a rich man by her side.

But….why isn't she surprised seeing their behavior?

-

Grandfather Gu took a deep breath as he turned to Xu Nuan and rubbed the back of her hand, his " Xu Nuan, don't worry. Your Grandpa believes in you. I know you cannot do such a thing. I will try to solve the situation. So..,.you don't have to worry about it."

Xu Nuan was moved by the old man's words. In this family, he is the only one who believed in her.

However, before she could say anything, Gu Zhang interrupted, " Father, why are you helping her? If she has cheated in the exam, she should be punished. You should not encourage her and cover up for her."

" Gu Zhang, why are you-

Before the Old man could defend her, Xu Nuan said, " You're right. The one in the wrong should be punished. And I will make sure of it."

" What do you mean? Stop making puzzles and speak clearly." Gu Zhang said irritatedly.

She leaned back and sat comfortably on the chair as she said, " Mr. Gu if you use a bit of your common sense, you will know that it is just an anonymous post, a rumor which has no truth to it."

" There are pictures of my high school report card and me hanging out with Yuhan and a rich man, but...how does it prove that I cheated in the exam? Huh? Is there a picture of me cheating in the exam or buying a question paper? Is there anything related to that?"

" I never thought that the Head of a big corporation would believe such rumors. Seems like, I thought too highly of you."

Gu Zhang pursed his lips but after a thought, he said, " What does it need to prove? It was obvious that you cheated since you cannot outdo Xingren in terms of her skills and hard work, at least not in this life."

Xu Nuan scoffed at his words and said, " Then Congratulations Mr. Gu! Since it's my second life, I am fully capable of doing so. After all, your dear daughter almost killed me once."

" I hope you haven't forgotten about that, Mr. Gu?"

Chapter 246 - Trouble is Here III

Gu Zhang's jaw tightened upon hearing Xu Nuan's words. Even after paying her a hefty compensation, she keeps bringing up that topic in front of others. How shameless!!

He glowered at her and said through his gritted teeth, " Stop talking nonsense. It has nothing to do with that incident. Moreover, that was just an accident."

Grandfather Gu watched Gu Zhang as he tried to shut Xu Nuan. If Han Zihao had not told him the truth about Xingren's actions, he wouldn't have found out about that incident.

After all, his family can do anything to protect Xingren. They have been brainwashed and cannot see anything other than Xingren.

Xu Nuan was amused at his reaction, but not surprised. It was not the first time after all. " Well, you can say anything to justify it. But we both know the truth, so you don't need to justify it to me."

He frowned and coldly said to her, " Don't try to change the topic. No matter what you say, your crime will not change. Do you know the consequences of this rumor? You will be rusticated from the college and will have to pay a hefty fine if all of this comes out as true."

" Not only that, because of you, the Gu family's name in the society will be ruined too. Along with you, the whole family will have to pay for your actions."

Gu Zhang was trying to make her understand the seriousness of the situation, but Xu Nuan simply leaned back and smirked, " Mr. Gu, thanks for your kind warning. But rather than worrying about me, I think you need to worry about your princess."

He frowned upon hearing her words. " What does it have to do with Xingren? Xu Nuan, don't be stupid. Since you, both studies in the same college, try to get along with each other and not act like a brat."

" Hah! This girl can never do that, not even in a million years." Grandmother Gu taunted but didn't manage to get a reaction from Xu Nuang.

Instead, she heard her say, " I was planning to do the same. However, it seems like your daughter has some other plans."

" What do you mean? What does this incident have anything to do with Xingren?" Gu Zhang frowned.

Xu Nuan glanced at Xingren, who was also looking at her in confusion and distress.

" Sister, what are you talking about? How am I related to this incident? I didn't even go to college on the day the post was made. I was at home all the time."

Gu Zhang looked at Xingren and nodded. " She is right. She was at home all the time, how can she be involved in it?"

Rather than answering his question, Xu Nuan glanced at Xingren and smirked, " Is it? Then...I hope you will be right."

As said this, she stood up and turned to Grandfather Gu before picking up her bag, " Grandpa, you don't need to worry about all this. Your granddaughter is capable enough to sort out petty stuff like this."

" You take care of your health and don't eat oily stuff. It's not good for your health." She nagged at him.

The old man was happy to see her worrying about him. But he was worried about her at the same time. How can she solve this big problem alone?

Xingren's palms turned sweaty seeing Xu Nuan leaving. Something was not right. She left just like that? Without saying anything to Grandfather Gu?

Seeing Xu Nuan relaxed, she grew even more worried. Did she find anything against her? No! That can't be possible.

She didn't do anything that could go against her.

Xu Nuan, now you're done for.

--

In the afternoon,

Dean Office of Xin Liu University.

Mr. Wen ( Dean of Xin Liu) was in his office and was going through Xu Nuan's answer sheet that she had submitted for the scholarship exam. Even though it's been weeks since the exam, he still can't believe that he has found a genius.

At first, he thought that it's not possible for someone to mark all the answers right. Even the previous toppers of the university have always made some kind of a mistake.

But how can this girl get all the answers right? She got a few marks cut because she marked them outside the circle, not marking them correctly. Otherwise, the answers were right.

As he was busy admiring her intelligence, his office's door was barged open by his assistant, " Sir, there is a problem."

Mr. Wen frowned and looked at her with a frown. The girl was panting and looked distressed, " What happened? Why do you look like this?"

" Sir, You have to see this." As said this, she went to his side and opened the system on his desk.

He stared at her in confusion seeing her acting urgently.

" Two days ago, an anonymous post was made on the college forum. The post is going viral among the students and I think you need to see it," she explained while logging into the college forum.

He closed Xu Nuan's file in which her answer sheet was and put it on the desk, " Since when does a College Dean need to monitor the college's forum? What's so important that you're asking me to check it?"

The girl didn't say anything and after opening the post, she adjusted the computer screen to his side, " You will know when you see this."

Mr. Wen adjusted his spectacles and looked at the screen. He frowned upon seeing the title of the post.

[Xin Liu's Scholarship Exam Topper, is a Cheater?]

-

His expressions darkened upon reading the contents of the post. He threw his glasses on the desk and slammed the desk hard, " What rubbish? What are these students doing? How can they make such posts on the college forum?"

His face turned red from anger. The college forum is where the students interact with each other and the college admins also put posts regarding the upcoming events or any important notice to inform the students. But they're taking things too far.

" Is this a college forum or a gossip page?"

Xin Liu's forum page is student-friendly and was made for their social interactiveness. However, this kind of thing has never happened before on the college forum.

A post was made without confirming the facts and a student's photos and her personal life was being discussed openly on the internet. How shameful!!

More than that, the student is none other than, but Xu Nuan. This is intolerable.

His assistant was surprised to see his outburst. It was her first time seeing him this angry. She thought that he would be angry about the contents of the post and would be worried about the rumor that was going around.

What if the girl, who got the scholarship, actually cheated in the exam? Xin Liu's reputation will be doomed and other student's parents will also come to seek answers about this scandal. How will they answer them at that time?

" Chu Hua, pull down this post from the forum immediately. Also, put a warning post stating that the administration will investigate the owner of this post. And anyone, who will misuse the college forum like this or break the community rules, the person who posted such things will be suspended and be fined. In worst cases, the student will be rusticated from the college."

" Xin Liu will not tolerate this kind of audacious behavior of the students." He said.

" Yes Sir. I will do that." The assistant nodded, " But sir, what about the rumors? Shouldn't we do anything about it? Deleting the post without any explanation will only worsen the situation."

Thinking about his assistant's words, he said, " In that case, made another announcement along with the post."

" What kind of announcement sir?" She asked.

--

" Why didn't she come to college today? Is she planning something?" Xingren was in deep thought as she made her way out of the lecture hall after taking the afternoon class.

Since she didn't have any class this morning, she stayed at home and decided to come later. But in the morning, Xu Nuan came to the Gu Mansion to ruin her day.

She thought that she would get to see her in the college in the afternoon and would confront her, but she didn't come to the classes. What can she be planning against her?"

As she was in her thoughts, her friend came running to her, " Xingren, Xingren. Did you see this? That post about your sister has been removed from the forum. And an official warning has been put on the forum."

Xingren frowned and opened the forum on her phone. This can't be happening. How can they delete the post without investigating the rumor?

However, when she saw the warning post, her eyes widened in shock. Along with the post, there was an announcement too.

[ To answer the questions of the students and resolve the ongoing rumor, Mr. Wen, Dean of Xin Liu will update a statement tomorrow addressing the students. The statement will be updated on the college form tomorrow, 8 pm.]

Chapter 247 - Trouble is Here IV

Xingren's expressions darkened when she saw the post on the college forum. After scrolling down, she pursed her lips into a thin line upon seeing the announcement.

" The Dean is going to post a statement to resolve this matter? But why?" She spoke aloud.

She was confused. What is there to resolve the matter?

And...why do they want to investigate the owner of this post and take action against them?

Why? It was just a normal post and she was simply trying to reveal Xu Nuan's true face to everyone, that's it.

After thinking for a moment, she nodded in understanding. "Seems like.….they are going to rusticate Xu Nuan for cheating in the exam. If not, what else is there to clarify?"

" And the investigation against the post owner must be a bluff so that students don't cause this kind of havoc again. Yes. That will be the case." she murmured in a low voice.

" Xu Nuan, are you okay? Your face has gone pale." Her friend, Lai Zi who showed her the post, said worriedly upon seeing her colorless complexion.

Xingren was startled to hear her voice as she almost forgot that she was still here. Getting her senses back, she smiled and waved hands at her to not worry about her.

However, the dimness of her eyes made her friend worried.

" Xingren, You should not think about that girl. I am sure the college will take the right action against her." Her friend comforted her.

Xingren didn't say anything and just nodded. She can't show her happiness, can she?

That's right. The college will never take a risk to go against all the students, just to keep an insignificant girl in the college.

-

" Hmm….I should drink some beer tonight."

Xu Nuan sipped on her strawberry yogurt as her fingers worked on the keyboard. She was sitting on her bed and had her laptop on her l.a.p.

She was planning to attend the afternoon lectures today but thinking about the work she had to do, she changed her plan.

" Oh, the college admin has pulled down the post? Hmm…that's boring," she said.

Her eyes were shining with a glint and a mean smirk was plastered on her face.

She looked at her laptop screen and said, " Xingren, you had fun all this time, right? Now it's my time to have some fun."

" Arghh...it's been so long since I have done anything exciting." She stretched her hands and after resting her hands, she finally pressed the enter button.

"Xingren, Have fun tonight. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day for you," she said with a smirk.

-

Gu Mansion.

" Xingren, have some meat. You need to eat well to study well." Grandmother Gu said as she put a piece of meat in Xingren's bowl.

Xingren w.h.i.n.ed cutely and said, " Grandma, I will get fat if you pamper me like this.

" Aiya, what fat? You're already so skinny. You should eat more."

Seeing their interaction, Grandfather Gu frowned.

He was still thinking about the words that Xu Nuan said in the morning. From her words, she already seems to know about who made the post.

And her words were directed towards only one person. Xingren

He looked at Xingren but he couldn't say anything since he didn't have any evidence. How can he help Xu Nuan?

After dinner, when Xingren returned to her room and was about to take a shower before going to sleep, she heard her phone buzzing constantly, which was on the study table.

She walked to the study table and picked up her phone to check the notifications. Upon unlocking her phone, it surged with an ocean of notifications that had filled up her phone.

Her mouth was left open in shock. What's happening? Why are there so many notifications on her phone?

She never had this many notifications before.

She clicked on one of the notifications which took her to the college forum. She frowned upon seeing a new post on the forum that had been posted only a few minutes ago.

Although it was posted a few minutes ago, it already had hundreds of comments under it. What is so special about this post that people are going crazy over it?

Her palms turned sweaty upon seeing this much hype for a post. What kind of post could it be?

She tried to compose herself and took a deep breath before cl.i.c.k.i.n.g on the post to see why everyone are overreacting because of it.

[ XIN LIU'S TOPPER IS A CHEATER?

XU NUAN IS A MAN SNATCHER?

XU NUAN SNATCHED XINGREN'S WELL-DESERVED FIRST POSITION?

XU NUAN GOT ADMISSION TO XIN LIU BECAUSE OF HER CONNECTIONS?

WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH BEHIND THE POST THAT HAS BEEN UPLOADED TWO DAYS AGO? COME VISIT THE FORUM TOMORROW AT 8 PM.]

-

Upon reading the contents of the post, Xingren's complexion turned pale. Her eyes widened in shock as she couldn't register what she just read. The truth behind the post? What is the truth?

The person who has written the post, they have included all the questions asked in the earlier post and was claiming to reveal the truth behind this tomorrow. But the question is...what kind of truth?

Is the person going to reveal the truth about Xu Nuan's true face to everyone or the post?

Does this person hates Xu Nuan as much as she does or-

"Who...who can do such a thing?" her hands started to tremble as fear started to engulf her. Who is this person? What do they know about the post?

" Xingren, Relax. This post has nothing to do with you. Yes, nothing." She repeated this in her head and calmed down.

" You're just a victim. Xu Nuan is the one who is trying to snatch everything from you."

After taking a deep breath, she scrolled down to see the comments.

( Truth behind the post? I wonder what it could be.)

( Oh My! Although this girl has an innocent face, she has a shitty personality. Otherwise, why would anyone spread such kinds of rumors against someone?)

( There is no fire without a spark. The girl must have done something bad, otherwise, why would there be a post like this? The scholarship exam should be re-evaluated. We can't have cheaters in our college. )

( I feel bad for Xingren. She is being pulled into all of this drama for no reason. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this.)

( I don't understand why the hell college deleted that post? Are they trying to silence us by doing us? That's so wrong.)

( Exactly. As the students of Xin Liu, we have the right to speak against the wrongdoings of the college. How can they try to silence us by doing this? Not fair.)

( Why is there not much information about what's going to be revealed tomorrow? I am dying out of curiosity.)

(Did you guys hear the news? Xu Nuan fought with her classmates upon being confronted by them. Not only that, she also threw water on a girl. How shameless!)

(Isn't the Dean going to give a statement about this rumour tomorrow too? That too, at the same time? I hope he doesn't take a side with this girl and kick the cheater bitch out of the college. We don't need a cheater in our college.)

( I can't believe such a thing happened in our college. Xin Liu is a prestigious university. Such thing thing happening here is such a disgrace.)

( Guyss, prepare your drinks and snacks. Tomorrow there will be a war. And we're the spectators, let's enjoy this drama. Oo, it's so thrilling.)

-

Xingren pursed her lips as she read the comments. Most of the comments were about Xu Nuan being a cheater and a bitch and some were about the drama created by this mysterious post.

Just like her previous post, this one was an anonymous post as well. But...who could it be?

Is it Xu Nuan? But even if it is her, what can she do to her? There is nothing to prove anyway.

She can never prove that she is the one who made that post?

She bit her fingernails and mumbled, " Who posted such a thing? What is going to be revealed tomorrow?"

-

The next day-

The college was filled with the whispers of the students and everyone was discussing the drama that was going to happen tonight.

Xingren was panicking just by listening to others' whispers. Something doesn't feel right.

Something big is going to happen.

As she was trying to calm herself down, she saw Xu Nuan entering the classroom. She looked normal as if nothing had happened.

She still has the guts to come to attend the lecture. She shot her a glare and couldn't' hide her disdain towards her.

She stood up and blocked her way, " Sister, you're here? Why didn't you come to the college yesterday? Are you afraid about the rumours that's going around about you?"

Although she looked worried for her while asking this, Xu Nuan knows her better.

Xu Nuan looked around and saw that everyone was staring at them. She chuckled. " Who is your sister? Xingren, we're the same age. Don't act like I am older than you when I clearly look way younger than you." she said.

Xingren's face turned crimson from embarrassment and anger. How dare she?

Chapter 248 - Trouble is Here (V)

Upon hearing Xu Nuan's words, Xingren's face turned crimson. She glared at her and frowned.

How can she still smile? Even after being talked about and stared at disgustingly, how can she still smile in front of her like this? She wondered.

The students who were waiting for the class to start heard Xu Nuan's response to Xingren and couldn't help but feel sickened by her arrogant behavior.

Xingren's family did so much for her and this is how she repays them? Shameless!!

[Ah, did you hear what she said? So rude!]

[Tsk. She is more shameless than I had imagined. How can she still come to college after happening so many things? I can never be so courageous.]

[ Xingren was being nice to her and rather than being thankful to her, she humiliated her. Xingren shouldn't have given her attention in the first place. She doesn't deserve that.]

[ I think that post was right. Did you see how arrogantly she answered Xingren? Xingren is so pitiful.]

The low whispers were loud enough for them to hear and this made Xingren's eyes lit up. She held onto Xu Nuan's arm and leaned closer to whisper in her ear, " Did you see? Everyone thinks you're disgusting. Disgusting."

" Isn't it better to just drop out from college rather than going through all of this? If I were you, I would be too ashamed to go to college after all of that happened."

Seeing Xingren's attitude, Xu Nuan let out a low laugh in amus.e.m.e.nt. Before Xingren could stand properly, Xingren held onto her arm and pulled her towards her.

Because of this, Xingren almost lost her footing but managed to prevent an embarrassing fall.  "What are you-

This time, Xu Nuan leaned closer and whispered, " But you're not me. You have no idea how shameless and evil I can be. The things that I can do...you can never even think of that." she said and patted her arm gently before leaving confused Xingren standing there all alone and went to take her seat.

Xingren glanced at Xu Nuan, who already took her seat and was unbothered.

"..."

Since when did she change so much?

-

Xingren was sitting at the study table and had her laptop in front of her. She was drinking fresh fruit juice that Grandmother Gu made especially for her and was refreshing the college forum page continuously.

She had early dinner today as she doesn't want to miss the statement that Mr. Wen is going to upload on the forum.

She glanced at the time and realized that it's almost time. In college, everyone discussed it and now she was sure that he was going to kick Xu Nuan out of the college.

There can be no other solution to this problem than this.

Finally!! Things will now go her way.

" I can't wait to see Xu Nuan out of this college. When is he going to make the announcement?" she tapped her fingers on the table impatiently.

" Oh, it's here." Her eyes lit up when a new post was updated. It was by the Dean of Xin Liu, Mr. Wen himself.

She clicked on the post and when it opened, a frown appeared on her face. There was nothing written in the post. Instead, there was only a video with the title - WHAT IS THE TRUTH OF XIN LIU'S TOPPER?

" What is this? A video?" Rather than Xu Nuan's rustication notice, it was a video. Only a single video with nothing written underneath.

What is he doing? Did he upload it by mistake? She wondered as she tried to find anything else on the post but there was nothing but a video.

" Is he joking? We waited for a long time and he posted this? Does he even know how to use the forum correctly?" she frowned before cl.i.c.k.i.n.g on the video.

" It better not be any spam or promotional video, otherwise I will-

-

In the video, Xu Nuan was sitting on a chair while a panel of teachers was sitting on the opposite of hers.

The teachers had a long table in front of them that was covered with a white cloth. The teachers that were sitting there were the head of the departments and experienced professors of Xin Liu.

The whole formal setting seemed like an interview. But what kind of interview?

The oldest and the most experienced Professor, who was sitting in the middle said, " Ms. Xu, I hope you know why we have called you here. Xin Liu has some rules that cannot be broken for any student."

" While checking your answer sheet for the scholarship exam, we found something strange with your answers." He said seriously.

The atmosphere in the video seemed to be suffocating as all the professors were wearing grave expressions.

However, Xu Nuan was unfazed by their expressions and asked calmly, " What is it, sir? As long as I remember, I didn't write anything wrong."

The teacher exchanged glances and the other professor adjusted his glasses before saying, " Seems like you're quite confident. Yes. All the answers were correct."

"And some answers that have been marked negatively, it was so because you answered them out of the space given for the marking. But the answers were still correct."

" Ermm...Is that...something wrong? Wasn't I supposed to mark the correct answers?" Xu Nuan asked in confusion.

The teacher cleared his throat and said, " You are. But it's not normal for a student to answer all the questions correctly. Moreover, you haven't gone through any entrance exam and your high school mark sheets don't show outstanding performance, which is contrary to your current results."

" That's why we want to reevaluate your aptitude. I hope you don't take it the wrong way."

Xu Nuan shook her head and said, " It's absolutely fine sir. You can ask anything you want."

The head Professor, who was sitting in the middle, was impressed with Xu Nuan's casual yet polite attitude. He nodded and said, "You can consider this reevaluation as a simple conversation. Don't need to be nervous."

After this, the teachers started to ask questions one by one.  Most of the questions were from the question paper of the scholarship exam.

The questions in the exam were multiple-choice questions but here she was asked to give reasons for her answers which made this reevaluation more difficult than before.

However, Xu Nuan answered all the questions clearly and calmly. She even answered those questions that were not in the exam and still managed to impress everyone with her responses.

The teachers were awed by this young lady's broad knowledge and capability. Her answers were not from the textbooks but rather practical and fit to be applied in the real business world.

The head Professor looked at her with smiling eyes and asked, " Ms. Xu, I have to say, Xin Liu is lucky to have you as its student. I hope you're not upset with us for questioning you like this separately."

Xu Nuan also chuckled and shook her head, " Not at all sir. You have all the authority to question me if you felt anything was amiss."

-

When the video ended, Xingren was lost in a daze. Her complexion turned pale and she couldn't help but stare at the screen in disbelief. It can't be true.

This...This….How can that be possible?

" Wasn't Mr. Wen going to rusticate Xu Nuan? Then this video….?" she covered her mouth with her palm as she couldn't believe what she just saw.

Wasn't Xu Nuan stupid? How can someone who used to be dumb at studies get 1st rank and not only that, she answered all the answers correctly in the interview too?

Is this a fixed set-up to fool the students? Yes. That's possible.

She took a deep breath and scrolled down to see the comments. " I am sure no one is going to believe this stupid video. It's fake, Hah, it's so obvious."

Her heart was racing uncontrollably as she was trying to convince herself that this video was fake but deep inside she also knew that it can't be fake.

[ Holy shit! So it was true? She didn't cheat in the exam but cleared it on her own?]

[ Did the Professor say that she answered all the answers correctly? What is she? A monster? How can there be no incorrect answer?]

[ The other post, didn't it say that she left the examination hall early? Yet she managed to answer all the questions correctly. It's crazy.]

[ Oh My God!! That's crazy. If she passed the exam on her own, then what about the other post? It was all rumors?]

[ I can't believe that she was bashed online for no reason. She wasn't even at fault yet she had to go through all of that. Poor her]

[ So people got suspicious of her based on an anonymous post, that too with no proof? Poor girl. It must be difficult to see everyone being suspicious of her when she didn't do anything wrong.]

[ In the end, she didn't cheat in the exam. But how can someone be so shameless? They posted her private life online to discuss with everyone. It's so cheap.]

[ Why is no one questioning who made that post? I am sure it must be someone close to her, otherwise, how can they get her high-school report card and all the private information?]

[ Did you guys see the date on the bottom of the video? It means this video has been taken before the results were released. All the professors have already investigated her results and she was given a clean chit. Yet all of that happened.]

[ Holy Holy Shitt!! Guys, go and check out the newly updated post. The person who has claimed to reveal the truth behind the cheating post has updated another post. Go and check it now. It's crazy!! Shit, Shit!!]

Xingren's hands trembled upon reading the comment. The truth behind the post? What...can be the truth?

Chapter 249 - Trouble is Here VI

Xingren's hands trembled when she saw the last comment on the post.

There is another post? Now what? She thought that Xu Nuan will be rusticated but Mr. Wen posted a video of her which changed the flow of the situation.

Now, what else?

Even though the air conditioner in the room was on, she was drenched in a cold sweat. Her palms were sweaty while her mouth became dry.

She was scared but was trying to think positively. It doesn't have to be about her. It can't be her.

She took a deep breath to control her nerves and repeated in a low voice to comfort herself, " It's okay. It's nothing."

" It has nothing to do with me. Yes. Nothing to do with me!"

Upon refreshing the forum page, her fingers became stiff to see the new post notification. She hesitated but clicked on the post eventually.

She could feel the cold sweat running down her spine when she saw the title of the post- TOPPER OF XIN LIU'S SCHOLARSHIP EXAM IS A CHEATER? OR A VICTIM?

" What kind of rubbish title is this?"

As her eyes moved towards, she could feel her body turning into ice. Another attachment? Just like Mr. Wen's post, there wasn't anything written but just an attachment file.

She swallowed her saliva and clicked on the attachment file. Her eyes widened in shock and fear when the audio clip was played.

-

At the start of the audio, a man's voice could be heard, [ You want me to make sure no one can track you through your laptop? Why? Did you do something illegal?" he laughed.

[ Are you crazy? I didn't do anything illegal?] The girl said.

[ Then why? You never asked me to do something like this for you before.]

[ Actually...it's nothing important. I...just posted something on the college forum and I don't want anyone to find out that it's me who made that post.]

[ What kind of post? Did you post anything scandalizing? Xingren, you don't have to hide anything from me. I am your friend, I won't judge you. So be honest.]

The girl sighed, [ You know that beggar Xu Nuan, right?]

[ Your sister?]

[She is not my sister! She is just someone whom my family picked up from the streets.] She asserted.

[ What about her?]

[ Erm...actually, I just revealed Xu Nuan's true face on the forum. You know, that there is no way she can get into Xin Liu on her own. She is stupid and it's impossible for her to encompass me in terms of academics or anything. She is a loser!]

So I just posted a few pictures of hers on the forum and told everyone that she cheated in the exam. Nothing else.]

[ It must be true, otherwise, how can she get the number one position? It's Xin Liu afterall. She took my position in the family, I can't let her replace me in college too. I want her to be kicked out of the college at any cost.] The girl's voice started to sound more aggressive and angry.

[ Hmm.. I'll make sure that no one can find out that it was you who made the post. Ah, but what about that girl who pushed Xu Nuan on the road and almost killed her? Didn't you say that your grandfather finds out that it was you, who asked her to attack Xu Nuan? What happened?]

[ What can happen? Because of that, I was punished for a week but after my results of the exam were released, everything became normal. Moreover, she didn't even die. That girl only pushed her on the road and Xu Nuan was saved on time.

[That girl was also stupid. She got away with it after telling everyone that it's me. What a stupid girl. She couldn't even keep her mouth shut.] Xingren humphed.

[ Xingren, you should not get yourself into these scandals. From what I see, Xu Nuan has changed a lot from that accident. You should be thankful that she didn't die that time, otherwise, you would have been in jail.]

[ Are you kidding me? Why would I be in jail? It was just a push and it was her bad luck that she got in front of the car. Also, the second time, it wasn't even me who pushed her. I just asked that girl to hurt her. How can I get into jail? Don't spout nonsense and just do your work right.]

The man sighed and said, [ Okay, calm down. I'll do my work so you should relax. And don't create more trouble for yourself now. I am not gonna help you to clean up behind you anymore.]

-

Xingren's mouth was left open in shock. She didn't know how to react to it. What...what did she just hear?

It was the conversation that she had with her friend yesterday. After the anonymous post was updated yesterday, she got worried and doesn't want to be caught.

So she contacted her close friend, who is good at dealing with computers and stuff. She doesn't want anyone to know that it was her who made the post that why she told him everything so that he will do it with extra caution.

But...how come this conversation ended up here? How did this person find the recording of their conversation? How?

" Who...can do this? Is this person crazy?" She grabs her hair and pulls them in frustration.

" Did...everyone heard this audio clip? Now everyone will know that it's me who made that post."

Her pupils widened remembering the other contents of the clip, " What if they believed that I tried to kill Xu Nuan? I didn't. I was just….I just pushed her a little. Nothing else. She didn't even die."

" They won't blame me for it, right? They won't, right?" she mumbled in a low voice like a crazy woman, and with trembling hands, she scrolled down to see everyone's response.

[ Xingren? Like our department's belle? She is the one who made that post and spread rumors? Ah, wait...what about the other conversation? What exactly is going on?]

[ Holy Shit!! Xingren always acts polite and elegant but she is a murderer. She not only spread false rumors about Xu Nuan but also tried to kill her, not once but twice. Waah!! She is dangerous.]

[ Is she crazy? After killing her almost twice, she is still excusing herself saying that she didn't die? Like, someone has to die for her to accept that she almost murdered someone.]

[ She is crazy. Looking at her innocent appearance, no one can tell that she has such dangerous thoughts in that mind. I am scared of her now.]

[ You know when Xu Nuan fought with her classmates, she stayed there but didn't say anything. She was enjoying seeing Xu Nuan in trouble. Instead, she was getting everyone's sympathy while Xu Nuan was getting hate. I feel so sorry for her.]

[ Ah, Poor Xu Nuan. Now I can understand why she doesn't like Xingren. Because she has seen her true face that no one has ever seen before. Xingren should be the one who should be kicked out.]

[ Goosebumps! I am her classmate and I have talked to her many times. She is such a polite girl but upon hearing this conversation, I am shocked.]

[ Is this even real? What if this video is fabricated to ruin Xingrrrne's image?]

Xingrne's eyes lit up upon seeing the comment that was in her favor. Yes, there are people who will believe her. She can simply say that it's not her and prove that it's a fabricated clip.

Yes! This will do.

However, upon reading other comments, she lost the remaining hope too.

[ When the post was made, I checked its IP address and found out that Xinregn is indeed the one who made that post. But I stayed quiet as I thought that she was already trying to be vocal about the injustice towards her. But it turned out that she was the one in the wrong.]

" Now what will happen to me? How can...this audio…." Xingren felt her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

" It must be Xu Nuan! She is the one who ruined my life." Tears welled up in her eyes as the fear started to settle in her. The fear of getting hate and criticism from everyone.

Now everyone will hate her in college. She was the belle of her department, star fresher of the college. What will happen to her reputation now?

**

Xu Nuan was sitting at the dining table and was eating fresh strawberries while reading the comments on her post.

Her lips curled into a smirk upon seeing the blasting response from everyone. After Mr. Wen's video, the authenticity of her audio has increased more than she had imagined.

While reading the comments, she looked at the strawberries and exclaimed in surprise, " Woah, these strawberries are so sweet. SWEET!!"

Chapter 250 - Trouble is Here VII

Xu Nuan watched the video posted by Mr. Wen and was impressed that he kept his word. Yesterday, when he found out about the anonymous post about her, he called her and told her that he will release the statement to clear this situation and she doesn't need to fret over it.

She wasn't expecting much from it but his idea to clear this rumor was indeed a good one. He didn't use his words, instead, he posted the video that they had taken while re-evaluating her.

This was more impactful than any written statement. On top of that, the video she secured changed the whole game.

At first, she wasn't planning to cause this much havoc and was gonna post the identity of the person who uploaded that post, which was Xingren. It wasn't difficult since she simply needed to trace her IP address.

It wasn't difficult for her to get access to Xingren's computer since she isn't well-versed in such stuff.

However, when she went through Xinrgen's phone, she found this phone call recording that she had with her friend and it gave her a mind-blowing idea.

She wasn't aware that she was the one who asked the girl to attack her and almost killed her again. After knowing this, how can she let her live in peace? She isn't some saint that she will let her get away from this.

She deserves to be punished and there was no way that she will let this golden opportunity pass by just like that.

" I wonder what Mr. Han be doing right now?" She mumbled while playing with the strawberry in her hand.

~ Ring~

She glanced at her phone that started ringing and plopped a strawberry in her mouth before answering the call, " Hola! So you finally called? I thought that you would call me earlier. I am kinda upset."

" YOU BITCH! HOW DARE YOU?" Xingren shouted from the other side.

Xu Nuan winced upon hearing the high-pitched voice and put the phone a bit away from her ear. To not torture her ears, she put the phone on the speaker and said, " Hey, Hey. Don't get angry. I can't take the blame if your head explodes because of high blood pressure."

Upon hearing her laid-back tone, Xingren felt her body temperature rising due to anger, " Xu Nuan, I know that it was you who posted this audio clip. So don't you dare make excuses for it."

" Ah? When did I make any excuses? Who else will post this other than me? Afterall, no one knows you better than me." Xu Nuan giggled and stood up to get herself a can of beer while holding the phone in her hand.

Xingren clenched her fist in frustration and said through her gritted teeth, " Xu Nuan, delete that post or else I-

" What can you do?"

Xu Nuan stood in front of the kitchen counter as she put the beer can on top of the counter as she said, " Will you try to kill me again? Hmm? Do you think you have the guts to do so?"

She closed the speaker and put the phone near her ears before saying solemnly, " Xingren, Let me tell you one thing. You can do nothing to me. And you are aware of that."

" Stop wasting your energy and find a way to get out of this mess. Well, I doubt that you can do so this time. After all, the whole college knows your truth now. So...All the best!!" After saying this, she hung up the phone and went to the living room with her beer can.

On the other side, Xingren was still in a daze after the phone call was hung up in the middle. Tears welled up in her eyes as frustration heightened upon seeing Xu Nuan having an upper hand on her.

"Xu Nuan, why didn't you die when you got into the accident? Why are you so thick-skinned?" she shrieked in anger.

--

Gu Mansion-

In the living room, all the elders of the family were gathered and discussing what to do about Xu Nuan's scandal in the college.

" Old Man, why are you not understanding? It's better for her to drop out of college than get rusticated." Grandmother Gu said as she tried to convince her husband.

Grandfather Gu glared at her and said, " Xu Nuan is not going to get kicked out of the college. And I will make sure of it. How can they believe the rumors and not my granddaughter?"

Gu Zhang sighed exasperatedly, " Father, you're being unreasonable now. What rumor? It's obvious that she cheated in the exams. You think about it, considering her rank in high school, do you think that a girl like her can top the Xin Liu's exam?"

Grandfather Gu frowned but didn't say anything. He was tired of arguing with them now.

He doesn't know anything else. If Xu Nuan is saying she didn't do anything wrong, then she didn't.

She won't lie to him. Moreover, she will not do anything to make him ashamed of her. He has that much trust in her.

Seeing Grandfather Gu not saying anything, Gu Zhang got annoyed, " Father, you...really-

~Ring~

He frowned and looked at his phone that was ringing. His expressions turned dark upon seeing the name flashing on the screen. He looked at Grandfather Gu and said, " See? Now Xin Liu's Dean is calling me. What do you want me to say to him?"

Grandfather Gu looked at his phone in worry and before he could say anything, Grandmother Gu urged Gu Zhang to pick up the call, " Stop wasting time and pick up the call. Tell him that we want her to drop out of college."

"Zou Ling" Grandfather Gu snapped at his wife but she ignored him.

Gu Zhang picked up the call and said, " Ah, Mr. Wen, I was about to call you."

Without letting him speak, he continued, " I know the reason you called me at this time. It's because of Xu Nuan, right? We found out about the rumor that was going around the college."

" Mr. Gu, you found out about everything?" Mr. Wen asked in surprise.

He just saw another post updated on the forum and was shocked to hear the conversion in the audio clip. How can Xingren-

" Mr. Wen, I am very ashamed to talk to you right now. I can't believe that my daughter can do something like this. However, rather than hiding this issue and encourage her wrong deeds, I want to make her drop out of college."

" After all this, there is no way she should be allowed to stay in the college. But I...just wanted to request you to not rusticate her from college since it will not be good for her nor our family. If you allow her to drop out of college, then she can start her life again from somewhere else." He said.

Although Xu Nuan doesn't want to acknowledge him as a father, the fact cannot be changed. He is her father and unlike her, he is not going to go astray. Even if he is making her drop out of college, he wants to reduce her punishment and doesn't want to do much harm to her reputation.

Mr. Wen was in deep silence on the other side. After a minute of silence, he finally said, " Mr. Gu, if you want to do that, then I will not stop you."

" At this point, there is no way I can allow her to stay in this college. Upon finding the truth, I was shocked too. How can she do something like that? She was such a bright student."

Gu Zhang frowned upon hearing his words. He doesn't even know her for long and he already had so many expectations of her?

" Mr. Gu, while we're on this topic, I think you should send Xingren abroad and let her take some counseling sessions too. The way she appears, the thoughts in her mind are just opposite of what she shows to the world."

Gu Zhang frowned upon hearing Xingren's name. Did he get confused between Xingren and Xu Nuan? However, before he could correct him, Mr. Wen continued.

" She needs help, Mr. Gu. She is living in a delusion. For her, the world is revolving around her and she finds it unbearable when someone else gets the attention and love from the people around her. And this kind of illusion makes her do dangerous things which are normal and justifiable for her." He said while remembering how casually Xingren was talking about death in the audio clip.

How can she say that she just pushed her and excuse her crime by saying that Xu Nuan didn't even die? He doesn't know what happened exactly but whatever it is, it was dangerous and not normal.

Gu Zhang frowned. Dangerous things? He knows that Xu Nuan is crazy but...is her condition so bad that he is suggesting to make her take the counseling sessions or get checked by a doctor?

" Mr. Wen, thanks for your kindness. I will do whatever will be appropriate for my daughter. For the dropping out procedures, I will send you Xu Nuan's doc.u.ments by tomorrow afternoon. But...can you do something to subside this cheating rumor by covering up this matter?'

" Since Xingren studies in the same college, I don't want her to be humiliated because of what Xu Nuan did. It will be unfair to that girl."

"..."

Chapter 251 - Trouble is Here. VIII

Mr. Wen was speechless when he heard Gu Zhang's ignorant words. How come he never knows anything about his daughters?

Even the last time, it was him, who informed him about the scholarship results that it was not Xingren who got the scholarship but Xu Nuan.

How come they think too lowly of Xu Nuan? She is a genius and yet they treat her like a fool.

" Erm..Mr. Gu seems like you've misunderstood. I am not talking about Xu Nuan but Xingren. Looks like you aren't aware of the situation going on right now. I'll send you a link, just check it out and then you'll know everything." Mr. Wen said while trying to be as understanding as possible.

With Xingren's personality, there is no way she will tell them the truth and what happened on the forum page. But as her parents, they need to know the truth. At least, this was the least he could do for her to get her on track.

-

Gu Zhang frowned. He was confused and wondered what he meant that he didn't know the ongoing situation. What's going on exactly?

Gu Zhang was staring at his phone in a daze when he heard Grandfather Gu say, " Gu Zhang, what did he say? Why do you look so confused?"

Gu Zhang looked up and said, " He...said that he wants us to look at something."

" Look at something? Like what?"

Gu Zhang shook her head in a daze and said, " I don't know. He...he will send the link in a while. Let's see what he has to show."

--

After Mr. Wen sent the link, Gu Zhang brought his laptop and opened the link on it for everyone to see.

The first link he opened had the video, in which Xu Nuan answered the questions of the Professors. Grandfather Gu was surprised to see his granddaughter answering those questions calmly and this made him feel even more proud of her.

Gu Zhang and Grandmother Gu were shocked and couldn't digest the fact that Xu Nuan didn't cheat in the exam but cleared it on her own. They never had these kinds of expectations from Xu Nuan.

How can that be possible? Wasn't Xu Nuan terrible at studies?

" See? Didn't I tell you that Xu Nuan cannot do something like that? But you never believed me and were speaking nonsense." Grandfather Gu scoffed at the mother and son duo.

Gu Zhang pursed his lips in embarrassment and to hide his shame, he opened the other link that Mr. Wen has sent. However, when the audio clip played, a suffocating silence followed in the room, while the only sound in the room was the conversation in the clip.

After the clip ended, Gu Zhang was confused. What...just happened? Did he hear it right?

" Isn't it Xingren's voice? Why was it there? Why is it on the internet? Are you saying that this conversation was posted on the college's forum page?" Grandmother Gu exclaimed in shock. What in the world….

The reputation of the Gu family has been ruined completely. Although Grandfather Gu has already revealed to everyone that it was Xingren, who ordered someone to hurt Xu Nuan. And Xingren has been punished for this mistake by Gu Zhang when Grandfather Gu made a big fuss about it, but how can it be on the internet?

It was their family matter that they have already resolved, then why….

On the other hand, Grandfather Gu's expressions became two shades darker. " So...Xingren is the one who made that post about Xu Nuan and humiliated her publicly?"

Grandmother Gu pursed her lips upon seeing her husband's dark expressions, " You...you need to calm down. Think about it, Xingren must be so upset right now."

" Although she has been punished for this mistake, now everyone in the college knows about it. Rather than getting worked up, we need to find a way to solve this issue."

Grandfather Gu shrugs his wife's hand and scowls at her, " Zou Ling, don't you have any shame? You have two granddaughters, how can you be so biased? You were ready to disown Xu Nuan for cheating in the exam and even after knowing that this whole rumor was started by Xingren, you want to find a way to solve this situation?"

" And what? Did you hear what she said? She wasn't feeling a bit of remorse for what she did just because Xu Nuan is alive. Xingren is not the same girl that we used to know anymore, Zou Ling. She has changed. She doesn't need your protection anymore, but a strike on her head to get into her senses."

Grandfather Gu glanced at Gu Zhang, who wasn't speaking and was still in shock. He thought that Xingren was acting childishly as she couldn't accept the truth that she isn't related to them by blood. It was not easy for them to understand either.

Maybe that's why they couldn't accept Xu Nuan as their daughter and tried to continue their lives like before, ignoring what cannot be changed.

But it seems like their attitude towards this situation has turned Xingren into something unrecognizable. He thought that she would understand after being punished and not getting to use her cards and cars. She had promised him that she would never do anything like this again, yet she did.

Her actions not only harmed Xu Nuan but the family's reputation as well. More than that, she is the one getting hurt the most in the end.

-

" Gu Zhang, what are you planning to do now? Do you still think that Xingren is not in the wrong?"

Gu Zhang looked at his father with saddened eyes and took a deep breath before he said, " Father, I...was it wrong of me to treat Xingren as my daughter? I have seen her grow from a little cute girl to a young lady. How can I stop thinking of her as my daughter when that woman came to us and told us that Xingren is not our daughter but hers?"

" That woman died but she ruined our lives. Our daughter's lives," he said with a heavy heart.

Grandfather Gu pursed his lips seeing his son's breakdown and for the first time in a long time, he could see the real side of his son. He sighed and said, " It was not wrong of you to think of her as your daughter. She is your daughter. But you were wrong when you disregarded Xu Nuan."

" You were wrong when rather than accepting the truth and helping Xu Nuan and Xingren to accept this change, you acted stubbornly and avoided the truth."

" You and Lin Ran are at fault for not accepting Xu Nuan and overlooking Xingren's wrong deeds just to keep her happy. That was your biggest mistake Gu Zhang, biggest mistake."

Upon hearing his father's words, Gu Zhang felt thunder striking him. Xingren's voice in the video was ringing in his ears, making him realize how big of a fool he was.

Ignoring and covering her mistakes made her do even bigger mistakes. She accepted from her mouth that she was the one who pushed her that night and even asked someone else to hurt her too.

In front of him, she used to say that it was a mistake, she didn't do it deliberately. Or it was just in the heat of the moment, she wasn't planning to do something to her.

But she was wishing Xu Nuan to die every single time. This was not a mistake. If he ignored her mistake this time, then she will do something bigger and unforgivable the next time, that everyone will regret.

" Dad…Give me a week. I will deal with this matter. But...for now, don't say anything to Xingren. I will talk to her myself."

Grandfather Gu looked at Gu Zhang and nodded. Although he wasn't sure what his son was thinking, his eyes were telling him that this time, he will not ignore Xingren's deeds.

He agreed to his wishes and nodded. " I won't say anything to her. But I hope that you will understand your responsibility and as her father you will choose what is right for her."

--

The next day-

Xu Nuan didn't go to college as she doesn't want to deal with the after-effects of what she did last night. If people are cursing at Xingren, she also has people, who think of her as a pitiful adopted daughter of the Gu family.

And she isn't the type to take their concerns very well. If they meet her now, they will change their perspective right away.

So it's better to be like this.

She was at work and was going through the drama script that she was given to look at when her phone rang. She answered the call and said in surprise, " Mr. Secretary!! Where were you all this time? Did you know how much I missed you?"

However, unlike her cheerful voice, he sounded troubled, " Ms. Gu, it's not time to exchange greetings when we all are dying of work overload."

She frowned and asked, " Who is giving you so much work? Who is harassing you? Tell me, I will fix everything for you."

" Your future boyfriend!!" He cried.

Chapter 252 - Compensation?

Han Corporations-

Han Zihao was sitting on his executive chair with gloomy expressions as he read the contents of the doc.u.ment in his hand.

The head of the event management team, who was standing in front of him, pursed his lips nervously and asked in a low voice, " Sir, are there any changes that you suggest? Or something that we need to work on?"

Han Zihao slowly raised his head to look at him and pursed his lips solemnly.

Upon seeing Han Zihao's serious gaze, the man was having a hard time. He was doing his best to stay calm and was avoiding having eye contact with him.

" What do you think? Do you think that your proposal is good enough? Huh?" Han Zihao said, while leaning forward on the desk.

The man clasped his palms together and bit his lower lip nervously. He was wishing, if he could faint at the moment, to avoid this deadly-suffocating situation. " I think we can improve this proposal a bit. We can add more ideas and-

" Then do it. Didn't I say to not show me lousy work? If you aren't confident in your work, then how can you expect me to be impressed by this? Do it again." Han Zihao said by throwing the file on the desk with a slam.

The man frowned. Can't he just tell them what he wants? In two days, he showed him 6 proposals and he had rejected all of them. This was his 7th proposal and it got rejected too.

'Seems like my team has to work overtime today as well.' He sighed.

As he was about to turn to leave, he heard a woman's voice, " Tsk, Tsk. Mr. Han, That's not right. Why are you torturing your employees like this? Give them a break." Xu Nuan, who just entered the office said as she walked towards Han Zihao's work desk.

The man stared at her in a daze, wondering, who is this girl who is talking to the President with such a casual attitude.

" They're humans. Not robots." She said as she stood in front of his desk and folded her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t.

Han Zihao was surprised to see her in his office. Upon seeing her all happy and giddy, he couldn't help but frown.

In the last few days, she has no idea of what torture he has gone through. All the time he kept thinking about their passionate kiss that she broke in the middle and gave him the cruelest punishment of all times?

The kissing ban in the first week of their dating officially? Doesn't she think that it's too cruel for him?

Who does that? All the articles on the internet say that the first month of dating is the sweetest and the most romantic period, and what are they doing? Working and working?

He didn't say anything and glanced at the man standing beside Xu Nuan, " Mr. Xen, aren't you leaving? I want another proposal by tomorrow night. You can leave now."

" Ye...Yes. Sir." The man jumped on his foot and nodded politely before exiting the office.

-

After the man left, only two of them were left in the room. Han Zihao glanced at her before engaging himself with other work.

He picked up a random file from the desk and started reading it.

Xu Nuan's lips curled into a smirk upon seeing his indifferent attitude towards her. He wasn't even giving her a glance and was busy reading the file that he was holding upside-down.

She didn't expose him and asked, " You seem to be busy. Should I just leave?"

He halted in his actions and asked her in a monotonous tone without glancing at her, " Do you have a lot of free time in hand to waste? Didn't you come here for something? What is it?"

She smiled, " Well, It's nothing much. I was missing my 'boyfriend', so I came to spend some time with him. But it seems like he is too busy to spare me a glance." she said while pouting.

-

Even after confessing to each other, the other day, they aren't doing anything that normal couples do. On top of that, the bloody kissing ban.

Couldn't she find a better way to punish him? Why kissing ban?

After putting him through all of this torture, she was trying to charm him with her sweet words? This won't work this time.

He puts the file on the desk and looks at her, " Ms. Xu, this is an office. It's not a restaurant where you can come anytime to meet your boyfriend."

" You're right. This is an office, not a restaurant." She nodded.

She checked her watch and said, " But….I can meet my boyfriend during lunchtime, right?"

" See, it's already lunchtime." She said showing him the time in her wristwatch.

He frowned at her tricks. Sly girl!

However, before he could say anything, she stood up and clapped her hands excitedly, " Mr. Boyfriend, let's go out before lunchtime ends. I don't want to waste even a minute."

" Didn't I say a while ago that it's an office? People are here for work, not to date." He said sternly.

However, she wasn't ready to buy his cold attitude, " If you aren't coming then I am taking Feng Sheng with me. I am sure he will be more than happy to tag along with me." She said while walking towards the door, without turning to look at him.

"..."

Han Zihao pursed his lips upon hearing her threats. First Yuhan and now Feng Sheng, can she stop threatening him like this?

Does she think her threats will work on him? Hah! Never!

He is not that childish to get jealous easily.

_

Han Zihao was standing in the middle of the mall as he watched people walk in and out of the shops. The kids were playing in the kid's corner, while a group of girls was taking a group selfie on the other side.

Why did she bring him here out of all the places? A shopping mall?

He sighed and looked at the girl who was looking at the shops with a greedy glint in her eyes, " Why are we here? I am not interested in shopping."

" But I am!!" she replied.

She turned to him and looked at her with her clear eyes, " Didn't you say that you will give me your card when I punished you with the kissing ban? So we're doing that."

His face lit up upon hearing her words." So you're saying that you will lift the kissing ban after shopping?"

If she was ready to do that, he will not mind her emptying all of his cards at this moment.

She grinned at him and shook her head, " Of course not. The kissing ban is your punishment, while your shopping with your card is the compensation."

" Did you forgot? The compensation?"

"....."

Xu Nuan grins at him and wraps her hand around his arm, " Let's go!!"

-

" Finally!! I was starving." Xu Nuan exclaimed in relief when the waitress served the food. After looking around the shops for hours and using his card to pay, she was dying with hunger.

Did he think that she was just joking at that time? She doesn't joke when it comes to money.

It will be stupid of her to give away this golden opportunity to empty his card for shopping. In her past life, she had shopped a lot with her cards but shopping with his card gave her another kind of happy feeling.

So this is what it feels like to have a boyfriend? Rich one at that.

While she was gobbling all the food, Han Zihao watched her emptying the plates after emptying his wallets. He couldn't help but chuckle in speechlessness.

'She never fails to amuse me.'

-

" Mr. Han, are you going back to the office now?" Xu Nuan asked while putting her seatbelt on.

Han Zihao looked at her and asked, " What do you think?"

She pursed her lips and giggled. It was already past 6 pm. She didn't realize the time while shopping and it was too late to go back to the office now.

While Han Zihao was busy driving the car, she looked at her phone and sent a message to Feng Sheng, [Mr. Secretary, Mission completed.]

[ And don't worry. I have a way to fix your boss's mood swings.]

After sending the message, a bright smile bloomed on her lips thinking about the grumpy Han Zihao as she moved from one shop to another. She must be the first girl to make him carry her shopping bags.

She glanced at him and giggled, 'Mr. Han, don't worry. I won't let your efforts go in vain.'

Chapter 253 - It cannot be better than this!!

At night.

After reaching home, Xu Nuan took a refreshing shower and changed into a white-loose boyfriend t-shirt and black shorts. She tied her c.h.e.s.tnut brown hair in a loose-messy bun and slipped into her slippers before going over to Han Zihao's place for dinner.

Since they had lunch late after the shopping spree, he prepared a light dinner for both of them. While eating, she noticed that he was still avoiding her gaze.

He was still angry with her, but why?

He didn't seem to be that frustrated when she gave him the punishment. Is it really because of the kissing ban or-

Both of them ate in silence as none of them spoke to each other. This awkward silence….she needed to throw this out of the window today!!

While eating, he could sense her staring at him but didn't raise his head to look at her. He doesn't want to look into those ocean-like, deep eyes which can drown him in them and will make him forget everything in a moment.

-

After dinner, Xu Nuan didn't go back and sat on the couch lazily and was reading a business magazine, which was boring as always.

Meanwhile, Han Zihao sat on the other side of the couch with the laptop in his l.a.p and was occupied with his work.

He frowned and felt uncomfortable with her gawking at him without even blinking. He took a sharp breath and turned to look at her.

However, when their eyes met with each other, he felt a strange feeling seeing her puppy-like innocent gaze. "Wh...what? If you have something to say, then say it. Don't keep staring at me."

She sat straight and nodded before asking, " Do you want to drink some coffee?"

He frowned. He looked at the time. It was 10 pm. " You want to drink coffee, at this time?"

She nodded.

" But if you drink coffee at this time, you won't be able to sleep well. Forget it. If you want to drink coffee, drink it in the morning."

She grumped and said, " I would have chosen beer over coffee, but not today. I don't want to sleep tonight." As said this, she stood up and went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee for herself.

He stared at her back and frowned. Don't want to sleep tonight? Then, what does she want to do?

A minute later, he heard her say from the kitchen, " I am making yours too. There is no way I am gonna drink it alone."

Seeing her telling him that she is making his coffee too, he couldn't help but chuckle. If she wanted to do whatever she wanted, then why did she even bother to ask him in the first place?

-

While she was brewing the coffee for both of them, she said, " Mr. Han, meanwhile I am making the coffee, you go and unlock the balcony door. Let's drink our coffee outside."

" Huh? Outside? There will be mosquitoes." He said.

She looked at him and shook her head. This man doesn't know what it means to be romantic at all.

" Then, you can kill them. You will learn a new survival skill today," she said boastfully.

He sighed and put his laptop away and went to unlock the glass door that was next to the large window in the living room.

Since the time he has moved into this condo, he has never opened this door. He almost forgot that this part also exists in his house.

Seems like he is experiencing all kinds of firsts in this house with her.

-

After the coffee was ready, Xu Nuan took both of their coffee mugs to the balcony's sitting area.

There was a small rectangular-shaped wooden table and had two wooden stools, facing each other.

Han Zihao was already sitting there and was waiting for her. She passed a mug to him while looking at the city-view in awe and took a seat on the stool, opposite to him.

She took a sip of her coffee and c.a.r.e.s.sed her nape gently, feeling the cool breeze. The dark night with brightly lit city lights, the soothing night breeze, and the hot coffee. Everything felt like a cherry on top while sharing this moment with the man she loves.

It cannot be better than this!

-

After a long comforting silence, she glanced at him and found him staring at her intently. Her lips blossomed into a smile automatically seeing his warm gaze.

" Mr. Han, were you angry with me all this time because of the kissing ban? I never thought that you're such a shallow person," she asked in a teasing manner.

Although she seemed to be teasing him, she was genuinely curious about it.

He stared at her and sighed before placing the now empty coffee mug on the wooden table, " What do you think?"

She didn't look away and stared into his eyes," I don't think that that was the only reason."

Upon hearing her response, he nodded and said, " I was frustrated but my temper heightened when I found out about your college forum scandal. Yesterday, I found out about it and also about the post by the college and the anonymous one, that solved the issues for you."

" However, you were going through all of this, yet you didn't say anything."

He looked at her and asked seriously, " Xu Nuan, didn't we promise to tell each other everything? If you can share your happiness with me, why can't you think of me in your problems?"

Yesterday, Grandfather Gu called him and told him about all this. He wanted him to look after Xu Nuan and comfort her. He was upset because if Grandfather Gu hadn't informed him, he wouldn't have known this about her.

After a moment of silence, she said, " Do you think of me whenever you face any problem at your work? It's the same for me. I want to share my difficulties and happiness with you but I don't want to be solely dependent on someone I love. If I think I can handle something myself, I want to try it."

"Of course, we have to share everything but sharing everything doesn't mean coming to you every time for help."

"And, if it doesn't work and if I think that I can't handle it myself, I will come to you.  And believe me, I am not that shy when it comes to asking for help, especially from the people who are close to me. And I wasn't hiding it from you. It's just….I didn't get a chance to bring this topic with you." she explained.

" It may be because of the way I was brought up. But after my parents passed away, I never depend on anyone, not even my grandpa. I left my house when I was 18 and performed till my heels tear off to get the title of 'The Queen' after sacrificing my blooming youth to the showbiz."

She understands where he was coming from but it's difficult for her to share everything with him, especially when it comes to problems related to her.

He stared at her and could see how lonely she must have been all these years that she was even hesitating to share her difficulties with him. She was so used to doing everything on her own that she was feeling it hard to depend on someone for support.

He understands her. How can he not when he feels the same way as her? But...he doesn't want her to suffer alone.

He let out a heavy breath and asked, " And what if I can't solve that problem?"

" Then what? We both can bang our heads on the wall and cry together." After saying this, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Watching her laugh like this, he couldn't help but say, " Tsk, I never thought that you're this thoughtful when it comes to such things."

"I can't believe that the little girl, who used to come to me to wipe her snot, has grown up enough to deal with her problems herself."

She glared at him and leaned forward to punch him on the arm, " Hah, don't act like you're my father. And I never came to you to wipe my snot. Don't make false accusations."

" You did! You even came to me while crying when the teacher scolded you for not doing your homework. You were such a cry baby."

" I was not," she stated firmly.

" Oh, Yes. You were and you still are."

" No, I am not."

" You're not? Really?" He asked while staring into her clear eyes.

She nodded firmly, "Yes. I don't cry unless I am on my periods."

He was a little surprised at her response but didn't look away. He stared at her and said, "Then let's see if you will cry after this or not?"

She looked at him in confusion, "Hmmm..what-

However, before she could understand what he meant, he stood up and walked to her side. He held her face with one hand and sealed her soft lips with his curious ones.

She was caught off guard with his sudden kiss and reflexively pulled back but almost fell. However, he placed the other hand behind her back to stable her.

His rough thumb was c.a.r.e.s.sing her face gently while his lips s.u.c.k.e.d on her moist lips desperately, not wanting to separate from each other.

Chapter 254 - I like this reward!

Xu Nuan was caught off guard when he suddenly walked to her side and kissed her. Since she has put a kissing ban on him, he didn't dare to make such advances on her since she had told him that she will extend this ban if he doesn't comply with this punishment.

However, now when he kissed her, she was too lost to think about that. Rather than pushing him away, her hands moved on their own as she wrapped them around his neck.

She pulled him closer and kissed him back with the same passion and energy. Her mischievous hands were c.a.r.e.s.sing the back of his neck as he deepened the kiss.

She let out a m.o.a.n when he bit her lips to enter her mouth. She g.r.o.a.n.e.d and pulled his hair in revenge.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her childish behavior. To provoke her even more, he bit her lips again.

She frowned. " Are you a dog or what? Act like a human." she said while glaring at him.

He didn't say anything but kissed her again. She could hear his throaty laugh which made her smile too.

To not allow him to do whatever he wants, she bit his tongue when his tongue tried to explore the insides of her mouth.

" Ah,"

He g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain and when he opened his eyes to glare at her, she giggled against his lips while kissing him. 'Tit for tat.'

She winked at him and tried to block every attempt that his tongue made, with her tongue.

They were fighting, but with their tongues.

As a few moments passed, she could feel her body temperature rising when his curious hands started to roam on her body, exploring her curves.

As the kiss was getting intense, he suddenly stopped and pulled away from her. He stood up and stared at her and panted as he watched her enticing expressions that were making him hard to stop.

Xu Nuan was confused when he suddenly pulled away from the kiss. What happened? She opened her eyes and stared at him in confusion.

He smirked seeing her puzzled expressions and said, " Seems like you're not a cry baby since you didn't cry with me for breaking the kissing ban."

"..."

She gritted seeing the playful smirk on his lips. How can he….she couldn't help but scoff when she realized that he was taking revenge on her for leaving him in the middle last time.

He was teasing her but his eyes were moving from her eyes to her lips, staring at her lips that were now moist and wet after the kiss.

His hand naturally reached to her face as he wiped his saliva from her lips with his slightly rough thumb, making her heart miss a beat.

Her eyes widened at his small, but seductive gesture which caused her face to turn crimson.

She swallowed her saliva and before he could say anything else, she grabbed his t-shirt's collar and pulled him closer, as she whispered," To hell with the kissing ban!! You're allowed to do anything tonight since you worked hard by carrying my shopping bags all day."

He was surprised when he heard those words from her. He stared into her eyes and found her gaze as intense as him. The fire that was igniting inside him, she was feeling the same.

" I like this reward." He said in a low voice, before picking her up.

" Ahhh...what are you doing?" Her pupils widened at his sudden action as she squealed in surprise when he picked her up from the stool.

Unconsciously, she wrapped both of her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck to balance herself. She looked like a clingy koala attached to him.

" What are you doing? Put me down?" She demanded. His sudden actions made her face become crimson.

How come his actions are getting bolder and bolder as she is getting to know him?

He looked at her and said, " Do you want to do it outside? I am not interested in presenting a free show to others."

Her eyes widened when she heard his words. She looked around and realized that their balcony is visible from the other buildings and they can be seen like this from someone else's balcony.

Even though it's dark and nobody could see them, it's still not a good idea to be lovey-dovey outside.

But she couldn't help but look at him with a glare," What...what do you mean by doing it outside? What are we doing?"

He smirked and leaned closer as he whispered, " We're doing what couples do. Something...dirty?"

She stared at him in shock. She stared at him with her widened eyes and her lips were parted apart in a shock.

Seeing her making a cute face, he couldn't resist her cuteness and before she could recover from the previous shock, he captured her tempting lips again.

-

He carried her to the living room while kissing her. While holding her in his arms, he pulled the string to make the curtains fall and hide the outer world behind them.

Now there were only two of them in the room.

He is gonna make this a special night.

He led her to the couch and gently placed her down. Her hair was already in a mess, making her appear even more alluring than ever. Her black shorts were short enough to reveal her smooth legs.

He swallowed the saliva hard when his eyes fell onto her rose-like soft lips that were now swollen. Even though she was covered in sweat, she still looked beautiful.

He looked down at her and said, " You said I was allowed to do anything, right? You can't take back your words now." He said in a low-raspy voice.

She was panting from the kiss earlier and could feel her heart beating faster than ever. His bold words made her feel even weaker and she couldn't help but swallow her saliva and nodded.

However, her inner-self was screaming inwardly while jumping all around the house.

'Shit, shit, shit.'

'This is going too fast. I never thought that a kiss would lead to this stage.'

Although she had been in a relationship in her last life, they never reached this stage. She never allowed Qin Ju to do all of this.

But when it comes to Han Zihao, she doesn't want him to stop. Is it strange?

' But….since when did he become so bold? Was he always like this?' she wondered.

The guy who always avoided her and made her do everything in the first place was leading her now. What kind of twist is this?

-

He c.a.r.e.s.sed her nape with his lips and reached to her earlobes, making her wriggle in his arms. She tilted her head to the side unconsciously.

" Urrmm," She m.o.a.n.e.d when he blew air in her ears. Her body felt like it was not hers and was possessed since she was making weird kinds of noises.

She was getting embarrassed at the noises that she was making but it was difficult for her to not do so. These sensations were something she had never experienced before.

The theoretical experience that she has from the e.r.o.t.i.c novels and comics was in the drain when it comes to the practical session. This feeling was something indescribable, out of the world.

While his lips were busy giving her butterfly kisses on her lips, cheeks, and earlobes, his hands slowly made their way to her two heavenly mounds.

He hesitated but seeing her eyes closed and lost in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, he didn't stop and covered her mounds with his hand, over her t-shirt. She trembled at his touch but when he started to massage them slowly and started playing with them, she couldn't help but m.o.a.n in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

" Zihao…" she called out his name when she felt the heat reaching to her head. Her legs were clasping on their own.

Upon hearing his name, he looked up and stared into her eyes. " Say it again." He demanded.

She looked at him in a half-minded state, " What?"

" Call my name again."

She pursed her lips in embarrassment and repeated his name in a low voice," Zihao. Is that fine?"

" No! Keep going." He said.

As said this, he started leaving small butterfly kisses on her nape, reaching to her collarbone, and slowly made his way to her heavenly b.r.e.a.s.ts. His mouth was about to give her the best p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of the night when they heard a familiar sound.

~ Ting~Ting~Ting~

Xu Nuan, who had her eyes closed, snapped her eyes open when she heard the sound. She looked towards the door and looked at Han Zihao, who was lying on her and was leaving sweet kisses on her collarbone in horror.

"Han Zihao, stop it." She said, but he didn't listen to her and continued to make her skin red with his actions.

" I SAID STOP IT." she shouted and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

He g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain and stood up, looking at her in confusion. " Now what? Don't tell me you're planning to punish me again."

She immediately stood up and started fixing her clothes, " SOMEONE IS COMING."

" Hmm? Who can come when the door is-

~Ting~Ting

His eyes widened when he heard the sound of someone putting the password to unlock the door.

He gritted his teeth and helped her fix her clothes before standing up to see who had dared to ruin their moment. He will kill that person tonight.

Chapter 255 - Brother-in-Law

"Brother, haven't you changed your password yet? I thought you would have changed it...Arghh...why are you standing there like this? "

Han Liang, who just entered the house and was about to open the shoe cabinet to change into house slippers was frightened to death when his gaze fell on the man, who was standing in the corridor with his hands folded in front of his c.h.e.s.t and was giving him a death glare.

Han Zihao gritted his teeth when he saw Han Liang casually entering the house. After ruining the best moment of his life, he was treating the house as if it's his.

If not for him, they...they would have….He was feeling frustrated just at the thought of what he missed tonight.

" Why are you here at this time? And how do you know the password?" He asked bitterly.

Han Liang let out a sigh and changed into house slippers before answering, "Your secretary told me the last time. It's your fault for not changing it. Why are you glaring at me?"

" What are you doing? Why are you going inside?" Han Zihao blocked his way when Han Liang was entering the living room.

Han Liang stared at his brother acting strange and mysterious. " Brother, why are you acting like this? Don't tell me...are you hiding some girl? No right, it's not possible for-

He avoided Han Zihao's hand and ran inside to see why he was being so mysterious. He was teasing him as he was sure what he could possibly hide from him? It's not like he is the type to bring a girl home.

However, his words were cut off in the middle when he saw Xu Nuan, who was wearing a white-baggy t-shirt and shorts and was half-lying on the couch and was staring at him with a mocking smirk on her face.

"Hola!! You know, I am not even surprised to see that it was you. You're indeed a human boulder, always ready to interrupt people." she said as she waved a hand at him.

Han Liang frowned seeing the strange atmosphere in the room. She was lying on the couch, while his brother was in a foul mood seeing him. He looked at his brother and then at Xu Nuan.

He pursed his lips and asked, " Don't tell me…..

" Brother, did you make something delicious for her again? Arghhh….I hate you so much."

"....."

Han Zihao was now sure of one thing, his brother is not as quick-witted as he used to think. He was so wrong about him.

" You never cook something for me, but why do you cook frequently for her? She is not even that good-looking." He pouted and went to sit on the couch.

Xu Nuan, who was sitting beside him, kicked him on the calf and glared at him. What nonsense!! She is still way prettier than this dumb-headed prince.

" Because she is my girlfriend!" Both of them were busy in their chaotic world when they heard Han Zihao say.

Han Liang looked at Han Zihao and blinked in confusion. Did he hear something wrong? He glanced at Xu Nuan and laughed, " Brother, don't make jokes like that. It's not funny."

" I am not joking." Han Zihao said.

Xu Nuan looked at Han Liang and nodded, " Brother-in-law, are you doing good these days? Is there anything bothering you?" she asked in a cutesy voice to tease him.

He looked at her in horror and shifted back. " Shut up. Don't talk like that. I don't want to have nightmares at night."

Xu Nuan giggled. He never fails to amuse her.

-

After drinking a few glasses of cold water, Han Liang took a deep breath as he glanced at Han Zihao and said, " Brother, you have to consider what I am going to say seriously."

Xu Nuan raised her brows as she played with her hair strands and waited for what he has to say.

" Brother, you're handsome, rich...no..super rich, kind of intelligent. You're bad at dancing and have a weak EQ but other than that, I think you're a fine man and can find other better girls."

" If not, I will always keep you company and will never let you get bored. But...don't make any wrong choices after getting influenced by Grandmother's words. She just wants you to marry anyone, who is a girl and give her a grandchild, that's it."

" She won't even mind if you marry a girl like her and ruin your- He said while pointing at Xu Nuan, who was sitting beside him when he was attacked out of nowhere.

~Smack~

" Who the hell are you to hit me?" He shouted at Xu Nuan who smacked him on the head.

" Your future sister-in-law!! My stupid brother-in-law, try saying one more word against me and I won't hesitate to hit you with a hammer next time," she said nonchalantly while wiping her hand which she used to hit him with the couch.

He frowned and humphed. At this point, he knew that the remaining respect that he had in the house, is now gone.

His Grandmother was not enough to bully him that now his brother is smitten by this brat.

-

" Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to not come to my place frequently?" Han Zihao asked as he stared at Han Liang, who was busy munching on the fried chicken that he brought with him.

Xu Nuan nodded and looked at him curiously while taking a piece from his box.

Han Liang glared at her but didn't say anything. What can he say to a person, who is forever hungry?

" I wanted to talk to you. But it seems like I have no place in this house." He pouted.

" You can come to my place if you want to talk with anyone." Xu Nuan said.

Han Zihao looked at her with a frown. Why is she inviting him to her house?

" Really? You're seriously asking me to come to your place?" Han Liang asked happily. She finally realized his worth.

However, before he could say anything, she continued, " But bring two boxes of chicken next time. Oh, this is so tender and delicious."

"..."

Han Liang glanced at Han Zihao, who chuckled upon hearing her words. He couldn't help but frown. What was so funny about that?

-

" But jokes apart, what is it? Is it about a girl?" she asked while stuffing her mouth with the chicken.

He stared at her and then at Han Zihao in hesitance.

" Oh common, I am better than your brother in this field. Do you think he is smart enough to give you any advice in this regard?" she asked.

Han Zihao frowned at her words. How can she say something like that about him on his face?

Thinking of her words, Han Liang nodded in acknowledgment. His brother is indeed slow in this area.

He cleared his throat before saying, " You see, there is this girl that I...kind of like her. She is beautiful, sweet, and polite to everyone. We even exchanged numbers, but never got to the point of chatting on messages."

" But I always visit her at her work. She greets me with a smile and sometimes even accompanies me so that I won't feel bored. I thought that she also likes me, but today I saw her talking with another guy."

" She looked happy and was smiling cheerfully, more than she does when she is with me. I think it's her boyfriend. Do you think….I got dumped even before trying?" He asked hesitantly.

Since the day he has taken Luo Dan's number, he couldn't bring himself to talk to her on messages. It still feels awkward. However, he visits her cafe almost daily to find excuses to see her, to get a glimpse of her from far away.

She looks beautiful, always.

However, when he went to the cafe today, he saw her talking to another guy. She was laughing and looked happy. He couldn't help but feel strange. She never laughs like this when she was with him.

Is his love, at first sight, going to stay as his unrequited love?

-

Xu Nuan stared at him and took a sip of beer that he brought with him before asking, " You...did you confess your feelings to her? Did she say that she doesn't like you?"

" Are you crazy? No!! What if she rejects me?"

Xu Nuan couldn't help but chuckle at his stupidness. " When you didn't confess to her, then how can you be dumped, you dumb-headed prince?"

" But she already has a boyfriend. How can I-

" How do you know that it was her boyfriend? And even if she has, what's wrong with asking and getting rejected? It will at least clear your confusion and help you to move on."

" And there is also a chance that she will give you a positive answer."

Han Liang nodded as her words did make sense. " So….have you ever rejected anyone? Just curious."

She looked at him and laughed, " Are you seriously asking me that question? Anyone? You can't even imagine how many and what kind of boys I have rejected till yet."

" Even a few days ago, I rejected Yuha-

Her eyes widened in shock upon realizing what she was about to say. She hesitantly glanced at Han Zihao and found him throwing a dagger at her with his glare.

" A few days ago, what?" Han Zihao asked while staring at her with his stoic expressions.

Xu Nuan gulped and glanced at Han Liang, who was laughing at her after putting her in the tough position.

This bitch!!

Why did he even ask that stupid question?

Chapter 256 - Big Punishment!

Two days later-

When Xu Nuan thought that the effect of that scandal would have reduced to some extent, she decided to attend the classes again. Because of this chaotic scandal, she can't stop taking classes forever.

Although she doesn't want to be put in the spotlight, she can't avoid the situation either.

When she entered the class, everyone was surprised to see her, and rather than looking at her in disgust like the last time, they all looked apologetic and felt bad for her. They all believed the anonymous post without confirming the facts and accused her of cheating.

Xu Nuan didn't mind them and took her seat beside Ye Yijun (Aurora) like usual. He looked at her with concern but she shook her head, telling him to not think much about it.

After the first lecture ended, the girl who confronted her the other day came to her. She looked at her with awkward expressions and said, " Ermm….You...why didn't you say anything that you didn't cheat in the exam the other day? I fought with you for no reason."

" Because of you, everyone thinks I am the bad person here," she complained. After the second post was released, people were also talking about her and were calling her out for being too nosy for picking a fight for no reason.

Xu Nuan stared at her and said, " You're not a bad person here. It was not your fault only. Everyone thought the same of me, it's just...you said it aloud, while others didn't."

The other students pursed their lips and were embarrassed upon hearing her words. Many of them didn't say anything on her face, but everyone talked about her and blamed her.

The girl was touched upon hearing her words and said with a smile, " You don't have to compensate me for the shoes anymore. Just consider it as compensation for the fight."

" Oh, I was actually planning to do that already. It doesn't make sense for me to compensate you for the shoes when the truth is out and you're the one who accused me first when it wasn't true." Xu Nuan said.

The girl's expressions became twister upon hearing her words. She thought that she would try to be humble and will offer to pay, but her response was rather surprising.

Xu Nuan didn't stop here and continued,  " Along with that, I want you to post an official apology on the forum. You confronted me and humiliated me in public when you don't have the authority to do so."

" Shouldn't you apologize to me in front of everyone for ruining my reputation? It was not only the post but the confrontation that we had the other day, it damaged my reputation too."

" I hope you take the responsibility and clear that issue as well. Now, if we're done, I'll take my leave." As said this, she packed her stuff and left, leaving the girl alone in confusion.

What just happened?

She thought that after the issue was resolved, she would act like a brat and would demand a public apology from her.

-

Ye Yijun also picked up his stuff and followed Xu Nuan out. " So….how are things at home?" He asked while walking beside her.

" Home? I don't know. I don't live with them." she replied frankly.

" About that anonymous post, do you know who would have posted that audio? Because if the first post was made by Xingren, then what about the other one?"

She glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders, " No idea. Maybe my secret admirer."

He halted in his steps and stared at her with a frown. How can she make such a comment with a straight face?

" Good for you then."

She chuckled and shook her head. Although the people aren't talking much on her face, she can hear them whisper about her.

Don't know how long it will take for things to go back to normal since she doesn't want to argue with anyone on a daily basis. She wants a normal life, without any attention.

-

Gu Mansion.

Gu Zhang and Grandfather Gu were in the living room and were drinking tea when Xingren walked out of her room, all dressed and was carrying her college bag too, " Dad, Grandpa, I am going to college. See you in the evening." she smiled and waved at them before leaving.

However, before she could step out of the house, she heard Gu Zhang's cold voice, " Xingren, stop it. You are not going anywhere."

She turned around and looked at him in confusion. " Dad, I already took a few days off since I was sick. If I miss more classes, it will become difficult to catch up with the lectures."

After the scandal, she didn't go to college. The post and the audio have been deleted by the college authorities already and she was expecting the gossip to tone down by now as well.

She was also planning to deny the accusations. Although her friend has called her name many times in the audio, she can still claim that the video is fake and someone was trying to set her up. She has quite a reputation in the college and she knows that no one will be able to swallow the truth easily.

She still has a chance to turn things around.

-

Grandfather Gu stared at Gu Zhang and wondered what his response was gonna be this time. He didn't say anything to Xingren yet about the scandal because Gu Zhang had said that he wanted to deal with her, himself.

In the house, no one has said anything about the issue to her. They all feigned ignorance and gave her a chance to come clean to them herself.

However, she didn't say anything, instead, she was acting as if everything was normal and she didn't go to college because she was sickly and weak.

Gu Zhang stood up and walked to her. " You don't need to go to college from now on. I have arranged everything and you will be going abroad next week for your studies."

"..."

Xingren stared at him in shock. She wasn't sure if he was joking or what. She let out a chuckle and asked, " Study abroad? Dad, didn't you say that you don't want me to go away from you, that's why you wanted me to get admission to Xin Lin since it's the best university in our country?"

" Now, why so sudden? Aren't I doing great already? I even got the second position in the scholarship exams, second place is not so bad." she said while trying to understand why he wants to send her away.

Gu Zhang's jaw tightened upon hearing her words. She was pretending as if nothing happened. Still no remorse for her actions!

He took a sharp breath and said, " Second place is great, but seems like you're uncomfortable with it. Isn't that why you made that post on the forum?"

~Thud~

The books that she was carrying in her hands, fell on the ground when she heard his words. The look in his eyes was not warm and concerning like usual. It was cold and indifferent.

He knows it. He knows everything.

Her palms became sweaty and the nervousness that she was trying to control heightened when she noticed Grandfather Gu's disappointed expressions.

She held onto Gu Zhang's arm and tried to explain, " Dad, it's not like that. It's a misunderstanding. The audio was fake. It wasn't me. Someone is trying to set me up."

" Why would I talk bad about Xu Nuan? She is my sister after all."

He glared at her and yanked her hand away, " Stop lying Xingren. You can fool others but not me. Do you think I can't recognize your voice? Moreover, the things you have done in the past, you're fully capable of doing something like that."

" Xingren, you truly disappointed me this time."

" I covered your mistakes every time. I went against Xu Nuan and helped you to cover the accident case, I protected you from Father after he revealed that you ordered someone else to harm Xu Nuan."

" I gave you everything you asked for and believed in you every single time. I went against my father, just to give you another chance because I thought that you will change. But you didn't."

" Xingren, it's high time that you accept your mistakes and drop out of Xin Lin." He said seriously.

" That will be the best solution for now. Go abroad and focus on your studies. Also, think about the mistakes that you have done and try to change for the better."

Taking Mr. Wen's advice, he had arranged for her to go abroad for her studies and had also planned to have her counseling sessions there, but he can't tell her about that now. She might not react positively to this arrangement, so it's better to not say anything about it yet.

" Dad….you want to send me away from you? Is...it because I am not your daughter?" she asked in a low quivering voice. How can they do this to her?

It wasn't a big deal. How can they give her such a big punishment?

Chapter 257 - She is my family!

Gu Zhang stared at Xingren with indescribable expressions upon hearing her words. He always showered her with all the love and care and yet she is questioning his love for her?

How can she say that he is sending her away because she is not his blood? Even after finding out the truth, he treated her the same way as before. Yet she is making allegations like these.

" Xingren, I am doing this because I think of you as my daughter. I don't want to ruin you. If this continues, I am afraid that the situation will turn to a point with no return."

Xingren bit her lower lips as tears welled up in her eyes, "Dad, you can't treat me like this. I am your daughter, WHY ARE YOU TAKING AN OUTSIDER'S SIDE?" she shouted in frustration.

" I AM SAYING THAT THE VIDEO IS FAKE AND SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SET ME UP. WHY CAN'T YOU ALL BELIEVE ME?"

Why is everyone treating her like a criminal? What wrong did she do? She was only trying to showcase Xu Nuan's true face to the world.

Who had thought that she would be one step ahead of her and will join hands with Mr. Wen to humiliate her? The video posted by Mr. Wen must be fake, it was all planned. There is no way Xu Nuan can answer all those questions without knowing the questions beforehand.

That stupid, illiterate, what does she know? Nothing! She is nothing but a loser in front of her.

Gu Zhang frowned to see Xingren yelling like a maniac. It was her first time shouting at him like this. She never acted so crudely in front of him.

She did get angry the last time when he took her cards and car keys to punish her for telling the girl to harm Xu Nuan. But it wasn't to this extent.

The Xingren in front of him looks like a different person.

"XINGREN, Xu Nuan is not an outsider. She is my daughter. She is a part of this family. No matter what, this fact cannot be changed." He said firmly.

Xingren laughed and threw her hands in the air, " Hah, so it has come to this? Are you taking her as your daughter now she has topped the exam and made you proud? Is that it?"

He frowned. "Xingren, Is that what you think of me? I never thought that I was a superficial kind of person in your eyes."

Seeing the way he was avoiding her question and was blaming her instead, she couldn't help but scoff in agony, " Wow! Xu Nuan is amazing. She took my identity, my reputation, my fiance, and now my family too. She took everything from me."

" I used to think of her as a pitiful girl, who cannot fit in this family, but she proved me wrong and made everyone against me. She is amazing." she applauded while laughing in disbelief.

Gu Zhang glanced at Grandfather Gu in confusion. Fiance?

Lin Ran, who just came from outside, saw all of them gathered in the living room and heard Xingren's words. "Fiance? What do you mean by that?"

She knows that Gu Zhang was planning to do something. After knowing about the audio, she was upset at Xingren as well. At first, the things were between them only, now the whole college heard Xingren's deeds.

This time, Gu Zhang had said that he will teach her a lesson so that she won't repeat these kinds of things in the future.

Xingren looked at her and went to her while crying, " Mom, do you know that Yuhan broke up with me because of Xu Nuan? The day he came to meet her in the college, the very same night, he broke up with me. I am not making up stories, he came to me and said that he doesn't see me as his future partner and just a friend. A friend."

" It was all because of Xu Nuan. She must have said something to him to make him go against me. I knew it. She always had her eyes on him." she said frustratingly while tightly grasping Lin Ran's arm.

" Mom, Xu Nuan is not as innocent as she looks. She acts vulnerable in front of everyone but in reality, she is the one who posted that audio on the forum. You guys are punishing me but what about her?"

" She also ruined my reputation. What about her?" she sobbed while holding onto Lin Ran's dress sleeves.

Grandfather Gu, who didn't say anything till now, questioned her, " Xingren, weren't you saying that you didn't make that post until now? Are you admitting to your actions now?"

Her face turned pale as she looked at him in horror, " That's not it….I really didn't.."

" Xingren, It's not Xu Nuan's fault. The engagement between you and Yuhan was a familial arrangement when you two were young. But now you two are grown-ups, we can't force you to follow your parent's arrangement. And it was me who had advised Yuhan to listen to his heart and not make any impulsive decision."

" Xingren, being in a relationship with no love is a lot harder than ending that kind of relationship. You're a young girl, you have a lot of opportunities in front of you. It's not the end."

He walked to her, " Xingren, about what you did, you can't get away from the punishment this time. You were already given the warning before. Yet you tried to harm Xu Nuan's reputation and almost got her rusticated from the college."

" Gu Zhang is already giving you an easy option by sending you abroad. Maybe while staying there, you will understand what was your fault, what you did was wrong. This is the last thing that we can do for you as your family."

"If you don't understand what you did wrong and get in your senses, then as the head of the family, I have to break all ties with you." His words fell on Xingren like thunder.

How can he say something so easily?

" Grandpa, You...You…can't do that," she said with a choking voice as she looked at him with her red eyes.

Upon hearing his words, Lin Ran panicked as well. She wasn't aware of the fact that Gu Zhang is preparing to send Xingren abroad for studies. She thought that he would give her a light punishment this time too like before.

" Abroad? Gu Zhang, Xingren is young, she will learn. I promise you, she will not do anything like this again. I'll take her responsibility. Just don't send her away from me." she walked to Gu Zhang and held on to his hand in desperation.

" I will also make sure that she apologizes to Xu Nuan and will never do something like that again. Just give her one last chance." She pleaded.

" Lin Ran…." Gu Zhang looked at her indifferently but the pain was visible in his eyes. It's not like he was enjoying all this, but he was left with no choice.

The things that Xingren did were not small. She is an a.d.u.l.t and her actions can be punished legally if Xu Nuan wants to punish her. There is no way he can save her after everyone in the college heard that recording where Xingren accepted her crimes with her mouth.

However, before he could say anything, a manly nonchalant voice resonated in the mansion, "She is not a young girl anymore."

Everyone turned around to see the source of the voice and frowned to see a man, dressed in a formal rich grey suit and had his hands in the pants pockets as he stepped inside the mansion.

Grandfather Gu was surprised to see him here and walked to him to greet him, " Mr. Han, what are you doing here?"

Han Zihao didn't perform the formal greetings like before and turned to Lin Ran, who was in shock to see Han Zihao at the Gu Mansion.

She has seen him at the formal banquets only with Xu Nuan and those encounters were not pleasant either. Why is he here now?

She gulped in nervousness when he stared at her coldly, making her conscious of her vulnerable state. She wiped her tears and asked, " Mr. Han, what brings you here? Pardon us for not being welcoming enough. As you can see, we're in the middle of dealing with our family issues. I hope-

He raised his hand to stop her and cut off her words, " Mrs. Gu, you don't need to mind me. Because today I am here to deal with the same issues that you were already discussing."

" However, it seems like you're not good at dealing with issues like that." As said this, he glanced at Xingren who was gawking at him with her widened eyes.

She was biting her lips in nervousness but was trying to control her emotions in front of him. He is the President of Han Corporations, she can't let him look at her vulnerable state.

Even though he is with Xu Nuan now, there is no surety that he is with her because he likes her. Why would a President of a big company like that be with a girl like Xu Nuan?

He must be playing with her. Now Yuhan has broken up with her as well, if she manages to get Han Zihao to her side, she doesn't need anyone else.

Gu Zhang squinted his eyes and asked indifferently, " Mr. Han, this is our family matter. It will be better for you to stay away. You might be Xu Nuan's friend but you have no say in our-

Han Zihao raised his brows and cut his words in the middle, " I have full right to interfere, Mr. Gu. Because it's my family matter as well. And my family is Xu Nuan."

Chapter 258 - I will protect my family.

Upon hearing Han Zihao's words, Gu Zhang couldn't keep his expressions straight. A deep frown appeared on his forehead as he stared at him with complicated expressions.

The last time, at the Gu Corporations Anniversary Banquet, Han Zihao had introduced himself to everyone as Xu Nuan's boyfriend. At that time, they all assumed that he was helping her out because she got into an accident with his car and he was doing this to repay her for what he owes her.

However, the way he said those words and called Xu Nuan his family with confidence, he started to feel that their relationship is more than what they had assumed. Even though, no matter whatever relationship they have, he can't let him interfere in their familial matters.

He cleared his throat and said, " Mr. Han, I can see that you're worried about Xu Nuan. However, I don't think I can allow a stranger to speak in our family matters."

" I don't know what relationship you both have, but it will not be polite for you to meddle in our family problems. I hope you will understand my position and won't mind my direct words."

Han Zihao raised his brows at him and smirked. He cleared his throat before saying, " Mr. Gu, I think you're misunderstanding me. I am not trying to interfere in your family matters. I am here to speak on matters related to XU NUAN, because...she is my FAMILY." he said while enunciating the word 'family'.

His words caused an awkward silence in the room. The President of Han Corporations is saying such words for Xu Nuan, that was nothing less than a surprise.

Grandfather Gu, who was watching from the side, a smile popped on his lips. At least there is someone to stand by Xu Nuan's side and is ready to go against everyone for her.

Han Zihao didn't mind everyone's shocked expressions and glanced at Xingren, who was trembling in anger and fear before continuing, " Mr. Gu, from what I can see, you're not punishing your daughter enough. The person who made two murder attempts on her sister and tried to sell her off to an old conglomerate to build up her business and even spread rumors against her in the college, serious enough to get her rusticated and have her reputation smudged, you're letting her off too easily."

" Do you think that all of this can be resolved just by you sending her abroad for studies?"

" It's not a punishment. You're simply running away from addressing the real problem. This time the whole college heard about your daughter's actions, do you think this can be resolved by running from the problem? Hmm?"

Gu Zhang's complexion turned pale upon hearing his words. His reputation and Gu family's name have been smudged already and it's just a matter of time when this issue will become a hot topic for every business or high-class gathering since the students of Xin Lin belongs to the high-class elite society.

" Dad…." He glanced at Xingren, who was looking at him with her teary eyes and looked vulnerable in this weak state.

If this news was spread among society, no one will marry Xingren and her life will be ruined badly.

He gritted his teeth, "What do you want me to do then? You want me to send her to jail?"

" If it was you in my position, what would you have done? Would you have sent your child to the police? Huh? It's easier said than done, Mr. Han."

" Moreover, she is so young. Everyone makes mistakes. Going to jail is not the solution to every problem. Everyone deserves a chance." He made this decision after much thought. Gu Xingren is still recognized as a Gu, this will not only ruin her reputation but their family's too.

If this matter can be buried by staying quiet, then why not?

Han Zihao chuckled at his words, " Mr. Gu, first of all, don't compare yourself to me. My children are not gonna be like her, because I won't make cowardly choices like you."

" Murder attempt is not a mistake after all. Don't take someone's life so lightly."

He watched Gu Zhang's complexion turn crimson in embarrassment and continued, " Also, about being her young, I think you're forgetting that Xu Nuan is of the same age as her. She is 21 years old too and yet you're expecting her to be m.a.t.u.r.e and forgiving enough to pass Xingren's criminal attempts as mistakes."

"Xu Nuan, who is your 'real' daughter, was forced to get surgery because of the car accident. The second time, she was almost smashed by a truck. It was because she was lucky, not because your daughter's actions were small enough to be called a mistake."

-

Xingren frowned and said in a trembling voice, " Mr. Han, all these accusations are wrong. I didn't do anything. I wasn't trying to kill her, I really wasn't-

Lin Ran saw Han Zihao ignoring Xingren and pursed her lips tightly, " Mr. Han, you're our guest. I don't want to be rude to you. But...don't you think you're being too nosy? So what if you're rich and powerful? Does that give you authority to interfere in other's family matters?"

Han Zihao shook his head and rather than arguing with them furthermore, he pulled out his phone from his pants pocket and dialed a number.

" If everything is ready then you can come now." As said this, he hung up the call.

Lin Ran clenched her fist as she panicked, " Who are you calling? Are you calling thugs on us? How can you be-"

Gu Zhang frowned and held Lin Ran's hand and shook his head, signaling her to not argue with him. Although he wasn't sure what he was planning, he can see that this time Han Zihao is not planning to ignore this matter.

But why is he reacting so much? It's not like he and Xu Nuan are married.

-

Gu Zhang frowned as he had seen this man before. This man has introduced himself as Han Zihao's secretary at the hospital when Xu Nuan got into an accident with Han Zihao's car and they came to compensate for the accident.

But why is he here?

However, his pupils widened in shock when he saw the person walking behind Feng Sheng. The young man, who accompanied Feng Sheng, was wearing a bright, yellow-colored blazer and was dressed in a semi-formal style. His brown hair complimented his bright choice of color and personality as he walked in while holding a brown briefcase as well.

He recognizes this man. He is the youngest and the most successful lawyer in the country and was the founder of CK Lawfirm. The self-established man has beaten many other experienced lawyers in the country and has proved his worth with his achievements and success.

He knows him because he had tried to reach out to him a few times as he wanted him to take a few cases related to the business but he denied his request outrightly.

But….what is he doing here and that too with Han Zihao's secretary?

-

Feng Sheng glanced at Han Zihao before walking to Gu Zhang and handed him his business card, " Mr. Gu, Let me introduce myself to you again. I am Mr. Han's secretary and this is my card."

He fixed his glasses before he continued, " I am sure you must be curious about the reason for my visit. Before telling you the reason for my visit, let me introduce you to Cai Kun. He is the founder of the CK law firm. I am sure you must have heard about it."

Gu Zhang nodded in a daze and shook hands with Cai Kun. He still couldn't understand what's happening.

Cai Kun smiled at him and turned to his side before looking at Xingren. He turned to Gu Zhang again and passed him a brown paper envelope that had a set of doc.u.ments in it.

" Mr. Gu, we can go over the formalities later, let me tell you the reason for my visit. After gathering the necessary evidence, we have officially made a complaint against Ms. Xingren for attempting to harm Ms. Xu, physically and mentally."

" In this complaint, her past attempts to harm Ms. Xu and the college forum scandal, both of them have been taken into account and have been included in it. The police will soon contact you for further investigation, till then, she can't leave this country." he said in a matter of factly tone.

Xingren's face turned pale upon hearing his words. Complaint? Police?

She ran to Gu Zhang and held onto his hand, " Dad, what are they saying? Police? I don't want to go to jail. Dad, everyone will laugh at me. This will end my reputation. Please do something." She cried out loud.

The thought of being investigated by the police horrified her. It will ruin her reputation for good.

Gu Zhang patted her hand and said to Han Zihao, " Mr. Han, what nonsense is this? Who are you to file a complaint against Xingren? This matter has nothing to do with you."

Han Zihao smirked and said, " But it has to do with Xu Nuan. Since she won't take any action against your bully daughter, someone has to do the deed." He said nonchalantly.

" Since my side has been cleared, you must have understood that I have no intention to take this matter lightly. You can do your best to protect your family's reputation, I will protect what is important to me."

Before leaving, he glanced at Grandfather Gu, who looked shocked but didn't say anything even for once. He always hesitated to take this action, but since Han Zihao has done this, he has no intention to interfere in it.

Chapter 259 - Hottie Boyfriend!!

Xin Lin University-

After the classes ended, Xu Nuan walked out of the college building while carrying the books that she had issued from the library. She g.r.o.a.n.e.d thinking about the workload, ' I can't believe that I have to do all the assignments all over again.'

People get tired of doing assignments once in a lifetime and here she was going through the same process all over again, in her second life too. What a pain!

" Hey, Aren't you the famous fresher of the Business Department?" As she was lost in her thoughts, she heard a curious voice from behind.

When she turned around, she saw two men standing behind her. One was looking at her with a proud smirk, while the other was staring at her curiously, with a smile on his lips. She blinked and looked around, wondering if they were talking to her. Because she doesn't know them but their tones were strangely friendly.

" Ermm….You guys are…?"

One of the guys, who is tall and had clean features, said in a charming voice, " Ah, we're your seniors - third year and same department. So you're the famous freshman of our department, you're quite cute, huh." he commented, looking at her with a proud smile.

The other boy standing next to him nudged him and said, " Ah, stop it. You're making her uncomfortable."

He waved his hands and said, " Don't mind him. He is not good at talking to girls. Actually, after seeing what happened on the forum, we were thinking of throwing a welcoming party for you. Since you're new to our department, I am sure everyone must be curious about you."

" So, why don't you join us for the party this weekend and this way, you can make some friends too. What do you think?" He asked.

Unlike the first man, this one seems to be quite sensible. She pondered about it and said, " Okay. I'll try to join everyone for the party this weekend."

" That's great. I will arrange everything and will contact you after everything is finalized. And for your contact number…." The man stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to give him her number.

His eyes were blinking with excitement as he waited for her to give him her number.

She raised her brows and nodded before writing down the number on a piece of paper and passed it to him. " Here. This is my number. You can message me the party details when it's fixed."

" Ah, okay. I'll do that. By the way, you were so cool in the video. It's my first time seeing a girl who is not only pretty but intelligent too." he said while looking at her dreamily.

"..."

She couldn't help but chuckle at his stupid comment. Does he think that she will take it as a compliment?

After bidding them farewell, when she turned around, she found a man standing in the corner, behind a pillar who was staring at her with his sharp gaze.

She squinted her eyes and gasped to see Han Zihao, who was giving her the death glare. His eyes were sharp as a dagger and were ready to slay those two men who just left.

She walked to him and laughed nervously, " What are you doing here?" She looked around and upon noticing the girls that were ogling at him, she frowned, " Why did you come inside the campus? What if someone recognizes you?"

He frowned. " Why? Are you embarrassed by me? Or are you trying to keep your single status in front of others?" He asked while hinting towards her giving her phone number to other men.

She stared at him in surprise. Is he getting jealous?

She chuckled and shook her head, " They were just my seniors and were inviting me to a welcoming party that they're going to arrange for me. How can I not accept the invitation?"

He glared at her and looked away.

Seeing him pouting like a grumpy panda, she chuckled and said, " I haven't given them my number anyway. So what's the problem?"

He looked at her and squinted his eyes, " Do you think I am blind? I saw you writing them your number just now."

" It wasn't my number. I wrote your number on that slip," she said nonchalantly while urging him to start walking so that they can get out of the campus as soon as possible.

He stared at her in surprise and asked again, " You gave them my number? Why?"

" Do you think I am stupid enough to give my number to anyone?" she asked, seeing how obvious questions he was asking.

In her past life, she never gave her number to anyone. It was Lin Hui, who used to manage everything for her. Then why would she give her number to those fools who think of women as beauty products?

His lips curled up in a smile upon hearing her words. He cleared his throat and to hide his embarrassment and the proud smile,  he said, " I wasn't angry. I was just...worried about your safety."

" Ah, yeah, right." she nodded while looking at his funny expressions.

" By the way, are you here to pick me? Why?" she asks while wrapping her hand around his arm.

He looked around and saw the girls stopping and staring at them curiously. His lips curled upwards as he asked, " Is that even a question? As your boyfriend, I should do this much at least. Otherwise, what's the use of having a boyfriend?"

The girls who were looking at them, their faces turned yellow from envy.

[ Ahhh….My boyfriend never treated me this sweetly, not even when we just started dating.]

[ This girl is so lucky. She has a caring boyfriend, unlike mine who always leaves me behind for his bros.]

[ How can he be so handsome? I want a guy like him too.]

[ Oh! Is he the one in the picture in the post on the forum? Is he really her boyfriend?]

[ Damn! This girl must have saved a country in her last life to get such a handsome and considerate boyfriend.]

Xu Nuan pursed her lips upon hearing the comments. Well, she didn't save the country in her past life, but she did save the music industry with her songs.

She could feel her face turning red from heat from the whispers around them. Why is he acting this way suddenly?

-

As she was walking out of the college with him, she could hear the whispers getting louder as more and more people started to gather to see the scandalous girl of the college.

[ OH, isn't that the popular girl of our college? Who is that man?"]

[ Waa! That man….who is he? Such a hottie!!] The girl said dreamily while staring at Han Zihao, who was wearing a formal grey three-piece suit. Although, the suit was not getting along with the youthful and colorful vibes of the college, his perfectly toned and mesmerizing body was making him stand out in the crowd even more.

[ Oh, is he really Xu Nuan's boyfriend? They look quite close.]

[ Aye, the man looks too good for her. Didn't the post say that she has a rich sugar daddy? It must be him.]

[ But wasn't the post fake? How can it be?]

[ You stupid! The rumor about her not cheating in the exam was fake, we still don't know about the other two rumors.]

Chapter 260 - Strange connection.

At night-

Xu Nuan was dressed in her silk pajamas and was wearing her hair down. She wasn't wearing any makeup but was still looking beautiful and refreshing as ever. She was sitting in the living room and was working on her laptop.

Meanwhile, Han Zihao was in the kitchen and was preparing dinner for the two. While cooking in the kitchen, he glanced at her and wondered what was keeping her so busy.

She is even busier than him and she isn't even glancing at him.

~Ring~

Xu Nuan was startled when her phone started to ring suddenly. She looked at the number on the screen and frowned.

It was the landline number of Gu Mansion. But why are they calling her at this time?

She sighed and answered the call. However, before she could say anything, she heard Grandmother Gu's screeching voice from the other side, " Xu Nuan, you're so shameless! How can you do this to your sister and family?"

" Even though there were some misunderstandings between you two, how can you involve the police in this matter? It was our family matter. We could have solved it if you had talked to us."

" Do you know, to punish Xingren, your father was ready to send Xingren abroad. To satisfy your so-called ego, he was ready to send Xingren away from us. What more do you want?" She said in frustration.

After Han Zihao left, Xingren locked herself in the room and hasn't eaten anything since then. Her heart was aching seeing her in this vulnerable condition.

Not only that, reaching out to the police for this issue means revealing their family's issues to the whole world. How embarrassing!

What will people think of the Gu family now?

Lin Ran, who was standing beside Grandmother Gu, took the phone from her and asked, " How can you ruin Xingren's whole life because of her small mistakes? Even if she did wrong by making that post on the forum, can't you just let it go for once?"

" I will get her to apologize to you for that. It's not that serious to involve the police in this matter." Lin Ran tried to convince Xu Nuan to take back her complaint.

Xu Nuan frowned as she couldn't understand what she was saying. She turned around and saw Han Zihao watching her from behind with meaningful expressions.

She took a deep breath and said, " First of all, your daughter's mistakes were not small at all. Even after knowing the truth, how can you all still call them small mistakes? Will you forgive me If I push you on the road and almost get you killed?"

Lin Ran gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, " Xu Nuan, we can talk about this later. Firstly, take back your complaint. After this, you can come to our mansion and stay with us. If you want, we can announce to everyone that you're our daughter."

" We will fix everything back to the same."

Xu Nuan chuckled as she couldn't believe they're saying this to her. She doesn't know what's going on, but she could feel the desperation in her voice.

However, before she could say anything, Han Zihao approached her and snatched the phone from her, leaving her baffled.

" If you continue to call her and bother her like this, I can add more charges to the complaint as well. Also, don't expect us to take down the complaint."

" Because I am not soft-hearted enough to let go of a murderer like Xingren." He said coldly, making Lin Ran froze in her place. She wasn't expecting the two of them to be together at this time.

" Murderer? She didn't do anything. She is not a murderer." she said firmly.

Han Zihao didn't reply to her and hung up the call.

After hanging up the call, Xu Nuan stared at him and asked, " Now….will you tell me what's going on? How come I don't know anything about this drama?"

He pursed his lips before recalling the events that happened in the day.

-

Grandfather Jiang was sitting in his study room as he studied the quarterly reports of the company. After Jiang Yue's death, his health condition got worse and with no choice, he had to allow his younger son and granddaughter to handle the business.

However, rather than giving the whole power in their hands, he kept the deciding powers with him and kept a check on the reports from time to time. Because, unlike Jiang Yue, they were the people that he cannot trust.

If Jiang Yue would have been there, he could have convinced her to take over the business. She was angry when she left the house but she still accepted his condition and studied business despite her busy schedule.

There were differences between them but their relationship was not bad to the point of cutting all the ties altogether. She was still his little princess who had brightened the Jiang Mansion when she came to the Jiang Mansion with her parents.

However, over time, things took a wrong turn after his eldest son and daughter-in-law's death and the relationship between them got estranged.

As various thoughts flashed by his mind while reading the report, he heard a knock on the door. When he looked up, he found his secretary standing at the door.

He placed the reports aside and put down his thin-golden framed glasses and leaned back on the chair before asking, " Did you find out anything?"

" Sir, I have found out about the details of the person who visited the cemetery the other day. That day, since the weather was quite bad and the cemetery was also in the mountains, only two people came other than us."

The old man placed his hands on the armrest and asked with a deep frown, " Only two people? Who are they?"

" Out of them, one is the President of Han Corporations, Han Zihao and the other is the daughter of the Gu family, Xu Nuan." The secretary replied.

" The president of Han Corporations? But how does he know Jiang Yue? Because it was her who used to visit the cemetery on her parents' death anniversary and bring a small cactus plant for her mother. There is no way that anyone can know about this tradition of Jiang Yue. Are you sure no one else visited the cemetery the other day?" The old man asked.

The secretary shook his head and said, " I was confused at first but after digging a little deeper, I found out that Han Zihao is related to Ms. Jiang. He was the major investor of most of the brands that Ms. Jiang Yue had endorsed it."

" After coming back from abroad, it seems like he got interested in her and had supported her from the sidelines. Because I couldn't find any information about them having any other connection other than this. "

The old man looked at the profiles of both the people that his secretary had passed to him. " And what about this child? Do you have any information about her?" The old man asked while picking up Xu Nuan's picture.

" Ms. Xu Nuan was adopted by the Gu family when she was 15 years old. However, there are rumors going around in the business circle that Xu Nuan is not the adopted daughter but the biological daughter of the Gu family."

Grandfather Jiang frowned and took a deep sigh. He wasn't interested in knowing the familial issues of other people. He just wants to know more things related to his granddaughter.

" Does she have any connection with Jiang Yue? Was she her friend?"

" There wasn't any connection between the two. Ah, but there is one strange thing." The secretary exclaimed.

The old man frowned and waved at him to continue, " A few months ago, Ms. Xu got into an accident with Mr. Han's car. But the surprising thing was, it was the same day when Ms. Jiang got into an accident on the set."

" However, Ms. Xu Nuan got better after she received the treatment. After going through the operation, the doctors were able to save her life."

Grandfather Jiang smiled bitterly. But his granddaughter couldn't see the rising sun the next day. Poor her!

" What is surprising about that? It's a good thing that she got better." He said with a bitter-sad smile on his lips.

The secretary pursed his lips and said hesitatingly, " That's not surprising but the words that she said after waking up in the hospital."

" What is it?"

The secretary took a deep breath and said, " The doctors said that she had temporary memory loss after the accident. However, in such cases, the patient generally asks about their identity, their name or sometimes they cannot remember some parts of their memories."

" However, she was claiming to be the other person after waking up. Rather than being confused about her identity, she asked the doctors why they were calling her with the wrong name. Her name is Jiang Yue and not Xu Nuan. That's what the nurses available there said about M.s Xu Nuan."

" What? Jiang….Jiang Yue? She called herself Jiang Yue?" The old man's eyes widened in shock when he heard his secretary's words. How can someone claim to be someone else when they just woke up after the operation?

--

Chapter 261 - A Condition.

After Xu Nuan left, Han Zihao cleaned up the kitchen and went upstairs to his bedroom to sleep.

He was lying on the bed on his back and supported his head using his hand, rather than a pillow.

After Lin Ran and Grandmother Gu's call, he had to explain to Xu Nuan everything that happened in the morning. While listening to his words, she stared at him with serious expressions that made him wonder if she was going to get mad at him for not discussing it first with her.

However, when she opened her mouth, it left him dumbfounded as always.

" You did that? Really?" She asked with a surprise.

He couldn't help but nod awkwardly wondering what she was going to say next.

" Oooh…That's so cool. I never thought of using this way to deal with that brat. However, this one was for sure the best way to deal with that stupid girl." she patted his shoulder while appreciating him for what he did.

" If not for her, Xu Nuan would have been still alive." she sighed, feeling bad for the girl who died yet no one is aware of this dark truth.

" So...you're not angry?" he asked cautiously.

" Are you crazy? Why would I be angry? I should be thankful to you for teaching her a lesson. Xingren needed a good lesson for her to come into her senses."

He was confused. Then why didn't she do anything until now? Why did she keep quiet?

" Then why didn't you do anything before?" He asked her.

" It's not like I was not doing anything. It just….I wasn't interested in getting into the police and all. But I am glad that you did this to help me. Now I also have someone by my side to fight for me."

He smiled at her and said in a low voice, " Didn't I promise your parents that I will always protect you? Now you don't need to deal with everything alone, you can complain to me and rely on me. Don't do everything alone." He pinched her cheeks, making her giggle in happiness.

She stared at him with smiling eyes and held his face between her palms. "For this, you deserve a reward." She closed her eyes and kissed him on the lips.

The sweet kiss didn't last for long. As soon as she separated from the kiss, she ran off to her house, leaving him dumbfounded.

"...."

-

Upon remembering her quick yet sweet peck, his fingers reached out to his lips to feel the softness that he felt earlier.

" Next time I won't give her the chance to slip away like this," he said firmly and sighed deeply while staring at the white ceiling in a daze.

~Ding~

As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard his phone's notification. He picked up his phone that was on the bed and unlocked it to see the notification.

" Who is messaging me at this time?" It was past midnight and there is no way he will get any official message at this time.

Even if there is an emergency, only Feng Sheng can contact him in such cases since not many people have his personal number.

His expressions turned gloomy upon seeing the messages.

[ Hey Xu Nuan! This is Tan Hai of third year, your senior. We met in the afternoon, do you remember?]

He frowned and sat up on the bed to read the messages. Xu Nuan? Senior?

[ Didn't I tell you that we're planning to throw a welcome party for you? Everything has been planned and the party is on Saturday.]

[ The party is at the Allure club. You have to be there by 8 pm. All the students of the Business Department will be there. This way, you can meet other people and make some friends too.]

Han Zihao's grip on the phone tightened to read the venue of the party. Club? Not a restaurant or a cafe but a club? That too at night?

Hah!! This brat…

This was not the only thing. Can't he message everything at once? The messages keep coming, annoying him even more.

[ I am sure it must not be easy for you to mingle with everyone after what happened. If you feel uncomfortable going there alone, I can escort you to the party. After all, we're friends now.]

[ You can text me your address and I will pick you up on the day of the party.]

[ Btw, are you sleeping? Why aren't you replying to me? When will your classes end tomorrow? We can have a coffee together after you're done with your classes.]

"..."

Han Zihao was speechless upon receiving back-to-back messages from the unknown number. Other than the continuous messages, the contents of the messages were annoying him even more.

Thinking about when she said that she gave his number to those seniors, it was a good thing that she did that. The thought of this brat messaging her at night was making him angrier.

It's past midnight and he keeps messaging him, thinking that it's Xu Nuan's number without a break. He gritted his teeth and blocked his number and threw his phone on the side table.

" I should buy Xin Lin college and ban dating between the students. It's so ridiculous. Are they attending college for studying or dating?" He turned off the lights and went to sleep, while trying to not think about the messages.

___

After attending the morning classes, Xu Nuan went to the cafeteria to get a coffee for herself. She can't go on with her day without a kick of caffeine and sugar.

She ordered an iced sweet latte and a sandwich for herself. After taking her order, she took a seat on the empty table nearby.

As soon as she sat down, her phone started to ring. She answered the call and was greeted by a charming voice from the other side, " Are your classes over?" Han Zihao asked from the other side.

She smiled at his question. It was nothing but she still couldn't help but smile widely like a fool.

" Hmm...I am done with morning classes. But after an hour break, I have another class scheduled today." she pouted while swirling her coffee with a straw.

" Do you want me to pick you up after the classes?"

She giggled and said, " Mr. Han, don't you have work to do? You should not ignore your work just because you're in a relationship. What will others think of you if you skip your work like this?"

" Tending to my girlfriend is my duty as well. Do you want me to be called a bad boyfriend?" He asked.

She choked on her saliva upon hearing his words full of cringe. How can he say those words indifferently?

" Arghh…..stop it. Don't say those words. You're the President of a big company, have some dignity for god's sake."

He chortled upon hearing her pleading. He could tell that these kinds of cheesy words disgusted her but on the other hand, she can't stop smiling because of it.

Inwardly, she likes it too but will never accept this fact.

" I can't do that. I finally found out that I am this type of person when in a relationship. You should be glad that you're the only person who can witness this side of me." He commented, making her laugh.

" You're getting bolder day by day, Huh! You know you should-

She was startled when someone suddenly tapped on her shoulder. She turned around and found the two men that she met yesterday, standing behind her.

The guy who talked to her politely smiled at her and asked, " Xu Nuan, you're here? And we went to your classroom to find you." Tan Hai said while grinning at her widely.

She frowned and asked, " To find me? Why?"

" I messaged you the details of the party last night. Why didn't you reply to me? After a few minutes, my messages couldn't go through either. Don't tell me….Did you block me?" He asked with a frown.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips in speechlessness upon being encountered by the unexpected questions. She looked at her phone and understood what had happened.

She cleared her throat and said, " Ah, there was some problem with my phone last night. I couldn't access my messaging accounts for some reason. But before I could reply to you, I saw your messages. I will be there for the party."

The drama in the college has finally settled in. It's better to be low profile for a while. Moreover, she does want to experience college life. Otherwise, it won't be fun to attend college only for classes and assignments.

" Okay. Do you want me to pick you up for the party? We can go together if you want."

" No...No!! It's okay. I'll come by myself." She waved her hands in denial and showed them a fake smile before they left.

After they left, she put the phone against her ears again, " So….why didn't you tell me about the messages?" she asked sternly.

On the other side, Han Zihao was gritting his teeth in anger. Even after blocking them, they were shameless enough to come and question her about it.

" You're seriously asking me about it? Do you really want to attend the party?"

" Yes. That's why I gave them your number. Otherwise, I would have given them some random number."

He frowned. Why is she so adamant about attending that party?

" Do you have to attend that party?" he asked once again in a cold voice, causing her to raise her brows in surprise.

" Yes. I don't want to miss this party. It's been so long since I have attended any fun party."

He pursed his lips and said, " Okay. If you want to go, then I won't stop you. But I have a condition."

" Condition? What condition?" she asked in confusion.

Han Zihao smirked and tapped his fingers on the table before saying, " You'll get to know it soon."

Chapter 262 - Welcome Party I

The Allure Club-

The alluring bright lights and the ear-blasting music were complimenting the darkness of the club. On the dance stage, people were grooving to the music and were matching their steps with the rhythm of the man, who was controlling the whole crowd with his music, The DJ.

While the ground floor was packed with the lively people who were dancing and some were trying to find new partners, the second floor was rather quiet and detached from the bustling. The second floor has private rooms that were booked for private parties and gatherings.

One of the rooms was booked by the students of Xin Lin for their small gathering to welcome the star of their department, Xu Nuan, who was yet to arrive.

In the dimly lit spacious room, the long L-shaped couches were arranged with three glass tables in front of them. The appetizers and drinks were arranged on the table for the guests to enjoy while some were grooving to the jazz music in the room.

The private room blocked the noise coming from the outside and was playing songs of their choice in the room.

Most of the students have already arrived and been waiting for the girl that everyone wants to meet and get acquainted with. The video posted by Mr. Wen changed everyone's perspective of Xu Nuan and now everyone wants to get along with the girl, who not only topped the scholarship exams but has been labeled as the genius of Xin Lin as soon as she joined the college.

The men were mostly dressed in black shirts and trousers, some were even wearing a jacket over them, looking sophisticated and cool. Meanwhile, girls were dressed in evening party dresses and were trying to look the best tonight.

Tan Hai, who arranged the party, was wearing a navy blue shirt and black trousers. His hair was neatly styled with gel and he looked like he had put in some effort while getting ready for today's party.

He picked up a glass of wine from the table and walked to Ye Yijun, who was standing in the corner alone. As usual, Ye Yijun (Aurora) didn't do anything special and was wearing a white shirt and black trousers. However, his unbothered attitude enhanced the charm of his handsomeness.

" Everyone is enjoying themselves. Why are you standing here like this?" Tan Hai said as he joined him.

Ye Yijun glanced at him and said, " It has nothing to do with me. I came because you were pleading to me."

" Aye, don't lie. I wasn't pleading to you. You came upon hearing that Xu Nuan is going to attend the party too. I know that." He said teasingly.

Ye Yijun glanced at him but didn't say anything. He cleared his throat and asked, "Why did you arrange this party? Since when the seniors started to hold parties like this for freshers? That too for a particular student."

" Aye, what are you talking about? Didn't we arrange the welcoming party for freshers? It's just...this girl joined the college late and had to experience all of this. That's why I wanted her to get along with everyone and make some friends." He said while trying to be casual about it.

Ye Yijun frowned. Tan Hai might not say but he knows that he is not the type to throw parties for others like this. He must have had another intention in mind.

" I don't know what you are thinking, but keep the reputation of Xin Lin in mind before trying anything funny. After what happened on the forum, you can see that Mr. Wu is not the type to let you go just because you're the mayor's son," he said, warning him.

Tan Hai's expressions darkened upon hearing his indirect warning.

He laughed and said, " Why would I do anything? Do I look like a douchebag to you?"

Ye Yijun didn't respond to his words and simply clinked his c.o.c.ktail glass with him before walking away.

Tan Hai gritted his teeth to see his nonchalant attitude, " This brat…."

Both of them are from the same year, yet Ye Yijun acts like a superior and makes them look like a douchebag in front of girls. He is just trying to get along with the new girl, what's the big deal?

-

Ye Yijun walked away from Tan Hai and was looking at the entrance, waiting for Xu Nuan to arrive. He wasn't planning to attend this party but when he heard that she was coming, he decided to come along as well.

He just didn't want to be alone among everyone. Since he is the only one she speaks to, he decided to come to the party to accompany her for the sake of their sort of friendship.

However, his thoughts were interrupted when the door of the private room opened and the girl that everyone was waiting, entered. His mouth was parted in surprise to see Xu Nuan, who was wearing a black, off-shoulder dress.

The dress was hugging her body perfectly, revealing her hidden curves and was reaching to her t.h.i.g.hs. The flowy black fabric was attached to the back of the dress around her waist and was covering her bottom area that was reaching to her knees.

On top of the short black dress, the black high heels were making her stand out even more since it was the first time for him to see her dressed this way. She was wearing her c.h.e.s.tnut brown hair down and was wearing simple silver earrings that were going well with her outfit.

The highlight of her look was the maroon-colored lipstick that she was wearing. The dark maroon color was flattering her pale complexion and black dress.

Not only him but the other girls in the room were also awed to see Xu Nuan dressed like this. They weren't expecting her to be dressed like this since she never wears short dresses to college.

She always wears casual jeans, tops or shirts. In the whole class, she was the only one who never puts effort while dressing up for college.

Xu Nuan scratched the back of her neck awkwardly upon seeing everyone staring at her with their mouths open. She wasn't feeling strange when she dressed into this outfit but seeing their expressions, she was feeling embarrassed.

'Did I do too much?'

It's been a long time since she attended any parties like this, so while getting ready, she has put in a little more effort than usual. However, she wasn't expecting to get this kind of reaction from everyone.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Tan Hai approached her with a wide grin, " Xu Nuan, you look fabulous. Come in, everyone was waiting for you." He said while trying to place a hand behind her back but she held his hand, making him stare at her in confusion.

She didn't say anything and just gave him a look before walking away, to greet other people.

A frown appeared on his face upon getting a cold response from her. It was him who arranged this party and was doing all this for her, but she was treating him coldly as if they're strangers.

Why did she accept the invitation of the party if she was planning to act this way to him?

He scoffed seeing her greeting everyone with a warm smile and clenched his fists tightly.

'Hah! Trying to play hard to get? I will also see till when you can continue this game of yours.'

"Xu Nuan, you look so different. Why don't you dress up like this at college? Xingren was nowhere near to your natural beauty, you only put on a little bit of makeup and you're already glowing." One of the girls commented.

" I can't believe that Xingren was such a bitch when she always tries to look good in front of us." Another girl said.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips as she doesn't want to start a debate about that issue. When Xingren was on top, they all used to act like her sidekicks, and now when she is being hated, they aren't leaving a chance to gossip about her.

" Dressing up is one's personal choice. If Xingren used to dress up prettily, it was her choice, meanwhile, I am too bothered to dress up for college when all I have to do is attend classes and study. It's too bothersome. Thank you for your concern though." Xu Nuan with a smile, trying to be as polite as she can.

However, her words already pissed off the girls, who always dress up prettily for college. What? Did she say anything wrong?

Ye Yijun, who was standing on the corner, couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing the awkward faces of everyone after hearing her response. She was trying hard to make friends but if she continued to speak this way, she is gonna lose some points.

" Ah, Xu Nuan. I heard that you have a boyfriend? Did he come along with you today?" One of the girls asked to break the awkward silence.

Tan Hai, who was staring at Xu Nuan with a frown, became curious upon hearing the question. He also heard that she has a boyfriend but didn't believe the rumors.

'So what if she has a boyfriend? It can't be better than him!'

Chapter 263 - Welcome Party II

Xu Nuan glanced at Ye Yijun before answering the question, " Well, I don't think it would be appropriate to bring him along at this party. It's kinda awkward, you know."

After what happened at the campus the other day, she still can't forget everyone's reaction. His whole existence is enough to cause a commotion.

Tan Hai chuckled upon hearing her words. Everyone glanced at him, including Xu Nuan, but he didn't care.

She must not have the confidence to bring along her boyfriend. Otherwise, why wouldn't she bring him and show him off to everyone?

After all, this party is not something where anyone can join. All the students are from reputed families, his father is the Mayor of the district, meanwhile, Aurora's family has a huge business and his mother is also into artistic work.

All the girls present at the party also have powerful backgrounds. It's only Xu Nuan, who is the adopted daughter of the Gu family yet she acts as if she is the heir of Gu Corporations. Even Xingrne never treated him this way before, the way she did earlier.

***

While Xu Nuan was trying to get along with everyone, in one of the private rooms of the club, four men were gathered together and were questioning their existence.

In a dimly lit room, three couches were arranged for sitting. One large couch was in the middle while two single couches were on each of the sides. There was a glass table in the middle that was filled with appetizers, glasses of wine, and whisky as everyone ordered drinks according to their preference.

Han Liang, who was sitting on the single couch glanced at Han Zihao, who was sitting on the couch in the middle and asked, " Brother, will you tell us now why did you call us here? It's getting creepy now."

He was resting at home some time ago when he received Han Zihao's call. It was a surprise itself that Han Zihao called him, but what was more surprising was that he asked him to meet and have some drinks.

With him? Even though they're brothers, their relationship has never been close enough to sit together and drink.

But today he did. Why?

On top of that, the place he called him to meet was a club? Han Zihao has never been the type to go to clubs and parties.

-

Han Zihao didn't say anything and simply picked up his glass and took a sip of his soft drink.

" Why are you drinking cold drinks when you called me out for drinks?" Han Liang frowned. " Have some beer at least."

" I can't. I need to drive Xu Nuan back home later." He replied nonchalantly.

"..."

Han Liang was speechless to hear his brother's lovelorn words. Is this the same Han Zihao he used to know? The one who has never been seen with a girl and was believed to be 'gay' by many of the employees in the office is finally in a relationship.

" So….you called us here because of your girlfriend? Is she also here? Why don't you tell her to join us? At least she can be a better company than you."  He said. He might hate Xu Nuan but it's still more fun with her than being with Han Zihao.

Han Zihao glared at him. If he can, then he would have done that.

His plan was to accompany her to the party. That's why he put the condition that he will accompany her to the party, to which she agreed.

However, upon reaching here, she stared at him in confusion and asked, " Why are you parking your car?"

He even parked the car. Why isn't he leaving?

He stared at her in confusion, " Didn't I say that I will accompany you to the party? Are you forgetting my condition?"

" Yes, that's why we're here together. Now if you have dropped me, then leave. What are you waiting for?" She thought that he was talking about dropping her at the party venue, not going to the party with her.

It's a college party after all.

" I am your boyfriend. I should attend the party with you." He said righteously.

" Being in a relationship doesn't mean I have to accompany you everywhere. How would you feel If I tag along with you at every business party where I am not even invited?" she asked seriously.

" I would love it," he said with a straight face, leaving her speechless.

"....."

-

In the end, he has to agree to his Queen's orders. How can he go beyond her words?

However, he is not the type to back out either. If she doesn't let him accompany her to the party, he will make his space for himself.

-

Feng Sheng, who was sitting meekly on the corner leaned forward and asked, " Sir, but….why did you call us?" he asked hesitantly.

However, his plans were ruined by his unexpected call.

Cai Kun nodded as he was curious too. He is just a lawyer, was it the need to tag him along in this boring men's party?

He should have been downstairs to dance with s.e.xy girls. He belongs there, not here.

Han Zihao, who was calmly drinking his cold drink glanced at Feng Sheng, " Why? You don't like it? Do you hate it that I called you here?" He asked indifferently.

At that moment, Feng sheng could see his death in his eyes. To save himself from his wrath, he shook his head firmly and took his drink from the table, " No! It's my honor to accompany you for a drink. I like you more than my girlfriend."

Han Liang turned to him in surprise, " You have a girlfriend? What a shock!!"

" I think you worded it wrong. It should be a 'surprise', not a 'shock'." Feng Sheng corrected him.

" No. I said it right. It's a shock indeed."

Feng sheng pursed his lips and said with a hmph, " Do you think I have time to meet girls? Being a secretary is a 24/7 hours job. I don't have time for myself, having a girlfriend is a non-achievable dream." he said while trying to control his emotions.

" You get a salary for the same. If you hate to work under me then submit your resignation tomorrow. I will personally approve it. " Han Zihao said unconcernedly.

Feng sheng was on the verge of crying seeing Han Zihao's cold demeanor. Why is he being this way to him? Who made this demon angry?

" That's what I was going to say. The work might be a little hard, but I am managing under your supervision." He said while making a heart for him using his hands.

Cai Kun frowned at his extreme flattering. " But I hate it. It's annoying here with all the men." He w.h.i.n.ed.

Han Zihao scoffed and said, " You're saying as if you have a girlfriend."

Cai Kun pursed his lips upon hearing his hurtful comment. Because of his genius intelligence, he graduated from college earlier and started working at a young age. Unlike other people, he gained popularity and acknowledgment earlier than others.

However, because of this reason, he never got the time to meet girls and date. He met Han Zihao when they were abroad and got to know each other since they were roommates.

When he came back to the country two years back, Han Zihao helped him to establish his law firm here and since then he started to handle the legal stuff for Han Corporations.

In short, he is not a lawyer who handles the legal stuff for Han Corporations but Han Zihao's one and only friend too. Who will be a friend of this rude and arrogant brat?

But unlike Han Zihao, he tends to find some time to meet girls but because of his hasty personality and busy-working style, he never got to experience a stable relationship.

[ YOU BITCH!! WHAT DID YOU SAY?]

[ DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW YOU WHO IS A LOSER HERE?]

" Ah, it scared me. Who is shouting like a dog?"Han Liang was startled when suddenly someone started to shout in the room next to them.

Although the rooms are meant to be private and soundproof, since they were not playing any music, it was easier to hear the loud noises from the room next to them.

" Seems like they're fighting. Sir, I think we should hurry and leave. It's not good to stay at this place and drag ourselves into an uninvited controversy." Feng Sheng said worriedly.

Cai Kun nodded in agreement. It's better to avoid situations like these.

Han Zihao is a well-known figure in the business world, meanwhile, Han Liang is in showbiz. It's gonna affect him the most if this drama escalates.

As they were discussing how to get out of this complicated situation, Han Zihao's expressions were turning grim. His grip on the glass tightened upon hearing the crude loud sounds of someone shouting.

The degrading words that were being used for a woman, it better be not for her.

Because the person in the next room was none other than 'Xu Nuan'.

Chapter 264 - Welcome Party III

The party continued, some started to play drinking games and started to drown themselves with the alcohol. Meanwhile, some people were grooving to the music and were enjoying themselves.

On the other hand, Xu Nuan was awkwardly staring at everyone.  She wanted to get along with them but there was something that was now allowing her to do so.

At first, everyone was interested in her, but she soon realized that they were interested in gossip related to her, not in her particularly.

The conversations that they were having, she was not part of them. Or if they were talking to her, it was either about her and Xingren's feud or her boyfriend. There was nothing common to talk to.

'Seems like I can't mingle with everyone.' she wondered. After spending half of her life in training and working, she doesn't have any experience other than that.

She can't live a normal life even if she wants to!!

When she thought that she was stuck in an awkward situation, a hand came to help her out from here.

" Stop dazing out and drink this if you're not going to eat anything. By the way, why aren't you eating anything?" Ye Yijun asked while handing her a glass of orange juice nonchalantly.

The music was loud as other people were dancing and the only place they could talk was in the corner.

He walked with Xu Nuan to the corner to talk. Even he was feeling uncomfortable seeing her stuck between all the girls and not speaking anything and staring at everyone in confusion.

She held the glass of juice and said while taking a sip of it, " I can't eat with strangers. I tend to get sick if I do."

He frowned at her. He thought that she was joking but she didn't look like she was.

He didn't probe further and added, " What about alcohol? This will help you to get along with them."

She sighed, " I want to drink too but I can't. I am not allowed to."

" Why? Who stopped you from drinking alcohol?"

She stared at him with a smile and sighed helplessly. When she didn't allow Han Zihao to accompany her to the party, he looked at her and instructed her strictly, " Even if you're attending a party, you're not allowed to touch alcohol when I am not around. Not even a glass or sip. Nothing!"

She gasped in horror and asked, " But why? It's a party. It's no fun without any alcohol." she w.h.i.n.ed but he was firm at his words.

'No means No!!'

He has seen her drunken behavior. She blanks out the next day after drinking till she loses her senses. How can he allow her to drink when he is not around after what she did to him?

After she kissed him, she didn't even remember anything. How can he believe her in this matter when he has seen her crazy drunken adventures?

-

While Xu Nuan and Ye Yijun were talking in the corner, Tan Hai, who was standing in the other corner of the room was enraged seeing them together and getting along well.

She rejected him when he was touching her as a friend. She made him feel humiliated for his 'friendly' touch.

After treating him like trash, she is going in the corner with other men, despite having a boyfriend.

She made him throw a party for her like this. And after making him spend money like this, she was ignoring him and seducing other men?

He gritted his teeth and emptied the whiskey glass that he was holding. There was a tray full of empty glasses on the side table near him.

" Xu Nuan, I will also see how long you can avoid me." He smirked before walking towards Xu Nuan.

His face was crimson due to the drinks that he had. He hiccuped and tried to maintain his balance as he approached Xu Nuan. He stood close to her and tapped on her shoulder, grazing his hand against her b.a.r.e skin, " What are you talking about? I want to know too."

Xu Nuan was startled when he came out of nowhere and tapped her on the shoulder. Since she was wearing an off-shoulder dress, his hand directly came in contact with her skin.

She was not stupid either, that she won't understand the meaning behind his suggestive touch. She glared at him and frowned as he was reeking alcohol.

She glared at him and tried to control herself from making any scene. The words will not work on him since he is in no state to listen to her.

Ye Yijun saw Tan Hai leaning close to Xu Nuan and tried to push his face away from touching her,

"Tan Hai, You're drunk. Go and wash your face first."

He is drunk. There is no meaning to argue with him.

Xu Nuan didn't say anything and shook her head before walking away. However, before she could walk away, someone grasped her wrist tightly.

" Where are you going? I just came and you're leaving?" Tan Hai said while glaring at her. His smirk and suggestive tone gathered everyone's attention.

The music was stopped and everyone looked at them curiously, wondering what's going on between them.

" Tan Hai, leave her hand. You're not in your senses." Ye Yijun said while trying to make Tan Hai let her go.

" Aurora, did you see her smirk? She is looking down on me. She thinks I am a loser." He said while pointing at Xu Nuan.

Xu Nuan gave him a disgusted look and scoffed, " At least you know you're a loser. Leave my hand otherwise the consequences won't be good for you." she warned him.

However, he didn't loosen his grip on her hand. It was Ye Yijun, who had to use force to push him away and because of the force, he fell to the ground.

Everyone in the room gasped in horror seeing the scene escalating rather quickly.

Tan Hai glowered at Aurora, " Aurora, you're fighting with me for this BITCH?"

Xu Nuan raised her brows and folded her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t and said coldly, " If I am a bitch, then what you are? A loser? A loser who goes around hitting on girls and if they reject your advances, it suddenly bruises your ego?"

" I was a popular fresher a few days ago and just because I blocked your perverted advances, I became a cheap girl and a bitch? If this is what being a bitch is, then I am happy to be a bitch, You Loser!!" she said with a straight face before turning away to leave,

[ YOU BITCH!! WHAT DID YOU SAY?]

[ DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW YOU WHO IS A LOSER HERE?]

Tan Hai stood up on his legs and picked up a wine bottle from the side table to throw at her. However, Ye Yijun came in between but couldn't stop him in time.

~THUD~

Xu Nuan, who had her back to Tan Hai, reflexively moved away and avoided the wine bottle which fell near her legs. The bottle broke into pieces only a few inches away from her.

If she had not reacted and stood there like a mannequin, she would have gotten hurt quite badly.

Ye Yijun was shocked to see that she barely avoided the bottle and punched Tan Hai on the face, [ Have you gone crazy? She almost got hurt because of you!!] He shouted.

" You hit me for this cheap girl? Do you think she will go with you after this? No!! She will find another target for her." He spouted nonsense while glaring at Xu Nuan with loathing.

Everyone was quiet as they were not sure what to do. They knew that Tan Hai was going too far but everyone was hesitating to interfere since his father is the Mayor of the district.

As everyone listened to Tan Hai's disgusting words for Xu Nuan, the door of the room was pushed open and two men entered.

Seeing the two men enter the room, who were dressed in formal suits and didn't look like they were part of the staff, everyone started to wonder about their identities.

Upon hearing the low whispers, Xu Nuan turned around and was surprised to see Han Zihao and Feng Sheng who were standing at the entrance of the room.

Her eyes widened in shock as she couldn't believe that he came.

Didn't he go back? What is he doing here?

She pursed her lips in embarrassment as she doesn't want him to know about all of this mess. She was so confident while coming to the party and this happened.

Seems like she is the type to invite trouble for herself.

-

Han Zihao's expressions turned grim to see Xu Nuan in the center while a crazy man was sitting on the ground and was spouting nonsense while pointing at her.

His eyes widened in shock to see the broken pieces of wine bottle near her legs. Without waiting for a minute, he walked to her in long strides and held her by shoulders.

He looked at her carefully to see any bruises and asked, " Are you hurt anywhere? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

" I...I am fine. Absolutely fine!" She tries to assure him but he still looked worried about her.

[ Are you her new target? Xu Nuan, how many men do you want at a time?]

[ I don't mind others joining in. More, the merrier. Let's go!]

[I have a villa in the city. We can have fun there.] He babbled while trying to stand up but failed again.

Feng Sheng, who was standing behind Han Zihao, his mouth fell upon hearing the disgusting words for Xu Nuan. He carefully glanced at Han Zihao and gulped, " This man is done for!!"

Chapter 265 - Welcome Party (Conclude)

Han Zihao frowned at the man who was dead drunk and was spouting disgusting words for Xu Nuan even in this state. He let go of Xu Nuan's hand and picked up the opened wine bottle from the table.

Xu Nuan held his hand and said, " Don't. You don't bark back at the dogs."

She was worried that he would do something that would harm his reputation. The guy might be nothing but if something big happened, it will only hurt Han Zihao's reputation.

He might not be a celebrity like Han Liang, but being a Business famous personality brings a lot of attention and pressure too. Not only that but Han Liang's reputation is also attached to Han Zihao.

Things will escalate quicker than anyone can imagine.

She doesn't want him to get involved in any scandal because of her.

He looked at her and shook his head, telling her not to worry about him. He removed her hand with his other hand and walked to Tan Hai, who was grinning on the floor like a maniac and was totally out of his senses.

" You're quite drunk, aren't you? I think it's time for you to come out of your stupor." He said indifferently while glaring at the man and emptied the bottle of wine on his head.

He was doing everything to control his anger and not smash the bottle on his head. How dare he speak to her in a way that he can never imagine doing so?

Who is he to think about doing anything to her when he doesn't even deserve to touch her fingernail?

The girl he pampers her like a delicate flower, who is he to manhandle her?

[Ahh, who is this crazy man? Stop him!] Tan Hai tried to stop Han Zihao and wanted to punch him but Han Zihao simply avoided his weak punch and continued to torment the man on the ground.

[ Do you know who my father is? He is the mayor of the district. He will ruin your life if you don't stop now!] He threatened Han Zihao, but those empty threats didn't work on him.

After he was done, Han Zihao threw the bottle on the corner which broke into pieces. He glanced at Feng Sheng and said, " You heard him? Contact his 'Mayor' father and tell him about his son's actions. Tell him that he has been rusticated from the college for misbehaving with the girls."

" Also….tell him to teach him a lesson before working for the other people. Otherwise, he won't be able to keep his position secured for long, because of his stupid son." He adjusted his coat before glancing at the man who was now lying unconscious on the ground and was passed out.

He scoffed and shook his head before turning to Xu Nuan. He removed his coat and put it on her shoulders before walking out with her.

-

After they left, Feng Sheng got on with the work as Han Zihao instructed him. He looked at the other students who were staring at him in horror and were not sure how to react.

[ Who was that man? His face seemed familiar.]

[ I am scared. That man was too overbearing just now.]

Feng Sheng cleared his throat upon hearing the murmurs and looked at everyone, " Whatever happened in this room, the words shouldn't go out. If it did, the consequences won't be favorable for you all." He said calmly yet everyone can feel the weight of his words.

He is not someone to be taken lightly.

Everyone was already scared after what Han Zihao did. After hearing Feng Sheng's words, they could only nod in unison.

They don't want trouble for themselves.

-

Xu Nuan's palms became sweaty as she silently followed Han Zihao, who was walking ahead of her and wasn't talking to her.

When they walked out of the club, the black car was waiting for them. He turned to her and waited for her to get inside the car.

As soon as she got inside the car, she was startled to see Han Liang who was in the passenger seat, and a new face was driving the car. She glanced at the man and cleared her throat before covering her legs with Han Zihao's coat.

Han Liang glanced at Xu Nuan, who was peeking at Han Zihao and could feel the cold air in the car. He cleared his throat and said, " Why do you always get into trouble when you go out?"

" Seems like you carry bad luck with yourself." He teased her.

Xu Nuan frowned and glared at him. " Yeah, and my bad luck is you."

Cai Kun, who was driving the car, couldn't help but chuckle. It was his first time seeing a girl insulting Han Liang like this.

Normally, the girls get shy or squeal in excitement upon seeing Han Liang, who not only has a handsome face but a playful personality which is being loved by the girls.

But it was good to see someone who thinks Han Liang annoying as him.

Han Zihao found an interesting girl for himself. Nice.

-

Han Zihao didn't speak a word during the whole ride and didn't even glance at her. She couldn't help but get timid at his behavior towards her.

'Is he angry at me?' She wondered.

When the elevator door opened on their floor, Han Zihao walked out first and was about to enter his unit when she followed him and held onto his shirt, " Wait."

He stopped but didn't turn to face her.

She bit her lower lip seeing his cold attitude towards her. " Are…. Are you angry at me for going to the party alone?" she asked in a low voice.

" I am sorry. I won't do it next time. I thought that If I go to the party, I can make some friends. I just wanted to make some efforts to adjust to this life but it seems like it's not that easy." she said while looking at his back that was facing her.

It was her first time seeing him treating her coldly. She can deal with anything but not his silence.

He didn't say anything for a few moments. She felt tears welling up in her eyes facing his silence when she heard him say, " What are you sorry about?" He asked coldly.

" If….I haven't gone there, this wouldn't have happened. I shouldn't -

Upon hearing her trembling voice, he sighed and turned around. He looked at her and seeing her tearing up and trembling like this, he held her face between his palms and said, " Why do you think that I am angry at you? And why would I? It was not your fault that this happened."

She looked at him and said in a low voice, " But you were avoiding me and didn't even say a word to me." she said while trying hard to not cry.

She is not the type to cry but when he wasn't talking to her, she could feel the fear settling in her. It wasn't even her fault and she knew it, but she could feel her guards breaking down in front of him.

Everything is fine but not him getting angry at her. She can't deal with it.

He sighed and said, " I am not angry at you but at myself."

" I should have broken that man's arm for trying to hurt you but I let him go just like that. I am disappointed that despite being next door, you were insulted like this and almost got injured. What if you got hurt tonight?"

" I am angry at myself that I couldn't keep my promise to your parents. I should have protected you well." He said while c.a.r.e.s.sing her face with his thumb.

She is like a miracle to him, how can he take it lightly and allow others to look down at her?

Xu Nuan was speechless upon hearing his words. How can he say those as if it's nothing?

" And I wasn't talking to you because I didn't want to show you this side of mine. I was afraid that I might say something that would-

Xu Nuan smiled at him and stood on her toes and kissed him on his lips. She looked into his eyes and said, " Remember my one thing, you have no right to be angry at my boyfriend. Only I can do that."

" No one can get angry at my boyfriend, except me." She said while rubbing her face to his jaw.

He was surprised to get a soft peck like this and stared at her in amus.e.m.e.nt. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer, " Someone is already getting possessive, huh? But don't they always say that, not even me? Are you allowing yourself to be angry at me? Huh," He pinched her nose, making her giggle.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, " " Why? You don't like it? Hmm?"

He laughed at her looking at him cutely and said in a low voice, " No!! I love it. I am giving you full liberty to be angry at me, treat me as you want."

She laughed and gave him a long peck on his cheeks, " I am starving. Feed me."

He raised his brows at her words and asked, " How do you want to be fed?"

She pursed her lips upon hearing his suggestive words and could see his meaningful gaze. She glared at him and pulled his ear, " I want food. Don't try to be funny here, or else I will bite your ear."

" Well, I love that idea." He winked at her, earning a glare from her.

"  Haha, do you want pasta? I'll be quick." He let her go and asked while punching the password on the door.

She nodded, " Yes. And a beer too."

He glared at her but she looked at him with her puppy-like gaze and said, " I am too stressed today. I deserve a drink on a day like this at least."

He laughed and shook his head in disbelief. ' From where did he get this drunkard?'

Chapter 266 - He is back...

" Ah, finally it's over." Xu Nuan g.r.o.a.n.e.d tiredly as she closed the file and massaged her throbbing temples.

It's been a long week for her. After the incident at the club, Tan Hai got rusticated from the college. She was expecting an uproar in the college but surprisingly nobody from the students that were present at the party babbled about it, not even Tan Hai.

He left the college, while those who attended the party avoided her as if she was a zombie. Only Ye Yijun talked to her like usual. Seems like he is not scared by her, unlike others.

Meanwhile, Xingren's matter at the college has subsided to some extent too. Gu Zhang had gotten her to drop out of college but everyone knows that she had no choice but to leave the college.

Who can dare to attend college after what happened?

The investigation by the police was still going as they're trying to dig more into Xingren's past deeds. However, it's not long until word about this matter spreads to everyone in the city and they will find out about Xingren's real identity.

Gu Zhang can shut up the people for a while but not forever. Who can resist a hot gossip like this?

**

Today, after attending the classes, she came to the office to deal with her work. Since she is not working full time anymore and her multi-tasking ability, she is managing both sides fine.

Everyone in the office is jealous of her privilege to work remotely. But now even the CEO of the company can't do anything since Xu Nuan was hired based on an exclusive contract.

She is not similar to other employees. As her contract said, she had made the group successful right after they debuted. Now no one can doubt her capabilities, not even Wang Meili.

On top of that, seeing the girls' success and how they managed to get the attention of the people as soon as they debuted, the company allowed her to have an assistant who helps her to look after girls when she is not around.

Seeing the facilities she was getting, Wang Meili was not pleased.

However, now she can't dare to get in her way. Whenever she sees her, she avoids her and probably curses her inwardly every time she sees her group getting a new endors.e.m.e.nt or any opportunity to shine.

Not only the endors.e.m.e.nts or commercials, but the girls were also getting the acting offers as well. She was reluctant for them to try acting for now because they're good at singing and performing.

However, it doesn't mean that they will be good at acting as well.

If by any chance, they could not deliver the emotions of a character properly, they will be bashed for their acting. It will only affect the image they have built for themselves with their performance and music.

-

After wrapping up her work, Xu Nuan looked at the time and realized that it's already past 9. She had messaged Han Zihao earlier that she will be late today.

Like always, he said that he will pick her up after work, but she rejected him because she doesn't want to bother him. There is no need for him to come and pick her up all the way here when she can simply grab a taxi from outside. It will be time-saving!

She turned off the computer and picked up her sling bag and phone before leaving the office. There was no one in the office since everyone had already left.

The lights were off and only the corridor's dim lights were turned on for people like her, who stay overtime.

When she walked out of the building, her eyes lit up to see the person standing, waiting for her.

She halted in her steps and squealed in surprise, " Lin Hui? When did you come back?"

Lin Hui smiled at her seeing her getting excited and waved at her. He was back a few days ago but he didn't dare to face her. He was visiting her company for a few days and always leaves or hides away whenever he sees her coming out of the company.

He didn't dare to face her. He was afraid that her response to his feelings won't be as positive as he wants.

But he cannot stay as a coward forever and run away from the situation.

-

She walked to him and slapped him on his shoulder before excitedly jumping to hug him, " Where were you? You said that you were away for work but what took you so long?"

He smiled at her, " I will tell you everything. First, take this." He handed her a bouquet of bright yellow daffodil flowers.

Her eyes lit up upon getting a beautiful bouquet from him. " You brought flowers for me? Thoughtful as always." She commented and smelled their fragrance.

" They are so lovely. What do they mean?" she asked while adoring the bunch of delicate flowers. Lin Hui has always been thoughtful, even though he was not in the city for the girl's debut live performance, he still sent the flowers for her.

He stared at her and said in a low voice, " You're the only one."

" What?"

" That's what the shopkeeper told me. These flowers are daffodils. They mean unrequited love and that the other person is special to you. However, I picked them because I thought you would like them." He said while changing the topic.

" Oh. I love them. Thank you."

" Did you have dinner yet? Should we go and grab a bite?" He asked while showing her his car.

She looked at the time and pursed her lips before nodding at him and said, " Cool. Let's go. I am starving too."

-

As soon as she got into his car, she messaged Han Zihao that she would be late as she was going out with her friend. He must have prepared the dinner by now already but she doesn't want to ignore Lin Hui either.

She met him after so long, it won't be nice of her to reject his offer like this.

-

" Ummm, it's been so long since I had steak. It's delicious," she said while cutting a piece and putting it in her mouth.

He brought her to a five-star hotel to treat her. Although it's not as exquisite as Jade Hotel, it's still one of the top hotels in the city.

Lin hui might be the artist manager only but since he used to work for The Queen from the start, along with them, he earned quite a lot too. He is known as the star manager for a reason.

If not for Qin Ju's petty tricks, Lin Hui would have managed the other artists too and had them turn into stars.

-

He stared at her as he watched her eat. She always looks happier whenever she has got her hands on delicious food.

While taking a sip of her red wine, Xu Nuan asked, " So...where were you all this time? You were away for almost two months If I remember correctly."

" I was so worried about you."

Lin Hui, who was slicing his steak, paused in his actions upon hearing her question. He put down the fork and knife and took a deep break before saying, " Jian…" He looked at her in surprise when he almost called her out with her original name.

He cleared his throat and looked around before starting again, " Do you remember the part of your will where you gave me your imported cars collection?"

She nodded.

After she found out Qin Ju's true intent, she wrote another will and hid it in the apartment in which she used to live.

The police later found out her will and it was executed as it is.

She not only donated a big part of the wealth to Han Zihao's foundation and transferred some of her wealth to Grandfather Jiang, but she also gave her imported cars collection to Lin Hui.

Since she used to have concerts and performances abroad the most, she tends to buy new cars and store them in her collection. She has always been fond of cars and loved to add more to her collection.

Hao Mei always envied her car collection the most. Though she had enough money to buy those cars for herself too, however, for some reason, she always liked whatever she had.

However, this attitude was not limited to cars only.

She always uses those cars whenever she goes to that country for concerts or performances.

" What about it?" she asked while looking at him seriously. Why is he suddenly talking about that?

" After I got the authority over those cars, I put them up for auction so that the money from them can be used for charity. I wanted to donate those cars in your name so that your hard-earned wealth will not go to waste." He said.

He sighed and said, " However, after finding out that you're still alive….I wanted to return that money to you. There is no meaning to donate it now since you're alive."

" But by the time I decided to do that, it was too late. The cars were already auctioned and the money was donated in your name to the orphanages there. If I had acted a little faster, I could have saved that part of wealth for you." he said with a heavy heart.

The money was her but can't use it. If he hadn't made that decision, she could have used the money to build an entertainment company of hers as she wants.

Xu Nuan blinked her eyes and couldn't help but chuckle, " That's it? I thought you wanted to talk about something serious."

" I have given up on that money long ago, there is no meaning to think about what's long gone."

Lin Hui was glad to see her smile like this. But that's not the only thing that he has to say.

" Xu Nuan…."

Chapter 267 - Time is all they need right now.

" I can't believe you were abroad and were working for me. How can you be so thoughtful?" She was touched upon finding out that he went to arrange the money from the cars for her but unfortunately, all the efforts went in vain.

But it doesn't matter to her. She has her plan ready and she will return to the same glory with a bang.

Lin Hui shook his head and said, " I didn't go there only for you. While I was abroad, I got the opportunity to meet other famous directors and even attended the most anticipated fashion show, which helped me to make a lot of connections. The entertainment industry is all about connections and opportunity after all."

" You're right. There are many talented people out there but only a handful of them get the opportunity to showcase their talent," she said.

She took a sip of wine from her glass when she heard him say, " Xu Nuan, there is something that I was meaning to ask you."

" What is it?"

He pursed his lips and looked at her hesitantly before asking, " While I was away, did you think of me?"

The time he was away, he was holding himself from asking this question to her. He wants to know what kind of value he holds in her life. In these two months, many things have changed.

The group that debuted under her, started to receive everyone's attention, meanwhile, she got admitted into the top-most university in the city. She did all of this without him.

Can he find a place of his in her life?

He remembers seeing her getting close with Han Zihao before leaving. That's why he went to arrange the money, enough for her to invest in her entertainment company and shift her to another house that will be away from Han Zihao's condo.

He wanted to be her support system. He wanted to be capable enough to support her and give her the best of the world.

Xu Nuan looked at him with a smile and giggled before responding, " Of course, I did. You're my best friend, how can I not miss you when you were out of touch for two months?"

Lin Hui's smile dimmed as he stared at her with serious expressions. "Best friend? Just that?"

Xu Nuan frowned seeing the change in his expressions. Did she say anything wrong?

"What about it? Aren't you, my best friend?" She laughed. " To me, you're just like Jia Fei and Luo Dan. I can't think about my life without you at all."

Upon hearing her words, Lin Hui felt something piercing through his heart. This was nothing new for him, but her words still hurt. So he was just like Jia Fei and Luo Dan for her?

He has always known that she doesn't feel the same way he does. Not when she was in a relationship with Qin Ju, not after that. For her, he has always been her 'best guy friend.'

He pursed his lips and asked in a low voice, " Have you...ever considered me more than friends?"

Xu Nuan stopped laughing at his words. She stared at him and blinked in confusion when she heard him say, " Have you….ever thought of me as a man? And not just as a guy friend of yours?"

Facing the sudden question, Xu Nuan was at a loss for words. The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward and solemn. He was looking at her with his clear eyes and was waiting for an answer expectantly.

"I...For me, you have always been the pillar of my support. You're my best friend….but….I...I am sorry." she said while looking at his dull eyes.

She couldn't bring herself to say that she never thought of him more than a friend. He looked hurt but she didn't want to give him false hopes.

It will only hurt him even more.

Lin Hui didn't look at her but could feel her worried gaze at him. He knew it, he knew that she never thinks of him the same way as he does, but it still hurts.

She didn't say it aloud, but her meaning was clear. She never thought of him more than a friend. Not even once.

So...all this time, it was only him who was in love with her? He thought that his efforts and love for her might bring a change in her feelings, but unfortunately, some things can never go as one expects them to be.

After a few moments of suffocating silence, he picked up the bottle of wine and poured it in a glass for himself. He chucked down the drink in one go and coughed before wiping his mouth with the tissue paper, looking vulnerable.

He looked up at her and smiled, " That's great. It would have been awkward if you did. Haha, isn't it?"

Seeing him trying to laugh it off, Xu Nuan couldn't bring herself to laugh this time. He hadn't touched the alcohol because he said that he needs to drive later to drop her off at her place.

But now he is drinking. It was clear how uncomfortable he was with her response.

She has hurt the person who has always been good to her. For his genuine feelings, she gave him heartbreak.

" Lin Hui, I...am so-

" If you're done eating, should we go? You should sleep early since you have work tomorrow." He smiled at her while trying to hide the suffering in his eyes.

She stared at him when he interrupted her words and sighed. She nodded and picked up her bag before following him out.

Sometimes, not explaining is a better thing to do.

He helped her take a taxi since he had a drink too. It was for the better.

It would have been uncomfortable for both of them to ride the same car, after what happened at the hotel.

Time is what they need right now.

Lin Hui didn't leave until he couldn't see Xu Nuan's taxi anymore and sighed weakly, " Jiang Yue, why can't I be the person in your heart? Why is it so hard?" He mumbled while trying to hold the tears that were fearing to fall from those clear eyes.

It's so painful that he can't even bring himself to cry since it will make him even more miserable. The love that he was holding onto for years has finally come to a point of end, a painful end.

Despite expecting her answer, why is it so difficult to digest it? Just...where...where did he go wrong?

***

Jia Fei was still in the cafe and was checking the old photos on her phone. It was almost midnight, everyone left except her.

Luo Dan is at home and here, she was going through the old memories of them together.

The fan videos and pictures are the only things from which they can keep Jiang Yue in their memories.

After Jiang Yue left, they are trying to go along with their life, but the emptiness in their lives is obvious. The group of four has been broken and only two of them have left now.

While she was going through the fan website and was looking at the picture, her eyes fell on a certain picture. The picture has been taken at one of the fan signing events where hundreds of cameras are ready to capture every moment of them.

In the picture, Jiang Yue was talking to a fan who came to her to get the album signed and even brought a gift for her. Jiang Yue was smiling and was staring at the fan with bright eyes, while she failed to notice the man behind her, who was looking out for her.

While Jiang Yue was looking at the fan, Lin Hui who was standing in the background was staring at her, with a subtle smile on his lips. This picture has been spread among the fandom as a means to admire Jiang Yue's beauty.

Because of this many tried to ship Jiang Yue with Lin Hui, who always looks out for her and takes care of her at such events. While some tried to make a point that Jiang Yue's beauty is so blinding that even their manager couldn't help but admire her.

However, she knows the meaning behind this smile of his. This was the smile that she never gets to see for her.

" I wonder how he is doing now." she sighed while touching her phone's screen gently, staring at the picture longingly.

A few days ago he came to the cafe, but she wasn't present at that time. He met Luo Dan but she couldn't get to see him.

" He should have at least waited for me…" she murmured in a low voice.

After the Press Conference incident, the chances of them meeting became less to none. It's been more than three months since she has last seen him.

" Should I give him a call?" A crazy thought came into her mind as she stared at his picture. She opened her contact list and dialed his number.

Her eyes widened in shock when the call went through and it started ringing. " Oh Shit, O shit.!!"

" It's fuc*ing midnight. Who calls this late to someone?" she said while clenching her c.h.e.s.t which was racing crazily.

She immediately hung up the phone as she couldn't take the tension anymore.

" What if he thinks that I am being too clingy? It's not like we work together anymore."

" There is no reason for me to call him anymore." She sighed upon realizing that she was running out of excuses to reach out to him.

~Ring~Ring~

Her eyes widened in shock when her phone suddenly started to ring. She stared at the familiar number and gulped nervously.

" Relax, Jia Fei.  Take a deep breath and be normal. Just say that you dialed it mistakenly. Yes. By mistake. " she repeated and took a deep breath before picking up Lin Hui's call.

Chapter 268 - What a coincidence!

After parking her car in front of the lounge, Jia Fei gets out of the car and hurries inside.

A while ago, she received a call from Lin Hui. However, the person speaking on the other side was not Lin Hui but the waiter who called her. He told her that the owner of the phone has drunk a lot and has passed out.

Since she was the last caller on his phone, he dialed her number.

She was surprised to hear that Lin Hui has passed out from drinking.

He doesn't have a good tolerance towards alcohol, that's why he doesn't drink much and knows his limit very well.

Then how can be so reckless and drink so much that he passed out?

Worried that he might get in any trouble, she hurriedly picked up her car keys and left for the address that the waiter told her.

-

The dimly lit lounge was filled with smoke and the smell of alcohol, which irritated her nose. She doesn't smoke since Jiang Yue never let any one of them do so. She was like a nosy mother to them, which they miss a lot.

While rubbing her nose, she looked around and could see people laughing and chucking down the alcohol. Some were in groups while some people came alone, and were hitting on others.

The jazzy music was being played in the background, which anyone barely cared for. They were too lost to enjoy the music.

She scanned the dimly lit room as she searched for Lin Hui. Two people who were passing by her side halted in their steps and stared at her.

Consciously, she reached out for her mask to cover her face.

'Shit!!' She cursed inwardly when she realized that in a hurry to come over, she forgot to put on her mask and the cap.

How can she be so careless?

Even though the group has been disbanded and she has been inactive for quite a while now, it didn't reduce her fame. She is still a well-known celebrity and the media won't hesitate to gossip about her if the word of her coming to the lounge at night was to be spread.

She frowned at the two men and covered half of her face with her hair and the other with her palm.

" Hey girl, are you alone? Do you want to come with us? We'll buy you a drink." One of the men asked while staring at her with his l.u.s.tful gaze.

Glad that they were too drunk to recognize her, she scoffed and lied, " Harassing a detective? You have quite some guts huh?"

The two men's eyes widened in shock upon hearing the word detective. They looked at each other in horror and mumbled before leaving, " Oh, sorry. We were looking for a friend. A friend."

She scoffed to see the men hurrying away and tried to search for Lin Hui.

While looking around, her eyes fell on the man who was sitting at the main counter and had his head down on the counter, passed out.

She walked to him and sighed to see the trail of empty glasses next to him. How much did he drink exactly?

His face had turned crimson from drinking and was mumbling something in his drunken state, " Jiang Yue, why can't you…"

" Jiang Yue…"

" Jiang…."

Her hands that were reaching out to him paused in the air upon hearing Jiang Yue's name. It's been months since she left but he is still lost in her memories.

Did he drown himself in alcohol because of her?

Her eyes filled with sadness to see him in this vulnerable state. He still hasn't moved on from her.

Even though she is standing next to him, he can't notice her presence. She is invisible to him.

She took a deep breath and shook him lightly, " Lin Hui, Lin Hui. Get up, we need to leave."

" Lin Hui…" she sighed helplessly upon getting no response from him. He was totally out of it.

She pursed her lips as she could feel people's eyes on her, watching her struggle to get him up.

[Poor girl!! How can her boyfriend make her come to the lounge at night to pick him up?]

[ Is she some celebrity? She looks familiar.]

[ Is it? She does have a perfect body. Is she a model.]

" Lin Hui, wake up already." she cried out in desperation and shook him.

She was wondering what to do when she felt a jacket falling over her head from behind. Startled, she turned around and found a familiar man standing behind her, smirking at her.

" You!! Aren't you the same pitiful guy who was rejected the other day?" she asked in shock to see Yuhan standing there.

Yuhan, who was wearing blue trousers and a white checked shirt, whose sleeves were folded, frowned at her.

The smile on his face faded upon hearing her painfully straightforward words and scoffed, " What a unique way to say thanks."

-

He came to the lounge to drink with his clients and as they were discussing the business over a drink, he heard a dreadfully familiar voice.

When he looked up, he found Jia Fei shaking Lin Hui, trying to wake him up. He pursed his lips as he looked around and found people looking at her curiously. Some were even trying to take pictures of her, wondering if she is a celebrity.

Even though she was wearing casual denim jeans and a plain white top, she was attracting quite a lot of attraction. Not anyone can pull off this casual look and make it look classy.

' Does she even care about her image?' He wondered. If someone took a picture of her, it's gonna be quite problematic for her reputation.

-

The other day when he left the cafe, angry at how rude she was, he realized that the girl looked somewhat familiar. The same night when he was browsing his search feed on SNS, he found the photo of Jia Fei from a sportswear photoshoot.

In the picture, she was wearing body-fit black leggings and a sports bra, showing off her perfectly toned body. His mouth fell in shock as he was not expecting her to be this famous.

At that time he found out that she used to be a part of the girl group 'The Queens'. Since he also runs an entertainment company, he is well aware of 'The Queens' and the scandals surrounding them.

It was the group that has outdone everyone in the industry and secured the top position. But due to the unfortunate conflicts, the group fell from the top position.

But he was surprised to find out that the rude girl from the cafe was none other than the charismatic rapper of 'The Queens'?

But...what was she doing here?

-

Jia Fei frowned at him and touched the blue jacket that he put on her head. She was about to pull it down when she heard him say, " Take it down if you want to hit the headlines tomorrow."

" Eh?"

" What are you doing here without a mask or a cap?" He leaned closer and asked in a low voice. How can she be so careless? He wondered.

Jia Fei was surprised when he suddenly came close. She stared at him with her bright-large eyes and blinked. She looked around and saw people trying to take a picture of her.

When his words registered in her head, she immediately covered her head with his coat. " Well, thanks," she said awkwardly.

Saying thanks to someone takes a lot of courage for her. Especially when the person she owes thanks is the person she dislikes.

Yuhan had his hands in his pocket as he looked at Lin Hui, who was sleeping on the counter and was reeking alcohol.

He pointed at him with his eyes and asked, " Do you need any help?"

Earlier she was struggling to wake up this person. He must be her boyfriend, that's why she took the risk to come to the lounge at midnight to pick him up.

She looked at him and was surprised when he offered to help. Seems like he is not as bad as she had thought.

-

" Here, Here." Jia Fei said as she led Yuhan to her car. He was carrying Lin Hui on his back as he followed her with his unstable steps.

" Why is he so heavy?" He g.r.o.a.n.e.d while adjusting him on his back.

Jia Fei looked at him apologetically and opened the car door for him. He laid down Lin Hui in the back seat and g.r.o.a.n.e.d, " How much did he drink? He didn't even open his eyes for once."

He stretched his back and looked at Lin Hui in annoyance.

" Thank you for helping me. And here, your coat." she smiled and passed him his coat.

He looked at her smiling at him and nodded. At least she knows how to say thanks.

Now when he looked at her, he realized that they were wearing matching clothes. She is wearing denim blue jeans and a white t-shirt, while he was wearing blue trousers and a white shirt.

What a strange coincidence.

He cleared his throat at this strange thought and asked, " So are you gonna drive him to his house?"

She pursed her lips and glanced at Lin Hui." Now you say it, I don't know his address." She admitted honestly.

After the scandal, they all had to move out of their previous houses because the media and paparazzi were always following them. That's why she and Luo Dan moved to the Glory building since their security was more strict and advanced.

She had heard that Lin Hui had moved to another place but she didn't know the address.

" What? Aren't you, his girlfriend? How come you don't know his address?" He asked in confusion.

Jia Fei frowned and glared at him. From where did he get this idea? It's not that she hates this idea, but his words are nothing but sounds like rubbing salt on her wounds.

Chapter 269 - Cats over dogs.

Yuhan frowned at Jia Fei seeing her cluelessness. She came to the lounge at midnight to pick up a guy but she didn't even know his address. Is she really his girlfriend?

Jia Fei glared at him and retorted, " It's not a crime that I don't know his address. And don't assume things so easily." She said, dodging his initial question.

Yuhan shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair, " Then now what? Are you taking him to your house or a hotel?"

She frowned at his blunt words. She glared at him but that's the only option she has right now.

Her place? No! She doesn't live alone, Luo Dan is at home. It will be uncomfortable if she takes him to her place.

She doesn't want Luo Dan to get suspicious about their relationship, there is nothing to be suspicious of anyway.

Hotel? Hmm, Well, it's not a good idea either.

She can't leave him alone at the hotel in this state and going to the hotel with Lin Hui when he is drunk, it won't be a nice idea.

Not because she might do something to him but if someone took their picture together, it's gonna be troublesome. She doesn't want him to get involved in any scandal because of her.

As she was wondering what to do, an idea came into her mind. Her eyes lit up as she looked up at Yuhan with her twinkling eyes.

Yuhan, who was drinking water and was quenching his thirst after carrying a man on his back, was surprised to see Jia Fei beaming at him.

Her bright smile alerted his senses as he immediately stepped back and shook his head in denial, " Don't look at me with your greedy cat-like eyes. I am a dog person, I won't get into your pleading-eyes trap."

" Whatever you're thinking, it's a clear no from me. I am not gonna agree to it. Never."

She smiled at him and stepped closer, " Aye, are you looking down on cats? That's not nice."

" Moreover, You're such a nice person. You helped a 'pitiful' girl' in trouble a while ago. I am sure you won't leave me here alone like this either."

Yuhan pursed his lips as she doesn't look like a pitiful girl at all.

" I am sure the consequences of your good deeds will come back to you. Moreover, we're friends now. You won't leave your friend behind, do you?" she leaned close and nudged him while pushing him into the corner, with no escape.

He scoffed, " And when did that happen? This is the second time we're meeting. Technically, we're strangers."

" Ouch, that hurts. I thought that we were friends. I even saw you getting rejected, there is no room for secrets between us." she winked at him, making him stare at her in horror.

' She is creepy!!'

-

Jia Fei stood next to the bed as she watched Lin Hui sleeping soundly. His face was crimson and his hair was in a mess.  He was repeating Jiang Yue's name in his sleep and looked even more vulnerable.

Watching him torment himself like this, she was feeling strange too. She was in one-sided love with him for three years.

At first, he was just a manager and a close friend of hers, like for everyone else in the group. But slowly and steadily, when those feelings took the shape of one-sided love, she didn't know.

Once she gathered her courage and tried to confess to him, she found out that he has feelings for Jiang Yue, but she doesn't know about it.

A few days before Jiang Yue's accident took place, she confessed to him. It wasn't an easy decision for her since they used to work together and if the confession didn't go right, this will make the situation awkward.

But she still did. She was in love with him, it was natural for her to express her feelings for him.

However, just as she feared, she was rejected.

His words are still vivid in her memory.

" Jia Fei, I didn't know that you had those feelings for me. I appreciate your feelings, but I am sorry. I like someone else."

" That's why I can't reciprocate your feelings. I always saw you as my younger sister and a good friend."  Those words stabbed her right at her vulnerable point.

'Younger sister? That was worse than being friend-zoned.'

Her abrupt confession made things awkward for both of them. They needed to work together but it was not as comfortable as before.

They both started to avoid each other, since that day, she didn't have a decent conversation with him.

That's why she wasn't even surprised when he came to the cafe a few days ago and left without seeing her.

It's not like he was busy but he was avoiding her, worried that things will become even more uncomfortable between them as they already are.

After Jiang Yue's death, she knew that it would be hard for him. But she had no idea that he would end up in this state. The more she looks at him, the more vulnerable he appears to be.

She sighed and removed his shoes and tucked him properly under the blanket. She adjusted the temperature of the air conditioner before walking out of the room.

-

As she walked out of the guest room, she jumped in a startle to see Yuhan sitting in the living room on the couch.

She patted her c.h.e.s.t trying to calm down, 'I almost forgot that it's his house.'

Since she didn't know Lin Hui's address, that's the only place she could think of to stay at for a night.

Yuhan was drinking water when Jia Fei walked out of the room. He glanced at her and noticed her solemn expressions.

He gulped and put the cup on the table, before asking, " He is sleeping?"

" Thanks for letting him stay here for a night. Also, he is not used to drinking much, if it won't be a bother, can you give him lemon honey water in the morning? Otherwise, he will feel uncomfortable the whole day."

He pursed his lips and nodded. She looked cheerful a while ago but since she came out of the room, she was looking tired and distressed.

On their way back home, the man kept repeating another woman's names in his sleep. When he glanced at her, he found her staring out of the window in a daze.

It doesn't look like she is her girlfriend, but he can tell that the relationship between them is complicated.

-

He looked at her and seeing how worried she was about him, he asked, " If you're that worried about him, why don't you stay for a night here too? It's too late to go back alone anyway."

She stared at him in surprise, " Can I? You're such a nice person. Why are you still single?"

"....."

Yuhan was speechless at her sudden change in attitude. She looked distressed just now, then how come her tone changed so quickly?

"Wait...shouldn't you at least deny this request for once and pretend to be humble? How can you be so shameless?" He asked, wondering how can she agree to it so fast?

" I was not planning to leave him all alone anyway. But thanks for asking me to stay before I can do so." she smiled at him and waved her hands.

Yuhan was speechless. Did I make a mistake by asking her to stay for a night?

--

Han Zihao was standing in the corridor and was waiting for Xu Nuan to arrive. It's already so late and she hasn't arrived yet. Her phone is switched off since she messaged him that she is going out for dinner with her friend.

But which friend? As much as he knows, she doesn't have any friends.

As he was walking back and forth in the corridor, the elevator stopped at the floor and Xu Nuan walked out of it.

" Where were you? Why is your phone off? Do you know how worried I was? " He asked while looking at her worriedly.

She looked red and a little tipsy. But more than that, her solemn expressions worried him.

Why would she stress after meeting a friend?

" You okay? You don't look good." He asked.

Xu Nuan looked at him and smiled mildly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. " I am fine. Just a little drunk."

He pursed his lips as her voice sounded hoarse and tired. " Which friend did you meet? The girls from your group? Or someone from college?" He asked while rubbing her back.

She sighed and said, " Lin Hui. He came back from his business trip and wanted to have dinner together."

His hand froze upon hearing his name. How can he forget about him?

He looked at her and seeing her dull complexion, he couldn't bring himself to ask more. If she went to dinner with him, what made her so sad and tired?

Chapter 270 - Mission In-Laws.

In the morning,

Lin Hui g.r.o.a.n.e.d as he stirred up from his sleep. He clenched his jaw when the sharp headache forced him to wake up from sleep.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings.

The walls were painted grey and there were white translucent curtains on the window on the right, from which the sunlight was coming in, hitting his face. The room was plain and b.a.r.e. There were no paintings or even a wall clock in the room, giving it an uninhabited feeling.

The bed in the middle of the room felt strange. There were only two pieces of furniture in the room, the bed and the wooden side table.

He frowned to see the unfamiliar surroundings and raised his head to find himself in an unfamiliar bed and was covered with a velvety grey blanket.

He immediately sat up on the bed and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain while massaging his temples. " What place is this?" He murmured while trying to remember the events of last night.

His lips curved downwards upon remembering the last words of Xu Nuan. " You're my best friend."

Although she didn't complete her words, those words were her clear response to his question.

He sighed heavily as the thought of last night was making him uncomfortable.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember how he ended up here. After sending Xu Nuan off, he took a taxi and went to the nearest lounge for a drink.

It was one of the days when he was craving alcohol. Only it could help him to soothe his burning heart.

'But what happened afterward? How come I ended up here?' He wondered.

Just as he was wondering what place it was, the door of the room opened. His eyes widened in surprise to see the familiar face.

" Jia Fei?"

-

Jia Fei, who brought lemon honey water for Lin Hui to drink to soothe his hangover, was caught off guard to see him awake. She wasn't expecting to see him awake and was planning to leave it on the side table before silently leaving the house.

She doesn't want to face him in the morning and that made the atmosphere even more awkward between them.

Jia Fei scratched the back of her neck and said awkwardly, " You woke up...quite early."

Lin Hui frowned and wondered what she was doing here. His eyes widened in shock as a crazy idea ran through his head. Don't tell me...is it her place?

-

He walked to him and said, " Thanks for letting me stay here. Jia Fei told me that it was you who carried me on the back last night. Sorry about that." He apologized, feeling embarrassed of his actions last night.

He doesn't remember anything but Jia Fei told him how the waiter contacted her and she went to pick him up at the lounge at night. If not for her friend to offer his place to stay, it would have been quite difficult for her to handle him.

Yuhan looked at him and teased, " I am glad that you're not too heavy, otherwise you would have come to visit me at the hospital."

-

At the dining table, the three of them sat together as they ate the porridge made by Yuhan.

Jia Fei tasted the porridge and looked at Yuhan in surprise. 'I thought he was useless but he can cook. Not bad!!' she wondered.

Lin Hui glanced at Jia Fei and raised his brows upon noticing her strange outfit. Now he sees it, she was wearing men's clothes. The grey t-shirt that she was wearing was loose on her and the black pajamas were also too big for her.

Her hair was tied in a ponytail but they looked a little messy as well.

" Jia Fei, did you sleep here last night too?" He asked curiously.

Jia Fei choked on the food and coughed violently before looking at him in surprise. She swallowed the food in her mouth before speaking, " Ah, Yes. By the time we reached here, it was too late to go back. I thought it was a better idea to stay here than leaving."

Last night when she decided to stay, Yuhan gave her a pair of his night pajamas for her to change into.

She was planning to crash on his couch in the living room, but surprisingly, he let her sleep in his bedroom, while he slept on the couch.

She hates to agree but he looked slightly manly when he did that.

Lin Hui nodded and glanced at Yuhan before asking again, " How do you know each other? You guys must be close since you let a stranger like me stay here for a night."

Yuhan glanced at Jia Fei and saw her staring at Lin Hui with pursed lips. Before he could say anything, she said, " Yes. We're quite 'close'. That's why I could stay at his place, otherwise, why would I stay at any stranger's place?" she laughed.

She is a renowned celebrity. She can't sleep anywhere carelessly, yet she did, for him. But it's not like it will change anything.

No matter how much one makes an effort, this cannot change someone's heart. Her feelings are her feelings, she can't force them on him and make him uncomfortable.

" Oh. I asked because I have never seen you before with any other friend. I am glad that you're making friends outside the group now." Lin Hui said.

Due to Jia Fei's feisty personality, she doesn't have any friends outside the group. In the five years of her career, he has never seen her talking to anyone else other than her group members.

Jia Fei covered her face with her palm, avoiding Yuhan's gaze. After seeing Lin Hui repeating Jiang Yue's name in his sleep, she doesn't want to tell him that to pick him from the lounge she risked her reputation and even slept at a stranger's house just to take care of him.

She doesn't want to look even more pathetic as she already is.

--

Xu Nuan stood in front of the vanity table as she checked herself in the mirror for the last time.

She was wearing a pastel blue dress that was hugging her body from the waist and was flowy from the bottom.

It was reaching to her knees, making it slightly conservative and elegant. The sleeveless dress has a highlight knot on the edge of the right shoulder, making the dress look out of the ordinary.

In the morning, she received a call from Grandmother Han who invited her to the Han Mansion for dinner with Han Zihao. It was her second time going to the Han Mansion, however this time, she is going there as Han Zihao's official girlfriend.

She took a deep breath before brushing her c.h.e.s.t-nut brown hair and let them loose in wavy soft curls.

" It was good that I bought some dresses the other day. Otherwise, I would have nothing to wear for tonight." She took a deep breath before slipping into her white heels.

"  Why am I feeling nervous when I have already met them before?"

-

In the car, Han Zihao glanced at Xu Nuan, who was looking stunning in the blue dress. The pastel blue dress was completing her fair complexion, making her look as delicate as porcelain.

Xu Nuan caught him staring at her and chuckled, " Stop looking at me already. You're making me embarrassed." She said while putting a few strands of her hair behind the ear, embarrassedly.

" Drive properly," she said while pointing at the front.

He laughed seeing her getting embarrassed.

He cleared his throat and said, " I don't know why Grandmother has called both of us home, but you don't need to worry about anything."

" Also, if you feel uncomfortable staying there, just give me a signal. We will leave immediately."

She frowned at him, " Don't you dare do anything impulsive like last time. Do you know how embarrassed I am to face them after what you did last time?"

"We shouldn't have left the Mansion without having dinner that time. It's not good manners," she complained, upon remembering how he barged into the Mansion last time like an angry bird and complained about calling her so abruptly.

At that time she had no relationship with him, but now she has. They can't be reckless like before.

He looked at her and patted her head gently while holding the steering wheel with the other hand, " Seems like someone wants to impress her in-laws."

Her face flushed upon hearing his comment, " What in-laws? It's not like we're getting married."

" We're not?" He asked while looking at her questioningly with a smirk.

She pursed her lips and looked away, " Hmph, keep talking. I am taking a nap."

He chortled seeing her getting red and shook his head, " I am having a feeling as if I am going home for dinner with my fiancee. Oh wait, should I say...Future wife?" He teased her, using the same way that she used to call him future boyfriend, back then.

However, she closed her eyes and shook her head to avoid his teasing.

Why is he getting bold and bolder day by day?

Chapter 271 - Great-grandchildren.

As soon as Xu Nuan and Han Zihao got out of the car, the servants who were waiting for them ran inside the Mansion to inform others.

Xu Nuan was caught off guard to see such a chaotic welcome as if they're some celebrities. She glanced at Han Zihao and smiled helplessly.

" Seems like Han Liang has already announced the news of us being together." she giggled.

They were planning to reveal the news to others, but Han Liang, the dumb-headed prince has once again proved that he truly deserves this name.

Han Zihao sighed and placed a hand on her back, " Let's go. This night is going to be quite chaotic."

-

Upon hearing the news of their arrival, Grandma Han threw her elegant image to the side and ran to the entrance corridor to welcome them.

Han Liang frowned seeing her running away like an old horse and followed her, " Oh My God!! Old woman, slow down. They're not going anywhere."

Grandma Han smiled widely to see Xu Nuan and went straight to give her a tight hug, pulling her away from Han Zihao, " Oh My dear, I missed you so much. Why didn't you come to meet me all this time, even for once, huh?" She asked while c.a.r.e.s.sing her face.

" I thought we were friends." She pouted upsettingly.

Xu Nuan was surprised to see Grandma Han's extremely cute-clingy behavior. No elder has ever treated her this way, not even her grandfather.

She smiled and held her hand, " I am sorry Grandma. From now on, I will contact you more often."

" That's my girl. Now come inside, everyone is waiting for you," she said and started to pull her along with her, leaving Han Zihao behind.

Han Zihao was speechless to see his Grandmother's biased attitude towards him. Before whenever he used to come to Han Mansion, she used to shower with all the love and attention, and now she is leaving him behind as if he doesn't belong here.

Is she the same Grandma that he used to know?

Han Liang looked at his brother's pitiful state who was ignored and chuckled, " Serves you right."

" Get Lost!" Han Zihao glared at him.

-

Inside, everyone was waiting for them in the living room. Upon seeing Xu Nuan coming with Grandmother Han, everyone stood up to welcome her.

Xu Nuan spotted Han Zihao's mother Cheng Zixing and greeted her with a smile but her smile paused when she spotted some new faces.

Grandmother Han saw her confusion and introduced her to others, " He is Han Zihao's Grandfather. It's your first time meeting him, isn't it?" she said while pointing to a man who was looking at her with a warm smile.

The old man was wearing a brown formal suit, his hair had turned white and some black hair spots could be seen on the scalp. The evidence of aging, the wrinkles on his face was obvious but other than that, he had maintained his health and body quite well.

Compared to his age, he looked handsome. Even though he was holding a wooden stick in his hand for support, she can tell that he must be a heartthrob in his times.

No doubt Han Zihao is so handsome. Handsomeness is in his genes afterall.

She bowed slightly and politely greeted him. The old man smiled back at her and waved his hand, " No need to be formal. Just think of me as your grandfather."

Grandmother Han scoffed to see the old man pretending to be a nice guy in front of his Granddaughter-in-law. " Grandfather, my foot! At the age of playing with grand-grandchildren, you're traveling with your friends. Hah!"

Xu Nuan glanced at Grandmother Han in shock and could feel her face turning red at her comment.

'Grand-grandchildren?'

Grandfather Han cleared his throat seeing his wife staining his image in front of Xu Nuan and said, " Don't talk nonsense. She came to our house for dinner, are you planning to fight all day?"

In the past few months, he wasn't at home as he went on a world trip with his friends. That's why he couldn't meet Xu Nuan when she came to the Han Mansion the last time.

His abrupt world trip shocked his wife since he didn't take her with him and went with his friends without telling anyone.

When she found out that he already went on a trip, she stopped talking to him. Even after coming back, she is still angry with him and doesn't talk to him without making a sarcastic remark.

He knows that he deserves it, but he had fun, so who cares. It was his first time going on a trip alone. He doesn't want to die without doing some adventure.

Who said that only young people can have fun? He earned so much money and built this big empire, can't he steal a bit of time for himself?

He might be the chairman of a big Corporation but at home, he has to abide by his wife's laws.

However, he can't allow her to taint his reputation in front of the younger generation, he is the head of the house after all.

She is new, she shouldn't see all of this so early.

Grandmother Han scoffed and turned to the man standing next to him and said, " He is Han Zihao's father and my elder son, Han Jianhong. He was out of the country for a business trip when you visited us as well."

" Greet him, he is going to be your father-in-law." She said suggestively, making Xu Nuan turn red at her words.

'Grandma Han is too straightforward. They haven't even thought about it that far and she is already fixing the relationsh.i.p.s.'

Han Jianhong smiled and greeted her back. He glanced at his son who was walking inside with Han Liang and was glad to see Han Zihao getting along well with everyone.

The glow on his face appeared to be different and even his eyes were smiling. It was his first time seeing his son this happy.

It's a good thing that Han Zihao found the girl whose existence is enough to make him smile.

--

After exchanging greetings, they all proceeded towards the dining table as it was time for dinner.

Xu Nuan's mouth fell off seeing the long white dining table covered with various dishes. It was not just a dinner but a whole feast.

The chairs were orderly arranged for them. Grandfather Han sat on the center, head table, meanwhile Grandmother Han sat on his right.

Grandma Han pulled Xu Nuan to sit beside her, while Han Zihao sat next to her.

The other three members took the seats opposite to them.

Grandma Han didn't allow Xu Nuan to take anything herself, instead, she served her, herself to pamper her.

" Xu Nuan, you don't need to worry. Han Zihao has already informed me that you don't eat mushrooms, so there are no mushrooms in any of the dishes."

Han Liang frowned. " But Grandma, I like mushrooms. You should have made something for me at least."

Grandma Han glared at him, " If you want to eat mushrooms, go to the hotel. How can you be so inconsiderate?"

" No doubt you don't have a girlfriend. If I had a granddaughter, I wouldn't allow her to date a man like you too!"

"....."

Han Liang was speechless and was ready to bang his head on the table. His family doesn't respect him at all.

Does she have to be this blunt with her words?

Xu Nuan looked at him and chuckled. She might bicker with Han Liang all the time, but there are no hard feelings.

Han Liang is also a cousin of Han Zihao however, their relationship is different from what she has with her cousin. She can't even bear to look at her face.

The reason why she can't eat mushrooms and the dark past that makes her feel guilty is all because of her.

If not for her, her life would have been much better and brighter. If not for her, her parents would have been with her, meeting with Han Zihao's family, and would be happy for their daughter.

As she was lost in her thoughts, she heard Cheng Zixing say, " To be honest, I never thought that you would actually get admission in Xin Lin when you said the last time. Meanwhile, your high-school performance was not that great as I have heard."

" How did you manage to get into Xin Lin? It's not an ordinary college after all." She asked while looking at Han Zihao in question.

Xu Nuan raised her brows as she could see the suspicion in her eyes. It was obvious that she was assuming that she got into the college because of him.

Han Zihao frowned and looked at his father. Jianhong was also surprised at his wife's sudden question.

Xu Nuan smiled as she didn't mind her question and squeezed Han Zihao's hand gently under the table before answering, " Hmm….using my talent? For colleges like Xin Lin, they sure have extraordinary smart students, but….they don't have skilled ones."

" Moreover, when they're getting a smart and skilled student like me, why would they miss such a golden opportunity?" She asked while smiling at her.

Han Liang, who was drinking water, almost choked and coughed before laughing, " Oh God, Xu Nuan. How can you praise yourself so shamelessly?"

Xu Nuan looked at him and winked, before turning to Cheng Zixing, who was also surprised by her response.

Grandma Han looked at Xu Nuan with a proud smile and patted her back, " Of course, our Xu Nuan is such a talented girl. How can they not give her admission?"

Xu Nuan glanced at Han Zihao, who still looked in a sour mood. She sighed and shook her head, telling him to not mind her words.

Chapter 272 - Sleeping...Together.

After the dinner, when Han Zihao and Xu Nuan were preparing to leave, Grandma Han looked at them sternly and said, " You both aren't going anywhere. Xu Nuan, it was your first time coming here for dinner officially as Han Zihao's girlfriend. You guys should stay here for a night at least."

Xu Nuan looked at Han Zihao in confusion, wondering if it would be alright for them to do so. She still feels that it's too early to stay over at his family's place but she doesn't want to upset Grandma.

However, before Han Zihao could say anything, Grandfather clapped his hands and said, " It's final. You both are staying over tonight."

" Your Grandmother has already made the preparations and has got your room cleaned." He said while supporting his wife's idea.

Grandma Han glanced at him but didn't say anything. At least he has a bit of sense.

Xu Nuan sighed as they had no choice but to stay over for the night. Thankfully, she doesn't have morning classes tomorrow, so it won't be a problem. She can take her time in the morning since she only has one lecture tomorrow, and that too in the afternoon.

-

After the dessert, Grandma Han looked at Han Zihao and Xu Nuan with a smile and said, " Han Zihao, take Xu Nuan to your room. Xu Nuan, you don't need to worry about the clothes, you can simply wear Han Zihao's clothes,...or not." she squeaked the last words that were not audible by others but Han Liang who was sitting next to her.

Han Liang looked at his Grandmother in shock, wondering what dirty plan she was making. He tried to nudge her but got a glare from her side in return.

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock upon hearing Grandmother Han's suggestive words. Wear Han Zihao's clothes? Sleep in the same room?

" Grandma, you mean, Han Zihao's room? I don't think it will be appropriate." she said hesitantly.

Han Zihao whose lips curled up secretly fell upon hearing her words. " I think it's fine. It will be a bother to get someone to clean the guest room. Moreover, the bedsheet must be quite dirty and smelly too, it's better to share a room with me." he voiced out, leaving everyone in the room stunned.

Grandma Han couldn't help but chuckle seeing her Grandson's impatient personality. His saint-like Grandson is finally following in her steps. Perfect. If things go with this speed, Great-Grandson is not far away.

As everyone left the living room one by one, Grandma Han and Cheng Zixing were left alone.

Cheng Zixing looked at her and said, " Mom, I don't think it's appropriate for two of them to share rooms like this. They just started dating and there is no surety how long they will be together."

Grandma Han frowned and shot her a look, " Why do you think that they won't be together for long? I know Han Zihao, he knows the value of a relationship and family better than anyone. You don't need to think about them."

" But you don't know Xu Nuan.  I also liked Xu Nuan initially, but she is too young for him. She is just 22 while he is 29 years old. Yet she treats him like they're of the same age, they won't be a good match. Also,  her familial situation is rather complicated. It won't be suitable for her to be with Han Zihao and become the Mistress of the Han Family. We have a status in the society to behold after all."

Grandma Han frowned, " Cheng Zixing, I didn't say anything when you and Jianhong got married. You're also too young for him, but you both are doing well. Age doesn't matter when it comes to love, and you're a teacher. You should be more open-minded, we're living in the 21st century after all."

" They will do just fine. You don't need to worry." As said this, Grandma Han stood up and left the room, leaving Cheng Zixing alone to deal with her mindless thoughts.

-

In the room, Xu Nuan looked around and admired the subtle elegance of Han Zihao's room. The room is bigger than his bedroom in the Condo and well decorated too.

The walls were painted grey, giving a dark elegance to the room. Upon entering the room, a small corridor was there which led to a resting area where a grey couch was there and a small-circular black translucent glass table. There is a door that leads to the balcony where small flower pots were giving life to the darkroom.

Xu Nuan was sitting on his large bed, wondering how they're going to sleep tonight. Should I take the couch tonight? Or tell him to sleep there? But it will be short and uncomfortable for him.

She was lost in her thoughts when Han Zihao walked out of the closet area and handed her a set of his pajamas, " Here. You can change into these."

" You already took a shower?" She asked.

He nodded and said, " You can take too if you want…"

He pursed his lips, wondering why the atmosphere in the room feels so stuffy and uncomfortable.

" Oh, thanks. Then...I'll take a shower." She took them and left for the bathroom, avoiding eye contact with him.

How awkward!!

She has gone to his house multiple times and has done so many things together, but sleeping in the same room, that too when they aren't even drunk is the very first time for them.

-

Han Zihao was sitting on the bed and was trying to calm himself by doing breathing exercises. When it didn't work, he took out his laptop and tried to do some of his work, but he couldn't concentrate.

Frustrated, when he put away his laptop, he heard the cl.i.c.k.i.n.g sound of the door opening. He looked over and saw Xu Nuan walking out of the closet room, wearing his grey t-shirt which was big and loose on her.

His eyes widened in shock to see that she wasn't wearing the pajama on the bottom.

Xu Nuan noticed his shocked expressions and said in a low voice, " Well, the bottom was big and quite loose on me. So I didn't wear it." The elastic of the pajamas was loose on her, constantly slipping off her waist. In the end, she decided to not wear it, she was gonna cover up with the blanket anyway.

Han Zihao, but his eyes keep going to her side. His pupils grew bigger when he realized that she wasn't wearing her bra underneath as well. Her peaked n.i.p.p.l.es were visible to him even though it was an oversized, loose t-shirt.

Her hair was damped, even after drying. Her skin was glowing after the shower, a sweet flowery scent of body wash was coming out of her.

Damnnn!!

He looked away as he could feel his temperature rising, making him feel hot even though the air conditioner was on.

-

Xu Nuan pursed her lips as she felt embarrassed standing in front of him, wearing his t-shirt only. She doesn't wear bras to sleep, and even if she has to, she prefers to wear some old and ragged ones that will not make her feel uncomfortable while sleeping.

However, she was wearing a brand new and expensive bra with her dress, she doesn't want to ruin its appearance by wearing it to sleep.

She scratched the back of her neck embarrassedly and said, " So….should I sleep on the couch? You can take the bed since the couch will be too small for you." As said this, she hurried to take the pillow from the bed and started to pull the blanket when Han Zihao sat up and grasped her wrists, " Where are you going?"

" To the couch?" she said with uncertainty, not sure why he was asking this again.

He pursed his lips and looked at her face, trying to not look below, " You don't need to. The bed is big enough for the two of us to sleep. Let's just...sleep together." He finally said it.

Xu Nuan gulped and blinked her eyes nervously. Don't think anything dirty Xu Nuan, let's just count the sheep to sleep.

She took a deep breath and said, " Yeah. Let's do that. You can sleep on that corner, and I will on this one. Problem solved."

He nodded and shifted to make space for her. He patted his side and said, " Let's sleep."

Xu Nuan slipped under the blanket and covered her b.a.r.e legs properly. She glanced at Han Zihao awkwardly and could feel her face burning up. She laughed, " Haha, it's okay. We can sleep on the same bed, we're dating after all."

" It's not like we're doing something," she said while laughing to reduce the tension in the air.

Han Zihao looked at her and asked in a low voice, " What...something?"

She stared at him, " Eh?"

She pursed her lips as she could see that he asked the question deliberately to make fun of her. He was looking at her in question, but the slight smirk on his face was giving away his pretense.

This...This...He sure loves to play innocent at times like this.

Chapter 273 - Best night ever**

[ WARNING: M.A.T.U.R.E CONTENT AHEAD.]

Xu Nuan was lying on her back and had covered herself with the blanket. She was lying in the straight position and wasn't moving, at all.

Han Zihao glanced at her and saw her staring at the ceiling awkwardly. She was looking so stiff and uncomfortable. " You know you can breathe. You don't need to be this awkward. It's not like we're sleeping on the same bed for the first time." He said, reminding her about the day they fell asleep together on the same bed, in his office bedroom.

"Also, it's not new for you to come over to my place." he laughed.

Xu Nuan breathed out the breath that she was holding on to for a while. " That was...that was your place, not your family Mansion. Also, it was just staying over for dinner, not...sleeping together." she squeaked, making him chuckle.

He chuckled and shakes his head, 'She is so awkwardly cute.'

" In that case….turn to your side. It will be much more comfortable since you won't be able to see me." He said.

Xu Nuan felt that his words do make sense and did as he said. However, as soon as she turned on her side and her back faced him, she felt his hand wrapping around her waist and could feel his c.h.e.s.t against her back.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she tried to look at him, but he stopped her from turning, " Let's just sleep like this. Otherwise, no one will be able to fall asleep tonight." He breathed in her ear, making her shiver at his raspy-sleepy voice.

His hand was firmly holding onto her waist, making her feel ticklish in the stomach. His face was snuggling closer to her and she could feel his breath hitting her ears, making her whole body shiver.

Can they fall asleep tonight? Although this position was making her nervous, it was...comfortable. It was warm and she felt like home in his arms, secure and loved.

She knew what was...poking her.

She gulped and could feel his hands that were wrapped around her waist, roaming around on her stomach. She gasped when his hands started to move towards the south, c.a.r.e.s.sing her t.h.i.g.hs gently.

She gasped, " Mr. Han...You said to sleep."

He didn't open his eyes and g.r.o.a.n.e.d painfully before speaking, " To hell with sleeping." As said this, he flipped her on her back and hovered over her. He positioned one leg between her legs and kissed her lips passionately.

Xu Nuan was caught off guard to see his urgent side but gave in to his kisses, which started to melt away her guard slowly.

While his lips were exploring her mouth and were deepening the kiss by invading her mouth, his hands were feeling her curves, making her arch her back unconsciously. Her muffled m.o.a.ns were boosting his confidence to make her feel pampered tonight.

From her waist and sides, his hands slipped under her T-shirt, making her gasp in surprise. However, his lips that were now teasing her ears, making her wriggle in his arms was too much of a distraction for her.

While Xu Nuan was lost in the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e that his lips were giving her, Han Zihao was busy fondling her round mounds and couldn't believe how soft they were. He played with her mounds and slightly flicked her n.i.p.p.l.es, earning a m.o.a.n from her in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

His lips nibbled on her earlobes to her neck and collarbone, slowly making his way to her c.h.e.s.t. He pulled up her t-shirt, bundling it over her c.h.e.s.t and revealing her pearl-like skin.

Han Zihao was also surprised to see how white her skin looked underneath. He looked at her face and found her biting her lower lip in embarrassment. She was looking alluring at the moment, without even trying.

And he knows that the look that she is giving right now, it's for him only. He is the one to whom she shows her weak and vulnerable side.

To the world, she can be blunt and strong, but to him, she is the most precious person that he needs to protect, at any cost.

Without waiting for a minute, he took one of her b.r.e.a.s.ts in his mouth, while fondling with the other simultaneously. Xu Nuan m.o.a.n.e.d at the attention that his mouth and hand were giving to her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She grabbed his hair and pushed his head towards her b.r.e.a.s.t while trying to prevent herself from m.o.a.ning aloud.

While s.u.c.k.i.n.g on her b.r.e.a.s.t, his one hand moved downwards, c.a.r.e.s.sing her skin on its way. He c.a.r.e.s.sed the smooth skin on her t.h.i.g.hs, slowly reaching to the inner t.h.i.g.h.

By now, Xu Nuan was a m.o.a.ning mess and was not able to process what's going on. This feeling was too good and addicting for her to think clearly.

Han Zihao gently made circles on her inner t.h.i.g.h with his finger, making her shiver at the tickling sensation. He looked up from her b.r.e.a.s.ts and was surprised to see her lost in the feeling. Her eyes were closed and her damp hair was spread across the pillow and a few hair strands were sticking to her neck and face, which she least cared about at the moment.

His lips curled into a pleased smirk and he was even more determined to make her feel good tonight.

Xu Nuan was jolted when his hand touched her down there. Her eyes widened and when she raised her head to look down, she found him pleasuring her b.r.e.a.s.t with his lips at the same time.

" Ummm, Mr. Han…" She called him out when his fingers pressed against her p.a.n.t.i.e.s, rubbing her gently, making her unable to speak.

Han Zihao c.a.r.e.s.sed over her p.a.n.t.i.e.s, torturing her with sweet p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Her toes curled up and she tried to close her legs, but he parted them away and said in a low voice, " Yue Yue, what is my name?" He called her by her name.

She glanced at him and could feel a strange feeling when he called her by her name in the bed. It was….undeniably s.e.xy.

Seeing her staring at him, he pushed her p.a.n.t.i.e.s to the side and rubbed her down there, without pulling them down.  She grabbed his hair instinctively, but he smiled at her before intensifying the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, earning a loud m.o.a.n from her.

However, after giving her the taste of intense p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, he pulled out his finger from her, making her glare at him.

" What was my name again?" He teased her.

She gritted her teeth seeing him being cheeky and turned her head away in exasperation. However, he didn't back down either.

He c.a.r.e.s.sed her on the inner t.h.i.g.h, making her excited again. But he wasn't doing what she wanted.

She could feel something pooling in her lower abdomen, making her feel the strange sensation. " Zi...Zihao. Fine?" she said aloud.

He inserted a finger inside her without any warning, catching her by surprise. While his fingers were moving to and fro in her, he went to kiss her on the lips.

She also welcomed his kiss with open arms and m.o.a.n.e.d against his lips when his fingers were showing the best of the world. Her body trembled when the ball of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e formed inside her, ready to burst out.

" AHhh, Zihao," she hugged him tightly, sticking her b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t against his clothed body and snuggled into his nape, while he rubbed her bud of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e rigorously seeing her trembling and gave her the last push of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e before she weakly slumped in his arms.

She g.r.o.a.n.e.d in the aftereffects of the sheer p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e while Han Zihao laid beside her and pulled her in his arms. " Let's sleep now. Otherwise, it's gonna be even more difficult for me to control," he said while rubbing her back to calm her down.

Her face was beet red and her breathing was haggard.  He pulled down her t-shirt and covered her with the blanket before pulling her in a hug.

She breathed against his c.h.e.s.t and hugged his waist to feel the warmth.

After a few moments, when she caught her breath and senses, she looked up at him in embarrassment and said, " Are...you okay? Do you want me...to help you with...?" she squeaked and her eyes trailed to look down.

He raised his brows and took a deep breath before raising her chin with his finger, ".Just sleep. Don't speak such lethal words." He g.r.o.a.n.e.d and hugged her tightly to sleep.

If they don't stop now, then he won't be able to control himself tonight. That was his best attempt to not take her down right here.

He p.l.e.a.s.u.r.ed her, but he didn't want to take her first time, so casually.  She might act boldly in front of him, but her actions were making it obvious that she was inexperienced in this area, just like him.

How can he take her first time so casually? It has to be special, and he will make sure of it.

She is his most precious treasure, and she has to be treated with care. He wants to make sure to give her the best experience of her life when they reach that level in their relationship.

' I can't wait for that day to come.' He sighed and pecked on her forehead before patting her head and said, "Sleep."

Xu Nuan also nodded and hugged him back. It's better to stop, otherwise, it will be difficult for her to control her voice and she doesn't want to do anything more at his family's house.

It would be embarrassing if anyone heard the noises coming out from their room. It's better to sleep than facing immense embarrassment in the morning.

Chapter 274 - A Problem...

The next morning-

Xu Nuan g.r.o.a.n.e.d in her sleep because of the bright sunlight that was coming from the window and was hitting her face. She yawned and tried to stretch her arms but couldn't.

She frowned and opened her eyes groggily to see Han Zihao who was hugging her while sleeping.

Her lips curled in a smile seeing his face first thing in the morning. His messy hair and morning sleepy  face was a sight to behold.

How can someone look s.e.xy even in the morning? So unfair.

When her eyes fell on his lips, her earlobes turned beet red upon remembering the events of the last night. It was quite an adventure.

Thinking about it, she started to feel hot even though the air conditioner was on. She pursed her lips to stop herself from smiling and wriggled to get out of the embrace, but he didn't loosen his grip around her waist, instead, he pulled her closer.

He grunted in sleep before opening his eyes slowly. His lips curled up to see her staring at him with her clear large eyes, " Did you sleep well?" He asked in his raspy voice.

" Oh?"

He chuckled seeing her startled and confused, he snuggled in her nape, hugged her tighter, " Sleep a bit more. We have time."

She pursed her lips seeing his spoiled side and cleared her throat before speaking, " I have time, but you don't. Don't you need to go to the office?"

He shook his head, " No, I don't. I am the President of the Company, who can dare to say anything to me?"

She scoffed at him being c.o.c.ky and slapped his hand hard, " Stop acting like a child and get up already. Your family is waiting downstairs."

He looked at her with a frown but seeing her stern gaze, he gave up. However, seeing her being authoritative, he was overjoyed. It was as if they're already a married couple who're living together for years.

" I am going to take a shower first. You go after me." She removed his hand from her before slipping out of the bed.

However, as soon as she stepped down, she felt weak on her legs. They felt sore and tired. They didn't go all the way and yet she is like this. What's gonna happen when they will go all the way?

She adjusted her clothes and pulled down her t-shirt to cover her t.h.i.g.hs and was about to enter the closet room when she heard him say, " If you're going to take a shower, why don't we take a bath together? This will not only save time but water as well. We should save the water, you know."He said with a wide grin and added, " The bathtub is quite wide too, comfortable enough for two people."

She raised brows at him and scoffed. " Aren't you being too shameless? It's morning, wake up already."

" So what? Is there a rule that we can't do 'things' in the morning? Moreover, men are quite 'active' in the morning, you know." He shrugged, leaving her speechless.

Is this the same man who used to blush at every time she came close to him and flirted with him? Where did that innocent man disappear to? Who is he?

**

A few days later,

Xu Nuan was in college, busy with her classes and never-ending assignments. In the dramas, they show the cool college life, but they never show the painful-never-ending assignments that snatch away the social life of the students from them.

She sighed while listening to the professor's lecture and took notes in her notebook. However, her attention was disrupted when her phone buzzed and a message notification appeared on the screen.

She unlocked her phone and checked the message while the professor was busy writing something on the board and had his back to them.

[ Xu Nuan, I have made some side dishes for you since you liked them the last time. I will tell Han Liang to hand it to Han Zihao, so eat well. You're too thin, you should eat well and take care of your health.]

Her lips curled into a smile upon reading Grandma Han's message. After staying at the Han Mansion the other day, she has become quite close to her and the other family members.

Although Cheng Zixing is indifferent to her, other family members not only like her but treat her as a part of their family.

**

Xu Nuan was sitting in the library and was sorting out her notes when her phone buzzed again. She frowned to see Grandfather Gu's call and wondered if everything was alright back at home.

After Han Zihao filed a complaint against Xingren, the Gu family was in chaos. The news has spread to the business circle and it is on everyone's tip that the heiress of the Gu family has tried to kill the adopted daughter of the family.

However, it hasn't been spread to everyone that the adopted daughter of the Gu family is the real Gu.

The investigation against Xingren is taking longer than expected since the evidences are unclear and not strong enough to give her a proper punishment. The audio clip that Xu Nuan posted on the forum was taken down due to the new forum policy to protect the student's private life.

And even if it was submitted to the police, it won't be strong enough to prove that the video is legit and not fake since Xu Nuan used illegal ways to extract the audio. Even though Xingren is in the city, because of the investigation she cannot leave the country yet and join the college in which Gu Zhang had made arrangements for her to study.

She sighed and went outside to pick up his call.

Gu Corporations,

In the meeting room, the major shareholders of the company had gathered and were wearing solemn expressions. They are all waiting for the meeting to start so that they could discuss what they had gathered for.

As they were glancing at Gu Zhang with hostile gazes, the door of the conference room was pushed open and Grandfather Gu and Xu Nuan emerged together.

Xu Nuan was gently holding onto his hand to support him to walk as he was getting old and walking has become quite a task for him. On top of that, the stressful events these days are making him even more vulnerable.

Xu Nuan saw everyone's dull expressions and pursed her lips. A while ago, when she got Grandfather Gu's call, he asked him to come to the company and attend the emergency meeting as the major shareholder of the company.

She was confused but she wasn't given much time to process the situation and had to come here immediately.

' Seems like something big has happened.' she wondered after reading everyone's grim expressions.

Grandfather Gu took his seat on the chair, in the middle of the table to head the meeting, while Xu Nuan sat on his right and Gu Zhang was sitting on his left.

" Since everyone has arrived, let's start the meeting." He said to commence the meeting.

'It's not like she can do anything to solve the problem.' They thought.

One of the shareholders looked at Grandfather Gu and started, " Mr. Gu, last time you announced that Xu Nuan is the real daughter of the Gu family and deserves the position in the company. We didn't say anything when you made her the second-biggest shareholder in the company after you."

" But what are you going to say about the situation going on now? Xingren's scandal is now being spread to everyone in the circle and her heinous actions are being looked down on by everyone."

" Because of that, the company's reputation is going downhill, after all, she was the face of the company. She not only used to work in the company, but she had led in many promoting events of the company as well. What are you going to do about that?" the man asked.

Gu Zhang clenched his fists and stared at the man coldly, but couldn't say a word. What can he say? He is in no position to make any comments.

" Mr. Gu Zhang, you need to take action to solve this situation. We can't let our money go in the drain just because of your daughter's willful act." another man voiced out.

" Yes, Yes. You need to do something to protect the company's reputation." Others also joined them, to pressure them to turn around the tides so that the situation won't affect the company's reputation further.

As they were all blaming Gu Zhang and Xingren, Xu Nuan was sitting there quietly and was watching the drama unfolding. Hopefully, now he will know that others hate Xingren as much as she does.

While everyone was busy bashing Gu Zhang and things were getting chaotic, the door of the meeting room was pushed open and the head of the IT department came running.

" Chairman, there is a problem." He went to Grandfather Gu and said while panting heavily and was breathless.

Grandfather Gu frowned seeing him worried and breathless. " What happened?"

Chapter 275 - Cyberattack

The room fell into deep silence when the head of the IT department barged into the room running and looked worried.

Grandfather Gu looked at the man and pursed his lips, " What happened? What is so important that you came barging into the room like this?"

The man took a deep breath before saying, " Sir, There is a big problem which needs your urgent attention."

Grandfather Gu frowned but waited for his explanation. The man glanced at Gu Zhang before continuing, " The computer in Mr. Gu Zhang's office seems to have been hacked by someone."

" One of my employees went to his room to check the computer when his secretary informed some technical issues this morning. However, those don't seem to be general technical issues but seem like it has been hacked by someone." His voice became low by the end of it.

Gu Zhang's eyes widened upon hearing this. " What? How can it be possible? It was fine just yesterday."

The man pursed his lips and continued, " That computer consists of all the major information of the company, from finances to the planning of the future and running projects too.

If the information were to be leaked, it could harm the company in a very bad way."

In the room, everyone was holding their breath while listening to his explanation. This issue will not only lead to severe damage financially but it will damage the company's reputation in the market too.

" Then why don't you do something? Aren't you the head of the IT department? You should know how to deal with this situation." Gu Zhang asked worriedly.

" We tried to resolve the issue but it is something that is not in our capacity." The man looked at Grandfather Gu and said, " Sir, We need to take some action before the information can be leaked to the other party completely. Otherwise, we will have to prepare for the worst.

The shareholders looked at Gu Zhang in fury and started playing the blame game again.

[ Mr. Gu, how are you managing the company? How can something as severe as hacking the executive's computer can happen in our company?"]

[ Mr. Gu, did Xingren visit the company in the last few days? Seeing her actions these days, I am afraid that she might have done that to take revenge on you.]

Gu Zhang frowned, " What do you mean by this? She is also a shareholder of the company, why would she do something like this?"

The man scoffed, " Did you forget that she is not your biological daughter? Trying to murder someone is not normal either, she is fully capable to do something as audacious as this."

" Also, after the scandal broke out, she must be in a messy state. I am sure that it's her."

Xu Nuan was speechless and wanted to applaud the man for his wise words. Although she knows that it's not something that Xingren can think of, she is too stupid for doing such things. But someone speaking against Xingren, made her feel oddly pleasant.

She coughed lightly and looked at others, " Well, I am not defending Mr. Gu, but these days cyberattacks are not that uncommon, especially when it comes to big companies like us. There must be many more companies who must have faced the same situation, but haven't revealed it to the public, just like we won't."

" So rather than playing the blame game, shouldn't you all focus on finding the solution to this problem?" she asked, leaving everyone dumbfounded in the room.

Gu Zhang looked at her and pursed his lips seeing her defending him in front of others. He treated her badly and never took her side in front of others, yet she was speaking up for him.

-

Upon hearing Xu Nuan's words, Grandfather Gu nodded and turned to the man, " Hire someone from outside to deal with the issue. There will be some cybersecurity companies that can deal with such issues. Rather than wasting time, contact them and call them for help."

"Sir, I already asked my subordinate to check on that. Hopefully, we will soon get a positive response from their side."

Everyone calmed down upon hearing this. However, before they could take a breath of relief, the door opened again and another employee from the IT department entered the room.

The young man looked at the head of the department and then at Gu Zhang nervously before reporting, " Sir, I have contacted all the trustworthy companies who are experts in dealing with such issues but it's of no use."

"Some are too packed to take any additional project at the moment and some are simply incapable to do so. So I couldn't find anyone who can help us with this."

Gu Zhang frowned and slammed on the table in frustration and shouted, " Then pay double. Wait no, tell them that we will pay them how much they want, just solve this issue as soon as possible."

The young man looked at Gu Zhang, feeling intimidated, he said in a low voice, " We tried to lure them with money but some of them still denied to do so, since it was out of their capacity and the problem seems to be much more complicated after seeing the situation."

" And some are asking for full advance payment. However, they're still not sure if they can solve the bug or not. The situation this time seems to be worse than we expected."  He said.

Gu Zhang gritted his teeth in anger, " Then what are they asking for money if they can't be sure that they're capable of completing the task or not? Are they trying to get money from us for free? Rubbish!!'.

[ We're doomed. Mr. Gu, I want my money back. I don't care, I want it back.]

[ Yes. We want it back too. I don't want my money to go to waste like this because of someone's carelessness.]

[Yes, we want our money back. We won't go down with you all.]

The shareholders started to speak out as the fear started to settle in their hearts.

Gu Zhang's mouth opened in shock to see everyone turning their backs on them. If they all take their investments back at the same time, this will destroy their company for good.

This time, seeing the situation, Grandfather Gu grew worried as well.

Xu Nuan, who was watching everything, saw Grandfather Gu's pale complexion and sighed. She took a sip of water from the water bottle placed in front of her and put the bottle down before speaking, " Well, if you want I can...

However, before she could say anything, one of the shareholders, scowled at her, " Girl, you better don't say anything now. You defended your father a while ago, however, now it's not the time for that."

" You should not speak if you can't do anything. What do you know about hacking and stuff anyway? If you're here for spectacle, then just sit here quietly and watch." He said in frustration, at which other shareholders also nodded.

At this moment, they aren't in the mood to listen to her nonsense.

Xu Nuan raised her brows and scoffed, " Well, are you sure you don't want to hear it? Because I do have a solution to solve this issue. However, if you don't want to listen, then nevermind." she shrugged and leaned back on the chair comfortably after completing her words.

Everyone looked at her in surprise and wondered why she was so confident. Grandfather Gu looked at her and said, " Xu Nuan, don't listen to them. If you have any idea how to resolve this problem, then say it."

" You have the full right to speak in official matters. After all, you're the second major shareholder after me." He glared at others and said sternly, "No one  can intimidate you like this."

Xu Nuan smiled and glanced at the head of the IT department before speaking, " I know someone who can deal with this kind of issue without taking an advance payment. That person only takes the payment after the problem has been resolved. If you want, I can provide you with their contact details."

The man's eyes lit up as he looked at her in surprise, " Really? Who is it? And Which company?"

She pursed her lips and said hesitantly, " Ermm, it's a new cybersecurity service company. It hasn't taken any big projects yet but I feel there is no problem in letting that person look at the issue  since we won't have anyone to help at this moment and they won't be taking payment unless the problem is resolved."

One of the shareholders objected, " What nonsense? The company is new and inexperienced, how can we believe that a cheap company that you're talking about, can resolve this serious issue?"

Xu Nuan's expressions darkened upon hearing him say 'cheap company'.  She scoffed, "The company is in danger, if you don't do anything now, the company's confidential information will not only be leaked but the future proposals will be leaked as well."

" The harm will not be only financial but this will make the public doubtful of our confidentiality and security. Not only that, if this cyberattack is that severe as they're saying, it won't take time for them to hack other computers in the company as well since they have already attacked the main system of the company which is with Mr. Gu and was highly protected."

" And that can lead the company to its doom."

"Unlike you, rather than playing the blame game, I was just trying to help the company since I have a certain responsibility as one of the major shareholders of the company. The choice is yours, I can't stop you if you want to take your money back, but mind your words before calling any company cheap." she spatted, leaving the man embarrassed in front of everyone.

Everyone looked at Xu Nuan in surprise upon hearing her sharp yet eloquent words.

Chapter 276 - Cyberattack II

After Gu Zhang gave her the authority to take the action, Xu Nuan turned to the Head of the IT department and stood up.

She took out a business card from her bag and handed it to him, " You can contact them through their email ID. This is their business card. You can send them mail and wait for the response. If they accept your request, they will revert to you. Otherwise…."

Grandfather Gu frowned and asked, " Xu Nuan, how do you know about this company? You have no reason to get to know a new cybersecurity company."

" I just got to know about them coincidently. However, I don't know much about them either. This business card is all I have with me."

The IT guy stared at the card in his hand and was left speechless. 'The Eagle Eye Cyber Security? What kind of company name is this?' He wondered.

The business card was simple and classy in its own unique way. The matte black card has an eagle made in the middle, while the name of the company was written on the top in golden color.

There wasn't much information about the company on the card, except one email address. He grew worried and was not sure if this company would take on this project or not.

If they don't, then it will become even more difficult for them to deal with this situation. Because no other companies are willing to take this project at the moment.

-

After handing him the card, Xu Nuan turned to Grandfather Gu and said, "Grandfather, I will take my leave now. I don't think there is any need for me to stay here anymore."

The old man nodded at her and allowed her to go. It's not like she can do anything by staying here either. It's better to go and rest.

" Go and take a rest. Don't think much about this issue. Everything will be alright." He said to not make her worry.

However, she could see the distress in his eyes clearly and smiled, " Of course, everything will be fine. You also should go home and rest. Don't take much stress."

-

After bidding him goodbye, she didn't go to the college or office. Instead, she took a taxi to go home.

As soon as she reached home, she changed into comfortable clothes and sat in the living room with her laptop. She put the laptop on charging before checking the mailbox, not her personal one, but for work.

In the mailbox, there was new mail that was waiting for her. Her lips curled up to see an official mail from the Gu Enterprises to take up the project to fight the cyber attack on their system. In the mail, it was written that they can discuss the payment and their main priority right now is to deal with this situation urgently.

Her lips curled up in a smirk before she sent them a reply. After replying to their mail, she stretched her hand and took a sip of her strawberry flavored milk, while waiting for the answer.

-

Gu Zhang was walking back and forth behind him in worry, hoping the man would accept their request as well. " Did he reply?"

The man shook his head disappointedly, " Not yet. I don't know if we should fully depend on this person or not. I think we should-

His employee, who was checking the mailbox as well on his laptop, shouted in excitement, " It's here. He replied."

" Really?"

Gu Zhang looked at the laptop screen and pursed his lips to see an indifferent response from the other party.

[ It will be a hundred thousand dollars for this kind of issue. Since you'll be my first client, I am giving you a heavy discount, otherwise, my fees are higher than this. The payment will be made after the work. Deal or no deal?]

The Head of the IT department was not sure upon reading the 'first client' in the mail. " Sir, what should we do about it? I am not sure if this person can deal with this problem or not."

Gu Zhang pursed his lips and after some consideration, he said, " Go with it. Since the payment will be made only after the work is done, there is no harm in going ahead with it. Let's say yes, for now."

The employee nodded and responded to the mail as Gu Zhang's suggestion.

Xu Nuan raised her brows to see their response and was surprised at how quickly they responded. They must be on their toes at this moment.

" Should I get on with the work too?" She stretched her fingers before starting her magic.

The cybersecurity company that she had recommended to Gu Zhang, was the project on which she was working for quite a while.

Since she wanted to fulfill her dream and built an entertainment company where artists can focus on polishing their skills, rather than money-making only, she needed to give them the required sources.

And to that, she will need quite a lot of money. Training the idols or actors is something that requires a lot of patience and investment. She can't be hasty with it and starts an entertainment company randomly.

And the easiest way to earn that money is through investment or doing something to make money. However, along with investments from the investors, she will still have some of her money saved up too.

Since she has incredible skills, why not use them? She registered this cybersecurity company a while ago and was wondering how to promote it so that she will not need to show her face or name to anyone.

However, she wasn't expecting to get a project this soon. And that project will be from Gu enterprises, which was even more surprising to her.

But she is not stupid to let go of this opportunity. Business is business, in no way she will give her services to Gu enterprises for free. Even though they're her family, at least to the real Xu Nuan, they owe her a lot.

-

A frown appeared on Xu Nuan's forehead as she penetrated through Gu enterprise's security wall easily. " It's quite vulnerable. No doubt their system got hacked like this." she shook her head in disappointment as she checked the condition of the attack.

" Seems like it's gonna take quite a while to solve this issue." she g.r.o.a.n.e.d before getting on the real work.

The hours went by as the sun set up and night came in no time, however, the work was still not done.

Her eyes became tired and her body started to feel stiff and tired. " I am tired…" she g.r.o.a.n.e.d, " But I have work to do!!" she cried out while her fingers were typing on the laptop.

Although it was quite difficult to work through this laptop only, she doesn't have enough money to arrange a whole professional set-up for herself. It would have been better if she could get a custom-made computer for herself with multiple monitor screens. That will be heaven for her.

She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice her ringing doorbell, not the phone that was on the vibration.

-

Han Zihao, who was waiting for her at his place with dinner, frowned when she didn't pick up the call nor responded to him when he rang the doorbell. He tried to unlock the password but it seems like she has changed the password after the last time.

" Why isn't she responding to my calls? Her lights are on so she is definitely at home, then why?" He wondered in worry.

" Is she sleeping?" He thought. Since she has to study and work at the same time, it must be exhausting for her.

" I think I should call her again after some time." He thought before putting the dishes away in the fridge.

-

" Finally!! It's done." Xu Nuan clapped her hands in happiness before stretching her sore body. She drank her 5th cup of cold coffee and sent the mail to the IT department.

-

Gu Zhang was sitting at the table in the conference room tiredly as he looked at the time. It was past 3 am already. However, there is still no news from the other side.

He hasn't left the office and wasn't planning to do so before resolving this issue. The company's future is at stake, how can he go home and relax in this situation.

The whole IT department was like this as they all were waiting and were trying to reduce the harm as much as possible.

The head of the IT department, who was accompanying Gu Zhang in the conference room beamed when he received the mail from the other party, " Sir, we got a new mail."

Gu Zhang, whose eyes were drooping and was tired, his eyes lit up upon hearing his words. He immediately stood up and walked by his side. He looked into his screen and read the mail;

[Mission completed!! The malware has been removed and the bugs have been fixed as well. Your company's security wall is quite weak, no doubt it got hacked so easily. Anyway, the account details are below, send the payment on this account. Good night!!]

Gu Zhang was speechless and glanced at the head of the IT department, " Did he say that the situation is under control now? Go and check the status of the system. Also, how much damage has been done, and if the issue has been resolved, fully?" He hurries the man to go and check the situation.

He thought that it will take a long but it has been resolved sooner than he had expected.

" Yes Sir. I'll go right away."

Chapter 277 - Morning surprise!!

The next morning,

Xu Nuan was sleeping when her phone suddenly started ringing. She didn't wake up when it rang for the first time, but when it started ringing for the second time, she couldn't ignore it.

She g.r.o.a.n.e.d while tiredly raising her head to look for her phone, " Argh….who is calling early in the morning?"

" Ah, my neck!" She cried in pain when her neck made a crack sound due to stiffness. She sat up straight and massaged her neck while looking for her phone through the mess around her.

Last night, after completing the work, she fell asleep in the living room while checking for more issues that needed to be fixed in the security system of Gu enterprises.

Along with the laptop and notebook on the table, coffee mugs and the empty ch.i.p.s packet were taking all the remaining space.

She didn't sleep on the couch, instead, she slept in the sitting position, with her back and head against the couch for support.

No doubt her neck and back pain was killing her!!

" Where is this damn phone?" She gritted her teeth and answered the phone in annoyance when she finally found it in the pile of trash of empty ch.i.p.s packets on the table.

However, as soon as she picked up the call, she heard Grandfather Gu's beaming voice from the other side.

" Xu Nuan, why weren't you picking the phone for so long? Are you at college?" He asked worriedly, remembering it's a weekday. Even though he was worried that he might have disturbed her, the excitement in his voice could be heard.

She frowned and glanced at the time. It was 9 am.

She sighed since she was supposed to be in college at this time. Seems like she slept through the alarm and didn't even wake up to stop it.

But staying at home and catching up on her sleep is way better than attending the class, looking like a zombie.

Even though she missed her morning class, she still has other classes to attend.

" No, I was not. I..just couldn't find my phone earlier. Did something good happen Grandpa?" She asked while feigning ignorance.

Grandfather Gu glanced at Gu Zhang, who was sitting in front of him, and beamed in happiness while talking to her, " Of course. That's why I called you to share the good news with you."

"Xu Nuan, the new cybersecurity company that you had introduced to us, they solved the issue. Yes, they not only solved it but also added a few more things to strengthen our security system."

" Although it wasn't included in the project that was given to them, despite that, they not only did it but also didn't ask for extra money. We all were suspicious of that company at first since it's a new company but it exceeded our expectations."

Xu Nuan smiled upon hearing his excited words. Since Gu Enterprise is her company now in a way, she felt a responsibility towards it while dealing with the situation. So she added a few more things that can be done in a short time to strengthen the security wall while she was dealing with the malware.

Even though she didn't ask for extra money, when she last checked the phone, she saw that Gu Zhang had sent more money than she had asked for. It was for the extra work she has done.

She wasn't expecting that from him but she was glad that at least he knows how to keep things equal in business.

"Everyone is praising that company's work competence and how your suggestion saved the company." Grandfather Gu couldn't help but feel the pride that it was because of Xu Nuan that their company got out of this situation.

Xu Nuan smiled as she could feel how happy he was. Unlike yesterday, his voice was beaming and was loud enough to be heard from afar.

" That's good to hear. I am glad that I could help the company in any way," she replied.

It was right for her to take the money in exchange for her services but she knows that she will get those comments if she said it to anyone at this moment.

-

After hanging up the phone, she got ready for college. She was wearing a pastel green dress with polka dots that reached to her t.h.i.g.hs and slipped in her brown sandals before picking up her tote bag.

After checking herself in the mirror for the last time, she left the house. However, as soon as she stepped out of the house, she was surprised to see a large white-colored box with a pink-knot ribbon on the top.

She squatted on the ground to look at the box and raised her brows to see the chit on the top of the box. She plucked the card that read, [ Leaving early for the meeting - Han Zihao! ]

She chuckled seeing how he had added his name in the end. If he hadn't done that, she would have known that it was him who had put the box in front of her house.

It's not that he was doing this for the first time.

She opened the box and was surprised to see a bento box in it. It also had a card stick on it that read, [Since you didn't eat the dinner last night, have this for breakfast. Don't starve yourself.]

' How can he be so romantic?' she pursed her lips and wondered if it is right for her to accept all this.

She doesn't do much for him but he always does something that can make her fall deeper and deeper for him.

Before she got over this surprise, her eyes fell on the small box next to it.

When she opened the box, there was a car key in it. Car key? Why is it here?

Before she could think more about it, she found another card underneath the box, [Take the car to the college, don't use the subway anymore. ]

She was speechless to receive this kind of pleasant surprise in the morning. She didn't even realize that she missed her dinner last night and hadn't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon since she drank a lot of coffee while doing the work.

He is worried about her more than she, herself.

She picked up the box and took it inside the house. She put the bento box in her bag and took the car keys with her before leaving the house.

" I am gonna eat this in college and burn the other girls." She was standing in the elevator and giggled while admiring her cute lunch box that was in her bag while waiting for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

**

Starlight Hotel,

Jia Fei held onto Luo Dan's hand as she pulled her inside the hotel. " Luo Luo, it's been months since we have eaten outside. Aren't you sick of eating the food from our cafe daily?"

After Jiang Yue's death, it was the first time that they came out to have some fun. After what happened the other day with Lin Hui, Jia Fei was quite frustrated for still having such strong feelings against him.

He rejected her, yet she shamelessly went to pick him up without any second thought. The next day, he said thanks for helping her the last night and went to his place.

His attitude was nothing less than a friend towards her. He was not interested in her. Even when she said that Yuhan is her close friend, he simply said 'Okay'.

She was expecting to see a bit of reaction on his face but there was no effect on him.

To freshen up her mind, she decided to go shopping with Luo Dan and have a sumptuous meal to forget about all those things.

Eating is better than crying for unrequited love.

Luo Dan, who was forced to tag along with her, raised her brows at her and frowned, " It's my cafe. You're the one who thinks that it's yours. I don't understand why you stay at my cafe more than me?" She said grumpily.

She wanted to clean the house and needed to do laundry as well. But she ruined all of her plans.

Such a waste.

Unlike others, Luo Dan is the only one who finds fun in cleaning and doing the household chores. She can't sit straight for a moment. She needs something to do, otherwise, it will feel so empty and frustrating.

Jia Fei looked at Luo Dan in horror, " Haww!! How rude, Luo Luo. I am your housemate plus, the investor of the cafe."

" So the cafe is mine too. Don't act so c.o.c.ky just because it's your name on the lease agreement." Jia Fei responded shamefully before pulling a chair for her and sat opposite Luo Dan.

-

[Preview Title -  BLIND DATE!!]

Chapter 278 - Blind Date.

Jia Fei squealed in happiness when the waiter served the dishes. The hotel they were dining in was a five-star hotel and was famous among big conglomerates and celebrities for their security and privacy.

She had to book the table two days ago to dine here. Because of this, the people in the dining area were few and seemed to be not interested in them since all of them must be big shots on their own.

She excitedly picked up the shrimp with her hands to peel it when a hand came out of nowhere to slap her hand away," Gloves!!"

Jia Fei frowns at Luo dan and asks, " What are you doing? Are you my Mom?"

" No!! But your mother had asked me to look after you. So you can call me your big sister."

Jia Fei laughed in disbelief, " But you're younger than me."

" We are only a few months apart. Since I was born late in the year, I am almost the same age as you. Also, don't bring age into this. " Luo Dan argued, leaving Jia Fei speechless.

As they were busy bickering, Jia Fei paused upon hearing the familiar name from the table behind them.

" So….what are your hobbies?" The girl, who was dressed in a white dress asked in a low-sweet voice.

The girl pursed her lips upon getting no response and asked, "Yuhan....why do you keep eating?"

" It's not like we came here to eat only." She laughed embarrassedly.

Yuhan looked up from his plate and wiped his mouth with a tissue awkwardly, " Ah, I am sorry. I was too busy with work so I couldn't have lunch. I am just….hungry."

Being hungry was an excuse. Well, not entirely. He missed his lunch in the afternoon, but he was not hungry to the point of only eating.

In reality, he wants to run away from here. He came to the hotel thinking to meet his mother for dinner but she ditched him and said that she has set a blind date for him.

He recently broke up his long-term marriage arrangement with Xingren and Xu Nuan also rejected him in a way as well. He doesn't want to think about any relationship now but his mother keeps bringing the topic of marriage to him.

" Oh. Then you should eat." The girl said awkwardly.

Since they met, she is the only one who is talking and he was busy gobbling up the food. However, since he came for the blind date, it means he was planning about marriage too.

" You know, when my mother told me to go on a blind date with marriage in mind, I wasn't interested. I mean, who does arrange marriages these days? It's so outdated." The girl said while taking a sip of her wine.

" But after meeting you, I think it's not that bad. I mean...look at you. You are handsome, CEO of an entertainment company, and a gentleman as well. On the other hand, I am beautiful, competent, and smart. I think we're a good match." She smiles at him, however, Yuhan gives her an awkward nod before sipping on his wine too.

Seeing the highly awkward conversation, Jia Fei frowns and asks in a low voice, " What kind of situation is this? Why is it so awkward?"

" He is acting so weird." She mumbled in confusion.

She was surprised to see Yuhan but what surprised her more was his attitude towards his date.

'I mean dude, such a beautiful girl is sitting in front of you, at least say something.' she felt frustrated seeing their interaction.

Don't let the conversation die!!

Luo Dan, who was eating her lobsters said indifferently, " Jia Fei, why do you lack common sense? Can't you see the atmosphere between them? The guy doesn't want to carry on the conversation but the girl doesn't seem to understand that."

" I feel bad for both of them. He does look hungry, meanwhile, the girl looks like a nice girl too." she chuckles before continuing with her food.

Jia Fei turns to her and glares at her. " Why do you hate me so much? You're a sweet fairy to the world but why do you become an Evil Queen to me?"

" I treat people according to their characters. Maybe it's time for you to do some deep scanning!" She teases her.

Jia Fei purses her lips and says in a low voice, " Fu*k you!!"

Luo Dan smiles at her, " Same to you."

" Damn!!"

Jia Fei gave her a last look before standing up from her chair.

" Oi, where are you going? I am not eating all of this myself." Luo Dan tries to stop her but Jia Fei leaves her to hang out alone.

This girl!!

-

Jia Fei goes to Yuhan's table and pulls a chair for herself and sits beside him. Yuhan who was trying to have the dinner peacefully was surprised to see her popping out of nowhere.

" Oi, Why are you here?" He asks in confusion.

Jia Fei smiles at him, then turns to the girl, who was sitting opposite to them and was looking at her with strange expressions, " Hello, Let me introduce myself. I am Jia Fei."

The girl didn't say anything for a minute but when she opened her mouth, she squealed in excitement. She covers her mouth with a palm and squeals again, " Ji...Jia Fei? The...The Queens?"

" That's right!!" Jia Fei extended her hand for a handshake with a smile.

The girl shakes hands with her with both of her hands and looks at her with a beaming smile, " Oh My God!! I can't believe I am seeing a celebrity right now. You know, I am a huge fan of yours."

" I have all of your signed albums with me. Not only that, but I have also attended all of your concerts in the city. Not only that, I have attended some of your concerts overseas too."

" I can't believe that I am seeing you in front of me, like this. OMG!!" The girl was about to jump on her seat in excitement.

Jia Fei glances at Yuhan, who was in shock and winks at him, before turning to the girl, " Actually, he is my close friend. I was wondering if I could have a chat with him. Would you mind if I-

" Of-Of course. You can talk to him all you want. He is all yours." The girl said without any hesitation.

" Haha. You're so cute."

Upon getting a compliment from Jia Fei, the girl couldn't help but blush at her sweet words.

"..."

Yuhan was speechless to see Jia Fei acting like a casanova, while the girl looked like an innocent girl who was being played by her.

What kind of teen drama is this? He wondered.

" Ah, by the way, Do you want a picture in exchange? I will feel bad seeing you leaving like this."

The girl nodded in excitement and walked to Jia Fei's side to take a picture with her. " Ah, I would love it."

After taking pictures with the girl, Jia Fei smiles at her and pats her head gently before whispering in her ear, " Luo Dan is also here. You can take a picture with her too. I am sure she will love it."

" OMG!! I can't believe my luck. Sister Jia Fei, I love you so much. So...So...Sooo MUCHHH!!"

" Really? You're such a lovely girl. You deserve a better guy, unlike him. He is upto no good." She said while pointing at Yuhan, who was dumbfounded at her dissing him in front of him.

'What the-

The girl nodded fiercely and said, " You're right. I need a guy like you. Wait...No!! I will be happy to have only you. Sister, we all miss you. The fandom feels so empty at the moment."

Luo Dan was speechless to see her friend selling her out for talking to a guy. What a shameless brat.

I shouldn't have come with her.

However, when the girl approached her, she stood up and greeted her politely. How can she treat her fans rudely?

Moreover, the girl looked so happy.

-

Yuhan stared at Jia Fei in horror who sat on the chair next to him and took the fresh pair of cutlery and started picking food from his plate.

" What are you doing?"

" Eating?"

" That's what I am asking. Why did you come to ruin my dinner?" he asks coldly.

She scoffs at him and says, " Who says I ruined your dinner? I came to your rescue, you dumbass."

" What dumb...what?"

" DUMBA.S.S!! D-U-M-B-A-S-S!!"

Yuhan was speechless as he was not sure what was happening to his life. First, his mother cheated him to attend a blind date with some unknown girl and here she is stealing food from his plate, after ruining the date.

That was not enough. Now she is calling him with names on his face. What's wrong with people these days?

" How did you help me? You were insulting me in front of her. How can you say I am upto no good?"

She raises brows at him, " Do you like her? But you looked as if you were forced to attend this 'awkward' blind date."

His focus wavered upon hearing her words, " I...wasn't interested in the blind date. But...I was still going along with it out of courtesy, you know."

" Why did you come out of nowhere and start bashing me in front of her?"

" And what was that? Were you showing off how popular you are? Or how many girls worship you and want you more than any 'handsome guy' like me?"

" That girl was calling me handsome and perfect for her a while ago. I can't believe that she said that I don't deserve her. Unbelievable." He throws his hands in the air in disbelief.

Jia Fei chuckles, " Ah, well!! I can't hide my 'handsome' looks and popularity. I am more popular among girls due to my' s.e.xy and romantic' character you know."

Among fans, she is popular for her badass, girl crush charisma and was called Handsome more than pretty because of her 'boyish' attire on the stage.

" Hah! S.e.xy, and you? What a joke!!" he scoffs and looks away.

Jia Fei raises brows at him and smirks, glares at him, " You have a doubt? Do you want to see how s.e.xy I am? Huh?"

Chapter 279 - Damsel in distress!!

Jia Fei leans forward and raises her brows at him, " You have a doubt? Do you want to see how s.e.xy I am? Huh?"

He smirks at her, however, his mocking smirk wiped off, when she started to take off her upper denim jacket.

She didn't take it off completely but let it hang on her shoulder loosely. Because of this, the thin strap black top that she was wearing underneath was showing and was exposing her skin.

The black strap was contrasting on her glowing white skin, making his eyes waver.

His mouth opened in shock as he was speechless and wasn't sure how to react in this kind of situation. His ears turned red as he gulped the saliva in nervousness.

She is crazy!!

He looked around and saw the waiter coming near to their table. His hands stretched on a reflex as he fixed her jacket for her, startling her, " Are you crazy? Are you forgetting that you're a celebrity?"

She frowns at his words but upon seeing the waiter coming, she straightens her posture as well.

'That was close.' she breathed out in relief.

If someone else had seen her acting like this and took a picture of her, there would be multiple articles against her, adamant on proving her shameless and cheap.

Although she is used to being blamed like this and she gives a damn about her image. She has left the industry anyway, what worse can happen to her?

She didn't even think twice about her reputation while slapping Hao Mei at the press conference, in front of all the media, but this time the situation was different.

She can't let Yuhan be pulled into this mess. He is a businessman, being photographed with her will not do any good to him.

After the waiter passed by their table, Yuhan coughed awkwardly, " So...why did you come to this table? You could have simply eaten with your friend."

" Because of what you did earlier, she is glaring at me." He said consciously, feeling Luo Dan's glare on him.

Jia Fei turned around and saw Luo Dan giving her death glares. She immediately looked away and cleared her throat.

She looked at him awkwardly and fixed her jacket before saying, " As I said earlier, I was just...trying to help you."

He raised his brows at her, " Help me with what?"

She sighed, " I thought that you're being forced to attend this blind date. Also, you looked kinda uncomfortable and hungry...you know? You looked different from the last time, so I thought to be a hero and save the damsel in distress." she purses her lips embarrassingly after completing her words.

She thought that like in novels, she will go over to his table and fight with the girl. Well, not exactly, but she will go and say, ' He is my man, go away.' That was what she was planning to do at first, but it turned out that the girl was her die-hard fan.

How can she break her fan's heart? Moreover, the girl was a sweetie. She happily left after taking pictures with her and didn't even ask twice why she was asking her to leave on her date.

" I know how uncomfortable, forced blind dates can be. My mom also keeps nagging me to go on dates and find a boyfriend," she said.

Jia Fei noticed his gaze on her and looked away before speaking, " Moreover...since you helped me last time, I wanted to help you in return to balance the favor. I am not the type to take favors from anyone for free. It's burdensome."

Yuhan stared at her and couldn't help but chuckle.

'Damsel in distress, yeah sure.'

He nodded and asked, " So….how is it going with that 'drunk guy'? Is he seriously not your boyfriend? Then why did you go to pick him up at the lounge, that too at night?"

" You know, if I wouldn't be there, it could have turned out really dangerous."

She looked at him with complicated expressions and before she could respond, he added, " You don't have to answer if it's too much. I am not that interested in other's dating life...so."

She chuckled and poured herself some wine in another glass and said, " He is not my boyfriend. But I did confess to him. However, he rejected me saying that he thinks of me as a 'younger sister'."

" Seriously? That's worse than being friend-zoned." He exclaimed in surprise.

" Exactly!! I mean...you tell me, Am I not attractive? Do I act too much for a girl?" She turns to him and asks seriously while pushing a few strands of her hair behind her ear.

He was caught off guard upon hearing her question, " Well, I don't know? I think you are attractive and likable enough?" He answered hesitantly.

She frowned, " Are you answering or questioning me? Can't you be sure while saying that?"

" Woo hoo!! Why are you getting angry at me?" He raises his hands in defense.

However, upon seeing her expressions turning dull, he asked, " Why are you even asking me that kind of question? Why do you need my validation to feel good about yourself?"

He sighed and added, " He didn't reject you because you're lacking in any way. You're amazing. There are many people who look up to you and want to be like you. How can you question your worth because of this? That's such a stupid way to take rejection."

" He simply doesn't like you the same way as you do. There is nothing more to it."

Jia Fei stared at him and pursed her lips in embarrassment.

With her music and her words, she always tries to encourage people to feel confident about themselves and don't feel less of themselves. But after facing one rejection, she was doubting her worth.

How stupid of her!!

---

At night,

While having dinner, Han Zihao looked up at her and saw Xu Nuan gobbling up the food as if she was hungry for years. He chuckled and said, " Eat slowly. It's all yours."

She paused while eating and smiled, " I know. But I can't help it. It's delicious."

" By the way, I am touched by how you prepared a lunch box for me. Except for my mother, no one prepared a lunch box for me," she said while shoving rice in her mouth.

" If you want, I can do it daily for you. I like to show off my cooking skills, you know." He commented, making her chuckle.

" Mr. Han, are you sure you want to do it daily? What if you get tired and bored of it after some time? Huh?" she asked teasingly.

He raises brows at her and leaned forward, " What choice do I have? I don't want my children to eat burnt food, you know."

"....."

She was speechless at his passive attack. What does he mean by burnt food? She knows how to cook instant noodles without burning them. Also, bread butter is also an option.

How can he say that she can't cook?

As she was busy thinking about how he insulted her cooking, something hit her. Wait a minute…..

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him, realizing what he just said. Children?

" Are...are you crazy? Who wants to have children with you?" She said while looking away from him, trying to hide her blushed cheeks.

"If not me...then whom? Huh?" He asked while staring at her with a proud smirk.

She gritted her teeth at his shameless straightforward attitude and picked up a piece of meat and shoved it into his mouth, " Shut up!!"

He chuckled and said, " Jokes apart, I have something to talk to you about."

" What is it?"

" Don't make any plans for the upcoming weekend. We're going somewhere." He said.

She looks up at him in confusion, wondering what he is planning.

" Where?"

" On a trip!!"

" Trip? Why so suddenly?" She asks in confusion.

He smiles at her, " After we started dating, we didn't go anywhere. Because of our busy schedules, we can't go on dates frequently. As your boyfriend, I want to spend some quality time with you." He said honestly.

But upon hearing the word trip, her mind started to roam in another direction. The memories of the night that they spent at Han Mansion started to fill her mind again. Trip? TRIP!!

Chapter 280 - What a feast!!

" Should I buy new clothes? Or a...swimsuit?"

" Or….a new set of pajamas?" Xu Nuan's eyes lit up at the thought of preparing for the upcoming trip.

" Ah, why can't he tell me where we are going for a trip. Why is there so much mystery in this? " Xu Nuan whimpered as she couldn't figure out what to pack for the trip this weekend.

Two days back he dropped the bomb on her that he is taking her on a trip but didn't tell her where. How is she supposed to pack her clothes now?

She is not sure if they're going to a beach, mountains, or hell? She can't pack her whole closet, can she?

She sighed in frustration.

" Hey Xu Nuan, everyone is going to see a movie this weekend. Do you want to join us?" Her classmate who was passing by her stopped in her way to ask her.

She looked at the girl and shook her head, " No. You guys go ahead. I have something going on this weekend."

" Why? Are you going on a date?" The girl teased her.

" Yes." Xu Nuan replied honestly, making the girl giggle.

" Then, all the best."

These days, her college life is more peaceful than ever. No one asks about Xingren anymore. After the incident at the club the other night, no one dares to say anything rude to her.

Many of the classmates who were present at that time are still scared of her 'Goodlooking-Boyfriend'. Well, they better be scared than create trouble for her.

She just wants to complete her college as peacefully as if it doesn't exist.

No more drama now.

-

She looked at the time and gasped to see that she was getting late for work. She hurriedly went to the parking area where her car was parked. It's the same car that Han Zihao has given her to use for commuting to college and work.

Thanks to this, she saves a lot of time and energy. Otherwise, the subway takes all of her energy and money.

However, as soon as she entered the parking area, she was startled to see a familiar face standing in front of her car, blocking her way.

A deep frown appeared on her forehead and her steps automatically halted in action. She hugged her books tightly as she stared at the man, who raised his head to look at her in interest.

The man was dressed in a black formal suit and was wearing a white shirt underneath. The man fixed his black tie before approaching her, " Ms. Gu, It's nice to meet you."

She pursed her lips and looked at the man in wary.

The man frowned as something about this woman bothered him. Why is she looking at him as if she knows him?

Ignoring her glare, he introduced himself, " You don't need to feel scared of me. I am not here to harm you. "

"I was waiting for you," he said.

He pulled out his card from his wallet and handed it to her, " Here is my card. I am Gu De. I work as the secretary to the Chairman of Jiang Corporations."

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and took his card without saying a word. Hah! Of course, she knows him.

This man has been working by her grandfather's side for years. First, his father worked as her Grandfather's secretary and after he passed away, he took his position and served her Grandfather.

He is more loyal to her Grandfather than any royal guard to the King.

But why is he here? And that too, waiting for her in front of her car? Why?

She gulped in nervousness and tried to keep a straight face while facing him. She doesn't want to show much emotion to him and increase his suspicion.

" So? What should I do? I don't know you nor your Mr. Chairman."

" Also, isn't it a bit rude to stand in front of someone's car and block their way? And how do you even know that it's my car? Are you stalking me?" She inquired coldly.

Upon seeing him looking at her indifferently, she glared at him, " Please clear my way. I don't want to talk to any stranger." She said sternly and tried to pass by him, but the man blocked her way with his hand.

The man remained indifferent and said, " I was waiting for you because the Chairman of Jiang Corporations wants to meet you and is waiting for you at the moment."

" You have to come with me."

Her eyes widened upon hearing this. Want to meet her?

" Why...why does he want to meet me? I don't even know him. " She stuttered in nervousness.

However, the man didn't say anything and just stared at her mysteriously, making her even more confused and nervous.

" Ms. Gu, we're here."

Xu Nuan, who was sitting in the back seat of the car frowned when the car stopped in front of the hotel.

'What the hell am I doing here?' she cried inwardly. Even though she tried to ignore him, he was persistent as hell and somehow managed to bring her to the hotel.

In the end, she had to leave her car at the college's parking area and came with him to the hotel.

-

" Sir is waiting for you inside." Xu Nuan frowned and looked at the private room in front of her. He brought her to the restaurant of the hotel which has a private room facility.

" You're not coming in?"

He didn't say anything and simply gestured to her to go in.

'What the….so she is meeting her grandfather alone? That's the worst.'

The room was spacious and the walls were painted in light-toned paint. There was a large round table in the center which had various dishes on it.

The whole table was packed with food.

'What a feast.' she wondered.

As she was admiring the luxuriousness of the room, she was startled when the old man looked over at her.

When her eyes met with his indifferent-cold eyes, she felt something pulling on her heart.

It's been so long since she had seen him. She hasn't seen him in more than a year. Forget about the accident, she didn't get to see him before that either.

She pursed her lips to see his grey hair and wrinkled face. Although he was still wearing cold and indifferent expressions like before, something had changed in him that was making him look weak and tired.

She frowned when her eyes fell on the wooden stick beside him. He didn't use the stick for support before but seems like….he is not as strong as before anymore.

She clenched her fists and took a deep breath to control her overwhelming emotions.

'Just...Don't cry here. Please.' She bit her tongue as she tried to maintain her calm.

It was her first time seeing someone from her family and this feeling was very strange. She never tried to meet them as she doesn't want to complicate things further and was hoping to spend the rest of her life as quietly as possible.

" Don't stand there and come in." The man said in an indifferent, stiff tone.

" Ah, Yes." Xu Nuan nodded and went to sit opposite him.

The atmosphere was so heavy in the room that it was hard to breathe.

-

The old man stared at Xu Nuan, who was sitting in front of him, and pursed his lips. The girl was younger than Jiang Yue and there are no similarities between them, but…

Why does she feel strangely familiar to him, despite meeting her for the first time?

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and cleared her throat before speaking, " Mr. Jiang, I don't understand what is the meaning of this meeting? Your secretary suddenly comes to my college and forces me to come here."

" Will you please enlighten me why am I here?"

The old man raised brows at her for speaking courageously to him. He was surprised at how unbothered she looked. Generally, people can't speak clearly in front of him upon knowing his position and name.

Yet she was showing a familiar kind of rebellious attitude to him.

" Ms. Gu, words can wait for a while. First, let's eat. You must be hungry, right?"

Xu Nuan frowned at seeing him dodging her questions like this. However, eating is a better way to avoid this situation.

She didn't say anything but silently agreed to him.

Grandfather Jiang pressed the bell under the table and in a minute, the waitress came inside. The waitress bowed to him and started removing the lids from the dishes one by one.

" Please enjoy!"

After the waitress left, the old man looked at Xu Nuan and said, " Please help yourself. No need to hesitate."

Xu Nuan stared at him suspiciously and wondered what he was planning. There must be a reason for this generous feast.

She drank a few sips of water from her glass and as she was about to put food on her plate, her hands halted in the air.

Her expressions turned pale as she couldn't bring herself to pick any food on her plate.

Chapter 281 - Secret of Mushrooms.

Xu Nuan was about to pick the food to put on her plate when her hands halted in the air upon seeing the dishes. Her complexion turned pale upon seeing 'Mushrooms' in every single dish.

There were about more than five main dishes on the table and all of them included mushrooms. Not only that, there are stir-fried mushrooms too as a side dish.

She hates mushrooms and doesn't like the sight of them near her food, yet the whole table was full of mushrooms only.

Since she was young, she was allergic to mushrooms. Whenever she eats them, she tends to get rashes and feel itchy all over her body. However, after her family moved to the new city, to the Jiang Mansion to live with Grandfather and the whole family, she started to eat mushrooms.

Her new school serves mushroom soup almost daily for lunch and she started to eat it as well. Slowly, her allergy also started to get better as well. She was not itchy like before after eating mushrooms or mushroom soup.

However, she never thought that things will take a nasty turn and will make her hate the mushrooms more than before.

Although moving to the new city was hard, she thought that everything would get better since her cousin, Jiang Ru was at the same school as her. Even though she was two years older than her, her existence in the same school will give her courage at least.

However, rather than helping her to adjust to the new school, Jiang Ru avoided her completely. She never said a word when her friends made fun of her, teased her, or caused trouble for her.

Whenever they pass by each other in the school corridor or playground, she looks at her indifferently as if they're strangers. However, after everyone found out that both of them are cousins, things didn't become better either.

It became worse.

The things that used to be small teasing, jokes started to build up into server bullying. And Jiang Ru never said a word to her friends to stop doing this to her.

Because she never cared.

She simply watched from afar and enjoyed seeing them bullying Jiang Yue.

Jiang Ru didn't do anything even when her friends sneakily put disgusting worms in her mushroom soup. The soup that she had eaten at first thinking it as mushroom pieces, turned out to be disgusting worms.

Even though she spit it out right away, she still cannot forget about that horrendous incident that haunts her every time she sees mushrooms. To others, they're simply mushrooms that are healthy to eat, but to her, they look like those insects that move whenever she sees them, creeping the hell out of her.

Not only that, after that incident, she went to the bathroom to throw up and cried for the first time in her life. She has cried many times but it was her first time crying out of anger, frustration, and helplessness.

The thing that hurt her the most was the way her cousin, who was present when that happened and didn't warn her before eating that soup, nor she came to help afterward.

'Hah! Her sisterly love at home is just a facade that she puts in front of Grandfather.'

'How stupid she was to think that they can solve their issues and change this complicated relationship.'

It can never be the same.

After she fainted in the bathroom, she was taken to the infirmary. It was too much for her to take, physically and mentally as well.

She was unconscious for two days straight as she got a high fever which didn't go down easily. Her condition worsened and she had to be admitted to the hospital.

However, when she opened her eyes in the hospital, she found Mrs. Yang, who works as the kitchen staff at the Jiang Mansion, beside her bed instead of her parents. She was close to her since the old woman always looked at her with a warm smile and treated her like her granddaughter.

Jiang Yue looked at Mrs. Yang weakly, " Where are my Mom And Dad? Why are they not here?"

She was sad. Their daughter is at the hospital, how can they leave her alone like this.

She wanted to see them and tell them about what happened at the school. She wanted to convince them to leave this house and go back to the city where they used to live before.

She hates it here.

However, rather than answering her, Mrs. Yang looked at her pitifully and started to sob while c.a.r.e.s.sing her face.

She still remembers the way she looked in her eyes at that time. That look….scared her.

When she found out about what happened in the past two days, she couldn't believe it.

The day she was bullied at school and went to the school infirmary, the nurse called her parents to inform them about her medical condition and told them to come to the school to take her to the hospital.

However, it was raining hard that day. Despite that, her parents did their best to reach her as soon as possible and got into the accident on their way.

They died on the spot. They failed to make it to the hospital alive.

In just two days, she lost the two most precious people in her life and she didn't even know.

Her parents died and she failed to make it to their funeral. She couldn't even see them for the last time.

After that day, whenever she saw mushrooms, she was reminded of her horrendous fate. How she lost her parents and couldn't even give her final greetings to them.

If that incident didn't happen to her and they weren't in a hurry to come to the school, this wouldn't have happened. She would have been living happily with her family and eating the food made by her Dad.

-

As Xu Nuan was lost in her dark thoughts and was fighting with the storm of emotions inside her, Grandfather Jiang was observing the change in her expressions.

Her eyes became watery and her pale complexion was revealing how the simple dishes of mushrooms were affecting her. Her claiming herself as Jiang Yue after waking up in the hospital and her hatred towards mushrooms, everything is just too coincidental to be true.

Seeing her expressions, he was reminded of the way Jiang Yue used to look at mushrooms after her parents died.

At first, he used to think that it was because Jiang Yue was allergic to mushrooms and didn't want to eat them anymore since she got sick after eating them at school and couldn't even see her parents for the last time.

She didn't say anything about the school or what happened that day. Nor he couldn't find anything strange about the school even after he tried to investigate, they all said that she got sick after eating mushroom soup.

She didn't say anything and just like her, he was also mourning over the loss of his eldest son and daughter-in-law. On top of that, he has to look after Jiang Yue and the Jiang Corporations which needed his supervision as well.

He didn't even get the time to mourn for losing his son and daughter-in-law properly. Engrossed in his work and responsibilities, he failed to notice the way Jiang Yue was isolating herself from everyone.

She was staying at the Jiang Mansion as if she didn't belong there. She was waiting to get out of that place.

It was only recently he found out about what happened at the school that day when he overheard Jiang Ru talking to her mother.

He was shocked and was helpless that he found out about this only after he lost Jiang Yue. It was at that time, that he realized that he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as Jiang Yue's grandfather.

He failed to protect her or do justice to her by punishing those who were in the wrong.

The girl must have felt miserable after so much happened, in such a short period. No doubt she became rebellious against him and everyone in the house.

Jiang Mansion didn't give her anything but pain.

-

A bitter smile appeared on his lips as he watched her dull expressions, ' I knew it. I knew it.'

'My Jiang Yue is not dead.'

However, he didn't let his emotions show on his face. He pressed the button under the table and called the waitress to remove the dishes and change with the new ones, and this time, with no mushroom.

Xu Nuan frowned at him upon seeing him removing all the dishes " How do you know that I don't eat mushrooms?"

" Your eyes were telling your hatred against them, especially stir-fried mushrooms. Why? Do you want to eat them?" He asked.

She shook her head, " No. It's fine. I just...hate mushrooms because of the way they look. They look ugly."

He laughed and said, " You're an interesting girl. I am glad that I decided to meet you."

Xu Nuan sighed and asked, "Why did you want to meet me? I mean, there is no reason for you to meet an ordinary girl like me."

There is no reason for him to look for her, then why?

Grandfather Jiang looked at her indifferently and clenched his fists under the table before saying, " Because I was planning to work with Gu Corporations and I heard a lot about you. So I just wanted to clear the rumors with you before going ahead with it."

She frowned at him. " And why do I think that I will tell you the truth? Since I am also Gu, I can lie about it, don't you think?"

The old man chuckled upon hearing her sassy response and said, " Well, you can try lying to me. However, I have greyed my hair all these years for nothing. I think now I have enough experience to tell between a lie and the truth."

Xu Nuan stared at the man and didn't say anything. 'Xu Nuan, focus on food. He is trapping you, so just….eat and leave.' she reminded herself before she started eating.

Chapter 282 - Official Trip (I)

Saturday-

In the car, Xu Nuan was sitting in the passenger seat while Han Zihao was driving the car.

Xu Nuan looked out of the window and sighed heavily. Today they're going on a trip that he had talked about a few days ago. The plan was unexpected itself for her and on top of that, she has no idea where the hell they're going.

She had thought that she would find out the destination upon reaching the airport, but to her surprise, they're not going there by plane, instead, he is going to drive all the way there.

She looked at him and asked, "Why aren't you putting the destination on the navigation? Stop being mysterious and tell me already. I can't hold onto this suspense anymore."

He glanced at her and chuckled, "Don't worry. I will not take you to the wrong place. I know the way."

"You know the way? Then you must have gone there before. Where are we going? Tell me now!" She demanded.

However, he simply laughed and continued to drive.

" You will know when we reach there."

She sighed in exasperation.

She is not the type to control her curiosity and starts to feel restless when someone doesn't tell her anything.

Because of it, she couldn't even sleep a bit last night. She was excited, nervous, and curious about where he was going to take her for their first trip.

On top of that, the lunch with Grandfather Jiang two days ago heightened her nervousness and stress. He didn't say anything clearly about why he wanted to meet her and they parted ways after lunch, just like that.

Why the hell did he call her anyway?

Because of this, she got dark circles under her eyes that she needed to cover with makeup.

Since it's their first trip, she was wearing a pastel blue floral dress with sleeves that will perfectly go with beachy vibes.

She had let her hair fall loose on her shoulders. The loose curls of her c.h.e.s.tnut brown hair were completing her look for the trip.

Since it's summer, he must have planned a trip to the beach, isn't it? Summer calls for the beach after all.

With that in mind, she has packed her swimming suit and all of her pretty short dresses that she is going to flaunt on the beach.

' Did I put the sunscreen in the bag?' she frowned when a sudden doubt popped into her head.

She checked the handbag that she was carrying and sighed in relief upon seeing it inside.

Sunscreen is a must when going to beaches. She doesn't want to get tanned badly on the trip just because she forgot to pack the sunscreen with her.

Han Zihao glanced at her and saw her checking her sunscreen for the last time. He smirked but she was so busy in her thoughts that she didn't notice his expressions.

-

After driving for hours, when Han Zihao stopped the car, it was already dark outside.

He stopped the car on the way a few times for a short break but she didn't even get out of the car, even for once.

She slept through the whole way as if she hadn't slept in months. He couldn't bear to disturb her either. If she is well-rested, only then they can have fun upon reaching their destination.

He sighed seeing her sleeping soundly, with her seat inclined back and her head was resting against the neck pillow.

He shook her gently and said in a low voice, " Xu Nuan, wake up. We have reached."

She didn't wake up at first and turned her head away in her sleep. He chuckled seeing her knocked out like this and got out of the car.

He walked to her side and removed the seatbelt for her. As he was about to pick her up in his arms, she groggily opened her eyes.

" What are you doing?" She asked, looking at him with her sleepy eyes. His one hand was behind her back while the other was reaching for her leg, preparing to pick her up.

" Picking you up. You go back to sleep. You must be tired." He said, closing her eyes with his palm.

However, she removed his hand and asked, " We've reached? Already?"

He nodded, at which her eyes lit up brightly.

" Really?" She exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly got out of the car, pushing him aside.

He let out a chuckle seeing her excited like a little kid. She didn't even care about her messy hair and was looking around in awe.

" Damn!!! Are we really going to stay here?" She asked in shock, upon seeing the beautiful place.

Unlike what she had thought, he brought her to the mountains. He stopped the car in front of the villa that was surrounded by the long and green trees.

The villa was large and the wooden exterior of it was giving natural vibes. There was a large garden in front of the villa as well.

The garden was filled with various, colorful flowers and fruit trees. Not only that, the trees and bushes were decorated and were lit up with yellow lights, brightly lighting up the whole place.

Even though it was dark, the whole villa and the garden were brightly lit, making it even more beautiful at night.

Xu Nuan covered her mouth in shock and hurriedly walked to the road to see the whole landscape.

Down the road, a river was flowing and behind that, the beautiful view of mighty mountains could be seen.

The large and long trees were only adding to the beauty of this place. Not only the landscape, but the air was different as well. Other than this villa, she couldn't see any other house in the vicinity.

" This is so beautiful.." she m.o.a.n.e.d in awe. It's been so long since she has gone to the mountains to actually enjoy and not just for work.

Otherwise, whenever she went to a beautiful place like this in her last life, it was either for shooting for music videos or for photoshoots.

As she was lost in the beauty of the place and was enjoying the cold breeze with her eyes closed, she felt someone putting a jacket on her shoulders.

She turned around and saw Han Zihao smiling at her. " You can admire the place later, but first…." He looked at her and said, " Change your clothes if you don't want to catch a cold."

She was wearing a short dress that was only reaching to her t.h.i.g.hs and the thin material of the dress was not helping at all to keep her warm.

After listening to his words, she realized that she was feeling cold. She didn't realize at first but her hands were icy cold and she was shivering too.

She wasn't cold in the car because he had turned on the heater as soon as they entered the mountain area and he had covered her with his jacket when she fell asleep earlier.

When she got out of the car, she was so excited to look around that she forgot the jacket in the car and was roaming around in the cold, in her short dress.

She covered herself with his jacket as she was feeling cold suddenly. She also nodded, " That will be the right thing to do. Let's go inside first." She said while nudging him to hurry up.

_

There are three couches in the living room, the biggest one was in the middle while the other two single couches were on each side. There was a large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, enhancing the elegance of this place.

There was a glass table in front of the couches and there was also a furnace to keep the villa warm during the cold nights. Even though it's summer for them in the city, this place is cold all year long.

However, it's less cold at this time, otherwise, if it would have been winter, the garden and the rooftop of the villa would have been covered in snow.

Moreover, it's dangerous to drive up here in the winters because the roads would have been covered in snow and slippery.

Han Zihao glanced at her as he gathered their bags in the corner, " This is my family's vacation home. We used to come here frequently in the past but it's been years since anyone has visited here."

Xu Nuan looked at the clean place and asked, " So...do you have any caretakers here? Because it's so clean despite being empty for so long."

" Yes, we do. However, I have asked them to go back after asking them to make arrangements for our stay. I don't want anyone else in the house where we're staying. So...for the next two days, it will be only two of us in this villa." his voice turned low as he said the last line.

Xu Nuan bit her lower lip as she could feel her face heating up. So….they're all alone in this large villa? For the whole two days?

Shit!!

Chapter 283 - Official Trip (II)

After putting the luggage in the bedroom upstairs, Han Zihao turns to her, " Get changed and come downstairs. Meanwhile, I will prepare dinner for both of us."

" You're going to cook? But...you must be tired from driving all day long. You rest, I will cook tonight." she said.

She slept all the way yet he was driving. How can she let him cook and rest herself?

He looked at her and pursed his lips. Upon remembering the way she can't even cook half fry eggs properly, he was afraid to let her cook.

He patted her head gently and said, " it's better that I cook. There are no convenience stores nearby and I don't want to waste all the ingredients because of your experiment."

"....."

She frowned at his 'not-so-funny joke and the way he was smirking after teasing him.

She was being considerate to him and yet he was making fun of her cooking.

She gritted her teeth and kicked him on the calf, " What did you say? Now since I am your girlfriend, are you going to make fun of my cooking? Hah?"

" Now suddenly my cooking became an experiment for you? I was being considerate to you and yet you said something like that to me." She kicked him again, making him yelp in the pain.

" Ah, I am sorry. I was just joking." He raised his hands in the air in defense but she didn't stop stabbing him with her sharp words.

" Mr. Han, I never thought that you, out of all the people, 'You' would make fun of my cooking. " She pointed at him while grumbling in frustration.

Meanwhile, Han Zihao was staring at her in confusion. Huh? Did he say anything wrong?

He was just...teasing her but why did this joke escalate into such a serious fight?

However, he is not planning to back out either.

" Oh! So.. you want to cook? Then go ahead." he said.

" Heh?" Xu Nuan stopped shouting and looked at him in puzzlement.

" Weren't you getting angry because I stopped you from cooking? Go ahead and cook. I have a good immune system so I can digest anything." He said indifferently, making her frown deeper.

" That was not the point. I was angry at you for insulting my cooking skills. How can you say my cooking, an experiment?"

He nodded. " Right! I am sorry. I should be punished gravely for this mistake. But for now...let's put it aside and cook if we don't want to be starved tonight." As said this, he walked to the bed and sat on it, leaving her confused.

" What are you doing?" she asked.

" Resting. Aren't you going to cook now? Didn't the whole argument start when you said that you want to cook tonight? I agree that I shouldn't say anything about your cooking. So...you should cook tonight and prove me wrong."

" Ah, I am so tired. While you cook, I'll take a short nap. Okay?" As said this as he lies on the bed while hugging the pillow to his c.h.e.s.t.

Xu Nuan stared at him with a frown and wasn't sure how this whole argument ended at this note. Was she fighting for cooking or what?

She gritted her teeth seeing his c.o.c.ky attitude and scoffed before saying," Okay, fine. I'll cook tonight. Don't you dare look down on my cooking! I also know how to make delicious food and I will prove it to you tonight." She humphed before storming out of the room.

After she left, Han Zihao raised his head to look towards the door and chuckled. " Seems like I need to prepare myself to eat the burnt food tonight."

After a while, when Han Zihao came downstairs, he saw her putting bowls and cutlery on the dining table.

Meanwhile, he walked to the furnace and busied himself to ignite the furnace to warm up the living room.

" Come, dinner is ready." He turned around when he heard her say. She was looking angry and grumpy when she said this.

He chuckled seeing her giving him death glares and walked to the dining table. " Woah!! Seems like you have cooked quite a lot." He commented on seeing a few covered pots and plates on the table.

He carefully removed the lid of the pot as he got his chopsticks ready to eat.

Xu Nuan on the other hand didn't say anything and sat on the chair opposite him. She pursed her lips nervously but didn't look up at him to see his reaction.

Because she f*cked up!!

When she went to the kitchen, she didn't know what to do. She tried to check some recipes online but they were too complicated for her to understand.

She can understand coding and all, but coding in recipes is not her thing.

What the hell is salt to taste? Just tell us how much salt, that's it.

Teaspoon? She doesn't even drink tea at home, how will she have a teaspoon?

And what are 2 cups of water? Big cup or a small cup?

Why can't they explain it a bit simpler? Do people follow these types of recipes and can cook good food? Because she can never.

-

When he removed the lid of the pot, he raised his brows in surprise to see instant noodles in it. He looked at the noodles and then at her.

When he came downstairs, he expected to see burnt food or unseasoned soup but it looked good.

Not only that, when he checked the other plate, he found bread and butter on it. He almost lost it seeing the bread butter.

Xu Nuan scrunched her nose and before he could say anything, she said, " I was craving for the noodles so I made it. If you don't want to eat it then let-

She tried to take the bowl away from him but he pulled his hand back and retorted, " Did I say anything? Surprisingly, I was also craving to eat noodles today. Good thing you made it." He smiled at her.

" Also, it's been so long since I had bread butter. I am glad that you made it too. Nice choice!!" He commented, making her look at him suspiciously.

However, upon seeing him taking noodles from the pot and appreciating her noodles, a smile appeared on her lips. She knows that he was messing with her earlier but if he had said anything about her noodles, then she would have gotten angry with him for real.

'Well, at least he knows when to stop teasing me. Good for him.' She shook her head and started eating.

'But I will not let him go so easily. Mr. Han, I will make sure to take revenge for this from you later.' she thought inwardly while slurping the noodles and glancing at him while eating.

-

After eating and resting for a while, Han Zihao looked at the time and saw that it was 11 pm.

He glanced at Xu Nuan who was lying on the couch, with her head on his t.h.i.g.hs.

" Xu Nuan, do you want to go for a dip in the hot spring?" He asked.

Xu Nuan, who was checking the shows on the television and was wondering what to watch, looked at him in confusion and blinked, " Hot spring? Where?"

What hot spring would be open at this time? She wondered.

" It's in the back of the villa. Do you want to go?"

Her eyes widened in shock, " What? Back of the villa? Really? Then what are we waiting here for? Let's go!!" She squealed in excitement and threw the remote control on the side before getting off the couch in a hurry.

Han Zihao was speechless to see her running around like this to go and change hurriedly.

However, rather than going to the hot spring, he was excited that he was going with her.

_

Han Zihao was waiting for Xu Nuan in the back of the villa as she was taking her sweet time to get ready.

He soaked his body under the hot body and adjusted himself to the water temperature which was now warm for him.

He m.o.a.n.e.d in comfort as he rested his back against the wall and pulled his head back. His hands were stretched as he rested them on the wall of the hot spring.

As he was waiting for her, he heard some sound which made him open his eyes and look in front.

However, as soon as he opened his eyes, his pupils widened in shock as he almost slipped under the water.

He held onto the wall of the hot spring water and tried to gain his balance, while his eyes never left the enticing sight in front of him.

_

Xu Nuan's lips curled up in a smirk to see the perplexed reaction that she was enjoying.

'Hah, Mr. Han, you were teasing me earlier, right? Now it's my time to continue that game. '

She was wearing a hot-red swimming suit. When she went shopping with him a few days ago, she bought all sorts of swimming suits, from bikinis to rashguards, from cute to s.e.xy types.

She loves to shop for swimming costumes and he happened to be her paying card that day.

While getting ready for the dip in the hot spring, she was wondering what swimming suit to wear.

She had a cute white swimming suit with a white off-shoulder top and white upper waist bottom.

However, she wasn't in the mood for a cute look right now. She wants to look like fire and burn him.

' After this, he will think twice before commenting anything about her cooking from next time.' she smirked to see his lost expressions.

Chapter 284 - Official Trip (III)**

WARNING: M.A.T.U.R.E CONTENT AHEAD.

Han Zihao almost lost his balance when he saw Xu Nuan coming towards him, wearing a red bikini. She had tied her hair in a messy bun and was revealing her slender neck to him.

She was looking like an ethereal beauty in a two-piece bikini. The off-shoulder top was defining her shoulder line, meanwhile, the high waist bikini bottom was enunciating her curves perfectly.

The red color was flattering her jade-like milky skin and was making it glow under the moonlight.

She always looked good in anything she wore but she was looking exceptionally lethal in this swimwear.

He never thought that she would pick a bold color like red to wear at the hot spring.

He gritted his teeth as he could already feel himself getting impatient and the warm water of the hot spring was not helping in any way to calm his nerves.

-

Xu Nuan noticed his shocked expressions from afar and was pleased by his reaction.

She slowly approached him and looked down at him in surprise. She raised her brows to see him not wearing anything on top and he was only wearing his trunks at the bottom.

'Damn!! He has a hot body!!' She bit her lips as she was shocked to see his perfectly toned body and muscles.

The last time when they made out at Han Mansion, she was the only one, lying in the bed almost n.a.k.e.d, while he was fully clothed.

That time she couldn't see his sculpture-like body and now she realized what she was missing.

' Ah, Xu Nuan, what are you thinking? You're not here for this.' she shook her head to clear her head.

She was here to teach him a lesson and tease him but she could feel herself be distracted by the view in front of her.

' I can't be like this. Don't be so perverted.' She repeated this in her mind multiple times to keep her sanity.

While she was busy staring at his body shamelessly, she heard him cough to clear his throat.

'Hmm? What just happened?'

She was confused seeing his crimson ears. Why is he suddenly blushing?

" If you have stared enough, you should come into the water. Otherwise, you'll feel cold outside." He said, making her blush this time.

'Was I being so obvious?'

She nodded and slipped inside the water and sat beside him on the rock.

She was indeed feeling cold. To make his eyes wide in shock, she didn't wear a robe over it. But while she was coming here, she was shivering like an abandoned puppy in the rain.

If not for her feigning confidence, she would have looked pitiful in this bikini rather than alluring.

Being s.e.xy is not easy at all!!

_

After soaking for a while in the water, Xu Nuan's white skin started to become crimson due to the hot water.

She could feel her muscles relaxing and it was soothing and comforting to the point that she started to feel sleepy.

She was resting with her back against the wall, with her head back and eyes closed.

" Ahh, it's soo good. I can even sleep here." she m.o.a.n.e.d in a low voice.

While she was enjoying the soak and forgot about her mission, someone was being tortured by her unknowingly. Although she wasn't doing anything deliberately, her every action was torturing him, making him groan in frustration.

Han Zihao was sitting beside her, but seeing her eyes closed and relaxing like this, he was feeling uncomfortable.

She was making weird noises with her eyes closed and m.o.a.ning, making him shift his position multiple times due to discomfort. She was m.o.a.ning because she was feeling good and relaxed due to the hot water but her m.o.a.ning was making it difficult for him to control.

The warm water was making it worse, increasing his temperature by every second.

" Ahhh, it feels so nice. I wish I could stay like this forever," she commented again. Her low-raspy voice made him frown.

He gritted his teeth, " You... you're doing this deliberately, aren't you?"

' I haven't even done anything yet, what is he talking about?' She wondered.

She looked at him in confusion and found him staring at her intensely, " What are you-

However, before she could complete her words, he held her by her shoulders and smashed his lips against hers.

Xu Nuan was caught off guard by his sudden kiss but eventually gave in to his passionate kiss.

Before she knew it, her body started to respond to the kiss and she wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled their bodies closer.

She gasped when she felt their bodies sticking to each other and she could feel his b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t coming in contact with her body. This warm feeling only heightened due to the hot water and despite the weather being cold, she was feeling extremely hot.

Soon, his hands started to roam on her body, making her shiver at his touch. She could feel a tingling sensation in her stomach when she felt his fingers c.a.r.e.s.sing her b.a.r.e skin.

While his hands were busy exploring her curves, his lips were making her lose her mind.

" Urmm…" she m.o.a.n.e.d when he breathed in her ear and nibbled on her earlobe, making her arch her back in anticipation. She grabbed his hair and started pulling on them in anticipation.

Their bodies were sticking together and she could feel the changes in his body as well. Her breath hitched as she tried to ignore it but her face was turning red at the thought of what it was.

" Han Zihao…." she m.o.a.n.e.d aloud when he started to massage b.r.e.a.s.ts with one hand over the bikini while c.a.r.e.s.sing her exposed back with the other.

While his hands were seizing her curves and were making her feel good, his lips were engaging her in a passionate kiss, making her breathless.

After kissing for a while, Xu Nuan was out of breath and could feel her lips getting tired. She tapped him on the shoulder to stop him.

Han Zihao was so lost in the moment that it took him a minute to understand her indication. He reluctantly pulled away from the kiss and looked at her in confusion.

For a moment, he got worried that she might be feeling uncomfortable by his sudden move and was thinking to stop it, but to his surprise, she pointed to her back while panting heavily.

" Ah?" He exclaimed in bewilderment, not understanding what she meant.

Xu Nuan took a deep breath to see him not understanding what she meant and said, " This….it's so uncomfortable here. My back hurts." she cried in pain.

Since she was resting with her back against the hot spring wall, the sudden kiss pushed her back and she could feel her back being scratched by the rough, stoney wall.

" It must have hurt." He touched her back and c.a.r.e.s.sed it gently.

Xu Nuan observed his worried expressions and could see that he was truly feeling bad for this. It wasn't his fault yet he was looking at her like this.

She sighed and shook her head, " Why are you like this?"

Han Zihao, who was busy rubbing her back to make her feel good and soothe the irritation, was surprised at her comment.

" And what am I like?" He counter-questioned her, making her chuckle.

She leaned closer and held his face between both of her palms. She stared into his clear eyes and said in a low voice, " You're the finest man I have ever seen. And I am glad that this man is mine now."

" I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't met you in this life." She smiled and pecked him on his nose.

Han Zihao was surprised by her sudden sweet comment and was about to kiss her again but she pushed him away and said shyly, " Even though we're alone here, it doesn't mean that we should continue this here."

He looked at her with wide eyes and waited for her to confirm if he was thinking right or not.

However, to his surprise, she leaned in and whispered in his ears in a low voice, " We should continue what we stopped back then, don't you think so?"

After this, he didn't need more words from her side. Her words were clearly hinting at the events of the night that they spent at Han Mansion and he got her message very well.

Without waiting for anything, he got out of the hot spring and pulled her out as well.

However, before she could react, he picked her up in his arms, making her squeal in surprise. " Then...Let's go and finish what we left undone earlier."

Xu Nuan giggled and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on his cheeks, " Let's go!!"

Chapter 285 - Official Trip (IV)**

Han Zihao wrapped a white towel around Xu Nuan to keep her warm and carried her inside in princess style.

Gladly, she also wrapped her arms around his neck and let him carry her.

At first, she thought that he would put her down upon entering the villa but when he showed no intention of doing so and continued walking towards their bedroom upstairs, she started to feel tense.

She protested and w.h.i.n.ed to put her down as this position was quite embarrassing for her. She could see his sensual gaze from close and it was making it difficult for her to keep her calm.

On top of that, since she was wearing a bikini, she could feel the heat emanating from his body.

Being carried like this was much more sensual than being in the water together; because at that time, there was water between them but here, it was nothing but just a thin piece of damp cloth between them.

She could also feel his little man poking on her bottom and it was just making the situation even more awkward for her.

" Han Zihao put me down. I am not a kid, I can walk by myself!!"

" Put me down. It's embarrassing." she hit him on the c.h.e.s.t with her small fists and glared at him but he laughed and said before hugging her even tighter, " Embarrassing? Well, we're going to do a lot of embarrassing things later. So there is no use of getting shy."

" You…" She stared at him in shock and couldn't believe that he made this kind of brazen comment just now.

How bold!!

She covered her face with her palms and snuggled in his nape to hide her crimson face from him, " You're so shameless."

" Yes. But only for you." He whispered, making her m.o.a.n in exasperation, again.

He laughed seeing her avoiding his gaze like this and kissed her on the forehead before taking the stairs to go upstairs.

Upon reaching the bedroom, Han Zihao didn't halt in his steps and straight went to the bed and put her down gently.

Xu Nuan frowned seeing that he put her down on the bed, rather than in the bathroom, " Why did you put me on the bed? It will get wet too."

They just got out of the hot spring and she was still wet. She needed to change her clothes first but he was staring at her as if he's 'all' ready already.

His gaze was telling her his corrupt intentions but still….she doesn't want to ruin the beautiful bedding just because of that.

" What will we do about it now? The bedding will get ruined. You should have-

While she was feeling terrible for ruining the white bedsheet and the covers, Han Zihao's gaze was only fixated on her lips and damp body.

Without waiting for any further moment, he leaned in and captured her rosy lips.

Xu Nuan was caught off by the kiss but soon wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She shifted back and sat on the bed comfortably, meanwhile, Han Zihao was standing between her legs and was kissing her earnestly.

She m.o.a.n.e.d when he s.u.c.k.e.d on her lips and was trying to find his way to the insides of her mouth.

While his lips were keeping her engaged in a passionate kiss, his hands started to roam around her body, exploring every part of her.

While kissing, she unconsciously started to wriggle in his embrace as she was feeling ticklish when his warm hands started to feel her body.

She giggled but her laughter turned into a sensual m.o.a.n because of his unstoppable passionate kiss.

He moved from her lips to her neck and started s.u.c.k.i.n.g on her exposed skin and leaving it red. Meanwhile, his hands were playing with her two mounds over the thin bikini top, making her even more restless.

Just how he was feeling up her body, her hands started to do the same. From grabbing onto his hair, she decided to be bold and started to feel his body too.

He never removes his clothes in front of her, but for the first time, he wasn't wearing anything on the top.

Her hands roamed on his back, feeling up his muscular body. From his back, she slowly made her way to his muscular c.h.e.s.t and toned abs.

However, she couldn't help but gasp when her fingers touched his tight and toned abdomen.

" What the Hell? When did you have the time to make this? And whom do you want to impress with this kind of hot body?" She asked dramatically to see his toned abs and was feeling envious of it.

It was so hard to get toned and visible abs.

After that, she swore to not be too greedy for abs and never go on a diet for that.

However, when did he get the time to work out for this? Isn't he the President of Han Corporation? How the hell does he have the time to work out?

He paused from kissing her and looked up at her in amus.e.m.e.nt, " Is it that hot? Then...touch it as much as you want. It's all yours." He whispered in a low and raspy voice, making her blush.

" Ah, stop your cheesy words already. It won't work on me." She lied straight on his face while trying to avoid eye contact with him.

He chuckled and said, " If that won't work on you, then I have another way to impress you? Do you want to see that?"

She looked at him curiously, " What is it?"

He smirked and reached behind her back and efficiently pulled on the string of her bikini top.

Even though she was wearing an off-shoulder bikini top, it was secured with the knotted strings on the back and after he undid the strings, her top came loose, almost exposing her c.h.e.s.t.

She gasped and covered her c.h.e.s.t with her hands but he held her wrist and said, " Didn't you say you want to see my way to charm you? Why are you covering them now?" He frowned.

"You…" Xu Nuan was shocked at how smooth his words were and was surprised that this man claims that he never did anything like this before.

To her, he is not less than any womanizer.

Seeing the way he was being shameless, she couldn't help but scoff in disbelief.

She was the stupid one to think that he is a sloth and a shy type. He is the type of man who pretends to be clueless about such things but is very dangerous.

As Xu Nuan was busy thinking about how to beat him in shamelessness, he removed her top, exposing her soft mounds to him and revealing her milky white skin.

She gasped but before she could assess the situation, he took one of her n.i.p.p.l.es in his mouth, meanwhile, he played with the other, with his hand.

She m.o.a.n.e.d and held her head back while holding onto his shoulders tightly and was digging her nails into his skin when he licked her n.i.p.p.l.e and blew air on it, making her shudder at the sudden cold sensation.

"Zihao…" she m.o.a.n.e.d as she held onto him earnestly.

It feels so good!!

They were so engrossed in the moment that soon Xu Nuan was lying on the bed on her back, while her legs were half dangling off the bed.

Now she was lying almost n.a.k.e.d, with her bikini top and bottom on the floor, and was wearing her p.a.n.t.i.e.s only at the moment.

Han Zihao was still in his trunks and was hovering over her, kissing her lips frivolously and leaving hickeys on her neck, making her feel giddy of his tickling feeling.

He was hovering over her and their bodies were touching each other's, but he was balancing his weight to not get smashed under his weight.

From fondling her b.r.e.a.s.ts, his hand moves to her abdomen and then t.h.i.g.hs, c.a.r.e.s.sing her skin gently and pampering her with love.

Xu Nuan m.o.a.n.e.d aloud when his hands were c.a.r.e.s.sing on her inner t.h.i.g.h. She arched her back in anticipation when he finally touched her down there, over her p.a.n.t.i.e.s, and rubbed her with his fingers.

" Xu Nuan, how does it feel?" He asks, making her blush even harder.

" Who asks that? Don't... don't say stuff like that." She said embarrassedly.

" Why? Why is it so embarrassing? Xu Nuan, I want you to say that it feels good when you feel so and No when it doesn't. You can do that, right?" He looked at her but she only gritted her teeth.

It's good that he prefers serious conversation even at this moment, but she is not in a mood to be philosophical right now.

She doesn't have any thoughts about anything as she was not in her senses.

" Yes...Yes...just...do something already." She said in frustration and pleaded, feeling the ball of heat forming in her lower abdomen, begging for more.

Seeing her acting desperate like this, he chuckled and said, " Right away, Your Highness!!"

Chapter 286 - Official Trip (V)***

Han Zihao felt something building up inside him, seeing the alluring expressions that she was had on her face. She was almost n.a.k.e.d and was lying on the bed in her p.a.n.t.i.e.s only.

Her hair was sprawled across the white bedsheet, meanwhile, she was looking at him with her alluring expressions, with her back arched in anticipation.

His breath hitched upon seeing her like this and gritted his teeth upon hearing her bold words.

His eyes filled with l.u.s.t as he said in a low-raspy voice, " Right away, Your Highness."

As said this, he climbed on the bed and grasped her waist, and made her lie on the bed properly.

Her legs were dangling down the bed and if this would have continued, her legs would have gone sore and uncomfortable.

And he doesn't want that. Only he can make her feel sore, not because she was lying in the wrong posture.

Xu Nuan was still confused about what he was doing. However, she just let him move him as if she was some kind of dumbbell and tried to stay quiet for a few moments at least.

She blinked when he sat by her legs and said, while looking at intensely " Jiang Yue, there is no backing out from this moment. If you want me to stop, tell me now. " He said, making her stare at him in a daze.

When he used her real name instead of Jiang Yue, she knew what was waiting for her.

Seeing his passionate gaze, she nodded and said, " If I wanted you to stop, I would have kicked you out of the room long ago." She commented, making him chuckle at her 'low-key' threat.

Before she could say anything more, he pulled her p.a.n.t.i.e.s down and threw them somewhere on the floor, making her gasp at his sudden move.

His breath fastened upon seeing her c.l.i.t and touched her with his fingers.

Xu Nuan cried in sheer p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e when he did that. His fingers were cold and this made her shudder at his gentle touch.

" Ah, Zihao…." Xu Nuan closed her eyes and threw her head back in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

While she was lost in the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e that his fingers were giving her, he adjusted himself between her parted legs and sniffed on her musky scent before using his mouth to make her enjoy this feeling.

-

Xu Nuan had her eyes closed, however, her eyes snapped open when she felt something strange between her legs, something...something good.

She raised her head and looked at him, only to find his head positioned between her t.h.i.g.hs.

'What...the….'

Her eyes widened to see this wild scenario which she has only seen in….po….mo...movies. Action movies!!

And she never liked this kind of wildness. It's gross and unhygienic.

" Why are you down there? Don't do it."

She was embarrassed and didn't want him to use his mouth to please her. It's not hygienic and...it feels awfully awkward and embarrassing.

" It's not good and it's unhygienic. You should…"

However, he ignored her nagging, and before she could complete her words, he licked her bud of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e and started to suck on it with his mouth.

His tongue did magic on her as he pushed his tongue inside her and s.u.c.k.e.d on her wet folds, making her legs go weak.

Her legs felt fragile and she had the strong urge to close them. However, he used his hands to keep them apart and circled his arms around her legs and waist to keep her in place and not wriggle away.

" Ummm…Zi...Zihao…" Xu Nuan was loudly at sudden restriction and was feeling another kind of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

She was a m.o.a.ning mess now. Her throat was sore and was hurting. It was dry and sore due to her crying and whimpering while he p.l.e.a.s.u.r.ed her.

She m.o.a.n.e.d loudly and held her head back, relishing this foreign feeling.

This was feeling way better than anything. It's embarrassing and gross, but who cares if it feels good?

'Anything is fair in love and war, even if it's gross.'

She gritted her teeth and, unconsciously grabbed his damp hair and pressed his head towards herself, wanting for more.

He used one hand to keep her legs apart, meanwhile, he rubbed on her wet folds with the other. He inserted a finger inside her, making her cry in pain and p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

"Ow!! Zihao…." She cried in pain, but her body slowly adjusted to this feeling and she started to enjoy this roughness when his finger started to move, to and fro inside her.

She whimpered, feeling a hot ball of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e forming inside her. Her insides tightened as her body shuddered, finally releasing the liquid of p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

She panted and her c.h.e.s.t heaved up and down as she was savoring the after-effects of the o.r.g.a.s.m. However, when she opened her eyes and looked between her legs, she pursed her lips guiltily to see Han Zihao's face...his lips and nose were wet with her release.

She gave him a guilty look and said, while she tried to sit up, " Erm...I am sorry. Let me find tissues for you."

However, he grasped her hand and stopped her from leaving. " Why are you sorry? Are you embarrassed?" He asked.

However, seeing her nodding sheepishly, he couldn't help but chuckle. He licked his lips while looking at her and said, " If you're sorry, then remember to pay me back for this later."

Her face turned cherry-red to see him l.i.c.k.i.n.g his lips that had her release. How can he….

She gulped, " Now?"

Seeing her staring at him in nervousness, he leaned over and kissed her lips and said, " Not today! Today is your day." He whispered, making her blush hard.

" You will have many opportunities to pay me back in the future. You can do that later." He whispered, making her blush.

As said this, he captured her lips and kissed her passionately, making her restless again.

After a long kiss, both of them were breathless and were panting to catch their breaths. He separated from the kiss and stared at her intensely, " Jiang Yue, do you want me?"

She looked into his eyes and nodded with her flushed cheeks. His words...they cannot be more direct than this.

He smiled and patted her head gently before getting off the bed.

She frowned, " Where…are you going somewhere?" Her voice turned sheepish when he turned to look at her.

For some strange reason, she was feeling like a docile and gentle girl for the time in her two lives. Was she always this innocent type? She doubted.

" You don't want me to do it without protection, do you?" He asked as he went to open his luggage and searched for the blue box of c.o.n.d.o.ms that he had packed with the luggage.

His eyes widened in shock when it was not there. He had bought them and it was on his bedside table when he was packing his luggage.

He felt a bucket of ice-cold water pouring onto him when he realized that he had forgotten the box of c.o.n.d.o.ms at home.

How can this be….

Even if wanted to buy them from the markets, there are no shops nearby and even if he goes downtown to get them, they must be closed by now. Unlike the cities, there are no convenience stores in this area that will stay 24/7 hours open.

He gritted his teeth and resented his stupidness. How can he forget that?

Xu Nuan watched him looking at his luggage bag with dull expressions and he looked...kinda pitiful from behind.

" What happened?" She asked.

He sighed and stood up and walked to her. He sat on the bed and sighed heavily, " I forgot….them at home."

He didn't say c.o.n.d.o.ms, but she understood what he meant by 'them'.

She blinked as he looked as if he would cry the next moment. She pursed her lips as she tried to control her laugh.

Why is he so cute?

" Argh….how can I forget it at home?" He g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

" But don't worry. I will go to the market first thing in the morning and will buy it. Today we can do…." he wanted to suggest to her other ways to enjoy the night so that she would not feel disappointed by him.

How can he make such a stupid mistake?

Seeing him like this and trying to make an effort, she chuckled and rubbed her neck awkwardly, " Well, we don't need to wait by tomorrow."

" Ah?" He blinked as he looked at her in confusion. No need to wait until tomorrow? Does she want him to…

He pursed his lips and wondered if she was thinking the same as him. He was elated for a moment but sighed, " No. I don't want you to take any pills later because I have read that it can harm the women's body."

" Moreover, you just got into college. I don't want you to take any risks. Don't take my grandmother's words so seriously. We don't need to hurry in this…." He went on, leaving her dumbfounded.

She never thought that he was thinking of this far. But upon hearing his words, she felt even calmer and secured seeing the way he thinks for her.

" Zihao…" she called out his name in a low voice and felt herself getting emotional.

She sniffled to not let the tears fall. She doesn't want to cry while sitting on the bed, all n.a.k.e.d with only a blanket covering her.

She took a deep breath and calmed down before saying, " I am glad that you care for me...but...I was just saying that we don't need to wait until tomorrow because…."

She paused seeing him looking at her intently and sighed before continuing, " because I have c.o.n.d.o.ms in my handbag. I just wanted to tell you to use them instead."

After saying this, her face became crimson as she wasn't expecting to say this herself.

However, her words sounded strange, especially when he had just made his long sentimental speech. How come he is still being thoughtful and attentive towards her, meanwhile, she was only thinking about jumping into action?

"....."

After her words, there was an awkward silence in the room.

No one had expected their adventurous night to be halted like this and them sitting like this, having this kind of... conversation.

Chapter 287 - Poker Face Queen!!

In the morning, the room was brightly lit because of the dazzling sunlight coming from the window.

The sun was already up, high and hot in the sky, meanwhile, Han Zihao and Xu Nuan were still in deep slumber, in each other's arms.

Xu Nuan g.r.o.a.n.e.d in her sleep because of the sunlight hitting her face, irritating her eyes.

She yawned and tried to stretch her hands but found herself restricted by the man sleeping next to her.

She was sleeping on her side, meanwhile, Han Zihao was hugging and cuddling her from behind, trapping her in his embrace.

She looked at his hand, wrapped around her waist, and tried to carefully remove it from her.

Although she woke up because of the sunlight that was bothering her, she also wants to use the bathroom.

However, her attempts failed when he hugged her tighter and snuggled his face in her nape.

She looked down at her and realized that she was wearing one of his white shirts.

The last night was quite a wild and adventurous night for them. It was the first official night that they spent together and finally became one. She never thought that the c.o.n.d.o.m that she carried with her for backup would come into use.

She was excited about the trip and was nervous since it was the first time that they would be going somewhere, all alone. After spending the night at Han Mansion, she realized that it's better to be prepared than be sorry later.

However, she never thought that she would tell him about the c.o.n.d.o.ms in such an awkward way.

-

When she was reminded of the memories of last night, she couldn't help but chuckle embarrassedly.

It was her first time seeing the wildest and flirtatious side of him. She never thought that he could be this vigorous. He didn't allow her to sleep last night and they only went to bed around dawn.

She doesn't even remember how she is wearing his shirt and when he changed the bedsheets. Because as long as she remembers, she was in the bathtub for a warm water soak since she wanted to clean up before sleeping.

But seeing how she doesn't remember anything afterward, she must have fallen asleep in the bathtub.

She glanced back at him and wondered, 'Did he dress me up in his shirt?' She giggled thinking about the way he made her wear his shirt, rather than making her wear her pajamas.

-

She tried to get out of his tight embrace again, but he g.r.o.a.n.e.d and nuzzled against her nape, " Don't move. Sleep more!" He said and hugged her tightly, again.

She let out an exasperated sigh seeing his clingy behavior and patted his hand, " Mr. Han, let me go. I want to use the bathroom."

He g.r.o.a.n.e.d and looked at her with his sleepy eyes and said, " Is that so? Then you can go."

However, even after allowing her to go, he didn't remove his hand from her and kept her captivated.

She frowned. " What are you doing? Remove your hands off me."

" Pay the charges first." He said.

" Charges?"

" Kiss me." He pouted at her with closed eyes and waited for her to kiss him.

"....."

She was speechless to see him acting cute first thing in the morning. He looked exactly the opposite of what he looked the last night.

She giggled and kissed him on the nose, " Here. Now let me go," she pleaded.

He frowned at her, " I asked for a kiss on the lips, not nose."

" But you didn't say this earlier. So it counts, now let me...go." She took advantage of him frowning and pinched his hand before removing it off her.

"AH, Now that's cheating." he frowned at her but she giggled and showed him her tongue before running to the bathroom.

Han Zihao chuckled seeing her running away like this and sighed before hugging the pillow tightly. " I should have asked for something else."

***

" Jia Fei, don't you dare stand at the counter. Do you know how many customers get scared of your poker face? At least smile a bit if you're standing at the counter." Luo Dan said while holding the phone against her ear with one hand and was carrying the shopping bags in the other.

Today, she came out to buy some tableware and decorative items for the cafe, meanwhile, Jia Fei decided to stay at the cafe to look after it. However, she is afraid that she will again go and stand behind the counter and will scare away the customers with her straight face.

She doesn't smile at the customers and stares at them coldly as if she is angry. Because of this, many customers stay on their toes while placing their orders and sometimes place the wrong orders in nervousness.

Jia Fei, on the other hand, was standing behind the counter and raised her brows upon hearing Luo Dan's words.

She cleared her throat and tried to smoothen the creases on her forehead, " Don't lie. I am not that scary. Also, is it my fault that they get scared just by looking at me?"

" Why do I even smile at strangers? It's so perverted." She reasoned.

Luo Dan sighed exasperatedly, " Then don't stand behind the counter. And if you're standing, then learn to smile. They're not your fans who will swoon over your girl crush poker face." She hung up after saying her words.

" What? She is so annoying." Jia Fei murmured and shook her head before pulling a chair to sit behind the counter. " Why would I smile just because I was told to do so? I won't." She sat there stubbornly and decided to not smile at anyone at all.

-

Luo Dan looked at the time and realized that it's already lunchtime. She adjusted her mask and walked out of the mall while carrying the heavy bags.

She stood in front of the mall and looked for a cab on the app. " Why is there no cab nearby?" She frowned.

She didn't bring a car with her because she doesn't have a license. Jia Fei always insisted that she should learn how to drive and get a license but she is too afraid to drive.

She tried a few times to learn driving but it never went right. She almost hit the wall once while learning to drive.

"But why isn't any cab available today? It's not even nighttime." She groans.

She adjusted her mask again when a few people stood next to her. She continued refreshing the app in hope that no one would recognize her. Otherwise, it will be a bother to get out of here easily.

Also, She doesn't want to take any taxi and bring trouble upon herself.

While she was waiting, a luxurious black car stopped in front of her.

She frowned and stepped back in wary. The corners of her lips fell when the window of the backseat lowered and the face of the person sitting on the back seat came into her sight.

"Ms. Luo, what a coincidence. For a moment, I thought that I was seeing things." The man said with an annoying smirk on his lips.

Luo Dan frowned and sighed when the people standing near her, walked away to the parking area. She forced a smile and greeted the man, " Mr. Zhu, Nice to meet you too. I am glad that your eyes are working just fine."

The man pursed his lips upon hearing her meaningful comment.

-

Luo Dan wanted to get away from this situation as she doesn't want to stand here and talk to this disgusting man.

When she was still in the group, she met him a few times at the award ceremonies and other events.

Although he is not a part of the entertainment industry directly, he is quite popular as the CEO of an entertainment company.

His company is not one of the main ones, but he is quite popular in the industry. Not because of his artists and their performances but because of his looks.

He is not only young, rich but also handsome for a businessman. On top of that, his social connections in the entertainment industry are what make him stronger than others.

He always had his eyes on her but she never gave him a glance. He even tried to hit on her a few times and also suggested going to a club with him.

And once, when she went to a private party with her members and left for the washroom, he came out of nowhere and blocked her way. He even tried to push her in the corner, seeing her alone.

However, to his bad luck, Jiang Yue appeared at the right time and almost stabbed a pointed pen in his eyes saying that she lost her balance.

Luo Dan was worrying over how to deal with him since he is not anyone but a CEO of a company and if she did anything, the media will only ruin her name.

But Jiang Yue was one step ahead of her. She didn't bother about his status and taught him a good lesson, indirectly.

But he understood that it's not easy to deal with her, especially when Jiang Yue is around her.

….

Chapter 288 - Battle of Popularity!!

The man clenched his fists upon remembering the embarrassing past. However, when he looked at Luo Dan, he was pleased to see her current state. The member of the most popular girl group was out and was shopping and there was no one to pick her up.

Generally, their manager would have been following them around, keeping them protected and secured as if they're some precious treasures. And now...she was standing all alone, carrying heavy shopping bags, and was looking for a cab under the scorching heat.

How pitiful!!

He smirked and got out of the car. He slid his hands inside his pants pockets and looked around to check if anyone was around. Seeing that no one was around, he leaned against his car comfortably and looked at her with a smirk, " Ms. Luo, you're still proud and stubborn as before? Aren't you?"

" I tried to pursue you and followed you around, yet you avoided me every time we met."

He clicked his tongue, "You pretend to be polite to others, but act fiercely in front of me? Well, guess what? I like feisty girls more than meek ones." He commented.

Luo Dan sighed. Rather than feeling disgusted, she was speechless.

" Mr. Zhu, you're the CEO of an entertainment company, you have so many idols and actors under your label, but sadly you don't even know how to pick up on girls. Who uses these kinds of cringe-filled pick-up lines these days? So outdated." she shook her head in disgust.

He frowned.

Although Luo Dan never complied with him, it was her first time talking back at him like this. It's been a few months and she has changed drastically? What happened that made her like this?

As if reading his mind, she scoffed, " Shocked to see me talking back like this? Well, I am only nice to those who love and care for me, not for creeps."

" Moreover, at that time I was bound by the responsibilities. I was an idol at that time, a popular one at that. The media would have been all over me if I had said anything."

" It's not like I am scared of you, I just didn't want to do anything that will put my members in an unnecessary scandal. And more than that, I didn't want you to be benefitted from our popularity."

" After all, your company is nowhere when it comes to the popularity of 'The Queens'." she spatted the facts with a straight face.

He gritted his teeth, " You!!"

He stepped closer and glared down at her. " Do you think you're some big shot? You're nothing now."

" Your group? It's shattered now. Luo Dan, think practically. Be sensible and come to me. I will give you everything, I will do anything in my reach to make you at the top again." His voice softened in but the rage was clear in his eyes.

No girl has ever humiliated him this way, other than Jiang Yue and now her. She cannot look down on him, and he will teach her that after she comes to him.

He will make her beg for his mercy. But for now, he will swallow his anger and will speak softly to her.

Yet he is talking about making her reach the top. Stupid!

Before she could say anything, she heard someone say, " If that's the case, why don't you take me with you. I'll be happy to comply with your wishes."

She turned around and found Han Liang walking towards them. He was wearing a white shirt, whose top buttons were undone, and black pants that were making him look more m.a.t.u.r.e and attractive.

He generally wears colorful jackets that suit his bright personality, but seeing him in a white and black combination, he looked different than usual.

He was holding a cup of iced americano and sipped on his drink as he made his way towards her.

He stood by her side and glanced at her before turning to Zhu Zhang, " Mr. Zhu, what a surprise! I never thought that I would get to see you here."

Zhu Zhang frowned when he saw Han Liang extending his hand for a handshake. He pursed his lips and unwillingly shook his hand lightly. " Well, it's a surprise indeed."

However, as he was about to take his hand back, he felt Han Liang's grip tightening around his hand. He frowned and could feel the hostility coming from his side.

Luo Dan, who was standing on the side also noticed the change in Han Liang's expressions and was wondering what's going on between them. She should be the one getting angry at Zhu Zhang, why does Han Liang look angry instead?

After shaking hands with him, Han Liang chuckled and said to him, " Mr. Zhu, I heard that you're saying that you can make Ms. Luo reach the top, if you're that capable, why don't you sign a contract with me?"

" You see, my contract with my company is soon going to end. I am active as an idol and I guess, I am more popular than Ms. Luo. It won't be a loss for you. What do you say? Should I cancel my contract with my company?"

" You will pay the compensation fees to my current company, right? I am sure you can do that much. You're a successful businessman, after all, who can make anyone reach to the 'top'." He said while emphasizing the word top.

"Pfft", Luo Dan couldn't hold onto her laughter anymore and chuckled upon hearing his sarcastic words.

Even though Zhu Zhang is popular as a 'handsome' CEO, his company is not that 'noticeable', compared to Han Liang's crazily large fanbase.

That's why when they were still working as a group, they were always compared to Han Liang whose popularity was still high, even after leaving the group. He was on top when it comes to male soloists, meanwhile, they were holding the top position as the most popular female group.

-

Zhu Zhang frowned and glared at Han Liang. However, there is no way that he will take the chance to argue with him just for a mere girl.

Because all the businessmen in the industry know the powerful background of Han Liang. He belongs to the Han family, who has been ruling the business industry for years now and after the appointment of Han Zihao as the President of the company, the company only climbed higher and higher in terms of status and popularity.

He cleared his throat and chuckled, " Mr. Han, please don't joke like that. Your popularity is incomparable, I can never say anything like that to you."

Han Liang raised his brows at him, " I am glad that you know that."

Zhu Zhuang pursed his lips and glanced at Luo Dan who was still giggling and was smiling as if they were making some jokes.

He nodded and bit goodbye to both of them before leaving. However, he didn't forget to give a glance at Luo Dan before leaving in his car.

-

After he left, Luo Dan sighed. However, upon remembering that they were standing in front of the mall where anyone can easily see them, she panicked.

Even though there were not many people outside and both of them were wearing masks to cover their faces, it's not safe for them to be seen together.

" Mr. Han, what are you doing here? How can you walk around the mall as if it's normal for you?"

" If someone spots you, it will turn into a huge mess." She said worriedly.

His lips curled in a smile to see her worrying for him. It's been quite a few days since he has seen her but never imagined that he will get to meet her here.

They were on their way for a meeting and stopped by the mall as he needed to buy some stuff. His manager went inside to buy a few things, meanwhile, he went to the cafe in the mall and got himself a coffee.

" You're worried about me and yet you were standing here alone. Did you forget that you're no less popular than me? It's so dangerous for you to be standing here alone."

" Well, I don't think I am that popular anymore." She laughed awkwardly.

He frowned. " How can you make such remarks? Leaving the industry doesn't mean that you lost your charm. Your fans are still crazy as ever. Have you seen the comments under your videos? They keep weeping and are praying for you to make a comeback."

She nodded. She has seen those comments too. However, it still feels strange. It feels like she doesn't deserve it and she has let her fans down,

Wait a minute…..

She looked at him in confusion, " But...why were you watching our videos? Aren't you packed up with work already? Do you even have time to watch all that?"

"..."

He pursed his lips. She is right.

He is preparing for his upcoming music video and was busy as heck. Recording, practicing and costume deciding, everything is going on, that too at once.

He doesn't even get to sleep properly these days. Yet he finds time to watch all of her videos. He has seen all of her music videos, concert clips, extra songs, and even the vlogs. Not only that, he watches her fancams every day without a miss.

But can he tell her that? No way!!

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, " I watched a few videos since they were in my search feed. I didn't search for them, not at all."

" Oh." she nodded.

Before she could ask another question, he looked around and frowned. Upon seeing people walking out of the mall, he grasped her wrist and said, " It's not safe to stand here like this. For now, let's go from here."

" Ah?" Luo Dan was caught off guard but didn't get to say anything as he pulled her with him.

Chapter 289 - Holding hands.

Luo Dan was caught off guard when Han Liang held her hand out of nowhere and started to pull her with him. With no choice left, she also followed him, however, she couldn't keep up with his pace because of the heavy shopping bags that she was holding.

She pursed her lips when he glanced back and saw a group of young people walking out of the mall, laughing and giggling.

Han Liang, who was walking ahead of her while holding her hand, glanced at her and saw her stopping a few times to adjust her bags.

He stopped in his tracks and turned around to take the bags from her, " Give it to me."

" Ah, it's okay. I can hold it." She protested, feeling embarrassed at his sudden kind gesture.

" Of course you can hold it. But let me hold it for now if you don't want to be caught in an unnecessary scandal," he said indifferently, before pointing at a man.

Luo Dan looked back and frowned, realizing that behind the group of people, a man was also walking out of the mall. However, he is not just any man, he is one of the paparazzi who is famous for following idols to their houses and release the news about their love affairs.

" What is he doing here?" She gasped, however, Han Liang didn't stop in his steps and kept pulling on her hand with him.

"That's why we need to hurry up and leave from here." He commented.

Luo Dan stared at his back in a daze while following him and glanced at her hand that he was holding onto.

It felt strange.

It was her first time holding hands with a man and they were warm and surprisingly soft.

She debuted five years ago and has been training since a young age. Like others, she didn't get the time to meet new people and make new friends out of her group and staff circle.

Lin Hui, who used to follow them around and was with them for almost 24 hours, was a close friend and a manager to her.

It's not like she was holding hands with a man for the first time, but it was the first time that she was feeling these strange emotions.

It's just holding hands, but why doesn't it feel as normal as it used to be before?

She never had much interaction with other male idols either. However, now she was holding hands with Han Liang.

For some reason, this situation was making her face red.

What is this? It's just holding hands since we're in an urgent situation…..but...why am I thinking so much about it? She wondered.

_

After settling in the passenger seat of the car, Luo Dan glanced at Han Liang who was sitting on the driver's seat and was removing his mask.

To escape from the situation, he brought her to his car that was parked in the parking lot.

'She is sitting in my car….Yes!!'

' Ah, wait. It's technically not my car, but my manager's car. But who cares when she is sitting together with me in the same car.'

'Don't smile Han Liang….just don't.' He took a deep breath before turning to her, " Aren't you hungry? It's already lunchtime."

" I am. But it's not like we can go anywhere from here until the man leaves."

She was starving. She couldn't even have breakfast in the morning and after all the shopping, she could feel her body giving up and was begging for food.

But rather than going home and making something to eat, she was stuck here.

Upon hearing her sigh, he nodded and put on a seat belt, and said, " Put on your seatbelt."

She looked at him in surprise and blinked.

" I...I haven't eaten anything since morning. Rather than staying here and waiting for him to leave, why don't we go out and eat something delicious?"

" This way we can get out of this situation and won't waste our time by staying here uselessly either." He explained.

He looked at her earnestly and was waiting for her answer.

What if she rejects me? He wondered.

However, to his surprise, she said, " Hmm...I think that will be better. But…. weren't you going somewhere? I mean... you're dressed like this, I thought you were going somewhere." She said, pointing at his white shirt and black trousers, which were different from his usual attire.

" Ah, it's already done. I wore it for a meeting but it's already over. I am free now, I don't have anything else to do now." He lied.

They were on their way for a photoshoot but stopped on the way to buy something at the mall. However, he knows that he won't be able to get a better opportunity to have lunch with her than his.

How can he miss that?

Before driving out of the parking lot, he messaged his manager, who was still in the mall.

[Cancel today's shoot. I am taking your car with me; Bye.]

[ Ah, Don't call or message me later. I am not gonna answer them anyway.]

~Ding~

His manager, who was at the billing counter, checks the message that Han Liang has sent and frowns, " What the heck? What is he doing now?"

He hurriedly left the mall and when he reached the parking lot where his car was parked, only the empty parking space could be seen, not his car.

" This brat…" He sighed exasperatedly. How can he cancel the photoshoot at the last moment and leave him alone to be chewed by the fussy photographer behind like this?

***

After washing the dishes, when Han Zihao went upstairs, he found Xu Nuan packing their luggage.

He never thought that two days could be this short. Before he realized it, it came to an end.

He sighed and went to Xu Nuan, who was sitting on the bed and was putting their clothes in it.

She was wearing his white shirt and black shorts underneath. The top two buttons of the shirt were undone, revealing her milky white skin which was marked by him.

A proud smile appeared on his lips seeing the marks on her nape. Her hair was slightly damp since she took a bath a while ago and hasn't gotten the chance to dry them.

He sighed and went to sit behind her. He grasped her waist and pulled her towards him, hugging her from behind, " Can't we stay here for a few more days? Two days are too short for our first trip." He w.h.i.n.ed.

Xu Nuan glanced at him and chuckled seeing him trying to charm her with his cuteness. But it won't work now.

" No! We have to leave tomorrow morning." She rejected him firmly.

"I am already taking tomorrow's off since you said that we will leave for home on Monday. Also, aren't you the President of the company, shouldn't you be busier than me?"

He pursed his lips and frowned, " So what if I am the President? Can't I take a few days off? I pay my employees for their leisure time and give them the paid leaves as well. But, I, The President of the company, cannot take a few days off, hah!" He scoffed, feeling wronged.

Xu Nuan turned to him and stared at him in speechlessness. He sure knows how to use his pitiful card to make her feel bad.

She sighed and turned to look at him, " Be a good guy and help me in packing. If you do that…"

His eyes lit up upon hearing her suggestive words, " If I do that…." He repeated her words and waited for her to complete her words.

She c.a.r.e.s.sed his face and said, " If you do that….I will give you a surprise."

" Surprise? And...What is it?" He asks before pulling her closer.

She giggled and leaned to whisper, " Surprise won't be a surprise if we reveal them. So….be patient and help me first."

He pursed his lips and sighed. What choice does he have? She isn't extending their holidays and was luring him to help her in packing by talking about a surprise with those tempting eyes.

" You better do something better, otherwise I am not gonna let you get away from this," he warned her before picking up the clothes to pack in the carrier.

She giggled seeing him complying with her command and nodded firmly, " Don't worry. I won't let you feel wronged in any way."

Chapter 290 - A news!!

Jade Hotel-

To avoid the paparazzi and any scandal, Han Liang took Luo Dan to the Jade Hotel, whose security was top-notch and the staff would not leak the information to others either. Here they can not only manage to avoid the paparazzi but also get to eat the delicious food.

They were sitting in a private room with a round table in the middle and the chairs were placed orderly around it. The table was full of various kinds of appetizing dishes. There were dumplings, fried rice, and sweet and sour pork with noodles.

Luo Dan gulped and started putting the dishes on her plate.

Han Liang smiled seeing her eating well, however, rather than placing the plate that she filled with food in front of her, she passed it to him, " Here."

He was surprised. He wasn't expecting her to give him her plate.

Seeing him frozen in one place and not taking the plate, Luo Dan said, " Do you not eat these kinds of fried food? Should I order something else?"

" No! No! I eat it well. I will eat it all." He snatched the plate from her hands and started eating the food as if it's the best thing in the world. Although the food was indeed good and was made by the best chef, the reason for his excitement was different.

Luo Dan was pleased to see him eating well and started eating too.

-

The other day, Xu Nuan told him to ask Luo Dan directly and be bold. However, his hands were getting cold from nervousness.

" Luo Dan!!" He called her by her name.

She looked at him in surprise, wondering why he suddenly looked serious.

Han Liang took a deep breath, ' Just say you fell in love with her at first sight.'

' Tell her that she is so beautiful and he cannot take his eyes off her.'

' Luo Dan, I like you. Will you go out with me?' He repeated in his head but when he opened his mouth, things didn't go as he had thought.

" Luo Dan, do you have a boyfriend?" He asked, loud and clear. Since the room was quiet, his words were resonating in the room, making her frown at him.

'Shit, Shit, Shit!!'

' How can I ask that question at this time? The whole mood calls for a confession, but what is this?'

Luo Dan raised her brows. For a moment, she was shocked and didn't know how and what to answer.

It was so sudden.

" I don't." She responded calmly.

" Oh…" Han Liang was at a loss for words. He never thought that she would end the conversation so easily.

"Ermmm…" He blinked and tried to think what to say next.

'I can ask her out now, isn't it the right timing? She is single too,' he thought.

" Then who was that guy with whom you were drinking the coffee the other day, and was laughing loudly? You never laugh like that when you're with me." He grumbles.

His eyes widened in shock upon realizing what nonsense he just said.

' Someone please stab me with a butter knife. I don't even deserve to be stabbed with a regular knife.'

'I am dead. Please let me die.' He was crying inwardly.

'Now she will think of me as a busybody and an annoying man.' he sighed discouragingly.

Luo Dan stared at him and didn't say anything for a few minutes. She could see his expressions changing and he looked sorry after asking that personal question.

She wouldn't have answered this question to others because she doesn't like to explain herself when she was asked such questions. However, strangely, she didn't feel mad about his question.

After taking a sip of her orange juice, she said, " The guy you saw the other day? He was Lin Hui, our group's manager, and my close friend. We were meeting after so long, so there were many things to talk about."

" Ah." He nodded. He was feeling glad that she didn't say anything, otherwise, this would have become a 'real' awkward situation.

She noticed his stiff expressions and smiled. " We're just friends, nothing else." She added.

He looked up at her in confusion and blinked, " Ahhh….No, I was...I was just asking because…"

" Woah, these noodles are so spicy. Didn't we order the mild ones?" She exclaimed in surprise upon tasting the spicy noodles.

" Did they give you the spicy ones? But I ordered the mild ones for you. Wait, let me ask them." He said.

Seeing him thinking about food now, she was relieved. His questions had put them in strange awkwardness and silence. She needed to break the ice and change the topic to something else.

After coming back from the trip, Xu Nuan got busy with her studies and work again.

It's been two weeks since they came back from the trip, there are times when she feels nervous around him. However, it's not awkward anymore.

They have become quite close and comfortable with each other in the past month.

She is basically living at his place. She just sleeps at her place, other than that, she spends all of her time at his place.

Even though she is busy, she always tries to take some time to bother him with her text messages and video calls.

However, the thing she started to bother him, she was not sure anymore if it's a bother for him or not. Because he picks up her call in two or three rings and never looks like he was busy or was doing anything.

How is that even possible? How can he not get irritated with her calling and messaging him so much? Even if she gets annoyed when someone disturbs her while working, how can he not?

A wide smile appeared on her lips upon remembering the way he responds to her calls and how clingy he has become these days. From Sloth Han, he is becoming Koala Han.

If he can, he will stick with her all day long.

He still asks her about the 'surprise' that she had promised him the other day. He acts as if she has wronged him by making a fake promise.

But she never says anything and always maintains a long silence. The surprise shouldn't be revealed so easily.

She needed to do some build-up.

He should be patient if he wants to know the surprise. After all, it's a surprise for a reason.

-

After attending the classes, Xu Nuan went directly to the company. In the last few days, she was coming to the office regularly after attending the classes.

The girls have recently participated in a reality show where the girls were given a chance to showcase their vocal skills. Seeing how entertaining they appear on screen, they keep getting offers to be a guest in more reality talk shows.

Not only that, the accessories that they were wearing that day, all sold out. Seeing the effect they have, they keep getting the commercial and endors.e.m.e.nt offers. Because of their success, everyone was shocked and frowned upon them, calling their success a temporary one and it will fade away after a few times.

They're not wrong. However, now it's her duty to keep them at the top and find what's best for them.

Xu Nuan was sitting in her office and was going through the endors.e.m.e.nt offers for the girls. While she was checking the details and was thinking about which one would be the best choice for them, her phone rang.

She answered the phone but was left speechless upon hearing the news. " Are...you serious? Has it been confirmed?"

-

In the practice room, loud music was playing and Song Ai was lying on the floor, sweating and exhausted from practicing non-stop.

Meanwhile, Sun Ya and Pan Lan were playing around and were laughing aloud while tickling each other.

Unlike their chaotic world, Lai Yi was silently sitting in the corner and was checking any new articles about them. She still can't digest the news that not only they got their first trophy from their debut song, but also they're winning other music shows and going higher and higher in the music charts.

Everything felt like a dream, however, it was too real to be a dream.

She was startled and was forced to wake up from her reverie when Song Ai clapped her hands and shouted, " Girls, get up. We need to practice. Didn't Xu Nuan say that we need to keep practicing daily to improve our form? So don't laze around and move."

Pan Lan looked over and chuckled," You're the one who needs to get up since you're still on the floor. First, you get up before asking us to move."

Song Ai frowned and glared at her. Pan Lan always finds a way to cut her words and annoy her. They fight a lot and couldn't stand each other breathing peacefully, however, their bickering is what keeps them together and lively.

Sun Ya giggled seeing that they're on it again. " Fight!! We want a fight!! Fight!!" she started shouting but before she could get to witness the great battle, the door of the practice room opened.

They looked over, " Xu Nuan!!"

Song Ai stood up and walked to her, " Are you here to watch our practice routine? Do you want to record a video of it?"

Xu Nuan shook her head and said, " I am not here because of that. I have news for you all."

Seeing her serious expressions, everyone was confused. Why was she being so mysterious?

Chapter 291 - Weird-Perverted stuff.

Everyone frowned and stared at Xu Nuan with complicated expressions. Is there any problem with their contract? They wondered.

Since they debuted as a temporary group, they were supposed to be disbanded if they failed to win any trophies for their song or grab the attention of the public.

However, they not only won the trophies for their debut song, but they are also getting fairly high attention from the public as a new group. Didn't they already surpass these qualifications?

They haven't renewed their contract yet and there is a chance that they won't be able to continue their activities as a group anymore. But they don't want that to happen. They can't bear to be separated from each other.

After training together for years, they're like a family and cannot think about separating from each other so soon.

Song Ai glanced at the other girls and saw their expressions turning grim. " Xu Nuan, don't hesitate. Just say whatever it is. We're already thankful for what you have done for us. We don't expect much since we weren't supposed to debut anyway."

Xu Nuan smiled seeing everyone's dull expressions, " Well, the news is indeed stressful. And things are going to be hard for you all from now on."

Everyone pursed their lips and Sun Ya was on the verge of crying. Pan Lan patted her back but it was of no use. Her eyes were already glistening with clear tears.

" A while ago I got a phone call. It was to inform that 'The knights'  have been invited to perform at the Jade Music Awards."

"....."

" I knew it. I was having a feeling that something bad was gonna happen today and it…..wait...WHAT?" Sun Ya burst into tears and was crying while grumbling when the news hit her.

" Did you said….Jade Music Awards? The great music award where only the top artists are invited?" Her eyes widened, as she waited for Xu Nuan to confirm, if she heard it right or if she was hallucinating.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing her crying while asking this question. She sighed and picked up a tissue from the table on the side and handed it to her, " Yes. Only those groups who're in the top 100 can be eligible to be invited to the award show and the performance invitations are even rarer for rookie groups."

" But you guys did it, that too with your single track only."

" AHHHH….HOW IS IT A BAD NEWS? YOU SCARED US ALL.." Sun Ya started crying even more loudly after hearing this news.

Others were also laughing and crying in happiness and nodded in agreement.

Xu Nuan cleared her throat when they were busy crying and hugging each other as if it's big news, " Well, that's not all."

" Now what else?" Pan Lan asked impatiently. Xu Nuan always loves to torture them and bombarded them with her one-by-one news.

Xu Nuan took her sweet time and after pushing her hair back, she 'finally' said, " Along with the invitation, 'The Knights' have been nominated as Rookie of the Year award."

"....."

After she completed her words, a long silence followed. Everyone stared at her in shock and confusion.

However, after her words registered in their minds, Pan Lan stepped forward, " Where is it? Where is everyone?" She asked and started to look behind Xu Nuan and even went out of the doorway to look for something.

" What? What are you looking for?"

" Where is the camera? Or is there a whole team who is here to prank us? Is this some hidden camera prank? Huh?" She asked, looking as serious as ever.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing how little they think of themselves.

" Well, unfortunately, there is no camera. But I think I should have prepared one to record your comedic reactions."

Song Ai held Xu Nuan by her shoulders and looked at her seriously, " Are you serious? We got nominated for...rookies of the year?" Her eyes widened, not knowing what to say.

They weren't expecting to get any awards this year since it's not been that long since they released their song and there is no way that a new group like them, who has no prior support or popularity will get the award.

It's just….so unbelievable.

While everyone was crying and hugging each other, again and again, Lai Yi stopped crying and turned to Xu Nuan.

She looked at her in the eyes and asked, " There is something else too, isn't it?"

Xu Nuan raised her brows, " How do you know? I haven't said anything yet."

" Your eyes said it all. Your eyes were laughing at us for crying easily, you're hiding the real news, aren't you?" She asked cautiously, hoping for it to be good news only.

Everyone stopped and looked at Xu Nuan with a frown, waiting for her to reveal the other news too.

" Xu Nuan, you better say it quickly, otherwise...otherwise, I will complain to your boyfriend." Pan Lan threatened her.

Xu Nuan chuckled, " And...how will you do that? Do you know his name or who he is?"

" We..we can find out. We saw him when he came to pick you up at the restaurant that day when you were dead drunk and were doing some weird-perverted stuff." Pan Lan retaliated.

" He was handsome though." Sun Ya commented.

Xu Nuan stared at her amusingly. Weird-perverted stuff? That's...an interesting way to explain her drunken habits.

" Xu Nuan, don't beat around the bush and just say it already. Stop killing us with suspense." Song Ai insisted.

Xu Nuan sighed and raised her hands in defense, " Okay, fine. I was just trying to allow you all to enjoy this moment a little longer. If you want to know, then I can't do anything."

Everyone got serious again upon hearing her discouraging words. So it's bad news after all.

Lai Yi clenched her fists and waited for her to reveal the news and be done with it.

" So….the news is….Along with the rookie of the year….You guys have been nominated for 'peopleschoiceaward' and 'songoftheyear'!!" Xu Nuan said the last words fastly that they couldn't even understand what she said.

" What did you say? We have been nominated for….what?" Sun Ya leaned closer and asked while squinting her eyes as if she will get to listen to it clearly if she does this.

" I couldn't hear them either." Pan Lan frowned. 'This little brat..'

Her hands were itching to beat Xu Nuan to a pulp for playing with them, but if something happened to her, who would manage them?

While everyone was complaining, Lai Yi was standing there in silence, frozen. After a few minutes, she said something that everyone couldn't hear.

" Lai Yi, what are you mumbling now?" Song Ai sighed. Why is everyone being so childish today?

" She said...we are nominated for the People's Best Choice award and Song of the Year too." Lai Yi said, loud and clear.

" What nonsense...WHAT DID YOU SAY AGAIN?" Pan Lan's eyes widened in shock as she was thunderstruck at the 'shocking news.

" Xu Nuan, are you serious? Song Of the Year? But...how can it be possible?" Song Ai covered her mouth with her palm in surprise.

" As far as I know, no rookie has got the song of the year since they don't have as much following as the famous and experienced groups." Sun Ya reasoned.

However, Xu Nuan could respond, Lai Yi spoke, " No. It's possible. 'The Queens' also won rookie of the year and Song of the Year with their debut song. And it was the first time that any rookie girl group broke the stereotypes and won the song of the year and not some senior group."

Xu Nuan looked at Lai Yi in surprise. It was her first time seeing her talking this much and even though she was still looking serious, her smiling eyes and fast speech were telling how happy she is right now.

Seeing the girls jumping in happiness, she was reminded of her days when they got this overwhelming news. However, watching them going through the same emotions made her feel nostalgic.

Their group has been disbanded and even though it ended on a bad note, the happy moments are still the same and the overwhelming feeling is still intact in her memories.

She took a deep breath and cleared her throat before clapping her hands to get their attention, "Guys, Guys, it's good to be happy, but don't get your hopes up."

"Nomination doesn't mean that you have already won the awards. However, as a new group, this is already an achievement and you should be proud of it. So do celebrate this achievement, but don't let these things get on your head and slack off during your practices."

"The more recognition you all will get, the more people will expect from you and will judge you. So…..whatever the result will be, our priority is to rock the performance. Since it will be your first time performing at the award ceremony, you need to practice hard and everything will be fine."

Everyone wiped their tears and nodded.

" We will work hard." Sun Ya added.

" Don't worry. We won't let you down. After all, it's all because of you that we have reached this point." Song Ai added while trying to keep her emotions in check.

She needs to work hard as the leader to lead the girls well and don't let them feel discouraged by the judging eyes of others.

Xu Nuan smiled seeing the passion in their eyes and said, " You don't need to prove it to me or the world. Just...don't let yourself down. You don't owe anything to anyone, but yourself."

Chapter 292 - Monster Company!!

Two weeks later,

Xu Nuan was sitting at the last bench in the class and was yawning tiredly since she couldn't sleep last night because she was completing her assignment.

She was almost lying on the desk while waiting for the class to start.

The Professor hadn't arrived yet and everyone was sitting in groups and were chatting and giggling. Some were even playing, only she was sitting alone at the last seat in the back.

What a sad life!! She really sucks at making new friends, and it's showing.

" I am hungry. When is this class gonna end?" She g.r.o.a.n.e.d. She puts her head on the desk and closes her eyes to take a quick nap.

If she was not getting food, then she should at least get a good nap.

However, before she could fall asleep, she heard the sound of the chair next to her moving.

She could feel someone taking the seat but she didn't open her eyes. Why would she? Anyone is free to sit on a free chair as long as that person doesn't talk to her.

" Why are you sitting here alone, like an outcast?" She heard someone say.

She g.r.o.a.n.e.d as she recognized this familiar voice. She sits up and stares at Aurora in irritation, " It's not easy to make friends, you see. You must have witnessed that at the party the other day."

He chuckled upon remembering the events of the club party the other day. She was surrounded by girls but was awkwardly looking around as if she was forced to sit between them.

" Why were you sleeping? Are you here to take a class or to sleep? If you want to sleep then go home. Don't infect others with your tiredness." He commented nonchalantly.

She frowned, " Then why are you sitting next to me. Moreover, why are you even here? As far as I know, you aren't in this class."

" I am not. But I don't have anything to do, so I came here to attend this class." Aurora replied.

" It's not like the teacher would kick me out. All the teachers here adore me, you see." he boasted shamelessly.

" Hah! They adore you because you're handsome. Your parents should be proud, not you. After all, you're the product of their genes." she showed him a tongue childishly after saying.

He scoffed in disbelief at her childish behavior, " Well, at least you agree that I am handsome."

She nodded seeing how brazenly he was twisting her words. Upon remembering something, she leaned closer and stared at him with her smiling eyes.

Seeing her sudden change in attitude, he became wary. There must be a reason that she is suddenly smiling at him. Otherwise, other than the harsh words, she cannot say anything.

"What? Why are you staring at me like this?"

" Have you ever considered going into showbiz? Do you know how to sing, dance, or act, for instance?" she asked while looking at him with her glistening eyes.

" Woah!! I don't know anything about that. And….Why do you even want to know about it?"

" Even modeling will do. Are you interested?" she leaned forward, making him feel trapped by her aggressive interrogation.

Since she is going to start her new entertainment company, hopefully soon, she will need to have some artists with whom she can start the company right away.

He pushed back her forehead with a finger and said, " Nice try! But no thanks. I am good with gaming and my studies. Although I am not sure what I am gonna do in future, showbiz is a big no-no."

" Why? It's so much fun. I will make you a top star. You know how good I am at managing my artists. " she boasted while trying to lure him with her offers.

In college, others are not aware of her being the artist manager. She is famous enough for her scandal with Xingren anyway. She doesn't want to gather more attention to her.

In college, only he is aware of her profession, but he doesn't know whom she manages. That's why he was taking her lightly. She was sure that once he finds out about it, it will be a great shock to him.

. " No-thanks. I am good like this." He responded nonchalantly.

She frowned. How can he reject her right away? As she was about to explain to him how amazing she is as a manager, she heard some whispers from the bench in front of her seat.,

[ What? Are you serious? How did you find out that Gu Enterprises' system got hacked? Because as long as I remember, I didn't see any news about it.] The girl asked in confusion.

Since Gu Enterprises is such a big company, there should be news about it, to let everyone know about the situation.

The boy shook his head and explained, [ My Dad heard from someone that since the situation was controlled in time and there wasn't any major damage, the news didn't get leaked to the public.]

[ But that's now the hot topic. The hot topic is, there is some new cyber security company, who came forward to help and offered to solve the issue without any advance payment. And guess what, as he said, he did solve the issue, that too in the shortest time possible.]

[That person was so stupid. I would have taken the advance payment. What if he couldn't have solved the issue? He would have ended up wasting all of his time otherwise.] The boy scoffed.

Xu Nuan, who was listening to their conversation keenly frowned seeing him calling her stupid. Hah! If she was stupid, then she wouldn't have been able to solve the problem, kiddo!.

[ Oh!! I thought there was some catch. There is no fun if the problem got solved. ] The girls felt like there was nothing to talk about anymore.

[ There is. After that day, this news has been spread like a wildfire in a desert to everyone in the industry. Everyone is searching for that person but strangely, he isn't responding to everyone's work requests.]

[ This new company has become a hot issue among businessmen's and the already established cyber security companies are giving lucrative offers to sustain their customers.]

[ As a new company, he should be humble and take up any work he gets. How can he be so fussy about it?] he shakes his head in disbelief.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips seeing the guy looking down on her decisions. She was unsure if he was complimenting her for being competent or was looking down on her decisions.

She scoffed and flicked her pen which hit him on the head.

" Oops!! Sorry. Are you okay?" She asked in a sweet voice, trying to look sorry and embarrassed at her mistake. But in reality, she was laughing out loud, feeling elated that he got hit right on his head.

" Ah, it's...it's okay. Here, your pen." The guy blushed to see her smiling at him and returned her pen without making any issue.

What's there to fight with a pretty girl? Moreover, she is the topper to Xin Lui, he should maintain peace with her.

While she was smirking, feeling pleased that she at least took her revenge, Aurora was staring at her in speechlessness. What exactly goes in her head? She was talking to him and suddenly flicked the pen on the boy's head.

How childish!

She glanced at him and winked at him. " I know I am beautiful but don't stare at me. I will feel embarrassed if you do." She said, putting her hair strands behind her ear embarrassedly.

He chortled, " Well, I doubt that you will ever feel embarrassed by it. You know, I have never seen such a shameless girl like you. You never hesitate while taking up a compliment."

" Thank you. But I already know that I am amazing," she said nonchalantly, leaving him dumbfounded.

_

After she came from the trip, the business email that she created for her new company was swarmed up by the emails from the companies who wanted to work with her.

Although the news of Gu Corporation's system being hacked didn't leak to the public, all the companies got scared and worried about their security walls.

When this kind of incident starts taking place, it's like a domino effect and there is a high chance that it will occur at other companies as well. Finding out that Gu Corporation got the help from the new cyber security company and that company actually managed to fight this issue in time, they were all curious about this new company.

She got a lot of emails to check their security system and some were asking her to build their security system as a whole. She would have taken up these projects if she would have been free, but she already has so much on her plate and she is all alone.

Because of this incident, her company's name skyrocketed. They were searching for a company online that doesn't have much stuff going on.

They can barely find any information since she hasn't officially started the work for it. She wouldn't have started it so soon since she was still in the last planning phase, but the case of Gu Enterprises was rather special.

She didn't want to let Grandfather Gu down and deteriorate his health even more by letting the company down the hills.

However, if she wants to continue this company and make profits from it, she needs to do something about it. She cannot deal with this herself. To run this newly set up so-called company, she needs to do some recruitment and planning.

_

Chapter 293 - Shameless creature!!

Han Corporations-

Han Zihao was in his office and was going through the doc.u.ments that Feng Sheng had given him a while ago to check and sign on them.

He was immersed in his work but was glancing at his phone from time to time. It's already lunchtime and Xu Nuan hasn't called or messaged him yet.

In the last few days, she always calls or messages him during this time. It has become like a routine for him to talk to her during lunch but there was no call today.

Today his phone was dead silent.

That's strange.

~Knock~Knock~

" Come in." He said without looking up.

His eyes were fixated on the file and there was a frown on his forehead. His black hair was combed back, revealing his wide forehead but it didn't look awkward on him.

Not many people can pull up this look but he was looking mesmerizing as always. He adjusted his thin frame glasses and flipped over the page to read.

" Take the lunch away. I don't want to eat today." He said indifferently without looking up. Since it's lunchtime, who can it be other than Feng Sheng?

He wasn't in the mood to eat today. He cannot call her randomly since she is busier than him because of her classes and work.

That's why she calls him whenever she is free, but since she hasn't called him today, it means she is too busy to talk to him.

He sighed heavily, wondering why she works so hard. Even he doesn't work this hard, despite being the President of Han Corporations.

As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a playful voice, " Are you trying to starve my boyfriend because of your so-called work?"

He raised a brow upon hearing the familiar voice. This voice….it's his favorite voice.

Xu Nuan smiled seeing his lost expressions and put the lunchboxes on the glass table before moving to his desk.

" Tell me, were you planning to starve my only boyfriend today? That's so cruel!" She crossed her hands in front of her c.h.e.s.t and said dramatically.

He chuckled seeing her reaction and put his file away and removed his glasses before signaling her to come to his side.

She giggled and walked to him. Before she knew it, she was pulled by her wrist and was sitting on his l.a.p.

She looked at him in surprise, seeing his bold move, and asked again, " Are you trying to avoid my question? How dare you ignore me?" she frowned and pinched his nose in punishment.

Despite her punishment, he was smiling at her like a lovestruck fool, " Don't you think it's a very light punishment? Shouldn't you go for a harsher one?" he whispered in a raspy voice, making her blush.

" Harsher one? Are you sure you can bear my roughness?" She counterattacked him.

" Well, you can try and see it yourself if I can bear it or not. Do you want to try it here? Huh?" he asked while staring at her with his suggestive gaze.

She raised her brows at his bold words and turned to look towards the door before whispering,  "The door is open and Mr. Secretary is still outside."

" Do you think it's appropriate for you to do this here?" she asked.

He wrapped his arms around her and looked at her with a meaningful gaze, " It's my office. No one can come here without my permission."

" By the way, there is another bedroom in my office. If you want, we can move there too." He whispered before leaning for a kiss.

Xu Nuan didn't get a chance to back away as he captured her cherry-like red lips and started s.u.c.k.i.n.g on them. He placed a hand behind her head, pushing her head towards him, and was deepening the kiss.

She giggled and feeling his urgency, she also wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him back with the same passion.

While s.u.c.k.i.n.g on her lips, his hands moved downwards and started c.a.r.e.s.sing her silky smooth legs.

The black skirt that she was wearing rolled up, revealing her t.h.i.g.hs. His hands moved up, c.a.r.e.s.sing her inner t.h.i.g.h, making her gasp.

She m.o.a.n.e.d against his lips, " Mr. Han, don't you think you're becoming too bold? We're still in the office."

Han Zihao separated from the kiss and took a look at her. Her hair was now messy and lipstick also smudged to her face. She was looking even more alluring in this messy state.

He gulped seeing her in this state and took a deep breath before picking up his phone. He dialed Feng Sheng's number and said on the phone, " Weren't you asking for a half-day leave today? You're free to go. Also, ask your assistant to take leave today as well."

He stared at the closed door and her pupils widened upon realizing what's going on. OHhh!!

" I get it, sir. I will not let anyone disturb you. You can trust in me for that." he said and was feeling excited for no reason.

After Han Zihao hung up the phone, he stared at nowhere and was smiling proudly. " Why am I suddenly feeling so emotional?"

" I knew it. Only Ms. Gu can change this workaholic. Because of her I even got a half-day leave. I should work hard to show her my loyalty. She is my ultimate savior."

" Ms. Gu, don't worry. I will not let anyone disturb you two. You're going to make our future boss after all." he nodded in determination and turned to his assistant who was working on her computer.

" It's lunchtime. Why are you still here? Go and get something to eat."

" It's okay sir. I am on a diet. So I will stay back and do my work."

He frowned, " No! Dieting is not good for you. You're already so thin. There is no need for you to diet." He insisted. If she doesn't leave, he won't be able to leave as well.

" Here, take this company card and eat something good. Also, take your time. You don't need to hurry to come back. Okay?"

The girl looked at him in surprise and was touched by how gentle and considerate he is. " Sir," she looked at him gratefully and took the card from his hand.

" I promise I will work even harder after coming back. Thank you so much." The girl said thankfully and left to eat something delicious on the company's expenses.

Feng Sheng smiled seeing her leaving and sighed in the content before picking up his bag as well to leave the office.

" Since I have done the work, I should leave as well."

_

Xu Nuan was speechless when Han Zihao made that phone call. She wasn't expecting that he would say something like that to Mr. Secretary.

She hit him on the shoulder, " Are you crazy? How can you say that to him?"

" Argh….I can't imagine what he will think about us now." She covered her face with her palm, feeling embarrassed.

He frowned, " Don't think about him. He will think nothing of it."

" He is being paid to think nothing." He tried to calm her down but she only glared at him.

" You….You...Arghh…" she g.r.o.a.n.e.d in frustration. She can't help but think about what he will think about them now. They were alone in the office and he blatantly told him to not let anyone enter the room.

What could be the meaning behind this? It's simple!

Damn!! This is so embarrassing.

" I thought you were an innocent type. I never thought you could be this shameless."

He chuckled at her comment and said, " I never said that I am innocent one. You're the one who assumed it."

" Don't you know that quiet people can be the most dangerous ones? Hmm?" He rubbed her tomato red earlobes.

She looked up upon hearing his slightly husky voice that was sounding so tempting that she almost forgot that she was angry at him.

Seeing her surprised look, he smirked and kissed her lips again, making her forget the reason why she came here.

He kissed her fervently, making her breathless. While he was kissing her, his hands made their way to her legs and were climbing higher and higher, wanting to touch her down there.

She m.o.a.n.e.d, lost in the kisses, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

If he has already ruined her reputation, then let it be. It's not like it's gonna be fixed now.

It's his office anyway. When he is unbothered by it, then who is she to feel embarrassed about it?

Chapter 294 - Leave early (I)

After the intense yet quick making-out session, both of them cleaned themselves in the bathroom in the office and moved to the couch to have lunch, which has gone cold by now. While Han Zihao was in the bathroom, Xu Nuan set the lunchboxes on the table with a pair of chopsticks for both of them.

When he came out of the bathroom that was in the connected bedroom in the office, he found her patiently waiting for him for lunch.

" I still can't believe that you came all the way, just to have lunch with me," he commented as he sat on the couch, adjacent to her.

" Woah, you make me sound as if I am such a bad girlfriend. You're talking as if I never do anything for you." She frowned.

" Yes. You haven't even given me the surprise that you promised me during the trip. It's been a month already." He pouted. He got so excited when she said that she would give him a surprise which didn't come.

Hmph!! So many lies.

She pursed her lips and cleared her throat. To hide her guilt, she passed him his lunch and chopsticks, " I promised to give you a surprise, but I never said when. You're the one who thought that I will reward you immediately." She mumbled.

He chuckled seeing her blaming him for thinking it wrong. Yeah, he is the one in the wrong.

He took the lunchbox from her and asked, " So….why are you here?"

" Eh? What are you talking about? I came here to surprise my boyfriend." she smiled cutely.

" Is that so? I doubt." he stared at her and saw her tapping her fingers on her knees. He knew that she was hesitating to say something.

Hah! He was getting all excited to think that she came to see him, but that was not the case.

He sighed. What a hard life he has? His girlfriend is more worried about work than anything.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and said, " Well, it was you who told me to keep personal and professional lives separate. Didn't you tell me to talk about work at the office only? That's why I came to talk about work, as well as have lunch with my boyfriend as well." she smiled, trying to console him.

He took a sip of water from the cup and asked, " So Ms. Xu, what brings you here? I am sure it must be something important that you came unannounced like this."

She raised her brows seeing him getting all formal with her. She was speechless but soon followed. She straightened her back and showed him her professional smile, " Mr. Han, nice to meet you too. Let me introduce myself once again. Hi, I am Xu Nuan, artist manager of The Knights, who are under your sub-company, Shining Bright."

He pursed his lips seeing her formal introduction and frowned. What is she planning to do now?

" Mr. Han, are you aware of the achievement of the group under my care, The knights?"

He raised his brows but didn't interrupt her. " Do you know that the girls have been invited to perform at the upcoming jade awards, where no rookie group has performed before, except The Queens?"

" Yes, I am." He said, wondering why she is talking about that. She was the one who informed him about it a few days ago, so why was she asking the obvious?

Seems like she was too much in her character right now.

" Not only that, they have been nominated for the rookie of the year. Along with that, they have been nominated for the People's Best choice award, and the Song of the year, which only the senior groups who have a large fanbase got the nominations, forget about getting the award. Are you aware of all of that?"

" Mr. Tang filled me with everything already. Anything else that I should be aware of?" He asked.

" Yes. After 'The knights' debuted, they worked to their bones and were attending numerous shoots and shows in such a short time. They not only paid their trainee debt but also profited the company a lot. The company's shares are on the rise and if you see the list of the top entertainment companies at the moment, shining bright has made it into the top 10. All that in such a short time."

" What do you think about this achievement?" She asks him with a constant expecting smile on her face. At the moment, she was talking to him as the manager Xu Nuan, not as his girlfriend.

Seeing her formal appearance, he was caught off guard too. A while ago, she was m.o.a.ning and crying in his embrace and now she was facing him head-on.

What crime has he committed?

He cleared his throat, " I think you did a good job managing the girls. If all this continues, then shining bright will secure the top position among the entertainment companies for sure."

" Well, I don't think that it will happen," she murmured under her breath.

He raised his brows in question when she looked up at him, " Mr. Han, do you still remember the deal we made when I joined the Shining Bright as a manager?"

He frowned. For some reason, he was getting a feeling that something is not right, but it was too late for him to stop her.

" I came to you for investment but you offered me a job in your company. I was thankful for your offer back then, but I think it's time that we should talk about it."

She paused and drank some water before continuing, " We made a one year deal that if I failed to make the company reach in top companies in a year, I will have to return all of the salaries that I received in this time but also pay the interest for wasting company's resources."

" Do you remember that?" she asked seriously.

He pursed his lips. At that time he made this deal because she was insisting on launching those four girls as a new group when everyone was against her decision. He thought that this harsh condition would make her back out but she accepted it and took charge of those girls.

And to his surprise, she did all of this before the contract period could even be over. It's been a few months since the girls debuted and they're already in so much demand.

It's like a mission impossible for a new group who didn't get the same privileged treatment as the other yet they're shining better than any groups out there.

That was insanely magical and shocking at the same time.

He frowned and nodded cautiously. " Yes, I remember. I also remember that I promised you 10% of the company's shares if that happens."

" You don't need to worry about it. I will fulfill my promise and you will get your 10% as promised when the contract period ends in a few months."

She smiled and shook her head, " Make it 5%. Rather than 10%, I will take half of it, instead, allow me to leave the company early."

His expressions turned dark upon listening to her sudden demand. " What? Leave early? Xu Nuan, why so sudden?"

" Did anyone say anything to you? Did that...that Manager, what was her name….

" Wang Meili." She reminded him.

" Yes. Did she say anything to you? Do you want to leave because of her? If that's the case, you don't need to worry about it. I will take care of it."

" You're the one who is handling the company single-handedly. If you leave the company, I don't think it can show better results than this. You're the one who made it to the top. You can't leave like this." He said earnestly, leaving behind his cool, professional image.

Xu Nuan was baffled to see him acting like this and sighed, " Mr. Han, you're not my boyfriend right now, act as the President. President of Han Corporations." she insisted.

" My girlfriend is trying to leave me here, and you want me to act like a President. I am not continuing with this drama anymore." He pouted.

She sighed. " I am not trying to leave you, I am just asking to leave the company."

" Isn't that the same? Because of this, we got to spend a lot of time together, and working together brought us closer." He reasoned with her.

" We work in different companies Mr. Han. It's not considered as working in the same company."

Seeing his frowning expressions, she sighed.

She moved closer to him and placed a hand on his knee and looked at him seriously, " No, it's not the same at all. I want to leave the company because I want to start my own company now. Do you remember that I came to ask you to invest in my new entertainment company?"

" My goal has been clear from the start. By working in shining bright, I acc.u.mulated quite a lot of experience as the manager of The knights and seeing how they're receiving the attention from the public, I think I can start my company now."

" Also, If I keep working under shining bright, I won't be able to do anything for my goal. I can't start my company nor poach any artists for the same. That's why I am asking to leave the company early."

Seeing him still not convinced by her words, she continued," Moreover, if I keep working in your company, I don't think I will be able to stand by your side as your girlfriend."

When he heard those words from her, a scowled at her, " Now what does that mean? What does it have to do with our relationship? "

Chapter 295 - Leaving Early (II)

Seeing him scowling, she frowned. " Han Zihao." She called him by his name, " No matter how much we try to ignore others' opinions, you're the President of Han Corporations, whereas I am just a mere manager who works in one of your companies."

" If others find out about our relationship later, there will be a lot of opinions and comments about our relationship. And I can tell you now that they won't be as supportive as our friends and family are."

" They will all look down on our relationship, especially me and my achievements, even though I worked hard for them, it will all be in vain," she reasoned.

She wasn't being negative but she knows this industry and people's low mentality well. He might say that he can protect her from others and shut their mouths but she doesn't want his protection.

She can protect herself.

She just needs his support from the side, but if she continues to work in his company, she won't be able to keep herself out of his shadow and it will eventually affect their relationship.

She doesn't want that. When she started working in his company, they weren't in a relationship and she didn't think much about it at that time. But now when they're together, she can't help but think about the consequences when the world finds out about their relationship.

The world is cruel and they will not only look down on their relationship but will also portray her as a Gold Digger and someone who rides on his back for her ambitions and will zero her efforts.

She doesn't want that.

Moreover, she doesn't want him to hear that she doesn't deserve him. As his girlfriend, she wants to stand by his side and not under him. Leaving the company will give her the freedom to do more for her and their relationship since she won't be an employee of Shining bright anymore.

" Han Zihao, I don't want my identity to be your girlfriend. In this life, I am Xu Nuan and want everyone to recognize me as the same."

" I know you love me and care for me, that's why I am doing this. For me and our relationship," she stated.

" I want to be confident about myself, just like before. I want to stand by your side confidently as your equal, not as your employee. Do you understand my point now?" she asked calmly.

Han Zihao pursed his lips and pondered about what she said. She always laughs and jokes around but right now, she wasn't even smiling. The calm expressions on her face were showing how serious she was about it.

To be honest, he even forgot that he had signed that kind of contract with her. He was thinking that everything is going perfectly, she lives in the house opposite to him, she works in one of his companies and is doing great.

However, he never thought that she must be feeling strange about it too. In her last life, she was the member of 'The Queen' and she ruled the world with her music. She was at the top of the entertainment industry, but now she is nobody.

She has to prove herself at every point and is even attending college like a normal girl, all over again. It's easy to say but he can't even imagine how difficult it must be for her to adapt to everything.

" If you feel good doing that...then go ahead. Who am I to stop you anyway?" He said gloomily, avoiding looking into her eyes.

It doesn't feel nice seeing her leaving his company. When she was in his company, he was able to get updates on her and can do something for her when she was in need.

But how will he do that from now on?

" So….when are you leaving? Today, tomorrow? Or next week?" He asked coldly.

She smiled seeing him acting all pouty. She sighed and said, " Not so soon. Today I just wanted to talk to you about it, so that you won't get shocked later on."

" I am planning to leave after the award ceremony. I want to be by girls' side in their biggest achievement."

" They only got nominated yet. Are you sure that they're going to win?"

" Don't you know who I am? Of course, I am sure. My predictions about such things are never wrong."

He pouted and humphed. How can she be smiling right now? He was feeling sad here and she was all happy about leaving his company.

" If...If you want to leave, then take 10% of shares as promised in the contract. I am not that cheap that I will cut your share just because you want to leave early." He mumbled and looked away in grumpiness.

" And I am not doing this because you're my girlfriend. I would have given it to you anyway since you earned it."

Xu Nuan chuckled in disbelief seeing his childish behavior. He was upset at her yet he was thinking about her.

'Aiya, this guy will be the death of me.' she sighed. How can he be so cute and s_e_xy at the same time?

" Are you being generous with me? Mr. Han, don't worry. Shining bright will eventually come to me." she said.

He frowned, " And how will that happen? Are you going to buy it from me?"

She chuckled, " Are you crazy? After getting married, I will be their lady boss. Isn't it equivalent to having it as my company? Huh?"

His ears turned red upon hearing her sudden ambitious comment. He looked at her expectantly and asked, " Is this a proposal? Suddenly?"

She chuckled seeing him turning all red, " Are you crazy? Why will I propose to you? If I propose to you, then what will you do? Huh?"

" Moreover, I am a materialistic girl. I care about money and looks both. So...don't you dare go bankrupt. Keep making money and prepare for the betrothal gift." she teased him.

She was expecting him to frown or at least get annoyed so that she can enjoy teasing him but he shamelessly smiled and said, " Well, wouldn't that be more romantic? I will clean and cook at home, while you go out and earn money. You can't cook anyway, making money suits you better." He nodded, feeling proud at his thought.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing how chill he was about. She stood up and went to sit in his lap.

She wrapped her hands around his neck, and whispered, " Is that what you want? Mr. Han, do you want me to be your sugar momma? I will earn lots of money and you don't need to do anything, just….serve me well. Do you want that?" she said while c_a_r_e_s_sing his face with her finger invitingly.

He raised his brows seeing her looking at him seductively. He hugged her tighter and said, " Are you sure you'll be able to handle the consequences of your actions later? Hmm?" He said while leaning closer and touched her nose with his.

She giggled seeing his blushed cheeks and could feel him getting hard since she could feel him poking her on the bottom. " Consequences? What do you mean? I don't understand it." she feigned ignorance.

" Really?" He asks and before she could say anything, he started tickling her on her sides, making her giggle and wriggle in his embrace to avoid his tickling but he didn't stop it.

" Han Zihao, you better stop."

" Hahaha, I will kill you after this." She threatened him while laughing uncontrollably.

***

Another week passed and the girls were practicing hard for the performance of the upcoming award ceremony. To decide what to do for the performance, Xu Nuan gathered all of them and asked them to come up with ideas.

Here, she is not the artist. She is just their manager. Rather than forcing them to do something, she wants to lead them to do something better and something grand that will fit their personality.

The practices were going nonstop. There are so many things to prepare and she was juggling between college and office, working nonstop.

While juggling between the two, there was one more thing that was in dire need of her attention.

Her newly set up company.

Right now, she is all alone and if this continues, she won't be able to make anything out of it. She needs people, people who are not only competent but also make her company grow, even in her absence.

This company is not her main target afterall. It's just to gain some financial stability and keep the money flowing in her account while she starts her entertainment company. And to do that, she needs someone to be as good as her and handle the work when she is busy with other things.

She was sitting in the living room with her laptop on the table. Rather than sitting on the couch, she was sitting on the ground, on the carpet, and was supporting her back with the couch behind her.

Her expressions were serious as she worked on her laptop. Her fingers were working on the laptop nonstop and she didn't even realize that she had spent all of her Sunday while being like this. However, she doesn't have time to have fun now.

She is almost there, just a bit more time.

" Yes!! I got him." she pressed enter and exclaimed in success.

Chapter 296 - Hide and seek (I)

The small studio room was pitch black, the windows were shut and impenetrable curtains were breaking all contacts from the outer world, not even allowing the sunlight to enter the darkroom.

In a dark, small studio room, the light emanating from the computer screen and the neon lights from the mechanical keyboard was the only source of light.

The heavy rain was pouring outside and the pitter-patter sound of the heavy rainfall was blocked by the rock music playing in the headphones.

A man, who was in his mid-20s was sitting in front of the computer; wearing a black plain t-shirt and his red superman boxers. He was wearing round, thick-framed black glasses, and his tousled hair was covering his forehead.

His eyes were fixated on the computer screen as his fingers were flying on the keyboard, resonating a tak-tak sound in the dead-quiet room.

" Ah, what the heck? Seems like everyone has tightened their security walls after the last incident." He frowned, upon thinking about the defeat last time.

The last time, he finally managed to penetrate the main system of Gu Enterprises and was planning to extract a lot of mo...reward from them when someone beat him to it and blocked him from accessing the system.

After accessing the main system, he was collecting the information that could be beneficial to blackmail them and was about to demand a hefty reward in exchange for the 'precious' information when from nowhere someone started to block his advances.

While he was busy eating his cup noodles, someone was going against him and was fixing the bugs one by one. And by the time he finished eating and came to check the situation, he realized that he lost contact with the system.

He was defeated and that too, very badly. The person who fought against him even left a message for him on his computer.

It was an emoji, A laughing emoji.

After all, not anyone can go against him in technical stuff and beat him in this game.

Otherwise, there was no way that he could have blocked him so early. Not only that, but the person also tightened the security walls of the company, disabling him to penetrate their system again. H

-

He is the number one hacker in the underground hacking world. He has won countless hacking and game battles and it's the basics for everyone in this hidden industry to know his name.

'NUMBER 4'

However, he doesn't hack into other's systems to harm them but for thrill and fun. He simply hacks into their system and asks for mon...reward from them for detecting their flaws.

His intentions are clear. He is just helping to tighten their security walls and asks for money in exchange for detecting their bugs. After they fulfill his demands, he quietly backs out and never does harm to them again.

He isn't interested in doing anything illegal with it, however, if they don't abide by his wishes and don't pay him, he knows whom to sell the information to and who can make good use of it.

Because of his clean character and intentions, and great skills, he didn't get himself into any police case yet and was leading a very quiet-boring life.

It's because all of his preys were too afraid to go against him and kindly paid him for his efforts, that too, generously. Till now, nothing has gone wrong and there wasn't a single failure in his thrilling path, except the Gu Enterprises.

-

The man took a bite of his instant noodles before turning to his screen. " Since I failed to attack Gu Corporations last time, should I go for...Hmm...J Corporations this time?"

"The CEO of this company seems to have quite a lot of secrets." He wondered and started to search for some information on this company that was gaining popularity these days.

" His wife has filed a divorce case? Hmm, if I get some dirt on him, I can easily extract money from him. Should I go for it?" He pondered as he checked the details of the company as his next prey.

As he was lost in his thoughts, his system started to act strangely. The cursor on the screen started to move automatically and started to move fervently, without him touching the mouse.

Soon enough, his computer screen also started to flicker and the volume of the music playing in his headphones also increased.

" AHh…" He had to remove the headphones that he was wearing when the music suddenly reached the fullest volume, hurting him.

" What is this? Wh..what's happening to it?" He was baffled to see his computer acting strangely. It has never happened before, what's happening now?

If the system was hacked, it should have alerted him by making an alarm sound. He has set it accordingly. But it didn't.

He gritted his teeth and tried to take charge of things. But no matter how he tried to take control, it didn't work. He could feel that someone had hacked his system and was playing with him.

" F*ck!!" He grumbled in frustration.

[ BOO HOO!! SURPRISE!!]

A deep frown appeared on his forehead when a message window popped up on his screen.

" What the…"

Before he could do anything, the content of the message changed, [ WE MEET AGAIN!!]

" We meet again? What does he mean by this? Who is this crazy bastard?" He clenched his fists in irritation.

He is the top hacker in the underground hacking world and here he was being played by a newbie loser. How humiliating!!

If anyone finds out about this, his reputation will be tarnished and no one will take his words seriously anymore.

[ CURIOUS ABOUT ME? WELL, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?] The message changed and along with the line, a laughing emoji was attached to it. It was the same emoji that the person had sent him after defeating him when he was trying to hack Gu Corporations system.

' So it's the same person.' He frowned. But what does he want with him?

If he is also a hacker, shouldn't he simply go and find his prey rather than playing hide and seek with him?

Before he could ȧssess the situation, his computer screen started to flicker violently and everything blacked out. However, after a few seconds, it blinked again and a white page opened.

It showed some information. However, upon reading the contents of the message, he felt a thunderbolt striking him on the head.

[ PSEUDONYM - NUMBER 4 (Meh, what an unlucky name!!)

REAL NAME - HU JUN

AGE - 24 YEARS

EDUCATION - SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

RELATIONSHIP STATUS - DUMPED/ COMPLICATED

HOMETOWN - NING CITY

LIKES - GAMING AND MONEY

DISLIKES - COCKROACHES. (WELL, ME TOO)]

His pupils wavered as he was left speechless seeing all of his information on the screen. Not only that, the other person has added short notes too, looking down on his pseudonym and dislikes ċȯċkroaches.

What is the actual f*ck? No one...no one has ever played this kind of prank on him.

He is not only confident about his skills but is also sure that no one can beat him when it comes to such stuff. He was like an immortal deity in the world of hacking. However, this person not only hacked his system but also found out all of his personal information.

The room was air-conditioned but he was sweating profusely. He was lost and was speechless in this sudden situation. If this person revealed his personal information and his past hacking information to the police, he won't be able to show his face to his parents.

He will be punished severely and forget about getting a reputed job, he won't be able to get married in the future.

Everything...Everything will be ruined.

He gulped in nervousness and clicked a few times on his mouse but it was futile. No matter what he did, he couldn't do anything on his computer.

~Click~

His eyes lit up when a two-sided message window opened on the screen. [ IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING, YOU CAN ASK HERE.]

He pursed his lips and with trembling hands, he typed in the message box and sent it to the other party.

_

Xu Nuan, who was sitting in her living room with her back against the couch, her lips curled up in a smirk at the message which popped on the screen.

[ WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? WHAT DO YOU WANT EXACTLY?]

She chuckled seeing his desperation and drank a few sips of her cold beer before replying to him.

_

[ WHO AM I? DID YOU FORGOT ME ALREADY? DON'T YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FAILED TO EXTRACT MONEY FROM GU ENTERPRISES? IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF ME.]

[ AH, I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF, DID I?]

[ I AM….DUGUN...DUGUN...DUN….'MOON'. YOU CAN CALL ME MOON, A MOON THAT EMANATES A COOL LIGHT. BUT FOR YOU, IT WILL BE DARKNESS.]

Chapter 297 - Hide and Seek (II)

The man frowned upon hearing the other person's name and adjusted his round-framed glasses. Moon? He has never heard this name in the underground hacking world.

If this person is this amazing and has the audacity to hack into his system, then there is no way that he doesn't know him. But...he has never heard this name before. Who the hell is he?

Is he some new bug who is playing with him? He pursed his lips.

There are many new-fearless hackers who try to prove themselves to the world by challenging the older and experienced hackers. However, they couldn't hold for long in front of the experienced and skillful hackers and eventually face great humiliation.

" Yeah, he must be some crazy new bastard." He reassured himself. He took a deep breath and sent another message.

[ HEY KIDDO!! THIS IS NOT YOUR PLAYGROUND. I GET IT THAT YOU'RE BORED, BUT IF YOU CONTINUE THIS SHITTY ATTITUDE OF YOURS, YOU WILL BE CAUGHT SOONER OR LATER.]

[ I AM LETTING YOU OFF BECAUSE YOU'RE YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED. BUT DON'T YOU DARE PLAY THESE CHEAP GAMES WITH ME. IF YOU KNOW MY PSEUDONYM, THEN YOU MUST KNOW MY SKILLS TOO.]

[ IF I WANT, I CAN END YOUR LIFE AND CAREER RIGHT AWAY. DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW YOU MY UNDEFEATABLE SKILLS? HUH?]

After sending the message, a proud smirk appeared on his lips. " I am sure he must be scared now."

" Was I too harsh on him? Hah! I hope he doesn't start crying after this." He chortled upon thinking about his reaction.

People can make mistakes when they're young. He also did when he just started doing this. However, he was confident about his skills, unlike this brat.

Even though he somehow managed to hack his system, he was sure that he must be regretting his actions now.

Many new hackers don't know what to do after penetrating other's systems. They just enjoy the thrill of breaking into other's systems and love to play with them. He must be one of those hackers too, however, he has chosen the wrong target this time.

He has broken into many tightly secured systems and the large conglomerate companies fear him. This brat is nothing in front of him.

He smirked.

[ SCARED? HAH, AT LEAST REPLY SOMETHING YOU SHITH*LE!!]

He typed another message and was about to send it when he got a message from the other side. However, upon seeing the contents of the message, his face turned pale.

He pursed his lips and clicked on the attachment that he had sent to him with trembling hands. When the attachment opened, his mouth was left open in shock.

" What the heck is this?" He exclaimed in shock.

It was not an emoji this time but his location. His bloody LOCATION!!

His hand trembled in fear as his expressions turned pale. He is not stupid to not protect his system carefully and was sure that no one can find out his location in any way. However, the person not only found out his details but his location too.

The fear slowly started to settle in him. He not only found out my details but….location too? Who the hell is this bastard? He wondered.

[ DO YOU STILL THINK THAT I AM ONLY PLAYING WITH YOU? SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE NOT THAT EXPERIENCED AS I THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE.]

[ TO DEFEAT ME, YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH A REBIRTH. UNLIKE YOU, I AM AWARE OF MY WORTH VERY WELL, YOU SEE!]

[ IT WON'T TAKE ME MUCH TIME TO SEND YOUR DETAILS AND ALL THE INFORMATION OF YOUR 'DARK PAST' WITH EVIDENCE TO THE POLICE. YOU WILL BE FAMOUS OVERNIGHT, HOWEVER, THIS TIME, IN A WRONG WAY.]

[ SHOULD I GO AHEAD WITH IT? ORR--]

The man pursed his lips upon seeing the threatening words and gritted his teeth. " F*ck." He cursed in a low voice and clenched his fists before responding,

Number 4: [ WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?]

Moon: [ I WANT ONLY ONE THING FROM YOU, YOUR SKILLS.]

[ I WANT YOU TO WORK FOR ME. YOU JUST NEED TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. BUT LEGALLY.]

[TO WORK FOR ME, YOU HAVE TO LET GO OF ALL OF YOUR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND DO WHAT AS I SAY. SIMPLE AS THAT.]

-

He graduated as the top student from the university and majored in software engineering. Although he was good at academics and was fine at his work, the real world was not as impartial as he thought it would be.

The connections became prominent when it came to getting a job at top companies and the workplace was like a battle, where everyone was ready to do everything to take credit.

Even though he worked his fingers to the bone, in the end, he was forced to take the blame for something he never did. The idea that he had proposed at the start of the project was stolen by his senior at work and when it didn't go right, he was blamed for it when it wasn't even his fault.

He didn't get the credit for the good things but had to take the blame when it went the wrong way. Why? Because who ruined the project was the nephew of the trustee of the company.

Connections! Connections! Connections!

In the end, He was kicked out instead of him. He was just a newbie in the company yet he was forced to take all the blame because he was the easier target for them. It also blocked his prospects of getting a job at other reputed workplaces too.

Rumors are like wildfire in a desert; hard to control but causes never healing damages.

After going through months of insomnia and depression, he found his comfort in gaming and hacking. He was always good at such technical stuff and always enjoyed gaming and hacking. However, at that time, it was limited to his work and leisure only.

However, after that, it became an addiction for him. The more time he spends on his computer, the more thrilling and exciting it becomes. It's been a few months since he has been spending his days playing and hacking only.

And the first target was the company that kicked him out unfairly and showed them what it means to be targeted wrongly.

He has never expected to work again. But this job offer came out rather unexpectedly.

Who offers a job to someone this way? That too, to a person who was trying to hack into a company illegally?

Number 4: [ WHAT NONSENSE! I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF WORK YOU DO, HOW CAN I AGREE TO WORK WITH YOU?]

[ MOREOVER, AREN'T I JUST A CRIMINAL TO YOU? HOW CAN YOU TRUST ME?]

After sending the message, he pursed his lips and waited anxiously. In what kind of mess he has got himself into?

Moon: [ AS I SAID EARLIER, UNLIKE WHAT YOU DO CURRENTLY, IT'S ALL LEGAL.]

[YOU'RE A CRIMINAL IN TERMS OF LAW, I AGREE. HOWEVER, THE COMPANIES YOU ATTACKED WERE NOT A SAINT EITHER. I KNOW THAT BETTER THAN YOU. I HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK, YOU SEE!!]

[HOWEVER, IT STILL DOESN'T JUSTIFY YOUR ACTIONS. RATHER THAN WASTING YOUR SKILLS ON SOMETHING IMMORAL, WHY NOT DO SOMETHING LEGAL AND FAIR?]

[I THINK I HAVE EXPLAINED ENOUGH.  I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE DAY TO PLAY WITH YOU. YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO THINK ABOUT IT. EITHER WORK WITH ME OR GO TO THE JAIL. CHOICE IS YOURS!!]

When he started to think about the offer upon reading the messages, his eyes widened to see the sudden countdown. What the….5 minutes?

Number 4: [ ARE YOU CRAZY? ARE YOU THREATENING ME?]

Moon: [ YES!! YOU HAVE 4 minutes, 10 seconds LEFT NOW.]

SHIT!! ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY EITHER.]

Moon: [ IT'S AN CYBER SECURITY COMPANY. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER YOU AGREE TO IT. 3 MINUTES, 35 SECONDS LEFT.]

Number 4: [ WHAT WILL YOU DO IF I DON'T AGREE TO YOUR REQUEST? YOU KNOW, I CAN RUIN YOUR WORK ANYTIME IF YOU FORCE ME LIKE THIS.]

Moon: [HAH, DO YOU THINK I WILL LET YOU RUIN MY WORK? DO I LOOK LIKE A PUSHOVER? 1 MINUTE, 10 SECONDS LEFT.]

[I JUST NEED TO CLICK A BUTTON TO SHARE ALL OF YOUR HISTORY WITH THE POLICE. 57 SECONDS LEFT NOW. ]

The man was speechless to see all the threatening messages. He wasn't sure if the person wanted to poach him for a job or was threatening him. Whatever he will choose, he knows that he will suffer in both cases.

However, the first option is still better than going to jail.

Number 4: [ OKAY FINE!! I AGREE!! BUT I HAVE A CONDITION. BEFORE STARTING THE WORK, I WANT TO MEET YOU]

[ I WON'T WORK WITH A ROBOT. I CAN'T DO LIKE THIS.]

After sending the message, the man pursed his lips and wondered if the other person would agree to his request or not. He also wants to see if this person is really offering him a job or was just playing with him.

-

Xu Nuan's lips curled up to see his message, " Good boy." she murmured before sending another message.

Moon: [ COOL! SINCE WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER, IT'S NECESSARY TO SIGN A CONTRACT. ]

[BARISTA CAFE` - TOMORROW AT 11 IN THE MORNING. DON'T BE LATE. I HATE TARDY PEOPLE.]

-

The man frowned when the other person simply left after sending the last message. His computer screen turned to normal as if it was never acting strangely and was flickering violently.

" He agreed to meet so easily? That's...kinda strange." He frowned. He thought that the person would avoid meeting him to hide his identity. However, it's strange that he agreed so easily to his request.

He was still not sure if this is a legit job offer or just some fraudulent activity. Well, what he was doing earlier was not something legal either.

" Argh...what did I do?" He ġrȯȧnėd. He was now regretting his decision of why he agreed to something so stupid.

Chapter 298 - Hide and seek (III)

Barista Cafe`

Hu Jun stood in the middle of the cafe` and looked around to search for the person he came to meet. He was still shaken about the events of the last night and couldn't believe that someone not only managed to hack his system but also lured him to agree to work for him.

Is he going to work with him? What if that man is some fraud or wants to use him to do some shady stuff?

He pursed his lips and looked around anxiously. Should I just leave? He wondered.

Even though he came to the cafe, he doesn't know anything about the person. His name, how he looks, or what kind of clothes he is going to wear today. He knows nothing. How will he recognize him now?

" It's 11 sharp. I will wait for 5 minutes more and will leave. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." He thought and stood in the middle while looking around at everyone sitting in the cafe and tapped his foot on the floor anxiously.

He was wearing a denim blue shirt and black trousers and was dressed tastefully unlike his usual black t-shirt and his favorite superman red boxers that he wears at home. He wanted his first impression to be smart and intellectual, and not dull and weak.

He has fine looks and if he dresses well, he can easily intimidate the other person. He cannot be defeated in terms of looks, not at all. Today, he wasn't even wearing his round-shaped glasses, instead, he was using brown contact lenses to go with his outfit.

Although they were uncomfortable, anything for fashion.

He looked at the time on his watch again and smiled to see that 5 minutes were already up. " Since he didn't show up yet, I can leave without feeling guilty. It's his fault for not showing up on time," he murmured before turning around to leave.

However, just as he was about to leave, a waiter called him out from behind and tapped on his shoulder gently, " Sir, your table is over there, behind the pillar." He pointed towards a table in the far back that was covered behind a large pillar.

Not only that, but he also handed him a tissue on which it was written in capital letters, " HOLA!! YOU LOOK QUITE DASHING IN BLUE, HUH!"

He frowned and gritted his teeth upon reading the chit. Pervert.

He looked towards the table to which the waiter was pointing at and squinted his eyes to look at the person. Someone was sitting at the table since a glass of cold coffee could be seen but the person was hidden behind the pillar and couldn't be seen.

_

Xu Nuan was sitting at the table, waiting for Hu Jun to arrive. She was wearing a lavender, cold shoulder dress. The dress was cute and was stopping before her knees.

The black and lavender floral prints on the dress were contrasting with her fiery personality, making her look gentle and innocent. Her ċhėstnut brown hair was loose on her shoulders in soft curls and was complimenting her overall pretty girl look.

She was sitting with her legs crossed, with one leg over the other, and was patiently waiting for Hu Jun, who was preparing to leave only after 5 minutes of his arrival. However, she didn't come here to let him leave like this.

_

Hu Jun walked to the table that the waiter pointed to a while ago and shouted, " Are you a pervert? Were you watching me from-

He pursed his lips and swallowed his words to see a beautiful woman sitting at the table instead of the man. His cheeks turned red to see how beautiful and tender the girl looked in the lavender-colored dress.

It was his favorite color and she looked like an ethereal goddess in it. He nodded in embarrassment and apologized, " Ah, I am sorry. I was looking for someone else."

Xu Nuan raised her brows to see him changing his tone suddenly and smirked. Well...she is too pretty to be this intimidating, isn't it?

He scratched the back of his nape in embarrassment and looked away to look for the man.  He frowned to see that there was no one other than a girl, " What the hell? Where did he go?" He gritted his teeth.

He not only made fun of him but also made him embarrass himself in front of a pretty girl.

He was looking around and was wondering if the man was still in the cafe or not when the woman spoke to him. Since she was speaking in a low voice, and the music was also loud in the cafe, he couldn't hear her properly.

He turned to her and moved close to her, " You're saying something to me?" He was confused and surprised at the same time.

It was the first time in his life that a beautiful girl like her was talking to him. He was smiling shyly at her and could feel his ears turning red.

'Is she interested in me? Should I give her my number? Or buy her a coffee or something?' he wondered.

Xu Nuan raised her brows to see him leaning close and smiling at her shyly. She smiled back at him and whispered in his ears softly, " What would you like to drink….Number 4?"

Hu Jun was smiling to hear the first part of the sentence but when he heard the last part, his mouth was left parted in shock. His pupils wavered as he was speechless, and didn't know how to react to this news.

Did she call him by his pseudonym? How does she….

He looked at her cautiously and gulped to see her smirking at him. She was looking like an innocent, gentle girl in this dress but her smirk was reminding him about the conservation of his with Moon last night.

" Should I introduce myself again? My name is Xu Nuan, you can call me...Moon." she smiled at him and extended her hand for a handshake with him.

He was speechless but shook hands with her in a daze. What in the world…

_

Hu Jun was staring at Xu Nuan in a daze, who was sitting opposite him. He still couldn't believe that the person who hacked his system and was threatening him last night was not a young brat but a….beautiful girl?

Xu Nuan sipped on her cold coffee and smirked seeing his shocked expressions. He was staring at her like this for a while now and wasn't saying anything.

She cleared her throat, " Should we get on with the business now? Here's the contract. If you're done staring, then sign on it." she said straightly while pulling out the contract that she had prepared in advance and placed it on the table in front of him.

Seeing the contract, he almost choked on his drink.

Now when she was talking like this, it reminded him of the chat that they had last night. She is scarily straightforward.

" You...are you seriously...Moon? That Moon?" He asks her hesitantly.

" Are you still doubtful of me? Do you want me to send the details to the police, will you believe me then?"

He gasps upon hearing her cruel words directly. It sounds even more scary and ruthless when she says it like this and not on the chat.

He takes a deep breath and picks up the contract to read it. " The eagle eye cyber security company? What kind of strange name is it?" He commented upon reading the name of the company on it.

" It's still better than your ominous name." She stated indifferently.

Hu Jun shakes his head and raises his brows upon reading the details. Rather than a fixed payment, he was offered 15 percent of the profits. Not only that, the contract was for a trial period of a year which said that if he indulges in any illegal activity without her knowing, he will pay her 10 folds in a fine of what he has been paid already.

He frowns. " First of all, it's a cyber security company. I have never done this kind of work before. I don't think I am fit for it."

" Moreover, what do you mean 15% of the profits instead of the fixed incentives? It's obvious that it's a new company, do you think you will make enough to pay me well? I don't think the 15% will even give me anything."

He can make more than that by doing hacking and gaming. This shit is cheap as hell.

Xu Nuan chuckled and put her empty coffee glass on the table before looking at him, " First of all, I am hiring you because I need your skills. Even if you haven't done this work before, I know a way to make you do it."

" Secondly, thanks to your attack on Gu Enterprises and me saving the damsel in distress, the company is gaining quite a lot of attention and there are numerous companies that are lining up to work with me. That's why I need someone skilled who can handle these projects well for me. I am quite a busy person, you know."

He frowned upon hearing her explanation. " So...you're saying that you blocked my advances at Gu Enterprises? Are you sure you didn't hire anyone to do it?" He asked suspiciously.

Xu Nuan chuckled, seeing him still doubtful of her. " You know that you don't have a choice, right? Either sign it or go to jail, the choice is still yours. What will you choose?"

" Leave your shady past behind and work for me, or...go to jail to repent for your crimes. What would you like to do? Huh?"

Hu Jun gulped upon seeing her indifferent expressions and picked up the pen that she had passed him earlier and hurriedly signed his name on it.

Who cares if she is incompetent or is paying him less than he deserves? What matters is...he can't let anyone reveal his secret.

He was crying inwardly, wondering what mess he got himself into. Attacking Gu enterprises was the worst decision of his life.

Chapter 299 - It tastes better!!

Xu Nuan was sitting on the couch with the ŀȧptop in her ŀȧp and was immersed in her work. She was wearing a black t-shirt dress that was reaching to her thɨġhs and was wearing shorts underneath. She had tied her hair in a messy bun that was making her look clumsily attractive.

Han Zihao was in the kitchen and was preparing dinner for both of them. After the dishes were done, he arranged the dishes on the table. He glanced at her and saw that she was still working.

He looked at the time on the wall clock and realized that it was already past 10.

He sighed. She is working without taking a break. She didn't even go to college today and was at work the whole day. She not only came late but also working even after she got off work.

" No work for now. Come and have dinner." He said sternly while closing her ŀȧptop.

She frowned. " But I still have a lot to do. I have to finalize things for tomorrow."

Seeing her whining, he pursed his lips and said, " Didn't you tell the girls to stop practicing and rest? Then why are you working without taking a break?"

" Do you want to fall sick on such an important day? Huh?" He told her off firmly. Her body is already weak and she gets sick easily yet she is working like a robot, without any break.

Upon hearing his words, she pursed her lips. He is right. She can't dare to get sick tomorrow.

Because tomorrow is D-Day.

Tomorrow is the day when girls are going to perform at the Jade awards ceremony for the first time. However, it won't be their last. These girls are made to shine and they will shine no matter where they are and under whom they are.

It is a special day for not only the girls but for her as well. Because after tomorrow, she will resign from the company. It's been two months since she has discussed it with Han Zihao and was waiting for this day to come to finally leave the company.

Because she doesn't want to leave the girls in the middle. She wanted to be with them in their most special moment.

Although there is not much time left when their contracts will expire; hardly 2-3 months at max. However, she doesn't want to wait for that long. The more she will stay with the girls, the more difficult it will get to part ways with them.

_

Xu Nuan frowned when Han Zihao placed a bunch of stirred veggies in her bowl, " Don't eat meat only. Have some veggies too."

" Am I a kid that you're putting vegetables here? Don't treat me like a kid." She pouted and started to remove the veggies from her bowl.

He chuckled seeing her picking out the vegetables again and blocked her chopsticks, " You're right. You're not a kid, because children these days are less pickier than you are. How come you always remove vegetables while eating?"

She frowned. She hates vegetables and he keeps feeding her vegetables. " I have eaten enough in my last life. You know, there was a time when I used to eat vegetables and salads only when I used to diet."

" I have already eaten a lot of veggies in my past life that I don't need to eat anymore."

He was speechless seeing the way she was making weird excuses. She sure knows how to change topics.

" Instead, You should eat more vegetables and fruits. I have heard that eating more vegetables and fruits makes it taste a lot better," she said while shoving rice in her mouth.

" Taste better what?" he asks in confusion.

"..."

She paused in action and stared at him in a daze. ' What the hell did I just say?' She swallowed the food in her mouth with much difficulty and avoided his curious gaze.

' It's great that he is dense in such things. Otherwise, it would have been so embarrassing.' she sighed in relief.

" AH, I meant that eating more fruits and vegetables will make you healthier. That's what I meant. Nothing is more important to me than your good health." she smiled while hiding the embarrassment at her shamelessness.

Han Zihao stared at her and seeing her crimson ears he could feel that she was flustered at her own words. He chuckled and put vegetables in his bowl to eat too, " Xu Nuan, do you know that you were using my phone yesterday?"

She looked at him in confusion, not knowing what he meant. " Hmm? Can't I use your phone?"

He smiled and shook his head, " I am just saying that the articles that you have read, I have seen them too. And don't you worry, I will eat more fruits and vegetables from now on if that's what you want." He said with a sly smirk that made her go red in embarrassment.

" I should do all the effort to make it tastier for you. Also, don't forget to write down your analysis on it after you're done with this experiment of yours." He said indifferently and made her choke on the food that she was eating.

She coughed violently and kicked him on the calves under the table, " Stop talking, or else…"

" Or else what? Are you going to kiss me while eating? Well, I don't mind. I like trying new things." He said, leaving her dumbfounded at his bold words.

He is not the same Mr. innocent for sure. Rather than getting flustered at her bold comments, he is now getting even more shameless to the point that she feels intimidated by him.

"Shut up!!" she kicked up him again and looked away embarrassedly to away his seducing eyes.

**

The next day- D DAY!!

After the never-ending interviews and the ceremonial entry on the red carpet, Xu Nuan led the girls to the green room. Since they're going to perform on the stage today, a separate green room has been arranged for them backstage.

They already did their final rehearsal yesterday and today is D-Day. The award ceremony is going to be broadcast live and it will be the first time that they're going to perform in front of so many people.

They have performed live on many music shows but it will be their first-ever award ceremony performance where not only the fans but also the fellow artists and celebrities will be present.

-

Xu Nuan was sitting on a chair and was waiting for the girls to be done with their makeup when she saw Song Ai, who was getting her makeup and was staring at the mirror sluggishly. Her complexion was turning pale and her hands were trembling out of nervousness.

She sighed helplessly and said. " Song Ai, Relax. You have practiced hard. You won't make any mistakes today so just take a deep breath. No need to panic."

Song Ai pursed her lips and turned to her, " But it's a live performance. Moreover, there will be hundreds of people in the audience."

" What if I slipped on the stage? Or I forgot my steps?" She gasped, "Or worse….I forgot the lyrics?"

" Or you cracked your voice while doing the high note?" Sun Ya added.

Song Ai frowned and glared at her. " Are you making fun of me?"

Sun Ya raised her hands in defense immediately and shook her head in denial. " I cannot dare to do so."

After Song Ai turned to Xu Nuan again, she finally sighed in relief. She is scary. She wondered.

Pan Lan, who was already done with her makeup and was waiting for them, chuckled, " Oi, Leader!! Stop overreacting. It's just a live performance. You're the eldest among us and yet you're the most nervous here."

" Yeah! We've been performing live for a few months now. There won't be any problem I guess." Sun Ya added to comfort Song Ai but she was already done with them.

Song Ai glared at Pan Lan and scoffed, " You're saying that I am overreacting? Then who was the one practicing her verses even in her sleep? Because of you, I couldn't even sleep soundly."

"And Sun Ya, You!! Who was the one crying a while ago because she was nervous to perform on the stage? Huh?"

" And Lai Yi, You!!" She turned to Lai Yi who was getting her hair done and was munching on the chips while doing so.

Lai Yi looked at her and blinked, " What?"

Song Ai pursed her lips, realizing that she doesn't have anything on Lai Yi. She cleared her throat and said, " Well, this look suits you."

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing Song Ai malfunctioning in front of Lai Yi.

But she was not surprised when Song Ai revealed everyone's secrets one by one. She is the leader of the group, after all, she knows about everyone better than her.

" You guys don't need to be nervous. Even if you make a mistake, just continue with the performance and enjoy it, just how you guys do it while practicing."

" The key is enjoying the performance. Because this moment will not come back, so make the best out of it."

" You will perform at many award ceremonies in the future, but it won't be the same next time. It's your first time performing on a big stage so give it your best and enjoy it. Okay?"

Everyone looked at Xu Nuan and smiled. She is always there to hype them up, even though she is younger than them, she doesn't feel like one.

" Xu Nuan, you're the best." Song Ai said and stood up to hug her. " I don't know what I will do without you."

" You don't need to do anything without her because she will be by our sides forever. Right, Xu Nuan?" Sun Ya asked with a smile.

Xu Nuan let Song Ai hug her but didn't say anything. What can she say anyway?

Chapter 300 - Jade Awards (I)

~Knock~Knock~

Xu Nuan was helping Pan Lan to adjust her costume when she heard a knock on the door. She turned around to see who it was and when the door was pushed open, the corners of her lips fell to see Wang Meili and the leader of the Pretty girls, Rin Rin was standing at the door.

Wang Meili entered the room and looked around the green room with creases on her forehead and took a deep breath.

They're just rookies and yet they got the private green room, that too a large one. She frowned.

Since Pretty Girls had decent rankings on the chart, they were invited to the award ceremony, but unlike 'The Knights', they weren't invited to perform on the stage.

They have been nominated for the 'Rookie of the Year award along with 'The Knights, but that's the only award they have been nominated for. However, she was confident that they would get the award this time.

'The Knights' might be gaining popularity from the domestic as well as the international fans, but Pretty Girls are gaining decent attention from the public too and are known for their fairy-like innocent visuals.

The rookie of the year is based on the music charts and the voting from the public. Even though 'The Knights' are doing great these days, Pretty Girls are not behind and there is a neck-to-neck competition between them. Their innocent and cute concept can make anyone fall for them.

Soon everyone will realize that Pretty Girls are way better than The Knights.

She will make sure of that.

-

Xu Nuan walked to them and stood in front of Wang Meili, " Manager Wang, what a pleasant surprise! Are you here to cheer on the girls for their performance later?"

Wang Meili frowned and exchanged glances with Rin Rin. She cleared her throat and scoffed, " Do you think they can perform without making any mistake later?"

" It's almost time for the performance and they aren't even ready yet. If it would have been me, I would have made sure that everything would be perfect and unlike you, I wouldn't have been making last-minute arrangements."

She scoffed to see Pan Lan, who was still getting the last-minute costume adjustments, meanwhile, Song Ai was also fixing her makeup. It's so chaotic here.

When they should have been resting and calming themselves, they are busy doing the last-minute adjustments. It all should have been checked earlier.

" As I expected, you aren't as great as everyone thinks of you. Xu Nuan, your girls are doing fine not because you're amazing. It's because...your luck is good. You won't be this lucky next time."

Pan Lan pursed her lips and exchanged glances with the others.  Wang Meili doesn't leave a chance to look down on Xu Nuan in any way.

" Ms. Wang, it's not Xu Nuan's-

Xu Nuan held Pan Lan's hand and stopped her from interfering in their banter. She shook her head at her and turned to Wang Meili and chuckled, "You're right. They're doing great not because of me, but because they're talented. And being talented is also a kind of luck that...you don't have." she commented and glanced at the girl standing beside Wang Meili.

Rin Rin was chosen as the leader of Pretty Girl, not because she was the eldest of the group or the most talented one, but because she was the daughter of one of the trustees of the company.

And she knows this truth very well. She wouldn't have gotten the chance to debut if Wang Meili had not insisted on keeping her, just to impress the trustees.

However, despite knowing that she lacks the talent, Rin Rin doesn't leave a chance to look down on her girls. Just like Wang Meili, she is no good as a leader either. She is simply a pretty face with no talent and uncontrolled arrogance.

The girl pursed her lips upon hearing Xu Nuan's comment and frowned. How dare she?

" You!! Who do you think you are? Huh? You're just a mere manager. You should be glad that Ms. Wang gave you the opportunity to create your group out of the trash that she intended to throw out and yet you're being cheeky in front of her?" She lost her temper upon hearing Xu Nuan's provocative words.

Wang Meili glanced at Rin Rin but didn't say anything. For once, she was saying something appropriate.

Xu Nuan smirked to see Rin Rin defending Wang Meili and smiled. She is trying too hard. Too bad she isn't in the mood to deal with her, otherwise, she would have taught her a good lesson.

" Why aren't you saying anything? Huh? Now you can't find any words? Should I teach you how-

Rin Rin was furious to see that Xu Nuan was not responding and was just smiling at her. She should apologize to her yet she was smiling shamelessly in front of her.

She is the daughter of the trustee of the company. If she wants, she can kick her out of the company. How dare she mock her and laugh at her in front of everyone?

"Argh... Who is barking so loudly? Annoying!"

As she was speaking, she heard a lazy, indifferent voice from behind. She frowned at being cut off in her words and gritted her teeth.

Although she values her innocent yet elegant image, she hates being cut off too. Even her parents never cut her off in her words, who the hell is interrupting her now?

She turned around with glum expressions and was ready to teach the other person who interrupted her, however, she forgot her words when she saw the person standing at the doorway.

" H..Han Liang?" Her mouth fell to see Han Liang, who was standing at the door. His one hand was on his waist, while he was holding a bouquet of white flowers in the other hand.

He was wearing a black shirt, made of soft and shining material and black trousers. His hair was styled back with hair gel, meanwhile, his smokey eye makeup was to die for. He was looking like an evil immortal in this costume and was looking breathtaking.

[OMG!!OMG!!OMG!!] Her heart was racing fast and her palms become sweaty to see him in front of her.

He is her idol, one and only!! She has all of his signed albums and wanted to become an idol because of him. However, she wasn't expecting to see him here like this.

Han Liang glanced at her and raised brows to see her staring at him dreamily. He didn't heed her any attention and walked to Xu Nuan, passing by Wang Meili and Rin Rin who were standing in the way.

He shoved the bouquet in Xu Nuan's hands and said coolly, " Here! I still can't believe that you're an artist manager now. Argh, so annoying."

Xu Nuan raised her brows to see the bouquet and couldn't help but laugh at the way he handed her the flowers. He is trying hard to look cool but for her, he will always be the dumb-headed prince.

Chapter 301 - The Jade Awards (II)

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence at the entry of Han Liang and the way he passed the flowers to Xu Nuan. Rin Rin's complexion turned pale when she saw him ignoring her and walking to Xu Nuan.

How can her idol give a bouquet to an insignificant manager? That too Xu Nuan whom she hates the most?

She launched a group that was supposed to be kicked out of the company and now both groups are competing as equals. How ridiculous it is!!

The knights don't deserve to stay in the same company, how can they be treated as equals?

Rin Rin was watching him talking to Xu Nuan and the other girls in shock, likewise, Wang Meili was also caught off guard to see the interaction between the two. When they were in a scandal the last time, she thought it was Xu Nuan clinging to him and taking advantage of his fame.

However, this time, he came to the green room just to congratulate her? He even brought a bouquet of flowers, what the hell does that mean?

Compared to their shocked expressions, the girls were surprised but not shocked since they had met him at the show before they debuted. When they met him at the karaoke with Xu Nuan, he treated them nicely and gave them some valuable advice as well.

" It's your first time performing at an award ceremony, right? Do well. I am sure you will rock the stage, so don't be nervous and have fun."

" All the best for your performance later!!" He cheered up the girls when his manager also entered the room with a large white bag in his hand.

" Here are some refreshments for you and the staff. Don't run around and eat something. I don't want to see you fainting because of malnutrition." He casually handed the bag to Xu Nuan, who was staring at him in confusion.

'Why is he being so nice to her? That's strange.'

Seeing her staring at him accusingly, he sighed exasperatedly and mouthed, ' It's your boyfriend's money. Eat to your heart's content!'

She chuckled upon getting his message. So he is just a messenger, the real sender of all of these things is someone else.

She didn't ask him to accompany her to the award ceremony because there will be many people from the business industry as well and it will be difficult to explain their relationship. She doesn't want to explain their relationship to others just yet, not at least she leaves the company and stands in the society on her own.

Although he could have come to the ceremony individually since he got the special invitation. However, he had to go on a business trip at the last moment, so he couldn't make it to the award ceremony today.

Han Liang stayed in the room for a few more minutes before his manager started to urge him to leave since he has to prepare for his performance later too.

" See you at the after-party later," he said to Xu Nuan before taking his leave.

" Han Liang, I am your big fan. Can I have your autograph?" Seeing her leaving like this, Rin Rin blocked his way and said with bright-excited eyes. At this moment, she was looking like nothing but a passionate fan.

Han Liang frowned and looked at her. He scoffed, " Are you seriously my fan? Well, I am sorry but I don't acknowledge rude people as my fans. Good night!" As said this, he waved at her and left the room.

Rin Rin stood there in a daze; shocked. Did she get abandoned by her idol? How...can he say that to her?

She gritted her teeth and glared at Xu Nuan, who was distributing the refreshments to the makeup artists and other staff.

" Xu Nuan, you're so hateful. I hate you!!" she stomped her foot in anger and left the room.

Wang Meili sighed to see the overly emotional Rin Rin and shot a glare at Xu Nuan before following Rin Rin out.

Everyone in the room was lost and confused at what just happened. It was Han Liang who ignored her and she was getting angry at Xu Nuan? Weird!!

Xu Nuan chuckled and waved at the other staff to not mind this and eat the food brought by Han Liang.

_

When the ceremony started, the MCs started the show with their introducing lines and the artists started to perform on the stage one by one.

The whole arena was full of people, eager to watch the performances. The vast stairs sitting area was arranged for the fans to sit and watch their idols perform on the stage, meanwhile, the special sitting arrangements were made for the idols and other celebrities who were invited near the stage.

Each table of the artists had a few water bottles and they were provided with refreshments boxes as well to eat while watching the show, which is going to go for a few hours.

There were large screens arranged at every corner that was giving the stage view clearly and closely. The whole area was lightening and was bright, meanwhile, the yelling and the fan chants were so loud that they could be heard clearly from the fan's sitting area to the stage.

[I THINK EVERYONE MUST BE ANTICIPATING THE NEXT PERFORMANCE EAGERLY. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THAT A ROOKIE GROUP IS GOING TO PERFORM ON THIS VAST STAGE. SO LET'S WELCOME, THE MOST LOVEABLE AND GIRL CRUSH GROUP, THE KNIGHTS!! WOOHOO!!] The MC introduced The Knights when it was the time of their performance.

Xu Nuan was standing backstage while holding bottles of water bottles and towels in her hands. She held her breath when the name of the girls was called and watched the large screen anticipatingly since she cannot see the stage view.

The fans were in a frenzy when the name of The Knights was called and was shouting over their lungs. The artists sitting in the VIP area were surprised to see such a loud reaction at the entry of a rookie group.

Pretty Girls were also frowning to hear such loud yelling and fan chants from the fan's sitting area when The Knights were called. Why are people overreacting so much? They wondered.

They belong to the same company but they don't get such a kind of reaction when they get on the stage. Hah! It's because their fans are the quiet ones, they aren't as crude as The Knight's fans. They calmed themselves upon thinking that their fans are more on the calmer and sophisticated side.

_

The lights of the stage were turned off and the stage fell into darkness. Everyone watched in anticipation and were holding their breath, wondering what new thing they were going to show.

Because unlike the music shows performances, the award ceremony performances are supposed to be breathtaking and unique since they don't need to follow the regular choreography and can show their creativity this way.

However, unlike the senior artists, the expectations from them were low since they were new and it was their first time performing on the stage. And many were simply waiting to see them fail on the stage.

They're the rookie group yet they were getting so much attention from the people and had a full-fledged fandom already. They are waiting to judge them and mock their lacking performance.

~KLIK~

Everyone watched in surprise when the lights on the stage were turned on and the spotlight was shifted to the band arranged on the stage. All the fans gasped in surprise to see a live band.

Many of the artists and other fans were expecting them to do the usual performance with a bit of a twist but performing with a live band was something else. The live band means they aren't going to use the backup track either, are they going to sing fully live?

The fans of other artists were shocked and were also waiting for them to mess up the live performance. Meanwhile, the fans of The Knights were excited and thrilled to see the live band.

They were worried about the live performance since the girls have always performed live and their vocals and the stage presence are a feast to their eyes and ears.

The sounds of drums and electric guitar were starting to resonate in the arena. Everyone was grooving and moving their bodies at the sound of the music, while their eyes were searching for the girls.

The spotlight was on the rock band who were playing their instruments, but the girls were nowhere to be seen.

Rin Rin scoffed to see the empty stage and murmured, " Hah! Seems like they're too scared to come on stage. I just want to see them embarrass themselves on the stage today."

The other artists also grew worried and whispers could be heard from their side. Everyone was worried seeing the empty stage and were wondering if this is a broadcast accident because the award ceremony is live and everyone will see this thing happening.

They're a rookie group, after all. They must be nervous to perform in front of thousands of people on a stage after all.

The fans also got worried seeing them not appearing on the stage for a few long seconds, meanwhile, the music that the band was playing was getting louder and louder and was reaching towards its climax.

~Wooo OOoo~

~Woah...OW...Yeahhhh~

Chapter 302 - The Jade Awards (III)

The band on the stage was playing captivating, dark music. The music of electric guitar and drum was getting intense as they were chasing towards the climax.

The music was getting loud and tense with every passing moment.

Just like the music, the atmosphere in the stadium was getting tense as well. All the artists were wearing worried expressions and were discussing if something was wrong.

Everyone was confused and worried about the girls who were still not on the stage. Every performance has a limited time and they need to finish their performance in the same fixed time since the camera will be shifted to the hosts afterward to announce the awards.

The girls haven't come out yet and if this continues, then they will mess up their performance a big time.

Is this a broadcast accident? If it is, then it's not a small mistake. Everyone wondered.

However, Rin Rin was elated to see The Knights falling from the top position.

"Hah, Now everyone will know how overrated they are. They're nothing but a bunch of losers," she murmured under her breath and sipped the water through the straw from the bottle.

_

~Wooo OOOO….Yeahhhh~

When the music reached its climax, the band stopped playing. The stadium fell into ghostly stillness, leaving everyone perplexed.

As everyone's gaze was fixated on the stage and they were trying to figure out what's going on, a loud and powerful voice resonated in the arena.

Everyone was startled to hear the powerful, high note which woke everyone from their daze. While the artists were confused about the voice, the fans were joyous and started to scream in happiness.

" It's Song Ai. Song Ai!!! But where is she?" Fans started to look for her on the stage. They could recognize her voice. But...Where is she?

People were looking here and there in the dark. Their eyes roamed around the large arena when everyone heard a commotion from the fan's standing area.

The artists were confused, wondering what's going on in the back. Rin Rin was also curious about what's happening. When she turned around to see towards the fan's standing area, a deep frown appeared on her face.

" What the hell are they doing?" She was confused and baffled to see Song Ai standing among the fans, wearing a strapless, sleeveless royal black dress with black shorts underneath that looked like a pair. The golden belt on the waist and the dramatic rose jewelry was adorning her neck and the dress. The accessories were the highlight of her look.

Everyone was awed by Song Ai's elegant and royal look. The combination of black and golden was not only going with their theme but also with their name as well.

She was standing under the white spotlight and was shining like a bright star. She smirked at the camera that was facing her and raised her eyebrows, making everyone scream when her face was zoomed in on the large screens.

She turned to her fans who were shocked and were on the verge of crying to see her standing between them.

She was with them all along and they didn't even notice. They were too busy looking at the stage that they didn't realize when she came and took her position.

The band started playing the music again and the beat this time became more lively and powerful. Just like Song Ai, other members also stand up from the crowd, hitting their signature powerful yet melodious notes.

Rather than starting from the stage, they started from the fan's standing area and made their way to the stage while singing their song. They didn't forget to handshake with their fans as they walked out of the standing area.

[ EVERYBODY, ARE YOU READY??] Lai Yi shouted on the mic to hype up the crowd, in response the crowd also shouted back.

Xu Nuan, who was standing backstage, chuckled to see Lai Yi hyping the crowd. She is the quietest member of the group but she becomes fire on the stage.

When they were planning what to do to make the performance even more unique and rocking, Xu Nuan was the one who suggested starting the performance from the fan's standing area and then moving to the stage. This way they will not only be able to cover the large area but also be able to greet the fans who supported them.

Since they don't have any official fandom name and lightstick yet, it will be a good way to show their gratitude to them. Also, the girls started from the bottom, so it was also a good way to show their journey which started at the bottom and was going higher and higher.

The girls also liked her idea and were excited to do this with their fans. That's why they were even more nervous earlier.

They were not afraid of making mistakes on the stage but they didn't want to let down their fans who supported them and brought them to this position.

_

The girls were successful in showcasing their powerful and melodious vocals to everyone. Their charismatic and badass expressions were cherry on the top.

~ Who are we, Who are we~ The girls took out their mics from the mic stand and went forward on the stage.

They stopped at the edge of the stage and looked at everyone with their confident, lethal gaze, and sang in harmony.

We're the GUARDIANS, We're the SAVIORS,

WE'RE THE KNIGHTS!!~

The girls shouted the last line and ended their performance by raising their hands high up in the sky. As they strike their ending pose, the firecrackers on the corner of the stage went off, brightening the stage with its light.

Everyone was shocked and surprised to see an amazing performance by a rookie group. They're just a few months old and yet they captivated everyone with their stage presence and breathtaking mellow voice.

They were moving and dancing during the performance yet their voices were so stable even though they were singing live. Even the veteran artists were surprised and proud to see the juniors artists doing well.

While everyone was happy and were clapping, Rin Rin was glowering in anger. They performed better than she had expected and seeing everyone shouting their name made her angrier.

" Argh….Xu Nuan, I will not let you go away with this." she gritted her teeth. They were the only ones who were supposed to debut this year, if not for Xu Nuan, they would have been the only group from shining bright.

And if not for The Knights, they could have been the one on the stage right now. It was because of them that their popularity has been divided between them.

Everyone is comparing both groups who were launched by the same company and The Knights are getting more points because of that.

_

After the performance ended, the fans of the knights were in a frenzy and were emotional to be respected this way. Since The Knights are only a few months old, they don't have their official lightstick and fandom name yet. That's why their fandom is looked upon by other fans who were showing off their merches and lightsticks.

But the fans of The Knights were not behind in any way to support the girls. They used phones' flashlights to support the girls and were holding handmade banners for them. Some even brought handmade paintings and sketches in support of the girls.

The loud noises were resonating in the arena, giving goosebumps to everyone. All the other idols and artists were surprised to see this many fans cheering for 'The Knights'.

While the fans of 'The Knights' were enjoying and cheering for the girls, the other fans from other fandoms were looking at them in envy. It was the first time that any group started the award ceremony performances from the fan's standing area rather than the stage or the artist's sitting area.

They not only started the performances from between them, but they also shook hands with them and sang along with them. How lucky they are!!

_

When the girls returned backstage, they were already in tears. It was their first time performing in front of so many people and it surprisingly went well. They were still shivering and couldn't forget the loud applause and the fans cheering.

Xu Nuan was also getting emotional seeing the girls bawling their eyes out. She handed them towels to wipe their sweat and water bottle. She patted their shoulders, " Why are you bawling your eyes out? You will all ruin your makeup."

Song Ai looked at her while sobbing and hugged her tightly, " I am so happy. Xu Nuan, did you hear all the cheering? They're cheering for us." she started to sob hard after saying this.

They don't care about any award. They don't care about any rankings, however, the cheerings of the fans and their happy faces are enough to light up their mood.

All they wanted was to prove to everyone that they're not useless. It was almost a year ago that they were about to be kicked out of the company and had no future ahead.

However, Xu Nuan's entry in their life, not only gave them another chance to prove themselves but also helped them to grow as an artist. Xu Nuan allowed them to come up with their ideas and helped them to polish those ideas and because of that, they all managed to come this far.

" Now if you're done crying, let's go to the green room. The awards are going to be announced soon. Do you want to go on a stage looking like this?" she said while patting Song Ai's back who was still hugging her, and also patted Sun Ya's shoulder who was crying next to her.

Chapter 303 - The Jade Awards (IV)

After touching up their makeup, the girls went outside to sit with the other artists. As soon as they went outside, the fans who were eagerly waiting for them started to cheer hard when the camera shifted to them and showed them in their majestic stage outfits on the large screens.

The artists who were looking at the stage were surprised when they heard the deafening cheers from the fan's area. When they looked over, they saw that The Knights were now back after their performance and were taking their seats on one of the tables that were reserved for them.

Rin Rin frowned to see The Knights smiling and waving to their fans. All the veteran artists were looking in their way and some even shook hands with them.

They're just rookies, why are they getting so much attention? None of the senior artists acknowledged them and only nodded at them in passing in exchange for their greetings. However, they're going out of the way to shake hands with The Knights and were even having small talks with them.

What is so special about them? She still can't get it.

Xu Nuan was standing in the corner and watched as the girls took their seats. Since she is their manager, she can't go and sit with them since it will be on the camera.

However, standing in the corner was making her feel weird too. There was a time when she used to sit there, between everyone else, but now she was standing away from them, away from the camera.

She always wanted to try doing this kind of work at least once but she never thought that this would be so soon. She was planning to start her company in some years but seems like things were meant to be this way.

As she was lost in her thoughts, she was startled by loud applause that woke her up from her daze. She looked towards the stage and realized that the hosts were going to announce the awards.

_

[ THE TIME IS OVER. SINCE WE'RE APPROACHING THE END OF THE SHOW, IT'S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE MOST ANTICIPATED AWARDS OF THE NIGHT!!] The MC announced.

[WE'RE NOW GOING TO ANNOUNCE THE POPULAR AWARDS OF THE NIGHT- PEOPLE'S BEST CHOICE AWARDS, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, AND THE LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, SONG OF THE YEAR. WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE GREAT MUSICIAN AND SOLOIST, MR. HAN LIANG TO ANNOUNCE THE AWARDS. PLEASE GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.]

Rin Rin's expressions lit up to hear that Han Liang is going to give the award to the winner. They have been nominated for rookie of the year and if their group got the award, she will get to talk to him, even if it's for a few minutes.

Han Liang came up on the stage and stood behind the mic stand while holding a card in his hand. He was wearing the same outfit that he wore earlier while performing and was looking ethereal as ever in black.

" As you can see, the results are in my hand. Are you guys nervous?"

" Well, even if you are, you can't do anything. I am gonna announce the results while taking my sweet time anyway." He joked and showed off the card that he was holding to the audience.

His teasing comment earned quite a reaction from the fans and other artists who were laughing at his witty way of speaking.

He paused for a few seconds and looked at the audience with a teasing smile, making them wait for him. He looked at the camera and gave 2-3 shots before moving closer to the mic, " So, it seems like it's finally the time for what I have been called for on the stage."

" The first award that we're going to announce is… People's best choice award. The nominations for the awards are on the screen." He said pointing towards the large screen.

The nominations were shown on the large screen. For this award, all nominees were the senior artists who were quite popular and had a vast fandom. However, it was only The knights who were only a few months old and didn't even have an official fandom name.

Song Ai clenched her fists nervously and held her breath. Pan Lan saw her flinching and biting her lips in anticipation. She leaned closer, " You know what he is going to say next?"

Song Ai glanced at her and looked at her with a -now-what-do-you-want-kind of gaze. Pan Lan smirked and whispered, " He is gonna say, ' And the winner is The Knights." she laughed while tickling Song Ai on the sides to make her laugh.

[ AND THE PEOPLE'S BEST CHOICE AWARD GOES TO….ANY GUESSES? OKAY, DON'T CURSE ME! THE AWARD GOES TO….THE KNIGHTS!! WOOHOO!!]

"....."

Song Ai froze upon hearing the announcement. She turned to Pan Lan, who was shocked as well.

When their frozen expressions were shown on the large screens, people burst into laughter.

Pan Lan couldn't care about other people laughing at them. She was too shocked to feel embarrassed. She was joking a while ago, but they were not expecting this joke to become the truth.

"What the…'' Pan Lan murmured under her breath in shock.

As the award was announced, the stadium was filled with loud applause. While everyone was looking at them with happy gazes, the girls were busy crying and sobbing.

Xu Nuan, who was standing on the side, wasn't even surprised upon hearing their name. Her gut feeling was telling her that they're going to get the award, and they got it.  They worked so hard after all. They deserve it.

The girls went on the stage and took the award from Han Liang. They were so lost and nervous that rather than giving a proper speech, Song Ai was crying all the time, meanwhile, Pan Lan was laughing and crying at the same time.

People were amused to see a new kind of speech. Rather than a formal thanks speech, they were crying and laughing, lightening up others' moods. The fans were swooning over Song Ai who was crying and thanking everyone at the same time.

How can she look so cute while crying? Everyone wondered.

The fans even started to shout when she stopped crying for a moment., " Keep Crying!! Keep Crying!!"

This hilarious interaction between the girls and the fans made everyone laugh hard. Just like the girls, their fans are crazy as well.

Rin Rin frowned and clenched her fists while watching everyone clapping for them, " It's just one award. The Rookie of the award is going to be ours."

She has talked to Wang Meili and asked her to find out through her connections to whom they're going to give the Rookie of the Year. The criteria have been changed in a few years and other than the physical sales and online popularity, they're going to give 40% value to the judges' votes as well.

She has told her dad that she wants this award and he has also promised her that he will use some strings to make sure that they will get the award. Since Xu Nuan can cheat and force the Knights to debut, can't she use some of her connections as well?

Moreover, it's their fault for not having the connections.

_

Just as the girls were about to get off the stage, Han Liang spoke on the mic, " Wait a minute. Don't go down. Let me announce the other awards as well."

The girls looked at him in confusion and anticipation. He laughed, " Don't expect that I am stopping you because you're the award winners. It's so that you all can take a picture together. This will save you from a trip back to the stage later."

Song Ai, who was holding the trophy and was looking at him with pursed her lips and nodded sheepishly.

[ BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE SECOND TIME THAT A ROOKIE GROUP WILL BE GETTING BOTH THE MAJOR AWARDS - ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND SONG OF THE YEAR.]

Everyone was confused for a moment. Rookie of the year is meant for new artists so there are so many nominees to choose who will be the winner. But the song of the year too?

The song of the year generally goes to the senior artists. The senior artists who were nominated for this award and were anticipating to win, their expressions fell.

Rin Rin was elated a while ago, but upon hearing this comment of his, she was speechless. She would have misunderstood that it's them since they're nominated for Rookie of the year. However, only The Knights are the only group who has been nominated for this year's Song of the Year.

'What the hell? Didn't Wang Meili say that she has talked to the judges and they're planning to vote for them?'

'Was her connections wrong? What the hell?'

[ YES!! YOU ALL GOT IT RIGHT. THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND SONG OF THE YEAR GOES TO, NONE OTHER THAN, THE KNIGHTS!!] As soon as he announced this, the confetti and the firecrackers went off, brightening the stage.

Chapter 304 - The Jade Awards (V)

A wide smile blossomed on Xu Nuan's lips when the girls were announced as the winners of both the awards. Seeing them crying and celebrating this happiness, she was reminded of the day when they won the same awards at this same award show.

This was not only nostalgic but emotionally torturing for her. The happy group of four has been broken ruthlessly and is now in crumbles.

After taking both the trophies and beautiful heavy bouquets, the girls turned to the mic to give a speech. Song Ai was sobbing and nudged Pan Lan to give the speech this time. However, Pan Lan ignored her gesture and turned to the side and pretended to cry to avoid giving a speech.

"....."

Song Ai was speechless seeing her ignoring her shamelessly. Their unharmed banter was caught on the camera that was zooming on them, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

Song Ai sighed and glanced at Sun Ya and Lai Yi, signaling them to give the speech. However, they also looked away and Lai Yi started to ċȧrėss the trophy that she was holding as if it's the most precious treasure in the world.

She gritted her teeth. " You all are useless. Meet me after the ceremony, you all gonna pay for the dinner tomorrow!!" Song Ai murmured under her breath, feeling betrayed by all three who dumped the responsibility to give speeches on her only.

However, since she was standing close to the microphone, her words were loud enough for everyone to hear. Once again, her expressions and words caused everyone to burst into laughter.

Xu Nuan shook her head helplessly and covered her face with a palm. They sure know how to make everyone laugh, or say embarrass themselves in front of everyone.

_

Song Ai took a deep breath and adjusted the mic for her. She thanked everyone, from her parents to her fans. It was because of their fans that they have reached this position.

" Other than our parents who suffered a lot along with us and fans who worked hard to support us, there is another person to whom we like to dedicate this award," she said in a soft tone.

She looked at the crowd and her eyes stopped at Xu Nuan who was standing in the faraway corner, looking at them with a warm gaze.

She smiled and continued, " We're standing here only because of this person. Almost a year ago, we were unsure of our future that was in the shambles. We were eliminated from the final group evaluation and we were not supposed to make a debut." she revealed.

Everyone gasped at sudden revelation since there were rumors about it but no one from the company has said anything about it. It was the first time that they were talking about this and revealing this kind of news on such a big platform can have both positive and negative effects as well.

However, Song Ai felt the need to reveal this to everyone, otherwise, Xu Nuan's efforts won't be seen by anyone.

" Yes. We were not supposed to debut and were about to be kicked from the company. However, at that time, this young girl joined the company as an ȧssistant artist manager. It was her first day at work and she watched the evaluation audition with everyone."

" While everyone voted to eliminate us, she was the only one who wanted us to debut. However, she was in no position to make such kind of decision."

" Despite all the opinions, she went against the higher authorities and put her career and savings at stake just to launch us as a group. After so many arguments, she took the responsibility to manage us and make us the top girl group in the industry."

" We were the first-ever artist group that she was about to manage. Everyone doubted her capability. However, she was confident as ever and didn't heed to others' opinions."

" When we asked her why she is insisting so much to launch us as a group, do you know what did she said? She said that she doesn't believe in us but her judgment. She told us to believe in her judgment too and follow her steps. And it seems like she was right." Song Ai giggled remembering Xu Nuan's cold demeanor when they first met her.

She is younger than them but her confidence made them believe in her. It was a risky choice but they had nothing to lose anyway. It was Xu Nuan who would have lost a lot more if things wouldn't have gone right.

Everyone was quiet as they listened to her emotional speech. The MC didn't stop her either seeing everyone was listening to her with attention.

" If not for our manager, we wouldn't have been standing here. So...Xu Nuan, this award is for you. Thank you for believing in us and being by our side always." she said while looking at Xu Nuan.

The cameraman turned the camera to Xu Nuan, who was covering her face in embarrassment. The emotional moment was turned into a sitcom when the camera turned to her. She was looking down and even turning around to avoid the camera at any cost.

Meanwhile, Xu Nuan was cursing Song Ai under her breath. Why did she have to call her name out?

She hadn't even touched up her makeup, nor was she wearing a beautiful dress. It's so embarrassing.

While she was avoiding eye contact with the camera, people were wowing at how beautiful The Knight's manager is. Even though she wasn't wearing much makeup and was wearing a plain white crop-top and black jeans with a blue jacket on top, she was still looking beautiful and photogenic on camera.

Her naturally defined features and embarrassed expressions amused everyone.

Han Liang chuckled seeing Xu Nuan avoiding the camera as if it's dangerous as a hornet bee. She sure knows how to capture everyone's attention. He shook his head in amusement.

_

[ Wahh!! She is so pretty.]

[ Ah, I remember her. She also knows my hubby Han Liang. She was at karaoke with the girls before their debut.]

[ She is not only beautiful but has a beautiful voice too. She sang pretty well in that show. I want to see her sing again.]

[ I am so happy that our girls got such a supportive manager. It was the first time that an artist has praised their manager this much. They must be quite close.]

[ I can't believe that the company was going to kick the girls out of the company. Are they blind? They're so talented!!]

[ You know, I always wondered why there is so much difference between The Knights MV and The Pretty Girls MV. Pretty Girls MV seems to have a high budget, meanwhile, The Knights MV was shot on a normal set. The graphics and cinematography weren't that great but their heavenly vocals and expressions grasped everyone's attention. Now I get why it was like this. It was because they were planning to dissolve the girls after one year.]

[ I also heard that rumor. The Knights were supposed to be dissolved after a year if they failed to get their first trophy with the debut track, but they did surprisingly well. I hope that they don't need to disband now. I am so happy for them!!]

_

Xu Nuan sighed seeing all the comments on Song Ai's speech video. She was trying to keep a low profile but she had to reveal her name on the stage to make the situation worse. If she was going to do that, she should have at least told her in advance.

She would have touched up her makeup and wore a beautiful dress rather than ordinary clothes. She might not be a superstar anymore but she still has a reputation to behold.

She doesn't want to look shabby on camera.

They were sitting in the artist van that was given to them by the company. It was only after The Knight's success that Mr. Tang gave them this privilege, otherwise, if he could, he would have let them travel on buses even after their debut.

Xu Nuan was sitting in the passenger seat in front and her ȧssistant that she had hired to help with the work, with Mr. Tang's permission has taken the driver's seat. After the award ceremony, they came to the after-party that exhausted her.

She didn't get to change and had to put on a black coat over her white crop top, discarding her blue jacket to look professional. She not only had to keep eyes on the girls to see if anyone shady was trying to bother them but also socialize with other businessmen and producers to expand her connections.

It's past 2 am already and they all looked horrible. She hated parties in her past life and she feels the same in this life too.

" Tan Tan, start the car now. We'll drop the girls first at their dorm and then you'll drop the car at the company." Xu Nuan said.

" But Manager Xu, what about you? It's already late."

" It's okay. It will be too late for you to go home if you drop me off. Also, you will have to come to the company to drop the van at the company later too. So I will just take a cab from there."

Tan Tan nodded and as she was about to start the engine, someone knocked on her side of the window, startling her. " Aiya!!" she screamed in horror and saw a man standing outside.

It's already so late and everyone has left already. Although the car was stationed in front of the hotel, there were bȧrėly any people outside since all the staff is busy wrapping up the party. The guards have been called inside to check the hall as well.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips as her heart started to beat crazily as well. They're all girls and it's so late already. Even though she is not the type to get scared, these situations can make any girl feel scared and nervous.

" Tan Tan, relax. Don't be scared."

She gulped and squinted her eyes to see the man who was standing outside, in the dark. " Oh?" she frowned in confusion and patted Tan Tan's shoulder and urged her to lower down the window.

" But Manager Xu…" Tan Tan pursed her lips, afraid that it could be some stalker or crazy fan.

" It's okay. I know him," she said.

Chapter 305 - Disgusting Couple.

Tan Tan bit her lower lip upon hearing Xu Nuan's words and reluctantly lowered down the window on her side. The man was wearing a black formal suit with a white shirt inside. However, she couldn't help but frown to see him wearing black shades even at night.

Can he even see them properly? She wondered.

The man was looking scary and funny at the same time due to his black shades. Just like Tan Tan, the girls, who were sitting in the back seat were also leaning forward to look at the man and were wondering how Xu Nuan knew this strange man.

Xu Nuan was also surprised to see his strange look and cleared her throat, sensing everyone's curiosity and Tan Tan's judging gaze. She looked at the familiar man and asked hesitantly, " Mr. He, what are you doing here? Did you come here with Han Liang?"

Tan Tan looked at Xu Nuan in confusion, " Manager Xu, you know this man? Is he one of Han Liang's staff?"

Xu Nuan shook her head and didn't say anything. Well, he can be called as one of his staff and at the same time, not.

The man stared at Xu Nuan indifferently and didn't answer her question. Instead, he said. " Madam, Sir is waiting for you in his car. It's parked across the road. Please join him in his car."

Everyone's ears perked up upon hearing his words. Sir?

Xu Nuan bit her lips and cursed Han Zihao under his breath. He is Han Zihao's personal driver. She has met him a few times before.

When she had an accident and used to hitch a ride from Han Zihao, Mr. He was the one who used to drive them around at that time.

Although these days Han Zihao drives the car himself whenever they go together, she still remembers this strange man since he loves wearing black shades for some reason. However, it was her first time hearing him calling her Madam.

Even though...how can he call her like that in front of everyone?

She called him using his name because she was expecting him to say the words in a rounding manner, but does he have to be this straightforward?

Not only that, he wasn't even responding to her question. Which sir? Whose car?

She thought that he must have accompanied Han Liang to the party since Han Zihao has gone on a business trip and will come by tomorrow evening. There is no way that it's Han Zihao.

But what does he mean by 'Sir'? Is he talking about Han Zihao or Han Liang? Well, Han Liang will also be his Sir since he is Han Zihao's brother.

So there is a high possibility that it's Han Liang.

_

" Ah? Sir? Xu Nuan, don't tell me…. is the 'Sir' he is talking about, your boyfriend?" Pan Lan questioned her.

Seeing her not replying, Pan Lan gasped in shock, " Damn, Xu Nuan!! You must have hit the lottery. Your boyfriend is not only handsome but freaking rich as well. He also has a driver, Damn!!"

Song Ai frowned and slapped her on the thɨġhs, " Why are you saying that? It's the guy who is lucky to have our Xu Nuan as his girlfriend. She is beautiful and talented. She deserves the best guy out there."

Pan Lan looked at Song Ai with a frown and shook her head. How come she makes every conversation sound so serious?

" Xu Nuan, are you going to leave us behind for your boyfriend? You were supposed to drop us at the dorm. That's so rude." Sun Ya added while laughing. Pan Lan and her wavelength match only when teasing other members and Xu Nuan.

Xu Nuan frowned and shook her head in helplessness. She was expecting this to happen as soon as the man said those words.

Lai Yi, who was looking out of the window sighed tiredly and turned to her, " Xu Nuan, don't listen to these crackheads and go. You don't need to drop us. Tan Tan is here."

" What?" Sun Ya frowned.

" Who are you calling crackheads? You're the biggest crackhead here." Pan Lan snapped at her, but Lai Yi simply looked away, leaving them fighting like toddlers. Childish.

Tan Tan also nodded and said, " Manager Xu, don't you worry. I will make sure that the girls reach the dorm safely. I will message you after dropping them off."

Xu Nuan smiled at her, " Message me after you reach home as well. Otherwise, I will be worried."

"Ah, now go. Shoo. I am tired" Pan Lan waved at her, urging Xu Nuan to leave and go to her boyfriend.

" Han Liang, is this your new way to provoke me? Why did you call me here? I am already this-

Xu Nuan was getting into the car, but her words were swallowed by the strong presence in the car. She was startled to see the man who was looking at her with a deep frown upon hearing her words.

" You don't want to go home with me?" Han Zihao frowned.

"....."

Xu Nuan froze in her actions and didn't even close the car door due to shock. Rather than sitting in front, she had opened the door of the back seat and was expecting to see Han Liang there, since Han Zihao will come tomorrow and even if he was planning to come early, he would have at least messaged her.

But….what is he doing here?

He was wearing his formal, customized tailored suit. Although it was dark in the car and she couldn't see his face clearly, she recognized his voice and could somewhat see how disappointed he looked right now upon hearing her words.

~BAM~

She was startled when someone closed the door of the car from the outside.  She looked in front and found Han Liang laughing at her. " Are you trying to announce to the world that you're dating? How can you leave your car door open like this?"

Can he drive properly in these shades?

" What the- What is he doing here?" She asks with a deep frown.

" Don't you have your car? Where is your manager? Why didn't you go with him?"

Han Liang picked up the water bottle and gulped down some sips before saying, " Why do you care? It's my brother's car. Of course, I can get a ride in this car."

" Right Brother?" He smiled at Han Zihao, who only scoffed at him.

When Han Liang was leaving the hotel after the party with his manager, he saw a familiar car parked across the street. Although Han Zihao has a lot of cars and he cannot recognize them all. However, this one is the car that he loves the most because Grandmother Han didn't allow him to get this one. Grandmother Han froze all of his cards some time ago because of another scandal with a girl.

He can never understand how he gets into so many fake rumors when he has never been in any proper relationship.

However, that's not the point here. Rather than helping him to convince Grandma, Han Zihao bought the same car to make fun of him. Traitor.

Han Zihao didn't respond to Han Liang's nonsense and turned to Xu Nuan, " Do you not like me coming to pick you? I thought it would make you smile, but it seems like it's not the case." He pouted.

Xu Nuan shook her head in firm denial, " I was just surprised. I thought that it's Han Liang in the car. I was preparing to beat him to a pulp but since it's you, I am so happy."

" I loved this surprise. For real." she giggled and hugged him tightly.

Han Liang frowned, " You, You, You!! You're so shameless. Am I your punching bag? Why do you always want to hit me?"

However, his words fell on deaf ears as Xu Nuan ignored him and the two love birds were in their world.

" How did you come back so early? Weren't you supposed to come tomorrow?" she asked.

Han Zihao fixed her hair and pulled her in an embrace, " I missed you. So I hurried up and finished my work early to come back to you."

To come back in a day, he had to attend the meetings without any break and didn't even get any time to have a meal properly since he was either in the meeting or was in the car. It took him 5 hrs to come back to the city since there was a lot of traffic and not only that, the roads were quite rugged too.

However, he made it in time. If they had not hurried up the things and didn't ended the meeting before the estimated time, it would have been difficult to return by tomorrow.

" What is this? How can you do this to your work?" she said, feeling embarrassed at his words. He doesn't need to hurry his work just to come back in time. However, Han Zihao wasn't bothered by his cringey comment. Who cares anyway?

While they were busy playing with each other's hair and clothes, Han Liang was disgusted at how creepily affectionate they were. What happened to his brother? Since when did he become this touchy-touchy?

Even though he turned his head around, he could hear their cringey conversation that was making him nauseous.

"Mr. He, do you have a first aid kit? I think I need to take medicine. I am feeling sick because of these two." He turned to the man beside him who glanced at him for a moment and turned his head away.

He focused his attention on driving and ignored him without feeling an ounce of guilt.

"....."

No one gives him attention. His brother's driver is the same as him, unfriendly and overbearing.

Chapter 306 - Fictional Love!!

MoonRiver Cafe-

Jia Fei was standing at the counter and was checking the account book for the last month. Her brows raised upon seeing the high revenue flow of last month. They haven't promoted the cafe nor didn't do any special events to avoid unnecessary attention from the media.

Whenever someone visits them, they always get surprised to meet a celebrity like them as cafe owners. Not only one, but two superstars in one cafe. Although they were getting a decent amount of customers thanks to their hospitality and free SNS promotion by their customers, the revenue of last month was quite high.

What changed things last month?

Jia Fei turned to the girl standing next to her who was cleaning the counter and asked, " Did we do any online promotion or event last month to promote the cafe?"

The girl was perplexed upon hearing her sudden question and pondered for a moment, " Errm...For as long as I remember, we didn't do any promotional events last month."

" We were planning to do some events but didn't do anything because the Sunlight cafe opposite to us did some events and promotional events to promote their cafe, but it didn't turn out much effective. So Ms. Luo said to not waste money on it and improve our food quality instead."

Jia Fei pursed her lips and thought for a while. " Then….why is the revenue of the last month so high? It's weird." Although she is happy that their cafe is doing well, she needs to know the reason for this change. So that they can continue to do things that way to increase their sales.

" AH! You're asking about that? It was because of Mr. Han." The girl responded.

Jia Fei frowned. " Mr. Han? Who is he?"

" You don't know? The famous idol soloist, Han Liang! He is our regular customer."

Jia Fei scoffed upon seeing her addressing him so formally, " Ah, you're talking about that monkey guy? What did he do?"

The girl pursed her lips and took a deep breath. How can she call such a handsome guy a monkey? That's a disgrace to his handsome looks.

The girl forced herself to put on a polite smile for the sake of Luo Dan's gentle demeanor and responded, " Last month he couldn't visit the cafe much because of his work, but he has used our special 'coffee truck service' a few times to send to his friends. He has sent the coffee trucks to his celebrity friends who are actors and idols."

" He has sent it a few times which helped our last month's revenue to grow. Not only that, his manager comes every morning to get coffee for him and the whole staff at the shooting set."

'Why is this Han Liang being so loyal to our cafe? Is it because we belong to the same industry as him?

Or does he feel bad for badmouthing Jiang Yue before? Or is it….' She frowned and squinted eyes at Luo Dan who was sitting at the tables in the cafe since there were no customers at the moment and was smiling and laughing while staring at her phone.

Why is she laughing like a crazy woman? She wondered.

_

Luo Dan was sipping on her iced americano and was smiling while looking at her phone. She was so busy in her world that she didn't realize that someone was standing behind her.

Jia Fei looked at Luo Dan suspiciously to see her smiling and giggling like a teenage girl. She has never seen her smiling and giggling like that before. It's so strange.

She bends and leans closer to sneak a peek at her phone.

[ It's always fascinating to look at everyone from this majestic stage. From here everyone looks so tiny and shines like pretty stars in their extravagant dresses and tuxedos. But guess what, I am the shiniest star among all the stars.] Han Liang laughed while holding a trophy in one hand and a bouquet in the other.

Jie Fei frowned to see that Luo Dan was watching Han Liang's Great Award speech. Was she smiling just because of this?

" And I thought you're watching something interesting."

_

"AHHhh" Luo Dan was startled when she heard Jia Fei's voice from behind. " What the hell are you doing?"

" You scared me to death!" Luo Dan takes a few quick breaths while holding her ċhėst to calm down her nerves. This brat sure knows how to get on her nerves.

Jia Fei scoffed and said, "What is so funny about his speech? He is the same, narcissist as ever." Jia Fei commented while shaking her head in disappointment.

" Luo Dan, I am telling you. This guy is no good for you. You're too good for him."

Luo Dan frowned. She was angry and embarrassed at the same time. " What are you saying? I was just watching the award show, not him."

" Oh really? Luo Dan, I can accept anyone as my brother-in-law but not him. He called our music tasteless and boring. He is our rival, not a friend."

Luo Dan scratched her neck awkwardly and said sheepishly, " But he already apologized for that. Also, he didn't even know much about our songs back then."

" Apologised? To whom? He didn't say a word to me."

" He did. He apologized to me. Also, he feels bad for making things difficult for our group at that time and saying things recklessly in an interview. He is not as bad as you think he is."

Jia Fei looks at her in shock. She gasps and covers her mouth with her palm, " You...You...Are you defending him? Luo Luo, you never defended me like this."

" Are you taking his side now? Do you like him?" She asks.

Luo Dan was caught off guard by Jia Fei's blunt question and panics, " Have you lost your mind? Can't boys and girls be friends only?"

" Moreover, I talk to him because he is our regular customer and also helped us to catch that pervert too. I am thankful to him, that's all." She said while avoiding Jia Fei's suspicious gaze.

She didn't know why but Jia Fei's accusation didn't hurt her. Instead, she could feel her cheeks getting red and was having a hard time explaining herself.

Is it because she has worked too hard that she can't speak clearly? Why is she stuttering as if she is guilty of something?

Jia Fei is kidding. How can she like Han Liang? They're just friends...just friends.

" Did...did you see this? Xu Nuan's group won the rookie of the year and song of the year just after debuting. Isn't it crazy? After our group, isn't it the first time that someone has won both big awards just after debuting?" Luo Dan said while trying to drift Jia Fei's attention from her.

However, Jia Fei's eyes were already on Luo Dan. They have known each other for years now and she knows that Luo Dan is like an open page. She can't lie.

Her eyes tell her everything. That's why she was even avoiding eye contact with her.

Does Luo like that ugly monkey? Luo Dan has never gotten into a relationship so she isn't aware of the concept of love.

She loves reading romance novels but has zero practical experience. She is in love with fictional love.

What if that monkey guy hurts her, just like Qin Ju did to Jiang Yue? She is afraid that just like Jiang Yue, she will lose her as well.

However...just because of that incident, she can't stop Luo Dan from loving her life.

Jia Fei sighed seeing Luo Dan avoiding the topic and didn't say anything further. Luo Dan seems to be the most mȧturė one in their group, but she is the most emotional and vulnerable one in their group.

She easily gets hurt and tires herself out emotionally. That's why she and Jiang Yue have always been protective of her.

Seeing her falling in love with someone else is like marrying their daughter off to someone. They just want her to be happy and be treated like a Queen, as she is.

She deserves all the best things in the world.

She looked at Luo Dan who was showing her the speech video of the Knights and said, " You better introduce your boyfriend to me whenever you get one. He has to get a clearance from me first before dating you. Discussion over!!" She said firmly before walking inside the kitchen.

Luo Dan was speechless when she left like that. " Who are you? Are you my father? Also, I already said that I don't have a boyfriend." She shouted but Jia Fei only waved a hand at her while walking ahead and didn't say anything.

'This little brat…' She was angry at her for being so protective of her but she can't be angry at her for long either. Because she knows that she only wants the best for her, she knows this very well.

Even if Jia Fei looks like a hard rock coconut from the outside, she is filled with deep and thoughtful emotions from the inside.

After Jia Fei left, Luo Dan shook her head in speechlessness and sat at the chair again. " She is letting her imagination run wild again."

Chapter 307 - Girl Crush.

After the award ceremony, the next week was quite hectic for Xu Nuan. She had to deal with the after-effects of the milestone that girls have achieved by winning three major awards only after a few months of debuting.

Her small office that was already cramped, reception counter, and the practice room, all was packed with the gifts and bouquets for 'The Knights'. From small to human-sized bouquets, branded expensive bags, and jewelry, the girls were receiving all kinds of gifts from their fans, people they have worked with, or who wanted to work with them.

Many known veteran idols and musicians were also sending them gifts as a token of appreciation, congratulating them on their achievements.

" Manager Xu, there are 5 boxes of fan letters and soft toys that we received today. What should we do with them?" Xu Nuan was going to her office when the receptionist stopped her to ask.

Xu Nuan sighed seeing the large boxes filled with letters and soft toys from the fans. They were receiving these kinds of boxes daily and it was getting difficult to manage all of them.

" Handover the letters to the girls. They love reading their fan's letters. After they're done, keep them in the storeroom. And for the soft toys, donate them to an orphanage." she said. The girls have gotten a bunch of gifts already, at first they want to keep and cherish their fan's gifts but after one point, it becomes difficult to keep all of them at their place.

Although, everyone at the office told her to sell the toys as second-hand products and get some money. Some even suggested throwing them to avoid the hassle to manage the gifts. However, she never throws away her fan's gifts. How can she? It's not only their gifts but love and passion for them.

In her past life, she either takes them with her or asks Lin Hui to donate them all to an orphanage where they can come into use. She was doing the same here as well. She has already uploaded a post on the fan club of the Knights this morning that from now on all the toys and gifts from the fans will be donated to an orphanage.

She had written at the end of the post to not send material gifts to the girls as they might not be able to manage them all and the gifts will be donated to an orphanage in the name of the fans of The Knights. If they don't want their gifts to be donated to others, then don't send the gifts at all.

CEO Tang and Wang Meili told her that it's a stupid move and will only enrage the fans. However, the post surprisingly got the support of the fans and everyone appreciated their honesty and how transparent they're about their actions.

[ This post is made by The Knights' cute manager, right? She is so thoughtful. I am glad that the girls are in the right hands.]

[ It's my first time seeing a company revealing what they're going to do with all the gifts. Donating to an orphanage is such a good deed. Managing so many gifts is impossible, it's way better than throwing them away. Although I didn't send anything before, I think I am gonna start sending gifts from now on. We'll be doing a good thing indirectly this way.]

[ If this would have been someone else, I would have thought that it's a publicity stunt, but seeing how The Knights' manager treats them, they may be gonna do this with the gifts from now on.]

[ My brother also works in the same industry as a backup dancer. He told me that many companies either resell the gifts from the fans or throw them away to avoid the hassle of dealing with them. It's rare for them to go to these heights to take care of the gifts from the fans.]

[ I am a fan of The Knights, but now I am gonna stan their manager too. She is too pretty to be just a manager. Also, she knows how to take care of our feelings as fans.]

-

Pan Lan chuckled to see all the comments and turned to Xu Nuan who was checking the list of offers that they have received by now after the award ceremony, " Xu Nuan, they're calling you pretty. Don't you think they're blind?"

Xu Nuan frowned and took out the pen from her mouth and turned to Pan Lan. She checked her out and said, " Well, if they stan you and call you girl crush, then they're surely blind."

" Pfft, Xu Nuan, Good one." Song Ai chuckled and showed her a thumbs up.

_

For the whole week, Xu Nuan didn't go to college and skipped all of the classes since she was swamped with work. Even though she didn't go to college, she knows that it's crazy at the college at the moment.

All of the classmates who have her number kept messaging her and asking for an autograph from The Knights. The news of her working as an artist manager of The Knight, which used to be a secret, has been revealed to everyone thanks to Song Ai's heartwarming speech.

The chaos at the school after Xingren's controversy finally cooled down and now they have another reason to hype things about.

She was busy with her work when her phone buzzed. She checked her phone and sighed to see a notification from the college forum group discussion.

[ Xu Nuan is so mysterious. At first, no one was aware that she and Xingren are related to each other, now we're finding out that she is the manager of a famous girl group. Damn!]

[ Everything is cool, but why is she working as a manager? Didn't she top the scholarship exam? She can easily get a job at a big company or she can even work at Gu Corporations. I don't understand her reasons.]

[ Xu Nuan is so cool. Despite having a wealthy background, she wants to start from scratch. She must be good at her job, that's why The Knights thanked her on the stage.]

[ But don't you think it will be difficult for Xu Nuan to work as a manager because of her family situation. If anyone finds out about the things that happened at the college regarding Xu Nuan and Xingren's controversy, things will become chaotic.]

[ Xingren has left the college because of Xu Nuan. She is such a bully, she is the one who made things difficult for Xingren and was making this difficult for her. I will tell everyone about her real actions.]

Xu Nuan frowned at the person pointing out the things that she hadn't thought about. She had forgotten about Xingren. Just like this person, there will be other people too who think like this.

It will be an issue indeed. If he keeps talking about it, people will unquestionably start spreading it. After all, every rumor starts with simple questions and discussion before it can turn into a huge gossip.

She sighed and felt somewhat irritated to be reminded of this kind of thing. She opened the website on her ŀȧptop and was planning to take down the post when someone else commented under the post.

[ The person who created this group discussion has been warned two times already to not discuss anyone's personal life in this forum. As a result of violating the forum rules, the post will be taken down immediately and the user will be banned for a year from using the forum. If this kind of attitude continues, the user can also be rusticated from the college for not following the rules and invading someone else's private space. - Aurora.]

Xu Nuan pursed her lips to see Aurora's comment who is the moderator of the forum and looks after the discussions going in the forum. This isn't the first time that someone has gossiped in this forum but it was the first time that he has spoken firmly for someone and has supported them.

He might show that he doesn't like her or care for her, but inwardly, he also treats her as a friend. Otherwise, why would he help her at the party the last time and also support her when everyone accused her of cheating in an exam.

Her lips stretched into a warm smile. He is a nice guy indeed. He is also good at his studies, good with games and computers too. Hmm...She was thinking about something when she heard a knock on her office door. " Xu Nuan, Mr. Tang has called you to his office." the receptionist notified her.

" Okay. thanks." Xu Nuan smiled at her. She arranged her things and left for his office after closing her ŀȧptop.

Chapter 308 - You&#039;re leaving? (I)

When Xu Nuan entered CEO Tang's office, she found him standing in front of the large window in his office. He turned around when she entered the room and gestured for her to sit on a chair.

He also took his seat, opposite her. He stared at her for a few minutes without saying anything and sighed. After taking his time, he took an envelope from the drawer under his desk, " This is the document I have received from the Han Corporations. It's about clearing your contract dues and issuing the relieving letter for you. Xu Nuan, do you seriously want to leave shining bright?"

" Why are you doing this? Is the pay too low? Do you want me to increase it?" He asks.

She told him about this before the award ceremony and he thought that she was just bluffing with him. Although he used to dislike her in the start because her working style was opposite to him and she always goes against the usual working norms of the industry, things are different now.

Unlike Wang Meili, who gives more importance to connections and pretty looks, she focuses on talent and quality. He liked Wang Meili's working style more because it was more comfortable and less risky.

However, Xu Nuan's way of working not only helped the company to reach new heights but helped in polishing the artists' skills as well. He knows that there is no way Wang Meili can bring the results as Xu Nuan does.

How can he let the star manager of his company go like that? The Knights are doing great and if this goes on, they will become the best company in the entertainment industry soon enough.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and didn't say anything. The award ceremony has ended, the girls will start working on a new track soon enough and they will need to take on new projects too. If she stays till her contract ends in two months, it will influence their work and she doesn't want to leave them in the middle of the project.

So it's better to leave early to keep things going smoothly. If they start afresh on a project with a new manager, this will be more efficient than changing managers in between.

" Mr. Tang, don't worry. I will explain to the new manager who will manage the Knights in the future. Till then, Tan Tan will be able to manage the girls since she is aware of their work schedule." She said,

Before preparing to leave, she has asked them to appoint a new manager to handle The Knights. She didn't want the girls to end up in Wang Meili's hands, who would ruin their careers.

Mr. Tang pursed his lips seeing Xu Nuan's stubbornness and sighed heavily. He comforted himself thinking that they still have The Knights. He nodded and took out another folder from the drawer.

He slid the folder to her side and said, " Then get the girls to sign on this document before you leave. This is their renewal contract. Just like you, their contract is going to end in two months."

" Seeing how much attention they're getting from the public, other companies must want to scout them. We need to renew their contract before they can sign with other companies. So if you want without any conflict, get them to sign their contract. You can do this at least, right?" He asked cautiously.

" Also, don't tell them about your news of leaving before getting them to sign this contract," he said hesitantly. He was worried that the girls might leave seeing Xu Nuan leaving the company.

Xu Nuan frowned upon hearing his words. The Knights was a temporary group that was bounded with a year contract only and was supposed to disband afterward if they didn't stand upto the expectations.

As their manager, she must convince them to sign the contract but his words sounded more like a lie to her. She picked up the contract and shook her head, " I will talk to them about renewing their contract but...I won't lie to them."

" I will inform them about my exit from the company first and will talk about the contract renewal. They need to know that I won't be their manager anymore after they sign this paper. If I don't tell them that, it will be like lying to them. And I don't want that."

" You...Don't you know that they might change their mind after knowing this?"

She pursed her lips. She wanted to scout the girls for her new company that she wants to open but she has nothing to offer them for now. The girls are doing well in their career and if they leave the company with her, they will have to start a new name, new staff, new atmosphere, everything.

She doesn't want them to suffer with her and struggle along with her. That's why she isn't trying to poach them and follow her out of the company.

" I know that. However, it should be their choice. I don't have any right to make decisions on their behalf." She said and nodded at him politely before leaving his office.

Xu Nuan entered the elevator while holding the contract renewal document that she is planning to read thoroughly and then give it to the girls to sign on. She knows very well how these companies make their contracts, they will have hidden terms and conditions that can harm the artist later.

After staying in the industry for so long, this is just the basics. She was thinking about how to break this news to the girls who are so happy and believe in her.

She was lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that a pair of eyes were watching her since the moment she entered CEO Tang's office and left while holding the contract renewal document.

_

While Xu Nuan was busy going through the contract in her office, the girls were practicing in the practicing room.

Pan Lan and Sun Ya were lying on the floor, chatting. Whereas Song Ai was still practicing the dance moves and Lai Yi was drinking her lemonade in the corner, her favorite place.

" Xu Nuan is getting new fans every day. Did you see that they have made a fan club for her as well?" Pan Lan laughed as she showed Sun Ya the fan club page while lying on the floor.

Sun Ya giggled and pulled her phone closer to see clearly, " Really? That's crazy. They have posted all of her photos taken at the award ceremony."

" But...why does she look pretty in these pictures? I don't even look this pretty in my pictures." She pouted.

" Because she is pretty. She doesn't even wear much makeup, but doesn't she look pretty intimidating for her age? It's all because of her confidence." Song Ai said as she also sat on the floor beside them.

Sun Ya nodded. That's true indeed.

As they were talking, the door of the practice room was pushed open. Song Ai turned to see Xu Nuan but a frown appeared on her face to see who came to see them.

Everyone's expressions turned ashen as they stood up to face the person who came to meet them, more likely to pick a fight with them.

" Why are you here?" Pan Lan asked as folded her hands intimidatingly in front of her ċhėst and looked at the person with glum expressions.

Chapter 309 - You&#039;re Leaving? (II)

Two days later-

After verifying all the details of the contract, Xu Nuan prepared to go to the practice room to meet the girls. In the last two days, she didn't have the time to see them as she not only has to verify the contract but also deals with all the phone calls that she was getting.

Winning awards is good but it brings hell a lot of work as well.

Xu Nuan looked at the time and realized that it was already past 3:30 pm. She was coming directly from the college after attending the classes and was now exhausted. However, she can't let the exhaustion tire her, she needs to work.

She needs to do the most exhausting work, she needs to tell the girls about her plans and contract renewal. She let out a heavy breath and picked up the contract from the table and left the office.

_

~Knock~Knock.

The girls were scattered in the practice room as always. Sun Ya and Pan Lan were sitting on the chairs, meanwhile, Lai Yi and Song Ai were sitting on the floor, in the corner.

Unlike before, Song Ai was not practicing, instead, she was also sitting and resting, just like the other girls. They were not speaking and were just staring at their reflection in the mirror in a daze.

They looked over to the door when they heard the knock and upon seeing Xu Nuan entering the hall, they didn't greet her cheerfully like they always do, instead looked away from her.

-

Xu Nuan was surprised upon being ignored by the girls. They looked at her and noticed that she entered the practice room but looked away.

" Woah, did you guys fight? Why are y'all looking so serious?"

However, her attempts to make them speak were in vain as they ignored her, once again.

She turned to Song Ai and asked, " Aren't you practicing today? Why does everyone look so down?"

However, this time Song Ai turned her head away too, avoiding eye contact with her. What the hell is happening?

She pursed her lips, feeling frustrated by this silent treatment. Just as her patience was reaching its saturation point, Pan Lan broke the silence. " Xu Nuan, no one wants to talk to you. So just leave. It's better to let things as it is if you don't want to hear anything unpleasant from us."

Xu Nuan froze. Pan Lan has always been blunt with her words but her words were never this cold before. She was angry, for real.

She looked at everyone's grim faces and frowned. " If you have anything unpleasant to say, then just say it. I prefer to fight it out rather than keep the things inside and make a big deal out of it."

She has lost a good friend like Hao Mei because of the same reason. She didn't express her dissatisfaction towards her and let it build up until her personality took a different turn towards her.

Upon hearing her words, the girls looked at her, then at each other. This time Song Ai spoke, " You want to talk? About what? About the contract renewal….

" Yes. I have the contract with-

" Or about you betraying us?" Song Ai added.

Xu Nuan stopped speaking. She understood what's going on. They're talking about her leaving the company. Someone must have told them about the whole issue beforehand, that's why they're being cold and indifferent towards her.

" You guys are talking about me leaving the company? Who told you about it?" She asked.

Pan Lan scoffed at Xu Nuan's cool demeanor about it. " I am surprised that you're not denying it. I thought you're gonna deny it and will leave a goodbye note for us after you resign from the company."

Xu Nuan smiled bitterly and shook her head, " I was hesitant to tell you all about it but I am not a coward. I never do anything that can make me feel ashamed of myself."

" I would have told you guys about it before the awards ceremony but I didn't want to ruin your mood before your big stage. Also, I came today to tell you about it before giving you this contract to renew your term with the company."

" However, I didn't know that someone had already broken the news to you. That too, in an unpleasant way." Xu Nuan said.

Everyone exchanged glances upon hearing her words. They know Xu Nuan's personality, that's why it was a little hard to digest what they were informed. However, upon confirming that she is leaving the company for real, they felt even worse.

Two days ago, Rin Rin came to their practice room to see them. They were confused because whenever she comes to see them, the encounter has never been nice.

She is leaving soon and yet she didn't tell them anything. If not for Rin Rin, Xu Nuan would have left without telling anyone and would not have revealed the truth before making them sign the contract.

They were surprised and shocked to hear those claims of hers. How can Xu Nuan leave them? They are doing so well, what's the need to leave the company?

However, Xu Nuan's words just made those claims true. So is she leaving for real?

" So….it's true. Xu Nuan, were we just an experiment for you? We thought of you as a close friend, how can you not discuss it with us?" Song Ai asked while looking at her with a complex gaze.

" Song Ai is right. Why do you want to leave? Are you planning to join some other company? Did you get a better offer from some other company?" Pan Lan scoffed.

Xu Nuan sighed upon hearing all kinds of questions from them. She knew that it's going to happen but she wasn't expecting things to turn out like this.

She looked at everyone with seriousness and said, " You can hate me and blame me all you want. However, you guys were never an experiment for you."

" Neither have I gotten any offer from any big company. My initial goal was to open an entertainment company. I joined shining bright because I was trying to gain some experience by knowing how things work off the stage." Xu Naun said.

The girls raised their brows upon hearing her words. Entertainment company?

" I was planning to spend my life as peacefully as possible but then I saw you guys. After seeing you perform and seeing how you were being kicked out of the company, I couldn't stay still. Because I knew that you guys had the talent and potential to make it big, that's why I worked my ȧss off to help you achieve what you truly deserve." she continued.

" If you guys were only my experiment, I wouldn't have wasted my energy on you guys like this." She said seriously.

" I want to leave now because I don't want to hinder your next comeback and its progress. And I already told you why I didn't tell you the truth. If you still feel that I betrayed you or looked down on you guys, I can't say anything more to you."

The room fell into a suffocating silence after she completed her words. The girls looked at each other awkwardly when Lai Yi asked her, " Are you planning to build your entertainment company after leaving shining bright?"

Xu Nuan smiled, " I am. It might take some things to start the company perfectly, but I am planning to register the company at least after leaving shining bright."

Pan Lan frowned at Lai Yi who stopped talking after asking this question. What is she even thinking? Xu Nuan is leaving them behind and she is asking about her new company?

Sun Ya pursed her lips and scratched the back of her neck hesitantly, " So you're seriously leaving….Then...why aren't you asking us to join you in your new company? Don't you need artists to run an entertainment company?"

Xu Nuan raised brows at her sudden question. The girls were looking at her curiously when she said, " I want to but I won't. You just started your career, it would be selfish of me if I ask you to follow me out of the company. I want you girls to do well, I can't let you guys struggle with me."

No one said anything after this. Xu Nuan sighed seeing everyone quiet and put the contract on the table, " I have verified the contract and had changed a few things that will be good for you guys. You can read it once again and sign on  it to renew your contract with the company."

" Also, if you want, you all can take time to consider your decision and then sign it. Before signing it, think about what kind of music you wanna make and if this company will be able to fulfill all those demands of you or not. That's it. Don't think about anything else for now."

" No need. I already made my decision." Lai Yi said.

Everyone was surprised when she said this. Already?

She walked up to Xu Nuan and picked up the contract from the table. She looked at the table and waved it casually in front of her, " This contract….I am not signing it."

Chapter 310 - You&#039;re Leaving (III)

Lai Yi looked at Xu Nuan who was looking at her in confusion and smirks, " This contract….I am not signing it."

" If you want to leave the company, that's your choice. We can't force you. However, not signing this contract...it's my freedom."

" WHAT?" Pan Lan exclaimed in shock.

Just like Pan Lan, everyone was shocked by her sudden decision. If she decides to follow Xu Nuan, then there will be no meaning to The Knights. Their group will crumble into pieces if even one member leaves the group.

Xu Nuan frowned.  " Lai Yi, don't be stupid. If you don't renew the contract, you won't be able to work as a member of The Knights anymore."

" Don't make hasty decisions because of me. I think you should take some time to decide. There is no hurry. You can-

" I said I am not renewing the contract." Lai Yi repeated firmly. " When we were in the dumps, you extended your hands to us. How can you take it back now and leave us hanging like this?"

Everyone nodded as they felt the same. Xu Nuan is not just a manager for them, she is their friend, younger sister, and mentor. If not for her, they can't even imagine doing music now.

Xu Nuan sighed helplessly, feeling guilty for bombing them with this sudden news. She just...doesn't want them to do anything that can put their careers at stake.

" If you can't stay in this company, I will go where you're going. If you're planning to set up a new company, I will join you there. Simple!"

" Lai Yi, it's not that simple. I haven't even registered my company yet. I don't have anything at hand at the moment, you won't get an air-conditioned practice room, you might not get designer clothes, expensive cars to escort."

" You guys might have to experience all of the things that we did while preparing for your debut track. Do you think you can handle all that? And there is also a possibility that we might not succeed there."

Lai Yi smiled and nodded. " Thanks for explaining the risks. But I have made my decision. I am not renewing my contract with shining bright and now it's your decision. Either take me with you or throw me to the side to rot like a rotten apple. Your choice!" She said coolly.

"What are you going to do now? Don't tell me you're considering throwing me aside? " She asked while putting her hands in the baggy trouser pockets.

Everyone was surprised to hear Lai Yi's firm declaration. The meek, unconfident Lai Yi was oozing confidence and personality at the moment.

Even Xu Nuan was caught off guard to see this side of hers. However, she wasn't shocked like others. Lai Yi's personality has always been dynamic, she just hasn't displayed all cards on the table.

" Do you want to join me that much? Do you trust me?" Xu Nuan asked.

Lai Yi smiled, " Don't worry. I don't trust you, but my observation."

Xu Nuan smiled. Her words were giving her the feeling of nostalgia. A year ago, she said this same thing and now she is saying the same thing to her.

" Moreover,  I know that you're capable of turning the tables in your favor. And I am sure...you're aware of this fact as well. Aren't you?" Lai Yi added.

Xu Nuan nodded in response. She was already drawing a bigger picture in her mind, leaving shining bright is the best decision she can make at the moment. The Knights are doing well and thanks to them, she was getting much recognition as an artist manager too.

The companies and producers are showing interest in her and her managing skills as well. This is the right time to use this rising popularity and strike when the iron is hot.

" Okay. I accept you. How can I leave a talent like you behind?"

" I am coming with you guys too. I don't like this company anyway. I liked it here because of Xu Nuan, but if she won't be here, then it's no fun." Song Ai said with a bright smile.

Xu Nuan sighed seeing them acting on impulse. She was glad that they trust her this much but she doesn't want them to regret their decisions later. It won't be easy to leave the company after all, especially when all the attention is on The Knights these days.

She glanced at Pan Lan and Sun Ya who were standing away from them and was frowning at them. Pan Lan scoffed seeing Lai Yi and Song Ai both betraying the group and leaving them like this.

" If you want to go with her, then you go. I am not leaving the company for a betrayer." Pan Lan scoffed and left the practice room.

Sun Ya also nodded and followed Pan Lan. She stopped in front of Xu Nuan and said, " Xu Nuan, the least you could've done is to discuss your decision with us. We wouldn't have stopped you from chasing your ambitions."

" However….bombing us with this news at the last minute like this, you've disappointed us. We used to think of you like our little sister, but it seems you never treated us the same way as we used to think of you." After saying this, she also left the room, leaving them behind.

Song Ai patted Xu Nuan's shoulder and comforted her, " They're just angry. Don't take it to heart. I am sure they will understand your point after their temper cools down."

" I am just worried that my decision might break this group." Xu Nuan sighed.

" It won't. We four are not that easy to break. I am sure of that." Lai Yi smiled.

Pan Lan is short-tempered but she knows that she just needs some time to digest this sudden news and changes. She was sure that they wouldn't be able to handle their angry faces for long.

_

After dinner, Xu Nuan sat on the couch and switched on the TV. However, there was nothing fun to watch. Annoyed, she turned it off and threw the remote control on the table mercilessly.

Han Zihao, who was bringing hot choco milk for her, was surprised to see her releasing her anger on the remote control. He sat beside her on the sofa and handed her the drink, " Woah, seems like someone is in a bad mood."

" What happened? Who made you grumpy like this?" He asked while pinching her nose.

She glared at him, making him retract his hand immediately. She took a sip of her hot choco and sighed loudly before turning to him to ramble about the whole situation.

_

" So….they found out the truth before you could tell them and now they're angry with you?" He asked cautiously.

She nodded. " Song Ai and Lai Yi want to follow me but Pan Lan and Sun Ya are angry at me. I am happy to have Song Ai and Lai Yi by my side but I don't want Pan Lan and Sun Ya to be angry with two of them."

" And you're worried that if the situation continues, their group will crumble, just like-" He didn't complete his words but her eyes explained everything. She was afraid that she might ruin the perfect group that can make history in the music industry, just like The Queens.

Seeing her complicated emotions, Han Zihao put his hand around her shoulder and pulled her in his embrace. He rubbed her shoulder gently and said, " What happened to your group, it's in the past. There is no guarantee that the same will happen to The Knights as well."

He pinched her chin and pulled her face closer to his, " More than that, I believe in you. When you can make a nobody rookie group to a top-ranking girl group in just a few months, you can do anything. Why are you so doubtful of yourself?"

She smiled upon hearing his comforting words. His every word is like a reminder for her to treat herself better.

" But...if they all come with me, what about your company? Isn't Shining bright in your company? Are you okay with that?"

He laughed when he heard her question, " Well, it will be a huge loss for a company to lose such a talented group to you, but...if we think strategically, won't it become mine in the end?" he thought about it.

" And how will that happen?" she asked,

" When we get married, the money you will get from the group will eventually come to the same home. More than being disappointed at the current loss, I will consider it as a future investment."

She raised her brows at him, " Future investment in what? In my company?"

He shook his head. He leaned in her and kissed her on her lips, " I am investing in you. I like this kind of investment more." He said and started roaming his hands around her body.

She squealed in surprise and slapped his hand away, " STOP!! If you continue like this, I will spill my choco milk."

He frowned at the cup that she was holding. I shouldn't have brought her this one. He sighed.

Chapter 311 - You&#039;re leaving (IV)

" Hah!!" Xu Nuan let out a heavy sigh as she started to feel a sharp pain in her head. She put away the documents that she was reading and held her head back on the chair and closed her eyes to rest.

She was having headaches for a few days now but it was bearable. However, the dual life of a college student and an artist manager was making her tired now. Since she is leaving the company soon, she has to wrap up the projects on which she was working and has to prepare the material for the person who will take over the work after her.

On top of the work stress, she was worried about Pan Lan and Sun Ya too. It's been three days since they found out that she is leaving soon and they have stopped talking to her since then. They come to practice but avoid her like a plague.

She has no idea how to deal with this situation. She can manage situations that involve others smoothly and can give the 'best' advice too, but when it comes to her problems, she is at a loss.

She ġrȯȧnėd in pain as the headache was making her feel dizzy. She massaged her temples and murmured, " It's not because of the surgery, is it?" she wondered. It's been a year since she had the surgery, even the scar on her forehead has lightened to some extent.

It wasn't much big since the start anyway. But now it was almost invisible and thanks to her no-makeup-look makeup, she can hide it perfectly.

Even though it's been a long since the surgery, she still experiences headaches like this sometimes, especially when the weather changes or she takes the stress. " I don't want to go to the doctor again." she ġrȯȧnėd.

Just as she was wondering what to do about this headache, her phone rang. It was the receptionist. She informed her that Mr. Tang had called her to his office. At that time she knew about what he wanted to talk about.

It must be about the contract of The Knights. However, she has no answer for now. Lai Yi and Song Ai don't want to sign the contract but she has no idea about Pan Lan and Sun Ya.

" I think I have to deal with this first then the headache." she sighed and left the office to talk to the girls first.

_

When she went to the practice room, it was empty. No one was there.

" Where did they all go?" Xu Nuan frowned. She was going to the terrace lounge to look for them when she bumped into Rin Rin.

She wanted to pass by her but halted in her steps when she heard her talking to her, " Ms. Xu, so...when are you leaving the company? Why are you wasting your and others' time by extending your exit from the company?"

Xu Nuan frowned. So this long-nose witch has told the girls the news? She pursed her lips and scoffed inwardly feeling irritated upon remembering how her actions had made things difficult for her.

'Should I just shave her head?' she thought.

Rin Rin smirked when Xu Nuan didn't say anything, " I feel bad for those girls. They acted like you guys will never leave each other and pretend to act like soulmates forever and yet...tsk..tsk. Manager Xu Nuan, I never thought that you would betray your artists and will leave them in the middle like this."

" Such a pity that they will be abandoned before they can make their name in the industry. But don't you worry, Ms. Wang will take care of them. She is the head manager here, after all."

" But I have a question. Do you think that The Knights will continue to shine even after you leave? Hmm...I doubt." Rin Rin laughed thinking about their future, which is now blurry.

Xu Nuan folded her hands in front of her ċhėst and scoffed, " Rin Rin, you genuinely think that you did something great by acting like a bi*ch, don't you? Well, thank you so much for reducing my workload. You things are rather easy for me." she said without filtering her words.

" What did you call me? Bit-

" You think that you're outstanding, aren't you? Just because you have a wealthy family, doesn't mean that you're greater than others." Xu Nuan continued without letting her speak.

"Have you ever compared your talent to my girls? Compared to them, you can't sing, can't dance well, forget about all that, you don't even have a kind personality. Tsk, tsk, so poor. What gave you the confidence to think that you're better than my girls?"

" And for your information, they're popular not because of me but because of their talent. Even if I am not by their side, they will do just fine. So you should worry about yourself and get lost."

Rin Rin's face turned pale upon hearing her words. She gritted her teeth and glared at Xu Nuan. What right does she have to be so confident in front of her? " You…" She was wanting to say something when she saw The Knights getting off the elevator.

Her lips curled up in a smirk and laughed, " Well, I also want to see how great your girls can do after you leave. Hmph." She pushed her hair back and walked out of the building.

Xu Nuan sighed and was wanting to talk to The Knights who just went to the practice room but the receptionist stopped her and asked her to see Mr. Tang first.

In the end, she had no choice but to meet Mr. Tang first.

_

" WHAT? SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT….THE GIRLS CAME HERE AND DENIED FROM SIGNING THE CONTRACT?" Xu Nuan exclaimed in shock.

She was now standing in Mr. Tang's office. She thought he would ask her about the contract, instead, he started shouting at her.

She was at loss at his sudden change in attitude and felt like throwing something at him because his voice was making her headache even worse. Her face was pale and she was even feeling dizzy.

Mr. Tang frowned seeing Xu Nuan feigning ignorance and threw the papers at her, " This is the contract that I have given you to make them sign on it. A while ago they came and returned these papers to me saying that they won't be renewing their contract with our company. Does it make sense?"

" Xu Nuan, I asked you to make them agree to renew their contract, what the hell did you say to make them take this step? They're just newbies, they should have grabbed this opportunity with open hands, then what the hell is happening?"

Xu Nuan was not listening to him anymore. " Did Pan Lan and Sun Ya also come? Did they return their contracts as well?"

He gritted his teeth and slammed the table in frustration, " Yes!! But why do I feel that you look rather happy? Xu Nuan, tell me honestly, what are you planning to do? Are you behind all of this? Are you planning something against the company?"

" Why aren't they signing the contract? Everything is going perfectly, it would be beneficial for them to go with this arrangement." He shouted at her.

She didn't say anything and stayed quiet. However, she couldn't help but feel excited thinking that in the end, they decided to not sign the contract.

'Does that mean...just like Lai Yi and Song Ai, Pan Lan and Sun Ya want to come with me as well? Woohoo!!'

Mr. Tang's anger heightened to see her smiling on her own.

" What are you laughing for? Is it funny? Huh?"

Xu Nuan shook her head and said, " I told them everything but if they don't want to renew the contract, then...what can I do?"

" Moreover, didn't you want to dissolve the group after a year? First, you wanted to kick them out, now they want to leave on their own."

" That's why Mr. Tang, you should have believed in me first when I said that these girls have potential. If you had launched them normally just like other girls, you wouldn't have got to see this day," she said, rubbing salt and pepper on his fresh wounds.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tight. If The Knights didn't renew the contract, then their company won't be able to manage the current reputation that they have.

" And yeah Mr. Tang, As I have said in my resignation, I will be leaving the company by next week. I have to focus on my studies and other things as well, you see. So I will go to the HR department tomorrow and will clear my dues with them."

" Also...For The Knights, I will still be available until their contract period is over and will do whatever I can do for them remotely. There are only less than two months left anyway. If you need me in the future, just text me during working hours. Please refrain from contacting me after work hours. Thank you. I'll take my leave now." she said in one breath and left the office, leaving baffled Mr. Tang behind.

" XU NUAN!!" He shouted seeing her running away, but she didn't even turn around for a moment even after he shouted at her.

Chapter 312 - Be well!!

After meeting Mr. Tang, Xu Nuan went straight to the practice room to see the girls. When she entered the practice room, the girls were practicing their dance routine and seeing Xu Nuan standing at the door, they stopped and turned to see her.

Everyone was surprised to see her smiling and was staring at them in daze. Even though she was smiling, her complexion looked strange.

Song Ai frowned and wiped her face with a towel before walking to her, " Xu Nuan, did you run here? Why are you sweating so much and why does your face look so red?"

"Ah?" Xu Nuan was confused. She was excited to see them after hearing what Mr. Tang said but she didn't run here.

Does her face look red? She wondered.

Xu Nuan didn't say anything to her and stared at Pan Lan who was still avoiding eye contact with her and was rolling eyes at her before turning her back to her, scoffing at her.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing her acting cool and walked to her and hugged her from back tightly, " Oh, Pan Lan. What do I do with you? Why are you so cute?"

" I knew it. You're my cold baby!!" She squealed in happiness. These girls are not just her artists that she managed but they become part of her life.

Her baby girls!!

Pan Lan was surprised at her sudden childish behavior. She tried to free herself from her grip and shouted in disgust, " Are you crazy? Why are you being so clingy?"

Lai Yi laughed seeing the two and commented, " Pan Lan, are you sure you don't like it? Because you're clearly blushing right now."

Pan Lan glared at her, " Shut up."

She frowned at Xu Nuan's hands that were wrapped around her. "Ermm....Will you remove your hands, You're pressing my brėȧsts." Pan Lan frowned while trying to remove her hands off her.

Xu Nuan shook her head stubbornly and said, " Don't lie. I am not pressing anywhere, I can't feel anything squishy-squishy."

"Pfft." Sun Ya choked on her water and struggled to not dirty the floor, while trying to hold her cough.

Song Ai chuckled, " Pan Lan, Xu Nuan is indirectly saying that yours are small."

" I am not small!! It's because of this loose t-shirt and over jacket that it might look like this. Xu Nuan, you're wrong. I am not small." Pan Lan protested.

Xu Nuan laughed and felt so much better seeing them bickering with her like this, just like before.

After she separated from her, she looked at Pan Lan and Sun Ya and said, " Thank you so much for what you did. The trust you have shown in me, I will definitely work hard to not let you all down."

Sun Ya glanced at Pan Lan and smiled, " well, we wouldn't have gotten angry at you in the first place if you had informed us first yourself."

"This company is no good anyway. If you hadn't insisted back then, we couldn't have managed to debut either. It's all because of you, how can we let you go alone?"

" So you better treat us better later. I want the biggest share in the payment. " Pan Lan added, making Xu Nuan nod in happiness. " Sure. I will give you the smallest share if you insist."

" I said the biggest!!" Pan Lan hissed.

Xu Nuan grinned," I will do my best. I will make sure to not break your trust this time."

" This calls for a group hug. Let's gather around." Song Ai clapped and urged everyone to gather for a group hug.

" We're the best!! We're the knights!!" They shouted before raising their hands.

Lai Yi pursed her lips and glanced at Xu Nuan worriedly, " Xu Nuan, are you unwell? Your hand is so hot."

" Ah, it's nothing. It must be because of the hot weather." She shrugged.

Song Ai frowned and placed the back of her hand against Xu Nuan's forehead. " OMG Xu Nuan. You're burning. You should go to the hospital."

" It's nothing. Once I take the medicine, it will be okay. I can't take a break, I have a lot of work to do. " she explained.

" Oh shut up. Go home and rest. You've been working like a robot for the past few days. Do you want to faint before leaving this office?" Pan Lan said irritatingly, seeing her stubbornness?

Even though they were not talking to her, they have seen her working nonstop. She even skipped her meals multiple times and was walking to and fro in the office.

Why does she have to work so hard?

_

Han Zihao was in his office and was busy with his work when his phone started to ring.

He glanced at his phone with a smile, hoping it to be Xu Nuan but frowned when it was not her.

He frowned to see the number of the security guard of their building.

He has told him to look after Xu Nuan's unit and inform him if he sees anyone suspicious around the building or her place.

Since she works in the entertainment industry, crazy fans can come to look for her, especially when she is gaining popularity these days.

'Did something happen?' He wondered before picking up his call.

As soon as he answered the call, the guard on the other side said, " Sir, I am the security guard of Glory building. Your girlfriend, who lives in the unit opposite yours-

Han Zihao frowned, " What about it? Did someone ask you about her?" He asked in worry.

" Did you see anyone suspicious near the building?"

" It's not that. A few minutes ago, someone found her unconscious in the elevator. She has been taken to the hospital. It will be better if you can go there." He said.

While he was working, a lady called him about the emergency situation and how she had found Xu Nuan in the elevator and they called the ambulance.

After she was taken to the hospital, he was reminded of Han Zihao who told him to inform anything related to Xu Nuan.

" They have taken her to the Life hospital. It would be better if you can go to the-

The guard paused when he didn't hear anything and realized that Han Zihao has already hung up the call.

' Did he even listen to my words? He did, right?' he wondered.

_

Feng Sheng was about to knock on the door when Han Zihao's office door was pushed open from inside.

He was startled but before he could remind him about the next meeting in 10 minutes, he realized that Han Zihao was looking strange and was walking to the elevator.

He even ignored Feng Sheng who was standing right in front of him and didn't stop even after hearing his voice.

" Sir, are you going somewhere? You have a meeting in 10 minutes with the clients."

Feng Sheng pursed his lips and followed him behind, " Sir, Are you going home? What should I do with the meeting? It will be difficult to reschedule it since they're going abroad for a trip at night." He said while following him.

Han Zihao entered the elevator and looked at him, " Xu Nuan is in the hospital. I am going there. You know what to do now. Don't you?"

Feng Sheng nodded and didn't ask anything. He is working with Han Zihao and he knows his personality well.

Seeing how much he cares for Ms. Gu, it would be weird for him to not go to the hospital and stay at the office.

After Han Zihao left, he immediately got onto his work and contacted the secretary of the client to inform them of the changes in the schedule.

' I hope Ms. Gu will be fine.' He thought while making a call to the client's secretary.

Chapter 313 - Jiang Yue?

Han Zihao was in such a hurry that he didn't wait for the driver to get his car from the parking lot and hailed a cab from the outside of the building to the hospital.

He was anxious and worried when he couldn't reach her. He tried to call her but her phone was switched off too.

She is already weak and has gone to the emergency room multiple times before as well. That's why he always tells her to not work hard and yet she exhausts herself until she faints like this.

_

As soon as he reached the hospital, he walked to the reception of the Emergency room and asked about her.

The receptionist checked the details of the patients on the computer, " The patient you're asking about, she has been taken to the VIP ward a while ago. It's on the second floor, room no. 23."

Han Zihao frowned. VIP ward? If she was brought in an emergency situation, she would have been taken to the emergency room or at max the general ward if she needed to be admitted. But who shited her to the VIP ward?

He didn't wasted must time to dwell on it and immediately went to the second floor to look for her.

_

He didn't even take the elevator and took the stairs to reach the second floor as it was faster than waiting for the elevator to arrive.

He was sweating and panting when he reached the second floor. He stood in front of her room and took a deep breath before sliding the door to open.

However, to his disappointment, there was no one in the room. His eyes searched for Xu Nuan but she was nowhere to be seen.

The bed was empty with a crumbled blanket on it. "Where did she go?" He got anxious seeing the empty room.

" Is this the right room no?" He wondered.

" I am here." Xu Nuan squeaked in a low voice as she opened the bathroom door.

She was washing her hands when she heard him opening the door loudly and even though he was talking to himself, it's loud enough for her to hear it in the bathroom.

"Jiang Yue." He called her by her real name and held her face in his big palms.

He sighed in relief to see her awake and fine.

However, upon seeing the IV drip attached to her, a frown appeared on his face. She was wearing a loose hospital gown and was looking weak and sickly.

Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail and her face was pale.

Seeing her struggling with her IV drip stand, he helped her with the IV stand and placed a hand on her back to support her, " What happened to you? How did you suddenly faint in the elevator?"

" And what about this gown? Did the doctor tell you to be admitted to the hospital? Is your condition serious?"

Xu Nuan sighed upon hearing his series of questions and said weakly, " I will answer all of your questions later, first help me to get to the bed first."

" OH." He nodded and was about to carry her when she hit him on the shoulder.

" Don't carry me. Just...hold me like this." She said and made him hold her by arm.

Why does he always try to show off his muscles?

_

He carefully made her sit on the bed and positioned the IV stand to her bedside.

She took a deep breath before explaining, " I am fine. Nothing happened to me. I was just...feeling sick at the office so I was going home. However before I could reach home, I fainted in the elevator."

" Thankfully someone helped me and brought me to the hospital. The doctor has examined me and told me that it's nothing big. It happened because of work stress and exhaustion. I'll be fine soon after finishing this drip."

Han Zihao frowned. " If you were feeling sick, why didn't you call me? I would have come to pick you up."

" Also, Didn't I tell you to take care of your health and not ignore your meals and sleep while working? You never listen to me. "

" How much have you exhausted yourself that you ended up like this?" He shouted at her, feeling frustrated at her carelessness.

Even though she was not perfectly fine before as well. There were cases when she fainted while shooting the MV's or at the practices. However, her condition wasn't this bad before.

She didn't work much compared to her past self. Yet she fainted miserably.

" I didn't work much. Just a little. It's because this body is too fragile." she pouted.

" And why are you shouting at me? I am the patient here, why are you the one getting angry?" She glared back, feeling bad for her weak self.

He sighed seeing her getting angry and patted her head to calm her down, " I am not shouting at you. I was just worried for you."

" Now don't pout like this. You look like a tomato like this." He teased her, earning a well-deserved glare from her.

He chuckled and ċȧrėssed her cheeks gently with his thumb, " Jiang Yue, even though you hate it, don't work too hard."

" I can take everything but not see you sick. It hurts me to see you in this condition."

" I have suffered from the pain of losing you once, I  can't afford to lose you again." He said while looking into her eyes.

" Now don't make me emotional. I don't want to cry." She said while choking on her voice. She hates when she can't control her emotions.

She is usually good at holding back her tears but strangely she always ends up crying in front of him. He is the one who turns on her tears-tap.

" Now why are you crying?" He sighed and hugged, careful to not touch the arm where her IV drip was attached.

" Jiang Yue, stop crying, okay? I will treat you to your favourite lobsters if you do."

" Am I a kid, that you're coaxing me with my favourite food?" She slapped him on the shoulder while crying against his ċhėst.

They were so lost in their small world that they didn't notice the person standing at the door.

" Jiang Yue?" Jia Fei, who was standing at the door, was looking at the couple with an incomprehensible gaze.

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock upon seeing her standing at the door.

Han Zihao also frowned to see Xu Nuan's reaction and turned around to look at Jia Fei at the door.

What is she doing here? He wondered.

Xu Nuan immediately pushed Han Zihao away and laughed awkwardly, " You haven't left yet? I thought you left already."

Han Zihao glanced at her in confusion, at which Xu Nuan explained, " Ah, she is Jia Fei. She lives on the 7th floor. She is the one who brought me to the hospital."

" Also, we know each other. I go to their cafe quite frequently, you see." From Han Zihao's expressions she can tell that he recognised her. However, she cannot take a chance of him saying anything in front of her.

" Ah, so you're the one who brought her to the hospital? Thank you so-

Jia Fei frowned and raised her hand to stop Han Zihao in his thanking speech. " Hold on, that's not important right now."

" I heard you calling her Jiang Yue, why did you say that? Huh?" She asked coldly.

She was coming to the room after explaining everything to Luo Dan when she saw Han Zihao Xu Nuan together.

She clearly heard him calling Xu Nuan as Jiang Yue. Why? These names are not similar either, there is no way she is mistaking here.

Xu Nuan gulped in nervousness, " Haha, what are you saying? He didn't call me that. He...he called me Xu Xu."

" He calls me Xu Xu whenever we're alone. You must have heard wrong." She laughed awkwardly.

' What the hell am I saying?' she cried inwardly while showing her bright smile to Jia Fei.

Chapter 314 - Pretty Doctor!!

Xu Nuan gulped in nervousness to see Jia Fei's questionable gaze. She heard Han Zihao calling her Jiang Yue. Did she catch on to it? But...is her situation too easy to guess? Like...is it that normal that she can easily catch on to it? She wondered.

However, since Han Zihao already found out the truth, way before she told him, she was skeptical about if Jia Fei knows the truth too. Maybe she would have caught on to that, just like Han Zihao did.

" Jia Fei, it's not as you think. I...I wasn't trying to hide it from you. It was just...too much to tell you guys."

Xu Nuan sighed in helplessness to see her friend staring at her as if she did some crime. " I was confused too. However, I was about to tell you guys about it soon. I didn't tell you anything by now because I was afraid that you won't believe me."

" But since you have already found out, I think it's time to-

Jia Fei frowned upon hearing Xu Nuan's explanation and felt even more annoyed. She raised her hand to stop her from speaking and walked closer to her in steady steps, " Xu Nuan, You...how can you do this? I heard your boyfriend calling you Jiang Yue. Do you think I am deaf or what?"

" You're so weird and perverted. Shameless!"

Xu Nuan glanced at Han Zihao who was also confused at the whole situation. He wanted to intervene but Xu Nuan squeezed his hand, not allowing him to say anything.

She doesn't want anyone to speak up in her and her friends' matters, not even him.

Jia Fei scoffed, " How can you force your boyfriend to call you Jiang Yue? Even if you're Jiang Yue's diehard fan, you cannot do this. It's not right."

" It's creepy as hell."

"....."

Xu Nuan was speechless upon hearing what Jia Fei said. Creepy and perverted?

"Wait...what?" She exclaimed in confusion.

" Yeah. Didn't you tell us that you were a fan of Jiang Yue? Even if you were her fan, isn't it too much to make your boyfriend call you by someone else's name?" She frowned.

She has met many crazy fans in her life but it was her first time seeing this kind of pervertedness.

Xu Nuan was baffled and didn't know from where she made this kind of theory? Like seriously?

She sighed in relief.' What was I even expecting from her? She never suspected that I and Qin Ju were dating even after seeing us together multiple times. If not for Luo Dan, she wouldn't have found out the truth. How can she guess this kind of complicated phenomenon that's hard to believe, even for her?' she shook her head after remembering how slow Jia Fei is at such things.

She looks like she is good at catching on to such things but she is the worst at it among all of them. She is slow as a snail when it comes to using her brain.

Xu Nuan laughed and said, " Oh, you're right. I told him to call me Jiang Yue. I am Jiang Yue's biggest fan, you see."

" Whenever I get angry, he calls me Jiang Yue to cool my temper. Right, honey?" She looked at Han Zihao with a sparkling gaze, taking him off guard.

Han Zihao was baffled when she called him...Honey? It was her first time calling him using such a name to call him and he couldn't help but blush at her sweet voice.

" AH," He winced when she pinched him and glared at him to go along with her play. He laughed and said, " She is right. I call her Jiang Yue whenever she gets angry. Also, doesn't she look similar to Jiang Yue, especially her lips?" He said, making Xu Nuan and Jia Fei, both frown.

Jia Fei was dumbfounded. She scoffed in disgust and said in annoyance, " Since you're here, I am leaving. The nurse will tell you everything about her condition."

" Ah, Yes. I will take care of it. Thank you." However, Jia Fei wasn't in the mood to accept his thanks.

" Perverted Couple." She murmured before leaving the room in shock. She was still feeling the goosebumps.

Xu Nuan watched Jia Fei leaving the room and sighed heavily after she left. She almost gave her a heart attack by appearing in front of them like this.

While she was trying to calm her nerves down, Han Zihao was looking at her with a mischievous smile and said, " What did you call me a while ago? Can you repeat that?"

Xu Nuan blushed seeing him smiling like that and slapped him on the shoulder in embarrassment, " Stop being cheeky. I was just going along with the play. Don't expect me to say that again."

" It's not fair. You cannot use me like that. And if you have used me, then use me properly." He said with a smirk and leaned closer to kiss her lips.

" Ah!"

However, he was surprised when she winced in pain. He was shocked when he realized that his hand mistakenly touched the IV drip that was attached to her hand and caused her discomfort.

" Does it hurt? I am sorry. Let me call the nurse." He said in worry but she stopped him from leaving. " It's fine. It doesn't hurt much."

_

To recuperate her energy and prevent her from coming to the emergency room frequently, her doctor asked her to consult the Chinese medicine doctor. The Chinese medicine department in their hospital is quite popular and experienced in this area.

The Chief of the Oriental medicine department is known for treating the patient with her acupuncture skills and specially brewed medicines that were made under her strict supervision.

_

As suggested by the doctor, Han Zihao took Xu Nuan to the Chinese medicine department in the evening. Since it was in the hospital itself, she didn't change her clothes and was still wearing the hospital gown.

The Chinese medicine department was on the third floor but she didn't use the wheelchair to go there and walked by herself. She was feeling better after the IV drip and she would have been discharged already if not for all the tests and all.

" This area smells differently than the other departments." She said in curiosity.

They were sitting outside the Chinese department on a couch and were waiting for their turn. The corridor was empty and there was no other patient in the corridor, other than them. They were the last ones to come after all.

Han Zihao was holding onto her hand and rubbed it gently, " It's the smell of the herbs and medicines. Did you see that room? They brew and make the medicines there." he said while pointing at the room in front of them.

" OH!" she exclaimed in amusement. Although the smell was kinda bitter and strange, it's better than all the chemicals. She just hates that smell.

After waiting for a while, the nurse finally called them in. " Ms. Xu Nuan, please come in."

Before going inside, Han Zihao fixed the cardigan that she was wearing but wanted to remove it, " Don't be stubborn. There are air-conditioners here, you will get cold."

She sighed as she had no choice but to agree to his nagging. He was becoming more like her mom than her boyfriend.

_

Xu Nuan pursed her lips as she looked at the doctor sitting in front of her curiously. She was wearing her white coat and has thin-framed, round specs on her nose.

She had expected some old man to be the doctor of Chinese medicine but was shocked to see a woman in her late 20s sitting on the chair of the Chief of the Chinese medicine department. What shocked her was, she was too pretty to be a Chinese medicine doctor.

She had tied her black silky hair in a ponytail and was wearing a sunflower-colored dress that was reaching to her knees. Xu Nuan raised her brows in surprise to see that she was wearing an imported brand. Not only that, the rose-gold watch that the doctor was wearing was the latest collection of the most famous brand.

' I still can't believe that she is a doctor. Her fashion sense is too good to be a doctor.'

'Should I ask her to join my company?' She wondered.

However, while she was busy staring at the pretty doctor, something hit her. She looks familiar.

" Ms. Xu, can you give me your hand for a minute. I need to check your pulse." The doctor said in a sweet voice.

However, Xu Nuan was lost in her thoughts and was rummaging through her mind to figure out her identity.

" Ms. Xu?" The lady doctor called out her name again.

Xu Nuan suddenly remembers where she has seen her. " Ah!! You...You're the one who played the role of Meng Huang in Eternal Love, right? The villainess Empress! No doubt you looked so familiar." She exclaimed in surprise.

Chapter 315 - Ideal Father!

Xie Ming smiled at Xu Nuan's reaction and quietly took her hand to check her pulse, meanwhile Xu Nuan continued her blabbering, " OMG!! You're such a star. I loved that movie and loved you as the badass Empress."

" I can't believe you're my doctor. I did hear the news that you have left the industry and became a doctor, however, even after years, it still feels unreal. You're such a beauty." Xu Nuan said with sparkling eyes.

She was a trainee when she watched the movie with her members in the theatre and was cheering and sobbing whenever the Empress appeared on the screen. She was the reason that she chose a royal name for their group and used The Queens as their group name.

Han Zihao chuckled seeing Xu Nuan's loud reaction and was speechless at how she was swooning over the lady doctor. She used to be a superstar herself and yet she is fangirling over a doctor.

_

Han Zihao looked at Xie Ming, who was checking Xu Nuan's pulse silently and there was a frown on her forehead. " Doctor, is everything alright?"

Xie Ming looked at him and let go of Xu Nuan's hand, " Ms. Xu, when did you have your last period?"

Xu Nuan glanced at Han Zihao hesitantly before answering, " Well, I...don't know? It's been quite a while since I had my periods." she revealed.

Han Zihao froze upon hearing her answer. Is it….

Xie Ming saw Han Zihao's widened mouth and chuckled, " Mr. Han, it's nothing like that. She is not pregnant."

"...."

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock as she glared at Han Zihao who was caught off guard as well, " What are you thinking?" She hit him gently.

" There can be many reasons for irregular periods, and stress is one of them." Xie Ming explained.

" Ms. Xu, even though periods can be irregular sometimes, it's not good to take your health for granted. If you don't even remember when you last had your periods, you should have visited the doctor sooner."

Xie Ming sighed and wrote something on her notepad, "I will write some medicines for you. You can take them from our department's pharmacy. They will help to boost your immunity and help in your periods as well. I have prescribed you oil too, this will help to remove the scar on your forehead. "

" However, these medicines won't work if you don't take care of yourself. Healthy and regular meals and 7-8 hours of sleep is the only way to improve your condition. No doctor can help you if you don't take care of yourself."

Han Zihao nodded as he took the slip from her. This time he won't allow her to treat herself casually.

_

After they left the room and were standing at the Chinese medicine pharmacy in the corridor to take the medicines. Han Zihao looked at Xu Nuan, who was covered with the cardigan and said, " You should go back and rest. I will come after getting the medicines."

" It's okay. I'll wait. Moreover, I am tired of resting all day.  I need to walk too." she said while looking around. She was hugging her arms tight and was circling on her place playfully when her eyes stopped at a man who was going to the doctor's room.

He was wearing a formal suit, just like Han Zihao wears and was still wearing. It was her first time seeing a handsome man, whose looks are on par with him.

The man had his hair pushed back and was looking fine as hell.

" He is soo cute~" She murmured while looking at the man's back who had just entered the doctor's room.

Han Zihao frowned upon hearing her comment and pursed his lips. " Did you just compliment other men in front of me?" He asked coldly.

Xu Nuan turned to him and blinked her eyes at him. Ah!!

She chuckled and leaned closer, " Woo, are you jealous that I complimented someone else? Well, he is handsome too."

" Handsome too? Who else are you complimenting now? Ward boy?" He asked sarcastically.

" Well, the ward boys here are cute too. Especially the one who pushed my wheelchair earlier." She giggled, making his expressions dark.

She slapped him on the arm and said, " Stop frowning. I am just kidding."

" I was calling cute to that little guy in that man's arms. Didn't you see him? He is damn cute." She said while looking towards Xie Ming's room dreamily.

The boy seemed to be 2-3 years old and he was not only cute but also handsome. With his looks, he can even become a child model. There is no doubt that he got his parent's gorgeous genes in him.

" As expected, he is a carbon copy of his parents," she said.

" Why do you think they're his parents? They can have any relationship with him? Brother? Sister? Nephew?" He said indifferently.

" They aren't his parents? How do you know?" She asked with a frown.

He shrugged his shoulders when a nurse stopped in her way upon hearing their conversation and said to Xu Nuan, " They're indeed his parents. His name is Jin Li Ming. Even though he is just 2 years old, he is so smart, just like her mother."

" Is he Doctor Xie's son? Aww, that's so cute." Xu Nuan said, matching the high tone of the woman.

" And you know what, the man who just went in, he is Doctor Xie's husband, Jin Liwei. Handsome isn't it? Even though he is the President of a big corporation, he is a wife-slave when it comes to her."

" While she works at the hospital, he always comes to pick her up from work, no matter how late it is. Since she is the Chief-head of the department, she has other duties to fulfill as well other than treating the patients. That's why he sometimes brings Li Ming to see his mother as well."

" Having a husband like him is every girl's dream. All nurses swoon over him for his thoughtfulness and consideration towards his wife. Girl, you're young too. You should not hurry to get married. You're so pretty, you shouldn't get married to just anyone. You deserve better."

Han Zihao frowned at the nosy nurse's words, who was filling her ears. On top of that, Xu Nuan was listening to her attentively and was nodding at her words infuriated him even more. Since when did she become so sociable?

And….Why is complimenting other men when her boyfriend is standing right beside her? What's wrong with this gossipy aunty?

" I will do that. My Mumma also taught me to know my worth and never settle for less. I have made a wrong decision once, I won't repeat the same mistake. Thank you for worrying about me." Xu Nuan smiled at the woman.

" AH, I almost forgot that I have to bring these medicines to Ms. Xie. Girl, why do you talk so much? You wasted my time." She scolded her before leaving.

After the woman left, Han Zihao scoffed, " You seem to be quite impressed by someone else's husband." He stated.

" He does sound amazing. He is not only good-looking but caring as well. Do you know how difficult it is for a woman to manage kids and jobs at the same time, especially when the kid is a toddler? I have seen many women suffer just because their husband doesn't do their part and expects women to do everything. So infuriating!"

He glanced at her, " Why are you taking it on me? It's not like I am the same as those men. I am good at household chores, I even cook better than you. I am sure I can take care of the kids better than you."

Her cheeks turned red upon hearing his meaningful words and slapped him on the arm again, " What are you saying? Who wants to have children with you? Don't be so ċȯċky, I might not even marry you."

" Who says you need to get married to have children?" he commented casually, earning a serious glare from her.

" Mr. Han, aren't you becoming too open-minded these days? Sometimes I doubt if you're the same person."

He scoffed in disbelief and defended himself, " Why are you so shocked? Didn't I warn you that I am not that naive that I look? You're the one who kept prying on me and now I have gotten into your trap, I have changed? I am afraid that soon you will say that you have gotten bored of me."

She pursed her lips when he took the medicines from the pharmacist who was staring at them in amusement and walked away to the elevator, " Well, it's not even shocking to me. Because you're boring from the start."

" WHAT?" He shouted in shock but she ignored him and kept walking away from him. However, since she was still weak, he caught up with her pace soon.

He pouted at her but didn't leave her alone. Seeing her struggling in walking without support, he held her by the arm and helped her back to the room. He was trying to keep quiet to not make her angry anymore, otherwise, she will get herself sick by getting angry at him only.

However, Xu Nuan had other plans. On their way back to the room, she gave him an earful to not tease her in the future or she will...she will cook in his house and ruin his beautiful kitchen.

That was the most fearful threat that she could give him. And it did work, like always.

Chapter 316 - All the best!

After getting discharged from the hospital the next day, Han Zihao took her to his place rather than letting her stay at her place alone. He doesn't want her to be alone when she is sick.

Although she insisted that she was fine and would be okay staying at her place alone, he wasn't buying her excuses anymore. He cannot believe her now when she says that she is fine. Because she can lie straight to his face even if she is feeling unwell to the point that she fainted in the elevator.

For the next few days, he didn't let her go to the office and called for sick leave at work for her. She was worried about the work since she only had a week left in leaving the company and yet he was not allowing her to go.

If she will not do the work, then who will?

However, he calmed her down saying that everything will be managed. The company is not short-handed on staff and will manage things well, if not, he will get Feng Sheng to look after things.

Just like him, the girls also called her to ask about her health and upon finding out that she had to stay for a day at the hospital because she was sick, they told her to chill and take complete rest to replenish her health.

However, Mr. Tang was having panic attacks. He still messages or calls her to convince her at the company or at least convince the girls to renew their contract. After picking up his calls one or two times, she started to ignore his calls now.

Too troublesome.

-

Xu Nuan was sitting on the couch in the living room and was watching TV. She was wearing an off-yellow homey dress and had tied her hair in a messy bun that was giving her a casual, comfortable look.

She was munching on the dry fruits that Han Zihao had asked her to eat instead of the greasy, unhealthy chips. She wanted to protest but he was stern this time. In the end, she compromised and agreed to follow his advice...for now.

She needs to get better to go to work again. If she doesn't do as he says, he will not let her go back to work again. She doesn't have many days left at the office anyway.

" Awww, that's so cute. That's why high school romance is the best. The slow-paced romance and teasing are enough to make anyone restless and feel buŧŧerflies in their stomach." she commented while watching the drama as she swooned over the chemistry between the couple.

Their sweet bickering and sparking chemistry reminded her of her younger self. She and Han Zihao used to bicker a lot too.

Since she is staying at home these days and Han Zihao has banned her from working on the computer, watching drama is her only way to pass her time.

She is watching almost all the dramas that are broadcasting these days. Han Zihao is at work and she was alone at his place.

She was alone here as well, so why can't she go back to her place? Even though she has asked him this question many times, he always changes the topic or shoves food in her mouth to stop her from talking.

_

As she was busy watching dramas and was groaning due to the restriction on her snacks, her phone buzzed. She paused the drama with the remote and checked the notification.

Her brows raised in surprise when she saw that the company had made an announcement on the SNS. What kind of announcement have they made now? This account is under Wang Meili and she is the one who manages all the posts under this page.

She clicked on the notification and sighed to see the post that she was kind of expecting to see soon enough.

[ This is Shining Bright. With a heavy heart, we have to announce the departure of our valuable staff, the manager of The Knights, Xu Nuan. She had signed a one-year contract with the company but unfortunately, she has decided to leave two months early. Yes, she isn't renewing her contract with the company.

To clarify, this has nothing to do with the company and they even offered her a contract to renew her term but unfortunately, she doesn't wish to renew the term and has taken this big step.  Even though she has worked for a year with us, she has shown her competitiveness and how well-fitted she is to be the artist manager.

We request all the fans of The Knights to respect her wish to leave the company and let's wish her all the best for her near future.

Xu Nuan, we will miss you. All the best!!

Shining Bright.]

_

" So she already made the announcement? Seems like she is in a hurry to kick me out of the company." she chuckled seeing the post. Even while reading the post, she can see with what mindset she has made the post.

She has made clear that it wasn't the company who kicked her out or did anything wrong to her so that no one attacks her later or the company and it's solely her wish to not renew the contract with them.

Everything is fine, but her saying that they will miss them at the bottom was kinda creepy. She can't imagine Wang Meili writing this, this must have been quite difficult for her to type it out.

She sat straight and scrolled down to see the comments, " Let's see how many people will hate me now."

[ Xu Nuan is leaving? Am I reading it right? She is The Knights' manager, isn't she? Why is she leaving suddenly?]

[ I was hoping to see the news about the girls but wasn't expecting it to be shocking news. Xu Nuan is leaving? I thought their bond was quite strong, why is she leaving like this?]

[ Why do I think that something is shady and the company kicked her out? Like, it's weird for her to not renew the contract when the girls are so popular and leave suddenly.]

[ I think many people can't read the post properly. It's clearly written that she is leaving on her own. I am sure she must have gotten some heavy package and a great deal so she decided to ditch the girls and leave the company.]

[ Whatever is the reason, I feel bad for the girls. Who will take care of them from now on? They treated her like a family.]

[ I am sure the girls must be sad. Xu Nuan is such a bitch with an innocent face. I never thought that she could be this greedy. Stop using girls' popularity to rise on the ladder.]

[ Guys, stop it. As a fan of The Knights, please don't hate on Xu Nuan. I am sure Xu Nuan must have a valid reason to leave. Did you forget how the company gave them a year contract only and made them prepare for the debut from the scratch, without many resources? Now when the girls are doing fine, is it okay to ignore that kind of treatment?]

[ Isn't the contract of The Knights ending soon as well? Like, wasn't it for a year as well? Is there any news that they renewed their contract?]

[ OH Yes!! Now you said it, I don't remember seeing any post about them renewing their contract. Isn't it due in two months? What's going on? Why is there no news yet?]

[ I am afraid that just like Xu Nuan, the girls might leave the company as well. They're so amazing, I can't bear to think of leaving us hanging like that.]

_

Xu Nuan clicked her tongue upon reading the comments. There isn't as much hate she had expected. Since she used to be an idol, she was used to things like these, and comments like these are nothing for her. She is well immune to this.

She had seen the worst.

The hate comments, death threats, bloodied and broken dolls and gifts, her poster with cutting marks with blade and stuff. There were more but this was the most frequent of them all for her.

After doing all these things to her, those anti-fans had expected her to take things casually and ignore them. But she had other plans. She sued them without any mercy and didn't even take down the complaints even though their parents threatened her to ruin her image for being heartless to a kid or some even begged her to forget their 'innocent kids'.

Such people never apologized to her even after doing wrong and were expecting to forgive them just like that, just because she is a celebrity and should avoid the drama.

Well, that's not like her.

She wanted to teach her antis that it was not normal to send her hate like this. If they can't love her or appreciate her work, they have no reason to hate her either. She was already being nice to not hack into their computers and show their dirty minds to the whole world.

Many praised her way of dealing with the antis but many complained and called her arrogant and shameless as usual. Well, she doesn't give a damn to such useless words, she will deal with it however she wants.

But thankfully, after starting to work as a manager, she wasn't getting hated as much as she had expected. And many people are thinking in the right direction too.

" I just hope things will go well about the new company too." she sighed and picked up her phone to make a phone call.

Chapter 317 - Found a place.

" Hmm...delicious." Xu Nuan mȯȧnėd at the delicious taste of the cheesecake. She took another bite of it which melted in her mouth instantly.

It's been days since she ate anything delicious like this. The medicines given by Xie Ming are bitter and smell horrible, yet she has to take them three times a day, without fail. Along with that, she was told to follow a strict diet for a few days to replenish her energy.

She is not even that sick that they're overreacting like this but Han Zihao has taken the words of the pretty doctor too seriously and has banned her from eating any junk food.

_

Today she finally came out after a long time and was having her favorite strawberry cheesecake and coffee. She was tired of having tea and plain milk all the time. Erghh!!

Hu Jun frowned seeing Xu Nuan gobbling the cheesecake as if she hadn't eaten it in years. It's been more than 15 minutes since they met and she was just eating and eating.

" Were you starving all this time? Do you remember that this is your third piece already? And didn't you tell me that you won't eat with me since you don't like to eat with strangers, then why are you suddenly eating with me?" He asked in confusion.

She looked up while savoring her cake and said, "Because I have no choice. Seems like I am getting better at eating with others now."

Even she was surprised at this. These days she doesn't feel much discomfort eating with strangers or at a restaurant just like before. If this would have been the case, she couldn't have shared meals with Han Zihao either when they met as strangers.

Is she getting better at it because she is Xu Nuan now and not Jiang Yue? However, she did feel uncomfortable with many people around and especially when they ate anything soupy or mushrooms. This triggers the dark memories of the past, reminding her of the day when she lost her family.

Hu Jun scoffed, " Why did you call me here? What is so urgent that you wanted to meet me today?"

Xu Nuan wiped her mouth with a tissue and casually adjusted her posture and looked at him, " Have you wrapped up all of your work? You aren't doing anything shady, are you?" She asked coldly.

Hu Jun pursed his lips, " What do you think? Don't you know about it already? I mean...How can you invade my computer and monitor my activities like this?"

A few days while he was playing on his computer, he realized something strange. There was an unknown file that he never downloaded and after investigating it, he found out that Xu Nuan was keeping an eye on his activities.

Shit!! Can't she trust him? How can she invade his privacy like this?

Does that mean...she has watched everything he does on the computer?

Xu Nuan smirks upon seeing his embarrassed face and chuckles, " I was just making sure if you're following the contract well or not. By the way, you seemed to be quite lonely these days, it was full of-

" Stop it. Don't say anything else, Please." He begs her to not mention anything about it in front of him again. He is already embarrassed to the point that he wants to dash out of the cafe.

'It's so embarrassing.'

After she finished her cake and was sipping on her hot latte, she heard him say, " Until when are we going to be like this? It's more than a month and you haven't given me a single project yet. Are you even planning to pay me or not? Don't tell me you're planning to scam me to work for you and not gonna pay me?"

Xu Nuan scoffed seeing him worrying about his pay and said, " What pay? Didn't we decide to share the profits according to the contract? Just be patient and focus on sorting out your personal life first. Don't you dare fool me and do your illegal work while working for me. Otherwise, I will be the first one to put you in jail, got it?"

" I don't want to face any legal complications with my company later." She commented.

Seeing his speechless expressions, she put down her cup and sighed, " Also, we will start working soon. By the way, did you do the work I told you to do?"

He nodded, " I did. But why do you want to register another company? Didn't you register your cyber security company recently? Why a new company this time?"

" For the cyber security company, I will not be managing it."

He raised his brows in confusion, " If not you, then who will…"

" You!!"

" Ah?" He stared at her in confusion, not knowing what's going on in her tine, bird-like head.

Xu Nuan smiled seeing his frozen expressions and said, " You will be the one managing it. That's my side company and the new company will be my main. That's why I need you to manage the cyber security company. If you do well, I will also increase your profit share, So..you better do well. I am counting on you."

He was surprised upon hearing her words. She trust him? Even his parents never trusted him for anything big like this, how can she ask him to handle her company?

He was silent for a moment and didn't know how to react. Why does she-

He thought that she would treat him like shit and will make him work like a dog. However, she is more shockingly naive than he had thought.

Is she that naive and innocent or is she playing with him? He wasn't sure.

" You...why are you being so generous with me all of a sudden? You're creeping me out." He said in shock while rubbing his arms to warm them up. She is giving him goosebumps.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing his reaction and was pleased by it. " I have found a place to set up the company. The repair work will be done in a few days and you can start working from there."

While working for the award ceremony, she was looking for a place to set up their new company as well. Cyber security is not just an online company but she wants to give it a full office-like setup on a low budget to make her company a legit one.

It will be her source of investment for now. She used the money that she received from Gu Zhang to solve the issue of the company and it was enough for her to buy a small place for rent and buy the systems that they require for the work.

" Are you serious? You already found a place?" Hu Jun asked in shock.

Xu Nuan nodded and picked up her sling bag, ready to leave, " If we're done here, I am leaving. It will be 7 pm soon, I can't be late. Otherwise, I will get an earful of nagging."

"From whom?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head, " Nothing. I am leaving."

"Ah, Wait...I...have something to say to you." He said hesitantly. " I saw you at the award ceremony. You're the manager of The Knights. Right?"

"You know them?" She was surprised that a great hacker like him knows The Knights. That's quite a twist.

He pursed his lips and smiled shyly, " Well, I am their fan you see. I even have their album."

"Since you're their manager, can you get their signs on it? I really like them. If you do that, I promise I will work hard for you." he said excitedly.

Xu Nuan was surprised to see his eyes sparkling in excitement. She couldn't help but chuckle how a man like him who has threatened the business of many large conglomerates is asking her to get the signs of The Knights on it.

" Waah, I didn't know that other than scamming people, you're into chasing after girl groups too. I am surprised." She said with a smirk and took the album from him and looked at it.

"Please…." He pleaded with her again. He might dislike her, but he loves The Knights. Only she can get him their signatures.

Xu Nuan nodded and smiled at him before leaving the cafe, " I am leaving, See ya."

His eyes widened in shock seeing that she had left the album on the table and growled, " Yah. take the album with you. Why are you leaving it behind like this? Hey!!" However. Xu Nuan didn't turn around and left him alone in the cafe.

'This stingy girl. I don't understand why people like her, she doesn't deserve to be with the girls. Humph.' He murmured under his breath.

How mean can she become?

Chapter 318 - Farewell party.

Moonriver cafe-

" Ms. Luo, did something happened to Ms. Jia Fei? She has been like this since morning." Upon hearing the waitress's words, Luo Dan glanced at Jia Fei who was sitting at one of the tables and was staring at her phone in a daze.

She was like this since morning and was looking solemn. Did something happen to her? She wondered.

A loud and cheerful girl like Jia Fei, it's not normal for her to sit at one place and be dazed out for hours like this.

_

" What are you doing?" Luo Dan whispered in Jia Fei's ears, startling her.

" Ahhh...what the hell are you doing? " Jia Fei almost jumped off her chair when Luo Dan suddenly crept in and whispered in her ears. "Are you taking revenge on me?"

Luo Dan ignored her words and looked at her phone screen. " You're watching the Knights' music video? I thought you're watching something appropriate. I was about to scold you for being perverted at the cafe during business hours."

" Are you crazy? Why would I do that here?" Jia Fei retorted. " If I have to watch something like that, I will do that at home. In my bedroom."

Luo Dan clicked her tongue in disgust at her perverted words and commented, " Who knows? You're capable of doing that in the cafe.." Luo Dan muttered, making Jia Fei frown.

Luo Dan chuckled seeing the pouty expressions of Jia Fei and leaned forward in curiosity, " Why are you suddenly watching their music video? I thought you don't like Xu Nuan. Then why are you watching their MV and increasing their views?"

Jia Fei's lips twitched as she closed her phone's screen.

" Ah, did you hear anything about Xu Nuan? How is she now? Is she back from the hospital?" Luo Dan questioned, remembering how Jia Fei took Xu Nuan to the hospital the other day.

" She was discharged from the hospital the very next day. She wasn't gravely sick, just exhausted. And she made me exhausted by forcing me to take her to the hospital." She commented nonchalantly.

Although Jia Fei was nonchalant with her words as always, there was something amiss about her.

" Jia Fei, is everything good? You look weird." Luo Dan asked and placed a hand on Jia Fei's hand.

Jia Fei pursed her lips and was about to deny it, " I am fine, what will-". However, seeing Luo Dan's concerned expressions, she couldn't' help but sigh.

" I don't know. Something is weird...It's just...so complicated."

Luo Dan was now concerned. " What happened? Tell me everything that's bothering you. Maybe I can help." She said seriously. They bicker all the time but they both know when to be serious and when not.

And at this moment, Jia Fei needs someone to hear her words, nothing else.

Jia Fei looked at her and exhaled deeply before saying, " Did you see this music video of The Knights? Don't you think their music is somewhat similar to ours? Like I am not saying that it has been copied or what, but...it sounds like….as if...as if the same person has arranged this song."

" Their music does give similar vibes to our songs but it can be coincidental. And there is no way they can be arranged by the same person. Because our songs were arranged by Sister Jiang-" Luo Dan stopped talking seeing Jia Fei's weird expressions.

" Jia Fei…" Luo Dan looked at her worriedly. Is she having a hard time accepting Jiang Yue's demise?

Was she acting fine all along and was thinking about such things alone? This thought made her worried about her emotional well-being.

Jia Fei frowned seeing Luo Dan giving her all weird looks. " Don't look at me like this. I am fine, absolutely fine."

" It's just….this Xu Nuan...don't you find her quite strange? She says that she is a fan of us yet she bickers with me as if she is my close friend. It's weird. She wasn't even excited like other fans when she saw us for the first time."

" Not only that, the way she talks and makes sarcastic comments, it's very similar to how-

" Sister Jiang Yue used to talk?" Luo Dan said, completing her words.

Jia Fei nodded.

" It must be her personality. And many people talk like that. I also felt strange at first seeing how comfortable she was with us and wasn't starstruck when she met us for the first time. However, upon seeing how close she is with Han Liang, I understood why she acted like that."

" She is an artist manager. She sees many celebrities while doing her work, it's normal for her to not be shocked. Don't think much about it."

Jia Fei pursed her lips and wondered if she should tell her about what happened at the hospital. Xu Nuan did give her an excuse for her boyfriend calling her Jiang Yue, but it's too weird.

Since that day, she can't help but think about the similarities that she and Jiang Yue have. Upon hearing Luo Dan's words, she couldn't help but wonder if she was taking it so seriously.

_

After resting at Han Zihao's place for a few days, when Xu Nuan joined the company again, everyone was glad to see her. They were worried about her health and it took a while for her to ȧssure everyone that she is fine now.

While everyone was saying their goodbyes to her and giving her gifts, Wang Meili was watching the drama from afar. Seeing everyone bidding her goodbye and getting emotional, she was feeling nauseous.

' Why are they making such a fuss about her leaving? What's so special about her?'

While Xu Nuan was busy saying goodbye to her colleagues and those who helped her and on her side all this while, Wang Meili was just waiting for her exit. There is no reason for her to deal with Xu Nuan anymore.

'The knights are going to be under her control now, she will teach her the 'actual' meaning of discipline.

Although The knights are insisting on not renewing their contract, she will do everything to convince them to sign the contract after Xu Nuan leaves. She has been working in the industry, longer than Xu Nuan. She knows how to control the artists.

If they don't want to sign the contract, then she will need to use her ways to make them renew their contract. They're just rookies, how dare they act mighty in front of them?

They're the reason that they got to debut and become hot-shot artists, and now they think that they can do better on their own? Ridiculous.

After Xu Nuan leaves the company, she will gain her position in the company back again. Everything will go back to as it was before. Perfect.

_

" Xu Nuan, you cannot leave like this. We will not let you leave without a party. Mr. Tang might have rejected the idea of your official farewell party, but we have planned to give you an unofficial farewell party."

" We have already reserved a restaurant for dinner, so you cannot back out now." Xu Nuan sighed when her colleagues pulled her in for a party.

She tried to deny it but in the end, she ended up going along with their plan. The girls also joined them, except the Pretty girls and Wang Meili.

A few girls from Pretty Girls were tempted to go with them as they like Xu Nuan, who is charming and good at leading her group, unlike Wang Meili. They want to be friends with The Knights and Xu Nuan but under the watch of Wang Meili and Rin Rin, it was difficult to get along with them.

Even though Wang Meili and Rin Rin always looked down on Xu Nuan and The Knights, they never said anything to them and always greeted them politely. Even at the awards ceremony, The Knights complimented them for their look and even helped them to cover their legs with thin blankets because their outfits were too revealing and it was making them uncomfortable.

There were cameras everywhere and it was their first time attending such an award ceremony. They were already nervous and their revealing outfits were only making them even more nervous and awkward.

Wang Meili didn't even bother listening to their complaints about the outfits because, for her, looks and attention-seeking were everything. Meanwhile, Rin Rin has a personal stylist who gives her the best outfit that makes her stand out the most in the group.

In the end, The Knights passed them their blankets that were prepared by Xu Nuan. Even though their clothes were not too revealing, Xu Nuan came prepared. Wang Meili and Xu Nuan are both artist managers yet the difference between the two is obvious.

Because of this reason, they wanted to attend Xu Nuan's farewell party arranged by everyone but because of Wang Meili and Rin Rin, they couldn't do so. If they do that, they know that Wang Meili and Rin Rin will do anything to make their coming days hell.

Chapter 319 - Tye Tye

Han Zihao was in the meeting when his phone buzzed. Unlike before, he didn't ignore the text message notification and checked his phone.

He had sent Xu Nuan a message sometime ago that he will be late today due to some work and asked her to have dinner without him and sleep early.

However, she didn't reply to his message. Seems like she saw the message late.

All the employees were surprised when he stopped the meeting just to check a text message.

If this was before, he would have lashed out at Feng Sheng for not putting his phone on silent and disturbing the flow of the meeting.

He doesn't like such disturbances while working, that's why everyone was instructed to strictly put their phones on silent before entering the conference room.

They were discussing the possible strategies for the current projects and one employee was giving the presentation to propose an idea when Han Zihao raised his hand to put the meeting on hold.

Seeing Han Zihao's unusual behaviour, Feng Sheng laughed awkwardly and looked at others, " Why don't we take a ten minutes break? Y'all can have some coffee and take a walk to fresh your mind."

Others glanced at Han Zihao hesitantly but seeing him waving his hands at them, they rejoiced and scurried off the meeting room in no time.

They were doing this meeting for more than two hours. It's already past working time since they're working overtime and were having a meeting with him.

They were now tired and wanted to leave as soon as possible when Han Zihao's phone saved them.

The employees glanced at him suspiciously before leaving the room and giggled meaningfully.

" Doesn't our President seem to be different these days? He is smiling a lot more than usual."

" That's what I am saying. He now even responds to our greetings with a smile. Shocking, isn't it?".

" What is more shocking is, he is checking his phone during the meeting? Damn, it's for sure a girl's matter."

" Keke!! I think so too. I can't believe he is dating, how can he date a girl. He is so scary to-

While Han Zihao was checking his messages, Feng Sheng was leaning against the meeting room door from inside and was listening to the gossip by the employees.

They were chit-chatting right outside the meeting room, not knowing that someone is using their hearing power to listen to their gossip.

Han Zihao glanced at him and shook his head in disbelief. He is his secretary but he has to say that he is no less than a nosy aunty from the neighborhood.

Ignoring Feng Sheng's presence in the room, he smiled at Xu Nuan's messages.

[ You there?]

[ There?]

[Thereeee?] He raised his brows in amusement upon seeing her messages and couldn't help but laugh seeing how many times she has asked him the same thing and keep sending him the cute emojis to show her impatience.

" She sure knows how to act cute." He murmured before he started typing.

[ I am here. What-

Before he could complete typing the message, she sent him another message.

[Are you pooping?]

"..."

What the~

His lips twitched upon reading the strange message. What kind of question is that?

Before he could realize what's happening, she started to send him a series of messages.

[ I am out for a dinnnnner with my colleagues.]

[They're throwing me a bye-bye party. I will come home late. Maybe just sleep on the road tonight, it seems clean and comfortable.]

[So eat well and sleep early. Don't watch naughty-naughty movies since I am not home.] *Wink*

[ If you feel lonely without me, use my panda teddy bear to cuddle and sleep. But don't bite it as you bite me.]

[Sleep tight. Tye Tye…]

"...."

He was speechless. What just happened? To make sure if he was seeing right, he read the messages 2-3 times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

Her messages….is she drunk?

She is saying that her colleagues are treating her to dinner but...why does she sound drunk already?

What the hell means she sounds drunk, she is drunk already.

Why didn't she inform him about this party beforehand? If she had told him about it, he would have made sure to not let her attend the party.

She has a long history of doing strange things when drunk. This night is gonna be quite tough.

He gritted his teeth and asked her to send him her location. But she didn't reply to his text messages.

Irritated, he gave her a video call. Rather than a normal call, a video call will help him to see her surroundings and current condition.

After a few rings, the phone was picked up by someone. However, his expressions darkened when rather than Xu Nuan, some random man picked up her phone.

He remembers this man. He works at shining bright and has seen him with Xu Nuan before. This young brat is not talented but handsome too.

Why are there so many handsome men at the company? He wondered.

" Xu Nuan, your phone is ringing. Oh, it stopped ringing now." The man murmured while smiling foolishly at the camera.

" What is this picture doing inside your phone?" The man grumbled while looking at Xu Nuan's phone keenly.

Han Zihao scoffed seeing how the man was wasted too. What the hell were they doing to be wasted like this?

" Give the phone to Xu Nuan. Where is she?" He asked coldly, startling the half-sleepy man.

The man looked at Han Zihao in confusion, " Xu Nuan? She is sleeping. Ah, Xu Nuan, why are you removing your clothes? Don't remove your clothes." The man screamed in startle while looking in some direction.

Han Zihao's eyes widened in shock. What? She is... removing her clothes?

Knowing her drunken habits, he wasn't a bit doubtful about it. She is uncontrollable when she is drunk. There is a full possibility of her going crazy at the moment.

What crazy thing is she doing now?

" What's happening? Stop her now. No, wait. Give her phone immediately." Han Zihao shouted in panic but her ears fell on deaf ears.

Han Zihao was left speechless when the man hung up on him accidentally. He pursed his lips and without waiting for a moment, he left for the venue where they're doing the party.

While the man was talking to him, he saw the statue behind him in the room. They're in a private room of a restaurant where he has attended a business meeting once.

On his way to her, he tried to call her again multiple times to see what's going on but nobody picked up the phone.

" What the hell is happening there?" He gritted in frustration and shouted at the driver to fasten up the speed.

" Yes sir." The driver nodded and sped off the car.

Chapter 320 - Disgusting Couple.

Highlight Karaoke-

" Woohoo, let's play another song. This time I will sing the song." Song Ai shouted as she stood up to take the mic from Sun Ya. Her legs were wobbling and were getting weak just like others as she had drunk a lot.

Pan Lan who was sitting beside her sighed and tried to stop her but she didn't listen to her. Every time Song Ai chooses a song to sing, she picks a sad, heart-wrenching ballad and wails uncontrollably while singing it.

By now she is aware of her drunken habits. Song Ai loves to sing and cry when she is drunk. What can be a better place for her than a karaoke bar when she is drunk? She can cry and sing to her heart's content.

She sighed and glanced at another drunkard. Xu Nuan was passed out on the couch beside her and was sleeping peacefully.. After creating such ruckus in the room, she fell asleep.

A while ago, after taking 2 shots of the vodka, she started removing her clothes, shocking everyone.

She unbuttoned her shirt and was about to take it off when she held her hands tightly and covered her with her jacket.

Even though she was wearing a tank top underneath the shirt, Pan Lan didn't let her do that in front of everyone.

In this room, she was the soberest one. She is feeling as if she is the kindergarten teacher.

Why is it so chaotic?

Since it was Xu Nuan's last day at the company, they all were singing and playing as if there was no tomorrow. And now, only a few people are alive and still in senses, meanwhile everyone else is dead drunk.

Everyone went wild to celebrate Xu Nuan's last day at the company and made her drink as if it's water. And Xu Nuan being Xu Nuan, she too didn't back out and continued taking insane amounts of shots.

It was so hard for her to stop drinking and make her eat something in between the drinks. After observing the last time, she made sure to not have mushrooms on the table this time.

Although Xu Nuan didn't say anything, she noticed that last time she didn't eat the mushrooms, instead, Lin Hui who came to get her, ate those appetizers instead of her.

Seeing how she avoids mushrooms, it was obvious that either she was allergic to them or she hates them to the core that she cannot eat anything as long as they're on the table.

" Zihao...Zihaoo...my little cutie-pie..I will eat you tonight." Xu Nuan murmured while flapping her hands in the air in sleep.

Pan Lan was startled by her sudden cringeworthy words and looked at her disgustingly, " Ergh...people in love are the worst when they're drunk."

" Hey!! Stop saying those words or I will throw you out of the room." She slapped Xu Nuan's hand to wake her up but it was of no use.

" What am I? Her nanny?" she sighed seeing how she has to take care of these drunk people.

~Thwack~

She was surprised when someone pushed open the door with a crash. She looked towards the entrance and saw a man standing there. He was wearing a formal suit, looking neat and professional.

'Did he come to the wrong room?' She wondered. From the looks of it, he looked as if he came here for a business meeting. If not the wrong room, who wears a business suit to a karaoke room?

Was he going to the restaurant on the third floor? She wondered.

'Wait...why does he...look so familiar?' She frowned and squinted to see his face. He looked kinda familiar to her.

-

Han Zihao didn't mind the people staring at him in daze and confusion. The lightning in the room was dim and the colorful lights in the room were making it difficult for him to see everyone's faces clearly.

As he was scanning the room, his eyes fell on the man with whom he had a video call a while ago. He frowned seeing the man completely passed out as he was sleeping on the couch with his head held back.

When he had the video call with him, they were in the private room of a restaurant. However, after reaching the restaurant, he found out from the reception that they had already left and someone heard them talking about going to the karaoke room on the first floor.

" Here!!"

He frowned and was about to go to the man to ask about Xu Nuan's whereabouts when he heard someone's voice. He turned to the side and found Pan Lan waving at him.

He squinted and was glad to see a familiar face at the party. He walked to her and was about to ask about Xu Nuan's whereabouts when a hand came out of nowhere and pulled on the edge of his coat.

He looked down and found Xu Nuan lying on the couch and was pulling on his coat like a small kitty.

He sighed in relief seeing her wrapped in Pan Lan's denim jacket and she was still wearing her clothes.

The conversation on the video call almost gave him a mini heart attack. During the ride he couldn't help but think of the extreme things that she can do when she is drunk.

But thankfully, there are people who are there to look after her. She is not alone and has people backing her up.

Xu Nuan raised her head to look at him and was smiling with her sparkling eyes. Her hair was messy and her body was melting as if she was made of water.

He pursed his lips as he was swayed by her smile for a moment. After coming here, he wanted to scold her for drinking like this but seeing her grinning at him like this, all the anger and frustration went away, Shoo!!

Pan Lan who was watching their silent yet warm interaction, scoffed seeing him staring at Xu Nuan with a look as if she is the most precious treasure of his in the world.

'Hah! Did they come from some romantic movie or what? Why is everyone acting so cringey?' She rubbed her arms in disgust to ease the goosebumps.

She called him because she recognized that he is the same man who came to pick her up the last time. But do they have to be like this whenever they see each other?

" You're her boyfriend, right? Take her with you. I can't take care of her anymore." She said indifferently while waving hands at him.

Han Zihao raised his brows at Pan Lan's indifferent attitude and blinked. Other than Xu Nuan and his Grandma, no one treats him like this.

Is there a need for him to bear this kind of casual attitude?

More than that, he is her boss's boss.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. 'It must be because she doesn't know who he is.'

" Thanks for taking care of her. I'll be taking her back now." He thanked her and carried Xu Nuan in a princess style.

Xu Nuan opened her eyes and grinned at him when he picked her up in his arms. " My cutie sloth is here. Aww, why is your skin so soft?"

She nestled in the crook of his neck like a spoiled cat and held onto him tightly.

Seeing her being taken away like this, everyone in the room started to howl and tease Xu Nuan as if they're all high school students, " Hooo!! Someone is going to have a rough night."

" What rough? It must be passionate. Hahaha!!"

Han Zihao was leaving the room when he heard someone say, "Xu Nuan, that's not fair. We decided to stay awake the whole night. You cannot leave early like this."

" Don't be a party pooper."

Han Zihao turned around and looked at the man who made this comment. He was the same person who picked up Xu Nuan's phone earlier.

Why is he so noisy?

" She can leave whenever she wants. No one can stop her from doing that.!! I will take her back." He said, making everyone shout again at his savage comment.

Pan Lan chuckled seeing all the girls in the room fangirling over Xu Nuan's handsome boyfriend.

What do I do with these drunkards now? She sighed.

Chapter 321 - Soft And Squishy Invader.

" What's taking him so long?" Feng Sheng was standing outside the building and was leaning against the car while waiting for Han Zihao.

He was wondering if he should go inside to look for him when Han Zihao walked out while carrying Xu Nuan in his arms. She was hugging him in her sleep and had her head resting on his shoulder.

" Sir, what happened to Ms. Gu? Is she-

He was worried that she might have fainted again seeing her medical condition but Han Zihao saw through his worries and said, " She is fine. Just sleeping. Open the door."

Understanding the situation, Feng Sheng opened the door of the backseat and helped Han Zihao to lay Xu Nuan on the seat. Han Zihao also went to the other side to sit beside Xu Nuan and helped her put her head on his lap.

If she keeps sleeping through their ride home, they will reach home in no time..

_

While Feng Sheng was driving the car, Han Zihao was caressing Xu Nuan's face and was removing the hair strands that were covering her hair.

" Ah...Hmm.." Xu Nuan groaned in sleep when the car took a sudden halt. She frowned and hugged Han Zihao's thigh closely while caressing his thigh in her sleep.

Han Zihao was also startled at the sudden break but what more shocked him was Xu Nuan's actions. Her hands were now playing with fire and kept going in the wrong direction.

He gritted his teeth and looked at Feng Sheng, " Drive carefully."

" Sorry, sir. A cat suddenly jumped on the road. I'll be careful from now on."

Han Zihao gritted his teeth upon hearing the name of another cat. That cat has now wakened up this mischievous cat.

" Ermm...it's so soft. So squishy-squishy." Xu Nuan murmured in her sleep while caressing Han Zihao's thigh, reaching for the dangerous spot.

His breath hitched upon feeling her gentle touch and scorching breath. He could feel her scorching breath through the pants, the combination of her hands and mouth were fiery. On top of that, her misleading words were enough to make him hard down there.

" Xu Nuan, You...You should wake up. You can sleep at home." He said and tried to shake her up, but she groaned in her sleep and hugged him even tighter.

" This pillow is more comfortable. I am gonna sleep here, hmm...soft-soft."

" Oh? What is this hard thing? Hmm...an invader? Attack!!" Feeling something hitting her face, she got into her warrior mode and started hitting the invader that had invaded her dream.

Han Zihao was caught off guard when she started saying nonsense and before he could stop her, she grabbed his rising erection. His eyes widened in shock as he didn't know whether to stop her or keep her going.

" Xu Nuan...you...should just…" He panicked and tried to remove her from him but she struggled in her sleep and pushed his hands away and held his member even tightly, making him groan in pain and discomfort.

While Han Zihao was struggling to keep Xu Nuan in check and was panicking from her sudden, drunken actions, Feng Sheng was swallowing his saliva nervously while trying to focus on the road.

No matter how he tries to ignore what's going on in the back seat, he cannot ignore the strange sounds coming from behind. Her words were making him tense and worried for Han Zihao.

' Just wait a while. Not in the car, not in the car…' he repeated in his mind. He is already single, it will be too pitiful for him to witness them making out in the car.

Moreover, he surely doesn't want to see his boss making out with his girlfriend.

" Xu Nuan, wake up. Okay? Just...wake up? Please!!" Han Zihao tried to slap her cheeks to wake her up as he doesn't want things to go any further.

Otherwise...he won't be able to put a halt on them. And he doesn't want to display his private life to his secretary as well. He doesn't have that kind of wild fantasies.

That's more like a nightmare. The worst nightmare of his life.

Feng Sheng glanced at them from the rear mirror and almost put on the brakes to see Han Zihao's waist hugged by Xu Nuan's tightly. Her face was on his lap and he cannot even imagine what kind of torture he must be going through.

He pursed his lips and sighed. In his whole life, this was the moment when Han Zihao looked the most helpless.

' Seems like I have to install a partition here. Sir has reached the stage where he needs privacy more than his secretary.' he noted in his mind before stepping on the accelerator.

_

The remaining ride was torture for Han Zihao as Xu Nuan was in deep slumber and was thinking of his lap as her pillow. However, thankfully, she didn't play with his member in her sleep and soon fell asleep while holding his leg.

It was suffocating and hard for him to hold her like this, but it was better than her holding him tight like that. Since she was sleeping, he carried her to his apartment and put her on his bed.

He took a deep breath after putting her on his bed. He looked at her crimson face that looked extremely delicious and beautiful even though she was drunk. Her chestnut-brown hair was spread across the white pillow and was looking like a sleeping princess.

Well, in her case, more like a Queen.

He laughed upon remembering how she tortured him in the car a while ago. He squatted beside her and caressed her nose with his fingers and stopped at her cherry-like red lips.

He stared at her face for a while and whispered with a gentle smile, " You...why do you like alcohol so much? Little drunkard!!" He laughed and pinched her nose.

" Ermm...it hurts." She moaned in her sleep and slapped his hand away.

Seeing her flapping her hands like this in her sleep, he was amused. She is quite energetic even in her sleep.

" Xu Nuan, you better not forget all of this tomorrow morning. I will make you pay for what you made me through tonight, that's for sure." He said firmly before giving her a peck on her lips.

Since he had removed her heels in the car and she was now barefooted, he covered her with a blanket and adjusted the air conditioner temperature before leaving for the bathroom.

Tonight he needs a cold shower to fall asleep. Otherwise, it will be yet another sleepless night.

He isn't that weak-willed when it comes to such things and always keeps himself in check through the self-control that he has built in these years.

However, after spending the night with her at the villa, things have changed drastically. He is not the same Han Zihao that he used to be. When it comes to her, he has no control over himself.

It's her and her only. And she sure knows how to play with his control.

_

Chapter 322 - For Me!!

The next morning when Xu Nuan opened her eyes, what greeted her first thing in the morning was not a cup of coffee but a severe hangover and a killing headache.

" Err...this headache. I shouldn't have agreed to go with them for a party." She cried out in pain as she regretted the actions of the last night.

She doesn't remember anything else except that she was taking all the toasts that were given to her and didn't stop drinking.

She massaged her temples gently and observed the familiar surroundings. After staying at this place for a few days, it's no unfamiliar room for her anymore.

"How did I end up here? Did he come to pick me up last night?" She wondered.. As always, she fully blacked out and was having a hard time recalling the events of the last night.

She wanted to ask him these questions but he had already left for work. He has left a note for her on the side table with a glass of lemon water for her to relieve the Hangover.

[ Drink it as soon as you wake up!

Leaving for work. See you at night.]

She pursued her lips seeing his plain note. He should have at least made a heart at the end or something. How boring!

" Why did he bring me here? He could have taken me to my place." She sighed. She has been staying here for more than a week now.

She was supposed to go back to her place yesterday but her colleagues made her drink like there is no tomorrow. Seems like she has to move her stuff back to her place herself.

After getting ready, she went downstairs to eat the breakfast that he had prepared for her. It was in the fridge so she just had to heat it and eat it.

How thoughtful!

While staying with him, there was not a single day when she had to skip her breakfast or have cereal in the morning. He always made sure to prepare a proper breakfast for her and had kept his word to take care of her.

No one has pampered her this much after her parents left her alone in this world, not even her so-called family who was supposed to take care of her.

While having the breakfast he made, she was reminded of the time when her father used to cook for her.

Living together like this is indeed….less lonelier and more fun.

" Is that why people get married? To have fun every day? To eat delicious breakfasts every day?" She wondered.

Dating is fine but...having a certain title to address each other sounds even more fun and...intimate.

"Mrs. Han….Mr. Han!! Hmm- she murmured unconsciously.

Her cheeks blushed when strange thoughts kept popping in her mind. " Woah, what the hell am I thinking? It's too soon to think about getting married."

" Jiang Yue, hold yourself up. Don't go overboard!" She patted her cheeks and hurriedly put away the dishes before leaving the house.

_

After she left the house, rather than going to college, she took another day off and went to meet Hu Jun. There are things that she needs to arrange to officially start her work.

She called him out and asked him to bring his old bike with him because she wanted to take him somewhere with her.

When they finally reached their destination, Hu Jun was perplexed. He was expecting her to take him with her to see some clients for their cyber security company or something, but instead, she told him to stop in front of an old, worn-out building.

The area was quite isolated, there were not many shops nearby nor there was any commercial building in the area.

The building was quite old too and it's paint was wearing out as well. The white paint has now turned into something dusky and off white color due to the moisture and rain.

" Why are we here? I am sure we aren't here to meet any clients, are we?" He asked in confusion.

" Of course, we aren't. It's the place where the clients will come to meet us." She smiled mysteriously and entered the building, leaving him outside in confusion.

What's... happening?

After she left, he had no choice but to follow her.

_

He frowned when she took him to the basement. What the hell are they gonna do in the basement?

When they passed by the basement corridor, there was a door that leads to a room in the basement.

She unlocks the door and when he enters the room, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The basement room was painted in a dark blue, even though the room looked decent, the shocking element was the items in the room.

There were three tables joined together, making a large one. Four monitor screens were on the wall attached to two computer systems.

He turned to Xu Nuan in puzzlement, " This….is this…"

She understood what she wanted to ask and before he could complete his words, she said, " Yes. It's the place where you're going to work. This system is yours. You can try starting it." She pointed towards the first system on the table.

His eyes widened and couldn't believe that she actually prepared all of this. He was taking her lightly and wasn't expecting that she would prepare the office for real.

Not only that, the system that she has arranged was quite expensive and the latest model, perfect for his work. She indeed has a good eye for this kind of work.

After starting the computer and checking his system, he looked at the other system that was attached to the other two screens, " Are you going to use this system? You're gonna work here too?"

"But…. didn't you say that this is just a side company for you and you won't work here? Did you change your mind or what?" He laughed while checking out the other system too.

Even though it was the basement room, it had all the necessary things that were needed for the work. The internet was working fine and more than that, there is privacy that he needs to work.

Xu Nuan smiled at his question, " The plan is still the same. I won't be working here. Although I will still check the reports from time to time and will look after the big projects too."

" But….this system is not for me."

" Then who is going to use this system? Are both systems for me? For real?" His eyes lit up upon hearing this.

He would love to work with two systems. It's like heaven for him.

However, before he could float in the bubble that he had created, Xu Nuan popped up the balloon with a sharp pin.

" No. You're going to use your own system. It's for someone else."

"Someone else? For who?" He asks.

" For me!!"

Xu Nuan was about to answer his question when a manly yet charming voice could be heard from outside.

Since it was the basement, the voice was echoing, making it sound even more charming and raspy.

Hu Jun frowns and leans to the side to look towards the gate and is eager to see who else knows about this company.

She has other employees too?

Chapter 323 - Repay His Kindness!!

" For me!!"

Xu Nuan turned around to see the person she was waiting for. The other employee that she had hired to work along with Hu Jun.

The man entered through the door, wearing a white shirt with dark brown trousers.

His hands were in his pant pockets as he made his way to them. His hair were neatly styled and his semi formal attire was making him look different from his usual-casual look.

Xu Nuan raised her brows, seeing him in a shirt and trousers. He could have worn anything as they don't have any dressing code but he chose to look a bit professional and of course handsome, impressive.

" Woo!! Someone is looking smoking hot, huh?" Xu Nuan commented, making the man halt in his steps. He casually glanced at her and shook his head.

He is already used to her way of talking now.

" You're on time. Let me introduce you guys to each other." She said,

"This is Hu Jun, he will be in charge of all the projects. You both need to know each other to work well together. Also, you can learn many things about games if you stay by his side." She introduced Hu Jun to the man standing next to her.

Hu Jun smiled smugly upon hearing Xu Nuan's words and straightened his back to shake hands with the man.

" Well, I am indeed good when it comes to games." Hu Jun said with a proud smile.

" Don't worry. I will make sure that you learn everything well. Btw….what was your name again?" He asked while shaking hands with him.

" I haven't introduced myself yet." The man replied indifferently and took his hand back.

Hu Jun laughed awkwardly and glanced at Xu Nuan with a frown. As expected, he is a smug handsome man with zero talent.

Was there a need for her to hire an extremely handsome man?

' I am sure he doesn't know anything about this field of work. Hmph!' he calmed himself thinking that his looks are nothing but a beautiful trap.

Seeing the tension between the two men, Xu Nuan had to intervene and introduced the man to Hu Jun.

" He is Ye Yijun. You can call him Aurora too. From now on, He will be working with us and will handle all the administrative and financial work."

" So you can be rest assured and just focus on completing the work. All the other stuff will be handled by him and me together." She added.

" He is good at gaming and has a good foundation in this field of work. So there is no need for you to teach him everything from scratch." She explained.

After hiring Hu Jun, she was aware that only Hu Jun won't be able to handle the work.

He can deal with the projects but she will need someone who can handle the financial work of the company for her.

At the moment, she is handling the administrative and financial aspects of the company herself but if they're planning to grow it into a big one, she will need more people to handle the work.

Who can be a better option than Aurora for her? He is not only good at gaming but seeing his skills, she knows that he is well trained in computers and has the required foundation for this kind of work.

Not only that, he is a sophomore in business studies and with his abilities and knowledge, she was sure thatl handle he can handle the finance department well too.

If she gives this responsibility to Hu Jun, he will definitely find a way to do something shady with it.

He is good at earning money but not managing it. So she just wants him to focus on doing more projects so that they can make enough revenue, enough for both companies.

When she offered Aurora to work together with her, she was expecting him to reject her offer.

After all, his family is not less than Gu Enterprises. Maybe better than them. His family business is flourishing and his family itself belongs to an elite class.

If he is going to join a company, he will rather join his father's company in the future. Why would he work with her?

Just when she was regretting the decision to ask him about this job and was preparing to leave, he said, " Fine. But you will have to play games with me."

" Hmm? What kind of condition is that? You could have asked me something better, salary or whatever. Why games?"

" Because I don't have anyone to play with." He responded coolly.

" Don't you have friends and all? Didn't you used to play before?" She asked in confusion.

" I do. But they're not as good as you at playing games."

"Oooo...so you're complimenting me? I never thought that I would get a compliment from the handsome hunk of the college. I am honoured." Xu Nuan said dramatically

" Well, I won't question your strange request since it's your choice. But don't you dare ditch me later. And be prepared to be roasted by me since I will be your boss. Okay?" She teased him.

He scoffed at her and left after talking to her.

Xu Nuan didn't mind him leaving in the conversation like this. His personality is a bit similar to Han Zihao when she met him for the first time, cold and aloof.

But if you get to know them, they start to open up to you and start to show their 'real' caring and considerate side.

Hopefully, working with him will not only help her company but him as well since he was trying to figure out what he wants to do in the future as well.

After introducing them to each other, Xu Nuan stood there for a few minutes and then left to allow them to talk and get to know each other.

If they're going to work together, they need to get to know each other first.

Rather than going home, she took a taxi to go to a mall. She needed to buy a few clothes to look representable.

Since she is going to start her company, she needs to look presentable enough to work as the CEO of the company.

She can't wear the same clothes that she used to wear while working as a manager. She needs to upgrade her wardrobe.

Along with clothes, there are few things that she needs to buy.

Han Zihao has taken great care of her in the last few days, not only that, he cooked breakfast for her after she tortured him with her drunken habits.

She needs to repay him for his kindness, shouldn't she?

While she was on her way to the shopping mall, she picked up her phone and messaged Feng Sheng.

She can't be lousy when it comes to repaying his kindness, can she?

Chapter 324 - Surprise (I)

Han Corporations-

" Is this the last document?" Han Zihao asked while signing the document that was in front of him. Today Feng Sheng brought a stack of documents that he needed to confirm and sign for the further progress of the work.

In the last few days, he was taking care of Xu Nuan and has postponed not-so-urgent work to later. Now she has gotten better, Feng Sheng keeps bringing all the work back to him.

Feng Sheng stood there and watched Han Zihao signing the nth document of the day, he smiled and said, " Yes. It's the last one, for today."

"......"

" You mean there are more documents left to sign?"

Feng Sheng politely nodded and said, " It's all the work that you have pushed back to take care of Ms. Gu. You're the President of Han Corporations. Unlike others, you cannot be laid back." He told him, earning a frown from him.

He cleared his throat and looked away.

After signing the document, Han Zihao put it away and looked at the time, " It's already past 7? I should leave now. Xu Nuan must be home alone. Wrap up everything and you too get off work early." He said and picked up his coat from the back of his chair and prepared to wear it.

Feng Sheng's eyes widened when Han Zihao suddenly suggested leaving for home. These days, he avoids working late and gets off work on time.

" But….but sir, You cannot leave yet. You...you need to sign some other documents too. And they're important ones." He said hesitantly.

Han Zihao frowned, " Didn't you say a while ago that it was the last document of the day? And even if there are other documents too, I will sign them tomorrow. I am leaving."

" No sir. You can't!" Feng Sheng shouted, surprising Han Zihao.

" What's wrong with you? What is so important about those documents? Xu Nuan must be waiting for me at home for dinner."

Feng Sheng pursed his lips and laughed awkwardly. 'That's why you should not go at the moment.' He muttered under his breath.

" What did you say?" Han Zihao questioned.

" Nothing. Nothing." Feng Sheng waved hands and laughed nervously. " Sir, those documents are very important for us to start those projects. The work is on hold because of your signatures."

" Then why didn't you bring those documents earlier if they're that important?" Han Zihao gritted his teeth.

" Bec...Because….I forgot. I have a lot of things to manage. I am human too. Can't I forget something? Is it that much of a mistake?" he asked while looking at him with teary eyes.

Han Zihao blinked seeing him getting sentimental and scratched the back of his neck, " Why...why are you being so weird today? Did I say something?" He said awkwardly.

" Fine. I'll sign those documents before leaving. Where are those documents?"

" I'll bring them right away." Feng Sheng's mood immediately changed as he jumped on his toes and smiled before scurrying out of his office, leaving Han Zihao puzzled.

Feng Sheng generally doesn't make any mistakes. But seeing him getting flustered like this, he was confused as well.

Did something happen to him? Does he want more bonus this time? He wondered.

In the end, it took more than an hour for Han Zihao to read and sign all the documents given to him. While he was frowning all the time while working and was hoping to reach home early, Feng Sheng was grinning for some strange reason all the time.

'What's wrong with him?' He wondered.

As he was leaving to go home, Feng Sheng stopped him and whispered, " Sir, Since you signed all the documents today, you don't need to hurry to come to the office tomorrow morning. You can take your time to come to the office."

" All the best!!" He grinned at him.

Han Zihao was left baffled. Did he take the wrong medicine today?

_

By the time Han Zihao reached home, it was already 9 pm. He stood in front of his house and smiled seeing the lights on from outside. He was wondering if Xu Nuan went back to her place but thankfully, she didn't leave yet.

He was trying to make her move in with him but she is too slow at taking hints or always changes the topics. On top of that, she was too busy with her work and the company that she barely had the time to think about all these things.

He got the opportunity to stay with her when she got sick but he couldn't talk about this matter at that time either. Now she has gotten better and has left the company too, he can bring out the topic of moving in together now, right?

He took a deep breath and muttered, "No matter what, I need to talk to her about this matter today.." He breathed out and opened the door.

" Xu Nuan, you didn't have dinner yet, right? Let me make something sim-" As soon as he entered the house, he swallowed his words upon seeing her standing in front of the dining table near the kitchen slab while smiling at him.

She was wearing a white dress with a colorful floral print. Over the dress, she was wearing a red apron and had tied her hair in a high ponytail. She was standing there and was smiling brightly at him, making the corners of his lips curve in a smile too.

He raised his brows when his eyes fell on the cutlery arranged on the dining table. There were two white large pots covered with a lid in the middle and a few small plates were covered as well.

Along with the table setting, the lighting in the room was dim and there was a candle stand in the middle as well,  brightening the whole living room.

" What is all this? When did you prepare it?" He asked in surprise as he walked towards the dining table. He was thinking of cooking dinner for her upon reaching home, but he wasn't expecting her to arrange the candlelight dinner at home.

She smiled proudly and said, " Surprising, isn't it? Since you always cook for me, I also wanted to make something for you."

" I wanted to apologize for last night. I was a drinking mess last night, right? I wanted to not drink at first but seeing everyone getting emotional at the dinner, I couldn't hold myself from drinking either. "

" That's why I prepared all of this today to thank you for taking care of me. Today's dinner….it's all made by me. No instant food or delivery food." She said proudly.

To prepare for all of this, she had to message Feng Sheng to make Han Zihao busy with work so that he could not come home early. She tried to prepare everything by 7, but she ruined the first round of her cooking and had to cook all over again.

Thankfully, Feng Sheng did his work right and made Han Zihao come home late. Otherwise, her plan would have been ruined badly.

" I made all these dishes myself. And don't worry, they might not taste as good as yours, but it's edible. I tried and tasted them already." she explained seeing his expressions changing into a worried frown.

" Oh. Then...that's good. I still cannot believe that you cooked all of this." he exclaimed in surprise as he picked up the lids of the bowls one by one.

There was fried rice with half fry eggs on top, braised vegetables, and a meat dish. The dishes were not that difficult to make but seeing her level, it was the advanced level cooking for her.

Seeing her making dinner like this, he remembered the time when she didn't even have the utensils at home for cooking.

Although the candlelight dinner was nothing flashy or exaggerating, it was a thoughtful way to showcase her feelings. After seeing the dishes and the way she tried to do the plating prettily, he can tell how much effort she has put into this.

She must have practiced a lot to make all of this for him.

Xu Nuan urged him and made him sit down to eat dinner together. The room was dark but there was the dim light of the candle that was allowing them to focus on each other and blurred the world for them.

After the romantic candlelight dinner, they talked for some time more when she suddenly stood up and said, " I am going upstairs to take a bath. Since I'll be washing up upstairs, you can wash up in the guest room here."

He looked at her and nodded. " Okay. Let me take my clothes then." He was about to follow her upstairs when she pushed him lightly and made him fall on the couch.

" What? What's wrong?" He asked in confusion. That was so random.

Xu Nuan grinned at him and said, " No need. I have already prepared your clothes in the guest room. Also, I will be taking a long bath, so don't come too soon and take your sweet time washing up."

"..."

He pursed his lips and wondered what she was planning. Why is she being so sneaky with her actions? Is she planning something else as well? He wondered.

Chapter 325 - Surprise II

When Han Zihao went to the guest room, he was perplexed to see his clothes neatly folded on the bed. There are many instances where he had changed in the guest room during the period she stayed at his place, but it was something that was happening for the first time.

She not only told him to change in the guest room but also neatly arranged his clothes. That's weird.

He took a shower and changed into grey pajama bottoms and a black t-shirt. Since she told him to come as late as possible, he went to the living room and worked for a while on his laptop before going upstairs.

'Maybe she wants to take her time washing up and doesn't want anyone to disturb her.'

He didn't want to do anything to annoy her at the moment since he was planning to convince her to move in with him. She will agree to it, right? He wondered.

After completing some of his work, he put away his laptop and looked at the time on the wall clock..

" It's 11 pm. She must have been done by now." He wondered before going upstairs.

-

Upstairs, as soon as he opened the door of the bedroom, his eyes widened in shock. Is this 'really' my room? He wondered.

The simply arranged room was decorated with bright lights. The lights of the room were off, instead, the small star and moon-shaped yellow lights chains were adoring his room.

The table in the room was covered with rose petals and there was an ice bucket on top which had a bottle of champagne in it. There were two wine glasses placed beside it.

Not only that but the white bedsheets were also covered with some rose petals and the whole room was hitting something he had never thought of before.

'What...is all this?'  He wondered. His mouth was now parched as the imaginative thoughts started to make him restless.

The whole set-up seems to be very familiar to him. Feng Sheng did this kind of decoration in his stead for him before when he confessed to her and that confession didn't go as well as he had thought that it would.

He pursed his lips and tried to control his blooming smile. Did Xu Nuan arrange all of this? He thought.

'But where is she?' He frowned. He looked around and realized that the door of the bathroom was still closed.

She isn't done yet?

He stared at the closed bathroom door and realized that his face was turning red just at the thought of what's going to happen next. She arranged a candlelight dinner for him earlier, is she going to-

No. No. She just recovered. What if she only wanted to have a candlelight dinner with him but...what about all this decoration?

It does not look so simple. He pursed his lips in anticipation.

He cleared his throat embarrassedly at his uncontrollable thoughts and poured wine for him in a glass and gulped in one go. He is feeling too nervous to face her just like this.

The thought that she prepared all this was enough to increase his adrenaline rush.

As he was about to pour another glass for himself, the door of the bathroom was pushed open. His hands halted in action while he was holding the wine glass and was bending to pour another glass for himself.

His eyes widened in shock and he couldn't help but gulp his saliva seeing her standing there like this. She...she looked...different!

_

While Han Zihao was trying to maintain his balance and not fall and embarrass himself in front of her, Xu Nuan was enjoying this side of him.

Xu Nuan smiled proudly seeing him frozen like this. She did all the effort to see his expressions, and as usual, his shook expressions didn't disappoint her.

She was wearing a burgundy shade, silk nightdress that was reaching to her thighs, revealing her jade-white smooth legs. The black border lace at the hem of the dress was making the whole look even more provocative and seductive.

She was wearing a silk robe over the nightdress that was of the same length as the nightdress itself. The dress reminded him of the swimsuit that she had worn at the villa for the hot spring.

However, tonight she was looking even more beautiful and tempting than before. The red color was contrasting to her pearl-white skin. He has seen her wearing a lot of dresses and realized that the red color suits her the best out of all.

*Crash*

Han Zihao was startled when the glass dropped from his hand and broke it into pieces.

Xu Nuan was surprised as well and couldn't help but chuckle at his clumsiness. " Pfft."

" Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" she asked after laughing at his clumsy actions.

Han Zihao frowned seeing her laughing and cleared his throat out of embarrassment. " Let me clean this first." He was about to go downstairs to look for a broom when Xu Nuan stepped forward and pulled him to the side.

" You don't need to. It's not important at the moment." She said while looking into his eyes.

His breath hitched upon hearing those words. She was standing so close to him that he could feel her breath on his face and her body was almost sticking to his.

" But...you can get hurt." He said. The glass pieces were on the floor, what if she hurts herself by accident. She wasn't wearing slippers either.

She smiled at his naive thinking and shook her head. She had thought that he had improved after they started dating but seems like his naivety sometimes comes back and makes him clueless about the whole romantic mood.

How can he think about cleaning the glass pieces at this moment when she is looking hot like fire?

She grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and pulled him closer and whispered in his ears, " If you care about me, then...why don't you pick me in your arms?"

" As you can see, I am standing here barefoot. If you pick me up, the problem-"

"Ahh…" Before she could complete her words, Han Zihao acted fastly and picked her up in his arms. However, this time rather than carrying her in the princess style, he picked her up by the waist.

Xu Nuan squealed in surprise but her body acted on its own and she wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged his neck with her arms tightly.

Not giving him a moment to take the lead today, she acted first and captured his lips. Han Zihao was surprised to see the proactive side of Xu Nuan but this didn't stop him from acting in the moment of heat.

While he held her and carried her to the bed, Xu Nuan sucked on his luscious lips and continued to send shivers to his body. Rather than the passionate and hasty kiss, she served him with a slow and teasing kiss. She nibbled on his lips and played with them with her tongue, making him groan in anticipation.

By every passing moment, he was getting impatient and urgent. Her slow kisses were killing him slowly and he could feel his temperature rising.

On top of her kisses, her nightdress was enough to make him lose his mind. He was holding her by the waist because of which her dress rose and was revealing her skin. If it goes a bit more up, it will reveal the underneath of her dress and he cannot wait to remove this dress from her.

The wait is finally over.

Chapter 326 - Surprise III

" Ah.." Xu Nuan let out a noise when Han Zihao put her on the bed. She was lying straight on the bed, with her legs slightly dangling off the bed.

Han Zihao didn't give her any chance to escape from his grasp as he hovered over her and trapped her between his legs by putting them on each side of hers.

Xu Nuan stared into his eyes that were full of lust and desires. She had no plans to play the shy-girl card either.

As he put her on the bed, her silk robe slid off her shoulder, revealing her cream-like white and smooth skin. Since she was wearing a strap nightdress, it was showing off her defined collarbone and was tempting Han Zihao to dive into the bouncy cave.

However, rather than capturing her lips right away, he took his sweet time to admire this beauty in front of him and was staring into her sparkling clear eyes.

She just took a long-refreshing bath and her chestnut brown hair was still slightly damp. They were sprawled across the white bedsheet covered with rose petals.

Since their faces were so closed, he could feel her chest heaving up and down and could feel her hot breath on his face. How can this girl look beautiful every time he sees her?

She looks as fresh as a newly blossomed flower when she wakes up in the morning, she looks beautiful as an ethereal beauty when she dresses up, how come she is so perfect? He wondered and was thinking how lucky he is to have her in his life.

Xu Nuan chuckled when he continued staring at her and was admiring her. She wrapped her hands around his neck again and caressed his face with a finger, " You got a lipstick mark here." she said as she caressed his lips slightly with her thumb.

Before coming out of the bathroom, she applied a bit of the makeup that she took to the bathroom earlier and didn't forget to put on her red lipstick before coming out. She wanted to make this surprise special for him by doing all of the things that she had thought of.

Han Zihao grasped her wrist and while staring into her eyes, he kissed the inner side of her wrist, making her blush.

" Don't remove it. I am going to eat all of the lipstick off your lips anyway." He commented, making her chuckle in embarrassment.

She was trying to take lead here yet he is making such comments to make her flustered. As she was trying to control her laugh and was trying to put on a serious and seductive look, he leaned closer and put pressure on her with his body.

Before she could react, he captured her soft lips. He sucked on them and kissed her mindlessly. Unlike her slow-teasing nibbling, he kissed her passionately and invaded her mouth with his tongue upon finding an opportunity.

She moaned in pleasure and caressed his hair with her hands up and down as he kissed her. From her lips, he moved her to ears, collarbone, and finally stopped at her neck.

His lips gently caressed her neck, sending an electric shiver to her body.

While he was busy kissing and sucking on her neck, his hands were feeling her body. Before she could realize what's happening, he undid the ribbon of her silk robe and let it fall off her body, revealing her bare shoulders.

His hands caressed down her bare shoulders and moved down to the black lace hem of her dress. He let his hands explore her body and slid them under her nightdress. As soon as his cold hands touched her bare skin, her eyes flew open as she realized that she was being led by him again.

No!! She can't let this happen tonight.

She wanted to have the upper hand tonight, not the vice-versa. She is the Queen, she should show him his supremacy, even in the bed.

Before his hand could move upwards to the desired destination, she grabbed his wrist and caught him off guard.

He opened his eyes and looked at her in confusion, not knowing what's going on in her head.

" What's wrong?"

She smirked at him and said in a low voice, " Mr. Han, do you remember when I promised to give you a surprise at the villa?"

He pursed his lips and frowned, " Yeah. You cheated me and made me help you in packing to come early in exchange for your mysterious surprise that never happened. It's been long since we came back from the villa and there is no news of the so-called surprise of yours." He hmphed.

" Well, today's arrangement is supposed to be your so-called 'surprise'. Do you hate it?" She asked him.

His lips curled up to see her mischievous expressions and shook his head, " Oh, I love it." As said this, he leaned down to kiss her again but she put a finger on his lips and pushed his head back.

" Now what?" he stared at her in frustration. Does she seriously have to play quiz-quiz with him at this 'important' moment?

She smirked, " Well, this is not the only surprise that I prepared for you."

" It's not all? But it's enough for me." He said impatiently and tried to kiss her again but she stopped him once again.

Seeing him getting frustrated, she was elated. " Well, you will be disappointed if you don't see the real surprise that I have prepared for you."

He frowned. What is so important that he will be disappointed if he doesn't see it? He wondered.

" Okay fine. What else is there to see?" He knew that she won't let him have his way until she is done with her surprise. And now, he was also curious as to what else she has to show him.

Xu Nuan pushed him to the side and got off the bed. She didn't pick up her silk robe and walked to the drawer closet in the room, in her red-silk nightdress that was barely covering her thighs.

Han Zihao gulped seeing her walking like this in the room and felt extreme discomfort down there. He was getting impatient here but she was taking her sweet time doing whatever she wanted to do.

Xu Nuan opened the top drawer of the closet and glanced at Han Zihao before taking out the things from it.

First, she put the Bluetooth speaker on the table and connected it with her phone, and played sensuous jazz music on her phone that was now resonating in the room, living up the romantic, erotical mood.

Han Zihao pursed his lips and frowned, seeing that playing music was her surprise. Rather than listening to music at the moment, he was interested in listening to her calling out loudly as they made love in the bed.

Just as he thought that she was done with her so-called music, she pulled out something else as well from the drawer and smirked at him when she glanced towards him. However, before he could see what she took out from the drawer, she hid it behind her back, leaving him all curious.

What exactly is her surprise?

Chapter 327 - Surprise IV

After playing the music on her Bluetooth speaker, Xu Nuan hid the thing she took out from the drawer behind her back and walked towards him with a smile on her lips.

Han Zihao was confused at her mysterious actions and deep down he was also anticipating something special. The slow-jazzy music was doing its magic, making the atmosphere even more erotic than ever.

Xu Nuan stood in front of him and smirked at him, " Remove your t-shirt." She ordered him.

He stared at her for a moment before removing his t-shirt with no questions asked.

She pursed her lips when he threw his t-shirt away and was sitting on the bed with his bare upper body. Even though she has seen him like this before, she can never appreciate his body enough.

The toned muscular abs and the tiny mole on his chest were enough to make her ears turn red. She gulped excitedly before leaning closer to him.. She sat beside him and moved closer to kiss him.

Han Zihao also responded to her kiss and was so lost in it that he didn't realize what she was doing to him.

*Click*

His eyes snapped open when he heard a clicking sound. He frowned and when he looked down at his hands, he realized that she has handcuffed him with red-colored handcuffs.

"....."

He was speechless to see the red handcuffs. Not even the silver or black, but...red?

"This...what is this? Xu Nuan, it's not a time to joke. Open it." He said impatiently. He was waiting for this day for so long and was waiting for her to recover well all these days.

He wants to hug her, kiss her and do everything that he was dreaming of all these days. How can she restrict him like this on the D-day?

Xu Nuan let out a chuckle seeing his flustered expressions and waved the small key in her hands, " Do you want this? Well...it won't be that easy."

Han Zihao pursed his lips and lunged at her to grab the key from her. However, she giggled hard and pulled her hand away, protecting the key with all her might.

She wants to take the lead tonight but he always beats her to it and intervenes in it. That's why she had to take this severe measure this time. Also, she wanted to try something unique and spice up the things to make this surprise more memorable.

But she wasn't expecting him to get this impatient and bicker with her like tom and jerry.

Xu Nuan gritted her teeth when he kept attacking her to grab the keys and was using his height to take it back from her.

So he is using his tall height against her now? Very well!!

She swiftly moved out of his trap and opened the window in the room and threw it out of the building.

" Now you can take the key." She smiled.

"..."

Han Zihao was stunned when he saw the precious key falling down the building. He frowned at Xu Nuan and upon realizing what she had done, she also shifted at her position awkwardly.

" Well, you...shouldn't have used your height against me. That's cheating."

He scoffed at her excuse and went to sit on the bed, " Now what are we going to do? We don't even have the keys."

" Am I going to be handcuffed like this all night?" He said in frustration.

Xu Nuan laughed awkwardly. Did she make a mistake? She was planning to hide the key somewhere else but he attacked her too soon and wasn't patient just how they show in movies.

That's why she shouldn't have trusted the references given in the movies. It never goes the same.

_

Han Zihao was sighing heavily after what just happened and was trying to break the handcuffs when Xu Nuan suddenly came to him and pushed him lightly on the bed, making him lay flat on the bed.

He stared at her in surprise when she climbed on him and sat on his stomach, with her legs by his sides. She put his hands above his head and said, " Do you think the surprise is over? Even though we don't have the keys, we still can do many things. Don't you want to try them? Huh?" she asked in a low voice while caressing his face with her finger.

Before Han Zihao could realize what's going on, she leaned in and started kissing her lips. However, unlike the last time, this kiss was more passionate and intense.

He groaned when she kissed him and caressed his neck with her soft hands at the same time. She was sitting on his stomach, making him restless.

He could feel the heat rising in his body and along with the heat, something else was rising up as well. He clenched his fists tightly as he was urged to hold her tight in his embrace and kiss her relentlessly but these bloody handcuffs were not letting him do what he wanted.

Why are they so strong? Shouldn't they be cheap and weak so that they could be break-free anytime?

From his lips, she moved to his ears, just like do and bit them gently making him groan in pain and pleasure. After his earlobes, she moved to his jaw and nibbled on it softly before making her way to his neck.

She looked up at him to see his reaction and could see his face turning crimson and could feel his restlessness through his low grunts and how his stomach was tightening up.

" Xu Nuan, please…" He gritted his teeth but she simply chuckled and continued her slow-caressings and teasings.

She caressed his neck with her lips and bit on it slowly before kissing it gently. After treating him with the same pampering package as he did to her, she used her master card!!

She sat straight on his stomach and smirked before sliding downwards slowly, making her way to his manhood. His eyes widened in surprise and anticipation.

However, she stopped before she could reach down there and winked at him before she got off him and pulled down his pajama trousers along with his boxers.

His breath hitched seeing her sitting there like this and staring at his manhood blankly. The last time, it was him who took all the initiative and was doing all the work, but it was kind of embarrassing to see her staring at him like this.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and gulped nervously seeing how big he was. She started to wonder how her body managed to take something big like this.

The human body is surely amazing. She thought.

" Do I have to take this thing in my mouth?" She wondered. However, she didn't realize that she had said these words aloud.

Han Zihao laughed embarrassingly and said, " You don't have to do that if you don't want to. You can simply use your hands…" he said in a low voice.

He closed his eyes in embarrassment. This wouldn't have happened if she hadn't handcuffed him and threw the keys out of the window.

Just as he was thinking about how to deal with this awkward situation, he felt an electric sensation through him when she touched his manhood with her hands.

" Xu Nuan!!" He called her name in surprise but she simply smiled at him and said, " What? You don't want it?" She questioned him seriously. However, she was teasing him as he could tell seeing her mischievous smirk on her face.

He pursed his lips and was pondering what to say when she started moving her hands up and down over it, making him groan in pleasure. " Yes. Yes. I want it."

" But can you be a little faster?" He requested while covering his face to the side.

Xu Nuan couldn't help but laugh seeing him getting all shy and embarrassed about it. He acts like a pro when he does the same to him, but now when it's his time, he is getting all shy.

Well, that's why she likes him. Her cute and clumsy Sloth Han.

Chapter 328 - Surprise V

Just as he wanted, Xu Nuan gulped nervously and increased the pace of her hands. She started running her hands over his shaft up and down. She massaged it and sometimes squeezed his balls between her palms, making him groan in pain and pleasure.

He held his head back and gritted his teeth in frustration as he wanted to run his hands over her body and wanted to touch her but because of these bloody handcuffs, he cannot do anything.

However, this restriction was only increasing the electrifying sensation in him, making it difficult for him to control his emotions anymore.

" Ah, Xu Nuan. Faster." He moaned as the heat started to build inside him that felt like bursting out.

Xu Nuan got nervous seeing him getting impatient. He looked like a beast who was waiting to be unleashed.

Without any thought, she took him in her mouth and instantly regretted it. It was bigger than her mouth and she could feel it hitting the end of her mouth.

' It doesn't look that bad when others do but it feels so weird when I do?' She cried inwardly. This isn't as heavenly as she thought it would.

However, before she could remove it from her mouth, Han Zihao took the charge and started thrusting himself in her mouth, catching her off guard. She frowned and looked at him but seeing his face turning red in pleasure and enjoying this feeling with closed eyes, she gave up the idea to remove it from her mouth.

She became more determined to make this experience special for him. Since he does the same for her, can't she do the same to him? Give and take, Simple.

So she started pleasuring him with her mouth and did just as she has seen in those...ahem...action movies. It's a good thing that she has already taken some references from those movies to not be lacking in her actions.

While pleasuring him with her mouth, she didn't forget to use her hands and continued to play with his balls, making him groan loudly as he was chasing for his climax. In no time he released his fluid in her mouth, leaving her wide-eyed.

After he released it in her mouth, he then realized what happened. Xu Nuan was frowning at the bitter and sticky liquid that was shot in her mouth and was now dripping from her mouth to her neck, leaving her with a sticky, disgusting feeling.

She was on the verge of tears due to the attacking thrusts of him and now the sticky bitter liquid in her mouth. She looked at Han Zihao, giving him a look of betrayal.

He coughed awkwardly seeing her shocked expressions as she wasn't expecting to take the blow in her mouth.

" Let me get you some tissues," he said and was about to get off the bed when she hurriedly got off the bed and dashed towards the bathroom, leaving him all baffled.

_

Xu Nuan gargled her mouth multiple times with clean water and made sure to wipe herself with a wet towel to remove the sticky feeling from her body. " Seems like I am fit for doing blow jobs." she sighed while looking at herself in the mirror.

How can she run away like this? This ruined the sexy and seductive image that she had built with such efforts.

Sigh!

After she walked out of the bathroom while carrying a slightly damp wet, she halted in steps when she saw Han Zihao still lying in the bed, waiting for her. He was fully naked and she was still in the nightdress, but why was she feeling embarrassed?

She stood there thinking how she embarrassed herself earlier when he said, " Why aren't you coming? Don't tell me that your surprise is over?"

" Since you locked me with these so-called handcuffs, you should take the responsibility for this and treat me better." He complained, making her frown.

However, before she could say anything and retort to his statement, she remembered that it was her who prepared all this for him and in the end, locked him with the handcuffs whose keys are hidden somewhere in the bushes of the garden.

She sighed and walked to the bed, and sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't look at him as she was feeling a little discouraged. Why do things don't go as she plans?

She wore the hot red nightdress, prepared all the decorations in the room, and even played the music in the room to lighten up the mood, then what is this?

"Ahhh…" Xu Nuan who was busy in her self-reflection was caught off guard when Han Zihao suddenly flipped her over on the bed and hovered above her.

She blinked in confusion. " How come you are.." She stared at his hands and realized that he didn't have the handcuffs anymore.

" Where are the handcuffs?" She asked in confusion.

" I opened them."

" Opened them? How? When?"

He smirked and said, " Do you think those cheap handcuffs can protect you from me tonight? Huh?"

When she was gone in the bathroom, he looked for the hammer and broke the handcuffs. Since they were not that strong, they opened in one or two hits only.

" But how did you-

As always, her curiosity was at its peak and before she could start her series of questions, he sealed her mouth with his intense kiss. While he kissed her on lips and moved to her earlobes to kiss and caress and then moved to neck and collarbone and sucked her on her skin, marking his territory, his hands were busy exploring her body.

They sneakily made their way to the hem of her dress and slid his hand under her dress. Without wasting another precious moment, he pulled down her red, lacy panty that she was wearing under the silk nightdress and started rubbing the bud of her pleasure.

Xu Nuan moaned in pleasure as she forgot all the doubts that she had in her mind earlier and was now lost in sheer pleasure. His hands were like magic as he pleasured her and intensified its effect by putting a finger inside her.

She cried in pain and pleasure and grabbed a handful of his hair, urging him to increase his pace. " Ah, Han Zihao…" she moaned his name, boosting his energy.

He increased his pace and thrust another finger inside her, increasing the pleasure. Xu Nuan moaned and could feel the ball of pleasure forming in the lower abdomen of her body.

" Ah, Faster." she cried. She was waiting for him to fasten his pace but rather than doing so, he suddenly stopped and pulled out his fingers.

She frowned and looked at him questioningly. " What are you…" However, rather than answering her question, he positioned himself in front of her and thrust his length inside her, making her body bounce in surprise.

Xu Nuan cried out in pain and pleasure as Han Zihao increased his pace and thrust himself harder and faster, making her cry out his name louder and louder.

After reaching her climax, she slumped on the bed, tired, and was covered in sweat despite the air conditioner turned on in the room. Han Zihao also went to her side and pulled her in his embrace.

Xu Nuan heaved heavily and tried to catch her breath. She hugged him and placed her head on his arm for support. " Do you like my surprise?" she asked in a low voice.

He looked at her and smiled seeing her blushing like a young shy girl, " Hmm...I wonder what was the surprise. Is it the dinner that you cook personally or...the way you…" He stopped and glanced at her, hiding her face against him.

He laughed and rubbed her back gently, " Oh, I love the surprise. It would be amazing to receive such surprises frequently."

She shot him a glare and said, " I don't think I will do the same again. It's...weird."

" Oh, is it? Then...do you want me to give you such surprises often?" He asked meaningfully, making her stare at him in shock.

" Mr. Han, don't you think that your mind is becoming quite...dirty these days?" she asked.

" Really? Is that a compliment?"

She raised brows at him, " Does it look like a compliment to you?"

" Of course it is. A good one on that." He smiled proudly after saying this.

Xu Nuan slapped him on the chest and chuckled at his cheeky comment.

Chapter 329 - One Step-up.

The next day when Xu Nuan woke up, her whole body was aching, and could feel soreness between her legs. The intense workout was more intense than she had thought that it would be.??

She looked to her side and wasn't surprised to see the empty side next to her. It's already past 10, Han Zihao must have left for work. She wondered.??

She got out of the bed while still covering herself with the grey-covered blankets and stood in front of the mirror. She winced to see the crimson marks that he made on her neck and chest area.??

" Why does he always do that? Now I have to wear high-collared shirts for the next few days." She sighed.??

.??

She shrugged all the thoughts before putting on his long-loose white shirt before making her way downstairs.??

Sometimes being alone in the house is also a blessing.??

However, when she went downstairs, she wasn't expecting to see a full-fledged breakfast prepared on the table. She stared at the dishes in awe and then look at the man in shock who was still in the kitchen and was busy doing something near the sink.??

" Why are you still here? I thought you already went to the office," she said in surprise and went to his side and hugged his waist from behind.??

He chuckled seeing her getting all snuggly and soft the first thing in the morning and pulled her in the front, " How can I leave you alone after last night? Since you made dinner yesterday, I did the breakfast."

" I did good, right?" He asked cutely, waiting for the compliments.??

She laughed and nodded before kissing him on the cheeks, " Ayoo, You did amazing. Keep going like this and I am sure that you will surely find your soulmate in this life." she said with a laugh.??

" I don't need a soulmate, because I already found one." He said as he pinched her nose, making her giggle.??

He sighed and admired her morning beauty. Her hair was messy and she was damn attractive in his white shirt that was loose on her.??

The top two buttons of the shirt were undone, revealing her white collarbone that has a few crimson marks given by him. His lips curled in a proud smirk as he admired his artwork and raised his brows to see her wearing only a shirt and no pants.??

He pulled her closer and wrapped his hands around her as he said, " You...are you trying to seduce me first thing in the morning? Huh?"

She looked at him cluelessly and blinked when she followed his gaze and realized what he meant by his meaningful comment. " You...stop imagining things. It's just...I wasn't expecting you to be here." She said and was ready to go and put on the pants upstairs when he pulled her again and held her face between his palms.??

" Xu Nuan, I made your favorite pancakes for breakfast. Don't you think I should also get something that I like for breakfast?" He asks while looking into her eyes and was breathing against her face, making her face go red in embarrassment.??

She gulped nervously and feigned the pretense, " What do you want? Instant noodles?"

He chuckled and caressed her face tenderly with his rough thumb and whispered in a low voice, " I don't want instant noodles, I want the one who makes instant noodles."

" Huh?" Before Xu Nuan could give him a response, he picked her up and made her sit on the kitchen counter.??

Without thinking about anything else, he kissed her mindlessly and started unbuttoning the remaining buttons of her shirt one by one, making her moan slowly.??

Since she wasn't expecting him to be at home, she didn't get the chance to wear any clothes other than the shirt and using this opportunity, he found simply took her breasts in his hand and started massaging them gently while kissing her intensely.??

Xu Nuan, who was already tired, got even more tired and sore after the morning makeout session. However, rather than going upstairs to the bedroom, this time they did it at the kitchen counter and then moved to the couch in the living room.??

She was embarrassed and found it funny because every single time she will be reminded of these memories whenever she will sit on the couch or stand in the kitchen. This experience is just too thrilling and exciting to forget.??

After freshening up, when both of them sat at the dining table to have their 'delayed' breakfast, it was already lunchtime.??

Xu Nuan gave a glare to Han Zihao before picking up the pancakes that have gone cold and won't taste the same as before. Since she was least interested in doing the extra work to heat them or throw them away so she was simply gonna gobble them away.??

Han Zihao coughed awkwardly seeing her giving him the stares and focused on his food. While eating, he remembered the thing he had planned yesterday.??

Yesterday, he was planning to talk about her moving in with him so that they can spend more time together. However, before he could bring that topic up, things escalated quite quickly, making it impossible to talk about it.??

He took a deep breath and asked, " Xu Nuan, don't you think that we should move one step further in our relationship?"??

" I was thinking...why don't you come to live together with me? I mean, why don't you move in here with me? Also, you like this house, don't you?" He laughed awkwardly.??

" If we stay together, we can see each other daily and we won't need to say goodbye to each other every day. We can still spend time with each other at night so it won't be as difficult as it is to see each other frequently if we do this." He said to try to convince her but she blankly stared at him and put down her fork to look at him seriously.??

" Mr. Han, you must have been tired yesterday, didn't you?" She asked with a mild smile on her face, which left him confused.??

" Tired? Well, it wasn't that tiring, I guess." He answered in confusion. What does it have to do with his question?

Xu Nuan chuckled to see his lost expressions and said, " Didn't you see the clothes in your closet upstairs? Also...didn't you notice the change in the house yesterday?" she asked meaningfully.??

He frowned and thought hard about her words. He looks around and then suddenly something hits her.??

Chapter 330 - Is Red A Loud Color?

Han Zihao looks around to see what he had missed yesterday. However, there was nothing.

" Did you change something? But...What changed?"

I can't tell anything. Now stop creating suspe-" He stopped talking upon realizing that something was indeed amiss. His place does look different than before.

He didn't notice this yesterday but when he looked at it again, there were a few things that weren't at his place before.

The hash-brown carpet under the glass table, the colorful large cushions on the couch, the small plants at the windowsill, these things were never there before. Although, he 'did' notice the overly filled cupboard in the morning when he was taking out the clothes to dress up.

However, he didn't think much about it since Xu Nuan was staying at his place for some time now and they both shared the same closet. However, before she only had a handful of clothes since she wasn't planning to stay for long and only had a few pairs of dresses and nightclothes.

But now it was fully packed and a lot messier as if someone had hoarded more clothes in it.

Seeing Han Zihao's shocked and lost expressions, Xu Nuan chuckled and said, " Now you got it? You're a lot denser than I had thought."

" Didn't you ask me about the same thing before? Yesterday I was thinking about it and it wasn't that bad to stay with you all these days." She shared her thoughts.

" I was hesitant before because I was not sure if I am ready to take this step in our relationship as of yet but...I guess it's not that bad."

Yesterday, when she was shopping for her clothes, she stumbled across a newlywed couple. They were annoyingly sweet and even though she is in a happy relationship, she still felt jealous seeing how they can see each other all the time.

Since they both are busy, there are times when they cannot get to see each other's faces, despite the fact that they live opposite to each other.

She was aware that he wanted them to live together but she was afraid. The betrayals that she had faced in her last time, still haunt her sometimes.

Even though Han Zihao is totally opposite to Qin Ju and she knows that he will never treat her the same way he did, she was still afraid to be dependent on someone like this.

Every time she goes close to someone, either they leave her, or something happens that will make them apart. Same with her Han Zihao when they were young, her parents, even Hao Mei, and all the friends with whom she was forced to be away.

She sometimes wonders if it is really alright for her to be this happy. What if something bad happens again?

However, seeing the newly-wed couple, she doesn't know what gave her the courage but after she came back from the shopping, she packed some of her luggage and moved into his place without telling him.

To surprise him, she made some major changes in the living room and was hoping for him to see what she did, but he couldn't find out.

She thought she would surprise him and was somewhat worried that this action of hers will come out as a clingy girlfriend.

However, when he brought up the topic of her moving in with him, she sighed in relief. Thankfully, he was still thinking about the same thing. Otherwise, it would have been super awkward and embarrassing for her.

Han Zihao was still in shock and was staring at her as if a bomb had been thrown at him. Until yesterday, he was worried about how to bring this topic to her and convince her to move in with him but wasn't expecting that she already planned all this to surprise him.

She continued while avoiding his gaze, "Also, since my house is just in front, if you ever made me angry or annoyed me, I can simply go back to my place. Simple." she shrugged her shoulders, making him frown.

" Are you already giving up on our relationship?" He said while pouting.

Xu Nuan was speechless seeing his reaction and gave him a look before continuing, " Did I say that? I am just saying that I can do that if a worse situation arrives. Also, since I am leaving my luxurious condo to live with you, you better treat me well."

" You remember what you promised in front of my parent's grave, right? So you better do well." She reminded him.

He nodded seriously, " I was waiting for this day for so long. How can I not treat you well? Hmm?" He asked as he leaned to give her a peck on her lips.

The dream that he was dreaming for years is finally going to come into a reality. They're going to live together, the only thing that is left is the wedding band in her finger.

_

Moonriver cafe-

Jia Fei was sitting at a table and was munching on her club sandwich while looking for some good places to deliver the food. Since Luo Dan has gone to a reunion party with her school friends so she was left alone to eat dinner.

She sighed in exasperation as nothing seemed to impress her. She hates eating alone. She is so used to eating dinner with Luo Dan that eating alone makes her feel miserable.

"Life is so boring these days." she cried in frustration. While they were still active as a group, they were busy all the time and had to move and keep working all the time.

Her body is not used to this laid-back life. Running a cafe is all good but she doesn't have anything more to do other than stand behind the counter or check the record books. There is nothing much that she can contribute to the cafe.

" I miss being on stage," she murmured weakly. While she was working, there were times when she was tired and hated her active life. However, she loved performing, the exciting feeling of performing on stage always made her feel alive.

But she was not sure how she was feeling these days. Jiang Yue has also left them, the music is not in their life either. Everything feels just..empty and meaningless.

While she was lost in her thoughts and was wondering how things took a dirty turn in her life, her phone started to ring. She frowned looking at the unknown number and after giving it some thought, she carefully picked the call.

_

Yu Mansion-

After Yuhan broke off the engagement with Gu Xingren, he left his house and started living independently. The words of Xu Nuan made him realize that all this while, he was just following his mother's wish and was not doing what he wanted.

He never loved Xingren but was simply going with the family's arrangements. It was not only wrong towards Xingren but him as well.

Marriage is such a big step but he was taking it casually.

Thankfully, the words of Xu Nuan opened his eyes and ended the suffocating marriage before it could take place. Since Xingren also got into the scandal soon after that, his mother is not angry about it.

This gave him the courage to move out and get away from the shadow of his mother's protectiveness. However, moving out doesn't mean he has abandoned his family completely.

He loves his mother, however, there are times where she forgets that he has grown up and can make his own decisions.

His mother still calls him and complains to him about how he left her alone and has forgotten her. To make her feel better, he even attended blind dates arranged by her a few times, but after the last time, he had stopped going along with that play either.

Today, he came to the Mansion to have dinner with his mother. Since he isn't going on dates now, he was trying to cheer up by giving her gifts and coming home frequently for dinners.

As soon as he entered the Mansion, a servant came running to take the bag from him. He passed him the bag and went to the living room.

" Mom, did you buy a new car? But why does it have to be red? It's such a loud color. Ugh!"

" You should have-" He was talking while rolling up his sleeves but his words got stuck in his throat when he saw the person sitting in the living room.

His steps also halted in shock as he stood there in confusion with widened eyes, " This...this is my house, right?" He looked around to make sure he was at the right place.

" Why...why are you here?" He asked in confusion.

Jia Fei raised brows at him and said sarcastically while trying to maintain a forced smile on her face, " Well, the red color car, it's mine. And Yes, I like loud colors."

Chapter 331 - A Girl Like Her?

Yuhan was startled to see Jia Fei sitting in the living room. He looked around and was wondering if he entered the wrong house when he heard her say," Well, the red car, it's mine. And Yes, I like loud colors."

He closed his parted lips awkwardly and stared at her in bewilderment. When he got out of the car, he spotted a red car parked in front of the Mansion and wondered if his mother bought another car.

He didn't think for a second that this car could be...hers. He stared at her for a few more seconds when his mother came back with the servants following her, " Why are you standing there? Come and sit."

He stared at his mother who was directing the servants to place the snacks and tea on the glass table. He frowned seeing her strangely calm demeanor. " Mom, did you call her here? Why?"

" Ah, wait...do you know her? How?" He asked.

Yao Zixin sat on the single sofa and stared at his son's shocked expressions, " Of course, I called her. Since you were not introducing her to me, I have to take things in my hand myself."

Yuhan was now even more confused. Introducing her?

" Why are you still standing there? Come and sit." Yao Zixin urged her son to take a seat next to Jia Fei, who was also speechless.

Just like Yuhan, Jia Fei was also surprised at the ambitious words of Yuhan's mother. A while ago, she was wondering what to eat for dinner when she got a phone call from an unknown number.

Upon attending the phone, she heard a mature woman's voice who introduced herself as Yuhan's mother. She was surprised too and was wondering why she called her out of the blue.

" I have heard a lot about you. I was wondering if we can meet and have a meal once." Yao Zixing said on the phone.

Jia Fei laughed awkwardly and wondered what had Yuhan said to his mother that she called her personally. " Well, I would love to. You're my friend's mother after all," she said carefully.

Yao Zixin raised brows at her careful words and said," That's great. Then come to our house for dinner tonight. I'll send you the address...or...do you know it already?" she asked meaningfully.

" Eh?" Jia Fei exclaimed. What does that mean? " Ah, I know Yuhan's place address. Do you mean to come there?" She asked carefully.

Since Yuhan's mother called her, Yuhan must know about this arrangement as well. Otherwise, who calls their children's friends out of blue and invites them to dinner without their children knowing?

Yao Zixin was speechless upon hearing her bold statement and laughed, " So you already went to his place, that's...great. I'll send you Yao Mansion's address, just come straight to that address."

_

Yuhan hesitantly sat next to Jia Fei and glanced at her in puzzlement. Inviting her to his place was not that awkward as much as seeing her at his parent's place.

Seeing his mother talking to a servant, asking to get more snacks from the kitchen, he leaned over to Jia Fei and whispered, " Why didn't you tell me earlier that you're coming here?"

Jia Fei was flabbergasted and shot him a glare, " How the hell would I know that you don't know anything about this? Also, why are you even asking me this? Didn't you give her my number?"

" No, I didn't." He waved his hands in denial.

She frowned at him, " And what the hell you told her about us? Why do I feel as if I am being assessed by my mother-in-law at the moment?"

He pursed his lips and cleared his throat awkwardly, " Why would I tell her anything about you? It's not like you're my girlfriend." He cleared.

" As if I am dying to be with you." she scoffed. After he helped her the other day to take care of a drunk Lin Hao, she realized that he is not that bad as she has perceived him.

That's why she didn't mind befriending him.

But...what's with this awkward arrangement?

Yao Zixin pursed her lips upon noticing them nudging their elbows and whispering something in front of her.

She had only heard about this girl but upon seeing them together like this, they seemed to be quite close. He has never been this way with Xingren either, even when they were engaged and were in talks of marriage in the future.

Her expressions hardened but she managed to put a smile on her face, " Jia Fei, right? Why aren't you having anything? I especially prepared all of this for you." she said to Jia Fei while pointing towards the food on the table.

" Ah, Thank you, auntie." Jia Fei finally stopped arguing with Yuhan and picked up a glass of orange juice from the table and took a sip of it.

" So...what's the relationship between you two?" Yao Zixin asked out of nowhere, making Jia Fei choke on her juice.

" Ahh, Haa.."

Seeing Jia Fei coughing, Yuhan passed her some tissues and patted her back, " Are you okay now? Here, drink water."

Yao Zixin frowned as it was her first time seeing his son treating some other girl with care. Although he was quite protective of Xu Nuan in front of her as well,  there is something different about this girl.

After he went on a blind date with the daughter of the mayor last time, he has been acting differently. He stopped going on attending the blind dates arranged by her and wanted to do things according to him.

When she looked around, she found out that the girl is spreading rumors that he is in a relationship with some popular girl.

Because of this, no one is ready to introduce their daughters to Yuhan since he is already taken.

When she asked that girl, the girl looked so excited about going on the blind date with Yuhan. Because after she went on the blind date, she got to meet her idol who is also Yuhan's girlfriend.

Yuhan has a girlfriend? Impossible. She thought.

She wasn't planning on telling her the name of the person, but she mistakenly told her the name of the girl in excitement. She was thinking of confronting Yuhan about this but it's not like he was gonna reveal everything to her.

She managed to get Yuhan's phone in her hands last time when she went to his place. When she searched the name 'Jia Fei' on the phone, she couldn't find anything.

She was relieved to see that it's just a rumor and nothing. But at that time, he received a message from a person named ' Crazy Girl.'

[Crazy Girl: I can't believe that you're old enough to marry and have kids but cannot make decisions in your life. You should tell your mother straight how you feel about all this marriage stuff.]

She scoffed in disbelief seeing the message from the girl. Who the hell is she to instigate her son against her?

When she scrolled up the message, she was shocked to see how many messages they have exchanged before. Some messages were sent late at night too.

' Is she the same girl, Jia Fei?' she wondered. Last time, she took the number, and today she finally decided to call and find out about the girl. When she called her, she found that she was none other than Jia Fei.

Without wasting any other moment, she invited her over the place as she wanted to clear the things before they could get any messier.

She needs to see what kind of girl her son is dating. More than that, if she is fit to become part of their family or not.

_

After Jia Fei calmed down, Yuhan looked at his mother, " Mom, what stunt are you trying to pull here? We're just friends, what's the meaning of all this?"

" How can you call her without me knowing and tell her to come over? And what's with this stupid question?" he shouted in rage.

Seeing Yuhan getting worked up, Jia Fei placed a hand over him to calm him down. And it did work. He stopped speaking and looked away in frustration to calm down to avoid the worst situation.

Yao Zixian frowned and gritted her teeth seeing Jia Fei's hand on Yuhan's hand. He never shouts at her, but he is going against her, that too for this girl.

She clenches her fists, " What am I doing? Didn't you introduce her as your girlfriend on your last blind date? How can you humiliate me in front of others?"

" Also, seeing how she knows the address of your place, I assume she has already gone there. Yuhan, tell me honestly, is this why you moved out of the house? To do whatever you want?"

" Did you also break up with Xingren because of this girl? I doubt that it was because of Xingren's scandal as you never cared about our business connection before either. Are you dating this girl? Huh?" She asked him coldly.

" Yuhan, I have never stopped you from doing anything. You can date anyone you want, but not someone like her."

" MOM!!" Yuhan shouted in irritation. How can she even say something as embarrassing as this?

"....."

Jia Fei was baffled seeing the situation going in another direction. She was talking to her politely a moment ago, what changed now? Was she trying to test the water with her earlier?

But more than that, the way she talked about her made her feel annoyed. Girl like her? What kind of girl is she?

" What's wrong with me? Why can't he date 'someone' like me?" Jia Fei asked in a monotonous tone, surprising everyone with her straightforward question.

Chapter 332 - Tacky And Naive.

" What's wrong with me? Why can't he date 'someone' like me?"

The room fell into a suffocating silence after Jia Fei's bold question. While Yuhan was staring at her in surprise, Yao Zixin frowned upon hearing her words. She wasn't expecting Jia Fei to speak to her like this.

She called her to invite her for dinner at their place because she wanted to confirm the relationship between her and Yuhan. If they're simply friends, it would be rude to speak to her like this.

She just wanted to know if the thing about Yuhan and her girlfriend is just a rumor or if there is any truth in it.

However, after seeing them acting in front of her earlier, it was clear that they are more than 'just' friends. The way they were communicating with their eyes and those low-intimate whispers, it's not something that 'just' friends will do.

Yao Zixin scoffed and said, " You're asking me that question? I looked up a bit about you and found out that you used to be part of a girl group called The Queens. Didn't the group fall apart badly and I heard that it was quite dramatic?"

Jia Fei's expressions hardened upon hearing her mentioning the group but she was all ears. She also wanted to see what she has to say.

" Mom!! Why are you bringing something irrelevant here? Moreover, we're just friends." Yuhan added. He could see his mother hyping up and he was afraid that she would say something hurtful to Jia Fei.

No one knows Yao Zixin better than him and she can say anything to anyone just to prove her point. She used to treat Xingren well because she liked her but she is treating Jia Fei the same way that she used to behave towards Xu Nuan.

" Jia Fei, let's go. There is no need-" He stood up in rage and pulled Jia Fei's hand to take her out of this mess with him but Jia Fei didn't budge from her place.

She simply glanced at him and smiled, " Why are you getting worked up? Can't you see that your mom is talking? It would be rude to leave just like that."

Yuhan frowned but Jia Fei simply winked at him and turned to Yao Zixin and said, " Aunty, Please continue. I am all ears."

"....."

Yao Zixin was speechless to see Jia Fei's nonchalant attitude and was at a loss of words for a moment. Why is so calm even after listening to her mean words?

While Yao Zixin was trying to think about what she had to say, Yuhan also sat down again. He couldn't understand why Jia Fei rejected him and didn't leave with him.

Yao Zixin cleared her throat and scoffed before speaking, " Have you seen your attitude? No girl from a reputed family acts like this. You're a crude and impudent girl."

" I invited you for dinner and see what you're wearing? Your clothes are showing your personality clearly," she stated.

Jia Fei looked down at her clothes and wondered what's wrong with her outfit. She was wearing a white sleeveless crop-top and a check printed black and brown shirt over it. To match with it she wore bottom flared blue jeans and white sneakers.

Well, it does look a bit inappropriate for dinner like this but what can she do? She called her an hour ago and asked her for dinner out of nowhere. She was at the cafe and didn't have the time to stop by her place to change into something nice.

Moreover, it was just a friendly dinner, was there a need to dress up formally? If she had known that she was going to be judged by her clothes, she would have worn her red-carpet gown to satisfy Yao Zixin's materialistic eyes.

Yuhan frowned at his mother and was about to say something when Jia Fei placed a hand over his knee and shook her head. She looked at him and mouthed, 'I'll handle it.'

He was a little surprised by her words. She will handle it? How?

Yao Zixin frowned seeing them acting intimate again and continued, " No doubt that you're like this. Since you worked in the entertainment industry, you sure know how to seduce rich and innocent men."

" That's why I don't want a girl like you in my family. That industry is full of trashy people and I will never allow someone like you as my daughter in law who used to be part of that mess. God knows what you have done to reach the top. " she shook her head at the thought of it.

Jia Fei stared at her in amusement. Yes. Amusement.

She wasn't even angry at her words. She is immune to such insults and such malicious comments don't even bother her anymore.

But if she thinks that she will let her go just like that, then she has chosen the wrong person to fight with. When she can slap Hao Mei in front of the media people, then dealing with one melodramatic lady is not a big deal for her.

After Yao Zixin relaxed after saying her part and quieted down, Jia Fei picked up a piece of melon from the table and ate it before turning to Yao Zixin casually, " That's it? Is that the only reason why you think Yuhan cannot date a girl like me?"

Yao Zixin was perplexed at her strangely calm demeanor and nodded firmly. Is she trying to put a strong front in her? She wondered.

Jia Fei chuckled and sat in a comfortable position on the sofa. She leaned back and supported her back with the cushion behind her.

" Oh My, Ms. Yao, you're too funny. Are you still trying to act like a controlling mother-in-law from melodramas and want to choose your daughter-in-law according to your family status?"

" Eww!! How tacky!! Don't you know that cool mothers-in-law are in trend these days? If you say the things that you said to me to your friends, they will tell you how cheap-minded you sounded just now."

Yuhan and Yao Zixin were both shocked at Jia Fei's words when she started speaking. Yuhan wasn't expecting her to say such things as well.

" What? Che...Cheap minded? How dare you!!" Yao Zixin bellowed at her.

Jia Fei smiled at her and waved her hands in denial, " No, No! That's not what I am saying. I am saying that's what your 'friends' will call you."

" These days, being a mother of a son is nothing to be proud of. If you act like this somewhere else, you will surely be criticized for your naive attitude," she said calmly.

" My mother has birthed a beautiful princess like me and still doesn't act like this as you do. You need to chill a bit, your son is not that amazing you think he is," she said coolly making Yuhan frown.

' Is she...insulting me?' He wondered while trying to understand why he was dragged into this whole conversation. He never even thought that he was amazing or something.

" Moreover, you said that you will not allow someone from the entertainment industry as your daughter-in-law, right? But...isn't your son the CEO of an entertainment company?"

" The Yao family's main business is the entertainment company, in that sense, you and your son, both belong to the entertainment industry. If the people from the entertainment industry are trash and disgusting, then...are you talking about your family in that sense?" she asked with an innocent smile on her lips.

" Aunty, the money that you're so proud of, it all comes from the hard work of people like us. We, the artists and all the staff are the reason that you have all the money in your bank account. If you think that we're disgusting, then what are you? How will you cleanse the money that bought everything in this mansion? Huh?"

Chapter 333 - The Girl I Love!!

After listening to Jia Fei's words, Yao Zixin was speechless. She wasn't expecting her to talk back to her like this.

They own the entertainment company and can make and ruin the lives of so-called artists like her. How can she compare herself to them?

What enraged her more was her son's behavior. How can he stay calm and silent after that girl called her cheap and disgusting? How can she say that they belong to the same disgusting entertainment industry as her?

What magic did she do on him to become like this?

" Yuhan, did you see that? This girl is humiliating your mother by calling me cheap and disgusting. Are you going to let her treat me like this?"

"Aren't you going to say anything to her? Huh?"

Yuhan looked at his mother with a disappointed look and let out a heavy sigh before saying, " Did she say anything wrong? You're the one who called the entertainment industry cheap and disgusting forgetting that we run the entertainment company ourselves."

" But we run the company, whereas she is just a cheap idol who don't-

" MOM!! It's enough now. You have embarrassed me enough already."

" Do you want to know why I left the house to live independently? Your attitude is the reason. Your obsession to control my life is the reason why I don't want to stay in this house anymore." He burst out.

He came for a friendly dinner but his mother had different plans. She deliberately called Jia Fei without knowing him to humiliate her. Even if she thinks she is his girlfriend, how can she say something like that to her?

However, by doing this, she was not humiliating Jia Fei but embarrassing him in front of her. How will he face Jia Fei from now on after what his mother said to her?

Yao Zixin was shocked by her son's sudden confession. Did he move out to run away from her? Is..she that bad? She was just trying to do good for him.

" Yuhan, how can you...say this to your mom? I always wished good for you. I am only doing this for you."

" You deserve a better girl and not a cheap girl like her. I am your mother, of course, I can choose what's good for you. You cannot see anything because this girl has brainwashed you." She said in her defense.

" Mom, I am not a kid anymore. I am old enough to choose my partner and can see what's good for me and whatnot. I hope you can understand that."

" Also, do not play this kind of stunt ever again. Jia Fei is the girl I love and I hope you can respect my choice."

" Thank you for the dinner. Also, I do not wish to have a similar drama next time when we see each other." He said coldly and turned to Jia Fei, " Are you coming with me?"

"Ah?" Jia Fei was perplexed by his sudden question. She was still in a daze after hearing the statement that he made in front of his mother.

' She is the girl that he loves? What kind of sorcery is this? Weren't they just friends?'

Then why didn't he clear up his mother's misunderstanding and instead accept her claim? Wouldn't this complicate things even more?

Yuhan sighed seeing Jia Fei's confused look and grabbed her wrist and pulled her to follow him out of the Mansion.

Jia Fei was startled at his bold action and followed him out of the Mansion in a daze. What just happened?

However, while leaving the Mansion with him, she could feel Yao Zixin's death glare on her back and she could even hear her grumbling in anger.

Once they're out of the Mansion, she glanced at him and could see him burning in anger. His jaw was clenched tightly and for some strange reason, he looked quite handsome for someone, who is angry.

She then glanced at her hands that he was still holding tightly. 'Hmm...his hands are quite larger than mine.' she suddenly thought of.

…..

She could sense his urge to leave this place as soon as possible. They got in her car since she also brought one and he couldn't risk it to leave here just like that.

Who knows what his mother would do to her car if they got in his car and left her behind?

He wanted to drive her car but he didn't give him the keys, " You know I value my life. I will not let a person drive me home who is not in his senses at the moment." She said before getting on the driver's seat.

Yuhan didn't protest and agreed to her arrangements. He is indeed not in the right mindset at the moment.

….

While driving, Jia Fei glanced at him and saw him clenching his jaw again and was looking as if he would smash the car mirror at any moment.

She cleared her throat and said, "Have you ever tried modeling? How can you look so handsome even when you're angry?" She said jokingly to reduce the tension between them.

He frowned at her cheesy comment and glanced at her coldly. Seeing her still beaming in a smile, he sighed heavily.

" I am sorry about what just happened. I didn't know my mother invited you for dinner and more than that, I apologize for whatever just happened."

" My mom, she shouldn't have insulted you like this. I am sorry." He said seriously.

Jia Fei was surprised at his sudden apology and smiled before looking in the front. " Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."

" Moreover, I wasn't quite polite to your mother either. She said what she wanted to say, and I responded to her comments the same way. We're equal."

He smiled and shook his head, " No. What you said was right. If she dares to say something like that to someone, she should be ready to get a similar response as well. In comparison to what she said to you, you were already being polite to her."

" Moreover, she needs to understand that not everything can go according to her will. And about...what I said a while ago...about us..." He hesitated.

" I know. You were just trying to shut her off. Well, I think it's for the better. This way she won't bother you anymore with blind dates. You can chill, I don't mind such things as long as it doesn't create any trouble." she said coolly.

" I never knew you can be so cool when handling such matters." He commented.

" Well, I am not every girl's dream for no reason. Didn't you see your blind date last time going crazy over me? That's my charm." she laughed.

Jia Fei glanced at him and added, " By the way, weren't you apologizing a while ago? Shouldn't you be a bit more sincere when apologizing to me? How can you apologize to me without feeding me anything? I am starving, you see!"

He looked at her in amusement and finally laughed, " How can you still think of eating? Are you that hungry?"

" Of course I am. It's past 9 already and I only had a club sandwich and a few cups of coffee the whole day."

" You didn't even have lunch today? Why?"

" Well, it was boring to eat alone without Luo Dan. I was thinking about having food delivered when your mom called. But who would have thought that dinner invitation would turn out-

She stopped talking when she unconsciously started talking about the same matter and coughed, " So...for dinner, it's your treat, right?"

" Yeah, sure. You can order whatever you want." He said.

" Oh, Yeah. I am gonna stop the car in front of an expensive hotel and will order the most expensive dishes. You're paying after all." She laughed and did just as she said.

If someone else is paying, she will do her best to respect the other person and will eat the food to her heart's content.

Chapter 334 - Epitome Of Innocent Beauty!

In the luxurious lounge of the five-star hotel, a high school reunion party was being held. The jazz music was filling up the place and the clinking sound of wine glasses were resonating in the spacious yet dim lighted room.

While everyone was talking and catching up with each other by recalling the old stories, Luo Dan was sitting on the couch in the corner and was looking at everyone nervously.

Even after achieving the title of Epitome of innocent beauty by her fans and the public, she was still feeling nervous and hesitant in this gathering.

She didn't want to come here but Jia Fei told her to attend the party like a boss and ruin everyone's so-called ego with her blinding beauty.

Well, she was being dramatic like always. But as she said, she did her best to dress up today and wore a sleeveless black dress that was hugging her body perfectly. Although it was too much for her character, she still did as Jia Fei said.

The dress was reaching above her knees and to match the vibes, she was wearing her hair loose.

She didn't want to overdo her look so she was wearing minimalist accessories to compliment her dress and the evening party look.

Today she was hoping to blow everyone's mind with her looks but when she came to the party, everyone's glances made her uncomfortable instead.

Even though she is sitting among everyone, she feels like the loneliest person on this planet. Everyone has someone that they were glad to meet after so long but was it the same for her too?

Well, the answer is no!

The people who are being polite and nice to her now are the same people who laughed at her for her looks back then and loathed her.

So this is what stardom feels like? Fake compliments and jealous looks.

While she was watching everyone being fake and giggling at each other's jokes, a man walked to her and stood in front of her, startling her, " Luo Dan, why are you sitting here like this? Why aren't you drinking anything?"

The man dressed in a black tuxedo smiled at her and picked up a glass of red wine from the table and passed it to her, " Here. Drink this. A beautiful lady shouldn't be sitting in the corner like this, empty-handed."

Luo Dan hesitated but after he insisted, she gave in to him.

The man sat beside her and looked at her from up and down, checking her out. " You look quite different now." He said meaningfully.

" If I had known before then that you would become this beautiful in the future, I wouldn't have rejected you like that. That was hilarious, I never thought that you would seriously write a love letter to me."

" Like who does that?" he laughed thinking that it's the funniest story in the world.

But it wasn't a funny incident for her.

Although the man is now smiling at her and talking to her like a friend, he is the same man who humiliated her in front of everyone back then.

She still remembers the day vividly when she was in school and after deep thought, she gathered her courage to finally confess her feelings to her crush, that is him.

When in school, Luo Wuying was the coolest guy in the school who used to be a dream of every girl. His good looks are to be blamed.

Although they were not close in particular, his passing gentle actions made her think differently towards him. Maybe she had watched too many romantic movies that she started to think that confessing was the right thing to do at that time.

On Valentine's Day, when everyone was giving flowers and chocolates to each other, she also put a box of handmade chocolates and a letter under his desk when he went to the washroom.

She didn't dare to give the letter to him face to face. So she used the old-school method and wrote a heartfelt letter to him.

The next day when she went to school, she could feel her heart beating loudly against her chest.

'Did he read the letter? Is he going to give me the response today? What would it be?' Just like any other teenage girl, she was excited and nervous at the same time about her first-ever confession.

However, as soon as she reached the entrance of her classroom, she could hear other students laughing and hooting loudly. For some reason, she could feel her heart sinking in.

She carefully walked in with a serious face and halted in steps when everyone stopped laughing as soon as she walked in. They glanced at her strangely and started whispering something to each other.

Their mocking expressions were terrifying to think of even until this day.

" What's...happening? Why are you staring at me like this?" She asked cautiously, wondering the meaning behind their gazes.

However, that's when her eyes fell on the letter pinned up on the notice board in the class.

Her eyes widened to see the letter that she had written to Luo Wuying had been pinned on the notice board to see for everyone like an announcement.

That's when she realized that they were laughing at her letter. No...in reality, they were laughing at her, Her!!

When she moved closer to the board, a line was written on the letter with a red pen in bold letters, [SORRY. I DON'T LIKE UGLY GIRLS.]

Even before that, she was living with the tags of fatso, ugly, nerdy girl and whatnot. However, she tried to ignore all of that and still made that attempt to confess her feelings which turned her into a complete loser in the school.

That incident gave her a huge inferiority complex regarding her looks. She even went on a strict diet and did her best to lose weight to fit into the so-called beauty standards of the society.

After she got into QY Entertainment and managed to become a trainee there, Jiang Yue helped her to get the confidence again so that she can perform on stage with no fear.

But now when she is here again, among the same people who made her school life hell, she couldn't help but feel her hands go cold out of nervousness again.

_

Seeing their laughing faces, she couldn't help but think of that very day when they were laughing at her.

" Luo Dan, How come you have become so pretty? Did you do anything to your face?" A girl asked while laughing.

" It must be makeup. Makeup is like magic which can change one's whole face. However, I prefer to stay natural and appreciate my natural skin."

" Oh My, Luo Dan, it must be good to be an idol. You guys earn money without doing anything."

" Exactly!! We work all day and night to earn a living and they become rich just by performing on stage and using their looks." Someone commented.

Luo Dan didn't say anything and was listening to their so-called polite comments.

This was it. She was expecting something like that from them.

'I shouldn't have come here.' She thought.

She wanted to avoid this gathering at all costs but if she had not come today, she knows that she would still be the center of attraction of this gathering.

Moreover, she wanted to try and face her fears to forget about the past.

However, it's not easy to change people and their cheap mentality. How can she expect them to change for the better even after long years?

_

During the whole party, Luo Dan barely touched any food or drinks. It was too suffocating to stay there any longer.

When it was time to leave, Luo Wuying stood up in front of everyone and said, " Since everyone managed to spare some time out of their busy schedules and come to the party today, I want to be the one to treat everyone."

" Also, Luo Dan, thanks for coming to the party. I am glad that you didn't reject me as I did to you back then." He laughed and continued, " In that case, will you allow me to drop you back home after the party?" He asked in front of everyone.

Luo Dan was left speechless at his shamelessness. How can he even ask her that question? They're not even that close, not after what he did to her at the least.

However, before she could say anything, everyone started shouting and cheering up for Luo Wuying. " Of course she will."

" She loves you after all, Hahaha."

" Oh, stop it. That's so embarrassing." People laughed about it, thinking about the same incident.

Luo Wuying didn't wait to hear Luo Dan's response and turned to the waiter, " Get me the bill. I will pay for tonight's party." He announced again proudly while raising a glass of wine to everyone.

The waiter glanced at everyone awkwardly and said, " Sir, you don't need to pay. The bill has been settled already."

" Hmm? It has been paid? Who did?" He asked awkwardly.

" I did."

Chapter 335 - Heartfelt Speech.

Luo Wuying's proud smile faltered when the waiter said that the bill had been paid already.

This is a five-star hotel and one of the top-most listed hotels in the country. Making a reservation at this hotel was already hard enough, yet he somehow managed to reserve a lounge for their reunion party here.

One dish at this hotel is expensive enough and by clearing the bills, he wanted to prove his greatness among everyone yet someone beat him to it. Who is capable enough to do that? From what I know, everyone is quite self-centered and prefers to get the free treat.

He looked around embarrassingly and turned to the waiter, " Hmm? It has been paid already? Who..who did that?" He asked.

At that time, a poised yet charming voice attracted everyone's attention, " I did."

Everyone turned around and looked at the girl, clad in a black dress who was standing at the back of the room.

Luo Wuying frowned, " Luo Dan? What kind of joke is this? Why...You paid the bills? When?"

Luo Dan couldn't help but scoff at his uncertain voice. He used to be a heartthrob of every girl back then but now when she looks at him, he is nothing but just an attention seeker.

Everything he does is only to get others' attention. Posting her love letter on the notice board and announcing to pay the bills before doing so can also be counted for the same.

Well, it's time to steal his spotlight now.

Luo Dan looked at everyone's surprised expressions while showing her radiant smile and made her way to Luo Wuying with her elegant yet subtle steps in her matching black sparkling high heels.

Everyone in the room, especially the girls were a little taken aback when Luo Dan made her way to the front while showing her elegance for what she is known for in the entertainment industry.

They hate to accept it but they were jealous of her for what she had achieved after going through an embarrassing past. However, after seeing her being quiet at the party, they realized that she might have changed in terms of looks, but in terms of personality, she is the same coward, nerdy Luo Dan.

However, at the moment she was shining the most in this dimly lighted room.

Luo Dan stood next to Luo Wuying and turned to everyone. She smiled at them and flipped her hair back before speaking, " Allow me to say a few words from this place. First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to this reunion."

" I might attend countless award shows or extravagant parties but it was amazing to meet all of my high school 'friends'." She emphasized the last word and continued, " It freshened up the 'memories' that I had forgotten long ago. Those memories might not be the best part of my life, but they did make me what I am today. So thank you so much for that. Seriously." She bowed in front of them politely, leaving them speechless.

Everyone's expressions turned hard upon listening to her heartfelt yet sarcastic thanks. She was boasting about how popular and successful she is yet her polite words made it difficult for them to say anything.

Even though 'The Queens' have been disbanded, the popularity of Jia Fei and Luo Dan is nowhere to be affected. They are still popular as ever and entertainment companies are dying to have them signed with them.

It was only Hao Mei whose popularity has hit rock bottom. They're still in demand and the albums will be sold out if they decide to make a comeback.

After thanking everyone, Luo Dan then turned to Luo Wuying who couldn't hide his expressions and was clutching his fists tightly in annoyance.

She smiled at him and said, " Luo Wuying, Thank you so much to you too. If you hadn't posted my letter on the notice board that day, I wouldn't have realized how big of a jerk you are and might have continued to like you as a lovelorn teenage girl."

" Because of you, I started working on myself and started to focus on my music rather than unnecessary distractions. In the process, I met some amazing people who made me realize that I am too amazing to be with a jerk like you. They made me realize that If I don't realize my real worth and be proud of it, others will never treat me better."

" Thank you so much for being an eye-opener for me. That's why to thank you all I had already settled the bills in advance when I went to the washroom earlier."

" Luo Wuying, one more thing, If you want to book a five-star hotel like this for a gathering next time, you can directly contact me. Such hotels are hard to reserve, you see," she said with a meaningful smile, making everyone wonder about the meaning behind her words.

Luo Wuying frowned, " What do you mean? I was the one who booked this hotel, why would I contact you? Also, do you think you're doing something great? You're just an idol who dances in front of men in half-naked clothes and earns a living from that. Who do you think you're? Huh?"

" No one in this room is capable enough to afford this kind of five-star hotel. Yet rather than being grateful, you're being cocky. Huh?" He blurted out in the heat of the moment, forgetting the presence of other people in the room.

The whispers could be heard upon hearing his unrefined words, which shocked everyone. In comparison to Luo Dan who was speaking in an eloquent, well-mannered behavior, his words sounded more of a thug or gangster.

" How can he say that? Did we tell him to book this hotel?"

" Wasn't he the one who came up with this party idea?"

" What does he think of himself? How rude!"

" Luo Dan is right. He is a jerk. Cheap-minded jerk."

" How can he say that to her? Even in the past, he was in the wrong. Rather than apologizing to her, he is being rude to her. Shameless."

Luo Dan smiled upon hearing everyone's whisper and it only made Luo Wuying even angrier. She smiled at him and said, " Well, I hate to break it to you, but when you called the hotel to reserve the lounge for the party, the reception was planning to reject you."

" However, thankfully, I was at the hotel as well the other day and heard the conversation. Since I used to be the face of this hotel before, in my name, they reserved the lounge. Otherwise, why do you think that a five-star hotel will lend you to use their lounge that too without taking any advance payment?"

" It's because they did it for me and allowed you to use it for free. They're not charging for the lounge and only for the food and drinks that you had today," she explained to him calmly.

" So it was because of Luo Dan that we could use this lounge? Luo Dan, you're the best!"

" I was also thinking something was not right. It was the manager of the hotel who escorted Luo Dan to the room earlier. It's because she was the one who booked this room."

Luo Wuying's expressions darkened seeing everyone appreciating Luo Dan and ignoring him. It was him who planned all this and yet this bitch took all the credit.

He gritted his teeth and said, " Luo Dan, don't think that you're something great. You're just a cheap idol who has lost her glory. So stop boasting about her past achievements."

" Well, even if they're in the past, they're still my achievements. And I can bring them up anytime, anywhere. Kindly keep your unnecessary opinion to yourself." She said while looking straight into his eyes.

In the end, he left the hotel after facing utter humiliation. He wasn't expecting that Luo Dan would ever talk to him like this in front of everyone. How embarrassing!!

While he was leaving the hotel after being humiliated miserably, a man was sitting in his black car and was watching him run away from the situation by getting in his car and driving away.

Han Liang's lips curled up to see the man leave and leaned back on his seat comfortably when his manager turned to him, " Han Liang, what are we waiting here for? Shouldn't we leave already?"

He shook his head, " Not yet. I am waiting for someone."

" Who? Is someone coming?"The manager asked.

" Just wait for a little more."

Chapter 336 - Be A Queen!!

The high school reunion was supposed to be a lively get-together to reminisce about their high school days which ended dramatically.  No one expected that things would turn out like this in the end and the cowardly, nerdy Luo Dan would react like this.

In school, she used to be the outcast and the weakling in the class, however, after she debuted as a member of The Queens, everyone was shocked to see their shocking transformation.

That was the moment when Luo Wuying regretted rejecting Luo Dan that day. However, to boost his pride, he even made comments and posted about the same incident on SNS to prove how Luo Dan used to be a loser in high school and confessed to him with a letter, only to be rejected by him.

His post went viral in a short time and the people were shocked to know about this truth and wanted him to show evidence to prove his claim. However, before he could post the picture of the letter, the post he made and comments disappeared.

He didn't delete them but somehow everything disappeared from the internet. Not only that, shortly after this, his system got virus as well and all the data from the laptop disappeared in an instant, along with the only picture of the letter that he was left with.

He still doesn't know what happened that day and who did that to him, but because of this incident, everyone calls him a liar and blames him for spreading false rumors.

A few classmates who came to support his claim got trolled on the internet for the same and in the end, they deleted their accounts as well.

_

To her fans, Luo Dan was known as the innocent beauty but for them, she was still the same, ugly girl who got rejected by Luo Wuying in front of the whole class.

When they heard that Luo Dan is also attending the party, some were worried about her being changed after becoming successful but Luo Wuying was confident that he could still get her with his sweet words.

After all, she used to have a crush on him.

Things were going right in the start and Luo Wuying was confident to woo Luo Dan once again with his charming personality, but what changed by the end of the party?

***

Han Liang was waiting in the car that was parked in the parking lot of the hotel.

He was there when Luo Wuying got in his car and left the hotel premises. A frown appeared on his face to see the man left but rather than acting on his momentary emotions, he waited patiently.

While Han Liang was checking the time on his phone, his manager was getting impatient with every minute.

It's been a while since their meeting with the director and the producer ended and rather than leaving, Han Liang has told him to wait for some time more.

' Why the hell are they wasting their precious time?'

This time can be used for Han Liang to rest more or even better practice his dance routine for his upcoming album.

" Han Liang, is someone coming? What are we waiting here for?" The manager asked. However, his question went unanswered once again.

'This brat…' He gritted his teeth.

Han Liang was frowning and was wondering what's taking her so long when he saw the familiar figure approaching the car.

Without a delay, Han Liang got out of the car and ran towards Luo Dan who was looking for his car among so many cars in the open parking area of the hotel.

" Han Liang, what are you….at least wear your mask before going out." The manager shouted seeing him running out without taking his mask or car.

' No doubt he gets into scandals frequently. He calls for them.'

" Finally! I thought you got into trouble seeing how long it was taking you to come out." He said worriedly and removed his jacket to pass on to her to cover her shoulders.

Seeing her dull expressions, he didn't say anything earlier and said, " Wear it. It gets cold at night."

Luo Dan was surprised by his gentlemanly gesture and shyly took his jacket to wear over her exposed shoulders.

When Han Liang brought Luo Dan to his car, his manager was shooting lasers at them. So that was the reason for all the wait.

_

A while ago, after the meeting with the producers, he left the private restaurant room for a moment to use the washroom and heard someone talking loudly in the corridor outside.

" Do you think that Luo Dan has done something to her...you know...body? She looks fuller than before. I just can't take my eyes off her." The man laughed while making vulgar gestures.

" If I had known before, I wouldn't have rejected her. Too bad that she didn't look like this before." He sighed.

" Did you see how she was talking to me earlier and even took the drink from me? I am sure she still likes me. I can see in her eyes dude."

" So what are you going to do now? I don't think she will come to you now. " the other man asked.

" Aye, don't be ridiculous. Girls like Luo Dan are easy to catch. Moreover, she is an idol, do you think she is as pure as she looks? I doubt it." He claimed while thinking about the ways to make Luo Dan follow him after the party.

While he was busy sharing his lewd thoughts with his friends, Han Liang was listening to all of this from afar.

He was trying to control his temper but upon listening to the last comments of the man, he couldn't bear it anymore. He was about to go out to beat the man to a pulp when a hand came out of nowhere and stopped him.

He turned around and was surprised to see Luo Dan holding onto his hands. He gritted his teeth to see her moist eyes that were brimming with tears.

" Leave my hand for a second. Let me teach this bastard a lesson." He said.

Luo Dan shook her head, " Don't do it. This will only make the situation even worse." she said meekly. She came out to use the ladies' room and wasn't expecting to hear such kinds of words from Luo Wuying.

She was hurt but not surprised upon remembering how he humiliated her back then. However, more than his words, what hurt her was, Han Liang has witnessed all of this.

Han Liang took a deep breath seeing how she was holding onto him tightly and handed her his handkerchief to wipe her tears. After she calmed down, he said, " Do you want me to teach him a lesson? I might look thin, but I have enough muscles to fight with him."

Luo Dan chuckled while sobbing and shook her head, " There is no need. It's my matter, so I should be the one dealing with it." she said in a low voice.

She wants to deal with it, but it's not as easy as it looks. She also knows that she was being cowardly by acting like this but it's not that simple as it looks.

….

Han Liang sighed seeing her looking down and held her by the shoulders, " Last time you told me to treat you like friends, so let me be frank here."

" You know that you're beautiful, right? You know that you deserve better and can do way better than this jerk, don't you?" He asked calmly.

She pursed her lips and nodded hesitantly.

" Then why are you listening to all of this? If you don't respond to someone's jerky behavior, they will keep looking down on you. You need to show them that you're not easy to be taken for granted."

" They cannot insult you, no one can do that. Just be confident in yourself and show what you're, A Queen." He said seriously.

Luo Dan remained silent for a few moments and then added, " You like melo movies, don't you?"

" Hmm? What does it mean?"

" I mean...your dialogues, they're quite dramatic and cringy," she said, making him chuckle. Even at such times, she didn't fail to look down on his dialogue delivery.

" Well, you can call me dramatic but girls die to hear such cringe words from me." he boasts.

" Yeah, sure." Luo Dan said in a low voice, mocking his overly self-confidence.

Han Liang laughed seeing her smiling and said, " You came here for a party? After you're done, meet me at the parking lot outside. I'll give you a ride."

" No, there is no need. Seriously."

" I am not asking you. I am telling you to meet me outside. Now go and show what you are, A Queen." He said and pushed her towards the lounge room.

After she left the corridor, he sighed, " Will she be alright?" He wondered.

Chapter 337 - A Misunderstanding!!

" We're here." The manager announced as he stopped the car in front of the Glory Building, where Luo Dan lives.

The awkwardly-silent ride was finally over.

Luo Dan sighed in relief as, during the whole ride, she was wondering what to say and how to react to reduce the tension in the air. However, the awkwardness didn't last for long as they reached their destination soon enough.

Luo Dan held onto her phone and a shiny clutch bag, ready to leave, and turned to Han Liang, " Thanks for the ride. Also, thanks for earlier too. It means alot."

If not for Han Liang's encouraging words, she would have never stood up against Luo Wuying and taught him a lesson.

" Ah, Yes. Well, it was nothing much. The ride, I wasn't the home who was driving so…Haha" He laughed awkwardly.

The manager sitting in the front seat couldn't help but chuckle to see Han Liang's broken expressions. He was showcasing his malfunctioning expressions at the moment.

He never thought that the Prince charming of every girl's dream, the great Han Liang cannot even speak properly in front of a girl he likes. Tch!

_

After bidding goodbye to Han Liang, Luo Dan got out of the car and entered the building. However, as soon as she went inside, she was startled to see the person standing near the elevator.

" Jia Fei?" She exclaimed in surprise to see Jia Fei waiting for the elevator. However, that was not the surprising part. What was more surprising was, she was not alone.

Jia Fei was barely standing on her own and was leaning her body to Yuhan for support. Her hair was messy and her liner and lipstick were smudged, making her look like a zombie.

Luo Dan frowned at the man who was standing next to her. It was the same man who was on a blind date at the hotel last time, where she went together with Jia Fei for lunch.

" Yo, Luo Luo!! You're back? I missed you." Jia Fei waved at her excitedly and shouted before running to hug her.

Yuhan pursed his lips awkwardly to see Luo Dan and nodded at her in greeting, which got ignored by Luo Dan who was still scrutinizing him.

" You're drunk?" Luo Dan frowned when Jia Fei came to hug her. She held onto her and glared at Yuhan who raised his hands in defense, " It wasn't me. She drank it herself."

" I was just dropping her home since she was too drunk." He explained.

At that moment, Luo Dan relaxed a bit but wasn't sure completely. " Well, thanks for dropping her home. I'll take her from here. You can leave. " she said indifferently.

" And you, are you stupid or what? How can you drink so much to get yourself drunk like this?" She lectured the drunk Jia Fei who was hanging onto her for her life.

" Ah, why are you so heavy?" she grunted while holding onto drunk Jia Fei while struggling to manage her dress and the high heels that she was wearing.

Yuhan looked at them awkwardly and pursed his lips hesitantly seeing them struggling like that. " Well, do you need any help? She looks quite drunk. Are you sure you can handle her yourself?"

Luo Dan stopped and shot him a glare. " No, thanks. I'll manage," she replied.

She has only seen this man once and wasn't sure of Jia Fei's connection with this man. What if he was trying to take advantage of Jia Fei's drunken state earlier? Who knows?

Seeing Luo Dan's hostile reaction, Yuhan was about to leave when Jia Fei started shouting again, " Oi, aren't you going to apologize to me? What do you mean I am not good enough to date you?"

" How can you call me cheap and disgusting?" she shouted while pouting upsettingly.

Yuhan: "....."

Luo Dan: "....."

Yuhan's eyes widened upon hearing Jia Fei's comment. Well, she wasn't lying but he never said such words. It was his mother, not HIM.

The situation is already complicated enough and her comment only made the situation worse.

Luo Dan was shocked upon hearing Jia Fei's comment. Was Jia Fei rejected by this man? Even if that's the case, how can he reject her so bluntly? Is he a bully or what?

Luo Dan took a sharp breath and glowered at Yuhan, " You...did you tell her that she is not good enough for you? Like seriously? Who do you think you are?"

" Do you even know how many people die to even get a picture with her? How can you say that she is not good enough for you?" Luo Dan boasted about Jia Fei.

Although she also cringed at her words a little, but who cares? She's gonna tell this man how precious her Jia Fei is.

" I know that she is a little crazy, she can be loud and blunt sometimes. But even if it is, how can you reject her so heartlessly? Cheap and disgusting? That's not only heartless but utterly rude."

Yuhan shakes his head in denial, " No. No. No. I never said that. I can never reject her because our relationship is not like that, seriously."

" Then how can you explain what she said just now?" Luo Dan demanded.

" Well, it's a bit complicated. That's not what I said, it's my mom. I can never say that."

" Your MOM? So things have gone that far? You already introduced her to your parents and allowed her to be humiliated like that? That's unacceptable." she scoffed in disbelief.

How can Jia Fei get herself a guy like that? And more than that, how can she not say a word to her about him?

" Yes!! It's unacceptable. Beat the BiTch!! I am the best, Yooowoo!! Yaya!!" Jia Fei started hooting again in Luo Dan's ears.

Yuhan sighed heavily to see Jia Fei's crazily drunk condition and Luo Dan who was misunderstanding the whole damn situation.

Just as he was wondering how to resolve this misunderstanding of hers and prove to her that he is not a bad guy, the elevator reached the ground floor and opened.

" Oh! Yuhan?" Xu Nuan exclaimed in surprise.

Yuhan looked at Xu Nuan, who was in the elevator and sighed in relief. Since Jia Fei knows Xu Nuan, Luo Dan must know her too. However, his expressions turned sour in an instant to see Han Zihao who was standing next to her.

Xu Nuan was holding onto Han Zihao's arms intimately and they were even wearing matching couple t-shirts. Both of them were wearing a black t-shirt which had a large half heart shape printed on it and upon standing together, the broken heart becomes one.

' Can they become tackier than this?' He wondered.

" Yuhan, what are you doing here?" Xu Nuan asked in confusion.

Han Zihao glared at the man who appeared out of nowhere and held Xu Nuan by the shoulder and pulled her closer to show his claim.

Yuhan was speechless to see Han Zihao's childish attitude and was about to explain to Xu Nuan, when Luo Dan interrupted, " Oh, Xu Nuan! Do you know this man? Is he your friend?"

Xu Nuan then looked to the side and noticed Luo Dan who was dressed beautifully and was wearing heels. Whereas Jia Fei was dead drunk and was putting all of her weight on poor Luo Dan.

'What's with this strange situation?'

Chapter 338 - Why Are You Grabbing My Pants?

Xu Nuan was confused to see the strange situation. Why were Luo Dan, Jia Fei and Yuhan together? And why Luo Dan was asking if Yuhan is her friend or not?

She glanced at Yuhan in confusion and stepped out of the elevator with Han Zihao, " Well, he is a close friend of mine. Is something wrong?"

" Well, as you can see, Jia Fei was drunk and he was with her. I was not sure about his identity so I was just...questioning him," she explained honestly. However, since Xu Nuan also knows him, she realized that he must not be that bad.??

Yuhan was speechless to see Luo Dan talking about him as if he made her drunk like that. He did nothing and just paid the bills, was that his fault? He even tried to stop her but she kept drinking shots over shots.??

Xu Nuan frowned. She looked at Yuhan and then at Jia Fei. The last time when she went to Moonriver cafe with Yuhan, Jia Fei and Yuhan met for the first time and she remembered that it wasn't a pleasant meeting for sure.??

Then what changed between them? Since when did Jia Fei and Yuhan get close enough to go out for a drink together???

" I am sure there must be some misunderstanding. Yuhan is not a bad guy. Don't worry." Xu Nuan explained.??

Han Zihao frowned and glanced at Yuhan who was pleased by Xu Nuan's response. Why is she clarifying for him? It's not like she knows him well enough to clarify for him.??

"Erh???.Do you need some help? You look uncomfortable." Xu Nuan said seeing Luo Dan getting crushed by Jia Fei's body weight.??

" Ah, well, Thank you. Here." Luo Dan hesitated at first but gave in to Xu Nuan eventually. She sighed in relief and handed Jia Fei to her.

However, unlike her, Xu Nuan grabbed the back of her pants tightly and made her stand on her legs, instead of supporting her by her shoulders or back.??

" Argh...why are you grabbing me by my pants? Are you a thug or what?" Jia Fei cried and tried to get out of her but Xu Nuan was holding her firmly and said, " Stay like this, or I'll throw you on the floor. Choose what seems to be a better option for you."??

Jia Fei frowns and looks for Yuhan who was feeling bad for her. " You!! You carry me. Come here."??

Xu Nuan frowned seeing her acting cheeky in front of her and pulled on her pants, making Jia Fei do a little jump in her place, " Stop right there. You aren't going anywhere." she ordered her firmly.??

Han Zihao was surprised to see Xu Nuan treating Jia Fei mercilessly and couldn't help but chuckle seeing her being comfortable with her members. Compared to Luo Dan and Jia Fei, she does look like an elder sister here.??

As he was watching her handling drunk Jia Fei, Luo Dan was also doing the same from the sides.??

Jia Fei was drunk but she could notice the strange behavior of Xu Nuan. The way she was holding Jia Fei was the same way Jiang Yue used to hold her when Jia Fei got drunk.??

And the way she was being protective towards Jia Fei, why does it all seem familiar? She wondered.??

Just as she was wondering about the similarities between the two people, a panting voice could be heard from behind, " Ms. Luo, Thank god you're still here. Your earrings fell in the car. Here. " Han Liang said while panting heavily.??

" Ah, Seriously? Thank you so much. I didn't even realize that it was lost." Luo Dan thanked him sincerely after taking the earring.??

" Now what are you doing here?" Han Zihao asked Han Liang.??

Xu Nuan was curious about the same. Since when did Luo Dan and Han Liang start to hang out together???

Why is everyone meeting each other behind her backs? She wondered.??

How come all of her friends know each other well???

_

Han Liang laughed awkwardly to see Han Zihao and Xu Nuan who were shooting daggers at him. " Well, I was just dropping Ms. Luo Dan home. Since we met coincidentally at a hotel, I thought it would be the polite thing to do." He explained well.??

He didn't want Xu Nuan to have any ideas about his feelings for Luo Dan since he knows that she will not leave a chance to tease him about it.??

Luo Dan glanced at Han Liang with a frown. 'Polite thing to do? So he was just being polite. I see???' She sighed, feeling stupid for having ideas on her own.??

Han Liang cleared his throat to see Xu Nuan giving him a suspicious gaze and looked at drunk Jia Fei, " What's wrong with her? Why does she look like a living ghost?" He laughed.??

Luo Dan looked at him, giving him a stern glance. Remembering that the brat cafe girl is Luo Dan's friend, he changed his tone.??

" Erhm...I mean, she seems to be quite drunk. Xu Nuan, what are you doing and not taking her home? Go and help Ms. Luo."??

" Who are you to tell her what to do?" Han Zihao said sternly.??

" Brother, why are you coming at me? I didn't even say anything."??

Luo Dan blinked, realizing that Han Zihao and Han Liang, both are related to each other.??

Since Han Liang met Xu Nuan in their cafe, she was aware that they knew each other.??

But it was surprising to see that Xu Nuan's boyfriend and Han Liang are brothers. She had read about Han Zihao in business magazines sometimes but it was her first time seeing him in reality.??

And as expected, his looks are truly ethereal and he could even attempt modeling if he wants to.??

_

" Since you have given her the earring, now leave. Shoo, shoo." Xu Nuan chided Han Liang who frowned at her.??

" Yuhan, you should leave too. I will call you later." She said, sending him off.??

Han Zihao frowned when Han Liang leaned closer to him, " Did you see that brother? She said I will call you later???. Hmmmm!!!" He teased him.??

*Smack*

"Ergh!! Why are you hitting me?" Han Liang cried in embarrassment when Han Zihao smacked him on the head.??

" If you've done your part to spice things up, you can leave." He said sternly.??

" Since I've come this far, at least invite me upstairs for a cup of coffee." Han Liang complained about how ruthlessly his brother was sending him back.??

" It's too late to drink coffee. Now get out."??

" But I don't mind. I can drink -

" Erm...Do you want to drink coffee? If you want you can come upstairs. I will make one for you." Luo Dan said seeing Han Liang wanting to drink coffee that badly.??

Han Liang was just joking but his eyes lit up when Luo Dan invited him upstairs. However, before he could say anything, Xu Nuan interrupted, " Ah, it's okay. He needs to go. Why are you still standing here and not leaving?"

Han Liang frowned and couldn't believe he was being treated like this in front of Luo Dan. How embarrassing!!.

In the end, Han Zihao and Xu Nuan went to drop Jia Fei at her apartment with Luo Dan, meanwhile, Yuhan and Han Liang went their different ways.??

Chapter 339 - Dating Scandal (I)

Xu Nuan was sitting in the library with her laptop in front of her and was checking the revenue report of the last month of the cyber-security company. They have earned quite a lot from what she had imagined before.

Because of what she did for the Gu Enterprises, the word has been spread in the industry, and now everyone wants to work with them. Some were afraid after the cyber attack on Gu Enterprises who is one of the known companies and wants to redesign its cyber-security plan.

Because of that reason, She is getting countless offers to work with them every day.

Thankfully, Hu Jun was managing the company quite well and Aurora is also helping him by the side. Due to the difference in their personalities, they do get into conflicts a few times but the situation gets better with her intervention.

Their personalities might be different but they work well along with each other. Hu Jun deals with the given projects, meanwhile, Aurora handles all the administrative and accounting work.

He also helps in managing the company funds which will not only be used to pay their salary and maintain the systems but also the surplus profit will be used to make investments for her new entertainment company.

She has already got her new entertainment company registered under the name of HJ Entertainment.

At first, she wanted to come up with some cool name for the company but after thinking about it, she decided on her and Han Zihao's initials for the name of the company. What can be better than combining their names?

Although she hasn't inaugurated the company yet she has started the prepping work for it already. Since the contract of The Knights with the shining bright company will end soon, she needs to make preparations to welcome them in her newly established company too.

It's been more than a month since she left shining bright officially and the girls are under Wang Meili currently since they couldn't find a new manager for them either.

Also, since The Knights aren't willing to renew their contracts with them, Mr. Tang had denied providing them a new manager and until their term ends, they will be managed by Wang Meili.

For the same reason, she gets countless tags from the fans of The Knights on SNS to ask about the reason why she left the company and girls in the middle?

Since the news of The Knights leaving the company hasn't been made official yet and there are only rumors about it, people are wondering what's going to be their future. Will their career end with only one successful comeback or will they continue their entertainment journey in the industry?

_

While working on her laptop in the library, Xu Nuan took a 5-minute bathroom break and when she came back to her seat, she found her phone vibrating non-stop on the table.

She apologized to the people who were bothered by its vibration sound and hurriedly picked up the phone.

She tried to unlock it, but due to the countless notifications, it stopped working.

" What's with the chaos? Why are there so many notifications?" she muttered.

After a few minutes, when she unlocked her phone, she was surprised to see hundreds of notifications. She opened one of the notifications which led her to an entertainment news article.

[ BREAKING NEWS - SUN YA FROM 'THE KNIGHTS' AND THE INFAMOUS IDOL 'LIANG RONG' ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP?]

A deep frown appeared on Xu Nuan's forehead upon reading the news headline regarding Sun Ya's dating scandal.

After their successful debut, it was the first time that The knights got into a scandal. For new groups, such sensitive scandals can be fatal for their survival in the industry, especially the dating scandals if not handled cautiously.

When Xu Nuan scrolled down to see more articles like this, she came across some shocking news headlines.

[SUN YA FROM 'THE KNIGHTS AND LIANG RONG CAPTURED IN A HOTEL?]

[ IS SUN YA THE NEXT TARGET OF LIANG RONG?]

Xu Nuan pursed her lips upon reading the suggestive headlines which are ready to make a juicy story out of it.

The dating scandal is not only the sole problem here. But the man with whom Sun Ya has been paired, Liang Rong.

Liang Rong is a veteran idol in the industry but rather than being known for his songs or performances, he is famous for his countless scandals and controversies.

He has a history of controversies regarding his complicated love life and numerous girlfriends. Many of his girlfriends in the past have revealed about him cheating on them with other girls.

Not only that, but he has also been accused of assaulting one of his girlfriends in the past and has a very negative image in the industry.

Getting into a dating scandal with him is no less than a nightmare for any female idol.

_

Rather than panicking at the moment, she decided to call Sun Ya and ask herself about the scandal. She needed to confirm the true story behind this scandal.

If it's a rumor, then they need to release a statement as soon as possible, plus gather evidence to deny the allegations about it. But if it's true, then it will be difficult to deal with since the other party in question already has a tricky past.

However, knowing Sun Ya's character, she was sure that it's just a rumor but to be sure, she needed to confirm the news with her.

_

Shining Bright

" What do you mean that you're going to wait and see? Didn't I already tell you that it's not true? Isn't this your work as a manager? Shouldn't you guys take action to release a statement and protect your idols?" Sun Ya shouted at Wang Meili in rage.

When one of the famous entertainment media outlets released an article about her being in a dating scandal with Liang Rong a while ago, she explained to Wang Meili that it's not true and she didn't go to the hotel with him.

Although she was indeed at the same hotel as him, however, she went there to meet her friend who came from her hometown and was staying in that hotel. That's it.

She didn't even know that Liang Rong was also staying at the same hotel. Even if he was, what does it have to do with him?

Why was she being dragged into a ridiculous scandal like this?

However, even after explaining everything to her current manager, Wang Meili, she ignored her claim and told her that they will look into the matter and will investigate the 'truth'.

Investigate the truth? And who will tell the truth? Wasn't she telling the truth?

Do they think that she is lying and hiding the truth? Do they trust an entertainment media outlet more than their artist?

Wang Meili let out a heavy sigh and looked up at Sun Ya who was going red in fury and frustration. Her nose was red since she was crying a while ago and it took a lot of courage for her to come to Wang Meili to ask for an explanation about her obvious delay on this matter.

" Protect the idols? Well, we do work hard to protect our idols. However, aren't you guys going to leave the company soon? Your contract is expiring in two weeks. Why should I make efforts to protect someone who is going to leave soon? Huh?"

Chapter 340 - Dating Scandal (II)

Sun Ya's face turned pale upon hearing Wang Meili's straightforward words. She clenched her fists and asked while gritting her teeth, " So what are you trying to say? Are you saying that you are not going to do anything about the scandal since we're leaving the company and let the things go as it's going?"

" Are you threatening me? Huh? Even if we're not renewing our contracts, this happened while we're in the company. Shouldn't it be your responsibility to do your work and release a statement to deny the scandal at the least?"??

Wang Meili glanced at desperate Sun Ya and shook her head in irritation, " Do you think I am free? Can't you see that I am working too?"

" Since your 'dear manager' Xu Nuan left the company in the middle like this, I have to do all of her work as well. Your group is not the only one under my management. Just because you guys are getting more attention from the public these days, don't think that you're anything special."

" You guys were not supposed to debut anyway." She commented indifferently

Sun Ya was appalled at her words. It was because of The Knights that the shining bright is being known as the entertainment company in the industry, yet they're treating them as if they stole the spotlight of the Pretty Girls.??

" Also, If not for Xu Nuan's petty tricks, you guys wouldn't be here today. So don't run your mouth in front of me like that. We will see things when we have time and will investigate the truth before making any statement." Wang Meili continued.??

Sun Ya was speechless to see Wang Meili taking her scandal so casually. She clearly has no intention to release any statement whatsoever.??

However, this attitude of hers towards them is not new for her. As soon as Xu Nuan left, she started to show her true colors.??

After Xu Nuan left the company, they were put under her management. Since then, the girls weren't given any kind of work or haven't attended events or anything.??

It's not like they were not getting any offers to work but Wang Meili has been rejecting all those offers or putting those projects on hold. Sometimes, she simply passes those projects to the other group, 'Pretty girls', and recommends the companies to work with them instead since The Knights are too busy and cannot take any other project at the moment.??

Sun Ya bit her lower lip to see Wang Meili's indifference to her matter and said, " If you don't want to do anything, you can simply say so. There is no need to make excuses of no time or doing an investigation. If you can't make a statement, I will handle the matter on my own then." she stated firmly before she turned to leave.??

" You know that you cannot make any statement without the company's permission, right? Don't forget that you're still bound by the contract." Wang Meili said aloud, making Sun Ya halt in her steps.??

" However, if you want to get out of this mess, you don't need to do anything and just sign the contract renewal papers. After that, you will be under my management so I will handle everything. You know that I am good at handling such things, right?" She said in a sweet voice, making Sun Ya shiver at her creepily friendly behavior.??

Sun Ya clenched her fists in helplessness and left her office without any other word. There is no need to argue with her on this matter anymore. She now knows that there is no need for her to argue with her.??

It will be useless!!

***

After meeting with Wang Meili, the girls gathered at a cafe to discuss the matter. Pan Lan who was sitting next to Sun Ya sighed seeing her looking at the posts and comments on SNS about her scandal.??

[ What the hell? Sun Ya is dating Liang Rong? Why him of all the people?]

[ That's what I am saying. He is such a scumb*g. Wasn't he cheating on his last girlfriend? It was such a drama.]

[ I thought Sun Ya was a kind and delicate girl. What's with her taste in men?]

[ Guys, there is no statement from either of the companies yet. So we don't know if it is true or not. Don't believe these rumors until the official statement.]

[ It's so irresponsible of Sun Ya to date someone when they just debuted. How can she be so irresponsible towards her group members?]

[ I am worried that because of her, The Knights will fall apart and will be disbanded. Didn't they only have a year contract? Seems like it's time for their disbandment.]

[ OH, NOO!! I love them. I can't see them disbanding so soon. Please, No!!]

[ I think so too. Isn't their contract ending in just two weeks? And there is still no news about them renewing their contracts.]

[ Seems like this news is true. Otherwise, why isn't shining bright making any statement yet? Also, their manager, Xu Nuan left the company some time ago as well. Now this scandal, don't you think something is wrong with this group?]

[ This group is cursed. Something keeps happening with them. I am worried that many other girl groups, The Knights will be disbanded as well because of this dating scandal.]

[ I hate Sun Ya. Because of her, the whole group is suffering. She should leave the group instead of pulling down the other members with her.]

[ She should f*ck off. I hate her. She should go with her bastard-cheating boyfriend and live with him instead.]

Sun Ya's hands were trembling as she read people believing the news and hating on her for that reason. How can they believe the news just because of a picture of her at the same hotel as Liang Rong? They weren't even together in the picture anyway.??

Pan Lan sighed to see Sun Ya's eyes brimming with tears again and tried to take the table from her hands, " Ah, stop looking at it. Don't read these comments anymore."

However, Sun Ya was holding onto the tablet tightly and didn't give in to her. " Pan Lan...Wang Meili said that she will not do anything about the scandal."

" And because of the contract, I cannot say anything on the internet either. What should I do?" she asked in a choking voice.??

Since the scandal broke out, everyone is messaging her to ask about the news and she was getting countless calls from the reporters to ask about the truth or do an interview with them. Not only that, but her parents also called her as they were worried about her as well.??

" Do you think our career will end because of this scandal?" She asked in a shivering voice.??

The girls were surprised to see the bright and cheerful Sun Ya sobbing so pitifully.??

Song Ai who was sitting across Sun Ya leaned over and placed a hand over hers. However, before she could say anything, a hand came out of nowhere and snatched the tablet from Sun Ya's hand.??

" You're truly a bunch of amateurs! You're crying as if someone died. Hah, And this dating scandal? Well, don't you know that negative publicity is also good publicity? The more people will write sh*t about you on the internet, the more people will go and check your music video out of curiosity."

" It will give you the money, so why cry over something so insignificant?" Jia Fei said casually as she looked at the posts about Sun Ya on the tablet.??

" Ah, by the way, get your drinks from the counter yourself from next time. It's a self-service cafe you see." She said as she pointed towards a tray of drinks on the table that she brought with her.??

The girls were startled to see the member of The Queens, Jia Fei standing in front of them. What???.How??

They all stood up in unison and stared at Jia Fei in shock. " J...Jia Fei? Ahhh???.I???.am not dreaming, Am I?" Pan Lan panicked and started hitting Sun Ya's hand in excitement.??

Jia Fei is her idol, her bias. She always admired her and wanted to be a cool rapper like her. And she is in front of her? She must be dreaming.??

Jia Fei scoffed to see Pan Lan panicking and flicked her hair back proudly. Well, her existence is itself a big miracle to the world.??

" Jia Fei???.Why are you here....How?" Song Ai stuttered in a daze. How can Jia Fei be in the cafe and was even serving them their drinks???

" Because she works here." Someone commented.??

Chapter 341 - Dating Scandal III

" Because she works here."

Jia Fei's proud smile faltered upon hearing those words and turned around to see who dared to crack such not-so-funny jokes.

" Hah, I knew it. No one else can dare to spout such nonsense about me other than you." She said to see Xu Nuan who was standing at the door.

Xu Nuan shrugged her shoulders and made her way to the girls.

" Xu Nuan!! You're finally here." Sun Ya burst into tears once again upon seeing Xu Nuan.

After she walked out of Wang Meili's office, she received a call from Xu Nuan. Upon hearing her sobbing on the phone, Xu Nuan suggested her meeting up at the Moonriver cafe in an hour.

Without any question, they gathered up at the venue and were shocked to see Jia Fei coming to serve them their drinks. What a blessing it is to receive the drinks from the great Jia Fei.

…..

Xu Nuan sighed seeing Sun Ya crying out loud in her arms and patted her back gently. " Stop crying already. Your eyes will swell up like a panda."

After a few minutes when Sun Ya finally calmed down and was wiping her teary face with a tissue, Jia Fei turned to Xu Nuan, " What did you say a while ago? I work here?"

" Oh, Hello!! I don't work here, this is my cafe. Understand that?" She stated firmly.

" Really? But you don't look like someone who owns the cafe. Seeing the way you treat your customers, I am sure the cafe will go under soon enough." Xu Nuan said.

" What? What did you say?"

The girls were in awe to see their bickering and were wondering how come Xu Nuan, a manager who started working just a year ago can be acquainted with the Queen of the entertainment industry?

_

" This is my cafe. And it's working extremely well. So don't you dare to jinx my business." Jia Fei warned Xu Nuan clearly.

" Who said that it's your cafe? Jia Fei, don't forget that I am the owner of this cafe and you're just an investor. Don't try to take all the credit for it." Luo Dan commented who just entered the cafe.

*Crash*

Sun Ya's eyes widened to see Luo Dan who just made an entrance from the door. She was shocked to the point that the drink that she was holding fell onto the floor and the glass broke into pieces, startling everyone.

" Are you oka-" Xu Nuan and Jia Fei spoke at the same time but their words were interrupted by worried Luo Dan who came running to Sun Ya.

" Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Luo Dan got worried to see broken glass pieces around Sun Ya's feet and went to help her.

" Ah, I...I am sorry. I'll clean this up." Sun Ya was in a daze but seeing Luo Dan coming to help her, she panicked and started to pick up the pieces by hand.

" No, don't do that. Otherwise, you'll get hurt. I'll get this cleaned up."

" You aren't hurt, right? Stay away from the glass pieces." Luo Dan said in a sweet voice, making everyone look at her in awe.

" I am sorry. I love you. You're so beautiful." Sun Ya said at once while admiring Luo Dan's beauty. She is just as they heard about her, gentle and caring.

Her voice was also soft and sweet, just as her nature.

Xu Nuan raised her brows and glanced at the girls who were looking at Luo Dan in a daze. Her entry made them forget that the other two people were also standing there.

" Such betrayers," she commented in disbelief. A moment ago, Sun Ya was crying in her arms and now she was saying 'I love you' to Luo Dan? Unbelievable.

" Why is she such a show-off? Ah, so annoying." Jia Fei said at the same time.

Upon realizing that they said it aloud simultaneously, they glanced at each other and looked away in disgust when they had eye contact.

" What a bad day." Jia Fei shivered in disgust.

" Ah, so creepy." Xu Nuan also stepped away from her in disgust.

When she stepped away, Xu Nuan couldn't help but glance at Jia Fei in amusement. They might not be the same anymore, but their love and hate relationship is the same as ever.

Even in the past, they never agreed on something and fought countlessly. But because of this, they were a blasting duo whenever they performed together on the stage. And the whole fandom was aware of their fiery temperaments and called them with the name of bickering couple.

****

" This scandal is too sudden, isn't it? And being in the same hotel with a man wasn't even a big thing, why is it getting out of hand?" Luo Dan commented upon reading the articles on the tablet.

" I don't know. I don't even know this person." Sun Ya replied in a weak voice. Although she is afraid about what would happen because of this scandal and whether their careers will be ruined because of it.

However, seeing Jia Fei and Luo Dan sitting together with them and trying to solve the situation, it calmed her to some extent. Not only that, all her group members and Xu Nuan were there, backing her up.

At least she has people who are there to help her out. She is not alone.

" This isn't a big thing but someone is making it look as if it is." Xu Nuan commented.

Sun Ya frowned, " Someone is behind it? Who?"

" It's all because of your contract. They're trying to bound you with a contract by using such petty tricks." Jia Fei added while stretching her hands casually.

Xu Nuan glanced at her and nodded in agreement. " It's all Wang Meili's doing. She wants to use this scandal to make you sign the contract and put you under her control."

" But why would they do that? Wouldn't it hurt the image of their company as well?" Song Ai asked worriedly.

" It won't. If you sign the contract, they can simply deny the rumor and set the things in place. However, if you don't, they will use even more dirty tricks to pull you down from your crown. Because if you leave the company, it will damage their reputation more." Xu Nuan said.

" So this is what happened to us." Luo Dan mutters in a low voice. This scandal reminded her of the time when Qin Ju was forcing them to leave the company soon after Jiang Yue's death.

He was trying to get rid of them, and wanted Hao Mei to make the most out of their popularity. The scandal of Jiang Yue and Lin Hui was also similar to this one.

If not for the drama at the press conference, Hao Mei and Qin Ju would have gotten out of this mess easily and were living in glory right now.

Whereas, everyone would be hating on Lin Hui and the innocent Jiang Yue who wasn't even in this world anymore.

Xu Nuan who was sitting next to Luo Dan heard her whisper and pursed her lips seeing her dull expressions. She glanced at her and quietly passed her a glass of water.

Luo Dan was surprised to see the sweet gesture of Xu Nuan. However, before she could thank her for the water, Xu Nuan ignored her and started talking to Sun Ya as if nothing happened.

Luo Dan chuckled seeing her acting cool and was reminded how Jiang Yue used to act cool after passing her tissues or water when she cried about something.

Why is she similar to her? She wondered.

_

" Wang Meili has denied making any statement about the scandal. What can we do about it? I cannot say anything either because of the contract." Sun Ya said worriedly.

Seeing how things are flaring up on the internet, people will not calm down until she decides to exit from the group.

" We will do just as Wang Meili wants." Xu Nuan said.

" What? Sign the contract with shining bright? Xu Nuan, how can you say such a thing?" Song Ai asked with a frown.

Xu Nuan smiled and shook her head, " That's what cowards do. We will….DO NOTHING."

"...."

There was a long silence after Xu Nuan's words. The girls looked at each other in confusion and wondered if Xu Nuan understood the severity of the situation correctly.

For the first time, they were not sure about Xu Nuan's way of handling the situation.

" Xu Nuan, what do you mean by this? How can we not do anything? Wouldn't it hurt Sun Ya-"

Pan Lan tried to speak out but her words got interrupted by Jia Fei, " Hmm....not bad. You're not as stupid as I thought you would be." she commented as she looked at Xu Nuan with a sense of admiration.

" You're young but not stupid. Good," she commented with her hands folded in front of her chest.

Xu Nuan looked at her and frowned. She couldn't help but scoff seeing her acting like an elder in front of her when in reality she is the one older than her.

' Argh….she is so annoying.' Xu Nuan took a deep breath to calm down the urge to hit Jia Fei on the head once.

" I am surprised too. An old person like you can understand my words, it's really a big surprise for me." she fired back at Jia Fei, making her choke on her drink.

" WHAT DID YOU SAY? I AM OLD? FROM WHICH ANGLE DO I LOOK OLD?" Jia Fei glowered at Xu Nuan.

" You're 24 years old, aren't you? Then you're older than me. " Xu Nuan said casually, provoking Jia Fei even more with her cool attitude.

Luo Dan sighed seeing them fighting again and took a sip of her drink to cool down.

While Jia Fei and Xu Nuan were busy bickering with each other, the girls were confused and were glancing at each other in confusion. What does Xu Nuan mean by doing nothing? Who will explain to them what it means and how it will this solve the problem?

Chapter 342 - Dating Scandal IV

" I heard about the scandal from Feng Sheng. Things are getting quite serious, huh?" Han Zihao asked while making coffee for both of them. He tried to call Xu Nuan in the afternoon but her phone was busy all the time.

He assumed that she must be busy and packed with work, so he didn't disturb her and decided to talk about this matter at night.

Xu Nuan glanced at him while doing the dishes and sighed. " The people on the internet don't care about the truth. They just enjoy blaming others and writing sh*t about celebrities. This is what is happening to Sun Ya as well."

He stared at her worriedly and asked, " Do you want to do the dishes? You must be exhausted."

" Well, I am indeed tired. But I think I can manage this much. Since you cooked dinner, I should do this at least." she responded

From the day they started to live together, they have divided the household chores between them. Since she cannot cook, he prepares breakfast and dinner for both of them, meanwhile, she is in charge of doing the dishes after the meals.

For cleaning and laundry, they're trying to divide the same as well. However, since Xu Nuan is not good at doing those things as well, in the end, Han Zihao has to help her with those chores as well. So he was thinking of making her do something else.

'Something that can make him pleased and happy.'

-

Han Zihao stayed quiet for a few moments, then added, " Do you want me to help you with it? I can ask Tang Hu to release a statement about the scandal. "

Xu Nuan turned off the tap and wiped her hands with a towel before turning to him, " You don't need to ask him to do anything. I can handle this much."

He nodded. After hearing about the situation from Feng Sheng, he understood that Wang Meili was trying to win the girls by pressuring them with the scandal.

" However….I just want to tell you this before doing anything since the company is yours. I am not going to let Wang Meili getaway this time easily." She declared seriously. She will not forget the way she is targeting the girls as soon as she left the company and was playing dirty games with them.

Since Wang Meili is part of shining bright, it will affect the company eventually if she does anything against her.

" Do you have any issues about me dealing with Wang Meili? Or...do you want me to forgive her after this as well?"

Han Zihao passed her the cup of coffee that he prepared for her and said, " Why would I have any problem with it? She should bear the responsibility of her actions."

" Also, the company is not mine solely. It's yours as well now. Did you forget about that?" He asks casually, reminding her about their special contract, where she received a certain part of the company's shares after fulfilling the terms of the bet that they placed in the starting. .

" Sure, Sure." She nodded superficially before making her way towards her favorite spot in this house, THE COUCH.

__

A few days later-

Shining Bright:

" What the hell is going on? Their contract is ending in four days and they haven't signed the contract papers yet. If this continues, they will leave the company and everything will be over!!" Tang Hu glowered at Wang Meili as he slammed the documents on the table.

Wang Meili frowned to see him getting red in anger and bit her lower lip. She had thought that after getting under the pressure of the scandal, the girls would sign the contract and everything would go according to her plan.

Once 'The Knights' will be under her management, then Xu Nuan's chapter will be over forever. This will get her into CEO Tang's good books as well.

However, even after the pressure from her side, none of the girls signed the contract yet. It's been over a week since the scandal and Sun Ya hasn't come to her office even for once after the last time.

Once the contract is over, they won't be able to hold onto them.

It will be over for good.

" Didn't you tell me that after the scandal, they will be left with no choice but to renew their contracts with us? What happened to that promise now? Huh?" He glared at her.

She took a deep breath and said seriously, " You shouldn't worry about this matter. We still have four days left."

" What can you do in four days that you couldn't do in the past two months?"

" I will make them sign the papers, no matter how." She declared confidently.

" You better do that. Otherwise, everything will be ruined for good. You, Me and the company!! Everything."

__

Xu Nuan was at the college library and was busy doing her assignment when she got a call from Sun Ya. She went outside to answer the call and heard Sun Ya's panicking voice.

"Xu Nuan, where are you?"

" What do we do now? It's over for real. It seems like Wang Meili has decided to ruin my career for real."

She cried over the phone.

" First of all, calm down. And drink a glass of water." Sun Ya reluctantly did as Xu Nuan told her to do so.

After Sun Ya calmed down a little, Xu Nuan added, " Now tell me what's going on? And without crying."

Sun Ya sighed heavily and said in a weak voice, " Liang Rong's company has released a statement about the scandal. Things are going out of hand now."

" If Wang Meili had denied the rumors, things wouldn't have gone to such an extent." She cried again.

"I am sending you the link. Check it yourself."

After hanging up the phone, Xu Nuan opened the link that Sun Ya had sent her. The link took her to the page where the company of Liang Rong has released a statement about his scandal with Sun Ya.

[ Hello, this is Starlight Entertainment. Recently, there are many rumors circulating around, questioning our artist, Liang Rong's personal life affairs. To put our fans at ease, we have finally decided to make a statement regarding the rumors that have been going around recently.

The company does not know anything since it's his personal affair and mature enough to choose his partner.

We don't know anything yet and are in the middle of checking the facts. After checking everything, we will make the statement and will tell the fans about the news that you guys are waiting for. Till then, keep supporting and listening to the new album of our beloved Liang Rong!!]

Xu Nuan's brows raised in amusement upon reading the statement. It's been more than a week since the scandal started and in the statement, they're saying that they're still checking the facts? Really?

Rather than denying the rumors, they're taking advantage of it by promoting Liang Rong's new album. Such opportunists!!

[ What the hell? I was waiting for the statement for so long and this is what they posted? What does it mean?]

[ They aren't denying the rumors. It means there is some truth in it. Otherwise, what's taking them so long to confirm if they're dating or not? It must be true, that's why they're delaying the final statement.]

[ It must be true. It has to be true. Otherwise, why isn't Shining bright making any statement yet?]

[ Exactly. If there was no truth in this scandal, they wouldn't have delayed making the statement for so long.]

[ I am scared now. I don't want The Knights to disband right now.]

[ Why would they disband? Dating is not a crime.]

[Dating is not a crime. But Liang Rong is not less than any criminal. There are many court cases against him and there were rumors that he made his ex-girlfriend pregnant and forced her to let go of the baby too.]

[ Yeah. I read that too. He was cheating on her as well. Hold on, I wonder how long Sun Ya and Liang Rong are dating.]

[ I am curious about the same. What if Sun Ya was that girl who came in between their relationship? If he left his ex-girlfriend for Sun Ya, then she is not a saint either. What a bi*ch!!]

[ I hope she leaves the group. I don't want other members to suffer because of her.]

Xu Nuan pursed her lips upon reading the comments on the post. As expected, they're all against Sun Ya.

The ambitious statement of the company has triggered the fans and they started to make ridiculous stories now, making the situation worse.

Similarly, Wang Meili hasn't made a statement yet so that in the future she can turn the situation to her side if the girls renew the contract with them.

At first, she wasn't trying to steal The Knights from the company and wanted them to work shining bright, from where they debuted.

However, they're the ones who insisted on following her to her new company. But by using such tricks, Wang Meili has proved to her that she doesn't deserve to be called an artist manager. It was a good thing that girls are now coming with her.

Wang Meili doesn't deserve them. Other than dirty tricks, she knows nothing.

" Wang Meili, is that how you're going to play? Very well!!" She muttered under her breath.

Chapter 343 - Dating Scandal V

Wang Meili was in her office and was sitting in front of her computer. Her eyes were burning flames in rage as she had just come from CEO Tang's office.

Today is the day when she has to make a statement about 'The Knights' leaving the company. Their contract finally ends today.

Generally, such news gets updated by the companies earlier if there is no choice of negotiation between the two parties to allow the fans to say goodbyes to their idols.

However, they were trying their best to hold onto this news as long as the last day of the contract as she was sure that she could convince the girls to renew their contracts with the company and make them stay in the company.

Although she hates them, she cannot deny the impact that they had on the public. In such a short time, they not only received love from the public but were also getting so many product endorsement offers.

Since Xu Nuan left the company, she wanted them to stay and wanted to get all the credit for their success.

To make them stay in the company, she even tried to pressure Sun Ya with the dating scandal and told her to sign the contract if she wants her to solve this situation for her.

However, rather than accepting her 'generous offer', Sun Ya stopped reaching out to her and hasn't even contacted her since then.

Not only her, but the other girls also stopped coming to the company and cut off all contact with her. Wang Meili thought that they're trying to rebel against her to make her release a statement about Sun Ya's dating scandal.

Since the last day of the contract was approaching, she talked to the manager of Liang Rong and made them release a statement that could worsen the situation for Sun Ya. However, rather than coming to her crying, Sun Ya ignored her calls again.

What the hell is she doing? It must be Xu Nuan. They're doing this because of Xu Nuan.

_

Wang Meili gritted her teeth, " You guys want to leave the company, right?"

" I will make you leave this industry. Xu Nuan, do you think you can protect your girls? Well, you haven't seen the worst side of Wang Meili yet."

" I will show you what I can do," she smirked before starting something on the computer.

**

The internet was buzzing with the dating news of Sun Ya. Four days ago, Liang Rong's company released an ambitious statement which was hinting that the rumor is true.

[ Wasn't today the last day of The Knights one year contract? Why is there no news yet?]

[ Shining bright is a trash company, How can there be no statement about Sun Ya's scandal or the contract renewal?]

[ Don't blame the company. It's Sun Ya who ruined everyone's career. I am sure that the company not even going to renew the contract now.]

[ Sun Ya is so selfish. She needs to get lost. She isn't even pretty anyway!]

[ It's strange. First The Knight's manager left the company, and then the girls stopped going to any event. And then this scandal, don't you think there is something fishy about it?]

[ Hmm...Seeing the way they're responding towards the company, I can see their unprofessionalism. Even after the fans pleading, they didn't respond to them or release any statement yet.]

[ Everyone, there is NEWS!! Shining Bright has finally posted something on their page.]

The girls who were sitting at the Moonriver cafe and were checking the comments online were also surprised to read the last comment.

After the last time, they kept coming to this cafe and were treating this place as their base. Here they can gather with Xu Nuan and they get to see Luo Dan and Jia Fei every day.

Pan Lan, who was holding the tablet in her hand, frowned and looked at Song Ai, " The company finally made a statement."

" What could it be?" Sun Ya got worried.

The girls glanced at each other before checking the official page of the company, handled by Wang Meili.

[Hello everyone, this is Shining bright.

As you all must be aware, today is the last day of our exclusive contract with The Knights. However, after careful deliberation, we have finally reached a decision, that the company won't be renewing the contract with The Knights anymore.

Some relationships are supposed to come to an end.

To all the fans of The Knights, sorry and thank you for your support.

Although The Knights won't be with us anymore, we hope that you can continue to support our other girl group, Pretty Girls.

Thank You!!]

_

The girls glanced at each other after reading the comments and couldn't understand what Wang Meili was trying to do.

Her words were making it seem as if the company doesn't want to renew the contract with them.

Lai Yi glanced at Sun Ya, who was looking at the tablet in a daze, and asked, " Where is Xu Nuan? I haven't seen her since yesterday."

" She said that she has something important to do. She won't be coming today." Song Ai responded.

" Why is she not here today? She didn't even allow us to do anything until she said. What are we supposed to do now?" Pan Lan frowned.

All these days, Xu Nuan didn't do anything. She only told them to wait and just wait.

The situation is getting worse day by day and there is no response from their side.

" I am sure she will find a way to solve everything." Sun Ya said.

Everyone glanced at her and stopped talking. She was strangely calm than other days and wasn't even crying like she always does.

To not make her even more nervous, Pan Lan also stopped talking and let her relax.

___

While the girls stopped talking, the internet was getting more chaotic than ever. Wang Meili's post was filled with thousands of comments in less than twenty minutes.

[ NOO!! This cannot be happening. How can they not renew their contract with them?]

[ This can't be happening!! The girls were doing so amazing and I was waiting for their next comeback, they can't disband now.]

[ I am not even surprised. Sun Ya's scandal was going out of hand, this was expected.]

[ Sun Ya, Get Lost!! Because of you, my girls are being dragged into this mess. I hate you!!]

[ So the company is not renewing the contract with them? Seems like the dating scandal was true.]

[ Ewww!! Sun Ya and Liang Rong? Cheating couple.]

[ I used to think that Sun Ya is innocent, but turns out that she is a wh*re!!]

[ Did their ex-manager leave the company due to the same reason? Did she find out about her affair and to avoid the mess, she resigned?]

Wang Meili's lips curled up in a smirk to see everyone's reaction. " Hah, Sun Ya, this is just the start."

She picked up her phone and messaged Liang Rong's manager, " Did you do what I asked you to do?" she asked.

" Yes. The pictures are ready. Just cue me when you want me to release them." the other side replied.

" But will it be okay for you? Wouldn't it affect your company's reputation?"

Wang Meili smirked and typed, " Since when did you start to think about others' reputations? Just think about how buzzworthy it will be for Liang Rong's new album."

After a few minutes, just as Wang Meili was about to message Liang Rong's manager to release the photos that they had prepared to ruin Sun Ya's career, she found a strange comment under her post.

@moonyue: [ WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH OF SUN YA'S DATING SCANDAL?? CHECK OUT MY POST FOR THE DETAILS!!]

@moonyue: [WANT TO KNOW THE BITTER TRUTH OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY??CHECK OUT MY POST FOR THE DETAILS!!]

@moonyue: [ THE KNIGHTS ARE BEING FRAMED, JUST LIKE THE QUEENS!! TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH, CHECK OUT MY POST!!]

Wang Meili frowned upon seeing a series of spam comments under her post. " What is this nonsense? Is this some crazy fan of The knights?" she wondered.

Chapter 344 - Dating Scandal VI

[ OMG!! It's so crazy!!]

[ So Sun Ya was innocent? Poor girl!!]

[ Wang Meili is so wicked. She should be jailed!!]

[ Kick Wang Meili out of the company. Right now!!]

[ Wasn't she the same manager who was against the debut of The Knights? I never thought that she could be this cheap.]

[ Hah!! The company didn't renew the contract with them? What a joke!!]

[ It's a good thing that The Knights didn't renew their contracts. They're saved!!]

[ Whoever posted all this information deserves to be praised. They saved someone's life!!]

[ I knew that Sun Ya cannot do something like that.]

___

" What the hell is going on?" Wang Meili's expressions darkened upon reading the comments against her. What did she do?

A while ago, everyone was swearing at Sun Ya and was supporting the company's decision of not renewing the contract with The Knights, what happened suddenly?

She frowned and was reminded of the spam comment that she had ignored a while ago. She scrolled up and stopped at the comment that was claiming to prove the innocence of Sun Ya.

" Is it because of this?" She hesitated before clicking on the ID of the comment that was spamming under her post.

As soon as she clicked on it, she noticed that the profile was new and had been created recently. However, there was a post made from this account.

" What...what did this person post to make everyone react like this?" she hesitated.

~[ TRUTH OF SUN YA AND LIANG RONG'S SCANDAL!! THE CONSPIRACY!!]~

" What...nonsense is this?" She bit her lower lip nervously to see the meaningful title of the post. Not only the title, but there were thousands of comments and likes under the post.

It's been only ten minutes since the post was made, why is it blowing up like this?  She took a deep breath before she started reading it.

When she clicked on the post to open it, there was nothing written under the post, however, there were a few screenshots attached to it.

Her face turned ashen upon reading the contents of the screenshot. It was the screenshot of the conversation between her and Liang Rong's manager.

She had told him to delete the messages so that there won't be any proof left behind. Why is this here….

-

~Screenshot 1~

Wang Meili: [ Sun Ya is going to this hotel tomorrow to meet her friend. Make sure that Liang Rong also stays at the same hotel.]

The Manager: [ But will this be enough?]

Wang Meili: [ More than enough. We just need to give them a hint, they will create the whole story themselves. Haha.]

The Manager: [ Are you sure about this? I mean, since Liang Rong is already infamous for such scandals, it will only help him to promote his new album. However, wouldn't it be a big loss for the girl?]

Wang Meili: [ She deserves it. They should have renewed the contract when I tried to persuade them politely. This scandal will help them know their places.]

The Manager: [ What if they don't renew their contract even after this?]

Wang Meili: [ Then….I would have no choice but to ruin their careers. If they can't work with me, I will make them disappear from the industry!!]

Wang Meili was terrified to read the contents of the screenshot attached to the post. The time, the date was mentioned in the screenshots.

However, that was not the end. There was another screenshot attached to it, which horrified her even more.

~Screenshot 2~

Wang Meili: [ Xu Nuan, this bi*ch!! It must be because of her that they aren't renewing the contract with us. Otherwise, they should be begging me by now to help them solve this scandal.]

The Manager: [ So what are you going to do now?]

Wang Meili: [ Did you prepare the pictures that I asked for? We will release them tomorrow after I make the statement about them leaving the company.]

The Manager: [ Yes. They're ready. See this.]

Liang Rong's manager had sent her some photos of Liang Rong, making out with girls. Some were clicked in the hotel and some in the car.

In the pictures, Liang Rong's face can be seen clearly, however, the girl's face was hidden in every picture.

Wang Meili: [ That's great!! With some touch-up, everyone will think that the girl in the picture is Sun Ya. I can't wait for tomorrow.] To show her excitement, she even added a laughing emoji after this.

__

Wang Meili was speechless after reading the messages.

" This cannot be happening to me. This can't be true," she murmured nervously.

" Wait...I can still deny all this. Such screenshots can be fake. Yes. I can claim to be not true." she tried to reassure herself.

Although she was thinking to deny the claims, she was still afraid to scroll down and check the comments. It's scary.

**

[ Is this all true? It's not fake, right?]

[ That's crazy!! So the manager was trying to frame her artist? Ridiculous!!]

[ Oh Noo!! Sun Ya is so pitiful. She was targeted by her own company.]

[ Wang Meili is such a bi*ch!! What was she trying to do with her?]

[ Oh My God!! So they were trying to release the pictures and pretend as if it's Sun Ya with him? Shameless!!]

[ This is a crime. She should be jailed for it.]

[ Poor Sun Ya. She did nothing wrong and had to face all this hate from the people.]

[ Xu Nuan was the best. After she left, The Knights were treated this way.]

[ When Xu Nuan was in the company, the girls were happy. As soon as she left, this happened.]

[ I wonder if Xu Nuan's departure has something to do with Wang Meili. She can do anything.]

[ Damn!! The drama is not over yet. Guys, this person has made another post. Check it out now!!]

-

While things were getting chaotic in the comment section, another post was made under the same account.

[ THE DRAMA IS NOT OVER YET!! WANG MEILI, YOU'RE DONE FOR!!]

Wang Meili's mouth parted in shock and horror upon reading the title of the post. What has this person posted now?

Chapter 345 - Dating Scandal VII

Moonriver cafe-

The girls were stunned to read the post and the contents of the screenshot. All of them looked at Sun Ya worriedly, who was also shaken by the contents of the screenshots.

" This is so sick!! I can't believe Wang Meili can do something like this." Song Ai said in disbelief.

" I am gonna kill her. What was she planning to do to Sun Ya? If not for this post, she would have released those pictures and people would have believed those pictures blindly." Pan Lan stood up in rage.

" Sit down." Jia Fei who was standing on the side and was looking over at the whole drama said nonchalantly.

Pan Lan glanced at her and seeing her cold eyes, she whispered in a low voice before sitting down again, "Yes."

Jia Fei went to Sun Ya and tapped on her shoulder comforting her, before taking the tablet from her hands. She looked at the comments that the person had posted under Wang Meili's post earlier and frowned.

' What does he mean that the knights are being framed, just like The Queens?' She wondered.

When the disbandment of the 'The Queens' was supposed to be announced at the press conference and to discuss the scandal between Jiang Yue and Lin Hui, someone appeared out of nowhere and played the video of Hao Mei and Qin Ju on the large screen.

Since Jiang Yue had a big fandom, it was not a surprise for someone coming out to help. Everyone assumed that it must be a die-hard fan of Jiang Yue who wanted justice for her.

However, The Knights are just a new group and it's too much of a coincidence for things to go in the same way. Who is helping them like this?

" Who is this person anyway?" She talked to herself in a low voice.

" Our Savior!!" Pan Lan who was now standing behind her and was peeking at the tablet screen replied.

Jia Fei: "..."

Seeing Jia Fei's annoying expressions, Pan Lan blinked nervously and shouted, " Oh! There is a new update. See..See!!"

Jia Fei frowned and looked at the tablet in her hands and there was indeed a new post made by the person who released the screenshots of Wang Meili and Liang Rong's manager.

" What great timing!" Pan Lan sighed in relief but was caught by Jia Fei again.

" Stop breathing in my ears. It's annoying. Stay away." Jia Fei chided her, but rather than being upset, Pan Lan was happy.

In a few days, she realized that Jia Fei has a cold and outspoken personality. She might be short-tempered, but she has a very caring and genuine personality.

'As expected of The Queen.' she thought while looking at her admiringly.

__

[ THE DRAMA IS NOT OVER YET!! WANG MEILI, YOU'RE DONE FOR!!]

Wang Meili's eyes widened in horror and her hands were trembling to even click on the post seeing the threatening title, addressing her. However, after taking a deep breath, she decided to check it out.

Only then can she find any solution to this crisis. She has been working as the artist manager for years now, a small scandal like this is nothing to her. Yes, nothing!

[ The truth of the great artist manager 'Wang Meili'-True Professionalism-Hah!! What a joke.}

She frowned as with this message, three videos were attached to the post.

" Three videos? What...is in there?" She hesitantly clicked on one of the videos and regretted it instantly.

__

The first video was from the final evaluation of the girl group. It was also the first day of Xu Nuan at the office.

In the video, she can be seen criticizing the girls on the basis of their looks rather than their performance. Even she accepted that they performed the best and were stable, but she rejected them just because of their looks.

Not only that, she even humiliated them and justified herself saying that that's how it works in the industry.

Whereas, in the video, Xu Nuan can be seen going against her judgment and was supporting Pan Lan, Lai Yi, Sun Ya, and Song Ai who performed better than anyone from the group.

However, Wang Meili ignored her and the other mentor's opinions and announced her opinion as to the final result.

" How...how did they get their hands on this video? This was supposed to be confidential." Wang Meili clenched her fists in nervousness to see the clip of discussion between the mentors available at that time.

However, that was not the end.

In the other video, she was with one of the members of her group, Pretty Girls. It was a video from the practice room.

"Airi, what are you doing these days? Why is your weight the same? Didn't I tell you to reduce at least 10 kgs before the debut? Huh?" Wang Meili lectured the girl in the practice room.

" I was following the diet as you instructed but after I was sent to the emergency room, the doctor told me to not skip the meals and stress over dieting." The girl replied hesitantly.

Because of Wang Meili's strict diet and excessive dance practices, many of the girls were sent to the emergency room frequently.

Wang Meili frowned to see the girl answering back, " Is your doctor your manager? Do as I say. You will only eat one meal a day until the debut performance, and that will be salad."

" Only salad? How can that be poss-

" It's final. No more arguments!" Wang Meili announced and left the practice room, leaving the girl to sob alone in agony.

Wang Meili was speechless after seeing the two videos and was now hesitant to look at the third video. " If this is a prank, I am not gonna let this person away from this action?" She cried out.

The third video was from the award ceremony at which 'The Knights' won the rookie of the year award.

In the green room, Wang Meili was commenting on one of the members of the Pretty Girls outfit that was under her management.

" What is this? Why are you wearing pants and not a skirt? Also...where are your heels? " Wang Meili questioned the girl who was wearing pants and boots rather than pointed heels, different from others.

" I tried the skirt but it was too short. So I wore pants that were matching the outfit. Also, yesterday I twisted my ankle, so I wore boots instead." The girl explained.

" Are you crazy? Aren't others also wearing skirts? They're not complaining, then why are you acting like this? And for boots...change them. They don't go well with the outfit. Wear heels instead as decided earlier."

" But it's not only me but everyone's skirts are too short. We told the stylists about this complaint but she never considered it."

"They're barely reaching our thighs. How are we even supposed to walk in them?" The girl talked back.

Wang Meili scoffed in annoyance, " I am the one who told her to make them short. What can you do about it?"

" You aren't even supposed to perform on the stage, so what's the fuss? Don't act like you're a star now. You're nothing without me, so just do as I say."

" Now change into the skirt and heels as planned. Get ready. Hurry up!!"

**

Wang Meili covered her mouth in disbelief and couldn't believe that those videos could be leaked like this. How….Who got access to them? How?

Just as she was wondering what to do, she got a call from CEO Tang. She stared at her phone in a daze and could feel her heart racing against her chest, " It's over. Everything is ruined." she murmured.

Chapter 346 - Dating Scandal (VIII)

CEO Tang's Office-

After receiving CEO Tang's phone call, Wang Meili was summoned to his office.

While she was on her way to his office, she could feel the hostility from his secretary and the other employees were also giving her strange looks and were whispering upon seeing her.

'Seems like everyone has already seen that post.' She wondered.

It's not even been that long since the post has been made and almost everyone has already seen it.

'It's okay. I can still deny the content of the post. I am sure there will be a way to solve this problem as well.'

When she entered the office, she could feel the suffocatingly-chilling atmosphere in the room.

She pursed her lips nervously to see him looking at his computer screen with a deep frown.

" Sir, did you call for me?" She asked calmly.

The man looked up at her and after a long pause he said, " Wang Meili, do you think you can still act cool in front of me?"

" Are you talking about that fake post? Well, why would I be worried about something insignificant?" She said while trying to put up a strong front in front of him.

" Sir, don't tell me that you believe the fake post? It's not true. I didn't do anything like that. Someone is trying to frame me."

" You know me! I can never do something so disgusting. I am Wang Meili. I have been working as the artist manager for years now. Why would I do something like that and ruin my career?"

" Also, Sun Ya was under my management. Why would I do something like that to her?"

"I was only delaying making a statement because I wanted to investigate the matter before making any official statement.  And you know about it. I did nothing wrong. The screenshots online, they're all false. Seriously." Wang Meili tried to explain herself desperately.

Tang Hu who was staring at her blankly scoffed and said in a low-indifferent voice, " Don't pull me into this mess. I didn't know anything about it. I have nothing to do with you."

" Wang Meili, don't try to fight over it. It will be better to leave the company before the headquarters make any move." He said calmly, giving her a tip.

The post has gone viral already and soon the President will find out about the incident as well.

If he knew, it would be difficult to curb the situation. However, if Wang Meili leaves the company before he makes any move, his position will be saved at least.

He cannot take any risk because of this stupid manager. Who told her to leave evidence behind like this?

Wang Meili frowned and gritted her teeth seeing the way he was trying to get out of this mess.

If she didn't do her work well, he wasn't any saint either. He knew everything yet he never said anything to her.

He was the one who told her to do anything to make the girls sign the contract. And now he was acting as if he had never done anything like that before.

" But sir, I didn't-

Her words were cut off when the door of the office was pushed open.

Tang Hu frowned at his secretary who barged into the office suddenly, " What are you doing here? Don't you know how to knock?" He glowered at her.

The girl looked at him nervously and then at the back before saying, " Sir, that's not it. People from the head office have come to-

" There is no need for you to stay here. Please stay outside. " Feng Sheng who was standing behind the secretary told her to go out of the room.

_

Tang Hu's expressions became stiff to see Feng Sheng, President's secretary coming to his office himself.

'Did Mr. President also come to the company?' He wondered and immediately stood up from his seat to welcome him.

Since the company has been acquired by Han Corporations, Han Zihao has never visited the company even once.

Then why today? Did he already find out about the scandal?

" Mr. Feng, what a surprise? Are you here alone?" He went over and asked while looking behind Feng Sheng.

He extended his hand for a handshake but rather than shaking hands with him, Feng Sheng adjusted his glasses and said monotonously. " He didn't come here. However, I came here on his behalf to control the situation."

" Situation? What situation? Is there any problem?" Tang Hu laughed nervously.

Feng Sheng stared at him coldly and then went to Wang Meili who was fidgeting in her place, seeing Feng Sheng's surprisingly cold attitude.

" Ms. Wang, I think it's time to settle some scores. Shouldn't we?" He said with a smile.

Wang Meili could feel her legs going weak and asked nervously, " Ah? I… don't understand what you mean by it."

Seeing her feigning ignorance, Feng Sheng too didn't waste any time and pulled out some papers from his briefcase, " Well, in that case, let's get on to the main point."

" Here." He handed her some documents, leaving her flabbergasted.

" What is this?" Wang Meili stared at the documents and asked, " Is it the information for the new project this year?"

Feng Sheng smiled and said, " You're truly naive Ms. Wang!"

" These documents have been sent by Mr. President. You have been fired from your position Ms. Wang." He smiled professionally as if he delivered good news just now.

Before Wang Meili could ask anything, he continued, " You weren't expecting to work in the company even after causing a ruckus to the company, are you?"

" But Mr. Feng, I didn't do anything. It's just a misunderstanding."

" Don't worry. You will get a chance to explain yourself. In Court." Cai Kun intercepted.

Wang Meili's expressions turned pale when another man entered the office with a briefcase in his hand.

Cai Kun stood next to Feng Sheng and handed another document to Wang Meili, " Hello, I am the legal representative of Han Corporations. Here is your legal notice."

" You have been sued by Han Corporations for tampering with the reputation of Shining Bright by plotting a scandal against the artist who was under the management of the company."

" This action of yours has not only harmed the artist but also has affected the reputation of the company greatly. As the manager in charge and the plotter of this scandal, you should be charged for your crimes." He said nonchalantly.

Wang Meili was speechless at his words and glanced at CEO Tang nervously. He was also staring at the situation unfolding in front of him in shock.

Wang Meili frowned. How can she be sued for this? She didn't even do anything wrong.

" But I didn't do anything. How can you believe those fake posts? It must be Xu Nuan who must have planned all of this." She cried out. " Yes. She must be behind all this. She hates me. You should go and question her instead."

Cai Kun glanced at Feng Sheng and smiled meaningfully before turning to Wang Meili, " Well, I was about to mention that. Here is another legal notice."

" Ms. Sun Ya has sued you for sabotaging her reputation and mistreating her. This has not affected her bright future but also disturbed her mentally as well."

"....."

" What? She did what? Aren't you the legal representative of Han Corporations, then why are you bringing me this?" Wang Meili questioned.

" Well, that's none of your business." He responded. Why would he tell her that it was Han Zihao's girlfriend who had asked him to send her this notice?

Feng Sheng cleared his throat after Cai Kun stopped speaking and added, " Ah, I forgot to inform you one more thing. You have been blacklisted by Mr. Han from the entertainment company. From now on, no other entertainment company will hire you to work with them nor will you be able to start your own management company."

"I am sure no one will hire you after seeing those videos and screenshots anyway. So it doesn't make much difference." He said nonchalantly.

" WHAT? NOO!! HE CANNOT DO THAT!! I AM INNOCENT!! I SWEAR." She cried miserably but Feng Sheng and Cai Kun were not in the mood to entertain her further.

They turned around to leave but stopped midway to see Tang Hu standing at the doorways in shock. He still couldn't digest that Han Zihao had not only fired Wang Meili and sued her but also blacklisted her from the industry.

Feng Sheng stared at him and handed him some documents as well, " You can pack up your stuff and leave the office by the end of this week."

" Newly appointed Chief Executive will start working from next Monday. All the best for your future too." He smiled warmly.

"..."

Tang Hu was speechless and stared at the documents in his hand in a daze. He was fired too? What did he do?

" What does...it mean? I... didn't even do anything. It's all her, she did all of that herself. Why am I being fired?" He asked.

" Well, it's exactly because of that. You're being fired because you didn't do anything." Feng Sheng replied in a low voice.

" As the CEO appointed by Mr. Han, you should have handled the situation well but you failed to perform your duties. Instead, you supported Ms. Wang in her actions and allowed the situation to get this bad. Is the answer enough?"

Tang Hu was shocked and flabbergasted at the sudden turn of events. He thought only Wang Meili would be punished, but how come he was fired too?

Before he could register this in his mind, Feng Sheng and Cai Kun left the office, leaving two devastated people alone to cry in agony.

Chapter 347 - Dating Scandal IX

Moonriver cafe-

There was a long silence after everyone watched the videos. The girls were shocked by the videos of Wang Meili treating her group badly that have been posted by the anonymous account.

" How can she do that to her group? Xu Nuan never treated us this way. They both are managers, how come there is such a big difference between the two? It's a good thing that we didn't debut under Wang Meili." Song Ai commented upon seeing the videos of Wang Meili.

" Because both are not the same. Xu Nuan is different from all the artist managers I have heard about. She treats us like her friends rather than just artists under her." Lai Yi added.

" Woah!! I am glad that someone revealed Wang Meili's true face to the world. How satisfying!!" Pan Lan clapped loudly in satisfaction.

Lai Yi sighed and glanced at Sun Ya who was still staring at the screen in a daze. She still can't believe that everything is over.

Lai Yi reached out to her and rubbed her hand to comfort her, " Relax. It's over now. Everything is all good." She said, reminding her to not worry about the scandal anymore.

Sun Ya was trying to put up a strong front in front of others and was doing her best to hold onto her emotions, however, knowing her personality, she would have been so scared.

They might have debuted successfully, but their position in the industry is still not strong enough to get through a scandal like this.

However, she believed in Xu Nuan and didn't get under Wang Meili's pressure. It takes a lot of strength to not lose one's cool in this kind of situation.

She stayed strong and as a result, she managed to prove her innocence but also made their group a center of attraction among the public. The videos of Wang Meili, mistreating the girl group were not only going viral but also the name of Sun Ya and The Knights were on top of search ranking, thanks to the scandal.

_

[ That's crazy. She was treating her own group this way, how can we expect her to treat The Knights any better?]

[ This shows how amazing Xu Nuan was as a manager. Even though she was young and inexperienced in the entertainment field, she was holding the group together, and more importantly, she was treating them better.]

[Wang Meili is so sick. How can she treat the girls this way? Only salad a day? Extremely short skirts? High heels despite the twisted ankle? Ridiculous. She should try doing all this herself before lecturing others.]

[ I am glad that the truth finally came out. Although Sun Ya was innocent and was framed by her manager, she has suffered a lot these past days due to the scandal. Poor her. ]

[ Since the contract of The Knights has ended, I wonder what's going to happen to them? I just hope that they can be a part of a company that actually takes care of them.]

[ I miss the old days. Can't we have Xu Nuan back as a manager to the girls? Those were the best days of The Knights.]

[ True. It was because of Xu Nuan that The Knights managed to debut. I still cannot forget the clip where she supported them and spoke for them. I don't understand why she left so abruptly.]

[ Holy sh*t!! Guys, did you see that? There are new articles about The Knights joining a new company!! It's so crazy!! I can't believe it's happening already.]

…..

[ SHOCKING NEWS: THE KNIGHTS HAVE JOINED A NEW COMPANY - HJ ENTERTAINMENT.]

[ THE KNIGHTS ARE IN SAFE HANDS- THE OLD MANAGER XU NUAN IS A SELF-MADE CEO OF HJ ENTERTAINMENT!!]

[ THE BEST MANAGER OF THE KNIGHTS RETURNS AS THE CEO OF HJ ENTERTAINMENT.]

The fans who were worried about The Knights' future were shocked to see the articles. They weren't expecting things to happen so suddenly.

The fans were pleasantly shocked to see the news. They were hoping for Xu Nuan to be back as a manager, but they weren't expecting that in such a short time, she would not only build up a new company but also bring The Knights to her company.

[ Oh My God!! That's crazy. So Xu Nuan didn't abandon the girls, instead, she took them with her? She is so cool.]

[ Xu Nuan is the best. This is the best news of this year. Now the girls are in the right hands.]

[ Is that why Xu Nuan left shining bright? OMG, she is such a badass queen.]

[ This makes sense. This must be the reason why The Knights didn't renew their contract with shining bright. They had been planning to go with Xu Nuan since then. Best decision.]

[ Seeing the way Wang Meili was treating them and others, I wouldn't have signed a contract with that company either. I wish Xu Nuan can make the best plans for them.]

[ Congratulations to The Knights and HJ Entertainment. We, the fans of The Knights, will support you guys wherever you go. Be happy and keep making melodious music.]

[ Oh? There is an official page of HJ Entertainment. I didn't know about that.]

[ OMG!! They have already made the official announcement. It's happening for real. Yess!!]

_

{ Greetings to everyone!! This is HJ Entertainment.

We're glad to announce that The Knights have joined our company. Even though our company is new, we will do our best to provide all the best opportunities and creative freedom to them and the other artists who will get to join our company in the future.

To all the fans of The Knights, thanks for trusting in us and keep supporting the girls. We will soon return with the updates of The Knights.

Keep streaming The Knights!!}

….

Seeing the blasting response and hundreds of comments under Xu Nuan's post, Pan Lan exclaimed in surprise, " What? She released the official statement, already? That's so sudden."

They knew that the news would come out sooner or later but never imagined that it would come out so abruptly.

" Is that why she did not come here? I want to see her." Song Ai pouted. So much happened and Xu Nuan has not even picked their phone since morning.

" I hate to admit this, but…. She does know how to do her work." Jia Fei remarked nonchalantly after seeing her post.

After all of this drama, it was the best time to make the official statement and promote the new company without spending extra money.

" I am always good at my work, unlike someone I know."

Jia Fei frowned to hear a ridiculously familiar voice. She frowned and shook her head in disappointment. She didn't even need to turn around to figure out who that could be.

The girls turned around in excitement to see Xu Nuan standing there. " Ahhh…You're finally here." Song Ai exclaimed in excitement before going to hug her tightly.

" Are you trying to suffocate me to death?" Xu Nuan commented when Song Ai hugged her tightly and wasn't releasing her even after some time.

" Tsk. How petty!!" She pouted at her not-so-romantic gesture and released her.

Xu Nuan goes to Sun Ya and holds her hand before asking, " So….how was it? Thrilling enough?"

Sun Ya smiled at her and said, " Did you know about this beforehand? Did you do all of this? Are you the one behind those posts?" she questioned.

" Well, I am not sure about the post. But anyway, it did help us a lot. God bless that beautiful soul." Xu Nuan said, acting as if she is not that 'beautiful soul'.

" You didn't do that but at least you released the statement on time. Because of that, everyone is now talking about us positively, once again." Lai Yi added.

Everyone nodded in agreement but Sun Ya couldn't help but stare at Xu Nuan in wonder. She asked her yesterday to sign on a paper to agree on suing Wang Meili for all the mess.

She wasn't sure at first but upon Xu Nuan's insistence, she signed those papers. However, she wasn't expecting the situation to turn out like this. Now there is no way she will lose against Wang Meili in court.

She is just amazing.

_

" You were great as a manager, but I am not sure about you doing the business. CEO? You? I don't know what's going to happen with the company now." Jia Fei shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

Xu Nuan scoffed at her so-called encouraging words and before she could say anything, Luo Dan walked behind Jia Fei, " Before questioning others, why don't you reflect on yourself? Because of you, no one dares to enter the cafe."

" I told you many times to stop standing behind the counter. Your all-time-irritated expressions make the customers go away." she nagged Jia Fei, which made everyone burst into laughter.

They never expected that the Queens of the music world could act this way when not in front of the camera. Xu Nuan also couldn't help but smile to see Luo Dan and Jia Fei arguing and smiling like before.

They're together but the relationship between the three of them is not the same as before. Can they go back to the same way they were before?

Chapter 348 - Uninterested And Suave!

Moonriver cafe-

" The response of the public is way better than I had expected. I still can't believe that the worst time is finally over." Song Ai commented while reading all the messages and comments of the fans.

Xu Nuan's official statement had caused chaos on the internet and the fans who were worried about The Knights a while ago were dancing in excitement.

The news that the Knights are not disbanding but also that they have decided to move to Xu Nuan's new company made them jump in happiness.

By now, they also have started to believe in Xu Nuan's skills and started to trust her with the girl's responsibility.

On top of that, seeing the evil side of Wang Meili and the dirty side of showbiz, they started to believe in Xu Nuan more than before and her way of managing the girls.

Xu Nuan swirled the straw in her drink and looked at Song Ai with a meaningful smile, " Get used to it. Wang Meili's hate chapter is over now, for real. So stop worrying over what's ended."

" So are we officially part of HJ Entertainment now? When are you going to give us a tour of your new company?" Pan Lan suddenly asked.

They have signed the contracts trusting Xu Nuan and her ability but they haven't seen the company yet. She was being all mysterious about the company and they can't help but be curious about what special she has planned for them.

" Hah! As if she has company. I am sure it must be just a teeny-weeny office room that she is calling a company." Jia Fei scoffed, trying to provoke Xu Nuan again.

Xu Nuan glanced at her and chortled upon hearing her inciting words. However, she was not in the mood to entertain her with spicy arguments and make her day better.

She ignored her and turned to Pan Lan, " Tan Tan will pick you up guys tomorrow. You can see it yourself.  Also, Since it will be your first day at the company tomorrow, you guys can just look around and get used to the environment."

" She is also coming with us?" Song Ai asked in surprise.

" Well, she doesn't want to work at shining bright after everything happened, so I hired her as my assistant manager. From now on, she will be taking you guys to the places instead of me. And I will manage the work schedule of The Knights as usual." Xu Nuan added.

" So are you throwing us away now? That's not fair." Pan Lan frowned, earning a tired look from Xu Nuan.

" Stop being dramatic. I am not 'throwing' you guys anywhere. It just…. making some changes in working style. That's it." She explained. She can't work as a manager all of her life after all.

_

After spending some time at the cafe with the girls, Xu Nuan didn't realize when the time passed and the sky outside turned dark and chilly from the bright sunny day.

" Shouldn't you guys get going already? You've been camping here since morning." Jia Fei commented, reminding them that it's her cafe' and they need to leave after some time.

Xu Nuan frowned and realized how late she was. It's already past eight.

She has promised Han Zihao to not be late today and that they will have dinner together.

" He's gonna throw a fit if I get late again." She mumbled in panic, realizing that she had almost forgotten about the time.

For the last few days, she was working till late at night in her office to come up with a plan to deal with Wang Meili, causing her to skip her meals.

And he was quite upset about it since she was skipping her meals and wasn't taking care of her health.

The last time when they visited the hospital, the doctor specifically told her to take care of her health and not miss any of her meals.

That's why today he had ordered her to not be late and come home on time for dinner.

And here, she's late again.

_

" For the first time, you're right about something. It's indeed very late." Xu Nuan said while picking up her bag and phone, preparing to leave.

Jia Fei frowned at Xu Nuan agreeing to her words so soon and watched her as she was packing her stuff as if she was getting late for her flight.

" Xu Nuan, You seem to be in a hurry. You should leave first." Sun Ya said.

" Really? But…how will you guys go home then?"

" We'll get a taxi. Don't worry about us." Song Ai added.

" What taxi? Do you want to be in the news tomorrow again? Did you forget about the scandal that happened recently? You go, I'll drop them off." Jia Fei interrupted their conversation.

The girls are quite popular these days and taking a taxi at night after such a controversial scandal is not safe for them.

" What? Really?" Xu Nuan was surprised at Jia Fei volunteering to drop off the girls. What's suddenly got into her? She was insisting to kick them out of the cafe just a while ago, now she wants to drop them off?

" Well, I'll leave them to you then. Thanks, girl!" Xu Nuan smiled.

Jia Fei scoffed seeing her friendly smile and turned away, pretending to be cool and mumbled, " Get lost."

Not only Xu Nuan, even Luo Dan was also surprised to see Jia Fei helping Xu Nuan.

Seeing the way they both argue every time they see each other, their relationship is not so friendly. What's gotten into Jia Fei exactly?

Why is she suddenly helping Xu Nuan? That's very unlikely of her!

_

As Xu Nuan was about to leave the cafe, her phone started to ring. She pursed her lips nervously and picked up the call.

" Where are you?" However, as soon as she picked up the call, she heard Han Zihao's indifferent voice from the other side.

From his stern voice, she could tell that he was not in the good mood.

He is angry! He definitely is!

She coughed awkwardly and tried to come up with an excuse, " Ah, I was at the Moonriver cafe with the girls. We were discussing what happened today."

" However, don't worry. I won't be late today. I am in the taxi right now. I will be there in...10 minutes. Yes, 10 minutes." She lied.

The girls stared at Xu Nuan lying while she was standing next to them. She doesn't get restless easily but seeing her like this, they were pleased.

At least there is someone who can make her jittery.

Xu Nuan waved at the girls in a hurry and was about to leave the cafe while talking on the phone, when she heard him say, " Don't come out yet. Wait for me there."

"Ah?" She stopped in her steps and wondered if she heard him right.

Did he find out that she was lying?

" What are you saying? Didn't I tell you that I am already in the taxi? I am on the way. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

" I know that you're still at the cafe. So stay put there."

"OH!" She exclaimed at his relatively cold and extremely calm voice.

She bit her lips and wondered why was he suddenly coming over to pick her up? Is it because she got late or because of what happened today?

He is not coming to lecture her about taking care of her health again, is he?

For some reason, she couldn't help but feel intimidated by his cold attitude. It's been a long time since she has seen this side of him.

The way he talked to her was the same way he treated her when they met for the first time in the hospital. Uninterested and suave!

Chapter 349 - Dinner Party (I)

When Han Zihao stopped the car in front of the cafe, he found Xu Nuan standing outside, waiting for him.

She didn't want to make him wait any further as she was worried that he might be angry with her for lying about being on the way and getting late for the dinner, again. To get some bonus points from him, she decided to come out and wait for him.

He got out of the car and looked at her with a frown, " Why are you standing outside like this? Didn't I tell you to wait inside?"

" No doubt you get sick easily." He nagged her while removing his blazer and putting it on her shoulders.

She was wearing a yellow, sleeveless dress and the weather these days is getting colder at night. Seeing her standing outside like this, he couldn't help but worry about her health. What if she gets cold after this?

That's why he worries about her because she doesn't know how to take care of herself.

She worries about everyone around her, except herself.

Xu Nuan's cheeks turned crimson seeing him being protective towards her. She was touched by his sweet gesture and was about to thank him when he said in a monotonous tone before getting into the car, " Get in the car. We're getting late."

"....."

She was dumbfounded to see him being cold towards her like this. She pouted seeing him acting so mysteriously but followed him like an obedient puppy anyway.

" Hmm? Getting late? Are we going somewhere?" She asked cutely while getting into the car.

However, he didn't reply to her question and simply muttered a sentence before starting the car, " You'll find out about it when we arrive."

She raised brows at him for being all mysterious and wondered what exactly he was thinking.

##

After some time, he stopped the car in front of the Jade Hotel. The hotel where she used to be a regular customer in her past life and loves the home-like food and coziness of this place.

Are they here for a dinner date?  Xu Nuan couldn't help but glance at him.

" Why did you bring me here? Are we dining out tonight?" She asked curiously.

If he wanted to dine out tonight, he could have said so. Why is he being all mysterious about it? She also likes the food at Jade Hotel, if he had told her, she would have happily joined him.

Han Zihao didn't say anything and stepped out of the car. After handing the keys to the valet, he turned to Xu Nuan who was looking around, admiring the night-lightening of the hotel.

He pursed his lips and coughed awkwardly, " We…aren't here just for the dinner."

" Hmm? Not for dinner? Then what?" She stared at him.

He took a deep breath and finally revealed the truth, " Well, Today is my father and his wife's wedding anniversary. So Grandma has arranged a family dinner at the hotel."

" However, you don't need to worry about anything. It's just a family dinner and nothing else. There will be only family and no outsiders."

"..."

Xu Nuan was speechless when he finally opened his mouth. What? Wait….Did…she hear him right?

" Today is your parent's wedding anniversary and you're telling me about it now? Before going inside the hotel for dinner? ARE YOU CRAZY?". She bellowed at him.

How can he be so inconsiderate? She didn't even dress up appropriately and was wearing a casual dress that she was wearing in the morning.

She wasn't even wearing any makeup and on top of that, she didn't bring any gifts for them. What would they think about her if she went there empty-handed like this?

What was he trying to do? Surprise her with a family dinner? Did he think she would be glad if he kept it a surprise? She sighed in exasperation.

He pursed his lips seeing her getting mad and explained the situation, " I didn't mean to hide it from you. I also forgot about it. A few days ago, when Grandma told me about the dinner, I wasn't planning to attend this dinner since so much was going on with you."

" However, today when everything got resolved, Han Liang called me in the evening to ask about the dinner. I was planning to pass it but he said that Grandma wanted to see you. I…had no choice but to bring you here."

" Also, he called me about the same just an hour ago. And as soon as I decided to attend the dinner party, I left to pick you up from the cafe." He explained.

She stared at him and tried to control her overflowing emotions. Relax Xu Nuan, Relax.

" If you had found out about it an hour ago, you should have mentioned it to me at that time. Why didn't you say anything?"

" If you had told me earlier, I would have changed my clothes at least. Now, what would they think about me?"

He cleared his throat and said embarrassingly, " I was planning too but I was worried about how you will react about the sudden dinner party so I…couldn't bring up the topic."

"....."

Now she understood why he was acting cold and indifferent to her. He wasn't being indifferent, he was nervous and scared. It was her who misunderstood his expressions and thought he was being mysterious and was angry at her.

Xu Nuan scoffed in disbelief and tried her best to calm down. She doesn't want to go inside in this mood and ruin the dinner party.

Han Zihao pursed his lips and seeing her unhappy expressions, he knew he messed it up a big time. " If you don't want to go inside, we can simply skip the dinner party. No one will say anything."

She shot him a glare, " Are you for real? We're already in front of the hotel. How can we not go?"

" More than attending the party, I am worried about going inside like this. You should have told me earlier." She cried out in frustration. The clothes she was wearing were not suitable for a party and she didn't want to leave a careless impression on his family.

He doesn't understand anything.

After taking a deep breath, she finally asked, " Did you bring a gift? Don't tell me you came empty-handed." she shot him a glare. If he didn't bring any gift with him, they're done for.

She will move back to her apartment and will not talk to him for a whole week.

Upon hearing her question, he immediately nodded, " Of course, I did. It will be delivered to the hotel in a while." He added.

In truth, he forgot about the gift as well. He didn't even remember about the anniversary, how would he remember to prepare the gift?

It was Feng Sheng who arranged the gift at the last moment. At least his mind works fast when in a time of crisis.

' Should I give him a bonus for his timely preparedness?' He thought.

Chapter 350 - Dinner Party (II)

Jade Hotel-

In a private room of the Jade hotel, the Han Family has gathered to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Han Jianghong and Cheng Zixing.

It was not an extravagant party but just a simple family dinner.

In the room, there was a large round table that had various kinds of dishes placed on it. The chairs were arranged around the table in a similar circular motion. The private room was simply decorated with a painting hung on the wall and Chinese porcelain was placed on the side table.

Although the room looked simple and plain, the soothing color of the walls matched the simple and soothing theme of the hotel.

The painting hung on the wall was one of the authentic paintings by the famous Chinese artist and was bought from the auction at a high price. Similarly, the porcelain was also an antique piece that was bought for at a higher price

At first, Xu Nuan was worried about everyone's reaction to her inappropriate outfit for the dinner party and was breathlessly nervous at the thought of it. She never felt nervous when going up on the stage before but whenever she meets Han Zihao's family, she can't help but get anxious.

However, as soon as they entered the room, as usual, Grandmother Han greeted her with a cheerful smile.

Because of her warm welcome, she managed to calm down. She was still angry at Han Zihao for not informing her about the party earlier but she wasn't as angry as before anymore.

The party was more humble than she had expected. As Han Zihao said, there were only family members. However, the additional family members were the parents of Han Liang, Uncle, and Aunt of Han Zihao.

Even though she met them for the first time, they greeted her with a bright smile and treated her like a family. No doubt Han Liang has such a cheerful personality, it was because of his parent's genes and Grandmother Han's influence.

Xu Nuan was sitting between Han Zihao and Grandmother Han. Her seat was opposite to Cheng Zixing and Han Jianghong.

Initially, she wanted to sit somewhere else to avoid talking to Cheng Zixing but Grandmother Han urged her to sit next to her and that's how she ended up sitting opposite Cheng Zixing.

For some reason, whenever she looks at Cheng Zixing, she doesn't get the similar welcoming vibes from her that she gets from Grandmother Han or the other family members.

Although she hasn't shown her hostile attitude towards her directly, she could feel the same from her words and the gaze.

Even though she was talking to Grandmother Han during the whole dinner, she could feel Cheng Zixing's eyes on her.

'Why does she keep staring at me?' She wondered and tried her best to ignore Cheng Zixing as much as she could. But it was impossible to ignore her when she was sitting opposite her.

" Xu Nuan, I used to think that you're a smart girl, but it seems like I had expected a lot from you." Cheng Zixing commented out of nowhere.

Xu Nuan turned to her and was startled at her sudden remark. " Erm….I didn't understand what you meant by this? Did I do anything wrong to offend you in any way?" she asked in confusion while maintaining her polite tone.

Cheng Zixing pursed her lips and glanced at others who were staring at her, waiting for her response. " Xu Nuan,  If you're serious about your relationship with Han Zihao, you should be mindful about what you wear in public from now on."

" After marrying Han Zihao, you will become the Mistress of the Han Family. You will be required to attend the formal parties and events as his partner and the daughter-in-law of the Han family. If you dress up like this for formal parties and dinners like this, what will everyone think of our family and about you?"

" I am not trying to lecture you about your clothes, but even if it was a family dinner, you should have dressed up properly. If you start learning from now, you can easily learn things before becoming a part of our family." She ended her words with a smile.

Upon hearing Cheng Zixing's words, others in the room also stopped talking and turned their attention to them. Han Zihao frowned upon hearing Cheng Zixing's words and pursed his lips tightly.

It's not like he hates Cheng Zixing but their relationship is not any good either. For him, she is nothing less than his father's wife.

He generally doesn't say anything to her and she doesn't say anything about the matters related to him either but what was the need for her to talk to Xu Nuan in this tone, that too in front of everyone?

Anyone could tell that even though she said her words politely and tried to show her concern to her as an elder, the meaning behind her words was meant to look down on Xu Nuan.

Grandmother Han glanced at Xu Nuan with concerned eyes and was taken aback by Cheng Zixing's words, " Cheng Zixing, What was the need for you to say such things to her?" What's wrong with the way she dressed up? She is so beautiful and this dress suits her the best." She said,

"Mother, I am not lecturing her. I am just telling her to be careful about her attire the next time. Even though this dress looks good on her, she should have been mindful to wear something decent and according to the occasion."

" If she is going to be a part of our family, she needs to know that there are some rules in the family and she needs to follow them. You can't let her do anything and wear whatever she wants. The Han Family has a reputation to behold in society after all."

Upon hearing her words, everyone was caught off guard, including Han Jianghong. He looked at his wife and nudged her to stop it. Since when did she start to concern herself with such materialistic stuff?

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a sleeveless yellow dress that was barely reaching her knees. And rather than wearing heels, she was wearing flat sandals as they were more comfortable than the heels.

Unlike her, everyone in the room was dressed up neatly and according to the occasion as Cheng Zixing said. She also knew that she wasn't dressed according to the event but even so, there was no need for her to say such words like this.

If she had any problem with her outfit, she could have talked to her about the same matter in private. Wouldn't that be much better than making such remarks in front of everyone?

" I understand. You're right, I am indeed not dressed according to the occasion as I only found out about the dinner party upon reaching the hotel, so I didn't have the time to change my clothes. I apologize for that." Xu Nuan said.

" Xu Nuan, you don't need to-"

Xu Nuan interrupted Grandma Han's words and continued, " As for attending the formal parties, you don't need to worry about them. I am very well aware of the so-called elite-class etiquettes. You will not have a complaint from my side in this regard in the future."

Cheng Zixing smiled upon hearing her words and was pleased by her response, " That's right. I am glad that you took my words in the right way and didnt-

"However, it would be better if you can talk to me about such matters privately. I don't mind but such conversations can easily ruin the party mood. As you can see everyone got so uncomfortable suddenly." She laughed, trying to pass this matter as a joke.

At first, she was annoyed but suppressed her emotions since it was the family dinner to celebrate their anniversary and didn't want to ruin the fun.

After she was done speaking, the atmosphere in the room became even heavier.

Han Liang pursed his lips and was surprised at the way Xu Nuan handled the situation. Since when did she start to control her anger? I thought it's going to be a fun battle, how boring!

Just when he thought that the situation have been controlled, Han Zihao who was silent all this while finally spoke up, " You sure worry about unnecessary things a lot."

Chapter 351 - Dinner Party (III)

Cheng Zixing frowned upon hearing Han Zihao's comment. " Unnecessary things? What…do you mean by that?"

" Han Zihao, it's okay if you don't accept me as your mother. But don't you think as your father's wife, I have a position in the family and have a say in major family decisions?"

" What's wrong with me teaching her some rules of the family? It's not like I was being  rude to her."

By now, she never said anything regarding Han Zihao or matters related to him but everything will change after he gets married. He will not only get married in the future but also take over the Han Corporations completely as well.

This will decrease the position that she holds in the family. And because of that, she can't let a new girl do anything and look down on her just how he does.

If she doesn't show her authority from the start, the girl might also take her lightly in the future.

And the way Grandmother Han treats her like an apple of her eye, she was afraid that this girl might replace her position in the family. How come everyone is so crazy over her?

She is also the daughter-in-law of the Han Family, however, they never treated her this way, not even when she recently came to the family. She had to work hard to earn everyone's trust and find her place in the family.

Why is Xu Nuan being treated differently from the start? It's not like she is any special.

In the past, Grandmother Han has rejected the girl that she had introduced for Han Zihao as his partner.

She was such a nice girl with a high educational background. Not only that, she was the only heiress of the business of her family and they were quite reputed in the society as well.

It would have been great if Han Zihao and she had gotten married. This would not have only benefited the Han family but also elevated her position in the family as well.

However, Grandmother Han didn't like the girl she suggested who was perfect and took a liking to this clumsy, unsophisticated girl.

She doesn't even know how to carry herself well, how will she manage the household in the future?

-

Xu Nuan peeked at Han Zihao whose expressions were turning dark with every word that was coming from Cheng Zixing's mouth.

It was her first time to see her speaking a lot like that. At least she is finally speaking her mind and not judging her quietly.

That was creepier than speaking on her face.

She sighed and reached out to hold his hand under the table and squeezed it lightly. She wanted to calm him down and not make a scene.

This will only worry Grandmother Han who prepared this family dinner with much care.

Han Zihao looked at Xu Nuan's hand over his and let out a deep breath before speaking, " Of course, you have a say in family matters. As the wife of my father, you have that authority."

" However, any matter related to Xu Nuan is not something that you can comment on. It's related to me and her only, I don't think I have allowed anyone to comment about my matters."

" Also…I am not sure since when the Han family became so conservative to control someone's choice of dress. I don't think Grandmother has ever questioned you about your choice of outfits."

" If there was something wrong with Xu Nuan's outfit, Grandmother would have said it to her. However, she didn't say anything about her outfit, do you think you're above grandmother in the family?" He questioned back.

Cheng Zixing's expressions became dull upon facing such scandalous questions from him. How can he ask something like that to her?

" Wh...What are you saying? When did I say anything like that? I was just telling her to learn some-"

" Han Zihao is right. Cheng Zixing, you're part of the Han Family. So you should know that our family doesn't care about such superficial things. Xu Nuan has every right to wear whatever she wants and whenever." Grandmother Han said firmly.

" Lecturing her about her clothes like this is utterly embarrassing. What were you trying to show here? That Han family is old-fashioned and likes to control their daughters-in-law? Have I ever treated you like this? Huh?"

Facing Grandmother Han's wrath, Cheng Zixing had no choice but to stay quiet. Just as Han Zihao said earlier, she is not above Grandmother Han and there is no way she can say anything against her.

After the dramatic confrontation between Grandmother Han and Cheng Zixing, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Han Jianghong glanced at his wife who was bitter and embarrassed after being told off like this.

However, this time, she was indeed in the wrong. Even he was shocked by the way she talked to Xu Nuan tonight. She never acted this way, so what happened to her today?

##

The happy family dinner ended on a bitter note. By the end of the dinner, Cheng Zixing's expressions were gloomy and unhappy.

Seeing her bitter expressions, Grandmother Han didn't say anything further either. It was their wedding anniversary and she tried her best to make this a happy memory for them, but it was not her fault that things turned out like this.

Rather than riding the same car, they all left in different cars and only Han Liang was left behind with Han Zihao and Xu Nuan. They were standing outside the hotel and came down to bid goodbye to everyone.

After all the cars left, Han Liang turned to Xu Nuan and teased her, " Xu Nuan, do you think you can be a part of this crazy family in the future? I am scared for you already."

Xu Nuan blushed at his question and touched his crimson cheeks lightly. Part of this family?

She cleared her throat at his comment and said, " Did you forget about my complicated family history? Don't worry, I am immune to such situations. Moreover, in terms of what I have been through in my family, remarks of Mrs. Han was nothing compared to that."

" By the way, why didn't you leave with your parents? Why are you still here?" She asked.

He shook his head and said, " I am not going home tonight. I am going with you guys. I will stay with my brother tonight."

Xu Nuan frowned at his comment, " Why? Why do you want to be the third wheel between us?"

" Because I hate to see you happy. Moreover, it's my brother's house. Can't I come whenever I want?"

"NO!!" Han Zihao said.

Han Liang frowned at his brother's comment and looked at Xu Nuan who was now laughing at him, " Brother, how can you say something like this? I am your brother. Did you forget about the time we spent together? The days I have spent at your place? That's so mean of you to reject my affection like this." He whined.

" You cannot come with us because we're not going anywhere." Han Zihao added.

"???"

Xu Nuan stared at him in confusion, " If we're not going home, then where are we going?" she asked.

" Nowhere!" He said, leaving her flabbergasted.

'Not going anywhere? What does he mean by this?'

Chapter 352 - Presidential Suite

Han Zihao looked at the confused Xu Nuan and said with a slight smirk on his face, " Nowhere."

While Xu Nuan was still trying to assess the meaning behind his words when Han Liang gasped dramatically.

Since when did his saint brother become so….sly? He stared at him in shock and asked hesitantly, " Brother, don't tell me that you guys are-"

" Yes. You guessed it right. We're staying at the hotel tonight. Do you still want to come with us and stay together, Huh?" Han Zihao asked.

" Upon seeing your expressions, I guess you changed your mind. So you should go home and sleep. Don't you have work tomorrow? You should sleep early." He added.

"-_-"

Han Liang was dumbfounded to see Han Zihao extremely calm and composed. How can he say such words to him? He is his brother after all.

He used to think that at least Han Zihao is different in their family. He is decent and not dirty-minded like Grandmother Han.

However, seeing him so confident and cool about telling him such a thing, he is Grandmother Han's Grandson for sure.

Shamelessly confident!!

And why was he even telling him all this? Is he trying to flex that he has a girlfriend and he doesn't?

'Hah! He will also get a girlfriend soon, it's not that hard. Not that hard!' Han Liang thought in his head.

If his unnecessarily arrogant and heartless brother can get a girlfriend, then he can get one for sure. He is more popular than him after all.

While thinking about how to make Han Zihao jealous when he gets a girlfriend in the future, he also left the hotel in a car. What else can he do anyway?

_

After Han Liang left, Xu Nuan turned to Han Zihao and asked in surprise, " Are we seriously staying here? At the Jade hotel?"

Seeing her excited like this, he nodded." Yes. Weren't you tired after the long day? So rather than going back home, I thought it would be better for us to stay here instead."

" Ahhh!! I am so happy. It's been so long since I stayed at this hotel." She hugged his arm in excitement.

"But don't you have to make a reservation at least a day before? Have you been planning to stay here since before?  Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she asked curiously.

Jade Hotel is the most prestigious and luxurious hotel in the city. It's not easy to make a reservation at this hotel as only the topmost-elite class stays here.

In her past life, she used to be a regular customer of this hotel and had the VVIP membership card too.

That's why she could make the reservation one day before only, otherwise, the reservation for a room has to be done in advance and many times it goes in waiting for months.

Seeing him not responding, she asked again, " What kind of room is it? Is it a luxurious room or a suit? On which floor? I used to stay on the 23rd floor. I never got to stay higher than that. " She said,

In Jade hotel, the higher floor it is, the more expensive and luxurious the room becomes. Since the building is itself a 30 storey building, her room was still one of the best ones.

"Do you know that in the entertainment industry, only I had the VVIP membership card of this hotel? Luo Dan and Jia Fei also had the VIP membership card of the hotel but I had the VVIP card. I was quite popular, you see." She flipped her back while boasting about her popularity in the past.

" Aaah! This hotel is just so beautiful. I wonder who built such a high-class, lavish hotel. That man must be blessed by God for being so rich."

Han Zihao stared at her happy face and said before turning around to go inside the hotel, "Let's go inside. Then You can find out about what kind of room it is."

_

" Holy Shit!!" Xu Nuan exclaimed in surprise to see the topmost Presidential suite of the hotel.

They're on the 30th floor? The topmost floor of the hotel? How is this possible?

Xu Nuan's eyes widened as she checked out the most beautiful room she has ever seen in her life.

"Han Zihao, How did you get this topmost Presidential Suite? The topmost Presidential suite was reserved by the hotel and I heard that it's blocked for the owner of the hotel."

"Then how can you-" Xu Nuan stopped talking upon realizing something strange.

She turned around and stared at Han Zihao in shock. " Don't tell me….Is...that really true? You...you…" she stuttered while trying to make sense out of this situation.

Han Zihao's lips curled up to see her shocked reaction and asked mysteriously, " What do you think about it? Do you like this room?"

"Holy potato!!" Xu Nuan covered her mouth in shock.

" Is this your hotel? Are...you... the owner of this hotel? The most famous and luxurious Jade Hotel? For real?" She asked in surprise.

Now she gets everything. Jade Hotel, who never delivers the food, delivered the food when she was in the hospital.

The sudden, last moment reservations made by Feng Sheng. The unusual extra care and attention from the staff.

Han Zihao had the rare platinum membership card of the hotel when she never even heard about it, everything becomes clear now.

So the owner of the hotel was in front of her all along?

Han Zihao laughed to see Xu Nuan's dramatic reaction and was amused by her shocked expressions. He wasn't expecting her to be this shocked about this news.

Just how low she was thinking of him all along? It's just a hotel anyway.

Chapter 353 - Sweet Punishment (I)

In the luxurious Presidential Suite of Jade Hotel, there was a large, king-size bed in the main bedroom. In the living room of the suite, there was a large TV on the wall and a long, L-shaped velvet couch.

The dark theme of the room was making the whole interior look even more lavish and elegant.

Along with the gray color on the walls, all the furniture in the suite was either gray or black. The velvet couch, furry carpet, even the blanket on the bed was also gray.

In front of the couch, there was a luxurious black-glass table that was completing the whole look of the dark-themed Presidential Suite. There were large windows in the main bedroom from where the night view of the city could be admired.

The windows were transparent from the inside but the things happening inside the room, cannot be seen from the outside. To cover the translucent windows, the curtains used were also of gray and white color.

-

After being shaken by the sudden information of Han Zihao being the owner of Jade Hotel, Xu Nuan couldn't help but reflect on her actions. It's been some time since they have been together but she still doesn't know much about him.

Han Zihao was also sly about this. He never mentioned this to her even for once, despite knowing how much she loves the food from Jade Hotel and used to be a frequent customer at Jade Hotel in her last life.

Such a meanie!

-

After admiring the beauty of the room, Xu Nuan was now standing in front of the windows in the main bedroom and was appreciating the beautiful night view to distract her wild thoughts.

They were on the 30th floor and from here, she could get the whole city's night view.

The beautiful shimmering yellow lights on the roads, the crescent moon shining brightly in the sky, and the tiny glittering stars covering the dark sky- everything about this night was just mystical and breathtaking.

Xu Nuan who was lost in admiring this beautiful view failed to notice the hushed steps stopping behind her.

Han Zihao stared at the girl in front of him who was busy admiring the night view and was ignoring his existence in the room. It's been more than half an hour since they came into this room and rather than talking to her, she was more interested in the interior of the room and now the night view.

She sure loves to torture him.

He moved closer to her and wrapped his cold hands around her waist, pulling her to his side.

Xu Nuan squealed in surprise with his sneaky act but giggled when he snuggled into the crook of the neck. " What kind of sneaky behavior is this? Hmm?" she asked.

However, he ignored her question and snuggled into her neck, and smelled the fruity shampoo from her hair, " Hmm….It smells nice. I can do this all day long."

Xu Nuan turned to look at him and snorted in disgust at his cheesy comment, " Do what? Smell my shampoo all day long? Such a pervert."

He laughed at her interpretation of his words and pulled her closer. Hugging her tightly from behind, he breathed in her ears, " Well, I am more into smelling something else than just a shampoo."

" Smell what?" She asked with a frown.

" You sure want to know that?" He asked with a meaningful smirk.

" Argh!!" Xu Nuan groaned and gave him a side-eye at his not-so-decent comment and shook her head in helplessness, " Do you know that you're starting to act like a hooligan day-by-day? You're not the same Han Zihao I used to know."

" Return my innocent boy. I need the compensation."

"Well, that's not my fault. Who told you to be so beautiful? Hmm? I cannot help but become greedy when it comes to you." He said in a soft voice and kissed her gently on the neck.

Xu Nuan giggled and wriggled in his embrace at the tickly sensation. While still looking at the shimmering glowing lights outside the window, she said, " If you're saying those sweet comments to make me forget about what happened earlier, don't even think about it. I am still angry at you."

" I am not gonna accept your apology."

Han Zihao pursed his lips due to his guilty conscience and cleared his throat. Why is she so smart when it comes to such things? He sighed.

" You not only did not tell me about the dinner party sooner but also hid the fact that you're the owner of Jade Hotel all this long. Why didn't you tell me about this earlier? Don't you know how much I like this hotel?"

" Tell me honestly, were you laughing at me when I was telling you that I used to be a VVIP customer at this hotel and was respected by the staff? Because in the end, you're the one who is the owner of this majestic hotel and I was showing off in front of you, The Great President of Han Corporations." She whined and removed his hands from her waist and turned to face him.

He looked into her clear-big eyes and shook his head innocently, " How can I laugh at you? No, No. Never!!"

" I didn't tell you about it earlier, because….it was interesting to see you smiling happily whenever I brought you here for lunch or delivered food from the hotel. There is nothing special about this place but I liked that you were enjoying it."

He held her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, " Since now you know that this is my hotel, you can come here anytime and eat whatever, whenever you want. No one can stop you." He added.

Xu Nuan stared at him in surprise and asked, " You're not lying, are you? Is that even possible?"

He stared at her smiling like a child and laughed in content with her response, " You still doubt it? I will ask Feng Sheng to prepare an access card for you and from now on, you will never need to pay or make reservations to eat or stay here. You can come to this hotel, anytime you want."

Other than Han Zihao, only the members of the Han family have access to this kind of card. This card not only allows them to use the hotel facilities whenever they want but also covers their bills as well.

" Woah!! So this is what it feels like to be Richie rich. Hmm…I am impressed." she nodded while thinking about the benefits of being super-rich. No doubt everyone in the business industry wants to be in good relation with Han Corporations because they're indeed the big thing at the moment.

" You're talking as if you were not rich. You were the Queen of the music industry, I am surprised that you're excited just because of this."

" It's different. I always wanted to buy this hotel but it was out of my reach. Whenever I talked to the management and asked about the price of the hotel, they simply laughed at my question and ignored it." She explained how she even tried to buy this hotel.

He laughed and pinched her rosy cheeks, " Seems like someone is more interested in the hotel than me. Tell me, who do you love more, this hotel or me?" He pulled her closer and asked the question while maintaining eye contact with her.

Xu Nuan smirked at his silly-jealousy-filled question and said casually, " Is that even a question? Of course, the hotel."

Han Zihao raises brows at her cheeky answer and hugs her tightly by the waist and pulls her closer. Staring at her strawberry-like pink lips,  he whispered, "Very Well. Seems like someone is going to be punished tonight."

" Is that so? I wonder who that will be?"  She asked in a hoarse voice while staring at him provocatively.

" You're really that curious?"

" Ah-huh". She nodded.

However, before she could say another word, he covered her cheeks with his large hands and kissed her tinted-soft lips mindlessly.

Chapter 354 - Sweet Punishment (II)

Before Xu Nuan could say another word, Han Zihao covered her cheeks between his large hands and kissed her tinted-soft lips mindlessly.

In response to his passionate kiss, Xu Nuan also reached out to wrap her arms around his neck to hold onto him. She closed the distance between the two and kissed him back while caressing the nape of his neck with her cold-smooth hands.

Han Zihao groans in surprise and pleasure when Xu Nuan starts kissing him back. She tightens her hold onto his neck and starts sucking on his lips aggressively.

Han Zihao also pulled her closer and reduced the distance between their bodies even more. Their bodies were sticking to each other to the point that they could hear each other's racing heartbeat and restless breath.

"It's not enough." He huffed in urgency and muttered through the kiss.

Before Xu Nuan could understand what's happening, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up by the waist

Xu Nuan squealed in surprise when he suddenly picked her up and continued to kiss her while carrying her in his arms. To keep her balance, Xu Nuan had to hug his neck tightly and the gap between their bodies became even more scarce.

Han Zihao groaned in painful pleasure when she hugged his neck even more tightly and he could feel her racing heartbeat.

The distance from the windows to the bed felt like an eternity to him.

However, no matter how urgent he was, he didn't stop kissing those addicting-sweet lips until they reached the bed.

When they reached the large bed, he gently put her down and kneeled in front of her. He once again seized those soft lips and started exploring the new yet familiar world.

He grasped the back of her head and was pushing her head towards him while deepening the kiss.

Xu Nuan moaned when his tongue entered her mouth and started playing hide and seek with her tongue. She didn't want to lose this pleasure game and wanted to take the lead but she was powerless in front of his aggressive approach.

His passionate kiss was making her weak in her legs and she could feel something warm pooling in her lower abdomen. Even her body temperature was rising and despite the air conditioner in the room, she was sweating and panting in breathlessness.

It felt too good to be true.

How can kissing someone feel so good? A thought popped into her mind randomly.

_

After kissing those drug-like addicting lips, Han Zihao moves towards her sensitive area and starts nibbling on her earlobes while exploring her body with his large hands.

He sucked on her exposed earlobes and slowly moved to her neck and collarbone. After giving some soft-butterfly kisses, he sucked on her white-smooth skin, leaving purple marks on her skin.

While kissing her and pleasuring her with his mouth, his hands moved from her bare shoulders to her waist and then to her back.

" Hah," Xu Nuan gasped in surprise when he undid the zipper on the back of her dress.

She shivered when she felt his cold hands caressing her now bareback. He captured her lips again while caressing her back gently and was about to pull down her dress from the shoulders when Xu Nuan snapped open her eyes.

She could feel something warm trickling down and could feel the familiar sticky slightly uncomfortable feeling between her legs.

She groaned in annoyance and slightly pushed him back which caught him off guard.

Han Zihao stopped kissing her and looked at her in confusion, " What's wrong?"

Xu Nuan bit her lower lips and avoided looking at his handsome face. She was too embarrassed to look at the red smudged lipstick on his face.

She coughed embarrassedly and murmured, " I…don't think we can do this today.

" Ah? What's wrong? Did I do anything wrong?" He asked. However, she shook her head, feeling embarrassed about it.

" Do you feel unwell? Should I call the doctor?" He asked in worry. Everything was going smoothly just now, then what happened suddenly.

" It's not that serious. Ah, forget about it." She waved her hands.

Xu Nuan looked at him with sorry expressions and sighed, " Let me use the washroom first." Before he could figure out what happened, she hurriedly stood up and darted towards the washroom, leaving him all flustered.

_

After a while when Xu Nuan stepped out of the bathroom, she had already changed into a fresh pair of pajamas.

When Xu Nuan went into the bathroom, Han Zihao got a hunch about what would have happened. Her face was flushing like a tomato, how can he not get the idea of what's going on?

So he called a female staff worker and asked her to assist Xu Nuan and also bring a fresh pair of pajamas for her to change into.

-

Xu Nuan pursed her lips when she saw Han Zihao sitting on the bed, with his back supported against the headboard. He had his legs stretched out and covered under the blanket. He was doing something on his phone and was busy on it.

Although he didn't look annoyed or pissed at her, she couldn't help but feel sorry towards him. For the last few days, she was stuck with Sun Ya's scandal and they barely got any time to spend together.

Even though they now live together, she couldn't spare any time for him and was feeling guilty about the same all along. Today she wanted to reward him for his patience and wanted to make good use of this mystical night when the unwanted guest popped out of nowhere.

And today when they finally got some time together, her periods invaded her happy life. Why the hell do they come every damn month? And why does it have to be at such important times?

Whyyyy?

" You're here. Why are you standing there? Come and lie down here." He said as he patted the side next to him when he saw her standing in front of the bathroom in a daze.

" Ah, Yes." Xu Nuan nodded embarrassedly and went to his side shyly. She didn't dare to look at him in the face and was still feeling awkward about it.

Han Zihao noticed her acting strangely in front of him and was avoiding looking at his face. He sighed and put his phone aside and covered her with the blanket before pulling her closer in his embrace.

He put his hand across her shoulder and pinched her chin with the other hand while looking straight into her eyes, " Stop acting awkward like this now. That's so unlike you."

Xu Nuan coughed in embarrassment and sighed, " I am not being awkward. It just….I am just…so frustrated. Why does it have to be today?"

" Everything was so perfect, the night view and the place. However, the whole mood got ruined because of me."

He sighed seeing her in an upset mood and leaned down to give her a sweet peck on her lips. He looked at her and said, " If you're that sorry, then you can compensate me some other day. Also, who says the whole mood got ruined?"

" We can still do many things together to enjoy this night. The whole point of staying at the hotel tonight was to spend some quality time together. And we can still do that." He said in a gentle voice.

" How?" Xu Nuan asked in a grumpy voice.

Seeing her in confusion, he also laid next to her and picked up a remote from the side table. He clicked the button on it and a large-white projector screen pulled down from the ceiling, startling Xu Nuan.

" Why is this here?" She asked in confusion. Since the TV is in the living room, she wasn't expecting something like this to be in the main bedroom.

Han Zihao enjoyed her amused expressions and after a few clicks on his phone, he connected the projector with his phone and played a movie on the screen. " Today we're going to watch a movie. What do you say? Isn't it a good way to spend some time together?

" I have also ordered some popcorn and pizza to eat while watching a movie. How can we skip the food from our night plan? Huh?"

Xu Nuan stared at him and seeing him being proud of his thoughtful idea, she couldn't help but reach out to kiss him on the lips. " Aiyaa, How can you be this thoughtful? You're the best boyfriend in the world," she whispered lovingly.

Pleased by her sudden comment, he could feel his face burning in embarrassment. He cleared his throat and pointed towards the screen, " Let's watch the movie. It's not healthy to get distracted at the moment."

Xu Nuan laughed at him and hugged his waist tightly while looking at the screen. " We're watching a horror movie? Why?"

" Because that's the safest one at the moment. It will keep distracting thoughts away from us." He explained honestly.

Although he doesn't like horror movies, that was the best choice at the moment. He couldn't bear to watch any kisses or intimate scenes in the movie when they're lying in the bed, next to each other. At least the ghost will not prompt him to do something that he shouldn't do and let her rest.

Xu Nuan understood the meaning behind his words and shook her head in helplessness. He doesn't know that watching a horror movie in this setting is, even more, a dangerous option.

Chapter 355 - Office Visit (I)

Jiang Mansion-

In the study room of Jiang Mansion, an old figure was sitting in front of the computer screen and was looking at the latest articles and news regarding Xu Nuan.

Grandfather Jiang was wearing his round-gold framed glasses that were resting on the bridge of his nose and was reading every piece of news related to Xu Nuan with all seriousness. In the last few days, he has followed every news article regarding Sun Ya's scandal, who was an artist under Xu Nuan's care.

He was not only interested in news related to Xu Nuan but also in every other person who is related to her.

His expressions were switching like seasons, sometimes he was smiling brightly like autumn upon reading the comments complimenting Xu Nuan and supporting her, and sometimes he was frowning like dry and cold winter when he stumbled upon any hate comment or misleading article about her.

Since the day he had met with Xu Nuan, he has become sure of one thing. His Granddaughter Jiang Yue is not dead.

She is still alive!! And no one can change his mind when it comes to this.

He has no idea why she was pretending to not recognize him and telling him the truth, but he has seen through the facade that she was trying to put up in front of him.

A person can lie through his mouth and deceive someone with their words, but their gaze cannot lie.

Eyes are like a mirror of someone's heart. You cannot hide the truth in them. Never.

_

As he was reading the news articles regarding Xu Nuan and her newly established entertainment company, the corners of his lips curled up in pride. It's been only a few days since she has announced about The Knights joining the company and people are already showing immense interest in the company and its affairs.

The way she handled the scandal and twisted it in a way that can benefit the company, it's so like Jiang Yue.

Even though Jiang Yue followed the path of showbiz and gave up the opportunity to take over the Jiang Corporations, he was aware that she had all the qualities of a capable business entrepreneur.

That's why he made her complete her studies in business and wanted to give her the responsibilities of the company after retiring.

He was aware that other than her, no one can manage the company better than her. She is just like her father, capable and responsible.

However, before he could announce Jiang Yue as his successor, he got the news of her passing away.

A heavy sigh left from his mouth upon remembering all the pain and hardships that he suffered upon hearing the news of his young granddaughter passing away before he could leave this world.

As a parent, he not only had to attend the funeral of his eldest son and daughter-in-law but also as a Grandfather, he failed to protect his granddaughter too.

If he had acted earlier, would things have been any different? Would he have managed to save his Granddaughter?

" Sir, the car is waiting outside. Do you want me to inform Ms. Jiang Ru about your visit to the company?" His secretary Gu De, interrupted his thoughts, pulling him to reality.

" No need." The old man coldly responded and put down his glasses on the desk and picked up his wooden stick from the side as support to get up from the chair.

"Let's go." The man announced before leaving the study room with the help of Gu De.

_

Jiang Corporations-

" What? Who did you say has arrived?" Jiang Ru yelled in shock upon hearing the news of Grandfather Jiang arriving at the company.

Jiang Ru, Jiang Yue's cousin who works at Jiang Corporations as the Managing Director, and her father, who is the Chief Executive at the company came running downstairs upon hearing the news of the arrival of Grandfather Jiang.

Seeing the company's CEO and the managing director along with the other team leaders of the company running like this, all the employees were confused and wondering what had happened to make them run around like this.

While all the other employees were confused by the chaos in the office lobby, Jiang Ru and Jiang Yahui were shocked by Grandfather Jiang's surprise visit.

After Jiang Yue's death, it was his first time coming to the company. After she suddenly passed away, Grandfather Jiang had stopped attending any meetings and instead of him, Jiang Ru and Jiang Yue's uncle, Jiang Yahui were taking care of the company's affairs.

If he has to sign any documents, he will do it from Jiang Mansion itself. That's why everyone was shocked to see him coming to the office like this.

-

" Father, how come you're here without any prior information? You should have at least informed me about your visit." Jiang Yahui said in a low voice as soon as Grandfather Jiang got out of the car.

The old man looked at his son who was surprised and was baffled by his sudden visit to the company. " Why do I have to inform you about my visit in advance? Do I have to take your permission to come to my own company?" The old man responded firmly.

Jiang Yahui was surprised by his father's indifferent reaction and pursed his lips in embarrassment upon being told off like this in front of everyone.

Seeing the atmosphere becoming awkward, Jiang Ru stepped ahead and greeted Grandfather Jiang with her bright smile, " Grandfather, you're here."

The old man looked at his granddaughter and narrowed his eyes, " Jiang Ru, You're the Managing Director of the company. At work, you should address me as the Chairman, I am not your grandfather here." He told her off sternly as well.

The atmosphere became uncomfortable once again. Although Grandfather Jiang has a straightforward and cold personality, it was his first time treating Jiang Ru and Jiang Yahui in front of everyone like this.

A deep frown appeared on Jiang Ru's forehead upon seeing Grandfather Jiang's cold attitude towards her and her father. Because of this, other employees also started whispering to each other.

" I understand, Mr. Chairman." She said in a humble voice, through her gritting teeth.

Grandfather Jiang looked at Jiang Ru who was maintaining her poised expressions and was still smiling as if nothing had happened. However, knowing the fiery and competitive personality of his granddaughter, he was sure that she was bitter about what just happened.

He narrowed his eyes at her but didn't say anything further and entered the company while others followed him.

It's time to set some things straight.

Chapter 356 - Office Visit (II)

Grandfather Jiang glanced at his granddaughter who was still smiling politely even after being told off in front of everyone and furrowed his brows. She sure knows how to feign a smile.

Her innocent smile is what has fooled him all this time! When did she turn so wicked, he wondered.

" Mr. Chairman, let me escort you to your office. Should I ask someone to prepare your favorite, Pu-Erh tea?" Jiang Ru asked in a honey-like sweet voice while following him behind.  Jiang Yahui frowned to see his father's cold attitude towards Jiang Ru but followed him inside the company while his daughter tried to impress the old man.

However, Grandfather Jiang didn't pay any heed to her and turned to his secretary who was walking a step behind him, "Inform all the board members to gather at the conference room for a meeting in an hour. Also, bring all the contracts that have been processed in the last few months." He ordered.

" Yes, Chairman." The man responded politely and got on with work right away.

While Gu De was busy arranging the meeting, Jiang Ru turned around and glanced at her father in confusion. ' What's going on? Did you do anything to upset him?' She looked at him with a suspicious gaze.

Jiang Yahui noticed his daughter's suspicious gaze and shook his head in denial. He stared at the back of his father and sighed in cluelessness. He has no idea what's going on in his father's head.

Has he become paranoid because of his dear granddaughter's death? Why is he overreacting like this?

-

After Jiang Yue's death, Grandfather Jiang stopped visiting the company and always cooped inside his dark-dimly lighted study room at Jiang Mansion.

Before her death, Grandfather Jiang used to handle the company's major affairs and used to check every single report and details regarding any major projects. After the death of his eldest son and Jiang Yue's father, he never stopped working for once.

He didn't even pass his responsibilities to Jiang Yahui, even though he is also his son. He never trusted in him.

He had appointed him as the CEO of the company, who has no power whatsoever. He is just a powerless CEO who needs the permission of the Chairman before taking any important decision.

All the reports regarding any projects require a signature and approval from the Chairman.

He cannot make any decisions and just works as the nominal head of the company. However, after Jiang Yue's death when the old man stopped coming to the company, everyone assumed that the power system in the company would finally change.

Seeing the way Jiang Yahui and Jiang Ru were taking all the major decisions for the company and acting as the temporary head of the company in the absence of Grandfather Jiang, they assumed that Jiang Ru will finally be promoted from the Managing Director post and will succeed the company as the only left heir of Jiang Corporations.

Not only that, the girl has potential and proved this to everyone in the last year.

Things were finally going according to them, so why did he suddenly come to the company? Is he planning to finally hand over the company's control to them?  Jiang Yahui pondered.

_

An hour later, everyone gathered at the conference hall for the board meeting arranged by Grandfather Jiang at the last minute.

All the members were confused and the chaotic low-whispers could be heard even from outside the meeting room. Grandfather Jiang who was standing outside the meeting room, his brows creased upon hearing the loud whispers that were reaching to his ears.

Gu De glanced at the old man who was staring at the door handle intently for the last five minutes and hadn't shown any intention to open the door and enter the meeting room. However, after taking a deep breath, Grandfather Jiang finally said in a weak-low voice, " Open the door."

Gu De complied and opened the door for him. As soon as the door of the meeting room was pushed open, the room fell into an uncomfortable stillness. Everyone settled on their seats and straightened their suits to greet the Chairman.

Grandfather Jiang nodded at the board members who stood up to greet him and took his head chair which is in the center of the table. Jiang Ru was sitting on his right, meanwhile his son, Jiang Yahui was sitting on his left, waiting for him to commence the meeting.

The old man scrutinized everyone's tense and confused expressions and clasped his hands on the table before speaking, " I know my presence here must have surprised everyone. The last year wasn't easy for me as I was…mourning over the death of my youngest granddaughter who suddenly passed away in an….accident." He said in a deep, hoarse-hesitant voice.

" Unknowingly, because of this reason, I have ignored the responsibilities of the company that I have established myself. I apologize for the irresponsible behavior that I have presented in front of everyone." He continued.

"In the last year, Jiang Ru and Jiang Yahui have helped me to manage the company in my absence. I am thankful for their and everyone's support."

" However, now I have come to a decision. As the focal head of the Jiang Corporations, I have decided to-" He paused in his words and glanced at Jiang Ru who was trying to contain her blooming smile.

Jiang Ru's lips curved in a crescent shape, as she tried to hide her excitement. Is he finally going to acknowledge her existence and make her the successor of the company?

Finally, that day has come.

If Jiang Yue would have been here, he would have definitely given this responsibility to her. However, she is not here anymore.

Now no one can take away what belongs to her, only her.

The smirk that others failed to notice, Grandfather Jiang managed to witness that sight of hers. This made his eyes darken as ripples of burning lava started to form inside her.

She still has the nerve to be excited about it? He gritted his teeth. However, he didn't show his true emotions towards Jiang Ru in front of everyone and announced, " I have decided to not push back on my responsibilities and from now on, I will resume my duties and will start coming to the office again."

" Although I have appointed Jiang Yahui as the temporary head after the death of Jiang Yue to manage all the affairs of the company, I would like to take that burden off his shoulders now. Jiang Yahui, you can relax now, you have worked hard." He turned to Jiang Yahui whose mouth was left hanging at his sudden announcement.

" From now on, all the reports regarding any project, major or minor, everything will be required to have my approval before being processed." He declared in a cold and firm voice.

Everyone was shocked by his sudden announcement and couldn't help but wonder if something was going on in the Jiang Family. Rather than transferring the responsibility to his son and granddaughter, the old man wants to take the control of the company in his hands, once again? Why?

Jiang Ru's eyes widened in shock as this news came like a deafening thunder on her. The blood from her face drained in an instant and turned white upon hearing that he would snatch all the powers from them.

What will this make them in front of others? After this, they will have prominent positions in the company with no significant powers? What the hell!!

" Grandfather…" Jiang Ru spoke up. However, she stopped right away upon seeing Grandfather Jiang's darkened expressions.

She gulped nervously and tried again, " Mr. Chairman, I think you should consider this decision of yours once again. Your health is not in good condition anymore. Rather than stressing yourself with the responsibilities of the company, you should stay at home and rest."

The other board members also nodded in agreement. He was not only getting old but also, after Jiang Yue's death, his health also started to weaken, making him appear older than his actual age.

" Yes, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Jiang is right. You should now focus on your health and take a rest. Ms. Jiang and the CEO are here to handle the work and are doing a great job in leading the company towards success." A man in his 50s commented, earning a thankful nod from Jiang Ru.

Grandfather Jiang's lips curled up in a smile that had no warmth in it seeing everyone supporting Jiang Ru. He knew that they would not accept this decision of his easily.

This girl is good at making social connections after all. Hah, in such a short time, she has made all the board members side with her.

" Rest? I would love to do that too. I am also getting old and after losing Jiang Yue, I have gotten tired from living as well. However, If the company was working fine, would I have the need to come forward and take charge of the burdensome responsibilities again?" Grandfather Jiang questioned, leaving everyone stunned with his sudden change in attitude.

Chapter 357 - Office Visit (III)

The room fell into a suffocating silence after Grandfather Jiang said those words. Was he saying that the company was not doing fine under the management of Jiang Ru and Jiang Yahui?

" Mr. Chairman, what do you mean by this? What's wrong….with the workings of the company? Everything was going according to the working boundaries that you have set in the past. What could have gone wrong?" Jiang Ru dared to question him about his suggestive statement.

Is he trying to blame her and her father for not handling the company well? What does he mean by that company was not working fine?

She and her father have been taking all the decisions in the past year and everything was going well.  Even the problematic board members and others who used to doubt her capability didn't question her and supported her decisions.

How can he come and make such remarks in front of everyone? Is he looking down on them?

_

Everyone was surprised by Jiang Ru's boldness to question the Chairman in front of everyone. Even though she is his Granddaughter, questioning him like this in front of everyone even when her father, the CEO of the company was staying quiet, isn't she being too thoughtless? They thought.

Grandfather Jiang stared at Jiang Ru and didn't tear his gaze away from her for a good minute. That one minute felt like an eternity to everyone. The room fell into a deep, suffocating silence as the Grandfather and Granddaughter were having a staring contest.

" You want to know what's wrong, huh?" Grandfather Jiang started. " Do you remember about the New Hotel Project? The construction tender of the hotel was supposed to be signed with our usual construction company but you canceled their proposal and signed with a newly established construction company. Why is that so?"

" That's because the other company had a better concept and the budget that they had presented was way cheaper than the one we usually work with." She explained in exasperation. She took a deep breath and asked him, "Don't you think it's useless to spend more money when we can get it done at lower prices?"

" Ms. Jiang Ru is right. We also agreed to her arrangement and thought it was the better option to work with that company since it's saving a lot of money. Mr. Chairman, I suggest that you should consider your decision once more." One of the board members supported Jiang Ru's claim.

Just as Jiang Ru was gaining some confidence, Grandfather Jiang started to speak again, " Cheaper prices, huh? Jiang Corporations has a work ethic rule that we always follow-we prefer quality over saving some money. The new company that you have signed for the project, if you look into the matter carefully, they have been accused of using cheap material for the construction in the past. And not only that, they have other cases related to the poor construction pending in court too. Have you checked about that?" The Old Man asked in a chilling-cold voice.

All the board members were surprised as they stared at Jiang Ru in surprise. They were told about the lower prices and better ideas only, but they were not informed about the cases of the company pending in the court and using cheap material for the construction.

" Those are false accusations. There is no truth in it. That's why they're pending in courts and have not been confirmed yet. I don't think I did anything wrong in this. I was just trying to find a better option for the company and nothing else. Quality is important but taking consideration of the company's budget is equally important too." She argued while staying true to her argument.

Grandfather Jiang stared at her with a frown and let out a heavy sigh before turning to everyone, " If you don't think that you didn't do anything wrong in this case, I believe there is no reason for you to work on that project either."

" Grandfather!!" Jiang Ru exclaimed in shock.

However, Grandfather Jiang ignored her and continued, " Jiang Corporations don't need to save money in terms of good quality. Because good quality is the basis of goodwill in the market and the customers. If you compromise with that, then don't ever think about working with me."

If they continue with this project, then the new company's poor reputation will affect their company's image as well. Jiang Corporations has no reason to associate himself with a company that already has a shitty reputation in the market for using fake material and lousy construction work.

" Gu De, reach out to the legal team and tell them to find a way to nullify the contract with that company without the need to pay the contract termination fee. And Jiang Ru, from now on, you will no longer work on that project. Got it?" He looked at Jiang Ru who was gritting her teeth in anger and was clenching her fists on the table in frustration.

How can he do that to me? She clenched her fists tightly, causing her long nails to dig deeper in her skin, leaving scratch marks on her smooth, white skin. He not only canceled that contract that she had confirmed before but also looked down on her in front of everyone by doing this.

If he cancels that contract, then the deal between her and the CEO of that company will be canceled as well. The CEO of the company had made a promise to her that if she signs a contract with him, he will also help her in the future when she is in need.

Even though the company is newly established, the man is not new in the industry. He has all kinds of connections and is the kind of person who will be a great help to her in the future.

After this, she was sure that he would never help her. It will not be a surprise if he turns against her instead.

'Relax Jiang Ru, Relax. Everything will be fine. Jiang Yue is already dead. Sooner or later, You will definitely become the magnificent successor of the Jiang Corporations.' She took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Chapter 358 - The Good News!!

While things were getting chaotic in Jiang Corporations due to the intervention of Grandfather Jiang, things were coming on track for Xu Nuan.

The new entertainment company that Xu Nuan has established is gaining significant attention from the public and the other businessmen who were reaching out to her to invest in the company and partner with them.

It's been more than two weeks since Sun Ya's scandal has been wrapped up and they joined their new company, HJ Entertainment. Everyone thought that it will take some time for things to get better but Wang Meili's videos torturing the other girls blew up so bad that they were getting all the attention and positive response from the public in return for the hate they got in the past few weeks.

The Knights were becoming a 'hot issue' once again and were receiving phone calls for the advertisement and endorsement offers almost daily.

The funding that Xu Nuan's new company needed for the first initial months, the need was being fulfilled by the funds from her cyber security company which is also blooming in its respective industry.

The investments from other people in HJ Entertainment were also helping her to put some money into the improvement of the facilities at the company and hire more employees for her new company.

_

" I was expecting a shabby-basement office for the company. But I never expected Xu Nuan to arrange this much in such a short time." Pan Lan commented while sipping on the coffee that Tan Tan had brought for everyone.

After the morning practice, they have gathered in the lounge area to rest and have some coffee and sandwiches to replenish their energies.

" I agree. Who would have thought that Xu Nuan would manage to do this much in such a short period?" Sun Ya said while nudging and passing a sandwich to Lai Yi who was sitting in the corner and was dozing off while holding a cup of coffee that was on the verge of falling.

" I think I like this company better than shining bright." Song Ai nodded while agreeing to everyone.

Even though the space is limited and short, the sensibly arranged interior makes this place better than shining bright where they used to work before.

Although the company is in an isolated area, away from the bustling crowded markets and the roads-the interior was built colorfully and had a modern yet comfortable outlook to it.

The company is on the first floor of the building where there are two rooms-the large and spacious one for Xu Nuan-who is the CEO of the company and the other one is for Tan Tan who handles almost all the work related to The Knights.

There is one large and decently spacious dance practice room for the girls, one recording room which is relatively smaller than other rooms, a lobby which has a reception desk on one corner, meanwhile, the other corner has been turned into a lounge area with comfy couches and bean bags for sitting with a unique table in the center.

Even though the space is limited with only one floor, for now, the things have been arranged quite decently for a new company. Not only that, but they also have a small IT office in the basement as well that manages all the IT-related problems for them.

On the first day, when Tan Tan gave them a tour around the company, a man named Hu Jun came to greet them. He was smiling brightly and his enthusiasm towards them made them smile embarrassedly.

He was also holding their album, saying that he is their fan, and asked for an autograph, however, they not only signed his album but also clicked pictures with him.

" If you have any technology-related problems, you can directly come to me. I can deal with any IT-related work. If someone even bothers you or comments badly about you, just tell me. I can teach them a memorable lesson." The man claimed while looking at them with determination.

The girls were caught off guard with his surprisingly-passionate determination and hesitantly nodded to him.

What the girls didn't know is that the office that they know in the basement as the IT office, is in reality the other company of Xu Nuan - Eagle Eye Cyber Security Company.

And the guy who was smiling stupidly was none other than the infamous hacker, N4 - Number 4, whose pseudonym symbolizes death.

The girls were enjoying their snacks and were chilling when Xu Nuan walked in from the main door and sat with them. " Girls, I have news for all," she announced while picking up a spare coffee and taking a sip of it.

Everyone looked at her in confusion and exchanged glances with each other in slight worry in their eyes and before they could think of anything worse, Xu Nuan clasped her hands and revealed, " Since we had signed an exclusive and special contract with shining bright last time, we don't need to change the name of the group and continue using the name, The Knights."

The girls were pleasantly shocked as no one was expecting to continue using the same name since they have changed companies and according to the usual contract, they cannot use the name that they used at the previous company.

Because of this, their fans were also dispirited and disappointed that they would need to let go of such a captivating and mighty name. 'The Knights' is simply not just a name but their identity and leaving their identities behind is not that easy as to say.

However, since it was the exclusive contract that they have signed under the management of Xu Nuan, and thanks to her great negotiation skills, they can still use the usual name for their group, the knights.

" Ahhh!! Xu Nuan, are you serious? You're not joking, right? I can't believe we can still use The Knights as our group name. " Song Ai squealed in happiness and started hitting Pan Lan who was sitting behind her in excitement.

" You better not be joking." Pan Lan commented while looking at Xu Nuan, waiting for her response. She doesn't want to get excited in vain.

Seeing Xu Nuan not changing her words and smiling calmly, her hard expressions also relaxed. So it's true. She sighed in satisfaction.

However, her brows creased to see Song Ai getting overly excited and torturing her and hitting her in her excitement, " Why do you keep hitting me? What am I? Your drum or a punching bag?" She frowned and held Song Ai's wrist when she was about to hit her again.

"Yaa!! How can you ask a question like this? Of course, you're my lifelong punching bag." she giggled after saying such words and leaned closer to pull her in a forceful hug. Pan Lan got annoyed at her super clingy behavior and tried to push her but eventually gave in to her antics and let her do whatever she wants to do with her.

Xu Nuan smiled as she watched them celebrating the news and spoke again, making everyone stop in their loud actions, " Along with this, there is one more thing to discuss. I think it's time for us to think about the official name for the fandom of The Knights."

Chapter 359 - Guardians!!

[ This is HJ Entertainment.

We have some good news for the fans of The Knights. Firstly, the fans don't need to worry about anything as The Knights will not be changing their group name and will continue their activities as 'The Knights' in the future as well.

Secondly, the time has come!! It's time to announce the official fandom name of The Knights. After much deliberation with the girls and the staff, we have decided on a name for the fandom.

The official fandom name of The Knights will be…DunDunDun…..

" THE GUARDIANS!!"

For The Precious Guardians, we have another good news. As no group is complete without their fans, the fans are incomplete without their official lightstick. To make 'The Guardians' the official fandom of The Knights, we will be releasing the most-awaited lightstick of The Knights shortly.

We will not be revealing the first look of the lightstick as we want our Guardians to keep their excitement and maintain some hype until the next comeback of the girls.

To all the Guardians - Keep protecting The Knight's Kingdom!!]

_

After Xu Nuan updated in the fancafe of The Knights, all the fans were in a frenzy and the forum soon became chaotic and loud. No one was expecting Xu Nuan to release the fandom name and the lightstick in such a short period.

However, the biggest shock must be 'The Knights can continue their activities as The Knights and they don't need to change their group name.

" The Knights are going to keep their usual name? Damn!! We got our fandom name, the lightstick will be released soon-everything feels like a dream. Someone, please pinch me!!"

" OMG!! The Guardians - I love it!! Protectors of The Knights - The Guardians. The best fandom name I've ever heard."

" As expected of Xu Nuan. She has chosen the most suitable name for the fandom. The Guardians sound so regal and majestic, I am already in love with this fandom. The Knights, Go Go!!"

" I can't wait for the release of the lightstick. Will it be as royal and majestic just like the name of the fandom? Xu Nuan, I have high expectations from you. Don't disappoint us later. Please!!"

" The Guardians? Hmm…I don't know. It's not my type of name. Also, they should have changed the name of the group. 'The Knights', the name is kind of…too masculine for a girl group should I say? I think the company didn't put any effort into choosing the name. Our Girls deserve better."

" Excuse me? I think the above commentator is living in an illusion. The company is not treating them well? It's been such a short time since they joined the new company and they're already announcing the fandom name and a lightstick. Everyone knows how Xu Nuan treats their artists, are you sure you're not an anti and came here to throw shade at Xu Nuan and the group?"

" How did this person even manage to enter into this group? It's a fancafe of The Knights, toxic fans like you are not welcomed here. Please Leave!!"

" Yes!! Please Get Out and don't ruin the fun for other fans."

" Did Xu Nuan just spoil us for the upcoming comeback of the girls? She said that the lightsticks will be released shortly and also mentioned that she will release the lightsticks with their upcoming comeback. Are they seriously coming soon? OMG, I cannot wait."

" Another comeback? Oh God, Please let it be true. Please!!!"

_

" The fans' response is not bad." Xu Nuan's lips curled into a pleasing smile upon reading the comments that were popping up in her notification section non-stop.

It's not even been fifteen minutes since she has made the post and the fans are already swarming up in the comment section of the post.

She is now sitting in her office and was going through the shortlisted endorsements for The Knights as a group and individual activities as well.

Having Tan Tan in the company sure helps her when it comes to such works. It's easier to choose from the shortlisted projects than going through every project offer that they receive.

While she was busy working, her phone started ringing.

" Not again." She groaned and frowned in annoyance. She has been getting calls from the reporters and production directors since morning for interviews and a chance to sign a contract to work with them.

Initially, they were reaching out to everyone to work with them and have faced countless rejections for being a newbie group with no background.

And now in such a short time, everyone realized their worth and was showing well-deserving attention to them.

Not only the public, but the money-oriented large  Conglomerates are now also realizing the day to day increasing popularity of The Knights and want to make them the face of their companies to make use of their face value and popularity.

She pulled out the drawer and picked up her phone. However, as soon as her eyes laid on the name on the screen, her furrowed brows smoothened automatically and cherry blossoms like refreshing smile blossomed on her rose-tinted lips.

" So...how come you called me in the middle of work? Aren't you busy?" She asked as soon as she answered the call.

" Even if I am busy, I cannot be busier than my hardworking girlfriend." She heard him say from the other side.

"Is that so? Seems like you're having a quite hard time these days Mr. Han. I suggest you think about your girlfriend again. What kind of girlfriend is she to not care about her boyfriend? Huh?" She teased him.

She closed the forum page that was open on her laptop and stood up from her seat and walked towards the window in her office.

Although the windows are not as big as his office or the ones that they have at the apartment, it was enough for her to enjoy the autumn's warm sunlight.

Xu Nuan stood in front of the window and was playing with the plant's leaves that she placed on the office sill when she heard him let out a throaty chuckle and say, " If my girlfriend cannot take care of me, then I should do better and treat her well."

" So that my girlfriend can be impressed with my best behavior and reward me at night?" He said in a seductive-low voice. That's the voice that makes her crazy every time.

His low-raspy voice has a charm that works as a spell on her. Is this man trying to seduce her in the daylight? That on a phone? Not fair!!

"Mr. Han, do you think it's appropriate for you to talk to me like this on the phone during work? Aren't you the President of the company? Shouldn't you be busier than me?" She cleared her throat to distract herself and change the topic.

" I am not busy. Especially when it's time to have lunch with my girlfriend." He said lowering his voice once again by the end of the sentence.

Xu Nuan furrowed her brows at his sneaky action and before she could say anything, she heard him say, " Even if you're busy, you should eat your meals on time."

" I am sending my driver to pick you up. So hurry up and come. I am waiting for you." He said.

" Why? I can simply have lunch here. I need to work after this." She groaned in tiredness upon remembering the heap of files that she needed to go through.

Since the company is relatively new, she doesn't have much staff yet to fully operate a company. Till then, she will be needed to deal with heaps of documents and approvals.

How can she have the leisure to go and have lunch with him and waste so much time?

Han Zihao frowned and said in a firm voice, " No way. From now on, we will eat lunch together. If you don't want to come, then I'll come to you. The choice is yours."

They're in a relationship and even live together but rarely get some quality time to spend with each other. Since both of them are busy and cannot get some time to be with each other, then he'll have to use some tricks to steal some time together with her.

" What? You will come? Are you crazy? The office will turn upside down if you do that." She said hurriedly in panic.

Even though the girls know about him, there are a few new staff members as well. Even if they won't be able to recognize him, his ethereal, prince-like royal looks are enough to make them stop in their work.

Moreover, what if he accidentally bumps into Hu Jun? She hasn't told him about her other company yet, she cannot let him find out about it like this.

While she was lost in her thoughts, she heard him say," If you don't want that, then come to my office. We can eat here in peace. No one can disturb us here."

She took a deep breath and finally said, " Okay, fine. But I will be coming back to the office after lunch. Okay?" She asked.

" Okay!! We're meeting for lunch, what else can happen other than….eating." his lips curled up in a suggestive smirk as he finished speaking.

Although there was nothing suspicious about his words, Xu Nuan failed to understand the meaning behind his momentarily pause before eating.

Xu Nuan didn't find his words suggestive in any way and nodded before she hung up the phone, to wrap up the work before going to the Han Corporations for lunch.

While she was thinking of it as a simple lunch, she has no idea what plans were brewing in Han Zihao's mischievous head.

Chapter 360 - Workout Session.

Han Corporations-

" Ms. Gu, you're here." Feng Sheng greeted Xu Nuan as soon as she stepped out of the elevator on the Presidential floor.

Xu Nuan looked up at him with a warm smile and nodded in greeting, " Mr. Secretary, it's been a long time, Huh? You didn't have lunch yet, right? Why don't you join us? It will be fun to eat together." she said as she walked towards Han Zihao's office while Feng Sheng followed behind her.

Feng Sheng halted in his steps upon hearing her words and stared at her back in a daze. Join them for lunch? Ha…Ha…Haha….what a funny joke.

He would prefer diving in a deep ocean even though he doesn't know swimming rather than eating together with them. Being a third-wheeler between his boss and his girlfriend is no less than being served to the lion as a meal.

Han Zihao will kill him if he agrees to Xu Nuan's invitation to join them for lunch. He doesn't want to die yet, not as someone's secretary at the least.

Xu Nuan noticed him stopping behind her and turned around and stared at him in confusion, " Mr. Secretary, is something wrong? Do you have any plans for lunch?"

" Plans? Huh?" Feng Sheng blinked at her in confusion and then nodded hurriedly in response, " Ah, Yes, Yes. I have plans with Ms. Lily. She and I have decided to go on lunch together. So… unfortunately, I cannot join you and Mr. Han for lunch." he said regrettably.

Lily, whose desk was next to Feng Sheng's and was working on her laptop, her fingers stopped typing upon hearing Feng Sheng's comment.

She furrowed her brows and looked in the direction where Feng Sheng and Xu Nuan were standing. Lunch? When did they decide to go on lunch together? And…why would she go on a lunch with him, leaving her boyfriend behind?

What nonsense is this man spouting? She wondered. This man knows that she was planning to have lunch with her boyfriend, since when did they plan to go out together?

Xu Nuan looked at Feng Sheng in surprise and then turned around to look at Lily who was also staring in their direction. " Really? Are you two going on a date?" Xu Nuan asked curiously.

Feng Sheng pursed his lips and laughed plainly, however, he didn't answer her. Xu Nuan noticed that he must be embarrassed so she didn't push him further and waved her hand at him, " If that's the case, then I won't disturb you two. Enjoy your date." She leaned in and whispered in a low voice before glancing at Lily and smiled at her meaningfully before opening the door to Han Zihao's office and entering the room.

After Xu Nuan entered the office, Feng Sheng peeked in the direction where Lily was sitting and nodded at her in embarrassment seeing her giving him a side-eye in annoyance.

" I was….just joking." He laughed, making her raise brows in surprise.

" It better be a joke, Mr. Feng. As you can see, I am already engaged. I have no interest in you." She said indifferently while staring at him with her robotic expressions.

" HahaHa….I…know about it very well. Don't worry, I'll give you an expensive gift at your wedding. Hehe." He tried to handle the situation by calling it a joke. He cannot dare to get into an embarrassing situation at work when both of them are supposed to be together and will need to see each other's faces every single day.

' Hah! It's not easy to be the President's secretary.' He sighed and shakes his head before moving to wrap up his remaining work and go for lunch outside. Alone.

_

" What took you so long? The food was getting cold." Han Zihao whined like a little kid as soon as Xu Nuan entered his office.

He was sitting on the couch and food was all set on the glass table in front of him. Before Xu Nuan's arrival, he had already ordered her favorite dishes from the Jade Hotel and had everything set on the table along with cutlery.

" I am not late. You know, it's the first time that I have taken the lunch break on time. Otherwise, I usually eat in my office while signing off the documents." She answered casually,  forgetting the lies that she had told him before about eating meals on time, without skipping any.

" Is that so?" Han Zihao asked while staring at her with darkened expressions. It's good that he called her over for lunch, otherwise, she would have again skipped her meal or would have eaten a sandwich or something handy to eat while working.

Xu Nuan cleared her throat, noticing his stare, and focused on the food, " Let…Let's eat. The food is getting cold."

_

" Woah!! The food was delicious as always." Xu Nuan moaned in satisfaction after gobbling all the food. She leaned back on the couch and rested her back against the large-fluffy cushion.

" I want to take a nap but I can't." She closes her eyes while holding another cushion between her arms, hugging it to her chest tightly.

She opens her eyes with much difficulty and peeks at the time on the wall-clock in front of her. " Argh…The lunch break is almost over. But I don't want to go." She groaned again and put the cushion away before standing up.

" However, I have no choice. I need to work. If I don't work, then who will?" She took a deep breath and decided to not be lazy and go back to the office. After making her decision, she to look at Han Zihao who was staring at her all this time without saying a word.

" Why aren't you saying anything? Are you angry at me?" She asked in confusion seeing him so cool about her leaving like this. That's so strange.

Is he annoyed at her? But...his expressions are too calm for that. She wondered.

Han Zihao smiled and shook his head coolly, " Why would I be angry? I am the one who called you over for lunch and said that you can leave after eating. You're free to go."

She chuckled hesitantly at his words, "You're right. Why would you be angry about it? Then….I'll take my leave." She nodded awkwardly, agreeing to his words and turned to leave when she heard him say, " However, if you leave like this, you will feel tired and sleepy while working since you have stuffed yourself with food so much."

" Are you saying that I have eaten too much?" She furrowed her brows at his sarcastic comment.

He raised his brows at her sudden question and cleared his throat before saying, " I am just trying to say, you won't be able to work like this even if you try to. You're bound to feel sleepy after eating a heavy lunch."

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and started to think about his words. He is right. Even if she tries to work in this condition, she won't be able to do anything.

" Then what should I do to not feel sleepy?"

Han Zihao's lips curled up in a smirk that went unnoticed by Xu Nuan. " You should do some workout to digest the food and it will help you to stay energetic as well."

Xu Nuan stared at him in confusion, " Exercise? What exercise? Do you have something fun to do in the office?" She asked in curiosity while looking around. Unlike her, his office is so big and spacious, she can't even guess what kind of fun activities they can do here.

" Well, I think I can spare some time for a workout. It's better to do something than to work with a sleepy head. It won't take much time to go back to the office by car anyway." She said while counting the time in her head. She won't be that late if she does some exercise with him to try to stay awake.

" So what are we going to do? Huh? Do you have something-

" Ah," Xu Nuan was interrupted in her words and was startled when he suddenly grasped her wrists and pulled her to his side. She was stunned by his sudden actions that she fell straight into his lap and her body bumped into his muscular-sturdy chest.

" What are you-" Before she could process her thoughts, he leaned in and kissed her lips mindlessly.

His lips sucked on her rose-tinted soft lips and explored the familiar yet new world to him. No matter how many times he kisses her, it feels new and addicting every time. Her lips were so soft and velvety and tasted like soft-cotton candy.

The addictive cotton candy makes the person crave more of it.

Chapter 361 - Workout Session II

From the moment Xu Nuan entered the office, Han Zihao couldn't take his eyes off her. She was wearing a palette-sky blue blouse made of soft material and a white pencil skirt that was hugging her curves perfectly.

And as always, she was looking ethereally beautiful. She was wearing her silky-smooth, slightly wavy hair down and was looking like a breathing goddess.

She is truly a Queen-Queen of his heart.

Seeing her looking like this, things became even more difficult for him.  As if the word 'self-control' suddenly disappeared from his dictionary.

Only he knows how he controlled himself until now. He wanted to pull her in for a kiss as soon as she entered the office, but he needed to feed his little fox.

How can he allow her to starve just to feed his hunger?

_

Xu Nuan was startled when he suddenly grasped her wrists and pulled her towards him. Her body bounced and she fell over him.

Thankfully, his firm grip around her wrists saved her from tripping over him badly and she fell directly into his lap.

However, that was enough to make her flush in embarrassment. Her cheeks turned crimson to see his face a few inches away from hers.

They were so close that she could clearly see his thick-long eyelashes that always made her jealous of him.

She gulped in nervousness when her eyes fell on his crescent shaped-naturally pink lips. Even though he doesn't put lip balm or anything, how can his lips be so soft and moisturized? She wondered.

While she was lost in admiring his immortal beauty, Han Zihao was already having an adverse effect of her sitting on his lap.

His temperature was rising and could feel the heat reaching to his head, making him lose control in his head. While she was lost in her world, he slightly leaned in closer, startling her.

"Woah!" Xu Nuan exclaimed unknowingly when he suddenly moved and closed the distance between them, touching his nose against hers.

Her eyes widened at the freaking close distance between them. Their bodies were already so close that they could feel each other's increasing body heat and racing heartbeats.

Xu Nuan's gaze fell on his plump-soft lips again that were almost touching hers, making her swallow her saliva nervously.

Han Zihao's lips curled into a pleased smile to see her reaction. Her cheeks were burning and her ears had also turned red from embarrassment.

Xu Nuan, the wild cat who always teases him, has become a tamed cat in front of him.

"What...what are you doing? I need to go." She whispered against his lips, almost touching them. She tried to push him away with her small hands but his grip over her wrists was quite strong, resulting in her attempts to free away from him in vain.

However, in reality, she didn't use much strength and pushed him lightly to free away from his grip.

Because she could already feel her body acting weird and she was also losing the strength in her body due to his intense gaze and startling actions.

Although they weren't kissing yet, the tension in the air was making her dizzy already.

This was much more stressful and alluring than actually kissing. Why is he suddenly acting like that? He looks freaking handsome.  She cried in her head.

She needs to go to the office and wrap up the work for the day but if he keeps doing this, she won't be able to go so soon.

Han Zihao looked into her bright-clear eyes and then moved his gaze to her rosy-tinted soft lips that were calling him continuously as if hypnotizing him.

" Do you...really have to go?" He asked in a low-breathy voice, against her lips, still not kissing.

Rather than capturing those needy lips, he snaked his left hand around her waist, firmly holding her in place.

" What are you-" He used the other hand to raise her legs and put them on the couch, making her sit on his lap comfortably.

Xu Nuan's face flushed when he made her sit on him completely. Not only was her whole weight was on him, but she could also feel the tension between his pants as well, and it was making her more anxious.

" You didn't answer me? Huh?" He breathed against her lips and lightly caressed them with his moist lips, making her gasp.

" Tell me, Jiang Yue. Do you want to go…or….stay here with me?" He whispered in an airy voice while staring directly into her eyes, making her stop breathing momentarily.

Xu Nuan could feel her hands trembling in nervousness and she felt as if her heart would jump out of her chest any moment.

She already lost her remaining sanity when he called her name in his raspy-airy voice. How can she still be sane when the man of every girl's dream is holding her like that and asking her if she wants to go or not in such a seductive voice.

She would be crazy if she rejects him now.

Her eyes wavered nervously as she looked down at his slightly trembling lips that were almost touching hers but not exactly.

She breathed against his lips, making him groan at her slightly nervous actions. However, he still didn't move from his position and stayed like that, waiting for her response.

Xu Nuan hesitantly moved into his lap to find a comfortable position for her to sit on and raised her hands.

While maintaining eye contact with him, she wrapped her hands around his neck and touched her lips with his, closing the remaining gap between them.

Han Zihao growled in his throat when she finally moved and kissed him. Her slightly cold and soft hands caressed the skin on the back of his neck, moving up and down following the rhythm of her lips.

She kissed him on the lips and sucked on them slightly before pulling away, making him grunt at the sudden disruption.

She stared at him and enjoyed his discontented expressions. He was enjoying earlier while teasing her, he needs to be punished as well.

Tit-for-tat.

" So...what do you think I should do? Should I leave or should-"

"Ummh- '' Xu Nuan didn't even get to complete her words and tease him a little more when he suddenly tightened his grasp around her waist before pulling her in for a deep passionate kiss.

His one hand was wrapped around her waist, and the other was holding the back of her head in position and sometimes pushing her head towards him, deepening the kiss.

He sucked on her rose- petals like soft lips until they were both breathless and panting. Seeing her gasping for air, he slowed down the intensity of his passionate kiss, allowing her to breathe while kissing-however he didn't let their lips lose contact with each other.

When Xu Nuan looked stabled enough, he moved again and started sucking on her lips. Seeing her slightly parted lips, he found his awaited opportunity and invaded her mouth with his playful-curious tongue.

While his tongue played and was swirling around her tongue-trying to dominate over her, his hands moved on their own.

The hand that was wrapped around her waist, started to move and caress and explore her petite body, while the other hand that was behind the back of her head also started to move.

Xu Nuan, who was already struggling to deal with his devilish tongue, gasped and moaned when his hand moved down from her nape to her spine, teasing her.

"Argh...." She let out a throaty moan against his lips and also tightened her grasp around his neck unknowingly at the butterfly sensation that his slight-teasing caresses were causing. Without her knowing, her nails were digging in his skin, leaving its marks.

However, Han Zihao was too immersed in kissing her to notice any pain. He has even more important things to do other than feeling any pain at the moment.

And that important work is to make love with her, make her cry his name over in pleasurable distress.

Chapter 362 - Workout Session III**

(WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.)

Xu Nuan jolted her head back at the tickly sensation when Han Zihao's cold hands moved from her back to her thighs, grazing against her bare skin.

Since her legs were raised up on the couch, the white-pencil skirt that she was wearing has also raised, exposing more skin of hers.

Her earlobes were flushed to crimson when he gazed into her eyes with his captivating-seductive gaze while caressing her thighs and teasing her, slowly making his way under her raised-up skirt.

Seeing her backing away from the kiss and feeling the sensation of his touches, Han Zihao's lips curved in a mischievous smirk. Rather than allowing her to enjoy the butterfly sensation that he was causing due to his teasing caresses, he decided to take things to the next level.

He didn't allow her to catch up on her breath and moved from her lips to her ears, sucking on her crimson and scorching red earlobes.

Xu Nuan shuddered when he sucked on her earlobes and stroked her bare skin under the skirt at the same time.

Things were getting too chaotic for her to think clearly. The things he was doing to her were making her lose her senses and she was already sweating when the office was cool enough because of the air conditioner.

However, it wasn't enough to extinguish the fire that was burning inside her, making her face turn red.

The pleasing ministrations of his lips and his touches were too overwhelming for her to think straightly. Her grasp around his neck loosened as she couldn't feel the strength in her hands.

Her hands loosely hung on his shoulders as he continued to make her feel good with his lips and hands.

From her ears to her neck and then to her sharp collarbone, his lips were marking its territory.

After showering her with butterfly kisses and sucking on her bare skin to purple, Han Zihao moved downwards, stopping in front of her breasts.

He raised his head to look up at Xu Nuan, who had her eyes closed and was looking like a temptress with her head held back and her silky hair were now slightly sweaty and messy, making her look even more seductive than before.

The sexy expression on her face when she enjoys herself is to die for.

He gritted his teeth seeing her biting her lower lip to control her loud moans which made her look even more sensual and tantalizing.

Seeing this sight of hers in front of him, he let out a low grunt before taking one of her breasts in his mouth, sucking her perky nipple over the blouse.

Meanwhile, his other free hand was busy kneading and massaging the other one - sometimes flicking over the nipple, earning a low cry from her.

Even though she was still wearing her blouse, the thin material of it couldn't contain the excitement that she was feeling.

Her body was feeling as if it's on fire.

Before Xu Nuan could figure out what's going on, he has already tear-off the blouse that she was wearing and tossed away her bra on the floor along with the blouse - removing the remaining barrier between their bodies.

Xu Nuan gasped, feeling the cold air from the air conditioner but before she could react to this situation, she was already sitting naked in front of him - with her bare upper body.

Han Zihao's eyes lit up to see her soft-fluffy mounds and those perky ni*ples. He didn't waste any other moment and lunged at her once again, this time taking her breasts in his mouth, without any barrier between them.

He sucked on her hard ni*ples and massaged and flicked over the other one with his hand, giving equal attention to both of them.

" Ahh...Zihao…" Xu Nuan grabbed a fistful of his black-thick hair and pulled them in response when he sucked on her nipples and played with her breasts, using his mouth.

She panted heavily while holding onto him for her dear life. The position that they were in was extremely uncomfortable for her as her body kept leaning back due to his teasing-seductive actions, but she couldn't care less.

If not for her grasp on him, she would have fallen badly and would have made fun of herself in front of him.

While Xu Nuan was trying to hold back her loud moans to resonate in the spacious office room, she jolted when he touched her down there, over her panty. " Ah…not there…." she whimpered while running her hands over his nape, sometimes pulling on his hair.

Han Zihao grunted against her mounds when he felt how wet she was down there. As he rubbed her with his fingers, her breath became heavier and she started to run her up and down, caressing the back of his neck.

This was an unconscious reaction of Xu Nuan, but this action of hers was making him lose his remaining self-control.

He cursed under his breath and raised up his head to look at her face. He stared at her flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips and leaned in for a deep kiss once again. While kissing her soft-smooth lips, he breathed against her lips, " Yue Yue….I can't take it anymore."

Xu Nuan gulped in nervousness and opened her eyes to look at him. Her heart stopped beating for a minute when she saw him staring back at her - as if begging her to give him permission.

Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to fight between the angel and the devil who was sitting at her shoulders, telling her what to do.

Should she stop here and go back to work or should she give in to these emotions and let him continue?

She parted away from the kiss and looked at him in puzzlement, "But…we're still in the office. We can't do it here. There are people outside." she said while looking towards the closed door of the office.

She didn't check it earlier but she didn't even know if the door was locked or not. They didn't do all of this without locking the door, or did they? A sudden thought came over her mind, making her shudder in fear.

She doesn't want to turn their intimate moment into a public entertainment show.

Seeing her worried expressions, Han Zihao let out a low sigh before pinching her chin and making her look at him, " Don't worry. No one will dare to come inside."

"Everyone has gone out for lunch. The whole floor is empty." He answered monotonously, trying to avoid her suspicion.

However, she was too fast to catch on to the situation. She stared at with furrowed brows and asked in a stern voice, " Tell me honestly, did you tell them to go away? There is no way that everyone will leave at once. It's the Presidential office, afterall."

As much as she knows Feng Sheng, he never leaves Han Zihao's side. Even during lunchtime, he eats outside at his desk and Han Zihao eats in his room if they don't have any lunch meetings or appointments.

Han Zihao bit his lower lip and stared at her naked body and swollen lips. " Don't you think it's not the right time to go over such things? Huh?" He asked, reminding her sensitive state.

Xu Nuan frowned and looked down at her. Her face instantly became crimson upon remembering the state she was in and gulped wondering if she should let him go this time or not.

Seeing her contemplating what to do, Han Zihao saw his golden opportunity and wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer. With their lips almost touching, he asked her again in a low-seductive voice, " Yue Yue, these things can wait for a while. However, as you can see, I am not in no condition to wait anymore." He urged her, reminding his sensitive condition.

She swallowed her saliva nervously, feeling something hard poking her from the bottom. All the questions and doubts vanished in an instant as she could feel something hot pooling in her lower abdomen.

" But the people will come soon." She cried out against his lips. Even if they have gone out, they will soon come back and it will be too embarrassing if they get caught like this.

" They won't. There will be no disturbance, I promise." He added and waited for her to show her green flag.

While Xu Nuan was busy pondering his offer, he pursed his lips seeing her taking her sweet time to think about this matter. The next moment, before Xu Nuan could think about it any further, he held her by the waist and threw her on his shoulder, and carried her.

" Ahhh, what are you doing? Are you crazy?" She shouted in stupefaction when he suddenly carried her and threw her on his shoulder like a sack of rice bag.

" Thinking time is over. It's action time now."

Chapter 363 - Workout Session IV***

Warning: Mature Content Ahead.

" Thinking time is over. It's action time now." Han Zihao declared as he grabbed her by the waist, carried her on his shoulders, and strode towards his working desk in the office.

Xu Nuan squealed in surprise as her face flushed in embarrassment. " Are you crazy? What are you doing?" She shouted while hitting him on his back with her small fists.

" Do you want me to say what I am trying to do? Are you sure?" He responded casually, making her blush even harder.

She tried to cover her face with her hands to hide from this embarrassing situation but it was of no use.

The position that she was in right now was extremely embarrassing. It was her first time being carried on someone's shoulders like a sack of rice and that too, half-naked.

His one hand was holding over her exposed thighs and the other hand was on her naked back, holding her in place. Her bare chest was against his shoulders and she could feel her naked skin grazing against his neck sometimes, making her blush harder.

'It's not embarrassing as long as I can't see it.' She repeated in her mind, to regain her confidence, still covering her eyes.

-

" Now you can open your eyes." She heard him whisper in her ears.

The next moment when she opened her eyes, she was already sitting on the cold-empty, working desk. She furrowed her brows when her eyes fell onto the files that were now scattered everywhere on the floor.

'What in the world…' she stared at the documents in bewilderment. She wasn't expecting him to take her to his working desk out of all the places.

" Why...Why did you bring me here? Didn't you have an attached bedroom here?" She looked up at him in wonder.

She remembers that he has a spare bedroom cum restroom attached to the office that he sometimes uses when working overtime. She thought that he would take her there but this situation was unexpected.

Why at the working table out of all places? She screamed in her mind.

" Don't tell me that you're planning to-" She sucked her words when she saw him undoing his necktie.

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock and she could feel her cheeks getting hotter and hotter with every passing second when he undid his necktie in front of her and threw it on the floor.

"Why...are you suddenly removing your clothes?" She asked in bafflement, still not tearing off her gaze from his taut-muscular body.

She was blushing hard and could feel her breath getting irregular when he undid his shirt buttons while looking into her eyes as if luring her with his seductive gaze.

She was embarrassed by his bold actions but still couldn't drag away her eyes from his celestial-gorgeous body. He has a model-like, muscular-toned body and an idol-like, attractive face. Truly magical!!

This was one of the moments when a thought pops into her mind that she has hit a jackpot by getting this man. Even though it took her two lives to get this man, at least she got the best of the world.

She was busy admiring his gorgeous body, however, the next moment, her eyes widened in utter shock when he casually removed his shirt and then his trousers at once, throwing them on the floor - who joined the files who were already on the floor.

" Because we never tried doing it anywhere other than a bed or a couch. Isn't it great to explore new things when we're at it?" She heard him say as he removed his wristwatch and threw it on the chair next to the desk.

" What….do you mean when we're at it? Are you out to buy some groceries or what?" She stuttered in panic at his strange usage of words.

Seeing her panicking like this, a playful smirk curved on his lips as he leaned closer and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her closer, their bodies were almost sticking to each other.

" Didn't you used to tell me that I am bored and need to get excited a little bit? I am simply following your tips now, is that so wrong?" He whispered in her ears while taking her hand and making her touch his toned-muscular chest.

Xu Nuan gasped when her hand touched his taut chest and he whispered again while nibbling on her ears, " Jiang Yue, there is also something else that I want to do with you."

"Huh? Wh..at?"

" Don't you think that it's unfair that I am the only one who always does all the work? Huh?" He whispered against her ears in a low-raspy voice.

"....."

Xu Nuan was speechless at his words and parted her lips in disbelief. "What...what do you mean? What…do you want me to do then?" She trembled when he ran his hand over her naked back and sometimes massaged her breasts with the other free hand.

" Jiang Yue, I want you to take the lead this time." He whispered as low as if blowing air in her ears, making her body shudder. As he said this, he covered her hand with his large hand and led her towards his naked hard length, pulling down his underwear - the last piece of clothing on him.

Xu Nuan's body froze when her hands touched his thing. She swallowed her saliva and tried to retreat her hand reflexively, but he didn't allow her to take back her hand and was holding onto it quite firmly.

She raised her head and when their eyes met, she could feel her heart racing at bullet-train speed. There was something needy and sensual in his gaze that made her gain some confidence and wanted to explore new things.

She gulped nervously and while looking into his eyes, she took a long breath before starting to run her hand over his hard length sloppily.

Han Zihao let out a throaty growl when she started to rub over him with her sloppy movements. What was more thrilling was that she didn't tear-off gaze from his face and this made her actions even more desirable and seductive.

Xu Nuan bit her lower lip, seeing his length getting harder with her touch. 'How did this thing manage to fit inside me?' She wondered.

It's not their first time getting intimate like this but it was the first time that they're doing it in his office and that too, on his working desk. It's embarrassing and extremely thrilling.

She could feel the adrenaline rush boiling inside her, making her even more excited and feel hot.

Getting immersed in her curiosity, she leaned down to look at his erection and started to use both of her hands to run over his length. Her careless sloppy actions became more stable and fast now, earning a pleasing growl from him.

" Ah, Jiang Yue….Faster," He moaned while grasping a handful of her hair, urging her to increase her pace.

Xu Nuan's hands trembled to see him getting impatient and showing such an eager reaction, which caused her to increase her pace as well. From caressing, she started to run her hands over it, sometimes squeezing it between her palms, which earned a throaty grunt from him.

To satisfy him and make him excited, she decided to be bolder and caressed his balls and then squeezed them slightly.

" AH, Jiang Yue…faster." She heard him murmur.

When she slightly raised her head, she found him sweating profusely and his breath was getting irregular with her increasing pace. He looked as if he was close to his climax and this made her work even harder.

Just like he does to her, she also wanted to make him feel good and happy.

She suddenly bent forward and took his hard length in his mouth, catching him off guard. Even he wasn't expecting her to do something like this.

He was surprised at her sudden action but couldn't stop her. No! He didn't want her to stop.

It was the best feeling in the world. He knew that this could be uncomfortable for her but at the moment, he was like on clouds nine. His grip around her head tightened as he unknowingly pushed her head towards him and thrust himself in her mouth.

Xu Nuan tried to hold onto his waist for balance as his sudden actions surprised her. Tears glistened in her eyes as it was her first time doing something like this and it was more uncomfortable than pleasing to her.

Her mouth was tired and now hurting. She wanted to stop doing this, but seeing his eyes closed and enjoying it, she couldn't get herself to stop him in the middle like this.

She increased her pace and sometimes sucked over his head, earning a loud growl from him. Soon her efforts paid off as he came out, releasing his liquid of pleasure in her mouth.

Chapter 364 - Workout Session V***

Mature Content:

Han Zihao's body stiffened as he had his head held back, savoring the after-effects of his climax. His body temperature was on the rise and was feeling light-headed.

It felt amazing. No! It was just heavenly.

At first, Xu Nuan looked hesitant when he asked her to take the lead. However, when she started to touch him, her sloppy actions became more controlled and fearless, which caught him by surprise. He wasn't expecting her to get so bold to take him inside her mouth.

It was simply shockingly pleasant to him.

_

After he calmed down and opened his eyes to look at her, " Love, are you oka-" His words got stuck in his mouth when he saw her staring at him, stunned.

She was sitting on top of the table in a daze, her body leaning forward. Her hair was messy, making her look like an enchantress and her naked breasts were hanging in the air as if calling him to take them inside his mouth.

However, what shocked him was her not throwing up his whitish gray-sticky liquid that was still in her mouth. She was staring at him with indistinguishable expressions and had her mouth slightly opened that was filled with his release as she tried to figure out what to do next with this awkward situation.

This alluring sight of hers made him swallow his saliva nervously as he tried to suppress his urge to take her right there.

" Ah, you….let me get you a tissue." He looked around to search for tissue in haste, leaving her alone like this.

" I am sorry. I just couldn't control myself and released it in your mouth. Why don't you go to the bathroom and-" he said, as he picked up the tissue from the floor and knew that it wouldn't be enough to clean the mess that he had made.

He wanted to suggest her go to the bathroom and gargle her mouth in case she felt disgusted by it, however, when he turned to look at her, he was too stunned to talk when he realized that she had already swallowed the liquid that she was holding in her mouth earlier and was now staring at him with a slight frown on her face.

" Oh!" He exclaimed in a daze, not knowing how to react to this situation. He thought that she would get annoyed and would feel disgusted by it, but she just…. swallowed it?

Xu Nuan coughed a bit as he snatched the tissue from his hand and wiped her mouth with it.

" Ah…it's quite salty and sticky," she mumbled without thinking.

" I never thought that it could be this painful. Ah...Ah...my throat…. it's hurting now." She grumbled with a frown while making weird noises to check her voice.

" It's not as exciting as it is shown in the movies. We cannot trust them completely." She continued to mutter unknowingly in her trance.

Han Zihao stared at her in surprise and let out a chuckle seeing her surprisingly calm composure after she gave him a mind-blowing, blowjob.

" What kind of movies have you seen that show all of this? Huh?" He asked, catching her off guard.

Xu Nuan raised her head to look at him and blinked innocently, realizing what she had just said.

'S*hit.' she cursed inwardly as she laughed awkwardly while rubbing the back of her neck.

" Errrm... It's not like what you think. I didn't watch those kinds of movies because I like them. It's just…sometimes….I had to use them as a reference to make music. You know, to be inspired and write something seductive and sensual." She continued to blabber on, not realizing what effect her words were having on him.

While she was speaking, she kept massaging the back of her neck unknowingly, exposing her bare chest in front of him even more.

His eyes darkened and gritted his teeth, " Jiang Yue, Are you trying to seduce me?" He asked her out of nowhere.

"..."

Xu Nuan stared at him in confusion and frowned. Seduce? She was just talking. What part of her made him feel that she was seducing him?

" What are you-"

Before she could make sense of his words, he moved closer and sealed her now swollen lips, kissing her passionately once again.

He sucked on her lips and kissed her intensely as if there is no tomorrow. No matter how much he kisses her, he cannot get enough of her.

After a while, when both of them were breathless and panting, he finally parted away from the kiss to allow her to breathe. He opened his eyes as he looked at her flushed-crimson face and rested his forehead against hers and whispered softly, " Yue Yue, I can't control anymore."

Xu Nuan, who was panting heavily, gulped nervously upon hearing him say such words while looking into her eyes. How can this man be so adorable and breathtakingly seductive at the same time?

" I...never told you to control yourself." She whispered and turned her face away in embarrassment to hide her flushed face.

His lips curled in a triumphant smirk as he let out a low chuckle, " You sure know how to play with my feelings."

As said this, he opened one of the drawers of his working desk and pulled out a packet of condoms from it.

Xu Nuan's eyes widened to see that kind of thing inside his working desk. " Are you crazy? Why do you have this in your office? Since when were you planning this? Hah?"

" Is that even a question? Always!! I cannot let the same thing happen again." He said, reminding her about the time when he forgot to bring the condom on their trip. If not for Xu Nuan who had it in her bag, they wouldn't have been able to enjoy their first night on their first-ever trip.

Before Xu Nuan could react to this shocking situation, he already sheathed himself with the condom and pulled her down from the table in one swift movement.

Chapter 365 - Workout Session VI***

Mature Content:

Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock as she watched him sheathing himself with the condom in front of her. She reached out to hold onto the table unknowingly and swallowed her saliva hard.

This man is getting out of hand day by day.

" What-" Xu Nuan squeaked in surprise when he grasped her wrist and pulled her closer and before she could comprehend what's going on - he pulled down her pencil skirt that was hugging her hidden curves and the panty down her legs, removing them from her.

She was now standing fully naked in front of him and could feel the heat reaching her head. Her face was now beet red and this situation was more embarrassing than when she had taken him in her mouth earlier.

Doing this in the office and standing naked in front of him, was even more embarrassing than doing it on the bed, under the duvet.

At least she has something to cover herself when doing it on the bed, but it's not the same thing when doing it on the desk.

While she was lost in her embarrassment and was trying to cover herself with her hands, Han Zihao made her turn around and face the table while he stood behind her, closing the distance between their two naked bodies.

Their bodies were almost sticking to each other and she felt her ears turning red when she felt him getting hard again.

She could feel his hard length hitting on her bottom, causing her to shudder at this sensation."Aren't you too excited today?" She asked in a low voice.

" It's nothing, my love. I am always like this whenever I am alone with you." He whispered in her ears, nibbling on them.

Xu Nuan was speechless at his comment but before she could say something, she gasped when he started to roam his hand on her fully naked body.

From fondling with her breasts to grazing against her curvy waist, his hands were moving downwards, causing her to groan at his butterfly touches.

She gasped when he caressed her inner thigh and pinched her before going upwards.

" Umm-ah" Xu Nuan moaned when his fingers caressed against her wet folds as he teased her.

Xu Nuan's body twitched at his teasing touch and wriggled in his embrace. She wanted him to touch her more but he was stroking her gently, earning a whining groan from her.

Pleased by her response, and seeing her getting desperate for his touch, he leaned in and kissed her on the hook of her neck before he started rubbing her clitoris roughly, earning a needy groan from her.

" Are you trying to start a fight here with me? Stop teasing me and do something already." She glared at him.

Feeling how ready she was for him, rather than shoving a finger inside her first this time, he positioned himself behind her and before she could turn to glare at him again, he thrust inside her in one go.

Xu Nuan cried out in painful pleasure when he penetrated inside her causing her body to bounce forward. Rather than his usual slow and careful movements, he was rough and urgent this time.

"Argh…Umm-" She covered her mouth with her hand to restrain the loud noises that she was making. Even though he said that the whole floor is empty, she cannot take a risk.

While he thrusts himself inside her hard and strong from behind, he rubbed her wet - silky folds with his fingers from the front, attacking her from both sides.

" Jiang Yue, do you feel good?" He asked while biting on her earlobe.

Xu Nuan whimpered and hummed weakly as he continued thrusting himself inside her.

" I want to hear you say. Tell me, Jiang Yue, How do you feel? Hmm?" He whispered in her ears while rubbing his fingers against her soft folds.

" Ah, I feel good. So stop talking to me and...Umm….faster please." she cried out as she bent forward and was flapping her hands on the table to support herself and was holding onto it for her dear life.

The strength in her legs was giving away and if not for his firm hold on her, she would have dropped on the ground like melted wax.

" Your wish is my command, My Queen." He whispered before increasing his pace as both of them chased for their desired climax.

Xu Nuan's body shuddered as the ball of burning pleasure was getting bigger, making her dizzy and lightheaded.

" Arghh…" Han Zihao's grasp on Xu Nuan's waist tightened as his body stiffened and trembled before both of them reached their much-desired climax.

Xu Nuan fell straight on the table as her legs were wobbling and she was too weak to stand anymore. She was still dizzy as if she had witnessed stars in the daylight.

Han Zihao hugged her from behind and rubbed her back gently, calming her after their intense workout session. He snuggled and kissed her back. " You have worked hard today." He muttered in a low voice.

" I am never going to have lunch with you again." She murmured with her eyes closed and still resting on the table.

" Haha, don't worry. I'll come to you in that case." He said while putting butterfly kisses on her back, soothing her

_

After the intense workout session, Han Zihao carried her to the bedroom attached to his office. He got down from the bed and covered her with the duvet before going to the washroom to get a warm towel to clean her.

They would have taken a bath together but she was so exhausted from the one round only that she fell asleep on the table itself. Seeing her sleeping soundly he realized how exhausted she must have been earlier.

Because of the workload of her new company, she couldn't even sleep properly these days. That's why she collapsed like that after only one round.

After he helped her clean up, he also took a quick shower before joining her in the bed. Seeing her sleeping beside him soundly like this, he was glad that he decided to make an attached bedroom next to his office.

At that time he made his office like that so that he could stay at the office while working late and wouldn't need to go back home. However, at that time, he had no idea he will be using this bedroom in such an exciting way.

Chapter 366 - Workout Session VII

Xu Nuan was sleeping soundly and was covered in a warm, comfortable duvet. The room temperature was also adjusted to not too hot or too cold, it was just perfect for someone to fall asleep in an instant.

A frown appeared on her forehead as she started to feel something crawling up her legs, making her feel tingly and weird.

The warm duvet suddenly became heavy and congested as if someone else was also under it and was hovering over her.

She was lying on her back and her hands that were on the sides clutched onto the gray bed sheet nervously. She held her breath and hesitantly opened her eyes to see the invader under her duvet.

However, what she saw made her heart jump out of her chest. There was a human-like figure covered with the duvet and was near her legs.

"Ahhhhhh….Pervert!! Who is it?? Who is it??!" She screeched in horror and reflexively kicked the pervert who almost fell off the bed but supported himself by holding onto the bedsheet for his dear love.

"Shhh!! It's me. Mee!!!" Startled by Xu Nuan's scream, Han Zihao hurriedly removed the blanket over his head and showed her his face.

As soon as he removed the blanket, his bare chest came into her dazed sight. Thankfully, he wasn't fully naked at the moment and was wearing his trousers.

" Hah!! What were you doing under the blanket, that too on my side? You startled me!!" She let out a heavy breath as she slumped down on the bed, holding her chest to calm down.

It scared the hell out of her. She was still sleepy and him acting like a creep, shocked her. The last time he sneaked on her like this and she almost killed him with the showpiece, thinking that he is a ghost.

He cleared his throat and said, " I...I was trying to dress you up. Sleeping next to you like this, I... couldn't control myself. I thought it would be better if you can….cover up yourself." He said embarrassedly, removing his eyes from her body.

Her chest was bare and now since she had kicked the duvet away, everything was exposed for him to see. Thankfully, he succeeded in making her wear the bottom of the pajamas, but before he could come out of the blanket, she woke up and misunderstood him as a pervert.

After they made out, he couldn't dress her up because she fell asleep right after that. She was sleeping so soundly that he didn't have the heart to disturb her sleep so he just cleaned her with the warm towel and covered her with the blanket.

However, later when he got into the blanket to sleep next to her, he just couldn't breathe normally. Her naked body was next to him and it made him hard instantly.

It took a lot of courage for him to not do anything to her and keep his hands in control. She was sleeping so soundly after so many days, how can he disturb her when she is sleeping?

To distract himself, he even took another shower and from checking the documents to go to sleep on the couch in the office, he tried everything.

But nothing worked.

The image of her sleeping naked on his bed kept appearing in his head. In the end, for the sake of his mental peace and her peaceful sleep, he decided to dress her up while she was deep in her sleep.

However, who had thought that she would wake up in the middle of him dressing her?

-

Upon hearing his words, Xu Nuan looked down and her eyes flew wide open when she realized that she wasn't wearing anything on top. " Ahhh….You should have told me this earlier." She shrieked before snatching the blanket from him and covering herself.

" You…could have simply woke me up. You…didn't need to go to such lengths to dress me up. It's not like I am a baby." She muttered, feeling embarrassed.

" How can I? You were sleeping so well." He reasoned.

" Then you should have let me be like this. It's not like we're strangers. Feeling cold, I would have woken up sooner." She turned her head to look away. She just couldn't look him in the eyes.

It's so embarrassing!! She cried internally.

He blinked and stared at her in a daze. Let her be alone….

" If I had done that, I wouldn't be able to control myself." He told her.

" What control? Who told you to control yourself?" She snapped at him and then pursed her lips tightly, realizing what she had blurted out in the heat of the moment

'Sh*t.' She cursed herself inwardly. Why does she blabber so much without even thinking?

While Xu Nuan was cursing herself for speaking without thinking first, Han Zihao had taken her words seriously. This made his lips curl up as he looked at her with a sensual smile, " Really? I don't need to control myself? Are you sure?"

" I never said that. You're hearing this."

" No! I heard you say it loud and clear. You cannot take back your words." He said while approaching her slowly.

" Hah, Of course, I can. It's not like I have ever claimed myself to be the nicest person ever. Don't you know that I am capricious? I am fickle-minded and I can change my words anytime." She chortled as she held her blanket tightly, covering herself well and protected.

" But I am not. And I have taken those words seriously." He said in a low-raspy voice before lunging at her to kiss those luscious lips that were calling him since the moment she had woken up.

##

Chapter 367 - Where She Belongs...

After another steamy make-out session in the office bedroom, Xu Nuan and he again cleaned up together and dressed up in another set of fresh clothes before getting under the blanket.

Since it's already dinner time, they have decided to leave for home in a while. It's better to take a short break to catch up on their breaths before getting out of the office.

Rather than cooking food, they can simply call for delivery. Who has left the strength to cook food anyway? Even if he cooks food after this, she doesn't have the energy to do the dishes at all.

Also, she was too embarrassed to see the watchman who will be guarding outside the office. Even though she will have to face him sooner or later, she just wanted to delay that encounter as much as possible.

Thankfully, Han Zihao had given a half-day leave to all the staff of the Presidential floor and that's how they all left together for the lunch break and never came back to the office.

Sly Man!!

If not, she would have been too embarrassed to face them. However, she was still worried about the rumors that could spark in the office. People must be curious how she came to the office and never left until the night?

Not only that, Han Zihao even made the staff leave early.

Yeah…It's definitely not suspicious.

'Argh….Why did she even agree to his words?' She cried in her head, thinking about the consequences of their reckless actions.

While she was busy in her thoughts, Han Zihao leaned closer and whispered in her ears, " Jiang Yue, There is something that I want from you. Can you do that?" He asked.

Xu Nuan turned to him and stared at him with squinting eyes. He is using her 'real' name yet again. While making out, he never called her as Xu Nuan even for once.

Is that what is still going on in his head? Does he again…

This Beast!

" Now what? Don't even think about it. I am not doing anything again. I am tired." She pulled the blanket to cover herself properly and gave him a wary gaze.

He stared at her making faces and chuckled seeing her slightly pouting lips and puffed cheeks. How can she be this cute?

" It's not about that."

" Then what is it? Don't even dream of doing anything now. I am hungry. I am too tired to move my fingers now." She complained.

Her whole body was aching and she was not sure if she could even wake up early tomorrow for work or not. Because of him, she already missed today's half-day work and will have to go through everything tomorrow now.

Han Zihao stared at her wary expressions and smiled. " I want you to do something else for me."

"Jiang Yue, I want you to write a song for me." He finally said, making her freeze in her place.

'Make a song for him?'

It's been a long time since she has written a song. Although she is working as the artist manager and has helped The Knights a lot with their music production and everything, she hasn't written a single song since she became Xu Nuan.

It's not like she didn't want to, she just couldn't. As if the urge or excitement to write songs died inside her when she saw her group and the years-long friendship between The Queens breaking into pieces.

She has built that group to what it was and was very prideful about it. It was not just a group for her but more like a family.

She wasn't even this attached to her family that she was with her group members. And Hao Mei was one of the most precious friends to her, her little sister.

Being betrayed by Hao Mei was even more painful than being cheated on by Qin Ju, her now trash-ex-boyfriend.

Also, getting her into an accident and waking up as Xu Nuan, this drastic change has made her drift away from the music as well.

All of these things have created a barrier between her and music. She loves it and hates it at the same time. And the feeling of hating music is more than anything at this moment.

That's why when she took the girls under her management, rather than writing a song for them, she asked them to come up with the lyrics themselves.

One reason was to give them artistic freedom to make their own music and another was that she didn't want to write songs again.

She just couldn't!

She did help them by fixing their song but coming up with lyrics and making a whole new song, she was not sure if she can do this again or not.

Han Zihao noticed her reluctance and felt her body stiffening in his embrace. He sighed and rubbed her back gently, calming her down.

Knowing her passion for music, it's strange for her to only work as an artist manager.

Even if it is something that she wants to do, her true love is still music and he knows that. Whenever a music program comes up on the tv, she skips them as if she is not interested.

Other than work-related things, she doesn't even watch music programs on television. As if she is demarcating a line between her professional and personal life, keeping music away from it.

She doesn't try to make such changes obvious to him and acts as if everything is fine, but he knows that she still misses being on stage - holding the mic and singing her heart out.

When he had seen her singing in the karaoke room with Han Liang before, at that time he wasn't aware of her true identity.

However, when he looks at that video now, he couldn't help but notice the desperation and pain in her voice. Although her expressions weren't clear in the video due to the dim lighting in the room, He could imagine how emotional that moment must be for her.

But after that day, she hasn't tried singing again. Why is she being so hard on herself? She loves music and misses it, so what's stopping her from accepting this truth?

Just like that day, he wants her to free herself and make music again. That's where she belongs, to the music.

Chapter 368 - Meeting Someone.

There was a long silence in the room after Han Zihao asked her to make a song for him. Xu Nuan didn't say anything for a while and turned to face him and hugged his waist tightly.

Nestling to his chest, she let out a deep breath before saying, " I'll….think about it. However….I am not promising you anything about it. So don't get your hopes up." She made it clear to him.

His lips curled up in a pleased smile as he hugged her tighter and gave her a peck on the forehead, " Okay. I'll wait for it."

For some reason, she changed her answer from 'No' to consider it. Maybe a part of her still yearns to make music and misses being on stage. Even though he is not asking her to go and perform on stage, it will be more than enough for her to make a song for him.

Being an artist manager and now the CEO of her new company is good and she likes the new challenges that come with it, but can she let go of her past that easily?

For her, music was not just working. It's something that she loved to do, something that makes her happy. It was the way she expresses herself and let out the things that are burdening her.

Can she cut ties with music that easily?

**

Moon River Cafe-

When Luo Dan was entering the cafe, a frown appeared on her face to see the closed banner hanging outside the door.

They're closed? Says who?

She is the owner of the cafe and has no idea since when they started to close down on Sundays? It's the day when people go out to have fun with their friends and partners and relatively the busiest days of their business.

And yet they're closed on Sunday?

" What the hell is going on?" She mumbled in irritation before pushing the glass door and going inside.

" Zi Tu, Did you put up the 'Closed' banner outside? What the hell is going on?"

" Are you guys not planning to work today? Huh?" She snapped at the girl who is in charge of opening the cafe and change the banner on the door to 'Open'  every morning.

The girl was standing behind the counter and was shocked to see Luo Dan getting angry at her. Luo Dan has never snapped at them and they have always seen her smiling warmly at them.

'So she does get angry.' The girl thought. She thought that Luo Dan is an angel, who only becomes a devil when it comes to her immortal enemy, Jia Fei.

But in reality, Luo Dan has a good temper and she rarely gets angry. However, when she does get angry about something, she can be scariest than anyone.

The girl was holding onto the edge of the counter nervously and gulped before she hesitantly started speaking." Ms. Luo….I did change the banner in the morning but-"

" But what? Did the wind change the banner itself?" Luo Dan asked coldly.

" I told her to change it." The girl was hesitating to explain to Luo Dan about the whole bizarre situation but before she could say anything, Jia Fei spoke who just walked about out of the main kitchen.

Luo Dan's frown deepened upon hearing Jia Fei's indifferent words. However, rather than being sorry for her actions and guilty, she was looking cool and indifferent which annoyed her even more.

She should have known it. Only Jia Fei can do such irresponsible things.

She always does whatever she wants and never cares to listen to what others want. Before Jiang Yue was there to keep her actions in control but now she is simply going rowdy with her recklessness.

How can she control this wild beast alone? She wondered.

Luo Dan took a deep breath and exhaled it, to calm herself. After doing the same exercise three times, she finally said, " You did it? Hmmm….Will you care to tell me why you did so?"

" I mean…there is no reason that can justify this action of yours. I just cannot understand why you closed the cafe. It's Sunday, the weather is clear and bright for an outing. Best day to keep our cafe open for business and you asked her to close it? Why?" She asked in a low voice.

Even though she was speaking in a low voice, it wasn't soft. The rage and displeasure in her voice were obvious.

She was upset.

However, unlike the other days, Jia Fei didn't laugh or joke about the situation. She just stood there without saying anything for half of a minute and stared at Luo Dan with a poker face.

Her serious expressions made the room fall into suffocating silence.

" Because I rented the place for today. I have already paid for the same in advance." She said curtly, keeping her words short and to the point.

Luo Dan furrowed her brows as she also got confused seeing Jia Fei acting like this. The anger boiling inside her soon subdued as she was bewildered and curious as to why Jia Fei acting so suspiciously.

" You rented this place? And even paid everything in advance? Why? Is there any occasion today?"

" Why didn't you say anything before then? I got angry at you for no reason." Luo Dan's tone got softer as she scratched the back of her neck in embarrassment.

If she had known that she had rented this place, then she wouldn't have made a fuss that she made earlier. It only made her look like a bad person.

Luo Dan bit her lower lip and was ready to face Jia Fei's wrath when she noticed something strange about Jia Fei.

Rather than getting angry at her or making fun of her reaction earlier, she didn't say anything.

She simply stood there quietly, as if lost in some trance.

" Hey, why are you so quiet? Jia Fei, say something. Stop worrying me." Luo Dan asked in worry. She would have her get mad at her instead.

" Are you angry at me because I got mad at you? Okay fine! I will not get angry at you again like this, but stop scaring me now and say something."

When she didn't answer her questions, Luo Dan glanced at the employees in confusion, wondering if they knew what happened to her and why she is being like this.

However, they also shook their heads as they were not sure what happened to Jia Fei either.

Just when things were about to get serious, Jia Fei spoke seriously, " We're meeting someone here in a while. That's why."

" Meeting someone? Who?" Luo Dan asked in confusion. Who can be so special that she rented the whole cafe just to meet them?

It's not like she cannot afford to do it. She surely can. She has invested in the cafe too, after all.

But how special that person can be for her to rent the whole place like this? That too without informing her anything about it?

That's weird!

Chapter 369 - Meeting Someone (I)

" Meeting someone? Who?" Luo Dan asked in curiosity. She was expecting an explanation from her but what Jia Fei said, baffled her.

" You'll know when you see that person." Jia Fei responded curtly. Her response was short and cold, which surprised Luo Dan. The person who usually blabbers nonsense for hours was cutting the conversion like this.

" Are you being serious right now? Now you're not even telling me about it? Jia Fei, that's not fair."

" I always share everything with you. How can you not tell me things in advance?" Luo Dan was hurt by how secretive Jia Fei was being right now. They never hide things from each other and always share everything.

" Don't tell me you're going to introduce your boyfriend to me?" Luo Dan asked suddenly. She was not sure but the way Jia Fei was acting these days looked suspicious.

She always looks busy on her phone and even smiles frequently while chatting to someone god knows who.

Is it the same man who was having a blind date with some other girl that day? She thought.

Jia Fei pursed her lips upon hearing her ridiculous question and rolled eyes at her before turning to the employees who were keenly watching the drama unfolding.

" And…You guys," Jia Fei said to them, which startled them and made them stay on edge.

" Yes, Mam." One of the girls responded while clasping her hands nervously, visibly afraid by Jia Fei's cold demeanor.

" You guys are done for today. You can leave." Jia Fei said,

" But Mam, you rented the cafe. In that way…you're our customer. We should stay back and serve you. How can we leave like-" The girl tried to say it well as she wanted to get into the good books of Jia Fei. If she works hard and didn't take this leave that was being given to her, wouldn't she come out as a hardworking and sincere employee?

Otherwise, who wouldn't love to grab such an opportunity to go out with friends and rest on weekends, like today?

" Because I don't want you guys to be here. Is that enough reason to make you guys pack your bags and leave?" Jia Fei said coldly, making the girl shudder at her unconcerned attitude.

Her sharp gaze and indifference towards others are what make all the girls fall for her and be afraid of her at the same time. When she used to be active as a member of The Queens, all the fans were charmed by her indifferent-girl-crushing attitude.

In the eyes of the fans….whatever she does, looks charming and beautiful to them. Even if she swears at them, they will gladly accept it and some might even get a tattoo of it on their bodies.

They are afraid of her and fall hard for her at the same time. What kind of hate-love feeling was that? The girl wondered.

No doubt Jia Fei used to rule everyone's heart, be it, boys or girls.

" Ah, Yes. We'll take…a leave then." The girl nodded in panic and glanced at Luo Dan for confirmation who waved her hand in passing, telling her to do what Jia Fei says.

Luo Dan sat on one of the tables as she watched the employees scurrying out of the cafe' one by one after packing up their bags and calling it a day.

-

When the last employee was leaving, she noticed someone standing outside the cafe and that person was about to go inside when she stopped her, " Ah, Excuse me. Are you here to get your coffee? I am sorry but we're closed today."

" Hmm? Closed? Already? Which cafe closes down on a weekend." The person mocked upon hearing the girl's excuse.

The girl gritted her teeth upon hearing the other person's mocking words and said, " We're not close because we're not working but because someone has already rented the place and wants their privacy. If you want, you can visit us some other day and I will give you a discount." The girl tried her level best to be as polite as possible.

The other person shook their head and said, " No need. I am not here to drink coffee. Your boss called me to come over. She is inside, right?"

"Hmm?" The girl was confused upon hearing her question. Came to meet the boss? Then she remembered Jia Fei talking about something coming over for a meeting.

Before she could process the situation and answer her, the person pushed open the door and entered the cafe.

Luo Dan who had her head down on the table looked up upon hearing the ringing sound of the bells that were hanging at the entrance.

" Who is it- Oh! Xu Nuan? What are you doing here?" Her frown instantly turned into a smile to see Xu Nuan who just entered the cafe. She stood up and went over to greet her.

The girl who followed Xu Nuan stopped in her steps to see Luo Dan's reaction. " It's okay. I know her. You can leave." Luo Dan waved a hand at the girl and allowed her to leave without any worry.

" Is it okay for you to close down on weekends? Shouldn't you be open till late on weekends instead?" Xu Nuan asked in confusion after the girl left.

Luo Dan sighed in exasperation and said, " That's what I am saying. But don't worry. Jia Fei has rented the whole place, so today's payment will be compensated from her pocket." She laughed after making that remark.

" She rented the whole place? Why?"

" Because she has an appointment with someone. God knows who that person is…." Luo Dan sighed and shook her head to clear her thoughts before offering her to sit, " By the way, what brought you here today? Were you guys planning to meet here today? But what to do….we won't be able to attend to any customers today."

Since Sun Ya's scandal, the cafe has become their unofficial meeting spot aka hanging out spot. The girls and Xu Nuan frequently come here to discuss many other things and sometimes the girls come alone to hang out.

Xu Nuan placed her sling bag on the table and stared at Luo Dan in confusion, " I am not here to meet with girls."

" Then? Did you have something to do nearby?"

" It's not that. Jia Fei called me yesterday and asked me to come over to the cafe. That's why I am here. To meet her." Xu Nuan explained.

"...."

Luo Dan blinked in confusion and asked, " She called you for a meeting? So….the person that she is supposed to meet….is you?" Luo Dan asked in surprise, not knowing how to accept this information.

" I…am not sure?" Xu Nuan responded, seeing the exaggerated reaction of Luo Dan.

Even Luo Dan didn't believe that Jia Fei would rent the whole place just to meet with Xu Nuan. There must be someone else coming over later in the day as well.

" Haha, Seems like she has some work to do with you." Luo Dan said while laughing awkwardly.

Just as they were discussing who else that other person could be, Jia Fei walked out from the kitchen while holding three glasses of iced black coffee in a tray and a piece of strawberry cheesecake and a piece of brownie.

When she saw Xu Nuan sitting together with Luo Dan, she smiled at her and said, " You're here, already? That's great. I just made iced black coffee. Drink it before the ice melts."

As said, she walks to the table and puts down the tray before serving them their drinks and cakes respectively.

Luo Dan and Xu Nuan were perplexed to see Jia Fei's unusually friendly attitude. Since when did she start to serve them their drinks? That too with a smile?

More than Xu Nuan, Luo Dan was more shocked to see Jia Fei smiling warmly rather than acting cranky as she did just a while ago. What's wrong with this girl?

" You called Xu Nuan over for something? Do you have something to do with her? Also…when is the person coming with whom you have an appointment?" Luo Dan asked Jia Fei, who pulled a chair for her and took a seat next to her, facing Xu Nuan.

Xu Nuan was also waiting for Jia Fei to speak as she was curious too, why did she suddenly call her to come over to the cafe? That's so unlike her.

When she picked up her glass and took a sip of her coffee, she heard Jia Fei say, " She is the one. There is no one else coming today." Jia Fei said while pointing at Xu Nuan with her eyes.

"..."

A bewildered stillness filled the room. Both Luo Dan and Xu Nuan were confused by Jia Fei's surprising response.

" So….you booked the whole place, just to meet Xu Nuan? Are you crazy? You can simply meet her anytime. What's the need to rent the whole place?" Luo Dan said in a low voice, through her gritting teeth. Does Jia Fei think that booking a whole place is a joke?

She is going to go bankrupt at this rate if she wastes her money like this. Who rents a whole place just to meet a friend? Xu Nuan and her are not even friends, seeing how they act whenever they meet.

Jia Fei ignored Luo Dan who was burning in fury and turned to Xu Nuan who was staring at them in confusion, " Of Course, I have to treat her properly. Special guests should be given special treatment."

"Don't you think so, Ms. Xu Nuan? Or…Gu Nuan?"

"Ah…wait….Do you also have….some other names as well? Should I call you with that one? Hmm?" Jia Fei asked while picking up her cup to take a sip as well.

Xu Nuan: "....."

Chapter 370 - Meeting Someone II

"Ah…wait….Do you also have….some other names as well? Should I call you with that one? Hmm?" Jia Fei asked Xu Nuan as she took a sip from her drink while having eye contact with her.

Xu Nuan, who was drinking her coffee, paused in her actions upon hearing Jia Fei's meaningful words. Today, there is something different about Jia Fei.

Her attitude, words, and that….mysterious gaze.

It was already strange for Jia Fei to call her yesterday and tell her to come over to the cafe. On top of that, she is asking such weird questions - making it hard for the other person to understand the meaning behind them.

Xu Nuan didn't break eye contact with Jia Fei as she put down her glass on the table and wiped her mouth with a tissue before speaking, " Other names? Do I have some other names as well? Well, I didn't know that." She chuckled.

Jia Fei's lips twitched to see Xu Nuan being so calm and composed. And that's what annoyed her the most. Her indifferent expressions - uselessly chill attitude.

How can she be so calm after hearing her words?

" Are you sure you don't know about your other names? Huh?" Jia Fei asked again, gritting through her teeth.

"No! I don't." Xu Nuan said firmly. Although she wasn't showing her emotions on her face, in truth, her hands were trembling under the table.

For some reason, she could feel where this whole conversation was going. Her sixth sense was telling her that Jia Fei is not simply typing to pick a fight with her, as she usually does.

It's different. It's more like a psychological battle.

The battle of Truth.

_

While Jia Fei and Xu Nuan were battling with their eyes, Luo Dan was watching their drama from the side. " What's happening here? Huh? Why do I feel left out from the whole conversation?" She asked in frustration.

Nothing was going on, but still, there is something that she doesn't know. The way Jia Fei was acting and the way Xu Nuan was staring at Jia Fei, the whole tension was too much for her to bear.

Can't they simply talk about it in words so that she could also understand the matter, rather than battling with their eyes?

" You want to know about it?" Jia Fei asked while still not taking her eyes off Xu Nuan. She wanted to see her reaction.

Luo Dan glanced at Xu Nuan and turned to Jia Fei who was sitting next to her, " Yes. Is there something going on between you two? You guys are acting so strange."

Jia Fei's lips curled up in a smirk as she chuckled in disbelief before she started speaking, " Do you remember that Xu Nuan once told us that she is allergic to mushrooms and feels nauseous just by looking at them?"

" Yes. What about it?" Luo Dan was confused. It was so random.

" Jiang Yue was also allergic to mushrooms. She always felt nauseated just by looking at them and wouldn't eat anything if there is any mushroom dish on the table. No! She couldn't. Do you remember that as well?"

Luo Dan's frown deepened upon hearing Jia Fei's words. What is she trying to say here? How do these two things relate in any way?

However, what bothered her was Xu Nuan's quietness. Jia Fei was spouting nonsense and Xu Nuan wasn't even saying a word. That's so strange because both of them always fight over small matters.

How come she is so quiet today?

Luo Dan frowned. " What are you trying to say? Huh? What does it have to do with Xu Nuan? Do you think only Jiang Yue had allergies to mushrooms? Many people are allergic to mushrooms, what does it have to do with Xu Nuan?"

Jia Fei's lips curled up in a smirk as she said, " Do you remember Yuhan, the guy I met at the hotel? He is a close friend of Xu Nuan and has known her since they were young."

" He told me that a year ago, Xu Nuan got into an accident and even went into a coma for some days. Do you know what's even more shocking?"

" That accident occurred on the very day when Jiang Yue got into an accident at the set and….passed away. Don't you think it's too coincidental to be true? Mushroom allergy, same-day accident. " Jia Fei's voice became hoarse while talking about the accident.

Everything happened in front of their eyes. They saw her falling from the height, the bloody-wounded sight of her lying on the cold floor still haunts her in her sleep.

"Jia Fei…" Luo Dan reached out and patted Jia Fei's shoulder who was on the verge of crying. Her eyes were watery and her voice was shaking in the fear of losing her control.

" It must be a coincidence. There must be many people who must have gotten into some accident on the same day, just like how so many people share the same birthdays. You're thinking too much about this matter. " She sighed in helplessness.

She knows that Jia Fei has still not accepted Jiang Yue's death but she can't simply connect it to every single event and make a story about it.

" It can be a coincidence. But did you know that Xu Nuan likes to eat mushrooms before the accident? Don't you think it's strange for someone to suddenly develop an allergy that they never had after an accident?" Jia Fei asked.

" Of course, it can happen. Many people develop new allergies after an accident. What are you trying to prove with your words?" Luo Dan asked in exasperation. Jia Fei was making her worry about her but she was also getting stressed out from seeing Xu Nuan's solemn expressions.

How come she is not saying anything to oppose Jia Fei's illogical words?

" Fine. I agree that they can develop new allergies. But can a person's personality suddenly change so much after an accident that even her family members get shocked by her attitude? I don't think it's possible unless…." Jia Fei trailed her words while staring at Xu Nuan who was now looking down at her hands, avoiding her gaze.

" Unless….it's a different person." She said, making Xu Nuan look up at her.

Chapter 371 - Meeting Someone III

Luo Dan face palmed herself in disbelief as she couldn't believe that Jia Fei just said that. She agrees that there are too many coincidences and similarities between Xu Nuan and Jiang Yue but that doesn't mean the girl sitting in front of them is Jiang Yue.

That's logically not possible.

She also misses Jiang Yue and wishes that she can come back to them.

However, it's impossible! How can a dead person come back to life? This is reality, not a fairytale.

Things like that are only possible in stories, not in reality.

" Jia Fei, I think we should stop talking about this matter anymore. You should go back home and rest." She said, trying to convince Jia Fei to go back home.

However, Jia Fei didn't budge from her seat and continued speaking, " Luo Dan, Do you remember the day when 'She' came to our cafe' for the first time?" She asked while pointing at Xu Nuan with her chin.

Luo Dan glanced at Xu Nuan before asking in confusion, " What about it?"

" At that time, she said that she is our fan and that's how she knows so much about it. And we were so stupid that we believed it. However, don't you think that it's strange? She was our fan, but she was talking to us as if she knew us for years - like a close friend, an elder sister?" Jia Fei asked, making Luo Dan sit straight on her chair.

Now she thinks about it, Xu Nuan's actions and words do seem a bit suspicious. She had heard that she doesn't have any experience of working in the entertainment industry and despite being so young with no working experience - she was leading the group as if she is in the industry for years now.

How is it possible?

" The way she pampers you, compliments you and on the other hand, the way she always bickers with me, taunts me - Don't you think all of this is just… too familiar? Also, do you think any fan will dare to speak to me the way she does?"

" Most of the fans either love me or scare away from me. Who can dare to make fun of me and look down on me the way she does? Jia Fei asked while staring at Xu Nuan with an I-who-you-are kind of look.

"Doesn't she remind you of Jiang Yue?" Jia Fei asked while looking into Xu Nuan's eyes - who were now no more emotionless like before.

They were wavering - She was nervous.

Jia Fei's words forced Luo Dan to ponder about the things that she always ignored in passing. She was right.

There was something familiar about Xu Nuan since the day they met her. The way she treats them and be protective about them, the way she looks at them - everything that she does, reminds her of Jiang Yue.

But….how is this possible? Are they thinking too much into this matter? Was it because they still miss Jiang Yue and not over her death? She thought.

-

She took a deep breath and shook her head, " Jia Fei, stop spouting nonsense. Do you even know what you are trying to say? Are you saying that Xu Nuan is Jiang Yue? Huh? That's absurd."

" Jia Fei, It's hard but we have to accept the reality. Doubting someone just because they're similar to Jiang Yue, it makes no sense." She tried to make Jia Fei understand.

" Xu Nuan, I apologize in her stead. She is acting like this because she is still not over Jiang Yue's death. Please understand her." Luo Dan said to Xu Nuan. Just because of their unstable emotions, she doesn't want to complicate things for the other person.

It's rude to her.

" It's okay. I understand." Xu Nuan said in a low voice. Her voice was quivering, just like her hands under the table. She was trying to act cool and alright but could feel the protective wall that she has created around her, crumbling into pieces upon hearing Jia Fei's words.

How come every word of her, hits her in the right place?

-

" You understand, my foot." Jia Fei scoffed upon hearing Xu Nuan's words. " Are you still trying to lie to my face? Huh? Are you not going to tell us the truth from your mouth until the end?" She yelled while looking at Xu Nuan with her teary eyes.

" Jia Fei…" Luo Dan was shocked to see Jia Fei crying like this. She has seen her acting like this after so long - after Jiang Yue's funeral, it was the first time she has seen her so emotional like this.

" Is it too hard to tell us the truth? Huh? Don't you trust us anymore?" Jia Fei asked while trying to control her tears to fall from her eyes.

Xu Nuan's frown deepened to see tears brimming in Jia Fei's eyes and took a sip of her iced coffee which had melted long ago. She let out a heavy sigh, before asking, " You want to hear the truth. Are you sure?"

Jia Fei sniffed and swallowed her saliva before nodding, " I am."

While Xu Nuan and Jia Fei were busy staring at each other and were speaking in coding language, she was trying to understand the meaning behind the truth. What truth?

Until now, Jia Fei was acting weird and now Xu Nuan was speaking strangely.

" Will you believe whatever I say? No matter how ridiculous and unbelievable it sounds?" Xu Nuan asked.

" As long as it's not about aliens and mermaids, I will believe everything." Jia Fei said indifferently, earning a chuckle from Xu Nuan.

Xu Nuan cleared her throat and leaned over the table before saying, " Fine. Then I'll tell you the truth."

"You're right, I have another name as well and it's Jiang Yue."

Luo Dan: "....."

Chapter 372 - Meeting Someone III

Xu Nuan straightened her posture and placed both of her hands on the table, maintaining a solemn face, she said, "You're right. I have another name as well and….it's Jiang Yue."

After she completed her words, there was a long uncomfortable silence in the room. No one spoke a single word for a few moments and the tick-tock sound of the wall clock was getting loud and clear.

Xu Nuan was sitting in a straight posture and was waiting for Jia Fei and Luo Dan's reaction about her 'confession.' She was still not sure if they would believe her ridiculous story or not. Will they treat her words as a ridiculous joke and pass it as if they heard nothing? Or…will they buy this 'impossible' statement of hers?

By now, two people are aware of this truth of hers. Lin Hao and Han Zihao.

She would be lying that she wasn't nervous when she came out clean to them. She was shaking and was wondering if she was doing the right thing by telling them this truth or not. However, at least at that time, she had the time and opportunity to think about all these matters.

She was the one who told them the truth, out of her own will. However, it was her first time, being pulled into a complicated situation like this and being interrogated like a criminal.

Jia Fei mentioned all the suspicions of hers one by one and she has no way to refute them. To be precise, she doesn't want to do that anymore.

She was also tired of this tom and jerry play. What could go wrong if she comes clean to them? Just like she told Han Zihao and Lin Hao about her identity, wouldn't it be better to tell them the same as well?

She was scared about this whole impromptu confession, but one thing was sure. She will not regret this moment, ever.

Anxiety, nervousness, and excitement - the ripples of all the emotions that she was going through right now- were showing on her face. Her fingers were nervously tapping on the table, her legs were quivering on their own will, meanwhile, a tensed crease had been formed on her forehead.

-

While every second was feeling like ages to Xu Nuan, time as if had stopped for Jia Fei. All the noises of the outer world have been stopped and everything has become so quiet that she could hear the sound of her heart beating against her chest, loud and clear.

Finally!! The answer to the questions that she has been searching for for months has been answered.

The thoughts that were making her crazy, to the point that she once thought of going to the psychiatrist and getting herself checked have been finally resolved.

All the tears that she had been holding onto since Jiang Yue's funeral, the pain that she was trying to suppress after sending her away as if found their way back to her eyes. The hot tears that were brimming her eyes earlier, finally, found a way out, dampening her cheeks.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips to see Jia Fei crying in front of her. The girl who never shows her true-emotional self to others was sobbing like a baby.

" You're such a bitch." She said while sobbing hard.

Xu Nuan who was holding onto her tears chuckled upon hearing her random comment. Now that's more like Jia Fei.

While Jia Fei was sobbing and was making a waterfall out of her salty tears, Luo Dan was sitting there still and lost in her trance.

However, Jia Fei's sniffling sound brought her back to reality. When she looked at her, she furrowed her brows in question, " Why…why are you crying like this?"

" What the- Don't tell me you didn't hear what she just said?" Jia Fei asked while wiping her teary waterfall from her cheeks.

" No. I heard it. But…why are you crying? Isn't she just going along with your play?" She asked in confusion.

Jia Fei: "....."

Xu Nuan: "....."

After listening to Xu Nuan's words, she also lost her senses for a moment. For a moment, she actually believed that the girl sitting in front of her was who had miraculously come to life and was now drinking coffee with them.

In that one minute, she was crying and jumping around in joy - hugging Jiang Yue as hard as she could and telling her how much she missed her and how hard it was for her to send her away so early. However, all of that was happening in her imagination only.

When she finally gained her senses, Jia Fei was crying in front of her, and instead of Jiang Yue, it was Xu Nuan sitting in front of her.

Yeah. That's the reality.

Jiang Yue is no more. There is no way that she can be back.

_

" You seriously think that she was playing along with me?" Jia Fei asked in disbelief.

" No, Damn it. It's true. She is our Jiang Yue. Although she doesn't look like one, in reality, she is our Jiang Yue. Haven't you read all those fanfictions about rebirth and stuff? That's what is going on here. " She explained.

Luo Dan took a deep breath and shook her head in denial, " Jia Fei, don't go overboard now. What you're saying is not possible. Jiang Yue is dead."

" A dead person cannot come back. It's not a fictional world but a real one. And those things don't happen in reality."

Upon listening to Luo Dan's firm thoughts, even Xu Nuan was also caught off guard for a moment. Yeah. That's how a normal person should react to this kind of unbelievable situation.

And Jia Fei is definitely not a normal one.

After Han Zihao and Jia Fei's chill and easily believing responses, she forgot that what she is saying doesn't make any sense and needs some strong arguments with it.

" Xu Nuan, you too. How can you go along with her stupid jokes? I never thought that you could be this insensitive to joke around about such serious matters." Luo Dan turned to Xu Nuan to give her an earful.

" Who said that I am joking? Luo Dan, You know, I can joke about everything but not about such serious matters."

Xu Nuan said seriously.

Luo Dan was startled to see Xu Nuan's serious face when she said those words. It was her first time speaking to her in such a serious tone and authoritatively as if she is older than hers.

Her lips trembled as she tried to bring herself to refute Xu Nuan's words, when she heard her say, " It might sound ridiculous and a story of a fanfiction, but it's the reality of my life."

" I am Jiang Yue. Although I don't look as beautiful as before, it's still me. The face and body are of Xu Nuan but it's definitely me. Do you think a common girl with no experience in the music industry can take a huge risk to debut a hit group like The Knights and build her own entertainment company in less than a year?"

" If that's now believable enough, do you want me to recount all the stories of our past to make you believe me?" Xu Nuan asked seriously.

Luo Dan was speechless.

Until now, she was thinking that Xu Nuan was simply playing along to Jia Fei's prank and will laugh it off afterward, but now it's getting serious and all of this was making her nervous.

She was afraid that all of this will just be a beautiful dream that will break when her alarm goes off.

She clenched her fists tightly as she hurriedly took a large sip of her iced coffee, whose ice had been melted long ago to quench her thirst. After controlling her overflowing emotions, she finally said, " You're joking right? I mean…how is it possible? It's not logical."

" You're simply saying that a dead person came to life? Is that what you mean? I mean…How?" Luo Dan stuttered while thinking about the whole scenario. It's not possible.

" The situation is ridiculous indeed. Even I couldn't believe that I was not dead and in someone else's body when this happened. For a month, I tried to come up with some reason behind this happening but there was none." Xu Nuan said, recollecting the memories when she woke up in Xu Nuan's body after her accident in the hospital.

" So I came to a conclusion after all the brainstorming. There is no reason behind all of this. I am just one lucky person, who got to live her life once again, even though it's in someone else's body."

" There is no reason, like the other hundreds of things that cannot be explained with logic and science. I know it's hard to believe but-

"No! I believe you." Luo Dan cut off Xu Nuan's words and continued in her trembling-choking voice, " No. Even if you're joking, I want to believe you." As she said this, large, crystal-like tears rolled down her cheeks.

" It is the truth. If you want, I can even tell you the passcode of your old apartment. I am sure your current house must have the same password as before because you're too forgetful to memorize another one." Xu Nuan added which made Luo Dan burst into tears, unlocking her tears treasure.

Chapter 373 - Beautiful Luo Dan.

Jia Fei and Xu Nuan sat there silently as they watched Luo Dan pouring her heart out in tears. Nobody said anything for some time as the only sounds that could be heard in the room were of Luo Dan's sniffling and sobbing.

After some time, when Luo Dan still didn't stop crying her eyes out, Xu Nuan and Jia Fei glanced at each other before carefully picking up their small forks and started eating the cakes that Jia Fei brought earlier with the coffee.

Because of Jia Fei's sudden confrontation, they somehow managed to finish their ice-water coffee but couldn't eat the cake in between the serious conversation.

To reduce some tension in the room, they decided to increase their sugar level by eating some strawberry cheesecake and a piece of brownie.

Luo Dan sniffled and wiped her teary-damped face with a tissue before looking up. However, her mouth was left open in disbelief to see Jia Fei and Xu Nuan stuffing their mouths with cakes as if she wasn't sitting there.

She was crying in front of them and they were eating cakes? How shameless!!

" Waah! A while ago, both of you were reenacting an emotional scene and suddenly it changed into a mukbang channel? How can your emotions change in a fraction of a second? Huh?"

Xu Nuan and Jia Fei paused in their actions upon hearing Luo Dan's sarcastic remarks and glanced at each other before putting down their spoons and 'elegantly' wiping the corner of their mouths with tissue paper.

" Then what do you want us to do? Cry the whole day when she is alive and living the best of her life? I am sure she wouldn't have cried this much when she woke up in this girl…I mean Xu Nuan's body." Jia Fei said, pointing at Xu Nuan with her eyes.

Luo Dan glared at Jia Fei for talking so inconsiderately. Even though they're talking to Jiang Yue, the person sitting in front of them is Xu Nuan. Jiang Yue might be well and alive, but someone did lose their life, and sadly no one isn't aware of that truth.

Also, the confusion in identity is still awkward and uncomfortable to them. They can't simply talk to her casually like before.

This might take some time for them to digest the bizarre truth but she was sure that things will get normal soon enough. Because now they're aware that Jiang Yue is alive and was around them all along.

" She is right. I didn't cry that much even after waking up at the hospital. Now when I think about it, I took the whole situation rather lightly. Seems like I am more strong-minded than I look." Xu Nuan chuckled thinking about the day when she woke up at the hospital for the first time in this new body and had an argument with Gu Xingren and the so-called parents of Xu Nuan.

Not only that, that was the first time she saw Han Zihao, who came to meet her at the hospital. Time sure flies.

It's almost a year since that happened and in the past year, so many things have changed in her life. She not only managed to prove her capabilities to the world by establishing her new company and entering Xin Lin University without any external help but also got a handsome boyfriend as well.

In Jia Fei's language, she sure is living the best of her life.

_

The two hours went by in chatting as Jia Fei's curious questions to Xu Nuan didn't stop even for once. She was dying to know how this supernatural thing that always occurs in web novels happened in real life to her.

More than that, how the hell did she become two years younger than her? That's so unfair. Now she is not only younger and more beautiful than her, because of Jiang Yue's memories, she also has her skills and talent too.

On top of that, she achieved so many things in just a year. She debuted a girl group that is topping all the music charts and even built an entertainment company. Not only that, but she also got a boyfriend.

And here she is working in a cafe and always gets scolded by Luo Dan.

How unfair!!

" Don't think everything is cool between us. We're still angry with you. How can you not-" Jia Fei was ranting about her emotions after gulping down two cans of beer and was sipping on her third one.

Although Luo Dan tried to stop her from opening beer cans in the cafe, Jia Fei and Xu Nuan ignored her. Coffee was no more interesting to them. The drama was too interesting to let it waste while drinking coffee.

" How did you know that it was me? I mean….even Luo Dan didn't feel anything suspicious about me, then…how can you be so sure that it's me?" Xu Nuan cut off Jia Fei and asked while staring at her in a daze.

The alcohol had made her cheeks redden and her dazed eyes were staring at Jia Fei, waiting for her to answer.

Even Han Zihao didn't believe her when she told him for the first time and took her words as a ridiculous joke. It was too random for Jia Fei to suddenly talk about such things and be so sure about it.

Jia Fei looked up at Xu Nuan and let out a heavy sigh before answering, " Hah! So you're saying that you were not suspicious?"

" Yah! Think about it. Have you ever tried to act like Xu Nuan? Every action of yours screams that' I am Jiang Yue. I am the Queen.'" She laughed, thinking about all the weird things that Xu Nuan does.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and thought about Jia Fei's words. And thinking about it like this, she realized that she was right. She never tried to pretend as Xu Nuan, not even for once.

She always acted however she wanted and to think about this, the Gu family must have been so shocked to see her behaving like this after getting into the accident. Gu Xingren must be regretting pushing her on the road that day because if she hadn't done that, things might not have turned out like this.

" Although I had my suspicions about you being so friendly to us before as well, after hearing your boyfriend calling you Jiang Yue at the hospital that day, my doubts started to move in a certain direction. At first, I thought that I was being ridiculous and making fanfiction but after finding out about the accident of Xu Nuan from Yuhan, the picture started to become more clear to me." Jia Fei continued.

" That's why I called you today to try my luck. And guess what, just like always, I was right." She showed her tongue, teasing her for getting caught in her mind-game.

Luo Dan was impressed by Jia Fei, for the first time. She never thought about Xu Nuan's actions in such a way but Jia Fei doing the whole investigation on her own was so cool.

" Waah!! Jia Fei, I am impressed. You should use some of your intelligence in running a business as well. I am sure our profits will soar in the sky if you do that. " Luo Dan commented while patting Jia Fei's back.

Jia Fei frowned and gave her a glare, which made Xu Nuan and Luo Dan burst into giggles.

" By the way, since when did you get so close to Yuhan? As far as I know, there is no way you guys can be so close. That's weird." Xu Nuan asked.

Jia Fei looked up at her and blinked in surprise before speaking, " What close? We're just…friends. More like buddies."

" Also, you shouldn't talk about other men, especially the one who got dumped by you." She commented, which made Xu Nuan's brows raise suspicion.

" Why are you bringing that up here? Aren't you being too protective of him?" Xu Nuan asked while leaning back.

Jia Fei stared at Xu Nuan and frowned. How can she not get protective of him? Both of them got rejected by the people they love.

She sighed and shook her head, " Aren't you busy? You should go back now. I am tired."

" Investigation is over." Jia Fei waved her hand before doing a head down on the table and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. If she stayed awake, they will make stupid assumptions and will tease her about it.

##

" Hey, Luo Dan!! What's taking you so long today? We're getting late for work…" Jia Fei barged into Luo Dan's room to see why she was not ready yet.

They usually leave for the cafe together and Luo Dan, who is the early-bird among the two of them, always gets ready first and prepares breakfast for both of them. However, today she didn't even step out of her room when it was already time to leave for work.

What's taking her so long?

" What…are you doing?" Jia Fei was speechless to see Luo Dan dressed in a yellowish cream color dress and was sitting in front of the dressing table, doing her makeup.

Chapter 374 - A Date (I)

You can read the novel online free at LatestNovel.Net or NovelTeam.Net

Jia Fei was speechless when she saw Luo Dan dressed in a yellowish cream color dress and was sitting in front of the dressing table, doing her makeup.

The dress that she was wearing was not just a normal dress that she wears to work but it was an expensive dress from a renowned designer. It was from the spring collection of the famous designer for whose brand Luo Dan used to work as the ambassador, that's going to be launched soon.

Luo Dan got this dress as a gift from the designer with whom she used to work together, urging her to work with him again.

Even though Luo Dan rejected his offer, the designer still gave her the best dress from his spring collection that hasn't even been released yet as their farewell gift, in the hope to work with her in the future.

Jia Fei was already surprised to see Luo Dan wearing such an expensive-precious dress on a random day like today, however, not only that, but she was also sitting in front of the dressing table and was doing her makeup.

Luo Dan rarely wears such expensive and beautiful dresses because it attracts too many eyes on the road. On top of that, she is doing her makeup? Even during her active days as a member of The Queens, Luo Dan only did her makeup when it was time to shoot or perform on stage. Other than that, she never used to do her makeup or wear expensive flashy dresses on usual days.

In her group, out of all the members, Luo Dan was the only one who lived a simple and least luxurious life.

After their group disbanded, Luo Dan stopped wearing make-up and only uses moisturizer and lip-tint in the morning before going to work. Despite not doing anything to her skin, her skin is surprisingly healthy and always glowing.

That's why she was always jealous of her natural healthy skin and wanted to know her secret as well. However, Luo Dan is doing her makeup in the morning? What's gotten into her today?

Weren't they simply going to the cafe?

-

A confused frown appeared on Jia Fei's forehead as she walked closer to Luo Dan who was sitting in front of her dressing table, "What are you doing? Why are you dressed up like this?"

" Are you going somewhere?"

Luo Dan pursed her lips to see Jia Fei who suddenly barged into her room and was now staring at her as if she had been caught while doing something inappropriate.

She quickly ran fingers through her hair locks embarrassedly and stood up from the dressing table stool and turned to face Jia Fei. " Ah, well. I am not going to work today. I have another appointment."

" Appointment? What appointment? And….what work appointment can it be that you have dressed so beautifully? You usually don't dress up like this." Jia Fei raises her brows in suspicion.

" Also, isn't that the designer dress that you received as a gift? Don't you think it will be too much for you to wear for the work appointment?" Jia Fei asked in puzzlement while checking out Luo Dan from head to toe.

" And…what's with this bow on the dress? It looks as if you're going on a date." Jia Fei laughed when she noticed the statement sash bow on the dress, made of lace material.

The delicate hand-embroidered, lace material dress was not only befitting her innocent beauty image but also the beautiful-lace material full sleeves were making her look more conservative and tender looking.

The sash bow made of soft-lace material near the collar and the golden pearl buttons on the dress was making her appear as some royalty. The dress was truly a masterpiece.

Even though the dress was perfectly fitting Luo Dan's innocent beauty style, it was too extravagant for a work appointment.

Luo Dan pursed her lips upon hearing Jia Fei's ignorant comment and tried to hide the blush on her face with her palms and said shyly, " What…date? I am…just going out to see a movie with a friend."

" What? Movie? You're not going out for a work appointment? Who is this new friend of yours? Since when did you get other friends?" Jia Fei asked in disbelief.

Luo Dan also has Jiang Yue….Xu Nuan, but she would have informed her about this plan in advance if that's the case. With whom she is going out for a movie?

She thought that she was her only friend.

She didn't even ask her to go to the movies with her. Such betrayal.

Luo Dan frowned to see Jia Fei's possessive behavior and rebutted her, " Why are you overreacting over this matter? Can't I have friends other than you?  Also, don't you always hang out with that guy 'Yuhan' these days?"

" Do you always tell me before going out with him? Then why are you acting like this?"

" You…why are you getting angry like this? Also, what do you mean I always hang out with him? It's just…we sometimes go for a drink together, Sometimes." She explained.

It's not like they're in a relationship. It's just…both of them are alike and belong to an unrequited love club. That's why they understand each other's perspectives and comfort each other over a drink.

"Also, You can simply tell me the name of the friend. What's so hard about it?" Jia Fei was in disbelief to see Luo Dan talking back to her like this. She can simply tell her who this new friend of hers is.

What's there to overreact like this?

Luo Dan pursed her lips in a thin line and felt slightly guilty for talking to her like this. However, she simply cannot tell her the name of the friend, with whom she is going out.

Otherwise, Jia Fei will get a reason to tease her nonstop about it.

Rather than stretching this topic, she cleared her throat before picking up her bag from the bed and checked herself once again in the mirror before turning to her, " Anyway, I am leaving. Look after the cafe today."

" Also, stay away from the counter. And don't be rude to the customers." She said indifferently before walking out of the room, leaving Jia Fei behind dumbfounded.

After Luo Dan left, Jia Fei scoffed in disbelief and fanned herself with her hand, " This cheeky little brat. Does she think that she can hide such gossipy things from me?"

" Hah! In her dreams."

" I should call Jian….Xu Nuan to tell her the news." She laughed in excitement before hurrying to her room to look for her phone.

Chapter 375 - A Date (II)

Han Liang was standing in front of the large dressing mirror in his closet room and was checking himself out to see if he had dressed according to the occasion or had gone overboard with the dressing style.

It took him more than two hours to decide what to wear for today's dat…movie appointment. He didn't want to wear the same clothes that he wears regularly but also didn't want to look like he had made too many efforts to dress up for this movie appointment as this might give a burden to Luo Dan.

So to keep things simple, he has tried so many clothes and finally fixated on a casual but not-so-casual look.

He was wearing loose-white trousers with a stylish black strap pattern on the sides. And paired the trousers with a plain white tee and a denim blue jacket over it. And for the style statement, he was wearing his favorite smartwatch to go along with his casual but not-so-casual vibes.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and was pleased to see how handsome he looked even in these casual clothes. Rather than combing his hair neatly, he gave them a rough rub to make them look tousled and match his cool vibes.

" Perfect." He commented to see his photoshoot-ready look through the mirror.

~Ding Dong~

Just as he was fixing his jacket, he heard his doorbell ringing. His eyes widened in surprise as he was not expecting Luo Dan to arrive so early.

He hurriedly looked at the time on his watch and realized that she wasn't early but it was him who got late while getting ready.

" Oh, Lord. Did I clean the kitchen after setting up the food?" He wondered.

" Did I remove the damp towel from the couch?" He panicked upon realizing how he didn't even check if everything was alright or not.

His hands were trembling and could feel his heart beating fast as if would soon jump out of his chest and start dancing freestyle in front of him.

~Ding Dong~

His body froze on one spot in nervousness and was in a state of panic to think what to do first when the doorbell rang again.

" Shit." He cursed in a low voice, before scurrying out and opening the door.

_

Luo Dan was standing nervously in front of his house and was waiting for him to open the door. A crease appeared on her forehead when he didn't open the door and after waiting for a few moments, she pressed the doorbell again in case he didn't hear it for the first time.

She was holding a bottle of champagne and a small strawberry cake that she bought on the way. Rather than getting the cake from her cafe, she went to some other bakery as she didn't want Jia Fei to find out about the same.

As Luo Dan was trying to calm down her racing heart and was taking deep breaths for the same, she heard a click sound, and the closed door, finally opened.

" Ms. Luo, You're here. Please come….in." Han Liang welcomed her with a bright smile, however, his voice wavered in to see her dressed so beautifully. She was looking like a living fairy in that beautiful delicate lace dress.

Although, he has seen her dressed up beautifully in the past when they passed by each other at awards ceremonies or some other programs. However, this time it was different.

This time she didn't dress up so beautifully to attend an award ceremony or any reunion party but to meet him. The thought of her making efforts to meet him made his cheeks turn crimson and hot as if they were on fire.

While he was ecstatic to see her dressed up so beautifully, Luo Dan was regretting her decision to wear the designer dress with a bow.

Compared to his casual look, she looked as if she had put too much effort in dressing up and was going to attend a party after this.

' Jia Fei was right. This lace bow is too much. I should have worn something casual. Argh….So embarrassing.' She cried inwardly before following him inside and after exchanging greetings, handed him a bottle of champagne and cake that she brought with her.

" You didn't need to bring all of this with you." He said while taking the gifts she brought with her. So this is what it feels like to have guests coming over to one's house.

It was his first time inviting someone over to his place, other than his manager and assistant who always come empty-handed to discuss work-related things only. Even Han Zihao or Grandmother Han has never come over to his place since he moved here.

It's been so long since someone has come to his place and that someone is Luo Dan, makes it even more special.

…..

He made her sit on the couch and brought a glass of water for her to drink.

" Did it surprise you when I asked you to watch a movie with me? I mean…I was meant to watch this movie for a long time but didn't get a chance to watch it. And since you also said that you like to watch movies, I thought why not watch it together." He said while avoiding eye contact with her.

It was so hard to look straight at her face, how would he be able to confess his feelings to her later? Thinking about Xu Nuan's advice to be bold and direct he planned this arrangement but why is this so hard to look straight into her eyes?

Luo Dan noticed how he was avoiding her gaze and a smile appeared on her lips to see him stuttering in his words. At least she is not the only one nervous here.

" It did surprise me but…in a good way." She said while taking a sip of water from the glass.

Two days ago, when she was about to go to bed, she saw a message notification on her phone. She was caught off guard when he suddenly asked her to watch a movie together with him.

She was confused about how to take this message because after exchanging numbers, they started messaging each other but it still wasn't too personal and they always talked about either the cafe or Xu Nuan or something random.

However, watching a movie with him was not something she had expected. She was wondering if it is alright for her to go a step beyond and watch a movie with him. He is related to Jiang Yue now after all.

However, thinking about how he helped her at the reunion party with her high school friends, she decided to be bold for this one and answered him with a 'Yes'.

" Also, I was also looking forward to watching this movie but couldn't go to the movie theater as there will be so many people." She added as she leaned forward to put down the glass on the table.

He took the glass from her and put it on the table before saying, " That's why rather than going to a movie theater, I asked you to meet up at my place. As you know, if we go there, we would end up being wary of people rather than enjoying a movie in peace." He laughed.

Going to a movie theatre together simply means inviting a new scandal.

" However, I am glad that because of this, you came to my place and we finally got the chance to spend some time alone…." he mumbled without even realizing it. However, his eyes widened in horror when he realized that he said those words aloud.

" Hmm? Did you say something?" Luo Dan asked in confusion. Her eyes were busy looking around his house and was staring at the awards that were displayed on the wall shelf when she heard him say something. However, since his voice was low, she couldn't hear what he said.

He stared at her, wide-eyed, and shook his head in absolute denial, " Nothing! I wasn't saying anything important. Are you thirsty…No, wait. Let me bring some drinks and snacks for you." He hurriedly stood up and ran to the kitchen to hide his embarrassing state, leaving bewildered Luo Dan alone in the living room.

He is the prince of every girl's heart and was known for his charming flirty gaze and yet he cannot even look straight in the eyes of the woman he loves. How embarrassing.

Chapter 376 - A Date (III)

There was an awkward-uncomfortable silence in the room after Han Liang went to the kitchen to bring some snacks and drinks for Luo Dan. She was sitting in the room alone and was contemplating whether to go and help him in the kitchen or stay seated there.

"Crack"

Luo Dan was startled when she heard a loud sound of glass falling on the floor and breaking. "What…what is happening?" She stood up from the couch and intended to follow him to the kitchen when she heard him say from inside, " It's okay. Everything is fine. I….I'll be out soon." He shouted.

She pursed her lips upon hearing his panicking voice and eventually decided to be seated and wait for him. Her presence in the kitchen will only make things worse for him.

" Do you want me to-", Luo Dan stopped talking when she saw him coming out with a tray full of snacks, and refreshments that he had prepared for her. He didn't know what she liked to eat, so he ordered a lot of variety of food for her to eat.

Since he doesn't know a 'C' of cooking, it's better to stick to delivering food from outside. In terms of cooking, he is exactly the same as Xu Nuan. That's why he used to crash to Han Zihao's place to eat in the past but now it's not possible either.

Now there was a female monster, who lives in that house and has taken that single pleasure from him. Such a bully.

Luo Dan was caught off guard to see so much food as he had to take three rounds to the kitchen to bring all the food to the table in the living room. It was so much food just for snacking that she considered moving to the dining table since it's no less than lunch.

There were sandwiches, burgers, fries, and pizza. There was even a dish that she failed to recognize. There was some fried, triangular dish that she was seeing for the first time.

Han Liang noticed her curious gaze and said, " Ah, this is an Indian dish, Samosa. One of my friends introduced me to an Indian restaurant nearby and they have a variety of delicious Indian dishes. Out of them, I like this the best. Small, cute, and delicious."

" Since I didn't know what you would like to eat, I ordered all of my favorite things. Try this, I am sure you also will like this one," he said and stood up to serve it to her.

" Ah, thank you. But…you really don't have to do all of this." She said with a blushing smile. It was the first time someone has made her feel this way, so special and important.

Although, it's not like she is not loved by other people. Her members and her fans love her and care for her so much - but as a woman, it was the first time that someone has treated her this way.

_

After eating a whole lot of food that was supposed to be just for snacks and refreshments, Luo Dan was already full. Even though it was awkward for her to eat so much food as soon as she came to his house, it did help them to get comfortable with each other.

They were still a bit awkward around each other since it was his house and not some cafe or a restaurant. However, the eating time reduces some level of uncomfortable awkwardness between them.

"To watch the movie, shall we now move to the movie room?" He asked after they were done eating and both of them cleaned the table afterward. Han Liang wanted her to just sit by and relax while he did all the work, but she didn't listen to him and helped him clean the table and take all the dishes back to the kitchen.

" Movie room? Há…Um…Okay." Luo Dan responded in confusion. She had thought that they would watch the movie on the television that's in the living room.

But it seems like that's not the case.

…..

He took her to the first floor, where there was his so-called playroom.

The large and spacious room that was enough to be called a master room has been decorated with colorful lights, bean bags, and cool-trendy small round tables and chairs that have all kinds of games - from board games to VR games. Not only that, there was a small room attached to the playroom which was supposed to be the movie room.

The lighting in that room was dim compared to the playroom and was very quiet. There was a large television on one of the walls, covering almost the whole of the wall to give a theater feels when watching a movie at home. There was also a large-comfy velvet couch in the room to watch the movie in comfort.

It was like a mini-luxurious movie theater.

"It's…beautiful." She exclaimed in surprise. Unlike the simple and neat interior of her place, his place was rather unique and similar to his loud and quirky personality.

Han Liang rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment to see Luo Dan praising him and cleared his throat before asking her to take a seat on the couch, " You can take a seat. I'll start the movie."

Luo Dan nodded at him and went to sit on the couch, when she heard him say, " Ah, wait a minute. Let me adjust the couch."

"Ah?" She stood there in confusion as she watched him walk to the couch and pull the seat. In less than a minute, the couch transformed into a couch-like bed to watch the movie with ease. The back of the couch was there for support and the seat of the couch was as long as the bed.

He adjusted the position of the cushions and glanced at Luo Dan, who was standing in the corner with her mouth open in shock, " It's ready now. Come, sit." He gestured her to sit, which she hesitantly did.

However, the awkwardness that had dissipated earlier, found its way back into the room again. She wasn't expecting him to transform the couch into a bed for them to watch the movie.

Although it's more comfortable than before, she wasn't comfortable at all. Her heart was beating faster as if it would burst out of her chest.

They're already at his place on their first meeting, that too alone. Sitting on a bed with him to watch the movie was kinda…..faster than she had expected.

Han Liang started the movie and went to sit next to her. He wasn't feeling awkward until he sat next to her and noticed how stiff she looked as she sat on the couch cum bed.

Her legs were still on the floor as she awkwardly sat there, craning her neck to watch the TV. Her hands were covering her dress to not expose more of her skin as she tried to watch the movie.

He bit the lower lip and removed his denim blue jacket that he was wearing and put it on her legs, " It's quite…cold here, right?"

Luo Dan was surprised to see his warm gesture and smiled. She was indeed uncomfortable as it was difficult for her to sit on the bed in her short dress. She was wondering if she had to watch the whole movie sitting like a mannequin but his actions made her relax.

" If you're uncomfortable, I can make it into a couch again. It's uncomfortable, right?" He asked again while laughing nervously. He did that to make her feel comfortable but didn't realize how awkward it can become.

'What the hell Han Liang? How stupid can you be?'

'What if she thinks that he is a creep after this movie date? Who turns a couch into a bed on their first movie date? Argh….!!' He cried inwardly.

The more he is trying to be cool and calm, the more things get awkward and uncomfortable. Just as Xu Nuan calls him, he is surely a dumb-headed Prince.

Chapter 377 - A Date (IV)

Han Liang pursed his lips together to see Luo Dan awkwardly sitting there even after he passed her his jacket to cover her legs. Watching a movie while sitting on a couch cum bed was not a good idea after all.

" It's uncomfortable, right? Let me change it into a couch again.." He chuckled awkwardly before standing up to adjust the couch again. However, before he could get out of the couch cum bed, Luo Dan moved forward and placed a hand over his to stop him from getting up, " You don't need to. It's comfortable like this."

" Ah? Are you..sure?" Han Liang was stupefied to hear her words. She was clearly not comfortable, then why would she….

While Han Liang was trying to process his thoughts, Luo Dan could feel her cheeks getting hotter. She was indeed uncomfortable about the whole situation, but it was not what Han Liang was thinking.

More than him turning the couch into a bed, she was more worried about them watching a movie in this state. They're alone in this house, not only the room but being present in such a small-closed space together, she could feel her heartbeat getting faster by every minute.

All the fanfictions that she had read in the past with Jia Fei, the scenarios from those fanfictions were rolling in her head like a movie. If it would have been those fanfictions, this is a perfect time and place for some daring action in terms of Jia Fei's language.

Such thoughts were making her face turn red.

'Luo Dan, get your grip. Were you always dirty-minded like this or have you become like this because of Jia Fei's influence?' She scolded herself inwardly to not think nonsense and act like a mature person and be cool about it.

Yes. She is an adult and it's better to take things lightly and not read too much into them.

'It's just a movie after all. Also, he adjusted the couch into a bed to watch the movie in comfort, that's it. And even if it's his house, they're simply here to stay away from the eyes of the public. It's not like they're doing anything.' She took a deep breath and decided to go with a flow.

She noticed Han Liang staring at her in confusion and was waiting for her answer, " Yes. You don't need to change it into a couch again. It's comfortable like this." She said and raised her legs and stretched them on the couch cum bed and covered her exposed skin with his jacket that he had passed her earlier.

" Let's watch the movie now." She said with a smile and urged him to start the movie already. Although she was trying to be cool and chill with this situation, only she knew how hard it was for her to say such words.

Her ears were red and could even feel her neck becoming hot. What kind of strange feeling is this? She wondered. She was feeling such exhilarating emotions for the first time and they're just too overwhelming for her to ignore such change of emotions.

Han Liang was caught off guard to see her smiling like this and freeze on the spot for a second. How can she be this beautiful while smiling?

The words of Xu Nuan kept running in his head like a movie reel, " Be a man and ask her out. Ask her out…" He nodded and decided to hit the iron when it's hot after the movie.

Even if she rejected him, it's better to be bold and confess his feelings to her. He can't always act like a coward always.

_

The movie finally started and the room fell into complete silence - only the sounds coming from the television could be heard.

Han Liang had chosen a romantic comedy movie as he had read that girls like the rom-com genre the best. He carefully glanced at her to see if she is enjoying the movie or not and smiled upon noticing her immersed in the movie and smiling while watching it.

She was watching the movie and he was watching her - Perfect Movietime.

However, the next moment he saw her expressions stiffening and the smile slowly disappeared from her face. He frowned and turned to the television screen, which made him freeze on the spot.

The scene has changed from a romantic scene to something more passionate and…provocative. The main leads were kissing passionately on the bed and the male lead's hands were exploring the female lead's body as if carving a sculpture using his hands.

The uncomfortable- awkward silence fell into the room to see such a passionate scene going on in the movie. Wasn't it just a rom-com? Why is it so erotic? He gritted his teeth and gulped nervously.

The tension in the room was also high and this scene was making him even more nervous.

Both of them looked around to avoid looking at the TV screen and waited for the scene to pass away naturally. However, it was more than just a kiss scene when the male lead started to undress the female lead by unbuttoning the female lead's blouse - making the scene more steamy and passionate.

Han Liang glanced at Luo Dan carefully and cursed under his breath to see her looking around awkwardly. He grabbed the remote control and fast-forwarded the hellish-torturing scene and laughed, " It was getting boring. I don't know why they put such boring scenes in a romance movie."

Luo Dan smiled awkwardly and said, " Well, maybe because it's a 19+ rated movie."

"....."

"Huh?" Han Liang stared at her in confusion. How does she know about that? Even he didn't know about that.

" Ah, it showed in the disclaimer at the beginning. Didn't you see it?" She explained noticing his confused expressions.

"I…didn't." He stuttered, feeling embarrassed for not checking such things before selecting the movie. "Who sees all of these things?" he laughed, trying to hide his carelessness.

"I do." She answered monotonously.

He pursed his lips and nodded in embarrassment. Very Well.

He rubbed his neck awkwardly, " I selected to watch this movie because my friend has acted in this movie and told me to watch this one as it's a good rom-com movie. So I thought why not watch it with you. It's better than watching it alone. " He laughed awkwardly, not knowing what the hell he was saying.

Luo Dan raised her brows upon hearing his words and controlled herself from laughing it out loud. It wasn't a big deal as it was just a movie but he was explaining as if she had accused him of something.

" Your friend? What kind of role did he play in the movie?" She asked a question and changed the topic to ease the tension in the room.

He sighed in relief when she changed the topic and answered with a smile, " AH, She is the female lead in this movie. Yan Ju. She is a great actress."

" However, I didn't know that it's a 19 rated movie. Haha. Why did she even ask me to watch this movie?" He laughed, feeling how he was pranked by her.

"Do you also know her? She won the best female actress award last year." He asked in curiosity. Since Luo Dan also belonged to the same industry as him, there were high chances of her knowing Yan Ju.

Luo Dan's expressions stiffened as she tried to control her emotions but couldn't help herself but comment, " So….it was a girl."

She thought that he was talking about a male friend of his but never expected that his friend would be a girl.

Not only did he make her watch the movie that his 'girl' friend suggested to watch but also, the one with 19+ ratings? If her memory works correctly, she remembers seeing a news article of him and the actress Yan Ju involved in some kind of dating rumor some time ago.

For some reason, she couldn't control her facial expressions and sat there while wearing indifferent expressions for the rest of the movie. There wasn't any relationship between them for her to be upset like this, but it wasn't a pleasing emotion for sure.

Seeing her not saying and watching the rest of the movie with pursed lips and frowning expressions, made him realize that something is wrong.

"..."

At that moment, he knew that he messed up. After that, she didn't even glance at him, forget about speaking to him.

'Did….I do something wrong?' He wondered in confusion, while glancing at her sometimes while watching the movie and could feel the strange atmosphere in the room.

What just happened?

Chapter 378 - A Date (V)

" So it was a girl…." Luo Dan commented unconsciously in a low voice, feeling embarrassed to assume that he was talking about her male friend. How stupid of her.

She knew that she wasn't in place to feel irritated regarding this situation. It's not like she is his girlfriend, however, this feeling wasn't particularly great either.

So what did he show her the movie that his 'female' friend recommended to him? So what if it was a 19+ rated movie with lots of kisses and bed scenes in which his 'friend' showed her passionate acting?

So what if he was in a dating scandal with the same girl some time ago?

SO WHAT? SO WHAT?

It's not like these things are related to her in any way. They're not in any relationship and she is in no position to feel sad about such things.

'Let's not be annoying and be cool about it.' She decided.

Luo Dan took a deep breath and stopped talking about his female friend. What does it have to do with her anyway? She sat there quietly and watched the movie without showing any expressions on her face.

The movie that was funny and interesting a while ago suddenly became boring and tiresome. The kiss scenes that were exhilarating and passionate a while ago suddenly seemed to be annoying and unnecessary fillers in the story.

"Why do they keep kissing all the time? Didn't they meet just a week ago? Can they be like this? How can they fall in love so easily? What nonsense!!" She voiced her opinion in irritation.

More than the strangely fast-paced story, she was more bothered by the way too many kiss scenes and Han Liang's dazed reaction whenever such a scene appeared.

Han Liang glanced at her and nodded awkwardly, " That's…right. Who…who falls in love so easily? That's truly nonsense," He supported her comment. However, deep down he couldn't help but think about how he fell for her at the first sight when he saw her in the elevator for the first time.

That was his first time to see her properly in front of him and not just pass by her in an award function or so. That was the day he realized that people do fall in love at first sight and those feelings can be as thrilling and serious as knowing each other for years.

" I thought it was a funny movie but all it has are kiss scenes. Ah, it's getting boring now." Luo Dan sighed in frustration. She wants to enjoy this da-movie appointment with him but she can't seem to control her overly sensitive emotions.

'Is it the PMS? Hmm….Seems like that's the reason for my mood swings.' She reasoned with herself inwardly.

Han Liang gulped nervously and nodded, " Exactly. There are way too many kiss scenes in this movie. Haha, I can't believe she filmed all these scenes. She previously told me that she isn't a good kisser. I can't believe that she shot all these scenes." He laughed and commented without thinking.

He wanted to say something cool but seeing Luo Dan's irritating expressions, he got nervous and spouted whatever first came to his mind.

"..."

Luo Dan was speechless to hear him commenting about the girl's kissing scenes. Was he focusing on those scenes so deeply that he is now even reviewing them?

A deep frown appeared on her forehead upon hearing him talking about his friend again. Why does he keep talking about her? Can't he read the room?

She let out a deep breath to cool down her head and not make remarks anymore. If this continues, they will end up fighting on their very first dat-appointment.

That's right.

It's better to be quiet and ignore such stuff and not embarrass herself further.

_

Han Liang noticed her long face and that she wasn't smiling or laughing at the funny scenes anymore.

Is she thirsty? He thought.

He pursed his lips seeing her making a poker face and tried to break the uncomfortable silence between them, "Would you like to drink some beer? Isn't it boring to watch a movie without-

" I am not thirsty. Thank you." She responded curtly, cutting his words in between. She was just waiting for the movie to end quickly.

" Ah, O…Okay." Han Liang, who was getting up to go downstairs to bring some beer cans, sat down again and glanced at her, reading her cold expressions.

What happened? Why does the air in the room suddenly become chilly? Did he make any mistakes? He wondered, feeling a bit discouraged about the whole situation.

Was the movie not interesting enough? He wondered.

_

The perfect timing that Han Liang was waiting to confess his feelings to Luo Dan never came. The movie ended but rather than things becoming comfortable between them, it became even more awkward and uncomfortable.

Luo Dan left right after the movie ended and didn't even stay for a cup of coffee after that. She even declined his offer to give her a ride home, even though she came in a cab. Does she hate the idea of being together with him in the same space that much?

Did she not like watching the movie with him? Or…was he being clingy? He wondered seeing her suddenly acting indifferent towards him. She wasn't even smiling like before anymore.

Wasn't this day supposed to be his happiest day? Where did he go wrong with all the arrangements?

While Luo Dan was fighting with the strange-new emotions of jealousy and frustration that were boiling inside her, Han Liang, on the other hand, was feeling down to see Luo Dan acting coldly and indifferent towards him.

Just like that, the first movie date of the two ended on a cold-uncomfortable note.

...

" You're back." As soon as Luo Dan closed the door behind her and entered the house, she heard Jia Fei's interrogative voice.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath before going inside to face her annoying fate. She didn't look anywhere and straight marched towards her room, " Don't talk to me. I am already irritated en-."

" Irritated? Didn't you go on a date? How come you're in such a bad mood?" She heard a familiar voice.

She frowned and paused in her steps before she turned to look towards the couch where Jia Fei and Xu Nuan were sitting, with their legs on the couch and were munching on the chips that they were holding.

Luo Dan pursed her lips and glanced at Jia Fei who told the news to Xu Nuan before she could even come home. Jia Fei avoided her gaze and put a piece of chips in her mouth before saying, " Don't give me a look. I didn't say that you went on a date, I just told her that you were acting suspicious and wore a designer dress just to go out. That's it. Nothing else." She explained, leaving out a few details from the conversation that she had with Xu Nuan earlier.

Xu Nuan chuckled seeing her lying so easily and shook her head, " I didn't believe it earlier, but you indeed look gorgeous. I doubt that you just went out with friends."

At first, she ignored Jia Fei's words and came to hang out with her after hearing how lonely she was at home. But wasn't expecting her words about Luo Dan to be true. She does look like someone who just came from a date.

Luo Dan sighed and went to join them, " It wasn't a date. I just went to watch a movie with a friend, that's it." She said as she sat on the couch and snached the packet of chips from Jia Fei's hands.

" Hmmm….So it was a movie date." Jia Fei commented and teased her while watching TV.

" I SAID IT WASN'T A DATE. CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND SIMPLE WORDS?" Luo Dan said slowly in a low voice, emphasizing each and every word carefully, for her to listen and understand.

Xu Nuan chuckled to see them arguing like kids and passed Luo Dan a can of beer, " You're right. It wasn't a date. Why don't you have some beer in that case?"

" I don't want it. I am going to sleep." Luo Dan said tiredly. She was indeed tired, more emotionally than physically.

Xu Nuan noticed her haggard condition and insisted that she join them, " Only one can. After that, you're good to go."

" Come on. It's my first time coming to your place. Can't you do this for me? Hmm? " She asked cutely, in a nasal voice for which she was kicked by Jia Fei.

" Stop talking like that. Your boyfriend might like you doing this, but we hate it. Disgusting!!" Jia Fei said, rubbing her arms to soothe her goosebumps that she got after Xu Nuan acting cute and lovely.

##

PREVIEW: [Is she pregnant?]

Chapter 379 - Are You Pregnant?

Moonriver cafe-

" Madam, are you okay? Your face doesn't look good." The girl asked Luo Dan as soon as she entered the cafe. She was cleaning the table when Luo Dan and Jia Fei entered the cafe, both of them were looking exhausted and haggard.

Their faces were pale and had dark circles under their eyes. Their condition was so bad that even makeup couldn't hide their dull complexion.

Exactly what had happened that made them look like this?

She glanced at Jia Fei in concern but couldn't ask her anything, so she directed her question to Luo Dan. Jia Fei's intimidating look was enough to stop her from asking any questions to her.

Luo Dan massaged the area under her ears with her cool fingers gently and answered in a grunting voice, " I am fine. We just drank too much last night. Can you get me medicine for a hangover from the pharmacy?" She asked.

Jia Fei walked by Luo Dan and sat at one of the tables and supported her head with hands and leaned onto the table tiredly, " You're asking for a hangover medicine? Like seriously?'

" Who gets a hangover just after two cans of beer? Luo Dan, your alcohol capacity is so low. You need to drink more frequently with us to be like me and Jian-I mean Xu Nuan. We had 7 cans of beer each and even had some wine later as well." She said proudly but grimaced when she felt a pang in her stomach.

'Seems like it isn't a proud thing to say.' She let out a deep breath, trying to control the stomachache.

Luo Dan scoffed upon hearing her words and shook her head, " You're talking as if you did something great. Thanks for your kind advice, but I don't want to be a drunkard like you two."

" You guys are alive even after how crazy you were last night is a miracle itself.  Now tell me, do you want some medicine or not? Otherwise, I am asking her to get one only for me."

Jia Fei pursed her lips and turned her head away in embarrassment before saying, " Get one for me as well. Buy an expensive one. Don't try to save money."

After she woke up in the morning and felt her stomach growling and churning violently, she realized that they went quite far yesterday. Xu Nuan didn't go home last night and to celebrate her first night with them, they were drinking all night long, meanwhile, Luo Dan passed out only after drinking two cans of beer.

How boring!

The girl looked at Jia Fei and almost laughed out loud upon hearing her blunt-indifferent words. She is talking as if she is going to buy a handbag instead of a hangover medicine. What expensive medicine? All hangover medicines work almost the same.

She took the money from Luo Dan and hurriedly left the cafe, leaving the two groaning in the cafe, holding their aching stomachs while waiting for the medicine.

__

" Finally!! I thought I was going to die today from nausea and stomachache. I am not gonna drink with that alcoholic maniac again." Jia Fei groaned after she finished drinking her hangover medicine.

Luo Dan glanced at her and shook her head in disappointment, "Don't talk about dying so easily." She scolded her.

Jia Fei glanced at her and pursed her lips, understanding the meaning behind her scowl. After experiencing what happened to Jiang Yue, they can't even mention dying even as jokes anymore. Because they don't want to remember the nightmare that they experienced because of that.

" Also, it's not like Xu Nuan forced you to drink so much. Instead, You were the one who forced Xu Nuan to not think about her boyfriend and drink more despite her saying no to you. She was trying to control her alcohol intake but it was you who was going crazy yesterday. How dare you put blame on her now?" She lectured her.

Jia Fei frowned and scowled upon hearing her lecturing words. She is no fun. Does she really have to remember every single thing and throw facts at her face like this?

As they were talking, Jia Fei's phone started ringing. She glanced at it and picked up the call to see Yuhan's name flashing on it.

" Yo!! How come you remembered your fake girlfriend? Huh?" Jia Fei asked coolly while sipping on the ice tea that Luo Dan ordered for both of them to soothe their burning stomachs.

Luo Dan glanced at her for speaking mindlessly and shook her head in helplessness. She has heard about how Yuhan's mother mistook her for being his girlfriend and now she is helping him to avoid unnecessary blind dates by acting as his 'annoying' girlfriend.

She was surprised at how casual she was about this matter, whereas, she had to take so much courage to go to Han Liang's house to watch a simple movie. And that movie date didn't turn out as they had expected.

Things became even more complicated after that. They haven't talked to each other since yesterday and the communication between them seems to come at a halt.

' Argh…Did I overreact yesterday?' She cried inwardly. If she had acted coolly just like Jia Fei, would the situation have turned out better than this?

As she was lost in her thoughts, she heard Jia Fei's loud voice while talking on the phone, " What? What happened?"

" Are you sure? But…How is this possible…" Jia Fei trailed off as she looked at Luo Dan with a complicated look. " I am not sure. But I'll look into it. Thanks for informing me though. " She said before she hung up the phone.

Luo Dan raised her brows and stared at Jia Fei in confusion. " What happened? Why do you look so shocked?" She asked in puzzlement.

Although she knows Jia Fei's loud personality, it's rare for her to see her actually worried about something. If she is staring at her like this, that means something big must have happened. But what?

If she continues to stare at her like a mannequin, how is she supposed to know what happened?

Jia Fei puts down her phone and takes a deep breath before asking, " Luo Dan….Are you hiding something from me?"

"..."

Luo Dan was speechless upon facing such a question coming from her. Did she find out about her going out on a date with Han Liang? But…how's that possible?

She clears her throat and feigns ignorance, " What are you talking about? Why would I hide anything from you?" She asked innocently and genuinely confused.

Jia Fei bit her lower lips and asked in a low voice carefully, " You…by any chance, are you pregnant?"

" WHAT?!!"

Chapter 380 - Just Friends!

" WHAT? Are you crazy? How can you make such jokes with me? Haven't you sobered up yet?" Luo Dan asked in disbelief.

She was speechless at Jia Fei's ridiculous question. How can she even ask such a question even if she is joking?

Even though there are no customers in the cafe at the moment and just the staff, it's not so difficult for rumors like these to spread like fire once out, especially when it comes to people who belong to the entertainment industry.

Seeing Luo Dan's dumbfounded expressions, Jia Fei scratched the back of her neck and said embarrassedly, " It's not like that. I am sober now."

" However…You…." Jia Fei hesitated before letting out a heavy sigh and said, " I can't say it. I think you should just see it yourself."

"Hmm?" Luo Dan stared at her in confusion when Jia Fei unlocked her phone and opened the chat with Yuhan. She clicked on the link that he had sent her just now and showed it to Luo Dan.

Although she hasn't seen the contents of the article yet, she was already aware of the mess going around.

Luo Dan frowned at her mysterious actions and took her phone in her hand to see the article with more clarity, " What are you trying to show? What is it? Huh-"

"....."

Luo Dan fell silent immediately upon seeing her and Han Liang's picture on the screen. Her body stiffened as a few creases appeared on her forehead. She held the phone with her trembling hand as she read the headline of the article aloud.

"[ LUO DAN FROM THE QUEENS AND HAN LIANG ARE DATING? DOES A GOOD NEWS ON THE WAY?]" Luo Dan's expressions darkened upon reading the ambitious headline. She could understand the article related to a dating scandal to some extent, however, from where do they make such an assumption to write such an ambitious headline?

What Good News are they talking about?

She read the article further and was left speechless with the evidence that this person had prepared before writing the article. There were pictures of her and Han Liang together when they coincidentally met at the mall, when she bumped into him at the hotel where she went for her reunion party and later rode his car, from the times when he visited the cafe and talked to her when Jia Fei was not with them.

And last but not the least, the pictures from yesterday of her entering his apartment building. The pictures of them were in abundance, making it hard for anyone to deny this dating scandal. However, more than the dating scandal, she was dumbfounded at the other claim that they made at the end of the article.

There was a picture of her wearing baggy clothes and a black mask and cap, leaving the hospital. The worst part was, it was clicked in front of the gynecology department where she went a few days ago. She went there due to her irregular periods and severe cramps but the picture here was hinting at something else.

Although they didn't say anything explicitly about the last picture, however, the way it was clicked and the headline, it was making their claim very obvious.

Jia Fei bites her lower lips in nervousness to see Luo Dan's serious expressions and pound the table in rage, " What nonsense!! Are they writing romance novels or what? How can they write such a ridiculous article about you two? Huh?"

" And what do they mean by you two are dating? There is no way something can happen between you two. Don't they know how much we hate Han Liang? That bitch has looked down on our group and called our songs boring and uncreative." She yelled in rage. She is fine Luo Dan dating anyone as long as it's not Han Liang.

For some reason, she feels her temperature rising whenever she sees him and wants to tape his mouth before he could even say a word. There is no way she can tolerate him as Luo Dan's boyfriend.

Not in this life at the least!!

Luo Dan was already shocked by the article but Jia Fei's words pulled her out of her daze. She glanced at her hesitantly and cleared her throat, " I don't hate him."

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Jia Fei frowns and stares at her in confusion. What does she mean by this?

" I mean, I don't hate him. It's you! Don't take my name with you." She clarified.

" Also, he is not as bad as you're describing him. He did call our songs unoriginal and boring but it was because he never listened to our songs properly that time and also, the host was trying to bring out something sensational from him. That's why he said that. It wasn't entirely his fault."

Jia Fei's frown deepened as she watched Luo Dan defend Han Liang as if she knew him very well. Don't tell me this news….NO!! Never!!

" Luo Dan?" Jia Fei called her name in a low-careful voice.

" Hmm?" Luo Dan looks up from her phone and fixes on Jia Fei's annoyed face.

" Why are you defending him as if you two are already so close? Don't tell me…the person you went on a movie date…is him?" Jia Fei asked carefully, hoping her speculation to be wrong for the first time.

"....."

Luo Dan blinked nervously and avoided looking into her eyes. She didn't say anything and looked away as if Jia Fei wasn't sitting in front of her.

Jia Fei scoffed to see her avoiding her question as if she doesn't exist. It was the first time Luo Dan acted so timidly in front of her. She might be an innocent and gentle fairy to others, but in front of hers, she has been the strongest girl she has ever met.

Strangely, Luo Dan only fights and argues with her only. She doesn't fight so much with Jiang Yue either and always listens to her words well. And that girl who never stopped lecturing her was avoiding eye contact with her and was ignoring her question?

WOW!! Just Wow!!

" So my assumption is true. Luo Dan, I am asking just in case, are you and Han Liang really dat-"

" We didn't do anything. I swear!! I went to see the gynecologists because of my irregular cycles. We are just friends as of now, nothing else." Luo Dan panicked and explained, worried that Jia Fei might misunderstand something. Because the article was indeed misleading and anyone can make weird assumptions out of it.

Jia Fei was surprised to see Luo Dan reacting like this and chuckled, " What do you mean you didn't do anything? I didn't even ask you anything about that yet."

" I was just asking if you guys are dating or not. But seeing your reaction now, I am sure you guys are just friends. Because that dumb-headed prince is one of a coward to confess his feelings to you. He is way worse than Han Zihao in terms of seducing a woman." She commented while shaking her head.

" How can you say such words?" Luo Dan's cheeks turned red upon hearing her remarks. However, curiosity rippled in her heart upon hearing her claim.

She places a hand over the back of the hand of Jia Fei, " How do you know about it? Did he say that he has feelings for me?"

Jia Fei was stupefied to see Luo Dan asking such an obvious question to her. If she didn't sense it by now, then she also belongs to the same category as him.

It's been months since he has been coming over to their cafe for a cup of coffee even though his company is not nearby and has to drive so long just to get a cup of coffee. Not only that, he always uses their cafe to send someone a coffee truck as a gift.

She is sure that most of the monthly revenue of the cafe must be coming from his pocket seeing the way he spends his money on coffee only.

Even after him doing all of that, she still hasn't guessed it already? Does she really think that their cafe's coffee tastes so amazing that he spends so much money to drink their cafe's coffee?

Today she found out something new about her.

Luo Dan generally has great senses and figures out things earlier than her, but when it comes to things related to her, her mind blocks all the signals, even the most obvious ones.

" Are you seriously asking me that? You should know it better. Also, didn't you go to his place to watch a movie? That's so bold of you Luo Dan  " Jia Fei teases her. She was amused and irritated at the same time that the two Han Brothers had snatched both girls around her.

Argh….even Luo Dan has someone to love and care for her. Then why the hell is she still single? She wants a boyfriend too who does all the stupid things for her. She cried inwardly in jealousy.

Lin Hui never gives her any look other than a friend or more exactly, a sister. One can get out of the friendzone but it's different when you have been sister zoned. She wants a boyfriend too!!!

Chapter 381 - Is It Love?

[ OH MY LORD!! Han Liang and Luo Dan are dating? That's an unexpected pair.]

[ Is this true? Someone, please tell me if it's true. I love Han Liang and The Queens the most. This news is like a dream come true.]

[ Oing? Didn't The Queens disband already? I am curious how they got in touch after that.]

[ Han Liang and Luo Dan? Hmm…Must be a rumor. They're not compatible at all.]

[ What is Luo Dan doing with my innocent prince? Stay away you bi*ch. Stop seducing him with your innocent face.]

[ Their group has already disbanded. Why is she trying to ruin Han Liang's career now?]

[ Exactly! Everyone knows how The Queens disbanded. Getting in a relationship with one of the members of that group means ruining their careers with their own hands. I feel bad for Han Liang.]

[ Is she trying to use his popularity to get back in the industry? I never liked her since the start. She acts innocently and looks so fake. Argh…So annoying.]

[ What nonsense are you talking about? Luo Dan is trying to use Han Liang's popularity? Hah!! Seems like you're living under a rock to not know the popularity of The Queens. Han Liang might be their senior in the industry but The Queens are ruling the music world for years now. Go and gather some information before spouting nonsense on the internet.]

[ Seems like you're living under the rocks. The Queens have disbanded long ago and hold no position in the industry. They're a gone case now.]

[ Han Liang is a playboy. He has so many dating scandals already. Leave our innocent Luo Dan away.]

[ I can't believe people are discussing someone else's personal life. That's why Social media is so fcked up. Even if they're dating, I don't understand why everyone is raising questions as if it's related to them in any way? If this is true, I am so happy for these two and will support them.]

[ I am not a fan of The Queens, but I always liked Luo Dan. She is so cute and a genuine person. I am glad that she is dating Han Liang. Although I am sad to see him with another girl, I have no issues if that person is Luo Dan.]

[Luo Dan is so shameless. It's not even a year since we lost Jiang Yue and rather than mourning for her death, she is enjoying her life as if nothing happened. So Shameless!!]

[Exactly! In a few days, it will be one year since we lost Jiang Yue. And seeing this kind of news just a few days before that 'dark day' is giving me creeps. How can she be so happy even after losing her best friend?]

[ Luo Dan needs to diie! She doesn't deserve to be happy. They all killed our Jiang Yue and are living the best of their lives. Jiang Yue must be so sad.]

Xu Nuan was sitting in her office and was reading the comments under the article that had been posted a while ago and was left speechless to see all kinds of comments.

She was doing some work related to The Knight's upcoming comeback that they're planning when she got a phone call from Han Zihao. She thought that he called her to give her a lecture again about her wild-drinking party last night with Jia Fei but strangely, he asked her to check the link that he had sent her.

How come he knows about this kind of stuff earlier than her, who works in that industry?

Upon reading all the comments under the post, she was shocked after reading the comments more than the article itself.

Are they really her fans? If they are, then she cannot be more embarrassed than this.

How can they blame Luo Dan for being happy and in love with someone? Even if the news is true or not, as her fans, they should be happy for all the members of The Queens and support them in their hard times.

What they're doing is worse than any anti-fan whose sole motive is to hurt them.

However, unlike some childish fans, there were some mature and loyal fans too, who was teaching a lesson to those biased-toxic fans and were keeping them in check.

" At least there are some sensible fans as well." She sighed in relief.

__

" I can't believe that someone was following me all this while. I should have been careful." Luo Dan sighed upon thinking how she was being watched all along. How can they follow her like this even if it's their job?

Can't they let her live in peace even after she left the industry?

Jia Fei patted Luo Dan's shoulder and comforted her, " Don't worry. I will go and beat that paparazzi jerk to a pulp. You just relax."

Luo Dan chuckled upon hearing her meaningless words and smiles to see how hard she was trying to lighten up the mood. " Let it be. I don't want to go to the Police station to get you out and feed them with a brand new controversy."

Just as they were joking with each other, Luo Dan's phone rang. She looked at Xu Nuan's name flashing on the screen and swiped it to right, meanwhile, Jia Fei put it on the speaker to hear the conversation between the two.

Before Luo Dan could say anything, she heard an indifferent-low voice from the other side, " I am sure you must have seen the article by now. What do you think about it?"

" It's actually not the way it seems. We do know each other and those pictures are all true but it's not like that. We just-

" Rather than explaining the article, just tell me what do you want to do with this situation. The article is already out and we need to make a statement about the same. Do you want to accept it or deny it?" Xu Nuan cut Luo Dan's words short and asked directly.

Although, it won't be her who will release the statement because Luo Dan is not under her management, so she will need to make the announcement by herself. But as her friend, she can help her to find a solution to deal with this scandal.

" Ah?" Luo Dan was caught off guard by Xu Nuan's straightforward question. She glanced at Jia Fei for help and was confused about what to do with his situation.

" What do you mean what to do. They aren't even in a relationship, of course, she should deny it." Jia Fei added, explaining their stance.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips in a thin line and asked again, " Luo Dan, you tell me. What do you want to do?"

" What? Are you ignoring my words now? Huh?" Jia Fei got all worked up to see Xu Nuan ignoring her words and passing the baton to Luo Dan.

Luo Dan took a deep breath and remembering how badly their last movie date went, she answered, " I am not sure. It's not like we can avoid this scandal as the public is going crazy about the news. It won't do anything to me but he would be affected because of this since he is still in the industry." She sighed helplessly.

She has read all the comments that were hating her for seducing Han Liang and some were calling them incompatible as a couple.

She would be lying to say that it didn't affect her at all. However, she was more worried about Han Liang being affected by the news than her since he needs to continue working in the same industry. Some dating scandals can be ignored as if nothing happened but some scandals can ruin an artist's whole career.

And she doesn't want to become a reason for his downfall.

Xu Nuan was silent for a few seconds before she spoke, " Luo Luo, do you love him? Because I have never seen you act like this towards anyone." She asked.

"...."

Luo Dan and Jia Fei, both were caught off guard by her random question. And it was even more strange since she asked so seriously.

Luo Dan scratched the back of her neck and answered embarrassedly, " What are you talking about? It's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

" I…I don't love him…yet." She added. " Maybe, Hmm…I don't know what it is. I never felt something like that before." She pondered about it seriously.

" These days, I unknowingly look for the news related to him and wait for his messages. I feel irritated when he talks about other girls in front of me."

"On the other hand, I feel my cheeks burning in embarrassment when he compliments me and stares at me for more than a few seconds.    Is this what you call love? I don't know because I never felt such emotions before." She answered honestly.

She was confused about her feelings but wasn't sure how to resolve this confusion. However, since Xu Nuan has already experienced all these emotions and is in a passionate relationship with Han Zihao, maybe she could help her as a friend.

On top of that, she knows Han Liang very well. Maybe she can give her some tips to understand her feelings.

While Xu Nuan was silent for a moment, Jia Fei was getting goosebumps all over her body to see Luo Dan talking about such deep stuff. She wasn't speaking like that when talking to her.

How come she became all expressive when talking to Xu Nuan? That's not fair.

" Luo Luo, I don't think you're in love. You're more likely to be sick than in a relationship. Go and get yourself checked by a doctor." Jia Fei shook her head in speechlessness.

" You should go and get yourself checked by a doctor."

While Luo Dan and Jia Fei were bickering, they heard Xu Nuan say, " Oi, Dumb-headed Prince, You heard that?"

"......"

Chapter 382 - Sister-in-law

" Oi, Dumb-headed Prince, You heard that?"

Luo Dan and Jia Fei, who were bickering with each other, fell silent upon hearing Xu Nuan say such words from the other side. They glanced at each other in confusion, not sure if they were thinking the same thing or not.

' Who is she talking to?' Jia Fei nudged Luo Dan, urging her to ask the question. She didn't say anything but her curious gaze was telling everything.

While Jia Fei and Luo Dan were having a mental breakdown and were forcing each other to speak, they heard a sound of someone clearing their throat from the other side of the phone and saying, " Ms. Luo, I believe we have some things to talk about and sort things out."

" Why don't we meet up and clear all the misunderstandings at once." Han Liang said seriously, which made Luo Dan's face turn red in embarrassment.

He heard it, He heard everything….She cried inwardly and facepalmed herself in embarrassment. She hadn't imagined in her wild dream that Han Liang would be overhearing this conversation.

Xu Nuan…That snake. Was she her friend or his? She screams internally, trying to prevent herself from swearing out loud for the first time.

Jia Fei stared at Luo Dan who was experiencing the most embarrassing moment of her life and giggled in excitement. It's more thrilling and exciting than a weekend romance drama.

__

After hanging up the phone, Xu Nuan glanced at Han Liang who was sitting opposite to her, with his legs crossed and hands resting on the armrest. His indifferent expressions and laid-back posture made her raise her brows in surprise.

" You can relax now. It's over." She said,

As soon as he heard those words, he let out a deep breath and put down his leg. He sat in a straightened posture and rubbed his hands in nervousness, " Oh My God!! What did I do? Do you think she will hate me after this?"

" Was I too cold to her? She will come to meet me, right?" he asked in worry.

As soon as he found out about the article from his manager, he stopped everything and hurried over to meet Xu Nuan.  It was his first time coming over to her company and he had never expected that he would come to her newly established company for this kind of reason.

He hates to ask her for help but at that moment, the only person who came to his mind was her. Xu Nuan is not only close to Luo Dan but also good at resolving such issues.

She might be annoying and arrogant but she is the only person he can ask for help.

" You want my help? Hah! Did the sunrise from the west today?" She asked in sarcasm upon hearing Han Liang's pleadings.

He gritted his teeth and smiled politely, " Sister-in-law!! We are a family. Can't you do this little favor for your brother-in-law? Huh?" He asked in a cute voice, politely.

Xu Nuan scoffed to see him using his puppy eyes to please her. " You know that you look disgusting like this, right?"

"....."

He clears his throat upon hearing her cruel comment and said, " If you call her, I will do anything you want. Anything!!" He announced.

Xu Nuan's lips curled up at his pledge and pounded on the table in excitement, " That's my boy. Now you said it, I will surely help you in this tough situation. After all, we're a family. However, don't forget your promise later. If I can help you, I can ruin things for you in the same way. You know that right?" She said meaningfully.

Han Liang frowned at her threatening words and sighed in helplessness. " Sure, Sure." He nodded in agreement.

When Xu Nuan called Luo Dan, he thought that she would be angry at him and about the whole mess. Yesterday, when she left his house after watching the movie, her expressions didn't look good. He was wondering if he should call her or message her or give her some space when this article popped out of nowhere - ruining the remaining chances that he had.

However, he was shocked upon hearing her words. So she also thinks about him and feels uneasy when they don't talk for days.

So it just wasn't him who had feelings for her.

While Han Liang was lost in his imaginary world and was smiling on his own, Xu Nuan grimaced at his lovesick expressions. " Argh….Creepy." She shakes her head in disbelief and gets on with her work, leaving him alone.

__

Pan Lan was going to the practice room when she spotted Xu Nuan and Jia Fei standing outside Xu Nuan's office and had their ears stuck to the door. She got excited to see Jia Fei at the company as it was the first time she came here, however, what's going on here? She wondered.

" What are you guys doing?" She asked in a whisper.

" AH!! You scared me." Jia Fei and Xu Nuan jumped back in unison and glared at her as if she committed some grave crime.

" What did I do? I just wanted to know what are you guys doing here, standing outside the CEO's office like a spy? Also, Xu Nuan, isn't this your office? Why are you sneaking around like this?" Pan Lan asked in frustration, feeling wronged.

Xu Nuan cleared her throat and glanced at the closed door with a helpless sigh. Since Han Liang and Luo Dan cannot meet at the cafe anymore because of the scandal, they decided to meet at her office since it's the least suspected place out of all.

And to give them some privacy, she had to sacrifice her one and only office. Just like Pan Lan, she also can't believe that she was kicked out of her 'own' office.

" We're having an important meeting inside." Xu Nuan answered.

" Without you? Aren't you the CEO of the company?" Pan Lan asked in confusion. What important meeting can proceed without the CEO?

" That's what I am saying. I can't beli- Ah, by the way, what are you doing here? Don't you have to practice? Did you get late again? Huh?" Xu Nuan questioned her when she realized that Pan Lan was coming from outside rather than inside.

Facing Xu Nuan's sudden question, Pan Lan blinked in nervousness and laughed, " I…I was working out in the morning. That's why." She made an excuse. She can't possibly tell her that she got late because she overslept.

" Hah! Are you now lying on my face? Do you think I don't know why you got late again? You have gotten-"

" You guys continue eavesdropping. I am leaving!!" Before Xu Nuan could nag her further, Pan Lan waved her hands in a hurry and scurried to the practice room, leaving the two behind.

" We were not eavesdropping. We are just…waiting here." Xu Nuan shouted but lowered her voice when Jia Fei kicked her on the calf to not shout like a wild animal.

After Pan Lan left, Jia Fei frowned and nudged Xu Nuan, " By the way, why does she call you by name? I mean, aren't you older than her? More than that, you're the CEO of the company. Shouldn't she at least use honorifics with you?" She asked in concern.

Jiang Yue was the eldest member of their group and even if they used to talk to her in a friendly way, dropping all the honorifics, Pan Lan is different. They're their seniors, how can she call Jiang Yue by her name? At least respect her as the CEO of the company?

Xu Nuan chuckled to see her getting all worked up all because of this and patted her shoulders, " I used to be older but now it's not the case. I am even younger than her. It's awkward for her and me as well to use honorifics between us. That's why I told them to speak casually with me. It's comfortable like this. "

Jia Fei stared at her with pitiful expressions as she was feeling sad with her. If that was her past self, she would have not allowed a younger group to talk this way to her. If not using honorifics, they won't be acting so casually around her.

Xu Nuan's expressions also softened to see Jia Fei's face and said, " It's okay. I am fine with this change. More than that, I am even younger and more beautiful than you guys. That's the advantage you see." She boasted, causing Jia Fei's sad feelings to fade away in an instant.

" Hah! You sure are living the best of your life." Jia Fei remarked with a scoff.

Xu Nuan laughed and nodded in agreement, " I am." She giggled and hugged Jia Fei's arm and pulled her closer to squeeze her in her arms. " I am happier because you guys are with me now." Xu Nuan said and kissed Jia Fei on her cheeks, which she wiped away immediately, " Don't be so disgusting. I am not into girls."

" Is that so? I thought you liked girls more since you always flirt with all the female fans." Xu Nuan laughed and before Jia Fei could say anything against her comment, she was pulled by Xu Nuan close to the door to eavesdrop on the conversation going on inside the room.

Chapter 383 - Breathing Creature.

" Do…Do you want some water?" Han Liang asked hesitantly to dissipate the awkwardness in the room.

Luo Dan nervously clasped her hands and shook her head, " Ah, No thanks. Should..should I pour some for you?" She asked in return, wondering if he was thirsty.

" Oh, No No. I was just wondering if you need some water. I am fine. Thank you." He responded immediately, feeling embarrassed. He was trying to dissipate the awkwardness between them but things became even more awkward than before.

After the movie appointment, their relationship should have gotten better and more comfortable with each other but why does it feel that things became a bit too uncomfortable between them.

Before leaving the room, Xu Nuan held onto his wrist and told him to not be chickenhearted and speak directly, like the way he acted a while ago on the phone.

Xu Nuan and Jia Fei were waiting outside so that he and Luo Dan could have a talk and resolve the matter between the two.

However, since the moment the two have left the office to give them some privacy, they haven't spoken a single word to each other. They're just awkwardly looking around the small, compact office of Xu Nuan and wondering why it is so small and empty.

Since there is no sofa set in the office and just a working desk of Xu Nuan, Luo Dan was sitting on Xu Nuan's executive chair, meanwhile, Han Liang was sitting opposite to her, in the same place where he was sitting earlier.

He peeked at Luo Dan and saw her looking at some files on Xu Nuan's desk and she seemed to be a bit distracted. She wasn't doing anything but still looked beautiful as ever.

The loose hair strands that were falling on her face were making her look more fragile and gentle, just like her personality.

After a long silence, Han Liang took a deep breath and straightened his posture. He put both of his hands on the desk and clasped them together, " Before we talk about the article that has been posted today, there is something that I want to make clear first."

Luo Dan looked at him in surprise and waited for him to say his words first. What is so important that he became so serious? She wondered.

" You might not have figured it out yet but I don't have a girlfriend. I have been officially single for years now. I have never been in a proper relationship before." He said seriously, without batting an eye with her.

" The last girlfriend that I had was in high school and I also heard that she got married some time ago and even has a kid."

"..."

Luo Dan was speechless to hear his shocking words and wasn't sure why he was telling her all of that. " Ermm…I am not sure why you are telling me all this." She scratched her neck in awkwardness, wondering what she should do with all of this information.

" What I mean is, I am not a playboy like other people say. It might sound ridiculous but after I entered this industry, I have never gotten into a relationship, not even for once. All the dating scandals that happened in the past, were all not true and just ridiculous rumors." He stated with surety.

He could see her hesitance due to her playboy image in the industry and there were so many dating scandals related to him that even his grandmother doesn't believe in him anymore.

" And about the dating scandal with Yan Ju, it was not true either. She is just a close 'female' friend of mine. That's it. For me, she doesn't even qualify as a woman, just a breathing creature. That's it." He added with certainty.

"Ah?" Luo Dan looked up at him in bewilderment and parted her lips but was too speechless to say anything. Even if he was trying to explain the relationship between him and Yan Ju, there wasn't a need for him to go that far.

Han Liang waited for her to say something but rather than look at him, she started to look away from him. Oh! This wasn't what he expected? Why is she not saying anything?

He panicked, " If…if you're angry about me showing you the movie in which she acted, I apologize for that. I know I should have been more thoughtful and shouldn't have picked that movie. However, I didn't know that the movie was 19+ rated and thought it was a good movie to watch and-"

Luo Dan was looking for tissue paper or something to cover her face but couldn't hold it in any longer. " Pfft." She chuckled as his words kept replaying in her mind. How can he call his friend, 'A breathing sculpture?' That was a bit far but cute at the same time.

In truth, she already regretted her behavior after leaving his apartment yesterday and was feeling bad for reacting that way. She was wondering if she went too far and if she should message him saying sorry or something since she wasn't sure if he was angry or not.

Her cold attitude ruined their movie dat…appointment after all.

-

While Luo Dan was laughing, Han Liang stared at her in a daze, wondering what was so funny? However, he was glad that she was at least smiling rather than being angry with her.

" You don't have to apologize. I should be the one apologizing for ruining the whole afternoon." She said after controlling her emotions. " I shouldn't have acted that way. I am sorry for that."

Han Liang was once again impressed by Luo Dan's sensibility. When he explained the whole situation to Xu Nuan, she smacked him on the head and lectured him, " Are you stupid or what? You're just like your brother."

" You two don't know anything about women. How can you talk about another girl in front of her and show her a movie that another girl recommended you - especially the one with whom you were in a dating scandal once. Like seriously?" Xu Nuan was speechless at his thinking process. Exactly what was going on in his mind when he did this?

" What? But Yan Ju is just my friend. There is nothing between us." He argued.

" But does Luo Dan know about it? Also, who acts like this on their first date? Imagine how would I feel if your brother bragged about Zhao Ai to me? I will not only throw him out of the bedroom for a month if he did this to me. Luo Dan was too nice for simply leaving like that. " She said.

Han Liang closed his parted lips and was at a loss for words. Xu Nuan is way scarier than he had thought before. He gulped nervously and realized how grave of a mistake he made.

"And why the hell am I telling you all of these things when you just told me that you went on a date with Luo Dan?" She can't believe that she is giving him tips to date Luo Dan, her baby girl. For her, she is still a fragile baby that needs to be taken care of and needs her protection.

She can't believe that Luo Dan is already old enough to date people and doesn't need her protection anymore. And 'that' person is none other than the annoying Dumb-headed Prince.

" Why are you overreacting like this? Didn't you meet her just a few months ago? In that case, don't you have a closer relationship with me than her? I am your future brother-in-law after all." he said cheekily, earning a sarcastic hmph from Xu Nuan.

**

After the two cleared the misunderstanding between them, the things weren't as awkward and uncomfortable between them as they were a while ago.

[ Would you guys please hurry up? I need to work. It's my office you see.]

[ It's not a cafe so don't expect me to bring you coffee and come out. Fast!] Xu Nuan shouted from outside, who was still waiting for the two to come out and was trying her best to hear something of their conversation, along with Jia Fei.

" This stupid…" Han Liang gritted his teeth at Xu Nuan's impatient behavior. However, noticing Luo Dan's gaze on him, he cleared his throat and said, " Haha, please don't mind her. This girl has no manners, so…ignore her."

Luo Dan giggled upon hearing his words and glanced towards the closed door of the room. He is saying it so that Luo Dan won't misunderstand Xu Nuan's crude words and think negatively of her. But in reality, he was unaware of the true relationship between Xu Nuan and Luo Dan.

" It's okay. I don't mind." Luo Dan responded.

He nodded and after a few minutes, he spoke again, " I think we should hurry up and decide what we are going to do about this whole situation. Otherwise, Xu Nuan will barge in and kick me out of her office."

Chapter 384 - Talk In Bed.

" I still can't believe Han Liang made a move on my innocent Luo Luo. She is just 23 years old. Ah, wait…She turned 24 years old this year. Even though, she is still too young to be involved in such things." Xu Nuan grumbled while sitting on the couch and munching on potato chips.

Han Zihao, who was making their dinner in the kitchen, chuckled upon hearing her protective words towards Luo Dan and said, " I don't think that you should be saying such words. You got into a relationship when you were 22."

"....."

Xu Nuan's hands froze in the air upon hearing his 'passive-aggressive words and slowly put down the chips that she was holding, back into the packet and dusted off the crumbs from her hands as if she heard nothing. She indeed got into a relationship with Qin Ju when she was just 22 and faced the worst consequences of that decision of hers.

It's better to pretend dead in such moments.

She was planning to lie on the couch and sleep as fast as she could but then she heard him say, " Don't you try to fall asleep just to escape from this conversation. Dinner is almost ready."

" YES." She responded almost immediately and sat in a straight posture as if she was in some military training.

….

At the dining table, Xu Nuan pouted her lips and tried her best to avoid the topic that they were discussing earlier, but as soon as she picked up her chopsticks, he spoke again, " So….did they say that they're dating now? What's the conclusion of the whole conversation?" He asked.

She glanced at him and cleared her throat before replying, " I don't know."

" You don't know? Didn't you say that you were waiting for them outside the office for more than an hour, to tell you the news?"

Xu Nuan sighed heavily and said, " We did. But as soon as they walked out of the office, Luo Dan said that they would handle the situation on their own and held Jia Fei's hand and left. They didn't say anything or told me what they're planning to do next."

" And soon after that, Han Liang also left the company, without saying a single word." She whined.

She was so curious about what they talked about inside and they just left, without giving her any details of their conversation.

Han Zihao raised his eyebrows and frowned at her, " So all this while, you were blaming Han Liang without even knowing if they're in a relationship or not?"

Xu Nuan coughed as soon as she heard his words and took the tissue to wipe her mouth that he handed over to her, " What blaming him? I didn't blame him. I was just talking about the facts."

" I was just telling the truth. He seduced my Luo Luo. And I am sure he is planning to pursue her later on. I can't believe I was giving him tips to chase after Luo Dan all this long." She felt betrayed. How can he not tell her anything and take dating tips from her shamelessly, just to try it on, Luo Dan?

" So what do you want to say? He can't pursue your 'dear Luo Luo'?" He asked while taking a bite of the fried rice that he made for dinner.

She scratched her neck awkwardly and shook her head, " Not that. Even though he is stupid, he is not a bad guy after all. Although he is annoying but….he is not 'that' bad."

" However, He better don't hurt her later on, otherwise, I will kick him on the a*s. And I mean it." She said it with all sincerity. She knows how sensitive Luo Dan is at heart. She might not say anything upfront but she gets hurt easily and mulls over it on her own.

Han Zihao was amused to see her protective nature towards Luo Dan and was glad that she finally was able to reunite with them. Even though she was meeting the girls occasionally and was in touch with them, things changed drastically after she revealed her 'real' identity to them.

He has seen her getting teary-eyed while looking at their pictures of the past. However, these days she looks happier and more peaceful, even when looking at the pictures of her past with her group members. Even though the incident with Hao Mei is still a thorn in her heart, things are getting better than before.

When Xu Nuan thought that their conversation was over and put a fried dumpling in her mouth, she heard him say again, " I heard you broke your promise once again. Didn't you drink so much until you passed out last night?"

She choked on the food that was in her mouth and coughed violently, covering her mouth with a tissue, " How….why are you talking while eating? Don't you know how dangerous it is?" She asked while coughing and covering her mouth with the tissue and gulped up a glass of water afterward.

" Mr. Han, kindly refrain from talking while eating. It's not safe and hazardous to health. Now let's eat in peace." She said to avoid talking about that as she knows that he was itching to lecture her about the drinking incident.

After the doctor asked her to refrain from drinking, she had promised him that she will not drink without him and if necessary, she will try to control her alcohol intake and will not get crazily drunk. However, last night, she broke the promise once again.

She not only drank crazily last night with Jia Fei but also came to his house and banged on his door loudly, in the middle of the night, and was dragged away by Jia Fei before he could come out and open the door.

Although he didn't follow her to Jia Fei's apartment because of this crazy act of hers, she remembered all the embarrassing things that she did when drunk once she saw the number of missed calls from him in the morning.

Han Zihao saw her avoiding eye contact with him and was trying her best to stop him from talking about that incident. He nodded and said, " That's suits too. Since we can't talk while eating, we will talk about it when in bed."

"..."

" AH?" Xu Nuan was perplexed at his words and felt that the meaning of his conversation was different than hers.

" What…what do you mean? Why….why in bed?" She stared at him warily and covered her chest protectively with her hands upon seeing him smirking meaningfully.

" Because that kind of activity is not hazardous to one's health. In fact, it has many benefits that are good for one's health.  Now Eat. Eat." He said and gestured to her with his hand to eat her food and not talk.

Xu Nuan was too speechless to speak and cleared her throat before digging in the food and avoided looking at him during their meal at all cost.

This man is becoming dangerous day by day. Who said he is a sloth? That person must be blind.

'That's why one should never believe in the first impression as the last impression. As most of the time, a first impression is never the truest form of an impression of anyone. Never.' She reminded herself while eating and focused on her food, rather than his face, that was overflowing with handsomeness.

Chapter 385 - Disgusting Couple.

" I wonder if they decided what to do with this scandal." Xu Nuan murmured as she deleted the rude and hateful comments towards Han Liang and Luo Dan.

She was in her office and was going through the comment section of the article that revealed the news of them dating. Although she wanted to delete this whole damn post, things would become chaotic and complicated if she tried to do that.

That's why she took a shorter route and compromised by only deleting the hate and lewd comments towards the couple. How dare they badmouth the two under her watch? Unacceptable!

She could have given this task to Aurora and Han Ju, but she didn't. This will only make things complicated for her and she doesn't want to answer their nosy questions. While she was doing that, she was stumped across a comment which made her stop midway.

[ OMG, Yess!! I can't believe it's finally happening.]

[ Oh My!! I am already shy. I can't believe our ship is finally sailing!!]

" What the hell is going on? Xu Nuan was speechless as the comment section was suddenly flooded with new comments, causing her computer screen to lag for a moment. She pursed her lips and frowned wondering what was going on.

~Ding~

Just as she was wondering what was going on, she got a notification on her phone. She unlocked her phone and realized that Han Liang had posted something, using his official account. Since he is following her on Weibo, she receives a notification whenever he posts something.

She almost forgot that he follows her because he posts anything very rarely. The last he had posted was to make a statement regarding the scandal between him and her and followed her at the same time.

For some reason, she got a strange feeling when she saw that notification, and her fingers trembled for a moment before clicking on the notification.

The first thought that came to her mind was the explanation about the dating scandal between him and Luo Dan. He wouldn't post anything unnecessary in the midst of this scandal, right? She wondered.

However, all her assumptions came to a halt when she saw him posting his picture rather than a statement regarding the whole situation. Seriously?

She was speechless at his laid-back attitude and how chill he looked in the picture. In the picture, he was at the sets of his new upcoming music video and the picture must have been taken when someone sent him the coffee truck as a gift.

He was posing in front of the coffee truck while holding a cup of coffee and kissing it affectionately.

There was nothing new about it since actors and idols often get coffee trucks from their acquaintances and friends as a symbol of support. Everything was normal until she saw the caption under the picture.

" Yes!! Mine."

Xu Nuan frowned and narrowed her eyes to look at the caption clearly, wondering if she read his caption wrongly.

" What does he mean by this?" Her eyes wavered as she felt nervous seeing the caption and was afraid to check the comment section.

" Why the hell there are thousands of comments already?" She held her breath and was shocked at the immediate response from the public,

Hesitantly, she clicked to check the comments and pursed her lips in a thin line to read the discussion going on in the comment section.

[ Mine? I don't think it's just a simple caption.]

[ He is posting a picture after so long, that too in the midst of the scandal? Don't you guys find it suspicious?]

[ He is kissing the coffee cup. Does it mean he is kissing someone in his mind? I wonder who?]

[Oh? Didn't he use to dislike the bitter taste of the coffee? How come he is drinking so much coffee these days?]

[ Exactly! I have also seen that he often orders a coffee truck at the set in the last few months and even gifts, other artists, as well. How thoughtful.]

[ Oh Shit!! Damn, How come no one guessed it until now? Did you guys didn't notice who sent this coffee truck?]

[ Oh? Coffee truck? It must be one of his friends….Shit Shit…I just noticed. Oh f*CK.]

_

Xu Nuan furrowed her brows in confusion and looked at the picture again. However, she couldn't find anything strange with the photo, other than his caption.

" Oh! What's going on?" After staring at the picture for five minutes, she realized what was wrong with the picture. It wasn't just a coffee truck gifted by someone but belongs to the Moonriver cafe - Luo Dan's cafe.

Not only that, there wasn't any banner showing who sent the coffee truck, nor did Han Liang mentions anyone's name other than writing, ' Yes!! Mine.' in the caption. What does that mean? Well, she understood very well what he was trying to say but still.

She sighed and chuckled at the way he announced his happiness to the world. "So they have chosen to go wild this time." She shakes her head in disbelief.

Just as she thought that situation has gotten better, a mysterious comment popped up in the comment section, wilding all the fans.

@luoyaya: [ Always!!] She replied to the post.

Xu Nuan: "....."

Xu Nuan was speechless and disgusted at the same time. The person was none other than Luo Dan and she has used her official account to comment on Han Liang's post.

After the disbandment of The Queens, Luo Dan has stopped using her SNS accounts and has cut herself from the entertainment world completely, meanwhile, Jia Fei was somewhat active on social media and was doing the work of comforting her fans by posting once in a while.

However, Luo Dan reactivating her account was simply unbelievable. She wasn't expecting Luo Dan to go to this extent to create chaos for the PR team of Han Liang's company.

" So this is how they decided to deal with the scandal?" She scoffed in disbelief. They could have chosen a simple way by making an official statement but they decided to go through the long way.

[ Woah!! Is that Luo Dan? Are they finally going official? So the dating rumor was true?]

[ OH MY!! I can't believe they're flirting here. I am shy now.]

[ I feel jealous. I am not a fan of Luo Dan but if my prince loves her, I will try to like her as well. Han Liang is the best.]

[ Noo!! Luo Dan, you are mine. You cannot like anyone else. I love you so much!!]

Xu Nuan was already speechless to see the direction of the comments and was about to leave when Han Liang replied to the upper comment, " Nope! She is mine."

" What the…" Xu Nuan almost cursed out aloud upon seeing his comment. What disgusting game this couple is playing?

[ Ahh!! They're so cute. I am so glad that they finally made their relationship official.]

[ I thought it was just a rumor but turns out it's true. So happy for them.]

[ OMG!! Guys, Luo Dan just posted something. Go and check on her account. She is damn cool!!]

[Argh!! I saw it. I saw it. Our Luo Dan is so savage.]

[ I am already loving this couple, what do I do?]

Chapter 386 - Cupid Reporter

After Han Liang's post, soon enough, Luo Dan also made a post regarding the whole scandal. Unlike Han Liang, she didn't post any picture and seriously wrote a handwritten letter, dedicated to her fans and posted it on her official Weibo account.

[ You guys were worried about me, right? However, there is nothing to worry about. I am happy and healthy.

I know others might loathe me, hate on me for being in a happy relationship, the true fans of The Queens will always be there to support me and I know that.

Last year was quite a tough time for all of us, we lost someone special who was closest to our hearts. However, I know that even that person must be watching over us and would be happy to see us going ahead with our lives and would be happy to see that. So to all the fans of The Queens, it's okay to be happy and miss her at the same time.

PS. Thank you to @gsmedia for being a cupid of my happy love life. Although your reporter invaded our privacy and clicked those pictures without our knowledge, it did help us to find out the feelings that we both were hiding in our hearts. And lastly, people go to Gynecologist for many reasons and not only when they're pregnant or something. So kindly do some research before posting such meaningful pictures. Thank you so much and lots of love to my fans and those people who support us. And Jiang Yue will always be a crucial part of our lives and now we have to find a way to live our lives, remembering her happy memories.]

Xu Nuan's lips curled up in a smile to see Luo Dan's post. She not only addressed the matter about the scandal but also talked about the fan's reaction towards her dating news and her death. She wasn't expecting her to manage the situation in such a laid-back manner and it did work.

All the people and toxic fans who were hating on Luo Dan for seducing Han Liang and being happy when Jiang Yue's death anniversary is approaching in a few days were pleasantly surprised to see the handwritten letter from her.

They thought that Luo Dan might avoid the topic of Jiang Yue and this will give them a reason to bash her even more but seeing her talking about her and how she told others to be happy and miss her at the same time, gave other people to defend her against those hateful comments.

[ Luo Dan is such an angel. I can't believe people talked trash about her. Some fans are so toxic. How can they bash her for being happy? She is also a human after all.]

[ Exactly. She lost her fellow member and her closest friend. If they can't be happy for her, then at least don't hate on her.]

[ What do they want her to do then? D*e? That's what they want?]

[ I am so happy to see her talking about Jiang Yue. Seeing the way everyone disappeared and weren't mentioning Jiang Yue at all, I thought everyone forgot her.]

[ Jiang Yue cannot be forgotten in our memory. She was legendary and healed all of us with her great music and heart-touching songs. I wish we can see Luo Dan and Jia Fei on stage once again. Although Jiang Yue won't be there, it will still be a happy memory for all of us.]

[ I am so happy for Han Liang and Luo Dan. More than that, I like how they didn't deny the rumors and faced them boldly, without any guilt. That's my savage couple. Queen+Prince=Royal Couple.]

[ Keke. She said that the paparazzi acted like a cupid. Seems like they got into a relationship because of the article and weren't in one before the news broke out. It looks like a web novel romance story.]

[ Luo Dan is so nice. If it would have been me, I would have sued that media company. How can they invade someone's privacy like these and publish pictures without confirming the facts?]

[ Argh!! What cupid? They're shameless paparazzi who tried to ruin someone's career with their ambitious article writing. How can they post a picture of her going to a doctor? Creeps.]

[ I go to see a gynecologist once every two months, does that mean I am also pregnant? Like seriously? The reporter must be crazy to post something like that.]

[ So happy that rather than hiding their relationship, they chose to come out in open about their relationship. That's a smart move to avoid more paparazzi-like this in the future.]

" My Luo Luo has finally become an adult." Xu Nuan sighed and put away her phone and picked up the file regarding The Knights' upcoming comeback. Since they resolved the matter regarding the dating scandal on their own, there doesn't seem to be a need for her to interfere in this matter anymore.

" It's better that I focus on my work. I need to earn money and grow my company into a bigger one." She hummed while getting back to work.

***

- Jiang Mansion-

" ARGHH!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WHY THE HELL HE IS DOING THIS TO ME?" Jiang Ru shrieked in frustration and swiped away all the makeup and accessories that were on her vanity table and were now on the floor.

Her room that was neatly arranged earlier was now in a mess as all the makeup and accessories were scattered on the floor-broken.

Xiong Hua sighed helplessly to see her daughter's outburst and tried to comfort her, " Jiang Ru, calm down. Your Grandfather was acting like this because he cannot get over Jiang Yue's death. I am sure he will stop acting stubbornly like this soon and will hand over the company's responsibilities to you. So just relax." She comforted her.

Jiang Ru's chest heaved heavily as she shot a glare at her mother and shouted in irritation, " And when will that day come? It's been a year since she died. Today is her first death anniversary and I am still in the position of Managing Director of the company. Can you believe that? He should have handed over the company to me long ago. What game is he playing by returning to the company like this and showing off his authority like this?"

" Do you know what he did to me today? He rejected my proposal in front of all the investors and even called my idea childish and impractical. Hah! What does he know about business? He is getting old and of course, he will find my modern-advanced ideas stupid and childish by saying that it will only bring loss to the company and nothing else. He humiliated me in front of everyone, ME!! The only heiress of Jiang Corporations."

She had thought that Jiang Yue's death would become an opportunity for her to take over the company and perform the duties of a true heiress of Jiang Corporations. However, the situation changed drastically after Grandfather Jiang joined the company once again and started to take back control of the company from her hands.

She can't do anything now without his permission and he is stopping all the projects that she has been planning since last year and making things difficult for her. What's his problem?

" Jiang Ru, my daughter. Calm down. It's just a matter of time. Jiang Yue is not between us anymore to steal what belongs to you. The company will be yours, sooner or later. So just calmly follow whatever that old man has to say. That's the best way to show your loyalty to that man." She coaxed her like a child who was throwing tantrums.

Upon hearing her mother's careful words, Jiang Ru also calmed down and sat on the edge of her bed. That's right. She had done so many things just to reach this position, she can't ruin everything now just because of her anger.

" I can't believe that bitch is still not out of my life. Rather than from a height, I wish I could have pushed her from a cliff. At least her shrinking voice would have pleased me to some extent." Jiang Ru said in annoyance.

Xiong Hua frowns and looks around carefully to see if anyone is around. She walks up to Jiang Ru and whispers in a low voice, " Are you crazy? How can you say such words aloud? What if someone hears you? You will be done for then."

Jiang Ru ruffles her hair and shakes her head, " Mom, don't be a coward now. No one will hear us. There is no one in the house anyway. Grandfather has gone to that bitch's graveyard. So chill."

" But still…" Xiong Hua looked worried in the room and carefully shut off the door from inside so that no one could hear them talking.

While Jiang Ru was telling her mother to relax and talk comfortably, the head butler who was standing outside the room, behind the pillar heard their conversation and let out a heavy-disappointed sigh before leaving the hallway.

Chapter 387 - First-Death Anniversary.

" Are you for real? You guys brought me to see my own graveyard? Do you really think this will make me happy and excited? Huh?" Xu Nuan was speechless at Jia Fei's way of thinking.

A while ago, she received a call from Jia Fei, telling her to hurry up and get ready and they need to go somewhere. She thought that she was planning to take her to eat something good but turns out she brought her to see her own graveyard.

Jia Fei chuckled at Xu Nuan's comment and parked the car on the side and said while loosening her seatbelt, " I thought it would be a new experience for you. You will be the first person to witness your graveyard on your first-death anniversary. How thrilling!!"

Luo Dan, who was sitting in the back seat, chuckled and smacked Jia Fei on her back, " Don't spout nonsense." She looked at Xu Nuan and said seriously, " We were coming here to pay our respects, so we thought it would be better for you to come along as well."

" You guys want me to pay respect to myself? What a great idea." Xu Nuan threw her hands in the air at the thought process of these two. She can get it that Jia Fei can have such crazy ideas but now Luo Dan too?

They really need to stop living together, otherwise, Luo Dan will become crazy like Jia Fei too.

Luo Dan shook her head and explained, " It's not that. We just thought the way you ended up in this Xu Nuan's body, it might be possible that before dying, that girl's soul might have exchanged with yours and she died in your body instead."

" After all, you both got into the accident around the same time. We're not sure of this but it might be possible seeing how you're still alive in someone else's body."

Jia Fei nodded and added, " Anything can be possible in this case. We're living in a novel world after all." The whole impossible situation seems to be right now.

Xu Nuan who was sitting on the passenger seat gave her a glare and turned to Luo Dan, who continued, " Since there is no place for us to go and grieve for Xu Nuan, we thought it would be better to come here to do the same."

Upon hearing Luo Dan's words, Xu Nuan fell into deep thought. That's right. Even though she survived that accident, Xu Nuan, who lost her life, doesn't even have anyone to grieve for her.

So it was right for them to come to this place and pay their respects to 'real' Xu Nuan who lost her life at such a young age. The sad thing was, no one even knows that the girl passed away and has anyone to mourn for her.

Not even her own family.

" Okay. Let's go then." Xu Nuan nodded and agreed to their arrangements.

_

"It's my second time coming to this place and it feels completely different from the last time." Jia Fei said as they walked the road, towards Jiang Yue's graveyard. The last time they came was to do the last rituals of Jiang Yue and say their final goodbye to her.

She thought that after that day, she won't ever be back to this place as she doesn't want to revive the pain that she had gone through at that time. However, here she is again and this time, things are completely different and it's not as hard as it was before.

Because this time,  the real Jiang Yue was alive and walking beside them, rather than watching over them from the sky.

Xu Nuan sighed upon hearing her words and said, " It feels weird to go to see my graveyard like this. Although I have come here before, it still feels weird and strange. I am sure no one has ever-"

She was forced to swallow her words and stopped talking when she noticed two people walking down the road and were now coming their way. The girls noticed Xu Nuan's shocked expressions and raised their heads to look in the same direction and halted in their steps.

' Damn. Here comes the family drama.' Jia Fei pursed her lips in a thin line to see Grandfather Jiang who was walking in their direction and glanced at Xu Nuan carefully.

Although the world might not have known about this truth, Jiang Yue had once told them that she doesn't have good relations with her family and left her home when she was just 18.

However, at that time they didn't know that she belonged to the Great Jiang Family and was the heiress of such a prestigious family. They only find out about this 'secret' only after her death, when her Grandfather came to host her funeral and do her last rituals.

It was such unexpected and shocking news for everyone. The media used this news to make scandalous and shocking headlines almost every day and Jiang Yue's family background remained a hot-topic for a while.

Many people even went ahead to comment on how she used her family's status to become and achieve what she was and some defend her saying that she never revealed her identity and has hidden this fact from the world, then how can she be benefitted from her family's name?

It was true. Jiang Yue never used her family's name to get the benefits and favors from others and worked her as* off to become the Queen of the music world.

Jia Fei and Luo Dan both glanced at Xu Nuan, whose smile had faded from her face and the only expression left on her face was no expressions.

-

" Hmm. Tell him to do that. We will not proceed-" Grandfather Jiang was talking to his secretary while walking down the road when he spotted Xu Nuan standing in the way, with two of her friends.

He also slowed down in her steps as he wasn't expecting to bump into Xu Nuan today and was quite taken aback because of it. He wasn't ready to face her again, because it will be difficult for him to control his emotions, whereas, Xu Nuan doesn't seem to have any intention to talk to him.

His indifferent expressions warmed to see Xu Nuan and were glad that she didn't come here alone.

She might not tell him the truth, but he knows. He knows that she is his Jiang Yue. He is sure of it, She has to be Jiang Yue. He repeated in his mind and calmed himself.

He glanced at the other two girls standing beside her, who greeted him politely.

He recognized those girls as he had seen them at Jiang Yue's funeral and they were crying so miserably that he was surprised as well. Even his family members were not that sad and were busy expanding their social connection in the funeral hall, instead of grieving for Jiang Yue's loss.

In response to their greetings, he also nodded at them and walked to Xu Nuan, who was standing still in her position since their eyes had met.

" Ms. Gu, I wasn't expecting to bump into you at this place. Are you here to see someone here today?" He asked as he approached Xu Nuan. Even though he knows the answer, he didn't say anything about it.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips in a thin line and tried to suppress her emotions and confusion upon meeting him. Did he come to visit her grave today? She thought.

" I am here for a friend." She answered curtly. She will not come to a graveyard to party after all.

She glanced at the secretary who was standing behind him and scoffed when their eyes made contact. Last time, he almost kidnapped her in front of her college and forced her to have a meal with the old man.

She was having a strange feeling about the old man since she had lunch with him. She has some doubts that he might have guessed her identity, otherwise, why would he order all the dishes made of mushroom, just to replace them with something else later on?

He must have done that on purpose to get a reaction from her. Or was she thinking too much about this matter?

A frown appeared on her forehead to see him holding his walking stick and his hands were slightly trembling, revealing the old veins on his hands. He used to be a healthy man even though he was getting old in age, but now he seems to have grown by years in just one year.

" Then…please go ahead. We will meet once again sometime later. And don't miss your meals and take care of your health." Grandfather Jiang said warmly while staring at Xu Nuan.

Xu Nuan raised her brows at his strangely warm words and nodded awkwardly, " Oh. You…You too. Please take care of your health. Then…I'll take my leave." Xu Nuan replied to him with a courtesy response before walking away while Jia Fei and Luo Dan followed her.

Just as she was walking, she heard him say from behind, " You can call me if you need my help with anything. ANYTHING." As said this, the old man walked away with his secretary carefully holding onto his hand, escorting him to the car.

Xu Nuan turned around to look at the back of the old man and pursed her lips as she watched him going down the road, looking weak and powerless. 'Does he really not know anything?' She murmured in confusion. It was strange for him to say such words to her.

Why would he be so warm and nice to a stranger girl?

He has no relation with Xu Nuan, other than him being interested in Gu Enterprises. And she hasn't heard him digging about Gu Corporations with the intention of investing in the company. Did he really call her last time just to ask about the company?

Or is there some other reason? Did he really find out about my real identity? But…how? She thought.

Chapter 388 - Secret Mission Is Not A Secret.

" It was all because of you. You've been driving for four years now and you don't even know how to change a tire?" Xu Nuan lectures Jia Fei as they drive back to the cafe after visiting Jiang Yue's graveyard.

They were supposed to be back by 4 pm but on their way, their tire punctured. They had a spare tire in the car trunk but no one knew how to change it. And the signals of their phones were so weak in that area that they couldn't even call anyone for help or call a cab at the least.

They spend almost the whole night on that secluded road if they haven't received help from strangers. Thankfully, a car passed by them and they helped them to change the tires and they somehow managed to come back by dinner time.

Jia Fei parked the car in front of the cafe and turned to Xu Nuan who was taunting her since then and said, " Aren't you being too unreasonable? If you think you're that amazing, shouldn't you at least change the tires? Why didn't you do it then?"

" Also, aren't you driving for 5 years as well? Why didn't you do it then? Huh?" Jia Fei shouted at her.

Xu Nuan was surprised by Jia Fei's sudden outburst and coughed to clear her throat. Did I say too much? She wondered.

Her eyes wavered as she tried to avoid her gaze but she was not someone to be intimidated by her fierce questions as well.

" I….It was because I am 21 now. It's alright for me to not know how to change a tire but you should not make such useless excuses. You're 24. Ho…Ho, wait. You'll be 25 this year, so you should know how to change the tires at the least. How dare you try to change the topic and put all the blame on me?" Xu Nuan talks back, causing Jia Fei's blood pressure to rise.

" Waah! I can't believe you're now using the age card to support your shitty argument." Jia Fei scoffs in disbelief. She turned to Luo Dan who was quietly sitting in the back seat and was watching them bicker like elementary school kids.

" Why are you so quiet now? Say something at the least. You tell us who is wrong in this situation. Me or this 21-year-old girl?" Jia Fei asked, putting Luo Dan in a difficult position.

Xu Nuan also nodded and added, " Yes. Luo Luo. Tell us who is at fault here. You don't need to feel intimidated by this 25-year-old aunty, she can't do anything to you anyway. Just tell the truth."

"..."

Jia Fei bit her lower lip and with much strength, she controlled herself from not lunging at Xu Nuan to teach her a lesson.

Luo Dan purses her lips in a thin line as she was left speechless by their level of pettiness. How can they put all the pressure on her?

She scratched her neck awkwardly and hesitated before saying, " Ermm…I don't think anyone is at fault here. The car maintenance company is at the fault here. Yes, That's right."

" Jia Fei, didn't you give the car for maintenance a few days ago? How did they work to get the tire punctured in the middle of the road? If they can't do their work properly, then why are we even giving them our car for maintenance? She said seriously.

If she can't choose anyone between them, it's better to blame the maintenance company. At least, they won't come to her later to blame her for everything.

Her words almost convinced the two agitated people and made them fall into deep thought. Seeing them in deep thought, Luo Dan found her opportunity and hurriedly got out of the car, " Ah, we've reached. Let's hurry up and get inside. We need to close the cafe soon enough." She said as she almost ran inside the cafe, running away from the two hungry hyenas.

She has no idea why they fight like that but it was giving her a hell of a lot of headaches. During the whole ride, she did not get a single moment to rest as they were constantly bickering with each other, and then the next moment, they started discussing the newly launched designer bags.

Can't they stick to one topic at a time?

_

Luo Dan pushed open the door, however, as soon as she entered the cafe, her gaze fell on the familiar figure in the cafe. " OH!! Lin Hui? What a pleasant surprise. When did you come here?" She asked in surprise as she approached him for a hug.

Lin Hui smiled to see her back and stood up to hug her in greeting, " I came a while ago. The waitress told me that you guys have gone somewhere. I was planning to leave to finish coffee but you guys came back just in time."

Luo Dan smiled hearing his words as she joined him at his table. " Where is Jia Fei by the way? Didn't you guys go out together?"

" Ah, She is just- Here she is." Luo Dan pointed towards the door when she noticed Jia Fei entering the cafe as well.

_

" Don't worry. Tomorrow, I will call the maintenance company and will give them an earful for doing such a sloppy job. They have no-" Jia Fei said as she pushed the door open. However, she was caught off guard upon noticing Lin Hui who was sitting together with Luo Dan.

It was her first time seeing her after he got drunk and she had to take him to Yuhan's house to not let him sleep on the streets. That was sure an eventful day.

Similarly, Xu Nuan who was standing behind her also halted in her steps to see Lin Hu in the cafe. It was also her first time seeing him after he confessed his feelings to her. Since that day, she has neither seen him nor has received a single call from him.

Before that, at least he used to call her frequently when they couldn't meet or talk much about their busy schedules. She coughed to dissipate the awkwardness between the two and was about to turn around and leave when Jia Fei held her hand and pulled her towards the table.

" Oh. You're here." Jia Fei smiled awkwardly as went to sit at the same table.

Luo Dan pursed her lips tightly as she noticed the uncomfortable awkwardness between them and said, " Ah, Lin Hui, You must not have met her. Let me introduce you guys. She is Xu Nuan, the CEO of HJ Entertainment, mostly known as The Knight's manager." She introduced them. She assumed that Xu Nuan must have not told him the truth yet and it's better for them to act as naturally as possible.

" She is frequent at our cafe and Xu Nuan, this is-"  " I know her. We met a few times before." He said indifferently,

Luo Dan and Jia Fei both looked at Lin Hui and then at Xu Nuan." Oh? How?" Luo Dan asked.

" Ah, Did you guys meet because of work? Since Xu Nuan also used to work as a manager, it's inevitable for people who are in the same industry to not know each other." Luo Dan said in understanding.

Lin Hui took a sip of his coffee and carefully glanced at Xu Nuan, who wasn't saying anything. He was not sure if she had said anything to them or not and wasn't planning to reveal anything as well.

" Nice to meet-" He sighed and was about to greet Xu Nuan formally for a show when Xu Nuan finally spoke," He knows everything."

Luo Dan and Jia Fei turned to Xu Nuan in shock as they were not expecting her to reveal this truth to him as well.

Xu Nuan sighed and glanced at Lin Hui and said, " I already told them everything. So you don't need to hide anything."

Jia Fei: "..."

" What is this? So he knew about this all along? Xu Nuan, did you only keep us in the dark for so long? Huh?" Jia Fei felt betrayed. She thought that she had only told them the truth but he had told the truth to almost everyone.

She thought that she was part of this 'secret mission', but it seems like they were not the first ones to find out about this truth.

Xu Nuan didn't say anything and simply rubbed the area below her ears and commented irritatedly, " Ah, You're so loud."

Luo Dan sighed to see Jia Fei and Xu Nuan bickering again and shook her head in helplessness and smiled at Lin Hui awkwardly. Although it wasn't a new thing for him to see them fighting like kids, it does feel embarrassing to fight like this in front of him.

Chapter 389 - Just Two Of Us.

" Lin Hui, so what are you doing these days? Are you working with any group these days or planning to do it?" Luo Dan asked him, while Jia Fei and Xu Nuan were busy arguing with each other. Jia Fei was still upset at Xu Nuan for not telling the truth sooner when she had already told Lin Hui about it long ago.

While Jia Fei and Luo Dan were busy mourning for Jiang Yue's passing away and were trying hard to live their lives, Xu Nuan was having fun by training a new girl group. This girl is surely great at adapting to any situation.

If it would have been her, she would have wasted the whole year thinking about how she ended up in this situation or what kind of ridiculous phenomenon this is. Whereas Xu Nuan has not only launched a successful group but also built her own entertainment company in just a year after waking up in Xu Nuan's body.

That's some amazing kind of talent she has.

-

"I am taking some time to rest and think about what I really want to do. There are many things in my life-" Lin Hui answered Luo Dan's question seriously.

He put his coffee cup away and used tissue paper to wipe his hands and mouth. While he was talking to Luo Dan about their plans, his eyes were sneakily looking at Xu Nuan who was talking and laughing along with Jia Fei.

His lips curled up to see Xu Nuan smiling brightly and happily. It's been a long since he had seen her but he was following news about her regularly and was glad that she had established her company and was working hard towards her goal.

How amazing it would be if he could be a part of her plans as well. He thought.

In just a year, everything has changed. From the great Jiang Yue, she has become CEO Xu Nuan. Luo Dan and Jia Fei have gone from being members of The Queens to becoming partners of a cafe. Even though things have changed a lot, how come his position in Jiang Yue's life is still the same?

A side character! Even in the past, he was nothing more than a friend to Jiang Yue and it's still the same even in this life as well.

Just….Where did he go wrong with everything? Where?

__

As they were talking, Xu Nuan's phone that was on the table, started to ring, disrupting everyone's conversations.

Lin Hao pursed his lips to see 'My Sloth Boyfriend' name flashing on the screen. It was the moment when he realized that there is no way he can reset things as they were before and change her feelings towards him.

'She is long gone by his side. No. She was never by his side, he has been standing there alone all along.' He realized.

" What? Sloth Boyfriend? Xu Nuan, couldn't you have chosen a more disgusting name than this?" Luo Dan made a face to see the way she had saved Han Zihao's number in her phone. She was still getting goosebumps, thinking that she must have called him using this name sometimes, which made it even more unbelievable and disgusting.

Xu Nuan scoffed at Luo Dan and whispered in her ears, " Luo Luo, Mind your words. He might become your Elder Brother in law in the future."

Luo Dan: "....."

Xu Nuan giggled to see her shocked expressions and slapped her arm before walking out of the cafe, with her phone to talk to Han Zihao privately.

Luo Dan also noticed Lin Hui's empty coffee cup and went inside the kitchen to bring something to eat for all of them, leaving Jia Fei and Lin Hui alone.

Jia Fei pursed her lips and looked around and could feel the tension in the room increasing with every passing minute.

' Did Luo Dan go to bring some snacks or make them herself?' She sighed inwardly, cursing Luo Dan for taking so much time in the kitchen.

The uncomfortable silence in the room was so loud that she couldn't even breathe properly and was careful to not be loud with her breathing sound.

Five minutes passed and no one had said a single word to each other.

"Where were you in the last few months? It was so hard to contact-" When Jia Fei finally dared to say something to break the awkwardness between them, she noticed him looking in a certain direction.

When she followed his gaze of direction and realized that he was looking at Xu Nuan who was standing outside the cafe and was on the phone with Han Zihao. The way he was looking at her smiling face as talked to her boyfriend, made him look even more miserable.

She could see the yearning in his eyes and this made her feel even more broken-hearted. The little hope that she was building in her heart all along, shattered at once.

The last time she went to pick him up at the pub, he was calling Jiang Yue's name in his drunken state and now he was looking at Xu Nuan with longing in his eyes.

Why does she have to be the only one to see him being tormented like this? It's not only torturing for him but for her as well. Because she has to sit there and watch the person she likes, getting hurt because of her best friend's happiness.

After Luo Dan and Xu Nuan came back, the awkwardness between them became even more evident. Xu Nuan noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere and stood up and picked up her bag, saying that she has to leave as Han Zihao is coming soon to pick her up.

It's not like she cannot stay for long, but she couldn't bear to face Lin Hui anymore. She could see how uncomfortable he looked with her staying there. That day he didn't even allow her to finish her words and cut her in between.

She could see how uncomfortable he looks when talking about that matter. So it's better to let bygones be bygones.

It's better to not make the relationship between them even more awkward and leave.

While she was preparing to leave, Lin Hui suddenly looked up and turned to Jia Fei who was hugging Xu Nuan and saying goodbye to her, and said, " Jia Fei."

Jia Fei was caught off guard when he suddenly called her name in front of everyone. "Hmm?" She responded in confusion. " Do you need something?" She asked.

" Do you want to get a drink with me? Just the two of us." He said as he looked up at her with determination.

Jia Fei: "....."

Jia Fei's eyes widened in shock as she wasn't expecting him to say something like this and that too in front of everyone.

Xu Nuan and Luo Dan were also surprised and glanced at Jia Fei in suspicion. Jia Fei pursed her lips as she could see what they were thinking clearly. However, there is nothing going on between her and Lin Hui for her to tell them about it.

She pursed her lips and wondered how to react to this situation when she heard him say, " It's okay if you don't want to-"

" No. I would love to." Jia Fei reacted unconsciously. It was the first time he had asked her to have drinks with him alone, how can she miss that chance?

Did he finally realize my sincere feelings for him?

Even though she had confessed to him in the past and was straightly rejected by him, she was still hopeful that one day he might have a change of heart. Seems like that day has finally come.

Chapter 390 - A Mere Crush

" Are you sure this place is safe? There are so many people here. " Jia Fei asked hesitantly as she followed Lin Hui inside the bar. She was wearing a casual pair of denim jeans and a check-printed, casual-loose shirt. To cover her face, she was wearing a black mask and a cap to avoid people from recognizing her.

This time she didn't forget to carry those things with her. Thankfully.

However, because of her 'extremely casual' getup, everyone's attention was on her.

Lin Hui walked ahead of her and sat at a small table in the corner where the lights were dimmed and it was almost dark in that corner. He motioned her to sit in front of him. Jia Fei pursed her lips and tried to hide her blushing smile as she took a seat, opposite him.

" You can now take off your cap and mask. This place is safe. Moreover, your…cap and mask is attracting more attention than your face." He said pointing with his eyes towards the people who were looking in their direction.

The place he brought her to has tight security and the unspoken rule of this area-to not to snitch on anyone to the reporters and not take anyone's photos. This bar is a frequent place for elite-class businessmen and celebrities.

It's the best place for Celebrities to enjoy the nightlife of the city without worrying about their masks or hats. That's one of the reasons Jia Fei's getup was getting more attention by people as no one was wearing their masks, whereas, she is the only one packed up like this.

Upon hearing his words, Jia Fei looked around and nodded before taking off her mask and cap. She looked around the bar and realized that there were so many celebrities in this bar. This made her feel at ease and let out a sigh of relief.

The bar had dim lights and was filled with smoke and people. The jazz music was playing in the background, similar to the setting when she came to pick up Lin Hui the last time.

However, it's different this time. This time she is not here to pick up the drunk Lin Hui but came to be drunk with him. Finally!!

_

As they ordered their drinks and some snacks, Jia Fei looked at him nervously and was waiting for him to say something. At the moment, she could not control her heart that was beating at the speed of a bullet train and was trying to control her trembling hands under the table.

" So…Why did you suddenly ask me-" Jia Fei started but was suddenly cut off by Lin Hui who was staring at her indifferently.

Lin Hui gulped down his drink in one shot and looked at Jia Fei, " Jia Fei….do you remember when you told me that you like me? Do you….still like me? " He hesitated before asking the question.

Jia Fei was surprised to be faced by his abrupt question and exclaimed, " Ah?"

She pursed her lips upon remembering that embarrassing moment and scratched her neck hesitantly. She nodded and tucked the hair strands behind her ear before saying, "Yes. I do. I still like you." She said confidently.

She might not be good at many things, but there is one thing that she is better at than Luo Dan and that is being confident. However, this one-sided love was crushing her confidence slowly and forcing her to wonder if it was because something is wrong with her.

However, she will not lose this battle this easily and will fight until the end. Even if she has to fight with her inner-self, she will not give up this battle this easily.

She is not a Queen by name only, but by nature as well. And she will prove it.

Who knows she will win in the end? She repeated this in her mind and took a deep breath to harden her heart to be ready to confess everything to Lin Hui once again and try one last time before giving up on her feelings for him.

'Yes, Let's do that.' She decided in her heart and tightened her fists under the table.

...

Lin Hui didn't say anything after her straightforward confession and was silent for a few minutes. He poured another drink for him and took a sip of it before saying, " Seems like one-sided love is hard to give up."

He let out a chuckle before saying, " I also love Jiang Yue. I still do." He said seriously as he looked up at her. " So….Good luck. I hope you can sort out those childish feelings as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will become difficult for you to deal with those momentary feelings, just like me." He sighed.

" I know that Jiang Yue will never be mine but…as you can see it's hard to accept this reality. Some stories are bound to be left unfinished. Seems like my story is one of them." He laughed bitterly.

Jia Fei's face fell upon hearing his words. She was at a loss for words and couldn't believe that he just called her feelings childish.

" Jia Fei, you should not be like me. These temporary feelings will only give you a hard time. It's nothing just a momentary attraction to the other sex. You are a young confident girl, you should find someone else and not waste your…." He blabbered on while gulping down the alcohol.

She pursed her lips and clenched her fists tightly, " Lin Hui!" She interrupted him.

"Hmmm." He looked up at her and saw her intently looking at him. " What is it?" He asked.

" It's fine if you don't reciprocate my feelings. I wasn't expecting anything from you either." She took a deep breath before saying,

" However…You don't have any right to call my feelings childish either. I haven't given you that much liberty to look down on me and my feelings." She tightened her jaw as she went on.

" Jia Fei, I didn't mean to-"

" Lin Hui. Let me finish first." She cut him off and bit her lower lip before continuing.

" I know that you like Jiang Yue and are having a hard time because of it. And I  understand your feelings as I also feel the same way towards you. However, how would you feel if Jiang Yue calls your feelings, the feelings you have cherished all these years, childish and a mere attraction to another sex? Huh?" She asked while holding onto her tears that were ready to pour at once.

The last hope that she was holding onto, broke into pieces when he called her feelings a mere attraction for him.

At the moment, she was trying her best to not tear up and tell him off for real. Because she was hurt, she hated the way he called her feelings a simple crush and attraction.

Even if it were just an attraction, she has cherished those feelings for years and the way he simply brushes off those feelings of her doesn't feel good. Not at all.

" I know that you don't like me, and might never like me in the future as well. I am not begging you to love me either, nor am I clinging to you to take responsibility for my feelings. Am I?"

Lin Hui pursed his lips and realized that his words must have hurt her. He wasn't trying to hurt her but it seems like his careless words hurt her deeply. " Jia Fei, that wasn't what I meant. I was just trying to protect you from the pain and doesn't want you to experience the same pain that-"

Jia Fei chuckled in disbelief and said, " Hah! Protect me? Lin Hui, who do you think you are? Huh? Do you think only you're going through pain?"

" I am hurting as well. Because I like the man who likes my best friend. I have to see you crying over Jiang Yue and drowning yourself in alcohol for her. And after all that, now I have to bear you calling my feelings childish and a mere crush. Knowing my feelings towards you, you dared to say that? Now you tell me, who is hurt more here? Huh?" her voice choked as she said this and tears were brimming in her eyes, ready to fall and make this situation even messier.

She was trying hard to control her emotions but could feel something breaking inside her. She thought that he had invited her to drink with him to give her a chance or something.

However, she was wrong

He had used her to keep his pride in front of Jiang Yue. He didn't want to look weak in front of her and that's why he had used her as an excuse to leave that place.

It was fine even if he had used her, but does he really need to say all that to her?

Chapter 391 - YOU!!

"Now you tell me, who is hurting more here? You or me? Huh?" Jia Fei asked in a choking voice. The tears were brimming in her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks any minute.

She was clenching her fists under her table and was trying hard to protect her remaining self-pride in front of him by trying to keep her cool and not build a pond with her salty sad tears.

Thankfully, the dim lights in the bar were helping her to hold onto her remaining pride and not reveal her teary eyes to him. This situation was already embarrassing enough for her.

….

Lin Hui was speechless and was baffled to see Jia Fei's sudden outburst. He wasn't expecting her to react in such an emotional way. He indeed thought that her feeling for him was just a fleeting crush on him and will fade away by time.

" Jia Fei, You know I didn't mean to say that. I just wanted to say that, I have always treated you as my younger sister and nothing else. I wanted you to move on and get over those fleeting feelings as soon as possible so that you can look for a person who is right for you and not someone like me." He said sincerely.

He knows that these words might sound ridiculous at the moment and as if he is looking down on her but sometimes the bitter truth is better than any false hope.

" I never intended to hurt your feelings or look down on you. I can never even think of doing that. I was simply trying to make things…."

" Hah! Are you still at it? Didn't I tell you that I don't need your concern?" Jia Fei scoffed in disbelief as she couldn't bear to hear his words anymore. She has told him that there is no need for him to say everything out like this but he keeps going on about the same thing.

He was still going on with the same line again. Younger Sister? Really?

Is he drunk just after one drink that he cannot even understand her words anymore now?

" Jia Fei, you're a star. You have so many opportunities in…." He continued while looking down at the half-full glass of beer that he was holding. While telling Jia Fei to forget him and move on, in a way he was telling himself to stop obsessing over his unrequited love and move on.

The image of Xu Nuan talking to Han Zihao over the phone while smiling widely was still vivid in his memory. It was the smile that he might never get to see while she talks to him, not in this life anymore at least.

" Jia Fei, not every love story becomes successful. You're a nice person, so you should meet someone who takes care of you and is not like me. I am nothing but a fleeting attraction for you. I am sure you will know that-"

Before he could go any further with his drunken nonsense, Jia Fei took a deep breath and picked up the glass of beer in front of her and drank it in one go before putting down the glass with a loud thud and interrupted him, " LIN HUI, I KNOW. I KNOW THAT VERY WELL."

"SO…YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO ME. IT'S ALREADY EMBARRASSING ENOUGH." Her hands were trembling as she said those words aloud. She was trying to hold onto her emotions but hearing those words again and again were tormenting her now.

Younger Sister? That's worse than being friend-zoned. And why the hell does he keep repeating the same thing to her?

Fleeting crush? Attraction? Really? Is that what her feelings mean to him?

She pursed her lips and carefully looked around when she realized that the music stopped when she shouted and everyone heard her words loud and clear. She looked around and noticed everyone's curious gazes were at her, redding her face in embarrassment.

How humiliating!!

She looked at Lin Hui who was sitting in front of her, indifferent as if nothing had happened. Looks like he is already wasted just after one drink. She sighed.

"F*ck it." She cursed under her breath before standing up to leave. She picked up her bag and looked back at Lin Hui with her teary eyes, " Lin Hui, I know you never intended to look down on me. However, your 'unintentional' words did hurt me. Very much."

" I never expected you to reciprocate my feelings for you. However, the least I expected from you was to respect my feelings." She said seriously.

Even though she can see that her words did nothing to him and he was too drunk to understand her words, she was hoping that he would regret his words after he regains his senses at the least.  She shook her head and left the bar in disappointment, leaving him behind.

...

As soon as Jia Fei walked out of the bar, the realization of what just happened hit her. The things that she had said to him just a while ago and how embarrassingly she shouted in front of everyone, the humiliating memories started to haunt her.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. That was so embarrassing." She cried out upon remembering how everyone was staring at her before she exited the bar.

Not only was she rejected or more specifically, got sister zoned once again, but almost everyone saw her pitiful state and was staring at her as if waiting for some exciting melodrama.

" What a great way to end a day." She scoffed bitterly before looking for her car keys in her purse. " Ah, Right! We came here in Lin Hui's car." She sighed in exasperation.

She can't possibly go back and ask him to drive her back to the home. It's not like he is in his senses to drive her home, nor she can drive since she has drunk some beer too.  " Should I book a cab?" She wondered while going through an online cab booking app on her phone.

" I must be crazy. Taking public transport means announcing to the world that the great Jia Fei went to the bar at night. Argh…I shouldn't have come here." She cried out in frustration while running down her hand through her tousled hair.

She is not even at a coffee shop but a bar. That too at night.

Just as she was wondering what to do, a gray Mercedes car stopped in front of her and honked twice. " What's wrong with him?" She frowned and unconsciously pulled down her cap to cover her face and turned around when the window of the car was pulled down.

Her frown deepened as the person driving the car was acting weird. He isn't coming out of the car nor driving away and simply parked his car in front of the bar.

" I guess it's better to leave this place as soon as possible." She clenched her fists nervously and decided to hurriedly walk away. Even if it's a VIP Bar and lounge, it's still not safe enough for her, especially when she is alone.

Just as she was about to walk away, she heard a familiar voice from behind, "Are you going to walk home? I thought you needed a ride."

She raised her brows in surprise and turned around to face the person. " YOU!!"

Chapter 392 - Glad It&#039;s You.

" Hey, Yuhan. Aren't you going to drink tonight? Why are you drinking soda when you're at a bar?"

Yuhan chuckled and picked up the glass of soda that he had ordered, " I am cutting on alcohol these days. That's why I suggested meeting at a cafe and not a bar. By the way, how's your wedding preparations going-" He sucked on his words upon seeing the familiar figure entering the dimly lit bar.

" Oh! What is she doing here?" He mumbled under his breath to see Jia Fei who just entered the bar and was now covering her face with her cap and mask thoroughly.

He chuckled to see her acting so suspiciously and her attire was gathering even more attention than ever. He was about to get up to go and startle her when he noticed the man walking ahead of her.

" Isn't he the same…." He pursed his lips when he realized that Jia Fei had come to the bar at night with, none other than the same man who had not only rejected her confession in the past but also made her come to the bar at night just to pick him up.

Even though it was none of his concern, he couldn't help but feel uneasy to see the pair together. All the time, his eyes were following Jia Fei who took her seat opposite Lin Hui and was fidgeting her hands under the table.

" Ah, why is she so stupid? He looks more interested in his beer than in her." He sighed exasperatedly to see Jia Fei who was acting like a young- teenage girl in love. The way she was acting in front of Lin Hui, the scene was giving him goosebumps.

While Yuhan was busy observing all the movements of Jia Fei, his friends with whom he met after a long time were confused to see his reaction. It was their first time to see him interested in any girl since they have started hanging out.

He was never this invested in Gu Xingren when they were engaged. Why is he suddenly so interested in a stranger?

" What are you mumbling about? Do you know the girl sitting over there?" One of his friends asked.

" Oh? This girl looks familiar. Isn't she a celebrity? But I can't remember who she is. Is she an actress?" The other friend wondered.

Yuhan glanced at him and cleared his throat before saying, " She? Haha!! No…No way. She is not a celebrity. It's just…she looks pretty. That's why I was looking at her. Nothing else."

" If you are saying so. Anyway, You would know about the entertainment world better than us." His friend waved the topic. " But now you have said so, she does look pretty decent. Her figure is…Just perfect. Her boyfriend must be so lucky. Hahaha." The man joked while staring at Jia Fei who came with Lin Hui.

" I know right? She looks perfect, especially…that curve."

"It is such a pity that she came with a guy, otherwise, I would have gone to talk to her. Who knows it would have been my lucky night? I am sure she would have said Yes if I had told her that this bar is mine. Girls are all like that after all" He laughed.

Yuhan's expressions darkened upon hearing them joking about Jia Fei so disgustingly and glared at them. " Hey! Aren't you getting married next month? Why didn't you bring your girlfriend with you? We would have some fun as well then. " He said provocatively.

" Yuhan!! Are you crazy? What nonsense are you talking about? You are talking about my Girlfriend." The man's expressions darkened at Yuhan's disgusting words.

" Yuhan….Mind your friends. What are you saying?" Other people tried to calm him down and pointed at him.

Yuhan scoffed and looked at the man who looked down on Jia Fei earlier, " Why? You are getting angry when it comes to your girlfriend but it's simply a joke when you talk like this about someone else? If you can't listen to such words about your girlfriend or your sister, then stop making disgusting comments about someone else. It's disgusting."

" You!! " The man's complexion reddened in anger and embarrassment after he was told off in front of all his friends.

" Are you fighting with us because of some random girl? Who is SHE? Is she your girlfriend that you're acting like this? Huh?" The man raised his voice, seeing the way Yuhan was treating him.

Yuhan took a deep sigh and put down the glass that he was holding and said, " I don't think I am obliged to answer any of your questions. I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you, instead, I was saving you from getting beaten up in the future."

" This is not called making jokes but sexual harassment and can lead you to land up in jail if you're not careful enough with your words."

He stood up and buttoned up his blazer buttons as he said, " Congratulations on your wedding. I was planning to give you an imported car as your wedding gift….but….forget it. You don't deserve it."

"I am sure after this night you will not be pleased to see me at your wedding either. Hope your girlfriend doesn't break off the engagement even after finding out what kind of a person you are. Good luck." He looked at the man coldly before exiting the bar.

***

" That's crazy. So you were at the bar all this time?" Jia Fei was speechless upon finding out that Yuhan was at the bar as well and was watching her from afar.

This little sneaky bitch!! She cursed inwardly in embarrassment.

When the car stopped in front of the bar, she would be lying to say that she wasn't afraid. That moment was enough to make her remember all the self-defense classes that she had attended during her high-school days.

Although, most of the time, she was absent from those classes and other than the basic punches, she doesn't remember anything. In the worst scenario, she would have run inside the bar and asked Lin Hui for help, although he doesn't seem to be much reliable at the moment.

Thankfully, she didn't need to go to such an extent and her wild thoughts came to a halt to see Yuhan in the car. For the first time, she was glad to see him.

Well, maybe….the second time. The last time she was happy to see him was when he helped her to carry Lin Hui, all the way to his place. That time too, they met at a bar like this and this time too.

...

" Did you see everything? Like…everything?" She asked carefully, hoping that he would have missed the last scene before she exited the bar. If had witnessed that scene as well, it's better for her to stand in front of the car and allow him to run over her rather than taking a ride with him.

Yuhan chuckled at her reaction and said, " I left the bar a while ago."

"Why? Did something exciting happen after I left? Huh? Argh…I should have stayed for a little more. What a pity." He complains in disappointment, teasing her.

Jia Fei pursed her lips and glared at him. " Do you want me to strangle you to death? As you can see, I really want to kill someone right now. I wouldn't mind if that person were you." She said seriously, making him zip his lips tightly.

Yuhan chuckled at her empty threat and tried to hold onto his laughter but she kept giving him a death glare as if she would eat him alive. He took a deep breath and after regaining his senses, he nudged her arm, " You can kill me later, but….fasten your seatbelt first if you don't want to spend the whole night in front of the bar."

Jia Fei glares at him but silently puts on her seatbelt. She also wants to leave this place as soon as possible.

He chuckles and shakes his head before stepping on the accelerator. Gladly she wasn't as depressed anymore as she was before.

Chapter 393 - A Man?

" Jia Fei, I always treated you like my younger sister and nothing else. I don't love you, I love Jiang Yue." Lin Hui said indifferently.

Jia Fei, who was dressed in a light pink dress and was holding a bouquet of red roses in front of him was too shocked to speak. The bouquet that she was holding like a precious treasure slipped out of her hands and fell on the ground with a small thud.

" Lin Hui, how can you do this to me? What? A Younger Sister? How….It's not possible." She stuttered nervously as she couldn't believe her ears. He has always treated her well and made her feel special.

She always felt butterflies in her stomach whenever he stopped a too-much-clingy fan from coming close to her, tucked her hair behind her ears with his gentle hair, or when he covers her legs with a blanket whenever she wears a small dress to any event.

More than that, he has always been kind and friendly to her. There is no way she misunderstood his kindness wrongly. No way….

Jia Fei gulps while staring at Lin Hui who had wronged her and frowned deeply. " Ah, It's so suffocating. This feeling is killing me." She cried out as her face turned red and her forehead was covered in sweat beads.

Her throat was getting dry and she was getting short of breath. She wanted to leave this place right this moment but her hands and legs were tied up by an invisible robe, causing her to stay in one place.

She panicked to find herself not able to move and wanted to cry but she was too helpless and exhausted to do so. Her body was feeling extremely light and her eyelids were getting heavier with every single passing moment.

" What is happening to me? Lin Hui, Please help me. I can't breathe.." She cried out while staring at Lin Hui's face that was blurring out of her sight.

" What….Argh….I can't breathe. So suffocating." She heaved a heavy sigh and tried to take as much as oxygen as she could but something was stopping her to do so.

" No…I can't die like this. No…NOOO!!" Jia Fei shouted loudly. Before she could die from suffocation, she felt herself being freed from the illusionary restrictions and she finally takes a deep breath as she sits straight on the bed.

…..

" OH?" Jia Fei who was covered in sweat and hair was messy like a bird's nest was dumbfounded to find herself on a bed, wrapped in a soft-fluffy blanket like a caterpillar.

Her whole body was covered and wrapped in the blanket and only her head was out for her to breathe.

Was she feeling uncomfortable and breathless because of this? But…who freed her from this? She was clearly feeling suffocated a minute ago.

So….all of this was her dream? She didn't confess to him again while holding a red roses bouquet and embarrassing herself? She sighed in relief.

Just as she was feeling better, the humiliating memories of last night came to haunt her once again. The things that happened at the bar and how Lin Hui, once again rejected her and this time, more firmly, made her cover her face with palms in embarrassment.

" Argh….So it all happened." She cried out in embarrassment.

"Seems like you're finally awake. Come out now and have breakfast." She heard a voice from behind.

Jia Fei massaged her temples and nodded unconsciously, " Yes, Yes. I am fully awake now. What did you make by the way? I want something spicy. Luo Luo….I can't feel my tongue right-" She snapped her dazed eyes open upon realizing that it wasn't Luo Dan's voice.

It was a manly voice. A man!!

Shocked, she hurriedly turned around and found a familiar back, turned towards her. She squinted her eyes and asked carefully, " Yuhan?"

" Hmm?" He turned around and found her staring at him suspiciously.

Jia Fei's eyes widened in shock as she hurriedly covered her chest with her hands and stared at him blaming him with her eyes, " What…what are you doing at my house? How did you come into my room?"

" More than that, where is Luo Dan? What did you do to her?"

Yuhan: "....."

Yuhan was speechless at the wild thoughts of the girl who just woken up from her dreamland. She should be thanking him for freeing her from the blanket, otherwise, she would have suffocated herself to death in her sleep.

God knows how she managed to cover her head with the blanket and was suffocating herself with her own hands. And rather than being thankful to him, she was blaming him for trespassing her place? Hah!

He frowned at her but blinked nervously upon noticing something which made his ears turn red and looked away before saying, " If you open your eyes a bit more and look around, you will realize that this is my bedroom and not yours. And why the hell would I do something to your Luo Dan?"

" Anyway, sober up and come downstairs. I don't talk to drunkards." He said coldly before walking out of the room, leaving her behind-perplexed.

" Ah? This is not my room?" Jia Fei was confused and looked around the room once again. Unlike her artistically decorated room, the bedroom was dull and had no decorative items either. It was made enough for a person to sleep at night and nothing else.

Such a boring bedroom cannot be hers, Not even in her wild dreams.

Wait….that's not the point. The point is….how the hell did she land up in his room?

" Ah…I need to go to the bathroom. Did I drink too much last night? She wondered.

" I'll think about it later." She decided and removed the blanket that was covering her body and as soon as she pulls off the blanket, her eyes widened in shock.

" What the-" She covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from cursing out aloud and was too speechless to utter any word.

" Where…where is my shirt?" Her hands trembled nervously as she was only wearing her nude color bra and the shirt was gone. Where the hell is her shirt?

So, just now when she was talking to Yuhan, she was talking to him without wearing her shirt? SHIT!!

However, seeing his reaction, he didn't look much shocked. Why was he so casual about it? WHY?

JUST WHY??

Her eyes widened even more just at the thought of something that shouldn't happen. Never.

She is at a man's house, without her shirt. What is the meaning of this? Her brain started to work again more than it was paid to do so.

"Where…where are my pants? Am…I…wearing my pants?" She bites her lower lips and hesitantly removes the blanket fully to see her condition down. Hah. Thankfully it was still on.

Nothing happened. She is safe-

WHAT THE HELL!!

Chapter 394 - Last Night?

Jia Fei's eyes widened in shock once again to see her jeans button and zip undone. Why….why is it like this? What the hell happened last night?

She gritted her teeth and glared at the door from where Yuhan exited. She had thought of him as a friend but he turned out to be a fox. A sly fox.

'Yuhan, Prepare for your funeral today. Because today….you're going to be a dead-meat by my hands.' Jia Fei chortled in anger and threw away the blanket on the floor angrily before walking to the bathroom.

...

" I want spicy food." Yuhan mimicked the way Jia Fei ordered him to cook something spicy for breakfast as he was cutting the spring onion.

He was cooking breakfast for two of them, meanwhile, Jia Fei was taking her sweet time in getting ready upstairs.

" This girl sure has guts to order me around after turning my life upside down." He scoffed in disbelief as he topped the noodles with the fresh-spring onion and put the bowls on the serving tray.

" Why is it taking her so long? Can't she get ready quickly? It's not like she has to go to a party later." He sighed in exasperation as he couldn't bear to see the noodles getting soggy while waiting for her.

" Are you talking behind me? Huh?" He was startled when he heard Jia Fei's high-screechy voice. He looked up and saw her standing at the stairs and glaring at him.

He raised his brows and wondered why she was staring at him as if he had stolen something precious from her.

'What's wrong with her?' She was looking like a confused bunny just a while ago and was now glaring at him like an angry tigress.

....

At the dining table, Yuhan served her the breakfast that he prepared for her. It was nothing special, just a bowl of steaming-spicy instant noodles and a cup of coffee.

" Have a broth first. It will help you with your hangover," he said as he gestured to her to try the broth first.

Jia Fei pursed her lips and was confused at his behavior. How come he is being so casual and natural around her?

Shouldn't he explain what's happening? She has no idea how the hell she ended up in his bedroom and was not at her house. And where is her damn shirt?

After coming out of the bathroom, she tried to look for her shirt but it was nowhere in the room. In the end, she had to wear one of his t-shirts from his wardrobe.

" Aren't you going to eat?" Yuhan asked upon noticing that she hadn't even touched her noodles yet and was staring at him as if he had committed some grave crime.

" Why? Why are you staring at me like this?" He asked again while taking a bite of his noodles. He can't let his noodles get soggy because of her staring contest.

Jia Fei squinted her eyes and asked in a low voice, " Yuhan, tell me the truth. I won't kill you if you tell the truth. I promise."

Yuhan: " ..."

" What nonsense are you spouting? What kind of truth?"

" You….You did something to me last night, right?" She asked carefully while staring at him to not miss any of his reactions to her question.

Yuhan, who was peacefully eating his breakfast, was caught off guard with her straightforward question. He coughed as soon as he heard her question and spurted the broth out while eating the noodles.

" Argh…disgusting." Jia Fei exclaimed in disgust as she cleaned the table with a napkin and handed one to him, to wipe his mouth.

" Sorry." He mouthed apologetically as he wiped the corner of his mouth. After coughing hard and finishing what he was eating in his mouth, he finally turned to her, " Jia Fei, I think I heard something wrong. Can you repeat the question?"

Jia Fei blinked and asked in confusion, " You didn't hear what I said?"

" No. I heard it. But I think I heard it wrong. There is no way you would ask me if I did anything to you last night." He laughed. Why would she even ask that kind of question to him?

Jia Fei blinked at him indifferently and nodded, " I asked just that. You didn't hear it wrong. That's my question."

" What did you do to me last night?" She asked again.

Yuhan laughed in disbelief as he couldn't believe that she was seriously asking that question to him. " You….Are you seriously asking this to me?"

" Don't you remember anything about last night?" He asked.

Jia Fei blinked in confusion and smiled awkwardly. About last night?

If she had remembered everything, why would she even ask this question to him? Other than leaving the bar with him, she doesn't remember anything. Nothing.

Everything is dark to her. Pitch dark.

Yuhan chuckled at the blank face that she was making, " So you seriously don't remember anything? After making me go through all of that, you're saying you don't remember anything?" His tone turned cold by the last sentence.

He was shocked at how shameless this girl can be. After keeping him awake all night and snatching his cozy bed, she was saying she doesn't remember anything.

Jia Fei pursed her lips and swallowed the saliva hard while trying hard to remember what happened last night. However, everything was a blank canvas for her.

She only drank just one glass of beer, how come she doesn't remember anything?

" I don't. How….how did I end up at your house? Also,...where…is my shirt?" She asked hesitantly while avoiding his gaze. Her ears turned red at the mention of her shirt as she can't believe that she is asking him about her shirt which is nowhere to be found.

How embarrassing.

Chapter 395 - Cute Demon.

~The Last Night~

" What are you doing? Why are you changing the address to my home?" Yuhan asked in confusion to see Jia Fei changing the address in GPS from Glory Building to his place.

Wasn't he supposed to drop her off at her place first?

Jia Fei cleared her throat and looked away embarrassedly, " I don't want to go home tonight. If I go home, Luo Dan will irritate me with her unnecessary questions and I don't want to answer any of them." She answered honestly.

Since Lin Hui had asked her to go for drinks with him in front of Luo Dan and Xu Nuan, both of them must be perplexed and curious at the same time. Going home right now means being attacked by their unstoppable questions.

After what happened at the bar earlier, she was in no mood to answer any of such questions. It's not like she has anything to answer such questions either.

Yuhan let out a heavy sigh before asking the question, "So….you're not planning to crash at my place for a night, do you?"

Jia Fei turned to him and grinned at him shamelessly, " BINGO!! You see, I can't possibly go to a Hotel just to hide away from Luo Dan. I might not be active in the industry anymore, I am still a celebrity after all."

" I am sure as my closest friend, who would not want me to get into messy controversies just because you didn't take me home with you? Huh?" She asked expectantly.

" Hah! And you think it's alright for a CELEBRITY to crash at a man's house? Wouldn't it be more controversial than going to a hotel?" He asked in disbelief.

Luo Dan's scandal died down just a few days ago and here she is cooking up a new scandal. More than that, she didn't even ask him for his permission and simply made the decision.

He is the damn OWNER of the house.

Jia Fei adjusted her seat and leaned back and closed her eyes to relax as she answered, " Don't be ridiculous. There is no man and woman between friends. I can even go to the bathroom together with you." She commented casually, catching him off guard.

Yuhan, who was driving, was too stunned to speak. So now, she doesn't even consider him as a man?

Woah!! That's new. No one has ever insulted him in such a….casual way.

" You…You….Hah, You're not a human. Not at all." He scoffed in disbelief at her ignorant character and drove to his place, rather than dropping her off at her place as Jia Fei arranged.

As if he had a choice to do anything else.

___

" Yaah!! Give me my baby. Give it to me…." Jia Fei cried out and whined as she lunged at Yuhan to grab the beer can that he had snatched from her.

Yuhan pulls his hand away from her reach and raises above his head, " Nope. You're already drunk enough. You will not get any more alcohol." He said firmly.

After coming to his place, Jia Fei suggested drinking as she was upset about what had happened earlier. Seeing how desperately she wants to drown her sorrows in alcohol, he gave in to her request and joined her.

However, rather than diving into alcohol just like her, he stuck to his no-alcohol-for-a-month promise and had a cold drink with her. Meanwhile, she gulped down six cans of beer herself and was begging to drink her seventh can now.

When they started drinking, everything was fine and normal. After some time, she started to bawl about how she loved Lin Hui and how he looked down on her feelings by calling them a mere attraction for the other sex.

He was starting to feel bad for her when she suddenly started to laugh crazily and cry at the same time? Is this what happens when you go overboard with your drinks?

She even took out her phone to call Lin Hui and confess how much she loves him. That's when she started to lose her mind. Only he knows how much effort he had made to protect her face in front of that manager and not allow her to call him in her drunken state.

Otherwise, she would have definitely tried to jump in a well once she sobered up.

'Oh, wait, there is no well nearby. Maybe the  swimming pool will do.'

" You…cruel person. How can you stop me from drinking anymore? Do you know who I am? I am Jia Fei, The Queen!!" Jia Fei claimed proudly as she got off her chair and walked towards Yuhan, who was sitting opposite her in unsteady steps and clinging to his neck to get the beer can from him.

" Give it to me. That's mine. You cannot take my baby away from me." She shouted in his ears.

While Jia Fei was trying to get her beer can from him, Yuhan was caught off guard when Jia Fei suddenly hugged his neck and was clinging onto him to get the beer can from his other hand.

At the sudden closeness between the two, he started to feel his heartbeat beating fast against his chest and could feel his temperature rising.

His earlobes turned red as he couldn't comprehend if all the changes happening to him were because of the hot weather or…something else.

He glanced at Jia Fei carefully and blinked nervously upon realizing that her face was only a few inches away from him.

'She….She is not bad.' He thought in his head. Excluding her brass attitude, she is not that bad of a girl. He wondered.

In fact, in terms of looks, she is beautiful. No doubt. However, in terms of attitude….hmm…that's a bit problematic.

' But…it's not bad either. More than rude, she can be called outspoken and straightforward. Hmm…that's a better explanation for it.' he thought in his mind.

" Ah, I must be crazy. Why am I even thinking about her?" He spoke aloud.

"Hmm?" Jia Fei turned to him in her drunken state and asked, " You…You said something?"

"..."

Yuhan swallowed his saliva nervously and said, " Party over. It's time to sleep. Get up." He said putting the beer can away and grasping her wrist.

Before his mind could wander any further, he grabbed his wrist and started pulling her towards the guest room. " This is the guest room. You will sleep here and there is no need to come outside to use the bathroom. It's right here." He pointed towards the attached bathroom in the room.

Jia Fei plopped on the bed and looked at him in a daze, " You….Don't leave me alone. It's scary to sleep alone. And lonely." She cried out while hugging the pillow against her chest.

Yuhan stared at her acting like a child and was amazed to see a different side of her. So that's how she acts whenever she is drunk.

"Hah. And then she says that she is not cute." He remarked. However, as soon as he said those words, his eyes widened in horror.

" Ahhh….I must be crazy. From which angle, does she looks cute? She is a demon, Demon." He calmed down after coming to this conclusion and left the room, leaving the demon….Jia Fei, behind.

Chapter 396 - Human-sushi Roll

After leaving Jia Fei in the guest room downstairs, Yuhan returned to his bedroom upstairs. He plopped on his bed tiredly and let out an exhausted sigh, " Hah! I shouldn't have allowed her to stay at my place. I can't take it anymore." He shouts in frustration as he kicks his legs in the air.

Only if he hadn't allowed her to stay at his place for the night, he wouldn't have needed to deal with her drunken antics anymore.

Although she acts weirdly all the time, she turns into a whole new person when she is drunk. If she is strong-minded, outspoken, and relatively rude when she is sober, she becomes free-spirited and kind of….cute when alcohol goes into her system? And it gives him goosebumps when she tries hard to be cute, only to be looking disgusting in the end.

" She doesn't deserve to drink alcohol. She has no sense of responsibility. Such kinds of people only know how to create trouble for others" He mumbles while thinking about her drunken antics earlier and wondered if she always drinks like this.

He closes his eyes to take a nap when the image of drunk Jia Fei, whose cheeks were crimson and was clinging onto his neck to get the beer can from his other hand, popped into his mind.

Thinking about the way she was whining and struggling to grab that can of beer from him, caused his lips to curl up in a smile unconsciously.

Her face was just inches away from him and he could see her large, clear eyes clearly from close. They were beautiful.  She looked like a little bunny while whining and pouting at that time.

Hah! Cute.

" AH!! WHAT THE HELL!! Am I drunk as well?" Yuhan snapped his eyes open upon realizing what he had been thinking. Since when did Jia Fei start to look beautiful and cute in his eyes?

She is just a friend. A devil-opportunistic friend.

" I should take a cold- shower to come into my senses." He slapped himself on the face gently before getting up from the bed and going to the bathroom.

—

" That was refreshing-" Yuhan exclaimed as he wiped his wet hair with the small white towel as he walked out of the bathroom. His muscled chest and toned abs muscles were on display as he walked out of the bathroom with a long white towel wrapped around his waist.

" I should dry my hair first." He mumbled as he walked towards the closet room in his bottom-half covered body. However, his steps came to a halt, upon noticing something wriggling on his bed.

He gulped nervously and turned to look at his bed carefully. " Ahhhhh!!! What….What…are you doing here?" He shouted in horror to see the uninvited guest, lying on his bed as if it were her bed.

Jia Fei, who was sleeping peacefully on Yuhan's bed, looked up at him in a daze and grinned, " OH! You're here. I was looking for you." She smiles with her signature drunk giggle.

Yuhan's hand unknowingly reached to tightly hold onto the towel that was wrapped around his waist and gulped nervously. He squinted his eyes upon realizing that something was not right with her and his eyes widened in shock when he walked closer to her.

" You…You….where…is your shirt? Why are you here like this?" He immediately turned around and blurted in panic as he was caught off guard to see Jia Fei lying on his bed, without her shirt.

Jia Fei took a deep breath and pulled herself to sit on the bed and looked down at her, " Shirt? Hmm….My shirt?" She scratches her head in confusion and sighed again.

" Ah….Shirttt." She exclaims dramatically when she understands his question. " I threw it away. It was so hot in the room." She frowns and tugs down at her jeans to take them off as well.

Yuhan, who had his back towards her frowns and understands what she meant. " Ah….I forgot to turn on the air conditioner in the room. Even though how can you remove your-" He unconsciously turned around to face her and was shocked to see her tugging down on her jeans.

Holy Shit!!

" Ya, Ya, Yah!! What are you doing? Why are you taking your jeans off now?"

" It's so hot and….uncomfortable. I want to be free. FREEDOM!!!" She blurted out in her drunken state.

" OH. You have a pretty-pretty body, Hmm….Delicious." She commented while staring at his body with her lustrous eyes. YOU….come here. Sleep here with me. That way…I won't be bored anymore."

Yuhan, who was already shocked enough, was getting attacked by her drunken words again. His ears turned red upon hearing such words from her and could feel the heat rising to his head.

Delicious? Sleep with her? Is she in her right mind?

Of course, she isn't. If she was, then she wouldn't dare to come into his room after removing her shirt.

He gulped nervously to see her sitting on his bed in such attire and turned to look away. This will not do. If she continued to be this way, sooner or later she will remove all of her clothes, and that gonna put him in a complicated situation.

His mother already thinks of the two of them as a couple, he cannot bear to have any more complications in his life.

" Argh…Why can't I take it off? Who makes such tight and uncomfortable clothes? They should be fired. FIRED." She shouted as she blabbered on while unzipping her jeans and unbuttoning them.

Yuhan's eyes widened in horror as he was unable to comprehend the situation and without thinking twice, he lunged at her to stop her from doing anything more than that. " NOO!!!"

The next moment, Jia Fei and Yuhan, both were lying on the bed. Yuhan was hugging Jia Fei tightly from behind and was holding onto her hands to prevent her from doing anything further.

However, upon realizing what kind of awkward position they are in, his face turned cherry red in an instant. His ears turned hot as boiled sweet potato and could feel his heart pumping loud enough for him to hear his heartbeat.

He blinked and closed his eyes as Jia Fei's white and smooth bareback was in front of him and she was not wearing anything, except her bra at the moment. He gulped nervously and tried to hold onto his breath to not move at all.

He carefully raises his hand to not touch her anywhere inappropriately and whispers in her ears, " You….You shouldn't do that. Even if you don't consider me as a man….I am still one." He speaks nervously.

He can't believe that he was back-hugging her, that too in this kind of position. The girl who was never more than a friend to him was giving him unknowing butterflies in his stomach.

Yuhan frowned upon not getting any response from Jia Fei, nor was she moving in his arms anymore.

Did I hug her too tightly? Is she dead? A thought popped in his head.

He raised his brows and carefully leaned forward to look at her face. " Hah!" He scoffed in disbelief upon finding her sleeping peacefully in his arms. Here, he was going crazy in frustration, and she fell asleep?

A while ago, she was going crazy and was removing her clothes and now, she suddenly fell asleep?

He pursed his lips and wondered how to stand up, without waking her up. He can't possibly sleep here the whole night in this kind of….scandalous position.

After racking his brain, he finally managed to free himself from the controversial sleeping position, and to not make her feel uncomfortable, he put a pillow under her head.

However, the thought of her sleeping like this on his bed, made him feel strange. He coughed awkwardly and pulled the blanket and rolled her in it like a sushi roll.

" I am such a genius." He was proud of what idea he had pulled to find a solution to this complicated situation.

" Human sushi-roll. Perfect." He chuckled to see her opening her mouth a little in her sleep and was looking comfortable in it as if she belonged there.

He sighs and shakes his head before heading out of the room while mumbling, " It's a good thing she didn't go crazy with alcohol in front of that….whatever manager." However, as soon as he thought about Lin Hui, a wrinkle appeared on his forehead.

" I don't understand what she even likes about him? She is way too good for him." He was at loss for words. She lectured him to not hang on to unrequited love and cheered him up when Xu Nuan dumped him. Oh, wait…did she cheer him or made fun of him?

Anyway, it looked like comfort to him and made him realize his genuine feelings towards Xu Nuan and how he was more into her changed attitude and coolness. In his case, it indeed turned out to be a temporary attraction that he got over rather quickly, unlike this stupid girl.

If he can wake up from his one-sided love, can't she do the same and move on? Like a Queen?

While battling with such thoughts in his head, he didn't forget to lock the bedroom door from outside. He cannot be sure when Jia Fei wakes up and runs downstairs to ruin his goodnight's sleep again.

Chapter 397 - Edgy Girlfriend.

~Present~

Jia Fei scoffed in disbelief and put down her chopsticks and stared at Yuhan who was still filling his mouth with noodles, " So you're telling me that it was me who removed my clothes and barged into your room? Does that even make sense? " Jia Fei's eyes widened in shock as she couldn't process what she just heard.

She, The Queen of every girl's heart, how can she do this kind of embarrassing thing?

" Do you think I am lying here? Is that what you're trying to say?" Yuhan was speechless too. This girl is too stubborn to be true.

" That…That's not what I mean." Jia Fei bit her lower lips and exhaled heavily. She blinked nervously and looked away, feeling embarrassed of what she said. However, she also can't believe whatever he said and on top of that, she has almost no memory of last night.

Her cheeks blushed at the thought of how embarrassingly she acted in front of him last night. Even though she is comfortable with him and told him that she can even go to the bathroom together with him, it's not like she truly meant that comment.

He is still a man after all.

" Arghh….How embarrassing." She sighed heavily and covered her face with her palms. It was embarrassing enough to hear the story of last night from him. It would have been worse if she had remembered everything.

Yuhan, who was watching her reaction, intently chuckled and reached out to pat her shoulders gently, " Forget about all that and eat your noodles. Otherwise, they will become soggy." He added to make her move on from whatever happened and forget about everything.

After eating Jia Fei was about to get up and take away her dishes when she heard him say, " Also, try to forget him as well."

" Hmm?" She looked over at him in confusion.

Yuhan, who was also collecting his dishes, looked at her and said, " It's called unrequited love for a reason. Some stories are bound to be left incomplete."

" Also, he is not the only man in this whole world. If you open your heart a bit, I am sure you will find someone better than him who will be glad to come into your world." He said seriously.

Jia Fei stared at him seriously and was amused to see this kind of serious side of him. She smiled and sighed before nodding, " Although it was embarrassing, after confessing again to him yesterday, I feel better and light at heart."

" Even though I was rejected once again, it relieves me that at least I tried until the end. It just…I didn't want to give him up without making any effort. However, it seems like it's the right time to get over him." She said,

Yuhan nodded and smiled, " That's right. Also, he is not even that handsome. I am sure I am much better than him in terms of looks. Aren't I?" He straightens his posture and shows off his toned-muscular body, appealing himself to her.

Jia Fei chuckled at his words and commented, " Yeah! Yeah! You're the best. Especially your…broad shoulders."

Even though Yuhan knew that she was making empty remarks, it did make his ears turn red. It sure feels good to receive a compliment.

'On that note, I should start going to the gym again to maintain…broad shoulders and a toned body.' He decided.

___

" Isn't your office in the opposite direction? Won't you be late because of me?" Xu Nuan, who was sitting in the passenger seat asked as she checked the time on her wristwatch.

Even though their offices were in completely different directions, Han Zihao insisted on dropping her off at her company first.

" It doesn't matter. Just because of work, I cannot ruin my impression in front of my would-be wife." He responded with a wink while driving.

Yesterday, it was the first death anniversary of Jiang Yue but he couldn't accompany her to the cemetery as he had to go to an important meeting.

He was glad that Luo Dan and Jia Fei accompanied her to the cemetery at the least. Because of them, she wasn't alone. That's why he wants to drop her at the company at the least to make up for his absence yesterday.

Also, she seems to be in a bad mood these days, hopefully, this will cheer her up a bit.

Xu Nuan scoffed at his cheesy comment and mumbled in a low voice, " You're all talk and no action." She shook her head and looked out of the window.

He always throws such remarks at her but never seriously proposes to her for marriage. Even though she is not in a hurry to tie a knot with him, he should at least follow the procedure and formally ask her about the matter.

Does he seriously want her to do this deed as well? She might turn 22 this year, but the real her will soon become 26 years old.

Does he seriously think of her as a young girl who is in college?

It's been a while since she moved in with him and were living almost like a married couple with no certification. Hah! He is always slow at such things.

" Hmm…You said something?" He asked upon seeing her mumbling something that he failed to understand.

Xu Nuan pursed her lips and said, " It must be good to be a President. No one dares to nag you for being late." She scoffed in annoyance. For some reason, she was getting annoyed by every single thing these days.

'Is it because her menstruation cycle is approaching? That must be the reason.'

Han Zihao glanced at her and was surprised by her indifferent reaction. " Look who's talking. Aren't you the CEO of the company yourself?" He teased her back.

" Mine is a different case. It's still a new company and needs a lot of work. Unlike you, I am busy day and night. Hmph!" She answered coldly with sarcasm and gasped at her own cold response.

It was her first time responding to him coldly like this when they aren't even fighting. There is no reason for them to fight but she was still getting edgy at everything he does.

She wasn't trying to answer in such a way, but she couldn't help it. It came out just naturally, surprising her. 'It's better to keep your mouth shut if you don't want to fight with him.' She sighed heavily and pursed her lips tightly.

Han Zihao glanced at her and didn't say anything afterward either. It's best if he stayed quiet at the moment. That's one of the traits needed in a relationship, patience.

Chapter 398 - THE PARCEL

" Mr. Guo, please take a seat. Have you thought over my offer?" Xu Nuan asked as she gestured to Guo Hong to take a seat in front of her.

The man who was looking around the small office of Xu Nuan, glanced at her and answered, " You're getting right on with the work? Well, I am not even surprised." He chuckled as he took a seat opposite her.

After working on The Knights' debut song with Xu Nuan, it was his first time seeing her. It feels like yesterday when she knocked on his apartment's door and introduced herself as the manager of the group, who hasn't even made a debut yet.

She wanted him, the man who has only worked with 'The Queens' and other veteran artists of the industry, to work on an unknown group's debut song. His usual self would have rejected her right away but her knowledge and interest in music amazed him.

It's rare for anyone to know this much about music without having a musical background. Her style was so much similar to Jiang Yue with whom he used to sit for hours in the studio and work on making music with her. Jiang Yue was not only an idol who only sang and danced but was very much talented in composing and producing songs too.

That was one of the reasons why she was worshiped in the music world. Not just an idol but as an artist who is capable of doing anything and is full of talents.

The man leaned back on the chair comfortably and played with the spherical-glass paperweight on the table, " Ms, Xu, You have become quite bold after becoming the CEO of this new company of yours." He commented.

" From working on the debut song of The knights, now you want to hire me to work as the music producer for your company? Aren't you being too greedy about it?" The man asked.

Everyone knows that after leaving QY entertainment after Jiang Yue's death, he has never joined another company and has been working independently as he doesn't want to work in terms of someone else. To make good music, he needs the creative freedom that he cannot get in under any company.

Xu Nuan stared at him and smiled as she was expecting such a question from him.  He is prideful, as always." Mr. Guo, If I remember correctly, you agreed to work with me when I had nothing to offer you, other than four talented artists and 5% of the profit from their debut song."

" This time too, I have nothing to offer other than the same-yet popular and talented four artists to you. The salary might be low considering your skills and experience in the industry. However, I am sure, you would not like to lose the chance to work with such talented girls either."

" And be assured, as I will never interfere with the way you work. However, I am allowed to state my opinion, right?" She asked carefully, making him chuckle at her confident words.

Even though the money she was offering to him was low considering how much he charges to other artists, the girl's talent and honey-like vocals are enough to tempt him.

Because she knows him well enough.

Rather than money, he will be more interested in talent and heavenly vocals. And after The Queens, only The Knights are capable enough to make him work hard like before.

Just how The Knights need him to make blockbuster music, he needs their mellow voices to execute his music as it is as well.

" Hah! Are you sure you called me here to poach me or were trying to show off your girls to me? Hmm?" He asked.

" So…did my method work?" She raised her brows in anticipation as she waited for his response.

He chuckled and reached out to have a handshake with her, " Do I have an option to reject this offer?"

Xu Nuan smiled and shook hands with him, "Definitely not."

__

-Jiang Corporations-

Grandfather Jiang was sitting in his office and was going through the files that his secretary had handed to him a while ago. His eyes widened upon reading the contents of it and immediately called him to his office.

" Chairman, Do you need anything?" The Secretary asked politely.

The old man furrowed his brows and pursed his lips, " Close the door first."

The secretary nodded as he understood his words and went to lock the doors from inside. After making sure that no one was peeping on them from outside, he returned and stood in front of his desk.

The old man drew a heavy breath as he threw the papers in front of him and asked, " Is this all true? Are all people really on Jiang Ru's side now?

" Are you sure about this information?"

In the file, it was the list of people with whom Jiang Ru has been meeting in the past year and was making connections with them. And those people were none other than the major board members of the company.

If she managed to earn their loyalty and they decided to support them with their shares in the company, then no one can stop Jiang Ru from taking over the company. Even his vote will not matter anymore if she managed to gather more shares than him.

And what was shocking was, she had been planning all of this for a long time.

The secretary looked at the papers and nodded, " Yes. In the past year, while managing the company, Managing Director Jiang Ru and CEO Jiang Yahui have been in close contact with the board members, close enough to even attend their private parties and have meals with them frequently."

" Not only that, after your return to the company, she seems to be panicking and I am afraid that she will take a drastic step soon enough." He expressed his worry about this matter.

Grandfather Jiang pursed his lips in a thin line and thought over this matter. If Gu De was telling him that this matter seems to be serious, there must be a reason for it. As he never speaks anything without any reason and if he is saying that Jiang Ru might do something soon enough, he must have a reason behind it too.

He clenched his fists in rage and slammed the table in frustration. " This girl doesn't know where to stop."

" You….Did you do what I asked you to do earlier?" The old man looked up at his secretary and smiled when he nodded.

" The parcel has been sent already. It will reach the target soon enough." The secretary answered in a low voice.

" Make sure no one finds out about this. If anyone finds out about it, Jiang….Xu Nuan and the company, both will be in danger once again." The old man sighs heavily.

He never expected Jiang Ru to be this sly.

Just where did he go wrong in leading this family? How can they be so shameless and thick-skinned to be after each other's blood for the sake of money and fame?

Chapter 399 - I AM NOT FAT!!

~Han Corporations~

In the conference room on the Presidential floor, Han Zihao was having a meeting with all the team leaders of the departments and was checking their quarterly reports when Feng Sheng quietly entered the room, without disturbing anyone, and went to Han Zihao.

" Sir, there is something that you need to see urgently." He whispered in his ears.

Han Zihao scowled and turned to Feng Sheng who was wearing solemn expressions on his face. " Is it so serious that you came to disturb me during the meeting?" He asked coldly, making everyone shudder at his deep voice.

Inwardly, everyone was praying that he would agree to Feng Sheng's request and disperse the meeting to attend to the 'urgent matter'.

Han Zihao's stony expressions were enough to give them a hint that he was not pleased with the reports and if this meeting continued, they will get to see the wrath of THE HAN ZIHAO.

He has not become the youngest and the most successful President of Han Corporations for no reason. His professionalism and charisma when working were enough to scare anyone and make them work harder just to avoid his scolding.

Feng Sheng pursed his lips and nodded seriously. " I believe it's better if you can look into this matter as soon as possible." He urged.

Seeing the serious expressions of Feng Sheng, Han Zihao put away the files that he was holding and turned to the people who were looking at him expectantly, " The meeting is dispersed for now."

" Ah, Thank God." The low whispers could be heard in the room as the people sighed in relief and were glad to be able to leave the conference room without being scolded.

" However, I want the explanation of these quarterly reports by 5 in the evening. Is that clear to all?" He asked in a threateningly deep voice while looking at everyone's frozen bodies.

" Do I have to repeat myself?"

" No…No Sir."

" We…will prepare the explanations by the given time. Thank…you, Sir." The people hurriedly responded and before Han Zihao could add anything to the list, they hurriedly picked up their laptops and files and left the room in hurry to get to work.

After everyone left, Han Zihao turned to Feng Sheng who was looking at him seriously and was waiting for him to tell him about something." Now spill it. What is so important that you couldn't wait for the meeting to end?" Han Zihao asked.

Feng Sheng took a deep breath and handed him a brown envelope that had no address or contact number on it, " Sir, a while ago, the receptionist had received this parcel and was told that it was very urgent and needed your attention right away."

Han Zihao pursed his lips in a thin line and examined the plain-looking envelope when he heard Feng Sheng say, "Apologies for being rude, but thinking about your safety, I assumed that it would be better for me to check the parcel in advance."

"So…what did you find in it?" Han Zihao asked without opening the envelope and looked at him in curiosity. " Is it some threatening letter or a prank like always?" He asked indifferently.

It was not the first time that he received such letters. Many times it's either an offer letter from other people to join hands with them or a threatening letter if things don't go according to them.

He was about to throw away the envelope in the dustbin when he heard Feng Sheng speak again, " You should check it yourself, Sir. The content of the letter seems to be a private message for you." He said seriously.

Han Zihao frowned and waved his hand at him to leave him alone. After Feng Sheng left the meeting room, Han Zihao tore open the brown envelope and found a white sheet of paper inside, with something written on it.

[ THE HARNESS, IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT.]

As soon as he read the contents of the letter, Han Zihao's jaw tightened, and clenched the paper in his hand as he fell into deep thought. It was just a line but was clear enough to understand the meaning hidden in it.

The accident and harness, all words were hinting toward Jiang Yue's accident. However, who could have written such a letter to him? And why? He wondered.

It wasn't an accident?

The reason for the harness breaking at that time was proved to be an accident by the police because they didn't find anything suspicious about it.  Also, during the police investigation, they didn't find any significant pieces of evidence to accuse Hao Mei of Jiang Yue's murder either.

So after the drama of the press conference, they charged her hefty fines and penalties, accusing her of manipulating Jiang Yue's will and attempting to transfer all of her wealth to their names. She and Qin Ju were free from the charges after paying hefty penalties.

Since there was nothing suspicious about her accident, they assumed that the chapter was over and things were also going smoothly in their life.

However, this kind of letter coming to him from nowhere was shocking and confusing. Who can be that person? And…why…why did they send this kind of letter to him and not Jiang Yue's family?

Because in other people's eyes, he has no relationship with Jiang Yue, other than a working relationship. Then…..who sent him this kind of letter? Does that person also know that Jiang Yue is not dead and Xu Nuan is the real Jiang Yue? He wondered.

Without wasting another minute, Han Zihao left the meeting room and went to his office. In the office, he put away the envelope in his desk drawer and pressed on the buzzer on his desk to call Feng Sheng inside.

" Sir, you called for me?" Feng Sheng asked as he stood in front of his working desk.

" About the envelope, find out who sent it. Also, look if there is anyone lurking around Xu Nuan or trying to dig up information on her."

Feng Sheng blinked in confusion and was caught off guard by his order. " Hmm? Look for anyone who is lurking around Ms. Gu? But…what does she have to do…" He pondered, not sure what Xu Nuan has to do with this letter.

Han Zihao didn't answer his question and waved his hand, " Just do what you're told. Also, make sure no one finds out about this. Be discreet about this matter."

Feng Sheng didn't ask anymore and nodded before taking his leave from the office.

****

" Get me the ice cream tub from the freezer as you come back." Xu Nuan shouted as she asked Han Zihao to bring her the ice-cream tub as he came back from the kitchen. She was sitting on the couch comfortably with her legs stretched on the glass table and was watching the recently released movie on the television.

Han Zihao who was about to walk over to the couch chuckled upon receiving such an order from her and shook his head in helplessness before going back to the kitchen to take the ice cream tub for her.

" Aren't you eating too many sweets these days? The weather is changing so try to not eat so much ice cream." He said as he hands her the ice cream tub and a small plastic spoon.

Xu Nuan pouts upon hearing his unnecessary comment and frowns to see the small plastic spoon, " Why did you bring this plastic spoon? It's so uncomfortable to eat with it."

" This way you will eat less and will not stuff yourself with the ice cream." He commented indifferently, causing her to scoff at him in disbelief.

"You….You!! How can you say something unacceptable to your girlfriend just like that?"Are you calling me fat? Do you think I gained weight, just because I am eating more ice cream these days? Why? Don't you like me anymore because of it?"

Han Zihao: "....."

Han Zihao was speechless as he didn't mean this way. He simply didn't want her to eat all the ice cream and get sick because of it. " That's not what I mean. I was just saying…."

Xu Nuan cut him off and continued, " Do you have any idea how stressed I am these days? I have to prepare the girls' comeback album and along with that, I have to arrange the promotional events for the same. You have no idea how stressed out I am these days and blame me for eating too much? Hmph!!"

" You have changed. You were not like this before." She sniffled, pretending to cry, and looked away from him, holding hands in front of her chest in frustration. She wanted to cry but she was too strong-willed to cry so easily.

"I…I didn't mean to say that." Han Zihao mumbled in a low voice, worried that he might agitate her even more. He never thought he thoughtless mere comment would gain so much loathing from her.

Chapter 400 - His Favorite Punishment.

" Here! Go and sleep in the Guest room." Xu Nuan coiled the blanket and pillow that were on the bed and handed them over to Han Zihao who was looking at her in confusion. Was she seriously kicking him out of the bedroom just because of his one-small harmless comment?

" Ah, wait…There is a pair of fresh blankets and pillows in the Guest room, so you wouldn't even need this." She talked to herself as she put the blankets onto the bed again. She looked up at him and raised her brows, " Why are you still here? Do you need something from here?" She asked while looking around the room, wondering if he needs something else to sleep in the guest room.

The romantic movie night that she had planned, suddenly turned into a cold-lonely night for Han Zihao. That's what one gets for running their mouth without thinking.

How can he tell her girlfriend that she is eating too much these days? Is that what a boyfriend should say to their girlfriend?

Han Zihao bit his lower lip and looked at her with his innocent, puppy eyes, " Are you seriously going to be like this? I already apologized for it, are you seriously going to be like this?"

Xu Nuan sat at the edge of the bed and flapped her legs in the air as she nodded, " Hmm! We have stuck to each other for too long. We need to stay apart a few times to not take each other's presence for granted." She said casually. She might look indifferent and casual about this whole situation, however, she meant every DAMN word that came out of her mouth.

In the last few days, she realized that other than coming back home to eat and sleep, they do nothing else. It's not even a year since they started dating and their love life has already started to get boring.

That's exactly the reason she wants him to sleep in the Guest Room tonight. The relationship expert blogs that she had read, had said that staying together for too long can make any relationship boring.

And she doesn't want that to happen with her current relationship. She has already experienced one failed-miserably failed relationship. She can't let that happen to this one, as this one will break her to no end.

A relationship expert must not be spouting nonsense, is it?

…..

Han Zihao pursed his lips and watched her indifferent expressions. " Are you sure you can sleep alone in this room? Without me?"

" The room where we have shared such intimate moments, won't you think of me if you sleep here alone?" He asked seriously.

Xu Nuan blinked her eyes and furrowed her brows, noticing his Melo-eyes. Why is he being so dramatic suddenly?

She scoffed in disbelief at his out-of-context heart-moving words and before she could say anything, he approached her in large strides and hovered over her,  " If you want to punish me, there are many ways for you to do that. That is even more cruel and ruthless….than this one." He whispered in a low-raspy voice in her ears, as he almost hugged her yet kept a slight distance between them, not touching her body.

Xu Nuan's body tensed at a sudden close distance between the two and cleared her throat before asking, " Is that so? For example?" She asked even though she was least interested in it. She was sure that he was purely bluffing and would try to find a way to avoid sleeping in the guest room.

Such a sneaky man he is. However, she will not back out this time either.

Han Zihao placed one knee on the edge of the bed to hold his body weight and leaned closer to Xu Nuan, still not touching her anywhere, and whispered in her ears, " For example….You can cover my eyes with a blindfold and tie up my hands against the headboard. This way, I won't be able to see you or touch you even a bit. Ahhh….So much torturous." He moaned against her ears, making her eyes widen in shocking surprise.

" Then….You can tear open my shirt and climb on me. You can sit on my stomach….or" He trailed off causing her to gulp in nervousness.

" Or?" She asked unknowingly.

Han Zihao smirked to see her getting dazed by his words and continued, " Or….You can climb on me and sit There! Comfortably." He said, making her turn to look at him in surprise.

" Where?" She asked again, not sure if she was thinking the same thing as him or was her mind going off the track. Was her mind always this dirty or this man is getting bolder day by day.

Han Zihao pursed his lips in a thin line to control himself from laughing aloud and cleared his throat before speaking, " Are you sure you want me to name it? I am sure you're not innocent either. Or…are you?" He asked, causing her to flush at his words once again.

So he meant the very same place that she was thinking of as well. How audacious!

He smiled playfully at her reaction and continued, " After controlling me like this, you can lean down to bite me on my lips. You can kiss them….I mean bite them as hard as you want. Ah, So painful. The only thought of it is making me tremble." He groaned as if experiencing the pain of being bitten on the lips and groaned dramatically, causing her to laugh at him in disbelief.

'Is this man for real? Since when did he become this shameless?'

" After ruthlessly kissing me, making my lips bleed to death, you can continue to bite me in other places as well. Ears, nose, neck, chest, and….There too!! Your favorite place." Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock and her body stiffened upon hearing his words.

However, before she could tell him off to shut up and deny his bold claim, he continued, " Ah, it must be such a rough punishment, I cannot wait….Oh, How Painful."  He moaned as he whispered in a low voice and blew air in her ears lastly.

He tried to control his increasing excitement and looked at her innocently as if he was indeed talking about the most 'torturous' punishment in the world.

If this is what punishment looks like, he would happily be ready to get such punishment every single night. Without any miss.

Xu Nuan furrowed her brows and gulped nervously as she could feel his scorching breath against the side of her neck and ears and could imagine those things in her head. The wild imagination was quite vivid to her and could feel her ears turning red just at the thought of it.

"Why…Why would I do anything like that? It's more like enjoyment for you than a punishment." She sneered at the way he was trying to brainwash her but does he think he can trap her in his childish tricks like that?

" Is that so? Hmm….Then there is another kind of punishment…More ruthless and difficult than this. Do you want to try it?" He whispered again as if hypnotizing her with his honey-dripping, seductive voice.

Xu Nuan swallowed her saliva as she could feel her cheeks burning in heat already. Even though he wasn't even touching her, there was something hot pooling down there.

'Hah…Does he think he can change her mind with his sweet words? That's not possib- But…what if there is a better and more cruel way to punish him?' She wondered.

Han Zihao glanced at her and smirked to see her fluttering eyes and she was trying to avoid his intense gaze. Her chest was heaving slowly but heavily and her cheeks had turned crimson as if the cold wind had been hitting her face for a long time, causing her face to turn crimson like that.

'Hah! Caught you.' He raised his brows in amusement to see her getting affected by his ministrations. He wasn't even touching her and she seems to be already getting affected by her words.

'Seems like it's going to be a fun-punishment time.' His lips curled up in a mischievous smirk.

Chapter 401 - The Punishment (I)

" What? You want me to do what? Are you out of your mind?" Xu Nuan scoffed in disbelief and tried to figure out exactly what goes in his mind that he produces such…dirty ideas so easily.

Han Zihao who was standing in front of her smirked and shrugged his shoulders, " Didn't you ask me to tell you the more cruel way to punish me? This is it."

" When DID I ask you to tell me that? It was you who came to me and told me about it." She retaliated. She cannot believe he was lying right to her face.

Han Zihao looked at her innocently and blinked as if thinking about this matter deeply, " Is that so? Hmm….why can't I remember it?" He pondered, causing Xu Nuan's blood level to rise to the highest level.

What a shameless creature he is.

Even though she detested his idea of the 'most cruel punishment', she gave in to his honey-dripping words in the end. How can his words be so ridiculously convincing? Rather than being the President of the Company, he should have been in politics, his damnly convincing words would have made him the President of the Country at this rate.

***

In the bedroom, Han Zihao was sitting on the edge of the bed and was waiting for Xu Nuan to come out of the bathroom, impatiently. His lips curled up in a smirk thinking about the way he convinced her to allow him to stay in the same room and brainwashed her to change his punishment to something else, more exciting and adventurous than anything else.

-A while ago-

" So…what is the cruelest punishment according to you, other than this one?" Xu Nuan asked shyly. Her face was already burning and had gotten red upon hearing him explain the first level of cruel punishment. What could be worse than her, lunging herself at him and him staying blindfolded and hands tied to the headboard?

Han Zihao smiled proudly and let out a helpless sigh before saying, " If you're forcing me to this extent, then I am also left with no choice but to reveal it to you."

Xu Nuan scoffed and rolled her eyes at his 'shameless generousness.'

" If you think that by making me sleep in the Guest room, you're punishing me, then you're wrong. It's not a punishment in any way. However, the worst punishment will be me sleeping next to you, but…without touching you." He continued as if presenting the most-important presentation of his life to her.

" To make the things even more tortuous and exciti….cruel," he corrected himself and continued as if he didn't make that tongue slip, " You can change into the most-sexy nighty of yours and take this punishment to another level. Just imagine, how torturous it would be for me to sleep next to you, without touching you. AH….only the imagination is making me uncomfortable." He groaned as if experiencing the most uncomfortable phase of his life.

Xu Nuan, who was sitting on the bed and was listening to his nonsense, scoffed upon seeing him being so cheeky. So…does he think that by doing all of this, he will have his way with her? Hmm…He surely doesn't know her yet.

Xu Nuan smirked meaningfully and clapped her hands in agreement, " Okay!! Let's do this way then. If that's what you want, I will surely give it to you." She smiled, however, unlike him who was glad to see her agreeing to his idea, she had some other plans - to make this 'cruel punishment, even more, cruel for him.'

…..

Back to Present-

~Click~

Han Zihao's eyes glinted upon hearing the sound of the bathroom door opening. She is coming, finally!!

As soon as the door of the bathroom opened, his mouth fell open in surprise. His eyes widened as he tried to capture the picture of Xu Nuan in front of his eyes, for his whole life.

He was expecting her to wear a sexy-lingerie or something but rather than that, she showed up in front of him in a white bathrobe. Her white, smooth legs were exposed to please his eyes, meanwhile, her pearl-like white-exposed collarbone was calling him to come and mark his territory.

The bathrobe belt was tied around the waist like a ribbon, securing her bathrobe in place - that he eagerly wanted to pull it open and admire her beautiful body with his naked eyes. With her dripping wet hair that was falling on her shoulders, she was looking breathtakingly gorgeous.

It was not even the first time that he had seen her like this but she was looking tempting and breathtakingly beautiful as always.

While Han Zihao was seizing this view in his eyes for forever, Xu Nuan was pleased to see his restless-excited reaction. Her lips curled in a proud smirk to see him staring at her with his eyes and mouth wide open.

Well, if he thought that he could trick her and change this punishment into pleasure for himself, then he was wrong. Because she will surely make him regret, this decision of his tonight.

…..

Han Zihao gulped nervously and felt his throat turning dry. He took a deep breath to calm down his racing heart and said nervously while staring at the slight opening of her bathrobe, which was giving him a peek of her pearl-white, chest, " So….should we go to sleep? You must be tired, right?" He said, without tearing away his gaze from her chest.

Xu Nuan followed his gaze direction and chuckled before tightening the bathrobe around her body and covering her chest properly, which made him frown. " Sure." She said before walking towards the bed, causing his eyes to glimmer in excitement.

Xu Nuan wiped her wet hair with a small, white towel for the last time before throwing it on the chair in the room and walking towards the bed. She didn't care about the man who was staring at her with his lustful gaze and slid into the blanket and covered herself with it.

She glanced at Han Zihao who was still standing next to the bed, waiting for her order like an obedient pup. Xu Nuan pursed her lips and controlled herself from laughing out loud to see him looking at her with such an expectant gaze and cleared her gaze, " Aren't you going to sleep?" She asked.

" Ah…I...I am. I am." Han Zihao nodded fervently and joined her in the bed to sleep. Did she forget about the punishment? He wondered since she didn't mention anything about it since she came out of the bathroom.

As soon as he joined her in the bed, she turned to him and said, " As you said earlier, you won't be able to touch me for the whole night. We will sleep together but you cannot touch me, not even a bit." She made it clear to him.

Han Zihao's eyes glimmered as he already had a Plan B ready to revoke that condition. He just needs her to go to sleep and after that, he will show her his magic.

Since she sleeps like a log, she won't be able to figure out what's happening to her at first. And after a while, she will be too restless to stop him, instead, she will soon be begging him to touch her more.

Anything can happen when they go to sleep. ANYTHING!!

" Now sleep. You have to go to work tomorrow." Xu Nuan said as she pushed him down on the bed to sleep.

Han Zihao nodded and obediently obliged as he slid into the blanket and lie down on the bed comfortably. While he was imagining what would happen while sleeping and how this punishment will turn into a pleasure for him tonight, he couldn't stop smiling.

" Why are you still awake? Lie down quickly." He urged her to go to sleep as early as possible. Only then he can execute his plan.

Xu Nuan who was sitting on the bed, with her back against him turned to him while holding something in her hands, causing his eyes to snap open, wide in shock. " You….What….what is this? This is not what we settled on earlier." He stammered in a panic to see the thing that she was holding in her hands.

Xu Nuan's lips curled up in a pleased smile as she looked at him innocently and blinked, " Is that so? Why can't I remember it then?" She repeated the same thing that he had said to her earlier.

Han Zihao: "..."

Table of Contents

Chapter 215 - Snakey Father!!

Chapter 216 - Sisters bond

Chapter 217 - Cheating? Xu Nuan?

Chapter 218 - I am still waiting!!

Chapter 219 - Communication is not forced but willing.

Chapter 220 - I will not let you get hurt again.

Chapter 221 - Humans can cuddle too!

Chapter 222 - New Face!!

Chapter 223 - Superstar in the class!!

Chapter 224 - Pretty Noona will buy something good to eat!!

Chapter 225 - Making a Breakfast - Deadly War.

Chapter 226 - Cactus!!

Chapter 227 - I know!!

Chapter 228 - Thank you for being alive.

Chapter 229 - Please give us your blessings.

Chapter 230 - She looked different!!

Chapter 231 - Let's break up

Chapter 232 - Why is he coming so close?

Chapter 233 - Picture!!

Chapter 234 - Shameless little creature!!

Chapter 235 - I like you, because it's you!!

Chapter 236 - Kissing...can't let it get boring!!

Chapter 237 - Boyfriend's responsibility.

Chapter 238 - Fine Bitch!!

Chapter 239 - Like or Love?

Chapter 240 - A Cheater!!

Chapter 241 - I deserve better!!

Chapter 242 - Ghost in the house!!

Chapter 243 - Handsome Ghost!!

Chapter 244 - Trouble is here!!

Chapter 245 - Trouble is here II

Chapter 246 - Trouble is Here III

Chapter 247 - Trouble is Here IV

Chapter 248 - Trouble is Here (V)

Chapter 249 - Trouble is Here VI

Chapter 250 - Trouble is Here VII

Chapter 251 - Trouble is Here. VIII

Chapter 252 - Compensation?

Chapter 253 - It cannot be better than this!!

Chapter 254 - I like this reward!

Chapter 255 - Brother-in-Law

Chapter 256 - Big Punishment!

Chapter 257 - She is my family!

Chapter 258 - I will protect my family.

Chapter 259 - Hottie Boyfriend!!

Chapter 260 - Strange connection.

Chapter 261 - A Condition.

Chapter 262 - Welcome Party I

Chapter 263 - Welcome Party II

Chapter 264 - Welcome Party III

Chapter 265 - Welcome Party (Conclude)

Chapter 266 - He is back...

Chapter 267 - Time is all they need right now.

Chapter 268 - What a coincidence!

Chapter 269 - Cats over dogs.

Chapter 270 - Mission In-Laws.

Chapter 271 - Great-grandchildren.

Chapter 272 - Sleeping...Together.

Chapter 273 - Best night ever**

Chapter 274 - A Problem...

Chapter 275 - Cyberattack

Chapter 276 - Cyberattack II

Chapter 277 - Morning surprise!!

Chapter 278 - Blind Date.

Chapter 279 - Damsel in distress!!

Chapter 280 - What a feast!!

Chapter 281 - Secret of Mushrooms.

Chapter 282 - Official Trip (I)

Chapter 283 - Official Trip (II)

Chapter 284 - Official Trip (III)**

Chapter 285 - Official Trip (IV)**

Chapter 286 - Official Trip (V)***

Chapter 287 - Poker Face Queen!!

Chapter 288 - Battle of Popularity!!

Chapter 289 - Holding hands.

Chapter 290 - A news!!

Chapter 291 - Weird-Perverted stuff.

Chapter 292 - Monster Company!!

Chapter 293 - Shameless creature!!

Chapter 294 - Leave early (I)

Chapter 295 - Leaving Early (II)

Chapter 296 - Hide and seek (I)

Chapter 297 - Hide and Seek (II)

Chapter 298 - Hide and seek (III)

Chapter 299 - It tastes better!!

Chapter 300 - Jade Awards (I)

Chapter 301 - The Jade Awards (II)

Chapter 302 - The Jade Awards (III)

Chapter 303 - The Jade Awards (IV)

Chapter 304 - The Jade Awards (V)

Chapter 305 - Disgusting Couple.

Chapter 306 - Fictional Love!!

Chapter 307 - Girl Crush.

Chapter 308 - You're leaving? (I)

Chapter 309 - You're Leaving? (II)

Chapter 310 - You're Leaving (III)

Chapter 311 - You're leaving (IV)

Chapter 312 - Be well!!

Chapter 313 - Jiang Yue?

Chapter 314 - Pretty Doctor!!

Chapter 315 - Ideal Father!

Chapter 316 - All the best!

Chapter 317 - Found a place.

Chapter 318 - Farewell party.

Chapter 319 - Tye Tye

Chapter 320 - Disgusting Couple.

Chapter 321 - Soft And Squishy Invader.

Chapter 322 - For Me!!

Chapter 323 - Repay His Kindness!!

Chapter 324 - Surprise (I)

Chapter 325 - Surprise II

Chapter 326 - Surprise III

Chapter 327 - Surprise IV

Chapter 328 - Surprise V

Chapter 329 - One Step-up.

Chapter 330 - Is Red A Loud Color?

Chapter 331 - A Girl Like Her?

Chapter 332 - Tacky And Naive.

Chapter 333 - The Girl I Love!!

Chapter 334 - Epitome Of Innocent Beauty!

Chapter 335 - Heartfelt Speech.

Chapter 336 - Be A Queen!!

Chapter 337 - A Misunderstanding!!

Chapter 338 - Why Are You Grabbing My Pants?

Chapter 339 - Dating Scandal (I)

Chapter 340 - Dating Scandal (II)

Chapter 341 - Dating Scandal III

Chapter 342 - Dating Scandal IV

Chapter 343 - Dating Scandal V

Chapter 344 - Dating Scandal VI

Chapter 345 - Dating Scandal VII

Chapter 346 - Dating Scandal (VIII)

Chapter 347 - Dating Scandal IX

Chapter 348 - Uninterested And Suave!

Chapter 349 - Dinner Party (I)

Chapter 350 - Dinner Party (II)

Chapter 351 - Dinner Party (III)

Chapter 352 - Presidential Suite

Chapter 353 - Sweet Punishment (I)

Chapter 354 - Sweet Punishment (II)

Chapter 355 - Office Visit (I)

Chapter 356 - Office Visit (II)

Chapter 357 - Office Visit (III)

Chapter 358 - The Good News!!

Chapter 359 - Guardians!!

Chapter 360 - Workout Session.

Chapter 361 - Workout Session II

Chapter 362 - Workout Session III**

Chapter 363 - Workout Session IV***

Chapter 364 - Workout Session V***

Chapter 365 - Workout Session VI***

Chapter 366 - Workout Session VII

Chapter 367 - Where She Belongs...

Chapter 368 - Meeting Someone.

Chapter 369 - Meeting Someone (I)

Chapter 370 - Meeting Someone II

Chapter 371 - Meeting Someone III

Chapter 372 - Meeting Someone III

Chapter 373 - Beautiful Luo Dan.

Chapter 374 - A Date (I)

Chapter 375 - A Date (II)

Chapter 376 - A Date (III)

Chapter 377 - A Date (IV)

Chapter 378 - A Date (V)

Chapter 379 - Are You Pregnant?

Chapter 380 - Just Friends!

Chapter 381 - Is It Love?

Chapter 382 - Sister-in-law

Chapter 383 - Breathing Creature.

Chapter 384 - Talk In Bed.

Chapter 385 - Disgusting Couple.

Chapter 386 - Cupid Reporter

Chapter 387 - First-Death Anniversary.

Chapter 388 - Secret Mission Is Not A Secret.

Chapter 389 - Just Two Of Us.

Chapter 390 - A Mere Crush

Chapter 391 - YOU!!

Chapter 392 - Glad It's You.

Chapter 393 - A Man?

Chapter 394 - Last Night?

Chapter 395 - Cute Demon.

Chapter 396 - Human-sushi Roll

Chapter 397 - Edgy Girlfriend.

Chapter 398 - THE PARCEL

Chapter 399 - I AM NOT FAT!!

Chapter 400 - His Favorite Punishment.

Chapter 401 - The Punishment (I)