The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope ignited in Tan Rongrong's eyes.

Without a second thought, he nodded vigorously, his tone incredibly firm: "I'm willing. I'll do anything, no matter what it takes."

"As long as you let Brother Yan go, I'll agree to anything!"

Fu Hua stepped forward, leaned close to Tan Rongrong's ear, and whispered a few words.

After hearing this, Tan Rongrong's eyes were initially filled with confusion, but then she realized what she meant.

Looking at Fu Hua with a bewildered expression, he asked softly, "Is this okay?"

Fu Hua nodded gently, her eyes resolute.

"Don't worry, just do as I say, and I will fully guarantee your safety. You won't be harmed in the slightest."

Tan Rongrong clenched her fists: "Okay, I promise you, I'm willing to do anything to save Brother Yan."

……

In the evening, in the courtyard of Shichahai,

Only a warm yellow table lamp was lit in the room, creating a quiet atmosphere, yet with an indescribable sense of gloom.

Li Yan sat on a bench, watching Tan Rongrong, who was tidying up her things with her head down.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke slowly.

"Rongrong, what exactly did Dr. Fu say to you in the lab today? What did she ask you to do? Tell me the truth."

He couldn't shake the feeling that Fu Hua would make her sister do dangerous things. It wasn't that he was afraid Fu Hua would make her sister do dangerous things.

The concern was that Tan Rongrong, being so young, might be deceived by those people again.

Tan Rongrong paused in her movements, without looking up.

"Brother Yan, I can't tell you."

Li Yan frowned, wanting to ask more questions.

Then Tan Rongrong continued softly, "Don't you trust Comrade Fu Hua's character? She's an upright person, she's sensible, she would never make me do anything bad, much less harm me."

After saying this, Tan Rongrong moved even faster.

He haphazardly stuffed his few pieces of clothing into his cloth bag, the zipper rattling loudly as it was pulled.

She knew perfectly well what was going on. If she hadn't been blinded by greed and swayed by outsiders to secretly steal data from the lab,

Li Yan will not be removed from the project team.

He lost the job he had worked so hard for over the years and ruined his promising future.

She was the root of all this trouble.

How could she possibly have the face to stay in this little courtyard?

Can she continue to comfortably rely on Brother Yan and let him take care of her?

When Li Yan saw the way she was packing her luggage,

My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately stood up, reaching out to hold her bag.

His tone was urgent: "What are you doing? Why are you packing your things?"

Tan Rongrong forcefully pulled the bag into her arms.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice was filled with suppressed guilt: "I'm leaving. I'm going back to my workplace. I'm not staying here anymore."

"Why are you leaving?"

Li Yan gripped the bag tightly, refusing to let go.

"It's all in the past, and Dr. Fu didn't pursue it any further, so you can stay here without worry."

"Reassured? How can I be at ease!"

Tan Rongrong suddenly raised her voice, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

Her voice choked with sobs, filled with self-blame, "Brother Yan, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I was bewitched, I listened to outsiders, conspired with them to deceive you and betray you, and even caused you to be kicked out of the project team, lose your job, and ruin your future."

"It's all my fault. I'm useless. I've dragged you down with me."

In my current state, how can I possibly have the face to stay by your side? To continue living in the same courtyard as you?

I have no face to face you, and even less face to face the others in the lab. I have to leave.

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, tears streaming down her face, her heart filled with regret.

Seeing his younger sister crying like this, Li Yan felt a pang of sadness and bitterness in his heart.

Her voice was filled with self-blame, and her tone softened.

Full of guilt: "It's my fault, I don't blame you. During the day in the lab, I was too harsh with my tone and got so angry with you. I didn't consider your feelings."

"It's because I didn't realize what you were thinking, and I didn't see that you were being used, that all this trouble has happened."

"I'm your brother, we're family. You made a mistake, how can I, as your brother, stand aside and completely absolve myself of responsibility? It's not entirely your fault, I also bear some responsibility."

"Rongrong, stop being so temperamental. Don't go, okay? Stay here, and we'll face whatever comes up together."

As Li Yan spoke, he reached into her bag to take out the clothes.

I put it back in the cabinet, hoping to completely dispel her idea of ​​leaving.

Tan Rongrong is determined to leave this time.

He reached out and grabbed his own bag.

He stubbornly refused to let go: "Leave me alone, I have to go. I can't stay here and be a burden to you any longer!"

The two of them pulled their luggage back and forth. The house in the courtyard was already cramped, with tables, chairs, and benches close together.

In her panic, Tan Rongrong didn't pay attention to her footing, and her calf was tripped by a bench leg. She instantly lost her balance and fell backward.

If that happens, your head will hit the ground, and something terrible will happen.

"Rongrong!"

Li Yan's expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he instinctively reached out and grabbed Tan Rongrong's waist tightly.

But the inertia was too great, and he couldn't stand up at all.

To prevent Tan Rongrong from getting hurt, he forcefully turned around, using his back to cushion the fall, and slammed heavily to the ground.

His back slammed onto the concrete floor with a dull thud.

"Brother Yan!"

Tan Rongrong was so frightened she almost lost her soul. She instantly forgot to cry, and forgot all about her luggage and her guilt.

He immediately struggled to his feet, squatted down to check on Li Yan,

His voice was trembling as he asked, "How are you? Did you hurt yourself? Where are you hurt?"

She reached out to touch his back, but was afraid of hurting him, so she cried even harder and her face was flustered.

Ignoring the pain in his back, Li Yan held Tan Rongrong's hand tightly.

He tightened his grip on her fingertips, his gaze intensely focused, staring into her eyes.

Her tone was gentle, almost pleading: "Rongrong, don't go, okay? Stay."

The warm yellow light fell on their faces, and Tan Rongrong stared into Li Yan's eyes.

Their eyes met, and she could clearly see the reluctance and worry in his eyes.

But a deep sense of loss welled up inside me.

She slowly lowered her eyes, her voice as soft as a sigh, carrying an unconcealed loneliness: "Even if I stay here with you now, I will eventually leave. We can't stay together like this forever."

"Won't."

Without a second thought, Li Yan immediately retorted, his tone exceptionally firm, "We are family, family for life, and we will never be separated, no matter what."

Family for life...

Tan Rongrong's heart sank suddenly, a bitter smile appeared on her lips, and her eyes became increasingly lost.

It turns out that from beginning to end, Brother Yan only ever treated her as his own sister.

I never had the slightest other thought.

His kindness towards her, his tolerance towards her, his reluctance to part with her...

It's all brotherly love for his sister, never romantic love between a man and a woman.

But what she wanted was never just family.

She wanted to be his lover, to spend her life as his wife, not as his sister.

Now he's so certain that he only sees her as a younger sister.

So what she had been hiding in her heart all this time, her reluctance and struggle just now...

She was even willing to risk anything for him, so what?

It was just wishful thinking on her part; she was just being too eager.

Tan Rongrong slowly withdrew her hand from Li Yan's grasp.

Her fingertips were slightly cold, and her face was expressionless, filled only with bitterness and embarrassment.