After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

An Ning's eyes trembled, and her hands suddenly clenched tightly, her palms aching.

"If you're in it for the money, you can name your price." Liang Xu didn't bother beating around the bush and said bluntly, "Take the money, and just like four years ago, stay away from him."

"Miss An," he said with a helpless yet pleading tone, "Lu Xiyan has already almost lost his life for you. He can't afford to be played like this again."

An Ning clenched her fists, her eyes resolute. "I don't want money, and I never intended to hurt him..."

Liang Xu didn't believe it, and smiled sarcastically, "The damage has already been done, Miss An, why bother with this pretense now?"

"I know Mr. Liang won't believe me, but I'm here today because I have something I'd like to ask you." An Ning forced a smile and looked at Liang Xu. "I want to know, what exactly is going on with his engagement to Cheng Wanwan?"

Mentioning this, Liang Xu scoffed, "Engagement, of course, requires mutual affection; what else could it be?"

"President Liang, you don't need to lie to me." An Ning chuckled. "I've met Sister Qinghe. She told me that Xi Yan and Cheng Wanwan's engagement was just a show for others. I just don't understand, who was this show for?"

Liang Xu raised an eyebrow, listening to her continue, "If it's just because of the Lu family pressuring him to get married, he has many socialites from prominent families to choose from, not necessarily Cheng Wanwan. If it's the Cheng family who are eager to arrange a marriage, then he's even less likely to agree."

Anning said definitively, "Because he has never been someone who can be manipulated or controlled by others, and he would never allow anyone to interfere in his marriage."

"I thought about it all night before I figured out the connection," she said. "The Cheng Group is a leading pharmaceutical company, while the Auten Group is clearly a top-tier financial group, yet it suddenly shifted its focus to the medical sector. In the past year, it has also been developing projects that combine food therapy and medical treatment, and has invested in many projects that combine medicine and food."

"And as far as I know, besides Auten Group, another subsidiary of the Lu Group, Zhenghong Group, is also transforming into the medical field. Both are subsidiaries of the Lu Group, yet they are competing with each other in the same field."

She looked at Liang Xu and said definitively, "His engagement to Cheng Wanwan is related to this competition, isn't it?"

But as for what they were fighting over, and why they were fighting for it, An Ning had no idea.

Liang Xu's sharp gaze gradually softened, even revealing a hint of disbelief.

"You're quite smart."

No wonder he was able to fool Lu Xiyan for two years.

Upon hearing this, An Ning knew she had guessed correctly.

"Since you've already guessed pretty much everything, I don't mind telling you the truth."

Liang Xuyan succinctly told her, "Ou Teng and Zheng Hong have a betting agreement. Whoever wins the bid to enter the medical field will be able to take over from Grandpa Lu."

An Ning's eyes flickered, and she understood the reason for his engagement.

Cheng Wanwan likes him, and the Cheng Group can help him. This engagement is beneficial to both parties.

But... does Lu Xiyan like Cheng Wanwan?

Or, after the engagement, will he gradually fall in love with Cheng Wanwan?

Thinking of this, An Ning felt a sharp pain in her chest and her heart went numb.

"If that's the case, I can help him." An Ning pinched her fingertips and looked at Liang Xu. "There's no need to go through the engagement process."

Whether he likes Cheng Wanwan now or not, if they get engaged, they will be betrothed. Once this relationship is formed, many things will be irreversible.

Liang Xu found it amusing. "Help him? Do you think harming him isn't enough?"

"Then consider it my way of making it up to him." An Ning looked up at Liang Xu, her words firm. "President Liang, President Lu is unwilling to see me right now. I implore you to tell him that I really can help him."

Her tone was sincere, revealing no trace of scheming.

Liang Xu couldn't help but wonder if she really wanted to do something for Lu Xiyan.

"Since you've come on personal matters, I'd like to ask you a personal question as well." Liang Xu softened his tone and looked at her seriously. "An Ning, what exactly does Lu Xiyan mean to you?"

An Ning dared not look him in the eye, and lowered her gaze to ponder for a long time.

Just when Liang Xu thought she wouldn't answer, she looked up, her eyes resolute.

"Irreplaceable".

After speaking, she stood up, bowed politely, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Liang. Please also tell Mr. Lu to take a look at my project proposal. It contains the latest research data on the use of food and medicine to overcome intractable diseases. He will definitely find it useful."

After saying that, An Ning smiled slightly and prepared to leave.

"peaceful."

Liang Xu suddenly called out to her, stood up, and stared at her back.

"As his brother, I want to ask on his behalf," Liang Xu clenched his fist at his side, "When you dumped him four years ago, was it really just for the old man's money?"

An Ning suddenly froze, her back turned, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

Seeing that she remained silent, Liang Xu said harshly, "If that's the case, please stay away from him from now on—"

"no......"

An Ning's breathing trembled, and her voice was very soft.

Liang Xu was taken aback, interrupting his words, and asked in astonishment, "What is that?"

An Ning lowered her eyes slightly. Her departure back then wasn't for money, but for her life.

An Yu-chan's fate, the fate of the An family.

And, Lu Xiyan's future.

In any case, for them at that time, never seeing each other again after the divorce was the only choice she could make, and also the best choice for each other.

Anning took a deep breath and said softly, "He'll find out someday."

Liang Xu watched her retreating figure with a solemn expression. This heartless woman, who had betrayed his sincerity and was only after profit, should not act like this.

......

As dusk approached and darkness fell, a figure in pure white sat by the flowerbed at the entrance to the Imperial River Mansion.

A long, white dress hugged her long, slender legs, the hem reaching her ankles. Her two slender arms, exposed above the hem, were as white as snow. When she lowered her head, a few strands of hair casually tucked behind her ears fell down, outlining her exquisite face.

She sat there quietly, standing out against the darkening sky.

A short while later, a black Maybach slowly drove up from a distance.

Upon seeing the conspicuous license plate, An Ning immediately stood up at the park entrance.

The driver in the car recognized the person standing in front, glanced at the man in the back seat who was flipping through documents, and said, "Mr. Lu, that lady at the entrance of the park seems to be waiting for you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiyan raised his cold, indifferent eyes to look over.

Upon seeing that figure, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly; it was her again.