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

The person in the bedroom was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly and gently. Warm light shone on the bedside, the light was just right, not glaring, and enough to keep her from being plunged into darkness if she suddenly woke up.

Just a door away.

Outside the bedroom, the ground was littered with cigarette butts, and several empty wine bottles lay askew.

The man sat against the wall with his long legs bent, smoking one cigarette after another.

Amidst the swirling smoke, he leaned against the wall, his bloodshot eyes appearing dim and indistinct in the haze.

For the first time, he felt ashamed to face Anning.

He had to admit that deep down he believed Anning had indeed left him willingly four years ago. He thought it was because he couldn't give her a better life, so she wanted to leave.

He also wondered if Anning hadn't found the life she dreamed of after leaving, which was why she regretted it during the four years they were apart. Only after they separated did she realize how good he was, and only after they separated did she belatedly realize that she couldn't live without him.

She still loves him.

So when she turned back and asked him if he still wanted her, he said yes.

His mind was filled with the thought that if she turned back, if she regretted it, if she admitted that she loved him, he would shamelessly start over with her again.

Only now did he realize how incredibly stupid he had been!

He's the one who should regret it!

He is the one who should be condemned!

The one who desperately repents and begs the other person to love him again is him!

But what did he do?!

From the moment she returned to Jinghai, he began pressuring her.

Force her to admit her mistakes, force her to regret them, force her to beg for forgiveness...

He took advantage of her strong sense of self-esteem and repeatedly provoked her with his words.

Knowing she was living in poverty, he humiliated her with money.

The more she wanted something, the less he would give it to her.

He was even foolish enough to suspect that she had married someone else and had a child with him!

The child he keeps referring to as a burden is clearly Lu Xiyan's biological son!

Not only did he fail to fulfill his responsibilities as a father, he also repeatedly drove her to the brink of despair.

But she forgave his actions without holding a grudge, and even mustered the courage to come to him again and again, saying, "I want to be good to you."

Only then did he realize that those five simple words actually required a tremendous amount of effort from her; it was like reopening old wounds and recklessly slamming them back into the knife.

His mind was filled with the events of the past few months. Every little thing he had done for her became a bayonet, piercing him again and again, leaving him bleeding profusely.

Lu Xiyan was filled with remorse, his heart aching, and large tears streamed down his face.

He cursed himself a thousand times in his heart: Lu Xiyan, you deserve to die!

......

Lu Xiyan sat outside the door all night, and the person in the bedroom still hadn't woken up by dawn.

He gave a few instructions to the servants and then drove away from the Yuhe Duke's Mansion.

At the Lu Family Manor, the sun had not yet risen, and the morning dew clung to the flowers and plants in the garden, creating a vibrant scene.

Lu Lixiao, dressed in a dignified and crisp gray Zhongshan suit, was doing his morning exercise in the garden.

Ji Xiu came over to inform him, "Chairman, the second young master has arrived."

Lu Lixiao was still angry, and gave a cold snort to indicate that he understood.

Ji Xiu then reminded him, "The second young master doesn't look well; something must have happened."

"He's even skipping the company. What else could he be here for besides that woman Anning? He's giving me attitude first thing this morning. He's really gotten too big for his britches!"

Lu Lixiao straightened his clothes, put on a stern face, and walked out of the garden.

As soon as I arrived at the lobby entrance, I saw a straight figure standing in the spacious and bright lobby. His back was turned, but his posture was upright and firm, and his back was straight as well.

Lu Lixiao looked displeased, feeling angry as he thought about the birthday meal that had gone cold a few days ago.

I waited for him all day, but he really didn't come back.

"Your birthday is over, and you're thinking about going home?" Lu Lixiao walked into the lobby with his hands behind his back.

Hearing the voice, the man in front of him turned around.

Lu Lixiao's gaze fell on the other person's face, and his brows immediately furrowed. "Lu Xiyan, it's only been a few days, and you've become so disheveled?"

He had a scraggly beard, bloodshot eyes, and reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke; his complexion was so bad it was unbearable to look at.

If it weren't for the inherent temperament cultivated by the Lu family, Lu Lixiao would hardly have recognized him.

but--

Lu Lixiao suddenly realized that this wasn't the first time he had seen Lu Xiyan like this.

The last time was when Anning left his side.

He was even more dejected than that.

They were no different from the beggars on the street.

Lu Lixiao's eyes sharpened, and he wondered to himself, "Could it be that An Ning has really obediently left Jinghai again?"

"grandfather."

Lu Xiyan's voice, hoarse from a night of smoking and drinking, was terribly hoarse. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Lu Lixiao glanced at him, then walked to a sandalwood chair with carved totems and sat down.

"If you settle down, I won't hold what happened during this period against you. I'll just consider it a vacation. You should handle the company matters as you need to. I'll pretend I never received your resignation letter, and Ou Teng will still be yours."

Lu Xiyan clenched his fists, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Lu Lixiao. "I'm not talking about work."

"Oh?" Lu Lixiao looked up and met his cold gaze, his brows furrowing slightly.

"What happened four years ago?" Lu Xiyan's eyes were piercing. "How long does Grandpa intend to keep this from me?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lixiao's sharp eyes narrowed.

"What happened four years ago?"

"You're my grandfather. Although you were strict with me from childhood, you never lied to me, and I've never doubted that you would lie to me," Lu Xiyan said bluntly. "Four years ago, it wasn't Anning who asked you for money, was it you who approached her? You forced her to divorce me, weren't you?"

"Heh!" Lu Xiyan smiled. "Let me think. What will you use to pressure her? Her parents? Her sick brother? Her job? Her life? Of course, and me, whom she cares about."

"You're using these people and things that are important to her to threaten her, to make her leave me, leave Jinghai, isn't that right?"

Lu Xiyan's words were quite blunt.

Lu Lixiao gripped the edge of the table tightly, his face grim.

He asked sternly, "Did she tell you?"

Lu Xiyan's eyes were frosty, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. "The ridiculous thing is, you've driven her to this point, and she's still afraid I'll resent you for this, so she's kept silent about it for the past four years!"

He sneered, "I never imagined you would go to such lengths to fabricate such a huge lie and keep it from me for four years just to get her to divorce me! If Anning hadn't come back, were you planning to keep this from me forever?"

"You want me to obediently follow your lead and be your good grandson, the successor of the Lu family, to marry according to your plan. Every step I take must be under your control. If someone comes along who is not under your control, you will try every means to threaten her and drive her away, is that right!"

As if he had struck a nerve with Lu Lixiao, he flew into a rage, "I'm doing all this for your own good! For the good of the Lu family!"

Lu Xiyan's clenched hands bulged with veins. "For my own good, you're forcing her to divorce me, forcing her to never return to Jinghai?"

"An Ning is no good woman!" Lu Lixiao roared, furious. "Why can't you see that?!"

Lu Xiyan retorted sharply, "Whether she's good or bad isn't for you to decide! What right do you have to judge her!"

Lu Lixiao was furious. He slammed his fist on the table, stood up, pointed at him, and roared, "Lu Xiyan! Look at the state you're in! Who gave you the audacity to talk to me like that!"

Lu Xiyan's eyes sharpened as he questioned, "What did An Ning do wrong! I provoked her first! I fell in love with her first! It wasn't that she insisted on being with me; I begged and pleaded with her! I made her want my money and me, shouldn't you be dealing with me?!"

"You're only targeting her because you can't do anything about me! You're so powerful, crushing her is as easy as crushing an ant. You can drive her to her death with just a few words! If this is what you call doing it for my own good, then I don't deserve to be your grandson, Lu Lixiao—"

"Snap—"

Lu Lixiao raised his hand and slapped Lu Xiyan across the face, "You bastard!"