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

Outside the door, Lu Lixiao, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, stood tall and imposing. His elderly face was adorned with a gentle smile, but his eyes were incredibly clear and sharp, as if he had the ability to see right through a person.

"Miss An, it's been a long time."

An Ning's hand on the doorknob almost froze, and the color drained from her face instantly.

My heart felt like it was blocked, so heavy I could hardly breathe.

Seeing the smile on the other person's face, the scene from four years ago was like icy seawater pouring over her, chilling her to the bone.

......

four years ago.

"west Yan, west Yan, I have some good news to share with you."

The girl walked out of the company entrance cheerfully, eager to call her lover to share the news. Her voice was bright and cheerful as she said, "I landed a big translation job today! My boss said if I get it approved, I'll get a promotion and a raise!"

Wow! My baby is so amazing!

A clear, pleasant voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with a hint of indulgent laughter, "Won't it be long before I'm living off my wife at home, with my Ningning supporting me?"

The girl smiled sweetly, "Okay, then you can stay at home and be as beautiful as a flower, and I'll earn money to support the family."

Upon hearing this, An Ning heard a teasing laugh from the other end of the phone, and the man chuckled softly, with a hint of showing off his happiness.

Bai Yi's voice came through the phone, "Sister-in-law! Brother Yan is showering us single people with PDA every day, we can't take it anymore!"

"Go away!" Lu Xiyan chuckled, seemingly kicking the other person away.

Then he shouted into the phone, "Wife~"

He made no attempt to hide the various affectionate nicknames he used, his deep voice lazy and cloying, almost like a pleading child, "I want to eat your sweet and sour pork ribs, will you cook for me tonight?"

An Ning was easily swayed by his coquettishness and immediately softened, saying, "Okay."

The man immediately became happy, exclaiming, "My wife is so wonderful!"

After a long, lingering phone call, Anning was just about to scan a QR code on her electric scooter to go grocery shopping when suddenly a shiny black limousine pulled up beside her.

She subconsciously turned her head to look, and a man who looked to be in his forties or fifties got out of the car and walked towards her. He was wearing a smart suit and stood in front of her respectfully.

"Hello, Miss An, I am Ji Xiu, the butler of the chairman of the Lu Group. Mr. Lu asked me to invite you over."

An Ning had never seen the man before. She asked blankly, "Master Lu...?"

"Yes," the man said with a smile, "Young Master Xi Yan's grandfather."

Upon hearing this, An Ning gasped. She politely asked, "Should I inform west Yan?"

The man shook his head. "Mr. Lu wishes to see you alone."

An Ning followed him into the car with trepidation. It wasn't until the vehicle entered a huge Chinese-style garden that she suddenly realized this was west Yan's home.

They had been secretly married for two years, and An Ning had never visited the Lu family. In other words, the Lu family had never acknowledged her as their granddaughter-in-law.

west Yan had told her that he would find a suitable opportunity to bring her into the Lu family to meet his parents.

She didn't know why Master Lu suddenly wanted to see her.

Perhaps due to her sensitive and insecure nature, she had a vague premonition that things weren't going well.

Ji Xiu led her through a garden so vast that it seemed to stretch to the horizon, finally stopping in front of a huge Chinese-style courtyard.

Ji Xiu got out of the car and led her into the hospital. They walked through the lobby and to the door of a room on the second floor.

"Miss An, Mr. Lu is waiting for you in his study."

An Ning politely thanked them, knocked softly on the door, and after receiving a reply from the person inside, pushed the door open and entered.

The study was filled with the faint scent of ink and brushes, as well as the refreshing aroma of tea.

Every corner of the room reflects the Lu family's cultural heritage and wealth.

An Ning walked in cautiously, as if afraid of bumping into something valuable.

She stopped abruptly when she saw a figure standing with his hands behind his back in front of the tea table.

The man had a tall and straight back, and he did look very young from behind, but the gray hair at his temples revealed his age.

An Ning watched his retreating figure, pondered for a moment, and called out, "Grandpa Lu?"

"Miss An has arrived."

Lu Lixiao spoke politely, then turned around, revealing a handsome face etched with the marks of time, yet still bearing a hint of a smile.

He raised his hand, "Please sit down."

An Ning saw no warmth in his smile, only supreme majesty and a sense of oppression.

This is the aura emanating from the head of the Lu Group.

An Ning sat obediently opposite him and politely asked, "Grandpa Lu, is there something you need from me?"

Lu Lixiao glanced at her hands, which were fidgeting with nervousness, and went straight to the point, "Ms. An, you have a younger brother named An Yucan who suffers from a serious and complex congenital heart disease. He just underwent the second stage of surgery last month, right?"

An Ning's fingers suddenly trembled, and her breathing became unsteady as she faced Lu Lixiao's gentle question.

"Yes, yes."

"Don't be nervous, Miss An, I just want to chat with you." Lu Lixiao poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. "Do you know how this expensive surgery fee came about?"

An Ning's eyelashes trembled slightly. "It's... west Yan's prize money for participating in the race."

Lu Lixiao nodded. "Your brother's condition is quite special; he needs multiple surgeries. As far as I know, your An family has been dragging on for several years without saving enough money for the first stage of surgery. If I'm not mistaken, Xi Yan paid for the first surgery, right?"

An Ning's face turned completely pale. She lowered her eyes and admitted, "Yes."

west Yan told her that the money was his prize money from a previous competition and that she should use it first.

Yu Can's surgery was urgent, and An Ning couldn't raise enough money, so she took west Yan's money and said it was a loan to him, promising to pay him back later.

He later said that since they were both married and the other person belonged to her, why should they distinguish between them when it came to money?

But Anning kept thinking that once Yucan's surgery was over, she would definitely save up the money from Xiyan.

She thought Lu Lixiao would ask her for the money back, but instead he asked her, "Miss An, have you seen the Xiyan competition live?"

An Ning's heart skipped a beat, and she gripped the bag tightly in her hand.

shook his head.

She never saw the live performance because west Yan said there wasn't much to see, and she couldn't even see him when the car was moving, so he never let her see the live performance and only made her wait backstage.

"Snap—"

Suddenly, a huge beam of light poured out from behind An Ning.

She instinctively turned around, her breath catching in her throat.

Behind me, a huge screen was playing a tense and exciting video of a race.