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

"Mother!"

"Miss An! Miss An, are you alright?"

Zhao Ligang brought Xiao Anxian back and heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom. She thought that Miss An had come home from get off work and was taking a shower.

Just as she was about to make dinner, she suddenly heard faint shouts coming from the bathroom. Xiao Anxian had run to knock on the bathroom door before she could.

The door wasn't open, but she was still worried, so she went over and knocked to ask.

"Miss An?"

"Mommy!" Xiao Anxian's eyes were red. "Mommy, come out!"

"Miss An!" Zhao Li exclaimed inwardly, just about to go find the keys.

"Click—"

The bathroom door was suddenly opened from the inside.

The woman changed into a set of pajamas, her clothes fogged up, and was wiping her dripping hair.

She looked at Zhao Li with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong, Sister Zhao? Did you just call me?"

"You scared me to death!" Zhao Li patted her chest. "I thought you had fallen in the bathroom."

"I was just taking a shower and didn't hear anything, sorry."

An Ning crouched down and noticed the tears welling up in Xiao Anxian's eyes. "Why are you crying, baby?"

"Mommy won't open the door..." Little Anxian cried, throwing herself into her arms. "Mommy won't come out..."

"I'm sorry, baby, the water was too loud and Mommy didn't hear it. It's Mommy's fault."

She held the person in her arms tightly, her eyes red and swollen.

Just as the sharp blade was about to slice through her wrist, she heard An Xian's voice.

Those cries of "Mom" struck her heart, pulling her back from the brink of collapse.

Holding the tiny person in her arms, she finally found some strength to keep going.

......

"It's so late, I hope I haven't bothered you?"

Warm light shone on the woman's beautiful face as she gently held her phone, her eyelashes fluttering.

"Of course not, what's wrong, Ningning?" a gentle voice came from the other end of the phone. "Your voice sounds a little off?"

Her voice sounded very nasal on the phone, which Xu Zhijun could immediately tell.

"It's nothing, just a minor cold."

An Ning turned her face away, sniffed, and said softly, "Dr. Xu, I've finished my medicine. Could you please prescribe some more and send it to me?"

"Finished eating?" The other person's voice sounded slightly surprised. "Ningning, is something wrong? I prescribed you a month's supply, did you increase the dosage yourself?"

An Ning gripped her phone tightly, glanced at An Xuan who was playing with toys in the living room, and said, "No... I accidentally spilled half of it."

"I see." The other person seemed worried and gently instructed, "Ningning, you can't arbitrarily increase or decrease the dosage of the medication I prescribed for you. If anything seems wrong, tell me immediately, and we'll continue with the psychotherapy."

"Understood, Dr. Xu." An Ning smiled gently. "Then thank you for your help this time."

"No trouble at all." The man on the other end of the phone spoke gently, "Ningning, tomorrow is your birthday, happy birthday in advance."

An Ning's fingertips trembled as she realized that tomorrow was her 28th birthday.

......

the next morning.

A custom-made black Maybach weaves through the flow of traffic toward a private helipad.

As usual, the only sound in the quiet carriage was the tapping of fingers on a keyboard.

As Jiang Yao drove, he glanced at the man behind him in the rearview mirror—an impeccable face, meticulously styled black hair, and a distinguished, high-class black bespoke suit, all while intently typing on a laptop screen.

The morning sunlight streamed through the car window at 8:30, reflecting a shimmering light onto the man's expensive diamond-encrusted brooch and lapel clip.

High-class, abstinent, and detached.

These words flashed through Jiang Yao's mind one by one.

And also—unhappy.

Jiang Yao quickly looked away, afraid that the man's cold gaze would be directed at him.

"Mr. Lu," he reminded softly, "we're almost at the tarmac."

Upon hearing this, the man paused, his fingertips pausing.

His brows furrowed slightly, and his cool gaze fell upon the date on the laptop screen.

He slammed his laptop shut. "Tell the people from Haowei that they don't need to come to Ou Teng these next couple of days."

"Mr. Lu, you want to tell Miss An that you're away on a business trip for the next couple of days, right?" Jiang Yao shrank back. "Don't worry, she won't be coming over these next few days."

The man's eyes sharpened. "What?"

"Miss An called me early this morning, saying she wasn't feeling well, apparently she had a cold and fever and had to take the day off."

After Jiang Yao finished speaking, he felt even colder in the car.

"She told you?" The man asked expressionlessly, his tone cold and sarcastic.

But the word "you" in particular emphasized the tone.

Jiang Yao quickly explained, "Miss An's exact words were that it was too early and she was afraid of disturbing your rest, so she asked me to tell you. I heard that she sounded weak and listless, so she must be quite ill. I don't know if she went to the hospital or not—"

Before he could finish speaking, a lighter clicked from the back seat, and the smell of cigarettes wafted over.

President Lu only smokes when he is upset. Jiang Yao glanced at the man in the back seat, who seemed to be taking a nap with his eyes closed, but was actually taking one puff of the cigarette between his fingers.

This clearly shows how bad his mood is right now.

......

At nine o'clock in the morning, the doorbell rang at Pangu Mansion.

An Ning, feeling dizzy, got up from the sofa and went to open the door.

Her blurry eyes cleared instantly when she saw the man standing outside the door.

"You..." She suddenly froze, "Why are you here?"

The man at the door was tall and slender, dressed in a simple and clean white T-shirt and black pants, with a handsome appearance and a warm smile.

The warm overhead light shone on him, so gentle it was dazzling.

"My patient came to me late at night to pick up her medicine. As her attending physician, I was worried about her and felt it was my responsibility and obligation to come and check on her."

Hsu Chih-Chun smiled gently, "I wonder if my arrival has made my patient feel any better."

The journey from Jining City to Jinghai is not short, and Anning suddenly realized, "You didn't leave last night, did you?"

The man smiled and nodded. "You guessed it. I arrived in Jinghai in the early hours of the morning, rested at the hotel for a bit, and then tidied myself up before coming to see you."

Xu Zhijun took out a large bouquet of flowers from behind him and handed it to her, "Happy birthday, Ningning."

......

Jiang Yao was ruthlessly abandoned on the huge private helipad.

The Maybach drove off, leaving Jiang Yao covered in exhaust fumes, and Jiang Yao looked like he was about to cry.

No one knows who offended President Lu, but he suddenly said "The trip is canceled" and kicked Jiang Yao out of the car, then drove away.

The black Maybach sped along the wide road, the man in the driver's seat with a cool and aloof expression, his well-defined fingers skillfully maneuvering the steering wheel.

The vehicle stopped at the side of the road when it passed the traffic light.

Outside the car window, people come and go, and traffic flows endlessly.

Inside the car, the man lit one cigarette between his fingers.

His cool and handsome face was faintly visible in the smoke.

Across the street is an old-fashioned cake shop with classic flavors, an excellent reputation, and a constant stream of customers.

Through the car window, the man's deep gaze was fixed on the shop entrance.

Suddenly, certain images popped into my mind again—

"west Yan, Xi Yan, it's my birthday tomorrow, I want to eat their cake! Their original flavor pudding cake is so delicious!"

"Is the original flavor pudding cake delicious?"

"Yeah! When I was little, my family was poor and couldn't afford a big cake. One year on my birthday, my mom bought me a small box of pudding cake, the original flavor. That was the best cake I'd ever eaten, and I still remember it vividly. So, Xiyan, from now on, please buy me an original flavor pudding cake for my birthday, okay?"

"Okay, I promise you, from now on, Ningning will have a cake every year on her birthday. You'll have everything that other people have."

The cigarette in his hand burned to the end, and the burning sensation jolted the man awake from his reverie.

He stubbed out his cigarette and looked at the bag of medicine on the passenger seat.

This is the last time, Lu Xiyan.

He told himself this was the last time he would care about her.

Just take pity on her.

From now on, whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with you.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, pushed open the door, and got out of the car.

The car door had just opened—

"dad!"

The childlike yet familiar voice startled Lu Xiyan. He looked up abruptly, and the figure getting out of the car froze on the spot.