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

As darkness fell, colorful lights illuminated the restaurant.

The dappled sunlight fell on An Ning's beautiful face. Lu Qinghe took a sip of the wine in her glass, looked at An Ning, and smiled brightly.

"Qinghe is still the same as before, her smile is especially beautiful." Anning looked at the woman in front of her, her usually cold eyes softening.

"Haven't you noticed that you haven't changed at all?" Lu Qinghe's smiling eyes seemed to see right through her. "Lu Xiyan is the same; he hasn't changed either."

"A person's appearance and personality may change with different experiences, but as long as their true nature remains unchanged, they are still themselves." Lu Qinghe raised her red lips and asked with a smile, "Isn't that right, Anning?"

An Ning's eyes trembled slightly as she asked softly, "Sister Qinghe...does she hope that he and I can reconcile?"

As she finished speaking, she heard the other person laugh, but Lu Qinghe's bright smile seemed to have a hint of sadness in it.

"Do you know what the most regrettable thing in a relationship is?" Lu Qinghe's beautiful eyes dimmed. "It's loving someone you can't have."

"One type is knowing full well that the other person doesn't love them, yet still forcing it, even enduring countless grievances in hopes of gaining a sliver of pity in return for unrequited love. The other type is clearly in love but lacking the courage to throw themselves into it due to mutual cowardice, thus experiencing lifelong regret for unrequited love."

Lu Qinghe smiled gently, "My mother was the first type. My father never loved her until she passed away."

Upon hearing this, An Ning felt a sharp pang in her heart. She had never imagined that the usually bright and cheerful Lu Qinghe had such a background.

"Lu Xiyan is the person in the entire Lu family who treats me the best, besides my mother," Lu Qinghe said with a smile. "He's more like a real brother than a cousin."

"My mother has passed away, and I don't want my brother to be unhappy too." She looked up at Anning. "If you love him, please be brave. After all, he has already given his all. It's not too much for you to take the initiative."

An Ning's fingers, gripping the glass, suddenly turned white. Then Lu Xiyan's words echoed in her mind again—"To be honest, I'm quite disappointed in you, but I'm just foolish enough to still hope you love me!"

His body trembled violently, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly and torn apart.

"Sister Qinghe..." Anning began, her voice hoarse, "Is it true that Xiyan is getting engaged at the end of the month?"

Lu Qinghe frowned slightly, then relaxed after a while. "So you're bothered by this—"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a suddenly ringing phone.

Lu Qinghe glanced at her phone and immediately answered.

"What?" Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Does west Yan know? Okay, I'll go back and check."

Upon hearing Lu Xiyan's name, An Ning felt a pang of panic. Seeing Lu Qinghe preparing to get up, she hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen to Xiyan?"

"It's not him, it's his mother," Lu Qinghe said, raising her hand to indicate that she was paying the bill.

Judging from Lu Qinghe's anxious appearance, something very important must have happened.

Anning stood up and hurriedly asked, "What happened to Aunt Lu? Wasn't she on vacation abroad with Uncle Lu? Did something happen?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Qinghe suddenly realized that the Lu family had kept their secrets very well over the years. The outside world believed that Mr. Lu the Second and Mrs. Lu of the Lu Group had settled abroad. Presumably, An Ning did not know what had happened to Lu Xiyan or what had happened to his parents.

Since Lu Xiyan hadn't said anything, she naturally couldn't say anything more.

"My second aunt suddenly felt unwell, so I'm going back to check on her." Lu Qinghe smiled as she looked at Lu Xiyan's furrowed brows, which were furrowed with worry and tension. "There are some things I think you should ask Lu Xiyan in person."

An Ning was puzzled and did not understand the meaning behind her words.

"Order anything else you'd like, just put it on my tab. I'm leaving now."

"Oh, right," Lu Qinghe was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something and turned back to ask, "You just asked me about his engagement at the end of the month, right?"

An Ning suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with a hint of melancholy.

The mention of his engagement made her feel a pang of sadness.

"It's fake."

Lu Qinghe's three words, spoken with a smile, made An Ning's thin shoulders suddenly stiffen, and she looked at the other person in disbelief.

"His engagement to Cheng Wanwan is true, but their feelings are fake," Lu Qinghe shrugged and laughed. "I don't know the specifics, but it seems like there's some business reason for this charade. Simply put, it's just for show. Once the show's over, they'll find an excuse to break up."

My heart was pounding, as if it were about to jump out of my throat.

An Ning felt as if her chest cavity was about to be shattered, her heartbeat strong and vibrant.

"Does the Cheng family know?" An Ning asked. "Does Cheng Wanwan know?"

Although it wasn't obvious, Lu Qinghe still noticed the hope rising in her eyes. "The Cheng family doesn't know, but Cheng Wanwan does, and she was the one who suggested this idea."

"She knew perfectly well that Lu Xiyan didn't have feelings for her, yet she was still willing to play along with this charade," Lu Qinghe laughed. "She thought she could turn this fake relationship into a real one, but her hopes are likely to be dashed. A man like Lu Xiyan is always single-minded; once he's made up his mind about someone or something, he won't easily change it."

An Ning's head was buzzing, her mind filled with the phrase "it's fake".

The engagement was fake.

He doesn't have Cheng Wanwan in his heart.

is fake.

He's just putting on an act; he's not anyone's fiancé.

She will not become a homewrecker.

"Heh..." She suddenly chuckled softly, her eyes welled up with tears.

"peaceful."

Lu Qinghe called her.

An Ning looked up, and through her blurry vision, she heard Lu Qinghe say, "He has always had you in his heart, why not give each other another chance?"

......

There were about ten people standing outside the sanatorium of the Lu Family Manor.

The doctor and his team, dressed in white coats, stood respectfully at the door, reporting on what had just happened in the room.

"Master, Second Young Master, the Second Madam suddenly experienced arrhythmia, and her blood pressure and vital signs also dropped sharply, which is why the machine alarmed, indicating that the Madam's physical condition was fluctuating."

The man standing in front of him was tall with long legs and a straight back. His face had smooth and delicate features, and his deep eyes and expression were very profound, which made people feel a little scared.

He asked coldly, "How is it now?"

The lead doctor hurriedly said, "The Second Madam's condition has stabilized, so Master and Young Master can rest assured."

Lu Lixiao's expression was serious. "Why would someone suddenly have an irregular heartbeat?"

"Although the lady is currently unconscious and is becoming increasingly unable to perceive the outside world as time goes on, she is not completely unable to perceive anything," the doctor explained. "If some sounds touch on her sensitive areas, it may cause her emotions to fluctuate."

Lu Xiyan frowned and asked, "You mean, my mother can still hear sounds from the outside world?"

"There's only a very small chance," the doctor said. "The main reason is that the second wife's will to live was never strong to begin with, and her organs were gradually failing..."

The doctor didn't say anything more, but everyone understood what he was saying.

Lu Xiyan's face was extremely cold, and his hands, hanging at his sides, were clenched into fists.

"How much longer can my mother hold on?"

After a moment's thought, the doctor replied truthfully, "Eight months at most."