Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

Xu Qingcheng's paperwork for going abroad has been completed.

She made a trip to the prison before leaving the country. Qingyao's injuries had healed, and at least for now, there were no visible aftereffects.

The doctor said that because I'm young, I'll recover quickly.

Xu Qingcheng told him about the prosperous era, glossing over it in a single sentence. Qingyao, however, took it in stride and comforted her, "Sister, every cloud has a silver lining. Isn't that your favorite saying? Forgot?"

Xu Qingcheng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed. She pressed her palm to her face to stop her moist eyes from crying. "You're right."

"Sister, there's no hurdle you can't overcome."

It was his turn to comfort her now. Xu Qingcheng laughed, but then tears streamed down her face. "You brat!"

"I'll be away for six months, Qingyao. I've asked Song Chang to take care of Mom and Dad. You need to take good care of yourself here."

Xu Qingyao didn't ask her why she went out, and Xu Qingcheng didn't say either.

On the day she left the country, Xu Qingcheng didn't let anyone see her off. She took a taxi by herself and had the driver take her to the Jingshan No. 1 Villa area.

The car was parked outside, and Xu Qingcheng went inside.

One of the villa's doors was open, and the flowers and plants in the yard were growing wildly as the weather got warmer.

There was an inexplicable sense of desolation and bleakness.

Zhong Wanxiu hired a gardener to prune the plants, clearing away large amounts of weeds and bringing order to the yard.

Fu Pinghui came out of the villa room, holding two plush dog dolls, about to throw them away, when Zhong Wanxiu stopped him, "What are you holding?"

"I see this is stained and dirty," Fu Pinghui said, handing the doll over.

Zhong Wanxiu took it, looked at it, and her eyes reddened. "Jingting is a scoundrel, but he's also heartbroken. If that child could live, he'd be a dog. Wash it and keep it, just as a memento."

Zhong Wanxiu asked someone to take it to be washed. Fu Pinghui took her hand and looked at the red marks she had made while pulling weeds. "Let them do it. Once things are settled here, I'll have them come and clean it regularly, inside and out. Just pretend he still lives here."

"Mmm." Zhong Wanxiu murmured "Mmm," and then couldn't help but start crying.

Fu Pinghui's eyes also reddened. He reached out and hugged Zhong Wanxiu, patting her back gently to comfort her, "It's alright."

The wind carried their voices, whispering in Xu Qingcheng's ears, causing her hair to flutter gently. Tears streamed down her face silently. Xu Qingcheng hung a string of wind chimes on the wrought iron fence outside the villa.

When the wind blows, it rings out with a crisp, clear sound.

It's like guiding people home.

Zhong Wanxiu came out when she heard the sound and saw the wind chimes hanging on the fence. A woman's figure flashed past at the corner ahead.

Fu Pinghui asked her, "Who put this here?"

"I don't know." Zhong Wanxiu closed the door, but still hung the wind chimes on it.

Xu Hui only received the news after Xu Qingcheng's plane took off, and she was so angry that her face turned red.

Song Chang: "Auntie, what's wrong? Did the test results come back bad?"

"No." Xu Hui held back the stinging in her nose. "The baby is fine, it's Qingcheng. She's showing signs of high blood pressure and edema, and we suspect preeclampsia. She always pretends everything's fine, which is dangerous. This child, why is she so stubborn?"

There is no cure; terminating the pregnancy will allow the symptoms to gradually disappear on their own.

But how could Xu Qingcheng possibly abort the child and give up on it?

Song Chang couldn't help but sigh. Who could persuade her? Her obsession stemmed from someone who was no longer there.

Who can truly understand the unspeakable suffering in her heart?!

May God be kind to us.

……

Twentieth month after Fu Jingting left.

News about Ancheng, big and small, appears in the media all the time; some things are forgotten, while others are brought up again.

After holding on for a year, Tang Kaiji decided to abandon Shengshi and filed for bankruptcy. After nearly a year, the assets were finally put up for auction.

When Xu Qingcheng came out of the airport, she was wearing a camel-colored knitted long dress, a matching coat, and her long hair was tied back with a silk scarf.

Time has added a touch of gentleness to her beauty, but it still cannot obscure her inherently stunning charm.

The sound of high heels clicking on the polished airport floor and the clatter of suitcases filling the air drew everyone's attention. Even though everyone was in a hurry, they couldn't help but steal another glance at the woman with her slender waist and long legs.

"Sis, over here."

Wearing a white T-shirt and a black jacket, black casual pants and sneakers, his short, spiky hair couldn't hide his refined features. His tall, muscular physique, honed through training, drew attention wherever he stood. His aura, somewhere between man and boy, was particularly striking.

A year ago, Xu Qingyao was acquitted because of a video evidence released by the police.

Monetary compensation was not necessary for them, but the certificate of innocence made Xu Qingcheng cry tears of joy.

"Why are you here? Song Chang said she came to pick me up."

"Sister Chang said it's urgent." Xu Qingyao took the suitcase from her hand, looked around, and said, "Just you."

"Otherwise what?"

Xu Qingcheng glanced at him and walked out first.

"I thought Brother Yin came back with you."

"He's busy. Xu Yuan has a check-up to do, and they'll be back in a while." Xu Qingcheng asked him, "Did you drive here? You just got your license and you're already driving?"

"No, I'll take a taxi."

Xu Qingcheng was so focused on talking to him that she didn't notice the suitcase next to her and bumped into it, almost falling over.

Her arm was grabbed and pulled back, and due to the inertia, she fell directly into Xu Qingyao's arms.

Xu Qingcheng, still shaken, patted her chest.

"Walking without looking where you're going? Where are your eyes?" Xu Qingyao scoffed, let go of her hand, went over to pick up the suitcase she had knocked over, and apologized to her.

He turned around and saw Xu Qingcheng staring at him in a daze.

Xu Qingyao waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Sis, are you stupid?"

Xu Qingcheng slapped his hand away, "You're the one who's stupid, let's go."

The two got into a taxi and left. Xu Qingcheng told him the purpose of her return: "The Shengshi auction has started, and we have a chance to take it back."

Xu Qingyao nodded. During his years in prison, he was out of touch with many things. It wasn't that he wasn't tempted, after all, it was his father's life's work.

Even if Shengshi were to acquire the property, Xu Qingyao would probably find it difficult to manage it for the time being.

Xu Qingcheng will inevitably have to put in a lot of effort.

"Your collaboration with Brother Yin is going really well, sis. I don't want you to work too hard." Xu Qingyao scratched her head. "Of course I want Shengshi. But even without Shengshi, I can start my own business in the future."

Xu Qingcheng knew that he still needed time to adapt and learn, and that he was still young, so there was always time. Everything was developing in a positive direction.

"No. Xie Yin has already moved some of the business back to China, and I can't keep running back and forth all the time." Xu Qingcheng patted his shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Just focus on doing your best in the present."

Xu Qingcheng entrusted her luggage to Xinghewan. The house that Fu Jingting left for her was right next to Jinliuwan and close to her parents.

After having dinner together that evening, Zhao Lan looked at Xu Qingcheng and hesitated before asking, "Qingcheng, you and Xie Yin, the two of you..."

"Mom," Xu Qingcheng interrupted Zhao Lan with a headache, "I've told you so many times, there's no possibility between us. Don't force it, or Xie Yin won't dare to come to our house anymore."

"I just wanted you to have someone to take care of you. Do you think you're still so young?" Zhao Lan glanced at her. "It would be so good to settle down sooner rather than later. Aunt Wang's nephew next door is quite well-off. I told him about your situation, and he doesn't mind that you've been married before. Now that you're back, go meet him when you have time."

"Mom, have some fish. This fish is very fresh." Xu Qingcheng picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and handed it to Zhao Lan's bowl. "Try it."

Zhao Lan glared at her. "You think I talk too much, huh?"

Although the Xu family's life is not as glorious as before, the fact that their children are still alive is already a great blessing.

Xu Shengchang speaks much better now than before. He has to repeat himself several times to make a sentence clear, but it is already very good that he can express his meaning. Moreover, he can walk a short distance with his cane.

Once life becomes comfortable, people start worrying about their children's important life events.

Xu Qingyao is still young, so there's no need to worry about him now.

Qingcheng is a real worry. First it was Ye Tinghong, then Fu Jingting. I thought they would treat her well, but they ended up cheating on me and getting divorced.

Zhao Lan really wanted to find a man with good conditions to take care of Qingcheng. That's what parents think, but now Zhao Lan doesn't think that way anymore. The better a man is, the more likely he is to be coveted by other women, and the marriage will be unstable.

It would be better to find someone who treats her well and live a stable and peaceful life.

Fu Jingting's death left Qingcheng depressed for a while. Xu Yuan's birth nearly killed her, and Zhao Lan felt heartbroken whenever she thought about it.

Zhao Lan knew that her daughter was hiding someone in her heart. She didn't say it, but her actions spoke volumes. In that situation, anyone would have chosen to abort the child, but she refused.

How much suffering they endured.

When Zhao Lan was giving birth, she wanted to go to Xu Qingcheng's place, but Xu Qingcheng wouldn't allow it.

Zhao Lan still let Song Chang take her there, and fortunately, everything turned out alright.

But no matter what, those who are alive must always look forward; no one can live in the shadow of the past forever.

Previously, Zhao Lan never dared to bring up the topic of blind dates in front of Xu Qingcheng, but seeing that Xu Qingcheng was in a much better mood, she couldn't help but mention it a few times.

"Don't rush to refuse. Meet and talk. If it really doesn't work out, then so be it. I've already agreed, so you can't just not even show your face. We're neighbors, and we won't be able to talk to each other in the future."

Xu Qingcheng had no choice but to agree.

……

Xu Qingcheng went to the court to learn about the auction of Shengshi Assets and completed the procedures for depositing the deposit.

"The assets of Shengshi are currently attracting a lot of bidders because the appraised value is very low. There are more than a dozen companies that have paid the deposit. Among them, there are several strong companies. FUC Investment Company is very interested. I heard that their person in charge had talked with the district leaders before and wanted to take over the business directly. However, because the other party was only interested in two or three parts of the business, the district decided to conduct an auction first."

After leaving the courthouse, Xu Qingcheng kept thinking about the information she had obtained.

She knew a few of the physical businesses that were from other provinces, and guessed they were after her low prices. If the prices were too high, they might give up.

Xu Qingcheng wasn't very familiar with the investment companies, and she would have to ask Xie Yin to look them up for her later.

In the evening, Xu Qingcheng went to Song Chang's birthday party. She went to the shopping street and found a gift shop to wrap the gifts Song Chang had brought back nicely.

It was a jewelry design she created herself. She made a sample and gave it to Song Chang.

It was quite late when I came out, and the neon lights along the roadside were already on.

Xu Qingcheng drove there, and when she looked back through the rearview mirror as she crossed the intersection, she wondered if it was just her imagination, but a silver-gray sports car seemed to have been following her all the way.

Xu Qingcheng slowed down to check, when the car behind her suddenly turned on its headlights, blinding her. The car then accelerated and sped past her. Startled, she swerved to avoid it but nearly collided with another car on the other side. Horns blared all around.

Xu Qingcheng quickly drove the car to the side of the road and turned on the hazard lights. She calmed herself down and looked up, but there was no sign of the car.

That's insane. Does he even know how to drive?

Xu Qingcheng, still shaken, became somewhat angry.

Song Chang booked a private room at a newly opened Yanyu Zui Club in Ancheng and invited her friends and close classmates.

When Xu Qingcheng arrived, she saw Song Chang wearing a long dress with a high slit, looking very feminine.

Seeing her approach, he hurried over, and his eyes widened when he saw Xu Qingcheng's shirt and trousers. "Why are you dressed like this? Didn't I tell you to dress up a bit?"

"What business is it of yours if I want to dress up? I can't steal the birthday girl's thunder." Xu Qingcheng didn't care and was about to walk inside when Song Chang grabbed her arm. "No, you can't go in like this."

Xu Qingcheng sighed and glared at her. "Here, take the gift. I'm not going in."

"What are you saying!" Song Chang pushed her. "Luckily, I brought another set with me. Go change."

Xu Qingcheng couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she simply went with her to change. Song Chang kept nagging, "I made plans with Shen Muqing tonight, do you remember Shen Muqing?"

Xu Qingcheng thought for a moment, "High school classmate?"

Song Chang snapped his fingers, looking like he'd guessed right. "He was in the science class, a typical STEM guy, a top student. He seemed really boring back then, but he's amazing now. He's won the provincial science and technology award twice and is a consultant for many high-tech companies. I only remembered that this Shen Muqing was the same Shen Muqing when I ran into him during an interview a while ago."

Seeing her beaming face, Xu Qingcheng glanced at her and said, "Are you ready to give up on Song Xingzhi?"

Song Chang almost choked on her spittle. She glared at Xu Qingcheng and said, "Good sister, the good stuff should be saved for you first."

"Are you crazy?!"

Xu Qingcheng scolded her, but Song Chang still pushed her into the room.

A black, subtly luxurious cocktail dress with a V-neck design in both the front and back, adorned with decorative embellishments that sparkle under the lights. It features black, voluminous tulle three-quarter sleeves and a skirt that is shorter in the front and longer in the back.

She is pretty, elegant, and sexy.

Xu Qingcheng glanced at her chest. It was too tight, and the V-neck of her dress was a bit of a futile attempt to cover up her cleavage with black gauze.

Instead, it draws everyone's attention.

Xu Qingcheng frowned. The outfit wasn't exactly revealing, but it was full of subtle tricks. "Song Chang, who are you trying to seduce tonight?"

"I don't need to seduce anyone; a whole bunch of handsome guys are chasing after me." Song Chang retorted dismissively, clicking his tongue as he stared at Xu Qingcheng's chest. "Did you get even bigger after having a baby? I don't look like that in these clothes."

Xu Qingcheng was unhappy. "I'd better change. Your clothes are the wrong size."

"Why change? It's perfect." Song Chang grabbed her arm and pulled her out. "I asked him, he's not married and doesn't have a girlfriend right now. You two can chat and see if there's any spark."

Xu Qingcheng stumbled from the pull, and slapped Song Chang's hand away impatiently, "You should get married first, you don't need to worry about me. If I really want to get married..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, staring at the figure disappearing around the corner, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Song Chang watched as Xu Qingcheng ran forward in her high heels.

Xu Qingcheng chased after him around the corner, looking over to see people coming and going.

No.

There was no familiar figure in that fleeting glance.

My heart was still pounding, the thumping sound mingling with my rapid breathing.

Xu Qingcheng was momentarily bewildered, a helpless smile appearing on her lips. Twenty months had passed; even the most cherished dream should end after six hundred days.

The marble floor of the club was so shiny it reflected her amused expression, and Xu Qingcheng pursed her lips.

Song Chang ran over, "Why are you running? Who did you see?"

"No, I must have misread it." Xu Qingcheng composed herself and pushed Song Chang away. "Let's go, little birthday girl, we can't keep the guests waiting for too long."

In the suite ahead, the man took a glass; the drink was mixed with ice, making it both spicy and cold.

He casually stirred the ice cubes in the dish with tweezers, his eyelids lowered. The light outlined the man's handsome, rugged face, but the scar between his brows cleaved away the last bit of warmth in him. Even though it didn't diminish his appearance, the gentle charm of a bamboo forest in the rain was gone, replaced by an overwhelming pressure from his imposing figure.

He put his phone on speakerphone for an online meeting. The person on the other end was giving a work report, and he spent most of the time listening.

Until someone mentioned the planned auction of Shengshi Assets.

He casually picked up the ice cubes and put them directly into the glass, saying, "Don't ask me, just follow your plan."

The woman beside him quickly moved the tweezers and ice from his hands and pushed over a small plate of finely cut fruit.

How did I develop this habit? Eating too much cold food is bad for you.

As the online meeting ended, the man leaned back, resting his head on the back of the leather sofa, and gently closed his eyes, appearing somewhat tired.

The woman leaned closer and pressed her slender fingers against his temples with practiced ease. She reported softly, "The villa in Nanshan Lanyuan has been renovated according to your specifications and you can move in in a few days. Will you be going back to Jingshan No. 1 or staying here during this time?"

"This is fine." The man brushed her hand away. "You should go home soon too. You haven't been back for so long, are you homesick?"

"It's alright. I've gotten used to it, so I don't think about it that much anymore." The woman smiled, forked some fruit and handed it to him. "But my dad was even happier to see you back than I was."

The man hummed in agreement, then took a card and placed it in her hand. "Go buy whatever you want."

"It's not good for me to squander like this." She smiled, her eyes full of coquettish charm. "Besides, what I want can't be bought."

"What can't you buy?" The man raised an eyebrow slightly.

The woman's fingers moved down his shoulder and touched his chest. "Can I buy anything in here?"

A dull ache lingers where my shirt covers.

As his blood drained from his body and death loomed, all he could think of was her beautiful, resolute face, so decisive, leaving them no room for anything more.

The man's gaze fell on Wen Fei. His dark eyes were devoid of light, filled only with blackness, like a black hole in a valley, as if a ferocious beast might suddenly leap out and bite off a person's neck at any moment.

"Wen Fei, this place has been empty for two years." The man grasped her fingers, then moved them away. "I won't mistreat you whatever you want, but don't ask for things you shouldn't."

Her fingers tightened, and it took Wen Fei a while to find her voice. Her expression returned to normal. "I was just kidding. You're my patient. Okay, you get some rest. I'm leaving now."