After three years of misplaced affection, Mrs. Yu is no longer willing to pretend to be obedient.

Jane was absent-minded all day.

She had a job to do this afternoon, and she tried her best to focus on it, immersing herself in it and temporarily forgetting the terrible reality.

Even though it was a very simple shoot, Jane felt completely exhausted afterward and just wanted to go home and lie down.

She had just gotten home when Zhou Zean called her. Jian Ailing held the phone, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally answered.

"Feed?"

"Ailing, are you free now? I'll come find you." Zhou Ze'an's voice sounded normal. "I think there are some things we can only clarify face-to-face."

Jane Ailing held the phone, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, I'll wait for you at home. You know how I got here."

After hanging up the phone, she leaned back on the sofa, feeling somewhat helpless.

What's meant to happen will happen eventually; there are some things she'll have to face sooner or later, no matter how much she doesn't want to.

Even though Zhou Ze'an didn't make his point clear, his ambiguous attitude was enough for Jian Ailing to realize the problem.

If this matter had absolutely nothing to do with him, he would immediately distance himself from it. Even if he were to discuss it with her face-to-face, a normal person would certainly deny it first.

Zhou Ze'an is only coming to her now to find some reason to persuade her and hope to get her forgiveness.

But if he is involved in this matter, how could she possibly forgive him?

The doorbell rang, and Jian Ailing opened the door, looking at Zhou Ze'an standing outside.

He looked somewhat pale, and when he looked at her, he only managed a weak smile.

Jane opened the door and then turned and went into the house.

Would you like water or tea?

"Ordinary water is fine."

Jane Ailing went into the kitchen, poured him a glass of water, and then sat on the other side of the sofa, waiting for Zhou Zean to speak.

"Ailing, is it impossible for you to forgive me again?" Zhou Zean clasped his hands together awkwardly. It was the first time Jian Ailing had ever seen him so restrained and uneasy.

"So you admit... you not only knew my family was going to drug me, but you even found those drugs for them." Jian Ailing shook her head with a bitter smile. She never expected that the person she thought she could trust wholeheartedly would hide so deeply and would hurt her in this way.

It felt like a knife had been stabbed into her heart.

"That medicine... was found by my dad, not me."

"But you're one of the people in the know too, aren't you?" Jane Ailing stared intently into his eyes.

The pair of dark eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses made her feel for the first time that they were unfathomably terrifying.

Zhou Ze'an's eyes were unpredictable, and he pursed his lips, seemingly lost in thought.

"So afterwards I wanted you to arrange for me to leave, but it still failed. It wasn't because your dad found out about our plan, but because you never intended for me to leave in the first place, right?"

Zhou Ze'an remained silent, but Jian Ailing could sense his breathing becoming rapid. He lowered his head, picked up his cup, and took a sip of water.

"Actually, I used to be really grateful to you. I thought you were different from my family. I thought you wouldn't be willing to sacrifice me and betray me for your own benefit like they are... But what happened?" She turned her head, feeling her eyes sting. "Turns out you're even more despicable than them."

"At least they'll admit they're selfish and despicable people, at least they'll know they've wronged me."

"But what about you? You pretended that none of this had anything to do with you, staying by my side to comfort and console me, as if you were so considerate and understanding of me, making me foolishly believe that you were the best person for me... When I came to beg you to send me away, did you think I was a fool, an idiot who could be made a fool of?"

Jane's voice was hoarse as she picked up the glass of water in front of her and gulped it down.

"In your heart, I'm the kind of idiot who'd be sold out and still help the seller count the money, right?"

"No, Ai Ling, I didn't think that way." Zhou Ze'an shook his head. "I'm sorry, you were Chao Yuan's greatest hope to overcome the crisis back then... We had no other choice..."

"It's that same old excuse again." Jane Ailing raised her hand, signaling him to stop. "Enough! I'm sick of hearing that from my parents. You don't need to say it to me anymore. I don't want to hear it!"

"Zhou Ze'an, you were my boyfriend back then... How could you do such a thing?" Jian Ailing's voice was choked with sobs.

Zhou Ze'an's face paled visibly. "I want to be good to you. It's true, I'm not acting."

"Stop talking nonsense! If they really cared about me, they would tell me everything, instead of becoming their accomplice!"

Anger and resentment mingled within her. Jane stood up furiously, pointed to the door, and shouted, "Get out! I never want to see you again in my life!"

After saying that, she tried to walk out, but suddenly felt dizzy.

Jane staggered and lost her balance.

What happened?

"Ailing, are you alright?" Zhou Zean looked at her with concern.

"Don't come any closer!" She took a few steps back and leaned against the dining table.

This feeling... seems somewhat familiar.

When Jane Ailing finally understood what had happened, she felt a chill run down her spine and a wave of nausea washed over her.

"Zhou Ze'an, you...you drugged me with that kind of drug again?"

As Zhou Ze'an approached step by step, Jian Ailing trembled and backed away. She barely managed to hold onto the dining table; further back lay the glass door and the balcony.

Glass doors, balcony...

Jane Ailing hurriedly turned around and forcefully pulled open the sheer curtains, seeing that the living room of the apartment across the street was lit up.

Yu Yunting... Yu Yunting is on the other side!

"Ailing, do you think I wanted this? I should be the person in this world who least wants you to marry Yu Yunting." Zhou Zean slowly walked towards her, his usually calm black eyes filled with resentment and anger.

"I don't want to sacrifice you more than anyone else! I really like you."

He stepped forward, and she stepped back. With her last bit of strength, Jane Ailing pulled open the glass door and collapsed helplessly onto the balcony.

"Stop lying. If you really liked me, you would have taken me away. You wouldn't have just stood by and watched me get hurt like that, pretending to be an innocent and kind person to get close to me!"

"If you like me... why would you repeatedly drug me like this?" Her angry eyes were now mixed with fear. With nowhere to retreat, Jane could only curl up in the corner of the balcony.

"Yes, you're right, I regret it. I deeply regret not taking you with me back then, why did I have to watch you go to someone else? You were my girlfriend, you should have married me!" Zhou Ze'an pressed closer, his eyes burning with a terrifying intensity.

"All these years I've been abroad, even when I'm with other women, I still think of you. You're the only one I want to hold!"

After saying that, Zhou Zean squatted down and hugged the woman who was huddled in the corner.

"It's okay, just think of it as taking a nap. You won't remember anything when you wake up..."