At the Xia residence. Xia Minghui watched the reporter's coverage on TV, seeing Xia Yan appear in front of the camera. To him, Ye Yunchen was merely a tool to disrupt the relationship between Xia Yan and Lu Zhengting. Unexpectedly, with his tacit approval this time, although Ye Yunchen successfully snatched the project from under Lu Zhengting's nose, it inadvertently brought Xia Yan and Lu Zhengting closer together.
Lu Zhengting's warning to him still echoed in Xia Minghui's ears. His greatest fear was Lu Zhengting investigating him. During this time, he had been constantly having people look into where those involved were now, but so far, he hadn't gotten any useful information.
The computer screen was still playing the video of Lu Zhengting shielding Xia Yan, followed by the Lu Corporation press conference clearing Xia Yan's name and revealing that the person who leaked the company's secrets was an insider, though they didn't disclose who. Amid the fragmented remarks, some people still caught a hint of the truth, pointing fingers at Coco.
Xia Minghui watched for a long time, then slammed the laptop shut with a snap. With Lu Zhengting protecting Xia Yan like this, it was truly too difficult for him to make a move. He pondered for a moment, then picked up the phone. He had previously ordered people to tail Xia Yan, but knowing she was staying at Lu Zhengting's place, he had them stop to avoid alerting her.
"Have someone tail Xia Yan again and monitor her every move."
No sooner had Xia Minghui given the order than the sound of high heels clicking echoed from outside the door. He furrowed his brow as Xia Siyue, ignoring the secretary's阻拦, forcefully pushed open the office door and stormed up to Xia Minghui, furious. "Dad, didn't you say this time you'd ruin Xia Yan? And what happened? Instead, it brought her and Lu Zhengting together. I won't accept this."
"Is this how you talk to your father?"
"Dad, I won't accept it! We planned it so well, and it all fell apart. Do you know I even had someone specifically notify..." Xia Siyue spoke too quickly, and when she saw Xia Minghui's scrutinizing gaze, she quickly looked away and changed the subject. "This is all Ye Yunchen's fault. If he hadn't suddenly messed up my plan, how could Xia Yan have gotten away?"
"Enough. This matter has reached this point, so let's put it aside for now."
"You mean just let it go? Let Xia Yan off the hook?"
"Enough." Xia Minghui said coldly. "What do you think you're doing, making a scene in the office? Go back now."
Xia Siyue glared angrily at Xia Minghui. "You always take Xia Yan's side. Isn't it just because her mother is Xiao Lanzhi? Don't forget, I'm your real daughter!"
"Xia Siyue!"
"Yelling at me won't change anything. I'm telling the truth. If my mother hadn't died early, would you treat me like this?"
"Outrageous!" Xia Minghui suddenly stood up from his chair and raised his hand, slapping Xia Siyue across the face. "Lanzhi is your mother too."
"I only have one mother, and Xiao Lanzhi has never been my mother!" Xia Siyue covered her face, tears welling up in her eyes. After shouting this at Xia Minghui, she turned and rushed out of the office.
At the elevator, Xia Siyue saw Ye Yunchen standing inside. She took a deep breath, glared at him, and said coldly, "All that effort for nothing, and in the end, we just paved the way for someone else."
Ye Yunchen stared straight ahead with a blank expression, seemingly unfazed by Xia Siyue's words. His cold demeanor only fueled her anger further. "Ye Yunchen, I'm talking to you. Did you hear me?"
"Miss Xia, the elevator has arrived."
When the elevator doors opened, Ye Yunchen stepped out without even glancing at Xia Siyue. Ignored, Xia Siyue stomped her foot in frustration. Everyone ignored her, everyone revolved around Xia Yan. Were these people all out of their minds? She refused to believe Xia Yan could have such smooth sailing forever, with everyone protecting her.
Ye Yunchen took out his keys, unlocked the car, and got in. Just as he sat down, a call came in. He answered with a blank expression, and after hearing what the person on the other end said, he replied without hesitation, "If she doesn't want to eat, then let her starve."
The car sped down the road as Ye Yunchen accelerated toward a white European-style villa. He parked the car and casually entered the villa. As soon as he stepped into the living room, he saw a servant standing there, looking helpless. The floor was covered in food and broken dishes. He frowned and said calmly, "Clean this up first."
Then Ye Yunchen went upstairs. From the last bedroom at the end of the second-floor hallway came a woman's hysterical screams and faint sobbing. Ye Yunchen walked slowly to the door. The bedroom door was closed. He reached out, turned the handle, then suddenly turned back to his own room to grab a set of keys before returning to the door.
When he opened the door, a wave of cold air hit him. Ye Yunchen looked at Lin Xujia sitting by the windowsill. Her hair was disheveled, covering her entire face, making her look like a ghost from a horror movie. She wore thin clothes that fluttered in the wind. The curtains by the window were lifted by the breeze, and the entire room was filled with a chilling, gloomy atmosphere that made anyone who entered feel their scalp tingle.
Lin Xujia sat slumped, and when she heard the noise behind her, she shouted without turning around, "Get out! All of you, get out!"
"Lin Xujia."
Hearing his voice, Lin Xujia spun around abruptly and stared at the man standing upright at the door. His face was devoid of any smile, his eyes cold and piercing like the biting wind of winter, sharp as a knife stabbing into Lin Xujia's body. She couldn't help but shudder.
"Don't come near me. I don't want to see you. Get out, go far away."
Instead of leaving the bedroom, Ye Yunchen walked toward Lin Xujia. He said slowly, word by word, "You don't want to see me? Weren't you the one who used to clamor to see me every day?"
"No, you're a ghost! You're a demon. You killed my child. I don't want to see you."
"Lin Xujia, who gave you the courage to tell Xia Yan about this? Huh?" Ye Yunchen suddenly strode up to Lin Xujia, grabbed her wrist tightly, and with a forceful yank, pulled her off the windowsill and threw her to the ground. He squinted, looking down at her from above. "Do you know why I killed your child?"
"I don't want to know. Don't say it, don't! I don't want to hear the answer." Lin Xujia knew that whatever came out of Ye Yunchen's mouth would only be a sharp sword. She didn't want to hear it, so she covered her ears.
Ye Yunchen let out a cold laugh. "Because your child deserved to die! And how could your belly possibly carry my child?"
Lin Xujia covered her ears and shook her head violently, but Ye Yunchen's words still reached her ears, every single one. Suddenly, as if possessed, she lifted her head and glared hatefully at Ye Yunchen's calm, indifferent face. Seeing the smirk on his lips, she grabbed his hand without thinking and bit down on whatever she could.
With a sharp slap, Ye Yunchen flung her away like trash. He crouched down, looking at the disheveled Lin Xujia. "Don't even think about leaving anymore."
"No, no, I want to leave. I don't want to stay here. I don't!"
"That's not up to you. If you don't want to stay here, let me think... how about I send you to Yang Jinkuan? What do you think? If I remember correctly, Yang Jinkuan once had his eye on you."
"Ye Yunchen, you can't do this. You can't hand me over to Yang Jinkuan!" Lin Xujia lay on the ground, looking up at the man before her. The sinister smile on his face made her feel like she had fallen into an ice cellar. This was the man she had loved deeply for years, the one for whom she had given up everything. And this was what she got in return. The price she paid was far too cruel.
"Lin Xujia, do you think crying will move me?" Ye Yunchen said softly.
Hearing this, Lin Xujia grabbed his pant leg, lowered her eyes, and shook her head while crying. "No, I know nothing I do will move you or stir even a hint of pity in you."
"Good that you know." Ye Yunchen kicked her away, his voice dark and cold. Then, with a contemptuous glance at Lin Xujia, he left the bedroom.
Lin Xujia collapsed on the floor. Even with the heater on in the bedroom, she still felt an unbearable cold—a chill that rose from the depths of her heart. She cried until she could no longer make a sound. From the moment she fell in love with Ye Yunchen in college, she had always lived cautiously, whether in front of the Lin family or Xia Yan.
She touched her stomach. She wouldn't let her child die in vain.
******
A month had passed since the Lu Corporation leak incident. During that month, Xia Yan moved back to her apartment, and Xiao Han followed her. Jiang Mingxiu had been hospitalized for half a month, but in the end, Lu Zhengting discovered that she had been faking her illness. Ke Yaru's concussion hadn't left any lasting effects, but under Jiang Mingxiu's insistence, Ke Yaru moved into Dongshan Villa.
Half a month remained until the end of the year. Company affairs were gradually winding down. The Lu Corporation held an annual party every year, where employees were evaluated based on performance, and various awards were given out...
Secretary Zhou had been transferred by Lu Zhengting to the northern branch. Xia Yan was no longer an assistant but a secretary. She couldn't understand why Lu Zhengting had chosen this time to transfer Secretary Zhou, leaving her to juggle taking over Secretary Zhou's work while handling various tasks, so busy she didn't even have time to catch her breath.
Li Ru had officially started her maternity leave. Lu Zhengting was equally swamped. Xia Yan sat wearily in her chair, glanced at the neatly organized items on her desk, and couldn't help but yawn. She glanced at her phone. Since that day at the dessert shop when she saw Lin Xujia, she hadn't seen her again. She went to the Lin family to look for her, but Lin Xujia's mother didn't know where she was either.
She let out a soft sigh. Ye Yunchen had called a few times, but she hadn't answered. She had read the materials Lu Zhengting later found. She simply couldn't imagine how someone who had once seemed so gentle and refined in her eyes could become so calculating.