She paused, lowering her head slightly, shifting her gaze to Jiang Mingxiu. "Auntie, my injuries have fully healed, so it really isn't appropriate for me to stay here any longer."
Jiang Mingxiu looked at Ke Yaru's forced smile and grew suspicious, directly asking Lu Zhengting, "What's going on here? Yaru was living here just fine—why are you making her leave?"
"No reason." Lu Zhengting replied expressionlessly.
Jiang Mingxiu was taken aback, then furious. "I won't allow it. Yaru must stay here to keep me company."
She insisted Ke Yaru remain in the villa, while Lu Zhengting was adamant about her leaving. As the subject of their discussion, Ke Yaru inwardly speculated: if last night's events were a test, then staying here now was indeed a poor decision.
Weighing the options, Ke Yaru decided to leave the villa first, believing she would return one day. With that thought, she smiled gently, her soft gaze resting on Lu Zhengting before glancing at Jiang Mingxiu's flushed face. "Auntie, this is actually my fault. I suddenly mentioned leaving to Zhengting last night."
"Yaru, don't worry. With me here, no one dares to kick you out of this villa," Jiang Mingxiu said, staring directly at Lu Zhengting.
Seeing this, Ke Yaru quickly explained, "Auntie, it really was my idea. I figured my injuries are almost healed, and I can't keep troubling you. Plus, with my relationship with Zhengting, if someone with ill intentions found out and spread rumors, it could cause trouble."
"What ill intentions? You're just worried about that woman overthinking things." Jiang Mingxiu glanced at her silent son, then turned back to Ke Yaru. "Honestly, you're too easy to push around. The meek get bullied, you know that, Yaru?"
"Auntie, I know you mean well, but I really don't want to see you and Zhengting at odds because of me."
"Oh, you. If my son were half as considerate as you, I'd be at ease. Since you've decided, I'll let you go, but you must come back often to visit me."
"Auntie, of course. I'll come back to see you whenever I have time."
Ke Yaru left in the end. As she walked away from the villa tied to Lu Zhengting, a sudden emptiness filled her heart. Returning to her own home, it felt hollow, devoid of any trace of life.
At Lu Group.
Lu Zhengting had been sitting in his office for a long time. During that period, someone came to report work, and something went wrong—apparently, Lu Zhengting flew into a rage, leaving the reporter trembling as they spoke.
By the end of the day, everyone in the company knew the boss was in a foul mood. Avoiding him was best, and not being called out by him was even better.
The office atmosphere was oppressive, everyone on edge, until Xia Yan's arrival. They hoped she might ease the tension, but instead, it only made things more awkward and stifling.
Xia Yan stood outside Lu Group, looking up at the towering skyscraper in the city's busiest district. The words at the top stung her eyes. She quickly lowered her head, blaming it on the harsh sunlight.
Everyone in the company knew Xia Yan—she was always a topic of conversation. Her sudden appearance after a long absence made the front desk staff think they were seeing things. They'd all assumed she was preparing to be a full-time housewife, given the recent buzz about Lu Zhengting planning a wedding.
Xia Yan clutched a file folder tightly, ignoring the stares around her as she walked confidently toward the elevator. Because of Lu Zhengting, she was the only one in the company allowed to use the executive elevator.
Inside the elevator, in that confined space, Xia Yan couldn't help but recall the morning call from HR.
"Ding..."
The elevator stopped directly at Lu Zhengting's floor. Xia Yan took a deep breath, steadying herself. Her heels clicked against the floor. Today, she wasn't dressed lightly. Early spring weather was cooler and warmer than any other season.
She wore a plain white T-shirt tucked into dark cropped jeans, with an orange-red loose long coat over it. Her waist-length hair was down. She hadn't slept well lately, so she'd put on light makeup to hide her fatigue and look more energetic.
Forcing herself to stay composed, she walked to Lu Zhengting's office, already anticipating what was to come.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
"Come in."
Xia Yan froze at the low voice from inside. Her slender, fair fingers gripped the door handle, unmoving. Fear crept in—she didn't dare face Lu Zhengting, afraid she'd break down crying at the sight of him.
"Come in," Lu Zhengting's voice rang out again.
Hearing that, Xia Yan gritted her teeth and turned the handle firmly. Pushing open the door, she saw Lu Zhengting standing with his hands behind his back, facing the floor-to-ceiling window. She could only see his silhouette.
For some reason, just looking at his back made her heart ache.
Suppressing her emotions, Xia Yan forced calm into her voice. "Mr. Lu, this is my resignation letter."
"Why?"
"I've thought it over. A big company like Lu Group is beyond my abilities."
"That reason doesn't hold."
Xia Yan looked at him. "Doesn't hold? Fine, then I just don't want to work here anymore. Does that reason work?"
"Xia Yan, I can give you paid leave. You don't need to resign."
"Lu Zhengting, you're not getting it. I'm resigning. And since when does a CEO need to handle an employee's resignation?"
"You're not my employee."
"No, we're only boss and subordinate," Xia Yan said firmly. She paused, glanced at the letter in her hand, stepped forward, and placed it on the desk. "The resignation letter is on the desk. Whether you read it or not doesn't matter to me."
"Xia Yan, have you thought this through?" Lu Zhengting still had his back to her, his voice low and ominous.
"Yes, I have. I can't figure out how to face you anymore." As she spoke, Xia Yan silently watched the man bathed in sunlight. The hazy glow seemed to envelop him, and his silence struck her as lonely.
Lonely—if not that, then what?
Xia Yan slowly closed her eyes. Seconds later, a single crystal tear slipped from the corner of her eye. She bit her lip, gazing reluctantly at his back, saying nothing. The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Silence was the best description for them now. Xia Yan had an urge to walk up behind him and hold him tight, but reason won over emotion. She forced herself not to take a step forward, instead turning to leave immediately.
Every second she stayed here, her heart ached more.
She gently closed the office door behind her, as if it separated two worlds. Leaning weakly against it, she clenched her fist to her mouth, biting down hard to stifle any sound. Tears streamed freely from her eyes.
Hot and salty, the images flooding her mind were all memories of Lu Zhengting. In that moment, all his flaws turned to virtues, becoming indelible marks etched into her heart.
Xia Yan entered the elevator, her eyes red and swollen. She didn't expect to run into someone she least wanted to see: Ke Yaru.
Ke Yaru looked at her state, shocked yet unsurprised. She was carrying a stack of documents, originally meant for Lu Zhengting's signature, but now she felt no rush.
The elevator doors closed, leaving just the two of them. Ke Yaru let out a faint laugh, raising a manicured finger to wave it in front of Xia Yan. "I heard you're resigning."
"Didn't you already know?" Xia Yan said impatiently.
"True. Out of all your decisions, I agree with this one. People need to know their place, or they'll overreach and chase things that aren't theirs."
"That's fair, so I'll return it to you. Ke Yaru, honestly, a woman like you—not only does Lu Zhengting dislike you, even I, as a woman, don't. What makes you think you have the right to say that to me?"
"Xia Yan, mouths aren't for nonsense. I suggest you know your limits and stop making a fool of yourself. What do you, an outsider, know about me and Zhengting?"
"Sorry, knowing my limits depends on the person. With you, I just can't."
"Xia Yan, you—" Ke Yaru snorted, glaring angrily at the composed Xia Yan. "Without Lu Zhengting's protection, what are you? In my eyes, you're just a clown, a boring toy of his."
"Too bad you're not even a toy," Xia Yan shot back.
"You! Xia Yan, don't get cocky with me. Let me tell you plainly—I did give Lu Zhengting a son. What about you?"
At those words, Xia Yan froze. Her mind seemed to stop working. Ke Yaru had only hinted before, but now she'd said it outright. The certainty hit harder than any insinuation.
Seeing her stunned expression, Ke Yaru pressed on with a cold smile. "Do you know why you lost your child? Because Zhengting didn't want Xiao Han to have a sibling. Did you know that?"
"Say that again," Xia Yan demanded, staring at Ke Yaru in disbelief.