His ringing phone sounded exceptionally loud in the hush of the deserted street.

  “Honey, I miss you…”


  Fu Tingyu answered his phone and heard Qin Feng’s anxious voice, “Ling Bao’s flight is at 11 pm tonight. She’s flying to the Bahamas. Our sources indicate she’s heading for Lucaya.”


  Upon receiving word from Qin Feng, Fu Tingyu hung up the phone and ran to his car. Putting the pedal to the metal, Fu Tingyu drove to the airport as if the very hounds of hell were hot on his heels.

  He glanced at the time. It was ten o’clock.

  He had fifty minutes before the plane took off.

  He prayed in his heart. Babe, please wait for me.

  Though he rarely drove, Fu Tingyu was an excellent driver, and he sped down the road, cutting corners with the ease of an F1 driver.

  Few cars were on the road so late at night. It made the journey to the airport much smoother.

  He drove at the fastest speed possible, so fast that it made people tremble in fear as he zoomed past them.

  Qin Feng learned from his contact at the airport that Qin Shu was taking the 11 o’clock flight to Lucaya, Bahamas. Thus, he called Fu Tingyu while he drove with one hand, speeding towards the airport, in the same manner, as his counterpart.

  The airport was shrouded in darkness. Occasionally, one could hear the deafening sound of a plane taking off.

  Fu Tingyu got out of the car and ran straight to the departure hall, leaving the car’s door ajar.

  The large clock hanging in the departure hall indicated that it was 11:00 pm.

  Fu Tingyu ran into the departure hall, panting heavily. The punch he had taken from Qin Feng had not done him any favours. What would have been a piece of cake had he been in top form was now an excruciating exercise, demanding every ounce of his already reduced strength.

  His obsidian eyes scanned the waiting hall as he gasped for breath. The sight he hoped to see did not figure into his line of vision.

  Only when the clock’s minute hand inched forward from 11:00 to 11:01 did he realize that he was too late.

  When Qin Feng arrived, he saw Fu Tingyu in the waiting hall listlessly looking around. Words did not need to be shared for him to know they were a step too late.

  Suddenly, Fu Tingyu ran towards the ticket window, his eyes carrying a manic gleam.

  He had to find her in the shortest time possible. He had to tell her the truth.

  The days spent without her by his side was torture beyond compare.

  Qin Feng understood Fu Tingyu’s intentions and immediately joined him at the ticketing counter.

  They each bought a ticket for the next flight, which happened to be at six the following day.

  The two of them sat on the cold, hard chairs, silent and unmoving.

  After a long while, Qin Feng turned to look at Fu Tingyu and asked, “What exactly did you lie to her about?”


  Man is an impatient creature, or so it is said. The long wait for their flight made the unlikely pair restless, itching for something to do.

  Calmly, Fu Tingyu replied, “When I met her, I realized that she didn’t remember me. So, I didn’t inform her of her identity. Neither did I mention the matters of Qi Mountain.”


  Qin Feng eyed Fu Tingyu dubiously, “Is that all?”


  Fu Tingyu was silent for a while, then nodded.

  “Ling Bao wouldn’t have hidden from you had you told her the truth from the very beginning. She would have wanted to know why she couldn’t remember her time learning martial arts on Qi Mountain,” Qin Feng muttered. He firmly believed Ling Bao was such a person.

  Fu Tingyu paused when he heard this. He had been so busy looking for her in recent days that he had not spent much time thinking over the matter in any depth.

  He merely guessed that she remembered something of their time together while on Qi Mountain, blaming him for concealing the truth from her. That was the only explanation he could think of for why she would run away from home.

  Could there be other reasons he had not thought of?

  “To be frank, I, too, would like to know why Ling Bao doesn’t remember what happened on Qi Mountain. Do you know?” Qin Feng could not hide his curiosity.

  “I don’t know. I’m still investigating the cause.”


  Fu Tingyu had been investigating the matter for some time now, but he had no leads.

  If Wen Xin weren’t dead, then learning the cause of Qin Shu’s memory loss would not pose a challenge at all.

  After Qin Shu lost her memories of her time spent on Qi Mountain, Wen Xin never mentioned it again. For that reason alone, Fu Tingyu had his money on Wen Xin.

  Unfortunately, Wen Xin was no longer around. Even if they had questions for her, they could not extract information from the deceased now, could they?

  Qin Feng mulled over the issue and said, “She told me she would come back. Ling Bao has always been one to keep her word. There’s no doubt she’ll return when she is ready. What’s the rush? Aren’t you chasing her in vain since she’s purposely avoiding you?”


  “What do you know?!”


  Qin Feng’s words shot down as soon as they were uttered.

  “If she doesn’t want to see you, it means she’s still angry with you. Even if you manage to catch her, I doubt she’d be willing to listen or give you the time of day. What’s the use of chasing her around the world when she isn’t ready to listen to your explanation?”


  “I’ll hold onto her and won’t let go – not until she listens to what I have to say!” Fu Tingyu vowed. He would not let go of her even if he died.

  Fu Tingyu feared she would abandon him more than anything else in the world. He could put up with her anger, her globetrotting avoidance of him, anything, anything except the thought of her leaving him. How could he not harbour such fear with so many people pursuing her?

  There was Han Xiao in front and Jun Li at the back. In the middle was the head of the Crimson Sand Organization. None of them was competitors he could easily brush aside. They were all outstanding individuals.

  Glancing at Qin Feng beside him, Fu Tingyu sensed another competitor for his affections for Qin Shu. His keen intuition warned him of Qin Feng’s possible feelings for his loved one.

  A pair of coal-lit eyes glared in Qin Feng’s direction. Qin Feng felt a chill run down his spine, drenching his back in a layer of cold sweat. Was that his heart pounding in his ears? What was that unspeakable look being trained his way? It was the look of a predator stalking its prey!

  Hurriedly, he tried to recall all he had said. He had not said anything he should not have, had he?

  Gulping with some difficulty, Qin Feng decided to change the topic.

  “What happened to you? Why-”


  Qin Feng was about to say that Fu Tingyu had grown weak but checked himself before the words could escape his lips.

  He knew how proud Fu Tingyu was. If he were to ask such a direct question, wouldn’t he incur Fu Tingyu’s wrath? Qin Feng decided to beat a hasty retreat, choosing a less volatile topic to pass the time.

  “I was poisoned.” Although Fu Tingyu sounded indifferent, his voice carried a definite edge.

  …


  …


  Lucaya, Bahamas.

  In another five-star hotel…


  Qin Shu woke up feeling refreshed. When she opened her eyes to take in her surroundings, she noted that it was already dark out.

  Her stomach rumbled, drawing her attention to her bodily needs.

  She got up and phoned room service.

  President Ba’s dinner was fish – his usual.

  After dinner, Qin Shu changed into a loose maternity dress. It was almost unbearable wearing men’s clothes with how large her belly had become.

  Lucaya was one of the most romantic suburbs of Freeport. Large fields of lavender blooms swayed in time with the breeze, wafting a sweet-smelling aroma that soothed the mind and body.

  Evan Palace was one of Lucaya’s prized attractions. It was a star-shaped square many a tourist flocked to every year.

  Qin Shu took a bus to the star-shaped square. At night, the star-shaped square would light up, shining as brightly as day.

  Most of the people who visited the square were couples.

  Couples of all ages wandered around the square with their arms locked together and their hands entwined.

  People of the Bahamas were more open than those of oriental tradition. Hugs and kisses on the cheek were forms of greeting rather than inappropriate displays of affection. It was a very different culture from the one Qin Shu was accustomed to.

  Qin Shu hugged President Ba against her chest, enjoying the romantic atmosphere permeating the air.

  The star-shaped square was enormous. Qin Shu walked for quite some time before arriving at the beach. Tired, she sat down on a bench, taking a short break.

  President Ba nestled beside her protectively. From time to time, his eyes would flicker, drinking in the sight of the unfamiliar land he and his mistress were in with suspicious vigilance.

  “Sit here and wait for me. I’ll be back soon.”


  “Okay, okay. Don’t worry about me! I’m already so old. I’ll be fine.”


  Qin Shu looked at the woman sitting next to her. She seemed to be in her thirties. Her skin was a smooth, creamy white, while her delicate features exuded a womanly maturity.

  The woman’s jet-black hair was pulled up into a bun. Securing her hair was a pearl-studded hairpin. It was simple but elegant.

  As a woman herself, Qin Shu was stunned by the lady’s mature beauty.

  The man sitting beside the woman was her match in every respect; he fit her perfectly, be it his temperament or appearance. It was as if they were made for each other.

  Words could not do the man justice. He was not just handsome; he was an adonis.

  He certainly looked no older than the woman seated beside him.

  Yet, why did he look so familiar?

  Qin Shu was sure she had not met this middle-aged couple before.

  “You are pregnant. You should be more careful.” After the man settled his wife, he reminded her gently before leaving.

  The moment the man left, the beautiful woman turned around and looked at her.

  Perhaps it was because she knew that the other party was Chinese and, therefore, a compatriot.

  When each caught the other’s eye, they smiled politely in greeting.

  The beautiful woman gave Qin Shu a warm, fuzzy feeling.

  Abruptly the woman asked, “Are you alone?”