On the way back, Jiaren Wu kept her gaze outside the window.

  Upon returning home, Dongli Shenghua went into the study to work.

  Dongli Ao carried the book covers he had bought and ran over. He stood in front of Jiaren Wu and looked up at her. This child was actually very good-looking. Even though Dongli Shenghua was not a human, he looked like a human and his son was naturally good-looking.

  The little fellow softly asked Jiaren Wu, “Can you help me wrap my books?”


  Ever since she had taught him a lesson at the hotel, Dongli Ao had become much more polite.

  Jiaren Wu didn’t hate this little fellow.

  Just because his daddy wasn’t human didn’t mean that Dongli Ao wasn’t human either.

  Jiaren Wu’s heart softened, and she nodded.

  “That’s great!”


  Dongli Ao led her upstairs.

  This was the first time Jiaren Wu had gone upstairs in the Dongli family’s home. Dongli Ao’s room had a large bay window with a window open. From there, she could see Fang Yusheng’s house in the distance. Jiaren Wu stood by the bed and saw the man-made lake at Fang Yusheng’s house. A few swans were playing inside it.

  “They have a good family.” Dongli Ao stood beside Jiaren Wu.

  She lowered her head and looked at Dongli Ao. Only then did she see him standing on a small stool.

  That was true. If he didn’t stand on a stool, he wouldn’t be able to see the Fang family.

  Jiaren Wu asked him, “Is that so? Do you like it?” She thought that Dongli Ao was referring to the Fang family’s house and environment.

  “Yeah.”


  Dongli Ao vigorously nodded. He lowered his head and pinched the corner of his shirt with his right hand. Jiaren Wu heard him say, “Uncle Fang and Auntie Qiao are especially good. The two babies are very cute too. Their family is very happy.”


  Dongli Ao looked up at the Fang family and sighed softly. “Our family is not good. There’s only Daddy and no Mommy.

  “Not happy.”


  The child sounded especially lonely.

  Jiaren Wu stared at his soft hair for a while. In the end, she raised her right hand and rubbed the child’s head. “Don’t be afraid. Your daddy treats you very well too.”


  “It’s different.”


  Not wanting to see Dongli Ao continue to suffer, Jiaren Wu changed the topic. “Come on, let’s wrap your books.”


  “Okay.”


  Dongli Ao placed the books on the table and wrapped them with Jiaren Wu. He had bought two extra book covers. After thinking for a while, he pointed to the top of the bookcase and said to Jiaren Wu, “Take down the books called The Little Prince and Edward’s Wonderful Trip. Wrap them up for me.”


  “Okay.”


  Jiaren Wu didn’t need to get up. She reached for the two books.

  She picked up one of the books on the study table and realized that there was a photo between the two books.

  When Jiaren Wu saw the photo, her gaze froze.

  Dongli Ao also saw it, and instantly, as if someone had peeped at his most beloved treasure, he angrily snatched the photo and carefully hid it behind his back.

  Noticing his actions, Jiaren Wu curiously asked, “Is this… your mother?”


  Dong Li pursed his lips and reluctantly nodded.

  “Your mother, she…” Seeing the fog in Dongli Ao’s eyes, Jiaren Wu gradually fell silent.

  Even though she had only taken a glance, Jiaren Wu could tell that she looked quite similar to Dongli Ao’s deceased mother. They were practically sisters.

  “You……”


  Jiaren Wu thought back to the first time she met Dongli Ao. Dongli Ao’s reaction finally made sense.

  She stroked Dongli Ao’s head and gently said, “Young Master Dongli, no matter how similar we look, I’m not your mother.”


  “I know…” Dongli Ao took the photo out from behind him. His small hands caressed the photo. He said,” I don’t remember what my mother was like. Daddy said that before I was a year old, Mommy left. ”


  Dongli Ao sounded like he was about to cry.

  No child did not love their mother, not even Dongli Ao.

  “I only have her picture.” He stared at the beautiful woman in the picture and sobbed. “The only one.”


  Jiaren Wu looked at him, feeling extremely upset.

  “I see.”


  After wrapping up all the books, Dongli Ao didn’t want to go downstairs. He lay on the bed and said he was sleepy.

  Jiaren Wu knew that he was upset, so she got up and left the room.

  When she went downstairs, she realized that Dongli Shenghua had come out of the study room at some point and was sitting on the sofa in the living room, reading some documents. When he heard footsteps, he turned his head. His gaze quickly swept across Jiaren Wu’s face. When he looked away, he was puzzled.

  “What were you doing upstairs?”


  Jiaren Wu walked toward him. When she got close, she said, “Young Master Dongli wanted me to wrap books with him.”


  “Yeah.”


  Dongli Shenghua looked up at the clock hanging on the wall and suddenly said, “Stay for dinner before going back.”


  “No. If Mr. Dongli is all right, I—”


  “It’s only four o’clock now. It’s not time to knock off yet.” So, even if she had nothing to do, she had to stay here.

  Jiaren Wu had no objections.

  At six o’ clock, the helpers brought all the dishes to the table. They called Dongli Ao down from upstairs, and the helpers retreated to their rooms. Jiaren Wu was going to eat with them. She sat across from Dongli Ao, not too far from Dongli Shenghua, nor too close.

  Halfway through the meal, Dongli Shenghua suddenly said, “Let’s go shopping tonight.”


  Jiaren Wu asked, “You’re going out? Business?”


  “It’s a private matter.” Then, Dongli Shenghua added, “Shopping.”


  Jiaren Wu then said, “According to the contract, after 8 pm, work is considered overtime. The pay for working overtime is twice as much as usual. Shopping isn’t considered working overtime. The salary has to be triple the usual amount.”


  “No objections.” Dongli Shenghua was rather straightforward.

  But Jiaren Wu was still a little unhappy.

  She had planned to meet Wei Shuyi after work.

  After the meal, she decided to be Dongli Shenghua’s bodyguard.

  Dongli Shenghua was especially generous when he bought things. He bought things without asking for the price. Jiaren Wu watched him swipe his card and was already used to it. Her expression was indifferent. They shopped until half-past nine before Dongli Shenghua decided to go home.

  After getting into the car, he said to the chauffeur, “Send Ms. Wu back first.”


  Jiaren Wu subconsciously rejected him. “No, it’s better to send Mr. Dongli back first. Besides, my motorcycle is still at your house…”


  Ignoring Jiaren Wu’s refusal, Dongli Shenghua said to the chauffeur, “Elder Chen, drive. Send Miss Wu back first.”


  The driver agreed.

  Jiaren Wu looked at Dongli Shenghua with a complex expression and fell silent.

  The car arrived at the entrance of Jiaren Wu’s neighborhood.

  “Thank you.”


  Jiaren Wu thanked him and was about to leave when Dongli Shenghua called out to her. Then, he took out three shopping bags from the back row and handed them to Jiaren Wu. She took a look and vaguely remembered that they contained a wallet, necklace, and a pair of earrings.

  “What do you mean?” Her expression did not look good. She was already angry.

  Dongli Shenghua explained, “It’s a gift for you.”


  “Sorry, I shouldn’t be rewarded for anything.” With that, Jiaren Wu pushed open the car door and left.

  Dongli Shenghua was not surprised.

  After taking two steps, Jiaren Wu walked back to the car and knocked on the window of Dongli Shenghua.

  The car window rolled down upon hearing the sound, revealing a handsome face that looked cold. “Going back on your word?” Dongli Shenghua was slightly surprised.

  Jiaren Wu first shook her head, then said unhappily, “There’s something I want to clarify with you.”


  “What?”


  She said, “Mr. Dongli, a dead person is a dead person. Do you understand this logic?”


  The aura around Dongli Shenghua seemed to turn colder.

  All of a sudden, he stared at Jiaren Wu’s face. After a short silence, he said, “Xiao Ao told you everything?”


  “I accidentally saw that picture.”


  Dongli Shenghua fell silent.

  Just as Jiaren Wu thought that he had nothing to say and was about to turn around to go home, Dongli Shenghua finally said faintly, “Do you think I’m treating you as a substitute?”


  Jiaren Wu resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

  “Substitute? No, you know better than anyone that I’m not that lady. If you want to find someone similar to that lady, I advise you not to have this thought. I have a boyfriend. I’m really not interested in you.”


  This was the second time she had rejected him outright.

  Dongli Shenghua smiled thinly. The corners of his mouth lifted just a little before quickly flattening again. He said, “But I want what I’ve set my eyes on.” His child needed a mother, and he needed a wife. “I know you’re not Nabing, and I don’t see you as a substitute for Nabing, but I do have feelings for you.”


  Jiaren Wu frowned and asked in surprise, “Nabing?”


  Thinking that she was curious about Nabing, Dongli Shenghua patiently explained, “Xiao Ao’s mother is called Nabing.” When he mentioned that person, his cold face softened a little.

  “Nabing…” Jiaren Wu was deep in thought. She asked Dongli Shenghua, “If the Nabing you mentioned were still around, would she have been 37 years old this year?”


  Dongli Shenghua was stunned. “How did you know?”


  After asking this, he thought of a possibility and suddenly grabbed Jiaren Wu’s hand. His face enlarged in her eyes. The two of them were very close to each other, and this distance was a little dangerous.

  Dongli Shenghua stared at her familiar face and asked, “Do you know her?”


  “If this Nabing were 37 years old this year, and her surname is Wu, then I know her.”


  Dongli Shenghua said, “Wu?” He seemed to be deep in thought. After a while, he said, “She didn’t tell me her surname. I only know that her name is Nabing.” He always thought that Nabing was surnamed Na. Nabing didn’t tell him that her surname was Wu even when she died.

  Dongli Shenghua’s reaction didn’t seem fake.

  Jiaren Wu sighed and freed her wrist from his fingers. She rubbed her wrist and said softly, “My aunt was called Wu Nabing. She was my father’s biological sister. I look very similar to my father, so I look very similar to my aunt too.”


  “Why did your aunt cut ties with you?”


  Jiaren Wu said, “I can’t remember clearly either. I was still young at that time and only vaguely remembered that my aunt was… violated by her form teacher in school. Later on, the wife of that form teacher ran to school and scolded my aunt, saying that my aunt had seduced her husband. My grandfather felt that this matter was embarrassing and chased my aunt out.

  “After that, about three years after my aunt left, someone in her class revealed that the form teacher had violated the other female students in the class. At that time, my grandfather found out that he had wronged my aunt.” Back then, Jiaren Wu could no longer remember her aunt’s appearance.

  However, she knew that her aunt was very pretty because when her aunt was studying, boys always wrote love letters to her. “After that, Grandpa wanted to find my aunt, but there was no news of her…”


  Dongli Shenghua listened quietly, his heart aching.

  He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his forehead.

  After knowing that Nabing was her aunt, Jiaren Wu was in no hurry to leave.

  She got back into the car and recalled her childhood memories of her aunt.

  After an unknown period, a loud smack sounded beside him.

  She cocked her head to the side and saw Dongli Shenghua smoking.

  The way he pinched the cigarette was a little strange. His fair and well-defined middle finger and ring finger held a thin cigarette, and a red light could be seen faintly on the cigarette. He took a puff, and the red light intensified. The smoke came out of his nostrils, and the red light near his fingers became weaker.

  After taking a few more puffs, Dongli Shenghua finally spoke. Perhaps, he was talking to Jiaren Wu, or perhaps, he was simply reminiscing. “When I first met her, she was leading a group of thugs to beat up a group of human traffickers.”


  He thought of his first encounter and laughed. “I was the kid who was abducted. She was eighteen then. I was fourteen.”