“He’s afraid that the Xu family would be locked in constant strife like the Sheng family, and that he won’t be able to protect Fourth Sister.

  “And it makes sense that Jing Yun is afraid.”


  Mu Qiqi said, knowing well that she herself loved Sheng Xiao and would never leave him, which kept her from visiting the Sheng family alone. “But I think that taking a step back here might bear fruit to something.”


  “If I was in Jing Yun’s shoes and someone had really hurt him that way, I would find the culprit at all costs.”


  Sheng Xiao lowered his gaze to Qi’er and couldn’t help smiling. “Caring about your revenge is best.”


  Mu Qiqi couldn’t help shoving him away as he moved closer just then. “Don’t come too near. I smell.”


  However, not only did Sheng Xiao not move away, he was clutching her tightly in his arms instead. “Why are you avoiding me if I’m not avoiding you? A French perfumer would come tomorrow, and she’ll tailor a fragrance for the rotting stench on your skin.”


  “Would that work?” Mu Qiqi asked.

  “Definitely.”


  Mu Qiqi couldn’t help reaching out her hand and began to undo Sheng Xiao’s buttons right then. “To me, you’re are the best in the world.”


  “And?”


  “Would you like my body in payment, sir?” She asked coquettishly.

  Sheng Xiao said nothing more. He simply grabbed Mu Qiqi’s, flipped her and pressed her beneath himself.

  He was not going to restrain himself when she gift-wrapped himself for him.

  ***

  Late into the night.

  Sheng Minglan’s apartment.

  Jing Yun knew everything about himself, and yet did not mention a word to Sheng Minglan for no other reason that he had not thought about how he should handle things.

  He must find the culprit, but not contacting the Xu family would prevent him from knowing who the culprit actually was.

  “Jing Yun, you’ve been looking distracted the whole night. What happened?” Sheng Minglan asked just then.

  Jing Yun shook his head, putting his hands around her as they continued watching tv. “What would you do… if I’m no longer me?”


  “What do you mean?”


  Jing Yun did not reply, but merely lifted her chin and landed a kiss, and only let her go after a long time.

  By then, Sheng Minglan’s cheeks were blushing.

  “We’ve been a little out of control over the last few days…”


  “I won’t bother you if you want some rest for the night.” Jing Yun said.

  “I don’t mean that…”


  “Minglan… are you willing to be with me for the rest of our lives? No matter who I am, even if I have nothing?”


  Sheng Minglan knew for sure that Jing Yun was being weird at that, and turned to look at him. “Am I not doing that right now? The person I love is you, and the feelings you have for me over the years… not some worldly possession.”


  “I want to marry you.” Jing Yun picked Sheng Minglan up from the couch at that.

  After all, once a man had weathered through a period of fasting, how could he not display his affection with a lover in his arms?

  Blushing, Sheng Minglan could only wrap his arms tightly around Jing Yun and enjoy his most tender kisses and caress.

  It was this night when Jing Yun made an important decision.

  ***

  Grandpa Sheng was quite restless after getting no developments from Sheng Minglan on Mama Sheng’s end. He wanted Sheng Minglan to come home, but don’t know how he should show up in front of her.

  He managed to get someone to find her address, but didn’t personally visit her.

  At the same time, Sixth Brother was searching for Seventh Sister everywhere, even assuming that she couldn’t stand it anymore and went to Fourth Sister for help.

  Therefore, having tried everything else, he went to Sheng Minglan’s new company, intent on getting any information on Seventh Sister.

  But when he arrived and revealed who he was, Sheng Minglan’s secretary stopped him. “I’m sorry, but Chairwoman Sheng is not here.”


  The truth, however, was that Sheng Minglan was having lunch with Jing Yun nearby.

  Even in the short moment of lunch break, Jing Yun didn’t let go of the chance to meet Sheng Minglan.

  On the other hand, Sixth Brother was a little helpless when he was unable to meet her. But when he was about to leave from the main entrance, he saw Jing Yun and Sheng Minglan enter the building one after another, and when everyone else wasn’t looking, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek.

  Bewildered, unaware what was going on, Sixth Brother promptly hid in a corner.

  It was only after Jing Yun had left that he turned back, and returned to Sheng Minglan’s office.

  Her heart was beating furiously, having learnt from her secretary that Sixth Brother had come looking for her and then seeing him in person.

  Could he have seen what happened just now?

  “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you doing your job at Huang Yao?”


  “Fourth Sister, I want to know…. Have you seen Seventh Sister? Or did she reach out to you?”


  “No.” Sheng Minglan shook her head. “Why would she? You know how much she hates me.”


  “That so. I’ll leave you to your work, then, Fourth Sister.”


  Sheng Minglan had wanted to ask Sixth Brother whether he saw something he shouldn’t then, but asking when he didn’t mention it would be revealing what she wanted to hide.

  In truth, Sixth Brother had no ill will, but merely felt that Jing Yun didn’t deserve her.

  That was why he went straight to Huang Yao after leaving Sheng Minglan’s company. He then caught Jing Yun and dragged him to a balcony and interrogated him. “What is going on between you and my Fourth Sister?”


  Jing Yun did a double take, but soon regained composure.

  “Tell me, are you shooting for the moon now? Well let me tell you this: I won’t rat you out to Grandpa for now, but you have to leave my Fourth Sister right away. You know that you’re hurting by being her—the old man would kill her for this.”


  “Sixth Young Master, I hope you would keep your word and keep this from the chairman.”


  “I won’t say a word if you leave my sister, or I’ll have to leave this matter to Grandpa.”


  “It’s my own affair. I would handle it.”


  “And you also know very well what your status is. You may have been with Eighth Brother through thick and thin but you are still an orphan, a servant of the Sheng family and a dog.”


  Jing Yun’s eyes grew sharp at the last two words.

  Even so, Sixth Brother believed that he wasn’t wrong.

  “Anyway, you will leave Fourth Sister. I’ll give you one day to do that, or I’m telling Grandpa tomorrow.”


  Jing Yun watched as Sixth Brother left but said nothing.

  He should have been careful, and refrain from being too close to Sheng Minglan in public.

  Now that Sixth Brother knew—or indeed ran headlong into the truth, there would be a storm if Grandpa Sheng was made aware of the fact, and the entire Sheng family would end up in a complete mess.