The moment the words left his mouth, Yan Qingsi, who had been lying still, suddenly sat upright like a reanimated corpse. She was wildly clawing at her throat. She gasped desperately; her face was pale, and her eyes were full of terror.

  “Qingsi, what happened?”


  Yan Qingsi continued to gasp for a while. She touched her forehead. A coat of cold sweat stained her palm. “I’m still alive……” she muttered, “what a wonderful feeling!”


  Yan Qingsi had been dreaming, and in her dream, she was back in the water. It was icy cold and pitch black. That murderer practically melded into the darkness; formless, as though he was a shadow that took whatever shape that was necessary. She could not escape, she could not hide. In the end, something slipped around her neck and strangled her.

  She had thought that she was strong enough to take on any abuse and stress. She thought she would not have much trauma from that incident under the water.

  However, she never thought that the moment she closed her eyes and fell asleep, the scene she saw before her, would just be like a nightmare that she could never escape from. It held onto her quickly, and she was unable to wrench herself free no matter how hard she struggled and begged.

  Heartache hit Xia Anlan when Yan Qingsi said that. Man was ambitious; the greed of man was limitless. Man wanted everything—fame, money, fortune. Unless they experienced the despair and agony of near-death, they would not understand that it was a beautiful thing to simply just live.

  Someone who was able to say that must have walked a fine line between life and death.

  Xia Anlan extended a hand and gently touched Yan Qingsi’s back. “Don’t be afraid. You’re safe now. No one will harm you anymore.”


  Yan Qingsi did not raise her head. “I will f*cking find out who wanted to kill me,” she said viciously, hands around her neck. “I will……” Yan Qingsi was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly felt that there was something off about her environment. This mister before her…… He was not any regular person. She was so stunned that she swallowed the last half of her sentence.

  “I…… Ahem…… Was not awake. I’m talking nonsense.”


  Xia Anlan was tickled by her sentence. “Can you get up to eat?” he laughed.

  Yan Qingsi nodded. “I can…… Of course, I can……”


  She had been sleeping the entire afternoon away. Yan Qingsi’s body felt a lot better than it had been, in the morning. She was thoroughly uncomfortable sitting right before Xia Anlan.

  Yan Qingsi picked up her chopsticks. “Last time, I watched the TV occasionally when I was eating,” she said, “it had always been……you on the news, and me at the dining table. Now that…… Now that the real man himself is before me, I’m……not used to it.”


  “No worries,” Xia Anlan said, smiling. “You’ll get used to it as time goes on.”


  Surprise overtook Yan Qingsi. What……did he mean?

  As time goes on? Get used to it?

  Was he saying that she–she……would have to get used to……eating with the president? No way. He could not just shock her like that!

  The chopsticks in Yan Qingsi’s hand suddenly felt heavy. She could not lift them. She licked the corners of her lips. “Can I first……”


  Xia Anlan scooped a bowl of fish soup and placed it in front of Yan Qingsi. “Let’s eat first. I’ll tell you everything you want to know after you’re done eating.”


  Yan Qingsi nodded her head dumbly. She stared at the fish soup in front of her. She almost did not dare to drink it. If……this took place in ancient times, she would have to rise to her feet to receive it!

  Xia Anlan assumed that she did not like today’s meal when he saw Yan Qingsi remaining still. “You have to eat lightly for now. Just bear with it for a few days if this isn’t to your liking.”


  Yan Qingsi quickly shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’m not picky. It’s all good as long as I can fill my stomach.”


  She hurriedly took her chopsticks and buried her head into the bowl without looking at the person across her.

  Xia Anlan’s eyes went dark. While Yan Qingsi was eating, he did not move a single muscle. He kept his eyes pinned on her.

  He had known of her past, yet he had no idea how she had carried on. If……this was truly his sister’s daughter, then what was he doing……all these years, letting her suffer all on her own all?