Chapter 108: Pitiful

He Chuan did not explicitly say he would meet her, nor did he agree to it. She had finished speaking on her own and, without even hanging up the phone, rushed to change her clothes and snuck out of the house.

She likely still assumed that He Chuan was the same as before—that he would never refuse any of her requests and would continue to indulge her for no reason.

It was so late that she couldn't openly ask the family driver to take her out, so she took Mr. Cheng's car keys and drove herself. The neighborhood was a villa district with few people, far from the city center. The wealthy residents here valued peace and quiet, fresh air, and no exhaust pollution—it was a place suitable for retirement.

Mr. Cheng had originally purchased this three-story villa for its tranquil and leisurely environment. However, this was not a good environment for Cheng Hui; every time she wanted to go out, she had to have a driver take her. Later, when she finally learned to drive and got her license, she thought she would be free to drive wherever she wanted, but the two elders of the Cheng family still forbade her from going out on her own.

She had held her license for a year and had never driven by herself.

Previously, before she and He Chuan had a falling out, if anything came up, one phone call would suffice. Either he would come to pick her up personally, or his assistant would, and she never had to worry about a thing. Now, it was a different story; she hadn't cherished what she had and had lived too carelessly, which led to her current miserable state.

In truth, thinking back, He Chuan’s attitude toward her had always been clear; it was she who hadn't understood, being slow to react. He Chuan had been obvious from start to finish and never hid his feelings; she had simply taken it for granted that his kindness toward her was normal. It was she who was too self-righteous, always assuming that the sacrifices of others were only natural.

***

He Chuan lay on the sofa, lost in thought, holding his phone. He hadn't explicitly agreed to see her. When she said she wanted to meet, he was indeed surprised, but that didn't mean he was willing to see her.

He simply sent a text message, not wanting to make a call, telling her: "I'm busy, it's not convenient to see you."

After sending the text, he suddenly felt as indecisive as a woman. Deep down, he wanted to see her, but he couldn't. He was no longer the old He Chuan, and Cheng Hui had explicitly stated that she hated him and never wanted to see him again.

He remembered those words; he kept them etched in his mind.

When Cheng Hui saw his text, she ignored it and called him again. But the phone rang for a long, long time without him answering, and in the end, he hung up on her.

It was as if Cheng Hui had been doused with a bucket of cold water. She parked the car on the side of the road and sent him a text: "I don't care, I've already come out. I'm coming to your place to find you."

She still had the courage to be thick-skinned and act like a rascal right now. Once this surge of courage faded, she might turn into a coward and a shrinking violet; forget about actively seeking him out, she probably wouldn't even contact him at all.

So, while she still had the courage, she wanted to see him and tell him everything on her mind, to clear things up.

After all, having known him for so many years, she truly regarded him as her own brother. It was just that transitioning from the relationship of a brother to that of a man and a woman indeed required time and courage.

Seeing Cheng Hui’s text, He Chuan curled his lips for no apparent reason, tossed the phone aside, and stood up to head to the bathroom.

Cheng Hui still remembered where He Chuan lived. She parked the car on the side of the road, not caring if she might get ticketed—she didn't know much about that anyway. She called He Chuan directly. He picked up, and before he could speak, she said, "I'm already downstairs at your place. Come down and open the door for me."

Afraid he would refuse, Cheng Hui added, "He Chuan, won't you come down?" This wasn't the first time she had played the weak card; she used it flexibly, and she knew He Chuan was a sucker for it—it had always been this way in the past.

"Cheng Hui, if you have something to say, just say it directly. You don't need to run all the way here."

He Chuan’s voice was very calm, but to Cheng Hui, it sounded indifferent—extremely indifferent. Her heart sank, and after a long moment, she said, "Can we talk in person?"

Back then, when he asked to talk in person, she had refused in every possible way, treating him like a monster. Seeing that she was young and ignorant, and knowing that he couldn't explain things clearly to her, he had used various excuses to deceive her. He hadn't thought too much about it at the time, believing that once he explained clearly and she adapted to the change in their relationship, she would accept him. After all, she had always been very dependent on him. He just hadn't expected her reaction to be so intense—she simply wouldn't accept it.

Cheng Hui realized that she had said many hurtful things in her excitement at the time, but she hadn't meant it; it wasn't intentional.

He Chuan said, "It's not convenient." He refused her directly.

After his repeated refusals, Cheng Hui lost her courage. In truth, she hadn't really thought about what she would say or do if she actually met him; she had just been acting on impulse, suddenly sneaking out of the house.

And He Chuan’s intention was also very clear: he did not want to see her.

Cheng Hui was disheartened. "I'm sorry... if you really don't want to see me, I won't bother you anymore."

He Chuan gave a cold "hmph" and hung up the phone decisively.

Listening to the busy tone, Cheng Hui’s spirits hit rock bottom. She rested her head on the steering wheel, feeling utterly frustrated. She kept opening her phone, wanting to call him again, but she didn't know what to say next. His meaning was clear—he didn't want to see her, just as she hadn't wanted to see him before.

Previously, at Cheng Jiu’s wedding, Cheng Jiu had told her that He Chuan had gone abroad. Her first reaction upon hearing that hadn't been happiness; instead, she felt very low, as if she had lost someone important. She felt adrift, with a stone pressing down on her heart, making it hard to breathe. She was anxious and uneasy. She really didn't know how to clear her thoughts.

She wanted to return to the life she had with He Chuan, carefree and happy, but that was impossible.

As she thought about it, her eyes grew moist, and she began to cry. She felt terrible. So many things had happened lately—first Tang Que, then He Chuan, and then the incident between Mr. Cheng and Tang Huaihuai. She felt she was being smothered by everything pressing down on her from all sides. She couldn't find anyone to confide in, and with everything bottled up inside, she was on the verge of a breakdown.

Up on the balcony, He Chuan silently watched the car on the side of the road below. He recognized the model—it was Mr. Cheng’s car; he was very familiar with it. But he only glanced at it, didn't linger, and returned inside to sit on the sofa and smoke.

The ashtray was full of cigarette butts and ash, overflowing, and the room was filled with the smell of smoke.

He sat for a while, frequently looking toward the balcony, wondering if Cheng Hui was still there or if she had left. He remembered that she hadn't had her driver's license for long and her parents didn't let her drive. Had she really snuck out to drive by herself?

He Chuan couldn't sit still any longer. In the end, he grabbed his keys and went out.

By the time he got downstairs, the roadside was empty. There was no sign of the car; Cheng Hui had long since left.

***

Mr. Cheng eventually discovered that Cheng Hui had snuck out in the middle of the night and had taken his car, so he called her and told her to come home.

Cheng Hui had no choice but to head back. Halfway there, she was momentarily distracted, didn't see the road conditions clearly, and mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. She crashed directly into a mast in the middle of the road. The front of the car was dented, and shocked by the impact, she was dazed. Afraid to get out of the car or move, she was anxious and panicked, and subconsciously called He Chuan.

But he wouldn't pick up. No matter what, he wouldn't pick up.

She rested her head on the steering wheel, heartbroken, and cried.

After crying for a few minutes, she thought about calling Cheng Jiu. She really didn't know what to do. It was her first time driving on the road, and this happened. Fortunately, she was safe. She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car, stood on the side of the road, wiped her tears, and called the police.

She spent the second half of the night at the traffic police station.

The officer asked her to provide contact information for her family. She stammered for a long time before subconsciously reporting He Chuan’s number. She was so scared she had lost her wits and didn't even realize whose number she was giving.

The officer asked her, "What is this person's relationship to you?"

"My brother..." she said.

"Alright then, stop crying. You’re fine. I’ll contact your brother first and have him come pick you up. It’s so late—how could they be so careless to let a girl like you run out alone?"

Cheng Hui looked very young. Seeing her, the officer assumed she was a minor and asked to check her identification. Fortunately, she was an adult; if she were a minor driving on the road, it would have been even more dangerous. Luckily, nothing major had happened; only the mast on the side of the road had been damaged.

Cheng Hui sat there with her head down, dejected, her tears all cried out.

She would never drive out again; she didn't dare to anymore.

The officer contacted the number she had provided and said to the person on the other end, "Your sister, Cheng Hui, do you know her?"

He Chuan was confused. "What’s wrong?"

"She was driving late at night and crashed. She's at our traffic police station now. Are you available to come and pick her up?"

He Chuan: "..."

"Hello? Can you hear me? Did you hear what I just said?"

He Chuan pinched the bridge of his nose and asked, "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, safe and sound. Come over first, and I'll explain the details."

"Understood, I'm on my way."

He Chuan didn't even have time to change his clothes before heading out. He hadn't expected Cheng Hui to crash the car. Fortunately, no disaster had occurred, but his heart had been on a roller coaster, rising and falling—he had almost had a heart attack from the fright.

When he arrived at the traffic police station, He Chuan parked the car at the entrance and walked inside with hurried steps. As soon as he entered, he saw Cheng Hui sitting on a chair, hugging her knees. She had her head down, looking as if she had done something wrong—docile and pitiful.

He pursed his lips, his expression obscure. It was certain, however, that he was not in a good mood.

An officer came to greet him and asked for his identity. He said he was there to pick her up.

Hearing his voice, Cheng Hui immediately looked up. Her almond-shaped eyes were instantly flooded with various emotions—grievance and unease being the most prominent. Upon seeing him, she immediately stood up, wanting to step forward but not daring to—she was hesitant and indecisive.

He Chuan didn't look at her again; he went inside to fill out paperwork and pay the fines. He was busy for over ten minutes before the formalities were completed and he led her out.

Cheng Hui kept her head down, not daring to speak. She could feel the hostility radiating from He Chuan, which meant he was not happy about this and didn't want to talk to her.

Her car couldn't be driven and was still at the police station; it wouldn't be sent to the repair shop until tomorrow. She hadn't figured out how to explain it to her family yet; she was only thinking about how to solve the immediate trouble.

He Chuan’s car was parked on the side of the road. He wasn't in a hurry to get in; once they arrived, he took out a cigarette to smoke. She stopped a few meters away, her gaze unfocused, not knowing where to look.

"You've got some nerve." He Chuan held his breath, exhaled a puff of smoke, and his voice sounded extremely cold.

***

Cheng Hui felt her scalp tingle and apologized in a low voice, "I'm sorry, for making you come out so late..." She had truly reported the wrong number—it was unconscious, which also showed that, subconsciously, the person she trusted most was still He Chuan.

This was something that couldn't be changed in the short term.

Fortunately, he hadn't changed his phone number; otherwise, even if she wanted to find him, she wouldn't have been able to.

He Chuan: "Is being sorry useful?"

"It's not... but I still have to say it..."

She really knew she was wrong. Being reprimanded by him like this, tears welled up in her eyes. She kept her head down, her vision gradually blurring with a mist of water. She held her breath, not daring to let the tears fall, though her voice was already choked with sobs.

"Cheng Hui, your apologies are truly cheap," he mocked her, even more mercilessly.

For so many years, He Chuan had never been fierce with her, nor had he ever spoken to her in such a nasty tone. She found it hard to accept for the moment, feeling even more aggrieved. Tears began to fall—*plop, plop*—onto the ground. It was too dark to see the splashes.

"I'm very busy. In the future, if something like this happens again, I hope you won't be the first person you look for." He Chuan didn't turn back. He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it to extinguish it. "I don't have time to play games with you."

She hung her head even lower, pressing her lips together tightly, not daring to make a sound.

He Chuan finally looked back at her and saw her shoulders slightly heaving; she seemed to be crying, shedding tears.

Just now, hearing the officer describe how her car had crashed into the mast on the side of the road, his own heart had pounded rapidly. He had been terrified that something might have happened to her.

His tone was harsh, but if he weren't strict and didn't make her remember the lesson, he feared she would just repeat the mistake next time.

That was why he was so critical and serious.

Cheng Hui didn't understand; she didn't think that much. She just kept her head down and cried. No matter where they were, no matter what time it was, she just cried.

Other women's tears could not shake the softest chord in He Chuan’s heart, but Cheng Hui was different. Cheng Hui was the one he loved but couldn't have, the one he sought but couldn't keep; perhaps she was his destiny. Once she cried, his heart softened, slowly melting away.

He looked at the top of her head and said, "What is there to cry about?"

Cheng Hui was still crying, not answering.

He Chuan simply walked up, grabbed her wrist, and forced her into the car.

He walked around to the driver's seat, closed the door, started the engine, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Cheng Hui saw the speed increasing and fear filled her face. She couldn't help but say, "Slow down, can you slow down? I'm scared..."

He Chuan ignored her, continuing to drive with his handsome face cold, as if he couldn't hear her.

Cheng Hui didn't dare say anything more. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, but they only kept coming. Not daring to speak, she closed her eyes and gripped the seatbelt, not daring to look at anything.

It didn't know how long it had been, but He Chuan finally brought the car to a stop. With a cold face, he said, "Get out."

Cheng Hui’s face had gone pale, and she felt a bit nauseous because he had been driving too fast. Since there was no one on the road at night, he had driven recklessly and crazily. She was half-scared and half-sick from the high speed.

Even though she felt unwell, she obediently listened to him, opened the door, and got out.

Who knew her legs would be weak? She fell to the ground, her knee hitting the wet pavement. She frowned in pain, quickly scrambled up, and brushed the small stones off her palms.

He Chuan walked around from the driver's side, grabbed her wrist roughly and forcefully, brought her to the hood of the car, and pinned her against it. He braced his hands on either side of her body and looked down at her.

The two were so close that Cheng Hui seemed to smell the tobacco on him—rich and not unpleasant. Moreover, the posture was even somewhat intimate. She wasn't used to it, and her ears began to burn.

The car's engine hood was still hot, and her back was scorched by it. She frowned but didn't say anything.

He Chuan stared at her for a long time and said, word for word, "Didn't you say you wanted to see me? I'm right in front of you. Speak. Say what you want to say."

His attitude tonight was truly terrible. Cheng Hui couldn't handle it for a moment, her mind went blank, and she didn't know what to say. She could only look into his eyes with tear-filled eyes.

He Chuan: "Playing dumb now? Huh? To see me, you played with your own life? Crashing the car? You're quite impressive."

Cheng Hui argued in a low voice, "I didn't mean to..." It was truly an accident.

He Chuan didn't believe her. "Didn't mean to what? Huh?"

"I wasn't playing around. I really was just distracted and then... my skills weren't proficient, so I hit the mast. I didn't do it on purpose." She finished speaking tremblingly, sniffled, and then explained, "I'm sorry, He Chuan, I apologize to you..."

He Chuan still smiled, but the smile was terrifying, especially to Cheng Hui, whose heart was tossing and turning, floating in uncertainty.

"Didn't I come out fine?" Her voice had a heavy nasal tone because she had been crying.

He Chuan stared at her for a long time and said again, "So? Didn't you want to see me? You see me now. Speak."

"I... I just wanted to apologize to you..." Cheng Hui was sincere. "I just wanted to apologize to you..."

"Now that the apology is over, anything else?"

"..." She hesitated and bit her lip, avoiding his gaze, not daring to speak, not knowing where to start. Her mind was too chaotic; she had even thrown Mr. Cheng’s words to the back of her mind. Finally, she bit her lip and said, every word exceptionally clear, "Don't be angry with me. I won't make you angry again in the future. He Chuan, forgive me once, okay?"

She just wanted to coax him into a better mood; she didn't want to see him frowning and looking unhappy.

The starting point was good, but He Chuan didn't buy it. His face grew darker and darker, and the look in his eyes became colder and colder, as if layers of frost had gathered. He said, "What is this supposed to mean? Slap me once and then give me a piece of candy? Cheng Hui, am I that easy to play with in your eyes?"

Cheng Hui shook her head anxiously. "That's not what I meant, He Chuan, that's not what I meant. I just wanted to explain things clearly to you. It's me..."

"Enough, shut up. I don't want to hear it." He Chuan let go and stood up straight.

She was still lying on the hood of the car. Feeling empty, she steadied herself and stood up, though she was a bit unsteady. With a heavy, tearful tone, she called out to him: "He Chuan..."

"Anything else?"

Cheng Hui was also conflicted. She reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve, intending to beg and appease him. It was pitch black all around, and she didn't dare look away, so she could only look at him. She moved a few steps closer to him, softened her voice, and said, "He Chuan... I was wrong... really wrong... I was afraid before, I had no confidence, you pushed me so hard, I was truly scared..."

She was truly reaping what she had sown. In the past, she had hated him in every way possible. Now, she was the one begging him.

Thinking back, it was also because she had always treated him as a brother; she truly hadn't thought he would like her.

He Chuan didn't look at her and said, "Don't mention the past. I also promised Cheng Jiu that I wouldn't see you. Tonight was an accident. Later, I will explain it clearly to Cheng Jiu."

"No, it was me who wanted to come find you. It was me who wanted to see you."

He Chuan smiled again. "So after saying so much, what do you mean?"

The lighting was too dim; Cheng Hui couldn't see his expression clearly. She could only judge by his voice that he must still be very angry and unhappy. She just wanted him to vent his anger and stop being mad. Besides, after hearing about the things happening in his family, her heart ached—it ached terribly.

She bit her lip, and after a struggle of thought, she summoned her courage and suddenly hugged his waist. Her two hands intertwined and gripped tightly in front of him. She pressed her face against his back and said, "I'm sorry."

The moment she hugged him, his body stiffened. He didn't refuse, but he didn't respond either. He just stood there, stunned, seemingly enduring something. "What do you mean?"

She didn't speak, just held him tightly.

He Chuan: "Did you hear something?"

Cheng Hui paused and nodded.

He Chuan smiled. "Heard about the mess in my family?"

"..." She didn't speak.

It seemed she was defaulting to it.

The self-deprecating smile on He Chuan’s face grew wider. "So, you pity me?"

Cheng Hui wanted to explain, but her hand was gripped and pulled away by him. Before she could react, she was pressed against the hood of the car again, and her lips were immediately blocked. She widened her eyes, feeling panicked, but she soon sank into it, not resisting. She yielded to him.

His strength was great. When they kissed, her hands were squeezed red by him. She whimpered in discomfort and said in a very low voice, "You’re holding me too hard, it hurts my wrists."

He Chuan’s eyes were hazy. He looked at her for a long time. By the moonlight, he saw her lips stained with a layer of pink, and he instantly felt all his blood rushing downward. She was still looking at him with an innocent expression. He Chuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the restlessness in his heart, pulled her up, patted her shoulder, and said nothing.

Cheng Hui was also confused and at a loss.

Finally, He Chuan regained his normal expression and said blandly, "I'll take you back."

Cheng Hui: "..."

***

Regarding the previous topic, neither of them mentioned it again, having reached a silent understanding.

He Chuan was taking her back to the Cheng residence. She knew the road, and seeing that the direction was back to the Cheng home, she didn't really want to go back.

However, Mr. Cheng’s call came in again, asking, "Where are you? Are you back yet?"

He Chuan was driving. Because they had just kissed, she felt she had his scent on her and was afraid Mr. Cheng would hear that her voice was off. Feeling guilty like a thief, she coughed and said, "I'm on the way back."

"You've grown wings, daring to sneak out driving in the middle of the night."

Afraid of being lectured by Mr. Cheng, Cheng Hui quickly acted like a spoiled child. "There won't be a next time, absolutely no next time..."

"Hurry up and come back."

After hanging up, Cheng Hui sighed. She didn't know how to explain tonight's events to Mr. Cheng. The car was still at the police station, and she was with He Chuan now. If Mr. Cheng saw He Chuan dropping her off, how would she explain it?

She wasn't ready for her family to know.

He Chuan had long seen through her worries. He slowed the car down and said to her, "Either I explain it for you later, or I drop you off on the side of the road and you walk back."

Cheng Hui: "..."

She felt very guilty. "I..."

"Don't put such a burden on yourself. Tonight's events can be treated as if they never happened, and there won't be a next time."

After he said this, Cheng Hui felt even more uncomfortable, but she was hesitant and didn't know what to do.

Clearly, when He Chuan kissed her just now, it was full of warmth. After the kiss, when he calmed down, he told her to treat tonight as if nothing had happened. So what did that just count as?

She couldn't figure it out; she couldn't guess his thoughts at all.

She felt even more aggrieved and said, "I didn't refuse you just now, nor did I resist..."

"So? You want to say you enjoyed it?"

"..." Cheng Hui’s face burned.

"If you didn't resist because you pity me or sympathize with me, Cheng Hui, there's no need. No need to look down on me."

Cheng Hui looked at his profile again. "I didn't look down on you. As for pity... there was a little bit, but that is definitely not why I kissed you."

"Then what was it?"

Cheng Hui said, as if deflated, "Nothing, anyway, it wasn't because of pity or sympathy. That's not what I meant."

***

Mr. Cheng was waiting at the door. He was somewhat surprised to see He Chuan dropping Cheng Hui off. Just as Cheng Hui was about to explain, He Chuan took the lead and explained it for her, omitting the part about them kissing, while everything else was the truth. This way, there was no problem; it was very normal.

Mr. Cheng didn't suspect anything, thanked He Chuan, and lectured Cheng Hui a little more.

After some polite small talk, He Chuan left.

It was too late, so Mr. Cheng couldn't very well ask He Chuan to come inside for a cup of tea. Once He Chuan’s car disappeared, he began to discipline Cheng Hui and confiscated the car keys. She was not allowed to drive ever again.

Back in her room, Cheng Hui felt that tonight had been thrilling, and most importantly, she had cried again. She couldn't control her tears and had made a fool of herself in front of He Chuan again.

However, she still didn't understand what exactly that kiss from He Chuan meant.

It probably didn't count as making up.

***

Cheng Jiu kept his appointment with Zhou Ya. He had some idea of what Zhou Ya wanted to talk about.

Zhou Ya was indeed there for that project, but at the dinner table, he didn't talk about the project. Instead, he talked about technology, saying that his company’s expenses on technology alone were not a small sum, and if the project failed to pass the audit in the end, it would affect the entire group.

By the end of the conversation, they had circled back to the beginning.

Cheng Jiu had understood from the start and had been on guard the whole time. His identity was sensitive, and it was actually inconvenient for him to have such contact with Zhou Ya. He didn't give any answers, instead repeatedly stating that he didn't have the final say and that everything would follow normal procedures.

Zhou Ya said, "I know your personality, but Cheng Jiu, we have known each other for so long."

Cheng Jiu said, "It is precisely because we have known each other for so long that I am here now. Zhou Ya, you know the regulations and procedures better than I do. I cannot violate professional ethics."

Zhou Ya: "Alright, let's not talk about this, let's not talk about this, it affects our friendship. Come, let's drink."

"No more, I have to drive later."

Zhou Ya could only drink his frustration away, feeling incredibly irritable inside.

Cheng Jiu hadn't been sitting for long when he was ready to leave. Zhou Ya called out to him again and said, "Do you still remember Jiang Meng?"

Cheng Jiu didn't speak. His phone was ringing, and he glanced at it.

Zhou Ya smiled and said, "Jiang Meng still isn't married. I vaguely heard from some classmates that she seems to be waiting for you."

Back in college, Zhou Ya had a good relationship with Jiang Meng. When she was dating Cheng Jiu, it was Zhou Ya who encouraged her to confess her feelings; Zhou Ya could be considered one of the witnesses. Later, when they broke up, Zhou Ya had even looked for Jiang Meng, but at that time, Jiang Meng hadn't said anything.

Cheng Jiu’s expression was cold. "That's in the past. There's no need to mention it."

"I see she's very pitiful. Her work isn't going well, she's dated a few boyfriends but nothing came of it, and she's at that age, so I was thinking if I could help her. I seem to have heard that she’s working where you are. Haven't you seen her before?"

Cheng Jiu really hadn't paid attention, nor did he care. "I don't know."

Zhou Ya: "Cheng Jiu, we've known each other for so long, and you're married and have a family now. I know there are some things that shouldn't be said, but I'm the type who can't hide things, I can't help it, I want to tell you."

Cheng Jiu raised an eyebrow, his face cold.

"When Jiang Meng broke up with you back then, didn't you ever suspect anything? Or did you really think she dumped you because she didn't want to suffer with you and wouldn't go to Beiyu?"

Zhou Ya had a straightforward personality; he had been like that since college. After graduation, he had also joined the military. He was injured after a few years and had no choice but to retire early. Then he learned to do business; otherwise, his life would have been like Cheng Jiu’s, entering government work—his family had actually paved the way for him.

Cheng Jiu smiled coldly and said, "Zhou Ya, as I just said, it's in the past, and I'm not interested."

Zhou Ya fell silent, his eyes complex. He took a cigarette and bit down on it. "Sorry. I know what I said wasn't appropriate. I just purely felt that Jiang Meng was pitiful and wanted to say a few words for her, to explain—there was indeed a hidden reason for what happened back then."

Zhou Ya was being earnest. Since that was the case, Cheng Jiu opened up: "Zhou Ya, no matter what you do, you must take responsibility for your actions. It can't be resolved with just an explanation or two."

The implication was that saying anything now was useless.

He had long since lost any shred of affection for Jiang Meng. In his heart, there was only Xin Gan. After so many years, everyone’s living environments were different, and things had changed. Zhou Ya had changed, and he had changed; there was no need to dwell on the past.

Zhou Ya felt that Jiang Meng had been treated unfairly and wanted to help her explain. So what?

***

In the evening, Xin Gan returned to the Xin house to have dinner with Mrs. Xin.

Mr. Xin wasn't home; he was away on a business trip.

Mrs. Xin was actually quite lonely by herself. Xin Gan no longer lived at home, and usually, she could only chat with the nanny. Besides that, there was nothing else to do.

Mrs. Xin saw news about He Cheng on TV. While eating, she began chatting with Xin Gan about him. She said, "I’ve heard that the He family isn't peaceful recently. It seems like Mrs. He is fighting for the family assets. He Cheng has also been very high-profile lately, and people have dug up that he is He Wei’s youngest son. Plus, He Wei is critically ill and hospitalized. The He family is in total chaos now."

"When did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

"Weren't you busy? Your studio is enough to keep you occupied; where would you have time to listen to these things? I heard this from your father; he knows more than I do. By the way, you know that He Chuan, right? He Wei used to value him highly and intended to have him manage the He family affairs. That He Cheng is useless. You aren't associating with He Cheng anymore, right?"

Xin Gan: "No, we haven't associated in a long time."

"Don't associate with that He Cheng. The child is of crooked character. You shouldn't have agreed to Mrs. He’s request to help take care of He Cheng when you were in London."