Jiang Yue agreed to this without really understanding what was going on.

She belatedly realized she had fallen into Zhou Ji's trap! Did this cunning man simply not want to raise the child himself? Was he just dumping the responsibility on her because he found it too troublesome?

Could it be that Zhou Ji's relationship with the female lead is progressing so rapidly that he's treating this child from his ex-wife as a burden and is eager to dump him on her?

Thinking about it this way, Zhou Ji really is a scoundrel.

Children are indeed the most pitiful.

Jiang Yue couldn't help but feel even more affection for her son. She pinched his chubby little face and coaxed him using the same method she used to use on her younger brother, the Crown Prince: "I bought a lot of snacks. The snack cabinet is twice as big as the previous one. You can take whatever you want to eat later."

I don't know when it started.

Jiang Yue has fallen in love with eating all kinds of junk food and snacks in this world. Back when she was at the Zhou family's house, she would even sneak bites while playing hide-and-seek with them.

There are never more than two ice creams in the refrigerator.

She has one child, and her son has one child.

Sometimes she even pitifully eats the portions her son sets aside for her.

There's always an endless supply of ice cream in the kitchen refrigerator.

However, Jiang Yue has little self-control in this regard. She ate four or five of them yesterday and cried from stomach pain in the middle of the night.

Now, looking at that refrigerator full of ice cream, she doesn't dare to eat any more.

"Thank you, Mom."

Zhou Ji did not stop her from spoiling the child.

In his eyes, she was more like a child.

Naïve, arrogant, and a bit childish.

Sometimes, however, their sincerity leaves you speechless.

Before Jiang Yue could tell him to leave, the man suddenly took out a letter and said, "This is a thank-you letter from a poor mountain area. They don't seem to know you've moved, so the letter was sent to me."

When the housekeeper brought him the letter, he learned that she had been quietly donating money to some schools every month. She was a bit lazy, and she would even check where each donation went.

I clumsily jotted down the expenses in my diary.

Name, gender, age, tuition fees, and living expenses.

When Zhou Ji saw the contents of the thank-you letter, she felt very complicated. When she opened the notebook that the maid had left in the drawer, words could not express the emotions she felt at that moment.

My limited vocabulary cannot describe it.

It felt sour and bloated, yet somehow expected.

He suddenly remembered, out of the blue, the things she had said when she calmly brought up the topic of divorce.

She may seem confused, but she's actually more clear-headed than anyone else.

She possesses a radiant, dazzling soul.

She is insightful, yet sometimes she is willing to play dumb.

She also has her own bottom line; she will never force herself to do things she doesn't want to do, nor will she compromise herself.

Soft yet resilient.

Persistent but not stubborn.

Jiang Yue took the envelope, feeling a strange sense of shame, as if her "wicked woman" persona had been slightly exposed.

She feigned composure: "Oh, I forgot. I donated money before. I probably just accidentally clicked the wrong number."

Zhou Ji looked at her ears, which were gradually turning red, and chuckled softly. He tried his best to play along, pretending to be serious: "It doesn't matter if you made a mistake, it's still a good deed."

Jiang Yue feigned compliance, repeatedly emphasizing, "This was an unintentional success."

She didn't want to appear kind in front of Zhou Ji.

She wanted to be the unreasonable bad guy from beginning to end.

"Hmm." Zhou Ji gazed at her fair face, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "Have you had dinner?"

Jiang Yue shook her head: "No."

Zhou Ji stayed to cook dinner, but Jiang Yue felt that Zhou Ji's behavior was like a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken—he had no good intentions.

Until the delicious-smelling food was served.

Jiang Yue remained wary: "Do you want to charge me?"

Zhou Ji pursed his lips, his smile exuding the air of a noble young master. He said, "Free of charge, even if it means paying extra."

The man then said in a gentle voice, "Would it be convenient to use the bathroom? I smell a bit of cooking fumes on me."

He has severe obsessive-compulsive disorder related to cleanliness.

I can't stand even the slightest bit of extra air.

"The bathroom is upstairs."

"Sorry to bother you."

The man went upstairs, and about ten minutes later, Jiang Yue received a WeChat message from him.

Zhou Ji: [I have spare clothes in the car, could you please get them for me?]

Jiang Yue was a little annoyed, her fingers flying across the phone screen: 【Am I, this princess, your servant?】

Zhou Ji replied with a voice message, his voice low and magnetic, like he had just taken a shower, with a soft, muffled chuckle: "Then I can come out naked."

To be honest, Jiang Yue had hardly ever seen his body.

I always close my eyes and dare not look, or I turn off all the lights so I can't see anything clearly.

Upon hearing him say that, her cheeks flushed bright red.

Does this person have no shame?

Utterly shameless.

Jiang Yue took a deep breath and said fiercely, "You just wait."

There was indeed a clean change of clothes behind the car seat: a comfortable and soft dark black sweater, well-made black trousers, and his underwear.

Jiang Yue, carrying the bag, stormed upstairs in a huff.

She planned to make Zhou Ji get dressed and leave.

Who knew that when Jiang Yue pushed open the bedroom door, she saw a man without a shirt on, whose abdominal muscles looked smooth and defined, with his V-line slowly disappearing below.

Her ears were so hot they almost fell off.

Jiang Yue felt that Zhou Ji was deliberately not wearing clothes to provoke her.

So, with her ears red and her face expressionless, she walked up to him and calmly handed him the paper bag containing clean clothes.

Zhou Ji looked at her reddened ear tips and said in a low, pleasant voice, "Your Highness, you've worked hard."

Jiang Yue didn't rush to leave; she subconsciously reached out and touched his abs.

The man's body seemed to stiffen for a moment, and just as she was about to do as she pleased, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, and Zhou Ji's breathing seemed to become heavier.

Jiang Yue's wrist was slender and white, and it felt a little uncomfortable when he pinched it so hard.

She was just acting out of curiosity and impulse.

Even though she regretted her impulsive actions, Jiang Yue still acted self-righteously: "What? You won't let me touch you?"

She blinked innocently and said, "I've touched other people's, and they're bigger than yours."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the atmosphere around her change.

Zhou Ji's eyes were deep, like a still lake. He seemed to be trying his best to suppress something, and the fleeting fierce light in his dark eyes seemed to be just her illusion.

In no time, he regained his gentle demeanor.

Zhou Ji squeezed her hand and placed it on his waist: "Do as you please."

Jiang Yue's head was burning hot; she felt like she had a fever. Otherwise, why would she feel so hot? She forcefully pulled her hand back: "I'm not interested anymore."

The princess left in a fit of anger and embarrassment.

Zhou Ji watched her retreating figure and slowly smiled. The joy in his heart was like a sponge that kept expanding when it came into contact with water, filling his entire heart.

So cute.

So vivid.

He couldn't deny that what Jiang Yue said that day was wrong.

At first, he was frequently drawn to her. Although it wouldn't be considered lust at first sight, it was because she was exactly the kind of woman he liked.

Sinking, endless sinking.

A man skilled at manipulating people's hearts has unknowingly given them away.

The love deepened, penetrating even further into the depths of my heart.

That's why he did what he did, resorting to any means to keep her and possess her exclusively.

Let this shining soul remain in this world.

*

Half a month later, Qin Zhao returned to the Qin family.

Madam Qin was already used to her son's busy official duties; since he had taken that position, he had to shoulder more responsibility.

Although Qin Zhao is still very young, his skills are no less than those of seasoned veterans who have been in politics for many years.

He is even more meticulous and never leaves any room for error in his work.

They endured and held back until the very end, delivering the fatal blow.

When Qin Zhao returned home, Qin Qin was the happiest. She even felt that she deserved some credit for her brother's return, believing that her visit a few days ago had played a role.

"Brother, did you tell Mom and Dad when you came back today?"

Qin Zhao casually handed his coat to the family's servant. He took a deep look at Qin Qin. When he was a child, he didn't understand why he just couldn't like this younger sister.

No matter how hard you try, the relationship can only go this far.

Later I finally understood: if someone isn't related by blood, then they're not related by blood.

"I did say that." Qin Qin paused for a moment after saying those two simple words, then became a little timid. She said, "Today, my mother took me to Mr. Rong's birthday banquet. Luckily, we came back early, otherwise our family wouldn't have been able to have dinner together tonight."

My father is even busier with work.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was extremely busy.

Qin Qin lived the life of a true heiress, and there was a clear class distinction between social circles. The Qin family and the Zhou family were both at the very top of the elite.

Qin Zhao suddenly looked at her clothes; even a simple dress cost six figures.

From childhood to adulthood, she has always had the best and most expensive food, clothing, and daily necessities.

And what about his younger sister who was left behind? Even after going to university, she was labeled a gold digger. Before getting married, poverty was practically the defining characteristic of her life.

That's so unfair.

That just doesn't make sense.

A faint coldness flashed in Qin Zhao's eyes. He didn't say anything and went straight upstairs.

I placed the paternity test results I received yesterday directly on the desk in my parents' study.