Lu Lishan was convicted of intentional assault and imprisoned for eight years for protecting Lin Yuqing.

During her university years, Lin Yuqing visited him in prison countless times, but the prison guards always responded with a cold "He doesn't want to see you."

The last time was when she graduated from university and received a job offer from the company, and she wanted to be the first to share this good news with him.

As she stood nervously outside the visiting room, she heard the iron gate slam shut and saw Lu Lishan sitting disheveled on the other side of the transparent partition.

Her tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

"Don't cry." These were the first and last things he said to her. "It's not worth shedding tears for someone like me."

After saying that, he gave her a deep look, got up, and walked back behind the iron gate.

Lin Yuqing frantically pounded on the transparent partition, but the prison guards stopped her. Not long after, news came from inside.

The prison guard solemnly told her that Lu Lishan said not to come looking for him again, and to pretend they didn't know each other if they saw him.

Lin Yuqing felt a buzzing in her ears, and her mind went blank.

However, after she left, Lu Lishan fell seriously ill in prison and almost died. In his delirious state, Lin Yuqing's gentle laughter and the gang leader's gloomy face alternated in his mind's eye.

"Lu Lishan, you promised to protect me for life, you'd better keep your word!"

"Ah Shan, as long as you can get this shipment out of the country, I'll give you 30% of the reward!"

"Lu Lishan, I want to go to university in Yangcheng. If you don't want to continue your studies, how about you go there to work? That way we can stay together forever!"

"Heh, I remember you have a girlfriend? Ah Shan, if you don't handle this, I'll find someone else. But I can't let my men down, so I'll just have to make do with your girlfriend for now and let them have their fun!"

Lu Lishan frowned, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Don't hurt her... I won't allow anyone to hurt her!"

He said he would protect her for life; he is a man of his word and will not break his promise.

But the prerequisite for protecting her is that she lives.

Intentional assault might only get you ten or eight years in prison, but if you're caught trafficking drugs, given the weight of the shipment, you're doomed.

He knew that Lin Yuqing's stepfather's son had offended a gang leader, so he took the opportunity to stab him, leaving him permanently disabled.

In this way, the boss will not make things difficult for Lin Yuqing again, considering that he served him and went to jail.

It was worth it to exchange eight years of my life for her safety.

"Heh, I want to live..." Lu Lishan chuckled in a daze, "to live and protect her."

"Protect her for life."

...

Shen Xiao had cooked white porridge in the kitchen.

Huo Zhixing bought beer downstairs and brought it up. Seeing him standing there in a daze, he wanted to comfort him but didn't know what to say.

He went in and handed him a can of beer.

The two exchanged a smile and sat down on the living room sofa. After a long silence, Shen Xiao gave a wry smile and asked in a low voice, "You... did you already know about this person?"

Huo Zhixing was taken aback, then replied in a deep voice, "It's all in the past, there's no need to dwell on it too much."

“I also want to let this be the past,” Shen Xiao sighed softly, “but with Yuqing, I simply can’t get over it…”

Huo Zhixing frowned slightly.

He understood Shen Xiao; he wasn't a petty man. He didn't care about Lin Yuqing's past; he only wanted to build a future with her.

However, if someone's heart is not cleaned up, how can another person move in comfortably?

“That man is from the underworld,” Huo Zhixing paused, his voice low, “He’s like a rat in the street, he can’t stand the light of day.”

Shen Xiao looked up at him.

“And you’re a doctor,” he continued, “you can hold Lin Yuqing’s hand and walk confidently under the sun, and you can give her a stable life. Just based on that alone, you’ve already won.”

"Is that so?" Shen Xiao forced a smile. "Yes, I am a doctor, but I can't cure her."

Huo Zhixing wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but his hand froze in mid-air and didn't fall down for a while.

...

When they got home that night, Jiang Can leaned against Huo Zhixing's chest, and the two of them lazed around on the big bed.

It was late at night, and she couldn't sleep. The brilliant starlight streamed through the window, illuminating the unlit bedroom. Jiang Can blinked her big eyes, gazing at the night sky, as if it had been a long time since she had so quietly appreciated the evening scenery.

Huo Zhixing, worried that she was hot, gently fanned her with a small fan, looking down at her delicate and pretty profile, and felt a flutter in his heart.

She lazily rolled over in his arms, facing him, and smiled sweetly.

Huo Zhixing's Adam's apple bobbed, and a faint heat rose up within him.

Jiang Can looked at the sweat on his nose and felt a little embarrassed, thinking that she usually didn't turn on the air conditioner much in order to save on electricity bills. "Honey, if you're too hot, turn on the air conditioner. It won't cost much."

"Hmm...no need." He licked his lips.

His heat and the heat she described were completely different things...

Huo Zhixing took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on her fair neck and slightly parted cherry lips. He smiled, and his large hand wandered under her clothes, determined to let Huo Erxing, who was gradually swelling, have some relief.

Just then, a soft sigh was heard from the young woman.

"What's wrong?" He suddenly stopped moving.

Jiang Can seemed preoccupied, her attention completely elsewhere.

She didn't even notice when his hand touched her chest.

So he took advantage of the situation without batting an eye, and continued to rest his hand on it.

"Honey, why are you sighing?"

"I'm thinking about Sister Yuqing and Lu Lishan."

"Oh..." He twitched his lips. "Isn't there no possibility between them anymore? Why are you thinking about them?"

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