28 Before the trial

A clear knock broke the silence.

Cheng Boyan's eyes instantly calmed down. He quickly took Wen Xueyan's hand, got up from the sofa, and walked into the bedroom.

The knocking stopped at that moment.

Outside the bedroom window, the city skyline began to light up, intertwining with the gradually darkening night sky.

Cheng Boyan's voice was very low, "There's no sound. Maybe they knocked on the wrong door. I bought this house before we got married, and very few people know about it. Sometimes, seeing the cutthroat competition in the business world for too long can really make you feel tired. But, with you by my side, Xueyan, even the most desolate twilight of late autumn becomes quiet and gentle."

Wen Xueyan nodded, and Cheng Boyan reached out and pulled her back into his arms.

Less than two minutes later, the knocking sounded again.

This time, the sound was clearer.

Cheng Boyan walked to the monitor screen at the door.

He saw a figure clearly projected on the screen: Xu Junhang. He was wearing a dark suit, and his face bore that expression Cheng Boyan was familiar with—an expression that straddled the line between friendliness and calculation.

Cheng Boyan's heart sank. How did he find this place? He shouldn't know about this house. Countless guesses and suspicions flashed through his mind in an instant.

Cheng Boyan straightened his shirt collar, then calmly opened the door.

"Junhang?" Cheng Boyan's tone carried a hint of surprise. "A rare guest. Please come in."

Mr. Xu stepped into the entryway with a smile, his gaze casually sweeping across the living room: "Brother-in-law, did I disturb you? I called you but you didn't answer. I asked Xiao Qiao, and she said you left the company this afternoon. I happened to be having a business dinner nearby, so I came over on my way." He smiled and naturally explained the reason, attributing the information to Cheng Boyan's secretary.

Cheng Boyan sneered inwardly; he had no doubt about Qiao Lanyue's loyalty. Xu Junhang must have other connections.

Cheng Boyan sensed that he might be probing him: "You came so late, is there some emergency at the chemical company?" He steered the conversation toward business.

Xu Junhang's smile faded slightly: "There are indeed two important matters, but it's inconvenient to discuss them over the phone."

"Go ahead and speak."

"The first case concerns the leak of technical drawings," Xu Junhang said. "The Information Security Center's investigation has yielded results. Through analysis of encrypted logs in the core file library, the evidence points to Sun Hanhan from the Technology Department. She exploited a system privilege vulnerability to steal the plan and resold it to Shiming Group through multiple intermediaries."

Cheng Boyan listened quietly.

Xu Junhang emphasized, "We investigated her background in depth. We found that she is Gu Hui's current girlfriend. Gu Hui was fired for harassing Wen Xueyan, and he harbored resentment. He may have instigated or participated in this retaliatory leak. Sun Hanhan's accusations against Wen Xueyan at the previous meeting were completely a case of the pot calling the kettle black. She thought that with a scapegoat, she could leak information without being investigated."

Cheng Boyan's gaze turned colder: "Is the chain of evidence complete?"

"Very complete. Legal counsel has already been involved," Mr. Xu affirmed.

"Investigate this strictly." Cheng Boyan's tone was cold and firm. "And the second matter?"

"The second thing is about Junxian. The latest news from the hospital," Xu Junhang said in a heavy tone. "Junxian's EEG monitoring shows that she has been abnormally active in the last 48 hours, with several brainwave combinations that are close to a state of wakefulness. The expert team assesses that there is a high probability that she will wake up soon."

Cheng Boyan's hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly at the knuckles.

Xu Junhang continued, "My older brother, Xu Junheng, has also received the news. He has already booked the earliest flight from New York to return tomorrow. You know, he has always doted on Junxian the most."

Cheng Boyan slowly spoke: "I know the news. I will keep an eye on it. It's only right that my elder brother comes back to visit."

Xu Junhang seemed somewhat surprised by Cheng Boyan's calmness. He chuckled dryly, "Of course. But if Junxian really wakes up, my father asked me to remind her that Qiao Qianyue's little schemes are not to be taken seriously. My father values ​​your business acumen and hopes I can learn more from you."

Xu Junhang looked around, as if scanning to see if anyone else was there.

Cheng Boyan sneered inwardly: "The most important thing right now is Junxian's health." He changed the subject again.

Wen Xueyan felt like coughing, but she held it in until her face turned red.

After a brief exchange of words laced with hidden meaning, Xu Junhang rose to take his leave.

Cheng Boyan escorted him to the door and watched him walk into the elevator.

The moment the door closed, the calm on Cheng Boyan's face vanished.

He returned home and pushed open the bedroom door.

Cheng Boyan walked up to Wen Xueyan, reached out, and pulled her into his arms.

Wen Xueyan leaned on Cheng Boyan's shoulder, a hint of curiosity in her voice: "Who is Qiao Qianyue? I think I just heard that name."

“Qiao Qianyue’s father is the chairman of Qiao Hai Group. Our group has cooperated on some infrastructure projects and can be considered a family friend.” He stroked her silky hair with his fingertips. “Last year, probably because the doctor assessed that Xu Junxian’s chances of waking up were extremely low, the Qiao family, through a rather influential elder, subtly proposed the idea of ​​a business marriage with me.”

"However, this proposal was strongly opposed by the Xu family. The Xu family, especially Old Master Xu, did not want me to be completely legally separated from the Xu family, even though that marriage had long been dead in name only."

He tilted his head slightly, looking at Wen Xueyan listening quietly: "Over the years, I've been almost immune to scandals. On the one hand, it's because I didn't know Xu Junxian had already betrayed me, and I still upheld the responsibilities and morals entrusted to me by law; on the other hand," a faint sneer appeared on his lips, "it's also because the Xu family is watching closely. They know better than anyone else about the situation between Xu Junxian and me, but they also know even more about how huge the interests involved in this marriage are."

His gaze returned to Wen Xueyan's face: "This will all be over soon. Whether she wakes up or remains asleep, I will file for divorce immediately next month." With that, he lowered his head and placed a gentle and precious kiss on her forehead.

Cheng Boyan said cautiously, "However, you shouldn't stay here until I formally file for divorce."

Wen Xueyan looked up at him and said, "I was just about to say that I'm not staying here anymore."

“Go back to the apartment you rented before, or,” Cheng Boyan looked at her, “I’ll have Qiao Lanyue arrange another apartment for you with a higher level of security. I was quite surprised that Xu Junhang was able to find this place today. I suspect that they may have obtained information from the housing management bureau through some irregular channels.” A cold glint flashed in his eyes, displeased with the Xu family’s overreaching influence, and he became even more wary.

"Okay." Wen Xueyan nodded.

As night deepened, perhaps because there were too many things to do that day, and Wen Xueyan was still a little weak, the two did not make love that night, but simply slept in each other's arms.

At three in the morning, all was quiet.

Cheng Boyan suddenly woke up. Only the nightlight emitted a faint, soft glow in the bedroom. He looked at Wen Xueyan beside him and noticed that her forehead was covered with a fine layer of sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks.

She had just recovered from her fever during the day; could it be a relapse? He got up and took out an electronic ear thermometer from the bedside table.

Back at the bedside, he bent down and took her temperature.

When the clear "36.7℃" was displayed, his tense jawline finally relaxed.

Perhaps it's just physical weakness after an illness.

He put down the ear thermometer, went to the bathroom, soaked a soft towel in warm water, and gently wiped away the sweat from her forehead and neck.

In her hazy state, Wen Xueyan seemed to sense this tender care. Seeking warmth, she unconsciously snuggled closer to him, rubbing her cheek against the back of his slightly cool hand.

A tranquil warmth permeated the air.

Cheng Boyan felt that he wished time could stand still at this moment.

Four days later.

On Tuesday morning, the chill of late autumn seeped in through the cracks in the window. Wen Xueyan woke up from her sleep to find the room quiet, with only the pale sunlight outside illuminating the clear outlines of the furniture.

This afternoon, the divorce case is about to go to court, and Cheng Boyan has already hired Zheng, a well-known divorce lawyer, for her.

She reached for her phone on the bedside table, and the first thing she saw was a WeChat message from Cheng Boyan.

"Xueyan, even though I'm on a business trip, please let me know if you need any help."

This meticulous care warmed Wen Xueyan's heart and dispelled the morning chill.

She scrolled down and saw the chat window with Song Tiancheng.

For the past few days, Song Tiancheng has been sending messages every morning and evening, filled with regret and pleas. "Xueyan, another day has passed since I woke up. Life without you is terribly empty. I keep thinking back on the past. How could I have been so blinded by greed and hurt you like that? Cheating, emotional abuse, even hitting you... I hate myself. Please give me a chance, okay?"

"Xueyan, I've tossed and turned all night again. I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Please answer me, okay?"

She mostly just glanced at this information, and her heart was no longer stirred by it.

The damage has already been done, and belated repentance is like a flower withering in autumn; no matter how beautiful it may be, it cannot conceal its withered nature.

Strangely, however, his profile picture has remained unusually quiet from last night until this morning. There was no long, drawn-out confession in the middle of the night, nor any urgent greeting in the morning.

The chat history stopped at a message he sent her yesterday afternoon, reminding her to wear more clothes as the weather turned colder, and then there was nothing more.

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Looking forward to updates! Mr. Cheng is so nice, I love him!

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Not enough, more updates needed.

I think it might not be so easy for President Cheng to leave.

I love watching it, please update more often!

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