Shen Rou covered her lips with both hands and wept silently.

No wonder he said the engagement didn't count; he already had someone he liked.

She gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her soft fingers.

Shen Rou slapped Huo Ye's face hard with her palm, trying to break free.

When Huo Ye opened his misty eyes, Chen Rou's smile was filled with undisguised disgust.

"Mr. Huo, please recognize who I am. I am Shen Rou, not Yun Lian. I didn't realize Mr. Huo had such unique tastes, actually liking his nominal—stepmother..."

Huo Ye was jolted awake the moment he heard the words "stepmother." When he opened his eyes and saw the person in his arms, anger surged to his head.

"Who gave you permission to enter my bedroom? Is this the kind of upbringing your Shen family has?"

Shen Rou covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes full of mockery.

"If Mr. Huo hadn't been so drunk that he was unconscious, I wouldn't have stayed up all night and gone through all that trouble to come and serve him."

As for upbringing?

"Our Shen family is definitely no match for the Huo family. After all—no one in our Shen family dares to covet my woman."

Huo Ye's eyes turned icy cold instantly. How did she know so much?

Huo Ye grabbed Shen Rou by the neck, his voice carrying a warning.

"Shen Rou, you'd better watch your mouth. You should know what you can and cannot say."

Even with his neck gripped, Shen Rou maintained her composure.

"Huo Ye, I didn't say it not for your sake, but because I didn't want to cause trouble for Miss Yun."

Chen Rou broke free from her restraints and stood looking down at Huo Ye's bedside.

"Huo Ye, you are pathetic. You are not worthy of Miss Yun. You dare not love, nor do you know how to love. You are like a thief hiding in the dark, coveting someone else's beloved possession. From now on, we will go our separate ways."

"The marriage agreement between the Shen and Huo families is hereby called off, and I will go and pursue my own happiness."

Huo Ye shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

"You know Yun Lian? What's your relationship?"

Chen Rou's eyes held a hint of sympathy.

"Miss Yun told me you were drunk. She hoped we could both be happy. Miss Yun tried to bring us together, but when I found out that the person you liked was Miss Yun, I gave up on you."

Huo Ye's eyes were bloodshot, and Shen Rou's wrist was squeezed painfully by him.

"Huo Ye, you're hurting me."

Huo Ye, however, stubbornly held onto Shen Rou.

"You're saying Yun Lian tried to match us up? What gives her the right to do that? What else did Yun Lian say?"

Shen Rou kicked Huo Ye in the chest, finally freeing her wrist.

"Ask me if you want to know, I'm not playing along."

Shen Rou picked up her things and walked out, ignoring Huo Ye's calls from behind.

Huo Ye tried desperately to call Yun Lian after returning from the trial, but no one answered each time.

Huo Ye sat on the bed, recalling what Shen Rou had said.

It turns out—he had unknowingly fallen in love with Yun Lian long ago.

What about Yun Lian?

Does she have even the slightest liking or concern for him?

She must care about me, right?

Otherwise, why would anyone want to be happy?

Huo Ye persisted and kept calling.

*

villa.

Yun Lian brought Song Zhu home, but Song Zhu was very reserved, sitting upright as if she were interrogating a suspect.

Yunlian brought over hot water.

"Boyfriend, are you sure you won't be cold sitting like this, all wet?"

After they got off the bus, they encountered a downpour. Song Zhu took off his coat and covered Yun Lian with it, but he himself was soaked to the bone.

Song Zhu held the water cup, but dared not look at Yun Lian at all.

Yun Lian's slightly damp hair was draped over her shoulders, and her thin nightgown was slightly damp, with a few water droplets showing through, making her exquisite figure even more prominent.

She exuded a captivating, subtle fragrance.

The exposed sliver of her lower leg was porcelain white and flawless, and her toes were like plump, rosy little pearls, a sight to behold.

Song Zhu drank the entire glass of warm water in one gulp.

"Then I'll take a quick shower to warm myself up and then leave. Excuse me."

Yun Lian chuckled.

"Officer Song, we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, are you sure you want to be this distant?"

Yun Lian smiled radiantly, and in an instant, the entire room seemed to brighten because of her smile. Perhaps she smiled too quickly, for her face was slightly flushed, making her even more captivating.

Song Zhu stole a glance at her, then quickly lowered her head and put down her water glass.

"I...I...I need to use the restroom."

After Song Zhu finished speaking, he ran away in a panic. Yun Lian watched his clumsy back and smiled even more brightly.

“Song Zhu, that’s the guest room you booked. The bathroom is next door.”

"Ahem, thank you."

"There are also spare clothes for you next to the sink."

"Thank you, Miss Yun!"

Song Zhu slammed the door shut, but her face turned even redder when she entered the bathroom.

The entire space was filled with the scent that belonged to Yun Lian, as if she were right beside me.

Song Zhu had just turned on the cold water to lower her body temperature when she looked up and suddenly saw a set of black lace-trimmed underwear hanging near the window outside the separate wet and dry area.

Song Zhu's face flushed red again, and the redness quickly spread throughout her body. She had taken a cold shower, but her body was steaming.

Yun Lian was almost asleep on the sofa when she realized that Song Zhu was radiating coldness.

Song Zhu called Yun Lian's name countless times in the restroom, and when she came out, it just came out naturally.

"Yun Lian, I'm going back."

Yun Lian lay on her side on the sofa, her superior curves almost blinding Song Zhu.

Yun Lian was still half asleep when she half-opened her eyes and lazily replied, "Okay, be careful on the road."

As Song Zhu carried her changed clothes and was about to walk out the door, she couldn't lift her legs.

Yun Lian was still lying in the same spot.

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