Ji Mu's parents were engaged in a marriage of convenience, and they had no feelings for each other.
After getting married, both of them had their own families, but in order to maintain their family image, they kept the fact that they were "going their own way" a secret.
How did Ji Mu come about? He and his wife had IVF results and then hired a surrogate.
When the two families found out that the healthy couple had done this, they almost kicked them out of their homes.
But in the end, considering the couple's earning power, the heads of both families put the matter aside.
Ji Mu's parents didn't like him much, and both families, aside from superficial formalities, didn't treat him well either, so how to raise this child became a big problem.
Just then, Xie Ming appeared.
Xie Ming and Ji Mu's father, Ji Shijie, have been friends for many years.
It was around that time that Brother Xie Ming sacrificed his life in the line of duty. His wife had just found out she was pregnant, but she did not want to give birth to his posthumous child.
In the end, Xie Ming promised his sister-in-law that he would not get married and that the child would live with him after it was born.
After all, his sister-in-law had genuine feelings for his elder brother, and with Xie Ming's guarantee, she gave birth to his posthumous child, Xie Qingqing.
After that, Xie Ming lived with his niece, while his sister-in-law soon remarried and became pregnant.
Around that time, the Xie family also encountered some problems, and Xie Ming began to consider whether to take the children to live in another city.
He thought that in a new environment, there wouldn't be so much gossip surrounding the child, which would be better for her.
After making up his mind, Xie Ming planned to take the child and leave J City.
Knowing that his friend was leaving with a child, Ji Mu's father suddenly had a good idea.
Xie Ming "did not do his proper job" and went far away to take care of his niece full-time.
Since raising one is the same as raising two, he simply arranged for his friend to take on the role of a "stay-at-home dad".
Xie Ming and he are both well-off, so it wouldn't be difficult for them to settle down in another city.
After it was all done, he and his wife only needed to go back to see their son regularly.
In this way, the couple's lives and work will not be disrupted.
Without further ado, Ji Shijie brought up the matter with Xie Ming.
Xie Ming knew his friend's character, and seeing his soft-spoken niece, and thinking of Ji Mu, who was neither loved by his parents, he softened.
He agreed after only half a day of consideration, so Xie Ming took his two hungry children to settle down in Haishi.
Xie Ming knew that the two children had a weak bond with their parents, so he tried his best to make up for it in other ways.
Xie Qingqing's situation is relatively easy to handle; her father was a fallen hero, and her mother remarried. But Ji Mu's situation is more complicated.
At this point, Ji Shijie and his wife came up with an idea.
Considering that Ji Mu only returns to J City for the Lunar New Year each year, the couple decided to pretend to be scientists, as it would be inconvenient for them to be in the laboratory all year round.
The Ji family has a lot of bizarre stories, and they don't care at all what the couple did. Some people are even secretly plotting to take advantage of the situation.
After hearing the couple's "white lie," Xie Ming felt that the two were quite dishonest, but there was no better way.
He planned to tell Ji Mu the truth when the child turned 18 or became sensible.
Afterwards, although the two children missed their parents, they grew up happily under Xie Ming's careful care.
For 16 years, the girl and the boy ate and slept together, growing up under the same roof as childhood sweethearts. Their feelings for each other were not just deep, but extremely deep.
Xie Ming was also afraid that they might develop feelings for each other, which would be difficult to explain later.
So they would often test each other intentionally or unintentionally, but fortunately they both treated each other as family and didn't have any romantic thoughts about each other.
But even the deepest feelings can't withstand the destructive power of being blinded by love. Back in high school, Ji Mu met his soulmate.
Xie Qingqing, the younger sister whom Ji Mu once said he would protect for a lifetime, was discarded by him like a worn-out shoe.
The entanglement between the three seems like it could be summed up in a single sentence, but the story behind it is extremely tragic.
When Ji Mu first met Cui Ruoxue, he didn't care much for her, but she kept chasing after him every day.
It is said that even the most virtuous woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor. This principle should also apply to men, but no matter how hard Cui Ruxue tried, Ji Mu simply ignored her.
Later, Ji Mu, fed up with her persistent pestering, came up with a terrible idea to make Cui Ruxue give up.
His solution was to have Xie Qingqing pretend to be his girlfriend.
Xie Qingqing is the kind of person who values money over reason. When she met someone, she spent a long time without offering any benefits, and she absolutely refused to agree.
Ji Mu already knew her shortcomings, and it took a long time for her to agree to spend money. That's how he easily got her under his control.
Xie Qingqing "naturally" became her childhood sweetheart's girlfriend, and she dutifully fulfilled her duties as a girlfriend, making it a daily must.
They grew up under the same roof, so there are countless photos of them, and their daily updates are incredibly sweet.
Unbeknownst to Xie Qingqing, while she was diligently completing her task, Ji Mu was secretly plotting against her.
That's right! Ji Mu kept refusing, but then he actually started to like it!
After learning that Ji Mu had a girlfriend, Cui Ruxue "committed suicide".
Seeing the once vibrant person lying in the hospital room with a pale face, Ji Mu understood what it meant to have his heart ripped out.
From then on, he no longer resisted Cui Ruxue's approach, and even showed her concern and care during her hospitalization.
The two fell deeply in love instantly, like a blazing fire.
The problem is that Ji Mu is deeply in love with someone else and has forgotten to make things clear to Xie Qingqing. While the two of them are being affectionate in the hospital, Xie Qingqing is still diligently completing her task.
After some time, the two losers made a high-profile announcement, making it known to everyone.
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