The plane landed in Beicheng.

Since she was seated towards the back, Xia Liyang managed to avoid running into Lu Huaicheng on her way off the plane..

Upon exiting the terminal, Xu Songnian’s father, Xu Zhe, was already waiting by a black Mercedes.

“Uncle Xu,” Xia Liyang greeted him politely and glanced around. “Isn’t my dad coming?”

“Your dad is still in a meeting and really couldn’t get away, so he asked me to pick you up. Otherwise, you’d be waiting until the afternoon,” Xu Zhe said with a smile, taking her suitcase and putting it in the trunk.

“Oh, thank you, Uncle Xu,” Xia Liyang nodded, feeling a hint of disappointment.

She had been looking forward to coming back, but now that she was here, her dad didn’t seem too eager to see her.

“No need to be so polite!” Uncle Xu straightened up and turned to Xu Songnian, who was standing behind her. “Hurry and put your suitcase in the trunk too. Your mom’s waiting at home for us to have lunch together.”

“Dad, you’re so biased, only helping Yang Yang with her suitcase,” Xu Songnian said with a playful smile.

“You’re a grown man, six feet tall, and you want me to carry your suitcase?” Xu Zhe chuckled, then warmly invited Xia Liyang, “Yang Yang, have lunch with us. If you wait till you get back, it’ll be past one, and the cafeteria won’t have any food left.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just order takeout. I don’t want to intrude,” Xia Liyang said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“It’s no trouble at all. Your auntie already made your portion, including your favorite sweet and sour ribs,” Xu Zhe smiled and opened the car door for her. “Get in, let’s go home for lunch.”

With such a warm invitation, Xia Liyang nodded, thanked him, and got into the car.

Not far away, a black Cullinan drove up from the underground garage.

Sitting in the back seat, Lu Huaicheng turned to look at the three of them chatting happily outside the window.

His thin lips tightened, and his gaze darkened.

Though on the plane, he had scoffed at Wen Yuchen’s suggestion that it seemed like he had been dumped by her.

But he couldn’t deny that, ever since they parted, she appeared to be doing far better than he was.

It was as if she felt nothing for him, like she held no nostalgia for him whatsoever.

As if the moments she spent with him—smiling shyly, carefully holding his hand, resting softly on his shoulder, and sneaking kisses—had never happened.

Why was it so easy for her to leave him?

Yet he remained stuck, sinking deeper and deeper into the mire she left behind.

It didn’t feel right, nor should it be this way, nor was it reasonable.

Lu Huaicheng lowered his eyes calmly.

His fingers intertwined on his lap, the blue veins visible against his pale skin, spreading like roots.

….

That evening, Xia Liyang finally saw her father, Xia Yanxu, who had just returned from the research institute.

Seeing the dark circles under his eyes and the fatigue he couldn’t hide, she swallowed back her complaints.

He had been like this since she was little, tirelessly working day and night.

But unlike Li Qingying, he always made sure her needs were taken care of, no matter how busy he was.

Whether by asking the neighbors for help or taking her to work with him at the institute, he never left her at home, crying from hunger.

“Sorry, I couldn’t make it to the airport to pick you up today,” Xia Yanxu apologized, changing into slippers as he looked at her on the sofa.

“It’s okay, Dad, you were busy. It couldn’t be helped,” Xia Liyang said understandingly, smiling as she urged him, “Go wash up and get some rest. We can chat tomorrow.”

“Alright,” he replied, touched, nodding as he took off his coat and headed to the bathroom.

In reality, with the first phase of clinical trial data coming in, Xia Yanxu barely had any time to spend at home with her, immersed in work from morning till night at the institute.

They only got a few moments together while grabbing meals at the cafeteria.

In the blink of an eye, half of the short holiday had passed.

That afternoon, Xia Liyang, as usual, went to the cafeteria at her dad’s usual lunch break time.

But he didn’t show up, and he didn’t reply to her messages.

Thinking he might have forgotten the time, engrossed in his work again, she quickly finished her meal and packed a boxed lunch for him, bringing it to the institute.

Just as she expected, when she opened his office door, she found him focused on the computer, fingers typing away as he organized the dense data on the screen.

“Dad, time to eat,” she said, placing the lunchbox on his desk and sitting on a nearby stool.

“Oh,” Xia Yanxu was startled, glancing at his watch. “I didn’t realize it was this late. Thanks for going out of your way.”

“I don’t mind,” she said casually, smiling, but then added with concern, “Dad, you’re not young anymore. You can’t keep working like this without resting. What if you exhaust yourself?”

“I know my own body,” he replied, looking down as he opened the lunchbox she had brought.

“It’s just that no one’s here to look after you,” Xia Liyang paused, hesitating. “Dad, have you ever considered remarrying?”

Xia Yanxu, mid-bite, choked slightly and said awkwardly, “There’s no need. Besides, when you were young, didn’t you oppose me finding a stepmother?”

“That was because I was little and didn’t understand. Actually, thinking back now, Auntie Li was pretty nice. Do you still keep in touch?” she asked.

After a moment, he replied, “No, that was years ago.”

“Then maybe I could look into senior dating for you?” she suggested with a grin.

“…I don’t have the time for dating, and I’ve been on my own for so many years that I’m used to it. I don’t want anyone else interfering,” Xia Yanxu said, focusing on his meal.

“How is that interference? I’d feel better knowing someone’s with you. I’d be more at ease when I’m away,” Xia Liyang said.

“Stop worrying about me,” Xia Yanxu paused, then asked, “What about your own life? Aren’t you still single without any prospects? How about you and Songnian? I’d be reassured since I know him well.”

“Dad, what are you talking about? Songnian and I could never be a couple—that would be too strange,” Xia Liyang replied, slightly exasperated.

“What about that friend of yours?” Xia Yanxu asked.

“Which friend?” Xia Liyang was puzzled.

“The one you mentioned you owed a favor to.” Xia Yanxu looked up at her.

“…That’s even less likely.” Xia Liyang’s gaze shifted awkwardly as she quickly changed the subject. “By the way, how’s his mother? Is there any chance she’ll wake up?”

“His mother…”

Just as Xia Yanxu started to respond, his phone screen lit up with an incoming call, silently displaying a number.

“Hold on, I need to take this call,” Xia Yanxu said, reaching for his phone.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“I understand.”

“Alright.”

After exchanging only a few words, Xia Yanxu hung up and told Xia Liyang, “Your friend just finished visiting his mother and wants to ask about her condition. He’ll be here shortly; he’s already downstairs.”

“Huh?” Xia Liyang froze for a moment, then quickly stood up.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Yanxu glanced at her, puzzled.

She looked out the window and spotted a black Cullinan parked below.

Oh no! He really picked the perfect time to show up!

“I just remembered I have to discuss my project with my advisor this afternoon. I should get going,” she said with a forced smile and hastily added, “And please, don’t mention me to him!”

“…Alright.” Xia Yanxu furrowed his brow, watching her dash out of his office in a fluster.

Barely a few steps away, she heard the “ding” of the elevator as the doors opened.

Lu Huaicheng stepped out, wearing a sharp gray shirt tucked into his slim waist, his hands as usual covered in black leather gloves.

He glanced down, seemingly checking the room number of her father’s office on his phone.

In a flash, Xia Liyang’s nerves tightened. She turned around and quickly slipped into the stairwell, heart pounding.

The noise made him instinctively look up.

When he caught a glimpse of a figure with long hair disappearing through the stairwell door, he paused in surprise.

Was that Xia Liyang?

But why would she be here?

Maybe he was just imagining things because he missed her so much.

Even so, he quickened his pace and pushed open the stairwell door.

Inside, it was empty; he couldn’t even hear any footsteps going down.

Was it really just his imagination?

Lu Huaicheng held onto the doorknob, smiled at himself wryly, and returned to the hallway.

Xia Liyang stayed pressed against the wall, only letting out a long breath after the sound of the door upstairs had faded. Relieved, she continued down the stairs.

Lu Huaicheng knocked on Xia Yanxu’s office door, and upon seeing him still eating, apologized, “Sorry for interrupting your meal.”

“No problem.” Xia Yanxu took a few more bites before putting down his chopsticks. He then picked up his mouse and pulled up Chen Wanzhen’s clinical data on the computer.

“We re-evaluated your mother using the latest methods. She’s not in a completely unresponsive state but rather in a minimally conscious state, which means her brain is still able to make slight responses to external stimuli.”

“Does this mean she has a chance of waking up?” Lu Huaicheng’s eyes brightened.

“Yes.” Xia Yanxu paused and said, “Our plan now is to abandon the previous conservative treatment and try stimulating her vagus nerve to see if she can recover to a lower state of consciousness, allowing her to respond to simple commands like blinking or turning her head.”

“Is there anything family needs to do to help?” Lu Huaicheng asked eagerly.

“Not for now,” Xia Yanxu thought for a moment. “But it would help if the family visits more often and talks to her; that kind of interaction might have some positive effect.”

“I understand.” Lu Huaicheng nodded. “Thank you, Director Xia. I’ll let you finish your meal and be on my way.”

“Alright.” Xia Yanxu hesitated, as if he wanted to say more.

But remembering Xia Liyang’s request, he decided against prying into their relationship.

After all, they had just reconciled. He didn’t want her blaming him again over this.

When Lu Huaicheng left the institute, he returned to the Beicheng home Residence.

In the living room, Zhou Yuling, who was watching TV, turned and asked with concern, “Huaicheng, you’re back? How is your mother?”

“Yes.” Lu Huaicheng nodded slightly, his tone reserved. “She’s the same as usual.”

“That’s good. I was worried that moving her here might make it harder for her to adapt to the climate here in Beicheng, which could have adverse effects,” Zhou Yuling said with a smile.

“If you’re that worried, you could visit her more often. Talking with her could do her some good,” Lu Huaicheng replied with a slight smile.

Hearing this, the smile on Zhou Yuling’s face became a bit forced.

Back then, she had encouraged Lu Zhiyuan to move the company’s headquarters from Jiangcheng to Beicheng, primarily to avoid having to visit Chen Wanzhen in the hospital regularly.

Otherwise, she might seem disloyal and could be criticized for it.

“If I have the time, I’ll definitely go,” Zhou Yuling paused, feigning concern. “But Beicheng’s climate is dry, and the winters are much colder than Jiangcheng’s. It may not be good for your mother’s health. Besides, Jiangcheng’s medical resources aren’t lacking. Was it really necessary to bring her here?”

“Oh, there’s a research project here in Beicheng with more advanced technology. I just met the project lead, and he re-evaluated my mother’s condition with the latest methods to assess her potential for regaining consciousness.”

“…And what was the result?” Zhou Yuling’s expression changed slightly, a trace of tension flashing in her eyes.

Lu Huaicheng observed her quietly for a few seconds before replying in a calm tone, “No change so far. The chances are very low.”

“Oh.” Zhou Yuling breathed a sigh of relief, her tension easing.

As he suspected, she was worried his mother might wake up.

Lu Huaicheng’s eyes darkened slightly, further confirming his suspicions about her guilt.

After all, if his mother regained consciousness, there would be a witness.

Everything Zhou Yuling had carefully built would collapse.

….

After the holiday, Xia Liyang returned to Jiangcheng.

A few days later, while waiting for the elevator, she ran into Lu Huaicheng.

He had his usual calm expression, dressed simply in a white shirt and black pants, his hands casually in his pockets, appearing lost in thought.

Xia Liyang paused, hesitating to enter.

Sensing someone outside, Lu Huaicheng finally looked up.

Their gazes met through the elevator door, and the air grew tense.

“Why aren’t you coming in? Do you think I’m some kind of plague?” Lu Huaicheng’s deep eyes fixed on her as he pressed the open-door button.

“…” Xia Liyang pursed her lips, feeling that avoiding the elevator might seem like she cared too much, so she stepped inside.

But as soon as she entered, he asked in a sarcastic tone, “Are you living with him now? Moving pretty fast, aren’t you?”

“…”

Is he done yet?

Her lips twitched as she shot him a glare. “Yeah! After all, he’s much better than you—in every way.”

Hearing this, Lu Huaicheng’s face darkened noticeably. His lips moved, but no words came out.

“Actually, I think I’ll take another elevator. I wouldn’t want you to be upset, Mr. Lu,” she said, stepping back out. “Close the door, please. Have a nice trip.”

But Lu Huaicheng kept his hand on the open-door button, his intense gaze fixed on her, his tone laced with irritation. “When you were with me, I didn’t see you avoiding him like this.”

Frustrated with him dredging up old grievances, Xia Liyang scoffed, too tired to argue further, and turned to head back to her door.

But just as she was about to unlock it, he suddenly stepped out of the elevator, bracing one arm against her door, his tall figure looming close. His voice, low and rough, whispered, “So you don’t want to upset him, right?”

His warm breath brushed against her ear, and the familiar heat from his body made her heartbeat stutter.

Taking a steadying breath, she turned to face him, looking up into his dark, stormy eyes. 

“Yes. So, please be respectful, Mr. Lu, and keep a social distance,” she replied coolly, but under his intense gaze, she subconsciously clenched the hem of her shirt.

However, Lu Huaicheng didn’t move, still bracing against the door and trapping her in a narrow space. His voice was low, laced with irony. “Respect? Social distance? When you first approached me, those words didn’t cross your mind.”

“And besides, I have no intention of making your Mr. Xu happy. He should just stay out of it.”

With that, he pressed her back against the door and lowered his head, capturing her lips in a forceful kiss.