Half an hour later, in an apartment near the concert hall.

“Explain yourself, Mr. Kuang Ye, the first person in the HW League to set a record with a 60 million signing fee that remains unbroken to this day.”

Sitting on the sofa, Mu Wan crossed her arms, her tone neutral and unreadable.

Since their engagement, Kuang Ye had never seen this expression on Mu Wan’s face. For once, he felt an uncharacteristic sense of unease.

“That was originally just a joke.”

“But when I heard you say you wanted to move out, I thought it would be better for you to live closer to me. So, I went along with it…”

Mu Wan: … So the excuse I handed you became the perfect opportunity for you to trap me, huh?

“So, you’re not poor?”

“I’m not poor.”

The atmosphere fell silent.

Mu Wan suddenly found herself at a loss. Should she be angry and demand answers? But that didn’t feel right. From beginning to end, Kuang Ye had never explicitly claimed to be poor. Everything was her own misguided assumption.

Her chest felt tight, as though she were submerged in water, unable to hear clearly or breathe.

She wondered if it was because of her past life. Had she been so desperate to make up for Kuang Ye that she subconsciously crafted an image of him as someone in need of her rescue?

But reality wasn’t like that. Kuang Ye didn’t need her saving at all.

And that realization left her deeply unsettled…

Kuang Ye’s feelings for her in their past life had been intense, yet from her perspective, they lacked an anchor for such intensity.

In her past life, she ignored and neglected him. Why would he like someone like her?

So, in this life, she had tried her best to be good to Kuang Ye, giving herself a reason to believe he had fallen for her.

Now, with a second chance, she couldn’t tell if what she felt for him was love, gratitude, or pity for his unreciprocated devotion.

But the memory of him transforming into a vengeful figure for her and then dying in despair had long been etched deeply in her heart.

Tear drop.

Unknowingly, tears streamed down her cheeks. Mu Wan looked at Kuang Ye with hollow eyes, her voice choked.

“Kuang Ye… do you… not need me anymore?”

Seeing her tears, Kuang Ye’s eyes reddened, and his heart felt like it was being pierced with needles. He immediately pulled her into a tight hug.

“Wan Wan, don’t cry. I’m sorry. It’s my fault for deceiving you. Please, don’t cry.”

But Mu Wan couldn’t stop crying, clutching tightly at Kuang Ye’s clothes as if she were back in that cramped bathroom where his body had grown colder and colder, and she had been utterly helpless.

Kuang Ye held her trembling, sobbing frame, his heart aching beyond measure. Gently patting her back, his hoarse voice whispered,

“Wan Wan, how could I not need you?”

“If not for you, I’d already be dead.”

Mu Wan’s sobbing paused. Red-eyed, she lifted her head from his embrace, her damp lashes making her look pitiful.

“What did you say?”

Kuang Ye’s hand lightly brushed her cheek, his gaze tender and overflowing with emotion, revealing his feelings for the first time.

“Wan Wan, eight years ago, at the Kuang family’s villa, you saved me.”

He briefly recounted what had happened eight years ago.

Mu Wan’s tearful eyes widened in shock. “That person was you back then?”

It’s not every day someone stumbles upon a half-dead person on the street, so even after eight years, Mu Wan remembered clearly.

It was Kuang Shuyu’s birthday, and she had been delayed by violin practice. On the way there, she had come across a freezing boy, barely alive, covered in blood and burning with fever.

With Uncle Liu’s help, she called for an ambulance and had him sent to the hospital. But because his injuries were suspicious, her father, concerned about possible trouble, erased all traces of her involvement in the matter.

Kuang Ye nodded.

“It was me. When I woke up, I was told the medical bills had been paid. I wanted to thank you, but I couldn’t find you.”

Mu Wan hadn’t expected there to be such a connection between them. If Kuang Ye hadn’t told her, she might never have known.

“So… was it then that you started liking me?”

Mu Wan’s eyes were bright as she stared at Kuang Ye.

Kuang Ye thought for a moment.

“Not entirely.”

“Huh?”

Mu Wan was full of question marks. What does “not entirely” mean?

Kuang Ye explained, “Before returning to the Kuang family, we had already met once.”

It was that meeting that had sparked his desire to have her in his life.

Mu Wan thought hard but couldn’t recall anything.

She asked Kuang Ye to tell her, but he remained cryptically secretive.

Mu Wan: …

Maybe it was Kuang Ye’s explanation or her newfound confidence in his feelings, but she was now certain that he liked her.

She reached out to pinch his face. “Annoying Xiao Didi, tell me!”

Looking at Mu Wan, whose spirit had returned despite her still-reddened eyes, Kuang Ye’s heart relaxed. A mischievous glint flashed in his gaze.

“How about we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

Kuang Ye leaned close to her ear, his voice soft and teasing.

“Bet that within three months, If you can’t remember our second meeting.”

“If you can’t remember, you’ll have to agree to one of my conditions. If you can, I’ll agree to two of yours.”

His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Mu Wan’s ears turned red, and her voice became flustered.

“Isn’t that a bad deal for you?”

“Then I’ll just take the loss.”

Suddenly, something warm brushed against her earlobe. Startled, Mu Wan nearly jumped, glaring at Kuang Ye in disbelief.

“You—!”