Chapter 1: Prologue

These past few days, Chen Yanyan has been somewhat absent-minded. For the past half month, Liu Xudong, who went to the capital to visit family, hasn’t been in touch with her. His phone goes straight to voicemail, and he hasn’t replied to her WeChat messages.

Liu Xudong is Chen Yanyan’s boyfriend and also the young master of the company where she works. The company’s headquarters are among the world’s top 500 in the capital. Two years ago, Liu Xudong was transferred back from the overseas branch to become the company’s general manager.

Not only is Liu Xudong wealthy, but he is also knowledgeable and talented, handsome, mature, and gentlemanly. Most importantly, he is thirty-five and still unmarried.

The moment he arrived, all the girls in the company were smitten, including the mature woman, Chen Yanyan.

Although Chen Yanyan is over thirty, she has outstanding looks, an elegant figure, and a graceful demeanor. She has achieved some success in her career, owns a car and a house, and can be considered a successful, beautiful woman. She has even turned down many outstanding men’s pursuits.

Among a group of chattering girls, Chen Yanyan stands out, and Liu Xudong noticed her right away. Additionally, she is the marketing department manager of the company, so they had frequent contact, and she quickly caught his attention, leading him to pursue her.

Chen Yanyan refused, lacking confidence, and feeling unworthy of his elevated status. Liu Xudong is a diamond among the elite, a second-generation rich man with a significant background, far from what she, a grassroots inspirational figure, could aspire to. Moreover, beneath her elegant, confident exterior lies a fragile and humble heart.

When she was three, her family, including her parents, grandparents, and aunt and uncle, went on a trip. The cruise they were on capsized in the sea, and everyone died except for her. She will always remember her father holding her above the cold water with his hands. She can’t recall how long it lasted, but it went from dark to light, and finally, her father couldn’t hold on anymore and put her in a plastic basin. Just as she was close to freezing to death, the rescuers finally arrived.

She had an aunt and an uncle, but neither of them wanted to raise her, so she was sent to an orphanage. In the beginning, her aunt and uncle used to visit her at the orphanage often, but they stopped coming later. When she went to find them after entering university, she found out they had both passed away.

She always felt that she had few relatives.

She desperately longed for family, love, and care, but she was also afraid of having it and then losing it again. Subconsciously, she rejected anyone who tried to get close to her.

Of course, her age and pride also played a part in her remaining unmarried. She couldn’t find a man who would treat her well and remain faithful, and those she did like, she feared she couldn’t handle.

Liu Xudong seemed to understand her thoughts and didn’t act rashly. Instead, he appeared by her side at the right times, expressing his care in a suitable manner. After such gradual progress for over six months, Chen Yanyan finally opened her heart to him.

This was followed by frequent dates, watching movies, dining out, shopping, and eventually moving in together after six months.

Thinking about all this, Chen Yanyan felt immensely sweet inside. This man wouldn’t just be her husband but also her family, and he would be the father of her children. In this life, she finally had a family and loved ones.

Afterward, Liu Xudong wanted to gift her a house and a savings card with a seven-figure balance.

She declined; she loved him for who he was and was willing to give her all for him. If she accepted those things, the nature of their relationship would change.

Liu Xudong kissed her and said, “Yanyan, you are my woman, and everything I have is yours.”

These words deeply moved Chen Yanyan.

He and she loved each other passionately and openly, but only Chen Yanyan knew how humble her love was.

She enrolled in a course on body and temperament training and even learned to play the guzheng (The guzheng is a traditional Chinese string instrument that belongs to the zither family.). She knew she had a good temperament, but she hoped to become even more beautiful and cultured.

She also knew that to keep a man’s heart, she had to capture his stomach first. So she learned culinary arts and excelled at cooking and making desserts. Therefore, apart from necessary social engagements, Liu Xudong always came home to eat the meals she made.

Liu Xudong hinted that this time, upon returning to the capital, he would discuss their marriage with his parents. Before leaving, he took her ID card, had the house and the savings card transferred to her name…

Lost in thought, her phone rang. It was a message from Liu Xudong, saying he was back.

Chen Yanyan was over the moon and quickly shut down her computer. She wanted to go home early to cook for him. She got up from her office and went to her subordinates’ office.

Approaching Tang Tingting’s desk, she said, “I’ve got something to attend to today, so I’ll be leaving early.”

Tang Tingting was not only her subordinate but also her good friend. Seeing the joy on Chen Yanyan’s face, she had already guessed the reason and chuckled softly, “Is the young master back?”

Chen Yanyan playfully scolded, “You chatterbox, I won’t pay attention to you.”

Tang Tingting laughed, “Even if you don’t pay attention, I still need to butter you up. You’re not only my boss but also the lady boss. I’m counting on you for a promotion and a raise.”

As she finished speaking, she noticed Chen Yanyan’s surprised expression as she looked ahead.

Upon turning around, Chen Yanyan was astonished to see Liu Xudong walking into the office, embracing a beautiful girl. He stood in the middle and addressed everyone, “This is my fiancée, Xu Ziwei. We got engaged a few days ago. This weekend, I’ll treat everyone to a meal in a good restaurant. I hope everyone can make it.”

The office staff were stunned for three seconds, then erupted into applause and congratulations.

Liu Xudong smiled, nodded to each employee, including the bewildered Chen Yanyan, and then left with Xu Ziwei, entering another office. More applause and congratulations could be heard.

Chen Yanyan stood there in a daze, while others gave her sympathetic glances before getting back to work.

Tang Tingting asked Chen Yanyan, “Yanyan, are you… are you okay?”

Chen Yanyan, in a daze, seemed to regain her composure. She held back her tears and forced a smile, “I’m fine. I’m leaving now.”

She calmly walked outside, carrying her bag. In the elevator, she disregarded the sympathetic looks from others and politely smiled.

Even if she lost, she would lose gracefully.

She arrived at the underground garage, got into her car, closed the door, and then collapsed over the steering wheel, crying uncontrollably. After crying her heart out, she started the car and drove away.

She didn’t want to return to her desolate home. Yet, she didn’t know where to go next, so she drove aimlessly, in a daze.

She never understood how the man who had promised her a month ago, vowing to convince his parents, marry her properly, and give her a status, could now be embracing another woman, announcing their engagement.

It turned out he had been playing with her all along. Those things he gave her before leaving were just compensation. She had been foolishly moved by it. She felt utterly foolish.

She didn’t know how long she had been driving when she found herself outside an elementary school. The bell had rung, and many children were walking out in lines. She quickly turned left but saw a large truck charging straight toward her. It seemed to have knocked over several people, causing the surrounding pedestrians to scream and scatter. She couldn’t evade it in time, and the car collided with the truck.

The front of her car was already crushed under the truck, and she was wedged between the airbag and the seat, with a large wheel suspended just a few centimeters above her head. Blood gushed from her head, still able to feel its warmth.

Before losing consciousness, a strange image of a swallow appeared in her mind, urgently chirping. Surprisingly, Chen Yanyan could understand it. It was saying, “Don’t die, don’t die. After following you this whole life, I haven’t even seen the light of day yet…”

^[1]A swallow refers to a type of bird known for its distinctive forked tail and graceful, agile flight. These birds are typically small, with streamlined bodies and pointed wings.