Chapter 30

Looking again at the small, thin girl, it was obvious she had a stepmother at home. People often say, “When there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather too”—you could tell just by looking at her that she hadn’t had an easy life under that woman’s roof.

“Song Qingdai, shut up!” Song Guangji was already embarrassed and furious. He glared at her and shouted, “What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you damn bitch? I got my job through my own abilities! When did I ever use your money to buy it?!”

“You trying to die, huh?!”

He looked like he was about to charge at her and beat her up. But Song Qingdai quickly stepped behind Miao Jingjing, clearly frightened.

It seemed like an instinctive reaction, her face pale with fear.

“Who the hell are you saying is trying to die?”

A deep voice, steady but laced with suppressed fury, cut in.

Gao Han had been watching quietly from the side for a while. Although Qingdai had told him not to interfere, he couldn’t hold back anymore.

The tall man stood a head higher than Song Guangji. His icy eyes locked onto Guangji, his expression dark and chilling.

His sudden appearance startled Song Guangji, who instinctively stumbled a few steps back.

Old memories—bad ones—suddenly came flooding back. The trauma of being beaten by Gao Han had left a shadow he couldn’t forget. Just seeing him made fear surge through his body.

“Repeat what you just said.”

Gao Han looked down at him, his black eyes radiating a cold and terrifying aura.

“W-What are you trying to do? Y-You wouldn’t actually hit someone in public, would you?”

Song Guangji swallowed hard, panic rising in his chest. There were so many people around—surely Gao Han wouldn’t dare attack him here?

If he did, he’d take Gao Han to court and ruin him.

“Said no one wants her? Song Qingdai is my fiancée—someone I worked hard to win over. That ‘damn bitch’ you just called out—who were you talking to?”

“You dare insult her?”

“I…”

Miao Jingjing realized something was off. This man who appeared out of nowhere obviously knew Song Qingdai.

“I… I…”

Song Guangji was trembling all over under Gao Han’s intense stare—and turned tail and ran.

“You bastard, Song Guangji!”

Miao Jingjing was dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected him to just abandon her and flee.

Laughter erupted around them, and her face flushed red-hot with embarrassment.

“Miss, do you still want this jewelry set?” the store clerk asked politely, maintaining professionalism despite the chaos.

Miao Jingjing, humiliated and furious, gave Song Qingdai a vicious glare, then shoved her aside and ran out too.

“Please continue wrapping it up. My wife really likes it—thank you,” Gao Han said courteously.

The clerk quickly resumed packaging the jewelry.

A large, warm hand gently took hers, patting her back in a soothing gesture.

Song Qingdai looked up at him, eyes crinkling with a smile. “Ah-Han, thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for? I didn’t do anything just now.”

Gao Han took the wrapped jewelry, then led her out of the store.

Song Qingdai bit her lip, suppressing a laugh. He obviously did everything, and still says he did nothing.

She was starting to understand—Gao Han might look cold, but his heart was anything but.

“Just now, you said I’m the wife you worked hard to win over. Ah-Han, did you like me even before?”

Gao Han paused mid-step, looking down at the girl beside him.

She had a faint smile on her lips and a curious glint in her eyes.

“I’m just a country bumpkin—no one in town would dare marry me. But you did. So… can I think maybe you liked me for a long time too?”

He turned her question right back around.

Song Qingdai was momentarily speechless. Wasn’t I the one asking him? How did this become about me?

Truthfully, before this, she’d never had much interaction with him—only heard about him from others.

“All that was just talk. In my eyes, you’re amazing.”

She raised an eyebrow, her eyes shining like stars—stunningly beautiful.

Her gorgeous face glowed like a sunset—vivid, radiant.

He was momentarily dazed, Adam’s apple bobbing.

Then she suddenly heard him say, “Yeah, you can take it that I liked you a long time ago.”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Truer than pearls.”

Her cheeks flushed.

Was this… a confession?

By the time they exited the department store, the sky had darkened.

It was summer—nights didn’t fall fully until seven or eight. It was only 7:30, but already the lights of the city’s bars, arcades, and dance halls had begun to twinkle in a riot of color.

Looking out, the city’s nightlife felt within reach.

After a long day at work, young men and women flooded into bars and dance floors to unwind.

In this era where TVs were scarce, movie theaters were a popular form of entertainment.

That night, Ren Nana had made plans to see a movie with Liu Yaru and a few other girlfriends. By the time the movie ended, it was already 8 PM and completely dark outside.

“Nana, it’s only 8—it’s still early. Why don’t we go to the dance hall for a few drinks and a bit of singing?” Liu Yaru suggested.

She had just received news that someone in the Peace Compound was starting to grow suspicious of Liu Bingzhi.

Which meant—they were about to be exposed.

Before that happened, she needed to find a way to get Ren Nana under her control.

Ren Nana was a trump card—something she couldn’t afford to play unless absolutely necessary.

“No way!” Ren Nana refused without hesitation.

“My dad doesn’t let me go to places like that. If he found out, he’d kill me!”

Her father was in the military. Though she really wanted to go, Ren Nana had always obeyed him—not because she thought dance halls were bad, but because they were full of all kinds of people and could be dangerous.

“Just this once! And besides, if you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, Uncle Ren won’t know.”

“But…”

Ren Nana bit her lip, hesitating.

Liu Yaru pressed her advantage, continuing to coax her. “My dad said Uncle Ren is super busy today—he won’t have time to check on you. Just once, okay? Think of it as a way to relax.”

“You have no idea how fun those places are. If you don’t come, it means you don’t see me as a real friend!”

“That’s not true! Of course I do, I just—”

“Then prove it. If you really consider me your friend, come with me. Just once, okay?”

Liu Yaru tugged on her arm insistently. Ren Nana couldn’t resist her. They had been friends for years—surely Liu Yaru wouldn’t harm her.

And it was just this once. Just once—what could go wrong?

She’d never been before. What harm could it do?

“Alright then.”

“But you have to promise—you won’t tell my dad!”

“Of course not! Come on, how can you not trust me?”

Liu Yaru breathed a sigh of relief. This spoiled little princess was easier to fool than she thought. She had expected to put in a lot more effort, but Nana had taken the bait almost instantly.