As things unfolded, Fu Rong began to wonder if perhaps Chi Yao would indeed take photos of him and Shen Ling together if they ever got involved. It seemed like something Chi Yao might do.

However, a new issue surfaced: it seemed that recently, Chi Yao and Shen Ling hadn’t been meeting frequently. Shen Ling had mentioned that Chi Yao was busy with the renovation of his villa.

And so, it circled back to the matter of the villa.

Fu Rong suddenly felt that he should visit and take a look for himself.

Driving there, Fu Rong noted that while there were some houses for sale in the area, there were no available villas. He had arranged to meet with a real estate agent, who was already waiting by the roadside, having recognized Fu Rong’s voice.

When the agent was about to speak, Fu Rong raised his hand, signaling him to stop. The agent immediately understood that he was merely a tool for this errand. Even if Fu Rong didn’t buy a house, simply being associated with such a high-profile person would allow the agent to brag later.

They approached the outer street-facing properties. The houses had an inward view, providing a wide, expansive perspective. Standing on the balcony, one could see the villa area in the distance. Fu Rong easily identified Chi Yao’s villa — the one undergoing renovations both inside and out.

Seeing Fu Rong’s interest, the agent quietly added that the villa’s owner had a child on the way. The owner had installed an elevator and was preparing a nursery, as the baby was due next spring. However, the agent mentioned that they had never seen the wife — just the extremely young and handsome villa owner, more attractive than most celebrities.

“A child?” Fu Rong thought he must have misheard.

“Yes, a baby,” the agent confirmed. “Due next spring. But we’ve never seen the wife, so she might be staying in her hometown to take care of the pregnancy. It’s obvious the owner loves his wife and child; he’s using only the best materials for the house.”

Since the agent had been involved in some aspects of the renovation, they were aware of these details.

“His wife and child?” Fu Rong felt as if he had heard a joke, letting out a brief laugh. But his smile quickly faded.

When did Chi Yao get married? There hadn’t been any rumors.

Wasn’t he supposed to be deeply in love with Shen Ling? He had always been focused on Shen Ling, seemingly having no time for anyone else, let alone getting married and having children.

A surrogate? Fu Rong quickly thought of this possibility but then immediately shook his head. The idea was too far-fetched. How could Chi Yao have a child?

It seemed absurd.

Yet, the matter had already taken root in Fu Rong’s mind.

He wanted to see this child — or at least find out who was pregnant.

Fu Rong discreetly hired someone to follow Chi Yao and investigate the child’s situation. But the results were swift and clear: not only was there no child, but there wasn’t even a woman in Chi Yao’s life.

Fu Rong also checked Chi Yao’s phone and call records, but found nothing suspicious — no signs of a woman.

However, they did uncover some information from a hospital in a different city. Chi Yao had recently undergone surgery to remove a tumor.

Upon learning this, Fu Rong remembered how Chi Yao had quit smoking and drinking some time ago.

Smoking? Fu Rong frowned. That night, he recalled lighting a cigarette, and the boy kneeling before him had immediately started coughing.

His eyes had been covered with a blindfold, yet the smell of smoke made him cough.

It seemed the boy disliked the smell of smoke.

Could there be a connection?

For a brief moment, Fu Rong had the urge to do something extreme. He didn’t care if it was illegal; he was determined to find that boy.

There was a feeling — almost as if their fates were intertwined. It seemed like they had been connected in a past life.

For a moment, Fu Rong imagined kidnapping Chi Yao, tying him up, and blindfolding him again to see if he was the boy from that night.

This twisted thought came out of nowhere, and Fu Rong’s eyes darkened.

He spent a long time suppressing this idea. If Chi Yao was indeed the boy, then Fu Rong would have hurt him. If not, he couldn’t just hold onto Chi Yao — the man’s background was something Fu Rong couldn’t easily touch.

In the end, it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Besides, Fu Rong didn’t really want to harm Chi Yao.

But what should he do?

Fu Rong massaged his temples, once again falling into a state of confusion.

Meanwhile, after the small time celebrity boy had been taken away by Chang Feng, he was told that it had all been Shen Ling’s doing. The boy had met Shen Ling once before, and his body instinctively feared him. His dreams of becoming a celebrity had now been shattered, though deep down, he had always known that becoming a true star was an impossible fantasy.

But when the boy checked his bank account and saw a seven-figure sum, he burst into laughter. He didn’t care about fame anymore — he had money, and that was enough.

The matter with the boy had been resolved, and he no longer dared to approach Chi Yao.

Chang Feng hadn’t mentioned anything about the boy meeting Fu Rong, deeming it unimportant, so he didn’t tell Chi Yao.

The villa renovations were complete. After the interior was cleaned and the garden planted with flowers and shrubs, Chi Yao came by to inspect the results. A swing had also been installed. Chi Yao sat on the swing, noting the chill in the air as winter approached.

He used to never mind the cold, often wearing just a couple of thin layers. But now, he found himself wearing a sweater, opting for looser clothing.