After taking a shower, Lu Zongyue changed into a dark green suit, paired it with a pink tie, and cleanly shaved his face. He looked refreshed, dashing, and brimming with confidence.

Ding Moli’s eyes lit up when she saw him. She reached out to link arms with him, but he subtly sidestepped, adjusting his tie as a way to quietly distance himself from her.

She didn’t notice his coldness and smiled, saying, “I’ve called the company. They’ll be ready for the meeting in an hour.”

“Good,” he nodded.

The two went to the hospital’s underground parking lot and got into a pastel purple Mini Cooper. It was a birthday gift Lu Zongyue had given to Ding Moli last year, and she had loved it so much that she had tied herself up with a bow that night, presenting herself as a rosy, wrapped gift in return.

She was skilled at these playful tactics, much more so than Yuanyuan, who, in comparison, seemed as stiff as a wooden plank.

Yuanyuan…

Thinking of his slender ex-wife, Lu Zongyue felt a sharp pang in his chest.

When they arrived at the company, all the department heads were ready for the meeting. Lu Zongyue strode into the conference room, his suit pristine and his posture commanding.

Apart from being a bit pale and thinner than before, he looked no different than his old self: confident, spirited, exuding a refreshed vitality.

The managers unconsciously straightened up in their seats and shook off the last traces of their lax attitudes. Their CEO was back—and this man was never one to be trifled with.

The heads of the sales department, manufacturing, international operations, R&D, marketing, and finance departments all took turns presenting their reports. They detailed the current state of operations and the progress of upcoming plans, ensuring that their newly returned CEO would quickly grasp the company’s latest situation.

Lu Zongyue sat at the head of the table, his gaze calmly scanning the faces of everyone in the room. Almost all of the company’s top elites were gathered here. The man conspiring with Ding Moli had to be among them.

But who could it be?

Was it the vice president of sales, who had just finalized his divorce and was now burdened with large alimony payments?

Or the marketing manager, who was well-liked by female colleagues, with his gentle, attractive, and polished demeanor?

Perhaps the head of international operations—a half-Taiwanese, half-Japanese newcomer who had been married for two years but, as everyone knew, affairs weren’t always stopped by wedding rings.

Surely it couldn’t be the company’s general manager of factories, who had been with the company since Lu Zongyue’s father started it and was far too old for such betrayal?

Could it be the deputy director of R&D, whom he had specifically recruited from the U.S.? Back in school, they had a senior-junior relationship, and Lu Zongyue had always admired his brilliant mind…

Everyone was a suspect, and he trusted none of them.

Lu Zongyue briefly closed his eyes. Having come back to life, he now realized there wasn’t a single person around him he could truly trust. His cold and ruthless attitude over the years had fostered relationships built purely on use and being used.

Only now did he realize how cruel and heartless he had been.

As Ding Moli, accompanied by two assistants, came in to serve fresh tea to everyone in the meeting room and refilled his cup, she smiled warmly at him.

Her smile was beautiful.

Elegant yet seductive, she knew exactly how to subtly display her charm in public settings like this.

Lu Zongyue stared at her for a few seconds, and she, mistaking his gaze for desire, smiled even more sweetly. But in reality, he felt nothing but coldness coursing through his veins.

He dared to admit to himself that while he might have used many people in this world, he had never thought of using her. Toward her, he had only ever felt guilt and tenderness, wanting nothing more than to share everything he had with her.

How could she so naturally act in front of him? When deep down, she was hoping he’d never wake up, so she could run off with that other man.

He had truly fallen in love with such a woman…

It felt as though a sharp knife was slicing through his heart, cutting deep into his soul, leaving him with bloody wounds filled with regret.

After nearly three hours of meetings, Lu Zongyue concluded that the company was not facing any immediate crisis.

Although rumors of his coma had made some clients anxious, leading a few to pull their orders, the company’s operations were not in jeopardy. The business plans he had set in motion before his accident were progressing smoothly, only needing his input at a few critical points.

He instructed the managers to keep a close eye on competitors and gather intel to report back to him before dismissing the meeting.

Then, using the excuse of needing to review documents, he had Ding Moli organize all the paperwork and return the company seals and his personal stamp that she had been holding for him.

In the past, he had entrusted her with these things out of trust, even letting her handle some of his personal financial transfers. But now, with suspicions in his heart, just as he had firmly withdrawn his love for her, he was determined to take back everything he had once entrusted to her.

With work temporarily settled, his next big worry was the whereabouts of Yuanyuan. As her ex-husband, he had no idea where she was.

Her phone number no longer worked. Her father and stepmother had moved to Vietnam, and her sister had married a Japanese man two years ago and was now living in a small town in Hokkaido.

He couldn’t reach her family, and after thinking for a long time, he realized he didn’t know any of her friends either.

During their three years of marriage, he had never truly cared about her, and he had only ever paid superficial courtesy to her father and sister. How would he know who her closest friends were?

Now he regretted it. If only he had paid more attention to her, even just a little, maybe he wouldn’t be so lost, like a headless fly, wandering in desperation.

After leaving the company, he returned to the community where he had once lived with Yuanyuan, knocking on doors one by one, hoping that one of the neighbors might remember her or still be in contact with her.

He spent an entire day and night asking around until an old lady told him that Yuanyuan often went to the evening market to buy groceries. Following this lead, he went from vendor to vendor until he finally heard some news about her from a vegetable seller.

“She used to come to learn how to make beef noodle soup from me. Not long ago, she came to visit and mentioned that she’s now running a noodle shop in Hualien.”

She’s in Hualien!

So, she had left Taipei, hiding in Taiwan’s hidden paradise.

Seeing his sincerity, the woman went back to her house and dug out a New Year’s postcard from a drawer. “This is a card she sent me during the holidays. It has her address in Hualien.”

He copied down the address, thanked the woman earnestly, and the thought of soon seeing Yuan Yuan made his heart feel like it was floating, as if dandelions had sprouted within him, drifting far away in the wind.

Yuan Yuan, I’m coming!

After finding out about his ex-wife’s whereabouts, Lu Zongyue packed a light bag over the weekend, preparing to take the train to Hualien.

Ding Moli had originally said she wanted to cook for him at his place, but he declined. Her cooking skills were basically at the level of heating up microwave meals, so why force it?

“You can learn, though!” she pouted over the phone. “Aren’t you excited to taste something I made with my own hands?”

He had once looked forward to it, but when she couldn’t even fry an egg without burning it, she excused herself by saying cooking would make her hands rough. After that, he stopped pushing her.

He curled his lips in mockery. “Forget it, I’ve got plans this weekend.”

“What plans? Where are you going?” she asked, alert.

“To see a friend,” he answered vaguely.

Sensing his indifference, her instincts made her try harder to please him, and her voice became even more sweet and coy. “Okay, go see your friend then. I’ll be good and wait for you to come back. Don’t forget to miss me!”

With that, she blew a loud, exaggerated kiss over the phone.

Lu Zongyue felt a wet, chilly sensation near his ear, as if that kiss had turned into a snake’s kiss. He couldn’t help but rub his ear, but that sticky feeling followed him all the way onto the train and stayed until he arrived at the beautiful, scenic town of Hualien. Only then, when the summer breeze touched his face, did the discomfort finally fade, and the storm clouds in his heart cleared.

Clutching the slip of paper in his hand, he followed the address written on it. Things, however, didn’t go as smoothly as expected. Yuan Yuan had moved out months ago. He questioned her former landlord and several neighbors, and after piecing together information, he deduced she had likely moved to another small town a few stops away.

He rushed to catch a train to the new town and arrived late at night. Unable to find a hotel, he spent a miserable night on a bench at the train station. The next morning, he skipped breakfast and immediately started his search. Since he didn’t know her exact address, he resorted to the simplest method: asking around from place to place.

After hours under the scorching sun, he finally stood before a traditional Japanese-style house on the edge of the town’s fields.

The house was made of wood, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a veranda. Hanging from the eaves was a glass wind chime, tinkling in the breeze. In front of the house was a small garden enclosed by a white-painted wooden fence. Roses and a few banana trees grew there, and a stone lantern stood quietly on a pebble-paved path.

Outside the fence was a wooden sign with “Little Garden Fragrance Bistro” carved into it. Beside it stood a rabbit straight out of Alice in Wonderland, holding a blackboard that listed the day’s special: Red Wine Beef Risotto/Noodles.

The round, childlike handwriting stirred his appetite. He realized he hadn’t eaten for two meals, and anything with beef—his favorite—sounded irresistible.

It seemed like a quiet café, exuding a peaceful, soothing atmosphere.

Since the shop wasn’t open yet, Lu Zongyue hesitated whether to ring the doorbell. Just then, a small door at the corner of the house swung open, and a four- or five-year-old boy came running out. Dressed in a cartoon T-shirt and shorts, his little chubby legs thudded on the ground as he stopped in surprise at the sight of the man outside the fence.

Lu Zongyue had always struggled with kids, and they seemed to sense his aloofness, usually staying away from him. But this boy wasn’t afraid. He lifted his innocent, bright face, his big, clear eyes quickly scanning the man from head to toe.

Lu Zongyue cleared his throat. “Little boy, do you know an auntie with the last name Zhong?”

“An auntie named Zhong?”

“Yes, her name is Zhong Xintian. The lady at the breakfast shop on the corner told me she lives here.”

The boy didn’t answer but gave him another thorough once-over, his small, serious expression both amusing and exasperating.

“Who are you?” the boy asked.

Lu Zongyue coughed again. “I’m Miss Zhong’s friend.”

“Boyfriend or regular friend?” The little boy was so short he didn’t even reach the height of the rabbit next to him, but his questioning was sharp.

Lu Zongyue froze. How was he supposed to answer that?

He wasn’t Yuan Yuan’s boyfriend, but he wasn’t just an ordinary friend either. Their relationship was complex, entangled in many ways. How could he explain this to a child?

The boy saw his hesitation and circled around him once more, his chubby little face thoughtful.

“Are you really her friend?” he asked suspiciously.

“Yes,” Lu Zongyue smiled wryly. This little rascal might be small, but he sure had a commanding presence!

The boy tilted his head, thinking again, before deciding the man wasn’t a bad guy. He dashed back to the little door, pressing his small hands against it and called out loudly into the house:

“Mommy, there’s a man outside looking for you!”

M… Mommy?

This little rascal… he’s Yuan Yuan’s son? When did she have a child? With whom?

Lu Zongyue stood frozen in shock, his mind a whirlwind of confusion.