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Lin Dong was afraid I would say something reckless in front of Wei Heng, so he pulled me away.

Just as we reached the Wei family’s parking lot, Lin Dong slapped me.

Smack!

The strength of an alpha’s arm is no joke.

I was knocked to the ground, and one side of my face quickly swelled up.

Lin Dong towered over me, glaring fiercely down at me.

“Have you come to your senses? Do you recognize your place now? The next time you see Wei Heng, keep your eyes to yourself! Don’t let him notice you!”

My face hurt so much that it went numb, but I stubbornly refused to touch it.

I glared back at him defiantly and stood up with dignity.

When Lin Dong met my gaze, there was a flicker of guilt on his face. He muttered with a complex expression:

“You’re just like your father!”

I brushed the dust off my hands and walked out of the parking lot without looking back.

Lin Dong shouted after me:

“Stop! Where do you think you’re going?”

I ignored him, left through the exit, and began walking along the mountain road toward the city.

It wasn’t until I reached the bus stop that I leaned against a seat and closed my exhausted eyes.

From the moment I entered the Wei family to now being driven away, no one ever respected my wishes.

I was just a puppet on their strings.

I let out a bitter laugh.

After being driven away, I didn’t go back to the Lin family. Instead, I found a small motel to stay in temporarily.

During this time, Lin Yueyuan actually called me.

“What song did you sing to Wei Heng?”

I froze.

“What song?”

Lin Yueyuan sounded annoyed:

“He said that during his coma, he kept hearing someone sing to him, and he wants me to sing it to him!”

I realized what he meant.

During the time I spent with Wei Heng, to pass the time, I would occasionally hum some folk songs my father used to sing to me when I was young.

As I sang, I would also give Wei Heng massages. Every time I did, his muscles would noticeably relax.

It seems that song left an impression on his subconscious.

A malicious thought rose in my mind, and I pretended to be clueless.

“The doctor told me to play classical music for him. Maybe it was one of those songs.”

“Which one? He said there was only one!”

I could tell Lin Yueyuan was getting anxious. I had no obligation to cover for him.

I scoffed coldly:

“I played him more than one song. How would I know which one he’s talking about? Don’t bother me with this!”

I hung up without mercy.

Thankfully, Lin Yueyuan didn’t call back.

Not long after, someone from the Wei family came looking for me.

They said Ge Yun wanted to see me, and I agreed to the meeting.

The place we met was the Empire’s most prestigious eight-star hotel.

“Xingze, over the years, you’ve taken care of Wei Heng with great dedication. We’ve all seen it, and my whole family is deeply grateful for everything you’ve done.”

Ge Yun spoke smoothly, but I responded coldly:

“No need to thank me. I was just doing my job.”

Ge Yun wasn’t angered by my rude tone. He gave a light-hearted laugh.

“Your efforts have been instrumental in Wei Heng’s recovery. Xingze, you’re a very smart kid. Some things don’t need to be spelled out for you to understand.”

I propped my chin on my hand and looked at him with feigned innocence:

“I’m not that smart. I’m just an ordinary beta who didn’t even go to university. Mr. Ge, if you have something to say, please speak plainly. Otherwise, I won’t understand.”

Ge Yun continued to smile with a carefree air.

“To be honest, compared to your brother’s overly delicate nature, I much prefer someone like you. It’s a pity… If only you were an omega, I really wouldn’t mind Wei Heng marrying you.”

His tone was quite calm, but his words carried an inherent arrogance.

I spread my hands:

“Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Ge, but I’m afraid I can’t accept it. Your time is precious, so let’s get to the point.”

“I like your straightforwardness,” Ge Yun said, activating his personal terminal. “Name your price, as compensation for the years you’ve spent.”

If he’s offering money upfront, there’s obviously more to it.

“Name my price, and then what?”

“Then, find a city far away from the capital and start a new life. Hmm, preferably somewhere Wei Heng will never go.”

Ge Yun smiled as he said:

“Can you do that?”

He was essentially telling me to never appear in front of Wei Heng again.

I held up two fingers.

“Sure, give me two hundred million.”

Ge Yun quickly entered the amount.

Three seconds later, my bank account notification chimed, showing a deposit of two hundred million.

“The electronic contract has been sent to you. Let’s sign it together.”

After I completed the e-signature, I stood up and said:

“Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Ge. I’ll pack my things and leave right away.”

Ge Yun tried to hold me back:

“No need to rush. Wei Heng and Yueyuan are getting engaged in a few days. Won’t you attend?”

I teased:

“Mr. Ge, you’ve got a lot of nerve. Aren’t you worried I’ll crash the wedding?”

Ge Yun chuckled:

“Why would I be? You don’t have what it takes.”

He claimed to appreciate someone like me, but in reality, Ge Yun looked down on me from the bottom of his heart.

A smiling tiger.

I muttered inwardly.

Ge Yun emphasized:

“Stay for the engagement party and then leave. We all hope you’ll attend.”

A compliance test? To see if I’ve really given up?

I had just accepted their two hundred million, so of course, I wasn’t going to put on airs.

I agreed readily:

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Ge. I’ll definitely be there.”

The engagement party was held in the banquet hall of the Wei family’s villa, marking Wei Heng’s first public appearance since waking up.

The scene at the party was extravagant, filled with fresh roses imported from an agricultural planet.

Though I was invited as a guest from the Lin family, my seat was placed in a remote corner, where I could only watch the event unfold on the 3D screen.

The symphony orchestra was performing, and it wasn’t yet time for Wei Heng and Lin Yueyuan to make their grand entrance.

Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, I ate a few bites of the appetizers but quickly lost my appetite.

I felt like a clown, being toyed with by both the Wei and Lin families.

I had shown my face, so I had played along with them, right?

I tossed aside my napkin and stood up to leave.

Outside the banquet hall, a long corridor led to either the Wei family’s main residence or their greenhouse.

When I used to take care of Wei Heng, I would often push his wheelchair to the greenhouse for a walk — because I liked the butterflies kept there.

Too bad I wouldn’t have that chance anymore… I thought wistfully.

Just as I was about to leave through the exit, three alpha men suddenly appeared ahead of me.