The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 387 - 389. Fight poison with poison

Chapter 387: 389. Fight poison with poison

Shen Qinglan looked toward Mrs. Du, who was speaking, her gaze slightly cold. She turned to Director Liu and said, "Director Liu, today’s incident has had an extremely adverse impact on both the Shen Family and the Wen Family. Du Nan’s actions constitute kidnapping and intentional injury. Our Shen Family intends to pursue criminal charges against him. I will have the lawyers from Junlan Group handle this matter later."

Her words were not hidden from Mr. and Mrs. Du. Mrs. Du, having heard this, immediately rushed over. Fu Hengyi watched her coldly. Although he was sitting in a wheelchair, his aura was not weak at all, especially with the cold expression on his face, which made Mrs. Du instinctively take two steps back, her gathered courage dissipating instantly.

Mrs. Du glanced at Fu Hengyi and saw that his gaze still rested on her, which weakened her demeanor even further. Originally furious, she now spoke weakly in defense, "My son didn’t mean to kidnap anyone, and he didn’t harm anyone either."

Wen Sihan snorted coldly upon hearing this, "Is it only considered harm if my sister or Jun Yu fell from the building and blood splattered on the spot?"

Mrs. Du’s expression stiffened. "But didn’t the two of them come out unscathed?" Now the one in trouble was her son, who had fallen from such a height and was surely injured somewhere, but the doctors claimed there was nothing wrong. Who knew if they were deliberately hiding something from them? She had initially intended to bail Du Nan out, take him to another hospital for a thorough check-up, and make sure no sequelae were left behind. But now, with Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan intervening, their Du Family had no backing in Beijing, and even if they hastily sought connections, they couldn’t match the influence of these two families. In any case, they were at a disadvantage.

At this moment, Mrs. Du couldn’t help but think that the Shen Family and the Fu Family were abusing their power. If Shen Qinglan knew her thoughts, she would certainly tell her, "So what if I am using my power to bully you? Last time, the Wen Family let Du Nan off because of their relationship with our family, but I am not as soft-hearted as them. He harmed my brother and sister-in-law. This matter won’t be so easily settled."

If Du Nan was so bent on dying, then she wouldn’t mind fulfilling his wish.

Fu Hengyi felt a subtle change in her aura and took her hand. Shen Qinglan lowered her gaze, hiding the murderous intent in her eyes.

"This matter requires the Du Family to give an explanation to both our families, and as for Du Nan, as the perpetrator, he certainly cannot escape," Fu Hengyi said gravely. His aura, honed in actual combat, was evident; as soon as he spoke, Mrs. Du couldn’t muster her usual arrogance. Although none of his words were offensive, and not even a threat could be construed from them, Mrs. Du instinctively felt fear.

Mrs. Du wanted to argue, but Du Honghai came over, pulled her aside, and addressed the others, "Today’s incident is indeed Du Nan’s mistake. Ultimately, it is our failure as parents for not raising him properly. We apologize on behalf of Du Nan, though I know an apology now is too late. No amount of apologies can undo the harm already caused. We will agree to any conditions you put forth." As long as his son was alive, that was his greatest wish. Now that Du Nan had erred, paying the price for his actions was only right.

Du Honghai was considerably younger than Shen Qian, but he looked much older. White hairs had already appeared at his temples, his back seemed somewhat bent, and he exuded a sense of having undergone many hardships.

Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered slightly, and she spoke softly, "I will hand this matter over to the lawyers to handle as they see fit."

The three left the police station. Mrs. Du wanted to plead for mercy but was stopped by Du Honghai.

Today was Shen Junyu’s wedding day. Naturally, Shen Qinglan couldn’t go to find Shen Junyu today, so she directly called Yu Bin, briefly explained the situation, and left the rest to be arranged by Yu Bin.

Who was Yu Bin? He was the Executive Assistant at Junlan Group, in charge of handling both major and minor matters, and was Shen Junyu’s most capable right-hand man. Entrusting this to him was the best choice. Yu Bin quickly agreed, "Miss Shen, rest assured, I will keep an eye on this matter."

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi returned home. She sat on the sofa in her room, silent and sullen. Fu Hengyi stayed with her, and after a while, he finally spoke, "Is it worth being upset over this person?"

Shen Qinglan hummed in response, "A wedding is one of the most important days in a woman’s life, yet now it’s been ruined. No matter how I think about it, it’s frustrating."

Fu Hengyi spoke soothingly, "The main culprit has been arrested. We definitely won’t let him off easily this time, and that should reclaim some of our loss. Moreover, today’s incident wasn’t entirely without benefits."

Shen Qinglan looked at him, not immediately understanding his meaning.

Fu Hengyi explained, "Because of today’s incident, your brother and sister-in-law will realize even more how important they are to each other, which should improve their relationship in the future. That’s one thing; secondly, Du Nan has always been a potential hazard for them. If he can be dealt with this time, it would be a permanent solution."

Shen Qinglan stared intently at him; Fu Hengyi touched his face in confusion, "What’s wrong, is there something on my face?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "No, I just think that you have become more comforting lately, you can always find the silver lining in any bad situation."

This is because this matter doesn’t really concern you, so I can analyze it calmly. Fu Hengyi silently thought that if it had been Shen Qinglan and himself whose wedding was ruined today, he would have wanted to tear the perpetrator into pieces within minutes.

Meanwhile, after the merry-making, Shen Junyu and Xi Yao found it was already seven in the evening when everyone had left their room.

The room was inevitably a bit messy. Shen Junyu told Xi Yao to go take a shower first; he rolled up his sleeves to tidy up the room, and by the time Xi Yao came out of the bathroom, he had not only cleaned up but had also taken a shower.

He was making a phone call, looking serious. Seeing Xi Yao come out, he quickly hung up the phone and looked at her tenderly. Being stared at so openly by the person she loved made Xi Yao a bit embarrassed, and she lowered her head.

"What are you standing over there for, come here," Shen Junyu said gently.

Xi Yao hesitated and slowly sat down on the other side of the bed, burying herself in the covers. Shen Junyu chuckled, "Feeling shy?"

Xi Yao looked slightly annoyed and glared at him, did he really need to point it out?

Shen Junyu chuckled, the laugh reverberating in his chest as he bent down and kissed Xi Yao’s lips—a long, tender, lingering kiss. When the kiss ended, Xi Yao’s breathing was a bit rapid.

"Still nervous?" Shen Junyu asked.

Xi Yao looked into his eyes, "I’m not nervous, I’m scared, Jun Yu, I was really scared today."

Shen Junyu sighed softly in his heart, pressing his forehead against hers, "Scared of what?"

"What you said to Du Nan today, it was all true, wasn’t it?"

"Which part?"

"That if he let me go, you wouldn’t marry me."

Shen Junyu’s expression grew serious as he looked into her eyes, "Yes, I was serious, Xi Yao. Compared to your life, whether or not we can be together has become trivial to me."

Xi Yao’s eyes grew warm, though her lips curled up, "So that’s why you dared to come rescue me alone?"

"I was confident I could do it," Shen Junyu said, noticing Xi Yao’s disbelief—her ’I don’t believe you, keep making it up’ expression—and shrugged, "Okay, I admit, I didn’t think too much at the time, I just wanted to get you back."

"What if you had really fallen?" Xi Yao asked.

"I never thought about that question." At that time, all his attention had been on Wen Xiyao, especially when Du Nan was about to jump down with her, the goodbye look in Wen Xiyao’s eyes had caused the last string in his heart to snap, and without thinking, he had lunged forward. However, halfway through, he saw Wen Xiyao being pushed away, and he instinctively grabbed Du Nan.

"Why did you save Du Nan then? What if you had fallen as well?"

It seemed that recalling the scenario made Wen Xiyao tense up, the image haunting her mind persistently. Sensing her fright, Shen Junyu kissed her face tenderly, with a soothing tone, "The wedding was already not perfect, but I couldn’t let it continue to be flawed. I don’t want you to remember our wedding and think of someone getting violently hurt on the day, becoming a lifelong trauma for you."

As for the question of whether he might fall, he really hadn’t thought that much about it, of course, he couldn’t say this to Wen Xiyao, "I was confident in my actions, I come from a military family after all. Raised by grandfather himself, well, my skills are actually quite good."

His tone carried a hint of pride, which instantly dispelled the somewhat solemn atmosphere around Wen Xiyao. He smiled gently and continued, "Besides, I have a truly beautiful wife, how could I bear to die."

This time, Wen Xiyao really chuckled out loud, seeing the smile in her eyes, Shen Junyu’s gaze grew even more tender, he whispered softly, "Wife, tonight is our wedding night, let’s not worry about irrelevant people."

Saying this, he leaned down and kissed her lips again, unlike the previous tender moments, this kiss was dominant yet still tender, and Wen Xiyao’s eyes gradually became hazy...

The next morning, Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao got up, returned to the Shen Family first to pay their respects to the elders with tea, and then as planned, they flew abroad to start their life just for the two of them.

The Wen Family and Shen Family intended to sue Du Nan for kidnapping and intentional injury, and naturally, Mrs. Du could not just watch her son go to jail without doing anything. She tried every possible means, but ultimately, this was Beijing, the stronghold of the Shen Family. Not to mention that Shen Qinglan could represent the Shen Family herself, she also had the backing of Fu Hengyi. With these three influential forces combined, the chances of getting Du Nan out were very slim.

Moreover, with Fu Hengyi pushing things along in the background, Du Nan’s case progressed quickly. However, just the day before the court session, an incident occurred; the Du Family submitted a mental health evaluation to the court, proving that Du Nan had always had a mental illness. The actions he took on the day of the wedding were due to a mental breakdown, and he should not bear legal responsibility.

On the day of the trial, Annie also testified that Du Nan’s behavior that day was indeed abnormal.

Sitting in the gallery, Shen Qinglan observed this scene, her gaze cold. Leaving the courthouse, her face remained expressionless. Jin Enxi, who was driving, seeing her like this, couldn’t help but speak up, "An, do you want me to take care of Du Nan?" If the law couldn’t punish him, she didn’t mind lending a hand.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "No need, he claims he’s mentally ill? Good, a mentally ill person should stay where they belong." Whether Du Nan was truly ill or faking it made no difference to Shen Qinglan.

Jin Enxi immediately understood her meaning, her doll-like face beaming mischievously, "I understand, leave this to me, I’ll make sure to find him a comfortable yet interesting place."

The Du Family originally thought the Shen Family would try their best to prove Du Nan’s sanity was intact. However, they didn’t expect the Shen Family would directly agree with their statement, waiving their pursuit of Du Nan’s legal responsibility, only suggesting, for the safety of others, that he should stay in a mental hospital until his condition improves.

This request was reasonable enough that even the Du Family couldn’t object.

But Mrs. Du took this judgment lightly, it matched her expectations perfectly—a brief stay in a mental hospital, then she could just take her son home for recovery, and all would be resolved.

Mrs. Du thought well, but could things be that simple?

In fact, Du Nan was sent to a mental hospital that very day. The hospital staff, accustomed to dealing with various patients, might handle some a bit rough; Du Nan, seeing the doctors and nurses wanting to give him medication, naturally resisted. He wasn’t ill, who knew if taking the medication could make him become ill.

The doctors and nurses were well accustomed to such situations, subduing him was not difficult at all.

Mrs. Du wanted to bring her son back home, but doctors informed her that his condition was severe and his behavior highly aggressive, making it impossible for him to be discharged. Mrs. Du’s requests were also rejected by the hospital, the reason being that Du Nan could harm those close to him.

"An, you didn’t see it, but the old hag from the Du Family turned blue when they refused to let Du Nan go home. She wanted to create a scene at the hospital, but she was mindful of her noble image. Just thinking about it is funny." Jin Enxi animatedly described the scene to Shen Qinglan.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan’s lips slightly curled into a cold smile. Doing wrong demands a price; if the Du Family had not attempted this farce and simply let Du Nan serve a few years inside, it would have been fine. But since they tried to escape, it wouldn’t hurt him to stay in the hospital for a lifetime.

"Alas, I suddenly feel quite merciful, having found him such a fine hospital. He has food, clothing, and can sleep peacefully every day. It’s quite a comfortable life," Jin Enxi said with feigned regret, yet her eyes gleamed with schadenfreude.

The mental institution she chose for Du Nan might look nice, but it housed severe psychiatric cases. Even a normal person would develop mental issues if they stayed too long, let alone Du Nan, who had to undergo daily injections and medication.

Yet, Jin Enxi had no sympathy for Du Nan at all; he brought it upon himself.

In Shen Qinglan’s hands was a tablet with a video Jin Enxi had brought from the hospital, showing Du Nan bound tightly and still struggling violently, like a lunatic.

When Fu Hengyi approached, Shen Qinglan instinctively hid the tablet behind her back. She did not want him to see this darker side of her. Fu Hengyi had long been aware of their activities behind the scenes—indeed, he had even played a role in them. After all, in certain aspects of power in Beijing, Shen Qinglan could not compare to him.

Fu Hengyi, pretending not to notice Shen Qinglan’s subtle action, smiled and said, "Grandfather knows your friend is here and would like her to stay for lunch."

Jin Enxi felt somewhat uneasy upon hearing this, as she really shouldn’t have been there. She and Shen Qinglan had originally planned to meet outside, but it was Fu Hengyi who invited her over. This was also her first time entering the grand residence.

Shen Qinglan could guess Fu Hengyi’s intentions with little thought, and was touched, knowing that this man protected her not just with words, but in many aspects of everyday life.

"Mr. Fu, I should still leave. Let’s forget the meal." Jin Enxi declined. Old Sir Fu was a real war veteran. Although they too were baptized in blood, they operated in the shadows—radically different from a hero like Old Sir Fu, almost to the point of opposition.

If Old Sir Fu sensed anything amiss, it could greatly disadvantage Shen Qinglan.

"It’s alright. Besides, Grandfather has already asked, and the meal is ready. Please do not decline," Fu Hengyi said gently to Jin Enxi, his respect and gratitude for her care towards Shen Qinglan clear in his eyes.

With the conversation reaching this point, Jin Enxi naturally could no longer refuse and stayed.

**

Annie was also having a hard time recently. Not long after returning from the Shen Family wedding, her father received notice from the Junlan Group that they wished to unilaterally terminate their cooperation.

Although the Shen Family merely ended cooperation without actively suppressing them, Annie’s family business still suffered. Annie’s father, upon learning of her actions, severely scolded her and then confined her at home. He confiscated all her bank cards and arranged several matchmaking dates, determined to marry her off.

And the potential grooms were basically rich second-generation businessmen.

Annie knew her father wanted to use her to secure an alliance to help their struggling business. Naturally, she could not agree with her father’s method inside her heart. She was distressed, yet utterly powerless to change anything.

Don’t be fooled by her everyday appearance as a wealthy daughter, enjoying the best food, clothing, and accessories; her father adored her and gave her anything she wanted, but all of these came with conditions. Once family interests were involved, anything could be sacrificed, her father being a man who prioritized benefits above all. Moreover, in her father’s eyes, the suitors he chose for her were heirs to enterprises, distinguished young men, which he believed was his responsibility towards her happiness.

Annie had thought about rebelling, but she knew her limitations. She and Xi Yao were classmates, but their academic performance couldn’t even be compared; Xi Yao was a top student, whereas Annie was at the bottom. Going abroad was also just for show.

Even if Xi Yao left the Wen Family, she could rely on her abilities to reach the position of general manager in a multinational corporation, but Annie, without her dad’s financial support, would become Cinderella in minutes.

When Annie called Xi Yao, Xi Yao and Junyu were enjoying sunbathing on a beach abroad. Seeing the incoming call, Xi Yao’s smile faded slightly and she rejected the call.

Annie called again and not until the third time did Xi Yao pick up, "Xi Yao." Annie’s voice carried a note of surprise.

"Is there something you need?" Xi Yao asked indifferently.

"Xi Yao, I’ve been feeling very upset lately, can I talk to you?" Annie pleaded. She had very few friends she could confide in, and Xi Yao was the only one who understood her.

Xi Yao glanced at Junyu, who was getting up to go for a swim in the sea, nodded, but the words that came out were a rejection, "Sorry, I don’t have time right now, and I don’t think there’s a need for us to sit down and have a heart-to-heart anymore."

"Xi Yao, are you really planning to cut ties with me? After all our friendship, are you really going to keep your distance because of Du Nan?" Annie’s voice choked up.

Xi Yao’s gaze was indifferent, "What do friends mean to you in your eyes? Annie, I considered you a close friend, but how have you treated me?"

Remembering what happened at the wedding, Annie was filled with regret, "Xi Yao, I really didn’t do it on purpose. If I had known Du Nan was going to do those things, even if he took me along, I wouldn’t have helped him. I truly realize my mistake. Can’t you forgive me just this once?"

Xi Yao looked at Junyu not far away, stretching and waving to her. She forced a smile on her face and waved back, speaking softly, "Annie, do you know what a wedding means to a girl, especially when she is marrying the man she loves the most? You can’t comprehend her anticipation for the wedding, but that anticipation was destroyed by your unintentional actions. I believe you wished me well for my wedding, and meant no harm, but such unintentional actions are even more hurtful. This wedding that should have been perfect is now ending in this manner. Each wedding anniversary will now remind me of this unpleasant incident. How do you expect me to face you? If you were in my place, would you forgive such an action?"

Annie was silent, understanding Xi Yao’s point. If she were in her shoes, she also would not easily forgive, "Xi Yao, I’m sorry." Tears streamed down her face.

Hearing the sobbing on the other end of the phone, Xi Yao sighed softly, "Annie, don’t call me anymore, I am thankful for the happy times we had together in the past. Friendship, like love, also depends on destiny. Our destiny has run its course, let us each keep our initial, most beautiful memories as a farewell. I wish you happiness in advance."

Xi Yao hung up the phone and stared blankly at the sea for a long while. A light smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she put the phone aside and walked towards Junyu.

Annie crouched on the ground, tears covering her face.

**

Xueli City.

As Ya Xi walked out of her classroom, she saw Jiang Zhehan, who was smiling at her and waving. Ya Xi approached him, "Were you waiting for me?"

Jiang Zhehan smiled and nodded, "I’d like to take you out for a meal, are you free?"

"Sorry, I have something else to do later, I’m not free," Ya Xi refused and turned to leave.

Jiang Zhehan followed her, "Ya Xi, is there something bothering you? You’ve seemed down since you came back from China. If you’re facing any troubles, you can tell me, I’ll help you."

Ya Xi kept her head down and continued walking without responding to Jiang Zhehan. Watching her, Jiang felt a surge of helplessness. Recently, Ya Xi had always been like this, rarely speaking and disliking conversation. Compared to when they first met, she seemed like a completely different person.

After walking for a few minutes and noticing that Jiang Zhehan was still following her, Ya Xi stopped, "I need to go home now, stop following me."

"I can drive you home, I bought a car," Jiang Zhehan said.

"No need, my home isn’t far from here, and it’s convenient by car."

"Ya Xi," Jiang Zhehan called out to her, "You could try to accept other people’s kindness. I genuinely just want to give you a ride home. Even if you don’t accept me, we’re still friends, right?"

Ya Xi paused her steps but did not turn around, murmuring softly, "Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need it."

Jiang Zhehan caught up with her and had just reached to put his hand on Ya Xi’s shoulder when she instinctively stepped back a few paces, looking at him defensively. Jiang Zhehan felt awkward and withdrew his hand, explaining, "I just wanted to drive you home."

Ya Xi stared into his eyes for a few seconds, then looked down, "No need, stop following me." She walked a few steps and then stopped. Jiang Zhehan initially thought Ya Xi had changed her mind, his eyes brightened as he looked at her, but then he realized she hadn’t turned around and was instead looking in a particular direction.

Following her gaze, he saw a man in his forties or fifties staring at Ya Xi.

He stood with his back to her, unable to see Ya Xi’s expression.

Yan Anbang had been in Xueli City for three days already, watching Ya Xi from a distance as she went to school alone and came home alone, looking isolated, numb, thinner than when she left, and her complexion seemingly sickly pale. Yan Anbang felt very heartbroken. After hesitating for several days, he now appeared in front of Ya Xi, walked over to her side, and said, "Xiao Xi."

Ya Xi stepped back two paces, looked down, and attempted to walk past Yan Anbang. He grabbed her, noticing her body stiffen immediately, and then let go, "Xiao Xi, Daddy just came to see you."

Hearing this, Ya Xi showed no reaction. He spoke softly, audible only to Ya Xi. Jiang Zhehan didn’t hear what he said but saw him touching Ya Xi, and Ya Xi seemed afraid and unable to resist as she walked on.

"Sir, who are you, and what do you want?" He stood between Ya Xi and Yan Anbang, blocking Yan’s view of Ya Xi and protectively placing her behind him.

Yan Anbang gave Jiang Zhehan a glance, his face stern and silent, "Xiao Xi, let’s have a meal together."

Ya Xi walked away, and Yan Anbang tried to follow, but Jiang Zhehan stopped him, "Sir, she’s still a young girl. It’s not right to do this."

Yan Anbang looked sternly at Jiang Zhehan, "It’s understandable for young people to like playing the hero, but make sure you understand the situation before trying to save the damsel." With that, Yan Anbang walked away.

But Ya Xi had already gotten into a taxi and left right before his eyes. Yan Anbang had anticipated this situation and wasn’t disappointed at all. He didn’t continue to follow Ya Xi; instead, he returned to the hotel.

When Ya Xi arrived home, she saw Doug waiting outside. Her eyes brightened, and she hurried to Doug’s side after getting out of the car, "Did you just get back today?"

Doug smiled and nodded, "Yes, I just got off the plane." He looked Ya Xi up and down and frowned, "Haven’t you been eating properly again?"

Ya Xi guiltily lowered her head, "I did eat, but I don’t have much of an appetite."

Doug had been away for a few days dealing with some matters. He had rushed back right after, worrying that Ya Xi wouldn’t take good care of herself, and it turned out exactly as he had expected.

With a helpless sigh, he reached out and ruffled her hair, "Whatever you want to eat, I’ll make it for you, but I can only cook Western food."

"Anything is fine?"

"Yes, anything is fine, but it has to be within the range of Western food. I can’t do Chinese food at all. Of course, if you want to try some disastrous cooking, I don’t mind making it for you."

In the end, Doug made Ya Xi a steak, and after watching her finish eating, he took a box out of his luggage and handed it to her, "A little gift I brought for you."

Ya Xi took it, but didn’t open it immediately. Instead, she asked, "What is it?"

"Just a little gift for you, you can take a look," Doug said.

Ya Xi opened it to find a necklace inside. The pendant was a heart, embedded with a sapphire. She took it out and examined it closely, only to discover that the pendant could be opened, revealing a tiny photo frame inside that held a picture of her with her mother.

Tears fell from Ya Xi’s eyes without warning. Seeing this, Doug gently wiped away her tears, "If I had known giving you a gift would make you cry, I wouldn’t have given it to you."

Through her tear-blurred eyes, Ya Xi looked at him, "Doug, thank you. I really like this gift."

Doug took the necklace from her hand and helped her put it on, then said, "I’m glad you like it. It’s a memento from me, not meant to make you reminisce about people."

Embarrassed, Ya Xi smiled and nodded heavily, "I won’t cry." Mom said I had to learn to be strong.

Doug rubbed her head, "You can cry, but you’re not allowed to cry secretly. If you ever want to cry, you can come to me. My shoulder is here for you."

He looked at his watch, "It’s getting late. I should go now. I’ll come pick you up early tomorrow morning and take you to school." He had been the one taking Ya Xi to school before, but he had to leave for a few days, which is why Ya Xi had been going to school alone.

Ya Xi nodded and walked Doug to the door.

The next morning, when Doug came to pick up Ya Xi, he saw a familiar figure. He got out of the car, "Mr. Yan."

Turned around, Yan Anbang was surprised to see Doug, "Mr. Doug, what are you doing here?" He glanced at the house behind him, a suspicion forming in his mind.

Doug didn’t let him keep guessing and quickly gave him an answer, "I’m currently working in Xueli City. Today, I’m here to take Ya Xi to school."

"Has Mr. Doug been with Ya Xi all this time?" Yan Anbang asked.

Doug nodded, "Yes, Ya Xi’s emotions have been quite unstable lately, and I’m a bit worried about her."

Yan Anbang was taken aback, and the slight suspicion that had risen in his heart disappeared with Doug’s words. He anxiously looked at Doug, "What’s wrong with Xiao Xi?"

"The death of Ya Xi’s mother has hit her hard. She has been blaming herself, feeling that if she had been more obedient, her mother wouldn’t have left her," Doug explained.

Upon hearing this, Yan Anbang fell silent and, after a while, said, "This is all my fault. If I had seen the true nature of... sooner, a good home wouldn’t have been broken by me."

Even knowing the inside story, Doug couldn’t comment on this, as he was just an outsider.

"Ya Xi’s emotions are gradually stabilizing now, but it will still take time for her heart to heal," Doug said, noting that the trauma of losing a loved one usually takes a long time to heal, especially for someone like Ya Xi who already has severe post-traumatic stress disorder. She needed more time than most to heal from such trauma. If other relatives could be with her during this time, the situation would be much better, but unfortunately, her family situation was quite special.

"What can I do?" Yan Anbang asked, his eyes filled with bitterness.

"Please try not to appear in front of Ya Xi," Doug hesitated before speaking.

"Is she really hating me the most?" Yan Anbang seemed to be asking, yet the question sounded rhetorical.

Doug remained silent, effectively confirming it.

"I understand, Mr. Doug. Please take good care of Ya Xi, and feel free to call me if there are any issues. Do you have my contact information?"

Doug shook his head; he only had Yan Shengyu’s contact information.

Yan Anbang gave him his contact details, then noticing the time and that Ya Xi had to go to class, said, "Mr. Doug, I’ll leave Ya Xi in your care. I have to go now. I’ll be staying here for another week. If... if Ya Xi is willing, I’d like to have a meal with her before I leave. If she doesn’t want to, then never mind."

Doug watched Yan Anbang leave. Seeing the white hair at his temples, Doug’s eyes flickered lightly and turned to see Ya Xi standing at the front door, having evidently seen the scene just now.

"What was he doing here?" Ya Xi asked.

Doug buckled his seatbelt and casually said, "He wanted to see you, but I figured you wouldn’t want to meet him, so I let him go. Do you want to see him? If you want, I can arrange a meeting."

Ya Xi didn’t respond but instead said, "Let’s go. I have a class first thing this morning, and we’ll be late if we don’t leave now."