The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 399 - 401. Death of Xu Nuo 2

Chapter 399: 401. Death of Xu Nuo 2

Allen looked at her, "Fine, I’ll grant your wish."

Hearing this, Xu Nuo didn’t show fear but instead, a trace of relief appeared on her face, at last, she could end this life worse than death.

A glimmer of dark light flashed in Allen’s eyes as he coldly said, "Take her away."

As soon as Allen finished speaking, two people came out and pulled Xu Nuo up, a hint of smile in her smile faintly emerging; she could finally leave this nauseating, nightmarish dungeon.

The sunlight pierced her eyes and Xu Nuo instinctively closed them, then opened them again, greedily breathing in the air outside, using it to chase away the rot filling her lungs. She inhaled deeply, longing for this beautiful moment, for over twenty years, she realized for the first time that sunlight could feel so warm.

The others quietly watched her, a hint of pity in their eyes. Xu Nuo noticed but merely smiled – these people would never understand when living in the abyss, unable to seek death, how death was such a luxurious thing to her.

The housekeeper approached, with two men bringing Annie behind him, "Young Master, we have brought the person."

"Did you prepare the thing I asked you to?" Allen inquired.

The housekeeper nodded, "Already prepared, Young Master, shall we bring it in now?"

"Take both of them in for me."

"Yes."

With a wave of his hand, the housekeeper moved forward and Xu Nuo, realizing something, suddenly started to struggle, "No, Allen, I won’t go, please just kill me now." Unfortunately, with her limbs tendons severed, her struggling seemed very feeble, "Don’t, Allen, just shoot me dead."

Annie’s expression was wooden. Compared to Xu Nuo’s fear, she was oblivious to what was coming, but it was precisely because she didn’t know, that fear was absent from her heart, unable to comprehend the reason behind Xu Nuo’s dreadful fear.

In her view, the experiences of this time had already been scary enough, what could be more terrifying than that?

No matter how Xu Nuo pleaded, she was still taken away. Allen, following at the end, looked at the blooming flowers in the garden with a slight uplift of his mouth, Xiaoqi, anyone who has hurt you, I will remove the obstacles for you.

This tower stood alone behind this old castle, a lonely figure against the backdrop of the fortress, surrounded by tall walls. From their perspective, one could only see a tiny spire – it was more of a tower than a castle.

Atop the high walls were sharp shards of glass embedded all around, and it was believed that there was only a door opened in the direction facing the castle, guarded by four people, all armed, who bowed respectfully as the group approached.

"Open the door," said the housekeeper.

"No, I won’t go in, Housekeeper, I’m begging you," Xu Nuo, seeing that iron gate, felt every cell in her body resisting, the desire for death vanishing in an instant. She wanted to die, but not like this.

Ignoring her pleas, the housekeeper led the way through the door.

As soon as they entered, Annie heard a series of beast roars. Looking around, the most conspicuous thing naturally was the tower standing in the center, and then there were large cages, somewhat bigger than ordinary cages, neatly arranged.

The cage contained all sorts of ferocious beasts: tigers, lions, pythons, wolves...

When Annie saw the animals, which one could only expect to find in a zoo, a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared. Compared to curiosity, she was more eager to find out what this man named Allen wanted to do with them here.

When Xu Nuo saw those cages, her pupils suddenly shrank, and the little color that had been on her face vanished completely.

She struggled constantly, using all the strength she could muster in her life, but still failed to break free from the grips of the two men. "Let me go, I don’t want to go there, I don’t want to." She screamed, she struggled, like a trapped beast desperately fighting in the face of impending death.

A chair appeared out of nowhere, placed in the center. Allen sat on the chair, looking at Xu Nuo with gentleness, "What’s wrong? Weren’t you just pleading with me to let you die? Now you’re acting like this, what, having second thoughts?"

"Allen, I’m begging you, just kill me directly, please." Xu Nuo struggled, crawling to Allen’s feet, clutching his legs, "I beg you, anything but the beast cage, I’m begging you."

Allen reached out, lifted her chin, and surprisingly took out a tissue to wipe her tears with a gentle motion. If it were in the past, Xu Nuo would have thought she had finally seen ’the clouds disperse and the moon shine through,’ but under the current circumstances, where could she find any joy.

"Why cry? You’ll scare my babies. You should smile, you know?" Allen’s voice was gentle, but coupled with his husky voice, which sounded like a sharp blade scraping over steel, it was truly terrifying.

"Allen, for the sake of the many years I’ve gone through fire and water for you, just kill me, please." Xu Nuo pleaded.

Allen lifted a finger and gently shook it, "Xu Nuo, you must keep the words that come out of your mouth, even if they are difficult. Isn’t that what I taught you, or have you forgotten?"

Xu Nuo could never forget. She remembered every word Allen had said clearly, but it was precisely because of this that she feared Allen’s methods even more, "Allen, I’m begging you, please don’t treat me like this. I know I was wrong, I just want to die quickly and cleanly. Isn’t that allowed? Don’t be so cruel to me, please."

Annie had been quietly watching the whole scene all this time, not understanding why this woman was so afraid. However, she kept her head down, not daring to speak. The people here were not normal; to avoid being hit, one had to pretend to be deaf and blind.

"Roar!" Inside the beast cage, a lion roared furiously, its roar shaking the heavens. It paced restlessly inside the cage, roaring at the newcomers from time to time.

"Look, my babies can hardly wait. Xu Nuo, don’t come to me with regrets now. You want to die, and I’m facilitating that for you. This is already my grace to you." Allen stroked Xu Nuo’s face with a tenderness he had never shown before.

"Allen, don’t I deserve even a bit of pity for the many years I’ve worked to the bone for you? Are you so cruel to me that you won’t even leave me the last shred of dignity?"

Allen chuckled lightly, "Xu Nuo, you brought this upon yourself. Tell me, how many times have you ignored my orders? Did you really think, with Qin Yan backing you, I wouldn’t dare touch you? What place do you hold in Qin Yan’s heart, you surely understand without me having to say, yet you still defied my orders repeatedly for her sake. How many chances did I give you, have you thought that through carefully?"

"I know I was wrong, but Allen, I’ve never done anything to betray you, nor have I ever hurt you."

"But you hurt Shen Qinglan."

Emotional bitterness filled Xu Nuo’s heart, "Allen, you have always done it for her, but I’ve never truly hurt her, she’s still living well to this day."

"That’s why you can still stand here bargaining with me." Allen said coldly, turning to the housekeeper, "Housekeeper, feed her the stuff, I dislike wasting time, my babies must be getting impatient."

"Yes, Young Master." The housekeeper replied.

Two men walked out, and Xu Nuo clung tightly to Allen’s legs. It took a great deal of effort for the men to pry her off, despite her tendons having been severed. It was unclear where she found such strength. Holding a cup of liquid in his hand, the housekeeper saw that Xu Nuo had been subdued and moved to pour the liquid into her mouth.

Desperately, Xu Nuo shook her head. The other man, seeing this, hurried forward to pry her mouth open to facilitate the housekeeper’s task. Her struggles were in vain, and the liquid from the cup was poured into Xu Nuo’s mouth without a drop left.

The men let her go, and Xu Nuo lay on the ground, frantically trying to spit out the substance but failing to do so. She looked at Allen with pleading eyes, "Allen, I’m begging you."

Allen averted his gaze, looking towards the lion in the beast cage that had already started to rampage, "Put her in there."

"No, I won’t go," Xu Nuo screamed.

Annie’s eyes widened in shock. Were they planning on feeding that woman to the lions? But what unfolded next taught her that there were things in this world far more horrible than feeding someone to lions.

Xu Nuo’s clothes were ripped off cleanly and thrown into the cage. She backed away rapidly, but she was no match for the speed of the lion and was quickly pinned down.

"Ah, ah, ah," screamed Annie.

Allen glanced at her coldly, "She’s annoying me to death."

The housekeeper understood and ordered someone to gag Annie. She struggled fiercely, but her efforts were futile. She closed her eyes and her body trembled violently. These people were not human; she wanted to go home, she wanted to go home.

"Make her keep her eyes open and watch carefully, don’t miss a second. Otherwise, you will be the next ones going in," Allen said in a menacing tone.

Everyone, including the housekeeper, involuntarily shuddered. Annie was forced to watch from beginning to end, witnessing the woman’s heartbreaking screams and tragic end until she rolled her eyes back and finally fainted.

"Young Master, she has passed out."

"If she’s out, take her down and make sure she doesn’t die," Allen said as he got up to leave, the show was over, why stay? His expression was as calm as when he first arrived.

In contrast, everyone else, even the usually unshakable housekeeper, appeared pale. Not to mention the others.

Inside the beast cage, the frenzied lion had calmed down and lay on the ground, contentedly licking its lips. The cage was filled with blood and scraps of flesh, with a heavy scent of blood in the air. Someone looked inside and couldn’t help but bend over and vomit.

Fortunately, by this time, Allen had already left. The housekeeper glanced at the person who had vomited and left without saying a word, his face cold.

The next day, the housekeeper entered Allen’s bedroom and spoke in a respectful tone while Allen was admiring a painting, "Young Master, that woman has woken up, but she seems to have gone mad." Annie had been behaving abnormally since she woke up that morning, crying and laughing alone, and screaming whenever someone approached her.

"Is it real or fake madness?" Allen asked, his gaze still fixed on Shen Qinglan’s painting.

"Dr. Peter checked her and said she’s truly mad."

"Heh, useless," Allen said coldly, "Just leave her there; let’s see how long she can last." Clearly, Allen still didn’t believe that Annie had truly lost her mind.

"Yes, Young Master."

"Right, was that scene from yesterday captured?"

"It has been captured."

"Send it to Qin Yan. She, as a mother, has been grossly negligent for not being able to witness her daughter’s end. Let her enjoy it thoroughly."

The housekeeper’s eyes shifted slightly, "Yes, Young Master."

**

Beijing, nursing home.

When Han Yi drove here, Han Zhengshan was reading in his room, "Heh, I didn’t expect you to have the leisure to indulge in reading."

Hearing Han Yi’s voice, Han Zhengshan acted as if he hadn’t heard and continued with his book.

Han Yi walked in, leaning on the wall, "I say, old man, you’ve got quite the skills, managing to fool everyone with that piece of news you released. Looks like I’ve really underestimated you."

"You think I can’t do anything if you stay silent? Han Zhengshan, I’m telling you, don’t even dream about getting me to marry that so-called daughter. Whoever released the news, that’s who should marry her."

Finally, Han Zhengshan put down his book, looking at Han Yi, "This is for your own good. Shuangcheng is our Han Group’s largest business partner. I’ve also met Shuangcheng’s daughter. She’s beautiful, outgoing, cheerful, well-tempered and highly educated, having returned from studying abroad. And as the only child in her family, isn’t she a perfect match for you?"

Han Yi laughed, "Since she’s so great, why don’t you marry her? I promise not to object to you finding a younger stepmother for me. If needs be, I can even throw you a grand wedding."

Han Zhengshan’s face darkened, "What nonsense are you spewing? She’s interested in you, and she doesn’t even mind your playboy history. What more do you want?"

"Whether she’s interested in me is none of my concern. Right now, it’s me who is not interested in her. I’ll have someone announce that the engagement news is fake later."

"You can’t do that. If you do, the relationship between Shuangcheng and Han Group would be ruined, the severe decline in interests—do you think the shareholders would let it go?"

"Isn’t this precisely the outcome you wanted? You’ve always been trying to oust me, haven’t you? Now, do I have reason to suspect that you did this on purpose because you knew I wouldn’t agree? If that’s really the case, then my dear father, you really have put in a lot of thought and effort."

"I’m doing this for your own good. Shuangcheng is not just our closest partner; they are also Han Group’s second-largest shareholder. They said that if you are willing to marry Shuangcheng’s daughter, then the Han Group shares they hold would be her dowry. Once you have your first child, the shares will automatically transfer to your name. With that, wouldn’t your position in Han Group be unshakeable?"

For those shares, Han Zhengshan and the head of Shuangcheng had long negotiations. If it hadn’t been for their daughter taking a fancy to Han Yi, adamant on marrying him, he wouldn’t have settled this so easily.

Han Yi’s expression was stern, "Even if I don’t want those shares, nobody can shake my position. Don’t believe me? Go ask those old fools if they dare let me leave Han Group." He spoke with brimming confidence. Han Group had climbed another rung under his leadership. In the end, what these shareholders cared about was their own profits; they were unconcerned with the private life of the person at the top.

Of course, it wasn’t to say they didn’t care at all. If the private life of the president could bring them greater benefits, they were naturally willing to meddle. And Shuangcheng’s daughter was exactly such a case, which was why Han Zhengshan dared to act first and report later. If the shareholders united to pressure him, even Han Yi as the president couldn’t refuse, unless he no longer wanted the position.

"Han Yi, marrying the daughter of Shuangcheng Group is a win-win situation. It’s a significant boon for the development of Han Group. The shareholders will only approve and not oppose it. However, if you refuse, they might join forces to pressure you, and then the situation could become even more awkward."

"So what if I don’t want to be the president of Han Group? I’d like to see how those old fools are going to force me." Han Yi was completely unfazed; no one in this world could force him to do anything, especially not the person in front of him.

Han Zhengshan looked at Han Yi’s stubbornness and truly wanted to crack open his skull to see what was stuffed inside.

"Han Yi, are you trying to drive me to my death?" Han Zhengshan was furious.

"Um, what kind of talk is that? It’s clearly you who are pressuring me."

"The news has already been released. If you back out now, where do I put my face? How am I supposed to explain it to Shuangcheng?"

"That’s your problem, what does it have to do with me? Oh, my dear father, you should have anticipated this scenario when you made the decision on your own. You have to clean up the mess you created yourself; I have no intention of helping you with that."

Han Yi stood up straight and kindly suggested, "By the way, you can go online now. There should be some new developments in the situation."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhengshan felt an ominous premonition and hurriedly turned on the computer. Seeing this, Han Yi said with a smile, "I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving. Take your time looking. When I leave, I’ll inform the medical staff here to keep an eye on your condition so they can rescue you in time."

After saying this, Han Yi left. Just as he turned around, a cup flew past him, hitting him hard on the back before falling to the ground and shattering. Han Yi grunted, but didn’t turn around, walking straight out.

His back was soaked with tea, but fortunately, it was only warm water that got on his clothes instead of causing burns.

"What a rebel, Han Yi, you rebel!" Even a good distance away, he could still hear Han Zhengshan yelling from the hospital room. A mocking smile crossed Han Yi’s lips.

At Jingjiao Cemetery, Han Yi stood in front of his grandparents’ and mother’s graves, stripped of all pretenses, his expression tinged with sadness, "Grandpa, Mom, I’ve come to see you."

Then followed a long period of silence.

He looked at his grandparents’ and mother’s headstones, wanting to say so many things, yet at this moment, he found himself unable to utter a word, "Grandpa, Mom, I’m going to be a dad. Yu Xiaoxuan is pregnant. In a few days, I’ll take her to register our marriage, and then I’ll bring her to meet you. She’s a very cute girl, optimistic and cheerful, pure-hearted without too many schemes. Being with her, you can let down all your guards, without worrying if someone is going to stab you in the back. This feeling is very comforting."

"She’s a person who’s easily contented. Just a nice meal can bring out her warm smile. When she smiles, two shallow dimples appear, and her eyes become crescent moons. Seeing her lifts your spirits inexplicably. I believe you would have liked her."

"Although she can be a little willful, a bit temperamental at times, and may have flights of fancy, cry, and keep grievances to herself without speaking up. She may have this or that little flaw or quirk, but they are all part of what I love. She’s real, not like me, living a life that’s both false and exhausting."

"Grandpa, these past years, to live up to your expectations and to keep Han Group from falling, I’ve lived a weary life. Yu Xiaoxuan is the only one who has brought warmth to me in these years. I don’t want to let go of her hand, and I definitely won’t let go."

"Mom, you once said that if one day I met a girl who could move my heart, I shouldn’t provoke her unless she could move me for a lifetime. I’ve met her now, and I will continue to make sure of it in the future, never letting her shed a single tear for me. I won’t let your tragedy befall her."

Han Yi rambled on for a long time until the sun set in the west. It was only then that he left the cemetery; the water on his clothes had long since dried, leaving a faint trace of the tea. He sat in the driver’s seat, subconsciously leaning back, but he quickly sat up straight, frowning as he touched the spot where he had been hit.

**

Just after the hubbub of discovering a bomb at the hospital had settled down, Beijing was rocked by another major incident today.

This morning, Beijing Entertainment Weekly had just reported the news of Han Yi, president of the Han Group, and Ning Ke, the daughter of Shuangcheng Group, getting engaged. However, less than half a day later, the head of public relations at the Han Group stepped forward to say the engagement was completely unfounded, calling it a rumor, and that their president’s fiancée was Miss Yu Xiaoxuan.

This indeed dropped a bombshell in the hearts of the people in Beijing; everyone was wondering when Yu Xiaoxuan and Han Yi would get married, and then Ning Ke posted on Weibo saying her engagement to Han Yi was true, that Han Yi and Yu Xiaoxuan had broken up a long time ago, and that Yu Xiaoxuan’s absence from the public eye was the best proof. Moreover, her own marriage to Han Yi was decided after the elders of both families discussed and agreed on it.

Ning Ke wasn’t exactly a celebrity, and her follower count on Weibo wasn’t all that high, but she wasn’t short on acquaintances, and with their reposts, her influence was almost on par with those Weibo big V’s.

However, after her Weibo post came out, some believed it while others didn’t. After all, not too long ago, Han Yi was publicly displaying affection on his own Weibo. More importantly, the head of public relations at the Han Group had already stepped forward to call it a pure rumor, so Ning Ke posting something like this was akin to a slap in the face, no, not even a slap in the face, since the Han Group voiced their stance first and Ning Ke posted after.

Believers were swayed partly because indeed, Yu Xiaoxuan hadn’t appeared in the public eye for some time, and the works she appeared on screen were all pre-filmed; she seemed to have vanished from sight lately. If you were to say she disappeared due to heartbreak, it would make sense.

The latter were mostly Yu Xiaoxuan’s haters, including those in the industry who disliked her and their irrational fans; after all, Yu Xiaoxuan’s rise to fame had been too rapid, inevitably causing envy.

The two factions were ripping into each other on Weibo with great gusto, while the third party—those who just enjoyed watching the drama—were gossip-hungry onlookers, conjuring up a melodramatic tale of a triangular love affair among the wealthy.

As for Yu Xiaoxuan herself, she was chatting with Shen Qinglan in the room, completely unaware of the stir outside.

"Qinglan, how is Anan just so adorable? Even the way she sucks her hand is melting my heart," Yu Xiaoxuan said, staring at the little girl Anan’s eyes glowing with a greenish tint, really wishing she could take Anan home to raise.

Shen Qinglan laughed, "You’ve been looking for two hours and still haven’t had enough?"

"Not enough, how could two hours possibly be enough? Qinglan, let me take Anan home to take care of for a couple of days," Yu Xiaoxuan accidentally blurted out her true thoughts, and then looked at Shen Qinglan with hopeful eyes.

Shen Qinglan shrugged, "Sure, as long as you can breastfeed Anan. Oh right, she doesn’t take formula."

Yu Xiaoxuan’s shoulders slumped as she turned to look at Anan, caressing her soft and tender little hand, "Anan, how can you be so picky?" she said, full of regret.

"Anan, grow up quickly, so you can come over and visit your godmother’s house."

Shen Qinglan watched Yu Xiaoxuan, listening to her child-like words, at a loss of what to say, and quickly changed the subject, "Have you been to your pregnancy check-up recently?"

Yu Xiaoxuan shook her head, "Not yet. I had a check-up before and it was fine. The doctor said to wait until three months along to go again."

"Have you felt any discomfort? Any morning sickness?"

Yu Xiaoxuan made a bitter face, touching her face that had gained weight, "Does being able to eat count? Qinglan, you have no idea. I’ve gained ten pounds in just over a month. When the baby’s born, will I turn into a ball?"

Shen Qinglan noticed Yu Xiaoxuan had gained weight when she saw her, and looking closely, it seemed fine on her body, not much different from before, but it was noticeable on her face.

"Qinglan, wouldn’t it be great to be like you, never getting fat no matter how much you eat? When Sister Linda came to see me yesterday, the look in her eyes the moment she saw me was so strange—I swear, grandma thought she was about to pounce on me and gobble me up."

Speaking of her physique that gains weight in the face as soon as she puts on pounds, Yu Xiaoxuan silently wiped away her own bitter tears.

"Being able to eat is a blessing," Shen Qinglan said, Yu Xiaoxuan’s features were clearly those of a fortunate person, even both grandpas said that Yu Xiaoxuan was a big-hearted and optimistic child, one who could enjoy life’s blessings.

By comparison, Fang Tong’s mind was a bit heavier, perhaps due to her upbringing, Fang Tong was more careful and considered more factors in her actions, whereas Yu Xiaoxuan was rather thick-skinned and acted impulsively.

"Qinglan, are you consoling me? If I keep getting fatter, after I give birth to the child, how long will I need to diet to get back in shape?"

"Then you should start eating less now," Shen Qinglan said.

"But I can’t help it, when I see those things, I just can’t control my mouth. If I don’t eat a little, I become terribly uncomfortable, scratching and fidgeting, and I can’t even sleep," Yu Xiaoxuan complained more aggrievedly; she suspected she was carrying a gluttonous beast, craving to eat everything. Although she had always been fond of good food, her appetite had never been this great.

Shen Qinglan frowned, "Xiao Xuan, you should properly control your diet. Just ensure enough nutrition, that’s all. Excessive nutrition can cause the fetus to grow too large, and you will suffer during childbirth."

"Uh-huh, I know. Han Yi said yesterday that he would hire a nutritionist for me, specifically to manage my diet during pregnancy, and I’ve also enrolled in a yoga class that starts next week."

Seeing that she was aware of what she needed to do, Shen Qinglan didn’t dwell on it anymore but instead asked, "When do you and Han Yi plan to register your marriage since you didn’t last time?" Originally, Han Yi and Yu Xiaoxuan were set to register on May 20th, but because Shen Qinglan had had a difficult birth, they had rushed to the hospital, and the registration was delayed.

"Han Yi said we will register on the Qixi Festival," Yu Xiaoxuan said, looking at the already asleep child Anan, speaking offhandedly.

Shen Qinglan mentally calculated that Qixi was more than a month away. By that time, Yu Xiaoxuan would have been pregnant for about three months and could announce it publicly; it would be a double celebration, which wasn’t bad.

"Are you really not planning to hold a wedding ceremony?"

"Yeah, not anymore. Instead of having a wedding ceremony, I’d rather have a travel wedding. Han Yi and I have already discussed it. We’ll travel for a month and then come back," Yu Xiaoxuan said with sparkling eyes, completely unaware of the media uproar outside.

Shen Qinglan was initially about to pick up her phone to check the time but accidentally tapped the Weibo app. A message popped up, and her eyes darkened momentarily as she quickly skimmed the information. Glancing at Yu Xiaoxuan, seeing her oblivious to everything, she casually put the phone back.

"How are things between Han Yi and his father recently?" Shen Qinglan asked, affecting a casual tone.

Yu Xiaoxuan grimaced, "It’s the same. His father now resides in a nursing home, a place I’ve visited. The environment is very nice, very suitable for his retirement, but Han Yi hardly ever visits his dad. I went twice, and he didn’t want to see me, so I stopped going."

Shen Qinglan understood, "His dad still doesn’t approve of you and Han Yi?"

"Not approved. It would be great if he did. When he found out I was pregnant, he even said he could give me a sum of money so that, after I gave birth to the child, I could leave Han Yi, and his family would take care of the child." That was why Yu Xiaoxuan had stopped visiting Han Zhengshan.

Originally, she thought that since Han Yi and Han Zhengshan were father and son, and that Han Yi was his only relative in this world, they could at least reconcile somewhat. Even if they couldn’t have a warm and harmonious relationship like other fathers and sons, they could at least soften things a bit so that everyone could sit down for a meal during the holidays.

"You shouldn’t get involved in the matters between father and son," Shen Qinglan commented lightly, having guessed that this engagement storm must have been stirred up by Han Zhengshan.

Yu Xiaoxuan nodded, "Yes, I know. I have stopped trying to intervene. By the way, Qinglan, will you move to the new house after your postpartum confinement?"

"No, when Fu Hengyi returns to the military unit, I’ll apply to accompany him."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaoxuan’s face fell in disappointment, "Ah, is that so? I was actually thinking that if you move to your new home, then Han Yi and I could move over too. That way we could be neighbors, and it would be so much more convenient for me to see my godson."

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly and didn’t reply.

They had only lived in that house for a few days when they were newlyweds, after which they continuously lived in the large compound. It had been empty for several months now.

"Qinglan, you have a package," Aunt Zhao walked in holding a parcel, "It was sent from Country Y, no idea what’s inside."

Shen Qinglan’s beautiful eyes twinkled as she glanced at the well-packed express parcel, took it, and tore it open. Inside was a beautiful little box. She opened the box to reveal a delicately crafted long-life lock, cast in gold and gleaming brightly; alongside were two golden bracelets and a small card attached, sent by Austin.

Shen Qinglan’s lips curved up slightly as she picked up the long-life lock and bracelets to have a look. Yu Xiaoxuan curiously leaned over, "Wow, what a delicate lock and bracelets. Qinglan, do you have friends in Country Y?"

"Yes, I have a few friends there with good relationships," Shen Qinglan said.

Shen Qinglan wanted to call Austin but hesitated after glancing at the time, deciding to call at a different time instead.

Yu Xiaoxuan’s dinner was at the Fu Family’s. When Han Yi came in, everyone was already eating. Speaking of everyone, in fact, only Old Sir Fu, Aunt Zhao, and Yu Xiaoxuan were at the dining table. Fu Hengyi was in the room having a postpartum meal with Shen Qinglan. Yu Xiaoxuan had had lunch with Shen Qinglan and couldn’t bring herself to eat that food again. It looked quite appetizing, but it was utterly tasteless.

She ate with a frown on her face, looking at Shen Qinglan who was eating calmly and couldn’t help but ask, "Qinglan, this food has no taste at all, don’t you find it hard to eat?"

"It’s alright," Shen Qinglan said. Back when she was thrown into the desert or other harsh environments for training, they often had no food, and they had to eat things like grass and rats. Compared to that, these were nothing.

Yu Xiaoxuan felt despair at the thought of living such a life in the future, and her admiration for Shen Qinglan’s composure grew even more.

Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t know what Old Sir Fu was happily chatting about, but he seemed to be having a great time. Upon seeing Han Yi, Old Sir Fu called him over to join them for dinner.

Han Yi was indeed hungry, sat down next to Yu Xiaoxuan, and she cheerfully put a piece of rib into his bowl, "Aunt Zhao’s ribs are delicious, you should try some."

Han Yi glanced at the small pile of bones in front of her and gave her a teasing look, "You ate half of these ribs by yourself, who was it that said they needed to control their portion size yesterday?"

Yu Xiaoxuan made a pitiful face, "It’s not my fault, it’s because Aunt Zhao’s ribs are too tasty, I couldn’t stop eating."

Old Sir Fu laughed heartily, moving the bowl of ribs closer to Yu Xiaoxuan, "Being able to eat is a blessing, our girl Qinglan eats too little and doesn’t have any flesh on her bones, it’s worrying to look at."

Yu Xiaoxuan grinned, "Thank you, Grandpa Fu."

Han Yi looked at Yu Xiaoxuan with indulgent affection and then turned to Old Sir Fu, "Grandpa Fu, you’ve just given her an excuse to eat to her heart’s content."