A pond full of blooming flowers, an ultimate addiction.

Late at night, Lü Haotian was alone in his study, a bottle of brandy beside him, the computer screen shining brightly in the dark.

"Haotian?"

Wearing a coat, Liu Shiya knocked on the study door and, seeing that he hadn't responded for a long time, couldn't help but come looking for him.

Lu Haotian lowered his eyes and brows, his thoughts and gaze fixed on the computer screen, completely unaware that Liu Shiya was slowly approaching.

"Hao..."

Liu Shiya walked over, but before she could say anything, she froze when she saw the screen.

Liu Shiya could hardly believe her eyes. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe, leaving her completely numb.

"Why aren't you resting?" Lu Haotian reached out to close his laptop, his tone cold and devoid of any warmth.

Liu Shiya reached out to stop him from closing the laptop, her lips pressed tightly together, wanting to make a sound but unable to utter a word, "Don't you want to explain?"

"It's too late, let's talk about it tomorrow." Lu Haotian remained calm, seemingly unconcerned about Liu Shiya's current mood.

Liu Shiya's shocked face turned calm. She suddenly realized something, burst into laughter, but her heart skipped a beat.

"You like Jiang Yi?"

"It's time for you to rest."

Lü Haotian was not as gentle and refined as usual; his tone was full of impatience, and he frowned, not wanting to get entangled with her.

Liu Shiya reached out to touch him, but stopped the moment she touched him. She realized that she hadn't truly understood him for so long. "When did it start? When did you start liking Jiang Yi?"

Lu Haotian clenched his fist and then relaxed it. He stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and spoke softly, returning to his usual demeanor, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

"Xiaoya, you've misunderstood."

"Misunderstanding? You're up in the middle of the night, and your computer is playing wedding photos of Jiang Yi and you. Is it a coincidence? Or are you trying to tell me you accidentally clicked the wrong thing?"

Liu Shiya exhaled and shook off his hand. "Lu Haotian, what have we been for all these years? What have we been for?"

"Now that you know, there's no need for me to hide it from you anymore."

Lu Haotian released her hand, sat down again, and turned on his computer. A slideshow of Jiang Yi's photos appeared, including some everyday photos in addition to the previous portrait.

The only thing they had in common was that each photo only featured him and Jiang Yi.

“You’ve been flying around all these years, keeping it a secret from me. You told me you were busy with work, but actually you were flying to see Jiang Yi.”

Liu Shiya put these photos together and realized how well he had kept them hidden.

"Lu Haotian, it turns out you weren't too busy to reply to my messages, or you forgot what I said; it's just that you've never cared about me, and that I'm not that important to you..."

Liu Shiya no longer had the courage to continue speaking, nor the courage to be in the same space with him; this matter suffocated her.

"Did you ever truly love me?" Liu Shiya covered her face and burst into tears, her eyes filled with endless grievances.

"I will give you a sum of money, enough for your future living expenses, and I will also transfer my shares in the studio to you."

Lu Haotian ignored Liu Shiya's low spirits, as if the two were strangers.

Liu Shiya never expected things to come to this. She had dreamed countless times about her future with him and about a beautiful love, but all of that came to an abrupt end.

"You and Jiang Yi will not have a future together; she is already engaged."

Lu Haotian toyed with the lighter, its light flickering, and drank the strong liquor with thin lips, speaking coldly, "Just an engagement."

Liu Shiya's pupils dilated, the light in her eyes went out, and she stared at the man in front of her. Her body swayed slightly, her arms braced against the desk, tears welling up in her eyelashes, and she choked out a sob.

"Then what am I?"

Lu Haotian ignored him, closed his laptop, and left the room.

The dark room went dark in an instant. Liu Shiya disregarded her image and rushed over to hug Lü Haotian from behind. Her body trembled and tears streamed down her face.

"Xiaoya, I said from day one that our relationship wouldn't last, and now that time has come."

Lu Haotian spoke these words softly, but they struck Liu Shiya like a heavy hammer, leaving her breathless.

"Is it always the person who speaks first who loses?"

Liu Shiya lowered her hands helplessly, a smile etched on her tear-streaked lips. "In the end, it was all just wishful thinking on my part."

Before dawn, with the first starlight, Liu Shiya walked in the morning mist, her figure slowly disappearing as the mist enveloped her entire body.

"They are engaged, and everything is going according to plan."

“Chi Ruiche has already noticed this, and he should be more careful in his future actions.”

"Then let me see just how far he can go?"

The male voice on the other end of the phone was suppressed, cold, and violent.

Lu Haotian hung up the phone, left the French windows, and never looked in the direction Liu Shiya had left. He simply picked up the only photo of the two of them in the bedroom and threw it into the trash can.