He lured her deep into his trap, using both overt and covert methods to seduce her.

Song Zhi picked up her phone and looked at the contact name; it was Fu Lu calling.

She hesitated for a moment before answering the phone, and said softly, "Hello."

A deep voice came from the other end of the phone: "Are you asleep?"

Hearing Fu Lu's voice, Song Zhi's heart softened slightly, and she replied softly, "Yes, I'm getting ready to sleep."

"Then go to sleep, goodnight, Song Xiaozhi."

Song Zhi held her phone, slightly stunned.

Did Fu Lu call just to ask if she was asleep?

This puzzled her, but she didn't want to ask directly.

So, she could only whisper "goodnight" to Fu Lu and then hang up the phone.

Song Zhi lay in bed, thinking about what Fu Lu had said earlier.

He didn't leave on purpose back then; he misunderstood.

Even so, after all these years, can they still get back together?

Thinking about Fu Lu's current status and then looking at herself, Song Zhi instantly lost confidence.

She sighed heavily and muttered to herself, "Oh well, let nature take its course."

With the year-end approaching, more than a week had passed since her unpleasant parting with Pei Jinnian. At first, Song Zhi was a little worried, fearing that Pei Jinnian would make things difficult for her at work.

But as time went by, there was still no news from Pei Jinnian.

I saw Pei Jinnian's news again through Meng Huan's WeChat Moments.

Pei Jinnian, wearing an apron, stood in the kitchen with his back to her, captioning it: "Brother is showing off his skills again."

Song Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Pei Jinnian was busy showing affection with his girlfriend and had completely forgotten about her.

fair enough.

After sending her completed proposal to Gu Lechi, Song Zhi got up to pack her things and prepare to leave work.

"Wanwan, I have some things to do this afternoon, so I'll be leaving get off work now."

Song Zhi greeted Xiao Wan, who was sitting in front of the computer.

Xiao Wan looked up and asked with some confusion, "So early? It's only four o'clock."

Song Zhi smiled and said, "Yes, I have something to take care of."

Xiao Wan waved her hand without turning her head, signaling Song Zhi to leave quickly and not disturb her.

The person who was saying not long ago that he was heartless and would never fall in love again in this life is now deeply involved with a new ambiguous relationship and has no time to pay attention to Song Zhi.

Looking at Xiao Wan's appearance, Song Zhi couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

To be honest, she felt quite regretful; she really shouldn't have so easily agreed to start a business with Xiao Wan.

Xiao Wan really only has a short attention span. She was enthusiastic for the first two days after the opening, running around doing business all day. But after a couple of days, she felt exhausted and spent all her time sitting at the computer chatting with netizens.

Now that he's hooked up with someone, he's completely stopped working.

Since the studio opened, Song Zhi's only order was thanks to Gu Chile's generous help.

After adding each other on WeChat, Gu Lechi planned to confess his feelings to his crush on Christmas, so he asked Song Zhi for advice.

She has been fully committed to it and making meticulous preparations during this period.

If today weren't the day she regularly visited her father at the sanatorium, Song Zhi would definitely have had to work overtime again to earn money for rent and utilities.

after an hour.

Song Zhi appeared at the entrance of the sanatorium.

Seeing the familiar luxury car parked in the parking space at the entrance, Song Zhi couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

That was my mother's car.

Why did Zhao Man come here? Did she have a change of heart and come to visit Song's father, who is now in a vegetative state?

Song Zhi was quite pleased with this idea.

No matter how much Zhao Man favored her, she still hoped that Zhao Man wouldn't neglect her husband.

As long as Zhao Man, as his wife, can keep her husband in check, Song Zhi even thought she could overlook how much her mother favored her younger brother.

Thinking of this, Song Zhi quickened her pace.

She arrived at the ward door with practiced ease. The door was ajar. As Song Zhi reached out to push the door open, she heard a strange man's voice coming from inside.

"I'll complete the discharge procedures today."

Song Zhi paused her outstretched hand and looked up.

Through the glass in the door, she saw the people standing inside the ward.

In addition to the head of the sanatorium, Zhao Man also brought a man, not her previous assistant.

Song Zhi had never seen this person before.

Zhao Man's voice followed: "I'll rent a room later and arrange for him to go there. I don't want to see him in the villa, looking half-dead. It's bad luck."

Song Zhi unconsciously tightened her outstretched hand.

In the past, no matter how unhappy Zhao Man was, Song Zhi had never heard her say anything excessive.

But now, in front of a patient who is still conscious, they say such vicious things.

Song Zhi was so angry that she trembled all over.

She wanted to push open the door and confront Zhao Man, asking why, after more than 20 years of marriage, Zhao Man would do such a thing.

When Zhao Man saw Song Zhi standing at the door, she couldn't help but feel a little surprised, but more than that, she felt guilty.

She didn't know how long Song Zhi had been standing there, or how much she had heard.

Zhao Man steadied herself and asked calmly, "Why did you come here?"

Song Zhi gazed at the well-maintained middle-aged woman before her. Time seemed to have gently brushed across her face, leaving only a few traces, so much so that she, in her fifties, looked like a woman in her thirties.

She knew perfectly well that her lover grew flowers.

But now, Song Zhi felt incredibly sorry for her father.

Her eyes widened in anger, and she demanded, "Why did you do this?"

Faced with Song Zhi's questioning, Zhao Man snorted coldly, then retorted, "How dare you talk to me like that? I'm your mother!"

A cold smile crept across Song Zhi's lips: "So you still remember you're my mother? Since my father's accident, have you fulfilled your responsibilities as a wife for even a single day, or your responsibilities as a mother for even a single day?"

"I can't be bothered to talk to you."

After Zhao Man finished speaking, she turned to the man behind her and said calmly, "Go with Dean Cheng to process your discharge."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhi hurriedly stood in front of the ward door, like an impregnable fortress: "No, no one is allowed to touch my father. Mom, I'm begging you, you and Dad have been married for so many years, how can you be so indifferent to his life or death?"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Manyan raised her hand and swiftly slapped Song Zhi across the face.

The slap landed like a heavy hammer on Song Zhi's cheek, instantly causing it to swell and turn red.

Song Zhi covered her aching cheek, her face filled with disbelief, as if she couldn't believe that the person in front of her was her mother.

Zhao Man coldly rebuked, "Take no action? If I really took no action, would he have kept me hanging for so many years?"

Song Zhi covered her face and remained silent.

Zhao Man continued, "The hospital won't admit him, so I can only settle your father back home."

"how is this possible?"

Song Zhi's voice was filled with astonishment as she looked up at Dean Cheng beside her.

She had been there several times before, and the other party knew her.

Dean Cheng looked troubled and said with difficulty, "Miss Song, please don't make things difficult for our sanatorium. We really can't let your father stay here."

Song Zhi was filled with doubt. She asked, puzzled, "Why? I told you I would cover the later expenses."

"It's not about money."