No reconciliation, no forgiveness! Mr. Pei leaves with nothing.

"Where have you been?" Only three words came from the phone. Jiang Hua could feel her father's angry and stern face. She didn't speak. Then his voice continued, "For four or five whole days, you haven't been home. Do you think you're healthy again and can run around like this?"

Although he was angry, Jiang Weiguo was more worried about her health.

Jiang Hua had long known that she couldn't hide her whereabouts from her father for long. A day or two would be fine, but if she wasn't home on the third day, he would start looking for her.

During those months with Shen Bulu in the Imperial Dynasty, she kept it a secret from everyone. In the end, her father canceled her credit card, hoping to force her to return. However, Jiang Hua was stubborn and even after the card was canceled, she still borrowed money from Shen Bulu.

This time, it was probably because when Xu's mother went to clean her apartment at the school, she didn't see her, which made her father suspicious. That's why... he called immediately.

Despite her anger, Jiang Hua thought her father would be furious about her leaving, but he didn't seem that angry.

While eating, Jiang Hua said casually, "I just went out for a walk to clear my head. I didn't go anywhere. Dad... you know, you get tired of staying in one place for too long."

Jiang Weiguo couldn't help but chuckle, "Hmm... you didn't run far, I think you flew far away."

"You're flying to France without a word. You want to go see Pei Zhan. Dad won't say anything. I'll even arrange a private jet for you to ensure your safety. It's not a bad thing to travel more. But if you go there alone like this, Huahua... Dad will worry about you."

Jiang Hua: "Dad, I'll take good care of myself here."

If Jiang Hua went to France alone, he would have someone bring her back from abroad no matter what.

Jiang Weiguo: "Luckily, I spoke with Pei Zhan on the phone and told him you were alright with him..."

"Otherwise... wait until you get back, and see how I deal with you."

Looking at a certain spot, she saw a familiar figure approaching. Pei Zhan walked to her desk without saying a word, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite her. Jiang Hua remained in the position of answering the phone, her gaze fixed on the man in front of her. After not seeing him for a while, he seemed to have gained a more refined and noble air.

"Sir, would you like to order food?"

Pei Zhan crossed his legs, placed his hands on his knees, and gazed at Jiang Hua with a deep and intriguing look in his eyes. "One of the same as my wife's."

"Okay, sir."

Jiang Weiguo heard Jiang Hua's phone ring with a familiar voice. The reason he called was because he was afraid that Pei Zhan would lie to him on purpose for Hua Hua's sake. Now that he heard that the two of them were really together, his heart finally settled down.

"Alright, since you're with Pei Zhan, Dad won't bother you anymore. Don't wander off while you're with him. The security situation abroad isn't good these days, so it's best to have a bodyguard with you wherever you go."

Jiang Hua finished speaking, "I understand, Dad," and hung up the phone, placing it on the table. "When did you find out I was here?"

“When Chairman Jiang called me, he said that you hadn’t returned to school for several days, and Aunt Xu hadn’t seen you at the apartment either. Chairman Jiang was also contacting everyone to look for you. I took the opportunity to have Xiang Nan check your spending records, and that’s when I found out that Mrs. Pei could give me such big surprises all the time.”

"If you want to come over, you can give me a call."

Jiang Hua lowered her eyes and remained silent. Pei Zhan was also looking at her, seemingly waiting for her explanation. After struggling with her thoughts, she finally told the truth, "I didn't come because of you." She didn't state this directly, but rather because she still didn't want Pei Zhan to know her purpose for being there.

The waiter brought the meal to Pei Zhan. "Sir, is there anything else you need?"

Pei Zhan waved his hand.

"Ok sir."

Pei Zhan: "How long do you plan to stay here?"

Jiang Hua: "I'll leave this afternoon."

The way the two talked made them sound like complete strangers.

The man cut his steak with such ease that it was a pleasure to watch. Pei Zhan appeared calm, but inwardly she was seething with turmoil. Every little thing she did for Ji Liangchuan brought him one step closer to death. People do change, and now Pei Zhan realized that the bullets fired would eventually come back to haunt her, and she would reap what she sowed.

Pei Zhan uttered three words in a gentle tone, "I'll stay with you."

Jiang Hua refused without hesitation: "No need. The hotel will arrange for someone to accompany me. Company matters are important, so you just focus on your own work."

Pei Zhan: "Huahua, you are first my wife, Ji Liangchuan... and only then your brother."

If Jiang hadn't posed so many threats, would I have even had the chance to marry him?

Given his status and position, if Ji Liangchuan were still alive, Pei Zhan wouldn't even have the right to look at her, let alone be able to talk to her face to face now.

"The company's affairs can wait. In case... you really find Ji Liangchuan, I'm afraid he'll just snatch Mrs. Pei away with a few words. Then you two can secretly hide away and stay together for life."

Who knows…

Jiang Hua slammed her silver fork and spoon on the table with a loud bang. "Pei Zhan, haven't I scolded you in a long time? Now you come all this way to me looking for a scolding? What's wrong with you again?"

What are you guessing about here?

"You think I'm like you? Half-hearted, always doing dirty tricks behind people's backs!"

They're quick to anger and have a short temper.

Pei Zhan reached out and grasped her hand. Jiang Hua struggled to pull away, but looking at her hand tightly held in his, her palm burning hot, she knew that no matter how much she resisted, it was all in vain in front of him. "...What if I said I didn't mind Ji Liangchuan's existence?"

"Chairman Jiang told me about your matter."

“I know…he’s special to you.”

“If it weren’t for me, you might really be together, but Huahua… not everything in this world can be had in the end; making choices is only one part of the process.”

"Since you have made your choice, I will trust you."

"Given your relationship, I should address him as elder brother!"

"Huahua, what do you think?"

Brother?

Jiang Hua felt that the way he said those two words made her feel like he wanted to grind Ji Liangchuan to dust.

But to Jiang Hua, what he said sounded like he was probing for the purpose of coming to France.

Jiang Hua stared intently, her grip on his hand loosening as she tried to break free. She still didn't quite trust him, and when she heard Pei Zhan say those words, she felt a strange unease and a chill run down her spine.

But in her heart, she still didn't choose to believe him.

Jiang Hua made up an excuse and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. If you're sick, go to the hospital and get checked out."

"Eat quickly, I need to rest after I finish eating."

Pei Zhan: "Aren't you leaving?"

Jiang Hua: "Shut up, don't talk to me."

All the good plans were ruined because of his appearance.

Pei Zhan is narrow-minded and cunning. If he really knew the purpose of her coming to France, she would probably be even less able to find Ji Liangchuan.

Having dinner, Pei Zhan naturally found a suitable excuse to check into the hotel.

Jiang Hua returned to her hotel floor, stepped out of the elevator without waiting for him, and strode ahead of him. Pei Zhan followed behind her at a leisurely pace, always keeping a distance of no more than three steps.

The gaze fixed on her from behind made her very uncomfortable.

He pulled out his room key, intending to quickly open the door and then lock him out...

Pei Zhan had already anticipated her move, so no matter how fast she was, she couldn't outrun him. He grabbed her slender waist and with a gentle pull, not only snatched the room key from Jiang Hua's hand, but also dragged her into the room... The action was swift and seamless. By the time Jiang Hua realized what was happening, she was already pinned against the door. Her angry words, which were about to be used to scold him, were suddenly silenced...

Pei Zhan leaned down slightly, matching Jiang Hua's height, and kissed her right away...

He turned into a beast in the blink of an eye.

While kissing her, Pei Zhan unbuttoned his black suit jacket, including the shirt, and casually threw it on the carpet beside him.

Jiang Hua couldn't utter a word, only able to resist with her eyes. She glanced at what he was doing and saw that Pei Zhan had taken off his shirt, revealing an unsightly scar on his shoulder.

The man released her only when he saw that she was really struggling to breathe. Jiang Hua stared at him, panting and with a resentful look in her eyes, her chest heaving violently…

"This time it won't take long, and you won't need to take any medicine."

"Try?"

Once aroused, lustful desires are stirred up, they are hard to quell.

Jiang Hua: "Be gentle."

As he spoke, the man scooped Jiang Hua up, supporting her with one hand. Jiang Hua hooked her arms around his neck, and they walked to the master bedroom. Pei Zhan then kicked the door open…

By the time it was over, Jiang Hua was so tired that she didn't want to move a single finger. She was held and sat in the bathtub, enjoying the meticulous bathing service. Pei Zhan squeezed out some shower gel, which had a sweet scent of rose petals, and with his broad palms, he applied it all over her softest skin, leaving no spot untouched.

The room temperature was controlled before the shower, so it wasn't too cold.

It didn't end until an hour later.

When Jiang Hua woke up, the person next to her had already gotten up sometime earlier. It was 6:30 PM. She had no medicine and was in some pain…

Her perfectly good dress was torn to shreds and scattered everywhere. He had changed her into a nightgown. In the dimly lit room, the lingering scent of their incestuous affair seemed to still be there, filling the air with an indescribable, shameful aroma.

Standing in front of the mirror in the room, Jiang Hua pulled open her collar and looked at the mark left on her snow-white skin, her brows furrowing... Then, in the mirror, the man silently approached and hooked his arm around her waist from behind. Jiang Hua was perfect in both height and figure, without any flaws, but being held in his arms made her suddenly appear petite...

"Let me see." Pei Zhan looked at her in the mirror. Her furrowed brows conveyed vivid emotions. The alluring charm she exuded after what had just happened had not yet faded, making her incredibly beautiful.

Jiang Hua: "I'm hungry." Her tone was coquettish.

"I know, it hasn't been delivered yet, so wait a bit longer."

As Jiang Hua was being carried to bed, her gaze drifted out the French windows. She saw a figure moving around in the room of the villa across the street, and then… a woman was being dragged and carried. Jiang Hua knew exactly what position she was in, but she only glanced at it before looking away. She wasn't interested in other people's private affairs.

When the food was served, Jiang Hua didn't need to get up and walk; Pei Zhan carried her to the outside restaurant... As the waiter pushed the food cart away, she happened to see the bodyguards standing guard at the door. "When did they get outside?"

"Have some soup first." He ladled a bowl of soup and fed it to her lips before answering her question, "While you're asleep."

"I have a meeting with senior executives from other overseas branches tomorrow, so I can't accompany you. Wherever you go, have your bodyguards follow you."

Every word she said sounded considerate, but Pei Zhan was clearly trying to have someone spy on her.

"Of course... if you're looking for Ji Liangchuan..."

"Whether I look for him or not is my business. It's his choice if he doesn't want to come back or appear before me. I just came out to clear my head..."

This explanation wouldn't work on Pei Zhan at all, but he could only go along with Jiang Hua's explanation and continue, "Well, whatever Mrs. Pei says goes."

Jiang Hua sat on his lap, drinking with a spoon. Pei Zhan was also busy, putting food and fish meat with the bones removed into her bowl.

"Should we go to the hospital to see him tomorrow?"

"Who?"

“Wen Qian”.

Jiang Hua then remembered this matter. "Hmm. You should postpone the meeting this morning. It's not appropriate for me to go alone."

These words seemed to be exactly what the man wanted to hear, and Pei Zhan's lips curled into a smile: "Okay."

It's really not appropriate, and he has already registered his marriage with Bai Rui. If she goes alone, Bai Rui will inevitably feel uncomfortable.

Her timing was rather unfortunate.

It would be too deliberate to appear in front of him while he was hospitalized...

"Don't eat?"

"The taste has changed; it's not as good as yesterday's. I wonder if they changed chefs."

Jiang Hua ate a few bites and then went back to her room. Sitting on the bed with nothing to do, she picked up a book and started reading.

Pei Zhan tidied up the room, tossing the used sheets aside; the other sheet belonged to the spare room next door.

The dress that had been torn to shreds and looked terrible on the floor was neatly tidied up, and in no time the bedroom was clean and refreshing, and the smell had dissipated.

After finishing everything, Pei Zhan went out for a meal, and then went to his study to have a meeting with people from the capital. He would be staying here for three months. Since there was no one in the capital, he could only oversee both sides, and many responsibilities indeed fell on his shoulders.

Occasionally, sounds could be heard coming from the study. Jiang Hua took the remote control and turned the TV volume down a bit.

She doesn't like overly quiet environments; even when reading, she wants to hear other sounds...

The weather wasn't so bad the next day. Jiang Hua wore a European-style long dress with a modern, dark, mature look. The hem of the dress had a lace cutout design, and the color of the dress was the same as the color of the brooch on Pei Zhan's chest, creating a strangely harmonious match.

On the way to the hospital, Kagel drove himself.

Jiang Hua saw him and asked, "Why is he here?"