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

Are you trying to play the victim in front of me?

When had Jiang Hua ever seen Pei Zhan so humble in front of her? But in Jiang Hua's eyes, Pei Zhan's appearance seemed to be a sign that he truly loved her. The man's burning heat and his breath penetrated her body without leaving a single spot untouched.

"If I said yes... would you feel sorry for me?" Pei Zhan held her arm tighter, as if trying to meld Jiang Hua into his body. His warm breath fell on her neck, and every word he spoke to her was spoken in a softer tone.

Suddenly, Jiang Hua felt a sharp pain in her chest…

Looking at the scars on his neck left by the burns, Jiang Hua's mind flashed back to the scene on the TV screen where a car windshield was shot at, crashed into an obstacle, and then quickly burst into flames. She could almost feel what it would feel like to have the intense heat burning her skin.

"You clearly love me..."

"Let's not get a divorce, okay? I'm willing to give up everything from the Jiang family."

When Jiang Hua finally left the hospital, the pain in her heart spread densely to every corner of her body.

She was upset and confused. Why did her heart feel so heavy?

Snow began to fall outside the hospital. The white snow fell on Jiang Hua and quickly melted. A car stopped in front of her. As she got in, she recalled Pei Zhan's words to her: "Is it true that no matter what I do, it will be in vain?"

"Huahua...can you tell me what I should do?"

"What am I going to do with you?!"

Everything that had happened to her was returned to Pei Zhan, and it was even hundreds of times more painful than what he had experienced.

But how could this be...?

Isn't he omnipotent?

Why would someone risk their life for some insignificant jewels belonging to the Jiang family?

If Jiang Hua hadn't seen the injuries on his body with her own eyes, she would have thought it was all a play he had staged himself.

Even if he wanted to repay...

Could anyone really be so self-destructive?!

Pei Zhan is not such an irrational person.

What if he really doesn't wake up?

Didn't he think about the consequences?

It's crazy!

Back at the manor villa, it was already getting dark outside. The servants, seeing her return looking so dejected, hesitated to approach her and simply said softly, "Miss Jiang, dinner is ready. We have your favorite fish and old duck soup."

Jiang Hua ate only a little for dinner and returned to her room. She pushed open the door and saw that the room was pitch black. She dared not take a step in. This was the biggest shadow in her heart for both her lives. Even now, Jiang Hua is afraid of the dark. But for some reason, looking at the pitch-black darkness, Jiang Hua still thought of the time in Wuchuan.

Seventeen years have passed, and many things should have been forgotten long ago, but Jiang Hua still remembers clearly what happened back then, though she can hardly remember what Ji Liangchuan looks like.

Jiang Hua touched the switch on the wall. The moment the spotlight turned on, it illuminated the entire large room. It didn't look bright; it was rather dim, empty, and eerily quiet.

Jiang Hua felt as if she were hallucinating. It was a figure she hadn't seen in a long time. She saw a figure standing in the shadows, a familiar silhouette that made her feel no fear as she walked forward. "Mom, do you think I can still be with Pei Zhan?"

"Huahua, do you really like him?"

Jiang Hua's lips moved, and after hesitating for a long time, she finally said, "I like him, but I can't like him, Mom... he hurt me."

"Yes, Huahua, if you don't have him in your heart, he has no right to hurt you so deeply and make you so sad."

"But if he really wanted to hurt you, he wouldn't have protected you and your father again and again..."

"Mom, I'm actually very grateful to him. He saved your dad back then."

"If possible, Mom... also hopes that someone will like you. At least then you won't be alone anymore, and you'll have someone by your side."

"Your return is a new beginning. Mom is so happy that Huahua has come back and found what she wants to do."

A new... beginning?

Do we start over, as if nothing ever happened?

...

Song Qingran arrived at the airport in Xia He's car.

Seeing the girl's reserved demeanor and the fact that she hadn't spoken a word the whole way, Xia He comforted her when the car stopped, "Did I scare you?"

Song Qingran shook her head quickly, like a frightened bird, "No."

"Go back soon. You've been delayed in France for so long, your mother must be worried." Xia He looked at Song Qingran as if she were seeing her younger self. She saw that Song Qingran was better than Jiang Hua, who had ruined her son.

When Song Qingran opened the car door, her hesitant hand paused. For so long, Aunt Xia had been taking care of her and letting her live in a luxurious manor villa. If it weren't for Aunt Xia, she really wouldn't know what to do.

When Mr. Pei woke up, she wanted to buy him some porridge, but when she left the hospital, her wallet and ID were stolen. Luckily, she ran into Aunt Xia on the street.

If it weren't for her, Song Qingran would have frozen to death on the street by now.

Over the past month, she had actually been somewhat suspicious of her identity. It seemed that everyone around her was afraid of her, no matter where she went. The 'Huo family' she had just heard about at the hospital was...

Song Qingran asked hesitantly with a hint of doubt, "Aunt Xia, are you the Mrs. Huo from the Imperial City?"

Seeing the girl's innocent face, Xia He couldn't help but smile. "Silly child, go back now."

"If we don't go back now, we'll miss our flight if we get caught in a blizzard."

Song Qingran didn't ask any more questions. She got out of the car, and when the door closed, she turned around and bowed respectfully to the elegant woman sitting in the back passenger seat. "Aunt Xia, thank you for taking care of me for so long."

Xia He: "Drive."

I really don't know what's so great about Jiang Hua.

"Madam, where do we go next?"

"Go to Hitton."

"It's ma'am."

There were some things he couldn't bring himself to do, so she did them for him.

Neither of them, father and son, should have fallen into the hands of the Jiang family.

Xia He thought about how she had been kept in the dark by him all these years. After more than 30 years of marriage, his thoughts only made her feel cold. At home, Huo Tingshan was still a qualified husband. During the years she was ill, he hired the best doctors in the country. In fact, to alleviate her pain of missing him, he even adopted a daughter for her.

If she hadn't investigated, Xia He might never have known that he had bought an entire island for Jiang Qingcheng and built a small town for her that she used to live in. Back then, his favorite place was Nice. She never imagined that everything he did was for that woman.

To prevent her from interfering, he directly threatened to divorce her!

How could Xia He not hate this!

Why should her own husband and her own son be completely manipulated by two people surnamed Jiang?

Look at the way he looks...

I almost lost my life.

What's so great about Jiang Hua?

The car quickly arrived at the Hilton Manor Hotel, right where Jiang Hua was staying. However, before she could even drive in, she was stopped by several bodyguards. These bodyguards were sent by the Huo family, so it was impossible for them not to recognize Xia He.

"I'm sorry, madam, you cannot go in."

"How dare you stop me!"

"The young master instructed that you cannot enter without his permission, unless the young mistress wishes to see you."

"Young mistress! Jiang Hua hasn't married into the Huo family yet! The Huo family doesn't have such a young mistress!" Thinking of Jiang Hua, Xia He felt furious. The bodyguards insisted on not letting Xia He's car move even a step closer. The most elite bodyguards were arranged around the area to protect Jiang Hua's safety at all times.

"Madam, please don't put us in a difficult position..."

Xia He felt a tightness in her chest, unable to breathe, and clutching her aching heart, she had no choice but to let the driver drive away.

Jiang Hua lay on the bed with her eyes closed, but her mind was perfectly clear. Her mind was blank, and she didn't even know what she was thinking. She seemed to have fallen asleep, but she also seemed not to have fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes again...

It was already daylight outside.

Unless Jiang Hua wakes up on her own and goes downstairs for breakfast, no one will come up to disturb her rest in the early morning.

Ten o'clock in the morning.

There was a sudden knock on the door, but she didn't intend to answer it until the maid's voice came from outside the door: "Miss Jiang, Mr. Cagel has arrived."

Jiang Hua got up to open the door, and the moment the door opened, Kagel was outside holding a file folder. The servants left as well, leaving only the two of them in the quiet corridor.

"Is something wrong?"

Kagel handed the file folder to Jiang Hua. "This is the divorce agreement that the young master asked me to give to Miss Jiang. The young master has already signed the agreement and does not want any shares in the Jiang family."

"Including... Young Master has decided not to return to China."

"The young master will remain in France to lead the new business here, serving as the CEO. He will also find a suitable person to manage the affairs of the Jiang Group in the capital."

Jiang Hua asked in confusion, "He... isn't going back to the capital?"

Kagel nodded: "Yes, the young master has no relatives or friends in the capital. Now that he has divorced you, and all the properties in the capital are under your name, it is up to Miss Jiang to decide how to handle them."

"But Miss Jiang, rest assured, your father will not know that the young master is staying in France. If he asks about it, the young master will handle it himself."

"The divorce agreement is in effect. Three months later... the young master will return to the capital to obtain the divorce certificate."

"Flights aren't suitable this morning. We'll send a car to pick you up and take you to the airport this afternoon once the snow stops." Kagel nodded slightly to Jiang Hua before turning and leaving. "Take care on your journey."

Without another word, Kagel left.

Jiang Hua couldn't believe that Pei Zhan would actually agree to sign the divorce agreement. She hurriedly opened the file folder, pulled out the document, and indeed saw Pei Zhan's signature at the bottom. However... this divorce agreement wasn't the one she had Song Qingran bring to Pei Zhan, but rather... a 'leave with nothing' agreement drafted by Pei Zhan himself...

He... really isn't going back to the capital!

That's true. Pei Zhan has no relatives or friends in the capital; he's an orphan. It's the same for him wherever he is...

The snow stopped in the afternoon.

When the bodyguard handed Jiang Hua her identification, she was somewhat surprised, "Why are my things in his hands?"

The bodyguard simply said, "I'm sorry, Miss Jiang, I'm just following orders, and I don't know much else."

A simple "I don't know" silenced all of Jiang Hua's doubts, including the fact that when she was about to leave, the bodyguards Huo Tingshan had arranged to watch over her didn't stop her and let her go...

Jiang Hua couldn't figure out the connections that couldn't be linked together.

She remained silent the whole way. Even though she had gotten a divorce as she had wished, why did she still feel an emptiness in her heart?

Jiang Hua's phone suddenly rang. Seeing that it was her father who answered, she put it to her ear and said, "Hello, Dad."

Jiang Weiguo: "Huahua, Pei Zhan has already told me that he won't be back for a long time. He needs to recuperate abroad, and there are still many things to take care of at the French branch. Pei Zhan and I share the same idea. We want you to come back first, and we can talk about it after the New Year."

“Pei Zhan can’t find you in France. Go back to the capital first. You still need to study. Don’t let yourself fall behind.”

"I understand, Dad. I will come back."

Jiang Weiguo: "It will be colder in France, so wear more clothes."

Jiang Hua: "Mm."

After the call ended, Jiang Hua gripped her phone tightly and remained silent the entire way home.

"...Miss Jiang, we've arrived at the airport."

...

In the hospital ward, Huo Ling stood by the bedside, hesitant to speak, "Big brother, are you really sure about this?"

"If we don't chase after them soon..."

"Then it really means... there won't be a chance."

Huo Ling had no idea what these two were doing. They clearly liked each other, and her sister-in-law felt the same way... She couldn't let go of her brother either. If they liked each other, why couldn't they be together?

"Brother, if Dad finds out you and sister-in-law are divorced, he'll make you marry another woman. You're still engaged..."

"You can still win your sister-in-law back."

"Brother!" Huo Ling's voice rose involuntarily as she called out anxiously.

Who knew it would end up like this?

When Jiang Hua returned to the capital, Wang Qi came to pick her up at the airport.

"Young Miss, you must be tired from your trip back."

"How has Dad been lately?"

Wang Qi: "Sir is doing well. Young Master Pei knows that Sir gets cold legs when the weather gets cold, so Sir has been recuperating at Qianqiu Villa recently. He is also handling company matters very well, and there haven't been any major problems recently."

"Is that so...that's good." Jiang Hua's emotions were clearly very calm.

When Jiang Hua returned to Yulong Bay, it was already 6 p.m.

Upon seeing Jiang Hua, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, Xu Qiulan quickly stepped forward and took Jiang Hua's bag, saying, "Miss, you're finally back."

"Is Young Master Pei alright now?"

Jiang Hua: "It's okay, he's fine."

"Now that you're back, let's eat. Your maternal grandfather knew you were back, so he brought back a lot of your favorite dishes from the Jiang family's old house... This chicken soup has been simmering for three hours, so have some to warm yourself up."

Jiang Weiguo ladled a bowl of chicken soup and placed it in front of her. She lowered her head, holding the spoon, unsure how to respond. "Dad... Pei Zhan and I..."