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

Having no other choice, Xu Xiangjun told Shen Yebai everything that had happened. She pleaded desperately, grabbing the man's suit trouser leg, "I admit, I had selfish motives, but I just wanted this child to be born. I know my status is not good enough for you, and I never thought about becoming Mrs. Shen. I just wanted to stay by your side. Back then, I just wanted to leave with this child after he was born, but when I was about to leave, I was stopped by the bodyguards sent by my great-grandfather."

"You'll know everything that happened after that."

"I know that the one you love is the eldest daughter of the Jiang family..."

In the operating room, the man appeared and made a deal with her. Xu Xiangjun was indeed shaken. No matter what, this was their first child to come into this world. Xu Xiangjun wanted to take a gamble. Would he accept this child? After nearly ten years of relationship, she didn't believe that he couldn't accept this child in his heart.

Now... Xu Xiangjun finally sees through everything; she overestimated her position in Shen Yebai's heart.

For the past ten years, I have been nothing more than a tool for him to satisfy his lust and to keep him company in bed.

She's no match for the one from the Jiang family. Shen Yebai kept her in the Shen family all this time, waiting for this day, wanting her to see the difference between herself and Jiang Hua.

If she hadn't had a heart condition that prevented her from conceiving, this child might never have come into the world, and perhaps... they would have been together long ago.

They really made a clever plan.

He... is much smarter than Ji Liangchuan.

This was the first time someone had plotted against him.

Shen Yebai looked down at the loving couple embracing each other, his cold gaze seemingly frozen into frost, and an aura of displeasure spreading from him.

Jiang Hua stayed for a short while, and left after the snow subsided.

Uncle Wang drove directly to the Jiang family's old residence, which wasn't too far from the Shen family's mansion. With the car's heater on, they arrived in about ten minutes.

When we entered the old house, my father arrived a step ahead of them. Looking through the French windows, I saw my father and grandfather sitting around a stove brewing tea, with steam rising from the purple clay teapot in the middle.

Jiang Hua took off her coat, which the maid took and hung on a hanger. "Miss, Young Master Pei..."

Upon hearing the sound, the two people talking by the bed stopped.

Jiang Huai immediately stood up. "Everyone's back, let's start eating."

Jiang Weiguo said, "Knowing you were coming back, your maternal grandfather personally cooked a big feast for you."

Jiang Hua hadn't experienced such a warm, homey atmosphere in a long time. Her grandfather and the Jiang family had reconciled and cleared up their misunderstandings, and now it was like a family sitting together, even eating at the same table.

For Jiang Hua in the past, these were all unattainable dreams.

"By the way, where's Xiaozhu? Isn't she here today?" Jiang Hua suddenly asked.

"Coming, coming!" Jiang Zhu ran in from outside, sweating profusely. She put down her schoolbag, patted the snow off her head, and sat down next to Jiang Hua. "The teacher assigned homework at the last minute today, which took up a little time."

"By the way, brother-in-law, how did you do it? How did you convince them to start a jewelry restoration interest class at our school?"

"Interest classes?" Jiang Hua looked at Pei Zhan in confusion.

Jiang Zhu excitedly told Jiang Hua, "Sister, you don't know, brother-in-law is really amazing! I also like jewelry restoration, right? Right after the New Year, on the first day of school, the teacher suddenly said that they were opening this interest class, and... they even donated a set of facilities to our school, and there are even professional teachers in this field. Later I asked, and they said it was a donation from the Jiang Group, and students who do well can even get scholarships."

"However... our teacher isn't very good; the content he taught wasn't as good as what you said."

"Besides these, there's a jewelry company called King Group. They even give free admission to jewelry exhibitions to students from our school. We won't need to buy tickets to see jewelry anymore."

“Every time I go to see it, it’s too expensive; the entrance ticket costs 100,000.”

“Even with money, you might not be able to get in. In addition to that, the King Group also sent me a catalog of their collection of jewelry exhibitions, which included detailed annotations and information.”

Jiang Hua looked at Pei Zhan with some surprise and said, "How did you persuade the King Group? Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Pei Zhan explained, "The two companies already have a collaboration, and they also want to train some jewelry restorers. In the future, there will be various competition organizations, offering prize money and guaranteed admission spots. It's not difficult to tell them."

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. As for New Year's red envelopes, my wallet isn't as full as Mrs. Pei's, so I'd rather give her something more practical."

"What do you think?" Pei Zhan ladled a bowl of soup for her and placed it in front of her.

Jiang Hua laughed: "But you really are stingy, only two hundred yuan."

"How could you have the nerve to send it out?"

Pei Zhan: "Funds are limited."

Jiang Weiguo glanced at Pei Zhan with an ambiguous look, then glanced at him indifferently without saying anything more.

All the doubts and questions in my heart seemed to fade away when I saw the smile on Jiang Hua's face.

Pei Zhan thought further ahead than she did. Jiang Zhu liked jewelry restoration because of her mother, and also because of her… Pei Zhan simply provided support in this area at her school, including real money from King Group, but the total value was indeed less than what Pei Zhan gave.

The family chatted happily at the dinner table, filled with laughter and joy…

Jiang Hua watched all this, feeling both afraid and lost. She feared that all this beauty would suddenly disappear one day…

If only things could stay like this forever.

After dinner, Jiang Hua was sent to Jinsha Shallow Bay by her father again. He said that a married woman should not always go back to her parents' home.

Ugh…

Nine p.m.

Back at Jinsha Shallow Bay, Jiang Hua came out of the bathroom and sat in front of the vanity wearing a spaghetti strap nightgown, applying skincare products. Her beautiful face was reflected in the mirror. Pei Zhan was in the middle of a video call with Zuo Xiangnan when he saw her melancholy face. He walked over, picked her up, and placed her on his lap. "What are you thinking about?"

"School is about to start, and I still have to write my graduation thesis. I'll probably be busy for another six months."

"Professor Guo gave me the spot for outstanding student this year, along with a scholarship. It's unbelievable."

Pei Zhan's nose was filled with the delicate fragrance of the bottles and jars in her hands, which mixed with her unique scent, instantly arousing a physiological reaction in some people. "Isn't this good?"

"The underachiever has suddenly become a role model."

"Good... Keep up the good work."

Jiang Hua chuckled, "It's really not easy to hear a compliment from you."

He used to be blinded by Song Qingran, but thankfully Pei Zhan knew when to turn back.

Speaking of which, the thought of running into Song Qingran and Xue Ruyao's group at school gave her a headache.

I don't know if their jewelry restoration studio has broken up with the association.

Having lived a stable life for too long, with those few clowns around, her life at the Imperial University of Beijing shouldn't be too boring.

An accidental discharge of the weapon would happen in no time...

It was midnight when Pei Zhan carried Jiang Hua, who had just taken another shower, out of the bathroom. His wet hair was swept back, the ends still damp. He placed the exhausted Jiang Hua on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and watched her fall asleep. Then, Pei Zhan leaned down and kissed Jiang Hua's lips again…

Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table vibrated. Seeing that it was Jiang Weiguo who answered the call, his eyes darkened. He picked up the phone, went to the study next door, and answered the call.

"Chairman Jiang."

The man's eyes held a deep, dark gaze, as black as the night.

Jiang Weiguo saw the photos again, which were handed to him. "...Is Huahua asleep?"

Pei Zhan: "Mm."

"What's the matter?" His tone was cold, but to Jiang Weiguo, Pei Zhan clearly distinguished between their relationships. No matter when or where, Pei Zhan only ever treated Jiang Weiguo, his father-in-law, as the chairman of the Jiang Group, with no other relationship between them. But it was different with Huahua. Jiang Weiguo could tell that Pei Zhan had indeed developed feelings for her recently.

Jiang Weiguo: "No matter what your purpose is in getting close to the Jiang family, I hope you will not hurt Huahua."

"Including your identity..."

"As long as you can make Huahua happy like you did today, I can... not investigate your identity."

"understand?"

Pei Zhan's eyes darkened. "Isn't the Jiang family the one Chairman Jiang cares about the most?"

Jiang Weiguo simply said, "The Jiang family was my wife's only life's work. It's important, but my daughter is even more important... Did Huahua ever tell you why she had heart disease?"

Hearing the silence on the other end of the phone, Jiang Weiguo knew that Huahua wouldn't tell him this. "Huahua's heart condition wasn't congenital; it was caused by the Wang family..."

The phone revealed a truth that had been hidden for many years. At the time, all that was known was that the Wang family had driven Jiang Qingcheng to her death, but no one knew that Jiang Qingcheng was nearing childbirth and had almost fallen to her death as an infant in the wilderness. Jiang Weiguo had given everything to save his only child.

The temperature in the study was as cold as an ice cellar, and this terrifying aura emanated from this man. For the first time... Pei Zhan felt murderous intent.

"The reason I value the Jiang family so much, and value you so much... is simply because of your ability to keep the Wang family in check back then. You should understand after all these years with the Jiang family that the Jiang family was already in a precarious situation and almost fell into the hands of the Wang family."

“If the Jiang family were gone, the Wang family would not let any member of the Jiang family go, let alone… that Huahua is still alive.”

"Before you took over the Huo family, you were living on the streets. I think you should understand that a bottle of this special medicine, which costs more than 800,000 yuan, is almost a lifetime's savings for an ordinary family nowadays."

Pei Zhan: "The Shen family isn't going to take care of this?"

Jiang Weiguo: "No matter how much the Shen family protects the Jiang family, they can't possibly offend the Wang family. Back then, the Wang family was just like your father. Huo Tingshan was all-powerful in the capital, able to do whatever he wanted. I don't think your father ever told you why he suddenly left the capital!"

"Besides the internal strife within your Huo family, the bigger reason is that the Huo family's high profile has attracted attention, and they have been caught red-handed and sanctioned. Most of their assets in the capital have been frozen, and in the end, your father chose to withdraw from the situation."

"Otherwise, the Huo family wouldn't have stayed abroad for so many years without ever returning. They had no choice but to let you take over the businesses they left behind in the capital."

"After I die, the Jiang family can belong to you, but you must protect Huahua. This is my only condition."

Whether Huahua ultimately accepts your identity is her business. Huahua's attitude is my attitude...

"Compared to... Ji Liangchuan! I would much rather you be by Huahua's side."

"Time heals all wounds. Give Huahua some more time, and she will forget Ji Liangchuan."

After hanging up, Pei Zhan dialed another number…

The night was quiet and long.

Jiang Hua slept soundly. When she opened her eyes, she found that the seat next to her was empty. She reached for her phone under her pillow and checked the time; it was only 9:30.

The room was empty. She threw back the covers and went to the study next to the bedroom. Seeing the person standing in front of the French windows, Jiang Hua walked over. Pei Zhan heard the footsteps, turned around, and reached out to hug the person walking towards him. "Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

"I'm awake." Jiang Hua leaned against the man's chest and closed her eyes. "When did you get up?"

"Is something wrong at the company again?"

Pei Zhan: "Yes, I might be quite busy during this period."

He's been busy for a long time.

Pei Zhan went to the company and dropped Jiang Hua off at school on the way.

Coincidentally, on their way to school, they encountered a familiar white sedan that drove past them when the car stopped at a traffic light.

Jiang Hua was holding a makeup mirror and applying lipstick, unaware that a casual gaze was falling on her.

Pei Zhan: "I'll come pick you up tonight."

Jiang Hua pursed her lips. "Whatever."

Pei Zhan: "When you arrive, send me a copy of your class schedule."

Jiang Hua: "Mm."

Jiang Hua always dresses up carefully whenever she goes out, spending more than an hour each day getting ready...

Each time, Pei Zhan felt a strong sense of crisis.

As Zuo Xiangnan drove, he glanced at Jiang Hua in the back seat through the rearview mirror. Since returning from Jinsha Shallow Bay, he had noticed that the relationship between the two had eased somewhat.

President Pei even gave him three times his year-end bonus, which made his surgery worthwhile. He was even able to go on a business trip abroad for a while. Seeing the money in his account made him feel that it was all worth it.

"Miss, here we are."

The car was parked brightly at the school gate. Pei Zhan's car wasn't new, and the license plate hadn't been changed. There were only a few luxury cars like this in the capital. Passing students all turned to look at it curiously, wanting to see who got out of the car.

When they saw that it was Jiang Hua, all the passersby were quite surprised. "Isn't this Jiang Hua? I heard she stole Song Qingran's boyfriend."

"At first I didn't believe it, but I never expected... it was actually true."

"No, isn't Song Qingran engaged?"

"I thought he was with the president of Jiang's Group, but I didn't expect it to be Lu Yuanzhou, who graduated from the law department of our school."

"Who knows! Maybe Song Qingran just couldn't beat Jiang Hua. The president of Jiang's Group has so much money, and Jiang Hua is way prettier than Song Qingran. Any man would choose Jiang Hua. Song Qingran didn't lose this round; she just has to accept it."

Jiang Hua crossed her arms, wearing high heels, and walked slowly, trying to hear what rumors had been circulating at school while she was away.

"Hey, look! Song Qingran is here. Wasn't it Lu Yuanzhou who drove her here?"

"That's amazing, all four of them are here. This is going to be a good show."