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

The maids at Jinsha Shallow Bay prepared lunch. Pei Zhan sat at the table and saw Jiang Hua coming down from upstairs. He naturally reached out his hand to her, expecting her to sit on his lap as usual. However, this time Jiang Hua was holding a tablet, playing a game on it. She walked past him with her head down, not even glancing at him, and sat down next to him.

"You won't let me feed you anymore?" Pei Zhan slowly lowered his hand.

This time, Jiang Hua consciously put the tablet aside. "I weighed myself at the mall last time, and I've gained eight pounds. Why hasn't the number on the scale at home changed? Did you tamper with it?"

At this moment, Xu Qiulan walked over, put down a soup in her hand, and said with a smile, "Miss, you look just right now, not fat at all."

Ever since Xu Qiulan simply remarked that Jiang Hua had gained some weight, prompting her to want to lose weight, Pei Zhan immediately forbade everyone in the villa from mentioning any topics that were sensitive to Jiang Hua.

Pei Zhan put some food into her bowl, saying, "If the clothes in the closet are still wearable, it means they haven't changed."

"You're talking nonsense. Don't think I don't know. I change the clothes in the walk-in closet every three weeks. The clothes I left behind definitely won't fit anymore."

"No, even if Mrs. Pei gains weight, she will still be beautiful. Don't forget what the doctor said: deliberately dieting is bad for your health. You won't need to continue taking the medicine until you recover a bit."

After thinking it over, Jiang Hua realized that what he said wasn't without merit.

Kagel, who was standing behind Pei Zhan, spoke up, "Madam's weight was already below the standard weight before. For the sake of your health, Madam's current figure is still within the healthy standard range."

"Madam, there's no need to worry too much. The diet plan designed by the nutritionist is not high in calories. As long as your intake is normal, you will maintain your current ideal weight and will not gain weight."

Jiang Hua: "Is that so?"

"OK then."

As she spoke, Jiang Hua stood up, took the tablet, and sat on Pei Zhan's lap. The man smiled faintly and asked, "What would you like to eat?" He picked up his chopsticks.

"Please peel some shrimp for me, no dipping sauce needed."

After eating shrimp, beef, half a fish, and half a bowl of rice, Jiang Hua really couldn't eat anymore.

Every time she finishes eating, she gets sleepy and lies down on the sofa. Once she falls asleep, Pei Zhan will carry her to the bedroom for a nap.

Going upstairs, they carried the sleeping person back to the room, covered them with a blanket, and then Kagel followed Pei Zhan into the study.

"Since returning, Ms. Zhou Yan has rarely contacted Mrs. Zhou abroad about her situation. The hospital has called Ms. Zhou a few times to inquire about her condition, but most of the time they just hang up without asking any further questions."

"Madam Zhou's mental state has not changed much. When she has an attack, she calls for Miss Zhou Xu."

"But it was only once or twice that they called out Miss Zhou Yan's name."

"Chairman Jiang is being protected, so it won't be like last time, giving anyone an opportunity to take advantage."

Pei Zhan: "Find a time to have her go back."

Kagel: "Yes."

Pei Zhan: "The last document still hasn't been found?"

Kagel: "That document was obtained by Young Master Xu Zhoulan from your father. Miss Huo Ling also said that there are thirty copies in total, and now we're only missing the last one. Why don't we ask Miss Zhou Yan? Perhaps she knows!"

Xu Zhoulan!

The dark basement had a perpetually foul, rotten smell. The heavy iron chain lock opened, and the person inside was jolted awake by the light.

The movement of raising his hand caused the chains to rattle crisply. He shielded his forehead from the light with the back of his hand and saw the figure approaching. The disheveled man curled his lips into a wicked smile. "I thought that after so long, Big Brother had forgotten about me."

Xu Zhoulan was locked in a dark and gloomy room for a long time, but he didn't care. He was unshaven and looked haggard, but he still had that carefree air about him.

Pei Zhan reached out, and the bodyguard beside him handed him the stick. However, he did not rush to make a move, but simply stood in front of him.

Seeing this, Xu Zhoulan laughed, "It seems I really did something to make Big Brother so angry. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to find me."

Xu Zhoulan was kneeling, bound, with both hands locked by iron chains at the ends, the other end of which was made of heavy meteorite iron, so strong and invincible that no matter how hard his bones were, I could not break free.

Pei Zhan: "Being by Huo Tingshan's side, it seems he has taught you a lot and left you so many options for the future."

Xu Zhoulan chuckled softly, "Brother, you jest. I did this simply because I didn't want you to have it too easy. But one thing is true: Huo Tingshan's guilt towards my mother, aside from the position of family head, can't be made up for..."

"Why don't you guess how many more tricks I have up my sleeve, brother?"

Seeing the intense aura of hostility emanating from him, Xu Zhoulan felt an indescribable pleasure, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I want you to experience what it feels like to have everything you desperately tried to hold onto torn to shreds in the end."

“Ah, I almost forgot. She has a heart condition. Brother, guess again, back then, the Jiang family set up a scheme to kill a little girl for her heart condition, and you got close to her just for revenge.”

"If only she knew that everything she has now is just a facade with a purpose."

"The person you love has actually been betraying you all these years! All you wanted when you got close to her was her father's life."

Do you think she can handle it?

"Perhaps, just as your father hoped, her death will turn you into someone who is heartless and devoid of any weaknesses."

"After all, only those without weaknesses can become the true head of the family! In the end, no one will pose a threat to you."

"This is exactly what Father wants. Otherwise, Father wouldn't have forced you to try to turn them against you."

Pei Zhan approached step by step, standing tall before him, his shadow looming over him, accompanied by the rising frost. "Have you said enough?"

The stick in her hand lifted his face, forcing him to look her in the eye. "I promised Xiaoling I wouldn't let you die?"

"The only value I give to your life is this."

"If you want to exchange your life for the grudges of the previous generation, come at me. I have nothing to say. But if your goal is to hurt her, I will make you suffer a hundred times more than I have."

Huo Qianxue's death has implicated too many people.

It's like an unsolvable knot; no one is worthy of making him let go.

Xu Zhoulan has been meticulously planning for so many years; he has more cards in his hand than Pei Zhan imagined.

"Think carefully about why I've kept you here until now!"

The sneer on his naturally red lips froze for a moment. "She's nothing more than a plaything I can summon and dismiss at will."

"It's just because she was adopted by Xia He that I deliberately lured her in, a fish I could just play with."

"I've slept with you so much, how come... you still can't forget me?"

"She really is a slut!"

"In my eyes, she is no different from your despicable mother. Her humble and lowly birth is disgusting."

A deafening bolt of lightning flashed through the skylight overhead, its light illuminating that gloomy, devilish face. The provocation in his eyes seemed to have driven him mad, like a venomous snake, waiting for its chance to strike.

Facing that cold and gloomy face, Xu Zhoulan laughed, "Even if I die, someone will continue this game. Guess... who will it be?"

“Zhou Yan, Song Qingran? Or…the rest of the Shen family? Even if I am the one who started this game, as long as Jiang Hua lives, this game will never end.”

"Even my father is helping me; everything was already destined."

"You are destined to lose her..."

"Brother! You should prepare for the loss of her in advance. Your child will never be born."

"Why not cherish the last bit of time we have left?"

Xu Zhoulan was able to see the anger on his face as he wished. "Now that things have come to this, brother, you don't need to hold back anymore. If you want to kill me, you can do it anytime!"

Pei Zhan put down the stick in his hand, and then uttered a single sentence...

Even after his figure disappeared, Xu Zhoulan was still in a daze. The last ray of light vanished, and the empty cell was plunged back into endless darkness.

...

Jiang Hua was awakened by a blast of cold air. The blankets were icy cold. Hearing the noise, she opened her eyes wide. In the dimly lit room, she couldn't make out his figure clearly, but she could feel the coldness emanating from him. "You've been out?"

"Some company matters." Pei Zhan took the opportunity to pull the half-asleep woman into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep."

When she woke up, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Pei Zhan, who had somehow regained consciousness and was staring at her with a deep gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Pei Zhan brushed away the long hair that had fallen onto her face. "It's nothing, I just wanted to remind Mrs. Pei that it's time to get up."

A few days later.

According to the custom mentioned by her grandfather, she had to be separated from Pei Zhan for a period of time before the wedding on the winter solstice, and they could only meet again when the wedding began.

Pei Zhan took her to Yulong Bay. Jiang Hua, with her scarf wrapped around her neck and her neck hunched, ran into the villa without looking back.

Upon entering the foyer, Xu Qiulan helped Jiang Hua remove her scarf. Noticing her gaze, she smiled and said, "Miss, there's no need to be reluctant to part with Young Master Pei."

"There are still seven days left, it will pass quickly."

"Once the wedding is over, Miss and Mr. Pei will soon be able to go back to how things were before."

Jiang Hua turned back for a glance, met his eyes, and walked into the living room without any emotional fluctuation.

"Who wouldn't want to part with him?"

The villa was warm. Jiang Hua was sitting on the sofa wearing a thin, light-colored sweater and a black knitted skirt with a slit.

Just then, Jiang Hua's phone, which was on the tea table, vibrated. She picked it up and saw a message from Pei Zhan: Eat well, I'll have Aunt Xu supervise you.

The winter solstice wasn't actually a very good time for Jiang Hua, because it was the day she died in her previous life, which was also the coldest time of the year. To calculate this auspicious day, her grandfather even used her and Pei Zhan's birth dates and times and confirmed it with the Huo family members.

The best time is during the morning or daytime; going after night is considered unlucky.

The wedding was indeed grand, but the guests were all from close-knit families, and not many invitations were sent out. The entire process could be completed in one morning.

Pei Zhan drove away from Yulong Bay, not going very far.

Suddenly a figure rushed in front of him, and upon seeing the person in front of him, he almost slammed on the brakes.

Song Qingran was wearing a white cotton coat with a fluffy trim that covered her face, so it was unclear how long she had been there.

"Mr. Pei..."

Pei Zhan: "Get in the car."

Song Qingran pursed her lips and nodded vigorously. There was no trace of the nervousness and panic she was about to be hit in her eyes. She quickly got into the passenger seat. The car was still warm with the heater on.

Perhaps fearing he might misunderstand, Song Qingran quickly explained, "Mr. Pei, I know I shouldn't have come to see you. But I really have something very important to tell you."

“Jinsha Shallow Bay is too big, they wouldn’t let me in, so I can only wait for you here every day.”

"I've finally waited for you."

As she spoke, Song Qingran took off her hat, revealing her small face, which was red from the cold. Clutching her schoolbag, she took out a document from it. "Mr. Pei... I... I found this!"

Upon seeing the familiar documents, Pei Zhan frowned deeply. He didn't stop, but instead stepped on the gas, accelerating away from the area, which was close to Bai Ze.

"Where did you come from?!"

Hearing the man's cold tone, Song Qingran stammered, "It's in Zhou Yan's room. Ever since Zhou Yan came back, she's been getting drunk every day. I saw these documents in her room once."

Pei Zhan's tone was icy, "How much have you seen?"

Song Qingran: "I only saw the photo of Sister Axu when she was in the car accident. I don't dare to look at the rest."

"Sister Zhou Yan said that these are all waste papers and have no use, and asked me to dispose of them."

“I think these things might be related to Sister A-Xu. Sister Zhou Yan doesn’t want them, but I think Mr. Pei might find them useful.”

"Mr. Pei, what exactly is inside?"

Pei Zhan didn't answer. The journey was quiet. When the car entered the city and drove across the street from Lu Yuanzhou's office, Song Qingran was nervous and kept sneaking peeks at him.

"Who else did you pass this document on to?"

Song Qingran shook her head, "No, I came to find you after I took it from Sister Zhou Yan."

Pei Zhan: "What do you want?"

He suddenly uttered a sentence.

A glint of light flashed in Song Qingran's eyes, tinged with suppressed greed, but she quickly suppressed it, a harmless smile playing on her lips, her dimples appearing and disappearing. "I don't want anything. I'm already very satisfied with everything I have now."

"If it weren't for you, Mom and I might have already..."

"Saying all this is useless. I'm already happy as long as it can help you."

“Mr. Pei, I know you’re only being so nice to me because of Sister A-Xu. I just want to know that I’m just an ordinary person, and if I want to see you again in the future, it might not be as easy as it used to be.”

With just one phone call, I can see you anytime.

But now...

I no longer have the right to even see you.

"Mr. Pei, if it's alright, may I give you a hug?"

"Just a moment!"