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

"Ah Xu, drink some hot water before you go out."

"It's cold outside, let's warm ourselves up first."

The girl innocently drank the glass of water handed to her by the person she trusted most, saying, "Thank you, sister."

"Sister, I'm going out."

A few minutes after Ah Xu left, Zhou Yan regretted it.

She chased after him.

But it was too late, it was all too late.

...

The truth revealed at this moment completely shattered her heart. This was a secret she had kept hidden for many years, a secret she thought was flawless, a secret that no one would ever know.

Zhou Yan slumped in her seat, in Pei Zhan's shadow, her eyes revealing the pity of someone in a superior position.

“You can hate me, but stop blaming her for everything. My wife has done nothing wrong to anyone.”

"I have already paid back what I owed the Zhou family. What happens to the Zhou family in the future is none of my business."

Kagel: "Miss Zhou Yan, the master just wants you to stop being so stubborn. Now, only you and Madam Zhou are left in the Zhou family. Madam Zhou was in a car accident and is in the hospital. You should be by her side to take care of her, the last family member you thought you had."

"Consider it atonement."

“I think Miss Zhou Xu will forgive you for what you did back then.”

"You... still have a chance to start over."

"Cherish this last chance and don't do anything you'll regret."

Pei Zhan's decision not to expose her was simply to give her a final moment of dignity.

He knew in his heart that Zhou Yan had come to this point simply because she was unwilling to accept it.

Despite Zhou Yan's unforgivable mistake, Pei Zhan still felt a lingering sense of pity deep down.

He was simply waiting for the right opportunity to make Zhou Yan pay the price for her actions while minimizing the harm to those around her.

Everything concerning the Zhou family should have ended long ago.

...

I got home at 1 a.m.

Soft moonlight streamed through the window, casting a silvery glow on the floor. Jiang Hua lay peacefully and soundly beside Pei Xun's bed, covered with a thin blanket. Pei Zhan bent down slightly, gently extending his arms to carefully lift Jiang Hua and carry her back to the bedroom.

He came out of the bathroom, lifted the covers, got into bed with his clothes damp and misty, and pulled her into his arms.

I didn't expect that I would still wake her up.

"Where have you been?"

The man reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Jiang Hua's face: "I went to see Zhou Yan."

Upon hearing this name, Jiang Hua instantly became more alert. She frowned slightly, "What do you want to see her for?"

Pei Zhan: I know everything you've been hiding from Zhou Yan.

"Stop blaming yourself, okay?"

"it's all over."

He kissed her forehead.

What she ever wanted was not calmness, but companionship.

He shouldn't have left her alone to overthink and imagine bad things.

"Is it because I told you to go back to the Zhou family and return you to them that you went to find Zhou Yan?"

Jiang Hua leaned forward, hugged his waist, and felt his breath. "I was just saying that out of anger. I was just scared."

Pei Zhan: "I know."

She's just soft-hearted and can't bring herself to be cruel to anyone.

The moment Zhou's mother appeared before Jiang Hua, it was the first time she had ever seen a woman who had gone mad for fifteen years because of losing her daughter.

Whenever such images flashed through her mind, her heart remained restless and uneasy.

The Zhou family's revenge was precisely because the Jiang family was in the wrong first.

On a foggy day, the hospital corridor was lit by dim green lights, indicating the safety passageway, with motion-sensor lights turning on one by one along the corridor.

After Zhou's mother finished her surgery, she woke up.

Seeing the person standing by the bed, she seemed to regain some consciousness, and in a weak voice, she slowly spoke: "Ah Xu..."

"My Ah-Xu is back."

“Ah Xu, Mom knew you would come back.”

Zhou Yan slowly squatted down in front of her, took her hand, pressed it against her cold face, and tears fell like rain. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"Sorry, I was wrong."

...

In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains and fell onto the bedroom floor.

The maid dressed Pei Xun, put on his schoolbag, and led him downstairs by the hand.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he immediately saw the man sitting at the table.

Pei Xun paused slightly, but quickly resumed his normal pace. He didn't exchange any glances with Pei Zhan and went straight to his seat.

A sumptuous breakfast was laid out on the table, and the maid brought him sterilized tableware and a glass of hot milk.

Pei Xun ate quietly. He took a sip of milk, then, as if suddenly remembering something, looked up at Pei Zhan and asked, "Where's Mom?"

Pei Zhan was looking down at the newspaper in his hand. Hearing Pei Xun's voice, he put down the newspaper and looked at him. "Mom is still sleeping. I'll take you to school in a little while."

Pei Xun simply gave a soft "oh," clearly somewhat resistant, but said nothing more, and then continued eating his breakfast.

After breakfast, the driver brought the car and parked it in the courtyard.

Inside the car, the father and son sat facing each other in silence.

Pei Zhan focused on driving, while Pei Xun glanced out the window. Perhaps feeling bored, he took out a Rubik's Cube from his bag and started playing with it.

The Rubik's Cube, which had been scrambled for over ten minutes, was pieced back together with its colors.

Then he rearranged the order and started over again.

Finally, the car slowly came to a stop at the school gate.

As soon as the car stopped, Pei Xun eagerly opened the door, got out, and walked towards the school without looking back.

Just then, a familiar little boy ran over, looking curiously at the car parked by the roadside, then at Pei Xun, and asked, "Pei Xun, is the person in the car your father?"

Pei Xun: "None of your business."

"He's not."

After saying that, Pei Xun slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and ran into the school.

Kagel spoke up from inside the car, "Master should take this opportunity to find a topic to chat with the young master. Appropriate verbal communication can enhance the relationship between Master and the young master, so that Madam will feel more at ease."

Pei Zhan: "From now on, picking up the young master from school will be on my daily schedule."

Kagel: "Yes, Master."

Shengshi Group

In the spacious and bright conference room, various data charts flashed on the projector, and the executives around them were taking notes attentively.

However, at that moment, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open with a bang, breaking the tranquility.

All eyes turned to the entrance, where Xu Zhoulan, dressed in an exquisitely tailored high-end suit, strode in with an air of arrogance.

His lips curled slightly upward, a faint smile playing on his lips, with Kridan following closely behind.

Their appearance seemed particularly abrupt.

Huo Ling frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, and asked coldly, "Xu Zhoulan, what do you mean by this?"

She put down the documents in her hand and looked at them warily.

Xu Zhoulan, however, paid no attention to the gazes of the crowd. He calmly walked to the center of the conference room, his slightly provocative gaze landing on Pei Zhan, who was sitting in the main seat. Their eyes met, and a faint tension was palpable between them.

Immediately, Kridan, standing behind Xu Zhoulan, explained to the board members, "Chairman Huo has transferred 10% of the shares he holds in Shengshi Group to Mr. Huo Zhoulan and restored Mr. Huo Zhoulan's status as Young Master Huo. From now on, Young Master Zhoulan will also have a share in Shengshi Group and will serve as Vice President of Shengshi Group." As he spoke, he gestured to Kridan's assistant to hand over the relevant documents to everyone present.

Xu Zhoulan smiled, a wicked smile playing on his lips, and said to Pei Zhan, "Big brother, we... can work together again."

Pei Zhan was not surprised at all; on the contrary, it was as if he had already guessed that this would be the outcome.

The people passed the document around, their faces showing surprise.

Xu Zhoulan continued, "Therefore, from now on, it is only natural for me to join the company, and I hope to work with everyone to create greater benefits for the company."

Huo Ling looked at the documents in her hand, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

She never expected her father to do such a thing, transferring the shares to Xu Zhoulan.

I also blame myself for not keeping a close eye on him.

Pei Zhan gave him a look as if it were a favor, then looked up at Xu Zhoulan and slowly said, "I hope you joined the company out of genuine concern for it, and not for ulterior motives."

Xu Zhoulan smiled and said dismissively, "Don't worry, brother! Now that I've taken over these shares, I'll naturally do my best. However, we'll probably have to communicate more in our work from now on." After saying that, he found an empty seat and sat down, looking like he was preparing to participate in the meeting.

After sitting down, Xu Zhoulan took Huo Ling's hand in front of all the directors and pulled her to his side, saying, "Big brother, you shouldn't mind giving such a good assistant back to me, right?"

"I prefer working with my wife to other assistants."

"Brother, what do you think?"

Before Pei Zhan could speak, Huo Ling flung away his frivolous and restless hand, saying, "This is the company, not a place for you to act recklessly."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pei. Please give me a little time, I will handle it quickly."

After saying that, Huo Ling pulled Xu Zhoulan away from the conference room.

"what on earth do you want!"

Xu Zhoulan remained nonchalant. With his hands in his pockets, he leaned down and spoke, his gaze level with hers: "Of course, I came for Xiao Ling'er. Xiao Ling'er has done so much for her brother and given him such a big surprise by having a child."

"To make up for the losses of the past five years, wouldn't it be better for brother to stay by Xiao Ling'er's side?"

Huo Ling was captivated by his deep, slender, and beautiful peach blossom eyes. She paused for a second, then quickly regained her senses. "If you really want to do something, go back and be with the child."

"I have to go to work, don't bother me."

Every minute of her life was incredibly precious. After saying this, she turned to leave, but suddenly the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. Xu Zhoulan hugged her slender waist from behind with one hand, feeling the changes in her body over the years. Her figure seemed to have improved, and she had shed the immaturity of her youth.

Now she has a curvy figure, with curves in all the right places and a slim figure in the right places. The woman in my arms is soft and charming.

"Little Ling'er, are you trying to neglect your brother?"

Feeling the warm breath on her ear, he gently bit her sensitive earlobe.

"If you keep acting like this, I won't mind locking you up again."

Only in this way will he know to behave himself.

"Brother's injuries haven't healed yet, can Little Ling'er bear to leave him?"

Huo Ling hesitated and softened in the end. Her older brother was seriously injured back then, but Xu Zhoulan was not much better off.

"My brother is still in a meeting, so don't bother me. I'll come find you after I finish my meeting."

"Go to my office first."

Xu Zhoulan raised an eyebrow, her voice softened, and as she looked at her face, a hint of desire appeared in her eyes, accompanied by her unique voice.

"If you want your brother to listen to you, shouldn't there be some kind of benefit?"

He spoke slowly, as if bewitching someone.

Huo Ling wore high heels today. She hooked her arm around his neck with one hand, tilted her head, and without having to stand on tiptoe, easily placed a kiss on his thin, cold red lips. "Learn from Xiao Qian. He's very obedient."

“From childhood to adulthood, he has never caused me any worry.”

"I'm going to a meeting."

Xu Zhoulan's gaze was fixed on Huo Ling's departing figure, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions.

With an upright posture and firm steps, every step she took carried the competence and elegance unique to working women. The crisp sound of her high heels hitting the ground seemed to resonate with men's hearts.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. The girl who was once deep in his memory gradually overlapped with and then diverged from the woman in front of him who exuded an aura of estrangement.

A moment later, Xu Zhoulan withdrew his gaze, turned around, and left the company.

"It seems that Miss Holling still can't let you go after all these years," Kridan said.

"Just a little brat, forget it." Xu Zhoulan dropped his nonchalant demeanor, suppressed all his emotions, and his eyes revealed a cold and aloof air.

Feeling frustrated and needing an outlet, he drove to that secluded manor villa.

In that secluded manor villa, hidden from the hustle and bustle, the afternoon sunlight, like silk threads, gently filtered through the dappled leaves and fell softly on the balcony.

Song Qingran wore a sexy and cool nightgown, her slender waist faintly visible under the gossamer-thin fabric, and her fair skin seemed to be coated with a faint halo.

She was intently arranging the flowers in front of her when a maid handed her one. Song Qingran glanced at the delicate rose.

Her gentle gaze instantly turned cold and ruthless. She gripped the rose in her palm and crushed it forcefully. "I remember saying that I hate red roses the most."

"I'm so sorry, Madam." The maid noticed her coldness and knelt down trembling with fear. "The flower delivery person said that they were out of white roses and only had red roses left. They also said that these were specially selected red roses for Madam, and I thought Madam would like them."

"Special training? That shows some dedication. This is a one-time exception; don't let it happen again. Get up."

"Thank you... thank you, Madam."

The maid hurriedly took the remaining roses and destroyed them one by one.

Then, with slender fingers, she gently picked up a white lily and placed it in an exquisite vase. The simple white color complemented her snow-white skin, adding to her enchanting charm. The flower shears, ribbons, and other tools were neatly arranged nearby.

Just then, a maid rushed upstairs and said, "Madam, the gentleman has returned."

Song Qingran's eyes flickered slightly, and she stopped what she was doing.