Reborn with the ability to read minds, I became a heartthrob.

Zhou Jianguo felt a lump in his throat, and his face was extremely unpleasant.

However, unable to vent his anger, he could only force a dry laugh and reply, "Fine, then I won't bother you anymore."

Looking at the man who had always been a towering figure in her heart in her previous life, Zhou Liwan casually tossed her clothes, which she hadn't yet put away, onto the bed and lay down.

Zhou Jianguo is a typical male chauvinist. He grew up in an environment where men were the boss, and their word was law. No one was allowed to contradict him.

Even though I attended university in a big city, this kind of thinking is already deeply ingrained.

However, after marrying his mother, a daughter from a wealthy family, he had to obey her every word and be a good husband who followed the "three obediences and four virtues" in order to get financial support from his father-in-law.

After years of being suppressed by his social status, he finally achieved some success in his career, but his wife also died. Unexpectedly, her daughter began to hinder him in every way.

He felt the humiliation he had suffered before once again, so he vented all the pent-up frustration he had accumulated over the years on himself.

This is why Zhou Liwan never understood why her father didn't like her.

Only today did she finally see the light.

Zhou Liwan's dark, clear eyes stared straight at the ceiling, and large tears slid down her cheeks.

The next second, she sat up straight and wiped away the tears from her temples.

She took out her phone and texted Shen Nanzhou. After learning that Shen Nanzhou was on a business trip yesterday, she asked her grandfather for his number.

Her slender fingers danced rapidly across the keyboard.

"Dear Uncle, the weather in Guangzhou is hot and humid. Please remember to have your assistant put a dehumidifier in the room!"

After sending the text message, Zhou Liwan continued to pack her scattered suitcase.

In Guangzhou, Shen Nanzhou, who had just finished a surprise inspection of the factories below overnight, impatiently loosened his tie and threw it on the ground when he arrived at the hotel that morning.

Before entering the bathroom, he saw the text message, and the mockery in his eyes flowed unrestrainedly in the room where he was all alone.

She was just like everyone else, desperately trying to be good to herself when she didn't know the truth.

But once I learned about that, I avoided myself as if I were the most disgusting thing in the world, and even breathing the air in the same space made me feel nauseous.

If that's the case, why bother being nice to yourself in the first place?

The refreshing water flowed down over every inch of Shen Nanzhou's skin, tiny water droplets constantly moving along the undulating muscle lines before finally hitting the ground.

No matter how long he showered, the gloomy aura emanating from him remained unusually strong.

Zhou Liwan checked her phone, which was lying quietly beside her, for the thirty-second time, but two hours had passed and there was still no movement.

The same thing happened with the breakfast I delivered last time; there was no feedback whatsoever, and the person just went on a business trip.

Could it be that he's avoiding me?

A sudden thought flashed through Zhou Liwan's mind, and her face instantly turned bitter.

I know my uncle is aloof and hard to get close to, but this is just too difficult.

Zhou Liwan felt a little dejected, so she got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

The housekeeper suddenly came over, saying that the Xu family father and son had come to apologize, and Zhou Jianguo told him to go downstairs immediately.

The Xu family father and son?

Could it be Xu Zimu and Uncle Xu?

Zhou Liwan went downstairs out of curiosity and saw two men sitting upright in the reception room. Who else could they be but the two of them?

Seeing Zhou Liwan come down, Xu's father immediately put on a smile: "Wanwan's down! I only found out you had returned to the Zhou family when I went to the old house this morning."

Zhou Liwan gracefully arrived, holding onto the stair railing, her voice poised and confident: "Uncle Xu."

After Zhou Liwan finished, Xu's father said guiltily, "I really feel sorry for what happened at the last banquet. I brought this scoundrel here to apologize to you and hope you can forgive me."

Zhou Liwan slowly looked at Xu Zimu, whose face was covered in bruises, and her pink lips slowly curled up under the other's hostile gaze.

He laughed exceptionally—unrestrainedly.

Xu Zimu gritted his teeth in anger, stood up abruptly, and turned to leave.

"Sit down!" Mr. Xu shouted. "Apologize to Wanwan right now!"

Seeing the impulsive young man clenching his fists, Zhou Liwan comforted him without a care, "Uncle Xu, it's okay, I'm not angry, it's just a small matter."

Xu's father was once again impressed by Zhou Liwan's magnanimity. He nodded appreciatively at Zhou Liwan and reached out to pull his unruly son back to his chair.

"Look at Wanwan, she's only a few years older than you, and she's so mature and composed. You're an adult now, can't you learn from her and do something productive? Stop causing trouble all the time and making me clean up her messes!"

Xu Zimu was in the prime of his life, and now that his father had belittled him in front of a girl, he was even more ashamed and indignant and wanted to rebel against him.

"That's because you want to wipe it, I didn't ask you to!" Xu Zimu shouted, sticking out his neck.

Enraged, Xu's father felt dizzy and, without caring whether it was in front of outsiders, slapped Xu Zimu.

"Shut up! I think it's because I've spoiled you too much since you were little that you've developed such a mischievous personality. When are you going to grow up and do something productive so I can look at you differently?"

Xu Zimu's head was knocked to one side, and he kept his head down, letting out a disdainful laugh.

I want to join the army, but every time I try to talk to you, you just brush me off and keep working, completely disregarding my feelings. If I don't do something outrageous, will you even remember you have a son?

The scene became somewhat awkward for a moment. Zhou Liwan spoke up gently and advised, "Why is Mr. Xu so angry? I think if you want your son to have a transformative growth, you should send him to the army to train."

Xu Zimu turned around incredulously and stared intently at Zhou Liwan, his eyes filled with questions.

Was I just too lucky? This woman casually mentioned something that perfectly captured the dream I'd kept hidden for so many years.

Xu Zimu, unsure of what his father would think, looked at his father with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

But the other person's words chilled him to the bone: "Someone like him, how could the army possibly accept him? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

Xu's father retorted without hesitation, causing Xu Zimu's eyes to darken instantly.

He seemed to have lost his soul, completely different from his fearless demeanor just moments before.

Zhou Liwan felt a pang of pity and was about to help him again when Xu Zimu suddenly spoke up, "I'm sorry."

Zhou Liwan froze, staring in astonishment at the boy who had laughed slyly and unrestrainedly in the tree that night.

Suddenly, it was as if she saw herself. At first, she had also had expectations for this family and her so-called relatives.

But reality always leaves me disappointed by my self-deception.