He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

"When did you get a girlfriend? How come I didn't know? Who is she? Which family does she belong to? Do I know her? What does she look like? How come I haven't heard a thing?"

You don't know him.

"I don't know her? There are socialites in City A that I don't know?" Si Yan'an was so anxious that he put his hands on the table, his face almost touching the documents.

Tell me whose daughter she is, and I'll help you vet her—

"unnecessary."

"As your best brother, I have the right to know!"

"You don't."

"Zhou Siyan!" Si Yan'an straightened up, hands on his hips, filled with righteous indignation.

"Do you even consider me a brother anymore? You've hidden your girlfriend away."

Am I the kind of person who talks big? You know how tight-lipped I am—”

Zhou Siyan raised his eyes, his gaze slowly sliding across his face.

Si Yan'an guiltily looked away and touched his nose:

"...Um, the reason I leaked your company's secrets last time was because I was drunk."

But this time I promise! I swear! I absolutely won't tell anyone!

Zhou Siyan ignored him, closed the file, stood up, picked up his suit jacket, and made as if to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey—" Si Yan'an quickly stopped him, putting on a fawning smile.

"Don't go! If you don't want to talk, then don't! What's the rush?"

Zhou Siyan frowned. "Are you going to do it or not?"

"Fine! I'll do it!"

Zhou Siyan leaned back in his chair. "Alright, you can go now."

Si Yan'an felt as if he had been granted a pardon, muttering to himself as he retreated towards the door:

"Making friends unwisely, meeting the wrong person—the biggest mistake I, Si Yan'an, have ever made in my life is knowing you—"

"If you keep nagging, I'll change it to 7:30."

Si Yan'an ran away in a flash, and the door slammed shut behind him.

The office fell silent. Zhou Siyan leaned back in his chair, looking at the door that was still trembling slightly, and shook his head helplessly.

He picked up his phone. "Baby, what do you want to eat tonight?"

-

Meanwhile, Xia Ruo and Lin Wanzhi went back to the Lin family home together after get off work.

As soon as she entered the door, Lin's mother had already called the family doctor, who examined Xia Ruoli inside and out, taking her temperature and listening to her heart and lungs. It took quite a while before she was allowed to leave.

The doctor ultimately concluded that the patient's physical condition was weak, she had been overworked recently, and was under a lot of psychological stress. She needed to eat a balanced diet, get more rest, and worry less.

"You scared me to death!" Lin's mother slapped her thigh and turned to glare at Lin Wanzhi.

"Wanwan called this morning to say you were hospitalized, and I almost had a heart attack."

She turned back and took Xia Ruo's hand, speaking earnestly:

"That's where I have to talk to you, Ruoruo."

Don't work too hard, we'll support you. Work is just to pass the time; your health is the most important thing.

Do you know what the most regrettable thing in life is?

Xia Ruo thought for a moment: "Is it that you can't get what you want? You can't have the love you desire?"

"What?!" Lin's mother waved her hand. "Someone died, and they didn't spend all the money they earned!"

"Hahahaha—" Lin Wanzhi laughed so hard she almost fell over.

"Stop laughing!!!" Lin's mother glared at her, then turned back to look at Xia Ruo.

"Ruo Ruo, starting tomorrow, I will have the driver deliver lunch to you both every day at noon."

You have to eat it all, or your godmother will come to your company!

Lin Wanzhi, suppressing a laugh, said, "Ruoruo, she really could do something like that, I can vouch for it."

"And you, Lin Wanzhi!" Lin's mother pointed at her daughter.

"You're in charge of watching Ruoruo eat! If she misses a single bite, I'll hold you responsible!"

Lin Wanzhi immediately stood at attention, raised her hand, and gave a crooked salute: "Understood! Mission accomplished!"

Lin's mother finally breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face, and patted Xia Ruo's hand:

"Alright, you guys go and rest for a bit. We'll have dinner when your godfather gets back."

"Isn't my brother coming back?" Lin Wanzhi asked.

"Him?" Lin's mother waved her hand, her tone tinged with helplessness and disdain.

"They said they had something important to investigate, and they haven't come back for the past few days."

Never mind him, a grown son is no longer under his mother's control. Let him do whatever he wants. As long as we eat well, that's all that matters.

Xia Ruo smiled, said nothing, and got up to walk into the courtyard.

The sun was shining brightly, its warmth bathing her. She leaned back in the recliner, closed her eyes, and slowly relaxed.

After an unknown amount of time, the sunlight was suddenly blocked out.

She slowly opened her eyes.

It took my eyes a while to adjust to the light before I could see the person clearly.

It's Zhang Meihua.

The original owner's mother.

Why did she come to see me?

Since Xia Ruo transmigrated into the book so many days ago, she has basically had no time alone with Zhang Meihua.

In the novel, when the two meet, they either exchange cold words or remain silent to each other.

"Is there something you need?" Xia Ruo asked, mimicking the original owner's tone from the novel.

Zhang Meihua did not answer immediately. Her gaze slowly moved down from Xia Ruo's face, stopping at the area below her collarbone, as if she had seen something dirty.

"Where did you go gallivanting around last night?"

Xia Ruo frowned. What does that mean?

"You think you can fool everyone?" Zhang Meihua's tone grew even colder.

Look down your neck.

What's wrong with my neck? Xia Ruo took out her phone, opened the front camera, and looked at her neck—

His pupils suddenly contracted.

Below her collarbone, on her fair skin, several pale red hickeys were clearly visible.

It was left by Zhou Siyan this morning.

When I was wearing clothes, they were just covered by the neckline, but they slipped open when I lay down and were then exposed.

Her fingers paused for a moment, and before she could say anything, Zhang Meihua's voice came crashing down on her.

"Can't you have any self-respect? Dressing all flashy every day, who are you trying to seduce?"

Xia Ruo's anger flared up instantly.

Is this what a mother would say to her daughter? Without asking why, without caring whether she was sick or uncomfortable last night, she immediately starts questioning, humiliating, and labeling her.

"What's it to you?" Xia Ruo sat up straight, her peach blossom eyes devoid of their usual gentleness, replaced only by coldness.

"Have you ever cared about me? What are you doing here now?"

"You think I want to control you?" Zhang Meihua's face darkened further, and her voice rose several decibels.

"But you are in the Lin family now! Your every word and action is related to my reputation."

I know what kind of person you are, do you even need to ask?

"Hurry up and go back to school after you finish eating. Don't embarrass me here."

Xia Ruo coldly stared at the woman in front of her.

Suddenly, I thought of my mother in real life.

That's right—I don't like her; I think she's superfluous.

If it weren't for her being recommended for university and her teachers repeatedly persuading her, saying that she could get scholarships in college and earn over 10,000 yuan a month after graduation, she probably would have been arranged to get married by her family long ago.

After I started working, I would send most of my salary back home every month to support my brother's family.

She eventually died suddenly at the rice company, partly due to exhaustion and partly due to malnutrition.

The fire in my chest finally couldn't be suppressed anymore.

"Would you embarrass me?"