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

Xia Ruo turned her head, met his eyes, and asked earnestly:

"Zhou Siyan, do you really like me?"

"Can't you tell, baby?" His voice carried a hint of helpless laughter.

"I thought I had made it very obvious."

"Why...why do you like me?" Her voice trailed off, as if she dared not ask, yet had no choice but to.

Zhou Siyan looked at her and said, "Liking someone is a feeling; it's being uncontrollably attracted to you, both psychologically and physiologically."

Xia Ruo lowered her eyes.

What a perfunctory statement!

If you truly like yourself, how could you not be able to explain why?

How could Xia Ruo have been thrown into the river in her previous life?

"There are plenty of girls like me around you." Her voice was muffled.

Zhou Siyan gently pinched her chin with his fingers, making her look up at him.

"But you are the only one who can enter my heart."

His voice deepened, carrying an unprecedented seriousness:

"I've told my baby about my life before. Actually, there's not much fun in it. Every day is just meetings, socializing, numbers, and reports."

But then the baby came into my life, like a lighthouse, suddenly bringing color to those dark and gray days.

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Sometimes I feel scared – if I hadn't accepted your friend request back then, would I have missed you forever?"

Xia Ruo's eyelashes trembled.

So... did you start liking me because I started chatting with you online?

It's not because of me as a person, but because of "Wanwan" on the screen who can act cute, call me "brother," and send cat emojis?

She opened her mouth, but before she could ask a question, her phone rang.

The screen displayed "Wanwan".

"Ruo Ruo! Where are you? Why did you leave so suddenly? I'm coming to find you!" Lin Wanzhi's voice was urgent, trembling with tears.

"I'm fine, Wanwan... I'm with President Huo."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Lin Wanzhi's voice changed tone, carrying a hint of ambiguity and a winking tone:

"Oh, Mr. Huo... where did I take you?"

Zhou Siyan reached for the phone: "Secretary Lin, I'm taking Xia Ruo for a drive. Don't worry, it's very safe."

Lin Wanzhi paused for a moment, then chuckled dryly twice: "Okay...okay, Mr. Huo."

After hanging up the phone, she leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh.

He even knew to take Ruoruo out for some fresh air and to help her relax...that's good. Not bad. His unreliable image in my mind has lessened a bit.

On the riverbank, Zhou Siyan returned the phone to Xia Ruo, his tone suddenly tinged with grievance:

"Baby, I'm jealous. Lin Wanzhi is keeping a close eye on you."

Xia Ruo lowered her head, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly spoke: "If one day you find out that I..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence.

"...Never mind, it's nothing. Let's go back."

She turned to leave.

Zhou Siyan grabbed her wrist. "You can't leave yet."

His voice suddenly turned somber, a turbulent undercurrent lurking in his eyes, "You don't believe I love you at all, do you?"

"Zhou Siyan, have you ever thought that the person you like is just Xia Ruo, who is obedient, well-behaved, and good at coaxing people online?"

This is not the person standing in front of you right now.

The night breeze blew across the river, blowing her hair onto her face.

Zhou Siyan raised her hand and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingertips lingering on her earlobe for a moment.

He looked at her, his unfathomable eyes reflecting the last rays of the fireworks in the sky.

You're wrong.

"What I like is that fool who took my money but dared not spend a single penny."

That little lion who dared to argue with a stranger for Lin Wanzhi,

That little crybaby who was clearly terrified of me, yet would still cry in my arms and wipe her snot on my clothes.

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were suppressing something about to spill out.

"You used to always talk about being a brother and being broke. I didn't really have any special feelings for you back then."

"But later, you changed."

You started by telling your brother not to spin the coin anymore, saying that you only need enough money, and that you don't want your brother to work too hard.

You started asking me what time I went to bed, whether I had eaten, and reminding me not to overwork myself. I could feel the sincerity in your words.

His voice lowered, as if he were telling a long-hidden secret.

"You know what? The more you act like this, the more I want to give it to you. The more you refuse, the more I can't resist."

I want to see you. I miss you terribly.

"I want to hold you in my arms and never let go. That's why I secretly returned to China to slowly get closer to you."

He tightened his grip on Xia Ruo's fingers a little more:

"So baby, you're not allowed to ask why anymore. You're not allowed to doubt anymore. I like you, that's all."

No matter what you become, I'll love you. You're mine, understand?

Xia Ruo's eyelashes trembled, and before she could speak, he moved an inch closer.

"I've said it before, what I have is what you have."

Similarly, everything about you belongs to me. Your tears, your laughter, all your messy worries—they're all mine.

"Don't say 'never mind' again, don't say 'it's okay' again." His voice was even lower.

"If something's wrong, you have to tell me. Only I can comfort you when you're upset."

Xia Ruo was already in tears, burying her face in his chest:

"Zhou Siyan, don't lie to me."

Zhou Siyan rested his chin on the top of her head and gently patted her back. "Silly girl, how could I bear to lie to you?"

-

In the end, Xia Ruo was carried back to the Yujing Mansion by Zhou Siyan.

He carefully placed her on the bed, lowered his head to kiss her forehead, then tiptoed out of the bedroom and into the living room to call Assistant Zhang.

"Investigate Xia Ruo and her mother's affairs, and their relationship."

The person on the other end of the phone responded.

"Sir, I've heated up a glass of milk for Madam." Aunt Liu came out of the kitchen, carrying a white porcelain cup.

Zhou Siyan turned around, his brows twitching slightly. "Madam?"

"Assistant Zhang explained it to us yesterday." Aunt Liu lowered her head, but a barely concealed smile played on her lips.

"They said that from now on, Miss Xia will be the mistress of this place, and they told us to all change how we address her."

Zhou Siyan took the steaming glass of milk, a smile curving his lips as he murmured, "Mrs. Zhou!"