My father's inheritance is my mortal enemy.

After a two-day weekend break, Li Bo, having packed his things, went out for a meal. This business trip, including the meeting and summit activities, would take at least a week.

During his time in Haicheng, Li Bo ate out most of the time, or cooked instant noodles using electric appliances.

The fire at the Li family home five years ago, Li Yao's manic laughter, and the burning sensation under the smoke and flames left Li Bo with psychological trauma; he was somewhat afraid of fire. Every time he saw fire, he would instinctively tremble—a fear that came from the depths of his heart.

Li Bo tried his best not to think about what happened that night five years ago.

They also tried to avoid appearing in the capital as much as possible and blocked all news about the capital.

Li Bo is free now; the one who remains is Li Jianyue.

Li Jianyue is a free person who doesn't need to live under someone else's identity.

That fire gave him a new lease on life.

In the past five years, Li Bo was most grateful that when he gained power, he was able to obtain an identity for the name "Li Jianyue" because he longed for freedom; otherwise, he would still be a nameless person.

After finishing his meal, Li Bo went back to work.

He always used work to numb himself and avoid thinking about things in the capital.

On the day of the business trip, Li Bo and his secretary landed in Beijing together. When they arrived, the secretary from the head office came to pick them up. Li Bo got into the car and went to the hotel first. Then he made an appointment to have dinner with the head office manager.

When Li Bo went, he also brought wine.

Refusing at the annual meeting is still somewhat embarrassing for the general manager. It's really impolite for a superior to be unable to persuade a subordinate and to publicly refuse in such a setting.

At the dinner table, the general manager was still somewhat annoyed. After drinking too much, he frowned and slammed his hand on the table: "Jian Yue, with your work ability... staying in Haicheng is a waste of your talent! If you want, I can send you to Gangcheng! But you insist on staying in Haicheng, which is just a third-tier city!"

Li Bo smiled apologetically and let people curse him.

Secretary Li Bo broke out in a cold sweat.

Li Bo is very capable. It is indeed a waste of his talents to stay in a small city like Haicheng. Why should he give up such a good opportunity for promotion?

The secretary never understood, and neither did the other people in the company.

Although there are rumors that it's to avoid a romantic debt, how big of a romantic debt could make someone give up such a good job opportunity? Besides, the general manager has now said that it doesn't have to be Beijing, Hong Kong is fine too.

Li Bo remained the same.

Between men, most grudges are resolved with a drink. After the meal, Li Bo and his secretary saw the general manager to his car. Li Bo told his secretary to follow and gave her the manager's wife's phone number: "Cars can't get into the residential area. When you get there, call your wife and ask her to come pick you up."

"Okay...okay." The secretary was about to get into the car when she suddenly remembered something and gave the medicine she had bought to Li Bo. It was a hangover cure.

"Remember to eat."

"Okay, thank you. Give me a call when you get back to the hotel," Li Bo said with a smile, but his brows were furrowed beneath the smile, as if he was forcing himself to stay calm.

Li Bo has a bad stomach.

Especially during his first year in Haicheng, he would often drink heavily. When his secretary occasionally delivered urgent documents at night, Li Bo was either working or drunk. When Li Bo drank too much, he would easily get stomach aches.

Li Bo went out and hailed a taxi.

It was winter, very cold, and raining. Although it was early, there were few cars on the road due to the rain, and it was rush hour, making it difficult to hail a taxi. Li Bo glanced around and saw that the subway station was nearby. He borrowed perfume from the receptionist to cover up the smell of alcohol on his body, took his medicine, and, holding an umbrella, headed towards the subway station.

It was very cold, and Li Bo was wearing very little clothing. His hand, which was holding the umbrella handle, was trembling slightly.

Five years ago, Li Bo was twenty-six, but that was actually Lin Yi'an's age. Li Bo was three or four years older than Lin Yi'an, though he himself wasn't sure of the exact age. When he went to the orphanage, he didn't remember his age very well, only having a rough idea.

He's probably thirty-five this year.

Most men at this age are already married with children. They wouldn't be like him, drunk and alone, taking the subway home. Sometimes he thinks it's a bit of a failure, but it's just a sigh; Li Bo hasn't really considered that kind of thing.

He is unwilling to accept anyone else, and even if he longs for a family, he will not settle for less.

Occasionally, when he's drunk, Li Bo wonders if Zhou Yanshao is happy now and if he has a fulfilling family life.

As Li Bo walked, his vision blurred, and a layer of white fog covered his glasses.

A black Mercedes-Benz G-Class sped past Li Bo, whipping up a cold wind. The road was empty, with no traffic lights or other cars around. Sun Shengyang, in the driver's seat, stared out the window, then glanced at the rearview mirror, muttering, "This guy... he looks so much like Li Bo..."

Zhou Yanshao, who had kept his eyes closed the whole way, suddenly and slowly opened them.

"Who?"

"Oh... there was someone outside the window just now who looked strangely like Li Bo, but I couldn't see his face clearly. I just felt... the temperament was similar." Sun Shengyang realized he had said the wrong thing: "But there are quite a few people in the capital who dress like Li Bo. He already did this five years ago... it couldn't be him. I must have been mistaken."

The fire at the Li family's house five years ago killed too many people.

Li Bo also died.

Li Bo repeatedly took advantage of Zhou Yanshao, but Zhou Yanshao did not return for Li Bo and Li Yao's funeral.

Sun Shengyang thought that Brother Shao must be holding a grudge against Li Bo.

He shouldn't mention Li Bo's name anymore.

In just a fleeting glance, he felt they looked too alike.

……

When Li Bo arrived near the subway station, a black Mercedes stopped in front of him. The window rolled down, and someone called out to him, "Yi An!"

The other person quickly corrected them: "Li Bo."

Li Bo glanced to the side and met Ning Zhi's slightly reddened eyes.

Li Bo stiffened for a moment, then smiled and said, "Ning Zhi?"

"You get in the car first."

Li Bo got into the car, and Ning Zhi drove the whole way without asking where Li Bo was going. He was too excited to speak. After a while, he asked, "Where have you been for the past five years...?"

The fire that destroyed the Li family's house is common knowledge.

He didn't know how Li Bo survived, or why Li Bo disappeared after surviving.

"I went to work in another city."

"The fire at the Li family's house five years ago..."

"By sheer luck, I survived."

Li Bo downplayed the pain and fear brought about by the fire.