Pei Xuanyan tightened his hands somewhat regretfully, restoring his cold expression: “I’m sorry, just now I…” ”I know.” An Ke unconsciously raised her hand to wipe her lips. She understood clearly that this man had seen another woman, and his smile was not because of her. ”You…” Seeing An Ke’s distant expression, Pei Xuanyan felt inexplicably uncomfortable. He turned and sat at the round table, asking, “Do you know how to play Chinese chess?” ”I used to often watch my dad and brother play. Sometimes I would play with them,” An Ke sat on a bamboo chair, her tone flat. ”Good, play this game with me,” Pei Xuanyan tugged at his tie, only looking at the chessboard. ”I’ll play with you, but we must start over,” An Ke stared at Pei Xuanyan, not wanting to miss any expression on his face: “Why hold onto a losing game? Starting over might lead to a different path.” Seeing Pei Xuanyan remain silent, An Ke continued: “Let me tell you a story, would you like to hear it?” Without waiting for his response, she went on: “There was a five-year-old boy who ate a lollipop one day, the most delicious one he’d ever had. From then on, he only ate this type of lollipop, believing it was the best in the world. Don’t you think he might have missed many other delicious lollipops?” An Ke glanced at the darkening sky, and the lights in the room automatically turned on, making the small house look like a crystal house glowing in the forest. Pei Xuanyan nodded, his expression softening slightly, examining An Ke as if meeting her for the first time. After a long while, he stood up, opened a wooden cabinet in the corner, took out two bottles of mineral water, and returned to hand one to An Ke. He drank most of it in one gulp, as if making a big decision: “I’ll tell you a story too.” An Ke remained silent, waiting for him to continue. ”She was a beautiful and kind woman who would make you love and cherish her involuntarily. Two men around her deeply loved her, but she fell in love with the one she shouldn’t. Let me first tell you about this wooden house. Its appearance is no different from an ordinary wooden house, but every facility is top-of-the-line in the world. Take these chairs we’re sitting on – they look like ordinary bamboo chairs, but they’re very soft, and you won’t feel tired no matter how long you sit. The refrigerator that stores water is both energy-efficient and keeps things fresh. You’ve seen the lights – they’re designed by a German master, unique in the world, controlled by sensing the owner’s body temperature and sound. Just because she liked it, the man who loved her bought this land and built this place for her, though he never set foot inside. She told the man who loved her that she wanted a small world of her own, and that man respected her, never stepping inside.” Pei Xuanyan lit a cigarette and continued: “She agreed to be with the man who loved her, only to better love the man she truly loved. And the man who loved her still doesn’t understand the truth, always believing that woman deeply loved him.” ”There’s only love and not love, how can there be ‘should’ or ‘should not’ love?” An Ke really wanted to know what kind of person that man was, who would love a woman so wholeheartedly, and how that woman was ungrateful for her blessing. ”Because the man she loved was her own brother. They knew this was an incestuous love, against ethical morals, so they loved yet could not love.” Pei Xuanyan continued: “She was my own sister, Pei Xuanling, and the man who loved her was Jun Hao.”
Why should I care? I only have one heart, and caring about too many things would be exhausting. She wanted to say that this heart was her own, but it wasn’t something she could control.
“I’m sorry about one more thing,” Pei Xuanyan looked at An Ke, with an inexplicable calmness that felt somewhat oppressive. He cleared his throat and said, “Your father can’t come out for now.”
An Ke’s bright eyes, like an autumn pool, gazed at Pei Xuanyan: “You don’t need to apologize to me. You’ve already helped me a lot.”
“No, I should have anticipated he would do this,” Pei Xuanyan turned around regretfully. “I’ll go find him now.”
“Brother Xuan, you should know better than me that once Jun Hao decides something, he won’t change his mind.” Her bright eyes were now covered with a light mist: “Please take me to see my father.”
“An Ke…” Calling her name, Pei Xuanyan felt a bitter taste in his heart. This woman had made him understand many things and showed him the fragile heart beneath her strong exterior.
In City A, FENGYE Hotel, in a luxurious suite. Pei Xuanzhi’s coquettish voice filled the room: “Darling, why come to a hotel, making it seem like an affair? We’re a real married couple.” One hand rested on Jun Hao’s shoulder, the other skillfully unbuttoning his suit.
“Don’t you find this more exciting, more satisfying?” Jun Hao supported himself on the bed with both hands, eyes closed, seemingly enjoying the moment.
“Stop it,” Pei Xuanzhi said, while her hand slipped inside his shirt, seductively teasing him. As her tender red lips were about to kiss his cheek, Jun Hao flipped her underneath him: “My beloved wife, let me satisfy you.”
You said you loved me, and you were going to marry me. If it weren’t for that woman An Ke, we might even have children by now.” Pei Xuanzhi climbed up to him again and hugged his legs: “Junhao, tell me you love me.”
Standing nearby, Chen Yun stepped forward to pull Pei Xuanzhi away. Junhao straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and said, “Prepare yourself. Someone will send you to Africa tomorrow, and you won’t need to return to the country.” He then turned to his subordinate and ordered, “Sell everything this woman has touched recently and donate the money to a charity organization.”
Pei Xuanzhi tried to break free from Chen Yun’s restraint but couldn’t move at all, only able to cry out, “I don’t want to go to Africa. Junhao, I beg you, let me stay by your side. I’ll do anything.”
Junhao took off the coat she had touched and walked out of the room, still hearing Pei Xuanzhi’s unrepentant voice: “It’s all because of that woman, that damn woman.”
…… Ah, I wonder if Junhao is being too harsh on Pei Xuanzhi… I’m going out today, updating late at night……………………………………………
030 Decision
The winter was deep, and gossip news was buzzing. Pei Xuanzhi had no choice but to board a flight to Africa. The newspaper in Pei Xuanyan’s hand fell to the ground as he tightly clenched his fists, his cold face revealing a chilling intent. An Ke looked at him, worried: “Brother Xuan, are you okay?”
When Pei Xuanyan turned to look at her, his expression softened slightly: “I’m going to see Junhao. Want to come along?”
An Ke nodded, taking a deep breath: “We should talk to him.” Thinking of Pei Xuanzhi’s experience, An Ke involuntarily shivered. She was afraid, afraid of seeing Junhao. Not afraid of his sarcasm, but afraid of his unintentional gentleness.
“Li, prepare well. We’ll have distinguished guests soon.” Junhao sat quietly in the spacious hall.
Pei Xuanyan drove into the Jun family villa’s parking lot. As soon as he stepped out of the car, a cold wind blew, causing An Ke to sneeze several times.
Pei Xuanyan nervously asked, “An Ke, are you okay?” He carefully handed her a tissue.
An Ke was about to respond but sneezed again. Pei Xuanyan touched her cold hand and quickly felt her forehead: “You might have a cold.” He took off his suit jacket and put it on her.