Zhou Wan didn't tell Lu Xixiao all the details of the past, only briefly glossing over it as she calmly recounted a story from her previous tutoring job.
Yet Lu Xixiao's brow remained tightly furrowed, his expression growing increasingly somber.
Lu Xixiao hated her, but he never wished for her to suffer.
He couldn't stand seeing her bullied.
The girl he had once protected so fiercely had endured bullying time and again after leaving him.
Her resigned remark, "It's not like this is the first time anyway," made it impossible for Lu Xixiao to imagine everything she must have gone through over the years.
"Maybe I just have particularly bad luck." Zhou Wan lowered her gaze, tugging at the corner of her mouth as she smiled.
But all of this was what she deserved, she thought.
"Zhou Wan." His voice was hoarse, rasping with indescribable emotions.
She lifted her eyes.
"Remember this—from now on, if someone bullies you, you bully them right back. Even if the King of Heaven himself shows up, you're not allowed to take it lying down."
Zhou Wan could sense Lu Xixiao struggling to restrain his irritation and temper, forcing himself to remain calm. "If you injure someone, come to me for the medical expenses."
Zhou Wan froze for a moment.
After a pause, she chuckled softly, deliberately trying to lighten the mood as she joked, "What if it's you bullying me?"
"Except me." Lu Xixiao glanced at her. "If I bully you, you'll just have to endure it."
Zhou Wan felt much better, suppressing her laughter as she replied, "Oh, alright."
"Go to sleep." Lu Xixiao reached out his arm and turned off the light.
Zhou Wan's sleep quality had improved considerably recently. Though they shared a bed, Lu Xixiao never disrespected her, and she fell asleep before long.
She didn't know how much time had passed when Zhou Wan was awakened by a distant rumble of thunder.
She slowly opened her eyes, noticing through the curtains that the sky outside was beginning to brighten.
Just then, Lu Xixiao turned over. Zhou Wan instinctively looked up and saw his eyes half-closed, bloodshot with exhaustion and weariness, yet still open as if lost in thought.
"Lu Xixiao," Zhou Wan whispered, "what's wrong?"
"Can't sleep."
Zhou Wan was taken aback. "Have you been awake all night?"
"Pretty much."
"Close your eyes for a while then. It'll be daylight soon."
"Mm." Lu Xixiao wrapped his long arm around her, pulling Zhou Wan into his embrace and burying his face in the crook of her neck.
The scandal at Shengxing Group continued to escalate.
Huang Hui's sexual harassment case sparked public discussions about workplace environments, drawing widespread criticism online. Soon after, specific investigations into Shengxing Group's tax evasion were announced, adding fuel to the fire.
Zhou Wan saw new updates every time she opened her phone.
That afternoon, Zhou Wan created a Weibo account and posted all the evidence she had compiled previously in a compressed file.
She didn't know where Lu Xixiao had obtained the evidence of Huang Hui's sexual harassment, but her own case wasn't included—perhaps to protect her.
Still, she hoped that by speaking out, she could give other women who had experienced similar situations some courage.
Her post quickly garnered intense reactions, but Zhou Wan logged out of the account and didn't check it again.
In the evening, she received a call from an unknown number.
"Hello?" Zhou Wan answered.
"Is this Zhou Wan?"
The voice sounded somewhat familiar. After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Wan recognized it as Sheng Yan, Huang Hui's wife. She frowned slightly. "Yes."
"Are you free now? I'd like to meet with you," Sheng Yan said.
"President Sheng, I don't think that's necessary anymore."After speaking, Zhou Wan was about to hang up when Sheng Yan urgently stopped her. The composure she had forced earlier vanished as she lowered her voice, pleading with sincerity, unable to conceal the exhaustion of recent days: "Please, Zhou Wan, I know I was wrong about this. At least give me a chance to apologize to you."
In the end, Zhou Wan agreed.
She didn’t believe someone of Sheng Yan’s character would sincerely apologize, but she wanted to know what trick she had up her sleeve.
Over the years, apart from staying in Pingchuan City to manage that rundown supermarket, Huang Ping would occasionally join cycling events in his free time. Not long ago, he had toured the southwest on a motorcycle, getting tanned so dark that his father scolded him harshly upon his return. To escape the nagging, he took a flight to City B.
Huang Ping lounged casually in Lu Xixiao’s office, marveling at how the once aimless, carefree youth had transformed into the man before him. Truly, the world was full of wonders.
Annoyed, Lu Xixiao glanced up. "If you keep fidgeting, get out."
"No respect for your elders," Huang Ping laughed. "Why don’t I hear you calling me 'brother' now that you’ve made something of yourself?"
Lu Xixiao ignored him.
"By the way, last time you mentioned running into Zhou Wan. What happened after that?" Huang Ping asked. "Have you seen her again?"
"She’s at my place."
Huang Ping choked on his tea, nearly spitting it out. "What did you say?"
Lu Xixiao shot him a look.
"Why is she at your place? Did you two reconcile?"
Lu Xixiao gritted his teeth. "No. She’s just staying there. She’ll move out once I lose interest in her."
"Will that day ever come?" Huang Ping wondered. A white moonlight from their youth, etched so deeply in one’s heart, could never be easily forgotten.
Lu Xixiao flicked the ash from his cigarette and gazed out the window, his tone indifferent. "It will."
"...And Zhou Wan agreed to this?" Huang Ping couldn’t help but remark. "Her perspective on love is rather unique."
Lu Xixiao let out a low laugh. "Well, she’s the same person who did what she did back then."
He had realized this long ago.
In every other aspect, her choices were rational, but when it came to matters of the heart, she veered off course. Back then, she had approached him to get back at Guo Xiangling—that was understandable. But later, she left without a second thought, enduring hardship without ever yielding, even though he would have forgiven her if she had just bowed her head.
She was too independent. She could be kind to others but couldn’t accept their care in return. No one could truly earn her reliance; she never trusted anyone’s goodwill.
If he had told her he still loved her and asked her to live with him, she would have refused without hesitation.
...
Lu Xixiao finally wrapped up the remaining affairs at Shengxing Group. While the outside world was baffled by how such a large corporation could suddenly fall into turmoil, those on the inside quickly uncovered who was behind it all.
After work, Lu Xixiao took Huang Ping out for dinner. On the way, he received a call from Old Mr. Lu.
He knew what it was about before even answering.
Since leaving Pingchuan City years ago, his contact with the Lu family had been minimal.
Lu Xixiao picked up.
"A Xiao." The voice was as steady as ever. "Are you busy?"
"No, what is it?"
"Nothing much. Chairman Sheng just called me. He said you’re behind all the trouble they’ve been facing lately?" Old Mr. Lu and the Old Director of Shengxing Group were old acquaintances.
"The trouble is of their own making." Lu Xixiao chuckled carelessly, tacitly admitting it.Old Mr. Lu didn’t beat around the bush. Since he had made this call, he must have already looked into everything. “Because of Zhou Wan?”
Lu Xixiao raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“A Xiao, she’s not right for you. Have you forgotten how you ended up hospitalized for over a month because of her before? She only brings you trouble.” Old Mr. Lu continued, “That unresolved issue between you two will always be there, a hurdle every time you think about it. Why waste your energy on her again?”
“Old man.” At the red light, Lu Xixiao stared ahead, his tone indifferent. “I’m not like my mother. I’ll walk my own path, stumble into my own pitfalls, and run into my own walls. You can’t control me, nor can you dictate my life.”
As the light turned green, the congested city traffic slowly moved forward.
“Besides, the person I’ve become today is because of her.”
His pain was brought by Zhou Wan.
Yet his glory and brilliance were also bestowed by her.
...
Huang Ping had insisted on eating at the most expensive place to bleed him dry, so Lu Xixiao brought him to a newly opened Cantonese restaurant.
The moment Huang Ping sat down, he regretted it. The atmosphere felt stifling—two people at a table, attended by several servers, each dish so exquisitely presented he hardly dared to touch it, and the portions pitifully small.
“You know, I still miss the old days the most,” Huang Ping said. “When we could just grab a table at a barbecue joint or a street stall and drink cases of beer.”
Lu Xixiao chuckled. “We can still do that. Weren’t you the one who wanted to go somewhere expensive?”
“Damn it, I’m getting sentimental here. Take me seriously.”
Lu Xixiao took a sip of wine and curled his lips carelessly. “The past and the present aren’t all that different.”
Huang Ping looked at him.
It was true—Lu Xixiao’s childhood held little worth reminiscing about. If anything, the present was better.
No wonder he couldn’t forget Zhou Wan.
In his 26 years, the time he spent with her might have been his happiest, perhaps the only time he was truly happy.
Huang Ping’s gaze drifted to the side.
They were seated on the circular corridor of the second floor, with dining tables below and an open space between the two levels.
His eyes suddenly paused, catching sight of a figure he couldn’t quite call familiar, though the aura she carried was unmistakable.
“A Xiao.” Huang Ping tilted his head in that direction. “Is that Zhou Wan?”
Lu Xixiao followed his gaze and frowned slightly.
What was Zhou Wan doing here?
She had a unique presence, different from those ostentatiously glamorous women. Hers was a gentle yet resolute aura, her features pure and clean, tinged with a hint of fragility—aloof, solitary, and utterly refined.
In this opulent and elegant setting, she stood out as the most captivating.
Her beauty wasn’t painted on; it was something internalized, born from her experiences.
Beside Zhou Wan stood another woman.
Lu Xixiao narrowed his eyes and recognized her as Sheng Yan.
Since the Sheng family already knew he was behind that incident, they must have learned the whole story—how they had framed Zhou Wan back then and were now seeking her out to plead for mercy.
Sheng Yan gestured for Zhou Wan to take a seat and handed her the menu. “Zhou Wan, take a look and see what you’d like to eat.”
“I’m not hungry. Just a glass of water will do.” Zhou Wan replied, “Ms. Sheng, since you asked to meet, let’s get straight to the point.”
“Zhou Wan, I’m here to apologize. I didn’t investigate properly back then and misunderstood you. I can offer you compensation and explain everything to everyone at the company. You can return anytime, and I’ll make it up to you.”"As far as I know, Shengxing can barely keep itself afloat now. What use would there be in me going back?" Zhou Wan smiled faintly. "Besides, you never misunderstood me in the first place. Don't you know exactly what I went through? You just didn't care—you were even willing to frame me to save your own pride."
Sheng Yan pressed her lips together, carefully choosing her words. "Zhou Wan, I'm truly sorry. I hope you can accept my apology."
Zhou Wan had no desire to continue this conversation.
Sheng Yan was too accustomed to her privileged life to ever offer a genuine apology.
She stood up. "Forget it."
Zhou Wan prepared to leave. After taking a few steps, she suddenly recalled what Lu Xixiao had once told her, along with the memory of how Sheng Yan had framed her that day.
She turned back and strode quickly toward Sheng Yan.
Sheng Yan had also risen, intending to catch up with her. Zhou Wan walked straight up to her, raised her hand, and delivered a sharp, forceful slap.
Sheng Yan's face snapped to the side. She covered her cheek, staring at Zhou Wan in disbelief.
Nearby diners, drawn by the commotion, turned to watch.
Zhou Wan stood tall and unwavering under their collective gaze. She looked calmly at Sheng Yan and said in a quiet voice, "I won't forgive you. This slap is payback."
...
Upstairs, Lu Xixiao hadn't caught their exact words, but he raised a surprised eyebrow when he saw Zhou Wan raise her hand and strike. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Huang Ping's reaction was far less composed—he was utterly stunned.
This was the first time he had seen this side of Zhou Wan.
Though he knew how ruthlessly she had left back then, he hadn't witnessed it firsthand.
Zhou Wan's gentle image was too deeply ingrained: her soft-spoken manner, her subtle smiles, her seemingly endless patience, and the constant effort she put into keeping Lu Xixiao happy.
Honestly, when he first learned she had left, Huang Ping's immediate assumption was that Lu Xixiao must have done something to drive her away.
"Holy shit," he couldn't help cursing under his breath. "Since when did Zhou Wan become this bold? What has she been through all these years?"
Lu Xixiao glanced sideways at him and chuckled. "She's always been like this. Did you really think she was all sweet and obedient?"
Huang Ping looked from Zhou Wan to Lu Xixiao, feeling that both of them were off-kilter.
One hid a fierce nature beneath a docile exterior; the other watched his white moonlight bare her claws and smiled as if he'd fallen in love all over again.
Huang Ping's mouth twitched. "And you're proud of that?"
Lu Xixiao ignored him and stood, heading downstairs.
No one had ever dared to hit Sheng Yan in her entire life. Now, she couldn't even maintain her composure. She grabbed Zhou Wan's clothes, refusing to let go, and loudly threatened to call the police.
Zhou Wan frowned, but before she could respond, a sudden warmth enveloped her from behind.
Lu Xixiao wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her protectively behind him.
The man stood tall and imposing in his tailored suit, radiating an aloof chill that instinctively silenced those around him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked her softly, his tone carrying a familiar indulgence.
Zhou Wan blinked, momentarily taken aback. "She called and asked to meet me here."
Lu Xixiao turned to Sheng Yan, his smile unshakable. "President Sheng, with Shengxing struggling to survive, wouldn't your time be better spent exploring other options instead of focusing on her?"
With that, he kept his arm around Zhou Wan and led her away.Sheng Yan had never been this humiliated in her life. She glared bitterly at Zhou Wan's retreating figure: "Putting on such an air of purity, yet in the end you still have to climb into a man's bed."
Zhou Wan's footsteps faltered.
Lu Xixiao raised his hand, ruffling her hair gently before turning wordlessly to walk back to Sheng Yan.
He gazed calmly at Sheng Yan's flushed face, looking down at her from his height. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"President Sheng, you overestimate me. I did all these things willingly—she doesn't need to do anything."
Lu Xixiao let out a lazy laugh in full view of everyone, saying carelessly, "After all, from the beginning until now, it's only ever been me who likes her."
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