Her lips parted slightly, surprise flickering across her face. "You... you’re trying to understand?"
He nodded. "Yes. I don’t want to rush this or force something we’re not ready for. But I want you to know that everything I do for you—my patience, my support—it’s because I care about you. Deeply. And I think, given time, that care could become something even stronger."
Lixue’s heart trembled at his words, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. She had expected indifference or practicality from him, but his honesty left her feeling exposed and unsure.
"Do you regret marrying me Lixue? If there’s was a chance that you could have..."
"No...I don’t regret marrying you Mo Ran, I thought I would but in the end I didn’t and do you know why?"
Mo Ran dropped his chopsticks, not sure if he could continue eating.
"Because you’re just too good and getting to know your better, I realized you’re not all I played you out to be.."
Mo Ran’s eyes softened as he listened, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You thought I’d be worse, didn’t you?"
Lixue nodded, a small, sheepish grin appearing. "I thought you’d be cold and distant—someone impossible to live with. But you’re... not that."
He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I guess I should be flattered that your expectations of me were so low. Makes it easier to exceed them."
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. "Don’t get cocky now. I said you’re better, not perfect."
The lighthearted moment was interrupted by the sharp trill of Lixue’s phone. She frowned, reaching for it and glancing at the screen. Her expression froze when she saw the name: Qin Sayou.
"Who is it?" Mo Ran asked, noticing the change in her demeanor.
"It’s... my stepmother," Lixue said, her tone hesitant. She hesitated for a beat before answering. "Hello?"
Qin Sayou’s voice came through, sharp and commanding. "Lixue, where are you? The Yu family is hosting a gathering tomorrow evening, and you’re expected to be there."
Lixue’s stomach churned at the words. The Yu family gatherings were never pleasant for her, filled with veiled insults and cold shoulders. "I didn’t hear about this before," she replied carefully.
"Well, I’m telling you now," Qin Sayou said dismissively. "Be there at 6 p.m. sharp. Don’t embarrass us by being late—or worse, not showing up."
"I—"
The line went dead before Lixue could respond. She stared at her phone, her hand trembling slightly.
Mo Ran leaned forward, concern etched across his face. "What did she say?"
Lixue exhaled slowly, placing the phone down. "The Yu family is hosting a gathering tomorrow. She expects me to be there."
Mo Ran’s jaw tightened. "Do you want to go?"
She shook her head, the weight of the situation settling heavily on her shoulders. "Not really, but I don’t think I have much of a choice. Blood ties require me to be there."
Lixue tapped her finger against the table, both Yu Jia and Qin Sayou were planning something, she could feel it, she needed to be careful during the gathering tomorrow.
"Do you want me to come along?"
Lixue shook her head, they would be careful with their words if he was there.
"No, I can handle it alone.."
Mo Ran’s brow furrowed, clearly uneasy with her decision. "You’re sure? I don’t like the idea of you facing them by yourself."
Lixue offered a small, reassuring smile. "It’s something I need to deal with on my own. If you’re there, they’ll just put on a show. I won’t get the answers I’m looking for."
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Fine. But if you need me, I’m just a call away. Promise me you won’t let them push you around."
"I promise," she said softly. She wasn’t the old Lixue who bowed her head, this Lixue wasn’t afraid to look at anyone.
"Its settled then, you take the driver when you’re ready to head out..ill prepare a dress for you, my wife must be all dolled up."
"..."
Lixue let out a cool smirk, perhaps she should go there all dolled up and steal the limelight from Yu Jia.
*****************
Liang Cheng sat in his dimly lit office, the faint hum of his computer filling the silence. On the screen were the hospital files he’d painstakingly acquired— there were details about Nangong Leili. He scrolled through them slowly, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
The name "Nangong Leili" had caught his attention during his investigation into Lixue’s past. He hadn’t expected to find so much hidden in plain sight. The woman, who was listed as a patient at a private care facility, was diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s.
Liang Cheng tapped his pen against the desk, his gaze lingering on a note in the file: "Next of kin not listed. Financially supported by anonymous benefactor."
"Anonymous benefactor?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, contemplating. Lixue had never spoken of her mother—not publicly, at least—and the absence of a next of kin in the records hinted at strained or severed ties or maybe it was something completely different.
But then...who was paying for her care?
He clicked further into the documents, finding routine updates from the facility. The reports detailed Leili’s condition—episodes of disorientation, fragmented memories, and occasional lucidity.
And one line struck him: "Patient often mentions a girl named ’Xue’er.’ Likely refers to a daughter."
Liang Cheng’s expression softened briefly. "So she does remember her... even in fragments."
A sudden knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. His assistant entered, holding a file. "Sir, I’ve gathered additional details about the facility where Nangong Leili is staying."
"Good," Liang Cheng said, taking the file. "Have someone confirm who’s funding her stay. I want a name."
The assistant hesitated. "Do you think it’s Yu Lixue?"
Liang Cheng glanced at the records again. "Possibly but If it were her, why would she have kept her mother’s condition so hidden. No—someone else must be involved. I need to know who and why."