As they approached the coffee table, they noticed two brown document envelopes placed on it.
Lei Shaoxin opened one and pulled out the files. “This one—I stole it that night at Zhuosheng Group. And this one—I found it among my mom’s belongings. It should be the same report. He Zhuosheng used it to threaten Lei Jiu into forcing me to marry him. He still doesn’t know I’ve taken it.”
She picked up her phone, pulled up photos she had taken at the Lei Corporation, and continued, “Also, Lei Jiu flew to Weigelan the day before my mom’s death. I suspect…”
She trailed off.
Seeing her hesitate, Fu Haoyan felt a pang of heartache.
“You suspect your mother’s suicide wasn’t that simple?” he said gently, pulling her into his arms and patting her back. Her shoulder blades pressed sharply against his warm palm.
She had gotten thinner.
Compared to the last time he held her outside the bar, she felt even more fragile.
Lei Shaoxin nodded. “Yes. That’s why I came back to Hong Kong. This is all I’ve been able to find so far.”
“Alright. Leave the rest to me,” he said softly. Looking at the girl in his arms, he felt like she might shatter at any moment. He couldn’t imagine how much she had endured on her own over the past two years.
He casually placed the two files into the office safe.
Not wanting her to dwell in sadness, he forced a lighter tone. “Come on, let’s go eat.”
Holding her hand, he led her into the elevator.
By the time they reached the parking lot, A Le had already brought the car around to the elevator entrance. The number of reporters had doubled since that morning—everyone scrambling for headlines.
A-Feng pushed the reporters aside while Fu Haoyan shielded Lei Shaoxin in his arms, making sure she wasn’t jostled.
They both got into the car.
As the car pulled forward, the reporters actually parted to make way—very unlike their usual aggressive behavior.
Lei Shaoxin glanced at Fu Haoyan, who had a faint smile at the corner of his eyes.
So it was intentional.
Of course—someone like President Fu would never allow reporters to cause chaos outside his company.
It simply wasn’t the right time to make their relationship public.
“I don’t want to end up in gossip magazines,” she said.
Fu Haoyan replied calmly, “A Le.”
A Le met his gaze through the rearview mirror. “Got it. I know what to do.”
Lei Shaoxin had little appetite. After a few bites, she stood up, ready to leave.
Too many things had happened recently. The stress had left her severely sleep-deprived, and her body was reaching its limit. As soon as she got home, she collapsed into bed and fell asleep.
Fu Haoyan, however, lingered downstairs, unwilling to leave. Sitting in the back seat, he smoked quietly, ashes piling up by the car door. His eyes were deep and distant—clearly lost in thought.
Half a pack of cigarettes was gone in no time.
Finally, he spoke to A Le, who stood outside the car. “Go to Weigelan and look into Shaoxin’s life there. I want to know what happened during the two years I wasn’t around.”
Then he turned to A-Feng. “While you’ve been with her, have you noticed anything unusual?”
A-Feng scratched his head, frowning. Reading a girl’s mind was harder than surviving in the wild.
“Nothing, Brother Yan,” he admitted.
Fu Haoyan didn’t expect much. He waved a hand, signaling them to get in.
The car’s taillights gradually disappeared into the winding hillside road.
…
At 3:30 in the afternoon—the classic tea-time rush—the entrance of a cha chaan teng was packed with Central office workers waiting for takeaway.
Inside, it was crowded and noisy, with diners sharing tables.
Lei Shaoxin squeezed her way in, where Hu Wenwen waved her over.
Back in their student days, this place had been a favorite among girls like them. Even while studying in Weigelan, Lei Shaoxin often found herself missing it.
Sitting across from Hu Wenwen was a young man in a black shirt with two buttons undone, as if silently protesting the weak air-conditioning. He idly picked at his instant noodles, looking completely out of place in the cramped, bustling diner—especially with his striking silver hair.
Lei Shaoxin didn’t expect to see Li Mingxian there.
It had only been a few days, yet he had dyed his hair silver, exuding a mix of elegance and rebellious charm.
She couldn’t help but greet him. “Young Master Li.”
“Little Shaoxin,” Li Mingxian said, putting down his fork and leaning forward.
“Shaoxin, I ordered your favorite French toast. Hurry and eat before it gets cold,” Hu Wenwen said, raising her hand as if to block Li Mingxian from interrupting.
Lei Shaoxin lowered her head and started eating.
Seated, her height was just right for Hu Wenwen to lean against her shoulder. “My competition is tomorrow—you have to come watch!”
Lei Shaoxin pinched her cheek lightly. “I know, I know. You’ve been reminding me for half a month already—my ears are about to fall off.”
Meanwhile, Li Mingxian sat across from them as if he didn’t exist.
Unable to sit still any longer, he got up to pay the bill.
Linking arms with Lei Shaoxin, Hu Wenwen chatted happily as they naturally slipped into Li Mingxian’s car.
After paying the bill, Li Mingxian got into the front passenger seat, and only then did the driver start the car.
Lei Shaoxin had given A-Feng three days off, and her own car had been sent for maintenance.
Fu Haoyan had told her to just pick any car from his garage to use, but she refused—honestly, parking in Hong Kong was such a hassle, it was easier to hitch rides.
When they arrived at V Club, it was still early. The place wasn’t open to the public yet, and the band was on stage doing sound checks for the night.
The lead singer, Song Kewei, was the first to spot Lei Shaoxin.
He waved at her from the stage, and she raised a hand in response. Turning to Hu Wenwen, she said, “I’ll go say hi first. I’ll come upstairs later.”
Hu Wenwen followed Li Mingxian up to a private room on the second floor.
A waiter soon brought in whiskey and orange juice.
Hu Wenwen frowned and reached for the whiskey. “Why do I only get orange juice? I want to drink too.”
“Kid, what are you drinking alcohol for?” Li Mingxian said, casually taking the whiskey out of her hand.
She pouted. “Mind your own business.”
“If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
Grumbling, she grabbed the orange juice, sat on the sofa, and quietly turned her back to him, biting on the straw.
To him, she looked ridiculously adorable.
Meanwhile, downstairs—
Song Kewei stepped off the stage and sat beside Lei Shaoxin.
She handed him a cigarette.
Away from the stage lights, his features appeared more defined—he had a buzz cut and a square diamond stud in his left ear.
He tilted his head to light the cigarette. “Shaoxin, haven’t seen you in a while. Want to join us tonight?”
She shrugged. “I’ll just be part of the audience tonight.”
He rubbed his buzz cut awkwardly, looking a bit embarrassed. “Have you ever thought about joining our band? After tonight, we’re planning to do street performances.”
He had hesitated before asking. After all, she was a friend of Li Mingxian—someone like her probably wouldn’t want to mess around with a small, struggling band like theirs.
Lei Shaoxin took a drag of her cigarette and thought for a moment. “Sure.”
A warm hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.
Fu Haoyan had arrived at some point—no one knew how long he had been standing behind her.
Startled, she looked up and realized it was him.
Song Kewei took the hint, nodded at her, and returned to the stage.
Using two fingers, Fu Haoyan took the cigarette from her hand. The filter still bore the faint imprint of her red lipstick. He placed it between his lips, took a few deep drags, then stubbed it out in the ashtray.
He had noticed she’d been smoking more and more lately.
Taking her hand, he led her upstairs.
Back in the private room, Lei Shaoxin had barely sat down before she wanted another cigarette.
But as soon as she took out the pack, Li Mingxian stopped her. “No smoking. There’s a kid here.”
The only non-smoker in the room was Hu Wenwen.
Lei Shaoxin shot him a look. Hu Wenwen was the same age as her—calling her a kid was just ridiculous.
Still, she put the cigarettes away.
Fu Haoyan raised an eyebrow at Li Mingxian—he himself wouldn’t dare control her like that.
Li Mingxian shot him a knowing look in return.
Fu Haoyan stood up, picked up a case leaning by the door, and placed it in front of Lei Shaoxin.
She took one glance and already knew what it was. Eagerly, she opened the latch.
Inside was a light pink electric guitar.
The moment she held it, she could tell from the craftsmanship alone that it was top-tier—even before playing a single note.
Then she saw the signature on the headstock. Her eyes widened, her lips parting in shock. “Isn’t this master already retired? How did you even—”
“Do you like it?” Fu Haoyan asked, gently ruffling her hair.
She threw herself into his arms, nuzzling against him like a cat. “I love it. Thank you, Boss Fu.”
Instinctively, he moved the glass in his hand aside, afraid she might knock it over.
“Hey, hey—watch yourselves,” Li Mingxian complained, unable to stand their display of affection.
Lei Shaoxin clicked her tongue, sat up straight, carefully set the guitar aside, then placed her hand over Fu Haoyan’s. Leaning in, she brought her red lips to his glass and finished the remaining whiskey in one go.
Turning to Li Mingxian, she flashed a fake smile, then grabbed Hu Wenwen and pulled her out of the room.
Fu Haoyan stared at the lipstick mark left on the rim of the glass and chuckled quietly to himself, holding the now ice-filled cup.
Li Mingxian shook his head helplessly.
This guy… would probably give up his life for Lei Shaoxin if it came to it.