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never wanted her to be with you in the first place. With your family background at the time, compared to Lan Qiu's, it was simply worlds apart. And because of you, Lan Qiu had that incident happen…...Back in her room, Lin Meng lay down on the soft bed and switched off the last bedside lamp. In the darkness, she sat there, staring blankly, tears finally streaming down her face. She could no longer hold it in.

She felt that the year she turned sixteen was like entering a bizarre dream. She desperately wanted to escape, but there was no way out!

One step wrong, and every step is wrong!

Perhaps, at the very beginning, she should have been more ruthless, rejecting her father's proposal and never considering selling herself such a ridiculous thing. That way, she wouldn't have encountered Rong Ling, nor Xiao Yi, and wouldn't have repeatedly put herself in such an embarrassing and humiliating situation. A person like her, with low status, being around these high-ranking men was never suitable. Perhaps it was because of this that every time, she was destined to be humiliated.

She thought of Rong Ling, thinking about how much she loved this man. For him, she would even destroy herself without hesitation. But in the end, all Rong Ling remembered was hatred. She had given everything, only to be pitifully and comically rewarded with a man's hatred for her.

She thought of Xiao Yi again, she was grateful for this man's help and touched by his dedication. She thought that she might as well follow him naturally, so she tried her best to forget the past and start anew. But in the end, what she got was still this man's suspicion.

Because one's existence is as insignificant as dust, all the efforts and achievements one makes are as lowly as dust, imperceptible to others. At times, they may even become an eyesore!

She pondered her own existence, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't figure out how she had arrived at this point!

Along the way, I've been scarred almost to pieces, but no one understands. It just adds to the resentment!

Perhaps it all started with a mistake. From the beginning, I should have fought against my father's arrangements with death. The saying "one misstep leads to a thousand years of regret" probably applies here!

In the darkness, piercing tears, drop by drop, fell from her chin.

She always cried secretly like this. With pain and despair, she thought, when will these days ever end!

Whether it's Rong Ling, Xiao Yi, family, or friends, she wants none of it. Can't she just leave quietly, taking nothing with her Is that too much to ask She doesn't want to disturb anyone else anymore, so please, can you stop disturbing her

She trembled slightly, lifting her head and leaning weakly against the headboard. With her eyes closed, tears streamed down her face.

What's the point of this helpless life When will it ever end!

……

The door was pushed open, and then with a "click," the lights in the room came on.

She had grown accustomed to the darkness of night, so the sudden light made her squint and shield her eyes with her hand. As she glanced at it from the corner of her eye, she saw a tall figure—a man's.

She immediately lay down, pulling the blanket over herself with a jerk, then grabbed her pillow and wiped her face hard. She was dignified, even if she would be weak enough to cry, but she wouldn't let anyone see her like this, especially him.

No matter how fast she hid, she couldn't escape Xiao Yi's eyes.

He frowned, his heart aching even more. He never meant to make her cry.

He walked over slowly, placing what he was holding on the bedside table, and then sat down slowly himself. The thin blanket enveloped her completely. He guessed that under the covers, she was probably crying her eyes out.

He sighed silently, lowering his eyes and patting her hand. His voice was dry and hoarse as he called to her softly.

Come, have some congee!

She wouldn't eat, how could he bear it! So, he instructed the kitchen to prepare some easily digestible food for her. Luckily, because he had injured his stomach before and because she was in the process of hand rehabilitation, the kitchen usually kept a variety of nutritious congee cooked in different broths, warmed up at night. He directly scooped some out and sent it to her.

Seeing her cry was expected, but when he actually saw it, his heart ached terribly.

Under the covers, she took a deep breath and rasped back to him, "I don't want to eat..."

He wouldn't condone her actions, because in the end, it would be her body that suffered. He started pulling back the covers, and in a few moments, he pulled the soft and helpless her out from under the blanket. Her appearance was pitiful, tears had almost soaked her hair. Her little face was covered in tear marks that couldn't be wiped away no matter how hard she tried. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and her eyelids were swollen deep.

He tried his best to ignore the pain in his heart, holding a spoon and scooping porridge from the large bowl to a smaller one until it was full. Then, with one hand holding the bowl, he brought it to her face.

"Eat!"

She lowered her head and didn't look at him, just shook her head.

His tone grew harsh, and he growled, "Eat!"

She moved her lips, her eyes welling up with tears. She struggled to suppress the lump in her throat, replying in a hoarse voice, "I really don't want to eat..."

His face immediately darkened once more.

She forcibly suppressed herself and said, "Could you please go out I want to sleep..."

Her voice trembled slightly, but betrayed her current vulnerability.

His eyes flashed coldly, he turned his head and stared at the bowl of porridge. He picked up a spoon and scooped a large spoonful into his mouth, then put down the bowl and with precise precision, grasped her delicate chin in his hand, squeezing it like a vise, forcing her to look up. With a slight amount of force, his hand caused her red lips to part slightly involuntarily.

She tried to resist, lowering her head to hide the shame in her eyes, but he forcefully grabbed her nape with his other hand and then abruptly lowered his head. His warm lips crashed onto hers, which were slightly cold. He opened his mouth, and his rough tongue powerfully invaded her small mouth, swallowing all the sweet warmth of the porridge inside her.

She widened her eyes in astonishment, instinctively resisting, whimpering and struggling to push the porridge out. He displayed his dominance with force, clamping his lips firmly over her mouth, silencing any protest with his insistent tongue. With brute strength, he shoved the porridge deep into her throat. His hands worked in tandem, applying skillful pressure. A muffled "glug" echoed as the porridge, now warm from their struggle, was swallowed and went down her throat, into her stomach.

Only then did he let her go.

Her eyes were glistening with tears, and she glared at him in shame and anger.

He retracted his hand that was gripping the back of her head, wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes with a tenderness that belied the icy coldness in his voice, which was laden with a veiled threat.

“I give you a choice. Either you obediently drink the porridge yourself, or I’ll feed it to you using the same method as before. Now answer me, which way do you want!”

Such a choice is simply domineering, forcing her to eat.

She pursed her lips, helplessly choosing the first path. With trembling hands, she brought the small bowl closer, then, holding a spoon, put spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. Then, as she ate, she couldn't help but let tears fall.

Because, I feel too wronged, it's really too much!

Tears, watching them fall from time to time onto that bowl of fragrant and inviting bone broth, blurring and leaving behind a faint saltiness. She held the spoon, eating it mechanically, without tasting anything. It was difficult to swallow even though she didn't chew.

He just sat across from her, looking at her. Gradually, a weak and pale expression appeared on his face.

"Aren't you just wanting me to apologize to you Well, I apologize. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insulted you and I'm sorry for insulting your trust in your friends. It was my fault. I'm sorry. Please don't cry, okay"

He softened his stance, and she let out a muffled sob. Her tears flowed freely into the small bowl, splashing with each drop. Her hands trembled uncontrollably—the one holding the bowl and the one wielding the spoon. She was on the verge of collapsing from the sheer force of her emotion. The suppressed sobs that had been building behind his facade finally broke free, erupting into a heartbreaking wail. Her small frame shook violently, rising and falling in a painful rhythm, as if she might faint any moment. Xiao Yi watched in alarm. He quickly snatched the bowl and spoon from her grasp, placing them on the table beside him. Then, he stretched out his arm and pulled himself closer, enveloping her frail body in his embrace. His palm pressed firmly yet gently against her back, a reassuring rhythm of comfort. With his other hand, he nervously wiped away the tears streaming down her face, murmuring soothing words with an urgency that betrayed his own unease.

"Good boy/girl, don't cry, don't cry. I was wrong, don't cry, please don't cry..."

"Be good, I apologize, don't cry... Oh, seeing you cry hurts my heart..."

"Be good... Don't cry... Hey... I... I just have a straight temper. My brain was foggy back then, so I said some nasty things. Don't take it to heart... Be good, don't cry... Don't cry..."

He was awkwardly trying to soothe her, his brows furrowed into two tight knots. But the woman in his arms felt like water, her eyes, two faucets, gushing with tears. The more he wiped them away, the worse he felt inside.

He sniffed, his eyes watering slightly. His heart ached so much that he almost cried too. He loved this girl so much; in his daily life, he wanted to hold her up as the apple of his eye and cherish her, wanting to give her everything best to make her happy. How could he bear to hurt her like this! In his panic and anger, he had spoken recklessly, not even realizing how hurtful his words were. Later, when he came to his senses, he also felt that what he said was too much, but he only felt guilty, sulking for a while. But now seeing her cry like this, he realized that he was such an asshole!

This girl would never have surrendered to him if she hadn't owed him a favor and made a promise!

All his previous temptations had failed to persuade her! He wasn't unaware of her personality; once she fell for a man, she would do anything for him, even sacrifice everything. Although she appeared delicate and fragile, her spirit was strong and proud. She wouldn't stoop to such low acts. How could he possibly doubt her!

He let out a long sigh, but knew that it was too late to say anything!

His past actions must have hurt her.

But it's okay, she still knows how to cry. The fact that she can cry in front of him means that everything can still be salvaged. That's better than her suppressing all her emotions and putting on a distant mask with a half-smile.

He cursed himself bitterly in his heart, tightening his embrace on her even more. His pained eyes, hidden by half-lowered eyelids, flickered several times before he sighed softly and slowly revealed his thoughts.

"Meng Meng, don't blame me too much. It wasn't easy for me either. When I knew Jiang Yancheng was after me, I felt a shiver down my spine. I didn't hide anything from you about what was going on. You should know how dangerous this is. I don't know how much Jiang Yancheng knows, but the fact that he's targeting me is undeniable."

You don't know, when we were barbecuing in the yard, Jiang Yichen had people watching us outside. If it weren't for Kaijian being alert and discovering that person in time, I would have been in terrible danger!

I am angry that you severed ties with Jiang Po-lang, and then checked this villa to see if there were any eavesdropping devices left behind. This behavior isn't directed at you, nor is it a lack of trust in you. It's not even simply for my own safety. You know some of my close friends, and you should also know that each of my friends has some trustworthy brothers under their command. If I were to be brought down, or if I were to carelessly leak some information from our group and Jiang Yan-cheng stole it, then it wouldn't just be my life on the line, but the lives of thousands of brothers as well.

Those brothers all came through the knife's edge. Nowadays life is a little better, it wasn't easy for them to get to where they are today. You know I'm working on getting clean, and I also want these good brothers to be able to live stable lives in the future. I wouldn't feel good if any of them went to jail!

So, you have to understand me!

It's better to be prepared for the worst than to regret it later.

I am responsible to you, but I am more responsible to my brothers. I cannot let anything happen to them. So sometimes I have to make you suffer. Because if you suffer, it's just your own thing. Later on, we can sit together and adjust things properly, and I can also compensate you well. But if my brothers suffer, it will involve a large group of people, and some of them may be gone forever, and I will never have another chance to compensate them.

Mengmeng, can you understand what I'm saying!

As the leader of this Silver Wolf Squad, don't be fooled by my position. While I hold authority over ten thousand men, understand that when I act, it reflects on every single one of them. My words and deeds determine their fate. This is especially true during these sensitive times; any mistake on my part could have disastrous consequences. It is better to suspect everything than to allow danger to fester unchecked.

So, I had to investigate this villa. This is also to ensure my brothers' peace of mind. If I listened to you and said I believed Jiang Po浪, how would the brothers below think! They would only think that I, as their big brother, am incompetent, bewitched by a woman's love potion, and don't care about their lives! They would think that such a person is not suitable to be their big brother. In that case, they would rebel, disobey discipline, and accelerate the demise of the Silver Wolf Gang.

Mumu, you stand in my place and think about it carefully, okay

I bear the weight of many lives on my shoulders. Many actions that might seem simple to you are actually quite complex, and sometimes, it's quite frustrating.

I was so harsh to you before, and I'm sorry. I wasn't in a good mood at the time because, as you probably know, Jiang Yancheng is someone who...being targeted by him isn't pleasant. It's almost like having a gun pointed at you, and the next moment, it could be life or death, too unpredictable. That's why I lost control of my emotions and spoke without thinking. But you need to know, that was never my intention. I hurt you, made you cry, and I'm even more heartbroken than you are.

Can you understand what I'm saying!

Lin Meng's cries had weakened by now. She wasn't someone with a defiant or unreasonable personality. As long as someone spoke to her reasonably, she would listen attentively. If she felt it was right, she would also obey willingly. If Xiao Yi had explained things to her from the beginning, she wouldn't have been so angry, nor would she have been so heartbroken later!

She reached out, slowly touching the tears at the corner of her eyes, and choked out a low sob.

"I understand…"

Although I understand, the heart that was wounded and bleeding can't heal quickly.

Xiao Yi's heart relaxed slightly, reaching out to wipe away her tears and soothing her softly.

Then don't cry, when you cry, my heart feels bad!

She softly hummed in response, her delicate white hand wiping away the tears from her damp cheeks over and over again. She had cried so hard earlier that she couldn't immediately control her emotions. Although she tried her best to hold back her tears, they still fell one by one, accompanied by hiccups. Her small shoulders rose and fell, and her face trembled as well. Watching her rub her tears with her little hand, looking downcast and submissive, she was truly pitiful and adorable!

Xiao Yi's heart was more filled with pity than anything else, feeling both soft and aching. He thought this woman was truly his undoing, destined to bring about his downfall!

They worked together, slowly, and her tears stopped. Her little face was just flushed red, damp from the tears. Xiao Yi saw this, got up, and found a towel that had been soaked in hot water for her. He helped wipe her face. Back and forth, carefully wiping her entire face, and then he took her two small hands and wiped them clean as well.

He saw that her emotions had calmed down somewhat, though her nose might be stuffy, twitching every now and then like a little piglet, which made her look rather adorable. His brows softened, he turned his head to glance at the porridge set aside, and in a soft voice, he soothed...

Have some more porridge, don't starve yourself.

This time, she didn't refuse. She just blushed, nodding lightly.

Because of all this trouble, the porridge in the small bowl had gotten a bit cold. Xiao Yi tasted the temperature and took a bite himself, shaking his head.

"It's getting cold, I'll have Auntie Hua heat it up again!"

He carried the porridge out, and after a while, he came back in with a steaming bowl of porridge. Lin Meng's mood gradually calmed down.

He ladled her some porridge. She took it and ate it slowly, finishing two small bowls before shaking her head, indicating that she couldn't eat anymore. He stirred the remaining porridge in the bowl and finished it himself, only now getting around to eating after all this time.

She looked, and slowly lowered her eyes.

After that, Aunt Hua came up with several hot eggs poached in hot water.

Xiao Yi let Lin Meng lie down. He peeled an egg himself, taking the smooth white yolk and carefully rolling it over Lin Meng's eyelids. This was to reduce the swelling. Otherwise, her eyes would definitely be even more swollen when she woke up tomorrow morning!

Lin Meng closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the egg rolling little by little over her eyelids. Some words tumbled in her heart, creating a surge of wanting to speak.

The house was eerily quiet, with only the two of them left.

At this time, he seemed to be extremely patient and unusually gentle. He rolled the eggs with such focus and deliberation, as if all those pressing matters were of no consequence at all. It was as if someone had a bomber plane wreaking havoc outside, it wouldn't faze him in the slightest.

Lin Meng held back for a while, but she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Xiao Yi, I was also wrong about this!"

She was wrong because she didn't stand in his shoes and think about things from his perspective.

But her age and experience were evident. There were some things she couldn't possibly imagine.

Although she admitted she was wrong, she stopped there.

Because, there's no way to continue.

She knew exactly who she was.

Xiao Yi said to ask her to call Jiang Po Lang, his tone was a little tentative. She shook her head and refused. He didn't press further, this was probably all he wanted anyway.

Lin Meng felt small, and that was a disadvantage. So, she decided not to think about anything and simply became a big lazy bum. She wouldn't participate in anything, behaving like a well-behaved bird in a cage, isolating herself from the outside world until Xiao Yi personally opened her cage and let her fly away.r attitude already very clear. Even Mother Rong, with her thick nerves, could hear what was implied. In her heart, she felt a mix of awkwardness and embarrassment.Li Lanqiu, however, knowing Lin Meng'...