Veins bulging on his forehead, Kong Chengyi took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressing the anger coursing through his body. If she were here, he would undoubtedly have shouted fiercely at her.
Late at night, with an ashtray filled to the brim with cigarette butts, Kong Chengyi still held a freshly lit cigarette between his fingers. His dark eyes remained fixed on the densely packed report, repeatedly catching the name Cheng Shaobai and staring intensely at descriptions of the two of them from the past. The anger he had just restrained flared up again instantly, leaving no trace of his usual cold and composed demeanor.
Tossing and turning repeatedly, Ding Jia stared at the ceiling, her mind constantly guessing about the loud crash that came from the study over an hour ago. She kept wondering what could have caused Kong Chengyi, always so calm, to become so furious.
Even back when they were together, she had never seen him rage like this, let alone heard such a loud noise—faintly like something being slammed hard onto the desk.
Irritated, she sat up and glanced at her phone; it was nearly eleven o'clock.
After some thought, she threw off the covers and went downstairs to get a glass of milk, which she carefully carried back to the study.
Putting on a forced sweet smile, her slender fingers lightly knocked twice on the door panel. "Yi, it's me. I brought you some milk!"
"Hmm!" A low voice came from behind the door.
"Do you still have work to do? Can't you finish it tomorrow? Cough, cough… It's already late; I've slept and just woke up!" Her voice soft and concerned, Ding Jia pushed open the door but was immediately choked by the strong smell of smoke and started coughing lightly.
The incandescent light was glaringly bright, revealing thick smoke drifting in the air. Looking down, she saw the ashtray was filled to the brim with cigarette butts.
"Why have you smoked so much? Did something happen at the company?" Looking closely at his tense face, she caught a glimpse of him shutting down the computer screen. Doubts suddenly welled up in her heart—he seemed to be hiding something deliberately from her.
"You're awake?" Rubbing his forehead with his fingertips to dispel fatigue and chaotic thoughts, Kong Chengyi stood and took the milk from her hands.
Dodging her questions, Ding Jia still looked up at him with concern, gently pressing her fingers against his temples. "You're very tired, right? Go take a shower and rest!"
He nodded slightly, holding the milk in one hand and grasping her massaging hand with the other. Kong Chengyi stepped out of the room. "Come on, you should rest well, too."
Gazing at the overflowing ashtray, Ding Jia halted her steps and put on a mock-stern face. "You've smoked so much. Not only do you smell like smoke, but this study looks like a garbage dump. Let me tidy up!" Saying that, she wrenched his hand away, wrinkled her nose, and went straight for the desk.
Kong Chengyi silently stared at her for a few seconds, then turned and left the study.
Pouring the full ashtray into the garbage bin and listening to the fading footsteps, Ding Jia quickly went to the computer and lit up the screen. The dull-colored monitor was blank, with no pages open.
After a moment's thought, Ding Jia opened a browser and clicked on her recent browsing history. It showed only an email address. Looking at the tightly closed study door, she took a deep breath and hovered the mouse over the email page.
The page quickly loaded and logged straight into the inbox. Steadying her breath, Ding Jia rapidly skimmed through the emails inside. Every message had already been read, and the latest was timestamped just before 9 o'clock—less than two hours ago—coinciding closely with the time of the loud crash. Yet the subject line was simply "Investigation Report."
Clicking rapidly with the mouse, she opened the report. The words before her eyes made her suddenly slump into the chair. Hua Lianxi's past was detailed in full, even her current situation was clearly outlined.
Scrolling quickly through the information, in just a few minutes, Ding Jia finished reading Hua Lianxi's life story. Imagining Kong Chengyi having spent the entire night here, scrutinizing her past, she was shocked to think he had slammed the ashtray to the floor so hard that it shattered with a "bang," shards scattering across the floor.
"What's wrong?" Bare-chested, Kong Chengyi dashed swiftly from the bathroom to the study, worry written all over his face. He had just entered the bathroom and hadn't even begun his shower when he heard the crash and hurried over.
Squatting carefully, Ding Jia gathered the scattered crystal fragments, looking up slightly with a reassuring smile that eased his worry. "It's nothing. I just accidentally knocked the ashtray to the floor. Sorry, I broke it!"
Glancing around the study, her gaze finally settled on the desk, not noticing anything unusual. Kong Chengyi stepped forward and helped her up. "Don't bother cleaning it up; be careful not to cut your hand. I'll have someone come take care of it tomorrow. You should go rest."
"I really am useless. I wanted to tidy up to make the study cleaner, but now I've just broken the ashtray. Yi, I'm sorry…" Seeking comfort, she intertwined their fingers as they left the study. Ding Jia couldn't stop blaming herself, her tender, watery eyes almost spilling tears.
Lowering his gaze at her fragile appearance, Kong Chengyi pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Silly girl, a cleaner will come tomorrow. It's not a big deal. Don't blame yourself and get some rest." Their fingers remained entwined all the way to the bedroom. Only then did Kong Chengyi release his grip, instead pulling her gently onto the bed. "Don't think too much. Rest."
Holding the blanket, Ding Jia gave a slight smile and obediently closed her eyes. She sensed Kong Chengyi entering the bathroom and suddenly opened her eyes. The tenderness had vanished in an instant, replaced by a dark, cold glare aimed fiercely at the ceiling.
She slept until dawn and, upon waking, glanced at the curtains letting in the early light. The room was silent. Hua Lianxi fluttered her long, thick lashes and slowly narrowed her eyes again. The troubles of yesterday had completely faded away upon waking. Although there was a momentary sense of emptiness upon waking, she felt deeply satisfied.
She turned onto her side, her long hands folded over her lower abdomen. Her enchanting eyes were full of smiles when suddenly her stomach let out a "grumble."
Parting her delicate lips slightly and curling them upwards, Hua Lianxi finally got out of bed.
She went straight downstairs to a well-known breakfast shop. Seeing that it was still early, Hua Lianxi gently stretched her limbs and muscles, then leisurely strolled around the neighborhood, breathing in the fresh air.
Energetic dance music played loudly nearby. As she walked, she soon came upon a group of middle-aged women dressed in bright red tight-fitting outfits enthusiastically performing the latest trendy square dance. Covering her mouth, she smiled slightly. Hua Lianxi stopped to watch, humming along to the dancers' sultry movements, her mood instantly brightening and becoming lighthearted.
"Miss, want to dance with us? If you keep at it for a month, your figure will be better than it is now. Wherever you want meat, it will get fuller!" A middle-aged woman on the side, panting and cheerful, invited the watching Hua Lianxi to join with a hearty laugh.
Quickly waving her hand, Hua Lianxi smiled and declined. "Thank you for the invitation, Auntie. I really can't dance, but I envy your great figures. If I were your age and still had such a figure, I'd be delighted!" Looking around, nearly every woman in the group was shaking plush fat as they danced—jiggling flaps of flesh like slices of pork belly, clearly drawing attention.
"This dance is easy. It not only shakes off fat but also strengthens the body!" Proud of her figure, the woman glanced at her fellows, as if confirming Hua Lianxi's words, while continuing to extol square dancing's benefits.
After one song, the women took a break to chat. Fearing another invitation, Hua Lianxi hurriedly said goodbye and headed straight to the vegetable market.
She carefully shopped her way around, finally returning to the neighborhood struggling under the weight of six or seven bags of groceries.
The lively dance music still blared, and from afar, Hua Lianxi could still spot the vibrant movements of the women.
Smiling softly, she looked up at the clear blue sky, feeling a profound happiness.
"Miss Hua, may I ask—are you living together with Mr. Cheng Shaobai? Is this the residence he bought for you?"
Her smile froze. Startled, Hua Lianxi stopped in her tracks and looked wide-eyed at the young man who had appeared out of nowhere. Beside him stood a middle-aged man snapping photos rapidly. She opened her mouth in astonishment, stammering, "Y-You… who are you?"
"Miss Hua, is this a new round of private customization? Has Mr. Cheng Shaobai commissioned you again to provide wifely services? Or do you have some other relationship with him? According to previous reports, you two have known each other for years. Is this a rekindling of old flames?" The young man held a notebook, rapidly taking notes and firing questions without pausing for her answers.
"You…" Watching his quick tongue and urgent demeanor, a flash of realization crossed Hua Lianxi's mind. "You're reporters?" Witnessing their frantic photographing and questioning, she once again experienced the craziness and disgust of paparazzi.
Confused, she wondered why the media had suddenly reappeared and were directly stalking her residence. Cheng Shaobai? How was he involved this time?
"Miss Hua, do you admit that you're living with Mr. Cheng Shaobai? According to your neighbors' observations, he often spends nights at your place, each visit lasting two days. You just bought so many groceries—is this to stay indoors and keep house for two days and nights?" The man fired questions like a machine gun, not giving Hua Lianxi any chance to deny. Instead, he took her silence as admission and jotted it down.
"That's not true! None of what you said is factual!" Biting her lip in denial, Hua Lianxi hurried past him, quickening her pace toward home.
The young man followed closely behind, smiling. "Miss Hua, are you rushing home because Mr. Cheng is waiting for you? I just saw him go inside!"
Pressing her lips tightly, Hua Lianxi pretended not to hear him and kept walking quickly. When she neared her building, she saw Cheng Shaobai approaching.
"Mr. Cheng, are you living with Miss Hua?" From a distance, the young man noticed Cheng Shaobai and ran over quickly, urgently questioning him while instructing a cameraman to start filming.