Pei Chuan wasn’t ill—he was more clear-headed than ever.

This was a very cautious game of chess. When he was in the “Seventh Prison,” he had heard the old-timers talk about the Huo family. The Huo family’s ancestors had been involved in arms dealing, later transitioning to business, and they had never been simple.

The Huo family had once wielded both power and wealth, and even now they were doing well. Pei Chuan had a good memory—although this matter had come up during casual “prison yard” conversations, he had remembered it.

Though Huo Xu came from a good family background, such large clans harbored many dark secrets.

Normal people knew not to interfere in other families’ funeral matters, yet Huo Xu had interfered.

This urgent behavior—though Pei Chuan didn’t understand why—certainly meant Huo Xu was desperate to win Bei Yao’s favor. The old-timers had said that the Huo family used to be very prestigious, counted among the upper-class elite of B City, but later the Huo family head Huo Ran and his wife Jiang Huaqiong divorced.

For unknown reasons, Huo Ran had given most of his assets to his wife Jiang Huaqiong.

However, Jiang Huaqiong, who held the most power, apparently wasn’t Huo Xu’s biological mother.

This matter made Pei Chuan think deeply. He was waiting for a vulnerability, waiting for a chance to strike back from a desperate position.

~

Bei Yao’s leave period ended, and she had no choice but to return to B City to continue her studies.

Zhao Zhilan ultimately gritted her teeth and paid back the owed money to Huo Xu in full. After this, their family was once again destitute.

Zhao Zhilan felt very guilty. If she hadn’t been driven mad by Zhao Xing that day, she wouldn’t have refused to handle the matter, thus allowing Huo Xu to interfere.

But… what ordinary family spent a damn 150,000 yuan on a funeral!

However, with the money repaid, Zhao Zhilan felt relieved.

When Zhao Zhilan sent Bei Yao to catch the train, she said to Bei Yao: “Yaoyao, I still feel that Huo Xu isn’t quite right. Tell your mother the truth—do you like him?”

Bei Yao quickly shook her head.

Zhao Zhilan said: “Although he appears distinguished and talented, the more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. Don’t take this matter to heart. Your father and I will slowly save up money. The debt is repaid, so our family owes him nothing. When a girl looks for a boyfriend, character is most important, understand?”

Bei Yao smiled and said: “I understand. I’ve grown up too, and I’ll be working soon. From now on, things will be easier for you and Dad.”

Zhao Zhilan’s eyes relaxed, revealing a smile.

Bei Licai said: “As long as the family is safe and sound, that’s enough. Everyone has work now—what’s there to worry about?”

Bei Yao took the train back to B City. Before this, Pei Chuan had returned early.

At that time, flowers were blooming on the B University campus. This year Bei Yao was in the second semester of her senior year—just over a year until graduation.

Bei Yao had taken leave for a while, so her roommates were all very happy when she came to school.

But everyone also knew that Bei Yao’s grandmother had recently passed away, so they didn’t bring it up, afraid she’d be sad. They just played around and teased her to make her happy.

Bei Yao really liked these lovely, kind roommates. She tilted her head and said with a smile: “There’s also some good news.”

Everyone looked at her curiously.

Bei Yao said: “My boyfriend was released from prison.”

Everyone: “…”

Wang Qiankun’s mouth twitched: “Wasn’t the sentence eight years? It’s only been how long? Four years?”

Bei Yao nodded: “He’s not bad. He behaved very well, so he was released.”

Qin Dongni was more accepting—everyone had different ways of living, though Bei Yao’s future would be harder. She smiled and said: “Well then, congratulations.”

However, they hadn’t yet met Bei Yao’s boyfriend when the next day flowers and a sports car appeared parked downstairs from the dormitory.

Huo Xu wore a suit and tie, his convertible sports car filled with roses.

Girls poked their heads out from upstairs to look, all exclaiming in amazement. The car was a luxury car, the man was handsome, and he was also thoughtful, waiting from afternoon until evening self-study ended.

Later, someone revealed that this was the Young Master Huo from B City who had just returned to the country!

The Huo family whose ancestors had produced a marshal, the incredibly wealthy Huo family!

Everyone was in an uproar!

Huo Xu stood ramrod straight. He was actually somewhat anxious. Several times Bei Yao wouldn’t acknowledge him; when they encountered each other by chance, she deliberately avoided him. Zhao Zhilan was also stubborn, having repaid all the money.

Huo Xu could only pursue Bei Yao openly and boldly.

As everyone grew increasingly expectant about which lucky girl it would be, Bei Yao returned from evening self-study.

Seeing Huo Xu, she instinctively turned cold.

Huo Xu’s eyes brightened. Actually, he himself probably hadn’t even realized that this joy upon seeing Bei Yao after waiting so long wasn’t performed. Rather, it emerged bit by bit from his heart, uncontrolled, dense and continuous, something he dared not examine.

He hurriedly took flowers from the car: “For you.”

Many people were watching the excitement from the dormitory building. Seeing it was Bei Yao, they understood somewhat—after all, she was the campus belle, so naturally only such a beautiful girl could make Huo Xu wait an entire afternoon.

Under everyone’s envious and expectant gazes, Bei Yao took a step back. Her voice was clear and clean, carrying on the evening breeze so many people heard it. She said: “Young Master Huo, I have a boyfriend.”

This statement stunned many people. The jeering voices suddenly stopped.

Huo Xu’s expression darkened.

He couldn’t tell if it was from not getting what he wanted or for some other reason.

Huo Xu said: “Having a boyfriend means you can break up. As long as you’re not married, I can wait.”

This statement sounded quite domineering at first—some girls had stars in their eyes.

Bei Yao laughed in anger, not bothering to hide her dislike: “This is the first time someone has been so self-righteous about being ‘the other man.’ Young Master Huo, have some self-respect.” Bei Yao kept her eyes straight ahead and went upstairs.

Qin Dongni gave a thumbs up: “Yaoyao, you’re amazing!” My god, Huo Xu’s face had turned almost green.

But this matter wasn’t over. The next day, someone spread the news that the campus belle had a boyfriend.

But it had been almost four years, and no one had seen Bei Yao dating anyone. The campus belle has a boyfriend—how could that be possible?

Everyone speculated about who it was. Some said: “That’s impossible, right? Most likely Bei Yao lied to reject Huo Xu’s pursuit.”

For a time, opinions varied.

~

Jinjiang Company headquarters.

Shao Yue was somewhat panicked, secretly calling Huo Xu: “A’Xu, you still haven’t won her over?”

Huo Xu was also very irritated: “No, she says she… has a boyfriend.”

When he said this, he didn’t notice his own tone. But Shao Yue heard the hidden unwillingness and loss within it.

Shao Yue was jealous!

Could it be that Huo Xu actually liked that Bei Yao? Hadn’t he said he’d love her for a lifetime? But what did love matter in the face of life and death!

Shao Yue suppressed her jealousy and said mournfully: “Think about it—the day we returned to the country, we had a car accident. Jiang Huaqiong, that crazy woman, won’t let us go. She’s been investigating what happened back then, convinced that you killed her son. I don’t want to die. Five years ago I did everything for you. I want to be with you for a lifetime.”

Hearing Shao Yue mention that difficult past, Huo Xu gritted his teeth: “Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you.”

Five years ago in B City, besides Shao Yue, Huo Xu had only contacted Bei Yao on rainy days.

Shao Yue had always been making sacrifices for him, even disfiguring herself for his sake. At that time, Huo Xu had sworn he wouldn’t let her fall into danger because of his older brother Huo Nanshan’s matter.

Only by being with Bei Yao and appearing fanatically in love with her could he temporarily divert Jiang Huaqiong’s attention, make Jiang Huaqiong uncertain about the truth from back then, and buy Shao Yue a chance at survival.

Huo Xu began investigating this “boyfriend” Bei Yao mentioned.

He had thought Bei Yao was just making an excuse, never expecting she actually had a boyfriend!

When the information was presented, Huo Xu’s expression was extremely ugly. Why would he lose to such a person… a disabled ex-convict!

Pei Chuan! The top scholar from four years ago—the news from back then could still be found.

Huo Xu knocked everything off the desk. His secretary stood trembling outside the door.

At that moment, Huo Xu probably didn’t realize that compared to cold calculation, his face showed more loss and anger.

You’d even accept a cripple—why won’t you like him? Why won’t you just look at him?

~

In April, the campus suddenly erupted with an earth-shattering piece of gossip!

Campus belle Bei Yao’s boyfriend was a man who went to prison right after high school! And he was a man without lower legs!

This rumor spread throughout campus in just a few days as if it had legs.

Some questioned: “No way, so many people are pursuing her—how could that be?”

Others believed: “Why not? Think about it—in previous years, because her boyfriend was in prison, no one saw him visit Bei Yao. Bei Yao herself recently admitted to having a boyfriend, so it’s probably true.”

When the camellia blossoms opened and Bei Yao passed by holding medical books, several girls covered their mouths and giggled.

Their voices weren’t quiet: “I thought the campus belle had such high standards, rejecting all kinds of suitors. Turns out she likes that type—should have said so earlier.”

Bei Yao pressed her lips together, clutching her books tightly.

She didn’t care about this gossip. In the past, she had thought about how when she and Pei Chuan went public one day, people with bad hearts would say terrible things. But hearing these people speak of Pei Chuan in such degrading tones still made her unable to help feeling angry.

Wang Qiankun had a hot temper. She immediately sneered: “Other people’s business is none of your damn concern! Some people have nasty mouths and are ugly too!”

The girl retorted: “Heh, no matter what, I’m not blind. We weren’t talking about you—why are you jumping around?”

Wang Qiankun cracked her knuckles loudly: “I just want to beat up people like you.”

However, before she could act, Bei Yao spoke coldly: “You say I like what kind? Explain clearly.”

The girl was somewhat afraid, but for the sake of face she wanted to say more—her companion pulled her away.

Wang Qiankun waved her fist at her retreating back: “Should give people like that a good beating.”

Bei Yao also wanted to take action, but she took a deep breath and shook her head: “Qiankun, let’s go back to class. There are too many… like this.”

Such people would never realize how evil their verbal violence was.

Sure enough, over the next few days, many people discussed this matter with disdain. Even if they beat each person individually, they couldn’t stop it—after all, mouths belonged to others. You could cover one person’s mouth but not everyone else’s.

In senior year of high school, when Pei Chuan’s leg situation was exposed, classmates had quietly cheered him on.

This time was different—he had an additional identity as a criminal.

An identity people were not forgiving about.

With someone pushing things behind the scenes, the rumors intensified. Some even said that Pei Chuan had been released but was an unemployed youth.

~

Jin Ziyang was furious when he heard about this: “Brother Chuan! Who’s so vicious? I’ll kill him.”

Pei Chuan sneered coldly: “It’s Huo Xu. Go ahead.”

Jin Ziyang: “…”

Pei Chuan had already gone to the research institute. When Jin Ziyang learned he was a scientist, he was utterly shocked. In this academic failure’s eyes, scientists were god-like existences.

But Jin Ziyang knew how amazing the reformed Brother Chuan was—others didn’t know!

Pei Chuan’s face was very calm, showing neither inferiority nor distress.

Jin Ziyang carefully observed: “You’re not angry?”

Outside they were saying such terrible things—things like cripple, toad, criminal…

Pei Chuan opened his computer and said calmly: “This is very good.”

He was indeed a toad, but he was determined to eat this swan meat.

Since childhood, hadn’t he heard enough gossip? Compared to Huo Xu’s investigation speed, Pei Chuan’s was faster.

He was a computer expert. This past month he hadn’t rested for a moment. Pei Chuan hadn’t tried to provide Zhao Zhilan with a penny of support, nor had he stopped the gossip from spreading.

Pei Chuan devoted himself entirely to investigating the Huo family’s past.

The results indeed held surprises.

His slender, cold fingers tapped on the keyboard, bringing up a photo of Shao Yue.

There were pictures of this woman secretly returning to the country, getting off the plane, and from five years ago. Of course, there were also two important figures: Jiang Huaqiong and Huo Nanshan.

Five years ago, Huo Nanshan died in B City. Huo family head Huo Ran and matriarch Jiang Huaqiong divorced, with Huo Ran covering for them as he sent his illegitimate son Huo Xu away.

Jiang Huaqiong couldn’t find the cause of Huo Nanshan’s death—the surveillance had long been erased, so naturally Pei Chuan couldn’t investigate it either. But this didn’t prevent Pei Chuan from deducing why Huo Xu was pursuing Bei Yao.

Jiang Huaqiong’s influence was very strong, and she was a crazed woman who had lost her son.

Huo Xu needed a human shield in Shao Yue!

Someone he’d met in B City who was beautiful enough, captivating enough, convincing enough to make Jiang Huaqiong believe in Huo Xu’s sincere love.

They had chosen Bei Yao.

Pei Chuan closed his eyes, forcing himself not to be angry. Anger wouldn’t solve the problem. He wanted Huo Xu and Shao Yue to pay the price, while keeping his own hands clean. And Pei Chuan also wanted… to use this matter to marry Bei Yao.

For parents everywhere, what could be more frightening and unbearable than someone harming their daughter?

He knew he was despicable. Rather than letting their daughter marry a physically whole man who would bring life-threatening danger, they would have no choice but to accept… himself, this cripple.

Pei Chuan organized all this information.

He wasn’t in a hurry. Wasn’t it just being ridiculed?

Pei Chuan was waiting for Huo Xu to become desperate and pressure Zhao Zhilan and Bei Licai.

~

The school rumors hadn’t yet died down when Huo Xu once again pursued Bei Yao on a grand scale. He sent everything—flowers, sports cars, houses—and worked hard to clear up the rumors and protect Bei Yao’s reputation.

Bei Yao accepted nothing.

Nothing worked. Because of her reflexive dislike of Huo Xu and the content on that piece of paper, Bei Yao had no good feelings toward him. No matter how well he performed, Bei Yao wouldn’t acknowledge him.

Her heart’s walls were very high. Whoever earned her affection, she could sincerely love for a lifetime.

Similarly, whoever she disliked, she was also very firm and unwavering.

Huo Xu gritted his teeth. Fine, you’re unwilling to accept me!

Your family will be willing! That greedy, useless uncle would definitely be willing.

And Bei Yao’s parents probably didn’t even know she was dating a freshly released, disabled man. Huo Xu thought that compared to such a man, everyone would definitely support Bei Yao being with him instead!

Unable to win Bei Yao’s favor and with no time left, he had to marry Bei Yao.

If they still didn’t agree to this, then what was wrong with forcing the marriage! His family wasn’t ordinary—half the Huo family now belonged to him. She had to marry!

Actually, sometimes he also thought that if he couldn’t openly marry Shao Yue, marrying Bei Yao… he actually didn’t reject the idea.

Huo Xu set off for C City.

No problem—he could first obtain her household registration book.

~

Pei Chuan smiled. He was truly glad Huo Xu thought this way.

In the afternoon, he closed his computer and called Bei Yao.

She still didn’t know anything.

Bei Yao had just woken from her afternoon nap, her voice somewhat hazy with a touch of softness: “Pei Chuan, are you done with your work?”

Pei Chuan said he had something important to do. Bei Yao guessed it was job hunting, and to protect her boyfriend’s self-esteem, she didn’t ask about his progress.

Pei Chuan said: “Not yet, but very soon.”

She blinked, not quite awake: “Oh.” Bei Yao was still drowsy.

Pei Chuan said softly: “I really like you, Yaoyao.” I love you very much.

She smiled: “Mm, I know.”

He said: “Don’t dislike me, okay?”

She nuzzled her pillow, softly saying: “Okay.”

He didn’t speak for a long time.

Until Bei Yao fell asleep again and he heard her steady breathing from the other end, only then did he say solemnly in a low voice: “I’ll treat you very well from now on.”

I won’t let you down for the rest of this life.

After the dust settles, please don’t despise me, don’t be angry.