In early June, C City gradually took on summer’s scorching heat. Word came that Huo Dinlin and Fang Mingjun were getting engaged.

The Huo family’s downfall hadn’t affected Huo Dinlin’s household. His family belonged to the civil servant class, so Mrs. Zhao Xiu was very happy about this engagement ceremony.

Bei Yao’s high fever gradually subsided. She felt somewhat melancholy: “In the end, Minmin still didn’t end up with Chen Yingqi. She clearly doesn’t like Huo Dinlin that much, so why is she getting engaged to him?”

By rights, as longtime neighbors and childhood playmates, the Bei family should attend.

But Pei Chuan was a very cautious person. At this time, he naturally wouldn’t let her go out.

“Your body hasn’t recovered yet. Once you’re better, I’ll take you to see her, alright?”

Bei Yao nodded. She knew the current situation was very severe and naturally wouldn’t object. Pei Chuan already bore enough pressure.

However, one June evening, Pei Chuan received a text message.

[Xiao Chuan, can Mom see you one last time?]

It was actually Jiang Wenjuan, long absent from his life.

Pei Chuan remained silent for a long time. Bei Yao was already asleep. He gently kissed her forehead, put on his clothes, and left.

C City in the evening had no beautiful, gorgeous neon lights, only dim, old streetlamps.

Pei Chuan’s memories of Jiang Wenjuan ended with that year in middle school when she said she was going on a business trip and never came back.

Whether it was Pei Haobin’s incident, Pei Chuan’s imprisonment, or later when Pei Chuan married, he’d never seen this woman again. The only connection was that card she’d given to Pei Haobin.

Jiang Wenjuan sat on a wooden bench in the lakeside park.

When Pei Chuan walked over, he spotted her at a glance. Compared to the Jiang Wenjuan who once wore an apron while cooking, she now looked very elegant—her hair dyed and permed, her clothing quite nice.

Seeing him arrive, Jiang Wenjuan froze.

How many years had it been?

From when Pei Chuan’s leg was severed at age four until now, her memory of her son had grown increasingly blurred. Until today, seeing the tall, upright man, Jiang Wenjuan suddenly felt somewhat heartbroken.

Pei Chuan said: “What’s the matter?”

He couldn’t say he hated Jiang Wenjuan. She’d carried him for ten months and given birth to him, had once suffered a mental breakdown over his leg, had cooked for him, washed his clothes, bathed him. Before leaving him, she couldn’t be called a bad mother. Jiang Wenjuan just wasn’t that strong.

Jiang Wenjuan stared at him blankly. Only after a long while did she lower her head: “Nothing much. I returned to C City and wanted to see you.”

Pei Chuan’s expression didn’t change: “You’ve seen me now. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go.”

After saying this, he turned to leave. Perhaps Jiang Wenjuan hadn’t expected that her once well-behaved, obedient son would be this heartless. She involuntarily chased after him a few steps: “Xiao Chuan!”

Pei Chuan turned back.

Jiang Wenjuan covered her mouth, tears glinting in her eyes: “Is Yaoyao good to you?”

Pei Chuan glanced at her: “Very good.”

“That’s good… that’s good…” Jiang Wenjuan seemed to cry and laugh simultaneously, her tone choked.

Pei Chuan said nothing. After a long while, he turned and continued walking back.

Pei Chuan frowned slightly. Actually, coming out this time, he was using himself as “bait.” Pei Chuan knew more clearly than Jiang Huaqiong that Huo Xu, driven to desperation, would stop at nothing.

Personally, he didn’t have Jiang Huaqiong and Huo Xu’s financial resources. Though his mind was sharp, theirs was long-accumulated wealth.

Huo Xu probably already knew where he and Bei Yao were, yet hadn’t made a move.

Most likely he feared Jiang Huaqiong, so he also hid very tightly. Jiang Wenjuan hadn’t contacted him in years, yet now suddenly said she wanted to see him. Pei Chuan instinctively thought it was Huo Xu’s conspiracy.

As long as Huo Xu lived another day, no one had more sense of crisis than Pei Chuan. Therefore, he’d rather risk coming out once. Even if Huo Xu attacked him, it was better than attacking Bei Yao.

But Jiang Wenjuan had done nothing. Even now, he hadn’t seen any of Huo Xu’s people.

The June night breeze carried some coolness. As Pei Chuan turned, he heard the sound of water splashing behind him.

Pei Chuan turned back.

Where Jiang Wenjuan had just stood was now empty. Pei Chuan strode over quickly.

On the lake surface, a woman was almost submerged by the water. So this was what Jiang Wenjuan meant by “one last time”…

The mother who’d once told him stories, who’d shed many tears for him.

Pei Chuan’s heart felt icy for an instant. He couldn’t swim. The next moment he reacted: “Come out and save her!”

Two or three men in black clothes hurried out from hiding. One jumped into the water to save Jiang Wenjuan.

Jiang Wenjuan was quickly rescued. She coughed desperately, yet tears wouldn’t stop flowing.

Pei Chuan stood in place. After a long while, he walked over and looked down: “Why did you jump in the lake?”

Jiang Wenjuan sobbed incoherently: “I’ve wronged you.”

Pei Chuan frowned.

But Jiang Wenjuan refused to say anything else.

Pei Chuan had a bad feeling. He ordered: “Take her to the hospital.”

He didn’t look at the crying Jiang Wenjuan again, rushing desperately toward home.

The lights at night flickered bright and dim. When the entire city entered darkness, he arrived at the place where he and Bei Yao were temporarily living.

The door was open.

Pei Chuan’s heart immediately sank. He clenched his fists tightly and rushed into the bedroom. The bed was empty.

Things in the living room had been disturbed. Several men came over covering their faces, their entire bodies injured: “They had guns.”

Pei Chuan closed his eyes.

By now, he forced himself to think calmly: “Send someone to notify Jiang Huaqiong that Huo Xu has shown himself.” Yet after only a moment, Pei Chuan said: “Never mind. All of you leave.”

Logically, Huo Xu wouldn’t be this reckless with his life. But he’d already committed kidnapping and obtained illegal firearms—apparently something had provoked him to make a firm decision.

These bodyguards had been beaten up, clearly retaliation for when Huo Xu had been beaten by thugs before.

The lead bodyguard said: “Boss, they left this for you.”

Pei Chuan opened the paper—

[No rush. The game has just begun. If you want to see Bei Yao, come alone tomorrow morning at nine to “Jumeng Villa.”]

Pei Chuan crushed the note. His mouth bled from where he’d bitten it.

For the first time, he deeply regretted wasting so many years in prison, leaving him now with insufficient capital to contend with people like Huo Xu and Jiang Huaqiong. He couldn’t contact Jiang Huaqiong. She could deal with Huo Xu, but she wouldn’t care about Bei Yao’s safety.

Someone like Huo Xu, driven into a corner, would most likely make Bei Yao go down with him.

Pei Chuan stayed calm for a long time, not closing his eyes all night.

After a long while, he dialed another number.

After making the call, he began working on software, working without pause, afraid that if he stopped, he’d think about Bei Yao.

*

When Bei Yao woke, she was in a white room. Confined with her were actually two other people.

Before losing consciousness, she’d inhaled some gas. Now groggy, she saw two people in the corner, both chained by the neck with iron chains.

An unfamiliar woman and a familiar-looking little boy.

The little boy was trembling all over, his mouth covered with tape.

Bei Yao called out uncertainly: “Pei Jiadong?”

The little boy was terrified, constantly crying. Yet Bei Yao still confirmed—the little boy was Cao Li and Pei Haobin’s son, also Pei Chuan’s half-brother.

Of the three people in the room, only Bei Yao was on a soft bed. The other woman’s mouth wasn’t taped, but her hateful gaze was quite blatant.

Bei Yao’s wrists and ankles were bound with soft fabric. The next moment, the room door opened.

All of them looked over simultaneously. Huo Xu walked in smiling, pushing a food cart.

It was late at night now.

He picked up a bowl of porridge. Without looking at Pei Jiadong and Shao Yue locked with chains in the corner, he walked to Bei Yao’s side, his tone very gentle: “You’re awake? Hungry? I’ll feed you some food.”

He sat on the bedside, bringing the spoon to Bei Yao’s lips.

Bei Yao retreated, turning her face away: “Huo Xu, what exactly are you doing?”

Huo Xu’s nerves were somehow struck. He suddenly grabbed her face: “Look at me! Look at me properly!”

Bei Yao was forced to look at him.

His eyes revealed some satisfied infatuation: “Yaoyao, yes, just like that, eyes containing only me. You actually liked me once, didn’t you? It’s just that I was too bad at first, had bad intentions, so you never looked at me.”

Bei Yao’s heart beat rapidly. She said nothing.

Huo Xu said: “Look, I’ve reformed. I no longer want to use you as Shao Yue’s shield. See that woman in the corner? If you’re unhappy, I’ll help you vent, alright?”

Hearing these words, Shao Yue began trembling but didn’t dare say a word.

So the person in the corner was Shao Yue. Bei Yao’s heart jumped fearfully. All along, the information she’d known was that Huo Xu deeply loved Shao Yue. But Shao Yue in the corner had tattered clothes, a gaunt face, her whole person cowering—clearly terrified.

Huo Xu picked up the bowl and continued: “I saw your diary. I know your secret, but don’t be afraid. You married me in your past life, didn’t you? I won’t treat you like that anymore. Now you’re the only one in my heart. Every night I dream of you, miss you, but it’s fine now—now you’re back by my side.”

Bei Yao’s breathing hitched slightly: “What are you saying?”

Huo Xu smiled: “I’m saying I know you should be my wife. I’ll take good care of you. Once Pei Chuan is dead, we’ll go abroad and live well together. Come, eat something first.”

Bei Yao felt his mental state wasn’t right. Her fingers trembled. Even Shao Yue feared Huo Xu this much—clearly this state had persisted a long time.

A man with massive wealth and an unstable mental state. She suppressed her fear, also suppressing her worry for Pei Chuan. Bei Yao had once read many psychology books for Pei Chuan’s sake. She knew someone like Huo Xu couldn’t be provoked further.

She smiled and said: “I’m not hungry yet. When I’m hungry, I’ll eat, alright?”

Huo Xu looked at her smile, very pleased: “Good. You can eat when you want to.”

Shao Yue in the corner bit down hard, a trace of indignant anger flowing from her eyes. She hadn’t eaten in a day. Yet Huo Xu eagerly trying to please Bei Yao clearly provoked her. She yanked the chain on her neck: “Ahhh, why don’t you all just die! I’ll kill you!”

Hearing her voice, Huo Xu’s brows and eyes instantly turned cold: “Noisy.”

He opened a cabinet in the room and took out a whip. Shao Yue immediately fell silent, trembling: “Don’t hit me, don’t hit me!”

However, next, Huo Xu viciously whipped her twice.

The little boy Pei Jiadong kept crying, cowering. Bei Yao was also shocked by this scene. She’d never imagined that the refined Huo Xu she’d met before had become like this in such a short time.

Bei Yao controlled herself to stop trembling.

Huo Xu came over, saying ingratiatingly: “I won’t let her curse you. No one can bully you.”

Bei Yao forced a smile: “Thank you.” She also controlled herself not to look at little Jiadong in the corner, afraid Huo Xu’s emotions would also turn on Pei Jiadong.

Huo Xu moved close to Bei Yao, carefully examining her face.

After a long while, he leaned in to kiss her.

Bei Yao’s heart tightened. Unable to bear it, she instinctively retreated.

Huo Xu’s expression changed, looking somewhat ugly.

He wanted to lose his temper, but realizing this was the person he’d been yearning for day and night, he forcibly suppressed it and smiled: “It’s fine. Once Pei Chuan is dead, we’ll have plenty of time. Time is almost up. I’ll treat you all to a show.”

He clicked the remote. A surveillance image appeared on the screen before them.

In the June mountains, Pei Chuan’s figure appeared in the surveillance.

Following Huo Xu’s requirements, he’d climbed the mountain alone on foot, now somewhat disheveled. Yet the man’s posture was upright, his voice very calm: “Huo Xu, I came. Where’s Yaoyao?”

Huo Xu glanced at Bei Yao beside him and also sealed her mouth with tape before calling Pei Chuan. The phone on the table rang. Pei Chuan went to answer it.

Pei Chuan heard Huo Xu’s voice on the other end: “Let’s not talk about Yaoyao first. Let’s talk about what you’ve done to me during this time working with Jiang Huaqiong. Without you, I wouldn’t have reached this point today. Yet what gives you the right? A cripple—where do you get the confidence to fight me?”

Pei Chuan didn’t get angry. He observed the surrounding environment.

A confined location would make movement very inconvenient. He frowned imperceptibly. The only fortunate thing was this place was quite far—Huo Xu hadn’t been with Yaoyao long.

Huo Xu said: “Today I’ve prepared three multiple-choice questions for you. As long as one person chooses you, you can go back alive.”

“First question: I had your mother, Ms. Jiang Wenjuan, make a choice—lure her own son out, or let her current husband get hurt. Obviously, she didn’t choose you. So I successfully took Bei Yao. Yaoyao was quite cute when sleeping—too bad you, this waste, didn’t protect her well.”

Pei Chuan’s face was very calm. He pressed his lips together.

“Second question—I’ll let you hear it directly.”

Huo Xu dialed a number. A middle-aged man’s anxious voice immediately came through: “Who are you? Where did you take my son?”

Huo Xu switched on a voice changer: “Pei Haobin, don’t worry. I just want to give you a gift.”

Huo Xu tore the tape off Pei Jiadong’s mouth. Pei Jiadong cried out: “Daddy save me, Daddy… mmph.”

Huo Xu taped it back. He smiled: “You have two sons—Pei Chuan and Pei Jiadong are both here with me. This gift is simple too. Do you want to preserve Pei Jiadong’s legs, or preserve Pei Chuan’s hands? I’ll give you one minute. Think it over carefully and tell me your answer.”

In the June mountains, a thin mist descended.

Bei Yao’s eyes widened, tears slowly seeping out.

Pei Chuan in the surveillance remained silent.

Everywhere was very quiet.

Only the speakers everywhere were hoarse with some anxiety. Pei Chuan seemed to instantly return to that summer when he was four, to that scorching day. They’d said it was because of his father that he’d ended up there.

“One minute is up. Pei Haobin, tell me your answer. If you choose neither, then their hands and feet will be sent to your home simultaneously. This scene isn’t unfamiliar, is it?”

“I choose!”

Pei Chuan closed his eyes.

“Don’t hurt Jiadong.” Pei Haobin was very distressed. Cao Li was also crying on his end.

Huo Xu hung up laughing loudly: “Pei Chuan, unfortunately, your parents didn’t choose you.”

Pei Chuan said coldly: “Whatever you want to do, say it directly. No need to play these games.”

“No, no.” Huo Xu moved his wrist. “When you schemed with Jiang Huaqiong against me and married Yaoyao, why didn’t you play fewer games? I’m just using your own methods against you. You haven’t seen the most exciting question yet. How can it end? For the last question, I’ll have Yaoyao make a choice.”

“See the box in front of you? Look carefully. Inside is Yaoyao’s notebook from long ago.”

Pei Chuan frowned. He opened the box and immediately saw that yellowed notebook. Unfamiliar yet familiar handwriting—pencil writing that seemed very labored.

Pei Chuan looked at it. For an instant, the world felt empty and hollow.

Many memories suddenly became vivid. In 1996, there was a hailstorm. After the hail, that little pink-cheeked girl was no longer afraid of him and began approaching him. For Pei Chuan, those were unforgettable days, which was why he remembered them so clearly.

Huo Xu said: “You know what? When I first saw it, I also found it unbelievable. But then I thought—the most impossible things in this world are sometimes also the most reasonable. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she look at me even once when I pursued her, yet she’d willingly marry you, a cripple? Think carefully—which year did Yaoyao start being good to you?”

Pei Chuan’s knuckles turned white: “Enough. I don’t believe it.”

“Don’t believe it? Then let’s have Yaoyao make a choice. Who should I compare you to? Let me think…” Huo Xu said. “As her former benefactor, whose position can you compare to? Her mother, father, or younger brother?”