What met her eyes was a familiar face, still that extremely handsome cold face.

But Xue Jiao already had some understanding of this person, knowing that beneath that cold exterior was an adorable personality.

Xue Jiao’s eyes were red from crying, looking exactly like a white little rabbit. Lin Zhihua was standing, and she saw him holding his chin high, her small tear-stained face exposed to his gaze.

Seeing that she didn’t take the handkerchief, Lin Zhihua reached out and gently wiped away her tears.

“A girl’s tears are pearls. What sadness made you discard even your pearls?” His face was cold, but Xue Jiao heard gentleness in his voice.

She sniffled and quickly shook her head.

Lin Zhihua put away his handkerchief and brought out his other hand from behind his back. It was a panda doll holding bamboo—the one from the claw machine…

Xue Jiao was stunned.

“This is for you.” As he spoke, he sat down beside Xue Jiao. The man wearing an expensive suit casually sat down on the steps by the water pool.

For some reason, Xue Jiao accepted it: “Thank you…”

Holding this beloved doll, her heart suddenly felt at ease.

“So, can you tell me what happened?” His tone was casual.

A handsome face looked at her, black ink-like eyes gazing directly at her.

She wasn’t completely alone after all… she had… a friend.

“The home I live in doesn’t belong to me. My only mother doesn’t trust me, doesn’t protect me, and my second aunt and cousin practically wish I would fall into hell…” Xue Jiao opened her mouth, unable to resist confiding in this “stranger.”

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Since coming to this world, Xue Jiao has tried her best to live as Gu Xue Jiao. Like Gu Xue Jiao, she also longed for family affection.

Over the past month, she had pleasant moments with Li Sitong, and would crouch before her and softly say—I will become your pride.

The more she had hoped then, the more painful it was now.

Lin Zhihua quietly waited for her to finish, then said: “I’ll say it again—the more you care, the more it will hurt you. The reason you feel heartbroken is simply because your mother is someone you care about. A knife from your closest person strikes directly at your heart. Xue Jiao, if you stop caring, you won’t feel hurt.”

He paused, and softly added: “There will be someone who protects you.”

Xue Jiao hugged her knees and rested her head on them.

“How can there be such relatives?”

Lin Zhihua looked at the top of her head and said softly: “For certain reasons, my parents once seriously hurt me too. My relatives schemed against me, each wanting only benefits. My grandfather conspired with his youngest son to murder me.”

Lin Zhihua spoke lightly, but his words shocked Xue Jiao into turning around.

Murder…

Xue Jiao was stunned. Compared to Lin Zhihua, she suddenly felt that what she had experienced seemed like nothing.

“You…” Xue Jiao opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.

“But I don’t feel bad about it, not at all.” Lin Zhihua truly didn’t feel anything. His emotions were naturally mild, especially toward people whose intentions he already knew, so he didn’t feel sad at all.

He would simply cut off each claw reaching for him!

But clearly, Xue Jiao didn’t think this way. In her previous life, she had no family affection; it was something beautiful to her.

She had expectations, so she felt heartbroken.

Lin Zhihua’s experience only made her feel that this man before her must have been very hurt at that time.

“Sir…” She opened her mouth, her eyes full of concern, “Don’t be sad. From now on, we’ll love ourselves…”

Her voice was soft, filled with sincerity and sympathy.

Lin Zhihua’s heart softened, and he couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly, a warmth filling his chest.

This was a feeling he had never experienced before. His heart, which had never been stirred before, now felt slightly warm.

This feeling was so wonderful that he wanted to embrace the small red-eyed girl before him and take her home. From then on, her care and concern would be only for him.

Lin Zhihua restrained himself and reached out to gently pat her head: “Little girl, emotions are very complex things. On one hand, you feel your mother loves you; on the other, you feel she hurts you. Blood-related mother and daughter—you can’t let go, yet you feel wronged.”

“You wonder why she can’t be better, or why she can’t just be completely bad. Most people who suffer in family relationships feel this way.”

Xue Jiao was stunned.

Yes, that was exactly how she felt. If Li Sitong were good to her, she would sincerely accept her. If she weren’t good to her, she should just be completely bad, allowing her to cut ties.

Feeling the trembling sensation as her black hair slipped through his fingertips, Lin Zhihua’s fingers quivered slightly. His eyes narrowed as he continued: “So, girl, I’d rather you didn’t care. This is an issue without right or wrong. Such things have happened before and might happen again. If you don’t care, no matter how many knives come, they won’t hurt you.”

Xue Jiao didn’t speak, biting her lower lip slightly, then nodding firmly.

Lin Zhihua’s gaze moved to her pearl-like teeth biting her lower lip. His eyes darkened, and he quickly withdrew his hand: “Girl, are you still going to cry?”

“I stopped long ago! I was just momentarily upset. I don’t usually cry!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lin Zhihua said with a half-smile.

Xue Jiao widened her eyes: “Yes! Today was an exception!”

“Then you’d better not let me see you cry again.” I would feel heartache.

“I won’t!”

“By the way, sir, what do you do for work?” Xue Jiao asked curiously.

Lin Zhihua raised an eyebrow: “Are you sure you still want to be so formal?”

Xue Jiao was taken aback, slowly exhaled, and pronounced that name: “Lin Zhihua.”

“Mmm.” Lin Zhihua’s mouth curved slightly upward as he nodded.

“You still haven’t said what you do?”

“Me? I’m in business.”

Xue Jiao’s mouth opened wide: “Ah? I wouldn’t have guessed!”

“What part of me doesn’t look like it?” Lin Zhihua raised an eyebrow, eyes half-closed as he looked at her.

“Businessmen usually seem more amiable, but you’re so…”

“Not all businessmen are amiable. I’m fine the way I am.” Lin Zhihua rubbed his fingers, shifting his gaze forward.

Xue Jiao nodded. She thought that with Lin Zhihua’s stern face and so much free time, his business must not be very large, so she dropped the topic.

“Lin Zhihua, thank you.”

“For what?” Lin Zhihua shifted his gaze back to her, his expression naturally intimidating, his eyes looking as if they would draw her in.

This time Xue Jiao didn’t avert her gaze but said sincerely: “Really, thank you. Though it might be presumptuous, I still want to say that you are my only friend.”

Lin Zhihua was stunned for a moment: “Friend?”

“Mmm, Lin Zhihua, would you mind being friends with someone of a different generation?”

Friends of different generations?!

Lin Zhihua was shocked. He… he was that old?!!!

“Hahaha—” Xue Jiao burst into laughter, “I’m just teasing you. You only look two or three years older!”

Lin Zhihua: “…” That was even more hurtful.

Xue Jiao put away her smile and looked at him gently—

“You’re more like a big brother to me…”

Lin Zhihua’s lips, which were about to curve upward, froze.

“…” Great, now he was completely crushed.

“Thank you!!!” Xue Jiao raised her voice, then stood up, “I should go back now. Goodbye!”

“I’ll take you…”

Xue Jiao had already run a few steps. She turned back with a radiant smile: “No need! Bye!!!”

The small figure gradually ran away. Lin Zhihua watched her back, smiling slightly.

What should he do?

He wanted to take her back and keep this girl by his side all the time.

——

Lin Corporation.

“Mr. Lin!” Chen Yan stood at the main entrance and immediately came forward when he saw his car.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes, we’ve already notified them that the meeting will be delayed by half an hour.” Chen Yan looked at his watch, “Now all the managers have returned to the conference room.”

“Mm, let’s start the meeting.” Lin Zhihua strode forward.

Chen Yan hurriedly followed, glancing at Lin Zhihua from the corner of his eye: “Boss… that half hour… was it for something important?”

“Mm.”

His single sound indicated that the matter was important.

Chen Yan was bewildered.

He kept Lin Zhihua’s schedule, and having followed him for so many years, virtually everything passed through his hands.

Moreover, the boss prioritized work above all else. What could postpone a general meeting besides work matters?

But… how could there be work matters he didn’t know about?

Chen Yan couldn’t figure it out but didn’t dare ask further.

The two walked to the private elevator. At that moment, a girl dressed beautifully and innocently rushed down the stairs beside them, deliberately stumbling to fall toward Lin Zhihua.

He immediately stepped back, causing her to lunge at empty air.

“Boss…” the girl opened her mouth timidly.

Lin Zhihua interrupted her: “I don’t want to see this person at Lin Corporation any more. Whoever recruited her, deduct this month’s salary and half-year bonus. Whoever trained her, deduct one month’s salary and the full-year bonus.”

After coldly saying this, he strode forward.

Chen Yan gave the girl a cold look. If she had tried other methods to approach the boss, it might have been acceptable, but to try to touch the boss—she truly had a death wish!

He had followed Lin Zhihua since he took over Lin Corporation and had never seen him get close to any girl.

No, wait… maybe there was one?

“Boss! I was wrong! Don’t fire me—” The girl sobbed loudly, tears streaming down.

Lin Zhihua entered the elevator. As the doors closed, his gaze met the girl’s tear-stained face without any reaction.

As for his words that a girl’s tears are pearls—

Oh, why should he care? They weren’t his pearls.

——

When Xue Jiao returned, the Cheng house was quiet, but surprisingly, everyone from the Cheng family was there.

She calmly pushed open the door, changed her shoes, and remained silent.

“Wuwuwu, Mingjiao’s knee is still bruised. Don’t we parents know our child’s character? She must have just been confused and said the wrong thing! Besides, didn’t Gu Xue Jiao already beat her up?” Liu Yazhen cried while pulling Mingjiao.

“Shut up!” Cheng Kai, the second Cheng brother, shouted at Liu Yazhen.

The old master and old madam looked displeased. They valued face, and regardless of who was right or wrong in this incident, it had completely disgraced their Cheng family.

“Impressive, one cursing, one hitting!” Old Madam Bai Xiumei said coldly.

Li Sitong didn’t speak, but since Gu Xue Jiao entered, she had walked over, wanting to take her schoolbag, with a slightly ingratiating smile on her face.

Her hand extended then retracted, extended then retracted again, her face full of awkwardness and unease.

Xue Jiao avoided her gesture and went upstairs directly.

“Jiaojiao, wait a moment.” Cheng Shuo called to her, smiling kindly and patting the sofa beside him. “Come sit here.”

Xue Jiao lowered her head slightly, and bit her lower lip, but still walked over.

This stepfather was truly good to Gu Xue Jiao, treating both children fairly and being reasonable. She didn’t want to disrespect him.

“Mom, Dad, since you’re here, I don’t need to go to the old house to find you. You already know what happened. Jiaojiao’s actions barely count as hitting Mingjiao, but Mingjiao was truly excessive.” Cheng Shuo stroked Gu Xue Jiao’s head with one hand while looking at the elderly couple.

“Big brother!” Liu Yazhen raised her voice, “Mingjiao was just momentarily confused and said something without thinking, but Gu Xue Jiao kicked Mingjiao!”

She appeared very angry, as if deeply offended.

Cheng Kai’s expression changed slightly. Of course, he cared for his daughter, but the words his daughter said this time were indeed harsh…

The old master was still reasonable, glaring at Cheng Mingjiao: “Mingjiao, apologize! Apologize to your aunt and cousin.”

Cheng Mingjiao bit her lower lip, looking at everyone with teary eyes. Her gaze swept over Gu Xue Jiao and faltered slightly.

She! She absolutely could not apologize!

She wouldn’t lose to Gu Xue Jiao!

Liu Yazhen also exclaimed: “Why should she?! At most, both are at fault, but Mingjiao was injured! How can you ask Mingjiao to apologize to Gu Xue Jiao?!”

“Apologize!” Cheng Kai roared angrily. Cheng Mingjiao lowered her head and refused to speak.

Cheng Kai was furious and stood up menacingly.

Old Madam Bai Xiumei sighed slightly and stopped twirling her cane: “Alright, Second Son, don’t get angry. Don’t frighten the child.”

She looked at Cheng Mingjiao: “Mingjiao ranked eighteenth in the grade this time? Good, good, keep up the effort, continue working hard, and try to approach your brother Mingze’s level.”

“Mm—” Cheng Mingjiao made a low sound.

Bai Xiumei then looked at Xue Jiao: “Jiaojiao, I heard you passed all subjects this time. That’s a significant improvement, but there’s still room for growth. Keep up the good work and improve a bit more.”

Xue Jiao passing all her exams was indeed a big improvement, but compared to Cheng Mingjiao, it suddenly seemed much weaker.

Liu Yazhen’s proud tail was about to curl up: “I heard that many students in Mingjiao’s class had declining grades, yet Mingjiao’s ranking still improved. That’s quite remarkable!”

Bai Xiumei nodded with a smile and said: “Yes, it’s quite difficult for both. Both children have been working hard. This incident was just an accident. You two should apologize to each other, shake hands, and makeup. In the future, Mingjiao can help Jiaojiao with her studies, and you can work hard together.”

Liu Yazhen didn’t speak this time. The old lady’s approach seemed fair.

Cheng Mingjiao thought the same. As long as she wasn’t the only one apologizing, it wouldn’t count as losing.

She mentally pouted but agreed with this approach.

“I won’t apologize.” Xue Jiao, who hadn’t spoken since returning, suddenly spoke up, startling everyone to turn toward her.

Xue Jiao’s face still showed no expression as she calmly said: “If it happened again, I would still hit Cheng Mingjiao if she said such things. So I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I did nothing wrong, so I won’t apologize. But Cheng Mingjiao, if you did nothing wrong, would you still call me and my mother vixens if it happened again?”

She smirked coldly: “And it wasn’t a slip of the tongue, was it? You’ve always disrespected us like this.”

Author’s note: To Xue Jiao:

Lin Zhihua (gently): A girl’s tears are pearls. Don’t cry, it makes me heartache.

To others:

Lin Zhihua (coldly): Oh, they’re not my pearls.