Ten minutes later, Sun Mengmeng, carrying two protective talismans, walked out of Wuliang Hall with a spring in her step.
Xiao Churan was still standing outside, lost in thought, not noticing Sun Mengmeng until she approached.
Sun Mengmeng leaned in, feigning curiosity, “Director Xiao? What’s on your mind?”
Snapping back to reality, Xiao Churan stammered, “Oh, nothing… nothing. Are you done?”
“All done!” Sun Mengmeng nodded happily, waving the talismans in her hand, “I got them. Let’s head back! Can I hitch a ride with you?”
“Sure,” Xiao Churan agreed readily, though she still seemed distracted. Her heart was filled with shock, confusion, and pain. All she wanted was to get back to the company, lock herself in her office, and have some quiet time alone.
On the drive back, Xiao Churan kept zoning out, nearly causing several minor accidents if not for Sun Mengmeng’s reminders.
They returned to the company without incident, and Xiao Churan headed straight to her office. An admin approached, asking, “Director Xiao, what time’s the meeting today?”
Xiao Churan waved her hand, looking troubled, “You handle the meeting today, I won’t be joining. I’m not feeling well, so make decisions where you can. If you can’t, hold off for now and don’t disturb me.”
The admin, sensing her low mood, quickly replied, “Alright, Director Xiao, you rest in your office. I’ll let everyone know to keep things quiet today. If anything comes up, just message me on WeChat.”
Xiao Churan nodded. The admin was perceptive, so she said, “Thanks for your help.”
Then, she hurried to her office alone and locked the door.
The moment the door was locked, Xiao Churan’s tears burst forth.
Her bright, captivating eyes were like a string of sparkling crystal necklaces, with large tears streaming down in a line.
Her heart ached unbearably, as if an invisible hand was squeezing it tightly, causing physical pain and spasms in her chest.
She felt utterly drained, her legs weak. Leaning against the door, she slid to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Xiao Churan recalled a joke Ye Chen had once made, asking what she would do if she found out he’d been deceiving her all along and was actually a super-rich tycoon.
Back then, she’d said she’d leave him without hesitation.
At the time, she thought he was just teasing, never imagining that his playful question came from the heart.
In truth, she didn’t want to leave him.
Over the years, with him by her side, she had truly felt cared for. She’d even wavered, wondering if she should listen to her mother and have a child with Ye Chen, building a family of three, or even four.
But now, she faced not only Ye Chen’s deception but also his parents’ murderer and his reckless path of revenge.
What could she do but leave him?
Though she loved him, she couldn’t hold him back.
Moreover, this was a matter of life and death. No matter what, she had to clear the way for Ye Chen, letting him pursue his goal without worries.
But what about the future?
If she left Ye Chen, would they ever see each other again?
At this thought, she choked through tears, “Ye Chen, it doesn’t matter if we never meet again, but you must survive! Promise me, you must complete your revenge and return to the public as the young master of the Ye family. Whether you still care for this insignificant Xiao family daughter won’t matter. You’ve suffered so much hardship, exhaustion, discrimination, and grievance in the Xiao family. If you never want to see me again, I can accept that. Just please, you must survive…”
…
