010 Impersonating a Lifesaver

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Xia Jing felt a surge of panic within her. “Put me down! What are you going to do? I want to see Shen Zhihan! If Shen Zhihan finds out you’re treating me like this, you won’t have a good ending!”

The bodyguard drove ahead while another, annoyed by her noise, forcibly gagged her with a rag from the car.

Xia Jing struggled desperately, but the bodyguard swiftly struck her with the edge of his hand, knocking her unconscious. Suddenly, the world fell silent.

Pain woke Xia Jing as she was thrown to the ground.

Shen Zhihan stood with his back to her, gazing at something unknown.

They were in an abandoned factory, far from any sign of life.

Fear crept over Xia Jing as the bodyguard removed the rag from her mouth and respectfully reported, “Director Shen, the person has been brought here.”

Her voice trembled. “Shen Zhihan, if you like me, if you want to be with me, I promise—I won’t let you hurt me. You love me, don’t you? To love someone is to support them, not to cause them pain. Shen Zhihan, I—I actually like you too, but I’m afraid you aren’t sincere. Shen Zhihan…”

Shen Zhihan turned around, his gaze colder than ever before. Each step he took toward her felt like a blow to her heart, making her tremble uncontrollably.

As he drew near, hope filled her face. “Zhihan…”

But Shen Zhihan reached out and yanked the necklace forcefully from around her neck. Xia Jing cried out in pain, “Ah!”

She touched her neck, now stained with blood. “Zhihan, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me! Zhihan, didn’t you like me? Zhihan…”

She tried to grab him, but he brushed her off.

Xia Jing fell to the ground, her eyes filled with sorrow, pleading silently.

Shen Zhihan looked at her with icy disdain. “Like? Love you? Who gave you that illusion? How dare you pretend to be my savior?”

Xia Jing shook her head desperately. “No, no, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He stepped forward and cruelly pressed his foot down on her hand.

“Oh? Then tell me—what did you do sixteen years ago? Speak! You can’t, can you?”

No wonder she always dodged details. Xia Jing didn’t know what Ouyang Zhi had fed him during those ten days, but he remembered every bit clearly, never daring to forget.

Shen Zhihan’s psychological report diagnosed severe depression with suicidal tendencies.

It was Ouyang Zhi who told him to earn more money—she loved money above all—and that he would owe her a fortune in return.

Later, when Xia Jing appeared wearing that necklace, he catered to her every request—money, projects, anything.

Beyond that, there was nothing.

Eventually, Xia Jing said she would just disappear.

If that was what the little sun wished for, then so be it.

No one knew that Shen Zhihan should have died that summer sixteen years ago.

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The day he met Ouyang Zhi, he had one last glance at the sunlight filtering through the window and was ready to end his life with a rope. Then she appeared.

She stared into his lifeless, numb eyes and gasped, “Hey, are you a ghost or a person?”

She came uninvited.

He hadn’t heard a normal human voice in ages. He thought, maybe he’d wait until tomorrow to die. If she didn’t come tomorrow, then he would.

But she came. Day after day. Until she vanished.

“Zhihan, you hurt me,” Xia Jing whimpered, forcing herself to sound coquettish despite the pain.

Shen Zhihan gave her a cold glance and signaled the bodyguards.

They slapped her several times. “Are you worthy to call our Director Shen by name?”

Xia Jing trembled with fear. She wished Xia Kexuan were here.

Shen Zhihan stared seriously at the blood-stained necklace.

He took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the blood.

“Aren’t you going to speak?”

“I—I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything. This necklace—I had someone buy it for me. That’s all I did. Really!”

Following Xia Kexuan’s advice, she had gone to great lengths to find Ouyang Zhi.

Ouyang Zhi had cancer and needed treatment.

Xia Jing bought the necklace from her for five thousand yuan.

Ouyang Zhi eventually gave up treatment due to lack of money, unaware that the necklace was priceless to Shen Zhihan.

If she had kept that necklace and faced Shen Zhihan, he would have given her his entire fortune.

This matched what Shen Zhihan had discovered: Ouyang Zhi, desperate for money, sold the necklace for five thousand yuan.

Shen Zhihan turned and left, leaving Xia Jing stranded in this desolate place.

Xia Jing was terrified. “Director Shen, don’t leave me here. Director Shen, I was wrong. I just loved you too much.”

Shen Zhihan scoffed softly.

Yes, loved him too much—loved his money too much.

That’s why she kept hinting for him to disappear, to die!

Back in the car, Shen Zhihan ordered Yu Feng, “From now on, crush the Xia family with everything you have. I want to see them bankrupt.”

Yu Feng replied, “Yes, Director Shen.”

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They obeyed Shen Zhihan without question.

At this moment, in the Ming’an villa—

An’an suddenly woke up.

She sat up and found herself in a soft, fragrant, and comfortable bed. Immediately, she happily flopped back down.

Ah, the bed! She had arrived!

An’an lay contentedly, paddling her hands and feet as if rowing a boat.

“Am I dreaming?” she murmured to herself. She had never even dared to dream of sleeping in such a beautiful room, on such a soft bed.

She pinched her little cheek. Ouch! That hurt!

After lingering in bed a while longer, she hopped down and went looking for Shen Zhihan.

He wasn’t in the room.

She went downstairs, where Butler Liu sat on the sofa, listening to a novel on his tablet.

An’an tiptoed barefoot, making no sound. Butler Liu didn’t notice her.

She sneaked behind him and caught a snippet from the tablet: “Miss Lin is pregnant. Carrying the child, she fled overnight. Boss Liu immediately ordered a search—digging up the earth if necessary to find that woman. Pregnant with my child, and she thinks she can escape? He chases her, but she can’t take flight…”

An’an approached Butler Liu, eyes wide and innocent. “Grandpa Butler, what bedtime story are you listening to? I don’t understand.”

Butler Liu was engrossed in the story and was startled by the small voice. His face flushed as he quickly paused the novel and coughed lightly. “That’s a story for grown-ups. It’s normal you don’t understand. An’an, you’re awake? Want some afternoon tea?”

An’an’s mouth moved, curiosity piqued. “Grandpa Butler, what’s afternoon tea?”

It was a natural question, though unexpected. Butler Liu explained, “Afternoon tea is a little snack or dessert eaten between lunch and dinner to fill your stomach and replenish energy. Today, there are taro balls with sago pudding and some desserts in the fridge for you. Want to try?”

“Okay, okay!” An’an didn’t know what it was exactly, but it sounded wonderful.

She clapped her hands happily, her smile radiant—such a sweet little fan.

Butler Liu felt a pang of sadness. If An’an had grown up in a normal family, she would have been a hundred or even ten thousand times brighter.

At the dining table, An’an's mouth fell open.

Is this what “a little” means?

The table was piled high with exquisite cakes and desserts. She was dazzled, unsure where to start.

Suddenly, she asked, “Grandpa Butler, did Daddy have afternoon tea? I didn’t see Daddy. Where did he go?”