"This isn’t a compliment; it’s my true feelings, Zhou Ting. In this lifetime, I’ll treat you as my own daughter. If Xiaojue mistreats you in any way, I will punish him severely..."

Huang Xiaojue quietly closed his eyes and lay down, as if nothing had happened.

In his life, he once believed he could protect her, marry her, have children with her... and lead a quiet life. But in the end, he couldn’t protect anything at all. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

If I can’t make you happy, then I will never bring you any pain again.

Xixi, if you can have a better life at Harvard, that would be the greatest consolation for me.

The weather spiraled out of control; the temperature suddenly surged to 40 degrees. Experts clamored daily that the temperature had shattered the historical record, only for it to be broken again the next day.

It hadn’t rained for a whole month. The city was scorched day by day, the dry air thick with dust. Every evening, gigantic water trucks would thunder past, attempting to settle the swirling dust in the city.

The taxi stopped in front of the boutique. Xu Xiaoya had been waiting at the entrance, looking around anxiously. As soon as she saw Yan Xixi, she breathed a sigh of relief, but then looked somewhat surprised.

"Xixi, why didn’t you drive?"

The ultra-luxury sports car was gone. Yan Xixi’s attire had also undergone a significant change. Previously, she dressed meticulously every day, selecting the most extravagant clothes. Today, however, she was strikingly plain: makeup-free, in a T-shirt and jeans, with a casual pair of sandals.

She replied nonchalantly, "Taking a taxi is more convenient."

Xu Xiaoya looked thoughtful but didn’t press further.

"Has business at the store returned to normal recently?"

"Much better. No one has come to cause trouble anymore."

Xu Xiaoya still looked a bit worried. "Do you think Yang Wei will go to jail? Will he hold a grudge and continue to cause trouble?"

Yan Xixi paused. People are most afraid of being incited. If no one had incited him, Yang Wei would have long since vanished from my world. But now, he has to go to jail.

I have to do this one last small thing for Huang Xiaojue—even if it’s just for my own peace of mind.

Xu Xiaoya had also lost a significant amount of weight due to various anxieties. Yan Xixi reassured her, "I’ve already inquired. Yang Wei and Wang Xiaohao will likely both serve some time. Don’t worry; they won’t come to trouble us anymore."

Xu Xiaoya sighed in relief.

"What about the Third Young Master? Has he contacted you?"

Yan Xixi didn’t answer; she didn’t know what to say.

Just as she sat down in the office, her phone screen lit up. She saw numerous messages sent since morning, all jokes and the like.

"I once liked a girl, but she didn’t like me. She said the kind of man she liked was one who, when he drove on the road, everyone else kept their distance. She felt such men exuded dominance. Last month, she got married. Fulfilling her wish, her husband drives a water truck."

Recalling the thundering water trucks on the road, Yan Xixi’s lips curved into a smile.

It had been so long, yet she finally felt she could laugh out loud again.

"Xixi, take a look at the recent reports. The overall turnover in the last three months has been significantly decreasing, with last month hitting an all-time low. However, there’s been a gradual improvement over the last half-month. It’s still not up to par with the same period last year, but I think with the upcoming promotions, we should be able to make a comeback this year..."