Just when Lin Zhiyu was being bombarded by a crowd of reporters, a noblewoman walked gracefully to the sofa and sat down in a grand luxury villa in distant Country M.
She elegantly picked up a cup of black tea served in traditional Chinese blue-and-white porcelain and took a sip.
“I didn’t expect my son would finally come to his senses. I thought he’d insist on giving Ruan Jiaojiao a grand funeral as his fiancée.”
“Master Marceau has long stopped loving Miss Ruan. Madam, you haven’t spoken to Master Marceau in quite some time,” the butler beside her responded respectfully.
“I was shocked and heartbroken when he rushed to State F to save Ruan Jiaojiao and went head-to-head with that madman Hortes. How could I continue to have high expectations for a son who cares nothing for his safety and thinks only of women—women like Ruan Jiaojiao?” The lady spoke, raising her eyebrows slightly as her gaze shifted.
“But I never imagined that my lovesick son would become so clever, even enough to fool me.”
“Yes, now everyone says the young master is very affectionate and honorable. Also, after he publicly apologized to Chinese scholar Lin Zhiyu, people say he is not only loving but also just,” the butler replied dutifully.
“But it’s too late,” the lady said as she placed the cup down, her gaze turning icy. “Our dealings with China have already been affected.”
Marceau’s mother held only disdain and bitterness for Ruan Jiaojiao and Marceau…
At this moment, Marceau’s own opinion of Ruan Jiaojiao was no better than his mother’s. Over the past few months, he had realized how Ruan Jiaojiao had deceived and manipulated him.
When he thought about how she had disrespected him and made him look foolish, while he’d treated her as pure, innocent, and precious, he could barely stand the memory.
He would never give that deceitful and cruel woman a grand burial.
Publicly, Marceau announced that he would return Ruan Jiaojiao to her beloved home, but in reality, he had her body dumped into a deep trench where sunlight hardly ever reached.
Such a place suited Ruan Jiaojiao perfectly.
As for the bodies of the other Ruan family members and Hortes, they had long since rotted and decomposed on the land of State F, eventually entering the septic tank along with countless flies and maggots.
From then on, there were no more Ruan family members in this world.
There was no trace of the original world’s logic remaining.
No matter how much Ruan Jiaojiao had cursed Lin Zhiyu before her death or how much she had prayed for world consciousness to restore her to her former status, it was all in vain.
In the end, she realized that Hortes was the one who loved her most.
If she could live her life over, she would dedicate herself entirely to Hortes, and together they would stand at the top of the world, noble and powerful, defeating all who crossed her path, especially Lin Zhiyu, Xie Youzhou, and anyone else who had dared to harm her.
Unfortunately, the world consciousness was gone, and could no longer hear her pleas.
She would never become the heroine of a Mary Sue romance again.
*
“Hua Yutang, why did you return to China?!” At the entrance of a large shopping mall on Beiping Road, two young men wearing hats spotted a golden-haired man carrying several shopping bags exiting the mall. They shouted in surprise.
Hua Yutang, surprised to hear such familiar voices after so long, stood stunned for a moment.
Then a bright smile spread across his face. “Old Wei, Sun Yan!”
“Hey, why’d you come back to the country without telling us so we could welcome you back?” Sun Yan immediately walked over and gave Hua Yutang a firm slap on the shoulder.
“You’ve been in Country M so long and rarely come back. I heard you returned once last year? Why didn’t you call us up to get together? You’re heartless!” Hua Yutang thought of his previous return to China, when he had said foolish things to Xie Youzhou and Lin Zhiyu because of Ruan Jiaojiao. Remembering it all, he felt embarrassed, his ears turning slightly red.
He laughed awkwardly. “I was busy then. I’ll be staying a while this time. By the way, have you guys seen Xie Youzhou recently?”
“Where could you find that guy? Don’t you know he’s a boss now?!” Sun Yan was so envious it hurt his teeth.
“Isn’t he only twenty? Well, twenty in lunar years, and he’s already started a listed company. Damn, is he even human? This guy’s been scary since he was a kid.”
“That’s right,” said Old Wei, “I’m a year older than him, and I don’t even know what I’m doing yet. I just hope that after I graduate, he’ll give me a job at his company, haha…”
“Is it the newly emerged Nianzhi Group?”
Hua Yutang had been following news from back home, especially after he’d come to his senses. He’d wanted to return to apologize to Xie Youzhou.
“Yes, haven’t you read about it? He’s truly impressive. He won a major contract right out from under the Wright Group’s nose. For a new company with no foundation to secure a deal that big, it’s incredible!” Old Wei added, “You’d think he wasn’t worried about stirring up trouble.”
“He’s probably not worried at all. After all, his gege, Lin Zhiyu, is one of China’s top scholars. If he gets into trouble, he could call on a team of experts to stitch him back together!” Sun Yan joked, and the three of them laughed.
As the others bantered, Hua Yutang smiled, but a trace of seriousness returned. “I was hoping to get in touch with Youzhou to apologize.”
Sun Yan and Old Wei exchanged a look, their laughter fading.
“How exactly did you offend Youzhou?” Old Wei asked, more cautiously this time.
They stopped joking and looked at him with more intensity. They all considered Xie Youzhou a friend, someone generous and easy-going.
Seeing their serious expressions, Hua Yutang knew he owed an explanation. “You’re right. I need to speak with him properly. I’ll contact him myself before we all get together.”
—
Back at his office, Xie Youzhou remained unaware of the impending visit. He was preoccupied with an entirely different kind of delivery—a discreet order he had been eagerly anticipating. Smiling to himself, he placed the package order, carefully listing his office as the shipping address.
After all, he couldn’t have his “police uniform costume” arriving at his home…
