Cheng Yuno slumped dejectedly into her chair, unable to comprehend Mo Xuan's thoughts.
Was he out of his mind? She had shown him the video and told him everything.
"Miss Cheng, hello."
Sister Hui pushed the door open, closed it behind her, and locked it. Cheng Yuno knew Sister Hui—she was Luo Shiya's assistant, a highly respected figure within Luo Corporation.
In some ways, Sister Hui's words carried the same weight as Luo Shiya's commands.
"Our young miss asked me to relay a message to you. Soon, she and her younger sister will be leaving with Mr. Mo. The Luo family's business will thereafter be entirely handed over to President Luo." Sister Hui delivered Luo Shiya's words with a distant smile, as if reciting a script. "The young miss wanted to thank you for your methods. She overheard your entire conversation with Mo Xuan just now."
"In fact, the young miss plans to explain everything to Mr. Mo herself, but she hopes someone else can do it first. That way, Mr. Mo will find her explanation more credible."
"As a token of gratitude, the young miss has decided to inform President Luo that Rongxing will no longer participate in the upcoming collaboration project with Capital University. It will be handed over to you instead."
"However, Miss Cheng, the young miss also asked me to convey one more thing: stop using such childish tactics. It makes you and the Cheng family appear... rather undignified."
Cheng Yuno listened to Sister Hui's words, wondering if she had misheard.
As an outsider, how could she possibly understand the relationship between Mo Xuan and the Luo sisters? In fact, it wasn’t just her—no one could.
What baffled her even more was how Luo Shiya had overheard her conversation with Mo Xuan.
"Additionally, the young miss asked me to relay one final message..."
Sister Hui slowly approached Cheng Yuno and suddenly delivered a harsh slap across her face. The force was so strong that Cheng Yuno nearly toppled from her chair, her cheek immediately swelling.
Sister Hui wasn’t just Luo Shiya's assistant—she had trained all the Luo sisters' bodyguards.
"This is a lesson for you. Focus on your own family's business from now on. And remember, when the second young miss merely scratched someone's face with a knife, you, a lady of high standing, exaggerated and spread rumors. Such tasteless behavior should be avoided in the future."
After a pause, Sister Hui looked at Cheng Yuno, who was clutching her face, and smiled. "Once the young miss and the second young miss leave this circle, you’ll finally get what you want."
With that, Sister Hui turned and walked out, leaving Cheng Yuno alone. Her final words felt like a dagger piercing Cheng Yuno's heart.
She had finally won, but the victory came at the cost of the Luo sisters stepping away, just as they had vanished for two years in the past...
"Shiya, calm down..."
Luo Shiya dragged Mo Xuan into a storage room, locked the door behind them, and pulled him into a series of passionate kisses.
"You still haven’t told me why you’re here," Mo Xuan managed to say, finally holding her hands still. "Did someone tell you about Cheng Yuno?"
"No, I didn’t know. I just missed you..."
Luo Shiya's breathing was uneven, her emotions stirred by Mo Xuan's words.
For so long, she had never felt that sacrificing for this man was something to regret. She would give him everything but her life—not because she feared death, but because she couldn’t bear to leave him.
She had heard the resolve in Mo Xuan's voice. That scoundrel never spoke so openly in front of them. If she hadn’t eavesdropped on a whim, she might have missed this perfect opportunity.
"Alright, we’re still at school..."
Mo Xuan held her tightly but was careful not to hurt her. Luo Shiya wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face close to hers. No matter what Mo Xuan said, Luo Shiya seemed deaf to his protests.
"Alright, alright, I’ll go talk to my advisor. Just wait here for me, okay?" Mo Xuan was utterly overwhelmed by her kisses.
"I’ll come with you..."
"Don’t. Have you forgotten Mu Qi is at school?"
As soon as Mo Xuan said this, he felt the temperature around him drop sharply. He wondered if he had somehow attracted some malevolent presence, given how often strange things seemed to happen around him.
A cold glint flashed in Luo Shiya's eyes. This matter had always infuriated her. Her younger sister, taking advantage of her graduate studies, had publicly declared her relationship with Mo Xuan on campus, forcing Luo Shiya to act like a thief.
But thinking about today’s events, Luo Shiya's mood improved instantly. As for Mo Xuan, he felt the temperature rise again. Though not superstitious, he couldn’t help but wonder if he should consult a spiritual master.
"Then give me your car keys. I’ll wait in your car." Luo Shiya glanced at the lipstick mark on Mo Xuan's face, about to wipe it off but then decided against it. "Sister Hui and I were passing by and thought of taking you shopping for some new clothes. That Miss Cheng..."
"Oh, it’s nothing. She just tried to poach me and said some things about you two." Mo Xuan shrugged it off. "Don’t worry. Whether what she said is true or not, I don’t care."
Luo Shiya opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated. Mo Xuan smiled and gently kissed her forehead. "I only care about you, about Mu Qi, and about our child. Here, it’s cold. Go ahead."
Leaving the storage room, Mo Xuan hurried to his advisor’s office, oblivious to Luo Shiya's faint smile...
"If you have something urgent to attend to..."
The advisor, hearing Mo Xuan’s excuse, was about to tell him to go ahead when he noticed the lipstick mark on Mo Xuan's face. He chuckled meaningfully. "Go on, but young people should remember to rest."
What’s that supposed to mean? And why is he smiling like that?
Mo Xuan was confused but thanked his advisor and left. On his way, he ran into a few seniors who gave him odd looks and strange smiles.
Something felt off, but Mo Xuan, thinking of Luo Shiya waiting for him, hurried to the parking lot.
"Slow down. No need to rush..."
Luo Shiya had just gotten into the car when Mo Xuan ran over. As he closed the door, she smiled and chided him gently.
"I didn’t want to keep you waiting." Mo Xuan took Luo Shiya's hand. "No work today?"
"None. Soon, Mu Qi and I will be able to let go of everything."
Luo Shiya looked at Mo Xuan and suddenly asked, "She must have told you about me and Mu Qi..."
"Yes, she did." Mo Xuan shook his head with a smile. "I don’t care, Shiya. No matter what you’ve done..."
"I want to tell you, Xiao Xuan..." Luo Shiya's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "In the past, Mu Qi and I did... many things. Some of them were downright heinous."
"I’ve always wanted to tell you, but I was afraid... afraid you’d think we were... dangerous."
Mo Xuan held her hand and comforted her softly. "How could I? I understand. Even though I’ve never been in your position, I know some things weren’t your choice."
"Actually, we did all of this... for you."
Luo Shiya lowered her head, her voice barely audible. Mo Xuan was at a loss for words.
For him? How could that be?
"If Mu Qi and I hadn’t achieved something, if we hadn’t found a way to impress my grandmother and parents, how could they have allowed us to be so reckless with you?"
"So, Mu Qi and I had no choice but to take extreme measures. But it worked, didn’t it? They agreed in the end."
"Xiao Xuan, I’ve told you before—I’d rather hurt myself than hurt you. So, as long as I can be with you, even if I know these actions were cruel, I don’t care..."
Mo Xuan looked at Luo Shiya, his vision blurred by tears.
He had never understood why the Luo family had agreed to such outrageous arrangements. Only now did he realize the truth.
Considering the Luo family’s unusual behavior, Luo Shiya and Luo Muqi’s attitudes toward him, and all these events, it all seemed absurd—yet he couldn’t doubt it.
"Don’t be sad. For you, it was all worth it." Luo Shiya smiled and leaned in to hug him. "I knew she wouldn’t say anything kind. I’ve wanted to tell you this myself, but I was too afraid..."
"I was just afraid that if you found out, it would create a rift between us..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Mo Xuan pulled her into a tight embrace. Luo Shiya's smile gradually turned twisted, her eyes glinting with a hint of satisfaction.
Everything she had said was true, but there was still one thing Luo Shiya hadn't told Mo Xuan.
The more Mo Xuan couldn't bear to be without her, the greedier she and Luo Muqi became.
"I wish I didn’t have to hide myself in front of you, and that you, too, couldn’t bear to be without me..."
"So, when should we let him know the rest? And how should we reveal it in the most fitting way?"
Greedily leaning into Mo Xuan's embrace, savoring his warmth, Luo Shiya began to carefully plot how to handle this final step...