Chapter 29: Surreal

"An, everyone has the right to choose their own path in life, and she is no exception." Regarding her, he felt neither hatred nor resentment. In the moment he found out, shock had outweighed sorrow. Having experienced life and death many times over, he had long since ceased to fear anything; it was merely a question of whether the end came sooner or later.

That day, she had looked at him with a face full of grief, pleading with him not to blame her, claiming she had been forced into it. He had only smiled. The blood dripping from his chest onto the ground was a stark, mocking testament to her words as he desperately clung to his last breath to escape their pursuers.

"I know." Ye still treated him like the child who used to hide in the corner of the orphanage to cry. Fifteen years had been enough for him to see through many things, yet he could not overcome the longing deep in his heart. Now, the dream had shattered, and he would no longer indulge in such fantasies. Lowering his dimmed eyes, he asked, "Where are you? I will come to find you."

"No need. She will have people watching you. Help me investigate something—ensure no one else finds out. I will contact you again." Uncle Hai scanned his surroundings and spoke calmly. She was the type of person who would never give up until she reached the bitter end; she understood him, and he understood her just as well.

"Very well. Contact me tomorrow." Receiving An's confirmation, he hung up the phone. He ducked into a nearby shopping mall, exited through a side door, walked to another mall, retrieved his car from the underground parking garage, and drove toward the Qingcheng Group.

Inside the Qingcheng Group headquarters, Xie Chenjing held her hand naturally as they stepped out of the elevator. Their appearance caused everyone on the seventeenth floor to freeze in disbelief as they watched them walk into the office.

"Am I... am I blind?" Secretary Wang rubbed her eyes vigorously, turning her gaze toward the window as she muttered to herself, "The sun isn't rising in the west, is it?"

Beside her, Xiao Ruan gave her a sharp flick to the forehead. "You aren't blind. We must all be having a collective hallucination."

Secretary Xu, who had just returned, saw the two of them standing by the door and looked on with great curiosity. "What are you doing? Acting as door gods?"

"Sister Xu, news! Big news!" Wang scrambled toward her, her expression strange and her excitement making her words stumble. "Just now, just now, President Xie, President Xie..."

"What about President Xie?" Seeing them so flustered, Xu wondered if they had been reprimanded and offered comfort, "It's alright, it's alright. Take your time."

"Let me tell you, she's lost her mind." Xiao Ruan couldn't bear to look. Fortunately, she was composed enough to speak, though she had been quite shaken. "Before you got back, President Xie walked past us holding the hand of a stunning young beauty."

"What?" The water Secretary Xu was drinking sprayed out instantly. Her mouth agape, she pointed a trembling finger at them. "You... are you saying?" This couldn't be happening—when did the world become so surreal?

"It's true, absolutely certain." Feeling suddenly balanced, they realized that even the ever-composed Sister Xu had lost her cool, which showed just how shocking the news was. President Xie was the object of everyone's desire; a single glance at him was enough to make one lose oneself completely. Fortunately, they had a strong sense of self-awareness—perhaps that was why they were able to work on the seventeenth floor. They had always remembered Sister Xu's words: focus on your work, and your future will be limitless. Conversely, they understood what that meant.

"Good heavens! Good heavens!" Secretary Xu paced the office clutching her cup. The two of them looked at each other and couldn't help but ask, "Sister Xu, what are you doing?"

"Tell me, what reason can I use to go into President Xie's office and take a look?" Secretary Xu suddenly stopped, leaned in close to them, and stared with burning, inquisitive eyes.