One hundred thirty-seven.

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“I do not hate you.” Xia Yuwei wore an utterly calm expression, even smiling as she spoke. “I forgot you long ago.”

She repeated the words as though reminding him—and herself.

“Forgot me… Are you sentencing me to death?” Lu Yichen took a step forward, drawing very close to her. Her scent was within reach. He still could not stop himself from taking his hand out of his pocket and resting it gently on her shoulder, afraid of startling her. She was like a bird about to take flight, liable to disappear at any moment. “Then before the sentence is carried out, I should at least have the chance to defend myself, shouldn’t I?”

“There is nothing left to say. I do not want to listen. Was the purpose of calling me here today to make me wait for you all afternoon, only to hear you tell me how wronged you have been all these years? I am sorry, but I have no interest in listening.”

Xia Yuwei brushed his hand from her shoulder, picked up her belongings, and walked toward the door.

“Yuwei…”

Lu Yichen reached out once more and embraced her from behind.

“Let go of me!”

“I do not want to…”

He lowered his head onto her shoulder.

“Brother Chen!”

The door was pushed open, and Bai Yixuan entered the office cheerfully, followed by the nervous-looking Secretary Song.

“President, Miss Bai insisted on coming in…”

“Yixuan? What are you doing here?” Lu Yichen lifted his head and frowned.

Xia Yuwei broke free of his hold. “If there is nothing else, President Lu, I will be leaving.”

With that, she walked toward the door.

Lu Yichen’s gaze followed her. It seemed there was no longer anything left to say today.

“Brother Chen…” Bai Yixuan looked timidly at Xia Yuwei, then at Lu Yichen. “Did I come at a bad time…?”

Her brother and Daddy had both said that every man had a lover. So Brother Chen was no exception after all. It seemed this woman had completely captured his attention…

“Brother Chen, I saw that you were about to get off work, so I came to surprise you!” Bai Yixuan walked toward Lu Yichen, though her eyes remained fixed on Xia Yuwei. She muttered fretfully, “Brother Chen, she looks so familiar… Oh…”

Suddenly, she stared at Xia Yuwei’s back as realization dawned on her.

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“Yixuan, do not make a scene like this again.” Lu Yichen frowned as he walked toward his desk.

He was already in a terrible mood and had no idea how to explain himself to Xia Yuwei. Bai Yixuan’s sudden intrusion only made him more irritable. She had forgotten him. She no longer wanted to see him. What meaning was there in anything he did?

“Brother Chen, wait for me. I will be right back!”

Bai Yixuan suddenly dashed out.

Xia Yuwei was waiting for the elevator when she heard someone calling her.

“Are you Miss Xia?”

She turned her head and saw Bai Yixuan running toward her, panting for breath.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Miss Xia, you have such a terrible memory!” Bai Yixuan stood before her, grinning as she slipped her hands into the pockets of her oversized overalls. “Didn’t we meet at a restaurant several days ago? I really like you. Would you let me buy you a drink sometime?”

What a quintessential young hipster, Xia Yuwei thought as she looked at Bai Yixuan’s hip-hop outfit and carefree manner of speaking.

“Thank you for liking me. But there is no need to buy me coffee, is there?” Xia Yuwei replied with a smile.

She had no ill feelings toward Bai Yixuan. She simply felt that the ten-year age gap between them created something of a generation gap. People said that these days, one generation lasted only three years. In that case, were they three generations apart?

“Miss Xia, don’t forget that my fiancé and I were the ones who saved you that day. Why don’t you treat me, then? Consider it a thank-you to both of us!” Bai Yixuan continued to grin. “Miss Xiaaaa…”

She clung to Xia Yuwei’s arm and wheedled.

Xia Yuwei was rendered speechless. Faced with the young girl’s relentless pleading, she could only say, “Perhaps another day. I have something to do today.”

“When will that be? Let’s set a time right now. I promise I will be there on time!”

Bai Yixuan was not so easily put off. She insisted that Xia Yuwei name a time for them to meet.

“Hmm…” Xia Yuwei pondered. Seeing that the elevator had arrived, she thought for a moment before saying, “Friday at three in the afternoon, at the Lemon Tree Cafe on West Street. How does that sound?”

“Wonderful! It’s a date, then! Don’t be late!”

Bai Yixuan released Xia Yuwei and skipped away.

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Xia Yuwei then took the elevator and left.

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“Brother Chen.”

Bai Yixuan entered the president’s office once again. Lu Yichen was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, one hand pressed against his temple.

“Brother Chen, do you have a headache?” Bai Yixuan came over and gently massaged his temples.

Brother Chen had always suffered from headaches, though she had never understood why.

Lu Yichen removed her hand. “Yixuan, do not come into my office without my permission again.”

“Oh. All right, then. I understand.” Bai Yixuan pouted.

They lived under the same roof, so why was Brother Chen always so harsh with her in public? Was it all because of that old woman…? The last time, she had inexplicably been slapped because of her.

Seeing that Lu Yichen had closed his eyes and was ignoring her, Bai Yixuan found something else to amuse herself with. She noticed an exquisite jewelry box on the desk and could not resist opening it.

“Wow! It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed at the jewels inside. “Brother Chen, are these pieces made by our company? Can you give them to me?”

Whenever she wanted something, Brother Chen usually let her charge it to his card without limit. Surely he would not refuse her over a few pieces of jewelry?

Bai Yixuan bent over to examine them closely. Her fingers grew restless, and she reached into the jewelry box, intending to take something out and hold it against herself.

Then Lu Yichen’s voice came from behind her.

“Do not touch them!”

“Brother Chen…” Bai Yixuan straightened and frowned.

Realizing that his tone had been too harsh, Lu Yichen softened his voice. “Yixuan, you can buy whatever you want. But do not touch the things in this box.”

So it really was connected to that old woman… Bai Yixuan thought, deeply displeased.