Chapter 19

I will always remember-it was just another ordinary morning.

Before He Zhou left the house, I clung to him stubbornly, demanding a kiss.

Even after living together for so long, this was as far as we had gone.

He said, “Until everything is settled, until I’m sure I can give you happiness, I won’t touch you, Jingjing.”

At the time, I was quite upset and threw a couple of sharp remarks his way.

The few bits of temper I had were all cultivated by his indulgence.

He Zhou just looked at me with that helpless yet doting smile.

That smile made my heart slowly twist into a sour, bitter knot.

I sniffled, pretending to be fierce. “Fine, since you’ve said that, I won’t push you.”

“But once the mission is completely over, you’d better be ready to stay in the room for three days straight.”

He Zhou left the house with the tips of his ears flushed red.

I sat on the bed in a daze for a while before getting up to go to the studio next door, only to find that a few colors of paint had run out.

On the way out to buy more, it was still raining.

Pedestrians without umbrellas hurried to find shelter, splashing water everywhere as they went.

No one noticed me.

And because of that, when a black business car suddenly stopped by the roadside and someone yanked me inside-

I didn’t even have time to react before the sharp smell of ether overwhelmed me, and I lost consciousness.

…

When I woke up, I saw Fu Jun.

“Look, Jingjing, how much better could He Zhou, the one you’re so devoted to, really be?”

He smiled as he looked at me. “To save a few strangers about to be shipped off, he gave you up. He gave up the chance to protect you.”

“If he had stayed by your side without leaving, how could my people have had the opportunity to take you?”

In that moment, so many things became clear to me.

When Xu Wanning had just returned to the country, her reputation wasn’t exactly spotless.

Not to mention, back then, she had abandoned Fu Jun, who had been injured for her, to marry someone else abroad.

For someone like Fu Jun, who had always held a position of power, if it weren’t for greater, long-term interests-

Why would he, after being abandoned for seven years, still help her so magnanimously?

Once I understood, I smiled faintly. “And that’s exactly why you’ll never measure up to He Zhou.”

Justice and courage are woven into the very fabric of He Zhou’s being.

That’s the version of him I’ve always loved.

Fu Jun’s expression turned completely cold.

That evening, Xu Wanning arrived.

From their argument, I learned the truth.

He Zhou and his team had set a trap. After rigorously guarding every dock and airport for a while, they deliberately loosened their watch.

In their haste to transfer the “goods” onto the ship, Fu Jun’s people walked right into the snare.

“I didn’t expect them to make such a big move this time. It seems they’re dead set on uprooting us completely.”

Xu Wanning’s once-beautiful face twisted into something almost grotesque in her fury.

“A bunch of lowlifes-they can’t create any value alive. Being sold for drug trials is an honor for them.”

Her gaze shifted and landed on me, freezing suddenly.

“Why did you bring her here? Don’t you know those people are scouring the entire city for her right now?”

Fu Jun’s tone was calm. “I’m taking her with me.”

Xu Wanning stared at him in disbelief.

“Are you out of your mind, Fu Jun? She’s just a knockoff. Do you have any idea how much harder it’ll be to get out with her?”

Fu Jun’s face remained impassive. “I like her, so I’m taking her with me.”