Lan Yuxi raised an eyebrow slightly and tapped her Bluetooth earpiece. "Xiang Bei, go check on Chen Mo."
Nan Xiang Bei said in a deep voice, "I'm watching him. His emotions seem a bit off."
Lan Yuxi pursed her lips tightly. "It's time to tell him about his wife and child."
Nan Xiang Bei paused for a moment. "Understood."
Lan Yuxi narrowed her eyes. "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him die. I want him to suffer for a long time."
Duan Ting turned her head to look over.
Lan Yuxi ended the Bluetooth call and explained, "The son Chen Mo cherishes so much isn't actually his."
Duan Ting's jaw dropped in astonishment.
Lan Yuxi let out a cold laugh. "Isn't it ironic?"
Duan Ting offered a wry smile. "Heaven does have eyes, it seems."
"Shortly after Chen Mo was arrested, that woman went to find that man. However, that man was already married and didn't dare to take them in."
"I thought he abandoned me and my mother because he found true love. Turns out, he was the one with true love, and she was just looking for someone to take responsibility," Duan Ting clenched her fingers tightly. "I heard your adoptive parents were also harmed by him. How is Uncle recovering?"
"My father is recovering quickly, but he's lost his memory and forgotten many things."
"Is there still no news about Auntie?"
Lan Yuxi shook her head. "We're still looking, but it's difficult to search such a vast ocean."
"I'm sorry..."
"It's not your fault, why are you apologizing?" Lan Yuxi curved her lips slightly. "Go familiarize yourself with the institute today. After work, let Brother Jiaqi take you to see the apartment. I expect Mom Luo and Aunt Shi will have finished their shopping by then. You can all go back to Half-Mountain Villa together."
"Luo Jiaqi is so busy, I can go by myself."
"He's not that busy lately, and besides, you don't know the exact location. Let him drive you. Oh, right, the contract states you'll be provided with a car. What kind of model do you like?"
"Just a basic car for commuting will do."
"A basic commuting car won't do. You and Brother Jiaqi will be the face of the institute from now on. The car must be a million-yuan car or more... Never mind, I won't discuss it with you. I'll have Brother Jiaqi take you to choose one then."
Duan Ting suddenly gripped her fist nervously. "Don't trouble him with everything. I'm afraid he'll get annoyed."
Lan Yuxi curved her lips slightly. "He won't get annoyed because he values talent. As long as it's not an excessive request, he'll satisfy you."
Duan Ting pursed her lips tightly. "I understand. I'll try not to bother him."
"You still need to bother him when necessary. Although he can be a bit indifferent, he's a very good person."
"That's with you. I see he treats you better than Wanqi."
Lan Yuxi glanced at her in the rearview mirror and smiled. "Have I told you why our families are so close?"
"My third uncle told me a little. He said you saved all four members of the Luo family. Later, they protected you during your most difficult times."
Lan Yuxi's eyes darkened. "Let's put it this way: without their family, I wouldn't have Chaochao and Mumu. Brother Jiaqi treats me better than Wanqi because he witnessed my darkest moments. It's a mix of sympathy and concern."
Duan Ting hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Is there anything else?"
Lan Yuxi smiled as she looked at her. "Yes. To repay their kindness and to save me from my despair, he once considered marrying me. But I knew he just wanted to give me and Chaochao and Mumu a safe haven. That wasn't love, and I couldn't ruin him."
Duan Ting smiled in understanding. "You're very straightforward, you never hide anything. Actually, the moment I heard his name, I admired him. The moment I saw his photo, I was smitten. But last night at dinner, I saw how unusually he treated you, and I felt a bit hesitant."
"Hesitation isn't your style. You're slow to warm up, and it's rare for you to be smitten with someone. Actually, Brother Jiaqi isn't the type to be swept away by a storm. Take it slow, don't rush, or it might backfire."
Lan Yuxi curved her lips slightly. "Since we're talking about it, I won't hide anything from you. The blind date I introduced you to was Brother Jiaqi. But since you both disliked blind dates, we discussed it and canceled it. Dad Luo, Mom Luo, and Wanqi all like you very much. We'll all be your divine assist. Go for it and love boldly."
Duan Ting's face instantly flushed to her ears.
Lan Yuxi smiled and patted her hand. "Don't worry, Brother Jiaqi's character is impeccable. He's the type of person who, once he commits, will be with you for a lifetime."
Duan Ting curved her lips slightly. "Yuxi, thank you. Your last sentence has given me enough confidence. I was just afraid of ending up like my mother."
"That will definitely not happen."
They talked intimately the entire way, and by the time they arrived at the institute, they had become inseparable best friends.
Luo Jiaqi knew Duan Ting was coming and had been waiting in the lobby to welcome her. However, he hadn't expected Lan Yuxi to be there too.
He approached them with a surprised smile. "Why are you here? Don't you have classes at the academy?"
"Even if I had classes, I had to skip work. For someone of Sister Ting's caliber, I had to personally escort her here."
Luo Jiaqi grinned at Duan Ting. "Welcome!"
Duan Ting smiled. "You're too kind."
"Brother Jiaqi, I've brought her here. You can handle the rest. I'm going to chat with my Dad Luo for a while," Lan Yuxi said, linking her arm with Luo Guoliang. "Dad Luo, let's play a game of chess to exercise your brain?"
"Alright! It's been a while since we played chess," Luo Guoliang smiled at Duan Ting. "Tingting, let Jiaqi show you around and introduce you to your new colleagues. Come to my office later, I have ice cream there."
Duan Ting smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll come find you later."
Luo Jiaqi glanced at his father, then at Lan Yuxi, and finally his gaze settled on Duan Ting's face.
Duan Ting noticed him looking at her and boldly met his gaze.
Luo Jiaqi looked at her slightly flushed face and suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu, so similar to the first time he met Lan Yuxi years ago.
Lan Yuxi glanced back as she linked arms with Luo Guoliang, then smiled and entered the elevator with him.
Lan Yuxi had lunch at the institute. After lunch, she took Ying and Nan Yi back to the academy.
After a class ended, Ying quickly walked over and whispered a few words in her ear.
Lan Yuxi's brow instantly furrowed after listening.
"Go home immediately!"
"Yes!"
Lan Yuxi quickly went downstairs, her speed so fast that people who saw her were startled into stopping in their tracks.