The mysterious man in the car suddenly spoke out to ask his men to stand down.

The man in the black suit nodded to the thugs, and they then stood aside quietly.

"I don't have the mood to play your little guessing game. I suppose you guys have been onto me for quite some time. What do you want?" said Xi Xiaye coldly as she looked at the man in the car.

The man in the car chuckled. "Miss Xi, you're really brave. I thought you'd go speechless in fear. It seems that Mu Yuchen has good taste. That's right. My people have been following you for a while. In fact, we've been watching you ever since you parted with Mu Yuchen at the entrance."

"Why? I don't remember there being any conflict between us. Why are you blocking my way?" Xi Xiaye demanded, "Moreover, you haven't told me who you are!"

She was alarmed. This man must know Mu Yuchen since he mentioned his name.

"You can call me Mr. Wen. We've been keeping an eye on you since a long time ago, Miss Xi! I'm surprised to find out that you are the woman who married Mu Yuchen. Would you believe me if I say I wanted to see just how special you are?" the man replied calmly.

Mr. Wen?

Mr. Wen who?

Xi Xiaye was sure that she did not know anyone called Mr. Wen, or anyone with the surname Wen either.

"I don't know you! If you just wanted to see me, can I leave now?" Xi Xiaye stared at him as she asked coldly.

The man flipped a page as his deep voice reached her once again. "Don't worry, Miss Xi. We'll let you leave safely. However, I'd like you to pass a few words to Mu Yuchen for me. I believe you're definitely willing to do so!"

"I don't know you, so why should I help you. Do you have any conflict with Mu Yuchen?" Xi Xiaye made a bold assumption.

This man probably had some issues with her husband!

"You're smart, but not very bright. Don't you think Mu Yuchen would be worried sick if we trapped you here all night long? Of course, we know that you're a director of Glory World. It's been a long time since I've wanted to meet you, and today was a really good opportunity. I think you wouldn't want anything to happen to you so that you can head back earlier, don't you?"

The man put on a wry smile while his sharp eyes behind the pair of sunglasses stared right into Xi Xiaye's eyes. He seemed to be satisfied with her reaction.

"Just what happened between you two for you to do this?"

"There are many people holding grudges against him. If he continues to do things his way and ignores everyone's advice, it won't just be stopping you somewhere the next time. He doesn't control the whole of City Z alone. People will eventually come to him sooner or later. If he wants to play a game of chess, he'll need his pieces to obey him willingly. What do you think, Miss Xi?"

Xi Xiaye was startled by his words. She stared at him with her icy-cold gaze for some time. "So, you're saying that the accident in City B and the snake that appeared at the hotel was your doing? Are you working for Qi Qiming?" Her tone was cold as she stared right at the man.

The man chortled again. "I told you. You can call me Mr. Wen. As for who I am, you'll find out soon. I'm only here today to take a look at you, Miss Xi."

The man suddenly paused and closed the newspaper in his hand as he glanced at her quietly. He then smiled. "Miss Xi, regarding the incident with Yueying, you guys won flawlessly. However, your luck ends here. It's payback time."

The man laughed before Xi Xiaye could reply. The car in front took a turn and swiftly drove past her, retreating. The other guys quickly got into their car and left as well.

She was left alone in the cold and empty tunnel.

Xi Xiaye was still holding onto the baseball bat, her body trembling slightly as she realized that a layer of cold sweat was covering her back. She quickly turned her head around and watched the cars drive away. Soon, they all vanished into the night.

He had not answered her question at all!

He seemed to hold a huge grudge against Mu Yuchen based on his tone of voice. Was he behind the accident in City B and the hotel? He did not answer her.

Did they make such intricate plans to follow her to just leave a few words for Mu Yuchen?

Was that person working for Qi Qiming?

Countless questions hovered in Xi Xiaye's mind. After some time, she came back to her senses. She suppressed her curiosity at that moment and got into her car.

She drove out of the tunnel and went straight into the city. When she arrived, her phone started ringing, and the man's anxious voice reached her ears. "Xiaye? Why couldn't I get to your phone just now?"

"The signal might've been weird inside the tunnel. Come out now. I'm already downstairs." Xi Xiaye hung up on the call after a brief reply.

Soon, Mu Yuchen appeared at the entrance. He entered the car swiftly when he saw her parked by the side.

Xi Xiaye did not say anything and focused on driving. However, she seemed to be in deep thought, and she had no idea that Mu Yuchen had called out to her multiple times.

"Do you know someone called Mr. Wen?" Xi Xiaye finally asked as she drove into the Grand Waves Villa area.

"Mr. Wen?" Mu Yuchen glanced at Xi Xiaye in confusion. "Who is Mr. Wen?"

He gave it some thought, unable to remember anyone with the surname Wen.

"What's wrong? You seem to be lost in your thoughts the whole way back. Did something happen?" He looked at her with concern.

Xi Xiaye took a deep breath and shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just curious. I spoke a lot with Ah Shi. She told me something about Aunty. It's been so many years that she's been suffering."

The next afternoon, Shen Yue and Ah Mo finally returned to City Z. Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye went to pick them up.

Shen Yue seemed exhausted, especially since he had caught a cold. Xi Xiaye quickly got him some medicine when he returned to the Shen Residence and he fell asleep quickly as a result of the side effect. Mu Yuchen and Ah Mo went back to the company instead.

Inside the small living room beside Shen Yue's bedroom, Lan Zilang reassured as he accepted the cup of tea that Xi Xiaye handed him, "Don't worry, Xiaye. Elder CEO will be fine. He just caught a cold because of the rainy weather over there."

Xi Xiaye nodded graciously. "Thank you, Uncle Lan."

Lan Zilang smiled. "You don't have to thank me."

"How's my mother's condition?"

Xi Xiaye's top concern right now was her mother. She had only been in contact with her through phone calls for the past few days.

"The doctors there did say there's a chance for recovery. Your father is taking care of her well. Elder CEO only came back because he didn't want to be the third wheel there. Mr. Ah Mo arranged everything over there though it'll take some time. Ms. Na has been in a jovial mood recently. Don't worry about it and give them some time together."

Lan Zilang sipped some tea before he continued, "Elder CEO seems pretty healthy these past few years, but he is getting weaker by the day. He was slightly relieved after you married Chairman Mu, Ms. Xiaye. Elder CEO has been working hard his whole life, so I hope..."

Before Lan Zilang could finish, Xi Xiaye raised her hand and stopped him. "You don't have to tell me, Uncle Lan. I understand. I've talked to Mu Yuchen about this and Glory World will start to be involved in property development. I'm in charge of the South River project now and I'm collaborating with Fu Hua at the moment. I'll take over Grandpa's burden as soon as possible."

Lan Zilang nodded his head in satisfaction. "That'd be great. Don't worry, Ms. Xiaye. Elder CEO will pave the path for you. With Chairman Mu around, you'll be able to handle it. Moreover, with the oldies like me around, it'll be fine! Fu Hua has a great culture. Sure, it's not as fancy as Glory World, but we have a distinguished reputation in the property industry, which is all thanks to Elder CEO's effort in the earlier days. We're all grateful to him, so..."

Lan Zilang did not continue, but Xi Xiaye understood what he was trying to say.

...

Instead of resting, Lan Zilang went back to the company after enjoying the cup of tea. Xi Xiaye went back into the room to take a look at Shen Yue worriedly. She was relieved when she saw him sound asleep. After adjusting his blanket a little before she was about to leave, Shen Yue suddenly opened his eyes.

"Xiaye—" His tone sounded worn out, and Xi Xiaye felt pained hearing it.

"Grandpa, did I wake you up?" Xi Xiaye sounded apologetic.

"No, I can't sleep anyway. I just wanted to talk to you. Have a seat!" Shen Yue sat up, his voice clearly indicating that he was feeling unwell.

Xi Xiaye got him a glass of water and then sat on his bed. She looked at him and asked gently, "What do you want to talk about?"

Shen Yue drank some water and handed the glass back to her. "About your father and mother."

Shen Yue was a little startled by Shen Yue's words. She watched Shen Yue quietly for some time before saying, "Do you really dislike Father that much?"

"Mmm, I've always thought that he's not worthy to be with your mother, whether in the past or even right now." Shen Yue gave his honest opinion, yet he had a helpless expression on his face. "However, that's what I think. No matter how unwilling I am, I can't stop them. Maybe this is what fate is about. We can't do anything about it."

"So, Grandpa, you're saying that you're now... accepting Father and Mother getting back together again?" Xi Xiaye's eyes brightened up as she looked at Shen Yue.

"What else can I say? Your mother's already like this, and she still can't let go after so many years. She's determined to follow your father till the very end. Whatever, as long as she's happy I don't really mind anymore." Shen Yue sounded a little lonely.

'Thank you, Grandpa! I've always wished they could... Father's heart only belongs to Mother. I hope you don't blame Father. His love with Mother is genuine. However, their feelings were trampled by a cruel conspiracy. They're the innocent victims. From our point of view as bystanders, his mistake might be unforgivable, but there can only be two endings, and I'd never pick the ending to him being forever alone."

Shen Yue nodded, seeming to blame himself. "I've thought about a lot of these few days. Maybe the intention of protecting her was a mistake. If I could've sincerely accepted your father as the Shen family's son-in-law back then and be more lenient instead of being so stubborn, I think we could've avoided the tragedy."

"I understand how you feel, Grandpa. You just want Mother to be happy. She never blamed you, so you don't have to feel bad about it. There's still a long way ahead. Just be happy."

Xi Xiaye took his hands and smiled. "Grandpa, did you notice that you've become more sentimental lately? You've changed. Actually, what Father and Mother need the most is your approval. Although Father isn't perfect, I don't mind as long as he's genuinely sweet towards Mother."

"However, your mother has no intention of remarrying him. She told me about it herself." Shen Yue frowned.

"Don't worry about that, Grandpa, sometimes feelings aren't bound to that one piece of paper. I believe things will be fine in the end. We just need to let things flow naturally and leave them to work it out themselves."

"Xiaye, I feel like you've changed a lot. Is this Ah Chen's doing?"

Shen Yue looked at Xi Xiaye doubtfully.

She had become much more open-minded, instead of being stubborn.

Xi Xiaye was stunned for a moment. After a while, she smiled. "No, I've just upgraded my EQ slightly and simplified the complicated issues. I used to think that I couldn't let things go, but once I learned how to do so, I realized that all that so-called pain and suffering aren't that big of a deal."

The grandfather and granddaughter chatted for a while. It had been a long time since the two of them chatted idly like this.

Shen Yue was chatting quite happily as he brought up some memorable recollections from Xi Xiaye's childhood. Xi Xiaye would only smile as she listened. Finally, when he was so tired that he could not keep his eyes open, she coaxed him to sleep.

Shen Yue had finally given the green light, causing Xi Xiaye to feel over the moon. She took her phone out from her pocket to send a message to her father, Xi Mushan.

Father, determination is a wonderful thing. As long as you don't give up, there's still hope! Grandpa just told me that he hopes that you and Mother will do well together. Seeing his relieved smile, I feel content too.

...

When she received Xi Xiaye's call, Caitlin was obviously a little surprised, especially when she had asked her to bring her manager, Sis Lee, along. However, she still met her on time because to her, Xi Xiaye was not just her superior, but she was also a patron who had recognized her worth.

The meeting venue was the same as the previous time. It was in that secluded corner at the sane alfresco coffee shop.

When Caitlin and her manager, Sis Li, reached, Xi Xiaye had already been waiting for quite a while.

"Missus Mu..."

Caitlin wore a refreshing and leisurely summer dress. When she faced with Xi Xiaye in a light muslin dress and sunglasses, she did not know how to address her.

Xi Xiaye took her sunglasses off and casually smiled at the two people across her. Then, she pointed at the empty seats. "Have a seat. Skip the courtesy. Just call me Xiaye. I think we don't have to be too courteous either, Sis Lin."

Xi Xiaye took the lead and changed the way she addressed her first. Her generous and casual personality made Caitlin and Sis Li find her very friendly.

"Thank you for the honor, Xiaye," responded Caitlin with a smile.

"Director Xi, you're the humblest and most sincere Missus from a prestigious family that I've ever met. You aren't as arrogant as what the others say," Sis Li could not help but voice out.

"Arrogant? A Missus from a prestigious family?"

Xi Xiaye naturally did know what everyone was thinking of her right now since she rarely paid attention to such news.

With a nod, Sis Lee smiled. "Yes, Caitlin has always praised you highly. I'm quite excited to meet you too. I..."

Xi Xiaye chuckled softly, "I'm just like everyone else. I know that you've come over during your break on set, so I don't plan on delaying you either, I'll be frank then."

Caitlin and Sis Li exchanged a glance before the Caitlin smiled and said, "Go ahead."

Xi Xiaye nodded. "Okay, Sis Li, I heard that you learned from the famous manager, Sis Lan, for a while. I wonder if this is true."

When Xi Xiaye said this, Sis Li already know what Xi Xiaye had come for because a while ago, Mu Lingshi had gone looking for her too. She only found out about Mu Lingshi's identity after that, so she knew what to expect. However, she did not know why they were trying to find out about Sis Lan who had already retired for many years now.

"Director Xi, are you looking for Sis Lan too? I did previously learn from her, but why are you looking for her?" Sis Lee asked puzzled.

Xi Xiaye took a simple sip of coffee and said softly, "I want to ask her about some private matters. I wonder where I can find her."

"Sis Lan? She retired long ago, didn't she? She's retired for many years now. Xiaye, you know Sis Lan?" Caitlin was astonished as she looked at Xiaye.

She heard that Sis Lan was quite capable. She was a famous gold-star manager in the industry with many A-List celebrities under her, and she upheld a great reputation in the industry. In fact, she was highly respectable.

Xi Xiaye shook her head. "There are some things I want to find out from her, but I haven't been able to locate her."

"Sis Lan has retired for many years now. She seems to have been traveling around all these years. I don't know if she's in the city either. Previously, I thought about visiting her too, but I didn't get to see her," responded Caitlin with a frown.

Sis Li thought about it, then answered, "Director Xi, Sis Lan has been living a secluded life all these years. Even I rarely see her. However, Chinese Valentine's Day is coming soo which is when she returns every year. When that happens, you can go visit her. She should be home."

Chinese Valentine's Day?

Stunned for a moment, Xi Xiaye thought about it, then asked again, "When did you begin following her?"

"About 10 years ago, I think. I just began in this industry back then, so I was a rookie while she was experienced. It was my honor to learn from her. To be honest, I really have to thank her for her great guidance for my achievements today."

"Chinese Valentine's Day, Chinese Valentine's Day... I thought that most people would be more interested in the Western Valentine's Day," Xi Xiaye softly muttered, then smiled calmly.

"Well, it's not really about Valentine's Day or not. She'll actually be returning to visit a good friend's tomb. You might've heard of this person too, but we aren't quite familiar with her. She's someone from the past."

"Who is it?" Xi Xiaye subconsciously straightened up as her heartstrings pulled. She looked at Sis Li who seemed to be lost in her memories.

"Mmm, Mu Zi... She was a popular female celebrity back then. I heard that the two of them were extremely good friends. It's been many years now. Back then, we were quite young too, so we probably don't quite remember them. I only found out by chance from being by her side for many years."

Frowning, Xi Xiaye quickly took out a yellow picture from her bag and handed it to Sis Li. She asked anxiously, "Is Sis Lan in this picture?"

She showed Sis Li the faded picture that she had accidentally found in between the books.

Sis Li took and looked at it and nodded. "Yes, she's Sis Lan and this should be Mu Zi. My gosh, she's so beautiful... but, who are these two men at the back?"

"Can you recognize the two men behind?" Xi Xiaye tightened her grip as she asked a little nervously.

Sis Li stared at the picture for a long time but shook her head in the end. Then, she let Caitlin take a look, Caitlin shook her head too.

"I don't remember the two men at the back, but I'm certain that this is Sis Lan when she was younger. Mmm, this was probably when she was Mu Zi's manager. They look quite close."

Xi Xiaye took a look at the picture and probed, "Could it be her husband?"

Sis Li shook her head. "Impossible. Sis Lan never got married. Where could the husband have come from?"