The death of Yao Yizhi was discovered by the cleaning lady who came every day.

She had slit her wrists in bed, and the sheets were soaked through; it was a gruesome scene.

Comrade He Ran went to the police station, saying there were some belongings to be handed over. He originally didn’t want to interfere too much, but Jian Xi consoled him, “Go take a look. The deceased deserves respect.”

He Ran arrived at the police station at eight-thirty.

“Mr. He, this is a letter we found in the deceased’s room. It was written half an hour before the incident, addressed to you.” The officer handed him a letter.

He Ran took it, glanced at it, but did not open it.

He returned it, saying, “Unless absolutely necessary, I won’t read it.”

The officer explained, “As evidence, we have already reviewed it. The content contains the deceased’s regrets and apologies for certain things done in life.”

He Ran nodded, “Thank you.”

Seeing that he really had no intention of opening it, the officer did not insist further. After putting it away, they asked some basic questions, which were routine and non-intrusive.

He Ran answered them one by one, and within five minutes, he could leave.

The officer thanked him, “Thank you for your cooperation.”

He Ran: “You’re welcome, it’s what I should do.”

Just as the matter was settled, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and several men appeared at the door.

“May I ask who you are looking for?” The officer glanced over.

A male voice responded, “I received a call; you notified me to come.”

He Ran turned his back, slightly frowning.

It was He Qin.

“Oh, Mr. He, please follow me.” The officer walked around the desk towards him.

He Ran turned around, expressionless, pretending nothing was amiss. But He Qin blocked the doorway, showing no intention of letting him pass.

He Ran stopped, looked up, and remained silent.

The two stood like this, neither retreating nor advancing, with an unspoken tension hanging in the air.

He Qin spoke first, “Hmph, I heard you got married. Looks like you’re quite the romantic.”

His words were sharp, and though He Ran was displeased, he still patiently replied, “Just cooperating with the investigation. You can collect the body; no one’s competing with you.”

The word “compete” was like a dart, flying straight into He Qin’s heart.

It subtly reminded him: What are you? Without ability, you can only snatch.

He Qin’s face instantly turned cold, then he laughed silently, deep nasolabial folds evident, “So what if I took from you? A defeated rival.”

He Ran wasn’t angry, glancing at him with a slight sneer, “Then I wish you to be an ever-victorious general, never falling off your horse.”

After He Qin seized power, the company’s direction changed. He wasn’t cut out for big business; small ventures were manageable, but when it came to being a decision-maker, his thoughts couldn’t keep up, and his abilities were lacking.

It was no longer the same company as when He Ran was in charge.

He Qin already harbored resentment towards him, and now, having been put down, he finally lost his composure first.

“What are you? What qualifications do you have to confront me now?”

He Ran glared, on the verge of exploding, when the officer timely called out, “He Qin, come this way to give your statement.”

He Qin waved his hand and, while leaving, deliberately bumped his shoulder hard against He Ran.

He Ran reined in his temper, deciding it was best to stay out of sight.

Just as he stepped forward, there was another commotion in the corridor, followed by wailing cries.

“My daughter! How could she just be gone like this!”

Yao Yizhi’s parents had rushed from their hometown, supported by others, heartbroken and tears streaming down their faces.

The two families were old neighbors, knowing each other since childhood, so upon seeing He Ran, Yao’s mother nearly collapsed, rushing over to grab He Ran’s hand, “Xiao He, Xiao He.”

He Ran regretted not leaving earlier; now he couldn’t get away.

He consoled the elderly couple, “Auntie, please accept my condolences.”

Yao’s mother tearfully said, “Yizhi was so foolish. You were such a good child, and she was so foolish.”

He Ran repeated the same words, “Please take care of yourself and don’t be too sad.”

“That man she followed afterward wasn’t a good person. He didn’t talk about marriage, he hit her, and even wanted her to have an abortion.” Yao’s mother sobbed, accusing passionately, “Yizhi was confused, so confused!”

He Ran remained silent, simply listening.

He Qin heard everything clearly inside and came out coldly, “Oh! What’s all this about? Auntie, aren’t you being a bit unfair saying these things?”

“You little bastard!” Yao’s father became agitated, raising his fist and charging at him.

He Qin didn’t yield, waving his hand and pushing; the old man stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground.

Yao’s mother became even more indignant, “You ruined my daughter like this. Do you have any conscience? When Yizhi wanted to break up, you directly hired gangsters to threaten her, saying you’d kill our entire family. What kind of person are you!”

With that, she rushed at He Qin without regard for anything.

He Ran couldn’t hold her back, “Hey!”

He Qin was tall and sturdy, raising his leg to kick. But halfway through, his calf suddenly hurt, as He Ran had kicked it away first.

He Qin staggered to one side, his posture awkward, turning back with an angry glare, “You!”

He Ran frowned, his eyes impatient, “Is it really necessary to treat an elder like this?”

He Qin sneered, “Acting like a hero? Standing up for her family? Huh?!”

He Ran squatted on the ground, his hands dangling lazily on his knees, looking at him indifferently, “All these years, besides bullying people by relying on power, you haven’t made any progress.”

He Qin’s face changed color in anger.

“The company I built, you took it because of your ability.” He Ran laughed soundlessly, “Yes, you used despicable means to win against me once. But so what? Look at yourself now, what are you? Huh?”

This smile made the hairs on He Qin’s back stand on end, “What do you want to do? Are you planning to take the company back? Don’t think I’m afraid of you.”

“Hmph.” He Ran laughed, shaking, the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes gently crinkling upward, very leisurely. He moved closer, speaking word by word, “If I really wanted to take it back, do you think you could stop me?”

He Qin was speechless, breathing heavily, unwilling to admit defeat.

He Ran grabbed his collar, pulling him close, pressing the knuckles of his fist against his chin.

“Listen carefully. Taking something isn’t real skill; making it grow strong is what makes a man. What have you turned the company into? You don’t need me to tell you. You’re afraid of me because you can’t compete with me.”

He Ran’s voice was low and slow but carried a strong determination, “The scraps you left behind, I don’t care about. I want you to see with your own eyes what it means to rise again!”

He Qin stubbornly refused to admit defeat, but his body had already gone limp.

He Ran let go, and without support, he fell onto the ground.

Without dealing with this mess, He Ran turned and started walking.

“You think you’re great?” He Qin aggressively shouted from behind, “Women, career, you’ve lost everything to me! Even your father doesn’t recognize you; where do you get the guts to confront me!”

He Ran’s back remained unfazed, ignoring and deaf to the provocations.

He Qin laughed wildly, “Your father’s vast estate, none of it goes to you, his son. What a joke!”

He Ran’s steps finally halted, like a thorn stuck in his throat. He slowly turned his head, coldly glaring, truly revealing his emotions.

The satisfaction of gaining an advantage made He Qin smug, provokingly locking eyes.

He Ran clenched his fists tightly, but thinking of Jian Xi, he immediately calmed down. All his rage was swallowed, and he no longer felt impulsive.

Coming out of the police station, sitting in the driver’s seat, He Ran smoked two cigarettes to calm himself.

The last puff burned right down to the filter, and he irritably stubbed it out, “Damn!”

He Ran started the car, turned around, but after driving only a few meters, he saw someone on the roadside hailing a ride.

He Ran narrowed his eyes, looked carefully, and exclaimed in surprise, “Master Yue?”

The car stopped, and He Ran quickly got out, “Old Yue, what are you doing here?”

The middle-aged man, nearing fifty, of medium build, upon seeing He Ran, grabbed his hand tightly without letting go.

“Boss He, I finally found you!”

He Ran: “Aren’t you in Yao Province? How did you get here?”

Old Yue sighed, “We established a branch here and transferred a group of people over.” He shook his head sorrowfully, “They said it was a collaboration with some group, but headquarters has been losing money for years. This is nonsense!”

He Ran listened quietly, offering no comment.

“Boss He, we…”

“Don’t call me that.” He Ran interrupted, “I’m no longer part of the company.”

Old Yue became both angry and anxious, gripping him even tighter, “You don’t know, He Qin doesn’t take the company seriously at all. He’s messing around, bringing in all sorts of dubious projects, all losing money. All the old loyal employees were fired by him.”

Seeing He Ran remain silent, Old Yue became even more desperate, “Boss He, I watched you grow the company. Now it’s fallen to this state. Doesn’t it pain you?”

Pain.

That word, like an iron pin scraping across the string of He Ran’s heart, resonated with restless notes.

How many opportunities and passions does a man get in a lifetime?

To say it doesn’t hurt would be impossible.

He Ran slowly lowered his eyes, remaining silent for a long time before saying, “Old Yue, I’m sorry.”

“Boss He, I know this request is unfair. But there are still so many old colleagues who worked alongside you to build this empire.” Old Yue continued earnestly, “He Qin brought in a bunch of amateurs to important positions, bullying under false pretenses, causing chaos. We’re all waiting for you to return!”

He Ran nodded, “Thank you for holding me in such high regard, but I’ve settled down here with my family. I’m no longer the He Ran of those days. I can’t bear this responsibility; please understand.”

Old Yue disappointedly hung his head, his aged hands continuously wiping his eyes.

He Ran deeply inhaled, suppressing his wavering resolve, changing the subject, “Come on, let me treat you to a meal.”

The nostalgic chat went on until eleven o’clock at night. In the quiet city, the hustle and bustle faded, and He Ran drove Old Yue back to the hotel.

From there, it would take over an hour to get home, so He Ran called Jian Xi and told her he would sleep in the warehouse tonight.

Jian Xi sensed his low spirits but didn’t inquire further, only reminding him to be safe.

As the transportation business grew smoother, He Ran could now stockpile goods independently. He rented warehouses in the southern and western parts of the city as bases. The nearest one was only a ten-minute drive away.

He Ran lay on the wooden bed, smelling the scent of cardboard boxes filling the room, staring blankly at the high ceiling.

The cigarettes by his side had already reached the second pack; one after another, he smoked without tasting anything.

———

A few days ago, He Ran had arranged to meet Lu Hanxiao for a meal today.

He Ran hadn’t slept all night and went to load goods and dispatch vehicles at four in the morning. Since his business was on track, he no longer personally handled such laborious tasks. His appearance today excited the young employees immensely.

Right on time, he directly headed to the agreed location.

Lu Hanxiao had already picked up Jian Xi along the way. Jian Xi had stored breast milk, so she didn’t bring Mengmeng out.

He Ran appeared wearing a black T-shirt and camouflage shorts, with sunglasses stepping out of the car. His stern, unsmiling demeanor rivaled that of a runway model.

“Show-off.” Lu Hanxiao commented, scoffing, “I have sunglasses too, and they even emit colorful lights.”

Jian Xi couldn’t stand it, “Even over sunglasses, you’re still competing. You’re thirty years old, alright?”

“What about being thirty?” Lu Hanxiao said as if it were only natural, “Thirty years old, eighteen-year-old body. Can he compare to that?”

He Ran approached, pulling Jian Xi’s shoulder close, “I could hear your chatter from far away. At eighteen, you can still grow taller, but you’ll never reach 188 cm in your lifetime.”

“Go to hell.” Lu Hanxiao was irritated, “Does my 183 cm bother you? Just two centimeters taller than me, can you eat with that? Huh?”

He Ran dragged out a long trailing tone, “Can’t eat with it, but I can marry a wife before you.”

“Fuck! Let’s break up!”

Jian Xi burst into laughter, “You two stop fighting every time you meet, like kids. By the way, where’s your kid?”

“Taking exams.” Lu Hanxiao seemed reluctant to say more.

He Ran whispered to Jian Xi, “Don’t poke at his sore spot; his confession failed.”

Jian Xi exclaimed, “Oh my. When did this happen between them?”

Before He Ran could speak, Lu Hanxiao coldly interjected, “Gossip couple, stop rubbing salt into my wounds, okay?”

He Ran walked over, patting his shoulder, “Buddy, don’t be afraid. I’ve got experience with this.”

“Tell me.” Lu Hanxiao took it seriously.

“There’s just one key word.”

“What word?”

“Go for it.”

“...” Lu Hanxiao kicked him, “Shit advice.”

He Ran chuckled, not responding.

This was a farm owned by a friend of Lu Hanxiao’s, targeting high-end clients. Before the opening, they were invited to experience it early. For the entire afternoon, the three of them fished and played card games, enjoying themselves thoroughly.

Lu Hanxiao was always talkative, his mouth never stopping, self-indulging particularly satisfyingly.

On the other hand, although He Ran maintained his usual aloof image, occasionally cursing a “bastard,” Jian Xi knew something was off about him today.

They had a farmhouse dinner, a table full of vegetables and fruits much loved by Jian Xi. Both men were carnivores, finding the bland soup quite trying.

Lu Hanxiao said, “On the way back, I’m going to buy some chicken legs from the barbecue shop. Do you want any, He He?”

He Ran lightly sneered, “No need. I have ‘meat’ to eat at home.”

With this little sly innuendo, Lu Hanxiao understood immediately, feeling fed another mouthful of glass shards.

Concerned about Mengmeng, they ended the gathering early.

After picking up their daughter from Jian’s place, by six o’clock, Jian Xi and He Ran arrived home.

“Husband, do you want some fruit?” Jian Xi was in the kitchen, taking out the strawberries brought back from the farm.

He Ran grunted an “Mm,” then fell silent.

Jian Xi came out of the kitchen to see He Ran leaning on the sofa, head tilted back, eyes closed in repose.

She tiptoed quietly, holding a glass of water and approached, “Husband?”

He Ran opened his eyes, “Hmm?”

“You seem very tired today.” Jian Xi placed the glass in his hand, “Did something happen?”

He Ran smiled, “No, just woke up early today, exhausted from moving goods.”

Jian Xi lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, then looked up at him, “Is it about Yao Yizhi’s matter…”

“Silly.” He Ran cut her off directly, “Don’t overthink it.”

He sighed slightly, “At the police station, I ran into some acquaintances from the past. It turned unpleasant, pretty upsetting.”

Jian Xi sat next to him, gently placing her hand on his wrist, “If you’re willing to talk, I can listen.”

In He Ran’s heart, a gentle smoke rose, possessing the great power to overcome rigidity with softness.

He looked at Jian Xi, nodding, “Mm.”

Thus, He Ran recounted what happened in the afternoon, highlighting the important parts while avoiding the trivial. Qin Sen, Yao Yizhi’s parents, and the accidental encounter with Old Yue. His tone was normal, his voice calm, his wording smooth, as if those intense and tangled moments were glossed over lightly.

After listening, Jian Xi waited for him to settle down somewhat before asking, “So, what are your thoughts?”

He Ran pulled her shoulder closer, their heads resting together, “I just want to maintain our current life. As long as you and Mengmeng are fine, I’ll earn more money for the two of you.”

Jian Xi said, “Things are good now; I’m very content.”

When He Ran laughed, his nasal tone trembled slightly, “Mm, if you’re content, I am too.”

Jian Xi rubbed her chin against his shoulder, glanced at his face. The slightly furrowed brows still betrayed He Ran’s emotions.

“I’m going to take a shower first.” He Ran patted her and stood up.

Jian Xi sat on the sofa, thought for a moment, and an idea formed in her mind.

Twenty minutes later, He Ran emerged wearing a black undershirt, bare-legged.

“Jian Xi?” No one was in the living room.

He Ran wiped his hair while heading toward the bedroom.

“Shh.” Jian Xi came out from inside, wearing a fluffy frog-shaped pajama set.

She clung to He Ran’s arm, pushing him towards the living room.

He Ran didn’t understand, “What?”

He was pressed onto the sofa by Jian Xi. She stood there, their gazes meeting. She took a deep breath and said, “To make you happy.”

He Ran looked at the “little frog” in front of him, unable to stop laughing, “What?”

Jian Xi walked to the low cabinet, turned on the CD player; the pre-selected tune instantly filled the air with its lively intro.

She turned around, looking at He Ran, “I’m going to dance for you.”

He Ran was momentarily stunned.

The song was called Marry You , with a joyful vibe.

Jian Xi moved with the rhythm, freely improvising based on six years of elementary school dance training, choreographing on the spot.

This fluffy frog outfit was her hidden treasure. Once the hat was on, it became a three-dimensional cartoon head, extremely funny.

Jian Xi hopped and jumped, swaying her waist and hips, incredibly cute.

He Ran was utterly delighted by this unexpected “sweet petting.”

The “little frog” shrugged at him, then threw a flirtatious wink and flying kiss.

Then she danced to the center of the living room, beckoning with a finger, patting her butt, humorously pretending to be ugly, making He Ran laugh uncontrollably.

Dancing vigorously, Jian Xi’s “frog head” bounced off. She stuck out her tongue helplessly, then put it back on, forming a heart shape with her hands, sending it toward He Ran.

He Ran cooperatively extended his palm, catching it in mid-air, pressing it firmly against his chest.

Their eyes met, both laughing like children.

As the music neared its end, Jian Xi raised her right hand, pretending it was a gun, firing a “bang” sound at He Ran.

He Ran hugged himself, acting skills online, falling onto the sofa with a “clatter.”

The music stopped. In August’s weather, Jian Xi was drenched in sweat from the fluffy pajamas.

She ran over, crouched down, resting her chin on He Ran’s thigh.

Her breathing was still heavy, sweat dripping down her cheeks.

Jian Xi softly asked, “Husband, are you feeling better now?”

He Ran remained motionless, not uttering a sound.

Jian Xi looked up at him with hopeful eyes, suddenly freezing.

He Ran gazed at her, his slightly red eyes shimmering with tears.