"Qu ilan, your mother brought you into this world clean and pure. Do you really want to die so filthy?"
That was all Su Xuan said.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, Qu ilan instantly fell silent. Tears simply stread down her cheeks.
He’s right. My parents brought into this world, and in their eyes, I was the most perfect, most sacred little angel. The fact that my life beca so unclean was entirely my own doing. But is there still a chance to beco clean again? Does that magical spring water from fairy tales really exist? Can a single wash really cleanse an unspeakable past?
"Qu ilan, after you left school, your first résumé was for Lycar, wasn’t it?" Su Xuan added.
Qu ilan’s body shuddered.
How does he know that? His lawyer friend couldn’t possibly have found that out, could he? My very first résumé really was for Lycar! With the glorious halo of the super-five-star Lycar, I never once even considered working at the four-star Chang i. But I didn’t have the qualifications back then, so Lycar rejected outright!
"That résumé for Lycar is still on your computer desktop. You still can’t let it go, can you?" Su Xuan continued.
Qu ilan’s mouth fell slightly open.
Oh, no wonder. So you saw my computer. You must have looked while I was in the shower. It’s true, I can’t let it go. How could I ever forget being rejected for my very first job? A person’s first ti is always precious and unforgettable! No matter who you ask, man or woman, it’s sothing they can never let go of!
"I can give you a chance to live again, a chance to work at Lycar."
Su Xuan’s voice was like a divine proclamation, thundering into her very soul.
"You... You’re really giving this chance? But I... I’ve wronged you! I’ve wronged Lycar!" Qu ilan’s hands clenched into tight fists as she asked Su Xuan in disbelief.
"I call the shots at Lycar now," Su Xuan stated flatly. "If you want to start over at Lycar and wash yourself clean, then get over here right now!"
With that, Su Xuan turned and continued walking down the mountain.
"I... I..."
Qu ilan glanced at the bottomless abyss behind her, then at Su Xuan’s receding figure. She raised an arm and fiercely wiped the tears from her face. Then, she lifted her legs and chased after him.
The chance to live a clean life again, to escape the filthy shadow Gao Zhitong had cast over her... She was willing! She was more than willing to go to Lycar!
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Su Xuan’s lips curved into a handso smile.
Everyone is born of a mother and father. Since you still know how to be a good daughter, what’s the harm in giving you another chance?
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Despite receiving a car, a house, and over fifty thousand yuan a month from Gao Zhitong, Qu ilan gave every last bit of the cash to her mother. She caught up to Su Xuan, grabbed his arm, and knelt before him, thanking the handso man who had given her a chance at rebirth.
"Get up." Su Xuan, who never had the chance to provide for his own parents, pulled Qu ilan to her feet and continued walking.
Qu ilan followed him closely, step by step.
"Boss..." After a long mont of silence, Qu ilan called out awkwardly. "Gao Zhitong’s hotel has a lot of problems. He doesn’t disinfect guest anities on schedule like he’s supposed to, and most of his fire safety equipnt is old and needs to be replaced. His kitchens aren’t up to standard, either—the chefs rarely wear masks, and so don’t even have health certificates. He also hires prostitutes to solicit guests. In every room, there are these little service cards by the bed with all sorts of suggestive hints..."
Since she had decided to follow Su Xuan, she felt she should tell him these things. Firstly, it could help him deal with Gao Zhitong. Secondly, it was a small way of repaying his kindness. She had been disgusted by Chang i’s practices for a long ti.
Su Xuan, however, remained silent.
Qu ilan asked, "Boss, don’t you want to get so payback on Gao Zhitong?"
Only then did Su Xuan speak. "I don’t bother people who don’t bother . But if soone cos after , I’ll see them dead."
"Oh." Qu ilan’s lips parted slightly, surprised that the sunny, slightly lancholic Su Xuan had such a ruthless side to him.
"So... how are you going to... see him dead?" she couldn’t help but ask. The words had barely left her mouth when she quickly added, "I don’t an anything by it! I won’t tell Gao Zhitong! If I die, I’ll die at Lycar!"
She knew that the information she had just provided wasn’t nearly enough to destroy Gao Zhitong. He could easily find a scapegoat to take the bla.
Su Xuan glanced toward the city. "Just you wait and see."
「anwhile」
In the conference room of the Chang i Hotel, one of Gao Zhitong’s confidants grew restless. "Boss, still no word?"
"None," Gao Zhitong replied, shaking his head.
The confidant lowered his voice. "Boss, I’m not sure if I should say this."
"If you have sothing to say, say it," Gao Zhitong said, his face grim.
After so hesitation, the confidant spoke. "We all know she keeps that old Lycar résumé on her computer desktop. She says it’s to motivate herself to get better and make Lycar regret not hiring her. But is it possible... that she’s still obsessed with Lycar? That she wants to work there to finally get over that hurdle in her heart? Could she have used this intelligence-gathering mission... to betray us for personal gain? Because if you look at the photos she sent, there’s nothing really wrong with them. It’s almost like she was just going through the motions to placate us!"
"Nonsense!" Gao Zhitong erupted in anger. "Have you forgotten that Lan Lan is my mistress? I bought her a car and a house! You think she’d betray ?"
The confidant opened his mouth but said nothing.
That’s precisely why she’d leave you, you old coot! You look like a shriveled duck neck, and she has no official status with you. Did you really think she wanted to spend the rest of her life with you?
He didn’t dare voice these thoughts aloud.
Gao Zhitong then pulled a small certificate from his pocket. "See this?"
The confidant’s eyes widened in shock. It was a divorce certificate!
"Boss, you divorced your wife?"
"We’ve been living apart for five or six years, our marriage was a sham," Gao Zhitong explained. "I finally decided to cut ties, split the assets, and divorce her! Now I just need to pick an auspicious day to make Lan Lan an honest woman. I’ve told her all along I’d marry her eventually. Now that I’m giving her status on top of wealth, you still think she’d betray ?"
The confidant could only shake his head.
A confident smirk played on Gao Zhitong’s lips. He picked up his phone, took a photo of the divorce certificate, and sent it to Qu ilan via WeChat. He attached a ssage: "Lan Lan, haven’t I always promised to divorce my wife and marry you? Look what this is. Surprised? Unexpected, isn’t it?"
But a long ti passed, and Qu ilan didn’t reply. Unable to wait any longer, he dialed her number directly.
This ti, the call connected.
"Lan Lan, did you see the picture I sent you?" Gao Zhitong asked eagerly.
However, the person who answered was not Qu ilan. Instead, a smooth, pleasant male voice ca through the line.
"Boss Gao, hello there. Happy divorce."
What a surprise. How unexpected.
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