Hua Yan had just finished class when she received a text message: "Awaiting your reply, Hu Li." Amidst the turmoil of the drug bust, she had indeed forgotten about this matter. Today, the Cheng family and the Shangguan family were having dinner together, and Cheng Qingqing didn't come to school.

Sitting alone by the soccer field, Hua Yan looked at the lush greenery below. She finally decided to send a few words to Hu Li.

"Official announcement: Hu Li is now Hua Yan's boyfriend."

The text message sent successfully, and she felt a small surge of excitement in her heart. Love truly filled one with endless fantasies. And there was also good news – she had undergone gynecological tests, and the doctor said her body was gradually recovering. As long as she continued to take care, she could completely dispel the curse of infertility.

It seemed like only a second had passed when Hu Li's call came. "Xiao Yan, have you really made up your mind?"

"Of course, why? Are you having second thoughts?" Hua Yan asked with a smile.

"Regret is impossible. Do you have classes this afternoon?"

"I have two. What do you want to do?"

"Oh, then I'll come pick you up after class. I'll cook a big meal for you tonight."

Even through the phone, Hua Yan was moved by Hu Li's sincere tone, and she smiled and said, "Okay."

Before the afternoon classes ended, Gao Ruqing's distress call came in. He was particularly worried and uneasy. After inquiring, she learned that Gao Ruqing and his secretary had also experienced a story of reunion and separation between a biological father and a illegitimate son.

Back when Gao Ruqing had just become a gang leader, his girlfriend at the time was the campus belle of a normal university. However, due to Gao Ruqing's boss stabbing several people with a knife and being chased by the police, Gao Ruqing took the blame out of gratitude for his boss's previous promotion and trust in him.

After spending a long six years in prison with exemplary behavior, when he finally saw the light of day again, not only had society and the economy changed, but the familiar people around him had become strangers. That campus belle had also disappeared for unknown reasons. From then on, Gao Ruqing had no news of her.

Starting anew, Gao Ruqing abandoned his dozens of underlings and the olive branch extended by the current "boss" of one side of the underworld, enduring some hardships and eventually leaving the underworld. He embarked on the arduous path of starting from scratch.

With success in career, family, and raising children, Gao Ruqing achieved a successful life. However, later, the secretary happened to apply for the position of secretary in his company. Seeing the familiarity in him, Gao Ruqing kept him.

By chance, Gao Ruqing saw a birthmark on the secretary's body that was exactly the same as his own. Through a paternity test, he confirmed that the secretary was his son, the child born to him by that campus belle.

Gao Ruqing kept this news to himself. He quietly helped his son grow and mature in work and life. Their relationship was exceptionally harmonious.

This peace was shattered by a report in an entertainment newspaper, revealing the relationship between Gao Ruqing and his secretary.

Now the secretary's phone was off, and he was nowhere to be found. Normally, the secretary was always by Gao Ruqing's side, with few friends. Now that he was missing, Gao Ruqing had no choice but to call Hua Yan to inquire.

With the secretary being like a brother to him, Hua Yan worried about how he would handle such a situation. She quickly took a taxi to the De'en Temple.

When they were in Myanmar, she had told him that if he ever had any troubles in the future, he must go to the De'en Temple. Just listening to the sound of the bell could calm the mind. In a secluded little temple in the De'en Temple, Hua Yan finally saw the secretary. He was staring motionlessly at an ancient tree shedding yellow leaves.

"I knew you'd be here." After a few minutes, Hua Yan walked up to him and sat down.

The secretary glanced at her and said, "He told you."

"Yeah."

"Doesn't it feel absurd? My boss turning out to be my father… When I was little, I often wished he would suddenly appear in front of me, when I was cornered by kids in an alley, at my parent-teacher meetings, at dinner, on my birthday.

Now that my mother is gone, I no longer hope for my father's appearance. I just hope to peacefully marry and have children, to be a good husband and father. But life always throws a curveball at me when I'm happy, just like now…"

"Don't you wish for his presence?"

"I don't know, Xiaoyan, I'm really confused right now."

"Can I call Mr. Gao then?"

After a few seconds of silence, Huayan reported her safety to Gao Ru. Gao Ruqing whispered to Huayan, asking her to persuade Secretary Hu to come back soon.

"You're not planning to shave your head and become a monk, are you? If you do, then help me recite some scriptures in the future, and I'll give you more money for the oil. Remember that."

"I think you're not here to comfort me, but to annoy me. You're scheming to make me become a monk and recite scriptures for you."

Secretary Hu finally smiled a little, and his irritable heart was alleviated by Huayan's teasing. He was particularly angry about the newspapers writing that he was Gao Ruqing's illegitimate child. If Gao Ruqing hadn't gone to prison back then and lost all contact, how could her mother have been pregnant and afraid to return home, hiding elsewhere?

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"In fact, Mr. Gao is very worried about you. No matter what others say about you outside, you can't avoid Mr. Gao because of their words, and stop seeing him from now on. He has decided to let you inherit Fei Se Jiannian after him. On the one hand, it's to compensate you for the suffering you've endured all these years, and on the other hand, it's because you are more suitable for that position than anyone else.

He doesn't want his lifelong efforts in Fei Se Jiannian to be squandered by his own children in the end. You don't have to feel guilty towards Mr. Gao's other children because of this. Firstly, your mother is not a mistress, and moreover, Mr. Gao won't play favorites. You just need to do your part well. I'll always support you!"

"Well… actually, I was thinking of leaving this city. But even though your persuasion was terrible, I've decided to stay and continue as his secretary."

"Well, at least my long journey wasn't in vain."

When Secretary Hu and Huayan returned to Mu Yun Pavilion, it was already dark. After getting off the car, Secretary Hu hugged Huayan and said, "Xiaoyan, thank you."

Huayan hugged Secretary Hu back, smiling, "No need to thank me. Just don't blame me in the future. After all, Mr. Gao has children everywhere, and they might not let you have a peaceful life. You'll have to endure it in the future."

Secretary Hu gently tapped her forehead in reproach, "You just can't stand to see me doing well. I'm leaving now. I'm really worried I'll be driven crazy by you if I stay any longer."

At this moment, Huli suddenly appeared in front of them, staring straight at their intimate behavior, without saying a word. Huayan secretly stuck out her tongue, feeling that even if she jumped into the Yellow River now, it wouldn't wash away her guilt.

"Xiaoyan, your perfume smells really good. Until next time." Secretary Hu deliberately said ambiguous words with a mischievous tone, and even threw a flirtatious look at Huayan before leaving. Huayan cursed herself inwardly, wondering why she had traveled so far to find him. No good deed goes unpunished.

"Get in the car." Huli said this and got into the car first, and Huayan quickly followed suit.

Hu Da, who was following behind Huli's car, asked Hu Er, "Did Miss Huayan really anger the master this time? Her expression just now was really scary."

"Seeing Miss Huayan hugging another man would naturally make him angry, but our master is just a paper tiger in front of Miss Huayan. Everything will be fine soon."

"Hope so. Otherwise, if the master doesn't treat Miss Huayan well, it's uncertain how he'll treat us. Will we have to spar with him again?"

"Hu Da, I had diarrhea last night. Can I stay in the hospital for a few days?"

"Stay in the hospital? Forget it! We face difficulties together; you can't escape."

Hu Li personally drove the car, speeding up more and more, narrowly missing the cars in front each time, only to dodge at the last moment. Huayan was scared witless, covering her eyes every time, too afraid to look out the window. The journey from Mu Yun Pavilion to Hu Li's villa, which normally took forty minutes, was completed in just ten minutes.

"Get out." Hu Li said this and got out of the car first. Huayan hesitated for a moment, then hurried to catch up. When she reached the door, it seemed as if Hu Li, standing there, had eyes in the back of his head, abruptly stopping his steps.

Once Huayan regained her senses, she quickly followed, and only then did Hu Li continue walking. They walked one after the other until they reached the balcony, where Hu Li, with his back to Huayan, said, "Xiaoyan, the person you like is the one from just now, isn't it?"

"Huh? Why would you think that? Secretary Hu and I are just good friends, or perhaps more like siblings."

"You two are intimate, and you seem very happy when you're together."

"Are you jealous?" Huayan sneaked up to Hu Li's front, speaking softly. Just as she was about to see Hu Li's expression, he turned around again. After four times of this, Huayan could only look at Hu Li's back and say, "Hu Li, if you don't let me see your face again, I'll immediately go find Secretary Hu for a candlelight dinner, movies, and so on."

Hu Li sighed helplessly, slowly turning around. Huayan looked at the still tense but slightly embarrassed Hu Li, and the laughter she had been trying to suppress couldn't hold back anymore.

For a moment, Huayan's laughter filled the entire balcony, and Hu Li couldn't contain his pretend anger anymore. Whether it was to stop Huayan's laughter or for some other reason, the frustrated Hu Li finally used his own lips to silence her laughter.

The gentle sound of the wind, the croaking of frogs, the dimly lit Deyuan Temple on the distant mountain, and the embrace on the balcony made the scene even more romantic. Huayan's soft, fragrant lips touched Hu Li's somewhat angular ones, the moist sensation causing both of them to feel a bit intoxicated.

"I didn't see anything, I didn't see anything…" Hu Da, who had just come up from downstairs, crashed into the vivid scene, his heart torn between excitement and worry.

This was his master's first kiss, and he had disturbed it like this. He felt like dying. Huayan, hiding behind Hu Li, was both embarrassed and angry, constantly turning in circles around him.

Hu Li watched as Hu Da lowered his head and dared not look at him, and also heard Hu Er, blocked by Hu Da at the staircase, shouting to come up. His face darkened even more.