Her body was burning with heat as strong as volcanic lava, and the only one who could save her, was the man before her……

She clung tightly to the cold marble-like skin, her survival instinct eventually making her give up all resistance……

Pain was accompanied by pleasure slowly rising bit by bit, like a firework display going off in her mind, making her feel like she was a lone boat in a sea of fire……

Rising, then sinking, it was hard for her to free herself——

“Hey, wake up…… It’s cold here, don’t catch a cold——”

The pressure on her shoulders caused Ning Xi to wake up abruptly; her disoriented gaze met with the concerned eyes of the nurse. In an instant, her guilty conscience made her face blush, she wished she could crawl into a hole in the ground as she avoided the nurse’s gaze in shame.

Damn, although it has already been such a long time after that one drunken night, that hot night she had with Su Yan kept appearing in her dreams from time to time.

Thanks to being drunk to the point of unconsciousness, she did not have much memory of that night, otherwise she would not know how to face Yan-gege.

The nurse saw that she had finally woken up, and passed the papers in her hands to her: “You forgot to take your pregnancy health results, Dr Zhang would like you to come again next week!”

Ning Xi received the report, smiled sweetly, and carefully placed the papers in her own purse.

Su Yan was still studying overseas, he was coming back tonight. Thinking of the meeting tonight, Ning Xi unconsciously tensed up.

Because the area Su Yan was at was too inaccessible, it was only until the child was more than 7 months old that she finally contacted him.

Thinking of the shock that Su Yan had when he found out she was pregnant, Ning Xi was a little nervous.

Was it because she was particularly sensitive due to the pregnancy? Ning Xi felt that Su Yan was not as happy as she was about this.

The doctor reassured her saying that men were always like that with their first child, their mentality would take some time to change!

But…… it couldn’t be that, even regarding marriage, she would have to be the one to speak up?

The sun was burning brightly in the sky when she came out of the hospital.

Ning Xi struggled to support her waist, just as she was about to wave down a taxi, a dazzling red sports car rushed towards her.

Ning Xi’s heart thumped, and she retreated quite a few steps back.

Only to hear a screeching sound from the brakes, as the red sports car just brushed over the edge of her clothes, before stopping abruptly.

Ning Xi’s heart almost stopped; after slowly regaining her footing, she saw a woman, wearing a body-hugging red dress, toss her wavy hair as she stepped down from the car.

“Ning Xueluo, are you crazy?”

Ning Xueluo looked at her, laughing with deep meaning. With crossed arms, as if strutting on the catwalk, she swayed as she walked until she stood in front of Ning Xi. Using the advantage of her high heels, she arrogantly looked down on the big bellied Ning Xi: “What? Scared that I’ll kill the bastard in your stomach?”

Ning Xi subconsciously protected her abdomen, taking a step back, she looked at her warily: “Ning Xueluo! Don’t you go too far!”

Despite knowing that Ning Xueluo had always been at loggerheads with her, Ning Xi had not thought that she could speak such vicious words.

“Going too far? You’re the one who went too far! After getting drunk and doing it with some wild man and getting pregnant, then trying to make Su Yan become the father, tsk tsk…… Ning Xi, aren’t you so shameless!”

Ning Xi froze, “What nonsense are you saying?”

“Hey, don’t tell me you really believe that the man who slept with you that night, was Su Yan?” Ning Xueluo laughed before leaning back: “Saying that you grew up with Su Yan since you were kids with every other sentence, saying that you’re childhood sweethearts, and you don’t even know what his figure is like?”

Ning Xi grew paler as she listened, despite standing under intense sunlight, her whole body felt cold.

Yes, the man from that night……

She had only thought…… Su Yan was fitter than she had imagined after growing up.

Now with Ning Xueluo’s malicious reminder, she then suddenly recalled that, other than the body, the man from that night was indeed very different from Su Yan......

I’ll just tell it to you straight! That night you drank the wine that I added a little something to, and out of good will, I found two brawny men for you so that you could fully satisfy your desire. Who knew that you would be so insensible? You actually entered some wild man’s room, and even unceremoniously……” Ning Xueluo’s tone was full of disgust: “Yan-gege is too kind-hearted, he was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to accept the truth, so he said that it was him that night!”

“You……” Ning Xi was trembling with anger, listening up to here, she could no longer hold back and grabbed Ning Xueluo’s wrist. “Why would you do that to me? Why! Haven’t you harmed me enough?”

Ning Xueluo had her eyebrows raised in anger at first, and was about to push Ning Xi away, but she caught sight of Su Yan standing behind Ning Xi. She immediately softened her voice, showing off a delicate and pitiful expression: “Older sister, I know I was wrong. If you want to beat and scold someone, then do it towards me, don’t blame Yan-gege…”

Ning Xi froze, and in the next second, she saw Ning Xueluo suddenly fall to the ground, that pose… was as if she had pushed her.

“Ning Xi! What did you do——” A scolding voice sounded from behind her.

Ning Xi turned in surprise, and saw Su Yan with a cold expression.

Su Yan brushed past her, and supported Ning Xueluo up: “Xueluo, are you okay?”

Ning Xueluo was practically hanging her entire body on Su Yan: “Yan-gege, I didn’t do it on purpose, I know I’m in the wrong…… I’m the one who should be sorry to sister for causing all this…….”

“That’s enough, I’ll settle everything!” Su Yan patted Ning Xueluo’s shoulders, letting her enter the car: “I’ll explain everything to Ning Xi.”

Ning Xi’s mind was completely blank, she watched Su Yan walk towards her, and watched his mouth open and close.

He talked for a long time.

He spoke of their time together as childhood sweethearts, of his struggle when he fell in love with Ning Xueluo, of his anger when he found out that Ning Xueluo had plotted against her, of his shock and guilt when he found out that Ning Xi was pregnant…… He spoke of how he had accepted Ning Xueluo’s apology……

Finally, he said: “Ning Xi, I’m sorry, I can’t marry you. It’s not because of the matter of that night or this child, but it’s because I can’t let Xueluo down, and I don’t want to deceive myself and my feelings.”

These few months, he had been taking Ning Xueluo with him overseas, and after getting along together day and night, it was even harder to separate. Even though he had admitted that he was the one who had relations with Ning Xi that night for the sake of covering up her pain, in his heart, he had already chosen Ning Xueluo.

So after knowing that Ning Xi was pregnant, he could not bear it any longer and immediately went to the Ning family to explain everything to their parents, and to reveal the truth to Ning Xi.

“Then…… Su Yan…… you knew all along that it was Ning Xueluo who drugged me to ruin my innocence? For the sake of protecting her, you told me that it was you that night?” The Ning Xi that had finally recovered her voice, looked at the cool and calm Su Yan as if her soul had escaped from her body.

“Ning Xi, Xueluo did not do it on purpose, she’s still young, and impulsive……”

“Then what about me?” Ning Xi raised her head to look at Su Yan, face full of despair: “Did you ever think of me, not even for a little bit?”

Su Yan did not speak, and after a long while, he reached out to Ning Xi: “The sun is too bright here, let’s go home first……”

“Don’t touch me——” Ning Xi pushed away Su Yan’s hands, and suddenly started laughing loudly.

Living up to now, Ning Xi felt that her life was like a joke.

In order to live in the same city as Su Yan, she had put all her strength in her studies so she could get into B University.

In order to please Su Yan, she had given her dream of acting.

In order to match his upbringing and family background, she had abandoned her adoptive parents to return to the Ning family, clumsily trying to please those so-called distinguished figures……

In the end, what she received in return was one sentence: “I can’t let Xueluo down.”

Ning Xueluo, had stolen not only her identity, and her biological parents, but now…… she had even stolen away her sweetheart!

Ning Xueluo was still young, so her mistakes could be forgiven?

Then—— who would take responsibility for her life?

She even——she didn’t even know who the man from that night was!

Ning Xi covered her face; body shaking fiercely, she was already in the depths of despair.

Su Yan watched Ning Xi walk towards the road unthinkingly, as if in a trance. He threw away the cigarette he was grasping between his fingers, and was about to chase after her, but was held back by Ning Xueluo, who held onto his sleeve from behind: “Yan-gege, where are you going?”

And in the instant Su Yan was hesitating, a loud noise rang out. Ning Xi, who had been walking on the zebra crossing, was thrown into the air, landing heavily on the ground.

“Help—— help—— A pregnant woman was hit——”

In the glaring light, Ning Xi saw shaking silhouettes and the two faces that made her nauseous. The cramping pain that came from her belly caused her to lose consciousness bit by bit. She only blinked her eyes once, and the fresh blood on her forehead flowed into her eyes…… The world fell into darkness……

Five years later.

In the Eton bar, in a corridor on the empty top floor.

Ning Xi had been drinking for the entire night to accompany some investors. With a splitting headache, she wanted to find somewhere clean and quiet to sober up, but she had not expected that Chang Li would follow her. She could only gather up her spirit to deal with her, “Sister Chang, is there something you want to say?”

“Ning Xi, let me ask you, did you register to audition for the female lead in《Land Under Heaven》?”

“Yes, why?”

“You’re not allowed to go tomorrow!” Although Chang Li was her manager, she was stopping her from auditioning for this role that all the major entertainment companies were jostling for.

Ning Xi was not at all surprised by this, and only raised her brows and asked: “Reason?”

“You went behind my back and acted by yourself, and you still dare to ask me for the reason? Didn’t you know that the company has already arranged for Ning Xueluo to audition?”

“This doesn’t seem to conflict with the company’s arrangements.” Ning Xi smiled faintly at her, “Ning Xueluo made you come find me? Don’t tell me she’s afraid that I, a small-time actress whose name isn’t even known, will snatch her role?”

“You think you have the ability to snatch Xueluo’s role? You’re still talking in your dreams! Let me tell you, don’t waste your efforts. The Ning family has invested 30 million into this movie, Xueluo is already sitting securely in this role!”

“Then why are you so anxious?”

“Since you’re my artist, you have to listen to my arrangments!” Chang Li said as if that was how it ought to be.

“Heh, so sister Chang still knows that I’m an artist under you.”

“Ning Xi, I don’t have the time to bicker with you, since you’re refusing to comply, don’t blame me for resorting to force!”

As she finished speaking, Ning Xi felt a strong blow from behind. Caught off guard, she was pushed into the storeroom in the corner, and her phone was also taken away.

With a bang, the door was heavily shut.

……

The footsteps outside the door slowly drifted away.

Knowing that shouting was useless, Ning Xi kept silent. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor with an indifferent expression.

When she had first entered the company, Ning Xueluo was still able to restrain herself, and only made Chang Li arrange for some villain roles for her at most. However, she was growing bolder and starting to go too far. She was even able to throw out such a low level tactic……

If she failed to get the role this time, then she had to find a way to leave Starlight Entertainment……

Amidst her messy thoughts, a small sound travelled to her ears.

Was there a mouse?

Ning Xi followed the direction of the sound and looked over— and was stunned.

She saw a little boy behind a stack of boxes……

That little guy looked to be about four or five; he looked like a finely carved jade piece, white, soft, like a little bun. He was currently shivering and hiding in the corner, his dark eyes filled with precaution and vigilance.

Uh, why would there be a child in a storeroom of a bar?

There shouldn’t be a customer so crazy as to bring their child to a bar, right?

“Hey, little bun, who are you? How did you get in here?”

“Did you sneak in?”

“Were you also shut in here by someone?”

“Do you eat sweets?”

After questioning him for half the day, the child remained silent, but started shaking even more, as if he were a frightened little beast.

Finally, Ning Xi did not bother continuing to speak, it had nothing to do with her anyway.

The two of them, adult and child, thus peacefully occupied a corner each.

At this moment, the light bulb above them flashed brightly, then went out.

In the darkness, Ning Xi vaguely heard a chattering sound. After carefully listening for a bit, she realised that it was similar to the sound of teeth chattering.

Ning Xi laughed in spite of herself, and turned towards the little bun to say, “Scared of the dark?”

The chattering sound paused for a second, before increasing in volume.

Oh, how was he so cowardly?

Ning Xi patted her bottom and stood up, then walked towards the little guy……