Su Qingyu’s voice was calm when she spoke of him, as if she had already made her peace with it. But Lin Yan knew better. How could anyone who had truly loved someone just let go so easily? She was merely hiding her wounds, tending to them in private when no one was watching. Instead of prying, Lin Yan changed the subject. “I know you haven’t paid for your father’s surgery yet. Let me lend you the money, as a friend. You can pay me back whenever you’re able.” He knew how difficult it was for a young woman like her to make ends meet and had offered to help on several occasions, but she had always refused. This time was no different. Su Qingyu shook her head. “There’s no need, Lin Yan.” “Qingyu, your father’s health is what’s important. Would you rather suffer that scumbag’s humiliation than accept a friend’s help? There are no strings attached. I just want to help. You know my family… we may not be the Lis, but we’re comfortable. This is nothing to me, a drop in the bucket. Please, don’t feel burdened by it.” Cupping the glass of water in both hands, Su Qingyu slowly lifted her gaze to his. Her face was ashen, a heartbreaking sight. “Lin Yan, I know you’re a good person, but… I don’t have a future anymore.” Whether it was the debt of his kindness or his money, she could never repay it. Noticing the IV bag was nearly empty, Su Qingyu decisively pulled the needle from her arm. Without a cotton ball to press against the spot, a bead of fresh blood welled up. She seemed unfazed, rising to grab her coat. “Don’t worry about the money, Lin Yan. Once the divorce is finalized, he’s giving me ten million dollars. My father had his surgery yesterday, so I’m going to the hospital to check on him.” She had always been obstinate. It was the same stubbornness that had led her, once hailed as a prodigy, to abandon her studies and get married, a decision no one could ever understand. Even her old mentor would lament to him whenever they had dinner, sighing over what a promising student she’d been. So much potential, gone to waste. He always wondered who had been the one to pluck her from her path. As if anticipating his offer to drive her, Su Qingyu held up her phone. “My ride’s here.” She left him no room to argue. She pulled on her coat, her fingers closing around the doorknob. Just as she was about to open it, Lin Yan asked, “Qingyu, do you ever regret it? Giving up everything to marry him?” Regret? He had brought her family to ruin. He was the reason her father, shattered by the blow and a subsequent car crash, now lay in a hospital bed. He was the reason she had lost her precious child. Of course, she should regret it. And yet, whenever she closed her eyes, she saw him. Not the cruel man he had become, but the boy in white she’d seen once at school, who was also the man who had held her above the waves in the middle of a raging storm the year the cruise ship went down. She fought back the tears. "I don't." The door clicked shut. Lin Yan watched her go, a storm of emotions churning inside him. At the hospital, Su Qiping was still under observation in the ICU. She could only watch him from a distance, the questions she longed to ask caught in her throat. In her memory, Su Qiping was a gentle and measured man. Before her parents divorced, they had never even exchanged a harsh word. Even in all the years since Fan Chenxi left, he had never remarried, dedicating all his time outside of work to her. Li Tingchen kept mentioning her father, which meant he wasn't the one he truly hated. She remembered hearing, back when they were together, that he had a sister who had gone missing as a child. The tragedy had driven his mother to a mental breakdown, and she had spent years abroad receiving treatment. But what did his lost sister have to do with her father? Su Qingyu decided to start with the people closest to her father. Before dawn, she went to the homes of their longtime driver, Old Zhang, and the housekeeper, Old Wang. Strangely, these men who had been with her father their entire lives had either died in freak car accidents or had moved abroad and were unreachable. The only person who knew the truth was her father, still lying unconscious, leaving her to run around like a headless chicken from dusk till dawn. This could no longer be dismissed as a coincidence. It was clear someone was deliberately covering their tracks. With no leads from her family's side, Su Qingyu wasn't foolish. She immediately turned her attention to Li Tingchen’s driver, Chen Feng, and his assistant, Chen Ling. She glanced at her watch. It was only seven o’clock. They should be on their way to pick up Li Tingchen. Su Qingyu dialed Chen Ling’s number. Thankfully, he picked up after a few rings, his tone as polite and respectful as ever. “Ma’am.” Hearing the long-unheard title, Su Qingyu suppressed a wave of bitterness and quickly said, “Mr. Chen, I have an appointment with Li Tingchen to finalize the divorce. Could you possibly pick me up on your way?” There was silence on the other end. Like Li Tingchen, they disliked surprises. Su Qingyu quickly added, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just afraid something will happen again today and delay the divorce. My father’s medical bills at the hospital haven’t been paid, and I…” On a personal level, she had always gotten along well with the two Chens and had never treated them poorly. So, when she showed this small sign of vulnerability, Chen Ling agreed. “Where are you, Ma’am? I’ll be right there.” Su Qingyu gave him an address near them, on the way to Luhai Residence, which was where Bai Yuanyuan lived. As much as Su Qingyu hated to admit it, the media had photographed Li Tingchen spending the night there multiple times. In the months they had been separated, he had undoubtedly been with her. “Apologies, Ma’am, but we’re almost at Shanahong Road. You might have to wait about twenty minutes.” “Alright.” Su Qingyu was a little surprised. Shanzhong Road? That was near the Li family’s main residence. Weren’t they living together? She quickly pushed the thought away. Whether they lived together or not had nothing to do with her. Chen Feng arrived quickly. As always, Chen Ling respectfully opened the car door. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Ma’am.” Su Qingyu nodded and got in. “I haven’t been waiting long.” Compared to the staid Chen Ling, Chen Feng was much more lively. “Why are you up so early on such a cold day, Ma’am? Even the roosters are still asleep.” Chen Ling shot him a glare, and Chen Feng immediately shut up. Once inside the car, Su Qingyu let a somber mood settle before she finally spoke slowly, “I used to think he changed so suddenly because of Bai Yuanyuan. But now, I don't think it's just about another woman. You two are always by his side; you must know about his sister.” Screech— The car came to a sudden halt. Chen Feng took his hands off the steering wheel and waved them frantically. “Ma’am, you can’t just say things like that!” Chen Ling remained calm. “Ma’am, you know we never dare to ask about Mr. Li’s personal affairs. It’s not that we don’t know—even if we did, we wouldn’t dare tell you. Please understand.” Su Qingyu buried her face in her hands, tears slipping through her fingers. “I know this is difficult for you, but I’m at my wit’s end. Li Tingchen won’t tell me anything, and my father is still unconscious after his surgery. The Su family is in ruins, and every lead is a dead end. Even if I’m going to die, I deserve to know why. It’s better than this day-and-night torment.” “Ma’am, what happened to the young miss is a forbidden topic for Mr. Li. We don’t know much ourselves.” As if sensing she was about to plead further, Chen Ling wrote an address on a slip of paper. “Ma’am, for the sake of our past acquaintance, this is all I can do to help you.”