"Sis, it's me!" Tang Chen's voice came through the line. "Where did you go? Are you okay?" Hearing his voice, a wave of sorrow washed over me, and tears began to stream down my face. "I'm fine, Xiao Chen. How's Mom?" Tang Chen hesitated for a moment. "She's... she's been crying this whole time, sis. She hasn't touched a bite of food since yesterday. When are you coming back?" My chest tightened, and I drew a ragged breath. "Xiao Chen, I might not be back for a while." On the other end of the line, Tang Chen fell silent for a long moment before his voice emerged, hoarse and strained. "Sis... are you abandoning us?" I bit my lip, a sharp pain twisting in my heart. "Listen, Xiao Chen, of course not. I'm working to earn money for your treatment. I would never abandon you." He started to sob. "Then when are you coming back?" A lump formed in my throat, making it hard to speak. "I'll come visit whenever I have time. I'm transferring the money for your treatment to Mom's phone. Make sure you accept it and don't miss your chemotherapy, okay? You hear me?" The five million dollars from Gu Zhizhou. I had intended to return it to him, but with what happened to Father and the mounting costs of Tang Chen's illness, I had no choice but to keep it for his future medical bills. It was almost laughable. Our story began with money and ended with money. Now, I suppose, we were even. Mother didn't want to see me anymore. I knew I couldn't escape my share of the blame for Father's death, and showing my face now would only deepen her resentment. All I could do was care for them from a distance. Monday. I officially started my new job at Lu Corporation. After getting my ID badge from HR, my supervisor, Liu Xue, gave me a quick tour of the company before showing me to my desk. As soon as I sat down, she looked at me with open curiosity. "Tang Li, are you and Mr. Lu friends?" The question caught me off guard. I shook my head. "Not really. Why do you ask?" She drew out a long, knowing "Ohhh." "No reason, I was just curious. The company hasn't been hiring lately, so when Mr. Lu suddenly brought you on, I just had to ask." On the surface, her words seemed innocent enough, but there was an unmistakable undercurrent, a suggestion of something inappropriate between Lu Yi and me. A few colleagues nearby overheard her and shot me curious glances. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know her words had already planted a seed of gossip. I had no intention of explaining myself and simply lowered my head to look over my work documents. The days that followed fell into a stable rhythm. A nine-to-five routine, busy and fulfilling. I would sometimes sneak back to catch a glimpse of my mother from afar, and Tang Chen would call to give me updates on how she was doing. Occasionally, I'd overhear my colleagues gossiping about Lu Ke'er and Gu Zhizhou. I gathered they were getting married soon. To say it didn't affect me would be a lie, but the pain had dulled. I was no longer fixated on anything related to Gu Zhizhou. All I wanted now was to do my job well. Once my mother's condition improved, I hoped we could talk properly. Whether I was her biological daughter or not, she had raised me for over twenty years. No matter how much she resented me now, she and my brother would always be my family. As for my birth parents... my fingers grazed the bracelet in my bag, and I sighed softly. In a sea of people, the chances of finding them were slim, even if I tried. And what if I did? If they had abandoned me on purpose all those years ago, what could I possibly say to them? Nothing, probably. And if I had gotten lost by accident... surely, if they had been looking for me, they would have found me by now. "Tang Li!" Liu Xue's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as she tapped my shoulder, making me jump. I turned to her. "Ms. Liu, what is it?" Seeing my startled reaction, she smiled. "What were you thinking about so intensely? The UK project was a huge success, and Mr. Lu is treating everyone to a celebration tonight. You didn't drive, right? You can ride with me." I nodded, pulling my thoughts back to the present. "Thank you." The celebration was at a hot spring resort downtown. Liu Xue parked the car and immediately pulled me toward the private dining room, where nearly everyone had already gathered. As we walked in, I noticed a few of the female colleagues exchange knowing looks with Liu Xue. Before I knew what was happening, I was being nudged into the empty seat right next to Lu Yi. He merely glanced at me with a faint smile. "Are you settling in alright at the company?" he asked quietly. I nodded, consciously putting a little space between us. "Yes, it's been great." After his last confession, I had avoided any and all private contact with him. Some things were better left unsaid, understood by both parties and then forgotten. But my colleagues, likely still clinging to their mistaken assumptions about us, kept egging me on throughout dinner. They insisted I toast Lu Yi again and again, to thank him for the job and whatnot. Left with no choice, I raised my glass. I was never much of a drinker, and after a few glasses, the room started to feel fuzzy. I finally made an excuse to slip away to the restroom. I splashed some cold water on my face, letting the coolness clear my head a little. Just as I was about to leave, I saw her—Lu Ke'er, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed. Of all the people to run into.