Mo Fan stared, utterly speechless. Jing Ting’s brows were knitted, his gaze so intense it made her thick lashes tremble. Li Mi forced herself to remain calm. Seven years ago, a single, forceful grip had changed everything—it had taken her innocence and left her with two children. Thankfully, the children were at Beibei’s place and wouldn’t be back for a while. Li Mi took a couple of steps back, but he refused to release her, his large hand clamped firmly around her wrist. She lifted her dark, luminous eyes to his, her voice hesitant. "You… were looking for me?" Jing Ting’s icy gaze remained fixed on her. There was an almost unnatural purity about this woman—her eyes, clear as autumn pools and dark as lacquer, her skin as fine as porcelain. The sight of her, the feel of her wrist in his hand… it all stirred a long-forgotten familiarity. Mo Fan watched his boss in disbelief. His behavior today was completely out of character. "Let go of me! Just let go," Li Mi pleaded, trying to pry his fingers off with her free hand, but he only tightened his grip. She hissed in a sharp breath against the pain and stopped struggling. Jing Ting’s gaze shifted to the bamboo house, his voice low and magnetic. "Who else lives here?" He hadn't forgotten the purpose of his visit; he still couldn't believe this woman was capable of stealing the Blue Sky Project. "Just me," she said, struggling to keep her voice even. She was still completely in the dark about the 'good deed' her son had committed. Jing Ting’s eyes snapped back to her face, his expression turning cold and sharp. Li Mi’s face hardened. Trying to sound reasonable, she asked, "What is it you want?" His grip tightened, and she winced as her brow furrowed against the sharp pain. Pain. Jing Ting took the tablet from Mo Fan and held it in front of her. When Li Mi saw the red dot on the screen blinking directly over their courtyard, the pain in her wrist vanished, and her heart leaped into her throat. Jing Ting watched her reaction closely, finding the answer he was looking for in her sudden panic. "What is this?" Li Mi looked up at him, feigning ignorance. He handed the tablet back to Mo Fan. "So you're the one who hacked my system and stole the Blue Sky Project?" Jing Ting released her, sliding his hands into his pockets as his searching gaze settled back on her. Hacked his system? Stole the Blue Sky Project? It all clicked into place. *Oh, Zhan Zhan!* she thought frantically. *Are you trying to get your mother killed?!* Jing Ting watched the color drain from her face, his dark eyes growing icy. "Where is the Blue Sky Project?" His voice had a menacing edge. "Hand it over." The command was cold enough to make one's blood run cold. "No, no, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Li Mi said, waving her hands frantically. "I don't know anything about hacking systems or stealing projects! You must have the wrong person!" His gaze darkened. "So you were waiting for me to find you." "I wasn't!" she shot back, her face a mask of innocence. "You're wrong! I swear I didn't do anything!" "Still not ready to tell the truth?" A dangerous glint flashed in his narrow eyes. The air seemed to crackle with tension, the pressure dropping palpably. Li Mi felt crushed by an overwhelming force, and she prayed desperately that the children wouldn't return. Jing Ting strode forward and seized her wrist again, his grip so strong it nearly lifted her off her feet. "It hurts..." she hissed, keeping her voice low so as not to alert the neighbors. "Let me go!" A menacing light shone from his eyes. "Hand it over!" "I don't have it... ow!" Just then, seeing that things were taking a bad turn, a small figure shot out from behind a large water tank— "Daddy! Let go of Mommy!" a little boy, full of fight, came sprinting toward them on his short legs. "Don't you hurt her!" A little girl followed, already in tears. "Waaaah... Don't bully Mommy! You big meanie!" The sudden shouts of the children caught everyone off guard. The two little figures, fiercely protective, slammed into Jing Ting, knocking his hand away from the woman. Before anyone could react, Jing Ting’s grip went slack. The impact sent him staggering back a couple of steps before he caught his balance. Zhan Zhan threw his arms out protectively in front of Li Mi, glaring up at the man indignantly. "Daddy! Real men don't hit their own ladies, you know!"