Chapter 114: Hidden from the Light

“A Yan, you’re so good.”

She lay in his embrace, basking in the sunlight, her hand lazily tracing his neck as if rewarding him. She wore a white dress, revealing ankles as smooth and delicate as jade, gently swaying. The light refracted beneath her feet like ripples in clear, pristine water.

It was rare for her to be so relaxed, to lie so uninhibited in his arms. Even the white dress carried the scent of gardenias.

Zhong Huayan felt a chill about him, yet it brought a profound sense of security.

But when she opened her eyes, a flicker of suspicion shimmered in their depths.

Fu Yanyan felt the faint touch of her fingers against the skin of his neck. Clad in a white suit, stray hairs falling upon his lashes, in that moment, countless feelings of longing and admiration were cleansed by the verdant mountains and clear waters, the blue sky and white clouds. It was as if he was openly and forever embracing the hope in his heart. No matter the hardships or pain endured, it was all for this moment under the sunlight—so that Ah Yan could lie in his arms and sleep peacefully and freely.

Their eyes met, filled with tender affection and lingering warmth.

Yet when no one was looking, the brief upward glance revealed eyes clouded with greed and uncontrollable desire, so murky that no light could penetrate. He had long since been utterly disillusioned with the world.

Fu Yanyan’s left hand, adorned with Buddhist prayer beads, gently caressed her neck, his gaze slowly tracing every inch of her skin as he silently thought:

The left hand is the hand of purity.

He chuckled softly to himself. If one day he became filthy, corrupt, and deceitful enough—then all the good deeds done with this left hand would only be for selfish desires. How could purity be spoken of?

At some point, they had arrived in the capital city.

When she opened her eyes, the plane was descending. The temperature had dropped sharply in the capital, though it was still warmer compared to Aomeng.

“Let’s report back to the brothers when we get home, then I’ll head to school…”

“Finish your meal first, Ah Yan. I’ll see you off.”

Fu Yanyan’s reluctance was clear. His hand could fully envelop her small hand, stroking it absentmindedly. His expression was gentle and refined, yet tinged with sorrow. He even knelt down to straighten her skirt.

“All right, then see me off. Ah Yan, feel free to keep in touch—I really enjoy being with you.”

She spoke while secretly pondering: Xu Chuyin had already been rescued and should remember their promise. How could she get her brain CT scan to him?

Perhaps hospitals in the capital were more reliable?

No, if they were reliable, they would have detected her physical issues many times before, especially the back of her head.

After lunch at the villa, Fu Yanyan and Zhong Huayan got into the driver’s car and headed to her eldest brother’s company.

“Oh, our dear little sister is finally back in the country! To celebrate your victorious return, we got you gifts!”

Her eldest brother approached warmly, even handing a bag of local specialties to the driver. The hospitality was unmistakable.

“Driver, these are specialties from our hometown. Please take them home to try.”

“Thank you.”

The driver politely accepted the beautifully wrapped cookies.

Li Junyu, charming and graceful, gently placed his hand on his sister’s shoulder.

“Sis, be honest—are you dating Fu Yanyan?”

She nearly choked on her drink, unsure how to answer. They had shared a bed; their relationship was certainly more than ordinary.

For someone as indifferent as her, this probably counted as having developed some affection.

“Not really.”

“Not really? You’ve been together for so many days and nothing’s happened yet?”

Seeing her silent, her brother quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, your third brother recently advanced in an esports competition. The Li family is truly experiencing double joy.”

Zhong Huayan opened her phone and saw the news.

Perhaps caught from a side angle, her followers had increased online again.

[Breaking! At the Aomeng art competition, a mysterious girl suspected to be a genius has emerged as the biggest dark horse. Her unique artistic style has caused a sensation in the art world!]

The photo showed her just after stepping down the stage, the black hem of her dress cascading like silk to the floor, a hairpin delicately holding her hair. Behind her was a charcoal and black paint sketch, the photograph capturing the aura of a solitary genius.

Her phone’s inbox was flooded with messages from admirers and inquiries.

[My darling Yan Yan, you’re not just an exceptional dancer—have you secretly been participating in art competitions too?]

[Be honest—is that woman from the Aomeng art contest you?]

[That profile really looks like you! Waiting for Bao’er to reply!]

[If that’s not you, it must be your twin sister. You’re like cast from the same mold! You can appraise treasures, dance, and paint? So admirable, goddess~]

She casually read a few messages, then looked up.

“I need to congratulate third brother properly later. By the way, big brother, you’ve forgotten a lot from your childhood to now. Have I ever had major brain surgery or been in a coma for a long time?”

Li Junyu looked both glad and pained.

“Sis, you finally want to remember the past! But from birth until now, you’ve always been the family’s little treasure; no one dared let you get hurt. You haven’t had any surgeries.”

As expected, Zhong Huayan narrowed her eyes. Her head ached constantly on cloudy days.

“Sis, to be honest, I admire Fu Yanyan a lot, ignoring reality. When I first came to the capital, alone and lost, burdened by company debts, I even contemplated giving up. But then, the Fu Group offered free loans to support small businesses from out of town. That night, I couldn’t sleep, clutching that hundred thousand yuan as I slowly built up my company. Fu Yanyan is a good person…”

Li Junyu spoke earnestly about his hardships and eventual revival.

“I understand, big brother. Fu Yanyan is actually a good man and treats me well.”

Zhong Huayan’s mind was a tangled mess. She was sure Fu Yanyan harbored no ill will toward her, but he was definitely hiding many secrets.

“Sis, all of us in business have our shadows, but we’re stubborn. If someone treats you well, then he is a good person. Maybe I’m more realistic because I’ve experienced more. The world isn’t black and white; it’s gray. Everyone has good and bad sides.”

Reflecting on her days in Aomeng, Zhong Huayan realized how much she had come to depend on Fu Yanyan, though a thread of tension in her heart demanded rational restraint against this madness.

But the truth was looking at her younger brother, who had gone mad for her, transformed into someone abnormal, even breaking laws and resorting to every means to keep her—

Even if it meant deceit, the vilest and darkest methods imaginable.