When Xia Cheng and Gao Kuo were together.

One was the arrogant offspring of a wealthy family, the other a girl from an ordinary family with dreams of becoming an actress.

The gap between them was obvious.

Back then, Gao Kuo's mother was determined to separate the couple. Yet, Gao Kuo resisted to the end, breaking off relations with his family and entering the entertainment industry with Xia Cheng.

Xia Cheng always believed that having a dream could lead to some form of success.

Yet she never foresaw that her mother would become seriously ill, without money for treatment. Desperate, she accepted the breakup fee from Gao Kuo's mother and fled abroad to seek medical help.

She sent word through a friend to Gao Kuo that she had hooked up with a wealthy man abroad, urging him to give up on her.

Not only was Gao Kuo heartbroken, but he also grew to hate her.

Therefore, when Xia Cheng made her comeback three years later, Gao Kuo, now a major player in the entertainment industry, tried every possible way to make things difficult for her.

Three months after her comeback, she had not received a single role, and Xia Cheng couldn’t afford to wait.

Her mother's illness had not improved.

Having lost her pride and persistence, Xia Cheng could only plead with Gao Kuo herself.

He intentionally humiliated her by demanding she spend the night serving him, only to abandon her in a parking garage and leave with another woman.

The leading female role he finally promised her was easily dismissed at the mention of another woman.

Xia Cheng was exhausted, and so was her mother.

She heeded her mother's advice, giving up her obstinate pursuit of an acting career, and married her childhood friend who was always fond of her.

The night she took wedding photos with her mother and Qi Sheng, her mother passed away peacefully without any illness or pain.

Xia Cheng quickly composed herself, planning to get a marriage license with Qi Sheng after the funeral service and buy a house to settle down in their hometown.

Gao Kuo, who knew the truth, was in a panic. He regretted his distrust of her three years ago and felt guilty about the hardship he had caused her.

He found Xia Cheng at her mother's funeral, his voice trembling:

"Can you forgive me?"

However, Xia Cheng was calm: "I wish I had never known you. People from two different worlds should have never met."

"So... No."

Before returning to her home country, Xia Cheng knew that her comeback wouldn't be easy.

First, she was just an unknown actress back in the days, her sudden disappearance was what made her briefly famous.

Second, she knew Gao Kuo was a big shot in the circle, who must despise her.

Therefore, she wasn't surprised when she couldn't land a role despite decent popularity after making her comeback public upon returning home.

Left with no other options, she arranged a meeting with Gao Kuo.

Compared to the past, Gao Kuo exuded a more mature and steady demeanor of a man.

He sat before a table filled with exquisite dishes and fine wine, without picking up chopsticks or lifting his cup, smoking his cigarette puff by puff, his gaze almost indifferent.

Yang Ke put on a show of servility, topping his glass and serving him food, but he was completely ignored. Helplessly, she resorted to glance at Xia Cheng, seeking for help.

She was Xia Cheng's childhood friend and knew everything that happened to her. She supported her when she decided to go abroad, and upon her return, she boldly acted as her manager without any hesitation.

Knowing that Xia Cheng was headstrong and arrogant, and would definitely quarrel with Gao Kuo, she had initially not expected Xia Cheng to start talking. However, Gao Kuo was even more obstinate.

After lightly licking her lips and glancing at the rum-filled glasses on the table, Xia Cheng walked over to Gao Kuo and offered the glass to him with utmost deference.

"Before, I was blind with greed and disappeared overseas for money without saying a word. Please be the bigger person, and let bygones be bygones."

"I truly need this role and sincerely want to apologize to you."

As soon as her ready apology came out, even Yang Ke was slightly taken aback.

But Xia Cheng knew that during the three years she had been disconnected from home, all her arrogance had been ground down.

Gao Kuo watched her for a long time with a hooked lip, his smirk not reaching his eyes. Only when Xia Cheng's hand started shaking from the strain did he take the glass from her, leaning against the backrest of his chair lazily, and motioned the empty glass on the table with his chin.

Without uttering a single word, Xia Cheng promptly filled the glass to the brim, lifted it, and drained it in one go. At the end, she even overturned the empty glass on the table, making sure no trace of liquid was left.

"Mr. Gao, are you satisfied now?"

Gao Kuo shook his head, his eyes not as amused as his smile was meant to portray.

Without hesitation, Xia Cheng started to pour herself a second, a third glass...

Yang Ke rushed over to stop her, but she ignored her and kept pouring more for herself.

Gao Kuo's face grew darker, a vein popping at his temple, and abruptly stood up, snatching the glass from Xia Cheng's hand and smashing it onto the floor.

"Gao Kuo, have you had enough?" Xia Cheng asked.

"I broke ties with my family for you and endured poverty. But you betrayed our six years of bond to go abroad with a rich man!" Gao Kuo retorted.

"And what are you trying to show with your current antics? Or do you think I'd forgive you if you drank yourself into a hospital for a stomach pump?"

Xia Cheng calmed down, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she asked him, "What should I do for you to forgive me and for me to get the role?"

Gao Kuo squinted his eyes at her and suddenly chuckled, harshly gripping her chin. "You ditched me for another man for money three years ago. By now, I imagine you must have quite a few skills in pleasing people. Take care of me tonight, make me feel good, and you'll have the role."

At his words, every last shred of Xia Cheng's dignity was mercilessly shattered. She used to despise women who achieved success by sleeping their way to the top, always believing that one must preserve their dignity even when faced with adversity.

But she had already admitted defeat three years ago, so this didn't really matter now.

Yang Ke, observing the tense atmosphere between the two, stepped forward to pull Xia Cheng aside. "Xia Cheng, that incident from the past, you should..."

Xia Cheng placed her hand on Yang Ke's arm, silencing her. Keeping her gaze locked on Gao Kuo, she responded with a clear and steady voice, "Fine."

Gao Kuo nodded approvingly, "Just as I thought, a whore indeed."

Without another word, he dragged a pale-faced Xia Cheng out of the private room and all the way down to the private parking lot on the second underground floor. They stopped in front of a convertible sports car.

"Right here, serve me well, and the role will be yours tomorrow."

In the sparsely parked car park, it was so empty that the echoes of their voices could be heard.

Xia Cheng bit her lip as she scanned the area, her gaze finally resting on the sports car.

After a prolonged silence, she shook off her suit jacket with trembling hands, revealing a burgundy spaghetti strap dress underneath.

The breeze of September night was not chilling, but Xia Cheng felt the air cold enough to send shivers down her spine.

She pulled Gao Kuo to lean against the hood of the sports car, slowly stripping off his coat and throwing it into the car.

Then, she pressed herself against him, her fingers exploring every possible inch on his body.

However, the man in front of her remained unmoved, merely watching her coldly, the mockery in his eyes making her feel like a clown grotesquely exposed.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled the past.

They met in high school; she'd been poor since childhood but was blessed with good looks and had a dream of becoming an actress.

Gao Kuo's family always disapproved of their relationship, trying several times to make him break up with her. However, he chose to cut ties with his family and joined the entertainment industry with her.

But dreams and realities were always distinct; pure passion alone could not pave the way to success.

Still, she desperately clung onto her dignity.

Once, she was initially chosen for a leading female role; however, they replaced her the following day. When she confronted them about it, all they said was, "For small actresses like you, there's a price to pay for wanting a leading role."

Then, they put an arm around her shoulders, attempting to touch her upper body.

Xia Cheng felt so nauseous that she hadn't been able to eat for several days, even rejecting Gao Kuo's touches subconsciously.

For the first time, she thought of giving up, but Gao Kuo slowly brought her out of the depression and helped regain her confidence.

Just as everything was going well, life dealt her another blow.

Her mother, who raised her single-handedly, fell seriously ill and urgently needed a large sum of money. Despite her frantic attempt to raise funds, she got less than half of it.

At that time, only Gao Kuo, a rich second generation, could help her.

However, she did not dare to tell him. He broke up with his family because of her; he would certainly beg them for money. But that would cost him his freedom and he would forever be under his family’s control.

It was then that his mother found her, knowing she was in trouble, and offered her five hundred thousand.

The only condition was to leave Gao Kuo, go far away, and let him give up and return home to inherit the family business.

She took the five hundred thousand, left with her mother and let Yang Ke tell Gao Kuo that she clung to a wealthy man and went abroad.

Her mother got her surgery fee; Gao Kuo didn't beg his family because of her, but capitalized on his hatred toward her and no longer under family control.

But what was the cost?

He who always passionately responded to her whenever, finally treated her as a hostile person, cold and harsh.

"You've made no improvements in this regard? Is this how you served that wealthy man in these three years?"

She was brought back to reality by the derisive and indifferent voice in her ear, and she slightly trembled.

"What? Do you want me to teach you how to do it?"

Gao Kuo switched their positions abruptly, pushing her against the car and fiercely smothering her lips with his.

Xia Cheng frowned uncomfortably. This kiss, devoid of any passion, merely an outlet for rage, almost left her unable to breathe.

She instinctively tries to tilt her head to avoid him, but tears start flowing down her cheeks.

However, Gao Kuo suddenly stopped, grabbing her chin forcibly to make her look at him. His voice was hysterical.

"Do you see this scar on my chin? I have dozens like it all over my body."

"I was desperately searching for you back then, but no one told me where you had gone until I had an accident and Yang Ke found me."

"I thought you were coming back, but she told me you'd gotten involved with a rich man and gone abroad. You have been gone for three years, without any news."

"Weren't you the one who prided yourself on your integrity? Then what's the story with this rich man?"

"Did you enjoy squandering his money extravagantly while I was mired in depression and drowning my sorrows in alcohol?"

"Were you discarded now because you were as wooden as a log in bed and he got bored?"

After saying this, he harshly let go of her face, looking down at Xia Cheng who had fallen to the ground.

"Do you think I would still want someone like you?"

"You're absolutely unfit."

"If you want the lead role, go audition at the filming set tomorrow on your own merit."

As Gao Kuo finished, he lifted his leg to leave. That's when a Ferrari drove up.

"Gao Kuo, did you call me over this late because you missed me?"

The window of the driver's seat was pushed down, and a woman with an attractive face and seductive figure brightly laughed. However, her expression faltered at the sight of the disheveled Xia Cheng on the ground, and she pursed her lips sullenly.

"Did you call me here to tell me you have a new darling?"

Gao Kuo suddenly laughed. He took his coat from the sports car and got into the passenger seat of the Ferrari, giving Xia Cheng a dismissive look.

"Darling? She’s not even worthy."

The woman brazenly laughed and rewarded him with a kiss on his cheek.

The Ferrari drove off.

Xia Cheng stood up and watched the now quiet parking lot, dusting off her clothes and tightly wrapping herself with her suit jacket. She knew who that woman was, the newly rising starlet, Zhao Chun, who got famous with her gorgeous curvy body and brazen personality.

Even when she was abroad, she would follow domestic entertainment news.

Zhao Chun had shamelessly pursued Gao Kuo for a year. Although they haven't officially confirmed their relationship, it was already widely accepted that they were a couple in their circle.

Suddenly, a cell phone ring interrupted the quiet. Xia Cheng took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello Dr. Chen, did you call so late because there's a problem with my mother's condition?"

There was a slight hesitation on the other end of the line, "Miss Xia, your mother's health has been deteriorating recently. The proposed surgery can't be delayed. It would be best to perform it within a month."

Xia Cheng lowered her head, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. No matter how much she had been wronged earlier, nothing hit her as hard as this news.

She remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Alright, I'll figure something out."

After hanging up the phone, she mindlessly wiped her face with her sleeve.

She was determined to secure the leading role in the audition tomorrow. As long as she could clinch this role, she would be able to cover her mother's surgery expenses.

When Xia Cheng reached the first floor via the elevator, Yang Ke was anxiously waiting for her. Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, he thought something had gone wrong and swiftly held her with consolation.

"It's okay, there must be other ways," he comforted.

Xia Cheng managed a small smile and said, "Gao Kuo has given me an opportunity. He wants me to attend a casting audition tomorrow."

After a virtually sleepless night, Xia Cheng got up at the break of dawn to do her skincare routine and dress up, while Yang Ke accompanied her to the casting crew.

Upon seeing her, the director is taken aback and stared blankly at the corner behind her.

Following his gaze, Xia Cheng saw Gao Kuo sprawling languidly on the single-seater sofa, hand resting under his chin, with emotionless eyes trained on her.

Zhao Chun was sitting on the side of the sofa's armrest, munching grapes. When he noticed Xia Cheng, he raised his eyebrows a bit, protectively looping an arm around Gao Kuo's neck and affectionately feeding him a grape, all in one natural movement.

Xia Cheng calmly averted her own gaze.

The audition segment was about a misunderstanding in which the male lead harshly speaks to the heroine and decisively takes the hand of the second female lead. The main female lead, feeling in despair, bares her heart to them and turns to leave.

Without thinking, Xia Cheng related it to herself - to her irreversible past and uncertain future.

Her connections to the scene were strong. Despite not having acted for three years, she expressed the emotions perfectly, and her lines were clearly and accurately delivered.

The director's eyes flashed with appreciation, yet he glanced over at Gao Kuo. Seeing that he didn't say anything, he made a decision to cast Xia Cheng as the lead female role and asked her to start preparing.

Xia Cheng's heart, which had been on a constant rollercoaster, finally calmed down. In the evening, she invited Yang Ke to eat their favorite bannock from high school.

Unexpectedly, they bumped into Gao Kuo.

In high school, he was a young master and was very picky. However, after being with Xia Cheng, he also fell in love with the ordinary bannock.

Because that was the worldly flavor she had given him.

But since she left, he hadn’t eaten it anymore.

Yang Ke secretly kicked Xia Cheng, who was lost in thoughts, signaling her to hurry up and say hello.

Awakening from her daze, Xia Cheng stood up and greeted him slightly stiffly.

He, however, without looking at them, went directly to the shop owner, "I've bought this shop and it will be demolished tomorrow. You need to move out as soon as possible."

Hearing this, Xia Cheng was taken aback.

He was going to demolish this shop.

It was evidently a surprise to the shop owner too. He had been renting this shop for over a decade, and his whole family's livelihood depended on it.

They wouldn’t be able to move out so quickly, nor could they find such a good location to rent in a short time.

Xia Cheng stopped Gao Kuo: "You're going to demolish here?"

Gao Kuo glanced at her: "Do I need to report to you?"

Xia Cheng was immediately left speechless.

Although this place carries symbolic importance for her, it means nothing to him at his current stage.

Even though the owner was facing difficulties, he had no obligation to consider their needs.

"At least give the owner some time to transition..."

"It's almost Zhao Chun's birthday. She wants to open a dessert shop near the school. I plan to renovate and present it to her as a gift, so there's no time to wait."

Xia Cheng glanced at the students in their uniforms walking back and forth outside, ultimately deciding to hold her tongue.

No wonder he had come to say it himself; it turned out to be for Zhao Chun.

After Gao Kuo left, the owner resignedly began to tidy the place up. His good mood shattered, Xia Cheng and Yang Ke decided to head home and make something to eat.

As soon as they hailed a taxi, they received a call from the hospital.

"Miss Xia, your mother's condition has suddenly worsened. We've managed to stabilize her for now, but she can't delay her surgery any longer. You should come to the hospital as soon as possible."

Xia Cheng's heart gave a painful lurch, almost causing her to drop the phone.

Seeing her reaction, Yang Ke asked the driver to change their destination to the hospital.

In the hospital bed, Xia's mother lay with an oxygen mask on, her eyes tightly closed, and her eyebrows knitted in discomfort.

Xia Cheng held one of her mother's hand, while the other smoothed over her mother's forehead.

Her mother had solo-handedly raised her, enduring much hardship. Yet, she always gave Xia Cheng nothing but the best.

Xia Cheng would frequently say that once she became an actress and earned money, she would ensure her mother lived a good life.

But the world is unpredictable, becoming an actress is not that easy, and Mama Xia can't wait for too long.

"Mom, you must wait for me. After the roles are confirmed in a couple of days, we will have enough money for the surgery."

Xia Cheng and Yang Ke have been caring for Mama Xia in the hospital for three days, during which she has only been conscious half of the time.

But on the fourth day, the down payment for the role hadn't arrived, which made Xia Cheng a little anxious, so she called the director.

"Oh... Xia Cheng, is it? We'll announce the final roles this afternoon, and the deposit will be credited to your account tonight."

The director seemed hesitant at first, but ended up being straightforward, leaving Xia Cheng no choice but to wait for another half a day.

However, just as she finished her phone call in the hallway, a bunch of doctors and nurses ran into her mother's room.

Xia Cheng's heart trembled.

Yang Ke ran over and said, "Auntie's condition has worsened a bit, but don't worry, the doctor is already administering regular treatment."

Two hours passed and the treatment was still not complete. Seeing Xia Cheng staring fixedly at the ward door, Yang Ke went out to get her a cup of coffee.

After a short while, the door to the ward opened and the doctors all came out.

"The patient's condition is steady, but it's not looking good. We must arrange for surgery tomorrow, otherwise, we'll miss the best window for treatment."

"The patient is currently awake, you can go in and accompany her."

Xia Cheng immediately ran in, and Mama Xia, smiling, lifted a hand to wipe the tears off her swollen face.

“Don't worry, I know my own illness well. I’ve had this for so many years, and I've got used to the ups and downs. Maybe it'll get better by tomorrow morning.”

Xia Cheng knew these were just comforting words from her mother, both of them knew the truth deep down.

But, there was still hope.

"Yeah, Mom, didn't you want to see the sea? You've been thinking about it for so long, once you're better, I will take you there."

Xia Cheng held her mother's hand against her face, forcing the most natural smile.

"Ah Cheng, can you step outside for a moment…"

Yang Ke stood at the door holding a cup of coffee in her hand, her facial expression was somewhat grim.

Without any warning, Xia Cheng's heart skipped a beat, she comforted her mother then followed Yang Ke out of the room.

Yang Ke took her to the staircase and handed her a phone.

On it was the casting announcement from the film crew.

After a quick scan, Xia Cheng's heart started to sink.

She wasn't the lead actress but rather a supporting character with a limited amount of screen time.

The signing bonus for this role was far from enough to afford one surgery.

Xia Cheng remained silent for a moment, then dialed the director's number.

"This...the final decision was made by Gao Kuo, I don't have the final say..."

Xia Cheng immediately hung up the phone and called Gao Kuo.

The person on the other end remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Oh, the leading female role? Zhao Chun saw the script and said she wanted to try it, so I gave it to her."

"She said she doesn't like you and doesn't want to see you while filming, so you can play the fourth female role."

Xia Cheng clutched her phone, feeling as if a huge void had been hollowed out in her heart; dark, drafty, and cold.

She squatted down powerless, unable to control her tears from falling, yet desperately hid the trembling in her voice.

"This role is very important to me. Could you give it to me... please? I'm really begging you..."

Gao Kuo sneered coldly, his tone icy: "When you left me three years ago, did you consider this day?"

Through her tears, Xia Cheng suddenly laughed: "Do you think I felt good when I left three years ago?"

Overwhelmed with emotion, she yelled into the phone:

"Do you think it's unfair that you, who loved me so much back then, were suddenly abandoned by me?"

"But, you never trusted me! How dare you resent me? And on what grounds are you making things difficult for me now!?"

Gao Kuo paused; it took him three or four seconds before he finally grinded his teeth and said, "Xia Cheng, don't be ungrateful! Forget about the leading female role..."

Xia Cheng didn't want to hear his voice anymore and hung up with a "click".

She cried alone in the stairwell for a while, then spent a long time trying to process her emotions.

It's ok, she must at all costs raise money for her mother's treatment.

When she returned to the hospital room, Mama Xia was looking at the ceiling. Seeing her come in, she suddenly turned her head and asked her, "Xiao Cheng, you're almost thirty, is being an actress still your dream?"

Xia Cheng was taken aback.

After going through so much, was acting still her dream?

Probably not.

At least, not purely anymore.

And it certainly did not make her happy anymore.

Seeing her silence, Xia's mom took her hand and said: "Xia Cheng, your mom has always supported your dreams of acting, but now all I want is for you to be happy."

"Just let the people and events of the past go, if acting does not make you happy, we just live the moment, that's better than anything else."

The emotions Cheng had been managing on her own suddenly burst out, she leaned on her mother's lap, crying uncontrollably.

Everything she had endured in the last three years came out in this moment of vulnerability.

Her mother gently stroked her hair and after calming her down, continued: "I've been sick for a long time, the one thing I wanted to see the most, is you in a wedding dress, having something to rely on for the rest of your life, living your life peacefully."

"I heard from Xiao Ke that Qi Sheng has been waiting for you during these three years we spent overseas, he is now thirty-one and still unmarried, what do you think of him?"

Xia Cheng lowered her head, she wanted to say that her mother was her only reliance, but she said: "He's pretty great. Good looking and commendable character, stable and dependable, familiar and loves me."

"If mom agrees, I'll bind him as your son-in-law."

Cheng's mom chuckled, "Of course I agree, tell him tomorrow, and then I can meet him too."

That night, Xia Cheng called Qi Sheng, made a lunch date for the next day, and planned to visit the hospital together to see her mom.

Qi Sheng and Xia Cheng grew up in the same neighborhood, and their parents knew each other.

They attended the same elementary and middle schools, but when it came to high school, Qi Sheng's parents moved to the neighboring city.

Although they didn't see each other often, they kept in touch from time to time.

However, it was always Qi Sheng who took the initiative.

He liked Xia Cheng, and both families were aware of it.

Yang Ke hesitated to ask her, "Do you really intend to be with Qi Sheng? Do you love him?"

Xia Cheng silently put her phone in her pocket, "Qi Sheng is great, I will grow to love him."

"As long as it makes my mother happy, I don't mind taking advantage of someone who loves me, even though it's not fair to him.”

The next day at noon, Xia Cheng and Qi Sheng met.

Qi Sheng, in his clean and refreshing white top and black work pants, was already waiting at the restaurant they had agreed to meet at, having ordered the dishes according to Xia Cheng's preferences.

At this moment, Xia Cheng was slightly moved seeing all her favorite dishes on the table.

Being with this considerate person for her own sake, and not for her mother's, seemed not a bad idea.

Having clarified this, Xia Cheng was even more candid in expressing her inner thoughts.

"Qi Sheng, do you want to marry me?"

Qi Sheng was choked by the warm water in his mouth, coughing fiercely. He looked at Xia Cheng with surprise and apprehension, until he saw the seriousness in her eyes, then finally, joyfully curled up the corners of his lips.

He knew that Xia Cheng had an ex-boyfriend she dated for six years. He regretted his absence from her high school life, leaving room for another man.

"Of course I want to."

He took another sip from his cup of warm water, struggling to suppress the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Before I came here, I thought I was doing this for my mom, but now I realize I'm also doing it for myself."

"To be honest, I may like you as a friend now, but it won't necessarily stay that way."

Qi Sheng listened to her, looking at her with a serious expression, "I don't care what kind of liking you have for me, I've been wanting to marry you since I was a kid."

After their meal, the two went straight to the hospital, with Xia Cheng linking arms with Qi Sheng all the way.

From a corner of the restaurant, a paparazzo took photos of them chatting, dining, and leaving arm in arm, then posted them all on Weibo.

Soon, there was a new hot search term online: The actress who vanished for five years is suspected to have a boyfriend.

Actually, after Xia Cheng's public return, her popularity was not low, but most netizens were just interested in the gossip.

After all, the ex-boyfriend who was abandoned by her has now become a big shot in the entertainment industry, and the fact that she did not appear in any dramas two months after her return certainly fueled speculation.

Now with these photos, all sorts of comments were appearing online.

"She left three years ago because she hooked up with a rich man! She's really money-minded!"

"But the guy in the photo doesn't look like some rich man..."

"She must've been dumped by the rich man. She came back and found a new pretty-boy!"

......

Gao Kuo skimmed through the comments on Weibo, lips tightly pressed. Eventually, he opened the photo, his gaze fixed intently on Xia Cheng's smiling face and the hand curling around someone else's arm.

After a while, his fingers unconsciously opened WeChat and sent a message to Xia Cheng:

【We will be filming in a few days. The casting announcement has just been issued, don’t let the entire crew be affected because of you.】

Just as Xia Cheng finished visiting her mother with Qi Sheng and sent him off at the hospital entrance, she received the message.

Frowning, she opened Weibo and only then realized that photos of her and Qi Sheng had been snapped.

She replied to Gao Kuo: 【You needn't concern yourself with me.】

Then, she showed the paparazzo's Weibo post to Qi Sheng, apologizing to him.

Qi Sheng wore an indifferent expression: "To be linked with Ah Cheng in a scandal, I consider it an absolute honor."

Xia Cheng put away her phone, dismissing all the gossip with a smile, "This is not a scandal."

They agreed to take wedding photos in Weihai with Xia's mother three days later.

The rush was due to Xia's mother's insistence earlier in the hospital room.

"Don’t I know my own condition? There's no need to stay in the hospital room all day. Perhaps just watching you two take wedding photos will make it all better."

Xia Cheng knew her mother no longer wished to continue treatment, thinking she was a burden.

But Xia Cheng didn't see it that way. She instinctively wanted to decline, but saw her mother's determined stare.

“Your mom wants to see you guys taking wedding pictures by the seaside.”

Apart from a stubborn individual who raised her, Mama Xia had never been this assertive.

Xia Cheng gave a bitter smile and could only agree.

Three days later was the day the crew were scheduled to take their publicity photos.

Xia Cheng paid it no mind, straightforwardly driving with her mother in Qi Sheng’s car to Weihai.

By the time they arrived, Gao Kuo called.

Xia Cheng glanced at her phone and turned it off.

The sea breeze in September was slightly chill, but the weather was a delight, the warm sun cascaded down on the surface of the sea.

Xia Cheng and Qi Sheng, dressed in wedding attire, stamped their feet on the sandy beach and boulders, Mama Xia from time to time personally stepping forward to instruct their movements.

After an entire day of shooting, Xia Cheng and Qi Sheng finished changing their clothes, but Mama Xia still didn’t want to leave.

“Let’s wait a bit longer, until the sun has completely set.”

Mama Xia sat by the beach on a long bench, watching the setting sun gradually sink into the horizon. Xia Cheng suddenly felt a bit cold and leaned upon her shoulder at a decision.

“Little Cheng, your mom is a bit tired, but today I truly am happy.”

“The daughter that I raised with my own hands, I can be certain that she will be very happy in the future; Little Sheng is a good boy…”

Xia Cheng nuzzled her shoulder: “Mother will be happy together with us, right…”

Before she could finish her words, her expression gradually turned to terror: "Mom...Mom..."

Mother Xia passed out when it was completely dark at the seashide. Xia Cheng and Qi Sheng hurriedly took her to the nearest hospital for initial treatment, and then transferred her to the previous hospital.

The chief physician recommended immediate surgery, but Xia Cheng only managed to raise two-thirds of the surgery fees.

At this time, Mother Xia awoke, she held the hand of Xia Cheng, who was busily making phone calls to borrow money.

"Xia Cheng, let's not do the surgery, I am already content."

"Three years ago... It was me who dragged you down, otherwise you and...he wouldn't have ended up like this."

"However, seeing you move on from the past, accepting a new future, I have no other wishes."

"I am really tired and miss your dad a lot. He left when you were just over a year old. It has already been twenty-six years. I should go be with him."

Xia Cheng held her hand and cried uncontrollably: "No, don't you want to see me get married? Didn't you say you want to hold your grandchild? I promised to make you live a good life but I haven't done it yet..."

Mother Xia's face was loving, her eyes welled up with tears: "As for bringing up children, you have to rely on yourself in the future. Aren't death and departure also implying beginnings? I'm happy, really happy..."

Mother Xia passed away on the hospital bed, still tightly holding Xia Cheng's hand.

It was then that Xia Cheng understood the horror of the phrase "the child wants to take care of the parent, but the parent is not there".

Qi Sheng and Yang Ke stayed with her throughout this difficult time without leaving her side.

As dawn was breaking, Xia Cheng, exhausted from crying, finally fell asleep.

At this point, Yang Ke's phone rang; it was Gao Kuo calling.

She frowned, going outside to answer the call.

The moment the call was answered, an irritated voice came from Gao Kuo, "What's happening with Xia Cheng? She missed the role confirmation yesterday and we still couldn't reach her. If she doesn't come today, we'll treat it as a contract breach."

Yang Ke's voice was calm but tinged with sarcasm, "Gao Kuo, Xia Cheng's mother passed away last night. The fourth female role is no longer important to her."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, broken only by uneven breathing.

Upon hearing the news, Gao Kuo felt a buzzing in his head.

He knew how important Xia's mother was to Xia Cheng, but he didn't know how it could have happened so suddenly. She was just in her early 50s. How could...

In that moment, a flood of thoughts rushed into his mind, causing an unexpected wave of panic.

He stood rigid on the spot, his body slightly trembling.

He was scared.

Scared that her departure three years ago had other causes, scared that his hatred of her throughout these years had no basis, scared that he was the one who had brought all this about.

Seeing him in a daze, Zhao Chun embraced him from behind, her boneless hand caressing his chest.

"What's the matter, Ah Kuo? Why are you so lost in thought this early morning?"

Gao Kuo pushed her away with a frown and irritation, rising abruptly and walking away without a word.

Zhao Chun nearly stumbled and fell as he shoved her. She watched his retreating figure in confusion.

As Gao Kuo walked out of the apartment, he was on the phone with his personal assistant.

"Find out which hospital Xia Cheng's mother was previously admitted to."

Hesitating for a moment, he coldly instructed again with a frown, "Also make sure to find out the reason Xia Cheng left for abroad three years ago. If you can't dig up anything, prepare to pack your things and get lost."

The assistant on the other end of the phone shivered. He had worked for Gao Kuo for four years, therefore he understood the significance of Xia Cheng in his heart. He couldn't afford even the slightest neglect, even if all he had left for her was hatred.

In less than half an hour, he found out about the hospitals Xia Cheng had been in and out of.

Gao Kuo drove there directly.

Because of an underlying unease, he was distracted and almost caused a traffic accident.

When he got to the medical center, he parked the car in the lot and found himself hesitating at the sight of the hospital entrance.

After much deliberation, he still couldn't bring himself to move.

His fear of revealing the truth was greater than his internal doubts about what was happening.

Perhaps, he already realized that the truth was the answer he had been avoiding in his heart.

However, how could he accept that?

Three years ago, Xia Cheng disappeared all of a sudden. He had asked lots of people, searched many potential places, but there was no sign of her, no one had seen her.

It felt like their six years together were nothing but a dream. When he woke up, she was gone.

But his memories were still there.

He had thought of many reasons for her sudden disappearance, but what he hadn't expected was for Yang Ke to tell him one day, "Xia Cheng has gone abroad with a wealthy man, you should stop searching for her."

Those were the most vicious words Gao Kuo had ever heard.

A rich man?

He used to be a wealthy second-generation rich kid, but for her, he broke off relations with his family and became a poor boy with nothing.

He drank heavily, raced cars, almost lost hope in life, and it was his hatred toward her that ended him up where he was now.

But what's the situation now?

Gao Kuo stood for a long time until his eyes were sore. Then, he took a deep breath and walked to the hospital room door where his assistant had informed him.

After crying all night due to heartbreak, Xia Cheng had passed out. Yang Ke was with her in the hospital room, while Qi Sheng was leaning against the door, deep in thought.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Qi Sheng raised his head and saw a frowning Gao Kuo.

Their eyes met, both seeing hostility in each other’s eyes.

In the six years that Gao Kuo and Xia Cheng were dating, he’d met Qi Sheng a few times.

But every time they met, Gao Kuo had a bad impression of Qi Sheng.

Even with him, her official boyfriend around, Qi Sheng’s affection for Xia Cheng never dimmed.

Those bright eyes and instinctive protective gestures gave him a hard-to-describe sense of crisis.

Qi Sheng also didn’t like Gao Kuo. As a spoilt and self-aggrandizing young master, Qi Sheng could not comprehend what made Gao Kuo deserve Xia Cheng.

Unfortunately, he was a step too late, and so he didn’t have the qualification to stand by her side.

Now that he knew it was Gao Kuo making it hard for Xia Cheng in the circle, and thus she couldn’t raise the surgical fees on time, he hated Gao Kuo even more.

Thinking about it that way, he swung a punch and landed it heavily on Gao Kuo's face.

"Gao Kuo, huh? You have the gall to come?"