in standing before her, only then remembering that she had fallen asleep during the meeting."Excuse me, Mr. Fu," she hurriedly stood up.The suit she had been wearing slipped off her shoulders, and she...She lowered her eyes and called out meekly, "Second Brother."

I don't know if it was her ignoring him that made him unhappy, he frowned slightly, "Why didn't you call me just now"

"I didn't see you." She lied, her eyes wide open. Huo Mingzheng was sitting on the sofa in the center of the space, the most prominent presence, impossible to miss.

In fact, she not only saw it, but also saw it as soon as she entered.

In her heart, she and Huo Mingzheng were like the positive and negative poles of a magnet. No matter where they went, she could always see him at first glance and recognize him instantly.

She lowered her head, not seeing the expression on his face, only hearing him chuckle softly, "At such a young age, you're already blind. Maybe take some time to get your eyesight checked at the hospital."

Her face flushed instantly, but she couldn't think of a way to retort. She blurted out "Happy birthday" and quickly sought a corner to sit down.

Who knew Huo Mingzheng, with the cigarette in his hand, would stop her "Since you know it's my birthday, what's the gift"

She took out a gift box from her bag that looked like it came straight from a high-end boutique.

Uncle Huo had already passed away several years ago. Life in the Huo family mansion for the fifth wife was much the same as before, with living expenses still being provided. However, this life of dependence was not easy. She lived frugally, unwilling to spend even a single cent of the Huo family's money. All she wanted was to work and study hard during her university years so that she could finally be completely independent from the Huo family's support.

So she didn't have much change on her.

Besides, a gift that was clearly prepared would arouse suspicion, so she merely chose an arbitrary trinket at the high-end store.

She thought Huo Mingzheng would just casually put her gift aside, but she didn't expect him to open the gift box in front of her and take out the ornament.

The ornament has a crystal base, the most popular dog head emoji that year. The dog head and the crystal base are connected by a spring, swaying back and forth.

"Where'd you get this" Huo Mingzheng held the figurine in one hand and tapped the dog head with the other.

"It's from a boutique, I just picked it up. I think this dog head suits you...No, I mean, it looks like your old dog." She blushed as she tried to explain herself.

Ho Mingzheng didn't mind her slip of the tongue, but asked instead: "Just bought it randomly"

She nodded.

He put the figurine back in the box, casually setting it aside. He took one last drag of his cigarette, extinguished the butt, and at that moment people started arriving. Someone called out to Huo Mingzheng's name, but the words he said, she couldn't hear clearly.

Back then, she didn't dare to show her feelings in front of Huo Mingzheng.

A girl's secret thoughts are hidden away, bittersweet and carefully guarded.

Even on his birthday, she only dared to give him a very ordinary gift, and at the birthday party, she tried her best to stay in the corner, not wanting to see others cheering for Huo Mingzheng and Li Qin.

She still remembered it was the first time someone mentioned that she and Li Qin looked alike. Huo Mingzheng, in the dim light, said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes that they didn't look alike.

Fu Yan returned to her senses and quickened her pace to catch up with Cao Fang who had just left in that direction.

At this time, the Huo's manor should have been celebrating Huo Mingzheng's birthday. Cao Fang and Cao Yuan would definitely be by his side and impossible to appear here.

But she was certain she wasn't mistaken, that man was Cao Fang.

This privately owned restaurant is of mid-range consumption. It's unlikely that Huo Mingzheng would come here to eat, nor would Cao Fang. It's even more improbable that someone inviting them to dinner would choose this place.

She recalled what the receptionist had just told her: that she and Xiaoxiao's menu items had already been settled. Could it be related to Cao Fang

Exit through the side door and you'll come to the road. Behind a row of French plane trees, there was a black sedan parked.

Fu Yan walked out and immediately recognized it as Huo Mingzheng's car.ns, pouring into my heart. A piercing pain, dense and suffocating, began to seep from the depths of my flesh.As he moved, his figure gradually came into focus. Cao only then saw the ghastly pallor of...