Anan

018 First Round (2)

In the midst of her desolation, Li Xinyuan found herself smiling again. Nonetheless, she felt a deep sense of joy and gratitude. At least she could still witness her sister standing there, vibrant and alive. At least she still possessed the opportunity to alter the destinies of two families.

Li Xinyuan felt as though she had undergone a miraculous resurrection. Throughout her life, she had always found a way. As for her sister's situation, she couldn't force her hand; she needed to devise another plan.

Reluctantly tearing her gaze away from her sister, she turned to leave the neighborhood. However, after only a few steps, she halted abruptly.

On the path on the other side of the building, another figure was watching in the direction of the Li residence. Li Xinyuan regarded this person with suspicion.

He was a man of twenty-five or twenty-six, vaguely familiar to her. Tall in stature, with a straight posture, he wore a simple black cotton jacket and trousers, with a crew cut and square features, exuding an air of dignity and rectitude.

Li Xinyuan remembered him now. He was Zhong Yi, a neighbor's child whom she used to call "Big Brother Zhong Yi" since childhood. Zhong Yi and her sister were close in age, having grown up together, akin to childhood sweethearts.

Yes! When her sister was attending vocational school, she had been romantically involved with Zhong Yi for a while! However, at that time, Li Xinyuan was too young to understand the situation, only hearing later that Zhong Yi had enlisted in the military, and the two had inexplicably parted ways. Afterward, she hadn't paid much attention to him.

Had Zhong Yi returned from military service by now? What was he staring at?

Following his gaze, Li Xinyuan looked back towards her family's kitchen, where a faint, graceful figure could be discerned.

Oh.

After watching for a while, Zhong Yi turned and walked away.

Li Xinyuan began pacing in place, desperately searching her memory for information about Zhong Yi. She recalled that he was decisive, gentle, particularly filial, and treated her and her sister very well. She also heard that Zhong Yi had achieved merit in the army. He was a person of impeccable character and integrity, respected by all their neighbors.

The Zhong family was originally well-off, and Zhong Yi had received a significant severance pay upon leaving the military. However, for some reason, the Zhong family had been struggling financially for years.

However, two or three years ago, Li Xinyuan heard that Zhong Yi had entered into a partnership to start a factory, and their financial situation had finally improved. He had even purchased several properties in Chen City, although it was said that his previous business ventures had delayed his marriage, and he was now participating in matchmaking events.

Yes! Last year—autumn of 2021—when her sister was once again subjected to domestic violence, Li Xinyuan rushed back and heard that a neighbor had intervened and had a scuffle with Zhou Zhihao. At the time, she had only briefly interacted with that righteous neighbor, but now, recalling, wasn't that person Zhong Yi?

Following her memories, Li Xinyuan slipped to the outside of Zhong Yi's house. Like her own, it was also on the ground floor, and she caught a whiff of strong herbal medicine. Peeking out from behind the wall, Li Xinyuan saw Zhong Yi standing in the yard, hanging clothes to dry. Coughing could be heard from inside the house. Zhong Yi immediately went in, calling out, "Dad, are you okay? Have some water..." The rest of his words were indistinct.

Li Xinyuan remembered now. Zhong Yi's mother had passed away when he was young, and his father had fallen seriously ill in the past two years, passing away a few years later. That's why Zhong Yi had returned from the military to take care of his father; otherwise, he might have had a better career in the army.

Did Zhong Yi still harbor feelings for her sister? If so, why hadn't he spoken up back then? Li Xinyuan almost immediately had an answer—it was because of the heavy burden on his family and his father. Zhong Yi was the type to consider others before himself, willing to shoulder all responsibilities.

A glimmer of hope flashed through Li Xinyuan's mind. This was truly a stroke of luck. While the words of outsiders might not sway her sister, what if her former boyfriend returned?

Her sister was an extremely cautious person. If she didn't have strong feelings for Zhong Yi, she wouldn't have engaged in an early romance at the age of seventeen or eighteen. Seeing how she was still reluctant to let go of Zhou Zhihao now, it was clear. Later on, her sister had settled for less, but that compromise led to a lifetime of suffering.

Li Xinyuan returned home, pondering how to discern the true feelings of these two individuals and, if they still held affection for each other, how to facilitate their reunion and push Zhou Zhihao out. As the saying goes, a virtuous woman shuns a persistent suitor. She felt she had to start with Zhong Yi. If he made up his mind, even if Zhou Zhihao came from a wealthy family, he might not be able to compete with Zhong Yi.

The more she thought about it, the more hopeful Li Xinyuan became. She entered her home with a spring in her step, relieved that Wu Xinhui wasn't playing cards today, instead applying a face mask while watching television. With her own path forward now clear, she couldn't help but recall the massive bombshell hidden in Zhang Yanan's family.

It was already the third day, and she still hadn't seen Zhang's father, Zhang Moyun.

Sitting beside Wu Xinhui, Li Xinyuan inquired, "When will Dad be back?"

Wu Xinhui replied, "He said he'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Oh, by the way, how's the situation at the company now? How much money have they borrowed? Is there significant financial pressure?" Li Xinyuan asked.

Wu Xinhui stared at her as though she were a strange creature. "Have you lost your mind? How would I know about that?"

Li Xinyuan sighed inwardly. It seemed Zhang Yanan's mother had been pampered into becoming a carefree princess by the overbearing CEO husband.

She would have to wait for Zhang's father to return to gather more information. But now that she was his "biological son," convincing him to manage risks would be much easier than persuading her own family.

Speaking of which, the "Li Xinyuan" in the hospital had been in a coma for three days now. Why hadn't she woken up yet?

That night, with nothing else to do, Li Xinyuan could only study and do her homework. She was prepared for a prolonged struggle—her sister's situation had become clearer, Cheng Ruiyan was being avoided, she could manage to score 60 points in her studies, and as for Fuming Group, she would formulate a strategy after speaking with Zhang's father...

Despite the chaos surrounding her, beneath every piece of mess, a

sprout of hope had emerged. Li Xinyuan fell asleep with a sense of optimism, holding onto the belief that better days were ahead.

Until her phone alarm jolted her awake.

"Us ordinary folks, we're truly happy tonight...

Us ordinary folks, we're truly happy tonight..."

Reaching for her blanket, Li Xinyuan silenced the alarm. After a few minutes, she sat up, gazing at the familiar surroundings of her rented apartment in Xiangcheng—a small room, a 1.5-meter bed, plain curtains, and a modest computer desk. Her entire back was damp with cold sweat.

Retrieving her phone, the display clearly showed: January 13, 2022.

She remembered. The day of the departmental presentation was January 12th.

She had been sent back.