Volume One, Chapter 141: What Is So Special About Sang Wan, Anyway?

“Miss Sang, we’ve arrived!”

The car stopped in front of the revolving door on the first floor of Empire View Tower.

Sang Wan’s usually calm heartbeat suddenly pounded wildly.

She climbed the steps and passed through the revolving door.

Her phone rang.

An unknown number.

A flicker of unease surfaced deep within her.

Her gaze fell on the observation elevator that led straight to the top floor.

A voice urged anxiously, “Hurry up! Lou Ye is waiting for you.”

Another voice cautioned softly, “What if there’s an emergency?”

Ring! Ring-ring!

The sharp ringing echoed through the vast, quiet lobby.

Several people kept glancing back at her.

Sang Wan answered the call. “Hello?”

“Is this Sang Wan? I’m a prison guard from Imperial Capital Women’s Prison, badge number IC011xxxx. Please come to the Imperial Suburban Third People’s Hospital immediately.”

A thunderous roar echoed in her mind.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Sang Wan turned and rushed outside. “What happened to my mother?”

“Please come as soon as possible,” the voice on the other end said calmly but sternly, unwilling to say more.

Sang Wan wanted to ask further.

But the line went dead.

The car that had brought her was gone.

She sprinted toward the roadside, panic overwhelming her.

“Wanwan…”

The screech of tires, and a Mercedes stopped in front of her.

The window rolled down to reveal Lu Jinnian’s steady face. “Get in!”

Sang Wan instinctively glanced back at the top floor.

“The lawyer just called me. Mom is in trouble…”

Lu Jinnian opened the door and then the passenger side. “Wanwan, if you take a taxi, you won’t get there in time. I’ll take you!”

Her heart raced so fast she could hear a ringing in her ears.

Ignoring everything else, she lowered herself into the car.

The Mercedes sped forward as she caught a glimpse of her pale face in the rearview mirror.

She forced herself to calm down.

Sang Wan took her phone from her purse and called Lou Ye.

Before the dial tone even finished, the call connected.

---

“Sang Wan…”

Lou Ye’s voice was bright. “Where are you now?”

“Lou Ye…”

Her voice trembled. “Something unexpected happened here. I can’t make it to our appointment. I’m sorry!”

“What happened?”

The lazy tone immediately turned serious.

Sang Wan could even hear the rustle of fabric, as if Lou Ye was getting up to come find her.

Her mind was in chaos.

Her thoughts completely blank.

All she could replay were the few words from the prison guard on the phone.

Like a black-and-white film slowed to half speed.

She carefully dissected the guard’s tone and facial expression, trying to gauge how serious it was.

“Lou Ye, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry…”

She murmured.

Sang Wan hung up, feeling utterly lost as she stared ahead.

A sea of taillights flickered a scarlet glow.

She was completely disoriented.

“Lu Jinnian, hurry up!”

“Got it!”

…

At the rooftop sky restaurant of Empire View Tower.

Lou Ye’s voice was cold and deep. “What happened?”

???

On the other end, the driver sounded confused. “Boss, Miss Sang has already gone inside! I saw her enter the lobby myself.”

Lou Ye frowned.

He called Sang Wan again. The phone rang a long time with no answer.

He hung up and dialed another number. “Check and find out what happened.”

“Yes.”

The sound of hurried footsteps approached.

Lou Ye looked up.

A bright red figure approached gracefully.

“Qing Jie?”

Lou Ye stood, smiling as he stepped forward. “When did you get back? You never told me!”

“I wanted to surprise you, so I didn’t say anything beforehand.”

Ming Qing’s gentle gaze rested on Lou Ye’s face. “So, how about it? Surprised?”

“Definitely.”

Lou Ye smiled.

Looking around, flowers were everywhere, as if airlifted from Milan.

Recalling the gossip in the group chat these past days, Lou Ye realized a lot of effort had been put into this.

---

Ming Qing tightened her grip on her handbag and looked up at Lou Ye. “Aye Ye, I need to talk to you. Is now a good time?”

“Yes…”

Lou Ye nodded.

As Ming Qing smiled and stepped forward, he raised a hand to stop her. “Qing Jie, let’s talk somewhere else.”

Ming Qing arched an eyebrow.

Lou Ye nodded toward the exit and turned.

Outside the restaurant, the manager, who had been waiting quietly, approached with a broad smile and flattery. “So all this effort was for Miss Ming, Mr. Lou. Truly…”

“If your eyesight’s bad, you should see a doctor early…”

In a sour mood, Lou Ye shot the manager a cold glance. “Don’t delay treatment!”

Realizing his mistake, the manager immediately shut his mouth.

The elevator doors opened. Lou Ye entered with hands in his pockets, his expression frostily stern.

Ming Qing followed.

The elevator descended and stopped at the 98th floor.

As soon as they sat down, Ming Qing got straight to the point. “Aye Ye, are you dating someone?”

Before she could continue, Lou Ye interrupted, “Qing Jie, either call me Lou Ye like before or find another name…”

Ming Qing was taken aback.

Lou Ye smirked. “I only like my girlfriend to call me that! Besides, if she hears you, she’ll get jealous again!”

Surprise flashed in Ming Qing’s narrow eyes. “Girlfriend?”

Lou Ye laughed. “You know I’m dating someone. If the person I’m dating isn’t my girlfriend, then what else could she be?”

“Wife?”

Leaning back on the sofa, he oozed a carefree playboy charm.

Lou Ye chuckled lazily. “I wish. But I have to respect the lady’s opinion.”

“Ah… Lou Ye!”

Ming Qing disapproved. “But Grandpa Lou, Uncle Lou, and the family—they won’t agree!”

“I’m the one dating and marrying!!!”

Lou Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly, revealing his inner displeasure for the first time. “Qing Jie, if you’re just here on vacation, as your younger brother, I welcome you. But if you’re here to preach…”

His sharp gaze fell like a cold wind on Ming Qing’s face. Lou Ye said grimly, “Don’t blame me if I cut you off!”

Ming Qing’s expression showed slight shock and an indescribable sadness. “Fang Fei and the others told me you’ve changed. I didn’t believe it! We grew up together—I know exactly who you are. But I never expected you…”

“Aye Ye, I know you blame me. When Grandpa suggested a marriage alliance, I thought I was older, and the match was unsuitable. Besides, I always treated you as a little brother, so I refused.”

Completely unaware that Lou Ye’s expression darkened at the sound of “Aye Ye.”

Ming Qing went on, “If you’re blaming me, tell me how to make it up to you—I’ll do anything! But Aye Ye, Sang Wan, with her marriage and divorce, how could she be worthy of you? Especially with such a disgraceful background.”

Ming Qing asked, puzzled, “Aye Ye, what’s so good about Sang Wan?”

“She’s not as good as you,” Lou Ye said bluntly.

A sparkle appeared in Ming Qing’s eyes.

Lou Ye’s gaze darkened with a hint of cruelty. “She wasn’t born with a golden key like you, into the Ming family. She doesn’t have your background, no huge Ming family backing her.”

“…Then what can be done?”

His tone lazy, eyes wild, Lou Ye said, “I just love her so damn much!”

Ming Qing was stunned.