Qin Fan's fingertip suddenly retracted. She lifted her gaze, looking at the gloating Qin Yuzhi with a frigid and gloomy expression.

Qin Yuzhi was startled by her look.

Then she came to her senses. The Qin residence was her territory; what was there to be afraid of?

Lifting her chin, she ordered the servants, "Hold her down for me!"

Her gaze fell on Qin Fan's snowy-white, slender neck, imagining whether she would still glare at her with those beautiful, proud eyes if that neck were in her grasp.

Qin Fan's red lips were pressed together tightly as she watched seven or eight servants surround her.

Just as the servants were about to grab her, Qin Yuzhi's face filled with a gleeful smile—

Suddenly, the butler's hurried voice rang out, "Eldest Miss, Mr. Xie is here to pick up the Second Miss!"

Qin Fan's tightly clenched fist abruptly loosened.

For the first time, she found the three words 'Mr. Xie' so pleasant to hear.

She glanced coldly at the unsightly expression on Qin Yuzhi's face and sneered, "Shall we continue?"

Qin Yuzhi's expression was sullen.

The servants didn't dare to stop her, allowing Qin Fan to leave the garden on her own.

Standing at the living room entrance, Qin Fan saw the tall, slender figure sitting on the sofa from a distance.

He must have heard the noise, as Xie Yanli was turning his head to look over.

His gaze landed on Qin Fan's pale little face. The man's eyes darkened subtly for a moment, his voice as cold and low as ever. "Come here."

Qin Fan hesitated for two seconds.

It was as if she didn't see Qin Lin sitting opposite Xie Yanli.

Suddenly, tears fell from her beautiful and charming peach-blossom eyes. She then rushed into Xie Yanli's arms in just a few steps. "Hubby, wuwuwu."

It was the first time Xie Yanli had seen her shed real tears. His long fingers resting on her waist paused slightly before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Who bullied you?"

His gaze swept blandly over Qin Yuzhi, who had entered behind Qin Fan, yet it sent a chill down one's spine.

Qin Yuzhi met Xie Yanli's emotionless and desireless eyes—eyes that looked at her as if she were already dead—and flinched in fear.

That look again.

A man so emotionless, as if carved from ice and jade—by what right did he hold Qin Fan so gently?

Qin Yuzhi was both terrified and incredulous.

Qin Fan had only wanted to test the waters, but she hadn't expected Xie Yanli to be so cooperative.

She felt reassured, knowing that this dog of a man wouldn't want to see Mrs. Xie being bullied and bringing shame upon the Xie Family.

"She cut up the swing my father built for me." Thinking of the swing, Qin Fan raised a hand to cover her eyes, her voice trembling slightly. "That was the last gift my father gave me."

Qin Fan took the opportunity to release her suppressed emotions, and tears streamed down through the gaps between her fingers.

She was unwilling to show weakness to anyone. She had known since childhood that crying solved nothing; it only made those who wanted to bully you more brazen and relentless.

Xie Yanli didn't push Qin Fan away. The mistress of the Xie Family was not someone any random stray cat or dog on the street could bully.

He held Qin Fan with one arm, a clear, cold sneer escaping his thin lips. "President Qin, is this how you raise your daughter?"

Qin Lin had originally wanted to discuss future collaborations between their two families with Xie Yanli.

Now, it was all ruined by this stupid daughter of his.

He scolded Qin Yuzhi with a headache, "You fool! Hurry up and apologize to your sister and President Xie!"

Then he comforted Qin Fan, "Fanfan, Second Uncle will build you a better swing. Don't cry anymore."

Qin Fan said to Xie Yanli in a hoarse voice, "Let's go back."

Her father was gone, her father's swing was gone, and there was nothing left here for her to cherish.

But she would not let Qin Yuzhi off the hook.

Before leaving, Qin Fan looked up with a pair of pitiful red eyes and said, "I like my sister's glass conservatory. Can we move it to our house?"

Qin Yuzhi finally reacted, a flash of terror crossing her face. "You can't!"

The glass conservatory held all the flowers given to her by the boy she had a secret crush on throughout her youth, all of which she had protected very well.

Qin Fan, how did Qin Fan know?

Xie Yanli paid no mind to Qin Yuzhi's refusal. He idly played with the string of black prayer beads on his wrist, his voice slow and measured. "President Qin, is that possible?"

It was not a question.

It was—a threat.

...

Half an hour later, inside the black Maybach.

"So cool, President Xie! In my eyes today, you're two point eight meters tall!"

Qin Fan's face was fair and clean, not looking like she had just been crying. She was currently flattering President Xie, who had come like a hero to save the damsel in distress.

The thought of uprooting all the flowers in Qin Yuzhi's beloved glass conservatory made Qin Fan feel great.

She wasn't a saint. Why should she endure it when Qin Yuzhi bullied her?

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

Since Xie Yanli had come all this way, it would be a waste not to use his intimidating presence.

Xie Yanli had a laptop on his lap. His long fingers tapped a few times, then he glanced faintly at Qin Fan. "A lion at home, a mouse outside."

Qin Fan was at a loss for words. "..."

What did he mean by that?

"You have the guts to block me, but you let others bully you to tears?"

Qin Fan said stubbornly, "Who cried? That was just for the plot. I didn't cry!"

Xie Yanli's eyes were fixed on the screen, appearing very busy. It was impossible to tell if he believed her or not.

Qin Fan suddenly paused and asked, "Why did you come?"

And so timely, too.

Xie Yanli didn't answer. Instead, Secretary Wen, sitting in the front passenger seat, spoke up, "Madam, it was Manager Jiang. She said you might be in trouble at the Qin residence, so President Xie postponed an important international conference to come pick you up personally."

He added, "President Xie has been very busy with this international collaboration recently, working overtime for many days."

Qin Fan understood.

No wonder she didn't see the nanny van. It turned out Jiang Rong had called for reinforcements.

Qin Fan poked the black prayer beads dangling loosely from his wrist with her slender, fair fingertips and muttered in a low voice, "If you're so busy, why did you still come?"

Xie Yanli took a moment to glance at her restless fingers but didn't stop her.

Secretary Wen quietly typed a line on his phone and showed it to Qin Fan—

President Xie's heart ached for you!

Qin Fan abruptly looked at the man beside her with his cold eyes: 'He'd feel heartache? What joke of the year is this!'

The car fell silent.

The faint woody scent of agarwood from the man lingered in the air, and for a moment, Qin Fan's heart settled.

Not long after.

Xie Yanli felt a weight on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Qin Fan leaning against him, her delicate brows furrowed and her eyelashes trembling restlessly. She was not sleeping peacefully.

He retracted the hand he was about to use to push her away and passed the laptop from his lap to Secretary Wen.

Qin Fan felt the woody scent of agarwood in the air grow stronger. She snuggled deeper into it, making one want to fall asleep and never wake up.