"Don't hold any expectations for him. No matter what I do to him, he deserves it."
He had said this to her more than once. She still remembered that they had also said the same thing about Cheng Hua back then.
What was right and what was wrong? There were too many entanglements for her to tell.
Yan Xia looked into his eyes. They were so close that everything in front of her was blurry. "You always like to stand on the moral high ground and blame others for their faults, but you never face your own mistakes."
Just like he refused to admit that he had someone kill Cheng Hua and Cheng Yanxi.
During the stand - off, blinding car lights swept by.
Yan Xia broke free from Lu Qianzhou's hand. Straightening up, she saw Fang Jiangyi's car parked behind Lu Qianzhou's. He got out of the car and walked up to Yan Xia.
Instinctively, Yan Xia asked him, "How's Auntie?"
Fang Jiangyi's gaze swept over Lu Qianzhou. "She's okay. Her condition is basically stable. My dad will stay with her."
"That's good."
"Mengfan is at home alone. Go inside first." The atmosphere was a bit awkward for a moment.
Seeing that Yan Xia was about to say something else, Fang Jiangyi directly reached out and pressed on her shoulder, guiding her inside. He also comforted her, "I promise I'll be in in three minutes. Go in and wait for me."
Maybe it was because Lu Qianzhou was related to Fang Jiangyi's mother's sudden illness. It was only natural for him to question Lu Qianzhou.
After Yan Xia went into the house, Fang Jiangyi retracted his gaze. Lu Qianzhou looked at him with disdain, even curling his lips provocatively.
"Mr. Fang, aren't you tired of guarding my girlfriend all day long? Or have you become a twisted and perverted man, trying to be the despised third - party man?"
Fang Jiangyi scrutinized him coldly. "Was it you who spread the news about me having affairs, getting involved in shady industries, and about to marry another woman to my mom's ears?"
It was precisely because of these non - existent rumors that Fang Jiangyi's mother was extremely anxious and insisted on calling him back to clarify. He had explained for a long time and accompanied his mother for an afternoon to calm her down.
Fang Jiangyi sneered. "Your relationship with Yan Xia ended three years ago."
"What happens between me and her is none of your business. Stay away from my girlfriend." The fake smile on Lu Qianzhou's lips disappeared. "Apart from the fact that you took her away without permission for three years, there's another thing I've been meaning to settle with you. When I'm in a good mood someday, we'll settle this account with interest from start to finish."
He took two steps forward and stood beside Fang Jiangyi without looking at him.
"This time, I'll make it quick for you. I'll send your whole family to reunite underground."
After saying that, he bumped Fang Jiangyi's shoulder hard, opened the car door, and got in.
His car drove past provocatively. Fang Jiangyi stood there for a while. Calculating that it was almost three minutes, he walked inside.
On this wind - and - rain - stopped night, Yan Xia didn't sleep well.
Thinking that she would have to return Lan Mengfan to Lan Yuzhou tomorrow, she felt extremely reluctant. In New Zealand, many times, it was this lively and sensible child who had supported her to persevere.
Three years of getting along had already planted a deep affection.
Fang Jiangyi personally drove her and Lan Mengfan to wait outside the prison for Lan Yuzhou. The weather was very sunny. Yan Xia held Lan Mengfan's hand and constantly taught her to greet her father actively and give him a hug when she saw Lan Yuzhou.
After a short wait, the prison gate opened. Lan Yuzhou finally came out with a bag in his hand.
Seeing the three people standing neatly in a row waiting for him, he squinted his eyes in a daze. He even had the illusion that these three should be a happy family.
Although Yan Xia's face had changed, he had heard the rumors and knew her real identity, so he wasn't surprised.
"Dad." Lan Mengfan remembered Yan Xia's words and called out timidly.
Lan Yuzhou was greatly touched. He put down his bag, squatted on the ground, and tentatively opened his arms towards Lan Mengfan.
"Mengfan, come to Dad."
Lan Mengfan looked up at Yan Xia for permission. Yan Xia smiled and said, "Go on, go to your dad."
So Lan Mengfan obediently walked up to Lan Yuzhou and let him excitedly hug her into his arms. A forty - year - old man actually cried like a helpless child at this moment. His tears fell on the child's clothes.
Yan Xia could understand this feeling very well. When she went to pick up Cheng Hua at the prison gate back then, she had the same feeling. But they were all adults and could control their emotions well. They didn't cry bitterly.
On the way back, Lan Yuzhou held Lan Mengfan tightly and couldn't get enough of looking at her.
He had endured so much, told the truth, and even dared to go to prison because of the courage Lan Mengfan had given him. He would have nothing in his later life, and the only thing he had was this child.
Lan Yuzhou said, "I didn't expect you to take care of Mengfan for me personally and take such good care of her, teaching her to be so sensible. Miss Cheng, I'm really grateful to you. I'll never forget your great kindness to me."
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Yan Xia clearly saw the tenderness between the father and daughter. "Taking care of her was my own instinct. Mengfan and I redeemed and helped each other. She also helped me a lot. You don't need to thank me."
Lan Mengfan was very obedient. She was wearing a pink dress today with a high ponytail. She looked cute and mischievous.
Lan Mengfan reached out and touched her father's face. "Yes, Dad. Mom and I are a family. She took very good care of me. And there's also Dad Fang. They're all very good to me."
Although they hadn't seen each other for three years and were a bit strange, family affection and blood couldn't be blocked.
After they got back to the Cheng family's old house, Lan Yuzhou played with Lan Mengfan for a whole morning. Fang Jiangyi sent them home and then went to the company. After lunch, Lan Mengfan took her usual nap. After Yan Xia coaxed her to sleep, she finally had a chance to talk to Lan Yuzhou alone.
As soon as Yan Xia sat down on the living - room sofa, Lan Yuzhou knelt down in front of her.
"Miss Cheng, I'll never forget your great kindness."
Yan Xia got up and tried to help him up. "Don't do this. Get up quickly. I've already said that Mengfan has also helped me a lot in these years. If it weren't for her, I might not have persevered until now."
"No, it's different. I thought you would send her to an orphanage. I thought it would be good enough if my child could survive. I didn't expect you to take such good care of her and make her so sensible."
Lan Yuzhou's eyes were red. He insisted, "Before I went to prison, I said that as long as you protected my daughter for me, when I got out, I would be willing to be a beast of burden to repay you. From now on, I'll be at Miss Cheng's disposal. As long as it's something you need me to do, just ask. I'll never refuse."
Yan Xia let out a bitter smile.
"I thought you would immediately take the child far away and stay away from the disputes here, and that I would never have a chance to see her again."
Lan Yuzhou was a smart man. He knew who to stay with to be the wisest choice.