Chapter 130: After Bitterness Comes Sweetness

Guan Yujing had never possessed a good memory; he tended to forget painful things with unsettling speed.

He could almost see his mother on a rainy day, lying on a cold bed stained with blood. The doctors and nurses had rushed in and out, their faces etched with panic. His own hands were covered in blood; he remembered the cold blade slicing through his mother’s abdomen, only to find her face pale and blue, hovering on the brink of death.

He learned that the child in her womb had perished from a nuchal cord strangulation, and her own vital signs were rapidly failing. In her final moments, as her heart stopped, she had muttered—mechanically, mindlessly—"It was me who killed my child... save my child. It’s so warm here, little Jing..."

That was her final sentence. And to her dying day, his mother never waited for his father to arrive. His father had many women outside, none of whom truly loved him; they merely indulged him, flattered him, and seduced him, all for the sake of favors, power, wealth, and status.

Guan Yujing’s memories surged forth, and tears fell from his eyes. They were tears wrung from the deepest, trembling recesses of his soul, uncontrollable. Yet, he gently wiped the tears from Zhong Huayan’s cheeks, just as he had stood by the bed all those years ago, wiping away the last bitter, tragic tear after his mother’s death.

Then, Guan Yujing strolled toward the door, his eyes returning to a state of numbness, save for the dried tracks of tears at the corners. He opened the door gently and said in a low voice, "You’re in luck. Please, Miss Li, do not disturb my dinner again."

"Your... secretary... she doesn't look well."

From the sliver of the doorway, Zhong Huayan saw the girl in the shadows, shivering like a small, fragile animal, her eyes filled with a flicker of light. She could not help but ask; she seemed born with a sensitive, compassionate heart. Though she lacked an understanding of rational disciplines, she possessed an intuitive grasp of literature and art. She was easily moved by her surroundings, and having tasted the horse uterus earlier, she felt a profound sense of pain and heartache. All things have a soul; why be so cruel? She still retained a shred of conscience and kindness.

"She accidentally burned herself with the fire tongs while eating barbecue earlier. I would trouble you, Miss Li, to take her to get checked out."

After saying this, Guan Yujing, still wearing his blood-stained protective suit, walked toward the girl huddled in the corner. The secretary, seeing him, was so terrified that she buried her head in her hair like a wounded hamster; on her fleshy thigh, the traces of the burn were clearly visible. Guan Yujing picked her up as easily as one might lift a chick. Because the burn made walking difficult, she limped toward the door.

"There now. Darling, don't take it so hard. Be a good girl and go get treated; we accidentally burned you while we were arguing. Be good~"

As he spoke, Guan Yujing stroked the secretary's hair, his tone doting, as if he had returned to his normal self. His eyes were a mysterious, deep blue, and every gesture carried the air of a romantic, gentle lover. Yet, the blood-stained protective suit betrayed the controlling and twisted nature of his psyche.

His final gaze fell upon Zhong Huayan. He had never imagined that someone could make him calm down so suddenly while on the verge of a manic episode, or even cause him to weep with such sorrow... She was the first person he had ever met who could stir his emotions like this. He touched his chin thoughtfully, staring at her as if she were something truly intriguing.

"Bye-bye~"

Seeing that his mood had stabilized, Zhong Huayan boldly offered advice. "Don't say bye-bye just yet. That stable owner—you knocked him unconscious. Don't do anything stupid like roasting him as horse meat. Have someone guard this place; there’s a lot of horse feed around, so watch out for fire."

Zhong Huayan knew that although this bastard was twisted inside, he had never harmed her before. In fact, she had often encroached upon his territory and stolen quite a bit of his business, yet the bastard had always turned a blind eye. The fact that he hadn't wasted manpower and resources to assassinate her abroad was already the height of his benevolence. Therefore, she was not entirely devoid of feeling; even when facing such a person, she felt compelled to offer a few words of caution.

"Thanks for the reminder. If you hadn't said anything, I might have actually gotten carried away with the barbecue... I was planning to..."

"I don't want to hear too much from you. I’m taking her to get bandaged up. You at least have some understanding of the law and some humanity, so stop acting on your impulses. Because of this injury, you must compensate the secretary with a house."

The room went silent. Even the secretary tugged at her clothes gently. Having survived the day was already an unexpected joy, and now, by making such demands, she was terrified of provoking another disaster. She just wanted to escape this bloody, disgusting place and this terrifying man as quickly as possible.

"Forget it..."

"Fine. I'll give her a villa."

After saying this, Guan Yujing immediately notified the person in charge and casually transferred a hefty sum of compensation to the secretary’s account—twenty million.

"That’s more like it. Look at this face, this figure—wherever she goes, she’s worth more than ten thousand a month. If this leads to permanent scarring, it’s a lifelong trauma. So this isn't just medical expenses; it’s compensation for emotional distress. This is what we deserve." Zhong Huayan said this with firm conviction.

Guan Yujing chuckled at her demeanor, the sound suggesting he was genuinely amused.

Seeing that the money had been secured, Zhong Huayan pulled the secretary away. As they walked toward the late-night snack area, it was already nearing 12:30 AM. The stable felt warm due to the air conditioning, and she found herself sweating slightly. The two women immediately drew attention. Zhong Huayan spotted an acquaintance from the Wang family and stepped forward enthusiastically to greet them, explaining the situation.

"Where can we get a wound bandaged? My friend accidentally burned herself with some fire tongs."

"I recall my cousin is a doctor. I'll give him a call. It doesn't look too serious; let's have her sit on a chair for a moment."

The secretary’s emotions were difficult to describe. Her expectations of love, having just entered society, had not only been shattered, but the "sweetness" she had tasted had turned into shards of glass. She had been so heartbroken that she had even considered ending her own life. But when she saw the balance on her phone, the pain in her thigh suddenly vanished, and she couldn't even cry. This money could save her grandmother’s life and provide them with a good future. If she had to, she would accept being burned all over again.

She had expected to die, and escaping the tiger’s den was already a stroke of luck. She never imagined Guan Yujing would actually agree to give her a villa as compensation.

"Are you still in pain?"

Zhong Huayan looked at the young girl, feeling a pang of heartache at the thought of the potential scar on her leg.

"Thank you, you’re my savior. That text message earlier... Guan Yujing used my phone to send it. He must have been holding a grudge over the horse-riding accident today."

"As long as no one was killed, it's fine. You should resign. This isn't the first time he's hurt you, is it? When I first saw you, you were so vibrant and sweet, but I still noticed the bruises on your wrists."

The secretary’s eyes reddened. She wasn't afraid of the hurt itself, but at being comforted, the tears finally began to fall.