He thought of a plan and sneered.

"Leave it to me; I have a way."

Marcus traded a project for Clara—even though it was just a cheap project worth 600 million.

Meng Ci, that fool, was still laughing over there.

"Clara is just a cripple; only someone as stupid as you would be willing to take her off my hands."

Marcus felt somewhat displeased, but he didn't show it on his face. He signed the contract, and true enough, Meng Ci didn't even appear at the engagement banquet.

However, what Marcus hadn't expected was that Clara had actually developed feelings for that scumbag Meng Ci.

In full view of everyone, he saw her complexion gradually turn pale, and finally, she wept silently, a single shimmering tear falling to the ground.

For some reason, Marcus suddenly felt he had done something wrong.

Before he could even react, he had already taken long strides onto the stage.

Everyone present watched in surprise as this Beijing-circle crown prince extended his hand to the abandoned Clara and led her away from the scene.

A commotion was left in their wake.

But Marcus would never forget Clara’s weeping eyes.

Just like now, he would never forget the regret in his heart.

Chapter 21

The red glow in his hand gradually dimmed until it extinguished completely.

After a long wait, Meng Yuwen was finally slowly pushed out of the operating room by the medical staff. Meng Linghe immediately stood up and hurried forward.

Only when he saw with his own eyes that his uncle’s breathing was steady and his heartbeat strong did the heavy stone in his heart finally fall, and he let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

The doctor expressed concern about Meng Linghe’s complexion and gently instructed him:

"The dangerous moment has passed, but in the coming days, you must pay special attention to the patient’s diet and emotional adjustment, and avoid anything that might agitate him."

Upon hearing this, Meng Linghe slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and nodded solemnly to show he understood.

He kept watch in the hospital for a full fifteen days, staying by his uncle’s side day and night without leaving.

During this period, Jiang Ruoxiao’s calls and text messages became increasingly frequent.

At first, Meng Linghe would reply to a few, but as time went on, he felt annoyed and eventually chose to stop responding.

On one occasion, he happened to pass by the rehabilitation clinic.

It was like a long hook, reeling in the memories he had shared with Bai Luwei, leaving him deeply wounded when he least expected it; nevertheless, he left with an expressionless face.

As he walked by, a hearing-impaired couple passed him hand in hand.

In a moment of distraction, Meng Linghe couldn't help but look back, staring at their receding figures.

The man gently kissed his wife’s head, his eyes filled with endless doting and affection.

Meng Linghe watched them quietly until his eyes turned red, and only then did he realize his own emotional turmoil.

He walked toward the inpatient department in a daze to find Meng Yuwen’s penthouse suite, only to unexpectedly hear his uncle’s scolding coming from inside.

"Get out of here!"

Hearing this voice, Meng Linghe’s heart trembled, and he hurriedly pushed the door open to enter, only to see Jiang Ruoxiao standing at the entrance, looking aggrieved, her face covered in tears.

Seeing Meng Linghe arrive, she immediately stepped forward and explained in a coquettish voice: "I'm sorry, Linghe, I just came to visit Uncle, I didn't expect to make him angry..."

Seeing Meng Yuwen’s blood pressure rising due to anger, Meng Linghe interrupted Jiang Ruoxiao without hesitation and commanded coldly:

"You are not welcome here. Get out."

Jiang Ruoxiao’s face turned pale, and with reddened eyes, she pushed the door open and hurried away.

Meng Linghe closed the door coldly, only to be met with the mockery of his uncle, Meng Yuwen: "Why aren't you chasing after her? Wasn't it for her that you did such a stupid thing? Why are you putting on an act here now, my good nephew?"

A sharp pain pierced Meng Linghe’s heart; he lowered his head, pressed the call button, and replied in a gentle tone:

"It is my fault. I understand."

Meng Yuwen reached out his finger and tapped Meng Linghe’s forehead hard; seeing the tears welling up in his eyes, he knew he was genuinely repentant and let out a heavy sigh.

"What’s the use of admitting you’re wrong? When Huiying tried to teach you, you wouldn't listen. When I beat you, you didn't care..."

Meng Yuwen choked back a sob, turned his head away, and refused to look any longer.

The two men fell into a silence.

Meng Linghe clenched his fists so tightly that his palms bled, but he didn't utter a sound.

His heart was filled with regret.

There were once people who truly loved him, yet he had pushed them far away.

He had clearly fallen in love with Bai Luwei and knew he was deeply loved by her, yet he had been arrogant and didn't know how to cherish her.

Meng Linghe’s straight spine bent, and he spoke solemnly:

"I will not have any further entanglement with Jiang Ruoxiao. It is my fault; I should not continue to make these mistakes."

Meng Yuwen looked up at the ceiling and said in a hoarse voice:

"I advise you not to go to Australia to look for her."

Meng Linghe’s heart shook; he tried hard to suppress his emotions, but he couldn't bring himself to agree, and in the end, he only said one thing to his uncle:

"For these two years, I will not go..."

"Five years."

Meng Yuwen’s sharp gaze pierced into Meng Linghe like needles, causing him unbearable pain.

"You must repay the Meng family in full for how much the company lost. Keep your mother and your other miscellaneous foxes and dogs in check. Can you do that?"

Meng Linghe tasted a hint of rust in his mouth, remained silent for a long time, and then squeezed a word out through his teeth:

"Yes."

"Remember your words."

Chapter 22

Sydney, O'Leary Manor, a place filled with history and mystery.

Bai Luwei arrived at her parents’ home in Sydney for the first time.

Standing at the entrance of the manor, her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at the castle-like architecture in front of her.

It dawned on her how much her mother loved romance and her father loved nature.

Combining the two, a castle here felt quite reasonable.

It was just that she had never imagined this residence would be such a luxurious place; the entire manor seemed to occupy an entire hilltop, showcasing an indescribable magnificence and beauty.

At night, far from the bustling city, the tranquility of the mountaintop was refreshing.

The Milky Way unfolded in the sky like a brilliant river of light, so incredibly beautiful that it felt as if she were in a dream world.

After dinner, draped in a wool blanket, Bai Luwei crawled quietly from the attic to the roof.

She lay back there; everything in the city seemed so silent, and she could only hear the chirping of insects and frogs, while the entire Milky Way seemed to be embracing her, making her feel an unprecedented sense of peace and beauty.

Under the moonlight, the forest no longer appeared gloomy; instead, it looked as if it were covered in a layer of silver frost, appearing exceptionally mysterious and beautiful.

The breeze in her ears seemed to be telling the ballads of nature, and the rustling of leaves and the cooing of owls intertwined to form a beautiful song of the wild.

On this quiet night, the last trace of restlessness in Bai Luwei’s heart completely settled.

The once-dried-up inspiration gushed forth like a spring, and the repressed sense of freedom and relief was completely released at this moment.

The roses, which had been on the verge of withering, seemed to have regained their life on this night, bursting with vitality.

In the following half-month,

Bai Luwei followed in her father’s footsteps, visiting every corner of the manor and every small mountain path.

She saw many flowers she had never seen before; these beautiful sights sparked her creative inspiration, leading her to produce many new works.

Bai Luwei’s mother loved her daughter’s works dearly.

She carefully arranged these pieces in every corner of the manor, filling the entire estate with an artistic atmosphere.

The servants of the manor could admire these beautiful works of art every day, and they became very fond of this young lady who had been much talked about but was only now making her first appearance.

Bai Luwei’s phone seemed to have become an ornament.

Unwilling to see her daughter’s works wither away with the passage of time, Bai Luwei’s mother specially opened an account to show off her daughter’s works to the world.

As soon as her works were posted, they caused a sensation in the floral art circle.