43

Yu Minglang found it hard to control his gaze. He turned on the car's interior light & suddenly felt that she looked especially pleasing sitting in his car.

It seemed as though the co-pilot seat was meant for her, allowing him to see her beautiful face with just a sidelong glance. No one else would do.

The car light accentuated her facial features perfectly, even her ruby-like beauty mark was pleasing to the eye.

Yu Minglang suddenly remembered when he was young, and his grandmother from a family of artists was painting with a brush. He ran over, climbed onto the table, and pointed at the painting, saying that the person's face was dirty and had a spot.

His grandmother told him it was called a beauty mark, and only the moles at the center of the eyebrows or near the mouth could be called beauty marks. Especially for women, having a mole at the center of the eyebrow was an immense fortune. Moreover, only red ones could be called beauty marks, not black ones.

As he grew up, he saw a few people with beauty marks, but none was as beautiful as hers. Or maybe, it was because of her that he found the mole so beautiful. In fact, he thought this girl was beautiful all over.

Her beautiful face, beautiful mole, even her delicate appearance were all just right. However, this girl was too clever, so clever that it felt endearing. No, it was only endearing to him. This kind of clever ruthlessness, if used against others, would be terrifying. That day, she took action twice, each time more ruthless than before.

If he hadn't followed her, she would've certainly caused trouble.

What's more, Yu Minglang was quite sure that even if she got herself into trouble, no one would be able to trace it back to her. Her method was clean, swift, and ruthless, making it deadly.

"Yu Dumbass, why are you staring at me?"

"I think that in the future, you might become a menace," he honestly said. If this girl didn't walk the right path, she could harm many in the future.

A highly intelligent person who uses their brain can play a group of people to death, and they wouldn't even need to bear legal responsibility. They could just walk the line without suffering any losses.

Xiao Qian's hand holding the bamboo stick paused, instinctively wanting to hit him with it. You're the menace – you and your whole family!

But remembering the events that had unfolded between them, her hand holding the stick dropped, and she said with self-mockery:

"Yes, I'm a menace. I'm not a good person. In the future, stay away from me. The further, the better. Don't get involved with me."

Yu Minglang disliked her deliberate attempt to distance herself.

During dinner, everything seemed fine. Why did she suddenly want to break off all relations after eating?

So, he grabbed her hand holding the stick and hit his own head with it.

Xiao Qian was dumbfounded. What was going on?

"Just now, didn't you want to do this? Do you feel better after doing it?"

Even if he was hit, it was better than her treating him with such distance.

"You... are you a fool?" Xiao Qian could only say that.

"If it makes you happy, I don't mind being a fool."

Xiao Qian wanted to go and wash her hands; her attention was all scattered now.

"Yu Minglang, I'm not a good person." When the car reached her home, Xiao Qian didn't get out, but looked ahead and spoke with repression.

She didn't know if it was fate playing tricks on her, but since she returned, he caught her misdeeds almost every time.

Including the fire she started tonight, she was sure he knew what had happened.

"I believe I won't misjudge you."

"I've done a lot of bad things, but I don't regret it."

"If someone cares about you, you won't do such things."

Xiao Qian was shocked, as if something blocking her heart was being pushed away.

She was a psychologist. She had once calmly told patients with psychological barriers the same thing as Yu Minglang. But when he said it, why did she feel like something inside her was about to get out of control?

"I took pictures of that bitch, and I started the fire too. Why don't you blame me!" She clenched her fists.

"I was a bit harsh when talking to you just now, and I might have hurt you. I apologize. I'm not judging your actions from a moral high ground, but I'm worried that your actions will harm yourself. I can understand why you want to protect your family, but please promise me that from now on, whatever you do, don't harm yourself," he said.

He looked at her sincerely, and Xiao Qian's nose tingled.

"You're a good girl, you're still young. Don't dirty your hands for people who aren't worth it."

"I hate you!" Tears welled up in Xiao Qian's eyes. This bad guy, saying these things to her as if it was better than scolding her a few times.

Her tears were precious, and this guy managed to make her cry so easily!

Seeing that the girl was crying again, Yu Minglang became anxious.

He really didn't know how to get along with girls. What should he do? His efforts to remedy the situation backfired!

"I guess you might have been hurt before. Regardless, the past is the past; you should have a better future. You're so clever. You could use your skills to take revenge on others, but that's not the best choice for you."

"Then tell me, what should 1 do? Yu Minglang, what else can I do now besides these tactics?"

"I shouldn't say this, but from a personal emotional standpoint, I don't think retaliating against those who hurt you within the bounds of reason is a mistake."

Xiao Qian was surprised. She even forgot to cry.

He didn't think he was wrong?!

"But your approach doesn't work. Firstly, it's likely to cross legal boundaries, harming both others and yourself. Secondly, even if you take revenge on them, you won't feel better. People with no boundaries don't think it's wrong to hurt others, but you're too kind. When you hurt others, you feel uncomfortable too."

Otherwise, why would she wash her hands with tears, and repeatedly emphasize that she's a bad person? That scene had a huge impact on Yu Minglang's heart.

"Yu Minglang, do you know who sent the person to start the fire tonight?"

"...Yeah." He wasn't stupid.

"If it was done by your relative, and you help me, wouldn't that mean you're betraying them? Have you thought about that?" At first, she thought that Yu Minglang would get angry because of that. But the way he spoke earlier clearly wasn't the case.

"Everyone must pay a price for their actions," Yu Minglang cryptically replied to Xiao Qian.

"Chen Xiaoqian, do you have the photos with you?" he asked.

Xiao Qian shook her head.

"Go back and get them. I'll wait for you downstairs."

"What for?" Xiao Qian asked.

"To correct a mistake I made.." He should have never agreed to his aunt's request in the first place!

44

Xiao Qian returned home, and Jia Xiufang was still waiting for her. Chen Zilong, the playboy, had already gone to bed earlier; his carefree snoring could be heard even through the door.

"Qian'er, how did it go?" asked Jia Xiufang.

"I came back to get something, and I have to go out again."

"Is it safe? I'll go with you!"

"It's fine; the Messenger of Justice is with me." She was still wearing Yu Minglang's clothes.

"Do you know the man who put out the fire? Your daughter is wearing a man's clothes; it's a bit strange."

"You've forgotten? He saved us before."

"Ah, it's him. No wonder he looked so familiar."

Xiao Qian took the box containing the negatives and photos and went out again.

"Qian'er, do you really not need me to go with you?"

"It's fine, he was sent by the authorities, nothing will happen," Xiao Qian lied casually, successfully deceiving Jia Xiufang.

Once in the car again, she watched him expertly start the vehicle.

"Are all the negatives in here?"

"Yes, they're all here. I originally planned to burn them, but there wasn't enough time." Xiao Qian had also considered continuing to use these negatives to her advantage.

But since she had promised Yu Minglang, she had to keep her word.

"Put on your seatbelt and close your eyes for a rest. It might take a while." He adjusted his speed.

"Where are we going?"

"The Holiday Resort."

Wasn't that place quite far from the downtown area? It would take 30 minutes by car. What did he want to take her there for?

Li Zhen's father happened to be summering in the area and was already resting when he heard someone kicking the door. The security guard came over with a stick, and Yu Minglang honked his horn furiously.

Xiao Qian hadn't expected him to bring her to this place.

"I want to see my uncle Li Aiguo." Yu Minglang handed over his credentials, and the security guard didn't dare delay, letting Yu Minglang into the courtyard.

"When we go in, don't say anything. Leave everything to me." He unbuckled his seatbelt, and Xiao Qian nodded.

She could roughly guess what Yu Minglang was planning to do.

At this time, Aunt and Uncle were already asleep. Yu Minglang visited late at night and didn't even give them time to change clothes.

"Old Yu, what brings you here?" Aunt saw Yu Minglang storming in with a murderous look and was startled, rushing forward to try to pull him aside to talk privately.

Yu Minglang shook off her hand and threw the box in Xiao Qian's hand in front of them.

"Look at these, what are they?"

Uncle picked them up, took a look, and turned pale with anger.

"Where did they come from!"

"You don't need to ask where they came from; just ask your precious son what he's done! Call him and ask!"

Li Zhen didn't live with his parents, who usually stayed in the Imperial Capital. They had only come over recently to convalesce, while Li Zhen lived alone in the city.

"Nonsense, nonsense!" Uncle gasped, his face turning pale. Aunt hurried to find some pills; he was getting old, and his heart wasn't good.

"You handle this. I was too lazy to deal with such trivial matters before, but now it's not just about his personal style. You should investigate it yourselves! The scoundrel who's mixed up with him is named Ni Jianren. In order to cover up his sexual orientation, he deceived this girl into getting engaged. When discovered, one of them came up with the rotten idea to set fire to the girl's house."

"Ah!" Aunt was shocked, and Uncle was so furious his hands trembled.

"Li Zhen wouldn't do such a thing; he's just a bit mischievous." Aunt defended, then turned to Xiao Qian and asked, "Miss, if you have any grievances, you can tell me. I can compensate you in other ways, but don't just slander our family's Li Zhen."

"Enough!" Yu Minglang interrupted, pulling Xiao Qian behind him to protect her, and pointed at his aunt to scold her.

"A doting mother has a spoiled child. I'm not talking to you, a family-ruining old woman! I showed mercy last time, and look what happened tonight. Uncle, you have to make a stand!"

Aunt stared wide-eyed – he dared to call her a family-ruining old woman?

"Miss, were there any casualties at your house? How about the property damage?" Uncle asked.

"The walls were burned, and people were frightened. I've already reported it." Xiao Qian replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"We'll investigate this matter thoroughly. If Li Zhen did it, we absolutely won't shield him. If it wasn't Li Zhen, I promise we won't let Li Zhen protect the culprit. We'll handle it fairly, and whatever should be done will be done. Is that okay?"

"Old Li!" Aunt heard that they wanted to handle it fairly and desperately tried to pull her husband away, but he pushed her aside.

"Old Yu is right; you've spoiled the child. You keep quiet!"

"Miss, you drop the case. Don't make a scene; we'll settle it privately. Is that okay?" Aunt worriedly tried to pull Xiao Qian, but Yu Minglang pushed her away.

"No, absolutely not private." Yu Minglang insisted firmly.

If he had gone directly to his uncle from the beginning, perhaps the fire wouldn't have happened that night.

Fortunately, he had arrived in time, or what would have happened to Xiao Qian and her family?

"Yu Minglang, are you bewitched by this woman? You're actually helping an outsider?" Aunt was furious.

"I only help justice! No matter whether Li Zhen did it or not, you cannot condone it. If it is Li Zhen, with his status running around doing evil, do you still want to have a good life? If it's not Li Zhen, but there's a disaster like this by his side, do you plan to watch Li Zhen destroy himself? Now it's just arson; in the future, will they buy murderers to kill? The father's reputation for a lifetime will be ruined in his hands!"

"Doesn't it mean no one died in the fire? Just give her money, and it's over!" Aunt regretted her words as soon as she had spoken them.

She was too anxious to save her son and spoke carelessly, offending both Yu Minglang and her husband.

Xiao Qian watched coldly, thinking, is this what counts for bullying?

Suddenly, something was thrust into her hand.

A lighter?

She looked at Yu Minglang. Why are you giving me this?

"Burn it! Burn anything in this room you don't like the look of. I'm watching, no one will die!"

Youngest Brother Yu in the Yu Family was fearless and had earned his nickname, the Little Demon King. He had been restrained for a while after spending time at the old unit, but deep down, he was still like his father. When he was riled up, even his aunt wasn't persuasive!

Of course, Mother Yu didn't bully people like Aunt did either.

Xiao Qian, of course, couldn't really set the room on fire. What sort of place was this?

The people standing outside weren't just for show; if she really dared to burn the place, they might take action.

"Youngest Brother Yu! Who held you when you were little! An ungrateful wretch who turns against his family for a woman!" Aunt was furious when she heard that Yu Minglang wanted to burn her house down and wanted to strangle him.

"You're the one who said it's fine as long as no one dies in the fire, aren't you? This respected lady, your life is valuable, and so is mine. I don't want a penny from you. I don't want to say anything to you before the matter is clear, but if Li Zhen did it, please apologize to me and my family."

With Xiao Qian's resolute words, several people in the room had different reactions..

45

Xiao Qian knew where she was.

She knew who she was talking to, but she didn't lose any momentum.

Yu Minglang looked at her with appreciation.

He didn't like any of the women in the old Yu family—his mother and eldest sister-in-law gossiped too much, his sister was too fierce, his second sister-in-law was too sinister, and his aunt, well, heh.

Xiao Qian was so much better, successfully hitting Yu Minglang's soft spot in his heart. She was soft when she needed to be, smart when she needed to be, and had backbone when needed.

No matter what you did to provoke her, if she wasn't happy, she would let you know without holding back. Having such a girl by his side gave him a comfortable feeling.

Xiao Qian understood that Yu Minglang had supported her and she couldn't lower her own value and embarrass him. No matter how remarkable this place was, she had to stand up for herself.

"It is my fault for not disciplining my son properly. No matter whether Li Zhen is the mastermind behind this or not, 1 will not condone it. I deeply apologize for the trouble caused to you and your family." Li Zhen's father bowed to Xiao Qian.

"Transfer the wall repair money directly to my account, and you don't need to bother her." Yu Minglang said.

"Youngest, don't you trust us?" His uncle frowned.

"I have a busy job and can't keep an eye on her all the time. But if anything happens to her, don't blame me for making a scene. Aunt, you know my temperament, right?"

After Yu Minglang finished speaking, he didn't care about his aunt's and uncle's expressions, and left with Xiao Qian in tow.

As soon as they left, they heard the sound of things being thrown inside.

Xiao Qian raised an eyebrow. It turned out that a noble lady's temper was no different from her mother's.

"Have you calmed down?" Yu Minglang asked Xiao Qian on their way back.

"Yeah." Actually, she wasn't that angry in the first place. Xiao Qian could guess that the fire was likely not set by Li Zhen's people.

Given Li Zhen's family's status, as long as Li Zhen's brain hadn't been kicked by a donkey, he wouldn't be so foolish.

This shameless tactic seemed more like something Ni Jianren would do.

Because she knew what was going on, Xiao Qian didn't say anything too harsh at Li Zhen's house just now.

"I'm not covering up for that coward, Li Zhen. It's just based on my feeling that he wouldn't do something like this. He's not that messed up." Yu Minglang said. "If he didn't do it, why did you take me there to confront them?"

"Even if he didn't do it, he's still responsible. If he hadn't provoked that thing, this wouldn't have happened. So, Chen Xiao Qian, you see, we should be more positive and not resort to dirty tricks."

"..." Was he being positive when he threatened his aunt, telling her he would burn her place down?

Yu Minglang was really a man who could always create "surprises." The young him was so different from the him in a few years time.

"I know my uncle pretty well. You see, he raised a useless son, but he's fair and decisive in his work. Once he knows about this, he will definitely give you justice. My aunt is a bit narrow-minded during menopause and might try to trip you up, but as long as I'm here, no one can touch you. If she tries, 1'11 deal with her."

"Pfft!"

Xiao Qian laughed.

Yu Minglang looked at Xiao Qian, puzzled. She smiled and said, "I really didn't expect you to be so, uh, ruthless to your family."

He dared to challenge his aunt and uncle like this—how adorable he was.

"That's just how I am. You'll find out once you come to our family. Most of our family members are like me, very upright."

"Pfft!" Xiao Qian laughed again at his thick-skinned response.

"Of course, my aunt is just spoiled. Our family is very prosperous, but there are few girls. There's only one girl in each generation, so everyone dotes on them. My aunt and my sister have both been spoiled to the point of being unrecognizable. My sister is still a bit better, but as for my aunt, I'm not even willing to talk about her."

"... Are the girls in your family really doted on?" Xiao Qian couldn't help but think of her own daughter Xiao Wei.

"Doted on? It's more like spoiled without any principles! I don't know why, but for generations, there have been more men than women in our family. In my generation, my two older brothers had three sons between them. My grandfather and father would be ecstatic if anyone could have a girl."

In contrast to other families that preferred boys, their family valued girls, as they were a rarity.

To keep Xiao Qian from feeling bored on their trip, Yu Minglang consistently brought up topics to chat about.

"I have a fraternal twin sister who was born a few minutes before me. Do you know how arrogant she is? She's always been rebellious, and even more so now that she's grown up. She changed her name from Yu Mingxi to Shu Xi and went to sing."

"She's your sister?!" That woman who had troubled her for so long was actually his sister, and they looked nothing alike!

"Yep, like I said, she's always been wild. Since childhood, whenever she got into trouble, I would be the one getting punished. She even changed her surname and came up with a stage name. My dad beat me up when he found out." "Why did he beat you?"

"If my elder brothers were around, they would have been beaten too, but they ran away, and I was the one who got caught instead." Boys were such low-status existences in their family!

Yu Minglang didn't notice Xiao Qian's face starting to turn pale as he continued to talk.

"I've thought of a way to get revenge too. My two elder brothers' families are full of stinky boys, but as long as I have a daughter in the future, hehe..."

With just the word "hehe," it was clear that the youngest of the Yu family had ambitious plans.

As long as he had a daughter, his days of turning the situation around would come!

Even his nickname had been simplified from "old youngest" to "old youngest." How could Yu Minglang, a straight-A student, be content with being treated as a second-class citizen in his own family? He was clearly the first-born!

"Do you like girls?" Xiao Qian's voice trembled a little. Yu Minglang turned his head and saw her pale face, so he quickly pulled over.

"Are you carsick?"

"Answer me, do you like girls?" Her knuckles were clenched tightly, and she thought of the lovely little angel, feeling her OCD flare up severely.

"Of course I do- are you really okay?"

"If you had a daughter..."

"I would definitely love and cherish her, but I won't spoil her like my grandfather and father did with my aunt. Look at what they've turned her into. My daughter can't be like that. She can be loved, but she must also learn the rules and how to behave."

"Your daughter is very sensible, smart, and has great physical coordination. She's already reached level 12 in ballroom dancing. Even though she has a high IQ she never bullies anyone. Sometimes, she even covers me with a blanket..." But she failed to take good care of such a good little angel in her previous life.

Yu Minglang liked girls so much, but she hadn't allowed their child to even see her father in her past life.

It was all her fault. What should she do to make up for her mistakes...

Xiao Qian's emotions were already out of control, her breathing was becoming rapid. This was the most severe OCD episode she had ever had.

"Who are you talking about– ah! What's wrong with you!" Yu Minglang was

startled by Xiao Qian's state..

46

Xiao Qian fainted.

This is a sign of aggravated Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Yu Minglang immediately started the car to take her to the hospital, but within 3 minutes, Xiao Qian woke up.

"Don't go to the hospital... Take me somewhere, I want to wash my hands."

Her body functions were fine, this was a psychological problem.

"No, you must get checked!"

"I know my situation, find a water source, quick!" She was feeling so distressed, words couldn't describe it.

Yu Minglang didn't dare to wait, and luckily there was a 24-hour porridge house on the roadside. He brought her in, and Xiao Qian headed straight to the restroom with Yu Minglang following her. He saw her turn on the faucet and repeatedly washed her hands.

She cried while washing her hands, worse than when she fed the cat.

A waiter followed them and saw someone wasting water that way. He wanted to say something, but Yu Minglang took out a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket, handed it to the waiter, and made a leave gesture.

Yu Minglang had not received any professional psychologist training, but at that moment, he instinctively made the right decision.

When OCD attacks, family members should not stop the patients or give them any pressure; just wait silently with gentle company.

At this moment, Xiao Qian had no idea what she was doing. Her tears and thoughts were filled with scenes of her past life with her daughter.

She didn't even realize she was crying, and guessed she must look horrible now. She had treated many OCD patients and knew how twisted they looked during an episode.

But Xiao Qian didn't know that her vulnerability at this moment, to Yu Minglang's eyes, felt like her heart had been torn apart.

Why was she crying so brokenly, and why was there a divergence between her behavior and her consciousness? Why was she so helpless? What had she encountered?

Yu Minglang believed in his judgment of Xiao Qian. This girl had a very strong psychological quality. From the things she had done like tearing apart Xiao San, punishing the arsonist without losing face against her uncle, nothing could scare her.

But she suddenly became so sad from something that was said. No, her current state was more than sadness, she seemed to be trapped in a predicament and unable to pull herself out.

He wanted to give her strength, to help her through this difficult moment, but Yu Minglang didn't know how to help or where to start.

Right now, Xiao Qian was immersed in an abyss that no one but her could reach.

Finally, Xiao Qian finished washing her hands; they had wrinkled from the water. When she looked up, her eyes had lost their fragility and showed coldness instead.

"Let's go." She didn't look at Yu Minglang and walked straight outside.

Yu Minglang followed, both silent along the way.

Finally, Xiao Qian spoke, "Did I scare you?"

"No, I'm just... a little worried." Not a little, he was extremely, extremely worried.

"As you saw, I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Although I am not mentally ill, 1 will be soon if this continues. I can't control myself when I want to wash my hands. You know who 1 am now; stay away from me later." "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?" Yu Minglang had not encountered this term before, but he didn't like it when Xiao Qian called herself mentally ill.

"OCD is a manifestation of neurosis, characterized by compulsive actions and obsessive thoughts. If 1 continue like this, 1'11 develop into obsessive ideas, causing a generalized compulsion. Yu Minglang, there's no saving me. Don't you know that?"

"There must be a way to save you. Trust me." Yu Minglang quickly filtered through possible solutions in his mind. Since he saw her, he couldn't let her continue like this.

"Trust you? I can't even completely trust myself." Xiao Qian sneered; she had completely lost hope in this world.

Yu Minglang didn't say anything more; Xiao Qian closed her eyes. Isn't this outcome good? She must have frightened him just now. There would be no more connection between them. He would know she was sick and avoid her from now on.

Tearing open the wound and showing him her ugliest side was the best way to end the relationship. He shouldn't have appeared in her life plan anyway. But why did her heart ache more after achieving her goal?

The car stopped downstairs at Xiao Qian's home. She was about to get out, but Yu Minglang did not open the door.

"Chen Xiaoqian."

"What do you want to say?"

"Accepting someone and believing in someone's promise is not just sweet talk.

I don't like to say useless things, but I want to tell you—I will make you believe me. I will definitely cure you."

This was the answer Yu Minglang had come up with all the way.

Xiao Qian stared at him, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"Are you blind? Didn't you see how 1 was just now?" A normal person would have been frightened away!

"I have excellent judgment. I trust my instincts."

"You're nearsighted!"

"Indeed, I have slight nearsightedness, but even if a microscope can see clearly, it lacks intuitive judgment. Trust me, trust my sixth sense. You are a good girl; don't call yourself a bad person and stop hurting yourself anymore. Seeing you like this, I will—"

Feel heartache. He didn't say it out loud, and Xiao Qian seemed to both understand and not dare to understand.

"I'll figure out a way to treat your illness. You also need to have confidence in treatment. When I can't be by your side, please remember someone still cares for you. You are not alone; you can't continue to hurt yourself recklessly."

When Xiao Qian looked at Yu Minglang with tears in her eyes, all he wanted to do was to wipe her tears away. But he couldn't do that; it would be too frivolous.

"Chen Xiaoqian, promise me that you won't continue to hurt yourself. If you encounter any problems, come to me anytime. No matter what it is, I will find solutions for you. Don't do it yourself, and don't do anything that would hurt yourself. In my heart, you are the best girl."

"But I've done wrong in many things, and a lot of them are irreversible!" For instance, she raised her daughter to death!

He liked that girl very much, and was looking forward to it! But Xiao Qian had let her die. Would Yu Minglang still treat her this way after he found out?

"I had dealt with many desperadoes in my old unit. Many people were not born bad guys; it's just that fate had driven them to such an extent. As law enforcers and the last line of defense for the public, I couldn't show too much sympathy. But 1 always believed that if there were more options, no one would willingly make mistakes. So, in my old unit, I would never shoot unless it was the last resort. You haven't reached that point, and 1 believe in you. You know what you are doing."

"If I still do something wrong, will you think you have misjudged me?"

"No, I have never misjudged anything. In your heart, there's a kind-hearted girl. Before, no one could protect her from getting hurt and crying. But in the future, I want to help you protect her."

It was a critical hit, seriously..

47

Chen Xiaoqian never could've imagined that Yu Minglang, who seemed so aloof, could utter such words.

Her mind went blank, her legs wobbled, and she had no idea how she managed to make it home.

Feeling disoriented, she wanted to wash her hands, but as she stood in front of the faucet, Yu Minglang's words seemed to echo in her ears.

I believe, in your heart, there's a kind girl.

Don't hurt yourself.

Please, from now on, no matter what you do, don't do it at the expense of hurting yourself, promise me.

His tone wasn't gentle, yet every word penetrated her defenses, and suddenly, Xiao Qian lost her urge to wash her hands.

Arms wrapped around herself, she stood in front of the tap, sunk to her knees, crying unseen tears. She didn't want to cry.

All the fault of that insufferable fool. Why did he have to be so sentimental...?

At that moment, Xiao Qian failed to realize that she had control over her compulsive hand washing for the 1st time ever.

Just because he said, there was still kindness in her heart.

He said, given another choice, no one would willingly choose to her. If given another choice, would she still lose her child...

She yearned to know, if in her past life she had died a few minutes later, would she have had the chance to ask Yu Minglang, 'I led your daughter to her death... would you forgive me for that?'

His few words were more helpful than all the knowledge she had gained from studying psychology her entire life.

Xiao Qian couldn't understand Yu Minglang. She couldn't in her previous life, and she still couldn't in this one.

In fact, Yu Minglang himself didn't understand either.

He sat in his car, watching her ascend into her small loft, watching her window sway in the wind, watching as her room got enveloped in darkness.

Night fell, but he did not leave.

Xiao Qian knew he was downstairs; she hadn't heard his car leave. But her emotions were complicated, and her mind was a mess. She didn't know what he wanted.

Jia Xiufang, still awake when Xiao Qian got home, rushed over with a worried expression.

"Qian'er, what on earth is going on?"

"I'm not quite sure yet. However, someone intentionally set fire to our house, and they're being questioned right now."

"Oh, what do we do? Your father hasn't come home, and our house is in this state..." Jia Xiufang was terrified.

Xiao Qian patted her on the back, "Just wait for the compensation money. We'll go to the hospital early tomorrow."

"Compensation for what..?"

"Our policy on arson is heavy-handed punishment. Besides facing criminal charges, they'll also have to pay for the damages to our property – our firewood, our walls, our emotional stress – they have to pay up."

Neither the bitch nor Li Zhen was short of money. To avoid legal responsibilities, they would surely compensate her generously.

This was the difference between a fire starting or not. Xiao Qian had calculated everything in her mind.

Except, she couldn't predict the unforeseen factor that was Yu Minglang.

After chatting with her mom for a while, Xiao Qian couldn't resist stealing glances below.

From her angle, she couldn't see whether his car was still there or not. But she knew. He hadn't left – she hadn't heard the sound of his car.

Why did he come tonight?

As Xiao Qian pondered over the question, Ming Lang in the car below was doing the same.

He didn't drink or smoke, but at that moment, he felt a strong desire to stimulate his brain with something.

An 18-year-old girl, one who had been through much hardship, was forced to fend for herself, even to the point of resorting to unscrupulous means.

He never gave a thought to what kind of woman he should end up with, but upon seeing her, something in his heart whispered, she was the one.

Judging by how Xiao Qian handled the fire and the attitudes of her family members, it was her, the eldest daughter, who held this family together, not the boys.

Yu Minglang had a question he wanted to figure out. How exactly did he feel about her?

His mind, however, was filled with images of her calling herself a bad person, of her washing her hands while crying.

If only she had looked in the mirror, she would've seen how sorrow-stricken she looked.

Her sorrowful expression made him want to shower her with all the good things in the world.

A truly bad person wouldn't realize the implications of their actions. But she knew clearly how to label herself. It implies that not only does she suffer external pressure, but she also carries a great internal burden.

She mustn't want to behave the way she does, but circumstances compel her.

He sat erect in his car, unwilling to leave, until the first light of dawn broke the darkness. He had stayed in his car all night.

Finally, he dialed a number. It was Doctor Wu Xia's; a psychological expert he met back in his old unit.

"Captain Yu?" Wu Xia yawned, still sleepy.

"Doctor Wu, I have a query."

"Hmm, go on."

"Who would wash their hands every time they run into problems, and sob while doing so?"

"Do they wash frequently?"

"Yes, she tends to faint momentarily when unable to get to wash her hands.

The pain on her face is particularly evident when she's washing."

"Hmm, since I haven't met this person you're referring to, I can't accurately assess the situation. But based on your description, 1 would say she likely has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder." Wu Xia assumed the person Yu Minglang was referring to was him.

"How do you treat it?" Indeed, just as Xiao Qian herself had said—this was Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

"OCD is a very painful mental illness. The person knows their behavior is wrong but cannot stop themselves. The best course of action would be to bring them over for a detailed examination. If they're crying while washing as you've said, the situation can become serious. Continued development could lead to danger."

Usually, those suffering from OCD don't cry.

"What should I do?!" Upon hearing the severity of this case, Captain Yu's heart clenched.

"Bring them to me as soon as you can. Encourage their family to shower them with love, to make them feel cared for. Psychological disorders are mostly triggered by a lack of love. We need to fill their void of love to prevent it from getting larger, even before we find the root cause and start specific treatments."

Captain Yu mechanically repeated,

"Fill it with love?"

"Yes, this is the best supportive treatment."

"How exactly?"

"Stay by their side when they want to wash their hands. It can ease their pain. Engage in frequent heart-to-hearts, identify the cause of their behavior, and provide targeted help."

Only now did Captain Yu realize why Xiao Qian had said no one could help her.

Looking at her family, it was apparent they were unreliable. Not only were they incapable of supporting her, but they also relied on her. It was impossible for them to always be by her side.

If that was the case...

Why couldn't he step in?

The psychologist's words felt like they had unlocked a door in Captain Yu's heart that had been jammed shut for too long.

If he could give her the love her family couldn't...

Would it still be considered despicable, taking advantage of an eighteen-year-old girl, an old cow eating tender grass?

No, the meaning had changed..

48

Knowing about Xiao Qian's illness and taking advantage of her without knowing her condition are two completely different things!

If it weren't for this, Yu Minglang wouldn't have taken advantage of Xiao Qian, after all, she's still young.

But now that he knows, he can't just ignore it, no one cherishes her, no one protects her, what's he waiting for?

Go for it!

This is like saving himself and helping the lost girl escape from a harmful path

Yu Minglang's mood instantly brightened up, right, this is what he has to do!

Help society reduce the threat of high-IQ individuals, saving lost girls, it all depended on him!

Of course, he also saved his own desperately thirsty heart, which couldn't act on urges and was unbearably suffocated!

"One, who is this person you are talking about?" the doctor asked.

Although Yu Minglang had already returned home to take over the family business, everyone still liked to call him by his code name, symbolizing his past glory and irreplaceable legendary status.

"She might be ur future sister-in-law."

Although their relationship hasn't been confirmed, Yu Minglang shamelessly replied so.

Right, this relationship rationale is perfect, with no flaws whatsoever.

18... so what if she's 18?

The girl has OCD – If he doesn't care for her, what will she do? Even if a few years later, another man appears who can give her love and protection, who will fill up the hole in her heart caused by all these years of suffering?

He's finally found someone he liked and couldn't enjoy this; how frustrating is this? Who could mend his heart?

His sense of mission, accompanied by a surge of male hormones, was overwhelming.

"Doctor Wu, what's wrong?" Yu Minglang asked, realizing that the doctor hadn't spoken for a long time.

"Gurgle..." Along with a massive sound of swallowing saliva, the doctor asked hesitantly.

"All, one, is the future sister-in-law you're finding for us a woman?"

"No."

The doctor's mouth turned into an 0 shape! See, what did he say!

One, as the man with the highest education in the old unit, was a legendary, absolutely masculine man who only existed in legends!

The young nurses in the clinic were severely infatuated with him, and the doctor had also analyzed him when he had nothing to do. Generally speaking, when a person achieves a certain level of excellence, it's not necessarily a good thing.

Too high standards, ordinary people can't get into One's eyes, the more educated, the easier it is to remain single. Really, look at this righteous young man with outstanding conditions in every aspect. If he doesn't find a similarly exceptional partner in the future, he'll be single for a lifetime.

But how many ordinary women can be on par with One? So everyone jokingly said that maybe One prefers men.

After saying that, the nurses collectively scratched him. He was just blatant with jealousy.

Alright, the doctor admitted that he was a bit jealous. As the only man in the clinic, why didn't the nurses like him? They all liked someone with an ice-cold face?

" don't worry, I'll keep your secret about liking men."

"When did I ever like men?" He liked that girl, who's now a young beauty, and would definitely grow into a great beauty in a few years. Yes, nurturing a beauty all the way through her growth, witnessing her transformation, this is such a good thing, why did he have to be so pretentious and tangled before?

After figuring this out, Yu Minglang sees the sky as blue and the ground as yellow, with his mood feeling very relaxed.

"But, you said she's not a woman?" The doctor was confused.

"Of course not, she's a girl." A particularly good girl.

Ignoring the fact that the doctor was dumbfounded by his words, Yu Minglang hung up the phone, his eyes no longer confused but filled with determination.

Daybreak, he needs to go to her and explain things!

But at this moment, his phone rang again, and the number made Yu Minglang's expression change.

"I'm Yu Minglang, alright, I'll be back right away!"

There's an issue at the unit.

He had just taken over the company and needed to handle many issues personally.

Xiao Qian had been having trouble sleeping upstairs all night, and Yu Minglang hadn't left, so she couldn't sleep.

Forget it, she'll go downstairs.

However, when Xiao Qian walked to the staircase, she happened to hear the sound of a car starting outside.

Shoot!

Not leaving early, not late, but leaving now!

Chen Zilong got up to use the bathroom and saw his sister standing on the stairs, kicking the wall hard.

"Sis?"

"Get lost!" Xiao Qian snapped in frustration.

... Chen Zilong was shocked. Gosh, what happened to his sister? She was so agitated.

Xiao Qian was not the kind of woman who could be easily annoyed, but when she was, she was unbearable.

Yu Minglang had stirred her heart and unsettled her mind, then ran away. She had to let her anger out somewhere else.

Jia Xiufang was still lying in bed, the incident last night had caused her to lose sleep for most of the night. She was afraid that those people would come back. Just when she finally managed to fall asleep at daybreak, an angry Xiao Qian came in, and with a sudden movement, sat on her bed.

"My God, the ghost is pressing the bed!" Jia Xiufang was so startled that she sat up immediately.

Seeing her daughter with a dark & violent expression, she let out a long sigh of relief & patted her chest.

"Qian'er, why don't you sleep for a while? You've been tossing and turning all night."

"Mom, I want to talk to you about the fire."

Jia Xiufang was alerted.

"Aren't they investigating it?"

"I think it's my dad's doing!" Xiao Qian was direct. Jia Xiufang's mouth opened wide in shock.

"Qian'er, don't talk nonsense! Your dad is not Biaozi, he wouldn't set fire to his own home!"

Of course, it wasn't Chen Lin who arranged it. The fire was almost certainly caused by Ni Jianren, that idiot. However, this dirty water had to be splashed on Chen Lin. It would be a waste not to take advantage of such a good opportunity and psychological suggestion.

"What did my dad do with the money?"

"He's just trying to spite me."

"Taking money out of spite? Do you believe that when he comes back in a few days, there won't be a single cent left in the bank, and he'll come up with a bunch of excuses like a sick relative who needed to borrow money, investments that went wrong, or that he developed hemorrhoids all over his body?"

"How could you say that about your dad?!" What did she mean by developing hemorrhoids all over his body!

"I'm just using a metaphor, he'll use all sorts of ways to say that the money is gone!"

Her mom liked to believe in Trash Dad, right? She wanted to give her a vaccine in advance so that Trash Dad's excuses would have nowhere to hide!

"Then...what did he do with the money? And what's going on with this fire?"

"He likes to play Mahjong normally. Although he used to play small games before, who knows how big he's playing now? He must have owed gambling debts outside, and people came to ask for money back – even if this fire wasn't caused by debt collectors, next time it will be!"

This was a strong psychological suggestion! Sure enough, Jia Xiufang's face turned pale.

"It can't be, your dad can't be like that, he can't..." Her excuse was weak, even she couldn't convince herself.

"Why can't he? Mom, if it wasn't for you stopping him, I'd have been married off to the contagious disease carrier, Ni Jianren. What kind of normal father would do that? If he hadn't caused trouble outside, would he have done that?"

"What do we do then?" Jia Xiufang panicked more and believed her daughter's words made more sense.

Xiao Qian saw that her mother successfully took her hint, her eyes gleaming. She put her hands on her mother's shoulders and said earnestly.

"Mom, have you ever heard of this saying."

"What saying?"

49

"Child, you are my treasure. If you don't support me and my brother, I'll have to let my father sell the karaoke lounge and work there, & my brother would have to get a dragon tattoo and collect protection fees. Who knows, one day, he might get killed."

Xiao Qian's words left Jia Xiufang feeling pale and trembling with fear.

"No, he's ur biological father, ur father..."

"Those involved in the gambling, prostitution, and drugs businesses, do they still have any humanity left? Mom, do you remember that kid from the Back Street family who got addicted to drugs and sold his 4year-old son? What's the difference between my dad and him?"

This is called concept exchange: say something correct, then lead people in, change the concept, and it's brainwashing!

"This heartless man, I've suffered so much with him, and he's not only treated me poorly, but he's also treating you and your brother terribly. What a sin!" Jia Xiufang cried out loud.

Xiao Qian saw her mother cry but didn't rush. She let Jia Xiufang cry, knowing that during this time of emotional venting, nothing she said would be useful. She would just wait a few minutes.

As expected, after Jia Xiufang had sobbed for a while, she wiped her tears and murmured, "What should we do, what should we do..."

Xiao Qian had almost completely destroyed her trash dad's image, and now she began to give her mother the second, more subtle suggestion.

"Mom, my dad is already this way. Our family will be ruined sooner or later. My brother and I are still so young; what do you think we should do?"

"Yeah, what should you do..." Jia Xiufang tremblingly hugged her daughter.

"Do you remember the time when we went to the Night Market in the evening, and on our way back, we saw those short-skirted women outside Night Shanghai Karaoke Lounge wearing heavy makeup, some of them directly being embraced by men? Mom, can you recall that?" Xiao Qian used the scenery to hint at her point.

As expected, Jia Xiufang remembered, "I do. I even spat at them, thinking they were wasting their lives."

"Mom, do you think my father would force me to work at the karaoke lounge if he owed a lot of money and couldn't repay it? I'd have to wear a short skirt and let men hold me—"

"AH!" Jia Xiufang screamed. Being a conservative, virtuous woman, she could hardly bear the thought of her daughter being in that situation, and her spirit was on the verge of collapsing.

Xiao Qian purposely brought her mother to this breaking point, knowing that the more intense the collapse, the better the later effects.

"Even if this fire wasn't caused by my father's troubles outside, he still took the money and ran. That's a fact, right? When he comes back, do you think he'll have any money left after a few days? The next step will be to sell his daughter, then his son. Look at Da Long's burly appearance; he'd become a small gangster or thug—"

"Absolutely not!" Jia Xiufang's determination reignited like a flame. "As long as I'm here for a single day, you 2 siblings will never have to live such lives!"

That was precisely what Xiao Qian was after! After all this time, she had finally succeeded in persuading her mother!

Placing her hand on Jia Xiufang's shoulder, with even stronger words, Xiao Qian continued to suggest to her mother.

"Mom, my dad is finished, but you're still here! You have two children, and both my brother and I need you! Can you bear to see my brother and me be ruined by my father?"

"Not unless I'm dead!"

Now Jia Xiufang was completely brainwashed by Xiao Qian.

"We need you!"

This sentence was crucial; it meant, "We need you."

Jia Xiufang had a dependent personality, and though she showed signs of being indecisive and blindly obedient to others, ironically, people with dependent personalities also have an extreme lack of feeling needed by others.

In pursuit of this "feeling of being needed", they're even willing to lower themselves and make compromises to please others.

Just like Jia Xiufang's mother, who had always done hard and dirty work for the family, sacrificing herself for others.

While she was overly reliant on her useless father, she also constantly lowered her status within the family, carefully pleasing her husband in pursuit of that "feeling of being needed".

Xiao Qian constantly weakened trash dad's position in her mother's heart, and hinted to her mother that Jia Xiufang could find a sense of being needed elsewhere, besides her marriage—such as her children's "need" for her. This would help Jia Xiufang to gradually become independent.

Especially since Xiao Qian was an excellent child, who had been admitted to a top university, her strong "need" for her mother gave Jia Xiufang renewed energy.

"As long as I'm here for a single day, no one can drag my daughter to that kind of place and make her do indecent things!"

A woman's greatest focus, besides her love for her husband, is her love for her children. In order to protect her children, she can give everything. Now Xiao Qian was trying to shift her mother's love from her husband to her brother and herself.

Clearly, the results were successful.

"But Mom, just being passionate about it won't help. You know my dad will keep gambling and chasing after women. Even if you work yourself to death, the money you make won't be enough. If he sells me, what should I do?"

"I..." Jia Xiufang couldn't answer.

All she knew was that she wanted to protect her two children, but she hadn't figured out how to do that yet.

"Mom, you should get a divorce. Once you divorce and gain custody of my brother and me, I'll make sure the house is in your name. You can raise us with the house, and you won't have to worry about repaying my trash dad's debts." This was the ultimate goal—divorce!

"But, divorce, I, I..."

"What are you afraid of? Think about it. After you divorce him, he won't be able to ask you for money anymore. You can run your dry-cleaning shop and raise me and my brother; we won't have to be sold."

...Jia Xiufang took it to heart.

All of the previous suggestions that Xiao Qian had given her mother had a significant impact. Combined with today's conversation, everything was tailored to Jia Xiufang's personality. The tone, content, and facial expressions all struck her heart.

Language is an art, and a psychologist's language is the key to unlocking a patient's heart. No one understood better than Xiao Qian how to find the critical issues based on one's personality.

Jia Xiufang's weakness was her dependent personality and deeply ingrained traditional values. Now Xiao Qian was using her mother's unconditional love for her children within those traditional values to attack Jia Xiufang's remaining dependence on her husband. She was also making her mother deeply experience the feeling of "being needed" in the process of protecting her children.

This satisfied Jia Xiufang's dependent personality.

In order to achieve her goal, Xiao Qian didn't hesitate to weaken her own strength, portraying herself as a powerless girl who needed her mother's protection. Obviously, the effect was excellent, and Jia Xiufang was now considering a divorce.

Xiao Qian continued to add fuel to the fire.

"Mom, if you don't divorce him, I will definitely be sold. Think about it, he was even willing to have me marry someone with a contagious disease for the dowry.. There's nothing he wouldn't do for money! Next time he owes money, he'll definitely sell me! Mom, if you were a few years younger, he'd sell you too!"