Morning light streamed through the villa windows, casting golden hues on the polished marble floor. Long Shan stepped out of his bedroom, dressed immaculately in a crisp black suit. His expression was unreadable, cool and composed as always, but his brows creased faintly when he noticed the absence of Xiao Yu at the breakfast table.
"She's usually here by now…" he muttered, glancing at the clock. Something didn't sit right with him.
Meanwhile, in the quiet dimness of her room, Xiao Yu lay curled beneath her duvet, her face twisted in pain. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her hands gripped her lower belly tightly. Cold sweat dampened her forehead.
"Aah…" she groaned softly, trying to sit up but failing miserably. The menstrual cramps were worse than usual—paralyzing and sharp, and every small movement sent another wave of pain rippling through her.
Upstairs, Long Shan's concern grew. He tapped his watch, then strode purposefully to her door. Knocking gently, he called out, "Xiao Yu, are you awake?"
There was no answer.
He frowned deeper. "I'm coming in," he said and opened the door, stepping into the room.
What he saw made his chest tighten. Xiao Yu was hunched on the bed, her hands gripping her stomach, her face pale as rice paper. She blinked up at him slowly, clearly in pain.
"Yu…" he called her softly, his voice uncharacteristically tender. "What's wrong?"
"I—I'm fine," she whispered, clearly lying.
Long Shan stepped closer, knelt beside the bed, and brushed her damp hair away from her face. "You're not fine. Let me call Dr. Jiu."
"No, it's not that serious," she murmured. "It's... just cramps."
Understanding dawned in his eyes. He stood up swiftly. "Stay put."
Moments later, one of the household staff appeared with a hot water bottle wrapped in a plush cloth. "You asked for this, Master Long."
He took it and nodded. "Also, brew some warm ginger tea with red dates. And... what else is good for cramps?"
The woman blinked, surprised by his sudden domestic concern. "A gentle massage can help. Herbal tea too."
He dismissed her with a nod, then returned to Xiao Yu. "Here, press this against your stomach," he said, helping her adjust the bottle. Her body trembled slightly under his touch.
"You didn't have to…" she began.
"I did," he interrupted simply.
When the tea came, he held the cup to her lips. "Drink. It'll help."
Xiao Yu sipped reluctantly and immediately grimaced. "This is disgusting."
He smirked faintly and pulled a mint candy from his pocket. "You act like this is poison. Here—chaser."
She laughed weakly, taking the mint. "Thanks."
A faint smile touched his lips, but he quickly masked it and stood. "Rest. You'll be fine."
"Are you not going to the office?"
"I can work from here," he replied, already typing something into his phone.
She watched him silently, unsure why her chest felt warm despite the pain in her belly.
---
Later that evening, back at the Lu family home, chaos brewed like a storm ready to explode. After he realized, they still have not figured out, how to bring their daughter back.
Lu Yiren slammed his palm against the coffee table, making everyone flinch. His eyes glinted with unrestrained fury.
"If you don't bring Xiao Yu back in seventy-two hours," he growled, "I will make your lives a living nightmare."
Hong Yue, trembling, stepped forward. "What do you expect us to do? She won't even look at us…"
Mrs. Fang Ai wrung her hands anxiously. "There must be another way."
"Enough!" Lu Yiren barked, eyes like daggers. "Figure it out. Or you'll beg me for mercy before this week ends."
He stormed out with his men, leaving a suffocating silence in his wake.
"Maybe," Hong Yue finally said, voice soft, "if we return the money Shan gave me, he'll let her go."
Mr. Fang Jing frowned. "Where are we supposed to find that kind of money?"
"I'll speak to Viper," she whispered. "He wants her badly. He'll fund it."
Ai gaped. "Are you out of your mind, Sis?! That's digging our hole even deeper!"
But Hong Yue was already dialing.
---
The next morning, Xiao Yu sat across from Long Shan at the dining table, her color returning, though she still looked a bit pale.
He sipped his coffee. "Feeling better?"
She nodded. "Much."
He set his cup down. "Good. I'm leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow. For business."
She looked up sharply. "Oh."
Then frowned. "Wait—you never tell people when you travel. Why tell me?"
Long Shan smirked faintly. "Is it a crime to give you a heads-up?"
Just then, the front door opened. Jiang Lifen walked in, smiling and holding a cake box.
"Happy Birthday!" she beamed, placing the cake before him. "I knew you wouldn't celebrate, so I brought the celebration to you."
Xiao Yu blinked in surprise. "It's your birthday today?"
Long Shan leaned back, unimpressed. "I never told you."
"I remember things that matter," Lifen said brightly. She placed a candle on the cake. "Make a wish."
Xiao Yu smiled softly, touched despite herself.
Lifen nudged him. "Come on. It's your day."
Long Shan's face turned distant. "I'm sorry. I don't celebrate birthdays."
He stood abruptly and walked off, leaving the room awkwardly silent.
Just as he vanished down the hall, the doorbell rang again.
This time, it was Hong Yue.
She stepped in, clutching a brown envelope packed with cash. Her presence cast a heavy shadow across the dining room.
Xiao Yu rose slowly, stunned. "Aunty?"
"I came to take you home," Hong Yue said, her voice cold, her eyes locked on Long Shan who had returned upon hearing the commotion. She raised the envelope. "Here's the full amount. I'm buying her back."
Silence dropped like a bomb.
Long Shan's jaw tightened. He didn't look at the envelope—he looked only at Xiao Yu.
She stood frozen, torn between confusion and betrayal.
Hong Yue's voice hardened. "You said she was yours because of the debt. I'm clearing that. Release her."
Long Shan stepped forward slowly, the calm in his voice dangerously thin. "So she's just a transaction to you?"
"She's my niece," the old woman replied sharply. "And I won't let her be your slave."
Long Shan looked to Xiao Yu. "Is that what you want? To go back?"
Tears welled in her eyes.
"No," she whispered.
Everyone froze.
Xiao Yu's voice trembled but was firm. "I'm not property. And I won't be passed around like one."
Fang Yue's face twisted in disbelief. "What are you saying?!"
"I'm staying," Xiao Yu said.
The silence that followed was louder than any argument.