The moment Han Yizhou heard what she said, fear swept in his body. The feeling of worry was something he never felt for years.

'See? You are just a replacement.'

That damn voice in his head spoke, making matters worse for him.

"I love you more than him." He wanted to say those words but he couldn't. He knew the years she spent with Si Hongqi couldn't even compare to the months she spent with him.

"I don't want to love two men like my mother, Yizhou," she said with utmost honesty.

He watched her gradually push her body to sit up so he reached out to help her.

"If I have to choose between you and him…" She paused and was rather hesitant to continue.

He could feel the cold sweat roll down his temples. He didn't want to hear the next words. He already knew who was heavier in her heart, who mattered most to her.

The instant he wavered, Yong Liwei took control. He pulled his hand away from her hold, causing her to finally look at him.

The sudden change in the atmosphere was noticeable enough that Lu Mengjie could tell who was who.

"We meet again," she greeted with a subtle smile on her lips.

The man's intense murderous glare was shot at her. He looked like he was holding back from killing her that moment.

"This is pointless. I won't allow you to manipulate him any longer," he spat. He turned away and began walking toward the door to leave.

"I'm not manipulating him, Liwei. I might have wanted to choose Honqi-gege back then, wanting to try out the relationship I've been lying to others... but I can't. Not anymore." She stretched out, wanting to hold him but he was out of her reach. "Because the man who's always been in my heart is you now, Yizhou."

The man stopped the instant his other alter's name was called. The moment he heard a different answer from what they were expecting, he felt like a huge rock has been lifted off from him, finally making him breathe easier. He clenched his fists tightly as Yong Liwei felt his other self wanting to come out. He was fighting back.

"I can't choose another man, Yizhou. Not when I already have you in my heart."

In the next moment, he came rushing back to her then leaning down to hug her within his arms. "Don't scare me like that…"

Even if she had chosen Si Hongqi, he was unwilling to give her up but… that would only mean that she would have to hate him, and just thinking of it broke his heart to pieces. In the end, might just set her free. Her happiness was what mattered to him most now.

"That Yong Liwei must be hating me a lot this time, huh?"

"I will never allow him to harm you, Mengjie. Never." Even if one day, he would have to battle for his body's ownership, he was never going to allow his other self to prevail. He knew that if he did, he would just end up hurting the woman he loved. He needed to gain dominance over his body.

Lu Mengjie closed her eyes as she hugged him back. Tears formed on the side. "I feel so bad, Yizhou… I have never truly loved Si Hongqi-gege… I was… just chasing my father's shadow."

"You don't have to feel bad for him." He slightly pulled back and held her face with both hands, wiping her tears from the side of her eyes with his thumbs. He knew what kind of person Si Hongqi was. "He doesn't deserve your love."

"But-"

"That man is incapable of loving, Mengjie. You shouldn't believe whatever words he told you back then. He's deceiving you."

Her lips were stretched into a thin line. The Si Hongqi she knew wasn't like that but she knew that the two men were rivals so it was just normal for them to have opposing thoughts to each other. And here she thought that their relationship was good back then, after all, they were both related.

She sighed. No matter what others say, she wanted to believe that Si Hongqi was not a bad person. At least towards her. She wanted to move on. She was tired of lying to others and to herself. She has already given it a thought earlier. She was beginning a new chapter in her life now that she was a mother. Now that she has finally let go of her papa's shadow.

"No matter what kind of person you see him, I'll judge him with my own eyes."

If Yong Liwei was Han Yizhou's pillar then Si Hongqi was hers, the pillar who kept her going during her dark times so if Si Hongqi was someone who could betray her, then she wanted to know why? She wanted to understand him.

It was hard to make her believe something that doesn't have evidence so Han Yizhou could only sigh in defeat and instead, he sat on the side of the bed just so he could cuddle her. "Let's get married tomorrow, Mengjie."

She blinked a few times, a bit startled at his sudden suggestion. "Eh?"

"You can keep as many men as you want but I want to be the legal husband."

"..." Her mouth dropped open in shock.

This man… she paused and gave it a thought. Well, that didn't seem bad at all. Her lips curled up into a mischievous grin. "Knowing you, won't you just end up drinking jars of vinegar instead?"

Han Yizhou couldn't already tolerate Bai Jingye's presence around her, how much more if there were other men?

In an instant, the man's face turned sour when he thought about it.

"See?" She giggled.

"Will you stop collecting men then?"

"No, of course not." She huffed. "I'm going to have all the pretty faces in the world! Men or women!" She declared.

He heaved out a heavy sigh. It was pointless to argue with her since he couldn't even bring himself to argue at all. "Fine, I'll build a zoo for them then. You will only be allowed to admire their beauty from a distance."

"..."

Zoo?!