By the time Zhong Feng dropped off Hu Lei at the manor, it had become clear to both of them that their plan had been too ambitious. It would be impossible to complete the move during the weekend. The matter would have to be delayed for a little longer.

Hu Lei felt that it was troublesome and did not want to involve Zhong Feng in her relocation issue. However, the big boss released his cold aura at her attempt to create distance between them. So, she could only surrender and agree to make plans for the next weekend.

With that lost or won battle, she unceremoniously hopped out of his warm car and hurried off at an incredible speed instead of allowing him to do the gentlemanly thing. She obviously did not want him to come to the house with her. Still, he stepped out his car and stood at the gate with a helpless but indulgent look on his face.

Zhong Feng frowned deeply as he stared at the petite girl standing in front of the dark house, digging through her purse for keys. He almost could not bear to see her enter this cold place without another soul in sight. The fact that he did not grab her and kidnap her back to his apartment was a testimony to his self-control.

With dark eyes, he bored into her back until she finally opened the door. The beautiful girl turned and smiled widely while waving at him with enthusiasm. He felt like a hand had grasped his heart and squeezed. In that moment, he knew that his soul was irrevocably entangled with hers.

He lifted a hand and smiled a little in response.

Soon… soon, she would belong completely to him, he swore in his heart. The deep yearning he felt to know, possess and hold her seemed to drown everything out, allowing him to focus completely on her, even in the dim light. From her wide eyes to her button nose and from her long flowing hair to her pocket size figure, she was his.

He had felt a connection to her from the moment he had seen her. His natural reserve had almost made him avoid her and miss out on this beacon of sunshine. However, it seemed that fate was on his side, and their bond went beyond what he had imagined.

So far, he had been cautious and careful to avoid spooking her and scaring her out of his life. Still, he knew without a doubt that he would not allow her escape. She would be his. She had been his, even before he had known her.

Before she entered the house, Hu Lei stopped waving and mouthed, "Good night, Ah Feng" before rushing in.

Zhong Feng did not know that this would be the last time that he would see her for a long time. However, the image of her adorable little face shyly wishing him a good night would replay over and over again in his mind, haunting him like a relentless ghost.

He would wonder whether things would have been different if he had given in to his impulse and taken her back with him instead of leaving him in that cold house.

In the old Zhong residence, Zhong Mian could not concentrate as she faced her father in a game of chess. Her mind and heart were troubled when she thought of the matters which had taken place earlier in the mall. She did not know the correct path to take.

Her mother, Chu Ling, who was reading a book beside them, noticed her distracted state of mind and frowned. It was unlike this daughter of hers to not put in her full effort even in a casual after-dinner game.

"Mian'er, you seem to have something on your mind." She spoke while placing her book aside.

Zhong Mian sighed as her father made a move, and she realised that she had lost without seeing it coming.

"Today, I saw Feng'er at the shopping mall." She did not know how to deal with this matter, so consulting her parents seemed like a good option.

"Oh, it is good that he is finally getting out instead of remaining cooped up like a hermit." Her father responded cheerfully.

On the other hand, Chu Ling could see that there was something more weighing heavily on her daughter's mind.

"There was a girl with him." She paused. "It was Hu Lei."

"You mean Doctor Hu's daughter? I did not know that they had anything other than a professional relationship." Her mother frowned deeply.

"It is good that the boy is finally showing interest in women. I was starting to worry." The Hu father laughed out enthusiastically.

"To be honest, I am quite worried about it." Zhong Mian interjected. "She does not have a good reputation."

Her father and mother looked at her with doubt. They knew that Mian felt a lot of misplaced guilt towards her little brother, so she tended to overreact when his matters were involved. They had long become immune to her ability to turn molehills into mountains.

"I am not making this up. You can find out for yourselves from her co-workers. She has a reputation of having multiple men who help her keep a rich lifestyle. I think she has been using Feng'er for his money. She is also quite unreliable at work. She does not show up on most days, and when she does, she is always late." After deliberating for a moment, she continued. "I did not want to tell you this before, but I have no choice. That woman drugged Feng'er during the gala I hosted at Demesne and went up with him to his room."

The faces of the Zhong mother and father changed when they heard the last part. Their son had been drugged and used by a woman with nefarious intentions and had fallen into her trap. Why would Feng'er continue to associate with this type of woman?

"Are you sure? She used to be such an angelic child." Her father was no longer cheerful about this matter.

"How could she use the knowledge bestowed by the divine doctor in such a shameless manner?" The anger exuded by Chu Ling was palpable.

These two people who held incredible power did not hesitate to make a decision. They needed to deal with that girl before she ruined their son. If it was money she wanted, they would bury her in it. While they owed her and her father a great debt, it would not be repaid at the expense of their only son.

"It seems that the time has come to bring back Feng'er to the family." The Zhong father declared with finality.