C15 Chapter 15

A title?

The words hit Qiu Anan like a slap. Qiu Jingya’s child was treated like a treasure—so what was she, then?

Her hand drifted to her lower belly, feeling the warmth there. A bitter smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah. The baby matters more. Of course it does—she’s the one who has a child.”

Luh Yubai’s expression tightened. An uneasy discomfort rose in his chest for no clear reason. He turned his head away and said coldly, “I told you, I won’t shortchange the Qiu family.”

“Right,” Qiu Anan said with a light laugh. “I’m being so reasonable—how could Mr. Luh possibly treat me unfairly?” She drew in a slow breath. A sheen of moisture clouded her clear eyes. After a long moment, she lowered her head and signed her name without hesitation.

The instant Qiu Anan signed, whatever they had between them was over—completely.

For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to carry a trace of sadness. Neither of them spoke.

After knowing each other for so long, it was the first time Qiu Anan felt like Luh Yubai wasn’t looking at her with disgust. Her smile turned helpless. “From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.”

—

Early the next morning, Qiu Anan went to the old master Luh’s study to say goodbye. He looked regretful, but it was her decision. After that, she left the Luh home directly.

Her flight to Paris was coming up soon. Sitting alone at the airport, her smile grew calmer. Ever since she’d brought up divorce with Luh Yubai, she’d been preparing to leave.

She hadn’t expected the process to be so messy, but the ending was the same.

Leave the Qiu family. Leave the Luh family. Find a place where no one knew her, and heal on her own. Only this time, she wasn’t alone—not really.

Calls from Qiu’s mother and Qiu Dong came one after another. The moment they heard she and Luh Yubai were divorced, the two of them acted like they’d lost their minds, desperate to squeeze some kind of benefit out of her. But this time, she finally drew a hard line.

The Qiu family was a bottomless pit she could never fill. Qiu Anan let out a quiet sigh and looked at the deep blue sky beyond the window. For the first time in a long while, her heart was completely still.

Right at the moment her plane boarded and took off, Qiu Anan had no idea that Luh Yubai had rushed to the airport in a panic. But in the end, they still missed each other...

...

Three years later, City A Airport.

“Oh, my honey, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting so long I thought I’d turn to stone.” In the waiting area, Norson wore that roguish, devil-may-care grin. But before his hand could even brush her arm, Qiu Anan shoved him away with clear disgust. “Talk like a normal person.”

“Anan, you’re seriously cold. I’m your boyfriend...” Norson chuckled, not backing off—instead leaning closer to her ear and lowering his voice. “Even if it’s only on paper.”

“Mommy, Uncle Norson is still as shameless as ever.”

Just then, standing off to the side, the doll-like Qiu Baobei looked utterly done with him. Her tiny face was full of disdain as she stared at Uncle Norson’s ridiculous expression. “Uncle Norson, if you keep acting like that, you’ll never marry my mommy.”

“I don’t need to marry your mommy. I just need to be a good godfather to you.” Norson didn’t take her words to heart at all. Instead, he bent down and scooped the three-year-old into his arms. Looking at how much prettier Qiu Baobei had gotten, he couldn’t help sighing in admiration. “My baby, it’s only been a year and you’ve gotten even more perfect—like a porcelain doll.”

Qiu Anan was already used to Norson’s over-the-top theatrics. After three years apart, the youthful softness had faded from her face. With her polished makeup, her naturally gentle features looked a touch sharper. As a seasoned HR professional, there was a crisp, capable edge in her eyes and brows.