"So, I’m just the tree that helped you escape your troubles and reach success. You chose to be with me simply because I’m the only son of the Jiang Family?" If this is true, then what does all his years of effort count for?

Bai Xuan cried even more upon hearing this.

She said, "How can I respond to this? If I deny it, you probably wouldn’t believe me either. But Ah Heng, you are the only son of the Jiang Family. When you pursued me aggressively, wasn’t it because of your status that you easily got rid of my other suitors?"

"I like you, and your status as the only son of the Jiang Family does not conflict with that."

Bai Xuan released Jiang Heng’s hand. She leaned against the passenger seat, wrapped in a shawl, and said realistically, "Finding a man who loves me and is wealthy and powerful to marry – isn’t that every woman’s dream?"

Jiang Heng knew full well that Bai Xuan’s words, though practical, were true. Yet, he still couldn’t quell the anger in his heart; he felt like all his deep affection had been wasted.

Jiang Heng looked at Bai Xuan’s calm and emotionless profile and really wanted to ask her: do you love me as a person or the power behind me?

But Jiang Heng didn’t dare to ask.

He wasn’t sure whether he feared Bai Xuan’s answer or found the question too childish and unbefitting of his status.

"Let’s go back for now." Jiang Heng was somewhat confused inside and didn’t know what to do to clear his thoughts, so he decided to go home first and calmly sort out the matter.

*

Meanwhile, Bai Xi deliberately took out a pair of leather gloves from the glovebox, putting them on to avoid any chance of indirect contact with Jiang Heng. Only then did she drive back to the city.

After driving for a while, she suddenly realized she had forgotten about Xu Xingguang.

Although Xu Xingguang had told her he had other things to do, and Bai Xi should go back by herself, it was difficult to catch a taxi near the tomb, so she decided to ask Xu Xingguang.

Bai Xi didn’t have Xu Xingguang’s private number, so she could only add him through the film crew’s group chat.

Xu Xingguang quickly accepted her friend request.

Bai Xi proactively sent a voice message asking Xu Xingguang: [Teacher Xu, are you still near the tomb?]

Xu Xingguang sent her a voice message, saying: [I’m fishing in the park behind the tomb.]

Fishing?

After thinking for a moment, Bai Xi said: [I’ll come find you, and we can go back to the hotel together this afternoon.]

Xu Xingguang: [If you’re not busy, then come.]

Bai Xi was very disturbed at the moment and couldn’t settle into her work, so she sent Cheng Xizhou a voice message, explaining what had happened at the tomb today and expressing that she would also take the afternoon off.

Cheng Xizhou was probably filming and hadn’t replied to her.

Bai Xi drove to Lakefront Park behind the tomb and, following Xu Xingguang’s location, found him.

Xu Xingguang was wearing a sun hat, sitting on the dock behind a farmstead, fishing. In the small bucket beside him, there was already a fish.

Bai Xi brought over a stool and sat at the other side of the dock, patiently fishing like Xu Xingguang.

Noticing that Xu Xingguang was wearing headphones the whole time, Bai Xi asked her, "Teacher Xu, are you listening to music?"

Xu Xingguang took off one earphone, turned to Bai Xi, and winked, she said: "No, I’m listening to opera."

"Opera?" Bai Xi asked curiously, "What kind of opera? Peking opera, Huangmei opera, or a novel?"

Xu Xingguang curled her lips and said, "None of those, I’m listening to a dramatic spousal quarrel."

Bai Xi was stunned.

Teacher Xu also likes listening to such dramas?

Knowing that Xu Xingguang was listening to a gossip drama, Bai Xi stopped talking to her, afraid of disturbing her.

Bai Xi concentrated on fishing, and after an hour, while Xu Xingguang had already caught two fish, her fishing rod hadn’t moved at all. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Just as Bai Xi was feeling frustrated and wanted to leave, Xu Xingguang suddenly reeled in her rod and said, "Going back to the hotel, no more fishing."

Bai Xi quickly put her rod away.

She counted the fish in Xu Xingguang’s bucket, there were a total of three, including a two-pound crucian carp. The carp had pale scales, indicative of a wild fish that had grown in high-quality, oxygen-rich water.

"That’s a big crucian carp." Bai Xi rarely saw anyone catch such a large fish.

Xu Xingguang carried the bucket and walked towards the farmhouse, Bai Xi hurriedly followed her, hearing Xu Xingguang say, "The food in West Continent City is hard to swallow, so tonight I’ll cook fish hotpot myself."

Bai Xi instinctively said, "Zhouzhou loves eating fish."

"Then invite her to join us," Xu Xingguang replied.

Bai Xi sheepishly asked Xu Xingguang, "Can I join too?"