Jane Lang was momentarily stunned. “Ding Yuan?”

The Ding family and the Westwood family had a long-standing friendship. As the daughter of the Ding family, it was no secret that she had been fond of Alexander Westwood for many years. But why was she here at the South Garden?

As the atmosphere between them grew increasingly awkward, Chen Wan emerged from the house. “Yuan Yuan, is that... Xiao Ye?”

She was baffled.

Why had Jane suddenly returned?

Alexander had taken care of Jane for three years, and the family was well aware of this. They liked the girl very much, but hadn’t she already been returned to the Xia family?

Jane snapped back to her senses, stepping forward with a sweet smile to hug Chen Wan. “Aunt Wan, it’s been so long! I’ve missed you!”

“...I’ve missed you too, Xiao Ye!” Chen Wan gushed.

Without a daughter, she couldn’t help but adore such a cute girl.

Ding Yuan stood awkwardly to the side, feeling somewhat aggrieved. “Aunt Chen…”

“Oh dear, look at my memory!” Chen Wan quickly glanced at Ding Yuan to reassure her and explained, “Xiao Ye used to live with Wen Yan. He’s eight years older than her, and he treated her like a daughter. It’s normal for her to come back and stay occasionally.”

As Jane listened, her smile grew wider.

Daughter?

She certainly didn’t have a father as “hard” as Alexander Westwood!

Ding Yuan was well aware of the past and could easily read the suggestive glances between Jane and Chen Wan. She snorted, saying, “Aunt Chen, Wen Yan treats her like a junior. Who knows what she’s really thinking?!”

Chen Wan brushed it off, laughing. “How could that be? Xiao Ye, what do you think?”

“Brother Xu takes great care of me.”

Jane looked into Ding Yuan’s eyes, seemingly asking, "I’m too busy repaying him to think about anything else."

Offering her body was the best way to repay him, after all.

Last night, the older man had nearly wished she could pay with her life.

“Let’s talk more inside!” Chen Wan reached for the suitcase in Jane’s hand. “I made your favorite sweet and sour ribs! Let me ask Wen Yan when he’ll be back. I suddenly brought Yuan Yuan along; I hope he won’t be upset…”

She murmured to herself as she turned to go inside.

Jane glanced at Ding Yuan, subtly raising an eyebrow, then brushed past her to catch up with Chen Wan, explaining why she had moved back in.

Ding Yuan watched their harmonious figures retreat, biting her lip in frustration, feeling powerless.

Jane’s room was right next to the master bedroom upstairs, just as it had been two years ago when she left.

After taking a shower, she took out the ointment from her bag to play with.

I wonder how Alexander described it to the pharmacist?

Jane thought for a while but couldn’t quite imagine the scene. She shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts and squeezed out a bit of ointment to apply.

“Ugh…”

Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Jane had always been delicate, and she didn’t know if it was the medication or just her mind playing tricks on her; her eyes instantly turned red.

She couldn’t blame Alexander for this; he was right that it was her own doing. Who told her to provoke the older man when she was too full to think?

But it really hurt.

Feeling miserable, Jane tossed the ointment aside and curled up under her blanket.

When Alexander returned, Chen Wan had already prepared a table full of dishes. Ding Yuan was in an apron, helping out, looking like the lady of the house.

“Wen Yan! You’re back!”

She looked at the man entering and felt overjoyed.

Alexander nodded slightly to greet her and glanced at Chen Wan behind her. “Mom, why didn’t you say you were coming?”

“I came with a task, and since Yuan Yuan was here, I brought her along,” Chen Wan explained in a few quick sentences, placing the last dish on the table. “How long has it been since you last came home? Do you plan to keep this cold war with your dad going?”

Alexander didn’t respond but furrowed his brow, scanning the surroundings. “Where is she?”

“Xiao Ye?” Chen Wan pointed upstairs. “She just got back and said she was a bit tired, so she wanted to rest. Dinner is all ready; why don't you go call her down?”

“Mm.”

“Oh no! I haven’t steamed the garlic shrimp that Xiao Ye loves…”

Alexander went upstairs while Chen Wan hurried back to the kitchen.

Ding Yuan stood gripping the edge of her apron, her gaze shifting slowly from the kitchen to the stairs, staring intently at the man’s back as he disappeared around the corner.

If it had been her delusion before, now she was almost certain—

Jane and Alexander were anything but innocent!

Who inquired about a junior by asking, “Where is she?”

For her, that was an extremely intimate and ambiguous word.

Ding Yuan bit her lip, her emotions swirling within her, reluctant to believe such an outcome. After all, there was an eight-year age gap between Alexander and Jane; it should have been just the girl’s reliance on him.

After going upstairs, Alexander walked directly into Jane’s room, which was unlocked.

He pushed the door open and immediately saw a lump on the bed that seemed to be quivering slightly, as if… she was crying?

“Jane.”

There was no response.

Alexander’s brow twitched, and he closed the door behind him as he walked over to the bed, his voice inadvertently becoming much softer, “Why are you crying?”

Only then did Jane lift her gaze to look at him, her eyes red like a rabbit’s.

“Did you apply the ointment?”