Is he really that bad to her?

Where has he mistreated her?

Is it necessary to be like this?

Jiayi heard her humming endlessly and sensed something was off: "...Anya, what’s wrong?"

She glanced at Si Yuheng and bit her lip: "Did Hall Master Si bully you?"

She had heard about Anya and Xiaoxiao coming to A Country from Liang Tao and his son, knowing Anya came willingly. But looking at her now, she seemed immensely wronged.

Liang Anya finally sucked back her tears: "It’s nothing."

Jiayi supported her hand gently: "Then let’s go to the room next door and chat."

"Okay." Liang Anya nodded.

Si Yuheng was about to follow when an arm stretched over, blocking his way.

"Hall Master Si, shall we discuss the details of our cooperation?" Huo Zhenyang caught the look thrown by Jiayi, his voice calm.

"Wait..."

"Matters of women should be left to the women to discuss." His tone carried a hint of mockery.

Si Yuheng saw through Huo Zhenyang’s taunt—Hall Master of Beiming Hall reduced to a woman’s sycophant?

Should he be like a clinging dog?

Despite feeling restless and uneasy inside, he could only temporarily sit back on the sofa.

**

Next-door suite.

As soon as they entered, Jiayi closed the door and sat in front of Liang Anya: "Anya, are you feeling wronged over there?"

Perhaps Anya felt inconvenient to speak outside just now.

"No, I just haven’t seen any familiar faces from home for a long time, got emotional." She sniffled her nose reddened by crying.

"You’re not lying to me, are you?" Jiayi looked at her suspiciously, "If anything happens, you must tell me."

"What’s there to happen." Liang Anya forced a smile, "Don’t worry."

"I’m just worried Si Yuheng is bullying you. You’re alone, abroad, with neither godfather nor brother around. Without even a friend to talk to, not knowing whom to speak to when something happens."

"I still have Xiaoxiao." Liang Anya squeezed out a carefree smile and tentatively asked: "By the way... did Huo come to A Country for that ocean renewable energy project?"

"Yes, indeed."

"This business sounds... pretty big in scale?"

Jiayi rested her chin on her hand: "I’m not quite sure, but they say because it’s on national resources, it requires government approval and layers of audits, so the preliminary procedures are very complicated and time-consuming. Zhenyang had been working on this overseas business since taking over the Huo Group, using his mother’s social standing in A Country and his own title as collateral to secure this CASE. It’s been almost ten years now."

To someone like her, who finds managing a small wedding dress shop like F.WANG already challenging enough, needing Huo Zhenyang’s help to understand the ledgers, this business is indeed a real challenge.

Wow, a major transaction that took ten years to secure.

Liang Anya inhaled sharply; the deal is indeed significant.

No, can’t say.

Even though the Huo Family could help her back home, Xiaoxiao is the rightful daughter of Beiming Hall; Si Yuheng won’t let go,—he already said something at the hotel entrance earlier.

Adding the ocean renewable energy business, which is Huo Group’s major project, now the collaboration between Huo and Si...

If she messed it up, how could she face Xiaoyi again!

She quickly changed the topic, "Oh right, Huo said you’re planning to give birth in A Country? The doctors and hospital are all arranged? When’s the due date? It’s soon, isn’t it?"

Jiayi chuckled: "Yes, next week. I was supposed to check into the hospital today, but I felt suffocated, didn’t want to go in so early."

"Next week? It’s almost the weekend now, not even four or five days away. Let godmother come to see my little godson or goddaughter..." Liang Anya bent down, leaning on Jiayi’s bulging tummy, exaggeratedly caressing.

The two of them played around for a while, dissipating the tense atmosphere.

Talking about current situations and domestic matters, before they knew it, the sky had turned dark, like ink spilling over.

The door knocked lightly twice, George came to call, they reluctantly got up.

"Come see me in a few days." Jiayi hugged Liang Anya’s neck coquettishly.

"A pregnant woman’s request is the biggest, whatever you say." She replied with a smile, yet with a touch of concern within that smile.

Come again in a few days? Would Si Yuheng agree?

Today, he brought her along just to avoid arousing suspicion from the Huo Family, throwing Huo a favor, letting Xiaoyi see that she’s alright is sufficient.

After exchanging a few more words, Liang Anya left.

......

Sending off Si Yuheng and Liang Anya, as it was getting late, Huo Zhenyang headed straight up the elevator back to the top floor.

"What did you chat about with Anya." Seeing her looking a bit unsettled, he asked while taking off his jacket and suit.

Jiayi was sitting cross-legged on the bed, having just changed into a nightgown, her long hair falling down, "I don’t know either, I just feel Anya has something on her mind, not very happy. All evening, Si Yuheng’s gaze was constantly on her, but she didn’t glance at Si Yuheng once... but when asked, she said nothing."

"Are you overthinking it?" He lifted a lock of hair off her snow-white cheeks and tucked it fluidly behind her rounded ear.

"I don’t think so. By the way, is Si Yuheng going to cooperate with Huo Group on the ocean renewable energy project? Is he the liaison for Huo Group in A Country?" She had just heard George mention it.

"Hmm."

"Do you think Anya might be cautious about the collaboration between Huo Group and Beiming Hall, so she’s hesitant to share her thoughts with me? Gosh, I wonder if Anya is really unhappy here, wanting me to help take her back home."

"That could be possible, but another possibility is she herself hasn’t decided."

"Hmm?"

"If she’s truly desperate here, truly unable to get along in Beiming Hall with Xiaoxiao, she would tell you even if it means breaking all ties. The fact that she’s like this suggests she might still hold some hope within herself; maybe deep down, she’s willing to stay, perhaps there’s still room for maneuver."

Jiayi curled her lips: "Did you study psychology?"

"You don’t need psychology for this, do you? Many businesspeople have similar psychology in the market. When they want a business deal, they’ll negotiate, pretend not to want it, or test the market by backing off. These actions indicate they value the deal highly; otherwise, why the conflict, why the struggle? The emotional arena is no different from the business arena."

Jiayi took a breath, understanding Huo Zhenyang’s implication.

He’s saying Anya might still have some hope regarding Si Yuheng; it’s just the two might have some irremediable conflict at the moment.

She troubledly pinched his cheeks, "Hubby, do you think I should proactively ask Anya again?"

He lightly patted her restless little hand: "You can help her with anything, but matters of the heart can’t be helped by others, the more you help, the messier it gets; they need to work it out themselves. Since she decided not to tell you, she’s got her own plan inside. Two people living together will inevitably have friction; having conflicts is normal, having none is abnormal. Besides, their relationship isn’t typical."