Huo Zhenyang’s eyebrows knitted together, but he remained silent for a long time.

He had never uttered those three words.

Subconsciously, he actually held some disdain for those men who constantly sweet-talked with "I love you."

To like a woman, to keep her by your side, to ensure she doesn’t leave, that was enough.

"I love you"? Was it useful?

Huo Tianpei used to kiss his birth mother’s forehead and affectionately say "I love you" before every business trip.

But when his mother passed away later, he didn’t even rush back, and within a few years, he married another woman.

Those words seemed to be entirely absent from his dictionary.

Asking him to say such things was difficult.

After a long silence.

Seeing her disappointed little face, his mind stirred.

Just then, the iron door to the rooftop creaked open ajar.

Lin Zixun squeezed in half of his body and, upon seeing the Boss and Miss Jiayi were indeed here, he sighed with relief, "Boss and Miss Jiayi are here... Ambassador Qiu was concerned after you didn’t return for so long and asked a few questions, so I came out to look for Boss." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Huo Zhenyang regained his calm complexion, straightened her slightly messy hair, adjusted her clothes, took her soft hand, and left the rooftop.

In the banquet hall.

Jiayi sat down next to Huo Zhenyang.

Lin Zixun had already come back, his clothes and hair seemingly tidied, but the unmistakable signs of being hit on his face couldn’t be hidden, as Xuan Yu frowned and nagged next to him:

"...Yixiao, what happened to you? Even going out to make a phone call you end up looking like this."

Nie Yixiao’s expression was gloomy: "Hmm, the ground was slippery, I accidentally knocked myself against the wall. It’s nothing, Aunt, I’ll just apply some medicine when we get back."

Before coming in, he had obtained some ointment from the embassy staff, which made the swelling look a bit better, but it was still quite noticeable.

Once they saw Young Master Huo return with Jiayi, they said no more.

Huo Zhenyang’s gaze landed on Nie Yixiao, a smile tinged with undisguised irony and scorn playing on his lips.

Nie Yixiao furrowed his brows and huffed lightly.

The second half of dinner continued with the atmosphere still tense and stiff.

As Huo Zhenyang sat down, "Young Master Huo, regarding my earlier suggestion, I wonder if you would be willing to consider it further. After all, Miss Chu is from the Chu Family of S Country, perhaps you could let her go with..."

Across the table, Huo Zhenyang waved his hand dismissively, his tone markedly less patient than before, and cold, "I have already said what I needed to say."

Xuan Yu couldn’t resist: "Young Master Huo, even if you don’t respect the monk, you should respect the Buddha. Ambassador Qiu represents S Country; even if you don’t consider the Chu Family’s position, you should at least consider the dignity of S Country."

Ha, talking to him about S Country?

A mere S Country, what was it in the grand scheme of things?

Huo Zhenyang sketched a sinister smile, fleeting yet chilling to the spine, as he leaned back on the golden high-backed chair, his tone casual, "I’ve heard that the Royal Family of S Country, the Ya Family, just accepted an invitation to attend the anniversary celebration of the Royal Family of A Country, right?"

The mention of "A Country" rendered both Xuan Yu and Ambassador Qiu speechless, struck with realization.

Both understood that the man before them was warning and reminding them that S Country had once been colonized by A Country, and to this day, S Country was still subservient to A Country in politics and military matters, relying heavily on their former overlord.

And Huo Zhenyang’s lineage, half of it came from the Royal Family of A Country.

Jiayi also felt a stir in her heart, but she immediately guessed a part of it and made a connection.

Lady Lan had the blood of the Napoleon family, and A Country was exactly where the descendants of the Napoleon dynasty had established their rule.

In that case, Lady Lan might be a person from A Country, and obviously, she was from the upper echelons of society, possibly even the Royal Family.

Therefore, Huo Zhenyang had slapped Xuan Yu and Ambassador Qiu in the face with the status of the sovereign country.

Ambassador Qiu took a deep breath, glanced at Xuan Yu, and signaled that he was probably powerless to do anything.

Xuanyu also confirmed that it was no longer possible to persuade Mr. Huo.

Even if the ambassador of S Country to China were called upon, this man showed no courtesy and had no intention of sending Jiayi back to her country on his own initiative.

Nie Yixiao, enduring the pain on his face, lowered his voice, "Is that it then, Auntie? Can’t we take Jiayi back with us?"

Xuan Yu’s gaze flickered, landed on Jiayi, and the corners of her mouth lifted, revealing a coldness.

Give up? Impossible.

The only value this cursed child had in this world was to marry in place of her precious daughter and bear her daughter’s suffering.

If it weren’t for this purpose, why would she have gone to such great lengths to find her and her cheap mother in some backwater area?

And why would she spend the effort, risking the loss of her reputation, to snatch her away and bring her back to S Country?

Xuan Yu wore a mask of hypocrisy, nurturing her for two years, wanting her to marry into the Ya Family in place of her own daughter.

Now, how could she possibly allow her to be pampered like a princess by Mr. Huo in China?

Thinking of this, Xuan Yu’s eyes briefly flashed with the glimmer of shrewd tears:

"Jiayi, do you really not want to go back with Mommy? Although I’m not your birth mother, since you came to the Chu family, I’ve always been good to you. Everything that Xinyi and Xinyue had, you had too. I’ve taken care of you and cultivated you like my own daughter, flower arranging, foreign languages, reading, painting... everything a young lady should learn, I’ve willingly spent the money and time for you to learn. Even if you don’t consider my feelings, you should think of your daddy. Look, you haven’t even met your daddy yet. Why not go back and see him first, is that okay? He has been busy with official duties and hasn’t had the time to come here himself, but when he sees you back home, he will definitely be overjoyed."

Huo Zhenyang’s gaze shifted slightly.

Flower arranging, foreign languages, reading, painting...

Jiayi knew these upper-class hobbies, indeed it wasn’t a coincidence.

They were cultivated during her years with the Chu family.

Daddy.

When Jiayi heard this word, her heart finally moved.

In the photo, the tall and handsome, imposing middle-aged man beside her was her birth father, Chu Yanhan, whom she did not remember.

She hadn’t even seen him in person yet...

Even knowing he might be a scumbag who cheated on his wife and had an affair outside, it was impossible for her to say that she didn’t want to see him at all.

For the father who was a blank in her memories, she always had some curiosity and longing.

"Also, Jiayi," Xuan Yu’s gaze was soft but concealed sharpness, and the next words were going to strike the girl’s most vulnerable spot, "if your birth Mommy knew that we let you be lost to us and didn’t bring you back, she would also blame us."

Mommy?

Her birth mother...

Jiayi’s eyes flickered like sparks, brightening for a moment.

In fact, ever since she learned that she and Chu Xinyu were half-sisters with the same father but different mothers, she had been wanting to ask whether her birth mother was still around.

But she never had the chance.