After Jiang Qiyou was exposed and arrested, Jiang Hezhou later found an opportunity to have a colleague at the bureau inform Li Yuebai.
That same evening, the colleague said Li Yuebai wanted to see him. Jiang Hezhou went. The moment he stepped into the interrogation room, before he could even sit down, the other man was already screaming at him through the glass.
“That’s your big brother!!! Jiang Er!!!!!! That’s your big brother! Your own flesh-and-blood brother!”
Li Yuebai was far too agitated. The colleague guarding him frowned and barked a harsh reprimand, yanking him down by the collar with some effort to force him back into his seat.
But Li Yuebai’s expression remained one of utter collapse and resentment. It was only at this moment that Jiang Hezhou truly felt, viscerally, just how much the friend who had grown up beside him his entire life hated him.
Perhaps it was because he had been through far too much lately, but Jiang Hezhou found himself unexpectedly numb inside.
Through a layer of glass, he looked at Li Yuebai on the other side, his features calm, his expression even carrying a hint of coldness. “When he killed our father back then, did he not know that was his own biological father too?”
Leaving those words behind, Jiang Hezhou paid him no further attention.
He turned to leave. In the instant he pivoted, as if sensing something, he glanced back with an indifferent expression. “This is probably the last time we’ll ever see each other in this lifetime. Take care of yourself.”
That same day, Chu Luyu accompanied Jiang Hezhou back to the old Jiang family mansion.
Turning in his own brother to the police—to outsiders, it might have seemed like an act of righteousness over family ties. But within the Jiang family, the attitude was clearly much more complicated.
For one, they didn’t understand his actions. The matter was already in the past—why, after more than a decade, did he have to dig it back up? For another, his move had affected the interests of everyone in the Jiang family. After all, Jiang Qiyou’s ability to manage the company over the years was evident to all. The Jiang family wasn’t some dramatic wealthy dynasty full of backstabbing—everyone who followed Jiang Qiyou got a piece of the pie, and backed by the Jiang conglomerate, they all lived comfortably.
And now, Jiang Hezhou had shattered that harmony.
Although Old Master Jiang had stepped back in to personally take over the company’s management, what about the future? He was already so advanced in years—what would become of the Jiang Corporation later?
But as for their attitudes and opinions, Jiang Hezhou couldn’t have cared less.
The only reason he still returned to the Jiang mansion was because his mother was still there.
Shortly after Jiang Qiyou was arrested, Jiang’s mother fell ill. Unlike Old Master Jiang, whose condition had been triggered by a sudden burst of rage, she was worn down day after day by sheer negativity.
In just three or four days, she had become completely unrecognizable from the woman he had seen before.
The first time Chu Luyu had met her at the old mansion, she had thought this auntie radiated an aristocratic air, every inch poised and dignified. But now, when they met again, the other woman was half-reclining on the bed, hair loose, face pale, with even a hint of hardship etched into her brows.
She managed a faint smile at Chu Luyu, said “You’re here,” then turned to Jiang Hezhou. “Didn’t I tell you? If you’re busy, you don’t have to come. It’s nothing serious—just a little heatiness.”
Chu Luyu felt that the mother and son should have some private space to talk. With her, an outsider, present, Jiang’s mother probably wouldn’t be able to fully let her emotions out.
So she quietly tugged on Jiang Hezhou’s sleeve, signaled to him, and turned to leave the room.
Compared to the day she had first visited, the old Jiang mansion was unchanged in every way—yet as Chu Luyu looked around, she felt that this sprawling luxury home seemed to carry an air of oppression everywhere.
She sighed, chattering idly with the system now and then. About half an hour later, Jiang Hezhou came out as well.
His tall, imposing figure approached from a distance, like a jade mountain standing straight and firm. A faint chill in his brows only made his handsome face appear colder.
He walked up to her, calmly took her hand, and said, “Let’s go.”
Chu Luyu had no idea what he and his mother had talked about. She tilted her head to study him for a while, feeling that his expression was still the same—muted, hard to tell if he was happy or not, with a persistent heaviness hanging around him.
Eventually, she couldn’t hold back and asked, “Jiang Hezhou, did your conversation with your mother not go well?”
Jiang Hezhou shook his head and replied, “No. She didn’t scold me, nor did she show any extreme reaction.”
But that was exactly why he felt that, deep down, his mother did blame him.
It had snowed the night before, and now all the old-world scenery of the Jiang mansion was wrapped in silver. Jiang Hezhou held Chu Luyu’s hand as they stood under the long corridor, gazing into the distance, his eyes deep and faraway.
“Am I really wrong?”
Hearing this, Chu Luyu’s eyes went wide. “How could you be! Whether in public or private terms, I think you did absolutely nothing wrong!”
“Then why does it feel like the whole world doesn’t understand me and thinks I’m wrong?”
Chu Luyu racked her brain for a long moment, then said, “Jiang Hezhou, let me ask you—what do you think the sun represents?”
“Light? Warmth?” The man’s voice hesitated for a moment. “And justice.”
“Right? But even something as great as that—some people like it, some people hate it. The farmer working in the fields under the sun during spring plowing definitely doesn’t want to see it. And people in hot regions during summer probably detest it too. But can you say the sun is wrong? People stand at different angles, so they see different sides of the same issue. We can’t expect everyone to understand us.”
The young girl spoke with great conviction, her bright black eyes fixed straight on him. In that moment, Jiang Hezhou’s long-chilled heart finally felt a hint of lightness.
He couldn’t help but reach out and pull her into his arms, wrapping her gently yet suffocatingly in his warmth and presence.
“Perhaps… I only have you left.”
The man’s voice was heavy and profound. Chu Luyu didn’t quite understand, so she asked the system: [Cuihua, what does the male lead mean by that?]
System Cuihua: [That means it’s obvious—you’re the only one who believes in him now, isn’t that clear?]
Is that so?
Chu Luyu blinked, didn’t dwell on it further, and stretched out her arms to hug Jiang Hezhou back.
“Don’t worry. In my eyes, you’ll always be the one who’s right.”
Jiang Hezhou didn’t reply, but his arms around her tightened more and more, as if he wanted to fuse her into his very being, inch by inch, never to be separated again.
·
Afterward, Jiang Hezhou applied for a temporary leave of absence from the bureau. The higher-ups, aware of the case’s circumstances, didn’t ask questions and approved his request without delay.
Since the school was already on winter break, Jiang Hezhou no longer had to go to classes, so he spent almost every day holed up at home, clinging to Chu Luyu at all hours.
Though he never said it outright and didn’t show it overtly, Chu Luyu could still tell from his usual reactions that he was deeply depressed.
He had grown even quieter than before and slept a lot.
Whenever she was home, he would almost always drag her into bed and sleep until they lost all sense of time. The curtains in their bedroom were never drawn open now. Sometimes, as she drifted in and out of sleep, she couldn’t even tell whether it was day or night.
Occasionally, when she really couldn’t sleep and Jiang Hezhou refused to let her go, she would nestle in his arms and chat with the system in her head.
She told the system that Jiang Hezhou seemed normal on the surface, but something was definitely wrong.
The system agreed, saying, of course—who in their right mind sleeps fifteen or sixteen hours a day? The male lead was probably triggered by everything that had happened recently, and his body had automatically activated an avoidance mechanism.
After all, there was that classic saying: avoidance is shameful, but it works.
Chu Luyu understood the logic, but she still couldn’t help worrying.
After agonizing over it for several days, she seized a moment while Jiang Hezhou was showering to contact his two friends.
Zhang Jiting was surprised when he first received her call. His voice came through the receiver: “Little sister-in-law?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Afraid that Jiang Hezhou might come out at any moment, Chu Luyu spoke a bit hastily, giving him a rough rundown of his recent state. The person on the other end was silent for a few seconds before replying, “Got it. Tomorrow I’ll bring Ji Chen over to your place at some point.”
The next day, Zhang Jiting indeed showed up with Ji Chen, and Xiao Yan came along too. All of them were decked out in winter outdoor gear, as if they were about to go skiing.
Jiang Hezhou frowned when he saw them arrive, but since it would be rude to chase them away immediately, he invited them inside to sit for a while.
“Why did you all suddenly come over?” Jiang Hezhou swept his gaze over them. “The three of you are going skiing?”
Ji Chen replied, “Not the three of us—the five of us.”
Jiang Hezhou instantly understood his meaning. His brow furrowed, and he refused outright: “Not going.”
“Don’t say that!” Zhang Jiting cut in, plopping down beside Jiang Hezhou. “Little sister-in-law quietly spent days putting together a whole itinerary. She called us yesterday specifically to take you out and lift your spirits. If you just say no like that, it’ll be such a downer—such a waste of her thoughtfulness!”
Jiang Hezhou was a bit surprised. He glanced over at Chu Luyu and asked, “You planned this?”
Chu Luyu nodded a little awkwardly. “I know you don’t really want to go out, so I called them too, hoping they could…”
Before she could finish, Jiang Hezhou cut her off: “Then let’s go.”
Zhang Jiting and Ji Chen were speechless. The two huddled together and whispered, “I think little sister-in-law still underestimates her own influence. The moment she opens her mouth, Jiang Er agrees to anything—no need for us at all.”
“Exactly. Jiang Er’s probably regretting that she called us now. Otherwise, this ski trip would’ve been a romantic getaway for just the two of them.”
Jiang Hezhou indeed regretted it. If he had known the girl had been planning all this, he would have told her in advance. After all, when he was with her, he much preferred having only the two of them together. He didn’t want anyone else around—not even his friends.
Ji Chen had driven over in a seven-seater business van from his place, which fit all of them perfectly.
When they got in, Zhang Jiting said he was worried Ji Chen might get fatigued driving alone the whole way, so he sat in the front passenger seat to help keep an eye on the road and planned to take over for the second half of the trip later.
Xiao Yan, feeling bored on her own, wanted to pull Chu Luyu over to sit and chat with her.
But Jiang Hezhou had no intention of letting her go. He walked straight past Xiao Yan, leading Chu Luyu to the very back row. Once settled, he didn’t even give her the chance to sit separately—he lifted her onto his lap, positioned her in the most comfortable spot, and let the girl curl up in his arms.
The street views outside were all wrapped in silver-white snow. Jiang Hezhou even adjusted the direction she was facing so she could enjoy the scenery better.
“Comfortable?”
“Mm…” The embrace was warm, and she could lounge there without using any effort at all, simply leaning against him.
Hearing her response, Jiang Hezhou kissed her lips, then adjusted his own posture, finding a comfortable angle to lean back against the seat.
Zhang Jiting, sitting in the front passenger seat, soon received a message from his girlfriend.
Xiao Yan: [Turn around and look at the back row.]
Zhang Jiting didn’t understand why, but he did as she said and looked back. Though the distance was a bit far, he could immediately see the state of the two in the back.
His mouth fell open slightly in surprise, and he looked back down at his phone.
Another message came from Xiao Yan: [Jiang Hezhou has completely made his girl his sole emotional support now. The way he’s clinging to her is terrifying.]
Zhang Jiting: [He’s been through a lot of shocks lately. Some unusual behavior is normal.]
Xiao Yan: [You call this “somewhat unusual”?]
She paused for a moment, and in her mind, she instantly recalled the first time they had all played together at the hot spring resort—how Jiang Hezhou had displayed his possessiveness over Chu Luyu even back then.
At that time, he had still maintained a surface level of restraint, but Xiao Yan could already sense the obsession and dominance buried deep in his bones. Now, he didn’t even have that tiny bit of restraint left—so unrestrained, and yet so completely dependent on her, body and soul.
She could hardly imagine what would happen to Jiang Hezhou if something happened to Chu Luyu now, or if she left him—he would go completely mad.
The car drove north for about seven or eight hours before finally arriving at a well-known scenic spot in a neighboring northern province.
This place only operated during winter to receive tourists. Most visitors came to ski and enjoy the snowy views, and with a bit of luck, they might even catch the northern lights at night.
Chu Luyu hadn’t chosen anything too fancy—she wanted everyone to experience the local culture. The area was famous for its farm stays with log cabins and heated brick beds. She picked one of them, and after arriving, led everyone to check in with their luggage.
The drive had been exhausting. They grabbed a quick bite and then went to their respective rooms to rest. The next morning, Xiao Yan tested the waters by sending a message in the group chat, asking if everyone was awake.
Half an hour later, Ji Chen replied first. Another half hour later, Jiang Hezhou also surfaced in the group.
[She’s still asleep. You guys go ahead and play, don’t worry about us.]
Xiao Yan pouted at her phone and complained to Zhang Jiting—what was the point of coming out together if they were going to split up and play separately?
Zhang Jiting chuckled and said, “Jiang Er treats his fiancée like the apple of his eye. If the girl hasn’t woken up yet, there’s no way he’d have the heart to wake her—he’d be more worried about her than anything. Get ready. The three of us will go ski first, and when they get up later, we’ll all have dinner together.”
That was the only option. Xiao Yan sighed in resignation.
Chu Luyu really was exhausted.
The night before, after arriving, Jiang Hezhou had uncharacteristically not felt sleepy at all. The two of them had been cozily tucked away in the cabin, watching a movie before bed to pass the time, when somehow, the man had started gravitating toward her.
At first, he had just held her and kissed her casually, but gradually the air around them grew warm and humid. His breathing quickened, and his hands started wandering in ways that were far from innocent…
By the end of the night, she couldn’t remember how many times they had “helped” each other out. All she knew was that when he finally carried her out of the bathroom for the last time, the clock on the wall was already pointing to three in the morning.
She was so exhausted her voice had gone hoarse. She balled up her little fist and hit him. “It’s all your fault! Look at the time—we haven’t slept at all! What if I can’t get up tomorrow?”
At the time, Jiang Hezhou had only smiled and kissed her forehead, telling her not to worry—when the time came, he would wake her up himself.
But Chu Luyu never imagined that when Jiang Hezhou said he would wake her up, he meant at three in the afternoon.
The girl was still drowsy and groggy at that point. The heated brick bed in the cabin kept a constant warm temperature, and the cozy warmth of the blankets had flushed her entire little face a peachy pink. She lay there with her head tilted, hair messy with a few strands brushing across her face, cheeks puffed out with soft flesh—adorable to the point of seeming unreal.
Jiang Hezhou really couldn’t bear to wake her, but by now she had already slept for about twelve hours. Any longer and he worried it might affect her health. So he sat beside her and gently stroked her cheek.
“Baby, time to get up.”
He called out a few times before she finally stirred. Acting on instinct, just as she would at home, she reached out to hug him. Seeing this, Jiang Hezhou quickly leaned closer, offering his waist to her.
Still half-asleep, she fumbled for his waist, pulled herself closer, and nuzzled against his abs. The man’s back went rigid in an instant, but she didn’t notice at all. In her sleepy little voice, she mumbled, “What time is it?”
“Three.”
“Three?” At first, she didn’t process it, thinking they had only just fallen asleep at three. But two seconds later, her eyes flew open and she sat up, clutching the blankets.
Looking outside at the afternoon sky, she pouted in complaint.
“Didn’t you say you’d wake me up?”
Jiang Hezhou looked straight at her and replied, “Didn’t I just wake you?”
“What do you mean! Waking me at three doesn’t count—the whole day’s already gone!” Still clutching the blankets, she craned her neck stubbornly to look out the window. “By the time we get ready at this hour, we’ll probably only be able to do night skiing… and visibility at night isn’t great either.”
“We’ll skip skiing today.” Jiang Hezhou turned her little face toward him and gently kissed her lips. “They’re already back and waiting for us to go eat together.”
Chu Luyu’s voice carried a hint of regret. “I guess that’s all we can do.”
By the time they got ready and went out, the other three were already waiting in the yard. Xiao Yan and Zhang Jiting had built a chubby snowman earlier, and they were now taking photos around it, clearly having a great time.
Seeing Jiang Hezhou and Chu Luyu finally emerge, Xiao Yan bounded over to them.
“You two really take the cake—sleeping that long. I thought you’d even miss dinner at this rate.”
Chu Luyu was bundled up tightly. Afraid she might get cold, Jiang Hezhou had not only dressed her in a wool sweater but also stuck several hand warmers on her underneath. Over that, she wore a white-pink puffer jacket, the hood fully pulled over her head, and a snow-white scarf wrapped in front, covering most of her small face.
Hearing Xiao Yan’s comment, she spoke a little sheepishly. “Sorry, I slept way too long and just couldn’t wake up…”
Jiang Hezhou subtly changed the subject. “Is the restaurant booked?”
“Booked ages ago. It’s a northern cuisine place near the ski resort—local specialty. I had them save us a table early, just waiting on you two.”
Jiang Hezhou took Chu Luyu’s gloved little hand in his and nodded. “Then let’s go.”
With that, he gave them no chance to keep talking.
Behind them, Xiao Yan belatedly asked Zhang Jiting, “Was Jiang Hezhou a little impatient just now?”
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