130: past

"I'll handle the engagement with the Chu Family myself!" Bai Li paused and added without looking back.

"Go on then," Bai Yuanzheng waved his hand. "Stay safe."

"Mhm."

Bai Li walked out of the Bai Family Manor, drove to the airport, and boarded a military aircraft.

The plane took off, heading toward Southeast Asia.

She looked at the clouds outside the window and clenched her fists.

Brother, it's almost time.

Wait for me.

Hangzhou City, Intime Department Store.

Su Yue was out shopping with Su Xiaoxiao and Su Xiaoxiao.

"Mom, do you think this dress looks good?" Su Xiaoxiao held up a light blue dress to gauge the fit.

"It looks good." Su Yue nodded with a smile. "Go try it on."

"I want one too!" Su Xiaoxiao picked out a white one.

The sisters entered the fitting room, giggling.

Su Yue sat in the lounge area waiting, her gaze soft.

Since being with Wang Chen, her life had undergone earth-shattering changes.

She no longer had to worry about her two daughters' tuition, her younger sister Su Xi had found someone she liked, and her daughters were specially cared for by Wang Chen... Sometimes she felt that this happiness was too surreal.

They didn't notice that not far away, a middle-aged man in a suit was staring at them in a daze.

Xiao Yi had originally only come to the mall today to inspect the counters under his company, but he didn't expect to see that face here—the one carved deep into his memory for eighteen years.

It was her.

Even though eighteen years had passed, even though she was much more mature than back then, and even though she was accompanied by two elegant young girls... he still recognized her at a glance.

That night, that hotel, that girl who was delirious from being drugged yet still breathtakingly beautiful.

He had been searching for eighteen years.

"President Xiao?" his assistant reminded him softly. "Manager Li is still waiting for you..."

"Wait a moment." Xiao Yi waved his hand, his eyes still fixed on the fitting room area. "Go check on those three ladies... especially the one in the middle, wearing the light blue cheongsam."

The assistant was stunned for a moment but quickly nodded. "Yes, sir."

Xiao Yi stood there and waited.

Ten minutes later, Su Yue came out of the fitting room with her two daughters. They bought both dresses and then went to the cosmetics counter.

Xiao Yi followed from a distance until they left the mall and got into a ride-hailing car.

He noted down the license plate number.

That evening, the assistant delivered a preliminary investigation report.

"President Xiao, that lady is named Su Yue, 36 years old, a local of Hangzhou City. She currently lives alone and has two daughters, both of whom are in college..."

The assistant paused and said cautiously, "Additionally, we found that she did indeed work at the Hangzhou Hotel eighteen years ago, during the time... you were staying there."

Xiao Yi's hand shook, and his coffee spilled out.

"The two daughters... how old are they?"

"They are both 18, twins," the assistant said. "One is at Hangcheng University, and the other is at Hangcheng Media College."

Eighteen years old.

Twins.

The timing matched.

Xiao Yi's heart pounded violently.

"Anything else?"

"Also..." The assistant hesitated for a moment. "Ms. Su Yue's family has a very deep relationship with Mr. Wang Chen. Su Yue's sister, Su Xi, currently lives in Wang Chen's villa, and Su Yue's two daughters... are both interning at Wang Chen's company."

"Wang Chen?" Xiao Yi frowned. "That Wang Chen from Chenxi Group?"

"Yes. Moreover... it seems the Second Young Master's trouble in Hangzhou City last time was because Su Xi offended Wang Chen."

Xiao Yi rubbed his temples.

Things had become complicated.

He had the assistant continue a deeper investigation, but strangely, all information regarding Su Yue's childbirth records and hospital files had been manually erased. Even in the household registration system, the original birth certificates for the two daughters could not be found.

The only things that could be confirmed were that Su Yue had indeed worked at the hotel during that period eighteen years ago and that she had two 18-year-old daughters.

"President Xiao, should we continue the investigation?" the assistant asked.

Xiao Yi was silent for a long time.

"Continue," he finally said. "I want to know how she has lived these past eighteen years."

"Yes, sir."

Xiao Yi thought for a moment and then added, "Find a way to... obtain DNA samples from those two girls."

The assistant was startled. "This... this isn't quite compliant, is it?"

"Use legal means as much as possible," Xiao Yi said. "For example, discarded water bottles, used tissues... you understand what I mean."

"...Understood."

Seven days later, the DNA comparison results came out.

A 99.99% parental relationship was confirmed.

Su Xiaoxiao and Su Xiaoxiao were his, Xiao Yi's, biological daughters.

And Su Yue... was the woman he had been searching for for eighteen years.

Xiao Yi sat in his office, looking at that appraisal report, speechless for a long time.

Eighteen years.

He hadn't married, let alone had children. It wasn't that he wouldn't marry, but that his heart had always held that blurry shadow.

Now, the shadow had become clear.

And she had two daughters with her.

Xiao Yi picked up his phone and pulled up Wang Chen's number, which he had saved when they met in Hangzhou City last time.

He wanted to call, but in the end, he didn't dial.

Wang Chen was currently in Southeast Asia and had a grudge against Xiao Yu.

Contacting him now would be inappropriate.

After thinking for two whole days, Xiao Yi made a decision.

He had his assistant prepare many gifts: jewelry for Su Yue, limited-edition bags and electronics for the two daughters, and something for Su Xi... though he didn't know what Su Xi liked, he prepared a gift for her as well.

Then, he found Su Yue's address.

A common residential community, a three-bedroom apartment, decorated very warmly.

At seven o'clock on Friday evening, Xiao Yi stood at Su Yue's doorstep, carrying bags of all sizes.

He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Su Yue was wearing an apron and still holding a spatula when she saw a middle-aged man in a suit standing at the door.

The man was about forty years old, with an elegant temperament, but there was a kind of authority in his eyes that came from being in a high position for a long time.

Su Yue thought he looked a bit familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him.

"You are...?"

"Su Yue... it's me!" Xiao Yi stepped closer, looking at the face that had appeared in his dreams countless times, his eyes filled with guilt. "Eighteen years... you haven't changed at all."

Su Yue frowned and took two steps back warily. "Sir, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

"No." Xiao Yi shook his head, his voice somewhat excited. "Eighteen years ago, Hangzhou Hotel, that night... don't you remember?"

Su Yue's expression changed abruptly.

That night... it was the most unbearable memory of her life.

It was also the beginning of the turning point in her life.

"You... you are..." Her voice trembled slightly.

"I am Xiao Yi," the man said softly. "That night, we..."

"Don't say it!"

"How... how did you find this place?" She instinctively wanted to close the door.

"Wait!" Xiao Yi blocked the door. "Su Yue, I've been looking for you for eighteen years.

I... I want to talk to you about Xiao Xiao and Xiao Xiao."

Su Yue's hand froze.

The spatula in her hand fell to the floor with a 'clang'.