Butler Lee stretched out his hands and delivered the package containing the letters. 

"Thank you, Butler Lee.  I'll sort it out later.  Please place it on the table."Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"Understood, Big Miss."

The Madame Chen was occupied on her laptop all day. With an almost permanent knot in her forehead, she had been busy as always in managing their businesses under Chen Holdings, and to add up to it,  her own chain of franchises of Kodomo-toki, her specialty store.   Recently, she had learned that her business partner and friend, Teng Man Rui, had gone missing in action. 

The incidents that had transpired, or rather, did not happen at the supposed wedding of the s.h.i.+ young master and the young miss of the Teng Family had been at the headlines in the elite circle, raging at the top spot. 

Xue Jinxu learned about it in the news.  When the news of the arranged marriage between the s.h.i.+ and the Teng families reached her, she had called Teng Man Rui immediately after recovering from the shock the news brought her and talked her dear friend out of it. 

"Man Rui, I can presume that your family is pressuring you to abide by their wishes, but it's your life!  I am just concerned... I just want you to know that it's okay to go against other people's wishes, even if they are your parents, if it will mean that you would have to sacrifice a vital part of your life and future.  You own your life, Man Rui...  You are aware of how terrible my previous engagement with that despicable man... You were there... You witnessed it all..."

"I am so worried about you, Man Rui...  You have a choice, dear."

At the time the two friends talked on a long distance phone call.  After Xue Jinxu poured out her sentiments, initially there was only silence from the other end of the line.  

When Teng Man Rui finally retorted, her voice cracked and her breathing was heavy.  "Jinxu..."

"Can you forgive me?"

Xue Jinxu shook her head from utter confusion. "Forgive? Why? What did you do?  Are you saying you won't listen to me?"

Teng Man Rui started sobbing at the other end of the line.  Her voice got m.u.f.fled but she resumed speaking. 

"Perhaps I am receiving the punishment that is due to me."

"Jinxu, I kept a huge, dark secret from you because I was so scared that you would turn against me or hate me."

Anxiety enveloped Xue Jinxu because Teng Man Rui had broken down. "Hush, Man Rui.  Whatever it is, I don't think it will be that bad, right? You're making me nervous."

"I-It's alright if you've come to hate me after my confession.  I deserve it anyway.  It's just that, my heart has grown heavy with this secret.  I want to just let it all out.  You deserve the truth, too.  It might be too late though..." Teng Man Rui said in between sobs.

"Okay what is it?"

"First, Jinxu... Please don't tell anyone yet.  Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'm pregnant."

"HUH!!!" Xue Jinxu was beyond shocked.  The Teng Man Rui that she knew was someone who was prim, and had not been linked to anyone except to Zhu Li Qiang recently.  'Were they too pa.s.sionate and deep with their relations.h.i.+p that they had decided to take it to the next level?'

"Does Zhu Li Qiang know about it?  You should marry him instead, then!". Cue Jinxu advised after deducing her own conclusion.

"He's not the father."

"What?!"

If Xue Jinxu was beyond shocked earlier, now she got mind-blown.  She remained speechless as she did not know what to say without implying the obvious, and without hurting her friend's ego and feelings.  Her statements, so far,  meant something and it was not nice at all.  That certain something fell on the lines of infidelity, in Xue Jinxu's perspective. 

After a few more sobs from the lady, Xue Jinxu spoke again.

"Is that why you're going to get married? It's for the wrong reason, Man Rui.  And if getting married is the answer, just marry Zhu Li Qiang... But he has to know..."

"I'm carrying s.h.i.+ Fan Hai's child."

Teng Man Rui's bombs exploded one after the other, the latter always exceeding the former.

"!!!!"

Xue Jinxu plopped onto the hospital room's sofa. "Are you serious?! HOW?!"

*sob* *sob*

"I didn't want to tell you... I don't want you to know... But it has gotten bigger and I can't contain it anymore.  I don't want you to know, yet you are the only one I can confide with..."

"He... And I..."

"He's my first love, Jinxu."

Teng Man Rui's cries intensified.

"s.h.i.+ Fan Hai?  You were talking about that guy?" Horizontal lines invaded Xue Jinxu's forehead.  "He's your special friend in Hangzhou?"

"Mhmm-mhmm." 

"He used to go by the name Fengyu.  He was a lot kinder before.  He changed a lot, and I was a fool to hang on like crazy.  He isn't the same person I fell in love with.  I realized this, and Zhu Li Qiang came along, but then..."

"So you and him... When we were younger you only talked high praises of him...  It's hard to believe... He's him?!! Man Rui!!!"

"Do you mean to tell me that you and him... During my arranged marriage with him... Are you stabbing me behind my back?!"

*sob* *sob* *sob* Teng Man Rui could not respond to Xue Jinxu's inquiries. 

"All this time, Man Rui?!"

"That's why I cannot tell you!  I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have told you.  You hate me now, don't you?"

*sob* *sob*

"The heavens are already punis.h.i.+ng me.  I love you and I loved him too.  I didn't want to lose any one of you... But, eventually I have ended things with him... Mhmm? And Zhu Li Qiang came along too... And we were happy..."

"Then, how the h.e.l.l did you get pregnant with his child if you end things with him already? I understand he's your first love and all, but he's the devil!  And Zhu Li Qiang! You..."

"He forced me, Jinxu."

The lady from the receiver's end tightened her grip on the phone. "No matter how grave your sin is, you don't deserve this fate."

"Man Rui, say, why don't you just... Get rid of it..."

"!!!"

All the crying stopped from the other end of the line. 

'He killed my child.  Here's the opportunity to receive the same fate.'

"Does he know of your condition?"

"Yes.  He's been monitoring me.  He had his people implanted in the hospital in Hangzhou where I took my check-up."

"All the more reason to get rid of it, Man Rui!!!"

The meek helpless voice of an angel retorted the following words, "I cannot do it, Jinxu.  I have thought about that option already.  I cannot do it.  It's my child, too."

"Think about it."

"I love you too, Man Rui.  You've been there for me during challenging times.  I want to be there for you too.  But... I don't know if I can look at you without getting affected."

"Don't push yourself.  I also don't know how I can face you.  Forgive me, Jinxu.  Bye for now."

That was the last phone call she and Teng Man Rui had before the wedding.  Afterward, she had learned from the news and gossips that the wedding did not push through because the bride did not show up.

"Good." Xue Jinxu heaved a sigh of relief.  "She chose to severe the lifelong bond with him.  Good choice."

However, that left her and their business, Kodomo-toki crippled.  She had been surviving until lately because Teng Man Rui had been there to manage the shops with her.  In the meantime, she had asked Butlee Lee's a.s.sistance regarding that aspect. 

Although she was hurt that Teng Man Rui had kept an important secret from her, she quite understood and figured that it was probably the best at that time.  She felt betrayed, oh yes.  But when she thought of Teng Man Rui's situation, which she referred to as her "punishment", her heart melted into a consistency of thick, golden yellow honey.   

She was deeply hurt by her, and d.a.m.n she hurts, still, for her and with her. 

Life could be truly cruel and true love hurts.