Even though she thought she had mentally prepared herself before she went looking for Jin Ze…

Even she thought she could face this hell-like life, knowing her sacrifice would bring Qin Yinan happiness…

When it really came to it, when Jin Ze approached her, she found herself unable to see it through.

Cheng Qingchong could feel Jin Ze's grasp on her wrist increase in force until she grimaced in pain. She knew she was making the man upset. She was afraid, afraid that he would press her underneath him.

Cheng Qingchong's tears fell harder, and the words that escaped her lips were shaking incredibly. "…I can do everything you want me to but just this thing, can you just give me some more time, please?"

Qin Yinan would never know what she had sacrificed for his sake. He hated her completely due to her deceit so long ago; he hated her so fully that he didn't care about what she did or would do in compensation.

Even if she begged for a little more time, she knew there was no hope between him and her. Regardless, she still wished to have a little bit more time before her heart would die.

"Please… CEO Jin… I'm sorry, but I beg of you, please…"

Jin Ze looked at Cheng Qingchong's tear-stained face, and his lips tensed. Then, he suddenly released his grasp on her wrist. He reached out to pick up the pajamas from the floor, wrapped his body in them, and got out of bed. As he put on the clothes, he glanced at the kneeling woman who was still weeping quietly in bed.

He turned to walk toward the bathroom, but before he entered it, he stopped. Without turning around, with his back facing Cheng Qingchong, he uttered in a detached voice, "I'm not so low as to force myself upon an unwilling woman. I'm not that desperate yet. In fact, if I wish for it, there are plenty of women out there who are willing to take your place. I can give you time, but I hope you understand one important detail.

"You are a commodity that I spent plenty of money to purchase, so your life belongs to me, Jin Ze. I hope you remove certain wishes from your mind as soon as possible because you know as well as I do that they cannot be realized. Therefore, I expect that, when I come back next time, the person that greets me is Xiao Yin and not Cheng Qingchong because I, Jin Ze…"

Jin Ze paused and turned slightly to meet Cheng Qingchong's teary eyes.

"…don't need and don't want Cheng Qingchong."

…

The next time Qin Yinan heard about Cheng Qingchong, it was two months after she left Beijing.

By then, autumn had arrived in Beijing.

There was a small drizzle that afternoon, so the weather was cold.

Qin Yinan had a dinner meeting that night, and when he left his company's carpark at 6 pm, the rain had already stopped.

The venue for the meeting was at a compound house near Beihai.

The compound was filled with gingko trees, and the leaves that had fallen during the rain covered the floor. The scenery was breath-taking.

Qin Yinan parked his car, and as he stared at the scenery that looked like it came out of a painting, his attention drifted off.

He was reminded of a picture that he had once seen on Cheng Qingchong's phone.

It was a picture of her.

Similarly taken during the fall after a quick shower.

In her professional suit, she stood at a compound littered with gingko leaves and smiled shyly to the camera.