Can't go back to the past.

Qinghan Entertainment's headquarters are located in Hu City, about 300 kilometers away from Jiang City.

Even though it was already past nine o'clock at night when she left the auction venue, Shen Luoyan decided to head back immediately.

"Xiao Li, cancel my hotel reservation and inform the board that we will have a meeting at 9 AM tomorrow morning," she instructed while getting into her car, leaving her assistant momentarily stunned.

"Ms. Shen, are you planning to return tonight?" Xiao Li asked, holding her phone in surprise.

If she remembered correctly, Ms. Shen had left the company around three in the afternoon. By the time she reached Jiang City, the auction would be starting soon.

So, just as the auction ended, Ms. Shen wanted to rush back without delay?

After confirming the instruction, Xiao Li didn't dare delay and started making calls right away.

Shen Luoyan put on her Bluetooth earpiece and, once on the highway, calculated the timing before using her voice assistant to call Lu Han.

Each second waiting for him to answer felt like an eternity to her.

What if Lu Han didn't pick up? Shen Luoyan felt anxious, fearing that even with his phone number, he might still brush her off.

"Hello."

Fortunately, after about ten seconds, Lu Han's voice finally came through. Though it lacked emotion, Shen Luoyan's beautiful brows relaxed instantly.

The fact that Lu Han answered her call meant there was still hope.

Shen Luoyan adjusted her breathing and said softly, "Lu Han, are you asleep?"

"Not yet."

Lu Han's voice was calm. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually, nothing much," Shen Luoyan said cautiously. "I just wanted to ask if you're free tomorrow evening and if we could have dinner together."

Emotions needed to be addressed promptly. She wanted to quickly clear up any misunderstandings from the past with Lu Han.

"Tomorrow won't work," Lu Han replied almost immediately. His sister Lu Xue had a class reunion planned for tomorrow evening, and he had promised to accompany her.

Shen Luoyan bit her lip and asked, "How about the day after tomorrow?"

"I'll probably be busy then too."

In reality, Lu Han did have time the day after tomorrow, but he hadn't expected Su Qingli to call him on the way home, inviting him to watch a movie that night—an unprecedented gesture that left him pleasantly surprised.

Shen Luoyan wasn't discouraged and continued, "Then the day after that?"

"Still not possible."

The day after that was the anniversary of his mother's death. Lu Han sighed lightly, "If you have something to say, why don't we discuss it over the phone?"

"Let's meet in person," Shen Luoyan insisted, trembling slightly. "Please, consider this my plea for a chance to explain."

Lu Han paused for a moment and then said, "Alright, how about next Wednesday? I'll call you."

"Okay."

Shen Luoyan quickly agreed. Whether it was next Wednesday or even the one after, she was willing to wait.

...

On the other side, after hanging up, Lu Han walked silently to the window, lit a cigarette, and couldn't help but reminisce about the past.

He was only about three years old when he was kidnapped by human traffickers, too young to understand anything, even what police were.

When he was rescued, he was already over a thousand kilometers away in Guang City.

According to reports, someone from his village had called the police due to some grudge against the family that bought him.

At the time, he only remembered his name, Lu Han. He had no idea what his parents did or where they lived.

Despite multiple searches by the police, they found no leads and eventually placed him in a local welfare institution.

It was there that he met Shen Luoyan.

They grew up together, truly childhood sweethearts—a clichéd but heartfelt story. Over time, their feelings deepened.

But later, when both were adults, a couple claiming to be Shen Luoyan's biological parents suddenly appeared.

Thankfully, although Shen Luoyan went with them, she promised faithfully that she would marry no one else but him.

Lu Han believed her completely until one day, driven by a desire to surprise her, he visited her home only to learn from the servants that she was having an engagement ceremony at a hotel.

Rushing to the location, he saw a handsome couple standing on stage.

That day, it rained heavily. Lu Han ran madly in the rain, laughing hysterically, feeling utterly foolish.

The next day, instead of returning to the welfare institution, he closed his eyes and randomly pointed to a spot on the map, deciding to work in that city.

Soon after, he was tricked into going to Myanmar.

Lu Han thought he'd never cross paths with Shen Luoyan again, but unexpectedly, five years later, they met once more.

And now, she still harbored feelings for him.

Unfortunately, things could never go back to how they used to be.

...

By the time Shen Luoyan got home, it was already early morning. Despite being physically exhausted, she felt no sleepiness. After taking a quick shower, she brewed a cup of coffee and sat down at her computer.

Having navigated the business world for many years and working in the entertainment industry, Shen Luoyan prided herself on her ability to read people.

Su Qingli claimed to be Lu Han's fiancée, and Lu Han had indeed shown concern for her, but Shen Luoyan sensed a certain disconnect between them.

To compete with another woman for Lu Han's affection—especially one who matched her in beauty and figure—she needed to know her rival well.

She quickly found what she was looking for online. There were numerous negative reports about the Su Group, indicating severe financial difficulties.

This was a good opportunity to exploit.

The next morning, as soon as Shen Luoyan arrived at the office, she received a call from her best friend.

"Xiao Yan Yan, how did last night go?" her friend asked with a hint of guilt. She had insisted Shen Luoyan attend the auction but had to leave due to an emergency.

Shen Luoyan didn't speak and instead transferred 100,000 yuan via WeChat.

Her friend: ???

"Xiao Yan Yan, what's going on?" Although 100,000 yuan wasn't a significant amount to her, it was sudden, and she hesitated to accept it.

"Last night's gains can't be measured in money," Shen Luoyan said gently. "Thanks to you, I feel obligated to give you a red envelope."

Initially, her friend hadn't planned to go, and neither had Shen Luoyan. But her friend persuaded her that since the hotel was booked, they could treat it as a weekend getaway and explore Jiang City.

Shen Luoyan agreed, thinking it made sense. So, without her friend, she wouldn't have encountered Lu Han.

Shen Luoyan had decided that if she ever married Lu Han, her friend must be present; otherwise, she wouldn't start the banquet.

Wait! She must wait!

"Mua~ Oh my god, Xiao Yan Yan, you're so generous. I love you!" Her friend, upon realizing it was a red envelope, accepted it joyfully and sent a grateful emoji.

"Alright, I have work to do. Let's catch up later."

Shen Luoyan hung up and checked the time, heading to the conference room where all the board members were already gathered. They stood up simultaneously as she entered.

"Please sit."

Shen Luoyan took her seat and got straight to the point.

"Today's meeting has only one agenda: I want to establish a branch in Jiang City, and I will personally oversee it."

...

...