Chapter 45: There Aren’t That Many Exes, Are There?

Almost knocked over by the sudden embrace, Hua Lianxi was overwhelmed by Kong Huan's enthusiasm and excitement, and could only laugh along with her in a daze.

"You, when you're out working, you need to be more composed. Don't just go around hugging people. Not only will you scare them, but the handsome guys might think you're crazy and stay away from you!" Thinking of her wild and impulsive personality, Hua Lianxi couldn't help but worry about how she would behave at the Cheng family mansion, and whether she might cause trouble for the usually composed Cheng Shaobai.

Giggling, Kong Huan didn't let go of her and confidently patted her chest, "I'm a proper lady outside. I wouldn't just hug anyone. Look at my brother's icy face—I've been dealing with it for years. I've definitely picked up a thing or two! Of course, I'll be composed at work!" Although it was their first meeting, Kong Huan felt an inexplicable closeness to Hua Lianxi, which was why she didn't hold back her true nature, instantly treating her like family.

Suddenly, the image of Kong Chengyi's indifferent face flashed in Hua Lianxi's mind, and the smile on her face froze. She quickly averted her gaze to the messy pile of clothes on the bed, "Huanhuan, can you finish organizing your clothes before dinner? Have you picked out the ones that need to be washed again?"

"Ugh… I'll keep tidying, I'll keep fighting!" Wailing, Kong Huan momentarily forgot about continuing her argument and quickly jumped onto the bed, resuming her battle with the chaotic pile of clothes.

Hua Lianxi carefully sorted out Kong Huan's small belongings, placing them in their usual spots as directed by Kong Huan, and then neatly organized her books on the bookshelf according to their subjects.

As she folded clothes, Kong Huan looked at her professional books, which Hua Lianxi had arranged based on practicality, with disbelief, "Sis, how did you know I use this one the most? How did you know to put it at the front? And that one—you put it in the corner. How did you know that even though it's good, it's not suitable for our designs here?"

Flipping through Kong Huan's design drafts, Hua Lianxi simply smiled, "Why do you think I know Cheng Shaobai?"

Suddenly throwing the clothes in her hands aside, Kong Huan crawled to the edge of the bed, her bright eyes sparkling as she stared at Hua Lianxi, "Is he your ex? Does my brother know? Oh no, if he's your ex, will my brother think I'm betraying him by working there? Will he break my legs?" Given how easily Hua Lianxi had secured her internship with just a phone call, Kong Huan couldn't help but believe that Hua Lianxi and Cheng Shaobai must have a deep connection.

Raising the design draft, Hua Lianxi gently tapped Kong Huan's imaginative head, "You, there aren't that many exes, are there?"

Still smiling after being tapped, Kong Huan propped her chin on her hands, "Then, what's the relationship? It can't be a sibling relationship, right?" In her mind, men and women couldn't have purely platonic friendships.

After a moment of thought, Hua Lianxi decided to avoid any misunderstandings and chose to downplay the situation, "His sister is my good friend, a very close friend for many years. She's like family to me now, so of course her brother is like a brother to me too!"

Disappointed by the mundane answer, Kong Huan immediately lost interest and flopped back onto the bed, "So, is his sister also at the Cheng family mansion? Will I get to meet her?" Since she was Hua Lianxi's good friend, it wouldn't hurt to get to know her.

"Yes, she's also an excellent designer now. Maybe you can learn from her!" Cheng Yi had joined the Cheng family mansion right after graduation and, after years of experience, had become a renowned designer there. Many customers sought out the Cheng family mansion specifically for her designs.

"Anyway, with your protection, I won't have to worry about being bullied at the Cheng family mansion!" Kong Huan was thrilled to discover that the prestigious Cheng family mansion had such a strong connection with her sister-in-law. She no longer had to fear the dark side of workplace politics and could focus on learning from the best to become a master herself.

Hua Lianxi chuckled, never imagining that she could be someone's protector. Ever since her mother fell ill, she had always been the one begging for mercy and protection from heaven.

The two chatted and laughed as they continued organizing until dinner time, finally managing to sort out Kong Huan's two large suitcases. Hua Lianxi finally understood why Kong Huan had described her luggage as a disaster and was truly amazed by the chaos.

When Kong Huan appeared at the dinner table arm in arm with Hua Lianxi, Lin Xiao was visibly stunned, wondering how the two could have become so close in just a few short hours. Her eyes bore into Hua Lianxi, as if trying to see through her.

Meeting Lin Xiao's suspicious gaze, Hua Lianxi paused mid-step before sitting down, forcing an unnatural smile, unsure of what was going on with Lin Xiao.

"Where's Chengyi? Why didn't he come down to dinner with you?" Remembering her son, Lin Xiao quickly masked her suspicion and asked warmly.

Hua Lianxi had already prepared an excuse before coming downstairs and calmly replied, "He said he had something urgent and left in a hurry."

"That brat, he can't even stay still for an afternoon!" Before Lin Xiao could respond, Fang Xiufang, who was sitting at the head of the table, angrily cursed, upset that he hadn't listened to her.

"It must be something urgent at the company. Mom, he can't just ignore company matters. He'll be back later," Lin Xiao naturally defended her son, not wanting him to be scolded by Fang Xiufang.

"Grandma, brother's out working hard while we're enjoying ourselves. Isn't that great? Don't be mad!" Kong Huan quickly leaned over and kissed Fang Xiufang's cheek, instantly softening the tense atmosphere. Fang Xiufang's stern face broke into a smile.

Maintaining her smile, Hua Lianxi didn't interject and silently took her seat.

Thanks to Kong Huan's lively presence, the dinner wasn't dampened by Kong Chengyi's absence. Instead, it was filled with laughter, making the long evening that Hua Lianxi had anticipated to be difficult pass by pleasantly.

Since Fang Xiufang had already instructed that Kong Chengyi and Hua Lianxi must stay at the old house that night, Hua Lianxi returned to the empty room after dinner, mechanically preparing for bed, hoping to fall asleep early and avoid facing the cold man.

"Weren't you fine at the hospital earlier? What's wrong now?" Driving at top speed, Kong Chengyi arrived at Ding Jia's house in just half an hour.

Tears streamed down Ding Jia's pale face as she bit her lip, silently staring at Kong Chengyi with tearful eyes.

Pulling her into his arms, Kong Chengyi's voice was low and soothing, "Don't cry, I'm here."

Leaning into his warm chest, Ding Jia trembled as she tightly wrapped her arms around his waist, sobbing, "I'm scared, so scared! Yi…"

Gently wiping her tears with his thumb, Kong Chengyi sat her down on the sofa, "What are you scared of? You're fine now. If you're not feeling well, we'll go to the hospital." Worried that her emotions might affect her heart, he deliberately kept his voice soft and made sure she was seated.

Clutching his shirt, Ding Jia sobbed for a while before finally speaking, "A few big, scary men suddenly showed up. I was so scared, so scared…" Recalling the sudden appearance of the burly strangers in her home, Ding Jia genuinely felt a wave of fear.

"Scary men? How did they get in?" Realizing it wasn't a health issue, Kong Chengyi's voice rose in disbelief that someone had broken into her home.

"What about your parents? Aren't they living with you?" He knew that Ding Jia had returned with her parents and that she had gone back to work to support them.

"They… they hid! They were afraid of being found. If they were found, they'd be beaten again. I'm still worried about them!" Thinking of how her parents had selfishly hidden themselves without warning her about the debt collectors, Ding Jia's eyes flashed with resentment.

Looking around and not seeing her parents, Kong Chengyi immediately understood the situation, recalling Ding Jia's father Ding Qiang's gambling addiction from years ago.

"So, it's because of gambling debts again? They hid without even telling you?" Narrowing his eyes, Kong Chengyi's gaze turned cold, a hint of hatred for her parents surfacing.

Ding Jia's sobs resumed at Kong Chengyi's icy tone, and she looked up at his handsome face with tearful eyes, "It's not their fault. It's mine. I'm useless. I can't give them a good life. Now that they're being chased for money, it's my fault too!" Clutching her chest, her breathing grew rapid as she continued to blame herself, "If I could provide them with a comfortable life, my dad wouldn't have tried to gamble to improve our situation."

Hearing her labored breathing, Kong Chengyi quickly covered her mouth, "Don't say anymore. Just lie down and rest. Tell me how much is owed." Fearing she might faint from the stress, he swiftly carried her to her bed.

"Yi, I can't take your money. Besides, it's not a small amount. Those scary men said it's five million! My dad's gone mad, borrowing five million!" The thought of asking Kong Chengyi for such a large sum made her feel ashamed, tarnishing her image in his eyes.

Gently laying her down, Kong Chengyi pulled a tissue from the nightstand and carefully wiped her tears, softly comforting her, "Silly, as long as you're okay, as long as you stop crying, five million is nothing." The image of Hua Lianxi casually swiping her card flashed in his mind, and he inwardly laughed—five million really was nothing.