Qin Beiting pulled out the car keys and carried the cake from the passenger seat into the house. Seeing Yu He in the study, he said from the doorway, "Baby, I brought you tiramisu cake, come out and eat."
Yu He didn't respond, sitting at her desk, expressionlessly stroking the small pet pig on her lap.
Qin Beiting sensed something was wrong with her expression. He placed the cake on the coffee table and went over to her, asking with concern, "What's wrong?"
Yu He gave him a cold glance, then looked at the computer screen. Qin Beiting followed her gaze and saw the code displayed on the screen, code he had written before.
His heart skipped a beat. Combined with the girl's unhappy expression, a bad premonition suddenly struck him.
He pulled over a chair and sat down next to her. "Baby, there's something I want to discuss with you."
Before he returned, Yu He's thoughts had been in disarray. But at this moment, she suddenly calmed down, watching him quietly, wondering how else he would pretend.
Her cold and distant gaze made Qin Beiting feel suddenly like a stranger. He hesitated, and finally voiced the words he had been unable to find a suitable opportunity to say:
"After we find the mastermind behind Sister Yun'er's death, can you please stop investigating further?"
If she found the killer of her adoptive mother, the truth of framing her adoptive father and sending him to prison would also surface. Why shouldn't she investigate?
Yu He suppressed the turmoil within her and asked with feigned calmness, "Why?"
"Because I promised Sixth Brother that I wouldn't investigate this matter anymore, nor would I let anyone else investigate it. Sixth Brother is indebted to me, and this is the only thing he asked of me. I can't refuse," Qin Beiting said. "I'm sorry, I should have told you this earlier..."
But if he had stopped her from the start, he wouldn't have had the chance to be with her.
He admitted that he had been selfish at first. But later, seeing how much she had gone through to find the killer, he couldn't bear to stop her.
Yu He looked at him. They had been so intimate just this morning, but now he felt like a stranger.
She didn't even know if what he was saying now was true or if he was acting. How could she forget that this man in front of her had previously been a drama queen who could change his tune in an instant?
Yu He: "Did you go see him?"
Her tone was exceptionally calm, like the quiet before a storm.
Qin Beiting thought back. "About ten years ago."
Ten years ago!
She had started investigating the killer of her adoptive mother since she returned last year, and he was only telling her now?
"So, you deliberately erased the recording on the memory card! And made Freud modify my memories!"
Every word Yu He spoke felt like she was telling herself again how foolish she had been in the past.
She had fallen twice for the same person, and she had still foolishly believed him, being toyed with by his sweet words.
She even wanted to ask him if he had felt happy every time he watched her struggle to find the truth and fail to find the killer!
Upon hearing this, Qin Beiting's eyes churned with emotion. Freud had actually told her!
"Baby, let me explain. I didn't intentionally delete the recording on the memory card. At the time, I just received a commission to remove one person's voice from it. I didn't know the employer was the Huang family then. I only found out later.
"But it was all too late. To make up for this mistake, I created that repair software, hoping that if one day you discovered the truth, you would at least know that I truly repented."
His words made Yu He feel even more like he was toying with her. Their reconciliation last time was precisely because of this software, wasn't it?
At the time, she had thought he was helping her investigate the case, but in reality, the case clues marked in his office were just to see how far she had investigated and how to stop her!
Qin Beiting continued to explain, "Having Freud modify that memory was because it was a bad memory. I was afraid that if you remembered it, you would leave me..."
Yu He got angry. "Qin Beiting, I am a person! Not your private property! You have no right to make decisions for me!"
He knew perfectly well how important that memory was to her!
How could he be so selfish towards her!
Qin Beiting rarely saw Yu He so angry. He felt extremely guilty and anxious.
"I'm sorry, baby, I was wrong. I should have told you these things earlier. I was too selfish, I was afraid you would leave me if I told you, and I didn't want to lose you again."
He grabbed Yu He's hand, slid off the chair, and knelt directly in front of her.
His sudden movement startled the small pet pig, which jumped to the ground and ran away.
Yu He was also shocked by his action. Looking at the anxious and humble expression on his handsome face, something clawed at her heart.
She averted her gaze, not wanting to look at him, afraid she might soften and truly believe him.
After all, this was the man she had loved with all her heart.
And the man who had hurt her time and time again.
Third time's the charm, she had been deceived by him twice already, she absolutely could not fall for it again.
Seeing her so resolute, Qin Beiting became even more anxious. "Baby, look at me... I truly know I was wrong. I will never do this again. I'm sorry, can you give me another chance?"
Yu He: "Qin Beiting, I've given you a chance."
Last time, she had chosen to forgive him, but what did she get in return?
Only to find out that his promise last time was just a part of this entire grand lie!
Qin Beiting was suddenly speechless.
Yes, she had given him a chance last time, but he had messed it up.
"I've never been in a relationship before, I lacked experience and hurt you. Can you give me another chance? To let me correct my mistakes and make it up to you?"
Yu He raised her head, closed her eyes, and forced back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.
After a long while, she turned her head back and looked seriously at the man kneeling humbly before her, "Qin Beiting, if I insist on continuing my investigation, will you stop me at all costs?"
Qin Beiting looked up at her and suddenly fell silent.
On one side was the woman he loved most, and on the other was Sixth Brother, to whom he was indebted.
He would definitely choose the woman he loved most, but he needed a little time to deal with his promise to Sixth Brother. He would hold the entire Qin family responsible for this matter!
Seeing this, Yu He knew his answer in her heart.
She took a deep breath. "Okay. Until this matter is resolved, let's not see each other for now."
After speaking, she broke free from Qin Beiting's hand, took off the ring on her left hand, and placed it on the tabletop.
Qin Beiting looked at the blue diamond ring on the table. His heart felt as if it were being fiercely squeezed by a large hand, making every cell in his body scream in discomfort. A voice in his mind constantly told him: "Hide her! Hide her! She belongs only to you!"
Another voice said: "No! That would hurt her, and the consequences would be even more unbearable."
The two voices fought in his mind, giving Qin Beiting a splitting headache. His eyes turned bloodshot.
Yu He chose to ignore it and coldly ordered him to leave. "You should go."
"Can you really not give me another chance?"
The man looked at Yu He, his phoenix eyes bloodshot, moist, filled with helplessness and pleading.
Yu He didn't want to see him like this anymore, so she got up and left directly.
As she reached the doorway, Qin Beiting's hoarse voice suddenly came from behind her, asking, "We're just temporarily separated, right?"