New Love No. 1: Have you kissed me enough, President?

"When you left without a word, you made that choice alone. So perhaps I, too, can choose to stop loving you without needing your consent. There's no right or wrong here—no blame to assign. Speaking of it now is meaningless. Meiwei, you still have a long road ahead of you. You ought to steady your heart and begin anew. Don't let the past chain you down forever."

"The hardest thing to keep is a person's heart—like the clouds in the sky, always shifting, never willing to stay in one place."

Long Yubei could no longer endure her melancholic lamentations. He picked up the suitcase and stepped into the stairwell.

Seeing this, He Meiwei hurried to follow.

Inside the elevator, she spoke again. "Oh, there's an elevator. I thought it would be stairs."

"I've paid six months' rent for you."

He led her to the apartment door, gave her the passcode, and turned to leave. She called after him, "Beibei!"

"Even if you dislike it, I would prefer you address me as Mr. Long. As my wife rightly said, 'Beibei' is no longer a name that belongs to you."

He pressed the elevator button, glanced at his watch, and departed without another word.

…

That evening, after returning from work, Long Yubei recounted the day's events to Gu Lili. He could have easily withheld the truth, but knowing He Meiwei's temperament, he feared she might spin the story in a way that would only enrage Lili further.

So, he chose to speak first.

Gu Lili listened quietly and then asked in a calm, level voice, "I remember quite clearly—you once said you would no longer involve yourself with her. What changed?"

"She attempted suicide…"

"And what does that have to do with you?" Her eyes, clear and bright, carried a chilling composure. "Whether she lives or is ground into paste, what concern is it of yours?"

"It won't happen again."

Gu Lili was not one to harp on things unnecessarily; she simply demanded that he remain clear-headed at all times.

"You want to help her start a new life, while she wants nothing more than to see yours fall apart. Let's hope, as you say, there truly won't be a next time."

A flicker of amusement surfaced in Long Yubei's ink-dark eyes. "If there is, I'll accept any punishment you choose. Now—shall we go down for dinner?"

Gu Lili pouted, "I'm too angry to move. Carry me."

"As you wish." He swept her into his arms and carried her downstairs.

The servants, seeing them, all smiled and lowered their eyes respectfully.

"I've bought another property with Qingli in the Jianing luxury complex. We closed the deal today."

"You two move fast. How much was it?"

"It wasn't cheap. But the neighborhood is tranquil and beautifully maintained, with top-notch security. I thought it was worth it—eight million. I also gave Qingli five hundred thousand to handle the renovations and furnishing. I won't need to worry about anything else."

"You bought it—fine. But why bother with the décor and furniture?"

"I don't plan to sell it. I'll stay there from time to time."

Long Yubei sighed, "If you ever had a hundred million, I'm sure you'd buy an entire district."

"No, this is plenty." She paused to think. "I still have a few million on hand—I'm saving it. Oh, and darling, buy me a good dagger. I want to carry it for protection."

"What use is a dagger? A gun would be far more effective."

"Then get me a silenced pistol while you're at it."

"…"

He smirked. "It seems you want everything."

"Well…" she paused, a playful glint in her eye, "What I want most—is your heart."

His gaze held a teasing smile. "Quite the ambition. Keep working at it."