Chapter 68: There Is Nothing in Mozhicheng That I Cannot Attain (Dedicated to Yiyi’s Diamond)

Lily of the Valley nodded at him. He preferred tranquility, and here, only the two of them sat, while the other side was lively and bustling. A group of wandering musicians strummed their guitars, playing famous tunes from distant lands. Cheers blended with joyful melodies, and she couldn’t help but tilt her head to gaze at the flickering lights, hazy and elusive.

Mo Zicheng called out for Aiter, gave some instructions, and soon the quartet of wandering musicians came over. One gently tapped a long drum, the guitar rang out with bright chords, and the melodic notes floated through the night air: “You ask me how deeply I love you, how much I care for you.”

The classic song "The Moon Represents My Heart" was quietly sung.

“A gentle kiss has already moved my heart.”

“A deep affection keeps me yearning to this day.”

The singers circled Lily of the Valley, softly repeating the verses. The flickering candlelight resembled dripping water, casting a subtle glow. Unconsciously, she glanced toward the man, who lounged comfortably in his chair, fingers interlaced, gazing at her.

“You ask me how deeply I love you, how much I care for you.”

“Go think about it, go see for yourself, the moon represents my heart.”

The melody resonated through the Jimbaran night sky. Lily of the Valley applauded lightly, and in the next moment, the music transformed into a famous French chanson, “La Vie en Rose.”

She watched Mo Zicheng rise and walk toward her, pausing at her side to extend his right hand in an elegant, gentlemanly invitation. She was momentarily stunned, meeting his gaze—those deep, profound eyes fixed upon her. This man was undoubtedly a master of courtship.

Seeing her unmoved, Mo Zicheng’s lips curved in a smile and he raised an eyebrow at her. “So many people are watching.”

Lily of the Valley understood she could not deny him this moment.

She placed her hand in his palm, and he pulled her up, drawing her into his arms. He held her hand, his other hand resting on her waist. She struggled to keep up with his steps, stumbling slightly. Under the moon, on the beach, by candlelight, their figures danced together.

The phone on the table rang incessantly, but was drowned out.

Mo Zicheng saw the glow of the phone flickering in the darkness, but said nothing. Lily of the Valley watched as a burst of fire lit up the sky—fireworks blossomed overhead, dazzling as stained glass, ribbons of color slicing through the silken night. The fireworks bloomed, cold but brilliant beyond measure.

“Why do you like to watch fireworks?” the man asked quietly.

“——”

“That night, you drank too much and stood by the square watching them. Why do you like them?”

She withdrew her gaze and looked at him. “When I was young, I couldn’t afford them, so I liked watching. Perhaps the things we can’t have are always the best.” Her words carried a double meaning.

“For me, the harder something is to get, the more I want to fight for it. Lily of the Valley,” he leaned close and for the first time softly called her name, “there’s nothing in this world that Mo Zicheng cannot obtain. Do you believe that?”

Lily of the Valley smiled without answering. “———”

When the song ended, Ye Linglan pushed Mo Zicheng away. “Sorry, I need to go to the restroom.” She bent to pick up her high heels, hurriedly turned away, and as she left, Mo Zicheng’s gaze fell on her phone.

——————

Over the next few days, Ye Linglan followed Xiao Zhou. Mo Zicheng remained busy; aside from meetings in the early morning, she never knew his whereabouts. Three days later, they returned to Nanjiang.

That night, Nanjiang greeted its first snow of the winter. She landed at dusk and didn’t go straight home, but instead headed to Ye Shenghan’s residence, eager to deliver the gift she had prepared for him.

Snowflakes fell like cotton. Clutching her coat without an umbrella, she seemed covered in white. She hurried up the stairs, catching Ye Shenghan just as he returned home, Bai Yuchen following close behind. She was about to call out when Bai Yuchen’s voice reached her: “You went to see those old fellows today—how did it go?”

Ye Linglan paused, slowed her steps, and listened in secret. Ye Shenghan was silent for a moment before speaking softly. “About as expected.”

“What do you mean, ‘about as expected’?” Bai Yuchen’s voice simmered with suppressed anger.

Ye Shenghan gripped his keys tightly, glancing sideways at him. “Exactly. Those old associates of the Ye family either refuse me with the excuse of enjoying retirement, or don’t meet me at all. Didn’t your father tell you to stay away from me as well?” The man’s restraint was palpable, as tense as a drawn bowstring, yet he held back. Years of hardship and cold sarcasm had taught him to endure.

Bai Yuchen saw the fury in his eyes, words stuck in his throat.

“Yuchen, their eyes all say the same thing—that I’m chasing a fool’s dream.”

“My father, he—” Bai Yuchen spoke with difficulty.

Ye Shenghan closed his eyes and sighed deeply, suppressing the burning anger. He calmed himself and restored his composure. “It’s nothing, nothing.” He murmured quietly, “Unless I die, I will never give up the Ye family. This is the legacy my father built with his own hands—I won’t abandon it, I can’t.”

“Shenghan, tell me why Mo Zicheng hates the Ye family so much, gives you no chance to breathe, and seeks to destroy you completely.”

Ye Shenghan fell silent.

The delicate figure hidden in the night waited, as if for his answer, but heard nothing. She looked up at the figure under the sensor light, watched Ye Shenghan return to himself and open the door. With a loud slam, the door closed. Everything ended abruptly. Lily of the Valley neither spoke nor went upstairs; she quietly turned away, carrying the unsent wooden wind chime. Under the night sky of Nanjiang, thick snow covered the city. She walked slowly, her footprints marking the pristine snow, heading north.

——————

That night, Lily of the Valley finished her research report. Before bed, she played with the string of wooden wind chimes, their gentle tones echoing in the quiet night. Yet, as Bai Yuchen had said, what was the real grievance between the Ye family and Mo Zicheng? It all seemed a mystery. After several days of business travel, she had finally gotten close to Mo Zicheng; since that was so, she would abandon the game of cat and mouse and simply follow his lead.

The next day, Mo Zicheng did not return to Tiancity. Word was he flew to Vegas after coming back from Bali. After work, Lily of the Valley quietly peered through the crack in the door and saw Tang Pei shredding documents. Lily of the Valley began to pay attention to how Tiancity disposed of shredded files. Usually, the cleaning staff would sweep them up. Noticing this clue, Lily of the Valley started deliberately collecting them. Every day, taking advantage of working late, she was the last to leave Tiancity, and retrieved the shredded pages from the inconspicuous piles of trash.

She hurried back to the lobby, leaving through the main entrance.

“Ye Linglan—” A voice sounded behind her. Lily of the Valley froze, a guilty feeling rising in her chest. She straightened her back and tightly gripped her purse. Turning, she saw a group of men and women—the same batch of management trainees. She relaxed, wiped the cold sweat from her brow, and offered a polite smile. “So it’s you. Why are you all leaving so late?”

“How about a round at the casino?” Xiao Zhou grinned.

“A round of gambling?” Lily of the Valley was momentarily surprised.

Among them was a woman dressed stylishly and strikingly—her name was Jiang Min. At the celebration dinner, she had stirred things up. Lily of the Valley saw her cross her arms and glance dismissively at her. She knew that originally, Jiang Min and Xiao Zhou were supposed to accompany Mo Zicheng on the Bali trip, but plans changed last minute. Naturally, Jiang Min was dissatisfied. “Yes, I’ve heard Miss Ye is skilled at everything she does. Since you work at Tiancity, you must be familiar with the tricks of the casino. Now that we’ve met tonight, why not gamble a round? Let us see your skills.”

Lily of the Valley caught the provocation in Jiang Min’s words. Not wanting trouble, she was about to refuse, when Xiao Zhou chimed in, “Let’s play. We won’t gamble big, just have some fun with the slot machines. After work, it’s just a bit of relaxation. Since the celebration dinner, you’ve been a bit distant from us. Tonight, nothing but slots—loser buys coffee, how about that?”

Lily of the Valley couldn’t refuse and didn’t want to make enemies. She smiled and nodded. “Then I’ll accept the invitation. Though, honestly, I’m not good at slots. Looks like I’ll be the one buying coffee tonight.”

Jiang Min sneered, then headed off with the group to Nightcity. Lily of the Valley truly was no expert in gambling. The first few rounds, luck was on her side and she won narrowly, but ultimately lost to Jiang Min and the others. She laughed helplessly, “You see, my mind just can’t keep up with these games. I’ll pay for coffee tonight, as long as everyone’s happy.”

“Miss Ye, I’m a few months older than you—mind if I call you Little Ye?” Jiang Min met her gaze.

“Of course.”

Jiang Min withdrew her gaze and looked around at the others, signaling with her eyes. “Since Little Ye is covering tonight, ordinary coffee isn’t good enough for her, right?”

“Exactly, she’s the top of our batch after all.”

Lily of the Valley’s smile slowly faded.

————————

By the time she returned home, it was nine o’clock. Lily of the Valley sank into her chair; the coffee outing had cost her half a month’s salary. They were clearly targeting her. It didn’t stop there—almost every night after work, they dragged her out to play, and after a month, she lost more than she won, leaving her with little of her pay. The day Jiang Min egged her on again, Lily of the Valley refused, “Forget it, you all go ahead!”

“What’s all the excitement about?” A man’s voice sounded behind her.