Ch. 1341..1350

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1341

The receptionist had never seen this kind of look in someone’s eyes.

There was a smile on her face, but there wasn’t any warmth in her eyes. There was only a deep, icy-cold stare. No, it can’t be described that way. It should be described as soulless. That’s right. It was a death stare with no vital signs.

Upon thinking about that, the receptionist started to have the creeps, for she didn’t even know how she would walk back to her position after that.

Even when the phone rang, the receptionist got shocked. She stood there, stunned for quite a while.

She only responded when someone beside her called her.

Besides, she was totally clueless when she was answering the phone call. After the call ended, she just came to a realization that her back was drenched with cold sweats.

“What’s wrong with you? You were totally clueless when you answered the phone call, and what’s with your whey-face? Are you not feeling well?”

The receptionist only shook her head without a word.

When Jiang Wenwen saw Xu Yanwan turned up for work, she welcomed her with open arms and asked about her condition. After that, she let Xu Yanwan return to her working position without saying anything about Han Qing.

A faint smile appeared on Xu Yanwan’s face. She caught up pretty fast, knowing what to ask and what not to ask.

Even though Jiang Wenwen did not ask Xu Yanwan anything, she was making up a plan in her mind.

Nevertheless, later in the afternoon, Jiang Wenwen received the news about Xu Yanwan’s transfer.

Xu Yanwan was openly being transferred to the senior department. When Jiang Wenwen knew about it, she was instantly upset since she was Xu Yanwan’s direct superior.

After all, it would be a loss for her department if a talented employee like Xu Yanwan was transferred to another department. Moreover, she discovered Xu Yanwan’s skills and thought that she would be a great help in the future.

However, after Jiang Wenwen looked at her own status and the incident that took place recently, she felt that even though she was upset she had no right to pinpoint anything.

The only thing she could do is to find Xu Yanwan and let her know about this.

Xu Yanwan was surprised after she heard the news. “A transfer? To another department?”

Jiang Wenwen sighed. “It seems like a job transfer, but they’re actually promoting you. Things are way more relaxed there. Given your body condition, I believe you will feel more comfortable there.”

Xu Yanwan didn’t give any response.

“Yanwan, you should pack your things and report to this department later in the afternoon.”

Xu Yanwan, who kept quiet all the time, stood up and walked out while pursing her juicy pink lips, so Jiang Wenwen asked, “Where are you going?”

“Miss Wenwen, I’ve got something on. I will come back after a short while.”

Although she didn’t give her reason, Jiang Wenwen could guess what was happening.

Xu Yanwan took the elevator and directly went to look for Han Qing.

While the elevator was heading up, Xu Yanwan felt distressed while she looked at the gradually increasing floor number on the screen. Her heart was also throbbing.

One of the days when she was in the hospital, he visited her.

When she was discharged, he changed her job position.

If it were in the past, she wouldn’t bother to look for him, but now, she really had to get an answer from him personally.

When Xu Yanwan had just exited the elevator and took a few steps forward, she met Su Jiu.

Su Jiu was surprised to see her too, but after a while, she managed to put on a smile and greeted her with a nod.

“I was just planning to look for you downstairs, Miss Xu.”

Xu Yanwan did not reply. She pursed her lips and kept looking at what was behind Su Jiu.

“I believe you have been notified about your transfer. Have you packed your stuff?”

“Is this an order from Han Qing?” Xu Yanwan asked.

Su Jiu raised her eyebrows. “Absolutely.”

Normally, who would have the right to transfer others as they wish? Only Han Qing has that kind of power.

“Then please let Han Qing know that I refuse to be transferred like that.”

“But the order had been handed out. Those respective departments will make adjustments based on the order, so I am afraid that nothing can be changed.”

It can’t be changed?

How is that possible?

Xu Yanwan didn’t believe it. “Then I would like to see him. I shall speak to him in person.”

After hearing what Xu Yanwan said, Su Jiu knew that she couldn’t stop her, therefore she said, “President Han is in the office now.”

“Thank you.”

As Xu Yanwan walked past Su Jiu, the latter turned her head and looked at Xu Yanwan’s back. She looked at Xu Yanwan with doubts in her mind.

Judging by how she refused the transfer, was she really that confident with her ability to control?

In the office.

Xu Yanwan knocked on the door. A voice of a man could be heard from inside.

“Come in.”

When she was entering the room, she could immediately spot Han Qing, who was sitting in front of his desk.

Han Qing raised his head and looked at her, but he wasn’t surprised to see her at all.

Then, Xu Yanwan walked in and stood right in front of him.

“I don’t need a transfer.”

She went straight to the point and stated her intention clearly.

“Are you sure?” Han Qing pursed his thin lips tightly and looked at Xu Yanwan, feeling slightly unhappy. “If I didn’t transfer you, how long do you think you can survive with that mental condition of yours?”

After hearing what Han Qing said, Xu Yanwan’s face turned even paler. She bit her lower lip and said, “I know my body best. I am happy with the department that I am working in now. I…”

“So, you know your body best till the extent of being admitted into the hospital? Or are you saying that you don’t even care about your body’s condition?”

Of course, she cared. Why wouldn’t she care?

There was no one left in the Xu Family except her. During her family’s difficult times, not even one of her relatives was willing to give her a hand. No one came to visit her parents when they were sick and admitted into the hospital.

Besides the feeling of sadness, there was also hatred kept in her heart.

Undoubtedly, she wanted to revive the Xu Family, for she wanted to let those people know that even without their help, she could stand on her own feet again.

“Why wouldn’t I care?”

“If you really care, you wouldn’t have landed yourself in the hospital, and you won’t reject the transfer offer.”

“These are two different matters!” Xu Yanwan said nervously, “I told you before. I want to stand on my own feet, so I hope you can cancel my transfer.”

Han Qing stood up and looked at her with a cold expression.

“Do you think Mr. Xu will agree with the transfer after knowing your current situation? If he is still alive, do you think he is going to let his daughter betray her body like this?”

Xu Yanwan was speechless.

“Now, the Xu Family has come to this state. I didn’t know what happened, so I didn’t manage to give you a hand. I have to bear some responsibility too. Before this, you said that you wanted to stand on your own feet. I didn’t stop you because I believed that you could do it, but now… just let me take care of you on behalf of Mr. Xu.”

At this point, Xu Yanwan’s face became pale before her body wobbled a little. She looked at Han Qing’s emotionless expression and expressed her thoughts in questions.

“If there is no friendship tie between the Xu Family and Han Family, and if it wasn’t for my father’s death, I guess you won’t help me anymore, right?”

Without much thinking, Han Qing agreed. Then, he explained, “Both the Han and Xu Family have good relationships all these while. If I knew the matter earlier, I would definitely help, but it’s too late. Now, you’re the only person left in the Xu Family. I have the reason to take care of you in place of Mrs. Xu.”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1342

Looking out for me in place of my parents? Did he transfer me merely because of that? After hearing those words, Xu Yanwan felt a pang of bitterness and pain in her heart. Then, she lifted her eyes to look at Han Qing. “Is there no other reason to it?” She could hear herself asking the question in a barely audible voice. It was so soft that she could hardly hear herself, let alone him.

Although they were not standing that far apart, they were not standing that close either. Thus, Han Qing did not hear the question she uttered. Besides, he wasn’t bothered by whatever she said anyway. He knew that there was only one reason why she came here looking for him—she wanted to refuse the job transfer he offered her.

“Yanwan,” he called out her name, sighing. “I know you are eager to prove yourself, but… under these circumstances, now is not the time for you to act tough. Besides, there is always more than one solution for most issues.”

She stared into the pair of handsome and clear eyes before her. No matter how many years had passed, the look he gave her never changed. There was only a faint trace of emotions, and nothing else, in the depths of his deep, black eyes. It was vastly different from the gaze he had given Yan at the hospital. At that time, his gaze was overflowing with tenderness as well as a feeling of fierce possessiveness and desire. How did it turn out like this? Then, she closed her eyes and said, “I understand. In that case, I would like to thank you for your kindness on behalf of my parents, President Han.” After that, she gave him a small smile before turning around and leaving the office.

Han Qing did not know what was going on in her heart; he figured that it might be due to her pride. After all, she, who was once the Young Lady of the Xu Family, had fallen so far that she had to work in his company now. Still, if she was willing to accept his offer, he could continue helping her out. Even so, with her personality, he predicted that he wouldn’t be able to help her any more than this.

After Xu Yanwan left the office, she calmly returned to her own department and began to pack up her things without another word. Jiang Wenwen noticed that Xu Yanwan was very quiet when she returned. Thus, she came forward curiously. “How did things go? Yanwan, have you decided to accept the offer?”

Xu Yanwan was surprised by the question; she smiled at Jiang Wenwen and smiled. “Yes, I did. It’s what fate has decided for me. Why wouldn’t I accept?”

With the way I am right now, what right do I have to refuse? Just like the time when the Xu Family fell into a crisis; wasn’t everything predetermined? What right do I have to say no? What right do I have to go against the tide? It’s my fault for being too weak.

Jiang Wenwen seemed to notice the hidden meaning behind her words. Thus, she asked cautiously, “Are you reluctant to accept it? Truthfully, I think highly of your work capabilities. If you can continue working here and helping me out, that would be wonderful. So, if you are reluctant to accept the offer… do you want me to help you fight for it?”

What a joke. It’s a personal order from President Han. No matter what I say, I won’t be able to change anything anyway. Even so, she knew that saying these words at this time could help her gain Xu Yanwan’s favor.

Xu Yanwan did not expect Jiang Wenwen to offer to speak up for her. Thus, she smiled at her and gently said, “Thank you, Miss Wenwen. There’s no need for you to do that. I think the words you said to me were right. With my current health, it’s better for me if I take on a more relaxed job. By the way, thank you for all the care you’ve shown me during this time, Miss Wenwen.”

After hearing those words, Jiang Wenwen knew that she had made her decision. Thus, she went up to her and patted her on the shoulder. “What are you thanking me for? We are all colleagues working in the same company. I only did what I could for you. Don’t mind it.”

Xu Yanwan smiled at that but did not reply. On the other hand, Jiang Wenwen continued, “Oh, right. If you are uncomfortable about anything in your new position, you can come back and tell me about it. Since you came from my department, I, Jiang Wenwen, will not allow anybody else to give you trouble. When that time comes, I will give you my support.”

“Alright. Thank you, Miss Wenwen.”

Not long after Xu Yanwan packed up her stuff and left, news swiftly spread within the WeChat group. Thus, the group became lively again.

‘Wow! So, it’s true that she is the fiancée, isn’t she? I mean, President Han personally gave her a job transfer! Then, the question arises—what will happen to the mistress? Who will President Han choose in the end?’

‘Lawfully, the fiancée can’t do anything to the mistress. The benefits the fiancée is receiving right now is probably some sort of compensation stemming from the guilt he feels after obtaining a side piece.’

‘Why do I get the feeling that the fiancée isn’t as simple as she looks? She entered the company without a word. Moreover, I heard a piece of exclusive information about her. The spot where the fiancée fainted the other day was no other than right in front of President Han’s current girlfriend. You tell me; out of all the places she could have fainted, why did she have to faint right in front of the current girlfriend? I feel like it was planned.’

‘Planned? That sounds like a conspiracy theory, doesn’t it? If it was planned, why didn’t she faint in front of President Han instead? Why did she have to faint in front of the current girlfriend? If the current girlfriend was the spiteful type, then what would be the point of her fainting spell?’

‘That’s why I said she isn’t simple. She dared to faint in front of the current girlfriend, and even predicted that the current girlfriend wouldn’t ignore and leave her be!’

‘That’s so terrifying. Still, I don’t think it’s possible. How could she predict how the other party would react?’

‘If she didn’t predict it, then it was probably a gamble. Anyway, I’m betting 100 on it—the fiancée isn’t that simple!’

Everybody was chattering away in the group. There were even those that defended the fiancée. As Jiang Wenwen read the messages, the corners of her mouth curled up into a slightly mocking smile.

The group was filled with young ladies, and young ladies would always be young ladies. How could there be so many coincidences in the world? Most of these coincidences were created by people. Only television dramas would have that many coincidences. Sigh. These people must have watched too many television dramas. Not only are they prone to conspiracy theories, but they’re also overly naïve at times.

…

As Han Qing’s birthday drew nearer and nearer, Yan had been cracking her head thinking about what kind of present she could prepare for him that would be special to him. She had already decided to celebrate his birthday for him on the actual day itself. At the same time, she would also break the news of her pregnancy to him. It would be an unforgettable birthday for him.

The only thing she was worried about, was how she was going to celebrate it. She had no prior experience planning a celebration for another person before, nor had she ever bought a present for a man. Thus, it was giving her a headache. She had no idea what sort of gift a guy would like to receive. As such, she searched online for the best gifts to give a boyfriend on their birthday. However, the answers online were all about belts, wallets, lighters, and whatnot. Unfortunately, these were all very common gift ideas. Not only did she find these ideas to be unoriginal, but they also looked boring. Besides, Han Qing did not lack for anything. Whatever she bought would be too embarrassing to give to him.

With no other options, Yan secretly sent a message to Lin Xuzheng, asking him about what Han Qing would like as a gift. When Lin Xuzheng received the message from the young lady, he squinted his eyes as he mulled over it. After that, he, in an unprecedented move, replied to her question with a shameless answer.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1343

‘Are you thinking of gifting him something? I think it’s a great idea to just gift yourself to him.’ When Yan read the message, she was so shocked that she instantly felt faint. Oh my God, why on earth is Lin Xuzheng saying these kinds of things? It’s embarrassing just listening to it, alright? Thus, she decided to ignore him and didn’t even bother to answer his message.

Even so, Lin Xuezheng took the initiative to send her another message. ‘Yan, why did you suddenly think of giving Han Qing a present?’

When she read his message, she was tempted to ignore it. After mulling over it, she decided to answer anyway. ‘It’s nothing; I just thought that we’ve been together for quite a while, but we don’t have any mementos to show for it. So… I wanted to give him something.’

A memento? The moment he saw those words, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his heart. When he first saw the word ‘present’, he thought about it carefully, then realized that his best friend’s birthday was going to come up soon. At first, he was afraid that Yan was thinking of celebrating his best friend’s birthday. However, now that his concern had been allayed, he naturally felt relieved.

Moreover, her reply was excellent—it did not reveal anything. Thus, he did not doubt her. After all, she was a young lady. There was nothing wrong with a young lady like her thinking of giving something to her boyfriend as a memento while they were in a relationship. Still, he felt that he needed to mention it to her. ‘Yan, you aren’t thinking of giving Han Qing a gift in conjunction with any special occasions, right?’

Although he did not mention the word ‘birthday’ directly and only mentioned ‘special occasions’ in general, he believed that if she had that sort of idea, she would definitely associate the two together. Still, each person’s thought processes varied. How could she understand his actual intentions? When he mentioned special occasions, all she thought was, Are there any holidays coming up soon?

After doing some calculations, she shook her head. ‘But, there are no upcoming holidays to speak of.’

Seeing that, he finally felt utterly relieved. It seemed like she merely wanted to give a memento to him. Thus, he discussed it with her seriously. ‘In all the time I’ve known Han Qing, I’ve never seen him hold any interest in anything. So, I suggest you give up on the idea of giving him something he likes. You should find something that is collectible or has sentimental value instead. It should be something that can represent the both of you.’

‘Huh?’ Yan was very surprised by his suggestions. ‘Xuzheng, how is it that you know so much? You’re amazing.’ As soon as she sent the message, she realized that she had misspoken. Lin Xuzheng held deep affection toward his wife. After her death, he had been depressed. Moreover, he refused to remarry, nor allow any other woman to approach him. Thus, it can be seen that he had been very attentive toward his wife. Perhaps, he had previously done these things for her.

Although she knew she had misspoken, there was no chance for her to retrieve her message. Besides, if she withdrew her message now, it would only make it more conspicuous. If she was lucky, he had not even thought about it. However, if he saw her withdraw her message, it might remind him of his sadness. Therefore, she could only pretend as if nothing had happened and continued with her next question. ‘Then, do you have any good suggestions?’

For a moment, he had been reminded of his late wife. When they were still together, he had been the one who thought of these things. However, his late wife was just like Yan. She would occasionally buy some mementos and souvenirs, saying that they should cherish the memories they created together. The memories were both sweet and bittersweet, yet at the same time, it brought happiness.

Feeling as if he had returned to the time when he and his late wife had just gotten together, he began to type; his fingers flew across the screen. Then, he started telling Yan about the things his late wife had done, one by one. ‘Nothing is specific, but the places the two of you have been to together have sentimental value. It can also be applied to a precious memory you share. In short, there are many kinds of things. As to what the gift is, I can’t give you any further suggestions. After all, the two of you are the ones in the relationship. You know better than I do what you’ve experienced together.’

She stared at the words blankly for a long time. That’s right; I should know best what we’ve experienced. ‘I got it. Thanks for giving me the answer, Xuzheng.’

Then, she placed her phone aside and began to reminiscence about what they had experienced together. The places they have been to together were not many. Besides, the only time they had gone on a trip by themselves was during the vacation Han Muzi had arranged for them. Unfortunately… she had not thought of buying any souvenirs while they were on the little island.

At that time, there were all sorts of stuff being sold on the island. Why didn’t I think of buying something then? There’s no point only thinking about it now! Sigh. Yan held her head in her hands. This is such a headache.

Two days later, the travel agency called her up to inform her that the photo album from their vacation was ready and asked her to find a time to pick it up. The moment she got the call, she decided to head there since she had nothing else to do anyway. Thus, she went to pick up her photo album in the afternoon.

When she received the photo album, Yan felt inspired. Although the things she and Han Qing had experienced together were not many, they still had some experiences to speak of. Using these experiences, she could create a book out of them by recording them down. It would also serve as a memento for both of them. Simply thinking about it made her happy.

“By the way, this is a small gift of local specialties, Mrs. Han. It’s something our company had prepared for you and President Han.”

There was a free gift representing the local specialty! She was pleasantly surprised. After receiving the gift, she looked very happy. “Your company has thoughtfully prepared for everything! Thanks! I love it!”

The staff member laughed heartily. “It’s great that you like it, Mrs. Han. If so, I hope you and President Han will approach our company again the next time you want to go on another trip. If you have friends who are interested, please do introduce them to our company too!”

“No problem,” Yan promised generously. Afterward, the staff member asked her to leave a good review for their company on a mobile application. Not only did she not refuse their request, but she also wrote a long evaluation, exaggeratedly praising the work performance displayed by the company as well as the staff members.

By the end of it, the staff member was dizzy with satisfaction and left happily; she was floating on cloud nine. Yan then brought the bag home with her after the staff member left. Feeling inspired, she quickly took out her notebook and started to draft out her plan.

After doing some calculations, she found that there was not enough time left as Han Qing’s birthday was only a week away. Thus, she had no choice but to burn the midnight oil to finish in time.

As Han Qing didn’t lack for anything, she did not bother to consider the monetary value or practicality of the gift she was making for him. Instead, she made it purely for its sentimental value. For that, she also folded 9,999 paper cranes.

However, it was difficult to fold paper cranes, not to mention 9,999 of them. The thought of folding all those paper cranes in a week was daunting, but Yan was the type that would never give up on something she set out to do. Thus, she started to fold the paper cranes all day and all night, working hard on her memento. Due to this, she stayed up all night, causing the circles under her eyes to darken.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1344

When Yan went to find Han Qing, he was in a meeting. Thus, she sat on the sofa to wait for him and promptly fell asleep. She slept so deeply that she didn’t even notice Han Qing entering the room.

Han Qing did not wake her up. Instead, he went to the lounge and brought out a blanket for her. Covering her with the blanket to prevent her from catching a cold, he then went back to work. He thought she would eventually wake up on her own, but by the time he got off work, she was still sleeping. It was then that he finally noticed that something was amiss.

He worriedly walked over to her side and found her breathing deeply and steadily. She slept so deeply that her face was slightly flushed. Even so, the bruise-like dark circles under her eyes stood out clearly against her pale cheeks. Is that the reason why she slept for such a long time today? What has she been up to recently?

At that thought, he crouched down in front of the sofa, reaching his hand out slowly. A warm fingertip brushed against the area around her eyes; his movements were very light—like a dragonfly skimming across the surface of water.

The door to the office was not shut tight. Therefore, Xu Yanwan, who came looking for Han Qing, happened to witness this scene just as she was about to knock on the door. She froze in surprise. Unexpectedly, Han Qing, who was usually cold and self-sufficient, could actually show such a gentle expression. As he crouched in front of the young lady, his finger gently touched the other party’s eyelids carefully. Apart from the indulgent love in his gaze, it also held deep attachment and heartache for the young lady. Staring at him, she felt as if her heart was being stabbed by needles. Why did you let me see this?

Although she knew she shouldn’t continue watching, her feet were frozen in place. Thus, she continued standing there blankly, staring at the man she loved as he looked at another woman with a loving gaze—a woman that was not her. My heart feels like it swallowed a needle.

Just as she managed to regain control of her feet and prepared to leave, he seemed to notice something and glanced in her direction. At that moment, their gazes met. Stunned, she awkwardly shifted her gaze away, looking like a cat who got caught trying to steal a star. Then, she took a few steps back, standing just outside the door without moving or making a sound.

Han Qing pursed his lips, then he covered Yan with the blanket before stepping outside. Once outside, his hand casually reached out to shut the door tightly, cutting off the sounds from the outside so as not to disturb Yan. “Is there anything?”

Hearing his question, Xu Yanwan lifted her head and glanced at him. In stark contrast from before, his eyes no longer held any loving look in them. He looked at her with his usual expression—the same way he looked at other people. To think that she could not even garner a special look from him despite how long they had known each other. It seemed like he had given everything in him to that woman—so much so that there was no room for anyone else.

She laughed bitterly in her heart, but nothing showed on her face. Then, she said lightly, “I just wanted to come over to give you my thanks. There is nothing else to it. Since you are busy, I will take my leave.”

Unexpectedly, he called out to her in a voice that held not a shred of emotion, “If we get the chance, we should ask Lin Xuzheng to join us for a get-together.”

When she heard him mention the three of them meeting up again, she felt slightly overwhelmed. An image of the three of them gathering together, just like how they used to, appeared before her eyes. When they were younger, the three of them had always been together. Moreover, she was the youngest of the three, and the only girl among them to boot. Thus, she was doted on. At first, she thought that this special doting would continue for a long time. Unfortunately, no one could have expected things to turn out the way they were now.

A faint smile lifted the corner of her lips, but her voice was as indifferent as his when she answered, “I don’t think that’s necessary. After all, you and Xuzheng are very busy people. Besides, I have work to do too. Although you’ve arranged for a more relaxed position for me, I can’t neglect my duty and take things easy. Right now, I am no longer the Young Lady of the Xu Family. Therefore, many things won’t go as easily as it used to.”

He stared at her. “You should know that if you are willing, I can—”

Before he could finish his sentence, she took a few steps back, looking extremely wary as she glared at him. “No thanks. I’m very happy that you helped me with my job transfer. Besides, the Xu Family and Han Family have always gotten along well, but there is no special relationship or connection between them. So, if you give me too much help, you will overstep your boundaries. Besides, you are somebody who has a girlfriend while I’m a single lady. It’s best if I don’t accept too much of your help, otherwise…” Glancing at the door behind him, she smiled coolly and continued, “Your girlfriend might get the wrong idea about us. When that happens, I can’t bear the responsibility.”

He frowned, then answered subconsciously, “Yan won’t doubt me.”

She was taken aback by his answer. “She won’t doubt you? Are you sure? Does she trust you that much?”

Of course, he replied in his heart, she fully trusts and relies on me.

Although he did not give an exact reply to her questions, his expression told her everything she needed to know. She felt as if there was no need for her to continue with her questions—asking anymore would only serve to further deepen the pain in her heart. “Alright then; let’s just say she won’t doubt you. After all, she is a good person. She even visited me and delivered food to me when I was hospitalized previously. So, just act as if I’m afraid other people will misunderstand. I’ll take my leave then.”

After Xu Yanwan left, Han Qing stood there looking at her back with thoughtful eyes. Then, the sound of a door opening behind him made him turn his head around. Subsequently, he saw Yan standing there, rubbing her eyes. “Did you finish your meeting? Why does it feel like I’ve slept for a long time? Did you just get back?”

Listening to her words, he was sure that this girl had heard nothing—the conversation they just had was about waking up instead of being woken up. Thus, he stepped forward and reached out his hand to rub her head. “Yeah, I just finished my meeting. Did you sleep well?”

Yan felt a little embarrassed by his question because it felt like she had slept for a long time. Looking at the man in front of her, she thought about it for a while. Then, she walked up to him and snuggled against him drowsily before hugging him around the waist. “Did I sleep for long? What time is it?”

Yeah, you slept for quite a long time, he thought. You slept from the time you arrived until after working hours. How is that not long? However, he decided against telling her about it. Reaching his hand out, he rubbed the back of her head. “Are you hungry? Do you want me to bring you out to eat?”

Eat? She felt a bit odd and embarrassed, Why are we eating the moment I wake up? I’m not a pig! What’s the logic behind eating right after waking up? Even so, his question seemed to have woken up the gluttons living in her stomach; she was actually quite hungry.

Blinking her eyes, she looked at him. “I think I’m feeling a little hungry. What time is it? Let me see…”

The look in Yan’s eyes after she had just woken up was still rather drowsy. Moreover, she leaned against him as she snuggled against his chest. At first, Han Qing had not been affected by it, but after a little while, her current appearance began to excite him. Hearing her say she was going to check the time, he lightly held her soft lower jaw in his hands, leaned down, and kissed her on the lips.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1345

“Umph—” Yan felt her vision going black as her lips were stolen by Han Qing. Unable to tell left from right in her dazed state, she subconsciously grabbed him by the collar with her hands while her entire body leaned against his limply.

An unknown amount of time passed before Han Qing released her. During their kiss, his hand had shifted from her lower jaw to the side of her face. Then, it turned into him holding her face in his hands as he kissed her tentatively. After that, the kiss deepened. When he released her, he traced his thumb from the sides of her soft face to the corner of her lips, then rubbed the sides of her lips lightly.

Ah! Her face flushed bright red. That kiss was way too passionate! Her gaze moved about wildly; she didn’t dare to look at him.

“Are you hungry now?”

She frantically nodded her head in response. “Yes!”

“Then, shall I bring you out to eat?”

“No, there’s no need…” She shook her head. “I need to go back to the shop. Can I take a rain check on that?” In truth, she wanted to go back so that she could continue folding her paper cranes. The gift she was preparing for him could not be delayed. If it dragged on for any longer, she was not going to finish it on time!

Not expecting the young lady to turn him down, he pinched her nose a little helplessly. “You don’t even have time for a meal?”

She felt awkward. While she was wondering how she ought to answer him, he gave a helpless sigh. “Then, let’s eat together on another day. Why don’t I send you back?”

“It’s okay, I’ll go back on my own! I’ll be very quick!” Afterward, she released herself from his embrace and waved at him after running some distance away. “Go back to work! I’ll be fine going back on my own!”

The young lady stood waving at him from afar. Looking at her energetic appearance, the corners of Han Qing’s mouth unwittingly lifted. Then, he raised his hand and waved back at her. “Take care.”

“Okay!” After receiving his approval, she went into the elevator feeling relieved.

Yan was just getting out of the elevator after reaching the bottom floor when she ran into Xu Yanwan. Xu Yanwan was standing in front of the elevator in a daze. Her eyes were blank and she looked like she didn’t know where to go—so much so that she did not even notice Yan as she exited the elevator. On the other hand, Yan had noticed her. Due to the rapport they built up at the hospital, she took the initiative to greet her.

Xu Yanwan came back to her senses when she heard a voice. Then, she became a little lost and confused at the sight of Yan’s bright smiling face. However, that feeling only lasted for a brief moment. Then, the pupils of her eyes shrank suddenly as she stared at Yan in disbelief. At the moment, Yan’s current appearance was stunningly beautiful; her lips were rosy while her gaze was warm and gentle. While I was dazedly taking the elevator for God knows how many times, they were upstairs kissing…

Then, Xu Yanwan felt wave after wave of dull pain stabbing her heart like a rain of arrows. It only took a split second for all the blood in her face to drain away. She also lost her balance and nearly fell headlong toward the floor.

“Huh?” When Yan stepped out of the elevator, she had seen Xu Yanwan looking like she was in a daze, thinking about something. Now, her face paled suddenly and her body fell forward. Thus, Yan subconsciously brought her hands up to support her. “Are you okay? Your complexion is terrible. Are you feeling unwell again?”

Then, she helped Xu Yanwan to a chair by the side and sat her down. Xu Yanwan rested for quite a long while before collecting herself. After that, she forced out a faltering smile in Yan’s direction. Her smile looked worse than a crying expression. “Thank you. You’ve helped me again.”

Yan felt embarrassed listening to her words. She didn’t know why, but every time they met, she would end up coincidentally giving Xu Yanwan a hand. “It’s nothing. Your body is too weak. Why don’t you take a few days off to rest?”

“I’m fine.” Xu Yanwan shook her head, then emotionlessly continued, “I was just slightly anemic; it’s not a big deal.”

Yan looked at the time, then realized that she had slept through the afternoon. To think she had slept the entire afternoon away. She had to rush back to finish up her project as soon as possible. However, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Xu Yanwan alone while she looked like that. Thus, she asked, “It’s not long until you get off work, right? Do you want me to send you home?”

Xu Yanwan shook her head, then looked at her and said, “I think I wasn’t feeling well just now because I’m hungry. If you want to send me home, why don’t I treat you to a meal instead?”

“Huh?” Yan tilted her head to the side. I guess I won’t be able to get out of eating a meal today, huh? It was Han Qing before, and now it’s Xu Yanwan.

“Before this, you constantly visited me in the hospital and delivered food to me. I am very grateful for that. Besides, you’ve helped me out twice now. I want to treat you to a meal as thanks, but I don’t know if you’re willing to accept. Oh, right. I’m a little strapped for cash currently. So, I can only treat you to a normal meal. I’m afraid I can’t afford a big spread for the time being.”

Since the other party had already put it that way, she felt that it would be bad if she refused the offer. Besides, she really could not help but worry if she left Xu Yanwan alone. Thus, she agreed, “Sure, it’s no problem. I can eat anything. Why don’t I treat you to a meal instead?”

“No, I should be treating you since you’ve helped me out so much.”

Yan studied the other party’s determined gaze and decided that she would not be able to win against her. Thus, she nodded. “Okay then. Something simple will be enough.” Since learning about Xu Yanwan’s background from Han Qing, Yan assumed that her current financial situation should be rather tight. Even so, she was adamant about treating Yan to a meal, indicating that her ego was large. Therefore, Yan decided to eat something at a roadside stall. She wanted to help Xu Yanwan save some money, hoping that she could live a life without stress.

Xu Yanwan was dumbstruck when she heard Yan suggesting that they ate some barbeque at a roadside stall. Then, she glanced sideways at the girl smiling in front of her. “Are you trying to help me save money? Don’t worry; I have enough to treat you to a meal. So, you don’t need to help me save money.”

“But…”

“If you won’t even accept this, then it will be too insincere of me to even bother treating you to this meal.”

In the end, they went into a restaurant. While Yan was studying the menu, Xu Yanwan reminded her lightly, “Order whatever you want; you don’t need to hold back for my sake.”

Although the other party said so, Yan considerately ordered two dishes, then handed the menu to Xu Yanwan. “I’m done ordering. What about you?”

Xu Yanwan took the menu, glanced over it, and casually ordered two dishes. Then, she ordered a few more. Yan opened her mouth to speak, but decided to say nothing instead. Forget it; she is trying to show her sincerity. I can’t keep rejecting it.

After ordering, Xu Yanwan looked at Yan’s red lips and suppressed the pain in her heart. “By the way, you seem to visit Han Qing at the office every day.”

“Yeah.” Yan nodded. “He’s too busy with work and tends to neglect his health. So, when I have the time, I will bring some soup for him.”

“I see.” Xu Yanwan nodded understandingly. “He is very serious when it comes to work. Once he focuses on it, he will even forget to eat. He sure is blessed to have a caring girlfriend like you.” After that, she stared at Yan as she continued, “I noticed that your complexion isn’t as good as the last time I met you. You have very dark circles under your eyes. Is something the matter?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1346

Very dark circles under my eyes? Yan felt embarrassed by her question and subconsciously reached out to touch the area under her eyes. “Is it that bad?”

Xu Yanwan leaned closer and took a better look. “It’s quite severe. Are you sleeping badly recently? Or, is it something important?”

In truth, Yan had not thought of telling anybody about it. However, thinking that Xu Yanwan was a girl just like her, as well as someone who has known Han Qing since they were kids, she decided it wasn’t a big deal if she told her. Thus, she told Xu Yanwan about what she wanted to do.

After listening to her, Xu Yanwan was dumbstruck for a long while before she came back to her senses. “Do you mean to say that… you want to celebrate Han Qing’s birthday?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Yan nodded. “At first, I wanted to give him a present, but after thinking about it, he doesn’t seem to lack anything. So, I might as well handcraft something of sentimental value for him.”

“Then, don’t you know—” He has never celebrated his birthday. Xu Yanwan nearly said that out loud, but she paused before the words came out. She recalled the scene she had witnessed just now—the man she liked was crouched in front of another woman, and his gaze was soft and warm as he stared at the other person. That was something she had never seen before. Moreover, Han Qing had never looked at her in that way before!

“What is it?” Yan asked curiously. She was curious about the rest of the sentence because Xu Yanwan had stopped speaking part way.

Xu Yanwan snapped back to reality and smiled at her, pretending nothing had happened as she asked, “Ah, I meant to ask; have you told this to anybody else?”

“No…”

“That’s good then.” Smiling, she continued, “After all, it’s a surprise you’re preparing for him. If you tell too many people, somebody might accidentally spoil the surprise by letting it slip. What will you do then?”

“That won’t happen; I’ve only told you about it. Oh, I also asked Xuzheng! I heard he grew up with you and Han Qing; is that true?”

“Lin… Xuzheng?” She felt uncertain when she heard the name. I can’t believe Yan told him about this! However, after pondering over it, she realized that it was to be expected. After all, how could Yan not come into contact with Lin Xuzheng given Lin Xuzheng and Han Qing’s relationship? Even so, did Lin Xuzheng not react when Yan told him about this matter? He should also know about the fact that Han Qing never celebrated his birthdays, right?

“Yup, that’s the guy I’m talking about.”

“You’ve asked him about it?”

“Yeah. Is there a problem?”

“Nope,” she replied, coming back to her senses. Then, she smiled but her eyes looked a little sad. What was I thinking about just now? I thought she didn’t know about it. But, it turns out that she does know about it. Besides, there is no way Lin Xuzheng doesn’t know about it. That must mean he has agreed to Yan celebrating Han Qing’s birthday. Perhaps, Han Qing’s psychological issue about celebrating his birthday has been cured by his girlfriend. It’s not that odd seeing as he is deeply and emotionally attached to her… Just what am I fantasizing about?

Xu Yanwan could tell that she had changed—she had become terrifying. To think that she had hoped to use Yan’s ignorance to provoke Han Qing so that there would be cracks in their relationship, leading to their breakup. When that time comes… I…

As the thought crossed her mind, she swiftly stopped her thoughts from continuing in that direction. “I understand your sincerity in trying to celebrate Han Qing’s birthday, but you have to take good care of your health too. Don’t push yourself so hard that you fall sick before celebrating his birthday.” As she spoke, she poured a cup of tea for Yan and pushed it in front of her. Then, she continued in a light voice, “Right now, the dark circles under your eyes are very severe. One glance and anybody can tell that you have not been sleeping much. Did Han Qing not ask you about it?”

“Uh… I’ll be fine. After all, I slept in his office for a long time this afternoon. It made up for all the sleep I’ve been missing recently. You have a good relationship with him, right? Please keep this a secret for me, okay?”

A helpless expression flitted across her eyes as she nodded. “Of course. You don’t expect me to tell him about it, do you?”

“Thanks!”

After dinner, they parted ways after saying goodbye.

After Yan got in the car, Xu Yanwan stood motionless, thoughtfully staring at the direction Yan had left in. If Han Qing was willing to change and celebrate his birthday with Yan, then… I’m afraid I don’t stand a chance anymore. Then, she closed her eyes. Give up; just give up. If I had a chance with him, we would have gotten together a long time ago. Why would we drag it out until now? If he had no feelings for me before, then he won’t fall in love with me now. Xu Yanwan, why are you still dreaming about this? Quickly wake up from your dream! Wake up!

Afterward, Xu Yanwan opened her eyes again. Unfortunately, her eyes were still clouded over. Perhaps, I won’t be able to get over it for the rest of my life.

…

Time flew by. Soon, Han Qing’s birthday was the following day. Luckily, Yan managed to complete her 9,999 paper cranes.

Not only did she manage to complete her memento, but she also managed to make time to go to the hospital to take a pregnancy test. She planned to show it to Han Qing as a surprise when they were celebrating his birthday tomorrow. I wonder how he will react to this? Then, she entered dreamland with endless expectations.

That night, she had a dream. In her dream, she saw Han Qing proposing to her after he saw her pregnancy test results. Subsequently, the Yan in her dreams cried tears of happiness as she agreed to marry him. When she woke up, the corner of her eyes was wet with tears. Out of the blue, she was hit by a feeling of sadness for no reason… Thus, she sat up and wiped away her tears. The dream she had last night was a happy one—Han Qing had proposed to her in her dream. So, why am I feeling so sad?

She did not know what was wrong with her, but she sat there for a long while before she could get her emotions under control. Then, she got off the bed and changed her clothes. Seeing the presents and the test results laid out on the table, she felt a trace of warmth. Perhaps, I have been overthinking things recently. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling so upset now.

She took a deep breath, then washed up and got herself ready. After that, she prepared to leave the house. Just for today, she had made a reservation at a restaurant. She also prepared a cake and red wine, complete with candles and everything else, to go with it.

Although these things seemed like what a guy would usually do, she was not bothered. They were a couple anyway. Therefore, the question of who should be the one doing these things was not important to her. To her, what was important was who she was doing it for and who she was spending her time with.

Yan had booked a private room. When she went into the room, the staff member told her that the place had been completely set up. Moreover, the staff member added, “Miss Zhou, your boyfriend is such a lucky man. I’ve worked here for such a long time, but this is the first time a lady has taken the initiative to prepare a surprise for her boyfriend.”

Another staff member chimed in, “That’s right! That’s right! To find a girlfriend as caring as you are, Miss Zhou, your boyfriend is so lucky!”

“Still…” One of the staff members had just joined them, so she was a little hesitant to speak. “Isn’t Miss Zhou lowering herself too much by doing all this?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1347

Lower myself? Faced with this question, Yan had never considered it to be a problem. Thus, she shook her head. “How am I lowering myself? In a relationship, there is no need to be bothered about who gives more.” This was what she firmly believed in.

The rest of the staff members nodded along with her. “That’s true. As long as both are mutually affectionate and like each other, who cares about who gives more in a relationship?”

“Yes, you’re right. Miss Zhou, you have a good mindset.”

Although the staff member who asked the question did not agree, she decided against saying anything more when she saw Yan’s happy expression. Thus, everyone else happily praised Yan for it. Seeing as everything she planned for was more or less prepared, Yan decided to head to the company to look for Han Qing.

Her arrangement for today went like this. First, she would visit Han Qing as usual and pretend as if there was nothing out of the usual. Then, once he got off work, she would follow him out. Afterward, she would claim that she was hungry and bring him here to eat. For the final touch, she would spring her surprise on him. Thus, she went to the office as she usually did. On her way up, she ran into Xu Yanwan.

Xu Yanwan was about to go out to gather information. When she ran into Yan, she immediately understood what was going on after considering what day it was today. “Are you going to celebrate his birthday today? Has everything been prepared?” she asked offhandedly.

Yan nodded. “Yup, everything is ready.”

“That’s good then.”

“By the way, since it’s his birthday today, do you want to join us tonight and celebrate it together?”

Celebrate together? When she heard those words, she seemed rather out of sorts. To put it nicely, they were celebrating together. However, the truth was that she would just be going there to watch the man she loved acting lovey-dovey with another woman. If I go, won’t I be torturing myself? Thus, she shook her head at the thought of it. “No, thanks. I have plans tonight.”

Yan could tell that she wasn’t enthusiastic about it, so she didn’t try to invite her again. “Then, I’ll be going up to wait for him.”

“Wait!” Xu Yanwan called out; she was unable to stop herself as she stared at Yan’s back.

“What’s wrong?” Yan turned her head back and gazed at Xu Yanwan with uncertainty.

Xu Yanwan looked at Yan and hesitated to speak. Her thoughts were very conflicted. Although she desperately wanted to know whether Han Qing had broken his record of not celebrating his birthday, she was afraid the answer she received might not be what she wanted to hear. Then…

As the thought flitted across her mind, she took in a deep breath. Stepping forward, she helped Yan tidy her hair. “Your hair is messy.” In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

“Ah! Thanks!” Yan didn’t seem to notice anything and even thanked her.

“Go on. I wish you good luck.”

After Yan left again, Xu Yanwan remained standing where she was as she watched Yan walking away. At the same time, her gaze gradually became cold and distant.

She had wanted to give Yan a warning, but after mulling over it, she decided that it had nothing to do with her. Even if she knew that Han Qing never celebrated his birthday, what did that matter? If Yan, as his girlfriend, could not figure out something this simple, then she couldn’t care less about it. From start to finish, she did nothing. If something were to happen between the two of them, it was not her fault. Therefore, she couldn’t be considered despicable either—she was simply staying out of the matter. Thus, she turned around and left in satisfaction.

However, she failed to notice the receptionist who had seen everything taking place. After witnessing everything, the receptionist was panicking because she knew that Xu Yanwan was a cunning person. The gaze she received from Xu Yanwan the other day had scared her badly—so much so that she had gotten nightmares over it. After that, she did not dare provoke Xu Yanwan again.

Still, Xu Yanwan and Yan seemed rather close today—the former even helped the latter tidy her hair with a warm and gentle expression. However, when the receptionist recalled the gaze she received the other day, it made her shudder in fear. As the receptionist mulled over it, she thought, What a strange sight it is for the ex-girlfriend and the current girlfriend to get along so well with each other.

It was so strange that the receptionist suspected Yan was unaware of the relationship between Xu Yanwan and Han Qing. Thus, she felt conflicted over it. In the past, she wanted to stand on Xu Yanwan’s side as she was the original fiancée. Unfortunately, after being terrified by her the other day, the receptionist no longer dared to get on Xu Yanwan’s bad side. Even so, when she saw Yan standing in front of Xu Yanwan, chatting and smiling away in ignorance, she felt that Yan was a little pitiful.

How should she put it? Yan’s ramen was delicious. If she was offed by the original fiancée, would she become so depressed that she couldn’t bear to open her ramen restaurant anymore? After some serious consideration, the receptionist decided to tell Yan the truth. Unfortunately, when the receptionist decided to chase after Yan, she had already headed toward the office, so the receptionist was unable to find her. Thus, the receptionist had no choice but to wait for Yan to come downstairs before she could tell her about Xu Yanwan’s identity. Even so, the receptionist did not expect to see Yan leave together with Han Qing today. Therefore, she had no chance of telling Yan anything.

Yan failed to notice anything and left alongside Han Qing. On the other hand, the receptionist was disappointed. Despite waiting the entire day, she had no chance to warn Yan about it. Still, she decided that it wasn’t a big deal. After all, she had many chances to do so in the future—she just had to tell Yan about it the following day. Unbeknownst to her, the receptionist wouldn’t get the chance to meet Yan again for a long time after this. Of course, this was something to be discussed at a later time.

After Yan and Han Qing left the company, she quietly glanced at him while they were in the car. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but it felt as if the air around him today was very depressed. Besides, he looked like he was not in a good mood. Yan wasn’t sure if she was overthinking it, so she bluntly asked him, “Are you feeling unhappy about something today?”

Han Qing, who was driving, suddenly heard the question the young lady asked him. Then, he saw her glancing over at him carefully like she was afraid of angering him. Seeing that, the depressed aura around him dissipated considerably. Thus, he freed one of his hands and rubbed her head with it. “What are you thinking about? I’m not unhappy; I’m just thinking about something.”

“Okay.” After confirming that he wasn’t unhappy, she stopped worrying. Today was his birthday; if he wasn’t happy, then she had to figure out how to ask him about it. However, she decided that she was overthinking it as the look in his eyes had resumed its usual adoration and warmth. After all, she had broken down crying when she woke up this morning. It had greatly affected her mood throughout the day. Due to that, she had to adjust her emotions herself to maintain her mood.

“The last time I invited you out to eat, you refused. So, why did you suddenly want to eat together today?” he asked nonchalantly.

Thus, she smilingly replied, “Isn’t it because I have not eaten together with you in a long while? So, I specially made some time to spend it with you.” The young lady rubbed against his hand and leaned over, half leaning against his shoulder.

Han Qing had noticed that the dark circles under Yan’s eyes were very severe recently. Moreover, her complexion was not as good as before. “What have you been doing recently?” he asked suddenly.

His question frightened her; thinking that he knew what she was up to, she hurriedly explained, “I have not been doing anything. It’s just that I’ve been sleeping a little later than usual recently.”

“What have you been doing?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1348

What have I been doing? Yan blinked. I’m not telling you!

Han Qing glanced over at her when she did not respond, then grabbed her wrist. “Well?”

Thus, she responded mysteriously, “I can’t tell you yet. You’ll find out soon anyway!”

Looking at her secretive expression, he did not continue with his questions. Besides, he wasn’t in a good mood today. Afterward, silence quickly filled the car.

As soon as he stopped talking, she sensed that the mood around him dipped again. Thus, she had a niggling feeling that something was wrong. Why does he seem to be in a bad mood today? As she had been preparing a surprise for him, she had not wished him a happy birthday nor given him a birthday present yet. Naturally, she began to wonder if he was upset because of that. With no other options, she could only console herself in her heart. Bear with it a little more. Once we reach the restaurant, he will see the surprise I prepared for him. After that, he won’t be so moody anymore. Unfortunately, if Yan knew of the incidents that would unfold after this, she wouldn’t have prepared this surprise for him, nor tried to celebrate his birthday with him.

At the restaurant, the staff members couldn’t help sighing and whispering to each other excitedly when they saw Yan walking in with Han Qing. “Oh my God, Miss Zhou’s boyfriend is so handsome! No wonder she is willing to prepare a surprise for him. If I had such a good-looking boyfriend, I would be willing to prepare a surprise for him every day!”

“I agree!”

“Her boyfriend looks like an idol, but Miss Zhou looks so ordinary. Moreover, the two of them are a couple, yet Miss Zhou is the one preparing a surprise for her boyfriend. No matter how you think about it, it seems… umm…” Although the sentence was left trailing, everybody who heard it knew what she meant.

Then, the leader interrupted them. “Alright, enough with the nonsense. As long as they pay us, they are customers. Why do you care so much about their personal affairs? What we need to do is ensure that our customer service is top-notch! You are not allowed to make other assumptions of your own; do you understand?”

“Understood.”

When Yan walked in, she told Han Qing, “I’ve made a reservation. This restaurant is very popular. If you don’t make a booking in advance, you won’t be able to get a table at all.”

Han Qing seemed to be deep in thought about something and made a noncommittal grunt in reply, his mind drifting into the distance.

Holding his hand, she walked upstairs with him. The private room held her surprise in it. Once the door was opened, the different atmosphere inside the room would become obvious. When they opened the door and walked in, they were greeted with a girl’s dreamy idea of romance. The room was decorated with all kinds of hearts—it looked like it came out of a dream. However, Han Qing didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. Or, perhaps he saw it but simply dismissed it as part of the private room’s decorations.

Soon, the staff members brought in the dishes that were specially prepared for today. It was all items that were normally sold on the menu and nothing stood out in particular. Therefore, Han Qing failed to notice anything. If his thoughts were not so scattered, he would have noticed that something was different about today. However, his mind had drifted off into the distance. Thus, when the staff members cooperated with Yan to turn off the light, the sudden darkness that covered the room made his eyebrows twitch. Finally, he noticed that something was wrong.

In the darkness, a small hand reached over and covered the back of his hand. Her hand gently covered his; her soft fingers lightly tapped against him. Thus, he assumed that the young lady wanted to comfort him by putting her hand over his, thinking that he was frightened by the lights that had been turned off suddenly. This silly young lady, he thought. He reached out to take her hand in his, intending to assure her that she didn’t need to do that because he was not afraid.

At that moment, a light appeared in the private room. However, the light was different from before—it was a faint light coming from a small lamp. Moreover, a cake had appeared on the table at some point. Then, Yan took out a lighter and stood up to light the candles on the cake. After the candles were lighted, her delicate face brightened amid the dancing glow of the candles. There was a bright smile on her face as she started to sing a birthday song while facing him.

Unfortunately, the moment Han Qing saw the cake, something in his memory seemed to surface. It easily and horrifyingly penetrated his consciousness and destroyed all sense of reasoning. As the flames began to dance, what appeared before his eyes was not the current scene, but a different kind of flame that reached toward the sky. The flames burned so strongly that it practically covered the horizon with sparks, searing his eyes. At the same time, the birthday song ringing in his ears turned into grisly screams. In his mind, the soaring flames, accompanied by the helpless screaming, nearly tore the sky apart.

At the same time, cold sweat oozed out of his forehead; his complexion turned pale; the color of his thin lips became an earthy color; his veins popped out against his skin; his breathing turned ragged. Meanwhile, the young lady’s face dancing under the candlelight’s glow became distorted, returned to normal, then became distorted again.

“Happy birthday!” Yan finally finished singing the birthday song, then she wished him ‘happy birthday’ loudly. Unfortunately, this was the sentence that finally broke the string holding his heart together. After that, she urged him to blow out the candles, telling him with utmost sincerity, “Remember to make a wish before you blow out the candles. What do you want to wish for?”

However, she did not receive a reply. He sat opposite her and seemed to be unnaturally quiet. Besides, there was something wrong with his expression…

“Han Qing?” she called out his name tentatively.

In response, he lifted his head suddenly and stared her straight in the eye. His gaze was deep and gloomy, and it made a chill run down her back.

“W-What’s wrong?” she asked in a trembling voice. She did not understand what was going on; her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something. Then, he stood up suddenly and continued to stare at her silently. Upon seeing this, she stood up as well. “What happened?”

The only thing filling his mind were those horrible images and nothing else; he could barely hear her voice either. In all the time she had known him, she had never seen him like this before—his eyes were so dark he seemed like an emotionless being. For the first time, she felt a terrifying aura coming off his body. Just what is going on?

Unfortunately, Han Qing did not give her an answer. Then, he practically staggered out of the private room. When the staff members saw him walking out pale-faced, they could not understand what was going on. Thus, they hurriedly entered the private room. “What happened, Miss Zhou? Why did your boyfriend leave?”

Yan stood frozen to the spot despite being questioned. She was shocked for a long while, wondering if she had done something wrong. Still, it didn’t seem like she had done anything in particular. All I did was wish him a happy birthday. Don’t tell me… that was a mistake? The more she thought about it, the more her thoughts spun around in her head.

Yan stood dumbstruck until a staff member mentioned, “Your boyfriend didn’t look too good when he left. Did you quarrel with him? Or, is there a problem with our preparations?”

The staff member that had previously disapproved of Yan’s actions couldn’t help muttering, “Maybe he didn’t need you to celebrate his birthday for him.”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1349

“What nonsense are you saying?!”

The staff member who ran her mouth off was reprimanded, then she made a face as she retorted, “It’s not like I said anything wrong.”

“Miss Zhou?”

After a while, Yan came back to her senses. Then, she looked at the carefully decorated room and the present she had prepared. After mulling over it, she decided to pick up the gift she had prepared and turned around. “Thank you for your hard work today. Unfortunately, I don’t think we will be coming back today. I’m going to chase after him and check on him now.”

“We understand, Miss Zhou. Please go quickly; if there are any misunderstandings, you must explain yourself clearly.”

“Thank you.”

After Yan left, the loose-lipped staff member from before muttered again, “Her boyfriend probably felt repulsed by her because she is overly proactive. If a woman doesn’t cherish herself, they will end up in this situation. When you get a boyfriend next time, you must not act like her.”

A slightly older lady glanced sideways at her and said, “Only people your age would want to get a boyfriend that cherishes you in the palm of their hands. What do you know? Were you born rich, or as someone’s ancestor? They might treat you like a goddess for a while, but can they do it for the rest of your life?”

“Miss, you can’t say that! If he doesn’t cherish you before marriage, won’t it be worse after marriage?”

“Tsk. Relationships are all about reciprocity. You must not have met somebody you love yet; that’s why you’re so full of yourself. Wait until you meet somebody you really love; then, we’ll see if you still think that way.”

Yan had not heard their discussion about herself, nor was she interested in listening to their conversation. After leaving the restaurant, she began to search for Han Qing. However, she couldn’t find him anywhere. Thus, she went to the parking lot. Sure enough, his car wasn’t there anymore. Feeling extremely anxious, she wanted to call him. Unfortunately, her phone was out of battery. In her rush to prepare everything for his birthday, she had forgotten to charge her phone.

She did not know what had happened. Therefore, she had no idea where he could have gone. After ruminating over it, she decided to call for a taxi and head to the company for now. When she arrived at the company, she wasted no time going upstairs the moment she got out of the car. Even so, she could not find him anywhere. Instead, she ran into Su Jiu who was working overtime.

Su Jiu looked a little surprised to see her there. “Yan, didn’t you leave together with President Han? Why did you return?”

Since Yan did not know what was going on, she had no intention of telling Su Jiu about the incident from before. Therefore, she only said, “My phone ran out of battery and I can’t find him. Did he come back here?”

Although her words were evasive, what did she take Su Jiu for? Su Jiu immediately had an idea about what was going on based on Yan’s expression and actions. Then, she shook her head. “He did not come back here. What happened between the two of you?”

Yan did not expect Su Jiu to figure out the situation so quickly, and she sighed in response. “I’m not too sure either. I’m trying to find him so I can ask him.”

“Is your phone out of battery? Then, let me try calling him for you.”

“Oh, that’s right. Then, I’ll have to bother you, Secretary Su. Please help me give him a call.”

Thus, Su Jiu took out her phone and called Han Qing. However, the other party’s phone was always busy and her calls couldn’t get through the line. After repeatedly facing this situation, she put down her phone and looked at Yan intently. “What in the world happened? How did things turn out like this? Is he missing or what? Should we file a police report?”

File a police report? I don’t think that’s necessary. So, Yan shook her head. “I think I made a mistake. There’s no need to file a police report. I guess he just doesn’t want to see my face for the time being.”

Hearing that, Su Jiu was even more confused. “Just what in the world happened?”

“It’s nothing. Since he isn’t here, I’ll try looking for him at another place.” There were not many places Han Qing would go to, and Yan knew every one of them. Hence, she decided to try the Han residence first. If he wasn’t there, she would look for him at his private villa.

Since Yan didn’t want to talk about it, Su Jiu did not press further. Even so, she felt sad looking at Yan’s back as she walked away while carrying something in her arms. It wasn’t easy for this couple to get together. Although they were very sweet to each other after becoming a couple, she did not know what was happening between them right now. However, it wasn’t her place to stick her nose in their affairs, so she went back to her work.

Yan went back downstairs with a heavy heart. Her mind was in a mess. Just as she was about to leave, she coincidentally met Xu Yanwan. The Han Group was working overtime today. When Yan returned to the company, Xu Yanwan was surprised to see the expression on Yan’s face, but she had an idea about the reason behind it. Knowing that she shouldn’t go up to Yan right now, she still couldn’t help herself from walking toward Yan and greeting her. “Yan, why are you still here?”

When Yan saw Xu Yanwan, her heart stirred slightly. Xu Yanwan was Han Qing’s childhood friend. Perhaps, if she asked Xu Yanwan about it, she might know something. As the thought crossed her mind, she swiftly strode over. “Yanwan, you grew up together with Han Qing, right?”

Xu Yanwan was stunned to hear those words. Why is she suddenly asking me this? Don’t tell me somebody said something to her? However, she swiftly got her emotions under control, then she smiled and nodded in response. “Yes. Our families have a good relationship with each other, so we grew up together. Is there a problem?”

“I have a question. I don’t know what happened, but since you grew up with him… I thought I should try asking you.”

Looking at Yan’s eyes and her expression and thinking about what day today was, an answer came to her mind immediately. However, she waited quietly for Yan to speak. Sure enough, the question Yan asked was exactly what she was expecting.

“I celebrated his birthday today, but… he seemed unhappy about it, then he left. Until now, I have not been able to find him.”

Despite all the mental preparations she made, her heart still leaped in excitement when she heard the words that came out of Yan’s mouth. She thought Han Qing had gotten over his psychological issues over celebrating birthdays with Yan’s help, but that didn’t seem to be the case… So, the relationship between the two of them was not as strong as she had imagined. At the very least, Yan knew nothing about his past. Similarly, Han Qing was not ready to tell her about it. As a result, the situation turned out the way it did. Mulling over it, she made an astonished expression. “Have you not celebrated his birthday with him before?”

“Huh?” Yan’s expression was confused. “Before this? No…” This was Han Qing’s first birthday since they became a couple. How could she have dared to celebrate his birthday with him in the past?

Then, Xu Yanwan’s face took on a distorted expression. “How can that be? When I heard you saying that you were going to celebrate his birthday the other day, I was surprised, since Han Qing has never celebrated his birthday before. However, you seemed so sure about it. I thought that you had managed to cure him of his psychological issues.”

“What?” The moment Yan heard that, she felt faint. “He doesn’t celebrate birthdays? Why is that?” Han Qing doesn’t celebrate birthdays? This was news to her. Neither he nor the people around him had told her about it. Then again, she had never asked about it.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1350

Xu Yanwan stared at her dimly. “I thought you knew. After all, you’re a couple. Isn’t this something he should be telling you?”

Yan was stunned by the question. That’s right; we’re a couple. I should know these kinds of things, but… I don’t know anything. However, she wasn’t the kind of person who liked to beat around the bush. She smilingly replied, “If this is a wound in his heart, I don’t think it’s a big deal if he doesn’t want to bring it up. This time around, I may have been too reckless. I should’ve asked him clearly.”

Xu Yanwan did not expect Yan to accept it so easily. It surprised her, and at the same time, she secretly admired Yan’s magnanimity. Yan was truly big-hearted; she was not slighted at all despite being provoked. It was no wonder she was the person Han Qing loved—she wasn’t a petty person. However, this wasn’t the result Xu Yanwan wanted from her.

Her heart was screaming at herself, Control yourself! There are things you can say and things you can’t say! Although her conscience did its best to hold her back, she caved in to her selfish desires. Thus, she lightly said, “On the contrary, I think that this is something he should have told you about. At least, you wouldn’t be in this situation right now. Now that things have progressed this far, will there be a wall between the two of you? Do you need me to help you talk to him?”

Yan shook her head. “Forget it; I will look for him myself and I will talk things out with him. Thank you for telling me that he doesn’t celebrate birthdays.”

Then, Xu Yanwan responded helplessly with a bitter laugh. “I’m sorry. When I heard about it the other day, I thought you had helped him overcome his psychological issue. At the time, I was amazed by your ability. That’s why I didn’t say anything about it. Now that it has come to this, I am partially responsible for it as well.”

“No,” Yan denied quickly, “This is between me and him. It’s our problem; it has nothing to do with you.”

Hearing those words, Xu Yanwan’s face turned pale. She said nothing for a while before saying, “Then you should quickly go and look for him.”

“Yeah.”

After Yan left, she ruminated over the words Xu Yanwan had said to her. Is it my imagination? Why do I feel like the words Xu Yanwan had said to me held a deeper meaning to it? But, it sounded as if it was well-intentioned, and flawlessly so. Yan pursed her rosy lips, then increased her walking speed as she headed outside.

No matter what would happen, at least she wasn’t completely clueless about the situation anymore; at least she knew that Han Qing did not celebrate his birthdays. As to why he wouldn’t celebrate his birthday, she had not asked Xu Yanwan about it just now because she wanted to ask Han Qing about it herself after she found him. I don’t want to hear about his past from somebody else; I want to hear it directly from him.

Therefore, Yan went to search for Han Qing immediately!

“Yan! Yan!” She was about to get into the car when she heard a voice calling out her name from behind her. At first, she thought she was hearing things. As she prepared to enter the car, the voice behind her came closer. “Hey, I’ve been calling out to you for so long! Why were you ignoring me?”

Turning her head around, she looked at the panting receptionist in surprise. “Are you looking for me?”

The receptionist came running over. After returning to the company, she heard from her colleague that Yan was at the company. So, she had rushed outside, chasing after Yan. Who could have known Yan would walk that fast? It was very hard for the receptionist to catch up to Yan. Luckily, she managed to stop Yan from leaving.

The receptionist tugged at Yan’s hand, but she was panting very heavily and looked extremely tired. Studying the receptionist as she tried to catch her breath, Yan said, “If it’s not important, can you tell me another day? I have something important right now, I—”

“No, no, no; I can’t wait for another day. What I want to say is very important too.”

Hearing those words, Yan was very puzzled. After waiting for approximately one minute, the receptionist finally managed to get her breath back. Then, she pulled at Yan as she said, “I’ve been thinking for a long time about whether or not I should tell you. But, if I don’t tell you, my guilty conscience will gnaw at me forever. After all, the ramen you make at your restaurant is so delicious!”

The doubt in Yan’s heart grew bigger and she furrowed her brows lightly. I need to go and find Han Qing right now! At the moment, she did not have the mood to listen to anything else. “Um, I’m sorry. But, I have something important going on today. Can we please talk another day?”

“No! You have to listen to what I say!” The receptionist kept a death grip on Yan’s hand, refusing to let her leave. With no other choice, Yan nodded in exasperation. “Please speak quickly. After you finish, I need to leave.”

Then, the receptionist looked around at their surroundings. After confirming that there was nobody around, she still spoke softly, “I don’t know if you know about this, but if you do, then just act as if I never said anything to you. On the other hand, if you don’t know about it… please don’t tell anybody that I was the one to inform you.”

Yan did not reply. Why is she being so mysterious? Just what is the important matter she wanted to talk about?

“Um, you know Xu Yanwan, right? I once saw you and President Han sending her to the hospital together.”

Mentioning Xu Yanwan at this time deepened Yan’s confusion. “The thing you wanted to talk about; is it related to her?”

“That’s right!” The receptionist nodded her head vigorously. Taking a deep breath, she finally said the words she wanted to say, “Actually, she is the fiancée of President Han!”

For a moment, Yan thought that she had heard wrongly. Then, in the next moment, she felt as if she was dreaming. However, even after blinking her eyes, the receptionist remained standing in front of her. Moreover, the strength of the receptionist’s grip was very strong, and it was starting to hurt as time passed. The pain was transmitted to her loud and clear; she couldn’t ignore it.

“Did you hear what I said?” the receptionist asked again when Yan did not react.

Hearing the question, Yan came back to her senses. Then, she looked at the receptionist standing in front of her. “You just said…” Even now, she was wondering if she had heard wrongly. Otherwise, why would she hear the receptionist saying that Xu Yanwan was the fiancée of Han Qing? I have never heard about this.

The receptionist studied Yan’s pale face. She realized Yan had heard her the first time, but she was afraid Yan didn’t believe her. Therefore, she repeated it emphatically, “Xu Yanwan is the fiancée of President Han. I was worried that you didn’t know about it, so I purposely came here to tell you.”

Yan finally understood that she had not heard wrongly. However, she was still unable to believe it. After all, it was too sudden. “The thing you mentioned; do you have any evidence?”

“Do you still need evidence? Isn’t she friends with President Han? Besides, President Han helped her with her job transfer. Isn’t that obvious?”

“Wasn’t that because of the friendly relations between their parents?”

“It’s precisely because their parents have a good relationship that they are engaged! Otherwise, why do you think Xu Yanwan was able to enter the Han Group?”

Still, Yan was not convinced. Even so… she felt that there was something off about the words Xu Yanwan had said to her just now. All this while, she thought she was just overthinking things. From the looks of things now, if Xu Yanwan was really the fiancée of Han Qing, then the words she had previously said suddenly made sense.