As she proceeded, her heart gradually sank. Only now did she realize that her earlier psychological preparations had completely crumbled.

She was still a little afraid of the person outside the door.

He had once seen her being unbearable and humble. He crushed the last bit of her dignity and told her in a proud tone that she was nothing more than a pawn for the Xu family to settle their debts, and that she should not hold any expectations.

Cheng Ji called her name from behind, "Xu Yan."

She looked back at him, and calmed down at this moment. Why should she be afraid of Jiang Han?

She did not owe him anything. She was an independent person. Even if she fell in love with him at that time, it can be regarded as a psychological condition rather than an offense from a medical perspective.

Xu Yan took a deep breath, and strode forward. She held the door handle, and opened the door quickly.

The man in front of her looked more mature and profound than he had been three years ago. His eyes, resembling deep pools, possessed the ability to captivate one's soul effortlessly.

Jiang Han looked at the woman behind the door. She had a delicate face, curved eyebrows, a straight nose, and attractive cherry-like lips. He remembered this face. Her smile portrayed a delicate and virtuous nature, while her eyes emanated an affection even when her smile faded away.

Now, devoid of a smile, her face exuded a sense of somber maturation.

Both of them remained silent, as if locked in an intense battle. Speaking first would mean losing momentum.

Cheng Ji greeted Jiang Han. "Jiang Han, why are you here?"

Jiang Han raised his eyebrow and looked at him. "Am I coming at a wrong time?"

Xu Yan said in an absolutely cold tone, "Whenever you come, it's never the right time."

Jiang Han's lips curled slightly, "It's been three years since I last saw you. You are rather bold now. How dare you address me in such a manner."

Xu Yan caught the strong scent of cigarettes emanating from him. She frowned and said, "It's rude to come uninvited. I hope Mr. Jiang can do something to improve your cultivation."

He chuckled and said, "I remember that you were a top student graduated from Canghai Medical University. Can you help me improve myself?"

Xu Yan pursed her lips and then said, "I'm not good at treating diseases. But if Mr. Jiang were to unexpectedly pass away, I can give you an autopsy."

As Cheng Ji stood by and listened, beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He and Jiang Han were competitors, but they would never engage in a life-or-death battle when they met.

Their fathers used to be classmates and friends. They used to work together in the business field. Cheng Ji intervened at the opportune moment to mediate the situation. "As our guest, just come in for a talk."

Xu Yan blocked the door as if she didn't hear anything.

Jiang Han looked back at her face, undeterred by the coldness in her eyes. He said in an indifferent tone, "Are you afraid of me?"

Xu Yan asked, "Why should I be afraid of you?"

"Then why don't you dare to let me in?" he asked again.

Xu Yan was about to fight back when the two kittens she raised jumped out of the house and meowed to look for her.

The three of them looked over at the same time. Two kittens put their paws on her shoes, raised their heads and opened their mouths to meow, waiting to be fed.

Xu Yan bent down and picked up the two kittens from the ground. As she walked into the house, she asked gently, "Wuyou and Wulv. Are you hungry?"

She named the calico cat Wuyou, and the tortoiseshell cat Wulv.

Jiang Han was a little angry. She frowned at him with a cold face and was extremely gentle to the two little and ugly local cats.

Had she forgotten how she used to cater to him?

Xu Yan took the two kittens to the specially designed cat house and fed them with food soaked in goat milk.

Jiang Han walked into the living room and smelled the strong fragrance of food. When he saw the two bowls of steaming soup on the table, he felt agitated.

She had been with him for three years. During the day, they worked together in the company and went their separate ways after work. If he needed anything, he would summon her or personally seek her out.

Did they cook and eat together? The answer seemed to be never. She paid the debt for her father, so he had to take every minute and second to "collect" the debt by using her.

Cheng Ji didn't notice his abnormality and enthusiastically walked to the kitchen. "Let's have some food together. Your former assistant is good at cooking. The pork lung soup has been slow-cooked for the entire afternoon."

Jiang Han looked up at him and felt that he was showing off. He waved his hand and said, "No, I don't eat animal innards."

Cheng Ji said awkwardly, "I tasted it just now. It's actually very delicious. I think we should try something new."

"Are you instructing me on what to do?" Jiang Han's expression turned unhappy, and his sarcastic ridicule became grating, like the grating sound of a sharp tool scraping against tiles.

Cheng Ji shrugged and said helplessly, "Don't fret, Jiang Han. Because Meisi Group manages to excel in sales, I manage to retain my current role. You know, Xinlan Group has consistently outperformed Meisi Group."

Jiang Han was sitting on the sofa, a little far from the dining table. He crossed his legs and said arrogantly, "Cheng Ji, do you really think you've discovered a hidden talent? She has merely acquired a fraction of my knowledge in the past."

Cheng Ji drank the soup and said in a good mood, "She can turn the tables with just a little knowledge from you. If she gets your true teachings, Xinlan Group will really be in danger."

Jiang Han observed his smugness and feigned innocence, fueling his growing fury. "One must adhere to the correct course. If you genuinely aim to rescue Meisi Group, countless individuals in our industry surpass her capabilities. Do not let a woman's allure deceive you, for it can blur one's discernment."

Xu Yan fed the kittens and heard his words when she came out of the cat's room. She pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly, revealing a playful smile. "Is there anyone who surpasses my capabilities?"

Jiang Han looked her up and down and said with the same expression, "I think so."

Xu Yan leaned against the locker, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and said condescendingly, "Although I'm just an assistant, my annual salary is 10 million yuan. Would you pay someone else this amount?"

Jiang Han choked and couldn't say anything.

Xu Yan felt happy in her heart. It turned out that speaking to people without a humble and pleasing attitude can make her so happy.

Cheng Ji bowed his head and sipped the broth, keeping his silence. However, deep within his thoughts, he calculated in his heart that there should be a wonderful past between the two of them.

Xu Yan came to the dining table, scooped up the soup with a spoon, and took a sip gracefully. Seeing Jiang Han staring at her with a sullen face, she thought for a moment and added, "I can sleep with my boss. Can someone else do so?"

Cheng Ji spat out the soup in his mouth. He was stunned. He did not bother to clean up his current sorry state. Instead, his gaze shifted back and forth between the two of them.

Was this something he could listen to?

He stood up and said awkwardly, "Should I leave first? You guys can have a good talk."

Jiang Han was taken aback by Xu Yan's blunt approach, discussing privacy so openly in the presence of Cheng Ji. He called her name in a low voice, "Xu Yan!"

His tone indicated that he was very angry now. In the past, Xu Yan couldn't get out of bed all night due to his subsequent actions.

Xu Yan liked to see his reactions of anger. She smiled and continued, "I know why you came to me. Instead of letting you threaten me with that, I might as well make it public."

Cheng Ji felt a little sorry for her and said, "Stop, Xu Yan."

Xu Yan smiled bitterly at him and said, "Stop? Why? Since I came back to Canghai City with you, I have to face these things."

"Even though I have made a mistake in the past, I have already faced the appropriate consequences. So, why am I still being threatened?" "What's more, I had my difficulties at that time."

Jiang Han squinted his eyes and reassessed the woman standing before him. In the past, she had always been obedient, which was completely different from what she was now.

He nodded and said, "Not bad, you've grown quite capable."

Xu Yan replied, "I owe it all to Mr. Jiang's exceptional training."

Cheng Ji was right next to them, caught in a dilemma of neither being able to leave nor stay.

Jiang Han glanced at Cheng Ji first, stood up, and looked at Xu Yan. "I hope you can surpass me in the future and live up to my efforts."

After that, he turned around and walked out of the door.

After the door closed, Xu Yan slumped down and released a deep sigh.

Cheng Ji said, "Actually, there was no need for you to mention that just now. The wound has already healed. It would only inflict more pain if one were to dig it up."

The soup in the bowl grew cold as Xu Yan poured it out and refilled it with a fresh serving. After consuming half a bowl, she recounted, "In the past, my father had a debt of 30 million yuan to the Xu family. Jiang Han approached him and insisted on the repayment. If he failed to comply, Jiang Han threatened to accuse him of fraud and have him imprisoned."

Cheng Ji frowned.

Xu Yan went on, "In the past, my mother remained as a homemaker, while my sister, in her second year of high school, was merely 17. Concerned that my father's criminal record could hinder her chances of getting into the college entrance exam and civil servant exam, my mother tearfully pleaded with me to take on the burden of his debt. It was during this time that I had recently completed my studies at Medical University."

She spoke very slowly, as if she was telling someone another person's story.

Cheng Ji stopped her. "That's enough. Xu Yan."

"My three years of time hold a value of 30 million yuan. I made a personal sacrifice to ensure the safety and well-being of our entire family." Xu Yan declared, locking eyes with Cheng Ji with determination and clarity.

"I'm not saying this to make you sympathize with me. I don't want the past to be like a ticking time bomb that anyone can use to threaten me. I also want to make some achievements in Meisi Group."

Cheng Ji nodded and said, "I see. I can assure you now that I will never judge your work attitude and ability based on what happened in the past."

Xu Yan smiled gratefully at him. Before opening the door for Jiang Han, he called out her name and gave her courage.

She had been in Xia'an City for three years, and Cheng Ji could easily find her, while Jiang Han remained absent in her life. It was evident from this that he had never really cared about her.

There was no need for her to recall the past and feel sorry for herself.

-

Jiang Han came out of the house and got in his car. He inserted the key and hesitated before pressing down on the accelerator.

The sound of the engine came into his ears, and he felt increasingly annoyed. He clenched his right hand into a fist and hit the steering wheel hard, resulting in the car honking.

A passerby was frightened. The man glared at him and said grumpily, "Are you crazy? Why do you honk in a stopped car?"

Jiang Han didn't argue with a passerby. He was not in the mood to do so now. He couldn't figure out why he had come to find Xu Yan?

It was impossible for him to be concerned about that woman. Perhaps he just wanted to see what Xu Yan, who could help Cheng Ji turn the tables in three months, looked like now.

He also wanted to tell her not to be complacent. All the skills she had are learned from working with him back then. All the skills she has are learned from being with her back then.

He didn't expect that he would be at a disadvantage and be humiliated instead. He even felt like he brought it upon himself.

What went wrong?

After thinking for a while, he couldn't find the answer. Jiang Han let go of the clutch and stepped on the accelerator. The car roared and drove forward.