A Dangerous Game Has Just Begun.

"Are you seriously telling me that you locked yourself in your room all night and then decided to sneak out and come over to my house this morning? I can't believe it!" Huilian looked at Meiying with a mixture of disbelief and concern.

"What's wrong with that? If I hadn't been smart enough to lock myself in my room, he would have taken this photo album!" Meiying said, showing everyone the photo album.

"Doesn't he have a spare key? I mean, come on! It's a huge mansion, he should definitely have spare keys for every room in case the main key gets lost or something," Meilin exclaimed, accidentally dropping the popcorn she had just taken out of the microwave.

"She's absolutely right," Jingyi chimed in, holding cans of drinks in her hands.

Meiying pondered for a moment. They had a point. What if he did have a spare key? Why didn't he just unlock the door while she was sleeping and take the photo album?

"Don't overthink it. Maybe there's nothing to hide after all," Meilin tried to comfort her, interrupting her thoughts.

"I don't know... He freaked out when he saw it with me and chased me back to my room," Meiying confessed.

"Well, then we should find out why he made such a fuss," Jingyi suggested eagerly, while Huilian seemed hesitant, contrasting the excitement of the rest of the group.

Meiying opened the album, revealing the first page with a picture of baby Xuejian having his very first bath in a tub with a rubber duck. They all collectively gasped and cooed in adoration, their hearts melting.

The room erupted with laughter as they stumbled upon a picture of a young Xuejian, dressed in mismatched clothes and sporting the largest pair of glasses they had ever seen. His awkward smile adorned his face as he proudly held a frog he had caught. "Oh my goodness!" Meilin exclaimed, finding it hard to control her giggles. "Look at those glasses! I can't believe he managed to see through them!"

Jingyi joined in, shaking her head. "He must have been a fashion trendsetter even back then. Those glasses are a statement in themselves!"

"And imagine his determination to catch frogs! Who would have thought they were meant for catching?" Meiying said, trying to stifle her laughter by placing a hand over her mouth.

Pointing at another picture, Meiying remarked, "And look at this one!" A young Xuejian attempting a daring skateboard trick and landing face-first on the concrete. "Ouch! Poor guy." She stifled her laughter, unable to contain the amusement.

Meiying couldn't suppress her laughter as she beheld the permanently captured embarrassing moment in the photo—Xuejian entangled in the high-jump bar, his body sprawled spectacularly on the mat. Caught mid-leap, his facial expression displayed a bewildering mix of shock and embarrassment, as if the reality of the mishap was too much to fathom.

Delving deeper into the photo album, they unearthed a treasure trove of hilarious embarrassments. They erupted into fits of laughter at an image of a young Xuejian brandishing a saucepan with a toothy grin, playfully impersonating a renowned chef.

Amidst the joviality and playful banter, Meiying stumbled upon a photograph that triggered a more poignant response. The picture showcased Xuejian seated at a grand piano, his fingers gracefully gliding across the keys, his face illuminated with sheer delight. The purity captured in that frozen moment tugged at Meiying's heartstrings, evoking a deeply sentimental reaction.

"Besides his roles in movies, I've never witnessed him playing the piano in real life," Meiying observed, her gaze fixed on the immense joy radiating from Xuejian's visage. She couldn't help but sense that this was not just another rehearsal for the sake of acting; he played the piano because it was a genuine passion, not merely a scripted obligation.

"It seems these photos omit his teenage years," Jingyi mused, eliciting affirmative nods from the rest of the group, collectively acknowledging the gap in their photographic chronicle.

Finally, upon reaching the last pages, they stumbled upon a snapshot of a young Xuejian, his demeanor awkward and flustered as he stole a glance at a girl from behind. The girl's face was turned elsewhere preventing her visage from being seen.

Meiying, clearly irked, grumbled, "I've never seen him exhibit such emotion before," prompting the other girls to exchange knowing glances, fully understanding her frustration.

"How can you say that? Aren't you not his wife, you're the only one that sees his expressions that outsiders remain oblivious to," Meilin interjected, playfully teasing Meiying.

"Or perhaps you're just a tad bit jealous," Huilian chimed in, unable to resist a teasing remark.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Meiying grew visibly flustered and forcefully shut the photo album, declaring, "I am not jealous!"

Jingyi, not one to let the conversation end so abruptly, raised an eyebrow and added, "But Meiying, seeing him all flustered over a girl who could potentially be his first love has got you feeling a little jelly, doesn't it?"

Feeling her cheeks flush with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, Meiying stormed toward the door, clutching the photo album tightly in her hand. "I'm going back home," she stated firmly, as if retreating to her sanctuary would somehow help her regain her composure.

As the door closed behind her, Meiying could still hear all of them laughing much to her annoyance.

As she was driving back home, she received a call from an unknown number.

With curiosity, she answered the call and heard a male voice saying, "Long time Meiying Schneider."

Meiying couldn't help but smirk, responding, "You got the surname right this time." The voice chuckled, mentioning that he had to get it right to avoid being punched again by her.

Eager to see him in person, Meiying asked, "Where are you?"

The voice laughed before answering, "Guess."

"I'm not really good at guessing."

After a brief silence, the voice replied, "Then I'm in front of a building, and it kind of belongs to a man with the surname Wang."

Meiying couldn't believe her ears, exclaiming, "What?"

With a cackling laugh, the voice revealed, "I'm back, Meiying."

"I will be there in ten," she informs.

"You better make it five, sweetheart. The owner of the house must have found out about my presence."

Annoyed, Meiying questioned, "Then why did you go there then?"

The voice responded, "For fun... I haven't had much fun in a long time."

Concerned for his safety, Meiying promised, "I will get there before he does, just don't move."

But the voice whispered, "I don't keep promises."

Meiying decided to cut the call as she focused entirely on the road. Although she didn't know the conflict between him and Xuejian, she knew that Xuejian would surely harm him since he was on his property. It seemed like the guy was willingly walking into danger, seeking his own demise. Xuejian could easily claim it was an accident if he got his hands on him.

Meanwhile, Xuejian hastily made his way to his sleek black car parked in the underground parking lot of his company. His heart was pounding, fueled by the video feed Xiaojin had shown him. It depicted the man whom Xuejian despised more than anyone else, nonchalantly leaning against a car right in front of his own house. The anger was coursing through his veins, making it impossible for him to remain still.

"He won't escape this time," Xuejian muttered determinedly, revving his engine before speeding away.

As he pulled up to his estate, he spotted Meiying standing near her vehicle, scanning through her phone. Stepping out of his car, he approached her with a sense of urgency.

Surprised by his early return, Meiying stammered, "You're back so soon."

"Couldn't say the same for you. Isn't it said that women lose track of time when they're engrossed?" Xuejian retorted, a wry smile adorning his face.

Meiying chuckled nervously, her facade betraying her anxiety. "Did you also know that he was here?"

Xuejian feigned ignorance while discreetly grabbing hold of her arm. Quickly, he pulled out his phone and dialed Xiaojin's number, seeking answers.

"Where is he?" Xuejian demanded.

"Sir, he's right there," Xiaojin's voice crackled through the phone.

"But I can't see him!" Xuejian exclaimed, frustration creeping into his tone.

"Check your phone," Xiaojin replied calmly.

Xuejian looked back at his phone, anxiously scanning the CCTV footage. Lo and behold, there stood the man, waving cheekily at the camera, a mocking gesture that sent a chill down Xuejian's spine.

"It was a trick," Meiying spoke up, her voice tinged with both disbelief and apprehension as she peered at the footage alongside Xuejian.

A dangerous smile spread across Xuejian's face, his eyes brimming with a newfound resolve. "Since Liu Mingxuan has decided to play, then I am more than prepared to engage in this game," he declared, his words punctuated by a mischievous grin.

Meiying couldn't help but internally worry for him, silently lighting a candle for Mingxuan.