Celina Johnson came back to the country without telling a soul—just quietly showed up.

When the plane landed, and the airport speakers played that all-too-familiar Mandarin announcement, watching crowds of locals bustle past her, that’s when it really hit her—she was home.

She wore a light beige trench coat, paired with a plain linen shirt and jeans. The outfit was simple but clean-cut. Her smooth hair framed her face, only adding to the calm elegance she carried naturally.

"Miss, where to?" The driver asked, in a thick Beijing accent.

"Third Hospital."

Spring in Yancheng was full of life and color.

It had been five years since she left. This time she rushed back because Jasmine Popplewell had fallen seriously ill.

The moment she pushed open the hospital room door, she saw Jasmine sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking noticeably thinner and mumbling to herself:

"Form is emptiness, emptiness is form... men are trash, all just big pigs in disguise..."

The scene loosened the knot in Celina’s chest. "What’s going on, planning to become a nun or something?"

Jasmine looked up, her eyes immediately lighting up.

"Oh my God, you’re back? Just like that?"

"How could I not be? You’re in this state." Celina sat down beside the bed. "What did the doctor say?"

Jasmine had recently been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome—basically a kind of blood cancer. It could easily turn into leukemia.

To make things worse, her scumbag boyfriend bailed on her while she was hospitalized. He didn’t just disappear; he ran off with the company funds and most of her team. Even the research data she’d been putting together for two years? Gone.

"There’s one bad news and one... well, ‘good’ news," Jasmine said, half-laughing. "Bad news is I’m already in intermediate-2 stage. Likely to turn into leukemia. Chemo’s a must."

"And the good news?" Celina asked, hoping there’d be at least a sliver of something positive.

"Chemotherapy only controls, doesn’t cure. Also messes with ovaries. Basically might not be able to have kids."

Celina froze for a second. Both bits of news sucked—she couldn’t even tell which was worse.

"You call that good news?" She reached over and touched Jasmine’s forehead. "Did the fever cook your brain?"

"Better to see the true colors of a jerk now than later, doesn’t that count for something?" Jasmine shrugged, always the optimistic one.

"Besides, I never really planned on being a mom. My dad died of leukemia too. I’ve always had this suspicion it runs in the family."

She’d been with Ethan Cooper for four years. They came back together to start a business. Everything was going fine, until she got sick—and he just ghosted with all the cash.

Celina frowned hard. "Not helping is one thing, but straight-up stabbing you while you’re down? That’s unbelievably low.""That's just how men are, right? If there's one thing you can't count on in this world, it's love. Any woman who still believes in that fairytale is setting herself up for heartbreak," said Jasmine with a wave of her hand. "Forget it, you’re the kind who’s never even dated—wouldn’t get it anyway."

Celina gave her a look and nodded. "True. I’ve never dated, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been burned by love," she said as she unlocked her phone. "I've saved up a bit and sent some money to your account. It's not a huge amount, but it should help for now."

Jasmine looked at the number on the screen and nearly jumped out of bed. "This counts as 'not a huge amount'???"

Clearly, they had very different definitions of “not much.”

Celina quickly covered her mouth. "Shh, keep it down. Just know I’ve got your back."

Nathaniel had spoiled her since childhood, always slipping her extra money. When she moved abroad, he doubled it, worried she'd struggle out there. Over five years, the savings piled up fast.

"Forget the money—I'd walk through fire for you at this point!" Jasmine said. Then a bit hesitantly, added, "Are you really lending me this much? I mean, considering my situation… paying it back might be a stretch."

"Then let’s call it an investment," Celina replied without missing a beat.

FlySnow was crumbling. Throwing money into it now was practically a one-way ticket to bankruptcy.

Jasmine, usually stubborn as a mule and tough to the bone, had never even teared up fighting with her ex. Yet now, she looked like a mess after crying nonstop in the hospital bedsheets.

"Seriously, true friendship only shows when life kicks you down."

She’d always been the type to handle everything alone, but having someone to lean on—it made a difference.

Celina pulled her into a long hug, gently patting her shoulder.

"A guy who disappears the minute things get tough? Not worth thinking about. You’ve got me, okay?"

That question triggered a thought in Jasmine. She looked up. "Wait—your sudden return… won't it cause trouble with your family? They actually let you come back?"

Family stuff was always a no-go topic for Celina.

All Jasmine knew was that Celina barely spoke to her relatives, except she was pretty close to her brother.

And that five years ago, the family basically forced her to leave the country.

—Celina called it exile.

She looked unbothered. "Worst case? They kick me out again. I already prepared for that before I flew back."

What she didn’t know yet was that someone had already snapped her photo.

If you had to name the top socialites of Yancheng, Celina Johnson would easily land top three.

Not just because of her own complicated background—but also because she had Nathaniel Baker behind her.

The news made the rounds and ended up with Aiden Shaw, who immediately shared it in the group chat and tagged Nathaniel like crazy—only to be ignored completely.Nathaniel Baker had just wrapped up a meeting when his phone lit up with a call.

"Where’ve you been? Took you long enough to reply. Celina’s back and you didn’t say a thing?"

He glanced at the screen and opened his messages, spotting a photo of Celina Johnson. She’d just turned around in the picture, her long hair catching the wind, a lost look in her eyes like she’d just noticed someone snapping a photo of her.

Nathaniel exited the gallery and checked their chat—still no new messages. Ever since she’d gone overseas, they barely talked anymore. The girl who used to cling to him all day now didn’t even bother telling him when she came back.

Last time she reached out was New Year’s—literally just a “Happy New Year” text. And that was nearly three months ago.

Now she sneaks back without a word? She really didn’t think he mattered anymore.

His secretary walked in with a hefty bill for him to sign. Nathaniel signed it without even blinking and muttered, "Why would she tell you?"

"Hey, come on, I’m practically her brother too," Aiden Shaw chimed in with a laugh. "Let’s have dinner with her tonight, man. I’ve missed her."

"Go have dinner with your real sister."

"She’s in elementary school, dude. Kids’ meals don’t even fill me up—they don’t reach my molars."

"Then maybe you should see a dentist."

Nathaniel ended the call without waiting for a comeback and waved his secretary out. Then he immediately dialed Celina’s number.

At that moment, Celina Johnson was just leaving the hospital when her phone rang. She didn’t need to guess who it was—she knew exactly why he was calling. She answered as she tried to come up with a decent excuse for sneaking back without telling him.

"You’re back?" Nathaniel got straight to the point, though his tone was calm.

"Yeah," she replied. "Just got in not long ago."

"Why were you at the hospital? You okay?"

Hearing that familiar, steady voice made her nerves settle a bit.

"I’m fine. I was visiting Jasmine."

He didn’t dig further. "Come home for dinner tonight. Send me your location—I’ll send someone to pick you up."

Celina nodded obediently. "Okay."

—

As night fell, the spring air in Yancheng still carried a bit of a chill. Celina pulled her coat tighter and tucked her chin down as she waited by the roadside.

She hadn’t been standing there long when a sleek car rolled up and stopped smoothly in front of her.

The driver quickly stepped out, hurried to the back, and opened the door with a polite smile. "Miss Johnson, please."

Celina handed over her suitcase and bent down to get in—then paused. There was already a man sitting inside.