Chapter 114: Li Qingxue and Huo Yunshan...

Huo Yunshan was discussing a potential business collaboration when he received a call from his mother.

Seeing her number, his brows furrowed slightly. He quickly apologized to the business partner, excusing himself, and answered the call. "Hello, Mom..."

"Son, I’m about to die!" The voice on the other end was filled with a mix of grievance and crying.

It was the kind of desperate, labored sobbing that made his heart tighten.

Huo Yunshan, a dutiful son, was immediately alarmed when he heard his mother crying. "Mom, Mom! Don't scare me! What are you talking about, dying? You're at the hospital, you're fine..."

"Son, that woman, Yu Fengcai, she just abandoned me at the hospital, not caring for me at all! She went off to have fun by herself!"

The old woman interrupted him, wailing loudly. "Son, it wasn’t easy raising you! I’m not asking for much, but I can’t endure this kind of humiliation anymore!"

"Huo Yuyan won’t even bring me a bedpan, and just ran away like she was escaping!"

"I'm getting old! I’m a burden to you! If you don't want to take care of me, just send me back to my hometown and let me fend for myself!"

"I’ll go see your father earlier! So he won’t be alone over there! I’m just a nuisance to you!"

On the other end of the line, the old woman cried uncontrollably, gasping for breath.

Huo Yunshan, his anger rising, gritted his teeth.

He had trusted Yu Fengcai to take care of his mother, but she had left the elderly woman alone in the hospital.

"Mom, Mom, don’t cry! I’ll come right away! I’ll call her! We’ll be there soon!" Huo Yunshan quickly tried to calm his mother down, then told his assistant to handle the business partner as he rushed out the door.

Meanwhile, Yu Fengcai was fast asleep in a hotel room.

She had no disturbances, the environment was peaceful, and the bed was comfortable—naturally, she slept soundly.

The sudden ringtone of her phone woke her up, and she was so angry that she almost wanted to strangle the person on the other end.

She grabbed her phone without checking the caller ID and answered the call irritably. "What is it? Do you know it’s…"

"Where are you?" Huo Yunshan interrupted her, his voice cold and tense. "Are you still sleeping?"

Hearing his voice, Yu Fengcai snapped awake, sitting up immediately. When she saw the number on the screen, she quickly tried to explain, "Yunshan, I took care of Mom all night last night. I didn’t sleep a wink, and I’m exhausted."

"I asked Yuyan to stay with her in the hospital, and I just..."

"Do you not know what kind of person your daughter is?" Huo Yunshan’s voice grew icy, and he stressed the words “your daughter” and “my mother.”

Yu Fengcai immediately caught his fury, and the way he said "your daughter" made her even angrier.

"Yunshan, how can you say that? Yuyan is your daughter too..."

"Right now, you get your ass to the hospital! Your daughter isn’t even there! Yu Fengcai, do you want to kill my mother? You left a seriously ill patient all alone in the hospital!"

Huo Yunshan yelled at her, his anger palpable, even using curse words. His fury was undeniable.

"Yu Fengcai, let me tell you, if anything happens to my mom, I won’t forgive you!"

After finishing those words, Huo Yunshan didn't even give Yu Fengcai a chance to respond before hanging up the phone.

Yu Fengcai sat dumbfounded on the bed, the phone still pressed to her ear, the words “I won’t forgive you! I won’t forgive you!” echoing repeatedly in her mind.

"Ah!" Yu Fengcai let out a scream, pounding the bed heavily. "Huo Yunshan, how dare you speak to me like that! How could you say that to me!"

"Have I not done enough? All these years, haven’t I been the one taking care of that old thing?"

"Wen Yintong is her daughter-in-law too! She's also your wife! Why don't you make Wen Yintong take care of the old woman?"

"Am I really that easy to bully? Do I deserve to be a servant to your whole family? What do you think I am?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and her face twisted with rage.

All that had happened recently played out in her mind like a fast-forwarded movie.

Not only did she have to serve Wen Yintong, but she also had to take care of Huo Yunshan. Now that the old woman was injured and hospitalized, she had to take care of all her needs.

She had done so much, and yet he was still dissatisfied, even accusing her!

She was simply exhausted from everything, yet he was throwing such a fit because she slept for a bit in the hotel room!

Why didn’t he direct his anger at Wen Yintong? Not only did he not get angry at Wen Yintong, but he also transferred so much money to her and even confessed his feelings.

And what about her?

Not only had she never received a single penny from him, but even the house they had lived in for over a decade had been sold by Wen Yintong.

And he hadn’t even tried to stand up for her!

The more she thought about it, the more furious Yu Fengcai became, to the point where she felt like she might explode.

If she could, she really wanted to slap Huo Yunshan across the face and ask him what she had done wrong!

Hadn’t she done enough over the years? Hadn’t she endured enough humiliation? She had given him a son and a daughter, yet she had never received any recognition. She was nothing more than the family servant!

"Ooohh... ooohhh..." Yu Fengcai began crying, feeling deeply aggrieved.

At the same time, Wen Yintong’s phone rang.

She was lying on the bed in the VIP room of the clubhouse, enjoying a facial treatment from a professional.

"That’s enough for today," Wen Yintong said to the staff.

"Yes, Mrs. Huo," the staff replied respectfully before leaving the room.

"Hello?" Wen Yintong answered the phone, her tone cheerful.

"Mrs. Huo, the task you assigned has been completed. The old lady is very displeased with Yu Fengcai now. She just called her son and was crying, telling him about the mother and daughter’s wrongdoings."

The person on the other end spoke with a respectful tone, clearly pleased with the progress.

"Mm, I understand," Wen Yintong responded softly. "Thank you for your help."

"Of course! Your family has done so much for us, we will always remember it! This is just a small favor."

"Now, please continue to maintain a good relationship with her," Wen Yintong said gently. "As for the person, I’ll let you know once I’ve made a decision."

"Actually, Miss Yushu mentioned someone to me, and I think she’s quite suitable."

"Did she mention Li Qingxue to you?" Wen Yintong asked calmly.

"Yes!"

"She’s even thinking ahead of me," Wen Yintong chuckled lightly. "Alright, let’s do it her way. I’ll make the arrangements on my side, and you can mention it to her as well."

"Don’t worry, it’s a simple matter."

Wen Yintong hung up the phone, a satisfied smile curling at the corners of her lips. Her eyes gleamed with sharp focus.

Li Qingxue and Huo Yunshan…

Hmm, just thinking about it was quite thrilling. 

 Chapter 113: You Need to Find a Younger Woman for Your Son

“No?” Huo Yuyan furrowed her brows. “That means she’s blocked you. She doesn’t trust you yet, and she hasn’t opened her friend circle to you.”

“She’s in Qingzhou right now. Senior, this is an opportunity. We need to seize it.”

“How do we seize it?” Xie Shaoheng’s voice came through the phone, confused.

“We’ll go to Qingzhou right now. You absolutely must ‘accidentally’ run into her. Huo Yushu is very easy to deceive; all you need to do is show her a bit of genuine affection, and you’ll definitely win her over.”

“She’s just like her mother—simple-minded and loves handsome men. Senior, you perfectly match her aesthetic.”

“Hurry up and book the ticket. We’ll meet at the station. I’ll head to the station now. Once we meet, I’ll tell you exactly what to do.”

“Just trust me—if you follow my plan, you’ll definitely be able to get Huo Yushu.”

As she spoke, Huo Yuyan walked toward the elevator, completely ignoring the elderly woman in the hospital room. She didn’t even bother calling Yu Fengcai.

Inside the room, the elderly woman lay in her urine, her condition worsening by the minute.

“Trust me, your granddaughter isn’t coming back to take care of you. She’s already left,” the elderly woman in the next bed said with a confident smile, standing at the foot of Grandma Huo’s bed.

Grandma Huo believed it. She just didn’t want to admit it in front of others, especially not in front of this woman, with whom she had a strained relationship. She turned her head away, refusing to respond.

But the elderly woman was persistent. She didn’t let herself be ignored. In a tone laced with schadenfreude and glee, she continued, “Well, we’re both old ladies in the same ward, so let me tell you something honest.”

“Look at us, both at this age. We’re practically old sisters, so don’t be so petty.”

“I’m actually good at reading people. Seeing how miserable you are, I’ll say a few kind words to you. Your son is about to face a huge disaster.”

“Shut up!” Grandma Huo glared at her with gritted teeth. “It’s your son who’s in trouble, not mine. My son is just fine…”

“Has your son recently lost a lot of money? And I’m not talking about a small amount, I’m talking about millions!” The elderly woman interrupted her, speaking seriously.

Grandma Huo froze, her eyelids twitching.

Could it be true? Had Huo Yunshan really lost so much money? That woman, Wen Yintong, had taken so much from him! Two villas too!

The thought made her so angry she could feel her heart burning with pain.

“I’m telling you, don’t feel sorry for that money. Even though it’s a large sum, it’s actually a blessing in disguise for your son. Otherwise, the suffering he would have gone through would have been far worse. At worst, his life could have been in danger!”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Grandma Huo glared at her fiercely. “My son is doing just fine! He has a happy family, his son is successful, and he’s respectful! Do you even know who my grandson is?”

“Is your son really living a happy life?” The elderly woman looked at her with a half-smile, an air of mockery in her eyes. “Isn’t he having his cake and eating it too? Isn’t your eldest daughter-in-law flirting with him?”

“That’s not true!” Grandma Huo immediately denied it. “They’re brother and sister-in-law…”

“Do you really think I’m blind, old sister? I’m telling you this for your own good!” The elderly woman interrupted her again. “Don’t be so foolish, and don’t be too blind to the truth!”

"Yes, I did argue with you these past few days, but it’s because I couldn’t stand your daughter-in-law’s behavior. I’m just straightforward—I speak my mind when I see something or someone I don’t like."

"You, you! How foolish you are! Mistaking fish eyes for pearls and treating dust like treasure. Think carefully—doesn’t stealing involve either none or countless times?"

"If she can have an affair with her brother-in-law, how can you be sure she hasn’t done it with someone else?"

"You’re not with her 24/7. How would you know?"

The old woman went silent, her expression dark, showing she was taking it seriously.

"Do... do you really know how to read faces?" she asked after a while, uncertain.

"Of course!" the other person nodded proudly, "My father is a famous feng shui and face reader, passed down through our family. I’m really good at it—tell me, what have I said about your face that wasn’t right?"

"I need to clarify one thing—I’ve never met you before yesterday. I don’t know you or your family."

"I read all of your family’s matters from your faces."

"Look at your daughter-in-law—fox eyes, a peach blossom face. It’s clear she’s restless. But she’s great at pretending—acts so gentle and reasonable, but her actions are the complete opposite. She only knows how to take advantage of others and never gives anything in return."

"Think about it—doesn’t she flatter you with sweet words but rarely follow through with actions?"

The old woman thought seriously, and indeed, this was true.

Not just Yu Fengcai, but even her granddaughter, Huo Yuyan, was the same.

She could talk sweetly, but when it came to spending money or effort, it was always Wen Yintong and her son who stepped in.

"Now think—wasn’t your son’s family once loving and harmonious, father and son, mother and child, all good?" The other person continued. "But recently, hasn’t it all turned upside down?"

"Isn’t the relationship between your son and his wife strained? And between father and daughter, father and son, it’s tense?"

"Think carefully—didn’t your daughter-in-law have a hand in this? Wasn’t she especially close to your son, making your younger daughter-in-law suspicious?"

The old woman instinctively nodded, "Yes, yes! You’re right!"

Recently, Yu Fengcai had indeed shown a noticeable change in her relationship with Yunshan.

As a woman, how could Wen Yintong not feel something?

"Old sister, tell me, what should I do now?" The old woman looked at her, bewildered.

"Of course, stop them from continuing this wrong relationship!" The other person gave her an annoyed look. "How could you not understand this at your age?"

"Stop?" The old woman repeated the words, confused and conflicted. "But…"

"Don’t be foolish!" The other person interrupted her sternly. "Let me tell you—if you don’t do something now, and let them continue like this, just wait to bury your son in his old age!"

"Your daughter-in-law is a natural widow!"

"Ah?!" The old woman was terrified.

"The only way to fix this is to find a younger, prettier woman for your son!" The other person said seriously. 

 Chapter 112: Grandma Huo’s Incontinence

The pictures accompanying the post were a screenshot of the five million RMB transfer Huo Yunshan had sent her last night, followed by a photo of her enjoying a relaxing moment on a seaside beach.

The first picture showed an array of delicate snacks, fruit plates, and drinks on the table.

The final photo showed two glasses of juice clinking together in a toast.

Huo Yuyan immediately noticed that one of the hands holding a glass of juice belonged to Huo Yushu.

But her attention was entirely consumed by the screenshot of the five-million-yuan transfer.

Her eyes immediately turned red with rage.

With a burst of anger, she leapt up from the chair, her eyes nearly popping out of her head as she glared at her phone.

"Yuyan, can you help me open the box? Feed me some of this, I can’t eat it myself!" The old lady on the hospital bed looked helplessly at Huo Yuyan.

At this moment, Yu Fengcai was not around.

She had taken care of the old lady all night and was now too exhausted. She had gone to a nearby hotel to take a shower and change clothes.

The old lady had been a complete nightmare last night, not letting her sleep at all.

She kept complaining about being uncomfortable in one position. When the bed was raised a bit, she asked for it to be lowered again. When the position was finally adjusted, she asked for a drink.

Because of the hip fracture, the old lady couldn’t sit up, so Yu Fengcai had to feed her through a straw.

When she got the temperature wrong, the old lady scolded her. Finally, after adjusting it, the old lady drank and asked to rest.

But just as Yu Fengcai was about to lie down and close her eyes, the old lady said she needed to pee.

Yu Fengcai had to carefully help her with that, and by the time she was done, the old lady couldn’t sleep and wanted to chat.

If it weren’t for the elderly woman in the next bed, who had gotten so angry from the noise that she had yelled at them, Yu Fengcai might have been forced to endure more.

Grandma Huo was someone who would only be submissive to those who were tough. When the woman in the next bed yelled at her, she quickly fell silent. She wouldn’t even dare make a sound, even though she was used to bullying people.

After a brief nap of about an hour, Yu Fengcai’s phone rang. It was Huo Yunshan calling to ask about the old lady’s condition. He told her that he was busy with work today and couldn’t come to the hospital, and asked her to continue looking after the old lady.

Yu Fengcai nearly gritted her teeth in frustration!

What did he take her for? A free servant?

Just a while ago, she had been taking care of Wen Yintong, and now, once again, she was asked to tend to the old lady?

What about the grievances she had suffered? Who was going to back her up and stand up for her? Who was going to help her get her house back?

She couldn’t show her anger on the outside, though. After all, she was still relying on Huo Yunshan and the old lady to get back at Wen Yintong and get some benefits.

But she had finally had enough of the old lady’s unreasonable demands. Unable to take it any longer, she decided to let Huo Yuyan take over for a while.

Huo Yuyan wasn’t pleased either.

She had been pampered her entire life, always served by others. When had she ever had to serve someone?

Even with the old lady, she had never truly taken care of her. She had only used sweet words and flattery to get what she wanted.

But now…

The old lady was bedridden, and everything—eating, drinking, and even toileting—needed someone to assist her.

Those hands of hers were definitely not meant to be used to care for some old woman on the verge of death.

“Grandma…”

“Yuyan, I really need to pee. Could you help me with the urinal? It's under the bed,” the old lady interrupted her, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“What?!” Huo Yuyan stared at her in disbelief, her eyes full of anger.

She was being asked to help this old woman with her urine? Was she out of her mind? There was no way she would do something so disgusting.

Her hands were meant for much more enjoyable, pleasurable tasks—tasks that brought ecstasy and bliss, not something as repulsive as this.

Like… with Xie Shaoheng…

Helping this old woman with her urine? She would rather die!

“Hahaha…” The elderly woman in the next bed broke into a burst of laughter.

She looked at Grandma Huo with a mocking glance. “You must’ve hit your head too, huh? You really think your granddaughter would be the one to help you with such things?”

“Don’t talk about her. Even your daughter-in-law can’t stand you! Otherwise, why would she have run off?”

“You’ve got two choices, old woman. One, deal with it in bed. Two, get up and crawl to the toilet.”

“You... you're not any better than me!” Grandma Huo glared at her fiercely. “At least my granddaughter is here with me! You, on the other hand, don’t even have anyone by your side!”

“Your three daughters-in-law are so great, why aren’t they here with you? Where’s your son? Haven’t seen him either! Oh, don’t tell me you’re one of those who brings bad luck to your husband and children?”

After saying that, the elderly woman got up from her bed in a show of defiance. “Look at me! I can walk, run, do anything I want. Unlike you, stuck in bed for everything—eating, drinking, and even peeing. I’m here to relax, not suffer like you!”

“You... You... You’re so pathetic. Your son and daughter-in-law clearly don’t want to be around you. That speaks volumes about your character!”

“Look at your granddaughter, too. The way she looks at you—it’s full of disdain and disgust.”

“I told you, didn’t I? You’re a childless old woman. You’ve ruined your own happiness with your actions.”

“You, on the other hand, have a sweet and caring daughter-in-law, but you’re too foolish to appreciate it. Your heart is too greedy, and now look at you... Hahaha…”

“You… You…” Grandma Huo was so angry she couldn’t even finish a sentence. Her lips twitched with fury.

Then…

“Grandma! You… you peed the bed?!” Huo Yushu’s sharp voice rang out, full of disgust and disdain.

Grandma Huo felt it herself, her face turning even more ashamed and humiliated.

“You… why didn’t you give me the urinal earlier? Huo Yuyan, you ungrateful wretch! How have I treated you all these years?”

Grandma Huo pointed at Huo Yuyan, cursing loudly. “I’ve spoiled you for nothing! This is how you repay me? Hurry up and clean me up! Change my clothes! Don’t you want to make my injuries worse?”

“I… change your clothes?” Huo Yuyan looked at her in shock, unable to accept the request. “I… I’ll call my mom.”

Saying that, she quickly ran out of the room.

“Look, look, now you’re being ignored, huh?” The elderly woman in the next bed mocked with glee. “You really just had to deal with it in bed, didn’t you? You… don’t tell me you’ve lost control of yourself?”

Grandma Huo: “…!”

Instead of calling Yu Fengcai, Huo Yuyan quickly dialed Xie Shaoheng’s number. “Senior, have you seen Yushu’s post on WeChat?” 

 Chapter 111: Mr. Huo, Your Task is to Make a Lot of Money

"In Qingzhou! You two?" Huo Xingjian immediately caught the key point. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

He was... a little upset.

He had carefully prepared a Valentine's gift, but now his wife wasn’t even around. Who was he supposed to give the gift to?

He had planned everything to win her over, and she had quietly left for Qingzhou without a word!

A sense of frustration built up inside him, and he felt an urge to reach through the phone and give her a good scolding.

"Sister-in-law, is it my brother?" Huo Yushu's voice came through.

Then...

"Here, you answer. He has something to ask you." Shen Cheng handed the phone to Huo Yushu.

Huo Xingjian: ...

Indeed, he had something to ask Huo Yushu. He needed to ask her properly.

What a great little sister she was—she managed to steal his wife away, and not only that, but took her so far away without even telling him.

"Brother, Sister-in-law and I..."

"In Qingzhou?" Huo Xingjian interrupted, each word coming through clenched teeth. But remembering Zhang Hui’s suggestion, he suppressed the rising anger. "Why so sudden? You couldn’t have at least given me a heads-up?"

"Ah, I forgot." Huo Yushu sounded apologetic but quickly cheered up. "Don’t worry, brother, I’ll take good care of Sister-in-law. I’ll make sure to bring her back home safe and sound."

"Brother, you..."

"Which hotel are you staying at?" Huo Xingjian interrupted again, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

"Brother, are you coming over?" Huo Yushu sounded surprised. "We’re at..."

"We’ve got stuff to do. We won’t talk anymore." Before she could finish, Shen Cheng snatched the phone back and said flatly to Huo Xingjian, "Mr. Huo, just focus on working and making money. That’s it."

"Shen Cheng... beep"

Shen Cheng hung up the phone without giving him a chance to speak.

Frustrated, Huo Xingjian kicked the car door hard.

"Sister-in-law, did my brother upset you again?" Huo Yushu asked cautiously, watching her.

Shen Cheng didn’t respond.

[When doesn’t he upset me? Just that mess with Li Qingxue... I can’t even be bothered to be angry about it.]

[Don’t think just because he’s acting all nice now that I’m going to forgive him. No way!]

Oh!

Huo Yushu finally understood.

It was the phone call from Li Qingxue that caused all this trouble.

Yep! That whole mess with Li Qingxue was definitely worth getting upset about.

This man shouldn’t be forgiven so easily. He needed to be left hanging for a while to reflect on his actions.

"Sister-in-law, I’m definitely on your side. Let’s not forgive him. Leave him to think about his mistakes!"

"Now that we’re doing well, we’re practically little rich women, who needs him? We can make better choices. A man shouldn’t be spoiled. The moment he messes up, sink him to the bottom of the river and let him never see the light of day!"

"Let’s go, let’s have fun. Forget about my brother. We’ll swipe his card and spend his money. No, wait! We’ll spend the money of that clueless old man of mine!"

Huo Yushu said with a laugh, "Watch how I’ll dig his money bit by bit. If he wants to support the Huo Yuyan family of three, he can dream on!"

"Seems like you’ve got a lot of issues with them lately!" Shen Cheng observed.

Huo Yushu nodded vigorously, her expression serious. "Of course! How could I not? They’ve been so obvious about it!"

Then, with a mysterious look, Huo Yushu whispered, "Sister-in-law, I’m going to tell you something serious. I suspect Huo Xinglang and Huo Yuyan’s identities."

"Suspect what about them?" Shen Cheng asked.

"Hmph!" Huo Yushu scoffed, "I suspect that they’re my dad’s illegitimate children, that he and Yu Fengcai secretly had them."

Shen Cheng: "……!!"

[Wow! Your suspicion is spot on! They are indeed your scummy father’s illegitimate children.]

[Looks like my little sister-in-law’s mind has finally opened up. I didn’t think she’d start thinking in this direction!]

Huo Yushu raised an immensely proud smile.

Of course! It was all thanks to her sister-in-law. Her mind had only cleared up because of her.

Not just her—everyone in the family had finally woken up. Otherwise, they would still be kept in the dark by those disgusting people, not even knowing how they’d be taken advantage of.

"First, if he didn’t have an affair with Yu Fengcai, why would he treat her so well? Better than how you treat my mom! Every time something happens, he always sides with Yu Fengcai first."

"Second, Huo Xinglang and Huo Yuyan are both raised by him. Even Huo Xinglang’s position at Wen’s was arranged by him."

"If they’re not his illegitimate children, why would he care so much?"

"Third, don’t you think Huo Yuyan looks more and more like my scummy dad? Huo Xinglang looks more like Yu Fengcai, but that’s hard to tell."

"But has anyone ever seen an uncle treat his niece or nephew better than his own children?"

"Based on all this, I’m 99% sure that they’re my scummy dad’s illegitimate children. So, I can’t let them benefit from this."

"If he didn’t marry my mom, would he have achieved all this? His money—it’s all ours. I need to take it back bit by bit. I can’t let that brother and sister get anything."

Huo Yushu said seriously.

"Huo Yuyan, that ungrateful ingrate, has been living off me all these years—eating my food, using my things—but she’s been stabbing me in the back every chance she gets."

"Don’t think I don’t know. Last time, when she introduced that guy named Xie to me, I saw through it right away."

"I’m awake now! I can tell that they’ve been together for a long time. But they still sent that scumbag to try to seduce me—weren’t they hoping he would follow my scummy dad’s path?"

"Am I that gullible? Sister-in-law, don’t you think so?"

Shen Cheng smiled warmly at her. "Not bad, Yushu. Your mind really has clicked into place. You’re not as clueless as before."

Huo Yushu grinned, affectionately leaning her head on Shen Cheng’s shoulder. "It’s all thanks to you, sister-in-law. You’ve brought my mind back to normal. You’re my lifesaver now. From now on, I’ll listen to everything you say."

"Yes, my life is yours. You tell me to go east, I won’t go west. I’ll follow you entirely."

Upon hearing that, Shen Cheng looked at her in shock, almost not believing her ears.

"Sister-in-law, want to see a good show?" Huo Yushu grinned mischievously. "We’ll set up a stage, and a bunch of clowns will come jumping up to perform."

"What do you plan to do?" Shen Cheng asked.

Huo Yushu smiled mysteriously. "Just watch me."

……

At the hospital

Huo Yuyan cursed under her breath as she walked into the old lady’s hospital room, carrying a packed lunch. "Grandma, here’s your lunch."

Without even opening the box, she just placed it on the table, then plopped down into a chair and started scrolling through her phone.

It was while doing so that she saw Huo Yushu’s new WeChat Moments post:

— Dad loves me the most. A child with Dad is a treasure. 

 Chapter 110: Will You Only Forgive Me After I Die?

Upon hearing this, Shen Cheng's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at her with a shocked expression.

[Oh wow! Huo Yushu, not bad! Quick thinker, huh!]

[If you'd kept your wits about you all along, you wouldn't have been deceived so thoroughly by Huo Yuyan and that Xie Shaoheng, ending up with nothing!]

Ah, right! Right! Right!

Huo Yushu agreed.

From now on, listen to Sister-in-law’s words more. Keep your heart and your money in check. Following her, I'll have free rein wherever I go.

"Look at Li Qingxue," Huo Yushu said with a smug smile, "Her complexion is rosy, she's full of energy—do her legs look like they've atrophied for two years?"

"When I saw her wrap her legs around a man's waist, they were as strong as vines!"

"So, I'm sure her two years of unconsciousness were just an act," Huo Yushu said confidently. "She must've woken up a long time ago, and was just pretending to deceive my brother... us."

No, no! At this point, we can't drag her brother into this. I need to get him out of it.

Shen Cheng smiled and looked at her, "Makes sense, but that hospital is owned by the Wen family, and the whole medical team was hired by your brother."

Uh...

Crap!

Her brother’s not getting out of this one.

Brother, I’ve tried! No choice, Sister-in-law is just too strong. I can't help you now! You’ll have to save yourself!

"It’s all my brother’s fault!" Huo Yushu unhesitatingly sold out her own brother. "His brain’s full of water, and his vision's worse than mine!"

Shen Cheng nodded in agreement. "Makes sense, the thing around your brother’s neck is just for show!"

At that moment, in his office, Huo Xingjian, who had been racking his brain to figure out how to cheer up his wife, suddenly sneezed.

"Mr. Huo..." Zhang Hui, entering the office, paused when he heard the sneeze. "Mr. Huo, have you caught a cold? Is it too cold in the office? Should I turn up the temperature?"

"No need," Huo Xingjian replied without looking up, continuing to check his phone. "What’s up?"

Zhang Hui explained briefly about what had happened downstairs.

"Mm," Huo Xingjian responded indifferently. "Got it. If she comes again, have the receptionist and security call Huo Xinglang."

"Understood." Zhang Hui nodded, placing a stack of documents in front of him. "These need your signature."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

"Zhang Hui," Huo Xingjian's voice called from behind him just as he reached the door.

Zhang Hui quickly turned around. "Mr. Huo, is there anything else?"

"Is it true that the 14th of every month is Valentine’s Day?" Huo Xingjian asked.

"Right!" Zhang Hui slapped his thigh. "Today’s the 14th of October. Yes, yes, yes, it's totally true, absolutely reliable!"

Saying that, he quickly took out his phone, searched online, and grinned as he walked over to Huo Xingjian, holding out the phone. "Mr. Huo, look! October 14th is the Honey Moon Valentine’s Day, perfect for you and your wife."

Huo Xingjian gave a cool glance at his phone, the corner of his lips curving slightly in a barely noticeable smile.

He rested his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

He was well aware of the twelve Valentine’s Days—actually, it was fifteen, including Qixi Festival.

"Mr. Huo, do you need me to book flowers? Or a restaurant? Maybe an aerial garden restaurant?" Zhang Hui said eagerly. "We could decorate the place with romance."

"You hold the flowers and diamonds, and give them to your wife. She’ll definitely be touched. Should I go pick out a diamond for you? Necklace, ring, or earrings... no, wait!"

"I think a anklet would be better!"

"Anklet?" Huo Xingjian furrowed his brows, repeating the words with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhang Hui nodded vigorously. "An anklet is also a form of confession, wanting to protect the other person. It symbolizes tying this life together, and binding the next life. This is how Mr. Huo feels for his wife."

"Tie this life together, bind the next life?" Huo Xingjian softly repeated the phrase, his eyes filled with anticipation and longing.

He then stood up from his chair. "I’ll choose it myself. You focus on your work."

He grabbed his phone and car keys, quickly leaving.

Such matters, naturally, couldn’t be entrusted to others. What he chose himself would be more sincere.

Little did Shen Cheng know that the thing Huo Xingjian was referring to around his neck as just a decoration was actually part of a romantic surprise he was preparing for her.

Meanwhile, under Huo Yushu’s influence, the two of them had driven out of the city for a trip.

As Huo Xingjian’s car stopped in front of the jewelry store, his phone rang.

Seeing Li Qingxue’s name on the screen, all his good mood was instantly replaced with a cloud of gloom.

After a long pause, he finally answered. "What’s the matter?"

"Xingjian, do you really want to drive me to death?" Li Qingxue’s voice came through, sounding as if the whole world owed her something. "Is it only after I die that you’ll forgive me?"

"But I really don’t know what I did wrong or what made you upset." She sobbed softly, her voice truly pitiful.

If it were before, Huo Xingjian would have urgently asked what happened and been concerned about her.

But now...

He only felt utter disgust.

"Miss Li, your life or death is beyond my control. Right or wrong, it has nothing to do with me. Don’t put the responsibility for your desire to die on me." Huo Xingjian spoke coldly. "If you really have no hope in life, you can make your own decisions."

"Of course, out of moral obligation, I will call the police for you."

With that, he didn’t even give Li Qingxue a chance to respond and hung up the phone immediately.

Then, he called the police and reported Li Qingxue’s phone number.

Li Qingxue never imagined he would be so ruthless.

She hadn’t even finished her sentence when he hung up.

Soon, she received a call from the police, followed by the sound of sirens from both fire trucks and police cars.

Li Qingxue was completely stunned.

At that moment, she was sitting in her car, still not fully processing what had happened, when the car window was suddenly shattered.

"Ah! What are you doing! Why are you breaking my car window?" Li Qingxue shouted in terror.

"The car engine is off."

"There are no sharp objects or tools."

"There are no sleeping pills or anything."

"No..."

"What is the meaning of this?" Li Qingxue glared angrily at the uniformed firefighters and police officers, and then her mind replayed Huo Xingjian’s words: "Out of moral obligation, I will call the police."

She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth.

"Huo Xingjian, you’re going too far! How can you treat me like this!"

The final conclusion was that Li Qingxue had no suicidal tendencies and was only trying to scare people.

In order to avoid being condemned, Li Qingxue repeatedly apologized, claiming it was just a joke with a friend.

Only then was the situation calmed down.

...

Shen Cheng’s phone rang—it was a call from Huo Xingjian.

"Hello."

"I’m at the door of your studio. Come out quickly, I’ve got a gift for you," Huo Xingjian said softly.

"I’m not at the studio. We’re in Qingzhou," Shen Cheng replied leisurely. 

 Chapter 109: Miss Shen, I swear there’s nothing between Xingjian and me

Huo Yushu immediately spotted the familiar phone number on the screen, and a surge of anger flared up.

Thinking back to when she had foolishly fawned over Li Qingxue and criticized her sister-in-law, she now wanted to slap herself as hard as she could. At the same time, she really wanted to give Li Qingxue a good beating.

"Shameless bitch, how dare she call!" Huo Yushu gritted her teeth. "Sister-in-law, let me handle this. If I don’t tear this shameless thing apart, I’m not Huo Yushu."

Shen Cheng raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a playful smile as she handed the phone to Huo Yushu. "Sure."

Huo Yushu took the phone and tapped the answer button, her voice dripping with mock sweetness.

"Miss Shen, did you receive the money?" Li Qingxue’s voice came through, soft and melodious, almost like a mocking bird’s song, carrying a hint of arrogant provocation. "I know Miss Shen is short on cash, so this two million is my gift to you as pocket money."

"Miss Shen, I also know you’ve had some issues with me and misunderstood my relationship with Xingjian."

"Let me explain again—there’s nothing between me and Xingjian. We’re just friends, completely innocent and pure."

"Miss Shen, as Xingjian’s wife, you should be understanding and compassionate toward him, not making a scene and embarrassing him."

"He works hard all day. When he gets home, what he needs most is his wife’s care and love. If you really love Xingjian, then think more about him."

"Miss Shen?" Li Qingxue continued after a pause, wondering if Shen Cheng was even listening, since there hadn’t been a single word from her.

This... why wasn’t Shen Cheng responding? Wasn’t she supposed to be furious and shouting at her?

"Finished?" Huo Yushu asked casually, her tone unbothered.

"Yushu?" Li Qingxue’s voice turned to confusion, hearing the unfamiliar voice.

"Yes, it’s me," Huo Yushu chuckled. "What did you just say? You know my sister-in-law is short on money? This two million is your pocket money for her?"

"No, Yushu..."

"Ah, so Miss Li is so wealthy and generous, giving two million as pocket money! And it’s to someone who’s completely unrelated to you!" Huo Yushu cut her off, still smiling broadly. "Since you’re so rich, how about returning the one hundred million you owe our family?"

"Yushu, listen to me..."

"Li Qingxue, I’m giving you two days!" Huo Yushu said slowly, her voice sharp and commanding. "Two days. If the money isn’t repaid by then, prepare to go to jail! One hundred million is enough to keep you locked up for years!"

"You’re young, beautiful, and at your prime, perfect for snaring a rich man. But if you end up in jail for a few years, by the time you get out, you’ll be all used up and faded!"

"At that point, good luck finding another rich man! Oh, and just a reminder—this world is full of young and beautiful women, each one younger and prettier than you!"

"After you serve your time, you might be forgotten by everyone!" Huo Yushu continued her rapid-fire speech, not giving Li Qingxue a single moment to speak.

Listening to her harsh words, Shen Cheng gave her a thumbs up.

Huo Yushu joyfully danced around.

Ah! Ah! Ah! Sister-in-law praised me! She said I’m capable and impressive! She even gave me a thumbs up!

"Yushu, didn't I already pay the two million earlier? Where is the one hundred million?" Li Qingxue said with a bitter tone.

"Besides, I don't have that much money! You know, I was in a coma for over two years. I just woke up recently, and this two million is all of my savings."

"Yushu, you know me, I..."

"First of all, that two million just now was a gift to my sister-in-law, wasn’t it?" Huo Yushu interrupted her, "Since it’s a gift, it doesn’t count as part of the one hundred million debt."

"Don’t deny it! I recorded what you said earlier! You willingly gave it, with no strings attached!"

"Second, whether you have money or not has nothing to do with me! You owe us money, so you must pay it back! It’s only natural to repay a debt!"

"Third, whether you were in a coma for two years or three doesn’t matter to me! I just want you to pay back what you owe!"

"But, Yushu, I was injured because of Xingjian!" Li Qingxue said, feeling wronged. "Xingjian is..."

"Li Qingxue, let me remind you one more time! Don’t test my patience! Call my brother, Mr. Huo!" Huo Yushu’s voice grew louder, carrying clear warning and threat. "And do you really think I don’t know how you got into that car accident?"

"Do you want me to throw the evidence in your face? Did I give you face? I’ll say it again, two days! Forty-eight hours! If the money doesn’t come through, you can wait to join Li An An in prison!"

Without giving Li Qingxue a chance to speak, Huo Yushu hung up the phone.

She then turned to see Shen Cheng with a pleasant smile, watching her with amusement.

The smile made Huo Yushu feel a bit confused, even... uneasy.

She touched her face, then her earlobe, nervously asking, "Sister-in-law, do I... have something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s making me feel a little anxious."

"Did I say something wrong that upset you?"

She thought carefully. She didn’t think she had said anything wrong. She had just been cursing Li Qingxue! Which part could have upset her sister-in-law?

Oh... this expression and smile from sister-in-law made her nervous.

"Do you know anything about Li Qingxue’s car accident from two years ago?" Shen Cheng asked.

At the question, Huo Yushu let out a long breath in relief, her heart finally settling.

She smiled, "I don’t know anything. I just took the opportunity to extort her."

"Sister-in-law, well... in the past, our family may have been in the water for too long, and we let some water into our heads. So... we didn’t really recognize people clearly."

"Just... a little?" Shen Cheng asked, her expression like a faint smile, but her eyes held a hint of scrutiny.

"Ah, no! Not just a little! A lot, a lot!" Huo Yushu quickly admitted, then affectionately looped her arm through Shen Cheng’s, smiling ingratiatingly. "But luckily, we stopped ourselves in time. We turned back just in time."

"Huo Yushu, you’re changing the subject." Shen Cheng smiled sweetly at her, but her eyes were clearly probing.

"No, no! Absolutely not! I’m just telling the truth!" Huo Yushu quickly said, but when she saw the serious look in Shen Cheng's eyes, her face immediately grew serious. She said with a very sincere tone, "Sister-in-law, I was just misled by others, not brain-dead."

"A person who has been in a coma for over two years, how could they wake up and be the same as normal people in just a few days?"  

 Chapter 108: "The Concubine's Love, The Man's Indifference"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingxue suddenly turned around and saw Huo Xinglang.

He was radiating with joy, looking as if something especially good had just happened.

But as soon as he laid eyes on Li Qingxue, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes darkened, clearly showing displeasure.

Li Qingxue immediately felt the change in his expression.

And when she recalled the person on the phone earlier, who mentioned Huo Xinglang was busy setting up a meeting with the daughter of the He family, as well as how he hung up on her and Zhang Hui’s cryptic remarks—what else was there to understand?

He had already given up on her for his career. He wanted to climb the He family’s social ladder and arrange a marriage with their daughter.

At this moment, Li Qingxue felt a mix of emotions. It was like being stabbed with a thousand knives, causing her indescribable pain.

But more than anything, she felt a deep sense of unwillingness.

She had done so much for him, even willing to approach Huo Xingjian for him.

Now, even Zhang Hui, this dog, was saying such harsh words to her.

And him? At this moment, he was abandoning her.

Despite the fact that she had no intention of having any more dealings with Huo Xinglang, it still made her furious that he had decided to abandon her in this way.

She could kick him out, but he couldn’t just give up on her first, and certainly not in such a sneaky manner.

Li Qingxue felt utterly wronged.

She was being threatened! She had no one to rely on! No one could help her!

At this point, he was the only one she could think of, because that matter was related to him.

But now, at this critical time, he was turning his back on her, leaving all the difficulties and problems for her to deal with.

How was she supposed to solve them? She already had enough problems on her plate.

Someone was threatening her for one million. Huo Xingjian was also pressuring her to choose between repaying the debt or going to jail.

And her younger sister, Li An An, had caused her so much trouble. Now, even Huo Xinglang was abandoning her.

Thinking about all this, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face as she looked at Huo Xinglang pitifully and helplessly.

With such an expression and look in her eyes, no one could deny there was more to their relationship than what they had been pretending.

It was clearly the image of a woman who had been wronged, clinging to her beloved man, showing him her vulnerable side.

It was the perfect portrayal of "the concubine’s love, the man’s indifference."

Ah! This was a really good drama!

Seeing the two of them exchanging looks, each with their own thoughts, Zhang Hui couldn’t help but feel excited and thrilled.

If he could freeze this moment and post it online, he was sure it would spark a massive wave of attention.

Those keyboard warriors would surely have something to do now.

But... should he wait?

No, no! The timing wasn’t right yet; he couldn’t spoil Mr. Huo’s plan.

After all, the last time, the video of these two "dog lovers" fighting naked in Mr. Huo’s office was still locked away in the vault.

When the time came, he’d release it all together. That would really stir things up! Now, that would be fun!

"Since Manager Huo and Miss Li have important matters to discuss, I won’t disturb you," Zhang Hui said politely.

He took a few steps before turning back to Li Qingxue, smiling as he reminded her, "Miss Li, remember the payment. Mr. Huo and Mrs. Huo have no personal ties to you, yet they’ve been covering your medical expenses for over two years. That’s quite a big favor."

"You can't repay kindness with ingratitude, Li Miss. You must repay your debts. As people, we should have a sense of conscience and morals. I wish you and Manager Huo a pleasant conversation."

After saying this, he flashed a polite and friendly smile, then turned and left.

Seeing this, the security guard, Xiao Ke, also wisely stepped away, leaving the space for Huo Xinglang and Li Qingxue.

However, the reality was that they were in the company lobby, where there was no real private space—only security guards, receptionists, and a few employees coming and going.

Huo Xinglang took a deep breath and glared at her with a dark expression. "What do you want? Huh? Coming to find me at the company?"

His voice was low but filled with clear anger and warning.

"I..."

"Whatever it is, we'll talk about it tonight!" Huo Xinglang interrupted her, his voice cold. "Do you know how many eyes are watching? How many of those eyes belong to his people?"

"Go back. We aren't that familiar! Don't ruin your own plans or ours!"

He didn’t even give her a chance to speak and took long strides toward the elevator, leaving without a second glance.

Li Qingxue stood frozen, watching him enter the elevator, the doors opening and closing, completely separating them.

In that moment, when the elevator doors closed, she felt as though she and he had truly become people from two different worlds.

There would be no more intersection between them. No, to be precise, there would be no more emotional intersection—only intersections of interest.

At that moment, Li Qingxue felt deeply unwilling. Unwilling to be abandoned by him just like this, without having taken anything back from him.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and turned to leave.

But Xiao Ke politely blocked her path. "Miss Li, you haven’t paid yet. Even if you can't repay it all at once, you should at least pay part of it, right?"

"Get out of my way!" Li Qingxue glared at him fiercely.

Xiao Ke, however, still wore his professional smile. "Miss Li, repaying debts is only right. Or would you prefer to go to jail instead?"

"Alright, I’ll call the legal department and let them know your decision..."

"You’re just a guard. What right do you have to talk to me like that? This is between me and Huo Xingjian. It's none of your business!" Li Qingxue glared at him with a twisted face.

"Miss Li, I’ve recorded your words. I’ll file a personal attack lawsuit against you," Xiao Ke said calmly.

Li Qingxue felt a buzzing sound in her head, as though her brain was about to explode.

This was truly infuriating!

One after another, they all bullied her. Now even this guard dared to climb over her and act so arrogantly.

She took a deep breath and forced a smile of apology. "I'm sorry, I misspoke. It’s my fault. I’ll send some money to Mrs. Huo... I’ll hurry and gather the rest. I won’t delay it."

Xiao Ke didn’t press the issue any further. After all, his goal had been achieved.

...

Meanwhile, Shen Cheng was being dragged around shopping by Huo Yushu, while the studio had already been handed over to a professional construction team to start working.

After negotiating with the team, the two women were feeling light-hearted.

Then, Huo Yushu suggested that they spend some money to relieve the stress.

Of course, she planned to somehow scam that money from her scumbag father.

Just as they entered the jewelry store, Shen Cheng’s phone pinged with a notification of a two-million-yuan transfer.

"Sister-in-law, did my brother just transfer money to you again? Not bad, not bad! Still quite considerate. Though, two million is a bit little," Huo Yushu said, clearly dissatisfied.

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Cheng’s phone rang again—it was a call from Li Qingxue.

 Chapter 107: Miss Li, Pay the Money or Go to Jail?

The security guard glanced at her from head to toe. "The list of women who are allowed to enter the company, provided by Mr. Huo, includes three people: Mrs. Huo, Miss Huo, and Mrs. Huo. May I ask which one you are?"

"You—"

"You just said your surname is Li. That means you're not on the list given by Mr. Huo. Please don’t disturb my work here, or I’ll have to ask you to leave," the security guard interrupted her coldly.

Li Qingxue gritted her teeth in anger, almost trembling with rage. If she could, she would love to fire this gatekeeper.

Who hired this blind fool? Why hadn't she seen him before?

Everyone in the company knew who Li Qingxue was. When had she ever been stopped here? Every time she came, she was politely escorted into the elevator, with the front desk bowing and pressing the elevator button for her, always acting servile and flattering her.

But now...

She had been stopped by a gatekeeper, and he was speaking to her in such an offensive tone.

Taking a deep breath, she tried hard to suppress her anger and spoke calmly to the security guard. "Are you new here? Maybe you don't know who I am…"

"Whether I'm new or not doesn’t matter to whether you can enter the company," the security guard interrupted her, his tone cold and firm. "I haven't received any notice to let any woman named Li pass."

Li Qingxue was so angry that she almost choked. Her temper was about to explode, but just then, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye.

Zhang Hui stepped out of the elevator and walked toward her.

A smug smile appeared on Li Qingxue's lips as she shot a cold glare at the security guard and greeted Zhang Hui. "Special Assistant Zhang."

Hearing his name, Zhang Hui looked over in surprise.

He had deliberately come down at this moment. After all, he had already seen on the surveillance video upstairs that Li Qingxue had been stopped by the security guard. So, he decided to show up now to give her a glimmer of hope, only to crush it ruthlessly and make her feel utterly hopeless.

He walked over with a polite, professional smile. "Miss Li, what brings you here?"

Seeing Zhang Hui treating Li Qingxue so politely, the security guard was slightly stunned and even uncertain if he had made a mistake.

Did he... stop the wrong person? Had he done something wrong?

"Special Assistant Zhang, you're just in time. This security guard—"

"Miss Li, are you here to pay back the money?" Zhang Hui interrupted her, still wearing his professional smile. "You’re too kind, Miss Li. You can just transfer the money you owe Mr. Huo to the card I gave you for his wife. There's no need for you to come all the way here."

"What?!" Li Qingxue looked at him in shock, unable to believe her ears.

Wait, what was Zhang Hui saying?

What money? Was he crazy?

"Zhang Hui, I’m here to see Xing—"

"Here to see President Huo?" Zhang Hui interrupted her once again, maintaining his polite, professional smile. "President Huo isn’t in the company right now, Miss Li. You can give him a call."

"By the way, are you planning to pay off that medical bill all at once, or in installments?"

He smoothly changed the subject back to Li Qingxue’s debt. "The medical expenses for two years and four months are no small amount. Mrs. Huo said that considering your recent recovery, she would agree to let you pay in three installments."

"By the way, Miss Li, I assume you've received the lawyer’s letter? It was issued by our legal department. There’s a deadline, so Miss Li, you really should take a good look at it."

"After all, you’ve just recovered from a serious illness, and I’m afraid you might have missed it. As Assistant to the creditor, I feel it's my duty to remind you."

"Miss Li, how much are you planning to pay today?"

He smiled at her with politeness and courtesy, but to Li Qingxue, his expression seemed deliberately harsh and full of malice.

This was completely beyond her expectations. She never imagined that Zhang Hui, this dog, would publicly urge her to repay the money.

In the past, Zhang Hui had been like everyone else, constantly flattering and trying to please her.

But now, he was going out of his way to please Shen Cheng.

Shen Cheng, you truly deserve everything that’s coming to you!

"I—"

"Xiao Ke," Zhang Hui interrupted her once again, turning to the security guard and speaking calmly, "Remember, this is Miss Li, who owes Mr. Huo and Mrs. Huo nearly one hundred million. If she comes to the company, it can only be to repay the money."

"I’ll send you Mrs. Huo’s bank account information soon. If Miss Li comes, just give her the account details so she can transfer the funds."

"Make sure to inform your fellow colleagues, just in case Miss Li comes on a day when you’re not on duty."

"Remember, she’s just a debtor. Your job is to confirm the payment. Mrs. Huo said she would reward you with a small percentage of the amount when Miss Li repays."

Xiao Ke was stunned, then overjoyed, and finally ecstatic.

Zhang Hui said that Miss Li owed Mrs. Huo nearly one hundred million.

One percent of one hundred million— that’s over a million!

Ah! Ah! Ah!

Even if the security guards split it...

Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

This was an unexpected windfall! How did this fall into his lap?

He nodded repeatedly, making promises. "Assistant Zhang, don’t worry. I’ll make sure everything is taken care of. We’ll definitely help Mrs. Huo recover the money!"

Li Qingxue: ...

She wanted to die on the spot!

She hated Zhang Hui, this dog! He was just a lackey for Huo Xingjian, so why did he have to meddle in everything?

She ground her teeth in anger, the sound of them gritting was loud, her eyes full of venom, as if she wanted to tear Zhang Hui into a thousand pieces.

But she didn’t dare show it too obviously in front of him. She had no choice but to suppress the anger and hatred within her.

She forced a pitiful, aggrieved, and innocent expression. "Assistant Zhang, I will definitely repay the money. But you know my situation—I... I can’t come up with such a large sum right now."

"Assistant Zhang, could you please take me upstairs to see Xingjian? I want to speak with him in person..."

"Miss Li, how you repay the debt is your business," Zhang Hui interrupted her coldly. "I only know that repaying debts is a matter of principle."

"You can’t expect to not repay the money and still try to seduce Mr. Huo, can you? That would be unethical."

"I’m not—"

"Recently, you’ve caused a lot of trouble and gossip for Mr. Huo and Mrs. Huo, and you know it yourself. Miss Li, we’re all adults, and we have to take responsibility for our actions."

"Either pay the money, or go to jail. You choose."

Li Qingxue looked at him in disbelief, her eyes filled with resentment.

"Oh, Mr. Huo is back. Miss Li, he’s looking for you," Zhang Hui said with a smile, greeting someone behind her. 

 Chapter 106: Diamond Flowers and Mr. Huo, the Perfect Combination for Every Woman

Huo Xingjian furrowed his brow but didn’t interrupt. He gestured for Zhang Hui to continue.

“Mr. Huo, haven’t you noticed that recently, your wife and Yu Shu seem to have a closer and more intimate relationship than the one you share with her?”

Huo Xingjian thought about it seriously.

It was indeed true.

The relationship between his sister and wife now resembled that of best friends. But as for him, her husband...

She was always hot and cold, calling him “hubby~” in a sweet tone, while inwardly cursing him as a “dog of a man.”

However, with Yu Shu, she never called her “little sister” or “Yu Shu” with disdain. He never heard her insult Yu Shu once.

Her attitude toward his mother, Mrs. Wen, was far warmer than toward him, her own husband. Let alone toward his grandfather.

In Shen Cheng’s eyes, he, the real husband, seemed like nothing more than an outsider—one she especially disliked.

In the beginning, aside from his grandfather, everyone was on the same starting line! How did it end up that his mom and sister overtook him on the curve, leaving him behind?

“Mr. Huo, now that Yu Shu and your wife have a good relationship, this is a good thing for you!” Zhang Hui continued earnestly. “Yu Shu must want you and your wife to reconcile as soon as possible.”

“Let Yu Shu help you learn about your wife’s preferences, and then you can cater to them.”

“Of course, as a woman, there’s no one who doesn’t like diamonds and flowers. I think while you have Yu Shu help you, you should also take action yourself.”

“You should send your wife a bouquet of flowers every day. Roses, eleven to show you’re devoted. Ninety-nine to represent everlasting love. And of course, if you send her ninety-nine roses, a big bouquet, any woman would be thrilled.”

Huo Xingjian stroked his chin, a smile forming on his face.

Nine hundred and ninety-nine, representing longevity.

Yes, that was a good meaning.

What if he sent nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine roses? Wouldn’t that be even better?

He decided on it.

Since Shen Cheng had been busy preparing for the studio, he was sure she would be very happy to receive ninety-nine hundred and ninety-nine roses.

“You just said that all women like diamonds?” Huo Xingjian looked at Zhang Hui.

Zhang Hui nodded. “Of course! Diamonds symbolize eternity, who wouldn’t like them?”

“I remember there’s an auction at the end of this month, and there’s a pink diamond, right?” Huo Xingjian asked.

“Yes, yes!” Zhang Hui replied.

“You go and bid for it,” Huo Xingjian said in a deep voice. “No, I’ll go myself!”

“Alright,” Zhang Hui nodded, his expression serious. “Mr. Huo, you should take your wife with you. Women love to see their favorite things in person.”

“And of course, there will be competition for the diamond at the auction. You can just throw money at it, and she’ll definitely be happy and thrilled.”

Huo Xingjian felt that Zhang Hui’s suggestion was great, and in his mind, he even envisioned the moment when he would present the pink diamond to Shen Cheng, imagining her excitement as she hugged him, kissing him again and again.

Yes, with this, wouldn’t their relationship improve?

“Mr. Huo, will... will my bonus still be deducted?” Zhang Hui cautiously asked, watching the satisfied smile on his boss's face.

Oh my god, his boss could smile!

He had been working with Mr. Huo for almost ten years, and this was the first time he had ever seen him smile. He always had that ice-cold expression, like a disaffected iceberg!

It turns out, when Mr. Huo smiles, he’s... well... surprisingly approachable!

No wonder his wife is so in love with him. If he were a woman, he’d be attracted too...

"Ah, no, no, no!"

Even if he were a woman, he still couldn't have any feelings for Mr. Huo. He couldn't compete with his wife for the man.

He'd better just stick to being Mr. Huo's assistant, because money was more tempting to him than Mr. Huo.

"No deductions, your bonus this month is doubled," Huo Xingjian said generously.

Zhang Hui was overjoyed. "Thank you, Mr. Huo!"

"Zhang Hui, have you ever chased after many women?" Huo Xingjian asked, staring directly at him.

"No, no, no! I haven't, I haven't!" Zhang Hui quickly denied it, his face full of panic. "My heart is all about work, nothing else!"

He swore to heaven—he was so busy every day, barely having time to breathe, let alone pursue women!

"Then how do you know so much?" Huo Xingjian asked, his expression skeptical.

"Well," Zhang Hui scratched his head and smiled awkwardly, "although I’ve never practiced it, I love learning and I read a lot of books!"

"Mr. Huo, trust me, you can't go wrong. Diamonds and flowers are the standard for every woman. Plus, with your handsome appearance, your wife won't be able to resist and will definitely submit to you."

Huo Xingjian looked him up and down again. "If it works, your bonus for this year will double. Now go."

"Got it!" Zhang Hui grinned so widely it seemed his mouth might stretch across his face.

Money! So much money! He was overjoyed.

Suddenly, he had found a new way to make money—please the wife, make her happy, and Mr. Huo would surely raise his salary.

He had decided that after work today, even if it meant staying up all night, he would create a strategy for Mr. Huo to win his wife over.

"Mr. Huo," he said, rushing out of the office only to turn back suddenly, "aren't you going to avoid this? What if Li Qingxue is here to see you...?"

"Are you dead?" Huo Xingjian interrupted him coldly, giving him a sharp look. "Do you think anyone can just walk into my office?"

"No!" Zhang Hui shook his head. "I'm just worried your wife might misunderstand. It's not easy to improve your relationship with her. If Li Qingxue causes things to cool down again, it wouldn't be worth it."

"Just do your job," Huo Xingjian replied with a frosty tone. "Don't worry, she's not here to see me. She's here to see Huo Xinglang."

"Oh, right!" Zhang Hui suddenly remembered something important. "Huo Xinglang has been trying to arrange a meeting with Miss He these past few days."

"Did he manage to get one?" Huo Xingjian asked.

"No."

"Got it, I’ll make an arrangement with Feng Nian later. You go ahead and take care of things." Huo Xingjian waved him off, signaling him to leave.

"Okay!" Zhang Hui left with a smile.

...

Li Qingxue’s car stopped outside Wen’s Group, and she angrily got out and stormed toward the company’s entrance.

But she was stopped by the security guard. "Sorry, miss, who are you looking for?"

Li Qingxue glared at him fiercely. "Don’t you know who I am?"

The security guard shook his head. "Sorry, I don’t know you. But I do know that you’re not an employee of our company. Non-employees are not allowed to enter freely."

"You..." Li Qingxue glared at him harshly. "I’m Li Qingxue. Although I’m not an employee, I can come and go as I please."

She tried to enter, but the security guard stopped her again. "Sorry, you can’t."

"I told you, I’m Li Qingxue! Are you still going to stop me?" Li Qingxue glared at him furiously.

"I don’t care if you’re Li Qingxue, Li Qingxue, or Li Qingxueang. If you’re not an employee, you can't enter! Even if your mother came, the rules would be the same!" the security guard said coldly.

"You..." Li Qingxue gritted her teeth. "I’m here to see Huo Xingjian!" 

 Chapter 105: Mr. Huo, Do You Have a New Partner?!

"Who are you?" Li Qingxue asked urgently.

"Miss Li, you don't need to know who I am! What you need to do is prepare one million yuan, or else I will tell Huo Xingjian everything about that staged car accident you orchestrated."

"You..." Li Qingxue panicked, her hand holding the phone trembling, "What are you saying? I don’t understand. This is blackmail! I can report this to the police..."

"Go ahead and report it!" The person interrupted her, their tone half-smiling, which made beads of sweat form on her forehead. "Or I can dial the number for you?"

"Oh, by the way! I also have an intimate photo of you and Mr. Huo Xinglang. How about I send that to Huo Xingjian too?"

"Miss Li, this is where you’re wrong! You’ve been with Huo Xinglang for the past two years, yet you’ve been trying to seduce Huo Xingjian. You’re eating from both bowls—very unethical!"

"Y-you... who are you?" Li Qingxue’s voice was trembling, her face pale as her heart raced like a drum. She felt completely at a loss.

"I told you, you don’t need to know who I am. What you need to do is prepare one million. Or you can call the police right now," the voice responded coldly.

"I don’t have that much money," Li Qingxue sobbed. "I’ve only just woken up. How could I possibly have that much money? I have no parents..."

"Li Qingxue, over the past two years, you’ve been pretending to be unconscious while scamming Huo Xinglang’s fool of a brother, Huo Xingjian, out of quite a bit of money, haven’t you?" The voice interrupted again. "One million is nothing to you."

"I'm being reasonable, just asking for one million. If I were greedier and asked for five million, you could still give it to me, couldn’t you?"

"So, Miss Li, I’m being reasonable. Just handle this cleanly, and it will be better for both you and Mr. Huo Xinglang."

"Of course, you can rest assured. I’m a person who keeps my word. Once you give me the one million, I will never come to you again."

"Why should I trust you?" Li Qingxue gritted her teeth.

"Aside from trusting me, you have no other choice. Oh, of course, you could always choose to report it," the voice replied calmly.

Li Qingxue took a deep breath and closed her eyes heavily. "Give me your bank account number, and I’ll transfer the money."

"Haha!" The person laughed. "Miss Li, do you think I’m a fool? Give you my account number, and you’ll trace it back to me? So Huo Xinglang can send someone to deal with me?"

"Then how do I pay you?" Li Qingxue asked through gritted teeth.

She had indeed considered this—once she had the account number, she could track this person down easily.

"Cash. Leave the money where the car accident happened. By noon tomorrow, place it there and leave. You don’t need to worry about the rest."

"Of course, you could also inform Huo Xinglang. But from what I know, he’s busy arranging a date with the daughter of the He family! He probably won’t have the time or energy to deal with you."

The voice was full of mockery, and after finishing, the person immediately hung up.

"Hello... hello..." Li Qingxue shouted urgently, but all she heard was the busy signal.

The words "He’s busy arranging a date with the daughter of the He family" echoed in her mind.

Huo Xinglang is busy dating the He family’s daughter?

What does that mean? Is he trying to distance himself from her?

He family’s eldest daughter? He Xiaotong!

A quick redial, but all that was heard was a mechanical prompt: "The user you are trying to reach is temporarily unavailable."

"Ah!" Li Qingxue let out a low growl, slamming her hand hard against the steering wheel. Her face darkened with a menacing expression, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

Huo Xinglang, how could you do this to me!

Why are you all doing this to me!

What did I do wrong, that you all abandon me like this?

She quickly dialed Huo Xinglang’s number, only to have him hang up.

“Huo Xinglang, you actually won’t answer my call? You actually hung up on me! How could you hang up on me?!” Li Qingxue shouted, her face contorted with fury.

With a furious motion, she threw her hand onto the passenger seat and slammed the gas pedal, heading straight toward Wen’s Group.

...

Wen Group's top floor, Huo Xingjian's office.

When Zhang Hui pushed open the office door, he saw his boss sitting in the chair, staring blankly.

One arm was crossed over his chest, while the other hand rested on his chin. His eyes were fixed on the phone placed on the desk, looking deep in thought.

“Mr. Huo,” Zhang Hui walked up to him and called softly.

Huo Xingjian snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him, “What’s the matter?”

“Zhao Xiaojun just called. He’s already contacted Li Qingxue as instructed. He said he followed her, and it looks like she’s heading toward our company,” Zhang Hui reported seriously.

“Hm.” Huo Xingjian responded indifferently, his expression unchanged.

“Also, Li An An has already been transferred to the rehab center. Everything that needed to be said to her was spoken last night.”

“Hm,” Huo Xingjian nodded without much enthusiasm. “Have those two people we prepared for her arranged to go over.”

Zhang Hui nodded, “I’ll take care of it.”

“Anything else?” Seeing that Zhang Hui had no intention of leaving, Huo Xingjian glanced at him and asked.

“Mr. Huo, do you… need any help from me?” Zhang Hui said cautiously, testing the waters. “How about you go home first? I’m worried Li Qingxue might be coming to find you. It would be bad if Mrs. Huo misunderstood.”

“There is actually something I need help with,” Huo Xingjian seemed to suddenly think of something, and his cold expression finally showed some change.

With a touch of helplessness and expectation, he asked, “How can I make a girl… like me?”

“Mr. Huo, do you have a new love interest?! That’s not good! If you do this, your wife will never forgive you!” Zhang Hui interrupted, looking at him with horror. “Mr. Huo, didn’t you say your wife is very important to you?”

“You… you…,” Zhang Hui stammered.

“Are you out of your mind!” Huo Xingjian snatched a tissue box from the table and threw it at Zhang Hui in frustration.

“I’m asking you, how can I make my wife change her attitude toward me? I want to make her happy!”

“Phew—!” Zhang Hui let out a long sigh of relief and grinned. “Mr. Huo, you scared me! I thought you’d gone back to your old ways... no! I mean, been deceived again!”

“I see you don’t want your bonus this month!” Huo Xingjian glared at him with a cold, threatening look.

“I want it! I want it!” Zhang Hui quickly nodded seriously. “Mr. Huo, I’ll help you figure out how to please Mrs. Huo! I guarantee your relationship with her will improve dramatically.”

“Zhang Hui, if you can’t do it, you won’t get your bonus for the entire year!” Huo Xingjian sneered.

Zhang Hui: “...!”

For his bonus, he had no choice but to help his boss win over his wife.

“Mr. Huo, the first step in pleasing your wife is to please Yu Shu.”

 Chapter 104: Li Qingxue is Threatened

The words "I was framed by my own sister to get into this situation" kept echoing in my mind.

"You don't believe me, do you?" The other person gave a bitter smile. "To be honest, I can't believe it either."

"My sister has always been so good to me. Ever since we were young, she always gave me the best of everything. Our parents passed away early, and the two of us relied on each other."

"I always thought that in this world, anyone might hurt me, but my sister would never. She would do anything to protect me. That is, until a man appeared."

"He’s my senior. I really liked him. He’s handsome, smart, and the dream guy of every girl at our school."

"I also fell for him at first sight! It took me two years to slowly get into his heart and make him accept me."

"Then, of course, I was so happy to introduce him to my sister. I wanted to share this joy with my only family, share my happiness."

"And then…"

The woman paused, falling silent. Her smile faded into helplessness and bitterness, and she even started crying softly.

"What happened then?" Li An An asked urgently.

It made her subconsciously think about her own relationship with Li Qingxue. When she liked Huo Xingjian, she had immediately told Li Qingxue.

Back then, even though Li Qingxue was a bit ambiguous with Huo Xingjian, her relationship with Huo Xinglang was still tangled.

No, her situation with Huo Xingjian couldn’t even be considered ambiguous. It had always been Li Qingxue who was teasing Huo Xingjian, leading him on, making him think she was interested in him, but due to his married status, she couldn’t express her feelings.

The other person took a deep breath and laughed self-deprecatingly. "And then my dear sister fell for him at first sight too! She secretly confessed to my boyfriend behind my back."

"That scumbag!" Li An An gritted her teeth. "If he was your boyfriend, why did he accept your sister’s confession?"

"He didn’t!" The other person denied it. "He rejected her. He just didn’t tell me to avoid affecting our sisterly bond."

"My sister, though, seized on that. Bitter and resentful, she set her sights on me."

"She thought my existence was the obstacle keeping her from being with my boyfriend. Only if I were gone, or my reputation ruined, would my boyfriend no longer want me."

"What did she do to you?" Li An An asked, her eyes filled with intense hatred.

The other person took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "She put drugs in my food, then found a man to set me up. That man filmed everything between us."

"Then he posted it online, on a website that specializes in such content. He told the police that we were working in this industry, making money by filming these kinds of videos."

"My life was ruined. I was expelled from school. My boyfriend broke up with me. Now, I’m here, my life destroyed."

Li An An sat motionless, like a wooden stake, her eyes vacant and unfocused, her mind blank.

What happened to her wasn’t exactly the same, but it was at least eighty percent similar.

She too had been filmed by that man and the video was posted on that same type of website, claiming they were partners in this business.

Could it be that the man who hurt her was part of the same gang as the one who hurt this woman? It’s even possible they’re the same person.

"Did you... take it?" Li An An snapped back to her senses and asked uncertainly, "Did you take it?"

The woman looked at her in confusion before realizing what she meant, shaking her head. "No, I didn’t take it. Why? Did you... take it?"

"I didn’t!" Li An An screamed, jumping up from the hard wooden bed, her face flushed. "I didn’t! I didn’t take it!"

"I really didn’t take it! I know the dangers of that stuff! How could I take it?! But I don’t know why my blood test came back positive!"

As she spoke, her back pressed tightly against the wall, her whole body sliding down helplessly.

Her face was ashen, and her eyes seemed empty, like a dead void.

The woman moved forward and hugged her, gently patting her back while softly comforting her. "It’s okay, it’s okay. You can quit, you can quit."

"Waah..." Li An An cried loudly on her shoulder.

In that moment, it felt like she had found someone who shared her pain, someone she could trust.

Here, the two of them clung to each other, comforting each other, and believing in one another.

Finally, after crying herself out, Li An An stopped.

"You say you didn’t take it, but your blood test came back positive. Have you considered that maybe someone secretly poisoned you?" After Li An An had calmed down, the woman said seriously.

"Only the people closest to you, the ones you trust the most, could do such a thing. Think about it. Who could want to harm you so badly?"

"Now, you’re not only involved in this scandal, but you’ve also taken drugs! Your life is completely ruined. Who in the world hates you this much to destroy you?"

"My life is completely ruined by my own sister."

"Your sister?" Li An An repeated the words, a deep hatred flashing in her eyes. She even ground her teeth, making a creaking sound.

Of course, who else could it be?

It had to be Li Qingxue. It was Li Qingxue who wanted her dead!

Now, with all these stains on her reputation, what hope did she have with Huo Xingjian?

Li Qingxue, you are truly vicious! Even your own sister isn’t safe from your harm!

You think that by ruining me, you can be with Huo Xingjian?

Ha! I won’t let you have it your way!

...

The next day, when Li Qingxue arrived at the detention center, she was told that Li An An had already been transferred to a drug rehabilitation center.

Hearing this, Li Qingxue was stunned, almost unable to believe her ears.

A drug rehab center? Li An An, she actually touched that stuff? Has she gone crazy? How could she dare to touch that?

If she was going to sink so low, then let her be. Li Qingxue decided to just pretend her sister didn't exist.

Huo Xinglang was right—Li An An's existence would only hold her back.

Let her stay in the rehab center and reflect on herself. Meanwhile, Li Qingxue could use this time to plan her next steps carefully.

A cold glint flashed in her eyes before she turned and left.

As soon as she got into her car and started to drive, her phone rang.

Seeing an unfamiliar number on the screen, she had no intention of answering.

She hung up immediately and started the car.

But to her surprise, the person called again, seemingly determined to keep calling if she didn’t pick up.

Annoyed, Li Qingxue frowned and answered the phone. "Hello..."

"Miss Li, do you think hanging up on me means you’re in the clear? If I tell Mr. Huo Xingjian about the things you’ve done, what do you think the consequences will be?"

A cold, threatening voice came through the phone. 

 Chapter 103: Beginning to Deal with the Li Sisters

At this moment, only the two of them were left in the break room.

Hmm, the "traitor" Huo Yushu had already fled.

[Huo Yushu, you traitor!]

Shen Cheng was so angry her teeth almost ground together, but all she could do was show an innocent, confused expression on her face.

Her beautiful eyes blinked as she looked at him. "Huh? Has... it ended? I... I forgot..."

"Yeah, right! I forgot. So much has happened recently, and when my mind gets busy, I forget things."

"My memory just... ran away from home. I couldn’t stop it!"

She then smiled with an expression as serene as a chrysanthemum, her eyes not even showing a trace of guilt.

Her sincere appearance completely looked like her memory really had just run away.

"Really? Your memory ran away from home?" Huo Xingjian still wore that enigmatic smile, his eyes intensely fixed on her.

Shen Cheng nodded without hesitation.

He leaned in a bit closer.

"What... what are you doing?" Shen Cheng asked, looking at him warily, instinctively leaning back.

They were very close now, with only a fist’s distance between their faces.

His warm breath brushed against her face.

It... was ticklish.

This was a familiar sensation. If she said she felt nothing, that would be impossible.

After all, this was the man she had chased after shamelessly for nine years.

But ever since they had become a couple, reason had overcome emotion.

She reached over to grab a magazine from the side table and held it between their faces.

Then, the man's low, incredibly pleased voice whispered in her ear, "So, Mrs. Huo likes it like this?"

Huh?!

What does "like this" mean?

Like what?

Shen Cheng quickly removed the magazine from between them, staring at him in confusion.

He took the magazine from her hand, opening it in front of her.

What the hell?!

Shen Cheng’s eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the image on the magazine, swallowing hard.

What was this?

In the photo, a man and a woman were embracing, both only wearing bikinis on the beach.

The man’s body was really incredible!

Oh, she admitted it, Huo Xingjian’s body was also amazing. It was as good as, if not better than, the model in the photo.

"If I said it was a coincidence, would you believe me?" Shen Cheng forced a dry smile, looking at him.

"Of course," he nodded. "As long as you say it, I believe it! Even if you asked me to take off my clothes and dress like the person in this photo, I’d do it."

"No need!" Shen Cheng immediately rejected. "Looking at the pictures is enough for me. I prefer the people in the pictures, not the real-life ones... Hmm..."

Before she could finish, his lips captured hers.

His long arm reached around her waist, pulling her tightly into his embrace, not giving her a single chance to resist or escape.

This kiss carried a bit of punishment but was gentle at the same time.

It felt as though she was his porcelain doll, and if he moved too roughly, she would break.

This kind of tender action was something Shen Cheng had never experienced before. There was even a hint of careful affection.

It was completely different from the cold, arrogant man she had known as Huo Xingjian in the past.

Shen Cheng felt somewhat... unsettled.

"Since Mrs. Huo's memory has run away, as your husband, I have the responsibility and obligation to help you get it back."

He gently kissed her lips, whispering in a low voice.

Shen Cheng felt her body growing weak and limp, her mind blank, and for a moment, she didn't know how to react.

She felt like a boneless, limp creature, falling into his arms.

Huo Xingjian was very pleased with this.

A faint, satisfied smile curved at the corner of his lips as he continued to coax her. "Mrs. Huo, has your runaway memory returned yet?"

Shen Cheng couldn’t remember the runaway memory at all; her mind felt like mush.

By the time she regained her senses, she realized she was sitting on his lap, her hands tightly wrapped around his neck, and they were gazing at each other.

In his eyes, she saw two little reflections of herself.

At this moment, Shen Cheng felt that there was more than just desire in his gaze. There was real affection for her.

This thought made her shiver.

[Shen Cheng, are you crazy? Thinking he has feelings for you?]

[Don’t forget how you died! He only has feelings for Li Qingxue. He’s the kind of man who would give up everything, even his entire fortune, for her.]

[Don’t let a little bit of affection here fool you!]

[Do you want to die again?]

Huo Xingjian: "..."

What more does he have to do for her to believe him? He has no feelings for Li Qingxue, not the nonsense she's imagining!

Shen Cheng snapped back to her senses and suddenly jumped off his lap, taking a few steps back to put distance between them. "No need!"

What she meant by "no need," she didn't know. She just couldn't let this man deceive her anymore.

"Shen Cheng..."

"I have things to do, I'm leaving now. Just take the sesame back." She interrupted him, not giving him a chance to speak, and quickly fled.

Watching her disappearing figure, Huo Xingjian sighed helplessly, his brows furrowing slightly.

The road to winning his wife back was incredibly long.

"Brother, where's Sister-in-law?" Huo Yushu cautiously poked her head in and asked, "Did you make her mad again?"

Huo Xingjian shot her a sharp look, scaring her to quickly retract her head. "I won’t ask, I won’t ask. The sesame's surgery is done, I'll take it home now."

The break room was left with only Huo Xingjian.

He crossed his arms, his chin resting in one hand, deep in thought.

After a long while, he took out his phone and dialed Zhang Hui's number.

"Mr. Huo," Zhang Hui answered quickly.

"Arrange for someone to get Li An An to make her spill the truth about Huo Xinglang and Li Qingxue's relationship," Huo Xingjian said coldly.

"Understood. I'll take care of it."

"And the family of the driver involved in the accident, have them come in. Get him to meet Li Qingxue."

"Yes."

...

Li An An had been sent to the detention center, and even though she requested to see Li Qingxue, her wish was not granted.

Lying on the hard, uncomfortable bed, she felt the coldness of the room around her.

She couldn’t sleep, her mind full of hatred.

She hated Li Qingxue for ignoring her at a time like this, for not caring about her.

She had promised their parents that she would take care of her, but she hadn’t done that at all.

Instead, she was busy living her own life, even competing with her for a man like Huo Xingjian, who was so extraordinary.

"Hey, what are you in here for?" The woman in the cell with her curiously asked. "I was framed by my own older sister."

Li An An suddenly looked at her.

 Chapter 102: "Mrs. Huo, Aren't You Going to Explain?"

Li An An was completely stunned.

Not only was she involved in a scandal, but had she also tested positive for drugs?

"It’s impossible! I never touched it! I never did anything like that! You’re framing me! I want to see my sister, I want to get a lawyer!" she shouted.

---

Dan Feng Yuan

Li Qingxue had not waited for Huo Xingjian, but instead received a lawyer’s letter from him.

The letter was very clear—she had to repay the medical expenses that Huo Xingjian had covered for her over the past two years within two months. Otherwise, legal action would be taken.

Reading the letter, Li Qingxue felt utterly lost. Her mind went blank.

How... how could this be?

She had called Huo Xingjian, and on the phone, he had promised to help her. How could this be happening?

"Li Qingxue, get out here!"

Outside, some of the homeowners who had nothing better to do were still lingering.

Li Qingxue felt a headache coming on.

She opened the door. "What do you want? What right do you have to tell me to leave? You're homeowners too, so am I!"

"Bah! You’re a homeowner? You’re no damn homeowner!"

"Did you think we hadn’t checked? This apartment doesn’t even belong to you!"

"Your sister’s in that dirty business, so you must be no better! Who knows if you’re just some man’s mistress!"

"Get out! People like you shouldn’t live in our community! You’ll dirty our neighborhood, ruin the atmosphere, and influence the kids!"

The people insulting her were all women.

Li Qingxue was beautiful, so naturally, they were worried about their men getting any ideas.

After all, men—nine out of ten—like to chase after other women. And the one who doesn’t, well, that's because there’s no opportunity.

Men are like cats; as soon as they smell fish, they instinctively pounce.

The situation escalated to the point where the property management got involved.

Naturally, they sided with their homeowners. Who would help an outsider who wasn't even an official homeowner?

Li Qingxue was stunned again, unable to believe what she was hearing.

But... wasn’t this apartment supposed to be a gift from Huo Xinglang? Wasn’t it supposed to be in her name?

How... how could it not be hers?

Then Huo Xinglang’s words echoed in her mind.

What did he say?

On the phone earlier, he had said that the apartment was his, and that she was only staying here because he pitied her and allowed her to temporarily live here to help her out.

At the time, her mind had been in turmoil, and she didn’t think much of it.

But now, thinking back...

Huo Xinglang, you’re so despicable! You’ve been lying to me all these years.

She had always believed they were in a real relationship, and even when they broke up, she thought it was because of unavoidable circumstances.

As a man, he needed to focus on his career, so she had willingly supported him.

But all this time, he was just using her.

After all these years together, he didn’t even give her this apartment!

A deep sense of hatred surged in Li Qingxue’s heart.

If she could, she would want to take Huo Xinglang down with her.

Her phone rang—it was the police station calling, saying that Li An An wanted to see her.

Just thinking about her troublesome sister, Li Qingxue felt even more angered.

Li An An was just a disaster waiting to happen.

She took a deep breath and agreed to meet Li An An tomorrow morning.

After all, she was too busy to go today.

"I’ve had enough of this. If you don’t get rid of this dirty woman, don’t expect us to pay the property fees anymore!"

"Yes, we feel the same! We would never want to live in the same community as such a dirty woman."

There were quite a few homeowners causing trouble, each one making their stance clear.

Li Qingxue knew full well that she had no right, nor the time, to argue with them.

Taking a deep breath, she compromised, "I understand. I will move out as soon as possible. My sister’s actions were indeed wrong, and she has brought shame to our community."

"Please give me some time; I need time to find a new place..."

"Two days! We’re giving you two days!" One of the homeowners interrupted her, looking unyielding.

Li Qingxue nodded. "Alright, I understand. I will move out within two days."

Back at home, Li Qingxue stood on the balcony, her entire demeanor dark and gloomy.

At this moment, she felt like a discarded, pitiful dog. No one cared about how she felt, no one was concerned for her.

It shouldn’t be like this. She should be the one receiving adoration from all sides.

Huo Xingjian should have been the one watching her, his eyes filled with nothing but her.

The Huo family, except for that old fool Wen Runan, all loved her dearly.

Wen Yintong considered her the most suitable daughter-in-law and was hoping for Huo Xingjian to divorce Shen Cheng and marry her.

Huo Yushu treated her like a future sister-in-law and constantly tried to please her.

Even Huo Yunshan was particularly fond of her, considering her almost like a daughter.

Her relationship with Huo Xingjian's brother, Huo Xinglang, was also very amicable.

But why had everything suddenly changed?

If only she hadn’t listened to Huo Xinglang and had continued to play dumb after waking up.

If she had done that, she would have long since defeated Shen Cheng and been with Huo Xingjian.

Shen Cheng! Shen Cheng!

Li Qingxue gritted her teeth, hating Shen Cheng's name.

I won’t let you off. One day, I will make you feel the same kind of humiliation I’m suffering now.

"Ah-choo!"

At the pet hospital, while waiting for a sterilization surgery, Shen Cheng suddenly sneezed.

"What’s wrong?" Huo Xingjian asked, looking at her with concern. "Is the air conditioning too cold?"

"No... it’s not," Shen Cheng denied.

He had already taken off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Put this on. You’re on your period these days; don’t catch a cold."

Shen Cheng: "..."

Uh…

She… wasn’t actually on her period!

"Sister-in-law, are you on your period?" Huo Yushu asked, looking at her with confusion. "I remember your period just ended a few days ago. How can it be here again?"

"Sister-in-law, don’t tell me you’re all messed up because my brother made you angry?"

With that, she glared at Huo Xingjian angrily, "Brother, look at what you’ve done! You made my sister-in-law so upset that her period got messed up! She only finished last week!"

"It hasn’t even been a week, and it’s back! Brother, you’re just horrible! What did you do wrong to make her this upset?"

Shen Cheng: "..."

[Can you please stop talking? You really don’t need to tell him everything about me in such detail!]

[It’s not messed up! I’m just pretending, so he doesn’t get any advantage!]

Huo Yushu: "..."

So, did she inadvertently make things worse?

She swallowed nervously and quickly turned away, her face flushed with guilt. "I’ll go check on the sesame seed’s surgery. Brother, you two should have a good talk!"

"Make sure your attitude is better. Apologize to my sister-in-law! She’s very reasonable and won’t hold a grudge against you!"

After saying that, she quickly ran off.

"Finished last week? Made angry? Messed up? Hmm?" He looked at her with a half-smile, his tone carrying a hint of threat. "Mrs. Huo, aren’t you going to explain?"

 Chapter 101: Should We Get Him Neutered?

Shen Cheng entered the house with Marshall trotting behind her.

“Hey, Marshall, when are you going to go into heat?” She crouched down, tugging at Marshall’s floppy dog ears as she spoke with great seriousness. “Listen, even though you’re just a dog, you need to have some dignity!”

“Don’t go jumping on every female dog you see! You’ve got to have standards! You can’t just accept anyone, okay?”

“What if that female dog already has another male? Then you’d be the third wheel! Do you understand that?”

Huo Xingjian: “…”

I suspect you’re hinting at me, but I have no proof.  

“Marshall, maybe we should get you neutered,” Shen Cheng suggested cheerfully. “That way, even if you do end up as the third wheel, what if one day the female dog you fancy comes back and says, ‘Oh no, I’m pregnant with your puppies!’”

“Well, then you’d have solid proof to refute it, right? No green hats for you! You’re a dog, but you’ve got to live with pride. A green hat? That’s not happening.”

[Scumbag man, you think I can’t roast you?!]  

Scumbag man Huo Xingjian felt his temples throbbing violently.

Having a wife with such wild imagination and a knack for jumping to conclusions—he couldn’t tell if it was a blessing or a curse.

Madam Wen directly kicked him in the rear. “You dare try stepping out that door?!”

The old man glared daggers at him. Do you believe I won’t have you dragged out and neutered? No, better yet, castrated!  

Neutering wouldn’t affect that, but castration? It would be the end of that.

Huo Yushu chimed in, “Sister-in-law, why wait? Let’s take Marshall for the procedure right now.”

She threw a threatening glance at Huo Xingjian.

The message was crystal clear: Go see Li Qingxue, and I’ll team up with Grandpa against you.  

“Honey, where are you going?” Shen Cheng suddenly asked with an innocent, wide-eyed expression, as if she’d only just heard him. “If it’s something urgent for the company, you should go. After all, they rely on you to keep everything running!”

“I’m not busy. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here with you,” Huo Xingjian replied warmly.

“How can that be? You manage such a big company. You can’t just slack off! You’ve got to be responsible for your employees!” Her beautiful eyes sparkled with an almost angelic purity.

“The company has layers of management. If they can’t handle minor issues, what’s the point of their high salaries?” Huo Xingjian walked over to her, a faint, meaningful smile tugging at his lips. He reached out to tug Marshall’s ear. “I think taking you to get him neutered is far more important.”

“We can’t have him being reckless. After all, he is a purebred.”

Shen Cheng felt there was a deeper meaning behind his last sentence, but she couldn’t quite grasp it at the moment.

“Marshall, let’s go! Get in the car yourself!” Huo Xingjian commanded.

Since Nuomi and Tangyuan were female dogs, they didn’t need neutering.

Shen Cheng stared blankly at Marshall obediently trotting toward the car.

[Not meeting Li Qingxue anymore? Or is he planning to sneak off while taking Marshall for the procedure?]  

[Oh, it must be that! There’s no way this scumbag man can truly ignore Li Qingxue!  

Fine, I’ll play along! I’ll give you the perfect opportunity. And then I’ll file for divorce! Once I catch you cheating, you’ll have no choice but to agree! If you won’t give me the money willingly, I’ll make you!  

Huo Xingjian helplessly rubbed his forehead.

His wife was adamant about divorcing him. What should he do? Waiting for advice, urgently.

Huo Yushu gave him a sympathetic glance. Good luck, buddy! You brought this on yourself!

Of course, Huo Yushu went along as well.

With some free time, she was casually scrolling through her phone.

“Ah!” Huo Yushu suddenly exclaimed from the back seat, causing Shen Cheng to quickly turn her head. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

Huo Yushu handed the phone to her. “Sister-in-law, uh... Li An An’s trending on Weibo. She... she’s involved in a scandal.”

What?!

Shen Cheng gasped.

She grabbed the phone and saw it for herself.

Li An An was on the trending list, and... she was involved in the adult industry.

She had been filming explicit videos, and the click-through rate was incredibly high.

Oh no! It was already taken down, but netizens were still talking about it.

They had exposed everything, including her personal information.

Even her current address had been revealed. Attached was a picture of Li Qingxue, looking like a frightened little rabbit—nervously and helplessly, a picture full of pity.

Then another photo appeared: Li An An being escorted by the police.

Oh my god!

Li An An had been arrested?

Instinctively, Shen Cheng looked up at Huo Xingjian, who was driving.

A thought flashed through her mind, but it was so fleeting that she couldn’t grasp it.

“What are you looking at me for?” Huo Xingjian glanced at her briefly, his expression confused. “This has nothing to do with me. Don’t go blaming me for it.”

“Huo Xingjian, Li Qingxue’s sister, the one who calls you Xingjian ge, got arrested. You... aren’t you going to help her?” Shen Cheng asked sarcastically.

Huo Xingjian turned his head and looked at her meaningfully before continuing to drive steadily. “Mrs. Huo, first of all, her sister isn’t my responsibility. I’ll take care of my wife and my sister. That’s it.”

“Second, my wife is jealous, so I need to comfort her.”

“Yue!” Shen Cheng made a gagging motion. “I don’t like that sour, tangy thing. I don’t want it.”

“Then what do you like? I’ll prepare it for you,” he said, looking at her with a doting expression.

“I like money! I like houses, I like gold, and anything related to money! Prepare more of that,” Shen Cheng said without hesitation.

“Sure,” Huo Xingjian replied leisurely. “I’ve told you, if we don’t divorce, everything I have is yours. Whatever you want, just take it.”

Shen Cheng took a deep breath and forced out a dry laugh.

“Can you two at least have some consideration for me? Can’t you spare a thought for my feelings as a single dog? Do you have to feed me dog food so openly?” Huo Yushu huffed, frustrated.

“If you’re envious, find yourself someone. If you have the guts, feed us dog food,” Huo Xingjian sneered.

Huo Yushu: “…”

As expected, her brother was unreliable. It was her sister-in-law who cared for her.

...

At the police station

Li An An was arrested for her involvement in the adult industry.

Of course, she denied everything.

“I didn’t! I was set up! I want to see Huo Xingjian! Do you even know who I am? I’m Huo Xingjian’s friend! How dare you slander me like this? I’ll sue you!”

She threatened arrogantly.

“We have witnesses and physical evidence. Even if you claim to be Huo Xingjian’s father’s friend, it won’t help. No one can save you!”

At that moment, someone entered the room.

“Li An An’s blood test results came back. They’re positive.”