Ch. 401..410
Chapter 401: Listen to the Wife A week later.
The Mo Family Estate was visited by many strange and unusual people.
Qiao Ruoxin stood on the terrace, watching car after car drive in, heading towards the estate’s conference hall.
She couldn’t help feeling puzzled. What the hell was going on?
Uncle Mo and Mrs. Mo had gone abroad, after all, they were people who needed to manage myriad affairs, with numerous business matters to attend to.
And what was Mo Chen doing bringing so many people here? Having a meeting?
At that moment, a maid happened to come up to serve her afternoon tea.
“Miss Qiao, your afternoon tea and dessert.”
Qiao Ruoxin asked, “Do you know who those people in the cars are? What are they going to do in the conference hall?”
The maid replied, “I’m not very clear about that, but I heard these are people summoned by Master Mo, from both domestic and international locations, seemingly all highly skilled.”
???
What’s going on?
Qiao Ruoxin decided to see what this damn man was up to.
Half an hour later, she evaded the eyes of the servants, and sneaked out of the villa to the estate.
The Mo Family Estate was vast, and from upstairs one could see the layout clearly. But once on the lawn, she instantly lost her sense of direction.
“Which way is the meeting room…”
Confused about the direction, she relied on her memory to head towards the conference hall.
The Mo Family Estate had built a large conference hall with top-notch secrecy measures. Some of the group’s confidential and important meetings were held there.
Qiao Ruoxin had just walked near the conference hall when she saw another car park there. A blond, blue-eyed foreigner got out, dressed very gentlemanly, with a certain air of mystery.
She tiptoed into the conference hall and searched several meeting rooms, finding that the door to the most secluded one was tightly shut.
She approached the door, pressed her face to it, trying to hear what was being said inside, but could not hear a sound.
Their security measures were truly remarkable.
Qiao Ruoxin muttered to herself, “What in the world are they doing in there…”
Suddenly, the voice of Xiaowu came from behind, “Miss Qiao.”
“Ah!”
Startled, she turned around sharply and, after seeing Xiaowu, breathed a sigh of relief.
“Xiaowu, how come you and Mo Chen are alike now, walking without making a sound? You scared me.”
Xiaowu said, “Miss Qiao, you mustn’t get scared like this. I’ll be careful in the future.”
If Xiaowu scared Qiao Ruoxin into any harm, he feared that Master Mo would skint him alive.
Qiao Ruoxin calmed her nerves and asked again, “Tell me, what is Mo Chen doing inside? Why has he gathered so many people, including several foreigners? What does he actually want to do?”
Xiaowu said gravely, “Miss Qiao, there are experts in every field. So we’ve rushed to gather well-known private detectives from around the world. We’re aiming to solve the ten-year-old case of the girl’s fall from a building, as the online public opinion is unfavorable to Master Mo. After all, Master Mo will be the future head of the Mo Family, and these matters could easily become ammunition for others.”
She nodded, so they were private detectives.
Although Mo Chen seemed indifferent on the surface, he probably also disliked being misunderstood.
…
Inside the meeting room.
Mo Chen wore a black shirt with two buttons undone, sleeves rolled up, and on his wrist was the customized watch that Qiao Ruoxin had given him. His expression was cold and detached.
The long conference table on both sides was filled with people from various countries, none of whom looked quite normal.
Mo Chen glanced to his left, then to his right, observing these so-called famous private detectives. He wanted to see what kind of abilities they possessed.
The man leaned back and said in a deep voice, “The information is already in front of you. I need you to solve this case within a week and find the real murderer. The reward is two hundred million.”
Two hundred million?
All the detectives present showed a hint of eagerness when they heard this figure.
“Master Mo, who do you intend to assign to crack this case?”
Mo Chen let out a disdainful cold laugh, “This case has nothing to do with me, nor are there any secrets to keep. I want all of you to work on it simultaneously. Whoever finds the true culprit first will receive the two hundred million reward. Remember, I need solid proof, not your theories, which won’t hold up in a court of law.”
Everyone’s expression became complicated as they carefully studied the materials in front of them.
Whispers filled the conference room.
“That two hundred million isn’t going to be easy to earn, eh? We have to work on it at the same time within a week. There are bound to be many obstacles.”
“The information shows that Master Mo indeed went to the scene on the night the crime occurred, making him one of the suspects.”
“But he went there half an hour after the crime happened.”
“Looking at this autopsy report and the photos of the body at the scene, it seems like multiple assailants were involved before the victim leaped to their death. There’s likely more than one perpetrator.”
“If it involves government officials’ kids or tycoons’ kids, that could be very troublesome.”
“The main issue is the length of time. That hotel has been renovated several times since, probably nothing left to find.”
Mo Chen watched this group of people, their noise giving him a headache.
His slender fingers pressed against his forehead as he closed his eyes. Could he really count on these people to solve the case?
Damn it!
A bunch of incompetents!
The next second, the man stood up abruptly, leaving the meeting room with an air of hostility.
The remaining private detectives looked at each other, puzzled. What did that mean? Why did he leave in a huff?
“Hey, what does this mean? Why did Master Mo leave?”
“I’ve heard that Master Mo has a temper, and now I’ve seen it firsthand. He must be wishing we could find the murderer instantly.”
“Plus, he’s only giving us a week for a case that’s ten years old. Is one week really enough?”
At that moment, Xiaowu entered the conference room and announced to the detectives, “Ladies and gentlemen, the clock is ticking. For the sake of the reward, and your reputation, please take action immediately.”
After exchanging looks, the detectives all stood up, took the information from the table, and left the meeting room one after another.
If they could help Mo Chen clear up this case, it would also be good for their reputation.
…
Mo Chen left the conference hall but immediately noticed Qiao Ruoxin standing there.
He stopped in his tracks, looking at the Little Ghost before him with a gentle and clear gaze.
The man’s pitch-black eyes flickered with surprise, then he approached her, “Why are you here?”
“I came to see you. Why did you come out so quickly? I thought you were going to be in there for at least a few hours.”
Mo Chen pulled her into his arms, embracing her soft body, “A bunch of useless people.”
“Don’t worry, private detectives need time to solve cases, especially one that’s ten years old. It won’t be that quick,” she gently patted the man’s back.
The man snorted with laughter, burying his head in her shoulder, “Mhm, I’ll listen to my wife.”
Chapter 402: Husband… This call of “wife” made Qiao Ruoxin feel warm inside.
Her lips unconsciously curved upward, “That’s more like it. Now that you have a wife, you can share your troubles with me, right?”
Mo Chen laughed out loud, holding her tighter, “Okay.”
“Do you have time now, my dear husband? Can you accompany your wife and child for a walk?” she teased, aiming to lighten the mood.
The man let go of her, his long fingers gently brushed her nose, “Of course, I have time to accompany my wife and child. Let’s go.”
He held Qiao Ruoxin’s hand, frowning, “Why are your hands still so cold?”
“Born this way, nothing I can do…” she said somewhat helplessly, then leaned her head on the man’s shoulder.
The two of them walked in the estate, their tall and short shadows stretching long, which was somehow romantic.
Suddenly, a man approached, seemingly one of the private detectives.
“Mr. Mo, there’s one thing I’d like to ask you about.”
As Mo Chen held Qiao Ruoxin’s hand, he responded, “Hmm?”
“May I ask, what was the reason for your visit to the hotel crime scene room?”
Mo Chen answered truthfully, “Someone lured me there, I didn’t know beforehand, and by the time I arrived at the scene, it had already been half an hour after the incident.”
Qiao Ruoxin had been staring at the man, feeling he was very familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
Where had she seen him?
She couldn’t for the life of her remember.
Mo Chen noticed her gaze as well and had tolerated it for five seconds. He hadn’t expected this Little Ghost to still be staring at the man.
His expression became increasingly ugly.
Suddenly, he pulled Qiao Ruoxin into his arms and whispered fiercely in her ear, “Little Ghost, do you want me to gouge out those eyeballs of yours!”
Qiao Ruoxin snapped back to reality, forgetting she had this extremely possessive Mr. Mo by her side.
She laughed awkwardly, “I just thought this gentleman looked familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere before, but I can’t remember where.”
Mo Chen’s voice turned chilly, “Is that so? Have you seen quite a few men in these two years?”
He had always wondered how many men this Little Ghost had met in the past two years. She had always been under his protection then, isolated from any contact with men.
And during those vanished two years, without his control, just how many men did she actually meet?
The private detective couldn’t help but speak up, “Qiao Ruoxin, so you do remember me. I thought you had long forgotten who I was.”
Mo Chen’s brows knitted together, and his handsome face tensed, the hostility emanating from him growing heavier.
Qiao Ruoxin also sensed the man by her side’s displeasure. She clung to his arm and, smiling, said to the man, “I can’t quite recall. Could you introduce yourself?”
She thought she might have had a brief encounter with this private detective in the past.
But what the private detective said next made the atmosphere even more awkward.
Mo Chen looked down at the Little Ghost’s brow and eyes, delicate and pretty. Even though she was now pregnant, she still exuded a girlish charm.
The private detective smiled, “We were middle school classmates, don’t you remember? I was your desk mate and even wrote you love letters. Of course, you never accepted them. After you got into the film academy, I still tried to pursue you, but you never looked my way. Later, I heard you became Mr. Mo’s girlfriend, with on and off again relationship, but here you are together again.”
This recounting drew a cold sneer from Mo Chen, his laughter somewhat sinister and eerie.
“You sure are popular with the men,” Mo Chen said with a tone that sent shivers down the spine.
Qiao Ruoxin’s face was racked with embarrassment. She wished she had not asked. It was so awkward, and she suspected that Mo Chen would probably get jealous again.
“Then… I’ll be on my way. Oh, and by the way, I wish you happiness,” the private detective said tactfully before turning to leave swiftly.
She was left to face Lord Mo’s terrifying gaze…
“Brother Mo Chen, that’s all in the past. I’ve forgotten about it a long time ago.”
“Really? Didn’t you think he looked familiar? Proves you still have some impression.”
Mo Chen spoke lightly, but every word was tinged with resentment.
He didn’t continue the walk with her but instead took her back to the villa and ascended to the bedroom using the indoor elevator.
Unable to hold back, Qiao Ruoxin spoke up, “I just thought that person looked familiar, not the memories. Can you not be angry, please?”
Mo Chen picked up a cigarette and held it between his lips, intending to light it with a lighter, but his gaze fell on her abdomen.
Then he threw the cigarette into the ashtray, set the lighter down, and sat on the single-seat sofa, cursing under his breath, “Fuck…”
He wanted to smoke when he was agitated, but now that Little Ghost was pregnant, he also wanted to quit smoking, but…
Qiao Ruoxin walked over and sat in his lap, lifting his hand and placing it on her belly: “Brother Mo Chen, I’m pregnant. Please don’t be mad for the sake of our two babies, okay?”
Mo Chen’s dark pupils flickered slightly as he lowered his gaze to her abdomen.
“I know, but I can’t control myself.”
He was obsessively convinced that Qiao Ruoxin had been in contact with quite a few men during the two years out of his sight.
Obsessively convinced that he held an unimportant place in Qiao Ruoxin’s heart.
Qiao Ruoxin was aware of his pathological obsessiveness, his emotional instability.
She wrapped her arms around the man’s neck and whispered in his ear, “Husband…”
She could distinctly feel Mo Chen’s body stiffening. Indeed, this was the first time she had called him ‘husband’ so earnestly.
Mo Chen chuckled in pleasure, his voice deep and languid, “Say it again, darling.”
“Husband, is that okay? Are you still mad?”
“Hmm, sounds good.”
“…” Is a title that important?
Mo Chen looked down at her: “Little Ghost, how many men did you come across in the past two years?”
He wanted to know about every single day of Qiao Ruoxin’s past two years.
After all, throughout those years, he had always had bodyguards secretly protecting Qiao Ruoxin. In essence, she had grown up under his surveillance.
But those missing two years made him feel a sense of confusion for the first time.
Qiao Ruoxin shook her head: “Really, there weren’t any. I was often locked up in the estate. They only took me out to attend dinners occasionally and brought me home immediately after they ended. I didn’t have many opportunities to meet men. They just wanted to matchmake me with Simon and wouldn’t let me meet other men.”
The mention of Simon aroused an urge in Mo Chen to kill that scum.
He had taken away two whole years of their beautiful time together and even drove Little Ghost to attempt suicide once.
“In those two years, didn’t your heart ever flutter for that trash?” Mo Chen asked insistently, unable to accept even the slightest bit of affection for him.
Qiao Ruoxin shook her head: “Never, not even once.”
Mo Chen received the answer he wanted and kissed her lips softly: “Good, you can only be mine.”
Chapter 403: A Kick to the Man’s Weak Spot “Nonsense, now that you’re my legal wife, you have no choice but to want me, not to mention we have a pair of twins on the way.”
Her slender fingers pinched the man’s earlobe, her voice soft and coquettish, as if she were being flirtatious.
The man chuckled, “So you’re saying, you’re clinging to me now?”
She laughed lightly and, without a word, leaned in to initiate a kiss on the man’s lips.
Mo Chen’s lips curved into a smile, his large hand grasping her waist while his other hand cradled the back of her head, deepening the kiss into a passionate one, so earnest, so lingering.
…
The next day, early morning.
Mo Chen was still the first to open his eyes, gazing at the woman sleeping soundly next to him.
The gloom in his eyes slowly dissipated as he watched Qiao Ruoxin for a while, then he bowed his head to kiss her forehead and got out of bed to leave.
The sleeping Qiao Ruoxin was still dreaming.
In her dream, she saw Mo Chen had actually committed murder, his white shirt stained with blood everywhere, a young girl lying in a pool of blood on the ground.
She desperately tried to stop Mo Chen, but she couldn’t move at all.
“No… no… Mo Chen, bro, calm down, please don’t!!!”
Suddenly!
Awakened from her dream, Qiao Ruoxin abruptly opened her eyes, staring fixedly at the crystal chandelier above, gasping for air.
A layer of cold sweat formed on her forehead.
As her breathing gradually steadied, her emotions also calmed down.
It was just a dream, but the dream was so vivid, so real it was frightening.
Thank goodness, the dream was over.
Qiao Ruoxin slowly sat up, pushed her hair back, and took a deep breath.
The bedroom door opened, and the maid came in: “Miss Qiao, it’s time for you to go down for breakfast.”
“Hmm…”
As she lifted the covers to get out of bed, the maid came over and was taken aback by her pale complexion: “Are you alright? Your face looks so bad. Should we call a doctor to see you?”
Now Qiao Ruoxin was a top priority for the Mo Family, everyone had to put her safety first. If anything went wrong, no one would bear the responsibility.
“It’s nothing, just a dream.”
“Alright, Mr. Mo said you’ve stopped all work recently, and if you’re bored this afternoon, you could walk around the estate or go out.”
Qiao Ruoxin thought for a moment—it was boring to stay inside the estate all day, maybe going out would be better.
“This afternoon, I’d like to go shopping at the maternity store.”
Since she was idle, it was a good time to prepare some little clothes and shoes for the two babies.
…
That afternoon.
Qiao Ruoxin left the house with three cars surrounding and protecting her, ensuring her absolute safety.
Upon arriving at the shopping mall, she entered a maternity and baby store.
Looking at all the adorable little clothes and shoes, her face lit up with a smile.
She wondered whether the babies in her belly were going to be boys or girls.
The maid also smiled and said, “Miss Qiao, this [outfit] looks so lovely, the babies will look adorable in it.”
“Yes, really cute.”
Suddenly, a ruffian-like voice of a man broke in, “Looks like we’re pregnant here, aren’t we? Why else would we be visiting a maternity and baby store?”
Qiao Ruoxin’s smile froze at the corner of her mouth. She looked up, facing the man in front of her with a baffled expression, completely unacquainted.
The man chuckled, “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. You probably don’t recognize me. I’m acquainted with your Mo family’s Mo Chen; my name is Li Yi.”
Li Yi reached out his hand to her as if to shake hands.
Qiao Ruoxin replied with a slight smile, “There’s no need for a handshake. I suppose you’re not that close to Mo Chen, otherwise, I would have met you before.”
Li Yi laughed out loud, “That’s true. I did want to befriend your Mo family’s Mo Chen, but our personalities just clash too much. We used to fight non-stop as kids and became even more incompatible as we grew up.”
“Is there something you want from me?”
She had a feeling that Li Yi’s appearance wasn’t coincidental.
“I would like Princess Qiao to pass on a message for me. Tell your Mo family’s Mo Chen that it’s best not to dig up old, trivial matters. It’s not good for anyone.”
Qiao Ruoxin frowned, “Are you speaking human language? I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
Li Yi’s gaze swept her from head to toe, his tone ambiguous, “Kid, you’re still as arrogant as before. Honestly, you should thank that girl who fell from the building ten years ago because without her, you might have been the one dead.”
“…”
This statement sent chills down Qiao Ruoxin’s spine. She let out a cold laugh, “What do you mean? I was only about eleven years old ten years ago, do I know you?”
The more she saw of Li Yi, the more repulsive he became, invoking a visceral sense of nausea.
Li Yi stepped forward as the maid tried to protect Qiao Ruoxin, “What are you doing! Don’t come near Miss Qiao!”
“Get lost! I’m just talking to our Princess Qiao, what’s it to you?” Li Yi shoved the maid to the ground.
The other customers and staff in the store were frightened but didn’t dare to say anything.
After all, this was the son of the Li Family, Li Yi, whose power and influence were overwhelming. His family was in politics, and Li Yi’s father appeared in the news almost every day.
Qiao Ruoxin’s face was icily calm. She glanced outside the store. Why hadn’t her bodyguards come in yet?
“Don’t bother looking. Your bodyguards have been tied up by mine, exchanging blows.” Li Yi said leisurely.
She stared at the hoodlum in front of her, “What exactly do you want to say?”
Li Yi said, “Xinxin, you’ve really become more beautiful than when you were a child. It’s a pity though, fancying someone as hot-tempered as Mo Chen. Is he good to you? How about you abort the child and follow me instead? I won’t despise you.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s delicate face turned extremely cold, “I’ll give you a chance to take back that sentence.”
Li Yi replied, “Take it back? When I, Li Yi, say something, I never take it back. Unless, of course, you beg me, Xinxin?”
Xinxin?
Disgusting!
Qiao Ruoxin suddenly curled up the corners of her mouth in a smile and beckoned Li Yi over with a delicate finger, “Young Master Li, come a little closer.”
Li Yi raised an eyebrow, not expecting the girl to bite so quickly?
If he could snatch away Mo Chen’s beloved woman just like that, it would indeed be quite an achievement.
“Xinxin, you’re quite cooperative. What’s so great about being with Mo Chen? With his fiery temper, does he even know how to spell ‘gentle’? Tell me, how did you go blind back then, just by staring at faces, right?”
Li Yi approached Qiao Ruoxin and looked down at the proud little girl. Her eyes were as bright and captivating as they were in her childhood.
Qiao Ruoxin’s lips curved up ever so slightly, then suddenly, her lovely face showed a ferocious resolve and she kicked the man’s groin with precision.
Li Yi’s eyes went wide, his face turned deathly pale. He froze for a second, maintaining his posture, then let out a scream and staggered back several steps.
“Qiao Ruoxin! Are you fucking asking to die?”
The smile on Qiao Ruoxin’s lips grew thicker; she tossed her long, curly hair back and spoke with arrogance and disdain, “Xinxin is not a name you can call, is it?”
With that, she didn’t give Li Yi another glance and turned to walk towards the exit of the store.
Chapter 404: He and I Are Only Suited to Be Enemies Li Yi leaned against the wall, doubled over with his hands covering his crotch, face pale as if he was about to die.
The next second, Li Yi collapsed onto the floor, curling up into a ball and unable to control himself, he let out a cry of agony.
…
Outside the shop.
Qiao Ruoxin walked out about ten meters away with a disgruntled face, while the maid behind her hurriedly followed with small, quick steps.
“Miss Qiao, are you alright!”
The maid had been watching the whole scene, thinking Qiao Ruoxin was really going to betray Master Mo and throw herself into Li Yi’s arms. She didn’t expect Qiao Ruoxin to be so fierce…
She kicked Li Yi directly, knowing it was the most fragile part of a man.
The maid saw Qiao Ruoxin use all her strength in that kick, and now Li Yi was probably in agonizing pain.
Qiao Ruoxin stopped walking, looked down, and touched her abdomen: “Baby, I’m sorry you two had to see such a disgusting man.”
But… what did Li Yi mean by his words?
What did he mean by saying she should be grateful for that girl who fell from the building ten years ago? Otherwise, she would be the one who died?
What does this have to do with her?
The maid approached cautiously and asked, “Miss Qiao, will you continue shopping?”
“Not in the mood anymore, let’s go home.”
“Alright.”
After leaving the shopping plaza, Qiao Ruoxin got into the car. The bodyguard looked at her apologetically, as if afraid she would blow up at any moment, but she never lost her temper.
She just sat in the back seat of the car, picking up her phone to look up news about the girl’s fall from the building that year.
The news said that the girl who fell was only 18 years old…
Damn!
What a bunch of scumbags!
Even if Li Yi wasn’t the murderer in that case, he must have been one of them, or why would he be so flustered?
Qiao Ruoxin remembered that when she was eleven or twelve, she didn’t know Li Yi at all. As for the meaning of Li Yi’s words?
…
In the evening.
Mo Chen exploded with rage the moment he received the bodyguard’s phone report, standing up abruptly and leaving the conference hall.
The remaining people in the conference room looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.
He drove back to the Mo Family Estate alone.
At this moment, Qiao Ruoxin was alone in her bedroom, having just come out of a bath. She wore a bathrobe, with a faint scent of shower gel on her body. Her long hair was pinned up, a few loose strands falling over her fair, swan-like neck.
With a ‘snap’, the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, making a loud noise.
It startled her.
Qiao Ruoxin turned around, saw the fury on Master Mo’s face as he took a few long strides to approach her, and after he thoroughly checked that she was unharmed, his expression softened a little.
“Mo Chen, what’s wrong?”
“Did Li Yi look for you?” His voice was low and serious, tinged with displeasure.
She nodded, “Yeah, he insulted me, so I kicked him.”
Mo Chen immediately got angry: “Don’t you know you’re pregnant now?”
“I’m fine, it’s not that serious…” She could already feel the tension in the air.
He stared at her for a while, then pulled her into his arms, and said in a deep voice, “I’m sorry, I didn’t protect you well enough.”
Qiao Ruoxin didn’t know how to react for a moment, and lifted her arms to embrace the man’s tall body.
“It’s not your fault, I shouldn’t have gone shopping…”
“Starting from tomorrow, I’ll have Xiaowu follow you.”
Xiaowu? That was Mo Chen’s personal bodyguard, practically invincible at his side, capable of doing anything.
Protecting her seemed like overkill.
“No need, no need, I’ll just stay home and take care of myself, I won’t go out randomly anymore, unless you take me out, okay?”
Mo Chen let go of her and looked down, pressing his forehead against hers: “Good…”
She knew that lately Grandpa Mo was especially busy, with a pile of company issues and also having to solve such old cases, she didn’t want to add to Mo Chen’s burden.
Suddenly, the man’s phone began to vibrate.
Mo Chen looked at the phone, his handsome face instantly turned cold, and he answered the call: “Uncle Li.”
From the phone came the furious roar of a middle-aged man: “Mo Chen! For the sake of the friendship with your father, you hand over that woman to me, and I’ll let this go.”
Mo Chen glanced at Qiao Ruoxin: “Are you talking about my woman?”
“Yes! The woman you found! I just attended your engagement banquet, and your woman injured my son like this, if my son ends up crippled, I won’t let it go with the Mo Family!”
He let out a disdainful sneer: “Crippled is just crippled, a thing that fails to achieve successes and causes troubles, why keep him just to lose face for you?”
“You! What are you saying! Is this how the Mo Family taught you!”
Mo Chen moved his neck and sat on the bed end stool, embracing Qiao Ruoxin in his arms, speaking unhurriedly and with a deep voice: “It’s well known I have a bad temper. He dared to provoke my woman, he should’ve imagined what would happen. To be frank with you, this is letting him off easy. If I had been there, I wouldn’t have given him the chance to go to the hospital.”
After saying that, he hung up the phone, not giving the other party a chance to retort.
Qiao Ruoxin watched the entire phone call in a daze.
Grandpa Mo was truly handsome in a new way, explosively so.
But…
“Mo Chen, won’t you face any consequences for talking to Li Yi’s father like that?”
The man scoffed and replied: “What consequences could there be?”
“The Li Family’s background seems very powerful…”
“Little Ghost, do you know how many members of the Mo Family are in politics? The Li Family is nothing!” The man’s eyes and tone were full of contempt.
“…”
She truly didn’t know how many members of the Mo Family there were.
But she only knew that according to rumors, the combined wealth of the Mo Family could rival a country,
However, from the way Mo Chen spoke on the phone just now, it was clear that Grandpa Mo simply didn’t regard the Li Family at all.
“Mo Chen, were you friends with Li Yi before?”
Mo Chen’s eyes filled with disdain, he hugged her waist and slowly said: “Played together for a few days when we were kids, but we had different ambitions and paths, not kinds of people.”
“Why do I feel like you two are so similar, both with bad tempers, you should get along well, right?” She teased him on purpose.
Mo Chen glared at her angrily: “Are you comparing me with that scum who spied on the maids bathing at age 11?”
“… ”
Qiao Ruoxin thought about how trashy Li Yi was, but she didn’t expect him to be so trashy from such a young age, utterly disgusting.
“So, is that why you didn’t want to be friends with him?”
Mo Chen: “He and I are only fit to be enemies.”
“What do you mean?”
Mo Chen grabbed her chin, his expression serious, word by word he said: “Li Yi got a female classmate pregnant and then blamed me, understand?”
Damn!
Indeed, they were only fit to be enemies.
Qiao Ruoxin had a sudden revelation: “I have a bold idea, could the case of the girl’s fall ten years ago have been done by Li Yi too, but he deliberately blamed it on you?”
After all, Li Yi had prior offenses.
Chapter 405: At such a young age, harboring filthy thoughts, you should be yearning for love Mo Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, “Eight or nine out of ten.”
“What can be done then? It’s already been ten years, evidence won’t be easy to find now. With public opinion being so uproarious, they can’t let you take the fall forever, right?”
The man let out a snort of laughter, “Little Ghost, I can handle this kind of thing, you just focus on taking care of the baby.”
“Um, I understand,” Qiao Ruoxin replied.
Mo Chen asked, “Finished with your bath?”
“Yeah, you go ahead and bathe, I’ll go outside for some fresh air.”
However, the man simply picked her up and headed toward the bathroom.
Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes widened, “What are you doing? I’ve already taken a bath!”
“Bathe with me one more time.”
“Mo Chen, you’re being unreasonable!”
“Now that I’m your lawful husband, what’s the use of reason, hmm?”
“…”
There was just no having a proper conversation with this dog of a man. The always silent and reticent Master Mo sure became talkative when bickering with her.
Qiao Ruoxin pinched the man’s waist, but all she felt were the firm muscles of his abs, impossible to pinch.
The man let out a low chuckle, “Stop it, it’s ticklish.”
“…”
The dog of a man is just a dog, deliberately making it sound so provocative.
…
Half an hour later.
She was carried by the man back to the bed, and after bathing twice, she felt pretty tired.
Mo Chen smoked a cigarette on the terrace, then came back to close the curtains with the remote and turned off all the lights in the bedroom before slipping under the covers and lying on the bed.
He pulled her into his arms, and Qiao Ruoxin shifted slightly.
“Not asleep yet?”
“I’m having trouble sleeping… What should I do?”
Mo Chen’s hand restlessly moved to her belly, always seeking a hint of fetal movement, but unable to feel anything.
“Should I keep telling you stories?”
“Um, sure… but you can’t tell horror stories! I don’t want to hear them!”
The man chuckled softly, tightening his hold on her, and began to speak in a lazy voice, “Do you still remember when you were 16 and went to that haunted house?”
“Um, I remember, it was during the summer break. I was scared to tears that time. Those untrustworthy friends of mine, as soon as the ghosts appeared, they ran and disappeared. Luckily, in the dark, I managed to grab onto an older brother’s arm, and I followed him all the way out of the haunted house, but I lost track of him right before we got out.”
She started to recall the experience of visiting the haunted house with Lan Ke and the others when she was 16, which had frightened her to tears.
Mo Chen revealed, “That older brother you’re talking about was me.”
!!!!
Qiao Ruoxin was stunned.
It was Mo Chen??? How could that be…
But when she thought about it, it made sense. Mo Chen had guards protecting her in secret, so he must have known about all her movements.
“Master Mo, just how many shady things have you done behind my back? You even followed me to the haunted house?”
“Afraid you’d get scared and cry, and sure enough, you cried.”
“…”
Warmth spread through Qiao Ruoxin’s heart, and her lips curved up involuntarily: “Did you start treating me as your girlfriend from that time? Why else would you care so much?”
“It was from that time that you felt you could start dating.” The man laughed, his voice breaking.
At 16, Qiao Ruoxin had indeed grown up a lot, but he still controlled himself, waiting for her to become an adult.
But he also silently watched over her in the shadows. Many times he felt like a pervert, and it was getting worse. Fortunately, Little Ghost blinked and was an adult.
In the dark, Qiao Ruoxin stared at the handsome outline of the man’s face, “You’ve been plotting for a long time, making me so nervous when you confessed to me back then. I even felt particularly unlucky, wondering how I caught the eye of rich playboys like you.”
Truth be told, when Mo Chen confessed to her at that time, her heart had sunk quite a bit.
She felt she was done for, about to become the toy of this wealthy young master, without even the power to resist.
That’s why she was so excessively cruel to Mo Chen. It was really just a last struggle.
Mo Chen closed his eyes, embraced her, and spoke in a deep, lazy voice, “Such a young age, such dirty thoughts, you should be longing for love.”
She snorted arrogantly, “I’m already pregnant for you, and you’re still talking about me?”
“Mmm, let’s not talk about it, you’re very good.”
…
The next day.
When Qiao Ruoxin got up, it was already the afternoon.
She was increasingly impressed with her ability to sleep, almost hibernating, simply unable to wake up.
How could she be so tired…
She lazily got out of bed, finished washing up in the bathroom, and then took the indoor elevator down to the first-floor dining room for a meal.
At the Mo Family Estate, a different nutritionist prepared a pregnant woman’s meal for her every day. It wasn’t particularly tasty, but it was nutritionally balanced.
A maid brought over her phone, “Miss Qiao, your phone has been ringing non-stop.”
She put down her chopsticks and picked up the phone. It was Song Yingying calling.
Ever since getting pregnant, she hadn’t been active in the girl group for a long time, and naturally hadn’t been in touch with Song Yingying.
Qiao Ruoxin answered the phone while eating, “Yingying, do you need something?”
“Qiao Ruoxin, now that you’ve married into a wealthy family, you don’t care about this little-known little actress anymore, huh?”
She laughed, “Who says? I’ve been a bit busy lately, what’s up?”
“I’m going to a party tonight, can you come with me? I’m afraid to go alone. If I bring you, it’ll give me a bit more face. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll be bullied.”
“Are you trying to secure some resources?”
“Right, there will be a female director who does period idol dramas there. I want to get to know her. As you know, my popularity is nowhere near yours, and I’m afraid she won’t pay any attention to me.”
“Okay, send me the address on my phone, and I’ll accompany you.”
“Great, thank you, our beloved Qiao sister~”
She chuckled lightly, said no more, hung up the phone, and continued to eat.
…
At the same time—
The Lawrence family and Qiao’s mother were also having a meal, but in a quiet, desolate villa, a peaceful dining room, without a hint of human presence, everything was bleak.
Qiao’s mother sighed, “I really can’t go through with it, after all, she is our daughter, and the twins she’s carrying are our grandchildren, this…”
Lawrence, however, said coldly, “She is my daughter; the children she bears can only carry the Lawrence surname. What do we have to do with Mo Family’s children?”
“Ruoxin will hate us! She’ll never forgive us for this in her lifetime!”
Lawrence, “She’s still young now, one day she’ll grow up. When she gets her hands on the Lawrence Family shares, she’ll understand the decisions we made were for her own good.”
Qiao’s mother suddenly felt a chill, “Is it true what Xinxin said the other day? If it weren’t for all your ex-wife’s children dying accidentally, you wouldn’t have come to find us, let alone accept Xinxin as your daughter?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Ask yourself, all these years, by what right did you let my daughter call someone else father? Why did you keep it a secret from me? Of course, I will acknowledge my daughter!”
Lawrence was getting angry. For all these years, he had not known that Qiao Ruoxin was his biological daughter, forced to watch as his daughter called someone else father. What kind of feeling was that!
Chapter 406: Mr. Lawrence Would Like to Meet with You Evening.
Qiao Ruoxin changed into a loose chiffon dress, her gentle and lazy big wavy curls falling behind her, paired with a pair of flat shoes.
She no longer had the privilege of wearing high heels, as the Mo Family could find countless reasons to prevent her from wearing them. Fortunately, her height was adequate even without high heels.
The car slowly stopped outside a garden villa in the suburbs, the location of tonight’s party.
“Miss Qiao has arrived,” the driver said.
She acknowledged with a sound and then got out of the car.
The number of bodyguards increased today due to yesterday’s incident, and there were several female bodyguards to protect her closely.
No sooner had she arrived than she caught everyone’s attention.
Song Yingying came towards her, full of confidence, “Dear, you’re finally here, I was about to cry…”
Song Yingying wanted to give her a big hug, but was stopped by the indifferent female bodyguards.
“This is my friend.” When she looked at the bodyguard, the bodyguard withdrew her arm.
Song Yingying’s face changed color as she was frightened, stepping forward to embrace her, “You’re really a lady of high society now, leaving the house with so many bodyguards. Is your Mr. Mo exaggerating a bit?”
She whispered something into Song Yingying’s ear, leaving Yingying with a face full of surprise, “You… No wonder. Look at you, gaining status through your child?”
“Accidental, okay?”
She had not planned to get pregnant so early at all.
“Anyway, you seem to have secured your position as Mrs. Mo now. I still have to work hard.”
Qiao Ruoxin smiled without speaking, and the moment she looked up, she saw two annoying people, the Lu sisters, and her smile gradually faded.
“Why are the Lu sisters here too?”
Song Yingying: “It’s said they have a good relationship with the host here and were invited.”
“Well, where is that director you wanted to meet? Let’s get on with our business first.”
Song Yingying’s eyes lit up, “You’re still the best to me, Qiao! Look over there, that person chatting with the Lu sisters, the youngest female director in the country, but with impressive achievements.”
She slightly curled her lips, “Let’s go say hello then. I’ll only introduce you, the rest is up to you.”
“Yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much!” Song Yingying nodded repeatedly, grateful just to be introduced, and knowing the rest was up to her to strive for.
Qiao Ruoxin and Song Yingying walked over, and Lu Xingxing caught sight of her, feeling a tingling hatred.
“Qiao Ruoxin?” The female director recognized her instantly, calling out her name directly.
She had been known under Mo Chen’s name all along, his only ex-girlfriend, his only woman, his only pure love—and everyone was aware of it.
But in the past half-year since she entered the entertainment industry, she managed to establish her own reputation, so that many people who saw her would think not only of Mr. Mo’s woman but also of her own name and identity.
“Hello, Director, I’m Qiao Ruoxin, and this is my friend Song Yingying. We’ve heard so much about you and have been wanting to meet you.”
“Is that so? I’d like to meet you too. I want to meet all the beautiful actresses,” the female director was very amiable with no airs, and they chatted pleasantly.
Latter, Qiao Ruoxin created an opportunity for the female director and Song Yingying to chat alone to the side.
She herself slowly sipped orange juice alone.
That’s when Lu Xingxing approached her again, “You’re still in the mood to help others here, while your man is about to become a murderer.”
Qiao Ruoxin glanced at her dispassionately, “Shouldn’t you be happy about that?”
“What’s there for me to be happy about! I feel nothing but heartache for Mo Chen; he’s blinded himself. You are his one and only choice, but to be honest, I really don’t know why Mo Chen likes you. Besides being somewhat good-looking, what else do you have?”
Lu Xingxing was utterly bewildered. She thought that Mo Chen shouldn’t be a superficial man, but rather someone who prioritizes the bigger picture. How could he be dazzled by mere beauty?
“Why are you thinking so much? Anyway, even without me, Mo Chen would never choose you.”
Her arrogant tone and haughty look in her eyes gave Lu Xingxing an urge to tear her to pieces.
“I get it now, did you cast some kind of spell on Mo Chen? Aren’t there female stars in the entertainment industry who keep ‘Little Ghosts’ or something? Are you keeping one too? You female stars really would stop at nothing to marry into a wealthy family!”
Qiao Ruoxin was so angered she almost laughed: “Your imagination really is quite rich. Why don’t you keep one yourself and snatch Mo Chen back?”
With that said, she turned around, no longer wanting to waste words with Lu Xingxing.
“Qiao Ruoxin, come back here! I haven’t finished talking to you…”
Lu Xingxing was about to follow her but was blocked by two female bodyguards.
“What’s this! Even you dare to bully me now?” Lu Xingxing shouted angrily.
The female bodyguard responded, “We are simply following Mr. Mo’s orders. Please do not approach Miss Qiao, or you will be responsible for the consequences.”
“Responsible for the consequences? What are you going to do, lay a hand on me? I can’t bully Qiao Ruoxin, but I can’t bully you either?”
Saying this, Lu Xingxing raised her arm, ready to slap them down.
“Xingxing! What are you causing a scene for! Come back with me!” Lu Feifei hurried over just in time to pull back her blockheaded younger sister.
“Sister, look at her! Even the Mo Family’s bodyguards dare to bully me now!”
Many strange looks were already being cast their way, and Lu Feifei had no choice but to forcefully drag Lu Xingxing away from there.
Lu Feifei stuffed her sister into the car, feeling utterly humiliated. She couldn’t bear to stay any longer, so she decided to leave with her.
Just as Lu Feifei was about to get into the car, her phone in her handbag rang. She took it out to see that it was an unfamiliar number.
After hesitating for a moment, Lu Feifei answered the call, “This is Lu Feifei, may I ask who’s speaking?”
“Miss Lu, good day. I am Annie, the secretary of Mr. Lawrence. Mr. Lawrence would like to meet with you. When would you be available?”
A flash of surprise crossed Lu Feifei’s eyes.
The Lawrence Family from the United States? How did they find her?
After a few seconds of silence, Lu Feifei said, “Sure, I have time now. Where shall we meet?”
“Good, I’ll send you the address.”
…
Qiao Ruoxin stayed at the party for a while, then said goodbye to Song Yingying and left.
After returning to the manor, an unfamiliar woman came forward with a glass of milk, “Miss Qiao, hello, I am Linda, the new nutritionist, specifically in charge of your nutritional diet during your pregnancy.”
“Hello.” She observed the nutritionist before her, feeling that something was off.
“Miss Qiao, please drink this glass of milk; it helps with sleep.”
“I’d rather not have milk at night; I might drink it tomorrow morning.”
She went straight up the elevator.
Linda watched with a smile as the elevator doors closed, but as her smile faded, her eyes revealed a lurking malevolence.
Chapter 407: Then I might just cripple you on the spot! Linda turned around and jumped in fright, for right behind her stood Mo Chen, his expression icy cold.
“Mo… Master Mo, you’ve returned.”
Mo Chen looked at Linda for a few seconds, his voice deep and stern, “Who are you?”
“I am the new nutritionist, Mrs. Mo specifically asked me to come and take care of Miss Qiao’s diet during her pregnancy.” Linda thought she maintained her composure, but feeling the gaze of the notoriously volatile Master Mo, she was still somewhat nervous.
The man’s indifferent eyes showed not a trace of emotion.
He took out his phone and dialed his mother’s number; after three rings, it connected.
“Mom, did you hire another nutritionist?”
“…”
“Hmm, got it.” His attitude remained cold, and he hung up the phone after a few brief words.
Linda stood there, her heart pounding, and with her head lowered, she dared not meet Mo Chen’s gaze.
Mo Chen didn’t even glance at her, walking to the elevator and pressing the up button.
Linda let out a sigh of relief and hurried away with the tray of milk in hand. This time she had failed, but she would find another opportunity next time.
…
Back in his bedroom, Mo Chen noticed Little Ghost was not there, then he stepped out onto the terrace and, sure enough, there she was.
His phone began to vibrate again.
As he put the phone to his ear, he walked towards Qiao Ruoxin’s back.
Qiao Ruoxin stood before the railing, gazing down at the serene and beautiful night view of the entire estate, the air filled with a light fragrance of flowers, refreshing to the soul.
The man reached her side and wrapped his long arm around her waist. She stiffened slightly, and on looking up, she realized Mo Chen had returned.
Mo Chen’s hand caressed her waist as he spoke into the phone, “Who’s this?”
Li Yi’s voice came through from the other end, “Mo Chen! I’m giving you until noon tomorrow to come and bow down in apology with your woman or I’m not letting this go!”
Mo Chen’s brows knitted into a scowl, and he let out a sneer of contempt, “You sure you want me to come to the hospital? Because I might just cripple you on the spot!”
Without giving the other person a chance to speak, he hung up the call.
Qiao Ruoxin looked up at him, “Was that Li Yi calling?”
He embraced her soft body and lowered his head to rest his chin on her shoulder, his voice lazy, “Hmm…”
“What does he want?”
“Nothing. Did you go out tonight?”
“Hmm, I was helping a friend with an introduction.”
The man stroked her head, “You got back right on time. Had you been any later, I might have had to go and fetch someone myself.”
She chuckled lightly, “That’s why I came back on the dot.”
…
Meanwhile, in the VIP ward of the hospital.
Li Yi lay on the hospital bed motionless, hurling his phone violently to the ground, his teeth clenched in a snarl, “Bitch! Almost wrecked me, yet you’re still unscathed! Do you think hiding behind the Mo Family will protect you?”
Qiao Ruoxin’s kick had really hurt; Li Yi hadn’t moved all night, and the doctors said had he arrived any later, he might have truly been crippled.
Suddenly remembering something, Li Yi picked up the phone from beneath the bed and made a call, “Hey, while Mo Chen hasn’t discovered the truth yet, quickly bribe all the marketing accounts and buy a bunch of internet trolls to shift public opinion towards Mo Chen’s side. With this case, even if he brought in a famous detective from Mars, he won’t find any evidence. It’s been over a decade; what’s there to find? Let Mo Chen take the fall for this!”
After hanging up the phone, Li Yi finally laughed, “Mo Chen, oh Mo Chen, you little brat, always against me since you were a kid. You think you’re something special? What’s wrong with carrying the can for your brothers? Pah!”
Li Yi had disliked Mo Chen since they were young: arrogant, rude, and dismissive of everyone. But the brat was blessed with good looks, and all the women fell over themselves to get to Mo Chen.
He had always been in overt and covert competition with Mo Chen. After they had an outright falling out, they had no more contact.
Ten years ago, indeed, Li Yi and his brothers had driven that girl to her death. Afterwards, however, they deliberately framed and incriminated Mo Chen, spreading this rumor within the circle.
After all, the Mo Family was vast and influential domestically.
Even if it were known that Mo Chen did it, nobody would dare to say a word, making Mo Chen the perfect scapegoat for Li Yi to pick.
Li Yi opened his cellphone and searched for live discussions on Weibo. All were cursing Mo Chen for his decent facade but heartless deeds.
Watching, Li Yi laughed loudly, “Little brat, it’s been over ten years and you still can’t find a damn piece of evidence. Carry this burden well, huh!”
…
Inside the villa.
Guided by an address sent from her female secretary, Lu Feifei arrived here.
After finishing a cup of tea on the living room sofa, she finally met with Lawrence.
“Hello, Mr. Lawrence, I am Lu Feifei.” Lu Feifei stood up and took the initiative to introduce herself.
Lawrence gestured, “Please sit, Miss Lu, no need for formalities.”
“May I ask what matter Mr. Lawrence has with me?”
Her curiosity piqued, could it be about collaborating with the Lu Family? But if that were the case, they should have approached her father directly.
Lawrence began, “I’ve heard your sister was engaged to Mo Chen.”
“That was arranged by my father and Uncle Mo when we were children, but Mo Chen is not really interested in my sister.”
Lawrence continued, “I can help you break up Qiao Ruoxin and Mo Chen. However, your sister and Mo Chen really don’t suit each other. I think you and Mo Chen would be quite compatible.”
Lu Feifei found it rather absurd and laughed, “Me? How am I compatible with Mo Chen?”
“You need Mo Chen. You want him to help you fight for a share of the inheritance in the future, right? Wouldn’t it be more reasonable if Mo Chen were your husband?”
Suddenly, Lu Feifei had an idea, “Are you doing this because Simon pursued Qiao Ruoxin unsuccessfully, and now you’re deliberately breaking them up for your son’s revenge?”
The thought seemed rational, but could it be an overreaction? Would Lawrence really meddle in the romantic entanglements of the younger generation?
Lawrence scrutinized Lu Feifei across from him. He had already done his research: the sister was worthless, and one couldn’t rely on her for anything. It was this elder sister, Lu Feifei, whose intelligence was notable.
Just then, a phone rang.
Lawrence answered the call, “Linda, what’s up? Did Ruoxin drink the milk?”
“Mr. Lawrence, it seems that Miss Qiao is wary of me. She doesn’t take my advice and didn’t drink the milk.”
“No worries, you’ve just arrived; take your time.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Lawrence, I’ve let you down.”
“If it was that easy, I wouldn’t have needed you to infiltrate the Mo Family. You’ll find an opportunity eventually.”
After hanging up the phone, Lawrence looked at Lu Feifei across from him, “So, what do you say? Shall we collaborate?”
Having overheard the conversation, Lu Feifei couldn’t help asking, “You’ve infiltrated someone into the Mo Family to kill Qiao Ruoxin’s child?”
“Exactly.”
“Mr. Lawrence, isn’t that too cruel just to take revenge for your own son? Besides, your son Simon doesn’t really seem to have lost anything, has he?”
Lu Feifei felt that there was more to it than meets the eye. There must be some secret between Qiao Ruoxin and this Lawrence, otherwise why would he go to such lengths to kill her child?
Lawrence stated, “You don’t need to worry about the reasons, Miss Lu. You just have to decide whether to work with me or not. We each have our own needs.”
Chapter 408: Dare to run around again and I’ll tie you to the bed! Mo Family Estate, midnight.
Lately, Ruoxin often found herself unable to wake up during the day and struggling to fall asleep at night.
Suddenly feeling thirsty, she glanced at Mo Chen, who was deep asleep beside her, and quietly slipped his arm off her waist, gently lifted the covers, and got out of bed to leave the bedroom.
Ruoxin closed the bedroom door behind her, wearing her robe as she prepared to go to the kitchen to grab a bottle of ice water from the fridge.
She had never considered herself to be so finicky before, but since becoming pregnant, she had become quite fussy, whimsically following her cravings.
As she descended the stairs, her eyes still bleary with sleep, she suddenly heard the sound of someone making a phone call.
She instantly became somewhat more alert and slowed her pace, hiding beside the staircase. She spied the silhouette of a woman making a secretive call.
Who was that?
Ruoxin observed carefully and recognized her as the new nutritionist, Linda, wasn’t it?
Linda was outside the kitchen on the phone, her voice lowered into the handset: “Yes, it must be delivered before dawn, or the Mo Family’s butler will check everything one by one and it won’t be possible to hide it then. I’m waiting here, hurry up!”
Hidden to the side, Ruoxin’s eyes flashed with surprise.
This nutritionist is up to no good!
Suddenly, Linda turned around.
Ruoxin quickly shrank back, then saw Linda leave the living room with an eerie expression.
Ruoxin stepped out of her hiding spot, her brow slightly furrowed, deep in thought.
What was that nutritionist up to?
She turned and entered the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap, and took a couple of sips.
Then she took the elevator back to the bedroom.
Her mind was still preoccupied with the content of the nutritionist’s phone conversation.
Was Linda, who was mainly responsible for her nutritional meals, targeting her specifically?
When Ruoxin returned to the bedroom, she saw that the bedside wall light was on, and Mo Chen was propped up in bed, his handsome face clearly displaying his ‘just woken up’ mood.
“Why are you awake?” she asked.
His expression darkened as he looked up at her, “Where did you go in the middle of the night?”
In his sleep, when he reached out to the empty space beside him and found it uninhabited, he had abruptly opened his eyes only to discover that Little Ghost was gone.
His tone was already quite irritable.
Ruoxin smiled and raised the bottle of water in her hand, “I suddenly felt a little thirsty, so I went to the fridge to get a bottle of water to drink.”
She placed the bottle on the nightstand and crawled back into bed. Seeing his icy expression, she felt a bit helpless.
She threw herself into his arms and hugged his body tightly, “Husband, I was wrong. Please, don’t be mad, okay?”
Mo Chen looked down at her small face, her curly, thick eyelashes drooping submissively. He eventually softened.
One arm wrapped around the little imp in his embrace, and with his other hand, he lifted her chin and kissed her fiercely as if punishing her.
“Why didn’t you wake me if you wanted water?”
“I didn’t want to disturb your sleep,” she replied.
He scoffed, “Sneaking away disturbs my sleep even more.”
“…”
She pouted, looking aggrieved, and clung to his body, rubbing her cheek against his chest, “Next time I’ll definitely wake you up! Stupid man! And you said you’re trying to improve your temper. It seems to me it’s getting worse.”
Mo Chen remained silent.
Truly, ever since Ruoxin became pregnant, his emotions had become even more volatile, feeling irritable at merely the thought of her being out of his sight for a second.
The man pulled up the covers, wrapping her in the blanket, and bit her earlobe lightly, his tone threatening, “Go to sleep! If you dare to run off again, I’ll tie you to the bed!”
Ruoxin couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Brother Mo Chen, you’re becoming more and more perverse. Have you been watching too many of those kinds of movies? You actually want to tie me to the bed?”
“…”
“Why are you silent? Have you been watching adult movies with your brothers again recently?”
“No.”
Qiao Ruoxin already felt the man’s embarrassment and continued to tease him, “Really? I don’t believe it.”
The man got angry, “When I say no, it means no! Go to sleep!”
Damn it.
This Little Ghost is really torturous. If it weren’t for the pregnancy, I would have definitely made her cry tonight.
…
The next day, early in the morning.
When Qiao Ruoxin opened her eyes, the man beside her was already gone.
She was used to it; she wouldn’t open her eyes until after ten every day.
She stretched lazily, slowly sat up, and then got out of bed to wash up in the bathroom.
After changing into a simple house dress in the cloakroom, as expected, the maid’s knocking came on time, urging her to go down for breakfast.
After Qiao Ruoxin arrived at the dining room,
she immediately saw the new nutritionist, Linda.
Linda brought over a nutritional meal and was detailing the nutritional content, as well as bringing over the milk she hadn’t finished from the night before.
Qiao Ruoxin looked at the food on her plate, recalling the phone conversation she had overheard from Linda last night.
Could this nutritionist Linda be trying to harm the child in her belly?
After all, many members of the Mo Family didn’t want Mo Chen to have an heir so young.
“Suddenly, I’m craving beef noodles and don’t want to eat these Western dishes.”
Linda’s smile froze on her lips. How difficult could this little ancestor be? Beef noodles early in the morning?
Still smiling, Linda said, “Miss Qiao, the Mrs. of the Mo Family asked us to take care of your diet, so I have to be responsible for your nutritional balance. It’s better to eat these in the morning, we can have beef noodles for lunch.”
“Is that so? Shouldn’t you take good care of a pregnant woman’s mood? I just want to eat beef noodles, what do I do?”
She looked up at Linda, wanting to see what Linda intended to do.
After all, Linda was a nutritionist hired by the Mrs. of the Mo Family, and it wasn’t appropriate for her to just send her away, otherwise, it would create a rift between her and the Mrs. of the Mo Family.
Linda had no choice but to compromise, “Alright then, I’ll go and ask the kitchen to make it for you right away.”
“Thank you,” she nodded.
After Linda left, Qiao Ruoxin turned to the maid beside her, “How long is Linda planning to stay?”
“Miss Qiao, Linda is a well-known nutritionist in the country, specializing in creating nutritional meals for young wives in wealthy circles in recent years, ensuring the nutritional balance for pregnant women.”
“I’m asking how long she’s going to stay?”
The maid answered awkwardly, “She might stay until the child of you and Mr. Mo is born.”
Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help but widen her eyes, “That long?”
Wouldn’t that give her many opportunities to act?
…
As night fell, in the evening.
Hengzhong Group was planning to acquire some businesses being sold by Lu Group, and everything had been agreed upon, with the official signing today.
Mo Chen represented his father, Mo Tian, in signing the agreement.
At the celebration banquet held by Lu Group in the evening, Mo Chen was also invited, but he only planned to make an appearance before leaving.
“Mo Chen, thank you for the support of the Mo Family. Tonight, your uncle wants to have a few extra drinks with you,” Lu Ming raised his champagne glass and smiled.
Mo Chen clinked glasses and then downed the champagne in his glass.
But he said, “Uncle Lu, this is the compensation that the Mo Family ought to make, so after this, Lu Xingxing and I owe each other nothing.”
Chapter 409: Better to Kill a Thousand by Mistake than to Let One Go This remark reached the peak of awkwardness, and Lu Ming could only casually brush it aside.
“Well, then, you stay a little longer, I’ll go and mingle with the other guests.”
Mo Chen revealed an indifferent smile and nodded, “Please, go ahead.”
Standing by, Lu Xingxing couldn’t help but speak up, “What do you mean ‘we owe each other nothing’! It was you who wanted to set up the arranged marriage, and now it’s also you who want to cancel it! Everything is decided by you!”
The man’s expression remained cold, and he glanced at Lu Xingxing with detachment, continuing to drink his champagne without a single word in reply.
“Why don’t you say anything, feeling guilty, aren’t you!” Lu Xingxing felt like she was about to explode with anger.
Lu Feifei stepped forward and grabbed her, “Xingxing! It’s a celebration party tonight, can’t you stop being so wilful!”
“Sister!” Lu Xingxing felt like she was about to die of grievance, but no one was on her side.
“Go to mom, be good.”
Lu Xingxing looked at Mo Chen with a face full of resentment before turning away.
Mo Chen, from the beginning to the end, didn’t give Lu Xingxing even a straight look, his dark eyes full of disdain.
“Mr. Mo, I will take care of my sister in the future and won’t cause you any more trouble,” Lu Feifei said as she raised her champagne glass to show her sincerity.
The man glanced at her and said in a low voice, “Are you sure you can handle her?”
Lu Feifei smiled, “Even if I can’t, I have to. It’s all been decided, she has no chance with you anymore, and I wish you and Miss Qiao happiness.”
Mo Chen scrutinized her and then gently clinked his glass.
Lu Feifei’s lips curled up, “Can I add you on WeChat? If my sister does anything crazy, I can inform you in advance.”
The man replied coldly, “No need, my woman is pregnant and her emotions are unstable. She gets jealous easily.”
“It seems the rumors from the outside world are not all true, saying you’re irritable and paranoid. I didn’t expect you to be so indulgent toward your woman, clearly, you’re a good man,” Lu Feifei said.
Mo Chen looked at his wristwatch, it was almost time to go back.
He put down his champagne glass and stated in a deep voice, “I have other matters to attend to, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Alright, safe journey. If my sister does anything crazy, can I inform you by phone?” Lu Feifei asked again.
Mo Chen’s eyebrows furrowed, and after a moment’s hesitation, he answered, “If your sister troubles my woman again, next time, I might really not be able to stop myself from harming her.”
Then, he turned around and left indifferently.
Lu Feifei looked at the man’s tall and handsome figure, chuckled lightly, and sipped the champagne in her glass.
Irritable, yes, quite irritable.
But indeed very indulgent toward his own woman.
The woman who manages to live in Mo Chen’s heart is destined to be pampered to the skies.
…
Mo Family Estate.
Madam Mo came back to the country early because she was worried about Qiao Ruoxin.
At the moment, Qiao Ruoxin was in the garden swinging on a swing, bored, and blowing in the night breeze all by herself.
The life of pregnancy was so dull, just eating, sleeping, and taking walks every day, especially under the care of a professional team, she felt even more lazy.
A maid was helping her with the swing when suddenly she spotted Madam Mo’s figure in the distance and whispered a warning, “Madam is here! Madam is here!”
Madam Mo?
Qiao Ruoxin instantly stood up and looked up to see it was indeed Madam Mo, and behind her was the nutritionist Linda.
Moreover, Mrs. Mo’s complexion seemed rather pallid—could Linda have complained about her?
“Madam, you have returned.” She greeted her with a smile.
Mrs. Mo walked up to her, her gaze falling on her abdomen with some displeasure: “Look at your complexion; you vomit everything you eat. When will your nutrition catch up? You’re carrying twins; your belly should already be showing. Why is it still so flat?”
“…”
This litany of rebukes left her unsure how to respond.
Was her morning sickness her fault? When she couldn’t hold down food, what could she do?
Mrs. Mo reached out her hand, and Linda from behind handed over a shawl.
The expression on Mrs. Mo’s face darkened as she draped the shawl over her, “I heard from Linda that you’re not eating the nutritional meals she prepared?”
Qiao Ruoxin glanced at Linda. As expected, she had tattled, huh…
“Madam, I really haven’t had much of an appetite, and those nutritional meals don’t look appetizing at all…”
Mrs. Mo couldn’t help but sigh, “Ah, the nutritional meals are meant to help you keep up your nutrition. You have to eat even if you can’t stomach it. Even if not for yourself, you have to think about the babies in your womb, especially since they’re twins. Maintaining balanced nutrition is already very difficult.”
“Madam, please don’t be angry. I did eat quite a bit today.” She reassured Mrs. Mo with a smile, gently holding onto her arm.
She felt that Mrs. Mo was even more anxious than she was, constantly monitoring her every move, almost wishing to surveil her 24 hours a day.
Suddenly, it occurred to her that Mo Chen had the same mindset. Like mother, like son.
Qiao Ruoxin was in the middle of her pregnancy, and Mrs. Mo didn’t want to distress her with severe words, so she began to advise her earnestly, “Ruoxin, you must understand that the pregnancy stage is critical for a woman, especially since you’re carrying twins. You must take good care of your health. Only after you get through these first three months in good shape will I feel at ease about you having the wedding. Otherwise, how can I be at peace?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Linda is a professional. She has helped many pregnant women who all went on to have successful and easy natural births with minimal pain. You understand?”
Qiao Ruoxin looked at Linda and spoke directly, “Is that so? But I feel like Miss Linda comes with ill-intent.”
Linda’s face changed drastically; she never expected this young girl to be so blunt.
Mrs. Mo frowned, “What do you mean by that?”
“That night when I was thirsty and went to grab water from the fridge, I saw Miss Linda on the phone, seemingly trying to sneak something in during the night because it could be checked and harder to bring in after dawn by the butler.”
She openly shared what she had seen and heard, leaving the rest for Mrs. Mo to judge.
As expected, Mrs. Mo’s face grew even more somber as she turned to Linda, “Linda, what are you trying to sneak in? Why are you avoiding the butler’s inspection?”
“Madam, I haven’t… Miss Qiao must have misunderstood. I really haven’t done anything. Could Miss Qiao be a bit paranoid during her pregnancy…?”
Damn! Qiao Ruoxin had not expected Linda to speak this way.
Mrs. Mo was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Linda, you can go and take a few days off. I’ll continue to pay your salary, and I’ll find someone else for your follow-up work.”
“Madam, you can’t just take Miss Qiao’s word for it. I know Miss Qiao doesn’t like me because I force her to eat those nutritional meals, but that doesn’t mean she can insult my character…”
Linda was starting to panic. Her plan hadn’t even begun, and she was already being sent away. How could she explain this to Mr. Lawrence?
“Go wait for me in the drawing-room. I will talk to you shortly.”
“Okay.” Linda left, full of reluctance but unable to show it too much, so she had no choice but to leave.
Mrs. Mo turned to Qiao Ruoxin, “Do you really suspect Linda has a problem, or do you just dislike those nutritional meals?”
“Madam, I truly did hear her on the phone in the middle of the night.”
“Hmm, I understand. Go back and rest early. I’ll take care of it,” said Mrs. Mo before she too turned away.
The reason Mrs. Mo believed Qiao Ruoxin was because she wanted to protect the twins at all costs—better to mistakenly punish a thousand than to let a single guilty one go.
Chapter 410: Second Prenatal Check-up In the living room.
Linda sat uncomfortably on the sofa, unsure of how Mrs. Mo would deal with her.
Finally, she heard footsteps coming from behind her.
Linda turned around, “Mrs. Mo.”
“Sit down.” Mrs. Mo walked directly to the sofa opposite and sat down.
Before Mrs. Mo could speak, Linda hurried to defend herself, “Mrs. Mo, you can’t just take Miss Qiao’s word for it. She doesn’t like the nutritional meals I prepare, and besides, it’s normal for pregnant women to be emotionally unstable…”
Mrs. Mo said, “I know, she’s just a child; don’t take it to heart.”
Linda was startled, “So you mean…”
“Ruoxin is young, and being pregnant, her emotions are likely unstable. Here’s what we’ll do—take some time off and rest. If I need help, I will call you.”
Mrs. Mo was straightforward and directly issued a dismissal.
“Mrs. Mo, are you really firing me?” Linda couldn’t believe Mrs. Mo would just let her go so easily. Just because of what Qiao Ruoxin said?
“I have no choice, I need to consider the pregnant woman’s feelings. After all, she is just a child, and we adults should be more tolerant, don’t you agree?”
Mrs. Mo sighed, as if burdened with many reluctances.
Linda slowly stood up, “I understand, but madam, if you spoil an incoming daughter-in-law like this, forgive my bluntness, but she may take advantage of you after the wedding.”
After speaking, Linda turned and left.
Mrs. Mo, however, was deep in thought, her mind a mystery to all.
The butler approached, “Madam, should we still pay Linda’s salary?”
“Pay her, and also, find someone to follow her, see whom she meets these days.”
Mrs. Mo thought if Linda was indeed here to harm someone, then she needed to know who was behind Linda, or she would be unable to guard against them.
Butler: “Yes, understood. I’ll take care of it right away.”
…
After Qiao Ruoxin returned to the bedroom, she saw Mo Chen already lying in bed, dressed in a black robe, looking at his phone.
When he heard the door open, the man looked up and said in a deep voice, “Where have you been?”
“Took a walk in the garden.”
She walked over and threw herself into the man’s embrace.
He wrapped one arm around her naturally and switched off his phone with the other, tossing it onto the nightstand. Then he shifted his position to hold her properly.
“Unhappy?” Mo Chen looked down at her bright eyes.
“No… It’s just the pregnancy; I’m more sensitive.”
Mo Chen lifted her into his lap, his large hand moving towards her abdomen, “Want to talk about it with your legal husband?”
She couldn’t help but laugh, “I sent away the nutritionist that Mrs. Mo had hired. Do you think she’ll be upset?”
The man frowned, “Maybe, but she cares more about the child in your belly.”
Qiao Ruoxin was at a loss for words.
Indeed, Mrs. Mo had seemed a bit unhappy just now, but for the sake of the child in her womb, she had forcefully held back.
“Won’t Mrs. Mo take revenge on me after the child is born?”
Mo Chen snorted and pinched her soft, fair cheek, “She’s not that petty.”
“Alright then…”
“Get some sleep, we have a prenatal check-up scheduled for tomorrow.”
Qiao Ruoxin was taken aback, “Another check-up? Has it been a month already?”
These days, with her routine of eating and sleeping, she hadn’t noticed time passing so quickly.
…
The next day, early morning.
Qiao Ruoxin had arranged to go to the hospital for a prenatal checkup, accompanied by Mrs. Mo and Mo Chen.
She felt as if she wasn’t going to the hospital, but rather walking the red carpet, guarded by bodyguards both in front and behind, with Mo Chen on one side and Mrs. Mo on the other.
Tsk tsk…
Such treatment was truly of a super-luxury level.
Of course, it was because of the twins in her stomach that she could enjoy this kind of treatment.
Qiao Ruoxin had gone for a prenatal checkup, while Mrs. Mo and Mo Chen waited in the rest area.
Mrs. Mo sat on the sofa, her pride apparent in her posture, exuding the temperament of a lady from an affluent family no matter how one looked at her.
“Mo Chen, the wedding date is approaching. Will Qiao Ruoxin’s parents be coming?”
“…” The man remained silent.
“Not even one of them? What kind of parents are these?” Mrs. Mo frowned unhappily, arms crossed.
Mo Chen’s frown deepened as he said in a heavy tone, “Trash parents.”
At that moment, Qiao Ruoxin walked out from inside, looking exhausted.
Mo Chen went over to her and supported her increasingly weak body, “What’s wrong?”
“Had blood drawn, so tired…” She had become so frail; she couldn’t even bear to look at herself anymore.
Mrs. Mo, on the other hand, stood up to carefully check the lab report. All the indicators were more or less normal, except for some hypoglycemia.
At that moment, Dr. Wang, who was responsible for Qiao Ruoxin’s prenatal care during her pregnancy, came out.
“Dr. Wang, she doesn’t have any serious problems, does she?”
“Mrs. Mo and Mr. Mo, please rest assured, there’s nothing serious. It’s just some hypoglycemia. I’ve prescribed some medication; she just needs to take it on time. Besides, she needs a balanced diet, as her appetite doesn’t seem very good…”
The doctor said a lot, but Mrs. Mo only remembered the need for a balanced diet—it seemed necessary to find a nutritionist.
After the ultrasound, she finally saw what resembled a little meatball. At the next prenatal visit, they should be able to see the baby’s formed shape.
Mo Chen looked at the ultrasound snapshot with a complicated expression.
“What are you thinking?” Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help but think Mo Chen’s expression looked rather indescribable.
The man said in a deep voice, “This is my child?”
It just looked like a little meatball; one couldn’t make out anything distinct.
She chuckled, “Of course, it hasn’t developed its shape yet.”
Mrs. Mo gave Mo Chen a glare, “By the next prenatal checkup, you’ll be able to see what the child looks like. It’s your first time being a father, you have no experience.”
At that moment, Mrs. Mo’s phone rang.
After taking a call, Mrs. Mo’s expression became somewhat grave, and she said to Mo Chen, “You take Ruoxin back first, I have some matters to take care of.”
Mo Chen responded indifferently.
Then, Mrs. Mo turned and left.
Watching Mrs. Mo’s retreating figure in the hospital corridor, Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Mom going?”
“Don’t know.”
The man wrapped an arm around her waist and walked toward the elevator.
“So we’re heading back now?”
“Taking you out for a stroll.”
Qiao Ruoxin laughed, “It’s still Mo Chen who treats me the best. I was almost bored to death in the manor.”
Even though the manor was picturesque and had all the facilities, there was still a feeling of being imprisoned.
The corners of Mo Chen’s mouth lifted, “Sweet talker, where do you want to go?”
“Hmm… I want to go to the cinema to watch a movie, the one where I made a cameo wearing a wedding dress has been released, I want to see it.”
“Let’s go.”
Suddenly, she felt her fatigue disappear, and she clung to the man’s arm, smiling brightly.
However, she had no idea that Mrs. Mo was on her way to see Jiang Peilan.