Ch. 411..420
Chapter 411: Half a Month Until the Wedding In the car.
There was a gloomy expression on Mrs. Mo’s face as she looked at the driver, “Are you sure Linda went to see Qiao Ruoxin’s mother?”
“Yes, it was indeed Miss Qiao’s mother.”
Mrs. Mo pursed her lips tightly.
She had never seen such insane parents. What did they mean by bribing Linda to become Qiao Ruoxin’s nutritionist? To harm the child in Qiao Ruoxin’s womb?
Mrs. Mo had considered countless possibilities, but she never expected it to be Qiao Ruoxin’s own mother!
Forty minutes later.
The car arrived at the villa community where Jiang Peilan lived.
The driver helped her open the car door. After Mrs. Mo got out of the car, she surveyed the wealthy neighborhood and concluded the environment was fairly good.
“Wait for me here.”
“Yes,” the driver responded.
Mrs. Mo walked up to the villa’s gate and pressed the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door was opened by the nanny.
“Who are you looking for?”
“I am looking for Ms. Jiang Peilan. Tell her that I am Mo Chen’s mother.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
The nanny, unaware of the situation, went to report exactly that.
After closing the door, she happened to meet Jiang Peilan coming down from upstairs.
“Who is it?”
“Madam, there is a lady outside who says she is Mo Chen’s mother. Would you like to see her?” the nanny said.
Mo Chen’s mother? Mrs. Mo?
Qiao’s mother’s face changed instantly. Why would Mrs. Mo come to her door, and how did she know where she lived?
Qiao’s mother felt a sudden, inexplicable nervousness but still feigned calmness as she told the nanny, “Please let her in, and bring two more cups of tea.”
Then, Qiao’s mother walked toward the sofa in the sitting room, adjusted her emotions a bit, and sat down.
At this time, Mrs. Mo had been invited into the house and was walking toward the sofa in the living room.
As Mrs. Mo approached, she was already taking in the woman sitting on the sofa. Jiang Peilan looked fragile and gentle, evoking a protective instinct in others, so unlike her daughter Ruoxin’s bright and cheerful demeanor.
Qiao’s mother was also sizing up the hostess of the Mo Family, who exuded a powerful presence with an aloof demeanor, truly befitting the matriarch of the Mo Family.
“Please have a seat, Mrs. Mo.”
“Thank you.”
Mrs. Mo smoothed her skirt and sat on the sofa, then looked up at Qiao’s mother opposite her, “I am here to confirm one thing, and after that, I’ll leave immediately without staying a moment longer.”
“What do you want to say?”
“Ms. Jiang, I want to ask you if Qiao Ruoxin is your biological daughter?” Mrs. Mo’s face was serious, devoid of any jest.
Qiao’s mother frowned, “What do you mean by that? If Qiao Ruoxin is not my biological daughter, whose biological daughter could she be?”
“Then why did you bribe Linda to go to the Mo Family and attend to Qiao Ruoxin? Was it to terminate the child in her womb? I have never seen a mother as malicious as you,” Mrs. Mo scoffed coldly.
“What nonsense are you spouting? When have I ever wanted to terminate the child in her womb? I don’t even know who Linda is!”
After speaking, Qiao’s mother’s face suddenly turned pale. Could it be… the Lawrences?
Qiao’s mother asked again, “What does Linda do? Tell me!”
Madame Mo narrowed her eyes as she looked at Jiang Peilan, who had an expression of panic. It was as though she was completely unaware.
“Linda is the nutritionist I found for Qiao Ruoxin, responsible for her dietary planning during pregnancy.”
Madame Qiao’s face turned pale instantly. She hadn’t expected the Lawrences to be so ruthless. Were they really planning to abort Ruoxin’s child? And it was twins!
Madame Mo watched her remain silent for a long time, then stood up and slowly began, “Up to now, I haven’t felt that my son must have your daughter, but since he likes her, what can I do? I respect his choice, especially now that Qiao Ruoxin is carrying the Mo Family’s heir; I have claimed these twins for myself!”
With that, Madame Mo stood up, ready to leave.
She had only taken a few steps when she stopped and turned back to look at Madame Qiao: “Mrs. Jiang, the children’s wedding is on the horizon. I will send you the wedding invitation, and it doesn’t matter to me whether you come or not. As long as my son is happy, that’s enough. As a parent, that’s all you need to do, but sadly, you can’t even do that much. No wonder your daughter would rather cut ties with you to follow my son. Tsk tsk… If I were her, I wouldn’t want a mother like you either—more of a hindrance than a help, abort the twins? How could you even think of that! Are you even a woman?”
Madame Mo vented all her pent-up anger, a rare loss of composure for someone who usually cared so much about her public image.
After Madame Mo had left, Madame Qiao sat alone on the couch, her mind in disarray.
Her head was filled with Madame Mo’s words and Lawrence’s malice…
Immediately, Madame Qiao picked up her phone and dialed Lawrence’s number. The call was quickly connected.
“Lawrence! Have you gone mad? Did you really plant someone inside the Mo Family just to kill the twins my daughter is carrying? How could you be so cruel!”
After a long silence on the other end, Lawrence finally spoke: “Peilan, I had no choice. Ruoxin must return and take over the family business, or else the power of the Lawrence Family will fall into the hands of others. I’ve worked so hard for so many years… cough cough cough…”
He was interrupted by violent coughing on the line.
Suddenly, a woman’s voice came through the phone, “Sir, you’ve coughed up blood…”
Beep… beep…
The call was suddenly disconnected.
Madame Qiao’s body stiffened. Coughed up blood? Was Lawrence coughing up blood?
Lawrence’s health had always been good, so how could he be coughing up blood?
…
In the car.
After watching the movie, Qiao Ruoxin and Mo Chen were preparing to return to the estate.
She had been crying non-stop since leaving the cinema because the movie’s editing in the latter part turned out to be rather touching.
In her cameo appearance, she played the ex-girlfriend of the male lead who was his unattainable past love. Then the male lead attended her wedding, crying in such a heart-wrenching and resentful way.
Mo Chen looked down at Little Ghost leaning on his shoulder, with red eyes and tears still clinging to her eyelashes, and he sighed deeply, “Still crying?”
“It’s just that the scenes in the movie were so touching…”
“Hmm…”
She looked up at the man’s proud chin, “Did you find it touching too?”
“It’s all fake,” came the man’s disdainful retort.
She chuckled, “I knew it; you cold-blooded creature definitely wouldn’t have any reaction.”
Mo Chen looked down at her and said gravely, “I’ve experienced it myself. Haven’t you seen my reaction?”
Qiao Ruoxin was briefly taken aback by his words.
During the two years of her disappearance, Mo Chen had driven himself to a dead end, sinking into darkness without the will or the way to come out.
She could imagine how difficult those two years must have been for Mo Chen, but she couldn’t comprehend the specifics of what he went through every minute and second. And Mo Chen never spoke of it.
“Brother Mo Chen, is our wedding date coming up soon?” she asked now, somewhat eager to get married quickly for fear something else might happen. It seemed better to get married sooner rather than later, to settle her worries.
The man said gravely, “About half a month away.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes widened; it was coming up that quickly. But then, she was already two months into her pregnancy.
Chapter 412: Help Your Husband Put It On, Hm? “Mo Chen, why do I suddenly feel a bit nervous…”
After all, it was her first marriage, and she had no idea what it would feel like standing at her wedding.
Mo Chen chuckled, his long fingers ruffling her hair as his voice lowered affectionately, “Nervous about what? Haven’t you experienced it all while acting?”
“How can that be the same? That’s just acting, but this time it’s a real marriage, and it’s with you…”
From the pregnancy until now, she had never really recovered, feeling as though she was living in a dream.
The man suddenly remembered something, took out a black velvet box, and handed it to her, “Open it and see.”
“What’s this?”
Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes held a hint of confusion as she opened the black velvet box and then saw a men’s wedding ring, the very one she had chosen that night.
The actual object was more exquisite and grandiose than in the photos.
“It’s beautiful, worthy of my choice,” she laughed lightly.
As she admired the ring, Mo Chen was staring at her intently, his voice sexy, “Help your husband put it on, hmm?”
“Hmm, okay.”
Qiao Ruoxin revealed a happy smile, took out the men’s wedding ring, and placed it on the ring finger of the scoundrel’s hand.
Mo Chen’s fingers were long and had distinct knuckles, and the ring looked fitting on him.
She raised her head to meet his eyes, those black and profound orbs that might have been fixed on her all along.
“It’s on.”
Mo Chen glanced down at his ring finger and smiled, “Not bad.”
From now on, he would be a married man.
…
The airport.
A plane from the United States had just landed.
Simon, wearing a black trench coat, appeared in the airport with an assistant pushing a luggage cart behind him.
“How’s the situation with father?”
“It seems not too good, Mr. Lawrence is hospitalized, it looks like he coughed up blood, and his condition is deteriorating…”
Simon’s complexion changed slightly, and he quickened his pace, “Go straight to the hospital, I need to see father.”
“Yes!”
The assistant behind him also quickened his step.
Initially, Lawrence had ordered Simon not to come to China, but now the circumstances had changed, and Lawrence immediately summoned him to China, presumably for something important he needed to do.
An hour later, in the hospital, in a high-level ward.
Lawrence lay on the hospital bed, his complexion deathly pale; in just a few days, he had suddenly become so haggard.
When Jiang Peilan entered the ward and saw this scene, she was stunned for a long time. A perfectly healthy person, how could he just cough up blood like that?
She had never noticed anything unusual about Lawrence’s health because her focus over the last two years had all been on Qiao Ruoxin, scheming to bring Qiao Ruoxin and Simon together, wanting to keep Qiao Ruoxin obediently by her side.
Indeed, she had been somewhat negligent towards Lawrence, so she didn’t know the state of Lawrence’s health.
“You… why are you coughing up blood…” Jiang Peilan’s voice choked up.
Lawrence lay in the hospital bed, his voice hoarse, “That’s why I wanted to take back our daughter. My health is declining day by day. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to distract you, but even then, I couldn’t keep our daughter. I absolutely can’t let the Lawrence Family perish on my watch!”
Jiang Peilan stood there, unable to snap back to reality for a long while, crying and saying, “If you were in such a state, why did you never tell me?”
At that moment, there was a knock at the door from outside.
“Come in,” Mr. Lawrence said.
Then, the door to the ward opened, and Simon walked in. Seeing Jiang Peilan wiping away tears, he frowned, “Auntie Lan, why are you crying?”
“It’s nothing…”
“You go out for a bit, I want to speak with my son alone,” Mr. Lawrence said, looking at Jiang Peilan. Looking somewhat aggrieved, Jiang Peilan turned and left.
Only Simon and Mr. Lawrence lying on the hospital bed were left in the ward.
Simon was the first to speak, “Dad, is Auntie Lan… okay?”
“Never mind her for now. Do you know why I asked you to come to China?”
Simon stayed silent, though in his heart he had already guessed a bit of it, probably still concerning Qiao Ruoxin, wanting to bring her back to the United States.
Mr. Lawrence said, “Bring Ruoxin back. I don’t care what you have to do, the Lawrence family cannot fall into the hands of others, she must be a descendent of the Lawrence family!”
“Dad, your real issue…”
“There’s no need to worry about my health. It is always that the Lawrence family cannot fall into the hands of others, understand! I don’t care by what means you achieve it, if soft approaches don’t work then go with the hard, in any case bring Qiao Ruoxin back to the United States for me! When she eventually holds the lifeline of the Lawrence family, she’ll know who truly loves her the most! Now she’s just a brat, all day her mind’s on love, utterly clueless about what’s most important in life!”
Seeing his father’s resolute attitude, Simon could only nod.
When he thought of Qiao Ruoxin’s face, his heart trembled slightly. He’d heard that she had already started preparing for the wedding, huh… was she really that in love with Mo Chen? Was that love so deep? Or was it merely a youthful obsession?
…
Late at night.
Mo Chen dealt with official business in the study, while Qiao Ruoxin, having showered, lay in bed reading a book, planning to sleep after a while.
Just then, her cell phone started to ring.
She picked it up to see that it was her mother calling.
Her expression changed slightly as she gripped the phone, undecided whether to answer. And if she did pick up, what would she say?
She could already imagine what her mother would say, the same old things, to the point her ears felt callused.
She placed the phone on the nightstand, with no intention of answering.
Then the cell phone kept ringing, persistently, as if it wouldn’t stop until she picked up.
In the end, Qiao Ruoxin did put down the book in her hand and answered the call with a somewhat cold tone, “Why are you calling so late? Is something the matter?”
From the other end of the phone came her mother’s crying, “Xinxin, don’t hang up, I just want to talk to you, to hear your voice.”
“What do you want to say, if not to ask me to return to the United States and be with Simon?”
“It’s not that, I don’t want to say anything right now, I just want to hear your voice.”
Her mother’s voice over the phone was choked with sobs, as if something had happened.
Qiao Ruoxin frowned, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing much, I just wanted to hear your voice. It’s been a long time since we last talked properly. Actually… I just want you to be happy.”
Her gaze flickered slightly.
“If being with Mo Chen makes you happy, I don’t want to stop you. I feel my whole life has been filled with suffering. Although I’ve experienced love, I’ve also endured a lot of hardship, letting everyone down, including you…”
Qiao Ruoxin felt something was off, as if this was like a confession before a final farewell.
“Where are you?”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to you. Are you suffering badly from morning sickness? When I was pregnant with you, my morning sickness was quite severe. Are you going through the same?”
Qiao Ruoxin replied, “Yes, the morning sickness is quite bad.”
Chapter 413: Are You Preparing to Commit Suicide? “Have some sour plums,” she said. “You really did inherit my constitution, I’m sorry.”
Why does she keep saying sorry?
Qiao Ruoxin felt there was something truly off, and moreover, she could hear a wind-blowing sensation on the phone?
“Where are you? Are you outside? Why aren’t you home sleeping at this late hour?”
“I’m in the garden getting some air, I’ll go to sleep in a bit. What about you, are you feeling unwell? If you’re not feeling well, just say so. The Mo Family has many servants. They’ll take good care of you.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s heart softened a bit, as if she were back in her childhood. She nodded, “Got it.”
These past two years, although her mother had been pressing her to forget the past and start anew in the United States, she indeed loved her wholeheartedly.
“Go to sleep, I won’t disturb you anymore, sleep well, mom wants to be alone for a while.”
“Mm.”
Just as she was about to hang up, Qiao Ruoxin suddenly heard the sound of car horns and children’s noise on the phone.
Then the call was disconnected.
Qiao Ruoxin was stunned.
Her mother lived in a villa in a rich district; how could there be the sounds of a bustling street there?
The ambiance was like that of a lively city street, not a quiet villa area.
The bedroom door opened, and Mo Chen returned to the bedroom, seeing Little Ghost sitting on the bed, apparently lost in thought.
The man’s mouth hooked into a smile as he approached the bed, leaning down to embrace her and kissed her forehead, “Little Ghost, what are you thinking about?”
Qiao Ruoxin snapped back to reality and grabbed the man’s arm in a flash, “Mo Chen, could you help me check where my mom’s phone is?”
The man’s smile gradually faded, and he furrowed his brows, “What’s wrong?”
“My mom called me just now and said a bunch of nonsensical things. I feel something is very off with her. She claimed she was at home, but I heard street noises on the call. Plus, her voice sounded as if she had been crying. I have a bad premonition…”
Could mom be thinking of committing suicide?
“Wait for me.”
The man turned and left the bedroom. After a minute, he returned with a laptop and sat on the bed.
“Call your mom.”
Mo Chen turned on the laptop screen, his slender fingers tapping the keyboard, and a tracking map of the capital city appeared on the screen.
Qiao Ruoxin nodded and then redialed her mother’s phone.
This time it took a long time to connect, and her mother’s voice on the phone was very calm, as if she had given up on worldly matters.
“Xinxin, why aren’t you asleep?”
“Mom, where are you?”
“I told you I am at home, I’m getting sleepy and about to go to bed.”
But on the other end of the call there were still street sounds, noisy and boisterous; how could that possibly be at home?
Qiao Ruoxin shouted angrily, “Where exactly are you!”
“Go to sleep, I’m also sleepy, I want to sleep now.”
After saying that, she directly hung up the call, and it could not be reached again.
Qiao Ruoxin looked at Mo Chen, “The call won’t go through, did you find anything?”
The man’s slender fingers rapidly tapped the keyboard, his dark eyes fixed on the computer screen, and eventually, he pressed the enter key, speaking in a heavy tone, “Your mom is at the rooftop of Hengxing Shopping Plaza.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes widened in an instant, and she blurted out, “Could she be trying to commit suicide!”
She suddenly threw off the covers, slipped into her shoes, and prepared to rush out of the bedroom.
Mo Chen quickly grabbed her, “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to find my mom! And just now, her voice was muffled on the call, she…”
“I’ll go look for her, you stay at home. You’re pregnant, remember?”
“But…” She knew she was pregnant, and it wasn’t suitable to go out in the middle of the night, but she was indeed a bit worried.
Mo Chen touched her head, “Don’t you trust me?”
“No, that’s not it. Okay then, go quickly. Although I don’t feel much for her now, I don’t want to see her dead…”
After all, she had given her all the love a mother could when she was a child.
The man gave a faint response, then turned and left the bedroom, ordering the bodyguard to stand guard outside the door and not to let Qiao Ruoxin take a single step out of the bedroom.
…
Meanwhile.
Jiang Peilan sat at the top of the Hengxing Shopping Plaza, looking down at the busy streets below, feeling desolate.
Her mind was filled with what Mrs. Mo had said to her earlier that day.
“No wonder your daughter would rather sever ties with you to be with my son…”
“Tsk tsk… If I were you, I wouldn’t want a mother like you either, more trouble than you’re worth. Aborting the twins? You really thought that one through, didn’t you? Are you even a woman?”
These words kept echoing in Jiang Peilan’s head, feeling like her brain was about to explode.
She sat on the edge, constantly wondering why she had ended up this way.
If she hadn’t given birth to Qiao Ruoxin and had chosen to live a quiet life after getting married, what would it be like now?
But what fault did the child have?
Now she was just a tool in Lawrence’s power struggle… Heh.
She remembered the past two years when she constantly forced her daughter to be with a man she didn’t like.
Hadn’t she herself married a man she didn’t fancy and lived in melancholy every day?
But now, even with a man she liked, she was still unhappy.
Jiang Peilan felt that she was the source of everyone’s suffering; if she didn’t exist, then nothing would have happened.
She had a bottle of sleeping pills by her side, most of which she had already taken. She really didn’t have any reason to go on living; she was too tired.
She wanted Lawrence’s approval and to protect her daughter, but in the end, she couldn’t do anything and was angrily scolded as unworthy to be a parent.
Suddenly!
Behind Jiang Peilan came a series of deep footsteps, but she was already feeling dizzy and sluggish.
Turning around, Jiang Peilan saw someone she never expected, Mo Chen.
“Why are you here, Mr. Mo?”
“You’re planning to commit suicide?” Mo Chen’s voice was icy and emotionless, showing little reaction even at such a scene.
Jiang Peilan stood up, “Don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll jump! You don’t have to worry about me, I chose this myself, I’m too tired, I want to sleep.”
She wanted to sleep without waking up, no longer facing all these vexations of reality.
Everyone thought she, as Mrs. Lawrence, would be happy, but she wasn’t. In the two years of marriage to Lawrence, she was constantly targeted by his family, every day was tiring.
Mo Chen noticed the bottle on the ground and said coldly, “Having already taken the pills, why bother jumping off a building?”
Jiang Peilan let out a laugh, a bleak sound, “To punish myself, I guess. I want to feel real pain one last time, to see just how foolish I am.”
Mo Chen took a step forward.
“Mr. Mo, don’t come any closer! I just want to ask you one thing—was the girl’s fall from ten years ago really not your doing?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Alright, you said so, I’ll believe you.” Because Jiang Peilan started to trust her daughter’s judgment—surely it must be better than hers.
Jiang Peilan then asked, “Will you always love Xinxin? Will you ever cheat on her or betray her?”
Mo Chen’s expression was detached, “No.”
Chapter 414: Love is Love, No Need for So Many Whys Jiang Peilan already felt dizzy, but she still asked the last question, “Mo Chen, why do you like my daughter? Is it just because she’s beautiful?”
The man’s tall figure moved steadily forward, his dark eyes focusing on the ground at Jiang Peilan’s feet.
He spoke slowly in a deep voice, “When you love, you love, there’s not so many whys.”
Jiang Peilan snorted coldly, “Impossible! Men are all the same, they never like a woman for no reason.”
Jiang Peilan wanted to know what exactly Mo Chen was infatuated with about Qiao Ruoxin. What if one day the love disappeared? Would he abandon Qiao Ruoxin then?
She didn’t want Qiao Ruoxin to make the same mistakes again, let alone walk the same path she had taken.
The next second!
Suddenly, Mo Chen stepped forward, pulling Jiang Peilan to the ground. At that moment, everything before Jiang Peilan’s eyes became blurry as the world spun around her, and she gradually lost consciousness.
The man looked at Jiang Peilan, who had completely passed out, then picked up a medicine bottle next to her, noting that she had taken more than half a bottle of sleeping pills.
Behind him, Xiaowu had also followed, “Master Mo!”
“She took more than half a bottle of sleeping pills, rush her to the hospital to get her stomach pumped.”
“Yes, the ambulance is already downstairs.”
Xiaowu proactively stepped forward, lifting Jiang Peilan’s body, and quickly turned towards the exit.
Mo Chen walked to the edge of the rooftop, peering down at the height below, his eyes narrowing slightly. It seemed that he wasn’t just putting on a show, but had truly resolved to seek death.
There were no significant changes on the handsome face of the man as he turned away indifferently.
…
Hospital.
Jiang Peilan was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment and began the painful process of stomach pumping.
Four hours later, she was transferred to a high-level ward to rest, her face pale as if she’d been through death and back, completely devoid of life.
Mo Chen stood in the hallway, his handsome face coldly watching the door of the hospital room.
At this moment, at three o’clock in the morning, the hospital was eerily silent.
Suddenly, the sound of a vibrating phone broke the silence, the vibration sounding unusually clear in such a still environment.
The man took out his phone to look, unsurprised to find that it was Little Ghost who had called.
He turned and walked to the window, overlooking the hospital garden’s nightscape, and answered the phone, putting it to his ear, “Why are you still awake?”
“Did you find her?”
“Mhm, just finished the stomach pumping, now resting in the ward.”
The voice of Qiao Ruoxin on the other end of the phone changed, “Stomach pumping? Did she take sleeping pills? Did she really try to commit suicide?”
“Mhm.”
“Can I go to the hospital now?” Qiao Ruoxin’s voice on the other end was filled with anger.
“Come over tomorrow morning. I’m keeping watch for you now, does that put your mind at ease?”
“Mhm, thank you, Brother Mo Chen.”
“Go to sleep, I’ll have them bring you over in the morning.”
“Brother Mo Chen, make sure you find some time to sleep too.”
“Mhm.”
After hanging up the phone, Mo Chen’s gaze darkened, and he pressed his lips tightly together.
What was Jiang Peilan’s intention with this move?
A death threat?
On the quiet hallway, suddenly another set of deep, approaching footsteps could be heard growing closer.
Mo Chen turned his head to look, seeing Simon appear in the hallway and steadily closing in.
A layer of frost covered his handsome features in an instant, his eyes narrowing, a dangerous aura enveloping his entire being.
“How is Auntie Lan?” Simon seemed not surprised to see Mo Chen and went straight to the point.
Mo Chen let out a sound of disdainful, cold laughter, “Attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills, has just had her stomach pumped, she’s resting inside.”
Having said that, the man looked at his wristwatch, “Since she’s your stepmother, you’d better look after her.”
After speaking, Mo Chen turned to leave.
Simon didn’t stop him, but he clearly saw the wedding ring on Mo Chen’s ring finger, causing his pupils to abruptly tighten.
Even the wedding ring was on. Were they really going to get married?
Simon watched Mo Chen’s retreating figure in silence for a while, then turned and pushed open the door to the hospital room and entered.
The hospital room was quiet and empty.
Jiang Peilan was already awake, but she hadn’t called for anyone; instead, she just lay quietly on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Upon hearing the door open, Jiang Peilan glanced over, then coughed twice, trying to sit up.
Having just had her stomach pumped, she was feeling terrible and had no strength; her face as pale as paper.
Simon walked over, helped Jiang Peilan sit up, and placed a pillow behind her.
“Why are you here…”
“Auntie Lan, was it necessary to do this?” Simon pulled up a chair nearby and sat down; he didn’t understand the purpose behind Jiang Peilan’s actions.
Jiang Peilan’s lips were pale, moving slowly, “I’m tired; I wanted to rest…”
“Then you should go back to the United States. My father and I can handle everything here.”
“Handle what? Must you take Ruoxin back at all costs? I realized today that she’s unhappy with us; she’s not happy at all. I don’t want to make her unhappy anymore!”
As Jiang Peilan spoke, tears fell from her eyes.
Simon laughed, “Who asked her to have the blood of the Lawrence Family running through her veins? That is an unchangeable fact.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your father was so seriously ill?”
“It was father’s wish not to say anything; he didn’t want to worry you.” Simon remained expressionless, as if all of this had little to do with him.
Jiang Peilan looked at Simon and said, “He asked you to get Ruoxin back by any means, right?”
“…”
Simon didn’t speak, tacitly acknowledging it.
But Jiang Peilan smiled through her tears, “Simon, please give it up, okay? Maybe we all should have our own lives, and you don’t have to obey your father in everything.”
However, Simon laughed, a laugh tinged with desolation, “What choice do I have when this very life was given to me by him? Do I have the right to say no? Auntie Lan, only if I marry Ruoxin, can I attain freedom in the future.”
After saying that, Simon stood up, ready to leave.
Jiang Peilan called out to his retreating back, “But Ruoxin will then lose her freedom forever, why sacrifice her?”
Simon halted in his steps and let out a cold snicker, “Someone has to make a sacrifice, and besides, is freedom really that important? Aside from freedom, she can have the vast Lawrence Family.”
The sound of the door closing echoed.
Jiang Peilan sat back on the bed, tears silently streaming down her face.
Perhaps she should never have married into the Lawrence Family two years ago, let alone imprison Qiao Ruoxin in the United States for two years. She was the root cause of all this.
“What a sin… truly a sin.”
If Lawrence did end up causing harm to those twins, she would never forgive that man for the rest of her life, unforgivable!
…
In the hallway.
Simon’s face lacked its usual warmth, and his eyes were filled with coldness. His steps were heavy and grim.
In his mind, he saw the wedding ring on Mo Chen’s ring finger again. Even the wedding ring was on, heh…
Qiao Ruoxin really loved thoroughly, giving herself completely away to Mo Chen.
Chapter 415: How did that bunch of trash do with their investigation? Simon’s iron fists hung tensely by his sides.
Marriage?
Dream on!
He had been waiting for two years, and this was the result he was greeted with in the end?
It seemed Qiao Ruoxin did not favor gentle men; he had been gentle for two years, but in the end, it wasn’t as attractive to Qiao Ruoxin as Mo Chen’s hot temper?
Was this what women’s love was like?
It was utterly ridiculous!
…
In the office of Hengzhong Group.
Mo Chen hadn’t returned to the Mo Family Estate; instead, he went straight to the company’s office.
At Hengzhong Group, employees often worked overtime at night, so every floor of the company was still lit up.
In the expansive office, the man sat in the swivel chair behind his desk, took out a cigarette, and clenched it between his lips; the smoke swirled around, blurring his handsome features.
Suddenly, the phone vibrated, breaking the silence of the office.
The man stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, then picked up the phone. Xiaowu’s voice came through: “Boss Mo, Simon from the Lawrence Family just arrived in the country these past few days. I’m not sure what his purpose is for this visit, but he went straight to the hospital after getting off the plane, and it’s unclear whom he went to see.”
Mo Chen: “What’s the situation with the Lawrence Family in the United States?”
“Not good. There’s infighting within the family; they’re all waiting for the old man of the Lawrence Family to die so they can divide his wealth. Moreover, Mr. Lawrence’s health isn’t too good, so he’s fully supporting Simon to take over, hoping to secure Simon the position of family head.”
The man narrowed his eyes, focusing on the news information about the Lawrence Family in the United States on his computer screen.
So, Simon was here to snatch Qiao Ruoxin away. Only by securing Qiao Ruoxin could Simon firmly sit in the position of family head. Even if he was discovered not to be of Lawrence blood in the future, he would still have the trump card that was Qiao Ruoxin.
His calculations were indeed cunning.
“Mhm, got it.”
Mo Chen’s expression was cold as he prepared to end the call, but Xiaowu on the other end said, “Boss Mo, Li Yi has been stirring up trouble on the internet recently, incessantly spreading rumors that the teenage girl’s falling incident ten years ago was done by you. He’s also claiming that you have such overpowering influence that no one dares to touch you, creating panic that the Mo Family covers the sky with one hand. Now netizens are raging; what should we do?”
The man’s rage erupted suddenly: “Does he really want to be destroyed? Go to the hospital and ‘wish him well’ for me! Tell him to stay in line! Otherwise, I’ll make sure he never touches a woman again for the rest of his life!”
“Understood!”
Mo Chen angrily hung up the phone and tossed the mobile onto the office desk.
Then he opened the web browser on his computer, logged into Weibo, and searched for his own name. Sure enough, it was all negative public opinion.
The realtime comments on Weibo were full of abuse accusing the Mo Family of covering the sky with one hand.
“I’m saying, Mo Family, since you’re so powerful, why not just establish your own country? Why keep bullying us ordinary people?”
“Mo Tian! I’m calling you out; your son’s a son, but other people’s daughters aren’t daughters? Look at what a monster you’ve raised your son into. At such a young age, he’s capable of that kind of act, and who knows what atrocity he might commit in the future.”
“How could Qiao Ruoxin fancy such a demon? Honey, please wake up! There are plenty of good men in the world! We’ve shipped you with so many CPs; even though they’re not as wealthy as the Mo Family, at least we can keep our lives!”
“The more I think about it, the more terrified I become. Hearing so much scandal these days, I truly fear we are deeply engulfed in an era of the elite trampling over the masses, yet we remain oblivious. If this case continues unresolved, then the days ahead for us common folks will only get tougher!”
“Mo Tian and Mo Chen, you and your son had better kneel and apologize to that girl’s parents! Then send your son to jail, that will only begin to alleviate our resentment, otherwise, I will boycott all products from Hengzhong Group!”
“Can someone please manage the Mo Family, allowing them to be so rampant? With so much circumstantial evidence out there, why can’t they be taken down? The Mo Family’s legal team really lives up to the name Invincible East.”
“Help me, I really can’t take it anymore. These last few days have all been about the Mo Family’s scandals, and it feels like the Mo Family is about to cover the sky with one hand. Will we even have a future?”
…
Seeing those online comments, Mo Chen swung his long arm, sweeping all the items on his desk onto the floor, causing a loud crash.
Anger was erupting within the man, a slight misstep could set a prairie ablaze.
Mo Chen rose and walked to the window, looking down at the city’s nightscape with his handsome face tense, forcefully suppressing that surge of rage.
He closed his eyes, took a moment to adjust his emotions, and then turned back to face his desk, looking at the mess on the floor.
He picked up his phone, dialed a number again, and said in a deep voice, “How’s the investigation by those useless fools going?”
Having hired so many private detectives, surely they couldn’t all come back with absolutely no leads, could they?
But the reality was disappointing; after all, cases from over a decade ago were somewhat difficult to scrutinize.
The person on the other end of the call fumbled, “Most haven’t made any progress, but there is one persistently searching for traces in the hotel where it all happened. He says there must be some traces left, but it’s been so many years, and the hotel has been renovated twice. I’m afraid it’s really hard to find anything.”
Mo Chen’s expression was cold, and he promptly hung up, not bothering to say another word.
Online public opinion wasn’t a big deal, but it could affect the Mo Family’s reputation, which was what the Mo Family valued most.
…
Mo Family Estate, dining room.
Nine o’clock in the morning.
After getting up, Qiao Ruoxin realized that Mo Chen hadn’t come home all night, and upon asking the maids, was told he hadn’t returned.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of sympathy for that damn man.
“Pack up a breakfast for me; I’ll take it to him.”
“Alright.” The maid turned and left.
Qiao Ruoxin also wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, stood up, and got ready to go to the hospital.
After the maid had packed the breakfast, she took it and left the villa. Once in the car, she directly told the driver to head for the hospital.
She wondered how her mother was doing in the hospital, having ingested sleeping pills. Why would she suddenly lose hope and attempt suicide?
Throughout the drive, she pondered if something had happened between her mother and the Lawrence Family that would lead to suicide out of the blue.
…
Forty minutes later, hospital.
After arriving at the hospital, Qiao Ruoxin didn’t see Mo Chen; only Xiaowu was guarding the place.
Xiaowu, who was sitting on a bench in the corridor, immediately stood up upon seeing her: “Miss Qiao.”
“Where’s your Master Mo? Why isn’t he here?”
“He’s at the company dealing with some matters; he’ll come by later,” Xiaowu said.
Qiao Ruoxin frowned. “He went straight to the company without even coming home?”
She really didn’t value his own health at all, and it made her a bit angry. After all, he was now the father of two children, yet still so willful.
Chapter 416: Because You Are My Woman Xiaowu didn’t speak.
Qiao Ruoxin pushed open the door of the hospital room and walked straight in. Upon entering the high-end ward, she saw her mother leaning against the bed, pale as paper.
Last night, Mo Chen said that after consuming more than half a bottle of sleeping pills, it took three hours just to pump her stomach.
“Why did you try to kill yourself?”
Jiang Peilan was lying in bed and when she saw Qiao Ruoxin, a glimmer of light appeared in her dim, lusterless eyes; she hadn’t expected Qiao Ruoxin to come.
“Xinxin…”
“Don’t call me! As someone else’s parent, you have me worrying about this while I’m pregnant. What on earth are you trying to do? If you’re unhappy here, then go back to the United States and continue being Mrs. Lawrence.”
Qiao Ruoxin was restraining the fury within her, after all, she was pregnant and didn’t want to affect the twins in her womb.
At this moment, the physically weak Jiang Peilan was being chided by her daughter, sinking into sadness and self-mockingly laughed, “Yes, as a mother, I’m indeed not as sensible as you. I’m sorry…”
This sudden change in attitude caught Qiao Ruoxin off guard.
She paused briefly, silent for a while, then said, “I heard you took more than half a bottle of sleeping pills?”
“…” Jiang Peilan remained silent.
She suddenly let out a cold laugh: “You’re really something; you previously drove me to attempt suicide, and now you’ve driven yourself to do the same. Is that amusing to you?”
Stung by her words, Jiang Peilan’s eyes widened as the scene from two years ago at the Lawrence Family estate, where Qiao Ruoxin attempted to kill herself, flashed through her mind.
The bathroom was covered in blood at that time, and Mo Chen’s name was written on the wall with bloodstains.
In that moment, Jiang Peilan was so terrified that she felt like her soul had almost left her, the pain tearing her apart.
At that moment, she truly believed that her precious daughter was about to die, and even after she was resuscitated at the hospital, she couldn’t bring herself to approach Qiao Ruoxin for a whole month.
Because back then, Ruoxin wouldn’t talk to anyone, was silent every day, just like she was already dead.
Looking at the Qiao Ruoxin in front of her now, she was full of life, at least not like the lifeless girl from the United States two years ago.
Seeing her mother’s silence, Qiao Ruoxin went on to say, “I’m about to have my wedding with Mo Chen soon. I want you to watch with your eyes wide open how I marry the man I deeply love.”
After speaking, she turned to leave the hospital room.
Suddenly, the door to the ward was pushed open, and in walked Simon.
Seeing Simon again, Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes showed a hint of surprise: “When did you come to China?”
“Just arrived these past two days.”
Simon’s expression was somewhat somber as he grabbed Qiao Ruoxin’s delicate wrist: “Come out, I have a few words to say to you.”
Qiao Ruoxin instinctively tried to pull away: “Let go!”
Simon ignored her struggle and forcefully pulled her outside the ward, closing the door behind them.
She wriggled free from the man’s grasp with a look of disgust: “If you have something to say, say it, but don’t touch me!”
If Mo Chen were to see this scene, he’d probably end up fighting Simon again.
The warmth of her skin still lingered in Simon’s palm. It had been a long time since he’d seen her, and it seemed her wrists had grown even more delicate.
He stared at Qiao Ruoxin for a long time, wondering why she looked so haggard recently. Hadn’t Mo Chen claimed to cherish her above all? How could he let her become so wan?
“You’ve been looking pale recently. Isn’t he supposed to dote on you the most? Why has he let you get so worn down?”
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Qiao Ruoxin said, “Can you not look at me like that?”
Having said that, she turned to leave.
Simon called out to her again, “I heard everything you said to Auntie Lan just now.”
Qiao Ruoxin stopped in her tracks, turned slowly, and let out a laugh, “So what? You want to lecture me?”
“Auntie Lan has already decided to commit suicide. Do you think she feels good inside? Stop provoking her further…”
Simon hadn’t finished speaking when she interrupted him, “What does it have to do with you? When you all drove me to attempt suicide, did you consider my feelings? And now you tell me not to provoke her? Heh… How did you provoke me back then? Forgotten?”
Even now, just thinking about her suicide attempt in the United States would bring back the mental trauma.
At that time, she truly wanted to die, feeling that there was no point in living anymore, yet now, when she saw her mother trying to commit suicide, she found it inexplicably absurd!
Her mother, who had always been dedicated to breaking her and Mo Chen apart, was now the one unable to come to terms with failure and attempting suicide because of depression?
Simon’s complexion grew uglier. The incident of Qiao Ruoxin’s suicide had left a deep mental scar on him, making him unable to approach her for a whole year.
“Ruoxin, the Lawrence Family needs you!”
“Mo Chen also needs me! He has always needed me, and I don’t want to let him down again, nor is it possible. Simon, I am going to marry him. I hope you won’t join the team trying to tear us apart anymore. Otherwise, let’s fight a battle to the death.”
After finishing her words, Qiao Ruoxin didn’t look back and walked away, heading toward the end of the corridor.
Simon stood still, watching her departing figure, the hatred in his eyes growing stronger.
…
Qiao Ruoxin took the elevator down to the first-floor lobby where she saw Mo Chen’s tall figure after just a few steps.
“Brother Mo Chen!”
She walked directly to him and frowned upon seeing that he was still wearing yesterday’s suit, “Didn’t you go back to take a shower and change your clothes?”
The man wrapped his arms around her slender waist, “No time.”
He had heard that Qiao Ruoxin had come to the hospital and didn’t have time to go back for a shower and a change of clothes before coming here.
Qiao Ruoxin touched the man’s chin with a tinge of pity, “You haven’t had breakfast, have you? I brought some for you, shall we eat in the back garden?”
Mo Chen chuckled, “Sure.”
With her waist in his embrace, the man took her to the hospital garden. It was early morning, the air was fresh, and there were few people around.
Qiao Ruoxin sat down on a bench, opened the breakfast she had brought, and handed a dumpling to the man, “Open up.”
He laughed softly, ate the dumpling, and nodded, showing that it tasted good.
She also laughed, “Did you sleep in the office last night?”
“I didn’t sleep. I was dealing with some urgent business.”
“I just came across Simon in the hospital. He’s here in China. I think he must be here with a purpose, still trying to take me back to fight for the Lawrence Family’s wealth.”
Mo Chen said gravely, “I know, he came over in the early hours.”
Qiao Ruoxin was slightly startled.
“Don’t worry, with me here, he can’t do anything to you nor take you away,” the man said with an assertive and domineering tone.
She smiled gently and stuffed another dumpling into his mouth, “I’m not worried, you know? I’m the mother of your child now, of course, you’ll do everything in your power to protect me.”
Mo Chen’s mouth curved into a smile, “Even without a child, I would do everything in my power to protect you, because you are my woman.”
Chapter 417: Missing Your Wife Again? In the VIP hospital room.
Jiang Peilan leaned on the hospital bed, silently shedding tears, her psychological state was very poor.
The door to the ward was pushed open, and Simon walked in; Jiang Peilan quickly wiped away her tears, not wanting to be seen.
Simon looked at her, “Aunt Lan, don’t take what she said too seriously, she’s just angry right now.”
“How can I not take it seriously? She’s right; we’ve been forcing her to do things she doesn’t like to do…”
Simon frowned slightly, “That’s because she doesn’t know how to plan her own life.”
Jiang Peilan stared at Simon and asked directly, “Simon, do you remember when Ruoxin attempted suicide two years ago? I remember it was the first time I saw you so panicked. Tell me, what were you thinking on the way to the hospital while holding her unconscious body?”
At that moment, not only was Jiang Peilan frightened, but everyone was, including Simon.
He looked down at the floor and uttered one word, “Scared.”
“Scared that she would die?”
“Yeah.”
But Jiang Peilan laughed, “I was even crueler than you; I was afraid she would die too, and my first thought was, if she died, who would inherit the Lawrence family? Ha… Mrs. Mo was right; I’m not fit to be a parent.”
Simon, “Aunt Lan! Don’t say that!”
The man clenched his fists and turned away, closing his eyes. The image of Qiao Ruoxin’s suicide attempt two years ago involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
It was probably the most disheveled night of his life, running out of the villa area in his robe, holding the unconscious Qiao Ruoxin, bloodstains all over him.
Not knowing what to do, every second fearing that Qiao Ruoxin would die just like that.
On the way to the hospital, he held Qiao Ruoxin the entire time, gently trying to wake her, making sure she didn’t fall asleep.
Regrettably, all Qiao Ruoxin mumbled on the way was another man’s name: Brother Mo Chen…
…
As evening came, night fell.
Qiao Ruoxin was really bored staying in the manor, eating and sleeping during the day, just like a pig.
She also had to attend prenatal classes with Mrs. Mo, not listening to a single word, her mind wandering the entire time.
Finally, it was evening, sitting in the living room, Mrs. Mo had the nanny cut a plate of fruit for her, a daily mandate that had to be finished.
But now, the sight of food made Qiao Ruoxin want to vomit!
Mrs. Mo, “This is the daily amount, not too much, you must finish it, understand?”
She smiled awkwardly, “Yeah, I got it.”
Mrs. Mo couldn’t resist nagging a bit more, “You’re getting plenty of nutrition every day, yet you still have low blood sugar, what’s wrong with you girl…”
While eating the fruit, Qiao Ruoxin took out her phone, dialed Mo Chen’s number, then quickly hung up.
All she hoped for now was that Mo Chen would understand her plea and take her out for a stroll; staying with Mrs. Mo all day was too oppressive, having to maintain the posture of a pampered heiress at all moments.
After five seconds, the phone indeed rang.
A glint of brightness appeared in Qiao Ruoxin’s eyes; it seemed this damn guy still understood her well.
She quickly picked up the phone and put it to her ear, “Hello? Brother Mo Chen! What’s up?”
The man on the other end of the phone chuckled low, as if he had seen right through her little scheme, his voice indulgent and deep, “Want to come out?”
Qiao Ruoxin pretended to be innocent, “Ah? What? You want to take me out? But I can’t, I’m here eating fruit with Mrs. Mo, and I’m pregnant now, can’t just wander around.”
Mrs. Mo, sitting on the sofa nearby, frowned upon hearing her words.
The man on the other end of the phone, Mo Chen, laughed indulgently, “Little Ghost, you do have good acting skills. Pass the phone to my mom; I’ll talk to her.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s face showed difficulty, “That doesn’t seem right. I should just stay here and wait for you to come back, don’t…”
Mrs. Mo finally couldn’t stand it anymore and reached out her hand, “Give me the phone, I’ll talk to him.”
Qiao Ruoxin had no choice but to hand over the phone.
Mrs. Mo took the phone, her expression stern, “Mo Chen, Ruoxin is pregnant now, What are you planning to do with her so late at night?”
What Mo Chen said on the phone was unclear, but Mrs. Mo’s expression gradually softened, “Alright, you can take her out for a short stroll but be back before nine, don’t forget to have dinner with her, she hasn’t finished her fruit.”
Then, Mrs. Mo hung up the phone.
Qiao Ruoxin stared intently at Mrs. Mo, the latter’s change of attitude was too fast.
“Mo Chen wants to take you out to clear your mind. Have the driver take you over, and don’t forget to have dinner. Be back early.”
After speaking, Mrs. Mo stood up and left the living room.
“Thank you, Mrs. Mo!”
She said thank you to Mrs. Mo’s retreating figure, then couldn’t help but smile, it seemed that only with Mo Chen’s interference was she able to go out and have fun.
…
At this moment, Mo Chen was at a banquet, a smile curling up at the corner of his mouth after hanging up the phone.
That Little Ghost must be going crazy after being cooped up at home for a few days.
Suddenly, Gu Mocheng’s mocking voice came from behind, “Missing your wife again?”
Mo Chen glanced back over his shoulder, “None of your damn business!”
“Now that it’s legal, it really is different. You’re radiating the vibe of somebody else’s husband.” Gu Mocheng cradled a champagne flute, his gaze sweeping up and down Mo Chen.
Mo Chen let out a scornful chuckle, “And you’re emanating the aura of a single dog all over. Has it not suffocated you yet?”
With those words, he turned around and walked toward the exit of the banquet hall to pick up Qiao Ruoxin.
Gu Mocheng cursed a dirty word under his breath as he watched his back, “Fuck…”
Idly surveying the room, Gu Mocheng’s gaze fixed on the center of the banquet as he sipped his drink, a smile spreading across his lips.
A glint of light passed through his dark eyes.
Right at the center of the banquet, Mo Zhizi was elegant in a white fairy gown, mingling in conversation with other socialites.
She had been there for half an hour already, how had he only just noticed Mo Zhizi?
“I really must be going blind lately,” he murmured to himself.
Gu Mocheng set down his champagne flute and strode towards Mo Zhizi.
…
Outside the hotel.
The driver drove Qiao Ruoxin to the hotel entrance. The moment the car door opened, she saw Mo Chen standing there.
It had to be said, Mo Chen was always dazzling in a crowd.
Mo Chen, dressed in a black suit, approached the car and embraced her shoulders, leading her into the hotel.
“Wearing so little, aren’t you cold?” The man looked down at her thin clothing.
Qiao Ruoxin looked up, her eyes smiling, “I have you. If I get cold, I’ll just wear your jacket.”
The man snorted with laughter, didn’t say anything more, but patted her head. Her soft hair was very comforting.
“What do you want to eat later?”
“I want noodles.”
“Good, I’ll take you.”
Chapter 418: Heard that Young Master Gu’s First Love Is Qiao Ruoxin? Banquet hall.
Mo Zhizi was chatting with a friend, but she inexplicably felt a burning gaze on her from behind.
Her smile froze, and she turned around to look.
Indeed, she saw a pair of deep and profound eyes.
Gu Mocheng, with a devil-may-care demeanor, was sitting in a chair nearby, holding a glass of champagne, a mischievous smile on his lips, staring at her.
Mo Zhizi glanced coldly and ignored him.
This Master Gu is really annoying.
At that moment, Mo Chen entered the banquet hall with Qiao Ruoxin on his arm, their figures looking exceptionally well-matched.
Qiao Ruoxin spotted Mo Zhizi immediately, her eyes widening in surprise as she walked over.
“You… you’re the girl from last time…” Qiao Ruoxin couldn’t help but laugh, surprised to encounter her here.
Wasn’t this the girl who warned her at the last banquet when she was almost framed by Qiao Sisi and Bai Xue’s mother? What a coincidence.
Mo Zhizi smiled slightly, “Yes, hello, little sister-in-law.”
Qiao Ruoxin looked unbelievably at Mo Zhizi, “What did you call me?”
Little sister-in-law?
What kind of title was that?
Qiao Ruoxin instinctively looked back at the man behind her, Mo Chen.
Mo Chen furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, “Do you two know each other?”
Mo Zhizi laughed and said, “Brother, have you never mentioned me to your woman?”
Qiao Ruoxin had an epiphany, suddenly understanding everything. So, this was Mo Chen’s cousin, Mo Zhizi?
She laughed, “You’re Mo Zhizi? Mo Chen’s cousin?”
“Yes, that’s right. So the last time I helped you, it wasn’t just out of kindness, but also to maintain the Mo Family’s reputation.”
The confusion in Mo Chen’s eyes deepened as he wrapped his arm around Qiao Ruoxin’s waist, “How did you two meet?”
She whispered a few words into the man’s ear, and the confusion in Mo Chen’s eyes gradually faded, his lips curving into a smile.
The man looked at Mo Zhizi, “Why haven’t I heard you mention this?”
“Helping your woman is helping the Mo Family, there’s nothing worth mentioning. Besides, I’ve also lent you so much money,” said Mo Zhizi, shrugging slightly as if it were nothing.
Qiao Ruoxin was still a bit stunned. So this girl was Mo Chen’s cousin, Mo Zhizi? A cold, noble beauty.
However, Qiao Ruoxin also noticed an annoying pair of eyes – Gu Mocheng, sitting on the side, was looking at her like a wolf eyeing its prey.
“Brother, I’m going to chat with some friends over there,” Mo Zhizi said with a smile, then turned and left.
Qiao Ruoxin turned to Mo Chen, “Is Master Gu interested in your cousin?”
Mo Chen glanced at Gu Mocheng’s behavior, and said coldly, “He’s been coveting her for a long time, but unfortunately, she isn’t interested in him.”
She couldn’t stop laughing, “I didn’t expect Master Gu to fail in pursuing a woman. Doesn’t he always egg you on to make me cry? Aren’t you afraid he’ll do that to your cousin?”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“You’re right, you’d stand up for your cousin. Hmm? Such a good cousin, pretending to be lovers back in college… tsk tsk…”
Qiao Ruoxin sounded a bit sour.
The man raised his eyebrows and looked down at her delicate face, “Are you jealous?”
“Not at all. Why should I be jealous if you’re being a good cousin? But I must say, your cousin is quite beautiful.”
She had no intention of admitting that she was jealous of a cousin. It would make her seem so petty.
Mo Chen deliberately leaned close to her small face, “Your eyes betray you, you’re just jealous.”
She huffed proudly, turned around, and casually picked up a glass of drink to take a sip.
The next second, Mo Chen suddenly became furious and scolded, “Qiao Ruoxin! Put that down!”
Qiao Ruoxin was startled, “Why are you suddenly so fierce…”
“You know full well you’re pregnant and still dare to drink? Are you looking for death!” Mo Chen said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with anger, then he snatched the champagne from her hand and put it aside.
Only then did she realize, Oh… she had picked up a glass of champagne.
“Sorry, I didn’t see it just now, I thought it was juice…”
She pouted, looking aggrieved, and carefully hugged the man’s arm, gently shaking it, “Don’t be angry, okay?”
Looking at her sincerely apologetic expression, Mo Chen sighed helplessly and held her small hand in return.
“Let’s go, this place isn’t suitable for you. Are you not hungry? I’ll take you to eat.”
Qiao Ruoxin pouted, wanting to stay at the banquet a while longer, but was forcibly dragged away by the man.
Meanwhile—
Gu Mocheng’s gaze had been lingering on that distant white fairy-like dress, and finally, he downed the rest of the drink in his glass and placed the cup on the table.
Then, he stood up and walked towards Mo Zhizi.
Mo Zhizi just turned around and after seeing him, her eyes immediately turned cold, “Mister Gu, what is it?”
“What’s with that expression? Unhappy to see me?”
This was actually the first time he was so disliked by a woman, dammit…
Mo Zhizi: “What expression do you want me to have? So desperate for women that you become a pervert? Pretending to be Xiaogu, the property front desk? Hah…”
Her words were laced with sarcasm. She could hardly believe that Xiaogu from the property front desk, whom she chatted with every day, was actually Gu Mocheng?? Incredible.
Gu Mocheng’s lips curled up with a rogue’s smile, “Doesn’t this just show my determination to pursue you?”
“I don’t need it, find someone else to chase, thank you.”
Mo Zhizi responded coldly and turned to walk towards the terrace, intending to get some air. She felt a bit suffocated after staying here for too long.
After she got to the terrace, the night wind blew over, tousling her French curls.
Behind her came the man’s deep footsteps, and without looking, she knew it must be that cultured scoundrel, Mister Gu.
“Always spending your brother’s money, aren’t you afraid Qiao Ruoxin will get jealous?”
The man’s deep voice was lazy and sensual, as he casually leaned against a nearby pillar, a rebellious look flashing across his handsome face.
Mo Zhizi chuckled lightly, turned her head to look at the handsome face of Gu Mocheng, “I heard, Mister Gu’s first love was Qiao Ruoxin?”
“…”
The roguishness on Gu Mocheng’s face vanished in an instant, he slowly straightened up, his tongue clicking against his back teeth, seemingly unhappy with the topic.
“Who told you that?”
Mo Zhizi’s smile was taunting: “No matter who said it, just tell me if it’s true.”
Gu Mocheng sneered, “What if I say it’s not?”
“Stop lying, your first love was Qiao Ruoxin. Back then, you were at the same school; she was in junior high and you were in high school. You always went to steal glances at her,” Mo Zhizi said.
Gu Mocheng’s temple throbbed violently. How did this girl know so much? Did they know each other before?
“Did we know each other before?”
“Who doesn’t know Mister Gu? The famous person of the school,” Mo Zhizi’s every word was sarcastic.
Chapter 419: Can I change my tune now? Gu Mocheng couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter and walked up to her, “So, you’re saying you also attended the same school as me?”
How come he could never remember someone named Mo Zhizi?
He remembered seeing Mo Zhizi only once when he was a child, at Grandpa Mo’s birthday banquet. At that time, Mo Zhizi was skinny and somber, looking like an undernourished little poor thing.
Mo Zhizi, “So, do you admit it? Your first love was Qiao Ruoxin.”
“I don’t admit it. Qiao Ruoxin was pretty when she was young, and I looked at her a few times more, but that doesn’t mean she was my first love,” Gu Mocheng said unhurriedly.
Mo Zhizi let out a light laugh, then a sigh, “It’s really a bit of a pity. If your first love had been Qiao Ruoxin, I would have been quite happy. After all, I like Qiao Ruoxin too, sweet and cute, likable. If your first love had been some other woman…”
Before she could finish, Gu Mocheng’s brows furrowed sharply, “Is it too late for me to change my story now?”
Damn…
Who would have thought that Qiao Ruoxin, that cunning wretch, appealed to both men and women?
“It’s too late.”
Having said that, Mo Zhizi turned and walked towards the banquet hall.
Gu Mocheng was left standing there, dazed for a second before he broke into derisive laughter, experiencing defeat by a woman for the first time.
As Mo Zhizi entered the banquet hall, her friends came up to her and glanced at Gu Mocheng on the terrace.
“Zhizi, Young Master Gu is handsome and comes from a good family. Are you really not considering it? You know, the queue of women who like him could stretch on and on,” they said.
Mo Zhizi’s face was full of disdain, “Someone I once liked, I don’t want to like a second time over.”
She could never forget how Gu Mocheng had glanced at her with utter disdain when they were young, brushed past her, and then stared dreamily at the then proud and pretty Qiao Ruoxin.
“Once liked? When did you like Gu Mocheng? How come I don’t know about it?” her friend asked with a puzzled look.
Mo Zhizi gave a perfunctory reply, “It’s nothing, I was just talking nonsense.”
“Hey, clear it up, when did you like Gu Mocheng? I’ve been your friend for so many years, how come I don’t know?”
Her friend followed closely behind Mo Zhizi, wanting to get a clear answer.
On the terrace.
Gu Mocheng looked into the distant night sky, desperately trying to recall his high school days, yet he couldn’t find the name Mo Zhizi or her face in his memory.
His high school life seemed to have been without Mo Zhizi. How did she know about those things?
Could it have been Mo Chen who told her?
But judging by Mo Chen’s temperament, he couldn’t possibly have said anything.
…
In the restaurant.
Mo Chen brought Qiao Ruoxin to a restaurant and ordered just a bowl of noodles, plain and simple.
Qiao Ruoxin ate her noodles leisurely and then looked up at the man across from her, “Aren’t you worried about your cousin? I see that Young Master Gu isn’t easy to deal with.”
“Let them be; should I be their matchmaker?” The man’s tone was full of contempt.
She couldn’t help but laugh before continuing with her noodles.
Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she looked up at the man, “What did you say to your mother just now? She won’t scold me when I get back, will she?”
“No, if anyone is to be scolded, it will be me.”
Qiao Ruoxin burst out laughing.
Mo Chen raised an eyebrow, “Your man is about to be scolded, and you’re this happy?”
“It’s rare to see you being scolded…”
“You’re just a heartless little brat,” Mo Chen said, sitting up straight with a sarcastic chuckle, yet full of indulgence.
After finishing the noodles, they prepared to return to the manor.
In the car.
Qiao Ruoxin leaned into the man’s arms, closed her eyes, and wanted to sleep for a while, but the scene of her mother in the hospital flashed through her mind, and she suddenly opened her eyes.
The man noticed the abnormality in her within his embrace and looked down at her, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, I had a dream, I dreamed that my mom committed suicide…”
Mo Chen hugged her tighter: “It’s all right now.”
“Mo Chen brother, when you found my mom, did she say anything? Why did she want to commit suicide?”
Mo Chen frowned slightly, unsure if he should tell this Little Ghost.
Qiao Ruoxin looked up at the man’s proud chin: “Speak, what exactly did she say?”
“She might have been stimulated by something, she felt she had made a mistake, asked me if I would always love you, whether I would betray you in the future, and asked some other things, I’ve forgotten.”
Qiao Ruoxin’s heart panicked for a moment. What did her mother mean by asking these questions?
Did she really contemplate suicide?
Her complexion wasn’t very good throughout the journey.
After returning to the estate, she was still distracted and didn’t know what she was thinking about.
Mo Chen sighed and carried her towards the villa area, but after arriving in the living room, he found that Mrs. Mo had not slept at all and was waiting for their return.
Upon seeing them return, she stood up.
Seeing Mrs. Mo, Qiao Ruoxin instantly became alert and jumped out of the man’s arms, standing properly.
But that very jump made both Mo Chen and Mrs. Mo’s hearts leap.
“Qiao Ruoxin!”
“Ruoxin!”
Startled by the mother and son’s call, Qiao Ruoxin trembled.
“You really don’t get it, do you? You’re pregnant. What are you jumping for? From now on until you give birth, you’re not allowed to jump anymore!”
Mrs. Mo walked up to her, took her hand, and looked her over carefully, only relaxing when she didn’t see anything else unusual.
Mo Chen’s face turned even uglier, roaring: “Do you want to die?”
Qiao Ruoxin truly didn’t mean to do it; she still hadn’t adapted to the fact that she was really pregnant and always felt like a young girl.
“I’m sorry, I won’t do it again next time, I haven’t adapted to the role of a pregnant woman yet…”
Mrs. Mo looked displeased: “How long has it been, and you still haven’t adapted? I take you to prenatal classes every day. What have you been listening to? Tell me if you feel uncomfortable anywhere, and I’ll call the doctor to check on you.”
“No need, no need, I don’t feel uncomfortable anywhere, I was fine just now, I didn’t jump very hard.”
“From now on, you’re not allowed to jump anymore, understand?” Mrs. Mo was instructing her like a real mother.
Qiao Ruoxin obediently nodded: “I understand.”
“Go up and sleep. I want to speak to Mo Chen for a moment.”
She turned to leave but slowed down her pace, heading toward the indoor elevator.
Until the elevator doors slowly closed.
Mrs. Mo couldn’t help but sigh: “She is indeed too young. Now that she’s pregnant, both her body and mind are immature, but since she’s already pregnant, and with twins no less, we must protect her well.”
Mo Chen: “Hmm.”
“Did you take her out for dinner tonight?”
“We did.”
“That’s good, she doesn’t know how to take care of herself, and her mother doesn’t act like a mother at all, so it looks like we’ll have to play the role of her parents.”
Mrs. Mo now felt that she was almost like Qiao Ruoxin’s mother—if she had a daughter, she probably would have treated her the same.
She couldn’t understand what Jiang Peilan was thinking; if she had a daughter, she would definitely hold her in the palm of her hand and not let her be harmed in the slightest.
: Chapter 420: Encounter with a Mad Dog In the bedroom.
Qiao Ruoxin had just been bathed by a maid, changed into her robe, and dried her hair.
She leaned on the bed, boredly reading a book, and had waited a long time without Mo Chen returning, not knowing what he was discussing with Madam Mo.
After half an hour, she almost fell asleep, and finally, the bedroom door was pushed open.
It was Mo Chen coming back.
Qiao Ruoxin immediately perked up, sitting up straighter and rubbing her eyes.
“Mo Chen, what did your mother say?”
The man walked to the edge of the bed, sat down, and scrutinized her small expression of both anticipation and fear, “Nothing much, she told you to take good care of yourself during the pregnancy and not to run around.”
“Mhm, I got it. Did she scold you?”
Actually, she felt that her little trick had been seen through by Madam Mo long ago, as Madam Mo knew her son best.
Mo Chen: “No, I’m going to take a shower, wait for me.”
“Mhm.”
She obediently watched as Mo Chen went to the bathroom.
Why did she feel that Madam Mo had become gentle all of a sudden? Could it be because she felt that she was going to be a grandmother, so she was not so strict with her anymore?
A little while later, the man came out of the bathroom, bringing with him a cool and pleasant scent as he climbed into bed and turned off all the lights in the bedroom.
Then, out of habit, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her earlobe, “Little Ghost, good night.”
“Good night, Mo Chen.”
In the darkness, she closed her eyes and gradually drifted into sleep.
She had a very long dream in which she saw her mother committing suicide on the roof, swallowing sleeping pills, and teetering on the edge of the rooftop.
Then she dreamt she was having a wedding with Mo Chen, and Simon suddenly appeared, disrupting the entire ceremony, causing chaos at the wedding venue and the sound of gunshots could be heard, making her feel like she was falling apart.
The dreams were bizarre and chaotic.
In the dream, she felt exhausted but couldn’t seem to escape the layers upon layers of dreams, feeling oppressed and suffocated.
Suddenly!
She woke up with a start in her dream and realised her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her breathing rapid.
She then noticed she was still in the man’s embrace, touching her own forehead and realizing how sweaty she had become.
The moment of waking up from a dream was always particularly real, as if everything that happened in the dream had truly occurred.
She turned around and nudged Mo Chen, “Mo Chen, I…”
She saw the man’s sleeping face, knowing he had also had a tiring day at work; she didn’t want to disturb his sleep.
Mo Chen, in a half-asleep state, hugged her tighter, his voice muffled, “Mhm…”
“Never mind, let’s sleep.”
She turned back around, embraced the man’s body, and then closed her eyes to continue sleeping.
Her emotions gradually calmed down.
…
The next day, early morning.
When Qiao Ruoxin opened her eyes, it was already noon again.
She was indeed sleeping more and more these days, but the doctor had always said it was normal, as pregnant women are prone to sleepiness, especially since she was still in the period of morning sickness.
She stretched lazily and then went to the bathroom to wash up and change clothes.
Head to the first-floor restaurant for a meal.
When she reached the restaurant, she got a shock.
Because Mrs. Mo was actually there waiting for her. Usually, at this time, Mrs. Mo wasn’t at home, so why was she waiting in the restaurant today?
“Mrs. Mo… I, slept too long, sorry.”
“No problem, pregnant women tend to be sleepy. When I was carrying Mo Chen, I could sleep for more than ten hours a day,” Mrs. Mo smiled.
The maid pulled out a chair, and Qiao Ruoxin sat down, then quickly received her pregnant-woman’s breakfast for the day.
Qiao Ruoxin glanced at it and felt no appetite at all, but she still had to eat, otherwise, she would endure another lecture from Mrs. Mo.
She simply had to eat despite herself.
Seeing her struggling to have an appetite, Mrs. Mo laughed, “After you finish eating, I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up. You jumped off Mo Chen’s body last night, and the more I think about it, the more worried I get. It’s safer to have a doctor look at you.”
She could only nod silently, after all, it was for her own good, but she truly didn’t feel any discomfort.
…
After finishing the meal, Mrs. Mo accompanied her to the hospital.
After being examined by the doctor and finding no problems, Mrs. Mo finally relieved her mind and then decided to take her out to relax a bit.
Standing in front of the hospital elevator and waiting, Qiao Ruoxin was docile and well-behaved, after all, she had to play the role of Mo Chen’s virtuous wife.
With a ding-dong, the elevator doors slowly opened.
Inside appeared a person who made Qiao Ruoxin’s expression change instantly, Li Yi!
Li Yi, leaning on a crutch, walked unsteadily. Seeing Qiao Ruoxin, he ignored Mrs. Mo who stood beside her.
“Qiao Ruoxin! You dare to come here! Are you here to seek death?”
Li Yi hobbled out of the elevator, wishing he could strangle Qiao Ruoxin, this Little Ghost, who knocked him so hard that his private parts were nearly crushed, landing him in the hospital for so long without being able to leave.
Qiao Ruoxin instinctively stepped back, as she was now pregnant and couldn’t take any more risks.
Mrs. Mo furrowed her brows and sized up Li Yi from head to toe, her voice cold, “And who are you?”
It was only then that Li Yi took notice of Mrs. Mo’s presence, and he let out a laugh, “Oh, it’s Mrs. Mo. Fortunate to meet you today. I really want to ask you, Mrs. Mo, how did you take a liking to this dead girl? Mo Chen may be foolish, but you should vet the future lady of the Mo Family. To let such a Little Ghost enter the Mo Family’s door, you truly have guts.”
Qiao Ruoxin frowned; this Li Yi was the garbage of garbage, the loser among losers.
“My son is foolish, and you think you’re smart? With that behavior, who do you presume to lecture here?”
Mrs. Mo’s tone was full of disdain as she pulled Qiao Ruoxin behind her—after all, she was pregnant and couldn’t risk any danger.
Li Yi was left speechless.
“Mrs. Mo, your son’s woman made me like this, and she didn’t even offer half an apology. Is this the Mo Family’s way? I called your son Mo Chen, and he even threatened to cripple me directly.”
Mrs. Mo, “How is your current state any different from being crippled? Move aside, we want to take the elevator.”
Mrs. Mo pulled Qiao Ruoxin towards the elevator, while Li Yi started barking madly like a rabid dog, “Do you think your son found some treasure? Qiao Ruoxin doesn’t know how many men have touched her. Your Mo Family is no different, in the end picking up an entertainment circle female star, still a woman everyone has ridden, hahaha…”
At the brink of losing her temper, Qiao Ruoxin was about to lash out when Mrs. Mo spoke first. She glanced at the following bodyguard, “Take good care of young master Li, let him understand how strict our Mo Family’s manner is.”
“Yes!”
The two bodyguards that had entered the elevator left it, and Li Yi was dumbfounded, his laughter coming to an abrupt end.
“What are you doing! Are you crazy! Do you know who I am! You dare to beat me! I’ll make sure you have nowhere to be buried!”
“Aah!!!”
Qiao Ruoxin watched with wide eyes as the elevator doors slowly closed—she couldn’t see anything, could only hear Li Yi’s screams.
This is the price of running one’s mouth.