A cup of tea in hand, Ming Jinhua walked into the study and saw Ye Wentian acting out of sorts. He smiled one moment but looked angry in another.
âWhatâs wrong with you?â Ming Jinhua put the tea on the desk and walked over, worried.
The joy was apparent on Ye Wentianâs face, but he pretended to be displeased.?âLook what your son did!â
Ming Jinhua looked at the computer screen.
Emotion overwhelmed her upon seeing the image of Ye Zhongjue holding the pregnant Mo Suqing as they walked towards the hospital.
It took her a while to compose herself.
âIs⦠is that Jueâs baby?â
âHmph!â Ye Wentian harrumphed, but there was an unmistakable trace of happiness in his voice.
âWould he do that if the baby wasnât his? He even hit a reporter and forgot all about Mighty Empire, spoiling the groupâs public image like that. He doesnât even care that it can affect the stocks!â
Ming Jinhua spoke with fervent emotion. âThat doesnât matter! If sheâs really pregnant with Jueâs child, and Jue likes her so much, I donât think we can do anything to stop this. Also, what happened to us might not necessarily happen to them. Letâs find some time to meet up with Jian Jie and have a good chat with her. Anyway, this girl here is rather to my liking!â
Ming Jinhua was happy for the couple and the more she looked at the image of the pregnant Mo Suqing, the more she liked the girl.
Ye Wentian cleared his throat. âAhem...â
âHow about⦠how about you give Jue a call and ask him to bring his wife over for a meal!â
Ming Jinhua broke into a huge grin. âYou acknowledge her as Jueâs wife now?â
Ye Wentian looked like he was caught in the act, and his face instantly reddened.
âYour son has already impregnated her. If I still refuse to acknowledge her, my grandchild would end up being an illegitimate child!â
Ming Jinhua did not lose her smile as she looked at Ye Wentian. This man canât take jokes!
âOkay, Iâm just joking. Iâll call our son now and ask him to bring the girl over for a meal. We can talk about the wedding after the baby is delivered. Judging by the size of her tummy, I think sheâs going to be due very soon!â
âMm!â Ye Wentian put on a dispassionate facade and looked back at the image on the computer screen. It really looked like she was going to pop any moment.
Ye Zhongjueâs mobile phone rang during Mo Suqingâs check-up.
Seeing that it was his mother who called, he walked out of the room to answer.
âHello, Mum. Anything the matter?â
He could hear the happiness in Ming Jinhuaâs voice. âI saw everything!â
Ye Zhongjueâs brows creased. Saw everything? What did she see?
He never expected for those images to be uploaded so quickly, much less for his parents to actually see them.
âWhat do you mean?â
Ming Jinhua laughed. âStop pretending! The picture of your pregnant wife is all over the Internet!â
Ye Zhongjueâs face darkened immediately. Those reporters are really asking for it.
As if she could sense his anger over the phone, Ming Jinhua said, âYour dad is overjoyed that heâs going to be a grandfather! He asked me to give you a call so you can bring her over for a meal!â
Ye Zhongjue answered with a tinge of conceit, âHeâs not against our marriage anymore?â
âYou already have a baby, itâs no use opposing now. Both your dad and I arenât actually too picky about marrying someone with equal social status, itâs just that we are afraid that what happened to us may happen to you as well. Weâre just worried about you. But as long as youâre happy, everything is fine!â
Ye Zhongjue was comforted by her words. If he had known his parents could be so accepting of Mo Suqing, he would have told them everything from the get-go.
âOkay, Iâll take her when we have the time!â
At this, Ming Jinhua got rather excited. âWhen exactly will the both of you be coming over? Iâll prepare some delicious dishes. What does she like? Iâll make more for her. Pregnant ladies usually have bigger appetites, and the baby needs the nutrients too!â
Ye Zhongjue laughed.
âMum! Thereâs no need to whip up anything special. Suqing said she wanted to stay home today, so weâll come over tomorrow morning, okay?â
âOkay, okay!â Ming Jinhua was grinning from ear to ear.
Ye Zhongjue returned to the room and heard the doctor say, âThe baby is doing fine. Sure that neither of you wants to know more? Like...â
âItâs fine!â Mo Suqing interrupted before the doctor could finish.
âI want to keep it a mystery and give myself a surprise when the time comes!â
The doctor saw how joyful she looked and nodded, âThatâs fine too!â
Mo Suqing let Ye Zhongjue support her as they exited the room.
âMy mum asked us to go over for a meal when we have the time.â
âReally?â Mo Suqing asked in surprise.
âReally!â Ye Zhongjue gently ruffled her hair.
âThe fact that they asked us over for a meal means that they have begun to accept that weâre together. Weâll hold a wedding after the baby is delivered, and Iâll make sure itâs the most spectacular wedding ever!â
Iâll make you feel like youâre the most blessed woman in the entire world!?Ye Zhongjue thought to himself.
What he did not know was that such bliss could be destroyed in the blink of an eye and disaster could befall at any time. Some things were simply destined not to be.
â¦â¦
Jian Jie met An Huilin at a villa she owned somewhere in the suburbs.
When An Huilin arrived, Jian Jie was lounging on the sofa and sipping on her coffee.
âSit!â Jian Jie said casually.
Without any civility, An Huilin sat herself down on the sofa and spoke immediately. âJian Jie, when are you going to help me take back those shares in the An Group? Iâm just like a homeless animal now, I canât even meet Haoyun. Itâs been two months, two months!â
An Huilin was getting more and more agitated.
Jian Jie looked at her without emotion. You brought all of this upon yourself!
She then said with confidence, âHuilin, have I ever told you that youâre too impulsive? If you werenât this impulsive, I might have been able to help you...â
She gave An Huilin a knowing look as she spoke slowly, her tone menacing.
An Huilin was shocked. âWhat! Jian Jie, what do you mean? By saying that you might have been able to help if I wasnât too impulsive, do you mean that youâre not going to help me now? Arenât you afraid that Iâll reveal your identity to others?â
Jian Jie gave her a mocking look.
âHuilin, did I not tell you that using the same tactic twice will make it lose its effectiveness? Or are you just too dumb to understand?â n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
An Huilinâs expression was awful. âWhat are you planning, Jian Jie. Even if you kill me, your identity will be made known to others. When that happens, youâll be cornered and you wonât even be able to return home. What would your parents think if they learn that their precious princess is actually a cold-blooded killer on the wrong side of the law?â
Jian Jie stiffened slightly before glaring at An Huilin.
âInstead of worrying about that, you should be worried that youâve used this method to threaten me more than once. Do you think Iâll let you make use of me like this a second time? Iâm years ahead of you when it comes to games like these, and youâre not even a worthy opponent. Do you think youâll still be alive if I had decided to make a move on you?â
Fear flashed past An Huilinâs face.
Jian Jie continued without pausing, âIâve already given in to you once by helping you get rid of Leng Xiyao, but I canât believe you have to gall to continue threatening me after that. You did it again just now. Iâd suggest you take a look at your phone and see if it still has a signal.â
Jian Jieâs face was full of disdain.
An Huilin looked down at her phone and realized there was absolutely no signal in this place. She was instantly terrified.
âWhat are you doing, Jian Jie? Have you gone mad? Even if you lock me up in here and my phone doesnât have a signal, your identity will still...â
âMy identity will still be revealed? Is it a scheduled email, or a scheduled post online? Or is it just a memo on your phone...â
Jian Jie smiled viciously at An Huilin.
An Huilin froze. âHow did you know?â
Jian Jie raised her brows. âDonât you know that there are hackers in this world? That lousy computer and encryption method of yours were so easily broken. I know everything!â
An Huilinâs lips trembled as her face paled. âWhat⦠what are you doing? Jian Jie, donât forget our friendship. Weâve known each other for so long⦠You...â
âYouâre talking about friendship now? Why didnât you think of that when you were threatening me?â
Jian Jie walked over to An Huilin in slow, measured steps.
An Huilin was frozen with fear. She stuttered, âDonât⦠donât come over! What are you trying to do!â
âHuh⦠What am I trying to do?â Jian Jie inched closer, that vicious smile never leaving her face.
âWhat do you think Iâm trying to do?â
An Huilin backed away slowly on the sofa, but she was already trapped by the hunter and she would not be able to escape the cage that would imprison her.
No matter how she struggled, she would not be able to break free of that cage.
âDonât come any closer...â An Huilin was about to cry. To her, Jian Jie was just like the devilâs incarnate, able to take her life on a whim.
âIf I donât come close...â Jian Jie sounded like she just heard a joke.
âDo you know whatâs my goal for today? Itâs to have you captured so that you canât threaten me anymore. How would I do that if you donât allow me to come closer?â
Jian Jie pretended to look frustrated, while An Huilin was petrified.
She was regretting everything now. She should never have made a deal with this madwoman, Jian Jie.