Chapter 23: CH 23

Huo Xiang chatted with Xi Xixi for a full two hours.

As a result, Bai Zhen Zhen sat at the end of the alley, eavesdropping. As she listened, her eyelids gradually started drooping, and she fell asleep.

“Hey, hey,” Huo Xiang, who had completed the task, poked Bai Zhen Zhen’s arm, “Asking me to enlighten others, yet you happily fell asleep here?”

Bai Zhen Zhen woke up with a start, rubbing her sleepy eyes, asking him: “You’re done?”

Huo Xiang nodded: “The brainwashing is complete. Just now, he enthusiastically returned to the company.”

“Nice!” Bai Zhen Zhen stood up happily.

— System: “Ding~ Female lead happiness points +3.”

— Huo Xiang: “Wow, finally a time when the happiness increased normally! My two hours of talking nonstop wasn’t in vain!”

— System: “Knight, please keep working hard! The day you can return to reality is just around the corner!”

— Huo Xiang: “Hehe, I’m not anxious about that. Let’s take it slow.”

Bai Zhen Zhen sighed with emotions: “I didn’t expect something that would take others a whole night to complete would only take you two hours to deal with it. Truly worthy of being the heir to the richest man! Really extraordinary!”

“Others? Who?” Huo Xiang asked in puzzlement.

Bai Zhen Zhen chuckled, but didn’t explain. She forcefully changed the topic: “Shall we go for dessert now?”

Huo Xiang looked at the time and replied: “I don’t think we can make it. It’s almost 11pm now. The store has been closed for awhile now.”

“Then let’s go to the 24-hour KFC? I suddenly feel like drinking ice cream float coffee!”

Huo Xiang glanced at Bai Zhen Zhen, asking with vague intentions: “You’re… not going home tonight?”

After that, he pretended to be shy: “You didn’t take my… ‘do it’ line seriously, did you?”

“What are you thinking of!” Bai Zhen Zhen punched Huo Xiang’s chest, causing him to cry out in pain.

“I never intended to go home tonight! Bai Meng Ru is back home. If I go back, I have to sleep in the same room as her. Just the thought of it makes me nauseous! I’ve decided to stay in a hotel tonight, how about you?”

“Then I will also stay in a hotel!” Huo Xiang arrogantly lifted his chin, “After all, with my current identity, it’s practically throwing my grandfather’s honorable face if I went back to stay at the rental house! Let’s go get a room, my treat!”

Bai Zhen Zhen gritted her teeth: “If you’re staying in a hotel, then stay in a hotel, what ‘get a room’! Nothing good comes out of your dog mouth!”

Huo Xiang pretended to be aggrieved: “Lil’ Zhen Zhen, you’re so bad. Just now when you asked me to speak on your behalf, you still praised me for being good with words. Now after you’re done using me, you call me a dog mouth. Those little doggies didn’t offend you either.”

A layer of goosebumps rose all over Bai Zhen Zhen.

“What I meant was, how could become so forgetful after becoming rich? Why would we need to spend money to stay in a hotel?” Bai Zhen Zhen retrieved a room card from her bag, “Have you forgotten what this is? A room card to a five-star hotel presidential suite! Since your friend said Xi Xixi’s case was a mistake in the lucky draw, then it can be considered that we won this fair and square. Such a great free gift, it’s a waste if we didn’t use it!”

Huo Xiang’s eyes lit up: “That’s right! We could stay free with this!”

— Even after becoming the heir to the world’s richest man, he couldn’t suppress the excitement of free gifts.

“Let’s go! You can use the money you saved to buy me a drink… Oh, I also want to eat fried chicken!”

“Eat, feel free to eat! I can also buy the entire shop for you if you want it!”

Bai Zhen Zhen couldn’t help laughing.

— System: “Knight, your ego is inflating.”

— Huo Xiang: “Nonsense, I’ll see if your ego doesn’t inflate if I give you a billion dollars.”

— System: “It seems to make sense.”

****

Bai Zhen Zhen and Huo Xiang took a taxi to Xiangju Commercial Mall, where there was a 24-hour KFC just nearby. The two of them bought their fried chicken and drinks, before going to the Xiangju Hotel in the northeast part of the mall to check in.

A five-star hotel, not to mention it being a presidential suite. The decorations were really magnificent.

Bai Zhen Zhen walked around, and found that in addition to the spacious living room and lounge, there were two bedrooms in the presidential suite, each with its own bathroom.

Huo Xiang put the fried chicken and drinks on the coffee table, evaluating the area, before saying emotionally: “I originally wanted to show off my gentlemanly side and offer to sleep on the sofa. I didn’t expect the hotel to not even give me this opportunity.”

Bai Zhen Zhen laughed: “After all, poverty limits your imagination.”

Huo Xiang smiled without speaking.

In his heart, he thought to himself that the novel shouldn’t have been written too long ago. After all, the female lead knew of phrases that had only become popular in the past two years.

The two of them sat down together on the sofa and began to eat supper happily.

“Zhen Zhen, you’re really brave. It’s almost midnight, yet you’re eating such oily food. You’re not afraid of gaining weight?” Huo Xiang said.

Bai Zhen Zhen rolled her eyes at him: “Do you want to say that again?”

Huo Xiang immediately changed his tone: “Of course you’re not afraid of gaining weight! With a figure like yours, you wouldn’t gain weight even after eating a whole chicken every day!”

Bai Zhen Zhen was secretly gleeful in her heart. This was also part of her character settings in the book, to not gain weight no matter what she ate. It was simply the dream of all girls around the world!

Huo Xiang chewed on the chicken drumstick, pretending to casually remark: “Zhen Zhen, didn’t I help to guide that little idol just now? After thinking about it, I realised I need to have a good chat with you.”

Bai Zhen Zhen nodded: “Ok, go ahead.”

“I feel that your family has a little problem…”

Huo Xiang trailed off, looking at Bai Zhen Zhen from the corner of his eyes, afraid that she would be unhappy.

But he had to tell her about these things, if not she would never be happy being suppressed by her family, and it would also hinder him from doing his mission.

However, Bai Zhen Zhen’s reaction was completely beyond his expectation.

“Right? I think so too! What problems did you find? Quickly, tell me!” Bai Zhen Zhen was very interested, “Also, you must tell the truth; you don’t have to stand on courtesy.”

“Then I’ll be straightforward…” Huo Xiang raised his eyebrows.

“Ok!”

“Your stepmother and step sister don’t treat you as a person at all, always targeting you. We both understand this, so I won’t touch on this subject for now. What I want to speak to you about is your father, Uncle Bai. I always feel that his psychology is a little bit twisted…”

Though Bai Zhen Zhen had told Huo Xiang to speak his mind freely, but Huo Xiang was still cautious. If he spoke wrongly, and the female lead got mad, her happiness index would fall again.

“He seems to have some kind of hatred for the rich. No matter their character and personality, as long as they are wealthy, they would instantly turn into a devil in his mind. Just take me as an example. I got along well with him previously, and obtained his approval. Now that I’m wealthy, his attitude immediately changed.”

“Actually, these all doesn’t matter,” Huo Xiang paused, “I’m mainly concerned about you. Today, your stepmother said such excessive words, yet Uncle Bai didn’t refute any of her words. I can only imagine what kind of life you led in your household all these years…”

“Zhen Zhen, I think my grandfather is right. He’s not a competent father.”

Bai Zhen Zhen deeply agreed.

Huo Xiang continued: “Actually, whether we get a divorce or not doesn’t matter, since we are in a fake marriage. More importantly, for a beautiful and outstanding girl like you, the chance of marrying into a rich family is quite high…”

“Wait,” Bai Zhen Zhen laughed, “Are you eating your fries with honey? How did your mouth become so sweet?”

“I mean it. If the other party has a good family background, and truly loves you, this is a good thing for you. After all, who doesn’t want to live a better life!” Huo Xiang frankly said, “But if Uncle Bai maintains this attitude, not letting you marry into a good family, your future will also be more difficult.”

Bai Zhen Zhen’s smile gradually froze on her face.

She wasn’t afraid of future difficulties, nor was she afraid whether she could marry in the future. But to have such an existence as a father, and she still had to follow her character settings to “honor” him, it really made her feel revolted.

Huo Xiang saw Bai Zhen Zhen frowning, and thought that he had spoken out of line, hurriedly explaining: “Zhen Zhen, I didn’t have any other intentions, it’s just…”

“It’s ok, just say it. I think you’re right! Every word is straight to the point. It just happened that I previously didn’t have anyone to gripe to!”

“Real…Really?!” Huo Xiang shivered.

— It’s said that women were two-faced creatures. Was she being sarcastic because he spoke ill of his father-in-law?!

“Really!” Bai Zhen Zhen said sincerely. She didn’t know how to make Huo Xiang believe that she was also seething with anger at her father.

“How about this, I swear that I won’t be angry no matter what you say!” Bai Zhen Zhen continued.

“That’s not necessary.” Huo Xiang was finally convinced that Bai Zhen Zhen was speaking sincerely, and the panic in his heart ebbed.

He continued: “Zhen Zhen, since you don’t like your family, why do you still accommodate them? They humiliated you so much today, yet you swallowed that ball of anger. If it wasn’t for my identity making it awkward for me to speak up, I would definitely help you fight back.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to fight back, but I can’t!” Bai Zhen Zhen looked helpless.

“Why?” Huo Xiang was very puzzled, “With your current conditions, you can completely throw off all family ties and leave to pursue your own life! You don’t have to feel guilty at all, because they have never ever considered you!”

Bai Zhen Zhen was really touched, and suddenly said warmly: “Thank you, Huo Xiang.”

Huo Xiang deliberately inched backwards on the sofa, saying seriously: “I told you before, don’t call me like that. I will be scared.”

Bai Zhen Zhen’s lips curled up, and she smiled: “Relax, I’ve already thought of a good way to deal with them. Wait till we finish our ‘divorce’; I will show you how capable I am then!”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, then I look forward to it!” Huo Xiang’s lips also curled up.

Bai Zhen Zhen looked at the boy before her, who was only two years older than her, suddenly feeling emotional.

In the novel, the female lead was actually unloved by her parents.

Of the three men who would be in a CP with the female lead, the first male lead Ling Hao Chen was suspicious by nature, constantly being provoked by outsiders and consequently misunderstanding the female lead. The second male lead Jiang Mu Yang was no doubt gentle, but he was indecisive. Until the end, he still wanted to protect his younger sister. The third male lead, Xi Xixi was an honest child, but he wasn’t mature or strong enough. When the female lead was bullied by his fans, and even attacked by them, he didn’t have the strength to do anything.

But the man in front of her was different.

He had a clear outlook in life and was logical and righteous. He could see through other people’s pretenses, and could even turn into a wife-protecting madman at any time.

Even though he was a little glib sometimes, but he would never cut corners when it was time to be seriouos.

Bai Zhen Zhen only felt that:

— Such an outstanding random passerby – Truly! Deserves! To be the richest man!

****

The conference of the heir to the world’s richest man was held as scheduled.

The location was set at the Dragon Century Hotel in the city center.

The domineering name of the hotel was not randomly generated, but had actually appeared in the original novel. Bai Zhen Zhen could only admire the strange imagination of the author.

At 5pm, Bai Zhen Zhen set off from the Xiangju Hotel.

The chauffeur who came to pick her up drove a Maserati worth tens of millions. In addition, he also brought along a full set consisting a gown, high heels and jewelry for the conference.

Thought Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t recognise the brands, but she knew — The gifts from the richest man was definitely luxurious!!

That’s why one still needed to know how to network!

In order to be worthy of this outfit, Bai Zhen Zhen carefully put on makeup, then went to the conference joyfully.

The Dragon Century Hotel was the most luxurious six-star hotel in the city. Elder Huo had reserved the largest, most magnificent VIP hall in the hotel. The entire scene was grandiose, completely incomparable to that time when she attended Jiang Mu Yang’s birthday party.

As the conference held by the world’s richest man, famous people from various walks of life could be seen everywhere. Not only was the famous big bosses in the city here, but some of Elder Huo’s personal friends had rushed over from all over the world.

Thus, when Bai Zhen Zhen stepped in and immediately met two handsome Caucasian men, she immediately said “Hello” in English, not surprised at all.

She was only surprised when she spotted the refreshment tables, filled with all kinds of delicacies.

After that, she took elegant steps and directly occupied a dessert stand.

At this moment, Huo Xiang was preparing for a “stunning appearance” later. He had just sent a message to Bai Zhen Zhen, for her to have fun by herself for a while, and that he would find her after he was done.

Bai Zhen Zhen originally came here to freeload off the free food and drinks, thus she happily flitted around the refreshment tables.

Just as Bai Zhen Zhen tasted the durian mousse cake that the waiter had brought over, she abruptly felt a shiver run down her spine.

Turning around, she saw a man and a woman walking towards her.

Specifically, the man was staring straight at her. Seeing her turn around, he immediately greeted her: “Oh, Bai Zhen Zhen? It’s really you! I almost thought I recognised the wrong person!”

Bai Zhen Zhen looked at him in confusion.

She had no impression of this man’s face at all. In addition, the three male leads had already appeared, and the system didn’t give any prompts.

As for the woman beside him, it was clear her whole face had undergone the knife. It was even more impossible for Bai Zhen Zhen to recognise her.

“Why, don’t you remember me? I’m Zhen Wei!”

“Oh, it’s you!” Bai Zhen Zhen suddenly realised, “I was dazing out just now, and didn’t recognise you for a moment!”

Bai Zhen Zhen had seen the name “Zhen Wei” in the novel before.

He was a rich playboy, and also the person Bai Meng Ru had dated in high school. Just before graduation, he dumped Bai Meng Ru.

What was more infuriating was that Bai Meng Ru, that hypocritical bitch, initially wanted to approach this rich kid, but didn’t want to destroy her image as a reserved lady. Thus she used the excuse that Bai Zhen Zhen liked Zhen Wei, and had approached Zhen Wei under the guise of matchmaking them. Zhen Wei was also a narcissist, thinking that both the older and younger sister of the Bai family liked him.

There was one incident later in the novel where Bai Zhen Zhen had accompanied Ling Hao Chen to attend a cocktail party. Coincidentally, Zhen Wei was also there, and he mocked her for hugging a golden thigh.

At that incident, Ling Hao Chen immediately humiliated Zhen Wei, but Zhen Wei’s words was imprinted on his heart. Afterwards, when he was provoked by Bai Meng Ru, Ling Hao Chen chose not to believe Bai Zhen Zhen’s explanations, and even held a grudge against Bai Zhen Zhen for a long time because of it.

It looks like the encounter written by the novel had also been adjusted accordingly.

At this moment, Zhen Wei examined Bai Zhen Zhen from head to toes.

He saw that the dress that she was wearing was from a famous luxury brand, making her temperament seem extraordinary. In addition to Bai Zhen Zhen’s meticulous makeup, she was several times more beautiful now than when she was still schooling.

“Oh, I haven’t seen you in a few years and you have become even more beautiful.” Zhen Wei laughed, before examining the surroundings, asking: “Where’s Bai Meng Ru?”

“If you’re looking for her, you can give her a call.” Bai Zhen Zhen showed a faint smile, “I’m sorry, there’s someone still waiting for me, so I won’t accompany you further.”

Bai Zhen Zhen was too lazy to talk with this unimportant character.

Zhen Wei wasn’t willing, taking a step in front of Bai Zhen Zhen to stop her. A vulgar smile also appeared on his face: “Don’t go, why are you in such a hurry to leave!”

Bai Zhen Zhen rolled her eyes.

“Hey, I’m rather curious. With your identity, you can also enter this place? Which big boss did you follow?” Zhen Wei glanced at the ruby necklace clasped around Bai Zhen Zhen’s neck, “This necklace doesn’t look like a fake? Bai Zhen Zhen, you sure are impressive, for someone to be willing to spend so much money on you!”

“Mr Zhen, please watch your words. I don’t seem to be familiar with you.” Bai Zhen Zhen replied unceremoniously.

“How could we not be familiar?! When you wanted to seduce me back then, you didn’t say we were unfamiliar!” Zhen Wei sneered, before turning to his female companion next to him, “This is the girl. During high school, she always asked her younger sister to pass love letters to me, saying nonsense like she love me till the moon and back.”

“Haha, are you nuts? I would write you love letters?!”

“Didn’t you! And it wasn’t just love letters!” Zhen Wei was smug, “But you didn’t expect that I would actually fancy your younger sister instead! Who asked you to dress so unsophisticatedly back then! Even if your sister was similarly poor, but she knew how to dress up! And with that small and innocent appearance, it was perfect for me to play around.”

Bai Zhen Zhen smiled: “Then the two of you are really a perfect match. One did it for money, the other for sex. How does the saying go? A bitch and a dog, a perfect match forever?”*

“Bai Zhen Zhen, you –” Zhen Wei was infuriated, his face changing in an instant, pointing with trembling fingers at Bai Zhen Zhen’s nose.

“What? Do you dare? Want to hit me?” Bai Zhen Zhen looked around again, “On someone else’s home grounds, do you dare?”

It was Bai Zhen Zhen’s turn to be triumphant.

Zhen Wei ground his teeth, retracted his fingers and clenched them into a fist.

He spoke through gritted teeth: “You’re good, Bai Zhen Zhen. Don’t think you can strut around arrogantly after hugging someone else’s thigh. Like how I used to play with your sister, he will play with you! In the end, you will end up empty handed, even after giving yourself away!”

“Oh, then I have to apologise for disappointing you.” Bai Zhen Zhen waved the diamond ring on her ring finger, “My rich husband and I are already married.”

Bai Zhen Zhen had specially requested the ring on her finger from Huo Xiang. She was worried that she would meet the first, second and third male lead again, so she wanted to wear it to announce her status as a married woman.

However, she also typed out an “IOU”. After the contract marriage was over, she would return the ring.

Zhen Wei saw the sparkling diamond ring, and was dumb for a moment.

Bai Zhen Zhen continued: “What’s even more touching is that he divorced his original wife for me, and also chased off all those men around me. Ah, really, I blame it on my universal charms…”

The information contained in her words were too big for Zhen Wei to process, and his brain froze.

After showing off, Bai Zhen Zhen turned her attention to Zhen Wei’s female companion, saying amusedly: “However, what did Mr Zhen say just now? You’re looking for a girlfriend to play around with? This lady, can you even tolerate that?!”

Zhen Wei’s female companion heard her words, and her face immediately changed. Shooting Zhen Wei a death glare, she furiously strode away.

Zhen Wei looked at her departing back, hatefully spitting out: “Bitch, you dare to walk away from me? Without you, I still can find others!”

He turned back and looked at Bai Zhen Zhen viciously: “Bai Zhen Zhen, you’re all grown up now! Who’s your husband, if you have the capabilities, then call him out! I want to see what industry he’s in, and whether he can continue to do business in the future!”

Bai Zhen Zhen recalled that Zhen Wei’s family was indeed quite wealthy, if not Bai Meng Ru wouldn’t have schemed to get close to him. It was a pity that his character was too bad, and Bai Meng Ru had wasted her efforts.

But thinking about it, in the novel, Zhen Wei was no match for even Ling Hao Chen. There was no way he could surpass the power of the world’s richest man!

Having considered to this point, Bai Zhen Zhen became even more assured of victory: “Zhen Wei, you’re attending this conference, yet you don’t know who my husband is?!”

“What do you mean?!” Zhen Wei looked suspicious.

Speaking of the devil, Huo Xiang magically appeared next to Bai Zhen Zhen at this moment.

“Zhen Zhen, what are you talking about?”

Zhen Zhen was elated: “You appeared at just the right time!!”

Huo Xiang hadn’t finished speaking when the system voice rang out in his mind.

— System: “Ding~ Female lead happiness points +2.”

— Huo Xiang: “Huh? Where did this happiness points come from? Community service?!”

Zhen Wei was stunned for a moment, looking towards the man beside Bai Zhen Zhen. He initially thought that the man Bai Zhen Zhen seduced would be a potbellied old man. He didn’t expect that it would be a graceful and handsome young man!

However, it also made sense. Those with such “hobbies” were also mostly these types of handsome pretty boys.

“By the way, why did you suddenly come over?” Bai Zhen Zhen asked, “Shouldn’t you be preparing to take the stage? Why did you casually come running over?”

“How could the stage be more important than you?” Huo Xiang grinned, shooting a gentle look at Bai Zhen Zhen, “I was worried you would feel uncomfortable, so I came out to see you. I will go back later. After all, these people don’t recognise me yet.”

“Alright, don’t flirt in front of me!” Zhen Wei interrupted their conversation, and turned to Huo Xiang, “You’re Bai Zhen Zhen’s husband?”

Huo Xiang tilted his head to look at Bai Zhen Zhen: “Should I say yes or no?”

Bai Zhen Zhen: “…”

Huo Xiang understood her expression, immediately turning back and decisively saying to Zhen Wei: “Yes, I am!”

Zhen Wei continued asking: “It was you who divorced your original wife in order to marry her?!”

Huo Xiang: “Ah??”

“Even chasing away her little boyfriends?!”

“Huh?!” Huo Xiang was flabbergasted.

— What the hell?!

Zhen Wei took in Huo Xiang’s reactions, and knew that something was fishy, immediately sneering: “Bai Zhen Zhen, you were indeed lying! This young master looks like a sensible person, how could he do such things for you!”

Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t have the time to shoot back.

Huo Xiang slapped his thigh abruptly, then replied: “This sir, you’ve misunderstood! I was surprised just now because I didn’t keep any of these small issues in mind. But for Zhen Zhen to proudly share it with you in that manner, it really makes me surprised and touched! Actually, there’s no limit to what I’m willing to do for her!!”

He gazed into Bai Zhen Zhen’s eyes with deep affections.

“Darling, I’m willing to give it all, just to be with you in this life!!”

———————

*婊-子配狗，天长地久 – Chinese Internet slang